1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: The Volume. All right, welcome to him tonight here at 2 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: the Volume Heavy Monday, everybody hopeful, if you guys had 3 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 1: a great weekend, got a jam pack show for you today. 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: We're gonna be hitting the LA teams off the bat 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: as the Lakers made a couple of moves over the 6 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: weekend and most importantly signing Marcus Smart for two years 7 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: at eleven million dollars, and then this morning Chris Paul 8 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: headed back to the Clippers to finish his career there. 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: So we're gonna hit those two teams off the top. 10 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: At the tail end of the show. We spent a 11 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: lot of time talking over the course of the last 12 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: few weeks about the Western Conference and these tiers that 13 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: I see, the top tier being the teams that are 14 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: the clear best teams in the conference, and then this 15 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: like second tier of teams in the West that are 16 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: all kind of like vying for the best possible puncher's 17 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: chance to get a big upset and get out of conference. 18 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: And I see two similar tiers in the Eastern Conference, 19 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: and we haven't taken time yet this summer to kind 20 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: of break that down. So at the tail end of 21 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: the show today, I'm going to rank the top seven 22 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: teams and the Eastern Conference into two different tiers and 23 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: just give quick breakdowns of why I see those teams 24 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: in those respective tiers. You guys know the joke before 25 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: we get started. To subscribe to the Hoops and I 26 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our videos. 27 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter at underscore jcnlt so you guys 28 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: don't miss announcement. Still, forget about a podcast feed where 29 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: you get your podcast on our Hoops tonight. It's also 30 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: super helpful if you leave a rating and a review 31 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: on that front. Jackson's doing great work on our social 32 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Make sure 33 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: you guys follow us over there, and then, last but 34 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: not least, keep dropping mailbag questions in the YouTube comments. 35 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: We were recording a mailbag on Wednesday. We have a 36 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: big Wednesday. We've got Samus FONDIARRII who covers the Warriors 37 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: with the Light Years podcasts. Lots of drama going on 38 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: over there, basically the drama of nothing happening, and so 39 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna have Sam come on the show and break 40 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: down for us his take on the Warriors off season. 41 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: But we're also be recording a mail bag that day. 42 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: So if you want to get mailbag questions in for 43 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: our Wednesday mail Bag, which will air on Friday, drop 44 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: them in the comments below this video. All right, let's 45 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: talk some basketball. So the Lakers made three moves over 46 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: the weekend. They cut Shake Milton, they cut Jordan Goodwin, 47 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: and they signed Marcus Smart at two years in eleven 48 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: million dollars. First of all, good luck to Jordan Goodwin 49 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: in the future. All of you Laker fans know and 50 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: they will all Laker fans will tell you that he's 51 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: a very useful NBA player, And I actually hope that 52 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: he eventually makes his way back to the Lakers at 53 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: some point down the line. I just think he's a 54 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: really useful player in what they try to do. If 55 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: it's a kind of a skill set that the Lakers 56 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 1: are still lacking to a certain extent in terms of 57 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: just a very high motor, defensive minded player that can 58 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: rebound really well for his size. And so I hope 59 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: he eventually makes his way back to the Lakers. But 60 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: if not, just good luck to Jordan Goodwin in the future. 61 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: I really really enjoyed rooting for him last year in 62 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: a Laker Jersey. I want to start by just giving 63 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 1: my shoal reaction to the Marcus Smart signing, just kind 64 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: of big picture before we go into some of the 65 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: more basketball detail and how he fits with the Lakers. 66 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,239 Speaker 1: I really like Marcus. I think he's an excellent player, 67 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: and I think when healthy, he can help just about 68 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: every team in the NBA. You guys might remember me 69 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: spending a lot of time last summer talking about how 70 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: much I liked his fit alongside Desmond Bain and John Moran. 71 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: I wanted to see more of that coming into this season. 72 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: In the twenty twenty three twenty twenty four season, the 73 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: Grizzlies played one hundred and thirty minutes, only one hundred 74 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: and thirty because Marcus could only play twenty games that year, 75 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: But they played one hundred and thirty minutes with all 76 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: three of those guys Desmond Bain, John Morant, and Marcus 77 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: Smart on the court together, and they were really good. 78 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: They outscored teams by six point four points per one 79 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: hundred possessions. They were elite on defense. It was one 80 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: of their top five lineup combinations to play at least 81 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: one hundred minutes in that entire season. It. It just 82 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: makes a lot of sense. Marcus Smart is a impactful, 83 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: versatile perimeter defender when he's healthy, and he brought some 84 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: of that connective playmaking to their offense and weak side scoring, 85 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: and he just was a great fit with them. And 86 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: I always have viewed Marcus Smart as a ceiling raising 87 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: type of player when he's healthy, But he just hasn't 88 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: been able to stay on the court. Over the course 89 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: of the last two years, he played in a grand 90 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: total of fifty four games, and the last two seasons combined, 91 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 1: he's played over sixty one games in a season just 92 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: once in the last six seasons. So everything with Marcus 93 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: is theoretical in the sense that he just hasn't shown 94 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: the ability to stay on the court, especially in the 95 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 1: last couple of years. I've talked extensively about the Lakers 96 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: needing a starting caliber two or a starting caliber three 97 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: that is a professional two way player, a defender that 98 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: can contribute to what the team is trying to do 99 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: offensively instead of taking away from it the way that 100 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 1: a guy like Jared Vanderbilt does for the Lakers off 101 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 1: the bat. Marcus Smart, when healthy, Let's be very clear, 102 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: he is not just a good option as a starting 103 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: caliber two or three. He's a great option there. But 104 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 1: it's just like the conversation with Paul George and the 105 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: seventy six ers. Paul George is fully healthy, He's not 106 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: just a good option alongside MAXI and MB. He's a 107 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: great option there, But how confident are you, guys that 108 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: Paul George is going to be completely healthy for the 109 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: majority of next season. So that's where there's that big 110 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: question mark there is Like there's a version of this 111 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: where Marcus turns out to be exactly what the Lakers need, 112 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: but it's kind of threading a pretty narrow path in 113 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: order to get to that point. The move for me 114 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: continues to play into what I view as an extremely 115 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: high variance season for this Lakers team coming up in 116 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty five to twenty six campaign. There's a 117 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: version of this where everyone stays healthy, everyone plays close 118 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: to their individual peaks, and they're like a top tier 119 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: contender that's all the table. Like what if Luca gets 120 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: in great shape and goes on a revenge campaign. What 121 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: if Lebron maintains playing at that second team all NBA level. 122 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: What if Lebron and Austin both improve as catch and 123 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: shoot players so they can fit more seamlessly off ball 124 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: next to Luca. What if DeAndre Ayton, in a contract year, 125 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: plays the best basketball of his career. What if Marcus 126 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: Smart returns to form as one of the best role 127 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,679 Speaker 1: players in the league. That's a really fucking good team. 128 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: If all of those things happen. You'd be foolish to 129 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: think that that group couldn't win the title if all 130 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: of those things happen. But if just one or two 131 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 1: of those things goes the other way, they're playing team 132 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: Like if Marcus or DeAndre or Lebron struggle with injuries 133 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: all year and they're because they're dealing with nagging injuries, 134 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 1: they just kind of operated a level below what they're 135 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: capable of. They could easily drop in a Western conference 136 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: that's just stacked with really, really good teams, And so 137 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: it just feels very much like a high variant season 138 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: for this Lakers team. You told me they were a 139 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: top three seed and that they'd make the conference finals, 140 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 1: I'd be like, that is absolutely an achievable thing for 141 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: this Lakers team. But if you told me that they 142 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: were gonna make the play in and then squeak in 143 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: as a seven or eight seed and then get you know, 144 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: sent home in four or five games. That doesn't seem 145 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: out of the realm of possibility either. I mean it 146 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: just happened last year, right, So like just feels very 147 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: very high variance because of just the sheer gap between like, 148 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: you know, overweight balky knee Luca versus MVP of the 149 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: league level Luca or Lebron when he's banged up and 150 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: not himself versus the Lebron that we saw before his 151 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: growing injury last year. DeAndre Ayton, the aloof undisciplined player 152 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: in Portland versus some of the peaks that we saw 153 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: from him in Phoenix. The Marcus Smart that was a 154 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: rock solid starter for the Celtics for years versus the 155 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: guy that's been unable to stay on the floor. All 156 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: of those things are potential outcomes for the Lakers this year. 157 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: On an individual level. I want to give credit where 158 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: credits due. I've been critical of the Lakers for looking 159 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: entirely beyond the Lebron era with their assets. I think 160 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: it's a mistake because there is no guarantee that you 161 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: will ever be able to find a player as good 162 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: as this version of Lebron to put next to Luka Doncic. Like, 163 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: if you ask me right now, is it more likely 164 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: that the Lakers will eventually have another second team All 165 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: NBA or better player alongside Luca or that they won't. 166 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: I would argue it's more likely that they won't. It's 167 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: just hard. There's ten of them in the entire league, right, 168 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: That's what second team All NBA is, and Lebron, like 169 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: flat Lee, was playing at that level when Luca came 170 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 1: to the Lakers, So like, I don't think that there's 171 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: a guarantee that you're gonna find another guy like that. 172 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: In other words, in terms of top end talent, you 173 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: might not ever be as good as you are right 174 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: now in the Lukadancic era. So my approach, if I 175 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: was running the team would be geared more towards finding 176 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: ways to turn future based assets. Guys like Dalton Connect, 177 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: who I do not think is ready to contribute to 178 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: a winning team in a real dead series context yet 179 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: probably a few years away, probably and a first round 180 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: draft pick. I would be trying to turn those into 181 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: high quality starters in their twenties who can retain value 182 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,719 Speaker 1: into the future alongside Luca. And by the way, I'm 183 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: not saying that they could have done that to this point, 184 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: that player hasn't really materialized yet. The summer isn't even over. 185 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: They could do it before the season, they could do 186 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: it at the deadline. I'm just saying I don't think 187 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: they will because I don't think the Lakers value that 188 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: high level starter nearly as much as they value a 189 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: shot at Giannis or a shot at Nikola Jokic. Right So, like, 190 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 1: I just think in terms of the overall like direction 191 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: of the team, they're thinking more towards the future and 192 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: the next great star to pair with Luca, rather than 193 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: try to capitalize on We have a second team all 194 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: NBA guy with Luca right now and Austin Reeves and 195 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: DeAndre Ayton. Why don't we try to maximize this. I 196 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: think their focus is mere towards the future. But if 197 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 1: you wanted to make a run with this Lebron and 198 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: Luca group without sacrificing any of your long term flexibility 199 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,559 Speaker 1: within those confines, this front office has done a very 200 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: nice job this offseason. The Lakers needed two things mainly 201 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: this offseason, a professional two way starter at the two 202 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: or the three to balance out their starting lineup, and 203 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 1: they needed a starting caliber center, specifically one that would 204 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,959 Speaker 1: fit skill set wise with Luka Donjic, and they successfully 205 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: obtained both of those guys. In theory, it just obviously 206 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: comes with a lot of potential downsides, which is why 207 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: you can get Marcus Smart in the open market at 208 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: two years eleven million and Deandreyton in the open market 209 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: two years and sixteen or seventeen million, whatever it was 210 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: that he ended up signing for. They were available at 211 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: those numbers because they come with the downsides Marcus Smart 212 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: with his health and eight and with his health and 213 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: his lack of professionalism. But within those confines, we got 214 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: to give the Lakers front office credit. They found two 215 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:23,439 Speaker 1: starting caliber players essentially for free in terms of asset expenditure. 216 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: So credit to the Lakers, credit to Rob Polinka and 217 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: his entire staff for getting that done within those confines. 218 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: My one big hope to try to bridge the gap 219 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: between those two ideas, the idea that I'm trying to 220 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: pitch in terms of maximizing the present versus the other 221 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: half of the bridge, which is Polinka and his focus 222 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: more towards long term flexibility with Luca. My one big 223 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 1: hope is that if this team appears capable of making 224 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: a run in February, if all of those things go 225 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: the way I said that, they could Luca revenge campaign, 226 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 1: Lebron all MBA Austin and Lebron improving is catch and 227 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: shoot players eight in contract year dominance, Marcus Smart looks 228 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: like the Marcus Smart from Boston. If those things happen 229 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,679 Speaker 1: and they're sitting as a two or three seed in February, 230 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: I hope at that point they make the sort of 231 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: aggressive move to try to capitalize on this era. Aggression 232 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: wins in the NBA, Oklahoma City loses if they don't 233 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: get Alex Crusoe and Isaiah Hartenstein. They were aggressive Boston, 234 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: the same thing with Drew Holliday and krisops Porzingis turned 235 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: a just another team towards the top of the league 236 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: into a bona fide top tier contender with offseason aggression. 237 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:42,079 Speaker 1: Toronto obviously to a more dramatic extent with Kawhi, aggression wins. 238 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: If you want to win the big pot, sometimes you 239 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: have to push your chips in, and all I hope 240 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: is that the Lakers read the room and if they're 241 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: sitting there in January and February, and it's like, holy shit, 242 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: we got a chance to do this, Let's go for it. 243 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: We match up well with Denver because Jokic struggles guard 244 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: Luca and pick and roll. We match up well with 245 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: OKC because Lebron and Luca have such size advantages against 246 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: their perimeter defenders. If they are in that situation, I 247 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: hope they sense the opportunity. There is no big, scary 248 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: Boston in the Eastern Conference this year. This is a 249 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,959 Speaker 1: gettable This is a gettible championship for teams that feel 250 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: like they can match up well with the top teams 251 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: in the West. And I think that the Lakers should 252 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: feel that way, at least in theory, if all of 253 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: those things shape out the way that they're capable of. 254 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some basketball fit. I'm going to 255 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: frame this entire discussion through the lens of Marcus being 256 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,440 Speaker 1: healthy and close to his usual self. I don't really 257 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: see the point of having the conversation if that's not 258 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: the case. So from this point forward, let's just pretend 259 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: Marcus is Marcus. I've been seeing some debate among Laker 260 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: fans about where Marcus slots in the starting group like, 261 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: does he take Ruie's spot? Does he take Austin's spot? 262 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: The answer to me is pretty obvious. It's Ruey. He's 263 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: always been a bit redundant with Lebron over the years 264 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: as they play the same position. Well, so are Marcus 265 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: and Austin. Right, But I don't actually see it that way. 266 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 1: Your position isn't about what you can do on offense. 267 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: Ruey and Lebron fit beautifully on offense. Ruey's off ball 268 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: chemistry with Lebron is a cutter along the baseline and 269 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: as a weekside score that works wonderfully. Well, it's about 270 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: what you can do on defense. Ruey and Lebron are 271 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: both traditional low men help defender defense rebounder like weak 272 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: side defenders. Neither of them are quick enough to guard 273 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: opposing perimeter players at the three. That is where it 274 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: causes problems for them. Marcus Smart fills a defensive role 275 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 1: at a starting caliber level that the Lakers haven't had 276 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: since Max Christy and he was out sent out in 277 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: the Luca trade. Right, Marcus is a great option to 278 00:14:55,800 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: deploy on the other team's best best. In other words, 279 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: he's not redundant with any Laker in the starting lineup 280 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: on that side of the ball, so he's an immediate 281 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: great fit. He even brings scheme versatility. JJ Reddick likes 282 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: to switch a lot. Marcus Smart can pretty adequately defend 283 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: one through four, But if he wanted to run traditional 284 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: coverages like I'm at the level coverage with DeAndre Ayton 285 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: and pick and roll where you don't switch, or a 286 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: deeper drop, Marcus can do both. Marcus can pressure the 287 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: ball and back pressure and get physical with defenders and 288 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: get over the top of screens, So there's some scheme 289 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: versatility there. I also think he more appropriately slots Austin 290 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: as the second best perimeter defender on the team. That's 291 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: where I think he's equipped just fine. Most of the 292 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: issues with Austin over the years defensively had more to 293 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: do with him having to fill a role he should 294 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: never have had to fill. Like him, We're tossing the 295 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: ball up against the Warriors, and Austin's the primary defender 296 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: for Steph Curry, Like, that's not a great option, But 297 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: if he's the primary defender for Buddy Healed, I think 298 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: he can handle that. You see what I'm saying, And like, 299 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: obviously switching complicates that to a certain extent, but there 300 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: is a lot more versatilities in terms of scheme if 301 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: you have a traditional point of attack defender versus a 302 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: guy that's cosplaying as one because you simply don't have 303 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: one in the starting lineup. In general, a starting lineup 304 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: featuring Marcus Smart would have a much more balanced defensive look. 305 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: Marcus Smart feels that traditional athletic defensive guard that guards 306 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: the opposing best perimeter player, right, Luca functionally is that 307 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: skill guard you have to hide, just like you have 308 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: in so many teams around the league. You do this 309 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: with the Clippers with James Harden. You do this with 310 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: the Warriors with Steph You do this with the Hawks 311 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: with Trey Young. You do this with all of these 312 00:16:57,760 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: different teams. Dallas will do it with d' angelo Russell 313 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: this year. Like the skill guard that you're kind of 314 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: trying to hide on a player that he can hedge 315 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 1: and recover on blah blah blah. That's Lucas He's fine. 316 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: You can usually get away with one of those guys. 317 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: Austin functionally kind of slots in as like your guards, 318 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: the second best perimeter player, like a lock and trail 319 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: guy guarding like a movement shooter, like if you're playing Orlando, 320 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: he's gonna guard Desmond Baye right, or like he's gonna 321 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: guard the off ball scorer, the secondary scorer. And then 322 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: Lebron is your traditional lowman and Ayton is your traditional 323 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: athletic big that you can establish your your baseline scheme with. Now, 324 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 1: the Lakers are gonna score a shit ton of points. 325 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: We've talked about this. If they're healthy. DeAndre Ayton brings 326 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: that four out one in spacing threat as a role 327 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: man that should make this team very difficult to guard. 328 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: I think the Lakers are gonna score a lot of points, 329 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: so they don't need to be a like an amazing defense. 330 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: They just need to be a middle of the pack defense. 331 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: And I think they have a much better chance of 332 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: achieving that with a healthy Marcus Smart than they do 333 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: with a less healthy Marcus Smart or without him on 334 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: the roster. I also generally think in terms of starting 335 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: him over Ruy, I generally think Ruey has more value 336 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 1: as a utility player off the bench that you can 337 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,680 Speaker 1: plug and play into different kinds of lineups or spots. 338 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: Starts like, oh, Marcus Smart is out, we just go 339 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: back to last year's starting lineup. Here's Ruey oh Lebron's 340 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: out well. Ruey can play the four, He'll play Lebron's position. 341 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: Austin happens to take a night off, Marcus can slot 342 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:30,880 Speaker 1: up to the two. You play Ruey at the three. 343 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: He's like a sixth starter that also can be plugged 344 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: into a bunch of different bench looks. On offense, Marcus 345 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:41,719 Speaker 1: has always been a streaky shooter. He didn't shoot well 346 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: in Memphis, shot well in a small sample in Washington, 347 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: but that's been the case in Boston forever. He's gonna 348 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: have games and stretches of games where he shoots really well, 349 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: and then games and stretches of games where he can't 350 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 1: make anything. He's just very streaky shooter. But he's pretty 351 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: solid at everything. He can play off the catch as 352 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: a spot up guy. He can play make out of 353 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: the middle of the floor and four on threes off 354 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: of Luca Blitz. If you guys remember in the twenty 355 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: twenty two finals, Marcus did a lot of really high 356 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 1: quality playmaking work in the middle of the floor. He 357 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 1: can run action with the bench group like his solid 358 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 1: pick and roll ball handler. He can at the very 359 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: least add to what the Lakers are doing defensively or offensively, 360 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 1: excuse me, rather than like what we've seen in the past, 361 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: their defensive personnel, guys like Van Do, guys like Gabe. 362 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,199 Speaker 1: It's much more touch and go there, especially Van Do. 363 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: Smart is a more reliable offensive option there. So fingers 364 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 1: cross Lakers fans. If we can get a healthy Marcus 365 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: Smart for the entire season, that's a hell of a team. 366 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: But I'm just being honest, Like, when I saw the 367 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: alert come through and I looked down and I'm like, oh, sweet, 368 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,919 Speaker 1: Marcus Smart with the Lakers. My first thought was like, 369 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: I'll believe it when I see it, just because it's 370 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: just so I just haven't seen Marcus be able to 371 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 1: sustain his like his ceiling personally on the floor without 372 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 1: breaking down physically over the last couple of years. I'm 373 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: hoping that's not the case. But that was just my 374 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: first thought when I saw it. It was like, I 375 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 1: really liked him in Memphis. I really wanted to see 376 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,800 Speaker 1: him in Memphis, and he just couldn't stay on the floor. 377 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: Nothing says summer like long days, clutch plays and firing 378 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: off a few bets on the game, all with draft 379 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: Kings Sportsbook. As the season heats up, so do the bats. 380 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: When DraftKings Sportsbook, as you've covered with live betting, home 381 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,360 Speaker 1: run props, odds, boosts, and more. Whether you're chasing dingers 382 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: or jumping in mid game, there's always action to be had. 383 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: Never bet on baseball before. It's easy. Just pick a 384 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 1: guy to go yard, hammer some live odds mid game, 385 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 1: or just ride with your squad and hope for the best. 386 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: No spreadsheets, just vibes and dingers. It's been a fun 387 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: Major League season. Aaron Judge hitting all sorts of home runs, 388 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,360 Speaker 1: we got, show Heylkhani pitching again. My dbacks are still 389 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: kind of like struggling there in the NL West. It 390 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,120 Speaker 1: is what it is. But here's something special for first timers. 391 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: New DraftKings customers. Bet five dollars and get one hundred 392 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,680 Speaker 1: and fifty dollars in bonus bets instantly. Download the Draft 393 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 1: Kings Sportsbook app and use code hoops. That's code hoopsps 394 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: for new customers to get one hundred and fifty dollars 395 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: in bonus bets instantly when you bet just five bucks 396 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:11,439 Speaker 1: only on DraftKings. The crown is yours, alrighty Chris Paul 397 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,680 Speaker 1: signing with the Los Angeles Clippers. I love this signing. 398 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:16,679 Speaker 1: I was super excited about this. Jackson and I were 399 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 1: joking before we started recording today. It's been kind of 400 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: fun seeing him go to LA and obviously seeing Dame 401 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 1: go back to Portland. It just kind of feels very 402 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: like nostalgic for US basketball fans to see these guys 403 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: going back home. But I love this signing even just 404 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 1: in terms of the basketball. First of all, I love 405 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: that Chris Paul gets to play for a serious team 406 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 1: that can actually use a skill set, but that doesn't 407 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: necessarily need him to be available every night. It's like 408 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: a low pressure, great basketball fit, and he gets to 409 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,200 Speaker 1: be home in Los Angeles. Kind of a perfect set 410 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: of circumstances for him in the final year of his career, 411 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: and for the Clippers when everyone is healthy, when Bradley 412 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: Beal is playing, when Kawhi's playing, they don't necessarily need him, 413 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: so his aid and durability concerns are not concerns. But 414 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:07,159 Speaker 1: they do have guys and Bradley Beal and Kawhi Leonard 415 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: that frequently missed time, and Chris is still somehow just 416 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: an incredibly reliable pick and roll ball handler in this league. 417 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: Chris even and he's again He's gonna be forty years 418 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: old this year, was one of the best pick and 419 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: roll ball handlers in the NBA. Last year, he ran 420 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,880 Speaker 1: eight hundred and ninety two pick and rolls including passes 421 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: for a Spurs team that was full of young and 422 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: flawed players, and he generated nine hundred and fifty nine points. 423 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: That's one point zero eight points per possession including passes. 424 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 1: To give you an idea of where that ranks in 425 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: the NBA, there were twenty four players last year to 426 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:50,679 Speaker 1: run at least eight hundred pick and rolls. Chris is 427 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,120 Speaker 1: one point zero eight points per possession, ranked eighth on 428 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: that list, ahead of guys like Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, 429 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: Trey Young, Jason Tate, James Hard, and Kate Cunningham. Despite 430 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: playing with a very young and flawed group of players 431 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: in San Antonio. It just comes down to that simple 432 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 1: conversation we've been having all summer with respect to advantage creation, 433 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: if you can come off of an action and take 434 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 1: advantage of the baked in advantages that are there and 435 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: the reads that come up based on what help defenders 436 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: are doing, and you can hit the pocket when it's open, 437 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:28,639 Speaker 1: and hit the skip when they tag the roller, and 438 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: hit the swing when they dig down, and nail help 439 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: and make all of those simple basic reads, knock down 440 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,640 Speaker 1: a mid range floater or jump shot if they happen 441 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: to stay home, and defend it two on two. If 442 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: you can make those simple decisions reads and shots, you 443 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:47,880 Speaker 1: can set up all of these flawed players with advantages 444 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: with the guys sprinting at them, and if they have 445 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: a guy sprinting at them, all of them skyrocket inefficiency. 446 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: This is why guys like James Harden have so much 447 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: value in the league still. This is why guys like 448 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 1: D'Angelo Russell still have so much value in this league. 449 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 1: This is why you can put Tray Young. We're gonna 450 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: talk about it later. This is why you can put 451 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,880 Speaker 1: Tray Young with a bunch of athletes and have them 452 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: still be a very good team, because even flawed athletes, 453 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,719 Speaker 1: if you give them an advantage, can score the basketball. 454 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 1: Chris Paul is just still one of the very best 455 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: at that specific trait, which is so valuable in the NBA. 456 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:28,960 Speaker 1: I think it helps a lot with that Brook Lopez 457 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 1: edition as well. The Clippers can now win. They're healthy. 458 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 1: Put together forty eight minutes of a really high level 459 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: pick and roll ball handler and a really high level 460 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 1: screening partner. You guys all know what Zoo can do. 461 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: He's done it with Harden for the last couple of 462 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: years now and it's looked beautiful. Brook Lopez is still 463 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: one of the best pick and pop guys in the league. 464 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: He scored one point two points per roleman touched last year. 465 00:24:55,280 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: That's amazing. That was top five in the NBA among 466 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: players to log at least two hundred roll man touches. 467 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:06,160 Speaker 1: So the Clippers are going to have an extremely high 468 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 1: floor this year. They can provide forty eight minutes of 469 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,679 Speaker 1: quality advantage creation with a high powered pick and roll partner, 470 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: with off ball talent and elite ISO scorer and Kawhi Leonard, 471 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: they've got great perimeter defenders man like I feel the 472 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: same way about him this year as I did last year. 473 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: I just I would be stunned if they slipped into 474 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: the plan, just because they are so well built to 475 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: succeed in the modern NBA. Even though three of their 476 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: four advantage creators have health issues, they can easily afford 477 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: to have one or two of those guys be out 478 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,120 Speaker 1: of the game without experiencing much of a drop off 479 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 1: because they just have other guys that can slot in 480 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: and do more or less the same thing. This Clippers 481 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 1: team is going to be a lot of fun to 482 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,119 Speaker 1: watch this year. I'm very, very excited for it. Man. 483 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 1: It's like a battle of LA for the second tier 484 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: in the Western Conference. Obviously, I don't think either of 485 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: them are as good as Denver, okay See or Houston, 486 00:25:58,320 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: but like once you get off of that top tier, 487 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,880 Speaker 1: like there's a version of this that this Clippers team 488 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: is going to be really good, and then if the 489 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: Lakers are healthy, they can be really good too. It's 490 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: gonna be a couple of really really good elied LA 491 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: teams for us to cover this year. All right, let's 492 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: take our focus out to the Eastern Conference again. I 493 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 1: talked about how out in the West, my top tier 494 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: is some combination of Houston, Oklahoma City, and Denver, and 495 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: then after that it's the two LA teams, It's Minnesota, 496 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,160 Speaker 1: it's Golden State. That's like the main group there. Maybe 497 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:30,400 Speaker 1: San Antonio depending on how things shake up this year 498 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: with some of their young players. But that's like the 499 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 1: kind of two tiers out West. I similarly see a 500 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 1: couple of tiers like that out in the Eastern Conference. 501 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: I have two teams in the top tier, and then 502 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 1: I have five teams in the second tier. So I 503 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: want to just list those for you guys today and 504 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,919 Speaker 1: give quick breakdowns for why I have those teams in 505 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: those tiers. So first in Tier one, the Cleveland Cavaliers 506 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: and the New York Knicks. Now with the Calves, I 507 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: understand why you would be extremely discouraged with their playoff 508 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: exit last year. I went on Cleveland Sports Radio a 509 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:06,720 Speaker 1: few weeks ago and the hosts were pretty bummed out 510 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:10,640 Speaker 1: and they were like, we saw your list before the playoffs, 511 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: how you had the Calves down at four, and like 512 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,120 Speaker 1: we were all mad. And then turns out you were right, 513 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: and I like had to cut in and I'm like no, no, no, no, no, Like, yeah, 514 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: I wasn't as high on Cleveland as I was on 515 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: some other teams around the league, but let's be real 516 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: about what happened. I actually find myself higher on the 517 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: Calves than most after that disappointment. And it's not even 518 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: because the top of the East got weaker. That certainly 519 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: helps and we'll talk about that in a minute. But 520 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: Darius Garland was hurt, and I really think that was 521 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 1: the thing that prevented the Calves from operating at their 522 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: regular season peak. We just talked about it with advantage 523 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 1: creation with respect to Chris Paul, Darius Garland is the 524 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: guy who, when he's healthy, is so fucking quick that 525 00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: nobody can stop him from getting where he needs to 526 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: get on the floor. When we talk about shooting variants, 527 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: it's like, oh, well, all these Calves shooters, they just 528 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 1: couldn't shoot in the playoffs. And it's like, it's just 529 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 1: not that simple. It's not a like it's not as 530 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 1: simple as just variants, or this guy got scared, or 531 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: whatever it might be. When you set up guys with 532 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 1: quality looks, they tend to go in. When Darius Garland 533 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: has a bad toe and he can't plant and change 534 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 1: direction and change speed and beat people off the dribble 535 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: as effectively, he's not breaking down the defense as well. 536 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: When he's not breaking down the defense as well, the 537 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: kickout reads aren't as clean. When the kickout reads aren't 538 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: as clean, those catch and shoot looks aren't the same. 539 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: They're more rushed. There's a better close out, they're more 540 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: smothered when those are not materializing. They then devolve into 541 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: Donovan Mitchell hero ball. That was the order of operations. 542 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: A big part of what made the Cavs so good 543 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: last year was Donovan pulled back and picked his spots 544 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: more and Darius Garland was that like engine that ran 545 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: the team in terms of their advantage creation. Darius was hurt, 546 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: DeAndre Hunter was hurt. Evan Mobley was hurt. I think 547 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 1: those two matter way less in this context, but Darius 548 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: being hurt it kind of felt like the head got 549 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 1: cut off the snake. In a lot of ways. They 550 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 1: logged a one twelve point six offensive rating versus Indiana, 551 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: like the thing that drove them all year, their unbelievable 552 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: offense abandoned them. And I do think it is connected 553 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: to that Garland injury. Now does that mean that I 554 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 1: think again? I ranked Cleveland fourth in my list of 555 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: championship contenders before the playoffs last year. I wasn't as 556 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,239 Speaker 1: high on them as everyone else, But now it kind 557 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: of seems like everyone's like it's just Donovan Mitchell and 558 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: Evan Mobley and a bunch of dudes, and like there 559 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: are some things like even even Jared Allen. You don't 560 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: think Jared Allen's effectiveness was tanked by Darius Garland's injury 561 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: and his inability to get to spots that the way 562 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: he normally does. These things are all intricately connected, and 563 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: so I just believe that if they run it back 564 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: and they continue all of the basketball identity that they 565 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: built last year, and they just are a little bit 566 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 1: more particular about Darius Garland's health throughout the year and 567 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: just make sure he's ready to go when they get 568 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 1: to April. And then you add in that Boston's out 569 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: of it in Indiana, the team that was kind of 570 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 1: a bad matchup for you because of their ball pressure, 571 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: especially with Darius Garland's injury. If you remove those two 572 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:41,720 Speaker 1: teams from the equation. By the way, Boston and Indiana 573 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: are not in these tiers for me. In either of 574 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: these tiers for me, Boston is nowhere near good enough 575 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: at the center position. They lost through holiday. It's Jalen Brown, 576 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 1: it's Anferny Simon's and it's a pretty substantial drop off 577 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 1: in talent there. So I don't think Boston has it. 578 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 1: Take Tyre's Halliburn and miles out of the picture. For 579 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 1: Indiana is going to be feisty. I think Boston will 580 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: be feisty just because they're well coached and they play 581 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: a beautiful brand of modern basketball. But they both feel 582 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: like third tier teams for me in the Eastern Conference 583 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: for this season. So you remove them from the equations, 584 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, it looks like there's a 585 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: pathway here for Cleveland. There's a pathway here for Cleveland 586 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: to get out of that conference. And you know what 587 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,800 Speaker 1: basketball is all about, matchups your fastest Shit, what if 588 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: you're so fast and you catch a team like Denver 589 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: in the finals and you just run them off the 590 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: floor with your speed. There is a again, it's a 591 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: very narrow pathway, but there is a pathway here. And 592 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: I actually feel pretty good about Cleveland having a chance 593 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: to get out of the Eastern Conference this season and 594 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: give themselves a reasonable puncher's chance to hoist the trophy. 595 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: The Knicks. The Knicks got beat by Indiana on the margins. 596 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: You're bringing Mike Brown. He establishes a higher level attention 597 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 1: to detail that immediately gives you a better chance to 598 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 1: maximize the roster. They also added some valuable depth in 599 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: Jordan Clarkson and gershen YABUSELI hopefully they lean on their 600 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: depth more throughout the regular season. They suddenly are a 601 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: team that has a ton of playoff continuity. They're making 602 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 1: deep playoff runs every year. They're gonna do so again 603 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: in this coming season. This is a New York Knicks 604 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: team that is on the doorstep of potentially breaking through. 605 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 1: I have them as a top tier team out in 606 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: the East as well Tier two. These are teams that 607 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: all have just a puncher's chance to win the conference. 608 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: First year Atlanta Magic, and again, these aren't in any 609 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 1: particular order. I came very close to putting Orlando in 610 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: my top tier. I think if Jalen Suggs Wagner, and 611 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 1: Paulo Bonkaro can stay healthy, they could easily come out 612 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: and do some ass kicking this year and like legitimately 613 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 1: be competing for the top seed in the conference. It 614 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 1: ended up being health and then some of my concerns 615 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: with Jamal Mosley's offense that had me keep them down 616 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: in that second tier. But I think if the Sugs 617 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: and Bain fit alongside Franz and Paulo, so I think 618 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: it makes a ton of sense. I think Bayin in 619 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: particular brings a level of like screen shooting threat, off 620 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 1: screen shooting threat that could potentially skyrocket their ceiling on 621 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: the offensive end of the floor. I don't think they've 622 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 1: had a shooter that brings that level of fear. Again, 623 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 1: there's a lot of shooters in the NBA that we 624 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 1: will live with. Teams will live with taking shots on 625 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 1: the move with a rear view contest, whereas Desmond Bayan, 626 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 1: it's like, good luck. If you do that, he's going 627 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 1: to cook you. You're going to have to show up 628 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: at the level. As soon as you start showing up 629 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: at the level, it's just going to open up all 630 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:35,280 Speaker 1: sorts of advantages for them to play off of. I 631 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: think that fit is beautiful. I think they're going to 632 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,160 Speaker 1: be a pain in the ass team to beat four 633 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: times if they're healthy. The Atlanta Hawks, this team obviously 634 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: lacks any sort of championship ceiling, but they remind me 635 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: of the Clippers in the sense that they've spent the 636 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: last two offseasons just loading up on the type of 637 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: talent combinations that I think really work in the modern 638 00:33:56,400 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 1: NBA perimeter. Athletes that can defend and on the floor 639 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:05,520 Speaker 1: and rebound and play with an advantage. Zachary Risache, Jalen Johnson, 640 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 1: Dyson Daniels, Alexander Walker. These are all guys that establish 641 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:14,959 Speaker 1: an extremely high floor for a basketball team just because 642 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 1: of the way they can impact the game with their athleticism, 643 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 1: and when you put them in the context of a 644 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,800 Speaker 1: supreme advantage creator like Trey Young, they all have higher 645 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 1: offensive utility than they would have elsewhere in the league. 646 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:30,919 Speaker 1: Like Ni Kile, Alexander Walker is a pretty damn good 647 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:33,479 Speaker 1: spot up shooter and he's been playing on a team 648 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: that doesn't move the ball particularly well over the last 649 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:42,319 Speaker 1: few years. I love the Porzingis fit if he can 650 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 1: stay healthy. Trey Young is a drop coverage destroyer, but 651 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: over the years he has struggled when teams can effectively 652 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:54,839 Speaker 1: switch ball screens with quality defenders. Kriss Porzingis gives them 653 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: another reliable way to beat a switching scheme because of 654 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,399 Speaker 1: what he can do out of the post, and again, 655 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: when he's healthy, he's been one of the best switch 656 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 1: beaters out of the post in the entire NBA for 657 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 1: several years now. Ever, since that last year in Washington, 658 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: even a smaller move for Atlanta, like getting Luke Canard, 659 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:16,879 Speaker 1: similar to what we were talking about with Desmond Baine. 660 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 1: Guys that can shoot coming off of screens like Canard 661 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 1: generate lots of natural advantages that make life easier for 662 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:28,279 Speaker 1: their athletes. I am relatively certain that Atlanta will be 663 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:30,719 Speaker 1: above the play in and I think they have a 664 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: really good shot at home court in the first round 665 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:35,560 Speaker 1: of the playoffs. I would not be surprised to at 666 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,279 Speaker 1: all if they were a top four seed this year. 667 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: Three More Milwaukee such a bizarre and funky roster. Obviously, 668 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 1: guys like Kevin Porter Junior and Cole Anthony is your 669 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:53,200 Speaker 1: ball handler's high ceiling, low floor forwards like Kyle Kuzma 670 00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 1: and Bobby Portis. Miles Turner is probably the second best 671 00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 1: player on this team, but they have Giannis and Tenna 672 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:02,879 Speaker 1: Kompo and a version of him that over the years 673 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 1: has been developing into more and more of a point forward, 674 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 1: a guy that can really read the floor and spray 675 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,879 Speaker 1: out to shooters, and this Bucks front office has surrounded him. 676 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:13,440 Speaker 1: You say what you want about the roster, and it's 677 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 1: got its issues. They surround him with quite a bit 678 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:19,440 Speaker 1: of shooting. When it's Miles Turner out there, when it's 679 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,640 Speaker 1: Bobby Portus out there, Gary Trent, Junior, AJ Green, like, 680 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,800 Speaker 1: these dudes can knock down, catch and shoot jump shots 681 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:27,759 Speaker 1: at a high cliff and so there's a lot of 682 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: value in Giannis's growing playmaking ability. Giannis has the opportunity 683 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:35,720 Speaker 1: this year to do what Lebron did in twenty eighteen. 684 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:40,240 Speaker 1: These teams above him are beatable. Again, I like Cleveland, 685 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 1: I like New York, I like all these teams I've 686 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: talked about. They're beatable. These are not world beating teams. 687 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,239 Speaker 1: And it's Giannis with a ton of shooting around him. 688 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:53,439 Speaker 1: It's a funky roster. Remember that twenty eighteen Cash team 689 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:57,000 Speaker 1: was a really weird team, but like Lebron was able 690 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:59,479 Speaker 1: to just kind of backpack that group to a finals birth. 691 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 1: I think Giannis has a similar chance this year if 692 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:04,759 Speaker 1: he can reach that type of ceiling. But again, like 693 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:07,239 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen, Lebron, I'd argue is the best basketball player 694 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 1: I've ever seen. So again, it's a really high level 695 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:12,200 Speaker 1: to get to, but I do think Gianis has some 696 00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:16,759 Speaker 1: of that capability this season. The Detroit Pistons kind of 697 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:19,600 Speaker 1: a strange offseason with the situation with Malik Beasley and 698 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 1: what he may or may not have been doing. But 699 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:25,000 Speaker 1: they did an admirable job of replacing that talent with 700 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:27,359 Speaker 1: guys like Karis Lavert and Duncan Robinson. They also lost 701 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 1: him Hardaway Junior, so they replaced both of those guys. 702 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,600 Speaker 1: Duncan brings that hyper aggressive off ball scoring that we've 703 00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 1: been talking about with guys like Desmond Baine and Luke Canard. 704 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 1: I actually think Duncan is a underrated playmaker in this 705 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:40,879 Speaker 1: league out of screening action something you Piston's fans will 706 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:42,799 Speaker 1: learn to love about him right away. I think he 707 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:46,200 Speaker 1: almost like gives you more aggregate playmaking on the floor, 708 00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 1: which I think brings a lot of value. And then 709 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:51,240 Speaker 1: Karris Lavert is basically just a bigger and higher floor 710 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 1: version of Dennis Schroeder. I don't think he's quite as 711 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,759 Speaker 1: high ceiling as Dennis Schroeder, but he's just in terms 712 00:37:56,800 --> 00:37:59,040 Speaker 1: of his size and athleticism, his ability to guard on 713 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:00,960 Speaker 1: the perimeter, and just as ability to get a shot 714 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,959 Speaker 1: off over the top. He's a bigger, higher floor version 715 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: of Dennis Schroeder. If Jade and Ivy can come back 716 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:08,399 Speaker 1: healthy and if he can fit well with this group, 717 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 1: and if CAID continues to improve, they absolutely have a 718 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,120 Speaker 1: puncher's chance to win the conference. And then lastly, we 719 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 1: have to have an obligatory seventy six ers appearance Clippers 720 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,560 Speaker 1: East in the sense that if Joel Embiid and Paul 721 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,799 Speaker 1: George are healthy, they immediately become one of the more 722 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:26,160 Speaker 1: talented rosters in the conference, so you can never write 723 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 1: them off completely, even though I don't think any of 724 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: us actually think that's going to happen. So those are 725 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:33,719 Speaker 1: the seven teams that I view in the top two 726 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:37,120 Speaker 1: tiers in the Eastern Conference. All right, guys, it's all 727 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:39,200 Speaker 1: half for today. He's always sincerely appreciate you guys for 728 00:38:39,239 --> 00:38:42,359 Speaker 1: supporting us and supporting the show again. We'll be back 729 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:44,760 Speaker 1: on Wednesday with Samas fondi Arii, and we're also recording 730 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 1: a mailbag that day that's going to air on Friday, 731 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 1: so make sure you guys drop some mailbag questions in 732 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:56,520 Speaker 1: the comments. I will see you guys on Wednesday.