June 12, 2025 • 39 mins
On the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast for Thursday, June 12, 2025, Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell continue their series of draft previews ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
They welcome Hornets beat writer Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer and Pelicans TV Sideline Reporter/Host Andrew Lopez to discuss the Charlotte Hornets' fourth overall pick as Lopez breaks down two more 2025 NBA Draft prospects in Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis and South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans, a podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad. Here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who cover the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans Podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hell, everybody, Welcome to New Orleans Pelicans Podcast. Official podcasts
if you're New Orleans Pelicans. Presented by New Age Products,
the official garage and outdoor kitchen provider of the New
Orleans Pelicans. We get you ready for the NBA Draft
coming up on Wednesday, June twenty fifth and Thursday June
twenty sixth Round one and two. Pelicans currently with the
(00:55):
seventh pick overall in the first round. Jim, We've talked
about the other teams leading into the Pelicans to get
fans ready. Dallas with the first pick, san Antonio the
second pick, Philly the third. And it leads us to
today's podcast, which is number four. The Charlotte Hornets. Rod
Boone will be talking to us from the Charlotte Observe
a little bit about it, but overall, when you think
of the Hornets, what do you think.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Of Yeah, I mean it's been a struggle. I think
last season was similar for them as it was the Pelicans,
where I mean the Pelicans won twenty one games the
Hornets won nineteen. But I think that's kind of where
the comparison ends, because I feel like they're at a
much earlier stage of them trying to build up to
be a competitive team. Obviously, the Pelicans won forty nine
(01:36):
games the previous season made the playoffs. They've made the
playoffs two out of the last four years, where Charlotte
hasn't made it since twenty sixteen. So I think they're
one of the more interesting roster builds right now across
the league because they do have some pieces. But as
Rod I'm sure is going to discuss with us, they
need their main guys to be on the court more
(01:57):
for them to be able to move up. I think
every team in the East, I mean maybe I'm presuming
too much here, but I think if you're a team
in the East right now, you think, no matter what
record you had last season, that it's possible to make
a big jump because it's kind of wide open right now.
We've seen a bunch of teams, I mean the Pacers
are in this boat. Only a few years ago they
(02:17):
weren't even in the playoffs, and now they're in the
NBA Finals. So I think that's doable. A little bit
more doable in the East, I think than it is
in the West.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah. Well, coming up, Andrew Lopez, television silent reporter for
your New Orleans Pelicans, will continue giving us a little
breakdown on a couple of prospects too, in particular Casper's
Yakachonas and Colin Murray Boyles. But first up, let's find
out what the Hornets will likely do as we are
joined by mister Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer. All right, Tom,
(02:46):
now to bring in our guest, mister Rod Boone covers
the Charlotte Hornets for the Charlotte Observer. You can give
him a follow over on ex ad. Rod Boone, sir,
good morning, and thanks for joining us.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Man.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
How are you doing great? How you guys doing today?
Speaker 5 (03:00):
Fantastic?
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Rod?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I mean, I guess we'll start with talking about the
Hornets coming off a season where they went nineteen in
sixty three, and I think one of the things that
stands out about them as well is they've I'm kind
of shocked when I see this that they've gone nine
years in a row without making the playoffs, which is
the longest drought in the NBA, and the second longest
is actually the Spurs at six, which is also stunning
(03:23):
to me. But I mean, how would you kind of
summarize what just happened this season? It seems like one
of the themes of their season was unfortunately similar to Pelicans,
where you had a lot of key guys missing tons
of games, and that made it even more difficult for
them to be competitive.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Correct, I mean, that's been the whole news story last
honestly a couple of seasons here. They just have the talent,
but they just can't get on the court enough games
to go out there and display it. So when you
have your you know, your start pointing goal the mellow
ball hedn't played a whole season since he's been in
the league. That's not a good sign when you try
(04:00):
to build around players like that. So when you have
to figure out, as the coach each night, who's going
to be available and how do you go about attacking
the opposing team, it creates a problem. So until they
can actually go out there, the Hornets be you know,
fully healthy for entire season, they won't be able to
break this playoff drop, because that's been the main issue
(04:21):
is just really in my mind health. You have talent,
but if you have talent and they're not on the court,
you can't display it and you can't get anywhere.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Rod you mentioned LaMelo Ball. Obviously the Pelicans in their
situation with Zion, it's somewhat similar in that you have
a super talented guy that has missed a good chunk
of games over the last few years and you and
you kind of have to make decisions based on that
though that you know, whether it's building around that player
or you know what his future is. How do you
(04:49):
see what the Hornet how the Hornets view LaMelo Ball
right now? I mean, is it the kind of thing
where it's like he's he's a center, He's still a
centerpiece of the team, and you have to figure out, Okay,
now we have this really talented point guard who's been
an All Star, and now you just kind of hope
that he can he can just become more durable.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Basically absolutely, I mean you mentioned Zion, it's similar to
me to Zion. I mean, it's like you know, you
have a player who you know could be a difference
maker out there, could be a stud, and you want
to build around him. But he's not on the court.
He's always hurt and injured. How can you find out
who the best players to put around him? You know
who they are. So that's been the main issue with
(05:29):
the mellow, just his health, because when people see him
on the court and see his type of game, yeah,
he has to do a little bit more improvement in
terms of being able to play some more winning basketball.
But the guy makes everybody, I'm talking about everybody better
on the court. He finds the open man, he's pushing
the ball, he's making crazy you pass that players don't
(05:51):
even think he's going to be able to make. I mean,
he does so much that just you just look, say, man,
he can just be healthy. They could be a really
good team. But that's the main problem is just injuries,
ankle problems, risk problems. So again similar to Zion, and
you can find and we keep them on the court
and keep him healthy, then you have a player building
(06:13):
around and you could be good for years to come.
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
One of the reasons, I mean, the main reason why
we've kind of structured our draft preview podcasts this way,
where we've already talked to the first three teams picking,
and now Charlotte is the fourth team. Wanted to kind
of try to get a feel for what the direction
some of these teams picking before the Pelicans might go.
I mean, it feels like there's a pretty universal belief
(06:36):
that Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are the kind of
the top two prospects in this draft. After that, do
you have any feel for what direction Charlotte might go
or what they might lean towards. I mean, with that
fourth pick, is it the kind of thing where you
just take the best player available or do you look
at some of it seems like, you know, for a
team that won nineteen games, Charlotte does have a lot
of wing talent and guard talent, perimeter talent. How do
(07:00):
you think that they're going to approach that fourth pick.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I think if I'm the Hornets, I get the best
player available, because, as you mentioned, they didn't have wings
and guards. But we talked about their injuries, right, I mean,
you want to be able to have definitely and also
have options to be able to make trades. If you
want to be able to bring other players in here.
So from my perspective everything I've gathered so far, if
you have Cooper Flagg going one to Dallas, and you
(07:26):
have the lit Harper going to to the Spurs or
maybe a possible trade there we have depending on that
they can move up or not. Three, what I understand
is probably going to be Ace Billy from Rutgers. I
think Philly. You know, the Fixers like him a lot.
They want to have players again that they can bring
in around Joel and beating those guys and building around them.
So I think Ace Billy's number three at Philly. So
(07:49):
at forward Hornets from what I can tell right now
is bj Edgcombe from Baylor. They like him a lot.
They met with him at the Combine in Chicago last month.
They did the Hornets like defensive players. Charles Lee's about
defense first a little bit, so VJ. It could be
a two way player. He likes defense in terms like
(08:10):
that part of the court. So if you're a Hornets, again,
you said you have enough maybe offense at times, so
to me, you wouldn't be able to get a player
who you can not only plug in on most side
of the ball, but really on both sides of the ball,
because if you can stop at least contain some players
on defense with La mellow ball being you know, your
(08:33):
point guard, that to me helps you out. So again,
if as Billy is there, I for some reason, maybe
Philadelphia goes different route and goes maybe trade Johnson or
something like that, then maybe the Horns scolled as Bailey.
But from everything I've gathered so far, if the talent
falls away, it stood, the Horns pop will be right
(08:54):
there for with v j Edgcomb from Baylor.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
From an overall kind of standpoint and outlook, Charlotte basically
has changed over its entire basketball operations over the last
In the last year, you know, they hired a new executive,
Jeff Peterson. They had a new first year coach Charles
Lee last season. I mean, how do you see kind
of the way that they view what the short term
maybe medium term? I would think that you know, I
(09:19):
mentioned the playoff drought. Is it the kind of thing
where there's pressure to okay, we got to be a
lot more competitive soon, or is it the kind of
thing where you think that they're going to look at
it as kind of a longer term like this is
not something that we want to rush. We want to
do this as methodically as we possibly can.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
The latter I mean, they've talked about that specifically, the
only ownership group led by Gabe Pocket, and Rick Snall
and the new president Operations back Operations, Jeff Peterson, they've
all talked about not want to like basically cut corners.
The Hornets, as you mentioned, almost a decade long playoff drought.
They don't want to come here and say, Okay, we're
going to go out a couple of deals and will
(09:58):
be a playoff team next year. Then you have to
you're back to square one. They want to be able
to build it up methodically, also be able to be
a playoff team, you know, yearly. They want to be
able to find that magic potion to be able to
let them be at least, you know, in the mix
every year, because right now they're not. And you met again,
(10:20):
it's been almost ten years so they actually had a
playoff spot. So they want to do it the right way.
They want to build from the draft. They want to
make the appropriate at the right time trade. They want
to sign a player here or there that actually will
help them but won't put them you know, over the
cat situation. The way they basically want to make things
(10:43):
done methodically. So if they can do that, as they
have things planned, they can make it a long term
situation where they can actually win here in Charlotte, because
they also are redoing their building. Second, your renovations, you
want to do everything over here in Charlotte, you won't
(11:04):
actually have a new building per se. We have a
new basketball operations, you will have new ownership. You don't
have just a new mentality and overall here in town.
So they want to do it from the ground up.
I don't see him doing anything out there that's gonna
jupandize them being a playoff team for two or three
years in a row. No Roder.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
It was one of the things that I always find interesting,
whether CNFL or NBA. People we either copy or just
look at trends and how things are going. Last couple
of years. You saw, you know, whether it's the super
teams or big trades for big players who saw in
this past season. But when you look at the NBA
Finals just going on right now, you see two teams
to kind of around what you just talked about, right
(11:44):
building teams through the draft, fighting at one guy, whether
it's a free agency pickup or a trade pickup, because
you know SGA and Halliburnt were kind of like that.
You then building through the draft. Do you think that's
maybe the trend with this new CBA and the Aprons
and all the things that the league has now where
we're going to see teams build like this.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
I think so, because as you mentioned, with the new CBA,
like it's hard to have a super team. You can't
have these three players on mass contracts because it just
doesn't work financially. If you do, oh boy, you really
can't build around them because you can't go out there
and get veterans on minimum deals. You can't do things
that can actually make your team better because you're kind
of hampered. But that's the context Apron, So you're right.
(12:25):
I think from the way the CB is written now,
well a be is that he like Oklahoma City and Indiana.
Maybe not, but they're definitely a little bit of a model.
Especially Okay see because okayc to me is if you
are Charlotte, if you're a New Orleans, that should be
your your your your blueprint is you acquires money because
(12:45):
you can first round draft picks, you build through the
draft and you sign the occasional guy that puts you
over the top and you caruso. Okay. See, you know
players like that who you may feel okay, they're not
worth a max contract, but they're on a player that
(13:07):
actually need to like help compliment my roster. So I
think that is if you're a GM on a small
market team, that's your blueprint is to find your players
through the draft for one, build that base up, and
then also make your methodical small moves until it's time
(13:27):
to make that big move that actually puts you over
the top.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
I think one of the things too that is a
lot easier said than done that Oklahoma City and Indiana
I think have both done too is Chet Holmgren was
the second pick for the Thunder. That was a no brainer.
But they've also made a lot of really good picks
from draft slots that aren't completely ideal. You know, Aaron
Wiggins was the fifty fifth pick in the draft for example,
for Oka. See Indiana has some guys that were picked later.
(13:54):
I mean, I think this stat has been repeated. Something
similar is that the Pacers haven't really picked in the
top five and forever, so I think that's the part
of it too. I think that is crucial for I
think the Pelicans have done that to some extent, where
you had Trey Murphy was the seventeenth pick, Herbert Jones
was the second round pick. I think Charlotte is probably
in that territory too, where they really need to start
(14:14):
nailing some of these picks, not just the ones that
are in the lottery, but also you know if you
have multiple Pelicans only have one pick this year, just
the first round pick, but I mean some of these
other teams have four or five picks, and I think
that that part of it is crucial as well, especially
if you can nail a late first round or a
second rounder. You're talking about salary that is very manageable
(14:35):
under the cap. I feel like that part of it
is going to be more and more important as well.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
I agree you're right second round picks, especially because that's
a good point you made. Second round picks. You he'll
those guys not only are they economical terms of you know,
your cat situation, but you control those guys a little
bit differently as opposed to a first round pick. You know,
you have their rights a little bit more. You can
go out there and retain them a little bit easier
(15:03):
than a first round pick, per se. So you're right.
I think that's the biggest thing. If you're a really
good GM and you build from the draft and you
get these second round picks that actually hit upon something
that will help you out long term and makes your
situation better to be able to go out there and
get player to be able to come and help you
right away.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Mister Rod Boom covers the Charlotte Hornets for the Charlotte
Observer two weeks and to the NBA Draft in the
final week of June on Wednesday and Thursday, twenty fifth
and twenty six. It's always appreciate the time, Rod, and
I know Jim we're gonna bother you throughout the season
when we talk a little basketball and see where the
Hornets and where the Pelicans are as the year goes on.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Hey, absolutely, man, thanks for having me on. I'm here
anytime you need me, just let me know.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Thanks, Rod, appreciate it, I sir.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
You guys got it anytime. All right.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
We continue to get you ready for the NBA Draft
as we now look at another pair of prospects. Andrew
Lopez Television sideline reporter four, You're New Orleans Pelicans joining
us here to go over that?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
All right, let' see if I can do this ready,
I'm I'm waiting.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Casper's yakachonas six six guard out of Illinois.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
I want want him to be the pick now, just
like that? Can you hear the graph?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
And Joel and Mabys.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Kind of love it. But he's going to get a
nickname for him quick. Yeah, like that got one of
those I love it.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Here.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Look when we take a look at all these draft picks,
we're going to get into them specifically. But Andrew, I
was just talking about it with you and Jim before
we started recording this, when it was a get closer
to now two weeks today that the NBA Draft will
be going as where we record this, I'm feeling better
and better about what's going to be around seven because
(16:49):
I'm feeling, as both of you gentlemen spoke about during
the season, this year's draft has talents.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
This isn't one of those I who knows one or
two like it was maybe per last year.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I feel like at seven there's like an NBA player,
if that makes any sense?
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Does that make sense? There's somebody who is going to
be in your rotation should be able to be in
your rotation. I should say right off the bat, when
you're at seven, I know when you when you look,
you go into the lottery at number four odds and
you come out at seven, it's a little disappointing, but
when you look at the players who are there, it's
(17:27):
It's the same conversation we had in our previous pot
where we talked about one is probably set. One's definitely set,
two is probably set. Three, Games three and four are
probably set, although there could be some surprises there. But
everything after that for the next ten picks really does
(17:48):
feel like it's what the team would do. We're going
to talk about Murray Boy, like in Sam Vessini saying
from The Athletic, which his draft guide, if you have
a chance, please go read, Like, take seven hours out
of your day and go read.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
It's extremely comprehensive.
Speaker 5 (18:06):
Yeah, when he's talking about CMB he's talking about he goes,
if I think he's got him in the middle of
his pack on his list, but he's like, if I'm
a team and I'm I'm a certain team, he goes,
I may have him as high as five on my list.
There's so many of these guys that maybe you know,
a Derek Queen, for example, might be five or six
on somebody's list, or fourteen on somebody's list. Comic could
(18:29):
be the same way. So all of these guys have
this this very wide range where I think you're going
to get a good basketball player at number seven.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
I think yakachonas fits that description as well. Where we
do see some mock drafts where he's mid lottery, we
see some other ones where he's a little deeper in
the lottery. For example, the most recent NBA dot Com
consensus mock draft where they take a bunch of different
websites and average them out, he's he's been ninth or
tenth I think on most of those that NBA dot
Com has listed. What are some of the things that
(19:01):
we have to look for with him in terms of
how this guy has become someone that pretty I think
pretty much everyone thinks he's at least a lottery pick.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yeah, he's not only at least a lottery pick. I
think for most of the year he's been probably a
top five to seven pick. I think he did not
have a very strong conference and kind of tailed off
towards the end of the season, and you know, everybody
can start kind of picking aparture game after that point.
But he was a guy for most of the year
(19:31):
was a top five kind of consensus pick. You knew
the top three were going to be, you know, Cooper,
Dylan an Ace for most of the season, that's what
you had. As the year went on, VJ kind of
worked himself into that conversation, but for the most part,
he was sitting there five six in most mock drafts,
(19:55):
some of the earliest. We talked about this before. When
do you start to turn the page to draft stuff.
You know, it's hard. You know, our job is to
focus on the NBA and watch this. We all like sports.
We're all going to watch a little bit here, a
little bit here. Probably when one of the first things
I was looking at when we first started to kind
of turn the page was looking at lead guards, looking
(20:17):
at big men, and he obviously pops up, and you're like, oh, well,
you probably got to be in the top five to
get him. But it's still a very good talent. Definitely
a lead guard. I think the average six assists this year,
which it feels like it's even harder now it's a
lot of assists.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
For college, it's a lot forty minute game, lower scoring,
And we.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Talked we talked about this the other day with fears
about how his elite level playmaking. He only averaged four
and a half assist a game four point one. I think,
you know a lot of this depends on teammates making
shots obviously, right, So he is definitely going to be
a playmaker. I feel like a lot with a lot
of guys in this class, you have to look at
his shot to see where that's kind of like the
(20:54):
big determining factor. But definitely a lead guard who is
is going to be heady. He's make the right class
and that's kind of where he has been trained to be,
which you know you can have that if if there's
anything you want to add to your to your team,
I want to add somebody who can shoot. I want
to add somebody in can pass on, somebody who can
play the events. And he's right in there.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
The first line of the NBA dot Com description about
him is dimes will be dropped.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
And I think.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
One of the things that as a huge backer historically
personally of past first point guards and kind of that
more conventional floor general that that intrigues me just from
the standpoint that I just like that kind of player,
and you watch the video of him and there he
does make a lot of really crafty passes. It seems
like he sees the floor really well. Getting into some
(21:45):
of the pro comparisons I think is instructive for him too,
because it gives you, I think, maybe a better feel
for what type of player he is if you haven't
watched video of him yet. And the names that I
came up with that I've I saw com only for
him are Tyrese Halliburton, Chauncey Billups, Spencer Dinwitty, Austin Reeves,
(22:06):
Goaran Dragic, and then Vasa Mesic. So of those of
those guys, who do you like in terms of the
way he plays?
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Probably it's hard because if you threw that Halle comparison
out there like a few months ago, people would be like, oh, okay,
I see where you're going. And you throw it out
there now and it's like whoa, whoa, whoaoa. I want
this kid's name the NBA Finals this year, like right away.
Yea Dragic is probably the one of that group I've
(22:36):
seen a little bit of giddy. I've seen a little
bit the dinwitty, though I've seen a lot as well,
just kind of a bigger lead guard. I mean, he's
got size, and you know he he can go out
there and play. You just have to wonder about the shot.
I mean that that's kind of where it's at. And
(22:56):
again we go back to what we talked about with
Fears the other day. How much of this is him
taking shots that he wouldn't take if he weren't the
option that he needed to be for his team. He's
a guy like, he's a good rebounder for a size.
He's obviously, you know, an extremely talented playmaker. The defensive
(23:17):
side is where I think he's been picked apart a
little bit, which is why he's now gone from almost
a consensus top five, top six pick to okay, well
maybe he goes seven, Well maybe he goes nine, maybe
he goes ten. His range, again, it's what does a
team want in a in a guy where you could
be had, Like, there's so many guys who I feel
(23:40):
that if the right team were picking at five, they
get their guy at five. And then we hear this
a lot in the NFL. Oh well, my guy slid
to me and we didn't have to move and go
get him. That could very well be the case. The
guy who you would take if you were picking fifth
could be available for you at ten. So the guy
you could be picking at four could be available for
you at eight or nine. Like, it's just a it's
(24:02):
all of these guys are such in a very tight
tier if you're doing it that way.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Yeah, I mean, listening to you talk about the Giddy comparison,
I like that a lot. I mean, based on the
minimal amount of knowledge that I have about yakachonas just
the way that you describe his game, it does sound
like kind of the way that Josh Giddy came into
the league, where you know he's a playmaker, you know
he's got size, but his shot is is a question mark.
Are there any Pelicans historical comparisons that we can make
(24:29):
to yakachonas.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Like, if you really want to throw it back with
like a big lead guard, you go all the way
back to Grievous.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
That's what I was thinking.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
Too, you go all the way back to Grievous. I
think the the there's probably a touch of Lonzo, but
not in the kind of as as flashy as he was.
But just in the if I'm thinking of a six
to six lead guard who can make every pass on
the floor, who would probably be a great guy who
(25:00):
could throw that spin lob to to z. He probably
fits that mold. He's gonna make those kind of passes.
There's a touch here, a touch there. But like I mean,
Grievous was such a different player at such a different time, right,
I feel I feel like a bunch of those like
early aught, like you know, early two thousand, like they'd
love to play in today's game, Like they feel like
(25:22):
they you know, they might have, you know, got passed
by a little bit, you know, like the twenty ten guys,
the early ones. So probably those two. But I think
he's he's more of a unique kind of player.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Yeah, I was thinking of Graves Vesquez too. Gravis is
a little bit more of like a methodical kind of penetrator.
This guy from the at least from the video I saw,
is maybe a little quicker, maybe a little bit more aggressive,
and Graves was more of like a scan the floor
set people up. Didn't really drive a ton I didn't
have the didn't have the same kind of footspeed honestly
(25:55):
that this guy has so yeah, I think that that's
interesting as well. I guess turning to the second player today,
Colin Murray Boyles, what are some of the reasons why
this is a guy who I think NBA dot Com
has him as eleventh again in a compilation of a
bunch of different mock drafts. How has this guy gotten
(26:15):
into the lottery discussion? Again, somebody that I did not
know a ton about before the draft talk began.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
You know what, He's not a guy who was on
a lot of people's boards early on. He has been
absolutely one of the fastest risers in this draft. And
the point that he has put himself in this lottery conversation.
You look at the things that he was able to do,
and in the sec on it on my South Carolina
team that wasn't really doing much, he was able to
(26:43):
average sixteen and eight. But you look at the other numbers.
He's getting his rebounds everywhere, a block and a half
per game, a block and a block and a half
a game and a ceiling half per game. He was
all over the place defensively, and that's where I think
teams see him as we go more and more and
more to positionless basketball. Your one can be a four
(27:06):
at times. You know, when I was in San Antonio,
the big joke was you used to even though he
was the starting center at seven foot not three, Pop
used to make it a big joke. Hey don't call
him a five? Well, who's your start? Don't tell Victor
(27:30):
he's the starting center tonight. When you talk to Victor Winbinyamowell,
He's like, I don't think I'm a starting center. I'm
just a player. You know, because on some plays I'm
the point guard. On some plays, I'm the two. It
just matter of where you run it. As you get
into positionless basketball, that means you need guys who can
defend almost every spot on the floor. Yep. We see
(27:51):
this with Herb, and we saw how much the team
missed it when Herb was not on the floor. That
is the idea of what Colin Boyles can bring. A six'
six sixty, seven two thirty two forty just guy who
can defend all spots and he's going to get you,
(28:11):
deflections he's going to get you, steals he's going to
get you. Blocks the shot is, there like he's got
all of these tools in his belt to make an,
impact and it's it's not one of these things Where,
okay he's just gonna he's a six, six two thirty,
wing he's just gonna stay Out Like, no he's got
all of this kind of in his in his bag
right now to be able to kind of be one
(28:33):
of THESE i don't want to call him like a
small bull five yet because when you don't just throw
that on, somebody especially at that, size but he has
the tools that that could make him successful in THE.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Nba it does seem like when you go through some
of the mock drafts and you see some of the
projections that this. Is you, KNOW i mentioned how he's
eleventh ON nba Dot COM's. Consensus this is kind of
the part of the the mocks at least where you're
starting to get into some more players that aren't own
as defense. First AND i think sometimes that's also why
some of these guys are that have that as their
(29:07):
their biggest. Strength it's sometimes they don't end up in
the top five because teams have a hard time saying
we can't take a guy who averaged eight points a
game in college with the fourth, pick because sometimes those
guys are just it's a little bit too. Limited you're
looking for more upside and that kind of. Thing BUT
i thought it was interesting with to get into some
of the pro comparisons For Murray.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Boyles you can kind.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Of picture kind of the hard hat nature of some
of the players that have played in THE nba that
are compared to. Him and, really when you go through
these six, names there's really only one or two of
them that you think offense with these, players not. Defense
so the list is THAT i came up with very,
unscientifically As Thaddeus young was actually born In New, ORLEANS
i believe.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
Right we just put his, Dad Felton, young in The
Holy Cross hall Of fame about a month ago and
was able to talk To thattius And felton look at.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
THAT i set him up.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Perfectly didn't even REALIZE i was doing. It and Then
Paul millsap another guy that has an Extreme louisiana connection
from the state went To Louisiana, Tech Grant, Williams Draymond,
Green Gershon. Yabaceli and then the last guy is really
the only one of THESE i think that's super offense
first over, defense and That's Julius. Randall which of those
guys do you like as a.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Comparison the one you keep hearing Is. DRAYMOND i mean
the size, comparison everything is, there the shot. PROFILE i
mean WHEN i WHEN i say he has a, shot
it's if that shot. Develops he was nine of thirty
four from three this. Year the shot is, there it's
what develops from. That how much can you continue to
grow what we saw it With. Herb her was not
a shooter in. College that's the Reason herb was falling
(30:43):
into the second round to begin. With But draymond's the
one you just continue to hear because of the. VERSATILITY
i think one of my favorite comp if you haven't
been on The ringers, drafts of how they have their
stuff set. Up they have some of the wildest. Comparisons,
(31:06):
yeah and they're very some of them are very. Creative
they're very. Humorous, Yeah it's it's Like JaVale McGee in
his mind's, eye that was right for a couple of.
Bigs but you go look at the, ones uh FOR,
cmb and It's Draymond, green not a World peace And Anthony,
mason WHICH i just, think like for our newer fans out,
(31:31):
there just please go watch Some Anthony mason highlights and
just enjoy what nineties basketball used to. Be, like just, PICTURE.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
I was gonna say for the younger, fans just picture
if a guy IN ufc made it onto the basketball
court and average like eighteen and.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
Eight that's that was What, yeah and did it pretty pretty. Consistently.
Yeah BUT i like the Dream mond BECAUSE i think
that's that's the that's his calling card right. Now and that's,
why uh As wessini pointed, out he could have him
if he was for a certain, team he would be, fifth,
Right and that's why if you go look on The
ringers Mock, draft he's. Nineteenth he is just he's one
(32:07):
of these guys that when you were making these lists Of, okay,
hey here are the twelve guys that we're going to talk,
about the list was probably twenty twenty five guys, long because, it's, oh,
well these are top twelve. Here oh but these are
the top twelve, here. Yep and then this guy's climbing up.
Here but this guy's doing, this, Yeah and it's just
(32:28):
he is one of these examples of. That and you,
know there's a certain sect of Draft twitter that is
is going crazy for. Him and then there's other guys
who are trying to figure this all out on the other.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
Side, YEAH i, mean we're gonna talk again next week
as we wrap up with on The Draft prospects With Will,
gillery will have a set of four more.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
Guys but you're.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
RIGHT i, mean there's some names that we probably aren't
going to get to that we see in a bunch
of mock. Drafts Like Jace richardson is a guy that
is not ON nba Dot COM's consensus mock.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
Draft he.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
WAS i wanted to restrict it to, that so at
least we had some guardrails and some some ways to
narrow it.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Down don't don't Blame jim for when this guy why
didn't you have this guy in your in your podcast. Series,
look this is WHAT nba Dot com. Said why don't
we use this list instead of this? List why didn't
you use this? List? Though this is what we're using guys.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Exactly last thing On Murray boyles Is pelicans comparisons anybody
that fits with him in THE i.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
Mean it's a he's a bigger. Herb you look at
his college three point production and that. Fits, uh BUT
i think IT'S i mean positional. VERSATILITY i don't think
we've had a guy in in recent years that kind
of can match that that defensive, Versatility SO i, THINK
i mean that would probably be the Way i'd have
to go right.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
There what's interesting to, me guys is we kind of
put a bow on this so, far and especially with
your contributions Here, andrew and again thanks for your.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Time.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Man it's just it's shaping him to be a very
interesting draft from this aspect of. IT i think in years, past,
hey these are the top talented, players right and then
after it kind of dies. DOWN i still remember When
Byron scott was here as head. Coach you, like, man
after the first three or, four good. Luck you, know
you don't know what you, have which always blew my
mind because you only have two rounds and we're so used,
(34:10):
to you, Know jim And andrew being in this, Building
saints at seven rounds of. Football you find, starters and
you find Guys Marcus colston's and. STUFF i get, It,
brady and in THE nba it's. Not but we're kind
of starting to see maybe change a. Bit we've talked
about even with our guest today With Rod boone talking
about with the apron and, stuff drafting growing. Players you
(34:32):
see the two teams in the, finals maybe we've seen
be more. Important what's interesting with this draft to me
is WHEN i look at the top couple of, teams,
guys one thing that's in common With, Dallas San, Antonio,
philly Even Charlotte Wood Rod boon, said and IN us
at seven all four of those teams.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
Out of, seven injuries was a big thing with.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
Them.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Right so if you have, talent but that your your
talent was, INJURED i Mean Kyrie irving ad those, guys
those are. Starters those are. Guys they get you in the.
Playoffs so who you pick maybe more for fit or
helping rather THAN i need a face of the, franchise
right as in the, Past Utah, washington we need a
(35:14):
face of the. Franchise got it with, you, Right but
it's interesting that you have some of those teams where
to your, Point I'm Willie, Green i'm The. Pels hey
give me another defender with. This AND i think what's
interesting too is do you guys keep talking about defenders
a lot of these.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Guys do you.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Think the pendulum maybe starts to swing where everyone's jacking up?
THREES i need people that can go defend Because i'm
watching in the finals right. NOW a team that can
defend can eliminate that three point shot.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
What you're seeing right, Now AND i think in the
last four to five, years so many more the learning
curve ON nba defense used to be a lot bigger
than what it, was and now you're seeing The Herb
jones was in that conversation his first. Year Evan mobley
(36:01):
was in that conversation his first. Year Victor wambanama, WAS i,
mean he's an, anomaly but he was second in defensive
player in the year voting his first year in the.
League you're starting to see more and more guys come
in because that's what's going to get you on the.
Floor we hear ad say it all the time on the.
Broadcast what's going to get you on the floor as
a young player in this. League everybody can. Score all
(36:22):
all of you have been the best player on your.
Team the majority of, You i'm talking ninety five percent
or probably the best player on your. Team in college
unless you're at a duke and you can make a
gu whatever you're. At these top programs are your two or.
Three the majority of you were the guy who was
going to average twenty twenty five and which, McCone all
of you were probably averaging thirty in high. School good, point,
(36:42):
yep what's going to get you on the floor in
THE nba? Defense? First then you figure the rest.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Out you no one thing too big picture THAT i
was going to mention. It as we wrap up for
this week of our draft preview, podcasts Is gus you
mentioned how you, know maybe THE nba second round importance
is less than what THE nfl, has or they have
so many rounds and people are focused on we need
to find these late round. PICKS i do think that's
changing in THE, nba, though because for various. REASONS i,
(37:08):
MEAN i think the most tangible thing is the three
two way. Contracts now you actually have eighteen guys on your,
roster and then with the injuries that have increased the
amount of guys that have been out in the player,
AVAILABILITY i think you need depth on your roster more
than you ever. Did and then the other part is
the salary, cap WHERE i could see teams having the
(37:31):
strategy of saying like we're not gonna no team's going
to base their whole build on second round, picks but
maybe you as people learn more about the effects of
the NEW cba and some of the, constraints that those
picks become more.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
Valuable maybe not in.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Trades it's still probably never going to be the kind
of thing where you're, like, oh, yeah we'll trade you
the forty fifth pick that a team's going to be, like, oh,
yes we want the forty fifth, pick but as an
asset that you can use yourself and load up your
roster with some of those guys that are. Affordable do
think that that we've already seen that, change AND i
think it's a trend that's going to continue as time goes.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
On the Second apron, rules all these new, rules it's
a lot more. Restrictive you need cost controlled guys on
your team and unique guys who can be cost controlled and.
Effective and that's to you, know To jim's, point no.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Doubt i've been a part of drafts guys where the
second round starts and the food started arriving for the
people making, it the picks and. STUFF i, mean they
just it was Completely, hey how much money selling for
picks and money in. CASH i don't think that's the
case anymore, So Jim ike And. Offer if you want
to follow up some more stuff with each of our,
podcasts go To pelicans dot. Com he does a great
job there And angel so nice to see you during the.
(38:37):
Summer we'll continue to see, you, SIR i guess you.
Will thank you as always for tuning us In Don't
forget The pels, podcast brought to you By New Age,
products the official garaging outdoor kitchen provider of Your New Orleans.
Pelicans we'll see you next time on The New Orleans pelicans.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Podcast thanks for listening to The New Orleans Pelicans. Podcast
join us three times per week on pelicans dot, com
The pelicans mobile, app The iHeartRadio, app or where you
get your, podcast and be sure to Give jim And
guss a follow on x At Jim UNDERSCORE i Can
(39:15):
offer And Gcat underscore. Seventeen we'll see you next time
right here on The New Orleans Pelicans. Podcast
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans, a podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad. Here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who cover the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans Podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hell, everybody, Welcome to New Orleans Pelicans Podcast. Official podcasts
if you're New Orleans Pelicans. Presented by New Age Products,
the official garage and outdoor kitchen provider of the New
Orleans Pelicans. We get you ready for the NBA Draft
coming up on Wednesday, June twenty fifth and Thursday June
twenty sixth Round one and two. Pelicans currently with the
(00:55):
seventh pick overall in the first round. Jim, We've talked
about the other teams leading into the Pelicans to get
fans ready. Dallas with the first pick, san Antonio the
second pick, Philly the third. And it leads us to
today's podcast, which is number four. The Charlotte Hornets. Rod
Boone will be talking to us from the Charlotte Observe
a little bit about it, but overall, when you think
of the Hornets, what do you think.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Of Yeah, I mean it's been a struggle. I think
last season was similar for them as it was the Pelicans,
where I mean the Pelicans won twenty one games the
Hornets won nineteen. But I think that's kind of where
the comparison ends, because I feel like they're at a
much earlier stage of them trying to build up to
be a competitive team. Obviously, the Pelicans won forty nine
(01:36):
games the previous season made the playoffs. They've made the
playoffs two out of the last four years, where Charlotte
hasn't made it since twenty sixteen. So I think they're
one of the more interesting roster builds right now across
the league because they do have some pieces. But as
Rod I'm sure is going to discuss with us, they
need their main guys to be on the court more
(01:57):
for them to be able to move up. I think
every team in the East, I mean maybe I'm presuming
too much here, but I think if you're a team
in the East right now, you think, no matter what
record you had last season, that it's possible to make
a big jump because it's kind of wide open right now.
We've seen a bunch of teams, I mean the Pacers
are in this boat. Only a few years ago they
(02:17):
weren't even in the playoffs, and now they're in the
NBA Finals. So I think that's doable. A little bit
more doable in the East, I think than it is
in the West.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah. Well, coming up, Andrew Lopez, television silent reporter for
your New Orleans Pelicans, will continue giving us a little
breakdown on a couple of prospects too, in particular Casper's
Yakachonas and Colin Murray Boyles. But first up, let's find
out what the Hornets will likely do as we are
joined by mister Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer. All right, Tom,
(02:46):
now to bring in our guest, mister Rod Boone covers
the Charlotte Hornets for the Charlotte Observer. You can give
him a follow over on ex ad. Rod Boone, sir,
good morning, and thanks for joining us.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Man.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
How are you doing great? How you guys doing today?
Speaker 5 (03:00):
Fantastic?
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Rod?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I mean, I guess we'll start with talking about the
Hornets coming off a season where they went nineteen in
sixty three, and I think one of the things that
stands out about them as well is they've I'm kind
of shocked when I see this that they've gone nine
years in a row without making the playoffs, which is
the longest drought in the NBA, and the second longest
is actually the Spurs at six, which is also stunning
(03:23):
to me. But I mean, how would you kind of
summarize what just happened this season? It seems like one
of the themes of their season was unfortunately similar to Pelicans,
where you had a lot of key guys missing tons
of games, and that made it even more difficult for
them to be competitive.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Correct, I mean, that's been the whole news story last
honestly a couple of seasons here. They just have the talent,
but they just can't get on the court enough games
to go out there and display it. So when you
have your you know, your start pointing goal the mellow
ball hedn't played a whole season since he's been in
the league. That's not a good sign when you try
(04:00):
to build around players like that. So when you have
to figure out, as the coach each night, who's going
to be available and how do you go about attacking
the opposing team, it creates a problem. So until they
can actually go out there, the Hornets be you know,
fully healthy for entire season, they won't be able to
break this playoff drop, because that's been the main issue
(04:21):
is just really in my mind health. You have talent,
but if you have talent and they're not on the court,
you can't display it and you can't get anywhere.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Rod you mentioned LaMelo Ball. Obviously the Pelicans in their
situation with Zion, it's somewhat similar in that you have
a super talented guy that has missed a good chunk
of games over the last few years and you and
you kind of have to make decisions based on that
though that you know, whether it's building around that player
or you know what his future is. How do you
(04:49):
see what the Hornet how the Hornets view LaMelo Ball
right now? I mean, is it the kind of thing
where it's like he's he's a center, He's still a
centerpiece of the team, and you have to figure out, Okay,
now we have this really talented point guard who's been
an All Star, and now you just kind of hope
that he can he can just become more durable.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Basically absolutely, I mean you mentioned Zion, it's similar to
me to Zion. I mean, it's like you know, you
have a player who you know could be a difference
maker out there, could be a stud, and you want
to build around him. But he's not on the court.
He's always hurt and injured. How can you find out
who the best players to put around him? You know
who they are. So that's been the main issue with
(05:29):
the mellow, just his health, because when people see him
on the court and see his type of game, yeah,
he has to do a little bit more improvement in
terms of being able to play some more winning basketball.
But the guy makes everybody, I'm talking about everybody better
on the court. He finds the open man, he's pushing
the ball, he's making crazy you pass that players don't
(05:51):
even think he's going to be able to make. I mean,
he does so much that just you just look, say, man,
he can just be healthy. They could be a really
good team. But that's the main problem is just injuries,
ankle problems, risk problems. So again similar to Zion, and
you can find and we keep them on the court
and keep him healthy, then you have a player building
(06:13):
around and you could be good for years to come.
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
One of the reasons, I mean, the main reason why
we've kind of structured our draft preview podcasts this way,
where we've already talked to the first three teams picking,
and now Charlotte is the fourth team. Wanted to kind
of try to get a feel for what the direction
some of these teams picking before the Pelicans might go.
I mean, it feels like there's a pretty universal belief
(06:36):
that Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are the kind of
the top two prospects in this draft. After that, do
you have any feel for what direction Charlotte might go
or what they might lean towards. I mean, with that
fourth pick, is it the kind of thing where you
just take the best player available or do you look
at some of it seems like, you know, for a
team that won nineteen games, Charlotte does have a lot
of wing talent and guard talent, perimeter talent. How do
(07:00):
you think that they're going to approach that fourth pick.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I think if I'm the Hornets, I get the best
player available, because, as you mentioned, they didn't have wings
and guards. But we talked about their injuries, right, I mean,
you want to be able to have definitely and also
have options to be able to make trades. If you
want to be able to bring other players in here.
So from my perspective everything I've gathered so far, if
you have Cooper Flagg going one to Dallas, and you
(07:26):
have the lit Harper going to to the Spurs or
maybe a possible trade there we have depending on that
they can move up or not. Three, what I understand
is probably going to be Ace Billy from Rutgers. I
think Philly. You know, the Fixers like him a lot.
They want to have players again that they can bring
in around Joel and beating those guys and building around them.
So I think Ace Billy's number three at Philly. So
(07:49):
at forward Hornets from what I can tell right now
is bj Edgcombe from Baylor. They like him a lot.
They met with him at the Combine in Chicago last month.
They did the Hornets like defensive players. Charles Lee's about
defense first a little bit, so VJ. It could be
a two way player. He likes defense in terms like
(08:10):
that part of the court. So if you're a Hornets, again,
you said you have enough maybe offense at times, so
to me, you wouldn't be able to get a player
who you can not only plug in on most side
of the ball, but really on both sides of the ball,
because if you can stop at least contain some players
on defense with La mellow ball being you know, your
(08:33):
point guard, that to me helps you out. So again,
if as Billy is there, I for some reason, maybe
Philadelphia goes different route and goes maybe trade Johnson or
something like that, then maybe the Horns scolled as Bailey.
But from everything I've gathered so far, if the talent
falls away, it stood, the Horns pop will be right
(08:54):
there for with v j Edgcomb from Baylor.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
From an overall kind of standpoint and outlook, Charlotte basically
has changed over its entire basketball operations over the last
In the last year, you know, they hired a new executive,
Jeff Peterson. They had a new first year coach Charles
Lee last season. I mean, how do you see kind
of the way that they view what the short term
maybe medium term? I would think that you know, I
(09:19):
mentioned the playoff drought. Is it the kind of thing
where there's pressure to okay, we got to be a
lot more competitive soon, or is it the kind of
thing where you think that they're going to look at
it as kind of a longer term like this is
not something that we want to rush. We want to
do this as methodically as we possibly can.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
The latter I mean, they've talked about that specifically, the
only ownership group led by Gabe Pocket, and Rick Snall
and the new president Operations back Operations, Jeff Peterson, they've
all talked about not want to like basically cut corners.
The Hornets, as you mentioned, almost a decade long playoff drought.
They don't want to come here and say, Okay, we're
going to go out a couple of deals and will
(09:58):
be a playoff team next year. Then you have to
you're back to square one. They want to be able
to build it up methodically, also be able to be
a playoff team, you know, yearly. They want to be
able to find that magic potion to be able to
let them be at least, you know, in the mix
every year, because right now they're not. And you met again,
(10:20):
it's been almost ten years so they actually had a
playoff spot. So they want to do it the right way.
They want to build from the draft. They want to
make the appropriate at the right time trade. They want
to sign a player here or there that actually will
help them but won't put them you know, over the
cat situation. The way they basically want to make things
(10:43):
done methodically. So if they can do that, as they
have things planned, they can make it a long term
situation where they can actually win here in Charlotte, because
they also are redoing their building. Second, your renovations, you
want to do everything over here in Charlotte, you won't
(11:04):
actually have a new building per se. We have a
new basketball operations, you will have new ownership. You don't
have just a new mentality and overall here in town.
So they want to do it from the ground up.
I don't see him doing anything out there that's gonna
jupandize them being a playoff team for two or three
years in a row. No Roder.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
It was one of the things that I always find interesting,
whether CNFL or NBA. People we either copy or just
look at trends and how things are going. Last couple
of years. You saw, you know, whether it's the super
teams or big trades for big players who saw in
this past season. But when you look at the NBA
Finals just going on right now, you see two teams
to kind of around what you just talked about, right
(11:44):
building teams through the draft, fighting at one guy, whether
it's a free agency pickup or a trade pickup, because
you know SGA and Halliburnt were kind of like that.
You then building through the draft. Do you think that's
maybe the trend with this new CBA and the Aprons
and all the things that the league has now where
we're going to see teams build like this.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
I think so, because as you mentioned, with the new CBA,
like it's hard to have a super team. You can't
have these three players on mass contracts because it just
doesn't work financially. If you do, oh boy, you really
can't build around them because you can't go out there
and get veterans on minimum deals. You can't do things
that can actually make your team better because you're kind
of hampered. But that's the context Apron, So you're right.
(12:25):
I think from the way the CB is written now,
well a be is that he like Oklahoma City and Indiana.
Maybe not, but they're definitely a little bit of a model.
Especially Okay see because okayc to me is if you
are Charlotte, if you're a New Orleans, that should be
your your your your blueprint is you acquires money because
(12:45):
you can first round draft picks, you build through the
draft and you sign the occasional guy that puts you
over the top and you caruso. Okay. See, you know
players like that who you may feel okay, they're not
worth a max contract, but they're on a player that
(13:07):
actually need to like help compliment my roster. So I
think that is if you're a GM on a small
market team, that's your blueprint is to find your players
through the draft for one, build that base up, and
then also make your methodical small moves until it's time
(13:27):
to make that big move that actually puts you over
the top.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
I think one of the things too that is a
lot easier said than done that Oklahoma City and Indiana
I think have both done too is Chet Holmgren was
the second pick for the Thunder. That was a no brainer.
But they've also made a lot of really good picks
from draft slots that aren't completely ideal. You know, Aaron
Wiggins was the fifty fifth pick in the draft for example,
for Oka. See Indiana has some guys that were picked later.
(13:54):
I mean, I think this stat has been repeated. Something
similar is that the Pacers haven't really picked in the
top five and forever, so I think that's the part
of it too. I think that is crucial for I
think the Pelicans have done that to some extent, where
you had Trey Murphy was the seventeenth pick, Herbert Jones
was the second round pick. I think Charlotte is probably
in that territory too, where they really need to start
(14:14):
nailing some of these picks, not just the ones that
are in the lottery, but also you know if you
have multiple Pelicans only have one pick this year, just
the first round pick, but I mean some of these
other teams have four or five picks, and I think
that that part of it is crucial as well, especially
if you can nail a late first round or a
second rounder. You're talking about salary that is very manageable
(14:35):
under the cap. I feel like that part of it
is going to be more and more important as well.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
I agree you're right second round picks, especially because that's
a good point you made. Second round picks. You he'll
those guys not only are they economical terms of you know,
your cat situation, but you control those guys a little
bit differently as opposed to a first round pick. You know,
you have their rights a little bit more. You can
go out there and retain them a little bit easier
(15:03):
than a first round pick, per se. So you're right.
I think that's the biggest thing. If you're a really
good GM and you build from the draft and you
get these second round picks that actually hit upon something
that will help you out long term and makes your
situation better to be able to go out there and
get player to be able to come and help you
right away.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Mister Rod Boom covers the Charlotte Hornets for the Charlotte
Observer two weeks and to the NBA Draft in the
final week of June on Wednesday and Thursday, twenty fifth
and twenty six. It's always appreciate the time, Rod, and
I know Jim we're gonna bother you throughout the season
when we talk a little basketball and see where the
Hornets and where the Pelicans are as the year goes on.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Hey, absolutely, man, thanks for having me on. I'm here
anytime you need me, just let me know.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Thanks, Rod, appreciate it, I sir.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
You guys got it anytime. All right.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
We continue to get you ready for the NBA Draft
as we now look at another pair of prospects. Andrew
Lopez Television sideline reporter four, You're New Orleans Pelicans joining
us here to go over that?
Speaker 5 (16:04):
All right, let' see if I can do this ready,
I'm I'm waiting.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Casper's yakachonas six six guard out of Illinois.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
I want want him to be the pick now, just
like that? Can you hear the graph?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
And Joel and Mabys.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Kind of love it. But he's going to get a
nickname for him quick. Yeah, like that got one of
those I love it.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Here.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Look when we take a look at all these draft picks,
we're going to get into them specifically. But Andrew, I
was just talking about it with you and Jim before
we started recording this, when it was a get closer
to now two weeks today that the NBA Draft will
be going as where we record this, I'm feeling better
and better about what's going to be around seven because
(16:49):
I'm feeling, as both of you gentlemen spoke about during
the season, this year's draft has talents.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
This isn't one of those I who knows one or
two like it was maybe per last year.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I feel like at seven there's like an NBA player,
if that makes any sense?
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Does that make sense? There's somebody who is going to
be in your rotation should be able to be in
your rotation. I should say right off the bat, when
you're at seven, I know when you when you look,
you go into the lottery at number four odds and
you come out at seven, it's a little disappointing, but
when you look at the players who are there, it's
(17:27):
It's the same conversation we had in our previous pot
where we talked about one is probably set. One's definitely set,
two is probably set. Three, Games three and four are
probably set, although there could be some surprises there. But
everything after that for the next ten picks really does
(17:48):
feel like it's what the team would do. We're going
to talk about Murray Boy, like in Sam Vessini saying
from The Athletic, which his draft guide, if you have
a chance, please go read, Like, take seven hours out
of your day and go read.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
It's extremely comprehensive.
Speaker 5 (18:06):
Yeah, when he's talking about CMB he's talking about he goes,
if I think he's got him in the middle of
his pack on his list, but he's like, if I'm
a team and I'm I'm a certain team, he goes,
I may have him as high as five on my list.
There's so many of these guys that maybe you know,
a Derek Queen, for example, might be five or six
on somebody's list, or fourteen on somebody's list. Comic could
(18:29):
be the same way. So all of these guys have
this this very wide range where I think you're going
to get a good basketball player at number seven.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
I think yakachonas fits that description as well. Where we
do see some mock drafts where he's mid lottery, we
see some other ones where he's a little deeper in
the lottery. For example, the most recent NBA dot Com
consensus mock draft where they take a bunch of different
websites and average them out, he's he's been ninth or
tenth I think on most of those that NBA dot
Com has listed. What are some of the things that
(19:01):
we have to look for with him in terms of
how this guy has become someone that pretty I think
pretty much everyone thinks he's at least a lottery pick.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yeah, he's not only at least a lottery pick. I
think for most of the year he's been probably a
top five to seven pick. I think he did not
have a very strong conference and kind of tailed off
towards the end of the season, and you know, everybody
can start kind of picking aparture game after that point.
But he was a guy for most of the year
(19:31):
was a top five kind of consensus pick. You knew
the top three were going to be, you know, Cooper,
Dylan an Ace for most of the season, that's what
you had. As the year went on, VJ kind of
worked himself into that conversation, but for the most part,
he was sitting there five six in most mock drafts,
(19:55):
some of the earliest. We talked about this before. When
do you start to turn the page to draft stuff.
You know, it's hard. You know, our job is to
focus on the NBA and watch this. We all like sports.
We're all going to watch a little bit here, a
little bit here. Probably when one of the first things
I was looking at when we first started to kind
of turn the page was looking at lead guards, looking
(20:17):
at big men, and he obviously pops up, and you're like, oh, well,
you probably got to be in the top five to
get him. But it's still a very good talent. Definitely
a lead guard. I think the average six assists this year,
which it feels like it's even harder now it's a
lot of assists.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
For college, it's a lot forty minute game, lower scoring,
And we.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Talked we talked about this the other day with fears
about how his elite level playmaking. He only averaged four
and a half assist a game four point one. I think,
you know a lot of this depends on teammates making
shots obviously, right, So he is definitely going to be
a playmaker. I feel like a lot with a lot
of guys in this class, you have to look at
his shot to see where that's kind of like the
(20:54):
big determining factor. But definitely a lead guard who is
is going to be heady. He's make the right class
and that's kind of where he has been trained to be,
which you know you can have that if if there's
anything you want to add to your to your team,
I want to add somebody who can shoot. I want
to add somebody in can pass on, somebody who can
play the events. And he's right in there.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
The first line of the NBA dot Com description about
him is dimes will be dropped.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
And I think.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
One of the things that as a huge backer historically
personally of past first point guards and kind of that
more conventional floor general that that intrigues me just from
the standpoint that I just like that kind of player,
and you watch the video of him and there he
does make a lot of really crafty passes. It seems
like he sees the floor really well. Getting into some
(21:45):
of the pro comparisons I think is instructive for him too,
because it gives you, I think, maybe a better feel
for what type of player he is if you haven't
watched video of him yet. And the names that I
came up with that I've I saw com only for
him are Tyrese Halliburton, Chauncey Billups, Spencer Dinwitty, Austin Reeves,
(22:06):
Goaran Dragic, and then Vasa Mesic. So of those of
those guys, who do you like in terms of the
way he plays?
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Probably it's hard because if you threw that Halle comparison
out there like a few months ago, people would be like, oh, okay,
I see where you're going. And you throw it out
there now and it's like whoa, whoa, whoaoa. I want
this kid's name the NBA Finals this year, like right away.
Yea Dragic is probably the one of that group I've
(22:36):
seen a little bit of giddy. I've seen a little
bit the dinwitty, though I've seen a lot as well,
just kind of a bigger lead guard. I mean, he's
got size, and you know he he can go out
there and play. You just have to wonder about the shot.
I mean that that's kind of where it's at. And
(22:56):
again we go back to what we talked about with
Fears the other day. How much of this is him
taking shots that he wouldn't take if he weren't the
option that he needed to be for his team. He's
a guy like, he's a good rebounder for a size.
He's obviously, you know, an extremely talented playmaker. The defensive
(23:17):
side is where I think he's been picked apart a
little bit, which is why he's now gone from almost
a consensus top five, top six pick to okay, well
maybe he goes seven, Well maybe he goes nine, maybe
he goes ten. His range, again, it's what does a
team want in a in a guy where you could
be had, Like, there's so many guys who I feel
(23:40):
that if the right team were picking at five, they
get their guy at five. And then we hear this
a lot in the NFL. Oh well, my guy slid
to me and we didn't have to move and go
get him. That could very well be the case. The
guy who you would take if you were picking fifth
could be available for you at ten. So the guy
you could be picking at four could be available for
you at eight or nine. Like, it's just a it's
(24:02):
all of these guys are such in a very tight
tier if you're doing it that way.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Yeah, I mean, listening to you talk about the Giddy comparison,
I like that a lot. I mean, based on the
minimal amount of knowledge that I have about yakachonas just
the way that you describe his game, it does sound
like kind of the way that Josh Giddy came into
the league, where you know he's a playmaker, you know
he's got size, but his shot is is a question mark.
Are there any Pelicans historical comparisons that we can make
(24:29):
to yakachonas.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Like, if you really want to throw it back with
like a big lead guard, you go all the way
back to Grievous.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
That's what I was thinking.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
Too, you go all the way back to Grievous. I
think the the there's probably a touch of Lonzo, but
not in the kind of as as flashy as he was.
But just in the if I'm thinking of a six
to six lead guard who can make every pass on
the floor, who would probably be a great guy who
(25:00):
could throw that spin lob to to z. He probably
fits that mold. He's gonna make those kind of passes.
There's a touch here, a touch there. But like I mean,
Grievous was such a different player at such a different time, right,
I feel I feel like a bunch of those like
early aught, like you know, early two thousand, like they'd
love to play in today's game, Like they feel like
(25:22):
they you know, they might have, you know, got passed
by a little bit, you know, like the twenty ten guys,
the early ones. So probably those two. But I think
he's he's more of a unique kind of player.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Yeah, I was thinking of Graves Vesquez too. Gravis is
a little bit more of like a methodical kind of penetrator.
This guy from the at least from the video I saw,
is maybe a little quicker, maybe a little bit more aggressive,
and Graves was more of like a scan the floor
set people up. Didn't really drive a ton I didn't
have the didn't have the same kind of footspeed honestly
(25:55):
that this guy has so yeah, I think that that's
interesting as well. I guess turning to the second player today,
Colin Murray Boyles, what are some of the reasons why
this is a guy who I think NBA dot Com
has him as eleventh again in a compilation of a
bunch of different mock drafts. How has this guy gotten
(26:15):
into the lottery discussion? Again, somebody that I did not
know a ton about before the draft talk began.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
You know what, He's not a guy who was on
a lot of people's boards early on. He has been
absolutely one of the fastest risers in this draft. And
the point that he has put himself in this lottery conversation.
You look at the things that he was able to do,
and in the sec on it on my South Carolina
team that wasn't really doing much, he was able to
(26:43):
average sixteen and eight. But you look at the other numbers.
He's getting his rebounds everywhere, a block and a half
per game, a block and a block and a half
a game and a ceiling half per game. He was
all over the place defensively, and that's where I think
teams see him as we go more and more and
more to positionless basketball. Your one can be a four
(27:06):
at times. You know, when I was in San Antonio,
the big joke was you used to even though he
was the starting center at seven foot not three, Pop
used to make it a big joke. Hey don't call
him a five? Well, who's your start? Don't tell Victor
(27:30):
he's the starting center tonight. When you talk to Victor Winbinyamowell,
He's like, I don't think I'm a starting center. I'm
just a player. You know, because on some plays I'm
the point guard. On some plays, I'm the two. It
just matter of where you run it. As you get
into positionless basketball, that means you need guys who can
defend almost every spot on the floor. Yep. We see
(27:51):
this with Herb, and we saw how much the team
missed it when Herb was not on the floor. That
is the idea of what Colin Boyles can bring. A six'
six sixty, seven two thirty two forty just guy who
can defend all spots and he's going to get you,
(28:11):
deflections he's going to get you, steals he's going to
get you. Blocks the shot is, there like he's got
all of these tools in his belt to make an,
impact and it's it's not one of these things Where,
okay he's just gonna he's a six, six two thirty,
wing he's just gonna stay Out Like, no he's got
all of this kind of in his in his bag
right now to be able to kind of be one
(28:33):
of THESE i don't want to call him like a
small bull five yet because when you don't just throw
that on, somebody especially at that, size but he has
the tools that that could make him successful in THE.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Nba it does seem like when you go through some
of the mock drafts and you see some of the
projections that this. Is you, KNOW i mentioned how he's
eleventh ON nba Dot COM's. Consensus this is kind of
the part of the the mocks at least where you're
starting to get into some more players that aren't own
as defense. First AND i think sometimes that's also why
some of these guys are that have that as their
(29:07):
their biggest. Strength it's sometimes they don't end up in
the top five because teams have a hard time saying
we can't take a guy who averaged eight points a
game in college with the fourth, pick because sometimes those
guys are just it's a little bit too. Limited you're
looking for more upside and that kind of. Thing BUT
i thought it was interesting with to get into some
of the pro comparisons For Murray.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Boyles you can kind.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Of picture kind of the hard hat nature of some
of the players that have played in THE nba that
are compared to. Him and, really when you go through
these six, names there's really only one or two of
them that you think offense with these, players not. Defense
so the list is THAT i came up with very,
unscientifically As Thaddeus young was actually born In New, ORLEANS
i believe.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
Right we just put his, Dad Felton, young in The
Holy Cross hall Of fame about a month ago and
was able to talk To thattius And felton look at.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
THAT i set him up.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Perfectly didn't even REALIZE i was doing. It and Then
Paul millsap another guy that has an Extreme louisiana connection
from the state went To Louisiana, Tech Grant, Williams Draymond,
Green Gershon. Yabaceli and then the last guy is really
the only one of THESE i think that's super offense
first over, defense and That's Julius. Randall which of those
guys do you like as a.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Comparison the one you keep hearing Is. DRAYMOND i mean
the size, comparison everything is, there the shot. PROFILE i
mean WHEN i WHEN i say he has a, shot
it's if that shot. Develops he was nine of thirty
four from three this. Year the shot is, there it's
what develops from. That how much can you continue to
grow what we saw it With. Herb her was not
a shooter in. College that's the Reason herb was falling
(30:43):
into the second round to begin. With But draymond's the
one you just continue to hear because of the. VERSATILITY
i think one of my favorite comp if you haven't
been on The ringers, drafts of how they have their
stuff set. Up they have some of the wildest. Comparisons,
(31:06):
yeah and they're very some of them are very. Creative
they're very. Humorous, Yeah it's it's Like JaVale McGee in
his mind's, eye that was right for a couple of.
Bigs but you go look at the, ones uh FOR,
cmb and It's Draymond, green not a World peace And Anthony,
mason WHICH i just, think like for our newer fans out,
(31:31):
there just please go watch Some Anthony mason highlights and
just enjoy what nineties basketball used to. Be, like just, PICTURE.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
I was gonna say for the younger, fans just picture
if a guy IN ufc made it onto the basketball
court and average like eighteen and.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
Eight that's that was What, yeah and did it pretty pretty. Consistently.
Yeah BUT i like the Dream mond BECAUSE i think
that's that's the that's his calling card right. Now and that's,
why uh As wessini pointed, out he could have him
if he was for a certain, team he would be, fifth,
Right and that's why if you go look on The
ringers Mock, draft he's. Nineteenth he is just he's one
(32:07):
of these guys that when you were making these lists Of, okay,
hey here are the twelve guys that we're going to talk,
about the list was probably twenty twenty five guys, long because, it's, oh,
well these are top twelve. Here oh but these are
the top twelve, here. Yep and then this guy's climbing up.
Here but this guy's doing, this, Yeah and it's just
(32:28):
he is one of these examples of. That and you,
know there's a certain sect of Draft twitter that is
is going crazy for. Him and then there's other guys
who are trying to figure this all out on the other.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
Side, YEAH i, mean we're gonna talk again next week
as we wrap up with on The Draft prospects With Will,
gillery will have a set of four more.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
Guys but you're.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
RIGHT i, mean there's some names that we probably aren't
going to get to that we see in a bunch
of mock. Drafts Like Jace richardson is a guy that
is not ON nba Dot COM's consensus mock.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
Draft he.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
WAS i wanted to restrict it to, that so at
least we had some guardrails and some some ways to
narrow it.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Down don't don't Blame jim for when this guy why
didn't you have this guy in your in your podcast. Series,
look this is WHAT nba Dot com. Said why don't
we use this list instead of this? List why didn't
you use this? List? Though this is what we're using guys.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Exactly last thing On Murray boyles Is pelicans comparisons anybody
that fits with him in THE i.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
Mean it's a he's a bigger. Herb you look at
his college three point production and that. Fits, uh BUT
i think IT'S i mean positional. VERSATILITY i don't think
we've had a guy in in recent years that kind
of can match that that defensive, Versatility SO i, THINK
i mean that would probably be the Way i'd have
to go right.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
There what's interesting to, me guys is we kind of
put a bow on this so, far and especially with
your contributions Here, andrew and again thanks for your.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Time.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Man it's just it's shaping him to be a very
interesting draft from this aspect of. IT i think in years, past,
hey these are the top talented, players right and then
after it kind of dies. DOWN i still remember When
Byron scott was here as head. Coach you, like, man
after the first three or, four good. Luck you, know
you don't know what you, have which always blew my
mind because you only have two rounds and we're so used,
(34:10):
to you, Know jim And andrew being in this, Building
saints at seven rounds of. Football you find, starters and
you find Guys Marcus colston's and. STUFF i get, It,
brady and in THE nba it's. Not but we're kind
of starting to see maybe change a. Bit we've talked
about even with our guest today With Rod boone talking
about with the apron and, stuff drafting growing. Players you
(34:32):
see the two teams in the, finals maybe we've seen
be more. Important what's interesting with this draft to me
is WHEN i look at the top couple of, teams,
guys one thing that's in common With, Dallas San, Antonio,
philly Even Charlotte Wood Rod boon, said and IN us
at seven all four of those teams.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
Out of, seven injuries was a big thing with.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
Them.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Right so if you have, talent but that your your
talent was, INJURED i Mean Kyrie irving ad those, guys
those are. Starters those are. Guys they get you in the.
Playoffs so who you pick maybe more for fit or
helping rather THAN i need a face of the, franchise
right as in the, Past Utah, washington we need a
(35:14):
face of the. Franchise got it with, you, Right but
it's interesting that you have some of those teams where
to your, Point I'm Willie, Green i'm The. Pels hey
give me another defender with. This AND i think what's
interesting too is do you guys keep talking about defenders
a lot of these.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Guys do you.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Think the pendulum maybe starts to swing where everyone's jacking up?
THREES i need people that can go defend Because i'm
watching in the finals right. NOW a team that can
defend can eliminate that three point shot.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
What you're seeing right, Now AND i think in the
last four to five, years so many more the learning
curve ON nba defense used to be a lot bigger
than what it, was and now you're seeing The Herb
jones was in that conversation his first. Year Evan mobley
(36:01):
was in that conversation his first. Year Victor wambanama, WAS i,
mean he's an, anomaly but he was second in defensive
player in the year voting his first year in the.
League you're starting to see more and more guys come
in because that's what's going to get you on the.
Floor we hear ad say it all the time on the.
Broadcast what's going to get you on the floor as
a young player in this. League everybody can. Score all
(36:22):
all of you have been the best player on your.
Team the majority of, You i'm talking ninety five percent
or probably the best player on your. Team in college
unless you're at a duke and you can make a
gu whatever you're. At these top programs are your two or.
Three the majority of you were the guy who was
going to average twenty twenty five and which, McCone all
of you were probably averaging thirty in high. School good, point,
(36:42):
yep what's going to get you on the floor in
THE nba? Defense? First then you figure the rest.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Out you no one thing too big picture THAT i
was going to mention. It as we wrap up for
this week of our draft preview, podcasts Is gus you
mentioned how you, know maybe THE nba second round importance
is less than what THE nfl, has or they have
so many rounds and people are focused on we need
to find these late round. PICKS i do think that's
changing in THE, nba, though because for various. REASONS i,
(37:08):
MEAN i think the most tangible thing is the three
two way. Contracts now you actually have eighteen guys on your,
roster and then with the injuries that have increased the
amount of guys that have been out in the player,
AVAILABILITY i think you need depth on your roster more
than you ever. Did and then the other part is
the salary, cap WHERE i could see teams having the
(37:31):
strategy of saying like we're not gonna no team's going
to base their whole build on second round, picks but
maybe you as people learn more about the effects of
the NEW cba and some of the, constraints that those
picks become more.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
Valuable maybe not in.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Trades it's still probably never going to be the kind
of thing where you're, like, oh, yeah we'll trade you
the forty fifth pick that a team's going to be, like, oh,
yes we want the forty fifth, pick but as an
asset that you can use yourself and load up your
roster with some of those guys that are. Affordable do
think that that we've already seen that, change AND i
think it's a trend that's going to continue as time goes.
Speaker 5 (38:05):
On the Second apron, rules all these new, rules it's
a lot more. Restrictive you need cost controlled guys on
your team and unique guys who can be cost controlled and.
Effective and that's to you, know To jim's, point no.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Doubt i've been a part of drafts guys where the
second round starts and the food started arriving for the
people making, it the picks and. STUFF i, mean they
just it was Completely, hey how much money selling for
picks and money in. CASH i don't think that's the
case anymore, So Jim ike And. Offer if you want
to follow up some more stuff with each of our,
podcasts go To pelicans dot. Com he does a great
job there And angel so nice to see you during the.
(38:37):
Summer we'll continue to see, you, SIR i guess you.
Will thank you as always for tuning us In Don't
forget The pels, podcast brought to you By New Age,
products the official garaging outdoor kitchen provider of Your New Orleans.
Pelicans we'll see you next time on The New Orleans pelicans.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Podcast thanks for listening to The New Orleans Pelicans. Podcast
join us three times per week on pelicans dot, com
The pelicans mobile, app The iHeartRadio, app or where you
get your, podcast and be sure to Give jim And
guss a follow on x At Jim UNDERSCORE i Can
(39:15):
offer And Gcat underscore. Seventeen we'll see you next time
right here on The New Orleans Pelicans. Podcast
Host
Jim Eichenhofer
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