June 17, 2025 • 42 mins
On the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast for Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell continue their series of draft previews ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
They welcome The Athletic's Will Guillory and Tony Jones to discuss the Utah Jazz's fifth overall pick as Guillory breaks down two more 2025 NBA Draft prospects in Duke guard Kon Kneuppel and Texas guard Tre Johnson.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
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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):
Hi, We're continue to get you ready for the NBA Draft.
As always, we thank you for listening to New Orleans
Pelicans Podcast, official podcasts of your New Orleans Pelicans, which
of course is presented by New Age Products, the official
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Speaker 3 (00:50):
All right, you taw Jim.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
The Jazz very.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Interesting, what they've done the last couple of years and
what will they do this year in the draft to
help us? Along with that, Tony Jones covers the Jazz. Oh,
I don't know. It's been a couple of years for sure,
Tony since you've covered this team and thinks is always
for your time. How are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:08):
I'm good, I'm good. Thank you for having me, Tony.
Speaker 6 (01:11):
I guess we could start with I think people know
that jazz, as you know, historically one of the most
competitive franchises in the NBA. They obviously had a glorious
run in the nineties, and then more recently some of
the teams that had you know, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell,
there were teams that pretty consistently were competitive against the
Pelicans and beat them in some games. But now in
(01:33):
this recent era, the last three seasons, really they've been
kind of rebuilding, retooling. How do you view kind of
their outlook in terms of what's happened in the last
few years and where they are in their build.
Speaker 7 (01:46):
You know, I think it's it's been slow, maybe slower
than than people.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Realize. I think you've been slower than then even the
Jazz realize.
Speaker 7 (01:59):
I think the Jazz I thought that by now they
would you know, have taken some of those picks and
packaged and made a big swing by now, and that
hasn't happened, you know.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
So you know, they are where they are, and.
Speaker 7 (02:13):
Obviously they've made a big change in the front office,
bringing in Austin Age, and I think that that's on
some levels, you know, or reset some things, you know.
But you know, I think this is a pretty pivotal
summer because I think this is the one summer where
you know, the Jazz can kind of go two ways
(02:35):
in terms of.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Either going young or trying to or setting their roster
up to be more competitive.
Speaker 7 (02:43):
So, you know, I think that you know, from that standpoint,
we'll see what kind of happens over the next two
or three weeks.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
Seems like patients has been something that they've emphasized the
last few years, knowing that the goal wasn't necessarily to
you know, be a playoff team or try to win
fifty games the way the previous iteration of the Jazz did,
where you know, there was a season where they were
number one seed and they were always you know, kind
of at the top of the standings for a while there.
But given what the last three years have been, where
(03:14):
you know, they've been the first the previous two years
they were competitive and then they were less so the
second half of the season. Then last year they had
one of the worst records in the league or the
worst record in the league. Based on what happened on
lottery night, where they drop from where they were down
to five, which is similar to what the Pelicans did
where they dropped a bunch of spots. I mean how
(03:35):
do you think, how does the fan base view kind
of where they are right now in terms of the
build that they're on. And I mean, was it just
kind of one of those things where it was just
pretty devastating just based on the fact that they've been
banking on, you know, picking at the top of the
draft and once again it did not happen.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
Well, the night itself was devastating, and.
Speaker 7 (03:59):
The you know, the days after that, you know, we're
kind of obviously, you know, hard to deal with for
the fan base. But you know, I think the fan base,
you know, really realizes that the Jazz going to get
a good player.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
You know, there are.
Speaker 7 (04:15):
More than five good players in this draft, and the
draft are picking Jazz are picking fifth. So you know,
I think that they know how to do the math,
and you know, and they know that they know that
there's going to be somebody that's really good there for
them to pick when they do pick. So you know,
it's just a matter of if you're the Jazz getting
(04:37):
this right. They have to get this draft right, you know,
no matter who they pick, you know, whether they trade up,
trade down, you know, whoever they pick at five, if
they stay at five, you know, it just has to
be right because right now, the biggest weakness for the
(04:57):
for the Jazz and their rebuilders, they don't have the
young guy on their roster that they can point to
and be like, Okay, this is the guy that's going
to be on the roster ten years from now, you know,
So they have to figure that part out, and that's
one of the reasons why this draft is so important
to know.
Speaker 6 (05:16):
You mentioned that there's a couple of different directions that
they can go. I mean, based on what you just mentioned,
is it the kind of thing where if you're a
team like the Pelicans, they're picking seventh, which is two
spots behind Utah, that you expect the Jazz to really
focus on just best player available and or the guy
that has the most upside and not really worry about
any short term considerations of where a player they draft
(05:40):
might fit on the roster.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
No, there aren't any.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
There's no sacred cows on the Utah's roster. So you know,
if they you know, let's.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
If they think.
Speaker 7 (05:54):
That, you know, come on, Mala Watches, is the best
player are available at number five and Walker Kessler is
their starting center, They'll draft Cama Mala Watch if they
think that Trey Johnson is who if he's on the board,
if they think he's the best player available at five,
and you know Keyante George is that at at shooting guard,
(06:16):
They're going to draft Kiante George.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
If they think it's.
Speaker 7 (06:18):
Jeremiah Fears, uh, and you know Isaiah Kyer is that
point guard, They're going to draft Jeremiah Fears. I mean
they you know, they don't have anybody on the roster
that that that's going to you know, say that's going
to push the Jazz off of drafting a specific uh player.
(06:41):
They're just going to take the best player available, no
matter where he plays, and they're going to figure it
out from there.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
We already saw this weekend where there was a significant
trade with Memphis and Desmond Baine going to Orlando, and
people have already started to talk about what that means
as far as the Grizzlies off season as well as
their kind of short term future. What do you think
is most likely for Utah this summer? Do you think
that they're going to be one of those teams that's
going to be involved in a lot of trades or
(07:07):
is it maybe too early to say? What is the
projection for that this this summer.
Speaker 7 (07:13):
I think they'll see what's out there, and I think
that they'll see you know, what's available to them, uh
if they want, if if they can make a move
that uh that gets them more of competitive. You know,
I don't think that their adverse to that that part
at all. You know, if you know, there isn't something
out there, uh that that you know instantly makes them
(07:37):
more competitive.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
I mean I think that they're they are.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Are are good with being patient and you know, but uh,
no matter which way did they go, I think you know, next.
Speaker 5 (07:50):
Year, you know, they're going to play. They're going to
go go out there and play.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
Really hard and try to win every game, whether it's
with you know, a younger roster or whether you know
it's with a more competitive roster.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
But you know, I think, you know, they have a
treasure trove of the.
Speaker 7 (08:08):
Picks they have, they have a lot of assets, and
you know, and I think that they're going to They're
going to go out there and they're going to figure
out what's best for them either way.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
You know, you mentioned that based on what they've drafted,
the players that they've acquired through the draft the last
few years, they don't have kind of like a franchise
pillar or a guy that you can kind of build around.
But I'm curious in terms of, you know, potential moves
that you tak could make this offseason. I think one
of the things that stands out to me, and you
can tell me, you know how much or if you
(08:42):
agree with this, if you look at the rest of
their roster, though they're veteran guys, it seems like they
have good players. It doesn't seem like when you look
at their roster in terms of the veterans that they
have and you look at the record they finished with,
it doesn't really make kind of make sense. It seems like,
I mean, you kind of look at it like and
maybe the fans as well look at it as that
they they do have some pieces, you know, maybe they
(09:03):
don't have an all star type player among the rest
of the roster the veteran guys, but they have players
that they could move to other teams and get something
significant as well in terms of just continuing to build
up their assets with some of the other guys that
that they have that are they're good players that have
contributed not just in Utah but other places.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Before they came to the Jazz.
Speaker 7 (09:26):
Yeah, I mean Lowry marketing, I would I would consider
an all star level player. You know, I think that
he's one of the most unique guys in the league.
And I think that, you know, no matter what the
roster is, if if Lowry is on the roster, I
think the Jazz is going going going to uh to continue.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
To build around them.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
You know, we'll see what happens with the the the
the rest of the roster. I think, you know, the
Jazz we'll figure out, you know, whether they can move
off of those guys or whether they want to keep
those guys. You know, they've tried to move off of
a couple of those guys at the deadline and previously.
(10:09):
But you know, we'll see if they they have you know,
some takers uh for for some of those guys, maybe
at Jordan Clarkson, uh for our college sex and this summer,
you know, I think it's going to be you know,
just kind of you know, overall, I think it's going
to be you know, a pretty busy summer on the
(10:30):
trade market because you know, there's not a ton of
money out there on on the market. There's not a
ton of great free agents on the market, you know,
So I think that the trade market might be you know,
the most likely vehicle for people to move, especially considering
you know how much parody there has been, you know,
(10:51):
across the face of the league, UH this season in
the playoffs. I mean, you know, you see, you know,
the Indiana Pacers as we record this or you know,
two wins away from an NBA title, And I don't
think anybody last year could have could.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
Have I would have predicted that a year ago.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
So you know, I think that there are teams that
are like, hey, you know, we're one or two moves
away from from kind of going for it. And you
know that's going to make you know, that has the
potential to make the trade market a pretty busy one.
So you know, I think that you know, in that vein,
you know, the Jazz do have some veterans that can
help UH winning winning programs. So you know, we'll see,
(11:38):
you know, I think the Jazz are going to see
if if you know, it makes more sense to move
those guys, or if it makes more sense to UH
to to to keep those guys and try to build
around them.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, I guess Tony, as we wrap up that's kind
of the question, not only in New Orleans, a couple
of other teams around the league. I think a lot
of teams are right identity, who are you? How do
you want to win? How do you want to go
about your business? And what kind of team you want
to become? Jazz kind of like that. Now, do you
kind of have an idea of what kind of team
they want to be?
Speaker 7 (12:10):
Yeah, you know, I think that the the summer is
going to dictate that, and you know, and it's going
to dictate what kind of roster they're going to bring
into the twenty twenty five twenty twenty sixth season. You know,
I think that, you know, they'll go out there and
they'll see if, if you know, there's a high impact
(12:33):
veteran available, and if that veteran fits into where.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Their roster is.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
You know, because they have lower marketing and because they
have Walker Kessler, if they can find a high impact veteran,
you know, that can you know, go a long way,
you know, towards making the Jazz you know, more competitive
right away. But you know, if that thing, that veteran's
(13:00):
not there or if you know, the vehicle is not
there for them to try to be more competitive. Uh,
you know, they're not afraid to go young, and they're
not afraid to be patient. So you know, I think,
you know, as we sit right now, you know what
are we nine days away from the draft? You know,
(13:21):
I think that the Jazz are figuring out a way
to try to figure out who they are in a
sense and in what they want to do, in which
direction they want to go. And you know, once they
once they figure out that direction, I think that they'll
they'll they'll go on all in on that direction.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
So Tony Jones covers the Jazz and the NBA for
the Athletic give a followover on X at two. Jones
on the NBA. Appreciate your time. Uh, you know, as
we get closer and closer to the draft in a
very interesting offseason to see what takes place in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
Man, no problem, Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Thanks Tony.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
All right, we continue to get your as we continue
to look at prospects, some names that will possibly be
in and around the area for the Pels or just
in general, some of the top prospects coming up in
next week's NBA Draft. We'll forget Wednesday, Thursday, rounds one
and two. Well, Guillory of the Athletic will be joining
us here now to talk about two prospects in particular.
(14:19):
I had to look up the pronunciation, but it's Conkin
Nipple and Trey Johnson. I didn't have to look up
the second player, if you know what I mean. Will,
How are you today?
Speaker 5 (14:26):
Man?
Speaker 4 (14:27):
I'm doing well?
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Man.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
How about you guys.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Doing fantas right?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Doing great?
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Well?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
You know, I thought it was particularly fitting that we
got a shooter on for this podcast Tuesday, because we
have two shooters that we're going to talk about that
are rising up the draft boards. I guess we'll start
with Kanka Nipple right now, he's number six on NBA
dot Com consensus mock draft, So I think with both
of these guys, we'll get into Trey Johnson in a second.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
He's fifth right now.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
Both of these guys, I mean, are definitely not a
sure thing that they're even still going to be on
the board at number seven, but interesting players that I
think a lot of fans are are curious about. In
terms of Kinnipple, how would you describe maybe the reason
why his stock has has risen so much? What do
you think are some of the traits that have made
(15:15):
him a guy that it feels like people think he's
going to be a top half of the lottery pick.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Yeah. I mean I kind of alluded to this talking
to you guys previously.
Speaker 8 (15:24):
But I really am upset about how much I do
like Conkin Nipp who has a very.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Proud du cater Yep. The more I watch Conkinniple, the
more there is to like in his game. I mean,
he's a guy with really good size, not just hype
six ses. Well, he's coming in at around five.
Speaker 8 (15:42):
Coming into the NBA at nineteen years old, So this
is a guy who you.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Know, can throw his weight around a little bit in
the paint.
Speaker 8 (15:47):
You know, he doesn't have the greatest foot speed, but
he can hold up defensively, you know, relatively well. Shoots
the ball in an incredibly high clip, not just a
three pointer. He can he can get into the pain, fadeaways, floater,
all types of stuff. I love the way he plays
on two feet when he gets it to the plane,
very like Jalen BRINSONI the way he kind of uses
(16:07):
his clivit foot, spins all that type of stuff, and
really understands how to play and play angles play the
guys who's defended him. I just really love everything that
this guy brings. I think the one concern for some
people is how high is this ceiling? Is he a
guy who might average twenty twenty five a game? I
would say probably not. I think this is a guy
who can play a really long time in the league,
(16:30):
can shoot the ball, can handle it a little bit,
understands how to play with other great players. We saw
that that Duke playing next to Cooper Flag and all
those guys. I just think he checks a lot of
boxes teams are looking for, especially with today's role player.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
How much of the excitement I mean, I think you
just touched on this a little bit, But how much
of the excitement about him and how valued he seems
to be coming into this draft is. It does feel
like you can slot him in a bunch of different places.
It's not like you know, you think of when he
when I think Duke, great shooter, I think of JJ Reddick.
You know, no offense to him, but you know he's
(17:04):
he's more of like a spot up guy. This guy
seems k nipple, seems like he can really do a
lot more off the dribble he's a little stronger, maybe
a little sturdier frame. How you think he's somebody that
it seems like, no matter who drafts him, you're gonna
be able to easily find a role, for a prominent
role where he can just fit with whatever else you
have on your roster.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Yeah, I think we could go ahead and address the
elephant in the room.
Speaker 8 (17:26):
I think a lot of people are gonna look at
continup Wan and say, Okay, just another white guy who
shoots threes. Luke an ar jj Reddick one of those guys,
and he's just if you watch it, he's just not
that he's not one. I'm not saying that he can't
be a great shooter. I think he will be a
great shooter in the NBA. But I think he's just
got more layers to his game than those guys. He's
not just a guy who's gonna shoot threes. He's not
gonna run off a whole bunch of screens, even though
(17:48):
he can do that. I think he's a guy who
brings much more versatility. And I think you're exactly right
that he can fit in basically anywhere you put him.
Like if you want him to be a guy who
can stand in the corner and shoot threes.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
I think he can do that.
Speaker 8 (17:59):
If you want to run some drible handles with them,
if you want to, you know, run some pen downs
with him, or maybe running a couple of pick and
rolls every now and then with him.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
I think he can do all of that.
Speaker 8 (18:09):
I think he brings a lot to the table as
an offensive player. I think he understands how to make
the guys around him better. I mean a lot of
his highlights you watch is him throwing lobster command.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
My watch that the big guy coming out of Duke
last year.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
He had a really great connection with him, you know,
getting into the lane, throwing up those live passes, creating
for Cooper flag.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
I think you saw with him last year. We see
a lot of times in college where these.
Speaker 8 (18:33):
Super teams come together where it's a whole bunch of
five stars, and it's hard for these guys to figure
it out because they're also used to being great and
they're so used to scoring.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Thirty where they came from, and they got to figure
out how to make it work.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
And I think the one thing you saw with that
Duke team last year was that those guys just understood
how to play together. They weren't just individually great, they
knew how to bring the best out.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Of the team.
Speaker 8 (18:54):
And I think Kanka Nipple was a guy who kind
of personified that just as much as anybody else on
that team, that he's not just a guy who knows
how to get his but he knows how to make
the guys around him better, which I think adds to
him as as a prospect.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Going through the list of NBA comparisons for him, I
thought was interesting based on some of what you just
addressed where you're talking about how you know he's not
just a shooter. He does a lot of other things.
He's pretty versatile guy. So going through this list, I mean,
I we'll probably get into this towards the end today.
The first name on this list is Desmond Baine, who
obviously is in the news from a trade yesterday. But
(19:30):
the other players that I saw are bog Don Bogdanovic,
Jared Dudley, Corey Kispert, Cam Johnson, and Gordon Hayward. Which
of those you think is the most fitting or accurate
comparison for Kankin Nipple.
Speaker 8 (19:43):
Yeah, I think on the high end, Bine and Gordon
Haywore make a lot of stense.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
I Goon was probably a little bit taller, a little
bit bigger than.
Speaker 8 (19:50):
Conk Nipple coming out, But I think that's what you
kind of envision him becoming.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
And the best case scenario is a guy who can
kind of, you know.
Speaker 8 (19:57):
Add a little bit more ball handle into this pack,
being more comfortable shooting in the mid range. That way,
he'd be at three level score. I don't think he
has the quickness of a desert vey where Deserbey is
able to get all the way to the room. I
don't think kN Nipple was going to be that guy
who's gonna blow past people and you know, be doing
you know, up and under layups and stuff like that.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
But I think he can be one of those guys, like.
Speaker 8 (20:18):
I said, who can get you, you know, fifteen thirteen
to fifteen the game, knockdown threes consistently. When your best
player goes to the bench, you can run offense through
him for a couple of possessions. I think he's a
guy who could just be very additive to what you
do as a team. Uh, Where some of these guys
in the draft you can say, man on the good
nights they look great from the bad nights that.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
They can really hurt you.
Speaker 8 (20:39):
I don't think Kanka Nipple's bad nights really hurt you
as much as some of these other guys, and I
think that's what you love about him. But again, we
talk about Baying and Gordon Hayward. Do you really see
the all star ceiling in his game? I kind of
hesitate just because of some of the physical limitations, but
I do think that he's gonna be a really good
player for a long time.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Do we have any Pelicans can comparisons from the twenty
three history twenty three year history to kN Kinnipple.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
You know, I wasn't gonna make it too long without
shouting on my guy.
Speaker 8 (21:07):
I see a lot more, you know, because you know
we obviously people will remember each one for knocking Downinald's
corner three.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
He's playing with a B and Drew Holliday. But Yah
was a guy who can get in the lane. Not now.
Speaker 8 (21:20):
Some floaters run some pin downs with him his scoring transition.
I see some of that, and I think CON's gonna
come in a little bit bigger where he could kind
of put his shoulder in.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
The Guys they create space, playoff of two feet a
little bit better.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
But yeah, I think just that that ability to do
it do a little bit of everything on offense, where
I'm not necessarily great at anything, but I'm pretty good
at anything you need me to do. I think that's
what is really bringing.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Yeah, I'm sure people don't realize this, but Uncle E
was actually a very common visitor to Pelicans games this year.
He works for Chicago's front office. Now right, Orlando Orlando, Okay,
one of the other teams that he used to play for.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He works for Chicago.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
He living on that Okay. Yeah, so we were very
pleased we got to see him.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
I don't know, maybe six eight games this year, which
is a lot for a forty one game season. So
he was very commonly in New Orleans, which was fun.
Moving on to Trey Johnson, seems like just a shooter, extraordinary,
can make tough shots. How would you describe, you know why,
(22:26):
He's a guy that also seems to be you know,
mid lottery and even even lately, it seems like lately
I've seen him moving up even more in some of
these mock drafts.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Yeah, I think you're going to.
Speaker 8 (22:35):
See him moving up because kind of what we're talking
about with time, where you.
Speaker 4 (22:38):
Don't necessarily see that all star stealing. I think you
can sell yourself on an all star stealing for Trey Johnson.
Speaker 8 (22:44):
You can sell yourself on him really becoming a twenty
maybe even twenty five.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Per game type of guy, just because he shoots it
at such a high level.
Speaker 8 (22:52):
You know, when I wrote about him Earland this summer,
I said, if I had to bet on one of
these guys to make ten three pointers in the game,
I would put Trey Johnson up there. That's just you know,
the kind of shooter he is, how hot he gets.
You know, once he really gets going, he can shoot
it at a really you know, high clip. He's got
a really quick release, can shoot off the move and transition,
(23:13):
and you know, he's a guy who's averaged twenty a
game at Texas last year with a whole lot of
talent around him, shot shot it really efficiently for a
guy who got a lot of attention from defenses. Was
somewhere it was close to forty as a three point
shooter last year. He's a guy who can you put
him in the right situation, He's gonna knock.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Down a ton of three pointers.
Speaker 8 (23:33):
Uh, you know, he's pretty decent off the dribble, but
he can improve there. But I think what you really
see him in the future as a guy can really
knock down threes at a high rate and be one
of those guys who can catch fire in certain games
and realigious face the floor for good players.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
You know what's interesting if you look at maybe the
top half of the draft lottery. I mean, this is
a result of the outcome of the lottery where you
had a bunch of surprises, You had a bunch of
teams that moved up a bunch. You have teams like
the Sixers and the Pelicans that have been pretty good
in recent years and they just had a year where
they got crushed by injuries. But I mean, for Trey Johnson,
(24:11):
is it going to be really interesting to see where
he goes based on it seems like he's a kind
of player where if he goes to a team that
is in huge rebuilding mode, maybe you can give him
the ball and let him cook. But if he goes
to somebody that's a contender, you know, it might be
a situation where he has to much more acclimate himself
to just filling whatever role that team needs him to
(24:32):
be in.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
No, I think you're exactly right, man.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
I think we saw last year in Texas where kind
of the good and the bad of him being a
guy who takes a little bit more on his shoulders, right.
I think you saw certain nights where he could be
a little bit of inefficient. You saw Knights where you
know the turnovers are up, or you know he's taking
bad shots or trying to make something happen. And I
think he goes to like a Washington Wizards. I think
you'll probably see that because they're kind of eyeing for
(24:57):
that ball handling creation, shot making kind of guard. Then
they got a couple of good pieces there, but they
don't really have that kind of head of the snake
kind of guy.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
And I don't.
Speaker 8 (25:07):
Know if Trez Johnson could necessarily be that, but I
think he could be a guy, like I said, who
could fill it up, who can you know, score at
a high level if you kind of run the offense
around him in certain ways.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
He's not a guy who's gonna run like one hundred high.
Speaker 8 (25:19):
Pick and rolls every game, and he's more of an
off the ball kind of operator.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Off screens, running the wings.
Speaker 8 (25:25):
Type of guy, and maybe you know, over time he
could develop into that on ball threat, but I think
he's going to be much more dangerous and much more
effective when you're playing him off the ball, allowing him
to be that second creator on the opposite side, rather
than a guy who's kind of the entire defense is
paying attention to him. I think that's when he's at
his worst. Frankly, but like I said, when he gets hot,
(25:49):
it's extremely impressive how this dude to shoot the ball.
Speaker 6 (25:52):
The NBA veteran comparisons are really all kind of potent scorers,
instant offense, off the bench types. The list here that
I had down was Tyler Hero, Norman Powell, Alan Burks,
Nick Young, Cam Thomas, and Jordan Clarkson.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Which of those do you like?
Speaker 8 (26:10):
I think that Tyler Hero one is one I've heard
a lot, and I think it's one that people kind
of project on him as far as his ability to
come with because with Tyler Hero is an interesting prosecut
because he came into the NBA as one guy, and
I think over time he's developed his game and he
looks completely different from where he was when he came
into the NBA. I think last year, you know All
(26:30):
Star Tyler Hero, he saw him. You know, he's so
effective in that dribble handoff game where he's able to
use his speed and quickness to kind of keep defenders
off batance where he's creating on ball some but a
lot of his his action is dribble handoff where he's
taking one away and sprinting the other way, or he's
catching a you know, a back door cut and hitting
(26:50):
the float.
Speaker 4 (26:51):
Or hitting the jump shot.
Speaker 8 (26:52):
I think that's the stuff you want to see with
Trey Johnson, where not necessarily a whole lot of dribble
dribble dribble, but can you use your quickness, can you
use your speed to kind of create angles, to create
open looks for yourself to keep defenders off ballots? And
I think that's something that takes time to develop, and
you got to especially in the NBA. You gotta get
a little stronger, you gotta get a little more savvy.
You got to understand how to use your body to
(27:14):
create separation, to create files.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
One necessary.
Speaker 8 (27:17):
But I think that's the type of stuff people seeing
Trey Johnson just a guy who just understands how to score.
So you can see him adding that stuff over time.
But like you mentioned before, a lot of this just
depends on where you land, right, can you get rid
the right coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Can you get in the right situation where you can.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
Develop good habits like Tyler Hero has playing under the
Miami Heat, right, we kind of loved them for being
to develop them players and Tyler Hero is a great
example of that.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
And I think Trey Johnson is gonna be a really
interesting one as.
Speaker 8 (27:46):
Far as can you go to a team that will
help him bring out the best parts of his game
and kind of hide some of the stuff that drove
people crazy last year when he was in Tech.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Any Pelicans comparisons that you like from the past, this
is a.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Little tougher one. I don't think this is kind of
a very smooth comparison.
Speaker 8 (28:09):
But I think the first man that's pumped into my
head is kind of JJ Reddick when he was the
Pelican where he was able to move off the ball
really well. I think JJ obviously his IQ was through
the roof where he got to do Orleans and you
kind of think of that that dribble handoff game that
he had was on on and how he was able
to create open looks for himself with basically without ever dribbling,
(28:29):
where he can just kind of do dribble handoff over
and over again until he finds that open look. And
I think that's where, like I said, you want to
get Tray Johnson to that point where he can kind
of use his speed and his understanding the angles to
create shots rather than his handle. But I think it's
gonna take some time for him to get there. But
like I said, he can shoot the ball at an
extremely high clip and he'll have games where he hits five, six,
(28:51):
seven threes and he looks amazing.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
And I think that's what you are excited about.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
It Today's NBA, you know, where you have to hit
twelve fifteen threes every night just to give yourself a chance.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
I actually had two names that I wrote down, and
again I'm you're infinitely more familiar with Trey Johnson's game
than I am, but just kind of the prototype that
in terms of volume score. A couple guys I thought
of was Jordan Crawford Instant Grits and Gennaro Pargo. Is
that anything anything close there or my way off?
Speaker 4 (29:20):
You know? You know, I love me some Gennaro Pargo.
The only thing I would say I like those two.
Speaker 8 (29:24):
I think Trade Johnson is just a little bigger than
those guys, probably gonna come into.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Like around six'. Six he's got long. Arms those are
kind of the prototypical early two thousands smaller, guards bucket,
getters right they.
Speaker 8 (29:35):
Were, yeah grew up, watching AND i Think Trade johnson
is probably closer to two. Three he could guard up
against certain, Guys SO i think that's why some people
are more excited about him than.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
Some of these undersize scoring.
Speaker 8 (29:48):
Guards but, Yeah i've been get right on with the
way that those guys, play and it definitely fits The
Trade johnson.
Speaker 6 (29:54):
Profile sure the listeners were not expecting maybe A Gennero
pargo referenced, Today But i've noticed too if you pay
close attention you look at The pacers bench during THE Nba,
finals he's one of the assistant. Coaches so fans out
there if you see a fit a face on The
indiana sideline who looks familiar and they're, like wait a,
minute is That Genera, Pargo.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Yes it. Is he's one of their assistant.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
Coaches So jim AND i will always Remember Genera pargo
as the one guy who was a scared In game, seven.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
That's, right two thousand and. Eight at, FIRST i.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Guess So pargo is always a legend in.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
Mind it's funny how many TIMES i hear people, say you, know,
man he had that three in the left, corner and
if he had just made, that they might have won that.
Game BUT i always my counter to, THAT i was, always,
yeah but the only reason they were even in the
game was because he went off in the fourth quarter
and made a bunch of shots in one of those
classic two thousands games where it was, like is anyone
going to get to eighty?
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Points maybe ninety?
Speaker 6 (30:46):
Points so, YEAH i mean he he was such a
huge part of that team throughout that, season but especially
In game.
Speaker 8 (30:52):
Seven and to bring it full circle, here the guy
we're talking, About Chree johnson here is and that's a
perfect example That pargo. Game but these guys are important
right where they not might necessarily be an all, start
it might not be the best player on your, team
but there's just certain games you just need a guy
to go get, Fifteen you need a gotta go get
twenty points in a big moment where your star players
(31:12):
just it doesn't have it or they're double team in
them every, time And Tray johnsen could be that guy
who can go get to twenty on a random night
and they can make a huge. Difference and you need
those guys on great, teams and you just need them
in the right. Situations, Right Genara parker on a different
team might not look as good as he did playing
next To Chris paulin in The.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
West.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Right, yep that's a good, point and you just kind
of alliterated it and hinted at. Something will kind of
probably recap when you give us two more prospects next
time for The thursday. Podcast will and THAT i feel
a lot of these prospects in the, draft especially in
the first, round it's going to be about.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Fit what does.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
That team that's on the clock need with a certain,
player and that's where maybe that player sort of goes
perhaps after picks one and.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Two would you agree with?
Speaker 4 (31:56):
THAT i think it's something we talk don't talk about
enough at all.
Speaker 8 (32:01):
Drafts, HONESTLY i think you, know with so many of these,
guys it's about, fit it's about, situation it's about the
right coaching, staff it's about having the right vets Around
yet and we've kind of said this before THE Nba
finals is the perfect. EXAMPLE i, Mean Shaye Gridgis alexander
was not drafted by the Thunder Tyres elbert was not
drafted by The. Pacers Pasco siakam was not drafted by The.
Pacers we can continue to go down a. Listen it's
(32:24):
about finding the right, situation the right guys around you
to really bring out the best in you as a.
Speaker 4 (32:29):
Player AND i think a lot of these, guys.
Speaker 8 (32:31):
We love them coming, in they go to the wrong,
situation we hate. Him they go somewhere else and we're, like, oh,
yeah this guy turns out to be really. Talented, yeah
it's not that he lost his, superpowers it's just that
he needed to go to the right place to bring him.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Out, WELL i was gonna say one of the things
that's interesting is a move was made to start this
work week back over the Weekend Desmond bane a key, part,
Right jim from you know The Memphis grizzlies heading over
To landown paying a hefty price to get his services over.
There stillver all will when you saw that trade pop,
(33:06):
UP i know it's maybe a little different than you
know that The shams get hacked so maybe this what's
in the, same but it's STILL i, mean he's still
kind of you, know made my eyes open a.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
Little, bit.
Speaker 8 (33:18):
No, Doubt AND i MEAN i, think you, know once
you kind of break down the, picks the picks don't
look as, crazy especially if you Think orlando's picks in
the future are going to be in the twenties and
you're expecting them to be contenders in the. Future but,
STILL i, mean when the initial headline comes, in desma
dang for first round, picks it's, like.
Speaker 4 (33:34):
WHOA i, mean this guy hasn't even made An All Star.
Speaker 8 (33:37):
Game before and we're talking, about you, know four first round.
Picks BUT i think he kind of fits into what
the discussion we've had already with con came up When
Trey johnson and that teams.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
Just really want. Shooters they really.
Speaker 8 (33:48):
Want guys who can make those three pointers at a high.
Clipment we talk about The Orlando. Magic that's a team
that's desperate for the. Shooting they need shooters from, anywhere
AND i think they were kind of determined just go
and get a decent. Shooter they wanted to get one
of the best shooters in the, league and they were
kind of you, know desperate to make it. Happen AND
i think Desm main when he's playing his, best can
(34:09):
certainly be one of those guys who can not only
shoot at a forty, two but he can make four
or five threes a game consistently.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
Off the, dribble off the.
Speaker 8 (34:18):
Move in, transition he kind of has the full package
as the offensive, player also can make players off the
dribble and excellent you, know locker room presence THAT i
could be around him last, year you know during WHAT
i should say this, year it feels like it was
so long, ago during The grizzlies playoff. RUN i think
that that's something that people are going to underestimate when
he breaks Through, orlando just that locker room, presence very
(34:39):
calmon guy who can kind of lead that young. Team but,
YEAH i think he brings a lot of the stuff
that you want into in a role player and today
a guy who can make, threes who can do a
little stuff off the. Dribble the big question With orlando
now is, like how are they going to keep all
of these guys? Together right when you're you're paying, sucks
you're paying pollow in the. Future Bronz wagner's just got
(35:01):
his big, Deal so can you keep all of these.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Guys together in a smaller market Like.
Speaker 8 (35:05):
Orlando but when they walk, out you, know game one
with that starting, five it's gonna be really.
Speaker 4 (35:10):
Impressive you.
Speaker 6 (35:11):
Know for The, pelicans, obviously they Play memphis four times every,
season and it hasn't been a lot of fun in
recent years matching up against The. GRIZZLIES i Know John
moranz had some big moments in The Smoothing King center,
Unfortunately BUT i.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
Mean how do you look at this trade from memphisis?
Speaker 6 (35:26):
STANDPOINT i, mean obviously it seems like short, term this
is a step back that you're, losing you, know probably
your third best, player AND i think in some ways
he's even been more important than the third best guy
on that team with some of the other players that
have missed games for. Them BUT i, mean how do
you see this and what do you? EXPECT i, mean
do you think there's other moves coming for The grizzlies
in the near.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Future.
Speaker 8 (35:46):
NO i think this is a primary example, of you,
know the world that these teams have to live in
with the second apron, now where it's just really, difficult
especially if you're not willing to pay a luxury tax
to have three guys at the top of your salary
sheet making forty plus million a.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Year it's just really. DIFFICULT i, mean you can find
a way to make it.
Speaker 8 (36:03):
Happen BUT i think With memphis kind of look around and, say,
yeah we can keep all of these, guys.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
But will probably be like the.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
Sixth seed in The, west and, like is it worth
it at that point to kind of pay all of
this money to have a team that's not a real championship.
Contender AND i think the way they saw it is
like we can kind of take a step, back bring
in some more.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Assets AND i think a big part of this also
is the fact That Jaron jackson is.
Speaker 8 (36:26):
Up for an extension right, now AND i think you
know they're they're really committed to signing him to a new.
Deal they want to build Around jaron a job going,
forward AND i think just paying that much money out.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Was going to be really difficult if you kept baying
on the.
Speaker 8 (36:40):
Roster and now they see it, as, hey we've got
some extra. Assets we can maybe trade a few of
these future, picks go get a third, guy go get
some depth and building Around jaron And. JOHN i think
you're going to see this more and more around THE.
Nba what teams are going to say the big three
model is over. Now it's about big two plus. Depth
AND i think you see that With okay see.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
And maybe not as. Much it depends on how you
feel about Check.
Speaker 8 (37:04):
Homer BUT i think with The INDIANA i think obviously
they Got pascal And halliburton and a bunch of role. Players,
uh you, KNOW i think you're gonna see that dynamic In.
MINNESOTA i think you're gonna see that more and more
around THE, nba where obviously kind of going back to
the d Way Lebron Chris boss, days everybody one of
Their big. Three BUT i think with this NEW, CVA
(37:25):
i think it's over. NOW i think it's about having
a big two plus. DEPTH i think it's how you.
Win AND i think it's gonna be really interesting to
see How memphis kind, of you, know kind of stays
on that type rope of being able to rebuild but
also remain. Competitive. Uh AND i think that's something that
The repelicans are obviously trying to. Do right and With
brad and then being out of the, door can you
(37:46):
kind of move some pieces around and remain. COMPETITIVE i
think it's gonna be a tough test for a couple
of these teams.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
In The west and kind of maybe leads the direction
to The day Two round, two THE nba maybe perhaps
becoming a little bit more value and important will in
the future than it had in the. Pass and you
think as we wrap, up no.
Speaker 8 (38:04):
Doubt they're just hitting on draft picks in, general you,
know throughout the. DRAFT i think it's gonna be huge
just having those cheaper, assets younger guys to build, around
and obviously future trade, ships you, know potentially.
Speaker 4 (38:16):
It's going to be super.
Speaker 8 (38:17):
Important so, YEAH i think a lot of these teams
are throwing away picks in the, past AND i think
you're going to see the less of. That And i'm
saying that as we're talking About desnet being being traded
for four first round. Picks BUT i think when we're
gonna see teams be, less be a little more hesitant
to throw these picks, around just because it's so valuable
to have.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
These cheaper contracts and younger guys on your roster to
build your.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Death Mister Will gillery at The athletic give a follow
over on Act Will gillery covers THE, nba including Your
New Orleans. Pelicans kind of us to give us a
little time On Conker, nipple The duke player WHO i
guess he'll just say a, prospect you won't really Mention, Duke,
jim and also Trade johnson From. Texas either, way, THOUGH
i love WHAT i heard From will, today shooters. Lie
(39:00):
that's of talent seems to be in and around the
area where The pels could be. Selecting so we will
see you Shortly will to talk a few more. Prospects
but in the, meantime thanks for you tome, Today.
Speaker 8 (39:10):
BUD i appreciate you, guys AND i used up all
My duke compliments for the, year so anybody comes up to,
me you don't ask you to say anything nice About.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Duke the podcast Unders dead Understad as always appreciate the
time our thanks To Tony jones and also Mister Will
gillery for this podcast taking a look at a couple
of players Here nipple And Trey, johnson and also The
jazz and what they may do that they're a very interesting.
Team as you heard him say as we just wrapped up, There,
JIM i can't KEEP i guess from thinking WHEN i
(39:41):
look at this, draft especially the six teams before The,
pelicans it's you got some teams that are playoff, teams
maybe the injury. BUG i would put The pels in there, too,
RIGHT i, mean they were in a postseason at some
point last. Year and then you look at other teams
Like utah And, Washington Charlotte charlotte and who's there?
Speaker 3 (39:59):
DIRECT i, mean where are they? Going who do they
want to?
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Be it would be, big it'd be a three point shooting,
team there will be a defensive, team all those different
aspects of. IT i just feel like With, utah give
you your opinion on, him BECAUSE i don't. Know that's
WHY i asked him that who are? THEY i, mean
they got some good, players they got some, talent and
we've seen them give The pelicans. Headaches but who are?
Speaker 5 (40:20):
They?
Speaker 6 (40:21):
YEAH i MEAN i think on as we record, THIS i,
mean who, knows like a couple weeks from, now there
could be a million trades that what affect The Western.
Conference BUT i do think that almost within within, REASON i,
think almost regardless of what, happens the thing that Makes
utah an outlier in The west is there the rare
team that doesn't seem to be all in on next.
(40:42):
Season we need to win as many games as. POSSIBLE i,
mean they're one of the we mentioned some of the
other teams in previous podcasts in The east that are
have their eyes, on.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
You, know twenty twenty, seven twenty twenty.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
EIGHT i don't think that's the case very much at
all in The Western conference except for a team Like.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Utah SO i, mean they could who, knows.
Speaker 6 (41:01):
They could shock us and make a bunch of moves
where they add veteran guys and say we're tired of,
rebuilding we're tired of struggling and finishing with losing. Records
BUT i, mean for the most, PART i think they're
interesting because they're so different from the rest of The Western.
Conference just that they're there where they are in there
with their roster and with some of their recent draft,
(41:21):
picks is just it's almost you can't even compare them
to almost any other team in The.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
West SO i think that makes them. Interesting, yeah no,
doubt we'll see what takes. Place we're getting closer and.
Closer it's always appreciate you for listening to The New
Orleans pelicans. Podcast soon, enough we'll have the last team
right before The pels selecting In washington that comes out On.
Thursday then we're going to talk about the draft and
after the draft to see where everybody is at here as.
Well so still still got some moops to talk about.
(41:46):
HERE i Think August, August gym's going away for an
entire month. Sabbatical are you gonna look for Big foot or?
Speaker 6 (41:51):
Something maybe Into september, Too you never, know but, yeah
we do have the schedule coming out In august, Too
we'll at least have, That but, YEAH i Think august
will be the first month where it's a little bit
quieter around.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Here, yeah no, doubt a four part look at the
schedule coming out in the. Audus we'll see as, Always,
jim thank, you and don't forget gold see What jim
is doing over At pelicans dot com or thanks To
Will gillery And Tony. Jones thank you as well for
listening to The New Orleans pelicans.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
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
(42:37):
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):
Hi, We're continue to get you ready for the NBA Draft.
As always, we thank you for listening to New Orleans
Pelicans Podcast, official podcasts of your New Orleans Pelicans, which
of course is presented by New Age Products, the official
garage and outdoor kitchen provider of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
All right, you taw Jim.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
The Jazz very.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Interesting, what they've done the last couple of years and
what will they do this year in the draft to
help us? Along with that, Tony Jones covers the Jazz. Oh,
I don't know. It's been a couple of years for sure,
Tony since you've covered this team and thinks is always
for your time. How are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:08):
I'm good, I'm good. Thank you for having me, Tony.
Speaker 6 (01:11):
I guess we could start with I think people know
that jazz, as you know, historically one of the most
competitive franchises in the NBA. They obviously had a glorious
run in the nineties, and then more recently some of
the teams that had you know, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell,
there were teams that pretty consistently were competitive against the
Pelicans and beat them in some games. But now in
(01:33):
this recent era, the last three seasons, really they've been
kind of rebuilding, retooling. How do you view kind of
their outlook in terms of what's happened in the last
few years and where they are in their build.
Speaker 7 (01:46):
You know, I think it's it's been slow, maybe slower
than than people.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Realize. I think you've been slower than then even the
Jazz realize.
Speaker 7 (01:59):
I think the Jazz I thought that by now they
would you know, have taken some of those picks and
packaged and made a big swing by now, and that
hasn't happened, you know.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
So you know, they are where they are, and.
Speaker 7 (02:13):
Obviously they've made a big change in the front office,
bringing in Austin Age, and I think that that's on
some levels, you know, or reset some things, you know.
But you know, I think this is a pretty pivotal
summer because I think this is the one summer where
you know, the Jazz can kind of go two ways
(02:35):
in terms of.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Either going young or trying to or setting their roster
up to be more competitive.
Speaker 7 (02:43):
So, you know, I think that you know, from that standpoint,
we'll see what kind of happens over the next two
or three weeks.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
Seems like patients has been something that they've emphasized the
last few years, knowing that the goal wasn't necessarily to
you know, be a playoff team or try to win
fifty games the way the previous iteration of the Jazz did,
where you know, there was a season where they were
number one seed and they were always you know, kind
of at the top of the standings for a while there.
But given what the last three years have been, where
(03:14):
you know, they've been the first the previous two years
they were competitive and then they were less so the
second half of the season. Then last year they had
one of the worst records in the league or the
worst record in the league. Based on what happened on
lottery night, where they drop from where they were down
to five, which is similar to what the Pelicans did
where they dropped a bunch of spots. I mean how
(03:35):
do you think, how does the fan base view kind
of where they are right now in terms of the
build that they're on. And I mean, was it just
kind of one of those things where it was just
pretty devastating just based on the fact that they've been
banking on, you know, picking at the top of the
draft and once again it did not happen.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
Well, the night itself was devastating, and.
Speaker 7 (03:59):
The you know, the days after that, you know, we're
kind of obviously, you know, hard to deal with for
the fan base. But you know, I think the fan base,
you know, really realizes that the Jazz going to get
a good player.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
You know, there are.
Speaker 7 (04:15):
More than five good players in this draft, and the
draft are picking Jazz are picking fifth. So you know,
I think that they know how to do the math,
and you know, and they know that they know that
there's going to be somebody that's really good there for
them to pick when they do pick. So you know,
it's just a matter of if you're the Jazz getting
(04:37):
this right. They have to get this draft right, you know,
no matter who they pick, you know, whether they trade up,
trade down, you know, whoever they pick at five, if
they stay at five, you know, it just has to
be right because right now, the biggest weakness for the
(04:57):
for the Jazz and their rebuilders, they don't have the
young guy on their roster that they can point to
and be like, Okay, this is the guy that's going
to be on the roster ten years from now, you know,
So they have to figure that part out, and that's
one of the reasons why this draft is so important
to know.
Speaker 6 (05:16):
You mentioned that there's a couple of different directions that
they can go. I mean, based on what you just mentioned,
is it the kind of thing where if you're a
team like the Pelicans, they're picking seventh, which is two
spots behind Utah, that you expect the Jazz to really
focus on just best player available and or the guy
that has the most upside and not really worry about
any short term considerations of where a player they draft
(05:40):
might fit on the roster.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
No, there aren't any.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
There's no sacred cows on the Utah's roster. So you know,
if they you know, let's.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
If they think.
Speaker 7 (05:54):
That, you know, come on, Mala Watches, is the best
player are available at number five and Walker Kessler is
their starting center, They'll draft Cama Mala Watch if they
think that Trey Johnson is who if he's on the board,
if they think he's the best player available at five,
and you know Keyante George is that at at shooting guard,
(06:16):
They're going to draft Kiante George.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
If they think it's.
Speaker 7 (06:18):
Jeremiah Fears, uh, and you know Isaiah Kyer is that
point guard, They're going to draft Jeremiah Fears. I mean
they you know, they don't have anybody on the roster
that that that's going to you know, say that's going
to push the Jazz off of drafting a specific uh player.
(06:41):
They're just going to take the best player available, no
matter where he plays, and they're going to figure it
out from there.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
We already saw this weekend where there was a significant
trade with Memphis and Desmond Baine going to Orlando, and
people have already started to talk about what that means
as far as the Grizzlies off season as well as
their kind of short term future. What do you think
is most likely for Utah this summer? Do you think
that they're going to be one of those teams that's
going to be involved in a lot of trades or
(07:07):
is it maybe too early to say? What is the
projection for that this this summer.
Speaker 7 (07:13):
I think they'll see what's out there, and I think
that they'll see you know, what's available to them, uh
if they want, if if they can make a move
that uh that gets them more of competitive. You know,
I don't think that their adverse to that that part
at all. You know, if you know, there isn't something
out there, uh that that you know instantly makes them
(07:37):
more competitive.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
I mean I think that they're they are.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Are are good with being patient and you know, but uh,
no matter which way did they go, I think you know, next.
Speaker 5 (07:50):
Year, you know, they're going to play. They're going to
go go out there and play.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
Really hard and try to win every game, whether it's
with you know, a younger roster or whether you know
it's with a more competitive roster.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
But you know, I think, you know, they have a
treasure trove of the.
Speaker 7 (08:08):
Picks they have, they have a lot of assets, and
you know, and I think that they're going to They're
going to go out there and they're going to figure
out what's best for them either way.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
You know, you mentioned that based on what they've drafted,
the players that they've acquired through the draft the last
few years, they don't have kind of like a franchise
pillar or a guy that you can kind of build around.
But I'm curious in terms of, you know, potential moves
that you tak could make this offseason. I think one
of the things that stands out to me, and you
can tell me, you know how much or if you
(08:42):
agree with this, if you look at the rest of
their roster, though they're veteran guys, it seems like they
have good players. It doesn't seem like when you look
at their roster in terms of the veterans that they
have and you look at the record they finished with,
it doesn't really make kind of make sense. It seems like,
I mean, you kind of look at it like and
maybe the fans as well look at it as that
they they do have some pieces, you know, maybe they
(09:03):
don't have an all star type player among the rest
of the roster the veteran guys, but they have players
that they could move to other teams and get something
significant as well in terms of just continuing to build
up their assets with some of the other guys that
that they have that are they're good players that have
contributed not just in Utah but other places.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Before they came to the Jazz.
Speaker 7 (09:26):
Yeah, I mean Lowry marketing, I would I would consider
an all star level player. You know, I think that
he's one of the most unique guys in the league.
And I think that, you know, no matter what the
roster is, if if Lowry is on the roster, I
think the Jazz is going going going to uh to continue.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
To build around them.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
You know, we'll see what happens with the the the
the rest of the roster. I think, you know, the
Jazz we'll figure out, you know, whether they can move
off of those guys or whether they want to keep
those guys. You know, they've tried to move off of
a couple of those guys at the deadline and previously.
(10:09):
But you know, we'll see if they they have you know,
some takers uh for for some of those guys, maybe
at Jordan Clarkson, uh for our college sex and this summer,
you know, I think it's going to be you know,
just kind of you know, overall, I think it's going
to be you know, a pretty busy summer on the
(10:30):
trade market because you know, there's not a ton of
money out there on on the market. There's not a
ton of great free agents on the market, you know,
So I think that the trade market might be you know,
the most likely vehicle for people to move, especially considering
you know how much parody there has been, you know,
(10:51):
across the face of the league, UH this season in
the playoffs. I mean, you know, you see, you know,
the Indiana Pacers as we record this or you know,
two wins away from an NBA title, And I don't
think anybody last year could have could.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
Have I would have predicted that a year ago.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
So you know, I think that there are teams that
are like, hey, you know, we're one or two moves
away from from kind of going for it. And you
know that's going to make you know, that has the
potential to make the trade market a pretty busy one.
So you know, I think that you know, in that vein,
you know, the Jazz do have some veterans that can
help UH winning winning programs. So you know, we'll see,
(11:38):
you know, I think the Jazz are going to see
if if you know, it makes more sense to move
those guys, or if it makes more sense to UH
to to to keep those guys and try to build
around them.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, I guess Tony, as we wrap up that's kind
of the question, not only in New Orleans, a couple
of other teams around the league. I think a lot
of teams are right identity, who are you? How do
you want to win? How do you want to go
about your business? And what kind of team you want
to become? Jazz kind of like that. Now, do you
kind of have an idea of what kind of team
they want to be?
Speaker 7 (12:10):
Yeah, you know, I think that the the summer is
going to dictate that, and you know, and it's going
to dictate what kind of roster they're going to bring
into the twenty twenty five twenty twenty sixth season. You know,
I think that, you know, they'll go out there and
they'll see if, if you know, there's a high impact
(12:33):
veteran available, and if that veteran fits into where.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Their roster is.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
You know, because they have lower marketing and because they
have Walker Kessler, if they can find a high impact veteran,
you know, that can you know, go a long way,
you know, towards making the Jazz you know, more competitive
right away. But you know, if that thing, that veteran's
(13:00):
not there or if you know, the vehicle is not
there for them to try to be more competitive. Uh,
you know, they're not afraid to go young, and they're
not afraid to be patient. So you know, I think,
you know, as we sit right now, you know what
are we nine days away from the draft? You know,
(13:21):
I think that the Jazz are figuring out a way
to try to figure out who they are in a
sense and in what they want to do, in which
direction they want to go. And you know, once they
once they figure out that direction, I think that they'll
they'll they'll go on all in on that direction.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
So Tony Jones covers the Jazz and the NBA for
the Athletic give a followover on X at two. Jones
on the NBA. Appreciate your time. Uh, you know, as
we get closer and closer to the draft in a
very interesting offseason to see what takes place in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
Man, no problem, Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Thanks Tony.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
All right, we continue to get your as we continue
to look at prospects, some names that will possibly be
in and around the area for the Pels or just
in general, some of the top prospects coming up in
next week's NBA Draft. We'll forget Wednesday, Thursday, rounds one
and two. Well, Guillory of the Athletic will be joining
us here now to talk about two prospects in particular.
(14:19):
I had to look up the pronunciation, but it's Conkin
Nipple and Trey Johnson. I didn't have to look up
the second player, if you know what I mean. Will,
How are you today?
Speaker 5 (14:26):
Man?
Speaker 4 (14:27):
I'm doing well?
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Man.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
How about you guys.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Doing fantas right?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Doing great?
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Well?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
You know, I thought it was particularly fitting that we
got a shooter on for this podcast Tuesday, because we
have two shooters that we're going to talk about that
are rising up the draft boards. I guess we'll start
with Kanka Nipple right now, he's number six on NBA
dot Com consensus mock draft, So I think with both
of these guys, we'll get into Trey Johnson in a second.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
He's fifth right now.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
Both of these guys, I mean, are definitely not a
sure thing that they're even still going to be on
the board at number seven, but interesting players that I
think a lot of fans are are curious about. In
terms of Kinnipple, how would you describe maybe the reason
why his stock has has risen so much? What do
you think are some of the traits that have made
(15:15):
him a guy that it feels like people think he's
going to be a top half of the lottery pick.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
Yeah. I mean I kind of alluded to this talking
to you guys previously.
Speaker 8 (15:24):
But I really am upset about how much I do
like Conkin Nipp who has a very.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Proud du cater Yep. The more I watch Conkinniple, the
more there is to like in his game. I mean,
he's a guy with really good size, not just hype
six ses. Well, he's coming in at around five.
Speaker 8 (15:42):
Coming into the NBA at nineteen years old, So this
is a guy who you.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Know, can throw his weight around a little bit in
the paint.
Speaker 8 (15:47):
You know, he doesn't have the greatest foot speed, but
he can hold up defensively, you know, relatively well. Shoots
the ball in an incredibly high clip, not just a
three pointer. He can he can get into the pain, fadeaways, floater,
all types of stuff. I love the way he plays
on two feet when he gets it to the plane,
very like Jalen BRINSONI the way he kind of uses
(16:07):
his clivit foot, spins all that type of stuff, and
really understands how to play and play angles play the
guys who's defended him. I just really love everything that
this guy brings. I think the one concern for some
people is how high is this ceiling? Is he a
guy who might average twenty twenty five a game? I
would say probably not. I think this is a guy
who can play a really long time in the league,
(16:30):
can shoot the ball, can handle it a little bit,
understands how to play with other great players. We saw
that that Duke playing next to Cooper Flag and all
those guys. I just think he checks a lot of
boxes teams are looking for, especially with today's role player.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
How much of the excitement I mean, I think you
just touched on this a little bit, But how much
of the excitement about him and how valued he seems
to be coming into this draft is. It does feel
like you can slot him in a bunch of different places.
It's not like you know, you think of when he
when I think Duke, great shooter, I think of JJ Reddick.
You know, no offense to him, but you know he's
(17:04):
he's more of like a spot up guy. This guy
seems k nipple, seems like he can really do a
lot more off the dribble he's a little stronger, maybe
a little sturdier frame. How you think he's somebody that
it seems like, no matter who drafts him, you're gonna
be able to easily find a role, for a prominent
role where he can just fit with whatever else you
have on your roster.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Yeah, I think we could go ahead and address the
elephant in the room.
Speaker 8 (17:26):
I think a lot of people are gonna look at
continup Wan and say, Okay, just another white guy who
shoots threes. Luke an ar jj Reddick one of those guys,
and he's just if you watch it, he's just not
that he's not one. I'm not saying that he can't
be a great shooter. I think he will be a
great shooter in the NBA. But I think he's just
got more layers to his game than those guys. He's
not just a guy who's gonna shoot threes. He's not
gonna run off a whole bunch of screens, even though
(17:48):
he can do that. I think he's a guy who
brings much more versatility. And I think you're exactly right
that he can fit in basically anywhere you put him.
Like if you want him to be a guy who
can stand in the corner and shoot threes.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
I think he can do that.
Speaker 8 (17:59):
If you want to run some drible handles with them,
if you want to, you know, run some pen downs
with him, or maybe running a couple of pick and
rolls every now and then with him.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
I think he can do all of that.
Speaker 8 (18:09):
I think he brings a lot to the table as
an offensive player. I think he understands how to make
the guys around him better. I mean a lot of
his highlights you watch is him throwing lobster command.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
My watch that the big guy coming out of Duke
last year.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
He had a really great connection with him, you know,
getting into the lane, throwing up those live passes, creating
for Cooper flag.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
I think you saw with him last year. We see
a lot of times in college where these.
Speaker 8 (18:33):
Super teams come together where it's a whole bunch of
five stars, and it's hard for these guys to figure
it out because they're also used to being great and
they're so used to scoring.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Thirty where they came from, and they got to figure
out how to make it work.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
And I think the one thing you saw with that
Duke team last year was that those guys just understood
how to play together. They weren't just individually great, they
knew how to bring the best out.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Of the team.
Speaker 8 (18:54):
And I think Kanka Nipple was a guy who kind
of personified that just as much as anybody else on
that team, that he's not just a guy who knows
how to get his but he knows how to make
the guys around him better, which I think adds to
him as as a prospect.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Going through the list of NBA comparisons for him, I
thought was interesting based on some of what you just
addressed where you're talking about how you know he's not
just a shooter. He does a lot of other things.
He's pretty versatile guy. So going through this list, I mean,
I we'll probably get into this towards the end today.
The first name on this list is Desmond Baine, who
obviously is in the news from a trade yesterday. But
(19:30):
the other players that I saw are bog Don Bogdanovic,
Jared Dudley, Corey Kispert, Cam Johnson, and Gordon Hayward. Which
of those you think is the most fitting or accurate
comparison for Kankin Nipple.
Speaker 8 (19:43):
Yeah, I think on the high end, Bine and Gordon
Haywore make a lot of stense.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
I Goon was probably a little bit taller, a little
bit bigger than.
Speaker 8 (19:50):
Conk Nipple coming out, But I think that's what you
kind of envision him becoming.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
And the best case scenario is a guy who can
kind of, you know.
Speaker 8 (19:57):
Add a little bit more ball handle into this pack,
being more comfortable shooting in the mid range. That way,
he'd be at three level score. I don't think he
has the quickness of a desert vey where Deserbey is
able to get all the way to the room. I
don't think kN Nipple was going to be that guy
who's gonna blow past people and you know, be doing
you know, up and under layups and stuff like that.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
But I think he can be one of those guys, like.
Speaker 8 (20:18):
I said, who can get you, you know, fifteen thirteen
to fifteen the game, knockdown threes consistently. When your best
player goes to the bench, you can run offense through
him for a couple of possessions. I think he's a
guy who could just be very additive to what you
do as a team. Uh, Where some of these guys
in the draft you can say, man on the good
nights they look great from the bad nights that.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
They can really hurt you.
Speaker 8 (20:39):
I don't think Kanka Nipple's bad nights really hurt you
as much as some of these other guys, and I
think that's what you love about him. But again, we
talk about Baying and Gordon Hayward. Do you really see
the all star ceiling in his game? I kind of
hesitate just because of some of the physical limitations, but
I do think that he's gonna be a really good
player for a long time.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Do we have any Pelicans can comparisons from the twenty
three history twenty three year history to kN Kinnipple.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
You know, I wasn't gonna make it too long without
shouting on my guy.
Speaker 8 (21:07):
I see a lot more, you know, because you know
we obviously people will remember each one for knocking Downinald's
corner three.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
He's playing with a B and Drew Holliday. But Yah
was a guy who can get in the lane. Not now.
Speaker 8 (21:20):
Some floaters run some pin downs with him his scoring transition.
I see some of that, and I think CON's gonna
come in a little bit bigger where he could kind
of put his shoulder in.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
The Guys they create space, playoff of two feet a
little bit better.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
But yeah, I think just that that ability to do
it do a little bit of everything on offense, where
I'm not necessarily great at anything, but I'm pretty good
at anything you need me to do. I think that's
what is really bringing.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Yeah, I'm sure people don't realize this, but Uncle E
was actually a very common visitor to Pelicans games this year.
He works for Chicago's front office. Now right, Orlando Orlando, Okay,
one of the other teams that he used to play for.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He works for Chicago.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
He living on that Okay. Yeah, so we were very
pleased we got to see him.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
I don't know, maybe six eight games this year, which
is a lot for a forty one game season. So
he was very commonly in New Orleans, which was fun.
Moving on to Trey Johnson, seems like just a shooter, extraordinary,
can make tough shots. How would you describe, you know why,
(22:26):
He's a guy that also seems to be you know,
mid lottery and even even lately, it seems like lately
I've seen him moving up even more in some of
these mock drafts.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Yeah, I think you're going to.
Speaker 8 (22:35):
See him moving up because kind of what we're talking
about with time, where you.
Speaker 4 (22:38):
Don't necessarily see that all star stealing. I think you
can sell yourself on an all star stealing for Trey Johnson.
Speaker 8 (22:44):
You can sell yourself on him really becoming a twenty
maybe even twenty five.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Per game type of guy, just because he shoots it
at such a high level.
Speaker 8 (22:52):
You know, when I wrote about him Earland this summer,
I said, if I had to bet on one of
these guys to make ten three pointers in the game,
I would put Trey Johnson up there. That's just you know,
the kind of shooter he is, how hot he gets.
You know, once he really gets going, he can shoot
it at a really you know, high clip. He's got
a really quick release, can shoot off the move and transition,
(23:13):
and you know, he's a guy who's averaged twenty a
game at Texas last year with a whole lot of
talent around him, shot shot it really efficiently for a
guy who got a lot of attention from defenses. Was
somewhere it was close to forty as a three point
shooter last year. He's a guy who can you put
him in the right situation, He's gonna knock.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Down a ton of three pointers.
Speaker 8 (23:33):
Uh, you know, he's pretty decent off the dribble, but
he can improve there. But I think what you really
see him in the future as a guy can really
knock down threes at a high rate and be one
of those guys who can catch fire in certain games
and realigious face the floor for good players.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
You know what's interesting if you look at maybe the
top half of the draft lottery. I mean, this is
a result of the outcome of the lottery where you
had a bunch of surprises, You had a bunch of
teams that moved up a bunch. You have teams like
the Sixers and the Pelicans that have been pretty good
in recent years and they just had a year where
they got crushed by injuries. But I mean, for Trey Johnson,
(24:11):
is it going to be really interesting to see where
he goes based on it seems like he's a kind
of player where if he goes to a team that
is in huge rebuilding mode, maybe you can give him
the ball and let him cook. But if he goes
to somebody that's a contender, you know, it might be
a situation where he has to much more acclimate himself
to just filling whatever role that team needs him to
(24:32):
be in.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
No, I think you're exactly right, man.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
I think we saw last year in Texas where kind
of the good and the bad of him being a
guy who takes a little bit more on his shoulders, right.
I think you saw certain nights where he could be
a little bit of inefficient. You saw Knights where you
know the turnovers are up, or you know he's taking
bad shots or trying to make something happen. And I
think he goes to like a Washington Wizards. I think
you'll probably see that because they're kind of eyeing for
(24:57):
that ball handling creation, shot making kind of guard. Then
they got a couple of good pieces there, but they
don't really have that kind of head of the snake
kind of guy.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
And I don't.
Speaker 8 (25:07):
Know if Trez Johnson could necessarily be that, but I
think he could be a guy, like I said, who
could fill it up, who can you know, score at
a high level if you kind of run the offense
around him in certain ways.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
He's not a guy who's gonna run like one hundred high.
Speaker 8 (25:19):
Pick and rolls every game, and he's more of an
off the ball kind of operator.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Off screens, running the wings.
Speaker 8 (25:25):
Type of guy, and maybe you know, over time he
could develop into that on ball threat, but I think
he's going to be much more dangerous and much more
effective when you're playing him off the ball, allowing him
to be that second creator on the opposite side, rather
than a guy who's kind of the entire defense is
paying attention to him. I think that's when he's at
his worst. Frankly, but like I said, when he gets hot,
(25:49):
it's extremely impressive how this dude to shoot the ball.
Speaker 6 (25:52):
The NBA veteran comparisons are really all kind of potent scorers,
instant offense, off the bench types. The list here that
I had down was Tyler Hero, Norman Powell, Alan Burks,
Nick Young, Cam Thomas, and Jordan Clarkson.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Which of those do you like?
Speaker 8 (26:10):
I think that Tyler Hero one is one I've heard
a lot, and I think it's one that people kind
of project on him as far as his ability to
come with because with Tyler Hero is an interesting prosecut
because he came into the NBA as one guy, and
I think over time he's developed his game and he
looks completely different from where he was when he came
into the NBA. I think last year, you know All
(26:30):
Star Tyler Hero, he saw him. You know, he's so
effective in that dribble handoff game where he's able to
use his speed and quickness to kind of keep defenders
off batance where he's creating on ball some but a
lot of his his action is dribble handoff where he's
taking one away and sprinting the other way, or he's
catching a you know, a back door cut and hitting
(26:50):
the float.
Speaker 4 (26:51):
Or hitting the jump shot.
Speaker 8 (26:52):
I think that's the stuff you want to see with
Trey Johnson, where not necessarily a whole lot of dribble
dribble dribble, but can you use your quickness, can you
use your speed to kind of create angles, to create
open looks for yourself to keep defenders off ballots? And
I think that's something that takes time to develop, and
you got to especially in the NBA. You gotta get
a little stronger, you gotta get a little more savvy.
You got to understand how to use your body to
(27:14):
create separation, to create files.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
One necessary.
Speaker 8 (27:17):
But I think that's the type of stuff people seeing
Trey Johnson just a guy who just understands how to score.
So you can see him adding that stuff over time.
But like you mentioned before, a lot of this just
depends on where you land, right, can you get rid
the right coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Can you get in the right situation where you can.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
Develop good habits like Tyler Hero has playing under the
Miami Heat, right, we kind of loved them for being
to develop them players and Tyler Hero is a great
example of that.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
And I think Trey Johnson is gonna be a really
interesting one as.
Speaker 8 (27:46):
Far as can you go to a team that will
help him bring out the best parts of his game
and kind of hide some of the stuff that drove
people crazy last year when he was in Tech.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Any Pelicans comparisons that you like from the past, this
is a.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Little tougher one. I don't think this is kind of
a very smooth comparison.
Speaker 8 (28:09):
But I think the first man that's pumped into my
head is kind of JJ Reddick when he was the
Pelican where he was able to move off the ball
really well. I think JJ obviously his IQ was through
the roof where he got to do Orleans and you
kind of think of that that dribble handoff game that
he had was on on and how he was able
to create open looks for himself with basically without ever dribbling,
(28:29):
where he can just kind of do dribble handoff over
and over again until he finds that open look. And
I think that's where, like I said, you want to
get Tray Johnson to that point where he can kind
of use his speed and his understanding the angles to
create shots rather than his handle. But I think it's
gonna take some time for him to get there. But
like I said, he can shoot the ball at an
extremely high clip and he'll have games where he hits five, six,
(28:51):
seven threes and he looks amazing.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
And I think that's what you are excited about.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
It Today's NBA, you know, where you have to hit
twelve fifteen threes every night just to give yourself a chance.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
I actually had two names that I wrote down, and
again I'm you're infinitely more familiar with Trey Johnson's game
than I am, but just kind of the prototype that
in terms of volume score. A couple guys I thought
of was Jordan Crawford Instant Grits and Gennaro Pargo. Is
that anything anything close there or my way off?
Speaker 4 (29:20):
You know? You know, I love me some Gennaro Pargo.
The only thing I would say I like those two.
Speaker 8 (29:24):
I think Trade Johnson is just a little bigger than
those guys, probably gonna come into.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Like around six'. Six he's got long. Arms those are
kind of the prototypical early two thousands smaller, guards bucket,
getters right they.
Speaker 8 (29:35):
Were, yeah grew up, watching AND i Think Trade johnson
is probably closer to two. Three he could guard up
against certain, Guys SO i think that's why some people
are more excited about him than.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
Some of these undersize scoring.
Speaker 8 (29:48):
Guards but, Yeah i've been get right on with the
way that those guys, play and it definitely fits The
Trade johnson.
Speaker 6 (29:54):
Profile sure the listeners were not expecting maybe A Gennero
pargo referenced, Today But i've noticed too if you pay
close attention you look at The pacers bench during THE Nba,
finals he's one of the assistant. Coaches so fans out
there if you see a fit a face on The
indiana sideline who looks familiar and they're, like wait a,
minute is That Genera, Pargo.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Yes it. Is he's one of their assistant.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
Coaches So jim AND i will always Remember Genera pargo
as the one guy who was a scared In game, seven.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
That's, right two thousand and. Eight at, FIRST i.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Guess So pargo is always a legend in.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
Mind it's funny how many TIMES i hear people, say you, know,
man he had that three in the left, corner and
if he had just made, that they might have won that.
Game BUT i always my counter to, THAT i was, always,
yeah but the only reason they were even in the
game was because he went off in the fourth quarter
and made a bunch of shots in one of those
classic two thousands games where it was, like is anyone
going to get to eighty?
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Points maybe ninety?
Speaker 6 (30:46):
Points so, YEAH i mean he he was such a
huge part of that team throughout that, season but especially
In game.
Speaker 8 (30:52):
Seven and to bring it full circle, here the guy
we're talking, About Chree johnson here is and that's a
perfect example That pargo. Game but these guys are important
right where they not might necessarily be an all, start
it might not be the best player on your, team
but there's just certain games you just need a guy
to go get, Fifteen you need a gotta go get
twenty points in a big moment where your star players
(31:12):
just it doesn't have it or they're double team in
them every, time And Tray johnsen could be that guy
who can go get to twenty on a random night
and they can make a huge. Difference and you need
those guys on great, teams and you just need them
in the right. Situations, Right Genara parker on a different
team might not look as good as he did playing
next To Chris paulin in The.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
West.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Right, yep that's a good, point and you just kind
of alliterated it and hinted at. Something will kind of
probably recap when you give us two more prospects next
time for The thursday. Podcast will and THAT i feel
a lot of these prospects in the, draft especially in
the first, round it's going to be about.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Fit what does.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
That team that's on the clock need with a certain,
player and that's where maybe that player sort of goes
perhaps after picks one and.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Two would you agree with?
Speaker 4 (31:56):
THAT i think it's something we talk don't talk about
enough at all.
Speaker 8 (32:01):
Drafts, HONESTLY i think you, know with so many of these,
guys it's about, fit it's about, situation it's about the
right coaching, staff it's about having the right vets Around
yet and we've kind of said this before THE Nba
finals is the perfect. EXAMPLE i, Mean Shaye Gridgis alexander
was not drafted by the Thunder Tyres elbert was not
drafted by The. Pacers Pasco siakam was not drafted by The.
Pacers we can continue to go down a. Listen it's
(32:24):
about finding the right, situation the right guys around you
to really bring out the best in you as a.
Speaker 4 (32:29):
Player AND i think a lot of these, guys.
Speaker 8 (32:31):
We love them coming, in they go to the wrong,
situation we hate. Him they go somewhere else and we're, like, oh,
yeah this guy turns out to be really. Talented, yeah
it's not that he lost his, superpowers it's just that
he needed to go to the right place to bring him.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Out, WELL i was gonna say one of the things
that's interesting is a move was made to start this
work week back over the Weekend Desmond bane a key, part,
Right jim from you know The Memphis grizzlies heading over
To landown paying a hefty price to get his services over.
There stillver all will when you saw that trade pop,
(33:06):
UP i know it's maybe a little different than you
know that The shams get hacked so maybe this what's
in the, same but it's STILL i, mean he's still
kind of you, know made my eyes open a.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
Little, bit.
Speaker 8 (33:18):
No, Doubt AND i MEAN i, think you, know once
you kind of break down the, picks the picks don't
look as, crazy especially if you Think orlando's picks in
the future are going to be in the twenties and
you're expecting them to be contenders in the. Future but,
STILL i, mean when the initial headline comes, in desma
dang for first round, picks it's, like.
Speaker 4 (33:34):
WHOA i, mean this guy hasn't even made An All Star.
Speaker 8 (33:37):
Game before and we're talking, about you, know four first round.
Picks BUT i think he kind of fits into what
the discussion we've had already with con came up When
Trey johnson and that teams.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
Just really want. Shooters they really.
Speaker 8 (33:48):
Want guys who can make those three pointers at a high.
Clipment we talk about The Orlando. Magic that's a team
that's desperate for the. Shooting they need shooters from, anywhere
AND i think they were kind of determined just go
and get a decent. Shooter they wanted to get one
of the best shooters in the, league and they were
kind of you, know desperate to make it. Happen AND
i think Desm main when he's playing his, best can
(34:09):
certainly be one of those guys who can not only
shoot at a forty, two but he can make four
or five threes a game consistently.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
Off the, dribble off the.
Speaker 8 (34:18):
Move in, transition he kind of has the full package
as the offensive, player also can make players off the
dribble and excellent you, know locker room presence THAT i
could be around him last, year you know during WHAT
i should say this, year it feels like it was
so long, ago during The grizzlies playoff. RUN i think
that that's something that people are going to underestimate when
he breaks Through, orlando just that locker room, presence very
(34:39):
calmon guy who can kind of lead that young. Team but,
YEAH i think he brings a lot of the stuff
that you want into in a role player and today
a guy who can make, threes who can do a
little stuff off the. Dribble the big question With orlando
now is, like how are they going to keep all
of these guys? Together right when you're you're paying, sucks
you're paying pollow in the. Future Bronz wagner's just got
(35:01):
his big, Deal so can you keep all of these.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Guys together in a smaller market Like.
Speaker 8 (35:05):
Orlando but when they walk, out you, know game one
with that starting, five it's gonna be really.
Speaker 4 (35:10):
Impressive you.
Speaker 6 (35:11):
Know for The, pelicans, obviously they Play memphis four times every,
season and it hasn't been a lot of fun in
recent years matching up against The. GRIZZLIES i Know John
moranz had some big moments in The Smoothing King center,
Unfortunately BUT i.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
Mean how do you look at this trade from memphisis?
Speaker 6 (35:26):
STANDPOINT i, mean obviously it seems like short, term this
is a step back that you're, losing you, know probably
your third best, player AND i think in some ways
he's even been more important than the third best guy
on that team with some of the other players that
have missed games for. Them BUT i, mean how do
you see this and what do you? EXPECT i, mean
do you think there's other moves coming for The grizzlies
in the near.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Future.
Speaker 8 (35:46):
NO i think this is a primary example, of you,
know the world that these teams have to live in
with the second apron, now where it's just really, difficult
especially if you're not willing to pay a luxury tax
to have three guys at the top of your salary
sheet making forty plus million a.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Year it's just really. DIFFICULT i, mean you can find
a way to make it.
Speaker 8 (36:03):
Happen BUT i think With memphis kind of look around and, say,
yeah we can keep all of these, guys.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
But will probably be like the.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
Sixth seed in The, west and, like is it worth
it at that point to kind of pay all of
this money to have a team that's not a real championship.
Contender AND i think the way they saw it is
like we can kind of take a step, back bring
in some more.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Assets AND i think a big part of this also
is the fact That Jaron jackson is.
Speaker 8 (36:26):
Up for an extension right, now AND i think you
know they're they're really committed to signing him to a new.
Deal they want to build Around jaron a job going,
forward AND i think just paying that much money out.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Was going to be really difficult if you kept baying
on the.
Speaker 8 (36:40):
Roster and now they see it, as, hey we've got
some extra. Assets we can maybe trade a few of
these future, picks go get a third, guy go get
some depth and building Around jaron And. JOHN i think
you're going to see this more and more around THE.
Nba what teams are going to say the big three
model is over. Now it's about big two plus. Depth
AND i think you see that With okay see.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
And maybe not as. Much it depends on how you
feel about Check.
Speaker 8 (37:04):
Homer BUT i think with The INDIANA i think obviously
they Got pascal And halliburton and a bunch of role. Players,
uh you, KNOW i think you're gonna see that dynamic In.
MINNESOTA i think you're gonna see that more and more
around THE, nba where obviously kind of going back to
the d Way Lebron Chris boss, days everybody one of
Their big. Three BUT i think with this NEW, CVA
(37:25):
i think it's over. NOW i think it's about having
a big two plus. DEPTH i think it's how you.
Win AND i think it's gonna be really interesting to
see How memphis kind, of you, know kind of stays
on that type rope of being able to rebuild but
also remain. Competitive. Uh AND i think that's something that
The repelicans are obviously trying to. Do right and With
brad and then being out of the, door can you
(37:46):
kind of move some pieces around and remain. COMPETITIVE i
think it's gonna be a tough test for a couple
of these teams.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
In The west and kind of maybe leads the direction
to The day Two round, two THE nba maybe perhaps
becoming a little bit more value and important will in
the future than it had in the. Pass and you
think as we wrap, up no.
Speaker 8 (38:04):
Doubt they're just hitting on draft picks in, general you,
know throughout the. DRAFT i think it's gonna be huge
just having those cheaper, assets younger guys to build, around
and obviously future trade, ships you, know potentially.
Speaker 4 (38:16):
It's going to be super.
Speaker 8 (38:17):
Important so, YEAH i think a lot of these teams
are throwing away picks in the, past AND i think
you're going to see the less of. That And i'm
saying that as we're talking About desnet being being traded
for four first round. Picks BUT i think when we're
gonna see teams be, less be a little more hesitant
to throw these picks, around just because it's so valuable
to have.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
These cheaper contracts and younger guys on your roster to
build your.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Death Mister Will gillery at The athletic give a follow
over on Act Will gillery covers THE, nba including Your
New Orleans. Pelicans kind of us to give us a
little time On Conker, nipple The duke player WHO i
guess he'll just say a, prospect you won't really Mention, Duke,
jim and also Trade johnson From. Texas either, way, THOUGH
i love WHAT i heard From will, today shooters. Lie
(39:00):
that's of talent seems to be in and around the
area where The pels could be. Selecting so we will
see you Shortly will to talk a few more. Prospects
but in the, meantime thanks for you tome, Today.
Speaker 8 (39:10):
BUD i appreciate you, guys AND i used up all
My duke compliments for the, year so anybody comes up to,
me you don't ask you to say anything nice About.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Duke the podcast Unders dead Understad as always appreciate the
time our thanks To Tony jones and also Mister Will
gillery for this podcast taking a look at a couple
of players Here nipple And Trey, johnson and also The
jazz and what they may do that they're a very interesting.
Team as you heard him say as we just wrapped up, There,
JIM i can't KEEP i guess from thinking WHEN i
(39:41):
look at this, draft especially the six teams before The,
pelicans it's you got some teams that are playoff, teams
maybe the injury. BUG i would put The pels in there, too,
RIGHT i, mean they were in a postseason at some
point last. Year and then you look at other teams
Like utah And, Washington Charlotte charlotte and who's there?
Speaker 3 (39:59):
DIRECT i, mean where are they? Going who do they
want to?
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Be it would be, big it'd be a three point shooting,
team there will be a defensive, team all those different
aspects of. IT i just feel like With, utah give
you your opinion on, him BECAUSE i don't. Know that's
WHY i asked him that who are? THEY i, mean
they got some good, players they got some, talent and
we've seen them give The pelicans. Headaches but who are?
Speaker 5 (40:20):
They?
Speaker 6 (40:21):
YEAH i MEAN i think on as we record, THIS i,
mean who, knows like a couple weeks from, now there
could be a million trades that what affect The Western.
Conference BUT i do think that almost within within, REASON i,
think almost regardless of what, happens the thing that Makes
utah an outlier in The west is there the rare
team that doesn't seem to be all in on next.
(40:42):
Season we need to win as many games as. POSSIBLE i,
mean they're one of the we mentioned some of the
other teams in previous podcasts in The east that are
have their eyes, on.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
You, know twenty twenty, seven twenty twenty.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
EIGHT i don't think that's the case very much at
all in The Western conference except for a team Like.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Utah SO i, mean they could who, knows.
Speaker 6 (41:01):
They could shock us and make a bunch of moves
where they add veteran guys and say we're tired of,
rebuilding we're tired of struggling and finishing with losing. Records
BUT i, mean for the most, PART i think they're
interesting because they're so different from the rest of The Western.
Conference just that they're there where they are in there
with their roster and with some of their recent draft,
(41:21):
picks is just it's almost you can't even compare them
to almost any other team in The.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
West SO i think that makes them. Interesting, yeah no,
doubt we'll see what takes. Place we're getting closer and.
Closer it's always appreciate you for listening to The New
Orleans pelicans. Podcast soon, enough we'll have the last team
right before The pels selecting In washington that comes out On.
Thursday then we're going to talk about the draft and
after the draft to see where everybody is at here as.
Well so still still got some moops to talk about.
(41:46):
HERE i Think August, August gym's going away for an
entire month. Sabbatical are you gonna look for Big foot or?
Speaker 6 (41:51):
Something maybe Into september, Too you never, know but, yeah
we do have the schedule coming out In august, Too
we'll at least have, That but, YEAH i Think august
will be the first month where it's a little bit
quieter around.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Here, yeah no, doubt a four part look at the
schedule coming out in the. Audus we'll see as, Always,
jim thank, you and don't forget gold see What jim
is doing over At pelicans dot com or thanks To
Will gillery And Tony. Jones thank you as well for
listening to The New Orleans pelicans.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
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
(42:37):
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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