June 20, 2025 • 47 mins
On the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast for Thursday, June 19, 2025, Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell continue their series of draft previews ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
They welcome former Hornets/Pelicans center and now Wizards TV Studio Analyst Jason Smith to discuss Washington's #6 pick as The Athletic's Will Guillory breaks down two more 2025 NBA Draft prospects in Maryland center Derik Queen and BYU guard Egor Demin.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans, a podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who cover the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hell, everybody, welcome to New Orleans Pelicans podcaster for some
podcasts of your New Orleans Pelicans. Get you ready for
the NBA Draft, which is next week Wednesday, Round one Thursday,
Round two. Jamike and offer goes Kat and goe with you.
We got a fun show lined up for you. Well, Gill,
who's gonna talk about a pair of prospects for you
here as well, Derrek Queen and Yegor Demon.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I think is I say? I believe that's correct.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
I believe so, although I think when you hear when
I hear the episode, you're gonna hear Will and I
both use multiple pronunciations.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So whatever you want, whatever your preferences, that's how it works.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
The other thing is, as well, we're going to talk
to Jason Smith, former Pells player, now part of the
Washington Wizards television studio. He's an analyst. He's incredible. It's
going to kind of tell you maybe what Washington's trying
to do. And Jim, we've talked about this before. It's
a very interesting first seven, right. Utah and Washington are
(01:26):
not teams that have been contending or pushing for a
play in spot or a playoffs spot.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Charlotte too, probably put they made the plan a couple
of years ages.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
But for the most part, everybody else has a star
or two or have been in the playoffs. Dallas was
in the finals the year before injuries affected AT I
would put the Pels in there as well. Washington's different, right,
it had Briley Beale, he finally moved on. They're trying
to find an identity, a star, a face of the franchise,
things of that nature. So it is interesting to look
(01:58):
at Dan when you look at Washington, where they are
in the East and overall in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
How do you summarize them.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah, I think they're just going to try to compile
as much talent as they can and figure out how
it all fits together later. But I think their number
one mission right now is to just get some foundation pieces.
I don't think they necessarily have one guy that you
can say like, Okay, this is the guy that we're
going to build around.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But they might be able to.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Get that in the draft, and I think they if
there is somebody at six when their turn comes up
that they see as a pillar to the future, I
think that'll be the guy that they take.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
But yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Interesting just as we head into the draft next week
that obviously people are going to keep a close eye on,
you know, Utah's pick and fifth, Washington's pick and six,
So which players are those two teams going to take?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
And then that'll leave what's available for the Pelicans obviously
at seven.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
All right, here's our conversation with Jason Smith, and then
we will chat with Will Gillery right here in the
New Orleans Pelicans podcast. All Right, we have gotten down
to the final team before the New Orleans Pelicans select
at least first in the first round, as they have
two first round picks. As we get closer to the
NBA Draft on a twenty fifth and twenty six, the
(03:08):
Washington Wizards have the six pick in the first round.
Mister Jason Smith, it's the infamous, the famous, the all knowing, every.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Legendary I would say.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Legendary Jason Smith from Back in the Day, now part
of their television broadcast here as well, joins us. He
joined us during the season last year, and always a
pleasure to see you.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
How are you.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
I'm doing good. I'm enjoying summertime. The kids have yet
to get out of school, to get them one more
day and then it's going to be a lot of
fun and sun in the pool.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I tell you, people down here don't realize I'm from
New York. They don't realize the school year as much
later up in the North and the mid Atlantic than
it is down here. I mean, they've been out of
school for weeks at this point down here, So there
you go.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Yeah, if my kids could actually get out of school
at that time, they'd have a blast. But we have
one more day. It's going to be a very long summer,
hopefully fun in the sun and I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Excellent.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
You know, we're we brought you in to talk about
the Wizards, obviously, I guess we could start with you know,
they're coming off a season where they won eighteen games.
The season before that was fifteen wins. They're kind of
at the very initial stages of a rebuild. What was
the what was your maybe your biggest takeaway from this
past season in terms of the development that they're that
(04:20):
they're going through right now with their young guys.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Well, first you said fifteen games last season, which was
not fun to watch, but then coming off of this
season eighteen games, Hey, you're saying there's room for improvement.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Definitely.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
It is one of those years though that it was
a struggle to kind of figure out what's going on
with the team, what's going on with the organization. But
taking a positive out of it, a lot of the
young guys got an opportunity to play out there, and
you got to see a lot of them going into
the Rising Stars Challenge for All Star Week. But that
was because they had the opportunity to go out there
and show themselves improve themselves. So with this young core group,
(04:55):
I think they're going to add another piece coming into
this draft to add on to that core group and
hopefully build and grow together as the years come along.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
What did you see from I mean, there were not
many teams in the league that played rookies as much
as they did.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I know that that was kind of the plan going
in though that they were going to try to get
as much experience.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
As they could for their rookies.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Between Alex Sar, Bob Carrington, and Keishawn George, I mean,
what were some of the things that you saw from
them that were encouraging in their first season in the league.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Well, you take it from every perspective. Every single one
of them made for progress as the season went along.
Alex Sar, he came into the league, he had a
struggle going into summer League. He was a little bit
of a wild card, but at the number two pick,
you knew that he was going to get plenty of
opportunities to go out there and play on the floor.
A guy that really surprised me was Bob Carrington. Coming
out of Pittsburgh. He was known as having that competitive,
(05:46):
fighting spirit and he showed nothing but the same when
he got to the league. And to see him go
out there and have success and compete for minutes, whether
it was starting or coming off the bench. There was
a lot of fluid lineups out there, but he excelled
in every part of the game, whether it was coming
off the bench, being ready, engaged in defensive assignments, making
(06:06):
sure not to be two star struck even he was
very candid in his interviews, which as media people we
absolutely appreciate. He was going out there against his star
and his idol, Kyrie Irving, and we even got some
miked up moments of him saying, oh my gosh, it's
so nice to meet you. But that's the of being
a rookie. Now he's past that, he's gotten that experience.
He's not gonna have to worry about that next year,
(06:28):
and that's something that you look forward to. But also
Keishaan George, he was kind of the wild card of
the Washington Wizards because whenever he got out there, he
made it look so easy. He was very smooth. It
didn't look like he was trying very hard. Now, Brandon,
in the beginning parts of the season, he struggled with
this shot, as any rookie or any young player might
occur in their first year. But as he got more
(06:50):
and more reps, he knew that the coaching staff believed
in the players, believed in his teammates, the front office,
and he ran with it, and you know what, he
had a lot of success. Got snub for the Rising
Stars game, but then got in because somebody was injured,
so It just shows you when you're given opportunity. This
front office has hit on the picks that they've had
so far, and hopefully they can continue to grow for
(07:11):
years to come.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You just mentioned the front office.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I think maybe for people who don't closely follow the Wizards,
they might not necessarily be aware that we're talking about
a group of guys that have a Oklahoma City background,
that that's where they came from. I mean, in general terms,
is that kind of what the plan is to try
to do. I mean, obviously you want the success that
the thunder have, but is it going to be kind
of that process where it's like you're building through the draft.
(07:34):
You're probably going to try to make some other moves
too here and there, but really it's going to just
be about being patient and not rushing things.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
I think so. I think they're doing a great job
of being patient with the young guys, giving them opportunity
to go out there and play, but also going into
the draft making sure to get a yet another young
talented player. I mean, they were one of the worst
teams in the league last year. They were expecting to
be maybe a top three pick that didn't pan out
the way they expected. But you roll with the punches.
(08:02):
They have a number six pick. There's a lot of
opportunities for a lot of different players. Now when you
go out there and you have the top three, things
have kind of been mixed up a little bit in
the last week or two of figuring out who's going
to go top ten, who's going to go top five? Obviously,
I think we know the top one, two, possibly three,
but after that it's kind of you have a plethora
(08:22):
of different players that could go in any different position.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Last thing, for me, I was wondering, I'm not sure
how much you've been able to drill down on, you know,
a lot of the first round picks and some of
these guys that are expected to go pretty high. But
I was wondering, who is the Jason Smith of this
year's draft last time? Who's the guy that reminds you
the most of your game? Is there a smooth, shooting,
(08:46):
big guy out there that just nails eighteen footers all night?
Speaker 5 (08:49):
And you know what, I can't even answer that because
I've been so focused on the top six picks to try.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
And figurestandable understandable.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
Yeah, I would have to, you know, I would love
to say Cooper flag. But he is much better than
I was just going all over the place. I mean,
he's got a lot more talent than I ever had.
But I have no idea this year's draft who might
be the next Jason Smith. That's a great question. I
have to think about that and get back to you
on that.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Maybe, Yeah, maybe next time we talk to you, maybe
maybe later in the offseason, or maybe when we talk
to you during the season next year, you'll be able
to say, Hey, I watched.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
This rookie class. Yeah, and this is the Jason Smith
that I have.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Like, Hey, Jim, I remember that question you asked me.
I didn't have the answer.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Then you got the answer that, Yeah, you know a
lot to like it.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Along the lines of what Jim is saying to Jason,
I think one of the things that I've learned, I
guess there was process too. And as we've watched the
playoffs this year and watched the two teams in the
finals this year, whether it's the new CBA, whether it's
whatever it is, that the league's full of trending, I
almost feel like you need to really pay attention to
the drafts. It's almost coming back to you, Hey, you're
(09:54):
gonna have to build basketball teams again.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
It's it's not two or three guys that.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Can carry Hey, We'll just put Jimmy on the rest
of the team and everybody else can do it.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Whether it's the injuries, don't everyone work, No, Ryan, I
mean you need you need bench guys, you need guys
that could come in. It's a long season. But you're
seeing that and I kind of love that. You know.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
It's like my dad's older than me. I turned fifty,
so Kay gives you any where he's at, and he's
like all these threes and it's all this. I'm like, Dad,
it's coming, it's coming back. Because the importance of building
a team, first round, second round players that come in
through free agency, don't you feel, Jason, to guys like
you and other guys are becoming as important has that
(10:34):
ever been if not? Hey, just because you're not the
top three, in the top six, you're probably not going
to win a championship unless you have guys later on.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
You absolutely are correct. And you look at the two
teams that are in the finals with Indiana and Oklahoma City,
those are teams that people didn't necessarily actually two small
market teams. Indiana wasn't necessarily supposed to be in the finals. Now,
Oklahoma City in the Western Conference was just dominant as ever.
But you take look at their roster one through fifteen,
everybody's supporting each other. Everybody's going out there on a
(11:06):
nightly basis and making sure that they played the right
way on the defensive side of the basketball first and foremost,
and then on the offensive side of the basketball. When
you have Sga and Williams, they're just going out there
as a dynamic duo. And if somebody happens to shut
them down, they have Dort, they have Partnstein, They have
so many different threats out there. But because they're such
(11:26):
a young team and they're draft picks, they've built their
team the right way. And that's why when you come
back to the Wizards, you're kind of taking that same
ideology of trying to find a lot of young players
that play within the system, playing for each other. And
I think that if you're going through the NBA, it's
not just putting maybe three people on a team and
then oh we fill in the spots. Now, it's kind
(11:47):
of going through a full fifteen man roster of getting all, right,
who's going to be our guy that's going to pick
up ninety four feet, who's going to be our main
three point threat, who's going to be our point guard
finding and assisting everybody on the floor, and who's going
to be kind that blue guy in the locker room.
There's so many different options and availabilities on teams that
you have to make sure that you fill those voids
with the right people.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, and they're all important, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I mean, whether you look at the Dynasties, the thirty
for thirty episodes, the Jordan Arros, whatever, all those guys
from bj Arms strongest important as Scotty.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Wasn't that there?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
I mean, I mean honestly, I mean pick a center,
whether it's Luke Longley or any of those guys.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I mean, we all saw them.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You have to have those guys. We saw it through
the Spurs, the Lakers, three peats, all those different things.
There's always going to be a niken hal for ready
to spot from the corner for three yep or pick
up the fence.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
I'm more of the pick up ninety four feet, well,
actually not anymore. Maybe fifteen years ago I was picking
up ninety four feet, but not so much anymore.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Now.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
You did hear Jim's infamous story though high school?
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Right?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Didn't we talk about that last time?
Speaker 6 (12:48):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Go ahead, Jim.
Speaker 7 (12:50):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
My infamous story is that I was kind of an
end of the bench player at one point during my
high school illustrious career, and I went in a game
with like two minutes left and the other their team
was up by twenty twenty five points, and the coach
other for the other team just wanted to run out
the clock. So I just started following people because I
was like, I want to play. I don't want to
sit here and watch you just dribble. So Gus has
(13:12):
been on Gus has been on me ever since then,
calling me like the hatchet man.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
And they there is nothing wrong with that. You wanted
to get your opportunity.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
I wanted my job.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
They were trying to take it away from me.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yes, exactly exactly, Jason.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
If you're coaching, wouldn't you want that kind of tennacity,
that kind of it ain't over yet, It's not over
until you hear the horn.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
Well, and you got to take that literally because think
about the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
They've been down exactly fifteen.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
Points multiple times in this postseason and they've come back
to win games. So to see that hard, that desire
to fight until the last buzzer, that is a rarity
in the NBA. Now, if you can go out there
and get fifteen guys that'll do all the same thing
in that tenacity spectrum, that's a tough team to be I.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Wish the opposing crowd had seen it that way. This
was a road game for us, and mostly the result
was me getting heckled by the opposing fans saying, can
we please end this game?
Speaker 8 (14:07):
Why?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Why are you dragging this out? Idiots? You're gonna lose.
So anyways, I love it. Oh, I'm serious.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
I have respect for them for that.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
I love that, Jason. But we'll see what happens.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Man, I'm with you. I think it is exciting, though.
I think you will see, especially for your fans of
different teams. I like, at least you starting in September October,
and you got a shot, right draft well, play well, coach, well,
you have a shot as opposed to in years pass
Let's be honest, in October. You know it's going to
be two to four teams that are going to go
in there every year. So I think it's changing, and
(14:40):
I think that that's a good thing for the league.
If it's just me as we ramp up.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
No, I absolutely agree, because if you take a look
at some of the best teams in the league, they
kind of sputtered coming down towards the regular season and
going into the playoffs because it's tough to play an
eighty two game season, and then on top of that,
playoffs where everything ratchets up intensity wise, so you have
injuries and everybody's playing with bruises, and everybody's going out
there and trying to fight the best that they possibly can.
(15:05):
But if you have a bit of luck where you
can have that luxury of saying I don't have to
play just six, seven, eight guys in my rotation on
a nightly basis. If I can go deep into the
bench in the regular season, get them experience, kind of
figure out what I can really trust from them to
go out there and do, whether it's rebounding, shooting, intensity, fouls. Jim,
(15:26):
I think there's an opportunity for a lot of different
guys who go out there and find a niche on
a team.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
I love that excellent. Yes, I was the enforcer.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
That's important when you met me the first time, you
were like, this guy was definitely an enforcer.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
In intimidating and he came up to my waist.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
But he was intimidating, hated in one spot, loved in another.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Okay, so he loves them some Ludord right, Maybe not
so much here in New Orleans, but anyway, you know
how it works. So television analysts for the Washington Wizards,
mister Jason Smith, that's always a pleasure where we'll talk
to you during the season, Enjoy the draft, Enjoy the
rest of your summer.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
We'll see you then.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
Sounds good, thanks fellas.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
All right, Tom, now to continue getting you ready for
the NBA Draft. Don't forget the twenty fifth and twenty
sixth of June. It's Wednesday, Thursday, first round, second round.
Pell's the seventh pick overall, as Will Guilory from the
Athletic rejoins us again. Jim, I can offer to talk
about a couple of prospects here. We're going to talk
about Derek Queen and Diegor Demon here in the second
(16:22):
But Will Pell's made a move the week before the
NBA Draft that right now has them with an additional
first round pick. I guess let's kind of go over
what Joe Dumars and the staff have done.
Speaker 9 (16:35):
Yeah, they on they acquired Indiana's pick in twenty twenty
six as part of the Brandon Ingram trade, and they
ended up just trading that pick back to Indiana and
the Exchanus for Indiana's pick in this year's draft.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
Which is number twenty three.
Speaker 7 (16:51):
So now the Pelicans own the seventh and the twenty
third pick in this year's draft. And it's funny because
you know, this is the first time the Pels have
had multiple first round picks since the first year David Griffin.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
Came to town Right and Zion Williamson draft when they
had three first round picks that year.
Speaker 7 (17:08):
And I think it's a very similar notion here from
Joe Dumars to kind of start off his tenure by
building out the young foundation, bringing in his guys.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
We always talk about, you know, these execs.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
Bringing in players that will reflect how they want to play,
what they want the organization to look like. And I think,
you know, it was a pretty smart move by the
team to go get the twenty third pick, you know,
basically saying, hey, we will take the twenty third pick
now because in all likelihood, the Pacers are probably going
to have a worst pick than number twenty three next year, right,
So so why not just jump on the twenty third
pick now? They feel pretty good about this draft. We've
(17:42):
heard about them working out.
Speaker 6 (17:43):
Guys who are going to be in that twenty to
thirty range, So why not. I think it was a
pretty smart move by the Pedals.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Not going to ask you to predict who the twenty
third pick is going to be because that would be
virtually impossible, but with the range of guys that could
potentially go there. But I mean, who are some of
the names that you like in that part part of
the first round, maybe like in the twenties.
Speaker 7 (18:03):
Initially what I heard about the trade, I think two
names that popped in my head immediately were Walterer Clayton Junior,
but the point guard from Florida, obviously national champion, had
a huge run during the NCAA tournament. A guy who
can shoot the ball at an extremely high clip, really
talented player.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
I think, a guy who's being slept on the this
draft for sure.
Speaker 7 (18:25):
And also a guy Danny Wolf from Michigan, a big
guy who can play on the perimeter, can pass it
at high IQ.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
I'm a big fan of him and what he can
do to kind of fit in, especially with the Pelicans,
and you know.
Speaker 7 (18:40):
Wanting to have perimeter oriented Diggs to play next to
Zion Witz, and I think that'll be smart.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
I think, you know what those two guys have in
common in a few different.
Speaker 7 (18:49):
Guys in that twenty three range, Guys who have played
multiple years in college, Guys who are twenty one, two,
twenty three years old, and those are guys that we've
seen the Pelicans have success with in the past, right drafted.
Speaker 6 (19:01):
Guys like Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Naji Marshall, Jose Farado.
We can go down the list. They've done a really
good job of finding these guys.
Speaker 7 (19:08):
Who have some experience at the college level and they
kind of understand who these guys are, what that role
is going to be in the NBA.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
And I think that those are the type of guys
I will try to target, you know, in that that
twenty three range, somebody who you can bring in and
they know exactly who they are, how they can play
on this team, and you can.
Speaker 7 (19:26):
Find some some you know, additional depth, because I think
that's what this team is kind of missing right now,
those guys who could come up the bitch that can
give them a lot of minutes.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
For the two players that we're going to talk about today,
I guess we can start with Derek Queen. He's definitely
not a player that has any chance, based on the
mock drafts, to fall, you know, too far down the
first round. He's definitely not going to be still on
the board when we get to the twenties. Right now,
NBA dot Com has him as the ninth pick in
their consensus mock draft. What do you see from him
(19:56):
in terms of how this guy has become somebody who
it looks like most people are projecting is going to
be in the single digit somewhere of the draft.
Speaker 6 (20:06):
Yeah, I've just mentioned that before.
Speaker 7 (20:07):
A perimeter oriented big right, a guy who feels comfortable
playing at the three point line. But I think he's
not like a guy who's going to stand out there
and chuck up a whole bunch of threes. I think
will makes him so interesting is that he's got a
really good hand though, he's got good feel, you know,
moving through traffic.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
He's kind of got that dancing bare field to him.
He'll kind of step through the lane, euros, spin moves.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
Hook shots where he can kind of you know, he'll
start with the ball on the perimeter and work his
way in the basket. And he's just really smart about
the way he moves, how he can play in space,
how you can take advantage of bigs who are running
at him. I really like his overall game. I don't
think he's much of a defender. I don't know if
he's going to be a guy who's going to be
a starting center on the team that has a really
(20:49):
good defense. But I think you know, with today's NBA
and you see all of these big guys with all
of these different skill sets, I think he brings a unique,
you know, kind of approach at the sid in a position,
a guy who can attack the basket, who can plan
pick and roll, play Joel handoff, and just feel really
comfortable out there.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
I think that's where a lot of people you see are.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
Falling in love with him, because as that three point
shot improves, he's going to be an even bigger threat
out there.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
A lot of people have talked about from the things
that I've read and what you just talked discussed a
little bit too is the versatility that he has offensively.
I think one of the things I noticed on the
video of him that I didn't realize until I started
watching a little bit more is what kind of a
passer he is. It seems like he just has kind
of that international, big guy feel for the game.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
As well.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
As we get into some of the projections or pro
comparisons for him, we'll see one of the names on
this list fits that description very well, as far as Elpera.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
And Shan Goon.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
Some of the other names that I saw were nasried
Andre Blatch, DeMarcus Cousins, and Zach Randolph.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Which of those comparisons do you like the most for
Derek Queen?
Speaker 7 (22:01):
Yeah, I mean, you know, I'm gonna be a caricature
of myself at all times. Jimmy, So I got to
break it to my guy Boogie Cousins.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
I would say, he's, uh, he's these DeMarcus Cousins minus
the Puerto Rico, Madison, the Palace on on this time.
Speaker 10 (22:16):
But nah, I think he's I think obviously Boogie had
more of an explosive offensive game, right Boodie was a
guy who could make five threes in the game, or
he can get fifty by scoring in the post.
Speaker 7 (22:26):
I don't know if Derek Queen to be that guy.
I don't see kind of all star potential in his future.
I think Andre Blatch is another interesting comparison for him.
Like I said, a guy who could just you know,
play with the ball on the perimeter, could get to
the basket, great shots for himself.
Speaker 6 (22:41):
And like Jim said, had was really good vision.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Can see guys can pass the ball, can you know,
make those bounce passes, all back cuts, find guys in
the corners. I think he's a guy, you know, he
has a very unique style of playoffin you got to
find the right type of teammates to work with him.
Speaker 6 (22:57):
Uh, you know, play with guards who are willing to
give a the ball right. A lot of these guys in.
Speaker 7 (23:01):
The league are very bald dominant, and I don't think
he'll fit in that type of system where he's just
standing and watching a guy like Luka Doncis or somebody
like that. But I think, you know, if you give
him the freedom to kind of do his thing, I
think he can bring a lot to your offense. And
I kind of wrote about this, you know, in reference
to the Pelicans potentially looking at Kaman Malo watch.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
I think Derrek Queen is another very interesting.
Speaker 7 (23:24):
Guy in this draft because of the new dynamic in
the league where so many teams are playing double bigs, right,
and we saw that a good amount last year with
the Pels after they got Kelley Olennon.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
And I think Derek Queen is a guy who.
Speaker 7 (23:36):
Would be an amazing fit in a double big scenario
where he can play next to somebody like he brought
up in name Alpharn Shanhun. He Uston had a lot
of success this year playing Shanghom next to Steven Adams
because Steven Adams did a lot of the dirty work
and allowed Shangoon to be that offensive dynamo.
Speaker 6 (23:53):
And I think Queen would really excel if he can
find a situation like that.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Any Pelicans comparisons that.
Speaker 7 (23:59):
You like, Yeah, I mean we already threw the Boogie
one out there for sure, and I think, you know,
I think it fits really well.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
And you know, it's funny when I was watching him,
this is at the Pelicans guy, but I.
Speaker 7 (24:12):
Think when you see him moving around on the court,
it kind of streams Carl Anthony.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
Towns in my head.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
For whatever reason, yeah, I don't think he's as talented
as Carlo Anthony Townesen.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
I think just the way he moves on the court
reminds me a lot of Cat with the long strides, his.
Speaker 7 (24:27):
Ability to finish up the rim with both hands and
throw some hook shots. I think that's the type of
guy you think of, the guy who's facing the basket,
can attack off the dribble, you know, get those angles
on bigger, slower guys, and I think, you know, that's
the dynamic he brings.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
You know, there was another name that I left off
because I didn't want to step on your toes if
this was the name that you went with. But I
actually saw a website or to specifically say David West
for the comparison for Dry Queen as well, which I
thought was interesting.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
Yeah, really good one.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
I think I think that the I need to see,
you know, a little bit more with Queen as far
as being more consistent with that jump shot. I think
fans nick of David West, we think of that eighteen
foot the elbow jump right, It was like automatic with
the West. I think that's the next step in Queen's
game where he's got to be a reliable jump shooter
and that's where it opens up everything else for him.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
But I like that one for sure. And I think
again when we talked about.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
The US pure power forward, right, and I think with Queen,
I think the thing for him is kind of figuring
out that four or five, you know, where he kind
of fits in that scenario and where he kind of
can be the best.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
I think that's gonna be the real test for whoever drafts.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Let's move to Yegor Demon.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
I remember when we spoke to you earlier in this series,
you talked about how, among maybe some of the players
that are projected to go in the top half of
the lottery, that Ace Bailey was maybe one of the
more polarizing guys. Seems to me from what I'm reading,
if you look at the back half of the lottery,
it seems like Demon kind of fits that category as well.
(25:59):
As far as somebody that there's very wide opinions on
his projection for the NBA and what his potential is.
What do you think are some of the reasons if
you can explain to people why there might be kind
of just a lot of different opinions on him.
Speaker 7 (26:13):
Yeahs Ian, because some folks will tell you you might
have a chance to get him at twenty three rather
than taking him at seven.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Ye some people are.
Speaker 7 (26:21):
Kind of down on him, and you kind of see
him just all over the place on some of these
draft boards, and I think, you know, he's one of
those guys who's a big point guard, got great vision,
can really pass the ball.
Speaker 6 (26:32):
But you know, whenever we.
Speaker 7 (26:33):
Talk about these guys who can handle the ball in
today's NBA, big shocker, it's the question is can he
shoot the ball?
Speaker 6 (26:39):
And I think that's the number one thing with a
gor Damon is can he shoot the ball? Can he
consistently make shots? Is he a threat off the ball?
And I think the thing with him that was frustrating
at times is not necessarily can he shoot the ball?
Speaker 7 (26:51):
Will he shoot the ball? And I think his lack
of aggression as we stood out the most to me
watching him at BYU. They had to be so many
games where he would have like four or five shots,
he would have like eight or nine points. And you know,
earlier draft process, this is a guy who people were
consistently projecting as a top ten pick. Yeah, and you
know I was always and you know Jim has messed
this on the show before whenever those guys you see
(27:12):
these names of the top ten, I try to keep.
Speaker 6 (27:14):
An eye on throughout the course of the college basketball season.
Speaker 7 (27:16):
So you know, I was watching BYU games last year
and a lot of times you would turn on the
BYU game and you will see two or three guys
who were like putting up buckets and none of them
were agor Damon. And he was the guy who was
this lottery projected pick. You know, a nineteen year old,
a lot of hype around him, and I think that's
the big thing.
Speaker 6 (27:34):
For him is what type of aggression he's going to
play within the NBA.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
You know, at BYU, he was around some older guys,
they had a talented roster. Obviously they had a pretty
decent runner and see a tournament, so you can understand
him coming as a younger guy wanting to defer a
little bit.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
But I think when you come to the NBA, you're
a guy who was wanting to play with the ball.
Speaker 7 (27:55):
You got to be a threat, and I think it's
very difficult to be an on ball guy. Can sisterly
and allow one of teams to go under screens or
putting bigger guys on you where you can't take an
advantage of it.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
His passing is definitely the thing that is discussed the
most as far as a strength and a positive in
his game. That stands out, I think as well in
the video when you watch him, he seems more like
a traditional point guard who's kind of seeing the floor
and trying to get other people involved.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
When I go through the.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
Comparison comparisons of veteran players in the NBA, I kind
of had to laugh because it's such a strange collection.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Of players if you look at it.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
I mean, for one thing, he has the distinction I
think of being the first player I've ever seen where
one of the pro comparisons is sphe Mahailuk. That's just
not a name that you see very often. But the
other guys that I saw listed were It was difficult
really to find a lot of comparisons for him because
there are a lot of them were Josh Giddy. I
(28:56):
saw some that were Anthony Black, and then I saw
one or two that were Joe Well. But among that
group of four guys, which ones do you think stood
stands out to you?
Speaker 8 (29:06):
I think Giddy is the one that you're kind of
hoping he can project out with me, and I think
with Giddy when you saw him come into the league,
he still play with a level of aggression where the
jump shot wasn't there, but he was getting to the
paint consistently.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
And that's one of the things that's the strength of
Giddy's game, where he knows how to use his body.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
He can use his shoulder to get in the guys
get into the paint and he's spraying out to the perimeter.
I think that's always been the strength of Giddy's game. Obviously,
he's a great passer, and I think that's what you
want to see out of Damon, even if it's not
a high volume three point guy, just being more aggressive
than the way he plays the game. And I think
that's the thing that I'm always going to bring up
(29:44):
with him.
Speaker 6 (29:45):
It's not necessarily can he shoot, as will he shoot?
That's what I'm always saying about.
Speaker 7 (29:49):
Him, And I think that's a real concern for some
teams bringing in a younger guy who wants the ball.
Speaker 6 (29:55):
Can you really depend on him? And if not, you know,
what do you really have in that guy?
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Right?
Speaker 6 (29:59):
What role can he he really play? If he's not
a guy who's gonna have the ball.
Speaker 7 (30:02):
And I think that was kind of what led to
Josh Gedy being moved away from Oklahoma City because they
had other guys that needed the ball, right They got
Brian Williams and Go get forty and games by the
NBA Finals, So we don't have time to be given
the ball to Josh Getty all the time, right, And
I think that's that's the question about Igle is like
how much can a team really give him the ball?
I feel like they're producing good offense all the time.
(30:27):
I think that's gonna be a real question.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Yeah, I mean you're right in okay See clearly needed
more guys that were just spot up shooters that could
play off the ball. And when they are, when those
guys are rolling, Okay See is pretty much unbeatable. When
they have the Cason Wallace's and the lou Dort's knocking
down threes. Any Pelicans comparison, there's actually a guy that
he demon reminds me a little bit of. But I'm
(30:50):
curious to see if you pick the same name from
Pelicans history.
Speaker 7 (30:56):
I really thought hard about this one, and there was
the name that immediately jump into my head, but I
felt bad about it, and I'm gonna just go ahead
and say it.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
I think he reminds me a lot of to my
Sanaransky out of the league.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:10):
Yeah, uh. And and I think the Pelas fans have
very bad memories of the.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Yeah, his Pelicans.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
His Pelican stint was his worst NBA stint of the
different teams they played for by far.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
Yeah. I think people I.
Speaker 7 (31:25):
Think the difference is I think Star is probably a
better athlete than dam Man. I think people forget Saturnski
had some crazy dunks. You know, the early in isreal.
Speaker 6 (31:32):
Who was playing for the Wizards and the Bulls. Ye,
he's not them, is not quite that explosive.
Speaker 7 (31:38):
But I think that's what you're looking at as a
as a big guard who can make plays, get.
Speaker 6 (31:42):
Into the paint, you know, find shooters on the primer.
That's what you really want. Uh. The issue with Sataraanski
is like what we've been talking about. I think that
you know, I was got the guy.
Speaker 7 (31:51):
Consistently tweeting SATURASKI was here in New Orleans. He was
one of the top guys in the NBA with minutes
play and Hewitts field goal attempts, right, And I think
that's where you get con learned about these guys where
they can kind of get lost in the shuffle. If
you're not a consistent on ball guy, or you're not
a consistent three point shooting guy, then who are you?
Speaker 6 (32:08):
And today in the NBA, I.
Speaker 7 (32:09):
Think that's gonna be a big thing for any of
these guards coming in. You got to really establish what
your role is going to be.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
You know, It's interesting.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
I feel like Sataranski came through here at the almost
the exact time too, where the guys who don't attack
all as point guard that just try to distribute and
aren't perceived as a threat or aren't guarded that closely.
That was kind of the point of the NBA where
it started to become a lot bigger of a problem
in terms of those guys aren't.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
As playable as they used to be.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
But quickly the name that I actually thought of a
little bit, and this guy's bigger than the player i'm
gonna mention, but I thought of Gravis Vasquez a little
bit in terms of just that distributing point guard.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
He's pretty methodical.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
I think demon is more is definitely more athletic than
Graves was, but maybe just kind of he reminds me
of him a little bit in terms of his approach
of just that he's he's not looking for his shot
as much. He's a lot more trying to get people
other guys involved in just scanning the floor. Just that
old school point guard.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
Yeah, they kind of listed your point that you know,
we really don't see that archetype of point guard in
the NBA as much like we don't see the Rondo's
or you know, the Andre Millers or these type of guys.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
It's a different type of league now.
Speaker 7 (33:23):
We see guards, you know, with a different level of
explosion as far as being able to produce offensively. So
I think it's gonna be interesting to see how agor
kind of fit it fits in today's NBA. But I think,
you know, this is similar to the conversation we had
when we talk about Jeremiah Fears on the pod right
where you don't see many guys like that in today's NBA.
So I think with any of these guys coming in,
(33:46):
I think there's gonna be an interesting chalte sort of
just to figure out, you know, what they can do
to be productive in today's NBA, able to way the
game is played now.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
Yeah, our guy Alfred Payton is also trying to keep
that prototype in the league and did a good job
the season when he had chances to play of being
that past first guy that.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
That I love to watch, you know.
Speaker 6 (34:04):
Will.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
One of the things that I thought was interesting in
hearing you and Andrew go over these prospects during our
exercise here of getting Pels fans ready for the NBA Draft,
is I feel it's a two parter.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
First, do you feel like me? I think at seven the.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Very least, there's gonna be a good player, there's gonna
be a player that can come in and help the Pelicans.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Would you agree with that?
Speaker 6 (34:28):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 7 (34:29):
Maybe I think here's maybe not as much year one,
but I think I'm with you that they're gonna get
somebody good at seven. I would say, in the top
seven or eight prospects in those draft and you feel
pretty good about you to any of those.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
Ass I guess the reason I feel that way is
right because Jim, but we all felt it after the lottery,
Like I don't know if people were hoping to be
up in the top but you know, you hear seven, Oh, no,
one's gonna get so I guess it's been a not
even a pleasant surprise, but just it's good to hear
people that watch games have followed these PROCs are talking
(35:01):
to people in around the league at the combine. What
they've seen is that you're going to get an NBA
player or a guy that may project to at least
be able to help you.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
So that's good.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
The other thing I find interesting too in doing this process, Will,
is this Dallas, San Antonio, Philly, Charlotte, Utah, Washington, New
Orleans at your top seven, we know this five of
those seven though, when they playoff teams just a year
or season ago, and injuries kind of the reason why
they're picking where they are right now. So I find
it interesting because to me, one of my themes is fit.
(35:32):
I's what's crazy about this draft is other than one
and two. From that point on, it's that team fit
and what guys going to fit with them with a
team that primarily has a playoff caliber roster.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
Right perhaps, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (35:50):
I no doubt.
Speaker 7 (35:51):
And I think you know, we talked so much during
a series about you know, comparing these teams and wanting
to shape your decisions around what we've seen from Oklahoma
City and in the Indiana pacers right and learning from
what these teams have done to get to this point.
And I think one of the big things we talked
about previously is that these teams have an established identity.
Right when the Pachers going to the draft, they know
(36:12):
what type of player they want, When the Thunder going
to the draft, they know what type of player they want,
They know what type of skill set, how those guys
are going.
Speaker 6 (36:19):
To play within their system.
Speaker 7 (36:21):
I think that's gonna be the big question when you're
talking about these teams who are not consistently playoff teams that.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
Are in the top five, where they talk about Washington
or Utah and New Orleans.
Speaker 7 (36:30):
That's about being able to bring in guys who can
help you establish what the identity is going to look
like going forward, How are your team is going to play,
how are these.
Speaker 6 (36:39):
Guys going to fit in?
Speaker 7 (36:40):
And that's when you can start talking about being like
Indiana building depth, because I think that's going to be
the goal for a lot of these teams. Where in
the previous decade, I think a lot of teams are
talking about we got to get a start, we gotta
get a start, we gotta get a star. And I
think in the next decade, we're going to hear a
lot of teams talking about we got to get some depth.
We got to get a seventh, eighth, ninety nine that
we feel good about throughout the course.
Speaker 6 (36:59):
Of the season where we can last because I think
the pace of the.
Speaker 7 (37:03):
Game is play that now, the speed that the guys
are playing, with the defensive intensity on certain nights, it's
very hard to just put that on one or two.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
Guys every single night and expect them to be at
that level through June.
Speaker 7 (37:16):
And I think as great as shait Gilgs as Alexander
and then and they put a whole lot on his shoulders.
You saw the reason that they're on the version of
one of the NBA Finals right now is because Jayleen
Williams are about forty in Game five, right and you
need to be able to just lean on other guys.
It can't just be your stars, and you need to
be able to establish an identity where everything comes together.
And I think that's going to be the really interesting
(37:38):
thing about the Pelicans, what they do with seven or
twenty three is how Joe Dumars guys lays out what
he wants that identity and look like at the start
of this tenure. I think, you know, it's one of
the more fascinating things going.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
Into this draft.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Somewhere right now, my dad is doing a tiger Wood
Sunday fist bump as to or fist pump. Well, based
off what you said, it almost seems like teams get
this will have to build a basketball team again.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Imagine that instead of just the Big three or something
in a nature.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I'm with you. I just think with the CBA and
all that, Jim and I have talked a lot about
this over this process as well, you need guys that
can come in and help. I mean, whether it's injury,
whether it's the CBA, you're gonna have to have a
handful of guys that can come in and play basketball
on a game in, game out basis.
Speaker 6 (38:25):
Sue doubt.
Speaker 7 (38:26):
That's the way the game is now, and that's the
way the CBA. It's forcing you to build out. And
I think a huge stick for all of these teams
is being able to hit on these draft picks right
because these are guys who are coming in on cheaper.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
Contracts, the younger players, you can develop them.
Speaker 7 (38:41):
So I think the stress now is higher than ever
to make the right picks with these draft picks to
bring in the right type of guys, to put them
in the system that can bring the best out of them,
because if you don't, then you're kind of searching a
run in the free agent pool trying.
Speaker 6 (38:56):
To find guys. And I think that's gonna be more
difficult than ever because riggs, you don't hit the same
way you see a decade ago.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Yeah, it's also non existent this year.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 7 (39:05):
I mean we're all going to be watching the free
agency so in a couple of weeks and it's they'll
be like, hey man, yeah, Myles Turner has already gone,
Lebron just resigned.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Resigned.
Speaker 7 (39:15):
There's gonna be a whole lot of resign Yeah, because
you know, really, the way you make moves in today's
NBA is do trades in the draft. That's how you
build up your roster. And again I'm gonna go back
to the finals, look at how those teams are built.
It was pretty much trades in the draft.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
And I think that's where the pressure on your front
office in really rises. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
I think some of these four hour shows that NBA
TV and ESPN have scheduled for you know, July first,
or June thirtieth to night before are going to be
three hours and forty five minutes of trade rumors and
discussions about that, so, which is fine. I think people
are excited to just see some some some moves and
some splashes, which I think we've already seen one of
them happen, and I'm sure there'll be more. So it's
(39:57):
going to be interesting, even if free agency definitely is
kind of a dormant thing now where it's like teams
don't even let their big, huge, superstar guys go into
free agency. It's like when you have one year left,
you're kind of either extending or getting traded.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
At this point. So that's where we're at as far
as it's not the same.
Speaker 4 (40:14):
As it used to be when we saw the decision
and some of the other huge Kevin Durant saying it's
my time.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
And stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
And here's the other thing, guys, it's not guarantee that
that's going to work, right, I would say, I would
say is of late a lot of the quote unquote
bigger trades, bigger moves, it didn't result into championships.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Yeah, the guy will be.
Speaker 7 (40:35):
Hearing about a lot over the next couple of days.
Kevin Durant, right, huge trade a couple of years ago,
so Phoenix pulling them in. We were talking about them
as a potential, you know, contender in the West, and
it was a big old dud right in the al
Phoenix and Scrambling where a lot of people are complimenting
them for pulling out that Durant trade a couple of
years ago. So you're right, it's a huge risk whenever
you kind of jump into that pool and if it
(40:57):
doesn't work, it sets you back a couple of years.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
It's funny too that you know, Game six is Thursday
night as we record this. If you think about it,
the probably the biggest move related to Oklahoma City if
they win the championship is going to be a free
agency slash trade that happened involving Paul George, where you know,
Oklahoma City wasn't even the prominent part of that move,
(41:20):
but they end up getting SGA as a result of it.
So it is funny how the way things work out
that it just doesn't. It doesn't always seem like it
ends the way that it's going to that you expected
to be. And I think that's a perfect example of
that as well.
Speaker 6 (41:33):
Yeah, for sure. What the Paul George also helped build
the paces record. Then Paul George got traded from.
Speaker 7 (41:40):
Indy as part of the deal that bron in Sibonis
and then he turned around a trade in Sabonis.
Speaker 6 (41:46):
For Tyre's Halliberg.
Speaker 7 (41:48):
So yeah, shout out to Paul George for helping us
get this great NBA if I've been a great NBA final,
So shout out to Paul George. And I would also
say a new key part about these NBA free agencies.
Speaker 6 (41:58):
So as a parent, not what do you talk about
crime rates in certain cities? Oh? Yeah, that's important. Shout
out shut out for you know, really listening up the discourse.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
Yeah, I'll end on this.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
It's been a fun, you know, kind of exercise here
to get ready for the draft.
Speaker 3 (42:15):
Jim pop quiz for you. My kid gets it every
now and ready pop Quiz.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
I really loved what you did with the player comps
when he comes to the Pelicans and Hornets back in
the day. Uh, we've heard Vasquez his name a couple
of times. Will Gillery, known as a spot up shooter,
likes to shoot beyond the arc.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
Give me a Pelicans comp Will Gillory. Wow, talk about
putting me on the spot.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
Talk about you know, I've only seen tape of Will Gillery,
so I'm going to use that as a little bit
of excuse. But what do you think will final season?
What about instinct? What about instant grits?
Speaker 6 (42:53):
Is that is that? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (42:54):
What about Jim or for debt?
Speaker 7 (42:58):
I would say more Jimmer then insta grits because you're
not gonna see me dribbling a whole lot.
Speaker 6 (43:04):
Was a guy who can mix and plays all so much.
Speaker 7 (43:08):
Okay, I'm a big fan of the lack of passes
from mister Gris. Definitely Willy a passing.
Speaker 3 (43:15):
Okay, So yeah, I'm not mad at that.
Speaker 7 (43:17):
When a mix of between Jimmer, a little bit of
a little bit of Crawford. Okay, maybe I'm not mad
at paigea bad back pager.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
Can't move around us.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
That's what I was thinking of.
Speaker 7 (43:30):
Some Will Guillery in there. Yeah, not not playing a
whole lot of defense on this end. So yeah, I
think that's a pretty good cup.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Okay, Well, I'll tell you what. We see him occasionally.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
We will see him obviously during the draft, but we
will do our best and feel free if you see
me and Jim kind of talking and Joe dumars his
head shaking left or right furiously, it's us asking if
we can get the basketball games going again, walk up
and then we'll pile on.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
You know, we'll be able. Look, here's Will. Will wants
to play. Well, we'll try to.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Get these games going against we can, so Jim can
actually see you in person.
Speaker 4 (44:01):
I think we need to work on the sales pitch
here a little bit, guys, But but I like where
you're going with that.
Speaker 1 (44:05):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (44:06):
Yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 5 (44:07):
Man, all right?
Speaker 2 (44:08):
Man, Will as always, Yep, we appreciate the time, and
we will see you soon. Thank you so much, man
for helping Pels fans and us especially me to find
out who these guys are and what could be out
there when the Pels stilect now at seven and at
twenty three.
Speaker 6 (44:24):
Thank you, Man, Appreciate you guys, all.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Right, thanks to Jason Smith and Will Gillery. All right, Jim,
all that remains now is the NBA draft. Of course,
we're going to talk a little bit about that right
before we get going and in afterwards to break this down.
But I guess let's just do this quick to wrap
up and we'll talk more in detail as we get
closer and after the draft. But do you feel better
from when we first started this, before we started looking
(44:46):
at Dallas? At least, I do, like I didn't know.
Let's be honest, it was a downer, right. I mean,
I'm not saying you probably wanted flag or getting in it,
but when the lottery happens in your seventh you're like, okay,
after that season, let's just be honest, right. But I
feel like at least there's going to be a player
that maybe some fans may like and has a shot.
Speaker 3 (45:05):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 4 (45:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (45:06):
No, I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (45:06):
And I think as we've gotten closer to the draft,
it's kind of crystallized for me that the lottery was
really about the top two spots.
Speaker 3 (45:14):
It feels like after that.
Speaker 4 (45:16):
From three through I don't know, eight or nine, it's
not that much of a difference. It does seem like
the Mavericks and the Spurs pulled off a huge coupe
by being in those top two spots, But I don't
think that there's necessarily a huge difference after that. Obviously,
the Sixers were fired up because they got the third pick,
and there was a possibility that they wouldn't have a
pick at all, so that was a massive victory as well.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
So but yeah, back to your.
Speaker 4 (45:42):
Main point, I think we've seen, as we've looked into
some of these draft picks that the chances of get
somebody that you can really be excited about going into
next season is pretty high. And also I want to
mention too before we go that Tuesday, we will have
a draft preview roundtable that will feature Andrew Lopez.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
And John de chaz Are.
Speaker 4 (46:00):
Both of those gentlemen have confirmed that they will be available,
so be ready for that on Tuesday, the day before
Wednesday's first round of the draft.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Sounds good as always, appreciate you for tuning us in
and let's see what takes place. The NBA Draft is
right around at the corner. Thank you as always for
listening to the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (46:20):
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 offer
(46:40):
and Gcat Underscore seventeen. We'll see you next time, right
here on the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans, a podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who cover the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hell, everybody, welcome to New Orleans Pelicans podcaster for some
podcasts of your New Orleans Pelicans. Get you ready for
the NBA Draft, which is next week Wednesday, Round one Thursday,
Round two. Jamike and offer goes Kat and goe with you.
We got a fun show lined up for you. Well, Gill,
who's gonna talk about a pair of prospects for you
here as well, Derrek Queen and Yegor Demon.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I think is I say? I believe that's correct.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
I believe so, although I think when you hear when
I hear the episode, you're gonna hear Will and I
both use multiple pronunciations.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So whatever you want, whatever your preferences, that's how it works.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
The other thing is, as well, we're going to talk
to Jason Smith, former Pells player, now part of the
Washington Wizards television studio. He's an analyst. He's incredible. It's
going to kind of tell you maybe what Washington's trying
to do. And Jim, we've talked about this before. It's
a very interesting first seven, right. Utah and Washington are
(01:26):
not teams that have been contending or pushing for a
play in spot or a playoffs spot.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Charlotte too, probably put they made the plan a couple
of years ages.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
But for the most part, everybody else has a star
or two or have been in the playoffs. Dallas was
in the finals the year before injuries affected AT I
would put the Pels in there as well. Washington's different, right,
it had Briley Beale, he finally moved on. They're trying
to find an identity, a star, a face of the franchise,
things of that nature. So it is interesting to look
(01:58):
at Dan when you look at Washington, where they are
in the East and overall in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
How do you summarize them.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah, I think they're just going to try to compile
as much talent as they can and figure out how
it all fits together later. But I think their number
one mission right now is to just get some foundation pieces.
I don't think they necessarily have one guy that you
can say like, Okay, this is the guy that we're
going to build around.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But they might be able to.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Get that in the draft, and I think they if
there is somebody at six when their turn comes up
that they see as a pillar to the future, I
think that'll be the guy that they take.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
But yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Interesting just as we head into the draft next week
that obviously people are going to keep a close eye on,
you know, Utah's pick and fifth, Washington's pick and six,
So which players are those two teams going to take?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
And then that'll leave what's available for the Pelicans obviously
at seven.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
All right, here's our conversation with Jason Smith, and then
we will chat with Will Gillery right here in the
New Orleans Pelicans podcast. All Right, we have gotten down
to the final team before the New Orleans Pelicans select
at least first in the first round, as they have
two first round picks. As we get closer to the
NBA Draft on a twenty fifth and twenty six, the
(03:08):
Washington Wizards have the six pick in the first round.
Mister Jason Smith, it's the infamous, the famous, the all knowing, every.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Legendary I would say.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Legendary Jason Smith from Back in the Day, now part
of their television broadcast here as well, joins us. He
joined us during the season last year, and always a
pleasure to see you.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
How are you.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
I'm doing good. I'm enjoying summertime. The kids have yet
to get out of school, to get them one more
day and then it's going to be a lot of
fun and sun in the pool.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I tell you, people down here don't realize I'm from
New York. They don't realize the school year as much
later up in the North and the mid Atlantic than
it is down here. I mean, they've been out of
school for weeks at this point down here, So there
you go.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Yeah, if my kids could actually get out of school
at that time, they'd have a blast. But we have
one more day. It's going to be a very long summer,
hopefully fun in the sun and I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Excellent.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
You know, we're we brought you in to talk about
the Wizards, obviously, I guess we could start with you know,
they're coming off a season where they won eighteen games.
The season before that was fifteen wins. They're kind of
at the very initial stages of a rebuild. What was
the what was your maybe your biggest takeaway from this
past season in terms of the development that they're that
(04:20):
they're going through right now with their young guys.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
Well, first you said fifteen games last season, which was
not fun to watch, but then coming off of this
season eighteen games, Hey, you're saying there's room for improvement.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Definitely.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
It is one of those years though that it was
a struggle to kind of figure out what's going on
with the team, what's going on with the organization. But
taking a positive out of it, a lot of the
young guys got an opportunity to play out there, and
you got to see a lot of them going into
the Rising Stars Challenge for All Star Week. But that
was because they had the opportunity to go out there
and show themselves improve themselves. So with this young core group,
(04:55):
I think they're going to add another piece coming into
this draft to add on to that core group and
hopefully build and grow together as the years come along.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
What did you see from I mean, there were not
many teams in the league that played rookies as much
as they did.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I know that that was kind of the plan going
in though that they were going to try to get
as much experience.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
As they could for their rookies.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Between Alex Sar, Bob Carrington, and Keishawn George, I mean,
what were some of the things that you saw from
them that were encouraging in their first season in the league.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Well, you take it from every perspective. Every single one
of them made for progress as the season went along.
Alex Sar, he came into the league, he had a
struggle going into summer League. He was a little bit
of a wild card, but at the number two pick,
you knew that he was going to get plenty of
opportunities to go out there and play on the floor.
A guy that really surprised me was Bob Carrington. Coming
out of Pittsburgh. He was known as having that competitive,
(05:46):
fighting spirit and he showed nothing but the same when
he got to the league. And to see him go
out there and have success and compete for minutes, whether
it was starting or coming off the bench. There was
a lot of fluid lineups out there, but he excelled
in every part of the game, whether it was coming
off the bench, being ready, engaged in defensive assignments, making
(06:06):
sure not to be two star struck even he was
very candid in his interviews, which as media people we
absolutely appreciate. He was going out there against his star
and his idol, Kyrie Irving, and we even got some
miked up moments of him saying, oh my gosh, it's
so nice to meet you. But that's the of being
a rookie. Now he's past that, he's gotten that experience.
He's not gonna have to worry about that next year,
(06:28):
and that's something that you look forward to. But also
Keishaan George, he was kind of the wild card of
the Washington Wizards because whenever he got out there, he
made it look so easy. He was very smooth. It
didn't look like he was trying very hard. Now, Brandon,
in the beginning parts of the season, he struggled with
this shot, as any rookie or any young player might
occur in their first year. But as he got more
(06:50):
and more reps, he knew that the coaching staff believed
in the players, believed in his teammates, the front office,
and he ran with it, and you know what, he
had a lot of success. Got snub for the Rising
Stars game, but then got in because somebody was injured,
so It just shows you when you're given opportunity. This
front office has hit on the picks that they've had
so far, and hopefully they can continue to grow for
(07:11):
years to come.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You just mentioned the front office.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I think maybe for people who don't closely follow the Wizards,
they might not necessarily be aware that we're talking about
a group of guys that have a Oklahoma City background,
that that's where they came from. I mean, in general terms,
is that kind of what the plan is to try
to do. I mean, obviously you want the success that
the thunder have, but is it going to be kind
of that process where it's like you're building through the draft.
(07:34):
You're probably going to try to make some other moves
too here and there, but really it's going to just
be about being patient and not rushing things.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
I think so. I think they're doing a great job
of being patient with the young guys, giving them opportunity
to go out there and play, but also going into
the draft making sure to get a yet another young
talented player. I mean, they were one of the worst
teams in the league last year. They were expecting to
be maybe a top three pick that didn't pan out
the way they expected. But you roll with the punches.
(08:02):
They have a number six pick. There's a lot of
opportunities for a lot of different players. Now when you
go out there and you have the top three, things
have kind of been mixed up a little bit in
the last week or two of figuring out who's going
to go top ten, who's going to go top five? Obviously,
I think we know the top one, two, possibly three,
but after that it's kind of you have a plethora
(08:22):
of different players that could go in any different position.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Last thing, for me, I was wondering, I'm not sure
how much you've been able to drill down on, you know,
a lot of the first round picks and some of
these guys that are expected to go pretty high. But
I was wondering, who is the Jason Smith of this
year's draft last time? Who's the guy that reminds you
the most of your game? Is there a smooth, shooting,
(08:46):
big guy out there that just nails eighteen footers all night?
Speaker 5 (08:49):
And you know what, I can't even answer that because
I've been so focused on the top six picks to try.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
And figurestandable understandable.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
Yeah, I would have to, you know, I would love
to say Cooper flag. But he is much better than
I was just going all over the place. I mean,
he's got a lot more talent than I ever had.
But I have no idea this year's draft who might
be the next Jason Smith. That's a great question. I
have to think about that and get back to you
on that.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Maybe, Yeah, maybe next time we talk to you, maybe
maybe later in the offseason, or maybe when we talk
to you during the season next year, you'll be able
to say, Hey, I watched.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
This rookie class. Yeah, and this is the Jason Smith
that I have.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Like, Hey, Jim, I remember that question you asked me.
I didn't have the answer.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Then you got the answer that, Yeah, you know a
lot to like it.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Along the lines of what Jim is saying to Jason,
I think one of the things that I've learned, I
guess there was process too. And as we've watched the
playoffs this year and watched the two teams in the
finals this year, whether it's the new CBA, whether it's
whatever it is, that the league's full of trending, I
almost feel like you need to really pay attention to
the drafts. It's almost coming back to you, Hey, you're
(09:54):
gonna have to build basketball teams again.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
It's it's not two or three guys that.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Can carry Hey, We'll just put Jimmy on the rest
of the team and everybody else can do it.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Whether it's the injuries, don't everyone work, No, Ryan, I
mean you need you need bench guys, you need guys
that could come in. It's a long season. But you're
seeing that and I kind of love that. You know.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
It's like my dad's older than me. I turned fifty,
so Kay gives you any where he's at, and he's
like all these threes and it's all this. I'm like, Dad,
it's coming, it's coming back. Because the importance of building
a team, first round, second round players that come in
through free agency, don't you feel, Jason, to guys like
you and other guys are becoming as important has that
(10:34):
ever been if not? Hey, just because you're not the
top three, in the top six, you're probably not going
to win a championship unless you have guys later on.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
You absolutely are correct. And you look at the two
teams that are in the finals with Indiana and Oklahoma City,
those are teams that people didn't necessarily actually two small
market teams. Indiana wasn't necessarily supposed to be in the finals. Now,
Oklahoma City in the Western Conference was just dominant as ever.
But you take look at their roster one through fifteen,
everybody's supporting each other. Everybody's going out there on a
(11:06):
nightly basis and making sure that they played the right
way on the defensive side of the basketball first and foremost,
and then on the offensive side of the basketball. When
you have Sga and Williams, they're just going out there
as a dynamic duo. And if somebody happens to shut
them down, they have Dort, they have Partnstein, They have
so many different threats out there. But because they're such
(11:26):
a young team and they're draft picks, they've built their
team the right way. And that's why when you come
back to the Wizards, you're kind of taking that same
ideology of trying to find a lot of young players
that play within the system, playing for each other. And
I think that if you're going through the NBA, it's
not just putting maybe three people on a team and
then oh we fill in the spots. Now, it's kind
(11:47):
of going through a full fifteen man roster of getting all, right,
who's going to be our guy that's going to pick
up ninety four feet, who's going to be our main
three point threat, who's going to be our point guard
finding and assisting everybody on the floor, and who's going
to be kind that blue guy in the locker room.
There's so many different options and availabilities on teams that
you have to make sure that you fill those voids
with the right people.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, and they're all important, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I mean, whether you look at the Dynasties, the thirty
for thirty episodes, the Jordan Arros, whatever, all those guys
from bj Arms strongest important as Scotty.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Wasn't that there?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
I mean, I mean honestly, I mean pick a center,
whether it's Luke Longley or any of those guys.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I mean, we all saw them.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You have to have those guys. We saw it through
the Spurs, the Lakers, three peats, all those different things.
There's always going to be a niken hal for ready
to spot from the corner for three yep or pick
up the fence.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
I'm more of the pick up ninety four feet, well,
actually not anymore. Maybe fifteen years ago I was picking
up ninety four feet, but not so much anymore.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Now.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
You did hear Jim's infamous story though high school?
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Right?
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Didn't we talk about that last time?
Speaker 6 (12:48):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Go ahead, Jim.
Speaker 7 (12:50):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
My infamous story is that I was kind of an
end of the bench player at one point during my
high school illustrious career, and I went in a game
with like two minutes left and the other their team
was up by twenty twenty five points, and the coach
other for the other team just wanted to run out
the clock. So I just started following people because I
was like, I want to play. I don't want to
sit here and watch you just dribble. So Gus has
(13:12):
been on Gus has been on me ever since then,
calling me like the hatchet man.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
And they there is nothing wrong with that. You wanted
to get your opportunity.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
I wanted my job.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
They were trying to take it away from me.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yes, exactly exactly, Jason.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
If you're coaching, wouldn't you want that kind of tennacity,
that kind of it ain't over yet, It's not over
until you hear the horn.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
Well, and you got to take that literally because think
about the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
They've been down exactly fifteen.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
Points multiple times in this postseason and they've come back
to win games. So to see that hard, that desire
to fight until the last buzzer, that is a rarity
in the NBA. Now, if you can go out there
and get fifteen guys that'll do all the same thing
in that tenacity spectrum, that's a tough team to be I.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Wish the opposing crowd had seen it that way. This
was a road game for us, and mostly the result
was me getting heckled by the opposing fans saying, can
we please end this game?
Speaker 8 (14:07):
Why?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Why are you dragging this out? Idiots? You're gonna lose.
So anyways, I love it. Oh, I'm serious.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
I have respect for them for that.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
I love that, Jason. But we'll see what happens.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Man, I'm with you. I think it is exciting, though.
I think you will see, especially for your fans of
different teams. I like, at least you starting in September October,
and you got a shot, right draft well, play well, coach, well,
you have a shot as opposed to in years pass
Let's be honest, in October. You know it's going to
be two to four teams that are going to go
in there every year. So I think it's changing, and
(14:40):
I think that that's a good thing for the league.
If it's just me as we ramp up.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
No, I absolutely agree, because if you take a look
at some of the best teams in the league, they
kind of sputtered coming down towards the regular season and
going into the playoffs because it's tough to play an
eighty two game season, and then on top of that,
playoffs where everything ratchets up intensity wise, so you have
injuries and everybody's playing with bruises, and everybody's going out
there and trying to fight the best that they possibly can.
(15:05):
But if you have a bit of luck where you
can have that luxury of saying I don't have to
play just six, seven, eight guys in my rotation on
a nightly basis. If I can go deep into the
bench in the regular season, get them experience, kind of
figure out what I can really trust from them to
go out there and do, whether it's rebounding, shooting, intensity, fouls. Jim,
(15:26):
I think there's an opportunity for a lot of different
guys who go out there and find a niche on
a team.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
I love that excellent. Yes, I was the enforcer.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
That's important when you met me the first time, you
were like, this guy was definitely an enforcer.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
In intimidating and he came up to my waist.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
But he was intimidating, hated in one spot, loved in another.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Okay, so he loves them some Ludord right, Maybe not
so much here in New Orleans, but anyway, you know
how it works. So television analysts for the Washington Wizards,
mister Jason Smith, that's always a pleasure where we'll talk
to you during the season, Enjoy the draft, Enjoy the
rest of your summer.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
We'll see you then.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
Sounds good, thanks fellas.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
All right, Tom, now to continue getting you ready for
the NBA Draft. Don't forget the twenty fifth and twenty
sixth of June. It's Wednesday, Thursday, first round, second round.
Pell's the seventh pick overall, as Will Guilory from the
Athletic rejoins us again. Jim, I can offer to talk
about a couple of prospects here. We're going to talk
about Derek Queen and Diegor Demon here in the second
(16:22):
But Will Pell's made a move the week before the
NBA Draft that right now has them with an additional
first round pick. I guess let's kind of go over
what Joe Dumars and the staff have done.
Speaker 9 (16:35):
Yeah, they on they acquired Indiana's pick in twenty twenty
six as part of the Brandon Ingram trade, and they
ended up just trading that pick back to Indiana and
the Exchanus for Indiana's pick in this year's draft.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
Which is number twenty three.
Speaker 7 (16:51):
So now the Pelicans own the seventh and the twenty
third pick in this year's draft. And it's funny because
you know, this is the first time the Pels have
had multiple first round picks since the first year David Griffin.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
Came to town Right and Zion Williamson draft when they
had three first round picks that year.
Speaker 7 (17:08):
And I think it's a very similar notion here from
Joe Dumars to kind of start off his tenure by
building out the young foundation, bringing in his guys.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
We always talk about, you know, these execs.
Speaker 7 (17:19):
Bringing in players that will reflect how they want to play,
what they want the organization to look like. And I think,
you know, it was a pretty smart move by the
team to go get the twenty third pick, you know,
basically saying, hey, we will take the twenty third pick
now because in all likelihood, the Pacers are probably going
to have a worst pick than number twenty three next year, right,
So so why not just jump on the twenty third
pick now? They feel pretty good about this draft. We've
(17:42):
heard about them working out.
Speaker 6 (17:43):
Guys who are going to be in that twenty to
thirty range, So why not. I think it was a
pretty smart move by the Pedals.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Not going to ask you to predict who the twenty
third pick is going to be because that would be
virtually impossible, but with the range of guys that could
potentially go there. But I mean, who are some of
the names that you like in that part part of
the first round, maybe like in the twenties.
Speaker 7 (18:03):
Initially what I heard about the trade, I think two
names that popped in my head immediately were Walterer Clayton Junior,
but the point guard from Florida, obviously national champion, had
a huge run during the NCAA tournament. A guy who
can shoot the ball at an extremely high clip, really
talented player.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
I think, a guy who's being slept on the this
draft for sure.
Speaker 7 (18:25):
And also a guy Danny Wolf from Michigan, a big
guy who can play on the perimeter, can pass it
at high IQ.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
I'm a big fan of him and what he can
do to kind of fit in, especially with the Pelicans,
and you know.
Speaker 7 (18:40):
Wanting to have perimeter oriented Diggs to play next to
Zion Witz, and I think that'll be smart.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
I think, you know what those two guys have in
common in a few different.
Speaker 7 (18:49):
Guys in that twenty three range, Guys who have played
multiple years in college, Guys who are twenty one, two,
twenty three years old, and those are guys that we've
seen the Pelicans have success with in the past, right drafted.
Speaker 6 (19:01):
Guys like Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Naji Marshall, Jose Farado.
We can go down the list. They've done a really
good job of finding these guys.
Speaker 7 (19:08):
Who have some experience at the college level and they
kind of understand who these guys are, what that role
is going to be in the NBA.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
And I think that those are the type of guys
I will try to target, you know, in that that
twenty three range, somebody who you can bring in and
they know exactly who they are, how they can play
on this team, and you can.
Speaker 7 (19:26):
Find some some you know, additional depth, because I think
that's what this team is kind of missing right now,
those guys who could come up the bitch that can
give them a lot of minutes.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
For the two players that we're going to talk about today,
I guess we can start with Derek Queen. He's definitely
not a player that has any chance, based on the
mock drafts, to fall, you know, too far down the
first round. He's definitely not going to be still on
the board when we get to the twenties. Right now,
NBA dot Com has him as the ninth pick in
their consensus mock draft. What do you see from him
(19:56):
in terms of how this guy has become somebody who
it looks like most people are projecting is going to
be in the single digit somewhere of the draft.
Speaker 6 (20:06):
Yeah, I've just mentioned that before.
Speaker 7 (20:07):
A perimeter oriented big right, a guy who feels comfortable
playing at the three point line. But I think he's
not like a guy who's going to stand out there
and chuck up a whole bunch of threes. I think
will makes him so interesting is that he's got a
really good hand though, he's got good feel, you know,
moving through traffic.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
He's kind of got that dancing bare field to him.
He'll kind of step through the lane, euros, spin moves.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
Hook shots where he can kind of you know, he'll
start with the ball on the perimeter and work his
way in the basket. And he's just really smart about
the way he moves, how he can play in space,
how you can take advantage of bigs who are running
at him. I really like his overall game. I don't
think he's much of a defender. I don't know if
he's going to be a guy who's going to be
a starting center on the team that has a really
(20:49):
good defense. But I think you know, with today's NBA
and you see all of these big guys with all
of these different skill sets, I think he brings a unique,
you know, kind of approach at the sid in a position,
a guy who can attack the basket, who can plan
pick and roll, play Joel handoff, and just feel really
comfortable out there.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
I think that's where a lot of people you see are.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
Falling in love with him, because as that three point
shot improves, he's going to be an even bigger threat
out there.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
A lot of people have talked about from the things
that I've read and what you just talked discussed a
little bit too is the versatility that he has offensively.
I think one of the things I noticed on the
video of him that I didn't realize until I started
watching a little bit more is what kind of a
passer he is. It seems like he just has kind
of that international, big guy feel for the game.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
As well.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
As we get into some of the projections or pro
comparisons for him, we'll see one of the names on
this list fits that description very well, as far as Elpera.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
And Shan Goon.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
Some of the other names that I saw were nasried
Andre Blatch, DeMarcus Cousins, and Zach Randolph.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
Which of those comparisons do you like the most for
Derek Queen?
Speaker 7 (22:01):
Yeah, I mean, you know, I'm gonna be a caricature
of myself at all times. Jimmy, So I got to
break it to my guy Boogie Cousins.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
I would say, he's, uh, he's these DeMarcus Cousins minus
the Puerto Rico, Madison, the Palace on on this time.
Speaker 10 (22:16):
But nah, I think he's I think obviously Boogie had
more of an explosive offensive game, right Boodie was a
guy who could make five threes in the game, or
he can get fifty by scoring in the post.
Speaker 7 (22:26):
I don't know if Derek Queen to be that guy.
I don't see kind of all star potential in his future.
I think Andre Blatch is another interesting comparison for him.
Like I said, a guy who could just you know,
play with the ball on the perimeter, could get to
the basket, great shots for himself.
Speaker 6 (22:41):
And like Jim said, had was really good vision.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Can see guys can pass the ball, can you know,
make those bounce passes, all back cuts, find guys in
the corners. I think he's a guy, you know, he
has a very unique style of playoffin you got to
find the right type of teammates to work with him.
Speaker 6 (22:57):
Uh, you know, play with guards who are willing to
give a the ball right. A lot of these guys in.
Speaker 7 (23:01):
The league are very bald dominant, and I don't think
he'll fit in that type of system where he's just
standing and watching a guy like Luka Doncis or somebody
like that. But I think, you know, if you give
him the freedom to kind of do his thing, I
think he can bring a lot to your offense. And
I kind of wrote about this, you know, in reference
to the Pelicans potentially looking at Kaman Malo watch.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
I think Derrek Queen is another very interesting.
Speaker 7 (23:24):
Guy in this draft because of the new dynamic in
the league where so many teams are playing double bigs, right,
and we saw that a good amount last year with
the Pels after they got Kelley Olennon.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
And I think Derek Queen is a guy who.
Speaker 7 (23:36):
Would be an amazing fit in a double big scenario
where he can play next to somebody like he brought
up in name Alpharn Shanhun. He Uston had a lot
of success this year playing Shanghom next to Steven Adams
because Steven Adams did a lot of the dirty work
and allowed Shangoon to be that offensive dynamo.
Speaker 6 (23:53):
And I think Queen would really excel if he can
find a situation like that.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Any Pelicans comparisons that.
Speaker 7 (23:59):
You like, Yeah, I mean we already threw the Boogie
one out there for sure, and I think, you know,
I think it fits really well.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
And you know, it's funny when I was watching him,
this is at the Pelicans guy, but I.
Speaker 7 (24:12):
Think when you see him moving around on the court,
it kind of streams Carl Anthony.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
Towns in my head.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
For whatever reason, yeah, I don't think he's as talented
as Carlo Anthony Townesen.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
I think just the way he moves on the court
reminds me a lot of Cat with the long strides, his.
Speaker 7 (24:27):
Ability to finish up the rim with both hands and
throw some hook shots. I think that's the type of
guy you think of, the guy who's facing the basket,
can attack off the dribble, you know, get those angles
on bigger, slower guys, and I think, you know, that's
the dynamic he brings.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
You know, there was another name that I left off
because I didn't want to step on your toes if
this was the name that you went with. But I
actually saw a website or to specifically say David West
for the comparison for Dry Queen as well, which I
thought was interesting.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
Yeah, really good one.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
I think I think that the I need to see,
you know, a little bit more with Queen as far
as being more consistent with that jump shot. I think
fans nick of David West, we think of that eighteen
foot the elbow jump right, It was like automatic with
the West. I think that's the next step in Queen's
game where he's got to be a reliable jump shooter
and that's where it opens up everything else for him.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
But I like that one for sure. And I think
again when we talked about.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
The US pure power forward, right, and I think with Queen,
I think the thing for him is kind of figuring
out that four or five, you know, where he kind
of fits in that scenario and where he kind of
can be the best.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
I think that's gonna be the real test for whoever drafts.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Let's move to Yegor Demon.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
I remember when we spoke to you earlier in this series,
you talked about how, among maybe some of the players
that are projected to go in the top half of
the lottery, that Ace Bailey was maybe one of the
more polarizing guys. Seems to me from what I'm reading,
if you look at the back half of the lottery,
it seems like Demon kind of fits that category as well.
(25:59):
As far as somebody that there's very wide opinions on
his projection for the NBA and what his potential is.
What do you think are some of the reasons if
you can explain to people why there might be kind
of just a lot of different opinions on him.
Speaker 7 (26:13):
Yeahs Ian, because some folks will tell you you might
have a chance to get him at twenty three rather
than taking him at seven.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Ye some people are.
Speaker 7 (26:21):
Kind of down on him, and you kind of see
him just all over the place on some of these
draft boards, and I think, you know, he's one of
those guys who's a big point guard, got great vision,
can really pass the ball.
Speaker 6 (26:32):
But you know, whenever we.
Speaker 7 (26:33):
Talk about these guys who can handle the ball in
today's NBA, big shocker, it's the question is can he
shoot the ball?
Speaker 6 (26:39):
And I think that's the number one thing with a
gor Damon is can he shoot the ball? Can he
consistently make shots? Is he a threat off the ball?
And I think the thing with him that was frustrating
at times is not necessarily can he shoot the ball?
Speaker 7 (26:51):
Will he shoot the ball? And I think his lack
of aggression as we stood out the most to me
watching him at BYU. They had to be so many
games where he would have like four or five shots,
he would have like eight or nine points. And you know,
earlier draft process, this is a guy who people were
consistently projecting as a top ten pick. Yeah, and you
know I was always and you know Jim has messed
this on the show before whenever those guys you see
(27:12):
these names of the top ten, I try to keep.
Speaker 6 (27:14):
An eye on throughout the course of the college basketball season.
Speaker 7 (27:16):
So you know, I was watching BYU games last year
and a lot of times you would turn on the
BYU game and you will see two or three guys
who were like putting up buckets and none of them
were agor Damon. And he was the guy who was
this lottery projected pick. You know, a nineteen year old,
a lot of hype around him, and I think that's
the big thing.
Speaker 6 (27:34):
For him is what type of aggression he's going to
play within the NBA.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
You know, at BYU, he was around some older guys,
they had a talented roster. Obviously they had a pretty
decent runner and see a tournament, so you can understand
him coming as a younger guy wanting to defer a
little bit.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
But I think when you come to the NBA, you're
a guy who was wanting to play with the ball.
Speaker 7 (27:55):
You got to be a threat, and I think it's
very difficult to be an on ball guy. Can sisterly
and allow one of teams to go under screens or
putting bigger guys on you where you can't take an
advantage of it.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
His passing is definitely the thing that is discussed the
most as far as a strength and a positive in
his game. That stands out, I think as well in
the video when you watch him, he seems more like
a traditional point guard who's kind of seeing the floor
and trying to get other people involved.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
When I go through the.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
Comparison comparisons of veteran players in the NBA, I kind
of had to laugh because it's such a strange collection.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Of players if you look at it.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
I mean, for one thing, he has the distinction I
think of being the first player I've ever seen where
one of the pro comparisons is sphe Mahailuk. That's just
not a name that you see very often. But the
other guys that I saw listed were It was difficult
really to find a lot of comparisons for him because
there are a lot of them were Josh Giddy. I
(28:56):
saw some that were Anthony Black, and then I saw
one or two that were Joe Well. But among that
group of four guys, which ones do you think stood
stands out to you?
Speaker 8 (29:06):
I think Giddy is the one that you're kind of
hoping he can project out with me, and I think
with Giddy when you saw him come into the league,
he still play with a level of aggression where the
jump shot wasn't there, but he was getting to the
paint consistently.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
And that's one of the things that's the strength of
Giddy's game, where he knows how to use his body.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
He can use his shoulder to get in the guys
get into the paint and he's spraying out to the perimeter.
I think that's always been the strength of Giddy's game. Obviously,
he's a great passer, and I think that's what you
want to see out of Damon, even if it's not
a high volume three point guy, just being more aggressive
than the way he plays the game. And I think
that's the thing that I'm always going to bring up
(29:44):
with him.
Speaker 6 (29:45):
It's not necessarily can he shoot, as will he shoot?
That's what I'm always saying about.
Speaker 7 (29:49):
Him, And I think that's a real concern for some
teams bringing in a younger guy who wants the ball.
Speaker 6 (29:55):
Can you really depend on him? And if not, you know,
what do you really have in that guy?
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Right?
Speaker 6 (29:59):
What role can he he really play? If he's not
a guy who's gonna have the ball.
Speaker 7 (30:02):
And I think that was kind of what led to
Josh Gedy being moved away from Oklahoma City because they
had other guys that needed the ball, right They got
Brian Williams and Go get forty and games by the
NBA Finals, So we don't have time to be given
the ball to Josh Getty all the time, right, And
I think that's that's the question about Igle is like
how much can a team really give him the ball?
I feel like they're producing good offense all the time.
(30:27):
I think that's gonna be a real question.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Yeah, I mean you're right in okay See clearly needed
more guys that were just spot up shooters that could
play off the ball. And when they are, when those
guys are rolling, Okay See is pretty much unbeatable. When
they have the Cason Wallace's and the lou Dort's knocking
down threes. Any Pelicans comparison, there's actually a guy that
he demon reminds me a little bit of. But I'm
(30:50):
curious to see if you pick the same name from
Pelicans history.
Speaker 7 (30:56):
I really thought hard about this one, and there was
the name that immediately jump into my head, but I
felt bad about it, and I'm gonna just go ahead
and say it.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
I think he reminds me a lot of to my
Sanaransky out of the league.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:10):
Yeah, uh. And and I think the Pelas fans have
very bad memories of the.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Yeah, his Pelicans.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
His Pelican stint was his worst NBA stint of the
different teams they played for by far.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
Yeah. I think people I.
Speaker 7 (31:25):
Think the difference is I think Star is probably a
better athlete than dam Man. I think people forget Saturnski
had some crazy dunks. You know, the early in isreal.
Speaker 6 (31:32):
Who was playing for the Wizards and the Bulls. Ye,
he's not them, is not quite that explosive.
Speaker 7 (31:38):
But I think that's what you're looking at as a
as a big guard who can make plays, get.
Speaker 6 (31:42):
Into the paint, you know, find shooters on the primer.
That's what you really want. Uh. The issue with Sataraanski
is like what we've been talking about. I think that
you know, I was got the guy.
Speaker 7 (31:51):
Consistently tweeting SATURASKI was here in New Orleans. He was
one of the top guys in the NBA with minutes
play and Hewitts field goal attempts, right, And I think
that's where you get con learned about these guys where
they can kind of get lost in the shuffle. If
you're not a consistent on ball guy, or you're not
a consistent three point shooting guy, then who are you?
Speaker 6 (32:08):
And today in the NBA, I.
Speaker 7 (32:09):
Think that's gonna be a big thing for any of
these guards coming in. You got to really establish what
your role is going to be.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
You know, It's interesting.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
I feel like Sataranski came through here at the almost
the exact time too, where the guys who don't attack
all as point guard that just try to distribute and
aren't perceived as a threat or aren't guarded that closely.
That was kind of the point of the NBA where
it started to become a lot bigger of a problem
in terms of those guys aren't.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
As playable as they used to be.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
But quickly the name that I actually thought of a
little bit, and this guy's bigger than the player i'm
gonna mention, but I thought of Gravis Vasquez a little
bit in terms of just that distributing point guard.
Speaker 3 (32:48):
He's pretty methodical.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
I think demon is more is definitely more athletic than
Graves was, but maybe just kind of he reminds me
of him a little bit in terms of his approach
of just that he's he's not looking for his shot
as much. He's a lot more trying to get people
other guys involved in just scanning the floor. Just that
old school point guard.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
Yeah, they kind of listed your point that you know,
we really don't see that archetype of point guard in
the NBA as much like we don't see the Rondo's
or you know, the Andre Millers or these type of guys.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
It's a different type of league now.
Speaker 7 (33:23):
We see guards, you know, with a different level of
explosion as far as being able to produce offensively. So
I think it's gonna be interesting to see how agor
kind of fit it fits in today's NBA. But I think,
you know, this is similar to the conversation we had
when we talk about Jeremiah Fears on the pod right
where you don't see many guys like that in today's NBA.
So I think with any of these guys coming in,
(33:46):
I think there's gonna be an interesting chalte sort of
just to figure out, you know, what they can do
to be productive in today's NBA, able to way the
game is played now.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
Yeah, our guy Alfred Payton is also trying to keep
that prototype in the league and did a good job
the season when he had chances to play of being
that past first guy that.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
That I love to watch, you know.
Speaker 6 (34:04):
Will.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
One of the things that I thought was interesting in
hearing you and Andrew go over these prospects during our
exercise here of getting Pels fans ready for the NBA Draft,
is I feel it's a two parter.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
First, do you feel like me? I think at seven the.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Very least, there's gonna be a good player, there's gonna
be a player that can come in and help the Pelicans.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Would you agree with that?
Speaker 6 (34:28):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 7 (34:29):
Maybe I think here's maybe not as much year one,
but I think I'm with you that they're gonna get
somebody good at seven. I would say, in the top
seven or eight prospects in those draft and you feel
pretty good about you to any of those.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
Ass I guess the reason I feel that way is
right because Jim, but we all felt it after the lottery,
Like I don't know if people were hoping to be
up in the top but you know, you hear seven, Oh, no,
one's gonna get so I guess it's been a not
even a pleasant surprise, but just it's good to hear
people that watch games have followed these PROCs are talking
(35:01):
to people in around the league at the combine. What
they've seen is that you're going to get an NBA
player or a guy that may project to at least
be able to help you.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
So that's good.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
The other thing I find interesting too in doing this process, Will,
is this Dallas, San Antonio, Philly, Charlotte, Utah, Washington, New
Orleans at your top seven, we know this five of
those seven though, when they playoff teams just a year
or season ago, and injuries kind of the reason why
they're picking where they are right now. So I find
it interesting because to me, one of my themes is fit.
(35:32):
I's what's crazy about this draft is other than one
and two. From that point on, it's that team fit
and what guys going to fit with them with a
team that primarily has a playoff caliber roster.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
Right perhaps, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (35:50):
I no doubt.
Speaker 7 (35:51):
And I think you know, we talked so much during
a series about you know, comparing these teams and wanting
to shape your decisions around what we've seen from Oklahoma
City and in the Indiana pacers right and learning from
what these teams have done to get to this point.
And I think one of the big things we talked
about previously is that these teams have an established identity.
Right when the Pachers going to the draft, they know
(36:12):
what type of player they want, When the Thunder going
to the draft, they know what type of player they want,
They know what type of skill set, how those guys
are going.
Speaker 6 (36:19):
To play within their system.
Speaker 7 (36:21):
I think that's gonna be the big question when you're
talking about these teams who are not consistently playoff teams that.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
Are in the top five, where they talk about Washington
or Utah and New Orleans.
Speaker 7 (36:30):
That's about being able to bring in guys who can
help you establish what the identity is going to look
like going forward, How are your team is going to play,
how are these.
Speaker 6 (36:39):
Guys going to fit in?
Speaker 7 (36:40):
And that's when you can start talking about being like
Indiana building depth, because I think that's going to be
the goal for a lot of these teams. Where in
the previous decade, I think a lot of teams are
talking about we got to get a start, we gotta
get a start, we gotta get a star. And I
think in the next decade, we're going to hear a
lot of teams talking about we got to get some depth.
We got to get a seventh, eighth, ninety nine that
we feel good about throughout the course.
Speaker 6 (36:59):
Of the season where we can last because I think
the pace of the.
Speaker 7 (37:03):
Game is play that now, the speed that the guys
are playing, with the defensive intensity on certain nights, it's
very hard to just put that on one or two.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
Guys every single night and expect them to be at
that level through June.
Speaker 7 (37:16):
And I think as great as shait Gilgs as Alexander
and then and they put a whole lot on his shoulders.
You saw the reason that they're on the version of
one of the NBA Finals right now is because Jayleen
Williams are about forty in Game five, right and you
need to be able to just lean on other guys.
It can't just be your stars, and you need to
be able to establish an identity where everything comes together.
And I think that's going to be the really interesting
(37:38):
thing about the Pelicans, what they do with seven or
twenty three is how Joe Dumars guys lays out what
he wants that identity and look like at the start
of this tenure. I think, you know, it's one of
the more fascinating things going.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
Into this draft.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Somewhere right now, my dad is doing a tiger Wood
Sunday fist bump as to or fist pump. Well, based
off what you said, it almost seems like teams get
this will have to build a basketball team again.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Imagine that instead of just the Big three or something
in a nature.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I'm with you. I just think with the CBA and
all that, Jim and I have talked a lot about
this over this process as well, you need guys that
can come in and help. I mean, whether it's injury,
whether it's the CBA, you're gonna have to have a
handful of guys that can come in and play basketball
on a game in, game out basis.
Speaker 6 (38:25):
Sue doubt.
Speaker 7 (38:26):
That's the way the game is now, and that's the
way the CBA. It's forcing you to build out. And
I think a huge stick for all of these teams
is being able to hit on these draft picks right
because these are guys who are coming in on cheaper.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
Contracts, the younger players, you can develop them.
Speaker 7 (38:41):
So I think the stress now is higher than ever
to make the right picks with these draft picks to
bring in the right type of guys, to put them
in the system that can bring the best out of them,
because if you don't, then you're kind of searching a
run in the free agent pool trying.
Speaker 6 (38:56):
To find guys. And I think that's gonna be more
difficult than ever because riggs, you don't hit the same
way you see a decade ago.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Yeah, it's also non existent this year.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 7 (39:05):
I mean we're all going to be watching the free
agency so in a couple of weeks and it's they'll
be like, hey man, yeah, Myles Turner has already gone,
Lebron just resigned.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Resigned.
Speaker 7 (39:15):
There's gonna be a whole lot of resign Yeah, because
you know, really, the way you make moves in today's
NBA is do trades in the draft. That's how you
build up your roster. And again I'm gonna go back
to the finals, look at how those teams are built.
It was pretty much trades in the draft.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
And I think that's where the pressure on your front
office in really rises. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
I think some of these four hour shows that NBA
TV and ESPN have scheduled for you know, July first,
or June thirtieth to night before are going to be
three hours and forty five minutes of trade rumors and
discussions about that, so, which is fine. I think people
are excited to just see some some some moves and
some splashes, which I think we've already seen one of
them happen, and I'm sure there'll be more. So it's
(39:57):
going to be interesting, even if free agency definitely is
kind of a dormant thing now where it's like teams
don't even let their big, huge, superstar guys go into
free agency. It's like when you have one year left,
you're kind of either extending or getting traded.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
At this point. So that's where we're at as far
as it's not the same.
Speaker 4 (40:14):
As it used to be when we saw the decision
and some of the other huge Kevin Durant saying it's
my time.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
And stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
And here's the other thing, guys, it's not guarantee that
that's going to work, right, I would say, I would
say is of late a lot of the quote unquote
bigger trades, bigger moves, it didn't result into championships.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Yeah, the guy will be.
Speaker 7 (40:35):
Hearing about a lot over the next couple of days.
Kevin Durant, right, huge trade a couple of years ago,
so Phoenix pulling them in. We were talking about them
as a potential, you know, contender in the West, and
it was a big old dud right in the al
Phoenix and Scrambling where a lot of people are complimenting
them for pulling out that Durant trade a couple of
years ago. So you're right, it's a huge risk whenever
you kind of jump into that pool and if it
(40:57):
doesn't work, it sets you back a couple of years.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
It's funny too that you know, Game six is Thursday
night as we record this. If you think about it,
the probably the biggest move related to Oklahoma City if
they win the championship is going to be a free
agency slash trade that happened involving Paul George, where you know,
Oklahoma City wasn't even the prominent part of that move,
(41:20):
but they end up getting SGA as a result of it.
So it is funny how the way things work out
that it just doesn't. It doesn't always seem like it
ends the way that it's going to that you expected
to be. And I think that's a perfect example of
that as well.
Speaker 6 (41:33):
Yeah, for sure. What the Paul George also helped build
the paces record. Then Paul George got traded from.
Speaker 7 (41:40):
Indy as part of the deal that bron in Sibonis
and then he turned around a trade in Sabonis.
Speaker 6 (41:46):
For Tyre's Halliberg.
Speaker 7 (41:48):
So yeah, shout out to Paul George for helping us
get this great NBA if I've been a great NBA final,
So shout out to Paul George. And I would also
say a new key part about these NBA free agencies.
Speaker 6 (41:58):
So as a parent, not what do you talk about
crime rates in certain cities? Oh? Yeah, that's important. Shout
out shut out for you know, really listening up the discourse.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
Yeah, I'll end on this.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
It's been a fun, you know, kind of exercise here
to get ready for the draft.
Speaker 3 (42:15):
Jim pop quiz for you. My kid gets it every
now and ready pop Quiz.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
I really loved what you did with the player comps
when he comes to the Pelicans and Hornets back in
the day. Uh, we've heard Vasquez his name a couple
of times. Will Gillery, known as a spot up shooter,
likes to shoot beyond the arc.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
Give me a Pelicans comp Will Gillory. Wow, talk about
putting me on the spot.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
Talk about you know, I've only seen tape of Will Gillery,
so I'm going to use that as a little bit
of excuse. But what do you think will final season?
What about instinct? What about instant grits?
Speaker 6 (42:53):
Is that is that? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (42:54):
What about Jim or for debt?
Speaker 7 (42:58):
I would say more Jimmer then insta grits because you're
not gonna see me dribbling a whole lot.
Speaker 6 (43:04):
Was a guy who can mix and plays all so much.
Speaker 7 (43:08):
Okay, I'm a big fan of the lack of passes
from mister Gris. Definitely Willy a passing.
Speaker 3 (43:15):
Okay, So yeah, I'm not mad at that.
Speaker 7 (43:17):
When a mix of between Jimmer, a little bit of
a little bit of Crawford. Okay, maybe I'm not mad
at paigea bad back pager.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
Can't move around us.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
That's what I was thinking of.
Speaker 7 (43:30):
Some Will Guillery in there. Yeah, not not playing a
whole lot of defense on this end. So yeah, I
think that's a pretty good cup.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Okay, Well, I'll tell you what. We see him occasionally.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
We will see him obviously during the draft, but we
will do our best and feel free if you see
me and Jim kind of talking and Joe dumars his
head shaking left or right furiously, it's us asking if
we can get the basketball games going again, walk up
and then we'll pile on.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
You know, we'll be able. Look, here's Will. Will wants
to play. Well, we'll try to.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Get these games going against we can, so Jim can
actually see you in person.
Speaker 4 (44:01):
I think we need to work on the sales pitch
here a little bit, guys, But but I like where
you're going with that.
Speaker 1 (44:05):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (44:06):
Yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 5 (44:07):
Man, all right?
Speaker 2 (44:08):
Man, Will as always, Yep, we appreciate the time, and
we will see you soon. Thank you so much, man
for helping Pels fans and us especially me to find
out who these guys are and what could be out
there when the Pels stilect now at seven and at
twenty three.
Speaker 6 (44:24):
Thank you, Man, Appreciate you guys, all.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Right, thanks to Jason Smith and Will Gillery. All right, Jim,
all that remains now is the NBA draft. Of course,
we're going to talk a little bit about that right
before we get going and in afterwards to break this down.
But I guess let's just do this quick to wrap
up and we'll talk more in detail as we get
closer and after the draft. But do you feel better
from when we first started this, before we started looking
(44:46):
at Dallas? At least, I do, like I didn't know.
Let's be honest, it was a downer, right. I mean,
I'm not saying you probably wanted flag or getting in it,
but when the lottery happens in your seventh you're like, okay,
after that season, let's just be honest, right. But I
feel like at least there's going to be a player
that maybe some fans may like and has a shot.
Speaker 3 (45:05):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 4 (45:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (45:06):
No, I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (45:06):
And I think as we've gotten closer to the draft,
it's kind of crystallized for me that the lottery was
really about the top two spots.
Speaker 3 (45:14):
It feels like after that.
Speaker 4 (45:16):
From three through I don't know, eight or nine, it's
not that much of a difference. It does seem like
the Mavericks and the Spurs pulled off a huge coupe
by being in those top two spots, But I don't
think that there's necessarily a huge difference after that. Obviously,
the Sixers were fired up because they got the third pick,
and there was a possibility that they wouldn't have a
pick at all, so that was a massive victory as well.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
So but yeah, back to your.
Speaker 4 (45:42):
Main point, I think we've seen, as we've looked into
some of these draft picks that the chances of get
somebody that you can really be excited about going into
next season is pretty high. And also I want to
mention too before we go that Tuesday, we will have
a draft preview roundtable that will feature Andrew Lopez.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
And John de chaz Are.
Speaker 4 (46:00):
Both of those gentlemen have confirmed that they will be available,
so be ready for that on Tuesday, the day before
Wednesday's first round of the draft.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Sounds good as always, appreciate you for tuning us in
and let's see what takes place. The NBA Draft is
right around at the corner. Thank you as always for
listening to the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (46:20):
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 offer
(46:40):
and Gcat Underscore seventeen. We'll see you next time, right
here on the New Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Host
Jim Eichenhofer
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com