May 8, 2024 • 29 mins
On the latest New Orleans Pelicans Podcast from Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell are joined by The Athletic's Will Guillory to discuss CJ McCollum's 2023-2024 NBA season as we continue with our Pelicans roster season recaps.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans, a podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who cover the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans Podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
As always, appreciate you for tuning us in it, and
it's always nice to see mister jim Ikenhoffer as we
continue our player profiles today, El Presidente the professional shot shooter.
You have many a nickname? Do you have a nickname
for CJ. McCollum, Jim, I do not.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Actually, I'm gonna have to think about that one and
come up with them. Well, it seems like he already
has plenty. Does not sure if he needs one from me?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And look, obviously, when you look back in his season,
all he did was set a franchise.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Record in what department?
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Again?
Speaker 4 (01:04):
By the way, three point shooting percent? Yes, three point
makes yeah, three point makes sorry?
Speaker 6 (01:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Yes, that's kind of a big deal in the NBA,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, you could say so, you could say, especially since
the Pelicans historically have been kind of near the bottom
in that category. They finished eighteenth as a team, still
room for improvement, But I mean without Cjida'm not sure
what number that would have been. It might have been
twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, something like that.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Incredible and obviously you know he dealt with some injury,
but for the most part, you can see the difference
between not having ligament tear that film and not.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Right, I mean, he had one of his best shooting seasons.
That's a good point.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
I and almost that was so far in the back
of my mind of like how much that affected him
in the previous season. So you're right, you see how
much more effective he was, and just the fact that
he wasn't trying to play through a bunch of stuff
this season, and that was part of the results that
he ended up a career high also in three point percentage,
which is pretty darn good if you think about the
(02:01):
fact that he's been among the best shooters in the
history of the NBA in terms of percentage that he's
pretty regularly around forty percent, but this past season was
the best he's done in three point percentage, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
And I'm looking around the office where if you have
to get a case of his wine.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
By the way, I would like to try that one.
Are you trying the red? Are you trying the whites?
I'm not much of a wine guy, to be honestly,
you gus. I just CJ's wine is great, though I
get the taste that we will say I love it.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Aaron Summers is going to join us here in a
quick minute and go through Will Guillory's going to join
us to the athletic here in a quick minute and
kind of go through his season overall, but to the
level of importance really, to where the Pels got forty
nine wins and more. I guess we have recentcy bias.
But that road trip. He was unbelievable in that road trip.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Was that the best part of his season this year?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I think it was, And I think if you look
at the team's record in the games that he played
this season, you could do this with a lot of guys,
but for him specifically, a lot of the toughest part
of the season record wise, was when he was sidelined
in November. So I realized there were other factors behind it.
But really, if you look at how they did in
the games that he played versus they were forty two
and twenty four when he played. They were seven and
(03:16):
nine in the sixteen games that he didn't play. So
I mean that's one of the many things that you
could point to of how important he was.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
All right, well, let's have Will Gillery sit down with
us and go over see J. McCollums season Tom to
welcome in mister Will Gillery of the athletic as we continue,
are New Orleans Pelicans player profiles see J. Mccullums on
deck today, and we will bring in mister Will Gillery
the Athletics.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Sir, How are you doing?
Speaker 5 (03:44):
I'm blowing one man. I appreciate you guys for having
me on.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
I've done it so far once this week. I gotta
do it again. Sorry, Jim.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I know you have a long list of very important
questions for the presidente here, but Will Gillery have you
ever to throw something onto the court, whether it's a pen,
a notepad, something in the direction of an official, just asking.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
This is most games that Tyler Ford officiates. I gotta
think Jim Michenhoff or he's usually the one that stops me,
so I appreciate. I want to thank pelspr first and
Foremostitch sitting gym next.
Speaker 8 (04:27):
To me at games to calm me down and get
me in the right hand space.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
That's that's in the under the other duties as assigned
part of my job description. So I've added that of
keeping Will Gilly under control. You know what, though, Will,
to be honest with you, you're you're so far down the
list of people that we have to worry about keeping
their composure.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I can't even find I can't even find.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
I'm going through my list right now, I can't even
find your name on this You're so far far you
might be on like the fourth or fifth page.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
So no, you're you're you're good man.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
I I've heard you specifically call out Tyler Ford in
different instances, so I'm on higher alert when he's officiating
the game. But so far we haven't had any problems.
I mean, the distance from the court I think helps.
It makes me a little bit less concerned. But there's
a lot of house should I put this, more temperamental
(05:19):
folks in our area of.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
The Smoothe King Center than you will. So you're you're
good on that front.
Speaker 8 (05:25):
Yeah, we keep Jim busy. We keep Jim busy over
in all section.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
But you know, it's always something exciting going on.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
It is interesting, though.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I'm sure you were shocked that Draymond Green said while
it was a dangerous act, Jamal.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Murray should be suspended. That's not a suspensable act or whatever.
I don't even if that's a word.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Suspensionable act, suspendable, suspendable act.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Jim White and I just talk for a living and
then I get corrected on the air. But no, I
just it's crazy, not once, but twice, twice, twice he
threw something twice an official.
Speaker 9 (05:56):
I literally just saw the video of him throwing the
towel teen seconds before he throws the heat pack. I mean,
if the heatpac didn't make it, I want to know
what was coming next.
Speaker 8 (06:05):
And you're gonna pick up a chair and throwing at.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
That sounds like progress? Yeah, I mean is that crazy?
Like when you think of that, Yeah.
Speaker 10 (06:18):
It's really crazy for the start playing to be throwing
stuff at the This was during a good of a
playoff game. He was putting more effort than to throwing
stuff at Mark Davis than he was in the like
scoring buckets through the team. So, uh yeah, it was
a rough night for the defending champions. That's what damn sure.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Look, we've we've been starting uh this this week before
we get to our player profiles with a simple over
view question of your thoughts overall on what you thought
with the Pelicans. We've asked everybody that's come on so
far this week, from start to finish.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
How would you describe this season?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
For season, just know, on the Pelicans overall, on the
team before we get to the p Pelicans.
Speaker 9 (06:57):
Overall, I think I think, you know, it started off obvious,
He's very promising. You know, them winning forty nine games,
the second motion tied for second motion of franchise history.
I thought they made a lot of progress as far
as keeping the big three on the court together more
than they've ever been.
Speaker 6 (07:13):
I thought that was a huge part of it.
Speaker 8 (07:15):
I had a few different moments where they overcame adversity.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
I think that was really good. But you know, it's just.
Speaker 9 (07:20):
Unfortunate that injuries really hit them at the worst time
at the end of the season, with b I going
down in Orlando and then obviously Zion going down and
the playing tournament so I.
Speaker 6 (07:30):
Think overall it was a successful.
Speaker 9 (07:32):
Season, but the way it ended, you know, no doubt
loves a battation enough, you.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Know, speaking of players being on the court more, CJ
played in sixty six games, and really the only reason
that he wasn't into you know, maybe the high seventies
as far as games played, was that collapse long injury
that he had, which is not something that I think
we've seen too often in basketball or the NBA. But overall,
I mean, the Pelicans win forty nine games, most wins
(07:59):
they've had in fifteen years. I have to keep reminding
myself of that that this. I mean, the regular season
was very successful, but how how much of a vital
part of it do you think CJ was as far
as them being able to get to that level and
you know, ending up where they were at the end
of the regular season.
Speaker 9 (08:18):
You know, I think it was a fantastic season him
and you mentioned, you know, that collapse lung injury being
something we don't see too often.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
The crazy thing is it's the second time that it's
happened to CJ.
Speaker 9 (08:28):
You know, a few years ago in Portland he had
something similar where he got hit you know, in the
stomach region and had to set out for a couple
of weeks through the collapse lunger, you know, which is
really scary, you know, having something like that happened to
you two times, and it's crazy for it to happen
to CJ. Because it's not like he's John Morant driving
to the lane every time. It was just kind of
two freak accidents where he got hit in the rib section, and.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
You know, they put him, you know, on the sidelines
for a while.
Speaker 9 (08:53):
So yeah, I thought, you know, besides that, it was
an outstanding season for CJ, not just doing the typical
is that we know him for.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
But I think what was so impressive was.
Speaker 9 (09:03):
Him, you know, so deep into his career, kind of
switching up the way he plays, kind of becoming more
of an off ball.
Speaker 8 (09:10):
Threat, shooting more threes than he ever has before.
Speaker 9 (09:13):
I thought he was, you know, improved on defense, showing
more just focus and of this on that, and I thought,
just you know, we know our consistency is how you
kind of depend on that twenty every single night, but
the way he went about doing it this season was
much different than I think what we've seen from him
in the past.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
When when you think about.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
You know, one of the things that we've talked about
with the Pelicans in recent years is that, I mean,
how many times have we said, you know, going back,
I would say even like six seven years, that they
need to take more threes, they need to shoot more threes.
I mean, how much of a part of that is
what makes him valuable in this offense is I mean,
he finished third in the NBA in three pointers made,
(09:57):
behind I think it was Luca and Steph Curry were
the only ones that made more threes. I mean, how
how much do you look at that as something that
you know, they was valuable within the offense that they
just they just have to take and make more threes.
Speaker 5 (10:13):
No question.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
And he kind of, you know, allow his actions to
follow his works because he was one of the main
ones preaching the messages about them shooting more threes.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
And he's a guy who, throughout his career has been
known for, you know, making plays.
Speaker 8 (10:25):
Off the dribble, iceo, you know, attacking guys.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
You know CJ.
Speaker 9 (10:30):
You always think about between the legs, between the legs,
step back min range Shepherd.
Speaker 8 (10:35):
He really wasn't that guy that he was taking way.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
More three pointers.
Speaker 9 (10:39):
He was taking more transition threes, we'll catch a shoot opportunities.
And I thought he really set the example for the
rest of those guys with his aggression seeking out three pointers.
And I thought that was something he was very mindful
of throughout the season, was seeking out opportunities to get
those threes up, even if it mess you know, giving
up the ball, allowing other.
Speaker 8 (10:58):
Guys to do more with the ball, and.
Speaker 9 (11:01):
Bigger rown situations and dribble handoff situations. I thought he
did a very good job of kind of shifting his game.
And you hear that a lot about guys later in
their careers learning how to, you know, do different things,
learning how to be effective in different ways.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
And I thought he was a prime example of that
this season.
Speaker 9 (11:19):
And for him to do it and to be as
effective as he was, and mean, he breaks the franchise
record for most threes in the season, and like.
Speaker 8 (11:26):
He said, he only played sixty six games, I mean
to do it, you know what.
Speaker 9 (11:29):
I still remember bringing up the conversation to him during
the West Coast trip.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
About yeah, you're about to break the three point record.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
He was like, I didn't even.
Speaker 9 (11:36):
Think it was possible because I missed so many games
and it speaks because.
Speaker 6 (11:40):
The high volume of.
Speaker 9 (11:41):
Three pointers he was putting in on a consistent basis
on a team that still needed to shoot more threes.
Speaker 8 (11:48):
So it spoke to how important his three point shooting
was for his team.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Yeah, I think we came into the season.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I know Jim and I were thinking, right, like, when
we think defense, we think Herb Jones, And when we
think offense are three point shooting, We're thinking, Hey, rook
Jordan Hawkins or Trey Murphy.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Right, Trey Murphy's going to be the lie that leaves
the three. I don't know if a lot of fans
or even.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Myself thought that the three point franchise record be broken
by CJ. And to your point, with some of the
games he made, he missed and also on some of
those where yeah, you know you have five or six
night and then sometimes he's struggle and have you know,
zero one or two on That just kind of kind
of gives the idea of the volume to it. But
you're right, that's the one thing that I look back
(12:26):
at this season. Three point shooting in today's NBA is
so key. The fact that the Pels Gym were one
of the top teams in three point shooting the season,
and that doesn't happen if CJ McCollum's not knocking down
shots from beyond the arc.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Wheel.
Speaker 9 (12:40):
Yeah, And I think, you know, it's important we always
talk about the example CJ's setting for this team, his
willingness to buy in and do something different for the
betterment of the team.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
I think that was something that everybody needed to see.
Speaker 6 (12:52):
The specifically the.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
Top three guys making that sacrifice, you know, shifting their
games do what benefits of everybody else. And I think
CJ did that as much as anybody else this year
with the way he up his three points shooting. And
I think, you know, we can kind of get into
the age old Pelicans questions about you know, true point
guard and traditional point guard and what I always say
(13:14):
when every people bring up this conversation, I say, I
rather a guy who's making two hundred and fifty threes
over a guy who plays quote unquote traditional point guard.
And I think CJ kind of embodies that of a
guy who you know, is a constant threat from the perimeter,
who can get you thirty nights, thirty points on any
given night. And I think just a guy who's a
constant threat at the position to do something off the
dribble or if you leave him open on the perimeter,
(13:35):
he's knocking down those shots. And I thought, you know,
the way he was able to space the floor for
Zion this year was extremely key to his success. And
I thought, you know, during that West Coast trip at
the end of the season where they go to you know, Portland, Sacramento,
Golden State, where they won four in a row leading
up to the playoffs, I thought it was some of the.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
Best basketball I've ever seen him play.
Speaker 9 (13:55):
He was incredible during that stretch, making seven eight threes
every single game.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
And just for him to step up the way he
did with bi out, it will.
Speaker 9 (14:04):
Shoes for this team to kind of put themselves in
a position where, you know, that rough stretch during the
home stand where they went one to five, they were
able to race that even without Brandon England because CJ
really stepped up and started knocking down shots at a
ridiculous rate.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah, he was twenty nine for forty seven from three
point range on just that four game road trip, So,
like you said, that is unbelievable. He averaged more than
seven made threes a game over those four games. I mean,
that was just a level that was amazing. I mean,
I thought too the three pointer he made against Golden
(14:38):
State that took the lead from three to six with
about a minute left in that game. When he made
that shot, I'm thinking, this is going to be the
biggest basket of the season. This is going to get
them in the playoffs. Obviously, we don't need to go
through this scenarios that happened that prevented that from being
the case. But you know, one of the things that
you mentioned will that I had on my list and
we might as well get into it now, was him
(15:01):
kind of on the ball or off the ball. You
talked about how you know, there's been a lot of
discussion about pure point guard and David Griffin addressed you know,
basketball IQ and that kind of thing the day after
the season ended first CJ.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
I mean, is it the.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Kind of thing where it's like, you know, he's not
going to play the whole game off the ball, but
he's not going to play the whole game on the
ball either. Is it kind of just finding the right
balance between those. Is it trying to make it life
a little bit easier for him? It just seems like
maybe I mean with a greade, a three point shooting,
a shooter, or as he is, if he's off the
(15:36):
ball a little bit more, maybe it's not as taxing
that if you can find him some more like catch
and shoot opportunities and just wide open shots that he's
not going to get when he's on the ball because
obviously somebody's going to be guarding him and right nearby
all the time. I mean, how do you see that
situation as far as what the Pelicans might need to
(15:56):
do going forward or what they might try to do
as far as his role goes.
Speaker 9 (16:01):
Yeah, Jenny, you brother, get me fired up a pels
pitter right now, because I got a whole lot of
thoughts on this.
Speaker 8 (16:06):
But I think you know, we've talked for multiple years now.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
About wanting to live in the world.
Speaker 9 (16:12):
Where Zion Williamson takes over more of the point guard duties,
right where he's initiating more of.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
The offense when he's the guy bringing the ball up
the court.
Speaker 9 (16:20):
And when that's the case, you need guys who can
space the floor.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
You need guys who can.
Speaker 9 (16:26):
Take some of the pressure off of Zion when they're
crowding the paint anytime he has them all.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
And I think CJ has been, you know, better bet than.
Speaker 9 (16:34):
Anybody this season Frankly, and I think a lot of
people look to Tray Burphy as the number one spot
up guy off of Zion plays, but I think there's
no doubt if you watch this team that CJ was
the guy spacing the floor for Zion at at a
higher level than anybody else this year on a more
consistent basis. And I think you're exactly right that ability
to be that guy who can make plays off the dribble,
(16:55):
running off of screens, running in transition to three pointers,
versus also being a guy who late in the shot clock.
Speaker 8 (17:02):
You can throw him the ball, he can create something
off the dribble.
Speaker 9 (17:05):
I think that's something that's really rare in this league
to have a guard who can do both and be
effective next to two ball dominant guys like Bright the
Neighbroom and Zion Williamson. And I think having that asset
I think was super valuable.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
For this team.
Speaker 9 (17:19):
And then you crank it up to another level when
you talk about the value he was doing it, like
you said, having games where he's hit the seven eight threes.
He of course has the Pelicans record for most three
pinners in the game. I mean, this is a guy
who can get hot really fast and just start pouring
in and bunches, and I think having that, I think
it was something that.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
He kind of was learning on the fly.
Speaker 9 (17:40):
But I thought he did a really good job of
adjusting his game and learning how to be effective. Like
I said, next to two ball dominant guys like BI
and Zion Williamson, I think overall there are gonna be
a lot of questions this offseason about, you know, should
you have more ball handlers around Zion and Bi to
take some of the pressure off them, shoot you, you know,
(18:00):
completely move CJ off the ball and just make him
a full time two guard. But I stand Furman saying,
give me the choice between the guys who's hitting two
hundred and fifty threes or a quote unquote puer point guard.
Speaker 6 (18:12):
And I'll take the guy who's pouring in the three pointers.
That's just me.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
I think that's today's NBA.
Speaker 8 (18:17):
You need guys who can make three pointers at that.
Speaker 9 (18:19):
Kind of rate, and you need guys who can just
any given night catch fire. And I think CJ did
that as much as anybody in the league. And I
think if he would have played, you know, seventy seventy
five games the way we're used to seeing him, I
think we would have heard even more talk about what
he did as a gay point shooter this year, because
it was unprecedented as far as this franchise was.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
What he was able to do. And I think he
also did it at an.
Speaker 8 (18:43):
Official rate, which made it even more impressive.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I think part of the problem with the peer point
guard discussion, honestly is that there's just aren't that many available.
And I mean the ones that are coming out of
the draft are guys that are going to be obviously
it's going to take them a little while to get
used to the NBA, and the guys that are already
veteran players are not coming available.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
There.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
You just you can't just walk around and find one
of those guys easily. One of the things that you
mentioned earlier, one of the words that you mentioned earlier
Will about CJ was the word mindful, and I kind
of wanted to go a little bit behind the scenes
in terms of you know, you talking to him, interviewing
him throughout the course of the season. I think one
of the things I find the most interesting about CJ
(19:26):
is it just seems like he puts so much thought
into everything, whether it's you know, he's looking at the analytics,
he's looking at you know, the difference between you know.
One of the reasons why guys are why he's talking
about the team taking more threes is because from an
analytical standpoint, it makes a lot more sense to take
threes than to take deep twos, which is something that
(19:46):
he has talked a little bit about in interviews. It
just seems like across the board, whether it's the game itself,
on the court or off the court, he just really
you know, again uses to use the word mindful. It
just seems like that's the kind of person he is.
I mean, what is your experience from that standpoint in
terms of just, you know, the way that he goes
about his business.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I guess now you're on.
Speaker 5 (20:08):
The money jump.
Speaker 9 (20:09):
And I think getting to know him, to get to
know a few people around him, I think I will
put him in Rondo kind of Jihon Rondo in the
same neighborhood.
Speaker 6 (20:17):
As far as guys who think the game more than
anybody else, I've been around in the amount of time
and thought that CJ puts into his game and the
way he plays.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
I think it's really incredible.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
And I think, you know, people.
Speaker 9 (20:29):
Who aren't around him don't really get the scale of
what he does on a daily basis to kind of
evaluate himself, evaluate the team.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
You know, I've written before about you know.
Speaker 9 (20:40):
He's constantly sent to his phone from people who work
for him showing.
Speaker 6 (20:44):
You know, what does it look like when you go
pick and roll, dribbling to your right?
Speaker 5 (20:46):
What about to your left?
Speaker 8 (20:48):
How does it look when you're shooting pull up jumper?
How does it look when you're scoring and transition.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
I think he's.
Speaker 9 (20:53):
Constantly evaluating his game, where his shots are coming from,
where he's less efficient, where he's more efficient, And I
think he's always looking for ways to improve his game.
Speaker 8 (21:04):
And make certain tweaks to his game.
Speaker 9 (21:06):
And I think, obviously, you know, there are times where
he's a he's a tough shot maker.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Let's keep it clear.
Speaker 9 (21:12):
This isn't the guy who's flying into the lane and
getting a bunch of labs. He's a guy who lives
off naked jumpers, frankly, and I think, uh, you know,
when you do that, there are gonna be times like
there were during the playoffs where the jumpers aren't falling
and he's looking rough. But I do think the way
he's been able to be so efficient for so long
as a jump shooter, I think it shows the amount
(21:33):
of thought he's putting into where those shot shots are
coming from and how he's going about creating those shots.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
As a guy without elite athleticism, without.
Speaker 9 (21:42):
Elite size, he's able to consistently get to his spots
and make shots.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
At a higher rate.
Speaker 9 (21:47):
And I think a big part of that is the
amount of thought he puts into his game and the
amount of time he spends evaluating himself. And I say
it all the time, I think if guys, if more
guys had his mentality about the way he approaches the game,
I think it would be a game changer for so
many guys in this league, just because I think that's
one of the toughest things for a lot of players
(22:08):
and his league, is to look in the berrier and
evaluate themselves. I mean, we talked about it a lot
this year, was Zion Williamson, and you know, Brandon Ingram
has allowed that to do this summer coming off of
the playoffs. But I think that's something that there comes
natural to CJ. Constantly evaluating himself, seeing what's wrong about
his game and making those adjustments.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
And I think that's part of what's.
Speaker 9 (22:27):
Allowed him to be, you know, such a consistent score
in this league for so long, and as he would
tell you, to make a whole lot of money in
this league.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
That's a great behind the scenes that you just kind
of gave us there, because as you were speaking, I'm
thinking of John de Cha's on our broadcast. After a
bucket that CJ gets in a timely bucket or a
Big three goes professional shot maker, And what you just
described is professionalism at its finest there, right, I mean
(22:56):
being able to look at your shot and getting those
clips and will. As you were saying that, another thought
passed up to me. That's almost invaluable to have on
a team because not everybody does that. So when you
have a guy that can do that, you're hoping that
translates everywhere else.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
But that also means.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
That that is an added you know, web, I mean,
that's an asset.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
You don't want to just give that up.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
No question.
Speaker 9 (23:21):
It's an example for everybody else, and it applies to
everything he does, right, It applies to you know how
he sleeps, how he's eating on a daily basis. You
know what is he doing early? Is he is he
going in instead of going out? You know, during certain
road trips. I think you're exactly right. He's a pros pro.
He's a guy who takes his job very seriously. He
knows what it takes for him to be effective.
Speaker 6 (23:43):
He's not out here, you know, running.
Speaker 9 (23:44):
These streets or you know, you don't have to worry
about him during that you know, four game road trip,
it's four day trip in La. I should say whether
it's like, Okay, you got an off day in LA,
what's Ces is gonna be doing?
Speaker 5 (23:56):
You ain't got to worry about that.
Speaker 9 (23:57):
He's gonna be in his room watching clips to himself,
figure out where he can get shots. And like I said,
there are gonna be times where his style of play
is frustrating, no doubt, just because he's a guard who
doesn't passed the ball as much as other guys.
Speaker 8 (24:10):
He's focused on getting his shots.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
But I think I point to consistently his efficiency.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
That's all I have to say.
Speaker 9 (24:16):
Just look at his efficiency, what he's doing from night
to night, the way he's knocking down shots, when everybody
knows where his shots are coming from and what he's
trying to do. He consistently is able to do what
he does, and I think you're exactly right. Having a
guy who sets that example for everybody else in the
locker room, you know, is invaluable. And I think the
Pelicans were very I'll use the word again, they were
(24:39):
very mindful of that when they acquired him a couple
of years ago, and being that veteran presence in the
locker room around guys like Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado,
Zion Williamson a lot, they were very big on bringing
him in and having them see the way he works
on a daily basis, and you've heard from all of
(24:59):
those guys about House and c J work on a
daily basis kind of changes the way they approached the
game as well.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Mister will Gillery of the Athletic covers the NBA, your
New Orleans Pelicans, the Heats and soon on ESPN the
O show, towel tossing at officials or something.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I was trying to come up with something much more
witty than that, but yeah, it would be pretty fun
used to see you know, like you if you're like
on a chair standing, can you make it half cord?
Can you make it three quarters cord? Can you get
it to the other free throw line? I mean it
weighted towel and stuff. I think this could be a
nice summer you.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Know, one a M show. What do you think?
Speaker 5 (25:36):
Will you gotta gotta throw it with the offan? You know, I'm.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Sure, I'm sure there's some science to like how tight
you have to tie it to get it to the
furthest you.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Know there would be exactly people tie certain not for
distance and air.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
I mean, why not embrace this?
Speaker 2 (25:59):
If you're the NBA and Adam Silver you know what
I'm saying, Cowell tossing.
Speaker 9 (26:03):
You gotta love saying start players throw stuff. It could
be an this is why we tune into the game.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
It could be an all Star weekend event.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
You can put it in like before this, before the
skills competition or something like that.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
Skills competition. Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
If they made this an event, I think there will
be several Pelicans executives lining up be the first one.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
First they officiated his ion this year, I.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Promise you, I like what will just did? There's two
different levels.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You can have players and executives competing against one another.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Yeah, I like that. So you look at you. This
is why we have you on. Will Gilory, thank you
so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I appreciate it, Bud appreciate you all right, thanks to
Will Gilory.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Jim Again, when you think of where.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
CJ can go, that next level is great to hear
Will talk about all the extra steps that he does
to try to figure out what he can do and
improve in his game. I guess this is what we've
been doing unfortunately, and pills fans are doing in medium.
When you look at that playoff series, when you look
at the way the season sort of ended over the
season overall, what do you think is CJ's next step
(27:10):
of improved What do you think he's kind of going
over his head of what he wants to do better
what he's doing right now.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I liked what Will talked about in terms of some
of the detail that he got into as far as
CJ's preparation, how mindful he is about the way he
approaches his job.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
And you know something that CJ.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Addressed during exit interviews was just focusing on improving his
assistant turnover ratio, doing more conditionings that his defense can
be improved. He mentioned more lower body lifting to improve
his lateral quickness. So, I mean, he's already got a
bunch of things on his list that he's going to
work on. And I remember going back to last summer
(27:50):
how much the coaches praised him going into training camp
that he was in extremely good condition. And it just
seems like you can count on him to do a
bunch of things that will described. But one of them
that you can count on him for is that he's
going to be totally ready on day one of training
camp to prepare for the season and being in excellent
shape and just all the stuff that he does as
(28:12):
a veteran. That's one thing that you can rely on
when they when they start things back up in the fall.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah, well, I'll tell you what, that's crazy. He's already
starting to work right there. I have no list, and
I'm just trying to get through today. So, but that
is Seg McCullum, a professional basketball player, and I'm, you know,
just a guy.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Who knows I turn on him. You're a progus.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Pro.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
It's something I don't really know exactly what that is
that's your mic, and offer give a follow Jim Underscore
I can Offer, I met you, Kat Underscore one to seven,
and thank you as always for tuning us into New
Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
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 gus
so follow on x at Jim Underscore I can offer
(29:04):
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):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
As always, appreciate you for tuning us in it, and
it's always nice to see mister jim Ikenhoffer as we
continue our player profiles today, El Presidente the professional shot shooter.
You have many a nickname? Do you have a nickname
for CJ. McCollum, Jim, I do not.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Actually, I'm gonna have to think about that one and
come up with them. Well, it seems like he already
has plenty. Does not sure if he needs one from me?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And look, obviously, when you look back in his season,
all he did was set a franchise.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Record in what department?
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Again?
Speaker 4 (01:04):
By the way, three point shooting percent? Yes, three point
makes yeah, three point makes sorry?
Speaker 6 (01:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Yes, that's kind of a big deal in the NBA,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, you could say so, you could say, especially since
the Pelicans historically have been kind of near the bottom
in that category. They finished eighteenth as a team, still
room for improvement, But I mean without Cjida'm not sure
what number that would have been. It might have been
twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, something like that.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Incredible and obviously you know he dealt with some injury,
but for the most part, you can see the difference
between not having ligament tear that film and not.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Right, I mean, he had one of his best shooting seasons.
That's a good point.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
I and almost that was so far in the back
of my mind of like how much that affected him
in the previous season. So you're right, you see how
much more effective he was, and just the fact that
he wasn't trying to play through a bunch of stuff
this season, and that was part of the results that
he ended up a career high also in three point percentage,
which is pretty darn good if you think about the
(02:01):
fact that he's been among the best shooters in the
history of the NBA in terms of percentage that he's
pretty regularly around forty percent, but this past season was
the best he's done in three point percentage, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
And I'm looking around the office where if you have
to get a case of his wine.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
By the way, I would like to try that one.
Are you trying the red? Are you trying the whites?
I'm not much of a wine guy, to be honestly,
you gus. I just CJ's wine is great, though I
get the taste that we will say I love it.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Aaron Summers is going to join us here in a
quick minute and go through Will Guillory's going to join
us to the athletic here in a quick minute and
kind of go through his season overall, but to the
level of importance really, to where the Pels got forty
nine wins and more. I guess we have recentcy bias.
But that road trip. He was unbelievable in that road trip.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Was that the best part of his season this year?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I think it was, And I think if you look
at the team's record in the games that he played
this season, you could do this with a lot of guys,
but for him specifically, a lot of the toughest part
of the season record wise, was when he was sidelined
in November. So I realized there were other factors behind it.
But really, if you look at how they did in
the games that he played versus they were forty two
and twenty four when he played. They were seven and
(03:16):
nine in the sixteen games that he didn't play. So
I mean that's one of the many things that you
could point to of how important he was.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
All right, well, let's have Will Gillery sit down with
us and go over see J. McCollums season Tom to
welcome in mister Will Gillery of the athletic as we continue,
are New Orleans Pelicans player profiles see J. Mccullums on
deck today, and we will bring in mister Will Gillery
the Athletics.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Sir, How are you doing?
Speaker 5 (03:44):
I'm blowing one man. I appreciate you guys for having
me on.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
I've done it so far once this week. I gotta
do it again. Sorry, Jim.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I know you have a long list of very important
questions for the presidente here, but Will Gillery have you
ever to throw something onto the court, whether it's a pen,
a notepad, something in the direction of an official, just asking.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
This is most games that Tyler Ford officiates. I gotta
think Jim Michenhoff or he's usually the one that stops me,
so I appreciate. I want to thank pelspr first and
Foremostitch sitting gym next.
Speaker 8 (04:27):
To me at games to calm me down and get
me in the right hand space.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
That's that's in the under the other duties as assigned
part of my job description. So I've added that of
keeping Will Gilly under control. You know what, though, Will,
to be honest with you, you're you're so far down the
list of people that we have to worry about keeping
their composure.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I can't even find I can't even find.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
I'm going through my list right now, I can't even
find your name on this You're so far far you
might be on like the fourth or fifth page.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
So no, you're you're you're good man.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
I I've heard you specifically call out Tyler Ford in
different instances, so I'm on higher alert when he's officiating
the game. But so far we haven't had any problems.
I mean, the distance from the court I think helps.
It makes me a little bit less concerned. But there's
a lot of house should I put this, more temperamental
(05:19):
folks in our area of.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
The Smoothe King Center than you will. So you're you're
good on that front.
Speaker 8 (05:25):
Yeah, we keep Jim busy. We keep Jim busy over
in all section.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
But you know, it's always something exciting going on.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
It is interesting, though.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I'm sure you were shocked that Draymond Green said while
it was a dangerous act, Jamal.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Murray should be suspended. That's not a suspensable act or whatever.
I don't even if that's a word.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Suspensionable act, suspendable, suspendable act.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Jim White and I just talk for a living and
then I get corrected on the air. But no, I
just it's crazy, not once, but twice, twice, twice he
threw something twice an official.
Speaker 9 (05:56):
I literally just saw the video of him throwing the
towel teen seconds before he throws the heat pack. I mean,
if the heatpac didn't make it, I want to know
what was coming next.
Speaker 8 (06:05):
And you're gonna pick up a chair and throwing at.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
That sounds like progress? Yeah, I mean is that crazy?
Like when you think of that, Yeah.
Speaker 10 (06:18):
It's really crazy for the start playing to be throwing
stuff at the This was during a good of a
playoff game. He was putting more effort than to throwing
stuff at Mark Davis than he was in the like
scoring buckets through the team. So, uh yeah, it was
a rough night for the defending champions. That's what damn sure.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Look, we've we've been starting uh this this week before
we get to our player profiles with a simple over
view question of your thoughts overall on what you thought
with the Pelicans. We've asked everybody that's come on so
far this week, from start to finish.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
How would you describe this season?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
For season, just know, on the Pelicans overall, on the
team before we get to the p Pelicans.
Speaker 9 (06:57):
Overall, I think I think, you know, it started off obvious,
He's very promising. You know, them winning forty nine games,
the second motion tied for second motion of franchise history.
I thought they made a lot of progress as far
as keeping the big three on the court together more
than they've ever been.
Speaker 6 (07:13):
I thought that was a huge part of it.
Speaker 8 (07:15):
I had a few different moments where they overcame adversity.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
I think that was really good. But you know, it's just.
Speaker 9 (07:20):
Unfortunate that injuries really hit them at the worst time
at the end of the season, with b I going
down in Orlando and then obviously Zion going down and
the playing tournament so I.
Speaker 6 (07:30):
Think overall it was a successful.
Speaker 9 (07:32):
Season, but the way it ended, you know, no doubt
loves a battation enough, you.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Know, speaking of players being on the court more, CJ
played in sixty six games, and really the only reason
that he wasn't into you know, maybe the high seventies
as far as games played, was that collapse long injury
that he had, which is not something that I think
we've seen too often in basketball or the NBA. But overall,
I mean, the Pelicans win forty nine games, most wins
(07:59):
they've had in fifteen years. I have to keep reminding
myself of that that this. I mean, the regular season
was very successful, but how how much of a vital
part of it do you think CJ was as far
as them being able to get to that level and
you know, ending up where they were at the end
of the regular season.
Speaker 9 (08:18):
You know, I think it was a fantastic season him
and you mentioned, you know, that collapse lung injury being
something we don't see too often.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
The crazy thing is it's the second time that it's
happened to CJ.
Speaker 9 (08:28):
You know, a few years ago in Portland he had
something similar where he got hit you know, in the
stomach region and had to set out for a couple
of weeks through the collapse lunger, you know, which is
really scary, you know, having something like that happened to
you two times, and it's crazy for it to happen
to CJ. Because it's not like he's John Morant driving
to the lane every time. It was just kind of
two freak accidents where he got hit in the rib section, and.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
You know, they put him, you know, on the sidelines
for a while.
Speaker 9 (08:53):
So yeah, I thought, you know, besides that, it was
an outstanding season for CJ, not just doing the typical
is that we know him for.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
But I think what was so impressive was.
Speaker 9 (09:03):
Him, you know, so deep into his career, kind of
switching up the way he plays, kind of becoming more
of an off ball.
Speaker 8 (09:10):
Threat, shooting more threes than he ever has before.
Speaker 9 (09:13):
I thought he was, you know, improved on defense, showing
more just focus and of this on that, and I thought,
just you know, we know our consistency is how you
kind of depend on that twenty every single night, but
the way he went about doing it this season was
much different than I think what we've seen from him
in the past.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
When when you think about.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
You know, one of the things that we've talked about
with the Pelicans in recent years is that, I mean,
how many times have we said, you know, going back,
I would say even like six seven years, that they
need to take more threes, they need to shoot more threes.
I mean, how much of a part of that is
what makes him valuable in this offense is I mean,
he finished third in the NBA in three pointers made,
(09:57):
behind I think it was Luca and Steph Curry were
the only ones that made more threes. I mean, how
how much do you look at that as something that
you know, they was valuable within the offense that they
just they just have to take and make more threes.
Speaker 5 (10:13):
No question.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
And he kind of, you know, allow his actions to
follow his works because he was one of the main
ones preaching the messages about them shooting more threes.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
And he's a guy who, throughout his career has been
known for, you know, making plays.
Speaker 8 (10:25):
Off the dribble, iceo, you know, attacking guys.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
You know CJ.
Speaker 9 (10:30):
You always think about between the legs, between the legs,
step back min range Shepherd.
Speaker 8 (10:35):
He really wasn't that guy that he was taking way.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
More three pointers.
Speaker 9 (10:39):
He was taking more transition threes, we'll catch a shoot opportunities.
And I thought he really set the example for the
rest of those guys with his aggression seeking out three pointers.
And I thought that was something he was very mindful
of throughout the season, was seeking out opportunities to get
those threes up, even if it mess you know, giving
up the ball, allowing other.
Speaker 8 (10:58):
Guys to do more with the ball, and.
Speaker 9 (11:01):
Bigger rown situations and dribble handoff situations. I thought he
did a very good job of kind of shifting his game.
And you hear that a lot about guys later in
their careers learning how to, you know, do different things,
learning how to be effective in different ways.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
And I thought he was a prime example of that
this season.
Speaker 9 (11:19):
And for him to do it and to be as
effective as he was, and mean, he breaks the franchise
record for most threes in the season, and like.
Speaker 8 (11:26):
He said, he only played sixty six games, I mean
to do it, you know what.
Speaker 9 (11:29):
I still remember bringing up the conversation to him during
the West Coast trip.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
About yeah, you're about to break the three point record.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
He was like, I didn't even.
Speaker 9 (11:36):
Think it was possible because I missed so many games
and it speaks because.
Speaker 6 (11:40):
The high volume of.
Speaker 9 (11:41):
Three pointers he was putting in on a consistent basis
on a team that still needed to shoot more threes.
Speaker 8 (11:48):
So it spoke to how important his three point shooting
was for his team.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Yeah, I think we came into the season.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I know Jim and I were thinking, right, like, when
we think defense, we think Herb Jones, And when we
think offense are three point shooting, We're thinking, Hey, rook
Jordan Hawkins or Trey Murphy.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Right, Trey Murphy's going to be the lie that leaves
the three. I don't know if a lot of fans
or even.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Myself thought that the three point franchise record be broken
by CJ. And to your point, with some of the
games he made, he missed and also on some of
those where yeah, you know you have five or six
night and then sometimes he's struggle and have you know,
zero one or two on That just kind of kind
of gives the idea of the volume to it. But
you're right, that's the one thing that I look back
(12:26):
at this season. Three point shooting in today's NBA is
so key. The fact that the Pels Gym were one
of the top teams in three point shooting the season,
and that doesn't happen if CJ McCollum's not knocking down
shots from beyond the arc.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Wheel.
Speaker 9 (12:40):
Yeah, And I think, you know, it's important we always
talk about the example CJ's setting for this team, his
willingness to buy in and do something different for the
betterment of the team.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
I think that was something that everybody needed to see.
Speaker 6 (12:52):
The specifically the.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
Top three guys making that sacrifice, you know, shifting their
games do what benefits of everybody else. And I think
CJ did that as much as anybody else this year
with the way he up his three points shooting. And
I think, you know, we can kind of get into
the age old Pelicans questions about you know, true point
guard and traditional point guard and what I always say
(13:14):
when every people bring up this conversation, I say, I
rather a guy who's making two hundred and fifty threes
over a guy who plays quote unquote traditional point guard.
And I think CJ kind of embodies that of a
guy who you know, is a constant threat from the perimeter,
who can get you thirty nights, thirty points on any
given night. And I think just a guy who's a
constant threat at the position to do something off the
dribble or if you leave him open on the perimeter,
(13:35):
he's knocking down those shots. And I thought, you know,
the way he was able to space the floor for
Zion this year was extremely key to his success. And
I thought, you know, during that West Coast trip at
the end of the season where they go to you know, Portland, Sacramento,
Golden State, where they won four in a row leading
up to the playoffs, I thought it was some of the.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
Best basketball I've ever seen him play.
Speaker 9 (13:55):
He was incredible during that stretch, making seven eight threes
every single game.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
And just for him to step up the way he
did with bi out, it will.
Speaker 9 (14:04):
Shoes for this team to kind of put themselves in
a position where, you know, that rough stretch during the
home stand where they went one to five, they were
able to race that even without Brandon England because CJ
really stepped up and started knocking down shots at a
ridiculous rate.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah, he was twenty nine for forty seven from three
point range on just that four game road trip, So,
like you said, that is unbelievable. He averaged more than
seven made threes a game over those four games. I mean,
that was just a level that was amazing. I mean,
I thought too the three pointer he made against Golden
(14:38):
State that took the lead from three to six with
about a minute left in that game. When he made
that shot, I'm thinking, this is going to be the
biggest basket of the season. This is going to get
them in the playoffs. Obviously, we don't need to go
through this scenarios that happened that prevented that from being
the case. But you know, one of the things that
you mentioned will that I had on my list and
we might as well get into it now, was him
(15:01):
kind of on the ball or off the ball. You
talked about how you know, there's been a lot of
discussion about pure point guard and David Griffin addressed you know,
basketball IQ and that kind of thing the day after
the season ended first CJ.
Speaker 4 (15:14):
I mean, is it the.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Kind of thing where it's like, you know, he's not
going to play the whole game off the ball, but
he's not going to play the whole game on the
ball either. Is it kind of just finding the right
balance between those. Is it trying to make it life
a little bit easier for him? It just seems like
maybe I mean with a greade, a three point shooting,
a shooter, or as he is, if he's off the
(15:36):
ball a little bit more, maybe it's not as taxing
that if you can find him some more like catch
and shoot opportunities and just wide open shots that he's
not going to get when he's on the ball because
obviously somebody's going to be guarding him and right nearby
all the time. I mean, how do you see that
situation as far as what the Pelicans might need to
(15:56):
do going forward or what they might try to do
as far as his role goes.
Speaker 9 (16:01):
Yeah, Jenny, you brother, get me fired up a pels
pitter right now, because I got a whole lot of
thoughts on this.
Speaker 8 (16:06):
But I think you know, we've talked for multiple years now.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
About wanting to live in the world.
Speaker 9 (16:12):
Where Zion Williamson takes over more of the point guard duties,
right where he's initiating more of.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
The offense when he's the guy bringing the ball up
the court.
Speaker 9 (16:20):
And when that's the case, you need guys who can
space the floor.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
You need guys who can.
Speaker 9 (16:26):
Take some of the pressure off of Zion when they're
crowding the paint anytime he has them all.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
And I think CJ has been, you know, better bet than.
Speaker 9 (16:34):
Anybody this season Frankly, and I think a lot of
people look to Tray Burphy as the number one spot
up guy off of Zion plays, but I think there's
no doubt if you watch this team that CJ was
the guy spacing the floor for Zion at at a
higher level than anybody else this year on a more
consistent basis. And I think you're exactly right that ability
to be that guy who can make plays off the dribble,
(16:55):
running off of screens, running in transition to three pointers,
versus also being a guy who late in the shot clock.
Speaker 8 (17:02):
You can throw him the ball, he can create something
off the dribble.
Speaker 9 (17:05):
I think that's something that's really rare in this league
to have a guard who can do both and be
effective next to two ball dominant guys like Bright the
Neighbroom and Zion Williamson. And I think having that asset
I think was super valuable.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
For this team.
Speaker 9 (17:19):
And then you crank it up to another level when
you talk about the value he was doing it, like
you said, having games where he's hit the seven eight threes.
He of course has the Pelicans record for most three
pinners in the game. I mean, this is a guy
who can get hot really fast and just start pouring
in and bunches, and I think having that, I think
it was something that.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
He kind of was learning on the fly.
Speaker 9 (17:40):
But I thought he did a really good job of
adjusting his game and learning how to be effective. Like
I said, next to two ball dominant guys like BI
and Zion Williamson, I think overall there are gonna be
a lot of questions this offseason about, you know, should
you have more ball handlers around Zion and Bi to
take some of the pressure off them, shoot you, you know,
(18:00):
completely move CJ off the ball and just make him
a full time two guard. But I stand Furman saying,
give me the choice between the guys who's hitting two
hundred and fifty threes or a quote unquote puer point guard.
Speaker 6 (18:12):
And I'll take the guy who's pouring in the three pointers.
That's just me.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
I think that's today's NBA.
Speaker 8 (18:17):
You need guys who can make three pointers at that.
Speaker 9 (18:19):
Kind of rate, and you need guys who can just
any given night catch fire. And I think CJ did
that as much as anybody in the league. And I
think if he would have played, you know, seventy seventy
five games the way we're used to seeing him, I
think we would have heard even more talk about what
he did as a gay point shooter this year, because
it was unprecedented as far as this franchise was.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
What he was able to do. And I think he
also did it at an.
Speaker 8 (18:43):
Official rate, which made it even more impressive.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I think part of the problem with the peer point
guard discussion, honestly is that there's just aren't that many available.
And I mean the ones that are coming out of
the draft are guys that are going to be obviously
it's going to take them a little while to get
used to the NBA, and the guys that are already
veteran players are not coming available.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
There.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
You just you can't just walk around and find one
of those guys easily. One of the things that you
mentioned earlier, one of the words that you mentioned earlier
Will about CJ was the word mindful, and I kind
of wanted to go a little bit behind the scenes
in terms of you know, you talking to him, interviewing
him throughout the course of the season. I think one
of the things I find the most interesting about CJ
(19:26):
is it just seems like he puts so much thought
into everything, whether it's you know, he's looking at the analytics,
he's looking at you know, the difference between you know.
One of the reasons why guys are why he's talking
about the team taking more threes is because from an
analytical standpoint, it makes a lot more sense to take
threes than to take deep twos, which is something that
(19:46):
he has talked a little bit about in interviews. It
just seems like across the board, whether it's the game itself,
on the court or off the court, he just really
you know, again uses to use the word mindful. It
just seems like that's the kind of person he is.
I mean, what is your experience from that standpoint in
terms of just, you know, the way that he goes
about his business.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I guess now you're on.
Speaker 5 (20:08):
The money jump.
Speaker 9 (20:09):
And I think getting to know him, to get to
know a few people around him, I think I will
put him in Rondo kind of Jihon Rondo in the
same neighborhood.
Speaker 6 (20:17):
As far as guys who think the game more than
anybody else, I've been around in the amount of time
and thought that CJ puts into his game and the
way he plays.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
I think it's really incredible.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
And I think, you know, people.
Speaker 9 (20:29):
Who aren't around him don't really get the scale of
what he does on a daily basis to kind of
evaluate himself, evaluate the team.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
You know, I've written before about you know.
Speaker 9 (20:40):
He's constantly sent to his phone from people who work
for him showing.
Speaker 6 (20:44):
You know, what does it look like when you go
pick and roll, dribbling to your right?
Speaker 5 (20:46):
What about to your left?
Speaker 8 (20:48):
How does it look when you're shooting pull up jumper?
How does it look when you're scoring and transition.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
I think he's.
Speaker 9 (20:53):
Constantly evaluating his game, where his shots are coming from,
where he's less efficient, where he's more efficient, And I
think he's always looking for ways to improve his game.
Speaker 8 (21:04):
And make certain tweaks to his game.
Speaker 9 (21:06):
And I think, obviously, you know, there are times where
he's a he's a tough shot maker.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Let's keep it clear.
Speaker 9 (21:12):
This isn't the guy who's flying into the lane and
getting a bunch of labs. He's a guy who lives
off naked jumpers, frankly, and I think, uh, you know,
when you do that, there are gonna be times like
there were during the playoffs where the jumpers aren't falling
and he's looking rough. But I do think the way
he's been able to be so efficient for so long
as a jump shooter, I think it shows the amount
(21:33):
of thought he's putting into where those shot shots are
coming from and how he's going about creating those shots.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
As a guy without elite athleticism, without.
Speaker 9 (21:42):
Elite size, he's able to consistently get to his spots
and make shots.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
At a higher rate.
Speaker 9 (21:47):
And I think a big part of that is the
amount of thought he puts into his game and the
amount of time he spends evaluating himself. And I say
it all the time, I think if guys, if more
guys had his mentality about the way he approaches the game,
I think it would be a game changer for so
many guys in this league, just because I think that's
one of the toughest things for a lot of players
(22:08):
and his league, is to look in the berrier and
evaluate themselves. I mean, we talked about it a lot
this year, was Zion Williamson, and you know, Brandon Ingram
has allowed that to do this summer coming off of
the playoffs. But I think that's something that there comes
natural to CJ. Constantly evaluating himself, seeing what's wrong about
his game and making those adjustments.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
And I think that's part of what's.
Speaker 9 (22:27):
Allowed him to be, you know, such a consistent score
in this league for so long, and as he would
tell you, to make a whole lot of money in
this league.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
That's a great behind the scenes that you just kind
of gave us there, because as you were speaking, I'm
thinking of John de Cha's on our broadcast. After a
bucket that CJ gets in a timely bucket or a
Big three goes professional shot maker, And what you just
described is professionalism at its finest there, right, I mean
(22:56):
being able to look at your shot and getting those
clips and will. As you were saying that, another thought
passed up to me. That's almost invaluable to have on
a team because not everybody does that. So when you
have a guy that can do that, you're hoping that
translates everywhere else.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
But that also means.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
That that is an added you know, web, I mean,
that's an asset.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
You don't want to just give that up.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
No question.
Speaker 9 (23:21):
It's an example for everybody else, and it applies to
everything he does, right, It applies to you know how
he sleeps, how he's eating on a daily basis. You
know what is he doing early? Is he is he
going in instead of going out? You know, during certain
road trips. I think you're exactly right. He's a pros pro.
He's a guy who takes his job very seriously. He
knows what it takes for him to be effective.
Speaker 6 (23:43):
He's not out here, you know, running.
Speaker 9 (23:44):
These streets or you know, you don't have to worry
about him during that you know, four game road trip,
it's four day trip in La. I should say whether
it's like, Okay, you got an off day in LA,
what's Ces is gonna be doing?
Speaker 5 (23:56):
You ain't got to worry about that.
Speaker 9 (23:57):
He's gonna be in his room watching clips to himself,
figure out where he can get shots. And like I said,
there are gonna be times where his style of play
is frustrating, no doubt, just because he's a guard who
doesn't passed the ball as much as other guys.
Speaker 8 (24:10):
He's focused on getting his shots.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
But I think I point to consistently his efficiency.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
That's all I have to say.
Speaker 9 (24:16):
Just look at his efficiency, what he's doing from night
to night, the way he's knocking down shots, when everybody
knows where his shots are coming from and what he's
trying to do. He consistently is able to do what
he does, and I think you're exactly right. Having a
guy who sets that example for everybody else in the
locker room, you know, is invaluable. And I think the
Pelicans were very I'll use the word again, they were
(24:39):
very mindful of that when they acquired him a couple
of years ago, and being that veteran presence in the
locker room around guys like Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado,
Zion Williamson a lot, they were very big on bringing
him in and having them see the way he works
on a daily basis, and you've heard from all of
(24:59):
those guys about House and c J work on a
daily basis kind of changes the way they approached the
game as well.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Mister will Gillery of the Athletic covers the NBA, your
New Orleans Pelicans, the Heats and soon on ESPN the
O show, towel tossing at officials or something.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I was trying to come up with something much more
witty than that, but yeah, it would be pretty fun
used to see you know, like you if you're like
on a chair standing, can you make it half cord?
Can you make it three quarters cord? Can you get
it to the other free throw line? I mean it
weighted towel and stuff. I think this could be a
nice summer you.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Know, one a M show. What do you think?
Speaker 5 (25:36):
Will you gotta gotta throw it with the offan? You know, I'm.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Sure, I'm sure there's some science to like how tight
you have to tie it to get it to the
furthest you.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Know there would be exactly people tie certain not for
distance and air.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
I mean, why not embrace this?
Speaker 2 (25:59):
If you're the NBA and Adam Silver you know what
I'm saying, Cowell tossing.
Speaker 9 (26:03):
You gotta love saying start players throw stuff. It could
be an this is why we tune into the game.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
It could be an all Star weekend event.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
You can put it in like before this, before the
skills competition or something like that.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
Skills competition. Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
If they made this an event, I think there will
be several Pelicans executives lining up be the first one.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
First they officiated his ion this year, I.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Promise you, I like what will just did? There's two
different levels.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You can have players and executives competing against one another.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Yeah, I like that. So you look at you. This
is why we have you on. Will Gilory, thank you
so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I appreciate it, Bud appreciate you all right, thanks to
Will Gilory.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Jim Again, when you think of where.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
CJ can go, that next level is great to hear
Will talk about all the extra steps that he does
to try to figure out what he can do and
improve in his game. I guess this is what we've
been doing unfortunately, and pills fans are doing in medium.
When you look at that playoff series, when you look
at the way the season sort of ended over the
season overall, what do you think is CJ's next step
(27:10):
of improved What do you think he's kind of going
over his head of what he wants to do better
what he's doing right now.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I liked what Will talked about in terms of some
of the detail that he got into as far as
CJ's preparation, how mindful he is about the way he
approaches his job.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
And you know something that CJ.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Addressed during exit interviews was just focusing on improving his
assistant turnover ratio, doing more conditionings that his defense can
be improved. He mentioned more lower body lifting to improve
his lateral quickness. So, I mean, he's already got a
bunch of things on his list that he's going to
work on. And I remember going back to last summer
(27:50):
how much the coaches praised him going into training camp
that he was in extremely good condition. And it just
seems like you can count on him to do a
bunch of things that will described. But one of them
that you can count on him for is that he's
going to be totally ready on day one of training
camp to prepare for the season and being in excellent
shape and just all the stuff that he does as
(28:12):
a veteran. That's one thing that you can rely on
when they when they start things back up in the fall.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah, well, I'll tell you what, that's crazy. He's already
starting to work right there. I have no list, and
I'm just trying to get through today. So, but that
is Seg McCullum, a professional basketball player, and I'm, you know,
just a guy.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Who knows I turn on him. You're a progus.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Pro.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
It's something I don't really know exactly what that is
that's your mic, and offer give a follow Jim Underscore
I can Offer, I met you, Kat Underscore one to seven,
and thank you as always for tuning us into New
Orleans Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
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 gus
so follow on x at Jim Underscore I can offer
(29:04):
and Gcat Underscore seventeen. We'll see you next time right
here on the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast
Host
Jim Eichenhofer
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