October 21, 2025 • 24 mins
New Orleans Pelicans TV play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers and TV color analyst Antonio Daniels join Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell on the Pelicans Podcast for Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 to discuss their expectations for the 2025-26 NBA season.
Learn more about Joel & AD's relationship as they enter their seventh season together on the Pelicans TV broadcast team.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans
Podcast, official podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans.
We have a special treat for you since it is opening week,
everyone, it is opening week. Pelvis will start the regular
season and we're going to kind of give you a little
representation of how we're going to cover your favorite
basketball team. Little print, little television.
I'll represent radio here, fellas.
(00:27):
Joe Myers, Antonio Daniels and Jim Eichenhofer are y'all
excited this week. You ready?
We are ready. Actually, we're ready.
What was it? April 15th, The end of the.
Season. We wanted to wash away that
season as soon as possible. So yes, we're ready and there's
a lot of good energy going on right now across the parking lot
here in the gym. He knows what I'm talking about.
(00:47):
I've been ready for a while. I've been ready for a while.
Changes obviously took place in the summertime and I'm
interested to watch this whole thing come together from the top
down. About you.
Yeah, I mean, I'm, I, I'm going to echo part of what Joel said
that I mean, let's turn the pageon last season.
(01:07):
Let's never bring it up again. And if we do bring it up, it's
going to be man, like look at how much better that things are
right now than they were compared to last year.
So ready to really close the thebook on last season and try to
forget a lot of what happened during that span.
Yeah, no doubt. You know, I, I think it's
interesting when Tony just brought up Joel about just how
this all comes together. There's so many storylines and
part of what you do as well as to try to navigate those
(01:29):
storylines at the start of the season.
So when you look at this year upcoming, what are some of the
things that you look forward to the most kind of covering and
seeing unfold before your eyes? Well, I think it took place over
the summer because Joe is a no nonsense guy and he's done it at
the highest level. He's one rings, he's in the
Basketball Hall of Fame, he's been an executive 2004, that
(01:52):
team. He's put together a really good
roster in Detroit before. So the experience is there.
He comes back to his home state.So it's a feel good story to
begin with for Joe Dumars. And I like what they did after
watching the Finals last year where both teams were very
physical because they went 10 or11 deep.
And kind of the whole motto of the summer was get enough
(02:13):
players that you can play 10 or 11.
And and if somebody gets into foul trouble early, whoever it
might be, it's not a huge drop off like we've seen in the past.
So this is one of the deepest teams in my 14 years with the
Pels. And that's more than anything
else. I think that's what you need now
in the NBA. You have to have depth because
(02:35):
it's a long season. We played three games and four
nights. We have, what is it the the Pels
have the second most back to backs in the NBA this year, so
depth is critical. And not just for the Pells, but
the two teams that went to the Finals last year both went 10
and 11 deep. Yeah.
Depth is king. Yeah, depth is king.
And I would say versatility is queen, right?
(02:57):
If you look at Oklahoma City andIndiana in the way that they're
constructed, you know, this is acopycat league.
You know, two years ago when Boston won the NBA championship,
everybody tried to do what Boston did, even though they
weren't constructed the way Boston was.
So it was a lot of threes and Indiana and Oklahoma City kind
(03:19):
of they didn't go against it, but they won another way.
And the way that they won is more manageable because what
they did is they went out and they added depth one, and they
also added versatility. What I mean by versatility is
wings. Wings guys that are 6 foot 5-6
(03:40):
foot 66 foot seven that you can switch multiple positions.
Boston did the same thing with Jayson Tatum and Brown and Derek
White. You can go down listed the
amount of wings that they had. You look at Oklahoma City with
Shakira's Alexander and Alex Caruso and Lou Dort and Cason
(04:01):
Wallace go down to this. Kenrich Williams, all these J
Dub, all these wings. And to your point, now you you
have to you got to keep up. You got to keep up.
You know, they say, you know, you adjust, you adjust and you
evolve or you die. And what the Pelicans are doing,
(04:21):
especially in the depth category, is they're evolving.
Now this isn't, this is a very deep team and they're going to
be minutes from. Rookies.
Jeremiah Feeders, you're going to need minutes from rookie
Derrick Queen. These guys are versatile.
They can play multiple positionsand we can get into this later.
(04:45):
My big kind of watch is Derrick Queen is Derrick Queen.
I've had conversations with Joe Dumars about different bigs in
this league that are hubs for their particular offense.
You think of Alfie Shangoon, youthink of a Domas Sabonis, right?
You think of a Anthony Davis in Dallas.
(05:06):
You think of different guys thatare a Nikola Jokic.
And no, I'm not comparing Derrick Queen to those guys.
That's not what. I'm doing.
What I'm talking about is his skill set and IQ to be able to
be a guy that initiates the offense from the 4th court
position. You know, people called Derek
Queen baby Jokic in college. So there actually is a little
(05:28):
bit of that comparison already, even though, like you said, no
one's saying like this guy is asgood as Jokic or in that
stratosphere. Yet to me, there's there's at
least there's probably more, butthere's at least three reasons
to me in the NBA, the way thingshave trended, why depth is so
much more important. One is the pace of the game.
It Indiana can throw different guys out there, bring in a whole
bunch of new guys and have freshlegs the whole time.
(05:49):
I think that's important. The second thing, and obviously
knock on wood that this isn't asbig of a factor or even close to
it as it was last season, but there's more injuries in the NBA
than there used to be. There's more guys missing games.
So you have to have depth. You have to have a back up plan.
You can't say, OK, these are theseven or eight guys that we're
going to ride all season and that's going to take us through
80 games. It's just not realistic or
feasible. And then the last part of it, to
(06:11):
me, that's also why depth is becoming more important is if
you look at the salary cap and you even see saw this offseason,
excuse me, with the second apron, you're going to lose
guys. So you need to have a, a whole
group of new players that you can, that you can develop over
time and say, OK, there's no waywe're going to be able to bring
back every player that led us tothe finals or LED us to a
(06:32):
championship like, OK, C, but wehave these other two way
contract guys or rookies or people that we drafted that are
going to be able to step in and fill those roles eventually.
So I think it's never, to me, it's never been more important
to have depth than it is now because of just a bunch of
different reasons. Can I ask a question?
Sure, you you talked about the pace of the game is faster than
(06:53):
it's ever been. What's more taxing on your body,
the pace of the game or physicality?
Depends upon conditioning of theindividual obviously and and
matchups. We just saw Houston, no.
I'm talking about like as a. As a as a team, right?
As a? As a what's?
Most important? Well, what is your personality
(07:14):
and your style? And that's what you have to
identify early, right? And the Pells right now, Derrick
Queens going to have to play in certain positions where we saw
Houston, they went 4 bigs. Everybody's doing it now, right?
That's the thing. So the matchups every night are
going to be the key and how do you match up with that opponent?
(07:35):
So that's why you bring up Derrick Queen.
I want to see Jordan Hawkins as well on the floorboard and I
want to see him do more than shoot because he has got a
beautiful stroke. We know he can shoot and I would
love to see him at both ends of the floor and also make his
teammates better too because he's a talented guy.
And I'm happy to see that they picked up both Eve and Jordan
(07:57):
Hawkins, excuse me, in their options.
So the commitment by the organization as Jordan gets
ready for his his third and it'sreal important for you bring up
depth. But guys by the year and we
always talk about it. What have you added?
Well, make your teammates betteryou can, we know you can shoot
(08:17):
certain guys. Can you also enhance the other
guys on the floor and their games?
That's what this league is all about.
This league is all about taking that next step, right, the
proverbial Jones. When we talk about Trey Murphy
and we talk about. Who is dedicated?
Herb, Herb Jones, those guys have to take that step.
(08:40):
We again, this is a league whereyou're watching other teams to
watch where Tatum and Brown werein Boston and then they took the
proverbial step and won an NBA championship.
This league and this team in particular is not simply going
to be about fears and queen and and some of these younger guys,
(09:00):
Jordan Hawkins. It's going to be about guys that
have been here for years now taking the proverbial step,
which is eventually take this team to the next level.
And then as you know, in the locker room, holding your
teammates accountable, so not just off the floor, but as we
all watch and, and the coaches with tablets and, and breaking
(09:21):
down a game film. The biggest concern obviously
after watching 4 preseason gamesis can you get stops because
this team can score. I don't think there's any
question about that. You and I were talking over the
last few days about it. What were they 6 defensively a
couple of years ago? Two years in a row, right?
So as we always say, offense is a lot of fun, defense is a lot
(09:43):
of hard work. Well, we've seen Trey in the
offseason put the time in. We've seen her put the time in.
So now put the time in at the defensive end of the floor as a
group and not necessarily in zone schemes, but your
individual man to man defense care that much at the defensive
end of the floor. Yeah, the right mix of obviously
vets to take that next step, rookies and then guys that you
(10:05):
brought in the offseason that have been there and done that
could be a fun, fun watch as theseason goes on.
Speaking of a fun watch, from turtlenecks to being human
costumes to, you know, Pelican hats, this relationship for the
last six years has been fun to watch.
When we come back on the Pelicans Podcast.
We'll delve into that when we come back next right here on the
(10:26):
Pelicans Podcast. Hi, welcome back to the New
Orleans Pelicans podcast. Joel Myers, Antonio Daniels.
(10:47):
They're already chuckling. Jim, I can offer.
So they are ready for your in depth analysis.
What makes them work for the last six years?
Bringing Pelicans basketball to your home TV.
Here come the hard hitting question guys, so I hope.
You're ready so. You've worked together for six
years, this is the 7th. What's been the the most
enjoyable part you think of of working together over this time
(11:08):
frame? Evolution for me, like honestly,
because it's it's from where we were from game one day one to
where we are now. And I'm not talking about on
camera. I'm talking about just our
relationship as a whole and how much it has evolved over time.
(11:30):
How much when we aren't working in the summertime where Joel
will call and ask about my wife and my children and like it has
nothing whatsoever to do with basketball.
But you know, we we used to always hear as players you you
always know which coaches care about you because they see you
(11:50):
as more than a player, right. And our relationship has grown
to the point now where it's a actual relationship.
It's not a professional relationship.
There's some people you're you. We laughed about this about a
week ago where you're cool with because you work together and if
(12:10):
your jobs, you know, whatever, then you may never talk to that
person again. And that's not the relationship
that we have. And that's refreshing.
That's awesome. We communicate a lot.
A lot. Bottom line, too much, Yeah.
We communicate and by the way, it's honest communication,
especially during the season. We, we sit in the back on the
(12:31):
bus together, we sit close to each other, catty corner on the
plane and we communicate a lot. And that's the key.
So and I've watched his family grow and he's got a beautiful
family, so it's kind of nice forme.
Plus maybe people don't know this.
We met in 1999, he was playing and I was doing television for
(12:51):
the Spurs. And so I watched him grow as a
person, as a dad, as a father and as a husband.
It's been good and healthy, but it goes down and it boils down
to, and I think this is really kind of what maybe comes across
more than anything else on the telecast.
(13:12):
We love the game. Well, our nights off, we text,
watching other games because we can't believe certain things we
just saw. So, you know, people don't
understand. It's six months season, 7 months
season. We hope it's a lot longer, but
we're watching. We're watching everybody and
we're watching the Bells, obviously, but we're keeping up
(13:33):
with everybody else because our love for the game is the same
and I respect because he played to the highest level.
You guys can take this whatever direction you want, but I, I was
wondering what's been like your favorite interaction that you've
had with a fan or most memorableor just in general, your
perspective on how much fun it'sbeen to interact with fans in
(13:54):
the way that they've responded to you.
For example, there's a couple inthe stands that has dressed up
as you a a a man and woman dressed up as.
Peter Finney, junior's daughter.Is that who it is?
OK. And it?
They are a great couple and theycare.
It's they care about the pelts and you know, it's not about us.
It's the loyalty they showed thefranchise and that's we really
(14:17):
appreciate that couple. There's a bunch of people
though, you know. Man, I, I, I tell you I this fan
base for me, for us like it loyalty, the passion, the
support, the constant encouragement.
Like even even during the seasonwhere obviously like you guys
opened up by saying we're ready to close your close the book on
(14:39):
that season move past. But the amount of just support
even throughout that season lastyear and just throughout my time
here as a whole, even on the road, when we go on the road, I
I tell you my favorite interaction.
I will say this is always with the lottery tickets.
You know how many lottery tickets that we've been given?
(14:59):
Really. You.
Like seriously, you know, I mean, I'm talking about here,
I'm talking about when we go somewhere else on the road,
right, how we'll meet fans, Pelicans fans on the road and
they'll do a lottery ticket. They'll give us lottery tickets.
That's incredible that like, I don't know how often that's
happened or somebody or fans at the game and the Smoothie King
Center, right, will bring us cards and the cards, you open
them up and the cards are just full of lottery tickets.
(15:21):
Wow, you know what I mean? That's probably my and as you
can tell because I'm here right now sitting with you, we have
not won yet, but that's probablymy my favorite, my favorite.
Interaction with the lottery tickets.
It's really funny because we'd still do it even if we hit the
lottery, we'd still want to do the games.
But I also see. Remember, I'll say it.
We're total, you know. I do remember a closing scene in
(15:46):
Trading Places with Eddie Murphyand Ted Ackroyd, and they're
looking good. Lewis, they're on the beach with
Jamie Lee Curtis. Yep.
It's those, those moments. And we laugh about it because it
is. Don't forget, we take it very
seriously. Sure, we don't take ourselves
(16:07):
seriously. We take the game and the elite
athletes in front of us very seriously, but we don't take
ourselves seriously. So that's where, you know, it's
entertainment for us. Yeah.
Just, you know, just extend whatfans sort of feel and you're
just trying to give them a. Little something we're going to
have fun in. Whatever we do, we are going to
have fun. You know, it's interesting.
Listen to you guys the same thing, you know, Jim, John
(16:28):
Deshazer, Todd Graffini. We have our own little radio
group text there and you know that same thing.
If there's not a game night, we're texting about something
during the game. We're texting about, you know,
other things going into it. It is sort of a family thing.
And you know, we're talking about kids and family.
You know, I can understand that.When the season starts, our kids
are starting the second quarter of the school year.
When the season ends, the regular season, the NFL draft is
(16:49):
about to take place, the new baseball season is about to take
place, your school year is aboutto end.
So you think of all the things that go into it.
It is a family. I I think when you think about
it. Spend more time together, like I
spend more time with Joel throughout the course of a
season than I do with my own family.
You know, I'm like, and, and we used to say that as players with
(17:11):
their teammates, you travel together, you eat together, you
know what I mean? You meet together, all these
other kind of things that go into right, all these things
that go into being a team like it.
You spend you spend a lot of time together.
And that's why I appreciate how the relationship has evolved
(17:32):
from where it was initially to where it's become today.
Yeah, no doubt. And I think one of the things
too, when you have that kind of relationship, it helps in the
broadcast too, right, Because you're taking what he's saying
and you know exactly how to callabout that or off of his call,
you know exactly how to go into your analysis.
And that's part of that back andforth that you get.
So when we come back, let's kindof get into the upcoming season.
(17:53):
It is opening week, so it startswith Memphis, but it's not just
the Pels. The rest of the NBA is about to
get going here as well. So we'll do that and wrap up
this edition of the New Orleans Pelicans podcast when we come
back. All right, welcome back to New
(18:22):
Orleans Pelicans Podcast, your mic and offer Antonio Daniels,
Joel Myers, Gus Kattengill with you 2 national games for the
Pels. Joel Well, you can show them
that they deserve more. That's easy.
That should be motivation. That should challenge you and
and a healthy team. Was Z on the floor?
Was Zion on the floor? I think some of the games will
(18:44):
be stolen from AD and I as opposed to just two national
appearances. Plus you got so many partners,
whether it's NBC and Peacock or ESPN or Amazon.
If the Pells stay healthy, get off to a solid start, they've
got to win at home in November. That's going to be the key to
the early part of the season. We always talk about every 10
(19:04):
games or whatever it might be. Well, it's probably 20 because
of the start in October and thenall the home games in their top
heavy in November, capitalize athome and capitalize before the
back-to-back hit, the three games and four nights hit.
So that's going to be a key is areally clean start the 1st 20
games of the season because of what do we have?
(19:25):
Is it 16 or 17 games in November?
It's a busy, really busy November.
To me, that's going to tilt everything if they can succeed,
and then they'll steal games from us.
I I think about the initial question, Gus, from a player
perspective, two games and two national games, you know, it's,
(19:48):
it's a, it's a rap lyric that says here's what they think
about you, you know, and here's what they think about you.
And you have an opportunity to change the narrative that's
around you right now collectively as a team.
Because I'm thinking if we're only on twice nationally, they
(20:09):
don't think that we're worth being on nationally.
That's how I'm taking it. I'm taking it personal.
I'm taking it more personal thananything else.
Be a competitor, not. Yeah, yeah, that exactly.
And that's that, that's my, that's my thought process.
I'm thinking about this more from a player perspective.
I'm not like from an analyst perspective, I'm like, Oh well,
(20:29):
cool. You know, we could do 80 games.
Like this is awesome. You know, we get the chance to
continue to connect to our fan base.
Like that's great. But from a player perspective
I'm like 2 games OK. Because normally they cherry
pick the networks, take and steal our best games and that
may happen if the Bells get off to a good start this year.
So we'll see. But it it should be motivation
(20:51):
for sure. We had John Ducheser when the
schedule came out and he was talking about how in sports you
hear all the time, athletes and teams say that no one believed
in US. And he was like, yeah, this time
there, you're right when you saythat.
It's not a cliche. Like you actually can.
You can say that. They it's in print.
Every team in the in the league gets at least two.
You got 2, so you got the minimum number of national
appearances. So yeah, I, I can see the
(21:13):
motivation part of that. As we wrap up, you, you
referenced earlier that you wanted to talk a little, maybe a
little bit more about Derek Queen, each of you guys.
Can you talk about a player to watch, maybe somebody that you
have your eyes focused on the most going in the season?
I'll, I'll be honest and, and I know this may sound cliche,
mine's just Trey Murphy. Like if there's a guy for me
(21:34):
that's, that's ready to take that next step and completely
change the narrative, not just surrounding him, but surrounding
this team collectively. I, I'm telling you, he he is, he
is on the cusp of something special.
And we, we've seen glimpses of it.
(21:56):
We've seen glimpses of it here and there.
And obviously with the shoulder injury last year, missing the
remainder of the year, but he's ready to step into the most
improved player conversation, step into the All Star
conversation on a consistent basis.
Yeah, stole mine. I was going to say he's on the
verge of being an All Star. So there's a marquee player
(22:17):
already here, and if he's on thesame side of the floor with Z
and they drop a double into the lap of Z, everything works
because Trey's going to be available.
So Jordan Poole to me is really important.
And as much as I think Sadiq Baywas a steal, he's going to be
huge off the bench to start the season.
(22:39):
Jordan Poole he can score and ashe gains confidence and trust in
his teammates to make everybody on the floor better around him
because we all know he can shoot, but is he going to
elevate their game as well because he's going to be
bringing it up. I mean there is truly the only
true lead is fierce, but you're not going to put too much on his
(23:02):
shoulders right now. So for me Jordan Poole besides
Trey and I agree with you. Trey's could be an All Star this
year and hopefully will be. But Jordan Poole can be a
difference maker for this franchise.
He. Sent it to us in media day in
our office that that was his goal.
And that's why you just saw why Joe Myers is a professional.
He was asked a question about one player, gave us a half the
(23:22):
team. So then if one of those players
weren't being the top player to watch, you can say I'll set it
back at the beginning of the. Season.
It's like I'm in the nine guys, one of them.
Is going to work. Will be Jordan Poole, although
Bay. I'm I'm with you wants to dig
bad. I am with you wants to dig bad.
(23:43):
I am. I am.
He's a grown man. I'll tell you this, the way Herb
Jones has acted this camp, I, I kind of get out the way when
he's in the in the hallway, they're kind of like what you
need. You know, he has been something
that's opened my eyes. So I'm interested.
Look, I'm ready to get the season start.
You guys ready? Hey man, it's.
About time. Gulf Coast sports and
entertainment network on Wednesday will tip off the
regular season. Joe Myers, Antonio Daniels on,
(24:05):
of course, Pelicans Television, Jim Eichenhofer over there in
pelicans.com, and I'll try to domy best to keep Graf, you know,
happy on Pelicans Radio. As always, we enjoy you tuning
in here on the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
We'll see you next time.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans
Podcast, official podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans.
We have a special treat for you since it is opening week,
everyone, it is opening week. Pelvis will start the regular
season and we're going to kind of give you a little
representation of how we're going to cover your favorite
basketball team. Little print, little television.
I'll represent radio here, fellas.
(00:27):
Joe Myers, Antonio Daniels and Jim Eichenhofer are y'all
excited this week. You ready?
We are ready. Actually, we're ready.
What was it? April 15th, The end of the.
Season. We wanted to wash away that
season as soon as possible. So yes, we're ready and there's
a lot of good energy going on right now across the parking lot
here in the gym. He knows what I'm talking about.
(00:47):
I've been ready for a while. I've been ready for a while.
Changes obviously took place in the summertime and I'm
interested to watch this whole thing come together from the top
down. About you.
Yeah, I mean, I'm, I, I'm going to echo part of what Joel said
that I mean, let's turn the pageon last season.
(01:07):
Let's never bring it up again. And if we do bring it up, it's
going to be man, like look at how much better that things are
right now than they were compared to last year.
So ready to really close the thebook on last season and try to
forget a lot of what happened during that span.
Yeah, no doubt. You know, I, I think it's
interesting when Tony just brought up Joel about just how
this all comes together. There's so many storylines and
part of what you do as well as to try to navigate those
(01:29):
storylines at the start of the season.
So when you look at this year upcoming, what are some of the
things that you look forward to the most kind of covering and
seeing unfold before your eyes? Well, I think it took place over
the summer because Joe is a no nonsense guy and he's done it at
the highest level. He's one rings, he's in the
Basketball Hall of Fame, he's been an executive 2004, that
(01:52):
team. He's put together a really good
roster in Detroit before. So the experience is there.
He comes back to his home state.So it's a feel good story to
begin with for Joe Dumars. And I like what they did after
watching the Finals last year where both teams were very
physical because they went 10 or11 deep.
And kind of the whole motto of the summer was get enough
(02:13):
players that you can play 10 or 11.
And and if somebody gets into foul trouble early, whoever it
might be, it's not a huge drop off like we've seen in the past.
So this is one of the deepest teams in my 14 years with the
Pels. And that's more than anything
else. I think that's what you need now
in the NBA. You have to have depth because
(02:35):
it's a long season. We played three games and four
nights. We have, what is it the the Pels
have the second most back to backs in the NBA this year, so
depth is critical. And not just for the Pells, but
the two teams that went to the Finals last year both went 10
and 11 deep. Yeah.
Depth is king. Yeah, depth is king.
And I would say versatility is queen, right?
(02:57):
If you look at Oklahoma City andIndiana in the way that they're
constructed, you know, this is acopycat league.
You know, two years ago when Boston won the NBA championship,
everybody tried to do what Boston did, even though they
weren't constructed the way Boston was.
So it was a lot of threes and Indiana and Oklahoma City kind
(03:19):
of they didn't go against it, but they won another way.
And the way that they won is more manageable because what
they did is they went out and they added depth one, and they
also added versatility. What I mean by versatility is
wings. Wings guys that are 6 foot 5-6
(03:40):
foot 66 foot seven that you can switch multiple positions.
Boston did the same thing with Jayson Tatum and Brown and Derek
White. You can go down listed the
amount of wings that they had. You look at Oklahoma City with
Shakira's Alexander and Alex Caruso and Lou Dort and Cason
(04:01):
Wallace go down to this. Kenrich Williams, all these J
Dub, all these wings. And to your point, now you you
have to you got to keep up. You got to keep up.
You know, they say, you know, you adjust, you adjust and you
evolve or you die. And what the Pelicans are doing,
(04:21):
especially in the depth category, is they're evolving.
Now this isn't, this is a very deep team and they're going to
be minutes from. Rookies.
Jeremiah Feeders, you're going to need minutes from rookie
Derrick Queen. These guys are versatile.
They can play multiple positionsand we can get into this later.
(04:45):
My big kind of watch is Derrick Queen is Derrick Queen.
I've had conversations with Joe Dumars about different bigs in
this league that are hubs for their particular offense.
You think of Alfie Shangoon, youthink of a Domas Sabonis, right?
You think of a Anthony Davis in Dallas.
(05:06):
You think of different guys thatare a Nikola Jokic.
And no, I'm not comparing Derrick Queen to those guys.
That's not what. I'm doing.
What I'm talking about is his skill set and IQ to be able to
be a guy that initiates the offense from the 4th court
position. You know, people called Derek
Queen baby Jokic in college. So there actually is a little
(05:28):
bit of that comparison already, even though, like you said, no
one's saying like this guy is asgood as Jokic or in that
stratosphere. Yet to me, there's there's at
least there's probably more, butthere's at least three reasons
to me in the NBA, the way thingshave trended, why depth is so
much more important. One is the pace of the game.
It Indiana can throw different guys out there, bring in a whole
bunch of new guys and have freshlegs the whole time.
(05:49):
I think that's important. The second thing, and obviously
knock on wood that this isn't asbig of a factor or even close to
it as it was last season, but there's more injuries in the NBA
than there used to be. There's more guys missing games.
So you have to have depth. You have to have a back up plan.
You can't say, OK, these are theseven or eight guys that we're
going to ride all season and that's going to take us through
80 games. It's just not realistic or
feasible. And then the last part of it, to
(06:11):
me, that's also why depth is becoming more important is if
you look at the salary cap and you even see saw this offseason,
excuse me, with the second apron, you're going to lose
guys. So you need to have a, a whole
group of new players that you can, that you can develop over
time and say, OK, there's no waywe're going to be able to bring
back every player that led us tothe finals or LED us to a
(06:32):
championship like, OK, C, but wehave these other two way
contract guys or rookies or people that we drafted that are
going to be able to step in and fill those roles eventually.
So I think it's never, to me, it's never been more important
to have depth than it is now because of just a bunch of
different reasons. Can I ask a question?
Sure, you you talked about the pace of the game is faster than
(06:53):
it's ever been. What's more taxing on your body,
the pace of the game or physicality?
Depends upon conditioning of theindividual obviously and and
matchups. We just saw Houston, no.
I'm talking about like as a. As a as a team, right?
As a? As a what's?
Most important? Well, what is your personality
(07:14):
and your style? And that's what you have to
identify early, right? And the Pells right now, Derrick
Queens going to have to play in certain positions where we saw
Houston, they went 4 bigs. Everybody's doing it now, right?
That's the thing. So the matchups every night are
going to be the key and how do you match up with that opponent?
(07:35):
So that's why you bring up Derrick Queen.
I want to see Jordan Hawkins as well on the floorboard and I
want to see him do more than shoot because he has got a
beautiful stroke. We know he can shoot and I would
love to see him at both ends of the floor and also make his
teammates better too because he's a talented guy.
And I'm happy to see that they picked up both Eve and Jordan
(07:57):
Hawkins, excuse me, in their options.
So the commitment by the organization as Jordan gets
ready for his his third and it'sreal important for you bring up
depth. But guys by the year and we
always talk about it. What have you added?
Well, make your teammates betteryou can, we know you can shoot
(08:17):
certain guys. Can you also enhance the other
guys on the floor and their games?
That's what this league is all about.
This league is all about taking that next step, right, the
proverbial Jones. When we talk about Trey Murphy
and we talk about. Who is dedicated?
Herb, Herb Jones, those guys have to take that step.
(08:40):
We again, this is a league whereyou're watching other teams to
watch where Tatum and Brown werein Boston and then they took the
proverbial step and won an NBA championship.
This league and this team in particular is not simply going
to be about fears and queen and and some of these younger guys,
(09:00):
Jordan Hawkins. It's going to be about guys that
have been here for years now taking the proverbial step,
which is eventually take this team to the next level.
And then as you know, in the locker room, holding your
teammates accountable, so not just off the floor, but as we
all watch and, and the coaches with tablets and, and breaking
(09:21):
down a game film. The biggest concern obviously
after watching 4 preseason gamesis can you get stops because
this team can score. I don't think there's any
question about that. You and I were talking over the
last few days about it. What were they 6 defensively a
couple of years ago? Two years in a row, right?
So as we always say, offense is a lot of fun, defense is a lot
(09:43):
of hard work. Well, we've seen Trey in the
offseason put the time in. We've seen her put the time in.
So now put the time in at the defensive end of the floor as a
group and not necessarily in zone schemes, but your
individual man to man defense care that much at the defensive
end of the floor. Yeah, the right mix of obviously
vets to take that next step, rookies and then guys that you
(10:05):
brought in the offseason that have been there and done that
could be a fun, fun watch as theseason goes on.
Speaking of a fun watch, from turtlenecks to being human
costumes to, you know, Pelican hats, this relationship for the
last six years has been fun to watch.
When we come back on the Pelicans Podcast.
We'll delve into that when we come back next right here on the
(10:26):
Pelicans Podcast. Hi, welcome back to the New
Orleans Pelicans podcast. Joel Myers, Antonio Daniels.
(10:47):
They're already chuckling. Jim, I can offer.
So they are ready for your in depth analysis.
What makes them work for the last six years?
Bringing Pelicans basketball to your home TV.
Here come the hard hitting question guys, so I hope.
You're ready so. You've worked together for six
years, this is the 7th. What's been the the most
enjoyable part you think of of working together over this time
(11:08):
frame? Evolution for me, like honestly,
because it's it's from where we were from game one day one to
where we are now. And I'm not talking about on
camera. I'm talking about just our
relationship as a whole and how much it has evolved over time.
(11:30):
How much when we aren't working in the summertime where Joel
will call and ask about my wife and my children and like it has
nothing whatsoever to do with basketball.
But you know, we we used to always hear as players you you
always know which coaches care about you because they see you
(11:50):
as more than a player, right. And our relationship has grown
to the point now where it's a actual relationship.
It's not a professional relationship.
There's some people you're you. We laughed about this about a
week ago where you're cool with because you work together and if
(12:10):
your jobs, you know, whatever, then you may never talk to that
person again. And that's not the relationship
that we have. And that's refreshing.
That's awesome. We communicate a lot.
A lot. Bottom line, too much, Yeah.
We communicate and by the way, it's honest communication,
especially during the season. We, we sit in the back on the
(12:31):
bus together, we sit close to each other, catty corner on the
plane and we communicate a lot. And that's the key.
So and I've watched his family grow and he's got a beautiful
family, so it's kind of nice forme.
Plus maybe people don't know this.
We met in 1999, he was playing and I was doing television for
(12:51):
the Spurs. And so I watched him grow as a
person, as a dad, as a father and as a husband.
It's been good and healthy, but it goes down and it boils down
to, and I think this is really kind of what maybe comes across
more than anything else on the telecast.
(13:12):
We love the game. Well, our nights off, we text,
watching other games because we can't believe certain things we
just saw. So, you know, people don't
understand. It's six months season, 7 months
season. We hope it's a lot longer, but
we're watching. We're watching everybody and
we're watching the Bells, obviously, but we're keeping up
(13:33):
with everybody else because our love for the game is the same
and I respect because he played to the highest level.
You guys can take this whatever direction you want, but I, I was
wondering what's been like your favorite interaction that you've
had with a fan or most memorableor just in general, your
perspective on how much fun it'sbeen to interact with fans in
(13:54):
the way that they've responded to you.
For example, there's a couple inthe stands that has dressed up
as you a a a man and woman dressed up as.
Peter Finney, junior's daughter.Is that who it is?
OK. And it?
They are a great couple and theycare.
It's they care about the pelts and you know, it's not about us.
It's the loyalty they showed thefranchise and that's we really
(14:17):
appreciate that couple. There's a bunch of people
though, you know. Man, I, I, I tell you I this fan
base for me, for us like it loyalty, the passion, the
support, the constant encouragement.
Like even even during the seasonwhere obviously like you guys
opened up by saying we're ready to close your close the book on
(14:39):
that season move past. But the amount of just support
even throughout that season lastyear and just throughout my time
here as a whole, even on the road, when we go on the road, I
I tell you my favorite interaction.
I will say this is always with the lottery tickets.
You know how many lottery tickets that we've been given?
(14:59):
Really. You.
Like seriously, you know, I mean, I'm talking about here,
I'm talking about when we go somewhere else on the road,
right, how we'll meet fans, Pelicans fans on the road and
they'll do a lottery ticket. They'll give us lottery tickets.
That's incredible that like, I don't know how often that's
happened or somebody or fans at the game and the Smoothie King
Center, right, will bring us cards and the cards, you open
them up and the cards are just full of lottery tickets.
(15:21):
Wow, you know what I mean? That's probably my and as you
can tell because I'm here right now sitting with you, we have
not won yet, but that's probablymy my favorite, my favorite.
Interaction with the lottery tickets.
It's really funny because we'd still do it even if we hit the
lottery, we'd still want to do the games.
But I also see. Remember, I'll say it.
We're total, you know. I do remember a closing scene in
(15:46):
Trading Places with Eddie Murphyand Ted Ackroyd, and they're
looking good. Lewis, they're on the beach with
Jamie Lee Curtis. Yep.
It's those, those moments. And we laugh about it because it
is. Don't forget, we take it very
seriously. Sure, we don't take ourselves
(16:07):
seriously. We take the game and the elite
athletes in front of us very seriously, but we don't take
ourselves seriously. So that's where, you know, it's
entertainment for us. Yeah.
Just, you know, just extend whatfans sort of feel and you're
just trying to give them a. Little something we're going to
have fun in. Whatever we do, we are going to
have fun. You know, it's interesting.
Listen to you guys the same thing, you know, Jim, John
(16:28):
Deshazer, Todd Graffini. We have our own little radio
group text there and you know that same thing.
If there's not a game night, we're texting about something
during the game. We're texting about, you know,
other things going into it. It is sort of a family thing.
And you know, we're talking about kids and family.
You know, I can understand that.When the season starts, our kids
are starting the second quarter of the school year.
When the season ends, the regular season, the NFL draft is
(16:49):
about to take place, the new baseball season is about to take
place, your school year is aboutto end.
So you think of all the things that go into it.
It is a family. I I think when you think about
it. Spend more time together, like I
spend more time with Joel throughout the course of a
season than I do with my own family.
You know, I'm like, and, and we used to say that as players with
(17:11):
their teammates, you travel together, you eat together, you
know what I mean? You meet together, all these
other kind of things that go into right, all these things
that go into being a team like it.
You spend you spend a lot of time together.
And that's why I appreciate how the relationship has evolved
(17:32):
from where it was initially to where it's become today.
Yeah, no doubt. And I think one of the things
too, when you have that kind of relationship, it helps in the
broadcast too, right, Because you're taking what he's saying
and you know exactly how to callabout that or off of his call,
you know exactly how to go into your analysis.
And that's part of that back andforth that you get.
So when we come back, let's kindof get into the upcoming season.
(17:53):
It is opening week, so it startswith Memphis, but it's not just
the Pels. The rest of the NBA is about to
get going here as well. So we'll do that and wrap up
this edition of the New Orleans Pelicans podcast when we come
back. All right, welcome back to New
(18:22):
Orleans Pelicans Podcast, your mic and offer Antonio Daniels,
Joel Myers, Gus Kattengill with you 2 national games for the
Pels. Joel Well, you can show them
that they deserve more. That's easy.
That should be motivation. That should challenge you and
and a healthy team. Was Z on the floor?
Was Zion on the floor? I think some of the games will
(18:44):
be stolen from AD and I as opposed to just two national
appearances. Plus you got so many partners,
whether it's NBC and Peacock or ESPN or Amazon.
If the Pells stay healthy, get off to a solid start, they've
got to win at home in November. That's going to be the key to
the early part of the season. We always talk about every 10
(19:04):
games or whatever it might be. Well, it's probably 20 because
of the start in October and thenall the home games in their top
heavy in November, capitalize athome and capitalize before the
back-to-back hit, the three games and four nights hit.
So that's going to be a key is areally clean start the 1st 20
games of the season because of what do we have?
(19:25):
Is it 16 or 17 games in November?
It's a busy, really busy November.
To me, that's going to tilt everything if they can succeed,
and then they'll steal games from us.
I I think about the initial question, Gus, from a player
perspective, two games and two national games, you know, it's,
(19:48):
it's a, it's a rap lyric that says here's what they think
about you, you know, and here's what they think about you.
And you have an opportunity to change the narrative that's
around you right now collectively as a team.
Because I'm thinking if we're only on twice nationally, they
(20:09):
don't think that we're worth being on nationally.
That's how I'm taking it. I'm taking it personal.
I'm taking it more personal thananything else.
Be a competitor, not. Yeah, yeah, that exactly.
And that's that, that's my, that's my thought process.
I'm thinking about this more from a player perspective.
I'm not like from an analyst perspective, I'm like, Oh well,
(20:29):
cool. You know, we could do 80 games.
Like this is awesome. You know, we get the chance to
continue to connect to our fan base.
Like that's great. But from a player perspective
I'm like 2 games OK. Because normally they cherry
pick the networks, take and steal our best games and that
may happen if the Bells get off to a good start this year.
So we'll see. But it it should be motivation
(20:51):
for sure. We had John Ducheser when the
schedule came out and he was talking about how in sports you
hear all the time, athletes and teams say that no one believed
in US. And he was like, yeah, this time
there, you're right when you saythat.
It's not a cliche. Like you actually can.
You can say that. They it's in print.
Every team in the in the league gets at least two.
You got 2, so you got the minimum number of national
appearances. So yeah, I, I can see the
(21:13):
motivation part of that. As we wrap up, you, you
referenced earlier that you wanted to talk a little, maybe a
little bit more about Derek Queen, each of you guys.
Can you talk about a player to watch, maybe somebody that you
have your eyes focused on the most going in the season?
I'll, I'll be honest and, and I know this may sound cliche,
mine's just Trey Murphy. Like if there's a guy for me
(21:34):
that's, that's ready to take that next step and completely
change the narrative, not just surrounding him, but surrounding
this team collectively. I, I'm telling you, he he is, he
is on the cusp of something special.
And we, we've seen glimpses of it.
(21:56):
We've seen glimpses of it here and there.
And obviously with the shoulder injury last year, missing the
remainder of the year, but he's ready to step into the most
improved player conversation, step into the All Star
conversation on a consistent basis.
Yeah, stole mine. I was going to say he's on the
verge of being an All Star. So there's a marquee player
(22:17):
already here, and if he's on thesame side of the floor with Z
and they drop a double into the lap of Z, everything works
because Trey's going to be available.
So Jordan Poole to me is really important.
And as much as I think Sadiq Baywas a steal, he's going to be
huge off the bench to start the season.
(22:39):
Jordan Poole he can score and ashe gains confidence and trust in
his teammates to make everybody on the floor better around him
because we all know he can shoot, but is he going to
elevate their game as well because he's going to be
bringing it up. I mean there is truly the only
true lead is fierce, but you're not going to put too much on his
(23:02):
shoulders right now. So for me Jordan Poole besides
Trey and I agree with you. Trey's could be an All Star this
year and hopefully will be. But Jordan Poole can be a
difference maker for this franchise.
He. Sent it to us in media day in
our office that that was his goal.
And that's why you just saw why Joe Myers is a professional.
He was asked a question about one player, gave us a half the
(23:22):
team. So then if one of those players
weren't being the top player to watch, you can say I'll set it
back at the beginning of the. Season.
It's like I'm in the nine guys, one of them.
Is going to work. Will be Jordan Poole, although
Bay. I'm I'm with you wants to dig
bad. I am with you wants to dig bad.
(23:43):
I am. I am.
He's a grown man. I'll tell you this, the way Herb
Jones has acted this camp, I, I kind of get out the way when
he's in the in the hallway, they're kind of like what you
need. You know, he has been something
that's opened my eyes. So I'm interested.
Look, I'm ready to get the season start.
You guys ready? Hey man, it's.
About time. Gulf Coast sports and
entertainment network on Wednesday will tip off the
regular season. Joe Myers, Antonio Daniels on,
(24:05):
of course, Pelicans Television, Jim Eichenhofer over there in
pelicans.com, and I'll try to domy best to keep Graf, you know,
happy on Pelicans Radio. As always, we enjoy you tuning
in here on the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast.
We'll see you next time.
Host
Jim Eichenhofer
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