February 3, 2025 • 48 mins
On the latest New Orleans Pelicans Podcast for Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, Pelicans.com’s Jim Eichenhofer and Gus Kattengell talk about the impact that Dejounte Murray's injury has on and off the court for the Pelicans.
Hear coach and player reaction from Friday’s game as they look ahead to the four-game road trip beginning tonight against the Denver Nuggets.
Later, Jim gives his spoiler scale in those games and his player to watch along with player of the week.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome in to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast, the official
podcast of your New Orleans Pelicans. A podcast dedicated to
everything you need to know about the squad. Here from players, coaches, broadcasters,
and those who cover the NBA on a daily basis.
It's time to flock up. The New Orleans Pelicans podcast
(00:29):
starts right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hello everyone, and welcome once again to the New Orleans
Pelicans Podcast, the official podcasts of your New Orleans Pelicans.
It is Monday. Hey, we got some fun things for
you coming up at the end of the podcast. Player
of the Week, Player to Watch, and Spoiler Scale, a
brand new segment as if Jimi can offer from Pelicans
dot com as have enough to do? He had another
segment for your audio pleasure. How are you doing today?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Man, I'm doing well. How about yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
God's doing very well. Bowl week is off and run in.
The Pelicans have four games between now and when the
Super Bowl ends, a game Monday, a game Wednesday, a
game Saturday, and then a game Monday a week from
today before they come back come and play a home game.
So we'll got you covered throughout all of that and more. Unfortunately,
Jim on Friday, we're talking. We had a radio round
(01:20):
table we were talking about I think you asked about
an MVP of the team, and something took place to
one of our members. I think it was JD.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Graf.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
It was Graph Yeah, yeah, John Tim Murray and we
all know the news. When it comes to that, we'll
talk a little bit about that here as well. But first,
the game back and forth again, another tough battle with
the Boston Celtics. And look, there are reason, there's a
reason they are the defending champions. With the game tide.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Holiday just in front of the center circle with ten,
they're gonna go to Tatum. I would think Holiday, now,
get it to Tatum with six. Tatum guarded by McCollum, drive,
spins left with two fifteen footer at the buzzer, rinsed
it with two tents of a second left, and they're
(02:12):
going to break our hearts again.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
A two point win this time around. Head coach Will
the Green.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Yeah, you know, these guys are resilient and high character.
They work at it, they care, and you know, extremely
proud of our effort tonight, even though you know we
didn't come up with the win.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
By the way, it's cool to hear the crowd chanting
defense like that, you get a sense of the intensity
that was in the arena, So props to them, I mean,
for the record that the team has. It was cool
to see how fired up they were, and it was
also interesting there's some funny back and forth during the
game between the fans because the Celtics crowd that was
there was trying to chant let's go Celtics, and they
(02:53):
got booed down by the home crowd. So just a
little minor note, but yeah, I mean, I think the
two games against the Celtics, even though they both were losses,
I mean, one was by one point, the other was
by two, I thought those were very encouraging. And even
though you know, like I said, you want to try
to win as many games as you can, if they
keep playing like this, I think they will get more
wins and you'll be able to put together some encouraging
(03:16):
stretches that make you say that this team can be competitive.
You're doing it against one of the best teams in
the league, probably top three at the very minimum that
the Celtics are, So I mean that was encouraging that
they played really well against them and fought pretty much
toe to toe against the.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Celtics nineteen one to sixteen was the final there, Jim.
I guess one of the things that really stood out
in that game too, obviously, is the play that you're
getting from Trey Murphy. It just continues to just shine Man.
He had a forty point gay before we get into
the news. That breaks your heart and it just turns
your stomach. We got to talk about the guy that
(03:51):
I feel like we're talking about over and over again,
and it's somebody we focused on in his past. Friday's
podcast about Man, I asked, y'all, is that an All Star?
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Dude?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
He had forty points?
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I mean with good reason. We're talking about him night
in and night out. He had thirty two points to
start the home stand against Dallas, then he had forty
against Boston. So he averaged thirty six points in those
two games against good teams. I mean, going back aways,
he's been so consistent. We feel like we're getting the
same thing night in and night out with him. And
I mean, if you think about it too, the previous
(04:23):
game against Boston, where he was coming back from being
out for a few games, he had thirty in that
one and was ten for seventeen from the field. This
one he was fifteen for twenty from the field. So
I mean, there aren't that many guys across the entire
league that have played as good of a game as
he did against Boston, and he did it twice, So
I mean, that's just impressive. The fact that he's putting
together these kind of performances and to score forty points
(04:46):
on only twenty shots from the field. He just seems
to be building week from week to week. He's getting
better and better, and so I just love. You have
to love what he's been doing lately.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I don't mean this in a bad way. I actually
think it's a good thing. I do like him. Unfortunately,
in some of those games that he's had, those two
point totals always been in the bright Star. The Pels
haven't won, and he's very quick to he'll talk about, hey,
it was nice, you know, six threes, it was nice
five threes, it was nice forty points, But in that
(05:17):
same sound body almost always says, but we lost it.
Bothers it. And I don't mean that in a bad way.
I like that, and I don't like that you're losing,
but I like the fact that you can just get
a sense and feel that he's driven not only to
be better as a player, but the ultimate goal of
it all, Jim is to get w's. And I do
(05:37):
like that. I don't know if that's just me, you know,
loving it as a fan, but I love hearing that.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I'm one hundred percent with you. I mean, ultimately, you're
not going to get that much joy and satisfaction out
of anything that happens. If you're losing. You shouldn't, right,
you know, he definitely shouldn't. And right now they've lost
five games in a row. So even though he's had
some really good individual performances, you know, the game against
Dallas they lost by a point, then they lost by
two to Boston on the Tatum shot. So I mean, yeah,
(06:03):
I don't think I think he's you know, Trey is
a very smart individual too, So I mean he's not
going to sit there after a loss and be like, yeah,
I played great, I'm awesome, I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
You know who cares?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Right, So so yeah, I mean I think he's savvy enough.
But I mean he also truly definitely, I mean they've
done a good amount of winning too, if you think
about it. Over his the time that he's been here,
I think to some extent he's used to winning. So
I think every player on the team that's been here
for multiple years is looking at the record right now
and looking what's happened over some of the recent stretches
and just being like, this isn't good enough, and this
(06:38):
this is not something that we're going to be satisfied with,
no matter what kind of individual stats any player puts up.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, no doubt. So that was easily one of the
highlights of the night, Jim. And then unfortunately, let's go
back to the first quarter. It is it's the gut bunch,
or do I say it's the latest gut bunch. Here
we go.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Murray goes back, goes forward, floats up once Short got
his own rebound and then rolled his ankle. Yeah, he
is in a seated position in the lane. Boston threw
it away again. Trey will drive in on porzingis laid
in with the left hand, and Dejontay.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Murray just blew a tire.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
That is tough to see. Oh, he's gonna his right ankle.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
It appears, I mean he is in paint.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
And if that guy and he is being helped Locker room.
He is as tough as it comes, and to see that, yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
He's been basically helped al both carried.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
There's a funny commercial. You know, I stayed at a
holiday inn and somebody does that. We've talked about in
the past. George Costanza pick a profession marine biologists, whatever, right.
I like to play occasionally doctor or at the pedis
sports at the That's one of those injuries that your
eyes tell you and you know immediately the team officially
(07:58):
on Saturday announcing that it is indeed a ruptured achilles tendon.
His season obviously is done there. But there's two levels
to this. There's an emotional level and then there's a
basketball level to it. So let's just go to the
emotional level. You're seeing it as I am at that moment.
You're upstairs when you saw him go down, what'd you think?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, I mean I initially, I mean I was. It's
not always just what I think because there's other writers
sitting next to me. Will Gillery is always to my right,
Rod Walker is always to my left. So all of
us are kind of talking about it and what we
think it is. And I mean, I was hoping because
I've seen guys go down with non contact injuries before
and it doesn't turn into anything serious. You know, sometimes
(08:39):
a guy gets a cramp and it looks really bad,
but that's all it is, is a cramp. So I
was hoping that it was something like that, where you know,
josel Varado's had a couple times where he's gone down
and we've been worried that it's been something bad, but
he's been able to come back in the game. But
I mean, I have I'd be lying if I didn't
didn't say that. I initially thought, oh my god, that's
an achilles tendon.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
That immediate grab to the back of the heat right
in the area that happened. When when you see a
player football, you see it. You just know it. You
just like, oh, no, we saw Kobe. I mean just
it's it's immediately that that that reaction by.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
The player that makes you feel way, and kind of
the way he was moving when he went towards the
ball to grab his own rebound, the way that he
kind of crumpled that way. I feel like we've kind
of seen an element of that before, where you know,
like you said, the area that he was grabbing on
his leg was really concerning and scary too. So I mean,
the guys around me definitely all thought that it was achilles,
(09:36):
and so I was just hoping against hope that that
it wasn't that. But you know, obviously we find out.
I think there was some people that reported Friday night
National reporters that said he's he has an achilles tear,
and it really wasn't surprising. Unfortunately, it was horrible news
to hear that.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Some reaction we had Coach Willie Green.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
It's extremely difficult, you know, when you see a guy
that means so much to our team and you know,
puts the work in go down like that. So you know,
we'll continue to pray, pray for him.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
And Trey Murphy heard a lot came out to you.
Speaker 6 (10:18):
Yeah, I heard a lot. He's been through a lot already,
and uh, it doesn't help. But you know a lot
of times God, you know, push you through situations in
order to give you a bigger message. And I think
that's what's happening right now. You know, it's it's not
always easy to understand what he's saying, but you know,
there's there's always a reason, and I think there's a
reason greater than all greater than yourself.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
And perhaps a teammate that's become pretty close to DeShawn
Tim Murray more than anyone else.
Speaker 7 (10:44):
Oh man, that's it sucks, Bro, that's my dog.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
You know.
Speaker 7 (10:53):
People that you know, I think that we're human beings, man,
And you know when I saw her, I f f
I felt, I felt, I felt bad for him, man,
that's you know, Like I said, Bro, I can't really
explain it. It just something I knew that wasn't looking good.
And I don't want nobody get injured. You know, I
don't care who it is, not my teammates, my my brothers,
(11:16):
not my brothers, not my friends, like whoever it is.
Something like that just sucks because I know how the
day in and day out, what he does and what
he does for this game. You know, he got a
family too, you know what he got, what he do
for his family, and you know this is our our
time that we you know, get away from it. You know,
we've been doing it forever. You know, he loved his
game and I know how much he loves it, and
(11:39):
and just unfortunately, you know, when I seen that, it
was just something that I didn't I really couldn't put
in words how I felt. It just felt not good.
And I'm gonna keep my prayers up for him. I'm
gonna keep him, keep checking up on him. But man,
that's my dog.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Man.
Speaker 7 (11:58):
It shouldn't. It shouldn't never happened. Man should happen to nobody,
and it sucks that it did have it.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Jose Elvarado, Yeah, you know, I mean, I've been accused
of being unrealistically optimistic sometimes, but when I saw I
was initially thinking, you know, hopefully this isn't a bad injury.
When I saw Jose's reaction, I'm sure a lot of
people saw this on TV or if you were in
the arena where he pretty much immediately put both hands
over his head above his head, and it was kind
of that thing where you could tell that he knew
that it was something really bad as well. So yeah,
(12:25):
I feel really terrible for Dejonte, as well as the
team overall that the situation that happened. You know. I mean,
I think one thing too, that we could talk about
a little bit briefly. Again, I'm not a doctor either.
I don't have any medical expertise, but I think it's
important to explain to people. I think most people that
closely closely followed basketball or the NBA know this generally,
(12:47):
but I mean, to me, there's two injuries that are
the two common injuries that are the most severe. That
you have the torn ACL and the knee, and then
you have the Achilles tendon tear. Those are the two
ones that I mean. I think with the ACL, it's
the medicine is improving, but it's still at the point
where you're talking. You know, a lot of times it's
eight to ten months at least that the guy's out
with Achilles. In general, I think it's been kind of
(13:10):
considered to be a year thing. I know Brandon Clark,
for example, for the Grizzlies, had the same injury and
he was out for I think over a year a
period of time. We don't know how long what the
tame table is going to be for de Jontay Murray,
but it's definitely one of those things where this is
the kind of injury that you don't even think about
rushing back for or trying to accelerate your timeline. It's
(13:31):
one of those things where you set in your mind
it's going to be a certain amount of time, and
then maybe maybe you add a little bit to that,
because it's not the kind of thing that you come
back to the court from until you're really totally one
hundred and thirty percent healthy.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
And that's the thing, Jim, is that you don't look
at this it look it's one of the harder things
to do because you clearly hear the emotion from Trey,
from Coach, from Jose that it hurt. And you know
there were reports from Mary, you know, to us off
air there are a lot of tears being shed on
that bench. Yeah, so you have that emotion aspect of it,
(14:10):
but the show goes on. That's unfortunately the fact. And
almost immediately as we're realizing it off air, guys talking
up in the booth, we're looking at it. Jim, what
you just said is one of the first things that
popped in and say, it's January. So a year from
now is January. That means the start of the season October, November, December,
(14:36):
you possibly may not have him. So that's what I'm saying.
There's an emotional element to this. He's one of your leaders,
but no one him is gonna be there would crutch
us at practice. But you understand what I'm saying, not
having that on the court. But there's a basketball sense
to this here as well.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Jim.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
We can get to next year, next year, but even
this year. You guys were talking about it on Friday
in the podcast. What he it brings to the table.
Why I named them the MVP is importance to this team.
That is a huge loss.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Yeah, I mean you feel terrible for him too, because
a lot of the players on the team and the
players in the NBA know this better than anyone because
some of them have been through injuries where they've been
out for a while, maybe it's a season, maybe it's
a few months, and they know the emotional part that
takes a toll on you for you to be out
that long. I mean, this is what you do, this
is your livelihood, this is you know, for some people,
(15:26):
it's part of a big part of their identity. So
for knowing that he's going to be out for a
long period of time, you just feel horrible for him.
I mean knowing that it's going to be a while
and he's going to have to go through the whole
rehabilitation process that you have to go through. I don't
know anything about it really, the details of what you
have to do for from an achilles, but I know
(15:47):
that it's a very arduous thing and it takes a
lot of work to be able to get back to
the point where you're ready to be back on the floor.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So when you look at that, Jim, when you look
at this team.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Yeah, I mean obviously the rest of Yeah, I mean
obviously the rest of the season. I would think that
we're probably gonna see jose E Varado will be in
a bigger role because if you look at the rest
of the roster, he's the only other point guard that
you know, the vast majority of his career in the NBA,
he's played point guard minutes. You can't really say that
for anyone else on the team. So I'm not sure.
(16:18):
I guess we'll find out Monday night what they're gonna
do with the starting lineup. And for example, there was
a recent game where the game in Charlotte, Dejhonte didn't play.
They started Jordan Hawkins for that game. Hawkins is questionable tonight,
so I don't know how much that factors in to
the decision, but I guess we're gonna find out soon
how they're going to go forward with who starts in
place of Dejonte, and then going forward into next season,
(16:40):
obviously you know, most likely his status will be uncertain
as far as knowing exactly when he'll be able to
come back in so, but I mean I think overall
too from a basketball standpoint and a planning standpoint, I
saw a lot of people after the game Friday, on
social media, on X whatever start making bold problem about
(17:00):
what this means in terms of the Pelicans plan. And
I don't necessarily blame people, because that's what people do,
you know, they but I do think that, and I
know this is boring sports talk radio or boring podcasting,
but I do think that we need to take a
deep breath and take a step back because I don't
think we know. I mean, there's so many different elements
that's coming up. The trade deadline obviously is Thursday, three
(17:21):
days from now free agency. I don't think it's you
can really make a bunch of bold proclamations about what
exactly is going to happen or how this injury affects
the grand plan of what they're gonna do. I mean,
I just think there's too many unknowns in that. So
that's just my word of caution that I just don't
I don't feel comfortable saying because this happened, this means X,
(17:43):
Y and Z. I just think that we need to
wait and see you. As far as what the plan
is going.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Forward, well, that was my little sound effect for well,
you know why you can't really plan for the future
because you have no idea what other other team's gonna do.
We went through something that was a gun punch on Friday,
and then Saturday and Sunday, Jim I can offer what
in the world is going on in the Western Conference.
(18:10):
The Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis to
the Lakers, other stuff involved in that, and then Darin
Fox three team Trey Levine goes to Sacramento from Chicago.
He goes and now plays with Victor Winbayama. I'm sure
Chris Paul's thrilled. I when you think of just Saturday
and Sunday alone, you're shaking your head.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
I mean, Saturday was the craziest thing that I've seen
in a long time. I mean, I think there's a
lot of people who probably on Central Time around eleven
eleven thirty were like winding down and ready to sleep.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
My bad. I was one of those guys that kept
texting you like, no way here.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I'm not blaming you at all because because when I
heard about it, I ended up being awake until two
two thirty because there's just too much going on. There
was too much to talk about. It took a while,
like you said, to even cement the idea in your
head that this actually happened.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
To be honest, you thought he was Everyone thought you
was hacked.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I didn't believe it at first, for sure, But I
mean I also don't think I saw it immediately. I
think I saw it maybe thirty forty five minutes after
it was first announced or tweeted, So at that point
I was more like, okay, this had to a pad
point by now. But but yeah, I mean, it's it's
just it blows your mind because it's I mean, I
guess let's start first with just overall. I mean, I
(19:24):
want to there's a million podcasts out there that are
gonna have talked about the trade, and I've listened to
some of them. But I want to try to tie
some of this back at least a little bit to
the Pelicans as much as we can do that. And
I mean to me, one of my big takeaways from
the weekend trades of you know, the main thing obviously
is Luca to the Lakers, Anthony Davis to the Mavericks,
and Darren Fox goes to the Spurs. I mean to me,
(19:47):
the West. I mean, even before these trades happened this weekend,
the West is loading up so much. I mean, if
you look at just the Southwest Division with the Pelicans.
We don't talk about divisions very much because we're so
much more locked into conferences, but I mean, to me,
the competition in the Pelicans Division just continues to get
more formidable and we I mean since the day I
(20:08):
walked into this job in two thousand and five, the
West has always been so good. The Pelicans Division, for
the most part, has been really good, and we kept
waiting for it to cycle back the other way, where
it's like, eventually the East is going to be better
than the West, and there's going to be a long
stretch of time where the competition is a little bit
easier in the West. Did that last even a year.
I feel like we might have had one season where
(20:30):
it was even and now it's the pendulum has swung
back to where a lot of the best teams are
in the West, And I mean, you have teams in
the East like Boston, Cleveland, New York who are head
and shoulders above or in the elite of the NBA,
And there might be more of those in the East
this year than the West. But the depth isn't even close.
If you look at who the ninth tenth best team
(20:51):
in the West is and you compare it to the East,
it's a route, it's a blowout. So but I say
that all to kind of just go back to the
point of I mean, and the Pelicans are definitely in
a position where they're going to have to improve a
lot to be able to compete with some of these teams.
I mean, the Spurs now have Daron Fox and Wemby
(21:11):
for the long term. Houston now is one of the
best younger teams in the league because they've drafted so
well last few years. The Grizzlies are in a similar
position where their best players are very early in their
career relatively speaking with John Moran and Jared Jackson junior.
They've loaded up with a ton of other depth. The
Mavericks I think definitely look at it like the next
(21:31):
couple of years are their wheelhouses of when they're going
to try to win, and.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
So idly didn't even play when we played them last time. Anyway,
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
So I mean, the rest of this division is just
a beast. And I didn't even get into the other
teams across the West that have made improvements and are
either really good right now or will be for you know,
the foreseeable future. So I mean, it's just one of
those things where it's it's and this is nothing new.
It's not like all of a sudden we woke up
and we were like, oh, the good, I guess we've
(22:00):
gotta improve things, right, But it is interesting to me
that if you just look at the overall picture, how
tough the conference has gotten with some of these different moves.
I mean, even a team like Portland has been one
of the best teams in the league lately, and they
they're at the point where they look like they have
a chance to be good over the next few years.
They're gonna add another lottery pick, most likely this year too,
(22:23):
because as much as they improve, they were in too
big of a hole probably to make the playoffs. But overall,
I mean, it's just the West is just so so
tough and so deep. So even getting into the play
in this year is gonna be There's gonna be again,
there's gonna be a couple of teams that don't even
make the plane in the West that are have good,
good records and a lot of talent.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yeah, it's very interesting to say, Yeah, this is all
gonna play out from seven to ten. It's a two
and a half game separation eleventh spot right now, Golden
State is right there, tied with as many games back
of gold Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
See, so yeah, and also too, I wanted to kind
of hit on a couple specific kind of takes or
points that I want to make from, in particular the
Mavericks and Lakers trade that I think are interesting. I mean,
first of all, former player Anthony Davis, franchise player here.
I thought it's so interesting if you think about the
position that he's in right now where I mean, it's
(23:17):
kind of one of those things where it's like, hey man,
you know, no pressure, all you have to do is
prove that this trade wasn't the worst trade in the
history of the NBA the way a lot of people
are saying. I mean, basically, he's in a position now
where he's on the Mavericks and everyone across the league,
I haven't heard one person say say, you know, well,
I should I should change should change that. I have
(23:37):
heard some people say, like Kendrick Perkins said, like, you know,
this is a better trade for the Mavericks than the Lakers,
But on the on the whole, I'd say ninety five
to ninety nine percent of the people are saying that
this was a terrible trade for Dallas. The only way
that it's not a terrible trade, though, is if over
the next period of years they win a ton of games,
they compete for a championship, maybe they win one. And
(23:58):
I think the only way realistically that they can do
that is if Anthony Davis keeps playing the way that
he has for a lot of the season, where he's
getting thirty and fifteen games. He's been one of the
best bigs in the league. Really obviously he has. He's
had injury issues lately and started missing games again, but
he's gonna have to stay on the court. So I
find that part of it really fascinating. For Dallas's GM
(24:21):
Nico Harrison, I heard him say one of the interesting
things that he said at a press conference yesterday was
that he said. They asked him, you know, you, are
you concerned about the long term effect of this, because
now Luka Doncis is somewhere else where he would have
been with you for the next ten years, and he said, basically,
Nico Harrison said, basically, not worried about the next You know,
(24:43):
I'm not worried about ten years from now because I'm
more worried about three years from now. In the short term,
he said. One of the things he said though, of
why he's not worried about ten years from now is
he said, basically, quote unquote, they're going to bury us
in ten years, meaning like you know, he doesn't know
if he'll have a job ten years from now. Jason Kidd,
who's head coach, he probably won't be there ten years
from now. But when I heard him say they're going
(25:04):
to bury us in ten years, I thought, dude, they're
trying to bury you right now. They're going to try
to bar you this week. If you look at some
of the fan reaction to it, they brought.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Caskets right right to the steps from American Area, and
I think to some.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Extent, you have to block out the wildest portions of
every fan base, the craziest ones. I mean, we deal
with this on social media, you know, the people that
just say things that you just got to ignore. But
I mean, when you have that big of a widespread,
just complete dismissal, just condemnation of a move that you did,
(25:37):
there's a lot of heat on you. So, like I said,
it goes back to Anthony Davis that he's going to
have to deliver to make sure that the groundswell of
negativity that is heaped upon Dallas and the organization in
the front office and the GM that some of that
stuff dies down a little bit. I think if they
win a ton of games over the rest of the season,
(25:57):
that will happen. If it doesn't, it's gonna get probably
get even worse. And so and last thing I want
to mention too real quick about the trade overall, just
from a league perspective, I think it's really interesting to
think about. We've seen this already with a couple other players.
To me, we went through a stretch in the NBA
a period of maybe five ten years where every single
(26:19):
max player that was on that level got a Max contract,
including guys that weren't necessarily you were kind of like,
I got a squint to see that a max player
in this guy, but his team is paying him sure, right,
And it was almost it almost got to the point
where it was like a foregone conclusion that anytime a
player of All Star caliber or even a level below
(26:39):
that came up in free agency, it was a guarantee.
I'm getting max a max contract. There's no question about it.
There's no negotiations. There might be some cases here and
there where a player says, I'll take two million dollars
less than the max because I want to, in a
good will gesture, say now my team has a little
bit more wiggle room under the salary cap to add
talent around me. A few times, but for the most part,
(27:01):
it was just an automatic thing. What I think is
interesting that we need to look at now is is
the Luka Doncic case where a team is hesitant to
commit to that kind of money to a guy because
they're not totally sold on him. Is that an outlier
that is just a one off and people are going
to say, man, that was crazy that they even thought that,
or is it going to be something that we see
(27:22):
more frequently? And I think if you look at the
guys right now across the NBA. Jimmy Butler is a
good example of this too that he has a player
option for next year, so he's either going to take
a fifty two million dollars player option or become a
free agent. If you're taking on a player like that
that's in that situation financially with his contract, you have
to be one thousand percent sold on him. With the
(27:42):
new CBA, maybe it wasn't like this before because there's
a little bit of more wiggle room. It wasn't there
weren't as many constraints. You know, people always said it's
kind of a soft cap, not a hard cap. A
hard cap. Now that is in place where if you're
over the second apron and there's all these restrictions of
things that you can't do. It just seems like teams already,
even though the CBA has barely been the ink is
(28:04):
barely dry on the CBA, that teams have already shifted
into the mode of we are not trading for a
guy who's making big money unless we one hundred percent
we totally believe in this guy that we think he's
going to be great next season, but he's also going
to be great three or four years from now, when
his contract is still going to be on our books.
And I feel like that's a huge change that we
(28:24):
need we need to monitor because it feels like teams
are acting just a lot differently to players in that position,
and that has a massive effect on the trade deadline
and the activity of teams in the offseason. So I mean,
that's something that I want to keep an eye on,
just for every team across the league, not just the
Pelicans as we go into the trade deadline Thursday. And
(28:46):
something that you have to keep in mind at all
times is that I don't necessarily like a league where
we talk as much about the contracts of the guys
as the players of what they actually do on the court.
But I think it's one of those things where it's unavoidable.
There's just there's no way around it. You have to
accept that a given a player's given situation, his value
is going to be tied a ton to his contract situation.
(29:09):
And just the reality of a player might say I
want to make max money, I want to make forty
million dollars a year, but you know, maybe ten fifteen
years ago, teams around the league would be like, heck y,
I will play that. Yeah, And now they're like, we
can't commit to that unless we know for sure that
this is the guy that we believe in. You. I mean,
(29:29):
we've seen this with Phoenix that you can only go
all in on like two or three guys. You can't
go all in on two or three guys and then
be like, Okay, well, now there's two other players that
we need to pay big money to. It's impossible with
the way that the cap is now.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Well, even that you're seeing teams, it doesn't necessarily mean.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
It works, right and the other and then you're really
boxed in right.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Well, and again you mentioned the team just now in
that that that could be a possibility, you know. I mean,
Phoenix isn't a cusp of maybe being a perennial NBA
Finals team winning the Western Conference and Biddy william is
gone and they're bringing in Kevin Durant. Now they bring
in bes. They haven't won a championship, you know, So
I don't know if that's the end goal. When you
make moves like that, that's the only way you measure success.
(30:10):
I guess I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Yeah, no, they I mean they've I think they've fled
out more or less said that that they're that they're
in the business of trying to win a championship. So
if you look at Golden State too, I mean they're
in a similar position as well, where they're saying, we
don't want to mortgage in the future. But I also
think when you hear them say that, they're also factoring
in the fact that they maybe there aren't there isn't
a guy out there that they are willing to commit
(30:33):
to for the exact same reasons that we just talked about.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And it goes to this, and you're gonna hear this
a lot, I think over the next couple of days,
because Thursday, two pms to trade in. Like fine, say
a player at a certain team, does they want to
be there? Trade me, awesome, but I also want this
amount of money. Well, that makes it difficult. And if
there's a team that reportedly is interested in said player,
(30:59):
but that player doesn't want to go there, it's very
interesting now because you're really narrowing whearey to go because
now if the team has that room, not every team,
to your point, wants to take on that.
Speaker 6 (31:11):
Man.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
I don't know if I'm really sold on at this guy.
You know, if this guy is not all in on
this you know, franchise and all they've done is taken
care of him, how is that going to change? And
do we have the money? So I don't know if
the options arise out there for players as they used
to be.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
And there's also a lot of things that can go
wrong with committing to a guy. He can have injury problems,
he can be at the point where he starts performing
not as well as he did earlier in his career.
He can be thirty four to thirty five years old,
and you know, I mean Lebron James has kind of
ruined the way that we or skewed the way that
we look at age because he's plans he's still playing
at elite level at forty. There aren't that many guys
(31:47):
that after they get to thirty four to thirty five
can play anywhere near that level. So I mean that's
part of it too. I just think teams are a
lot more cautious about going all in on players, and
it's like everything has to be aligned and right for
you to say, Okay, this is a guy that we're
gonna pay max money to. Whereas I don't think that
that should have been the way teams have always operated,
(32:09):
But I don't think it was necessarily in the past,
just because there was a lot more wiggle room. There
was a lot more ways to get out of a
bind than there are now. Now you're putting yourself, you're
backing yourself into a corner where it's like, okay, now
we hardly have any options to do anything.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Look the other thing that stands out to me too,
I don't know what Bobby needed this a longer time,
maybe towards the end of the year, but are we
seeing a shift to where when you look at the
top teams, they're draft built, right, I mean, okayc I
get to win and God asked Jay. But for the
(32:44):
most part, two thirds are there.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Nucleus is draft picks.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I mean Memphis, they drafted Jah and a bunch of
other guys there as well in Bane and stuff. Houston
were pretty much all draft picks. Needed the right coach
to get that cooking going, and they brought in Dylan Brooks.
Dalon Brooks. I think I'm not being disrespectful, but he's
not Jimmy Butler, Ja Moran. You know what I'm saying.
So it's a nice free agent signing, it's a nice
(33:11):
trade or something like that for somebod these teams. But
I mean Denver was, you know, mostly built through their draft.
So when I look at teams like that, even Minnesota
and stuff, and actually I could argue that's starting to
tinker with the pieces. Maybe Minnesota is not as strong
as they were.
Speaker 6 (33:25):
No.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
I think you make a great point, and I think
the most concise way that I could put it is
the more restrictive the cap becomes, and the more you
have to worry about how much money you have to
spend and some of the rules that dictate, okay, you're
over the caps, so you can't make these other moves.
The more that comes into consideration, I think the more
teams in general will lean towards the draft because they
(33:48):
know that you have these guys under cost control for
the first four or five years of their contract, and
then if you want to sign them to an extension
that also is relatively you know, an efficient way to
retain your players before they start making huge money on
their third contract if they're a star player. So I
think that's the easiest way that I would explain why
(34:08):
that's happened is that teams have just realized that, you know,
the draft is from a money standpoint, is the best
way way to go about it. I mean, there's also
an element, and like you said, this is probably a
discussion for a different day when we have more time,
but I mean to me, there's also an element of
free agency where it's like lived by the sword, die
by the sword. If you operate entirely on free agency,
(34:32):
is gonna save us a lot of times you get
nowhere with that because the guy that you went after
doesn't sign with you. The perfect example I can give
is the New York Knicks. They went through a long
period of time where they were like, all we're doing
is saving up for the day that a big star
is gonna sign with us. We're gonna Lebron's gonna come here. Eventually,
everybody loves New York City. And it wasn't really until
(34:53):
they went away from that philosophy that they started making
steps forward and achieving to the point where they're a
top three team in the East. So they had to
kind of learn the hard way. And the thing is
is when some of these free agent moves get so
much attention and they didn't deservedly. So when you are
able to land a player, I mean, this was a trade,
not freegency, but when you're able to land a player
(35:15):
of Luka Doncic's caliber, it changes the whole picture and
outlook of your franchise. But on the back end of that,
a lot of times the guy that you sign leaves,
so I mean, and then then you're left and try
I mean, Miami is a good example of this too.
They got Jimmy Butler. It was a huge pickup at
the time. They went to the finals with him twice.
(35:36):
They went to the conference final they think one or
two other times, but now he's on his way out.
So it's like, it's just one of those things where
you know, as if that's your entire way that you're
going to operate, if you're gonna base everything on free agency,
you're gonna have some great moments and some awesome highs,
but you're also gonna have some low lows when it
swings back the other way and the guy that you
took away from some other team decides I want to
(35:58):
go somewhere else, and now I'm not with you anymore.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Yeah, So I think it's gonna be very interesting. See
what happens on Thursday. We'll have another podcast for you
here on Wednesday and on Friday, well, we'll talk about
what happened on Thursday as well. But look, man, a
lot of the players that we talked about when we
talk about the Pelicans are young players that are drafted.
We talked about it on Friday. They're rising stars players
six years in a row doing those things. So maybe
we're seeing a shift. I don't know. That's what the
(36:22):
league wanted to do. They you know, people didn't care
for the super teams being built. They made a move
to stop it. And look what's happening right now. It's
you have way more teams that have a shot or
involved or at least competitive. And I do think that's worked.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Yeah, I agree, and I think well, last thing I'll
say too quickly, is I think we're seeing too that
if you draft well and you come up with the plan,
you can totally change things and turn things around in
three or four years. It doesn't take you eight. Like
look at what Houston's done. No, they're a perfect example.
They were one of the worst teams in the league
for literally two three years in a row, and now
they're up there at the top of the west.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Right, And it's the same thing that rest be wise
that pick a sport baseball. We love baseball. We work
with a football team and.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
The basketball team.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Uh, get talent, find the right coach that can maximize
that talent, get it together, find a good leader. Right,
what's your identity, stick to what you do, Build something
and then give it time to manifest and to grow
and you know, nurture it and that could happen. I
think that's what we've seen with some of these teams, right.
(37:26):
I mean, there's there's that talent guy. There's the talent
guy above the rest. There's that guy that gives them
that identity, whether it's they're defensive minded or a physical
team whatever. And I mean, look, we saw it with
one of the greatest teams in Dynasties and players ever
and Michael Jordan. You know, they went to the playoffs
before they made a coaching change. I had be that
coach with that group of players that could handle it. So,
(37:48):
I mean, I just it's it's anywhere. So that's the recipe.
It's not easy.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
And you have to have the right combination of guys too.
You have to say the right common the right chemistry,
the right fit of players. I think there's a ton
of talent with the Pelicans. There's a ton of guys
that are rising talent. Now it's a matter of how
do you put it all together and hopefully next season
you also don't have three guys coming out, three two
coming back in a different group coming out and that
(38:13):
it can't.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I mean there's no way there is at the basketball guys,
the Greek greed, I mean, there is no physical way
that could happen again. Right by the way, before I
hit this button, here we go into our next segment.
Did we just kind of put our resumes out there
for GM and assistant GM? Uh, I'm just saying sure,
(38:35):
you know, sure. I didn't say how about consultant consulting?
You know what, that's even better because then there's something goes.
I just hoped you to do it exactly, And basically,
all we're trying to negotiate is a closer parking spot.
That's really all we're doing, right David, mister griff that's
not we're not trying to get.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I want I want the pay of a consultant with
none of the responsibility of things going wrong. You can
also be able to take the credit when things go well.
I like that.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
I think you just literally described what a consultant is.
I remember my dad back in the day we worked
with computers. He's like, oh, it was consultant. They come
in and tell you what everything is wrong. You're everything
you're doing is wrong. But when you do something right, well,
that's why I consulted you, my dad.
Speaker 8 (39:19):
Well, it's a Monday, thankfully, Jim is always our Friday.
It's time for mister Eichenhoffer to give his players of
the week and a player to watch for this week, which.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
You got big god. Well, Mallory, let's start with player
of the week. And we talked about him earlier in
this episode, and that's Trey Murphy. But I mean, once again,
I thought kind of a no brainer for Player of
the week. Over the three games, he averaged twenty eight
point seven points. We talked about his efficiency earlier, sixty
seven percent from the field, fifty four percent from three
(39:55):
point range, seventy five percent from the free throw line.
He was only three for four minimum amount of those,
but he averaged six rebounds, three point seven assists, one
point three steals, and also to wrap up the month
of January. He led the Pelicans in scoring in January
with twenty five point one points per game, so probably
(40:15):
I would say the best month of his career so far.
He just continues to ascend and I think we'll expect
to see more of the same from him in the
month of February. For my player to watch this week,
I'm gonna go with Jose Alvarado. We talked about Dejante
Murray being out for the rest of the season, so
player to watch not just for this week, but also
(40:35):
going forward. Well, we'll find out tonight whether he's going
to be in the starting lineup or if he'll be
coming off the bench. I think either way, his minutes
will increase, even if he still remains in a reserve role.
And by the way, I mentioned Trey Murphy's stats last week,
Jose Alvarado averaged ten point three points per game, super
great efficiency, forty eight percent from the field, forty percent
(40:57):
from three, eighty three percent on free throws. He was
five for six there. And in the month of January,
Jose al Varado led the Pelicans among the guys that
took a decent amount of threes with forty two percent
from three point range. So Jose a Varado player to
watch this week. And last thing, Gus, it's the spoiler scale.
(41:18):
I know, we promised this will be doing this every
Monday for the rest of the season. It and for
obviously there's only two different opponents this week. The Pelicans
played Denver on Monday and Wednesday, and then they play
Sacramento on Saturday. So for these two games against the Nuggets,
I guess I can only really come up with one
number for both games. I went with five because I
feel like it's kind of it's this is kind of
(41:39):
the definition of the middle of the road kind of.
I don't think there's any real strong, you know, animosity
towards the Nuggets. Pelicans actually split the series with them
earlier this year.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Jose had a good game a couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
Yeah, he had his career best. Yeah. Right now, the
Nuggets are one game ahead of the Lakers. They're they're
in fourth place in the West, so I mean there's
some stuff on the line, but I just kind of
felt like I give it a five, And for the
Sacramento game on Saturday, I'm gonna go with a seven
because right now, the Kings are twenty four and twenty four,
tenth place in the West. The Warriors are twenty four
(42:12):
and twenty four as well, in eleventh place. Sacramento must
have the tiebreaker from head to head series, so I
went with a seven. I mean, I think it's gonna
be an interesting game. I talk touched on this during
the radio roundtable on Friday, that this is the first
game for both teams after the trade deadline, and so
Zach Levine for the Kings, I would think he'll be
making his debut with them before then, but it'll be
(42:34):
interesting to see Sacramento with their new players. And then
we'll have to wait and see what happens with the
Pelicans as far as what they might do at the
trade deadline. So five for Denver, seven for Sacramento. On
the spoiler scale, you got a.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
Few days, But I'm very interested to see what you're
gonna say on a Friday about how Levine in that
dynamic will go with sabonas how's it different.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
They have a lot of guys, They have a lot
of guys who need the ball. I mean they between
DeRozan two, I mean, they have a lot of offense
on that team. So I think the biggest thing they're
gonna have to figure out is just how all those
pieces fit together. Are they going to make another move?
Speaker 2 (43:08):
I thinks I think pick and roll?
Speaker 3 (43:10):
Yeah, right right?
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Those two scorers pick and roll scores. I don't know,
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (43:15):
I mean Sabonis and Fox combined a ton right, dribble handoffs,
pick and rolls, stuff like that. The funny thing too
about the Kings as we look ahead to that game,
is they just got zach Levine and DeMar De Rosen
back together after they had played together on the Bulls
for a few years too, So that's kind of a
funny little wrinkle. But just Kegan Murray, they have a
(43:38):
bunch of players. I'm I'm really curious to see how
they do. I think it's definitely a big loss to
lose Darren Fox. I mean, we've seen, unfortunately, we've seen
what he's done head to head against the Pelicans and
a bunch of games over the years. The guy is
super talented. He was an All Star you know, once
or twice before in his career. But but Zach Levine
is not a bad save. If you're in a position
(43:59):
where you have have to trade dearon Fox because you
know he's not gonna resign with you. So yeah, they
got back some serious talent with Zach Levine also a
guy who's having a really good season this year. So
I mean, they're they're a very potent offensive team with
the guys that they have. I'll be it'll be interesting
to see though if they make other moves. They might
make other moves between now and Thursday as well. I
(44:19):
don't know if they're fit with a roster is exactly
the way it needs to be or they want it
to be. But either way, I mean, even if they
stand pat with the guys that they have, that team
is gonna be putting up some numbers and we're gonna
get a up close look at them a lot coming
up because the Pelicans play them three times before the
All Star break.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
I thought we had Andrew Lopez here, right. We talked
about it in the podcast last week that we kind
of thought maybe, you know, maybe the days of a
massive trade in Saturday. So at this point, Jim, I
don't know what to expect, but something tells me because
it is I wonder if there's some teams that just
pick up the fun and you know, I'll be like,
Jim watched this hun yeah, so uh hey man, just
(44:57):
saying what'd you do it? What about this? Like I
just just to see right because I think that's how
that one started with Dallas in La So I'm very
curious if there's a franchise or a team out there going,
you know what, maybe right now is the right time.
Speaker 3 (45:11):
Sure, you know. There were so many funny posts into
all the social media over the last couple of days,
but one of the reoccurring ones that I enjoyed the
most was a lot of people said, if you're out
there and you've had some outlandish trade idea, this is
the time to put it out there because people aren't
gonna make fun of you the way that they did before.
But they're like, there's no way if somebody suggested, yeah,
(45:32):
the Lakers are gonna trade Anthony Davis to the MAVs
for Luca, you would have been laughed out of the room.
And it actually happened. So now is the time for
your your trade machine, Gurros, get out there and you know,
no one's gonna gonna criticize you, no one's gonna gonna
call you an idiot. If that trade can happen. Anything
can happen.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
This is the time to do it. As Jamike can
offer Pelicans dot Com, he has stuff before the game,
he has stuff after the game here as well again
twice again the Nuggets on Monday and Wednesday. Today and Wednesday,
and then on Friday it's no game. Saturday is Sacramento,
and then we'll be back on the road on Monday.
Take on. Okay, see, poor graph, he really wants that. Okay,
(46:13):
you would like to win on all of these road games.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
And by the way, too, that reminded me for the
spoiler scale next week. I probably was gonna give I'm
not sure what number I was gonna give the okay see,
but after listening to Graft, that number is gonna go
gonna go way up. Guy.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
A lot of revenge involved in that game. From Gras perspective,
I don't think JD's gonna be with him. He's he's
solo on this road trip. JD's covering super Bowl, So.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
Okay, someone needs to monitor this man.
Speaker 2 (46:36):
Oh wait, by the time we get to the first
time out next Monday, Jim, it could be in trouble.
All right, thanks for tuning us in. We'll see you
next time on the New Orlean's Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (46:46):
Thanks for listening to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast. Join
us three times per week on pelicans dot com, the
Pelicans mobile app, the iHeart Radio app, or where you
get your podcast, and be sure to give Jim and
Guss a follow on x at Jim Underscore I Can
Offer and Gcat Underscore seventeen. We'll see you next time
(47:11):
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 once again to the New Orleans
Pelicans Podcast, the official podcasts of your New Orleans Pelicans.
It is Monday. Hey, we got some fun things for
you coming up at the end of the podcast. Player
of the Week, Player to Watch, and Spoiler Scale, a
brand new segment as if Jimi can offer from Pelicans
dot com as have enough to do? He had another
segment for your audio pleasure. How are you doing today?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Man, I'm doing well. How about yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
God's doing very well. Bowl week is off and run in.
The Pelicans have four games between now and when the
Super Bowl ends, a game Monday, a game Wednesday, a
game Saturday, and then a game Monday a week from
today before they come back come and play a home game.
So we'll got you covered throughout all of that and more. Unfortunately,
Jim on Friday, we're talking. We had a radio round
(01:20):
table we were talking about I think you asked about
an MVP of the team, and something took place to
one of our members. I think it was JD.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Graf.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
It was Graph Yeah, yeah, John Tim Murray and we
all know the news. When it comes to that, we'll
talk a little bit about that here as well. But first,
the game back and forth again, another tough battle with
the Boston Celtics. And look, there are reason, there's a
reason they are the defending champions. With the game tide.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Holiday just in front of the center circle with ten,
they're gonna go to Tatum. I would think Holiday, now,
get it to Tatum with six. Tatum guarded by McCollum, drive,
spins left with two fifteen footer at the buzzer, rinsed
it with two tents of a second left, and they're
(02:12):
going to break our hearts again.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
A two point win this time around. Head coach Will
the Green.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Yeah, you know, these guys are resilient and high character.
They work at it, they care, and you know, extremely
proud of our effort tonight, even though you know we
didn't come up with the win.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
By the way, it's cool to hear the crowd chanting
defense like that, you get a sense of the intensity
that was in the arena, So props to them, I mean,
for the record that the team has. It was cool
to see how fired up they were, and it was
also interesting there's some funny back and forth during the
game between the fans because the Celtics crowd that was
there was trying to chant let's go Celtics, and they
(02:53):
got booed down by the home crowd. So just a
little minor note, but yeah, I mean, I think the
two games against the Celtics, even though they both were losses,
I mean, one was by one point, the other was
by two, I thought those were very encouraging. And even
though you know, like I said, you want to try
to win as many games as you can, if they
keep playing like this, I think they will get more
wins and you'll be able to put together some encouraging
(03:16):
stretches that make you say that this team can be competitive.
You're doing it against one of the best teams in
the league, probably top three at the very minimum that
the Celtics are, So I mean that was encouraging that
they played really well against them and fought pretty much
toe to toe against the.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Celtics nineteen one to sixteen was the final there, Jim.
I guess one of the things that really stood out
in that game too, obviously, is the play that you're
getting from Trey Murphy. It just continues to just shine Man.
He had a forty point gay before we get into
the news. That breaks your heart and it just turns
your stomach. We got to talk about the guy that
(03:51):
I feel like we're talking about over and over again,
and it's somebody we focused on in his past. Friday's
podcast about Man, I asked, y'all, is that an All Star?
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Dude?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
He had forty points?
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I mean with good reason. We're talking about him night
in and night out. He had thirty two points to
start the home stand against Dallas, then he had forty
against Boston. So he averaged thirty six points in those
two games against good teams. I mean, going back aways,
he's been so consistent. We feel like we're getting the
same thing night in and night out with him. And
I mean, if you think about it too, the previous
(04:23):
game against Boston, where he was coming back from being
out for a few games, he had thirty in that
one and was ten for seventeen from the field. This
one he was fifteen for twenty from the field. So
I mean, there aren't that many guys across the entire
league that have played as good of a game as
he did against Boston, and he did it twice, So
I mean, that's just impressive. The fact that he's putting
together these kind of performances and to score forty points
(04:46):
on only twenty shots from the field. He just seems
to be building week from week to week. He's getting
better and better, and so I just love. You have
to love what he's been doing lately.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I don't mean this in a bad way. I actually
think it's a good thing. I do like him. Unfortunately,
in some of those games that he's had, those two
point totals always been in the bright Star. The Pels
haven't won, and he's very quick to he'll talk about, hey,
it was nice, you know, six threes, it was nice
five threes, it was nice forty points, But in that
(05:17):
same sound body almost always says, but we lost it.
Bothers it. And I don't mean that in a bad way.
I like that, and I don't like that you're losing,
but I like the fact that you can just get
a sense and feel that he's driven not only to
be better as a player, but the ultimate goal of
it all, Jim is to get w's. And I do
(05:37):
like that. I don't know if that's just me, you know,
loving it as a fan, but I love hearing that.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I'm one hundred percent with you. I mean, ultimately, you're
not going to get that much joy and satisfaction out
of anything that happens. If you're losing. You shouldn't, right,
you know, he definitely shouldn't. And right now they've lost
five games in a row. So even though he's had
some really good individual performances, you know, the game against
Dallas they lost by a point, then they lost by
two to Boston on the Tatum shot. So I mean, yeah,
(06:03):
I don't think I think he's you know, Trey is
a very smart individual too, So I mean he's not
going to sit there after a loss and be like, yeah,
I played great, I'm awesome, I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
You know who cares?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Right, So so yeah, I mean I think he's savvy enough.
But I mean he also truly definitely, I mean they've
done a good amount of winning too, if you think
about it. Over his the time that he's been here,
I think to some extent he's used to winning. So
I think every player on the team that's been here
for multiple years is looking at the record right now
and looking what's happened over some of the recent stretches
and just being like, this isn't good enough, and this
(06:38):
this is not something that we're going to be satisfied with,
no matter what kind of individual stats any player puts up.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, no doubt. So that was easily one of the
highlights of the night, Jim. And then unfortunately, let's go
back to the first quarter. It is it's the gut bunch,
or do I say it's the latest gut bunch. Here
we go.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Murray goes back, goes forward, floats up once Short got
his own rebound and then rolled his ankle. Yeah, he
is in a seated position in the lane. Boston threw
it away again. Trey will drive in on porzingis laid
in with the left hand, and Dejontay.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Murray just blew a tire.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
That is tough to see. Oh, he's gonna his right ankle.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
It appears, I mean he is in paint.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
And if that guy and he is being helped Locker room.
He is as tough as it comes, and to see that, yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
He's been basically helped al both carried.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
There's a funny commercial. You know, I stayed at a
holiday inn and somebody does that. We've talked about in
the past. George Costanza pick a profession marine biologists, whatever, right.
I like to play occasionally doctor or at the pedis
sports at the That's one of those injuries that your
eyes tell you and you know immediately the team officially
(07:58):
on Saturday announcing that it is indeed a ruptured achilles tendon.
His season obviously is done there. But there's two levels
to this. There's an emotional level and then there's a
basketball level to it. So let's just go to the
emotional level. You're seeing it as I am at that moment.
You're upstairs when you saw him go down, what'd you think?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, I mean I initially, I mean I was. It's
not always just what I think because there's other writers
sitting next to me. Will Gillery is always to my right,
Rod Walker is always to my left. So all of
us are kind of talking about it and what we
think it is. And I mean, I was hoping because
I've seen guys go down with non contact injuries before
and it doesn't turn into anything serious. You know, sometimes
(08:39):
a guy gets a cramp and it looks really bad,
but that's all it is, is a cramp. So I
was hoping that it was something like that, where you know,
josel Varado's had a couple times where he's gone down
and we've been worried that it's been something bad, but
he's been able to come back in the game. But
I mean, I have I'd be lying if I didn't
didn't say that. I initially thought, oh my god, that's
an achilles tendon.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
That immediate grab to the back of the heat right
in the area that happened. When when you see a
player football, you see it. You just know it. You
just like, oh, no, we saw Kobe. I mean just
it's it's immediately that that that reaction by.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
The player that makes you feel way, and kind of
the way he was moving when he went towards the
ball to grab his own rebound, the way that he
kind of crumpled that way. I feel like we've kind
of seen an element of that before, where you know,
like you said, the area that he was grabbing on
his leg was really concerning and scary too. So I mean,
the guys around me definitely all thought that it was achilles,
(09:36):
and so I was just hoping against hope that that
it wasn't that. But you know, obviously we find out.
I think there was some people that reported Friday night
National reporters that said he's he has an achilles tear,
and it really wasn't surprising. Unfortunately, it was horrible news
to hear that.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Some reaction we had Coach Willie Green.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
It's extremely difficult, you know, when you see a guy
that means so much to our team and you know,
puts the work in go down like that. So you know,
we'll continue to pray, pray for him.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
And Trey Murphy heard a lot came out to you.
Speaker 6 (10:18):
Yeah, I heard a lot. He's been through a lot already,
and uh, it doesn't help. But you know a lot
of times God, you know, push you through situations in
order to give you a bigger message. And I think
that's what's happening right now. You know, it's it's not
always easy to understand what he's saying, but you know,
there's there's always a reason, and I think there's a
reason greater than all greater than yourself.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
And perhaps a teammate that's become pretty close to DeShawn
Tim Murray more than anyone else.
Speaker 7 (10:44):
Oh man, that's it sucks, Bro, that's my dog.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
You know.
Speaker 7 (10:53):
People that you know, I think that we're human beings, man,
And you know when I saw her, I f f
I felt, I felt, I felt bad for him, man,
that's you know, Like I said, Bro, I can't really
explain it. It just something I knew that wasn't looking good.
And I don't want nobody get injured. You know, I
don't care who it is, not my teammates, my my brothers,
(11:16):
not my brothers, not my friends, like whoever it is.
Something like that just sucks because I know how the
day in and day out, what he does and what
he does for this game. You know, he got a
family too, you know what he got, what he do
for his family, and you know this is our our
time that we you know, get away from it. You know,
we've been doing it forever. You know, he loved his
game and I know how much he loves it, and
(11:39):
and just unfortunately, you know, when I seen that, it
was just something that I didn't I really couldn't put
in words how I felt. It just felt not good.
And I'm gonna keep my prayers up for him. I'm
gonna keep him, keep checking up on him. But man,
that's my dog.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Man.
Speaker 7 (11:58):
It shouldn't. It shouldn't never happened. Man should happen to nobody,
and it sucks that it did have it.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Jose Elvarado, Yeah, you know, I mean, I've been accused
of being unrealistically optimistic sometimes, but when I saw I
was initially thinking, you know, hopefully this isn't a bad injury.
When I saw Jose's reaction, I'm sure a lot of
people saw this on TV or if you were in
the arena where he pretty much immediately put both hands
over his head above his head, and it was kind
of that thing where you could tell that he knew
that it was something really bad as well. So yeah,
(12:25):
I feel really terrible for Dejonte, as well as the
team overall that the situation that happened. You know. I mean,
I think one thing too, that we could talk about
a little bit briefly. Again, I'm not a doctor either.
I don't have any medical expertise, but I think it's
important to explain to people. I think most people that
closely closely followed basketball or the NBA know this generally,
(12:47):
but I mean, to me, there's two injuries that are
the two common injuries that are the most severe. That
you have the torn ACL and the knee, and then
you have the Achilles tendon tear. Those are the two
ones that I mean. I think with the ACL, it's
the medicine is improving, but it's still at the point
where you're talking. You know, a lot of times it's
eight to ten months at least that the guy's out
with Achilles. In general, I think it's been kind of
(13:10):
considered to be a year thing. I know Brandon Clark,
for example, for the Grizzlies, had the same injury and
he was out for I think over a year a
period of time. We don't know how long what the
tame table is going to be for de Jontay Murray,
but it's definitely one of those things where this is
the kind of injury that you don't even think about
rushing back for or trying to accelerate your timeline. It's
(13:31):
one of those things where you set in your mind
it's going to be a certain amount of time, and
then maybe maybe you add a little bit to that,
because it's not the kind of thing that you come
back to the court from until you're really totally one
hundred and thirty percent healthy.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
And that's the thing, Jim, is that you don't look
at this it look it's one of the harder things
to do because you clearly hear the emotion from Trey,
from Coach, from Jose that it hurt. And you know
there were reports from Mary, you know, to us off
air there are a lot of tears being shed on
that bench. Yeah, so you have that emotion aspect of it,
(14:10):
but the show goes on. That's unfortunately the fact. And
almost immediately as we're realizing it off air, guys talking
up in the booth, we're looking at it. Jim, what
you just said is one of the first things that
popped in and say, it's January. So a year from
now is January. That means the start of the season October, November, December,
(14:36):
you possibly may not have him. So that's what I'm saying.
There's an emotional element to this. He's one of your leaders,
but no one him is gonna be there would crutch
us at practice. But you understand what I'm saying, not
having that on the court. But there's a basketball sense
to this here as well.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Jim.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
We can get to next year, next year, but even
this year. You guys were talking about it on Friday
in the podcast. What he it brings to the table.
Why I named them the MVP is importance to this team.
That is a huge loss.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Yeah, I mean you feel terrible for him too, because
a lot of the players on the team and the
players in the NBA know this better than anyone because
some of them have been through injuries where they've been
out for a while, maybe it's a season, maybe it's
a few months, and they know the emotional part that
takes a toll on you for you to be out
that long. I mean, this is what you do, this
is your livelihood, this is you know, for some people,
(15:26):
it's part of a big part of their identity. So
for knowing that he's going to be out for a
long period of time, you just feel horrible for him.
I mean knowing that it's going to be a while
and he's going to have to go through the whole
rehabilitation process that you have to go through. I don't
know anything about it really, the details of what you
have to do for from an achilles, but I know
(15:47):
that it's a very arduous thing and it takes a
lot of work to be able to get back to
the point where you're ready to be back on the floor.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So when you look at that, Jim, when you look
at this team.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Yeah, I mean obviously the rest of Yeah, I mean
obviously the rest of the season. I would think that
we're probably gonna see jose E Varado will be in
a bigger role because if you look at the rest
of the roster, he's the only other point guard that
you know, the vast majority of his career in the NBA,
he's played point guard minutes. You can't really say that
for anyone else on the team. So I'm not sure.
(16:18):
I guess we'll find out Monday night what they're gonna
do with the starting lineup. And for example, there was
a recent game where the game in Charlotte, Dejhonte didn't play.
They started Jordan Hawkins for that game. Hawkins is questionable tonight,
so I don't know how much that factors in to
the decision, but I guess we're gonna find out soon
how they're going to go forward with who starts in
place of Dejonte, and then going forward into next season,
(16:40):
obviously you know, most likely his status will be uncertain
as far as knowing exactly when he'll be able to
come back in so, but I mean I think overall
too from a basketball standpoint and a planning standpoint, I
saw a lot of people after the game Friday, on
social media, on X whatever start making bold problem about
(17:00):
what this means in terms of the Pelicans plan. And
I don't necessarily blame people, because that's what people do,
you know, they but I do think that, and I
know this is boring sports talk radio or boring podcasting,
but I do think that we need to take a
deep breath and take a step back because I don't
think we know. I mean, there's so many different elements
that's coming up. The trade deadline obviously is Thursday, three
(17:21):
days from now free agency. I don't think it's you
can really make a bunch of bold proclamations about what
exactly is going to happen or how this injury affects
the grand plan of what they're gonna do. I mean,
I just think there's too many unknowns in that. So
that's just my word of caution that I just don't
I don't feel comfortable saying because this happened, this means X,
(17:43):
Y and Z. I just think that we need to
wait and see you. As far as what the plan
is going.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Forward, well, that was my little sound effect for well,
you know why you can't really plan for the future
because you have no idea what other other team's gonna do.
We went through something that was a gun punch on Friday,
and then Saturday and Sunday, Jim I can offer what
in the world is going on in the Western Conference.
(18:10):
The Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis to
the Lakers, other stuff involved in that, and then Darin
Fox three team Trey Levine goes to Sacramento from Chicago.
He goes and now plays with Victor Winbayama. I'm sure
Chris Paul's thrilled. I when you think of just Saturday
and Sunday alone, you're shaking your head.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
I mean, Saturday was the craziest thing that I've seen
in a long time. I mean, I think there's a
lot of people who probably on Central Time around eleven
eleven thirty were like winding down and ready to sleep.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
My bad. I was one of those guys that kept
texting you like, no way here.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I'm not blaming you at all because because when I
heard about it, I ended up being awake until two
two thirty because there's just too much going on. There
was too much to talk about. It took a while,
like you said, to even cement the idea in your
head that this actually happened.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
To be honest, you thought he was Everyone thought you
was hacked.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I didn't believe it at first, for sure, But I
mean I also don't think I saw it immediately. I
think I saw it maybe thirty forty five minutes after
it was first announced or tweeted, So at that point
I was more like, okay, this had to a pad
point by now. But but yeah, I mean, it's it's
just it blows your mind because it's I mean, I
guess let's start first with just overall. I mean, I
(19:24):
want to there's a million podcasts out there that are
gonna have talked about the trade, and I've listened to
some of them. But I want to try to tie
some of this back at least a little bit to
the Pelicans as much as we can do that. And
I mean to me, one of my big takeaways from
the weekend trades of you know, the main thing obviously
is Luca to the Lakers, Anthony Davis to the Mavericks,
and Darren Fox goes to the Spurs. I mean to me,
(19:47):
the West. I mean, even before these trades happened this weekend,
the West is loading up so much. I mean, if
you look at just the Southwest Division with the Pelicans.
We don't talk about divisions very much because we're so
much more locked into conferences, but I mean, to me,
the competition in the Pelicans Division just continues to get
more formidable and we I mean since the day I
(20:08):
walked into this job in two thousand and five, the
West has always been so good. The Pelicans Division, for
the most part, has been really good, and we kept
waiting for it to cycle back the other way, where
it's like, eventually the East is going to be better
than the West, and there's going to be a long
stretch of time where the competition is a little bit
easier in the West. Did that last even a year.
I feel like we might have had one season where
(20:30):
it was even and now it's the pendulum has swung
back to where a lot of the best teams are
in the West, And I mean, you have teams in
the East like Boston, Cleveland, New York who are head
and shoulders above or in the elite of the NBA,
And there might be more of those in the East
this year than the West. But the depth isn't even close.
If you look at who the ninth tenth best team
(20:51):
in the West is and you compare it to the East,
it's a route, it's a blowout. So but I say
that all to kind of just go back to the
point of I mean, and the Pelicans are definitely in
a position where they're going to have to improve a
lot to be able to compete with some of these teams.
I mean, the Spurs now have Daron Fox and Wemby
(21:11):
for the long term. Houston now is one of the
best younger teams in the league because they've drafted so
well last few years. The Grizzlies are in a similar
position where their best players are very early in their
career relatively speaking with John Moran and Jared Jackson junior.
They've loaded up with a ton of other depth. The
Mavericks I think definitely look at it like the next
(21:31):
couple of years are their wheelhouses of when they're going
to try to win, and.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
So idly didn't even play when we played them last time. Anyway,
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
So I mean, the rest of this division is just
a beast. And I didn't even get into the other
teams across the West that have made improvements and are
either really good right now or will be for you know,
the foreseeable future. So I mean, it's just one of
those things where it's it's and this is nothing new.
It's not like all of a sudden we woke up
and we were like, oh, the good, I guess we've
(22:00):
gotta improve things, right, But it is interesting to me
that if you just look at the overall picture, how
tough the conference has gotten with some of these different moves.
I mean, even a team like Portland has been one
of the best teams in the league lately, and they
they're at the point where they look like they have
a chance to be good over the next few years.
They're gonna add another lottery pick, most likely this year too,
(22:23):
because as much as they improve, they were in too
big of a hole probably to make the playoffs. But overall,
I mean, it's just the West is just so so
tough and so deep. So even getting into the play
in this year is gonna be There's gonna be again,
there's gonna be a couple of teams that don't even
make the plane in the West that are have good,
good records and a lot of talent.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yeah, it's very interesting to say, Yeah, this is all
gonna play out from seven to ten. It's a two
and a half game separation eleventh spot right now, Golden
State is right there, tied with as many games back
of gold Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
See, so yeah, and also too, I wanted to kind
of hit on a couple specific kind of takes or
points that I want to make from, in particular the
Mavericks and Lakers trade that I think are interesting. I mean,
first of all, former player Anthony Davis, franchise player here.
I thought it's so interesting if you think about the
position that he's in right now where I mean, it's
(23:17):
kind of one of those things where it's like, hey man,
you know, no pressure, all you have to do is
prove that this trade wasn't the worst trade in the
history of the NBA the way a lot of people
are saying. I mean, basically, he's in a position now
where he's on the Mavericks and everyone across the league,
I haven't heard one person say say, you know, well,
I should I should change should change that. I have
(23:37):
heard some people say, like Kendrick Perkins said, like, you know,
this is a better trade for the Mavericks than the Lakers,
But on the on the whole, I'd say ninety five
to ninety nine percent of the people are saying that
this was a terrible trade for Dallas. The only way
that it's not a terrible trade, though, is if over
the next period of years they win a ton of games,
they compete for a championship, maybe they win one. And
(23:58):
I think the only way realistically that they can do
that is if Anthony Davis keeps playing the way that
he has for a lot of the season, where he's
getting thirty and fifteen games. He's been one of the
best bigs in the league. Really obviously he has. He's
had injury issues lately and started missing games again, but
he's gonna have to stay on the court. So I
find that part of it really fascinating. For Dallas's GM
(24:21):
Nico Harrison, I heard him say one of the interesting
things that he said at a press conference yesterday was
that he said. They asked him, you know, you, are
you concerned about the long term effect of this, because
now Luka Doncis is somewhere else where he would have
been with you for the next ten years, and he said, basically,
Nico Harrison said, basically, not worried about the next You know,
(24:43):
I'm not worried about ten years from now because I'm
more worried about three years from now. In the short term,
he said. One of the things he said though, of
why he's not worried about ten years from now is
he said, basically, quote unquote, they're going to bury us
in ten years, meaning like you know, he doesn't know
if he'll have a job ten years from now. Jason Kidd,
who's head coach, he probably won't be there ten years
from now. But when I heard him say they're going
(25:04):
to bury us in ten years, I thought, dude, they're
trying to bury you right now. They're going to try
to bar you this week. If you look at some
of the fan reaction to it, they brought.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Caskets right right to the steps from American Area, and
I think to some.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Extent, you have to block out the wildest portions of
every fan base, the craziest ones. I mean, we deal
with this on social media, you know, the people that
just say things that you just got to ignore. But
I mean, when you have that big of a widespread,
just complete dismissal, just condemnation of a move that you did,
(25:37):
there's a lot of heat on you. So, like I said,
it goes back to Anthony Davis that he's going to
have to deliver to make sure that the groundswell of
negativity that is heaped upon Dallas and the organization in
the front office and the GM that some of that
stuff dies down a little bit. I think if they
win a ton of games over the rest of the season,
(25:57):
that will happen. If it doesn't, it's gonna get probably
get even worse. And so and last thing I want
to mention too real quick about the trade overall, just
from a league perspective, I think it's really interesting to
think about. We've seen this already with a couple other players.
To me, we went through a stretch in the NBA
a period of maybe five ten years where every single
(26:19):
max player that was on that level got a Max contract,
including guys that weren't necessarily you were kind of like,
I got a squint to see that a max player
in this guy, but his team is paying him sure, right,
And it was almost it almost got to the point
where it was like a foregone conclusion that anytime a
player of All Star caliber or even a level below
(26:39):
that came up in free agency, it was a guarantee.
I'm getting max a max contract. There's no question about it.
There's no negotiations. There might be some cases here and
there where a player says, I'll take two million dollars
less than the max because I want to, in a
good will gesture, say now my team has a little
bit more wiggle room under the salary cap to add
talent around me. A few times, but for the most part,
(27:01):
it was just an automatic thing. What I think is
interesting that we need to look at now is is
the Luka Doncic case where a team is hesitant to
commit to that kind of money to a guy because
they're not totally sold on him. Is that an outlier
that is just a one off and people are going
to say, man, that was crazy that they even thought that,
or is it going to be something that we see
(27:22):
more frequently? And I think if you look at the
guys right now across the NBA. Jimmy Butler is a
good example of this too that he has a player
option for next year, so he's either going to take
a fifty two million dollars player option or become a
free agent. If you're taking on a player like that
that's in that situation financially with his contract, you have
to be one thousand percent sold on him. With the
(27:42):
new CBA, maybe it wasn't like this before because there's
a little bit of more wiggle room. It wasn't there
weren't as many constraints. You know, people always said it's
kind of a soft cap, not a hard cap. A
hard cap. Now that is in place where if you're
over the second apron and there's all these restrictions of
things that you can't do. It just seems like teams already,
even though the CBA has barely been the ink is
(28:04):
barely dry on the CBA, that teams have already shifted
into the mode of we are not trading for a
guy who's making big money unless we one hundred percent
we totally believe in this guy that we think he's
going to be great next season, but he's also going
to be great three or four years from now, when
his contract is still going to be on our books.
And I feel like that's a huge change that we
(28:24):
need we need to monitor because it feels like teams
are acting just a lot differently to players in that position,
and that has a massive effect on the trade deadline
and the activity of teams in the offseason. So I mean,
that's something that I want to keep an eye on,
just for every team across the league, not just the
Pelicans as we go into the trade deadline Thursday. And
(28:46):
something that you have to keep in mind at all
times is that I don't necessarily like a league where
we talk as much about the contracts of the guys
as the players of what they actually do on the court.
But I think it's one of those things where it's unavoidable.
There's just there's no way around it. You have to
accept that a given a player's given situation, his value
is going to be tied a ton to his contract situation.
(29:09):
And just the reality of a player might say I
want to make max money, I want to make forty
million dollars a year, but you know, maybe ten fifteen
years ago, teams around the league would be like, heck y,
I will play that. Yeah, And now they're like, we
can't commit to that unless we know for sure that
this is the guy that we believe in. You. I mean,
(29:29):
we've seen this with Phoenix that you can only go
all in on like two or three guys. You can't
go all in on two or three guys and then
be like, Okay, well, now there's two other players that
we need to pay big money to. It's impossible with
the way that the cap is now.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Well, even that you're seeing teams, it doesn't necessarily mean.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
It works, right and the other and then you're really
boxed in right.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Well, and again you mentioned the team just now in
that that that could be a possibility, you know. I mean,
Phoenix isn't a cusp of maybe being a perennial NBA
Finals team winning the Western Conference and Biddy william is
gone and they're bringing in Kevin Durant. Now they bring
in bes. They haven't won a championship, you know, So
I don't know if that's the end goal. When you
make moves like that, that's the only way you measure success.
(30:10):
I guess I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Yeah, no, they I mean they've I think they've fled
out more or less said that that they're that they're
in the business of trying to win a championship. So
if you look at Golden State too, I mean they're
in a similar position as well, where they're saying, we
don't want to mortgage in the future. But I also
think when you hear them say that, they're also factoring
in the fact that they maybe there aren't there isn't
a guy out there that they are willing to commit
(30:33):
to for the exact same reasons that we just talked about.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And it goes to this, and you're gonna hear this
a lot, I think over the next couple of days,
because Thursday, two pms to trade in. Like fine, say
a player at a certain team, does they want to
be there? Trade me, awesome, but I also want this
amount of money. Well, that makes it difficult. And if
there's a team that reportedly is interested in said player,
(30:59):
but that player doesn't want to go there, it's very
interesting now because you're really narrowing whearey to go because
now if the team has that room, not every team,
to your point, wants to take on that.
Speaker 6 (31:11):
Man.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
I don't know if I'm really sold on at this guy.
You know, if this guy is not all in on
this you know, franchise and all they've done is taken
care of him, how is that going to change? And
do we have the money? So I don't know if
the options arise out there for players as they used
to be.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
And there's also a lot of things that can go
wrong with committing to a guy. He can have injury problems,
he can be at the point where he starts performing
not as well as he did earlier in his career.
He can be thirty four to thirty five years old,
and you know, I mean Lebron James has kind of
ruined the way that we or skewed the way that
we look at age because he's plans he's still playing
at elite level at forty. There aren't that many guys
(31:47):
that after they get to thirty four to thirty five
can play anywhere near that level. So I mean that's
part of it too. I just think teams are a
lot more cautious about going all in on players, and
it's like everything has to be aligned and right for
you to say, Okay, this is a guy that we're
gonna pay max money to. Whereas I don't think that
that should have been the way teams have always operated,
(32:09):
But I don't think it was necessarily in the past,
just because there was a lot more wiggle room. There
was a lot more ways to get out of a
bind than there are now. Now you're putting yourself, you're
backing yourself into a corner where it's like, okay, now
we hardly have any options to do anything.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Look the other thing that stands out to me too,
I don't know what Bobby needed this a longer time,
maybe towards the end of the year, but are we
seeing a shift to where when you look at the
top teams, they're draft built, right, I mean, okayc I
get to win and God asked Jay. But for the
(32:44):
most part, two thirds are there.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Nucleus is draft picks.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I mean Memphis, they drafted Jah and a bunch of
other guys there as well in Bane and stuff. Houston
were pretty much all draft picks. Needed the right coach
to get that cooking going, and they brought in Dylan Brooks.
Dalon Brooks. I think I'm not being disrespectful, but he's
not Jimmy Butler, Ja Moran. You know what I'm saying.
So it's a nice free agent signing, it's a nice
(33:11):
trade or something like that for somebod these teams. But
I mean Denver was, you know, mostly built through their draft.
So when I look at teams like that, even Minnesota
and stuff, and actually I could argue that's starting to
tinker with the pieces. Maybe Minnesota is not as strong
as they were.
Speaker 6 (33:25):
No.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
I think you make a great point, and I think
the most concise way that I could put it is
the more restrictive the cap becomes, and the more you
have to worry about how much money you have to
spend and some of the rules that dictate, okay, you're
over the caps, so you can't make these other moves.
The more that comes into consideration, I think the more
teams in general will lean towards the draft because they
(33:48):
know that you have these guys under cost control for
the first four or five years of their contract, and
then if you want to sign them to an extension
that also is relatively you know, an efficient way to
retain your players before they start making huge money on
their third contract if they're a star player. So I
think that's the easiest way that I would explain why
(34:08):
that's happened is that teams have just realized that, you know,
the draft is from a money standpoint, is the best
way way to go about it. I mean, there's also
an element, and like you said, this is probably a
discussion for a different day when we have more time,
but I mean to me, there's also an element of
free agency where it's like lived by the sword, die
by the sword. If you operate entirely on free agency,
(34:32):
is gonna save us a lot of times you get
nowhere with that because the guy that you went after
doesn't sign with you. The perfect example I can give
is the New York Knicks. They went through a long
period of time where they were like, all we're doing
is saving up for the day that a big star
is gonna sign with us. We're gonna Lebron's gonna come here. Eventually,
everybody loves New York City. And it wasn't really until
(34:53):
they went away from that philosophy that they started making
steps forward and achieving to the point where they're a
top three team in the East. So they had to
kind of learn the hard way. And the thing is
is when some of these free agent moves get so
much attention and they didn't deservedly. So when you are
able to land a player, I mean, this was a trade,
not freegency, but when you're able to land a player
(35:15):
of Luka Doncic's caliber, it changes the whole picture and
outlook of your franchise. But on the back end of that,
a lot of times the guy that you sign leaves,
so I mean, and then then you're left and try
I mean, Miami is a good example of this too.
They got Jimmy Butler. It was a huge pickup at
the time. They went to the finals with him twice.
(35:36):
They went to the conference final they think one or
two other times, but now he's on his way out.
So it's like, it's just one of those things where
you know, as if that's your entire way that you're
going to operate, if you're gonna base everything on free agency,
you're gonna have some great moments and some awesome highs,
but you're also gonna have some low lows when it
swings back the other way and the guy that you
took away from some other team decides I want to
(35:58):
go somewhere else, and now I'm not with you anymore.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Yeah, So I think it's gonna be very interesting. See
what happens on Thursday. We'll have another podcast for you
here on Wednesday and on Friday, well, we'll talk about
what happened on Thursday as well. But look, man, a
lot of the players that we talked about when we
talk about the Pelicans are young players that are drafted.
We talked about it on Friday. They're rising stars players
six years in a row doing those things. So maybe
we're seeing a shift. I don't know. That's what the
(36:22):
league wanted to do. They you know, people didn't care
for the super teams being built. They made a move
to stop it. And look what's happening right now. It's
you have way more teams that have a shot or
involved or at least competitive. And I do think that's worked.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Yeah, I agree, and I think well, last thing I'll
say too quickly, is I think we're seeing too that
if you draft well and you come up with the plan,
you can totally change things and turn things around in
three or four years. It doesn't take you eight. Like
look at what Houston's done. No, they're a perfect example.
They were one of the worst teams in the league
for literally two three years in a row, and now
they're up there at the top of the west.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Right, And it's the same thing that rest be wise
that pick a sport baseball. We love baseball. We work
with a football team and.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
The basketball team.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Uh, get talent, find the right coach that can maximize
that talent, get it together, find a good leader. Right,
what's your identity, stick to what you do, Build something
and then give it time to manifest and to grow
and you know, nurture it and that could happen. I
think that's what we've seen with some of these teams, right.
(37:26):
I mean, there's there's that talent guy. There's the talent
guy above the rest. There's that guy that gives them
that identity, whether it's they're defensive minded or a physical
team whatever. And I mean, look, we saw it with
one of the greatest teams in Dynasties and players ever
and Michael Jordan. You know, they went to the playoffs
before they made a coaching change. I had be that
coach with that group of players that could handle it. So,
(37:48):
I mean, I just it's it's anywhere. So that's the recipe.
It's not easy.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
And you have to have the right combination of guys too.
You have to say the right common the right chemistry,
the right fit of players. I think there's a ton
of talent with the Pelicans. There's a ton of guys
that are rising talent. Now it's a matter of how
do you put it all together and hopefully next season
you also don't have three guys coming out, three two
coming back in a different group coming out and that
(38:13):
it can't.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I mean there's no way there is at the basketball guys,
the Greek greed, I mean, there is no physical way
that could happen again. Right by the way, before I
hit this button, here we go into our next segment.
Did we just kind of put our resumes out there
for GM and assistant GM? Uh, I'm just saying sure,
(38:35):
you know, sure. I didn't say how about consultant consulting?
You know what, that's even better because then there's something goes.
I just hoped you to do it exactly, And basically,
all we're trying to negotiate is a closer parking spot.
That's really all we're doing, right David, mister griff that's
not we're not trying to get.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I want I want the pay of a consultant with
none of the responsibility of things going wrong. You can
also be able to take the credit when things go well.
I like that.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
I think you just literally described what a consultant is.
I remember my dad back in the day we worked
with computers. He's like, oh, it was consultant. They come
in and tell you what everything is wrong. You're everything
you're doing is wrong. But when you do something right, well,
that's why I consulted you, my dad.
Speaker 8 (39:19):
Well, it's a Monday, thankfully, Jim is always our Friday.
It's time for mister Eichenhoffer to give his players of
the week and a player to watch for this week, which.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
You got big god. Well, Mallory, let's start with player
of the week. And we talked about him earlier in
this episode, and that's Trey Murphy. But I mean, once again,
I thought kind of a no brainer for Player of
the week. Over the three games, he averaged twenty eight
point seven points. We talked about his efficiency earlier, sixty
seven percent from the field, fifty four percent from three
(39:55):
point range, seventy five percent from the free throw line.
He was only three for four minimum amount of those,
but he averaged six rebounds, three point seven assists, one
point three steals, and also to wrap up the month
of January. He led the Pelicans in scoring in January
with twenty five point one points per game, so probably
(40:15):
I would say the best month of his career so far.
He just continues to ascend and I think we'll expect
to see more of the same from him in the
month of February. For my player to watch this week,
I'm gonna go with Jose Alvarado. We talked about Dejante
Murray being out for the rest of the season, so
player to watch not just for this week, but also
(40:35):
going forward. Well, we'll find out tonight whether he's going
to be in the starting lineup or if he'll be
coming off the bench. I think either way, his minutes
will increase, even if he still remains in a reserve role.
And by the way, I mentioned Trey Murphy's stats last week,
Jose Alvarado averaged ten point three points per game, super
great efficiency, forty eight percent from the field, forty percent
(40:57):
from three, eighty three percent on free throws. He was
five for six there. And in the month of January,
Jose al Varado led the Pelicans among the guys that
took a decent amount of threes with forty two percent
from three point range. So Jose a Varado player to
watch this week. And last thing, Gus, it's the spoiler scale.
(41:18):
I know, we promised this will be doing this every
Monday for the rest of the season. It and for
obviously there's only two different opponents this week. The Pelicans
played Denver on Monday and Wednesday, and then they play
Sacramento on Saturday. So for these two games against the Nuggets,
I guess I can only really come up with one
number for both games. I went with five because I
feel like it's kind of it's this is kind of
(41:39):
the definition of the middle of the road kind of.
I don't think there's any real strong, you know, animosity
towards the Nuggets. Pelicans actually split the series with them
earlier this year.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Jose had a good game a couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
Yeah, he had his career best. Yeah. Right now, the
Nuggets are one game ahead of the Lakers. They're they're
in fourth place in the West, so I mean there's
some stuff on the line, but I just kind of
felt like I give it a five, And for the
Sacramento game on Saturday, I'm gonna go with a seven
because right now, the Kings are twenty four and twenty four,
tenth place in the West. The Warriors are twenty four
(42:12):
and twenty four as well, in eleventh place. Sacramento must
have the tiebreaker from head to head series, so I
went with a seven. I mean, I think it's gonna
be an interesting game. I talk touched on this during
the radio roundtable on Friday, that this is the first
game for both teams after the trade deadline, and so
Zach Levine for the Kings, I would think he'll be
making his debut with them before then, but it'll be
(42:34):
interesting to see Sacramento with their new players. And then
we'll have to wait and see what happens with the
Pelicans as far as what they might do at the
trade deadline. So five for Denver, seven for Sacramento. On
the spoiler scale, you got a.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
Few days, But I'm very interested to see what you're
gonna say on a Friday about how Levine in that
dynamic will go with sabonas how's it different.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
They have a lot of guys, They have a lot
of guys who need the ball. I mean they between
DeRozan two, I mean, they have a lot of offense
on that team. So I think the biggest thing they're
gonna have to figure out is just how all those
pieces fit together. Are they going to make another move?
Speaker 2 (43:08):
I thinks I think pick and roll?
Speaker 3 (43:10):
Yeah, right right?
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Those two scorers pick and roll scores. I don't know,
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (43:15):
I mean Sabonis and Fox combined a ton right, dribble handoffs,
pick and rolls, stuff like that. The funny thing too
about the Kings as we look ahead to that game,
is they just got zach Levine and DeMar De Rosen
back together after they had played together on the Bulls
for a few years too, So that's kind of a
funny little wrinkle. But just Kegan Murray, they have a
(43:38):
bunch of players. I'm I'm really curious to see how
they do. I think it's definitely a big loss to
lose Darren Fox. I mean, we've seen, unfortunately, we've seen
what he's done head to head against the Pelicans and
a bunch of games over the years. The guy is
super talented. He was an All Star you know, once
or twice before in his career. But but Zach Levine
is not a bad save. If you're in a position
(43:59):
where you have have to trade dearon Fox because you
know he's not gonna resign with you. So yeah, they
got back some serious talent with Zach Levine also a
guy who's having a really good season this year. So
I mean, they're they're a very potent offensive team with
the guys that they have. I'll be it'll be interesting
to see though if they make other moves. They might
make other moves between now and Thursday as well. I
(44:19):
don't know if they're fit with a roster is exactly
the way it needs to be or they want it
to be. But either way, I mean, even if they
stand pat with the guys that they have, that team
is gonna be putting up some numbers and we're gonna
get a up close look at them a lot coming
up because the Pelicans play them three times before the
All Star break.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
I thought we had Andrew Lopez here, right. We talked
about it in the podcast last week that we kind
of thought maybe, you know, maybe the days of a
massive trade in Saturday. So at this point, Jim, I
don't know what to expect, but something tells me because
it is I wonder if there's some teams that just
pick up the fun and you know, I'll be like,
Jim watched this hun yeah, so uh hey man, just
(44:57):
saying what'd you do it? What about this? Like I
just just to see right because I think that's how
that one started with Dallas in La So I'm very
curious if there's a franchise or a team out there going,
you know what, maybe right now is the right time.
Speaker 3 (45:11):
Sure, you know. There were so many funny posts into
all the social media over the last couple of days,
but one of the reoccurring ones that I enjoyed the
most was a lot of people said, if you're out
there and you've had some outlandish trade idea, this is
the time to put it out there because people aren't
gonna make fun of you the way that they did before.
But they're like, there's no way if somebody suggested, yeah,
(45:32):
the Lakers are gonna trade Anthony Davis to the MAVs
for Luca, you would have been laughed out of the room.
And it actually happened. So now is the time for
your your trade machine, Gurros, get out there and you know,
no one's gonna gonna criticize you, no one's gonna gonna
call you an idiot. If that trade can happen. Anything
can happen.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
This is the time to do it. As Jamike can
offer Pelicans dot Com, he has stuff before the game,
he has stuff after the game here as well again
twice again the Nuggets on Monday and Wednesday. Today and Wednesday,
and then on Friday it's no game. Saturday is Sacramento,
and then we'll be back on the road on Monday.
Take on. Okay, see, poor graph, he really wants that. Okay,
(46:13):
you would like to win on all of these road games.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
And by the way, too, that reminded me for the
spoiler scale next week. I probably was gonna give I'm
not sure what number I was gonna give the okay see,
but after listening to Graft, that number is gonna go
gonna go way up. Guy.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
A lot of revenge involved in that game. From Gras perspective,
I don't think JD's gonna be with him. He's he's
solo on this road trip. JD's covering super Bowl, So.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
Okay, someone needs to monitor this man.
Speaker 2 (46:36):
Oh wait, by the time we get to the first
time out next Monday, Jim, it could be in trouble.
All right, thanks for tuning us in. We'll see you
next time on the New Orlean's Pelicans podcast.
Speaker 1 (46:46):
Thanks for listening to the New Orleans Pelicans Podcast. Join
us three times per week on pelicans dot com, the
Pelicans mobile app, the iHeart Radio app, or where you
get your podcast, and be sure to give Jim and
Guss a follow on x at Jim Underscore I Can
Offer and Gcat Underscore seventeen. We'll see you next time
(47:11):
right here on the New Orleans Pelicans podcast
Host
Jim Eichenhofer
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