September 19, 2024 • 17 mins
Dorian Finney-Smith enters his third season with the Brooklyn Nets as one of the team's veteran leaders. Chris is joined by Tim "The Capper" Capstraw and NetsDaily's Lucas Kaplan to discuss how Finney-Smith's two-way game remains extra valuable in today's game.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey, what's going on. It's Chris Carrino. This is the
voice of the NETS podcast, continuing with our series on
some of the players we see going forward with this
team that were with the team last year. We're joined
by Lucas Kapitl of NETS Daily. We're joined by the Capper,
Tim Capstraw, my partner of many, many, many years on
the radio. In fact, I think I think, with the
(00:33):
exception of Mike Breen and Clyde Frasier, we are the
longest running duo in New York sports broadcasting.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (00:42):
How about that first year that I did the NETS.
I worked one year with Kelly Trapuka as the full
time guy pasted. I worked with Albert King, the great
Albert King. But I was watching a podcast, Capper, and
you know what, Kelly went over TV. That's when you
came in to be my partner. It's lasted all these years.
(01:04):
Twenty three years later, I'm watching a podcast with Dan Soder,
who's a comedian and a lot of people might know
from the show Billions. Uh, and and he's and he's
he's got Robert Eiler on his podcast. Who's the kid
who played aj soprano? And and uh. Soda is a
(01:26):
big basketball guy. So he likes to sometimes open trading
cards with his guests and he's opening up and I
sent you the clip. He opens up, they get they
get a Kelly Chapuka card and they go. They're pronouncing
his name trapaka and they never heard of the guy. Which,
(01:48):
if you're a basketball fan, I'm sorry, Lucas Kaplan, you're not.
You're you're a twenty some year old guy. You know
who Kelly Chapuke is.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I do, Yeah, I did, although I can't say that
I would expect many basketball fans my age that are
not as passionate to know. Maybe I should.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, I just think that they're they're playing themselves off
as real NBA guys. And I love those two guys.
But like you were, AJ soprano, Kelly Chipuca is from Jersey.
He was an All.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Star two times, two time All Stars.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
So you look at that.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Lucas had his numbers right off the bat.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, I just I know because he's one of the
few answers to the trivia question rookie year All Stars
that I remember.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
There you go, great player at a Notre Dame, great
player at a New Jersey, New Jersey legend, NBA star
and was probably calling games on TV Lucas when you
were just when you were in your formative years becoming an.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Fan, real formative years.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yes, I just I just felt the need to stand
up and defend my former partner.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Yeah, I agree with that. And thank goodness he didn't
have Spinarkle. They could have really had an adventure with
that name.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Whose numbers retired in Philadelphia? By the way, it's just
retired for Charles Barkley, but it's still technically his number
that he wore with the Sixers is retired in Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Now I go back to is it final four? Final four?
And you are regional m VP.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Jim Spinarkle too at duke with.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Great hair still and one of the best television analysts
out there.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
And speaking hair, the beard you gotta keep. I've decided
you've got to keep it. That looks great growing on you,
no pun intended.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
It's growing on you.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yes, thank you. One of the great human interest stories
and everything we had last year was on this NET
team was with Dorian Finney Smith and his dad right
being reunited. His dad had been in prison. It was
a process of getting him out that was started when
(04:08):
he was in Dallas and with Mark Cuban. It continued
even when he was with the Nets. The Mavericks personnel
who had done the groundwork on that it kept it going.
And then finally Dorian Finney Smith dad got to see
him play in an NBA game in person for the
first time. Had to be an emotional year for Dorian
(04:31):
Finney Smith. And not only that he ends up, you know,
having some injuries, but also having his name thrown around
where he thinks he's going to get traded to the deadline.
It's understandable if Dorian Finney Smith had an up and
down year last year and it's ended up really what happened.
(04:53):
But I do know this, when the Nets traded Kyrie
Irving and Kevin Durant, they were trying to acquire assets
right that can they can build on going in the future.
They've already turned one of those assets mckel Bridges into
a haul in draft picks we talked about in the
past with Cam Johnson. He could be another asset that
they turned into something that fits more of their timeline,
and Dorian Finney Smith may be the same same type
(05:14):
of player, another player who on a really good team.
Maybe it doesn't fit the NET timeline right now, but
on a very good team. Dorian Finney Smith is an
invaluable role player cap well.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
That's why so many people were inquiring about him last year.
I mean he is the ideal role player, tough guy
and winning guy, high character, can make the corner three
can make. He's a winning player, and so many people inquired.
I think that will happen again this year. But if
(05:49):
for some reason it doesn't, he falls into that category
of the most perfect, perfect example for young players that
an organization can half.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So I don't think the NETS can go wrong either way.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, if you're developing young players like the NETS are
trying to do, He's a terrific guy to be on
the bus with you, be on the plane with you,
be in that locker room, and lucas you pointed out
in your great film breakdown on him, on all the
nets social media outlets and digital outlets and digital platforms.
He's he had an interesting year too, because he gets
(06:25):
not only his role changes, but his position changes. He's
a guy that can you know, is counted on at
times to do a lot of things that you thought
were out of his skill set. But his numbers proved otherwise.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Yeah, when Nick Claxton went down with the early season
ankle injury, I believe he stepped up, as you know,
kind of your small ball five, And really the Nets
played some of their best basketball of the season when
he was in that role. And like we saw them
do a lot of switch in, a lot of stuff
(06:58):
you'd expect them to do with door In at center,
but he was like playing drop coverage. He was guarding Nikolovucevich.
I remember that in season tournament game in Chicago, and
I just thought it really exemplified the type of guy
you're getting in Dough that he's going to do whatever
and do it to the best of his ability and
(07:21):
is a valuable basketball player as well. Like he was
picking and popping, and some of the slower, bigger centers
in the league couldn't really keep up with him when
he's right and he's you know, as you said, had
to deal with some injuries last year. He's a guy
that is going to improve your strength, your length on
the glass. When he's playing the wing position, he can
(07:42):
slide over to the five, he can hit threes. As
a coach, you're always going to feel safe when he's
on the court.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Toward the end of the year. I think it coincided
with Kevin Aley taking over. I thought we saw a
difference in the attitude of Dorian Finney Smith, and I
thought that, you know, he and man and I don't
know inside and I don't have infronet information if he
was challenged by Kevin Ollie or whatnot, or but do
you remember this cabra. I mean, I think as soon
(08:13):
as Kevin took over, it was like we saw a
switch turned back on in Dorian Finysmith.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yes, yes, it was.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Uh listen obviously you know, we don't we're not privy
to conversations. But if you're were reading about the fact
that he could, you know, a lot of teams are
interested in him.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
What is Dorian Finney Smith hearing?
Speaker 4 (08:32):
You know, he's hearing a lot more of that that
information throughout the entire season. But you're right, Kevin Allie
kind of hit him on a personal level about personal
pride and he was if you ever heard, you know,
listening to Kevin Alie before the games, I really enjoyed it.
I thought, he really if you're the certain type of
guys he could hit home with and really be motivational,
and I thought he really connected with Dorian and got
(08:55):
him back to playing at the level he needed to play.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
So you're right, it book ended, right.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I mean, the beginning of the year he was on fire,
making all sorts of play play, you know, a lot
of shots at the five as a trailer picking pop
and then at the end of the year he played
well in the middle.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
There's a lot going on right there.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
But uh man, I mean, I feel like I've said
this a lot, but you know, he he is the
ultimate guy that other teams are gonna.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Want, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Ironically, probably the missing piece in Dallas last year that
that that, you know, a team that went to the
finals that had traded him to the Nets to get
Kyrie Irving. And you know, Kyrie Irving played a big
role in the Dallas team, but they certainly could have
used a guy with Dorian Finney Smith's skill set going forward.
And I think that's something to keep an eye on
in terms of an asset that Nets have, knowing that
(09:43):
the guys out there that the teams could use. I
remember when he got traded to the Nets. You know,
Chuck Cooperstein, longtime radio voice of the Dallas Mavericks. I
was texting with him after the trade, and you know,
he just he couldn't say enough incredible things about Dorian
Finney Smith. And when we went back to Dallas it
was the first road game of the year last year,
I mean, I mean, everybody just they they couldn't get
(10:08):
enough of his of just wanting to seek him out.
And you get how many hugs he was given in
that arena. You could tell again going back to character,
going to how much people really relished him being around.
And I think that's been the case with the Nets
and we'll see now you know, again his future going forward.
But he's also a guy that when it comes to
(10:30):
his you know, we've thrown that a lot out in
this series. You know, ceiling and floor. You know, Dorian
Finney Smith kind of this many years in the league.
I think you know what he is. But I do
think he's got potential to be a more consistent three
point shooter. I think we saw in his time with
the Nets he's been very inconsistent with the three and
(10:53):
it's and sometimes it's been just obvious stuff like when
he first got to the Nets, right, the shot was flat,
there was no arc to his jump shot, and then
we talked to him last year in training camp and
he was like, yeah, you know, I really it was obvious.
I got to get more arc on my shot, became
a little bit more consistent. I think he's one of
those guys that the dirty work kind of stuff. You know,
(11:14):
you're always going to get with him, the skill stuff.
You gotta be on him about about doing it the
technique and getting him more consistent. I think, I mean
the numbers. Try back that up.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
He was coming off three near forty three point seasons
in Dallas before the year in which he got traded
to the Nets, and if you remember when he came
over that year, he was dealing with UH. He had
to get surgery on his pinky finger on his right
hand last offseason, and so he shoots thirty five percent
(11:50):
last year, you can maybe look forward to there's a
lot of reason I think that number will keep improving.
He shoots, you know, third percent his first half season
with Brooklyn, when he has essentially a broken finger, torn
ligaments in his finger, shoots thirty five percent the next year,
(12:10):
just based on his history, based on the injury, based
on his work ethic, you know, there's reason to hope
Slash expect that to keep improving for him.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
I remember he was a guy that his three point
shooting average increased his first six years in the league
every single year was an interesting.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Stat like that.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
What stands out to me is he started attacking closeouts
better as the year went on. A number of people
would close out to the corners on him. He'd shot fake, get.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
It well because for a long time there he was
leading the league in corner threes, right right, so that's
going to draw those closeouts.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Yeah, right, So he started attacking them, I thought, more
effectively making plays. Again, he's a quality player for a
really good team. And if you're the Nets right now
in you're building, he's a quality player also, quality person,
quality player.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
So yeah, one just one interesting I guess stat for
him is that there's really hasn't been a drop off
in his corner threes and his above the breakthrees in
his career. And we saw that last year, Like teams
still close out on him when he's above the arc,
and that's where he had a lot of pump fake
(13:24):
one dribble, layup or one dribble. You know, he's really
good at those kind of dump off passes to a
big So it's not like, you know, obviously he's had
incredible corner three point shooting seasons and that's valuable, but
it's not a case where, oh, like he's a non
threat from above the arc, which is obviously pretty valuable.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
The value on the defensive end though, we're not talking
enough about that. He's got a physicality about him. He's
outstanding on the ball, off the ball, multiple positions. You
can switch anybody onto him, and he plays with a physicality,
winning player.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
People. People are going to go after him.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, toughness, I mean that's just when you when the
first thing I think of is just there's a toughness
about him that Yeah, it come. It rubs off on
the defensive end, but certainly it's it's infectious. You know
when when Dory Finny smith Is is diving on the
floor and he's rebounding and he's making shots like it
affects everybody on the team. I mean, he's one of
(14:24):
those guys that really, when he's going, has a positive
effect on everybody that he plays with.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, over the year and a half he's been in Brooklyn,
something I don't think that has talked about as much
as that when Brooklyn switches, and we know Nick Claxon
can switch and you want him doing that, they are
a markedly better defensive rebounding team with him on the
court because he's long, physical and willing to do the
dirty work of Okay, my big ist switched out, let
(14:52):
me crack back to the paint. Put a body on
someone that's bigger than me. And so his impact shows
up in ways you know, you just kind of have
to dig for. But there's a reason I think, as
Copper said, all these teams calling about his trade availability,
I think thirty NBA teams would gladly take him on
their roster.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Well, there they were throwing trade offers out at Sean
Marks that before he'd even put on a net uniform.
You know, the minute he got to Brooklyn, people were
trying to get them. So again it's about acquiring assets
and then in this case not so much developing an asset.
I think he's the guy that he's always been and
he's continued to get better and you know, but again
(15:34):
making him more valuable as an asset or as an
asset of in that locker room and being a part
of this net team going forward, and you talked about
Lucas his versatility defensively again, Jordi Fernandez. The big thing
about this team going forward how are they going to play?
You know, how are they going to play on the
defensive end. It's been a debate for a number of
(15:55):
years right now, ever since you know, Nick Klaxton, Jared Allen,
those kind of guys have been man in the middle.
They should they be a drop team? Well, because you
have Claxton, you have Dorry, Finney Smith and they can
switch everything. Are you better off doing that? But then
how overall what are the numbers effectively? You know, the
thing is, even with Dory and Finney Smith and Nick
Claxton and guys and Michel Bridges, right, they've had guys
(16:17):
with defensive reputations, but it hasn't translated into good defensive numbers,
or at least not the kind that you think when
you look at the reputations of guys. So how do
we balance that? I guess is what we're going to
see this year.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
Great point, great point, And I think that's I don't
think it's going to be about Jordy Fernandez's challenge is
not going to be the strategic things. Everybody kind of
plays dropped, they play, they play up to the level.
They'll blitz, they'll do whatever everybody does. It's how well
you do it and how hard you do it, and
how consistently hard you do things will be the challenge
(16:56):
for Jordi Fernandez with his NET team defensively.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Definitely good look at Dorian Finney Smith going forward as
we analyze and break down these players that played a
part in the NET season last year, and we'll be
playing another role that's vital this year going into the
twenty four to twenty five season. Thanks to Lucas Kaplan
Nets daily and always with you daily on the Nets
(17:19):
Radio broadcast, It's Tim Kapstraw. I'm Chris Carino. Thank you
so much. Subscribe, give us a good rating if you like.
This is the voice of the Nets.
Hey, what's going on. It's Chris Carrino. This is the
voice of the NETS podcast, continuing with our series on
some of the players we see going forward with this
team that were with the team last year. We're joined
by Lucas Kapitl of NETS Daily. We're joined by the Capper,
Tim Capstraw, my partner of many, many, many years on
the radio. In fact, I think I think, with the
(00:33):
exception of Mike Breen and Clyde Frasier, we are the
longest running duo in New York sports broadcasting.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (00:42):
How about that first year that I did the NETS.
I worked one year with Kelly Trapuka as the full
time guy pasted. I worked with Albert King, the great
Albert King. But I was watching a podcast, Capper, and
you know what, Kelly went over TV. That's when you
came in to be my partner. It's lasted all these years.
(01:04):
Twenty three years later, I'm watching a podcast with Dan Soder,
who's a comedian and a lot of people might know
from the show Billions. Uh, and and he's and he's
he's got Robert Eiler on his podcast. Who's the kid
who played aj soprano? And and uh. Soda is a
(01:26):
big basketball guy. So he likes to sometimes open trading
cards with his guests and he's opening up and I
sent you the clip. He opens up, they get they
get a Kelly Chapuka card and they go. They're pronouncing
his name trapaka and they never heard of the guy. Which,
(01:48):
if you're a basketball fan, I'm sorry, Lucas Kaplan, you're not.
You're you're a twenty some year old guy. You know
who Kelly Chapuke is.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I do, Yeah, I did, although I can't say that
I would expect many basketball fans my age that are
not as passionate to know. Maybe I should.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, I just think that they're they're playing themselves off
as real NBA guys. And I love those two guys.
But like you were, AJ soprano, Kelly Chipuca is from Jersey.
He was an All.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Star two times, two time All Stars.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
So you look at that.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Lucas had his numbers right off the bat.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, I just I know because he's one of the
few answers to the trivia question rookie year All Stars
that I remember.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
There you go, great player at a Notre Dame, great
player at a New Jersey, New Jersey legend, NBA star
and was probably calling games on TV Lucas when you
were just when you were in your formative years becoming an.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Fan, real formative years.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yes, I just I just felt the need to stand
up and defend my former partner.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Yeah, I agree with that. And thank goodness he didn't
have Spinarkle. They could have really had an adventure with
that name.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Whose numbers retired in Philadelphia? By the way, it's just
retired for Charles Barkley, but it's still technically his number
that he wore with the Sixers is retired in Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Now I go back to is it final four? Final four?
And you are regional m VP.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Jim Spinarkle too at duke with.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Great hair still and one of the best television analysts
out there.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
And speaking hair, the beard you gotta keep. I've decided
you've got to keep it. That looks great growing on you,
no pun intended.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
It's growing on you.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yes, thank you. One of the great human interest stories
and everything we had last year was on this NET
team was with Dorian Finney Smith and his dad right
being reunited. His dad had been in prison. It was
a process of getting him out that was started when
(04:08):
he was in Dallas and with Mark Cuban. It continued
even when he was with the Nets. The Mavericks personnel
who had done the groundwork on that it kept it going.
And then finally Dorian Finney Smith dad got to see
him play in an NBA game in person for the
first time. Had to be an emotional year for Dorian
(04:31):
Finney Smith. And not only that he ends up, you know,
having some injuries, but also having his name thrown around
where he thinks he's going to get traded to the deadline.
It's understandable if Dorian Finney Smith had an up and
down year last year and it's ended up really what happened.
(04:53):
But I do know this, when the Nets traded Kyrie
Irving and Kevin Durant, they were trying to acquire assets
right that can they can build on going in the future.
They've already turned one of those assets mckel Bridges into
a haul in draft picks we talked about in the
past with Cam Johnson. He could be another asset that
they turned into something that fits more of their timeline,
and Dorian Finney Smith may be the same same type
(05:14):
of player, another player who on a really good team.
Maybe it doesn't fit the NET timeline right now, but
on a very good team. Dorian Finney Smith is an
invaluable role player cap well.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
That's why so many people were inquiring about him last year.
I mean he is the ideal role player, tough guy
and winning guy, high character, can make the corner three
can make. He's a winning player, and so many people inquired.
I think that will happen again this year. But if
(05:49):
for some reason it doesn't, he falls into that category
of the most perfect, perfect example for young players that
an organization can half.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So I don't think the NETS can go wrong either way.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, if you're developing young players like the NETS are
trying to do, He's a terrific guy to be on
the bus with you, be on the plane with you,
be in that locker room, and lucas you pointed out
in your great film breakdown on him, on all the
nets social media outlets and digital outlets and digital platforms.
He's he had an interesting year too, because he gets
(06:25):
not only his role changes, but his position changes. He's
a guy that can you know, is counted on at
times to do a lot of things that you thought
were out of his skill set. But his numbers proved otherwise.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Yeah, when Nick Claxton went down with the early season
ankle injury, I believe he stepped up, as you know,
kind of your small ball five, And really the Nets
played some of their best basketball of the season when
he was in that role. And like we saw them
do a lot of switch in, a lot of stuff
(06:58):
you'd expect them to do with door In at center,
but he was like playing drop coverage. He was guarding Nikolovucevich.
I remember that in season tournament game in Chicago, and
I just thought it really exemplified the type of guy
you're getting in Dough that he's going to do whatever
and do it to the best of his ability and
(07:21):
is a valuable basketball player as well. Like he was
picking and popping, and some of the slower, bigger centers
in the league couldn't really keep up with him when
he's right and he's you know, as you said, had
to deal with some injuries last year. He's a guy
that is going to improve your strength, your length on
the glass. When he's playing the wing position, he can
(07:42):
slide over to the five, he can hit threes. As
a coach, you're always going to feel safe when he's
on the court.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Toward the end of the year. I think it coincided
with Kevin Aley taking over. I thought we saw a
difference in the attitude of Dorian Finney Smith, and I
thought that, you know, he and man and I don't
know inside and I don't have infronet information if he
was challenged by Kevin Ollie or whatnot, or but do
you remember this cabra. I mean, I think as soon
(08:13):
as Kevin took over, it was like we saw a
switch turned back on in Dorian Finysmith.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yes, yes, it was.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Uh listen obviously you know, we don't we're not privy
to conversations. But if you're were reading about the fact
that he could, you know, a lot of teams are
interested in him.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
What is Dorian Finney Smith hearing?
Speaker 4 (08:32):
You know, he's hearing a lot more of that that
information throughout the entire season. But you're right, Kevin Allie
kind of hit him on a personal level about personal
pride and he was if you ever heard, you know,
listening to Kevin Alie before the games, I really enjoyed it.
I thought, he really if you're the certain type of
guys he could hit home with and really be motivational,
and I thought he really connected with Dorian and got
(08:55):
him back to playing at the level he needed to play.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
So you're right, it book ended, right.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I mean, the beginning of the year he was on fire,
making all sorts of play play, you know, a lot
of shots at the five as a trailer picking pop
and then at the end of the year he played
well in the middle.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
There's a lot going on right there.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
But uh man, I mean, I feel like I've said
this a lot, but you know, he he is the
ultimate guy that other teams are gonna.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Want, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Ironically, probably the missing piece in Dallas last year that
that that, you know, a team that went to the
finals that had traded him to the Nets to get
Kyrie Irving. And you know, Kyrie Irving played a big
role in the Dallas team, but they certainly could have
used a guy with Dorian Finney Smith's skill set going forward.
And I think that's something to keep an eye on
in terms of an asset that Nets have, knowing that
(09:43):
the guys out there that the teams could use. I
remember when he got traded to the Nets. You know,
Chuck Cooperstein, longtime radio voice of the Dallas Mavericks. I
was texting with him after the trade, and you know,
he just he couldn't say enough incredible things about Dorian
Finney Smith. And when we went back to Dallas it
was the first road game of the year last year,
I mean, I mean, everybody just they they couldn't get
(10:08):
enough of his of just wanting to seek him out.
And you get how many hugs he was given in
that arena. You could tell again going back to character,
going to how much people really relished him being around.
And I think that's been the case with the Nets
and we'll see now you know, again his future going forward.
But he's also a guy that when it comes to
(10:30):
his you know, we've thrown that a lot out in
this series. You know, ceiling and floor. You know, Dorian
Finney Smith kind of this many years in the league.
I think you know what he is. But I do
think he's got potential to be a more consistent three
point shooter. I think we saw in his time with
the Nets he's been very inconsistent with the three and
(10:53):
it's and sometimes it's been just obvious stuff like when
he first got to the Nets, right, the shot was flat,
there was no arc to his jump shot, and then
we talked to him last year in training camp and
he was like, yeah, you know, I really it was obvious.
I got to get more arc on my shot, became
a little bit more consistent. I think he's one of
those guys that the dirty work kind of stuff. You know,
(11:14):
you're always going to get with him, the skill stuff.
You gotta be on him about about doing it the
technique and getting him more consistent. I think, I mean
the numbers. Try back that up.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
He was coming off three near forty three point seasons
in Dallas before the year in which he got traded
to the Nets, and if you remember when he came
over that year, he was dealing with UH. He had
to get surgery on his pinky finger on his right
hand last offseason, and so he shoots thirty five percent
(11:50):
last year, you can maybe look forward to there's a
lot of reason I think that number will keep improving.
He shoots, you know, third percent his first half season
with Brooklyn, when he has essentially a broken finger, torn
ligaments in his finger, shoots thirty five percent the next year,
(12:10):
just based on his history, based on the injury, based
on his work ethic, you know, there's reason to hope
Slash expect that to keep improving for him.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
I remember he was a guy that his three point
shooting average increased his first six years in the league
every single year was an interesting.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Stat like that.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
What stands out to me is he started attacking closeouts
better as the year went on. A number of people
would close out to the corners on him. He'd shot fake, get.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
It well because for a long time there he was
leading the league in corner threes, right right, so that's
going to draw those closeouts.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Yeah, right, So he started attacking them, I thought, more
effectively making plays. Again, he's a quality player for a
really good team. And if you're the Nets right now
in you're building, he's a quality player also, quality person,
quality player.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
So yeah, one just one interesting I guess stat for
him is that there's really hasn't been a drop off
in his corner threes and his above the breakthrees in
his career. And we saw that last year, Like teams
still close out on him when he's above the arc,
and that's where he had a lot of pump fake
(13:24):
one dribble, layup or one dribble. You know, he's really
good at those kind of dump off passes to a
big So it's not like, you know, obviously he's had
incredible corner three point shooting seasons and that's valuable, but
it's not a case where, oh, like he's a non
threat from above the arc, which is obviously pretty valuable.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
The value on the defensive end though, we're not talking
enough about that. He's got a physicality about him. He's
outstanding on the ball, off the ball, multiple positions. You
can switch anybody onto him, and he plays with a physicality,
winning player.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
People. People are going to go after him.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, toughness, I mean that's just when you when the
first thing I think of is just there's a toughness
about him that Yeah, it come. It rubs off on
the defensive end, but certainly it's it's infectious. You know
when when Dory Finny smith Is is diving on the
floor and he's rebounding and he's making shots like it
affects everybody on the team. I mean, he's one of
(14:24):
those guys that really, when he's going, has a positive
effect on everybody that he plays with.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, over the year and a half he's been in Brooklyn,
something I don't think that has talked about as much
as that when Brooklyn switches, and we know Nick Claxon
can switch and you want him doing that, they are
a markedly better defensive rebounding team with him on the
court because he's long, physical and willing to do the
dirty work of Okay, my big ist switched out, let
(14:52):
me crack back to the paint. Put a body on
someone that's bigger than me. And so his impact shows
up in ways you know, you just kind of have
to dig for. But there's a reason I think, as
Copper said, all these teams calling about his trade availability,
I think thirty NBA teams would gladly take him on
their roster.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Well, there they were throwing trade offers out at Sean
Marks that before he'd even put on a net uniform.
You know, the minute he got to Brooklyn, people were
trying to get them. So again it's about acquiring assets
and then in this case not so much developing an asset.
I think he's the guy that he's always been and
he's continued to get better and you know, but again
(15:34):
making him more valuable as an asset or as an
asset of in that locker room and being a part
of this net team going forward, and you talked about
Lucas his versatility defensively again, Jordi Fernandez. The big thing
about this team going forward how are they going to play?
You know, how are they going to play on the
defensive end. It's been a debate for a number of
(15:55):
years right now, ever since you know, Nick Klaxton, Jared Allen,
those kind of guys have been man in the middle.
They should they be a drop team? Well, because you
have Claxton, you have Dorry, Finney Smith and they can
switch everything. Are you better off doing that? But then
how overall what are the numbers effectively? You know, the
thing is, even with Dory and Finney Smith and Nick
Claxton and guys and Michel Bridges, right, they've had guys
(16:17):
with defensive reputations, but it hasn't translated into good defensive numbers,
or at least not the kind that you think when
you look at the reputations of guys. So how do
we balance that? I guess is what we're going to
see this year.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
Great point, great point, And I think that's I don't
think it's going to be about Jordy Fernandez's challenge is
not going to be the strategic things. Everybody kind of
plays dropped, they play, they play up to the level.
They'll blitz, they'll do whatever everybody does. It's how well
you do it and how hard you do it, and
how consistently hard you do things will be the challenge
(16:56):
for Jordi Fernandez with his NET team defensively.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Definitely good look at Dorian Finney Smith going forward as
we analyze and break down these players that played a
part in the NET season last year, and we'll be
playing another role that's vital this year going into the
twenty four to twenty five season. Thanks to Lucas Kaplan
Nets daily and always with you daily on the Nets
(17:19):
Radio broadcast, It's Tim Kapstraw. I'm Chris Carino. Thank you
so much. Subscribe, give us a good rating if you like.
This is the voice of the Nets.
Host
Chris Carrino
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