July 16, 2025 • 47 mins
On the latest EP, we discuss the Knicks' 3rd Summer League game improvements and the overall expectations for the Knicks young core heading into the 25/26 season!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Start spreading the new, new, new new. We interrupt our
program to bring you this important lesson New York.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I love you and love you.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Oh it's trying to get out the fires away, the
shover the way at the fuer dollar to curry back
here a dollar a player. Oh fuck like James Lebrian
James with the rejection. I just put up the prese.
Long go we talk back back out to all his
(00:59):
retired what's going on? People? Welcome back to another episode
of the Off the Ball Podcast with me or hosts
Chris Lebron and we got another great show in store
for you guys today. Tyler Kohlik is back. It's back,
(01:20):
ladies and gentlemen. His demise was greatly exaggerated, so we're
gonna talk about him. We're gonna talk about just how
the Knicks looked overall, you know, in their third Summer
League game. But I have a great, great guest with
me today. I got that Gal ebony ak mad Nick fan.
What's going on? Everdy?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I'm good? How are you? How are you? Thank you
for inviting me on the show. I appreciate it for
having me on the show.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, no, I'm happy to have you on here. We're
gonna talk all things next, you know, the summer league,
you know, talk about the new head coach. We're gonna
talk about some of these free agents and just a
little bit of the outlook heading into the twenty five
twenty six season. Ebony, First, I want to ask you
what what was what's your expectations of some of league?
What were your expectations assembling? Do you do you put
(02:08):
uh do you put a lot of thought into it?
Or are you just like you know, are you like
a sickle like me where you're watching every possession and
and like you know, starting to see you know, uh everything.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, I'm watching everything. You have to watch every possession
because you're looking for a tendency. You're looking to see
if it was a fluke one play or if it's
something you do over and over and over again. So
I definitely I watched it like that. But I don't
put a lot of stock into some of league because
we've seen people go off into in summer league and
(02:41):
then be dug in the season. So what you look
for is what I look for, rather is if they're
playing next to Jalen Brunson. How will this translate? You
understand like if if they're playing next to Kat, how
can they help in that little bit of a role
you know that you see now, So, yeah, I'm just
looking for growth from our our rookies. Because since you
(03:04):
that last year's draft was this year's draft too, it
was meant to be the end of the bench, Like,
show up in your end of the bench and build
towards the future. That's why again when we I always
said I wanted the Knicks to get to a point
where we can draft like Denver did with Michael Porter Jr.
Where you can go and take that risk no matter
(03:26):
if they have an injury like a Huck or mccolor,
or go for a ninety year old French kid like Dottie.
You can go for those type of projects and if
they grow and hit, that's perfect for you. And it's
not forced, it's not rushed either. You can do both
build for the future.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
And and play for now.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
I guess if you want to say so, I was
just looking for growth seeing if what they're showing the
summer league, how that I think that can help translate
in the NBA and you know, during the season.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, And that's kind of how I try to look
at it too, like how these guys fit with the
with the big guys, you know, with the with the
rotational guys, Like how are they going to look? Does
it translate? Does what they do on the court now
translate to you know, playing big minutes with Jalen Brunson
and Michale and everything and now, And also try and
envision with the new offense with Mike Brown, like, okay,
(04:19):
does his work is it's going to be able to
work with it? So I know that the first two
games of Summer League weren't great, right, offensively it was
it was nasty, right, it was nasty. You know, it
didn't look good, and you try to like, okay, do
you try to you try to have context, okay, trying
(04:39):
to have rational why things didn't look well, and you
try to break it down but obviously you know, except
you try not to overreact both ways, right for good
or for bad, you know, So you're trying to be like, okay,
I understand this way, I understand, Okay, this is why
they struggle. Okay, But you know they missed a lot
of wide open shots too, like shots you should be
able to make. So you're trying to like, okay, I'm
(05:00):
trying to put this together. But I felt like, you know,
especially with Tyler, because he's probably been the main guy
right that everyone has been kind of focused on. Because
I've said this on numerous shows, like, I feel like
he is the most important player that we need to
evaluate out of all the young guys. Like I know,
Pocombe was the first round pick and there's a lot
(05:20):
of expectations to him, but I still feel like Pocomb he's, uh,
he still needs a lot of seasoning. Like he's still
he's still got a way to make it. He still
needs marinate to be marinate and stuff because he's not
very yet. I think he's more of a project where
I think Colic can provide you know, some you know,
immediate impact, and I feel like, you know, those JB
(05:40):
minutes when he's not on the court, are just as important,
you know, when I'm in court. So we have to
solidify that. So I felt like he was the number
one guy to focus on. And obviously to me, the
first game, I know that the statistics didn't show the
splits didn't show great, but I if you just watch
him play, you're like, Okay, the shot didn't go down,
(06:02):
but he's active, right, He's it's active on offense, on defense,
he's being scrappy. And then game two, I think his
confidence just went. It just wasn't there. He just really
wasn't confident. And then then this third game, it was like,
I think he just I think he heard. I think
he went on Twitter he saw that and he was like,
you know what I'm gonna take I'm gonna take it
(06:23):
into my own. You know, I'm gonna take it to
my own and I'm gonna I'm gonna show out. And
he had a really good game and it really looked confident.
So what what's your your thoughts with Tyler? Like, what
are your what were your expectations for him or if
if you had any expectations for him, you know, heading
into this twenty five twenty six season.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Yeah, I had big expectation for all four of our
rookies honestly because I really saw them as being the
rotation of the end the long season type of rotation player,
situational or uh if you know, because people said games
sometimes if somebody sits a game and we need to
deepen the rotation, that type.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Of role for them. But like you mentioned with Tyler,
because we don't have really have another our point guard
that is not really there right now, Like it's just
basically JB in.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
In Dukes right when you think about point guards. So again,
it's a long season. Things happen, people sit, then it
gets it can get really thin then, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
So I understand the importance of Kolic.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I wasn't as high as honestly as everybody else my
two folks that I was highest on that that kind
of caught my eye, and I think they could really
help in spots because I get Thaddia is not as aggressive.
But just thinking about in the NBA with all the
tension on Kat and on JB, and they't gonna probably
leave Dottia open or sag off of him to do this,
(07:57):
I think he can help in those situations. I think
he can so the stuff like that. With Tyler, though,
I just wanted his defense. I wanted to see him
make it a little bit harder for the for the
ball handles, some type of resistance. I know he's never
going to be all defense, but just be in the
right positions at the right times, playing the right angles,
(08:17):
making it difficult not so easy with it just blowing
by you. And looking lost, you know, so that that
was something also also just him running a team. So
the turnovers a little a little worrying because that's what
we need you to be here for. And on the
NBA level, the defenses meaning you know, playing against the
(08:38):
in the NBA Stars, the defense can be more intense,
so you know, getting that. But again it's a long
season and things can click. But I think we need him,
like you mentioned, we need him him, And if we
want to be honest, I said I'm the biggest one
(08:59):
because I think they have a big hot upside, but
the biggest roles really are are hugging and colic because
of of the our chart, our depth chart, you.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Know, you know in question has been mentioned injury.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Pass you need another big body just in case kind
of ours and we've seen we needed another big body
period last or playoffs, we could have used another big body.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So yes, those two and then like and Tyler has
to be ready, so yeah, he has a big role,
you know, big expectations rather.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
So obviously the Knicks can still pick up another vet
on a minimum. Do you think right now, do you
what do you think to try to put your You're
in the Knicks front offers right now? What are you
feeling right now? Do you feel like, Okay, we need
to get another experience, you know, bull handling vet, or
do we did this game with Tyler make you feel
(10:05):
a little bit more confident that we can trust him
to play ten? You know fifteen minutes? You know what
you're what you're thinking right now with that situation with To.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Me, I'm thinking, they go, I want I would love
for them to pick up Shamman. I would I would
love him for him to come back somebody that just
like a Swiss army knife that you could throw in
many different positions in roles, just because and plays on
both ends of the court as and I really do think, yeah,
he can handle bull handling duties as well.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
But if we go get another VET point guard, I'm
not I'm not mad at that either. I don't think
I think Tyler has to grow into the role. So
so I wouldn't you know, mind him getting a little
bit more experience, you know, or or watching because again,
the turnovers to me is kind of earning.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yeah, the turnovers are are and listen, we don't know
if you're turning the ball over as a point guard,
that's not good, you know. Uh, I've also seen a
lot of instances where he's you know, he the assists
probably would be a lot higher, but guys are just
not hitting shots or finishing. You know. It does a
lot of instants with that. So you know, like I said,
that's why I try to watch it to see can
get the full context of things, you know, to see, Okay,
(11:25):
what is he actually doing? Like you just can't look
at sometimes that that's lie, you know about that.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I have a saying about that, christ Men.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
But they can be.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
They can be a deceiving a That's what that's That's
what it is. Box school warriors, as I like to
call it. It's hard to get the whole context of
a game because a lot of stuff does not show
up in the stats, and that it's hard to really
explain that, but it is. It's the truth. It's a
lot of stuff that does not show up in the stats.
(12:00):
The extra hustle, the extra making somebody hesitate so they
don't shoot, that.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Doesn't show up and in the stats like that. So yeah,
you just got it.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
You just have to watch and see if it's a
habit or consistent, you know. But I do, like I
do like our pick. I don't know if I'm saying
his name right THEO or I like I like that,
I like him.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I was about to ask about him next to like,
how do you feel about Muhammad do r Because a
lot of the stuff, you know, with me doing a
lot of draft stuff, a lot of the stuff for
him was the offense, Right can the offense translate? He
was He's not going to be able to shoot it,
you know from the outside right now, you know he
wasn't a great shooter, had a great free throw shooter.
But the one thing that surprised me immensely was, you know,
(12:48):
his ability with the ball in his head and the
confidence with it. You know, he still it still needs
to get refined, still needs to get you know, it's
a little sloppy at times. But I love the aggressiveness
from him. I I didn't think we would see that.
I think I think it was more what can we
see from it defensively? That's probably why they got him initially.
But he's he's shown that he can do some things
(13:10):
offensively with the ball in his hand. Like, I don't
know how much that translates to playing in in the
with the with the big boys and and the NBA.
But I do like the confidence so far from him.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Yeah, I try, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I try to look at all aspects of people and
read in between the line with with their their interviews.
But when when I saw their highlights, Because again I'm
not I'm not a big.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Draft person like you are, Chris. I know you know
your ins and outs and that that.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
But uh, I did do some digging for the prospects
that we had to see, and when we got him,
I did some digging on him and I just noticed
that his confidence, he's he doesn't back down, he doesn't
look too shy away, he looks ready for the moment.
And the fact that that he takes pride on that
defensive end.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I love defenders, Chris. My favorite player on the Knicks,
if you didn't know, is Mitchell Roberson. Like I love defenders.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
I love people who lock in and take pride on
that end of the ball because everybody can't do it.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
And he has that at a young age. So being
in the NBA system where you always in the gym,
if you have a work at the offense, ship come
and he has that mentality, I think he's going.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
To be big because again, defense wins championships. So if
he's just the specialists that's giving us trouble things of
those nature, you could and you could put put a
person on him. He has a seven full wingspan. That's crazy.
I heard seven full wingspan.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Insane.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
So like that's.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Has an impressive body, you know, And I think that's
why was like, okay, the you know a lot of
these teams look like I talk about this so much
that the teams love those six foot eight guys with
the him foot plus wingspan. Those guys are always going
to get opportunities because you know, everyone thinks they can
mold that person into a better play, you know, and
(15:08):
get themselves a Sakam type or you know, Kawhi Leonard type.
Everybody wants a large type. Yeah, those types you know
with the freakish, you know, long arms. So so with him,
I think that's kind of what they try to build
with this Summer League team. It's just get a bunch
of long you know, with Naji two in there and
and this think is another guy with a long wingspan,
(15:29):
you know, so that they have a bunch of like
interesting guys on this team that you know, but but
Moo Dioara, like I didn't expect him to to to
to be so aggrestive. I was like, okay, I that first,
even that first I remember the first Summer League game,
I think it was the first Summer League game where
and he showed some of his passing ability too on
(15:50):
the high post that put that that past he had
where he's coming, he's at the top of the post
and then he stops and then he sees Lucas Kuka,
you know, cutting and he hits, you know, just little
things like that. I'm like, Okay, he understands, he understands
what he needs to do to make this team. You know.
I like that.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
I like him. I like him a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I like the draft picker when we got him because
people I don't know what people are expecting in that spot,
but when you're in that spot, either somebody that does
a little bit of everything, well it's very fundamentally sound,
I mean, and very few holes in their game, but
they're just not superstar quality, you like, not just there yet,
like they have a chance.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
To build there, Like you like how they view Jalen Brunson.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
You know what I'm saying, If you could find a
player of that nature, or you go for a specialist type,
either somebody that does something the body that does something
really elite, and they chose somebody who does some of
the elite defender and.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
That at that spot, I liked it.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
And if he grows and adds more to his offensive game,
you might have something there.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I really, I really think he has it.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Yeah, And like I said, at that spot as fifty
at fifty at the time, then we wound up trading, uh,
trading back down the spot to get him. There's there's
you know, there's only so many players that you can
take right and especially it's crazy because there was a
lot of guys heading into the second round that were
fell a lot farther than I thought. And I was like, oh,
(17:17):
we're going to get you know, one of these these
first round level guys Kobi Brad, next scene, Ronad. You know, uh,
you know, it was a it was abundance of guys
that I liked, and then like it legit went a
stretch for like eleven straight guys I had on my board.
Oh we went wait wait wait, I thought one of
these guys was gonna drop your chance. No, everyone just went,
(17:39):
especially like the specialty guys you mentioned like shoot because
we still need shooting, and that's another thing I'm going
to talk about next that that's still a concern for me,
Like the guys, the shooters, like the specialists that I'm like, okay,
maybe we get one of they all went went went
so like at that point, You're like, all right, we
got to take upside at this point. And obviously Mo
provides a tremendous upside and we said it's seen a
glimpse of some of what he potentially could be down
(18:02):
the line, which is very intriguing. So I'm I liked
a lot what I've seen from him, and we'll see
if he gets one of those two race spots. Uh.
But the shooting, I want to talk about that because
that's to me is is a concern, is the shooting
with some of the with this what we saw in
Summer League, and I think we needed kind of one
(18:23):
of these young guys like the specialists to kind of
show out with the shooting, and that hasn't been the
case so far. And I think even with the Big
Club we need that. We still don't have enough shooting,
you know, on the on the Big Club. And so
is that something that you're concerned with, is the shooting
right now?
Speaker 2 (18:41):
No.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
I actually think people come back with with with better,
better jump shots.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I'm hoping, uh, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
I like Josh Hart. I love the hustle players that
people that the players that do it in multiple ways.
They don't just hang their hat on one end of
the court. But I need him to come back with
a jump shot. That has to happen another Yeah, that
has to happen. That jump shot has to it has
to happen. It's been some seasons now, it has to
(19:11):
consistency has to get better.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
There.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Like for the first half it was kind of it
was all right though then like the second half of
the season kind of.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Started leveling, leveling out. So the shooting wall, I know,
we're gonna talk about him later.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
With Mike Brown because of his offense, the way he moves,
he'll help. And I think with Michel and Og and
a lot of other of our players, they're more movement
rhythm type of shooters. Catch it in the moment and
I have to think about it type of shooters, you know,
And there's a lot of movement.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Multiple pieces moving at the same time. And Mike Brown's
offense and everybody's not a lot of ice sol dribbling.
There's a lot of move, read and react.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
So I see our shooters being able to get good
looks because of the movement, making mistakes making mismatch and
I think the shots will look differently like their comfortability
in them, and we see a better shooting percentage from us.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Because we did pretty well. We just didn't shoot a
lot of three pointers last year.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Like during during the season, we would we like top
five and three point it was just that we didn't
take many of them.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
We were like bottom of the league in attempts.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Yeah, and that's something we actually could have shot a
little bit more during the playoffs and stuff. But obviously,
you know, Thibodeau is no longer the head coach and
now Mike Brown is sliding into that chair and going
to run our New York Knicks. Now, So what are
some of your expectations for Mike Brown? I know for me,
(20:44):
you know, watching some of his stuff with the Kings
and previous teams, you know, I just the offense is
something that I think is going to really benefit a
lot of our wings too, Like the way you know,
a lot of emotions that's and a lot of the
you know, just the constant movement. I think this if
you're Michel Bridges, a Eurogiet Andobi, I think you're going
(21:07):
through the move right now because you're gonna see a
lot more open looks. You're not gonna just be stuck
on the corner. You're gonna be moving a lot, and
I think that's gonna be very key. So what's your
thoughts on Mike Brown be the new head coach?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Like I it wasn't my first choice or a second choice,
to be honest, but I respect him as a coach.
It's just a lot of some of he has some
similarity similarities with TIBs in the playoffs. They say about
adjustments and rotations and things of that nature. So that
was scary. That was a little scary for me because
that was big for me. Why I didn't really care
(21:41):
for TIBs so much. One of some of the reasons
but the fact that offense moves. It's not a lot
of ice so heavy. I'm a firm believer in movement
because movement makes mistakes. It's hard to think and move
at the same time, you know, So if you move
in the defense, if you have multiple parts moving they
can't talk and set up and watch it's going. Should
(22:02):
be hard to stay in front of Jalen Brunson when
you have multiple pieces moving in the back of you,
you know where your help might not be there, and
it's not gonna And what I noticed is Cat likes
to create, right, he likes to be.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
He likes to create. And Mike Brown allows, I.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Can't oh ya, I'm excited. I got excited right there
because I'm like.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
No, it's all right, I'm excited too.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Right along the high post, Stuffy there was a bonus
like that could be a beneficial for Cat. I like,
I'm high on it.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Yes, And then we talk about Kevin Hurders. So we
talk about Michel and og.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Now they might not be as pure of shooters as
a Kevin Heurder is out from the outside, right, but
they're both players that benefit off the movement in the
faster pace they need to be. They need movement.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
They're not creating much with themselves, you know, if they dribble.
It happens every once in a while, but.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Consistently it gets a little you know, fumbling bumblings at times.
He's a little a little sloppy.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
At times, so just the automatic movement in Michel, I
think he is going to thrive.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Yes, he's the biggest winner, biggest winner of this.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
I think he is going to thrive. And we're going
to talk about JB also, Jayalen Brunson. I remember when
he played off ball, when him and Julius rand and
he was playing more off ball, and.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
How he was like number two or three in the
league in three point percentage.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
So more off ball Jalen Brunson help him out a
little bit. I'm not the offense, huh.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Yeah, and that benefits JB a lot. Like listen, we
know what he could do with the bonus, right, he's
a maestro. He's he's that dude. Right, he's the That's
why he's an All NBA guy. That's why he is
who he is. But we can't, you know, see, you know,
use him more off ball so he doesn't have to
rely on just you know, being ice so heavy, you know,
so we can have more off ball movements. And in
(24:02):
this system, that's very that's gonna be key.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
So yeah, in fact, it benefits cat all of I
think everybody is gonna You're going to see a difference.
That's why people say, while we running the back. It's
like a different chef is in the kitchen and a
different type of a different school. And you get him
saying a different type of chef with the same ingredients,
but a different type of chef. You're not gonna always
get the same the same results.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
I have.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
I have people who always talk about Michel and o G.
But I've been mentioning, you can't just stick them in
the corners. You can't. You can't do that. Let Og
post up a little bit. Let Lett Miquel thrive in
his mid range the way he does.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Thank you so so.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
So now we have somebody who does that, who plays
towards his teammates strength, his team strength. By moving the ball,
you make mistakes and when we when he does allow iso,
it's often made mismatch from the movement of the offense.
So now attacking you have a mismatch attack. There's a
lot of reading and react and I like it. And
the thing is he got both the Bonus and Dearion
(25:13):
Fox to play some of the best ball together.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
They were doing it together.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
We was having a hard time being able to get
Cat and JB to really consistently do it together. So
I'm super excited about that aspect with with Mike Brown,
super super I think I think even my I think
even dudes, everybody will look a little differently because they
don't have to do it on their own.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
But another thing with TIBs, I will always say is
help your players. Don't just give them a ball and
say go do your thing. I think Mike Brown offense
much freestyle. Yeah, yeah, do your thing.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
And it's funny because I used to say that he did,
and he then he wouldn't get an invite to Rap
City because he was so predicted. Because it is fact, like,
huh iso bull here, go to bowl create like and
if if it's not working, you have to add.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Something to help them. Yeah, get them into their spots.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Oh, I agree one hundred percent. And listen. I like TIBs.
I like what he did with the franchise, brought It's back.
But I understood the pivot. I've said this abutus Styne.
I understood the pivot, so I wasn't too mad when
I know people were like, oh, some people you know that,
we knew that. We're like, god, you know, we don't
get it. Twenty five years we haven't been to a
conference finals. But sometimes you have to really sit down
(26:32):
and be like, Okay, yeah, that's cool. Twenty five years
he took us, you know, from you know, back to
Eastern Conference.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
But.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Is he still the guy that can get us to
that next step? Can it get us to being a
championship team? And I feel like they truly just said no,
we feel like we need to make a pivot. And
we've seen this before, Like we've seen it with Toronto, right,
Toronto did this not too long ago, six years ago.
They did it, you know where they were getting They
kept getting asked beating the conference finals, and they were
(27:00):
tired of it. And then Lebron finally leaves and they're like, yo,
this is an opportunity right now. We need to capitalize.
And they made monster pivots and they and they won.
We saw the Warriors do it, you know, with Mark
Jackson there going to Steve Kerr. They won a championship
that next year. You know, so I think this is
the Knicks front officers saying like, hey man, this is
an opportunity to to win it and we need to
(27:22):
capitalize now. Guys that are in their late twenties opportunity
is now, so what can we do and maybe and
like I said, there was potential trades and all that,
but their mindset was like, hey, we don't need to
be that, especially with the East the way we saw
we saw we saw Halliburton get hurt in game seven.
You know, obviously tatums now you know, we know the Bucks.
(27:45):
You know they wave Damonlivers down, they cut him. You
know they're paying them, you know. So like the East
is like, it's like it's there, so like we need
to figure out how to make sure we're at least
a minimum in the finals, you know, one thing to
win it, but we have to be there so we
can have a chance. Because a lot of people didn't
(28:06):
think Indiana once they got there to have a chance
against Okay, I didn't think. So it doesn't even just
be a hater. It was just like I just didn't
like the matchup and they went seven. And if ty
Reeche doesn't get hurt because he was cooking, we might
be talking about Okay seeing a different light right now
and Indiana's champions. So I think the Knicks just said,
you know what, we got to do this now. It
(28:27):
might not be popular, we appreciate what TIBs did, but
there's a ceiling and we want to break that ceiling
and we want to be able to get to the
finals and have a chance to win it, because once
you get there, you have a chance. So I the
pivot big time from them, because that's not easy to do.
That's not easy to do, but sometimes, just like in life,
you got to make pivots. You got to make drastic
(28:49):
moves in order to continue to get where you want
to go in life. And that's what the Knicks did.
So I was fine with the move.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I respect it.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
I'm a big time Rose fans, so I've gotten to
know TIBs on multiple different teams and it's it's kind
of been the same thing time after time, and I
think that's the case. We we went six and seven
when we weren't hurt, and we went six and seven
when we were healthy. So it might have been a
(29:18):
huge red flag to the you know, the front office
that no matter what this is, this what you're going
to do, and especially if they're trying to develop other people,
and that's part of their plan for movements in the
future is to have some worth in their draft picks.
You know, so it's good, Dave, and uh so, yeah,
(29:40):
that's a that's I think, and just as predictable, being
predictable having doing your best work when you're forced, like
being forced to have to play shammit is crazy.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
And then when he does produce, it was still up
and down in spots. When we was like, maybe you
could have used him a little bit more, he was like, know,
he could have used him with just a little bit
more a little earlier.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
So it was a lot of questions, and I guess
they're tired of the what ifs, and we want a
coach that will go through every avenue to see what
can work and what won't and not what if, like
not be scared to even try, because to win a
championship you have to be okay make moves that you
might not normally do. You've seen Carlile play a player
that Tony Bradley, who didn't play at all throughout the
(30:27):
play You see him, Yeah, you see him stick with
a player that might have It was Tibbs, he might
not have seen the playoffs the rest of the time.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
That's what he did. The shammit. He had a bad
little stretch in Detroit, and we ain't see him again
until he was forced to play him and and UH Matherin.
Mattherin was having a terrible UH series playoffs, and Carlile
stuck with him and he started.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
He came out here. He came out and helped him
win some games. So you have to, you know, stick
with who you you know, and UH make the necessary
moves that you need.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
You gotta. You gotta come out your comfort, don't come
out of it, and use your whole team. And that's
what I'm most excited about about Mike Brown.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
I know his rotations could be crazy, but his offense
is very everybody can eat. Everybody has to be involved,
you have to be locked in because it's really react.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
At any moment you might be able to get the ball.
And I like that. I like that a lot.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
And I know a lot of people are up and
down on the young guys, and but I feel like
with Mike Brown's offense, I think they're going to excel.
Like I know the Summer League, I know this. I
know there's there's a lot of people that are like, oh,
they should be dominating in Summer League, but everything is
(31:46):
you have to understand, like, all right, let's around who
who's what's the roster construction, Like it's still about roster
construction even in the summer league, Like you know, Tyler's
not passing the shooters, like like I mentioned four, he
would have had a lot more assist but he's passing
the guys who are get how many times of watching
summer league wide open threes are getting bricked or air
ball and it's like it was insane. So like he
(32:07):
would have had a lot of his assists, the turnover
would have been even even better. But you know, like
I said, everything's context, you have to watch his understand
like he missed out on a lot of assists. So
but I feel like with the offense, like I think Tyler,
for instance, like I think he's gonna look better when
he's actually in the NBA than he is looking in
Summer League, like open, more and more open space. I
(32:28):
think he's gonna be better. I think Cordy, I think
he's gonna be I'm not even worried about him. I
feel like his floor is really high. Like I don't
know how good he can be, how much better he'll get,
But I think I'm pretty confident when he gets on
the court, we're gonna get productive minutes and what colors
like he's another one, like if he gets the spot
like I'm coming. He showed that, hey man, if the
(32:50):
shots not going down, And that's still something he needs
to work on to be to get really consistent minutes,
but he showed he I can get to my spots,
like I'm strong enough, I'm six six, I can bully
to the spot and I could play you know, solid
defense to get on so and deal war. We've seen
you know what he can do, you know. So I
just like, like I'm confident with especially now we talk
(33:11):
about some of the free agency guys, you know, with Yabuselli,
you know, and Clarkson who we picked up, like adding
those like that's gonna make the bench that much better. Like,
and I feel like the confidence that Mike Brown's gonna
have in him is gonna be like he's gonna be
fol co comfortable putting those guys in where TIBs. Maybe
he just didn't trust the Shammits and and those guys
(33:33):
enough to delone rights because he just didn't think they
were good enough to get those minutes. But now I
feel like I don't think that's gonna be an issue
with Mike Brown, like, I feel like he's gonna confidence
putting Clarkson. Clarkson's a bucket, he's a sixth man, the
guy like that, you know, Yabuselli shot forty from three,
Like he's a confident player. I feel like, you know,
and Colic another year, McCall's another year. All these guys
(33:54):
are a year older now, Hucker another year older. That's
gonna bring more confidence. And then with Mike Brown's offense,
I think just gonna But how do you feel about
the addition to Clarkson and Yabo Celli? Because I think
we're the value tremendous Yabo Celli. I didn't even think
about Yabo Seli honestly because I thought he was gonna
get more money and I thought he was at least
a twelve million dollar player. And for us to get
(34:14):
him for like five eight, I was like, wait a minute,
We got him for twelve years for two years, Like
I was like, no way, I thought, the value that
is insane vale and then Clarkson getting him for what
we got him getting waved like I was like, Okay,
he's not the perfect player. You know, defensively, he's not great,
you know, inefficient, but I'm like, Okay, is the inefficiency
(34:34):
because of because he was playing on a really bad
team that just did not try to win at all,
you know, and he's playing with a lot of twenty
year olds, you know, So is that so I think
like he'll be a little bit more efficient, you know,
a lot more efficient with us. So how do you
feel about those two additions to the club?
Speaker 3 (34:51):
I like him. I remember him from the Olympics. I
liked him then very just a player that doesn't back down.
We've seen that attack went right at Lebron.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
It is.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
I like players like that and with a work ethic
and players who who show loyalty for you know, believing
in them and things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
Uh. You see him in the gym right now.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
You see him working, and he can be the post
presidence that we really don't have consistently, you know.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Jalen Brunson does it.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
Cat tries, but that's not really his wheelhouse tip then
use Og that way.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
I thought he could have used him more that way.
I thought Og did well in the post last season
when we did. He was him there.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
But I like that pick up because he does he
does try, He he bounced, he he competes on the
other end. You know, his size, but his his effort
makes up for that. I like that pick a lot.
And I didn't think we had a shot at him either,
But I guess with the new CBA, the money drives
up fast and it's just like you gotta go.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Yeah, a lot of guys were like, oh, this is
the market. There ain't no money for me, you know.
So that's why I think the Knicks are just real patient, like,
let's just wait for the market to dry out and
then we'll just you know, we'll find guys that we
can get for. Like I said, I thought ya with
a twelve I think he is a twelve million dollar
player plus, but the market said, no, no one's worth
(36:17):
anything right now because there's no money.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
You know. We we showed up. So we showed up
our our our bench big time.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
And then Jordan clarks And there's been rumors for him
to nix for seasons since I'm joined a podcasting and
nick Twitter in the social media world, and Jordny Clarkson,
like every off season has been or in season has
been a target, and it's always been Danny Age trying
to fleece us.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
That's why getting Clarkson and trades because I'm like, well,
we might get more. So that's why when we got
him for what we got him for, paying pretty much
a vet vet and then I was like, okay, I'm
cool with that. Like, like I mentioned before, he's not
the perfect player. He's not gonna he's gonna have some
nights where you're gonna be like, but when you're getting
a player for for you know, three million dollars that men,
(37:08):
you'll take it. It's like, Okay, this is already better
than last year.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
And that's what we needed, just a flamethrow with the
i Q type, somebody that can at any given night
go off like he can get his own But.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Now, yes, if he's.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
On the bench or he's not playing, hey we need
someone to get a bucket.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
We didn't have that, and we have so much defense
on our team that we can help his flaws, so
we can help him stay on the court because we
have other defenders who can help hide him if you
want to say, because you know that's not where his
strength is. But what we've needed for a long time
with somebody off the bench that consistently get their own bucket,
(37:50):
that can hold it down. And I think Jordan Clarkson
for what we got was perfect and y'all will sell
it for what we got him for. And he took
he took less to help the team add another spot.
I believe right that's how he took less to do
so we could add more. So look already helping the team.
That That that tells you all you need to know.
(38:11):
For me, I'm excited. I'm excited and and and shout
out to Duce. I'm not gonna forget about my guy,
Duce because he has everything. Every offseason I've asked him
to add something to this game, He's done it. I
expect to see some more added to his bag, I do.
I expect to see the layup package probably be a
(38:33):
little bit different this a little stronger this year.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
On top of his three point shooting. I think the
game has slowed down a little bit for Deuce and
we see him even be better and running the team.
I thought he did. He was doing better at the
end of the season of getting his own and getting
others involved too. So I I think I think he
adds to his game also, yep, and he's he's.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
He gets he keeps getting better A year in year,
route handles getting better, the confidence has gotten better, the
three balls getting better. So I think we expect another bump,
you know, reduce you know, heading into I think what
year four for him? You know, so expecting a lot.
But before we sign off here, eb And and I
appreciate you coming on the pod. You know, it's been
(39:17):
a lot of fun. Just what is your expectations. What
are we feeling about for this twenty five twenty six season, Like,
like just talk to me, like what's the vibe right now?
How we was feeling, you know, you know with summer league,
you know, and you know, the free agent, we got
a coach. You know, we're still trying to fill out
the rest of the coaching staff. You know, I know
people are up in arms with that, but I'm not
(39:38):
too worried that much about that. You know, We've got
our head coach, and you know, I think we'll figure
out the other things, you know, with time. But we
got our roster, we know, you know, we're seeing the
young guys develop, you know, seeing how they you know,
bounce back from a couple of tough games, and I
like that adversity. They bounced back, they played well, you know,
So what's the vibe right now? What do we feel?
Speaker 2 (39:57):
And talk to me like me think we're gonna win
every game until we lose. That's that's how I go now.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
But I really think and it just in every season
you get better, like understanding the tips I didn't have.
I had some grit with him, but we did progress.
We did get a little further. We did get a
little further every year. So that still has to continue.
That has to continue. So you know, I'm thinking it
has to. Like you mentioned, it's wide open finals. We
(40:27):
have a lot of pieces. I think, uh with Mitch
and people I know again that's my guy, the people
with the injuries. It will look a lot differently when
he doesn't have to erase as many mistakes as he
were doing prior.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
You know, the movement, the movement, and it's even looked
like we do have a good training staff because he
falls different.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
Even now, like it looks like he learned how to
how to jump out of fall, like it seems to
be something he's worked on.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
So I think we get to see more of Mitch.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
I think we see healthy Mitch and that I think
that if that happens, that's deep POI type of status.
He's just that impactful. So if you have defenders like
him O. G. McHale and then you have the offense
to balance it out, it's not many people. Many teams
who can do it both ways do and have as
many pieces as we do.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
I know a lot of teams may moves, but now
they have to worry about jeling and camaraderie and all
that other stuff, learning each other's spots and and everything
of that nature. So you have a lot of teams
whereas a lot of alphas on there too. What does
that look like? You know, a lot of teams still
not don't movements. We don't know what the Lakers are doing.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
They're going through it right now in La.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
You know, you have teams the young young, mixture of
young invests out there in the West. But again, I
think with our.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
Mixture of players and the amount of pieces that we
have finals for me, I think we could we can
win it all.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
I do. I do, even with the movements in the West,
I think we can.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
I'm with you, I feel good, I've I feel confident.
I like I said, I'm still probably a little bit
more higher on the young guys than most. But because
I feel like, you know, with this Mike Brown offense,
there's gonna be more space. And you know I trust him.
I trust him a lot more than some might. But
I like, I like everything so far they've done. You know,
(42:24):
they they they budget crunched. You know, they couldn't make
a lot of moves, but they make the best of it.
They got the best. They went the dollar tree and
they got They got the right things you needed. You know,
they they got everything for them five dollars that you
know you got. They they manage, they bargained. They bargained
deal pretty well. So I like what they don't higher go? Yeah,
(42:44):
I said, pree is me?
Speaker 2 (42:46):
That's my saying. Too free is me?
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (42:49):
So? I love I love Leon Rose has been doing.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
I've been a big fan of him since he's been
here because I felt he's never put all our eggs
in one basket.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
If they don't go right, he can make him move.
What team wouldn't want o g What team wouldn't want
to Machel? What team wouldn't want to Mitch?
Speaker 3 (43:08):
So God, if you needed to, if things didn't work out,
there's other avenues he could take. And he's always been
like that. If things didn't work. He's been pretty quick
on making the decision if it's not. And the only
thing I didn't like was I felt he wasn't holding
TIBs accountable.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
And he did.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
He did, he did, so, so we good he had
TIBs accountable in a major way because he was like,
this is not working.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Yeah, So the Nicks made a lot of moves this
off season to see if they can get to that
spot and get to a finals. You know, we're starving
for one. So let's see if all that comes into fruition.
And you know, I'm excited. I'm excited just like you had.
I appreciate you coming on the podcast. It's a lot
of fun.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
It was thank you, thank you for any time any
I'm here. It was good.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
It's definitely fun fun talking basketball. You know, it was
definitely any time, Chris for real. And one more thing
before we go, the minutes I think will look differently
the distribution.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
I don't think we have to play our players as
many minutes with the edition of Yabuseli and Clarkson.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
Now, that's all I want to say. See, I told
you I almost forgot, I almost forgot. I told you
my memory shot.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
Minutes will look a lot different for this team, you know.
But I'm happy to have had you on pod. You said,
you hit me up like all let's do something, and
I was like about tomorrow and you were like, let's go.
So I'm happy to have you on here. You know,
we'll definitely have you back on the pod and talk
more as we get closer to the season, you know.
So uh, you know, Nick, Summer League. I think they
(44:52):
play another game in a few days, so you know,
we'll talk about that stuff on the next pod. But
appreciate you coming on then show. Is there anything you
want to plug before you go? Anything you got going on?
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Oh yes, yes, thank you for asking. You know, you
can find me on man Nick fan on most social
media platforms. Shout out to my KOT fam. You know,
I'm on Nigga time I do postgame during the next season.
Also shout out my you know, Twitter fan after in
the Liberty you know, trying to repeat, I do a
(45:24):
space on on Twitter after Liberty games, Footballing with the Queen,
Shout out to Queen p and we do Liberty Latte.
Also on KOT New Show every Sunday, we're doing just
a recap of everything liberty basically, so look out for that.
And yeah, I think that's it. That's that's oh yeah,
(45:45):
that's all my all my projects right now.
Speaker 1 (45:52):
That's that's good. Like I said, definitely look forward to
have you back on the pod. We'll talk more about
the Knicks as we get closer to the regular season.
But dow that note, make sure to follow me at
Off the Ballpod on Twitter, Instagram, follow the Facebook channel,
make sure to like, subscribe comment on the YouTube channel
as we get closer and closer to seven hundred subs.
(46:14):
You know, so, uh appreciate everyone who watched and tuned in,
you know, I said, me and that are definitely gonna
be back and talking more New York Knicks. But on
that note, everyone be well, be safe, take care. He's
out start spreading the new, new, new New. We interrupt
(46:45):
our program to bring you this important message.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
New York. I love you, I love New York.
Start spreading the new, new, new new. We interrupt our
program to bring you this important lesson New York.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I love you and love you.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Oh it's trying to get out the fires away, the
shover the way at the fuer dollar to curry back
here a dollar a player. Oh fuck like James Lebrian
James with the rejection. I just put up the prese.
Long go we talk back back out to all his
(00:59):
retired what's going on? People? Welcome back to another episode
of the Off the Ball Podcast with me or hosts
Chris Lebron and we got another great show in store
for you guys today. Tyler Kohlik is back. It's back,
(01:20):
ladies and gentlemen. His demise was greatly exaggerated, so we're
gonna talk about him. We're gonna talk about just how
the Knicks looked overall, you know, in their third Summer
League game. But I have a great, great guest with
me today. I got that Gal ebony ak mad Nick fan.
What's going on? Everdy?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I'm good? How are you? How are you? Thank you
for inviting me on the show. I appreciate it for
having me on the show.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, no, I'm happy to have you on here. We're
gonna talk all things next, you know, the summer league,
you know, talk about the new head coach. We're gonna
talk about some of these free agents and just a
little bit of the outlook heading into the twenty five
twenty six season. Ebony, First, I want to ask you
what what was what's your expectations of some of league?
What were your expectations assembling? Do you do you put
(02:08):
uh do you put a lot of thought into it?
Or are you just like you know, are you like
a sickle like me where you're watching every possession and
and like you know, starting to see you know, uh everything.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, I'm watching everything. You have to watch every possession
because you're looking for a tendency. You're looking to see
if it was a fluke one play or if it's
something you do over and over and over again. So
I definitely I watched it like that. But I don't
put a lot of stock into some of league because
we've seen people go off into in summer league and
(02:41):
then be dug in the season. So what you look
for is what I look for, rather is if they're
playing next to Jalen Brunson. How will this translate? You
understand like if if they're playing next to Kat, how
can they help in that little bit of a role
you know that you see now, So, yeah, I'm just
looking for growth from our our rookies. Because since you
(03:04):
that last year's draft was this year's draft too, it
was meant to be the end of the bench, Like,
show up in your end of the bench and build
towards the future. That's why again when we I always
said I wanted the Knicks to get to a point
where we can draft like Denver did with Michael Porter Jr.
Where you can go and take that risk no matter
(03:26):
if they have an injury like a Huck or mccolor,
or go for a ninety year old French kid like Dottie.
You can go for those type of projects and if
they grow and hit, that's perfect for you. And it's
not forced, it's not rushed either. You can do both
build for the future.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
And and play for now.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
I guess if you want to say so, I was
just looking for growth seeing if what they're showing the
summer league, how that I think that can help translate
in the NBA and you know, during the season.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, And that's kind of how I try to look
at it too, like how these guys fit with the
with the big guys, you know, with the with the
rotational guys, Like how are they going to look? Does
it translate? Does what they do on the court now
translate to you know, playing big minutes with Jalen Brunson
and Michale and everything and now, And also try and
envision with the new offense with Mike Brown, like, okay,
(04:19):
does his work is it's going to be able to
work with it? So I know that the first two
games of Summer League weren't great, right, offensively it was
it was nasty, right, it was nasty. You know, it
didn't look good, and you try to like, okay, do
you try to you try to have context, okay, trying
(04:39):
to have rational why things didn't look well, and you
try to break it down but obviously you know, except
you try not to overreact both ways, right for good
or for bad, you know, So you're trying to be like, okay,
I understand this way, I understand, Okay, this is why
they struggle. Okay, But you know they missed a lot
of wide open shots too, like shots you should be
able to make. So you're trying to like, okay, I'm
(05:00):
trying to put this together. But I felt like, you know,
especially with Tyler, because he's probably been the main guy
right that everyone has been kind of focused on. Because
I've said this on numerous shows, like, I feel like
he is the most important player that we need to
evaluate out of all the young guys. Like I know,
Pocombe was the first round pick and there's a lot
(05:20):
of expectations to him, but I still feel like Pocomb he's, uh,
he still needs a lot of seasoning. Like he's still
he's still got a way to make it. He still
needs marinate to be marinate and stuff because he's not
very yet. I think he's more of a project where
I think Colic can provide you know, some you know,
immediate impact, and I feel like, you know, those JB
(05:40):
minutes when he's not on the court, are just as important,
you know, when I'm in court. So we have to
solidify that. So I felt like he was the number
one guy to focus on. And obviously to me, the
first game, I know that the statistics didn't show the
splits didn't show great, but I if you just watch
him play, you're like, Okay, the shot didn't go down,
(06:02):
but he's active, right, He's it's active on offense, on defense,
he's being scrappy. And then game two, I think his
confidence just went. It just wasn't there. He just really
wasn't confident. And then then this third game, it was like,
I think he just I think he heard. I think
he went on Twitter he saw that and he was like,
you know what I'm gonna take I'm gonna take it
(06:23):
into my own. You know, I'm gonna take it to
my own and I'm gonna I'm gonna show out. And
he had a really good game and it really looked confident.
So what what's your your thoughts with Tyler? Like, what
are your what were your expectations for him or if
if you had any expectations for him, you know, heading
into this twenty five twenty six season.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Yeah, I had big expectation for all four of our
rookies honestly because I really saw them as being the
rotation of the end the long season type of rotation player,
situational or uh if you know, because people said games
sometimes if somebody sits a game and we need to
deepen the rotation, that type.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Of role for them. But like you mentioned with Tyler,
because we don't have really have another our point guard
that is not really there right now, Like it's just
basically JB in.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
In Dukes right when you think about point guards. So again,
it's a long season. Things happen, people sit, then it
gets it can get really thin then, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
So I understand the importance of Kolic.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I wasn't as high as honestly as everybody else my
two folks that I was highest on that that kind
of caught my eye, and I think they could really
help in spots because I get Thaddia is not as aggressive.
But just thinking about in the NBA with all the
tension on Kat and on JB, and they't gonna probably
leave Dottia open or sag off of him to do this,
(07:57):
I think he can help in those situations. I think
he can so the stuff like that. With Tyler, though,
I just wanted his defense. I wanted to see him
make it a little bit harder for the for the
ball handles, some type of resistance. I know he's never
going to be all defense, but just be in the
right positions at the right times, playing the right angles,
(08:17):
making it difficult not so easy with it just blowing
by you. And looking lost, you know, so that that
was something also also just him running a team. So
the turnovers a little a little worrying because that's what
we need you to be here for. And on the
NBA level, the defenses meaning you know, playing against the
(08:38):
in the NBA Stars, the defense can be more intense,
so you know, getting that. But again it's a long
season and things can click. But I think we need him,
like you mentioned, we need him him, And if we
want to be honest, I said I'm the biggest one
(08:59):
because I think they have a big hot upside, but
the biggest roles really are are hugging and colic because
of of the our chart, our depth chart, you.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Know, you know in question has been mentioned injury.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Pass you need another big body just in case kind
of ours and we've seen we needed another big body
period last or playoffs, we could have used another big body.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So yes, those two and then like and Tyler has
to be ready, so yeah, he has a big role,
you know, big expectations rather.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
So obviously the Knicks can still pick up another vet
on a minimum. Do you think right now, do you
what do you think to try to put your You're
in the Knicks front offers right now? What are you
feeling right now? Do you feel like, Okay, we need
to get another experience, you know, bull handling vet, or
do we did this game with Tyler make you feel
(10:05):
a little bit more confident that we can trust him
to play ten? You know fifteen minutes? You know what
you're what you're thinking right now with that situation with To.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Me, I'm thinking, they go, I want I would love
for them to pick up Shamman. I would I would
love him for him to come back somebody that just
like a Swiss army knife that you could throw in
many different positions in roles, just because and plays on
both ends of the court as and I really do think, yeah,
he can handle bull handling duties as well.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
But if we go get another VET point guard, I'm
not I'm not mad at that either. I don't think
I think Tyler has to grow into the role. So
so I wouldn't you know, mind him getting a little
bit more experience, you know, or or watching because again,
the turnovers to me is kind of earning.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yeah, the turnovers are are and listen, we don't know
if you're turning the ball over as a point guard,
that's not good, you know. Uh, I've also seen a
lot of instances where he's you know, he the assists
probably would be a lot higher, but guys are just
not hitting shots or finishing. You know. It does a
lot of instants with that. So you know, like I said,
that's why I try to watch it to see can
get the full context of things, you know, to see, Okay,
(11:25):
what is he actually doing? Like you just can't look
at sometimes that that's lie, you know about that.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I have a saying about that, christ Men.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
But they can be.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
They can be a deceiving a That's what that's That's
what it is. Box school warriors, as I like to
call it. It's hard to get the whole context of
a game because a lot of stuff does not show
up in the stats, and that it's hard to really
explain that, but it is. It's the truth. It's a
lot of stuff that does not show up in the stats.
(12:00):
The extra hustle, the extra making somebody hesitate so they
don't shoot, that.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Doesn't show up and in the stats like that. So yeah,
you just got it.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
You just have to watch and see if it's a
habit or consistent, you know. But I do, like I
do like our pick. I don't know if I'm saying
his name right THEO or I like I like that,
I like him.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I was about to ask about him next to like,
how do you feel about Muhammad do r Because a
lot of the stuff, you know, with me doing a
lot of draft stuff, a lot of the stuff for
him was the offense, Right can the offense translate? He
was He's not going to be able to shoot it,
you know from the outside right now, you know he
wasn't a great shooter, had a great free throw shooter.
But the one thing that surprised me immensely was, you know,
(12:48):
his ability with the ball in his head and the
confidence with it. You know, he still it still needs
to get refined, still needs to get you know, it's
a little sloppy at times. But I love the aggressiveness
from him. I I didn't think we would see that.
I think I think it was more what can we
see from it defensively? That's probably why they got him initially.
But he's he's shown that he can do some things
(13:10):
offensively with the ball in his hand. Like, I don't
know how much that translates to playing in in the
with the with the big boys and and the NBA.
But I do like the confidence so far from him.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Yeah, I try, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I try to look at all aspects of people and
read in between the line with with their their interviews.
But when when I saw their highlights, Because again I'm
not I'm not a big.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Draft person like you are, Chris. I know you know
your ins and outs and that that.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
But uh, I did do some digging for the prospects
that we had to see, and when we got him,
I did some digging on him and I just noticed
that his confidence, he's he doesn't back down, he doesn't
look too shy away, he looks ready for the moment.
And the fact that that he takes pride on that
defensive end.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I love defenders, Chris. My favorite player on the Knicks,
if you didn't know, is Mitchell Roberson. Like I love defenders.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
I love people who lock in and take pride on
that end of the ball because everybody can't do it.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
And he has that at a young age. So being
in the NBA system where you always in the gym,
if you have a work at the offense, ship come
and he has that mentality, I think he's going.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
To be big because again, defense wins championships. So if
he's just the specialists that's giving us trouble things of
those nature, you could and you could put put a
person on him. He has a seven full wingspan. That's crazy.
I heard seven full wingspan.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Insane.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
So like that's.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Has an impressive body, you know, And I think that's
why was like, okay, the you know a lot of
these teams look like I talk about this so much
that the teams love those six foot eight guys with
the him foot plus wingspan. Those guys are always going
to get opportunities because you know, everyone thinks they can
mold that person into a better play, you know, and
(15:08):
get themselves a Sakam type or you know, Kawhi Leonard type.
Everybody wants a large type. Yeah, those types you know
with the freakish, you know, long arms. So so with him,
I think that's kind of what they try to build
with this Summer League team. It's just get a bunch
of long you know, with Naji two in there and
and this think is another guy with a long wingspan,
(15:29):
you know, so that they have a bunch of like
interesting guys on this team that you know, but but
Moo Dioara, like I didn't expect him to to to
to be so aggrestive. I was like, okay, I that first,
even that first I remember the first Summer League game,
I think it was the first Summer League game where
and he showed some of his passing ability too on
(15:50):
the high post that put that that past he had
where he's coming, he's at the top of the post
and then he stops and then he sees Lucas Kuka,
you know, cutting and he hits, you know, just little
things like that. I'm like, Okay, he understands, he understands
what he needs to do to make this team. You know.
I like that.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
I like him. I like him a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I like the draft picker when we got him because
people I don't know what people are expecting in that spot,
but when you're in that spot, either somebody that does
a little bit of everything, well it's very fundamentally sound,
I mean, and very few holes in their game, but
they're just not superstar quality, you like, not just there yet,
like they have a chance.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
To build there, Like you like how they view Jalen Brunson.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
You know what I'm saying, If you could find a
player of that nature, or you go for a specialist type,
either somebody that does something the body that does something
really elite, and they chose somebody who does some of
the elite defender and.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
That at that spot, I liked it.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
And if he grows and adds more to his offensive game,
you might have something there.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I really, I really think he has it.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Yeah, And like I said, at that spot as fifty
at fifty at the time, then we wound up trading, uh,
trading back down the spot to get him. There's there's
you know, there's only so many players that you can
take right and especially it's crazy because there was a
lot of guys heading into the second round that were
fell a lot farther than I thought. And I was like, oh,
(17:17):
we're going to get you know, one of these these
first round level guys Kobi Brad, next scene, Ronad. You know, uh,
you know, it was a it was abundance of guys
that I liked, and then like it legit went a
stretch for like eleven straight guys I had on my board.
Oh we went wait wait wait, I thought one of
these guys was gonna drop your chance. No, everyone just went,
(17:39):
especially like the specialty guys you mentioned like shoot because
we still need shooting, and that's another thing I'm going
to talk about next that that's still a concern for me,
Like the guys, the shooters, like the specialists that I'm like, okay,
maybe we get one of they all went went went
so like at that point, You're like, all right, we
got to take upside at this point. And obviously Mo
provides a tremendous upside and we said it's seen a
glimpse of some of what he potentially could be down
(18:02):
the line, which is very intriguing. So I'm I liked
a lot what I've seen from him, and we'll see
if he gets one of those two race spots. Uh.
But the shooting, I want to talk about that because
that's to me is is a concern, is the shooting
with some of the with this what we saw in
Summer League, and I think we needed kind of one
(18:23):
of these young guys like the specialists to kind of
show out with the shooting, and that hasn't been the
case so far. And I think even with the Big
Club we need that. We still don't have enough shooting,
you know, on the on the Big Club. And so
is that something that you're concerned with, is the shooting
right now?
Speaker 2 (18:41):
No.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
I actually think people come back with with with better,
better jump shots.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I'm hoping, uh, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
I like Josh Hart. I love the hustle players that
people that the players that do it in multiple ways.
They don't just hang their hat on one end of
the court. But I need him to come back with
a jump shot. That has to happen another Yeah, that
has to happen. That jump shot has to it has
to happen. It's been some seasons now, it has to
(19:11):
consistency has to get better.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
There.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Like for the first half it was kind of it
was all right though then like the second half of
the season kind of.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Started leveling, leveling out. So the shooting wall, I know,
we're gonna talk about him later.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
With Mike Brown because of his offense, the way he moves,
he'll help. And I think with Michel and Og and
a lot of other of our players, they're more movement
rhythm type of shooters. Catch it in the moment and
I have to think about it type of shooters, you know,
And there's a lot of movement.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Multiple pieces moving at the same time. And Mike Brown's
offense and everybody's not a lot of ice sol dribbling.
There's a lot of move, read and react.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
So I see our shooters being able to get good
looks because of the movement, making mistakes making mismatch and
I think the shots will look differently like their comfortability
in them, and we see a better shooting percentage from us.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Because we did pretty well. We just didn't shoot a
lot of three pointers last year.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Like during during the season, we would we like top
five and three point it was just that we didn't
take many of them.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
We were like bottom of the league in attempts.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Yeah, and that's something we actually could have shot a
little bit more during the playoffs and stuff. But obviously,
you know, Thibodeau is no longer the head coach and
now Mike Brown is sliding into that chair and going
to run our New York Knicks. Now, So what are
some of your expectations for Mike Brown? I know for me,
(20:44):
you know, watching some of his stuff with the Kings
and previous teams, you know, I just the offense is
something that I think is going to really benefit a
lot of our wings too, Like the way you know,
a lot of emotions that's and a lot of the
you know, just the constant movement. I think this if
you're Michel Bridges, a Eurogiet Andobi, I think you're going
(21:07):
through the move right now because you're gonna see a
lot more open looks. You're not gonna just be stuck
on the corner. You're gonna be moving a lot, and
I think that's gonna be very key. So what's your
thoughts on Mike Brown be the new head coach?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Like I it wasn't my first choice or a second choice,
to be honest, but I respect him as a coach.
It's just a lot of some of he has some
similarity similarities with TIBs in the playoffs. They say about
adjustments and rotations and things of that nature. So that
was scary. That was a little scary for me because
that was big for me. Why I didn't really care
(21:41):
for TIBs so much. One of some of the reasons
but the fact that offense moves. It's not a lot
of ice so heavy. I'm a firm believer in movement
because movement makes mistakes. It's hard to think and move
at the same time, you know, So if you move
in the defense, if you have multiple parts moving they
can't talk and set up and watch it's going. Should
(22:02):
be hard to stay in front of Jalen Brunson when
you have multiple pieces moving in the back of you,
you know where your help might not be there, and
it's not gonna And what I noticed is Cat likes
to create, right, he likes to be.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
He likes to create. And Mike Brown allows, I.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Can't oh ya, I'm excited. I got excited right there
because I'm like.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
No, it's all right, I'm excited too.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Right along the high post, Stuffy there was a bonus
like that could be a beneficial for Cat. I like,
I'm high on it.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Yes, And then we talk about Kevin Hurders. So we
talk about Michel and og.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Now they might not be as pure of shooters as
a Kevin Heurder is out from the outside, right, but
they're both players that benefit off the movement in the
faster pace they need to be. They need movement.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
They're not creating much with themselves, you know, if they dribble.
It happens every once in a while, but.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Consistently it gets a little you know, fumbling bumblings at times.
He's a little a little sloppy.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
At times, so just the automatic movement in Michel, I
think he is going to thrive.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Yes, he's the biggest winner, biggest winner of this.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
I think he is going to thrive. And we're going
to talk about JB also, Jayalen Brunson. I remember when
he played off ball, when him and Julius rand and
he was playing more off ball, and.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
How he was like number two or three in the
league in three point percentage.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
So more off ball Jalen Brunson help him out a
little bit. I'm not the offense, huh.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Yeah, and that benefits JB a lot. Like listen, we
know what he could do with the bonus, right, he's
a maestro. He's he's that dude. Right, he's the That's
why he's an All NBA guy. That's why he is
who he is. But we can't, you know, see, you know,
use him more off ball so he doesn't have to
rely on just you know, being ice so heavy, you know,
so we can have more off ball movements. And in
(24:02):
this system, that's very that's gonna be key.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
So yeah, in fact, it benefits cat all of I
think everybody is gonna You're going to see a difference.
That's why people say, while we running the back. It's
like a different chef is in the kitchen and a
different type of a different school. And you get him
saying a different type of chef with the same ingredients,
but a different type of chef. You're not gonna always
get the same the same results.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
I have.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
I have people who always talk about Michel and o G.
But I've been mentioning, you can't just stick them in
the corners. You can't. You can't do that. Let Og
post up a little bit. Let Lett Miquel thrive in
his mid range the way he does.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Thank you so so.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
So now we have somebody who does that, who plays
towards his teammates strength, his team strength. By moving the ball,
you make mistakes and when we when he does allow iso,
it's often made mismatch from the movement of the offense.
So now attacking you have a mismatch attack. There's a
lot of reading and react and I like it. And
the thing is he got both the Bonus and Dearion
(25:13):
Fox to play some of the best ball together.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
They were doing it together.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
We was having a hard time being able to get
Cat and JB to really consistently do it together. So
I'm super excited about that aspect with with Mike Brown,
super super I think I think even my I think
even dudes, everybody will look a little differently because they
don't have to do it on their own.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
But another thing with TIBs, I will always say is
help your players. Don't just give them a ball and
say go do your thing. I think Mike Brown offense
much freestyle. Yeah, yeah, do your thing.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
And it's funny because I used to say that he did,
and he then he wouldn't get an invite to Rap
City because he was so predicted. Because it is fact, like,
huh iso bull here, go to bowl create like and
if if it's not working, you have to add.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Something to help them. Yeah, get them into their spots.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Oh, I agree one hundred percent. And listen. I like TIBs.
I like what he did with the franchise, brought It's back.
But I understood the pivot. I've said this abutus Styne.
I understood the pivot, so I wasn't too mad when
I know people were like, oh, some people you know that,
we knew that. We're like, god, you know, we don't
get it. Twenty five years we haven't been to a
conference finals. But sometimes you have to really sit down
(26:32):
and be like, Okay, yeah, that's cool. Twenty five years
he took us, you know, from you know, back to
Eastern Conference.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
But.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Is he still the guy that can get us to
that next step? Can it get us to being a
championship team? And I feel like they truly just said no,
we feel like we need to make a pivot. And
we've seen this before, Like we've seen it with Toronto, right,
Toronto did this not too long ago, six years ago.
They did it, you know where they were getting They
kept getting asked beating the conference finals, and they were
(27:00):
tired of it. And then Lebron finally leaves and they're like, yo,
this is an opportunity right now. We need to capitalize.
And they made monster pivots and they and they won.
We saw the Warriors do it, you know, with Mark
Jackson there going to Steve Kerr. They won a championship
that next year. You know, so I think this is
the Knicks front officers saying like, hey man, this is
an opportunity to to win it and we need to
(27:22):
capitalize now. Guys that are in their late twenties opportunity
is now, so what can we do and maybe and
like I said, there was potential trades and all that,
but their mindset was like, hey, we don't need to
be that, especially with the East the way we saw
we saw we saw Halliburton get hurt in game seven.
You know, obviously tatums now you know, we know the Bucks.
(27:45):
You know they wave Damonlivers down, they cut him. You
know they're paying them, you know. So like the East
is like, it's like it's there, so like we need
to figure out how to make sure we're at least
a minimum in the finals, you know, one thing to
win it, but we have to be there so we
can have a chance. Because a lot of people didn't
(28:06):
think Indiana once they got there to have a chance
against Okay, I didn't think. So it doesn't even just
be a hater. It was just like I just didn't
like the matchup and they went seven. And if ty
Reeche doesn't get hurt because he was cooking, we might
be talking about Okay seeing a different light right now
and Indiana's champions. So I think the Knicks just said,
you know what, we got to do this now. It
(28:27):
might not be popular, we appreciate what TIBs did, but
there's a ceiling and we want to break that ceiling
and we want to be able to get to the
finals and have a chance to win it, because once
you get there, you have a chance. So I the
pivot big time from them, because that's not easy to do.
That's not easy to do, but sometimes, just like in life,
you got to make pivots. You got to make drastic
(28:49):
moves in order to continue to get where you want
to go in life. And that's what the Knicks did.
So I was fine with the move.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I respect it.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
I'm a big time Rose fans, so I've gotten to
know TIBs on multiple different teams and it's it's kind
of been the same thing time after time, and I
think that's the case. We we went six and seven
when we weren't hurt, and we went six and seven
when we were healthy. So it might have been a
(29:18):
huge red flag to the you know, the front office
that no matter what this is, this what you're going
to do, and especially if they're trying to develop other people,
and that's part of their plan for movements in the
future is to have some worth in their draft picks.
You know, so it's good, Dave, and uh so, yeah,
(29:40):
that's a that's I think, and just as predictable, being
predictable having doing your best work when you're forced, like
being forced to have to play shammit is crazy.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
And then when he does produce, it was still up
and down in spots. When we was like, maybe you
could have used him a little bit more, he was like, know,
he could have used him with just a little bit
more a little earlier.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
So it was a lot of questions, and I guess
they're tired of the what ifs, and we want a
coach that will go through every avenue to see what
can work and what won't and not what if, like
not be scared to even try, because to win a
championship you have to be okay make moves that you
might not normally do. You've seen Carlile play a player
that Tony Bradley, who didn't play at all throughout the
(30:27):
play You see him, Yeah, you see him stick with
a player that might have It was Tibbs, he might
not have seen the playoffs the rest of the time.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
That's what he did. The shammit. He had a bad
little stretch in Detroit, and we ain't see him again
until he was forced to play him and and UH Matherin.
Mattherin was having a terrible UH series playoffs, and Carlile
stuck with him and he started.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
He came out here. He came out and helped him
win some games. So you have to, you know, stick
with who you you know, and UH make the necessary
moves that you need.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
You gotta. You gotta come out your comfort, don't come
out of it, and use your whole team. And that's
what I'm most excited about about Mike Brown.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
I know his rotations could be crazy, but his offense
is very everybody can eat. Everybody has to be involved,
you have to be locked in because it's really react.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
At any moment you might be able to get the ball.
And I like that. I like that a lot.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
And I know a lot of people are up and
down on the young guys, and but I feel like
with Mike Brown's offense, I think they're going to excel.
Like I know the Summer League, I know this. I
know there's there's a lot of people that are like, oh,
they should be dominating in Summer League, but everything is
(31:46):
you have to understand, like, all right, let's around who
who's what's the roster construction, Like it's still about roster
construction even in the summer league, Like you know, Tyler's
not passing the shooters, like like I mentioned four, he
would have had a lot more assist but he's passing
the guys who are get how many times of watching
summer league wide open threes are getting bricked or air
ball and it's like it was insane. So like he
(32:07):
would have had a lot of his assists, the turnover
would have been even even better. But you know, like
I said, everything's context, you have to watch his understand
like he missed out on a lot of assists. So
but I feel like with the offense, like I think Tyler,
for instance, like I think he's gonna look better when
he's actually in the NBA than he is looking in
Summer League, like open, more and more open space. I
(32:28):
think he's gonna be better. I think Cordy, I think
he's gonna be I'm not even worried about him. I
feel like his floor is really high. Like I don't
know how good he can be, how much better he'll get,
But I think I'm pretty confident when he gets on
the court, we're gonna get productive minutes and what colors
like he's another one, like if he gets the spot
like I'm coming. He showed that, hey man, if the
(32:50):
shots not going down, And that's still something he needs
to work on to be to get really consistent minutes,
but he showed he I can get to my spots,
like I'm strong enough, I'm six six, I can bully
to the spot and I could play you know, solid
defense to get on so and deal war. We've seen
you know what he can do, you know. So I
just like, like I'm confident with especially now we talk
(33:11):
about some of the free agency guys, you know, with Yabuselli,
you know, and Clarkson who we picked up, like adding
those like that's gonna make the bench that much better. Like,
and I feel like the confidence that Mike Brown's gonna
have in him is gonna be like he's gonna be
fol co comfortable putting those guys in where TIBs. Maybe
he just didn't trust the Shammits and and those guys
(33:33):
enough to delone rights because he just didn't think they
were good enough to get those minutes. But now I
feel like I don't think that's gonna be an issue
with Mike Brown, like, I feel like he's gonna confidence
putting Clarkson. Clarkson's a bucket, he's a sixth man, the
guy like that, you know, Yabuselli shot forty from three,
Like he's a confident player. I feel like, you know,
and Colic another year, McCall's another year. All these guys
(33:54):
are a year older now, Hucker another year older. That's
gonna bring more confidence. And then with Mike Brown's offense,
I think just gonna But how do you feel about
the addition to Clarkson and Yabo Celli? Because I think
we're the value tremendous Yabo Celli. I didn't even think
about Yabo Seli honestly because I thought he was gonna
get more money and I thought he was at least
a twelve million dollar player. And for us to get
(34:14):
him for like five eight, I was like, wait a minute,
We got him for twelve years for two years, Like
I was like, no way, I thought, the value that
is insane vale and then Clarkson getting him for what
we got him getting waved like I was like, Okay,
he's not the perfect player. You know, defensively, he's not great,
you know, inefficient, but I'm like, Okay, is the inefficiency
(34:34):
because of because he was playing on a really bad
team that just did not try to win at all,
you know, and he's playing with a lot of twenty
year olds, you know, So is that so I think
like he'll be a little bit more efficient, you know,
a lot more efficient with us. So how do you
feel about those two additions to the club?
Speaker 3 (34:51):
I like him. I remember him from the Olympics. I
liked him then very just a player that doesn't back down.
We've seen that attack went right at Lebron.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
It is.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
I like players like that and with a work ethic
and players who who show loyalty for you know, believing
in them and things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
Uh. You see him in the gym right now.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
You see him working, and he can be the post
presidence that we really don't have consistently, you know.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Jalen Brunson does it.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
Cat tries, but that's not really his wheelhouse tip then
use Og that way.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
I thought he could have used him more that way.
I thought Og did well in the post last season
when we did. He was him there.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
But I like that pick up because he does he
does try, He he bounced, he he competes on the
other end. You know, his size, but his his effort
makes up for that. I like that pick a lot.
And I didn't think we had a shot at him either,
But I guess with the new CBA, the money drives
up fast and it's just like you gotta go.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Yeah, a lot of guys were like, oh, this is
the market. There ain't no money for me, you know.
So that's why I think the Knicks are just real patient, like,
let's just wait for the market to dry out and
then we'll just you know, we'll find guys that we
can get for. Like I said, I thought ya with
a twelve I think he is a twelve million dollar
player plus, but the market said, no, no one's worth
(36:17):
anything right now because there's no money.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
You know. We we showed up. So we showed up
our our our bench big time.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
And then Jordan clarks And there's been rumors for him
to nix for seasons since I'm joined a podcasting and
nick Twitter in the social media world, and Jordny Clarkson,
like every off season has been or in season has
been a target, and it's always been Danny Age trying
to fleece us.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
That's why getting Clarkson and trades because I'm like, well,
we might get more. So that's why when we got
him for what we got him for, paying pretty much
a vet vet and then I was like, okay, I'm
cool with that. Like, like I mentioned before, he's not
the perfect player. He's not gonna he's gonna have some
nights where you're gonna be like, but when you're getting
a player for for you know, three million dollars that men,
(37:08):
you'll take it. It's like, Okay, this is already better
than last year.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
And that's what we needed, just a flamethrow with the
i Q type, somebody that can at any given night
go off like he can get his own But.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Now, yes, if he's.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
On the bench or he's not playing, hey we need
someone to get a bucket.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
We didn't have that, and we have so much defense
on our team that we can help his flaws, so
we can help him stay on the court because we
have other defenders who can help hide him if you
want to say, because you know that's not where his
strength is. But what we've needed for a long time
with somebody off the bench that consistently get their own bucket,
(37:50):
that can hold it down. And I think Jordan Clarkson
for what we got was perfect and y'all will sell
it for what we got him for. And he took
he took less to help the team add another spot.
I believe right that's how he took less to do
so we could add more. So look already helping the team.
That That that tells you all you need to know.
(38:11):
For me, I'm excited. I'm excited and and and shout
out to Duce. I'm not gonna forget about my guy,
Duce because he has everything. Every offseason I've asked him
to add something to this game, He's done it. I
expect to see some more added to his bag, I do.
I expect to see the layup package probably be a
(38:33):
little bit different this a little stronger this year.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
On top of his three point shooting. I think the
game has slowed down a little bit for Deuce and
we see him even be better and running the team.
I thought he did. He was doing better at the
end of the season of getting his own and getting
others involved too. So I I think I think he
adds to his game also, yep, and he's he's.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
He gets he keeps getting better A year in year,
route handles getting better, the confidence has gotten better, the
three balls getting better. So I think we expect another bump,
you know, reduce you know, heading into I think what
year four for him? You know, so expecting a lot.
But before we sign off here, eb And and I
appreciate you coming on the pod. You know, it's been
(39:17):
a lot of fun. Just what is your expectations. What
are we feeling about for this twenty five twenty six season, Like,
like just talk to me, like what's the vibe right now?
How we was feeling, you know, you know with summer league,
you know, and you know, the free agent, we got
a coach. You know, we're still trying to fill out
the rest of the coaching staff. You know, I know
people are up in arms with that, but I'm not
(39:38):
too worried that much about that. You know, We've got
our head coach, and you know, I think we'll figure
out the other things, you know, with time. But we
got our roster, we know, you know, we're seeing the
young guys develop, you know, seeing how they you know,
bounce back from a couple of tough games, and I
like that adversity. They bounced back, they played well, you know,
So what's the vibe right now? What do we feel?
Speaker 2 (39:57):
And talk to me like me think we're gonna win
every game until we lose. That's that's how I go now.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
But I really think and it just in every season
you get better, like understanding the tips I didn't have.
I had some grit with him, but we did progress.
We did get a little further. We did get a
little further every year. So that still has to continue.
That has to continue. So you know, I'm thinking it
has to. Like you mentioned, it's wide open finals. We
(40:27):
have a lot of pieces. I think, uh with Mitch
and people I know again that's my guy, the people
with the injuries. It will look a lot differently when
he doesn't have to erase as many mistakes as he
were doing prior.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
You know, the movement, the movement, and it's even looked
like we do have a good training staff because he
falls different.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
Even now, like it looks like he learned how to
how to jump out of fall, like it seems to
be something he's worked on.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
So I think we get to see more of Mitch.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
I think we see healthy Mitch and that I think
that if that happens, that's deep POI type of status.
He's just that impactful. So if you have defenders like
him O. G. McHale and then you have the offense
to balance it out, it's not many people. Many teams
who can do it both ways do and have as
many pieces as we do.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
I know a lot of teams may moves, but now
they have to worry about jeling and camaraderie and all
that other stuff, learning each other's spots and and everything
of that nature. So you have a lot of teams
whereas a lot of alphas on there too. What does
that look like? You know, a lot of teams still
not don't movements. We don't know what the Lakers are doing.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
They're going through it right now in La.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
You know, you have teams the young young, mixture of
young invests out there in the West. But again, I
think with our.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
Mixture of players and the amount of pieces that we
have finals for me, I think we could we can
win it all.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
I do. I do, even with the movements in the West,
I think we can.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
I'm with you, I feel good, I've I feel confident.
I like I said, I'm still probably a little bit
more higher on the young guys than most. But because
I feel like, you know, with this Mike Brown offense,
there's gonna be more space. And you know I trust him.
I trust him a lot more than some might. But
I like, I like everything so far they've done. You know,
(42:24):
they they they budget crunched. You know, they couldn't make
a lot of moves, but they make the best of it.
They got the best. They went the dollar tree and
they got They got the right things you needed. You know,
they they got everything for them five dollars that you
know you got. They they manage, they bargained. They bargained
deal pretty well. So I like what they don't higher go? Yeah,
(42:44):
I said, pree is me?
Speaker 2 (42:46):
That's my saying. Too free is me?
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (42:49):
So? I love I love Leon Rose has been doing.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
I've been a big fan of him since he's been
here because I felt he's never put all our eggs
in one basket.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
If they don't go right, he can make him move.
What team wouldn't want o g What team wouldn't want
to Machel? What team wouldn't want to Mitch?
Speaker 3 (43:08):
So God, if you needed to, if things didn't work out,
there's other avenues he could take. And he's always been
like that. If things didn't work. He's been pretty quick
on making the decision if it's not. And the only
thing I didn't like was I felt he wasn't holding
TIBs accountable.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
And he did.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
He did, he did, so, so we good he had
TIBs accountable in a major way because he was like,
this is not working.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Yeah, So the Nicks made a lot of moves this
off season to see if they can get to that
spot and get to a finals. You know, we're starving
for one. So let's see if all that comes into fruition.
And you know, I'm excited. I'm excited just like you had.
I appreciate you coming on the podcast. It's a lot
of fun.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
It was thank you, thank you for any time any
I'm here. It was good.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
It's definitely fun fun talking basketball. You know, it was
definitely any time, Chris for real. And one more thing
before we go, the minutes I think will look differently
the distribution.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
I don't think we have to play our players as
many minutes with the edition of Yabuseli and Clarkson.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
Now, that's all I want to say. See, I told
you I almost forgot, I almost forgot. I told you
my memory shot.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
Minutes will look a lot different for this team, you know.
But I'm happy to have had you on pod. You said,
you hit me up like all let's do something, and
I was like about tomorrow and you were like, let's go.
So I'm happy to have you on here. You know,
we'll definitely have you back on the pod and talk
more as we get closer to the season, you know.
So uh, you know, Nick, Summer League. I think they
(44:52):
play another game in a few days, so you know,
we'll talk about that stuff on the next pod. But
appreciate you coming on then show. Is there anything you
want to plug before you go? Anything you got going on?
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Oh yes, yes, thank you for asking. You know, you
can find me on man Nick fan on most social
media platforms. Shout out to my KOT fam. You know,
I'm on Nigga time I do postgame during the next season.
Also shout out my you know, Twitter fan after in
the Liberty you know, trying to repeat, I do a
(45:24):
space on on Twitter after Liberty games, Footballing with the Queen,
Shout out to Queen p and we do Liberty Latte.
Also on KOT New Show every Sunday, we're doing just
a recap of everything liberty basically, so look out for that.
And yeah, I think that's it. That's that's oh yeah,
(45:45):
that's all my all my projects right now.
Speaker 1 (45:52):
That's that's good. Like I said, definitely look forward to
have you back on the pod. We'll talk more about
the Knicks as we get closer to the regular season.
But dow that note, make sure to follow me at
Off the Ballpod on Twitter, Instagram, follow the Facebook channel,
make sure to like, subscribe comment on the YouTube channel
as we get closer and closer to seven hundred subs.
(46:14):
You know, so, uh appreciate everyone who watched and tuned in,
you know, I said, me and that are definitely gonna
be back and talking more New York Knicks. But on
that note, everyone be well, be safe, take care. He's
out start spreading the new, new, new New. We interrupt
(46:45):
our program to bring you this important message.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
New York. I love you, I love New York.
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