A Pair of Homecomings: Dame to Portland & CP3 to the Clippers

On this episode of The Drive & Dish NBA Podcast, hosted by Kevin Rafuse (@rafusetolose) and Justin Cousart (@JustinContheAir), Kevin is joined this week by Chris Crawford (@OnAirwithCC), Assisstant Program Director at WSB to discuss a pair of NBA returns. First, Damian Lillard heads back to Portland. What they think about a surprising choice to head back and one final look at Dame's time in Milwaukee and why things didn't work they way they expected. Next, Chris Paul returns to the Clippers and Bradley Beal is coming with him. Where does the pair rank the Clippers in a competative West and how they feel about going all in on an older core. Plus, a look at the Spurs this year and what they need to do to take the next steps to make the playoffs and some quick MLB chat about CC's red hot Toronto Blue Jays. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts and watch the show on YouTube!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Drive and Dish podcast, the welcome to you.
To start it off, it's and Justin Let's go.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Homecoming is the name of the game this week in
the NBA. We've got a prepair of them big time
ones and Chris Paul. We're going to talk about going
back to the Clippers here in a little bit, like
that's the brand new NBA news. But of course the
biggest one, Damian Lillard, fresh off Milwaukee buyout, is going
back to Portland. If you're watching the video stream, obviously

(00:36):
you can see that Justin is not with me this week,
but we do have Chris Crawford with us, who've heard
on the podcast before, assistant program director at WSB and
Atlanta on air with CC on Twitter. We'll do the
whole like full intro here in a little bit. But yeah,
Damian Lillard, of course, you know, with the Achilles injury,
not going to play next year, but officially headed back
to the Portland trail Blazers a homecoming deal. They already

(00:57):
had the intro press conference and everything, and you know,
I mean, you know, CEC, like when Dame got bought
out and why will buy Milwaukee? It kind of became
the question of is he gonna go ring chase somewhere
because he doesn't have one, and does he want to
get that last shot at a championship or does he
potentially go home something that I think he talked about
a lot in Milwaukee and said how much he wanted

(01:18):
to be closer to family and how the distance there
was a little bit harder on him. Clearly we got
that answer here, you know, I mean, what do you
think how you feel about the homecoming for Damian Lillard?
I mean, obviously gonna end his career now, I mean,
already arguably the greatest trailblazer in franchise history, but now
you know, with a little storybook ending to it as well.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
I think he's always been a player who's kind of
known what he is and what he wants and how
he wants to play, Like he's always seen within himself
all the time, right, Like It's it's never been like
questioning if Dame is able to get.

Speaker 4 (01:51):
The job done. It's just a matter of, like, is
he ever.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
Going to be surrounded with enough players to succeed doing
it right? And it felt like there was a chance
with this Milwaukee team, But it also felt like a
weird kind of throw stuff at the wall and hopes
it sticks together sort of building of a team.

Speaker 4 (02:07):
And then the injury is just so unfortunate.

Speaker 3 (02:08):
For him, so you know, obviously then you don't know
what happens after that, because it doesn't seem like Milwaukee
has room for him or has plans in the future
form and sure enough.

Speaker 4 (02:18):
They buy him out. I like that he went home.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
I do like I think it is perfect for him
and who he's always been in the way that he
knows what he wants and knows what he's gonna do,
and you know, like I said, he's always kind of
been centered in just about it and the fact that
he didn't want to go ring Chase when you saw
and you mentioned Chris Paul going back to.

Speaker 4 (02:37):
The Clippers, you know, Bradley Beal's there.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
Like it seems every veteran when they get an opportunity
to go play with the team that has an opportunity
to win, they take advantage of it ten out of
ten times. It seems more often than not, you rarely
see a guy who, you know, we don't know what
kind of player he'll be when he comes back from
the injury, but of Dame's caliber, go back to team

(03:00):
and a franchise that's in a position of Portland to
play out his career, you know, like it It felt
like kind of when Chris Paul went to the Spurs
last year, but then of course he completely undid that
when he then goes back to the Clippers again. But
again we'll talk about that later. It's just it's very
interesting because he was i mean, the Celtics, with a
team that everyone was rumored that he was going to
go to. So you want to talk about him being

(03:21):
far away from his family, that would be as far
away as humanly possible, but also would have been a
great chance for him to get that ring.

Speaker 4 (03:27):
So clearly he just maybe he just wanted to be happy.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
And at home, which I'm never gonna blame the guy
for that, and Portland's gonna love him forever. He's gonna
get his jersey retired probably the year after he retires,
or they'll do it during his final season with them,
because of how much he's meant to that team in
that franchise.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, you get a super farewell tour at least there
if nothing else obviously, and.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
You know, yeah, the Boston Fit would have made a
ton of sense.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Of course, that becomes up in the air too when
Tatum goes down with also with the Achilles injury. I
mean that, you know, that window does look radically different
now with some of the older guys being out now
with JT. Miss in the year, you wondered if he
would go east. But again, like you said, you know,
the guy just likes being home. That's always been kind
of his brand, is that he you know, he's a
really family oriented guy.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
I do.

Speaker 2 (04:15):
I believe him when it was hard that he said
it would be in Milwaukee and being away, and like
you know, he already in the intro press conference like
he's gonna be able to like drive his kids to
school and stuff, and like you know, like you say,
thirty seven years old, like Damian Lillard, You're right, who
knows what he's gonna look like when he comes back
from the Achilles injury. I don't think obviously it's gonna
be mister Dame time that we've seen here over the
past few years. But I think either way, like he's

(04:38):
going to be a great bed in that locker room.
I think that goes without saying. I mean, Chauncey Billups
has already joking that he's going to be assistant coaching
next year, so like, you know, you get a taste
of that while you're on the sideline. The only thing
that is interesting is that I do I just as
you put a cap on that Milwaukee tenure. And you know,
we talked about it a little bit with him getting
bought out, but I I'm surprised still that that didn't work.

(05:02):
I think the writing has been on the wall there now,
especially last season, and I think in a way, Milwaukee
just kind of made like panting, like the Kuzma trade.
I go back to that where it was just like
that was such a bad move and that was so
bad on its face at the time too, where it's like, well, yeah,
this team really wasn't put in the best position to

(05:23):
succeed because you would look at their their like you'd
get their box score and like you would get what
you need out of Damon Giannis every night, but it
felt like the rest of the roster wasn't there. But
I'm not gonna lie though, Like even with Damon Giannis,
like it felt like they never got on the same
page to first go around when he got traded there
and I'm just surprised because that, to me still feels
like a combo, like that pick and roll should have

(05:44):
been unstoppable.

Speaker 1 (05:45):
And it wasn't.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
Like instead, they were always just kind of a mediocre
squad in the East, and like, I know, Chris Middleton
towards the end of his tenure there obviously was dealing
with a lot of injury issues, and you know, it
was a different feel from when they had Drew Holliday.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
But that's just always going to be kind of a
weird what if.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
To me, We're like, I truly felt like that should
have worked so much better than it actually did.

Speaker 3 (06:08):
I think part of the issue is that Jannis had
spent the majority of his time playing with the like
the premier guards that he played with, Whereas he said,
Drew Holliday in Middleton to an extent as a small
forward but could kind of slide into it two if
need be, But neither one has the offensive abilities.

Speaker 4 (06:28):
That Dame has.

Speaker 3 (06:29):
Right, Middleton was closest in the sense of it, but
was I mean, like, I don't think people appreciate Damian
Lillard's offensive abilities and his three point shooting as much
as they should. You know, like if not for step
I think that we would be talking about his three
point abilities in a much higher light than people do.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
Like I hated it.

Speaker 3 (06:47):
When announcers would say when he shot a three, they'd say, oh,
it's from Steph range, and it's like, no, like Dame,
that's Dame range, Like he's had that range, it's no
one else like.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
So, so I.

Speaker 3 (06:56):
Think that that might have just been hard for Giannis
to age, too, is having a player that he didn't
necessarily have to lean on or well have to pick
up the slack floor, I guess in a sense, you know,
like I feel like he just had to do so
much more with Drew Holliday and Chris Middleton because they
were good but not great, and Milton was I guess

(07:16):
you could say great for a couple of years, but
Dame has been phenomenal forever. And that's I mean, you know,
Drew Holliday is a great defensive player, but offense has
been pretty average since he left Philly sort of thing.
So I just think that it was hard for him
to adjust to that playing style with somebody as good
as Dame, like they they needed more time for that
to have worked.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
I think, yeah, And unfortunately they'll never get it. I mean,
the Achilles certainly you know, sealed the deal there and
it I mean, yeah, it's quite unprecedented. I mean, Milwaukee's
going to be paying their books. It's going to be
you know, twenty plus million dollars of dead money every year.
And they essentially did it so that they could, you know,
obviously make the move for Miles Turner, who you know,

(07:58):
I like Miles, Miles A could pick up for them.
It's still so crazy to me to think about, just
because of how that rivalry is. Like, no, mister Pacer,
he was just it was finals.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
Like it was like when it was like when Johnny
David went to the Yankees.

Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yeah, I mean straight up it is.

Speaker 4 (08:13):
Why how does that make sense?

Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (08:15):
And I mean look like I know the situation in
Indy you know, again, the theme of the NBA the
last few weeks, it's like that situation radically changed when
Haliburn his Achilles went down, like that, the contention window
for Indy that may have been open for another year
or two does kind of close for a little bit.
But yeah, I mean it's still either way, Like Miles Turner,

(08:36):
essentially to me is what they had with Brook Lopez, right, Like,
I don't think there's a huge trade off there. Now,
you know Brooke is going to the Clippers, who again
we'll talk about a little bit later, but yeah, it's
just the Bucks remain in a weird spot, and I
know they're at this point trying to do anything to
appease you, Honis and not pull the trigger there. But

(08:56):
like it's getting to a point with me where it
all most may be as insane as this sounds beneficial
for that franchise to trade you, honest, because you're gonna
get such an absurd haul for it back. I mean,
we're gonna we're talking like it's an unprecedentented hall for you, honest.
I feel like right now, in his prime, the player
he is, I thought that's what was gonna happen. Yeah,

(09:17):
I just thought that's and maybe it still will, but
I was expecting that to happen. I thought it was
gonna fall before KD Like that was the thing is
we were seeing these moves up, Like I really thought
Yannest was gonna ask out, Like it seemed like he
wasn't happy then too about the day buyout initially when
it happened, So that was one of those things as well. Yeah,
I don't know, it's it's an awkward situation, but I

(09:38):
do feel like they're just doing this dance and I
feel like everyone is just not ready to break up
with each other, but they both know deep down that like.

Speaker 1 (09:48):
It's over, and that's the thing.

Speaker 2 (09:49):
It's like, I don't even feel like there's gonna be
bitterness from one side, Like I feel like everyone is
very aware of what it is. You can't consider it
a failure. I mean, Giannest brought and they won their
like they won the first title since the seventies. You
can never consider the run of failure just off that.
But yeah, I don't think like, you're not gonna win
in his prime without some radical shake up of the roster.

(10:12):
And I just don't know how that happens given their
current cap situation.

Speaker 4 (10:16):
How long do you think it took Miles Turner to
move all his legos?

Speaker 1 (10:19):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (10:19):
My god, Like, how.

Speaker 4 (10:21):
Do you think he did it?

Speaker 1 (10:22):
You know, you can't disassemble them right, Like some of those.

Speaker 2 (10:25):
Are thousands of pieces, yea, God forbid, one gets lost
in transition. Like, I know, it's it's not that far
from India to Milwaukee.

Speaker 1 (10:32):
But like that's still what that's gotta be. I mean,
my Midwest.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
People got to help me out here, but that's got
to be like six seven hours at least, you know.
I either way, you get some traffic in Chicago, like
that's well, you can swoop up the lake like that's.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
The thing is. It's just like a little like fish hook,
like a.

Speaker 2 (10:48):
J almost without the top like horizontal line. Yeah, either way,
but yeah, they're that just needs to happen. I mean
it felt like again because it didn't. That was when
the k D situation started to play because I think
a lot of the teams that were in play for
Kevin Durant were would have also been in play for
you honest, like you have to be able to offer,

(11:09):
you know, quite a haul for that though I still
may know. Again, good for Houston Man, great Hall for Katie.
I still love that move for them so much. But
either way, and I mean, yeah, for Portland, like Portland
quietly was on something at the end of last season,
like I'm not ready to say they're they're taking the
leap quite yet, but it felt like they were getting

(11:31):
it together a little bit, like they were starting to
be competitive where they're you know, in the previous year
they were just fully in the lottery. You know, they
got a few good young players there obviously. You know,
it's gonna be interesting to see what Scoot does. I
think that's really the big key is, like can he develop?
You know, they traded Anthony Simon, so that's a little

(11:52):
bit of a big shake up there. We'll still see
what happens. I mean, shoot, what they end up doing
with the new holiday situation as well, like whether they
end up moving him. I don't know, Like do you
have any of course they have Chinese Yokich now too.

Speaker 3 (12:04):
So yeah, I was gonna I was just gonna wait,
and I was just gonna say, well, we'll talk about
Summer League later, because there I'm in love.

Speaker 2 (12:10):
With them, man, Yeah, I mean, I'm not gonna lie.
I kind of like because that's it's just such an
outlandish comment. Like immediately when I hear that, I'm like,
Chinese Yokich, are you kidding me? Like what are we
talking about right now?

Speaker 1 (12:23):
Again?

Speaker 2 (12:23):
We're gonna do he's he's kind of electric in Summer League.
I'm not gonna lie, Like I'm a little you have
me intrigued a little bit here, hopefully we have you intrigued.
On the Driving Dish NBA podcast. Welcome everybody. My name
is Kevin Rayfus. Justin Kuzart again, my co host on
Family Vacation. Help me back next week in the meantime.
Pinch hitting though, and yes, I am saying now on
purpose since he got the Toronto Blue Jay's shirt on.

(12:45):
Chris Crawford again, Assistant program director at WSB Radio in Atlanta,
on air with CC on at Twitter, I will say
it yeah on Twitter at Twitter on air with CC.
Those where you'll follow him leaves you and I it's
good a battle read him on the podcast. If you're
not an Apple user, Google play stor a speaker, Spotify,
tune in Amazon Music player, FM, anywhere you can find

(13:07):
your podcast, you can find us watch the video version
as well. Search Driving Thish NBA podcast on YouTube and
you can hit subscribe and see the video form as well.
Now words more sponsors. All right, So we talked about
it a little bit in the intro. Quick mention of
course the Clippers with Chris Paul. That's kind of the
big news freshets news, as we say. Going to this episode,

(13:30):
officially headed home for his twenty first NBA season, which,
to the surprise of no one, he had been kind
of hinting.

Speaker 1 (13:35):
I think it was in an interview with Jamuel Hill.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
I forget what show he was on, but you know,
he had kind of hinted that this was going to
be his last season, and now officially confirming that as
he's headed back with the Clippers. Of course, the other
big piece of Clippers news as well, Bradley Beale officially
brought out with Phoenix. He's headed the Clippers, you know,
so again hardened Beale, Kawhi, you know, now the whole

(13:57):
gang is back together, like Chris Paul would have been
insane to think about six or seven years ago. Again,
these guys a little bit older now, but you know,
a Clippers team that was good last year, like who
had a healthy Kawhi. And for Chris Paul, you know,
a bit symbolic as well, obviously playing the I think
the majority of his meaningful NBA career with the Clippers.

(14:19):
That's that that feels a slight disrespectful a little bit. Well,
the closest he ever was went well and Phoenix even
and he made the finals in Phoenix, So like you
can't rule that out either. But either way though, yeah
for most So wait a minute, so like what what
do you think, Like what's it? What's the deal with
him in San Antonio? Like obviously because I thought, you know,

(14:41):
the attraction there was going to play with Wenby and
I think giving him the true point guard they clearly
were in need for that. But like, real quick before
we get the clippers, like, like, what's your read on that,
Like do you think that this is again and just
a thing with him going home? Or like did it
just not really work?

Speaker 4 (14:55):
I think part of it was that he really wanted
to play for Pop.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yeah, and then obviously unfortunately.

Speaker 3 (15:01):
When that kind of changed, and I think that he
kind of saw with darreon Fox COMI in Jew that
it was like, you know what, my role isn't necessarily
needed in the way that it would have been in
the way I could have done it with Pop. So
I don't I don't think it was necessarily like he
didn't like his time there or went south in any way,
like he you never heard of that. It didn't look

(15:22):
like that when he played even late in the season
when when we went down, like they were still he
was still being you know, Chris Paul leader on the floor,
like talking to guys and you know, doing doing his things.
So I think a lot of it was just the
fact that he really wanted to play with Pop and
then unfortunately.

Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yeah, obviously way out of his hands there. But all right,
let's go back to the Clippers. So of course again
we mentioned the usual cast of characters there. Of course
tylu is there. Brook Lopez is now in the mix
as well, back in up zubox. With phenomenal season last year,
best season his career so far. You know, a lot
of guys like my guy Nick Batum is there. Look,

(15:58):
I mean the only big, the big lost for them
so far this season has been Norm Powell. And now
it's a move that was just a little surprising just
because of how great obviously, like you know, Norm's been good,
but like he was phenomenal last year, I mean all
star level, and I think that's a situation where they,
you know, maybe get out just ahead of pay in
him a little bit. But I mean, where does this
team stack up in the West use because like you know,

(16:19):
it feels like at this point, shoot, six of the
seven best teams are out West, and certainly everybody is
reloaded again in this offseason. You know, a Clipper team
that you know, finished in the middle of the pack
last year, but was quite good, especially at the end
of the year, like really digging themselves out of that
playing position. Like, how do you feel about, uh, this

(16:40):
team as it stacks up next year?

Speaker 4 (16:43):
I would say the word that comes to mind is intriguing.

Speaker 3 (16:46):
Yeah, And I'm only really interested because, uh, it feels
like a bunch of guys outside of KLi really who
in I guess prok Lopez too, but a lot of
old guys who just never won mm hm and just
really want to win. And I think that'll be a
very strong motivator for these guys, you know. And I
especially think all of the slander that Bradley Beal's been

(17:07):
catching this year and after this past season, I think
he's gonna come back wanting to prove everyone that he
still can be, you know, a solid NBA player in
a consistent NBA player. So I'm I'm intrigued as to
what they're going to look like. And I mean, you know,
I watched a lot of Chris Paul last year. He
still is Chris Paul. He can still see the floor

(17:29):
better than most point guards, if not all point guards
out there, and he's a good leader, and I think
it's gonna be a it's either gonna it's either gonna
be boom or bus type situation with him. I think
I think that if everything comes together, they could be
a very dangerous team. But also everything could call flat
flat on its face and they could just be miserable.

Speaker 2 (17:49):
Yeah, I mean, look, we know what it is like.
It all comes down to Kawhi, Like it's Kawhi is
the ceiling. If Kawhi is healthy and looks like he
does last year, like, yeah, you could talk me to them, Yo,
he's unlimited. If these guys are motivated, like you said,
the roster kind of fits. You still got Bogdanovich who
can give you good minutes off the bench. There your
boy Chris Dunn has given them a bunch of good
defensive minutes here in the last few years. Yeah, you're right,

(18:13):
it feels like there is that motivation. It is a
comically old roster. I mean, more than half of this
roster is over twenty eight, twenty nine years old, which,
again in a league that continually gets younger, that is
kind of an alarming like stat when you look at it,
So there's a lot of risk with that and the
injury wise, Like again, it's it's not just I mean,
I mean, it's all these guys you mentioned, like Kawhi

(18:35):
Is obviously gets the most of it and we know that,
but it's like Hearted dealt with injuries even though he's
pretty healthy last year, still dealt with injuries. Over his career.
Bradley Beal has missed significant amounts of time with injury.

Speaker 3 (18:46):
Chris Dunn right, like, just like you mentioned Chris Dunn,
also a role player, but like still he has missed
a ton of time in his NBA career. It's what
has caused his NBA to career to not get to
where he is now because of injuries all over.

Speaker 1 (18:59):
I want to see John.

Speaker 2 (19:00):
They picked up John Collins and so he's kind of
been like I mean, he's been Utah, he just has
him playing meaningful basketball really the last few years, and
I want to see him kind of again in a.

Speaker 4 (19:08):
Situation it's an injury guy, yeah, I.

Speaker 2 (19:11):
Mean kind of yeah, I mean I think he's been
that feels like a more of a like early season
type thing.

Speaker 3 (19:17):
I mean, let me triple check to make sure I'm
not played a full season in his career seventy five years.

Speaker 2 (19:22):
I mean, yeah, forty games last year. Actually, yeah, forty
I believe. I can't say I was watching a ton
of Utah, but yeah, forty for sure. Sixty eight year before,
seventy one the year before.

Speaker 4 (19:30):
So that's a little averages fifty nine games a season.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yeah, no, I mean yeah, that's definitely fair. He's been
good in the playoffs when he's been healthy. Again, when
he's good and exciting. But again, I guess it's another
guy I didn't even think about him. But yeah, but
I mean, oh yeah, I mean yeah, Derek Jones junior's
twenty eight, and who batches twenty eight? John Collins twenty seven.
Everybody else is basically like thirty enough really, so.

Speaker 4 (19:57):
Yeah, it's intriguing to me. It's I'm intrigued.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
Yeah, And I mean again, it's one of these things
where and again, you know, but the scene in the
Eastern Conference, I think they might be the favorite. Honestly,
like I look around and I go, yeah, you know what,
even just the way it breaks out, you know, maybe
you go the nickser better. But besides that, and I
don't even guarantee that given how the Clippers finished last year.

(20:21):
Brady Beal is going to give up his number three
to Chris Ball, which is very kind of him, as
he should given the Chris Ball is going back to
the Clippers. I feel like there should be some more
more priority there. But yeah, I mean again look around,
and I mean that gets back to my point is like,
you know, how do you stack this west to like
okay See defending champs.

Speaker 1 (20:40):
I think that goes without saying.

Speaker 2 (20:41):
But then I know, for me, Houston post KD Trade,
I think that roster just makes so much sense. I
think Denver. I really like what Denver's done and how
they've kind of reloaded. I loved getting out of the
Porter deal low key and going out and getting Cam Johnson, Like,
I just think that was really savvy of them. Like
that's where you can kind of start to like talk

(21:01):
me into everybody else, right, Like you look at the Clippers,
you look at the Lakers, you look at you know,
I mean, how do you stack these teams up?

Speaker 3 (21:08):
I guess yeah, I mean I think you've got to
have okay See at the top slot just because.

Speaker 2 (21:14):
They're respect for the champions.

Speaker 3 (21:16):
Pak, Yeah, you've got to you gotta put that there,
and then I'd have to agree with you. The Rockets
being right up there is probably would be too, just
because they were there last year and they only got
better in my opinion, with the moves that they made.
I don't see the Laker. I don't know, Like the
Lakers are such an interesting team and they played so

(21:36):
well at the end of the year last year. I
just it's is Lebron going to be there, because there's
all the rumors that he might not, so, like you know.

Speaker 4 (21:44):
I don't, I don't, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (21:46):
And when there's those kind of rumors going into the season,
like how well are they going to be playing and
how well is it going to translate on the floor.
I like the Denver Nuggets have more of a better
year this next season than they did last year. I
think that they needed a bit of a shake up
and I think they got it, and I think that
will see a much better team next year. And I
would probably say those are where like after that. Even

(22:09):
it's hard to put any team in that range with
those four teams, you know, I think that the Clippers
could be frisky in that sense, the Timberwolves could be
frisky in the Spurs I think could be frisky in
the sense of it as well.

Speaker 2 (22:22):
Well. So the Timberwolves are the one team that I
was going to say that we haven't mentioned yet, which again,
back to back conference finals appearances, you know, we probably
should mention them. But yeah, I mean it just I
don't think they really got better. Like they brought their
guys back, so like, yeah, you got Randall back, Read
is locked up and happy, which you're thrilled about, but like,
I don't know, you lost Alexander Walker. He was a
really good depth guy for them. Mike Conley continues to

(22:44):
get older. You know, it just feels like it's a
lot of ant heavy lifting right now. And again where
I just like I look around and it feels like
most of these teams got better, and it's just like
Minnesota's kind of running in place like you're gonna give
them a little bit of the benefit of the doubt,
but you know, I don't know. The only roster that
maybe in terms of like the Clippers with age is

(23:04):
Golden State, I mean, with Jimmy, with Steph, with Treymond.
I mean, if they go out and sign out Horford,
like again, they're kind of in that same boat where
it's like now they're they're going all in on the
on the older savvy Vets too. But yeah, I mean
Dallas would be more if they Dallas. Cooper is intriguing,
but it's like you need Kyrie, Like if they had Kyrie,
you might be you know, Cooper Kyrie a d we

(23:26):
might be talking about something. But I don't know about
Without Kyrie, you're still kind of and there Memphis now
post Desmond Baine, that's gonna be real interesting, but you
got to feel like they take a step back in
the immediacy and you're worried about John Morant injuries there
as well. So I mean I don't know, Like I
feel like, uh, I mean Phoenix obviously post trade takes
a big step back. We don't know about that. I

(23:48):
mean your Spurs have to make you guys have to
make the playoffs this year, Like there's no excuses not
to make the playoffs for this roster, right, Like, what
do you think.

Speaker 4 (24:00):
Injuries happen again? That's the first place there when he
gets hurt again?

Speaker 2 (24:04):
Yeah, right, so outside of a Wemby scenario, like what's
your realistic ceiling for this team? But what's your like
like what are you realistically happy with? Too? So, like
I guess it is a seven to eighth spot, Like
is a play in spot? Are you happy with that?
Does that satisfy you? Or do you feel like this
team should crack the top six.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
I'd be fine with like a seven or eight spot.
You know, they were on track for the play in
last season before when we got hurt, and maybe even
better than that. And I think that adding Darren Fox
and having the whole season, and I mean, I look
at the guards. We'll talk about Summer League, but like
David Jones, Garcia and Carter Bryant looked awesome, you know
for the Spurs in Summer League. Like it's just an
embarrassment of guardbages for this team right now. And that

(24:43):
you know, it's not even talking about Dylan Harper yet.
So like I think that the depth that they have
and the players that they have on this roster, they could,
like I would put their ceiling at maybe like the
four seed.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
Oh okay, I love the wholer hat there. That's that's
real good for you. See I'm not there yet. I
meaniate it. Like if Wenby takes the leap, then really
like becomes world destroyer already then I think, sure than
the sky's the limit. There's just no planet where I
can put them over Denver, Houston, OKAC or like even
the Clippers right now, honestly, like I'm there Minnesota as well.

(25:15):
But yeah, I mean just off like I said, I
think Memphis is gonna get worse, I think Sacramento is
gonna get worse. And so at that point alone, like
they should be able to take one of those two spots.
What do the Warriors do in terms of their age,
like you know, injuries wise, there, you got to keep
an eye on them. Again, Dallas not quite at full strength,
but should be competitive. There's nobody else really that's below

(25:36):
them that you think is going to make the leap
like that, like Utah still is a long way to go.
They're building the roster. The Pelicans, I'm not remotely thrilled
about the moves they've made this offseason. Feels like they've
made some of the most questionable ones. And you know,
we talked about all the injury risk. They still about
the bleak's biggest arguably with Zion. Yeah, I mean Portland,
like we said, is nice, but I'm not having Portland

(25:56):
take the leap over san Antonio, like not post Aaron
Fox moves. Oh yeah, I feel like they have to
finish top ten, like we need to start. I feel
like there need to start being some discussions if they
can't crack the top ten this year, even in a
Western conference, and be like what are we doing here? Guys?

Speaker 3 (26:11):
Again, I mean, they were only five games out of
it this year and they didn't have oneby for the
entire second half of the season like that. This was
a team that was playing five hundred ball and could
have very easily would have put them in that nine
slot above the Sacramento Kings that they finished the season
at a five hundred record, which is why I think
that seven or eight is realistic.

Speaker 4 (26:30):
And they're you know where they are right now.

Speaker 3 (26:33):
But I do think that if everything went perfect, they
could compete for are.

Speaker 1 (26:38):
You are you happy about them?

Speaker 2 (26:41):
Like they were obviously in the rumors with the number
two pick, of course with Dylan Harper coming in, you know,
there were they were the teams that were mentioned in
all the big name free agency, like when we were
talking about Giannis watch, we were talking about Vin Duranpi
intentially available, like San Antonio was always one of those
like teams that was mentioned and that actually had could
like put together a package for a type of player
like that and you know, make a realistic fair offer.

(27:04):
Are you kind of happy? Like where do you stand
with them like pushing the chips and versus being patient.

Speaker 4 (27:09):
I'm good.

Speaker 3 (27:10):
I'm good with them kind of being patient what they
have and where they are and their roster, like Wemby's
great and Darren Fox is great, but the surrounding pieces
are nowhere near where they would need to be to
bring in a guy like Kevin Durant and be able
to compete at the expectations in which everyone would then have.
I would still think that that team would be around
maybe a six seed, then maybe they could even.

Speaker 4 (27:30):
Have a better chance at a five.

Speaker 3 (27:31):
But I don't think that adding Kevin Durant and what
we would have had to trade away would have necessarily
balanced things out in a way where they would have
been this world beating team that I think people thought
they would be with a d Aaron Fox, Kevin Durant
and Wemby Big three.

Speaker 2 (27:46):
But I think that.

Speaker 3 (27:48):
Looking at the players that they've drafted, it's so deep.
The team is so deep. They've got so many good
players that, like, I just think that why hemorrhage that
very promising looking future by trading aways some of those pieces.
Let's put all these young guys together and eventually you
can use some of these young guys to go and
get the pieces that you need, not necessarily want when

(28:10):
you get to the trade deadline this season.

Speaker 1 (28:12):
Do you think would would that have changed your mind?
If it was honest?

Speaker 3 (28:17):
No, be honest, was actually what I didn't want, Yannis,
because it would have destroyed our cap for the rest
of time. Like we would have been over that second
aprin We would have just been in cap hell immediately
between Daron Fox's contract, his contract and what we'd have
to pay Wemby, Like somebody on Reddit broke down all
the math that I can't remember at the top of
my head, But we would literally not be able to
sign free agents within three years if we had done

(28:40):
that like two years, and like, it would have completely
obliterated the window in the sense of VIC.

Speaker 4 (28:47):
So no, I'm Durant was the one that I was
interested in, but.

Speaker 3 (28:51):
I was I feel like I deep down I didn't
want it, you know, And I think I still feel
that way now that I'm good with where we are,
and I think I would been more upset and anxious
had we gone in and traded a bunch of assets
and draft picks for during See that's funny.

Speaker 2 (29:09):
I feel the exact opposite where I'm like Yiannis, I
feel like you just move heaven and earth for like
he's such a special player that I think you figure
it out and I think you go, hey, maybe we
win in those two years and that's enough. And then
I don't know, somebody smarter will be able to figure
out the books and get that to work. Though I
agree obviously much more difficult in the second apron era KT.
I'm with you, like only be is two, just as
like you know, Katie's what thirty seven now at this point,

(29:32):
Like the Spurs, even with KD, You're right, I don't
think you're ready to win the title this year. Where
I feel the exact opposite about Houston. Houston with KD,
given the foundation that was already there, I'm like, no,
that team is like ready to win the title next
year potentially, Where you're right. With the Spurs that would
have felt like they're a step away, and with KD
again just and again, you know, keep being the drum
injury history like that is completely valid, and it just

(29:55):
would have been You're right, it would have felt premature,
like why not let you know you have the number
two pick, like let Dylan Harper develop. Darren Fox fits
the timeline with Wemby a little bit more like the Spurs.

Speaker 3 (30:07):
The Spurs aren't in this to buy two championships, you know,
like that's not how their organization has or ever will
be run. In my opinion, I think that they're franchise
that wants to win in a longevity kind of form.
They want to go back to the years of when
they had Duncan and mount and and Tony and won
five championships in a over three decade span, you know,

(30:28):
like that's that's what's made them incredible. So I think that,
I think the front office, I think everyone has the
same vision with this franchise, which is, we just got
our unicorn again in Wemby. We now get the second
overall pick and get this kid, Dylan Harper, who's an
absolute stud we just traded for Darren Fox. Like, we're
already further along as far as what we have, roster wise,

(30:51):
depth wise, everything wise than we were when we started
with Timmy and David Robinson.

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Yeah, Timmy's just such a unicorn though, and like I
mean David was already like way more.

Speaker 1 (31:06):
I mean that, like he was just way better than Darren.

Speaker 2 (31:08):
Foxes, Like I like Darren fox but like David Robinson's
David Robinson.

Speaker 4 (31:11):
Like yeah, oh no, I agree. But I mean that
you didn't have the Dylan Harper.

Speaker 1 (31:16):
No for sure.

Speaker 2 (31:16):
And I mean that that infusion matter. I'll ask you,
I'm curious about this. This isn't just a spurse thing,
but this is more of like a league wide thing because,
like I think the one thing with the NBA, especially
at the end of the season, like you look at
the finals, you look at Okay, see you look at
Indy and just the tremendous amounts of depth that they had,
Like you know, we're talking eight nine players deep in
a league that we know it's traditionally in the past,

(31:37):
like it's been try to go out and get your
big three and just figure it out, like and let
everybody else, you know, you just fill in the roster
with with two aay guys and with vets on buyout
contracts and like right, so right, and then so you
move on and you know, now you start to see
that fade a little bit where they're kind of going
to this team building model, but you also have teams

(31:57):
kind of pushing in a little bit too, because we see,
you know, the parody is there. Now we've had different
champions every year now for you know, going on since
twenty nineteen, we've had a different champion every year.

Speaker 1 (32:09):
You know, do you think that?

Speaker 2 (32:12):
I guess because because I'm with you, like building the
longevity model is the way to go, but in a way,
like do you think the second apron has almost made
that impossible? Just because when you have three to four
you know, elite young guys. I mean even looking at
Okac already, Like we talked about this last week, but
it's like, okay, see just won the championship. You paid SGA,
you paid Jalen, you paid Chet. They already we already

(32:34):
got to start talking about who they're getting rid of. Now.
It's like they truly cannot afford to keep this roster together.
I guess do you feel like has that has that
shifted now? Is it impossible to do that?

Speaker 3 (32:45):
I wouldn't say impossible because I think you'll get like
older vets in the situation like we kind of had
this summer that will take less to go get an
opportunity to win a certain places, which will allow for
the super team to still exist in the sense of it.
But I also think that with you know, teams like
the Toronto Raptors, well, yes they did trade for Kawhi,

(33:06):
the majority of that team that they had built was
a homegrown roster. And then what okay, see, did you
know and you look at kind of how Cleveland has
built their roster. You know, yes, they again brought in
Donovan Mitchell, but the rest of that roster is a
homegrown roster.

Speaker 2 (33:21):
With you're putting them in this category with these other
teams are talking about though, I'm.

Speaker 4 (33:24):
Just no, no, I'm just I'm just saying. I'm just
saying that there's there's a yeah, there's I'm.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
Just saying I'm sick of this core.

Speaker 2 (33:29):
Man.

Speaker 1 (33:29):
They've let me down too many times now.

Speaker 2 (33:31):
I'm not giving them any slack after that. I I
said all season long, going into last year, that I'm
not buying it on Cleveland until just like I see
them win something in the playoffs. And you know what,
I'm so mad because I went against my gut and
I bought it on Cleveland because they won all those
regular season games, because I like Kenny Atkinson, Eliza Coach
and Gosh Tarnett. They let me down again, and I'm.

Speaker 1 (33:53):
Sick of it.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
I'm not I'm not giving Cleveland any body. I'm on
Cleveland's neck until they win something meaningful in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (33:59):
Feel like the Portland Trailblazers when it was Aldred's c
J McCollum and David.

Speaker 2 (34:03):
Pot that they got to the conference finals, though at
least like Dame was in the conference finals the one
year and.

Speaker 1 (34:09):
They lost the Warriors.

Speaker 2 (34:10):
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna at least give them,
you know who's being the Warriors those years. And so
that's kind of my thing where I'll give him a
little bit of slack, like I don't know, I'm.

Speaker 4 (34:18):
Just it took them, It took Jennifer begging for them
to win to finally.

Speaker 2 (34:23):
Yeah, Donald, like Donovan Mitchell needs to be thankful that
Joellen Beiid is in this conference and that he's taken
all the heat for not getting past the second round.
Right now, I think people will be having Donovan Mitchell
conversations too. Right now because that Cleveland Corp Has disappointed
me for three four straight years, like we gotta I'm
just like and and now especially the East is so
wide open, but I cannot give them any credit until

(34:44):
I see them win meaningful because it's not even like
they lost to Indy this year. They got dog walked
by Indy this year. You should not have been getting
crushed by the Indiana Pacers like that. And that's not
even a shy the Pacers. It's that you're not supposed
to be that far off from them where they're beating
you in five games.

Speaker 3 (35:01):
Yeah, the Pacers were just really good though in the playoffs,
like it's hard to they were on a tear. But
I think that you know, and my bottom line is
that I think that you see a lot of these
smaller market teams that have built success through just building
it slowly and while it may not happen overnight, I
think teams are kind of looking around me like, oh,
we don't necessarily have to try to compete with these

(35:22):
guys in this free agent market and spend a ton
of money on one guy and then not be able
to get the rest of our team put together, Like
we can build our team and be patient and wait
and try to find that right player to bring in
if we even need to bring that player.

Speaker 2 (35:35):
In or or are you just even with like Boston
because a lot of these teams you mentioned, you're right,
it's all homegrown, like Denver. Denver's core was all home grown,
and Golden State's home crow of course we know going
way back as homegrown, and like the kind of the
middle ground balance almost I feel like, is Boston so
like Boston? You of course JB and JT are both
homegrown and that's your core, and that is the foundation.
But it was also a Boston. It's not even like

(35:56):
they were taking the home run sing necessarily. It's like
you trade for this savvy that's like the role guys
who just compliment the roster. Like it was getting you know,
Persingis and getting Drew and getting bringing out Horford back
and like that was with Derek White, like going out
and looking for a guy who just obviously a great
player just in a situation that doesn't fit right this second.

(36:17):
Like that's how they were winning that Like that's the
alternative method to me. But yeah, I mean, you're right,
it has you have to draft well, Like that's the
only way you can compete in today's NBA because of that,
like you can't afford to keep everybody. Yeah, it's it's
just one of those situations like that shit that is
the rule on the apron right now. It really has
but more financial pressure on these guys than ever before,

(36:39):
and it makes you really have to weigh your conversations,
like one injury can shape I mean, look like, look
at Indy. Indy we were talking about like, if if
Allie's not hurt, I'm absolutely going into the second apron
for this roster. How can you not go into the
second apron? Yeah, Like that really does make you make
those decisions now that are tough. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (36:57):
Yeah, And that was I was saying it during It
felt like Indie, even if hal Burn didn't get hurt,
I did feel like that was their kind of lightning
in the bottle kind of season, you know, where like
they wouldn't be able to have repeated that unless they
went out and went all in on that roster, you know,
like that that was not a conference finals or an
NBA Finals roster in the in the sense of it

(37:19):
just looking at it, they just like, as we said,
they were just on an incredible. They got hot at
the end of the year, they were one of the
best teams going in the playoffs, and then.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
They were in the conference finals the year before.

Speaker 3 (37:27):
We got pushed back and they were they were in
the conference finals the year before too. But it just
it does It still didn't like they didn't feel like
they were I didn't buy them as conference finals.

Speaker 2 (37:36):
No, there's a reason that they were. There's a reason
they were the underdog. They don't have that like one guy,
because even with Halle because he facilitates so much, it
didn't feel like they have that one guy. Now they
clearly do have that one guy like Halle an all
time NBA. But you're right, I mean, it felt like
this was Indy's best shot to win with this group.
Just you don't get everything was coming together at the right.

Speaker 3 (37:55):
Buzzer beater, game winning shot, Like you don't like that
doesn't happen in a playoff run.

Speaker 1 (38:00):
Ever, Well that's why.

Speaker 2 (38:01):
And again, like we don't need to just keep bringing
it up because I feel like I've been saying it
a bunch on the pod since it's ended. But like, yeah,
that that just like again the icing on the cake
for what made that Halley injury, so brutals. It's like,
just like, let the game be played, man, let it
go out fair. It's like, and you know, again three
for starts the game three for four. You can't tell
me it wasn't going to have a heater. They still

(38:22):
might have lost the game. Like that's what I don't
ever want to sound like I'm taking away from Oka.
See like Okac is a super worthy champion, but like
I hate what ifs, and especially when they're injury what ifs,
Like I just want to and in a seven game
where all timer like that, Like you just deserve to
have it not end like that. And that was just
it's so damn unfortunate.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
Yeah, And like I said, I think that I still
think that they weren't necessarily going to be that type
of team every year, But I agree with what you
said where it did feel like that was a team
that would have gone all in on going over that
second aprin to go and try and land that guy
that could take them back to the conference finals for
a third straight year and hopefully the NBA Finals again.

Speaker 2 (39:05):
Well, and I think you feel it too with them,
because it's like, I mean, they haven't won a championship before,
and you have seen some teams like they start to
break that recently where it's like, you know, the Bucks,
it wasn't their first, but like the Bucks their first
championship in fifty years, basically, like you'd go all the
way back to Kareem before it was Kareem to when
the Bucks won before that. You see Denver put their
first one on the board a few years ago. Okay,
see now putting their first one on the board in OKAC.

Speaker 3 (39:28):
So yeah, I mean, and you see teams that get
so close to winning and then come back the next
year and are like hungry just to get you know,
like they have a different mentality because of how close
they were yea, and if they were able to bring
somebody else in to help them get to that, I
think they could have had a good year.

Speaker 4 (39:43):
But I just didn't.

Speaker 3 (39:44):
I don't know the makeup of that team. That really
felt like lightning in a bottle for them. It's just
hard to get back to it. I mean, that's the
thing you would just learn about sports. It's like even
I mean, it's really and the NBA has been more
dynastic than other sports I think in the past.

Speaker 2 (39:57):
Oh I god, again. Ironically it hasn't been recently, but like, yeah,
you learn, isn't it. Like that's one of the bummers
about being an adult sports fan compared to when you're
a kid. Right, Like when you're a kid, you see
your favorite team losing the playoffs and you go, oh, yeah,
they'll definitely be back, like they'll one hundred percent that'll
happen again. And this an adult, you realize you're like, no,
that might not. Actually, like there's a good chance, like

(40:18):
you know, we could be the Chicago Cubs and go
one hundred plus years without winning a World Series like
there are I mean, how many NBA teams haven't won
finals ever, like and haven't really been close since then.
They've had a few, you know, multiple teams have been
in the finals and then haven't got that chance again.

Speaker 1 (40:34):
Like it's tough, Like, yeah, you appreciate it while it's there.

Speaker 2 (40:37):
I mean, that's one I mean again, and got to
get my got to get my Super Bowl reference in
a show. But it's like that's why, you know, listen,
we got our shot again against the Chiefs. That's so
rare in itself that you even get that second chance
to be able to then to go out and make
it happen. Definitely a good look there. But you know,
speaking of one of those franchises in search of their
first titles is the Charlotte Hornets.

Speaker 4 (40:59):
Yeah, they just got it.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
Yeah, well that's what I mean, Like, we're finally we're
on the board. We can at least put something in
the trophy case, which, by the way, shout out to
like the NBA. These guys are getting Summer League lings
net or some wow. I think Lackwart's bang wuage. Gotta
love that. But these guys are getting the Summer League
rings now, like.

Speaker 1 (41:17):
Which is cool because obviously a lot of these guys.

Speaker 2 (41:18):
Don't make NBA rosters, So I do think that that's
pretty cool to have something with it. But like there's
a real trophy and everything. But like, dude, that did
bring a little pain to my heart when like the
Hornets won Summer League and again, congrats to the Hornet
Summer League squad for bringing it home in Vegas.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
When they said that was.

Speaker 2 (41:33):
The franchise's first trophy of anything, I was like, oh
my god, that just like it's got hurt.

Speaker 3 (41:39):
I don't put that, you know, you don't put that
trophy up you don't put that trophy in a case
or something.

Speaker 4 (41:43):
Right until until you Yeah, no, like until you I
don't even put in case.

Speaker 3 (41:50):
I think until you win maybe maybe like the coach
gets it, whoever coached that summer league.

Speaker 2 (41:54):
You gotta practice facility, You got to fill those cases up.
Those cases are big, man, you know how they go.

Speaker 3 (42:00):
You can't put that in there until you win a championship,
and so you just there's no way you like it
would be like it's like when the Colts hung.

Speaker 4 (42:07):
With like the we made it to the AFC Championship
game banner.

Speaker 2 (42:12):
What if they win the in season tournament first, you
put that up?

Speaker 3 (42:17):
See, yeah, then you can do it. Yes, So if
they win the n season tournament, you can put that's yes,
because that's regular season. People seem to care a little
bit more about that.

Speaker 4 (42:25):
I'll give you.

Speaker 3 (42:26):
If your first trophy is the summer league or the
in season tournament trophy, I'm okay with putting that in
the trophy case.

Speaker 2 (42:33):
All right, I mean that's yeah, Like you said, real games,
they're a little bit I just we don't need to
have an NBA Cup discussion while playing time to talk
about that. I just want to start a little later,
like that's what it all comes out. It starts way
too early for me, and no one understands the format.
But I think you can make people understand the format.
I don't think you know, but not have the third
game of the season be an NBA Cup game that has,
by the way, massive ramifications and how this seeding plays out,

(42:56):
so it's kind of unfortunate.

Speaker 1 (42:58):
But yeah, anyway, shout out to the.

Speaker 2 (43:00):
It's getting it done in Summer league, you know, officially
wrapped up, so we are in the dog days of
NBA Summer officially, you know. I guess any any big,
any big moments to stood out to you from Summer
league this.

Speaker 3 (43:11):
Year, Well, shout out Joshua d'Oro, former Friar Summer League champion.

Speaker 4 (43:17):
He can put the trophy somewhere if he wants. That's cool.

Speaker 3 (43:19):
I'm fine with that because he's a Friar Conak Nipple
really surprised me. I'm gonna be honest. I wasn't sure
how his game would translate in the NBA, but it
looks like there's something there that he might be able
to compete a little bit. And Leam McNeely also looked
really good for the Hornets, and I was kind of
impressed by both of them. And then you know, I

(43:39):
think that we talked briefly about it. But Yang Hansen
the Portland Trailblazer Center is awesome.

Speaker 4 (43:46):
I'm in love with him.

Speaker 3 (43:47):
He looks incredible and I could watch him play basketball
all day long. And of course, naturally shout out Devin Carter,
who was awesome for the Kings in his second season
with them, also former Frior.

Speaker 4 (43:58):
He's gonna be great.

Speaker 2 (43:59):
I love him. Yeah, they need some Devin Carter. Kind
of a rough rookie year. They need him to kind
of break out here in near two in Sacramento. That
be a nice little development for them.

Speaker 3 (44:07):
He was for the first half of the year. He
didn't play his first games until late January because of
a shoulder injury. So we had to come back from
the shoulder injury and get back. So this is a
this is a new season for him, and I'm excited
for how good he's gonna be.

Speaker 2 (44:19):
I also did love the Spurs guards, but I mentioned
that earlier. Yeah, all of all of the Kings fans,
hope you're right there. I was glad to see that
that VJ. Edgecombe recovered and because you know, normally, like
he played the first game and then they said he
had a thumb spring and normally for sixers rookies, that
usually means like your thumb is on the verge of
falling off and that you actually like may lose your

(44:39):
arm almost in a traumatic accident over the summer. So
you know, shout out to VJ for at least making
it through the summer league so far. We'll we'll see
if he's the the first Sixers rookie to be able
to break the injury hex here in a little bit.
Uh yeah, I mean looks good man like he just
and and I do gotta be honest, I was a
little higher on him. I thought he could have gone
like as high as like four or five, like I was,

(45:02):
that was a real good pick for Charlotte to be
able to slide into that there. I don't like Charlotte
is again they need to keep everybody healthy with namely LaMelo,
but even Brandon Miller a little bit too.

Speaker 1 (45:15):
But you know, if Kinnibal.

Speaker 2 (45:17):
Turns out all right, you start to have the foundation
of something there.

Speaker 3 (45:22):
I feel like, right, yeah, I think so, I think
that you know, you get you get confidence in your
front office's abilities, which it feels like the Hornets have
not had.

Speaker 4 (45:32):
In a long time.

Speaker 2 (45:33):
No, the I mean, yeah, the horn I mean they've
been treading water once. I mean they haven't made the
playoffs since Kembo right.

Speaker 4 (45:40):
Well, like even still like have they?

Speaker 3 (45:43):
I mean, LaMelo Ball was kind of a very easy
hit as far as the draft goes. But like, outside
of that, they haven't been a good drafting team at all.

Speaker 2 (45:51):
No, They've They've missed a lot of center or just
had bad lottery luk. Like That's the other reality too,
is like I mean even this year, like they were
you know, I don't know. I mean they won nineteen
games last year.

Speaker 3 (46:02):
I mean they got but like you still got to
you still gotta make the picks. And this is the
first year that it felt like it was, you know,
questionable where they could go, who they could take, and
if it was going to pan out and so far,
and again it's only summer league. He could be awful
once he gets onto the regular NBA floor. But it
looks like they found a guy who can produce game
in and game out and could potentially be starting right

(46:23):
off the back of them.

Speaker 2 (46:24):
Yeah, and I mean look like again with the Eastern Conference,
the way it is, you get any little development, you
might mess around and like end up in playing position
this year, Like it's pretty wide open. You know, if
LaMelo was able to stay healthy, you know, you get
to thirty thirty five wins, you string it together, you
feel like you got a shot that would at least
get your trending in the right direction. It feels like, and.

Speaker 3 (46:46):
I don't know about you, but I always get nervous
about the second player on a college team when the
best player is like a phenom of the sorts, right,
you know, like you look at Anthony Davis and then
Michael could get christ speaking of the Hornets, hopefully then
the Bobcats where it's like, yeah, this guy's just so
good that it really elevates this other guy's game because

(47:10):
of how much attention is being put on Anthony Davis.
And I was worried that with Cooper Flag we could
see a little bit of the same because Conkinippa was
great for Duke this past season. They used him a lot,
and it felt like because of the attention Cooper Flag
was always getting that he was able to leak out
and do a lot of things. But so far, it
again looks like he's actually going to be able to
hold it on his own.

Speaker 1 (47:29):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (47:30):
I mean, like we said, it's certainly a good you know,
early returns from Summer League had been good. Yeah, God dude,
just the East. I again, I keep looking at these
standings and there's just so much. I mean, the Knicks
are by far the team I feel the best in
in the Eastern Conference right now. I don't really think
it's close. Beyond that, I mean, the Calves. For all

(47:50):
the slander I've had about the Calves, I do think
they'll be a good regular season team for sure, and
like they'll be competing right there for one of the
higher seeds. Like beyond that, yeah, like if the Sixers
stay healthy. I guess Paul George is hurt again already,
so sure, all right, Like we'll see if that happens.
Miami post me, I think the Magic are a top

(48:10):
three team if they're healthy the whole year. I kind
of do too. I'm there too, Like I I again, like.

Speaker 3 (48:15):
You just look at the making, looking at the makeup
of the East as you're talked about, Like if they
can stay healthy the whole year, which was the problem
last year, right, Franz missed a ton of time, Palo
missed a ton of time. Yep, Jalen Suggs was out
for the whole entire second half of the season. It's
very similar to you know, like what the Clippers, except
they're all young unfortunately, right, Clippers are old and have

(48:36):
the injury problem. The magic of young players and the
injury problem. But if they they have so many good
young players that if they can stay healthy, like that
is a team that they competed with the Calves all
year last year, they can compete with the Knicks. They
compete with the Knicks all year last year. I think
that they could be a team that could be a
top three team and competing for a top spot in

(48:56):
that East.

Speaker 4 (48:56):
But ye have to stay healthy.

Speaker 2 (48:58):
Yeah, it's I'm I mean, realistically, after the Knicks and
the Cavs, who I think I have a little more
faith in. It's like you've got the magic, the Sixers,
the I mean, the Celtics and Pacer are still gonna
be competitive, They're just not going to like have that
as much. I mean Detroit, honestly, like I think Detroit,
if they pick up where they were are still right there.

(49:19):
I think they're in that mix. The sneaky one is
in Atlanta too. I really, like I've said this in
the past few weeks, but like they've just surrounded Trey
hung with a bunch of good defenders, and I'm a
little intrigued to see that, honestly, and let Trey be
able to just do what he does on offense and
not have to worry about getting killed on the other ends.

Speaker 3 (49:34):
So I'm actually very I think a lot of people
are going to be sleeping on the Celtics, and I
think they're gonna be right up there again this year.
I think that when you watch them play there there's
a lot of ball like ball stopping with Jason Tatum,
and the offense doesn't really flow super clean because of

(49:55):
how dynamic of a player he is and how great
he is in ISO and everything like that.

Speaker 4 (50:00):
But when he's out, this was a team that was
like ten and two.

Speaker 3 (50:03):
I think when he was out, like like they were
still a good team without him, and Jalen Brown seems
to play a lot more free when he's out. Now,
losing Drew Holliday and Chris SAPs will be interesting, but
you get a guy in Andrey Simmons who's really good too,
and I think very underrated, having been hidden in Portland
for a long time now. So I'm not I'm not
totally ready to sell the Celtics down the river yet.

(50:24):
I wouldn't be surprised if they're like a five to
six spot, but like I also would not be surprised
if they're right up there again.

Speaker 2 (50:30):
Yeah, I mean, if JB goes off, I think they'll
they'll have the chance. I mean I did like as
Signmon's pick up for them, sincerely. I think that's a
good He'll give them a punch that they need. Obviously,
a lot of their depth was great last year, you know,
namely Peyton pritchardt sixth Man of the Year. I feel
like it was his breakout campaign. They're losing a lot

(50:51):
of guys and so I think that's like, you know,
you're gonna lose out, You're gonna lose KP, You're gonna
lose Drew Holliday, Like you know, Derek White is still there.
That's great, he's healthy, he's gonna do his thing. But yeah,
I think they're I think best case scenarios are like
a four, maybe a three. You get them up there,
But like I just I don't think they'll have the
firepower to win anything beyond like a first round series

(51:13):
if they if they wint past the second round series,
I think it's such a great like overachieved post Tatum,
because you're right, I mean, it does get to Isoa
points with Tatum and where it kind of stops. But
also like Tatum is Tatum man like when they get there,
like he's just the guy, like when he's a superstar.
They are the best team. It feels like they're the
best team at points. So you know, I don't know

(51:34):
either way. You know, it's certainly a lot different scenario
if it was in the Western Conference. I know that.

Speaker 1 (51:41):
And we'll see. I mean, teams are again in one
move away.

Speaker 2 (51:43):
Somebody makes the move out east, and it really can
change things, shake things up a little bit here. We
will see what happens. Thank you everybody for listening to
this episode of Driving Dish NBA podcast appreciates you guys,
as always leaves everyone iTunes good or bad, or read
them on the podcast. If you anywhere else you can
find a podcast, you can find us. Of course, watch
the show on YouTube just search Driving Tosh NBA Podcast

(52:04):
CC you've got the Blue Jay shirt on, like your
boys are cooking right now, first place in the AL East.
You know, Vladdie's resigned and happy. I'm not gonna lie.
I haven't watched a single Blue Jay's game this year
unless they played the Phillies. So like, you got to
film me in all what's working?

Speaker 1 (52:17):
But I mean, how are you?

Speaker 2 (52:19):
I mean now post All Star Break, like this is
the real point of the MLB season, Like it's starting
a meaningful now, Like, how do you feel like your
guys are set up going into the second half.

Speaker 3 (52:26):
I don't know. I don't know. This is all very
very new to me. I don't normally watch extremely meaningful
baseball games this early in the season. I don't know
how to get excited because I'm just always scared that
it's going to fall apart. But they have the second
best record in the AL. They've won the most series
out of any other team in Major League Baseball this
entire season. They're on a best home win streak eleven

(52:49):
straight games, longest in franchise history. Like there's just new
stats every day that they're doing that they've never done
in the history of their team before.

Speaker 4 (52:56):
So I'm like, super excited and super nervous and just.

Speaker 3 (52:58):
Have no idea what to do because I don't know
what winning baseball is until it's like four weeks before
the playoffs and they've gone an incredible tear like they
did in twenty fifteen.

Speaker 2 (53:08):
Yeah, I mean it's a good division too. Obviously, Boston's
really been picking up here in the last few weeks.
The Yankees or the Yankees, the Rays have been you.

Speaker 4 (53:15):
Know, I'm never looking those down five understandings.

Speaker 3 (53:17):
I'm never looking down like that doesn't that's like what
is happening.

Speaker 2 (53:21):
It's a fun place to be and I mean look
like I mean the Phillies have been are in first
right now, it's a little bit closer in the division.
I think there are different reasons that I'm not as
confident are having fun, but that's more of just like
because they've been, you know, kind of competitive here the
last few years and have been disappointing since the World
Series run. Yeah, I mean, look, if they're maintaining a lead,

(53:43):
which are getting like you look at the standings. The
Yankees are six and four in their last ten, the
Socks are seven and three. If they're you gotta feel good.
If they're able to ride that the rest.

Speaker 1 (53:52):
Of the way.

Speaker 2 (53:53):
I mean, like you said, only one win behind the
Tigers right now to ahead of the Astros. I mean
they're regardless no matter what. Just even with the wild card,
they're in such a good spot to make the playoffs.
I mean with three now, I mean it could two
of them could very.

Speaker 1 (54:06):
Well come out of the East.

Speaker 2 (54:07):
Honestly, So how goes Yeah, it's been it's been a
long time since since winning baseball in Toronto. I mean
Toronto would probably as a four sports city or yeah,
they have four hockey no well no, well there's no
football obviously NFL. It's a little different. Like to be honest,
I don't know how the Argonauts have done. Like I

(54:27):
know they have to CFL team, I don't know where
they like, you know, I can't say I'm up on
that one hundred percent, but I mean you would probably
be talking about Toronto is like more of like having
a drought. It's like a tortured franchise because like obviously
the Maple leafs arguably the most tortured hockey team given
that how much money they spend in the fact that
they never win. The Jay's won back to back in
the nineties, but it's been you know, since ninety three

(54:49):
for that. You know who were the Raptors. Raptors they
held it down winning that title in twenty nineteen. So
I don't know. We we shall see hopefully, uh, you know,
hopefully boys keep it on.

Speaker 4 (55:00):
It's so weird.

Speaker 1 (55:01):
It's a fun stadium too.

Speaker 2 (55:02):
Never supposed to be this well, said my buddy Sherburn
was up there the other a few weeks ago, and
like I always forget too that, Like you have such
a good view of the needle right there, like seen tower.
You can just like get like right from your seats
if you're on the third baseline, just look up and
it's right there. It's it's definitely, it's a.

Speaker 3 (55:16):
Really ever if you've ever been up in it. They've
got a glass floor up there that looks directly down
into the stadium.

Speaker 2 (55:21):
It's crack. I mean, I've never been to Toronto, would
definitely love to go at some point.

Speaker 4 (55:26):
I mean, shoot to stay at the hotel in the
in the stadium. It's on my list.

Speaker 2 (55:30):
I mean, listen, you guys come up north, you you
guys want to be with Canada. You tell me I'm
a lot closer Toronto than you are, so wait, listen,
we can. We can make something happen and we'll let
you know how that turns out. The meantime, thank you
everybody for listening to that. Some Justin will be back
on I guess Saturday.

Speaker 1 (55:44):
Is when we're playing a record.

Speaker 2 (55:45):
It's Tuesday now, but uh, just will be back in a
few days. We'll hear a ballace vacation was and we
will talk to you guys soon.

Speaker 3 (55:53):
I think we've done about dances today, so I wanta
dance Wednesday.

Speaker 2 (55:56):
See the Star Sidney.

Speaker 4 (56:08):
I think they could be