What To Do With Ja? | THE NBA SHOW - Earnestly Speaking Podcast

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:31):
Bang bang.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Alright, let's good disc of the NBAH show here in
the podcasts.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
I know him about two weeks.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
But as you guys know, it is in the middle
of uh of the busiest sports calendar of the year.
So we're gonna go stagger these episodes until we get
closer to the end of football. Of course, we do
this show every few weeks at this point. Right now,
A brother guy, Gregarinia, Greg, what's going on, brother, How.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
You doing well? Thanks for having me.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, man, it's been two weeks. It's been pretty active
two weeks already.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
I'm the shoot man.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
I gotta tell you, I told you, buddy, I was
not looking forard this season when it started. But I
gotta I mean, honestly, I'm I'm pretty engaged. Actually, I'm
I'm I'm I'm surprised because the normally this time of
me I'm sharing time a lot of sports and all
of the content. But this has been a very fascinating
first two weeks so far.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
I gotta say, Yeah, there's a lot going on, a
lot of stuff off the court going on, which seems
to be a hallmark of the NBA these days. But
but yeah, it's it's exciting as it always is. I'm
joining watching watching the games, a lot of surprising teams.
So it's it's been a good start.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, it's been a good start, but it's also been
a very weird situation, especially now in Memphis. John Moran
of course, Uh, he was suspended for a game due to.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
What what what? What is that? I missed that game?
Ask you what is that you have in that game?

Speaker 1 (01:58):
I guess metaphora conduct detrimental from my understanding of it,
and I wasn't watching that game specifically that night. First
half apparently seemingly went great. They come out from the
locker room. He was disengaged, not moving around, standing in
the corner during.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
So it was a team decisions.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, during timeouts he was away from the huddle. And
then after that game they you know, was when they
suspended him for the following game. And that's how that
whole thing played out.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
Well, he was spend one game.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Of course, he effort issues on the Lakers game last week,
which probably caused us to happen. He came back, I
believe Monday this week, and he played another really in
a pushing game. His postgame press are a clipper. I'm
gona play real quick. His postgame press is really love
even more speculation by his future.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Check us out.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
Get the same joy right now, dude, we used to
see him him, No, why not be done to get
it back?

Speaker 3 (03:02):
Well, you'll see, all right.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
So it it looks like things are very much at
a crossroad so far with John Morant.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
Now we it's funny we expeculated last year.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Certainly I did about the possibility of Memphis blowing things up,
and of course they did blow things up.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
They did. You know, trade doesn't bane to Orlando whatnot.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
But we did expect tool also POI poss jam Rant
maybe be on the move now he's stile in Memphis now.
But with all this stuff gone here, you gotta figure.
And I always I always like to start a year
of like saying, okay, which players, which whales you called
like stars could be on the move or teams that
could be wiggled wiggled out of other.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
Teams to another team.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
And you know, Job was always one of those guys
I said, you know, keep keep by the situation. But
I didn't think maybe this I think maybe this year
you'd be all right, but this could be the first
whale to move man. Do you think he's gonna be
ask let's keep you Simil this way. Does Jaw is
job a Memphis Grizzly by say April at then close
of the season.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
I'll say no, although I don't know that he will
wind up going for the price that everyone would probably theorize.
I think his name is a lot better than his
game at this point. I saw rumored earlier that the
Kyrie Irving package would kind of be in the ballpark
when Kyrie was traded from the Nets and the MAVs

(04:17):
that sort of deal. I don't know. I think that
Kyrie's problem was solely off the court. Not that Kyrie
doesn't have an injury history, he surely does. But John
Morant's got the injury history and the off the court baggage.
But then in addition that he's not as good as Kyrie, like,
he's not as talented, he doesn't bring the shooting to it.

(04:41):
Me personally, it's kind of the same thing with Kyrie.
There were a lot of teams that didn't want to
touch Kyrie for off the court stuff. I wouldn't want
to touch Morant for leadership and basketball stuff. In addition
to that, I.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
Agree with that too, because my thing is ayback he
was saying, how like, I don't think he's anything ness
Way Greaves off the court.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yes, he's hurt his brand off the court. Yes it
should be in the ambassador of the NBA. I agree
with you there.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
However, I think it's as much as much more risk
on the court because it's just stop play.

Speaker 3 (05:13):
It's higher risk, high reward. You know what I'm saying.
He's a high flyer. He plays at Derek Rose and
you starting to see him not do you have the
year missing chunk games for health reasons?

Speaker 1 (05:24):
That and also like he's not a good shooter. So
I mean, yeah, I mean last night six of nineteen,
you went, you went through his poor games before when
you're detailing it, I just don't know that an undersized
guard whose game is predicated on athleticism is someone that
you want to empty your holster for. Like if I
was if I were the Houston Rockets, I'd rather go

(05:46):
after Derek White than John Moran because I'm looking for
a guy who's gonna stabilize my situation, not at volatility
to it. And also, like I think you look at
teams that might need point guards like it's not easy
to just incorporate a guy who can't shoot or isn't
known for his shooting. And also, like I don't know,

(06:07):
I just look at his maturity issues, Like you know,
he's he's supposed to be the leader of his team,
and this is how he's acting. And you know, I
know people will say that, like the coach played a
big role in this, and he called him out in
the locker room, and and you know, I've heard all
about Islo's mantra of being assertive and not being passive

(06:32):
aggressive with his players and if there's an issue, he's
going to call it out and so on and so forth.
And you know, I get that that might not work
with a lot of a lot of players nowadays, definitely
not with John Morant. But the reality is, like, you know,
Marent should be more acceptable of coaching because I don't

(06:55):
think that he's a perfect player. It's not like you're
telling It's not like he's telling Luca to become a
three and D play like you know, he's actually done
a lot to help his game. I mean, Moran's biggest
criticism last year, I mean, again, this is a theme
his criticism of the environment that he's in. But his
criticism last year is that they didn't run enough pick
and rolls. This year, they're running fifty eight pick and
rolls per one hundred possessions. Really don't quote me on

(07:18):
the number that they were running last year. I think
last year is something like twenty two, but it was
something really low last year. But it is fifty eight
per one hundred this year, which.

Speaker 3 (07:27):
Is what he wanted, so increased from last year.

Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, it's still significant increased. They're doing more of what
he wants. And I'm not going to blame a coach
who's trying to coach an imperfect player. You know, it's
not like he's Kevin Durant and his prime or Luca
Dacic or Jannis or whomever.

Speaker 3 (07:46):
You know.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
I mean taking good player like he is not a
one A superstar player. He's a you know, an all
star player, but who comes with his limitations. And I
thought that Derrick Rowse comparison was a pretty good one.
You know, obviously Derek Rosse had he not gotten hurt.
But I mean the style that Moran plays is very
he's very likely to get hurt, and he doesn't bring

(08:08):
the shooting along with him. So given the leadership things get,
you know, even if you're not taking you off the
court stuff in their account. I just don't think that
he's the perfect player that a lot of teams really,
I don't think there's a huge market for his services
given what No.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
No, And you look at his contract too. Also, right
this year, he has this year's game paid thirty nine four. Okay,
then he has two more years on his deal right now,
which he gets forty two to one, and then the
year after that twenty twenty twenty four eight. Now there's
only two years off to the deal after this year,
So maybe the close streak at the end of the contract,
maybe it is a little more attractive to teams to say,
you know, we'll take a chance on that one for
a year or two. You know what I'm saying, I

(08:45):
don't know. I mean, he's still pretty young, and he's
still pretty good. Like what is John morant to me
a top twenty five player in the league. Yeah, I guess,
but but trending the other way, m hm. You know
what I'm saying, he's still considered that spot because he
can still go off a night here and there, but

(09:06):
he's not efficient and there are a lot more players
coming into the league that are getting better, you know,
players who've been in a couple of years are getting better.
And yet here he is now a guy by the way,
it's funny how things changed, like this is a guy
we thought four years ago was probably the face of
the league and that spot was open because look, even
though Nicole Yokai is the best player in basketball in

(09:29):
terms of marketing, he didn't really care for that.

Speaker 3 (09:30):
He really didn't even care.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
And same thing with to the ser state with Luca
two also to the opportunity was there, and then all
the stuff happened off the court. Again, not saying it
was agreed isn't bad, but it just hurt his brand.
But now that it's not trickling to his play now
on top of that, and so it's gonna interesting. Let
me ask you a question, this one about John and
but about potential, Like, let's say, does get traded, which

(09:53):
teams do you think in your mind? Not big market,
you said, But if this small market, which teams you
think could use it? Eyjahn Morant and maybe somewhere you
can go to GiB said his career.

Speaker 1 (10:05):
I mean I've heard I've heard Houston rumor just because
they don't have a point guard and they could they
could use uh Van Fleet's contract. Van Fleets obviously out
for the year of the Tony ecl So I mean
that's and they've got plenty of draft uh draft capital
they can use, you know. I mean, that's the most
seamless fit if I were them, I don't know that

(10:25):
that's the move that I would make, uh, given that,
you know, you've already got a guy playing point guard essentially,
and I'm n Thompson, who isn't a great shooter but
does a lot of other things on the floor that
make him highly valuable. I would say that Moran kind
of has the same style without the defense and the
length and you know, the durability. You know. I just

(10:47):
I would rather have Amn Thompson dominate the ball than
John Morant. But I think that's the easiest trade if
we're just talking about logistics. I mean, I've heard the
Sacramento Kings as a possible team, and that's probably just
because the Kings are not a a destination let's say,
for like free agents. I mean, obviously free agency isn't
what it used to be, but I mean it's not
my team players are clamoring to go to Sacramento, so

(11:09):
they pretty much have to use a trade to acquire
a guy. But I also don't know how that works necessarily.
I think if any move is made, it's probably after
December fifteenth, when a lot of guys who signed this
summer become algible to be traded. But the problem is
is that given the amount that he's making, the forty million,
like you said, you.

Speaker 3 (11:29):
Know, forty four next two years, it.

Speaker 1 (11:31):
Is as far as making the money match for a
trade this year, Like, it's hard to make those big
trades in season because you know, again without without Van Vliet,
I mean, you know, that's a tough trade to make.
A lot of teams don't have just forty million in
in cumulative salary they can throw out, Like let's say

(11:54):
Milwaukee looked at it, and they're like, oh, you know,
we'll take a chance on a guy who's at a
huge discount. But then it's like they don't have the
salary that they could send back to match it. Even
if you take Kuzma and I guess if you say
Kuzma and Bobby Portis.

Speaker 3 (12:08):
That's because I know KU's like eighteen nineteen.

Speaker 1 (12:11):
So that I thought Kuzman was actually at like twenty
one or so.

Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, he's his his deals, his deals de escalating too though.

Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, and then I think Portis is at like fifteen
or sixteen.

Speaker 3 (12:22):
He just signed, so you can make that work.

Speaker 1 (12:23):
And then if you threw in, I guess, like you know,
uh and Andre Jackson Junior, you know, to make the
money work, I guess I see.

Speaker 2 (12:34):
The thing is, I do think you know you're talking
about jummright at age thirty eight, twenty nine, he stole
his twenties.

Speaker 3 (12:40):
So yeah, not to say he's not rehabitable at all, and.

Speaker 2 (12:44):
Honestly, for a guy of his name stature right now
currently who we still think is a top one five
player in the league and could easily if you turn
things around, get back to the top ten discussion.

Speaker 3 (12:54):
You know, I don't. I think forty million a year
is not terrible.

Speaker 1 (13:01):
It's not terrible, but you're you're gonna have to get
rid of two to three players off your current roster
if you're if you're a good team, like let's say,
you know, Miami is the team that always comes up
in these discuss Yeah, so I mean, like, who are
you making in that trade, Like, you know, is it
just a Hero for Josh swap and some other fleeting compensation,

(13:23):
or are you trading Wiggins plus a couple other guys
to make that work? Like, I don't know that I
want to lose three guys off my depth. If you're
saying they're just going to add him to the team
now and and swap them for Hero, maybe I guess,
But you know, I guess as you go through it.
It's just hard. Like Laurie Markinen, you know, he's a

(13:45):
name that's that's always going to come up, as you know,
the Jazz are always tanking. He's a really good player.
But I mean, it's forty five million dollars. It's not
easy to just have forty five million lying around.

Speaker 2 (13:56):
And you're hoping that if you do it, we don't
have the whole that Jaw can turn it around.

Speaker 3 (14:02):
And again there's.

Speaker 2 (14:03):
Still the space to do that because he's young enough,
so you're not doing age everyding what someone does. Maybe
it's he checked out because it's it is Memphis and
they've seemed to be going nowhere after a fast start
a couple of years ago. So maybe he put him
the right situation. Maybe he does get motivated, but at
the same time too also my big as a Heat
fan here of course you see back here, my biggest
risk of Jaw has nothing to do with off the

(14:23):
court at all. I trust him to come to Miami
and behave himself because Miami they do that. They do
good job in insulating.

Speaker 3 (14:30):
That the behavior.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
My issue, and I said early in the podcast, is
the fact that he's a high risk player because of
the way he plays.

Speaker 3 (14:38):
He's very stably getting hurt. And do you want to we.

Speaker 2 (14:43):
Just got rid of a guy who barely played, who's
getting paid fifty million dollars a year. Are ready to
go back to that thing again and bring a player now?
Granted I'm a lot younger, but he more risk than
than g Butler was. And paying that guy forty two
million dollars next year and forty four to ver next year. Maybe,
so maybe you have to take a chance and hopefully
it works out. But maybe coaching, maybe maybe Eric Bolscher

(15:04):
can finally too reel that is a little bit.

Speaker 3 (15:07):
Hey.

Speaker 2 (15:07):
You know, listen, it's okay to play high intensity, but
you know, though you value lulzle to your team, you
gotta be available to.

Speaker 1 (15:13):
Yeah, I think if the if they were trading Hero
Forum straight up, you could say, okay, if it doesn't work,
they're basically the team that they are now, which is
like a pretty solid team. But if they if they
were keeping Hero and they were trying to move off
of Wiggins and Hakkez and Jovich and you know, some
picks or whatever, yeah, like I don't know, I'd be

(15:34):
less enthused, just be.

Speaker 3 (15:35):
I would I rather yeah, to your point, I'd rather
trade Hero, Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:40):
But I mean, like you look at it as a
team like Milwaukee, like they might only have a couple
of bullets left in the holster to play, and they're
valuable bullets because people are gonna look at it and say, okay,
like a twenty thirty one pick or a twenty thirty
two pick, like right, yeah, this will be gone by
then that's a very valuable pick. But like if your
Milwaukee is ja the guy that you would want to

(16:01):
gamble on. And I'm just using like those teams as examples,
like not that Kuzma and Bobby Portis and take the
last guy in their bench are irreplaceable depth that like
is contributing to you know, a championship team, but is
ja a guy that you can trust that you are then,
and I'm talking about more from a basketball standpoint, although

(16:24):
I guess you could characterize the leadership flaws and the
mopiness and all that as like an on the court thing,
because that's clearly spilled onto the court. But even taking
that out, I don't think that he's a perfect fit
for a lot of teams. And you know, maybe Milwaukee
makes that work because they have outside shooting around him,
Like Milwaukee doesn't have shooting with the honest, so that

(16:47):
you then had Jaw who's doesn't give you a lot
of outside shooting. You know, I just don't know that
you know an unreliable player that you're then gutting your
asset chests for. And again it's it's on those two teams.
But I'm just like going through some of the you know,
the workings of how teams could operate, and it's like,

(17:07):
you know, this Sacramento makes sense, Like you know, I
don't think so you know, so you can go through
it and I don't see like an obvious fit. No,
as you're saying, it's not Miami and your t.

Speaker 3 (17:18):
Think the best fit's best fit.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
It's meant that you want to take that, take that
that chance on it, and who are gonna get up
for that? And honestly, like I said, I'd rather get
a hero with one big, one big contract versus the
other assets.

Speaker 3 (17:30):
You know what I mean, because you're gonna lose a
shooting a hero.

Speaker 2 (17:32):
But the places that you would give up in a deal,
it wasn't if he weren't a hero, you lose more shooting.
So at least wile taking the ball, at least you
shoot the ball. And the other guys in that nature
on the roster. But again we'll follow the story obviously
because it's gonna be a very fluid conversation throughout the
rest of the season.

Speaker 1 (17:49):
And also one other note, I think the pick and
roll with Bam, if you're spacing the photo shooters would
probably work out pretty well, uh with him, if he
stays healthy and happy and all that.

Speaker 2 (18:00):
I would do it only because I trust bosal to
to reel them in. But we'll see, Okay, se was
was actually uh surging.

Speaker 3 (18:08):
I was.

Speaker 2 (18:09):
I hope that I wish they won last night, man,
because then they'll be nine to oh you know, the
alse the port last night, the first game of the year.
But they are clearly the best team in basketball right
now through the first two weeks, and it got me
thinking too also, but everything everything you do right now,
they're they're eight and one right now, and it lost
a close game to port last night, and they're doing
all this well. The second best player, Jayen Williams. And
by the way, for folks who don't know who aren't

(18:30):
from them, okayc the Thunder and their roster and their players,
because I'm sure you not plugged in that way, because
unless you're a hardcore NBA fan, Jim Williams is arguing
a top ten player league. Okay, most most people having
the top ten I number one on my list come
into the year, so he there's some some some guy
in the roster.

Speaker 3 (18:46):
This is a very important guy to this thing. This
is like Pipot and Jordan.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
So the fact that they're still winning games without their
second best player and being at eight and one right now,
it got me thinking. This team once forget one of
narras last year, people forget this team quietly.

Speaker 3 (19:03):
Won sixty eight games.

Speaker 2 (19:06):
Very few teams in this league's history has even crossed
sixty seven. Okay, I think only twos cross seventy Okay,
is there possibility this year that because they will get
Jil Rolls back to some point this year, do you see
a scenario this year where this thunder team, who I
think is probably better now than they were last year
because because when they got jail Wing back, you know,

(19:26):
darn well, he'll'll he'll fit in and take your business health.
I was, I was mithstanding, Damn, this team will eve
win seventy games? Because I say yes, what about you?

Speaker 1 (19:35):
I say no, not not because they're not good enough
to do it, just that I think that guys are
gonna cycle in and out of the lineup all year.
You're gonna have back to backs, You're gonna have them,
you know. I think their ultimate goal is a championship,
not winning seventy games. So if they need to sit
h you know, if they want to ease Jalen Williams
back in, Chet is not like an overly durable player.

(19:57):
So I mean, like they have incredible depth and like
they're even with those guys cycling in and out, they're
still going to be favored, probably heavily on most nights.
But I mean you're gonna run into teams in a
very competitive Western Conference like last night, where you might
just not have all your guys available and the team's
gonna be hungry and all that. So I don't know
if they're chasing seventy wins. And also I just I

(20:19):
think that the West is super deep. I mean, you
take out Utah and basically on any given night, you
could lose that game. Maybe Utah and Dallas at this point,
you take them out, but like you know, they lost
the Portland last night, they could lose to San Antonio,
they could any team that didn't necessarily make the playoffs
last year in the West, I feel like is improved.

(20:40):
So now granted the East is weaker, but they only
lost I think one game to the East last year
in the regular season that was Cleveland, So you know
they already cleaned up last year on the On the East,
you know they have nowhere to go, but now the same,
you know, because they can't do any better there to

(21:01):
make up ground. And just with how deep the West is,
I just think that they're gonna be more cautious with
their guys. They're not gonna run them out there if
they're sore, if they're banged up, that's no.

Speaker 3 (21:11):
And I'm with you, but the thing.

Speaker 2 (21:13):
This is why I think I'm a good chance though,
because I don't think they're trying to go get the set.
I don't think they're head to the same you gotta
win seventy, win seventy. Even last year they just played basketball.
Last year they had what was the rectal last year? Uh,
twelve points a game, twelve points differential fourteen and guess
what right now through nine games, thirty point three. So

(21:36):
and they're doing without their second best player.

Speaker 3 (21:39):
So it's not like.

Speaker 2 (21:39):
They're interead saying we're gonna go for seventy. But at
the same time, it's like, okay, they're just clearly by
everybody else. So they're just gonna do what they do
in winning games anyway naturally, you know. And I think
that's why I think seventy might be a lot more realistic,
realistic because the fact that he's got to play ball.
There's this all dramas team. They're the unit, their team played.

(22:01):
They when they do interviews after the games, all together,
there's not this SGA doing doing in posting interviews. It's
it's the entire team together and they just play ball.

Speaker 3 (22:09):
They just did.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
They're one those head first put the head down and whatever.
And I don't know man as this. I look at
this teams like they just clearly betterbody else, and even
if they don't try, it meant that theyre try being
harder to when these games that the front school could
go to fifteen points a game, because there's some games
you see the like there's kind of like you.

Speaker 3 (22:29):
Know, playing ball whatever, and it's close at first and
then they pull away.

Speaker 2 (22:32):
The Clippers game on Tuesday, they're behind a halftime and
they win my fifteen points and that.

Speaker 3 (22:38):
Was a close game.

Speaker 1 (22:39):
Yeah, the safe money is on is on them repeating.
I mean, I like Denver because I mean I think
that Denver got a lot better. You know, they're five,
they're five and two now, so I mean that might
not look a lot better. Obviously, Cam Johnson doesn't look
that great. But I think one thing that Denver did
when they made that trade, it not it wasn't just
a one for one swap Porter Junior for Johnson. They

(23:02):
saved twenty million dollars that allow them to go out
and fortify their bench. So it wasn't a Johnson. They
had Tim Hardaway Junior, they had Bruce Brown, they had
Jonas Valenciunis, which is basically, those are the three guys
coming off their bench. Now you know, they didn't have
a bench last year, so I mean, I you know,
I just feel like they are a deeper team that
will figure it out. And in that series, even with Shay,

(23:24):
I was still lean towards Jokic from a talent perspective,
you know, I mean, obviously you know you're talking about
two of the top three four guys in the league.
No disrespect to them, just that I feel like, you know,
I feel like Denver could give them a run. But again,
we're two weeks into the season.

Speaker 3 (23:42):
So yeah, no, I agree. I agree.

Speaker 2 (23:44):
If this ancient was a conference that can give them
any childhood out, there's.

Speaker 3 (23:48):
Only one team I think that can do it. It's Houston.
I don't know, it's Denver, it's it. I don't think
Houston made for that smoke yet.

Speaker 1 (23:54):
No, not unless they were to make if they were
to use their assets and make like a SIZEO move,
and to me, John isn't like a sizeable move, you know,
I mean, if they were to get I mean, I
think again, I mentioned that earlier, Derek White would be
a better fit for them if they were to use
their assets and get Derek White, not even saying Derek
White's available, but let's just hypothetically say that he was.
I feel like that would be a bigger move because

(24:16):
the biggest area of concern for them is like a
reliable ballhandler who could also shoot, you know. I mean,
Derek White's a good defender. Reach Shepherd is not. So
that's why Reach Shepherd comes off the bench and doesn't
start for them, because they can't trust him to defend
for thirty six minutes to night. Right, Right, So I
think that Houston is still limited in a sense, and

(24:38):
I don't I also don't know that like a lot
of times, when teams are thrown together in the offseason
like that normally does not result in success that very
first year. So like, I find it hard to believe
that Houston is again a lot of those guys are
still there, but Durant is new and he's basically the
central point of their offense. So I feel like that's

(24:58):
a hard thing to integrate on the fly and then
have success first year. I mean, even the Heat with Wade,
Bosh and Lebron didn't win a championship the first year, so.

Speaker 2 (25:08):
Right, well, another good story happening too. Also, you know,
a very good start by the seventy six versus five
and three and then and doing this, doing this with
a very visibly struggling Joel Embiid who's only averaging eight
here on eighteen point the game. But that backcourt of Edge,
Coleman and and Uh and Uh and Maxi has been
phenomenal so far. First off, how so fars are you

(25:32):
to field up? He's been this good so far up
the shoot.

Speaker 1 (25:35):
I'm pretty surprised because I didn't expect Maxi to take
another leap, and I didn't expect VJ. Edgecomb to be
as NBA ready as he was coming in. I knew
they were getting a good kid and a motivated player
and all that sort of stuff, but I didn't expect
him to transition that seamlessly to to starting alongside Maxie
and really making like one of the good young backcourt

(26:00):
to the future for any team in the league, not
just in the East. So that that was surprising. And
they're also doing it, you know, I would say they're
doing it without Paul George.

Speaker 3 (26:10):
And what was yet waste time? Bro? I'm sorry the
mbat things is frustrating as hell, and I get it.
At least he's playing games. Paul George is more frustrating
to me.

Speaker 1 (26:22):
And to be honest, I think that the Sixers are
better served and there's no way to do this, but
they are better served without Paul George and Embiid even
on their roster. But I mean, but there's no takers
because when they start a Dan Bona and Jabari Walker like,
they play super high tempo. They're running the floor, they're

(26:43):
getting out on the break that you know, the other
team misses a shot and they're gone. You know, you
can't do that with George and with Embiid. With PG thirteen,
we're assuming they can't do that since he hasn't played yet.
With Embiid, we just see it doesn't work because he
can barely move anymore. His talent is still It's not
like he lost his skill set. It's just that he
struggles to move out there.

Speaker 2 (27:03):
I mean, he's probably also nervous to do anything crazy
to get hurt again.

Speaker 3 (27:07):
Now here's the thing.

Speaker 2 (27:08):
He's averaging eighteen points a game, playing only twenty two
minutes a game. That's not terrible actually though.

Speaker 1 (27:15):
No, But I mean the issue is that like their
last game that he played, he went one for ten
in the second half, So I mean, you could tell
that he had no gas in the tank. And if
you're looking at this team from a playoff perspective, it's like,
how can you rely on it? You would need him
to play thirty five minutes or thirty two minutes in

(27:36):
a playoff game. I just don't see him ever getting
to a point where he can reliably give you thirty
two to thirty five minutes in a game that they
would need him. And plus, like the way that they play,
it's like a run and gun offense that like he's
just too slow for. So I feel like they have
to play a different style based on whether or not

(27:56):
he's on the floor. It's not an easy thing for
a nick nurse to navigate. So I give the full
credit for the way that the beginning of the season
has gone, for the style they've played and all that.
I mean, it's like they've got like a two timelines
thing going on here, which isn't When Golden State had
the two timelines going on, it wasn't an issue of injury.
It was just you know, new guard, old guard style

(28:18):
of all that. In this case, like you know, they
couldn't get rid of Paul Georgia and be if they
wanted to, So that I think is really where the
challenge is.

Speaker 2 (28:28):
And then in Beats contract, I know we on the show,
we touched on it a lot throughout last year. We'll
do it again here for people listening to today, Like
there's still three more additional years outside this one, well
two really, but one player option.

Speaker 3 (28:42):
And the way he's going, he's gonna opt out that contract.

Speaker 2 (28:44):
Come on, now, he's getting paid the date one next year,
then paid sixty two to seven the year after, and
then this player up here twenty twenty nine, well, my
kid probably I think sixteen that point sixty seven to three.
So like people all just trade him. Who's gonna take him?
No one's taking that contract. And the way he looks

(29:04):
right now, there's he's done. They're dead in the water.
I don't know what you do with that. Like, I mean,
I would you wish you had like the uh, the
the amnesty clause. My back in the day, that the
clause back in the day, He'll be a let me ask
a question, that's that's a good question.

Speaker 3 (29:17):
Who would you amnesty Joel embiid of PAULA George.

Speaker 1 (29:21):
Uh, definitely embiid because I think that Paul George, if
he gets on the floor, can still play a little bit,
and he can still maybe guard a little bit, can see,
you know, like and be can't move. It's it's not
a matter of his talent. It's just that I feel
like his body has betrayed him at this point. Paul
George was never you know, he'll come back in some

(29:42):
shape and shape or form. He was never going to
be like totally shot. And also his contracts a little shorter.
I want to say it's one.

Speaker 3 (29:49):
Year, three more years. I think on this deal now,
I'm notut mistaken.

Speaker 1 (29:52):
Well, I mean they signed into a four year deal.

Speaker 3 (29:54):
I believe yesterday last year, but last year's year one right,
first first year, so all for guaranteed, I think all
to mistaken.

Speaker 1 (30:00):
Yeah, yeah, so I guess the same thing. I feel
like you can put him out there and he can
still give you three and D even if he's not
a star caliber player, he can still give you something.
If embid is not going to be the player that
he was and can't move on defense, I feel like
you're getting less from him that that is a very
good question though, if you were given that, given that choice, uh,

(30:25):
I think the saving grace for Darryl Moury is that
he drafted Jared McCain in the middle of the first round,
very hit and and hit. He drafted he would have
the Rookie of the Year last year, most likely had
he not gotten hurt. So, I mean, you know, there's that.
And then Edgecomb looks like he could be an All Star.
You know, McCain looks like he's going to be a

(30:46):
very good player, not an All Star caliber player. Edgecomb
looks like he could be like a star.

Speaker 3 (30:52):
And you know, you know, you don't need to pay them.

Speaker 2 (30:53):
You don't need to pay them until by the time
you're ready to pay those guys, you'll Embiad's contract and
off george contract four years. So so like Paul George
is dealing right now, like this year's gonna pay four
nine two, next year fifty one six, and then his
last year.

Speaker 3 (31:06):
No, actually I'm wrong about that. Uh No, So that
was last year. They didn't think this.

Speaker 2 (31:11):
This year fifty one six, next year fifty four to
one player option at eight thirty seven, six to five,
he's opting in two question.

Speaker 1 (31:21):
Both both those guys are gonna are gonna opt in,
and neither one of them might be playing at that point,
but they'll just they're just gonna ride this out. So
I mean, I don't see any way they can get
off of those contracts. I just think that Paul George,
you could have him stand in the corner and play
a three and d roll. I don't know that you
can have and be be the focal part of your offense.

Speaker 2 (31:40):
And be the only one is the one unfortunately, you know,
he used to one player right now currently. But yeah,
it's sad for Philadelphia, man, because like in one way,
it's like it's good that at least have something to
backup on so they can still keep the young guys,
play them until ready to pay him, and then they
pay him when when once the other contracts expire, you know.
But the same time is like I Mass's team was
healthy now. To me, if drawn B drawing B two

(32:03):
three years ago, when it was healthy, this is the
clear favorite of the East.

Speaker 1 (32:08):
I would say that most fans obviously not Okay, see
not Denver. Maybe a couple others would still take the
situation that Philly's in because if you're not competing for
a championship. So like you know, the Knicks, the Caps
wouldn't take their situation, yes, but you know they have
the back court of the future there, you know, early twenties,
you know, in Edgecomb's case, like nineteen twenty years old.

(32:30):
Like you see a future there. It's like in football
the Giants for Jackson Dart you know, I mean like
you see like, Okay, this might not look good, but
we at least feel like we have something for a decade.

Speaker 3 (32:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (32:44):
Most teams, I would say, are searching for that. So
even though they have these huge albatrosses and contracts, the
fans can at least feel good that they've already got
the next guard on their roster, which most teams would
not have. But making that work as as winning a title,
is nearly impossible, just given the fact that you're just

(33:04):
not getting consistent production out of two salary spots that
are counting for what one hundred million dollars this year?

Speaker 2 (33:12):
Okay, Chicago Bulls uh sept to one one East right now,
I gotta ask you, uh, because they always do this.
They always start to start pretty decent and then they
fall apart. But this one is a little different. I
don't know, are they a contender.

Speaker 1 (33:29):
Pretender pretender, Yeah, definitely pretender. I mean like I've watched
them play, and Billy Donovan gets all the credit in
the world the way they're playing stylistically, Josh Giddy doing
a great job orchestrating the offense like every guy. You know.
I said to my buddy when they beat the Knicks
last week, I'm like, Chicago seems very connected, you know,

(33:52):
the Knicks scene disconnected. They seem like everything's on a string,
like every guy's in the right spot, the ball's going
to the right place. But I think ultimately that's a
product of good coaching in a weak Eastern Conference and
just a hot start. You know they're going to run
into teams that you know they're gonna be. I mean,

(34:13):
even the other night, they should have gotten their floors,
their doors blown off by Philly. They're down by twenty
two points and Philly lets that lead slip. Full credit
to Chicago for coming back, but I mean they still
do have their limitations, which is they don't have any
star level talent on their roster that when the games
are close and tight late, I guess you could say

(34:35):
Josh Giddy, like if he keeps playing this way helping
All Star this year. But I don't know that. You
look at their roster and it's not like they have
an Anthony Edwards so they can give the ball to
and say get out of the way, you know, like
that sort of thing. So you look at their roster,
I mean they're making it work with a lot of
guys that have been banished from other teams, or Jalen
Smith's of the world or Kevin Herders. I mean, obviously

(34:56):
Patrick Williams has always been there, but has always been
sort of a controversial figure for for the Bulls because
they were trying to develop him forever and he's never
really developed. And now this year it seems like they're
getting getting something out of him. But you know, it's early.
I think that it's it's just a product of the East.
I don't even know that.

Speaker 2 (35:14):
I don't want to shun the parade though, because I
still I believe. I believe more in De Troy. He's
one on one for one row than I do Chicago
big picture.

Speaker 3 (35:22):
Well see, I don't want to a bull fan, man,
but it does fake hustle there that team brother.

Speaker 1 (35:27):
To your point, Detroit has like legitimate talent, Like they
have a Kate Cunningham.

Speaker 3 (35:31):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 (35:33):
Chicago doesn't have that. Even if you're saying Giddy is
an all star caliber player. Uh, they have a Kate Cunningham.
They have Duran who looks really good. Sara Thompson's so,
I mean, you know, I feel like there are pieces
in place with good bench with also solid bench pieces.
But I feel like there's some higher end talent on
Detroit that there just isn't on Chicago, which you know,

(35:54):
I feel like this is a little smoke of mirrors
at this point. But they had but again they played great.

Speaker 2 (35:58):
So one of the things like get you to your
power records for the week, the Lakers number two seed
in the West. They are now seven to two all
Lebron James. Now, we sat here on the show two
weeks ago, and you agree with me, said that you
believe Lebron is definitely trying to leverage that situation for himself.
I did an episode a couple days later, so episode

(36:19):
a couple days later saying that I think Lebron, I
think that Lebron it's backfiring him. This is his belt
Backparning because because they don't clearly don't need him. They're
guys playing getting involved, Jackson Hayes getting involved, and Luca's
doing Luca things and whatnot. Austin Reeves has been unlocked again.
And we've said that Lebron, and I guess this is

(36:41):
not you know, know, Lebron fans can get mad. I mean,
I say this, but this is not that I'm knock
on Lebron. James the player, He's top two all time
for me. I don't dispute that whatsoever. But it comes back.
It comes down to fit, and it also comes down
to where the team is versus where he is in
his career. Him being there in the Lakers does not
help them much. In fact, you can argue it hurts them,

(37:02):
not because he's not good, but he stunts the growth
of the players, and I think he was I think
that he's thinking, you know, I wish they had struggle
more because they know they need me. I know it's
only nine game sample, but the pretty nice sample. You
know that, hey, we may not need this guy. So
when do you see things going like what you thought
on the Lakers fast start?

Speaker 3 (37:24):
I'm stocked this good this early.

Speaker 1 (37:27):
Yeah, I mean I think that there's actually some staying
power here with the Lakers, because when you look at
Luca and Reeves, it's almost like what Dallas envisions with
Kyrie and Luca, and you've got that already, and then
eight and his get has assimilated. Well, he's played better
than I ever thought he would. But then you've also
got good role players on their team.

Speaker 3 (37:48):
You know.

Speaker 1 (37:48):
I think that when Lebron comes back, if he's willing
to slide into a secondary or tertiary role like that,
like he should be excited to join this team because
there's no team that he could be shipped off to
that would give him the opportunity that he likely has
right now. And also with his salary. Again, if it

(38:11):
was prohibitive to trade a forty million dollars John Morant,
it's impossible to trade you know, a forty one year
old guy making fifty million dollars. So I mean, like,
you know, who is giving up.

Speaker 2 (38:22):
The only reason the team will even consider doing that
is because of the marketing aspect, because if he goes
to Cleveland right now and it doesn't cost him a
lot of their assets, you know they're gonna make a
shit ton of money because of the fact that it
is the kid from Acron back home again. So it's
a marketing thing they'll make money on. I don't necessarily
help their champion chances that anyway, but who else?

Speaker 1 (38:44):
Yeah, But I mean with Cleveland, it's like I'm not
giving up a guy, no, not old decade. Yeah, even
though like Jared Allen, like for all his flaws, he
still does a lot on the court and at his age.
You know, if he's in his mid to late twenties,
I'm not giving that up for a guy who's in
his forties just for vibes, you know what I mean.

(39:05):
The only you know, I mean this, this is like
a wild thing that just came into my mind. But
like the only thing that would maybe even make a
little sense is if you're the Knicks and you're trading
towns for him, is you want to get off his
long term salary, uh, to free that up? You know,
I mean, because then Lebron is a freation after this year.
And again I'm not saying I don't see that happening.

(39:27):
I'm just saying that's the only situation where that could
even conceivably make sense for a team if you're not
in contention, why are you why are you trading that? Yeah, yeah, exactly. So,
I mean I'm just saying that if you're looking at
trades out there, he's basically stuck in the Lakers situation
except for like a few extreme examples, and again that

(39:50):
would have to be towns basically demanding a trade.

Speaker 3 (39:53):
Uh you know.

Speaker 1 (39:55):
So, I mean again that's an extreme example.

Speaker 3 (39:57):
And the plate the plate here, but but.

Speaker 1 (40:00):
Curry market for him. So he so this is his opportunity,
and you know what, it's a good opportunity if you
slide him into a roster with Reeves and Luca himself
ate and playing pretty well, some good bench pieces, La
Ravia and Vanderbilt and Marcus Smart like all sliding into
very specific like roles and what they want them to do.

(40:21):
Like that's not terrible, you know. I mean, that's a
that's a team that could do something. You know, they're
not okay, see they're not Denver, but I mean they're
right after that.

Speaker 2 (40:30):
So yeah, I'm the Lakers, Like I said, rab this
out one on the rest of the year. He's freeze
next year and then he does doesn't walk no reason,
there's no reason to shick things up.

Speaker 3 (40:41):
You know. Plus, I've always said, look, Luca's kind of.

Speaker 2 (40:43):
Like James Harden. He doesn't really do well those stars.
He's pretty much a guy that's put put You put
rugs and talent around him.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
You can make that work. You know.

Speaker 2 (40:54):
He's a guy that because he's so bold, dominant, you
know what I'm saying. So I don't think having another
star on a level with him is gonna work. I mean,
Lebron Luke thing has worked in a small sample, but
it's not going to work long term.

Speaker 3 (41:05):
We know that already.

Speaker 2 (41:06):
So but I'm very impressed. Man, I'm very impressed. And
I think that the whole thing's back part on Lebron. Honestly,
I was trying to leverage what we're trying to leverage
with a new contract or whatever may be, so far
as that's not good for him.

Speaker 1 (41:18):
So yeah, and look, Lebron's over forty you know, it's.

Speaker 3 (41:22):
Forty one the next month.

Speaker 1 (41:23):
It's just the reality of where he is in his career.
Some knock on him. It's just that he's you know,
he's in the twilight of his career.

Speaker 2 (41:30):
But it's weird because he's still a top fifteen twenty
player in the league. Yeah, I think we still agree
with that. So but it's just the situation in itself.
All right, before we get out of here, Greg, let's
do your your powerful I gotta come up and name
of this the seven now going forwar and you do
this your power five. But I mean your fifth best
team right now in the NBA so far.

Speaker 3 (41:47):
I put on some music, yes, I mean.

Speaker 1 (41:50):
As a disclaimer, I'm not necessarily going, you know, like
the Chicago Bulls at six point one, Like I'm looking
at this is overall strength.

Speaker 3 (42:01):
I agree the way you want to and all that.

Speaker 1 (42:04):
So and number five, I'm to go with the Knicks.

Speaker 3 (42:07):
Okay, the Knicks, Okay, what what's working on? Like five
and three?

Speaker 1 (42:11):
Five and three? Okay, it's fine. You know, I don't
know that the the atmosphere around there is great, but
I mean, you know, talent wise, they're still a top
two team in the East, so I mean, you know,
by default they're they're there.

Speaker 2 (42:25):
You know, but it's like a little bit letdown.

Speaker 1 (42:28):
So for yeah, but even with the letdown, you know,
there's still they still have a runway just like Cleveland
does to get to the finals. So I mean, and
I would still in a Gamingainst Chicago or Philly or
Detroit or Milwaukee, like you know, in a series like
that that was starting today. I still think the Knicks so,

(42:50):
I mean, uh, I got them at five four. They
haven't concerned me enough to move them out of that
for I'll go with Cleveland. I actually have them over then,
just because I feel like they're five and three two,
but they've also been super banged up. The Knicks don't
have that excuse, so at least Cleveland's Cleveland's had injuries.
You got dere they got Darius Garland back last night,

(43:14):
you know shut.

Speaker 3 (43:16):
I think the over under was something and a half,
I believe, and I think the under yeah right, and
I think the over. Remember do you think those get
the over?

Speaker 1 (43:27):
No? I think I think they'll still be under.

Speaker 3 (43:30):
The East is actually competitively can getting credit for I think.

Speaker 1 (43:32):
Yeah, it's more competitive, but at like a water down version,
like I think that it will be tested on a
ninth to night basis. But the level of count is
higher in the West. But given that Cleveland and New
York are both in another tier and with no Albert
and Indy with not Tatum in Boston, like you know,

(43:53):
those teams aren't on the radars, So I mean like
there's a runway there for both those teams. Is longest
they keep up this sort of five and three, six
and two pays going throughout the years. So I still
feel like Cleveland's in good shape. That mobile could take
another leap. They still have They still love guys around

(44:13):
their stars. Deanner Hunter was still a good pick up.
They've got a good coach. If Lonzo Ball stays healthy,
I think he's a better playoff fit for them than
ty Chrome was.

Speaker 2 (44:23):
So I mean liked a move to be made top or.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
Just don't know. I don't know if there's a move
for the Knicks or the Cats to be honest, to
move without like blowing up what your nucleus is, Like
I said before, unless you're moving towns in some deal.
Doesn't have to be for Lebron, but for anybody unless
you're blowing it up in that sense, I don't see
a move for either one of these teams on the margins,

(44:48):
which I think is what they would want given their
lack of assets and the salaries of their higher ing players.
But that's just the way I see it now. Number
three Lakers see that we just talked about. I've been
pretty impressed.

Speaker 3 (45:04):
You're buying in, brother, You're buying in.

Speaker 1 (45:06):
Yeah, I feel like I've never bought him before. But
I feel like those two guards, both young, both good.
They're getting more out of eighton than I would have expected.
Their supporting past is pretty good, and I feel like
if Lebron buys into that, buys into a role, he's

(45:26):
still talented. He can still play. You know, you don't
need him to play thirty five minutes a night, even
if you just playing twenty five minutes a night. I
feel like there's a world in which there's enough depth
there around a superstar caliber player with an all star
caliber player next to him, still with Lebron's skill, I
feel like.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
It brings to matter Johnson role.

Speaker 1 (45:45):
Honestly, Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, I mean there there is
that that pathway for them to be right up there
from the West. So yeah, he wouldn't be it. Lebron
wouldn't be able to go to a better team. So
I feel like I'm impressed more so than I would
have been two weeks ago into the podcast.

Speaker 3 (46:04):
All right, number two, Greg.

Speaker 1 (46:07):
I mean one and two are easy. I mean to Denver,
five and two I haven't really done anything to concern me.
I mean, Cam Johnson hasn't been great but the other
but Tim Hardaway has been surprisingly good. So I mean
even if you wanted to a good player. Yeah, yeah,
So I mean Tim Hardaway has been much better than expected.

(46:27):
Tim Johnson's been worse than expected, but again thoroughly so.
I mean, I'm not panicking about guys that are learning
how to play alongside Jokic and in that system and
getting their bearings and all that, and they still have Jokic,
they stay have good depth, So I feel like they're
a safe number.

Speaker 3 (46:42):
Is it me? Or does the legs out of shape?

Speaker 1 (46:46):
I mean he never looks like he's in shape to me.

Speaker 3 (46:48):
Like like this year.

Speaker 2 (46:49):
Like I remember watching in his first game of the
year against Golden States weeks ago, and he.

Speaker 3 (46:53):
Looked he looked like he was like he put on
some pounds.

Speaker 1 (46:56):
Yeah. I wouldn't disagree with that necessarily, but I would
also say that like he is probably like the least
likely person to suffer like a catastrophic injury because he
just plays such a slow, lumbering on athletic right.

Speaker 3 (47:09):
And he'll play himself into shape like he always does.

Speaker 1 (47:11):
Yeah, yeah. I mean it just said he's not like
Jason Tatum when he got hurt. It's like, okay, every
year he's in like the top five, like miles around
on the court, like he's putting in a lot of
effort in the pace game. Joki is not doing any
explosive movement. I mean he might have what like one
dunk this year or two dunks when the year's over.

(47:32):
I mean, like right, he just doesn't play an athletic games.
So I feel like he's a very easy guy to
pencil in to or pen into their line their lineup
every single night, and you don't have to worry about
moving parts.

Speaker 3 (47:47):
Okay, and number one is easy, right on?

Speaker 1 (47:49):
Number one is easy. It's okay. See, Uh, you know
you made you made the case earlier that they've been
the best team and they've been missing an All star
uh for the first nine games. So I mean that's
that's an easy one. Uh. You know. The only thing
that I guess we'll be watching with waiting for fated
breath will be uh a crack seventy or not. I

(48:11):
say no, you say maybe.

Speaker 3 (48:12):
So you know that that'll be I think I think
the play.

Speaker 1 (48:15):
That'll be the excitement for this team. I don't think
it's so much will they be good, but it's like
will they be historically good or just like very good regular?

Speaker 2 (48:23):
Would you say right now is the uh MBB leader?

Speaker 3 (48:29):
Uh? I mean I guess hard.

Speaker 1 (48:34):
I guess just giving a record, I don't think he's
the best player in the league. I mean, to be honest,
if I were taking a team scratch right now, I
would take you honest. I would think you're honest that
I would take.

Speaker 2 (48:43):
He's everything I said about your start, about the Miwaukee
Bucks people, about them, your start.

Speaker 3 (48:48):
I said, watch this team to be honest.

Speaker 2 (48:51):
Get you got us throwback and you're getting honest playing
at Hilo Powers right now. I got a solely because
of the situation Joe will was there on his team.
I said, oh, well, yes, his boy, No he's gone
and it's still winning.

Speaker 1 (49:04):
Yeah. I mean, everybody's going to look at the record
and that that will skip the scales for s g
A if that's what it comes down to. But Giannis
is doing way more with way less, and he's playing
both sides of the ball, where it's like Jokic is
only an offensive. I mean, you saw it last night.
If you watch the game with the Heat, Okay, I

(49:25):
was gonna say, like, you know, there are just plays
where Jokic on defense is just checked out. I mean
there was a play I don't even remember who was
driving to the rim for a layup, but I mean
he could have helped in that situation to prevent the
drive and he just basically like a laid him as
as he went in and the guy got nan one.
So I mean, you know, I just I think it
was Cam Johnson that took the foul, and I felt

(49:48):
like there was health defense that could have been given
that wasn't just out.

Speaker 3 (49:54):
Night. Yeah watch that game. Yeah, I don't know. I
didn't watch the other game.

Speaker 1 (49:58):
No, no, no, I'm talking about and then the Nuggets played
the Heat last night.

Speaker 3 (50:02):
I watched that. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (50:03):
Yeah, So I mean there was a drive. I don't
remember the Heat player that did it, but I mean
he was going to the rim. I think camp Johnson
was guarding him and Yoga is just kind of standing there.
Camp Johnson on the committing a foul that was an
and one opportunity. It might have been Davion Mitchell towards
the end of the first half. You know, don't quote
me on it. But I just looked at Yogic just
like he's not an engaged defender, and and Shay is

(50:25):
an engaged defender, which is why I said that he
should have been the MVP last year. But again a
small scale sample size of two weeks, Jannis is giving
you dominant play at both ends of the floor with
a lesser surrounding past.

Speaker 3 (50:39):
I'll leave at this a quick we'll leave with this one.

Speaker 2 (50:41):
Would you say we're call the order top three guys
MP went now no order Giannis, which I agree with,
Sga and Wemby.

Speaker 1 (50:54):
Yes, if we had to vote today. But I think
Wemby's last two games were not stellar, So I mean
I would I would look at that and say that
we're looking at the first five games, let's say, and
getting excited about potential, and the last two games have
been kind of a dud. So I mean, you know,
I need to see more from him to comfortably say that.

(51:14):
But look, Lucas missed a couple of games, you know.
I mean, I would say for me, it would be
Sga and Giannis, and then you know, then you've got
to look around a little bit. And I'm not sure
that's how Vegas has it. Vegas probably has Jokic up there.
They probably Daunta up there. They might have the Honest,
Like I'll take a second, but I'm just going off

(51:38):
of the first two weeks. If you're slowly taking that
into account, it's SGA and the honest. Yeah, yeah, I
think so.

Speaker 2 (51:47):
Right now MVP is SGA one, Luca two, Jokic three,
went before Yanni's five.

Speaker 3 (51:55):
I gotta tell you that the next five that it
has been interesting.

Speaker 2 (51:57):
You got Tyres maxie A plus four thousand, Anthony Edwards
plus six thousand, Kid Cunningham plus ten thousand, Jalen Bronson
plus fifteen thousand, Kevin Durant.

Speaker 3 (52:06):
Of course at fifteen they.

Speaker 2 (52:07):
Got Josh Giddy also fifteen thousand and twelve two. So
this might be a great This could be a very
wide open and we'd be raised. We've seen in a
very long time. Word that's just one of two guys.
That's two years it has been shak.

Speaker 3 (52:20):
That's it. Yeah, it could be.

Speaker 1 (52:24):
The guys six to ten are basically if one of
those teams winds up as a one seed or a
two seed and the presumptive favorite, like Oklahoma City. If
Oklahoma City winds up finishing the year for whatever reason
as the third seed. Let's say SGA gets hurt and
they finish as the you know, the three or the
four seed, and one of those team slides in there,

(52:44):
that's where you're getting a durant. Or if Detroit winds
up winning the East, you know that's where you're getting.

Speaker 3 (52:52):
My pick was Johnson when you started, I think it
was so there you go.

Speaker 2 (52:56):
So if I'm saying we want to take our advice
on this one, take the take the value fast five.

Speaker 3 (53:00):
That way in.

Speaker 1 (53:01):
Yeah, but I think that Giannis wouldn't even need to
win the East. I think that if he if he
finished it as a three or four seed, I think
that one of those is probably enough to get him there.
With Detroit, I would say the surrounding cast is better.
So in Detroit standpoint, they would need to finish as
like a one or two, whereas I think Milwaukee could
get away with with a three or four just given

(53:23):
surrounding talent.

Speaker 2 (53:25):
Right, all right, you followed greg on X on Twitter
at g hernia, NBA at g h R y I,
n y A, n b A anything else, want to
plug if you got here.

Speaker 3 (53:35):
Nope, that was it all right, brother, Well, we'll talk soon. Man.
That was good stuff as always, Man,

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