November 25, 2025 • 63 mins
Bry & Mort shoot the bleep again, and discuss the Thunder, Deni Avdija, and more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Hello, and welcome to another episode of the NBA Podcast.
I am Brian Sapporik. I am joined as always by
Morton Jensen, and we are back for another episode of
Shooting the Bleep, where we have done zero preparation for
this episode. Mort has no idea what I'm going to
bring up. I have no idea what mort is going
to bring up. It's we're going off the cuff, baby Ty.
(00:40):
We can do it on a Friday. Mort how's it
going with my friend?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
It is going well. See I'm going to jinch myself
big time right now. I haven't been sick for like
a month and a half. Oh wow, that's that's good thing.
That's like impressive at this point. I mean late fall,
I mean kids in school. I'm just saying, so far,
so good.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I am very impressed because I'm definitely I've had an
illness for about three weeks now. So we're on the mend.
But I'm sorry if I sound a little raspy.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's sexy. It's fine.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
There we go. That's what just trying to drive up
the sex appeal in this episode. So we're We've spent
a lot of time talking about teams that are struggling
and some expectedly some unexpectedly. Right today, I at least
want to start with the complete opposite out of that spectrum.
(01:38):
Nice and we're going to go a little thunderbuddies here
shout out to Dan Favalley of the podcast that we
were two years too late on actually starting. The Oklahoma
City Thunder are fifteen in one right now, have by
far the best net rating in the NBA. Yep, the
best defensive rating in the NBA. And I already had
(02:00):
a historic defense last year. It's even better so far
this year. And Jalen Williams has not played a single
minute so far. He is recovering from a offseason riffs procedure.
There is an update in late October that it would
be reevaluated in ten to fourteen days. It's clearly taken
a little bit longer than that, but you know, I
(02:21):
don't expect. We haven't heard anything that there was like
a major complication and that he's going to be out
for significantly longer. But yes, I mean, the fact they're
doing all of this without arguably their second best player
makes this start to the season for them even more terrifying.
(02:42):
What has impressed you the most about okayse.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Start well, so this is in connection with that, because
it's so funny that you're bringing up the thunder because
I was looking at their page a couple of days ago.
I think it was before the King's game. Now, do
me a favor. Find their one loss and tell me
how many points they lost by.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
It was Portland, right, correct, and by like two two? Wow?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
So that got how I.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Really got that. I swear I did not have their
schedule out.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
That's that's good. That is that is very good. One
twenty one nineteen. There you go, okay, and then look
at the point differentials, like in the games that they've won,
how many are are plus twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
That they started like two double overtime wins, right, and
then I've just been smoking everyone ever since completely.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Like I it is.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It is ridiculous, just like their plus minus and that
like or plus mindsets. Is how many points they've outscored
opponents by. I mean they're averaging one hundred and twenty
one points per game there are allowing just under one
oh six. That is just a preposterous good defense, but
possibly sly good team they are. They are the team
(04:08):
where we can look at them and go if there's
going to be a repeat champion. Like I know we
said the same thing about Boston, but I think we
also have to be honest that the thunder were like
hold our beer when we're when we were all praising
Boston for being you know, that dominant and that good,
they were like, you haven't seen anything yet. I believe
(04:29):
that what we're seeing right now is them on a mission.
I think the motivation is to do just that, just
break that damn championship curse like one time curse. I
think they're looking to start the dynasty. I think they're
motivated as hell to basically say, Okay, everyone's gonna expect
us not to repeat, so let's just prove them all wrong.
(04:54):
Because what they're doing is out landish, just outlandish. And
when you when even when you factor in Brian, I
swear I'll give you the word in a minute, they're
not even shooting that well. Like a lot of these guys,
like you know Lou Dort thirty percent from three, that's
not you know him. Usually Kison Wallace has been fine
(05:17):
ish efficiency wise, but not you know, necessarily great. Aj
Mitchell who's playing a lot of minutes this year, and
even thirty from three, Alex Caruso was barely scoring the ball,
Like and again, like you said, no Chilean Williams yet,
like there's still this this place, this placeholder for internal
(05:39):
improvement for the rest of the year.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Like I mean they're going to add an all NBA player,
not even an All Star and all NBA player back
to the mix r near future.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
It's yeah, No, it's like I I went, I went
into this season and I had to choose, like my
my favorite pick for the for the ring over Jahu Sports.
It wasn't even something like where I went into like
contemplation mode, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I didn't.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
I wasn't sitting there going, oh, well, what if the
Knicks make the finals and stuff the Cavs, or like
what if this team or that seem it's like no thunder,
like if they stay healthy, there's no team coming out.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Of the East, or I'm like scared.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
No, no, I mean if anything, and this is something
I would I would do as a separate topic later.
I think there are two biggest threats to the West.
I think it's Denver and I think it's Houston. I
think those are the three best teams in the NBA
this year, So whichever team comes out of the West,
(06:50):
I think. I mean, look, it's late November. You know
a lot's going to change over the next six months.
But like, if the finals were starting today, I would
play any of okay see Denver Houston over any team
of the year.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, Like I'm probably at that point, Brian, if the
finals were to start today and we knew the Thunder
were in the finals, I would probably just say sweep
on any Eastern Conference team and that, Like, I'm not
trying to downplay the Pistons, the Knicks, the Raptures, by
the way, which ye hello Cleveland, or even Miami who's
(07:28):
been so like high power with their new high powered offense.
Respect to them, but it's the Thunder.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Like it's.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Like, if I'm trying to game plan against the Thunder,
I just don't know what I can do. Like I
can say, well, give them a three because they're like
inconsistent three point shooters. Yeah, okay, that's fine, and well
in theory, they're not going to take eighty threes. They're
also going to get into the paint. Regardless of what
of my plans are, They're gonna take high efficiency two
(08:02):
point shots. They're going to get shots at the rim,
They're going to pass my ass to death, and when
I attack on the other side of all of it,
they're gonna lock me the f up. So I just
don't know the game plan against Easet Thunder.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Well, here's what's I mean. One of the many things
terrifying about their start. Sga is leading the team with
thirty three point four minutes per game. Right Oh yeah,
he is the only player. I guess him and Lou
Dort are the only players. We're over thirty minutes per game.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Right now, well at twenty nine point nine.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I specifically said that now because I'm sure that's gonna change,
But yes, I mean like over you know, I'm I'm
watching a lot of sixers this year, and Tyrese Maxi
is leading the league at forty point seven minutes per
game and VJ Edgecomb is thirty seven minutes per game.
And those two guys are probably going to burn out
(09:04):
by mid April, if not sooner, if they continue playing
that minute sload. Okay, sees depth, which is what we
saw last year as well. They are just gonna stay
fresh because they can go nine, ten, eleven deep in
their bench and still have I mean, especially once Jayden
comes back, they can go eleven deep and not bad.
(09:26):
And I and I think, I'm really glad you brought
up Mitchell because I mean, he what a freaking fine
for this team. I mean, this is the exact thing
that the rest of the league could not afford to
have happened for Okay, see, because he's third on the
team in points per game right now, sixteen point one
(09:46):
points per game, three point eight rebounds, three point eight assists,
one point eight steals. As you mentioned, not shooting great
from three, but you'll you'll live with that given everything
else he's got going for him, right And here's what's
so annoying if you are a fan of any other team.
They draft him last year at number thirty eight overall,
(10:07):
sign him to a two way deal. They convert him
in February last year, two year, six million dollar deal,
three million dollar team option, decline the team option at
the end of June, and sign him to a three
year eight point seven million dollar contract including a team
option in twenty seven to twenty eight. He is currently
(10:30):
earning one point nine to four percent of the salary cap,
is projected to earn one point seven to two percent
next year and one point five to seven percent of
the salary cap in twenty seven to twenty eight, which is,
by the way, next year is when JDub and Chet's
new extensions kick in, and then twenty seven to twenty
(10:50):
eight is when SGA's new extension kicks in. So the
thunder we've been alluding to this are going to have
to start making the same types of the tough financial
visions that you know we saw Boston this past offseason,
for instance, like chances are they are not running back
this exact same roster next year, or if they are,
they're turning down their team options on Hartenstein and lou
(11:12):
Dort and signing them to smaller deals. Definitely for Hartenstein
at least, yeah, having Mitchell signed on that type of
a contract. As these as Jada of as Chet as SGA,
their salaries explode. That's what every team is searching for.
They're looking for these cheap rotation players who you know,
(11:35):
especially if you're building around three max guys like you
need to find these. It becomes increasingly important to find
these types of guys. So I mean, as if Sam
Presty and his scouting department. His runoff is needed more kudos,
major kudos for that, and I wrote about this at
fan Sided today. The other big storyline, you know, Jalen
(12:00):
Williams elbow injury. Like we're not saying there's a ewing
theory going on with Jada. The thunder clearly better with Jadab.
They miss Jadab. It will be even better when he
comes back. But Jadab's absence has allowed Mitchell to really
emerge and cement himself as a potential keeper, which is
important when you consider, like you know, maybe next year
(12:23):
or the year after, they're gonna have to choose between
Cason Wallace and Alice Caruso. They might have to shed
in Isaiah Joe at some point, and they're Wiggins at
some point. So now they have Mitchell as a potential
replacement for that.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Wiggins do elaborate, sir, because his contract is descending, and
that is dirt, dirt cheap.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Yeah, I mean it's cheap. I think I think they're
gonna have to choose between Wiggins and Joe, and they'll
they'll choose Wiggins.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Right like the size, the better contract. Yeah, I think
he's a lot to stay.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I think so too, but like I mean, when Cason
Wallace is up for a new deal, I think you
can balance Caruso and Cason Wallace plus the three max guys.
So that is a topic for another day. But the
other big benefit to J Dubbs injury. And this is
why I rode I fan sided. First, you get Mitchell
in this big role. Second, So when Chet signed his extension,
(13:19):
it was just a straight twenty five percent max, no
escalator language. Jay Dubbs had escalator language. If he made
first team All NBA one MVP one dpoy was thirty
percent believe, twenty seven percent of the cap next year
if he's second team NBA twenty six percent if he's
third team. J dub has already missed sixteen games.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
There is a requirement that you play at least sixty
five games to be eligible for any of those awards.
So he is able to miss one more game over
the remainder of the season or he will be ineligible
ye and will be stuck at the twenty five percent max.
And that to put some context, if the cap based
(14:05):
on the current projection of next year is one hundred
and sixty six million, if he's a twenty five percent max.
His starting salary will be forty one point five million.
The total value of the contract will be two hundred
and forty point seven million. If he's somehow plays and
(14:25):
you know, play sixty five makes all MBA, he would
start at forty nine point eight million. Total value of
the deal will be two hundred and eighty eight point
eight so nearly a forty eight million dollar difference over
the span of the deal, about eight point three million
between the starting salary alone. So as we're talking about
the Thunder needing to you know, worry about some of
(14:49):
these big financial decisions, they might have just gotten an
eight point three million dollar gift in the sense that
Jalen Williams will be a lot cheaper, yeah, than he
otherwise could have and like League would have been because
he did make All NBA last year. So it's just
the Richard just continue to get richer in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Everything is coming up Millhouse basically.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Yeah, and the I mean, the friggin Clippers are in
a complete tailspin and the Thunder own they're fully unprotected.
Twenty twenty six restaurant pick.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Yeah, that was the one I was going to bring
up because and to your point about AJ Mitchell, by
the way, So in twenty seven to twenty eight, when
he has that team option on or when they have
a team option on him rather, they can just decline
that and that will turn him into a restricted free agent.
(15:40):
That's the whole Nicola Yokic package there. Like if you're
a second rounder and you could you could become an
unrestrict free agent after four years, but you become a
restricted free agent after three years of service. So like
they will have if they want to full team control
on Aj Mitchell as well. And this is all without
(16:03):
Nikola topic and Thomas Zorper having even played a minute,
by the way, So it's like and like, I love
Alex Caruso. I think he played an underratedly large role
for their win last year and just bringing home the title,
but he's such a luxury right now in the regular season,
(16:24):
like you know, and and and at some point I
think you're right that they are going to have to
choose because you know that that that cap hold or
cap percentage is going to maintain during the course of
the regular season, and he's earning a lot of money.
But the fact that he can actually just kind of
play it cool and just kind of hang out for
eighty two games. I mean, perhaps that's why he got
(16:45):
paid what he did. Like, you know what, Alex, just chill,
just chill for like seven months, and then when when
you get into the playoffs, that's when you start earning
your your mulah.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I get it.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Yeah, it's no, it's it's ridiculous. They're so good. They're
so good. Do you have a final point about them?
Or do we need to move on?
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Just the rest of the NBA is screwed, and I
feel sorry for anyone who's not on the thunder bandwagon
three years ago, like me, all right, Mork, you're up.
Let's uh, what do you got for me here?
Speaker 2 (17:24):
The Miami Heat. I brought them up earlier because you
know what, when you started talking about something positive, I
was like, you know what, let's let's stay with that.
The number one pace in the NBA. The it's funny, right,
the seventeenth ranked offense. But somehow that doesn't really I
feel like is overly representative of how frickin dangerous they
(17:50):
can be. Like this is a team that just they
just spurt up and down the floor like it's it's nothing.
Norman Powell has been an incredible addition to that team.
Andrew Wickins is despite you know, not averaging eighteen nineteen
points per game, He's just kind of around being that
(18:11):
wing that we all know can hit threes, get to
the bucket, convert inside. Haimi Hawkes is just you know,
he whatever sophomore slump he was in, that's over with.
He's like a fully fletched, you know, sixteen to six
y five guy off the bench, which is ridiculous. Dabian
Mitchell is becoming like a true playmaker, which that was
(18:32):
never on my Bingo card. And they're doing this without
Tyler Hero, they're doing this with bam Adebayo having missed
six games. Oh and by the way, by the way,
Kilo Ware and Pela Larson are both doing wonderfully. Like
it's this team has more juice than I thought coming
into the into the season. Like I've always been a
(18:53):
fan of Norman Powell and I do know he gets
hot early in the season and tends to cool off
a little bit, So like that is I'm baking that
into everything, But twenty five and a half points per
game on sixteen shot attempts, Like he's getting to the
free throw line and knocking down ninety three percent of
those freebies while canning forty seven percent from three. Like,
(19:13):
he's just he's a monster. He's a complete flame thrower
right now. And I'm sort of scared to see what
this team can be if Tyler Hero comes back and
joins in on the buy in, because that's that's the
one thing for me. It's we're seeing a team where
there's buy in and we have seen in the past,
to be fair, Tyler Hero play outside of the blow
(19:37):
off the offense, like outside of the scheme. If he
comes in having watched this team for fifteen, sixteen games
or however long, you know he's going to watch this
team before he gets back, and he notices just how
much everyone is playing for each other right now, and
he basically joins the Kumba yatrain. Oh boy, Brian all
(19:59):
freaking boy. Then we'll have another team in the East
that is going to be dangerous. And it's like how
fast things can change. I sat here on this podcast
as well as a Danish one before the season. I
was like, yeah, I don't think they have it. I
think it's time to like for real blow this thing up.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
They just.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Coach bow Man just dialed on some things and it clicked.
I don't know what he did, sorcery, I guess yep.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Yeah, I was gonna ask you about Hero because it
sounds like his return is fairly imminent. Yeah, so yeah,
how you envision that going in Miami? But I think
it's fair to say it's just like it's on him
to make this work. They've clearly proved that this system
(20:51):
is working and working well. I mean they're yeah, to
your point, there's seventeenth in offensive rating with first and
pace like they're just flying up and down the court.
I know.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
And yes, I'm glad you brought up Haimehawks because you
got off to a great start as a rookie. Really
backslid last year to the point that it was like, ooh,
did we all get too excited about this kid? Like
maybe we went over our skis a little bit? And
now this year, I mean almost seventeen seven and five,
like still not shooting very well from three, but shooting
(21:24):
almost fifty two percent overall, Like, yeah, they got themselves
a good one here. So yeah, it's gonna be you know,
Miami's gonna come up in trade discussions for every big
name as is tradition. We've already seen a couple of
big names potentially hitting the market, so I'm I'm very
(21:45):
curious to see, like first how they look with heroes return,
but then like big picture, what the next steps are
do they Are they comfortable and confident in this group
or are they still looking for an upgrade and if so,
at what position?
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Yeah, And I.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Don't want to sit here and say they should be
open to trading the kids given how they're playing right now,
but like if they wanted to, if they wanted to
take the young guys and package some of them for
like a star, that's an intriguing and freaking package like
Haimi hakkezk kill al Ware and Pila Larson. Like if
you offer that trio to a bunch of teams that
(22:25):
are trying to rebuild, that's interesting, especially if they have
like some disgruntled star.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Now, I don't necessarily think they should do that.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
I'm just saying that's in play.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
That leads me to your colleague at Yahoo Sports, Kelly
Iko yesterday, Yeah, reporting that LaMelo ball is open to
a change of scenery. Yeah, would you if you're Miami,
would you be open to trading not even all the kids,
like not necessarily the whole kids package, but would you
be open to trading for him in general?
Speaker 2 (23:00):
I don't think so. Look, even if I were to
be optimistic about him and going to like, oh, Miami
is the place where he could actually grow up, which
there's a part of me that actually does recognize that.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
I will say the.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Injury concerns though, Like he's in the lack of availability,
that's a concern, right, Like more than we're talking about
like it, why is it really that we tend to
give players whom miss games crap? And then specific with LaMelo,
(23:35):
we don't really get into that all that much. We
get more into like the shot selection and you know,
the lack of discipline, the speeding you know, off the
court and everything.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Like.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Why are we sort of ignoring the basketball aspect of
this where the dude is generally not available?
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Yeah? Right, I mean it's the Stephen Curry ankle injury
from early in his career, right, And they had to
ask themselves at one point, like why does this keep happening?
Do we think we can fix this? But yeah, I
mean what he's played or the last three seasons combined,
he played in one hundred and five games. Like the
(24:16):
Hornets have sucked. Yeah, I mean he first of all,
he came out and said these rumors are not true.
He is happy in Charlotte whatever.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Oh yeah, I totally believe that, right.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I mean, look, the Hornets have sucked for a long time,
but they've sucked in part because their solid point guard
can't stay healthy. So it's a very thing, very fair
point to bring up for you. But I mean, also, yes,
like the the on court stuff matters too, and I
mean I just can't this is a chicken or the
(24:51):
egg thing. It's like, do the Hornets suck because LaMelo
ball is unserious? Or is LaMelo ball and serious because
the Hornets suck?
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Like?
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Is he a good stats, bad team type of player?
Can he like contribute meaningfully to winning basketball? Because right
now he's shooting below forty percent overall and thirty percent
from three, and it's like, I mean, it has been
in the low forties his entire career. He's never never
(25:20):
shot about machine as well. Yeah, yeah, I mean he can.
He can score. He's gonna shoot ten threes a game,
which is great, but he's not I mean his shooting
percentage has declined every year since his sophomore season. He's
got almost thirty nine percent in twenty one, twenty two
from deep and it's just been declining by like twenty
(25:43):
percentage points every year since.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I have a bit of a take about that. Okay,
So Tieran Fox had that one good three point shooting year, yea, right,
like the one good year, And I don't remember like
what his career percentage, which was, Like I think you
and I actually did the math a year or so ago,
Like we took that year out and then we looked
(26:07):
at it at like his career percentage and overall efficiency,
and it just it bottomed out because we just removed
that one year. Now, for LaMelo, I think it's I
think he had two years. I think he had the
year you were referring to and the year after, which
was only a thirty six game sample size where he
hit like thirty seven and a half percent.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
So like, if we.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Take that, it's you know, roughly one hundred and seven
games or something along those lines. Outside of that, after that,
it's been pretty pedestrian, like it's actually been under league average,
And so I understand that a big part of this
is the high degree of difficulty on the shots that
he takes.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Like, I'm not lost to that.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
I think obviously, when you take that type of three
point shots and you still make like three per game,
you're you're generally a good shooter, but I can't heat.
Going on the whole theoretical perspective of will what if
you changed the shot selection? This is year six? This
is year six, Like even with all the injuries, he's
(27:12):
still two hundred and forty freaking games into his NBA career. Like,
at some point you just have to wonder, is this
something that has just been put so deeply into his
personality that we're never gonna see a real change, or
will it seem like the heat just immediately be able
(27:34):
to bend his mind and think outside the box to
a point where, oh, yeah, I will suddenly begin to
integrate myself within the flow of a structured team. Now
I will be more careful with the ball, I will
take more spot ups, I will be a more efficient scorer.
I don't know the entrance that, but the gamble is
(27:57):
so so stark because though Hornets are not going to
go into this and say, sure, we'll give him up
for peanuts.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
They don't want to lose face.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah, so it comes down to the compensation level.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Yeah, I guess bigger picture, like if Miami were to
swing a big trade, do you think point guard is
the area that they need to address?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I mean, I I it's a good question, Like I
actually like what Doabbion Mitchell is doing right now? I
think when Hero comes back, there's going to be more playmaking. Like,
granted he's not a point guard, but like he's he's
at least a playmaking too. To some extent, Bam has
also not been that available. He can pass from the
(28:45):
high post, he can do a lot of interior passing.
Haimi Hawks has stepped up as a playmakers. Like I
think in the collective they might have enough playmaking, Like
I I don't feel that like at that's their primary weakness.
I think their primary weakness is that they don't have
And I understand why you're pitching Ball here like that
(29:08):
that clear cut number one guy with a bullet right,
Like who is that dude? But I also don't necessarily
think Ball is that guy.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Yeah, what about tray or Jah?
Speaker 2 (29:22):
So will you agree with me that among the three
of them, Trey is probably even by far the most
structured of them all, the most responsible and the most
serious of those three.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Yeah, I mean, are we talking on and off the
court both? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Honestly, yes.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Like I have the fewest overall concerns about Trey right.
He is a turnstile on defense, and I have read
flags about like how much John Collins in particular really
seemed to not like playing with him.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
But if we're talking like who can heat culture, who
will be the least problematic to fit into heat culture?
I think trade would be the answer.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
And that's where I land to like. For all his
faults and for all of his weaknesses, you know, he
does he does offer a substantial amount of playmaking. He
does offer a substantial amount of scoring. He gets to
the free throw line every time he breathes and converts
(30:38):
at a ridiculously high rate. I trust his ability to
incorporate himself into a team much more than job, because
I mean, look what we're seeing in Memphis when you
know he's out now, but like when he was healthy,
that was a man who just not only checked out
but gave up on teammates. He just hung them out
(31:01):
to drive. I don't trust a player like that at all.
With LaMelo, I'm not far behind. I just don't trust him.
He's deeply unserious. He is deeply irresponsible, both on and
off the court. I don't think he is a player
who is going to change the win loss column all
that much. And I think it's fair when people point out, like,
(31:23):
well does Trey and like it depends like it depends
on the structure of the team, it depends if he
has a bam at of Bio next to him. Defensively,
that dude can cover up a lot of trace mistakes.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Yeah, so you know, I if I were Miami and
I was looking at a point guard and those three
was on my list, I'd go tray with a bullet.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Yeah, all right. Any final thoughts on Miami.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Only that it's almost annoying how we can have like
a two years like period where we're like, Okay, now
it's time for them to rebuild. Now it's time for
them to do something else, because like they're just irrelevant,
YadA YadA, and then they just they keep doing this,
they keep getting away with it.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
They can't can't keep get well, that's the benefit of
having Suppo as your coach.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yeah, I guess I wish I knew how many wins
that dude had had actually added to them over his
entire tenure there.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
It's countless, right, it got to be over one hundred.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yeah, all right, So let's stick in the East because
I saw a roundtable from Eric Karen and a few
other guys at the Athletic today and I think it
is worth discussing. And the topic was just how the
East is like actually surprisingly good and deep. Now again,
(32:57):
I think, okay, see, Denver Houston are the three best
teams in the NBA this year. I would take them
over any team in the East, with all due respect
to the Cavs, Nicks and Pistons. But I mean, right now,
you know there's eleven teams, Like the bottom of the
East is horrific.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I was about to say, right right.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
The Wizard's pacers and nets are already they've checked out
for until twenty seven, twenty seven, and the Hornets are
not far behind. So those four teams, thank you for playing.
Your season is more or less already over. With that said,
we have eleven teams five hundred or better right now,
one of whom is going to miss the play in
(33:37):
And you know, I think these teams came in with
differing expectations to start the year. But it's very early.
But as of right now, the Milwaukee Bucks are the
one team that would be out of the play in tournament.
Giannis is out for at least a week or two.
Even if the Giannis comes back, Kevin Porter Junior comes back,
they get in. Maybe that means Boston slides out, the
(34:00):
Bulls slide out, the Sixers slide out. I mean, there's
a decent to good team is going to miss the
play in tournament in the East. Yeah, So I'm just
I'm impressed by you. I feel like there has just
been the perception of the West is so so, so
much better than the East for the last however many years,
(34:23):
and I think the top of the West certainly is
and I think, no when Wemby is back. The Spurs
are very good, Lebron just debuted this week. The Lakers
are looking very very good this year. So you know,
you might be able to say like five or of
the top seven or eight teams in the NBA. I'll
reside in the West, but I don't know. I mean,
(34:46):
given the struggles of the Grizzlies, the Clippers, the Mavericks.
The Kings are dead now with the bonus out. Pelicans
are more or less dead already.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
More or less.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
They're dead. They have no incentive to be dead, but
they're probably dead. I don't know. I mean, I think
it's just worth noting that the East is not quite
the train wreck that it has been in recent years.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
I like that that's a positive spin. I wonder how
the schedule has left broken there, whether it's a you know,
a situation where the East teams that are five hundred
or slightly above have mostly feasted on the bottom East teams,
Like that's a genuine, genuine question. I don't know, Like
(35:34):
I'm not sitting here saying that's the reason. But I
do wonder, because if they've been feasting on Brooklyn, Indiana
and Washington, you know, I get it, Like I would
understand why they would have a decent record. But it's like,
I agree with you, Like it's nice to see that
it's not just two or three teams at the top,
(35:54):
that there's something going on that is interesting, that where
we can go down through the rank of the East
and say, oh, this team is doing something interesting, Like
Atlanta without Trey, Yeah, has been they've been good.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
Yeah, I saw, I saw.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
You, sneaky s ob you. Yeah, you wrote the Jalen
Johnson column. I did Yahoo and the we had we
had a talk in confidence comparing him to someone that
you worked in there because we have a fun project
coming out at Bleacher Report next week. Uh. I'm not
(36:32):
gonna spoil, but I think fans of a certain team
in the East are going to be very mad at
me in particular.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
Well, then that fan base of a certain team in
the East should stop caping for their player who is
not exactly easy to build around.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Yes, I think we will have next time we record
this piece will be live and we can definitely have.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
The the talk, the talk, yes, all right, because I
will say, so far, with that specific player unavailable, his
team is three and one.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Yeah. Oh yeah, there's a challenge trade for you.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Oh god, you might I don't know if you saw
what I wrote on Blue Sky today.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
No, I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
No.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
I might have compared that player to a certain king's veteran.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Ooh mm hmmm, damar oh no oh no oh no, yeah,
oh boy. All right, Well we'll start speaking a mystery.
But that pencil that in we will we will have
that that conversation next week because yeah, I mean Jalen
Johnson in general, I'm very glad that you wrote an
entire article about what he's been doing in Trade's absence,
(37:59):
because holy hell, man, Like, I mean, he was already
breaking out last year and then suffers the shoulder injury. Yes,
but seeing him without Trey right now, like that really
opens some questions about, you know, are we Like I
think it's fairly clear at this point that they are
(38:21):
better off if Jalen Johnson is their best player and
they're not so helio centric around Trey. But like, so yeah,
it does open the do we really need Trey or
can we allocate that fifty million dollars elsewhere and be
a better or more well rounded team.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
If Jalen Johnson is not an All Star this year,
like if he keeps his production up at this level.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Oh dude, no, we right?
Speaker 3 (38:47):
We riot? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (38:48):
Yeah absolutely?
Speaker 3 (38:51):
I just this is this is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
I hate the games played, uh stuff with the awards
now because you remember this, I called him as my
MP in twenty three.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Yeah, and I was like three years too early.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
Well, I mean, look that's the thing that's that's actually
gonna bother me if he wins it this year, because
like he was good last year and the year before,
like we saw it, that wasn't the thing, like I
called it back in twenty three.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
So what if you're just always because you did this
with someone else one year too? Right?
Speaker 2 (39:26):
Last year I did it with Trenton Watford. What did
he go out and do? Like he had the twenty
point seventeen rebounds and assist game.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
He did have a triple. Yeah, but he's been very quiet.
That's what I'm saying. Trenton Watford in three years right,
become the most improved player?
Speaker 2 (39:42):
No, I had some I had Carousel Vert back in
the day when and then he went down.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
Yeah, and you nailed one one year. I think you
were like one year or too early on someone. I
can't remember.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I probably I probably have been uh well, I.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Mean I'll pull up the most improved player list.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Yes, please do, because you're right there was there were
a couple guys where I was like a year too
early on them, and apparently with Janeen Johnson it was
two years.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Was it.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
Marketing?
Speaker 3 (40:10):
No, marketing was almost good from the get go.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
And by the way, see you can already rule out
lottery picks because I wouldn't pick those guys right right.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Maybe it wasn't monsterproof flair, or maybe it was like
the runner up or something.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Yeah, that well, that is my jam because remember when
I had Donovan Mitchell's Rookie of the Year and Ben
Frickin Simmons came in and stole it. I remember we
were on a pod with Matt Moore, and I believe
I even said he's gonna average twenty right off the bat,
and Matt was like he was making fun of me,
and rightfully so, because I remember what Matt said. He
(40:43):
was like, so like if you look at yousah, how
did they double down on veterans? Yeah, on veterans like
Donovan Mitchell's never gonna have a chance, And like it
was a fair point at the time. Like I'm not
knocking Matt, that was a good point, but damn that
there are there are a couple of guys who who
I just like.
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Yeah, I can't find no, I don't remember either.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
I have so many in your missus that I'm just like,
in order to maintain my sanity, I'm just not gonna
go back.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
Yeah, But Johnson like I agree, he's I think you
can allocate that money better, and like that's not even
a knock on tray. I feel like like Trey is
still good. It's just a matter of can we do
something better with that salary slot?
Speaker 1 (41:34):
Right exactly? Yeah, it's you. I mean, it's a similar
conversation with the Lakers right now, Like they're not better
without Lebron James, but Lebron James is obviously not part
of their long term future and they're gonna have a
fifty million dollars slot to play with next summer if
he leaves or retires. Yeah, so yeah, I mean I
(41:57):
think the Hawks are in a weird press because of this,
Like they I don't know. This is like this is
the dangerous part of a retool rebuild where you know
you have to make you have to get this decision correct,
and this will determine how high their ceiling is in
(42:17):
the near future. But all that's it. There's still a
frisky Tae Man losing to the Spurs without any of
Wemby Castle or that's a tough look.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
Oh sorry, go ahead, Oh no, I was.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
Gonna say maybe that this is not the day to
be singing the Hawks praises.
Speaker 2 (42:42):
To wrap up the whole You know, your your your
point about the East. I do wonder which team because
it does feel like there's one seam among like the
the five hundred group there that will bought them out
and so we're not bottom out that will drop out
of this, like Milwaukee, for example, who's an even five
(43:03):
hundred and some point. I'm just like, if Yannis misses
like eight games in a row with an injury because
he's been overutilized, or if Doc Rivers just decides to
be Doc Rivers again, because so far it's actually looked okay,
but like if he returns to some of his worst habits,
that's the team I could be fearful just dropping out
of the whole thing. Sure, Like, do you is there
(43:27):
a team where you're looking in the East where you're going,
that's like a team I could see drop.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
I mean the Sixers. If Maxie gets hurt.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Oh yeah, that's a good one.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Yeah, he's the only reason they've been as good as
they are. The Balls if regression hits, because there's the
only the only team with the negative point differential in
the East as a winning record right now. Yeah, maybe
maybe Booch doesn't hit a last second three to win
the game after they blow a twenty one fourth quarter lead.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Isn't that the second time he's hit like three point
dack at the end of the game.
Speaker 1 (44:01):
Sounds I mean, yeah, yeah, speaking of they can't keep
getting away with it. The Chicago wis no. I mean,
I don't think. I don't think the floor falls out
on Detroit, New York, Cleveland, the Rafters, I don't think
so either. I don't know that they have like a
championship ceiling. But I mean, I think both of us
said this coming into the year that they were going
(44:22):
to be better than anticipated because that starting five is
like just solid veterans all around.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
Yeah, they were going to be better than last year
because everyone was freaking injured, right. But I will say
this like I will own this because that that is
me being wrong about something. If you had told me
before the season that Grady dig would only be playing
sixteen minutes per game, like, because I thought his shooting
capabilities would be such a huge swings thing for them
(44:52):
in order to balance the three wings, like, I wouldn't
have said they they would have been ten and five. Hell,
I probably wouldn't even wouln't have said they would have
been ten and five even if everyone had been fully healthy.
So it's a testament to those three wings and Quickly,
by the way that this seems to be working. Oh
and yaka Purdle, yaka Peardle, who just understands how to
(45:14):
take a good shot near the rim wherever he is,
that's in whatever lineup he is, Mamu.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
Great addition there, bet.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
Hey man nine points three and a half boars to
assist forty two from three fifty seven overall, even get
into the foul line in seventeen minutes. He's finally he No,
he's good. I was always right about momo. I want that.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
As your mippeck for six years from now.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
No, no, no, he's already twenty six. Man, that's not
gonna work.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
But I will say this, if he was, if he
were to be given like a legit starting role somewhere,
I wouldn't be surprised if like he could maintain a
fairly large chunk of his thirties six minutes, she wouldn't
shock me. Dude is good. This team is good, and
it's fun to watch. And it's even like before Quickly
has fully returned. If you catch my drift, he's still
(46:12):
not fully himself.
Speaker 1 (46:14):
Yep, all right, morre bring us home. You have anything
else you want to hit this week?
Speaker 3 (46:20):
I do.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
And staying with the topic of optimism, you know what
I think it is. It's because it's really getting dark
out early in the day when late November winter is
creeping up, Like we need some positivity and.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
The NBA Cup day baby, Yeah it is hell.
Speaker 3 (46:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
This episode is going to come out a little later date,
but yes, like we're recording this on Friday, November twenty. First,
I want to talk about Denny Man. So this was
a guy who I bought in to the second half
of last year stuff, and I usually don't like there
(46:59):
are a lot of players where I'm like, I don't
trust that. There's a part of why I was I didn't,
you know, I didn't trust josh Gey Giddeys has proven
me wrong on multiple elements as well, but like after you,
it was one where I was like, no, that the
way that he's begun playing that is sustainable because what
we saw with him in the second half of last
(47:21):
year was a complete shift in on ball creativity, on
ball confidence. Like over the first four years of his
career with Washington, he was playing a bit of a
bit role. He was developing, all right, he comes to
Washington or started sup Portland in that first year. Last year,
he's kind of playing it a little cool. He's being
(47:42):
you know, a connector. He's not trying too much. He's
taken open shots. Occasionally he will do a half spin
and get into the teeth of the defense. Then the
second freaking half of the season starts, and I Brian,
this is a theory of mine. I have nothing to
back this up. Someone needs to ask him. I think
Denny has just spent the entire year, like last year,
(48:05):
just watching Luka Dantac in terms of like footwork and
how getting into the paint and like finishing or getting
to the line drawing fouls, because he started playing like
a mini type of Luka Doncic in the second half
of last year. Like he would attack off the pick
and prole, He'll get into the teats of the defense
by going eurostepping and slowing down his own movement like
deceleration stuff, and he would finish at the rim, or
(48:28):
he would go further and like you know, draw fouls
or finish the layup. Everything would be you know, footwork, intelligence, timing,
and one thing I noted in particular last year which
was totally transferable and what we've seen this year as well,
that he does that Luca also does. He's counting, He's
(48:49):
counting when the opposing big man enters the paint. He
is waiting for that guy because we know, we know
that the center is thinking, I can't be the paint
for more than three seconds, so he's counting out and knowing,
all right, when this guy has been in the paint
for two seconds, I'm going to attack because by the
(49:10):
time I get to that spot, that big man is
going to be forcing himself out of the paint because
he's not allowed to be there at that point in time.
That's you know, that's a Luca trait. We're seeing it
from Denny, and Denny's doing it at six'. Nine he
isn't as fluid As, luca he doesn't have the same
(49:31):
natural shooting, capabilities but he is Mimicking dantage very very.
Speaker 3 (49:37):
Well.
Speaker 1 (49:39):
YEAH i, mean The blazers have fallen on hard times
as of. Late they've just had some injury. Issues Shadon
sharp has been out for a few, Games Drew holliday
has been out for a few, games, Obviously No Scoot
henderson all, Year No dame, obviously but Like denny has been. Phenomenal,
(50:02):
honestly LIKE I i'm very bullish long term on The
blazers in, general getting shaden at the deal that they.
DID i, Mean denny is On we've we've talked about this,
before But denny's contract is almost too good and that
IT'S i mean fourteen point four million this, year thirteen
(50:26):
point one next, year eighteen point nine the year after.
Speaker 3 (50:29):
That you, know eleven point.
Speaker 1 (50:32):
Nine oh, yeah, sorry eleven point, Nine my. Bad you
would need the. Rules you can only offer one hundred
and forty percent of what he's earning on an.
Speaker 2 (50:41):
Extension they were the league's average, salary but even that
is not going to cut.
Speaker 1 (50:46):
It they would need to offer him about four hundred
percent of that salary to get. Him so they're going
to have to renegotiate and extend him at some. POINT i,
mean they've Got, Drew, jeremy And dame all have player
options that, year but their books are otherwise clean that,
year so IT'S i would imagine a renegotiation is coming
(51:09):
either this summer or the following, summer because, YEAH i,
mean HE'S i will allude back to the project that
is coming out AT br next, week but he is
prominently featured as, well AND i am sad THAT i
was not the one to have him be. Featured this
(51:32):
will make more sense next, WEEK i. Promise, YEAH i
mean he's he's just so. VERSE i think you AND
i both just have a kink for these forwards Like Jalen,
johnson Like denny that can do. Everything they can, shoot
they could, score they can, playmate they can, defend they can. Rebound,
well it's like you just want these guys who don't
(51:56):
have a ton of holes in their.
Speaker 3 (51:57):
Game should we good beast?
Speaker 1 (52:00):
Players, well not EVERY nba team likes. That just That's Sacramento.
Speaker 3 (52:06):
Kings that is.
Speaker 1 (52:07):
True, Yes AND i, thought you, know like when The
blazers traded two first round picks for, HIM i thought
that was, like really two first round.
Speaker 3 (52:16):
Picks, OH i loved. IT i loved it at the.
Speaker 1 (52:19):
TIME i did not did not see what they, saw
and they were completely right AND i was completely wrong Because, Danny,
yeah like twenty, six seven and five this. YEAR i,
mean speaking of guys who we riot if they're not
An all. Star Danny evdia is playing at an all
star level right, now.
Speaker 3 (52:36):
And of Course i'm going to ruin it ALL i
throw you a.
Speaker 1 (52:40):
Trade uh oh, okay uh oh all.
Speaker 2 (52:44):
Right so there's there's been some chatter generally speaking about
like how do you complete a, team you, know an
up and coming, Team like you're looking at certain positions
and you're, going you, know is this is this the position.
Speaker 3 (52:59):
Where where we need an? Upgrade And.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
I'm gonna talk to you about The San Antonio spurs
who are still unresolved at their power forward, position Missus,
shorwick because they Have Harrison, barnes who's been playing, great
by the, way but he is getting up. There he's
not a long term fit next To Victor. Wimbanyama and
it seems That jeremy's So, hand despite all of his
(53:26):
skills and, strengths is also not in that. Camp and
when you're looking around the, team there isn't really that
guy to take over at the. Four, now The spurs
have a ton of draft equity that they can send.
Out they also have plenty of contracts just to like
(53:47):
match the money. Up is there a deal to be
found here if you like what would it take for
The spurs to actually Get denny into the fold so
he can be that playing four next To wemby and
actually present THE nba with a real contender towards The.
Speaker 3 (54:08):
Thunder.
Speaker 1 (54:10):
YEAH i mean it's tough since their main trade chips
are all point, guards and if The blazers believe in
The scoot And shaden, backcourt that's the one position that
they don't really. Need SO i think it would have
to be a three team deal where The blazers are
sending out one of, Fox castle Or harper plus draft
(54:31):
picks two third team maybe To, miami, right and Then
miami sends a bunch of stuff and Then danny To.
Portland BUT i don't know What. MIAMI I, ALSO i
don't Think miami And portland are eager to negotiate again
after two summers, ago so maybe maybe find another. Thirteen
(54:54):
Maybe miami is not the, answer but what we take.
Speaker 2 (54:57):
In terms of draft, picks if you were to Say
kelly makes a salary matching piece For denny which.
Speaker 3 (55:02):
Actually, works oh. God.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Yeah in terms of the, PICKS i mean at least,
THREE i would, think, Right but is that so?
Speaker 2 (55:12):
Much AND i don't feel it like it. IS i
feel that is pretty.
Speaker 1 (55:16):
Fair i'm trying to think of, comparable like five they
got The spur The king's got three For, fox but
they were two of them are, crappy and they Got
levigne as. Well dejonte was, three, RIGHT.
Speaker 3 (55:32):
I believe, so, Yes.
Speaker 1 (55:34):
And then when the when The pelicans traded for, him
was he two or?
Speaker 2 (55:40):
THREE i believe it was. TWO i believe they lost.
THAT i believe that The hawks lost, both.
Speaker 1 (55:48):
And yet they're still much better shape than The.
Speaker 2 (55:50):
Pelicans but, like, okay so let's let's, say, yeah if
you if you're The, spurs you you can hand you
can give them the unprotected in.
Speaker 3 (56:03):
Twenty twenty, nine you can.
Speaker 2 (56:06):
Let's see here they have the, swap The atlanta, swap
which you know it's it's at least. Interesting in twenty twenty,
six you can give them, that and then you can
find something in between twenty twenty, like you can give
them thirty twenty, two twenty thirty two as, well and
then even throw some type of swap in there as.
(56:27):
Well maybe in twenty, thirty, like there are there are
options here where they can hint send out a ton
of draft. Equity the thing is, though And i'm guessing
If portland fans are listening, in they're immediately going, no,
no don't want to do, that WHICH i get. It
so that's Why i'm, asking, like what is the? Price
(56:48):
what is the price For? Denny if you're The spurs
and you just think this is the, fit this is
the front court.
Speaker 3 (56:57):
Fit, yeah BECAUSE i think it might be BRY.
Speaker 1 (57:04):
I mean that would be an incredible if they, were
if they were able to do, it but.
Speaker 3 (57:08):
Like they have to do it now while he's.
Speaker 1 (57:10):
Cheap, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes m that's tricky.
Speaker 2 (57:14):
Man is it just every pick under the sun that's
allowed with?
Speaker 1 (57:20):
It? YEAH i, mean LIKE i CAN'T i just can't
imagine The blazers are super eager to give Up. Denny
he's just been so freaking. Good.
Speaker 2 (57:27):
Right it's Because i'm looking at this, through you, know
two perspectives for For. Portland i'm looking at it through
the perspective, of you, know do we trust that we
can retain? Him like we need to make sure that
we can renegotiate and extent because that is like literally
the only path to to keep him before he's up
for a new. Contract and, like do we have the
(57:48):
guts to go into unrestrict the pre agency with him, hopefully,
yes but like you never, know or there's the flip
side of that, coin, Going, oh he's arguably on the
best deal in the. League let's just not arguably best
non rookie deal in the. League let's just get everything
(58:08):
that we can get for him right now while his
value is, High like IT'S i have to assume EVERY
nb organization is having that conversation just out of due. Diligence, yeah,
yeah you're not entertaining. IT i can Sell you're, like,
nope Stay.
Speaker 1 (58:28):
IMPORTLAND i, mean every player has a, price, like, right
if The spurs got, crazy they could get. There but,
YEAH i think IT'S i think it's a tough, sell,
Right it's a good. Question it's a really good. Question but,
(58:53):
YEAH i, MEAN I i don't, know especially since they're
like The blazers clearly are looking to not take a step,
Back LIKE i guess if the season went off the,
Rate like if you, Know shaden can't get, healthy this
injury proves to be, problematic and Like drew is hurt
(59:14):
and they just all these guys are missing a ton of,
time and it becomes obvious the playoffs are not going
to happen for, them then, yeah maybe they reconsider closer
to the trade, Deadline but right, NOW i think they
are very much in the mindset, of, like we want
to build on what we did at the end of last,
season AND i think they were up until The drew
(59:35):
And shaden, Injuries SO i don't know that they. Were
if you're The, spurs you would have to blow them
away for them to seriously consider moving.
Speaker 2 (59:44):
HIM i think, YEAH i, mean you're at that point
where you need to, add, like whatever you think you
can offer that's good and, fair you need to add
like at least a pick on top of, that just
because because that's where we. Are, Yeah, okay let me
pivots to some else in terms Of. Denny is he the? Guy,
(01:00:04):
like is he the guy things to build around now
because they haven't had that? Guy is he good enough to, Justify,
hey this is our, anchor this is the player that
we Have taylor and structure our entire future roster construction. Around,
(01:00:27):
Ooh i'm putting you through the ringer.
Speaker 3 (01:00:32):
TODAY i.
Speaker 1 (01:00:32):
Know, yeah he's he's moving in that. DIRECTION i don't
know If i'm like ready to fully go, there LIKE
i think ultimately they would still like to have him
in the number two role and then some like a
true bona fide stars their number.
Speaker 3 (01:00:54):
One.
Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
YEAH i, MEAN i guess that's why it comes down to.
You i'm not sure is he the best player on champion? Team?
Speaker 3 (01:01:00):
RIGHT i don't.
Speaker 1 (01:01:01):
KNOW i think he could very well be the second
best player rich on a championship.
Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
Team, Yeah and the issue, is, like how do they
get that number one? Guy BECAUSE i think it'd be
is the word presumptuous if you Say scoot because of
what we've seen so, Far BECAUSE i think that would
be too big of a responsibility to.
Speaker 3 (01:01:21):
Put on a guy who's been that inconsistent over the
first two years of his. Career.
Speaker 1 (01:01:25):
Agree, YEAH i think there were some encouraging signs last, Season,
yes BUT i. DON'T i don't think you can say
right now That scoots.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
That, guy, right and like that's no disrespect To, scoot
which is it's been two seasons and he was he
wasn't fully available in. EITHER i, mean mm. Hmm i'm
just not ready to go. There i'm just. Not it's,
like at, Least, DENNY i think we can for for the,
(01:01:56):
present we can at least, Say, okay he's clearly the
best player on this team m, hm and probably for
the next two years as, well BECAUSE i don't really
see who's gonna come in and challenge that position Unless
shade And sharp figures out a way to hit, threes,
right which we yet to really see over the course.
Speaker 3 (01:02:16):
Of his career mm. Hm, well trade or.
Speaker 2 (01:02:20):
NOT i just wanted to get like the anything in
BECAUSE i think he's worth a.
Speaker 1 (01:02:24):
Discussion, yes, Well i'm glad we stayed positive for a.
Change same good good on, us.
Speaker 2 (01:02:31):
Right we actually made no dispara remarks about a certain.
Speaker 1 (01:02:34):
Player we didn't name, him so it's, okay this is.
Speaker 2 (01:02:37):
True we never named. Him even if people know who
we're talking, about we did not name. Him so it's
a positive.
Speaker 1 (01:02:43):
Episode next, week the slander comes back in full.
Speaker 3 (01:02:46):
Force.
Speaker 1 (01:02:49):
Uh that is a good place for us to wrap.
Up so thank you all as always for listening in.
Today more thank you for allowing me to come back
and shoot the bleep with, you and we will catch up.
Speaker 3 (01:02:59):
Soon my, friend certainly have a good.
Speaker 1 (01:03:01):
One you two
Hello, and welcome to another episode of the NBA Podcast.
I am Brian Sapporik. I am joined as always by
Morton Jensen, and we are back for another episode of
Shooting the Bleep, where we have done zero preparation for
this episode. Mort has no idea what I'm going to
bring up. I have no idea what mort is going
to bring up. It's we're going off the cuff, baby Ty.
(00:40):
We can do it on a Friday. Mort how's it
going with my friend?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
It is going well. See I'm going to jinch myself
big time right now. I haven't been sick for like
a month and a half. Oh wow, that's that's good thing.
That's like impressive at this point. I mean late fall,
I mean kids in school. I'm just saying, so far,
so good.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I am very impressed because I'm definitely I've had an
illness for about three weeks now. So we're on the mend.
But I'm sorry if I sound a little raspy.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's sexy. It's fine.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
There we go. That's what just trying to drive up
the sex appeal in this episode. So we're We've spent
a lot of time talking about teams that are struggling
and some expectedly some unexpectedly. Right today, I at least
want to start with the complete opposite out of that spectrum.
(01:38):
Nice and we're going to go a little thunderbuddies here
shout out to Dan Favalley of the podcast that we
were two years too late on actually starting. The Oklahoma
City Thunder are fifteen in one right now, have by
far the best net rating in the NBA. Yep, the
best defensive rating in the NBA. And I already had
(02:00):
a historic defense last year. It's even better so far
this year. And Jalen Williams has not played a single
minute so far. He is recovering from a offseason riffs procedure.
There is an update in late October that it would
be reevaluated in ten to fourteen days. It's clearly taken
a little bit longer than that, but you know, I
(02:21):
don't expect. We haven't heard anything that there was like
a major complication and that he's going to be out
for significantly longer. But yes, I mean, the fact they're
doing all of this without arguably their second best player
makes this start to the season for them even more terrifying.
(02:42):
What has impressed you the most about okayse.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Start well, so this is in connection with that, because
it's so funny that you're bringing up the thunder because
I was looking at their page a couple of days ago.
I think it was before the King's game. Now, do
me a favor. Find their one loss and tell me
how many points they lost by.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
It was Portland, right, correct, and by like two two? Wow?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
So that got how I.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Really got that. I swear I did not have their
schedule out.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
That's that's good. That is that is very good. One
twenty one nineteen. There you go, okay, and then look
at the point differentials, like in the games that they've won,
how many are are plus twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
That they started like two double overtime wins, right, and
then I've just been smoking everyone ever since completely.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Like I it is.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It is ridiculous, just like their plus minus and that
like or plus mindsets. Is how many points they've outscored
opponents by. I mean they're averaging one hundred and twenty
one points per game there are allowing just under one
oh six. That is just a preposterous good defense, but
possibly sly good team they are. They are the team
(04:08):
where we can look at them and go if there's
going to be a repeat champion. Like I know we
said the same thing about Boston, but I think we
also have to be honest that the thunder were like
hold our beer when we're when we were all praising
Boston for being you know, that dominant and that good,
they were like, you haven't seen anything yet. I believe
(04:29):
that what we're seeing right now is them on a mission.
I think the motivation is to do just that, just
break that damn championship curse like one time curse. I
think they're looking to start the dynasty. I think they're
motivated as hell to basically say, Okay, everyone's gonna expect
us not to repeat, so let's just prove them all wrong.
(04:54):
Because what they're doing is out landish, just outlandish. And
when you when even when you factor in Brian, I
swear I'll give you the word in a minute, they're
not even shooting that well. Like a lot of these guys,
like you know Lou Dort thirty percent from three, that's
not you know him. Usually Kison Wallace has been fine
(05:17):
ish efficiency wise, but not you know, necessarily great. Aj
Mitchell who's playing a lot of minutes this year, and
even thirty from three, Alex Caruso was barely scoring the ball,
Like and again, like you said, no Chilean Williams yet,
like there's still this this place, this placeholder for internal
(05:39):
improvement for the rest of the year.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Like I mean they're going to add an all NBA player,
not even an All Star and all NBA player back
to the mix r near future.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
It's yeah, No, it's like I I went, I went
into this season and I had to choose, like my
my favorite pick for the for the ring over Jahu Sports.
It wasn't even something like where I went into like
contemplation mode, if you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I didn't.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
I wasn't sitting there going, oh, well, what if the
Knicks make the finals and stuff the Cavs, or like
what if this team or that seem it's like no thunder,
like if they stay healthy, there's no team coming out.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Of the East, or I'm like scared.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
No, no, I mean if anything, and this is something
I would I would do as a separate topic later.
I think there are two biggest threats to the West.
I think it's Denver and I think it's Houston. I
think those are the three best teams in the NBA
this year, So whichever team comes out of the West,
(06:50):
I think. I mean, look, it's late November. You know
a lot's going to change over the next six months.
But like, if the finals were starting today, I would
play any of okay see Denver Houston over any team
of the year.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, Like I'm probably at that point, Brian, if the
finals were to start today and we knew the Thunder
were in the finals, I would probably just say sweep
on any Eastern Conference team and that, Like, I'm not
trying to downplay the Pistons, the Knicks, the Raptures, by
the way, which ye hello Cleveland, or even Miami who's
(07:28):
been so like high power with their new high powered offense.
Respect to them, but it's the Thunder.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Like it's.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Like, if I'm trying to game plan against the Thunder,
I just don't know what I can do. Like I
can say, well, give them a three because they're like
inconsistent three point shooters. Yeah, okay, that's fine, and well
in theory, they're not going to take eighty threes. They're
also going to get into the paint. Regardless of what
of my plans are, They're gonna take high efficiency two
(08:02):
point shots. They're going to get shots at the rim,
They're going to pass my ass to death, and when
I attack on the other side of all of it,
they're gonna lock me the f up. So I just
don't know the game plan against Easet Thunder.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Well, here's what's I mean. One of the many things
terrifying about their start. Sga is leading the team with
thirty three point four minutes per game. Right Oh yeah,
he is the only player. I guess him and Lou
Dort are the only players. We're over thirty minutes per game.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Right now, well at twenty nine point nine.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I specifically said that now because I'm sure that's gonna change,
But yes, I mean like over you know, I'm I'm
watching a lot of sixers this year, and Tyrese Maxi
is leading the league at forty point seven minutes per
game and VJ Edgecomb is thirty seven minutes per game.
And those two guys are probably going to burn out
(09:04):
by mid April, if not sooner, if they continue playing
that minute sload. Okay, sees depth, which is what we
saw last year as well. They are just gonna stay
fresh because they can go nine, ten, eleven deep in
their bench and still have I mean, especially once Jayden
comes back, they can go eleven deep and not bad.
(09:26):
And I and I think, I'm really glad you brought
up Mitchell because I mean, he what a freaking fine
for this team. I mean, this is the exact thing
that the rest of the league could not afford to
have happened for Okay, see, because he's third on the
team in points per game right now, sixteen point one
(09:46):
points per game, three point eight rebounds, three point eight assists,
one point eight steals. As you mentioned, not shooting great
from three, but you'll you'll live with that given everything
else he's got going for him, right And here's what's
so annoying if you are a fan of any other team.
They draft him last year at number thirty eight overall,
(10:07):
sign him to a two way deal. They convert him
in February last year, two year, six million dollar deal,
three million dollar team option, decline the team option at
the end of June, and sign him to a three
year eight point seven million dollar contract including a team
option in twenty seven to twenty eight. He is currently
(10:30):
earning one point nine to four percent of the salary cap,
is projected to earn one point seven to two percent
next year and one point five to seven percent of
the salary cap in twenty seven to twenty eight, which is,
by the way, next year is when JDub and Chet's
new extensions kick in, and then twenty seven to twenty
(10:50):
eight is when SGA's new extension kicks in. So the
thunder we've been alluding to this are going to have
to start making the same types of the tough financial
visions that you know we saw Boston this past offseason,
for instance, like chances are they are not running back
this exact same roster next year, or if they are,
they're turning down their team options on Hartenstein and lou
(11:12):
Dort and signing them to smaller deals. Definitely for Hartenstein
at least, yeah, having Mitchell signed on that type of
a contract. As these as Jada of as Chet as SGA,
their salaries explode. That's what every team is searching for.
They're looking for these cheap rotation players who you know,
(11:35):
especially if you're building around three max guys like you
need to find these. It becomes increasingly important to find
these types of guys. So I mean, as if Sam
Presty and his scouting department. His runoff is needed more kudos,
major kudos for that, and I wrote about this at
fan Sided today. The other big storyline, you know, Jalen
(12:00):
Williams elbow injury. Like we're not saying there's a ewing
theory going on with Jada. The thunder clearly better with Jadab.
They miss Jadab. It will be even better when he
comes back. But Jadab's absence has allowed Mitchell to really
emerge and cement himself as a potential keeper, which is
important when you consider, like you know, maybe next year
(12:23):
or the year after, they're gonna have to choose between
Cason Wallace and Alice Caruso. They might have to shed
in Isaiah Joe at some point, and they're Wiggins at
some point. So now they have Mitchell as a potential
replacement for that.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Wiggins do elaborate, sir, because his contract is descending, and
that is dirt, dirt cheap.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Yeah, I mean it's cheap. I think I think they're
gonna have to choose between Wiggins and Joe, and they'll
they'll choose Wiggins.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Right like the size, the better contract. Yeah, I think
he's a lot to stay.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I think so too, but like I mean, when Cason
Wallace is up for a new deal, I think you
can balance Caruso and Cason Wallace plus the three max guys.
So that is a topic for another day. But the
other big benefit to J Dubbs injury. And this is
why I rode I fan sided. First, you get Mitchell
in this big role. Second, So when Chet signed his extension,
(13:19):
it was just a straight twenty five percent max, no
escalator language. Jay Dubbs had escalator language. If he made
first team All NBA one MVP one dpoy was thirty
percent believe, twenty seven percent of the cap next year
if he's second team NBA twenty six percent if he's
third team. J dub has already missed sixteen games.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
There is a requirement that you play at least sixty
five games to be eligible for any of those awards.
So he is able to miss one more game over
the remainder of the season or he will be ineligible
ye and will be stuck at the twenty five percent max.
And that to put some context, if the cap based
(14:05):
on the current projection of next year is one hundred
and sixty six million, if he's a twenty five percent max.
His starting salary will be forty one point five million.
The total value of the contract will be two hundred
and forty point seven million. If he's somehow plays and
(14:25):
you know, play sixty five makes all MBA, he would
start at forty nine point eight million. Total value of
the deal will be two hundred and eighty eight point
eight so nearly a forty eight million dollar difference over
the span of the deal, about eight point three million
between the starting salary alone. So as we're talking about
the Thunder needing to you know, worry about some of
(14:49):
these big financial decisions, they might have just gotten an
eight point three million dollar gift in the sense that
Jalen Williams will be a lot cheaper, yeah, than he
otherwise could have and like League would have been because
he did make All NBA last year. So it's just
the Richard just continue to get richer in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Everything is coming up Millhouse basically.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Yeah, and the I mean, the friggin Clippers are in
a complete tailspin and the Thunder own they're fully unprotected.
Twenty twenty six restaurant pick.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Yeah, that was the one I was going to bring
up because and to your point about AJ Mitchell, by
the way, So in twenty seven to twenty eight, when
he has that team option on or when they have
a team option on him rather, they can just decline
that and that will turn him into a restricted free agent.
(15:40):
That's the whole Nicola Yokic package there. Like if you're
a second rounder and you could you could become an
unrestrict free agent after four years, but you become a
restricted free agent after three years of service. So like
they will have if they want to full team control
on Aj Mitchell as well. And this is all without
(16:03):
Nikola topic and Thomas Zorper having even played a minute,
by the way, So it's like and like, I love
Alex Caruso. I think he played an underratedly large role
for their win last year and just bringing home the title,
but he's such a luxury right now in the regular season,
(16:24):
like you know, and and and at some point I
think you're right that they are going to have to
choose because you know that that that cap hold or
cap percentage is going to maintain during the course of
the regular season, and he's earning a lot of money.
But the fact that he can actually just kind of
play it cool and just kind of hang out for
eighty two games. I mean, perhaps that's why he got
(16:45):
paid what he did. Like, you know what, Alex, just chill,
just chill for like seven months, and then when when
you get into the playoffs, that's when you start earning
your your mulah.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I get it.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Yeah, it's no, it's it's ridiculous. They're so good. They're
so good. Do you have a final point about them?
Or do we need to move on?
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Just the rest of the NBA is screwed, and I
feel sorry for anyone who's not on the thunder bandwagon
three years ago, like me, all right, Mork, you're up.
Let's uh, what do you got for me here?
Speaker 2 (17:24):
The Miami Heat. I brought them up earlier because you
know what, when you started talking about something positive, I
was like, you know what, let's let's stay with that.
The number one pace in the NBA. The it's funny, right,
the seventeenth ranked offense. But somehow that doesn't really I
feel like is overly representative of how frickin dangerous they
(17:50):
can be. Like this is a team that just they
just spurt up and down the floor like it's it's nothing.
Norman Powell has been an incredible addition to that team.
Andrew Wickins is despite you know, not averaging eighteen nineteen
points per game, He's just kind of around being that
(18:11):
wing that we all know can hit threes, get to
the bucket, convert inside. Haimi Hawkes is just you know,
he whatever sophomore slump he was in, that's over with.
He's like a fully fletched, you know, sixteen to six
y five guy off the bench, which is ridiculous. Dabian
Mitchell is becoming like a true playmaker, which that was
(18:32):
never on my Bingo card. And they're doing this without
Tyler Hero, they're doing this with bam Adebayo having missed
six games. Oh and by the way, by the way,
Kilo Ware and Pela Larson are both doing wonderfully. Like
it's this team has more juice than I thought coming
into the into the season. Like I've always been a
(18:53):
fan of Norman Powell and I do know he gets
hot early in the season and tends to cool off
a little bit, So like that is I'm baking that
into everything, But twenty five and a half points per
game on sixteen shot attempts, Like he's getting to the
free throw line and knocking down ninety three percent of
those freebies while canning forty seven percent from three. Like,
(19:13):
he's just he's a monster. He's a complete flame thrower
right now. And I'm sort of scared to see what
this team can be if Tyler Hero comes back and
joins in on the buy in, because that's that's the
one thing for me. It's we're seeing a team where
there's buy in and we have seen in the past,
to be fair, Tyler Hero play outside of the blow
(19:37):
off the offense, like outside of the scheme. If he
comes in having watched this team for fifteen, sixteen games
or however long, you know he's going to watch this
team before he gets back, and he notices just how
much everyone is playing for each other right now, and
he basically joins the Kumba yatrain. Oh boy, Brian all
(19:59):
freaking boy. Then we'll have another team in the East
that is going to be dangerous. And it's like how
fast things can change. I sat here on this podcast
as well as a Danish one before the season. I
was like, yeah, I don't think they have it. I
think it's time to like for real blow this thing up.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
They just.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Coach bow Man just dialed on some things and it clicked.
I don't know what he did, sorcery, I guess yep.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Yeah, I was gonna ask you about Hero because it
sounds like his return is fairly imminent. Yeah, so yeah,
how you envision that going in Miami? But I think
it's fair to say it's just like it's on him
to make this work. They've clearly proved that this system
(20:51):
is working and working well. I mean they're yeah, to
your point, there's seventeenth in offensive rating with first and
pace like they're just flying up and down the court.
I know.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
And yes, I'm glad you brought up Haimehawks because you
got off to a great start as a rookie. Really
backslid last year to the point that it was like, ooh,
did we all get too excited about this kid? Like
maybe we went over our skis a little bit? And
now this year, I mean almost seventeen seven and five,
like still not shooting very well from three, but shooting
(21:24):
almost fifty two percent overall, Like, yeah, they got themselves
a good one here. So yeah, it's gonna be you know,
Miami's gonna come up in trade discussions for every big
name as is tradition. We've already seen a couple of
big names potentially hitting the market, so I'm I'm very
(21:45):
curious to see, like first how they look with heroes return,
but then like big picture, what the next steps are
do they Are they comfortable and confident in this group
or are they still looking for an upgrade and if so,
at what position?
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Yeah, And I.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Don't want to sit here and say they should be
open to trading the kids given how they're playing right now,
but like if they wanted to, if they wanted to
take the young guys and package some of them for
like a star, that's an intriguing and freaking package like
Haimi hakkezk kill al Ware and Pila Larson. Like if
you offer that trio to a bunch of teams that
(22:25):
are trying to rebuild, that's interesting, especially if they have
like some disgruntled star.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Now, I don't necessarily think they should do that.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
I'm just saying that's in play.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
That leads me to your colleague at Yahoo Sports, Kelly
Iko yesterday, Yeah, reporting that LaMelo ball is open to
a change of scenery. Yeah, would you if you're Miami,
would you be open to trading not even all the kids,
like not necessarily the whole kids package, but would you
be open to trading for him in general?
Speaker 2 (23:00):
I don't think so. Look, even if I were to
be optimistic about him and going to like, oh, Miami
is the place where he could actually grow up, which
there's a part of me that actually does recognize that.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
I will say the.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Injury concerns though, Like he's in the lack of availability,
that's a concern, right, Like more than we're talking about
like it, why is it really that we tend to
give players whom miss games crap? And then specific with LaMelo,
(23:35):
we don't really get into that all that much. We
get more into like the shot selection and you know,
the lack of discipline, the speeding you know, off the
court and everything.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Like.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Why are we sort of ignoring the basketball aspect of
this where the dude is generally not available?
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Yeah? Right, I mean it's the Stephen Curry ankle injury
from early in his career, right, And they had to
ask themselves at one point, like why does this keep happening?
Do we think we can fix this? But yeah, I
mean what he's played or the last three seasons combined,
he played in one hundred and five games. Like the
(24:16):
Hornets have sucked. Yeah, I mean he first of all,
he came out and said these rumors are not true.
He is happy in Charlotte whatever.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Oh yeah, I totally believe that, right.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I mean, look, the Hornets have sucked for a long time,
but they've sucked in part because their solid point guard
can't stay healthy. So it's a very thing, very fair
point to bring up for you. But I mean, also, yes,
like the the on court stuff matters too, and I
mean I just can't this is a chicken or the
(24:51):
egg thing. It's like, do the Hornets suck because LaMelo
ball is unserious? Or is LaMelo ball and serious because
the Hornets suck?
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Like?
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Is he a good stats, bad team type of player?
Can he like contribute meaningfully to winning basketball? Because right
now he's shooting below forty percent overall and thirty percent
from three, and it's like, I mean, it has been
in the low forties his entire career. He's never never
(25:20):
shot about machine as well. Yeah, yeah, I mean he can.
He can score. He's gonna shoot ten threes a game,
which is great, but he's not I mean his shooting
percentage has declined every year since his sophomore season. He's
got almost thirty nine percent in twenty one, twenty two
from deep and it's just been declining by like twenty
(25:43):
percentage points every year since.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I have a bit of a take about that. Okay,
So Tieran Fox had that one good three point shooting year, yea, right,
like the one good year, And I don't remember like
what his career percentage, which was, Like I think you
and I actually did the math a year or so ago,
Like we took that year out and then we looked
(26:07):
at it at like his career percentage and overall efficiency,
and it just it bottomed out because we just removed
that one year. Now, for LaMelo, I think it's I
think he had two years. I think he had the
year you were referring to and the year after, which
was only a thirty six game sample size where he
hit like thirty seven and a half percent.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
So like, if we.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Take that, it's you know, roughly one hundred and seven
games or something along those lines. Outside of that, after that,
it's been pretty pedestrian, like it's actually been under league average,
And so I understand that a big part of this
is the high degree of difficulty on the shots that
he takes.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Like, I'm not lost to that.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
I think obviously, when you take that type of three
point shots and you still make like three per game,
you're you're generally a good shooter, but I can't heat.
Going on the whole theoretical perspective of will what if
you changed the shot selection? This is year six? This
is year six, Like even with all the injuries, he's
(27:12):
still two hundred and forty freaking games into his NBA career. Like,
at some point you just have to wonder, is this
something that has just been put so deeply into his
personality that we're never gonna see a real change, or
will it seem like the heat just immediately be able
(27:34):
to bend his mind and think outside the box to
a point where, oh, yeah, I will suddenly begin to
integrate myself within the flow of a structured team. Now
I will be more careful with the ball, I will
take more spot ups, I will be a more efficient scorer.
I don't know the entrance that, but the gamble is
(27:57):
so so stark because though Hornets are not going to
go into this and say, sure, we'll give him up
for peanuts.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
They don't want to lose face.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah, so it comes down to the compensation level.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Yeah, I guess bigger picture, like if Miami were to
swing a big trade, do you think point guard is
the area that they need to address?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I mean, I I it's a good question, Like I
actually like what Doabbion Mitchell is doing right now? I
think when Hero comes back, there's going to be more playmaking. Like,
granted he's not a point guard, but like he's he's
at least a playmaking too. To some extent, Bam has
also not been that available. He can pass from the
(28:45):
high post, he can do a lot of interior passing.
Haimi Hawks has stepped up as a playmakers. Like I
think in the collective they might have enough playmaking, Like
I I don't feel that like at that's their primary weakness.
I think their primary weakness is that they don't have
And I understand why you're pitching Ball here like that
(29:08):
that clear cut number one guy with a bullet right,
Like who is that dude? But I also don't necessarily
think Ball is that guy.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Yeah, what about tray or Jah?
Speaker 2 (29:22):
So will you agree with me that among the three
of them, Trey is probably even by far the most
structured of them all, the most responsible and the most
serious of those three.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Yeah, I mean, are we talking on and off the
court both? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Honestly, yes.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Like I have the fewest overall concerns about Trey right.
He is a turnstile on defense, and I have read
flags about like how much John Collins in particular really
seemed to not like playing with him.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
But if we're talking like who can heat culture, who
will be the least problematic to fit into heat culture?
I think trade would be the answer.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
And that's where I land to like. For all his
faults and for all of his weaknesses, you know, he
does he does offer a substantial amount of playmaking. He
does offer a substantial amount of scoring. He gets to
the free throw line every time he breathes and converts
(30:38):
at a ridiculously high rate. I trust his ability to
incorporate himself into a team much more than job, because
I mean, look what we're seeing in Memphis when you
know he's out now, but like when he was healthy,
that was a man who just not only checked out
but gave up on teammates. He just hung them out
(31:01):
to drive. I don't trust a player like that at all.
With LaMelo, I'm not far behind. I just don't trust him.
He's deeply unserious. He is deeply irresponsible, both on and
off the court. I don't think he is a player
who is going to change the win loss column all
that much. And I think it's fair when people point out, like,
(31:23):
well does Trey and like it depends like it depends
on the structure of the team, it depends if he
has a bam at of Bio next to him. Defensively,
that dude can cover up a lot of trace mistakes.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Yeah, so you know, I if I were Miami and
I was looking at a point guard and those three
was on my list, I'd go tray with a bullet.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Yeah, all right. Any final thoughts on Miami.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Only that it's almost annoying how we can have like
a two years like period where we're like, Okay, now
it's time for them to rebuild. Now it's time for
them to do something else, because like they're just irrelevant,
YadA YadA, and then they just they keep doing this,
they keep getting away with it.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
They can't can't keep get well, that's the benefit of
having Suppo as your coach.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yeah, I guess I wish I knew how many wins
that dude had had actually added to them over his
entire tenure there.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
It's countless, right, it got to be over one hundred.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yeah, all right, So let's stick in the East because
I saw a roundtable from Eric Karen and a few
other guys at the Athletic today and I think it
is worth discussing. And the topic was just how the
East is like actually surprisingly good and deep. Now again,
(32:57):
I think, okay, see, Denver Houston are the three best
teams in the NBA this year. I would take them
over any team in the East, with all due respect
to the Cavs, Nicks and Pistons. But I mean, right now,
you know there's eleven teams, Like the bottom of the
East is horrific.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
I was about to say, right right.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
The Wizard's pacers and nets are already they've checked out
for until twenty seven, twenty seven, and the Hornets are
not far behind. So those four teams, thank you for playing.
Your season is more or less already over. With that said,
we have eleven teams five hundred or better right now,
one of whom is going to miss the play in
(33:37):
And you know, I think these teams came in with
differing expectations to start the year. But it's very early.
But as of right now, the Milwaukee Bucks are the
one team that would be out of the play in tournament.
Giannis is out for at least a week or two.
Even if the Giannis comes back, Kevin Porter Junior comes back,
they get in. Maybe that means Boston slides out, the
(34:00):
Bulls slide out, the Sixers slide out. I mean, there's
a decent to good team is going to miss the
play in tournament in the East. Yeah, So I'm just
I'm impressed by you. I feel like there has just
been the perception of the West is so so, so
much better than the East for the last however many years,
(34:23):
and I think the top of the West certainly is
and I think, no when Wemby is back. The Spurs
are very good, Lebron just debuted this week. The Lakers
are looking very very good this year. So you know,
you might be able to say like five or of
the top seven or eight teams in the NBA. I'll
reside in the West, but I don't know. I mean,
(34:46):
given the struggles of the Grizzlies, the Clippers, the Mavericks.
The Kings are dead now with the bonus out. Pelicans
are more or less dead already.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
More or less.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
They're dead. They have no incentive to be dead, but
they're probably dead. I don't know. I mean, I think
it's just worth noting that the East is not quite
the train wreck that it has been in recent years.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
I like that that's a positive spin. I wonder how
the schedule has left broken there, whether it's a you know,
a situation where the East teams that are five hundred
or slightly above have mostly feasted on the bottom East teams,
Like that's a genuine, genuine question. I don't know, Like
(35:34):
I'm not sitting here saying that's the reason. But I
do wonder, because if they've been feasting on Brooklyn, Indiana
and Washington, you know, I get it, Like I would
understand why they would have a decent record. But it's like,
I agree with you, Like it's nice to see that
it's not just two or three teams at the top,
(35:54):
that there's something going on that is interesting, that where
we can go down through the rank of the East
and say, oh, this team is doing something interesting, Like
Atlanta without Trey, Yeah, has been they've been good.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
Yeah, I saw, I saw.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
You, sneaky s ob you. Yeah, you wrote the Jalen
Johnson column. I did Yahoo and the we had we
had a talk in confidence comparing him to someone that
you worked in there because we have a fun project
coming out at Bleacher Report next week. Uh. I'm not
(36:32):
gonna spoil, but I think fans of a certain team
in the East are going to be very mad at
me in particular.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
Well, then that fan base of a certain team in
the East should stop caping for their player who is
not exactly easy to build around.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Yes, I think we will have next time we record
this piece will be live and we can definitely have.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
The the talk, the talk, yes, all right, because I
will say, so far, with that specific player unavailable, his
team is three and one.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Yeah. Oh yeah, there's a challenge trade for you.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Oh god, you might I don't know if you saw
what I wrote on Blue Sky today.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
No, I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
No.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
I might have compared that player to a certain king's veteran.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Ooh mm hmmm, damar oh no oh no oh no, yeah,
oh boy. All right, Well we'll start speaking a mystery.
But that pencil that in we will we will have
that that conversation next week because yeah, I mean Jalen
Johnson in general, I'm very glad that you wrote an
entire article about what he's been doing in Trade's absence,
(37:59):
because holy hell, man, Like, I mean, he was already
breaking out last year and then suffers the shoulder injury. Yes,
but seeing him without Trey right now, like that really
opens some questions about, you know, are we Like I
think it's fairly clear at this point that they are
(38:21):
better off if Jalen Johnson is their best player and
they're not so helio centric around Trey. But like, so yeah,
it does open the do we really need Trey or
can we allocate that fifty million dollars elsewhere and be
a better or more well rounded team.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
If Jalen Johnson is not an All Star this year,
like if he keeps his production up at this level.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Oh dude, no, we right?
Speaker 3 (38:47):
We riot? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (38:48):
Yeah absolutely?
Speaker 3 (38:51):
I just this is this is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
I hate the games played, uh stuff with the awards
now because you remember this, I called him as my
MP in twenty three.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Yeah, and I was like three years too early.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
Well, I mean, look that's the thing that's that's actually
gonna bother me if he wins it this year, because
like he was good last year and the year before,
like we saw it, that wasn't the thing, like I
called it back in twenty three.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
So what if you're just always because you did this
with someone else one year too? Right?
Speaker 2 (39:26):
Last year I did it with Trenton Watford. What did
he go out and do? Like he had the twenty
point seventeen rebounds and assist game.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
He did have a triple. Yeah, but he's been very quiet.
That's what I'm saying. Trenton Watford in three years right,
become the most improved player?
Speaker 2 (39:42):
No, I had some I had Carousel Vert back in
the day when and then he went down.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
Yeah, and you nailed one one year. I think you
were like one year or too early on someone. I
can't remember.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I probably I probably have been uh well, I.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Mean I'll pull up the most improved player list.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Yes, please do, because you're right there was there were
a couple guys where I was like a year too
early on them, and apparently with Janeen Johnson it was
two years.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Was it.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
Marketing?
Speaker 3 (40:10):
No, marketing was almost good from the get go.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
And by the way, see you can already rule out
lottery picks because I wouldn't pick those guys right right.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Maybe it wasn't monsterproof flair, or maybe it was like
the runner up or something.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Yeah, that well, that is my jam because remember when
I had Donovan Mitchell's Rookie of the Year and Ben
Frickin Simmons came in and stole it. I remember we
were on a pod with Matt Moore, and I believe
I even said he's gonna average twenty right off the bat,
and Matt was like he was making fun of me,
and rightfully so, because I remember what Matt said. He
(40:43):
was like, so like if you look at yousah, how
did they double down on veterans? Yeah, on veterans like
Donovan Mitchell's never gonna have a chance, And like it
was a fair point at the time. Like I'm not
knocking Matt, that was a good point, but damn that
there are there are a couple of guys who who
I just like.
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Yeah, I can't find no, I don't remember either.
Speaker 2 (41:07):
I have so many in your missus that I'm just like,
in order to maintain my sanity, I'm just not gonna
go back.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
Yeah, But Johnson like I agree, he's I think you
can allocate that money better, and like that's not even
a knock on tray. I feel like like Trey is
still good. It's just a matter of can we do
something better with that salary slot?
Speaker 1 (41:34):
Right exactly? Yeah, it's you. I mean, it's a similar
conversation with the Lakers right now, Like they're not better
without Lebron James, but Lebron James is obviously not part
of their long term future and they're gonna have a
fifty million dollars slot to play with next summer if
he leaves or retires. Yeah, so yeah, I mean I
(41:57):
think the Hawks are in a weird press because of this,
Like they I don't know. This is like this is
the dangerous part of a retool rebuild where you know
you have to make you have to get this decision correct,
and this will determine how high their ceiling is in
(42:17):
the near future. But all that's it. There's still a
frisky Tae Man losing to the Spurs without any of
Wemby Castle or that's a tough look.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
Oh sorry, go ahead, Oh no, I was.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
Gonna say maybe that this is not the day to
be singing the Hawks praises.
Speaker 2 (42:42):
To wrap up the whole You know, your your your
point about the East. I do wonder which team because
it does feel like there's one seam among like the
the five hundred group there that will bought them out
and so we're not bottom out that will drop out
of this, like Milwaukee, for example, who's an even five
(43:03):
hundred and some point. I'm just like, if Yannis misses
like eight games in a row with an injury because
he's been overutilized, or if Doc Rivers just decides to
be Doc Rivers again, because so far it's actually looked okay,
but like if he returns to some of his worst habits,
that's the team I could be fearful just dropping out
of the whole thing. Sure, Like, do you is there
(43:27):
a team where you're looking in the East where you're going,
that's like a team I could see drop.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
I mean the Sixers. If Maxie gets hurt.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Oh yeah, that's a good one.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Yeah, he's the only reason they've been as good as
they are. The Balls if regression hits, because there's the
only the only team with the negative point differential in
the East as a winning record right now. Yeah, maybe
maybe Booch doesn't hit a last second three to win
the game after they blow a twenty one fourth quarter lead.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Isn't that the second time he's hit like three point
dack at the end of the game.
Speaker 1 (44:01):
Sounds I mean, yeah, yeah, speaking of they can't keep
getting away with it. The Chicago wis no. I mean,
I don't think. I don't think the floor falls out
on Detroit, New York, Cleveland, the Rafters, I don't think
so either. I don't know that they have like a
championship ceiling. But I mean, I think both of us
said this coming into the year that they were going
(44:22):
to be better than anticipated because that starting five is
like just solid veterans all around.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
Yeah, they were going to be better than last year
because everyone was freaking injured, right. But I will say
this like I will own this because that that is
me being wrong about something. If you had told me
before the season that Grady dig would only be playing
sixteen minutes per game, like, because I thought his shooting
capabilities would be such a huge swings thing for them
(44:52):
in order to balance the three wings, like, I wouldn't
have said they they would have been ten and five. Hell,
I probably wouldn't even wouln't have said they would have
been ten and five even if everyone had been fully healthy.
So it's a testament to those three wings and Quickly,
by the way that this seems to be working. Oh
and yaka Purdle, yaka Peardle, who just understands how to
(45:14):
take a good shot near the rim wherever he is,
that's in whatever lineup he is, Mamu.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
Great addition there, bet.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
Hey man nine points three and a half boars to
assist forty two from three fifty seven overall, even get
into the foul line in seventeen minutes. He's finally he No,
he's good. I was always right about momo. I want that.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
As your mippeck for six years from now.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
No, no, no, he's already twenty six. Man, that's not
gonna work.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
But I will say this, if he was, if he
were to be given like a legit starting role somewhere,
I wouldn't be surprised if like he could maintain a
fairly large chunk of his thirties six minutes, she wouldn't
shock me. Dude is good. This team is good, and
it's fun to watch. And it's even like before Quickly
has fully returned. If you catch my drift, he's still
(46:12):
not fully himself.
Speaker 1 (46:14):
Yep, all right, morre bring us home. You have anything
else you want to hit this week?
Speaker 3 (46:20):
I do.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
And staying with the topic of optimism, you know what
I think it is. It's because it's really getting dark
out early in the day when late November winter is
creeping up, Like we need some positivity and.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
The NBA Cup day baby, Yeah it is hell.
Speaker 3 (46:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
This episode is going to come out a little later date,
but yes, like we're recording this on Friday, November twenty. First,
I want to talk about Denny Man. So this was
a guy who I bought in to the second half
of last year stuff, and I usually don't like there
(46:59):
are a lot of players where I'm like, I don't
trust that. There's a part of why I was I didn't,
you know, I didn't trust josh Gey Giddeys has proven
me wrong on multiple elements as well, but like after you,
it was one where I was like, no, that the
way that he's begun playing that is sustainable because what
we saw with him in the second half of last
(47:21):
year was a complete shift in on ball creativity, on
ball confidence. Like over the first four years of his
career with Washington, he was playing a bit of a
bit role. He was developing, all right, he comes to
Washington or started sup Portland in that first year. Last year,
he's kind of playing it a little cool. He's being
(47:42):
you know, a connector. He's not trying too much. He's
taken open shots. Occasionally he will do a half spin
and get into the teeth of the defense. Then the
second freaking half of the season starts, and I Brian,
this is a theory of mine. I have nothing to
back this up. Someone needs to ask him. I think
Denny has just spent the entire year, like last year,
(48:05):
just watching Luka Dantac in terms of like footwork and
how getting into the paint and like finishing or getting
to the line drawing fouls, because he started playing like
a mini type of Luka Doncic in the second half
of last year. Like he would attack off the pick
and prole, He'll get into the teats of the defense
by going eurostepping and slowing down his own movement like
deceleration stuff, and he would finish at the rim, or
(48:28):
he would go further and like you know, draw fouls
or finish the layup. Everything would be you know, footwork, intelligence, timing,
and one thing I noted in particular last year which
was totally transferable and what we've seen this year as well,
that he does that Luca also does. He's counting, He's
(48:49):
counting when the opposing big man enters the paint. He
is waiting for that guy because we know, we know
that the center is thinking, I can't be the paint
for more than three seconds, so he's counting out and knowing,
all right, when this guy has been in the paint
for two seconds, I'm going to attack because by the
(49:10):
time I get to that spot, that big man is
going to be forcing himself out of the paint because
he's not allowed to be there at that point in time.
That's you know, that's a Luca trait. We're seeing it
from Denny, and Denny's doing it at six'. Nine he
isn't as fluid As, luca he doesn't have the same
(49:31):
natural shooting, capabilities but he is Mimicking dantage very very.
Speaker 3 (49:37):
Well.
Speaker 1 (49:39):
YEAH i, mean The blazers have fallen on hard times
as of. Late they've just had some injury. Issues Shadon
sharp has been out for a few, Games Drew holliday
has been out for a few, games, Obviously No Scoot
henderson all, Year No dame, obviously but Like denny has been. Phenomenal,
(50:02):
honestly LIKE I i'm very bullish long term on The
blazers in, general getting shaden at the deal that they.
DID i, Mean denny is On we've we've talked about this,
before But denny's contract is almost too good and that
IT'S i mean fourteen point four million this, year thirteen
(50:26):
point one next, year eighteen point nine the year after.
Speaker 3 (50:29):
That you, know eleven point.
Speaker 1 (50:32):
Nine oh, yeah, sorry eleven point, Nine my. Bad you
would need the. Rules you can only offer one hundred
and forty percent of what he's earning on an.
Speaker 2 (50:41):
Extension they were the league's average, salary but even that
is not going to cut.
Speaker 1 (50:46):
It they would need to offer him about four hundred
percent of that salary to get. Him so they're going
to have to renegotiate and extend him at some. POINT i,
mean they've Got, Drew, jeremy And dame all have player
options that, year but their books are otherwise clean that,
year so IT'S i would imagine a renegotiation is coming
(51:09):
either this summer or the following, summer because, YEAH i,
mean HE'S i will allude back to the project that
is coming out AT br next, week but he is
prominently featured as, well AND i am sad THAT i
was not the one to have him be. Featured this
(51:32):
will make more sense next, WEEK i. Promise, YEAH i
mean he's he's just so. VERSE i think you AND
i both just have a kink for these forwards Like Jalen,
johnson Like denny that can do. Everything they can, shoot
they could, score they can, playmate they can, defend they can. Rebound,
well it's like you just want these guys who don't
(51:56):
have a ton of holes in their.
Speaker 3 (51:57):
Game should we good beast?
Speaker 1 (52:00):
Players, well not EVERY nba team likes. That just That's Sacramento.
Speaker 3 (52:06):
Kings that is.
Speaker 1 (52:07):
True, Yes AND i, thought you, know like when The
blazers traded two first round picks for, HIM i thought
that was, like really two first round.
Speaker 3 (52:16):
Picks, OH i loved. IT i loved it at the.
Speaker 1 (52:19):
TIME i did not did not see what they, saw
and they were completely right AND i was completely wrong Because, Danny,
yeah like twenty, six seven and five this. YEAR i,
mean speaking of guys who we riot if they're not
An all. Star Danny evdia is playing at an all
star level right, now.
Speaker 3 (52:36):
And of Course i'm going to ruin it ALL i
throw you a.
Speaker 1 (52:40):
Trade uh oh, okay uh oh all.
Speaker 2 (52:44):
Right so there's there's been some chatter generally speaking about
like how do you complete a, team you, know an
up and coming, Team like you're looking at certain positions
and you're, going you, know is this is this the position.
Speaker 3 (52:59):
Where where we need an? Upgrade And.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
I'm gonna talk to you about The San Antonio spurs
who are still unresolved at their power forward, position Missus,
shorwick because they Have Harrison, barnes who's been playing, great
by the, way but he is getting up. There he's
not a long term fit next To Victor. Wimbanyama and
it seems That jeremy's So, hand despite all of his
(53:26):
skills and, strengths is also not in that. Camp and
when you're looking around the, team there isn't really that
guy to take over at the. Four, now The spurs
have a ton of draft equity that they can send.
Out they also have plenty of contracts just to like
(53:47):
match the money. Up is there a deal to be
found here if you like what would it take for
The spurs to actually Get denny into the fold so
he can be that playing four next To wemby and
actually present THE nba with a real contender towards The.
Speaker 3 (54:08):
Thunder.
Speaker 1 (54:10):
YEAH i mean it's tough since their main trade chips
are all point, guards and if The blazers believe in
The scoot And shaden, backcourt that's the one position that
they don't really. Need SO i think it would have
to be a three team deal where The blazers are
sending out one of, Fox castle Or harper plus draft
(54:31):
picks two third team maybe To, miami, right and Then
miami sends a bunch of stuff and Then danny To.
Portland BUT i don't know What. MIAMI I, ALSO i
don't Think miami And portland are eager to negotiate again
after two summers, ago so maybe maybe find another. Thirteen
(54:54):
Maybe miami is not the, answer but what we take.
Speaker 2 (54:57):
In terms of draft, picks if you were to Say
kelly makes a salary matching piece For denny which.
Speaker 3 (55:02):
Actually, works oh. God.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Yeah in terms of the, PICKS i mean at least,
THREE i would, think, Right but is that so?
Speaker 2 (55:12):
Much AND i don't feel it like it. IS i
feel that is pretty.
Speaker 1 (55:16):
Fair i'm trying to think of, comparable like five they
got The spur The king's got three For, fox but
they were two of them are, crappy and they Got
levigne as. Well dejonte was, three, RIGHT.
Speaker 3 (55:32):
I believe, so, Yes.
Speaker 1 (55:34):
And then when the when The pelicans traded for, him
was he two or?
Speaker 2 (55:40):
THREE i believe it was. TWO i believe they lost.
THAT i believe that The hawks lost, both.
Speaker 1 (55:48):
And yet they're still much better shape than The.
Speaker 2 (55:50):
Pelicans but, like, okay so let's let's, say, yeah if
you if you're The, spurs you you can hand you
can give them the unprotected in.
Speaker 3 (56:03):
Twenty twenty, nine you can.
Speaker 2 (56:06):
Let's see here they have the, swap The atlanta, swap
which you know it's it's at least. Interesting in twenty twenty,
six you can give them, that and then you can
find something in between twenty twenty, like you can give
them thirty twenty, two twenty thirty two as, well and
then even throw some type of swap in there as.
(56:27):
Well maybe in twenty, thirty, like there are there are
options here where they can hint send out a ton
of draft. Equity the thing is, though And i'm guessing
If portland fans are listening, in they're immediately going, no,
no don't want to do, that WHICH i get. It
so that's Why i'm, asking, like what is the? Price
(56:48):
what is the price For? Denny if you're The spurs
and you just think this is the, fit this is
the front court.
Speaker 3 (56:57):
Fit, yeah BECAUSE i think it might be BRY.
Speaker 1 (57:04):
I mean that would be an incredible if they, were
if they were able to do, it but.
Speaker 3 (57:08):
Like they have to do it now while he's.
Speaker 1 (57:10):
Cheap, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes m that's tricky.
Speaker 2 (57:14):
Man is it just every pick under the sun that's
allowed with?
Speaker 1 (57:20):
It? YEAH i, mean LIKE i CAN'T i just can't
imagine The blazers are super eager to give Up. Denny
he's just been so freaking. Good.
Speaker 2 (57:27):
Right it's Because i'm looking at this, through you, know
two perspectives for For. Portland i'm looking at it through
the perspective, of you, know do we trust that we
can retain? Him like we need to make sure that
we can renegotiate and extent because that is like literally
the only path to to keep him before he's up
for a new. Contract and, like do we have the
(57:48):
guts to go into unrestrict the pre agency with him, hopefully,
yes but like you never, know or there's the flip
side of that, coin, Going, oh he's arguably on the
best deal in the. League let's just not arguably best
non rookie deal in the. League let's just get everything
(58:08):
that we can get for him right now while his
value is, High like IT'S i have to assume EVERY
nb organization is having that conversation just out of due. Diligence, yeah,
yeah you're not entertaining. IT i can Sell you're, like,
nope Stay.
Speaker 1 (58:28):
IMPORTLAND i, mean every player has a, price, like, right
if The spurs got, crazy they could get. There but,
YEAH i think IT'S i think it's a tough, sell,
Right it's a good. Question it's a really good. Question but,
(58:53):
YEAH i, MEAN I i don't, know especially since they're
like The blazers clearly are looking to not take a step,
Back LIKE i guess if the season went off the,
Rate like if you, Know shaden can't get, healthy this
injury proves to be, problematic and Like drew is hurt
(59:14):
and they just all these guys are missing a ton of,
time and it becomes obvious the playoffs are not going
to happen for, them then, yeah maybe they reconsider closer
to the trade, Deadline but right, NOW i think they
are very much in the mindset, of, like we want
to build on what we did at the end of last,
season AND i think they were up until The drew
(59:35):
And shaden, Injuries SO i don't know that they. Were
if you're The, spurs you would have to blow them
away for them to seriously consider moving.
Speaker 2 (59:44):
HIM i think, YEAH i, mean you're at that point
where you need to, add, like whatever you think you
can offer that's good and, fair you need to add
like at least a pick on top of, that just
because because that's where we. Are, Yeah, okay let me
pivots to some else in terms Of. Denny is he the? Guy,
(01:00:04):
like is he the guy things to build around now
because they haven't had that? Guy is he good enough to, Justify,
hey this is our, anchor this is the player that
we Have taylor and structure our entire future roster construction. Around,
(01:00:27):
Ooh i'm putting you through the ringer.
Speaker 3 (01:00:32):
TODAY i.
Speaker 1 (01:00:32):
Know, yeah he's he's moving in that. DIRECTION i don't
know If i'm like ready to fully go, there LIKE
i think ultimately they would still like to have him
in the number two role and then some like a
true bona fide stars their number.
Speaker 3 (01:00:54):
One.
Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
YEAH i, MEAN i guess that's why it comes down to.
You i'm not sure is he the best player on champion? Team?
Speaker 3 (01:01:00):
RIGHT i don't.
Speaker 1 (01:01:01):
KNOW i think he could very well be the second
best player rich on a championship.
Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
Team, Yeah and the issue, is, like how do they
get that number one? Guy BECAUSE i think it'd be
is the word presumptuous if you Say scoot because of
what we've seen so, Far BECAUSE i think that would
be too big of a responsibility to.
Speaker 3 (01:01:21):
Put on a guy who's been that inconsistent over the
first two years of his. Career.
Speaker 1 (01:01:25):
Agree, YEAH i think there were some encouraging signs last, Season,
yes BUT i. DON'T i don't think you can say
right now That scoots.
Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
That, guy, right and like that's no disrespect To, scoot
which is it's been two seasons and he was he
wasn't fully available in. EITHER i, mean mm. Hmm i'm
just not ready to go. There i'm just. Not it's,
like at, Least, DENNY i think we can for for the,
(01:01:56):
present we can at least, Say, okay he's clearly the
best player on this team m, hm and probably for
the next two years as, well BECAUSE i don't really
see who's gonna come in and challenge that position Unless
shade And sharp figures out a way to hit, threes,
right which we yet to really see over the course.
Speaker 3 (01:02:16):
Of his career mm. Hm, well trade or.
Speaker 2 (01:02:20):
NOT i just wanted to get like the anything in
BECAUSE i think he's worth a.
Speaker 1 (01:02:24):
Discussion, yes, Well i'm glad we stayed positive for a.
Change same good good on, us.
Speaker 2 (01:02:31):
Right we actually made no dispara remarks about a certain.
Speaker 1 (01:02:34):
Player we didn't name, him so it's, okay this is.
Speaker 2 (01:02:37):
True we never named. Him even if people know who
we're talking, about we did not name. Him so it's
a positive.
Speaker 1 (01:02:43):
Episode next, week the slander comes back in full.
Speaker 3 (01:02:46):
Force.
Speaker 1 (01:02:49):
Uh that is a good place for us to wrap.
Up so thank you all as always for listening in.
Today more thank you for allowing me to come back
and shoot the bleep with, you and we will catch up.
Speaker 3 (01:02:59):
Soon my, friend certainly have a good.
Speaker 1 (01:03:01):
One you two
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