The Deep 3 Podcast - 1 Question That Will Define EVERY NBA Team's Season | Ep. 162

Episode Date: October 10, 2025

Every NBA team's biggest question heading into 2026! #nba Check out the TD3 merch: https://the-deep-3-shop.fourthwall.com/ Listen on Spotify!: https://open.spotify.com/show/3elbbqVumwqz8wlIdknsLW Listen on Apple Podcasts!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-deep-3-podcast/id1657940794 Follow us on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedeepthree Follow us on Instagram!: https://www.instagram.com/thedeep3podcast/ Isaac's twitter: https://twitter.com/byisaacg Mo's twitter: https://twitter.com/Mojo99_ Donnavan's twitter: https://twitter.com/Dsmoot3D 0:00- Intro 3:10- Bucks 13:40- Spurs 24:40 - magic 35:40- Pacers & Celtics 47:00- Warriors 52:55- Hornets & Nets 59:37- Clippers & Heat 1:05:12- 76ers 1:10:29- Lakers 1:18:47- Pelicans 1:26:21- Raptors 1:32:00- Cavs & Grizzlies 1:41:23- Hawks 1:53:02- Mavs 1:58:05- Suns 2:02:47- 2 stinkers 2:05:50- Trailblazers 2:12:24- Wizards & Jazz 2:19:15- Nuggets 2:25:04- Timberwolves 2:29:30- Pistons 2:36:50- Rockets 2:43:32- Thunder & Knicks 2:56:56- tiktok time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peramount Woot. Check out the big stars, big series, and blockbuster movies. Streaming on Paramount Plus. Cue the music. Like NCIS, Tony, and Ziva. We'd like to make up for own rules. Tulsa King. We want to take out the competition.

The substance. This balance is not working. And the naked gun. That was awesome. Now that's a mountain of entertainment. I don't know if y'all are aware. We have exactly two episodes left of this preseason part of the show before we get to the regular season beginning.

Two. That's fast as though. It's ridiculous. That's crazy. You mean two until the season starts. Yes. Yeah. Damn, man.

That's crazy. That's crazy. My brain feels so football. So I'm like, what are you talking about? The season already started. And I'm like, oh, shit, that other ball. Gotcha. The important way.

It exists. Yeah, we are very close to the start the regular season. Preseason is upon us. And with that being said, today is one of my favorite episodes of the year. We are going to give one question that will define your favorite NBA team season. So two weeks ago, we gave you guys one thing that we thought you needed to know after a long offseason. We probably weren't thinking about every team. It was kind of like a little recap of the off season where we talked about like stuff that changed for every team.

Now we're zooming all the way out, one million foot view, the biggest question, the biggest topic, the biggest goal for every team. Whatever it means, everybody will be different for different timelines. the one thing that we can boil down every NBA team season two will be discussed today. Narratives. Narratives. We pushing it today.

I see the glimmer in your eye. Yeah, this is really where I thrive. You know, this episode and the official predictions. That'll be next week. So, yeah, nice back to back, finishing out the preseason part of this season. It'll be a good one. It'll be a long one.

I'm imagining we're going to be sitting here for up to four hours or so. It'll be a long, yeah. You know what's so funny, the other day I was reading the comments, someone was like, damn, three and a half hours, you don't need to get up and walk. Yes.

I was like, what are you talking about? You think we're ass, our asses just glued to the seats? We have lives, too. Well, it is for three to a half hours. It's a long time.

I guess so. Yeah, this will be another long one. It's got to be. We've got to cover every single team, the biggest topic they have. Yeah, I know your seat stink. Trust me.

I can smell off over here. Yeah, bro. I know that should be. I'm not going to be the one up here fighting smelly allegations. It's not going to be... We already know. With that being said, cue the intro of music.

Let's talk about every single NBA team's biggest goal, biggest question, biggest topic for this season. We're throwing it back. That's crazy. He was bragging. He was bragging. Before we get into the main topic we're talking about,

got to remind you guys, if you're here and you're catching up with us for the first time all off season because you stop watching NBA content for the summer, like most people do. We have something for you guys to check out and do us a favor and subscribe to. And that is House Call.

Surprise. Our new football show that we started over the summer. Same exact thing as T3, but about the NFL. If you haven't heard about this before or you have and you haven't done us a favor and check it out, link will be in the description. Link will be in the pin comment. Check it out.

Watch us the app about another sport. Special stuff, man. I love House Call so much. Check it out. Hashtag ad. Yeah, exactly. Boy, do I love football. Nothing puts a glimmer in my eye like the gridiron.

But, okay, on to the main topic. We're doing the same way we always do. There's 30 teams in the league, obviously. So all of us have 10 on our list that we're responsible for posing the question. Donovan, you go first. Let's start on that side of the room. What is your first team and the first question you have for their season? All right.

number one through 10. Seven. Seven. The Milwaukee Bucks. Great. What is the number one question for the bucks of the season? Obviously, the biggest question is, can you keep Janice's hand off of the red button? Yep, pretty much. That's what it is. Can you make sure that this environment is welcoming enough, good enough to where he doesn't want to ask for a trade midseason or you can go into the offseason and feel like you kind of have some type of pathway to being somewhat competitive. Obviously, you waived and stretched Dame's contract, so he's no longer there that allowed you to bring in Miles Turner. You've been playing, he's kind of been playing footsy in the media in terms of whether like I'm all in, I'm all out, I want to compete

for a championship. However, like I love Milwaukee. I want to stay here. You don't really know. And like a lot of people, and basically like, probably like, what, 80% of the league, you get to this time of the year. Everybody has a lot of optimism. And then you you play the first 10, 15 games, you get, you get to Christmas and the season doesn't go the way that you want. And now it's like, dang, the season sucks. It's over. And now we have to like figure out a pivot.

In my mind, I'm sure that Janus is going into this year saying like, yeah, like we're going to make the playoffs. I trust in in the staff. We have a lot of people coming back. The Moss Turner edition was good. However, we can get to, we can get to December and they can be, I don't know, 10 and 18 or whatever you know whatever the bad yeah you can be a bad team and then he starts looking around and like dang mouse turner is really all i have to help that's that's what milwaukee needs to

focus on yeah this is a good one to start with because this is like quintessential question around a team like this is the biggest question the league is yeah what a yonis's patience like because he's you know for the past three years everybody like us everybody that has a show a podcast a twitter account an opinion of any sort has been saying surely we're heading towards a yonish trade request right surely he wants to win and sees the end of the road coming soon. We can get him to a big market, get the fun, and the interactions of a trade. He's been the main person we point to for that. Every time he gets a microphone to him, he's like, no, not yet.

As of now, I want to be loyal. I want to stay here. I want to make it work. And I believe him. He clearly wants to be there. But the question will be, can he maintain that positivity and maintain even like listening to his desire to want to be there when he does know that, you know, he's talked about it. The responsibility that comes with being a superstar, having a legacy, needing to win,

while balancing your love for a city. So they got to prove it to him. And the one move you mentioned, the Miles Turner move, was just the ultimate all-in move because it completely fucked their long-term flexibility by waving and stretching Damien Lillard. They have very little other moves to make now

when you have 15 million plus of Damien Lurid sitting on the books like that. So this has to work. Like there's not, that was the chance to keep them. Yeah, like, and to answer a question when it comes to Yannis and whether or not he can maintain

a certain level of patience, that can happen if guys like Cole Anthony has a season of his life. Ryan Rawlins has a season of his life. Kyle Kuzma, can you have somewhat of a bounce back year for Kuz? I don't know what that means. But can you have somewhat of a normal, regular, productive NBA season? Yeah.

If so. If so. Because we know what Turner is. Miles Turner is going to be a very good replacement for Brooke Lopez. Just honestly, the new young version of the same mold of a guy who can block shots and stress the floor exactly what Yonis needs. It's like unbelievably perfect that they got him to replace Brooke. the time they did like that is the best you could possibly hope for to maintain the identity of the

team this man on screen right now and his garbage ice stats will be the swing factor because we know kevin port junior what he is he gave them a little bit of ball handling he will not be a you know consistent shooter a overall positive player gary trance a solid player touring prince solid player they have like guys who were filler spots that can like be in rotation but kuzman was their big acquisition last year and if you look here on i know it's a lot of stats on the screen minus 11 relative true shooting on spacing play types which are spot ups

hand off and off screens that can't be the case he has to space the floor he has to give off ball scoring he has to be their one avenue towards getting somewhat of a scoring punch everybody has to be 10% better

bro from like top to when it comes to Janus he has to be playing literally at an MVP level which he does every single year night in and night out but that goes from him to Coos

and then it wrinkles on to KPJ and even to Nasus he's not safe either can you be the best cheerleader in the entire NBA. You have to be on your A game. There's no room for error. I just, the Coos thing, I just don't think it's, it's going to happen. Like, we can, I, so ultimately, I do think that Yannis is going to press the red button. I think at a certain point, he is going to ask for the trade because, and we can do all the, the hopium that we want,

and we can put them in the best case scenario. At the end of the day, we are relying on Kyle Kuzma and Miles Turner to take this team and turn it into a championship contender all while Doc Rivers is at the helm as well. There's also that aspect of it where his teams have consistently, especially when you talk about like playoff success, his teams have consistently underperformed outside of 2008. So I don't know, I don't know if we're going to, we're going to get that. And you're asking for a level of Kyle Kuzma that you haven't gotten in five years. You have the last time, the last, like two years. That one year of the wizard, she was very good. The level that they're going to need Kuzma at to take this team to be,

what, a second round team, right? Maybe be like a frisky conference finals team alongside Yannis playing an MVP level. That level, that's like bubble, you know, 2021 type of Kuzma. It's been a while since you've gotten P. Kyle Kuzma. Well, I think a couple of years ago that first year, the Wizards, he was better in terms of what they need for this team. Because that, in 2020, he was a very good defender, very good slasher, good, like, role player, Kuzma, you know, and obviously that would be fucking ideal compared to last year what they got from him, which was the worst role player in the league last year. But I think a couple years

ago, Kuzma was on-ball score, solid secondary playmaker, push the ball in transition, a tackle close-out, be a big spacer, like, 6-9 can handle the ball and be a real offensive scoring punch. That's what I really want from him is whenever he had to be the first option on the Wizards team that wasn't going anywhere, but he was getting buckets. And actually, like, we wrapped him up a couple years ago before this trade. Like, we were kind of optimistic whenever he was his names were floated in trade talks that's the clues I want to see because other than that you said the first year in Washington right or was a second year whatever the good year is it either way it's been two three years yeah exactly

and so that's the that's my that's my point is that whether whether you want to go back to the first year in Washington the last year in LA we've like we've obviously like there's players that once they get into a winning situation and once they you know change scenery they can kind of get back to to what they were but also a lot of times how many times have we've seen somebody goes from the winning situation and then it just it just never goes back to the idealized version the one thing that he does have going for him is he was he was playing next to lebron he was playing next to ad that can also work if you're playing with another great player like yonis who's one of the three best players in the world so maybe there's hope for him

there but we're asking for literally career years across the board everybody has to operate at their peak peak um potential and then even then are they are they making the conference finals are they beating the nicks in a in a series are they beating the calves we'll see what orlando looks like Detroit is is obviously doing their thing there's no guarantee that this team can even get to a conference finals even if everybody's playing that's not even the question for them honestly yeah so i don't i don't think that like yeah if we had to make a prediction on whether the button is going to get pressed i would say it does but I mean, maybe

the fact that it hasn't been impressed to this point, that is a good sign for Milwaukee, right? Yeah, yeah, no, the good sign is that Yonnas wants to be there. He's giving you every chance in the world to convince him to stay. He's convincing himself to stay.

Now, is there, is that proverbial match eventually gonna hit the bottom and like he's gonna give up? Maybe. But right now, you fully have a chance and you made a decent move. You made a great move to get Miles Turner. It's the best you could have done given your circumstance

in terms of having zero assets outside of that to get better. So, yeah, it's a good sign for Milwaukee, but I'm sure no matter, even the most optimistic of Bucks fans can't feel great about it, but it's undoubtedly the biggest question. Yeah, for sure. I agree with you when it comes to the Kyle Kuzman talking point. Out of every single player on his roster, as good as Miles Turner is, Kyle Kuzman has an opportunity not to, like, he has an opportunity to raise the floor for this team in terms of, like, how non-dog should they can be.

Yeah, because the guard rotation, like, they have some sneaker. Thank you guys, you know, between Kevin Porter, Cole Anthony, Ryan Rawlins. Like, there's some talent there if they can use it right and get some good ball handling minutes on the bench and, like, figure out a way to finagle that. It could be a solid room and then Miles Turner next to them obviously makes sense. It's really what you get from your wings and is there going to be any sort of dynamic punch there. Because there's obviously no Chris Middleton walking through these doors, which is like a vital part of when they were good. There's damn sure not no Damien Liller walking through these doors, no Drew Holiday. Like they have to find a way to have a new version of this team.

Yeah, and honestly, too, like when you talk about like all those my all those. I said Miami, Milwaukee teams with Drew and Chris Middleton, you knew what their strengths and their identities were. With this team, if you were an optimistic Bucks fan, like what can you cash in and bet on this team

doing extremely well next year? Running, being younger and more mobile. That's the most bleak shit that you say for any trash ass team. Run really hard and hustle. That's all. Like Miles Turner obviously brings a spacing. He's a good trailing shooter. That's a good dynamic with Yonets in transition. Jericho Sims is

obviously athletic as fuck they have they have Kevin Porter who's fast traits cuz look at running transition Andre Jackson's young like he's young they can be a more mobile young version of the team and like if if Kuzma's good they're a little bit longer on the wings and like really you're just like going all in on the transition yannis like in like 2019 before the before Chris Milton became a star before your holiday like the worst version of the team yeah I don't know yeah that's the biggest question for the bucks sorry you guys been the biggest question forever. Mo, what's your first team? Again, pick a number, 1 through 10.

Seven. Okay, seven. The San Antonio Spurs. So the biggest question that I have is, of course, I can sit down and talk about, oh, like, how's the spacing of this team going to be? Is the Aaron Fox going to, like, actually be a duo alongside Wemby? But honestly, like, for the expectations that I have for this team in terms of where they lie in the playoff race or the playing race, it's pretty, like, lukewarm.

nothing matters to me other than can wimby be a top five player this season how high can you saw because all signs are pointing towards that i watch a lot of his press conference and some practice clips and he looks genuinely decently like stronger and on top of that too his game just it's practice so you can't really take too much off of it but it feels like he's playing with a little bit of force yeah so you saw that one clip from the scrimmage exactly yeah he's fucking demolish whoever that was defending him. I think that was Luke Cornynett. Oh, that was Luke, yeah.

This part is interesting to me is you just mentioned Ken Deeran Fox be the, you know, co-star that he was brought in to be. Bottom left of this right now, there are numbers with and thight each other. With Deeran Fox, he only shot 64% at the room without 77% at the rim, that being Richard Roman Yama.

I want to see that flip. I want to see we really get the, you know, when we talk about them getting a start point guard for Deeran, it was always like, can we get someone that can feed him shots? Granted, it was a tiny sample size, but that's the number.

one thing I want to see flip on here is I want to see Victor Momoyama's field bill percentage, rim percentage, three point looks, whatever, be like proportionally improved by playing with Dearn. And honestly, yeah, maybe the bigger question instead of like, Wemby's Wembe, it doesn't matter if he does, it becomes like a top eight player instead or whatever and has a little bit more struggle. You gave Darren Fox a humongous bag. I think personally he's well worth it.

I feel like Darren Fox is continuously one of the more underrated stars in the league because, again, he was in Sacramento that haven't been on much and he had like a singular good or maybe two good years with them when it comes to NBA notoriety. Yeah. I think he needs to reestablish himself as like one of these star point guards in the league. I'm not saying he should be top five, but he can definitely be in those conversations.

I want to see those feeds like completely reestablished. And I guess we can zoom that out a little more even. Like, yes, what they can give from Deer and Fox to, I guess, justify the contract they gave him, justify the investment they made to bring him in via trade, the assets to give up, albeit it wasn't a lot. but also balancing that with Harper, with Castle, with Fasel, I guess, who I assume is going to be the starting small forward, gross,

balance, just what are you going to get from these guards? How are they going to slot into each other in the lineup? Who's going to start? Who's going to be a tertiary ball handler? Who's going to be the sixth man? Like, figuring out what that guard rotation looks like for the next several years to come is probably the biggest question on top of all the other things I need to figure out. Are you going to play Wemby with the big?

Is Carter Bryant going to be your long-term forward there? Can so on play with them? The entire roster is really like open for interpretation still. nothing's really solidified at all but the guards is like the number one question i think i think yeah the the fox wendy connection is the most important thing on like outside of of everything else because they're so they're so young they're so new there's so many like moving parts we haven't even talked about like miss johnson and like how you know we we generally feel about him being who knows at this point right so there's there's a lot going on but obviously like the core of this team

what you think is going to propel you forward is the combination of Fox and Wembe. And so you need those two guys to be locked in. And then you can figure out how Harper fits alongside those two guys. But isn't that crazy? Harper is like a blue shit prospect. Any other team. The number two overall picking the other team. Any other team that got Harper would be like, how do we build him on Harper?

How do we make sure he can be on the path to being an all star? So the fact that he's like an afritha makes me think maybe we got to like change that. You know, maybe that's not right. maybe the biggest priority is like how do we maximize Harper with Fox there? Like how do we get these two guard actions like Tyrese Halliburton did when he played with Dierrin Fox? Like how do we get the most of him as a rookie and make sure he's on the right path? Because this isn't Stefan Castle, who's like a good prospect and like was somebody

you're glad to get in a weaker draft class that's like elite role player walking. You know he has a high floor. This is a guy who could be one of the best guards in the world. This is, but this is this brings us back to where we were before the draft, which is, hey you just you just traded for dearon fox you pick the guy in castle who wants to play point guard do you even need this number two overall pick like should you have cashed that in for somebody else who fits you know alongside do you try and go all in for a yannis do you try and go get like a lary marketer or somebody else that could have fit better into what your scheme is right now

and a lot of that like does come back to your original question of how good is winby going to be because if wemby does ascend and he is the top five top four player whatever it is then going all in and trying to restructure the team for, I guess more of, and not that like the window is going to be short, but more of a like short-term type of timeline rather than, hey, we're going to slow play this and do this like eight, 10-year type of thing. That's the thing we're like, you have to figure out.

I change my question. I think we're going to be the opposite. The new biggest question is how good is Dylan Harper for the season? Because everything you're saying, I think, is underestimating his ceiling. And I understand what you're saying, because we all be talked about it, obviously, pre-draft. Like, should they trade the picks? so and so.

Dylan Harper is such an amazing prospect and such a high ceiling that like I don't that's why they did that I don't doubt it but like but when you have when you have when you have Wemby on your on your team like when he's 21 like you know we're not talking about a prime star here but I guess my bigger point is you mentioned like you already have Fox should have castle of these guys Dylan Harper can easily be so much better than both those guys to where we look back and be like I can't believe we thought about trading this pick because we had Stefan Castle in the door you know like Harper like has a ceiling that like this conversation can be completely different a year from now. So I guess the new biggest question I have is

will we learn this year if Harper is the type of guy that transcends that and makes it like what can you get from one of these guys? You know, like maybe Harper will be the clear priority. I don't know. I feel like I think we should hold Harper to that expectation, but because of the situation that he's walking into, no one thinks of him like that blue chip status at all, even though he very much should be that. But I don't know if he's like with the situation that he's in, I don't think he'll like necessarily define the seat. season at all. He could.

He could. He came out of nowhere, and I don't think anyone was expecting him to do so. Would it be out of nowhere if the number two pick is a star? Like, I feel like we're overlooking it because of exactly what you said, because he went there and he's overshadowed by Wimby, by Fox, and they're already existing thing, if Harper had gone drafted to the Trailblazers or the Nets or whoever else somebody that needs a point guard, we'd be like, oh, this is going to be one of the defining young stars the season.

Can't wait to watch him every night. So I agree with you, like, there's a reason we're not talking about him priority, but I can, you could just imagine that flipping by. Christmas time and we're like oh he's the surprise number two big surprise star of the year okay so do you all think if if you had if you had to bet on it right now do is harper going to be like the number one guard next year no next year's hard to say because he's still be young and dearest son is prime but that's why it's a question I think because I feel like both could be true he could clearly be a rising star but clearly also you still want dearen because

you do want to balance win now and that's what's a question because that's a weird scenario because I don't know, who's a recent young Star Point Guard that was clearly a star in the rookie year but wasn't like ready. I can't think I'll top of my head like if he's, Ricky D. Aaron. Ricky D. Aaron had a good rookie year, but he was inefficient, but we still saw like that guys. No, no, he could be better than that. Maybe we could talk about Tyreys Halliburton honestly because he was O.D. efficient during his rookie year. Obviously again playing.

It's so funny this is happening again, playing behind Deeran Fox. And like everyone saw that like, oh shit, this dude's really good, but he's not Deerner Fox good just yet. until the key's completely flipped and now like the whole story's too late. Exactly. I hate to say, but what if this is like another one of those situations?

And that's why it's the biggest question because it could be. Maybe it's not. Maybe he needs time and you just clearly are the Aaron's a guy we're going to give Harper several years to develop. That's probably like that's very practical

as why we're all assuming that. But that could quickly look different and now that's a defining part of the season trying to figure out what the future is. Yeah. Obviously the king's waited too long and they had to break him up.

They couldn't figure it out. That's something I'd like to avoid if on the spurs. Yeah, honestly. So I guess this is we have seven different questions along with whether it be how good is he going to be how would what's dearon fox going to look like wendy are you going to be like a top five top four player in the world overall like i think i feel super confident in wendy doing whatever he does but i'm seeing

i'm very interested in seeing my new question is how well they can prioritize daren fox being like a star in this league again while also making sure they are um nurturing and giving Dylan Harper the proper level of opportunities as a rookie in this league. What a unique situation to trade for a guard that you feel good about with WMB? We're all very happy to see Fox go there. And then you several months later get the opportunity to get Harper, who is like similar archetype of slasher with some off the dribble shooting, but like young and you're not going to pass up on that because he's so good.

And now you have both. That doesn't happen like ever. That's so, to have just gotten Fox. Like some teams have a guy like Fox and then they have an opportunity to get Harper. And it's like, oh, replacing plan. You just got this guy. You really haven't even seen him with Wembe yet. And now you got the next guy.

Like, so strange. Maybe the, like, I think best case scenario for them is them genuinely doing a two timelines thing and actually letting Darren Fox be the guy now, try to make as deep playoffs runs as possible, get MBM those reps. And then when Dylan Harper is ready, okay, you move off of a 31, 32-year-old Darren Fox. And now you're actually ready to make contending runs. And some people have a lot of hope that Dylan Harper can be a combo guard

They can play together And Deeran's a good enough defender At the one that I think you can have A less than ideal defender at the two Assuming Dylan Harper is not a good defender for a while As most young guards aren't So there is a world where like If Dylan Harper is ahead of schedule

And ready to play they can start together year one Like that's not impossible when you have Especially when you have a defender like Wembe behind you A little more room to deal with two small guards So I don't mean to make a sound like it's either or But you could just quickly imagine It morphing one of these ways we're talking about where that question will be looming

when it comes to on the court stuff too like when it comes to like an immediate answer that we will get or immediate question that will define their season they're shooting is fucking piss so that's another humongous question too that'll define their season and that makes it even more complicated to start both those guards like very strange team right now

the whole roster is weird it's all in flux really we could go we can say their wings are biggest question their biggest question their guards are biggest question they're super confusing what's the identity of this team is I guess what we're saying because we have no clue outside it wouldn't be Exactly. I mean, shit, it's just Wembe. That's it. Shout out Carter Bryant. Thank God they got a guy who's going to be a 3-indie wing can fit with any of these configurations.

Yeah. Is the 3 going to be there? I have no idea. So interesting, because so far through the two teams that we've mentioned, like they have no identity yet at all. We don't know what they're going to necessarily thrive at. Okay, well, let's talk about team with an identity. Orlando Magic is my first team. Biggest question mark is obviously, how can we maximize Desmond Bain and make good on the gigantic investment we made of four first-round picks and a non-all-star. They have to get the most value

they possibly can out of this man. Otherwise, it'll be, oh, my God, this is our all-in move, and it's not fixing everything overnight. And I think that's going to be the, like, expectation. With those spacing issues they've had in recent years, getting this, like, elite shooter, elite movement shooter can do some playmaking

off of pick and rolls and handoffs, all this stuff. Like, he's talked about is the perfect fix to their spacing issues because he has a spacing and the ball handling. If it isn't all at once fixed, people are going to view it as a failure of a move which won't be fair at all

but that's going to be the like consensus national media talking point is like their spacing better be fixed out with Desmond Bain so I think they're probably right now focusing on figuring out every single ounce every single iota of value they can draw from Desmond Bain on the court I have I mean

you're right like it is not fair if that ends up being being the case but it's also I also think like there's still a little bit of of like validity to it just because like if you're if you're the front office the only other move at that at that point and we've kind of like skated around it throughout the offseason is firing jamal mozman like that's that's the only other or trading one of the big wings i don't currently

i don't think that that is like in there oh no no it shouldn't be yeah you know like that shouldn't be on on the short list of moves to to take this team over the over the top i just think that that if Desmond Bain, because he does fit extremely well, and he does give them things offensively that they have been, that they've been missing. So I do think that, like, if they can't make it work right now, then you do have to look and say, okay, it's actually a structural thing. And you do have to trust that you, you've drafted,

you brought in enough people that are good defensively, that even if you change the coach, your entire defensive identity and this, like, very, you know, we're going to grind it out. We're going to lock you up all this. other stuff, that that's not just going to go out the door if Jamal Mosley leaves. Yeah. And so you do have to be okay if that is the, if that is the way that it goes, if we get to February and you're 21st in offensive rating, because then at that point, and we'll

know, that's not Desmond Bain's fault that you're 21st in offensive rating, but if you just have to shake things up, Jamal Mosley, it's the coach. Yeah. The players, it's not on you. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, listen, Desmond Bain is insanely efficient 87th percentile on true shooting on spacing play types, 86 percentile on finishing playt types. He's 90th percentile on potential assist. He's a very underrated passer that in all that time that John Morant missed.

He used that to sharpen his blade as a passer, became a very respectable playmaker, specifically coming off of screens. I love when he gets downhill running off of that and can make a reed to hit a roll man. They did a lot of that in Memphis. He has everything needed to fit in between the ball handlers, make a lot of the ball handlers, make a little bit. them be able to go offball more, hopefully use Palo as a screener more if he's like receptive to that kind of thing, which is like really important, I think. Also, that completely depends on Franz Wagner's ability to be a spot of three-point shooter to be able to stand there and space the floor when those two are getting the two-man actions. He can run bench units, which they

desperately need. That's a bit part of why their offensive ratings have been so bad over the years is when Palo and Franz aren't playing, which, you know, normally they stagger those guys. But even when one of them is playing with a bunch of non-spacers, it's dreadful. He can run a lot of those units without Palo. There's a million ways to use. Desmond Bain. He's one of the more versatile players in the league and they got to make sure they do every single one of those ways. Yeah. Because no other spacing help is coming through those doors. Yeah, I agree. And if you think they are, then you're just crossing your fingers and hoping for like, oh my God, like, Franz Wagner, like can you go ahead and have like a 33% three point

shooting year? God, that's the bar now? Yeah, that's what we're expecting. That's like kind of passable if you ask me. Oh my God. Anthony Black, can you have, do you have like an actual opportunity to be a not even only a real rotational guard because I think he already is that but can you be like damn near starting level as decent 35% 3 point shooter along with the hilarious defense that he does provide. So many internal

growth that could help subside those questions but Doesn't Bayne definitely is like it's all on him. Yeah I mean their guards and like I'm looking at their depth turn out there their debt chart is it's super funny because they have four guards on the roster where it's like Suggs, Ty Jones, Anthony Black and the Desmond

Bain. Everybody else is just forward and so you you have this like very very clear identity and how you wanted to to build this team and like that's it's fine I guess but you still have to get some offense and so that's where Desmond Bain like 100% is like not only are is your offense as like a two guard playing off of these guys like you said going to be very very critical but the the ball handling stuff because the more and more that I think about it and I wanted it for him very very badly but we've also said you don't have to turn every every six nine you know forward into luka not not everybody has to be this like all-encompassing heliocentric you know player if

you're just six nine and you're just big and you just get buckets that's fine and so if fronds and desmond bain if those two are our guys who are handling the ball that's okay and it's okay if you take that away from palo and it might put him in a situation where now like every time that you get the ball, you know, you get the ball, you just go kill. You don't have to worry about, okay, now I have to drive here and worry about who's coming over and setting up for everybody else. You can just worry about what you do best. So I think like that's one of those areas where for Desmond Bain, it'll help Bain get

more comfortable in the offense early on, and it might simplify things for Palo. I think it's the opposite for Palo. I think he needs to be pushed and not just do what he thinks he does best. Like in terms of just go kill. No, I think it needs to focus on everything else besides killing because I think, So I mentioned Desmond Bain is like how do we maximize him? The bigger picture is how do we have

a good offense for the first time in seemingly Orlando Magic Basketball history, right? 17 years. And I'm talking about all these ways to maximize Deson Bain. Part of that is putting the ball in his hands. We've talked about the fit between Franz Wagner and Palo Bencaro.

Part of that is Franz needs to be an active spacer that can actually allow Palo to make each other better. But part of that is also Franz is an incredible driver, a very good playmaker. You have to put the ball in his hand some. Jalen Suggs, great 3&D guy also has some shit with his ball in his hand. So, like, you can have a four-ball handler lineup there that is incredibly hard to deal with on some 2019 magic stuff.

I mean, 2019 Raptor stuff where everybody can attack a close-out and make a play. All these things we're talking about are things outside of just Palo playing with the ball in his hands. He's not a good off-ball player right now. I would love to see him buy into cutting, setting screens, being a big man on the boards, obviously, space on the floor is a spot-up shooter, all the small stuff that isn't go out and kill. Okay, that's... I agree with you, and I think that's where, I think we're looking at it. I think we're saying the same thing, but in a different way because the reason why, like,

I don't want the ball in his hands and have him have, like, that mentality of go out and kill is because clearly he's not, he's not a super fast player and he's not doing things with enough pace. And so putting the ball in his hands and empowering him to do that and play this like, hey, you're going to handle the ball every single time down the floor. he's not working fast enough to where your offense is going to be fine. And so that's what I'm saying, like, yes, Desmond Bain, you can handle a little bit more of the ball handling and playmaking fronds.

You can do that as well. That way, whenever Palo does get into those situations and they do give him the ball, he's going to be in those advantageous positions to just go downhill, come off of the screen and then go kill instead of the more traditional way that we've been seeing him do in the last like two, three years, which is like, ooh, kill him. Instead of just like... Skip the ooh, just kill. Yeah, just kill.

You know, I don't need the style point from Paolo. I just need you to get downhill, like... Be decisive. Yeah, you're 6-9, 270, lower 260, whatever. Like, you just need to go and be decisive. And we've seen him get better at that as a finisher, for sure. Honestly, all this just sounds like a coaching thing going back to exactly what you guys said. If I'm looking at this on paper, this should be a top 15 offense.

Barring, like, of course, like another absolute stinker year from Franz Wagner, shooting-wise, this should be a top 15 offense. You could convince me top 16, worst-case scenario, top 17. I'm glad you're really to see one spot. Yeah, exactly. You could convince me that. But honestly, if you have, you put any other, like, above-average offensive-minded coach here, they're going to figure out ways to, like, cut out and not force Paulo to

be a player that we want him to be. Maybe it's just time, or maybe it would be time this season would tell us what he actually is, and we won't have to, like, sit down and criticize him for his ability to play read and react offense. Maybe he's not the processor as Franz or anything like that. That's why you got someone like Desmond Bain. And I guess another talking point, too, when it comes to that is this team, now that they have with Desmond Bain, they should not, their season should not be absolutely newked with

an injury to one of their big three or big four. That's another big thing. Like going back to what you said when it comes in Desmond Bain, he allows you to play in so many different ways. He said he worked on his ball handling skills when John Morant was out in Memphis. He's been doing that since even longer than that. Back when he was in TCU, people really weren't like aware that. Oh, shit.

Like he actually has some shit to his game when it comes to attacking the rim and being a facilitator at times. And I think because of that, they have the ability to morph all different types of morph their playing style based off of who is around who is striving and figuring out what's the best lineups, health-wise, too. Yeah, their versatility depending on somebody walks out. I mentioned they have four guys who can handle the ball a little bit. that means you can afford to lose one for some time and slot in somebody doesn't need the ball in their hands and you still have a functioning offense

what we're saying is they have every reason to fix their offensive woes this year to some extent be at least top 20 offensively or then have your top three defense that can get you to being the four seat in the east you can't be 25th or worse like they have been in recent years be functional be the 18th best offense

overall for the year where you have some stretches where everything clicks at once and everybody's healthy all that's possible otherwise that's not the case and then once again fails in offense the question will inevitably it's going to shift from can we make this work

can we get the spacing better to where are we trading Franz Wagner because clearly these guys aren't going to work together and fired Jamar Mulsley too if that's the case that'll be that'll be the question and I can't even say it won't be fair or not because if it doesn't work now

maybe it never will maybe maybe the two guys are too duplicative you always worry that it's going to be a Jalen Brown Jason Tam's situation wherever it goes out and says they can't play together then they develop so we're giving them a chance to do that but sometimes it's a Tyree's Halliburton's year

in Fox situation. You do need to split them up. So we'll see. Yeah. All right. Is it on you? Zomi? You can go first. You can see you. Okay. Next team. The Indiana Pacers. Okay. Can the power of friendship prevail once again? Because I don't think, um, personnel wise, I don't think that they have the guys to, to be a top five or 16 in the conference. Yeah. I think like you lose Miles Turner, you lose Tyrese and like those are those are two incredibly important players to both sides of the ball and your identity on both sides of that ball and so I don't I don't know what happens right because now like in all of the lineups last year when you didn't have Tyrese on the floor they had a negative differential like the offensive rating was basically around where like

the Blazers were last year and so that's a terrible place to be goddamn and so you have that We talked last week about the shooting splits for Nemhard in terms of regular season three-point shooting and then playoff. I got to answer for you when it comes to that. Okay. What if you just lie to Nemhard? Tell him, yo, the playoff schedule has expanded. The NBA is fucking crazy. Hit him over the head with like a bat and then make him woozy a little bit.

And then genuinely like take away his email, take away all social media and just lie to him. You have to lock in every fucking night bar season on the line. How did we say where you? year? Yeah, what if Andrew and Emhart's fucking stupid? Maybe they don't make it work. I think the opposite for them, honestly. I think the end of the pastes are a very smart franchise. Would you agree? That they're good at staying afloat and maximizing their assets and maintaining competitiveness in every way they can without tanking and being a team that needs to put butts in seats. Okay. That's fair. That's a fair description, right? Any smart

team like them in the situation, knowing they don't have Tyrese Halliburton, knowing the situation at hand and the practicality of the matter, I think they know they need a tank in a stack draft class and I think they will stealthly do it at the exact right time to make sure they have a puncher's chance at getting that lottery and getting one of those three superstars that are up top so you're saying that they're going to pull like a Utah jazz type of situation I think it would be shocking if they don't it'll be more so like a 76ist type situation I feel like you or a Mabs a couple years ago when they duck the plane to get in there but hopefully they're smarter and do it sooner so they can have higher than the number 10 pick you know but I think

this team is too smart to unless they come out and they shock the world and they're surprisingly good like the raptors after they lost kawai and they're like oh they're still a three seed fuck it right it out if that's the case they will write it out but if they are a middling team fighting for the eight C whatever it may be if there's if pascal siacum misses a month and suddenly you're lose six in a row I think they will do what's smart and shut it down for this one year because there's so much fruit to be reaped no since they got their first round pickback in this stack of a draft class I think they're too smart to latch on super hard and like refuse a tank if the opportunity presents itself yeah honestly because going

Back to what you said, they lost their most important players or some of the most important players on offense and defense. It's fantastic when it comes to guarding the rim. That's a Miles Turner is known for for interesting reasons. And they lost, again, like their two best shooters as well in Tyrese and Miles Turner. So I think this is a perfect year to go ahead and reset. They're a very smart team. Respectable in a very respectable way and sell off on someone like Bennett and Mathron as well who's just been a huge question. well okay yes they are smart but they are also like we've seen them over decades be

committed yeah this is committing to winning though I think I think in this circumstance I'm not saying they're gonna trade Siacom or trade Halliburton or something crazy that's like tear it down to the studs it's a one year like play real hard until January and this Yakum has a high ankle sprain pull a brand ingram that's gonna be a 65 game ankle sprain all of a sudden like that type of stuff is investing in winning I think because that's eating your medicine for half a season to as soon as Halliburin comes back, hopefully we have fucking boozer ready to come help him. Yeah, you are right.

But historically, this team has never once had the number one overall pick in the history of the organization. They don't believe in taking. They've been one of the most middling teams in the NBA for the history of it. For sure. They don't do that. Now, if like they get a blessing in disguise situation or whatever weird way you want to word it and something happens to Pascal or Andrew Nemhart and they're just like that, that's like what, okay, cool. But I don't think they're purposely going to go ahead and do the tanking thing.

I'm not saying they should be the worst team in the league. The old days are not the old days. The Hawks got the number one pick with like the 13th best odds. The Mavs got the number one pick with the 10th best odds. Like these days there's a lot of evidence. You don't got to tank that hard. You just got to get into the lottery and get a little bit lower than you were before. And I think they're the type of team that can get themselves to the ninth best odds.

Okay. Okay. So I agree with you. I don't think that that's necessarily or I guess like my question kind of goes hand hand because if the power of friendship does prevail and nem hard does come out and he does prove that like hey I'm I'm actually like that you know if that if that works then the decision of like okay when do we like soft launch the tank then that becomes interesting as opposed to we're just not good enough throughout the year and it's much more easy it's much easier for us to disguise what

we want to do I'm kind of expecting both to be true personally I feel like he could have that how about year we all hope you can have and like prove to be this guy and like get better with those reps while they still lose a lot of games because he's only human and they can only do so much with jay huff and isaiah jackson as the bigs pascal siakum first option wherever that brings you these days which i love siakum i don't know how far that's taking you like i think we can see that nymard leap but we can see these guys like benefit from these touches like jaron jackson a few years ago while they still get in position to get a high pick and get your zag heat or whatever what's funny is i feel the opposite

because i i don't i don't know if i see the nmhard leap but i can still see them winning games because I do think at the beginning of the year, they will try very hard. Yeah, for sure. I do know that. And then, too, the bottom of the east is trash. It is. And so, like, they're going to win games on the simple idea of,

it's going to be a random Tuesday. We're just going to play harder than you guys. And we still have a lot of continuity. So, like, they ultimately might be in the same position that we're talking about. I just don't know if they're going to get there for the same reasons. But it will make it interesting on, like, how successful they are come January 1st. I think most teams, most teams that stay around that six to ten range and get into the playing, like they're floating around that all year, which I think we expect them to be

barring an engine M-Hard leap or barring a metabolic math and leap that might change all this. I think you typically have like the ability to kind of decide your fate when you're floating around. Like it's pretty easy to duck one way or the other and like fight for it because other teams will choose the duck out and you can be the team that stays in 10th and get into the plane on 37 wins. So you can really like choose your own adventure at that point in the calendar. So I don't know. I kind of feel like they know that they should do that. Would they trade their pick this year? I wouldn't.

What? Well, I mean, listen, the right deal is there. That's what I'm saying? Like, you go get somebody else? You trade? Maybe. Maybe, maybe. Let's like, complete a big three.

I think that's exactly great point because I'm a loop to send with another team that's in the same exact scenario, the Boston Celtics. The question I have for them is, what do they need to do to tank? Who stays and who goes? I think it's a very similar situation to the Pacers where they're both in a like one-year reload. We'll see, we'll start off. They'll both try to win games. See where it takes you. maybe you can be a sneaky four seat and you take it and just say we're going to develop this year

maybe simmons is great for us pritchard's step into a bigger role jaylon brown will get better at these specific skills without tatum and so forth and we're just going to be the four seat this year so be it or we flood around eight and we tank at the end because we see the opportunity and yada yada yada same things the pacers i think both are in that exact scenario and both could go either way they could both also go trade for nick laxton they could both also swing for the fences and trade for a bigger person who comes available or small small moves to prep for the year prior when they got see Akum a couple years ago that was a trade for the next year and they did it at the deadline obviously they weren't going to like figure it out in the next two months to make a deep

run they're going to have that get their feet wet and the next year come out firing like they didn't make the finals i think they could very well do that too like both could be true yeah there's no way there's absolutely no way that the seltics and brad stevens is much he's way too good of a gm to to do this but to go into next year with kata as your center yeah with kata Boucher, Xavier, Xavier Tumman, Luke Garz alike. You just, somebody else has to, ask to be there. And it's funny because, I mean, there's, like, there's been a couple teams where their entire, like,

center rotations have been just depleted this year. The subjects are one of them now that Horford's gone and Porzingis is gone and it's simply anchornet, like, they have to reload there. This is their long-term salary chart. Look at this nice $27 million expiring contract in Anthony Simons. It would be a shame if we gave him a lot of touches is to go average 20 points for game

and shoot 40% from three and then we flip that expiring deal to a team that happens to have a nice center for us that they want to get off the money for and let Anthony expire. It would be a real shame if that were to happen to a team that's trying to reload and contend to get next year.

These guys out here are going to go fishing. What are they fishing for? Some dummies. Oh my goodness. Jaylon Brown 71 million in 2020. Damn, man. That's fucking crazy. $70 million.

Oh, that's Jason Tatum. Jaylon Brown 65 here before. Which is still gigantic. 71 is crazy But yeah so like this is They only have six guys Seven guys six or seven under contract for next year Actually if they choose K that's eight or Jordan Walsh

They can make it up to nine But some of these are team options right for young guys They have very little reason to stay competitive If one or two guys misses some time Like I think they'll be on the same thing I'm talking with the Pacers where they'll try their darnest To see what can happen early in the season But they will be smart knowing there is legitimately

Three superstar prospects in this next draft Yeah yeah for sure I think if they're smart, which I think Brad Stevens is like one of the three best, one of the three smartest minds in every single front office imaginable. I am interested in underlying talking point in seeing how Joe Muzula, like kind of adjusts and seeing how like he goes through this process when it comes to putting his players in the best business as possible. Is he going to like stay, stay and remain to the same as that game plan and chuck a lot of threes or is he going to scale down and try to like, figure out ways to really try to empower this blistering piss center rotation. Both. I think shooting a lot of threes will help the center rotation.

That's what you do to make Kada valuable, I think, is you shoot tons of threes. You got tons of spacing, tons of opportunity for him to roll. I think that's exactly what you got to do to find a way to make value with these guys. Like, if you do want to win, the only way you do with this roster is I think shooting even more threes. We got to get to 75 a game. I don't know, man. We got to up those numbers. Jeez.

The 60 we were doing before, rookie shit. I don't know man I want to see how deep his coaching bag is potentially because he walked into the most like blessedful situations that any head coach also a lot of he walked in with a lot of pressure too because everyone knew this was a final team

and he was expected to figure it out through unfortunate circumstances that happened previously so yeah very interesting so interesting that the Celtics and patients are both in the same exact spot with the same best player nursing the same injury both in a one year monitor

what you can get out of this prioritize assets one-year rebuild, I feel like they'll probably move in lockstep the entire season. Yeah, for sure. What's your next team, Mo? She's, we're like 50 minutes, and we had like five teams to talk about. All right, let's go ahead and get one. You know, we're saving the shit for the end, and then we're going to speed through them.

You know, you guys have seen the show before. Okay, so next question. Golden State Warriors. Okay. Can the unks keep unking? That's just genuinely going to define their season. I think everyone feels super confident about how well this unit can. play together the real question is how long and how sustainable can they play together health

wise because whenever we see older units in the history of the NBA this is not our first time seeing it ever like we've seen it time and time again shit i can name you like at least 10 old units uncoffs that's happened over the last 25 years name of your top five favorite unctions in the NBA history my top my top my top five favorite unctions has to be okay i will say this sounds really nasty, but I like seeing Russ, Mello, LeBron, and Dwight Howard, only because it was cool as fuck, because they

looked like they could win. On paper, 10 years ago. I didn't like that at all. Yeah. Yeah. How far the Unks can go and we'll narrow it down. What can Al Horford bring here in his age 39 season? I think it's interesting because the emergence of Quentin Post last year was such a big part of that team.

We were talking about for the past two years with the whole John the Coming of it all. When we still had the hope that he'd be the like long term solution to a new ceiling. It was like clearly he needs to play the stretch five. The issue is Dreymong Green is their only stretch five, but he doesn't want to be a five full time. So you can't really start Kaminga with Dremont at the five because he'll wear it down.

That's a problem. Then Quinn Post came through and we got that stretch five and it worked really well with Jimmy Butler specifically, who I didn't even know kind of leaped Kaminga in priority here. With Quinn Post on the floor, Jimmy Butler average 25 points for game, 65% true shooting. That's insane. Probably small sample side. Jimmy wasn't there that long. But clearly Jimmy as a slasher, as a foul merchant.

plays well with the stretch five. Queen Post couldn't play a big playoff minutes because he was a walking lick defensively. Al Horford is not that. How do we unlock this team now that we finally have a stretch five that can play defense? I mean, it's... Dude, it locks them in every single way possible.

Yeah, it's going to be unlocked. I have, like, the first month of the season, I actually have very, very high hopes for the Warriors. I'm glad you said that way. I as well have high hopes for the first month. Exactly. This is an 82 game season, and we've seen Steph.

We've seen Steph get injuries over the last couple of years. Again, Al Horford is like 40. Jamon Green has had gray in his beer for several years now. Jimmy Butler is 35, 36 years old. Like, these seasons take a toll on people. And so I have no idea what they're going to be in February. I can see a scenario where both Jimmy and Al Horford are out for like two, three weeks in January. And now it's Steph and Draymond trying to hold it down.

and they may be going 500 or they may go like four and six over a 10 game stretch all that is very much in play they were the second oldest team last year the second oldest team this year they was older than them right now the clippers damn oh okay so but the warriors have the older average starting five yeah bench is so old and the clippers that it okay yeah yeah yeah i was like what yeah i remember the graphic of 35.6 average age for the warrior starters and i was like the clippers are older but yeah like as a as a team yeah starting whole whole roster yeah but going back to like my main question which was like

can the unks keep on unkey you guys said it for me and then you dove into it and stole my my thought as well when it comes to Al Horford I said Al Horford is changing their lives simply because of the things you said when it comes to how well they played alongside how long they will how

long or well they played with Quinn Post towards the end of the year he gave them an interesting offensive juice or plump or whatever but obviously you can play into the Yeah, man. You said plump or pump? Plump, pump.

Same difference. But just pumping juices into people? He literally like juiced up their offense. We saw the on and off numbers between him and Jimmy Butler. And now can you imagine that? Like Al Hoare having like the best parts of all these weak ass centers in the past when it comes to the shooting. The I don't know how to think about him in his screen setting compared to Kevon Lulay, but he's not a bad screen setter at all. Yeah.

Yeah, and then he has playmaking to him as well. Obviously, he's a positive, very positive defender, even at this old age, no matter what type of center is in his way or guard, he can still, like, defend decently well. I hope for seniors, their lives. He is, he is. So, yeah, we'll see what they look like over 82 games. But those first 18? Oh, no.

The words are going to be like 15 and 4, and they're going to be at the top of the conference and everybody's going to be looking at them. Oh, yeah. The first month is going to be awesome for them. Yeah. Yeah, I'm glad the whole digital point you're making of like what even is the, what should we expect from a team this old? I really don't know.

Like, I can see them catching lightning in a bottle and being as good as it were in the second half of last year, Bush, Jimmy, and they're just like beating a three seed. But it's also very easy to imagine the age being an issue and the injuries piling up. This is going to be a nice limit test for me to see how far you can get in the modern NBA when every year we talk about it come playoff time, that it's a battle of attrition who can stay healthy. the longest is lately who's been making deep runs in the playoffs above all else is who doesn't get hurt how does age factor that equation when you are literally old to dirt plus can we get can we get early season um buddy healed again because buddy healed last year started the season crazy

and depending on like who you're putting in that in that spot if you put buddy there if you put pods there surely pods has to play better than how he started last year yeah because he was awful to start the year so if if you can get you can get you there you can get you either amazing shooting from buddy in that two spot or you get like just very competent combo play from pods that starting five is going to be it's going to be really good and it's going to be filled with obviously high IQ players you have step shooting in in gravity they're going to be able to do a lot of good things yeah can't wait to see it next team i have let's talk about the charlotte hornets i'll keep this one real brief can you finally build a good offense

around Lamello ball, so I can learn if he's good enough to build a team around. Because right now I don't fucking know because they have been the face of incompetence for three years with an incompetent franchise around Lamello that highlights his weaknesses, but also does him just dirty enough that I can't really tell how good his strengths are because he's simultaneously flawed while also being King, not his fault because the team around him is absolute bullshit. They've had the 29th, 27th, and 30th offensive rate in the last three years after there's six in 2020 in a Lamelema at the All-Star game.

and they had all that competency around him and Gordon Hayward, Tierra Rozier, and so forth. It's been a disaster since. While I want to be like, I'm out on Lamello as a building block, maybe his flaws in the half court and his process isn't really worth. The juice isn't worth to squeeze, all this verbiage to talk about maybe he's empty calories

and all this stuff. And then I look at the numbers, and the team's offensive rating is 11 points better with him on the court, and he is like 10th percentile of a teammate's shots made on his potential assist, and he's getting sold every which way because he has no finishers, no shooters, no rollers, nothing to facilitate

his growth as a playmaker, his growth as a score with good habits. He's kind of been left for dead, and I would like to see them give him a little bit of a chance so I can learn something about La Mello Ball for the first time. He said alongside Lamella Ball learning about him as well. On a smaller scale, of course, I would like to learn about Brayden Miller too. I have no idea how to think of him back when he was drafted for like, oh my God, like, yo, I can't believe the Horners took him. They should have taken scoot henderson obviously like no one thinks of that anymore we saw like the insane potential that he had through his first year second year happened i don't really know what to think

about because the injuries happened and he was hell of inefficient do you didn't really do much outside of just getting buckets what type of player do you have is someone who legitimately is i don't know i don't know if i want to say franchise changing but for this team franchise changing type of wing who you can like somewhat rely and build upon be a foundation of your team for the first time? Or is it's just another wash? Is this another James Boykinite

like type of situation? Okay. I pray to God it's not a James booknight. It's not that. It's not that. It's not that. It's not that. It's not that.

We've seen enough to know Brandon Miller is not a James book night. But they already have a book night as well. They got salon. So like, you know what I'm saying?

Like you're just going like drop us for draft bus. Like they have those. I'm with you. Like you do have to figure out if Lamello is, is worth it. I also think that at this point, you could say not his fault for the situation.

And you can also say not his fault just because I don't know if he's going to be there with all of the ankle injuries and stuff. And so if that happens again, he hasn't played 50, 50 games in three years. That's insane. Yeah. They have a million questions we can get into, including his health, Brandon Miller's health, his long-term ceiling, what their big memorandation is going to be like. All of this amalgamates together.

And can we get a regular team so we can learn something? that's all I need to do. I need you to be regular. You can be bad. You don't got to be good. You just got to be normal and competent in all the ways necessary so we can learn something about your young core. Because right now it's the biggest question mark. And it feels like you're going nowhere fast. Yeah. As of now for me personally, I haven't given up on the mellow, but my hopes are not up at all. And now all my attention has shifted to Brandon Miller, who I think can be like one of the 10 best players, one of the seven best players at his position, not even at his best. You know? I've like mostly given up on Lamello, but then I have to remind my attention. I'm like mostly giving up on Lamello, but then I have to remind my attention. myself he really does have a bullshit situation and like maybe I've given up on like the hundredth percentile outcome that I once thought was possible for him being a superstar but he very clearly has more to give than when he's been allowed to show just off the nature of being surrounded by a team that makes the Kate Cunningham misery era pistons look good he really does have it worse than Kate had it two years ago that's insane he really he promised you he has it worse Miles bridges Mark Williams who's no longer there

he has nothing but wait you got Grant willie He didn't even have Grand Williams. I would love it if he had Grant Williams last year. They got hurt immediately here. I understand that. I'm begging for Graham Williams to stay healthy. That team lost 30 games in a row. Wait, they did?

I just be offensive confidence. Oh, they did. Because they also had no defensive talent. Offensively, T. John Salon was a high pick that he got to have help. He's been fucked harder than anybody. And I'll throw in another bad team right now. Uh, the Brooklyn Nets. Okay.

Real simple. Do they have the point guard of the future on this roster? You goddamn better. You better, motherfuckers. You better have hit on one of those thousand point cards. Jesus, right. Bro, if they all suck. Oh, no.

Someone. I'm burning out Barclays. If none of these dudes make an all-star game in like six years, we're burning the Barclays center to the ground. No. Because you clearly don't deserve it. Five picks if they all suck. I'm sorry

man I almost said something crazy now I'm doing more than just simply losing your job bro it's yeah it's too much so hopefully Nolan can be a striking point guard and Demon can be like interesting wing at 6-8 that's like a ball handler like all we've got to see is

do we have at least one ball handler that can be here and support whoever the next superstar brigade is I do feel bad for those for the point guards post trade deadline because like you're probably getting the trade like you're gonna flip MPJ, like if you do flip MPJ in Claxton, it's like, who am I

passing the ball to do? Like, I have no idea where my sister coming. It's going to be that one, uh, RDC video where he was just passing the ball. I think he was like, just passing the ball to each other. Yeah. It's all I want to talk about the nets because what you just said, they're going to try, I hope, if they can get value, they're going to trade MPJ, probably

Cam Thomas. They're going to be playing a bastardly brand of basketball. It's going to be terrible. The amount of lack of shooting, finishing, just a bunch of ball handlers that can kind of dribble and kind of pass past with each other it's going to be the worst team you've ever watched yeah we got to take the gym and shipping to canada or something man we just we just can't do this no more unless impj and camp thomas are great and they don't trade them but i think once they trade those guys if they can which they will as they can

it'll be disgusting we said last time we're on single did you watch for the brooklyn nets what's over under like 12 it's gotta be horrible now we looked at last time it was 20 because the jazz were at 18. I'm going to say they have a smooth 17 win season in the bank. I'm going 17 wins season. Okay. Yeah, I'm going 13. Okay. Who's your next team? The L.A. Clippers.

Okay. You guys are funny. Where the changes that you made enough insurance? Because obviously alongside the Warriors, they are the second version of the unction.

And you had to yet there's so many things that you have to bake in for for the clippers and like not even trying to be funny but like anything that can't go wrong will go wrong for them and so you know if you get into a first round series okay we have a game seven coming up james hardin is not going to be able like we can't rely on him to give us a good game seven is having bradley be on chris paul in in the back court is that going to be enough to overcome any type of shortcoming that james hardin has in a game seven if If Kauai misses time, which he will, is Bradley Biel scoring going to be enough? Is the John Collins edition going to be able to offset any type of miss time from Kauai and the miss scoring that we have from moving on from Norman Powell? You have Zubach there as well. Is the Brooke Lopez edition going to be enough insurance for the 10, 15 minutes that Zubach is not playing on the floor? did you build in enough buffer that you can finally get somewhere with the team that

always overachieves because you know what tyloo is going to do you know that like even with certain lineups whether you're playing uh derrick jones jr jr and you you're trying to create like a defensive lineup do you have enough scoring that you can bring in i because i i for the value that they got on collins lopez bradley bill it's all great value like it all makes sense but For them, and especially what, like, Balmer wants to do and, like, you're on your very last legs of this Clipper trio and trying to make a push and all that, are those guys to where finally you can get somewhere with those guys? Yeah.

And it's the question of nobody has answered to. Like, we love the moves that made on the periphery. This is the best big man rotation I've ever had in this era. Having John Collins, Zubotch and Brooke Lopez, that's going to be great, especially for the regular season, the depth they have to maintain good defensive personnel and strong positional size. with Derek Jones and Kauai's big forwards like well Derek Jones and not exactly huge

but you know with some size on the wings it's going to be a very good version of what we know this team can be what they were last year they'll be even better on the margins in an increasingly competitive Western Conference they shouldn't lose a step they'll be a top six team you know it's competitive so that's not exactly an insult to say they're the sixth best team

they'll be good does it fucking matter can we believe in them the playoffs to Kauai and James Hardin probably not so the big question is can you prove us wrong for writing you off despite the improvements I don't think you can I'm so excited to watch John Collins this season man as a Hawks fan

and seeing how there's just been like such an up and down overall feel for how good John Collins is I think he's very fucking good I think he's finally in a position for the first time since he was in Atlanta to play with such a talented

I guess shout out to Isaiah Collier last year but to play with an established talented playmaker like James Hardin those lobs are going to be amazing those finishes are going to be amazing, bro. Yeah, also. And then I'm going to double up here because this is the team that, like, they're also kind of straightforward.

But for the Miami Heat, what is your purpose? Look in the mirror. What are? Yeah. Like, it's a very existential question because I do feel like they are at a very existential point in their, I don't know, in their lifespan. Because you are, like, Pat Riley's been there forever. Spolster has been there forever.

you are now out of like you're out of jimmy butler territory which was your saving grace post lebron you have bam didn't have a great season what are we doing here right are we going to try and stay competent which you always are and that's fine if you if you want to but for three short years you've been in the playing you have no superstar you whiffed on kd you whiffed on dame those things have not come to save you unless somebody else like unless janis presses the button and you want to go after him, then we'll re-evaluate there. But what are the Miami Heat current day, right? Like that is really what they have to figure out.

You gave Yovic an extension to you. You're trying to build some stuff out. You have to figure out where you want to go and, like, refine your identity. Specifically on offense. That's something they talked about all offseason is this team knows what you're talking about, that they're kind of at the end of the rope of what this era is.

They've kind of maximized every bit of value they can play out of the window before. Until they go ahead and shut out two more random three and D players. Yeah, they keep finding ways to replenish the depth And they probably will You know, there's probably a guy I don't know about right now It's going to be the surprise real player of the year But with that being said,

they're going to play a different brand of offense this year I think Eric Shulster has been pretty clear about that They know that they can't just keep running back This off-screen walking to mid-range jumpers Type of offense they do all day Like the days of Gabe Vincent, Max Shrews and Tyler Hero reigning threes And mid-range jumpers off of Jimmy Butler

Passes are gone Without Jimmy Butler, that style of play doesn't get you anywhere Bam Out of Bayo is not the hub that could facilitate that Tyler Hero make great strides as a playmaker It's not enough They're going to play fast. I think they've made that much clear. They're going to have, I don't even know yet

what the exact differences are going to be offensively. I think we'll find out the first week. We'll learn a lot about this team. But they've made sure they make it clear. They're going to play with tempo this year. I imagine they're going to be a higher-volunt three-point shooting team and be among the top that league at that to make up for the creation deficiencies.

It's going to be an entirely different-looking offense and time will tell what that looks like. But that's going to be the question. Yeah. Okay. Next team. I got the, let's get out of the, let's get the 76ers out of the way.

Okay. I wrote a lot for this team, but it's also been just a big old basic narrative that we have when it comes to, oh, how healthy is Joel and B going to be? You know, obviously that's like the biggest cloud over their organization. But if we're looking at like a more grainier thing and if we're like looking at the season beyond Joel and B, because honestly like I think we can all agree if we were to bet our lives on it, they're not winning a championship with Joel and Bid as like the face of their organization. at all. So turning the page, I'm so interested in seeing how impactful VJ Edgecombe will be alongside someone like Tyrese Halliborne and Jared McCain once he's back in a few weeks through that.

I think he's sprained his finger or something like that or thumb or whatever it is. Yeah, thumb injury. Yeah. So I'm sprang his finger. It sounds funny because it's like, oh, my finger hurts. But it's a serious injury. Yeah, exactly. I think Vijay Edgecombe is such an interesting player on this roster because

I don't want to say for the first time ever, but Tyrese hasn't played with explosive players like that throughout the history of his career on this team at all. Like, yeah, he had a year with Ben Simmons. Yeah, I guess you could say he played with, I don't know, Kenyon Martin when it comes to having explosive athletes, he doesn't have that. He just, he's never had any running mates.

And I feel like having someone who just literally, he demands so much attention with how quickly he just has, he can get up and down, for with his burst and how he's like a fantastic secondary playmaker what i guess what i'm asking is how much better can tyrice max be through someone like vjohn is there another scene because i feel like it might be there yeah it's in general like how does vjacom add to this expanding young core that isn't like deep or anything but now we're three interesting guards deep how to play off each other say kind of same questions as spires how do you

deploy this guard room that has one proven like all-star level guy that isn't like one of the best players in the league but is the guy for that position on your team clearly and he's great for your star big man and you have two young up-and-coming guys that you know they're all small so they're all duplicative a little bit but also very different Tyre smacks he's a slasher ball in his hands can create a paint touch Jeremy can't a fantastic floor spacer VJ Edgecombe is an athlete should be a good defender like they're all very different but you also can't play all three them that many minutes together I don't think so just figuring out what that puzzle piece is and if Vijay Edgecombe shows

near one that he needs to be the priority if he's that level of guy that you think he could be as a number three pick or how you just balance that with the win now. Honestly, it's the exact same thing as the spurs.

You're gonna, I mean, relatively. And like, you know that between Embed and Paul George, like those two guys are going to miss some time. So like, you're going to have the opportunity

to develop everybody. And so I think that's the, that's the silver lining for the six years is that I don't, like yeah if you want to you want to say okay everybody's going to play 55 60 games we're going to go and you know make a playoff right yeah okay fine but like there's probably not not going to happen and you're going to be able to figure out what vjicum is this season and you're going to get a

good opportunity to see that so i am i'm with you like i am interested in that but maxi's also the guy where it's uh and like he's he's he's the bet now he's yeah he's no longer you know he's like young cord that's jeremy that's that's vj edgecombe so now you're moving into a space where maxi's supposed to be that guy with imbid and obviously everything kind of circles uh not kind of everything does circle around embit but with paul george also declining maxi's maxi should be the second guy like but everything paul george does for that for that duo is very ancillary additive right it's it's supposed to help them and not necessarily be the the basis of what this trail is so I do need to see Tyrese maxi be much more efficient and much more just dominant as like a as like a number one option as a score as all these things because that's probably what's going to keep the sixers afloat whenever you get the Paul George is out for a week and a half or Embed is out tonight like that you you need maxi to take another step hell yeah

to kill lanyal commentary can you be dominant we need more from you can you be the man that is but a lot of nights he's going to be the man for sure you know For sure he will be. But yeah, I mean, there's obviously they're going to try to win. I don't really care. You know, like, if it happens, great. It'll be a fun underlying story. Like, it would be fantastic.

I hope that Joaqu can stay healthy. But, like, I don't really care in terms of the grand scheme of the lead. It'll be a great story. I'm rooting for them to stay healthy and being surprisingly competitive. Every year they can be competitive with Indeed will be a gift at this point,

I feel like. I'm going and not expecting it to work. If it does, pleasant surprise, I would no longer bank on it. So to me, it's all about the development of the young guys and, like, how does that room take shape? over time.

Facts. Yeah. But if they can win, that'd be great. It would it be fantastic to see a Joel and be playoff run at this point. Just not getting my fucking hopes like. Not anymore.

We've been burned too many times. Yeah, but honestly, I'm being very nice about it by saying I don't care. Who's your next team? Next team. Let's get to the Los Angeles Lakers. It's about the time

to inject another main character. The biggest question to me is, can they be a top 10 defense? Is it possible with the current personnel to build a good enough defense to really contend? Because I feel pretty certain that there'll be a great offense

to some variety, whether that's top three offense and Luca's Prime Luca carrying a team like he has before when they've had some of the best offensive ratings of all time under Rick Carlisle back in the day that's the case, great. If it's a step below that,

and it's just a very good offense that gets you into the three to five seed that they have been, great. Whatever variation of good offense it'll be, it'll be good. You have Luca, you have LeBron, you have Reeves, and you have a big man

that's at least skilled offensively. We can give him that. They'll be a good offense. Now we get the defensive side of that skilled big man. can he be a good enough from protector to having him and Jackson Hayes as your two mobile bigs

can that be can that be a life raft to give you a regular defense Yondra Aten life wrap for defense Yeah can you be regular Can you not have to gimmick your way To the 17th best defense in the league Like they did after the deadline last year

No Well yes they won't have to gimmick themselves anymore You know they're not going to do that Ober small ball lead three point shooters open They'll be regular but to what avail Like is there a ceiling here with Marcus Martin the door, DFS out the door, Jake LaRave, whatever that brings.

Vanderbilt's coming back, being healthy, being in a good role, he's going back to being a wing defender instead of a big man because you have those bigs in the door. He doesn't have to defend fives anymore. That'll help your defense. For everything, Aiden isn't. He's a competent seven-footer that can defend a pick and roll to some extent. A lot better than what they have. A goddamn Alex Lenn

and Ruey playing center at times. Like, they'll be regular with Aiden in the door. Alex Lynn. Exactly. Like, you know, of course, I'm happy to have Aiden. Like, he looks at the names he's replacing. But is there juice there to figure out a way to be a very good defense that we can look up in January and say, okay, we didn't necessarily think it was going to be the case, but the Lakers are a contender. I just, what do you think is going to happen?

I don't know if there's a pathway to becoming a top 10 defense. I think they could be right outside of that, and maybe honestly, their offense could just be that potent because of improvements that Austin Reeves just naturally makes every single year LeBron is hanging on to like every limb of being a top 15, 20 player in the NBA. And Luca just could have one of those seasons also, like an all-time season as well. That could very much be in the cards. But I don't know if you guys have the infrastructure or the actual like wing defenders necessary to go ahead and like subside all the potential holes that could be there.

Yeah, exactly. That's the question. Like you had that last year. The Luca thing, like him being skinny. now is he going to be in shape i kind of just buy that as a certainty maybe that's me just like hoping to certainty and that the things we saw last year were a like the slowdowns that we saw in his game and the lack of room pressure and all the stuff that's been developing over the past couple years i'm just like assuming he'll be fine assuming that was him coming off of an injury

changing teams crazy change and never being in shape and all this stuff i'm buying into the he's skinny now and we'll get to whatever the best version of luca is whether it is still a low room pressure guy like it was two years ago when he averaged 34 on lower and pressure that can still be the case I'm assuming he will be one of the best players

in the world again I have to assume that otherwise I'm going to lose my mind so I have to assume who will be one the best players in the world and everything is on that basis that if you have Luca

playing at best in the world caliber you'll have a great offense and to your point they don't have DFS anymore who that's kind of pointing to is like the big lack of wing defender he isn't like a strap up defend big wings type of guy

he's an amazing team defender and unlocked a ton of good looks for them made that small ball look possible by being able to be such a good team defender, lose him, bring in Drake LaRavia and Marcus Smart. They have, like, the skeleton of a defense if Marcus Smart is healthy

and if DeAndre Aden is truly bought in defensively, which I also buy that we, I think we obviously won't get the, like, I hate basketball, DeAnd Aden, like he got in Portland, like that clearly won't happen. Whether or not the ceiling is there to, like, be a top 10 rim protector in a given season, I don't know, but I think we'll clearly get him trying defensively, you know,

to whatever that brings you. And I think if he's trying defensively, LeBron has been pretty good defensively as he's waned off offensively. He's been locked in. I think he'll continue to do that with Luca plan the best player in the world. Rui's another wing-sized big guy. He's not a terrible defender on ball, dog shit off ball. But we'll take what we can get in compliment to Rui's defense.

Like, if Marcus Smart is healthy and can be another essentially wing defender, they had the pieces to be competent defensively. It's not like it's a just black hole of talent. Yeah, I think the Marcus Smart thing is, like, if you guys are going to be a top 10 defense, I think it comes much more

off the back of Marcus Smart being healthy rather than like... I forget he's there always. I don't know why. But see, that's a terrible selling point. Marcus Smart stays healthy would be great. Yeah, Marcus Smart last two seasons.

Played 34 games last year, 20 games the year before. Oh, God. So I think there was some tanking going on there. So he's not exactly him being hurt. But he was hurt a lot. So there's that aspect of it. But yeah, I think like that... If Marcus Smart is healthy,

and can give you very solid defense. That's also your best chance to just be in the most balanced team, I think, especially with the starting five and bringing Reeves off the bench and allowing him to cook in certain spots. But damn, that's tough. Like, the two guys that you're asking for are,

which is crazy. He's only 31, but, like, he's played such a physical and just, like, reckless style of basketball for his entire career that, like, obviously his body is much older than 31. But it's an over 30 market smart, and then DeAndre Aiton. And those are the two guys that you're kind of hoping to really anchor your defense.

And I guess the big question that people are going to have is like the overarching one. If people buy into the fact that Luca is going to be Prime Luca again, the real biggest question is what you get from John Dr. Aiden is that to be the bigger talking point. Yeah. And I don't know. I mean, like he's not going to be like amazing. He's not going to get to the Frito line. He's not going to be some amazing finisher. He won't, he's not going to sink them.

Like even if he's not great, he's not going to be the overall reason why they may like underachieve. Yeah. I don't think the floors as low as people. just because we talk about it, obviously, I'm an apologist. The perception is so bad that people think he'll be like the worst player in the league. Lakers fans will want him shipped out immediately. Lakers fans want everybody shipped out no matter what. So that will be a certainty.

That's an easy bet to say Lakers fans will turn on him. They turn on everybody. But he will be fine. I was only making $8 million a year. They don't need him to be exceptional necessarily. I think he'll be competent at the very least. I hope, man. I hope for your sanity.

But I don't hope so. for my entertainment. Listen, Amarine Hansen just went to the IR for four weeks. My sanity is not tied into the Lakers. My sanity is being thrown away by the other sport. Oh, my gosh. I can give a damn what happens.

At least I have little dodges. Oh, my gosh. I don't have misery to go around. But yeah, I guess it begins and ends with Aiton offensively and defensively. What he brings is a finisher, what he brings as a shot blocker. We'll see.

I definitely do envision a world, though, where you guys are legit, top three offense in the league. genuinely like that maybe your offense is so fucking potent this could be the most talented offense that lucas ever played around the most impressive weapons with of course lebron do it all with army knife austin reeves a fucking gunner as well who can do a lot of the things that lucca does but just on a lower scale of course then um ruy as well is a he's similar in a lot of ways to someone like p j washington and then um on top of that too jake laravia is not a nothing he's

someone who needs to be accounted for on offense as well i like this offense a lot It's better, much better than last year There's like, you know, the Lakers Like have been so in the back half of the LeBron era They've been so up and down post-Ressile Westbrook trade That like there's a baked in like yawn I'll see it when I believe I believe when I see it type thing with the Lakers

In every preseason cycle They were the three seed last year Like they're not going to be bad Barring injury and barring enforcing changes Like they're going to be a good team Whatever that looks like I guess the debate is like Is that good enough to be one of the best teams

That you actually can win a championship and make good on making advantage of every single Luca year. I don't know, but I think they'll probably be like the three or four seat again. Yeah, that makes sense. That's fair. That's very fair. What is the next team?

Let's go with the New Orleans Pelicans. Question. Was a little bit of that zimpy all it needed to change your life? Because now that Zion is in shape and like if he is in shape and that is true, truly the thing that has kept him from being consistently available for you and allowed to unlock this version of Zion that we've seen in bits and pieces and in flashes, would you get the whole load this year? And if the Zembe was all it took, I mean, hey, was Zion on the floor, the offensive rating was great, they were top tier in terms of the offensive rebounding. You know

that's a piece of his game. If he is there and if he is healthy and if that's all that it took, the Pelicans become much more interesting than obviously what they were last year and even Bar-in-like because we've been talking about it for a couple of years like this is Trey Murphy's breakout year it's gonna be here even if that doesn't even happen if Trey Murphy's at this

oh what's gonna fucking happen even if it doesn't you have like you have Jordan Poole's offense to kind of offset whatever lack of junk there is from Trey Murphy you have Herb Jones's defense you have this team that's kind of been there together in bits and pieces

if zan's healthy i can understand why somebody would like to be bullish on the pelicans me myself i'm not personally going to do it but i can see where the bullishness comes from me myself i am willing to be bullish on zion but i am not willing to be bullish on the new orleans pelicans i agreed with everything you said until one one line you said where you lost me you said this is all the case and zan is healthy and he is fixed by the weight loss and he is able to stay healthy and be the best version of himself i believe that to be the case

I am once again on Zion, like I always have been. I'm never given up. But then you said, then maybe I can see the Pelicans being interesting. That I cannot see, because this team will have one of the worst defenses in the league, no matter what. I think there will be a swell offense. Their defensive talent is absolute piss. Key two things. One, last year, when Zion was on the floor, again, like the offense rating, great.

The defense was basically the same as the Wizards. They would try. They're going to be a horrible defense. That's one. Two, notice I said interesting and not good. Right. You get, they're going to have pieces where every night you're like, no, I wonder how so-and-so did tonight.

I want like, hey, the last nine games, Trey Murphy's really doing something that's really kind of cool. Interesting, but not good. And that's the worst place to be for a team that just traded their unprotected first-round pick and a loaded draft class. They will not be in the playoffs. I'm almost certain of that. But I think I'm almost certain.

I can never be certain with Zion Williams's health, but I have reason to believe we fixed them. It's going to be different. I reasonably a broken clock will finally be right because I don't know just because of hope.

Let's call it hope. Yeah. I reason to believe that it'll be the case. I think we're going to see like all NBA Zion again. I think it stands a reason. This is one of the best room finishers of all time

and he's in the best shape he's ever been, even better shaped in college at this physical prime right now. I think he'll be back to being one of those dominant players in the world, especially with the team around him.

They, we've seen two years ago he was healthy. It wasn't necessarily dominant Zion. Remember that was a year where they were surprisingly good and had a good defense when they had Ingram. time that was pre-dejante it was um uh why am i blanking who's her point guard at that time i cannot

it was not true holiday who did they have a point guard two years ago c de mcclum no why am i blanking hold on i got you i can remember who was on that team but that was there that really long team was there that really long team was yonis ziongroom herb jones and why can i remember the goddamn point guard but that team was surprisingly good defensively and they didn't play through zion that was the year they chose to like deprioritize him and not put all their eggs in the basket and his usage was down a little bit so when we've seen him be healthy at last he wasn't like truly dominant like he wasn't year two because they said we're not going to get burnt again this year they have to play point zion jordan pool is awesome i like his game a lot off of zion he's not a lead playmaker same thing with

i think he's going to be a very good like i guess c jaccombe was yeah they were running okay what's each then uh but yeah jordan pool is going to be a great shooting guard next to point guard zion jane murphy great three and d guy with juice now he has the ball handling i don't think he's going to be a star right away or ever but he's going to be like one of the more exciting wing shooters a la cam johnson or whatever they have all these guys that will fit really well playing through zion if i'm playing fantasy basketball i want zion william wilinson i think we're going to see like the most productive version of him by necessity with this offense yeah i agree i think i'm excited as hell to see their offense and only

watching that specifically as soon as they turn around on the other end i'm closing my eyes and i'm just opening it back up after the next 25 seconds bro because i don't want to see them 24 they're going to have four guys you can pick on then herb jones trying to defend everybody Yeah. The most annoying guys on defensive, of course, like Jose Alvarado and then, of course, Herb Jones. But outside of that, everyone's literally like a walking lick. Their best guard defenders is going to be post Achilles, Dejante, and Jose Alvarado.

And who know? I don't even know Dezance is going to be playing to start off the year as well. No, he won't be. He won't be. But I'm like, by the end of the season. Even then, it's kind of good. You got Jordan Poole. Oh, my God.

You got the rug, Fears. Sadeke Bay. Fears is going to be one. I imagine fears is going to be one the worst defenders in the NBA year one. He's so small. Yeah. Oh, my God.

They can get picked on everywhere. And is Zion Missy? It doesn't matter. Listen, there's always teams that kind of fit this bill where they can go and score, but they can't stop anybody. Somebody has to fill that role. If the Pelicans are that,

if it means that you win more than 21 games this year, oh, they won more than 21. Shout out to you. Well, they win 41? I don't know. That's what the bar is done. They do have Kavana Luni, which is nice, stability, known defensive.

Anchor, Kavon Looney. Defensive anchor. He's great. At lots of small things. We have fantastic screen setter. Well, that'll help Zion and Jordan Poole a lot. I think that'll be exciting. Their office is going to be electric.

He's not going to fix their defense at all. Can I play a game against them? I think I can get one. I think I can get one bucket. I think if you're slashing and East Missy has to rotate to you, you put a shoulder in his chest and get him off the old man game. I can get a shot up. I think I can get one bucket.

Oh, gosh. I don't want to see that. Listen, bad rotations, wide open three? Backdoor cuts? Hey, man. I'll run in transition all day. Yeah, the biggest question for me is like, can we get Zionalock? And I think the answer is probably yes.

Assuming he doesn't fall apart again physically, which who knows? I agree. Like, stylistically, this feels like it should be, again, we didn't see them play at all, or we don't know what their head coach, really greens from wanting to roll out. Going back to what you said when it comes to, they had all those long-lengthy guys and they were just like playing somewhat of an egalitarian type. offense prioritizing the ball on everybody's hands

you don't have that anymore I hate these all lies matter ass offenses put the ball in the big guy's hand and let him dunk every play he's special he can be Zion production I mean he can be Giannis production wise let him go be the best finisher we've ever seen I think we're gonna definitely see that I think we're gonna

especially if he's skinny let him average 30 he can do it my next team you went to that I guarantee you he can do it if he give him those shots Zion can average 30 on no joke On zero jumpers. He could give you like a jumper, maybe two a game max. You're right.

He'll make 41% of them. Yeah, exactly. Nothing. No jubes. If anybody could do it, he could do it, right? He averaged 27 in the second year doing that. He had no jumpers, right? Okay.

My next team, the Toronto Raptors. Okay. They spend a lot of money on an unproven product. They have so many like question marks around every single. person on their roster genuinely but I think the biggest question still and it's fair to say again Scotty Barnes is he the guy

that you want to commit to in the long term in terms of treating him like a franchise player that is the biggest picture question for sure no no I don't I can't be fully out but I'm not fully in that's exactly how I feel I'm not writing off the world in which he can be their best

player and they can be a playoff team but I'm super not fully in like whatever that means not fully in I got like one foot in the door maybe and like half of her elbow but my whole body's not in yeah like it would be in if you sense that he could genuinely be a top 17 15 player and i would like for it to be in yeah of course you love it inside but could we look at it's another situation to where he's being he's like in the same realm or same status of an NBA player like pascal siacum because you're not like you're not doing anything as a organization if you have a pascal siacum level player and

if we're on the same trajectory where his shooting is continues to like up and down and he's not necessarily bending offenses or like being a driving force of a team being like the superhero on your offense or defense then what are we doing exactly i need to see him like create more bend for sure so i can be in that's the number one thing is like can he be a guy that changes the way teams have to defend you can he be a guy that changes you and your defense clamping down the other team like can he be a two two-way player, because I don't think I'm ever going to be in on him being your best offensive player anymore. That, to me, it's very clear. Scotty Barnes can't be the best offensive player in your team. And it's also clear Ingram can't be that. But I do believe that there's some amalgamation there that they can have a two-man game

that's good enough to be a seven seed in the east or whatever with those two guys and the way they mesh off each other. But I need to see Scotty Barnes be a legit two-way star like a Pascal Ciacom. Yeah, I think for me, I think like a lot of that happens, a lot of that will be answered by Brandon Ingram's level of production. because I need something right to go for this for this team yeah since kawai left can we be up like like kawai left and they kind of they took a while to embrace the rebuilding or retooling and then they finally shipped out for it they finally shipped

out pascal but even since then the quickly thing hasn't moved on hasn't worked out rj barrett has played well but like you already want to trade him right now you're giving yaku perdo money even though that it's like that that's that's a lot of money but I don't know we're kind of in that in that mode yet and so you're still trying to figure out all the things that you said about scotty barns if the brandon ingram thing works out and you can get a clear picture that's that's great because if if he's not there then we're just going to have scotty barns in another like no man's land kind of year where it was two years ago last year and then i don't really learn anything i need brandon ingram to be there and i need him to actually

be kind of productive so i can get that clear picture yeah and i think we did learn that Scotty Barnes might be like the worst no man's land player in the league like he is not built to be in no man's land he needs to have structure so we can utilize his skills and do not ask him to go create off the dribble jump opportunities that's not his game

there's a reason he was at his best and he looked like an all-star or he was an all-star playing next to Pascal Seaccombe he can be a brilliant second option and like provide so much value there with what he brings defensively with that crazy ridiculous length if he can be a guy that doesn't have to be your primary shot creator that'll never be him see I just want to see

the structure of this team kind of blend together in a way that makes sense and we can kind of see what we're working with going forward then we can shoot RJ Barrett into the sun we can maybe trade quickly and get a point guard to the future eventually like if we just know the nucleus is intact that that's a team that is going to be

they're an all-lides matter ass offense they have zero pick and rolls they are running passing you to each other playing non-stop handoffs like they will pay team basketball it's funny that this is the thing now it's the all-lives matter offense it's going to be a thing for this season now That's Darko duty.

It's so annoying to witness this, too, because I like what Darko is doing in general. I love this play style, but I hate the guys in it. I don't hate them, obviously, but I don't think there will be, like, there to maximize what Darko is trying to go ahead and preach. When you think about, like, the most expensive teams in the NBA, you're looking at the Knicks, the T-Wills, the Boston Celtics, the Lakers, the Rockets, the Clippers, the Cavs. Okay, see, Denver, and then right smack in the middle, you have the Toronto Raptors. You have no business committing so much money to nothing burgers and players who have uncertain futures.

But they're just willing to give out bags. And for that, guess what? Next year, I'm going to try for their G-Leat. I'm going to go ahead and try to scam their new front office manager because they just like giving out money. Maybe he's not like Messiah, Jirian, maybe they're just like on a different pathway now. maybe my window has closed but I am on your window has closed

if I was there you'd have a much better chance of making the team fuck man you'd be a lock for the roster shit I'm a mavri hey man

you're another one you know get in the door you know yeah Raptors find a way it makes sense this year

give us a vision to buy in on so we can be nerds and be like they're a sneaky seven seed you don't want to see the Brandon Ingram led half court offense

exactly give me a reason to be a dork about you because right now I don't got shit please I'd love to see him in the playoffs I would love to be a dork about you okay is my turn

Cleveland Cavaliers this is the most obvious big question of any team in the league is this going to be the year where your core finally succeeds in the playoffs will it translate we know in the regular season you were one of the most dominant teams in the league you found a way

after bringing in Kenny Atkinson to fully unlock the power of having two elite bigs and two elite guards with movement shooters all around them you were a goddamn machine and then everything went wrong again is it your fault not necessarily is a bad luck partially is it repeatable yes there's been multiple times now where everything that could go wrong did go wrong so all we can do now is wait for the playoffs and see

if things will finally go right there is no analysis if you had we know you're great we know it's predictable in the ways that you can be strong and weak with the two small guards defensively but the strengths of the two bigs defensively like we know you guys to a tee there's no questions besides some bench pieces and how those change this year but big picture wise you are who we think you are will it work in the playoffs we should honestly be sitting here talking about how they should be able to win legit like 70 games the next year the the talent disparity is ridiculous over there in the eastern conference we should be talking about them as like sure in locks we should be like the calves are making it to the finals and then whoever else when it

comes to yeah the slaughter fence is happening in the western conference i do view them as that i feel like the consensus is not though that's the thing i view them 100% is they should and like on paper there's no reason for not to be in the finals they should 1,000% be in the finals and like I do think that I'm gonna pick them when we do our predictions next week spoiler alert I'll pick them to be in the finals for somebody that I feel is so certainly the best roster in the east I have weird lack of confidence in that opinion even though they are certainly the best team I'm like I've never felt a favorite be so susceptible to fuck shit going wrong and then not making being able to live up to their potential okay yeah it's just weird like there's not there's not It's not, it's not like, it's not even like necessarily explainable. Like, yeah, small guards, like, yeah, there's some explainable parts of it. Some of the roster we can say small guards, lack of spacing. You don't necessarily get the best of mobile as to score, yada, yada. You have to win.

Fuck that. You have to win, fuck that at the end of the day. And you won in spite of those so many games, you just get so unlucky that you just have some mystic being praying on your downfall. You have a top 10 player in your hands, a top 12, 13. player two of them in your hands right now you have like one of the better centers in the league darius garum who's a top 10 point guard you got this

not the six minute of the year winner but you got Deion J. Hunter who helped your offense become more high octane than ever with his three point shooting okay you shipped out Isaac Coro cool now you can sit down and empower guys like what's his name

Tyson yeah Lonzo yeah Tyson yeah Tyson Struz. Struce. There you go. Struz. Exactly. That guy. You have Lanzo who's a new point guard who was just trying to like establish himself in them.

You have like a lot of working pieces and none of them should take your season. Yeah. The real question on paper is can we get more value out of Lanzo than we did out of back of point guard last year? Why I Blank in Ty Jerome? Out of Ty Jerome and like his pitfalls in the playoffs on the scoring fell apart. Can we get more out of Lanzo? Will he be available? That's the real question mark in the roster because that's the only question mark.

He really just replaced back of point guards. Yeah. Aside of that. is will it work in the playoffs? Don't know, but you care about this team. I care a lot about this team. Who's on this team again? It's so funny how this team is like

the least depth of any of these conversations. This has been three minutes, that's the end of it. Will it work in the playoffs? The only thing we need to see. You fucking better. I'm afraid of God, I'm so sad. Otherwise, we're getting Jared out of the Lakers.

I'm tearing it. Wait, what? My God. What's next? Let's go with the Memphis Grizzlies. so my question for them was can the season be as close to normal as possible slash was the last nine games real slash slash is jo the guy to the last one i'm going to say no because this this morning we got news that jah's already got he's already hurt he he sprained his his left ankle he's already

weak to week and it's not it's not like a zion type of thing where like he's got he's always going to miss like 60 games he's going to miss every fourth game and that is the most frustrating thing because you never know, you never get a lot of consistency with Jai. However, after Taylor Jenkins was fired last year, Jai averaged 28 and 6 in the last, like, eight or nine games. Actually, in the last seven games, he missed two of the last nine games. Naturally. But so, but he had more success and he did look more comfortable in, in those games

after Taylor Jenkins was fired. And then you had the, the playoff series where until, once again, he got hurt, he had figured out the Oklahoma City Thunder and he was going crazy and they were going to win that series until he got hurt and so you have all you have all of that and you're coming into the season Zach Edy already hurt

Jerry Jackson Jr. already hurt you might not have Tom Morant on opening night so I have no idea what this team is going to be that's the phrase right there nobody knows but it's barely provocative either that's the thing is it's kind of like bland because they're running it back

with this new coach that they brought it into last year which I shouldn't even say running it back it's the first year they're going to be underneath him full time so that's interesting to see where that goes

but roster-wise they just got worse they got where it doesn't main it's the big question mark is like what's your pivot clearly you got something in mind you know you trade Desin Bain you decide to sell high

on a guy that you think isn't worth it to have through big contracts you know I mean but you know what the pivot is the pivot is John Gerizaxin Jr. can can be good enough to where one we don't have to be as expensive as we were and they can rise to a

level that now allows us to make a move to bring in somebody else ancillary that can make a little bit less than Desmond Bain but we can still get as far because honestly as far is let's just make it to the second round exactly they won't get anywhere with the expensive trio so they said buck that let's put ourselves in a situation where we can still be good we can float and figure out what the next pivot is or who becomes available can we get the next OG and an obi whoever that is that becomes available for trade that can take us to the next level. Can we do that in the same way

the next did, right? Pre-car lengthy talents, pre-a-giantic trade, can we get one of the elite role players that becomes available? Usually one becomes available every year. Whatever that may be, can we be positioned to get that guy?

Okay. So the whole thing is, be patient, I guess. See what we got cooking. We don't even know yet. Eventually we'll find out. But you've got to show us a little more than that to start the year,

right? Like there has to be a unique change to the style of play. Something to justify that, yes, I should feel good in the short term about my team trading Desmond Bain and telling us that we'll get better.

Yes, but I don't, you have to show me something at the start, but they're not going to have any of their start at the start of the season. It's tough, tough situation. So, again, in terms of all of those questions, can the season be as normal as possible? No.

Because that's already out the window. And then can Jabi the guy? It's, you, he just has to play enough. And we'll see if that happens if you finally get some consistency in terms of his, play but if he's not there every single night or if he's constantly in and out the lineup we're going to get into another situation where march rolls around and

you may you know be be trying to figure out what the identity is though the one thing that you can hope for is that in in this in this offense that's you know going to reempower josh do you at least see the flashes do we know that i don't they did that end of last okay so i the only reason why i'm going to say yes is just because Because it's just because the offense that they ran last year was an all live matter type of offense. And so it wasn't, it wasn't empowering job. Yeah. And so that's why I think this one will at least reempowering to a certain extent.

For sure. Like that got Taylor Jenkins fired because they prioritized Jaron Jackson essentially in a style that fit him better, which wasn't even a bad choice. Like they had it never had a good half court offense, but you had to, you had to get something at a jaw. Otherwise, it's never going to work if you get nothing out of him. I say nothing. but you know a subpar product so we understood why they had to fire him and go back to impiring jaw because otherwise you're not going to make a playoff run at all you're just dead in the water yeah i get why they did that with 10 games left in the season that should only pivot to give yourself

a fighting chance in the first round but i could see if the summer comes around and they still say you're asking if jow's the guy they're asking if jaron jackson going to be the guy and like how do we get the most out of jaw while also making sure we're prioritizing jaren like i could also imagine that that what made sense for the last 10 games doesn't necessarily got to make sense for the next season. Listen, not speaking to generalities, that doesn't really mean anything in terms of like, who are we going to play through? It's real basic, but like, we don't know what this team's going to look like.

It is a coach that coached him for nine games. Whose team is it? Exactly. The Jared's team or is it. Yeah, this is like nightcap-ass question? I don't know. But that's kind of what it is because they had such a stark difference in that play style and like just how much it catered to Jared and Jackson's abilities to attack off

the dribble. And again, this guy coached for nine games. We have no clue what he's going to do now that he's, charge. Thanks. God damn. What do you pray to show me? I forgot his name.

He's a European name that I can't remember. You know, you go next month. Okay. So let's talk about my next team. I think it's about time we talk about the Atlanta Hawks. Finally, again, in this episode. So, yeah, I think easily the biggest question is whether or not Jalen Johnson can remain healthy for an entirety of the season.

Now you can sit here and look at like someone like Christop's Brazilian and see if you can have a bounce back year, which is very interesting. How is Dyson Daniel going to progress in his offensive game? What is Trey Young going to look like? I understand all of those things, but I firmly believe that Trey Young could go ahead and have the most efficient year of his career. I don't think any of that shit matters if J. J.on Johnson is a healthy, and I think our ceiling is dramatically reduced or deduced

without someone like Jalen Johnson on the roster. I think you can see on the TV right now that you see clearly. Tray Young shoots much more efficiently from the three-point line with someone like Jalen Johnson, and that consistency just fares to be true alongside every single player on the roster who he played with a decent amount of time. And he has that level of impact and effect when it comes to being a ridiculous driving force who just creates an immense amount of space for everyone. And then also he takes a certain level of playmaking load off of him.

We're looking at a non-all-star who should have been an all-star last year. 110% of as long as he like healthy this year he's going to go ahead and become that and we need an all-tar on our roster yeah uh i'm interested by the three-point numbers there because i wonder if that's more about jalen johnson creating open shots for tray and him being you know able to flex off ball a little more i'm sure that's part of it i feel like part of it is like it's forces tray to take less bad shots less of these terrible off the dribble threes that like it's both it's second year in the league was going in past few years hasn't necessarily been a calling card of his, the tough shot making hasn't really been there to the same level

we thought it was going to be for his whole career. So, yeah, and Jalen Johnson's obviously a big part of that and KP, like in general, are we going to see this team have the depth needed? I think you would say yes, if they're healthy, to allow Trey to not force it and not have to be, can he be more efficient by taking less shots? Yeah, and I think he will be, but even if he is more efficient, that's not going to define our season necessarily. That's not going to change our playoff projectory necessarily. Jalen Johnson simply being there, being the five type defender guy who can defend, not one through, I was almost said one through five, but no, like one through four

confidently. Can he be a pseudo point guard? Can he be the best finisher on this team? Can he be the second best playmaker on this team? I think so. I think he can be the best rebounder on this team as well. He does like so much and covers so much ground that we don't have from all of our guys, whether he be O'Neck and his struggles at times being with rebounding Chris

Ops and his ability to not necessarily be the most physical guy. He covers so much ground. And if he's not there, yo, like our season is not, I'm not going to say cooked. No, it's cooked. It's cooked. Because like in the analogy that I've been using, and I've said like since the finals is like, can you basically recreate what the Pacers just did in having this and having like this very defensively challenged point guard and having.

and all the other, you know, 6-9 demons, all that other type of stuff. Basically, like, can Jalen Johnson turn into y'all's Pascal Seaco? You know, in terms of this other, this other guy who can also create offense for himself, who can be a good defender, and for him, be a playmaker as well on top of, of train, his playmaking. You know what you're asking for? What am I asking for? And all lives matter offense in Atlanta. Whoa, no, no, no, nah.

Let's do it. Let's get your young offball. Let's get him running a transition. Let's depower him so we can empower him and his playmaking. No, 100%. The off ball stuff, the off ball stuff, 100%. Like, I think that that is something that, that for a lot of the star guards who always have the ball in their hands, that's something that you've seen a lot.

We saw it with Prime James Hardin. We're like, okay, if he's not on the ball, he's just going to stand above the break 35 feet from the basket and not going to do anything. We've seen that with, with Tray. you've seen the Nixie even with, or you've seen it with Luca, like being able to play five on five basketball at all times instead of four on five if your star player does not have the ball in his hands, that's super important. And so James Johnson can elevate himself and be this all-star and be this playmaker.

And we can use Trey Young to be, to be an off-ball player. One, that helps everybody else. But two, it just gives you another look that you can use and that you can go to instead of just saying, oh, there's two minutes left in the game. Trey, go kill them. You might be able to surprise some people with the style of play. I think we can get pretty first takey with the Hawks conversation right now because we mentioned it on the episode two weeks ago about the one thing you should know about this team.

And the one thing you should know about the Hawks is they check every box now for theoretically how you want to build around Trey Young. They have the role man defender that can be a mobile big. They have the stretch five that can be a rim protector in a traditional sense. They have the slashing secondary star in Jalen Johnson, a slew of defensive wings around him. an elite point of attack defender and Dyson Daniel around him. They have every single complimentary piece you could want. So we can get real, real ESPN with this.

Is Trey Young good enough to be the guy? Like, that'll be the question above our heads today, the season, because if he's not, are you a man or a mouse Trey Young? Well, what kind of stars, Trey Young? Is he a winning player? Yada, yada, yada. Can you build around Trey Young?

We'll be answered this year. Yeah, I 100% agree. Like, I sat down and wrote on my notes to, I've had two nitwits next to me. thing one thing too alongside of me saying oh train they're going to trade shut up no

none of that's going to happen you know why run it back if you need to know what I said all right we have every single thing in place I think exactly precise what's going to happen is he's going to go out and have an all NBA caliber year will he actually make the only b a I don't know but probably

will considering how dire the east is we have all the spacing all the shooting is across the league so he might not be one of the 15 best players in the league this year Yeah, I think he could. Nah, I think he could. All the is tough, but to your point, he could be caliber in the conversation. What happens if he's not?

Like, in from a Hawksman perspective, let's say they are mid, and let's say KP's healthy and it just, like, doesn't work for whatever reason, right? I mean, they could definitely be the five seat. They should be, but like, what if they're a disappointing 7C or what are the other five scene and just get down to the first round? The bar for me is, I don't even if fuck what happens in the playoffs, we have to make it like firmly. We cannot be a playing team.

I think the line for me in my head is we haven't won 48 games. Can you guess when? Was I something we won 48 games? Let me ask you. 2015? Fuck, it's been just 2015. That's 10 fucking years of not cracking 48 games. Would they win the conference championship year?

I believe that was the in 2016 or 2015, when everyone won 16. No, no, I mean, with the year when they made the conference finals. The year, that was 20, how many games you want? Yeah, yeah. So it was like 44, 46. It was a short, it was a short in season. Oh, yeah. There were only 72 games, but they won 41 games.

So I'm 57 or a winning percentage of 5, 6, 9. Okay. So let's say they do win that. And let's say they're the four-seat or the five-seat that we're hoping. You don't care about the playoffs. Like, what if they get bounced in first round by the pistons? Will that tell you? And let's say it's in a way that we've seen Trianga bounce before.

And it's kind of, you know, the double teams, the overwhelming size, that yada, yada, yada. We've seen before. That works again. Will there be long-term concern? Like, do you need to see anything more than regular season wins? I think for the trajectory. I should say, sorry, with the trepending. contract of it all exactly yes i think that's the biggest concern here it depends on

entirely on how we go out if it's like tri young gun guns blazings and like we see the normal story kp happening where he's just not injured and then a bunch of hawks die off which just has been the case over the last few years and it's like okay i'm giving tray that contract because nothing is necessarily proven just yet but if he just folds in a way that we've seen happened throughout the regular season in terms of he's a student he's doing entirely too much and he's not giving any other

player on this roster an opportunity to like have flow in this offense and you just get the ball when you get the ball then I feel very weary and I feel hesitant to go ahead and do so and that at that point in time that's when I'm like uncomfortable conversations but you are going on the training box. You have a

singular left on your contract after this year you're not getting that max money from me someone else will go ahead and do so the Sacramento Kings will give me whatever for you. I'm happily going to go in and like fleece any team that's the one enough to do that. But I don't think it's going to play like that. It's the non-zero chance.

I don't know if I think it will either. But like it's not 50-50, but it's not 10-90 either. Like there's a good chance that happens, I think. Just because for everything I think this team can do well this year and be really good in the regular season, I could see them getting stopped in the first round. You know, I say that without seeing them play yet. But you know, they wouldn't be shocking.

Yeah. And that contract situation is going to be weird because they're going to want to give him less than the max. And he has no reason. to take less than the max. He should be demanding the max just from market rate, you know? So I could see us

very well going to that realm. So that obviously will get into a whole bigger can of worms of what you do in terms of prioritizing the return on trade on trade if it goes there. So really what we're saying

is the biggest question mark this season is this is do or die. This is the Tray Young era. Yeah. Because if you had trade them, you're probably rebuilding. On the fly, you have some good players.

Retooling because we have Jalen and Dyson who's on a great trajectory as well. Say that again. Say that again. Retooling. Yeah. Retooling doesn't mean

finding a new best player. You only retool when you have a superstar. If you're trading Trey, you've got to find a new star. If we were like a little bit closer right now, I would put my hand on your shoulder right now. That's a rebuild. Jayla J-Lost, the 50th best player in the world. That's a rebill.

If we go ahead and like trade for someone who's at like not, he's like 75% of Trey Young, then we're going to be in the playoffs. It's a bonus? No, that's not happening. Brother. That could happen. Our GM is too smart for that now. We're not dummies.

Probably. Trey Young at this point, even if you guys traded for. For Trey Young right now, the fact that you, the fact that y'all haven't already given him the contract extension not only shows to like to trade that like, hey, we're in a moment of limbo. It shows to the rest of the league like, hey, even we're not sure about this guy. Like his trade value is in the absolute dumpster right now because we've, we've had trade conversations over the last couple of years and every single time it just doesn't get done because teams are like, yeah, I don't know.

He's never been available. That's why. You know, who want me? no no right it's been like that so we've had two years of his trade value going down and down he's never been available but you know they listen if the team reports don't happen for no reason you know like it's he's never ever stated that he was unhappy in atlanta that's just narrative his fans were like waiting to go in and nobody ever said nobody ever said that he was going to get traded because tray wants out it was always hey I don't think you can win with this guy so

like you guys move on for me there was a point we thought he wanted out for himself when they were like really down bad poste jante the distant face is a both, which is like worse. Keep Atlanta out your fucking mouth, man. There's the faces of the team shouldn't want him. He shouldn't want the team. Keep Atlanta out your mouth. But we'll see, though.

This can go either way. It will be one of the more interesting teams to monitor long term. But if you do trade them, you are rebuilding. Keep Atlanta out your mouth. Okay. I do know that. You will be rebuilding for sure. Yeah.

Keep Atlanta in your mouth. Whoa. What's your team? I just made them uncomfortable. No, I just had another joke going to make, but I won't make it. That wasn't uncomfortable. That was restraint. The next team,

a pretty quick one. Dallas Mavericks. Okay. How do you maximize Cooper Flagg year one? What position does Cooper Flag play year one? They are a team that's going to be in a strange situation where they're waiting for Kyrie, but Kyrie will be back in season

and they will be good before Kyrie's there. They won't be as good. Where if Kyrie was healthy, I think they'd be one of the better teams in the conference, potentially. But they'll still be a good team. They're deep. They have three bigs who can play center,

counting Anthony Davis, a deep center room, multiple strong, defenders on the wing, Daniel Russell to hold it down and be a innings eater during the regular season before Kyrie comes to lead the offense, which is good enough. And the Cooper Flag, who even as a rookie might be a super soldier 3&D wing that can block shots and run in transition and do all its interesting stuff, averaging 17 points for game and being a strong plus defender, that team is going to be good. How do you deploy Cooper Flag to get the most

out of him while prioritizing his developments on top of winning right away? Yeah, the lineups that Dallas uses to play, it's going to be super interesting because they have a whole bunch of of options. Yeah. He's going to play shooting guard at times. Dude, they're making his life, like, genuinely harder. I don't even know if it's harder necessarily, because it's like, it's a weird usage. Just go do stuff.

Like, yeah. And like for a guy like Cooper Flagg where the one, the fact that like the one question about Cooper Flag is like, is his on ball, is his own ball, is his own ball like scoring game or just, just creation game? Is that like one of the best that we've ever seen from this prospect? But if that's not, if that's the biggest thing and his strengths are his defense and his versatility and that he's super, you know, can just do everything, I, I do feel like this situation is really, really good for him, whether it's Delo playing or when Kyrie comes back

and Kyrie's playing point. Because now you can tell him, really, and this is 100% like, yo, like uncanalysis, man, just go hoot. Go be a hooper. Go affect the game in every single way. And so you can ask him to, you can ask him to focus on, on defense in certain spots and him being disruptive. You can ask him to play off ball or on ball. Because you know that you're waiting on Kyrie to come back to reach your full form. So in terms of development, you have the room to, to allow him to develop in so many aspects of the game that I think it's like the world is not his oyster because he can really do it, do everything. It's going to be, it's not a bad situation at all. Yeah.

It's like, it's a weird unorthodox situation, but you can imagine it like, but it's not bad. Yeah, it's not bad at all. They're going to be playing true, true position with basketball at times with some of the lineups that deploy where it's going to be like three power forwards and two shooting guards, but like it's going to be unique as fuck. And he's a unique player. So it's not going to hurt him. But, you know, there could be a world where they're not maximizing him in his rookie year and they have to prioritize certain things. Like, it'll be an interesting thing to navigate. We've never seen Jason Kidd have to navigate anything like that in this time with the Mavs.

So I can't really point to whether or not I feel like they're equipped. It's just a question mark that I don't really have an answer for. Yeah. I feel like you are like team-wide with how they're like willing to bend to Anthony Davis's ask when it comes to forcing him or having him become a full-time four. They're just making a little bit harder. That's just dead now. That's just dead now, I think. When it comes to him being a four?

Full-time. He's asking me playing five. When you have PJ Washington, you have flag, he has to play some five. I don't know. But you also have Daniel Gafford and like lively who you invested like heavy. like heavy into so fuck daniel gafford dude they gave him we love dan you guys they give him a bag i don't know i believe it but like you have when kairi's healthy you have to start karee you have to start karee you have to start kre you have to make sense like unless you're going to bench either

clay or pj which hurts your spacing like there's going to be a d's going to play a lot of five dude with the weight that he gained to i'm just like in my mind i want him to play five i think you 100% should but also that like you're handicapping your offense yeah they he's in play out of five and I can see Gaffer being a trade candidate. You know, it's going to be fun because there's going to be... Dude, AD is going to be so pissed. Get over it. You're an amazing center for 10 years.

Cooper Flagg walked to those doors. Shit changed. I'm going to be very interested to see whenever Jason Kidd is like, hey, Cooper Fly, go play point guard tonight. Like, for the next two weeks, go play point. Yeah. And like, even on top of the AD thing, like, Cooper Flagg is going to be like the perfect power forward defender.

You don't want him being a three having to chase too many. any wings because teams are playing small like you want him to be a weak side shot blocker it'll be it'll be like he can play three he can do it at times but he needs to be positioned to help down low and you can't do that full time with the three i agree i feel like they're in a very awkward position to where they could be like silencing how good he is yeah but i don't think they will i think they know he's the future like they're gonna i think they would sooner be like if this isn't working it would sooner be like well ad hope you had a good time for this year and a half time to go. It's Cooper Flags team. Like, you got out of, out of the

Lucanus because you got Cooper Flagg, he is the guy. Yeah, yeah. He'll be prioritized. I'm pretty sure. Yeah. So we'll see L. A.D. It'll be an interesting year for him for sure. Thanks. Okay. Um, all right. My next team, the Phoenix Suns. Can you finally bring stability to this home? Because if I was like on the outside looking in, I would call CPS and I would tell them to go pick up Devin Booker right now. I'm going to let y'all talk about the Sons. I care. So a about them? I'm going to use a bathroom break. What you talk about the sons? Go ahead. Tinkle time.

The sun's like, they, they pissed me off and they have absolutely no stability whatsoever. And if you look at them, if you look at them since, like, since 22, it's just been, it's just been crazy. Like, you go out and you fire, you fire Monty Williams, and then you trade for Kevin Durant, and then you trade for Bradley Beal, and you trade $108 in a way. And then, guess what? After, after you fired Monty Williams, you hired Frank Bogle, he lasts only a year. And then you bring him Boonehosa and he's like, hey, everything's going to work out. Then after a year, guess what happens? Then you fire Boone Hozer again. And then, even after you fired Boone Hozer, now in the offseason, Kevin Durant's like, oh, I want to be traded. So then you trade Kevin Durant away. And so all of

this is happening. And you bring it in Devon, or like you have Devin Booker there, but now you have Jaylen Green, you have Dylan Brooks. And in what is once again a roster that doesn't fit with itself and there's just nothing that you can point to also on top of trading for bradley bill for kevin derwent you also traded for us of nurkich like there's there's so many and traded and traded that away you traded um you you've made so many moves you have no first round picks to really get you out of this i i don't see how they can go through this season and once again like not make not make any other moves but like I just think that the sons have to figure out a way to actually be a forget competent a regular NBA team again that's just not happening that if

you want that to happen I feel so sorry for you because I'm about to get ready to crush your hopes in dreams these guys have the most hilarious team construction obviously like they have very limited options to go ahead and do so when it comes to building a smart team but they have Specifically, two lead guards, lead guards being Devin Booker and Jalen Green. Next guard after that you have in line is Grace Nall. Those are your offensive initiated. They have guards, a group of good wings when it comes to Ryan Dunn and Billen Brooks, and then you got like a slew of Biggs too and come on and then also Mark Williams.

You have no point guard. They have no gap fillers. They have like good pieces, but pieces, they have like a lot of the same redundant Lego pieces and sometimes your pieces are Fugasian. The Fugasians I'm talking about is Jalen Green. So I look at this team and I'm like also, hmm, although the pieces are Fugasian, it's so easy to be forgetful or not forgetful,

but not forgiving to the Phoenix Suns. It's so easy to be depressed about them. I also want to sit there and be here and be like, could they be an interesting defense? Could they be like a top 12 defense? No. Okay, are we done with the Suns? Are you crazy?

Is it pot? I'm trying to find ways to look for sunlight. That's all I'm saying. No. Like, where is the sunlight coming from from the scene? Good pun. It can't be all bleak. Good pun.

That marks the end of our Phoenix Suns territory. That was crazy. A good defense? I think they might be a top 14 defense in the line. You're out of your mind. Brian, Ryan, Dunn, Dylan, Brooks. Yeah, I think it's possible. They're going to start Mark Williams.

What do you think they were last year? What do you think they were last year defensively? With no center. I know they're trash, but they got centers in. Wings now. They got centers. Mark Williams isn't a good defender yet. TBD if you ever will be.

Yes, so. And they're going to start him. I think they were 26th in defense. 27th. Yeah. Good guess. Checks out. They played like 27th for sure.

Maybe they can be the 18th best defense. Maybe. I think that's, if they're going to hang their hat on something, but it might be that. If they're the 18th best defense, that means they're probably like the 25th best offense. They can't be both.

And I don't think they should be. They should prioritize offense because they have Devin Booker. Yeah. I'm just trying to figure out ways of something like, man. That's the only way. that's the only way what you're going to say is the biggest question for them just what are they doing can you find any type of stability that was it i don't even want to give i i mean bro they fired i was saying like they fire the the last two coaches have only lasted one year so really it's like

is jordan not safe yeah i don't even want to know what else i miss we can keep going yeah i hate so much to stay for this team in these episodes i want to give every team they're just due not the sons yeah every year every year there's a team or two we just shed on and don't care about So for this next portion, for my teams, I have straight stinker, stinkers, stinker, stinker, stinker, stinker. Okay, do a lightning round of your stinkers. A lightning round. Okay. First one up, you guys don't.

Actually, I want to hear you guys input. Genuine question, think really hard about this. Okay. If the Sacramento Kings. I'm not thinking. Disappear from the league tomorrow, would anyone notice? Would anyone notice? Yo, honestly.

Real question. Yes. Yes. The guy that runs ball don't stop would be in despair. because the Martyr Rosen doesn't exist anymore. Damn. And he's like, yeah, yeah, he'd be in despair because he'd have a little bit less mid-range jumpers.

Fuck. DeMarter Rosen would be remembered. Ah, yeah. By the real Hooper crowd. All right, so I guess there's somewhat important. Next team, Chicago Bulls. That's your question for the secret game? Yeah, that's my question for the King's genuinely.

Yeah, they're just running it back and it's weird. Yeah. Oh, my biggest question is, do they hate Keegan Murray? I've seen a lot of Kings fans talking about. about how they keep saying they love him but they keep posting their like a their like year preview graphics and stuff which are their best players he's never on it they keep making posts without kegan murray why would you put kegan mary i guess impactful yeah they show like all the stars besides kegan murray yeah like it's kings fans and know what i'm talking about there's a funny

pattern that maybe they don't put kegan murray that's hell i mean i think it's smart marketing wise how would you put kegan murray on your posters not that's not like that type of poster but there's just a lot of posts where they show a lot of players they're like kegan should be with that group okay shout out to kegan murray i guess um next thinker chicago bulls biggest question not really a question just a statement live by modest die by modest yeah how do we empower modest what do we get from modest bezellis this year that's all i care about with the bulls that's dope like they have they're going to do their thing where they have

giddy pushing the ball in transition him and coby white being a very fast back court scoring lots of points give it up lots of points it'll be just regular ass 38 to 41 win bull seasons can Modus Buzellas be the guy and change the trajectory of this team? Is my question. Okay. Along the same lines. Next stinker team,

the Portland Trailblazers. That's not a sneaker team. They're not really that interesting to talk about. I think they're very interesting. Okay. I'm going to toss you a bone. Okay. Shaden Sharp, what are you?

I don't even care about that. Can this be the best defense in the league is my question? Yeah. Can this be a top five defense? How high can we reach? Can Donovan Klingin be the next Rudy Go bear? Can we get him in a spot where he can play full starter minutes and make himself

one of the best offensive players on the planet pair that with Drew Holiday coming in the door pair that with Tumani Camaro already being one of the best defensive players on the planet at the right page of 22 or whatever the hell he is. Pair that with Denny of Dia being a pretty good defender and a blossoming offensive player. Can this be a truly elite defense and make a play and push?

Post-all-star break. Fourth best defense in the league. Yeah. Yeah. Can we do that again? Is that repeatable or is that March nonsense? No. I think since the start of their rebuild, they knew that they're going to hang their hat on something when they turned to, when they gave the keys to

Chauncey Billots, I think that's very real. I don't feel like that's a question at all. For me, personally, I look at the offensive and I'm like, okay, you can have the best defense in the world, but there are going to be real life limitations to that. And if you don't have an all-star caliber player, like a Sangoon or that's it really.

That's it really. If you don't have someone who can, like, handle a certain load of offense and be productive or conducive to, like, high-level offense or a decent level offense, I don't want to say nothing else really matters but you kind of find yourself in the same with that conversation which points me to

someone like Shaden Sharp or you could say school Henderson as well in terms of what are you currently in the day? Which young guy on the perimeter is ready to like take the reins and make themselves the offensive dynamo that leads the team all this first take stuff? This is real with them. They need to figure out who their guy is

because they have honestly they're like a role player super team right now with Drew Denny, Tumani and Klingin and if If Yang is something, they have a role player of a super team, but without the guy. And I don't know. Do you still have faith that Shaden Sharp is going to be that? Do you think he can be an efficient score with his athleticism and mid-range jumping ability?

Yeah, his mid-range shot is truly like elite. It's good. It's elite. It's not good. It's elite. Sure. Okay, fine. Elite.

But again, the jump shot overall, the three-point shooting is so wildly up and down. And then after that, too, how can you? talk about the rest of his game. It's kind of a question. So I don't know what's a best athlete. His jumping ability is like the best in the NBA, like legitimately. He jumped higher than anybody. Yeah.

But he's not an elite athlete pretty much every other way. He's not fast. Like he's fast. He's a small bar, you know, but he's not like proportionally quick in which he is twitching with the jumping ability. So it's weird because his handle isn't the strongest and he doesn't have the best first step to blow by people. So if he gets ahead of steam and gets an open lane, he'll jump over everybody.

but he's not good enough with the ball in his hands to create that consistently because of the lack of first step. So he's just a weird athlete that like, how do you even fix that if you're not,

just not that gifted speed-wise? Like the handle would, I think, a lot smarter, a lot tighter. You have to get a lot better footwork attacking your angles and like, we haven't really seen that improve.

So I generally don't know how to feel about him because he's just so unique and his strengths and weaknesses. Yeah. It's like he has the framework there when it comes to seeing what a top flight point guard

or guard is in the NBA but also he just has so much fillers in his game that are unfilled currently You know what I feel like? I feel like it's the opposite for me I'm talking about mincing words

I think he doesn't have the framework but he has the ancillary shit he has the leaping ability he has the counter in a mid-range jumper but he doesn't have the simple stuff they're creating shots off the dribble at the rim the consistent three point shot the good team passing let alone

like primary creator passing like all the building blocks I want from a strong lead guard that can be the best offensive player he kind of sucks at all that but all the juicy extra stuff that you'd want to build on top of the fundamentals it's like wow he's so amazing at this

surely we can harness this and I just feel like it'll always kind of be that guy which is a weird player I can't even think of another player like that just like an athlete like that guy that does the flash but not the consistent important stuff to that degree but we'll also like average

18 points for game and being like not terrible there's some guys that are really bad that are like flashy dunkers or whatever but they suck he doesn't suck I'm here to say he's terrible but I just feel like he's like I'm not really I don't have a lot of faith

I'm not buying stock in him making like some kind of all-star leap or anything just because the fundamentals are so iffy yeah that's fair I mean I don't know I saw that is he better than Benedict Mathron yeah oh shit that's

I think I would ultimately lean towards him but Bennett does like he can get to the rim and he like loves being physical and he can get to the line as well I don't know they're like damn you're the same tier players but the question is can Benedict Mathron be the best player on my team essentially can we have him take a star leap I think he's better than better at Matthew for sure

I think that's kind of disrespectful I don't think it is I know why you're saying that and people people agree with you for sure because the flashiest I'm talking about but I think the fundamentals are that week that it's actually not as crazy as you think but you're right people but the comments are for sure going to call me a hater

and say it's stupid but I don't think it is but yeah the question was who's gonna take this team by the reins and be the guy do you think

Denny has it in him does he have a leap potential second half the last year he was 25 and 5 consistently he's a goon man but I don't know if being 25 and 5

over a whole season it's crazy though yeah that's like you're he could do that you're a top 15 player if you do that no I mean Janet Johnson can do that

25 and 5 I'll take you the glaze any day. It's more like four assists with Jalen Johnson, I guess, but Jalen could do that. Well, I guess that's hard because if he plays a different point guard

you could do that because Traeung is such a assist magnet. How many players average 25 and 5? Not a lot. It might be a little bit less, you know. It might not be quite that. It'll be a roundabout that. But I think Danny could do that.

Is that enough if he does that? Because that's a realistic. That's a top worst case scenario, top 9 team in the NBA. They're going to be a a popular little sneaky playoff pick for people for that reason then yeah i could sneak them into the eighth seat for sure man let me look at that conference it's tough that mean just sneaking out pretty good team things happen are you sneaking out the mabs things happen maybe okay yeah

yeah i'm still thinking about like the the conference standings and stuff like that but if you tell me that the mabs get into a hole early on just because like the offense is just so weird that they don't win games and some other teams are able to like just stay competent and just hold you know float yeah their defense should be also crazy too and they're more talented offensively than

them I think six and seven I was looking out just like tentatively it might be like Warriors Clippers so it's like right after that you get in that combo then you have Mavs spurs before you get to the Trailblazers like that's already three teams for two spots like and I can't even kings if we're going to get them respect suddenly in the respect

yeah right the Pelagin bro finish your lightning round Oh shit Lightning round Inde because of Trailblazers So I wrote in the dock Instead of lighting round I changed it

And I wrote two stinkers Yeah okay Did you say kings Who was the second team you said? Bulls Yeah Okay I'm just gonna keep it

Two more stinkers Genuine Stinkers Okay I got the Utah Jazz And the Wizards Okay These are interesting teams though You're a disgusting guy

You're releasing But I'm the same type Of disgusting as you Because I did write down Some interesting thoughts For both teams I completely forgot For the Wizards

that they had Cam Whitmore on their team. I think he is an interesting player. Someone who was seen years ago as a lottery pick stooped completely because of medical reasons and his papers just didn't necessarily check out. Now, his papers. Yeah, his medicals didn't necessarily check out. Now, of course, like, he asked out from the Houston Rock

if they did him of gracious doing by sending him back to his hometown in Washington. And now we're at the point to where, Okay. Like Washington, yo, you got Trey Johnson there. Alexar's there. Who's going to like, what is going to be the young player to pop? I'm not going to go ahead and give Alixar Slate or a Kulibali slight or anything like that. But I just want to know who is going to be, who's going to pop for them this year. It has to be someone. It has to be someone. Could it be Camitmore? I don't know. I wouldn't get my hopes up on that end. But yeah, I think it is interesting to see like what we're going to see from all these second year leaps. And you could throw Camibor in there. But yeah, all the guys you said with Tray Johnson. And then the slew of guys from last year, they got them three, Carrington, George, and Sarr, like, what does a second year leap look like on top of bringing in two veterans that can, like, make them competence, you know? Clearly, they want to still tank, they have a top of a protected pick, but they also don't want to be an abomination to basketball. Otherwise, you don't get Ced McCollum, you reroute him immediately.

They kept him for now, I'm sure they'll flip him at the deadline, but for now they have him and Chris Middleton. That sounds to me like they want to play a brand of basketball that encourages good development and not complete bullshit. like we saw it times last year. But even last year, it wasn't, like, it wasn't disrespectful to the game. It got much better when they got rid of coos. Yeah, yeah. Like, some sneaker teams, it's like,

oh, they're hurting these guys' development. I never felt the way about the Wizards. Like, they were dog shit, but it wasn't, like, it was fine. You know, like, they had a good coach. They had a good system in place where I felt like we're getting good reps

for these guys. That's really all it's really about. There's no one question outside of, can Alexar be good at offense to add to his defensive potential? Can he not be the worst rim finishing seven footer in the NBA? I don't know.

And then the same as that questions. Apply to the Utah Jazz. Who is going to pop? Who is a building block for this team? I feel confident Isaiah Collier. When it comes to everyone else, it just, it should. It has to be age baby. I think like, yeah, we've, we can,

you can have a little bit of hope for the guys that they've drafted in the last couple years. But also, you go down the list and it's like, yo, there are some misses on here. And so their, their drafting hasn't been great. you go best player available even for Ace Bailey's sake did all the hootin and hollering about I don't want to go

here and there you have your agent staring into the camera doing all this meme mugging and all that stuff I need you like Don't put it on Ace Bailey now everybody in his camp I'm putting that on you

if you are going if that's your MO and that's what you want to do you know what fine go go ahead I'll live with that but you have to go to wherever you go to and you you have to kill and you just have to be good and so like I want to see age Bailey at least have the flashes of I am a guy that people thought was you know the potential

number one overall picking and obviously things change but like I still am this like top tier of talent and then after this season if you're the jazz you walk away saying we have a core that we can kind of build around with Walker Kessler ace Bailey Isaiah Collier shows some more stuff and then now at the deadline we can flip marketing get some more assets and now we're going somewhere as opposed to yeah we're just being we're just being disrespectful you know in terms of how we tank it because it really is I mean at the beginning of last season we all thought that Utah was going to do the same thing that they did the year prior which is they'll be they'll be spunky in the first half of the year because we know that will

Hardy is a is a good coach and then they would just trash but can we get back to that point can we get back to being spunky or back to feeling like next year that spunk will come back like that's that's what that that is what utah's goal should be because you you can't be this bad and i'm i'm very skeptical that danny ain't signed up to be the gm of euthal to be this bad for this long like eventually you feel like he's going to make him i think he's legit done not a good job of rebuilding this team so far like everyone says that we'll see everyone says that i can see that flipping this year i understand the sentiment he hasn't been perfect by any means especially to like the degree of like respect he gets as like you know like an ogy like great gm yeah yeah so

So I'm not mad at people that say that. I'm sure I've said it before, too, on the show. I could see, I kind of believe in Ace Bailey on this team specifically. I think I've been talking about it since the draft. Like, my biggest question is like, can we create the most dynamic slashing, off, like off ball slashing wing duo

in the league between Ace Bailey and Larry Marknin? There could be a lot of synergy there with those two being gigantic wings. Like, I don't know if people realize how fucking huge Ace Bailey is. Like, he is going to be a force at the rim and him playing in that system which includes a lot of emotion a lot of emotion a lot of backdoor cuts all the ways they use lorry marketing to make him a star i think they can do that ace bailey

at the same time and have two of them being a constant threat to shoot the ball attack off the dribble play off of each other cut back door run in transition like that can be really interesting and they're going to have great spacing with the stretch five and flip they have sensible they have call here to set everything up like i think this could sneakily be a decent offense yeah it would yeah It would shock me if they were a decent offense, but I also think that, like, they're still going to lose, obviously. Oh, for sure. Yeah, like, they're still going to lose mad games.

I think it could come together and them not be, like, what is Danny Age doing? Nobody's talking about him being a little moron. Like, they could be fine after this year. Don't disgrace the state of Utah and we'll be okay. Yeah. You know? I think I think Ace can really bring it all together if it works out in that way

that I'm imagining it. Yeah. I hope so. Now, is he wanted to buy into that role? I don't know. That's probably a big question mark. Yeah. I think we do a lot of, like, projecting with, like,

him and his desires, I don't know what's true and what's not, what to see how he plays in that system, but I don't think he's the type that people, I think people do a lot of assumption that he's some, like, all I want to do is get my mid-range jumpers off. All I want to do is get a bucket. Like, I'm not going to assume that until we see it. I'm going to assume he's coachable. Yeah. And I think it's a good system for him. We got to see this offensive because they have nothing to hang their hat on on defense at all. So we'll see. My next team. I still have three good teams left. Damn. Yeah, you started doing your lightning round. I was like, I'm not close to done.

Denver Nuggets. Do you have stinkers left? No. I got all the stinkers, brother, this game. I gave my stinkers a lot a day. Earlier, talking about the Nets and the hornets and stuff. Yeah.

Denver Nuggets. Can the non-Yokich minutes finally be decent? Not good. Can they be decent? Can they be not completely sinking your team when Yok is in the bench? That's the hope right now.

Everybody is high on the Nuggets to a degree we haven't seen since they want a championship and they were favored to go back to back. People are you up. You're saying they can, win 60 games last episode, and that's not ridiculous. Everybody truly believes that by adding Jonas Valchunis,

by bringing in Cam Johnson, who I think can provide a little bit more of bench playmaking than Michael Porter Jr. could, without even getting into his benefits of the starting lineup and whatnot. But they have those two guys, Tim Hardaway, Bruce Brown's back. Like, suddenly they have nine good players instead of six. And everybody's, like, assuming that means good bench now. Jonas Von Chunus is a backup. Not really good enough to be a starter anymore,

but in 12 minutes a game when Yokic sits, that can make them be an even net rating instead of minus a million like it has been for the entirety of Yokic's prime and if that's the case they weren't even a good bench to when Yokic when they won a championship

this has literally never been the case so if that's true and the hype is warranted this could be the best Nuggets team yet that's very fair yeah because I think having the bench and having that depth is awesome and having

cam there is really really helpful and I think for that them, what I'm going to be most, like, focus on is how does Jamal Murray look to start the year? Obviously, he is a slow start merchant. Yeah, I think you've seen that before. Right. And I can ask this every single year. But, I mean, who knows? Like, if they, they come out, because I'm with you. I do, or I don't know how you feel, but I did say it last week and you just brought up. So I'll say it again. I do think that they can win 60 games. I do think that this team could be really, really good.

So they should be, and I think a lot of people are thinking about them, especially now that Fred is out, they are the second best team in the West. Yeah. I agree with that. I don't know how I feel really both the Nuggets. I didn't know the week to continue to think about it before predictions. I think people are doing a lot with the bench thing and like assuming that like these ancillary players that can't play in the playoffs mostly are going to like make them a whole

different crazy team that they can beat the thunder. Like I've seen people saying that. And I'm like, you're making me second guess myself because that's a lot of glaze. That's a bit ridiculous to me. But it is going to be meaningly better than last year. Like, that is much better deaths than they had before. Do I think they can be the best Nuggets team ever? I don't know.

Probably, yeah. I mean, they took this. They could, but I'm not 100% sure. But it's in the realm of possibility, and that's why it's the biggest question. Like, that's what they can grasp if these bench moves work like we hope they can. Yeah. I think when it comes to the conversation of, I guess I'm having it too soon, but I will say they did take this, that Thunder team to seven games. they have Cam Johnson who's better

Yokin is only continuously getting better like he's ridiculous all time obviously another year under the young guy's belt you have some important pieces in Bruce Brown like you said Jonas Valencius I don't know it's very interesting though Very interesting I gotta save my take

Bruce Browns are back up point guard now instead of Russ Nice I don't know how I feel about that It's comfortable Russ is some good things last year but obviously the good and the bad both come with that Bruce Brown's probably less variance Yeah, very comfortable Which I do think that if you have Yokic

The less variance Yeah, you welcome that Yeah, the better And they're also just going to get Like they are going to get a boost Just because there's not going to be this cloud Over the team that was basically there The entire time where like Mike Malone is calling out everybody

He's calling out the entire team Every two weeks in a press conference And calling everybody soft and everything Like that the fact that like that's not going to be there And they seem much more bought in that's that's going to be good and if there's something we heard about yokech and the rise of leadership that he took after malone was fired like if that extends over into this year we can like you said the best nugget's team yet what if we're also coming off a year where yokech shot like

40 you know 40% from three are we going to get once again the best version of yokech every year that you have a yokech year it's going to be crazy so yeah i'm yeah i am i am high on them and i do think that That's a very valid question for them. Yeah. And I'm not a Jonas Van Junis fan at all, but like it really can't be worse. And those fucking bodies they were trotting out last year

to play center for them. Like, yeah. If he's just regular and can baseline be big and give them just rebounding, they were getting nothing from guys that were playing last year. Zich Nachi.

Oh, no, not Zik Natchi. Ooh, my bad. Fuck. No, Zik Nashi was playing backup sitting sometimes. Oh, I know, I know.

But I almost said that he was going to be playing for them now. I don't even think he's there. Who's there guy who like towards ACL with the rookie. Duran Holmes. Doran Holmes is going to be there too Yeah

Never mind 60 wins is happening Never mind This team is going to be filthy This seems to be ridiculous I forgot about Doron Holmes They did they just have a lot of avenues To supplement that bench So they didn't have last year

Less variance in Bruce Brown Which I'm not certain would be better than Russ Rust was solid at times Like we talked a lot last year About him being the perfect fit with Yokich And like activating him with his passing And being able to feed Yokich and waste He never got fed before

So I won't act like Russ was the worst In the world last year That's a bar for Bruce Brown to live up to who hasn't done much in the past two years so maybe that'll help Tim Hardaway is the one

I don't really care about it would be good regular season shooting he probably won't play in the playoffs but you know they need all the shooting they can get

they were a dreadful shooting team last year very true dreadful shooting team Jonas von Chunis will provide some passing you know do some more similar

stylistic stuff to what Yokos does when he plays will be a good rebounder good screen setter for Cam Johnson and Jamal Murray in those minutes

so they just have a lot of ways they got slightly better on margins that make a big difference yeah I like this team a lot Focles that seem heavy. Okay. That's a two seed.

Probably, I'm sure that'll be the two seed for all of us in our projections. All right. Next team. Very interesting, but also very simple, the Minnesota Temple Wolves.

Can you prove everyone wrong again? It's interesting because like there's a lot of, there's a lot of things that can happen in order for them to prove everybody wrong. But it is simple because I think that they're, their best path to doing that is very clear. clear everybody just has to be better like it has it has to has to be better i think you have to you have to get leaps from rob and from taren chan and to then replace mike conno and uh and

and to kill alexander walker like yeah like there's there's some holds you need a much more consistent dante de vincenzo like very true right across the board everybody just has to be better but that like they still have a very weird core interpretive having and julius randle and they did have obviously like success and they they found in they started you know really go bear's bald now he is bald I actually did not see that he's coming different now man he is coming different might be yeah might be a two seed yo he might be he's come might be might be a two see but yeah like this team like especially once they once they found their bearing like the the offense started to look better they their defense really found themselves especially in the second half

for last year like once gobert like because gobert had kind of you know like this renaissance I just think they They need to find a way to Replenish a lot of the stuff that they've been losing And that for them They've made that decision that that's going to come internally Yeah specifically with the young guys That bet that's going to come internally with young guys

They'll be the deciding factor Like yeah the starters only get better Julius Randall and Goberne to carry that synergy Everything you mentioned It really is like all a swing on the young guys Is their young core ready to be Playoff contributors now Do you remember what they gave up for Rob Dillingham

Two years ago It was like a 2031 2028 for a strong pick Yeah, from the Spurs So they basically And they moved up With their own picks So they gave up two picks for him

That's a lot That is a lot for a guy Who you didn't play Too much last year You need production So he'll be He has to come in And continue to spell Mike Connolly

And be more of a Punch there to pair with him As a practical point guard Have to do that You have to do that They lost Nikkel Alexander Walker So yes, Don't Steven Chenzo has to play better

Play consistently That'll help me immediate Taryn Shannon Jr You had to give the offense of production That Nicole Alexander Walker lost, Nikkele Alexander Walker was a great shooter. You are more of a slasher, but you can net out as being a positive offensively there.

And Jalen Clark, you have to replace Nikkele Alexander Walker defensively. Nobody else in the roster is able to fight over screens and be the on-ball defender that Nikolajan Alexander Walker was consistently. Jaylon Clark can. Jailen Clark has to. So there's a lot of dart throws for this team. And that's before getting into, if they get anything from Joan Barrenjay as a rookie, probably not.

But there's tons of dart-thor rookies, and at least two of them have to be good and ready to play in the playoffs now. A lot to bank on someone like Jalen Clark, who, again, he didn't play no real serious minutes at all. He will this year. And so you're like, you're throwing real darts and you're just crossing your fingers, similar to Anthony Edwards, hoping that these guys take like a sizable leap and firmly stamp their position in the NBA. Yeah, and he can be a very strong on ball defender. Like he, I saw someone make a comparison like Lou Dort in terms of like his like strength, upper body, like ability to defend on ball. A lot of people are going to hate what you, what you just said.

if we got another one of these guys in the league but like if he can be there Lou Dorr in terms of like that strong on-ball defender that'd be great for them and yeah so like right now they have four great starters and then Mike Conley as a old you gotta really manage him fifth starter

and then Donnievincento good six man I mean seventh man because Knosbreed good six man so there's seven men deep right now six and a half of Mike Connolly they need at least two good young players to pop and hopefully it's Terran Shannon and Jalen Clark and then Rob Dillingham whatever he can bring I feel I'm so like confident

that Terrence Hennon Jr. is going to be a goon. I know you do. You love him. He's going to be not a sniper, but a great shooter as he was in college. Not a great, good shooter in college, 35, 37%, which he was. I think he's going to prevail to be, like, one of the, like, he's going to firmly submit his, like, his, like, hierarchy as, like, one of the more important offensive players. He's going to be what Cam Whitmore was supposed to be.

Such a weird conversation that no one's ever had in the entire life. But that, like, that, like, wing that has a slashing ability that can be harnessed off ball. like yeah that's what the idea of came what more was i think he's actually going to be yeah it's it's there it's there i see where you're cooking true yeah so yeah what does the youth movement bring yeah next team i have the pistons oh hell yeah a few question marks here in terms of up-and-coming stars that could change his team's trajectory i feel good about jalen durin i feel good about assar thompson we'll see what your two ron holland brings they're important to note but not big questions to me because I feel good about their trajectory.

By far, the biggest question to me is, is Jaden Ivy the shooting guard of the future next to Kate Cunningham? Because I think, I feel pretty not certain, but I feel good that if I was building this team, I would want my second star to be a shooting guard next to Kate Cunningham. I think he's the type of guard

that needs to be spelled by another dynamic creator that can take some of the scoring load off his shoulders. So you don't have to have him be the go-to score every single play down late in the playoff game where you have to just run him into a wall figuring shit out for the mid-range, creating shots for everybody,

he needs some sort of relief from a guy that can create with the ball in his hands. When Malik Beasley brought last year was huge for them, that spacing that was brought, that helped and allowed him to take that playmaking leap. But I want somebody that can allow him to take a scoring efficiency leap because he has to do less.

Jaden Ivy is the only hope on the roster for that. As much as I love Dern, as much as I love Thompson and Holland, that's not their archetype. They'll be great in other ways. Jaden Ivy profiles as a great slasher who made big leaps as a shooter last year, was really efficient on all the off-wall shooting, scoring, play types.

And defensively, I don't know. We'll see where that goes. But the star equity he has will really decide what the future looks like for them. Because either he's the guy and it fixes this and it fixes their half-court offense issues in the playoffs, or he will be traded at the deadline because we need to find that guy. Yeah. No, I think like for them, it's going to be super different. I'm looking at the box score for game two of the series that they played in.

against the nix tim hardaway played he's not there anymore bleak beasley played 30 minutes he's not there anymore then a shooter played 29 minutes he's not there anymore you go like and even if you go to the other game that that they won it's the same thing where you have you have like 50 to 60 minutes of guys who are playing for you key playoff minutes that aren't there anymore and so on that base level you have to you have to replace guys and we always talk about anytime there's there's a two guard that's a little bit ungruntled send them to to detroit let's do it let's do it and there's a reason why so i'm i agree with you and i think that if jaden ivy um jen ivy like pops and he is he is that guy one it just helps because that's a guy that you took fifth overall and that whenever whenever he

was taken everyone was like yo the piston's got to steal like i can't like jane iv he fell to five that's awesome and so if you compare if you compare those two guys you are then allowed to play a Sarah Thompson and it gives him some room because now he doesn't have to be 35% from three. You can allow Ron Holland to come out here and beat Ron Artex and just beat people up, right? You have, you have so many options to where you can still play your defensive forward guys and still maintain that level of physicality if you want to go that route, but then you still have that offense to supplement that. It's so, it's so important.

and for whenever Cade goes off the bench if Jaden Ibe who can do you know like some combo stuff and he's running you know bench bench lineups that's that's cool too yeah and you look on the screen right now his you know I keep showing this data data baller

site that splits your stats into creation spacing and finishing play types as a score and spacing he is a plus 9.8 relative to shooting last year before he got hurt that makes sense he shot the ball from three extremely well was very good spot up But you look at the creation and the finishing.

Negative relative true shooting in both by pretty big margins, negative 6.3 relative true shooting on creation. That can't be the case. He needs to be able to create with the ball in his hands. And, you know, we were happy to start last year when this happened because at that point, all we wanted in the fucking world was shooters next to Cade. It was please give him confidence facing.

He's dying out there with no shooters. And he looked like that and that was encouraging and then he got hurt. At this point now, I'm less concerned with the spacing. I want a creator next to him. somebody that's serious upside to be not an equal as a score because Kade's a good score but like be his Chris Middleton give him an outlet valve that isn't just a guy who can do something with the ball in his hands but it's like a legit option that if the primary defender is on Kade this guy can go like be a go-to score in a late game possession that

matters yeah I 110% agree for all the things that you guys said when you think of young guards in the NBA right now who have sort of a I guess the Fred's owner uses make it or break it season he just like you got you can say like you read shepherd and whatever else you want to throw in there he's damn near at the top of that conversation because this team is now fully ready to go in and compete not necessarily for a championship just yet but compete with the best of them and eventually build into that yeah and uh i'm not out on ivy i'm happy to give him the chance yeah i don't really believe in him as in this role necessarily i kind of do feel like the outcome here is like trade for a really dynamic shooting

guard. Not impossible that Ivy's a guy, but I'm kind of assuming that we're going to find out that they're better off separate and a trade will happen at some point, I think. Yeah, like, we're not going to, this is not like a two-year plan anymore. He's had the opportunity throughout his career to go in his show and establish himself as one of the guards who has those abilities. Of course, like what happened two years ago was unfortunate. What happened this past year was unfortunate. Tough shit. Like, things move so fast in the NBA and this season will tell us Everything we need to know. Again, very small sample size.

You got hurt early in the season. They bolt on paper through this small sample size, scored so much better without each other. Like, this is kind of crazy. Cade went from 23 to 28 points per game without him. Ivy went from 18 to 26.6 without him per 75. And, you know, part of that is just usage because Kate is so on ball.

So naturally, Ivy does better with the ball in his hands in terms of raw scoring output. But I don't know. I'm not super hopeful. that they have good synergy this year well we'll we'll see because i mean this was the first year that ivy was like coming into his own as the player that he was and they barely had time yeah for sure that's i'm not out on him but i haven't necessarily like seen much outside of like oh he's young could get better and like could work but he's not you know he's not like i'd rather him have

like a cjumaclum type where he's like a bona fide off the dribble shooter that can attack from all three levels and i just don't think it's ivy's game and honestly if i'm the wizards i'm making that trade happen from the pistons i am making that trade happen Why not? That's an interesting one. Yeah, I don't know. Well, I mean, it's harder for the wizards because it's like, do we want another young guard? No, I think that's the other way around.

Do you need to give up Ivy to get CJ? That might be a bit steep of a price. No, it's not. I don't think, I don't think, I don't think. I don't think he would. Being so unproven, of course, like he has, I think he has all-star potential okay, but I don't think that's completely out the window. Yeah, I don't think that at all.

So I think they're like, they pretty much net out the same values. I just mean the use and price, like just thinking about what GMs would think. but no, I would do that too in terms of like one-for-one swap for this year. Yeah, I would do that in an heartbeat. Okay, Don, what's your next team?

The Houston Rockets. We haven't gone to the Rockets yet? No. Wow. This is going to be long. This is going to be off, bro. I've two good teams to tend. But yeah, so

the Rockets, who's going to be the fifth starter? Because I've, I've no idea, like, yeah, one, I've no idea who's going to be the fifth starter. But the reason why it's so interesting is because obviously with Fred out, you have whoever's going to be that fifth starter gives you a fresh start to really mold this entire team and really give us an insight on like how you see everything and so obviously if a man

is going to play point then we'll see just the biggest starting lineup in NBA history yeah if that's not the case and you get to a point where like Reed is now starting at point you know later on in the season I don't I don't know but if that happened then you have Reed Shepard who did not play basically any meaningful minutes last year now thrust into the spotlight to play point guard for a team that has championship hopes it is so interesting either way that they go if you decide to call somebody up and say hey we these guys they're just not cutting it right now we need a point guard who does that but they have a lot of versatility and their their roster we talked about with the with the magic where you have like four guards on the roster and then everybody else's

forwards it's the same thing with houston where you have a couple guards and everybody else is six, seven, six, eight, just crazy, crazy long forwards. And we're trying to figure out that that fist starter position is going to be the most interesting to dictate how they play and how they, how they feel is the best way to maximize their offense and Katie. So it's either going to be Stephen Adams, Reed Shepard, or Tar Heason. Which one would y'all do? Because that's three very different looks and a very, like, different team identity.

So I think that I would go with Reed. I think, I think the Stephen Adams thing is, is cool in spurts. I wouldn't want to lean on that as my... A lot of people do. I don't, I don't, I wouldn't want to lean on that as my starting unit and that being like the basis of, of my thing. I think it was very smart and a very cool thing that you can go to because you knew that your offense wasn't great.

Let me try and start the season and see we can create competent offense and not have to go with this double big lineup. I want to see, also we took three third overall in the draft. Let me see if he has it or not. I think I agree. I think you try read, but I have a pretty short leash. If it doesn't work for the first two weeks, I think I try Tari-Eason first, and then I go to double-bigs if I need to, if nothing's working or, like, disappointing. But I would, I don't know if I'm still doubting the double-bigs, like, in the back of my head, like, I did it first.

And they proved us wrong that, like, it can work. But now I'm like, do we want to keep trying that? Like, do we want to keep trying to extract that much more value or, like, use that as a complimentary punch? I think it's best to use as a complimentary punch. if you use that for your whole bat like i think at that point in time you're just like not showing your hands too much but i because we are everyone's already seen it but i just don't think that's like the best way to utilize your day-to-day offense and like i think you kind of you would you're shifting the whole game when it comes to st gung too as well i feel like

i'd rather very much just try out going back to what you guys had started with read of course third overall pick you got to prioritize him two degree and then i afterwards if that doesn't work beat the fuck out of everybody with tar he's on on defense that's the goal yeah the the double big is tough too because and the reason why i would also wouldn't want to do that is because if you do start that you put so much pressure on kd yeah to to basically like run point then like because because like a man like yes he's he's he's got again like a man right we we want the we want him to do that to start the season kd's handle is is very good And, like, he can also initiate offense.

But then you're going to be in situations where it's like KD, Tari, Sangoon, Adams. And it's just these, like, so clunky lineups who are now, Kevin Ryan is 37, 38 years old. He's coming here. He was just supposed to fit into this offense and just get buckets. And now he's running a point again. It's going to be so tough and it's going to be very taxing. I wouldn't want to do that to start off. And the Tarisan thing, he said that he wants, you know, he feels like he can play more minutes.

And, like, I agree. I think he can. That's why I'm with you. We either go with Rita or we go with Tari. And if Tari's there, the one thing that I would be nervous about is like, can you and a man? And if there's anybody who could do it, it is you two, can you guys maintain that defensive intensity every single night playing like these amount of minutes? Because like, if you guys are playing in the role that you were last year, them coming

into the game together and being the tarot twins, that's scary. And you can just say, like, hey, for 10 minutes a night, just ruin the game. I also think big part of it to me is how you maximize Sengoon. Because I want him to be better, I want to put, I want to set him up to have a better scoring year and have him like get in a good rhythm and be a like really lethal secondary score off of Kevin Durant. And to me, the best version of that is give him better spacing with him at the five and KD at the four or technically Jabari at the four, KD at the three, but those two as your

interchangeable wings. And that's like, you know, both corners empty. You can have some good post touches, which I think will be a big part of their offense with no point guard now. They're going to have to rely on him in the post to be a shot creator, which he's really good at. You can still play through him in the post with Stephen Adams down there. They proved it last year. He's a good interior passer. They can do that bludgeoning thing and still play through the post.

But I really want the offense to be better and not have to rely on the rebounding stuff. And they can find value with the double big thing. But I want to set him up to have a higher scoring floor. And that would probably be the biggest priority to me. because I know I can still go to the double-bix thing plenty of times. They're going to run that regardless. We're talking about what you start and close with,

but they'll do all of this in healthy spurts. I really want Sengun to have, like, the rhythm night and night out of being in the best position to take a scoring leap. This is going to be, this is going to be so interesting. Very interesting.

And, like, the first 10 games of, like, how a men is going to come out. Can he be LeBron or not, bro? Tell me the truth already. I mean, yeah, I don't know. They're just in such a bad position that I actually, I do think this ends up with them making a call and going out and getting a traditional point guard

just because it's just a lot. It's a lot to ask of everybody of a man to, because even if you were thinking about saying, okay, man, we're going to put you more on ball and you're going to run point a little bit more this year. You still thought that you had Fred to start the game and to still play meaningful minutes. My last team, Oklahoma City Thunder.

My biggest question is, do you have a real backup ball handler on this roster? We know how we feel about the core of this team. They're going to be fantastic once again. We think J-Dub can improve offensively from the regular season last year. We think Chet obviously can stay healthy and take another leaf. All that we've talked about at length.

To me, the one question I don't know for sure is, is there going to be a backup ball handler to prevent them from having the scoring droughts they had at times in the playoff last year? It was kind of baked into their style of play with how much defensive personnel they prioritized, getting out all the elite defenders, and which is the utter lack of ball handling

outside of Shea and J-Dub. and I say utter lack it's complete and absolutely zero they had literally no other players that could create the ball in their hands in the playoffs I would hope that's not the case I would hope either AJ Mitchell

or Nicola Topic are ready to give at least 10 minutes a game of capable backup ball handling whenever Shay's in the bench that way those bench units can be J-Dub plus a point guard not J-Dub is the point guard

that to me would be a lot more dynamic a lot less variance night in night out and just make them a world round a team that doesn't have the silly series that go to seven that I think can direct be caused by that yeah okay i can understand if i was to have a question for them personally i think i might lean towards someone like chet of course like i think he's going to be one of the he's already

like one of the top six maybe five best centers off the top of my head loosely but i want to see how high he can go and of course like defense defense he's the second best third best defender in the entire world you could tell me that but how high can he be offensively I want to see if he can go ahead and, like, not have nights, so, so, like, because this is a night shooting, like, 12% from the three-point line. Can you, like, make sure, can you, like, genuinely establish yourself on the offensive as a, like, a 17, 18-point-per-game score? I think that's, like, genuinely the case, but it's not proven to be so yet.

And if it is, hey, great, but even if it's not, you're still going to probably walk your way into 65 games. But, hey, it is more interesting if he can, like, fill into what we initially thought his ceiling was yeah no i need 20 a night from check that's yeah i didn't even consider it a question because i think it's like i think he'll definitely be better to some extent without a broken hip and yet it is a question like how high that ceiling is like you said but i'm like assuming there will be some type of improvement and that'll be enough to like offset the year by year you got to get better thing in terms of like you can't stay the same you got to get better otherwise it's

hard to repeat so i'm i'm already baking that in in my head i'm looking at them as like there's very few flaws in the roster we can assume Chet will improve to fix one of them I don't think we can assume the backup point guard thing that might just once again be a big flaw because it wouldn't be shocking at all if Topich can't play in the playoffs as a rookie yeah yeah

so it might be a not I mean I guess it could be detrimental flaw they got pushed to seven several times so it was damn near detrimental honestly I'm like I got so curious and I looked at like the history NBA players who would have break their hip in this and like not return to form

and the numbers is actually kind of fucking scary So it's Kareemu Jabar, apparently he fell at a concert. Wait, hold on. This is, okay, that's not true. Not true, not true, not true. So it's Tiago Splitter, Isaiah Thomas, little one in recent NBA history. Then there's Kavanaulay, and then Gero Henderson and Wilson Chandler.

Not a lot of players have done this, but also the players who have done it, we don't see them play the same at all ever. Well, those are very different. Like Isaiah Thomas one is like small guard who's aging. And I don't know if that was the same injury Because Chess was a hip fracture He came back in season I think Isaiah Thomas was a little more complicated In that if I remember correctly

I mean he had played on it too though Yeah he did and like made it worse with that So yeah maybe some of the other ones are one to one But also like with the age of Chet Like being so young when it happens like Maybe that just changes like the trajectory of his career completely And he's not like He moves extremely well still with that fucking jacked up hip that he has

But I wonder if like that could just be An underlying thing that doesn't help him reach the ceiling. Maybe it is. But regardless, it's like, still good. It's a fractured bones. I would assume that it heals and he can do the proper strength conditioning to get back on track because to me it looked like he didn't have the strength of legs just by the fact that he wasn't jumping as high. He's missing dunks that screams to me like poor conditioning. He's like, do some squats and get the strength back and make

that stance the reason you can't do that while you're rehabbing. So I have faith he'll be fine. I also don't know a fucking thing about hips. Maybe he's not fine. I don't know. Yeah. We'll see. my last team the new york nix um great 30 seconds yeah right how much of an upgrade uh is mike brown actually um because obviously like we have the questions about the about the defensive ceiling and slash floor of the scene with brunson with cat that's great but there are also just some baseline things that that tibs wasn't doing in terms of playing a bench and having offensive of creativity, you have that now.

And Mike Brown is saying all the right things. He's saying everything that people want to hear. We're going to use the bench. We're going to play faster. We're going to get a threes. Like, if those things are actually true, then even this team that was very high in offensive rating, is his offense actually going to be better than what it was, even if they are, you know, like two spots less than an offensive rating.

That's going to be the key because you have, you have Mikhail Bridges, you have you have cat cat was not maximized at all at all McKill Bridges ended up not taking layups and not taking contact we've seen that a little bit in preseason so like we'll see how that goes

OG and Nobie in spots last year was eating was cooking you know that he can do a couple things with the ball in his hands and then obviously there's the Josh Hart of it all which is how do you fit this lineup that Tibbs was very very stubborn to go away from until it was

do-or-die-time, it looks like Mike Brown is going to go away from that to start the season, right, probably start double-bigs. If Mike Brown can do a baseline thing of, like, this is modern offense, a modern team building that actually helps the Knicks and go a step further, this is a team that, like, it wouldn't shock me, obviously they're one of the two best teams in the conference preseason-season-wise, but it wouldn't shock me if they were the number one seed over the cabs if Mike Brown and everything that he's saying is actually true. Regular season might shock me a little bit.

just because the caps are proven, but it would not shock me at the Knicks beat the Cavs in the playoffs at all. Yeah, I think the... That'd be some bullshit, man. The pace thing and the threes thing is... That intrigues me a lot.

Yeah. Like, they clearly played so slow and that was like a tips thing. And he's like, we are going to grind it out. We're going to play like Brunson-Iso ball. But if you can just get easier points and by playing faster, creating just more opportunities for Mikkel

to feel more comfortable or for cat to get his to get his game off i think in a regular season context they can they can get that done yeah i'm curious how the double bigs thing will so i feel like double bigs maximizes cat's defense because i think we saw at least when he was next to go bear he's better or the the weaknesses are shined a little bit less bright when he's not at center whether or not that's a go bear thing or a cat is good at power forward thing i guess we'll find out. But I feel like running double bigs and Mitch helps him defensively, obviously, because he matters less as anchor. But does that prioritize him offensively? I feel like offensively he's, you know, traditionally been at his best as a five, just more space, more room from

to tack off the dribble. If you're going to do more like playing off him as a pick and popper, playing through him as a hub, things to get the ball in his hands and maximize that if we talk about tips wasn't doing. My first gut reaction would say his center's best for that. But we did see him a good offensive season next to go bare, like I said. But I feel like that's kind of like you pick a direction with what position he plays right i think that because of how good he is offensively and if mike mike brown is the level offensive coach that i think he is i think when it comes to the value at the end of day on the court you'd very much right very it'll be worth a shot off of having him play the four defensively and when it comes to the probably like

less production or value that that'll get that'll get off offensively it'll be worth it because the defense just like outweighs up you got to pick one because last year they didn't do either last year they weren't maximizing offense or defense I can understand both sides but you got to pick one and I think it's it's going to be okay because Mitch can't play 30 minutes a night he like he can't play 30 35 minutes a night so you're going to and you probably only do that in the playoffs anyways as like a certain a certain lineup what I I do think that like obviously those lineups aren't going to be as as like intertwined as they were last year and because you are playing faster,

there's just going to be more possessions to go around to where if you do play Kat with a secondary lineup, you can have the offense revolve around him and feel better about McHale playing, like, you know, just having more combinations of doing all of that. They've already talked about having Brunson

be like actually off ball and not just like, you know, I'm going to give it to you on playoff ball, but I'm going to give it back, but like actually using him in action. So I think the offense, being much more creative and much more dynamic this year is a key, key thing for them to actually to actually have a chance whenever you get into conference finals mode and we're playing

against teams that have Evamobly and Jared Allen, you actually have to figure out how to be creative instead of just saying, oh, go kid them, Jalen with 20 seconds left. They're going to be such an interesting case of this team that treats the coach as their playoff, I mean, as their office is an upgrade. Yeah, their depth is better too. It's not like they have all the same players. but like the core is still the core and it's we're treating the coach

as like the fall guy to say this is how we get better because we're locked into our core a lot of times I feel that it becomes underwhelming in how much the difference is like the sons we thought Mike Boodle's

or fix all this shit he fixed almost nothing that happens a lot throughout the course of history but I do feel like if it was ever going to work it would be coming off of a coach like Tom Tivido

who is so unique and so himself and so not Mike Brown this might be one of the cases where the coached actually makes a drastic change Plus, will it be better? I don't know, but it'll be different.

Well, and like the Mitch thing is interesting. There's so many options that we can run at the five now because like Mitch can, we can really say like, hey, you got 20 minutes. That's all I need you for. Because there's Mitch. Hugporty is awesome. I like him a lot. And then with Gershaw, if he can play the small ball five and he can shoot as well,

now you can actually do a like a double big lineup to where it makes sense. since you know so I'm I'm very excited for the big rotation that we have this year as opposed to last year yeah okay they're gonna be an interesting team for sure like that's gonna be yeah one of the more interesting coaching watches the first week yeah life would be so much better too also you know now that you have another year or a year of continuity going to this year as well hey hopefully macao bridges doesn't do some weird stuff also start the season as well I remember like a lot of people were so pissed at him imagine just now man that jump shot was pitiful imagine he just like started off as a normal player that we've known

him to be over the last I don't know seven years of his career I could see a real world where you guys leap the calves yeah right now the over under is at like 52 and a half I would take the over oh I'm taking the over for sure yeah for the cabs it's 56 and a half

think they'll be yeah like four game difference yeah I'll take us I think it's probably that surprise yeah I'm not afraid to take it I think it's probably that low just because there is it's easy to assume Mike Brown will be better. It's not a given.

You know, it could be different. But I guess that that line is there because, like, sometimes there is a little bit of acclamation needed. And so maybe, like, they can lose some of their strength right away while they're trying to gain a new one. There's also,

it's just, like, because the offense was the way that it was, there were parts of last season where games were just harder than they needed to be. Yeah. And so there was so many, there was so many, um, so many games,

so many moments. Which is like, man, like, why? why why is this game like a slog fest we're playing chicago like what what is this so i'm i am excited because i don't think there's ever been a funnier moment in my life than opening night last year with the next year no that was tough yeah yeah there were fans harassing him too yeah harassing you in boston i remember that because he did our opening night show there yeah

that was the funniest that was the funniest game reaction and we were driving we were driving back from boston to new york and then that's what he was raging in the car that that night was hilarious That was terrible. You know what the second funniest night of the year was? What was it? Neesmith and all those threes when we're at the Knicks bar. Oh, yeah, you're just always there

for the worst moments. That's hilarious. Yeah, that's why I stopped watching. I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. Because I was, I talked about, like, can you imagine, like, your lowest moment as a fan? And then I was just like,

that's the funny part is the lowest moment as a fan was, like, actually, like, the worst part of his year. It actually was a traumatic moment for him. That's a funny part. part because it doesn't need to be. Yeah, it was actually terrible. Oh, fuck, man. That show was hilarious.

Yo, man, I'm dead. And with that being said, that is all 30 teams. That is three hours of podcasting before we even get to the second half of the show. This is going to be a four and a half hour show. You're welcome. This is the defining show of the year, I guess. One question for every team. Hey, man.

On to the second half. Let's have some fun. Crayon eaters, if you with me. I need a snack, man. It's bad. My blood sugar, I know they're eating right now. Cheetah puffs all over their fingers. Look at you.

You're not slick. Let's march on. Let's go. To TikTok time. Woo. Welcome to TikTok time. Today, like usual, we are once again going to begin with the draft. But this is going to be a very specific type of draft that we haven't done before that I'm very excited about.

We are going to draft NBA players by their skills, building a player with only traits from the oldest players in the league. From the unks. Made in the perfect unc. Yeah, to build the perfect unc. And this time, it's not about you guys thinking about the perfect onks and trying to recall the right players, seeing who sells, who doesn't. There's 15 players on screen right now for 15 skills. We have to pick each player, and there's no repeats, obviously. Okay.

So we have to take one from the bank. And obviously, if you take that player, then it can't be taken by somebody else until we run out of players. Okay. Draft order is me, Mo Donovan. After Mo got first last time. I mean, Donovan got first last time in the offseason changing teams. Yeah. So you get fucked over now.

We're going to have the worst player on this list that nobody wants. Not necessarily. I have to nail the first turn. That's where it is. Because everybody, there's three unks for, there's an unk for everybody.

Yeah. It's just you, whoever, because you get the last pick. So whoever we don't want, you're stuck with. So you better think of long and hard about the worst player on here.

Yeah. Okay. So you guys know how this works. First off, give me Steph Curry shooting, obviously. The first pick you never draft. Yeah, it's got to be Steph every time.

Okay. That's a pretty easy pick. Now, I'm up next. I think I'm going to go ahead. So I can focus on body or shooting. I'm honestly going one of those two things. I just realized, too, there's pretty much like no good defenders here at all except for one. So you're all cooked.

That's hilarious. We're here to get buckets today. And I also will say, whoever selects Eric Gordon, you are losing. Watch it be me. Okay. All right. So for my body, someone who still moves. very well,

I'm going to go ahead and grab me Kevin Durant. Okay. Yeah. Interesting. So instead of one of his scoring skills, you use his body, okay. Yeah.

Listen, no matter what, you're going to be gigantic. No matter what phase is true. Fluid still can get to his spots as well. Okay. I like it. Donovan, where are we going?

This is the draft for you. Can't blow it now. Interesting. Okay. So obviously, Flies is pretty easy for him. Damn. I mean, obviously, like, Bronner is going to be on here.

but do I want to take Bron body Passing or finishing Yeah right That's not hard I know And I'm not With the current state of his body

It's not a no-brainer Exactly It's not But it's also still a pretty He can also But he can still dunk on somebody He can't Nobody else on his ducking on people

And so for that Oh Jeff Green He has a dunk per year for him A couple years ago I don't know I don't know I don't know I still think He might have a point this year.

LeBron at this stage in his career can still dunk on somebody. And I think I'm going to take that. So give me LeBron finishing. Oh, that's surprising. Okay. Wow. Okay.

Go for it. And then, and then what I'll do is for passing. Give me CP3 passing. Damn it. Nice. Yeah, that wasn't falling back to me. That's good.

That's good, good, good stuff. Yeah. Okay. Next. Go ahead and give me... I think I'm okay with that. Al Horford defense. Okay.

Clearly, I'm working with a big, bigger guy here. I'm glad you did that. Thank God. I needed a good body, and there's about one more I want on here. Give me DeMarter Rosen body. Imagine if Steph Curry was 6-7 and small. Okay.

I was kind of scared you were going to do that. I'm so glad you picked Horford because I can't use them, obviously, because I'm small. So glad you did that. And now, dude, what does Kevin Love do these days? There's no leadership buddy. He's funny as fuck. What do you mean?

He'd just be joking? Yeah. He'd be meming his ass off on Instagram. He's on to that face. That does not hope. He's focusing on the secondary career building a meme account on Instagram. And then give me

Mike Conley passing. Okay. I bet he still knows how to do that. It's a nothing burger. Okay. I made you Jay. What can we do? Again.

There's not exactly superstars left. Okay. You guys are incredibly sleep. on who you know what i'm not i'm not even going to go there i'm going to take a step back because i think you guys will not select him so don't underestimate i'm going to indeed underestimate damn but we're at this phase now what there's nothing else yeah it's real tough like why is garrott temple here we have never said his name on the show ever i sort of got it temple has been at least 2010 he's never averaged double digit points he is an icon for keeping a job

Jesus, man Big vibes guy Jesus, man Now we're super weak And we can't Right or wrong Who do I watch Stalin?

Fuck, bro Okay, you know what Fuck it For finishing Give me Jeff Green Again, I am patching a body, bro You guys are asleep

You are getting posterized I get If he dunks on someone this year I'll be baffled He did it last year I know But what were you Again

Uncle Jeff got it We'll see man He's I don't know if he's to play this year. Bro, he's going to get some minutes. They got to find some minutes for him. You might get a dunk a minute.

Okay, what's funny is he might end up with Eric Gordon. Because what I'll do is from our body fourth quarter. Why is Batum in? I'll take Nick Baton body. You can't move. But you're tall. Mind you, if we're playing in Fiba, I'm good. Right?

Nick Batum is still. He still gets after an international play. Will LeBron's finishing be good if he was slow as hell? I don't know. I mean, Nick Batoon was like, he's like 6-8, 6-9. Yeah. But, yeah, okay. I think it'll be good, so.

It'll be good. It'll be good lips. It'll be good lips. He can dunk. But you're not going to get by anybody. He's not very much to have a chance to dunk. You have no burst. I'm a cutter.

I'm a cutter. Okay. Back door. Yes, back door. Bag door. CP3 passing. Okay. I'm a Boris Dio out with high.

Hopps, like, understand. Draymond Greenwood hops. Now we're cooking. Come on now. Okay. We're getting somewhere. Shooting, I guess, with this body, it's either Joe Ingalls or Kevin Love.

Joe Ingalls hasn't done it in a long time. Eric Gordon and Lee for a reason, brother. What are we talking about? All these guys can shoot. So, I guess so. Brooke Lopez is the most recent to have a decent shooting. But, but you know. what?

Here's the thing. I need somebody who can really, really do it off the dribble and the most recent person to do it off the group of it. What are we doing? Give me Kyle Lowry shooting. I was hoping. I was going to take his finishing.

I took out of Lauer shooting. I didn't really want it, but I was like, I got to take somebody. Lowry finished you would be hilarious. Oh, my gosh, man. Who was going to be your passing? You snipe my pick. That was my. I only hope for a solid passer.

Fuck. Okay, so I need passing and shooting. There's Kevin Love, Ingalls. The way to go is definitely Joe Engels shooting. I mean, Joe Ingalls passing Eric Gordon shooting. I guess. That's probably the best way to go. Two picking Joe Ingalls is tough.

Fuck, man. I'm not doing that. Give me Lopez shooting. Fuck that. That's the wrong pick. He's not a bat shooter. You're a beer big man, so I guess. Yeah, he's not a bad shooter at all.

Yeah, but I mean, whatever. There's no good picture for you. I'm actually going to say because that was going to be my defense. Who are you finishing with him being defense? Exactly. You nerfed me. I nerf you back in you. That was going to be my defense.

So you pick Lauer already. Okay, I'm not picking Joe Ingalls. I'm not picking Kevin Love because Kevin Love doesn't exist anymore. I'm into Marr's body. I keep that in mind. I'm 6-7 and I can move. So I'm fast. I guess give me Eric Gordon's finish.

He can probably still hit a layup. There we go, you lost. He single-handedly got taint. That's not that big of a deal. Eric Carter, you can't get to no rim. I have DeMar's body. Can Eric Gordon hit a layup if he was six, seven? Probably.

With his finishing ability, no. What are you talking about? You're talking like he's an abomination. Just like I said, can Batum go ahead and get to him? the rim with the bra like come on i have demar's body i can move still no mar's body i don't mean none and the defense i have fucking guess give me garret temple i have no clue

they can play defense but i know joe eagles can't these days it's a black hole garret table can probably move his feet you know what no no no you know what he can't do communicate i'm a genius on the defensive end yeah he's in a cause i can run the NBAPA you do have wisdom on yourself i'm smart as fuck all right so for passing give me joe angles

That was going to be my next defense. Nah, he should have taken Camelow. Fuck, no. You're going to have Matt out of lapassus? Hell no. Yeah, but I want you to have K. Love defense. Go ahead and say it. Shit.

I will take him of love's defense. Surprise, surprise. The single worst train on here. Yeah. I will take that to end this out. It sucked. You couldn't. My player was, oh, my goodness.

It was almost perfect. If I had gotten Brooke Lopez defense. I would have been okay You look you should have prioritized that probably But then again no you're in Battoon's body Butto's body with Brooke Lopez defense would be garbage So that'd be terrible I didn't think that he was going to go

With Lopez for shooting Damn man Yeah neither did I because the other guys are like there's I thought he was going to take like Kevin Love shooting or something Or Joe Ingalls like Joe Ingalls is so spot up The same way Lopez can I just wanted to nerf you You nerved me I had to go ahead and do something

You did fuck him Yeah Donovan was cooked either way Loki, you'd have been best off getting Garrett Temple defense if I pick somebody else. Well, who am I right now? This is just Paul George. KD's body. Well, it's hard because you have Kevin Durant's length with Lopez shooting and Joe Engels passing. He's Bobo in 10 years.

Bobo in 10 years. Orpher's way better for defenders and not even. Yeah. Okay, who's like a Bobo build that can play good defense? You're Jonathan Isaac, but like a little bit less springy. But would tweet Jonathan, Isaac, who can shoot like Lopez? That's just Brooke. Lopez.

Yeah, Brooklobes can shoot for a stretch five, but like for a non-seven footer, he can't really shoot like that. But Kevin Ernst seven feet tall. You're just, you're driven. No, the scale is different though.

When you're not a stretch five, like, you know, like he's not going to be running off screens or anything like you would want in Katie's body. You can stand the corner for sure. You don't need him too. You can stand the corner for sure.

But, you know, it's not exactly a good shooter for a wing. I mean, having Curry shooting is just. Yeah, that's the best one for sure. I'm surprised he didn't pick Kevin Durant's shooting just because that's another like,

OP skill. Yeah, I could have, but then I was looking at the bodies and I'm just like, bray, like, there's only one other good option than DeMars. I think I would have picked Jeff Green's body and Katie's shooting from our first two picks as you. Maybe. Jeff Green's tall, but fuck it. Second snipe.

I guess. Is he moving? I don't know. I don't know how DeMarre's body felt to me. He's the best athlete on here, I think, which is crazy because he's 309 years old or whatever, but, or 36. Yeah, I was thinking about it, but I just didn't, I didn't feel great about the past that options.

Yeah. So for audio listeners, I have DeMarta Rosen's body, Steph Curry's shooting, Mike Connolly's passing, Eric Gordon's finishing. You read that and you're like, holy shit. It's fine. All I'm doing is in layups, but like, it's just hilarious on paper. He is not getting to know.

Okay, so I got Katie Body, Brooke Lopez shooting, Joe Ingalls passing. I got Jeff Green finishing, and then I got Al Horford defense. I have Nick I don't even want to say this I have Nick Baton body Kyle Lauer shooting Chris Paul passing

LeBron finishing and Kevin Love Deeper We got to get to the bottom Of what finishing and body do separate from each other Because everyone always justifies that however they want He's somebody I can't get to the room I'm tomorrow not Eric Gordon Like I can get there

I mean I just look at it as like That's just like your frame But like the finishing ability Yeah But also you got to be How skillful you are when it comes It's a frame, but also, like, how fast you are, like your handle, how fast, how if you can get to the room at all, I think of finishing, like, post, layups, and I guess, like, don't pack you. So, like, so you're putting, like, athleticism into body.

Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, what else would it be? No, I'm saying, like, I'm solely taking the frame. Where it's like, you're picking one single part of the body, just the height? height, frame and weight. Hight, girth and time. This is all I'm worried about. And then, yeah, and then, like, finishing is, is where I'm.

No, I think that's lettuceism is definitely part of body. See, because that's why it's like, I could take Kyle Lari body when I get DeAndre Jordan finishing. A type of skill. And now you are diabolical, brother. And now he's jumping 50 inches into the air. You are gross. You can explain whoever you want to make a way to your vision. But I think finishing is mostly like the finishing move.

Like your layup ability, your touch. I guess post moves will go into that. And then, yeah, I guess how much you can like catch a lob if you're in the air like your ambidextuousness. Eric Goeder known finisher Nice I think it's fine You can do worse See that's why then I would like to switch

Brown body and Ben Batum finishing That's still trash Toom is not finishing shit No it's not If he's doing no dip threes What is he doing If I have LeBron body And now I can jump up hella high

I would have only picked Battoom for shooting I would have stayed away What is that? What is that passing to? If I'm LeBrona I can jump all the way up in the air. Do you think that any NBA player,

if they're 40 inches in the air, can dunk? Well, not the high anymore. But yeah, yeah, you're right. You know what I'm saying. Yeah, I would do that first. From any NBA player, and I'm 25 inches in the air. Yeah.

If I'm an average amount of height, doesn't even if I'm high anymore. Okay. Nice. We're a ridiculous draft. That's hilarious. Next thing we are going to do, you know,

there's a lot of new rosters in the league right now. A lot of new starting lineups. I'm going to have you guys guess the NBA team you're looking at by a collection of their stats So these are random A mixture of different stats With different players

They're not all gonna be uniform You try to tell me which team you're looking at First off, which team is this Oh shit 9.1 assists Dimer 22% from three Bricker

Bricker Brick layer 09 offensive rebounds hilarious It does not crash the glass Okay I think I got who this is Who you think it is? Is this? The Detroit Pistons.

This is the Detroit Pistons. The Tobias Air is not getting any offensive boards. That's hilarious, right. Damn, Jaden Ivy did throw me off for a second. Yeah, you do. There's no way, like, no guard did that alongside Cade. Mm-hmm. Jalen Durenz 69% football percentage.

It's crazy. Crazy. Dunk specialist. Okay, listen, start you guys off with a nice little layout. That one was supposed to be easy. Next up, which team is this? 9.6.10. Chucker.

That's a lot of reasons. uh 1.5 free throw attempts as a big soft 87% field goal percentage is just what are we talking? Wait that's completely wrong okay yeah I was like that's a slasher

yo yeah I completely fuck that but I'm supposed to say that pretend that's a question mark okay I wrote that down wrong cool 7.8 rebounds it's probably supposed to say 47 okay 47

41% from three though honestly what gets me is 1.57 free throw who doesn't get to the line as a big I don't know, but, like, but you know that, like, your point guard is chucking. 87% field goal prostrating guard. That's dumb. Like, this is God, bro.

Like, Jesus? What? Who is? Yo. Nobody's ever done that? Yo. Like, this is the goat. I don't get a fuck.

What he does. He just has to win a ringer. The one of them all. Yeah. He's literally the one, the chosen one. It's jam. That's 47 though Okay

Is this the Lakers? This is the Lakers DeAndre Aitin Refusing to hit the paint hard That sticks out like a thumb Yeah Luca almost 10 3s a game last year I did not know that at all

10 3s is crazy His ass was not slashing Okay next one Who is this team Point guard who doesn't pass Oh brother This guy stinks Yo this team sucks

30% 3 point shooter And then you got a guy Who only averages 1 assist 1.2 assist again your center gets six rebounds your one guard doesn't pass your center doesn't your power forward is just chucking it up your power forward has 20 shots a night bro dude this is so bad they're chucking your guards don't pass your wing doesn't

shoot your big doesn't rebound oh this is the this the walkie bucks oh yeah this is the bucks this is the bucks they ass everywhere Adam paper. Yep, this is definitely like Yonis coded for sure. I feel so sorry for you, brother. Three point four assists. You can't pass. Man, can't rebound.

You can't shoot on the wing. Your wing not shooting is the icing on the cake. What do you do? Everybody sucks at their assignments. We're at six rebounds. The point of this is, what do you do? And it's funny, like, the Miles Turner was misleading. He does some stuff.

Who's my, I guess. It's how to you guys don't do shit. Yeah, the top three, really? It's like, what's going on, man? You guys are not helping me. Your back court averages less than five assists a game. Oh, man, go to hell. Next up, which team is this?

Three blocks per 36 minutes. Oh, that's a hack. Okay, I'm not paying attention to that. All right, 11 points. 31, three point. Can't nobody shoot, though. 1.5 steel. This is dumb ass hard.

This is really hard. Okay, I'm assuming you're a good shot blocker. Three blocks per 36? I assume it's there It's three 11.1 points Is this 11.1 points is kind of mid

I mean it's not bad It's not bad but it's not It's decent depending on how you look at it It's not changing your life 1.5 steals is interesting 31% Is this Is this the Orlando Magic?

This is not the Orlando Magic Not a terrible guess It's not that similar But it's not that different either Okay, well, I would guess No, never mind, it's not that, it's not now I was about to say the Minnesota Timberwolves But hell not, it's not them either

Not the Minnesota Timberwolves And it's not shooting the 31% Wait, but 55% from two Elite, elite, elite from mid-range Is this going to be the Houston Rockets? This is not the Houston Rockets, nobody shoots 55% from mid-range. Two in total, so it counts the rim.

Yeah, oh, too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, interesting. Jordan might shoot 55% Once again, it's like Just the goat Okay, could this be Oh no, no, no, no, not them, not them, not then

I almost said my aim heat, but he can't be done Keep in mind, why would I put 30% per 36 for the center? Because they don't play. Okay, so who are the 11-mupert game When Guard scores in the NBA? I will say he wasn't, the point guard wasn't on this team last year Oh, he wasn't on this team last year So different role for him now.

Fuck. It might still be a lot. 11 points they came down and thinking about it, but just he wasn't playing this position last year for them. Okay. But I don't know how much higher it will be this year. Yeah, we... Okay, but the centers that, like,

would, that would be productive if they actually played. Mm-hmm. Oh, is this the... Talk to me, please. No, no, no. It's your last guess. One more guess. I almost at the Indiana Pacers.

This is the Portland Trailblazers. It's Klingin, who can't play starting minutes because he's out of shape. Yep. I was thinking about Portland for a second, but I was like, it can't be 11 points. Like, that doesn't make any sense.

Yep. But it actually does. Makes perfect sense. Next up, which team is this? 23 ejections. Okay. 1,000 games played.

The TOTUSA Warriors. That's just the point. 23 injections. And then hella games played. Warriors. One million games played. This is Uncle Al Forford. 23 jacksons that's it

that's a lot of technicals though hell of technicals what do you mean that's it it's 23 to a year that's a lot of yeah you get thrown out of the game twice a year that's a ton of a jacks

she's 16 technicals to get a dude getting thrown out the game I mean yeah but that's a chunk of the season well I guess this is like it's like the third most all time by the way you're not there for like

a chunk of the season I understand that but like that's he's fine a fourth of a whole season in check Yeah, that'll piss me. I understand what Kerr was crying. And it's not counting suspensions.

He also got booty right 20 games at one time for Gobert. What's his problem? Yeah, that whole image is. Next up, which team is this? 21 points. 15 points. 18.

He just wanted to choke somebody. He's looking for anybody? He was just right. Okay, very well-rounded team. Hello, scores. Okay. everybody's scoring 15 18 14 you got a sniper as a big oh 21 a night okay that's this is a pretty good team at least they should be really good I always the stars are good oh yeah this seems like a pretty good

team it is everybody only a couple centers shoot like 42% from three is this the Denver nuggets this is a Denver nuggets wow okay plenty of center shoot well from three but but not plenty of starters. Dude, he takes five threes a game, or he took five threes a game last year. And that's why he's the goat. Insane turnaround. Also, look at Christian Brown, man.

Wow, 15 points a game. That's crazy. Good for him. Next up, which team is this? 17th season? 17th. Good Lord. Jesus Christ.

Three teams in 2020. That's a lot of teams in one year. Come on, man. There's only one man who's getting passed around like that. That's Dennis Schroeder. And this is the Sacramento Kings. This is the Sacramento Kings. I had no idea.

Three teams. So bonus at point four blocks a game kills me. You don't even try. Groundbound. Damn. Three two. He does not jump. Dennis Shudder's out here like, man, this is slavery.

Dude. He just gets transported from theater now. They're kicking me out of my house repeatedly. Next up. Which team is this? Files. Personal fouls. Do nothing but fouling?

The Memphis Grizzlies. Not the Memphis Grizzlies. Okay. So it's 3.5. This to New York Knicks. Okay, yeah, at 3.5. He saw PTSD in this immediately. That's a greets.

That's a greets right there. That's so many fouls a game. Damn, 3.5 is insane. 3.5 on average? Yeah. You're always in foul trouble on an average basis. He's working in my life, bro. That's crazy.

McKill Bridges at 1.5 does not foul. I feel like that's a red flag. Be more active. Passive defender. Which team is this? straight field goal percentage. Oh yeah, this is the Washington Wizards.

39% none of these shots are going nasty for solid. That's so disgusting. And the two best ones are from people who weren't here last year. Yeah, yeah,

you got to come in. You got to fix this. This is so disgusting. And Chris Middleton's only 47 for the time he was with the Wizards. That's like the 18 games of just the Wizards. If I did the whole season,

it's way worse. But no, vice versa. Never mind. That's for the whole season because he shot Walt the Bucs. With the Wizards, he shot 41%. Oh shit, man

It's bad Last one Which team is this 27? Oh my You got this Can't wait Nobody shoot

Oh yeah Oh no I would say this could be The Orlando Magic But it's not 35% is too good For Franz Way too good

Nobody shoots How Is this the Houston Rockets This is the Houston Rockets With Kevin Durrana Shooting Guard Jeez yeah If this is their lineup

Fuck man Yeah this is them starting Stephen Adams three brick layers and three one decent shooter How do you have three guys in your starting lineup 27% or under in 2025? They might not do this

but if they do if they win if this is a top 10 offense for the whole year starting this lineup give IMA Yudoka the fucking award Dude if it's if it's that level offense they're winning the finals Not even doing that

They're sweeping the playoffs They're three peeing Yeah And that's the last one Oh my goodness These are wacky these are fun Yeah, 23 ejections is hilarious God damn

Next thing we're gonna do 1,000 games Play this so many games What a great idea of fire Next thing we're gonna do We're gonna do two more five level games As we preview every team Throughout this month before the season starts

Like I said last week Every week we're gonna do two five level games One from each conference Today we're gonna start off with the Lakers Okay Gotta do the popular teams I get the views Let's do it So you guys know how it works

I'm gonna name five teams you tell me who's going to be better next year, them or the Lakers. Level one, Lakers versus Sons. Sons. Shut the fuck up. You know, I'm like, should we stone him? Should we crack his head open and discover his brain and analyze it? Sweet chin music.

Spear him on set. Level two, Memphis Grizzlies. Yeah, I'll go with the Lakers. Yeah, Lakers for sure. Yeah, we have to go with the Lakers. The Grizzlies are already, half the start a lineup is. already in the infirmary. I cannot trust them.

I do not know what they're going on. I have to go with the lake. And on paper, they got worse. Oh, yeah, that's just, they really, they haven't done anything except for tell Desmond Bank, get out of town. And replace them with a rookie, I guess. Damn.

Shout out of such a card. Level three, Clippers. No, I'm going, oh. Actually, I think I'm going to go Lakers. Regular season-wise, they're probably going to place close to each other. Yeah, they're going to be, they're going to be right next to each other, genuinely. But who do you trust more in the playoffs? You do have a healthy Kauai though.

Which for how long? I guess so. Which duo would you trust more in the fucking playoffs? I mean, obviously I would trust the Lakers more in the playoffs, but even in the regular season. In the regular season, I think I might take the Lakers, though. Really? Yeah. Because the Clippers, like, shout out to them.

They're deep. Even as, like, great as they were and without, with all the transition, the Lakers were still the 3C last year. They're deep, but it's not like their downfall was like a death last year. So, like, they're insulated for injury as well. but I don't think it, like, is going to have massively changed their win total. Yeah, their downfall was mental toughness and, you know, choking under pressure once again. But, like, the Lakers, the one thing that they needed was a center and they actually went out and got one. And you said, Luca.

Okay, yeah, we can go to the Lakers. It's going to be close, though. Level four, Houston Rockets. It's up for debate, honestly, and I might lean towards the Lakers. The team with a bucket getting white duo or the team with fists, bricks, and elbows. I think, see, if the Rockets had, Fred Van Vleet, then I would, I would pick them without a question. But I have no idea who's running point guard.

So everybody might just be passing the ball back and forth to each other. Yeah, running the most simplistic offense ever. This is, like, the Rockets are going to play basketball how I play 2K, which is just like, hella picking rolls. I'm holding down R2. I'm going straight to the basket. Rockets can win more regular season games by a little bit, but I'm trusting the Lakers in the playoffs more.

Yeah, there are just so many other questions around this Rocket roster. I think I'll go Lakers. But if the Rockets make a move and get a point guard, which they probably will, then I'd probably go with them again. But for now, I'd pick Lakers. If you give me 10 games where I can see the Rockets have competent point guard play, I'll switch to them. But right now, that's such a big unknown. I'll take the Lakers. But I can definitely see us changing our mind like a week from now.

Yeah. Yeah. Level five, Oklahoma City Thunder. And this is where it ends. Yep. This is where it's. Remember last year, Lakers fans were like, give me the thunder in the playoffs. Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah. What did you say? Sharp say? he was like, what do he say? Lakers in five. Yeah, Lagos, he said, O KFC, UFC, UFC, Lakers in five, something like that. Yeah, we're going to Thunder.

Yeah. Hey, we made the level five. The worst made the level five. They did it. I say as I picked the teams. Next up, five levels with the New York Knicks. Jumping over to the other side. Jumping stupid ass.

Level one, Knicks versus Pacers. Finally, we can beat these people. it's about time I told you all Vince Carter me yes finally yes that way he said

finally was crazy bro all summer all summer long all I had to do is assassinate the star player assassinating one of them

and shipped another one too oh my goodness bro we lost to them in the playoffs I saw a summer league we lost them the summer league

I was like floor please level two nix versus hawks Yeah, shut So dumb ass Don't say a word It's us

It's a Knicks The Hawks are very respectable But it's the Knicks It's us Yeah I won't be surprised If it's Level 3

Orlando Magic It's us The Knicks The magic Have the ceiling To get the conversation If their offense is fixed That's a way

bigger question Than anything to do The Knicks We're going to Nix Thank you It should be us You got it

Level 4 Shout out to Disman Bayin though Level four That Pistons with another year of development from the young guys. Very spunky. However, multiple of the players who were there last year are not there.

They also have to kind of like rebuild, retool. But listen, we got MB 55 on our side now. We're cooking. This guy doesn't know about Jaden Ivy. He's an idiot. This guy don't know about year two Ron Holland. He doesn't know Jalen Duran's going to dunk on Kat. This idiot don't know none about a fully healthy offseason of Sars Thompson.

So yes, he's an idiot, but we're going to like, we're going to the next. Sadly, yes. Level five of the Cavs. And it's a conversation. It's a debate. It's a debate. In the playoffs, the matchup-wise, I can see this being debate. I can see people siding with the Knicks.

But as far as regular season success goes, I have to go to the Cavs. Like, they're a proven commodity. They're going to be the one-seat again. And I can only hope that their whole team doesn't get hurt. So are the Knicks. The Knicks are also like a proven commodity. Yeah, it's a nice two-seat probably. They are very proven.

Caps have one-seat. One year is the one-seat. It's like, oh. Yeah, but they can do it again, of course, still there. Proven commodity. I think I'm just going to lean towards It was pretty goddamn proving to that one year though

It was a pretty great year It's a Mickey Mouse schedule I'm putting my faith in I'm probably in Donovan Mitch Mickey Mouse schedule I'm gonna pray that the cabs stay healthy in the playoffs and show they're not frauds

but this is the last year I'm giving hope to them I'm too worried about the meetoff I don't trust it All right next thing we're gonna do I ask you guys on a community post to give us your best predictions

for this NBA season and we're We're going to rate it, giving these guys a W or an L take, seeing how well they did in the assignment. What are you that before you think is be bullshit? No, nothing. Let's see what you guys kept up for us, predictions for this year. First off, Derek White finally makes the All-Star team. Maybe.

If this happens, I will stop watching the NBA. Damn, why? Derek White. Stop, don't hate on Derek White. No, no, it's not about him. It's about the Eastern Conference. If the Celtics get two this year That would be shocking

They better be a goddamn three seed What if he's the one? He has to say them brown fuck off Yo man I'm just saying like What if Jayne Brown is shooting You know Tour dates

And I think he'll probably Translate well to a one seed So I would sooner Believe Jaylon Brown gets the All-Star nod They gotta be really good To get two All-Stars And that'd be shocking

They gotta win like 54 games They have to be a top four seed Easy And now I can consider it Two All-Stars is a lot, man. And the East got to be good. It's like a good four-seat. Like, they can't just be, like,

technically your fourth because the East sucks. And I don't know if I foresee that. But I do see Derek White getting a lot of usage, obviously, this year. So there probably will be more combo than there wasn't years past. Because somebody's got to take these goddamn shots. It's going to be a 21 and six year for Derek White. Hey, Sengoon got in on that. We can get Derek White on the All-Star game.

This is an injury replacement all right here. Yo, Le Mello, we can't let this shit happen. Yeah, we cannot let this shit happen. Trey, we can't let this happen. Brunton, we can't let this happen. Franz. We better don't let this happen. You better to shoot the ball well.

God damn. Jalen Johnson will let it happen. Scotty Barnes don't let it happen. Please. Next up. Owen says Aaron Wiggins will save basketball again. I mean, of course. I don't really like the premise of this though

because I don't know why we would say he stopped saving basketball. Where does this again come from? This is his legacy. This is what he does night year in and year out. Is he not still actively saving basketball? Hell yeah. Is he employed? Is he an NBA player?

Correct. Okay. So he's saving basketball. I agree. Yeah. I did say I had to. show it so we laugh at you but i hate when y'all come up here and be disrespectful to legends that are in their primes like you forget after one off season that these guys are still doing it

every single day that ends with why just know aaron wiggins is saving the day with hoops dumbass come on now brady waspin said the clippers get the three seed and go to the western conference finals but lose to the nuggets disregard the second part can the clippers make the conference finals i mean okay so like we're going to start the season and like mathematically they are going to have a chance but we know that they have no chance We know, hey, I think it's possible. They couldn't make the conference finals. I find it hard to believe they can win enough playoff series in a row with enough health

and two strong performances to get past the conference finals. What if you told me they get there and win a tough second round series, someone gets hurt? James Hardin plays bad, but it's okay because John Collins is kicking ass. Sure. John Collins is going to lead him to the conference finals? I love that, man. Shut up. Yeah.

They're sealing his conference finals if things break well. But that's like, it's their ceiling, but it's not something I'm confident in or anything. I just, I'm not picking a team that's under investigation to make the conference finals. I'm not picking it either. What are we talking about? The feds are watching. No, I'm not doing that. But as far as bold predictions go, you could get bolder.

This is possible. I think it's possible. Also, you said loose the nuggets. I can super believe that in the conference finals. Yeah. I think the biggest actual basketball talking point for me is if their defense can improve on what it was last year, which is pretty good. It's top five. Yeah, like, and with Chris Dunn now being relegated to a starting role, and it makes

a little bit harder, but they're a bench roll, yeah, it makes a little bit harder, but if Brooke Lopez's defensive presence makes things harder, which is not just being a backup because they didn't have one, John Collins being there as well, I could see, I could see this happening for sure. I think they got marginally better. John Collins gives them a little bit more, like, just like versatility in the big man room, and like you said, Brooke Lopez is a reliable backup. I don't think I feel any different about them in a playoff context.

And I felt last year, but in the last year, I thought they could get rid the conference finals. If they make the conference finals, and especially in this scenario, they lose to the nuggets in the conference finals. That means that you are probably beating the thunder in, in the, assume the nuggets with the thunder. Oh, okay. They take them out. They're being the Lakers.

Either the Lakers or the Rockets or anything. If they play the, if they play the Rockets, they're getting thrown around like a ragdoll. Or the T-wolves That's still hard Yeah, that's still hard And it's going to Hey man The Western conferences

Is so crazy every year We're talking to all these teens My damn this stuff Shout out to the east man Y'all got your life so easy Tuck Jumps says Now that they have debt For the first time ever

The Nuggets will break The single season wins record Whoa now That's a lot of dip on your chip The Nuggets Glaze has been crazy Yos Valchunus is moving these people's needles Can they win 75 games

Do you think Yokic is going to care For every single one of those games play 100% hard Yes, I do But I just don't think That they're gonna have to win 74 games Maybe 64 on the high end Even then I'm like damn to calm down

I could believe that this is like an all-time Nuggets team for sure Yeah, all-time Nuggets What is that? Like the best thing that they had They might break whatever their personal winning record Is a franchise record With the Cavillin last year, 64

Something like that Yeah, something crazy They're not winning more than the fucking cast did last year The cast were amazing last year I don't know They're a good team But yeah

I think you guys Gotta relax a little bit About this whole depth thing They have some depth It's not like they built The strength of numbers warriors They're so down bad last year That now that they have a couple guys

Who are just like Use for fucking joy Yeah exactly So I understand it Yeah I appreciate the glaze A little much Shepard says

The Pelicans will have a top six seed In the West Do you see that vision For them with the skinny Zion? No Only because they can't guard anybody and like in the west you got you have to guard somebody and they don't guard any got a lot of body if he took out the word seed and said offense i'd be like yeah we are

cooking now toxic offense in the west okay yeah i could that's tough still but i could believe it for sure yeah because he says i believe in skinny zion i do as well he believes in the jordan pool redemption arc i do as well all of that leads to good offense none that leads a good defense yeah i see what you're cooking but come on man the west is yeah if there was every year where herb jones was going to have The case laid out in front of them to win DPOI is this one. This will be a very fun 41. If the NBA did their expansion. 41?

It would be dinners? Maybe a little bit too much. Maybe a little bit too much. What are you less 40 games of stuff? You gotta suck ass. Not in the West, though. The West is a stuck. They might win 35.

What do they, like, what do they 10th or 11th you get last year? Oh, do we think they're going to be worse than that? The 10th seed, maybe. The 10th he won 39 games last year. Damn. Maybe they can with 30. yeah yeah i'll go 38 for them when mb when um adams silver goes ahead and fixes the conferences and moves them to the eastern conference then hey you got it talk we're making runs yeah

boat says the trailblagers can be the rockets of this year it's not ridiculous it's not ridiculous well okay in the sense that like that they're going to win for the games that is ridiculous but to say that like their defense is going to be elite from start to finish i do believe that yeah and just like seed highly like obviously it sounds like ridiculous now. Nobody's thought of it would happen with the Rockets either. It's ridiculous until it's not. I don't mind the Blazers as you're like dark horse. They're going to be a good team pick. Yeah. That's as good as any of the teams that we don't see coming. Yeah. Like, if you have any superstar walk in there or an all-star level player and they have the worst night of their fucking life,

I can believe it. And a lot of players did have not a good night at all over there in Portland. Who's going to be there Shangoon though? Who's going to be the All-Star guy that's like the engine? Maybe Denny. Maybe Denny. Maybe you get a little bit from Shaden Sharp. Skoo Henderson like it meets a combination shade and sharp is jalen green denny shangoon jimani kamara good defense listen is a men great defense drew holiday is friend emblee clinging is clinging okay great defense plus all live matter offense we can get to high 40s yeah foreign star averaging 20 and five i can see them winning like 43 games.

That's a lot. No, I mean, I can see 43. I mean, I think it would make sense to me if they're shockingly good. You could, again, as a shocker. Yeah, you can tell me this for any Western Conference team, I'd be like,

that's a lot, man. Yeah, yeah, I see. But if you tell me that they are shockingly good and that means 43 to 45-ish, I can see that. Somebody, every year it happens, somebody vaults themselves in the playoff talks

so we don't see coming. Yeah. Like, people would assume it's like the Spurs now because it won't be so good. If you tell me, they take their spot and they're actually the surprise team,

I don't understand that. I'll believe it. Yeah, yeah, that would be based on a jump from somebody, but I would believe it. Yeah, I agree. Maybe Yang Hansen is, like, amazing right away. That's super true. Yeah, literally, like, I forgot about Yang.

Last year when we did our season of predictions. Never again. No one put this Houston Rockets team as, like, a top five team in the Westwoods. I put them ten in, I think I was the highest. Yeah, you were the highest. I was going to be a playing team. You guys like, what? Yeah, I was the absolute lowest on them, and now they were the two seed.

Very true. You guys are like, Jail and Green sucks. Fuck you. Yeah. I was like, I think they can barely make it. There was so much better. Yeah. Next up, Jay says, if healthy,

Jaylon Brown will lead the league in scoring. Scoring what is he going to average? I think he could average 28. That's not going to do it. Oh, no, no, no, he's not going to leading scoring. It's a different conversation now. What do you feel like he's actually, predict his scoring average?

27. 27, 28, yeah, sure. That's like not that different the way he did before, though. What was he last year? I actually know the past couple years they've added a lot of pieces. But he's average 26 before. Okay. Yeah.

Before they added KP and all that. We could see 28. 27. I'm going 27. First full year without Jason Tatum. He got so many opportunities to do what he wants. I think he averages at least 26, like bare minimum. 29 on the high end. Okay.

Can he scale up that high? Or is he just going to be Jalen Brown regardless? I feel like he, low-key, he might not play that different. He already, like, does a lot of ISO and shit. Yeah. It's not like, Justin Tatum was, like, setting him up. Like, he might just more ISO. 29.

I think he's going to get a 29, shoot 43% from the field, though. Sounds about. Jay Towns about Jalen Brown Next up Jenny I'm not reading all that Jenny says That's so rude

Yon is request a trade and is sent to the Hawks for Jalen Johnson Riesis Shea and the first of New Orleans I see you guys on my burner If he does request a trade This would make sense

A pretty good package Because that New Orleans pick Could be a top five pick On top of a number one pick And the Jalen Johnson Might be a young star He's from Milwaukee too don't care as much about that

So basically It's a cool story So basically two top five picks And Jalen Johnson for Yannis That's not a bad That's not a bad deal at all I think they probably want like a bunch of other picks Too, a bunch of small picks

You might have load up a couple other It's got a three team trade then Yeah We don't got that Spurs got that shit Yeah we could do a three team trade But if I'm giving you Jalen Johnson And the New Orleans pick

Call somebody else I'm keeping Richie Sheet Yeah, I think if you if you trade Your team wouldn't be that good after that trade If you trade for Yannis and you give up these two wings Like your depth is Because you'd start you'd have trade Dyson Who'd be the three now?

We have trade Dyson Yeah, who's your wings now? We got Nikolixander Walker Okay Yeah, Dyson's big, you can do that You can start to kill Alexander Walker as a two Dyson defends as a three Who knows what happened with KP

KP starts the center to stretch the five for Yonis Yeah Can I give you On Yucca instead of Zachary Rishase? Can I pull that? Can I give you Dyson Daniels

instead of Zachary Rissusay? I'd rather do that That sounds like a negotiation But I don't think they If the Malky Bucks are dumb enough Sure Go ahead

Look that's like a trade package Jalen Johnson Could Blasen to an all-star For them Dyson's a good running mate And a potential Top 5 pick That's not a bad package

Hey man Because Jaylan Johnson as well That's worth two or three First-on picks Yeah he The potential all-star this year You can say two For now solid two

Two first on picks Yeah saw two could turn into three but yeah i wonder if who would actually i don't know if disman bain's going for four even you're right you know if he makes the all-sides but it's different but like if he makes an all-star leap and now we have like a young a young all-star that's that's that complicates it makes it different like it's so hard to think about because most these trades are picks but jalen johnson is worth a good amount of picks yeah yeah but i like this is a yeah i would i would hate this package we have to we have to actually i would hate this

package but we have to tinker a little bit but we can get there It's a solid prediction. I do, though, think if Yannis requests a trade, I imagine he probably, like, forces his way to destination. What if he just wants to go to Atlanta? Maybe, maybe, maybe cool with it. I just, I'd fucking doubt it, but maybe. I don't know.

If you wanted to go somewhere, where, like, where in the league would he? Want to go? Yeah, like, no where, let's see Miami. I don't know. Why would you want to do that? Timberwolves.

It would be hard for them to give us the ammunition, but I can see him trying to force himself to play with aunt. I'm sure he'd love to play with aunt. That would be fun. Send me to Houston. But I don't know if he can, I don't know if he can successfully force his way to Timberwolves.

The bucks want to tell him to fuck himself. Yeah. But if he wants to go to the Golden State Warriors and play with Curry, get some shit off. I can see that. I mean, that's pretty short-sighted since Curry's 38, but I can see

that. Caves. I mean, they... Mowgli, J. Moble? They'd win a time. You don't think he wants to play with DeMitch and Darius Garland? I don't know.

I don't know. You could do a lot worse. I mean, you can, but I don't think he'd want to do that. Knicks. There's always the New York aspect. I don't know if he would want to do it. I don't know what he wants.

Clearly he wants to be Milwaukee, so who knows what else he likes for the city. I love this trade. Maybe he wants to go to Memphis, so that's the case. He just loves tiny cities. Next up, Diego says, every single team this season will win more than 20 games. We'll get no terrible tank jobs. I disagree. I think that the jazz and the Nets are both on, they're both on team.

Teen win watch or wins in the team. I don't know how to say. without insomac crazy you know we've recorded for hours no the Brooklyn Nets are on there's a world

you can stop immediately you're like yeah I don't know I'm dead we're still here call the net on teen watch and that's what I was going to say at first

that I was like yeah team win watch I was like Brady you no there's a world there's a world there's a world

there I said no no there is certainly a world over the Brooklyn Nets win nine games. That's in the cards. Yeah. Yeah, I think they will certainly win less than 20.

I'll be shocked if they surpass that. If that happens, Michael Ford Jr. is an all-star. Yeah, I agree. Rockets finish as a play-in team. Huh. Okay, so, like, it sounds crazy, but considering that, like, two through eight last year was separated by, like, three games, it wouldn't be the craziest part. I think this happens 100% if someone like Katie goes out with the injury,

then they're left with, like, if he misses, like, 10. games, five games here and there. You get some misses games every year. Who? Kevin Durant. You're, fuck, man. It's cooked.

Yeah, with, it'll be hard to win without Fred Vembley and Kevin Durant. They'd have so little just professionals in the room to set up the halfboard offense. It would be a hell for Singgoon to try to get a fucking regular ass post-entry pass. At that point, we're playing three bigs. Like, I'm playing Singu,

Stephen Adams, and Clint Capella. We're getting every weekout possible. We're just fighting. Yeah, I don't think they'll finish the playing team. But that, if you tell me that.

happens. It wouldn't shock me because everything bad happens to Kevin Durant in the last five years. Yeah. Everywhere he goes, a disaster happens. I can see this. He shouldn't have went to the Warriors in 2016. This is what happens. I wish he went to the Warriors last year. I wish he would have let that trade happen. That would have been really fun. That would have been cool. Leave the X alone, man. It would have been cool as fuck. I mean, he agrees. He would have still got his ass with by some other teams, but. When Minyama becomes a top two player in the world this year. Top two is tough. 29, 7, and 6. That's a lot of assistance. I think he can do that. Do you think you can get into like

Shee Yannis Luca convo's? Yeah, I think he can't. Luca convo, okay, the back end of that. But like, I don't know. One of those guys would be in the finals probably. Oh, yeah. And we think Webby's gonna be above them. Top two players is tough.

And like Shea's like in Yolkich combos. Like he's not a distant second in the world right now. Also, I understand that, listen, seven rebounds is ridiculous. You are seven rebounds. If he average is seven rebounds. You just see seven. Seven, yo, get your ass in a pay.

Yo, what I was mad about? He's mad about theoretical, lack of rebounds. You're seven, six. Talk about him getting 22, but no, 29. Six assists is insane. Mind you, he didn't even do seven rebounds. It's got in theory. If the rebounds comes out and there's seven rebounds a game, I will be frustrated.

Did he average like nine last year? He was more. So if he's rebound in drops, you're getting worse. You get it worse I don't like that I can't have you turn into Jaron Jackson Sockfish says Luca becomes Luca becomes clearly

The best player in the league And averages 3410 and 10 again I'm sorry you can't do that until you win The only way that he can have Like best player in the league Is if the MVP and the title Go to the Lakers this year What do they make the finals and they lose again

But he's MVP Sorry I'm sorry That would mean That would mean Yokish doesn't make the finals, though. So it's not like the best player in the league has some crown. Losing to the Eastern Conference is so damn. That's what it is.

You can't lose to the east. You can lose to shit. You could lose to like, I don't know, the clippers or the rockets. Are you losing to Jalen Brunton? You're losing to Jared Allen? You're not the best player. Not my goat. You're the best player.

You're getting did by Jared Allen. You're getting dick by Jard Allen. Brother, he just got dotted by Max Druze. Brother, ugh. Eck. You're sick. You are not, you are, you are not legendary. How about that?

We probably got to call him fat again. Exactly. What? Come on now. No, but this is possible. And any year could be the year where Luca becomes the best player in the world. Any year literally can be. We'll believe when we see it.

Like, Yokoj is still in his prime because it's like, oh no, Luke average 34 10 to 10. Yolkins is going to average like, you know, 30. 32, 12, and Nate. But again, he did this a couple years ago. I made the finals. He could do that again. And if things break different, different matchup,

you tell me he wins the final somehow. Like, it's always possible with Luga. He's always going to be within striking distance. Hard to assume this when the Lakers don't have the best team in worlds. Yeah. This is not, not crazy. I could see this happening.

Yeah. It can't be crazy to say Luka will make the best point in the league. No, I think he's crazy. I just don't think he's jumping yokech right now. I think the best. The proximity for that, for that singular year,

I could see it happening. Yeah. I don't think it's. ever crazy of someone that we consider in, like, tier two, like right behind the best guy in the world. I don't think it's ever crazy to think one of them can make the jump. Like, Shay made the jump last year. I would have said it's crazy before last year.

But what does they do? You want it off? He won the MVP and brought the title home. You're right, yeah, and everyone's still like, yeah, or Yolkich is still that guy. Hey, man. It's going to be a conflict soon. Shea does it again.

It's getting crazy. I don't think it would do it again. He's a very close second, but very close second. There's no gap there. It's not a huge gap at all anymore. Well, okay, I think he's the same tier. Next up, pressure from Lakers fans and J.J. Reddick becomes too much for Aiden and he retires to basketball halfway through the year.

Aidan retires. That would be, and I cannot exaggerate when I say this, the funniest thing to ever happen in my life. That would be as a content creator. Oh my fucking God, that'd be the funniest thing that ever happened to me. If you retired. A former number one overall pickers was seven years ago. Because J.J. Redick is too mean.

He retires. Yo. That would literally be the funniest thing I've ever seen in this world. There's two things that would be cemented in the NBA history. Number one, Aiton, your reputation isn't that totally. Number two, JJ Reddick, you actually need to be like, euthanized. Underwatch. You're insane.

We got to contain him. We got to stop an outbreak. Yo, because you're actually like, bro, we can't do that. You're taking this whole Pat Riley thing a little too far. Next up. we got we get the exact same eight western conference playoff teams i just think that's dumb like what that just doesn't happen if there was ever a year though very little change this year's like the craziest off season of all time like who would be the one that drops out grizzlies maybe yeah

this you're telling me they're eight again every outside of that i mean injuries always happen so probably won't but the other top seven teams you don't really foresee the dropping go to it go to okayc houston lakers denver clippers minnesota warriors gris Yeah, if you tell me that the grislies are out, you tell me that... For the Mavs? Like, on paper. We'll probably predict the same top hate as last year on paper. You don't know me.

I don't know. Spurs. No. Yeah. Surprise. Again, second year ago. Yeah. Now, I'm not falling for it.

Yeah, you are. I'm not. I promise you, I'm not. I'll leave him out just to spite you right now. Oh, man. He's 100% falling for it. Wait till the first game of the season happens. He's fucking fallen for it.

Who is their first game? Oh my gosh. He's already prepping. I just want to see you. I'm just curious. Speaking of, next one, the Spurs won't even make the play in even if they're healthy.

They are overrated. Dude, he said, I'm looking at the schedule right now. First four games, Mavs, Pelicans, Nets, Raptors? Oh, this is on four and oh.

Spurs to the ball I trust it They won't even make the plane If they're fully healthy I don't think that's crazy There's a lot of good teams They could miss the playing Like that's super possible

They could just be not good They're still super young They have a weird Guard group Their wings are young Unproven or old as fuck They're big men I like Cornette

I don't know for sure They'll be good here Like there's enough questions That this isn't crazy The only way this happens Is if their defense Or if their defense Is like complete dog shit

as well which is very like in there, then I can see this happening. It's never been good. Yeah, I could see this happening. I can see it being bad. Dude, he said Fox is overrated, inefficient, poor defender,

has terrible advanced stats. Well, he's a post superstar. Yo, he hates Fox. He's got hate in his heart. It's good. Dude, there's a, Fox has to repair his reputation.

There's a growing, there's a growing thing on like the nerds on Twitter that he's a bad contract and like he's overrated. I hate that so much. He has some reputation to repair. Yeah. Bro, this is a bonus.

This is just Is Bernard Castle going crazy? And it becomes a top three player in the league Taking another leap, averaging 29 points per game. Top three is very hard. Last week you told me he's going to be a legend after this year. He better be top three. I could see it.

I can see it. If we're thinking trajectories and continue, he's due, I don't think it's going to happen. But it's not crazy. Top three is hard. Because that means you're passing up Janus or Luca. Or both, both. Yeah, both, that's tough.

That's fucking, Wendy, you can leave it in him too. You know what? I do agree with this. And it's going to be the best playing in the world after this year. I can see 29, though. Yeah, the 29 does seem very, it's actually reasonable. Yeah, that makes sense. This is a hot take.

I love it. The Warriors maintained the level they had last year after the all start break for the whole season, winning 56 games. Steph finishes top five in MVP. okay okay and they win the championship yeah there you go so are the warriors post Jimmy about their trade legit

can they really win if they're healthy if they are healthy yes however everybody's geriatric so I don't know if they're gonna stay healthy for five or six months I do know they won't

like at some point somebody isn't get hurt and they're no chance Steve Kerr has to be smart and he has to do like a really good job of load managing some guys genuinely yeah also what if Jonathan Kamingis starts doing like

a sit-in and he just starts to protest. They're going to fire him. Yeah. Cut him? They can't happen. He's a player option. He's a team option next year.

They're going to send him home. He's salary about it. He's going to hold him down. Holds him tough. He just wanted to say that. And that's a last one. If you're still here, comment,

we're also in 10. That's why I said sitting. I know. All right. Next thing we're going to do. do. Let's talk about the theoretical NBA MVP race for this season. I want to sit down and talk about how many players can realistically win the MVP this year. Okay. So we know the names are usually on the ballot. What's the case for everybody and how many names are actually going to

have a chance? Everybody's always like, you can get in the conversation. What's the actual conversation going to look like? All right. Automatic lots for the ballot. Yolkich. Always going to be top two. Shay. Oh, probably going to be top two for the next, at least three years as long as the team's good. Janis? it feels like he's on the on the ballot yeah it feels like he's always again he's always on the he's like a mortal lock for three every year there's something in the air some divine intervention has decided that yannis will be third place in MVP for every year of his career yeah we're gonna get to february and everyone's gonna be like i don't know man yonness is having a crazy season

he's the most underrated player and so he'll be there so that's one two and three luka you would think we'll get back in the convo he's good enough that he's always in the conversation do we think the lakers are going to be good enough that he'll have an actual case over Yolkich and Shea, who probably will be both men of the standings? I don't know about... If they're the three seed, maybe. That's not a guarantee, but they could be.

They were made the three seed last year. I could only see the happening if, like, the nuggets are below which it's got to be like either the three seed and the two seed and... Yeah. But I think Luke is good enough. The team's probably good enough. He'll always be in striking this ends. I guess he probably gets a spot on

can win the MVP. Yes, he can do that. Will win it. The Lakers are going to have to be a top two seed minimum. Yeah, like he's that... You can't put him higher than three on your like predictions i think okay like you can't really expect him to be above yokech and she so that's for aunt can't so that's where the convoc is interesting can't he realistically win it like that's the next name that we can assume we'll like make the jump and like you know he's due to get into that tier at some point but we know those other three guys already there

we know yonis is going to be there he's going to have the backpack type of argument to him the timber was going to have to have a special season they better be the fucking one seed and he better average 30 like they're i don't know how you'd argue him over shay unless the okayc team falls off. Yeah. And why would that happen? I am kind of optimistic because this is this is going to be the the first offseason in a while where they aren't bringing in somebody new that they have to completely

like reintegrate. So that makes me feel like he's less likely with the MVP though because there's no real, we're hoping that these young guys step up and they can maintain where they're at. Unless you think when these young guys is going to be like an elite elite elite elite role player and helping take the next jump, I feel like this year is about reshuffling and maintaining the status quo. Terran Shannon, Jr., you are the one. You scared me.

Yeah, I feel like this issue is about maintaining, though. Like, are they going to make a jump? And that's how they low you to sleep. Ah. And now, Ant has the power of surprise, the element of surprise, on his side. And when nobody thinks that the Timberwolves are going to be at the top of the conference, nobody thinks that they're going to take that leap, boom, they take the leap. So you give an aunt, the number five spot as a realistic MVP candidate?

Yeah, he can be on the ballot. Yeah, it can be five. It can be five. No, not can be on the ballot. Can he win? Is there going to be a... He can win. If Ant comes out and the Ant averages and he has like one of those scoring seasons, if he

averages 29, 30 points a game, he can win MVP this year. It would be like Shane's last year. It would have to be best score on the best team and they're driven by him offensive. Yeah. Yeah, I can see that. Okay. That's a clear top five. Now, is there anybody we wouldn't see coming?

Because like obviously those top four guys are best players in the world and, you know, foreseen jump into that. Is there anybody else you think could jump into that top five and be one of the those guys that Preventedly is going to be there. Man. Brunson's not doing it. I don't think Brunson and DeMitch are going to be like the lead scores on the top two teams in the East, but the lead scores on the top two teams in the West are just going

to be a lot better. Yeah. And both of those teams are very, like obviously like their scoring drives a lot, but those teams are very well rounded as well. So I think Cade Cunningham, if he like reaches another level offensively with like how bear his team is and then he also drives into a top. top two they have to be no no no he has to be the one seat i think i think kate because he's like several levels below these guys so you said like if the office drives another level he better

draft another level and then a level and then we can talk about shay combos so they got to be the one seed like easily and have some like unforeseen team success that he's driving i think because unless you guys think he's taking like a top five player leap which i'm not doing that i don't i don't rule out but i don't really see that as a ceiling i don't yeah i don't think that's happening i don't i don't think kate can win it this year yeah i feel i mean i mean it's always hard to say with a young guy because you never know

but I feel like for this year I'm kind of expecting him to be around the same level he was last year I don't know what I see like a necessarily

gigantic jump coming yeah unless like just every shot just goes in and he's just like super efficient he can get better on the margins

of course but like yeah there's no clear path where you're like oh Wemby is gonna be more sort of a post score

and it's gonna add the midrange game like I don't really see that coming the only thing that I could say is like okay Jason Tatum's there out of the east someone needs to go ahead

and take that spot still just more of a player Well then Yonis would probably take that spot out of the Yonis was already there That's true Is there any world What does Wembe have to do For everyone saying he's gonna be a top five player

What would a Wemby MVP case look like? Five or six seed 35 no no You can't be higher You have to you have to You have to be a top three seat Dude this team is dog shit No I understand but like

Yokic and Shea and Luca Their numbers are also going to be Gadi and they're probably going to have Just as much if not more team success So either Wembe and the Spurs are a top three seed And Wembe is averaging like 30 12 and four or whatever with like three blocks Either that happens or they're the five seed and he's averaging like 30 and he just has one of like the stupidest seasons of all time What if while winning D.O.

And it's like yeah and it's like Russell Westbrook. That's the part you just said I'm trying to foresee the discourse what if he's DPOWI by runaway favorite again and what if he average 30 how often do we see DPOY is the average 30 and let's say five assists it's Janice adjacent even better though exactly so it's pretty much when Janus won bulls

you don't really see that in discourse very often in the course of NBA history there's been like three guys that have won DPOI and average 30 yeah if Yokic and Shea kind of like have regular seasons for their success where they're not clear runaways I wonder if there would be a mounting argument if they are let's say the five seed surprisingly competent yeah and he's literally average

30 points per game on elite efficiency and being the clear DPOI. I could kind of like see the argument budding up. Yeah. I think what could also go towards his way too, like narrative wise is again, how dog shit his team is without him on the court. Those narratives, those plus minus merchants, going to go crazy for him. Oh, yeah. And with the defense too, his backup probably Luke Cornett.

He might have a stupid plus minus. Dude's going to be historic. Yeah. Historic. Luke Cornett is his backup, which fine player, fine backup. The gap in creation and shot blocking, his plus minus is going to be. be absurd. Yeah.

And I thank you guys for giving me these talking points to when we get to this point in the season. Yeah. But it would, yeah, it would probably have to be, not even trying to be funny. It's probably going to have to be closer to like 35 in DPOI.

Just because where Yokic, Yokic is passing, he can average 28 and his passing is still going to be. Yeah. Otherworldly. She's going to average 30 in his sleep. And then we're talking about Luca, you know,

getting back to Luca form. Luca can roll out of bed and get 32-9-9-9. So he's going to have to be better than them statistically, I think. Like, it's going to have to be like 35, 12, and 6. Okay, well, now we're getting into, like, trying to, like, theoretically understand possible discourse and, like, plan arguments, like, it's a Heisman race. What if...

I just lost my train of that. I thought, dude, you have you locked in right now. I'm like, okay. I started thinking about a Heardt for a second. And I was like, oh, my husband. I completely forgot I was going to say. Honestly, I was thinking like if he genuinely has like

the greatest defense season of all time then I think the argument is it. Average five blocks the game, we'll talk. Okay, what I was going to say is do we feel like everything you said if it's him and Yokic and Yokic is also absurd for all the same reasons he always has been? Voter fatigue, we know

kind of heard him last year. I don't know if it rebounds if it's like a year off thing if like one year you have voted for teak next year you're the favorite, but if that stays a little bit, Wembe will have, like, the ultimate opposite of voter fatigue. Remember how everybody for years is like, we got to give him to Luca, he's going to be

the preseason favorite. If Wemby has the tiniest chance of winning MVP, there will be a gigantic glaze session to try to convince yourself that he should get it. Just because it'll be cool and different and unique, we've seen the same guy's winning for so long and he's the next shiny thing, they will be bending

over motherfucking backwards to make an argument for him. Yeah, like the storyline is insane. They're going to be like, yo, he was training with a Monks and KG, bro. Who are other players doing it? The monks? I don't even think about that. The narrative's going to be dumb, bro.

Hey, I might be going to glazing. That's a good argument. I'm ready. Where does that phrase come from? What, glazing? Bending over backwards. I don't know. I don't know.

Yeah, zero clue. It's been words together. When he was the monks, he was in China in front of the dynasty fiction. He was in front of Mao, I mean to say. He was in front of Mao posing the photos. I was so curious about the next word that came I was like

In front of Crazy He was taking a picture in China In front of Mao In front of the picture of Mao I was an old Chinese leader Okay So like

There's a There will be an argument For that That will be like I can just imagine I can imagine Kendrick Perkins on TV You'd be like

We've never seen a player like this No one's ever Shoulder the load I can just foresee it already. Yeah, I can see it. Is that the only one? So, like, Wemby has an outside chance. And we can say it's a fifth option.

Is there a Brunson thing if there's a onesie, like New York bias? He would also have to average 30. I think it would have to be. 30 and they got to win like 65 games. 65 is nuts. That'd be crazy. Yeah, it would have to be 30 points on like 60 wins. Yeah.

To be forced. is there a last dance Steph Curry element in here potentially that man did not win MVP I'm sorry to I don't think he can do it

keep in mind the pace they're on after they got Jimmy Butler that's a like trajectory of being a team good enough to be in convos I don't remember what the winning percentage was

but it was stupid it was like 18 and 3 yeah so obviously they can't maintain that because that would be what how many losses would that be 12 losses on the season

yeah so that'd be a 70 win season he was also averaging like 29 30 as well yeah like Jimmy we were talking about Jamie kind of like revitalizes production. It's a 70 win pace. Yeah, so what if they're on a 64 win pace?

And he's averaging 28 points for game. So yeah, if the Warriors win 70 games, Steph Curry can win MVP. For sure, dude, if they had a 70 win season to close out his prime, he would get the most automatic, just like legacy MVP I've ever seen. Yeah, yeah.

It wouldn't even be a discussion. I don't even feel bad about it either. I'd look the glaze happen. Like, he undoubtedly wouldn't be better than Yok Kitchen Shea and he would get it no matter what, just because that would be a crazy moment. Just coasting off a name. First ever,

M. Coasing off a name. They win 70 games. He's probably going to average like 26. Still. That's still don't mean. You're better than those guys. He still wouldn't be better than Yoko.

I mean, 70 wins and 70 wins. I guess in the scenario he was to some extent. But we know what's up. He wouldn't be better than those. At least Yokchch he wouldn't be better. Yeah. I don't know.

But also like the narrative point of winning more games in the Thunder. If he, let me tell you something right now. If I'm talking to him. If Steph Curry. and the Warriors win 70 games and he does like normal Steph stuff I'm taking every chain

from every player and I'm putting it directly on Steph Curry's neck understand he's snatching everybody's chain if they do that. What happened? Okay last scenario if they win 70 games Curry does what we think but okay C

went 72 and Shay has the exact same stat line as last year. Oh then she gets it voter fatigue no they already don't fuck with Shay they don't focus Sherry glaze. Keep it's against Curry. Curry's not Yolkich. I understand that but like I'm sorry like you have if you have we're in the same conference and I win more games than you I'm sorry you get it like

Shay would get it. I would argue for Steph obviously can you know no no no no I promise you the narrative is going to go going to go 100% towards Curry has less help more responsibility more impact on and off ball makes people better more it's he is the system so it's harder for him to move She's young. I understand. I'm going to make these arguments, but I'm telling you, I do think Shay would get it.

They're going to say, take Curry off the Warriors, see where his team's at versus Shay. There's still a playing team. You're giving PTSD right now. Shut the fuck out. That's what they're doing, bro. You're getting PTSD. I can see it.

It's the worst time of year. Why did I start this combo? I know. I can see it. Hearing that last year, maybe one of freaking down a bottle. That was ridiculous. The one. OK, she would still be a 50-win team.

God, that was so stupid. Yeah. While Chet was on twigs for legs. No backup one card. I'm so sure. Okay. That's the MVP combo. Nice.

Next thing we're going to do. Last thing we're going to do today. I saw a TikTok. I forgot. What was the name of the channel? The same name thing? I forgot. I feel bad.

Damn. Shout out to you. There was a TikTok where people were playing the game with athletes where we're all going to say a name of a player and we had to all hear each other's name and then try to say another name after until we converge in the same name. Yeah. So try to like, recognize patterns to see you were the other person's going to go with their next name they they gave

each other like like nine lives to try and a match up we just have spam it who cares we'll see all right yeah it's it's our first time let's just see we do it and we'll do obviously they did it with all elite athletes across sports we're going to do NBA players we have chance so we're going to say a name at the same time hopefully it doesn't sound like audio nonsense yeah and try to see we can get the same player you guys ready okay okay wait okay so we're starting now Okay, three, two, one, and then we all say the same thing. Yes. Cool.

Three, two, one. Camuso. Who did you say? I said Janice. Kevin Durant. I said Caruso. Okay, hold on, hold on. Okay.

Janice. Yonis. Kevin Durant, Carousel. I think this can be easy. This can be easy. We're going to get this right away. There's an obvious one. Three.

Whoa. No, you got to go fast. Three, two, one. Sheff. You. You. You, that's a shame. Damn it.

You. Your mother. Okay, that's a, that's on me, Coach, that's on me. But I, I think I understand that. I think, I get where you guys are coming from, though. He said, Shea, he says, Steph, okay. I think I get it. Okay.

Three, two, one. Lucas. You mother. What is no. What did you say? I said, Luca. We said Yokic. Why did you go Yolkits?

Why did you go, Luca? I remember the second best player to best player. Because I said, I said, if you guys said, shit, I thought we were talking about guards. Yeah, I get it. Okay. We got this now, though. Wait, do we got this now? Yeah, we got this.

Wait, tell us. Wait, so you guys say Yokic. Yeah. I said Luca. Yep. Are we allowed to use names? Should we not use? No.

We shouldn't reuse names. No, we did. He said Janus. No, I didn't say Janus. Okay, well, I fucked up. So now we can't say Janus. Oh, shit. No, he said Janus.

Did I say, I don't remember that. You started off with Yon. Yeah. He said, you said KD. Yeah. I said Khruso to start off. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But you guys just said Yonis.

and I said Luca and I said Luca Okay so wait time on I have to think real quick Okay I got it Two one Wendy Edwards Fuck

I thought about Anne But Wemby's a big man We're stuck with the big man Shit Okay lock in Wait wait wait There's one other name in this range One name we can go to right now

That is available It's a bit of caveat But he's there Okay Three two one Katie Tatum What'd you say

KD Damn it man What'd you say I said, Tatum, we can't reuse names. We both said Tatum. Okay, okay. If we don't get it now, we're stupid and we're never going to get it. Okay.

K.D. Tatum, it's so clear. Okay. Three, two, one. LeBron James. There we go. LeBron never let me down. Thank God. Fuck, man.

We should have got that sooner. That was kind of easy, though. Yeah, let's do one more time. Let's do one more time. Let's do one more time. Let's do a more time. Past players, it's a little harder. Past players, okay.

It's do all time. That way it's a little harder. Okay. Game number two. Three, two, one. What do you say? Scotty Piven. Kobe.

I said Hakeem. If we do not get this. You said, you said Kobe? No. Hakeem. Hakeem. Scottie Pippin, Kobe. Wait, wait, wait.

I don't know. Okay. Wait, wait, he's too confident. There's two options here. He's too. I see like eight. There's millions. Three, two, one.

Jordan. You guys said Jordan? Said Jack. Kobe Hakeem, big. Okay. I think we should be on par with us. Wait, tell you guys said Jordan.

I said Jack. Three, wait, two, one. Hold on, hold on, wait,

okay, I got it, I got it. Three, wait, you said, wait, what did you say last?

What did you say last? What did you say last? I forgot. I said, because I'm asking a question. No one's answering. I said, Shaq.

Sorry. You guys said, George, I said, Jack. Okay, we got this. We got this. I say, I don't know, we don't. Three, two, one. Carrey.

Oh, my fucking God. You said magic, what you say? Carine. Okay, magic, Bakim, Barclay. We're quite a ways away. We got to figure this out. Magic, magic, Kareem, Barclay. Okay.

Three, two, one. Tim Duncan. Oh, fuck. What did you say? Tim Duncan. Okay. Okay. Here we go.

Here we go. Okay, we're on fundamental. Three, two, one. Bill Russell. He folded. He didn't say anything. Are you dumb? I said, wait, fuck, you have to listen.

What the poor part of a way you don't understand? Fuck. Okay. Oh, my God. Three, two, one. Will. I, just say a word.

How do you fall twice? I'm gonna say fucking will. This motherfucker is dumb. God damn it, bro. You guys are idiots. Oh, my God. Where do you go from here? We said everybody.

All right, all right. All right. Where do we go from here? I don't even know because we've connected on the last two. Okay, okay, stay on the same page. We're here. There's no same page. Yes, sir.

Okay. We're scaling back a little bit. Three, two, one. Dave Rosson. What did you say? I said, what made you? You said that at what made you? What I did you say?

I said mumble in my head. In my hand, it was David Roberts. said David Robinson too I came out and did he said David Robinson David Robinson Jerry West three two one George Grevin oh shit you said George Gervin yeah okay okay I was gonna I was gonna say Tim Duncan but I think I said him already before okay you're gonna say some name I can't do that I said a name

okay he said Tim Duncan I said Janus you said George Gervyn okay three two one You said Genobley? KG. I said Yokic. Okay, okay, okay, okay. We have patterns here. We have a similarity. There's two, so.

There's, this is a Venn diagram. Just say, just, just say, three, two, one. Dirk. What did you say? Dirk. You said Dirk. Yes. I should have said Dirk.

What the fuck? Why you choose the current player? I should have said Dirk. Oh, I should have said Dirk. Okay. Okay. Dirk and Luca. Wait.

Okay. But you guys both said Dirk. Wait. I said Dirk. Stick with the pattern. Okay. I don't know if you guys are going to think to do this. Wait. I'm going to think to do it.

Three, two, one. Nasty, man. What would I do nasty man? Power forwards. We got the odd legends. I know. That's why I didn't say his name. You said Yokish?

I said Jason Kidd. Why would you say? I said Yokish. I said Yokish. Okay. Okay. Who would you say? Okay.

Okay. Okay. It doesn't matter. Wait. Okay. Okay. You said Yokish. You said Jason Kidd.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Three, two, one. C-Mash. we did it we did it this means something to me man

let's go home sell after sell we're here let's go home oh my god man Cleveland crowd eaters this is for you you got to add the vocal for I got to make sure it sounds shitty

crowd eaters this is for you what a game shout to whoever did it on TikTok first why am I blanking who did it We will find it, though. With that being said, that's the end of this episode. If you're still here, comment,

Crayon Eaters, this is for you. We did it. It's like a five-hour episode. This is insanely long. Facts. Hope you guys enjoyed. Hope you guys took three times to watch it, give us triple the views. And we'll see y'all next week.

Just play where you go to sleep. Multiple times on loop. We need it.