The Mismatch - Semi-Bold NBA Predictions, Extension Talks, and the Philadelphia 76ers

Episode Date: October 18, 2022

Verno and KOC discuss who did and didn’t get contract extensions as NBA rosters are now set for the start of the season (01:59). Then, the guys discuss KOC’s latest article on The Ringer, a profile on 76ers GM Daryl Morey (20:58). The NBA returns Tuesday, and the guys are ready to give you their semi-bold predictions for the year (38:40). You can find KOC’s article here: Daryl Morey Changed the Game, but He Still Hasn’t Beaten It Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Producer: Jessie Lopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill finally gave the ringers Philly crew a podcast. I'm Ben Solac. And I'm Shield Capadia. That's right. Just a couple of Philly guys with a new space to fire off some Eagles takes, get caught up in the Sixers, Chaos, and more. We'll be coming to you twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays, plus bonus episodes whenever we get breaking news or Philly drama. Join the fun and follow the Ringers'Phillies special now on Spotify.

Welcome to The Mismatch. I'm Chris Varnan. Join him, he does every Tuesday from The Ringer.com is Kevin O'Connor, Kevin Obama, Kevin O Concert, Kevin O Climber, Kevin O Camry, Kevin O'Corpete, Kevin O'Corposite, Kevin O'Gerno. What's going on today, man? Season begins, let's go! The NBA season is going to begin tonight. We are recording this late Monday night after the contracts have all come in before the buzzer,

which we will get to here in a moment. And then we are going to get to our 12 semi-bold predictions for the upcoming NBA season. There are many people that give you bold predictions. We have qualified ours as semi-bold. Semi-bold means it could actually happen. Could. That's how we're terming this. It could.

A lot of people do like bold predictions, and they're like, I don't know. Sabonis is going to lead the league in scoring. Like, no, he's not. Like, come on. That's not happening. It's like one in a billion. Okay. That's fan fiction.

We're doing realistic predictions. Simi-bold. Simi-bold. Simi-bold. All right. Here's some of the contracts that have gotten in under the buzzer. DeAndre Hunter, four years, $95 million with the Atlanta Hawks.

We had just talked about. DeAndre Hunter and are they going to keep those young guys together? Is DeAndre Hunter one of those guys that's going to play it out and then be a huge money guy and restricted free agency next off season? Atlanta has locked him up and what I keep on thinking when I'm seeing all of these and this was true of Jordan Poole. This was true of Andrew Wiggins. And it varies depending upon the player. but very few of these, especially knowing what's going to happen with the cap in the very near future, very few of these have I been aghast at what took place.

And I find myself over and over again saying, man, that's going to look like a really good deal. When we get to the point that some of these best players are making $70 million a year, it's going to look like a really good deal when you can have, starting five level players, eight-man rotation level players, making, you know, somewhere around 20. Like the scale has changed dramatically. And I do think that if you can lock a guy in, I'm a Hunter fan, actually. And so, you know, while we're not going to talk extensively too much about downtraintra. Hunter, it's kind of the theme is I think that people are probably looking at these contracts immediately going, ooh, like $20 million for DeAndre Hunter or whatever else,

but what we got to understand is $20 million is going to look like chicken change very, very soon. It still feels like a lot of money on the surface in terms of, wow, almost $100 million for DeAndre Hunter, who averaged 13 points per game last year and is a very, very good defender, but not like the best defender in the league. It feels like a lot, but you're 100% correct, Chris. The way the salary cap is going up and the way it could even further explode with the new TV deal, these contracts could end up looking pretty insignificant. It is amazing the way how this number has gone up, though.

I have, look, I tried to give somebody a million dollar idea last year. And as far as I know, no one has taken advantage of it where I said, somebody come up with the cops where it is, here's where it is, here's, what this salary was in this year. Here's what that means in this year in terms of percentage of cap and then what this projects to look like. So if DeAndre honor is this what you would have thought a $10 million player was or a $12 million player was, is actually now a $20 million player on and on and on. And then we'll be able to gauge. But I mean, somebody's got to put that together, really. And if it's happened, and I'm unaware of it, that by all means let me know. But in terms of comparing

the same way, you know, the same way people do with like, yeah, well, if gone in the wind came out right now, it'd be the highest grossing movie of all time. But instead, it's like Avatar or whatever. That's what I want. That's what I want. I want to know how this compares, because what I'm consistently hearing, I view it as knowing what the biggest players are getting paid. And so I kind of judge it off of that. And look, if I tell you,

Russell Westbrook's going to make over $40 million, now you're not as a gas that Di Andre Hunter make a 20. What guys make now? You know what I mean? In many cases, there's going to be guys making $50, $60, $70 million. Very, very soon. I mean, we're almost there. Almost there.

We're almost there. We are almost there. A couple of years from now, guys will be making over 50. Katie, Steph, Yokic, MB, deal. Who's going to make the most money? Who's going to make the most money in the late this year? Like on the, oh, this season? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Who's the highest pay player in the NBA? I believe it's Steph. I think it's Steph, then Russ, and then LeBron, I believe, is the top three this season. Oh, wow. Yeah. And Step will make over, will he make 50? I think it's almost true. $48, $48 million, $49 million?

Woof. Yeah, that's amazing, huh? Yeah, there were no rookie extensions for Cam Johnson. Unsurprising with Phoenix. Yeah. Go ahead and upset another guy. Isn't it kind of strange there? I mean, you got Jay Crowder sitting out.

Of course, it's strange. And then you start Cam Johnson, but you're not paying him. Strange with DeAndre 8 and 2. Like, they just, the way they conduct business has been, strange. PJ Washington, no extension in Charlotte, a guy that,

man, is it cooled off? We really liked him after his rookie year. Still solid player, but it's cooled off. Grant Williams also will head towards restricted free agency. Surprised on any of those, I guess Cam. No, not really.

Matisse Fibel, Cam Reddish. No, no surprises, really. Yeah, and Nasir Little got one. He got a four-year $28 million deal. We didn't talk about Jordan Poole last week, did we? We did not. So we didn't talk about Poole and Wiggins, both for his signing. No.

What does that mean for Dremont or for Clay Thompson? It means, it means, I don't think it's a great omen for Dremont. I don't think it. Why is it not a great omer for Dremont? What if it actually means more for Claimon? Clay. Draymond is so much harder to replace than Clay Thompson. I think that may be true, but Clay Thompson didn't punch anybody in the face. Yeah, you're right. Number one. That's the simple reason. Yes, number one. And number two, I think that Clay Thompson strikes me as a guy

who would be more likely to sign a low deal. I agree. I agree. You know, that when it comes extension time, that he is probably more likely to sign a, you know, for a reasonable amount than Dremont, who frankly has already given us hints that he's offended by the way it's gone,

already. So the idea that he would, just for the greater good, get paid less, I think it would bother him more to not be, to feel like he wasn't being rewarded for what he has meant to that organization, more so than Clay, who by the way, just missed two years. But more importantly, the reason it would mean more is because he punched somebody in the face. And also, one thing is, No, nay, I believe it was Bobby Marks, among other cat people, put out like $500 plus million for the Warriors if Draymond were to opt in at this point. It's also possible Lakey just pays that up for one year,

and then they make the decision between Clay and Draymond after next season. This is far away, but it is worth thinking about considering goals they just sign these guys, pool and Wiggins. I'm a little surprised they signed Wiggins right now, but that does indicate that there could be further big changes on the horizon. This could be their last stance. That very well could be. Maybe it's even mid-season a deal could end up being made to cut costs and go younger.

But we'll end up seeing what happens, but it's worth monitoring over the course of here, especially given Draymond just punched one of those guys to sign a big deal smack in the face. The other one that really surprised me was the Kevin Porter Jr. deal because that's one of those, immediately it comes out and you're like, hold on, what? No. And then the details come out. It's like, okay, now this makes a little more sense. It is reported in this huge deal way, which is four years, $82 million for Kevin Porter. And then Sham Shirani backed it up with Kevin Porter's four-year extension is only guaranteed $15 billion in year one. The contract includes June trigger dates after first season, but the Rockets can essentially release Porter at any point

without further paying up to the $82.5 million. So that is not, I mean, if you reported it as Kevin Porter was signed to a one-year, $15 million deal, and if he doesn't screw it up, he has a chance, that's basically what it is. He's on a series of one-year deals. It's a huge difference than four years, 82 and a half guaranteed. Which would be insanity. Yeah. But this deal makes some sense for both sides.

I mean, there's incentive every year. Keep your head on straight. Do things right. You're going to have generational wealth. That's right. That's right. It's right there in front of you. It's not if you do this.

You know, there was... I have no problem with them incentivizing him. When it first got reported, though, I was just, oh my gosh, I cannot believe this. I mean, he walked out last year, literally walked away, walked out. I mean, there were like several times. And Kevin has just had the absolute damnedest time, you know. See, the kid is so talented and has just not been able to stay out of his own way. And I hope that the Kevin Porter Jr. story turns into a good one.

Me too. I'm rooting for him. You want the best for him. He certainly got it all in full. front of him. So hopefully that this, more than anything, will incentivize him to get his act together. You hope for him, like with Houston,

you know, you got Jalen Green, Tari-Eason, Alperin, Shengoon, Jabari Smith. You hope winning creates, you know, winning more, at least. They're still young and they're going to lose a lot, but you would hope that culture starts to build around him and helps keep him, you know, pretty

level and so we can earn that money. Another one that was announced since we last spoke was Brandon Clark, four years, $52 million with the Grizzlies. I'm not kidding you, Kevin. I mean, you know, I cover this team. I thought it was a misprint. I was like, there's no way. There's no way.

I mean, he had a great series against Minnesota in the playoffs. Not as useful in the Golden State series, but he is absolutely a dynamite, rotation player to have. And when you're thinking about the way salaries are going to be going up, 11 blocking him in to that contract, I think that this is, I think this is what you're seeing with these teams that has become so advantageous that with what Memphis has done

in building their roster, a lot of it in the same way, Milwaukee, you know, did it with theirs. They have been the better factor of guys. Guys are willing to take less than market value because they're happy. That's the truth. Because the money is so significant. Yeah, the money is significant, but they're happy where they are.

They could make more money. They're not making the choices to go make more money, right? So. Like even with him, though, it's like maybe it would be you make $18 million. Maybe. I don't think he'd be a 20 plus million dollar guy. Maybe you make 17, 18. But instead he's signing for the Wendell Carter, Christian Wood Range contracts, and good for him.

He's a good player. The same thing goes, look, this is what happens when you're a good team. This is how the San Antonio Spurs were able to survive for so long. You could get a different role, maybe a bigger role, or more money elsewhere. But if you're happy doing what you're doing, right, then Jordan Poole, you get him on, he probably could have gotten more on an open market. Somebody might have paid him more than that, possible.

Somebody might have paid Wiggins more, probably certainly, more. Like you're getting the guys, you end up getting them at a much more reasonable rate because you're winning and they're happy and you've got a good environment going on. And so you're routinely seeing these teams be able to keep their guys together. Bobby Portis could have absolutely made more money. You know, I'd be surprised. And then it helps you get guys too. I'd be surprised if, like, say, Dante DiVicenzo,

if that was the best deal that he got from anybody, you know. But once you create something that is an environment where people want to be, then I do think that what you're seeing is a lot of these teams advantageously getting guys at less than market value simply because they like their job. And that DiVincenzo example is a good one because he signs with Golden State 4.5 million. I just looked it up this season with a player option for next year. So he's going to a team that has championship hopes that could restore his value and increase his value after his injury riddled year.

So for him, it's an opportunity in a great situation, a place to win. And then next year, maybe he's getting a 15 or 20 plus million dollar deal if he totally shreds this year for them. Absolutely. And I do think that you're going to look up in four years and having Brandon Clark for 11, 12, whatever, $12, $13 million is going to be. Gosh, good value. In absolute steel. Yeah. Right?

So yeah, there have been, but most of these deals, most these deals I think have been pretty good. You know what I mean? And I think that obviously maybe the ones that wouldn't have been good probably just didn't get signed. And that's why you're seeing guys going into restricted free agency. No real shockers. Cam Johnson is really the only one, I think so.

It's only surprising because of the way the Crowder thing is played out. Yeah, but that's the only reason. I mean, and it's only surprising for that reason. The Sun's their history. It's, you know, totally as expected. And also with Emily, you do want to see him continue to build. And maybe if you're Cam Johnson, you want to see what you can do and you're starting opportunity and bet on yourself too.

I can see it both ways. Yeah, right. He might have gotten off for a $70 million contract. Yeah, it might have been totally accessible. Yeah. Yeah. I want to be, look, I just saw what Duncan Robinson got. I want Duncan Robinson money.

You know what I'm saying? A year ago. It's not a terrible comp, honestly. No. Right? If you're Camp Johnson, you're going, all right, I want, I'm willing to play it out

because I think I'm going to be able to get big money. I mean, there's a, like he averages 25, 26 minutes last year. If you replicate what you did at that minute total, primarily coming off the bench, and you get better playing 30 plus minutes in the start, starting lineup, still contributing to winning, still shooting the hell out of the ball, surviving on defense, making the right play. You enter a different stratosphere with the money that you can make.

So I view it as really a bet on Cam Johnson and the son saying, prove it to us before we hand you that money. So I get it here more so than the Aiton situation last year. Especially coming off the findings. Because it's more both sides. Yeah. Well, and honestly, what do you think? you knew D'Andre Aiton was going to get a huge offer. That's the problem.

100%. With the Aitin thing, that's what would irritate me if I'm taking up for Aitin on this. Why did I have to go get offered this by somebody else? Why aren't you just willing to pay? I mean, we've talked about it. He needs constant pushing and motivation from C.P. and Booker. I think part of it is on the Sun saying, can we trust you to continue excelling at a high level

and now you're not talking to Monty Williams. Yeah. So, I mean, I think for them, that's the one concern if you're the sons. Like you have eight and it was already unhappy for all the reasons, whether they're reasonable or not. And I think they are reasonable from his perspective.

You got him unhappy, not talking to the coach, Cam Johnson with a contract year, David Booker posting LeBron memes on Instagram. Chris Paul getting up there in age after some more playoff disappointments. There's a lot that could go wrong with Phoenix right now. Fair enough.

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Stop. In New York, call 1-8778. Hope, New York. And Tennessee, call redline. 1-800-8-9-9-9-7-8-8-9. In Wyoming, call 1-800-2-4-70. In West Virginia, I visit 1800dambler.net. Do you want to talk about your Mori article now,

or do you want to wait until after our semi-bold predictions? Depends how quick are we going to be on Mori? I feel like you're going to mention the Sixers. in your semi-bold predictions. Am I right on that? I'm going to guess that there's... I don't have them on the... Wow.

Well, we've talked about them a lot. I mean, I have a lot else to say. Fair enough. The game, gotta let the games begin. Let's talk about it now because this is, I think, it's got to be in the running for the longest article you've written for the ringer. There's no way.

I think it is the longest. It's like 5,200 words or something. Oh, it took me. forever. Yeah, it's a book. It's a pitch for a book essentially. You goof on me being old, but I got to tell you, I read at a very young person's rate. It takes me a long time to read. Oh, like young as in like second grade. Yes, yes. Yes. I read at a snail's pace. You must have been reading this for an hour on the toilet or something. Oh, it took me forever. It just took me forever.

I loved the stories in there. So explain to everybody why right before the season, like you had gone there during their media day up in Philly. You'd obviously talk to a lot of people connected with Daryl, and we're going to write an article kind of profiling him and kind of, not only him, but where he is now in the NBA landscape, not only what he has affected in the NBA landscape during his time in the league,

but also kind of getting to this point with this Sixers team with another quest to win an NBA title. Why someone who clearly has gotten a lot of attention, I think people know more about Darrell or certainly have, heard him talk more. He has been much more vocal and much more out there and present than many other general managers in the league. And yet, I got to give you credit, tons of anecdotes,

stories, things I did not know about his life. And I know him personally. But there's a lot of stuff in there I didn't know about him or the trek to hear. So for whatever reason, you decided You wanted to fill in some gaps on this? Why, why Daryl as the one you wanted to do right before this season? I mean, I think it was, you know,

why Daryl was because of the Sixers and just the intriguing story that they are. Like, Daryl has come close. Embed's come close. Hardin's come close. You have this, you know, arguable favorite in the East, led by Mori and kind of combining what he's done in Houston for years

with the analytics-driven team-building philosophy. And with Embed, who takes the old with the new and puts it all together to be an MVP candidate. I mean, like, the Sixers as a whole are intriguing team to me. And so, like, we just wanted to write it through the lens of Daryl Morey and, like, what's made him who he is with some anecdotes, some good, some bad, some that people have laughed at, some that people have been angered by saying, you know, rich guy, you know, tactics, some of the stuff in there with him, you know, with the car stories.

You know, some of them are fun. So I think it's a story that, you know, I think it's the best thing I've written. reported on because it I think it does a good job of detailing the complexities of a person like what makes them human and I hope people read it with a and come away with a greater understanding of what makes more he is why he is the way he is and whether whether you like it more more or less after reading it that's that's not the point it's about painting a picture of who he is as a person and what the sixers are and what they can be you know I've been critical of him I've not always agreed with moves that he has made, but I've been around him several times, personally.

He's always been very good to me. And I like the guy. Like, I think anybody that's been around him, like him, he's not, like him or not. If he comes off as a jerk to some people in the article, I would, I would tell people like, he's not a jerk. He's not. I know a lot of jerks. the guy's not a jerk. He is very, uh, I don't know what the word I want to use is. He's a nerdy dude,

which he knows he's a nerdy dude. He knows. But I mean, like a lot, he's also like, I don't think that he does things because he thinks he's better than everyone or that he's above everyone. I think he's got this weird

nerdy slash aloofness right like this lack of caring about things which actually resonates with me which which was I think told in some of the car driving stories at the beginning yeah he's late to he's late to stuff and it's like he's not he's it's like a mad scientist yeah you know what I'm saying more than it is like you know where like I don't where the office is is His car's probably a mess. His office is probably a mess. I mean, there's stuff that it makes the stories about him leaving food around after meetings and stuff like that. It's like little things like that.

His outfit might be a mess. He might be doing this. He might be doing that. But I don't think he's intentionally doing this. I think he's one of these guys that's like, you know, like I can say, like a mad scientist. That's how he strikes me. He's always struck me as that. Right?

Like, it ain't, it ain't plan. And the reason he's like not, it doesn't care if you boot his car and put tickets on it is, it's not because he's a rich guy that thinks it above it. It's because he doesn't want to deal with it. And because something else matters to him more. And I relate to that greatly. There are so many things, you know, where. if you got attention deficit, you know, and I do, there's a lot of things that you intend on doing that you don't do and you just don't deal with it until you have to deal with it.

And so I relate to a lot of those things that he's doing in there. And I think it can come off like he's pompous or arrogant and that's why he's doing it. And I think what people need to understand is you're not doing it. And I'm not diagnosing him. But I'm saying you're not doing it because he's, you're not doing it because he's, you're not doing it because you're probably and arrogant. It's because you don't

deal with things until you have to deal with things. I mean, what you're saying, Chris, I didn't put this anecdote in there. There was a lot

we had to cut because, like you said, it was long as it's, there's so much good stuff that didn't get into the story. We could do a whole B-sides. And one of the things that you're touching on there

is, like, with him, a lot of the time, I lute this, it can be fun in the front office, watching YouTube videos after meetings and joking around,

going through these, you know, long exercises ranking the top 100 players that are currently free agents for a roster spot that you don't have. Some things that certain people might consider a waste of time. Other front offices might not invest the time in doing it. It keeps it loose for him. However, the flip side of that, again, this is the part that didn't make the story quite as much, is that when it comes close to trade deadline time, he doesn't have a tolerance for those shenanigans. Like, he will yell at people in the front office and, like, tell them, like, it's time to focus. It's time to lock in.

We've got to get our stuff done now. And that hits exactly the point that you just made about him and the way he's wired, where it's like until things have to be done, you're on deadline. You're literally at the trade deadline. It's literally near draft night. That's when it's time to lock in, be serious. No more YouTube videos. No more fake phony trade proposals.

Let's focus on the things that actually have a high probability of happening. And that's why I think, you know, I mean, there's like, you know this, Chris. There's so many puff pieces in sports media. And like favors written for agents and sources. It's everywhere. And I think with this one, the reason why I'm happy about it is because I feel like, you know, whether it was the good qualities, the stuff that makes him great, or whether it's some of the flaws that he has, it all feeds into who he is as a team builder

and why he is the way he is. And that's why I come away with it feeling like I think it's the best thing I've written for the ringer. and I'm very happy and hopefully you can get better from it personally. But I think for Mori, like from people that I talk to

for the story, like they said, yeah, you kind of summed up who he is for better or for worse. So that makes me feel good. Okay. This is always an interesting one.

Did he reach out to you since the story has been written? I mean, I sent him a message saying, thanks for taking the time, hope you enjoy it. And then he did respond to that, yeah. Was he upset about anything that anybody said?

Did not indicate anything that he was angry about it. While we had one of our other phone calls closer, last week when we talked, I shared one of the stories and he just burst out laughing. And he's like, you really got the stories. So he first out laughing at one of them. I think it was the Lexus one, if I remember correctly, that he laughed at, where it's like, wow, you heard that one? I heard that one from multiple people.

The other thing I want to ask you is I will tell you that the one time when I was reading your articles, because I don't want to spoil it, I think everybody should go read this. Hell, if I read a 5,000 word article, you have to too. I ain't spoiling the whole thing. But I will say this. There was a note in there or a fact that was in that article that I had never. heard before and was stunned by. You want to take a guess at it? It's not about him or Northwestern.

Rocket's GM search? Yes. Yeah. That surprised me too. Yeah, that they like Jay Billis. They offered him a contract. That surprised me too. I did not know that.

I have never heard that Jay Billis was offered to be the GM of the Rockets. Yeah. Who told you that? We told me? multiple people. Sources say. That's a real thing? Yeah, it's a real thing.

Did you go and try to like, did that effort get reported anywhere? So here, I just never heard that. So here, I heard it through the conversations that I was having. And then I did a Google search. Like, has this ever been written about?

Apparently he said it on a podcast a couple years ago. Really? And he said out, you know, there was a contract office. and we didn't we didn't match like there wasn't a match i didn't put this in the story i've heard the rockets really lowballed and that's why there was not an agreement that they really were lowballing but this is when carol dawson left was what had one year left before so it was like that one

year leslie alexander who was the then owner of the rocket offered j billis to be the GM of the Rockets and it didn't come to terms and then it ends up going to Darrell. Yeah, it sounds like they went through a large number of candidates. They call Billy Bean from the Oakland Athletics and nothing ever happens. They call others, nothing happens. They wanted a big name, a big splash. And at the time, Darryl Morey was talking to their headhunter with the Houston Rockets looking for their next guy to replace Carol Dawson.

And eventually, Leslie Alexander was like, I want to meet Darry. And at that point, there was an indication that maybe this young Celtics executive who works half business side, half basketball upside, might have a chance. Darrell gets on the plane thinking like maybe there's a chance that they make an offer and then they do. And the rest is history, runs the rockets for the next decade plus. And, you know, it goes from an unknown to having the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, which is, you know, we didn't get into that a lot during the article. I mean, that's a whole other thing with what that's done for like analytics and, you know, his own brand for that matter, too. It's really helped him out having that. But, um, for sure.

Great article. Everybody go check it out. You've been to Sloan, Chris? I have not. Should go. Should go this year. Not smart enough. Not smart enough?

You don't have to be too smart. I go there. No. I was going to go a couple years ago. Uh, I guess the year before COVID. it. Was that 19? 19.

Yeah, that was the year I was thinking about the one. I think that's the last one I went to. I didn't go in 20 and I didn't go in 21. And I don't think I went this year. Maybe I'm forgetting. I don't know.

It came too big after that. It's huge now. It's too big now. It's almost too big. It's too big. It was just kind of like a bunch of nerds the first time around, right? It's a madhouse.

There's so many people there. It's like really, it's a, they get big speakers too. I just got something. I just got the email. I'm on there email stuff. Michael Lewis. Oh, for this coming here.

Yeah, Michael Lewis going to be there for Moneyball, a couple other dudes. You ever met him? No, I never met him. I mean, he wrote the definitive Darryl Morey profile, what, 10 years ago, five, 10 years ago? He's a super cool dude. I've been around. I've met Michael before. You know what was crazy?

is Michael Lewis a night I met him he's actually at a Memphis game this years and years ago he wrote he was right in the blind side he wrote the blind side which is about a Memphis kid Michael Orr who went to Ole Miss

his call it his the family that took in Michael Orr the Tewes Sean Tewy who used to be a grizzlies broadcaster and was an old Miss star he was childhood big buddies growing up playing baseball with Michael Lewis.

That's how they knew about that story in the first place. Michael was a journalist at the time. Obviously, the blind side sent him into a different stratosphere as an author. But you know who his wife is? This may age us because I don't know. Did you grow up watching MTV? So I grew up watching. I mean, I had it on.

But you had it on for the music video era. Oh, I grew up watching MTV, man. VJs. One of the VJs when I was growing up was, Tabitha Soren. I don't know that, ma'am. All right, Tabithasorah. She was one of the biggest VJs, video DJs on MTV when I was a kid.

That's his wife. And I'm like, I can't believe you're married to Tabitha Soren. That's crazy. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. It felt to me. And of course, now Michael Lewis is a huge deal. Big Star, wrote Blindside Moneyball, everything else under the big short. He's become like a famous.

author, right? But at that time... Anytime your books are getting adapted into movies or TV shows. That's right. Yeah. So when I was a kid, there used to be this television commercial that was on. It's like, you'd probably find it on YouTube. I think it was a Bud Light or it was one of those beers.

And Tim McGraw, country artist. He walks into a bar, right? And like, Faith Hill is on the TV screen. And everybody's got kind of... watching the bars. You can imagine Faith Hill, right? And they're like talking. And I'm paraphrasing how this commercial goes. But basically, he's like, yeah, that's, that's my wife. And the bartender's like, hey, everybody, this Faith Hill's husband. This Faith Hill's husband, you know what I mean? And then they're like, and then the lady's like, well, what do you do, honey? And he's like, well,

I sing also. And she's like, well, bless your heart, you know. Like that guy that's exactly how I felt when I met Michael Lewis where I'm like, you Tabitha Sooran's husband. It's so awesome. And now Michael Lewis is a big deal. And he's headlining Sloan. Was she one of your childhood crushes? Faith Hill? No, no, no, Tabitha Soren.

The MTV girl. Oh, I love Tabitha Soren. And everybody did. Come on. Anybody that grew up in the MTV generation, court. You know what I mean? And they were cool to you. They were cool.

That was cool. You know, I liked all of them. Kurt Loder, the guy from Headbanger's ball, the guy's, you know, Dr. Dre and Ed Lover on your MTV Raps. These were all like the guys I grew up with, or girls, for that matter.

I wish MTV was still cool. Me too. Semi-bolded predictions for the upcoming NBA season. Semi-Bold. I love it, Chris. I'm nervous about this. You want to start us off? I'm just nervous about it because I started to write down semi-bold predictions for the upcoming season.

And I feel like they're too negative. Really? Yeah. I'm going to kick some of these out and switch them up with some positive things. Or we could do like a quick hitters at the end. It's just a little too negative. All right, let me see. How many do you have listed out right now?

Now, how many do you have down, like options to say? No, no, I'm going to go. I've got enough. I've switched them out. I've switched them out to where I've got enough positive. We've got to hear some of these negative ones, though. Well, I mean, I'm going to include it. Okay.

I'm going to include the best ones. All right, start us off. Oh, because you know, look, this is why. I'm sitting there going, all right, how many these fan base is going to be on my ass? Well, I'm going to have some on me, too. All year. going to be on my ass. I'm definitely

going to have some on mine with these. All right. I'll start. That way it'll take a little gas off you, too. Oh, that's okay. Oh, you're going to love this one. Ready for my first semi-bold prediction? I'm ready, Chris.

The Timberwolves are going to win less games than they won last year. Sold out, Hold out for Rudy Gobert, screwed up one of the best advantages in the league that they had, which is that your big five had to run out to the three-point line to guard their center, that you couldn't guard him with a power forward. He don't want to be down in the paint. That's not where he wants to be anyway.

And so now you're just going to let him go be Sam Perkins. Because now the advantage has been that he's pulling this big guy all the way away from the basket. That's been a huge advantage for the Timberwolves. I think it's devastating to have talents as your center. Really? I saw it in the playoffs. And now you've rendered that not nearly as big a deal. Not to mention the depth.

Those guys meant a lot to that team. Pat Beav, the Vanderbilt, the League Beasley. I mean, you're losing real rotation players. Real rotation players. I love Ant. I think Ant's going to take a leap. But I don't think it's necessarily the best fit. And I think that when you have towns as your center,

that the spacing that that creates for people, And also what it does to a team because now you're going to allow your power forward to go out there and guard him. You're going to let your power forward go out there and guard it. And I think that Kim constantly being farther away from the basket and that him not then pulling a big guy away from the basket. because so many of these fours are equipped to play outside the three point line two, I think it's actually going to hurt them basketball-wise because of who their best players are. And, you know, I do think that they're going to get a leap out of Edwards. I've never been in love with Russell.

And I think that they sold out for this huge move, and they won 46 last year, and I don't think they're going to win that many this year. that's semi-bold. Get you some of that, O'Connor. You know what I have listed? Yep. The T-wolves win 60 games. No, I have this listed.

When the Timberwolves go through a rough stretch, ESPN will be calling for Carl Anthony Towns to be traded. Ooh. Is that on your list? Yeah, that's on my list. because it's inevitable they're going to have a rough stretch. So it's not go bare you're going to be trading. Delo doesn't get you enough.

You're not trading ants. So at some point this season, if the Timberwolves don't win as many games as they did last year, who's the player that people are going to be saying that they need to trade or should trade or should ask for a trade, whatever the case may be. It's going to be Carl Anthony Towns if that ends up happening. With that said, though, Chris, there's some good things we saw from them in the preseason

there's some bad things we saw from them in the preseason the number one thing that they're going to have to solve this year on the offensive end of the floor to your point about Kat being the five is when in the 20-ish minutes that they played with Kat and Gobert on the floor together Brooklyn was switching screens smaller guys onto Gobert

no surprise and when Gobert was burying those guys on the switch underneath the rim he was still not receiving the ball like we saw the Utah Jazz do for years. Will Minnesota figure out ways to account for those switching defenses? Will they feed Rudy Gober? How will he produce in those situations in which he's sealing a defender off underneath the basket?

That's going to determine what level they can reach offensively because if he can, in any way, prevent teams from switching those pick and rolls to create some other type of advantage from Minnesota, it'll be a great benefit for them. Do we at least agree their defense should be better? Of course. The defense should be better, but you're thinking of the offense will be much worse than it was when it was top ten last year. Correct. So defense better, offense worse, team overall worse.

Yeah, and you know they oscillated last year. You remember? Oh, up and down, up and down all the time. They went from the best offense to the worst offense to the best defense to the best defense. Yeah, they just dependent upon. Yes. And so, you know, I was never really sure of, and I like that five-out offense. I think it's, I think Towns is the perfect five right now.

Here's the thing, though, Chris, they can still go to that. They can still stagger, they can still staggered cat. They can, but they don't have nearly as much depth anymore. In terms of the guys that play for you. I like having role players that just keep the ball popping around. They got Kyle Anderson. I know. Bryn Forbes.

They're going to be that slow. Yeah. I don't want them to be that slow if you got Ant. Yeah, not a slow guy, Chris. No, I'm saying like they're going to be a slow team. They're going to be a half-court basketball team, which I don't think is the best thing for Davis and Town. I don't think those are, I don't think those guys are best suited to be half-core basketball players.

But that is what you're going to be. you're going to be we run a play you run a play team um all right go with your next one or was that your first one that was your first one no i mean so we kind of align i mean that i have more than six listed oh for goodness sakes that by all means kevin o'connor give me your first semi-bold prediction now look i want to make clear to everybody we're not saying these things are going to happen yeah we're saying it's possible

yeah go ahead you want a positive one or a or negative one. You choose. Dealers' choice here, Chris. Let's be positive. We just went negative. And I'm about to be negative again, so go ahead.

We need to even these up. All right. The rookie of the year will be Benedict Matherin of the Indiana Pacers. Oh, wow. I'm changing my pick from Paulo. I still think Paulo's going to have an unbelievable. year. But I'm thinking about this in the context of

usage, how many touches he's going to get, his preseason performance, average 20 plus points, getting to the rim at will, didn't even shoot the ball well, even though he is a good shooter and he will this year. Pollo and other rookies are still going to put up big numbers. But I think voters, like we talked about in the context of Gene and Ivy, voters love guards. They love guards.

No. But they hate losing. They hate losing. If you. What if he's averaging 18, 19 points with four assists? Barnes didn't have the best numbers. He didn't have the gaudiest numbers. Right?

He was part of winning. He was part of winning last year. How much of the other magic? Well, there's the thing, though. The magic will win more games than the Pacers they should. Maybe. The Pacers are going to suck. Yeah, but how much more?

or are the magic going to win? Are they going to be a playoff team? Like the Raptors? Probably double. How many games are the Pacers are going to win seriously? They're going to be terrible. Yeah, they're going to be bad. Rick Carlisle is going to be even balder by the end of the year.

Yeah, they're going to be terrible. I'm not even sure they want to be anything but terrible, right? And then they'll move off a heel, they'll move off a Turner. Yeah, they're going to be bad. They're going to be bad. It's going to be like what you. Jalen Green was doing, which is just a bunch of 20-point games and

that no one watched. And nobody's going to see it. That's what you're thinking. Yeah, and he lost by 18. Yeah. Oh, yeah. He'll kind of be like the fun thing that media guys and like NBA nerds talk about. Like, oh, look what Matherd's doing over there, right? But like, I mean, nobody's again. But what are the magic going to get over 30 wins?

I don't know. They could. They could. I agree. they could. It could. I mean, a lot of it's going to depend on Bamba.

You know it. You know it. You know it. They said songs is coming back, so that's good. Yeah, I hope he's good.

Well, they need a, but they need someone to just run that off. I love this rookie class. They got talent. I mean, that's the real point here.

Even if Mathur doesn't win rookie of the year, I think he'll get some votes at like top five, top three. All right, I lied to you then. I'm going to be positive

because this ties into, All right, go ahead. I don't know. I just think Mathron's preseason, incredibly encouraging for what he can become even early in his year. I'll give you another guy who's preseason is very encouraging.

Summer League was crazy encouraging, and it ties in. So I will be positive. There's maybe a guy on this team that I'm about to mention. He could have a chance. A great chance. That is Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings.

Oh, yes. Ready made. He's going to play a lot of minutes. And my semi-bold prediction, in the same year that the Seattle Mariners just broke their street, well, I guess it'll be a year later. The Kings are going to break their playoff draft. Let's go.

I have a Kings one as well. Then when it's all said and done, I'm not telling you how they're going to get there, but that by the time it's all said and done, whether it's because of injuries to other teams or whatever, They'll get to the play-in, they'll win in the play-in, and they'll be one of the eight that are playing in the NBA playoffs in the Western Conference, and they break that streak. They've got the requisite talent to be able to do it. And I think that much like Phoenix, where they had disastrous, dismal mismanagement for years and years and years, it was overcome by just getting a solid-ass head coach.

real talent, and they have a solid-ass head coach, real talent. And I'm not saying that they're going to do the spectacular, but I am telling you they'll be in the playoffs this year, Sacramento Kings. Let's go, baby. On my list, I have, I have a, I'm not sure if this is more bold or less bold. I have, the Kings will have a top 10 offensive rating for the first time since the 0,4, 05 season. I mean, look, it's not that crazy.

You never know the way this stuff's going to play out. New Orleans last year won 36 games. They were in the playoffs. Yeah. It can happen. The plan does that for you. Yeah, and you just need some teams to not be as good as you thought they were going to be. Their motion offense looked really good in preseason.

Very crisp. I just think they got good players. So many different guys who can bring the ball up. They have to bonus, you know, get rabbit defensive rebound, jumpstart the offensive possession. Fox can do it. They have so many, Keegan Murray can do it.

They have so many guys and so many different ways that can run offense through Subonis. I was impressed by their offense. And Hurtur, Hurtur, and Monk. Barnes.

Yeah, I mean, they got they got enough good players. Yeah. They do. Like, even what they bring off the bench, they got a lot of good basketball players on that team. Guys that I would trade for

or I would want on my team. Davion, we may not mention him yet. Yeah, and they've got a real coach. Mike Brown is a real basketball coach who I think they respect and I think we'll get them, you know,

committed to playing good basketball. That they're not going to be at a disadvantage because of Bozo sideline stuff. And they've been at a disadvantage because of Bozo sideline stuff for some time. So there you go. That was positive. Look at me.

I'm Mr. Positive. You're such a nice guy. All right. Next one. The Blazers will choose to trade Damian Lillard. When we talked about him last week, Chris, I talked about how the Chauncey Billups defensive scheme makes no sense with their aggression. Nerkich with its lead feet, their offense.

There's limitations there with the way they play. And I also mentioned the Damien Lillard, Anthony Simon's back court, too small, too tiny. even worse than the name C.J. backcourt. I fail to see how less than a year ago, Mike Schmitz, when he was still with ESPN, goes on TV and says, Victor Wenbenyama is the greatest prospect I have ever scouted.

I've had, even through the course of reporting the story that will publish today on the ringer, had people say to me, Webbenyama's the best prospect that they've ever scouted, that they believe he's the greatest prospect ever, period, end of story. I fail to see how the Blazers are going to hang on to early to mid-30s, Damien Lillard, who's going to make 60 plus million dollars when he's nearing 40, when they could just trade him, get a whole host of draft picks,

still have a lot of young talent on your roster, and the chance to add a player Mike Schmitz, who's in their front office, and works with Jonathan Cavoni, who compared him to Kevin Durancross with Rudy Gober. I just don't see how the Blazers are going to stay. stick with being average when the alternative is the chance to have a new face of the franchise and possibly the face of the entire NBA and just jumpstart their rebuild.

I'm with you. They've already done right by him. They've already made him whole. They did. No, they made him whole. They gave him the maximum extension for an amazing player. So he's set. That's off the table. There's no concern with that. You've made him whole and now, you know, what's up going?

Unless you start out 20 and 2. You know what? Of course. And you're, when it's clear after the first 30 games that you're, you know, going to be fighting in the play-in, you're making a decision. Look, I don't think Damien Lillard's going to be the one to demand a trade. I don't think he's going to go out there and say,

I want out. We're losing. This is horrible. Get me out of here. I don't think it's ever going to be that with Dame. I think he wants to be there. I believe everything that he said to Logan Murdoch and his feature story about Dene a couple weeks ago.

He wants to be there. He wants to win there. And if he were to win anywhere else, it wouldn't be as sweet as it would be in Portland. I think that's all true. But I think at the end of the day, the Blazers are not going to be good enough to warrant keeping him for the offers

that they could alternatively receive in addition to the fact that you increase your chances at possibly getting the greatest prospect that the league has seen in at least 20 years. I like it. Next one for me. Positive or negative? What do you want?

Positive. What more positive from you? Zion Williamson plays 65 games. Wow. How about that? Oh, wow. Is that positive? Yeah, I don't know if I believe you

that you really believe what you're saying. I do. I think did it after, you just said, the entire last season. I believe... He's only got to turn to ankle. That's scary.

I believe in the weight incentivization. Is that a word? I don't know. Incentivized... Yeah, but we know what you're saying. He's incentivized to keep his weight down,

contractually. Contractually incentivized to keep his weight down. And... You think I could build one of those into my next ringer contract? Maybe. You think I could.

He said... he's had some bad breaks. There's no question early in his career. He has just not been able to stay healthy. But I'm going to say still very young, and if he is really keeping his weight under control, then what goes with that is probably a much more committed self to not only physical fitness,

but also watching what you're eating and all of these things that I do think can help keep you healthy. And he's talked about this a lot in the offseason, and I'm choosing to believe it. I'm choosing to believe it. I'm choosing to believe that it goes his way. And that now that he's been big, man.

He's big at Duke. He's big, you know, his rookie year, he was looking lean and mean. And he looks a lot better right now than we've seen him in a long time. And so I'm going to choose to believe that all that stuff does play a part in being able to stay healthy and that he does. So I'll say this is the first year that we see a lot of Zion Williamson games. I love it. Yeah.

Helps out my. I mean, and then if you want me to get, if you want me to get negative on that, and it takes them entirely too long to realize he's their best player, and they end up having to figure out what they're doing with things. Ooh.

See, I mean, I don't see it that way with them. I think they're going to be. As long as Zion's healthy, I think they're going to be nasty, at least offensively. But then you watch the heat, you know, Caleb Martin just scoots by Zion with ease,

multiple possessions. Then you see stuff like that. You're like, yeah, their offense might be incredible, but their defense maybe not so much yet. Maybe not so much. All right. What's your next one? The Charlotte Hornets are going to be absolutely horrific.

That's not bold. Unwatchable. It's not even semi-bold. Okay. All right. For goodness sakes, they just got a damn DWI. That team is a catastrophe.

Like everything that has gone wrong and they got, what's their win over under? Oh, I mean, it should be four at this point. Let me see what they're over under is. 33 and a half. Yeah, well, how about we, what if I say they'll be 10 under? 23 and a half? I think they're going to be horrific, Chris.

I do too. Okay, so we're on the same page of that not so bold prediction, man. Yeah, that's not. It's not bold. Come on. It's not bold. All right. I want up you.

Okay, please. You ready for bold? One up me, yeah, I'm ready. You ready? Yeah. You're not. Traymond Green gets traded. Okay.

I mean, I don't think that's really that bold. You don't think so. He just punched the guy. That's not that bold. This guy is the heart and soul of the warriors. I know, but he also hasn't signed an extension. I just thought about this. I've thought about this so much.

And I've listened to so many people talk about how, Yeah, well, they can survive it because of their culture and all this bullshit all the time, right? And I'm thinking of myself, bro, do any of y'all go to work every day? I think about this all the time. Everybody works from home. We all learn from home, Chris. Okay, I work with guys every day.

It's wellness week. I work with guys every day who are my friends, and we have, what you would say, is an unbelievable culture. We're happy. We're together. We are friends. We're damn near like family.

But I promise you, if I knocked one of them out, it would never be the same. Yeah, but this is, like, this is different. No, it's not. It's different because he's on green. No, it's not different. It's not different.

It's not different. You can't knock someone out. I would never be able to look at something. It's just broken, man. It's broken. With the second, I'm only saying, I'm only saying from the team perspectives,

I can see why they might say, we're going to deal with this and try to work it out. But what you're saying is, I think we agree. I'm saying that. I'm saying that initially, but you're saying. And the people that want to compare to the Steve Kerr shit. A, there's no video that we all watch of Steve Kerr.

The video, the video changes everything. That's going to be in Jordan Poole's mentions forever. It'll always be a meme. It's always going to be out there. It's always going to be in people's faces. And if it happened yesterday. And another massive part of this that somehow people just gloss over. We didn't know.

Michael Jordan did Steve Kerr until years later. Yeah. We didn't even know that happened. If we knew at the time and there was a video and there was millions of views and everybody saw it and everybody's watching it and everybody's talking about it, yeah, that would have been a way different deal. And people's opinion of Michael Jordan would have been way different. Like that's not even how news was around. the NBA wasn't even on TV Well news is different

News is different today and how fast things move But because that has mean status It's always going to be around But I think The video I think we agree Chris I just think we're looking at

Like the right now a little differently Do you think I look at it like the Warriors Want to try to make this work Their intentions are to try to make it work I think you're looking at it like They know they'll have to trade Of course

Dremont eventually So you think they know right now that they're going to have to trade him at some point, but it's about gaining leverage so you're not just taking, you know, the lowest possible 10 cents on a dollar. Yes, which it would be right now. Of course it is. They want to wait for the point that Atlanta's like, oh yeah, we'll give you Collins and Hunter and, you know, a bunch of future picks in Okongwu.

They're waiting for a Dallas to come out and say, we'll give you four or five first round draft picks. That's what they're waiting for, right? not going to get over that. They are all going to say the right thing. Jordan Full tried to say the right thing the other day. He did. He tried to. Who would want them, though? That's the other part of it, though. Let's say it blows

up and they can't get over it. But who is going to offer Goldstein enough for them to give up their, as you said, their heart and soul, future Hall of Famer? Lakers, brought some two first round draft picks, a freeway with the Pacers where they get Turner and healed maybe, something

like that? Yeah, and I Hawks, I mentioned that, Mavs, Heat. Teams with championship dreams. Yeah. The Heat, maybe. Celtics? Hawks. How funny would that be?

I don't know. That would be crazy. That would be crazy. I'm just not sure what the deal would be there. I'm just saying, like, anybody that's got a championship thought. To me, the Hawks of the team. Oh, that's interesting. Well, you get the clutch connection, the Trey and the Jean-Tay Murray.

They're already clutched self. Dremont goes there. they do their, you know, Steph, Dreamon-style thing just with Trey instead of Steph. I think Atlanta would be the team. If you knew somebody in your office, knock somebody out in front of you, I mean, it just changes everything.

It just does. Yeah. It just changes everything. It's never going to be right again. It's not. It's not. That's always going to be in the back of everybody's mind that that happened.

Every time everybody gets sideways, you can't function as you would normally. because that happened. I totally agree with you, but I do think that their intentions are to try and make it work, which is why, as we talked about at the beginning of the pod,

I think it could be Clay that ends up being the person who is the first of the big three to get moved. Maybe that doesn't happen. Maybe it ends up being Draymond, but I could see a world in which, for basketball reasons,

you skip pool all this money. No, Traymond Griffiths me out. Clay's beloved. But for who? But for who, though? Like, who are the warriors going to give Draymond up for to retain their heart and soul? And not just their heart and soul on some figurative sense, but on defense, who's going to be your rip protector? Is it James Wiseman who looked better in preseason?

But he's not yet some defensive anchor. So who is it? Who do you get? Miles Turner's not that. He's a softie. Who is it? John Collins? No, he's not that.

El Kangaroo from Atlanta? He's young. Maybe you... Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something. Is it cat? We mentioned Carl Anthony Towns early. Oh, you said heart.

You said heart. Good Lord. I'm going to tell you this. As someone who covered the Grizzlies versus the Warriors, the most unsung guy, Wiggins was fantastic, right? It's Looney. Looney. I mean, he won him the series, bro.

Yeah, Looney was so damn good, man. When it mattered. Most, that dude had 17 frigging rebounds. He had, like, offensive. rebounds, it just kept possessions going. Like, it wasn't Dremont. He only plays like 20, he plays 20, 25 minutes per game. He won them that series.

But they're an important 20, 25 minutes. They really are. He won them that series. Maybe that's part of the vision for the Warriors, where it's like, okay, if we can get Looney to 25 minutes in the postseason, Wiseman can play those other remaining minutes, maybe play some smaller ball here and there. And Wiggins was so good.

With Cominga as well. Caminga, his defense and preseason look tremendous. Maybe part of their vision, if they were to trade Draymond, is leaning on Looney, leaning on Weissman, leaning on Cominga, and trading Draymond for other pieces that change who they are and what they are, but also could increase what they are in the years to come. Because here's the thing with Draymond, Chris. To your point, with Clay, I think I could see him taking a bit less money than the Supermax. because he might not be worth that, but he might want to stay,

even if he's not playing as big of a role, because he's a winning player, and this is part of who he is. With Dremont, we already saw what he looks like when he's not his prime self, when he was out of shape for those couple of years. And it's not great. So if you're the Warriors, do you want to bank on him sustaining this elite level of defense into his mid and late 30s? I'm not so sure that you do.

It's probably best for him to go and have a reason to be inspired. to be inspired, right? Exactly. I agree with you. I do. All right, so I did Draymond, I did T-Wolves, I did Kings, I did Zion. Who does he get traded to? I don't know. What's your prediction? I don't, I don't know. No idea. He just gets straight. I can't, I look, it's semi-bowl.

Kev? Stop trying to make it full bowl. Bowl. Bow-ball. All right. I've got two more left, right? I've done four. So how many you got left? I have... We've lost count. I have two here. I think we combined the Kings one. All right.

It's going to end up being 12. Can I do one more trade one? Go ahead. We're going to run on them here. Bradley Beal demands a trade. What would make you think he's not fine being on this average ass team? He has never done anything to... Well, here's why.

Because I still think back to... This is a process of elimination thing. Zach Lowe reported before last season. that a GM told him that he and his store player had talked about signing an extension to give him more time to build out the roster

and if you were to sign that extension and end up wanting a trade he would accommodate that player and trade him where he wanted to go who the hell could that be but Bradley Beale who could that be but Bradley Beal in that situation

Lillard Lillard Yeah Lillard maybe I could see as well I could see Lillard, but other than Lillard, there's really not too many people that I think fall into that bucket. College, Ben, Colin Sexton.

Yeah. No, no. I think Beal makes the most sense to that candidate because he's going to look around this year. He's going to see Chris Staps, poor Zingis and street clothes on the sidelines. On the court, their rookie Johnny Davis, Brook and Jumper's, Ruri Hachamura, unsigned, afraid to play.

and he's going to say, what am I doing here? What am I doing? I got my money. Do you want my coach one or my faltering team one? I've got two more left. I'll do them both. Yeah, do your coach one first.

First coach gone. Semi bold, Kev. Okay. Who? I don't know what I say it. I love this guy too. I hate it. I hate to see it for him.

Steve Nash. They make him the scapegoat, right? They tried this summer, made it into the season. They try to make him the scapego. Marks tries to make him the scapegoat because, you know, they need somebody to come in there and handle these guys, and those guys run them out, and they say, all right, well, so you've got to decide, right?

Am I going to go ahead and just trade these guys off? Am I going to move Kyrie to L.A.? Am I going to move Katie to Phoenix? am I going to move all this, crap around, or am I going to try to fix it first? And fix it first, he's going to be, all right, well, at least let me give it one more role with a coach. And it's not going to be his fault.

It's not going to be his fault. But he'll have to fall on the sword first. It wasn't Frank Vogel's fault. Wouldn't Frank Vogel's fault that the Lakers sucked last year? It's not going to be Steve Nash's fault if they're not that good this year or they got drama around. but it's the easiest thing to do. Who are the other candidates?

Dwayne Casey with Detroit, what if they're even worse than expected? Tom Tibbido with the Knicks? I think they like what Casey's established. How about tips? Tibbs with the Knicks? Yes. Billy Donovan with the Bulls?

Possibility. For sure. Doc Rivers with the Sixers. Doubtful. Doubtful. That's a playoff. Firing. How about, I mean, I can't, I don't really.

Once they committed to Doc after last season, I was like, all right. I think it's too soon for anybody else. And maybe McMillan. Yeah, McMillan maybe. It's like two years removed from that, you know, East Finals. A year and a half, I guess he started midway through that. Yeah, and they were, they were mega disappointing last year. Yeah, so maybe McMillan is the only other one.

Yeah. I could see that. Yeah. I think if the Sixers severely underwhelmed, like riding 500 in December, maybe Doc. But I don't think they're going to underwhel that badly if they do it all. Yeah, and this new, the new management's the one that brought in Chauncey, so they'll try to ride that out.

I think it's too soon for Chauncey. Yeah, they don't want to admit that they were wrong yet. Yeah. Yeah, that's why it would be too soon. I think that's it. Yeah. But I just think Nash is going to be the one that get the, you know what I mean?

Yeah. That he'll, it's the easiest thing to do because you can't just get rid all the players first. I don't even think that one's that bold. Hmm? I don't think that was that bold. Oh, you don't. First coach fired?

No, I don't. I don't think that was bold at all. Okay. It's just sad to hear. All right. It's Steve Nash. Two time MVP. I know.

I know. How about this one? E. Adoka has a horrible scandal. That would have been bold if you said that. That would have been really bold, yeah. That would have been really bold, yeah. That would have been, Tomah.

Yeah, if you said that back in June. They'd be calling me Verno Domus. Yeah. So can you actually predict the future, but you're not? All right. My other team one would be the team that won 60 games last year, the only team of the NBA, He struggles to get to 50 this year.

Wow. The Suns. You like that? Under 50. Yeah, that's bold. I mean, you got an old-ass point guard. Yeah, Chris Ball. They stay pretty healthy.

The crowd of things are distraction, you know, because he's like a heart and soul kind of guy. The Aitin thing is a distraction. The owner thing is a distraction. It's not a fault or me thinking that they ain't a good team. They're good. It's got so much. Bull crap. And that's to go along with the fact that you got beat by 100 on your home court with your season on the line.

COVID or no COVID, you got beat by 100. You got emasculated. So, like, I don't know. I don't like any of it. I think it's just this is all the signs for a big dip, you know, with the team that just was so awesome last year to take a huge step backwards. especially when that was coming off the finals. They had all the hunger last year of the team that lost in the finals. And I think that it kind of revert and goes the other way this year.

Because you got guys that haven't gotten their money, guys that resentfully got their money, an owner that's on the out, and I don't know, just, you know, my money, more problems. Is that semi-bole? Yeah, I think that's semi-bold Under 50. Yeah. Okay.

That's semi-bold. Okay. All right, that's what I got. What did you think about? What did you think about Booker's quote? He said about Mavs season opener. He's like, it's just one of 82. Oh, God.

We get 81 more games to go. Okay. I think he's just down playing. Of course. What is he got to say? Yeah, we want to get them back for beating us by 1,000 on our home court with our season on the line. Where we all laid down.

But it doesn't mean anything. All right, I did Draymond T. Wolves, Kings, sons, Nash, Zion. Here's my semi-bolts for the upcoming season. And I got a Matherin. We'll change to top three. Top three, rookie year. It's getting less bowls as you talk it out.

I said the king's top ten offense, but you know, you said playoffs. I agree there. Blazers trade dame Hornets are even more terrible than people think Dremond you said gets traded I said Beale gets traded

or demands a trade and I think that's I don't know whatever I can For lost count we go 11 12 something like that You like Milwaukee or Philly in the finals for the East I got Boston going to the finals No

Yeah What You don't After IME? You think it's just not going to matter? I like what Missoula did in preseason. Playing some real small lineups. You were the preseason.

You got Ben Simmons a coward, Missoula coaching him up, Matherin rookie of the year. Kevin O. Preseason. What year did Hardin win in MVP? 2019? Whatever year he won a VP. I've blocked it out of my mind.

The reason why. I predicted him to win MVP was because of preseason, what he was doing per 36 with his level of usage, with the way his role would change. I think preseason, I saw somebody tweet about this the other day. Forgive me who said it, but they mentioned how there's a stronger correlation

with preseason results than you would think in terms of predictive behavior for players and teams. With how, you know, if you weigh it for like starters against starters, it can be more predictive. despite the tiny sample size than conventional wisdom would suggest. So that's just at least something to keep in mind

when it comes to how teams are trending, what types of sets they're running, what player usage is, and a very small sample. I like some of the stuff that Celtics do this year. If Tatum and Brown are even better, in addition to the big thing for them will be health. I mean, that's true for Philly with Hardin and Embed.

That's true for Milwaukee with Chris Middleton, who's going to miss a start of the year. It's true for Boston with a lot of their guys. Horford, it's true for Malcolm Brogden, already gallows out. So for them, it's health. But I'm going to go with Celtics Warriors again. All right. Two years in a row.

I think it's Milwaukee. Milwaukee versus who? Yeah. Memphis? No. It's not time yet. Golden State? No.

No. Who you got? If they're healthy, I think it would be the Clippers. Okay. See, that's a big it. I know. I know.

If they're healthy, I just think that guy did such an unbelievable job and he didn't even have Kauai last year. Tyron was such a hell of a coach, man. He's so good. But just banking on Kauai and Kauai being healthy is so hard. And they just vomited all over themselves

in that dock year. I get it. But, I still think healthy, like top to bottom. Every time I look at their roster, I'm like, Jesus, man. Yeah. Got a lot of brilliant players on that. They throw wings on wings on wings at you.

That's crazy. But banking on Kauai's hard. In the end, I don't think anybody's beat Milwaukee healthy. That I think it's Yonis's league. I think he's going to win MVP again. I have him as MVP as well. I think Yonis will win MVP and they'll win the title. I think they would have won it probably last year,

honestly, from being honest. Middleton doesn't get hurt. I think they beat Boston. And I think they beat Golden State. And by the way, that's the thing, Chris. Like if you're just to tie this to the Warriors, if you're them or any team, you need to be thinking, how do we slow down Janus?

How do we slow him down? Yeah. There's nothing for it. So maybe that's what you do. You say there's nothing for this. How can we beat them in every other way? Yeah. Because there may be nothing you can do against the honest.

You can't defend him one-on-one, no matter who you throw at him. So maybe that's part of it. Like, we're going to have to double. What other advantages can we find? Yep. Yeah, I'm Milwaukee. That's my pick. And also, I think, one thing with Milwaukee.

I think the West, I'm not kidding you, I'd say 60. Yeah, there's a lot. I could see it. Yeah. Maybe more. Where I can see it at. Phoenix. I mean, if you just went down last year standing,

because you're adding in Denver there, you're adding in maybe the Lakers there. It wouldn't be the craziest thing ever. So who could make the finals? Phoenix, despite all their issues, you'd put them in there, right? Yep. Memphis?

Yes. Even though it's soon, I can see it. But they went to six games against Golden State last year. Old State, yes. They could do it again. Dallas. I don't think as they're currently constructed, but if they made a move.

I think we should factor that in, the possibility of a move. I think that should be. Yeah, they've got one of the best five players in the league. You've got a chance. Dallas, yes, so four. And then Utah, no. Denver, yes. So that's five.

Minnesota? No. You got to take your, you got to take your scars as a team. I don't think you're just jumping into it and making it. If they are in it, they're on the real French's. Like right on the edge. Same with New Orleans. Same with New Orleans, but with New Orleans,

the advantage for them is that they can make a big trade because they have 10 plus first round draft picks. Clippers, six. 100%. That's like the solid for sure. Six for sure have a shot to make the finals. And then maybe with some locker development, Minnesota, New Orleans.

But they're on the fringes. And if you catch somebody, it takes one injury. Yeah, well, exactly. You know what I mean? So how about the east? Miami? Yes, got a shot. Philly.

Boston, yes. Milwaukee, yes. Philly, yes. Four. Toronto? No. Chicago? No. Brooklyn?

Yes. So five. That's disrespect for Kevin Duran. Yeah, but I throw Toronto in there, like kind of the fringes aspect, like we just talked about with the Pelicans, where they make a train. You've got one of the best five guys in the league generally. Atlanta in that conversation, too? Kind of like on the fringes.

No, I mean. I agree. I would be shocked. Those are the ones that I, you know, and that's just. But that's, we just. Talent wins, bro. We just said like 11 teams for sure in the title race. Yes.

So 11 teams in the title race. And then you got a lot of teams at the bottom in the Webanyana race. So it's like these two extremes in the NBA where there's a top heavy group. Well, and I don't even think you, did you? You never even got to the Lakers in the West, did you? No, I didn't even get to the Lakers. I would put them in there. They're going to be going for it.

They're going to be going for automatically. They have no incentive to lose. Yeah, and if they could get something in the Westbrook first round pick deal. If AD is playing at a defensive player of the year level and his shooting shots, well, like they're 100% going to be there. Yes. So that's seven teams in the West than that we'd say for sure in the finals race, five in the east, then like three or four maybes.

Where it's like with a move, that's over half the league we're at right now, Chris. This is absurd. which is way better for the league. Oh, yeah, so nice. It feels more like the NFL in that sense, where you could make the argument for so many different teams that at least have a shot.

Absolutely. I mean, look, I was reading something this evening. He said the top four teams in the NSC through six weeks were Philly 6 and O, Giants 5 and 1, Minnesota 5 and 1, Dallas 4 and 2. Like, what? Yeah.

Imagine, imagine. Imagine if like six weeks ago before the NFL season started, I told you in week six, these are going to be the top 14s in the NFC. No Rogers, no Brady, no, like crazy to think about. Have you been watching baseball playoffs at all? What do you think about the new playoff format with a three-game wild card, five game? I'm a Cardinal fan, bro. I know, so you don't like it.

No, I mean, has it added to the excitement having some shorter series than that? Not my excitement. Not your personal excitement. No, I was mad about... Removing your fandom, though. No, my team should have won. My team should have won. You've got those games at home.

Like, I get it, short series. It sucks that it's all over so fast after 162 games. But I think it's... Fair is fair. If my team would have won, I would not have complained about the format. Are baseball fans liking it, generally? Um...

Or is it like it? like a lot of negativity about it. Like it says, oh, now the 162 games. Yeah, I just think it's, I think it's very difficult

to care about something for that long. The art, the art and baseball things. But again, that's not why they're doing this. They're not doing this for the people

to keep up with these teams for 162 games. Yeah. I'm just not so sure. Like, I don't know. I will say, I will say this.

I will say this. I was so mad about the quickness of, how my team was gone within two days because I was going to take my son to St. Louis if they won. And so the season,

and so I was looking forward to that. And the season was gone so quick, and I will tell you, it has impacted me watching the other ones. I have not, I have not watched nearly as much baseball after the Cardinals have lost as I have, because they haven't won in a long time

past the first round. They hadn't made it out of first round, right? except for right before COVID when they got swept in the NLCS to the nationals. But the last couple of times, these have been quick outs in the playoffs, and I haven't watched nearly as much after they've gotten knocked out.

But in fairness, also, as the years have gone on, I have found myself caring literally about only my team, and I honestly don't know much about anybody else. Yeah. I think it's a localized sport now. I mean, you also have a lot else on your plate sports-wise. You're a heavy focus on NBA and NFL for your local show and all that. And college football.

Yeah, college football too. You're right. That's right. I mean, you only have so much time in the day, especially when you're raised in a family. That's true. But I do. I mean, I like my team in baseball.

Yeah. Right? That's just, I don't know. I think when it comes to that, people might say it ruins the regular season. It makes it meaningless. It's still meaningful that Dodgers won 111 games. It's still meaningful.

I mean, I don't think it should mean nothing if a team wins. But the thing that you hate the most, the thing you are scarred by the most is your undefeated season getting ruined. Exactly. So you don't care that they won all those games. You don't. It still was like I look back at that.

Like it was when they lost the Super Bowl, It was one of the... You say F that season. Chris, when they lost the Super Bowl, it is one of the saddest days of my entire life. I know. I cried.

You know, we've talked about this before. So it's up that. So it's up that. But it's what they did was still special. Like it doesn't change, like it's, the season itself was still special. It was still an achievement to do what they did.

Just like the Dodgers winning 111 games. Just like the Warriors. Nobody cares about that. Winning 73. I know, but it's still like I'm just saying, I don't think it renders the same. season itself meaningless just because of a shorter playoff schedule that leads to more

upsets. That's my point. You know what I mean there? I would not want the NBA to do this. You wouldn't? No. I would not either. But I do want them to have the single elimination in-season tournament.

And I don't think that would ruin the regular season either. I think it would just create, it would just make October, November, December more meaningful. if it's building towards that. Because right now, let's just be honest. October, November, December for the NBA season coming up. You got to be a huge thing.

Luca was fat last year. The Mavs weren't as good. The Celtics stunk. It didn't matter. They still make it to the finals. Clay wasn't playing. Like, it's just,

it's not that meaningful in terms of projecting what happens in April, May June. It's really not. It's one of the things that I've tried to remember a lot for this upcoming season.

I mean, I told you many times. I've never felt like lower than walking out of an arena the Atlanta Hawks destroyed the Grizzlies destroyed them

dropped them to 9 and 10 in the season and we thought John Moran blew out his ACL. They ended up winning 56 games. That's a fourth of the way into the season. I've tried to think about that a lot when I'm thinking about how

I don't want to make any massive decisions on what I think these teams are, you know, as quickly as maybe I have in the past. With that in mind, how are you feeling about the Cowboys after this Sunday? Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Imagine if we had a quarterback that could throw the ball 10 yards down the field. It's a whole different game, that game of football. Imagine. Just imagine. I sit there and dream at night. I'm like, imagine when somebody can throw it 15 yards in the air.

It's going to be awesome. he's back next week yeah right yeah huge game against a lion okay huge game that's a good week

for him to come back great and then the Bears the next week great two weeks to come back I just pulled up the schedule and then a bye don't like I don't know okay yeah all right

oh man Kevin I cannot wait for this season to begin it's all gonna get started on Tuesday night we will be back at the end of the week to talk. Here I am telling you we're not going to massively overreact. Oh, I mean, I'm going to renege on all of that by Friday.

I will massively react it to everything that's taken place. I know. We're all talk today, but then Thursday night we get Bucks, Sixers, Lakers, Clippers. We're all going to be reacting. We're going to be messed. I cannot wait to massively overreact, even though I've dedicated. indicated not to. Yeah. But I will. It's human nature, baby.

It's human nature. It's always a pleasure. Thank you to our executive producer, Jesse Lopez, as always. Kevin, I will talk to you at the end of the week. Woo, let's go.