The Mismatch - Who’s the Mystery Dame Team? Plus, Lakers Reloaded, and KOC’s Rising Sarr

Episode Date: September 19, 2023

Verno and KOC discuss the low-risk signing of Kelly Oubre Jr. for the 76ers and debate whether Jarred Vanderbilt can exceed expectations after the Lakers gave him an extension (04:25). After it was reported that a secret Eastern Conference team is linked to Damian Lillard, the guys debate which team it could be (18:49). The guys then discuss which bigs will start for the Celtics, and why Malcolm Brogdon needs to put his big boy pants on (25:59). Also, KOC shares why French prospect Alex Sarr is rising up his and many other draft boards (42:59). Got a question for Verno and KOC? Send them an email at [e-mail]! Or you can send the guys a tweet @ChrisVernonShow and @KevinOConnorNBA! The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming, please check out theinger.com/RG to find out more or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Producer: Jessie Lopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Welcome to The Mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me as he does every Monday night from the ringer.com is Kevin O'Connor, aka Kevin O'Bomber, Kevin O'Connor, Kevin O'Compter, Kevin O'Candellian, Kevin O'Brien. How are you doing today, man? What's up? I'm doing great. Also, I just saw the news before we were recording. I guess I missed it earlier today that There is going to be a new member of the basketball staff over at the Ringer.

Howard Beck announced that he was hired and was going to be part of the Ringer basketball coverage for this upcoming year. What a unbelievable hire. That is fantastic. Howard Beck has been an insanely relevant NBA writer since I first started covering the NBA NBA. And that's like 20 years ago. I mean, he and he who's like beat writer for the Lakers, beat writer for the Knicks, and then obviously a national writer for all manner of different publications and outlets over the years. And so that's a, uh, that was a big get out of nowhere.

I didn't see that one coming. It definitely came out of nowhere, right? Like usually the ringer hires young. Yeah. Young, unproven on the up and up. Howard Beck has been somebody who's been doing it for decades now, for different publications and different formats, obviously, as a podcaster with his own show and peering on the low posts and all that.

I think with us, it's going to be interesting. I mean, I know he's obviously going to be writing like he always has. I'm sure he'll be doing some pods too. It's a different type of hire for us. Like in his tweet, he thanked, you know, he thanked, you know, everybody for, you know, the hiring him and all that. And he listed out some of the people on our staff. It's like, it's like Rob Mahoney, Syriot, Logan Murdoch, Michael Pina, Danny Chow, Kyle Mann, Tyler Parker, Zach Cramm.

Like, those are just like the writers. Never mind, like all the editors and what we have, like, we have a loaded NBA staff on the writing side. Never mind, everybody with the editing and the podcasting. It's a lot of people. So it's pretty exciting to add a veteran presence to the locker room in Howard Beck. super cool that one right before we came out of the air

I said to you I was like Howard Beck's he's gonna be on the ringer I was like how great is that you didn't you didn't see it earlier today you know

I didn't right before getting on wow he must have been a busy boy today I was all right we got a lot of stuff to get to

we're only two weeks also can't forget Marin Fader with the writing staff NBA she does everything but I got to say Marin's name as well Yeah, she writes New York Times bestsellers.

Of course. How many of you guys have done that? How many how many of you guys have done that? See, when I think Mirren, I don't think NBA. I just think all sports, books. Like she doesn't pop into my head with NBA immediately. It's books and all sports. She's like in the all sports category.

I think New York Times bestselling author, Mirren Fader. Yeah, no kidding, right? The honest, the improbable will rise. of an NBA MVP, an excellent, excellent book by Merit Fader. Worth checking out if you haven't already. And she has a Hakeem book coming up soon that was announced as well. She's doing a biography on Hakeem Elijah Wan. You see that?

How awesome is that? I know. We are two weeks from today are going to be NBA media days around the NBA. And then I looked at the schedule and then by October 5th, which is just, it'll be that same week. So about two and a half weeks, there's going to be an NBA preseason game on October 5th with the Mavs and the T-Wolves. They're playing a two-game set in Abu Dhabi. And so by October 5th, there is going to be NBA basketball that is being played on the preseason stage. There have been a couple of orders of business that have taken place since we last spoke.

Nothing really big. I mean, the one that dropped today was Kelly Ubre, you know, signed a vet man with Philadelphia. It appears to be that's in the cards. Wode's reported it, Derek Bodner followed it up saying it's a veteran minimum deal. So they're going to add Kelly Ubre to the mix. I am, Kelly Ubray is a awesome bad team player. Not do very well.

when he had his opportunity to play on a good team with the Warriors. He does not pass the ball at all. I think he averts like, you know, it's like, oh, he averaged 20 points a game last year. It's like,

yeah, he did. He also averaged one assist, and he hit like 32% of his threes. And I mean, he looks super cool and he's awesome on NBA league fits. So that obviously helps their style, you know,

their style, uh, you know, in between him and Tucker with all the awesome Jordans. They've at least got some swag on that team, but nobody's really going to care about anything going on with Philly except for this whole Hardin thing that is hanging over them. And I had to laugh when it was like,

well, you know, maybe a little bit of insurance. If James Hardin's not there, and it's like, okay, the guy that led the league and assist, being replaced with the guy that's got like four career assists. Come on. He's another wing.

And he can put the ball in the bucket. And I have been at games. Kelly Uber had a game in Memphis that was just, I mean, you would have thought he was frigging Kobe Bryant. He couldn't miss. And so I had seen him go off. And he could certainly get on a heater and have those nights where he wins you a game. But I don't know if this really moves the needle necessarily for whatever.

Philly's trying to do. But he's just one of those guys that kind of got caught in the mix, right? And so you just take the vet men, play it out a year, prove that you could be a productive part of a really good team, and hopefully you could get a contract out of that. Well, that's all of it right there, Chris. I mean, you said everything there is to say. The only thing I'd add to that is the last point. That's what Philly's betting on here.

Kelly Ubre did not succeed with the Warriors. As the sons were just about to turn, he was on that bubble team in 2020. They didn't want to retain him as things were changing for Phoenix. He has not been a winning player, as you said. So for Philadelphia, this is a bet on somebody who is a long-armed wing, whose defense has always been theoretical. And he's shown the ability to put the ball in the basket. As you said, so right now it's like, okay, this guy who's,

who's 27 years old now has a bet minimum, is this rock bottom for him where it's like, oh my goodness. In order to get another big deal, this is my chance to actually be successful playing alongside Joelle and Bid, potentially James Hard and potentially Tyrese Maxi, like for Ubre, like this is it, dude.

If you don't succeed with this supporting cast, you're going to be playing in China soon. There's not going to be other teams that want to take an opportunity on you. And they're going to be going for all, wings on the market. They're going to be going for some of the talented G League players. They're going to be going for international guys, not for a soon-to-be, you know, 29-year-old

30-year-old Kelly Ubrey, who's always underwhelmed compared to the potential and the flashes that he's shown. So I think for the Sixers, this is a low-risk, medium-reward move. And for Ubre, this is your final chance to really get

a big deal. And maybe, look, guys can change. And if you're going to do it, 27, 28, 29. Those are usually the years that guys can have their best. And sometimes players, like he is, it is kind of crazy to think about it because at one point, it was like, can somebody like Wiggins fall into a role? And he did.

And he became one of the best role players in the NBA. And it's like, you juxtapose that versus Ubrae had that chance also. right and he just couldn't ever make it happen and so this is this is that last shit right like look there's stars and there's role players and he's a role player that has never figured out that he's a role player right like how to star in your role but this is a chance for him to do it possibly um it's just that we know that the only thing anybody cares about with the sixers is that James Harden situation. Other stories that have dropped since we last spoke,

Jared Vanderbilt signed his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. They got him much like they did Reeves, much like they did DeAngelo Russell. I thought totally reasonable deal. You know, I like Vanderbilt. He's got his limitations. As the playoffs went on, And teams are just game planning against you specifically as a team.

He becomes less useful as he did in the Warrior Series and then obviously the Denver series. That being said, for an 82 game player, he is awesome to have on a night in, night out basis. And he plays hard as hell. And, you know, I'm a fan of those kind of guys that have the dog in them and are, I think, I just think they're super useful to have a round anyway on your team. And they did not pay him much at all. Do you think, Chris, though, like, I agree based off of last season with what happened, the lack of shooting ended up hurting him.

But do you think with all the shooting that the Lakers did add that Vanderbilt could perhaps be in more of, like, an interior position on the offensive end, giving him value as a offensive rebounder, clean-up guy, screener, cutter, roller. Could he play that type of role rather than being asked to space behind the arc, considering the plethora of three-point shooting the Lakers now have? Maybe it could actually work for him now with all the talents the Lakers have on their roster. Well, they added Gabe Vincent and then Tarring Prince, I think he's a guy that will play for them. And then the others are.

But also like a young player like Max Christie. I'm high on Max Christie personally. I think he could end up being a rotation fixture for the Lakers. And we'll see if reddish, Hayes, and Wood, what level of contribution? I mean, they're all, those are all like, you know, those are, those are swings at it, right? Wood can shoot, though, man. He's been at 39%, 38% from three for three straight season, four straight seasons, something like that now. He can't argue, but.

Yeah, but like that, but like, we're talking. talking about offense, not defense, and he can shoot it. Purely talking about offense here. With Vanderbilt, I just wonder if we'll see a more creative role for him than last season. And maybe we won't. Maybe he'll just get played off, you know, and won't be able to get heavy minutes in the postseason. But you like their offseason that, man, they got a lot done. They got, I mean, they signed Davis to that deal, the 180 extension.

They got Reeves on what was a great deal. DeAngelo Russell, short deal. So tradable asset. Rui Hachamura, they sign him up. Not too terribly expensive. Jared Vanderbilt, low deal, kind of like that middle of the pack kind of deal. That's certainly a tradable asset as well.

Then Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, Jackson Hayes, Christian Wood, Tarring Prince. Prince and Vincent super reliable, the other three question marks on their reliability. but again, they got a lot of business done this offseason, a lot. And I think their roster's good. I do.

They could win the championship this year. And it all comes down to ultimately, like, they have the supporting cast, they have the upside pieces, and Austin Reeves, can he build on what he did to finish last season, Max Christie as a role player, as a shooting weapon, as a versatile defender, guys like that, there's upside youth on the team. to the veteran presence, it still ultimately comes down to LeBron in AD.

LeBron, can he be that January or December version of himself that he was last year when he was averaging 33, 34 points per game? Can he stay healthy? Can Anthony Davis sustain success? Can he stay healthy? Those are the questions still with the Lakers. And then those other guys. Like for so many teams, it's the questions are about the supporting cast. With the Lakers, it's the inverse. I don't think it's the question at all is about the supporting cast, it's the stars. Totally fair. Reeves will improve for sure.

And then those other guys are like those shots at the Lonnie Walker night for Black of a Better term, right? Like the one night that Tarim Prince or Cam Reddish or Christian Wood drops 20 something for you and it's like, oh, that was the Christian Wood game or it was the Cam Reddish game or whatever. And hopefully those guys being within a winning environment of which those guys really have not been. I mean, Reddish was on those Hawks teams as a young player in and out of the lineups. But Jackson A's hadn't won anything. Christian Wood hadn't won anything.

Tarring Prince is a winning player and Gabe Vincent's a winning player. So worse, they got some, you know, they've got a solid eight that they can run with no matter what. and then if any of those guys hit, then you got something special. And you wonder how much this helps in terms of them being able to hold down the fort when those guys inevitably miss games. We know that they're stars, you know,

there's always that portion of the season that they've got to get by without them. Their loads will be managed at certain points. Aren't they at the year or... All right. Or they're just going to miss... time due to injury. I mean.

You were such a child. Super pause. All right. A couple other stories that we got to get to. You spent too much time around your son, William. Alvarado. Heard himself training.

I swear, this, this Pelicans, they cannot buy a break, man. That's too bad. Just every year, it's like, can they just have a healthy team coming into training camp one year? And it happened on the anniversary of Grand Theft Auto 5 being released, the 10-year anniversary. People speculated that Rockstar would announce that Grand Theft Auto 6 would come out. And the reason why this is relevant from people who don't realize is Jose Alvarado's nickname is Grand Theft Alvarado. So people expected that the GTA-6 game would be announced of the 10th anniversary.

instead we get a sprained ankle for Jose Alvarado. Thanks a lot, Rockstar. Oh my God. What a joke. Ten years. I hope it's worth the weight. All right. I bet it will be. I bet it will be worth the weight.

I'll just say that. I wouldn't bet against Rockstar. Boy, it's a long wait, though. I was around Alvarado at All Star weekend this year. He was there because he was the king of that game that they played, what was that? Rookie Softs. Yeah. He was just, oh, he went crazy and it was awesome. And anyway, so he was around Salt Lake City.

And being around him, you can't believe how much he gets done on an NBA court when you're near him. Some guys, like, look small on TV and then you're around him and you're like, whoa, now, that guy is not like, he's small. He looks small on an NBA court. But if that guy walked into any restaurant, they'd be like, who the hell is the tall guy? guy. Does he play basketball? I'll give you an example. You ever around Steph Curry? Steph Curry is not little. He's huge. He is not little at all. He's wide, tall. Right? He's always running around out of basketball court, but I mean, you round him and the guy's like six, four, you know, when he's wearing shoes and you're like, geez. Alvarado is, I mean, small, small. Like, you can't believe it. I don't care what he's. I don't care what he's.

listed at. I was around the guy. And I'm telling you, like, it is so ridiculously impressive to think about how much he could get done on an NBA court and how his sheer force of will has gotten him into the position that he is in. And so I love watching a play. So here's hoping that he's able to get healthy and back rather soon. The Damien Lillard's stories are starting to keyed up, especially as we hurdle towards training camps. You know, the story comes out from Shams, the idea that he'll show up at two training camps, either Portland or Miami. And so while his agent might have gotten fined and they said, hey, stop on all this crap.

Like, that's all they have to do is leak it out there. Like, hey, I know we got fined and everything for saying that he didn't want to play anywhere else and that you're going to be trading for a disgruntled player. So don't do that. Can you say it for us? But, uh-huh. Can you say it for us? It's probably what they're saying.

Like, we can't say it, but can you report it? Yeah. So you just, you just call the reporter and you say, Hey, uh, you know, we're not going to show up anywhere except for these two places.

So like, did you see, did you see the Mark Spears thing today? Like it was just, it was a big nothing report, really, but he said he heard there's a, there's a secret Eastern conference team that's having talks with

Portland for Damien Lillard. like he didn't give a name it's a secret Kevin he can't give a name it's a secret it's a secret so he can't say it but who would you expect it to be if there is actually a secret team that can't be shared

who would you think it is I have some ideas the Nets would be number one because for shame previously they were on his list he's got the McKell Bridges relationship they have assets they have pieces they're a team

I could see saying, hey, you know what, let's cash those in and get a great player in Deem. Well, and he might actually go there. Yes. And that guy, much like Philly is a star hunter, as we know, marks it. 100% true, yes. I could see the other New York team, the Knicks, even though it's a bad fit with Brunson. It's a big name player. It's a team kind of in the middle trying to take a leap.

You could talk Tibbs into trying to make it work with Brunson and James. I would not do it. I'm just saying that like they just make some sense. They have assets. I could see the Bulls doing it. There are teams stuck in the middle. They could get a bit desperate there. I could see the magic doing it.

I think it's too early. I would not go for Dean yet. But I think they're going to be a playoff team this year. They could be trying to take the leap this year. The Sixers obviously, that goes without saying the Raptors. There's been like little sprinkles of rumors around them. as a dame team over this whole saga this off season,

they need to choose a direction. You want me to give you one that would stun you? Who? That you have not mentioned? Who's that? How about Milwaukee? They don't have the pieces. They're not getting,

trying to appease the honest thing. They're not enough. They're not going to get it. They're not eligible. They don't have enough. Look, when you don't have enough, you can always throw in another team. they don't have enough.

They can't, they, they just, they just don't have enough. They can't trade really any picks until next summer when they can trade three. Again, you rope in a third team. They don't have enough. That's exactly how he's going to end up in Miami. That's what I believe. He'll end up in Miami once they get a third team roped in. Maybe.

That's what'll end up happening. Or maybe out of nowhere, just in the same way that Russell Westbrook wasn't supposed to end up in Houston or Kauai Leonard in Toronto. Well, there could be a surprise team that ends up making the best offer. Well, look, Kauai never talks. So we never knew anything about it. He just wanted out of San Antonio, right? He also wanted L.A., just like Russell Westbrook wanted Miami, just like Paul George wanted L.A. But he also wasn't in a more often than not these guys have gotten what they want.

Yes, they do. I'm just saying, but not always. It's not 100% of time. I mean, Russ did get to go to L.A., you know, and I do think that Portland, you know, will try to get the best value and also do right by Damien Lutter. Yeah, but like, even if this has gotten messy. But do right by dame is like at the bottom of the list of things that are important in here. The do right by yourself, do right by Scoot Henderson, do right by Shaden Sharp, do right most of all for your fans. That's what matters most here for the Blazers, in my opinion.

So if the Miami offer ends up being the best offer and it's at a point that you feel like you're ready to pull the trigger on the best deal, then you take it. But at this point, I still think there are other teams that could theoretically offer more than Miami if they were willing to. And I do wonder if that's why we're starting to get some of this stuff leaking out from Shams saying he won't report anywhere else. Mark Spears saying there's a mystery team. could there be more happening right now that's kind of pushing things forward towards a deal with Miami or with somebody else?

I think you'll be gone by the time I mean, we got two weeks till media days. I bet he's gone by them, don't you? I don't know. I just don't think you want this to drag into it. You want to start a new. Future's Bright. Scoot Henderson's the guy.

But like we don't, I just don't want to go to training camp and having this hanging out. there. I wouldn't either. Yeah. I wouldn't either. I would not want that either, Chris. That's why it's gotten hot and heavy and we're starting to see the reports and the talks. I think that's fair. There was just to jump ahead to the mailbag real quick, there was a question from Justin relevant to this conversation. He said,

any chance the Pacers are the mystery team for damn. And I had not thought about Indiana because they have Hallibur and they have Mathron, but it just did make me think outside the box. is there a team like Indiana that already has a guard unlike the Knicks. Halliburton's big. He's 6.5. He has length. Maybe a team like that

could be like, you know what? Screw it. Let's just add a talented player who can play with and without the ball next to Halliburton and those guys could be dynamic together. I could talk myself into it. I just want to do it. But I could talk myself into it. No. I want to turn that team over to Halliburton

and be on his timeline. I think it's too. soon it would be premature for the pacer's to go for it now. And plus, like, even if you did get dame, like, first, just say for Mathrin and buddy healed as a salary and whatever first round draft picks, you're still kind of small in the backcord. If you're relying on Dame, Halliburton, Bruce Brown, like, that's not a lot of size. And then you get Nemhard off the bench.

Like, you're small. I just wouldn't do it if I were Indiana. But it's fun to think about some of those teams like the Knicks that shouldn't but but could. We're talking about whether or not that thing could get messy in Portland. Where it did get messy, obviously, was in Boston. And there was a lot of chatter this week about some comments made by Gary Washburn, who has been covering the Celtics for a very long time for the Boston Globe. He was on a podcast and said the following,

Malcolm is the one I'm concerned about because we've heard nothing and he's angry with the team. So I don't think communication between the two sides has been fruitful. Washburn clarified that these were Brogden's feelings earlier this summer and that he doesn't know if the Celtics have mended fences with the veteran guards since, but there were clearly hard feelings at the time. There was a problem. He was not happy. Now he was not happy in July is that same level of unhappiness in September. we don't know he hasn't talked all summer but yeah Malcolm

Braggda was not happy about the deal or potentially being dealt he was pissed and so obviously Celtics tried to do a little damage control later in the summer I guess we will see that will be a question that comes around media days but that is a very very difficult situation typically what happens in these is that that player ends up getting moved some way somehow because there's just it's a level of trust broken it's this feeling of yeah you tried to trade me but you just couldn't and you also have the whole like you know Marcus Smart being gone hovering over you

who people just absolutely love by the way congratulations to Marcus Martin's beautiful wife who got married over the weekend. Some cool pictures out of the wedding with Brad Stevens there, Joe Mizzoula, Jason Tatum. But I mean, that's a lot to hang on you too, right? Like, nobody has any, nobody's rocking a Malcolm Brogden jersey in Boston,

yet there's five million Marcus Smart jerseys, right? And it's like, you're the reason. He's not the reason, but he is the reason in some people's minds that Marcus Smart's gone. And, you know, you just feel like, hey, man, you tried to, you tried to trade me. And so I can imagine he was mad. I can imagine it's going to be hard. You know, they can say everything's sympathetico and everything's fine, but it's got to be always out there.

This is like, that that is the type of, this is the type of theme topic that you and I have always been on different sides of where you've always said, well, if you were going to trade, get traded from the ring. and then they pulled out, you'd feel a certain way. And I'm the one who says, you're just going to put on your big boy pants and deal with it and do the best job that you can. That's again what I'm going to say here entering our eighth season. Put on your big boy pants, Malcolm Brogton, make the most of this season, and go try to win a championship. He is still an important player on that roster, despite the trade that almost happened. How could you be mad about trying to be traded for KP, Christopps Porzingis, when that's a team need for them? I get it, but like you're not a superstar level player.

You are a good rotation player and that's your role on the team. Simple as that. And by the way, you can have a bigger role this team. Yeah, like you can have a bigger role this year without Marcus Smart there as well. So take advantage of the opportunity at this stage of your career, at your age with two years left on your contract and go out and try to win and play at the highest level. Like, it's still a great situation, even if you are pissed about it. Of course, that's what you have to do. We've never disagreed on that.

I'm telling you he's going to get traces. Maybe. Yeah, he will. I mean, it's a very tradable salary, 22.5 million this season and next season. That's a deal boss could use in deals with some of those second round draft picks that they ended up getting on draft night. That's going to be their draft capital, go out and make another move. So if they feel like they're good at guard, like they also didn't trade, and Pritchard.

Pritchard, there was rumors about him over the offseason as well. Pritchard could be the trade piece where if a team is like, yeah, we want kind of like that spark plug guard off the bench, or it could be Brogson for a veteran option. One of those two guys I would expect

to get moved at some point. And if you're boss and you can feel good about moving one of them because you still have the other. Yeah, but I mean, Brognan's super useful player for a team that's trying to win a title, right? Oh, yeah.

He's a guy that can play all four rounds if you get there in the, in the NBA playoffs. Whereas Pritchard, you know, he obviously, I mean, you saw it put him in the game,

and Eric's Bolster was like, uh, throw it to the guy he's guarding. I still cannot believe Joe Mazzola put Pritchard out there. That's crazy. Oh, man. I know.

It was just, it felt like punishment. I can't believe it. What this guy ever do to you, Joe? All right. Um, uh, I know,

We actually got a Boston bailbag question. Let's get to some of the bailbag questions this week. From Dan in Massachusetts, he asked the selfish question. Who comes off the bench? Christaps Porzingis, Al Horford,

or Robert Williams? That's actually a really good question because for Boston, like you could, their lineup flexibility. That's what we raved about when they got Chris Staps Porzinger. That's what I love about the KP acquisition.

You can play five out with Porzingis and Horford. You can still have room protection. you can still have a roller and KP and at-room finisher with him. But with Robert Williams, you have more of a vertical threat, even more room protection. I wonder what combination they end up using there. Is there any logic to making it Porzingis off the bench? So you're staggering him with Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown. So Porzingis could be the offensive presence off the bench.

Is there any logic to that? No. Not with the amount of money you paid him. No. But why not? Like that Boston, they have chemistry for years with Horford and Williams playing a lot together. They went away from it at certain points in the postseason. But I just wonder if they stick with chemistry.

Do I have to make the joke that like there's zero chance that they're all three going to be healthy at the same time? Like anyway, so there's not a choice to make. It's very possible. How often are Robert Williams and Chris Sforzing is going to be both of a. Boston's hoping in April, May, and June. That's what they're hoping. Yeah, I know. But, I mean, it's like Haley's Comet probably if they're both available.

So I think it'll be Porzingis and I think it'll be Rob. And I think that Al is going into the leadership phase of his career. That's what I think. And I think he'll be fine with that. Do you think it's Porzingis starting? Yes, and who else? And Robert William. And Robert.

So you, okay. So you think they go with. All right, so Horford off the bench. Yeah. The veteran's going to have to accept that. It's here like 30 for how Horford. I know, I know. I agree.

The one thing, like you talk about injuries, all of these guys also have their minutes manage too. Yeah. Right? So I think with them, in some regards, it doesn't matter. I wonder, could, I know players like to have routine and consistency,

but with this flexibility, there is logic to, I think, having different lineups. on different nights. And that could be related to rests or injury. But these guys, I think, need to all be flexible and interchangeable depending on the matchup with what's most advantageous to you. That's the unique advantage that Boston's going to have this season.

There are so few teams in the league that can play with two bigs and still have five-out spacing. Here's what I'll say. Horford and Williams will rotate. I think they'll both be cool with it. And they'll both play 20 minutes or whatever it is. Porzingis is going to start and play 35 minutes. Like, that's just the way it is.

Or whatever, 30 minutes, a night. Like, Porzingis is a starter. They traded Marcus Smart. I don't know, man. They pissed off their other guard. He's got plantar fasciitis. I got it. That's what knocked him out of the Feebo World Cup.

Plantar fasciitis. They didn't train for Chris Fiercephs. For him to be a bench player. I promise you that. No way. No way. Yeah, but you can be a bench player and still play 30 minutes per game. You can still play more than 30 minutes.

How many $30 million bench players, you know? All I'm saying is, how many? All I'm proposing is the logic behind staggering him with Tatum and Brown. How is that? There's no logic behind that, none? He's going to start at powerful. I agree. I agree he will start.

I agree. I'm just saying, staggering him with Tatum and Brown would allow him to get more scoring touches off the bench against some really weak backup bigs, by the way. KP off the bench shredding bench units from minute five to zero in the first quarter, I mean, dude, like that could be crazy. What matters is finishing. So if I'm the Celtics, it's at least something I'm thinking about is starting Horford and Williams, having Porzingas come off the bench. there's logic to it, whether they go to it or not, I think would come down to the plan that Missoula has for the starting five

if he wants to begin with five out spacing. But I just think staggering those scores could make some sense. I think those centers will just split the time. I mean, Al Orford was in the Joaquinoa draft. He's in the Derek Rose draft. I mean, like, Al Orver's been around now. Wait, no, wait, no, no, he was before that.

He was the Kevin Durant draft He was Yeah he was the Kevin Durant draft The Greg Oden draft he was the third pick Oh that's right yeah Mike Conley That's right You're right Before those guys

So it was Noah it wasn't Rose That's right Yeah Yeah no it was that Him and Noah It just won't Noah was O7 The national titles

Because there were teammates Yes yes That's right Jeez That's a long time ago time ago, bro. Corey Brewer was in that draft. Corey Brewer hasn't played in the league since like 2019,

2020. He's a coach. For the Pelicans. When was Joaquin Noah's last year? I'm not kidding. Cory Brewer plays against Zion. That's his job. That's from my article last year.

I wrote about that. I saw them practicing against each other. Unbelievable. Noah's last season was also 1920. Five games will be. the Clippers. Man. Look at Al Horford.

Still going. Still going strong, too. I don't know if you saw this, but both, you know, I was talking about Marcus Sparkett married. Two weeks ago, the weekend before, Derek Rose got married. And did you see who was the master of ceremonies at his wedding? It was Noah. How cool was that?

Joe Kim Noah marrying Derek Rose. Who would have ever? Crazy. I hope Tibbs was there. I didn't see all the pictures from it. I hope he was there. And Luw Aldang and get the whole band back together. Yes.

Those old Bulls teams. All right. What else we got in the mailbag? Last question here from Rich. Who's the surprise team next season like Utah was last season? I said it in passing earlier. My answer, Chris. The Orlando.

Magic. Led by Franz Wagner. Paulo Bangaro. Markel Fultz. Anthony Black. I mean, the magic with Gary Harris back to shooting 40% from three. Wendell Carter protecting the rim,

all their size and versatility and length. They can play super big. They have big guards. Jalen Suggs hopefully takes a step forward this year. And the magic. P.S. Utah was a great story last year. The surprise was Sacramento.

I mean, nobody had Sacramento with being a home court advantage team and their coach winning coach of the year. And like, we thought they could be good. But there's different levels of surprises, though. I mean, the surprise team was the Sacramento Kings. But Rich is asking a surprise team like the jazz, a team that ends up.

The easy one is the one I've said many times, Oklahoma City. I mean, I don't know, I think that counts, though. I mean, I'm not sure Orlando counts. because OKC had 40 wins last year, Orlando had 34 wins. Yeah, I mean, jazz had 37 wins. Okay, and in fairness,

we thought the jazz were going to suck. So it needs to be somebody that we think is going to suck or is going to be predicted to suck. Houston? Houston is an interesting one. Could they be way better than people think they're going to be? Does they'll be looked at as a lottery team? Big loss for the Grizzlies with Dylan Brooks.

It's going to really, really affect their defense since we know, Jared Jackson, you know. Unfortunately, they got another defensive player of the year. And they're the only team, it would be a history to have two reigning defensive players of the year on their team. More fouls than rebounds for Jared Jackson Jr. Going to be a tough year for the Grizzlies about Dylan Brooks there. I'm sure. You've always been a big Brooks guy. Blew it for America.

You've always, blew it for the Grizzlies two years in a row in the playoffs. A traitor to this country, Jaron Jax. Trader to the country. He signed up. You need to be talking to the rest of these guys. He signed up to fight for our country. The rest of those guys are sitting at home. Sabotage.

That's why he signed up. It's not going to grab a single rebound. Who else is going to be bad? How about my pistons? Bright Future Pistons? Are they? Are people expecting them to be good, though? I mean, are always competitive?

No, we're expecting them to suck. That's the point of this exercise, right? I know. I know. Monty Williams, Cade Cunningham back. She, I cannot believe they paid Monty Williams like $12 million a year. Something else. Yeah, that's, that's extreme.

No question. It's just going to be very interesting to see the way that team develops. 17 wins to like 35, 36. See, I could see that. That would be super surprising to me. And they got Cade and they got Ivy. They got Assewer and the, you know, and they got a couple, you know,

they got some veteran guys that are there at Bogdanovich and Jared or Joe Harris and Alex Burks. How about the Spurs? Wembe now supported by the cell, Keldon Johnson. They got a solid point card and Trey Jones. Jeremy Sohan entering his second season. I really like what Malachi Brenham did at the end of the season for them.

Zach Collins was good to finish year as well for the Spurs. Yeah, the answer to this, yeah. So it's got to be somebody that we do not think, and obviously Utah wasn't a playoff participant, but somebody that is like we're not even considering as a playoff team that would have a chance. What about the post-dame Blazers? hell no what I'm just

throwing out a team that we think is gonna suck I know but I'm just throwing out a team that we think is gonna suck no they are gonna suck I agree they're gonna suck they're gonna suck hard but I'm just throwing them out there

exactly for that reason you are on fire what did I do you're less mature than me now as your son's gotten older you've got less mature. I mean, you're still you're extreme.

You are extreme. You're extreme. You are extreme. All right. Before we get out of here and before you can say anything else, I've got to ask you about how your trip ended up in Vegas, meeting with the prospective draft picks. You talk to the best of the best.

You talk to Holland. You had all kinds of interviews while you were out in Vegas. We had kind of touched on it when you had first gotten there last weekend. I know you had put up a couple of different videos. You know, you get this opportunity to be around these guys, both on camera and off camera. Which did you walk away with the most favorable impression of? Like if you were an NBA GM that you felt like you walked away and been like, man, I'd draft that kid. It was Alex Sarr, Chris.

Alex Sarr was the guy I went in with ranked lowest of the four players I interviewed. I interviewed Matas Buzealous, Ron Holland, Eton Almanza from the G League Ignite, and then Alex Sarr from the Perth Wildcats. Saar I had ranked 17th on my board, the others I all had in my top five. Saar was the best prospect at the event. He was seven foot one, seven five wingspan. And he had multiple unbelievable defensive possessions where he ran coast to coast with Ron Holland, blocked his shot on one play on defense. He deflected one pass after a rotation.

Then he kind of deterred another player from making an accurate pass. Then he switched on to Ron Holland and just mirrored his every movement, forced the ball out of bounds. He blocked Buzellas twice on a play. And offensively, he was hitting threes, hitting his free throws, something at a higher percentage. than he did with the overtime elite the last two years. He was finishing at the basket. He still makes some mistakes, some turnovers, especially attacking from the perimeter.

He gets called for travels. He needs to fix that up. But I thought he was smart when I spoke with him. He definitely is self-aware. He knows his weaknesses and talks about how he needs to improve his stamina and improve his weight. He wants to get up to 240. He's at 220 now after being at 198 when arriving in America two years ago

to play for the OTE. I was very impressed by him, man. All four of them in their own way are impressive, smart kids. But factoring in SARS performance on the court and then listening to him talk through how he's become who he is today and what he envisions himself being, he seems very realistic about who he is as a player

and the steps that he needs to take to get there. And that interview posted last Friday on the ringer's NBA draft show feed, We're posting all four of the interviews. Holland went up last Wednesday. Saar went up Friday and then Bozellas will be up this Wednesday and then Almanza will be up on Friday or Saturday. So SARS is my answer to your question.

SARS the one that you mentioned, I believe in passing last week that a GM or a talent evaluator for an NBA team mentioned to you that I just saw the number one pick in next year's draft. And so there's certainly at least you had you had garnered from a couple of different guys that there was real buzz. And he had clearly made a huge impression on NBA talent evaluators, yourself included, while there. Real quick, I don't want to spoil the interview, but this whole Perth Wildcats thing and him playing in OTE, we know that OTE was where both the, Thompson Twins just came out of. There have been some other guys that have come out of there.

I know Gortman who, you know, is going to go play with the Bucks. And there's some others that have gotten drafted and are on teams. This trek that he's on, playing in OTE and now playing for this team. How did this all happen? Do you know or the reasoning behind him doing it the way he did? because this is an extremely unique situation. We have seen high school guys go to overtime or high school guys go to the G League

or in the case of, you know, Lamello, high school guy, or RJ Hampton go overseas and play. But this one is the guy played an overtime elite and now is playing for this per team. How did this all happen? I mean, I'm sure there's a financial element to it with that decision, but I did ask him about that. And basically what he says was he just felt like this was the next step for him and his development as a player.

And I think that personally, I think that's the right choice. The overtime elite, I respect what that league is. But ultimately, it is more so high school-aged players with SAR. This is an opportunity to go against a bunch of guys who are in their late 20s and 30s, grown men physically developed. And for SAR, that's something that teams want to see him prove, is how can he battle against some of these tougher, stronger players? How does he handle that physicality?

So this is an opportunity for him to do that. And he's just going to have a bigger role on this team. He had a very diverse offensive role. They allowed him to play kind of like Jaron Jackson-esque in a way in how he was using different positions on defense for Perth. So right now is the NBL Blitz. That's going to be like a stretch for him here following those G-League games to prove himself, but it's a long season ahead.

And NBA teams, almost everybody I talk to, like, the impression of this draft, like, Bozellus is good, Holland is good. There's a lot of, like, good players, guys you really like, but don't really love. Saar is one of those guys that I hear from more people who are like, I mean, if you're betting on the highest upside, it's going to be the seven-foot-one dude who has a handle

and has flashed a jumper and five-position versus, Just kind of reading about him. Boy, just under 7-1, 7.4 and a half wingspan. Super long. Before he played an overtime elite, he was in Real Madrid's youth team in Spain. I mean, he's like, you know, it's a French kid, but he played for Real Madrid's youth team in Spain who... He's been around, man. We know the kind of incredible training that these kids.

get overseas fundamental wise, etc., etc. And so what just a weird trajectory, right? Real Madrid in Spain to overtime elite in Atlanta to now the Australian basketball league. And he's French. You figure it out. I guess it can happen in any kind of way.

You know I love the French players. I know you do. You found one, huh? Wow. Unbelievable. There you go. You found ones. It's going to be an interesting year ahead for the draft, dude.

Like I'm, like this, I think from a fan perspective, this draft isn't nearly as interesting as last year's in the sense that there's no Wembe. Yeah. It's just not that crown jewel of the drafts. But there's no clear cut number one. And I think there's like seven or eight guys that I think you could make the argument as the number one. prospect. Like, I've seen people have Justin Edwards from Kentucky at number one. I've seen people with Buzellas or Hall.

I've seen people with Almanza at number one. I've, I've, there's a lot of guys that people have at one. I've talked about how Jacobi Walter from Baylor is somebody that's on my, could he be the number one pick? Long list of players. Stefan Castle from Yukon.

There's just a lot of names and not a lot of clarity. So, I mean, this draft could end up being better than it seems right now if these guys all get better over the next year or could end up feeling like oh this is like nobody wins like if you get number one you're still not really getting a star level prospect it could be that type of year too dude this guy's awesome and there's back to back french big men they get trapped they go to the olympics with wemby maybe this kid is

Rudy, they recruit Embed his go the biggest team ever. Mm-hmm. He could have two back-to-back French Big Med go number one.

If this kid holds on to where you think that he could, he's certainly going to be in the mix for it at least. All right. So that interview is up on the Ringer, NBA draft feed, right? Yes, sir.

The Ringer's NBA draft show, the Ron Holland, Alex our interviews are up. I think like for the like draft geeks, we'll enjoy these conversations more than anything else. Like the players is, you know, we go in depth into their games.

Kevin, it is always a pleasure. We are two weeks away from NBA Media Day. And then we're going to be talking about games within three weeks because that preseason is going to be underway. Thank you to our executive producer, Jesse Lopez as always. And Kev,

I will talk to you next week. Have a good week.