The Ringer NBA Show - Six Big Questions as the NBA Season Enters 2026 | Group Chat

Episode Date: January 4, 2026

Justin, Rob, and J. Kyle Mann are here after the holidays to answer six of the biggest questions to start 2026. (00:00) Intro (5:45) OKC title challenger rankings (22:23) Trae Young (37:23) Giannis Antetokounmpo (42:53) Clippers (53:47) Lakers (1:04:34) Rookie of the Year race (1:15:23) League Pass re-rankings Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and J. Kyle Mann Audio Producer: Isaiah Blakely Video Producer: Victoria Valencia Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Social: Isaiah Blakely and Keith Fujimoto  The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello and welcome to group chat. I am Justin Varyer and joining me, Rob Mahoney, Jay Kyle, man. New Year, same me, unfortunately, for me. I don't know if you guys are resolute in already, but Rob, you don't really strike me as the type of guy who's like planning out his goals for the season, how many podcasts you want to do over a course of a month. It's too many, is the answer, generally speaking?

Here's my take on resolutions. I'm navel-gazing all the time. I am introspecting constantly. Why do we wait for the start of the year to do it? When you could just be on my level operating at a constant pace of like self-reflection and analysis and ultimately crippling anxiety as a result. I mean, you could argue that a brooding self, you know, introspective person would be drawn to our job in the first place, especially with the job with like the arts flavor.

I mean, one of our company meetings is like, it was so hilarious. Like before I joined Ringer, it was like, I was like, yeah, I know a lot about movies. I don't know a lot about music. I don't like you go down the line and you kind of get to know some of the people we work with and it's like, yeah,

I don't really know anything about music. I thought I did. But no, I mean, I agree with you, Rob. I think it's, I don't really wait for January 1st either. I'm kind of, I mean,

I'm also that way with gifts. I'm impossible to buy for because I'm always just, you know, catering to myself constantly. So, you know, the man who has everything. Yeah, right. The grind never stops.

So it doesn't. For us, you don't need resolutions because the goals are right in front of you, day in and day out. It's very true, but at the same time, we make a whole podcast for Festivus and the airing of grievances all year, Justin, and you're constantly airing grievances. So maybe I do acknowledge that there is a time and place to sit and honor, whether it's resolutions or grievances or whatever, to make the space for it, I think is a worthy endeavor. Well, speaking of grievances, I actually wrote down in the long tracker of grievances that I keep on a yearly basis, one that I was going to pocket for next year. But since we're on this topic, there's a lot of people going to the gym. all of a sudden, things are a little bit more crowded as they typically are at the start of the year.

I just want to give a real PSA out there. If you smell, like, you got to do something about that, all right? Like, I was on the treadmill the other day. And, like, I had to move because a guy was so smelly that I could almost like, it was affecting my breathing. Like, so I'm glad that you're new to the gym. If you have a gland problem, I understand. But if this is something you can fix, you got to fix the smell. So just a general B.O.

Yes. So Rucillo leaves, are you just seeing an opening here for you to move into PSA for the gym guy? Is that your thing? I didn't see this coming. I wouldn't say I'd go that far, but at the very least, I need to do it if only to regulate my moods. So I have become a consistent gym presence. I know you guys can't tell because I have all this winter wear on top, but like we start doing summer pods. The tanks are coming out, baby.

The unveiling. Both tanks, am I right? The unveiling of bulk barrier, look, it's going to be our most popular video podcast yet. This is why we make the move to Netflix to get that in glorious 4K. Get the definition, the shadows in the delts. You're going, are you getting like, you're on the, because I read an article that lifting is in and cardio is out and that, you know, Planet Fitness was like, you know, we used to be a cardio place. Are you trying to get, are you trying to be like a greyhound, Justin? Are you, what's going on with the regiment over there?

incline walking is the new thing. And I'm very much in on this. Because for whatever scientific reasons that some guy that you just found in the algorithm who probably has no idea what they're doing, or actually just aping someone who they heard say this previously. You read that tweet. Everybody read that tweet. Yes.

I have started to do that. But I guess it helps like keep on the muscle but not burn away the stuff that you need. Whatever. I'm doing it. Yes. Can I see a question next time we're together. Yeah, to make sure. JV, I have a question.

though, about your overall grievance. If there was going to be a place to smell, wouldn't the gym be the place to do it? I'm okay with smelling, but there's almost like there's a threshold there. I feel like the technology they're using at Clippers games to determine whether or not you paid for like a pretzel or whatever. Yeah.

I want that, but for smells at a gym. I'm giving this idea away for free for anybody. If you could get a smell detector that if we get to like a certain level of smelliness, yes. Yeah. You cannot go. And you're going to catch these people and send them to blackside prisons?

Or what's happening exactly? Yeah, I'm going to be the dog, the bounty hunter of smells. Follow your nose, I guess. You could have a smelly section. I mean, I can see that you're all about sort of separating patrons. So at the movie theater, we have the loud patrons. And we could have the, if you're one of those anti-aluminum, I know you hear that a lot. It's like, I'm not wearing it because of the aluminum or I'm allergic or whatever it is.

You can, we can separate them over here, right? And that's kind of your. You all haven't heard about that? I swear to God, for like, I left you no idea what you're talking about. I knew. It was like, oh, there's aluminum. Can't do the aluminum. So I didn't read up on it.

With the smoking section, which is where this idea originates from, like, you're just by the smoking section. So if you're in a smelly section, unless you're cordoned off with like just a glass case of emotion, basically, like, you're still going to smell. And we're going to smell that. Yeah, we'd need some technology. So I guess if you're interested in piloting Justin's idea and really investing in whatever would be required to execute.

it get at us. It counts as intellectual property, right, that I spoke it into existence. Oh, yeah, yeah. This is copyrighted now. Okay. Great start. Well, to start the new year of pods, we're doing six questions here to reset ourselves, kind of get into the bigger storylines that are going to be, we're going to be kind

of tracking as we go into 2026, so at least the season. I have six down here. Honestly, I fudged a couple because they were like two and one or one is a non-one. So at home, you could track it and send it to me later and let us know how many we actually got to. But number one, I think is the big one that we're all kind of pondering as we wait to hear when Nicola Yokic will be back on an NBA court. At least four weeks was the diagnosis that we got from the hyper-extended knee. That would be about 15 games, but it was a whole reevaluated after four weeks. So I imagine this will take even longer.

They did get Brown and Gordon back on the court today. So that's something. But my question for you, Rob, is in light of the injury, does this shake up the challenger rankings you have for the title repeat bid for the Oklahoma City Thunder? I still think the nuggets are the best challenger. And some of it is as simple as if any of the other contenders and would-be contenders in the ranks here, we're making like a super compelling case at the moment. I might feel more swayed. The Rockets have lost to a bunch of bad teams lately and also a bunch of close games that make me. a little nervous about some of their late game execution stuff.

The Knicks, who feel like the best team in the East, almost by default, have lost three straight and five of nine. Not exactly jumping at the chance to put them at the top of this pecking order here. And I guess the spurs are very good and really interesting. I'm just not quite there yet with them. And so is there another team that we should be considering here other than those? Oh, boy, don't say it. Are you going to say it? I think the question is, at what point do you start to think?

really hard about the Jason Tatum is back Celtics. Because not the current model per se, but the Jason Tatum infused version of the current model. That's right. But the current model is already about on par with the Knicks. I mean, I don't know if you guys saw the game against the Clippers the other night, but Jalen Brown looks like one of the five to ten best players in the league right now. Dude, the Celtics just, we talked about this with the Young Core thing,

and it kind of goes top to bottom organizationally with them. It's like the ownership, the front office, the coach, the team, the stars, everything when you watch that team. And I think those things are very evident whenever things are out of whack. And you see that with like, I don't know, I always think of college teams, college programs that have really, really strong culture. And just they have an identity that sort of transcends classes coming and going. I don't know if you guys in high school had, there were schools that we played that had the same fucking plays and we would play them. And they were everyone from the freshman team to the JV team to the varsity team, they all knew them,

they executed them. It was just like this hive mind thing that, that the best organizations have. And when you watch the Celtics, it's just, it's almost, it's like liquid courage that they all just kind of believe in. There's a belief that even though the talent out there may not, may be huge in terms of discrepancy, I'm watching Luca Garza run up and down and just play his ass off. I'm watching, you know, the bothersome brothers get out there and tear. Hugo checking hard and full court was a delight.

It was a disaster, but it was a delight. I just think that when you watch them, there's a lot. of that powering them, but like you said, with Jalen Brown, with the guys that they have out there that are going. I mean, they also have a lot of talent. I think that can't be overlooked, too. It's not like this is some scrappy upstart. This is a team with talent and with a lot of culture and accountability. It's working. The Tatum part is just the elephant in the room with all that. Not that he would come in and make the team worse, but like how much better could he elevate them? Like, could he get them past the Knicks? Could he get them past the Pistons?

can he put the Celtics into a different class relative to these other Eastern Conference contenders? I just don't, I mean, I have no idea how to even begin to ponder that given how little we know about what he would look like on the court. And so they feel like more of a mystery box to me as far as like a Tatum version of the team

than they do a definitive challenger to, like as proven an entity as we have in the Thunder. And I feel like the Oklahoma City's been taking some shots and some strays lately because of the losses to the spurs. And they've just kind of swooned a tiny bit they're still easily the favorites. Like they still have proven that with a bullet.

So until I see otherwise from anyone who feels all that compelling, I'm just going to assume that the Thunder are going to at least be formidable in the end, if not there as champions in the end. With the Celtics, I also worry about the pecking order becoming a little muddled because Brown, as we've seen, is a very prideful guy to the point where he was upset on his Twitch stream about not getting player of the month. I didn't know that players even recognized that as an accomplishment,

let alone like actually pine for it and openly like kind of disagreed with it. But like is Tatum going to try to come back in and do Tatum things? Whereas Brown has asserted himself as one of the best players in the league. It's the type of tenuous sort of thing that has worked out in the past and perhaps they just fall back into the muscle memory of what was before. But I could also see Brown being like, no, this is kind of my year. Let like let me go and do this. I also don't think there's precedent for this, Kyle.

Like the only thing that I came up with was MJ coming back from baseball. because he was also in the middle of March, which is where you hear Tatum might be coming back to. And they couldn't even do it. Like they went out in the second round. Yeah. Now, there isn't a Shaq magic team waiting in the East. So that would be the case for the Celtics.

But like if MJ plus Scotty and the dynastic Bulls can do this, I do think that's a interesting data point at the very least in projecting this out. Well, it's interesting speculating about Tatum and whether or not he's willing to do non-tatum things. we've seen him in other settings, like how willing is he going to be and how, you know, how well will his game interface into being more deferring? It could, it could stir up some of the, some of the dynamic, the questions that we had about the Brown and Tatum dynamic in the past. Something that I think is also interesting about the Celtics is we're thinking of them as, it would be easy to fall into the trap of thinking of them as a continuation of the title run a few years ago,

when really there are some pieces that are gone, I mean, significant pieces that aren't here anymore, more from that, you know, with Horford and then with Drew and then with Porzingis. And it kind of makes you wonder, will the guys who have moved up in this, you know, next man up thing that I was praising so readily a minute ago, are they going to be ready in the playoff setting to counterpunch? That's the thing about the nuggets, I think, that they have over the rockets, that they have over the spurs. Yeah. You know, once you've seen the counterpunch, once you know, like, we know you're going to do this, we're going to dodge and we're going to throw this. Like, a lot of those teams haven't

figured that out and have the has this iteration of the Celtics figured that out? Is it going to just really be that easy? Are they going to be ready for it? Or is, I don't know, it may not be as implied as we think. Yeah, the differentiator is usually how long have the players on your team been in the roles that they're playing? And do they have the experience, not just like going on a long playoff run, but Jalen Brown being the guy on a team where Jason Tatum is easing his way back in? That would be a new experience for him going all the way to the NBA finals doing something like that. And with it comes a different kind of processing, a different kind of problem solving. And I'm with you, Kyle. I think Denver has all that stuff a little more locked in, even despite some of the big looming injury

questions about when Yokic comes back, when Valanchunus comes back, which is just a disaster in terms of their center rotation at present. But JV mentioned getting Aaron Gordon back in the lineup, getting Christian Brown in the lineup. It may not save you against the Brooklyn Nets, it turns out, but I would hope that over the next couple weeks, it'll do some good for the Nuggets, just stabilizing them, keeping their heads above water, getting them to the point. where if they can get into the playoffs in the top six, I just think ultimately they're going to be fine against most teams. Yeah, I guess the question ultimately becomes,

how much do you think matchups will dictate overall success in the Western Conference? And I do worry about the Nuggets if they get down past the four seed, which is very much in play at this point. Like, are they then fighting for their lives in the first round? How much does that dictate, like who they're going up against in the second? Like, if they're in the same situation they were last year, without home court advantage against the thunder, I think that's going to be a tough one to dig themselves out of.

I also think this is where, like, injury timelines start to matter, because as you're seeing with some of these guys coming back, Gordon first and foremost, it's not just the like reevaluation date, which is now the new way injuries get reported. It's the reporting after that. And oftentimes two times after that is when we actually get the guy back,

but then they have to play through the limited minutes, the no back to backs and all that other stuff. And so we may be looking at Yokic as a month out based on what we know now, it could be two months before we get full-blown yokeach. And at that point, Kyle, like, where are they in the standings, one? And where are they just overall? Because we didn't even mention Cam Johnson's not out there, too. So this is like five guys that they all count on for everything that they're doing.

Yeah, it's a continuation of just, it's never quite been in full comfortable stasis for a long period of time. You know, you go and get Bruce Brown back and you're trying to chase some of that level that they got to during the first title. the only title run for this group. I was going to say, man, one of the, I did not want Yokic to get hurt. I just want to be on the record. I am defiant in that stance.

I just, when he went down, part of me in the back of my mind was like, my guy needed a break. And I was kind of like, I don't know. If he's ready to go, is there, the seating, I guess, would be the thing that would start to sort of prod you in the butt with the pitchfork of like,

we can't fall into the abyss here and get ourselves in a bad, situation. But I also was like, man, Yokic just, but he always looks burdened on the court, right? Yokic always just has, like, I always say the Nelson from the Simpsons playing football thing of just like, oh my God, I'm just carrying the way of the world. I don't know. Maybe could a break be big for him, I guess is my point. Maybe, but a hyper-extended knee break. I'm going to venture to guess no, not a net positive for the Denver Nuggets in terms of their season. Those usually heal all the way back, though. I mean, and how bad was Yonis is in the finals?

a few years. Or was it the hawks when he hyper extended that knee? It was, yeah. And played through it. Good Lord. I mean, it's insane that anyone can play on a knee hyper extension. Because it is the kind of injury that you don't even think about it in the way that you think about like a hamstring pull or a calf pull where it's just like you're tentatively waiting for it to get exacerbated. It's just sort of like painful and a little scary every time you take a jump or step in a totally different way. Have you played with one? Is that why you know this so intimately? Literally, who has it in terms of if you've played pickup basketball before, you've hyper extended a knee before.

Okay. I'm going to the grocery store, and that's really my only activities here. I'm going to the gym, apparently. Absolutely crushing that inclined walk. You've never hyper extended a knee doing that thing? No, that's why the walking is so important. It's true. Stay off the injury list.

You're preparing better than I am. I'm just jumping out there, trying to run up and down the court a little bit and ultimately getting injured. We're going to die on the battlefield. I think Rob and I have agreed on that a few different times, right? We're going down. On the shield. It's the only way to end.

You guys could be here. just for one day. I hope so. I think you identify the essential question, though, where it's like, if not the Nuggets, then who?

If we're saying that OKC is the team that everybody's chasing, because I could find flaws with all these teams. I found myself, despite all recent results, thinking very hard about the Timberwolves, if they could just figure out the,

well, I guess it's now the Bones Highland spots, no longer the Rob Dillingham spot, but they've had some pretty atrocious losses since the Christmas Day Slobner-knocker. But if they could just get right, like, they're a team that nobody wants the face, and we've seen that two years in a row.

And so, but I think like it's all kind of like a gobbledygook where it's like, eh, the rockets in some situations, the wolves in some situations. I don't know. Like, there really isn't a clear, like, number two contender if Yokic is going to be hobbled through the rest of the regular season. Well, let me ask you this. Do we prefer that? You know, we're staring at a bunch of regular season ahead of us.

Is it fun to not have a definitive answer to this question right now? I think it would be different if the thunder weren't so far and away. the number one. If everybody was in this mix, then yes. It would be a little bit more like college where there's like a couple number one seeds and then anything can happen, baby. But right now, it's just everybody chasing the thunder. And I would want like all of the combatants to be at their best in order to see if they can give them a run. Because we also have the question of whether or not the thunder, like how good are the thunder, right? Are they this regular season jug or not? Is it about matchups? Or are they just like historically good? I think that's going to be lingering over them,

even though this 70 game chase has kind of fallen to the wayside. I think it would make this run ultimately a lot more interesting if there is one of these teams that really rises emphatically from the crop that really separates themselves from the rest of these other contenders. I just don't know that this is the kind of season where we're going to get it. We're obviously in a parody era to begin with. There's so many injuries going around the league right now. There's so much that's unresolved, that's unknown, that we're trying to pencil in,

Jason Tatum's and Nicola Yokic is here and there. And it's just impossible to know. And yeah, meanwhile, the Thunder, even while they take a couple losses, are still the best thing going in basketball, still have yet to lose to an Eastern Conference team. It's just hard to imagine them really getting tested by anything but a really great contender at absolute full strength. And that may be honestly, it's like more of a dice roll than we're even willing to admit. Or the chance that they end up playing the Spurs, right? I mean, I actually pulled some stat here that I thought was pretty interesting. On Synergy, they added a thing where you could look at play-type efficiencies with defensive players on the floor.

And pretty interesting for OKC. I just wanted to throw this to you all. Isolation normally for OKC is very productive, 1.153. Isolation for them when Wimby's on the floor is 0.75. Similar in pick and roll, 0.976 with Wimby on the floor, 690. I think that kind of going back to the matchup thing that we were talking about before, I don't know. It's kind of what I was saying. You know, San Antonio needs to prove the counterpunch thing that I was describing with the other teams that Denver has already kind of said,

all right, we kind of know what the moves are. If San Antonio can get into a series with them, I definitely think it could get interesting. And I honestly feel like we're getting a little bit of, you kind of get into this. Baseball was really, really interesting when the Yankees were the empire, right? I remember that was the peak of my baseball watching was. Who could take them down? and that drama was really fun or the warriors in their dynastic run

with Curry and things like that. I kind of feel like we're getting a little bit of, we're not totally sure because OKC and we maybe are overreacting to them, you know, tasting their own blood a little bit. It's a little bit of both. We're not totally sure,

but OKC is really good. I don't know if we would prefer OKC to be this just like zeroed out. I don't know. But I feel like we're getting a little bit of both narratively. Yeah, I think we're just used to teams being a little bit cleaner in terms of,

how dominant they are, or perhaps it's just like how we think back on these teams. I think it's more that, to be honest. The heat never actually had a challenge where it's just like, I don't know, like, Roy Hibbert almost like stuff them out pretty quickly. The Bulls. I was saying the Bulls gave them some shit during that run too. That's right. And since we're speaking about the East,

I also think this is an opportunity. We're talking a lot about the Pistons and whether or not they will or won't do anything. If I'm them, I am going out and getting someone at the very least that doesn't complicate my cap situation because they do have a lot of guys to pay who are coming up on rookie extensions. over the next couple of years. But I see this, the flip side of what everyone's saying, where it's just like the West will steamroll whatever the East puts out there. If I'm the Pistons, I'm like, if I dominate the East,

I have a clear road to the finals, then all bets are off. Like, if I could just get there, then at the very least, I might be well rested while all of these Western Conference teams fucking just like take each other's limbs off each other. Like, so if one of these teams can just like solidify itself as the dominant force in the East, there's a real opportunity there. I would say especially because, the smart defenses in the league are starting to get more and more exaggerated with the way that

they guard the pistons and more specifically who they don't guard on the pistons. And there are just way too many lineups where there are two, three, four guys who, even though some of them might hit by percentage aren't so deadly that you can't leave them open for a couple seconds or aren't so quick off the trigger that you can't get back to them in time. And it's just putting a lot of pressure on Cade, it's putting a lot of pressure on Jalen Duren. They really could use just like one more real piece of firepower there. And they certainly have the pieces to do it if they were.

want to. All right, since we're talking about East teams that can't play defense, why don't we talk about Trey Young and the Atlanta Hawks, specifically whether or not any team needs Trey Young, which feels like it's going to be one of the dominant storylines going into the trade deadline. We'll see what happens. We're at the point of the pre-traded deadline season where everyone's like, I don't know if anything's going to happen. Like, we do this every year.

Then Luca Donchish gets traded and it's like, actually, they were just waiting for X, Y. It's like, all right, cool. But Young at the very least, in addition to Anthony Davis, so I think we were talking about a little bit later, is probably the dominant name at the deadline. I just am at a loss right now trying to find a match for the Hawks because in any sort of like multi-team trade that's get throwing out there, apparently they're a Davis suitor themselves.

It just doesn't feel like there's a place for Trey Young. Like, Rob, am I missing something? Do you see like an obvious spot there? I don't. Because clearly the answer would be you want to find a way to route Trey to a team that really needs the offensive help that could benefit from his playmaking

that could benefit from his gravity. He still has great vision. And he's a great player in terms of coordinating the action on the floor. The shot selection might not always be what you want, but he's obviously talented as a point card. So I'm looking at the bottom 10 offenses in the league. Which of these teams could really benefit from

Trey Young? They're the teams that already have point guards, the Golden State Warriors, the Dallas Mavericks once Kyrie gets back. That's why a one-for-one, Tray Anthony Davis thing doesn't really make sense. There would have to be a third team involved, I think. The Memphis Grizzlies, I guess, although we can kind of talk about whether they have a point guard they want to invest in or not. There are a bunch of teams with no real urgency, Brooklyn, New Orleans, Washington, Indiana.

I don't know why they would trade for Tray Young. And that kind of leaves Portland where trade doesn't fit. Chicago, where trade doesn't really make sense. And Sacramento, which we just constantly shrug and say, maybe it'll happen. Right. Let me backtrack to Portland a little bit here, though. because this was one that I thought about a lot. I was kind of looking for a team that had a lot of athletic sort of appendages

that needed a brain to sort of make them move in cohesion a little bit. Granted, Denny has ascended and become a great orchestrator. He's developed in so many different ways. But you're also, the tough question about Trey is you never want to do this. You never want to sign up for more responsibility for your defensive players. But unless a player is really, really special. Trey with them is interesting to me because you'd get the two-headed monster of the Denny, and Denny's a little different than Jalen Johnson in terms of the way he likes to go about offense.

That one is a little more intriguing to me because I think there's some expirings you could move. I don't know. What was your hold-up? What would you all say the hold-up is with Portland? I mean, timeline-wise, I think would be the main thing because you got scoop, but I'm curious to dive more on that on Portland. I mean, I think for me, it was cultural. I don't know how you feel about it, Justin,

but he just doesn't seem to fit the model or the blueprint or the ethos of that team. And really, anyway, to the point, Kyle, I can kind of see what you're saying as far as giving something they don't have, but it's so different from what they have that I kind of hesitate to think they would actually do it. Yeah, I've been sniffing around

and asking people about whether or not they would swing for something like this, and my initial read is that it seems a little too soon. I just think, in addition to the fact that all of these injuries have muddled the picture that they just don't know what they are. Like they'll win games like the other night against the Spurs where Donovan Klingin looks awesome. And it's just like you think you're one team. And then the next night they'll probably lose a game that they should have won.

And it's completely just mixing things up. Caleb Blah was playing like heavy minutes and books actually halfway decent, Siddi Cidico was like a real deal rotation player all of a sudden. So it's like he's playing solid. But they're counting on him as a rotation player. They are. They unquestionably are for better or worse. But it's that, but it's also they do have all these bets still kind of percolating on the roster that we kind of forget because they're not really showing at this point.

Like, we don't know what Young is going to be long term. I think they're hoping he could slot into that orchestrating role. Dame isn't playing this year. What is he going to be next year? It would be impossible to move him if they did want to like jump the gun because he has a no trade clause. And then like, Scoot isn't playing right now. Shaden is playing better. And so it feels a little soon, I think, for them to take a big jump.

And that's the problem with a lot of these teams. When we're talking about like this point card boopoo platter of like Trey, John Morant and La Mello Ball, I guess, it's like teams practically all have their guy or they have their guy in waiting. Yeah. And I think with Portland, too, I don't know how much we should be counting on Damian Lillard to eventually be a real basketball entity that we need to take into account with these things. But if you're looking forward, getting Dane back at some point.

Does that make Trey redundant in some way? Does it at least counteract some of the appeal of getting him? I think Portland is at a pretty delicate spot. And one that we've seen with a lot of young teams where they're riding a level of organic growth to a point. And then there will be a level where they need to accelerate, right, where they need to cash in some chips, trade some young players, trade some picks, whatever that looks like for them. And you have to choose that moment really wisely and you have to choose the player you invest in really wisely. And I think that's another reason why Trey makes me feel a little nervous for where they are. I don't think anybody's going to invest in him to that extent or really make a big bet just because the tradeoffs are so tough.

Like if you, like we were saying, Justin, like you were saying, it's like the teams that have it decided. You're basically asking Trey to come in and do things that sort of stress the tradeoff of having him on your team where it's like, okay, yeah, we don't necessarily want to have him on the ball. Well, it's like he's pretty short. He's not as great a three-point shooter as you would hope. And then I've always kind of wondered something about Trey, and this is a broader just kind of basketball thought in general. It's like some guys are more suited to be the second side decision maker. It's like it's just a different game of chess,

whereas I feel like Trey has mastered the ability to compensate for his size when he is the person directing the band. You know what I mean? Whenever the flow of the offense is going and it's in the blender, you get him in a crowd, you start to just see some of the, some of the problems with him. And it's like,

I was kind of watching and granted, it's been so sporadic with him playing with Jalen Johnson. It's like a lot of the stuff that Atlanta's doing with him is he'll come off of a dribble handoff and get in the lane. You're just, it's very accelerated in a way that doesn't seem to compliment him the same way of the like, slow it down.

We're doing this exactly the way Tray Young wants to do things. And I think that's a problem for a team if you want to import him and add him to what you already have. it isn't good that they lost all five games when he came back and so it really just like whatever hope you had that he could still fill that role and like we saw this the other night against the raptors where it felt like they needed someone to take the reins and really like take over late that he would fill that role I think that it's kind of passed them by I think that they've turned the page on this the defense in particular has been just atrocious

I have them as a hundred and twenty six point two defense of rating when he's on the this year. And so it just feels like they're in a different phase, especially as Nikila Alexander Walker just plays so lights out offensively. I think the problem is I just don't know where to put these guys. And so we're past the point where there's like a Memphis Grizzlies waiting to sign Alan Iverson, right? There's this aging star who at the very least will bring you out to the games. And I can't decide whether or not that's a good thing. Because on the one hand, teams are kind of left with their mistakes or whatever you want to call them. You have to play through John Moran's contract. You have to play through Tray Young's contract. There is no amnesty

waiting there, even if it is in the form of a trade. On the other hand, there's no snow globe effect anymore. And so because the season is so goddamn long, we kind of have relied on this to shake things up at the trade deadline. And so I don't know where I fall. Where are you guys on this? Well, I mean, first, it's kind of tragic in its own way that we're talking about Trey Young in these terms as Grizzlies Alan Iverson he's a 27 year old former All-Star former like fringe

borderline all NBA guy like squarely prime this is this is going to be as good as it gets for Trey Young over the next couple years like this is the best version of this player and if there are no takers on that guy what is it going to mean when he's 32 years old like what is it going to mean even

deeper into his post prime when the size and the age really come to take a toll on him I still feel like inevitably there will be someone. Like he's too talented to completely bail on, and yet he does not fit where the Hawks are right now in basically any respect. I think part of the reason, Justin, you're seeing that defense, like the defensive falloff being so stark is in particular without Chris,

that's for Zingis out there. They're so reliant on their length and switchability at every other position that you compromise one of them, and they just completely lose their balance in terms of their ability to handle things. And so the combination of having Trey out there, there and no like legit rim protector with actual size, I think is a real problem for them. But it's also a real problem that a lot of other teams are going to share. Like, not everyone has a true like backstop rim protector behind them.

And that's kind of where you want to start if you're looking at the teams that should be interested in Trey. The one thing in his like kind of favor is he is on a player option next year. So on the one hand, a lot of teams aren't going to look at this as a straight dump, which at this point might be more favorable, might grease the wheels a little bit more easily in order to get rid of them. On the other end, it's not like a John Moran situation where you have to deal with multiple years still left on the books there. You really have to get through this year and the next year, perhaps you could swing them into something else. But man, I don't know.

Like, do you guys think that Trey is the more intriguing one of these guys? Or do you think because of the potential still simmering, at the very least for Lamella, maybe if you squint hard enough with Jah, like, those are more like compelling to you if you're looking to make a bet on any of these guys? I think schematically, I think I trust who, Trey is a little more in terms of like the rounding of his skill set, the erraticness. There's just so many damning conundrums. I mean, Lamello, as much as I defend him and to the point of the ridiculous at times, is so erratic.

We haven't really seen him play any meaningful basketball, whereas we have seen Trey play some meaningful basketball. In terms of just his stability as a competitor and things, I mean, I feel like I, and then you look at John, it's like it's just there are. basketball problems in addition to sort of the off-court stuff that he's had. So, I mean, I think if you were sort of just trying to level it out the highest outcomes right now, for me, I still, I don't know, I feel like I might lean tray a little bit still. But I guess that just speaks to the fact that there aren't a lot of suitors for Jha.

There's probably, are there the most suitors for Lamello still, what we say? I think so. Even for as weird and polarizing a player as he is, to me, I feel, look, I feel mixed about these guys in their own individual respects. I feel pretty definitive that my ranking would be Lamello, Trey, Jha, in terms of the priority in which I would want them on my actual team. And that's driven by juries out on Lamello, basically, right? Jury's out and the combination of like, if he ever does get it in the way you need him

to get it, it will be such a transformational thing. And I think we've seen enough evidence with Trey to suggest that he kind of is who he is. He feels a little more confined to that particular role. He's good at it to a point, but how far that takes you is kind of still up. for debate and maybe, oh, I guess maybe it's already answered, to be honest with you, in terms of him as like your go-to score. And then, yeah, I think you really hit it with job, the combination of all of the incremental falloff in his game and his driving ability, plus all of the questions in terms of it's just like judgment as a star too much as far as what I would be willing to trade for.

I think the one thing that you cannot trade for if you have some hope, if you have some like budding all-star like the Hawks do with Jalen Johnson, is trade for a superstar on a superstar? contract who doesn't play often enough, which is why when I hear them as Anthony Davis suitors, I'm like, don't do that. You're pretty much capping yourself, especially because it seems like Davis wants an extension on top of whatever trade you make for him. It just seems like you're boxing yourself in. And we've seen time, time again, the teams that get into trouble are the ones that traded for superstars who just aren't available. Look at the Brooklyn Nets. Look at Kauai in the clippers. That era like really ushered in what we're seeing now with the depth and just like the

widespread talent because when you don't have a star playing star minutes, it's completely just guts you. And so I just don't get it. Like I wouldn't trade for JAA for that reason. I wouldn't trade for Davis for that reason. I think we don't talk about this part enough, Justin, because you're right. It is especially punitive now more than ever, I would say. The combination of where the NBA is financially with all of the new cap rules, with the aprons, the idea of having $50 million in dead money is just so painful for a lot of teams. And that's, to say nothing about what it does to your team chemistry, what it does to the flow of your season, the momentum that you build and can't build because this guy's in and out of the lineup.

I just think ultimately, it feels like guys are getting injured more and more with soft tissue injuries. And at the same time, all of these very draconian restrictive rules are changing the way teams think about actually building their rosters. And the way that all that stuff kind of tangles up, I think could end up defining the next three or four years of the NBA until any of these things budge or move in any meaningful way. It's like the teams, obviously, that stay healthy are going to be more effective, but the teams that prioritize guys who can stay healthy and aren't investing in those kinds of deals and contracts who aren't taking the desperate swings, I think that they're going to be richly rewarded for it. I think the thing you said about

it'd be one thing if we had a lot of suitors for Trey and the rules for, you know, the fact that we don't have a lot of suitors for Trey and the fact that the rules make it so complicated to get him in the first place, even if people did. want him is frustrating to answer the broader question, I think, Justin, that you had in our outline about, like, is this bad that nobody wants him? I mean, that's the thing, Rob, that's the heart of it, is that it's very, very painful, that this isn't just like a mutual parting of ways of like, this doesn't work, it'll probably work somewhere else. They're just kind of, the fact that they're not able to leverage a talent like Trey Young for what is clearly kind of

working now, this thing that they've discovered with this Jalen Johnson core that could be tweak, the fact that they're not going to be able to leverage him, obviously, maybe somebody will come through and take him, but that, that is painful. So is it bad in that sense? I mean, yeah, it sucks. Granted, they have that pick, too. So it might, who knows, but in a perfect world, they'd be able to use Tray Young to level up. Yeah, we went through half a decade where the buzzword in the league was financial flexibility to the point where I don't even really know what it means anymore, but now I think we're getting to the point where roster flexibility matters so much more because the finances are so restricted.

Well, let's go to Janus now, if only because we need to check this box. Nothing's really happened. He's back. He's drawing up plays the win game, which is actually kind of sick. They are great when he play. Well, Gray is probably strong. They are very good when he plays. And they can play in any game that he's there for.

But I think inevitably, we will see and hear a lot going into the deadline. My question for you guys, though, is if you could just block out all Janus for material from now through the deadline with one of those like John Hamm black mirror style just statics you just don't see it anymore you just hear the crushing against you would you do it so if I accept this am I also getting the static that's replacing him getting like a game winning lob dunk to make it more interesting yes let's say so then absolutely not why would I would I rule but the Janus experience for myself so you're going to suffer through another month plus of fake trades every day.

This is so you. This is so grievance driven, Justin, because it does. I don't find myself, I was reading it and I was like, he's so annoyed that he would consider. Also,

I wanted to add that I haven't watched Black Mirror at all. I know that's like a shame, shame, shame on me, but not to the level of Zopranos with Rob. But I had, I went and looked at the clip that you were talking about. Pretty dark,

I'm willing to believe. It's a black man. Look pretty fucking bleak. I just a quick synopsis on that. No, I mean, also, Justin, we have the ability to mute words on Twitter. I don't know whatever your social. You do have the technology to do this. So I just wanted to throw that to you as a first option.

I actually could say we do program a podcast. So we could choose not to talk about Janus trade stuff anymore until it actually happens if we are so inclined. Yeah, but we need that sweet, sweet. traffic. There's the trick. The cynical heart of Justin Barrier comes beating through. You're so tortured.

If anything, I wanted to kind of check the box because we're kind of reset and we're talking about all the big things. It would be weird not to talk about Janice. I still have much to really add here. I think he's not going to get traded before the deadline. It's just too complicated at this point. Seems like they're waiting for him to hit the eject button

that he doesn't want to do it. And this is probably something that will happen over the summer, right? Yeah. And I want to reach out to the Bucks fan specifically because I know there is, as always with these stars, like a level of frustration in terms of the way these things are covered. Just to be very clear, Janus has pushed for a trade several times now. This is a real thing that has happened. This is not a media invention.

This is not just like smoke. We're all fanning up. This is real. Specifically said the team he would like to go to. Specifically called his shot. And some of the reason this stuff has gotten walked back is Janus himself getting a little wishy-washy about the whole. whole thing. Some of it is the bucks kind of balking at some of the potential returns. That has all kind of turned it into the mess that it is. But ultimately, I'm tired of the waffling

in that respect. Like, if we're going to do this, let's do it. And if we're not, we're not. And all of that is fine. I would like to turn down the volume on basically everything else involved. And I'm going to choose to do that in my own life outside of this podcast when we are required to talk about it as the situation demands. But ultimately, like, this is a real thing. And it's going to be a real thing until Janus gets traded ultimately. that's that no stamp it i just i also just don't find myself getting as like irritated by there's certain new cycle thing i'm so i'm so focused on on the court thing like that's the core thing about basketball that i enjoy i don't even get into trades as much as the or salary

cap type stuff i think it i mean i guess it stands it's obvious because i'm so in e-vall is my favorite thing it's what i've kind of based all my work around so i i don't find myself getting as annoyed by it as you i guess maybe you're just kind of on the wire in a way that's, like, it's affecting you in a way it's not affecting me, you know? How's that, how's that view from the high road up there? Are you feeling really good? No, I'm just saying, no, I mean, it's a, I'm not saying that there aren't things outside of what happens on, like, I'm very into the basketball culture, obviously. Like, you know, I'm sick, sickening. I'm, I'm eating up with it, you could say. But I don't know, like that, that kind of

stuff just does it does. Just and clearly. One of my greatest accomplishments in life is bringing Rob down in the mud and getting him into the trade machine culture. Because there's times where he wouldn't engage with any of this. But now he's like, he's so broken. So take back what you said, Justin, okay, or Rob. No, this is what podcasting with Justin for like five years does to a man, you know? That's true. How do you feel now?

Slowly, I feel, I mean, I do feel dirty. I do feel compromise. I once was like, I was like you, Kyle, you know, once upon a time. But now I do live in the mud. And you know what? I'm rolling around in a little more than I used to. but at least we can be cool and relax together. I just like hoops, man.

I just like hoops. I want to see Rob in the Michael Fossbender role for shame, but it's all about him just watching just like trade machine, like fake trades and putting guys into Jersey swaps. Well, first of all, that's an HR violation. You don't want to see him in anything resembling the movie shame, but I'm not ruling out the possibilities as far as the trade machine goes. Or Rob in a movie called Shame about his.

Nirvana take. That's more appropriate, I think. No shame in that game, my friend. Yeah. Well, speaking of deep shame, let's talk about the clippers or I guess both LA teams. Before last night, before Jalen Brown dropped 50 and looked like the best player in the world, and according to him, the best two-way player in the world, the clippers were on a bit of a run here. Unfortunately, still pretty buried in the standings, but not so much so that they couldn't make a legitimate push into the play-in mix. We still don't know what's going on with the Kauai

aspiration fiasco. I assume we'll get that before. All-Star break, which is happening at Into a Dome. You think so? Messy. It sounds, those are the rumblings happening that it will happen leading into that. It seems like people are suggesting that it would be worse if it was still looming over the situation when it was happening. I don't really see a difference other than people will ask about it while they're there. But I just don't think if they're going through an entire season, and they haven't been derailed by it now, why would it be derailed with All-Star there? I don't know. Yeah, I feel like if they announce it, people will ask about it at All-Star. And if they don't announce it, people will ask about it at All-Star. So what ultimately is the difference,

except that the NBA is hoping to host a big honking party at the Intuit Dome, which to me suggests like they probably won't do it. But look, I look forward to the swift adjudication of justice. I really hope that the long arm of Adam Silver comes down and slaps whoever needs to be slapped. I just don't know that that's going to happen that soon. hopefully the law office that's looking into this for several months now is getting paid by the hour because there's zero doubt. There's definitely backing up some fees to slow ball this one. Yeah, them discussing this case as a podcast that I would listen to.

I don't know if we have, I guess we can't have law of podcasts legally. But yeah, I mean, it's interesting because it has kind of receded a little bit from the day to day talk. So you would think that they wouldn't want to sort of bring. it back at All-Star Weekend, that would seem like a really grandiose time to be like, here it is back from the dead this story. But you're also right, too, where it's like at this point, it's not like it's going to derail some perfect season for the Clippers. So I don't know. I kind of, I feel like it'll probably be the off season two, but what do I know? I do think it's quite appropriate and just hilarious that Kauai looks better than ever.

So they've won six in a row. And Kauai just has been an absolute killer. Over, over. the seven games, so including Saturday night's loss, basically 37, 8, and 4 with three steals. He's shooting 42% from 3 on 10 a game and getting to the line 10 times a game. Yeah. Like this is absolute

just like meteoric shit. I mean, he's a fucking buzzsaw. Basically whenever he's healthy, but especially now, it's been awesome to watch. To the point that I'm actively enjoying watching the Clippers again, something I just did not think I would be saying at any point this season. He's still just such an immovable.

object. And one of the most deliberately paced players of all time in terms of the way he plays for a wing, I'm trying to think of other wings who played this way. I mean, he does, he has finesse things in his in his game, but I just always laugh at the way that like when Kauai gets in the lane, it's just people bounce off of him. He just kind of sees a space, whether it's there or not. And you just kind of like fall back. Like, people are helpless defending him. And it's like he just needed a little bit of stability in terms of his health. And he just, looks like one of the best players in the world again. So the question I have down here is,

do you believe in the Clippers? We'll get to the Lakers segment of this right after that. But I have to say, like, I find it hard not to, when I was watching that game the other night, because it's not just Kauai, being Kauai. It's just the ball was pinging in a way that hadn't seen practically for most of this season.

Like, you're getting just wide open looks for Chris Dunn was knocking them down, Derek John Jr. before he went down. He's going to be out for a little while here. Yeah, that sucks. Revitalized. Zoo is playing. again. And so like, it is all coming together, ironically, as like this thing is all crashing around them leading into the All-Star break. But like, if we're saying the bar is playing, like, that's doable because there are only like three wins away from getting there. And I would

expect at least one of these teams, the Grizzlies, big blinking red light as the team in question. Like, I think they could vault them at the very least. So the question we're asking is, do you believe in the clippers dot, dot, dot, dot to make the play in? Well, different bars for different teams. But yeah, I guess just in general, do you believe in them any more than that as a top six, perhaps? I think they have a pretty long way to go still to crack the top six. And anything less than that, like, they do make the play in. It just kind of makes them a tough first round out against what's going to be a really good team one way or the other. So I believe in them relative to these teams they're bumping up against. I just don't know that it's going to go anywhere at this point. And that's

kind of the tragedy of all this is even for as great as they're playing and say it continues to go this well from now until the end of the season, it might still be too little too late. And that's, that's a weird thing to say this early, but they were exactly that bad. Yeah, on the one hand, you look at some of the glacial sort of elements of like their identity as a team that have hurt them during the regular season. And the natural kind of progression of that is if you watch enough basketball, it's like, yes, it's the trope of everything slows down. But you look at some the top teams, like you're talking about the top six, some of these teams that are at that are up there. I mean, Houston, let's say they get one of these like the spurs or these, or OKC with these teams that are very high points off turnovers, very high controlling the defensive glass, even if they somehow got into that situation.

They've got the size. I just, man, the disruption of these teams, I think could really, really be a pain in the ass for them and just sort of like bring back from the dead those issues that they had during the regular season of. just getting back. I could see them just getting getting in and just getting slaughtered by one of these teams that is competent and is young and is fast.

It has been awesome though, Justin, to see some of those guys come back from the dead. Broke in particular, John Collins, too, starting to play a little better

and kind of find his spot with this team, which is super important. That's why the Derek Jones thing is unfortunate because they really can use his defense and his pressure. And,

I mean, even in that Celtics game, somehow his shooting, it ended up being a huge factor in that game. But they need guys like that. And ultimately, like they're getting better minutes out of like Niederhauser than I ever thought they would this season.

Otherwise, Yanuk Boom, as he's known around these parts and all parts soon to come. Otherwise, the end of the bench or like the end of the rotation, it leaves a little bit to be desired. And that's something that's just like so different from even a team like the Nuggets who, when they're healthy, just have so many guys to throw out there potentially. And the Clippers would be incredibly reliant on their best guys. Their best players are as good as anyone, especially in terms of Kauai. I just don't, I still don't trust a lot of their other rotation. What would you consider Chris Paul then, considering that he's still technically on the roster?

Is he like the ghost of Lobb City past? He haunts these halls. I can't believe they haven't figured that out yet. I guess it's a money thing where they can't just like drop him because they're still on the hook for that. But like he's literally still on the team, just not on the team. I would assume they are waiting to see if there is a reason to have his salary included in some kind of trade. Yeah. which is like

that's got a that's even worse like the situation is already so like murky to do this to like a former legend that you hope to put

in the rafters one day it's just like now you're actually just like kind of have him on house arrest where he can't go join another team

until another month or so it's incredibly cruel you should not do that to your elders I think that there's a number to call about that

somewhere and we should all look into it you think you think Yonic Boom I want to go back to this Justin Rob and I

were talking about this I mean Yonic boom at what point do you have to hit to earn a name like that for a specific move? Does he earn that or is it ironic in a way? What are we doing with this? It's just right there on the table.

You just need the opportunity. Yeah. Okay. I think that's a nickname that we're mostly eager for. It is a little goofy, but it works. And it just kind of hits in an organic way that I'm not going to poo it. I'm not going to pretend I'm too good for it.

Right. Like when Kevin Durant saved his first game and they all called him the savior. Oh, wait, no, that just didn't happen. So if the Clippers make the play in, is that like a good outcome? Like, if you're on the Clippers, if you're in the front office or you work for the team, do you feel good about that because of the sunk cost?

Or you're like, actually, we were like a win away from really challenging in the West's last playoffs. Like, actually, this was a complete catastrophe still. I think anything resembling a season in which this team is alive is a good outcome. Like it was again, again, like any kind of positivity, any kind of momentum. Yes, it's not where maybe you hope to be coming in with all these veterans. But as far as course corrections go, after the first couple weeks or month of the season, like they're doing something, right?

They are making something of their season. They're making something of their efforts. They're playing with actual pride, which I think goes a long way with this stuff. But especially with the clippers, they just did not show any of that competitive integrity in terms of getting them back on defense, investing in that sort of ball movement. Like they weren't finishing possessions. They were just kind of doing things out there and running around. If you could even call it running around, maybe more jogging.

Did you say momentum? This team is like the garnet Pierce Nets. What momentum? This is due or you send them dying. This is literally, these dudes are old. Where are we going? I'm not talking about momentum into the next century. I'm talking about if you took their temperature three weeks ago, we would be putting this team

under the ground. And now we're at least willing. to entertain that they might be on some life support. Or at least willing to let them like amble around the halls a bit and get a little frisky while dragging their IV along with them. Like that's something. Like honestly, it's something. Bravo, Clippers.

Bravo. Well, I guess the question is, when is the one last job season? Because I kind of thought it was this one. It was. Because they were promising all this future cap space that they might put to use, which becomes particularly muddled in light of all these investigations and whatnot. But like, do they just roll it over next year? like, oh, fuck, we didn't do it this time,

but now this is one last job on top of the one last job. Yeah, that's the entire like Fast and the Furious series? I don't understand the confusion. Every single Mission Impossible trailer is Ving Rames being, yeah, Tom, I need you, Ving or I don't know his character's name, he's like, one last ride.

I swear every single time, right? That's what we're doing. Well, spoiler alert, Ving Rames will not be, that character will not be having any one last one last ride. I feel asleep in the last Mission Impossible, so I don't know. That movie was not good, so I was validated. Damn, no Ving. I haven't seen the latest one.

You're better off skipping it if we're all being honest with ourselves. The villain is AI, but also not AI. Just like real life, I guess. If you were Alan Iverson, I would have stayed awake. That would be a great movie. Sintillating. All right.

Well, across the city, I guess the Lakers having their own sorts of issues. I can never tell what's an issue and what's not because they're still fifth as we're recording this in the Western Conference. It's just like every JJ Reddick press conference is him griping about something. So I guess I do have down here, do you believe in the Lakers, I guess the question really is, like, is there a problem here?

Isn't this kind of what we all expected? Yeah, but what we expected and what is happening is that this is a team that looks really bad on defense in particular. And I think it's really here's what's happening. All of the defensive concerns, all the defensive flaws with this roster, every concern we had about their lineup is happening. and it's being accentuated by the fact that this is a team that even in the best case scenario, if they got their defense back in set, would still get torched by a lot of opponents,

and they're turning it over all the time and not even giving themselves a chance to actually guard anybody. And so that's a Luca problem. That's a team-wide problem. That's an offensive problem. That's an are they or are they not running the sets they're supposed to problem? There's a lot of stuff happening at once. I don't see any reason to feel good about any of it in particular, but it will get a little better than this. I feel confident in that.

It'll be entertaining. But like you were saying, Rob, I don't think that it's going to ascend to the level. They just have too many defensive problems. And I think at some point we have to, I think Zach was talking about this recently, and I think this is very true. This is a team that is just sort of a monster.

It's like a Liger. It's just sort of a, it's like a cross-bred thing that just shouldn't really exist, that really only existed because the odd circumstances of the Luca trade happened. And you're conflating that, you know, bringing that together with the fact that LeBron is paid like a superstar, super duper star player

at an age where he can't be consistent and you can't continue to build around him. So you just have these odd, dissonant things going on at the same time that when you combine it with the, they're creating the defensive issues also. It's just a team that shouldn't really exist. So I kind of have a hard time being super harsh about them. They obviously have a lot to do. If you go down and you look at like defensively,

who's lighting up the Lakers, it's like every wing-sized ball handler in the league is just like circling that date because they're going to go out for a great dinner at Major Domo or their restaurant of their choice, Subaki and that was the place we went right. There we go. And they're going to have a great outing against the Lakers

because they are just a screen door, basically. The defense I expected to be this. They're 24th overall, and I kind of expected them be in that range, regardless of what was happening. The thing is that the offense has just been so muddled. Like, it is successful, but I think you have three things all like colliding

simultaneously, which is Luca wants to play a certain way. LeBron wants to play a pretty similar way, and they're always kind of jostling for who gets the pond the air of the ball and like survey and do things their way. And then on top of that, you have JJ who's just like wants to ring the, like the last bit of sweat out of every possession. And so it's just like he wants control in his sort of way. And so like he's complaining about sets, but it's just like, what sets are you even running with LeBron? Isn't it just like go make magic happen? And so, So all of these things, it's just like, I think what you guys said about the trade happening at the, in an opportune time for LeBron more than anyone is true.

It's just he's on a completely different situation, timeline, whatever you want to call it. And I just don't see how that gets solved in the midst of the season unless they could work out a miracle trade or they just want to move on earlier. And it's just, that's just too messy, I think. Well, and in a perfect world, maybe the Lakers would have landed on the ideal center and the ideal wing defender. And like all these pieces would have clicked into place in the off season.

I don't know. guess what? You already spent your perfect world getting Luca Donchich in the first place. Like the serendipity already favored you. Now you got to do the hard part. And that's finding every component piece that fits just so around him. And I think they have some guys who do some of that right now. And we should say one of them is out of the lineup right now. Austin Reeves has been out for basically the better part of the last three weeks. That's a huge deal. That also adds to their turnover problems. That also makes their offense a little bit gummy. It doesn't really change anything about how bad their defense is at the moment. But I think the

bigger problem with them is, yes, we expect the defense to be bad. Yes, we knew that the roster was flawed. They are not just losing. They're just getting outclassed by teams. Like, they are getting run up in some of these games in a way that just does not reflect well on basically anyone involved. And maybe that's a wake-up call for them. Maybe it's just a reflection of who they're going to be or maybe they're going to level out somewhere in the middle. I just don't see any reason to feel super confident that they're going to be a real deal contender. They're going to be pretty good. Their offense is going to level out. But ultimately, like, how do they take a step forward without making meaningful changes

to this roster? Are you guys as shocked as I was that LeBron wasn't, like, anywhere near the top of the fan voting going into All-Star? Like, I was legitimately shocked. Not, like, maybe he's splitting votes with Luca. Maybe the team is pushing Luca in a way. I don't know what it is. But, like, the fact that there wasn't a wellspring of, like, just like, let's get this guy

into the All-Star game. Yeah. Maybe one last time or just to complete out his kind of run. here, I was legitimately shocked. I think the injury played a part in it for sure. And yeah, you're right. Like, Luca eclipsing LeBron as the definitive Lakers star obviously takes a toll.

But it's also not even just quite that simple. Like, there are a lot of really great compelling players in the West right now. And it's easy to say that, you know, Anthony Edwards has had a bigger impact on the floor this season than LeBron James. Victor Web and Yama, bigger impact. My guy, Denny Avdia, is ahead of

LeBron right now in fan voting. Israel does show out for Denny. They clearly do. I also don't know if you saw this, Justin. My voice got clipped for a Denny Avdia all-star voting hype video. Oh, no. From this podcast. Me promoting Denny talking about how great he's been this season,

I'm now part of the apparatus that's going to get him elected. I am working the electoral college against my will. And yet, I assume you're going to be happy with that. This has to hurt, Justin. This has to, or does it hurt. I don't know. You put a lot of work in for Rob, to sneak in here and snatch it at the last second.

It's true. I know. No, anybody who wants to join the bandwagon, even though you were later than me, that's fine. Okay. Okay, there we go. You're in the front car of the bandwagon, that's what you're saying. I think in terms of the guys drafted in the aughts, like, you know, we've talked a lot about how we have this interesting problem, not really a problem of with a league, you know,

figuring out who's going to be the face of the league, like that we have these prominent guys who are hanging around longer with Durant and Curry. I feel like those guys have just been a little more in the zeitgeist in terms of celebrating them. And maybe it's the LeBron getting the scoring record or whatever it is. It just seems like those guys have been a little bit more in the consciousness, but it's probably a function of them just playing. I don't know if it's us being just really short-term memory or what it is. But is that your old's perception with LeBron?

Is that maybe affecting the fan voting? in this era of IP where everything is something that happened before, I would assume LeBron is one of the few IPs that the NBA actually has that it can bank on, like him and stuff. But the fact that things are flipping so quickly, I think is ultimately maybe a good thing long term that younger guys are getting more shine. Maybe it suggests that fans are more interested in the next wave of guys and they're just like, they're done with LeBron.

I don't know. But it is weird because that's not how the NBA has worked. No. For Jordan, like, people were giving up spots for him to start in those games. Adam Silver, like, created spot for Wade and Dirk in their farewell seasons, despite the fact that they were both hobbling through their last ones. And so this is just, like, completely against what we know. Especially when it's not like LeBron has been bad, you know, like the defense, he's playing

defense like a 41-year-old former freak of athletic nature would play defense, which is to say sometimes he has the flashes, often he doesn't. That's okay. like he's still incredibly productive. He's still a huge help to their offense in terms of its flow. I think it is just this combination of things with the Lakers being a little weird and things with Luca being so bright and so loud all the time that he is the guy you think about as a representative from that team.

But otherwise, he and Duran are kind of at the same place in terms of these voting returns. You know, like both of them have sort of taken a slight step back from the public consciousness in terms of who is front facing in the NBA right now, which is crazy, is a revolution in its own way. But yeah, I agree with you, Justin, that it's a way. It does kind of feel right in terms of the timing. There was a recent ESPN article. I think it was a Winhorst-Bondem's thing,

where they were talking about LeBron's, like, options, basically, for next year. And it was like, take a massive pay cut for the Lakers, I think sign a free agency or retire, which is pretty blatant. Those are the options. But it kind of struck me. Like, I was like, oh, shit, this is almost over in a way that, like, I know the appreciate LeBron is, like, its own cottage industry. But, like, I find myself.

wanting to appreciate LeBron more. Look at you. Because like, this is the end. Like, I don't know. For whatever reason, that really underlined. Maybe it was his 41st birthday the other day. Yeah. The sciatica stuff, which is a very old man sort of injury.

Again, you keep saying that. But as a guy with sometimes sciatica on this podcast, I feel like you're, look, we all know we're three unks on this pod. That's okay. This is who we are. But you don't have to rub it in. Wait, we need to get an injury report on you because I swear to God, every time we bring up an injury, you had a name.

I didn't even know you had sciatica. I didn't know. That's my first time hearing that. Currently, I'm healthy and doing great. But, you know, your boy has back problems. I don't know what to tell you.

They're on and again off again. Your boy in the bubble. You're getting the pneumonia and then getting the flu. So you're back from the flu now? What's going on, man? Look, it's been a journey. I'm not going to lie to you. Are you getting your shots?

I'm getting my shots, but apparently not enough of them. Do you have more shots I can take? We have people we can ask. Okay. Sans a time, man. That's all I'm saying. like things things are going away yeah dust in the wind all of us are old bones and lebron's career we're

going to have to say goodbye someday i agree with you though i'm not ready for it like whenever that time comes and i do suspect at least lebron will give us the the walkup of the of the goodbye tour i think that's the kind of send off he will ultimately request but i don't know maybe he won't crazier things have happened while on cleveland it would be right i i think that's where this is headed especially as messy as cleveland has gotten I kind of think that's what's going to happen. And he kind of makes sense for them basketball-wise, too. And that would be an interesting final act for him.

I would love to know what makes sense for them basketball-wise. The Cavaliers. He could be a stagnant connector for them in a way that would help, I think. Yeah. Right. Well, let's flip from the unks to the nubes because Rookie of the Year race is also kind of heating up in the background of things. I have it as a three-man race right now. am I missing anybody between flag,

con canipple, Vijay Edgecom, and even VJ seems like he's a clear third. But at the very least, this seems like way more interesting than I can remember of guys just like vying this deep into the season where it seems pretty neck and neck. Yeah.

I think VJ is slightly below those other two guys. Do you feel differently, Kyle? Are you, are you, do you see this is a three-man race or a two-man race right now? It's, I mean, it's probably going to be, unless VJ just,

takes off and just lights the world on fire. And I don't know if you've been watching him in the last week. Holy shit. He looks incredible. He's been awesome. He's afraid of no one. Yes. Just the space of the NBA game has just take a drink,

unlocked him in ways that have been really, really fun to watch. And the Sixers are kind of, we'll talk more about this in a minute. The Sixers actually get more and more interesting to watch for me. But yeah, I think this is a two-man race. And I was looking back at, and Con and Cooper have really up their production, too, in the last, like, 15 or so games. So they continue to get better and better. Their situations, I think Cooper's is probably on a better, like, improvement track at this point than cons, even though the Hornets were really fun to watch in the beginning of the year.

You mentioned it, like, the history of their being, like, solid three-man races because I got kind of sitting down the same, the same hole, too. I mean, in 2018, Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, and Jason Tatum, I don't know, you all, you all been covering the NBA longer than me. That one was pretty close. Then you go all the way back up. That was more of a two-man race, though. Yeah. Eventually.

Yeah. All I know, the billboards and the shirts were aimed between Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons. I forgot. Hooked. Yeah, the hoodies. About who is a real rookie and who isn't. God, we were so dumb. Oh, 4.

I mean, just all of us as a species. Yeah. Oh, four. You had to go all the way back to O'F. to get a really close voting three-way race. This is just such a crazy that this was a race. LeBron, Carmelo, and Dwayne Wade. That's just...

Jesus Christ. Holy crap. Yeah. And then 03, Amari Yao, Karan, 99, Elton Brand, Steve Francis, Lamar Odom. I seem to remember that one being pretty good. Yeah, the fact that Odom was three. And then 96, AI, Marbury, Sharif, 95, Grant Hill, kid, big dog. And then Weber, Penny Mash.

So there's a history of this happening. I don't know. Do we think the upside is as high for this group? Maybe not. I don't know. Do we have three Hall of Famers in this group? Is that possible? It's hard to predict right now, but it seems like these are three.

Predict right now. These guys are going to make the Hall of Fame. No, I think it's tough. But at the very least, these are guys that feel like they're going to be important for the next decade or so. I feel very strongly that these are going to be regular. all-star caliber types of players. And I think it's really interesting seeing Flag and Edgecom do this in the midst of teams, at least in the case of Flag that could be good at times when AD plays versus Edgecom,

which is like a team that might actually do something in the East, might like win a playoff round. We'll see. That's honestly the biggest case against Edgecom is oftentimes he has to seed the floor, not only to Maxie who might very well get MVP votes this year, but also Embed is Dunking now. Like when he plays right, like he's at the very least occupying. a lot of possessions.

Edgecombe has to move into a different role. Yeah. But like all of these three guys, we're not even talking about the depth of the entire class. There are other guys. Like top five for all rookie

is going to be tough. Definitely so. But I think when we're forecasting, you know, the Hall of Fame potential or whatever we want to look at with these three, I do think that they strike me

as three guys who when all is said and done, they're going to be beloved players. They're going to be revered players. And I think what it is is something you mentioned with Vijay, which is the fearlessness that all three of them play with, frankly.

And the guy who they're willing to challenge and win and how, they just fucking go for it in a way that is incredibly admirable, that's really charismatic on the basketball court. And clearly all three of them are just wildly skilled. And if VJ does have a case to sort of catch up back in this race, weirdly enough, Justin, I think it might be that Embedd is playing. And that VJ is, like, we found him to be the kind of player who fits alongside other stars so seamlessly and pick his spots and find his shots,

and slot in very easily as a supporting player in a way that doesn't necessarily drive the conversation in the same way that what Cooper does for the Mavs might be or Concanipal does for the Hornets might do, but ultimately might be more meaningful. I had one thing defensively, I think, though, that is interesting. If you look at these three guys,

one thing that I think gives Vijay, he deserves a little, he needs somebody to point it out and champion him and God damn it, I'm going to do it, it's going to be me. In terms of like the assignments that he's drawing, I feel like he is, his, his matchup difficulty is, is higher. Like, I feel like he's taking on more tough assignments than can nipple and flag. But, and then they're just different, I don't know, they're almost just like different Mario Kart like attributes.

It's like you look at, you look at Cooper's width of his switchability is a little wider, but it, you kind of have to measure them. I feel like BJ's been tasked with a little bit more on that front. Yeah, so Flagg was here in Portland the other day. I think last week. And it was one of the first of, I believe, three kind of subpar performances to the point where people are asking

if he's hitting the rookie wall. He's still doing pretty well for someone who's and Jason kids were touching the rookie wall. And just at the very least, like acknowledging it was what he was trying to say. That like the good guys,

I don't know if you guys saw this quote, at the very least touch the wall and then kind of recover from that. Put his hand on it and listen to it, learn from it. Yeah. Right. It's a real hordeor situation.

But I, did love the fact that Flag, even in the midst of a poor just like scoring performance, just has that real, like plays the right way shit. Like drawing to, always looking for somebody else. Isn't shooting well, looking to get everybody else involved? And I think that is compounded and it kind of comes to the four whenever AD is playing. And I do wonder, unlike most years, if being on a successful team at the very least will highlight Flag's best attributes where he'll be in pretty high stake games, whereas

like Khan, is he going to get shut down the stretch? like the Mavs are 9 to 9 when AD plays. Will he play the rest of the season? We'll see. Will he play the rest of the season for the Mabs? Who knows? But the very least, I think Flag's going to be in, if he's there, pretty big games or at least games with a lot of eyeballs on it.

And that's going to help the whole Heisman moment sort of thing that really feeds into individual wars and probably rookie year more than any in the NBA. Sure. I mean, I think I lean slightly toward Cooper Flagg at this point anyway in terms of this race. Even with some of those recent performances where, you're right, JV, that it's not always the most wildly productive, but you so easily see and understand him to be a winning player. And some of that is like between the two, if we're looking at him and con specifically, I think it's kind of a draw in terms of what they're doing

offensively right now, both carrying a pretty significant load, both doing a lot of playmaking and scoring for themselves and other people. But the defense, I think, tips pretty clearly in flags direction. And he just like such a difference maker already with his length and anticipation in terms of what he can do defensively. So I can't wait to see what kind of defender he becomes, but he's already finding those spots now. And when he's playing with Anthony Davis, which we should say is not an easy thing. Like the maps with Anthony Davis are a pretty ugly team in terms of the flow of their

offense and what they're trying to do. He just like figures it out on a pretty regular basis in a way that really impresses me for a rookie, really impresses me for a guy who's been in a tough spot all year. I think this award is like slightly leaning flag for now, but could easily topple the other way at some point. Yeah, I think the defense is, is a big factor there for, for Cooper. He just has more of a disruptive, free safety kind of a vibe in a way that Conn doesn't. Granted, Con moves better on defense than I think people give him credit for.

I think people see his build and stuff and just assume he's just a turnstile or just can't, granted, he's, he's holding on. He just doesn't reach, he doesn't reach the highs that Cooper does. But Conn's been very steady from beginning to end. That's the one thing you kind of say about him is there haven't really been like low lows with Khan. He's been historically good as a three-point shooter. I brought this up not to not or recently that in terms of volume, he's kind of unprecedented. We really haven't had a rookie shoot the volume.

Granted he hit the 100 made threes before anybody in history. But doing it at volume and doing it at efficiency really, really well. Efficiency is probably what would tip me if we had to vote today. Because you just don't see that from rookies. It's usually production just on empty calories. scale, but I think it's flags to lose. It's because he's going to have bigger moments. And as long as he's just touching

the rookie wall and not like giving it a full on caressing or full embrace, like, it'll be fine. Can you embrace a wall? Like, how do you wrap your arms around that thing? Can you put your wingspan out and just lean on it? I think you can't. I mean, you could definitely give it a good lean. I hope he doesn't give it a good lean.

You get a corner, you're in action. It's true. Who would you guys have at number four on your ballot? Caleb Love? I don't think it's Caleb Love at this point. Do you want to make the case? No, I do not,

but he has had a good seven games recently. Yeah. Big time polygraph guy, Caleb Love, he probably would argue that he's number one. Queen has,

I mean, the Queen mania has subsided a little bit, but he's still been good. It's kind of crazy how much Nimhart isn't in contention for the war, but it's,

he went from not being on the radar to like, this guy's just an NBA player. Like, and he's a good one too. really interesting. Also saw him live, obviously. He might be 4'9. He's the smallest guy.

That's why I was worried about him in the draft. Spud Webb, like, jarring how small he is in comparison to NBA size players. Yeah, I was trying to figure out recently who is the actual smallest player in the NBA right now. Obviously, listing is pretty dubious, but I... Alvarado, right? It sounds like a hot Friday night. I mean, it honestly is. You should try it sometime.

But I think you're right that Nemhard might be the guy. He feels smaller than anybody else. Alvarado is right there too. But, you know, maybe it's an M-Harts to take. His award to win, so to speak. He looks like you plug in like a tiny code for like a golden-eye sort of game. That's exactly it. Odd job not allowed.

It breaks the game, breaks the rules. All right. Last one on the books here. League Pass re-rankings. So we've had about like, what, it's past the quartermark. We're not quite at the halfway. Mark, we're somewhere in between. But this is a good time to like re-rank and like reconsider who we're watching.

And also might get a little jumbled around trade deadline because obviously those teams become a little bit more interesting to us. But if you were to do it right now, who's number one on your guys' ballots? Is there a single reason on earth that should not be the San Antonio Spurs? That's the Spurs. I had the Celtics. I have them on my list too. I do have my list.

Celtics are in my five. Yep. Same. Team Mobile. That's not a thing anymore, right? Tim Moval, My 5. You're, I can't, look, I don't, no free ads, certainly not for random cell phone companies for five-year-old things, but they are in my five.

Spurs are two for me, if only because I am getting a little worried that the Wembenyama, like two miss games, three miss games is starting to happen more frequently. Sure. And also the Celtics have that like underdog thing to them, despite the fact that they are playing so well. Like, it is Jalen Brown against the world. And plus, you get to explore like some of their young guys in between there. but like that sort of stakes to just like a Tuesday game against the Pacers, like that's something.

It is absolutely something. I mean, we're what, 35ish games into the season and I still go into every Celtics game or not go into, but check in at halftime being like, how are they doing this? How is this happening? How does the math on all this quite add up to what we're seeing on the court, which is they are somehow just one of the best offensive teams in basketball, despite all of that in experience in terms of new guys and new roles, despite everything that Jaylen's being asked to do,

which is a fuck ton on a nightly basis, and he's carrying it incredibly well and so gracefully and so efficiently. I'm blown away. They're number five on my revised league pass rankings, but I'm honestly as surprise as anyone, given where they started that they would end up here. They're just a blast. They did not start the year on my list.

I think because I just looked at what was going on, and I was like, well, this is going to be maybe a little bit of a wishy-washy, third year for them as they, you know, navigate this, this post-atim thing or, you know, temporary post-atim thing. But they really have climbed yet for me, too. Major M.F. Energy with this team. I think that's the most entertaining thing, whether it's the brown chippiness, like you said, and just the activity that they have amongst their guys, Pritchard, obviously. It's interesting, too,

that it hasn't been about the things that we thought it would be about. Because when this season came in, we were like, well, this is going to be a little bit more Derek White. And, you know, we love Derek White. It's like, not really. It's been about an amalgam of other things and still ended up somewhere interesting. Dare I say more about like Namayish Qaeda than Derek White. You know, it's more, at times more about Jordan Walsh, the Derek White. Like the things that are elevating the Celtics.

You're right. Are not exactly what we would have pegged them for. Yeah, not to belabor the Celtics because we've been talking about them for 50 minutes of this hour and a half podcast. But like if you're worried about the Celtics, like I think next year, is where a team should be really scared because not a lot changes for this team. Like they have to fill the Simon's role.

I wonder if they try to do that at the trade deadline. But they roll back this entire team basically. So if you believe in them now, like wait for a full season of Tatum, like they could be fucking good next year. Yeah. I really just wanted a new year bonus. That's why I was wanting to talk about the Celtics a lot.

I was hoping to get one. We're really fishing here. So I have the Celtics first, the Spurs second. Rob, you had the Spurs first. Who do you have second? I have the rocket second. And it's sort of different reasons. Like the Spurs, I love watching the ways in which their team just kind of fits together and makes sense.

I love the way that the Rockets don't make sense. I love watching them problem solve every single night. I love the physicality they play with. I would say especially in terms of the Amen Thompson experience, that's a guy who's spot on the floor and roll changes so dramatically from possession to possession. I just love watching him find his way and figure out like how to be a dumb and, bunker spot threat, figure out how to be a pick and roll player, is tonight one of the nights where he randomly will make mid-range jumpers? Who knows? But that's what I want in my league pass experience. And the fact that they're this good and this competitive defensively, I find them incredibly

watchable. They moved out of the top five for me, I think, purely just because I watched him so much to start the year. That's like the only reason. I was watching them constantly just OD on offensive rebounds out of the gate. And you're good now. Well, yeah. And then, um, God, man, there's some nights where I just, like, worry for KD. Like, if Shingoon's not going to be there now, it's like, let's please God preserve KD. Like, he's just, he's carrying so much. Just watching him navigate traffic to get to the 15 foot elbow and get to his jumper.

I'm like just, he's got dudes coming down on him like, like, like banshees. It's, it's rough to watch. I just hope he stays healthy. I'm the same way, though. Pretty much everyone on my list is a team that is figuring something out still. the teams that know who they are for the most part or just on the fringes changing things have moved off the top five

and so Kyle who do you have at two? You had the Spurs one, right? Yes, I did. I still really enjoy watching the Pistons. I'm going to admit I didn't rank them. I just did my top five. But I'd say probably the Pistons of the team. I just am enjoying this.

They had a rough West Coast ride there where it was a little bumpy, but overall this team is just continuing to kick ass. Granted, the playoff thing is going to be another question to speak to what we were saying earlier, the way teams load up on them and force them to find another score decision maker. We'll see. But I still have had a great time watching them, watching Cates specifically. Pretty unimpeachable season.

As far as like a young team taking the next step goes, it's exactly what you want to see in pretty much the exact manner you want to see it. Yeah, I had them fifth. And I was kind of struggling for my fifth spot, but I just kind of resigned myself to the fact that I watched the Pistons three. four times a week, at least a half of them. Because they are in that first window more times than not. And I'm always looking for our team to just watch for a little bit, and they're always

there. Also, they're still figuring some things out. Like, Dennis Jenkins had six threes made in like the first half. So some of these younger guys, the 2A guys that they're just slotting in there will have moments. And those are pretty fun to watch. So I had them at five. Yeah.

Speaking of Eastern Conference teams, though, number three on my list, the Brooklyn Nets. I had to really stop myself from putting them number one. I've loved to put it. What a hipster pick. I love it. It's exactly what we're talking about with the Celtics, where they're in every game for the most part these days, at least for the past month or so. They have one player who's excelling beyond all of your wild fantasies.

And then on top of that, they have all these young guys where it's just like, I don't know who this guy is, what is he going to do? Like, how are they working in Cam Thomas on top of all that? And so there's just like way more intrigue than there should be. honestly if I was on the Nets I'd be worried that there's so much intrigue because I thought we were going to tank the season and get a true blue superstar but like once again they're just too good and I like watching them as a result they are very fun to watch it's certainly more fun to watch than they were earlier in the year like the defense has really helped MPJ's like come up has been awesome I want to ask you about one play in particular though Justin did you happen to see Danny Wolf miss a three so hard that it hit Kevin Durant in the face and then Katie was really upset with them afterwards. Did you have to see this? That was a bad shot or something?

I mean, it was a bad shot. That's just an objective truth. But this is also a part of the experience is seeing young guys just brick so badly off the backboard that they're hitting a basketball institution in the face. League past philosophy varies from person to person. And if you like the calamity of bad shooting, that's just as valid as saying this is a good team, you know. Completely. I could not agree more. Listen, they gave it to the, to the Yokish list Nuggets, who, As we mentioned, we're missing a lot of guys, but like, they did it.

They're winning in some games, and they shouldn't be, but it's fun kind of watching them navigate this. Will they still be doing this like a month from now when they've traded MPJ and practically? I was going to say, you got to trade MPJ. Got to trade him. Right. We'll see. But for now, they're number three on my list. Can we get a quick Noah Clowny update from you, JV?

Like, how much of your net worth would you be willing to trade away for, I don't even know what you're getting in this case? It's just I feel like you're so invested in the Noah Clowny experience. Do you want to leverage yourself even further on Noah Clowny Island, archipelago, village, whatever it is? Did you mean to pun net worth there? That was that was a nice job. Nicely done. Stumbled straight into it. But to answer your question, I'm actually selling my house in order to buy more.

Because he's so good. Right. And I'm going to move in with him for a second. Hopefully he has room because I have nowhere to live. I think if anyone he would bring you in, he would let you sleep on his couch for all that you've done for him. Because he's a supporting player, right? He helps his guys out. No doubt.

Okay. Who do you guys have left over? I got the Charlotte Hornets at three. They're finally almost kind of healthy barring centers. We'll see what happens when those guys come back. I just love watching the Hornets. We just talked about all the ways that watching Khan in particular is great. Brandon Miller being back and relatively healthy is so nice.

Lamello is obviously just one of the greatest shows on a basketball court for better and often for worse, unfortunately, this season. But I can't stay away. I can't stop. I'm addicted to the Charlotte Hornets and I will be until the day I die. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk. I still watch a lot of Hornets.

I've moved on from the volume of watching them. I've actually got a couple older teams that I've started watching recently. This is purely driven by the fact that Kauai is just being Kauai again. I feel like I can't miss it. Honestly, you know, talking about the appreciation thing. I'm just like if this feels like it's so rare and so finite and dwindling and diminishing all the time.

If Kauai's going to be Kauai, on a nightly basis, have been like, I'm not going to miss this. Yeah, I don't have either of those two, but for similar reasons, I do have the Lakers down here as my fifth team.

So I have the Lakers at four pistons at five. I'm just like in my feels about LeBron, man. Just like, I got to savor every last drop of greatness. A lot of nostalgic dorks. Yeah. That's a theme for us.

I mean, I do think outside of like the one or two really strong, like, steamroll regular season that the Lakers have. The Lakers are a perfect league pass team if they weren't on national TV so much. This is the problem. But they're constantly, like, just good enough to

be in every game and put LeBron in, like, clutch situations. And now it's LeBron Reeves when he's healthy and Luca in those. And so watching them navigate that in real time, like, that's actually really good league pass stuff. It's good basketball stuff. It's good to watch.

Is it league pass if it's not on league pass? And these are the two truths I hold to be self-evident about League Pass rankings. One, Kyle already mentioned, bad teams should be included. Like, you should value watching different parts of the process if that's what interests you. It doesn't have to all be good teams. And two, it should be teams that are on League Pass and not on National TV all the time. So that's why, like, can the Lakers ever be a League Pass team? What if I watch those national games on League Pass?

Does it still count? I guess. I mean, you better, honestly. Like, you better live up to your end of the bargain if that's where you want to do with this. The ultimate Lakers League Pass team would probably have been, would have been that first Shaq Lakers team that had Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, like that just swath of awesome young guys. I'm trying to think of times that they've been eligible for it because they quickly became ineligible for it. But yeah, I mean, they're fun. But a little pass didn't exist back then.

I actually wrote a piece for the Ringer the first year I worked here where the Lakers, when they just got LeBron and it was, him with all the young guys and Javelle McGee was like they're doing that play where they win a tip and he runs and tries to get a lob dunk off of the first play like that they are the perfect league pass team and that was actually the the main criticism that came up from it so you're going to be a league pass team so you're recycling your old takes and you did not learn from the criticism of them oh and I still think it's true I do have one more team I have one more team we have not discussed and that's the Phoenix Suns a team that I never would have put on this list to start the season yeah look I love I love

I love people who give a damn. I can't help it. Dylan Brooks has endeared himself to me greatly this season, as he often does when he plays well. Also, can we please talk about Jamari Bouyeet, please? Just a classic, like, next guy up shit happening in Phoenix, and I'm really loving it. Well, that's a good place to go out. I have a booyah. I forgot to say. With the boo-ye, but okay.

Can I propose one more thing before we leave? I just had an idea I wanted to bounce off of you guys. You know, a lot has been made of Bill Kennedy's. really funny challenge his his near his performances on the on the monitor don't you think it would be great in the playoffs if we could get each team gets a celebrity on mike they get to sort of create a narrative and deliver their own performance of the the result of the challenge call can you imagine we had like pat maccuffy and madison square garden being yeah i'm out the pacer's challenged it was upheld or shallomay other way i think this would be

be pretty entertaining. I think it would add a nice WWE element to the NBA that could be fun. So first of all, why are you taking this away from Bill Kennedy? Yeah. He's going to sign like a sponsorship deal just off of this. But I don't hate this. Does it have to be someone who's already

court side for a game like a regular celebrity fan like a Jack? Or can we pull from anybody? The team and the fan base gets to pick whoever it is they want. I just think even even a, you know, what's his name for the Knicks? the whatever I'm blanking

but there are a lot of different guys that could do it that could be pretty funny. Rob, what's your holdup? What don't you like? I think this is a beautiful idea in theory and in reality 12 teams are going to be represented by Kevin Hart and I just don't want that. So I just am not signing up for it. And Drusky? Yeah.

Like again, get the work if you can guys but we just don't need that volume of either of them. All right. Well, maybe with Rob and Dallas you could fly in and they'll just put you up there. Wait, wait, what's happening now? Yeah, you get a cowboy head on,

you go in and be like, partners, I mean, y-ha. Call was overturned. All right, partners. Why don't we wrap it there? Thank you to Victoria Valencia. Thank you to Isaiah, I believe you. Thank you to Ben Cruz.

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