Luka and LeBron Authored A 3 Fest!

[00:00:00] Hey, it's Monday. You know what time it is. FRPC Front Runner Podcast Collective is back on the air. It's your host Vince and it's a six o'clock Pacific Standard Time and it's a lovely light 65 degrees here in Long Beach, California.

[00:00:30] California, so we are excited to be here. First and foremost, let's get through the socials. Okay, so X Front Runner PC at Front Runner PC, please start hitting me up. Let me know Hey, this team needs to be featured this tea or this player needs to be talked about you haven't talked about this drive draft prospect yet all that type of thing. You hit me at at Front Runner PC.

[00:00:59] Then we do have the YouTube page, which is Front Runner Podcast Collective. So what happens is the show gets done.

[00:01:10] I pull clips from the show also usually there's a stat or two that are added to the to the clips. So there's some added little pieces to bits of information for you in there and then the other thing too is

[00:01:28] if you noticed in the last three, probably five videos. It's going to certain NBA clear that has shown up in all those videos. So if you are a real one, if you are a day one FRPC Army member.

[00:01:48] You know, hit me up on Twitter or X and let me know who that player is. I talked about him before and I'll probably will talk about him again, but I'm going to try to leave it out. All right. So we hit that and then also make sure that we're following the podcast on Apple Spotify, Amazon music. However you consume your podcast, please make sure you're following.

[00:02:17] Subscribe to the YouTube channel. And we need more followers on Twitter. We're trying to build the community. So it's, it's very inclusive. So join in.

[00:02:30] Be a friend, tell a friend all those type of things. So thank you guys for all your support. Thank you guys because the channel has grown.

[00:02:38] You know, it is you know small beginnings right humble beginnings, but we're excited to be here and the content still just continues to get better and better. So I'm looking forward to it. So with all that said, let's get into the show.

[00:02:57] All right, look at Donchitz last night. He killed Houston absolutely killed him and the funny part of body was he let them know under no uncertain terms that there are levels to the situation.

[00:03:13] And what I'm talking about is that if you look at it right now, the Houston Rockets are in a pseudo playoff mode situation at this present time.

[00:03:25] Every game matters. They're trying to catch the Golden State Warriors. They just came off an incredible 11 game winning streak. But look at let them know hey.

[00:03:37] It's different when these games really, really matter and look at went off in the first house score 32 points. He scored 47 overall.

[00:03:47] Luca also became the all time 3 point leader surpassing George, Cloud. Does everybody remember George, MacLeod?

[00:03:57] Okay. If you are a old hit like I am Indiana, Pacer, George, and Cloud was a bucket getter.

[00:04:07] That boy can shoot we love George from cloud on the shelf. The Mavericks put the shrinking rockets away by half. They were up by 21 by half.

[00:04:18] I was happy to see that cam what more is back to you as well. He had been out because of injury and just to see that type of energy and aggression.

[00:04:30] It just changes the tenor of the games and his 22 minutes in his return from injury was a was a welcome sight to see.

[00:04:40] The other thing is he chipped in with 13 points, five rebounds and also had three steals right so my man is really just just stuffing the stat sheet.

[00:04:53] And I made a comment on a pod our pot sorry for one of podcast collective.

[00:05:03] I want to say it was was it two or three five to go.

[00:05:08] Anyways, it was in respect to Jalen green and what I talked about in there in that specific quiet was that Jalen green is playing phenomenal basketball.

[00:05:20] It looks like the light has turned on for him.

[00:05:24] We have seen this happen with Emi Adoka in the past he did it with Jalen Brown and he did it with Jason Tatum.

[00:05:32] He made a Dirk it has a absolute skill of really ridding your shot diet of silly shots.

[00:05:41] And you don't see a lot of those from Jalen green anymore, but I also cautioned Jalen green at that present time that if for some reason he took his foot off the accelerator can work more would be there to go ahead and pick up that mantle and run with it.

[00:05:59] Jalen green is also starting to find out that having your name at the top of the lead at the top of the whiteboard in real time.

[00:06:12] And now having a couple weeks of video to top it off.

[00:06:17] It's a different animal so he didn't have a great game. He scored 12 points it was five of 15 from from the field.

[00:06:29] But he did chip in with five assists and I'm going to tell you right now that's an encouraging sign for Houston Rockets.

[00:06:37] Management the franchise in general and also his teammates because he could easily force more.

[00:06:48] He didn't when he saw that a shot wasn't falling you try to be more of a facilitator and those are the type things you want to see in Jalen green as you continue to progress through this season whether you get into the plan or not it's

[00:07:05] going to be a good idea.

[00:07:08] So I'm going to tell you how can Jalen maximize the talent around them because you got to grow your Smith junior.

[00:07:15] You have all men top soon you still got the vets in Dylan Brooks and you have Fred Fred Van Ville in that group so even though that Jalen is probably going to bear the front of the offense to see him be able to go OK it's not falling for me tonight.

[00:07:34] I'm going to tell you a little bit about the game.

[00:07:44] That was a good sign so I was glad to see that and it's a welcome situation but I can't want more back.

[00:07:51] The other thing that we need to talk about from that game is the other part of this game that we really need to talk about is the look of 21 foot

[00:07:59] I mean honestly I know that Jabari Smith junior is going to end up on somebody's tick tock or IG page and he's going to be made to look really silly but really what was he supposed to do at that point.

[00:08:20] Lucas belief in his touch and his confidence and curiosity in angles that he can get his shot off is incredible.

[00:08:30] He just looks at it and kind of goes I think I can get this off I think I can get this shot off and I think I can make this shot.

[00:08:41] And if the confidence in the curiosity match one another you're going to get shots like this every once in a while so I mean Luca he's a different beast and he definitely put on a show last night and it was great.

[00:09:00] Now on to the now the other thing that we need to talk about Luca we just said it.

[00:09:05] He had a great night score 47 hit 9 3s 9 okay he was filling it but there was somebody else who hit 9 last night and he was actually a little more efficient than Luca last night in his three point shooting.

[00:09:27] It seems to be a theme of the pod so we'll go ahead and hit it.

[00:09:32] LeBron blue James and if you know anything about the pod you know Angelaze I'm just going to say this right now.

[00:09:43] LeBron at this point it's absolutely it's comical what he's doing okay we're at a point now where we're in April.

[00:09:56] He's played 65 plus games so well over the mark.

[00:10:02] He's putting on performances like he did last night where he scored 40 points okay he's going to be 40 next year when he touches the court next year in late December he will be 40 years old.

[00:10:21] What we're seeing right now.

[00:10:27] It's something that honestly to tell you the truth.

[00:10:31] I didn't I didn't know I honestly did not know and what I mean by that is.

[00:10:41] LeBron just decide that oh now then I'm turning 40.

[00:10:49] This will be my Jason kid face.

[00:10:53] Remember when Jason kid came into the league um he was a athletic point guard he couldn't shoot but he was a terrific passer.

[00:11:04] Who does that remind you of?

[00:11:08] Okay so LeBron.

[00:11:13] So LeBron started off as a bigger Jason kid right he couldn't shoot what have you obviously he could get to the room whenever he wanted um as he grew physically and also in the game he started to figure out okay I don't need this three point shot right now.

[00:11:34] And then all of a sudden.

[00:11:39] We know that LeBron.

[00:11:41] Blue James is a actual it's just a genius when it comes to basketball intellect but I think in 2016 2017 it was kind of a little glimpse into what we are seeing now.

[00:11:55] I think what he saw in himself is that the athleticism was starting to fade a little bit.

[00:12:01] And he said I am going to start shooting three pointers and he started to shoot about five before that it was four he wasn't really taking it seriously about 2016 2017 he said I need to kind of conserve my body a little bit.

[00:12:23] If I can hit this outside shot then I'm in the situation where I'm not getting banged up constantly because also LeBron is entering his power forward days because he plays the four with the Lakers he's been playing the four with the Lakers and that's just how it's going to be.

[00:12:45] So he needed to find a way to augment his game so he doesn't take a pounding and also or pick and choose when he takes the pounding right I should say.

[00:12:58] Um.

[00:13:00] I just think that when you look at it now he saw the game his game needing to change.

[00:13:06] He says okay, I can I can dominate with my superior basketball intellect and skill and then instead of just taking over with my athleticism that will start to fade at this point he knows for his ability to play.

[00:13:21] Um with the ball and his hand because see that's the other part of this is that LeBron.

[00:13:27] Or be it a forward all be it a wing all be it whatever you want to call him the one thing that we do know about LeBron is that LeBron needs to have the ball and his hands.

[00:13:39] And if he was going to continue to have the ball in his hands he was going to start have to hit the three pointer at a decent level.

[00:13:47] At a level where it was a real part of his arsenal and because he wants to have the ball in his hands at the critical parts of the game we do know that the three point shot or the threat of the three point shot.

[00:14:03] So just the space that he creates is a must have in today's game and LeBron saw it. He just saw it.

[00:14:11] And he said okay if I'm going to continue to be a ball dominate guy, I got to shoot this three at a level where people will have to come out and respected.

[00:14:23] And he started to augment his game or retrofitted to stay the primary offensive offense initiator.

[00:14:33] Also keep this keep it keeps James also in a way where if you look if you look at the Lakers team too, I think he saw something and what I want to get to is this.

[00:14:50] He started to get older and saw some of the athleticism what we did see a lot more with him right is the bully ball right I'm going to shove it down your throat.

[00:15:02] There's nothing you can do about it when he has that energy when he has that poppin and stuff we know that LeBron is going to go to the hole if he feels good that night the knees and the ankles.

[00:15:14] He feel good we know that LeBron will go ahead and go to the hole but now if he has this three pointer, you have to respect that to the point where it's like hold on wait.

[00:15:25] I can't just sit here halfway between the goal and LeBron and allow him to take that three point shot because he's knocking it down as such a respectable level now it's 41.6%.

[00:15:40] And he's taking literally five and a half of games so he's worthy of being checked on at this point.

[00:15:50] And I think the other reason that he did it is because that dude scouted where he was going to play we all believe that it wasn't an accident that LeBron ended up with the Lakers but I actually think it goes deeper than that if you look at the West and you look at all the competitors of the West.

[00:16:11] Right.

[00:16:14] Tell me who has a dominant front court.

[00:16:18] There's two there are only two if you think about it and one is margin wise because call Anthony Towns is hurt so you look at how the West is set up right now, especially if you look at the playoff teams are okay.

[00:16:37] We know what the nuggets are and the nuggets front court is just too diverse and good so where's the LeBron West is going to come from there's nobody on the nuggets he can really check because everybody is going to move without the basketball because of Yokeach.

[00:16:56] There's no there's no rest there and that's the problem with LeBron at this point in his career he needs a kind of a whatever how can you put it somebody who you really don't have to check that heart to go ahead and play.

[00:17:19] You know so.

[00:17:22] He can summon every once in a while but it's not consistent he understands he knows where he has to be in a certain level as far as what his team needs so what he's going to do is he's going to conserve energy on the defense started ball and then he's going to pour a lot of his intellectual processing into the offense because without the line that offense is really stagnant.

[00:17:48] But I think it can get better with the emergence of Austin Reeves and D'Angelo Russell in the back court and we'll get to that.

[00:17:58] No, but but getting back to the line how smart he is.

[00:18:02] Think about it this way if you look at the rest of the West other than Minnesota.

[00:18:08] But no car Anthony tells OK see they're not big enough now their superpower is that they can go small even with chat so you could get a point where it's like J.

[00:18:52] Valentune is off the court. It's going to be hard to rest now if Nancy's on the court that's where his rest will come.

[00:19:00] Then we go down to the suns they have Nurgish right that's where his rest will come he will check Nurgish and that'll be that or whoever whoever else is the other fifth guy is up on the court now if the fifth guy is Grayson Allen obviously he's not checking him.

[00:19:20] So Nurgish will be your your go to guy there and then with the Mavericks take your pick Daniel Gafford or Derek lively with the Kings it's probably Harrison Barnes or Sabonus because no won't Sabonus stays at the nail.

[00:19:38] You don't have any the passing is great. The buckets are great, but it's not like you're going to have to move move move move move with the ball now if he's in the picking roll action they might want to keep him out of that I've seen LeWon on Kagan Murray.

[00:19:55] I've seen LeWon on Harrison Barnes so it just depends on the matchups but there's not really somebody that you can sit there and go oh.

[00:20:06] You know.

[00:20:10] You know there's not a situation where you're going like we got everybody's covered the different nuggets really are the only team in the western conference that has it all covered where LeBlanc would not get any rest on the defensive side of the ball whatsoever.

[00:20:28] And then the Golden State Warriors we know their situation is dream on sometimes this Wiggins now Wiggins gets hot you kind of have to check on but we kind of lead I do open or whatever case they be so when you look at these situations.

[00:20:45] James has found the market inefficiency in the west just like he was finding it in the east back in the day he's found in in the west.

[00:20:55] The only thing is that because of his age factor.

[00:20:59] The results aren't what they used to be now.

[00:21:04] Speculation is that there is a third star looming in the Lakers constellation very soon they look like they are going to dodge away and trying to add another star so we'll see how the off season plays out but I believe that LeBlanc feels that if he adds this three ball and his three ball becomes this big of a weapon.

[00:21:28] This big of a weapon for him.

[00:21:31] I think he feels that with the team that he has around him and maybe with a couple additional like upgrades to it's not it's not you want to replace the guys that they have what if there was either a proper lead with some of the other guys and then you had maybe that one other guy who you know listen they need another guy who can explode for for 30.

[00:21:57] You know they need another guy who has that explosivity where it's like you know what.

[00:22:03] This dude is super hot tonight this is a 40 piece this is a 50 piece isn't you know he don't have these nights where he's just going to go off and go for 30.

[00:22:12] And you know LeBlanc and chill because I think that's literally what he wants to do I think the line would perfectly be perfectly fine with being like a 18 12 and 10 guy.

[00:22:24] Going into his 40s now I don't think he'll go quietly into the night.

[00:22:30] You know saying I think he does have a couple more years of 20 point plus basketball in him.

[00:22:37] But if the team was doing really well and you saw that he could just really pick and choose his moments.

[00:22:44] I don't think LeBlanc would be the guy like okay.

[00:22:48] I'll be the guy who will take the third the third most shots.

[00:22:53] I think he would have a problem with that if the team was playing the right way.

[00:22:58] They were winning being successful and they were putting him in that championship atmosphere obviously we know that the ligars right now are in that plan.

[00:23:09] And that's where we thought they were going to be the whole time.

[00:23:13] And it's just unfortunate they just didn't have the horses to get it all done this year but LeBlanc has augmented his game for sure.

[00:23:21] And we are like it's sick.

[00:23:24] It's so sick to see how smart he is.

[00:23:27] Now I don't know if he's smart enough to kind of convolut another championship and again I think I said in on a pie about four.

[00:23:39] I want to say maybe about three weeks ago.

[00:23:42] LeBlanc was able to even take.

[00:23:45] I know he won't. I know he won't but if you take a little less than was able to kind of allow the lakers to kind of get people in under the silica I think he would have his chance at ring number five.

[00:24:02] Because Anthony Davis has played phenomenal this year we cannot we cannot underestimate that whatsoever.

[00:24:10] Anthony's been great and he has seen to take on more of a leadership role this year.

[00:24:16] He seemed a lot more vocal and he seems a lot more spirited in his in his proceed in talking to his team made so that's that now.

[00:24:29] We got good news on our last part we talked about that in being was close to coming back now we got more clarification on that.

[00:24:43] So joe on beat of the 76ers his return is is is in it at this point according to Adrian Roginowski of ESPN.

[00:24:56] It might be a little little too soon but they're taking maybe like Thursday.

[00:25:04] That joel and bead might be coming back and I will tell you the first game that he plays I want to be locked in.

[00:25:13] I want to see how tentative he is in his movement.

[00:25:17] I want to see you know how how aggressive he is and if it's joel.

[00:25:24] If it's the real joel now listen we can't ask other numbers he was putting up prior he can't which is that unfair because he was putting up numbers like close to will.

[00:25:38] But if he can put up decent joel numbers you know he still will have to carry the offense of low no doubt but if joel is 90% of what joel could be that's 30 points man that's 14 rebounds that's two blocks and if he can move the way he was moving.

[00:26:02] Prior to him getting hurt before he went out with the injury because there was stretch in December and January with this dude was just.

[00:26:14] He was just crazy so we look forward to joel in beats return and I believe it'll be more like Thursday.

[00:26:23] I think Thursday is the date that we can look for but I'll be wrong before and we'll see how it goes.

[00:26:30] Now here's the question that we have here at F R. K C because we're into the paddiness and we're into the drama.

[00:26:38] Right now Philadelphia six sits in the AC.

[00:26:44] Now the way it works is the way to play in works is seven plays eight and then nine plays ten to see who plays the loser of seven eight.

[00:26:59] If everything stands pat in the well y'all right now currently Philadelphia is eight.

[00:27:11] So that means they would have a basically two chances of getting into the actual playoff so if for some reason they play the heat in the first game which will be in Miami and they don't win they'll be able to play a second game which will be in Philadelphia between the winter of the bulls and hawks so.

[00:27:35] There's two chances there but here's the one thing that is looming to two seven match up is Milwaukee.

[00:27:43] And it could be the seventy six years if seventy six was fine away to get themselves.

[00:27:51] I don't think they can get themselves out of the plan situation there are two games behind and there are two games in the lost column behind the pastures.

[00:28:04] So they're going to play with like six seven games left to go I mean they could but it's real dicey with that but if they found a way to get the game between the heat and them somehow in Philadelphia and then end up winning.

[00:28:22] So if you're having a seat and play Milwaukee the NBA is going to be happy we're going to be happy as a NBA fan base and the pettiness that is going to go on Joel is going to throw Doc Rivers is going to you know throw people under the bus no kidding I'm joking that's what Jay Jay said that's not my deal but he'll have excuses then we will know that Doc will have excuses.

[00:28:50] The audience has been mad all year so we'll see what that looks like right and then we got the day in peace and a maxi is probably on the other side just looking at his chops looking at Dan going.

[00:29:03] Do you think that guy's going to stick me okay let's get ready let's go let's go because I'm going to tell you right now buckle up if we have a filler Delphi on Milwaukee series.

[00:29:19] I might even do like just I don't know I'm alive to that back boy that's going to be fantastic it's going to be great i'm here for all of it.

[00:29:29] Okay so we've been doing something on the podcast that I really have enjoyed and basically what we've been doing is taking the teams that are basically out of the playoffs right now and we've been kind of going going back and forth between the east and west and we call it front runner.

[00:29:47] franchise focus and we've done Detroit we've done Portland and today we're going to do the Memphis Grizzlies and.

[00:29:57] Like I told you before the reason why we're not doing in order is because I think for a couple of these teams I want to have i want to have people on to really discuss their their franchise and what they think they should do in the off season.

[00:30:15] I'm real people getting like following this team like every single day so I want to make sure we lock in so like San Antonio i'm kicking your spicy and i'm going to get somebody on the podcast that's a that's a i'm sitting out of back signal right now to Evan Townsend so Evan if you hear this podcast you know the invite is open at this present time so.

[00:30:42] We're doing the miff was Grizzlies today and basically what we're looking at is a team to just you know let's just get into it Grizzlies are 24 and 50 the 13th in the west they are their exact is that climate one of the best in the business their head coach is Taylor Jenkins also one of the better coaches and league I want to read you this quote by by of that climate.

[00:31:10] So a lot of guys were forced to play up.

[00:31:16] And out of position and a lot of guys were forced to play down in out of position I think one of the things that we can do with the rest of the way even if some guy even if all those guys are at those spots they're younger.

[00:31:36] There are more developmental developmental projects if you will so basically what he said and I think it's really smart on his thing i.

[00:31:48] I put it this way and that court was on February 9th okay so this is probably when you know you knew that.

[00:31:56] The game was going to be out for a while you know they were you know that gerry jaxson was banged up and and we all we already know about the injury to John Morant but at the end of the day the thing that I think is really impressive with this particular statement is that.

[00:32:12] Climate is smart executive he didn't outright say we're tanking but basically he did and and and his here is his internal dialogue look.

[00:32:25] We've been devastated by key losses due to injury at some point you lose too many games without your core and now we have the lean in and gain another valuable asset the draft pick or.

[00:32:40] Or player we can we have identified as a piece that we.

[00:32:48] Don't have so if you have they have they need a wing a big wing that that's been their search for a long period of time will talk about a guy who might fit that role but they've been on this like captain captain a half type search white well type search for this big wing.

[00:33:08] That rounds out their particular rotation and you know they wasted well once they wasted the two desire Williams they took they taking long length lengthing guys to kind of pair with gerry and Jackson to kind of help out.

[00:33:24] The whole point of this is to help out John Morant because he's a he's a diminutive point guard he's sinewy it's hard for him get around picks so if you have long athletic wings who are have long wings fans all our jam Jackson junior and whatnot.

[00:33:45] You can just kind of help your guard you know that's the situation with trade young that's the situation that he always is going to have is that you got to have really good wings around him because if you don't what's going to end up happening is that they're going to hunt.

[00:34:02] John they're going to hunt trade young we know this in the playoffs we know what we're trying to do we're trying to get to the weakest link of your defense and we're trying to exploit that match up as much as we possibly can.

[00:34:15] Tyler a get him off the court or be beludging you today with this move to get him in a space where we have him on one of our better offensive players so that's what they're looking for at all times.

[00:34:34] So I get what they're trying to do you know I mean here's the thing.

[00:34:43] If you look at it from their point of view right now I think they're drafting seven.

[00:34:51] You know their core right now is.

[00:34:54] And this is where the focus is is on their court you're looking at jaw you looking at bank and you're looking at Jerry Jackson junior and then you at market smart into that mix that that group right there this whole year was a bust.

[00:35:14] It didn't go anywhere because everybody was hurt so you don't know what that looks like you don't know what kind of.

[00:35:23] You don't know what kind of dinner on the locker room market smart could actually have you don't know how that team is going to come together you don't know if it markets is the right fit for the group you have no idea until you see it on the court so next year.

[00:35:40] Get everybody healthy and bringing back and see what it looks like.

[00:35:45] And then.

[00:35:49] Gigi Jackson the kid they got out of was a North Carolina state.

[00:35:55] He's been showing.

[00:35:57] He's had a decent season for.

[00:36:01] A season that went awry and basically in four to games he's averaging five and a half three corner ten.

[00:36:09] He's shooting at a 36 and a half percent clip which is great that's promising right we're excited about that because he is the other thing is that there's some self creation there.

[00:36:21] And there's some burgeoning second side creation there to go with the size which he six nine and also Gigi Jackson is 19 years of age and I mean he is a young 19 years of age so.

[00:36:35] You might have.

[00:36:39] Might not need to throw another dark.

[00:36:43] In the big wing situation if you feel that what Gigi Jackson has put up is sufficient for you to know like okay this is somebody that we can build upon and we don't need to go ahead and continue to throw assets and assets and assets at this particular position anymore.

[00:37:03] And if they think they found that God in great now here's the other thing.

[00:37:08] If they haven't because we're about to get into their draft situation.

[00:37:14] Right now currently.

[00:37:16] Thanks to tanker thorn there are odds of getting the number one overall pick is there there seventh in the odds right now which if everything stays chalk.

[00:37:30] I'm not talking about that in a second but here's my thing.

[00:37:34] When you look at the grislies.

[00:37:38] There's two areas of need it's either a big that can get out to the corners right and they don't have that right now.

[00:37:50] So you can get a shooter now.

[00:38:00] Here's my thought on it now Memphis like I said get on get on X and let me know because I really do.

[00:38:11] I'm curious to see what your thoughts on this is but.

[00:38:16] If for some reason Memphis doesn't get up to the number one and number two slot.

[00:38:21] In the draft I personally think they should trade to pick.

[00:38:25] And I think you should trade to pick and I think you should not be searching for the theoretical role player that are a plethora of options.

[00:38:37] I think you should know that there's a lot of those in this draft if it was if it was me and I thought that GG Jackson was like that guy.

[00:38:45] I'm going to go ahead take that top 10 lottery pick as a tasty Warsaw.

[00:38:51] And get a solid rotation piece either a big wing or a certified bench bucket getter that's what I'm looking for.

[00:39:00] I'm looking for a Malik month type.

[00:39:03] Or I'm looking for a big wing because I don't know about GG Jackson and I'm kind of wanting to win now because.

[00:39:11] And being is getting expensive.

[00:39:14] Jeren Jackson's already expensive and John Morant is already expensive so what is the timeframe.

[00:39:22] Of the window for this particular Memphis in this iteration.

[00:39:29] So if you're not getting the first I would say first two picks it would be who you to trade down a trade out get somebody in and then go from there.

[00:39:41] That would be my call but you know I don't run the Memphis Grizzlies but I think it's Zachary wish a shame or Alexander star or its trade it's either those two guys are traded.

[00:39:58] I'm going to get a lot of hate for this what that's okay.

[00:40:02] The local option is this.

[00:40:05] Given what John Morant has gone through with the court allegations and some of the things and some of the poor decisions he's made.

[00:40:15] Given the fact that he's coming off the knee injury and he does utilize a lot of his athleticism to get to where he needs to go and I'm not saying that.

[00:40:26] I'm not saying that he will never come back to what he was.

[00:40:31] That is not what I'm saying but if this is a situation where.

[00:40:38] That climate could feasibly tell you that due to the all court situations and also now compound it with the knee injury.

[00:40:52] There's two trade jaw get picks back right young players back you still got Bane you still got Jerry Jackson Jr.

[00:41:01] There's a guard out there his name is re-chepered and I'm going to tell you ladies and gentlemen he's nice.

[00:41:11] And I know that the the tournament was not kind to our guy re-chepered but if you go look at the tape.

[00:41:21] There's a lot of good decisions made he is a fantastic picking roll guy.

[00:41:27] Some would have a reluctant shooter but not reluctant to the point like Ben Simmons like here shoot it you can stroke it and you almost.

[00:41:37] You almost want him to shoot it more like you need him to get a little more greedy and I think that Taylor Jenkins would be a great coach for him so the nuclear option is you trade job and literally in a sense you become the.

[00:41:55] Bill street prestige right you literally become OKC southeast right.

[00:42:06] I understand personally that this is not really something in the well that you had even thought of.

[00:42:20] But it's a risk reward situation and you got a wonder in that organization do they feel like they've gotten through to jaw enough that with the knee injury.

[00:42:36] Take you know take him off the court has that allowed him to really reassess his situation and start really focusing in on basketball.

[00:42:49] And leaving the off the court situations and just locking on glass block or is this a situation where.

[00:43:04] It's time to pull the plug because we don't know if you'll ever really really get it with no he's a super talent but it's a volatile super talent and we can be in the business of having volatility volatility here in Memphis and the reason why say here in Memphis is because.

[00:43:23] It is still considered a small market I know you guys don't like hearing it I know you guys are saying like listen we got a great team our squad was this hurt this year and i'm not trying to put a lot of doom in gloom on you what i'm trying to say is that.

[00:43:42] If there was a reason or if there was a.

[00:43:46] Narrative to be spun that would be it so.

[00:43:52] Get out me on X I know I will hear a lot of hate about trying to trade job my aunt I wasn't i'm just saying that is the nuclear option of what could possibly happen I don't think it will but.

[00:44:09] There is there is about there is a you know when you think there's an option and there's an option B sometimes there's another option and that's option C okay we got a couple more things that I want to get out of here and i want to talk I need some room on the last thing that I want to talk about but a couple things that we do want to get to is.

[00:44:31] PG Paul George in the clip is are not close on a contract situation right now.

[00:44:37] Let's get into this little bit now George is eligible to side a four year 221.2 million dollar.

[00:44:47] Contract for another NBA team if he opts out of his 52 million dollar contract and just wants to go ahead and sign.

[00:44:57] With another team at the end of this year now.

[00:45:01] To remind.

[00:45:03] That.

[00:45:05] In the middle of season, collie Leonard signed a less than max.

[00:45:11] Deal and i'm going to tell you right down that's been pretty problematic when it comes to the PG.

[00:45:21] Negotiations.

[00:45:23] Collies contract fluctuates.

[00:45:27] However, the cap goes so he's under.

[00:45:33] The max level or what he didn't get every time.

[00:45:39] To with the clippers and here's the other problem is that the clippers were ranking on L.A. itself to keep Paul George as a clipper.

[00:45:49] And Paul George is eligible to make 54 million dollars annual average value of his contract.

[00:45:59] Which would be a lot more than Pete what PG or what coysign for and in lies the issue.

[00:46:08] So with filly lurking in the background go look to the clippers and good luck to this playoff run so that this should be really exciting.

[00:46:17] That's the backdrop to the clippers as we move in.

[00:46:21] To this late stage of the year and also I wonder if there is that malaise that the clippers were on such a high street early in the year.

[00:46:33] And as soon as that contract hit.

[00:46:36] The clippers didn't play well anymore.

[00:46:40] I wonder I wonder what that meant because if you think about it collisides and then he says oh sure we're going to get hard inside and then we're going to get Paul George side with sign all of his exciting back.

[00:46:53] And then I think them dudes were sitting there going like man you took less money so that means I got to take less money I got to take.

[00:47:02] I'm going to take less money than you did because you're the best player on the team.

[00:47:07] And Paul George feel like he's the second best player on the team or does he feel like he's the best player on the team and more importantly how do the clippers view Paul George does he do they view him as a two.

[00:47:26] Or do they view him as a three do they feel that harden is the second most important player on that team.

[00:47:34] Or do they feel that Paul George is the second most important player on that team because how they figure his importance will directly show in the value of his contract.

[00:47:49] And that's why this is all very interesting as we get close to the playoffs and if this malaise continues this is a good west.

[00:48:03] This is the competitive west and as talented as I think the clippers are who earlier I thought they would probably give the nuggets one of the tougher challenges.

[00:48:17] I no longer think that because they play terrible lately and just don't know if you can turn it on like that.

[00:48:28] I just don't know find it to be very interesting and I wonder if this contract pays is is hanging open them.

[00:48:39] Just who for thought okay we got a couple more things to get to and then we're going to get out of here.

[00:48:45] A good stat for you guys you guys know that shea Gilges Alexander has made six go ahead shots within the last 10 seconds of games over the past two seasons and also she is lacking the field in that particular stat.

[00:49:05] We say having six his next person that's closest to him is three.

[00:49:13] That's that so I just thought share that with you and there was a couple of things that were kind of.

[00:49:21] I'm trying to got me down one thing that I promised you guys that we would be on the Julius Randall situation and what his situation looked like for the mix.

[00:49:34] And it turns out that it might be a little more ominous than we thought and it came from the mouth of Josh heart he just blurted out he said this group currently is what we are going into the playoffs with.

[00:49:49] Meaning like I can ride with these guys you know as until the wheels come off.

[00:49:56] We are taking that as it doesn't look good for Julius Randall to come back and I always thought that it was going to be a problem unfortunately.

[00:50:07] The shoulder just has not progressed to the point of increasing Randall's ramp up process he still in very, very light workouts and it's independent.

[00:50:18] Basically what that means is that the trainers or staff have the pads on and they're you know tap on them and the the workout is scripted so he knows what's coming.

[00:50:31] They know what's coming and it's real you know it's not like they're testing that shoulder.

[00:50:37] And I think that unfortunately this is it but we thought the more concerning piece of news is that he said this particular iteration and.

[00:50:49] We had made a comment in the previous show about OG and a no be having some some shoulders issues and they were managing the shoulder it comes it turns out that they don't know if OG and a no is going to be available.

[00:51:06] That changes a lot.

[00:51:10] And what we thought of what the next could be this year.

[00:51:14] Now they're going to be tenacious they're going to be physical they're going to get out to you they're going to do all those things it just it's a lot easier to do those those things when you have Julius Randall.

[00:51:26] That was six seven six eight and two hundred and like 40 pounds and OG and a no be who's also six seven and like 230 pounds so that's a lot of length and that's a lot of beef that is not on the team and when you are like yo your wings are Dante deep in chinzo.

[00:51:46] And Josh heart it's a little bit different than Julius Randall and OG and a no be yeah so you know our guy Josh heart said basically you know well no OG is coming back either.

[00:52:00] And here's the thing when when OG got traded.

[00:52:06] That was always the thing with him that was the thing why Toronto didn't want to give them the contract is because OG has never been a guy who played a ton of games and also I have made the comment before now I know what it looked like when he first got there to New York okay it was great this dude is shooting crazy percentages from corner three.

[00:52:29] From corner three is in all of this all these type of things but if he's not clean that's not good you need to play and now I will ask my Nick fans out there hit me up on Twitter let me know front runner PC at front runner PC let me know.

[00:52:51] Do you want to be the team that pays OG and a no be like 33 35 million dollars a year just asking just asking the question.

[00:53:02] But if they're going to be without Randall and an enemy I don't look for the next to make a big time run in the playoffs at all it changes the whole dynamic of what I think that team could do.

[00:53:13] In the postseason so there is that and we're going to leave on one other stat that we thought was phenomenal and we're going to give our guy in Sacramento his flowers.

[00:53:27] Demontus Savonis now we've been hard on them and we've been and we praise them all at the same time you know last well it's funny that way.

[00:53:36] We talked about Demontus Savonis limitations he's just not tall enough to really be the rim protector that Sacramento needs to really get them into a position where they can really challenge for.

[00:53:50] You know like the top two or three seeds in the NBA but it doesn't take away from the skill it does to take away from the heart it does take away from the passion and it damn sure doesn't take away for how hard this do place.

[00:54:11] And I will continue to say this.

[00:54:13] Look at all of the Eastern block players look at all of them they're playing like 70 something plus games do.

[00:54:26] The American players are not but here's the stat that I want to leave you with.

[00:54:32] The Sacramento King forward or the Sacramento mental King the Sacramento King forward as a thousand plus rebounds and 600 plus assists.

[00:54:47] There's only one other man in the history of the NBA to do this.

[00:54:52] And that is Wilts Chamberlain.

[00:54:56] So Demontus Savonis and Wilts Chamberlain are the only two men in NBA history to in one season acquire a thousand plus rebounds and 600 plus assists so congratulations to our guy Demontus Savonis you had an incredible season.

[00:55:16] The double doubles have been incredible the triple doubles have been incredible my man you are a you gotten everything you could possibly want out of your talent.

[00:55:32] This dude has left nothing on the floor nothing so crudos to him and crudos to Sacramento and the best of luck in that just gauntlet that we call the Western Convergence.

[00:55:44] So that's the end of our podcast we did promise three pods a week.

[00:55:51] If you were here on or you were looking for the pot on Friday it dropped on Saturday I do apologize but my wife is on the mend the oblique issue has toned itself down the adulter strain has seen to is it's more of a mild injury right now.

[00:56:13] So I've seen a lot of holistic situations here at the house and I'm happy to report through you know my humble humble like training or I don't know if you want to call it caregiving or whatever she is on the mend and we are doing show so Monday, Wednesday and Friday we will be doing this and hopefully Friday we won't have an issue.

[00:56:40] So with that being said listen the coolest part about you is you and thank you for joining the podcast again I can't think the people enough for just subscribing to our podcast we love to do it.

[00:56:57] And we're trying to get better every single time for you and we're also trying to get better on the YouTube and everything like that so thank you for staying with us and you guys have a good rest of your Monday.

[00:57:10] We're the basketball and we'll see you back on this feed on Wednesday. Peace.