NBA Preview and Giannis! | Front Runner Podcast Collective: Where analytics, insight, and passion meet to celebrate the game of basketball and its culture.

Eastern Conference first and then the Western Conference.Every Team, star player, leap player or situation, and wart that can hold a franchise back.

[00:00:00] is Tuesday and we are coming to you late because there was some breaking news. Yesterday it is FRKC Hoops, I am your guy, Vince and we are joined by the Canadian Bomber, the Canadian Shaman, the Canadian Bill Simmons, the Canadians at the low and the

[00:00:32] Canadian, even though you may uduca and the forever Canadian son of one lawyer current Nico Wosup. Not a whole lot, and I've been going through it just getting ready for this regular season here. We're finally on the doorstep later today we're going to be seeing NBA, re-regular season

[00:00:55] basketball and I can't wait. I'm so excited for it, even though there are probably some liquor fans upset with me in this podcast but this is what it is at this point. We're going to give you a little premise or doing here is basically a season overview.

[00:01:16] We're going to take every team, we're going to go star, we're going to go leap and what are the awards for every team and give you over under on their win totals and kind of go from there.

[00:01:29] We do are going to bake in the injury that happened with Stephen Adams, obviously we already know the jam-tardon situation so all those things have been talked about and out there so let's get into it. Are you ready Nico? Yes I am.

[00:01:46] All right so we got the Brooklyn nets basically. They didn't trade in here their wing depth so McElgweggis is obviously their star. He showed so much in his kind of new role in Brooklyn and he looks honestly like a

[00:02:04] bonafide too on a real good contending team when it finally manifests itself. So the question that I have, the leap it has to be the guard play. I don't want to get into it too much but Ben Simmons is back.

[00:02:23] You got you got Lonnie Walker to fourth who played pretty good minutes for the lakers during their run into the playoffs and what have you and hit some critical shots and one

[00:02:36] of those games so I mean that's good hopefully that man of it is the self and wins and then the warts to me are not enough offensive creativity. You don't have somebody that can I mean it Ben Simmons hits all of the platodes

[00:02:54] and everything where I can't buy it yet. We've seen what it looked like, what didn't what he wanted it. They really don't have anybody who is really like that that I can get into the paint when I want. Yeah.

[00:03:11] And last Ben Simmons decides that he really wants to play basketball but I highly doubt it so there over under 37 and a half wins they don't have any reason to tank. Is everybody's pick is here. Yeah. But Botson Brooklyn thoughts on anything that I said there.

[00:03:35] I think I feel pretty similarly to you overall. I would question their guard play primarily they don't have really anyone who's going to be consistently in the lineup who I expect to push them at even like lead average, let alone above lead average level.

[00:04:01] One way to get there for stretches of time but he comes and goes abs and flows so he's not someone I'd really rely on. As far as their finish this season, I kind of see them as an outside the playoffs team

[00:04:18] and I would probably bet the under on that one if I were to place a bet. All right. And we'll put our, we want to put our Eastern Conference and Western Conference things on to our X later. Okay.

[00:04:38] So follow us on at Fort Warner PC and at Niko F.R.P.C. So let's move on to the Philadelphia 76th of shall we? Their handcuff by the hardened situation as a right now.

[00:04:54] We know who their star is, is Joe Lowe and B. Who 33 points, 10 rebounds, 4.2 assists. I think I need more from the assists situation that needs to be more impactful there. The 54.8% field goal percentage need to go.

[00:05:13] To me, I think that's where you, if the 76th is or to stay afloat this year. And if I had one major concern about Joe Lowe and B.D., it would be, can you shoot better at the room? Can you be more dominant there?

[00:05:34] I know you like to take the threes. I know you like to take the 18 footers and all of that sort of thing. But for you to really help this team, I think you're going to have to dominate on the

[00:05:45] inside and that percentage is going to have to go up a little bit. Yeah. I think the way he played last year offensively, I'm not sure I'm looking for any more from him than what he presented to us there. Same thing with the assists numbers.

[00:06:06] I think that has a lot to do with playing with a player like Harden who's going to dominate the ball and let the league last year in assists. Overall, I think if M.B.D performs like he performed last year, I still expect this

[00:06:24] to be a playoff team without Harden, especially with young guys who could take a step forward like Maxi. That's where I was about to go to the segue to the leap is Tyre's Maxi. Maxi is what Kyle wanted and manual quickly to be without Harden there.

[00:06:43] The keys go to Maxi and the 3.5 assists obviously are going to have to go up. His game is incredible. He's one of the quickest guards in the league. I expect him to make that leap because there's going to be more for Rusted upon him with

[00:07:02] the absence of Harden. We just found out right before that Harden is going to have extended leave of absence from the team because of his mother and her health situation. So, players go out to his mother.

[00:07:17] It doesn't change the fact that this has been a really unintinable situation that they have there. I think this hangs over this team like a dark cloud until they get it fixed. And even then we don't know what the pieces are coming back.

[00:07:36] They have a 47 and I have over under wind total dots on, oh, let me give you the warts because it's kind of funny. So I put in Harden wants out what he wants kicks plus man Harden and Murray, Harden and Murray divorce.

[00:08:00] So basically that's what it comes down to. My thoughts on this is that I don't see. I think they can get close to it. I just don't know if they can get to the 48 wins. Yeah, I think that would probably be a true.

[00:08:19] Push for me realistically out of the teams on this list. I'm not. I might stay away from that one. I guess I could see them winning a little bit more than that but it would require a big

[00:08:34] leap from Tyreys Maxi and them to get something tangible back in the Harden trade. So it's not impossible. I wouldn't call someone crazy for making that bet. I did pick them to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference but 47 wins seems like a very safe projection for that team.

[00:08:55] Plus, they're working also a new offense, you know, Nick nurses there. I'm not saying that it can't hit the ground running. I'm just saying it just takes time for all that to kind of work itself out. So that's kind of it. We're on that with it.

[00:09:09] Okay, let's talk and hopefully we can get a big number when the breakout video comes of this, the gritty grimy mix. Okay, we have a star in Jalen Branson who took the world and New York by storm with

[00:09:25] his performance last year, 24, 6 and 3 and a half rebounds, just a tough, tough guard fits that team, that city, the mentality to a T. My lead guy is Mitchell Robinson. It is not because of the fact that he didn't make a lead last year, it's just because

[00:09:46] to see it again. I want to see it again. I want to see him be able to repeat it. And then the war's are the same thing. It's the shooting and the mids, the mids and match parts that they have, can they upgrade the buried situation?

[00:10:00] Can they upgrade the Randall situation? Obviously trades are out there. It could happen. We're not really any kind of speculation on that, but maybe a Siocomot, greater whatever down the world who knows. But as the team currently put together, I think this is a tri-hard team.

[00:10:25] I think this is a team that New Yorkers can get around and their win total is 45 and a half. And personally, I go over. Yeah, I'm surprised that the next win total is lower than the sixers to be honest. I think they're in a similar area.

[00:10:47] The next just went and did it last year and don't have all this drama going on around them. They have someone in Tom DeBido who takes wins in the regular season very seriously. So that's the best line we've heard so far.

[00:11:04] I would hit the over pretty hard on that. All right, we're about to see something really special here on the pod. For now, no, it's an audio medium, but some of these will be a breakout on YouTube. You're about to see somebody very excited.

[00:11:21] We're about to talk about the Boston Celtics win total in where they are win total, and a half, their star obviously is Jason Tatum. I don't know how you get better from 30 on most NIR rebounds and the CSF 4.6 seemed pretty good as far as that's concerned.

[00:11:48] The leap to me is not really a leap. It's what he did last year. Can he do replicate it? This Christophe for his ingas. Here's the thing. Welcome to the spotlight buddy. You wanted it. KP here it is. Are you ready for it?

[00:12:05] Because the scrutiny on that town with all of what's going on, what their other scores teams because they suck. Yeah. He's gonna get it every single night so the effort needs to be there for him. But the 238.4 rerounds, the 2.7 to 6 shot 49% from the field.

[00:12:31] If he reclucates anything close to that, I mean, he's gonna be a fan favorite in Boston. Yeah absolutely and I think realistically with the Celtics this year, he doesn't even really need to fully replicate what he did last year for this team

[00:12:52] to get everything they want out of him. He is now taking the step down to at least the third probably the fourth option in most situations and I think that's gonna be perfect for him in a role.

[00:13:08] He could break out of sometimes and fall into it others ideally kind of fitting there. I'd expect Chris to perform pretty well there and I'd take that over on that total. I really believe in the Celtics this year. There's two things.

[00:13:29] I put their wards as depth obviously, you know, when you get Drew Holiday and Grant Williams walks out the door and we'll have you listen. They're starting five, like start the top six, seven guys awesome. I like pressure.

[00:13:45] I like the contract they signed up for allowing me the microwave guy off the bench. That's great. Here's my one problem with you saying that Poorsingus doesn't have to be that guy. I think he wants to be that guy and I think that if he...

[00:14:05] Well, here's my other thing. He doesn't want to be the guy who's a standard in the Dunkersquite. So this is gonna be on Mozilla to allow this offense to continue to move and flow and not fall into the pattern of Jace Tatum Gissaball, Jaden Brown Gissaball.

[00:14:25] That's all I'm saying with that. Yeah, I get that. I think my read on the way Tatum's approached this offseason seems to give me the belief that maybe he's going to step more into a facilitator role than he's been in previously.

[00:14:45] And especially like the way Gain makes me feel like he's gonna want to go inside more often. And with the guy like Chris stops who functions so well on the perimeter, that's gonna kind of marry their skillsets together pretty well.

[00:15:00] He also is Al Horford who's one of the best 3. shooting centers in the league. So I'm kind of expect a big season from Tatum and I wouldn't really be shocked to see him.

[00:15:13] Maybe the scoring doesn't take a jump or even goes down a little bit, but to seem around seven assists this year, I wouldn't be shocked at all. That would be a great leap. If he did something like that, I would be wow, it would be fantastic to see.

[00:15:34] He will have the capability of doing so Drew Holiday is not a like a ball dominant guard. Jannick Wyatt is not that guy. I just hope those guys are able to help put J-Laning better positions, which I think they will be able to.

[00:15:48] So this scene is very, very good. You know how much I hate Boston, it's always the Celtics. I love Boston City. Just went to a much time there but I love this team. I love the setup. 54 and a half.

[00:16:06] If you're telling me they're gonna get into a Holy War with Milwaukee and in the home field of anage is going to matter. In the east, what you get past or certain level is not as good as the West.

[00:16:20] Then I'm kind of with you with the 54 and a half. I'm with you on that so that's a good call. Here's a team that brings a smile to my face. The Washington Wizards happily deconstruct the roster 24 and a half is their win total over under star, Jordan Pool.

[00:16:47] Pearl is finally free of the tyranny which was Golden State. He's an inefficient score with a insane usage rate, it will be entertaining while they acquire the young building blocks to build the new iteration of the Washington Wizards.

[00:17:11] But yes, Jordan Pool is going to be taken out 35 shots again and we are here to see it on this podcast. Yeah, absolutely. Maybe not the most fun basketball to watch but every once in a while when he starts cooking,

[00:17:30] it'll be nice to tune in for six minutes on the lead fast. I'm interested to see if he sets any weird records this year with shot misses especially three pointers because I think they're giving him the green light to go crazy.

[00:17:48] You'll like 10 per game plus and he's known to take some wild ones. You'd never know though, we could end up taking a leap being out of all the shit that was around for him in Golden State. Well, that brings me to my next thing.

[00:18:10] I actually have a weird record that he can actually beat this year. Would you like to hear it? Absolutely. Consecret of Gave seasons getting punched and face because it looks like Dany Obdias ready to punch him in the face already. Yeah, it does look like that's the case.

[00:18:29] Was that really last year? I feel like that was so long ago. No, that was last year. Wow. That there's a chance because he could definitely set that record. Even then he really don't look like they're getting long.

[00:18:44] No, I was surprised to see that Dany Extension afterwards too, especially at that dollar amount if I was Dany I might want to let the dice roll this year rather than look myself into that deal. I understand.

[00:19:00] Or it made it really solid for him to be traded once the thing is over. Oh, yeah, I think I think I get traded through to the end of the year. No, no, I think that contracts incredibly tradable.

[00:19:17] It's one of the ones like that Niseer Little Contract we just saw gets time. That's going to get flipped multiple times. I think Peyton Pritchards, Dielis and Blair also the Z9G contract.

[00:19:29] We're getting kind of like a rise in these contracts that are between eight and 12 million dollars that are such a small percentage of the cap. They can be added on here and there to other contracts and trades.

[00:19:42] That I think they're, we're about to see a surge of these for cap reasons. I agree with you. Their lead guy for me is obviously a Belal Coolaballi and it's not even him making a leap. What it is, is just his development.

[00:19:59] Just watching it, him getting reps, him getting reps with the big team. If for some reason they start to take them off the line up, getting reps in the G. Lee, I just

[00:20:10] want him to get reps. No matter where it is, no matter how high goes, I just want him playing basketball, understanding concepts, what have you? So I'm interested in seeing that this year. Then there were other things that we just talked about, pooled on Nathan Ball.

[00:20:29] I can just hear in pools head he's hearing little John song. That's kind of what I look at with that. Do you 24 and a half? You got any thoughts on that? I think I'm going under teams like this that pulled the rug out. I think Vegas is normally

[00:20:56] cautious or leave because you never know, it might be a jazz situation like last year where everyone expected them to do really poorly but they had enough good players to cobble something together. The wizards don't give me wrong. They do have some talented guys but Kyle Kuzman,

[00:21:16] Jordan Pool, are the type of players that aren't it's not like they're going to bring your whole locker room together. They're going to shoot you in and out of games and I think more often than

[00:21:29] not at least one of them will falter each game and it's going to lead to a really low win total. I could see them struggling to break 20 this year. There it is. Be excited while Kuzman,

[00:21:44] be excited for pool shooting the absolute shit out the ball, be excited for Koldwally's development but if you're excited about wins, no this is not the place for that. But I got something

[00:22:02] that I know will kick your interest. The young magic look very feisty and they have a over under 37 and a half. My star is a two-headed monster in Franz Wagner and Palau Juan Caro

[00:22:21] and if you really want to get down to it just the front court in general what window Carter Jr as well. We saw frogs in the international game look like he was about to break out there

[00:22:39] Palau got the experience to go over with the American team. I always help even whether it's in a primary role or ancillary role. I don't think these guys are really scared of the moment

[00:22:55] personally. I think they can handle a lot of the ball handling issues that a lot of people have a problem with. Now I know they might have addressed it with the draft but it's going to take

[00:23:06] some time for Anthony Black to get acclimated to NBA basketball. Yeah but they're so good that I think they could this team could make a leap this year. There are also my leap guys as well it's

[00:23:27] this is the Wagner Bach Carol show. I think everybody needs to get really used to that. Personal. Basically the other thing that I have is what is it going to look like when

[00:23:48] they're doing kicking roll and you have one of them on a four and three? It's going to be absolutely it's going to be scary a lot of the time they have a whole lot of different options to go to

[00:24:06] and as this team gets more and more polished it's going to be very intimidating for people overall. There definitely a team that I think probably possesses the most upward momentum in the Eastern

[00:24:20] conference. Like I on my projections for the standings I had them ninth and sitting there looking at them like realistically they could fall as far as 12 but I wouldn't be shocked to see them

[00:24:38] being better than almost any team in the east outside of the top three. They have a whole lot young talent and they have a couple of those guys take leads that could be lights up for the league.

[00:24:56] Gar play is going to be the situation we like the development of Mark L. Foltz he seems to have settled into his position. The coal Anthony of it all what is he going to end up being a microwave

[00:25:11] score or somebody who learns how to kind of coil his aggression to be a point guard I don't know what that's possible. I'll use a six man and then there's the young core Anthony Black

[00:25:28] Jail and Sug still young and also jet Howard. I think that if there was anything to kind of hold them back that would probably be the case but I still think that the magic or a team that

[00:25:44] not only are we going to be looking at going this is exciting team to watch but also I think they're going to be in a lot of games. I think you cannot walk into their arena and go oh this is a

[00:25:56] easy W that's all those days have our long gone so we really fascinating team. The team that I want to get to now probably you know I hope I don't take a long time on this but I'm going

[00:26:12] to get to it anyway is anyone awake in Toronto the over under is 36 and a half the stars obviously pass off Siocom some people you know I know OG and nobody would take offense to that so sorry

[00:26:31] to OG on that. Here's a deal he's in the last year of his contract Siocom I don't know what they're doing no clue. The good thing is is that their lead player is still Scotty Barnes

[00:26:50] now a lot of people are sourd on them in the second year I get it. I think allowing Van Bleat to walk which looks like a thing there. Around Scotty they're freedom to do what he kind

[00:27:08] of wants to do which is be the point garden things of that nature so if there is a leap this is the year for Scotty Barnes to go ahead and do it because he doesn't have any restrictions

[00:27:18] Shooter is not going to challenge him when it comes to point guard he played with LeBron he knows to deal he knows how it works and then their words are just shooting like do we have a no shooting I

[00:27:32] know they got greedy dick. Barnes has to shoot better. Shooter is he's iffy. Is it is OG is it real? Is it all real? Because I don't know there's a lot of questions with this team and here's one

[00:27:54] thing that I didn't want to get too far into because we always said that we're not going to fall for the pump fate. I honestly believe that this is almost now become in like a direction of duty

[00:28:07] on Sijiri's part. Their team is crumbling and descending all at the same time you had pieces that people actually want it and as you continue to keep them their value goes down and just

[00:28:25] to the abyss where you're going to almost end up with nothing for Sijiri's who is an all star and could be possibly a fringe all NBA type of dude or whatever. Definitely. Right and

[00:28:42] you know last year you tried to get like two three first round draft picks maybe a couple swaths whatever case may be. This year you're probably going to get a first rounder and you're going

[00:28:51] to get like maybe a second one but it's going to have like eye protections I don't know. Yeah I think they could still get some good stuff for him this year but you're right it's definitely

[00:29:04] the total is down from where it was a year ago. That being said he is always a guy who starts the season really really hot and if they finally got up the nerve after like I don't know

[00:29:20] three weeks into the regular season they could strike while the iron's hot. I just I they're not going to do it obviously because they never do it. It so it baffles me but also it's like

[00:29:34] I don't understand everybody in Toronto seems to know that they should have been trading these people. Yeah what is not it's not even the front office it's like do the owners understand what's

[00:29:49] going on like is there a disconnect between I think probably they tend to just throw money at problems and don't solve it with the most attack that would say. And they're also an organization

[00:30:05] that I think after the lengthy period of the Raptors not being a good team and just always trying to get back to it trying to get back to it doesn't want to fall into that cycle again it's almost

[00:30:21] a lack of trust in the organization and I don't think that's Ejiris fault it's just like they they've seen the pits and they they don't want to see them again. That being said I do expect

[00:30:34] them to hit the over on their over under just because like this team has so much talent and so much size and of also a very unorthodox way of playing basketball just overall so they always catch

[00:30:50] people on their off-knit so teams are not often ready to play against Toronto and I even without Nick Neresi I expect that to continue and I see them as a play in team probably on the higher side of

[00:31:05] the play and just because stuff like this always happens and then it's shorter is he won't be for advent fleet but 60% of for advent fleet is still like enough that's going to be a lot of

[00:31:18] teams in the regular season with this roster so I expect them to still perform well. Yeah and then whatever they get back in return and can kind of acclimate to the second half

[00:31:32] and I will to expect it to be young guys so maybe they can kind of galvanize a kind of a human talent and go from there who knows. I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. I don't want to make

[00:31:45] the trade. They're just cowards. Yeah all right speaking of cowards the Charlotte Hornets no shade to the new ownership this is this is directly has to do with the regime that is the front

[00:32:01] opposite now okay the Hornets they're over under 31 and a half. Their star is La Mellow Ball obviously the Procosius Point Guard who averages 23 points six and have Rewards 8.4 assists shot selection has been an issue with him maturity has been an issue with him. He did get the contract

[00:32:26] he was vowing to be a MVP candidate he wanted like you know go get it so closely shot selection the 41.1 field goal percentage is the thing that is a problem for me being a six

[00:32:45] seven guard he needs to find a signature mid range shot and he needs to be able to put pressure on the rim in some sort of fashion where we can do that in transition but nowhere else and that's

[00:33:00] that's a little Mellow problem they also like I'm not going to harp on the brand and Miller decision for them. I was just going to get there with the leap because he is the leap for me

[00:33:10] and this will they go right into your brain and Miller and everything the leap was this construct or clarify I'm sorry construct or clarify front office coaching franchise direction get your shit together. Yeah yeah I think it's cool figure though I did to be honest

[00:33:35] I wasn't even fully gonna go there with the brand of Miller I was just like L'Mellow provides an old ball pressure you know you draft brand and Miller who like that's clearly the biggest

[00:33:47] problem he provides you I I just don't see where you're you're going going forward um 31 and a half wins he said was the over under I would bang that under that's the best line by far I've

[00:34:03] heard to this point I like them in the wizards I think are the clearly the bottom two teams of these and obviously the wards are the off the killer core issues we know what's going on

[00:34:17] oh yeah mild bridges and it seems to be more stuff kind of well well branded Miller is and then the Brooknight of it all it's just bad the owners need to go in clean clean house absolutely clean house some brings already in who has a dynamic personality and

[00:34:38] says okay these are these are principles they get a coach that fits that or whatever y'all come together and then then we can finally see what this team is now that you got L'Mellow side you don't

[00:34:55] have to worry about him going anywhere for a second unless he asks for a trade but I don't think L'Mellow really cares right now about that because he he'll be happy if he scores 27 points

[00:35:08] game I think you just want to get healthy yeah and that's probably that's a problem for next year but going into next year you're probably gonna have a new coach new outlook overall and maybe

[00:35:21] that's less of the problem so I wouldn't be concerned with the L'Mellow trade requests thing for at least 18 months exactly now we get to the H.E.L where our guy Kez lives and

[00:35:35] and what have you and I know that our guy Jacob loves the Hawks so Hawks New direction obviously the star tray young 26.2 points three breakdowns an absolute dime getter 10.2 assists

[00:35:52] the F.E.L. Go shooting needs to go up the three point shooting needs to go up it's all the same stuff that we talk with him he needs to embrace the change and get in all of those sort of things

[00:36:05] and get what I call superstar habits right you know be a leader show up be the first person there all those type of things all the things that I know young people right now are telling me shout out boomer you don't know what I'm talking about

[00:36:21] trade young super nice he's super nice he shoots 36 foot shots you don't know what you're talking about your own experts oh man show us what they're saying no they they I would say the

[00:36:32] sentiment has turned on trade on far more than that there is a very few people who go to back for trade young right now online just because of all the stuff that comes with it a lot of

[00:36:48] people are very easy to hate person he talks shit in Madison Square Garden and he can't believe defense like the intern at is anti-tray young I would say is often the prevailing sentiment well

[00:37:04] delete but we'll also tie in the contract they just got signed a necker of congruent the contract which was four years six two million excellent deal so good so but the guy did I know you million dollars

[00:37:18] the guy that I know that Quinceon I love is Jayland Johnson yeah loves him now I love AJ Griffin but who am I I am a lowly polka co-caster Quinceon Iter is a world-renowned coach

[00:37:37] and has led his team to 50 wins and all that sort of stuff so he loves Jayland Johnson so I look at him as taking the leap Nico you know the fans waited for Hunter

[00:37:53] um it just hasn't happened and I think what you know Jayland Johnson being six eight two nineteen prototypical while we consider like that twin three four type of dude that you can switch on

[00:38:09] everything I think this is exactly the type of guy that Quinceon Iter get really do something Swiss yeah he's he's tried to from like this I can't even got there Jayland Johnson has been more involved

[00:38:23] more and more involved I think the Andre Hunter is still a guy they're going to be relying on pretty heavily so really good players just the Quinceon healthy I I'd hope that that changes this year

[00:38:40] and I think realistically they can be one of the better teams especially amongst those like bottom feeders I think they're not quite ready to break into the secured playoff top six but they're the closest team knocking I'd say 42 and a half or over under Vegas yeah that's fair

[00:39:06] I think maybe at least slightly over but I would have guessed there over under would have been like 44 and a half so no well they it there are 44 wins they're in the top six I don't think like your seven eight

[00:39:22] season the eastern conference are going to be like that but I think 42 44 wins is probably the yeah that's what I was thinking I think they're more like the I would expect them to be the

[00:39:37] seven seed I think going into this year right now I have the raptors the them and the raptors and about the same category so but I think the Hawks have a lot more upward mobility so

[00:39:52] yeah I think right around there just below the heat next sixers their words are basically thin out to hurt you know start you know if Capela's got to go Capela has to go and start developing

[00:40:05] the quince nighter guys whoever those guys are Capela's one of them I had to guess because he he really likes to have that big defensive center he's played him a whole lot and it seemed like they were

[00:40:19] unwilling to move from this off of I know on Yeka got a good deal but it's realistically it's so good that it's borderline backup center I mean going forward it's right on that line so I think it's

[00:40:37] probably Capela's position for the somewhat foreseeable future which leads us to the team that never dies which is the Miami heat heat culture and hit a lot of road blocks on the trade avenues

[00:40:54] their over under is 44 and I have winds. Nikolama actually a series of questions you let me know you let me know your answers to these Eric's Ghostro is still the coach right? Yes Jimmy Butler is still on that team as far as I've heard okay

[00:41:15] um kind of Riley still kind of pulls strings there as much as he can yeah yeah Miami is still good I don't care what he's doing you know what hey their stars Jimmy Butler he might

[00:41:33] can't cruise in the in the regular season this year you might have to be a little more maybe not play off Jimmy yeah they're gonna follow the number one I've never heard of oh 100% and that'll be

[00:41:48] their next point guard in the future something and they're gonna figure it out I have them like locked in as the succeed in my conference ranking well the thing about it is right now you got

[00:42:04] the heat do need a hero they need a hero and they have one entirely hero and that's the guy who can take delete if anyone can turn a person who was in trade rumors into

[00:42:24] hey put this as a chip on your shoulder pat Riley is the ultimate when it comes to this cyclist and he has he has he will out here talking like oh people didn't want me okay

[00:42:44] all right that's cool yeah I don't he seems to have hero convinced that he wasn't involved in the game trade somehow but he was even saying it before though he was when the rumors were out there

[00:42:58] he was like nobody wants to trade for me okay I'll show you yeah I'll become the most valuable asset that is that could be that type of thing which it was great for Miami because they're gonna need all

[00:43:12] the points they can get from him because they did lose a lot of debt that's the war it's right is that what is the plan B and C because they got all their first round picks I mean 24 or 26 27

[00:43:30] 28 29 and 30 losing Vincent and Struth is I don't think it's the biggest deal because the Miami he they do this this is what they do hide me hotcast during your comes in somebody else that we've

[00:43:50] never heard of like Lorenzo I saw the Lorenzo can go off like I just I don't I don't care anymore I just don't okay let's get to Don's team did Detroit Christians okay 28 and a half over under

[00:44:13] their stars K cutting him he missed a lot of time last year with the shin splints and what have you I think the leap is K cutting him so this is going to be a K cutting him focus Detroit

[00:44:27] Christians kind of preview I think the added strength the year off getting right health health I think he showed enough to me in the first year in that part of that second year they played just

[00:44:44] like a little bit that I think he's a guy who takes a leap unfortunately the team around him it's I don't know is it all doesn't make sense there's four dudes that are like sinners like

[00:44:59] legit actual sinners there's wings everywhere boy-on but Donavich is still on this team he's like 34 35 years age out for a month oh no okay really excited about also or Thompson I think

[00:45:18] he's gonna be excellent I think they got a real real gym in him but this team is gonna go as far as K takes him I think Detroit will be excited because you'll see a leap from K but they got to figure

[00:45:36] out all the other pieces mm yeah absolutely I think even with Bug Donavich and Joe Harris on the roster they still really struggle with shooting um Killian Hayes he did not get extended obviously

[00:45:57] but it seems like there is even new life being breathing into him by Monti Williams he seems to have a fan there so I it's just the lack of shooting from the guard positions overall outside of

[00:46:13] Alec Berks does concern me and I think it's gonna make it a little harder for their big three prospects in KID IV and SR to develop this upcoming season hopefully they can manufacture it somewhere else

[00:46:31] but putting Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Dern together in the starting lineup is really just creating a mismatch for these guys below them so I hope they can figure something out as far as that's

[00:46:48] concerned here's another team that we can kind of run through pretty quickly running in place of the bulls starting in 37 and half over under as far as wins of concern we know the stars is derolson

[00:47:02] and Levine they'll go as far as they as they can take them a boost of each resigned as gray um lead to me is pick a direction I understand they got it got snake big while the lawns are

[00:47:18] wall deal but at this point you're sinking so figure it out and um the word honestly is the sloth like pace of development of one patch of Williams because it does do took the leap last year

[00:47:41] this team will look a lot better and we would feel a lot better about them because he didn't take the leap we we look at the same in their they're they're the stuck in the middle yeah uh uh he

[00:47:54] definitely needs to develop they're also starting Kobe White this year that they have some hopes for him and he's looked good at times in his career he hasn't really got consistent run though in

[00:48:10] much of a similar way to Patrick Williams to this point in his career so now finally maybe getting that chance will be away they can improve he should be a big uh candidate for taking a leap forward

[00:48:24] it's it just looks like a mess though like overall the team doesn't really work together particularly well there's no great defenders um they're the team that I expect to be knocking

[00:48:40] on the door the plan and that's just a really rough spot to be when you have this many veterans on your organization and you've like had your draft fix from the last or two of the last three

[00:48:54] drafts get traded away it's hard to be them at least they're getting towards the other side of it maybe they can be a little more proactive than the Raptors and make some moves to move towards

[00:49:11] the the tank I guess but it doesn't seem like that's on the air in the cards right now so hopefully Williams and White can take big enough steps forward that the team just becomes more exciting and

[00:49:27] inherently can I give you one more step about Patrick Williams to absolutely cannot stand guard for rebound again yeah well he they they don't really use him as that kind of guy so realistically

[00:49:47] like he it's and he has some of those talents he should be better at it but he doesn't do a whole lot of crashing so realistically maybe is worth giving him a look at a guard position because

[00:50:00] that definitely hurt too I can't even deal with it let's get into some happy news Indiana pastors putting the pieces together they're over under 39 and a half their star player obviously FRPC favorite Tirees Hall of Burton he will always be a favorite

[00:50:21] of ours almost 21 points again 3.7 rebounds 10.4 assists almost 50% shooting 40% 3.1 shooting 1.6 deals there's nothing more we can say about him and he's gonna get better and he's going to get better Nico yeah legitimate young star and the league if the Pacers can put

[00:50:51] some stuff around him they have some real building blocks here I think this is going to be a weird transitional year for them or they're kind of taking a step forward so I think I have them

[00:51:05] projected for tenth and they do have more upward mobility than that but they are I think still kind of piecing it together around him I hope for Tirees is sick that someone around him is able

[00:51:21] to take a leap I think they will and what I'm quoting in the leaps category is multiple bites at the apple when you have madrant uh Jared's Walker and Oli top and um not saying that Oli

[00:51:35] top is like this number two or anything like that but become a um or in capital player then he was in New York as far as that's concerned um the only to me there's not really a work so what I

[00:51:51] quote here is just patience with the young core just I know sometimes it's just going to suck and you're going to like all I heard about this rumor and this guy is available and this guy is

[00:52:03] available don't be so quick look at okay see look at what Orlando has done sometimes patience is a virtue yeah that's true I agree with that what's there over under 39 and a half yeah I think I

[00:52:22] take the over and now all right here we go last two in the east and then we can get to the west okay nothing capital here about the uh the last season how it ended for the Cleveland Cavaliers

[00:52:43] 50.5 over under winds their star down of in Mitchell 208 points for remounds for assist almost shot 50 percent 48.4 close enough okay here's the thing I want to speak to Cleveland fans real close right now so let's get close to the mic let's enjoy down of in Mitchell this season

[00:53:13] let's embrace all the great things you're going to do like the 50 point burgers he's going to have the tremendous pick and roll with Jared Allen and Evan Mowley but understand this is the last year this all right we're going to have to move on after this year

[00:53:34] what this year is going to be awesome all right it's going to be really awesome he's going to do a lot of great things we're going to see maybe some mid 50 point games it's going to be great

[00:53:47] their lead guy is obviously the one that we've been waiting for is Evan Mowley everything needs to go up everything all of it you need to I mean he needs to give more physical so he can take more

[00:54:02] impact at the round to finish at the round the playmaking needs to be better because I know it can be better the rebounds I'm not concerned about because they're probably going to implement

[00:54:14] him all over the floor this year that's what they've said but at those time for his assertion and his aggressiveness to flourish even with the two broad dominant guards you need to start asking for

[00:54:28] the ball and it needs to happen this year if they are going to stay at least within shouting distance of the two teams that we think are at the top of the eastern conference which is Milwaukee

[00:54:42] and Boston right yeah yeah I think they're probably the number three seed in the East I have them pretty comfortably there just overall probably the most talent like like it's hard to say they're

[00:55:03] more talented than either the teams above them but just between the top four that they have that's like they can almost go toe for toe and now they've added some depth with max truths and

[00:55:18] of course getting yeah it adds some options for them for sure from the three spot which was by far their weakest position last year can still give a coro spot minutes here and there and

[00:55:32] I think overall this is a really really good squad I man I will I know they lost to the next last year that was a really bad matchup for them overall and I think they might be in a position that

[00:55:48] they could do a little better against the next this upcoming season but I don't think they're going to have to play them I think that they could be in a spot to maybe play spoiler if

[00:56:05] their could end up being a situation where I don't know someone on the Celtics or Bucks gets hurt during the season they fall down the fore seed maybe who knows Cleveland could end up in the Eastern Conference finals and we're not on this pre-determined path for Bucks Celtics

[00:56:25] sitting there I don't know it's a really good squad that I wouldn't be surprised to see make a real impact this upcoming season. No I feel you I just think that I would have to see it to

[00:56:37] believe it I'm still big on mobiley I love them the problem that I see and I like your pick that you that you have them third because I think that's a really good pick what I think is optimistic a

[00:56:53] little bit if their coaching situation was a little bit different I would probably go with you on that yeah I just think that there are some unfortunately real life kind of comes in to basketball sometimes and competing interests also come in and when you're getting ready for contracts

[00:57:21] and people trying to make leaks and sometimes it gets disjointed in the team goal kind of flies out the window and I wonder I'm not saying they're gonna fall off the face of the planet because

[00:57:34] I don't have them doing that yeah but I wonder if they take a little step down this year to kind of go back up the next year as far as that's concerned but I I love them I think they're

[00:57:47] going to be dynamic I think they're going to be fun to watch and it is going to be just a treat every single night and cleanly let's move on to the western conference and try to get this

[00:57:58] done as quickly as possible because the lakers are coming on in about 40 minutes so blazing in the trail let's go Henderson 28 and a half over under the star is the first round drakkik he fell into their lap scoot hinders in the third overall pick by getting rid of

[00:58:22] the game and then also jettison away drew holiday the runway is open for scoot to do what he needs to do the leak hopefully a shade and sharp see a lot more out of him while I also plan

[00:58:38] out some of that morass he can go ahead and play the minutes that are necessary for him to make his leak and then basically the warts to me is really something that I don't know if they could

[00:58:51] avoid because I didn't know I don't know where they were in the denim situation is the Jeremy got grant contract that's all that's the war but I really enjoy what they've done with the tear down

[00:59:05] I really like what they did I know a lot of people were really upset about it and we kind of went over in our previous part about what they done with the trade so far and they got more stuff to trade

[00:59:17] so it's not even over yeah yeah they they're still gonna flip Malcolm Brogden there was reports about the clippers maybe making move for him today so we're definitely going to see something

[00:59:31] like that yeah I love scoot I like trading a lot I expect this scene with Deondrae 8 and we didn't even mention the dominant dominant and for sure dominant touches early in the season

[00:59:49] but yeah it's for them to be a lot of fun to watch I do expect them to be the worst team in the Western conference so what leads me to a team that we both are absolutely in love with because of

[01:00:02] one certain person um spurs on make a star and we'll be there one total is also 28 and a half the star and the league and no no the star is win by yama obviously um we're just gonna see things

[01:00:20] every night that we've never seen before we just got to just understand that we've never seen anything like this he's going to impresses every single night of I think my projections of him score an

[01:00:34] 18 points a game might be on the low side I'm being cautious I actually think he has a chance to do something really freaky on the defense of side Deko yeah I agree he's okay not the rookie record for

[01:00:51] blocks is getting shattered this year one way or another can I can I introduce you and something one by yama defensive player gear rookie of the year all star and all NBA player all in this first season that would be defensive player the year I don't really

[01:01:15] see that that level maybe all defense but um that's what I mean that's what I mean all defense all NBA defense I'm sorry I'm talking like yeah I really like the whole thing down I'm sorry

[01:01:28] it's all good it all defense I could I could see as a possibility it's it's a high bar to me and obviously a million things who go wrong but I wouldn't be floored I wouldn't be floored

[01:01:43] the all rooms in our thought out there is like a possibility and obviously this is one of those pioneers guy things but I'm not going to try to I'm not going to get a piss on what I just said

[01:01:54] I just think we're going to see crazy stuff from this dude just absolutely the block the jouse shot blocks are ridiculous man it's just dumb but the blocks that I'm worn press with

[01:02:08] is when he gets beat off the dribble yeah that's that's all where he's broken like you can't you can't get past him because he's gonna catch you you need to be like a six-eight guard to just

[01:02:23] get your arms out far enough to like attempt a layup that he won't be able to get to you on it's crazy speed doesn't matter when you're wingspan his why does the court hashtag tailored

[01:02:38] heart and talker what like the seven-foot wingspan trying to dunk on windy okay the leap and this is got that you absolutely love who just signed a contract is devoured with sale

[01:02:49] here's one I was going to say about him is it the the casuals are going to be introduced to him because when we in being in our national TV the sale is going to take a leap this year

[01:03:03] the contract that people are having a problem with right now they're not going to have a problem with it after they see him and what he puts up at the end of the year yeah I thought the

[01:03:14] contract was a little aggressive personally too but I I do understand what they're what they're going for with it and he's an incredibly talented player I think this upcoming season he's just going to be someone they're leaning into

[01:03:30] decent amount and we should see him take a significant step forward as far as scoring stats are concerned at the very least the benefit of having a phoenom on your team Nico you get you get

[01:03:45] pup you know the right absolutely the words on this team are just basically the thing in that all young see have they're young you know we're going to see great athletic things and

[01:04:00] we're going to see things like how how did this happen right I don't care all I want to see his development from Vasil along him to take the leap run by Yamaha to flourish so hand to do

[01:04:15] his thing killed and to be the guy he is and see see who else develops out of this deal there's going to be no wrong roster or lineup construction nothing is off limits

[01:04:33] we can get point guard it's not off limits at this point I don't care yeah I know you care but I don't care uh someone I'm trying to see but I I applaud the event okay this is part of the

[01:04:50] podcast that I have been dreading is Houston ready to launch 31 and a half is there over under their star is Jayling Green. Jayling Green had a big he has a big year ahead of him working with

[01:05:06] her doka as his coach you can better shot selection because he will get yanked off the court 41.8 percent field goal percentage 33.8 3. shooting and the the the the only 3.7 assists that needs to

[01:05:24] be close to the five it will be shot selection and you can't have your head in your and your butt on defense and that's what's going to get him pulled the leap guy is a guy that you and I

[01:05:40] have differed on in the sense of who should be number one jubarish Smith Jr. I just saw a lot of him out of summer league Nico I just think there's a more command to his game I think he can do a lot

[01:05:53] more that he hasn't been able to show an auger and we've talked about at length what he had to deal with at auger and we also know what you had to deal with last year with kpg and jaly and trying

[01:06:06] to get their shots um we just saw a different type of aggression out of him in summer league and I'm looking forward to seeing how a doke taps into that aggression and then the war the war for me

[01:06:25] is just learning to play in structure and uh always it the the the and the consequences they go along with that this team this year to me I know you're probably going to pull your hair out because

[01:06:43] guy couple of your guys are going to get pulled for done things. I believe that this is it's going to be a hard year because it's going to be a good year and I wonder what this team is going

[01:06:58] to look like not the first 40 the second 40 yeah me too I would say that's my biggest question about the team as well. I think that that over is uh I hit a well I would bet that over I know there's

[01:07:17] a certain amount of homerism in it but just like considering the improvements they've made to the roster and the people who they were getting rid of who were got minutes in past years and how actively

[01:07:33] negative they were like the 31 wins shouldn't be that difficult for this team to hit realistically. I don't think they'll have enough juice to make it into the play in this upcoming season but they should be significantly better given the additions that they've had on the coaching staff as

[01:07:53] well as in the locker room. With Jalen as the star yeah I think that's definitely the point I'm very excited to see what we have from Jalen this upcoming season though because

[01:08:10] he has been definitely in the gym this off season and then working out with just about everyone in the league so I'm ready for that leap from him this upcoming year. I'd expect him to actually

[01:08:24] put himself in that star conversation and like I think it'll be a disappointment this here if he's not someone who we see is deserving of the all-star game by the time the all-star game comes around.

[01:08:40] Any fear of Jalen Green falling into Adoka's doghouse and possibly be moved to you know make room for maybe another guy who maybe is on an essentially as far as that's concerned.

[01:09:00] Because the one thing we're not going to even talk about on this one is can't whip more and you know my love or can't whip more but I'm not saying it as like I'm not even saying like this is

[01:09:12] going to happen all I'm saying what they don't even thought process. I'm not worried about that at all because he's a very hard worker and he's dedicated himself to that kind of stuff and that's

[01:09:26] music to emails years he's they've already seemed to be really in lockstep up to this point and Jalen's been a guy who's been kind of getting on Steven Silas' ass for years saying

[01:09:40] coach me harder. Coach like I want to do more I want to get better do more shit with me because whatever we're doing is a working. I think that him and EMA together I very much doubt he'll end up

[01:09:52] in the Ralkos maybe for times during an individual game if he's taking shots he shouldn't be taking and I could see that happening but I expect him all to end up in the dark house at

[01:10:04] some point in another just because of the lack of structure they had. They did have a big lack of structure but I see it as way more likely with their guys than I see it as a possibility with Jalen also

[01:10:21] a lot of the young guys who were brought out by that lack of structure have been just trimmed from the organization up to this point. Tariys and and Jibari are also too dudes who are over all

[01:10:36] pretty hard workers and didn't only had one year with Steven Silas so I don't. I shangoon I can I can see it with a little more where he it's gonna be a problem with him sometimes getting benched

[01:10:50] here and there I very much doubt it with Jalen and Tariys specifically Jibariy maybe but I doubt it with him as well. All right let's move on to Utah because this is the one where I think

[01:11:05] there's some money to be made. Utah might have us hit a sour note their wind total is 35 and I have over under their star is obviously Larry Markin in 25.6 points again 8.6 rerounds

[01:11:24] he almost shot 50% he almost shot 40% from 3 just a credit to him and his work ethic and taking full advantage of the second opportunity that he got. The leap here's the thing

[01:11:44] they have their own draft date but it is protected and it goes to okay see if I'm not mistaken. If you want it to and this is where I have two leap guys if you're trying to win

[01:12:00] which I don't know if they are really trying to win. Walker Kessler takes another leap become you know he's more physical more physically adapt to handle the rigors of the NBA season the block percentages the rebound all of them go

[01:12:20] up slightly and he still the guy if they go the other route it's cannot take George and you just turn the point got arranged over to him and you build your team

[01:12:33] to the point where we're going to have like the sustainable run I think we got guys here that were like okay this is our guy this might be our second guy and they have some dudes in there

[01:12:44] there maybe they're third and fourth guy already. Yeah I think overall this is a really solid team with a lot of like decent players I 35 wins is pretty close for me so I'd probably think like

[01:13:01] a push around there I just think they got too much talent to really start to lose this many games at this point unless we see some sort of like miniature firesail take place in Utah I think

[01:13:18] realistically their their team that's going to finish with about the eighth or an eye to pick I have them 12th in the West and I could see them even performing better than that so

[01:13:34] they I I like the young guys on the team too and if they wanted to lean into it I definitely supported I just there's doubts in my mind. The words are John Collins and what you're going to do

[01:13:50] with him and the playing time or the it seems like there's a ceiling on our our rookies that we are so excited about like Taylor Hendrix and Kionte George we're really kind of disaginated

[01:14:07] not no fist to Utah Jazz fans or whatever or even the rebuilt we just wanted to see our guys to be able to play more with the Utah Jazz moving on to Dallas that is that looks towards

[01:14:21] youth that's what they're doing it's weird man it's weird 43 and a half over under I'm so scared of that number their star obviously is Luca Doncage there's I think honestly for them to hit

[01:14:39] this number this dude actually might have to average like 35 plus but he might be the guy that can do it okay yeah he I was 32 and a half last year 8.6 regalins a to this shot 50% from the field basically 34.2 from 3 but you know that's kind of crept up and

[01:15:07] over the years as well if he becomes weak average she's definitely going to be over 35 points a game and they can be close to this level of 43 but I don't know how they get to that I just

[01:15:24] you're declining on our teenager at center yeah I'm trying to figure out who your your wings are have a clue Josh Green has been in and out of the lineup but he's my lead guy hopefully

[01:15:38] he can somehow appease Jason Kidd who knows I'm a little I'm a little worried about this team I'm a little worried yeah and just then there's reasons to be worried about them for sure they

[01:16:00] like a lot of rookies and younger guys they're going to be relying on this upcoming season I think the big thing that they're depending on is between Luca and Kyrie you have two players who are

[01:16:14] well above average at creating looks for other players and helping make out their players better maybe if you stagger them enough you just have enough creation on the floor at all times that year

[01:16:27] you end up being really good team you hope some other dudes on the roster take a leap to really complete that core um they're there a solid team in the Western conference I have

[01:16:41] them right in the middle there and I think that they're going to make a beer impact and they did last year once the pairing first got started well their works is this is that thank our Jason Kidd

[01:16:57] doesn't have any hair to pull out because the the defense will keep him up at night's I'm 100% on that moving on to new Orleans New Orleans Pelicans need dot dot dot is what I have here

[01:17:15] 44.5 and a half wins over under their star we know who he is it's Zion Williamson we're not going to talk about the off the court we're not going to talk about the way we just need

[01:17:29] you to play at this point it's can you play 60 games that's it I don't I'm not going to talk about what you can do what you can't do how I'm the fixity play 60 plus games and that's all I want to

[01:17:46] hear are you going to play yeah ideally like we could just get some playtime out design they're the team that I'm probably lowest on of everyone because I like I just get tired of being tricked eventually

[01:18:06] I think there are a lot of guys on that organization who could be great and be able to players on different spots and different get ups altogether Zion if you stay healthy this year

[01:18:23] they're a threat all of the sudden the pelicans shoot way up and maybe they're even a top 3 team like but their ceiling is limitless but realistically I just think they're going to fall apart

[01:18:41] again because that's what they've just kept doing and I kind of expect them to miss the play off this upcoming season hmm okay well let me tell you something about my leaps here

[01:18:56] so I said trade Murphy the third leap he got hurt then I was like you know what some older herb jell herbs are a good guy right also questionable also hurt dealing with stuff

[01:19:08] they're not worth the Zion and I just say it forget it because we just don't know who's going to play we're just my war tar is that the fans and New Orleans the pelicans they need to go out and get

[01:19:22] a voodoo princess and put some brings some good juju to the pelicans and health and stuff like that now we're going to move on to more fun things the okay see thunder they're making plans

[01:19:36] Niko they're making plans they're very very good they're over under is also 44.5 you can start see a trend here okay there star player obviously is SGA 31.4 points again 4.6 rebound is 5.5 assists he shot over 50% field goal percentage 90% from free throw line and why

[01:20:03] is that important Niko because he averaged 11 attempts again that's the reason why that's why he's a superstar that's why everybody wants them that's why he's going to be on the cover of

[01:20:16] video games that's why he's going to be on slam magazines that's why he's going to be on the cover time that's why he's going to be on today that's why he's going to be on TMZ it is SGA season

[01:20:29] and guess what Niko yeah no mysterious injuries to to shut him down at the end of the year we're done yeah he I this is a little wild of a take overall but that's the long shot for MVP like best

[01:20:48] this season because like he's in a spot where his team could show some real upward trajectory and they're going to give him the keys to the franchise and every time he's been given an opportunity

[01:21:03] to get better he's gotten better all NBA player last year the only place to go up from there is MVP I I'd like the long shot well longer shot odds on SGA and that's a bet that I've invested a

[01:21:20] little bit in this off season so I really really am in on the thunder this upcoming season there and then like the team I dislike the most in the NBA but I'd be very excited if I was a fan

[01:21:33] of their franchise. Their league player is Chet Hongren in the only reason he's a league player is because they didn't have them last year but his presence is absolutely vital we seen it in the crazy season and we're obviously going to see it in the regular season

[01:21:53] Chet Hongren is a real deal and he just seems like an absolute stat stuffer like you might not say the huge like crazy 40 point game but 15 points 12 rebounds five assists two blocks two steals I mean like you want to say a lot of those

[01:22:19] yeah absolutely absolutely I think you could have a great season as well here's the one work they have a lot of talent a lot of it we didn't even talk about our favorite

[01:22:34] J will because we think he also is an upcoming star in the league they got a lot of mouse defeat Nico now they have been kind of insulated and kind of have what seems to me

[01:22:51] you remember when Memphis was younger a couple years ago and they seemed like they had that AU mentality and they just kind of all together they were all growing up together yeah

[01:23:03] that's what okay C has to me it's like it doesn't matter who scores it doesn't matter who does this I'm gonna star my role all that sort of stuff the greater good is better than just

[01:23:18] whatever my priorities are individually but they do have a lot of mouse defeat and that would be the only thing that I would even worry about as far as that's concerned but they seem to be more a doubt figuring that out than other teams are

[01:23:40] yeah absolutely I really expect this team to take a pretty pretty significant step forward this year all right now two Patrick favorite team the Sacramento Kings all right like being it's all great guess what they have a star and deer fox who's awesome

[01:24:02] and I am here to say that if he doesn't break his finger in the playoffs they win that series no offense to the Golden State Warrior fans out there I know you're good but I think

[01:24:17] his health was a big cause to their downfall 25 point four rebound six assists he's awesome he's consistent the lead guy is Kegan Murray I think there's a role reversal between Harrison Barnes and Kegan where if he's the one taking more shots and being involved in the

[01:24:45] offense it's like you kind of focus on rebounding and defense and just stand in the corner just do that yeah it was already kind of starting to happen last year but I think we're going

[01:24:56] to see a further step in that direction for sure the war's our no dramatic changes don't to the roster doing the Aussies in of Vesovicop was added to Vel McGee I mean it wasn't

[01:25:13] it wasn't a lot so our guy Patrick seems to be like this way's where to get better he's not really excited about what's going on he was looking to kind of do maybe some OG things or whatever

[01:25:31] my thing is this stay patient allow Kegan to develop because I think if you were adding another guy to this mix this year maybe that causes to have Kegan's development not to go as well as

[01:25:48] maybe you could I will have enough runway he can go ahead and develop and you see what you got and then maybe next year is the year you go grab maybe even a better guy than OG and an envy yeah I agree with that all right

[01:26:05] me and a sort of T-world takes swag title from Memphis on the strength of ant-earwards in Jalen and McGangels their win total is 44 and a half yeah obviously the star is Anthony

[01:26:23] the Edwards we know what he did in the world champion of the World Cup this past Aussies in my whole thing is this figuring out the car Anthony Tassey like not trading him on that dude

[01:26:44] just know you're the number two like that whole podcast think he went on this last year I hope he got that out of his system because I'm gonna need you to lock in and play like the four

[01:27:00] yeah and you got go bear here you guys got a lot of stuff to figure out what is a very very talented team the neat guy I don't know if McGangels can take another leap with all the other

[01:27:18] things that are going on on this team right now yeah but that's the guy who I think can develop more I just think is gonna make another session call Anthony Tassey's gonna want to take some shots

[01:27:34] and for go bear to feel good you got to get him some some shots you know he he wants to test all every once in a while and his salary is salary demands that so for Kiko who don't like

[01:27:50] to hear those type of things this is the reality of the NBA so um their word is basically two folks we can talk about it because can't cat embrace the being number two

[01:28:07] and can they work through their defense strategies and I think they can honestly Carl Carl's biggest problem throughout his career has always been like taking not enough shots versus taking too many he's

[01:28:23] just afraid to shoot a lot of the time you know be put in a position it'll pump fake a shot that he regularly is supposed to make and like honestly if you if he would be willing to step in

[01:28:37] and become a number two in that way where it's just like hey I'm a score when I get the ball I score I don't get the ball that often maybe necessarily I'm only taking I don't know 18

[01:28:52] shots a game but verse is like 24 like I number one would but I think that's that's the best way forward for the team and the problem is when you kick it out to Carl in those situations

[01:29:06] and he starts second guessing himself then all of a sudden you need to get him another touch later and another touch later and another another touch later so it doesn't end up flowing as

[01:29:17] next like through the offense as it should him being able to really step into that role as a finisher and exclusively a finisher I think would be ideal for him he I think sometimes he thinks

[01:29:32] he's being a team player and he really is so I hope that this Chris Finch team can get him to acknowledge that role a little more and I've got some faith but I don't know I was burdened by

[01:29:49] them hard last year so I'm I'm not really willing to read this I understand you on that point but this next team kind of helps the situation if it's keeps on taking hits they're over under

[01:30:05] it's 46 and a half go grab that go grab it yeah I push that over for you are you want over I want over yeah I'm over with the over okay we're on yeah we're on there

[01:30:20] I'm I'm how I'd be it's done with this bad sir anything but I like that over I like I understand that they're dealing with injuries yeah and they're not gonna have drummer and in the early season

[01:30:35] but we've seen Memphis win a lot of games without drummer and before I have a lot of faith in Desmond Bane and Triple J now they got Marcus Smart out there too that's a really problematic

[01:30:49] defensive line up to have to go up against in the early season I wouldn't be de surprise to see Grizzlies actually rack up a lot of wins in this early stretch without job yeah I'm gonna be on the

[01:31:02] opposite side of that because they don't have any offense or rewinding outside of Steven Adams Triple J is a terrible rewounder not his their star drummer and is gonna miss the first 25 games Desmond Bane is going to be

[01:31:20] absolute stud I have no question about that you know my love for Desmond Bane that's no question there the leap is can Triple J stay out of foul trouble he found out of

[01:31:34] like creases in Rome yeah always got my problem I mean you know I feel sad for Memphis because I think sometimes Patrick said something in this court early today he says something well you know when

[01:31:53] you have a chance to put a championship team together you know you got it you got to just have some balls and go all in and they kind of fussed around and let's see if we can get a bigger wing

[01:32:05] Zyerwell y'all and we're trying to get this dude and we're trying to do this and we're trying to now I wonder now you got this Steven Adam I'm not saying tear down that is not what I'm saying

[01:32:17] I'm just saying like you've started seeing these other teams and make these assumptions like okay see and you wonder of Dallas is ever gonna put together but Houston's on the rise and

[01:32:28] God forbid design is is healthy and what he's gonna look like you know if he is healthy and now you know where are we at where Memphis like I'm not saying your your windows clothes

[01:32:46] but I'm just saying your challengers there's so many of them and you had a window where you didn't have as many challengers and you didn't maximize that window is that there to say yeah I think that's true they could have definitely made a move last year I think

[01:33:08] they they feel comfortable going forward I if I was them though I would have made them over earlier because explosive point guards don't historically age the best so I'd have been a little more

[01:33:21] worried about that yeah we're gonna move on to the team that we both just throw our hands open the air we are I'm close to this team for some kind of reason but Los Angeles clippers in

[01:33:33] hot pursuit of Jane Tarden also Malcolm Brogden also throw in whatever obligatory guard that might be halfway good obviously their stars quite later it is we talked about it on this podcast

[01:33:49] Nazan we won't we won't even get into it we know what he comes with right we just know right yeah the leap is if the trade happens what does this dynamic do to the team right whoever it is

[01:34:06] right and the words are basically is hey guys you want to kind of play basketball on your paycheck like that's literally the words I don't have any more about their team and what's going to

[01:34:21] happen I know that Lou has quoted emphasis on the regular season he has ratcheted up the intensity I can tell you that I don't know how you feel about that but that's what hit that's what's

[01:34:34] coming out of camp there over under is 45 and a half how you feel probably under on that one just because I'm worried that the clippers are gonna clip and everyone will get hurt again or be

[01:34:49] sitting out half this season so I for me it's always safest to want the glippers under I kind of see them as a playing team this upcoming season okay gold state teams up with CP3 there over under is 47 and a half stepcarries star obviously right um Jonathan can

[01:35:13] Manga to me is the leap guy and he looked impressive in the preseason I'll look you can can't take you that in the war for this y'all just small dog no real small yeah

[01:35:29] what's your thoughts yeah it's the warriors being the warriors they just added CP3 now what you'd like you said makes them smaller make some weirdly though even more warriorsy which I wouldn't

[01:35:43] have thought that would crisp all but the more you think about it it just like makes sense there's a miniature version of Littestin if you think about it yeah yeah and just like later

[01:35:55] it's yeah they're gonna want to do some more developing on their young guys now that they have crisp in the building and I'll hope for them that it'll work but I just like just expect them to be

[01:36:10] who they are they maybe they'll make a run at the end of the year I'm don't think they're going to be particularly concerned about the regular season if they stay healthy I expect them to make a push

[01:36:24] alright that that's just what it is okay sounds lean all the way into offense they're over under 51 and a half we have star I have Devon Booker and let me put it to you this way

[01:36:41] yeah I saw something in the in the postseason and I think it's going to rear it's had again this season I think Booker ascends to the Alfa, Dornet kind of takes a step back and I think we actually

[01:37:01] might have a possible MVP candidate in Devon Booker. I could see that as well I think he took a pretty big step last year in the playoffs and sometimes we can see stuff like that repeat I expect KD to

[01:37:17] kind of take a step back for him this upcoming year and us to see a really big Devon Booker season in coming. My league guy is Bradley Bill so surprisingly he's not playing the first game of the year

[01:37:35] Nico yeah how very Bradley Bill of him you know if he doesn't get hurt listen if he he actually cares this year they're gonna they're gonna do Squatial Things like I mean

[01:37:52] I don't know how far they can go we can get I'll get into that later um not later but when I put the picks up on Twitter where X what uh yeah if he plays

[01:38:06] to his standard not the last two years in Washington but what real Bradley Bill plays like yeah this team is going to be very very good it went a lot of all games so

[01:38:19] I'm in on the sons I think they're gonna score 140 points again like I think they're gonna be incredible this upcoming season we got two more and then we can let your girl and get ready for this

[01:38:31] uh leg or game with you starting like now okay so the different nuggets the defending champions here's the thing that I like about it they've been tremendously feisty during the Aussies and it's coming from their coach yeah Mike I'm alone over on your 52 and a half

[01:38:52] wins we know who their star is it's Yokech two time MVP finals MVP five time all star five time all NBA uh make it love love's horses love Syria distaned media distaned spotlight we didn't all know all of what he is but guess what

[01:39:17] he's great yeah and it doesn't matter as long as you got that cat you have a chance to be successful yeah 100 percent nothing's changed from them since last year really they lost Bruce Brown

[01:39:35] that might make a difference in the playoffs but the regular season it shouldn't change a whole lot here's the league Calvin Booth in the player development what I have been told is that

[01:39:48] he he's studied championship teams and he's seen you know teams be listless and stuff like that we thought that the injection of youth of a Christian Brown stronger pick it Tyson Hunter all these guys bring something to the table with the shooting

[01:40:13] little link they can their changeable wings pick it as guard though you smaller but the rest of the guys have kind of like this interchangeable kind of style and same height type with situations so

[01:40:28] for them they really are going in on the young guys and they think a collection of those guys take up what Bruce Brown gave them last year yeah ideally that's how it'll end up breaking down

[01:40:46] and the words for me on them is basically it's about to get tested youth movement versus Battle Testive X because he's a thing they got picks they got stuff if this doesn't work

[01:41:02] and we get into January we just go get a vet you know we got enough stuff so it's okay it's all good all right I'm going to dread in this one Nico but we're going to do

[01:41:16] what we saved the legers for last there was a reason why I kind of went out of order um lickers load up but dot dot dot the star is one Anthony Davis I know LeBron is a guy that

[01:41:32] starts the drink but for LeBron's one to get to Anthony Davis needs to be a defensive player of the year and he needs to be just in conversation of an MVP he doesn't need to be in MVP

[01:41:45] just conversation you don't need to be taught five world just we kind of need to hear your name like in the start of the year maybe in the middle of the year and maybe you kind of

[01:41:55] fade out at the end of the year I don't care but the Luke guy is Austin Reeves he has it he had an incredible world cup he was one of the guys that kind of kept them in games internationally

[01:42:10] um and rewards are the same thing that I always talk about man the reason why 46 and I have games to me if you want to look at it like grass out full LeBron and AD play they play

[01:42:28] plus 120 games collectively yeah and they they go over and this is this is a team they challenges for a western conference finals bit but here's here's one thing history teaches you valuable lessons and what we've seen from AD and LeBron over there 10 year here

[01:42:55] with the lakers is that they miss quite a few games yeah I don't see that changing I'm sorry neither do I so I'm pessimistic or I'm not pessimistic on them making the playoffs I'm pessimistic

[01:43:10] on this like we're challenging for the two seed and that's what I'm getting here in Los Angeles yeah I think that's our craziness they're they're much lower in my opinion for the seedings but

[01:43:27] I still expect them to win a playoffs it really almost no matter where they finish just because they're that kind of team who knows they might be able to make a run this year but I

[01:43:39] don't think I'd expected as a brand now especially Christian mode on the team oh my god you know i mean other than Tragan that would have been the worst person put on the team and that's exactly

[01:43:52] who they put on the team well that's it happy first night of basketball everyone I hope you guys enjoy it and uh look forward to a lot of talk of umu p races we're getting the years things

[01:44:09] that are in nature in the upcoming days so we stay tuned on that but Nico thank you for joining me thank you for doing a lot of the heavy lifting I really appreciate it and uh and go and

[01:44:22] we have to draft so I have to multitask right now and I have to get a game on and get ready for a little while before the draft but yeah we got like a game on isn't like 30 minutes for now the draft

[01:44:33] I think it's still an hour left but I'm not sure he told me five specific times so I don't know it's an hour and 20 minutes oh okay well got down cool yeah that means I can go outside

[01:44:46] all right guys hit us a whole x at front runner PC hit us up on uh YouTube leave comments what have you we are going to be putting up a lot of this on the YouTube so you're gonna be blasted

[01:45:03] inundated with little clips and things that i nature enjoy yourself with that stay mage and all of those type of things any final words is there anything about a team that you're

[01:45:16] kind of just oh what should we pass uh team or a couple teams oh there's there's a few leaf past teams I think we got this year I think everyone's gonna hate watch a bit of the wizards

[01:45:30] this year as a leaf past team um only you uh no no everyone's gonna tune them on at one point year gonna hear that Jordan pool has 53 points in the start of the third quarter and you

[01:45:43] turn on the game to watch a miss 17 in a row there it is um the magic or way up there for me I'm interested in the hawks and the early season with a full year under quince nighter now

[01:45:58] and uh the thunder as much as I hate them they're gonna be a really interesting watch is here as well there's a thing that I'm into leek it's hurt the thing that I'm actually looking forward to it's

[01:46:11] not even something it's leek past orient it neco but it's it's something outside our podcast but I want to kind of bring it into our podcast and it's like an insider joke between you and i but it's a it's something that's going on in our discord the Momo

[01:46:30] Kendall Kyler faction of watching Minnesota Timbal Wolves basketball games that Momo has decided to kind of squirm has left my heart a little dark can you provide any updates on have these three young people come together and galvanize to get to watch Minnesota Timber Wolves basketball this year

[01:47:00] it's good to get there in harmony I don't think I don't think it's happened quite yet but I do think they're watching this uh leekers nuggets game that we should probably be getting to

[01:47:14] so we got to get the hell out of here yeah on that no Kings guys have a good one thank you for the support and uh rate re re re review and tell a friend tell an enemy just tell somebody about the pot please