ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Summary:
The Southeast Division is supposed to be “the quiet one” until you actually look at the rosters. Washington is trying to fast forward a rebuild with Trey Young running the show, Anthony Davis looming as the ultimate swing factor, and a brand new number one pick in AJ DeBancster sharing the floor with Alex Sarr. The talent is obvious. The risks are obvious too: defensive cover, role clarity, and whether the veterans stay on the court long enough for the young core to develop the right way.
Charlotte is living in the post LaMelo Ball era, and that means Brandon Miller becomes the face, Nas Reed becomes a tone setter, and Con Knipple’s elite shooting becomes a lineup changing weapon the moment he’s healthy. We talk what “point guard by committee” really costs, why shot selection matters in close games, and how to judge the Hornets even if the win total lands slightly under.
Orlando is on a cap clock, Miami is all in with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Atlanta is building a real defensive identity around Jalen Johnson plus a pack of perimeter stoppers. We make clear over under calls, explain what has to go right for each team, and flag the pressure points that can blow a season up by January.
If you like NBA win totals, roster building, and straight talk with real numbers, subscribe, share this with a friend who argues hoops in the group chat, and leave a review with your Southeast Division over under picks.
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IN THIS EPISODE
SHOW NOTES 🔗
TRANSCRIPT 🔗
00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:21.120
Five teams, one playlist, let's dance.
00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:24.800
We are going to be talking about the Southeast Division.
00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:31.600
If you know, you know, last uh podcast we talked about the Central Division.
00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:38.960
We're working our way through all the divisions and their win totals and will they go above or below?
00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:51.039
This, like I said, this week or this Tuesday, we will be going and talking about the uh the Southeast, which includes the Wizards who have Trey Young.
00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:56.240
And a couple questions there with Trey Young and also Anthony Davis.
00:00:56.240 --> 00:01:02.640
Is how young, wild, and free will Trey Young be on the offensive end?
00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:14.560
And then also, they had 17 wins last year, so they are starting from the bottom close to and no as we go along in this uh podcast.
00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:20.400
We also are gonna talk about the Charlotte Hornets, and you know, they traded LaMelo ball.
00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:32.560
That means that front and center is Brandon Miller, and what is he gonna do with his 8.2 threes a game that he shot at a 38% clip?
00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:39.599
Well, I know one thing, they're never getting back together, LaMelo and the Charlotte Hornets.
00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:48.480
So we move along to the Orlando Magic, and Orlando, you got a lot of stuff to clear up.
00:01:48.480 --> 00:02:04.159
Uh, you have a very talented team, coach change, Sweeney in, uh, Jamal Mosley out, and can he get the secret sauce going to the Orlando Magic?
00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:05.680
They have a lot of talent.
00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:08.080
We just gotta see them put it together.
00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:13.039
That leads us to then the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks as well.
00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:18.240
When it comes to Atlanta, a lot of talent on this team.
00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:25.199
Very excited about what they're going to be, and they are looking to D some people up.
00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:30.719
And we'll get into all of that, but you know who stirs the drink in Atlanta right now.
00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:35.599
That is Jalen Johnson, who is damn near a triple-double on his own.
00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:37.280
So, buckle up.
00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:41.120
We will be talking about that, and then we kind of say the best for last.
00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:44.639
Giannis Antecumpo has moved on to Miami.
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.400
What does that team look like?
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:48.719
How many victories will they get?
00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:51.039
Are they going to be a shoe-in for the playoffs?
00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:53.759
Are they going to be a shoe-in for the play-in again?
00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:59.199
I will give you the answers, and we will rock like that.
00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:01.199
You know what I'm saying?
00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:05.919
So, with all that being said, you know what we gotta do.
00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:08.719
We gotta also get into some other things.
00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:12.879
We gotta talk about um these win totals.
00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:17.280
Who is going to be on the top of the block?
00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:22.639
Who is going to be the team that stands above everybody else at the end of the day?
00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:31.599
Because right now, there's a lot of questions, and hopefully, we'll have all of the answers for you.
00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:33.199
So let's get into it.
00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:40.080
You know where y'all rocking with is FRPC, which is Front Runner Podcast Collective, and let's go.
00:03:40.080 --> 00:04:25.279
You know what we're talking about.
00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:27.519
It's the Southeastern Division.
00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:40.560
So we craked open the film rooms, we got observations, we're gonna have grown conversations about the players, the coaches, and the front offices that are actually moving in the southeast.
00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:50.800
You know what we're talking about, the people who wrote the blank checks, what's the scuttle bud in the locker room, and who's putting the PR spin on everything.
00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:54.240
But we ain't giving you nothing but we're not giving you fluff.
00:04:54.240 --> 00:05:12.879
No, no, it's gonna be the straight dookie, you know what that means, and we're bringing the jokes, we're gonna bring the advanced math and also the exact barbershop ammo that you need to go straight into your G your group chat and completely nuke the argument.
00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:28.720
So if you're an NBA sicko like myself, who wants more than the highlight talk, and you want a little more context, you want some more some more numbers to kind of solidify your your take or your thought.
00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:32.879
You want a point of view, this is the spot for you.
00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:36.079
We are FRPC, and let's go.
00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:39.600
Alright, so got a lot to talk about.
00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:43.199
We're gonna be moving fast, and we're gonna be getting into it.
00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.959
We are going to start with the Washington Wizards.
00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:49.279
I'm excited to talk about them.
00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:55.680
Listen, DC, above all, you know what I'm saying?
00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:59.279
I'm here with you for the first time in a while.
00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:14.480
The Washington Wizards have a lot to look forward to, and it started last year, it started at the trade deadline when they got Trey Young and they also got Anthony Davis, and we'll be discussing them a little a little bit.
00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:18.480
So, Anthony Davis, you know what he brings.
00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:36.720
He brings a lot of talent, but he also brings a lot of days off, and then we got Trey Young, but we did not bury the lead, the Washington Wizards got the number one draft pick last this last draft, and that's AJ DeBanster.
00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:42.560
Now, our guys at DraftKings have them at 35.5 wins.
00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.839
MGM Bet has them at 34.
00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:52.079
We're gonna go with DraftKings 35.5, and we're gonna talk about their over-under and how that looks.
00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:58.639
So as we go along, we'll let you know where they stand.
00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:02.959
Now, talk to a couple people in the league.
00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:14.240
One rival team exec said he studied this roster, and they paid for talent, doesn't mean they paid for availability.
00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:19.439
Little you know, kind of cute line there, but he's not wrong.
00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:30.000
Because here's the thing you got a lot of dudes, but you're paying uh Anthony Davis right now 50 point 58.5.
00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:42.879
Trey Young just got a brand new contract, he's getting paid 49.5, so they're 107.9 million dollars of the cap all to themselves.
00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:51.680
Now, great that the rest of the team is very young, starting with the number one overall draft pick, AJ DeBanksta.
00:07:51.680 --> 00:08:03.519
He's also coming in with our guy Alex Sarr, who was also in that mix as far as sound, he was the number two overall draft pick a couple years ago, and we'll be talking about him.
00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:05.680
They have an array of talent.
00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:09.439
Uh, you know, is Bilal Kulubale gonna come around?
00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:11.600
What about our guy Trey Johnson?
00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:16.879
They drafted last year, they made a trade and got DeAndre Ayton.
00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:22.639
So, and then also the the low-key guy that I love to talk about is Keyshawn George.
00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:27.920
Keyshawn, yo, man, he is he's a brilliant basketball player.
00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:33.200
So I am excited to talk about the wealth, the talent that is coming on this team.
00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:34.960
It's very, very young.
00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:38.320
It has a couple vets to kind of steady the ship.
00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:41.120
But will those vets be available?
00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:42.639
One in particular.
00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:46.799
P teams that evaluate this team, they you know, they're just looking around.
00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:58.399
They say, Hey, you got Trey Young, and offense is real, but defensively wise, he's a he's a door that you can just go right through.
00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:00.799
You know saying turnstile for real.
00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:14.559
Now, last year he played 15 games for the year he had 17.9 points, eight assists on 61.2% true shooting percentage, which is great.
00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:20.399
His uh free throw rate was fit was uh 0.548, which is pretty good.
00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:29.600
Now, in his time at Washington, he only played five games, it was a little taste, 15.2 points a game, 6.2 sit assists.
00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:41.039
Now his true shooting percentage shot up to 72.3 percent, which is great, and his three-point shooting was at a almost alarming 43%.
00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:52.399
If you get that kind of production out of Trey Young this year, it's gonna be a good good season, and he's capable, he's he's very capable.
00:09:52.399 --> 00:10:10.879
Now, as far as what he does and what he brings, when you have Anthony Davis and you have guys like Alex Sarr and all the other athletes on your team, you're looking at a situation where, as far as the lob threat is concerned, you're gonna be ready to go.
00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:22.000
Trey Young is one of the best lob throwers in the NBA, and he will have a plethora of guys that he can go ahead and throw lobs to.
00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:27.600
Not even just the bigs, the wings out here, AJ De Banster.
00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:28.960
Are you kidding me?
00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:32.159
A pick and roll with AJ DeBanster and Trey Young.
00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:33.440
What's that gonna look like?
00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:35.279
How scary is that?
00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:44.639
Well, we can't talk about the cream being sweet without talking about the rocky road that is also lies in front of us.
00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:49.200
Trey Young is small, there's no way around that.
00:10:49.200 --> 00:11:02.559
One of the ways to help Trey Young is to have a bunch of long wings that get after it defensively, and you know, will he be a guy who will be able to get off the ball?
00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:06.639
Those are the two things that we always talked about when he was in Atlanta.
00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:11.519
So I don't want to sound like a broken record, so I'll just hit you with some some numbers.
00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.480
Defense is always going to be the problem.
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:24.320
Defensive box plus minus over the last three years, negative 2.3, negative 2.7, and negative 1.4.
00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:30.879
But remember that last one, he only played in very minimal games last year.
00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:40.480
So the offense is going to be real, he's going to draw fouls, defensive ground cover is a door, is a door trait.
00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:48.320
He fails at the door, the rest of the lineup has to hide him, and that came from a scout.
00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:51.759
Two things can be true.
00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:58.480
The offense can be absolutely spectacular, and the defense you're just gonna shake your head and go, Oh my god, what are we doing?
00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:01.679
Because here is the other thing with it.
00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:05.600
This is the quiet part that people don't want to say out loud.
00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:13.600
Yeah, regular season, great, lobs, points, shooting from the logo, all of that, great.
00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:19.679
Now, I'm not saying they're going to the playoffs this year, but you know what happens in the playoffs.
00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:30.960
We hunt mismatches in the playoffs, and Trey Young is like a little like baby deer that's just waiting to get eaten.
00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:35.200
Pause on that, you know saying, but you know what I'm talking about.
00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:40.399
Let's get to the other guy that it brought in, Anthony Davis.
00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:43.120
He's really the swing factor here.
00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:50.480
Everything on this roster is easier with one man on the floor, and that's Anthony Davis.
00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:53.919
Now he is in his age 33 season.
00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:58.159
The games played in the last two seasons is atrocious.
00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:03.519
He's played 71 games over the last two years.
00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:10.000
51 and then 20 last year.
00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:13.200
He only played 20 games for the Dallas Mavericks last year.
00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:16.159
He did not play any games for the Washington Wizards.
00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:18.399
People can say whatever they want.
00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:26.240
Um, we have had uh crazy nicknames thrown out at this guy, street clothes, all kinds of stuff.
00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:32.559
So he is going to have to be on the court for this team to be successful.
00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:37.200
Now he shot uh just a little bit over 50% from the field last year.
00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:49.679
He shot uh 72.8 from the free throw line, and he still is not hitting the three at the level he did when they won the championship for the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble.
00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:52.639
He's only shooting 27% from three.
00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:59.600
Now, two years earlier, when he was healthy and played in 76 games, this is the numbers.
00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:13.120
24.7 points a game, 12.6 rebounds, and he was basically a uh fourth in defense defensive player of the year, and he was on the all-defensive team.
00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:19.759
So Anthony Davis still hasn't in him to play exemplary stellar basketball.
00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:23.679
It is, are you going to be available?
00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:28.080
Are you going he is yet to suit up for Washington?
00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:34.159
Remember, he was traded during the trade deadline, did not shoot up, did not suit up at all.
00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:50.240
So now, you know, he's had many lower limb surgeries, he's had lower limb injuries that have dogged him over the last let's say five to six years.
00:14:50.240 --> 00:15:00.080
And as a Lakers fan, knowing that I had Anthony Davis on the team, every time that dude was about to fall or fallen down, I just held my breath.
00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:03.039
I was like, Oh my god, is he gonna is he gonna get up?
00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:04.960
Is he gonna be okay?
00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:15.759
He had a lingering calf issue with the Lakers that you know never seemed to get better, and he when he fell down, you just held your breath.
00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.600
You just like oh did the Achilles pop?
00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.519
What happened?
00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:30.480
Then he get up, he'd run down the court, but for like five seconds you were holding your breath.
00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:51.600
A source familiar with the the this team says, if he plays sixty games, the defense that he can anger, and the offense that he can bring, the vertical law threat that he can be, he is going to be very, very effective for them.
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:55.120
But he has to play more than sixty games.
00:15:55.120 --> 00:16:12.000
So if this is what a scout is saying for the Washington Wizards to be uh have a significant jump in wins from last year, I buy it.
00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.759
I buy it a lot.
00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:20.799
Now let's get into a guy who we expect a lot uh out of this year.
00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:30.000
He made a leap last year, and let's see if he can make another leap this year, and that's Alex Sarr, who's ending uh coming into his third season.
00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:33.759
He took for fewer threes last year and he got better.
00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:35.600
Is that the whole story?
00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:39.039
Well, you know, you guys be the you guys be the judge.
00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.320
So from year one to year two, these are the numbers.
00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:50.799
His PER, which I absolutely can't stand this number, but it's here, and I just want to show you the drastic uh improvement.
00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:53.440
12.9 to 19.4.
00:16:53.440 --> 00:17:26.880
His true shooting percentage went from uh 48.2 to 54.4, his box plus minus went from a negative 3.3 to a to a positive point seven, which you know you sit there and go, that's not great, but you know, he went came from three negative 3.3, his coins per game, 13 points his rookie year, 16.3 his second year, his blocks 1.1 and a half a game to two.
00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:41.680
His shot die got smarter, his three-point rate went from uh 412 to 0.229, his two-point percentage went from 52.6.
00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:43.039
Love it.
00:17:43.039 --> 00:18:00.079
The rebounding is real with this kid, he had a 20.9 defensive rebound percentage and a total of 14.6 total rebound percentage, and his block uh block percentage was 6.4.
00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:14.079
So he is legitimately a guy who is going to be active on the glass and also active around the rim when it comes to defensive pressure that he puts on suspecting dudes coming down the lane.
00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:28.480
Now he only played 48 games, but I'll tell you that um not like this year, but last year it was it was actually okay for him not to play, let's just put it that way.
00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:35.519
The improvement is real, uh, the kind that sticks because it came from shot selection.
00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:37.200
It wasn't a hot streak.
00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:40.400
The open question is the three-point shot.
00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:47.920
Now, he shot 33.3% on just 3.1 attempts last year.
00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:50.319
Is there a way for him to bump now?
00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:57.119
Is there a way for him to bump it up and continue to improve the three-point shot?
00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:12.240
I actually think there is because the one thing that we also have to understand is that Alex Sarr came into the league at 19 and he was skinny and he wasn't as strong.
00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:16.640
What is he gonna do over the next two or three years?
00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:30.559
Those legs are going to get stronger, they're gonna get thicker, and then you're gonna be able to shoot your jump shot with relatively ease instead of like launching it up there.
00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:37.759
I believe that Alexar will gain some percentages on his three-point shot.
00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:42.160
I don't think the shot is absolutely broken or anything like that.
00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:47.039
I just think that he has the capability of doing some uh pretty good things when it comes to that.
00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:50.319
So we'll we'll see how it all works out with him.
00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:59.759
Let's move on to what you guys came to talk about, the main event, and that is the number one overall draft pick, and that's AJ DeBonster.
00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:09.440
I have a couple questions, and I don't want to be Debbie Downer here, but the kid can score.
00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:18.559
The question is everything else, and here's the other thing with everybody who is on this squad, right?
00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:30.720
Now, if you're telling me the mandate is coming from the front office and also the coach Brian Keith, who we will get to a little bit later, then great.
00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:46.720
But if you're telling me that Trey Young and Anthony Davis and other players are going to kind of acquiesce to AJ DePosta, I find that hard to believe.
00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:56.160
But let's let's crack over the numbers and show you how spectacular this kid was in his one season of college basketball.
00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:08.240
He he shot 51% from the field, he only shot 33% from three, uh, he shot 148 of them and hitting uh 49.
00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:13.599
Now he shot 77.4 percent from the free throw line.
00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:15.759
You would hope a little bit better.
00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:24.640
But here's the most important thing in college, he averaged 8.5 attempts a game.
00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.519
That's crazy work.
00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:42.160
He also had eight games of 30 plus, two games of 40, and he broke uh Kevin Durant's Big 12 tournament freshman record by dropping 40.
00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:44.480
Kid is legit score.
00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:47.759
Now, a couple things that he needs to work on.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.200
He is a little loose with the basketball, okay.
00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:55.759
3.1 turnovers a game in his only season at BYU.
00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:59.599
He averaged 3.7 assists, so he was a willing passer.
00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:03.200
He just wasn't making uh excellent reads.
00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.720
Because here's the thing.
00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:07.359
When he was at high school, it was about him.
00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:08.880
He was getting buckets.
00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:11.359
And that's what he was doing at BYU as well.
00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:12.799
I'm going to get buckets.
00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:14.400
Because that's what I do.
00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:20.480
His rounding out his game was basically him working on it.
00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:33.839
So the 3.1 turnovers, I'm kind of going like, well, I'm not too worried about it because it's him going, hey, when I get to the next level, I'm not going to be able to take all the shots I want.
00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:43.359
I'm going to have to be a little more selective, and I need to get better with my angles, my vision, and what kind of passes I need to throw to my teammates.
00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:54.319
So for him to be able to kind of understand that at the college level for the one season and then come out and you know have 3.7 assists.
00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:57.440
I don't have a lot of questions when it comes to that.
00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:00.799
Now, in the summer league, he gave us a test.
00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:02.079
He gave us a taste.
00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:07.039
27 points, tying a record for a number one overall pick.
00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:08.960
Now he's 19.
00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:14.319
And the rookie of the year race is going to be awesome.
00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:17.839
We got a lot of star power out here.
00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:23.200
I talked about Caleb Williams, uh Caleb Wilson last uh podcast.
00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:28.240
So if you have not heard the Central Division podcast, go back and listen to it.
00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:30.880
It's the last podcast before this one.
00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.480
I highly recommend it.
00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:35.440
We talk about the win totals and what have you.
00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:43.279
But including Caleb Wilson, you got Derek Peterson, you got Cam Boozer, and you got also AJ DeBronstein.
00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:44.480
But here's the problem.
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:54.880
I don't know if AJ is going to win the rookie of the year, and it doesn't have anything to do whether he's talented enough or whatever.
00:23:54.880 --> 00:24:02.240
I just don't know if he's going to get the opportunities when you got Trey Young on the squad, Anthony Davis, and you got Alex Sr.
00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:04.160
also coming into his own.
00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:08.160
Now they make a fucking big front line.
00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:10.319
I mean, this front line is huge.
00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:21.920
If AJ DeBanster and Alexar and Anthony Davis are on the court together, AJ DeBonster is literally 6'10.
00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:33.119
And then you got Alex Saur, who is a seven-footer legitimately, and even though Anthony Davis wants to call himself 6'10, that dude is also seven feet tall.
00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:46.000
So a lot of length on that front court, kind of the thing to kind of hide Trey Young when we talked about his uh lackluster defense, but you know, it all has to come together.
00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:56.640
The scouts said basically his free throw um attempts are the best of his shot selection.
00:24:56.640 --> 00:25:01.680
Now they wonder if it's gonna hold up in the pro game.
00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:04.079
I think it will absolutely do this.
00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:12.720
He did it in international play a couple years back when I saw him in the uh under 19 like World Championships.
00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:14.240
He did it in college.
00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:23.519
I just think this is he knows how to get fouled, he knows how to go to the basket and go to get to the free throw line.
00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:25.359
I just think he can get there.
00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:30.160
Now, the defensive ground cover is open for question.
00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:37.680
You know, here's the thing when you have a true scorer like him, it's one of those deals.
00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:41.200
Is it gonna is the defense ever gonna come around?
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.880
Well, you hope so.
00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:45.519
You just hope for his case.
00:25:45.519 --> 00:26:00.240
Now, if you want to talk about how hyped everybody is about this team, let's look no further than Brian Keith's comments during uh Media Day.
00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:03.839
Says, I'm not going to put a limit on where we go.
00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:11.039
He's just happy that he's gonna be able to coach competitive basketball.
00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:20.960
And he's right, he has no idea where they can go because he doesn't know who's gonna be on the court and who's not gonna be on the court.
00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:24.720
Is Anthony Davis gonna play 65 plus games?
00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:33.359
Is Trey Young gonna not shoot four uh logo threes a game?
00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:41.599
Are they gonna share the sugar with the number one overall draft pick and also the up-and-coming star in Alex Sarr?
00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:55.200
There's a lot to work out in Washington, and this is one of the reasons why you know we do these win total over-unders because there's there's a lot of questions that we gotta ask.
00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:59.440
Anthony Davis on staying healthy.
00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:03.440
He says, My job is is is to not break.
00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:04.880
I'm also old.
00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:07.599
So, translation, guess what?
00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:12.000
Dude, I'm probably gonna miss some games.
00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:15.519
I'm probably gonna miss some games.
00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:20.000
Now let's talk about the supporting cast a little bit.
00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:24.640
We we talked a little bit about Keyshawn George, but the numbers were fantastic.
00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:34.240
14.8 points a game on 38.1 three-point shooting on five and a half attempts a game.
00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:43.440
He also had an uh assist percentage of 22.4, which as a wing, that's amazing.
00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:44.559
That's amazing.
00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:48.960
He went from 13.3 to 22.4 in two years.
00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:54.400
Now the rookie out of Texas kind of struggled a little bit, but then it caught on towards the end.
00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:58.160
He averaged 12.2 points a game, and we're talking about Trey Johnson.
00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:59.279
I'm sorry.
00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:03.839
So the rookie last year, Trey Johnson, 12.2 points a game.
00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:10.480
He shot a little below league average, which was 35.8 from the land of three.
00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:14.400
But here's the thing that you you put your hat on.
00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:25.759
This is why I never think for one minute will Trey Johnson ever be nothing but a lethal weapon from downtown.
00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:30.799
This dude shot 87.4% from the free throw line.
00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:34.319
Now, was the defense non-existent?
00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:38.400
Yeah, you you were you are absolutely right.
00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:41.200
Was his box plus or minus terrible?
00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:45.839
Yes, it was, but he was playing on a team that won 17 games, so I don't really care.
00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:47.680
I really don't.
00:28:47.680 --> 00:29:08.799
Now, the Washington Wizards, because now they are starting to be serious about winning games and putting a competitive product on the on the uh court, they traded for Trey Man who gives buckets, they traded away Cam Whitmore who could not find a role on the Wizards.
00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:17.200
And he's on Denver now, and I hope that because I think Cam Whitmore is extremely talented.
00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:19.599
Uh, this might be one of my whiffs.
00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:37.839
I've had some I have have have had a lot of makes, you know, see Desmond Dane, seeing Con Kanipple, or what have you, but I was sure that Cam Whitmore was going to be able to carve out a solid career in the NBA, and it's it's not happening.
00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:49.200
And for some reason, it comes down to finding a role, understanding that you're not gonna get all the shots that you know you're supposed you think you're supposed to get.
00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:51.599
And it literally comes down to that.
00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:57.599
Another guy that I'm very interested in is uh uh Chris Middleton.
00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:03.920
Chris Middleton left Washington but also came back um during free agency.
00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:07.119
So do I expect a lot out of Chris Middleton?
00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:07.839
No.
00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:20.720
But I do expect the veteran leadership that he can provide where Trey Young is a vet, don't get me wrong, but if I wanted a steady vet, this is the guy I'm looking at.
00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:27.680
Chris Middleton can still ball, but at 35, we ain't asking you to ball a lot, my guy.
00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:42.799
We are asking you to talk to the youngins, keep them in line, let them know what it is to be a pro in this league, and then come in and hit the occasional three and be six foot six and and do your thing.
00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:53.119
Now, I am going to also thank the Washington Wizards for being uh just an upright citizen and taking DeAndre Aiden off our hands.
00:30:53.119 --> 00:31:03.039
I appreciate you for that because this dude man, it was hard dealing with this cat.
00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:06.000
It was hard dealing with this cat.
00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:16.079
But here's the thing: what I want to say is this is that I am uh he is a good backup for what they have.
00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:28.960
Now, I will get to the keys of why Washington should or should not be winning more than 35 games or 35 and a half games.
00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:32.079
Is Anthony Davis gonna play enough games?
00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:38.400
Is Trey Young's shooting for s uh efficiency gonna hold up?
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:47.200
We know he can pass, we know he can shoot the three, but will he be more selective with his shots?
00:31:47.200 --> 00:32:00.160
Also, will you get off ball and not just stand out way out at like the uh like the 35-foot area of the court?
00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:05.200
Does Shar's development continue to take a leap?
00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:17.599
And does DeBancer get the developmental work uh runway that he actually deserves as an absolute just killer on the offensive end?
00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:21.680
Washington is is sneaky deep.
00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:28.480
We talked about Keyshawn George, Keyshawn is probably not gonna start for this team, you know what I'm saying?
00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:30.400
Unless he's starting at the two guard.
00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:31.279
I don't know.
00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:41.200
Because the front line looks like it's gonna be Davis, it's gonna be Saar, and it's gonna be Da Bosta, and we hope that that's what it's gonna look like.
00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:51.680
So does Keyshawn John uh does Keyshawn George come off the bench and trade Johnson is going to be the starter at the two-guard position?
00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:54.880
We will have to see once the season starts.
00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:56.640
I can't wait.
00:32:56.640 --> 00:33:03.119
Why they wouldn't hit it, obviously the same thing that we just talked about in reverse.
00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:07.759
Is Trey Young going to shoot ridiculous shots?
00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:13.359
Is Anthony Davis gonna fall over and never give back up?
00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:19.440
And then we're just left with a bunch of youngins out there just running around.
00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:21.599
Because that's the problem.
00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:29.440
If you allow the youngsters to run around without any direction, so to speak, could be a problem.
00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:36.400
Perimeter defense needs to be uh adhered to.
00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:46.559
Now you're not gonna get it from Trey Young, but you got a lot of long active wings, they're gonna have to keep their defense together.
00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:54.559
De Bonster is gonna be one of them, and then we also have the the usage collisions that I thought about.
00:33:54.559 --> 00:34:01.440
There's only one basketball, and people say, Well, you can't say that that's so old school thinking.
00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:20.960
But here's the thing you got five players who want the ball, and nobody is a clear connector, except for Trey Young, and if he decides that I want to take 25 shots a game, that's gonna be a problem because you got a lot of miles to feed.
00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:31.199
Are the wizards gonna be able to space the floor as well as they need to with the monster shots still needing work?
00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:35.440
And obviously, um Davis doesn't shoot the three.
00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:39.519
Will our guy Star continue to make that leap up?
00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:47.119
Will he keep his attempts the way they were, or can he kind of jump up to five again?
00:34:47.119 --> 00:35:06.800
So I will put it this way the what the fans should be looking for is this how eager is Trey to get the young man from BYU acclimated?
00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:09.920
Is he going to defer a little bit?
00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:18.159
Because for the Wizards to go where they want to go, DeBonston needs to be developed.
00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:20.800
I know the front office knows that.
00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:24.159
I hope they are able to relay that message to Brian Keith.
00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:45.119
Now, Brian Keith has lost a lot of games in Washington, and I wonder if they get off to a slow start, will he feel the pressure and then put more on his veterans to get the productivity up and kind of push DeBronster to the side?
00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:47.440
Scary thoughts, I know.
00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:50.639
Scary thoughts, because we do not want that.
00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:58.079
We want DeBonster to have a wide berth as far as develop developmental uh pathway.
00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:03.760
We want Trey Young to shoot the ball maybe about 16 times a game.
00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:13.840
We're gonna we're gonna want Anthony Davis to play, but we're also gonna want him to take a couple less shots a game and give our guy DeBonster enough.
00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:18.000
It's a lot, it's a lot to take in.
00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:20.800
It's a lot to take in.
00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:25.760
So, where do I see the Washington Wizards being?
00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:29.360
I think they're gonna end up being like 33 and 49.
00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:31.840
It's a big jump up.
00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:34.639
It's a 16-game turnaround.
00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:44.960
But for them to win 36 games and beat their over-under by you know, that's a 19 uh game jump.
00:36:44.960 --> 00:36:54.800
I th I think you will still be happy or still be pleased if you're a Washington Wizard fan and your team won 33 games this next year.
00:36:54.800 --> 00:37:01.440
You still got a lot of young talent that's developing, you have a lot of young talent that's learning how to play defense.
00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:14.000
Uh the Wonsa hasn't played one lick of basketball in the NBA yet, so it's great to see this group of young talent come together.
00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:26.239
I just hope they are not overshadowed by the vets on this team looking for that that hold on to that one last piece of glory to make their legacy or what have you.
00:37:26.239 --> 00:37:28.400
So we'll see how it all goes.
00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:33.280
Now, we move on to Charlotte.
00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:48.800
The Hornets made a big trade in the offseason, they traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, they got back Nas Reed and a couple other pieces, but Nas Reed was the centerpiece of that deal.
00:37:48.800 --> 00:38:01.360
Now, their over-under is when it comes to uh Graft Kings, it was 38.5 over under.
00:38:01.360 --> 00:38:05.599
Far cry from what they did last year, right?
00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:10.559
But let's get into it, let's talk about what's going on.
00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:19.519
Ball was traded, Miles Bridges was traded, and the books only shaved off four and a half wins.
00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:25.119
Either Vegas is asleep or the Hornets just won the offseason.
00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:28.800
I'm telling you right now, I think there are gonna be some growing pains.
00:38:28.800 --> 00:38:30.079
But let's get into it.
00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:41.119
Last year they were 44 and 38, they were ninth in the East, they beat the Miami Heat in the play-in for their first postseason win since 2016.
00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:47.920
They still missed the playoffs, though, because they weren't able to finish the job with the other play-in game and what have you.
00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:58.480
But it was a successful year for the Charlotte Hornets and Coach Charles Lee, who really is starting to put his stamp and his mark on this team.
00:38:58.480 --> 00:39:10.880
Now, Rival Executive said uh the price for the departures, yeah, it might be you know good in the long run, but it might not be good for this year.
00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:16.320
I kind of I want to lean towards that, but let's make the case either way.
00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:26.000
June 25th, Lamella Blah, Josh Green, and Isaiah Evans go and the number 33 overall pick go out to Minnesota.
00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:30.400
Nas Reed comes to the Charlotte Hornets.
00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:43.280
Moe Gee also in a 30 uh 2033 first round draft pick also comes over to the Charlotte Hornets.
00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:51.280
Now, Miles Bridges also left, he went to Phoenix for Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neill.
00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:56.400
You lose you lose some points here.
00:39:56.400 --> 00:40:03.119
But here's the thing you take a step back to take a step forward.
00:40:03.119 --> 00:40:18.719
I am excited for LaMelo Ball to be in Minnesota, but I think there were people in that organization who were like we we kind of need to do better at point.
00:40:18.719 --> 00:40:44.639
We need the shot selection to be better, we need I hate to say this because I think he's very talented, I think he's a really good player, but sometimes I Lomelo gives the gives the um perception of now that he's gone out of Charlotte, that they needed an an adult in the room.
00:40:44.639 --> 00:40:51.440
You know, I'm not trying to be harsh, or just trying to be real with you about what they saw.
00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:53.119
And here's the other thing.
00:40:53.119 --> 00:40:59.039
I know as people who watch Charlotte on a daily basis, y'all saw it too.
00:40:59.039 --> 00:41:08.079
There was a lot of times during the fourth quarter where the game was in the balance, Lamelo wasn't in the game.
00:41:08.079 --> 00:41:15.519
There'd be long stretches of time in the fourth quarter that Lomelo was not in that game.
00:41:15.519 --> 00:41:24.159
Khan Knipple was on the court, Brandon Miller was on that court, uh Kobe White was in that court, but it was not Lamelo ball.
00:41:24.159 --> 00:41:35.039
So we can sit here and talk about how, yes, will you miss Lamello's 22, 23 points a game?
00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:35.920
Yes, you will.
00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:39.920
Will you miss the assists that he brought because they were spectacular?
00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:41.039
Yes, you will.
00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:44.480
But will you miss the shot selection?
00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:47.280
Probably not.
00:41:47.280 --> 00:41:54.960
Will you miss the kind of blasé faire towards defense?
00:41:54.960 --> 00:41:57.440
Probably not.
00:41:57.440 --> 00:42:00.719
But we will see.
00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:06.400
So here's the deal.
00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:08.000
Let's get into what they do have.
00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:11.760
Brandon Miller right now, he's the franchise guy.
00:42:11.760 --> 00:42:23.760
Uh 65 games last year, 20.2 points a game, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and a steal, and damn near a block a game.
00:42:23.760 --> 00:42:27.119
So overall, great when it comes to that.
00:42:27.119 --> 00:42:42.880
Now the shooting numbers uh leave a little bit to be desired, I think, for somebody as athletic and as big as uh Brandon Miller is his uh overall shooting, which was 43.5%, that needs to be a little bit better.
00:42:42.880 --> 00:42:44.960
But the three-point shooting was great.
00:42:44.960 --> 00:43:02.079
38.3 on 8.2 attempts, and then he shot 89.2% from the free throw line, and he had a true shooting percentage of 57.4% on usage, which is uh about 28.1.
00:43:02.079 --> 00:43:04.000
Um, that's pretty good.
00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:05.119
I like that.
00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:16.800
Uh, all of that is very uh you're starting to get on the budgeting of you know star status when you get to those numbers.
00:43:16.800 --> 00:43:20.719
Now the three-year climb has also been impressive.
00:43:20.719 --> 00:43:34.800
He's gone from true shooting percentage first year 55.2, second year 54 even, and last year 57.4, box plus minus negative 0.26.
00:43:34.800 --> 00:43:45.920
His first year, he was straight up even his second year 0.0, and his third year was a positive 1.6.
00:43:45.920 --> 00:43:53.039
His win shares kind of kind of gone up and down, but he made a real huge spike last year.
00:43:53.039 --> 00:43:59.599
So win shares 0.8 first year, 0.4, second year.
00:43:59.599 --> 00:44:02.000
4.5.
00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:07.599
Nas Reed is coming to the Charlotte Hornets.
00:44:07.599 --> 00:44:11.039
And what you're getting is efficiency is real.
00:44:11.039 --> 00:44:14.480
The free throw line is the tail.
00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:22.239
He's 20, he's about 28% usage player with 3.3 assists average.
00:44:22.239 --> 00:44:23.840
He's not a creator.
00:44:23.840 --> 00:44:25.599
He's a bucket getter.
00:44:25.599 --> 00:44:27.039
That is what he is.
00:44:27.039 --> 00:44:29.440
And he's gonna stay humble.
00:44:29.440 --> 00:44:30.800
You know what I'm saying?
00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:36.639
He's gonna be out here and do his thing and then provide leadership.
00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:43.440
He played with Anthony Edwards, he played with a uh a Randux superstar there.
00:44:43.440 --> 00:44:46.400
He is going to love it in Charlotte.
00:44:46.400 --> 00:44:49.920
Because I don't know if Brandon Miller has ever said a word in Charlotte.
00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:52.079
Has he ever said anything?
00:44:52.079 --> 00:44:54.159
I don't know.
00:44:54.159 --> 00:44:58.960
Brandon Miller's free throw percentage is gone up and up and up.
00:44:58.960 --> 00:45:01.119
First year 82.7%.
00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:08.480
Second year 86.1%, and last year he was damn near deadeye at 89.2.
00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:12.320
This dude is going to be awesome.
00:45:12.320 --> 00:45:14.559
It's just gonna be awesome.
00:45:14.559 --> 00:45:17.679
Now let's get to our guy Khan Knipple.
00:45:17.679 --> 00:45:21.519
Khan Knipple, he shocked the world last year.
00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:22.559
He didn't shock me.
00:45:22.559 --> 00:45:24.719
I thought this dude was gonna be awesome.
00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:33.360
But 81 games, 18.5 uh coins a game, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists.
00:45:33.360 --> 00:45:40.880
He shot the ball overall at 47.5, which as a rookie, you can't you can't ask for better than that.
00:45:40.880 --> 00:45:45.920
He shot 42.5% from three on damn near eight attempts.
00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:56.800
He also shot 86.3% from the free throw line with a gaudy 63.3% true shooting percentage.
00:45:56.800 --> 00:45:59.039
Are you kidding me?
00:45:59.039 --> 00:46:07.360
This dude hit 273 threes his rookie year to lead the NBA.
00:46:07.360 --> 00:46:11.679
Not just rookies, the entire NBA.
00:46:11.679 --> 00:46:14.639
Was he first team all rookie?
00:46:14.639 --> 00:46:16.320
You bet your ass he was.
00:46:16.320 --> 00:46:19.440
Was he second in rookie of the year voting?
00:46:19.440 --> 00:46:22.159
He was my rookie of the year.
00:46:22.159 --> 00:46:24.480
I love Cooper Flag.
00:46:24.480 --> 00:46:26.800
Make hey, listen.
00:46:26.800 --> 00:46:30.480
The great white basketball player is back, baby.
00:46:30.480 --> 00:46:34.320
We got Con Kanipple, and we also got Cooper Flag.
00:46:34.320 --> 00:46:39.280
Man, we gonna have a bunch of dudes out here playing some basketball.
00:46:39.280 --> 00:46:41.119
It's gonna be great.
00:46:41.119 --> 00:46:51.679
Now his bet his best advanced line was the 8.0 win shares that he had.
00:46:51.679 --> 00:46:53.760
You know what I'm saying?
00:46:53.760 --> 00:46:58.320
He had a plus box point box plus minus of 2.8.
00:46:58.320 --> 00:47:00.719
Are you kidding me?
00:47:00.719 --> 00:47:05.599
Oh, by the way, on 22.3% usage percentage.
00:47:05.599 --> 00:47:12.239
Now the only bummer is that our guy got hurt a little bit earlier in the uh before the preseason.
00:47:12.239 --> 00:47:14.719
He has a left hamstring pull.
00:47:14.719 --> 00:47:19.599
Uh he's gonna be re-evaluated the first week of the season.
00:47:19.599 --> 00:47:21.840
So we'll see how that looks.
00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:26.239
It doesn't look like he will be available for the opener, which is a bummer.
00:47:26.239 --> 00:47:31.280
So maybe by the second or third week, our guy Khan Knipple will hit the court.
00:47:31.280 --> 00:47:33.039
But we are looking forward to it.
00:47:33.039 --> 00:47:35.199
We are looking forward to it.
00:47:35.199 --> 00:47:39.440
Because he is he was all that was promised, damn it.
00:47:39.440 --> 00:47:41.280
All that was promised.
00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:47.280
I love I love I love Meeson Khan Kanipple.
00:47:47.280 --> 00:47:48.639
And this is the thing.
00:47:48.639 --> 00:47:54.159
You'll take the step back, yeah, right, because you know, you need a point guard.
00:47:54.159 --> 00:47:57.920
Kobe White will kind of man the ship this year, don't get me wrong.
00:47:57.920 --> 00:47:58.880
I love it.
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:13.039
He is going to be box office, 17.5 points a game, 3.4 rebounds, four assists, almost 60% true shooting percentage with a usage rate, which was 28.8.
00:48:13.039 --> 00:48:17.280
He played uh 50 games overall.
00:48:17.280 --> 00:48:32.559
He because he had a backup role, he only averaged like 19.3 minutes a game in Charlotte, 15.6 points a game, and he shot 39.1% from three.
00:48:32.559 --> 00:48:39.280
So I am looking forward to seeing what they do.
00:48:39.280 --> 00:48:47.440
What he's what Kobe White is replacing is the 7.1 assists that ball had last year.
00:48:47.440 --> 00:48:55.440
It's gonna be point guard by committee in Charlotte for sure.
00:48:55.440 --> 00:48:58.400
And this is why I think they'll take the step back.
00:48:58.400 --> 00:49:05.119
Now is Nas Reed gonna start as he's gonna or is he gonna be a six man?
00:49:05.119 --> 00:49:06.880
He's definitely gonna start.
00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:10.960
I don't think you trade for him and then expect him to come off the bench.
00:49:10.960 --> 00:49:31.760
I think you're gonna want that production to even grow, and I think because of your lack of big right now, because the rookie Han Steinback is going to be as far as a rebounder, gonna be great.
00:49:31.760 --> 00:49:35.280
Block shots is where I worry.
00:49:35.280 --> 00:49:37.360
How does it work?
00:49:37.360 --> 00:49:41.519
But they got some studs coming.
00:49:41.519 --> 00:49:44.000
I like what they're doing.
00:49:44.000 --> 00:49:44.880
I really do.
00:49:44.880 --> 00:49:48.159
Jeff Peterson is doing a fantastic job down there in Charlotte.
00:49:48.159 --> 00:49:49.599
I I love it.
00:49:49.599 --> 00:49:56.079
Christian Anderson Jr., he is he's not big, but he can get buckets.
00:49:56.079 --> 00:50:04.079
18 and a half points a game and 7.4 assists to lead the Big 12, which is an excellent conference.
00:50:04.079 --> 00:50:09.280
It's a basketball powerhouse if you don't watch a lot of college basketball.
00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:15.679
So I expect great things coming out of Charlotte.
00:50:15.679 --> 00:50:18.320
They're just young, it's gonna take a second.
00:50:18.320 --> 00:50:19.360
You know what I'm saying?
00:50:19.360 --> 00:50:21.360
So you might have a couple struggles.
00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:24.800
Don't get disconcerned in Charlotte.
00:50:24.800 --> 00:50:27.440
I understand last year you made the plan.
00:50:27.440 --> 00:50:32.400
You expect to kind of make a leap this year, you're probably not going to do it.
00:50:32.400 --> 00:50:34.320
But don't worry.
00:50:34.320 --> 00:50:36.000
You're gonna be back.
00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:38.079
It's gonna take some time.
00:50:38.079 --> 00:50:41.119
Not a lot of time, but it's gonna take some time.
00:50:41.119 --> 00:50:45.679
I love that Steinbach is just a rebounder.
00:50:45.679 --> 00:50:50.159
And my whole thing is that if you rebound in college, you're gonna rebound in the NBA.
00:50:50.159 --> 00:50:58.159
He averaged 18.5 points a game and damn near 12 rebounds a game to lead the NCAA last season.
00:50:58.159 --> 00:51:03.679
Uh he also averaged 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocks.
00:51:03.679 --> 00:51:07.599
He shot the ball pretty well from three, 34%.
00:51:07.599 --> 00:51:16.159
Now, obviously the three-point shot is different in college than it is in the NBA, but we shall see.
00:51:16.159 --> 00:51:27.679
So the note to keep them above their goal of what was it, 39 and a half, is close games.
00:51:27.679 --> 00:51:30.480
Are they gonna regress to the norm?
00:51:30.480 --> 00:51:37.119
The coin differentials was 53 in three 53 wins.
00:51:37.119 --> 00:51:40.159
The record said was 44.
00:51:40.159 --> 00:51:42.480
We're gonna have to learn.
00:51:42.480 --> 00:51:52.159
We gotta see if they're gonna be able to do that with the young team.
00:51:52.159 --> 00:51:55.840
How how long will it take for Kanipple to get back?
00:51:55.840 --> 00:52:00.719
Because here's the thing with the hamstring, you want to make sure that thing is completely healed.
00:52:00.719 --> 00:52:04.480
You want to make sure that thing is ready to go.
00:52:04.480 --> 00:52:17.039
But as soon as he's ready to go, the green light is open because again, 63.3% true shooting and 273 threes in his first year.
00:52:17.039 --> 00:52:19.840
I can't wait to see what this kid does for Encore.
00:52:19.840 --> 00:52:24.719
Can Brandon Miller stay on the court?
00:52:24.719 --> 00:52:31.199
First year 74 games, second year 27, last year 65.
00:52:31.199 --> 00:52:34.960
I would hope that that number goes a little bit further up.
00:52:34.960 --> 00:52:42.719
I hope he would get to a point where he's starting average anywhere between 72 to 75 games a year.
00:52:42.719 --> 00:52:44.800
That's my hope.
00:52:44.800 --> 00:52:59.599
And now, if they don't make it, if they don't make the uh 39 and a half wins, the reason why is that it took a lot longer for Con Knipple to get healthy with that hamstring.
00:52:59.599 --> 00:53:12.800
The playmaker role that Kobe White is taking over, obviously he would not do as good a job as Lamello Ball, and we will see how that works.
00:53:12.800 --> 00:53:16.079
Nas Reed, as a starter, we got questions.
00:53:16.079 --> 00:53:30.639
He's made three starts over last year, and listen, he averaged 27.5 minutes a game, but it's a difference coming off the bench than coming in and being a starter.
00:53:30.639 --> 00:53:48.320
You know, you are probably on the whiteboard a little bit higher than you were you were when you were on the bench coming in, but now age on the wings, Grayson Allen is 30, Royce O'Neill is 33, Dennis Schroeder's 33.
00:53:48.320 --> 00:53:57.280
They got a lot of experience, but is it good enough to get them where they need to go?
00:53:57.280 --> 00:54:14.239
What Hornets fans should be watching out for, your main concern this year is to see the continued development of Brandon Miller, Khan Kenical, and then the two rookies, Hans Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr.
00:54:14.239 --> 00:54:17.360
That is what you should be paying attention to.
00:54:17.360 --> 00:54:19.920
Now, do you want some fun games?
00:54:19.920 --> 00:54:25.519
Here, do I do I think for one second you guys are gonna drop back and only win like 20 games?
00:54:25.519 --> 00:54:26.079
No.
00:54:26.079 --> 00:54:29.920
But we'll get to what I think you're at you guys are actually gonna hit.
00:54:29.920 --> 00:54:38.960
Will Nas Riggy continue to put up the numbers that he was putting up in Minnesota in a starting role?
00:54:38.960 --> 00:54:39.920
We'll see.
00:54:39.920 --> 00:54:42.559
These are all questions that gotta be answered.
00:54:42.559 --> 00:54:50.400
I'm looking for the Charlotte Hornets to be a little light under that 39 and a half.
00:54:50.400 --> 00:54:59.679
I'm looking for them to be, let's say, 38 and 44, so slightly under.
00:54:59.679 --> 00:55:10.000
I just think it matters having a guy like Lomelo, even though I thought that sometimes he showed some immaturity on the court.
00:55:10.000 --> 00:55:14.639
I think Charles Lee really managed that situation well last year.
00:55:14.639 --> 00:55:21.760
Uh, I again I expect and I think there is a bright future in Charlotte.
00:55:21.760 --> 00:55:30.639
I do not think of this team like okay, they had the little year where they got into the plan and now they're gonna kind of fall back to the pack.
00:55:30.639 --> 00:55:37.360
No, I think this is like a dip to the ascent uh to the extension.
00:55:37.360 --> 00:55:41.519
So you dip this year, and then you start going up from there.
00:55:41.519 --> 00:55:45.519
Because here's the other thing another draft pick, we'll see.
00:55:45.519 --> 00:55:47.360
We'll see what you get.
00:55:47.360 --> 00:55:55.280
So we're gonna move on to the Orlando Magic, and here's a bewildering team, you know what I'm saying?
00:55:55.280 --> 00:56:00.400
Like all the talent in the world, but still haven't been able to put it together.
00:56:00.400 --> 00:56:02.320
They got a new coach.
00:56:02.320 --> 00:56:04.639
He he's got the same problem.
00:56:04.639 --> 00:56:16.480
So the Magic led Detroit three games to one and then blew a 24-point lead at home in game six and then lost game seven.
00:56:16.480 --> 00:56:22.159
Their fix was to get a brand new coach and a 35-year-old center.
00:56:22.159 --> 00:56:24.800
We'll see how it works.
00:56:24.800 --> 00:56:30.079
Orlando was 45-37, which was eighth in the East.
00:56:30.079 --> 00:56:35.119
They lost in the first round to the Detroit Pistons, three games to four.
00:56:35.119 --> 00:56:37.679
The one seed, obviously the Pistons.
00:56:37.679 --> 00:56:44.639
Yeah, well, can't we talked about uh our guy Jalen Dorn in the last pod.
00:56:44.639 --> 00:56:48.239
Go back and and and listen to that pod, it's great.
00:56:48.239 --> 00:56:51.199
Um we had a lot of information on him.
00:56:51.199 --> 00:56:57.440
Now, with that being said, let's get into our our people in Orlando.
00:56:57.440 --> 00:57:08.239
They're gonna play the Atlanta Hawks first game of the season, and then the Sweeney era is going to begin officially.
00:57:08.239 --> 00:57:24.400
Jamal Mosley was fired May 4th, and the defense that he brought to this team, no doubt, the offense sucked.
00:57:24.400 --> 00:57:29.280
They couldn't get it get outside that they couldn't get out their own way.
00:57:29.280 --> 00:57:32.400
So Sean Sweeney comes from San Antonio.
00:57:32.400 --> 00:57:35.039
This is a good hire.
00:57:35.039 --> 00:57:47.760
Now, where he helped good one of the third-ranked off defenses in all the land, and he worked with Wingby, he's worked with Giannis, and he's worked with Luca.
00:57:47.760 --> 00:57:50.239
Like in Dallas.
00:57:50.239 --> 00:57:52.639
Okay, so this is Dallas Luca.
00:57:52.639 --> 00:57:59.840
People can say what they want about Luca's defense, it's not great, but you know who was on his ass the whole time?
00:57:59.840 --> 00:58:01.199
Sean Sweeney.
00:58:01.199 --> 00:58:03.519
What's the situation in Orlando?
00:58:03.519 --> 00:58:04.480
It's the same thing.
00:58:04.480 --> 00:58:08.400
Paulo Gwincarrol, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bank.
00:58:08.400 --> 00:58:17.679
All I know is that what they're gonna have to do is get these guys to be on the same page.
00:58:17.679 --> 00:58:32.480
Paulo Gwincarrol, as far as a player, a man in this league, he's still not the efficiency darling that the analytics community wants.
00:58:32.480 --> 00:58:34.239
But he's a man you need.
00:58:34.239 --> 00:58:41.679
72 games last year, 22.2 points a game, eight and a half rebounds, 5.2 assists.
00:58:41.679 --> 00:58:52.800
He averaged basically almost a steal a game and 0.0 uh 0.6 blocks per game over 35 minutes.
00:58:52.800 --> 00:58:58.480
Now, he shot 46% from the field, which should be better.
00:58:58.480 --> 00:59:10.239
He only shot 30 30 and a half percent from three on 3.8 attempts, and he only shot 77.5% from the free throw line.
00:59:10.239 --> 00:59:19.039
So his true shooting percentage was 56.6, and his free throw rate was fifty-one point two percent.
00:59:19.039 --> 00:59:24.400
Can he run offense for you?
00:59:24.400 --> 00:59:25.119
Yes.
00:59:25.119 --> 00:59:30.320
Can he needs to shoot it better?
00:59:30.320 --> 00:59:33.119
Point blank, simple.
00:59:33.119 --> 00:59:43.280
He is a career 31.7% from three and 74.3% from the free throw line.
00:59:43.280 --> 00:59:54.079
For a guy who's averaging 20 points a game a year, it's gotta be better, it's gotta be better.
00:59:54.079 --> 00:59:57.440
Production, shot selection has to be better.
00:59:57.440 --> 01:00:05.280
He has to find what it is that he's good at and then just do it because this is ridiculous now.
01:00:05.280 --> 01:00:16.639
And for him to be really completely unlocked, he's gotta shoot the three or just abandon it altogether and then allow somebody else to take that role.
01:00:16.639 --> 01:00:22.239
Not helping him, but helping him is Franz Wagner.
01:00:22.239 --> 01:00:28.719
Now, Franz got hurt last year, he only played in 34 games in the regular season.
01:00:28.719 --> 01:00:36.079
He shot the ball a little bit better from three, but still not good enough.
01:00:36.079 --> 01:00:37.280
34.5%.
01:00:37.280 --> 01:00:40.880
Now, his free throw percentage is is promising.
01:00:40.880 --> 01:00:42.239
82.3%.
01:00:42.239 --> 01:00:50.320
So his uh true shooting percentage was just a tad under 59%, so it was 58.8.
01:00:50.320 --> 01:01:15.440
He had a box plus minus of positive 2.5, but they were a shell of themselves without Wagner, and I don't know if he was gonna shoot the ball any better than the 34.5%, but he was plagued with ankle and calf issues all last year, and a right calf issue in the playoffs that kept him out of game five and seven.
01:01:15.440 --> 01:01:26.559
So the shooting percentage for career from three is 32.4%, but from the line it's 85, it's 85%.
01:01:26.559 --> 01:01:28.800
I will say this.
01:01:28.800 --> 01:01:35.360
He is a shot of being a good three-point shooter, and I hope that that's what is gonna come along.
01:01:35.360 --> 01:01:52.880
He gives them real production, he also gives them um just a real steadying presence for some reason on the court, and he just whatever he does, he makes Paulo Bancaro better.
01:01:52.880 --> 01:01:58.480
And I thought it'd be the other way around, to be completely honest with you.
01:01:58.480 --> 01:02:01.599
But this is what we're looking at.
01:02:01.599 --> 01:02:12.239
Now, if we're gonna talk about shot selection and what have you, Desmond Bain, we need to talk about.
01:02:12.239 --> 01:02:19.360
He played in 82 games last year, uh, 20 points a game, four rebounds, four point one assists.
01:02:19.360 --> 01:02:23.679
He averages still in a little bit under 34 minutes.
01:02:23.679 --> 01:02:26.559
Desmond Bane was Desmond Bain last year.
01:02:26.559 --> 01:02:49.199
It was 48.4% from the field, uh 39% from three, and a 90.8% from the free throw line, true shooting percentage above 60, it was 60.7, but it wasn't Desmond Bain, because Desmond Bain usually shoots about 42% from three.
01:02:49.199 --> 01:03:04.000
And I don't know if it was just new squad, whatever, but he only shot 5.2 threes a game last year, which was the lowest since his rookie year.
01:03:04.000 --> 01:03:16.960
His career three-point shooting average was 40.7% on six point one attempts a game.
01:03:16.960 --> 01:03:21.039
So three-point shot was not as good.
01:03:21.039 --> 01:03:34.320
He shot less of them, which was weird, and he he he shot eight point six perhaps of three in the twenty twenty-three-2024 season.
01:03:34.320 --> 01:03:39.360
Now, another guy who needs to stay healthy is Jalen Suggs.
01:03:39.360 --> 01:03:51.440
Jalen Suggs is an absolute demon on defense, and somehow he's like the low-key leader of that squad, and when he's not playing, it just shows up.
01:03:51.440 --> 01:04:04.159
They listen discombobulated as a group without um my guy Jalen Suggs, and also you need to be on the court because you need to get your three-point stroke down, my guy.
01:04:04.159 --> 01:04:09.599
Now, here's the best part about the Orlando Magic.
01:04:09.599 --> 01:04:13.920
They have an expiration date because you know what's coming for 'em.
01:04:13.920 --> 01:04:16.880
It's that it's that damn salary cap.
01:04:16.880 --> 01:04:23.440
Their payroll is 220.8 million.
01:04:23.440 --> 01:04:37.840
You got Wagner, Bancaro, Bain, and Suggs that take up $155.1 million dollars of the salary cap, which is is 70%.
01:04:37.840 --> 01:04:40.719
So guess what?
01:04:40.719 --> 01:04:52.480
If they don't figure it out this year, then they're gonna need to get some flexibility back and also reacquire some of the draft picks that they lost in the Desmond Bain trade.
01:04:52.480 --> 01:04:59.199
Because remember, Orlando traded Memphis for first round picks.
01:04:59.199 --> 01:05:08.000
Now the the thought was that they were gonna be drafting like 28th, 29th, 27th overall.
01:05:08.000 --> 01:05:12.079
But I that obviously wasn't the case.
01:05:12.079 --> 01:05:20.079
So they're gonna need to get some shit done in quick and in a hurry.
01:05:20.079 --> 01:05:23.440
Who's gonna step up in the backcourt?
01:05:23.440 --> 01:05:32.480
We talked about Jalen Suggs, we talked about what he is getting as far as money is concerned, which is 32.4 million.
01:05:32.480 --> 01:05:34.639
You gotta play more, Jalen.
01:05:34.639 --> 01:05:37.519
57 games is not good enough.
01:05:37.519 --> 01:05:40.960
You gotta get up into that 68 to 72 range.
01:05:40.960 --> 01:05:59.760
The 13.8 points a game, the 5.5 assists is awesome, the dare near two steals a game is great, but you need to be on the court to shoot more threes, hit more threes, and be in that stabilizer stabilizer influence.
01:05:59.760 --> 01:06:07.840
That you need to be because the other guy that they're still looking for is Anthony Black.
01:06:07.840 --> 01:06:12.639
Now, people will say that Anthony Black has been held back a little bit.
01:06:12.639 --> 01:06:16.480
But listen, he made 40 starts last year.
01:06:16.480 --> 01:06:25.840
He he scored 15 points a game, almost four rerounds a game, and 3.7 assists, and one and a half steals a game.
01:06:25.840 --> 01:06:30.239
Now the three-point shot is still not where it kind of needs to be.
01:06:30.239 --> 01:06:34.320
It's a little bit below league average at 33.3%.
01:06:34.320 --> 01:06:37.280
Need to get that up.
01:06:37.280 --> 01:06:49.440
But he's a 6'6, 6'7 wing who just absolutely hunts the passing lanes, gets a bunch of deflections, and wants to play defense.
01:06:49.440 --> 01:06:54.000
So if he can shoot the ball a little bit better, he can stay on the court.
01:06:54.000 --> 01:06:56.880
He can stay on the court.
01:06:56.880 --> 01:07:03.920
They brought back uh Vucevic from Chicago, and I don't know if he's gonna start or he's gonna come off the bench.
01:07:03.920 --> 01:07:08.800
I would think that he would come off the bench and uh back up Wendell Carter Jr.
01:07:08.800 --> 01:07:16.000
Now Vusevich last year was uh 15.1 points a game, eight and a half rebounds, 3.3 assists.
01:07:16.000 --> 01:07:24.320
He shot the ball basically almost at 50%, 49.3, and he shot the three ball very well at 36.9%.
01:07:24.320 --> 01:07:27.760
So that's awesome, right?
01:07:27.760 --> 01:07:28.719
Yes.
01:07:28.719 --> 01:07:31.840
Is that what you want out of your backup big?
01:07:31.840 --> 01:07:32.800
Yes.
01:07:32.800 --> 01:07:36.079
Do you want more from Wendell Carter Jr.
01:07:36.079 --> 01:07:37.840
You goddamn right?
01:07:37.840 --> 01:07:41.039
You're damn right we do.
01:07:41.039 --> 01:07:49.519
The 11.8 points a game is not that big of a deal, the 7.4 rebounds is not that big of a deal.
01:07:49.519 --> 01:07:55.199
It's the 51% field goal percentage that's a big deal.
01:07:55.199 --> 01:08:00.159
And listen, are you a three-point shooter or not?
01:08:00.159 --> 01:08:09.199
Because the 32% on the three attempts that you're taking, I'd rather you just go ahead and shoot the ball from the inside, my guy.
01:08:09.199 --> 01:08:17.279
You're a good rebounder, you're you know, we love it, but we need more.
01:08:17.279 --> 01:08:20.000
We need more from you.
01:08:20.000 --> 01:08:33.359
Now, maybe with Vusevich backing him up, takes a little bit more pressure off him, frees his mind a little bit, and therefore maybe we see him flourish this year, but the time is ticking.
01:08:33.359 --> 01:08:35.840
The time is ticking.
01:08:35.840 --> 01:08:42.239
Now, a bright spot for the Orlando Magic is Tristian DeSilva.
01:08:42.239 --> 01:08:47.279
He played in 77 games last year, he made 34 stars.
01:08:47.279 --> 01:08:50.319
It's not the points and stuff, and I'll get to that in a second.
01:08:50.319 --> 01:08:54.800
It's just like when he played, he just there was a difference.
01:08:54.800 --> 01:08:58.960
He just made things happen on the defensive end.
01:08:58.960 --> 01:09:04.960
I'm not saying he's the greatest defender of all times, but he just seemed to be able to hold his own.
01:09:04.960 --> 01:09:10.479
He averaged almost damn near 10 points a game, three and 3.7 rebounds.
01:09:10.479 --> 01:09:20.399
She shot the ball at a 45% clip, shot the three ball extremely well for somebody, you know, who hasn't been in the league long 37.4%.
01:09:20.399 --> 01:09:23.760
I just like this kid.
01:09:23.760 --> 01:09:25.840
I like this kid a lot.
01:09:25.840 --> 01:09:31.760
I don't know what it is about him, but he's able to get it done.
01:09:31.760 --> 01:09:36.319
Now, what is the keys for the magic to do their thing?
01:09:36.319 --> 01:09:54.159
Sean Sweeney needs to do whatever voodoo magic, whatever uh, whatever witchcraft that he needs to do to figure out what the hell is going on with Wagner and Paolo Gancaro.
01:09:54.159 --> 01:09:57.039
One of those guys gotta shoot over 36%.
01:09:57.039 --> 01:09:59.600
One of them gotta do it.
01:09:59.600 --> 01:10:11.600
Or we are going to continue the the the the rival teams are gonna continue to just stand in the paint.
01:10:11.600 --> 01:10:16.239
Just stand there and just allow you to shoot threes and brick them.
01:10:16.239 --> 01:10:26.000
Desmond Gaines needs to get back to his, you know, at least like averaging seven attempts a game and shooting above forty percent from three.
01:10:26.000 --> 01:10:31.840
He needed to get back to who who he was, and we need Jalen Suggs to stay on the court.
01:10:31.840 --> 01:10:38.720
Now, the way they don't get it is they don't figure none of these things out.
01:10:38.720 --> 01:10:54.640
Wagner or Ben Carroll misses games again, Suggs misses chunks of games again, nobody shooting over 36% again, and Sean Sweeney is just standing there scratching his head.
01:10:54.640 --> 01:10:59.520
Does Vucevic fall off the cliff?
01:10:59.520 --> 01:11:00.640
Who knows?
01:11:00.640 --> 01:11:12.880
What fans should be looking for early to see if this is going to be uh a magic season, or is it gonna be another season to forget?
01:11:12.880 --> 01:11:21.279
Does Bain shoot the three ball and provide the spacing that we thought that he was gonna provide?
01:11:21.279 --> 01:11:30.479
Is Jalen Suggs playing games or is he coming up with like crazy ass injuries because he played so damn hard?
01:11:30.479 --> 01:11:40.479
Is the Franz Wagner Palo Bancaro Tandem is it viable or not?
01:11:40.479 --> 01:11:45.279
We gotta get an answer to this this year.
01:11:45.279 --> 01:11:50.079
If we do, and it's all gravy, it works out.
01:11:50.079 --> 01:12:04.319
If not, this team who's over under is 43 and a half, I am looking for them to go under a little bit.
01:12:04.319 --> 01:12:08.640
42 and 40 sounds good to me.
01:12:08.640 --> 01:12:11.760
It's not that I don't believe.
01:12:11.760 --> 01:12:14.880
I just you gotta show it to me.
01:12:14.880 --> 01:12:16.880
You gotta show it to me.
01:12:16.880 --> 01:12:19.279
I need I love Jalen Suggs.
01:12:19.279 --> 01:12:22.960
Think he's an absolute dog, I think he's an absolute winner.
01:12:22.960 --> 01:12:24.720
I just need you on the court.
01:12:24.720 --> 01:12:27.680
I love Paulo Guncarol.
01:12:27.680 --> 01:12:30.319
I don't care what the analytics say.
01:12:30.319 --> 01:12:36.640
But you gotta be more efficient for me to like continue to bang the drum for you, my guy.
01:12:36.640 --> 01:12:41.840
And Franz, you need to do Franz things.
01:12:41.840 --> 01:12:43.760
But you need to shoot the ball better.
01:12:43.760 --> 01:12:45.600
One of you gotta shoot the ball better.
01:12:45.600 --> 01:12:48.720
Either Glen Carroll or Franz Wagner.
01:12:48.720 --> 01:12:51.039
Somebody needs to get to 37-38%.
01:12:51.039 --> 01:13:00.239
So I hope that both of these guys was in the lab shooting a bunch of threes over the offseason and they figured this shit out.
01:13:00.239 --> 01:13:10.960
Because if they don't, this is another season that the Orlando Magic are spinning their wills, and here's the thing: there is no help on the horizon.
01:13:10.960 --> 01:13:22.560
Your cap situation is about to get real murky, and you don't have draft picks to be able to infuse new talent into this lineup.
01:13:22.560 --> 01:13:31.520
So, there will be a trade of one of the weak boys, either Ron Carroll or Wagner.
01:13:31.520 --> 01:13:33.920
Take my word for it.
01:13:33.920 --> 01:13:52.720
If this shit don't look sweet by the all-star break, or before, a little week before, we don't start to see what this team is supposed to look like by the middle of January, this is gonna be a tough situation in Orlando.
01:13:52.720 --> 01:13:54.479
Tough.
01:13:54.479 --> 01:13:58.640
So that's what I'm looking for.
01:13:58.640 --> 01:14:04.239
But I think that you don't hit your mark because I don't know if you figured it out.
01:14:04.239 --> 01:14:07.920
I'm skeptical because I haven't seen it yet.
01:14:07.920 --> 01:14:11.439
Doesn't mean that I don't think it can necessarily happen.
01:14:11.439 --> 01:14:16.000
It just means you gotta prove it to me.
01:14:16.000 --> 01:14:18.319
Alright.
01:14:18.319 --> 01:14:21.520
Now, we are going to get to the Miami Heat.
01:14:21.520 --> 01:14:22.640
You know why?
01:14:22.640 --> 01:14:27.279
Because the Miami Heat got a lot of stuff going on.
01:14:27.279 --> 01:14:33.359
First and foremost, obviously Giannis Antecumpo has entered the chat.
01:14:33.359 --> 01:14:34.479
You know what I'm saying?
01:14:34.479 --> 01:14:37.520
God God bless him.
01:14:37.520 --> 01:14:41.520
Boy, did Miami give up a lot to get him.
01:14:41.520 --> 01:14:44.560
Now they went 43 and 39 last year.
01:14:44.560 --> 01:14:48.319
Their over-under for win total is 46 and a half.
01:14:48.319 --> 01:14:50.640
We will see where they get to.
01:14:50.640 --> 01:14:52.800
They went out and got their guy.
01:14:52.800 --> 01:14:55.279
Listen, they lost in the playoff game again.
01:14:55.279 --> 01:14:57.680
Pat Riley said, I'm sick of this shit.
01:14:57.680 --> 01:15:06.880
We've been bribes made on all these other like superstars, but this year we will pay the toll and we'll get our guy.
01:15:06.880 --> 01:15:10.720
And that guy was Giannis Ante Tacumpo.
01:15:10.720 --> 01:15:12.960
And I'm gonna tell you right now.
01:15:12.960 --> 01:15:14.960
Is the fit great?
01:15:14.960 --> 01:15:17.039
No.
01:15:17.039 --> 01:15:20.399
But is Giannis great?
01:15:20.399 --> 01:15:21.279
Absolutely.
01:15:21.279 --> 01:15:23.199
Is he gonna help this team win?
01:15:23.199 --> 01:15:24.399
For sure.
01:15:24.399 --> 01:15:30.000
We got some questions around him, but we're gonna get to those in a second.
01:15:30.000 --> 01:15:33.520
Let's talk about the trade.
01:15:33.520 --> 01:15:35.439
They gave up a lot to get him.
01:15:35.439 --> 01:15:38.239
Let's be really honest about that.
01:15:38.239 --> 01:15:48.479
They gave up Tyler Hero, Khalil Ware, Jaime Hawkes Jr., Cascaris Yakatunis, and the 13 overall pick.
01:15:48.479 --> 01:15:53.760
Now, picks out unprotected, 2031, 2033.
01:15:53.760 --> 01:15:56.800
They have a quick swap in 2030.
01:15:56.800 --> 01:16:06.479
They got Bobby Cortis as well.
01:16:06.479 --> 01:16:13.840
Clay Thompson, his uh is now in South Beach, so his boat can be out in the water.
01:16:13.840 --> 01:16:19.760
I think Klay on his boat is better than Clay landlocked.
01:16:19.760 --> 01:16:22.159
We'll see how that go.
01:16:22.159 --> 01:16:24.720
Timmy Hardaway Jr.
01:16:24.720 --> 01:16:27.119
is now a Miami Heat.
01:16:27.119 --> 01:16:30.000
He's gonna be wearing his daddy's number.
01:16:30.000 --> 01:16:31.439
It's gonna be great.
01:16:31.439 --> 01:16:33.520
I can't wait to see it.
01:16:33.520 --> 01:16:37.600
Now, do they have things in their arsenal?
01:16:37.600 --> 01:16:39.199
Yes.
01:16:39.199 --> 01:16:41.279
Can they trade them?
01:16:41.279 --> 01:16:43.039
I don't know.
01:16:43.039 --> 01:16:47.520
They got picks 2028, 2029, and 2030.
01:16:47.520 --> 01:17:01.760
Now, there's a swap tangle in and 2032, so they're thin as far as picks are concerned, but Pat Riley can you know he can work some magic.
01:17:01.760 --> 01:17:05.439
The Godfather is out here going to make deals.
01:17:05.439 --> 01:17:08.000
And here's the other thing Pat Riley is what?
01:17:08.000 --> 01:17:11.279
Like 81, 81 years of age.
01:17:11.279 --> 01:17:26.319
So he has a expiration date, and I'm not trying to be very morbid here, but I'm saying if somebody is willing to go all in, it's gonna be the godfather, Pat Riley.
01:17:26.319 --> 01:17:26.800
Okay?
01:17:26.800 --> 01:17:31.119
The slick back silver haired devil is gonna try to get it done.
01:17:31.119 --> 01:17:32.640
Okay, for sure.
01:17:32.640 --> 01:17:33.840
He got Giannis.
01:17:33.840 --> 01:17:35.279
Yes, he got Clay.
01:17:35.279 --> 01:17:37.840
Clay's a little bit longer in the tooth.
01:17:37.840 --> 01:17:42.399
You need some three-point shooting that you can depend on, that you can rely on.
01:17:42.399 --> 01:17:45.840
We will see what also can shake out.
01:17:45.840 --> 01:17:49.840
Maybe it's not this year coming up, but maybe it's in the next offseason.
01:17:49.840 --> 01:17:50.720
I don't know.
01:17:50.720 --> 01:17:52.000
But we will see.
01:17:52.000 --> 01:17:54.239
Let's talk about the team in question.
01:17:54.239 --> 01:17:58.239
Giannis is a MVP walking around.
01:17:58.239 --> 01:18:02.640
Not just back in the day, but the numbers are still there.
01:18:02.640 --> 01:18:17.840
Now he didn't play in a bunch of games last year, but here's the thing 27.6 points a game, damn near 10 rebounds a game at 9.8, 5.4 assists a game, true shooting percentage of 62.4%.
01:18:17.840 --> 01:18:21.279
This dude is a killer.
01:18:21.279 --> 01:18:25.279
His efficiency is a uh is awesome.
01:18:25.279 --> 01:18:29.439
65.8% true shooting percentage.
01:18:29.439 --> 01:18:31.039
Are you kidding me?
01:18:31.039 --> 01:18:35.119
He has a free throw rate of 59.7%.
01:18:35.119 --> 01:18:40.800
This dude is listen, they got a dude.
01:18:40.800 --> 01:18:42.239
Now here's the problem.
01:18:42.239 --> 01:18:44.319
He's been injured lately.
01:18:44.319 --> 01:18:53.359
Games played over the last three seasons, 73, three years ago, 67, 2 years ago, last year, 36.
01:18:53.359 --> 01:18:56.079
Okay.
01:18:56.079 --> 01:18:58.640
Gotta keep him healthy.
01:18:58.640 --> 01:19:15.199
We're hoping that the the Miami area has good orthopaedic people as far as that's concerned, and there's just healing park properties in the water down there to keep our guy on the court.
01:19:15.199 --> 01:19:21.760
The one thing that Giannis is gonna do is charge down the middle of the lane and try to get buckets.
01:19:21.760 --> 01:19:29.760
He is like a bull in a China shop, and he is going to get his 10 uh free throw temps a game.
01:19:29.760 --> 01:19:32.239
Now, is he gonna shoot threes?
01:19:32.239 --> 01:19:34.560
Absolutely freaking not.
01:19:34.560 --> 01:19:40.000
He shoots 33%, he only shoots 1.3 threes a game.
01:19:40.000 --> 01:19:43.279
So, no, no, no, no.
01:19:43.279 --> 01:19:59.680
Now, when he played in a real year where he played like over 65 games, his usage was uh 35.4 percent, and he had a net rating of positive 12.3 that's MVP numbers right there.
01:19:59.680 --> 01:20:07.359
MVP numbers now he says during his media day availability, he said the goal is to win a championship.
01:20:07.359 --> 01:20:08.640
That's the goal.
01:20:08.640 --> 01:20:12.000
You know who also believes in that pat Riley.
01:20:12.000 --> 01:20:18.880
Pat Riley is you are winning a championship, or the season is an absolute failure.
01:20:18.880 --> 01:20:24.239
We don't give out participation medals here in Miami.
01:20:24.239 --> 01:20:27.199
We seen the fan base down there.
01:20:27.199 --> 01:20:30.000
That fan base is about glitz and glam.
01:20:30.000 --> 01:20:33.039
You know how you get glitz and glam?
01:20:33.039 --> 01:20:39.680
You put a bunch of W's in the marker every single year.
01:20:39.680 --> 01:20:50.079
It's not good enough to have cool ass uniforms that are like pastel blue and pink, and you have Miami Vice Knight on the court.
01:20:50.079 --> 01:20:51.680
That's great, man.
01:20:51.680 --> 01:20:54.079
That's awesome.
01:20:54.079 --> 01:20:57.920
Winning games is awesome too.
01:20:57.920 --> 01:21:03.920
Mean to win some fucking games out here, and Giannis is about that life.
01:21:03.920 --> 01:21:06.640
So, how they gonna do this?
01:21:06.640 --> 01:21:08.640
How are they gonna do this?
01:21:08.640 --> 01:21:10.720
Well, that's a good question.
01:21:10.720 --> 01:21:13.600
Starting off, bam out of bio.
01:21:13.600 --> 01:21:20.479
Bam out of bio, put up 83 points, we think fraudulently, uh, you know what I'm saying?
01:21:20.479 --> 01:21:28.399
Listen, no, I don't I respect the hustle or whatever, but we know you Jerry rigged that 83 points, my guy.
01:21:28.399 --> 01:21:36.000
Taking down Kobe's number 81 to be the second best uh scoring game of all time.
01:21:36.000 --> 01:21:44.960
But as far as being out of a player is concerned, got a couple questions.
01:21:44.960 --> 01:21:54.079
Now, I think it's getting because of shot selection, but the past three years of his field goal percentage has gone steadily down.
01:21:54.079 --> 01:21:58.720
52.1% three years ago.
01:21:58.720 --> 01:22:20.079
Or two years, yeah, three years ago, two years ago, 48.5 percent last year, 44.2 percent, true shooting percentage, also steadily down, 57.6 percent, 56.1, and then 55.1.
01:22:20.079 --> 01:22:40.319
The scoring and the production numbers still lead 20 and 10 a game, positive 22 box plus minus, second team all defense, all those things are great, but somebody gonna have to shoot the three.
01:22:40.319 --> 01:22:55.680
I don't know if it's gonna be him, no clue, but you're gonna have to do something to provide space for what Bam Alabio and um Giannis Antecupo do.
01:22:55.680 --> 01:23:02.239
So Klay Thompson and Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins.
01:23:02.239 --> 01:23:06.880
I hope y'all shoot nothing but threes and hit him.
01:23:06.880 --> 01:23:11.920
Now, Andrew Wiggins has been doing work.
01:23:11.920 --> 01:23:14.159
The Lakers tried to get him.
01:23:14.159 --> 01:23:17.359
They wanted him so bad last year, they could taste it.
01:23:17.359 --> 01:23:18.880
They couldn't get him.
01:23:18.880 --> 01:23:26.239
This dude has turned his whole career around.
01:23:26.239 --> 01:23:31.520
Remember when we was like sitting there thinking to ourselves, like, man, is Andrew Wiggins ever gonna pan out?
01:23:31.520 --> 01:23:38.239
And then he went to Golden State and put up that monster year when Golden State won the championship back in 2022.
01:23:38.239 --> 01:23:45.119
Now this dude is shooting 41.4% from three on five attempts.
01:23:45.119 --> 01:23:49.520
He is a positive defensive box class minus a one.
01:23:49.520 --> 01:23:55.359
And now you also pair him with Bobby Cortis, who shoots a bunch of threes.
01:23:55.359 --> 01:23:56.960
You know what I'm saying?
01:23:56.960 --> 01:24:00.239
45% on 4.4 attempts.
01:24:00.239 --> 01:24:02.800
He's gonna have to up that a little bit this year.
01:24:02.800 --> 01:24:07.359
You might lose a little bit of the percentage.
01:24:07.359 --> 01:24:14.239
If he went down to 42 and he shot six threes a game, I think Miami would take that trade-off.
01:24:14.239 --> 01:24:20.720
Bobby Cardis lost 20 pounds in the offseason.
01:24:20.720 --> 01:24:25.199
They take their strength and conditioning very serious in Miami.
01:24:25.199 --> 01:24:43.920
If you have a uh body mass or BMI that's too high, or your um, if you have a body fat percentage of more than six, Pat Riley's gonna come down from his office and whoop your ass.
01:24:43.920 --> 01:24:45.279
Just let you know.
01:24:45.279 --> 01:24:48.560
So we'll see how that all goes.
01:24:48.560 --> 01:24:53.680
There's no question whether the Miami Heat is gonna be able to play defense.
01:24:53.680 --> 01:25:00.399
Is can they create enough space for Giannis and Bam to do their thing?
01:25:00.399 --> 01:25:10.000
So the Pell Larsons of the world, the Davion Mitchell's of the world who shoot the three ball, well, we're gonna need more volume.
01:25:10.000 --> 01:25:11.039
More.
01:25:11.039 --> 01:25:14.079
Okay, more volume.
01:25:14.079 --> 01:25:18.399
Is Jovich a real player?
01:25:18.399 --> 01:25:21.439
We're gonna have to find out.
01:25:21.439 --> 01:25:28.960
So, what are the keys to the Miami Heat going over their number, which is 46 and a half?
01:25:28.960 --> 01:25:31.600
Well, very easy.
01:25:31.600 --> 01:25:38.159
Giannis and Bam Iobio play 65 plus games.
01:25:38.159 --> 01:25:45.680
You that's more of an issue on the Giannis side than it is on the Autobio side, but we will see how it all goes.
01:25:45.680 --> 01:25:54.399
Now, once those dudes do that, is the three-point shooting continuing to three-point itself?
01:25:54.399 --> 01:25:58.159
Clay Thompson, can you get back to 40%?
01:25:58.159 --> 01:26:04.079
Or are you too old to not do that anymore?
01:26:04.079 --> 01:26:13.279
Can Wiggins continue to sustain his level of excellence beyond the three-point line at 41.4%?
01:26:13.279 --> 01:26:18.880
Is Davion Mitchell really almost a 40% three-point shooter?
01:26:18.880 --> 01:26:20.640
Is that what he is now?
01:26:20.640 --> 01:26:25.039
Because if that's the case, they got a real shot at doing this.
01:26:25.039 --> 01:26:27.760
And here's the thing.
01:26:27.760 --> 01:26:32.640
I do not ever bet against Eric Spostra.
01:26:32.640 --> 01:26:36.079
I don't bet against this dude at all.
01:26:36.079 --> 01:26:41.199
So those are the keys for them to do it.
01:26:41.199 --> 01:26:48.640
Now, if they don't do it, the lower leg injuries of Giannis continue.
01:26:48.640 --> 01:26:56.880
The depth that they lost with the four players becomes a real thing and it's and it absolutely debilitates that team.
01:26:56.880 --> 01:27:07.680
Giannis doesn't get to the free throw line nearly as much because they don't respect the three-point shooting of the rest of the Miami Heat.
01:27:07.680 --> 01:27:12.800
Can Clay turn back the clock one more time?
01:27:12.800 --> 01:27:17.279
And can we get more efficiency from Bam out of bio?
01:27:17.279 --> 01:27:30.560
I understand that you had a lot of things on your shoulders the last couple years, and maybe this has kind of affected your efficiency, but we're gonna need to for you to be a lot more efficient this year.
01:27:30.560 --> 01:27:41.359
So I think they will be battling the Hawks for the best uh record in their division, and they'll be battling for a playoff spot for sure.
01:27:41.359 --> 01:27:59.760
Now, as far as actually what they're looking at, as far as what they're gonna do, what the fans should be focused on, Yiannis playing games.
01:27:59.760 --> 01:28:01.359
That's it.
01:28:01.359 --> 01:28:11.359
Pat Riley sitting there in his seat along with Alonzo Morning looking stoic and Giannis playing a bunch of games.
01:28:11.359 --> 01:28:19.840
If he does that, they have a really good shot of getting over the 46 and a half games.
01:28:19.840 --> 01:28:24.560
If not, they're not going to get over 46 and a half games.
01:28:24.560 --> 01:28:25.920
They're just not going to do it.
01:28:25.920 --> 01:28:28.399
So it really comes down to Giannis.
01:28:28.399 --> 01:28:31.680
Now do I have faith that Giannis is going to be able to do this?
01:28:31.680 --> 01:28:32.880
Yeah, I do.
01:28:32.880 --> 01:28:34.319
I do.
01:28:34.319 --> 01:28:46.560
I think they just sneak in under the buzzer and they get to 40.
01:28:46.560 --> 01:28:48.479
They get to 48 wins.
01:28:48.479 --> 01:28:51.039
I think they get to 48.
01:28:51.039 --> 01:28:52.800
They get there.
01:28:52.800 --> 01:28:58.079
And then we'll see what they look like in the playoffs.
01:28:58.079 --> 01:29:00.560
And that's what it really comes down to it.
01:29:00.560 --> 01:29:06.800
Now, I don't know if they need one more guy.
01:29:06.800 --> 01:29:12.560
I am thinking that they do for them to be like a legitimate like title contender.
01:29:12.560 --> 01:29:24.239
But as long as you got Giannis Andrew DeCupo on the team, you get him into a playoff series, he's going to scare the holy shit out about any competitor that he plays.
01:29:24.239 --> 01:29:28.800
Because that dude is an MVP candidate just walking around.
01:29:28.800 --> 01:29:32.319
Just walking amongst us, MVP candidate.
01:29:32.319 --> 01:29:38.960
That dude wakes up, rolls out of bed, and pisses excellence every single day.
01:29:38.960 --> 01:29:40.319
We seen that dude.
01:29:40.319 --> 01:29:41.279
You seen his body.
01:29:41.279 --> 01:29:47.279
You seen what this man puts himself through every single day to be the best he can possibly be.
01:29:47.279 --> 01:29:51.199
I don't doubt Miami.
01:29:51.199 --> 01:29:53.039
I don't doubt Eric Spulstra.
01:29:53.039 --> 01:29:57.920
And I'm damn sure not going to doubt Giannis and Titacumpo.
01:29:57.920 --> 01:29:59.600
I think they get the 48 wins.
01:29:59.600 --> 01:30:02.399
They get over 46 and a half wins.
01:30:02.399 --> 01:30:05.279
I think they're like a four or five seed.
01:30:05.279 --> 01:30:09.600
And let the let the fun begin when it comes to the playoffs.
01:30:09.600 --> 01:30:13.840
The last thing that we need to talk about is the Atlanta Hawks.
01:30:13.840 --> 01:30:15.760
We went over today.
01:30:15.760 --> 01:30:16.479
I don't care.
01:30:16.479 --> 01:30:21.439
We just this was a fun uh this is a fun division to talk about.
01:30:21.439 --> 01:30:25.760
So we're gonna talk about the Atlanta Hawks real right now.
01:30:25.760 --> 01:30:31.840
They have what is what is the their uh what are they looking at?
01:30:31.840 --> 01:30:34.079
They got a lot going on here.
01:30:34.079 --> 01:30:37.680
Their line is 43 and a half.
01:30:37.680 --> 01:30:39.279
That's their line.
01:30:39.279 --> 01:30:41.279
That's fine.
01:30:41.279 --> 01:30:44.000
What do the Hawks have?
01:30:44.000 --> 01:30:52.479
Well, they got rid of Trey Young, so Jalen Johnson is the whole offense at this point.
01:30:52.479 --> 01:31:03.439
Listen, 22, 10, and 8 is nothing to be uh over here be mad about.
01:31:03.439 --> 01:31:07.439
Y'all can sit here and talk about oh man, we got rid of Trey.
01:31:07.439 --> 01:31:08.720
Terrible.
01:31:08.720 --> 01:31:14.239
CJ McCullough was cool coming off the bench, but man, we're gonna miss Trey.
01:31:14.239 --> 01:31:19.760
I think there are certain levels you are gonna miss them, and I think there are certain levels that you're not gonna miss them.
01:31:19.760 --> 01:31:21.199
And here's the other thing.
01:31:21.199 --> 01:31:27.680
Quinn Snyder has been have begged and begged Trey Young to get off ball.
01:31:27.680 --> 01:31:30.000
You know how they got Trey Young off ball?
01:31:30.000 --> 01:31:32.239
They shipped his ass to Washington.
01:31:32.239 --> 01:31:34.560
That's how they got him off ball.
01:31:34.560 --> 01:31:43.840
Again, Jalen Johnson, 72 games, 22 and a half points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists.
01:31:43.840 --> 01:31:48.399
Oh, he also chipped in 1.2 steals as well.
01:31:48.399 --> 01:31:52.640
My man was an absolute menace.
01:31:52.640 --> 01:31:56.880
He shot almost 50% last year at 48.9.
01:31:56.880 --> 01:32:02.800
He shot a little bit less than league average on the three ball, which is 35.2.
01:32:02.800 --> 01:32:07.119
League average is 36, or almost 5 attempts.
01:32:07.119 --> 01:32:12.319
He I think like this dude is another jump is coming.
01:32:12.319 --> 01:32:14.720
Another jump is coming.
01:32:14.720 --> 01:32:17.199
I can't wait to see it.
01:32:17.199 --> 01:32:23.199
I think he's probably like a 24, 10 and a half rebound.
01:32:23.199 --> 01:32:27.359
I think the eight assists is probably kind of steady, keep it steady right there.
01:32:27.359 --> 01:32:31.760
You know, now here's the thing.
01:32:31.760 --> 01:32:37.039
Without Trey being the ball handler, the turnover rate was a little bit high.
01:32:37.039 --> 01:32:42.239
He's gonna have to fix that 14.9% uh turnover percentage.
01:32:42.239 --> 01:32:51.680
But I think now that he knows it's his team, we know what we're working with, we're gonna be alright.
01:32:51.680 --> 01:32:54.960
Now, Atlanta got some dogs with them.
01:32:54.960 --> 01:33:04.399
They traded for Nikhil Alexander Walker, and nobody could have expected what you got out of Nikhil Alexander Walker.
01:33:04.399 --> 01:33:15.760
He started 71 games, he averaged damn near 21 points a game, 3.4 rebounds, 3 assists, the steals 1.3.
01:33:15.760 --> 01:33:24.239
He shot the ball very well, shot 46% from the field, 40% from 3 on 8.1 attempts.
01:33:24.239 --> 01:33:29.920
And he also shot 90% from the free throw line.
01:33:29.920 --> 01:33:32.960
True shooting percentage was 61%.
01:33:32.960 --> 01:33:36.159
This dude had a stellar year.
01:33:36.159 --> 01:33:38.159
A stellar year.
01:33:38.159 --> 01:33:41.279
He was coming off the bench in Minnesota.
01:33:41.279 --> 01:33:44.319
They were starting Dante D.
01:33:44.319 --> 01:33:46.000
Vincenzo over him.
01:33:46.000 --> 01:33:47.600
No shade.
01:33:47.600 --> 01:33:49.199
No shade whatsoever.
01:33:49.199 --> 01:33:51.119
It's kind of like one of those things.
01:33:51.119 --> 01:33:57.520
The last time I saw this, um, do you guys remember Jermaine O'Neal?
01:33:57.520 --> 01:34:02.159
Now, Jermaine O'Neill was a little bit different situation in Portland.
01:34:02.159 --> 01:34:04.880
Okay, we going in the way back machine.
01:34:04.880 --> 01:34:09.520
So for all my kids out there, start YouTube and Jermaine O'Neal.
01:34:09.520 --> 01:34:12.720
So he starts his career off in Portland.
01:34:12.720 --> 01:34:17.199
He can't get any burn because he got a bunch of people in front of him.
01:34:17.199 --> 01:34:19.359
He's a big, okay.
01:34:19.359 --> 01:34:22.880
They trade him to Indiana.
01:34:22.880 --> 01:34:33.439
He blows up, dude, averaging like 20-something points a game, almost 10 rebounds, the whole dime, and then it goes from there.
01:34:33.439 --> 01:34:36.880
And the kill Alexander Walker just reminds me of that.
01:34:36.880 --> 01:34:54.079
Here's a guy who was coming off the bench, being pretty productive, also played hella defense for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the plus 11.4 points a game, we did not see none of this coming.
01:34:54.079 --> 01:34:58.239
Most include player, you right, for sure.
01:34:58.239 --> 01:35:04.640
This dude shot 8.13 a game at 40%.
01:35:04.640 --> 01:35:11.920
This is one of those things where you sit there and you go, You gotta cultivate it.
01:35:11.920 --> 01:35:13.359
You gotta cultivate it.
01:35:13.359 --> 01:35:23.039
One of one of the scouts says that uh the shooting is real, he moves well without the ball, he doesn't need many dribbles.
01:35:23.039 --> 01:35:31.920
Uh what I watch is whether the threes can stay near 40% when the defense starts running him off the line.
01:35:31.920 --> 01:35:39.600
I don't I listen, I think you got enough dudes that can get into the paint and what have you.
01:35:39.600 --> 01:35:47.920
I think Nikhil Alexander Walker going from 9.4 points a game to 20.8 is a freaking miracle.
01:35:47.920 --> 01:35:57.520
Not because the game I didn't believe in the game, it's just one of those things, it's just one of those crazy anomalies that pop up and you go, What the hell happened?
01:35:57.520 --> 01:35:59.439
What is he doing?
01:35:59.439 --> 01:36:02.560
Oh shit, that's crazy.
01:36:02.560 --> 01:36:04.720
And it was it was crazy.
01:36:04.720 --> 01:36:08.720
Now, what else do they have?
01:36:08.720 --> 01:36:12.239
Dyson Daniels, who's a defensive crazy man.
01:36:12.239 --> 01:36:14.880
They also picked up Lou Dort.
01:36:14.880 --> 01:36:17.520
Are you scoring on this team at all?
01:36:17.520 --> 01:36:24.479
You you got Nikhil Alexander Walker, Lou Dort, and you got Dyson Daniels on the squad.
01:36:24.479 --> 01:36:30.079
Dyson Daniels gets out of bed and has two steals.
01:36:30.079 --> 01:36:31.279
Okay?
01:36:31.279 --> 01:36:41.840
Now you can say what you want about Lou Dort that maybe starting, you know, like OKC pull the plug at like the exact right moment or whatever.
01:36:41.840 --> 01:36:49.039
But if Lou Dort is, I don't know if he's gonna start, I don't know if he's coming off the bench, I don't know what they're gonna do with him.
01:36:49.039 --> 01:37:05.199
But I know this, there are gonna be some situations where Nikhil Alexander Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Lou Dort are gonna be on the court at the same exact time.
01:37:05.199 --> 01:37:13.119
And I'm gonna say to all the wings and the guards out there, good freaking luck dealing with that.
01:37:13.119 --> 01:37:15.680
Good luck.
01:37:15.680 --> 01:37:18.880
Have fun playing Atlanta.
01:37:18.880 --> 01:37:33.039
Oh, by the way, you no longer can road teams go to Atlanta, go to Magic City, and then the next night play the Hawks.
01:37:33.039 --> 01:37:35.199
You can't do that anymore.
01:37:35.199 --> 01:37:38.720
Cause you will have your lunch stolen.
01:37:38.720 --> 01:37:44.640
Okay, by all of these dudes that are on this team.
01:37:44.640 --> 01:38:00.880
And then they got the steadying influence of CJ McCullum, who played 76 games across two teams last year, had 19 points a game, almost four assists a game.
01:38:00.880 --> 01:38:05.439
Like CJ McCullum found his role, boy.
01:38:05.439 --> 01:38:06.720
I tell you.
01:38:06.720 --> 01:38:10.800
It's gonna be great.
01:38:10.800 --> 01:38:11.760
Love it.
01:38:11.760 --> 01:38:13.359
Love all of it.
01:38:13.359 --> 01:38:23.600
Now Atlanta made a shrewd trade last year.
01:38:23.600 --> 01:38:27.119
They somehow fleeced New Orleans.
01:38:27.119 --> 01:38:32.960
It ended up with the eighth overall pick, which turns out to be Kingston Flemings out of Houston.
01:38:32.960 --> 01:38:35.119
He's 19 years of age.
01:38:35.119 --> 01:38:43.199
He put up buckets in Houston, 6.4 points a game, almost four rebounds, five and a half assists.
01:38:43.199 --> 01:38:46.640
Oh, he's also a steel merchant at 1.6.
01:38:46.640 --> 01:38:54.319
So and he shoots a three-ball at about 40%, and he shot 48% from the field.
01:38:54.319 --> 01:39:00.560
He's not very big, he's six foot two and a half, he doesn't have a long work wingspan.
01:39:00.560 --> 01:39:06.319
But if you know anything about guards playing in Houston, guess what you have to do?
01:39:06.319 --> 01:39:18.960
You have to pick up full court, you gotta get a bunch of deflections, and your chest needs to be in the middle of the player that you are defending.
01:39:18.960 --> 01:39:23.680
This is like young De'Aaron Fox.
01:39:23.680 --> 01:39:35.760
And when I say young De'Ren Fox, I'm talking about the Kentucky year and the first couple years when he was in Sacramento, when he was D'ing fools up left and right.
01:39:35.760 --> 01:39:40.479
I love this kid.
01:39:40.479 --> 01:39:45.279
They didn't stop there, they got Zubi uh Ojafor from St.
01:39:45.279 --> 01:39:46.319
John's.
01:39:46.319 --> 01:39:56.560
Uh he's a six, he's a six foot seven and a half wing with a seven uh seven point seven foot two inch wingspan.
01:39:56.560 --> 01:40:04.159
He's one of those connector type dudes, another defender, loves to rebound, all those type of things.
01:40:04.159 --> 01:40:08.479
Now, are the threes real?
01:40:08.479 --> 01:40:09.920
I don't know.
01:40:09.920 --> 01:40:12.000
I don't know.
01:40:12.000 --> 01:40:19.520
But here's another guy who plays defense.
01:40:19.520 --> 01:40:22.800
Now I feel bad about uh Henry Vasort.
01:40:22.800 --> 01:40:45.760
He was uh gonna be the stretch big that a lot of people wanted uh Atlanta to have, but he tore his uh right ACL on September 15th during a workout, so uh my man is not gonna be playing this year, but I'm gonna tell you right now, it is bright in Atlanta.
01:40:45.760 --> 01:40:49.279
The ATL is gonna be popping for show.
01:40:49.279 --> 01:41:01.600
Okay, if Flemings is who I think he is, now I don't know if it'll it'll bear fruit this year to the point where he takes over that role.
01:41:01.600 --> 01:41:08.800
But I'm gonna tell you right now, things are looking on the up up for the Atlanta Hawks.
01:41:08.800 --> 01:41:12.159
I love this team, I love what they've been able to do.
01:41:12.159 --> 01:41:17.199
I think that um a congu is a smallish center.
01:41:17.199 --> 01:41:31.920
I think if they had a little bit bigger dude, I would be even more bullish on the Atlanta Hawks, but they have enough uh perimeter defense to keep him clean.
01:41:31.920 --> 01:41:43.520
Cause here's the thing 15.2 points a game, he blocks a shot, he gets a steal every single game, he just doesn't rebound the basketball the the way I would like.
01:41:43.520 --> 01:41:48.000
You know, I wish they had just a little bit more there.
01:41:48.000 --> 01:41:52.720
But their perimeter defense is absolutely wild.
01:41:52.720 --> 01:42:01.439
Now, they are supposed to they're uh 43 their numbers 43 and a half.
01:42:01.439 --> 01:42:05.920
Do they get a whole year out of out of Jalen Johnson?
01:42:05.920 --> 01:42:16.960
Is the is the Nikhil Alexander Walker career year now what we expect every single year?
01:42:16.960 --> 01:42:22.079
Can we get another season of CJ McCollum playing out of his freaking mind?
01:42:22.079 --> 01:42:31.279
And does Fleming step up and earn minutes as a legitimate like floor leader for the Atlanta Hawks?
01:42:31.279 --> 01:42:34.800
If all those things hit, they're gonna go way over their number.
01:42:34.800 --> 01:42:36.880
Way over their number.
01:42:36.880 --> 01:42:43.840
Now why why they don't hit their number is this Does Jalen Johnson play enough games?
01:42:43.840 --> 01:42:50.479
Is Dyson Daniels gonna play enough games?
01:42:50.479 --> 01:42:54.159
Um It's gonna be injury.
01:42:54.159 --> 01:43:01.359
You can say that for every team, but for this team, it's the sum of their parts that make them special.
01:43:01.359 --> 01:43:04.159
I believe that.
01:43:04.159 --> 01:43:06.319
You know?
01:43:06.319 --> 01:43:11.439
Now, is there gonna be regression off the three-point shot from Alexander Walker?
01:43:11.439 --> 01:43:18.319
Cause that 39.9% he shot last year was his career high.
01:43:18.319 --> 01:43:26.560
You're in a really competitive division in a real competitive Eastern conference now.
01:43:26.560 --> 01:43:38.880
So there's a lot of things that can hold you down from hitting that number, but they they're just they're stacked.
01:43:38.880 --> 01:43:45.840
And if they can get what they can get out of it, I I I love their chances.
01:43:45.840 --> 01:43:47.920
I love their chances.
01:43:47.920 --> 01:43:51.920
Now, do I think they're going over their 43 and a half?
01:43:51.920 --> 01:43:53.439
Yeah, for sure.
01:43:53.439 --> 01:43:54.560
I do.
01:43:54.560 --> 01:43:56.239
I believe in this team.
01:43:56.239 --> 01:44:01.520
I think that they will battle the Miami Heat for the division title.
01:44:01.520 --> 01:44:28.880
Um, they will also it whoever wins their division is also gonna, I mean, this is seems stupid for me to say this now, but it's gonna be key because I think that the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Rap Atlanta Hawks are going to be basically in that 4-5 range, and whoever wins the division is gonna host that playoff series.
01:44:28.880 --> 01:44:38.880
And I, by a slight margin, slight, slight margin, I think Atlanta gets him.
01:44:38.880 --> 01:44:41.199
I think Atlanta gets him.
01:44:41.199 --> 01:44:48.239
I don't think they can go 50 and 32, but I think they can go 49 and 33.
01:44:48.239 --> 01:44:51.439
I think they're gonna go over their win total.
01:44:51.439 --> 01:44:57.199
I think this this team is uh only going to get better.
01:44:57.199 --> 01:45:07.840
I think, you know, another year of Jalen Johnson being able to run that situation, and again, defense is everywhere on that team.
01:45:07.840 --> 01:45:09.359
Everywhere.
01:45:09.359 --> 01:45:15.760
So even if they don't shoot it well enough, they're not gonna allow you to shoot it well enough.
01:45:15.760 --> 01:45:18.000
So there's that.
01:45:18.000 --> 01:45:29.199
Oh man, we gotta talk about some other stuff, but the thing that we need to go ahead and do is uh let y'all know two things.
01:45:29.199 --> 01:45:33.279
I gotta give a shout out to to all you guys.
01:45:33.279 --> 01:45:38.399
Love y'all, y'all getting really um honey down on social media for us.
01:45:38.399 --> 01:45:42.800
We appreciate you so much for that.
01:45:42.800 --> 01:45:45.840
It is awesome what you guys are doing for us.
01:45:45.840 --> 01:45:46.960
We appreciate it.
01:45:46.960 --> 01:45:49.520
So keep it coming, keep it going.
01:45:49.520 --> 01:45:53.680
We gotta keep this thing going.
01:45:53.680 --> 01:45:59.840
So you know the skill.
01:45:59.840 --> 01:46:03.199
FRPC is your squad.
01:46:03.199 --> 01:46:11.439
Do us one favor, share this episode with the one person in your group chat that needs it to hear it, you know what I'm saying?
01:46:11.439 --> 01:46:34.079
Follow us on X, Instagram, all the places, front runner at frontrunner PC on X, at FRPC events on Instagram, uh, also FRPC Vince on the YouTube channel, and also on TikTok.
01:46:34.079 --> 01:46:35.680
Tickety talks.
01:46:35.680 --> 01:46:40.079
We got the ticket talks, and we got the all everything going.
01:46:40.079 --> 01:46:43.279
So those are the socials.
01:46:43.279 --> 01:46:53.600
Now, the last thing we say here is the best part of you is still you, not your win-loss record, not your timeline, not your algorithm.
01:46:53.600 --> 01:46:54.720
Just you.
01:46:54.720 --> 01:46:58.640
You are enough all by your damn self.
01:46:58.640 --> 01:47:06.479
Surround yourself with people who actually give you light and don't and don't try to lead you into the darkness.
01:47:06.479 --> 01:47:14.079
The ones who bring you insight and the joy and real accountability, those are your max deal.
01:47:14.079 --> 01:47:22.640
Appreciate them out loud and do not wait for a later date that nobody has promised you.
01:47:22.640 --> 01:47:28.640
I am a big believer on appreciating people the moment, in the moment.
01:47:28.640 --> 01:47:35.279
Lost my mother a couple years ago, and it was one of the rattling cries of her death.
01:47:35.279 --> 01:47:39.199
Was like, not that she said anything, which is something that hit me.
01:47:39.199 --> 01:47:46.319
When you see something that you appreciate or somebody does something for you, show love right right then and there.
01:47:46.319 --> 01:47:50.800
Now we're your hoop family here at Front Runner Podcast Collective.
01:47:50.800 --> 01:47:52.239
We're gonna be loud.
01:47:52.239 --> 01:47:58.000
We're probably gonna get some things wrong from time to time, but we're gonna come back and we're gonna own it.
01:47:58.000 --> 01:48:06.800
And we will always respect your brain because anybody can yell a take, but very few can actually defend a thought.
01:48:06.800 --> 01:48:21.840
Until next episode, keep your mind sharp, your heart open, your circle tight, and protect your peace like cap space, and never waste it on bad basketball or bad energy.
01:48:21.840 --> 01:48:25.359
I'm Vince, this is FRPC, and we are out.
01:48:25.359 --> 01:48:26.079
Deuces.