Bottom Half Breakdown

able to play basketball games. Did he really just turn down that much money and then go back to the team that he turned down for the veteran minimum? Did that really happen? That is sad. They're probably looking at him visa departments like, hey, you turned down four years for eighty seven million dollars. You're an idiot. You can't come in here. You gotta stay in Germany, sir. I'm sorry. You know what's up with the Lakers. They don't have

enough shooters. They're old bunch of point guard issues point guard in Russell Westbrook who probably doesn't really mesh with the system, and they're actively looking to trade him, even though they're telling the world that they're not looking to trade him because Darvinham loves him. But we're not really sure what the truth is. And we're not really sure whether Russell Westbrook can adapt because he never has. He's never had two am I high on them. Absolutely not.

You add in Anthony data Davis into the mix, who's now gonna be taking on the number one role as scorer, and Lebron James actively looking to get his ass into ownership mode. This team, this team is a play in team. At the best case scenario, they might not even make that. They might not even make that Atlanta big question with them, John Collins de Jontay Murray. Murray comes over in the trade with the Spurs. How do he and Trey Young work together? Is Trey Young coming off a ball? Is

he gonna move around like Steph Curry? Because that could be interesting. Trey Young loves to have a ball in his hand. What's gonna happen with de Jontay Murray if Trey Young does? What's up with John Collins? Does he want to be there? This is like giving me big big DeAndre eight and slash Myles Turner vibes. Like John Collins has been shopped for three years now. People have been saying I was in my first year at Barstool Sports the first time I ever heard of John Collins

trade rumor. That's insane, Like I am many years out of that John Collins. Does he want to be there? I don't know which version of him will we see. Are we gonna see the version of him in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty when he averaged like twenty two points a game or last year when he was like David Blaine. Are they gonna be balanced offensively and defensively? Because defensively last year they were in nightmare. I really like my guy DeAndre Hunter, but he doesn't seem to stay healthy.

He's the only defensive wing player that they really have. What's gonna happen with Kaevon Herdery being gone? Now, who's gonna be that like last minute bucket getter, you know, sort of tweet or two to three guy outside of Dejonte and Trey. Trey Young took a big step last year. He was on a milk carton in the playoffs. He literally was an under machine in terms of his player pop. If he could be used like Steph Curry, I think that makes things interesting. But this is a team that

again gives me play in vibes. We move on to my team, Tisk tisk, the Portland Trailblazers. Gotta be careful what I say here because uh, a lot of people from Portland still listen to this pod and they get mad if I say anything too slanderous because I'm a fan, and they say I'm too much of a fan. The question is defense. This has been a historically bad defensive team for the last four years now. I think that

one good year in and three historically bad years. They were thirtieth in the league out of thirtieth in a year that had the worst defensive rating in history, So they were historically the worst defensive team in the league. Ever, So, how does Jeremy Grant and a serial little help that I don't know? Can Josh Hart help the defense? And his grittiness and his intensity? These are all very legit questions. I just just saw last night they got their doors

blown off by Sacramento. Sacramento, and I know that it's the preseason, but that offense it looks discombobulated. It looks like it looks like Scott Brooks is running it. Oh wait, check's notes, he is running it. He is maybe one of the worst offensive minds, and we kind of give him credit. And I hate to say it, because he's a very nice man. We kind of give him too much credit because he had he had Russell Westbrook in his prime, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Like, who couldn't make

that work? Besides Steve Nash, that's the only one who couldn't. I mean, it is just like gonna be bad. It feels like Portland has a lot of work to do. This team is a ways away from me. I'm very intrigued, of course, by Shaden Sharp. Shaden Sharp is a bucket. Shaden Sharp can get any shot he wants. Shaden Sharp is six six with a seven feet wingspan, can block, he can shoot, he can get to the rim, he can steal the ball. He is buttersmooth like. He could

be the guy. He could be the franchise guy. There are people texting me right now saying we are ready. This is not even the full season yet. Hey, uh, you guys might need to move on from Dame. What sir, it's the preseason. But there's hope. Hopefully Dame will be healthy, Hopefully Anthony Simons will still be good. I don't know who's gonna be when he's with Dame and Jeremy Grant is here and Nurkic is getting paid and Clutch got him a nice new contract, so he should be feeling good.

He needs to stop being a European bitch. Said it. Sometimes sometimes he can be a little too soft. I know it's so bad. People are already saying Chauncey Billets might need to step down. That's kind of where we're at. I'm not there. I don't believe that. I still hope, hold out hope because this team couldn't even lose games on purpose at points. Last year, those young guys were so fun. But this team is not making the play in tournament. To me, they're a thirty win team. Unfortunately.

I hope to be wrong. Big question in Chicago is can this team play any defense? They have and have been one of the worst defensive teams for much of the season outside of Portland. They have to stay healthy. The season's already looking like a dumpster fire. Lonzo Ball nowhere near playing basketball, Kobe White, who knows what he is. It's a huge loss for a team that lacks depth. Can not see that this season being better than the last season when they made the sixth seed in the playoffs.

They will have Pat Williams for the entire year, so that's good. On the other hand, uh, he's currently being benched for Javonte Green, So everything that you thought that he was with the fourth overall pick, we're not actually sure. Keep in mind, this guy actually volunteered for Leonard Hamilton to come off the bench when he was in college. They did win a bunch of games, but that's not exactly the kind of like dog mentality that you think of from an alpha like number two, number three score.

He's a nice guy, maybe a little too nice. Damar is still gonna get buckets, but he's not gonna shock anyone. Alex Crusoe has to be healthy. He missed a ton of time last year. Are they gonna be better than sixth place? No, I don't think so. They had a bunch of time with Lonzo Ball last year and he bawled out. So no, no, I think that this is another team that could take a huge step back. Sorry to say, wow, no one looking better in preseason than

the New York Knicks. What hardly surprising, though, because this is like This is like Tibbs is Super Bowl. It's like when everyone else is not trying, I am going to try and we're gonna look amazing. Like he has him running wind sprints from August, hopefully for his sake to in his mind to June. But by December, January, February, like the windsprint energy is starting to wane and questions remain.

What will Julius Randall look like this season? Is he the most improved type player that we saw two years ago or is it the same version that we saw of him last year where he was just clearly wanting to play point guard but just so inept at that just dribble, dribble, dribble, step back brick at the end of a shot clock. They had no one to get a bucket, and now they do. Now they got Jalen Brunson, and Jalen Brunson is gonna be initiator now, So how

does Julius Randall fit in with that? Is he a guy that you just gonna be able to dump the ball down low to and he's just gonna play bully ball. He likes to play on the perimeter. Now, I don't know how that's gonna work. I don't know. And he's always been the best with the ball in his hands. Is he gonna be a spot up shooter on the wing? I'm very curious about this. Obi Toppen though, looks amazing.

Obi Toppin might just take Julius Randold's job now. He was electric, He played off the bench, had twenty twenty something points, had steals, had blocks, had four threes, had a Tomahawk looking dunk that made every highlight reel on Twitter and on Instagram and on TikTok. So that should be something that you should be excited about. Emmanuel quickly looked good. All the young kids look good. Will Tibbs play them? That's the main question. Will he played them?

And the biggest question also too is what role will Evan for play. They paid a lot of money to him. What is his best role on the bench or on another team? I think so we're starting to get to the bottom of the glass. Teams hoping to make the play in Sacramento, Washington, Charlotte, Detroit, Indiana, a lot of gross teams. Obviously, I like Sacramento. I said this last podcast, I think they're gonna break through. They smacked the shit out of the Blazers with Damian Lillard, they played a

bunch of team defense. They moved the ball like crazy. Someone called it basketball porn, and that was against US Keegan Murray looking like a Rookie of the Year. Mike Brown has got them at least somewhat interested in defense right now. I like that. I like the Sabonis deeron Fox Keegan Murray connection. This team's gonna be able to score a lot of points. I think they put up one hundred and thirty or something on Portland, and then you've got Davon and you've got Kavon Herder and you've

got Malik Monk. They have some very very fun guys that may come off the bench. For them to succeed, they just need to play defense. Really, they need to play good team defense, and they need to do it night in night out and be consistent. This is a team that can go on runs. We've seen that pretty much year after year where they are sitting there right around the eight seed and then all of a sudden they go on a ten game losing streak. That can't happen.

Can they take a step forward like the Pelicans? They sure can will they We're gonna see Charlotte Hornets. They are a dumpster fire of a team. I don't know. Do I like Steve Clifford, I don't know. I don't think so. I don't think so. People say nice things about them, I know that. Are they founded in evidence or facts? You know how it is. It's a nepotitic business. People say nice things about just human beings that might be nice, but not be very good at their job.

The Hornets need to be able to protect the rim. I don't know how they're going to be able to do that. They have Mark Williams now, but he's a rookie. Now you've got, you know, Miles Plumbly as the backup. He's not doing much Miles Bridges whereas he maybe heading for jail. I don't know. How do you replace his twenty points per game? Probably going to be hard. Lamello and Jello together, very fun story. He made Jello finally

made LaVar Ball's prophecy come true. All three of his kids in the NBA, none at the same time because Lonzo is still not playing. But you know, can't have it all. Can't have it all. Who are they replacing as top ten in the East, probably none, probably no one. Honestly, getting Hayward off the books is going to be very important.

Bringing someone in with some defensive intensity is going to be very important as well, to make sure that they don't lose like one for four games, because that's what it was last year, a ton one thirty eight, one thirty seven, Charlotte loses in overtime. But you still have LaMelo Ball, you still have PJ. Washington. So you're a fun young team. Probably not going anywhere anytime soon. Sorry

to say. When you hear the words Washington Wizards, don't you just immediately repulse, Like, don't you immediately just go? I live here and I don't like this team. There's nothing fun about this team whatsoever. Bradley Beal, he's a bucket getter, but it's just him out on an island all by himself. There is no one there. He tried to pedal to us that him and Porzingis are gonna be some sort of like magical duo. Never played with Porzingis before, We've never shared the floor together. Who knows

what that could be? Me and Monte Morris, what the fuck are you talking about? This team sucks? Not only do they suck, they don't even suck like the Pacers suck. Where it's fun. Like there's nobody on this team. I am excited about. Who else do they get Will the Thrill Barton like Portland got rid of him, and Portland doesn't get rid of anyone good because they can't get anyone good. So is Delon Wright, Monte Morris, Will Barton, Ruey Hachi Mura, poor zingis ugh good luck? Bradley beill

enjoy all that money? Oh yeah, Johnny Davis ough Maker maker, No, sir, no sir. I hate to be so negative, but it's the truth. Detroit Pistons, Man, they're fun. They are still getting better, but they are ways away, ways away. Jade and Ivy. In order for them to compete, he needs to get better at decision making. He needs to get better at a lot of things. Caid Cunningham with Jade and Ivy. If Ivy was to develop the way that Caid did late in the season, they could be fun together.

They could be really scary together. Jalen Duran he needs to be a dynamic player like he was in the NCAA tournament for Memphis. It feels like this team's like a year or two away. I really like Sadik Bay as well. I don't think that they're a playing team. I don't think they're a playoff team. I do feel like they will be one of those league past teams that you go out and watch and they always cover the spread because it spread's always nine and a half,

and like they just always lose by seven. And I think for Jade and Ivy, he needs to mature, and that's really it. He's a young kid. He's so explosive, he's an elite finisher. His decision making as a whole just needs to improve. His mid range shooting needs to improve. He needs to add this level of poise that you have seen from you real floor generals like say Jalen Brunson or Tias Jones. He needs to figure out when to go full speed and when to slow down. Even

John Moran needs to learn that. And he's a kid who could win an MVP, So like, being out of control is his biggest downfall and he needs to be able to fix that in order for them to be able to win games. Indiana Pacers, they know, they know what time it is. They're not winning and they're not winning anything this year. They're not winning like many games. They're not going to the playoffs, but they are fun. Ben Mathern, what a great pickup. He's gonna be a star.

He is so good. He can do everything. He's big, He's the kind of guy everyone wants. Six five six six long wingspin can get his hands and arms into the passing lanes, can shoot, can dribble, can just be intense. Has that dog in him to be able to hit crucial shots down the stretch when he's down. When he was at Arizona and they I remember watching them versus Illinois, and man, every time they went down he pulled them out the out of the bottom and got him back up.

Miles Turner is probably gonna get moved. Let's be honest. He's been on the chopping block for a while now, and let's be real, the team doesn't like him very much. How is he gonna look with him and Tyrese Haliburton. Maybe it looks good, maybe he turns into a better player, But it feels like they're gonna move him. They really do. I does really feel like they're gonna move him. I think for them to compete, they need to get DeAndre Ayton.

DeAndre Ayton is available in January. He wanted to go there. He was open to go to Indiana. Just go and get him Hill a good in yellow trade Myles Turner there to Phoenix and let them deal with him on their own. The final teams of groups who are in the greatest game in thirty years, which is tanking for Victor Wuanbiyama, brickin for Vican San Antonio, Orlando. OK, see Utah in Houston. Yeah, we talked about tanking working. It works. The lottery system has made it tougher, but it works.

You know, Shack was number one, but let's face it, the team that got Alonzo morning, they were pretty happy too. So that's what's gonna happen with Scoot in Victor Wanbiyama as well. As long as Victor's on the board, I don't think there's any path out of there. And I think Utah and Santa and Antonio are fully fully invested in tank mode. Let's talk about just these teams. Orlando is gonna be very fun to watch from I would say game one through Game twenty five until they are

no longer in any way relevant. Palo's gonna be a highlight machine, but Suggs is already banged up. Franz Wagner's very fun to watch, but that's pretty much it. Other than hoping Mark el Foltz can be healthy. I'm not sure that there's much to watch, Like maybe Mobamba just to see if we can play that song again, but not a team that is going anywhere or going to compete. They're a team to fade. Rocket's always a good team

to keep things close always. Jalen Green's gonna try. He's gonna put up like thirty five points a night, mostly on threes. You're gonna have KPJ who's a bucket, gonna be a highlight machine as well. Alprin Shengon's gonna continue to improve. You've got the emergence of Jabari Smith, the rookie there. He's gonna be a nice addition and a replacement for Chrish Would and Tari Easton. I think is a sleeper. He's a very like young player who should

be able to make an impact right away. Josh Christopher also very good, very bouncy, but they are also a tanking team. This team is winning twenty games, twenty five games. Max San Antonio fifteen win team purposefully. They play very fast though they are gonna be a very unusual team for Greg Popovich to manage, but it seems to be working. You're gonna have Josh Primo there, He's a fun young player from Alabama that is kind of snuck up on everyone.

You have my guy, Malachi Branham and Jeremy Sohan, You've got Blake Wesley. All those guys are very brand new, you know, rookies or second year players. And then you throw that on top of Keldon Johnson who played in the Olympics, you know, Devin Vassel. You know, are really fun. I don't win many games, but they are gonna be fun to watch, especially just for the individual player play, not for the team player play. And they even have

Josh Richardson for some unknown reason, not sure why. Only Okay See has in this group has any real hope of getting out, and that really depends on if they want to, if they want to be a team to compete, or whether they are committed to tanking. Still, Josh, Giddy and Shay and Dort they are improving in terms of

their jump shots, all three of them. They've hired the shot doctor that we've talked about, and you know Presty, We'll see how committed he is to continuing to try to continue to I don't know, accumulate first round pick after first round pick. The last question that folks Unlocked on asked me was who was the one player that I wanted to watch and this year my answer was the birthday boy himself, Josh Giddy. He dazzled last year. He got hurt due to tanking. But I think he's

a star. He's going to be very fun. Let's throw some other names in there that we didn't talk about last week. I like Paolo Benkaro. I think he's going to be surprising a lot of people in just in terms of how big, how dominant, how good of a passer he is. He's gonna be really fun. Tarry Eason will be fun. I can't wait to watch him. We've

got a whole list. We'll coming out next week with the top ten players to watch list, but those are my first off, top off the top of my mind, players that you're gonna want to see night in, night out. That's all the time though that we have for the heat check. Hope that there was enough curse words and hose in there. We'll be back Thursday with a new episode. Check out the feed for past episodes. We're also, I believe, going to try to drop a more bonus episode on

Draymond Green and all that stuff with Jordan Poole. We'll see if I have time for it. Check out those locked on podcasts they just dropped today, all the way through the seventeenth. I'm gonna be appearing on them all this week. Not sure how that format will look, very curious. Do not forget to download, Please subscribe, Please tell all your friends, every single damn one of them, and follow us on social at at this heat check and at

Trista Criek on TikTok. Take that Delo and Casey take fucking debt uh,