Let's go through though the next tier of teams that are one.
Level below quote obvious Vegas contender, teams that are like Stella trying to get their groovebacks, Teams that have gone to the finals recently and are trying to find their way back there. Phoenix, Miami, Denver went to the Western Conference finals, Philly went to the Eastern Conference. Semis and Dallas who made their way to the Western Conference finals last year.
Let's talk about them, Miami, Miami. It's an ugly, ugly path for them. It is always gross.
It never looks like they're gonna be able to do it, and then they do somehow someway. Jimmy Butler makes life hard, even when he's making your forty two points per game. It's like, man, it looked hard for you. They've been in the mix though too. Out of the last three years, right, they've always adding guy. They're always adding guys you've never heard of. They get them undrafted, they come out of nowhere. They fill roles that you did not expect. So, for example,
they get rid of PJ. Tucker, Right, so who's going to replace PJ.
Tucker?
They get this kid, Darius Days at LSU Darius day days.
Is who is his player? Cop, Well, just ask him. He says it's PJ. Tucker.
So it's not a shocker that they replace PJ. Tucker with a younger, up and coming PJ Tucker. Jerry West, one of his favorite young players, didn't get drafted. If Kyle Lowry is backed to being available, he missed a lot of time for personal issues, and I'm not even sure what those issues are. Then he missed time due to health. So if he's healthy and engage and those personal issues are cleaned up, and he's playing seventy five games, let's just be more realistic. Sixty five seventy games, they
could be a problem for a lot of teams. Are they good enough to be a healthy Becks team? No?
Does it matter?
They might not even face him, So just play your best basketball, Miami and we'll see. Though, to be able to truly get there, to truly be able to compete for a title, I think Bam out of Baio needs to be that guy. He needs to be so dominant. He needs to make life hard on whoever is guarding him. He needs to bam and not lay up. He needs to hit his free throws. He needs to be a problem night in and night out. So many times he goes David Copperfield and just all of a sudden, you
don't know where bam about Adebayo is. Is he even on the floor. Oh yeah, he's got four points in thirty eight minutes. That's unacceptable. So two years now, by the way, we've had role players not show up for their teams. You had Kevin Durant and the nets, and you had Jimmy Butler in the heat. They were just putting the team on their back so much that when it came down the closing time, closing time, they were so exhausted that they couldn't hit the final shot in order to seal it out.
So role players gotta show up moving forward.
Denver Nuggets, man, it's easy to forget how good the Denver Nuggets were, the bubble Denver Nuggets, unstoppable, just the kids, the comeback cardiac kids. They played the Warriors close and it was just just checks notes, Doc Rivers's son off the couch and Jokic and Rookie Bowlan's Highland and it was a sweat for the Warriors.
It looked like his see a five game. Oh Gentlemen sweep.
No. I watched every single one of those games. It came down to the wire, down to the wire. When Doc Rivers's son is your second option and you win any games against the team that ended up winning it all, like that's a wow. You add back in Jamal Murray, who's a bucket. You add back in hopefully Michael Porter Junior from injury, which, like, by the way, this has been a concern since he was drafted from Missouri.
That's why he slipped in the draft because he had back issues.
So if he's healthy and back to being the one of the best three point shooters in the league, but one of the best two way wings in the league, then oh boy.
Then you add in.
Ksep who's a very good versatile defender. You add in Bruce Brown, who again can do a lot of things. He was a rebound king. He was a nice little small ball five for the Brooklyn Nets, and before Joe Harris just went into a milk carton, they were gonna beat the Bucks. Everyone's gotta stay healthy, man. I think that they can really make some noise. If Jamal Murray is himself and MPJ is himself.
Phoenix Suns. You move forward and say, how could Phoenix really compete?
How tell me how are they going to get back to being an actual team team, a team that likes each other and is around each other and has chemistry and can overcome adversity when things get bright. We have seen them when they do like each other and they
get derailed. I think that they are gonna have a real hard time getting over that drama of the offseason, the issues with DeAndre Ayton, the issues with you know, COVID, let's be honest, ravaging their team, the issues with Monty Williams not speaking to DeAndre Ayton for the entire offseason, which is fucking weird, and DeAndre Ayton not reaching out.
To him, which is fucking weird.
Him wanting to go to Indiana and still being in Phoenix because they have no other options. Robert Sarver being forced to sell a team. You know the whole thing, you know the whole list.
How are they gonna get back to the finals? They are not, They are not. What needs to happen.
Well, DeAndre Ayton has to be happy otherwise it's the Bismack Biambo show. And I tell you what I've seen a lot of Bismack Biaombo when he played for Charlotte. I saw him in Phoenix as well. I don't know that you want him being your starting five.
I just don't think so.
Booker gotta be an MVP and this team might just might go to the second round. Philadelphia very intriguing team. So to contend, they kind of need to be like.
Jedis.
Embiid and Harden have to know what each other is thinking at all times. They need to be able to look into each other's eyes and know who wants.
The rock where they want it. How much?
How do you feed Embiid first? How do you feed Embiid and not castraight James Harden? That's the question because when James is aggressive, he's not looking for anyone else, and when he's a distributor, he's not nearly.
As aggressive with his shot.
Can we see the Houston Rockets version of Harden mixed with early nets Harden. That would be an absolute problem. Are they going to be good in the post? Are they going to be able to rebound? They were one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA last year. Doc Rivers, Who's a liar, said on Woja's podcast that they look very good right now in practice. I also saw some footage where they said that he said they didn't look good, but that was a week ago, so
I don't know. They both need to be in shape, they both need to be healthy. They're usually neither, both of them.
So we'll see, we will see.
I am intrigued. Let's just say that I love Tyree s Maxey. He's the most likable player on this team. I think when you add nobody's really talking about it that much. After the signing PJ. Tucker as a whole new element, they said after they lost to the Heat, they need some dogs, and they found one.
PJ. Tucker is that guy. He absolutely is that guy.
You added Daniel House Junior, which I'm not sure why they picked him up other than the fact that he can literally.
Game up any woman in any setting. Remember he.
Got kicked out of the Bubble for bringing down the COVID tester. He took her to his room later later right down. So maybe he's like James Harten's wingman. I don't know why he's on the team, but it's not to be a dog, it's to be something else, all right, Let's move forward Dallas. In order for Dallas to contend, what do they need to do? They need to acquire someone. Let's be honest, they need to figure out another backcourt teammate with Luca.
This is a no brainer. Nobody is in more dire need of someone.
To acquire than Luca. He needs a backcourt mate. Losing Jalen Brunson was a.
Really big deal.
They were fifteenth in offense last year, fifteenth, and then they lose the guy who can put up buckets at any moment with Luca. He was a very key piece. When Luca was out against the Jazz, he put up forty one. Do you trust anyone else on that team to put up forty one if Luca's not in.
There, No, you don't. Who can they get?
Maybe Mike Conley. They can give you twenty five minutes. He can give you some shots. A little lefty, he's got a three point game. He's not gonna be a starter or anything. He's not gonna Maybe he starts, but he doesn't play huge minutes. Even for twenty two minutes a game, he's gonna help. I don't trust in Woodie. I said that Javal McGee, Christian wood They need to be better. They need to be an absolute bucket. Christian Wood needs to hit threes. He needs to be completely engaged.
We can't have any more of those those reputational things and question marks that Christian Wood has had before.
Are they true? Are they not true? I don't know, but I know that they're out there, so they need to figure that out.
Also, Jayden Hardy, If Jayden Hardy becomes like Aunt Edwards mid season, then yeah they can go beat But that's you know, obviously a big if deeper teams are coming and they do not care if Luca puts forty five up on them at all. This is a potentially a play and team borring a trade.
Yeah, it's true. The next tier of teams on the.
Rise, getting better, doing the work in the gym, looking good, looking to take some heads off. Cleveland, Memphis, Minnesota, New Orleans, Toronto. All of these teams make me more excited than Dallas. And that's that, and I love Luca. That is a sexy ass group. Woo wooh Hey Memphis, Woo, Minnesota, Woo, New Orleans, Woo Toronto.
Hell yeah, Minnesota, let's talk about them.
First biggest money move of the of the offseason, swang for the fences for Rudy Gobert. I think it's a fascinating move. How is it gonna work with Carl Anthony Towns.
I have no idea. All I know is it means that Carl Anthony Towns.
Isn't going to be a defensive liability, isn't going to be caught on film talking all kinds of t and people will be like, we have Minnesota, now, we have Minnesota now. All I know is that it means that Carl Anthony Towns can lock in. And if anybody needs the shoulders of the blame for anything, we already know who it is.
It's Rudy. Rudy always shoulders the blame. He's good at that. He's good at being an escapegoat.
Hopefully Aunt and de lo are gonna feature him more offensively, Rudy Gobert, I think you can get him a ton of lobs. The question is our team's gonna try to run him off four, try to go small on him like the Clippers did, like Dallas did last year. I don't know, We'll have to see. All I know is that Aunt Edwards is gonna be coming. I think he takes another step. I think he becomes someone who's like Jaw, doesn't win the MVP, but is very much in the
mix of the MVP conversation. And they're gonna win a lot of games. They're gonna be a top six team in the West. Moving forward, another team I absolutely love salivate over the New Orleans Pelicans. I am so excited about them. May be my favorite team to even imagine how good they could be. Yes, Zion, of course is interesting, but I'm actually less concerned or interested in Zion because I know what he is. How is this team going
to continue to improve? You have Dyson Daniels. Now you have Dyson Daniels, you have Brandon Ingram.
You have CJ.
McCollum, you have Jose Alvarado, You've got man just so many dudes, Yonus Valencunas. The question, also, big question mark, is how Zion and BI are going to coexist.
They've had issues with that before.
How does this change the identity of the New Orleans team that they built without Zion?
Big question marks there.
He has a fifty million reasons to make it work, to stay in shape, to run back on defense. But I tell you what this is a train that's moving. How do I not even say Herb Jones?
Herb Jones.
They're gonna move with or without Zion, and it's gonna be very interesting to watch. I think they could be a two seed this year. I think they could literally be the biggest surprise in the West, or they could be a dumpster fire if Zion doesn't play any defense. Memphis, man, they were so good, They're so deep. They took Golden State to the brink. There were so many moments that were fifty to fifty jaw. Of course, getting injured really hurt.
Jaron Jackson being god awful from three point Land was awful, and they still have a ton of picks. I think that they're a team that's very up and coming, but I do take they think they take a step back. Their wing positions very thin right now. I think they're going to try to develop Zire Williams. I like the grizz but they're not going to be sneaking up on anybody.
I think they are now the hunted and they're the loudest mouth team in the NBA, So a lot of teams are going to be coming for them, and they're going to be looking to embarrass them. Losing Jaron Jackson also hurts. And I think the Anthony Melton, who I didn't mention, is now a sixer. I think he helps a lot. Cleveland super interesting team. They have so much versatility. They could be kind of who Cleveland was last year before my man got hurt with the ACLU Ricky Rubio.
I need to see, though, how Donovan meshes into the team, right. Can he buy into the defensive scheme he's telling us.
I can defend. I can defend. I promise.
It's like, well, we haven't seen it since Louisville. Like, were you just not doing it on purpose when you're at Utah?
Was it just the assignments.
I don't know what was happening with it, but I know that two small guard lineups where you've got two six one sixty two guys with negative wingspans, I've seen that. I've seen that up and close with Portland, and it did not work. We went to the Western Conference finals and we got swept. That's what happened. I tell you what, it's pain. It's a lot of pain.
They're gonna miss LORI marketing. I tell you what.
I never thought i'd say that, but they're gonna miss him. They have a lot more interior help than Portland. They have Mobiley, obviously, they've got Jared Allen. Even Kevin Love can play some four, even though they'll probably have him on the perimeter. But I tell you what, this team will be very fun. I think they're going to be an actual play off team this year and not a play in team moving.
Forward with Toronto.
Toronto is one of those teams that if someone takes a leap or they add someone, they could be a problem. Like if og Ananobi turns into an All Star, this could be a real nightmare matchup for everyone.
Like we've said before.
It's a bunch of six seven to six nine guys who can play every single position on the floor and can do everything. In the era of positionalists basketball, Nick Nurse loves his lineup.
They add in obviously on top of Scottie.
Barnes on the cusp of being an All Star. I think you add in Otto Porter, you add in Christian Colloco. That helps a lot with the defense. And they took a flyer on Josh Jackson who went to Kansas busted. Just an absolute nightmare of a bust. But he has height, he has length, and he could potentially thrive as a role player in Nick Nurse's systems.