And all things first, Shantle, he loves those corners. Welcome to New York.
This is what the people want to see.
Look man into NBA Pulster production of iHeartRadio and the NBA. I'm Sarah Kustack, NBA analyst for the s Networking Today is Tuesday, January two. From our extraordinary core group of NBA journalists, We're joined now by NBA dot Com senior writer Sean Poll. And Sean, we saw the Knicks get a win over Minnesota last night, Toronto get a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, but with some new pieces in
their uniforms. Trade that occurred over the course of the weekend the New York Knicks receiving og An Andobi, a guy that was talked about in a lot of trade rumors for quite some time. Sewan, what were your initial reactions of this trade and how you felt like both teams fared well.
I think that there are a lot of teams in the NBA that are envious of the Knicks because they have been trying to get og Anenobi from the Raptors probably for last year. As you mentioned, he's a good two way player, obviously, and suddenly if you put him in the NXT system. Maybe he's better in that system than he was in Toronto system. And I say that because he has a top flight point guard. He's playing for a coach that emphasizes defense and that's his specialty.
And he'll get a chance to you know, you know, you know, develop offensively. So this could be career change for him. And and oh, by the way, his contract is up this summer and the NIXT. When you make a trade for a player who's in the final year is your contract, you're basically found that player. Hey man, we're gonna pay you whatever it takes because we're not going to give up all these assets for a rental,
so we're gonna make a commitment to you. And so this is if you're og Ananobe, this is just such a great situation to be traded in the last of your contract. That means a team that just got you's gonna pay you. So it's I think it's just good all around for the Knicks, uh to get a player of his caliber, young player of this caliber, unflappable, professional, hardworking, everything that Tom Thibodeau wants in the player og Anenobe provides.
Yeah, and couldn't agree more, and you said it with Tibbs. I mean, what a guy that fits his type of system. Defensive minded, this og last year led the league in steals, he was second in deflection, second all team defense. But also what he can bring and just kind of his fluid fit as a three and D player on the offensive side. Wants a corner.
Three with this third three corner of the afternoon. We've talked about og Ananoby and all the things he brings, will continue to tell you forty three percent from the corner three.
When you look at the Knick and where they're at now in this position seeing that move made. They're currently sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference eighteen and five record that win against Minnesota, the top team in the Western Conference, snapping a three game losing streak. What do you see for the Knicks moving forward, Well, it's twofold.
I think the team is going to be very competitive this season. I think they're going to flirt around that you know, that four or five sixth spot in the East. And they have a nice core now with og Ananobi, Julius Randall, and Jalen Brunson and a group of about three or four very good role players Josh Hart, Dante, deep Incenzo. You know, you know now that Emmanuel quickly is no longer on a team now his role gets elevated, and he really has played well the last couple of games.
So I think there's a nice core there. Obviously, it's it's missing the main dish. And the main dish is a superstar player. Obviously, how do you get them that? They don't grow on trees, as you know, Sarah, But this team is set for that type of player to come into the mix next year, the year after next. It's not like Brunson is, you know, over the hill. You got to win with them right now. Same thing
with Randall, same thing with Og. You can hang on to these players for a few years until you get the big fish, you know, for the big fish in here, and then all of a sudden, now you can challenge a team like Milwaukee that has Gianni's team, like Philadelphia's got Joe o Embiid, the Boston Celtics who have Tatum. The Knicks don't have a caliber a player like that,
but they've got everything else, Sarah. So I think that it's a good young team, a defensive minded coach, a group of players that seem to enjoy playing with each other, and a team that's just sitting right there in the mix, not in the top shelf of the East, but if they were to ever get a a game changer, then they're going to be right there.
And they flirt with it like that's where to your point, they've got everything they need and if laid a foundation. What I really like is just the patience that they've shown with that. I think this is a good trade for both sides. You don't always see that in a trade.
We'll get to the Toronto side of it in just a second, but I think to your point, just the solid foundation, the core they've laid and the way that they've consistently now shown to be a proven playoff team and how they want to play under Tom Siboto, And I think that is the area we expected them to be a much better middle of the pack defense, but a much better defensive team, but how can they continue to improve on that end with these players but also offensively?
And I think say what you want, I think we all say it. You know, NBA basketball is better when the Knicks are good, and I think you will always at some point when you continue to show this type of consistency, find a star player that wants to come play in the garden and wants to come play for the Knicks. I think that's the foundation that's been laid as of late. So I'll be curious to see if any move trade deadline approaching, I'll be curious to see if,
potentially any moves will be made. But for now, yeah, I think the East, you know, other than what you see towards the very top with Boston, with Philadelphia obviously Milwaukee up there, but just kind of where things are at, I think there certainly is opportunity for the Knicks to make some moves Toronto making moves and curious to see if they will make some more. As I mentioned, last night, they got a win over Cleveland. Pascal Siakam thirty six points,
five rebounds, RJ. Barrett, Emmanuel quickly in the starting lineup, Barrett with nineteen to nine, Quickly with fourteen points, six rebounds, two steals. They looked really good. But the cornerstone of this team now has become and I think that was what we saw at the early part of the Raptors. Scottie Barnes he is the guy for this Raptors team. Twenty two years old. Pascal Siakam continues to put up
big numbers as a former All Star. But I think that's the direction where Massaiyu Jerry will go in terms of building around what did you make not just of the trade in bringing in Barrett back to his home country of Canada Barrett and quickly, but also what this means for the Raptors moving forward.
So here we are, and I think change is inedible for the Raptors, and it just was just a matter of time before they start parceling off some of these pieces and start building on the next days. And so the domino to fall obviously was og Ananobi, who normally you would want to keep a young player like that, but I think the Raptors feel that they can pivot and find someone on the roster to sort of take
his place and put him through player development. And the other piece is Pascal Siaki What are they going to do with him. I'm ninety six ninety six point five percent sure that he is going to be dealt by the trade deadline, because number one, he's on the last year of his contract, and I'm not so sure he's willing to re sign with the Raptors. Look, he already has his championship, so it's not like he's desperate to
go to a championship contender. But I think if given a choice, does he want to be part of a rebuilding situation in Toronto or does he want to leave? And I think he wants to leave. And you're right there. I think Scottie Barnes is the future of this team. Scotty Barnes rook of the Year the following year, I just thought he plateaued a little bit. But this year he's posting career highs across the board showing that he is indeed that guy.
Uh.
And because he has made that leap, now Toronto can look and say, Okay, we've got this guy. You know, we're going to give him a contract extension. We got this guy. Now let's see who else we can get.
So RJ.
Barrett, as you mentioned back in Canada, grew up watching the Raptors. Uh, he's a guy. You know, Look who's a number three pick? High pick? Is he going to be a superstar?
Nup?
But I think he's a very good player, hardworking professional.
Schroder finds Gary close out by Streus r Joe Fires from Mississauga.
That is here.
I mean, you can with him and your nucleus, you can win games. And the wild card is going to be Manuel Quickly.
Talked to both Barrett and Quickly yesterday and they came early today to run through some sets. He knocks it down from T o.
He finally has a team. I mean, all of a sudden, he's away from Jalen Brunson. He has a team. He can run. How good is this guy going to be? He's playing, He's gonna be playing for a big contract. He's motivated, you know. But when you move that one seed over from being a supporting player to the starting player and you're giving the ball, it can get a little tricky. The true you will be revealed. So we'll learn a lot more about Emmanual Quickly in this situation.
But the Raptors right now, they're in twelfth in the East. Obviously they're not a title contender. They may not even make the playoffs, but they have to start building now for the future.
Yeah, and couldn't agree more. And I think that always is the question. When players get elevated roles change roles, how they respond and I want to turn it back and put you on the spot. Sean. Sorry with Pascal Siakam. With that being said, we've seen him in different roles obviously with that championship team and Kawhi Leonard part of that, but he was brilliant throughout the course of the playoffs,
a big reason why they did win that championship. You talk about a three and D guy, but his role has increased what they've expected out of him from the offensive side, his three point accuracy has varied, but the ability to run create off the dribble obviously, what he can do defensively and in transition. Where do you see Siakam? Is there any spots or place is that you see him being a good fit.
I think any contender or any semi contender would love to have him. But the trick is, you know, signing him to a contract extension, you have to believe that you can do that. So from that standpoint, the balls in Saams court a little bit here. If he gives up, if he gives a suitor the wrong vibes, no one's going to give Toronto a bunch of assets for Seacam.
It's just not going to happen. Having said that, I think he would be agreeable to any place where he feels he has a chance to win and make decent money. He's already made a lot of money, so maybe that's not you know, the biggest priority for him. Not to say he's going to give some team a huge discount, but I just think he wants to go to a place where he feels he can fit. I mean, what place is that. Well, first of all, it's got to be a place that can squeeze in. You know, his contract.
You know, you always hear about the Miamis of the world. You know, they were in a running for Damian Lilo this summer. All the teams that were in a running for players this summer and didn't get him obviously going to be on the board. I think a wildcard here would be Philadelphia, not necessarily the trade for him now, but to maybe hope to get him next summer. The Sixers will have forty million dollars to spend next summer.
Forty That's very rare for a title contender with an MVP on board to have that much money to spend, so they don't even really need to trade for Siaka. They can just wait till the summer and just sign them. So I think Philadelphia is a wild card if Siakam is not moved, they may be the wildcard even if it is moved, because he might want to play there because he can go right to Joe and be played for next to an MVP winner, play on the Contender, and then there you go and.
Play for his former coach and Nick Nurse, and you talk about timelines and Siaka will be thirty in April, in his eighth year, so a lot of things with that lineup. Sean love it. We are going to talk about another team that has title contention on their mind. Big matchup here tonight between the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder. We'll get to that after the break. Welcome back to NBA pul Sarahkustak, joined by the great Sean Pile and Sean. We got a good one on
the slate here tonight. A couple of top teams in the East and Western Conference. The Boston Celtics, of course, number one in the East. They have been clicking and rolling in the number two team in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder twenty two and nine they have won four straight and that's the team I want to
get into. Continue to impress under Mark Dagnall. You got a player in the MVP discussion in Shay Gildas, Alexander One in the Rookie of the Year conversation, maybe the front runner and Chet Holmes when Jalen Williams continues to be part of that trio that creates continuity and has this team really cooking. When you look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, they've been towards the top of the West
for quite some time. Now here throughout the course of the season, made the playoffs because of the play in last year, took a bigger leap, probably than a lot of us had expected in how they're playing at the early part of the season. What do you see in this team through the remainder of the year and do they need to make some moves to continue to be in those title contention projections.
Well, the crazy thing about Oklahoma City is that up until now, uh, they've always been sellers, you know, just trying to acquire ass ats to the you know, the draft and really you know, give other players other teams their players. But now all of a sudden, they put themselves in position to win. Now they've got a certified, as you said, an MVP contender in Shakes Alexander averaging thirty one a game. He is just tremendous to watch,
just the way he plays the game. He's not reckless, He's got a nice mid range game, gets to the line. His teammates seem to enjoy playing next to him, fees off them. Well, so he is just he's a type of centerpiece you want if you're a franchise under contract, so you don't have to worry about anything with Shay. And you know, you see Oklahoma City sitting, you know, number two in the West, and you're like, okay, so when is Denver coming up, when the Clippers coming up,
when someone's going to overtake them? Well, Sarah, you know the scary thing is maybe someone may not overtake them. Maybe you know, we're still seeing them sitting there after the All Star weekend, and maybe we see them sitting at least in the top three when the playoffs began. And I think that that would be just a crowning achievement for Oklahoma City, a team that's grown organically for the most part, brought these young players together really got
four to five when chet Holmgen joined the team. Obviously didn't play last year, was hurt. But this guy has coming and matured, averaging seventeen points seven rebounds, really strong defensively blocking shots. Jalen Williams loudor. I mean, look, this team is young, good, and fairly deep. I would not
be shocked if they tried to make a movie. The trade trade deadline added another piece because they have a lot of draft capital that they have acquired, so they don't have to parcel out one of their main guys. They can just package one of their bench players with a number one pick and get a pretty decent player and say, you know what, going to wait another year to try to be a contender. No, we want to be a contender right now. We've got Shay, We've got Chet,
We've got a good nucleus. We add something to that nucleus and let's go. And the West is wide open. Look at the teams at the top. Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Golden State is down. The Lakers are still for whatever reason, they're still struggling. Even though Lebron and Anthony Davis are having good years. There's nobody in the West, I think is just you know, running away with it. So if you're Oklahoma City, why not say why not?
US could not agree more. I just saw them defeat the Nets on New Year's Eve. It was and I love the team, love how they play play fast. Obviously, the compilation of player Sam Presty did a really beautiful job in not only finding these young talents but also the way in which they fit. They've been top ten in offense and defense. I think there's a real great blend the one area though they are vulnerable on the glass and they struggle mightily rebounding, and you look at
just the importance of possessions. A team that does play fast, when that translates into the end of the postseason, how that changes. So can can you find there's not you know, you're not going to get one player that's going to solve that. But I think just in terms of they're super efficient from three, but don't take a lot of threes.
So can you fortify and find a player that brings you some size, helps you on the glass, continues to be a more high volume three point shooter to go along with a lot of the mid range game that you see. So many of their key players playing. I think they're they're a team that should have title contentions, but I do think there's a little more room for them to potentially grow. And they're fun. They're fun. As you mentioned, the West is wide open, so it'll be
interesting to see how how those things continue to shake out. Sean, Happy New Year twenty twenty four.
How you feel, I'm feeling pretty good, you know, anytime you can turn that calendar and you're still upright and looking forward to the next twelve months at least, if not beyond. I'm just grateful, and Sarah, I'm sure you feel the same. Just grateful, Lucky to be doing this for a living, yes, Lucky to be around professional people, yes, enjoying the game, just watching you know, things develop, you know, the great unknown, and then we'll see what happens in June. Who's lifting the trophy?
Yeah, you know what. It's day to day. It's day to day. But we made it this far to this day, and Sewn, as always, we appreciate you your time. Will continue to read all your stuff on NBA dot com, watch you on NBA TV, and look forward to talking with you again.
Appreciate you, Sarah.
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