This is the baseline. Discussing the hot button topics of the nb A welcome everybody, your tune to the baseline. Cali Warrenshaw discussing the hot button topics.
Of the NBA. The season is right around the corner.
I mean so close you can touch it, you can smell it.
Ever freshets, Yeah, it's a good.
Yeah, exactly that word that word too, because you know, I like to be making up words as well. But it's kind of like, you know, grilling summertime right out in the yard with your people's you know, and they and they know you.
You're getting it in right.
You know, they can appreciate, you know what I'm saying, the aroma of an exciting season on the precipice.
That's what that is.
You know.
As always, man, let me go and run out the red carpet to my right hand man. He needs no introduction because he usually chimes in and hits me up with the you know, reality check, my man, mister warren Shot rapping out of Fort Florida to Florida.
What's good, brother? Were ready for some NBA season.
We're ready for some NBA basketball, Ready for the dramatization that is the NBA.
He know, we are, brother, It's it's that time of year. It's the best time of the year. NBA is set to tip off. We are about to start or whatever it is, our twelfth season, diving into the long process of eighty two regularly twelve.
I thought it was lucky thirteen. That was Lucky thirteen. No twelve, Okay, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe maybe for us we need lucky thirteen for the you.
Know, well, the baseline is not going to stop anything, Okay, good keeping it pushing, So you know, we might have twelve more years, thirteen more years, who knows, But you know, another season here, twenty four or twenty five season for the league, and it's abound to be a good one. We're coming off, you know, some personal highs because you know, as fans, our team won the NBA championship, but there's it's going to be very hard for them to be
able to repeat. And there's a lot of conversation that's going to be centered around this league over the course of the next you know, seven to eight months here as we get into all the way into June, you know, before we crown, we hope what would be a repeatd champion for US, but the league has not had a repeat champion in six years, So we'll see if that trend continues.
As well as should you know, I think if we want to really appreciate a team who does go out and win the championship and really to you know, they say, you know, iron sharpens iron. You know, if there's an expectation that we want to treat these Busts and Celtics with the level of respect that these guys have obviously earned, right, it can only be magnified by what they do the following season. So it'll be very interesting to see shaw, you know, like what version of the Boston Celtics come
out the beginning of this this season. It'd also be interesting to see what the teams that have made a whole lot of noise in this off season to build and structure a roster that is supposed to contend, compete, and neutralize what the Boston Celtics were able to do last season. So all of that is going to come into play in a conversation which leads us into this episode. Right, this is you know what I'm saying. I call this
the Faith Evans episode. We got questions of burning up, you know what I'm saying, the burning questions that I think a lot of people are going to be asking themselves as we you know, get ready or as we
walk into this upcoming NBA season. And while we had some awesome guests on previously to help us preview the conferences, this is really what the follow up kind of feels like, right Like I know, in most cases, a lot of people like to have shows that do predictions on you know, who's gonna wind up poisting trophies, and we've done that
even ourselves. We figure we take things a little bit differently because these are going to be some of the ongoing storylines that will kind of more into additional storylines of things that we're gonna have to follow and watch and trend on as the season, you know, commences, the season continues forward. So great episode in conceptualization by Manshaw and what we were thinking about, because I don't think we don't get to this point without what happened last
season coming to fruition. I think we don't get to this point until we've seen the kind of craziness that took place in the off season, the trades that were happening even in the midnight hour before media day, you know, takes shape. Teams obviously recognize the riding on the wall, whether they think they smell blood in the water or whatever the case may be. Everybody is getting ready to
shoot their shot. And I think that's what makes it, you know, an interesting episode for us to put down a little bit, is to kind of really hone in more on those topics that I think are going to kind of resonate with people as they're watching and following their teams and the season throughout.
Yeah, I agree.
I mean, you know, shout out to Ekam and Grant, those two gentlemen join us for our for our previews, you know, but it's it's clutch time, you know, this this is our time.
Are we ready to rock?
Can kind of do and put our spin on things only the way that the baseline can. So for us, it's a little bit of a cipher session, you know, tapping into our hip hop roots.
We know with the burning questions, and I'm excited for this one. Brother.
Like I said, there's some stuff out here and some of the questions, yes, they are typical. I guess maybe you know, for the formal standard but you know we're going to have our take on it for sure, and some of the things that are again are indigenous to us and questions that we specifically have going into this twenty four to twenty five.
The absolutely as always, be sure to get them my man Shaw at Shaw Sports, NBA, get at me a game face, lead the shows, Twitter, hand A, NBA. Based on available and all the major platforms, you know where
to find us. If you're catching this on the YouTube channel and you see the blue and white logo, that's the nineteen Media Group family, so we say hello to you and yours, be sure to go to www dot ninety MediaGroup dot com to not only check us out, but also the great content creators that are part of the nineteen Media Group family. And always, and as always, if you want to catch just this episode, but all of our episodes, be sure to go to www Dot the baselinemba dot com in order to catch us and
download those shows at your leisure. So with that being said, we're gonna get ready to do our burning questions, basically looking at what we're expecting to see and talk about and things that we have to kind of make sure we're paying attention to for the upcoming NBA season. But before we do that, the NBA is finally back. A new season means new ways to get into the action at DraftKings Sportsbook and official sports betting partner of the NBA.
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Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction void in New Hampshire, Oregon, Ontario. Bonus bet expires one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance. For additional traditional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNNG dot co slash b B B A l L. Time now for the breakdown, Cali Won't Shaw Basline NBA podcast. And as we're breaking stuff down, breaking it down to the to the very last molecule, brayed us blow it up, just incinerate stuff, you know what I mean, just burning questions.
So you know, these are questions that I think, you know, between myself and Shaw or Shaw myself are saying to ourselves, like, these are the things that we're thinking about as we're getting you know, as we're embarking into the NBA season. And a lot of this has also been driven with the conversations that we've had through our special guests over the last month or so in in lieu of what was going to take place for this upcoming season. So Chayl,
let's get right into it. One of the first burning questions that stick out is which team in the East is not green with envy and could actually beat the Boston Celtics.
Who is who is who is going to be.
That devil devilish leprechaun to the Celtics. You know what I'm saying, Who's trying to rob their pot of gold?
Bro I mean, the short answer is to the entire East.
Now, I think that our question is the best suit is like again, it's like who is best suited who actually could potentially make this happen? You know, injuries aside. This is always assuming health for all parties, right, because otherwise those are the qualifiers that proclude people for being able to do other things that they set out to do.
Uh.
The teams that made the most of the biggest splash in the Eastern Conference are obviously the seventy six ers in the New York Micks. But she talked about on our Eastern Conference review and their ability in essence to upset the applecart.
Right can they catch Boston?
I personally think the Knicks are going to go so hard for getting a number one, number one seed. You know, Tims is going to play guys throughout the course of the regular season while we know Boston is gonna have not have Perzinga stil December, maybe even January. Sixers are already having issues, you know, and we didn't play any
preseason games for precautionary reasons. It also comes out and says that he will he may not play back to backs for the rest of his career, let alone this season, and Paulo Paul George is already playing with the Bone Brewers.
Why do players make these admissions out in public?
Like it's just me.
I understand, Like, I understand that the intent of doing it, you know, is to say something to speak more to you know, I want people to understand I'm not trying to be phony, fake or whatever, and I'm not taking anything away from it. It's but I oftentimes think, like, bro, this just is a bad look for you, right, Like, It's not like we don't know that you're injuries have really hindered your ability to maintain the highest level of play that you've shown us because you've won an MVP.
But we also recognize as well too, that everyone believes the only way that the Sixers will win a championship is that you have to be at the highest peak of your physical abilities. When it matters the most, which has never been the case for the time that he's been a Philadelphia seventy six er.
Yeah, I mean firm to say that is one thing will come out in application that that remains to be seen because I think everybody who's if you're following sports radio or o their podcast, the questions are like, all right, well, in theory, if you're back to back is you know, Charlotte and Atlanta or Charlotte in Portland or something like that, then yeah, maybe you don't need to play.
But if you're back to back is Boston and New York, then you may want.
To consider reconsiderative, right, right, So.
You know, I think everything is with the grain of salt, right, But I think you know, those are the teams that you know, on paper, constructed themselves in essence to be able to take on the Boston Celtics by the roster moves that they made, getting more periminteral help on the wings and now trying to also add in theory some some additional shooting, especially the Knicks trying to go five out and being able to space the Celtics, same with the Celtics space everybody else.
So those are the two teams that kind of come to mind.
There's obviously some other teams in here that feel like, you know, they're probably being slept on, but I'll kind of pass the eight to you in terms of your thought process on the Sixers, the Knicks, and anybody else who might be able to beat Boston and the East.
I mean, the best equipped team I think would be the New York Knicks. And it's really not even just for what they're trying to do offensively shaw as much as what I think people can expect to see of the Knicks defensively.
I feel like.
Where things can go awry is this false sense of believing that Tom Thibodeau's is going to have an innovative way of getting the Knicks to suddenly just start scoring one hundred and thirty something points per game. I think that's purely on the talent of what you have with Brunson and with the Big Bodega. You know, it's hard pressed not to feel like the Knicks have the best type of roster that can compete against the Boss's Celtics, whether or not they're going to be able to execute
at that level. Given the fact that all of your pieces are really new pieces to that puzzle.
That to me is going to be the bigger question.
The most formidable team from a matchup perspective, I feel like could be the Milwaukee Bucks because of the fact that you do have Dillard, I'm say Lillard and you have Giannis together for as long as a season already ahead of the iterations that you're getting from the Sixers and the Knicks, and then you also maybe throw the
Miami Heat into the mix. But I think a lot of that is really predicated on how aggressive vam Adebayo is going to be for this upcoming season and what version of Jimmy Butler is going to be a part of the you know, Nicks. I'm sorry this this this Heat version as well too, So it's it's kind of interesting, and I know people are like, well, what about the Indiana Pacers. I think that there's still the new kids on the block. I still think that there's some proving
to do. But I think when it really comes down to it, when you're talking about matchups and styles, most well rounded team from my purview is gonna wind up being the New York Knicks. But the biggest caveat with that is you know, you're asking a lot of guys to do a lot of things in a season in which all of them are coming from different circumstances as situations, and somebody's gonna have to make the ultimate sacrifice play.
And I don't know if there's enough time for them to be able to do that even in a season, given the way that the Celtics have shown us what they had to do in order to get to this point just to win a championship, and you're asking, and you're basically asking these guys to leap frog that formula of success.
Hard pressed, hard hard, hard pressed.
But I think it's gonna to come down to maybe the Knicks and possibly the Bucks, depending on what version of Giannis and Lillard actually come out this season cohesively together and with the mentality in a mindset that they felt like they were being disrespected and not being taken seriously, which they didn't do what they were supposed to do last season.
Yeah, well, walk as to all of famers, and we're going to get to them here in a short minute.
The next thing.
For me, I like that not only because of the roster moves they made, but they also show a level of grit and toughness that Celtics at times have seemed to lock. Now, obviously they got over the hump, but New York has this ever tay Die mentality. The biggest questions for me is not really the FC and their starting lineup. You know that's going to be solid, but one of Brunson or Towns is kind of always going to need to be on the floor. I'm just not
sold on Bridges as a primary scorer. So if you can't have Bridges leading the offense, so to speak, I just don't. I don't think that's not for championship level basketball at least, So Brunchon and and and Towns need to be out there. And then if they staying an injury to one of those two, then they do get really really a thing. I know Ojan Andobi is like, oh, I could probably do it, but nah, bro.
This is this is exactly the reason to your point, Shaw, where I think the biggest indictment that I think you can make about this trade and getting the big Bodega is losing Dante DiVincenzo. And I say this people so that people can really understand, you know what what you're asking, you know, Karl Anthony Towns to do is essentially you're asking him to be what you had gained through DiVincenzo,
who's while he's shooting was was great, awesome. Right, You're now saying that's you know, uh, pass the torch to Bridges, Pass the torch to Anobi.
Yeah.
I've said this before Shaw and maybe I just just nauseate people and saying is those guys are volume shooters. Those guys need numerous touches to find rhythm to how they score that basketball. You do not have the luxury of playing like that, even if you have Brunson and you have the big cat on your roster, because those guys are gonna need the ball, right, and now you're asking Brunson to what, take a step back. You're asking
him to not be as aggressive. You're asking the cat not to be as aggressive because you got to find a way to get Anobi and Bridges, you know, into the mix. Some guys may only need six or seven shots. DiVincenzo was kind of that dude, right, Like he was doing so many other things to help out that he opened up that ability for him to be able to get that many shots.
But he made his shots.
I don't know if you're getting that same thing, you know, with with bridges and with Anobi even when they're healthy. And I think that to me is the one thing that scares me the most when I look at this roster. When you need guys with minimal shots to have access to can make the majority of them, you know who on the Knicks are they going to look at to
to be able to do that? If not, you have to put the own back on the Cat and Brunson to shoulder that load and be efficient with their scoring ability because teams like the Sixers, teams like the Celtics are going to minimize the amount of touches that teams like the Knicks want to have for them to be able to score the basketball.
Yeah, so I mean they have to be stars in their role.
So with whatever shots they get, whether those be corner threes or above the break threes or you know, slashes and you know, maybe getting out on the break a little bit, I don't know. Bing bridges I think are the key to some level offensive consistency for for the Knicks, but they need to be set up. That's why I'm saying we're losing brunts or if they were to lose Brunton in any amount of time, they would really really get.
Things, struggle to score offensively.
But that's not the that's you know, that's not talking about today right now. I think on paper, they are best suited. They have those level of toughness, They feel like, hey, they could have been there last year. They are well coached, and they're going to play their starters a crap ton of minutes. So as long as that doesn't get them, you know, in the infirmary award, I think the Knicks
are going to be right there. The Sixers probably have the single most biggest domination threat in terms of EMBIID. But again it's always about the mentality and then will they be healthy you know when when when things come up and then think about us too. Is like if the Celtics plays their cards right, two of these three teams are probably going to play each other before they even get to Boston. So you know that's where things
kind of land. So why don't we switch gears here you now from this conversation and talk about your Milwaukee Bucks, and why don't you lead us into that?
So which team will stand on business? Which team will channel their Marlowe Stanfield, right, they your name is your name right? No more of you know what I'm saying, You know, petty hand to hand getting some props because you know, you made a couple of deals in here and there and you got like your quote unquote Big three or whatever the case. Maybe now is the time, right if you are the Milwaukee Bucks or the Phoenix Suns.
To me, Shaw, this really comes down to which one of these teams are going to stand on business and really be legitimately a threat to whoever they're playing to position themselves to you know, being a part of the NBA Finals. Now, it's I think it's safe to say I don't really foresee neither the Bucks or the Bucks and the Sons getting to the NBA Finals. I I it's gonna it's to me, it's a one er. It's an either or kind of thing.
Right. So out of these two, which one is channeling their marlow Stanfield.
I want to believe in Milwaukee.
I want to believe in Doc and his ability to get them to defend from the very from the very get go. Dame being a little bit more focused than in shape coming into the season, he still got the issue of Chris Middleton, you know, in those ankles.
So while I want to believe.
I just have a little bit more trust I think in what's happening in Phoenix. I love the fact that they got tyas Jones to get them a ball distributor, Biel and Booker to be secondary and tertiary, you know, playmakers as opposed to primary and backups.
And then the addition of but.
There, while but ironically maligned from his time in Milwaukee now going over to Phoenix already has them playing with the semblance of structure that I think is just different than than Vogel did you know in the years past. So of the two teams, you know, gun to the head, I would pick the Suns here as a better pick to stand on business in the Western Conference that still has some questions and is very very very wide open.
So if if there's any team that could make a run here, it would be the Sun's team because KD. Booker and Beale are obviously so so amazing, and now getting Ties shows to organize them on a regular basi of all offensively just as another level to them, and they were solid defensively despite all things like last year, like nobody thought they were gonna be as good as they were again middle of the pack, and but is also a defensive kind of you know, type of coach.
I think this. They have the longest runway I think to be successful in the two teams.
So I agree with you about the long runway. I genuinely do.
I think those sons have the best opportunity for them to stand on business because if you really think about it, it's not that we don't believe that the Dallas Mavericks can replicate what they're doing.
It's more so of the fact that.
There are other teams and the way matchups were set up in the playoffs that may have had something to do with whether or not the Mavericks. I guess in a way we're able to wind up at the top of the pack, right because I think it exposed certain things that are lacking for those other teams. Maybe it's not so much roster and talent as much as it is about what strategies they have to implement against whatever type of matchup that they had going into the playoffs.
So I say all of that to say, I think to you, you have a lot of faith in Tias Jones and maybe in some respects he won't be someone that we may mention later on in the show we have to ask the question about who needs a hoop redemption. I will say Tys Jones is a great added piece, but I don't know. Man like I think, if nothing else, Budenholzer and what he does with Bradley Beal, Budenholzer and how he sets up KD.
Budenholzer and the structure.
To your point, I think speaks more volumes than me, say, personally worrying about whether or not they've got a true point guard because of the fact that this, to me is about as good an opportunity I think the Phoenix Suns will actually have with that roster that they've got and where Katie is in his career as the type of player he is. I'm not saying that you know, he's old man legs or anything, but you kind of hear him talking about, oh man, I'm getting too old
and everything like that. I just think that there comes a point where there's that where and tomentally on how much more you want to continue to go through this with iterations of a roster that you know, at the end of the day, it's still on your shoulders, and maybe he wants it to be like, hey, this really should be on Booker's shoulders, this should really be on Beal's shoulders.
So it'll be interesting to see what the Suns.
Actually show us, especially now that the Western Conference has re emerged itself with six seven teams deep. I don't think that they're running away with anything, which leads me to believe about the which leads me to say about the Milwaukee Bucks. The level of drop off that people have about the Bucks respecting them. It almost makes people feel like they're questioning how legitimate were they about winning that that chip in twenty nineteen. And I say this
to say, yeah, you should be mad. You should be pissed, Like if you're Giannis, if you're a Lillard, you should be pissed, and you should, you know, go out there and you should start imposing your will. So it'll be interesting to see what comes of the Milwaukee Bucks, because nothing from what we've seen about the Milwaukee Bucks is new to what their struggles have been since they won
the championship. It's a question of whether or not the players really, you know, buy into the idea that they are they content with knowing that they got that one championship. It's the first championship, you know, in so many years for this Or is it more about the fact that we still believe that, you know, we have two players that should be considered top ten players in the NBA. We have a defense that ultimately has gotten significantly better
under Doc Rivers. Doc Rivers believes that he should be still considered as one of the premier coaches that are still out there, should be still respected. Like all of this stuff is about a respect factor for the for the Milwaukee Bucks, and I think if there's a team that really does need to stand on business more than anything, it should be Milwaukee.
Well, I don't disgree in terms of they probably need it more. I just don't know that it's going to happen. Luke Warman on the Doc Rivers thing right now.
Just's he is who he is.
There's just a lot of excuses and a lot of weirdness that comes out sometimes. So you know, I'm not I'm not jj reddikin right, I'm not, you know, just saying that he's not worth his salt. But there's just there's something that's missing and not connecting for me. Right now in terms of his coaching ability per se or the way to command a locker room at his coaching ability, but his impact on the locker room, not quite sure
where that currently stands. So I need to see the Bucks obviously be successful, you know under his quote unquote regime in a way that Okay, there's not this excuse I took over the team, you.
Know, thirty games of the season and this is hard.
Like, okay, bro, like you have the entire entire summer, You've had the entire training camp. Now what and once we get there and get that version, Doc Rivers is not you know, looking for excuses for not being able to reach certain levels.
Then you know, the Bucks I think will be much better off.
But for the.
Money they had, Getentorian Prints, getting Gary, Trentz and and and Delon right onto this roster. Those are solid additions that can help, especially if you need to kind of stem the tide. Stem the tide, if you will, for Milton injury. All those guys are capable of scoring their basketball and defending to a certain level.
You get militant back.
This team has the talent in essence to be right there at the top and sent on business as we're alluding to.
All Right, so let's quickly transition Shaw to the next question on which coach we think might be on the hot seat. In other words, what we're saying is which coach can ill afford to have a disappointing season with the roster that they have and the circumstances of the situation that the organization and the fan base are going through.
Yeah, I mean it starts from where where we're left off. And I don't think Doc is actually in the hot seat in terms of being well he will he be let go, But I don't think Adrian Griffin thought he would have been let go after games either. So you know, it's what have you done for me lately? And I think you know this is this is a roster that has to perform as you can pus the rest of the league. There's a lot of i'd say air quotes, pseudo stability, you.
Know, in.
There's a lot of coaches in really good situations for from from where they are relative or they're they're in a legacy spot.
Uh.
If I had to pick somebody outside a doc who needs to perform in a way that is different from what they did in the in the years to that, I'd probably go to New Orleans and say, Willie Green, Uh, they've made some changes, they made some some adustion. They don't have a true center there at least somebody that you want to rely on a regular basis.
But will they blame him for that.
You know, and say, well, you know what, Zion at the five is the way they should go. You also have Brendan Ingram with a contract situation, but to me, it's Willie Green I think would be the next coach. I'd be like, you know, how much more runway does he have there in New Orleans?
Yeah?
That was a that was a legit person. And I feel like, just really to add to what you're saying, I think that he would be scapegoaded, right because I really think that Griffin Griffin hasn't really done him, done him many favors. I genuinely believe that you know that whole idea about you know, coach and and general manager and they're being a being a symmetry in the relationship.
I think it speaks volumes and I just genuinely feel like with Willie Green, I don't know, he to me seems like he has to do a lot of handholding with the quote unquote stars, maybe with the exception of CJ. McComb because he handles himself pretty professionally. Right Well, the situation with Brandon Ingram and with Zion Williamson, who we've been talking about this for such a long time, Shaw, I have failed to see where those two combined have
have have really worked. I'm not saying that individually they are not great players, and when they're not on the floor together, when they're not dealing with whatever each other's situations, you know, whether it be front office stuff or just injuries or whatever. When it's separate the side, when one of them had to be on the court and has to step up and you know, kind of be the alpha for the team, really helped lead the team.
They've been great. But when they're together, we don't see it.
And part of that is gonna is gonna hang on the hat of Willie Green, like how can you not make this work with these two types of players.
So I find it kind of interesting that you brought that up.
But to me, Sean, I think the bigger point that I was making when I when we were talking about this and constructing this question with regards to Doc Rivers.
You mentioned it.
It's some of the weirdness that comes out of Doc rivers mouth when he's at the podium, and hard for it for me to say. It's not that I don't love Doc Rivers in his you know, back in the day Doc Rivers when he was Orlando Magic and he was part of the Boston Celtics. I don't know what's happened ever since he transitioned to the Los Angeles Clippers. I don't I don't know if Sterling, you know, snatched his soul or something.
I don't know what happened.
I just see different versions of Doc Rivers now since his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers. And I'm not gonna say it's good, bad, and different. I'm just saying it's it's just never coming out looking good at the end of it with him. And I don't know if
he really understands and recognizes that. Right so, somewhere along the line, Shaw, if he continues to kind of like say things that makes it seem like there's no level of accountability for anything disappointing that is happening with the Milwaukee Bucks.
I think if you're the Milwaukee Bucks.
You have to really think about this, like, can you ill afford to have Giannis and Lillard be like disenamored you know what I'm saying, Like does not want to deal with all of this type of stuff because of him?
You know what I'm saying.
The Griffin thing was completely Again, we knew what that was coming of that. I don't think they were on board with that whatsoever, right, But with Doc Rivers, I still don't know if whether or not Janni's wanted that to be the case. I think that's just the shiny object in the room, and they went for that as they're desperate play, recognizing you know, something had to change, but they didn't want to compromise, you know, the team's success,
even though internally there was so much going on. I'm just saying that I feel like Doc has been riding that for a little bit too long now. And anything other than this Milwaukee Bucks team not being in the conversation of one of the top teams in the East, I think makes you start wondering this is obviously bit more about the players than it really is about the coaching.
Yeah, the only thing there with with Milwaukee is that they're still paying Adrian Griffin, like let them go.
They still got to pay.
Right, And I think that would be their roadblock that they wouldn't be able to They wouldn't be able to do anything financially, or they can ill afford to do something again financially. It would still be just like a bad look. It would be on a problem on top of a problem. But it doesn't help, you know what I mean.
Yeah, sure it doesn't.
Help last one.
I mean, and I mean super quick, keep an eye on Atlanta and Quinn Snyder. You know, if I don't know what the Hawk's actual expectations are, right, but I mean, you know, a couple of years into this situation. Now, yes he came back, you know, came from Utah and whatever the case may be. But if you know, they get off the rough, start the tree, young rumors are gonna start to fly. And then maybe before the young rumors, maybe Snyder's job you know, gets threatened or you know, dismissed.
I genuine only, I genuinely think Snyder wanted Murray, and he wanted wanted Young and and and it'll be interesting. It'll be interesting to see if whether or not the outcome Shaw would be Snyder walking away from this job rather than dealing with with what's going on with in Atlanta. Clearly, I think this is about Atlanta wanting to keep young and I don't know if Snyder is on board with that.
So we'll see what he does with him.
Yep, your tune to the late, your tune to the base, like Cali warrants, you're so abrupt with that one. That's probably how Snyder has his conversations with the opposites. Your tune to the base, like Cali Warren shall discussing the hot button topics of the n B A hot button,
you know what I'm saying. Burning questions for this upcoming NBA season coming up will be talking about a little hoops redemption and part of our Burning Questions conversation, we also got some some some interesting perspectives here about you know, possible babyfaces in the Rookie of the Year run the Claw. Who can't have a burning question about the Claw in any conversation when it comes to talking basketball. So we
got a lot of stuff to get into. Don't go anywhere, We're back, Cali Warnshaw, based on NBA podcasts, are burning questions for the upcoming NBA season.
Shaw, time for us to talk a little hoops redemption?
Man, Which players need this season to be their hoops redemption?
Yeah, so you came up with a great list, and even you know, kind of off where we're like, Man, there's a lot of players who either have felt disrespected, fell off one or or the other, or just again, they're just in the need for some semblance of Hey, it's about time that you actually do something.
So Klay Thompson is somebody for me in Dallas.
You know, storied Hall of Fame type dude who left the Golden State Warriors now probably took less money in essense to kind of go there out of some sumblans of spite. But does he put the Dallas Mavericks over the hump? And in what role is he willing to play in this? I think redemption for him is going to look very different than maybe some others may may want it.
To look like.
But he just needs to be consistent, needs to be a guy who doesn't have like consistent zero first from.
Three or from the field goals.
There's already been some consuntination around him during the preseason, but I think Dallas is happy for right now he just got to be a guy who can be ready and available in the corners and on the wings from Kyrie and Luca kickouts and then get to some someone's where he's not being being a out of door defensively.
Yeah, Listen, Klay Thompson's is like the constantly like he the hoops redemption. But to me, I think people are missing out on where the shops redemption really needs to be for Klay Thompson. This is more about what he can do defensively on the basketball court. This is about his ability for him to stay in front of guys who are now your prototype wing wing, you know, shooting guard type players that it's not that there are two
way players as much as they are. Their athleticism has really significantly increased in that role of that position over the last couple of years, which I think is marginalized his ability to be on the court and to be able to keep up with some guys. I've said for the longest time shot that at some point Klay Thompson needed to transition to be more of a small forward rather than being the shooting guard, because then I think that would have opened things up for the Golden State Warriors.
Now you are definitely seeing where to me, Klay Thompson can basically shoot the ball better than what you were getting out of Tim Hardaway Junior. But Tim Hardaway Junior, at least for his part, was able to keep up with other guys playing you know, that hybrid role, that hybrid position of what Clay used to do. And I think that is going to be so important for the
Dallas Mavericks. It's not so much the fun because this this is going to be a roller coaster for Klay Thompson as far as his ability to shoot the basketball. He's not going to do what he was doing, you know, on a night in, night out basis back in Golden State. And let's also keep in mind as well too, he is not going to be fed the ball the same way like the ball was being fed to him through
Draymond Green and through Steph Curry. So a lot of this is going to really come down to Klay Thompson and his experience, his guile, his savvy on his ability to be relevant on that court for the Dallas Mavericks. And I think people in Dallas should be very liary. I'm not saying that Clay will not be productive for them. What I'm saying is in the areas that I think the Dallas Mavericks are going to need him. If you're going to have him on that basketball court, he has
got to be better at doing that. He didn't show us coming from that injury last year. Now maybe now a full season into this, we'll probably see him get a little bit more pepping his step. But I think ultimately whatever is driving him to be that version of him cannot be misled in what's necessary for the Dallas Mavericks to repeat as to what they gave us last season.
Yeah, I mean, Clay, I mean I think it's the shot diet. How many shots per game does he get. He's a guy who's usually in the seventeenth to eighteen per game. You know, he was down to fifteen last year.
And it could be even less. It could it could really be.
Less, because I think the onus is gonna come down to Luka Donkic and what aggression Luka Donkich gives you. Obviously health being a factor as well too, but the moment that Luka Donkic is not on that basketball court, then gets who operates in that space from a guard perspective, right Like, I know that they'll have Green and they'll have you know, a hardy and those guys, but it's
still gonna be Kyrie Irving. And so Kyrie Irving's a way and his ability of how he goes to the bucket and how he you know, opens up the floor and things that nature will not be the same way that Luca does that, which is more deliberate, more paced. It's it's gonna be very different for a guy like
Clay Shaw. I was interested in saying that in what we're thinking about with guys like Jah Moran and guys like Trey Young, right like, this ultimately has a feel for you know, guards need to step up and be better.
Jamal Murray, Damian Lillard.
This is a guard driven hoops redemption, which is kind of hard to believe because it's been guards who have been out balling out when it comes to you know, playoff time and things of that nature.
We've seen some of the.
Greatest performances by guards, but I feel like a couple of them that haven't been mentioned, and you can see it in a way that teams have finished in disappointing fashion. A lot of it has been driven on the absence of a guard or the lack of play thereof by the guards.
Well, for me, Joe Moran is the poster word for this, for all the reasons off the court and even the injuries. So there's nobody I think with more to proof here in terms of hoop presumption than John Morant. For me, Tree Young is he is exactly who he's been for the majority part of his career, So I don't know
if there's another level for him to redeem. I think at this stage, I think I'm past the fact that he's this star of a Eastern Conference title type team, if you will, like getting to the Eastern Conference championship. I don't think that's I don't think that's who he is. I think it was a magical run. I think we're kind of off of that right now. So, yes, he's a guy who's gonna get you twenty five to twenty points per game, going to average ten to eleven assist The numbers.
Are going to look great, but I don't just don't know that it's going to lead to winning.
So I don't know what redemption looks like for Tree Young for me, but for in this conversation, Jah even Dame. You know, he has Zion and his Zion played the most amount of games he's ever played in his career last year, but also wasn't able to stay healthy within the playoffs.
So redemption for Zion is get into the playoffs and at least finishing the playoffs healthy. That would be a big first step. But I think John Moran to me is there's no bigger person on this list than him.
Zion Williamson, to me, I think has a very very large weight on his shoulders when I think of hoops redemption and look, I'm the one who put Zion Williamson on here. I think most people are just relieved that you actually, to your point, Shaw, he played the most games in the regular season but wasn't available in the playoffs.
This to me has nothing to do with his play.
And availability, because I'm beyond what my expectations are of him when he's on the court. I think when he's on the court, he could be one of the most dominant forces. You know, in the conversations that we talk about with the likes of Joel embiid Gianni Satze Zakoumpo. You know what I'm saying, Like he could actually take over games like that. It's the desire and the willingness to do that when it matters the most that I
think that really still concerns me. And I can't believe that we're still having this conversation because everyone still keeps propping up how he's that kind of guy that can give you twenty seven, eight and eight, like you know, or twenty seven and you know, eight rebounds and you know, just be a physical force in nature down there.
D da da da da.
And I'm like, yeah, but I see it once every three games. So like even his availability, him being on the court, but not giving that to you on all three games still is a problem, right, Like you know, if Joel Embiid is going to give that to you, he just needs to stay healthy. But even when healthy's Ion Williamson does not give that to you on a consistent basis. And that's a maturation thing. That's not so much a thing thing about whether or not he physically
can go out there and do that. I just think that and I've said this before Shaw, because remember we've had these conversations in the past. Even our boy Nunzio, who's been a staunch Zion Whims and I'm calling him out on this because there are a lot of people who still feel this way about Zion Williamson. I say, Zion Williamson is a great one B player, great two
A player. To ask him to shoulder a franchise, to go out there and just do those kind of things, I think takes another level that I don't think we'll ever see from that. I think he's gonna give you great numbers. But if you want the Pelicans to be taken seriously, somebody else has to go out there.
And I thought that was the reason why they got to c. J. McCullum.
But somebody else has got to go out there and take that burden off of his shoulders, because I still don't think he still knows how to do that. So if we're talking about hoops redemption, if he's been saying that he believes he's that guy and wants to be that guy, then this needs to be.
The season that he proves that.
Because the Pelicans are always in this conversation where they look good at certain parts in the regular season and then they fade away and then no one can take them seriously. Even if they're either a playoff, a play in team or a playoff team.
Sure, and I will design for me. All those points make sense, especially going back to last year. He played the most amount of games as I alluded to, but he didn't look good for the first i'd say thirty games, like he actually played himself into shape. So I understand that that level of consistency can you do it for the full whatever. I won't say eighty two for him, called it seventy two, you know, for him, whatever games that he's he's going to play, but being consistent throughout
is going to be the key for a redemption. Not necessarily from a redemption standpoint, but just hey, great to see him back. Shout out to Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls. So whatever he's able to do on the court, I think it's going to be a redeeming story. Just for him to be able to be healthy and finish this season. Great to see him back so.
Far in preseason.
Absolutely, you are tuned to the baseline Cali warren Shaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. Coming up, we got some more burning questions Kawhi Leonard. Is it time for him to wrap it up? Is it time for him to put the clause in the back in the shed. Victor Wimbanyama, of course, how can you have a burning not have a burning question about the phenom that is the the you know, Victor woman Yama and
and other great stuff. And probably a great burning question would be like who do you think is gonna win the MVP?
It's up for grabs.
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talking burning questions. NBA season is right there, Shaw, So what what are the burning questions could you and I possibly have to come up with that we would be looking forward to or hoping we'll be answered at some point during the season or by seasons. And how about Kawhi Leonard right like he is the gift that keeps on giving.
Honestly for us? No, no, totally not.
If people are now aware, you know, Kawhi Leonard is is out indefinitely. I'm sure Clippers fans are just like, oh okay, it's just like, should Kawhi Leonard retract.
His claws and retire? Show? I liked that was very clever because clearly they're not maned. Uh, they're not amantium right, Oh no, they're not. There's no over there, Yeah exactly right.
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, it's it's a it's an interesting conversation, and I mean, I think while it's a little tongue in cheek, and I know Kendrick Perkins went viral, you know, for for going on ESPN and saying that Kawhi should retire. You know, I heard soft Tier six MMBA Radio was just like listen, his body just continues to portray him. You know, he's really got to figure out what, if anything,
is next when it comes to his basketball career. Let's see, he just signed an extension, so I don't even think it's realistic that he's even going to actually do this. And you know, if it means he plays twenty five games, thirty games a year, I think he's going to ride it out and collect the check. He never struck me as somebody who's greedy per se, and I don't think
this is what this is about. But I mean, if he has to retire and leave money on the table, I don't know why he would do that just from a business standpoint.
So for me, I should he retire.
I think he's at least he needs to try to come back from whatever this latest injury is and then see where things are at from there. But to go into the season and be like, you know what, that's it, I'm going to call her her career right now.
I think I don't know. I would at least give it one more try.
But his ability to continue to rehab, that's one thing athletes consistently talk about, especially those who have been hurt a lot like he has, Like the mental toll on somebody does really really weigh And I don't.
Know where Kui is that in terms of that process.
Should he retire, No, but I would.
It does make me think about all those times when the San Antonio Spurs did the things that they did as if they didn't know that there was something obviously wrong with with with Kawhi Leonard. And the way that Kawhi Leonard in his camp handled you know, what was going on and what was taking place almost made me feel like, so you were doing this to scapegoat the San Antonio Spurs so that people did not realize that you have this ongoing, lingering issue with your ability to
stay healthy and keep your eye. That looks revisionist history. But what I'm saying is is that if Kawhi Leonard expects people to respect his you know what he commands, you know, from a media standpoint about his ongoing conditions and circumstances, I think that he needs to get out
in front of it. I think that he can no longer continue to do what he was doing in his early part of his career, when he had had the ability from a from a physical standpoint, that he can go out and prove to people, Hey, you know this is a one off thing. When I'm right, I go and win championships. When I'm right, I'm a dynasty killer. This is no longer the case. We're far removed from that timeframe. Even when as far as to say, hey, I don't do anything unless you get me Paul George.
Obviously that didn't work. Okay, two injury ridden players on the same team, and we were all hoping that if they were on the floor healthy, they could arguably be the best defensive tandem that the NBA has ever seen in league history.
Never happened. Okay, So clearly his GM hat take that off of him. Now.
I just think as a player, he needs to worry and focus more about being about as good a version that the Clippers can ask of him to be, given what's going on with the Clippers.
You know how certain.
Players are more like they are the ambassador for the team or the organization as the organization goes through his transitions.
That's what I'm thinking, But that's what I'm saying.
That's what I'm saying, though, Like, if you're gonna be Kawhi Leonard and you're not planning to retire, right, You're gonna have to transition to that.
I'm saying Shaw is this is not gonna This is non negotiable.
Man. Like, what I'm saying is is that he's gonna continue to hurt his brand if he continues to keep playing this off on this idea that all people will will be forgiving or will be understanding knowing that I'm continuously not available when it matters. You get what I'm saying. I'm just saying for him, if the intent is should
he retire? I don't think he should retire, but he's gonna have to change his world view about how he is and who he is as a player to people because of the constant un of you know, his ability of not being available for an organization that basically did all of this because of him, Right like they did this this, this this isn't this is this thing with
the Clippers didn't just suddenly come out of nowhere. This They thought this was their time to get away from Big Brother Lakers, Right, this was their time, and they're doing it on a guy who can't even like he literally can't even be there for opening night at the new seat at the new arena.
Tough, right, because you know you're opening a new arena into a dome and all of those things. Like bomber Is is taking a lot on this, and I mean he's got money to spare, like he don't need to cry, cry him a river or anything like that. But at the end of the day, right, as an organization, I think I love that point that jamaking is. Can he transition to be more of an organizational figurehead? He hasn't shown to have any interest in any.
Of those Listen, andre iguidology, we're not.
With him where we don't know, Like everyone's going to say, kwui is his heart? We don't know?
And some people say, well, it's not our business. But these questions are going to continue to come about for all the injuries and his inavailability as you alluding to, if that continues to be his his cadence and his life, then yeah, this these are the conversations that are going to come up.
As fair as I'm.
Sure he's probably sitting at home like, how dare they think I should retire? Like don't they know what I'm going through? It's in some ways he's kind of made the bed to a certain degree, and you know, he kind of always wanted to be a guy who kind of eats his cake and eat it, has his cake and eat it too. And that's where I think the media and some others are a little bit frustrated. I think PG got frustrated with some of the treatment there
as well. And last thing, I'll say this, you know, because obviously we have a lot I want to get to Tyleru having to deal with this on a regular basis, right, And.
So he doesn't.
Nobody wants Kawhi to be hurt, but Lou now also is forced into an impossible situation of never knowing who's actually going to be available to play.
Shaw is so much bigger than just again him being out on that basketball court, right, He's taken on something that is far greater than just the idea of him getting this contract from Steve Balmer. And I think that's when I'm speaking to I was gonna say Shaw Andrea Goodalas made that sacrifice. Grant Hill's made that sacrifice. Sean Livington has made that sacrifice, Rudy Gay has made that sacrifice.
There have been numerous players, right that have made that kind of sacrifice, but have not made nearly as the kind of money that Kawhi Leonard has made off of the Los Angeles Clippers, And given the circumstances of where the organizations were far far far outweigh that and I think that's something that has to be taken into consideration when we're talking about this aspect of whether or not
he should or shouldn't retire and stuff like that. I'm talking about the lasting effect of what may happen to his legacy and what will happen to the Clippers organization. And remember, he's tied to that, this new iteration of the Clippers, he is tied to that.
He is the spawn of that.
Basically, right, we're not gonna be talking about the Clippers, you know, back when it was lib City and all the other kind of stuff. We're gonna be talking about this iteration of the Clippers. And if you were talking about that Lob City version of the Clippers, it's because of the disappointment that this version of the Clippers have not gotten to because of what they did to put
themselves in this position. Because people people can make the argument that they should have made this move a lot sooner back when they had Doc Rivers, Chris Paul DeAndre Jordan and and and Blake Griffin.
You know what I'm saying.
At the peak of their powers, they were the apples eye in the NBA. Like everybody wanted to see the Clippers, probably more so than wanting to see the Los Angeles Lakers play, And they never made that move to transition, to get a new arena and stuff like that, And that wasn't until Bomber came into the picture.
Right, So again, it's so much for it's so much more than that. But I digress Shaw.
The next burning question Victor women, Yanna women and Yanna aside, who's ready to take that next leap this season? See, everybody thought we were saying, what burning question can we have about Victory?
He's going to dominate the NBA.
We already know that keep, But who's ready to take that next leap next to him?
Who's who's ready to elevate?
Yeah? So I think the the GM survey came out with, you know, who's going to be the most improved. I don't know if that means they're going to take the leap in term of stardom, if you.
Will, I like Paula Ben Carol in Orlando. Even.
I was watching a preseason game a couple of weeks ago or this week rather, and he made a move off the bounce. You know, it was just you know, setting setting up right hand dribble, you kind of like pause, hesitated, went behind his back, dropped the defender, you know, went dribble left, you know, all the way to the basket. I was like, if this is really who he is off the bounce and then continuing to expand on his ability to shoot the three ball, like this is this
is definitely a star in the making. So I got Paula as a guy who is going to be kind of more of a household name into this conversation. This year, you know, challenging for all Stars, and I won't go so far as to say it's challenging for all NBA. I don't think he's quite that far along just yet, but I think this is a year he's going to become more of a household name.
Yeah, I completely agree with you. I was going to say, bon Cara, so I appreciate you. You know what I'm saying, robbing me and my glory. Yeah, there's this I don't know what it is, man, But I've watched a few games last season. I watched what he was doing in the playoffs. He just needs he needs just more that that that that pit bull in him. I'm not even say dogging him. He needs that pit bull in him more.
But he can.
He's showing me that he can, he can be that he can he can get to that level, you know what I mean. And I think if that's the case. Listen, there's no question from natural ability when Minyama is going to take the NBA by storm. But as far as persons that you want to cheer for, next to the Anthony Edwards of the world in the Eastern Conference, you could easily make the case that Paolo Bonkarol could be that kid.
Absolutely well.
Well, if there's anybody else, I mean, if you're watching us on YouTube, we have Kate Kate Cunningham listen here as somebody as well, I say, live in the South Florida area. I'm hearing a lot about Bam taking another step forward because of the three point shooting in his time with USA Basketball. So I don't know if he comes into like superstardom, I think that's probably too far.
But I think Ben may have one of his better seasons, but I just don't know that he's going to become a household name in the way that I think Carol Cam.
Yeah, no, no, no, no, totally absolutely. Hey, man, watch out for Grady Dick. Hey, he put on thirteen pounds of the off season. Man, you know these kids, man, they put on they put on weight all they lose it in like two weeks. But he put on waight they make you know, you.
Know what I'm saying.
Remember Remember remember the shot those memes Alice Caruso when he was hitting the gym next to Lebron.
Yeah, man, a what a watch Watch out for that?
All right? Hey, Raptors fans, you know, all right, who will be the baby face of the Rookie of the Year race.
I think this is exactly he's race to lose in a lot of ways.
He's going to have the most amount of time to to to to play on a regular basis, at least again barring injury. Uh. The chemistry that he's sorder formed with John Moran, I think has been really great that we've seen so far in preseason and all reports. So he has the inside track. I think he's a betting favorite. A guy like Reed Shepherd is also going to get some time in Houston, but you know, not in the starter's role that I think Edie is going to be in.
So I like zach Edy to be the rookie of the year.
Yeah, I think Zachie's gonna be a Rookie of the Year. But I'm curious about Dalton Connect.
I really am.
I feel like here he is fantasy. Our friends can't talent.
Yeah yeah, be so happy right like so, And it's not like we're having consultations. He's like converting me or nothing like that. But I will say this, there's an opportunity there right right, Like he could easily be like six guys come off the bench and be an instant spark plug. Look, the Lakers have figured out a way, you know what I'm saying, to get you know what I'm saying, get the Austin Reeves and Dalton Connects of the world. You know what I'm saying, Lighten up the
scoreboard and listen. You have a coach like JJ Reddick. I think he'll have an influence, you know, on on these guys improving.
Well, this this one center is going into a coach we don't know what kind of coach.
No no, no, no, no no no, you're missing my ear. I'm not talking about him strategizing, no no, no, no no no. I'm just saying, learning how to shoot to be a professional NBA shooter, I think can help a guy like Dalton Connect, whether or not he's gonna be able to you know, to to I'm just saying that there's opportunities there, whether or not you know, JJ utilizes him in that sense. I'm just trying to find because remember, Sean, this was not the quote unquote class of the classes
in draft. Okay, you know a lot of these guys are flying on the radar, but they're going to be opportunities to be had, especially if, say the Lakers are struggling and you know them. That's how Austin Reeves got his his claim the fame. Why would we think any differently for Dalton Connect. See now, now you're gonna have Jabbari coming at my coming at my chest hares about this. But I'm just saying that there's an opportunity there and.
We're going to create a segment now for the for the season. It's going to be the Laker cal the Laker anytime your Laker fandom comes in. Because I have to RIBI on this as a Celtics, I just don't understand all this Lakers love here on the baseline.
But you misconstrue love with just logic. It's just logic.
Yeah, it's just logic, Laker cass, Okay, I get you some prople and goals under.
Your way that will burn that stuff.
Man, all right, Shaw, which player if trade can have an impact on the title race?
I think the way I'm going to go on this is the guys who are obviously going to potentially be on the on the block. Right, So Valanching is, I think, is a trade candidate just waiting to happen, just waiting for the date to happen.
It's Secember fifteenth or January fifteenth.
He say he's got his bags already, you know, at whatever condominium that he's currently renting short term, right, he's leasing very very short term here.
Okay, extremely short term.
So his teammate Kyle Kuzma could also be on the way somewhere as well. But I think in terms of impact, if Levine is back to the guy who can give you twenty a game and you shoot thirty five to thirty eight percent from the three point line. I think that's that's more than impactful. And you know, if he were to be traded, you would assume it would be to the situation where he's going to end up being the second or even third guy, you know, wherever that
wherever that is. And I think the talent level there for that, even some secondary play creation he has kind of within his within.
His his talent talent scope.
I think he could change, you know, some teams trajectory dramatically, obviously depending on the team that that it is. And we've had Golden State interested, We've had the Lakers interested, you know, kind of the familiar familiar teams Miami even maybe to a lesser degree. I think he'd be significant upgrade for all of those teams in some capacity, obviously depending on what they had to give up in return.
But the going price on on Zach Lyvien right now isn't really that much, So I think any one of those teams, if they really wanted to, could get him.
And I'd say watch the Tree Young situation in Atlanta. We keep talking about the Hawks here.
I think obviously what he does offensively could be really transformative to a different, different organizational structure that had, you know, more of a winning mindset.
Yeah, so Trey Young, Zach Levine, I'm taking a different take on Zach Lavine Shaw Like, whereas whatever happens with Zack Lavine, I think will will bring a trickle down effect to the rest of the other players that might be in play. As far as being moved for the trade deadline, with the exception of Jonas Valanciunis, I think that's a standalone and I think that's gonna come down to teams that's really needing a legitimate big or filling roster spots for a legitimate big, you know, to add
depth to to to their teams, you know. So that to me would be the more interesting thing that comes
out of that. I posted brandon Ingram And the reason why I posted brandon Ingram is because if brandon Ingram is going to be in conversations about being moved, it clearly tells you what has happened to this Pelican season, and it's clearly a sign of what is going to now going to be to come that the party is going to be broken up between McCollum, him and and and Williamson, and so you know, I would be interested to see what version of brandon Ingram is going to
be out there for people to look at, and what expectations the Pelicans may have on they're what they think they're going to get back if they were to move a guy like brandon Ingram. Well, I think it's a solid player, and I think I think he's better suited playing elsewhere. But it's a question of whether or not the Pelicans will recognize that and move him at the right time to get back whatever pieces they think that they're going to be able to get back for him.
At this moment, Well, Bi is not without talent, and he's being a good soldier in terms of saying, hey, whatever my contract situation deside, I'll be here.
But I think that's the caveat to this.
Trading for him, knowing that you need to give him a contract on top of it is where I think some teams are a little bit shy right now. Where Lavigne's money is kind of tied up, it might be more than some teams want to pay.
So there's there's that to be show.
Watch Milwaukee, Watch Milwaukee.
They can't, they can't Milwaukee is you know, second Apron. So they they don't really have a mechanism to do any one of these big trades right now. I know Ekaman said that on our last show, but that's I was intrigued and I was like, oh, but then I looked. I was like, there's just they have no real path to making it happen, although I'm sure they you know,
would love to so. But either way, these are guys that I think again, I think all very good picks in terms of could shift the landscape of how the playoffs and stuff like where to go if they were moved to the right team.
All right, So final burning question live, save the Best for last? Right? Who will win the MVP?
So flat out, I know Luca is the odds on favorite, you know, the betting favorite, the joker. I think you just you lose a narrative despite how great he is and the numbers he can it consistently puts up. So I think Luca is just always he always ends up being a little bit short, and you know, I don't know if he'll even play the amount of games and that saying that he's injury prone, but he does need to take time off throughout the course of the season.
So I think SGA and I think Brunson have real shots here.
And I'm going to go out on a limb.
If you will, and I'd say I'm going to give the nod to Brunton. From my side, I just think the Knicks are going to just play so hard for that number one season in the Eastern Conference, and Brunson is going to be the catalyst for everything that they do. Is going to play a crap ton of minutes, put up a crop ton of points, and I think that's going to lead him, especially with the narrative of the Knicks being this good again. There's a lot of great
story to that and media loves that. So I think, you know, coming off of he's not the guy and whatever was said about him last year, to the playoff front that he had, I think this could be a nice redemption for him in some ways and validation and say redemption of validation for him as a.
Number one guy if he were able to truly being to this MPP.
Comp next leap frogged the Celtics in the in the conference, in the division in the conference. Definitely. I think if you are the Oklahoma City Thunder to your point. If it's SGA that we're talking about, they have to get to fifty eight fifty nine wins if we're gonna consider SGA. I kind of like Anthony Edwards man as the dark horse. Listen, Cat's gone, and while you know he has some comparable pieces.
He's shown us. Man, he wants to be that dude.
And you know, while he loves his boy called Anthony Towns, he'd like, hey, deuces, baby, you know what I'm saying Like this, he took over that franchise. This is but nothing but the next step, the next you know, play to your point, the natural way to go would be Luka Donkic because we've been saying this for the longest time. Man, he is and MVP waiting to happen, and it's just he either has slow starts or you know, then he
finds his groove and he just can't sustain. It reminds me a lot like what happened with Joel EMBII, right. My concern is that Luka donkas is still, you know, trying to recover from all of the variety of injury injuries that he dragged through the rest of that, you know, to drag through last season with and even going into the offseason, so we don't know what version of Lukadankis is going to be to start the season.
Ain't nobody wondering about Anthony Edwards.
I think if he gets off to a hot streak, hot start, he gets the Timberwolves in that early conversation to be one of the top two teams in the Western Conference. And they're hanging around and they're you know, hanging around at fifty eight to fifty nine win window next to you know, OKAC, which is kind of hard
pressed because they're both in the same division. It's hard pressed when we not think that this could be Anthony Edwards, you know, time to kind of sneak in there and really shake up the Apple card.
I'd love to see it if Minnesota is this team that everyone feels like they're going to be this lesser version of themselves.
To me, Randall and de Vincenzo I might have heard this on another show.
To the combination, like you have some of the shooting that Cat left, and then you get kind of the rebounding and some of the other stuff, and even the playmaking you know with Randall that Cat didn't.
Have, So you know, they've kind of molded those two guys.
Uh, And I think de Vincenzo and nas Reed are gonna both be six Men of the Year candidates, you know, on the same team.
They're probably pulled away from each other in terms of votes.
But that what does that lead for Anthony Edwards to be and that that could be an MVP if the Trumbles end up being I'd say probably, I can't send them being higher than a three seed even after all is said and done.
But if they're if they.
Are even that or more than like you're potentially predicting, then this is Yeah, this could definitely be a season for MVP.
Man, But great conversation in general. Can't wait to see how it shakes out.
Yeah, man, totally. And so where are you all?
Right?
Who do you think MVP? Who do you think can impact the the the you know, the trade deadline? Who else can possibly sneak in and be considered as a roy favorite? Right?
Which which you know, coach do you think may be on the hot seat?
Right? So many burning questions and this has just been a great way for us to kind of segue ourselves into what's.
Expected to be an exciting NBA season. My brother.
You know what it is.
So as we continue to ride through the NBA ethos, we're happy to be here with you all as our fans and listeners. We are fans and listeners and consumers of NBA content on a regular basis, So tapping with the baseline as always, n BE Underscore basedline and the baseline on Twitter. Sorry X, and you know what it is man, We're out here, so catch us here for twenty fourteenty five season.
Yeah.
Absolutely for the baseline, Cali warren Shaw. We appreciate you guys. Thanks popping on board with us this week.
We'll catch up with you next time.