Well, well, well, the NBA is back in business kind of because teams have conducted media days. Although media Day Jimmy Butler didn't he disappointed.
Jimmy, I was.
We were really really counting on some kind of dynamic hairdo this year, but no became extra regular and camps have officially opened and we're still getting ready for the twenty three twenty four season. As we break down our Central Division expectations and more with writer EP hosts Josiah Johnson on today's episode, I'm Miles.
Gray and I'm Jack O'Brien and this is my mother Jack Boostrach. Sorry, get it. Look at the chit chitst Okay, there's.
Your NB driving spinning jab.
Better number that's been secured.
The Celticer NBA champions over the Couple team.
To be honest, hut time.
Okay, we have the King of NBA. Twitter reactions, I mean just generally Twitter reactions of Gills Arena shout out ground High School.
Uh.
Josiah Johnson, welcome back to the pod Man. It's been too long, but it's great.
To have you back.
It has been a minute since we've gotten up in it, but happy to be back on here. With you guys, and hope everything's been well with y'all.
Yeah, so well, just so well. As a Sixer fan, so well, man.
You know, I was in Philly recently, uh, talked to a lot of Uber drivers. That's where I get a lot of my perspective from from general fans. Yeah, we're not as excited as I was expecting them to be about the sixer squad, but hopefully, uh that changes.
That seems like a Philly sports fan thing generally.
Right, It's like they were they were down a little bit. I'm like, damn, you got all these people and be has always heard finished. I'm like, all right, well, okay, wow, it could.
Be it could be worse.
Could be that they're already on the PG can't finish. We haven't even watched him playing in there, Like he could be stronger around the rim, taking like.
Three photos in his new uniform already. It's like, all right, let him let him shoot our jumper, okay.
Right right, yeah exactly.
But I guess before we get into the Central Division stuff, a lot of so much movement. Just from the last time we recorded, we were like, oh yeah, the Nickson was doing pretty good. Then they acquired Karl Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randall, Dante DiVincenzo and a first round pick. So Kat is now in the garden. I was a fan just with you know, McCall bridges. But now Kat seems like something to get even more excited about.
But did the Timberwolves make a mistake here? What are they getting back exactly?
The interesting thing to me is we had heard this trade rumor for a while, right, this wasn't really news. Anybody heard that the Knicks and the Timberwolves were in discutcheons and working on a potential deal.
You got two caa client.
So for me to hear that Kat didn't know it was kind of blindsided by this whole situation. A little surprising to me. But Woje retired. Who knows where the information is coming from nowadays?
I didn't believe this or I needed it sourced by more. I personally called woj the first can't be true?
Right?
Can show voicemailed or.
Did he respond? It seems like he's retired his thumbs for the receivable future?
Yeah, your text went green.
You're like, oh he changed phones?
Huh?
I think look the thing that we had talked about with this Nick squad, all the players they got Og was signing.
You know, Randall was kind of that that wild card.
Obviously they didn't have to sign him until the summer, I believe with the extension, but you know, run the risk of making him unhappy. So they needed big Hardenstein going to the Thunder. They needed to kind of fill that void Mitch Robinson, you know, no telling kind of injury situation where he's at. So bringing in a guy like Kat you know, a guy to stretch five who can shoot the three, not a traditional center, but can guard big to kind of fill that void, fill that role.
I think it was a good move on their part. You know, you start to hear the rumblings in the stories that maybe not all the Nova Knicks were as happy as they should be or could be reuniting and playing on the squad. There is only a finite amount of minutes to go around. As we know, Tibbs is notorious for running guys into the ground, so you know
somebody was gonna be the odd man out. And you got a guy like Dante DiVincenzo, who set the three point record for the team last season, who was playing close to thirty minutes a game, think missed out on potential off season awards, so you know, had the potential to kind of be one of the odd mans out there.
In addition to Josh Hart not getting the type of minutes that they were expecting, especially with that run last season, getting all the way to second round, coming in within a game of being in the Eastern Conference Finals, so you had to feel that you know, Bridges minutes were accounted for. Obviously, Jalen Brunt's minutes were accounted for. You got og Randall at that point who would have been the four, and then you know Mitchell Robinson who had
been the five. Some of those guys were gonna get the minutes they were supposed to. So now you hear these stories, these rumblings that DiVincenzo wasn't necessarily is happy as the rest of those Nova Knicks with that move. So he gets an opportunity. I don't think it's gonna be necessarily much of an improvement for him going to this Timberwolf squad world likely be the sixth man coming
off the bench. But I think both teams obviously, and you hear the reports that you know, no way the timbers Wolves would have been able to keep paying.
Kat his salary, and you know, just with the new salary cap rules and all that stuff.
So both those guys move, Kat gets to come to New York, they get the five that they've been looking for coveting. So I'm curious to see a little more confused from the Timberwolf side, just in terms of all the success that they had last season. You know, again as far as they got being on the precipice of going to the NBA Finals and kind of coming to his own but even as we all saw, you know, it was Ant's team now, Kat was taking a back seat, whether he wanted to or not. So it's gonna be
interesting to see how this all plays out. Very curious see how Julius Randall worked with that lineup. Obviously Gobert the summer that he had not being utilized by France as much as I'm sure he would have liked in the Olympics.
Curious to see how he comes back often.
Winning that fourth Defensive Player of the Year award, and with all of just the talk nowadays about his defense being extremely suspect in him not being as reliable defender as we all like to pretend to defensive player of the Year should be. But it'd be interesting to see how both these teams react. I'm sure the Nuggets are extremely happy with this move, in addition to other teams in the Western Conference.
But look, at the end of the day, we'll see how it plays out.
These guys have a little bit of time now in training camp to kind of figure all these things out before they roll the balls down the regular season.
I personally love this trend of teams just serving up all star players to Atlantic Division teams that address a huge need, like the Celtics got it last offseason. Now the Knicks just like kind of mind boggling trades that make Atlantic Division teams.
Way way better. I would take one. As a Sixers fan, I think I think you.
Guys got enough.
Man, you guys, you guys creeped up on a come up this off But it's crazy to me to see that Go Bear trade and everything that was given up in that Go Bear trade, and now you see the Cat trade and it's like like all they got was Randall Devin chinz One. Obviously, that Piston's pick, which will more than likely prove to be extremely valuable in this heavily loaded draft coming up in twenty twenty five, But
it's confusing to me. It's like I never understood NFL trades, and this is one of those trades where like I just I can't wrap my head around it. But you know, NFL they'll trade a future Hall of Famer for like a fourth round pick, and I'm just always how does that make sense at all?
But what do I know?
It's like the kind of stuff if this was finance, you'd be like, are they doing money laundering? This does it makeup? But I don't know how, but it's something.
Something else must be going on.
Cat and TIBs are also a fun subplot, like how Cat fits in on a TIBs team.
To quote the name of my favorite movie.
Something's gotta give here because they're not a perfect fit, so be interesting to see see.
You're a fan of quality cinema, so I respect.
Oh yeah, we also got to see Spurs media Day. It was nice to see Wemby. I guess put on twenty five pounds. He was two ten, but I guess on media day listened at two thirty five. We saw the shoulders, We saw the shoulders. A lot of yeah, photo. Yeah, yes, and also standing side by side with Chris Paul and you're like, oh, yeah, okay, that makes sense when someone is like, what nearly like fourteen inches taller than you, that's what it's going to look like.
Yeah.
It truly looks like a child.
Yeah, yeah, I know right, it looks like someone was like, oh, who won the sweepstake to be able to meet Wemby and it's like, oh no, that's Chris Paul. Lakers Media Day also happened, which I'm just got to keep an eye on on my Lakers just to know what to expect. I mean, ruly, Hachimur was saying, look, JJ wants him, you know, maybe throwing it up, throwing up some more threes this time around. I mean yeah, when he's when he's on his game, he that is something that can
be useful. Lebron, you know, was talking about I think the thing that he said was the Olympics made him realize just how much more he has in the tank.
And I'm like, oh, okay, very scary.
Yeah, that's potential music to my ears. We had Dangela Russell also saying like, you know, I'm a little more mature now, I'm dabbling in something called accountability this season, which I think could be something new for me and I always welcome that. And then obviously, like, yeah, Polink is also talking up Christy Austin Reeves what these guys can bring now, I mean, if true, that would be what the Lakers do need to really kind of begin to go a little bit further this year. But yeah, Jack,
you tired of talking about the Lakers? Does anything change for you after seeing what JJ Reddicks starting five is because it looks so different from.
Any all of these stories from media Day.
Huge if true, this is going to be massive if Lebron suddenly, just by playing really well in the Olympics is suddenly able to play really well across eighty two games in the playoffs.
But I don't know.
I'm getting the way I'm getting because the Lakers are my favorite team on the you know, I'm a Lebron stand good man.
The thing that's getting me excited is.
Just the further we get away from that Warriors championship in twenty twenty two, the more like kind of weird and miraculous. It appears like they were just like, let's be good again for a year let's just like take it up a notch and with like kind of the same ingredients and like Jordan Poole is better, and you know our three like is just suddenly better and never again, you know, and Wiggins, like Wiggins is suddenly just like
takes it up and on. So that was like some weird alchemy that happened with a team that had some great players on it that nobody was really expecting that from and they were able to put it together with just kind of smoking mirrors and an amazing season from some of their best players. So maybe why that's what's giving me Lakers hope. Yeah, and ESPN, if you want to buy that storyline off of me to justify like covering the Lakers in every show the need the next ten years, you can come get me.
So I'm agree with you. Super supportive of this Lakers squad. Obviously.
What's concerning is Lebron entering year twenty two coming off a full Olympic summer slate. You know, some some tough games in those Olympic competition, just to see where his bodies at were his mind's at ad as well. Guys that have had traditionally during their time in the Purple and Gold dealt with injury issues, so how their bodies hold up, how they maintained throughout the season. Good to see JJ Reddick is already coming in with the right mentality,
right game plan in terms of a starting five. That crew that went twenty three and ten last season took Darvinham I think what close to fifty games to finally realize that this might be the crew I want to roll out and run with. You know, a little concern with Jared Vanderbilt kind of where he's at. It seems like this has gone on far too long, and you know, now you've had a whole summer and offseason to get back right and still you know, having foot issues and things like that.
But excited for this team. I think.
You know, the Western Conference is obviously extremely tough, hard to get wins on that side. A lot of teams on that side got significantly better, some of those teams did not, And you know, we'd love to see this Lakers team put it together. Lebron and Ad coming off that gold medal. Obviously Brianni James providing this inspiration to Lebron. He doesn't want to play bad in front of his son, in front of his namesake to help motivate him to
lead this team to success. And JJ Reddick student of the game, extremely intelligent, first coaching Foray though, so he's going to have a lot of bumps along that road just as he gets more experience learns with that position entails. And as you gentlemen know, Lakers nation very unforgiving, so you know there'll be not a ton of room. That honeymoon will be over rather quickly. I remember when Westbrook came and he had like something like fifteen turnovers in
those first two preseason games. Mood quickly shifted. So you know, JJ Ridick is on the hot seat already. As you guys know, Laker fandom requires anybody can get it at any moment at any time. But give him a little grace, a little time to figure these things out. But you'd like to see him out the gate, you know, start hot, start strong. That's kind of been different than previous years where we're playing catch up in the last fifteen twenty games of the season, trying to struggle even to be
a playing team. You want this team to really be locked in, motivated and give us optimism and hope. Hopefully closer to that twenty twenty season as opposed to some of the seasons after that.
Yeah, it's so so.
You know the right now, the odds have the Lakers at around forty three and a half wins this season. Josiah, you're taking the over or the under on that.
I'm always taking the over, never doubt Lebron Raymond James senr. Like I said, he's got a son in namesake with him. He's going to make sure that Broni's rookie season the NBA is fruitful, productive. I think the squad is going to rally behind each other. Obviously fans were extremely critical of Darvingham. Some of that justifiable, But I think JJ is going to come in, locked in and really have
a different, unique approach, really instill some more life. And you know, you hear the reports after coach Ham got fired that, you know, some riffs, some tension amongst the other guys. We saw throughout the season last year, guys not wanting to dap them up during games, some questionable things written on the clicking ard as he's trying to put the motivated, like what's really going on here? But I think this squad is going to be locked in,
motivated for success. And you know, as long as Lebron thinks he wants to play, we're getting close to that point where his career is gonna, you know, eventually end at some point in the near future. So I think he wants to go out swinging and hopefully the rest of the squad will follow his lead.
One note, JJ needs to either start developing male pattern baldness or just go full slick back like pat Riley because his hair remains too good. Yeah, it remains too good to be a successful NBA coach.
Project pack to the back.
I hope that Bronni is what inspires Lebron to do his best. May he be Ac Green's beanie baby of good luck that got us a chip. That's what Bronny can be for Lebron this season.
I need him to both dunk on Gobert, give me that kne Griffy senior junior back to back dingers.
Yeah, yeah, I will be right exactly.
All right, Let's take a quick break and we'll come back to take a look at the Central Division right after this and we're back. So the Central Division, you know, we're looking at the bucks, Pacers, calves, Bulls Pistons. I think we'll just let's just kick it off up top with the Bucks. They won forty nine games last year. They're projected with fifty and a half wins according to fan Duel. You know, big changes that obviously lost the NASAs. I think that's a huge thing that people aren't talking
about enough. Terrible injury that he had Malik Beasley, Pat Bev, Jay Crowder, but added Gary Trent Junior, Torrian Prince and others. But you know, also Chris Middleton had double ankle surgery, both ankles surgerized. That sounds like that sounds like something hard to come back from, especially someone that's as key
as Chris Middleton. And then the Dame and Yonnie of it all is really interesting too because they apparently they did not work out together at all over the offseason, and you know, most times when players come in late before the season, a lot of it is like, well, you know, they didn't have much time to gel before the season started in this, that and the other, and maybe that's why we're not seeing the most out of it.
But do either of you read heavily into that little detail of not playing together at all, or is that maybe not the most important thing going into this next season for them.
For me, I think it's really where Damon's headspace is at coming in this year. I think for him, making that transition from Portland and Milwaukee last year was a lot tougher off the court.
You know, and he alluded to a lot of that interviews and things that he did. It's a hard transition to make.
My father, Marcus Johnson, was was drafted by the Bucks out of UCLA, speaks candidly about some of those cold Milwaukee winners when he first got there and kind of just a shell shock and not being able to handle those situations off the floor. But a little concerning to know that Jannis and Dame, you know, now, if we would have came in immediate day and Giannis like, yeah, man, you know, we were inseparable, We were working our butts
off just to develop chemistry in the gym, did not happen. Obviously, those guys are both high level, elite players, been in the league a long time. I think what year twelve for Gianni's maybe year fourteen or fifteen for Dame.
I forget where he's at right now.
But their NBA vets, their pros are all stars obviously, you know they're they're all NBA level players, so that adjustment.
Should be a little bit quicker.
Obviously, the Doc River situation, you know, Jack, as you know just from your Sixers fandom, is a little concerning, just depending on you know, how he approaches this season and kind of his reputation and track record in clutching key moments aside from that Celtics championship.
But I like the crew.
I like their offseason moves, and for me, it's just so crazy to see with this new CBA and just kind of the salary cap issues the guys who would have traditionally made a lot of money potentially in other lower smaller market teams or other places, or not small market teams. Obviously the Bucks are one, but you know, lower level teams in the league taking these one year kind of prove it deals at this point in their career.
Like you mentioned, they got Torrian Prince, Gary Trent Junior, two guys, and I'm you know, Toyan was kind of hit or miss with the Lakers last season, But I think, you know, it's funny. Malik Beasley's kind of similar situation goes to Milwaukee and ends up being one of the best three point shooters in the league. So without the pressure, without kind of the hype of playing in Hollywood, I think it'll it'll ease off of him and he'll be
allowed to to do a lot more things. But also it got like Delone Wright, another LA guy who you know, just a solid pickup for this crew. The Chris Middleton thing for me is concerning we haven't really seen a healthy Middleton in a while. Like you know, you talk about big threes, you got the Big Three, Gianni's, Dame, Middleton, all of them have dealt with injury issues throughout the past year. So if those guys can come in somewhat healthy, they can pick up slack till Middleton is good to go.
But just one of those situations, right, like you know, the Bucks for the longest time, you know, when Giannis is playing at a high level, MVP level was in the discussion last season obviously with what he was doing, but Dame making that adjustment now being a lot relied on a lot more on the defensive side.
Just how they'll be able to handle that.
You know, you got Juggernauts now and the Sixers Celtics knicks that have all gotten better.
I don't think the Bucks comparatively.
You know, there should be quite as much optimism as those other teams head into the season. But you do have Giannis, you do have freak time, you got a strong crew that's played with each other now for a number of years.
So you know, I'm excited about the Bucks season.
Obviously, my dad works for the team still, so can't be two inflammatory because I need those free tickets in the.
Plug and I do put love to the full four.
But you know, I got a lot of love for this crew, and I think if they can figure it out, stay reasonably healthy, all things considered this they would be competing for a top two spot in the East. Potentially could be throwing the Celtics, you know, just depending. Those guys have played a lot of basketball. But you know, Jaylen Brown and Tatum are coming in with chips on their shoulder, so I may be curtains for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Chips on their hands and their shoulders.
Yeah, chips in more ways than one.
Exactly has it.
Ever happened before where like two players the chemistry is not quite there, and then they spend the off season together and like have like a friends shop montage and then yeah, like it happens in movies, and I feel like that's the only place that that narrative. Actually, it's just a thing that like sports writers want to be able to talk about. But right, like Dirk Novitski with his like skills coach, it's like we in the offseat
and we learned how to canoe and play saxophone. Yeah, that's actually that was was foundational to this turnaround we've we've had. Yeah, super producer Jabari mentioned Rocky three. I think that's where the only place we've seen it happen in athletics.
With that wonderful as you pointed out, wonderful flingered in our.
Minds, so we expect it from everybody.
Yeah, right, right, right, Yeah, Between Giannis and Dame, who's the one running like Rocky on the beach?
I hope neither of. I mean maybe Chris Middleton with the double ankles, well hopefully not.
Fifteen and a half wins, who's taking the over, who's taken under? How are we feeling here? Fifteen and a half forty nine last year?
So a game and a half better, I think I'll take the over, but I wouldn't be super excited about it. But yeah, I think, yeah, I take the over barely, just if really Obviously, like you know, as the season goes on, health is going to be a factor. But
sure like Giannis is coming in looking for revenge. You got you know, two first round exits, both you know, largely due to his injury concerns him also making question comments I think last summer about you know, you know, whether or not he would want to stay in Milwaukee. You hear the rumblings about Golden State, he's their dream player and all those things.
But I think Giannis is gonna lock in.
And you mentioned the NASA's being out, and look, I know, you know, the NASA's kind of but a lot of jokes in the NBA Twitter world, but this is a guy who always brings it, a guy who you can tell is excited, loves to play basketball, loves to watch his little brother shine and do those things, and an
important guy in the locker room for a team. You know, when you're talking about high level athletes making a lot of money when things aren't going well, there's a tension for dissension and fracture.
Amongst the unit.
Where is the guy that's bringing everybody there, A guy that's just so excited, so motivated, so happy to be there, that I think his loss. You know, people are kind of making jokes about it, but I think it's going to be interesting to see just how that team. You need those strong, reliable bench guys at the end of the bench that are really happy to be there, because sometimes you get those teams with guys the end of the bench who are pissed off, bitter.
Playing war. Yeah, and they lower the energy of the entire squad with the NASAs.
He knows, damn well, he don't belong in this league, and obviously he's he's getting in the club on little brokes back. He's more Johnny Drama type, obviously letting Vince do do his thing. But it's gonna be interesting to see just how the team now responds.
Yeah, i'd take the over too. I think I just I for just my love of Dame and like Giannis, I really want to see this work in the best way possible.
But yeah, conduct's a great regular season coach, But yeah, I'd take the over two.
Yeah, all right, let's take a look over at the Pacers forty seven wins last year. They were predicted to reach forty seven and the half wins, so a half game better. Lost Doug McDermott and Jalen Smith, but added James Wiseman Cole Swider. I mean, this is pretty much the same team they really kept that team that went that went pretty far last season pretty much intact. Seemingly an advantage going into the season because you don't really hopefully you can just kind of carry that right into
the beginning of the season. But is it sustainable? And the other I think a lot of the people who's thinking that the improvement's going to come is because you have a lot of guys who are yet hopefully yet to hit their prime, and that maybe that's where the boots comes from.
Jack.
You you looking at the Pacers, do you? What do you think? Over under here? What the forty seven and a half games?
I mean, it's all about health. But if they if they stay healthy, I think over I like them to continue to progress.
Right right, Josiah, what about you?
I think with this crew, Halliburn obviously not getting the love on the Olympic squad again, another guy's going to come in with a chip on his shoulder, looking to elevate and approve off of a tremendous season last year. But keeping that crew together, Siakam guy like Miles Turner, Guys like Obi Topping, you know, Nie Smith, TJ McConnell, guys who showed up big in the postseason. And then you got got like Ben Matheren, who's coming in who's
hurt last year. But I think a guy who's ready to come in and take that next step, next leap in his game. And for me, you know, Draymond made this point last year that they are an eighty two game team, not necessarily a sixteen game team. But this is a team in the regular season that I feel like we'll bring it, you know, night in and night out.
Playing now in the shadow of Kaitlyn Clark, they know that they need to do something to distinct themselves and really kind of you know, get some of that attention back on their team and away from the fever. But yeah, this is a team. I think it will be a great regular season team. Don't think they'll have the same postseason success that they had last season, but this is definitely a fifty win ball club, So I would I would take the over on that.
Okay, all right, Well then the Calves now, yeah, I feel like very similar here. Calves are basically projected to do the exact sent there plus point five wins over where they were last season. A lot of similarities to last year's team. I'll probably take the under just because I don't have a reason to take the over.
But what do you guys think, I mean.
It seems like, you know, the like locking down Mitchell and Mobley and and and Jared Allen stuff, seems like that's that's precisely what you need. I think, you know, based on what I've heard my you know, I have like a friend who's a die hard Calves fan. He's like, it's the forward depth I'm worried about. I don't care about anything else with the forward depth. But I think at the same time, maintaining that core is I think
the biggest advantage they got. So I feel, you know, they're sure there are concerns, but I think that's this is just you know, I think they're right about where they're going to be, so I would just take I'll take the over, but just barely, or maybe I'll take the under because every I don't know everything is getting so so tight now, but no, yeah.
Well, I'm too positive of an individual, so you know, I believe in guys unwaveringly, especially a professional athlete. So I'm I'm probably go over with the squad. But for you know, you got a healthy Jared Allen hopefully coming back. You know, you got guys like Evan Mobley, you got guys like Strus who stepped up big time in their role were traditionally he guys when they go onward don't necessarily show that same level of production in their next destination.
Maybe that's just a Lakers thing, but you know, I like this crew, like the squad bringing in a guy like Kenny Atkins. And I was a fan of j B Bigger staff, was sad to see him let go. But then you see the reports and stories about some some dissension amongst the ranks, especially at the star player level,
and some of his coaching strategies. But I think guy like Kenny Atkins, and you know, a guy who comes from a championship lineage as an assistant coach, really will help revitalize the squad, get them where they need to be. And look, I know, for all the talk we talk about the Western Conference being as tough as it is.
The East has made a lot of noise this offseting you got a lot of young teams that are ready to think about like the Orlando Magic, teams like that that are primed to, you know, make some big moves on this side. But a team like the Cavs is kind of always consistently in that fourth or fifth spot, kind of not necessarily under the radar, but not a team you really care about in terms of you talk about championship contenders. But again, another good regular season team
and if they can stay healthy. You know, I feel like Cleveland's destination. When you go play there, you're not going to put your best foot forward just because you really don't have a reason to. So they're gonna be able to get a lot of wins at home, and I think that this team could could mess around and make some noise.
All Right, Well, I guess let's just we'll keep moving on before we take a break. But yeah, the Bulls are the next squad. We're talking about thirty nine wins last year, they are taking a tumble. They're expected to win twenty seven and a half games. Makes sense. They lost Caruso via trade. Obviously Damar and Andre Drummond are out, but they picked up Josh Giddy, christ WARDI Talent, Horton Tucker, I have like I forgot about you, Sir, Jalen Smith, and Kenny Lofton Junior.
Via the draft. Also, yeah, one of my favorite names my top yeah, was my favorite names to say.
But yeah, I mean they're they're saying we're not taking this season. Man, They're They're looking to be competitive with their new additions.
I'm also worried.
I'm like, what's the Delonzo of it all?
Too?
I have a lot of questions about this Bulls team. So, I mean there's thirty nine going down to twenty seven and a half. Feel about right that?
Hurst, Man, I think I think I would probably now because I know Bulls fans listening to this, I'm gonna be optimistic for them. In Chicago is a dangerous place as it is, so if I do have to step foot in the Windy City, I want to be respectful.
I would go higher.
But I think getting a guy like Josh Giddy who had to reduced rolling Okay, it was kind of getting pushed out last season. Getting a fresh star in Chicago. I think Bozellis is a guy. You know, I worked with Norris Cole on Gills Arena, and Bozellis was a guy that Norris was extremely high on. Norris extremely smart, intelligent player, but had opportunity to work with him in G League Ignite and just the dog in them. You know, even coming into this draft, I'm not ducking any phase.
These guys don't want to play me one on one because they know I'm embarrass them. I think he had a solid summer league and he's a guy he's like a year or two away, but if he can, you know, lock in and be surprising in this rookie season, I think there's a potential there. And Lonzo for me, you know, being an LA guy, shout out to Chino Hills, a stones throwaway, just for everything that he's been through. You know how much he loves the game and where that
team was at. And obviously it's a different new look Bulls team then that squad, but you know, before he got hurt a few years ago, it was one of the top teams in the East and was trending in the right direction.
No telling how Lonzo's game is gonna look, how much time.
He's going to need to get back or if he can't even return to the level of player that he was before he got hurt. But the real thing for me is Zach Levine just depending on how that situation goes.
Obviously mentioned in tons of trade rumors, UH this past season, it was really you know, media day, just just listen to him talk obviously a three minute clip of him just just talking about how he's coming and inspired, and you know, you listen to the other reports that he had to convince the team that he's not going to be a detriment to the development of some of these
young guys. But that's one of those things you know, you really don't want to say because if you have to say it, then that means that it's on their mind already, right, that's you know, so you know, if you know, it's just so for me with Zach, though he's a UCLA guy, looks different man. It looks like he's motivated, looks like he wants to prove some of the haters wrong, and just to be real, like, you know,
he's up for an extension in the near future. So this is the guy that's playing for another contract, so I think he's going to want to pick up the slack of losing a guy of the magnitude of a Damar de Rosen. But I don't necessarily I'm not like down on this team per se, Like I know, you know, obviously people in Vegas are.
But I think this squad, if they can lock in and get it together.
They got a nice mix of young guys who are kind of creep on the come up in addition to some old vets. So really, for me, it's gonna be Lonzo zach Lavine. But I look at a guy like Kobe White and what he was able to do last season. They've got some guys here that can play again. Like, not a playoff caliber team I expect to make a run, but in the regular season I could see them sneaking in to that play especially in the Eastern Conference where it's a little bit more wide open than the West.
Yeah, like twenty seven and a half feels a little harsh, but I get with some of the out meat spirit that way.
But yeah, someone's gonna need to take all these l's, you know, with the teams of the top getting better, Like, someone's gonna need to lose some of the games that the other teams are winning the Central Division.
You do have a team you have not mentioned yet.
So yeah, but here's the thing. So the Detroit Pistons, right, fourteen wins last season. Now Fandel has them up eleven and a half games, one of the biggest rise or wins. That's a huge eleven and a half win game. Yeah, your favorite Tobias Harris Toby.
Hey, I'm happy. I feel like he's gonna look great Pistons Jersey. Personally, I just like, I like that look for him. I don't know if it equates to wins, sure, sure, sure, but yeah, this is definitely a hard reset.
So I'm not sure how much there is to say here, but for me, Dog, I think it's an under for me, Dog, as well as Randy Jackson would say when he talks about overs and unders. Okay, let's take a quick break. We're gonna come back with the fourth quarter rapid fire round of questioning with Josiah Johnson right after.
This, and we're back.
It does like, Man, it's so great to have you here as a fellow Bruin Angelino.
I love having you on.
But unfortunately this is the rapid fire round of questions. So you are in the hot seat and you've already played this game before, we're gonna ask you a question. Just respond quickly, your fastest response, because we've got to keep the questions moving. And that's just that's how this segment is known all across the land. So I hope you are ready for that.
I'm long winded.
So and I don't like following rules or directions, but in this particular case, I'll abandon.
I will abandon all those things. Indeed, to your advice. Thank you, thank you.
You look you always understand the assignment. That's what we always appreciate about you.
So, Brian, start the clock.
Oh man, this is gonna be quinn Jack.
You want to go first?
Should I go first?
I can go first, Myles, thanks for asking.
Let's do it? Does I?
You can sit courtside at either of the opening night games. Are you heading to Boston having some legal seafood in a bread ball to see them take on the new look Nick? Or are you heading to Los Angeles to see the Los Angeles Lakers face the new look Wolves while presumably munching on an in and out burger.
Well, I'm a bigger gentleman, bigger gentleman. So I hate cross country travel do like Lobster Rolls was down on Boston until I got to hang out there.
Got to go to a wedding in Cape Cod last year.
So fan of the area again, like I said, fan of the lobs Rolls in the price point comparatively to LA. But I'm keeping my black behind in Los Angeles and I am going to the Lakers game against the Timberwolves. Obviously Minnesota Lakers now the LA Lakers. But looking at this new like Timberwolves squad, the squad with Lebron and Brownie, I would not miss opportunity to see Lebron and BRONI opening night Brinnie throwing a lob to Lebron d Wade style.
I think we've set that whole building on fire and we own that crypto dot com arena.
Now the Clippers have now since moved on to the into It Dome, So I would show my love and support to Lebron and the Lakers.
Exactly exactly, That was the right answer, correct. Next question, you get to pick the next three locations for the All Star Game, and they could be anywhere, like truly literally anywhere.
So where are you going.
So, if I'm traveling to these games, I would say Hawaii Abiza Commony all Star weekend in the visa, and it's a nice enough price one where you could price out some of the riff. Yeah, dealing with poor weather, but I would go Hawaii dies, and then I would go obviously La, which I think we have it here next year. A little concerning though, traffic is already an issue in a bad stance, and they're getting ready for
the Olympics too. But I think, you know, having the All Star Game back to back in California will be good news for all of us who had to go to Chicago, for all of us who had to go to Utah.
But yeah, those would be my three.
Picks, all right.
And finally, we're playing pick up basketball with presidents. These presidents are at the peak of their physical abilities. Unfortunately for you, we had the first pick and just took Obama. Who are you taking with the second pick?
Who had their peak of their physical powers and abilities?
Yeah, I'll probably go George Washington, just because you know, crossing Delaware doing all the things.
He did, he was about he was a tough guy, you know, ready to get in it.
Abraham Lincoln looked like, you know, he could be a room protector, you know, really really help on on the post side.
And how many presidents do I need to name? Or you just one? Yeah between those two.
But if you took Obama and then I would maybe Trump too, just because I know he's trash, so it'd really helped my game flourish and shine.
But yeah, like I'm passing out the way you actually get better when someone's game is terrible.
He's wider, you can set a nice screen like there you go face.
Oh man, Well, Joe, sorry, Johnathon, thank you so much. You have completed the rapid fire around and that was exactly correct. Those are all the right answers that we had written down. I think he's looking at the dock or something, but no more, he's just one of our more intelligent guests, which I think that's the case. Where can people find you, follow you, support you and all that good stuff?
Honestly, I'm going to point in my life in my career why I don't want to be found or supported, So feel free to hate on me all you want. You know, you can find me at my local target here Willyn Hills. Usually trying to find some some deep discounts at Costco looking at the different price points to see, you know, what kind of deals I can secure. But now in all Sinceario, you can check out gills Arena
on YouTube. You know, been a tremendous opportunity for me to be able to work with good with Arenas build that show. We started back in February of twenty twenty three. Last eighteen months we've gained somewhere in the neighborhood like six seven hundred thousand subscribers. So just to see the
support of the basketball community. And yes it's a wild, reckless show, but there's a lot of thought put into a lot of the answers that sometimes you have to take a step back and really analyze exactly what's being said. Look at the detailing wording behind how Gilbert Worse thinks.
He's extremely intelligent, a master troll. But a lot of times he'll say something that people get all pissed off, and then he'll say, we'll prove me wrong, and then they think about it and like, damn, actually he was right.
Damn.
So shout out to the Gilsarina, our entire crew. We're on a little bit of a break right now, but we'll be back October fourteenth with the launch of season three. So make sure y'all pull up support us, you know, love it or hate it, just watch it.
Yeah, look, and I only support a fellow San Fernando Valley creature like him, although I know he's born in Florida, but look, we'll story.
Yeah, he's San Fernando Valley to his call Iran look and high school to go see him play when he was at Grand High School because everybody was talking about him at the time. Before we go, we do we just do have to mention, you know, rest in peace to the Kimbe Matumbo passed away at our gate following a battle with brain cancer.
Yes, just wild, wild losses for the NBA between you know, Jerry West, Bill Walton and Chat Walker's name a few, so we are just thinking about you. To Kimbe and your family. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter. I'm at Miles of.
Gray, I'm at Jack Underscore O'Brien and.
Follow the hashtag mad boostis BA st i e s for show links and updates, and be sure to join the conversation on our discord and you can also find that link for that when you search hashtag mad Boosties.
All right, that's gonna do it for us.
And we're getting so close to the actual tip off of the season and we'll talk to you next week.
Bye bye,