Well, well, well, we've unofficially is that a god? Is that a good cadence for a well, well, well it sounds natural, right, We've unofficially reached the midway point across the league, and while we've primarily focused on the top of each conference in the past weeks, for some weird reason, we're here to take a look at the play in keens out West because there's there's a bunch of teams that were focus points heading into the season and now they've kind of faded a little bit, including the state
of the Phoenix Suns with lead pH n X writer and podcaster Gerald Borgae on today's episode, I'm Jack O'Brien.
And I'm still producer Bori in for Miles and this is.
Sunscrabory, got mad booth an story, got it? I look at hitch ten kay.
D driving Spinny Fatter number eighteen that's been secured the Celtics or NBA champions over the.
Couple teams, be honest with the time, look, no shot time, what you go? Yes? What's going on? Gerald? Not a whole lot, guys.
When you teed that up as far as teams in the playing situation, I was like, wait, am I in the right place, and I was like, oh, yeah, I'm covering the Suns. I actually am in the right place. A kind of a little depressing, honestly, Yeah, are you not.
Used to it at this point? You're like, because this is like kind of they're kind of on a run right now, right like twenty one twenty one. I feel like they were a little bit underwater for a little while there. They were.
They had to win like six of eight heading into that Cavs beat down the other day just to get back to five hundred. So yeah, it still hasn't kind of sunk in that this team is as bad as they are, honestly.
Yeah. Well, the podcast pH NX Sons is awesome. We're thrilled to have you here, and let's just jump right into it. Twenty one and twenty one, tenth in the West, twenty fifth and defensive efficiency tenth and offensive efficiency overall? Snapshot, how we feeling in the Suns and Sons land not great over here. I mean, I'm a Sixers fan, So just in case you think I'm being like some snarky like Celtics fan or something, Gerald, it's not great over
here either. You can just picture me hosting the show from inside of a hurricane, and that's about right.
I feel like there's like eight teams that are in that boat, like the Sixers, the Suns, the Lakers.
The Warriors, excuse me, the Timberwolves. Like Lakers are like the best of that batch. That's like, how much of a competition is that? Though? Is that I was working heading into this episode. I was working on a loose theory that all of those teams are being undermined by like having somebody who we still think of as like a certain level, Like this came from lat last week. We were talking about how old Paul George is, Like we went back and looked at his draft and like
he was drafted behind like Danny Ainge. Like it was. It was like the other names on that in that list were so old, like people have just been gone from the league for so long. And so I was like, same with I bet like Bradley Beal would fit well into that conversation. Bradley Beal's thirty one. Yeah, Braley Beal is so young. Yeah that is wild if he just
feels like he's been here forever. But I do feel like a lot of those teams that we expected a certain something from are coming in and there's just you know, they they went and got old on us a little bit. And obviously the sons have KD, but Katie's still, you know, a walking bucket. So I feel like it'd be unfair to blame it too much on him.
Yeah, you can't really blame it on him, Like he's still playing it at all NBA level at age thirty six. He's been their best player on both ends of the court by far. It's honestly like everybody's to blame in this. Devin Booker hasn't had as good of a season as we're used to seeing from him. They need him to play it at an all NBA level, and I would argue he's not even worthy of an All Star spot this year.
They upgraded the bench, they changed the coaching spot, Like you just look all around and it just hasn't worked out for a bunch of different reasons. This is just an older, unathletic team that doesn't have an identity, that doesn't have a good defense, and really, until the trade for Nick Richards, didn't have like a playable starting caliber center. And that's a problem when you look around the West, right now, yeah, you're gonna want one of those.
Are there any amongst the fan base that you know, especially the ones that were thellowedest in in terms of getting rid of DeAndre Aiden? And it is not like you because plus trust me, we can do this with the Lakers, we can do this with the Sixers. But we're just talking about the Suns right now. But are there any of those folks that are maybe regretting that push or was it still not a good fit? Oh?
Yeah, no, there's definitely regret there.
But I've all continued to say what I've been saying, like DA's trade value that summer was negligible, like they and they needed a change of pace, both him and the Suns, like they needed a parting of the ways there because heading into the next season, they already had their big three lined up and DA wanted more touches, he wanted more shots, he wanted a bigger offensive role, which you know, you understand that out of a number one pick, but he wasn't going to get that in Phoenix,
and that was gonna be something that could potentially implode a locker room by Christmas. So they had to get off of him. They had to trade him somehow the returns on the trade are really not working out. So for a lot of people, it's like, why did we trade this guy who had potential? But I think if you ask Blazers fans, they would tell you the same thing we saw here in Phoenix for a couple of years.
Yeah, you mentioned that Booker not having It's not a bad season. No, He's somebody who I think, like, heading into last season, I was like, here comes my dark horse for the MVP. Me a smart basketball person, listen to me, here comes my dark horse for the NBA MVP Award. And he shot well last year, but this year he's off his normal pace by kind of a lot. Like he's shooting forty four percent from the field, thirty four percent from three, still eighty nine a the stripe.
But what do you attribute the slip in his productivity to.
Yeah, it's kind of baffling. And he was the first to admit that he hasn't like been himself for most of this season. I think in January he's obviously gotten a little bit back on track. He's been shooting the ball well for the most part this month, but he got off to a really slow start this season. I think part of it is, you know, heading into the year, the big thing with the Suns under Mike Budenholzer, We're
going to take a lot more threes. And Book has only had a like one or two season in his career where he's really shot the three ball well, and this has been his highest volume year, So I think that's going to take your efficiency down a little bit. But he just hasn't been as good in the mid range, which is where he normally you know, that's his bread and butter. And he's not as good around the basket either. He's kind of lacked some of that explosiveness until the
last month or so. I know he was dealing with with an illness early in the season that took it out of him for about a week or two and that stretch hurt his numbers two. But it kind of feels like he and the rest of the Sons have struggled to adapt to what the Sons are trying to do offensively under Bud. And you've seen it over the last couple of weeks here in Phoenix. They've gotten away
from taking a bunch of threes as well. They're starting to drift back to their old habits of operating in the mid range, and that kind of goes hand in hand with book finding his stride a little bit.
My philosophy is a coach long twos. There's just an artistry to it.
At the altar of Kobe.
Yeah, it's you named the three kinds of shots. I think you named threes, mid range, and around the rim. So that's that's probably not great. Do we think Kendall Jenner of it all? I know this is a basketball podcast, but I'm just saying a lot of my non basketball like obsessive friends who had other you know that, they were like, just FYI, you can expect a fall off from this player in the next in the coming years,
And I was like, you're crazy again. This is going to be the NBA MVP and the not too distant future. I'm just putting it out there what people have said to me, and that is science. When you just put out there something that people have said to you, that's a science and also good journalism your research. Yeah, I'd always do my own research.
Sure, I've heard that before, but I will say, like, if you look at his numbers when he was with Kendall Jenner, they were the best of his career, like that. They started dating around the bubble, and then they went to the Finals the next year, and then they had the sixty four win season. So if anything, you know, the breakup is to blame, right, Yeah, yeah, I think that's generally how it works. I think it's usually like they date and then generally the player has a tough
time after after the relationship. So I just want the listeners because I know a lot of people always talk about the Jenner curse. If I mean for starters, like don't blame women for men's mistakes.
Everyone listening. But that's a really good point.
But on top of that, like he played his best basketball when they were together.
Man, Yeah, so maybe he should just figure some things out about himself and get back to that level. What are you missing now that she's gone? She's gone? Oh she dated Ben Simmons?
Right?
Am I making that up?
She feels like it? Yeah?
Yeah? Yeah? How's he doing? I haven't checked in with his game in a while. Is he he's since then? Has he improved or how's he?
Oh?
No? He things have gone badly for him, And generally thoughts on coach Bud how things have shifted from a strategy standpoint, because we were looking last year at where the Suns were at this point in the season, and there were only a couple games over five hundred at this point last year, so like this was kind of where they were able to turn it on a little bit last year. Do you think there's something that's going to click here in the not too distant future and
things might start coming together or what? What are your thoughts on where this new team is under a coach.
Budd Honestly, I'm not too optimistic about it. I think last year you looked at the run that the Suns went on after Christmas, and they had a great run for like a month or two leading into the All Star break, and it will coincided with them finally getting healthy, them getting their big three back out there, and it was kind of what we were expecting. We were expecting once they get healthy, we can finally see what this
team is and it was competitive. This team like they've struggled with a lot of the same injury concerns, but it just hasn't felt cohesive like last year. I was high on the Mike Budenholzer higher. Everybody that we talked to was saying the attention to detail with this guy is insane.
They're going to take more threes.
They're going to be, you know, a top ten offense with the talent they have, and a top ten defense because Bud's teams have historically been that as well. And you're looking at it and they're near bottom of the league in defensive efficiency. You know, they've gotten away from
taking the threes. They don't really have an identity. It just it feels like there's another disconnect between the players and the coaching staff, and a lot of people are going to put that on the players because it's largely the same group of guys as last year, and Frank Vogel kind of you know, had to take the blame for that one. But at the same time time, I do think it's possible that maybe they went over to on their coaching fires and I don't I genuinely don't
know how to fix it. It's kind of baffling. You look at the talent this team has. They should be better on both ends, but they're just not.
Yeah, the Vogel specialty taking the blame, I know.
Something about that. Yeah, yeah, the champion head coach. Ye, some respect of it.
Let's take a quick break and we'll come back. We'll talk about the game of the week, which we're on quite a run here of these games of the week being blowouts. This was at least an interesting blowout. So we'll talk about the Calves at the Thunder, how that went down, and also take a look further around the league, not just at the Suns, some other teams that are maybe underperforming out West. We'll be right back and we're back. Let's just really briefly talk about a good basketball team
before we get back to the mediocrity. Okay, Like, let's just blast through this. We don't want to bore people. Two good teams operating at the peak of their expectations coming in. I mean, the Thunder had high expectations, but they're better than I think anybody expected at this point,
especially without Chit Yeah, without Chet. I think their other big guy, Hartenstein was hurt for this game, and they took it to the Calves, which like does Like I don't know, are people going to be like should they just always play small? Like what? This is incredible because they are so tough defensively on the perimeter, But I think it's going to help to have a seven foot three rim protector back there, so you can like get
even tougher. But they handed the Calves their worst loss of the season one th four fourteen, And that is closer than it actually was. Shay had forty points eight assists in three quarters. Lou Dort scored a season high twenty two. They just had everything working. Shay just is so efficient, but not efficient in like the way like he doesn't get to the line that much, which is like you know, cardinal sin of like efficiency expert, like the people you know you're supposed to get to the
line all the time. He doesn't get to the line that much. He's just so good at beating his man, like every single time he just gets past whoever's in front of him and then just always makes the right decision and always gets to his spot and is just shooting at such a high level to the point that he is like a profound favorite for MVP right now, Like it's not even close, like it's he's a big favorite, which is wild when you think about the season that
Yokic just having. But yeah, so he had forty points eight assists in three quarters. You know, on the cav side, like sometimes it's just not your night. Garland put up twenty points nine assists, Mitchell struggled from the floor, shooting just three or fifteen, and Mobiley hasn't played since this game due to what is being described as a mild calf strain, which seems to be going around.
Only mild one is not yours.
That's right, Hey, I appreciate that, man. That's good, Jim teacher logic. Hey, Jim Teachers say, but yeah, did anybody watch this? What were your thoughts?
I watched it for sure, because you know, they had a matchup earlier. The Cavs squeaked out a win in that one, and then the Thunder got their revenge in a big way, and you kind of touched on it, like their ability to go small and their ability for most of this season now to play without Chet and without Isaiah Hartenstein is insane because there are I don't think there's another team in the NBA, maybe the Celtics that could do what the what the Thunder are doing
without their one or two main big men. Like it's it's kind of nuts the way that they're able to defend. Yeah, they're going to give up offensive rebounds depending on their opponent, but they're going to dictate the way that the game goes, the style of play, the tempo of it, and they're just going to continue to do their things. So come playoff time, you know, obviously you want Chet and Hartenstein healthy because they help in a big way and they can continue to play the way they play with those
guys out there. But like if they do need to go small, or if Chet gets hurt again or Hartenstein is out for whatever reason, they're fully capable of winning the West without having like a traditional starting center, which is just kind of insane to talk about. The talent, the versatility, and the way that Mark dagni Alt coaches. It's it's impressive.
I look at them as as long as you're not facing you know, Jokic in that first round or something like that, or like or that matchup eventually, anyhow you're probably okay. You kind of to your point with the way that they play, the way that they all show up, and the way that they all you know, embrace their roles. One thing I just want to mention here, Jack, just last week, anytime there's gonna be like a dummy moment of the show, it's probably from me.
Uh.
Just last week I was saying, Hey, the Calves are gonna keep on rolling, not necessarily in just in this matchup, but I can't really see a scenario where they, you know, where they aren't dominant and.
Hurt.
The confluents of things you got motely getting hurt. You get an off night from one of the guards, or but you know, a couple of the guards, and all of a sudden, it does not look the same. So, yeah, you know what, shout out to our guy Max R on the discord and you know, kaz fans in general. But I hope I did not put the curse on you guys.
Yeah, yeah, and I did. I said, could we please record a pickup where I come in and I just say, Jabbari, you fool, And that sounds really here it was. But uh, I'm glad that you remember everything that Like you're the opposite of like everybody on ESPN who like just completely memory holes every wrong thing they've ever said. So they have the ability you remember like things that are only slightly wrong that you've said. And I respect that about you. Yeah,
honorable mention. Moment of the week was probably uh jaw dunking over Wemby in a situation where it didn't even count, but we go prescient. Last week, we were talking about how this this matchup seems to be the most comic book like Marvel character matchup that we've ever had in the NBA, Like with both of them playing really at
the top level of their game. Jaw just violently like flying through the air like Spider Man and then violently dunking on people versus Wemby doing his mister incredible, you know, stretchy thing, and we got we got the scene from the trailer in this in this game, and for cinematic purposes, John came out on top.
That was insane, man, because like I also, do you remember when he said he was gonna stop dunking, like not.
That long ago? Yeah, that was funny.
Yeah, but like I I tweeted it out at the time because I tweeted like a graphic of him saying that and then a freeze frame of it, and then there's like the John mulaney meme where it's like, you know, like a liar.
That's exactly what it was.
It was funny because they Sports Center they do this thing on the video board where they take tweets and put them along with plays and they put mine up there, and of course it's like the type of tweet that got like thirty nine likes or something.
Yeah, but you got some friends at Sports Center, I guess.
But it was that was an insane dunk man like that was you're right, it's very movie trailer esque. And then in the actual movie you see it at the same time from like three different angles.
It was. That was crazy. Yeah, that was pretty cool. One other thing I just wanted to say about the thunder so I red some analysis this week that their defense is very dependent on takeaways. They're really good at creating turnovers, and that that's something that has a tendency to come down a little bit in the playoffs when you're like facing just ninety five percent of the possessions coming from the MAVs that are like Luca ISOs and
so there's like not as many passes. But I do feel like once once they got those bigs in there, I don't know, man, they got length.
Everywhere they get in the baths and lanes, they pressed, you know, they press you. I don't feel like that's going to decline.
I had them winning the championship last year, and I would it would have been such a such a huge bet. Do you think they'll do you think Vegas will honor that bet for this season?
They went cross it out, you know, yeah, you know, correction on there, see what they say.
They're usually cool about stuff like.
That, right, totally cool, totally.
There's no movies about weird things they do to people when they get caught counting cards all right around the league. Further, what's going on in the Western Conference. The Celtics beat the Warriors by forty in honor of Inauguration Day, Golden State's worst home loss since Kerr took over. The Warriors would be on the outside looking in at the play and if the season ended today, this again feels like one. I don't know. When the season kicked off, I was like,
maybe I was wrong. I thought they were too old and like not. I didn't think what they had done was putting them in a position to win, and they like had a really good start to the season. It's kind of similar to the Suns. But since then it just feels like things are kind of settling to this is maybe who they are.
Yeah, it definitely feels that way. They're very similar to the Suns, because at the start of the season it was like Suns, OKC, and Warriors at the top of the West, and now two of those three are both like five hundred basketball teams, and it feels like they're just a mismanaged group that doesn't really fit together. Like that Dennis Shrewder trade hasn't really paid off for them
in any way, shape or form. It's still like, I still have no idea what they want to do with Jonathan kaminga the short term and for the long term, they really need help in the front court because like Draymond is still a great defender, but he's getting up there. Trace Jackson Davis kind of is what he is at this stage of his career. I genuinely don't know what to make of them or how you fix a team like that at the trade deadline.
Honestly, yeah, I don't know. Steph has specifically said like, if you think I like being on an average team, you're insane. I think it is the direct quote.
Similar messaging from Steph and Lebron of late where like, no, we're not I'm not good with this. I'm not good with basically saying yeah, I don't want to say this, but sell this roster out. I do not care do what it takes to put me back in a conversation. And it's to me, it's really going to be a matter of you know which team Bucals first.
Mm hm, who do we think is gonna be Sorry to interrupt, you guys want some breaking news here we just got Yeah, it's nothing major, but it is on my end. I guess the Sons are trading their twenty thirty one first round pick to the Jazz for three first round picks. So that's the least favorable first in twenty twenty five of Cleveland slash Minnesota, twenty twenty seven of Cleveland slash Minnesota slash Utah, and twenty twenty nine
of Cleveland slash Minnesota slash Utah. So they just turned their first that could be pretty valuable into three firsts that are at least favorable around Yeah.
Oh okay, so they are in. They're they're going to be They're going to make a move before the deadline.
Now, yeah, it would appear that way. It appears.
Look, I'm everything is pointing to some sort of Jimmy Butler trade for this team, like everything, Like Jimmy Butler wants to be in Phoenix. The Suns have been benching Bradley Beal to get him to be more open to waving his no trade clause. They're trying to loop in moremultiple teams because Miami doesn't want Bradley Beal. I would be shocked if Butler's not in a Sun's uniform after the trade deadline.
But interesting, But yeah, assuming that nobody wants Bradley Beal, what how do they do it? Would they do it with like picks, just picks?
They just well so that yeah, so Bill would have to go somewhere. And I think, like Mark Stein reported that Milwaukee is a team that might be interested in Bill.
Why, I don't really know, but it's all the teams with the same right keep making the same mistake over it. I don't understand the guard who keeps breaking down a little bit. Yeah, Like I don't understand it from their perspective. But they were named, uh, the Magic or another team that hasn't been reported or anything. But I feel like they like they're dead last and three point percentage. They
could use another offensive weapon. Obviously they got Pallo and Franz when they're healthy, but like in the backcourt, he would automatically be their number one like scoring option. And I think for brad that would make sense too, because he'd go from a worst team to a better team. For one, he'd go back to the East where it's easier. And I think Orlando is only like two hours away from Gainesville where he went to college. So Florida guy, Florida man, I could see it. Has he been playing
much this year? Like, how's he been playing, Brad?
He's been so he's been missing a good amount of games with you know, the random things that tend to come up with Bradley Beal unfortunately.
Okay, he's played.
Mostly well when he's been out there, Like he shot the ball really well. He could help their three point shooting. He's still averaging like eighteen points a game as a third option. But that moved to the bench is like that's a bell you can't really unring in Phoenix, honestly, Yeah, Okay.
It felt like a move where like they did it knowing, Okay, this is going to be the end of things at some point, which I understand.
It did all right, or yeah, I'm just I guess I'm skeptical that anybody wants Bradley Beal at this point with the size of his contract and the number of injuries that keep occurring. But I do love anytime a team that has a flaw and has like certain strengths just doubles down on both on both and like Jimmy Butler going to the Suns would be amazing, that would be fun.
It'd be good content. I don't know if it'd be good for them long term, because I don't know if Butler changes things. I mean, he obviously gives them like that dog that they kind of need. He gives them a mental edge, he gives them like more size on the wing. I don't know where he fits in in terms of, like a team that wants to shoot more threes. Jimmy Butler doesn't help you there. And then you have to sign him to probably a two or three year
deal in the off season when he's thirty five. Like, if you're trading for him, you're extending him.
There's no way you're just yeah. H So I don't know. I don't know either. The MAVs three and seven over the last ten, with Luca set to be reevaluated in the next week or so. But they are four and ten since he left their Christmas Day game with a calf strain, which is kind of what you would expect from a team that is, like, you know, from a
player that good and a center. It is that heliocentric. Yeah, the Wolves are five and five over the last ten, only a game ahead of the Warriors, not the follow up to last year's conference finals run that everybody was expecting. So this is kind of an interesting stat, Jabar you want to share it?
Yeah, I was surprised. ESPN's Michael c Right, and you know, it's like I was talking to Jack but ahead of the show, and I said, it's kind of like when people would give me, like the Kobe Klutz stats, I'd say, no, I don't care what you say. I watched the games and it's better than that no matter what. But yeah, this one came out following his miss at the Buzzer
versus the Grizzlies on Monday. But per ESPN research and Edwards is now zero for twelve on go ahead and game time field goal attempts in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter and overtime in his career. And you know, I look it's it's still early in his career, so and I figure at some point he's going to make one, But for whatever reason, I just didn't anticipate it being oh for twelve.
Yeah, oh for twelve is really low. That's uh, that's not good. I would want somebody who makes that shot more often than yeah they miss it with twelve hey, like yeah, yeah, more often than that or more often than yeah, Like what what if you've made it like fifty percent of the time like a bat like a basketball shot. This also says Lebron has more attempts with how to make during that span. Is that does that ring true to you as a Lakers fan?
Yes, it does.
He's just missing everything at the end of the game.
I haven't it's been it's been a minute. It's been a minute, and you know what, I'm not I'm not even I'm not even trying to knock him. But that doesn't surprise me. Whereas the ants, the ants that did, Like.
I thought for sure he had like a big shot in the playoffs last year, but I guess those were not like end of game game winners.
Right, there is the caveat of under your five seconds or less, So like if he hits it with twenty five seconds in.
A sure Yeah, yeah, not good enough for us. You'll try again next time. Yeah, all right, Gerald, We want you to rank these Western Conference teams by need of a deadline deal. We got Warriors, we got Sons, we got Lakers, we got Wolves. Who is most in need and most likely to make a deal.
I don't want to sound biased, but number one for me has got to be the Suns. They've got the most expensive payroll in the league in NBA history. They're so far in the red with what they've committed to this roster, and they are a five hundred basketball team.
That's just not good enough. Jimmy Butler wants to come here that they've got to be number one in terms of needs to make a move, and probably will make a move, especially now that we just got that report that they turned one future first into three first to kind of using deals elsewhere.
Most likely. Yeah, I think, I mean, it seems like the desperation is real. You're on the ground. It sounds like you can he's not desperate as hell. Bro, I'm not gonna lie to you. So I think Suns first.
And then this is tough because I feel like the Timberwolve sort of made their bed with the cat trade and they would like to get out of that bed for sure, but I just don't know how. So I'm gonna go with the Warriors number two, just because, like it's Steph Curry. You can't continue to waste what's left of him, and with him publicly coming out and saying like, if you think I'm okay with being on an average team, you're crazy like that, that's something he doesn't tend to
do very often. I feel like, like Lebron has said has echoed similar sentiments, but like he's still living in La, He's still on the Lakers. It doesn't feel like he's going to leave anytime soon. I guess, like I don't. I feel like he just kind of is resigned. It is what it is, so he's I think the Lakers are probably fourth, and then I put the Timberwolves third in that in that pecking order, Yeah, okay, Jabari, I.
Can tell you the Lakers will be higher on my list, but that's because I'm personally biased. But I think you're right. I think you're actually right where you know, whether Lebron is resigned to it or the organization has already like you know, kind of like Doesne the stair down the stair, you know, the stair off enough with him over the last five six years. It would surprise me if they
swung for the fences. But I could see them doing another deal similar to the level of like the DFS, you know, Dorry Pinnysmith and you know Shake Milton.
Deal, trying to recreate that deal from a couple of years back, where like you guys made it, made a deal and like things started coming together. Yeah, they made like some small pieces moving around.
Made it to the conference finals unexpectedly with Darvinham. You know, like I'll be honest with you, if I'm in that front office, I'm probably thinking we can make magic happen. Look at what we did there. Yeah, but they probably shouldn't be thinking that way either way, But just quickly, what's a deal that would make sense for all of those stamps.
So for the Sons, it sounds like we're saying for the fences looks like him, Yeah.
It's probably yeah, Butler for Sons Lakers, I kind of like either Nikolo Vucevic or I don't know, either Robert Williams or Jonas valanciunis like one of those bigs that's available. I know that they probably want help at the center spot. I think JV would be a lot more attainable for a lot less, but you're also getting a lot less, so I don't know. Jabari is the Lakers guy. How would you feel about any of those guys?
Not great? I mean there's a reason why. You know, sometimes people are available because you know, like for whatever reason, their time is come to again. And then there's other times where it's like you're always available, and if you're always if you're always available there, you know there is a reason. I think each of them would be an upgrade. I love what Robert Williams can bring to the two A team when he's healthy, but part of me has been waiting for that for to pay last five years plus.
I think he if he does go anywhere, I think he's gonna end up in Reunited with I may in Houston, but I guess. I guess time will tell on that. I would be fine with any either of those deals as a Lakers fan because I do think it would improve them.
And is zach Levian off the table? What's what's the latest there that would be interesting. I think you got it. You would have to compile for a lot of salary to make that happen.
Yeah, yeah, okay, And.
I think it only happens if you're he You probably only get Zach if you're willing to give up Austin by no stretch. Lakers fans and non Lakers fans, by no stretch of my saying, hey, Austin's untouchable, but it seems as though they value him to that degree. So yeah, you who knows.
You wouldn't know it could, but Lakers fans seem to really like this guy.
So yeah, there you go.
All right, let's take a quick break, and when we come back, we are, of course, headed into the fastest segment in podcasting, let alone basketball podcasting, the rapid fire round of questioning, all of that. When we get back, we'll be right back and we're back and Gerald you ready, I'm ready?
Oh I don't think he is.
I don't think so.
It doesn't really sound like it, did.
You see the way he said he was ready? Seeing it a million times, you know, walking in here like a baby lamb. Just all right, So this is we're gonna We're gonna fire some questions at you. Uh, and you are going to react as fast as you can. No thought given whatsoever to these questions. You just first instinct, first thought, best thought, falcom glad well blink, you know, just get give us what your impression is. And Jabari, do you want to go first? Or do you do? You want me to go first?
You go first? You always.
Brian start the clock, a big important Brian the claw there it is all right, we're gonna do a this or that Gerald which Uh, you know We're we're gonna create a player. We're gonna play a little game of creat a player. And you got to tell us who you like better? You ready, I'm ready? Okay? Do you want Steve Nash with prime thunder, Dan Marley's athleticism or a seven foot DEVN book, seven foot DEVN, seven foot devon you want a seven foot DEVN? Okay?
Is that basically KD?
Kind of? Yeah? All right, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna prejudge anything here. I'm not gonna send anything in one direction or the other. Uh. Do you want KD with Nash's court vision and passing skills or a seven foot Charles Barkley KD with Nash's passing skills, I think that might be the best thing we created. Yeah, it is crazy. That would be wild. Yeah, uh, seven foot Barkley would not be when you think about the fact that Barkley was six ' four, yeah, and played as
big as he did. Seven foot Barkley might be shack status, but Hag with Nash's court vision would be like disgusting. If Wemby was like so nasty, like if Wemby was like the best shooter of all time, one of the best shooters of all time. These are really fun. By the way, this is Jabari's invention and I love it all. Right, Amari in today's game or Kevin Johnson in today's game. Hmmm, I'm gonna have to go Amari, Okay, Yeah, interesting would be a little bit undersized he was.
That's probably my biggest reason why is now Amari you'd probably teach him how to shoot a three ball or play small ball five or something.
Right, Yeah, yeah, Kevin Johnson Cabald he could.
Yeah, I would just like to see him going against today's guards. But you know, either way, I don't I don't think I don't think you have a bad choice either way.
That's just ruined my dream. You know, all right? Great keeping it going.
I got a scenario for you. Who wins a dunk contest between Ant and Jaw and with that top that classic Aaron Gordon Versus Levine showdown in twenty sixteen.
It wouldn't because I don't think we'll get anything that's that good in terms of like, I think both of them are high flying dunkers, but I think like Aaron Gordon and Zach Levine, like the things that they did in the air. Until you see those guys do it, I don't know if they could measure up. But I might go Jaw just because I feel like he's smaller, so I feel like he could do more things with the.
Ball in the air look more impressive. Yeah, I think so.
I think that's fair. I still want that, but I don't. Oh yeah, we're got to get it.
I think love makes me.
I would love to see guys that aren't like rookies or second year players be in the dunk contest again.
That would be fun, make the dun exciting, to get.
The thing the play that makes me most excited about Jah. There's two of them that aren't dunks, but that would make me like so super excited about the idea of him in a dunk contest. Wanted just like the like three sixty laps, the two that he did this this year, Just like I feel like you would just go up there and improvise like the most disgusting dunk that we've
ever seen. And then the other one is when he caught that guy's shot at the top of the back poor against the Lakers on a breakaway, and it's like, I feel like he could do something we've never seen in terms of like how high above the rim he would get?
So yes, please sign.
Has anybody ever just jumped up and like sat on the rim? I feel like I could see you know what I mean, just like jumped up and like slowly just like landed on the rim. I feel like, yeah, all right, it is that all important question. What will be the MJGMB Game of the week. Some things we've learned from past weeks. Last week we messed up. We went with Thunder Calves instead of using Marvel logic and saying what would be the best comic book and that
would be ja Vers Wemby. And also, it doesn't matter who you pick because it's going to be a blowout if we pick it as the game of the week.
So just tell the.
One that you want to see be the biggest blowout our candidates. Thursday, we've got Spurs at Pacers at two pm on NBA TV two pm Eastern, So really that's a good question. Oh it's in Paris, yeah, oh, or of course you have Celtics at Lakers, so I don't know, it'll just be interesting to see them playing through clouds of cigarette smoke. And you know, I feel like Lebron will be having some Caberne on the on the bench. It's caberne, even a French wine. I don't I don't know anything about weeks.
I should specify Celtics and Lakers are not in Paris.
Celtics Lakers are not in Paris. Yeah, all right, anyways, so that that's one option. Spurs at Pacers in Poly. Saturday we got Rockets of Calves, which is just gonna be local, so you're just gonna have to watch it on YouTube TV or League the Highlights, League Path. And then Sunday we got Bucks at Clippers. The Clippers, you'll notice are not in our list of teams that are
you know, bottoming out. They are currently fifth and just and seem to be kind of hanging around in fifth despite having some people who everybody thought coming into the season, uh, we're going to have some of these problems that our teams have with you know, main important roster positions being played by the elderly. You know, they they have that, and yet they're finding a way to win games because they have one of the best coaches in the league.
They just always always seem to find a way. And the Bucks are playing you know, Giannis is third in MVP voting, rightly, so he's playing credibly well. There they keep winning. I think where are they right now? Fourth in the East?
Yeah, fourth in the East twenty and eight since that four and nine start.
Yeah, so that one could be interesting. So those are our three candidate, Spurs at how you say, pay SAMs, Rockets at Calves, and Bucks at Clippers. Where you going?
I'm taking Rockets at Calves, especially because I think Mobiley should be back by then from the capstrain, So I would like.
To see that one for sure. That's a that's a good pick. I feel like I need to watch more Rockets this season, So that's what I'm glad you picked that, and it'll be a good opportunity for me to watch the Rockets get beat by forty points and really get as so, what's what's so good about them? Or vice versa. I don't know, you knows, all right. And finally, uh, your ultimate NBA Jam combination. You can mix old school and current across generations for your Phoenix Suns. Who do you pick? Oh?
Man, that's a good question, all right, I gotta go, Man, this is I might just go, honestly with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. And I know that's boring, but Katie's got the size, he's got the shooting. He could probably dunk in that game, Yeah, Booker, every player gets a dunk boost, so like book I mean books thrown down over a d It doesn't doesn't happen often, but like every now. But yeah, I'll probably go booking Katie. Maybe I'd throw Sean Marian in there, just because the defense
I could. I could use an undersized shot blocker in that game. And it would be funny to watch NBA Jam version of his little.
His Little three, yeah, where he shoots it from his waist somehow. Yeah, that's interesting. Was Barkley an NBA jam He never was. I think, oh, because he he would be interesting like he has that one. You know the fact that you can just body check people like really he might be the most interesting like NBA jam player. That never was because also, like you could, I just feel like you wouldn't be able to stop him, like when he's going to the basket and then you have
a three point shooter like KD. I'm going KD and Barkley. Usually we tell people that all their answers were Correctna, I'm going to disagree on this one. D Barkley baby, except everything except for that, Gerald, you nailed it. It's been wonderful having you. Where can people find you? Follow you all that good stuff?
Yeah, you can follow me on Twitter at Gerald Borga. You can read all my stuff over at gophn x dot com. And then we're on the Sun's podcast, the pH X Suns Podcast five days a week. We're on YouTube, Spotify, everywhere you get your podcasts.
And Borgue b o U R g U e T. That's for people who didn't immediately assume how know how to spell it like I did. You know, not everybody can be as intuitive as me. Wonderful having you. We wish you all the best for the Suns this season. It'll be interesting. It'll be interesting to see if any of these trades come together. Jabari, where can people find you?
I'm simple Blue Sky these days, you know what. I'm not going on the other one anymore. So it is what it is at Jabori Davis NBA.
All right. You can find me at Jack Underscore O'Brien on Twitter and at Jack ob The number one on Blue Sky. Miles is at Miles of Gray on Twitter and Blue Sky h and hashtag mat Boostbis for show link and updates, and be sure to join the conversation on our disc or but you can also find the link for when you search hashtag mat boosties. That is going to do it or back next week with a whole other episode. Enjoy the basketball. We'll talk to hell then fight.
You mean, play basketball.
Enjoy the basketball. That's like how David Lynch would sign off from a basketball podcast. Enjoy Enjoy the basketball.