On the Drive.
Tim McMahon dropping dimes for your NBA daily assists.
Van mcman batted dude in all the Landtective blood as Dick at Mud. He's a man, Van McMahon, Vanman the Man.
More than hour of the Drive is here, Order Larson, Tony Parks filling in for Spence. Check its on this Tuesday. We'll be with you once again tomorrow as we set you loose for the Thanksgiving holiday. Before we do that, though, of course, some more football chatter coming up on the program as the week rolls along. Talk some NBA switch gears, talk some hoops one. Tim McMahon of the ESPN of course band McMahon joins the program now, as we appreciate him for doing so each and every week.
What's up, Tim?
How are we.
How many days off does Spence get? Right? I mean he's just going to take like the rest of football season.
I feel like we've done like the last two or three of these.
Haven't We Maybe maybe get them back after the trade deadline, maybe be able to unload a contract. Trade deadline.
I think we're hoping for around the holiday, around around Christmas, and then you know, it's load management until then, and then, as you know, Tim, it's the home stretch where we're we're playing for seeding after that and going from.
There, Yeah, I think you would be playing for Lobbtery position.
What are he's saying? What he's saying, I'm just saying, NBA Cup action tonight, Tim McMahon, give the folks a little reset of the NBA Cup where we are right now? Because, like me, I'm sure a lot of fans are are they're following the NBA Cup, but they're also kind of following them just as if they were one of eighty two.
Where are we with the groups, the teams that are fighting for tonight a potential to clinch a knockout stage and what we're seeing before the quarterfinals get going on this Tuesday.
You didn't tell me I was gonna have to be prepared for this, Like I don't have my NBA Cup standings handy. I know Houston Minnesota is a good one tonight. The Rockets two and oh, with the best point differential in the West, can certainly put themselves in prime position. I'll be honest with you, I'd have to look through the rest to figure it out. I don't have the Cup standings that will memorize.
Well, well it's okay because I got in front of me, so we'll we'll go there.
Houston. Well, you ask me, you're the one who knows the answer.
Tim, half a half of radio is asking questions I know the answer to. But we'll get Houston. Houston today clinches with a with a win, that is Group A. Toronto is eliminated today with a Milwaukee win. Utah. Utah is eliminated today with a loss, as is Washington. So those are are kind of the game changers on tap tonight. Of course, the schedule tonight TIM includes San Antonio and
the Jazz. We're gonna see teams mostly full strength. Of course, Victor Wemenyama, Lowry Markinen to of the premier team players on both of those teams have been dealing with some injuries last couple of weeks.
Alright, listen, I don't know how the NBA is gonna be able to market the Cup, Semis and so on in Vegas. If there's not the Jazz, the Wizards or the rappings, it's gonna be challenging.
You're not wrong, all right, Spurs Jazz Victor webbin Yama in town for folks who haven't seen this yet. Tim This specimen of Victor Wembanyama give Jazz fans who might be on site tonight a little bit of a pre view of what they're going to see in Victor Wominyalla compared to really any basketball player that they've seen in person.
Yeah, there's not been anybody who has his combination of size and obviously in terms of height, athleticism and skill, and he's still very much kind of in the process of figuring out how to harness all that. You know, he's seven foot four some five whatever he is, and half the shots come from three point range. And listen, sometimes he's going to hit eight out of sixteen, like he did when he scored fifty against the Wizards. Sometimes he's going to go, you know, three out of fourteen.
You know, I at some point I think that the shot diet will be a bit better balanced, I would say, But you know, he's he's still very much in the early process in terms of developing and filling out his physique. So it's it's easy to say, hey, you should be down in the pay morts. It's more difficult to get that position. But then honestly, Defensively, he's probably already the
best defensive player in the league. And it's not just the size, the athleticism, the length, like the instincts are insane, and he blocks shots that you can't even believe that he's able to get to. So you know, when the threes are going down. Offensively, he's awesome. You know, that's kind of a hit or miss deal. Defensively on a nights night basis, it's a site to behold.
You talk about defense, the Houston Rockets number one defense of the last eight games, I know for sure it might even extend beyond that. But the level that they've played where they have a defensive rating that's like at ninety seven, there's so many things to be impressed with with the way that they play on that side of
the floor. As you kind of evaluate them and what could be coming for them in the future, what jumps out to you most also about other ways that they could be possibly a bigger threat threat that we expected before the season.
Yeah, I mean, and defensively, you got to give email Youdok a ton of credit because you know, the question about Alfer and Shagoon is hey, can he can be he anchor a good defense and you know they were good last year, they're better this year. You know, it helps to have a Dylan Brooks, it helps to have Aman Thompson and Tory Brooks. I'm sorry, Tory Easton coming off the bench. You know, Jabari Smith Jr. Is very
good defense. But they've got some good defensive personnel. But again, to be able to do that with Chagoo as your center is extremely impressive. And I think like in terms of the Rockets having a real ceiling as a contender, I do think they are a big move away from that. You know, if you talk to people down there, they'll say, hey, you know, maybe there's a group can grow into that. But like the Jena and Green contract, they'll tell you you they hope that there's a bigger deal in his
future for them. That contract what looks like a deal that was made to be included in the trade. They've got all those Suns picks and it's still got to swap with the with the Brooklyn Nets in a couple of years, and they've they've got extra picks to play with.
And there's a reason that the Rockets are one of the teams that's coming up in every conversation about a potential superstar type of trade, and you know they've been linked with like a KD with a Jimmy Butler, guys who hypothetically could become available those it's still in my
hypothetical sense. What I would tell you is, I'd be surprised if it's somebody who's not still approaching or in their prime, because they do have a bunch of young players that you know, things break right for you and they could eventually have a pretty long runway.
Tim Since you you kind of brought that up a big move away team, I think there's a few teams around the league that are probably in that camp. Has your radar changed since the beginning of the year on maybe players that you're looking out for when the trade deadline does come about? Maybe you know teams that are underperforming with a star that maybe you didn't think was on the trade block before the season, but now maybe
you have a slightly bigger eye on, like Milwaukee. Well, where's your your your trade deadline radar sitting as we get closer to December and closer to January.
Yeah, you know, I don't know that it's changed. I would be very very surprised. If Phoenix doesn't keep their stars, that would definitely be like a drastic shift in plans and direction. You know, Katie coming back tonight. I think they'll get back to winning games. The Bucks actually have
started stacking some wins together. It's against the saw stretch of schedule, but I just i'd be I don't think Giannis he's going to barge into the front off and demand the trade for the deadline, And I don't see any way that they would consider trading him unless those are the circumstances. You know, if if Milwaukee is going to make a major move, I would think it would be shopping Dame. But again, if they're able to continue with the little bit of momentum they've built, and that
probably didn't have. You know, Jimmy Butler is the name that's been coming up, and we'll see how that goes. You look pretty good when the Heat beat the Mess the other night. But and the other thing, like when you start talking about all these trades, it's a lot harder to pull off these kind of trades, especially mid season,
than it was under the previous CBA. So this, you know, you never say never, especially this far out from the trade deadline, but maybe there's not like a a star caliber player that's moved for the deadline.
That's one reason why I asked about that too, is it is tougher to do that. It's then also a situation where you if you're going to spend something to get a player in there, you have a team with a defensive identity and a defensive culture and an established set and expectation in the way that you would want to play. Would you then also have to get very specific about the player you're going to bring in because it has to fit with that and they're going to have to want to want to play that way.
About the Rockets in particular, Yeah, the Rockets.
In particular, because whenever a team is going to add, like, you know, whatever it is, they're one move a way, okay, but that cultural fit has to go to where someone you know is in mental alignment with the type of mindset that that team plays with.
Uh One, I would say, I think the Rockets, if they're going to make a major splash in the trade market, it's more likely to be a summer situation. Okay. You know, for one simple fact of the extension signed by Jade Greenman in particular. You know, it's complicated, very complicated, traded guy in the final year of his rookie deal when he signed that extension just because all the cat nerd stuff.
But you know, hey, Emodokah has gotten al parents and Goon to play defense, He's gotten Jaden green to play defense. I think always it's going to be important to to have if you have a superstar, to have that superstar b aligned with the coach's philosophy. But you know, I think players in the league in general, if you show them something can lead to success and can lead to winning, they will jump on board. And you know the fact that they we'll see what the Rockets end up record wise.
But you know, there are twelve and sixteen right now that is, you know, just a couple of years out of a complete teardown and rebuild. So like, why wouldn't you want to, you know, kind of get on board with the way that they've been handling their business.
And that's one reason why I wanted to go down this exact area because the Utah Jazz are a team in that kind of rebuild, wanting to start from the very beginning of this. They have a lot to work with. They have a number of options in front of them. Defensive culture has to eventually start at some point and get some good momentum going forward. So as you look at them, does it look like an even bigger, longer road ahead with that still being so far behind.
I mean, I understand the question. I would say a big part of their defensive culture unfortunately suffered a gruesome leg injury when they came to Dallas round the season. You know, like the Jazz being able to put together a respectable defense, A lot of that was based on Taylor Hendricks developing and e merging into the kind of multi position defensive stopper that certainly they were optimistic that
he could give me. He was the guy who you know, whether it was John Morant or Luka Doncic or you know, Joanna Sannakoupo like I'm talking his name, three very different superstars, and he was going to get that assignment. You know, they had the weird Memphis Dallas Milwaukee road trip, like those are the three guys he would have matched up with to begin those games. So that's challenging. It's it's going to be challenging when you've got as many young
players in the rotation as they do. You know, they've at least got an anchor in Walker Kessler. And you know, I think, well halready to ail of a coach. I think that over time he'll figure it out. But part of him figuring it out is going to have to be either these young guys developing or probably a blend of the young guys developing him just personnel upgrades.
Outside of that, Tim the Atlanta Hawks were fined one hundred thousand dollars to Trey Young sitting in a Cup game. Obviously, we've seen Joel Embiid, although he has been injured, take some heat for some of the time he's missed. Obviously, this is a conversation that is not new. But where where are you know, NBA? NBA folks around the league. What are the rumblings you're hearing about how teams are handling the way the league is addressing load management players
not being able to play. Maybe tricky language in the the injury report to explain away why players are not playing. What's your feel on on how teams are are handling that and how they're discussing it with the league office.
Yeah, the Trey Young thing was interesting because Hawks actually beat the Celtics that night. And you know, those load management rules only apply to certain players, and I forgot the exact language, but you know, they you have to have some level of All Star are all NBA type
of accomplishments to be even be on that list. So there's only certain players that have applied to But like, for example, a guy like Joel Embiid, as long as they don't like completely omit him from the injury report, there's pretty wide leeway there, just because he does have chronic medical issues, you know, And I think what the Sixers have been guilty of is is, uh, you know, either not putting him on an injury report or being
very evasive with the information on the injury reports. And you know, but I honestly, outside of just the mess in Philadelphia, and that's like there's a lot of mess in Philadelphia, the in the load management, I don't feel like it's been a massive part of the NBA conversation this year. I mean, like with Kawhi Leonard, it's just assumed like, okay, maybe he'll play at some point. The Pelicans obviously have been just gutted by injuries. But it's
not by choice, like guys keep getting hurt. You know, Zion is not a load management thing. He's a can never stay healthy thing. So I think that the NBA has pretty significantly cleaned up the perception issue on that.
Yeah, and that perception issue has been one where it used to be talked about so much. Now it's just understood, like you said, like it's just a normal part of what goes forward in an NBA year. Boy Jay Crowder set to join the Sacramento Kings. All right, talk about the turnaround with the Kings headed for the Western Conference finals. No, I'm kidding, But with that tmbing eight and ten, and then also the Phoenix Suns, who have now dropped five
in a row. As you look at some of these Western Conference teams that had bigger expectations that really haven't they haven't lived up to in the early part of the year, what are the things you would be concerned about with, say, Phoenix and Sacramento, What are the things that would give you enough patience to understand that they can turn it around?
Well, I mean, Phoenix, it's real simple. Kdt's coming back, right, you know, and like they were, they were a first place team, when he went out and then Beal was out along with it. Beal's also coming back to Let's be honest, like, Beal's not not a superstar. Beel's not an All star anymore. When KD is healthy, the Suns are are pretty good. But he's not, they're not very good. So that hey, if they can keep KD healthy, uh, they'll be in the mix. And honestly, like maybe the
Kings had higher expectations. Did you think the Kings are a playoffs team coming into the year?
You know, the quality of play, I'll say, and the way that I watched them like that's uh, I thought it was kind of a in some ways lifeless performance against the Clippers, right, Like, there's some things that just look a lot worse than I thought they would. By no means did I think they were, you know, hosting the West Finals, But I did think that they would be better in just overall watching them, they don't look as good as I.
Thought they would. Well, the DeRozan thing, like, I get it, when you're and you know, when you're Sacramento, you don't necessarily get to be extremely selective about adding you know, star caliber talent. I always thought the DeRozan thing was kind of like a weird fit, you know, just they're already the team to have pretty good offensive firepower. You know, he certainly doesn't improve them on the defensive end of the floor. You know, they do have like the Deer
and Fox. You know, there were financial reasons for him not to agree to a contract extension, but still, you know, we talked about stars who might become available at some point. He's you know, he's left his options wide open. I'll say that. Yeah, So you know that can kind of hang over an organization. I mean, I tell you guys that you look through the Donovan Mitchell uncertainty hanging over the Jazz like a black cloud. But again, I just like if they were in the Eastern Conference, I would
tell you they should be a playoff team. I don't. I don't think they should be a playoff team in the West. I don't think they're one of the best eight teams in the West. They might not be one of the best tens.
No for a team that won forty six games last year too, And by all means were they not expecting to host the hoist to Larry O'Brien, But they were probably hopeful they could take a step forward, and it's clear I don't see that happen. I think the big thing with me is I'm stunned with how poorly they've competed in a few of these games, Like that is
one thing that I look at. And then Mike Brown obviously has had a chase down situation and issues with officials, Like it's just there's there's too much there that that has surprised me a bit.
It's also a testament to how good you have to be to stay good in the Western Conference, right it's year to year. You can't just kind of stan pat or you're gonna fall backwards in the West. So we'll follow that as it goes. Tim McMahon joining us for the NBA Daily Assist as he does each and every week courtesy of esp and Tim uh covering the the NBA Cup from home tonight, or you you find your way to an NBA arena.
I'll be sitting on the couch, have the league pass fired up. Good Son, you got the YouTube quad box thing go on? What a well, I mean, what a wonderful invention. That is great.
It's a great way to spend the night.
Man.
Tim McMahon at ESPN Underscore McMahon of course, at ESPN dot com, and on the television screen. Every once in a while you'll you'll, uh, you'll look up and catch old Tim McMahon on the big screen. Tim, appreciate your time.
As always. We'll chat you next week, all right, appreciate it. Brothers. Thanksgiving to you,