Show Notes
On today’s show, the FCP boys discussed their Eastern Conference final standings predictions! Who do we have at the #1 seed, Boston or Milwaukee? To stay up-to-date make sure to follow us on Instagram @fcppodcast_ua.
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Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: W VUA.
[00:00:01] Speaker B: FM tuscaloosa.
[00:00:09] Speaker C: Hello, everybody.
This is WVUA 90.7 FM, the Capstone, and welcome to episode number 52 of the full Court Press podcast. Yeah, my name is Jamie Martinez and I'm joined by Alex Chase to stay up to date. Make sure to follow us on Instagram at FCP podcast underscore UA. With that being said, let's get into it.
[00:00:33] Speaker A: We have yet another trade in the NBA before the seasons begins. That one happening today. Per Woes. The Houston Rockets are trading guard Kevin Porter Jr. We've been expecting this. He's been reported that they were going to trade him, the Rockets and two future second round picks to the OKC Thunder in exchange for Rockets guard Victor Oladipo and big man Jermaine Robinson Earl in the trade. With that, the OKC Thunder are not keeping the pretty good could be backup point guard. They are immediately releasing him, making Kevin Porter Jr. KPJ an unrestricted free agent. And as you can see, they had to throw in two second round picks because no one wants him because of his history causing problems. We've talked about him last year, talked about him over the summer, we talked about him at the beginning of our podcast coming back into this school year. KPJ a great player, has the potential to be something special. All the intangibles are there, but he cannot get his act together off the court. A lot like Miles Bridges who also had something come up. But sticking with KPJ, where will he end up?
[00:01:41] Speaker C: I don't even know honestly. It really depends on if a team wants to completely set aside his locker room issues and out of basketball issues and just focus strictly on the young talent that is Kevin Porter Jr. Six five guard, do it all on offense, phenomenal score. He could handle the Rock, but like Alex said, he has all the Intangibles in the world. It's just off the court he is not a great person. Yeah, as much as I hate to say it, he's not a very good person. So he's a big bad guy if we want to put it that way. So if a team wants to pick him up, I don't know who would want to set aside those.
[00:02:18] Speaker B: You know the Clippers signed Josh Primo after like all other guy who had some issues. We could see maybe a team like a lower level contender would maybe consider signing know he's really good. I mean he could be a six man of any team in the league. So I think he'll get picked up at some point in the season.
[00:02:38] Speaker A: I agree. I might be mixing up last year's shows with this one, but it was relatively recent. It was either the end of last year or coming into this year. We talked about how he has like a really weird contract, a very weird one, almost like an NFL contract. And I remember Jamie explained it, I think it was within the past few months.
[00:02:55] Speaker C: It was either early this year or like late last year, late last year.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: But either way, KPJ was the only NBA player to have a true non guaranteed contract for this exact reason. Too many off court issues leading him to be traded from the Rockets. It was reported a few weeks ago that the Rockets are trying to find a partner for KPJ. And there it is. To the OKC Thunder, immediately released. But let's talk about the other side, the other side of this coin. The OKC thunder. Sorry, excuse me. The rockets. Get Victor Oladipo and Jermaine Robinson. Earl.
[00:03:26] Speaker C: I like that oladipo. I'm not sure how much he's going to play. He's really one of the best guards of the 2010s. But injuries have really set him down, especially he was playing for Miami last year, went down right before the playoffs.
And that sucks to see. He goes back to the Rockets. Maybe he can contend or bring some veteran leadership. And Jeremiah Robinson. Earl. I like what he could do. He's another young big that could do some good things. He still has a lot to prove on the court, and I think he could progress well with that young Rockets team.
[00:03:55] Speaker A: What do you think, Nick?
[00:03:57] Speaker B: Yeah, I feel like Oladipo end up getting traded or bought out or something.
[00:04:00] Speaker A: Because that's what happened last time he was in Houston.
[00:04:03] Speaker B: I don't see him staying here. He'll probably go to a contender as well.
So that's what I think will happen. Jeremiah of Robinson Rodo, he'll be pretty good. As far as backup centers, I think he'll be pretty good because I don't really know who they have a backup center right now.
[00:04:17] Speaker A: They got Shangoon.
[00:04:19] Speaker C: Shangoon's a starter. Their backup is I think it's JRE. Could definitely contend for that backup spot.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: He could I mean, he had some good rotational minutes last year. But now let's get into the news. And now that the season is basically here, it starts in a week each show we're going to be coming in with a few different nuggets from each of us, instead of just me doing all the news and these two just listening to me. And then they give their takes. We're all going to kind of give some news that we feel strongly about. Starting off with my Boston Celtics. They add Jeff Van Gundy as a senior consultant. As we all know, the 61 year old was let go by ESPN. They were doing all those cost cutting moves to pay Pat McAfee. They said it wasn't for that, but I mean, where'd all the money go? Pat McAfee. So after 16 years with the network, he's gone as the analyst.
And where'd he go? Went to the Boston Celtics. But before that, he was a coach for eleven seasons in the NBA. Went 430 with 318 losses with the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets. He's a 44 and 44 playoff record. So he's 500. Nothing like amazing, but that's pretty darn good. How many coaches go at least 500 in the playoffs. Not many won the championship with the spurs. This man has done it all, and he's back, not in a coaching position, but as a senior consultant. And this is just another level of the Boston Celtics adding immense aid with Joe Missoula. What do you guys think about Jeff Van Gundy, the amazing basketball mind coming to the Boston Celtics as a consultant and someone who can help Joe Missoula become a better coach and maybe become one of the best coaches in the league?
[00:05:51] Speaker B: Well, I think it'll be good for the team just because you lose what's his face, the coach that left last year to go coach college?
[00:06:02] Speaker A: Damon Stoddy.
[00:06:03] Speaker B: Damon Stoddmeyer, he was really good. You also add we lost all the.
[00:06:07] Speaker A: Staff from last year because they went to the Rockets with EME. You don't yeah, I got last year.
[00:06:11] Speaker B: So, I mean, you add somebody know as good of a background as what you said he had, and then Missoula could use that type of presence in the locker room with it being his second season and they had a pretty good season last year with it being his first.
[00:06:24] Speaker C: Me.
[00:06:25] Speaker B: I think it can't be anything but beneficial for signing him.
[00:06:28] Speaker C: I really like that because you got a guy with a ton of NBA coaching experience to help out a second year head coach who definitely got out coached in the playoffs, and now he is the senior consultant of a team that has all the championship hopes in the world on the Boston Celtics. So Van Gundy is going to be a great option. He took the Knicks to a championship at 99, and I think he could take the Celtics, help out Joe Missoula, help out the Celtics, go to a championship in 2023. So I think it'll be interesting.
[00:06:57] Speaker A: Yes, sir.
[00:06:58] Speaker C: So let's move into my news now. First off, not the craziest news in the world, but something pretty substantial for one of the top teams in the Western Conference, that being Najee Marshall of the New Orleans Pelicans suffering a leg injury in a preseason game and he was wheelchaired off of the court. It was a very rough scene, did not like to see it at all. He's a forward on the Pelicans. He gets decent rotational minutes. But what really sucks is that the Pelicans have been dealing with a ton of injuries recently. Now you have Najee Marshall to add alongside Trey Murphy, who's their young forward and guard who showed a lot last year. Jose Alvarado, their star six man premier defensive player. They had an update come out on Najee Marshall saying the New Orleans Pelicans announced today that forward Najee Marshall, who hyperextended his right knee during the second quarter of yesterday's preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks, has been diagnosed with a bone bruise following an MRI taken this morning. Marshall will be reevaluated in two weeks, so they're going to be without their guy for a couple weeks going into the start of the season, which does suck, I will say that. But hopefully this team can get better with that injury bug, because it's definitely haunted them for a while.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: At least Zion's not hurt yet. Knock on wood.
[00:08:09] Speaker C: Yeah, definitely. Brandon Ingram, too. What do you guys think about that?
[00:08:13] Speaker A: I completely agree, because it's not so much about Najee Marshall, not that he's not like an impactful player, but he's not a super impactful player. He's a good rotational player. But like you were saying, Jamie, it's just the whole package of guys like Trey Murphy II being injured, a true guy who got big rotational minutes last year with Bi missing time, zion, who isn't hurt yet, but he's also always a question mark how much he is going to play. Jose Alvarado already being hurt. And I believe Herb Jones. I forget if he's just got healthy or he was hurt or he already is hurt, I don't know, but the whole team kind of always suffers from something going on. So not a good look coming into the season.
[00:08:50] Speaker B: Yeah, I agree. But I guess it's better to be coming into the season without the players and ending the season with it, because even with the rush they have now, they'll be able to win a couple of games without some role players. Maybe they could sign some people.
Kevin Porter jet terrence Davis. There's a lot of players that are still sitting in free agency that you could sign to just even a ten day contract.
[00:09:13] Speaker C: Yeah, because they were a top team in the Western Conference when they were fully healthy last year. To begin the season, I want to.
[00:09:17] Speaker A: See how Troy Daniels takes this opportunity because he's going to obviously get more minutes. And he wasn't bad last year. He was kind of like a project draft pick for the Pelicans from Australia.
[00:09:26] Speaker C: Oh, dyson Daniels.
[00:09:27] Speaker A: What did I say?
[00:09:28] Speaker C: You said Troy.
[00:09:29] Speaker A: Yeah, Dyson Daniels.
[00:09:30] Speaker C: I like Dyson Daniels a lot.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: Big guard, him and Jordan Hawkins.
[00:09:34] Speaker A: Jordan Hawkins, they're going to be getting some minutes right away coming in because with all these guys out, it's going to be nice to see how they can handle that.
[00:09:40] Speaker C: Yeah, big opportunity here for guys like Dyson Daniels.
Another piece of news. We continue talking about the James Harden drama out in Philadelphia for the 76 ers, and it keeps getting updated. James Harden says his relationship with general manager Darryl Mori cannot be repaired. In a quote, he said, this is in life when you lose trust in someone, it's like marriage. I wanted to retire a sixer, and the front office didn't have that in their future plans, says James Harden, per Shams Sharania Harden. At one point, everybody thought he was going to play for the sixers. Before that, nobody thought he was going to play for the Sixers, and now it looks all muffled. We are unsure of James Harden's plans. It's all over the place. I still think the Clippers can put together an offer for one of the greatest shooting guards of all time.
There's a lot going down. What do you guys think?
[00:10:30] Speaker A: I think he's staying in practice. He's smiling, not saying he loves it there, but he likes it enough to act like he enjoys it.
And again, I'm completely in the middle on this because he just confuses me more and more with this whole situation. But he showed up in Colorado because he had to or issues could come along with his contract, and he looked pretty happy. So it shows maybe he doesn't hate his teammates, he hates Darryl Mori. So if he can just stay with that again, that's like a toxic relationship to not be close with your general manager. That's the guy that makes a lot of decisions around you for the players you play with. But if you can keep a good relationship with Joellenbade, which I'm not sure how confident I feel about that and the rest of that team, you need James Harden. At the end of the day, you could get a good package back or some good role players. But if he can put aside I think he's going to want to trade regardless. He's going to want to trade till he's gone. But if he can put aside that and play basketball and just play well with his teammates while he's still hoping to get a trade, I think things will work out in Philadelphia. Like I said, he's not afraid to say he wants a trade, but if he can be business like, like in any other business and play his job and do his job while he's hoping to get traded, I think they'll be fine.
[00:11:36] Speaker C: Yeah. What do you think, Nick?
[00:11:37] Speaker B: I don't think he'll be staying. I think he'll be getting traded. And just reason being for that, we've seen a lot of just Darryl Moore is really close to pulling the trigger.
[00:11:47] Speaker A: On the trade, but I think he wants to, though. Who he wants to keep james Harden.
[00:11:51] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:11:51] Speaker B: Well, Harden don't want to play.
[00:11:52] Speaker A: Exactly. Well, he's going to play. That's what I'm saying.
[00:11:54] Speaker B: He'll play, but he'll play disgruntled. We've seen Harden on two different teams now. Whenever he doesn't want to play, he just plays awful, and then he'll force his way out, and then he'll go to the Clippers.
[00:12:04] Speaker C: He's going to put on another fat suit.
[00:12:06] Speaker A: I agree with you, but from what I've seen so far, and again, the regular season hasn't hit. He hasn't even played in a preseason game. But from what I've seen so far on the outside looking in, it seems like he's treating this as we all know he wants out, but he's going to be a professional and play well.
[00:12:20] Speaker B: That's how he was on Houston and Brooklyn.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: But he got big, he'll get big again.
[00:12:26] Speaker C: He's afraid of that.
[00:12:26] Speaker B: He's not worried about that.
[00:12:28] Speaker C: They got some cheesesteaks out there in Philadelphia.
[00:12:30] Speaker A: Clubs, too.
[00:12:31] Speaker B: Yeah, he'll be going out.
[00:12:32] Speaker C: I mean, what throws me off is saying I wanted to retire a sixer, and the front office didn't have that in their future plans. I mean, you never know. James Harden will say anything, but who knows?
[00:12:41] Speaker B: All right, so the last thing we have to say is Clay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors are not close on years or money in a contract negotiation. As we know, the warriors just won a title two or three years ago, and Clay Thompson wasn't necessarily a huge part of that. But, I mean, for the other three titles, he was the second or third option. So I think it's a pretty big deal. What do you guys think?
[00:13:02] Speaker A: I think it's a humongous deal because it all stems that you already traded away the guy who was getting becoming better than Clay Thompson at times in Jordan pool. He's gone. Traded him for Chris Paul. And let's just say, hypothetically, clay Thompson becomes an unrestricted free agent next offseason and he walks, which out. At the end of the day, I think things will work out. But right now, he's on a five year, $189,000,000 contract. It's his last year making 43 million. He's not going to get anywhere close to that. He's going to maybe get four years, 120, which for today's market in the NBA is kind of low, but I don't see him getting anywhere close to what he was getting paid before. Draymond Green just got four for 120. I think Clay could get, like, four for no, Dre got four for 100. I think Clay could get four for 120, but I just don't see a way where he's not a warrior. I think things will work out because I can't even think of where he'd go. There's really no La.
[00:13:55] Speaker B: That's it. His dad played there.
[00:13:57] Speaker C: I think it was rumored to be.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: A Laker anything, the way they structured Chris Middleton's contract in Milwaukee, I think they could swap him for Clay Thompson and that'd be great.
[00:14:06] Speaker B: I hope not.
[00:14:07] Speaker A: I mean, yeah, I think they'd be a lot better than they are now.
[00:14:09] Speaker C: Yeah, it's definitely a weird situation. I find it hard to imagine Clay Thompson retiring anywhere but Golden State, or playing anywhere but Golden State for that matter. But if he does, I think La is where he'd want to be. He was rumored to go to the Lakers before he signed that contract extension. It's where his dad played. I could see him wanting to end his career there, but at the same time, he's a splash, bro. And I don't know if he wants to leave Golden State, so I'm sure something will work out in the long run. They still have time to negotiate.
[00:14:37] Speaker A: I think if anyone budges, it's going to be Clay thompson because he wants to stay.
[00:14:40] Speaker C: Yeah, exactly.
[00:14:41] Speaker A: So, again, it's early, but it's definitely some news because if they're not even close on years or money, everything that's involved in a contract. So it's going to be interesting to see how Mike Dunleavy, the new GM taking over for Bob Marks, handles that. But now let's get into the main topic for today's show, our Eastern Conference final standing predictions. We are going to start off talking about 15 to eleven, so outside of the play in, and then we'll work our way up, of course. So, Nick, do you want to tell us who you have going from 15 to eleven? What roughly you think that record will be and then just some reasons why.
[00:15:16] Speaker B: Yeah, so, like, just 1514, like all of my not playing 15.
[00:15:20] Speaker A: Yeah, 15.
[00:15:21] Speaker C: Cool.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: That's how yeah, cool. So 15. I have Detroit. I'll give my readers after 15. I have Detroit, 14. I have Toronto, 13. I have Chicago twelve, the Wizards and eleven.
[00:15:32] Speaker A: Charlote, real quick question. How far out is your eleven to your playing team at ten?
[00:15:37] Speaker B: Five games.
[00:15:38] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:15:38] Speaker B: Yeah. So just to kind of start off with the Pistons, they'll be young once again. Bogdanovich, he might get traded at some point, but they're going to still be a really good team. Injuries might end up happening just because their main guys are kind of injury prone anyways. But 20 games isn't necessarily a negative thing because you know that you'll be right back in the lottery next season and potentially getting something that could be a hole for in the future. They don't really necessarily have a real power forward. I guess if you're playing tall ball with Duran and Wiseman, then maybe it could work. You know, that's my reason for that. And then know they just have a bunch of stuff going on. Pascal and Ujeri, the GM have been having some disagreements in media day, stuff like, you know no, I mean, we saw how bad they were last year without Lonzo, and you don't really answer the no point guard.
[00:16:32] Speaker A: The no point guard, but he's no, no, I'm saying that's nothing that's nothing.
[00:16:36] Speaker B: Like he's more of a two guard type of guy. He's not going to sit there and facilitate for you. You don't really have a facilitator. So, I mean, Caruso is cool, but he's not getting more than maybe six assists a game. Then the Wizards, they're just not a very deep team.
[00:16:48] Speaker A: What do you have the Wizards at 1220? What do you think?
[00:16:51] Speaker B: They're wrecked you too? Okay, yeah, just because I think that the east is top heavy as far as the top teams are going to win a bunch of games compared to these teams. And then for the mean, this isn't a bad spot. I feel like them and the Nets and Magic could all interchange between this. So them three are kind of just interchangeable.
[00:17:13] Speaker A: All right, so mine is honestly very different from Nick's, and I'm assuming Jamie's as well. At 15, I have the Washington Wizards. I have them going 27 and 55. Last year they went 35 and 47. I'll get into my reasons like Nick did. After I go through it. At 14, I have the Hornets. Last year they went 27 and 55. They were the 14th seed. I have them staying at the 14th seed, winning a few more games. 29 and 53. The Pistons, this is my hot take, probably the hottest we'll talk about today. Last year they were the 15th seed going 17 and 65. But I have them winning 34 games. I have them almost doubling, if not double cling. I'm not going to do the math right now. Their win total from last year, I'll get to that in a second. Then the raptors at twelve. I think they're going to fall back, not immensely. I mean, they were 41 and 41 last year. They were the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. But I think losing Fred Van Vliet is huge and then replacing with someone who has proved that he's just not a starting point guard. There was hopes, especially when he came to the Celtics after Kemba Walker, Dennis Truder, there was hopes he could be a starting point guard. He never really took that opportunity and drove with it. So I don't really think that's going to work out in Toronto either. I have them going 35 and 47, and then the 11th seed, the definition of an average team, but they're not going to be average enough to make the play in. I have the Chicago Bulls going 39 and 43. They were the 19 last year. They had 40 wins. I have them winning one less game. They're going to hover around the same because they do have Zach, they have DeMar, they have Voch, they have Caruso, they have solid pieces, enough to be an average team with an average record. But I think some other teams above we'll talk about later will do a little bit better. But going back down, why the Wizards in last place?
Because they don't really got a lot after Jordan Poole and Kuzma will be great scorers, great players. They got some good pieces around them, like Gafford, Denny, Advilla. They got a rookie, bilal Kulablay. I definitely messed up his name. I'll make sure to pronounce it right. Kulabali. He played with Victor Rabin Yama in France. He could be a good young piece. They don't got a lot. I do like Tyus Jones. That's nice for the Wizards, but again, he's got to prove he's a starting point guard in this league, the Hornets. Why just two more wins? Even though they're getting Miles Bridges back, they're bringing in Brandon Miller. Their depth is terrible. Their wing depth might be some of the best in the NBA, especially if Brandon Miller plays like he has been playing in preseason. Might be some of the best in the NBA, but their guard depth is atrocious. Their big man depth is subpar.
[00:19:39] Speaker B: I think Nick Richards is good.
[00:19:41] Speaker A: He's good, but he's kind of undersized.
[00:19:44] Speaker C: This is 610.
[00:19:46] Speaker A: I'm not a huge lover in it. You lose Kai Jones.
[00:19:49] Speaker B: Who again, he wasn't playing anyway.
[00:19:51] Speaker A: I know, but you don't have a lot there besides the Wings, which you got Gordon Hayward, Brendan Miller, PJ Washington. He's more of a forward, but Miles Bridges is back. You got so many good wings. I love that. Obviously, you got LaMello ball T. Row, but after that it's just kind of like I'm not a big fan of Martin, but he's nothing like his brother.
[00:20:09] Speaker C: Big Mark.
[00:20:10] Speaker A: He's nothing like his brother.
[00:20:11] Speaker C: No.
[00:20:11] Speaker A: Mark Williams is great. Then the Pistons, my biggest hot take, I think the addition of their new head coach I'm blank. Why am I blanking?
[00:20:21] Speaker C: For the Pistons.
[00:20:22] Speaker B: It's Monty Williams.
[00:20:23] Speaker A: Monty Williams. Thank you. The new addition of Monty Williams with the Phoenix Suns once in the finals. He's a win now, Coach. I've said it before when I was doing my power rankings. No, they're not going to win now. They're not in win now mode. But he is a win now, Coach, which forces you to get better. And they have great pieces on the team. The Raptors, like I already said with Dennis Shoe, they're going to fall back. I'm not a huge lover of that. And then the Bulls, just an average team. They're going to be average again.
[00:20:44] Speaker C: All righty. All righty. Let's go with my 15 to eleven. At 15, I have the Detroit Pistons, 14. I have the Washington how many wins.
[00:20:53] Speaker A: You got the Pistons getting?
[00:20:54] Speaker C: I was going to answer that after, but I have the Pistons going 27 and 50 514. I have the Washington Wizards at 28 and 20 413. I have the Raptors at 32 and 5012. I have the Hornets at 35 and 47. And at eleven, I have the Mediocre Bulls at 37 and 45. So I'm pretty sure we all have the exact same teams in our outspots. It's just differing records, differing spots. So let's start with the Pistons. I think the east has a lot of solid teams and the Pistons will be awesome in the future, but not right now. If anything, I could see them being better than the Wizards and the Raptors, but I need to see Cade Cunningham stay healthy and Jaden Ivy show improvement first. Health is wealth for the Pistons. I don't know how long they're to hold on to Bogdanovich because he's aging and he's on a decently sized contract and he's still a good score. I could see him being moved to a contending team. And you have guys like Marvin Bagley and James Wiseman who are solid, but at the same time have not shown to be consistent enough to stay on the court by health reasons. I think they have good potential, but they're always hurt and it sucks to see.
[00:21:53] Speaker A: Can I add something real quick?
[00:21:54] Speaker C: Sure.
[00:21:55] Speaker A: I think the Pistons are going to be with the Magic World. Last year. The Magic won 34 games. Last year, I have the Pistons doing the exact same thing. They jumped up, not a major step. I mean, the Magic were also the 13th seed. I just have the Pistons doing exactly what the Magic did last year, taking a major step up from where they were the year before.
[00:22:12] Speaker C: And I could see that definitely happening because they have great talent. I could see Cade Cunningham being an All Star if he stays healthy. I love Cade Cunningham. It's just I need to see the team stay healthy and stay consistent is all I'm saying. Like I said in there, I could see them being better than the Wizards and Raptors, but there's some things I got to play into. That 14. I have the Washington Wizards at 28 and 24 or 28 and 54. Sorry. Jordan Poole is going to be an All Star for this poverty team. He's going to average 30 something points a game. He has all the reins in the world. They're going to let him shoot anything he wants. Pool. Kyle Kuzman and Tyas Jones are a great core, but everything outside of that is just not good.
Center Gafford's not bad, but I'm just saying, I don't know if he's a starter. That to be your core. That is your big four. It's not going to win a ton of games. Jordan poole is cool. Kyle kuzma is cool. I think Kuzma was a fringe all star last year. I think they will be great in the future, but as of right now, I just don't think it's their time. 13. I have the raptors. They're not contenders like they thought they were at the deadline last year, scotty Barnes showed no progression. Fred Van Vliet's gone. And who knows how much time Pascal Siakam and OG Ananobi have left with the raptors. I feel like they're going to be Sellers at the deadline, getting rid of a lot of those pieces because they're not going to be winning a ton of games. They got rid of Nick Nerf.
I think they're going to blow it up. I think it's about time.
[00:23:28] Speaker A: They're not going to be Sellers because Messiah Ugiri always thinks they're good and better than they are. So that's what they did again this offseason. But then they lost Van Vliet and they're still not trading Pascal or OG, not getting any value back, and they're not even going to be a playing team.
[00:23:42] Speaker C: Exactly. I just don't see the thinking behind it, and I'm not big on the Raptors.
[00:23:46] Speaker A: They're actually probably going to trade they're probably more likely to trade Scotty Barnes for, like a subpar, a good point guard, than to trade Pascal and OG.
[00:23:57] Speaker C: Yeah, that's how you Jerry way, right?
[00:23:58] Speaker A: That's where I'm leading towards because they're just annoying at twelve.
[00:24:01] Speaker C: I have the Hornets at 35 and 47. I like the Hornets this year a lot. A young roster that can rack up wins. Brandon Miller is going to be exciting to watch, and LaMello Ball is always a pleasure to see hoop on the court. If he stays healthy, they will be solid because they have a lot of very young pieces. Like we were saying, their wings are extremely good. And you have LaMello Ball, Nick Richards, Mark Williams, a ton of guys that can help contribute wins. Again, Health is the contributor, but I think even without LaMello Ball, this team could win some games alongside Terry rojier and Gordon Hayward. So I like the Hornets this year. I think they're trending in the right direction. And at eleven, I have the Bulls at 37 and 45. The Core does not have much time left. DeMar, De Rosen and Zach Levine have been great together, but it hasn't produced any wins since Lonzo Ball's tragic knee injury that kept him out for about two years now. Things have not improved for Chicago. They have Lusovich, who's only aging. He's been solid for while he's been with the Bulls, but it hasn't resulted in wins. I just think they have too much talent to be a bad team, but not enough talent to be a great team.
[00:25:02] Speaker A: Because you have yeah, literally.
[00:25:04] Speaker C: They have Alex Caruso, who's one of the best defending guards in the league. You have Kobe white who's? Whatever. AO dosuma who's shown flashes. But again, not all of that is enough to get them even in the playing, because the teams above them are, in my eyes, better than they are.
[00:25:18] Speaker A: They'd be a nice trade partner. If the Trailblazers ultimately want to get rid of Brogdon. I just thought of that randomly, I think.
[00:25:24] Speaker C: So if they wanted to move up.
[00:25:25] Speaker A: They have enough young guys, like a couple young guys, and like a pick to trade. Like, you give him Williams.
[00:25:32] Speaker B: OOH, that's too much.
I like him still. I think he's going to be I.
[00:25:37] Speaker C: Think he's got a daily offense.
[00:25:39] Speaker B: Yeah, cool.
[00:25:39] Speaker A: Daily. But there's money to be bought from somewhere.
No, you might have to throw Caruso in there.
[00:25:46] Speaker B: Yeah, cool. I was going to say Vuzovich, but they don't have a center to give back.
[00:25:50] Speaker A: I just think that'd be a good fit. Drummond, someone like Malcolm Brognan, they could.
[00:25:53] Speaker B: Keep Drummond, have him start.
[00:25:55] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:25:55] Speaker A: But now let's get into our playing teams. The teams that might make the playoffs might just miss out on it. But let's start with Nick, who is going to be in the play in.
[00:26:04] Speaker B: Okay, at ten, I have Brooklyn nine, I have Atlanta eight, I have the Magic, and seven, I have the Pacers for the Nets. I mean, if Ben Simmons is as good as he has been in the preseason, they could seriously be a top six seed in the Eastern Conference. But there is a little bit of a concern with the really, there's not.
[00:26:23] Speaker A: A concern with the depth.
[00:26:24] Speaker B: I don't know what I was about to say that for. But they're a good team. I think they have a pretty good chance to win the play in the Magic. They're young. I think Paolo will probably be an All Star this year. If not, he'll be right outside of it. Franz Wagner, him as well. Same case with him. I just think that they have too much they're too guard heavy. I think that at some point you've got to look to trade Markel Foltz, probably Markel Foltz, he's the oldest one. Trade him for a backup center because they don't really have much. You lose, Mo Bamba. You have goga badazi.
[00:26:54] Speaker A: Who. I mean, it's like mo wagner and then mo wagner.
[00:26:59] Speaker B: But Wendell's really good. I like him as their center of the future. And then as far as Atlanta goes, I mix those two up because I decided to switch it on the spot. But Atlanta is who I have atlanta wise.
Sadiq Bay is not a power forward, so I don't really like that move at all. They didn't really add anything this offseason. They just continue to lose stuff. And then as far as the Pacers go at the number seven spot, I only have them one game out of the playoffs behind the sixers.
I think that they'll be pretty good. It just depends on how good Tyrese Halliburton kind of mixes with who they'll be.
[00:27:41] Speaker C: Topping?
[00:27:41] Speaker B: No, the small four they drafted.
[00:27:46] Speaker C: I like him a lot.
[00:27:47] Speaker A: Power four.
[00:27:47] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:27:47] Speaker B: I think that he'll be really good. I think that there's no reason that he shouldn't know. He was really good at Houston. Is that where he went, houston, wherever he went?
Yeah, I think so. But he was really good when he was there. And then Bruce Brown, like you were getting he's the main reason why the Nuggets were able to win so many games last season. And he played a huge role in them winning the Finals. And then as far as Obi Topping goes, I know that you're pretty high on him this season, but I mean, I think that he'll be okay. I don't think that he'll be anything special that they didn't have last season. All right.
[00:28:18] Speaker A: My 10th seed is the Brooklyn Nets. I have them going 41 and 41, an average team. I mean, last year they went 45 and 37. I'm going to start explaining it as I go up because I felt like when I said it and then went back down to explain it, I was just saying everything twice. So I'll just explain it as I go along. Brooklyn Nets at ten last year, like I said, 45 and 37. But let's not forget for a majority of the season because the trade deadline is not really halfway through the season. It's like two thirds through the season they had Kyrie and Rent, so that obviously boosted up their record a little bit. I don't think they're going to be much worse, but I think they're going to be an average team, 541 and 41. Mikhail Bridges I need to see him play like a star like he did at the back end of last year, all year. I think Nick Claxton could take a major jump up. He could be a deploy candidate. I mentioned him last week. I love their depth, like Nick said, and if Ben Simmons can play half as well as he used to four years ago, that'd be a great sign for them as well. I just think there's a lot of good teams in the east. There's a couple of great teams, but then there's a lot of good teams, and I don't know if they're quite at the top of that good team area. Moving on to the Orlando Magic. I think they're going to take another leap. They took a major leap last year, not making the play in, but winning 34 games. I think this year they're going to be 41 and 41. So I have the Nets and the Magic around the same area. I think they're both around average teams, not much better and maybe not much worse. So that's why I have them both at 41 and 41. They're going to take another leap. Paolo could. Maybe he will be an all star. Franz Wagner I completely agree with what Nick said. Has the potential to do that as well. And again, just like Nick said, you kind of hit all my points was too many guards. They just drafted Ant black. Granted, he's tall, so he can play probably the one through three, but he's also really skinny and he's a pure ball dominant, like Facilitator playmaker Facilitator. That's not really a wing. He's not going to do that. He's a facilitator. So if anything, I would look to trade Markel Foltz because that's exactly what Ant Black does. What Markel Foltz does, ant Black does. Now, the best part about Markel Foltz is he has kind of grown into himself and has become a very efficient scorer. But you don't need all that, and I don't think you're going to trade Cole Anthony. I think he's like a pure six man. Moving on to the pacers. Last year they went 35 and 47. I have them taking a little bit of a leap. I think they got better this offseason. Not by much, because I think the teams above them are better. But I have them going 42 and 40, which is a great step to where they want to be. I saw a tweet saying this is the best team they've had since 2018. I completely agree.
This is one of their best teams. They've had post the Paul George era 100%. They got Halliburton, who's going to be an All Star this year.
They have Budy healed for now. We'll see how that works out. There's reports he can be traded, but B Math could grow into a really good player. I love Jarris Walker. Like Nick said. Great fit. And Miles Turner said he wants to be an All Star this year because the All Star Game is in Indiana. We'll see how that transpires. But still, last year, he averaged 18 points per game and a few blocks not talked about, but he did it, and I think he can do that again. Then my 7th seed, Nick, didn't have them here, but it's the Miami Heat.
They were the 8th seed last year. I have them being a little bit better, but I have them with the same record. They went 44 and 38 last year. I have them doing the exact same thing because I think they got worse. They lost Max Streus. They lost Gabe Vincent. The two sparks that helped them get all the way to the finals, they lost that and they replaced it with Josh Richardson.
[00:31:35] Speaker C: He's not bad.
[00:31:36] Speaker A: He's not bad, but he's not a spark like that. And he's older. If anything, he's like a better defender than what the other two are, but he's not a spark in any way, shape or form like those two guys were at all. I think they got a lot worse this offseason for already being a subpar regular season team. Last year that caught fire at the right time. They couldn't afford to lose any of the fire they had, and they did. And again, I have them one spot higher, but I have them with the same record. I think they're going to do the exact same thing. We'll see what happens.
[00:32:05] Speaker C: All right, moving into my play in teams at I'll go the same way Alex did, just start with ten. So at ten, I have the Brooklyn Nets going 40 and 42. I like what they've built. They're another very young team that can surprise a lot of people. Mikhail Bridges and Nick Claxton both, in my eyes, have all star potential. The team can be much higher, like, playoff spot potential, depending on Ben Simmons and how he plays. If they get sixers Ben Simmons, this team could be dangerous. He's playing well so far in the preseason, I've seen a lot of clips of him. It looks like he's much more confident shooting.
He had a game recently, I think it was yesterday. He had a triple single in like, 24 minutes. It was like an eight, eight and six, and a lot of people were talking about it. And their downside was I think he had like, six turnovers, but he's not.
[00:32:50] Speaker A: Putting up like, 20 points per game.
[00:32:52] Speaker C: No, he's not going to do that. But I think if he can fit that role of getting like, a low end, triple double, double double type of guy, and just help MCAU Bridges develop and Nick Claxton develop, maybe help Cam Thomas a little bit. And Cam Johnson.
Cam Johnson, I really like one of the top tier shooters in the NBA. I think the Nets can be dangerous. They're very young. They have a lot to prove. They have a good coach. I think they could do more than be 40 and 42, but that's where I have them sat at for now.
[00:33:18] Speaker A: In 21 minutes is averaging eight points on around 60% from the field.
[00:33:24] Speaker C: Yeah. That's not bad for how he plays. It's going to be inside, so that's fair. Yeah.
[00:33:28] Speaker A: Which, I mean, that's comparable to what he did in his years in Philly.
[00:33:31] Speaker C: Yeah. So, Ben Simmons, there's some good things to look forward to. Hopefully he can improve and lead the Nets to a decent record nine. I have the Orlando Magic at 41 and 41. I just want to say really quick, my playing gap between the ten and the seven is four games.
Okay. At nine, I have the Orlando Magic at 41 and 41. I'm all in on the Paolo Boncaro All Star campaign. The Rookie of the Year last year is going to be going to look to improve alongside their center, Wendell Carter Jr. Guard Markel Foltz, who may not be on the Magic like both Alex and Nick were talking about for much longer, depending on Anthony Black.
[00:34:06] Speaker A: I mean, there's been no reports of it.
[00:34:07] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:34:07] Speaker A: Like someone's got to go.
[00:34:08] Speaker C: Yeah. And then 6th man of the Year candidate Cole Anthony.
Still a very young team with time to progress. I like what they have going their guards. It's a very crowded room alongside Jalen Suggs from Gonzaga, anthony Black, who they just drafted from Arkansas with the number six pick. But I really like what anthony black anthony black brings to the table. He's a six foot seven playmaker. He's built like an NBA two k, my player six seven playmaker. That could do it very well defensively. Not the best shooter in the world, but I think that can improve. So I like what he brings, and I think that could come at the expense of Marco Foltz, depending on how Anthony Black plays, but we'll see how it goes. They could keep fultz because he's improved a lot since his days in Philly. Moving on to number eight, I have the Atlanta Hawks at 42 and 40. Trey Young has to stay on the court for everything to work out. I like the pairing of him and Dejante Murray in the backcourt, but they both have to mesh. I also like the pairing of Sadiq Bay and DeAndre Hunter at the forward spots. I think they'll play together well. Again, it's a team with a lot of talent. I love their center duo of Onyeko Kongu off the bench, and Clint Capella, who already has great chemistry with Trey Young on those pick and rolls and those lobs, they throw like twelve of those a game, and it works out most of the time. So I think the Hawks have a lot to look forward to. Trey Young has to stay healthy and hopefully he becomes more efficient because he shoots like 15 threes a game and probably makes like, six of them. And so his points per game looks good, but his shooting percentages don't. So I think if he can clean up that part of his game, the Hawks will be much better overall and I think they can make a move at the deadline as well for a player, maybe. What's his name? I can see them making a move for Boyan. Bogdanovich, maybe. I think that could be interesting. Bring him off the bench. Yeah, might as well. Bogdan and Boyan, that'd be fire.
[00:35:49] Speaker A: They should do that. They're not related. Yeah, but that'd be funny.
[00:35:52] Speaker C: That would be crazy. And at number seven, I have the Indiana Pacers going 44 at 38, it's Tyrese Halliburton season. Light the beam. Former Sacramento.
[00:36:01] Speaker A: Better than Dear and Fox.
[00:36:02] Speaker C: No, he's not. He's the most underrated point guard in the NBA and will lead this team to a playing spot with the addition of Bruce Brown, former Nuggets shooting guard, small forward he was on that championship team last year and he was a major contributor to that. He did it all. And then Obi Toppen, former Knicks Power forward I like that pairing a lot. I think Obi Toppin will be a great addition. He's a decent spot up shooter in the corner, but what I like is pairing him with the best playmaker in the NBA and Tyrese Halliburtons, it's going to be Lob City out there. Obie Toppin's going to be catching lobs. He has one of the highest vertical jumps in the NBA and I think it's going to be very fun to watch. Hopefully Obi Toppin can start progressing a little bit in his overall game.
Definitely. I think Halliburton is going to help him a lot. And then Jarrett's Walker out of the draft. I think he's going to be another big contributor. So I like overall what the Pacers are doing and I think they'll be at that seven spot.
[00:36:50] Speaker A: All righty, so just to recap, before we get into our top six, do you just want to say who you had in the play in so we know who is making the play in and then who's making the playoffs?
[00:37:00] Speaker B: I think we all had the four.
[00:37:01] Speaker C: Same teams, I think so no, you didn't have the Heat.
[00:37:04] Speaker A: I didn't have okay, well, he had.
[00:37:05] Speaker B: The Heat in there instead of so, Pacers, Hawks, Magic, Nets.
[00:37:09] Speaker A: For my play in. I got the nets, magic pacers and heat.
[00:37:12] Speaker C: Mine. I got the nets. Magic, Hawks and Pacers.
[00:37:14] Speaker B: All right, well, now this is the actual playoffs. So at my 6th spot, do you.
[00:37:19] Speaker A: Want to do three and three? I feel like six is a lot.
[00:37:22] Speaker B: Yeah, cool.
[00:37:23] Speaker A: Six.
[00:37:24] Speaker B: I have the 76. Ers, we just don't know what's going to happen with the James Harden thing. I have them going 42 and 40. I don't think they'll be that good.
[00:37:31] Speaker A: Of a team that low in that Six.
[00:37:33] Speaker B: Yeah, because whenever I have the west, it'll make a little bit more sense why these rankings are so the west.
[00:37:41] Speaker C: Has a lot of teams that are going to win a lot of games.
[00:37:42] Speaker B: Yeah, to me we're not really talking about the west, but to me it kind of reminds me of like 2011, 2012, the Western Conference will look like that.
[00:37:49] Speaker A: Like you think like five teams could win 50 games.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: Yeah, seriously.
[00:37:53] Speaker A: I think it might be like I know again, we're I've talked about it, but I think it could be like last year where like ten teams have 40 plus wins.
[00:37:59] Speaker B: Yeah, that's exactly what I think. I think it'll be like that or kind of comparable to how the spurs were the number one seed and they had like 50 wins and everybody else was like 49, 48, 40.
[00:38:09] Speaker A: The Nuggets I think, only had 53 wins last year.
[00:38:11] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it'll be pretty similar to that, but that's the Western Conference. As far as the Sixers go, though, we don't know what's going to happen with the whole James Harden thing. Regardless, they're going to be over 500 team Joel and B, second best center in the league, top ten player in the league, potentially. We'll see what happens with Tyrese Magazine, Tobias Harris, all them, all the fitting in pieces. Who do they add this season?
Patrick Beverly. I think that he'll be really good for the team itself. You lose Thibel. I mean, he was gone in half the season last year anyways, but next up after that I got the Heat. I know it's kind of surprising just because they did lose a lot, but I don't know if I see them being a better because for the last few seasons it's been we're not as good in the regular season and then we're really good in the playoffs. I don't think that's how they'll be this season. I think they'll be good in the regular season, then get eliminated in the first round.
[00:39:04] Speaker A: I just don't think it'll be good in general.
[00:39:06] Speaker B: I hope not, but I think that they'll be pretty good in the regular season because they have Kevin Love the whole season and Josh Richardson I think will be pretty good. Not as good as Max Streus or Gabe Benson was. But then at four, I have Cleveland, and they're only one game behind the three seed. But I just have them here just because I want to see kind of what happens with Jared Allen, because I think there's a possibility he gets moved just if they want to do something a little different as far as making mobley the center. And one thing I will say about the Cavs is Amani Bates had been playing really good in the G League the preseason and I think that's a really positive thing because he's like 6869. So, you know, you could really run like a small ball and have him at the four, isaac Akoro at the three, and then your back court and then Evan Mobley, just in case you want to trade Jared Allen. But I think that the depth of the team is really good. They'll be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for sure, and I think that they'll only continue to get better as their best players. 27 years old. 28.
[00:40:10] Speaker A: I completely agree. All right, my six through four, I like doing it this way because my six through four are a close grouping versus my three to one. So starting off with my six, I have the Atlanta Hawks. Last year, they were the 7th seed. They went 41 and 41, an average team, but they had a lot of shakeups. They brought in Quinn Snyder for like the last 20 or so games. They fired their coach before Nate McMillan, so they didn't really have a fair shake for it. With that said, I believe it was Jamie because he talked about him in his plan and Nick too. They didn't get a lot better. They got better. I mean, I do like Sadiq Bay. I think he fits better with his team than John Collins. For years and years, they were trying to figure out a way to fit john Collins never really worked. He had a good year. I think he averaged around 20 points per game at one point. But then after that year, he fell off for two consistent years in a row. Could never reclaim that chemistry with the Hawks and really, everyone on that roster. They brought in Dejante Bury. This will be his second full year with the team. I think things can start going in the right direction, but I still only have them winning 46 games. I mean, the 6th seed, I think they can be better than a play in team this year, having a full year under their belt with this core, but still, I don't see them getting close to 50 wins. Moving on to the fifth seed, that's where I have the Philadelphia 76. Ers, last year they were the third seed, won 54 games, 28 losses.
I agree with Nick. They're going to take a step back. I mean, I've been the first one to say what is going on with James Harden. It's going to mess up the chemistry, but they still have all the pieces to be good.
[00:41:39] Speaker C: I don't think they're going to hit.
[00:41:40] Speaker A: The 50 win mark like they have been over the past few years, but I think they'll get close around 48 wins, maybe 47, maybe even 49, maybe even 50. But I don't see them being some powerhouse like they were last year in the Eastern Conference because of that elephant in the room with James Harden. Now, if he gets moved and they get some good rotational pieces back, like Terrence Morris, Marquis Morris, Terrence Mann, maybe even Norman powell. I honestly would move him up a little bit because I think that fits better with their kind of lack of depth in some areas. Moving on to my fourth seed, that's where I have the New York Knicks. Last year, they were the fifth seed with 47 wins. This year I have them taking a step up to 51 wins. 51 wins and 31 losses is roughly where I'm going to put them. I think the Knicks can just do even better. They had a great year last year. No one really thought that coming into the year, I think Randall and Brunson are going to take a major leap up. I think Barrett, at this point in his career, what are we, like five years in? I think I don't know how much better he's going to be, but what he is is 20 points per game. I mean, yeah, he'll give you a 20 point per game season pretty much every year since. He's kind of hit maybe what his peak is, but it's not bad. He's efficient. He gets buckets, he hit open shots. 20 points per game is good. It's not easy to come by what I love, and I know Jamie wants to talk about this, too, but Dante DiVincenzo and all the Villanova boys back together with Brunson Hart. A full year with Josh Hart and adding Dante DiVincenzo, I think that is huge. And you still have quickly who I think can win 6th man of the Year this year. I love what the Knicks did this offseason. I like having another full year under their belt. With this core, I think they'll be pretty good.
[00:43:19] Speaker C: All right, let's start with my 6th seed, where I have the Miami Heat going 45 and 37, which is a one game difference between my seven seed pacers at 44 and 38. I feel like the Pacers will be disappointed once again. So I'm sorry, Halliburton, but I really like it. The Heat, though, despite losing a lot of talent and not getting much back, I still think they have enough playoff enough talent for a playoff spot. Tyler Hero, I think, is going to have a big jump in progression. He's going to get more minutes after losing those other guards. I think he'll finally get that starting spot, and I think he's going to get a lot of points.
I think he has the potential to be an All Star just because of how many points he's gonna score, but I don't know if he'll get into that conversation just yet. Alongside Butler and Adebayo. Getting back to those two, though. Jimmy Butler, he's one of the best small forwards in the NBA.
He knows how to make crazy things happen. He's emo right now, and so I think he'll lead the Heat to some wins. And the Bam out of Bio, one of the best centers in the NBA at standing at six foot nine. He's a small ball center, but he gets it done. He's a good mid range shooter sometimes, except for in the Finals, and he knows how to get it done down low defensively against the best of them. At five, I have the Philadelphia 76 Ers going 47 and 35.
I think they honestly could be better, but the situation with James Harden is holding them back. Let's see if they can get some pieces from the Clippers for James Harden, because that could really boost him up to 50 plus wins. If they get those rotational guys like we were talking about with Terrence Mann, maybe Bones Highland, if that's where they want to go more.
[00:44:47] Speaker B: Terrence man has been made untouchable also.
[00:44:50] Speaker C: Really? Yeah.
[00:44:51] Speaker B: It'll probably be more like the offer right now is Morris and Nick Batum and a first round pick and then a pick swap.
[00:44:59] Speaker A: I heard, but I don't think it do happens without I don't.
[00:45:04] Speaker B: I don't either.
[00:45:05] Speaker C: I just think they really love Terrence Mann in that Clippers locker room.
[00:45:08] Speaker B: I do.
I don't think that we need them at, like the team chemistry is really good on the Clippers.
[00:45:14] Speaker C: I've been seeing videos coming out of their locker room all the time.
[00:45:17] Speaker A: You want them, but you don't think you need them.
[00:45:19] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I just think that we become the best team in the Western Conference.
[00:45:23] Speaker A: But you lose a lot of depth.
[00:45:24] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:45:25] Speaker B: But you would lose three players, and then one of those players doesn't even play.
[00:45:28] Speaker A: But I think your depth is already kind of questionable in the league.
[00:45:31] Speaker B: I think I think we have the best depth in the league.
[00:45:33] Speaker C: They have really good depth pieces. Norman Powell is one of the best shooters. And then you have Terrence Mann, one of the great 25 year old forward, and Marquis Morris knows how to get it done on the wing.
[00:45:41] Speaker A: Morris is not what he used to. No.
[00:45:43] Speaker B: Marcus Morris is the player I was talking about. That's not going to play.
[00:45:46] Speaker C: Oh, really?
[00:45:46] Speaker B: Nick Batum, I just think he's the two backup power forwards or the two.
[00:45:50] Speaker C: Rocco and Batom do get minutes, and.
[00:45:51] Speaker B: Then you get Mason Plumley, and then you have Terrence Man, bones Highland, norman Powell, that's your three.
[00:45:56] Speaker C: Bones Highland. I hope he progresses, because I like him a lot.
[00:45:58] Speaker A: It's really just health.
[00:46:00] Speaker C: Exactly. All right, moving on to my four seed, I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. I have a pretty decent jump between the five and the four. And then going upwards, I have the Cleveland Cavaliers going 54 and 28. I really like what they have. They have so many dominant pieces on that roster. It's a great roster, great coaching, another team with very little flaws. But can they finally put it all together? Because they lost in the first round last year to the New York Knicks, and they had home field advantage, and they just couldn't get it done, which you hate to see. And I added a little question. At the bottom. Does Donovan Mitchell even want to be there? He said that I'm sure he will. They're a very good team, but he said earlier in an interview that he wasn't going to sign an extend. Mention that he's a New York boy at heart. I feel like he wants to be.
[00:46:42] Speaker A: A New York when he got traded, there was an interview saying he was 100% sure he was going to the Knicks.
[00:46:47] Speaker C: Yeah, exactly.
[00:46:48] Speaker A: He didn't.
[00:46:49] Speaker C: I think he wants to be a New York Knick at some point. I think his contract expires this year.
[00:46:52] Speaker A: Yeah, but I don't think maybe we'll see RJ.
[00:46:54] Speaker B: Barrett for Donovan Mitchell trade.
[00:46:56] Speaker A: I don't think it's going to affect.
[00:46:58] Speaker B: No, I'm not kidding. I'm being serious.
[00:46:59] Speaker A: I don't think it's going to affect the season.
[00:47:01] Speaker C: I don't think it will either. I just thought it would create a little conversation just because I think it's interesting.
[00:47:05] Speaker A: I don't think he's going to get traded. If anything, he'll just go to where he wants.
[00:47:07] Speaker C: Yeah, he'll resign. He'll sign somewhere else in the offseason, but I have him going 54 and 28, which is a spectacular record, and I believe I have him as a one game difference between the three seed as well. So I like what the Cavs have great coaching, great players. Donovan Mitchell is one of the best shooting guards, if not the best shooting guard in the NBA. Darius Garland is one of the best playmakers in the NBA at the point guard position. Isaac Kakoro is a great defending small forward. And then, like I said in another episode, the twin Towers of Evan Mobley and Jared Allen down low, they're phenomenal. Jared Allen is injured, and I'm not sure how long he'll be a Cavalier, because I know he's been involved in trade rumors, but I hope he stays because they're very good. And Imani Bates, he's a beast, and I hope he, as a rookie, can help them out, too.
[00:47:49] Speaker B: So for now, the top three, my number three is the New York Knicks. It's kind of weird, them being the three seed, but I think that they'll be really good just based off of all the depth. And then last season, they were really good. They made it to the second round and even won a game or two, I think. So I think that they'll only continue to get better with the added pieces.
Tom Thibodeau's kind of gotten a little bit away from the coaching that he had in what I thought he would have brought to the team, where he only played the older players and didn't really give chances to the other guys because a complete opposite. Emmanuel Quickly is 22 years old, and he was one of the best players on the team, got the most minutes. So I think that's a really big thing, and I think that there's no if the Milwaukee Bucks didn't exist, I could see a world where they're in the conference finals.
Oh, wow. Yeah.
Two is Milwaukee. As far as them, I just think that like I was saying about them, if the Celtics didn't exist, milwaukee would be the best team in the Eastern Conference. But I have a pretty big gap. I have them winning 52 games. They'll be pretty good. But I think Damien Lillard very injury prone. Chris Middleton. Very injury prone. You have two of your big pieces are injury prone. So if it's just Yanis out there, they're not going to win that many games because the depth isn't there anymore. You lost Grayson Allen and Drew Holiday who were playing a lot of games, and Bobby Portis who was injured for a good bit last year. You don't know what he could do this year either. And then also a new coach, a new head coach. Not a lot of coaches win a title in their first year. And then the Celtics, I've gone 66 and 16, one of the best teams in the last few years just based off of pure talent. And I think that depth wise people are kind of like, oh, the depth doesn't look that good, but I think that all the players can kind of go into what they're supposed to do. I think Peyton Pritchard will take a big jump. He's been playing really good in the preseason. Sam Hauser, he's been playing all know. I think that he can let it up. He'll play his role. He'll shoot two or three, threes a game, play a little bit of defense.
I am a little concerned for the power forward center spot, but I mean, Brushett will be good as the backup power forward. I think him and what's his face, lamar Stevens, them two will be good as the backup for and then as far as center goes, I mean, who is it? Luke Cornette.
[00:50:04] Speaker C: Still?
[00:50:04] Speaker A: Yeah, but we also have Kada. It's like something no, it's like something.
[00:50:13] Speaker C: What the Portuguese monster?
[00:50:16] Speaker A: Nemius Keda. He's actually been playing really good.
[00:50:18] Speaker C: Dude, I was so mad when we let him go.
[00:50:20] Speaker A: He was playing so good. He's been playing so good in preseason that he might get a roster.
[00:50:24] Speaker B: I wish that he should. I wish wendy Gabriel.
What's it called? Luke Cornette and sign Wendy and Gabriel to a full deal because Wendy and Gabriel is really good.
[00:50:33] Speaker A: Whenever Russ was on nemius kada is.
[00:50:37] Speaker C: A big burly, seven foot dude and he has a lot he was an all star in the G league. He was a beast in Sacramento. I don't know why we let him go and picked up Noel and then let him go. I think he would have been good behind Javel McGee sitting in that ten through 13 man spot. I was really mad that we let him go because he also has a huge fan base because he's the only Portuguese player, like ever. And so they're going to go over to the Celtics and I think he will land a roster spot because I think he has a lot of potential.
[00:51:04] Speaker B: You should have kept rashawn, Holmes.
[00:51:05] Speaker C: Oh, 100%.
[00:51:07] Speaker A: Moving on to my top three, I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. They were the fourth seed last year. They went 51 and 31. I think they got better. They stole Max Druce from the Miami Heat. That makes the heat worse. They also stole Gorgie Jiang. Not Gorgy Jang. Gorgeous niang from the 76. Ers not great. Kind of a dirty player, but he's a good locker room guy and a good rotational piece that can go get some minutes for this Cavs roster. But I think Max truce is the key here. Donovan, Mitchell and Garland can kick it out to a Coro. He was good. He's a great corner shooter, but someone who could hit it from anywhere. That's max truce. He is a true spark, and I'm really happy the Cavs got him because I think that'll be a good help for them. Moving on to the Milwaukee Bucks at two, I have them going 58 and 24, the same record as last year. They went 58 and 24 because I like what Nick said about the injuries, which might lower this. I actually agree with you a lot about that.
By the end of the day of Chris Millton was out for a lot of last year, and they still figure out a way to win 58 games.
[00:52:08] Speaker B: Well, Drew Holly is Vic?
[00:52:09] Speaker C: No.
[00:52:09] Speaker A: Again, that's why I'm agreeing with you. Yeah, I'm agreeing with you, but I still think they have enough to be a fantastic regular season team because Yanis is Yanis, Dame is Dame. No matter how many games he plays, when he plays, he's going to give you 30. And then Brooke Lopez hasn't proved to slow down yet, and he's proved to be a deploy candidate. So I think he's going to be great again this year. Again, I've kind of gone back and forth with that, but until I'm proved otherwise, I'm going to say he's going to be pretty good. Then at number one, I have my Boston Celtics. I wish I could be as big of a believer as Nick is, and I'm kind of close. I have him going 62 and 20, which is obviously amazing, but I just cannot fathom them losing less than 20 games. I can't put them in the teens for losses. That's just so hard to do anytime in the NBA, but especially now, we're like so every team is kind of good. You look at the Western Conference, there's a lot of teams that could be really good, and they're going to face every Western Conference team twice. That's not going to be easy. I think they'll run through the east. I mean, they're going to win 60 something games, I think, but I don't see a world where they get teens and losses. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong, but again, 62 and 20 is still going to be the NBA's best record, but I just can't go below that. I sound like I'm sad saying that, but it's just hard for me to fathom them only losing, like, 17 games.
[00:53:27] Speaker C: Yeah. Let's move on to my top.
[00:53:30] Speaker A: What do you think about that?
[00:53:31] Speaker C: Of what?
[00:53:31] Speaker A: What I just said.
[00:53:34] Speaker C: I have to agree because I also have him at the exact same records as you do. So I'll get into that.
[00:53:38] Speaker B: You like that Reed guy, right?
[00:53:40] Speaker C: Reed, yeah. Oh, man, he's casual. I love what he does on the court.
He's a beast. But let's move on to my three seed. I have the New York Knicks as my hot take of the year.
I have him going 55 and 27, which is a lot of wins. I have him over the Cleveland Cavaliers by one game, but I love what they've done with the roster. I think Jalen Brunson, their star point guard, he's going to do a lot. This is his second year in New York. He moved out of Luka Donci's shadow, and now he is the star of New York. He's going to take a big leap alongside their All Star Julius Randall. And R. J. Barrett, who has been a little flustered in his career, hasn't lived up to that. Number three overall. Pick behind Zion Williamson and John Morant. But I think he's very serviceable. He'll get you 18, 1920 points a night and he'll be just fine. He's that third star of the team. But what I really, really like is they also have possibly the best bench in the NBA. No hits of the clippers.
[00:54:35] Speaker B: No, I'm not saying no. I think they have the third or fourth, maybe even first best depth in the Eastern Conference.
[00:54:41] Speaker C: Yeah, absolutely. Josh Hart, one of the Villanova boys alongside Jalen Brunson in college. He's one of the best defenders in the NBA. He's a great shooter. He's great mid range. He could play the power forward at six foot five. He did that in New Orleans for a little bit, so he could really play the two through the four. Dante DiVincenzo, who was their big addition, former Golden State Warrior shooting guard, another villain overboy, and I think he's going to be amazing. He shot from everywhere last year, former Sacramento King. But he didn't do anything with us, so hopefully he will do something with the Kings, like one or two years. It was one or two years.
[00:55:14] Speaker B: It was not two years.
[00:55:15] Speaker C: I think it was one season.
[00:55:16] Speaker B: Then he was injured, I think, for a little bit, because I barely remember him like I remember him being you guys traded. They were trying to get bogdanovich, wasn't it? Yeah. But somehow that just didn't work. But y'all still got Chenzi. That's weird.
[00:55:28] Speaker C: Yeah, it was the whole bucks thing. It was super weird.
[00:55:31] Speaker B: What's it called? Tampered. Tampered.
[00:55:33] Speaker C: It was super weird. I don't even know how it worked, but yeah, I think DiVincenzo is going to be a great contributor for the Knicks. And then you have Emmanuel Quickly who was second in the NBA last year in 6th man of the Year voting. I think he has all of the potential in the world to do it this year. There's some more contention for the award with guys like Cole Anthony and Malik Monk. So I really like Emmanuel Quickly, what he brings to the offense off the bench. And then you have Isaiah Hartenstein, who's a very serviceable center behind what's his name? Robinson.
[00:56:02] Speaker A: Mitchell Robinson.
[00:56:02] Speaker C: Mitchell Robinson. Yes, that's his name. Mitchell Robinson, who always gets used as trade bait for the Knicks in NBA two k my league. But I think Hardenstein is very solid. He'll bring some great rebounding off the bench, and I think this will be a very good year for the good year for the New York Knicks. It just sucks that there's two phenomenal teams right above them because I think from one to 13, they're very good. Yeah. So, number two, I have the Milwaukee Bucks. This could be crazy, but I have them winning 60 games. Wow.
Unlike you guys, I'm very high on the Damien Lillard trade. Adrian Griffin not what do you mean high?
[00:56:36] Speaker B: I'm not high on it.
[00:56:37] Speaker C: I said I am like you guys.
[00:56:39] Speaker B: I think he's pretty decently high on it.
[00:56:42] Speaker C: I just think I'm higher than it. On it than you guys.
[00:56:44] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely.
[00:56:46] Speaker C: How many wins did you have, Matt?
[00:56:48] Speaker A: I have them at 50. I have them the same record as last year, 58 and 24. I'm not like a hater of it, but I also agree with Nick somewhat that Drew Holiday fit perfectly with what the Bucks need. And Damien Lillard brings no defense.
[00:57:03] Speaker C: I get that, but I think Adrian Griffin not Coach Bud, like I said last week, adrian Griffin, make sure to get that down. Has a lot to prove alongside guys like Damien Lillard and Yanis onto Kumpo.
I just think it'll be an amazing time watching them. Damien Lillard was not healthy much last year, but I think he can be this year because he's not going to have to score 35 points tonight to keep the Blazers in games.
He doesn't really have to do as much. Giannis can wholeheartedly put a team on his back and win them 50 plus games by himself because he's that dang good. But now he has Damien Lillard, who is one of the best shooters of all time, one of the all time greats of point guard, top 15 point guard of all time.
[00:57:40] Speaker B: That's wild.
[00:57:41] Speaker C: I don't think it's that wild.
[00:57:42] Speaker A: That wild.
[00:57:43] Speaker C: No, he's a top 100 player.
[00:57:46] Speaker A: 75.
[00:57:46] Speaker C: Top 75. That's what it was. Top 75.
[00:57:49] Speaker A: I mean, you scored 71 points. You deserve to be top.
[00:57:51] Speaker C: Yeah, 71 points last year. Anthony Davis, Tracy McGrady, too. Yes.
[00:57:54] Speaker B: All three of them.
[00:57:55] Speaker C: Yeah. But Damien Lillards alongside Yanis, that pick and roll is going to be nasty. I think Adrian Griffin can really drop some crazy plays with the two and then they have great pieces. Brooke Lopez, one of the best defending bigs in the NBA. He is older, but I don't think health is key. Definitely 100%. I think that's what's going to hold him back is health because guys like Rick Lopez are getting older. Yanis got hurt last year. He got hurt going into the playoffs. Damien, they'll be a playing team. Oh, probably, yeah. I'm not going to count on that. I'm going to hope that they play 65 games apiece.
But that's not my number one because I have the Boston celtics at number one, going 62 and 20 undeniably the best starting five in the NBA. They have a great coaching staff, adding Jeff van gundy and Joe missoula, second year head coach. I think he will win coach of the year this year. And I think he's going to fix a lot of the mistakes he made last year when he got out coached by Eric Spolstra. So this team has little to no flaws. You have that lineup of Drew holiday, the best defender in the NBA at that guard position. Then you have who's their shooting guard?
[00:58:59] Speaker A: It depends on what lineup. You either gonna be JB, jalen brown or Derek white.
[00:59:05] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:59:05] Speaker A: They either could go. Holiday white, brown tatum porzingis.
[00:59:10] Speaker C: I think that's what they will go with.
[00:59:12] Speaker A: Or they could go holiday brown tatum horford or porzingis.
[00:59:17] Speaker B: I think that wins you more games having a lineup.
[00:59:20] Speaker A: Horford or porzingis down low.
[00:59:21] Speaker C: I just like Derek White.
[00:59:23] Speaker A: It depends who you're playing.
[00:59:24] Speaker C: I like Derek white because that starting lineup with Derek white is your holiday. No guard is scoring on that if.
[00:59:29] Speaker A: You'Re playing the warriors, if you're playing a big team like the Cavs, I'd run see, either way, either if it's.
[00:59:37] Speaker C: Horford or Derek white, it doesn't matter. That team's going to win a lot of games because Tatum, he's an MVP candidate. Jalen brown is an all NBA player at that shooting guard position. And then you had Christopher Zingis, the seven foot three big man who could shoot from 40ft if he wants to, he's going to be unstoppable. So the celtics look really good, 62 and 20. I just think their bench might get him in some trouble in a couple of those games where they're facing a team with a really deep bench.
[01:00:04] Speaker A: Those games looks like a 6th man of the year.
[01:00:06] Speaker C: Peyton Pritchard looks really good, but he can't carry a bench by himself.
[01:00:10] Speaker B: Wouldn't be by himself.
[01:00:11] Speaker A: He wouldn't be by himself.
[01:00:12] Speaker B: There's some pretty decent people.
[01:00:14] Speaker A: I think their whole bench is a little bit more focused on defense than offense, which you have four great scores on the starting line of you don't thousand percent. So I think that's what's going to help them.
[01:00:22] Speaker C: What I'm also going to say is Jason Tate of has those off nights and I think those might be the nights that they're going to lose game.
[01:00:29] Speaker B: He could have off night. But then you have Christoph for the thing is Andrew Holiday, who can put up 20.
[01:00:32] Speaker C: I get that.
[01:00:34] Speaker B: Not to mention that, yeah, it's what.
[01:00:35] Speaker C: Got him knocked out of the playoffs, even with talent. Again, I'm not saying they're going to go undefeated because with that theory, they're going to go undefeated because they have so much talent. But they're not 62 and 20, I think, is fair as the one seed. I'm not saying they're not going to be the one seed because they're going to win a lot of games. They're the one seed in the east and I think they are the best team in the NBA. And that is all we have for you guys this week. Great conversations. I will say. Thank you all for tuning in to WVUA 90.7 FM and the full Court Press podcast. To stay up to date, follow us on Instagram at FTP podcast underscore UA. See you all next week.
[01:01:09] Speaker A: Peace.
[01:01:18] Speaker B: W v UA FM Tuscaloosa.
