Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
[00:00:09] Speaker B: Hello, everybody. This is WVUA 90.7 FM, the Capstone. And welcome to episode 74 of the full court press podcast shout out, George Hill. My name is Jamie Martinez and I'm joined by Nick Atkinson and Kaden Johnson. Stay up to date. Make sure to follow us on Instagram at FCppodcast UA. With that being said, let's get into it with the news.
I'll start out by saying our news segment has taken quite the hit with the retirement of Adrian Wojnarowski, but we'll get into that here in a second cause we do have a couple other pieces I wanted to get at before we touch on WOJ.
First off, a pretty kind of significant piece of news if you're really attached to the year 2011. The Memphis Grizzlies are waving former NBA MVP Derrick Rose, sources tell the athletic purse Sham Sharania as we know, the Grizzlies are kind of geared up to make that Western Conference finals push with a healthy team.
And Derrick Rose looks like he will not be a part of that. So how are we feeling about D Rose? Will he retire or will he maybe go to the Bulls one last run?
[00:01:11] Speaker A: We'll see. I mean, they have no reason to not sign him, but I don't think any team's going to just go out of their way to get him just because of how injury pronny still is. So I don't. I mean, he's a good guy just for locker room presence, but I mean, at that point, why is John wall not playing? Why is Isaiah Thomas not playing? You know? Cause they're both better than him, I feel like.
[00:01:26] Speaker C: So the Bulls have to sign him. They have to sign. If he doesn't retire. If he doesn't retire, the Bulls have to sign him.
I feel like. I mean, they just. They kind of owe it to him.
[00:01:35] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. The city of Chicago would reunite for one, one more year.
Really are. This is a very slow newsweek. So pro Shams Rania free agent center Harry Giles has agreed to a one year deal with the Charlotte Hornets. The Duke alum and North Carolina native returns home for a chance to compete for a roster spot with the Hornets. Harry Giles, former Sacramento king he was cool for about ten minutes.
[00:01:59] Speaker A: One of your favorite players of all time.
[00:02:01] Speaker B: I considered buying a jersey a few years ago. I will say that Harry Giles III.
[00:02:04] Speaker C: Number two recruit in his class coming out of high school, he was only behind Jabari Parker, actually.
[00:02:10] Speaker B: What a fall from grace. Harry Giles was supposed to be really good at that.
[00:02:14] Speaker C: I know Andrew Wiggins was up there, too.
[00:02:15] Speaker B: Underperforms in Sacramento, goes to Portland, doesn't do much, has a stint with the Lakers, but now he's in Charlotte. So any thoughts on Harry Giles?
[00:02:23] Speaker C: No lob threat.
[00:02:24] Speaker B: There you go. And our last piece of news, the most depressing piece of news. Adrian Wozniakowski, the leading NBA intel insider, is retiring from all of that funness. He was ESPN's insider, and now shams Sharania looks to be, like the top guy. They were competing for a while. I know Shams was a free agent for a little bit, looking for a new news outlet to go with.
People were hoping for that ESPN super team with him and Woj. But Woj, he's fought his fight and he's announced his retirement. He's going to be the general manager of a. I don't have it in here, but of a college basketball team.
Do any of you guys remember what team it was? No.
[00:03:05] Speaker C: Saint Bonaventure.
[00:03:06] Speaker B: There you go. He's going to go be a GM.
[00:03:09] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:03:10] Speaker B: And I'm fairly certain he has made it clear that his eventual goal is to become the general manager of an NBA team. So it'll be cool to see if he makes it up the ranks here in a little bit. For now, our favorite insider is gone. So with that, we decided to do a little commemorative segment to Adrian Winchester housekeeping, pay a little homage. Yeah, pay a little homage to the WOJ bomb. And we have each picked our three favorite WOj bombs of all time. Let's kick it off with Nick.
Number one.
[00:03:37] Speaker A: My number one WOj bomb is at 08:27 p.m. on July 11. In 2019, the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul. First round picks in 2024 and 2026.
[00:03:53] Speaker B: Wow. Big time. That's big time.
[00:03:56] Speaker C: Yep.
[00:03:57] Speaker B: My first one came on June 30, 2019 at 03:56 p.m. it was more of a tweet that kind of encapsulated a lot of things, not just one thing. But Brooklyn is making a clean sweep tonight. Brooklyn will sign Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, league sources tell USBN. Quite a day it was for Brooklyn. A single day. Especially cause, you know, back in 2019, we didn't see a lot of star players all sign on the same day. And Brooklyn, Lance, Kyrie, KD and Jordan, as we all know, that did not work out with all the injuries, and it eventually explodes after they had James Harden. So the Nets are now poverty and thanks to this tweet, did not work out.
[00:04:37] Speaker C: I didn't necessarily do my favorite ones, but some of the ones that I can like vividly remember. July 1, 2018, which tweets, LeBron James has agreed to a four year, $154 million deal with the Lakers. Clutch sports says that's just a really memorable tweet for me and kind of changed the course of the NBA a little bit. They won a championship. They're on there. So.
Okay.
[00:05:02] Speaker A: We don't win three.
[00:05:04] Speaker B: Yeah, if you have any.
[00:05:05] Speaker A: I do.
[00:05:06] Speaker B: Okay. I'm sorry, man.
[00:05:07] Speaker A: So March 11, 2020. At 08:00 p.m. the NBA season has been suspended.
[00:05:13] Speaker B: Oh, dang. You took my tweet. I gotta find a new one.
[00:05:16] Speaker C: Oh, man. All right, I'll go ahead and give my second.
[00:05:19] Speaker B: I have another one.
[00:05:19] Speaker C: Oh, okay.
[00:05:20] Speaker B: It's actually March 12, 2020.
Jazz star Donovan Mitchell has tested positive for the coronavirus. League sources tell ESPN.
[00:05:28] Speaker C: That was your favorite tweet from loach is substantial.
[00:05:32] Speaker B: Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room touching other players and their belongings. Now a Jazz team a has tested positive. A whole lot of information to unpack in that tweet back in March of 2020. But the entire NBA was shut down for a decent amount of time. Everybody remembers that. And eventually we got the Mickey Mouse bubble and the Lakers getting their Mickey Mouse ring. So there's that.
[00:05:56] Speaker C: All right. On July 6, 2019, another one. Remember exactly where I was for this one. Free agent Ford Kawhi Leonard has informed runners up teams of his plans. He's signing with the Clippers league. Source Estelle Espnae thought this was gonna be a lot bigger of a move than what it was. I mean, they went to a WCF with him, right? I mean, he was injured, but thought the Clippers were gonna do a little more than that. Kind of thought they'd bring a title home, I think. Did they trade for Paul George before that, or was it later that night? Because it was really late at night.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: It was like 03:00 a.m. yeah, it.
[00:06:27] Speaker C: Was like really late at night.
[00:06:29] Speaker A: Okay. Mine is from four months ago. Rob Dillingham has been traded to Minnesota. That's it.
[00:06:36] Speaker B: That's a good one.
[00:06:37] Speaker C: That's pretty cool.
[00:06:38] Speaker B: Yeah, cool.
[00:06:38] Speaker C: I like that one.
[00:06:40] Speaker B: My last one comes from December 8, 2011.
Obviously, I was not born for this one, but NBA owners have pushed commissioner David Stern to kill the deal sending Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sources tell why sports something that isn't really talked about enough. Was Chris Paul was originally supposed to be a Laker. After his stint with the Pelicans, he was supposed to team up with Kobe Bryant. And, you know, who knows what the NBA would have looked like if that deal would have went down. But NBA owners told David Stern to veto the deal, and it never came to fruition. So I thought that was pretty cool.
All right.
[00:07:15] Speaker C: And my last one is June 3, 2020.
So the NBA is inviting 22 teams to Orlando, 13 Western Conference, nine East, eight regular season games per team, playing for the 8th seeds July 31 through through October 12. Vote tomorrow to ratify the NBA's back. I like how he ended that one. A little bit of drama there.
And then obviously that was so hype because we hadn't had sports in forever. And then the NBA came back and it was awesome.
[00:07:44] Speaker B: It was beautiful. Until the Lakers had to ruin everything.
[00:07:47] Speaker C: Until the Miami Heat had to, and Tyler Harrow specifically had to ruin and Duncan Robinson that I liked about the sport of basketball. Yeah.
[00:07:53] Speaker B: Amen, NJR Smith. Now let's move on to our main segment, our NBA award predictions for the upcoming 2024 to 25 season. We have predicted and made little rankings for every single NBA award. MVP, Depoy, rookie of the year, clutch player of the year, most improved, 6th man of the year, and coach of the year. How do you all want to kick it off? We could start with MVP.
[00:08:17] Speaker A: Let's do least significant. So clutch player of the year.
[00:08:19] Speaker B: I'll start with clutch player of the year. Then.
[00:08:21] Speaker A: Are we going to do like one around the table or all three at once?
[00:08:25] Speaker C: Let's do. Do you want to do all three at once?
[00:08:27] Speaker B: Yeah, let's do all three at once.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: So at three for clutch play of the year, I, Jamal Murray.
You know, that's what he does. You know, he's very, very clutch. At two. I have Anthony Edwards. You know, he's really one of the only guys on the team other than probably Carl Anthony Towns that can get that shot at the last moment. And I know that they're going to be in a lot of games in situations like that where they're going to need a shot. And then one, I have Steph Curry. He won last year. I expect him to do the same thing this year. And I think that they're going to be a lot better this year compared to last year. So I expect them to be in a lot more situations where Curry has to, you know, throw up a three with 5 seconds left.
[00:09:02] Speaker C: So who's your three again?
[00:09:04] Speaker A: Jamal Murray.
[00:09:05] Speaker C: Oh, sweet. Yeah.
[00:09:07] Speaker B: All right, my honorable mentions, I have Demar DeRozan and Tyrese Maxi.
So yeah, they're both clutch. They can get it done in the clutch. Number three, I have Shea Gildas Alexander. He has been one of the leaders in clutch percentage over the last couple of years. He finished second for the inaugural, for the inaugural award, only finishing behind Dear and Fox. Don't know where he ranked last year, but I know Steph Curry won that. So I'll have Shay. Three, I have last year's winner. And Stephen Curry, we know what he could do. He's one of the most all time clutch players. People like to bring up how he has a very lack of buzzer beaters, but who cares if you're getting it done with time expiring, you're going to win that game. So Stephen Curry showed he could do that a lot last year. And number one, I have dear and Fox at the Sacramento Kings. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that came out of left field for a lot of people. But the inaugural winner of the award, one of the most clutch players I've ever seen with my own two eyes. He led the NBA and clutch field goal percentage over the last couple of seasons.
He led up one point and fourth quarter points. So Darren Fox, that's my dog. Two times.
[00:10:08] Speaker C: I like that. Good little list there. Thank you, Jimmy.
[00:10:12] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:10:14] Speaker C: Dear. And Fox. Yeah. So just to build a little conversation off that dear and Fox or DeMar DeRozan getting the last shot, you're feeling confident with Fox?
[00:10:23] Speaker B: Yeah, I would go Fox. I have Demar here because he was one of the more clutch players as well. But I think with what Fox has proven over the last couple of seasons, especially with being in Sacramento for so long, he's built the trust of guys like Mike Brown and the rest of his teammates to get that last shot. So, especially with how well he's built his three pointer, he could really take it from anywhere. So I'm going to go Fox there.
[00:10:46] Speaker C: Real deal, real talk. Okay, let's see. For mine, I have number three, I have Darren Fox.
Church number two, I have Jalen Brunson. Jalen Brunson was in a lot of close game situations last year.
I think he will be once again this year with the Knicks. I think they have a loaded roster, but I think all of them kind of collectively agree that Brunson is their guy, except for maybe Julius Randall and that he's their go to guy in the clutch. So happy for him. And number one, I have Steph Curry. I just think it's inevitable, maybe the most clutch player to ever play the game not named Michael Jordan? And, I mean, he just delivers consistently in the clutch. Down two, he can give you three. He can give you two. He can attack the rim. He can get to the free throw line. Yeah, he can give you four. Like Nick was saying, he's. He's amazing in the clutch. And I think the warriors with, you know, just with how loaded the west is, a lot of those Western Conference teams are going to be in tight games, especially towards the end of the season. I think that's when Curry can have some of his biggest moments for sure.
[00:11:52] Speaker B: Just to build a little bit more conversation, who do we think is somebody that we didn't mention and can completely come out of left field and win this award like a Kobe white type of person? What if Kobe White shows up in those Eastern Conference games that the east isn't as loaded as the west, and he comes out and he drills some tough shots and makes the Bulls a little more competitive than people thought? So who are some other players we think could win this award in a little sneaky way? Y'all have any Pablo banker? It's a good one. We don't mention any forwards.
[00:12:25] Speaker A: Maybe Wendy. Maybe.
[00:12:27] Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, because, I mean, wendy can get buckets at will or I would like to believe that he will get to that point. Durant, booker or book. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:12:35] Speaker A: Or be able to be able to clutch, too.
[00:12:37] Speaker B: I like the wemby pick. I feel like he's gonna be that top dog now in San Antonio. I mean, he was last year, but I feel like pop's gonna give him a bigger role. I don't see why he couldn't win it next year.
[00:12:47] Speaker A: MVP. Yeah.
[00:12:48] Speaker B: Shoot, that's not even that crazy to say either.
Second year MVP would be crazy.
[00:12:52] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:53] Speaker B: So let's move on. You guys want to do. We could do most improved, 6th man of the year or coach of the year?
[00:12:58] Speaker A: Coach of the year three. I have coach Thibodeaux.
I think they'll be like the two seed and therefore they'll be pretty high. And he doesn't have a reputation like this next guy who, even though he's going to have the best team, they're still not going to let him win. So number two, I have Missoula. I think that kind of goes to show, like, it's hard to coach a team like that. And I think if they're good again this year that he definitely should be coach of the year. Probably. But that's why I don't have him at two. That's why I don't have him at one. Number one, I have Chris Finch. He's not Mike Malone. He's not OKC's coach. So I think that another guy that's going to finish high in the Western Conference will be the Timberwolves and Chris Finch.
[00:13:44] Speaker B: So, yeah, for my honorable mentions, I have Nick Nurse of the 76 ers and Tom Thibodeau of the Knicks. My three, I have Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics. I think he really had everything to win it last year. But, I mean, I'm pretty sure people will see that team that they have and, you know, oh, he's carried.
[00:14:02] Speaker C: He's carried.
[00:14:04] Speaker B: I don't really think that's the case. I think Joe Mazzullo is a very solid coach and if he can lead them to back to back years of the best record in the NBA, I don't see why he couldn't win that.
But I feel like the other two guys are also very deserving. Two, I have Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They really showed out last year.
They were the second seed in the Western Conference and I don't see why they couldn't be the first this season. I believe they will be in that.
[00:14:28] Speaker A: They were one all year.
[00:14:29] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it'll be a toss up between them and OKC, but I don't have Mark Dagenault in here because he won the coach of the year last year. Number one, I have Taylor Jenkins of the Memphis Grizzlies. I feel like people are going to see. I feel like people are going to see their record improvement from last year despite the injuries.
I feel like people will just see how much better they were as a healthy unit and he'll win that award. So who knows how Memphis will perform with Ja Morant and Jaron and Bain back. I think they'll be really good. And so I think Jenkins wins that coach of the year spot, but who knows?
[00:15:01] Speaker C: Okay, so I don't have Missoula in my top three. That's not to say I don't think he can win. I think that there's a large pool of coaches that could win it this year. I mean, there's probably eight to ten that I could easily see winning it. But how many wins do you guys think that the Celtics have to get to get Mazou to the point where he goes from, oh, it's all your team carrying you to coach of the year?
[00:15:22] Speaker A: 70, actually.
[00:15:23] Speaker B: It was gonna be like, I was gonna say like 60.
[00:15:25] Speaker C: I was gonna say like 67, probably like I think like a median between what y'all were saying. Like, I think in order for him to win it with this good of a team, he's gotta get those, like, warriors records, like 60, 715, something like that, which is doable. I mean, 64 and 18 last year, so 16 and three in the playoffs, it's doable, especially if Celtics are healthy. But anyways, for me, I have Mark Dagonald at number three. I'm really high on the thunder this year. I think they could win 60 to 65 games if they stay healthy. I know he won coach of the year last year, and I think that will keep him from winning it, but not enough to keep him from being up there. Number two, I have Nick nurse from the Sixers. I think the Sixers finish with the two seed in the east. And I think they give Boston a run for their money. Maybe in the regular season could compete, maybe even get north of like 55 wins if Joel Embiid can stay healthy. And then at number one, I have Jamal Moseley, the Orlando Magic, a little.
[00:16:26] Speaker A: Bit of a hot table.
[00:16:27] Speaker C: That's a good fix.
I think he can get to 50 wins. If the magic can get to 50 wins and get a. I mean, maybe even beat out one of Bucks, Nick's sixers for the four seed, I think that would be enough to get him the coach of the year. And I think that the magic have the talent to do that.
They addressed their concern of lack of shooting a little bit by the addition of KCP, and they have shooters that they can develop as well, like Caleb Houston.
I'm pretty confident in this team. With Paulo and Franz developing, getting older together, this could be the season that they really break out and make a name for themselves in the Eastern Conference.
[00:17:05] Speaker B: That's a really good pick. I didn't even think of that. So what do you think the Orlando magic ceiling would look like wins wise?
[00:17:12] Speaker C: Their ceiling is probably 53 wins, 53 to 50. I mean, yeah, yeah. Probably like low fifties.
Like I was saying, enough to make them the three, the four, maybe the three seed in the east.
[00:17:26] Speaker B: I think if Jalen Suggs can improve his shooting alongside somebody like KCP, who's already a renowned shooter, they could be really good, because Moncro is a legit, legit guy. He's going to be an all star. I think he can contend for All NBA as well. So it's going to be a fun season for Orlando. Let's move on to most improved or six men.
[00:17:44] Speaker A: Most improved.
[00:17:45] Speaker B: Yeah, most improved. Okay.
[00:17:47] Speaker A: Okay. So for me, I have Jalen Williams at three, I think that he's going to take a huge jump. I think he'll probably be an all star this season, but he averaged like 21 last year. So I think like a 21 to 24 jump. But, you know, then again, being not being an all star to being an all star, that's a pretty big jump. And then number two, I have. I have Jaden McDaniels. I think that he's going to go from being like nine points per game to like 16 points per game, being in the depoy race, not like top five, but like in it, you know, and just being able to be a versatile scorer and the third best scorer on the Timberwolves. So. And then number one, I have Kamenga. He's going to go from being like sometimes a bench player to being the second best player, no doubt on the warriors. And just, you know, potentially even being an all star. I could see him being an all star. If they're best case, if he takes that jump, they'll be like a three or four seed. If he's that good.
[00:18:35] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, he could be. Yeah, they could be. Especially. Yeah. Just adding on to that, they would need a couple more. Like, they would need pod to take a jump.
[00:18:44] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:18:45] Speaker C: And maybe Moses moody to take one as well. But we were talking about them earlier today. You know, they added some, like, low key role players that if, you know, Steph is still playing at a top six or seven player in the NBA level, they could really make some serious noise. Like the Anthony Melton buddy healed. Kyle Anderson. Like, those are really, really good quality roles.
[00:19:05] Speaker A: Still have Gary Payton.
[00:19:06] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:19:07] Speaker A: Kevon Looney.
[00:19:08] Speaker C: Yep.
[00:19:08] Speaker B: Yeah, it's a good list.
[00:19:09] Speaker C: Draymond Green, too.
[00:19:10] Speaker A: I mean, yeah. I mean, yeah.
[00:19:11] Speaker B: Draymond Green. All right, most improved.
Honorable mentions. I have Brandon Padzemski because, you know, Steve Kerr also said in the off season they're looking to increase his role and they wanted to shoot a ton of threes this year. I think they said like eight threes a game. So if they're going to give him that role, I don't see why he couldn't be in this race. And four, I have Jalen Green.
So to kick it off with my top three three, I have Evan Mobley. I think with that contract he was given, he has to take that jump to be one of the top guys. And if the Cavaliers want to contend with that roster that they have, Evan Mobley has to take that jump. And so I think if. If there's any time for him to make it. I think it's this season. I think defensively he's going to be really good. And I think after he got that contract, hopefully he could pay some shooting coaches or somebody to get him that much better. Two, I have Jonathan Kaminga kind of like Nick stated, he, his role is going to be so, so much bigger in Golden State.
He's a pretty solid shooter, but he really gets it done inside. Great defender. He really does it all in the court. And number one, this is definitely a bit of a surprise, but you kind of have to hear me out. Victor Weminama I feel like with the way Tyrese Max, he won it last year despite being really good the season before and being really good the season after, still, I could see them giving this to Victor Webignama because he's going to jump from 2020 points a game to like 27 points a game or 28 points a game, and from two blocks a game to three blocks a game, a steal and a half to two steals or something like that. So I feel like people are going to see that stat jump, that increase in role and they're going to give it to him anyway because Viktor Wamanyama is going to be that dang good next year with the increased role. So I'm only giving it to him because Tyrese Max, he won it last year despite being very solid the season before.
[00:20:51] Speaker C: It's kind of similar to the Jalen.
[00:20:52] Speaker A: Williams, but you got to think like the last, it was Maxi. Last year. Before that it was Shay. Year. Before that it was ja.
[00:21:00] Speaker C: Yeah, well, yeah. Wendy's also the betting odds favorite for MIT.
[00:21:04] Speaker A: That's why I didn't put him. But he'll probably, he probably will.
[00:21:07] Speaker C: Yeah. And okay, question if, if Wendy averages 30 points per game and plays 70 games, what seed to the spurs get?
[00:21:14] Speaker A: Ooh, it depends on how.
[00:21:16] Speaker B: I mean, the west is so good.
[00:21:17] Speaker A: I mean, if he's like playing, like, if he has an effect of like.
[00:21:20] Speaker C: You know, shadow, he's like an all star starter. Yeah, yeah.
[00:21:23] Speaker A: But if it's like just, you know, oh, empty stats and ten seasons.
[00:21:26] Speaker C: Well, I mean, what did like, I know this is two K ratings, but two k has him as like the 11th best player, right.
[00:21:32] Speaker A: Going into the next year.
[00:21:33] Speaker C: Yeah, he's like a 91.
[00:21:34] Speaker A: He's like right under it.
[00:21:35] Speaker C: So if he is like really that good this year, he's like a fringe top ten to maybe even like just inside the top ten player this year, do you think he can will them? Do you think that would be good enough to will them to like a ten seat?
[00:21:46] Speaker B: I think, yeah, I think if they get that high because he's a victim of the west, they're so good, and.
[00:21:52] Speaker A: I think they'll be better than the Clippers.
[00:21:54] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, they're definitely gonna be better than the Clippers. If Webignava goes out there and averages like 3013, like a steal and a half, two and a half or three blocks, I mean, those are MVP numbers. It just really depends on how the spurs perform. I think if they're in a playing spot, you know, and he plays that well, like, maybe sneaks into, like, the nine or eight seed, then. Yeah.
[00:22:15] Speaker C: I mean, all it takes is to get. When someone's as good as and as talented as he is, all it takes is just sneaking in. You know, it's kind of the same vibe we get with, like, Steph Curry in these recent warriors years with, like, oh, I mean, you know, if they get in the playoffs, they could make noise. I mean, same goes for the Lakers, LeBron and ad. It's like, you can say they're a weaker team all throughout the regular season come playoff time, you still don't want to play LeBron, you still don't want to play Steph. And Victor Wimanyama looks like he's going down that path of being, like, that good of a player.
[00:22:47] Speaker B: So it also depends on how, you know, the Chris Paul pairing works up. Stefan Castle develops as a rookie. There's a lot that goes into this first success. So imagine they, like, sneak into the playoffs like the 6th seed.
[00:22:58] Speaker C: That would be awesome.
[00:22:59] Speaker B: Do you think Wembanyama, if he sneaks into a top five seed, can win the MVP this year?
[00:23:03] Speaker C: Yes. I would almost go as far as, say, he would win MVP.
[00:23:07] Speaker B: I think so, too.
[00:23:08] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:23:08] Speaker B: I think if he's anywhere else, that's.
[00:23:09] Speaker C: What it would take for him to be a top five seed is him being an MVP.
[00:23:13] Speaker B: Yeah. And I don't think that's that far out of that.
[00:23:16] Speaker C: Out of reality would end up being, like, the third best player in the NBA by the end of the year.
[00:23:21] Speaker B: All right, moving on to 6th man of the year.
[00:23:24] Speaker C: Okay. Yeah. Let's get by MIT.
[00:23:26] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh, I'm tripping.
[00:23:27] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:23:28] Speaker B: So sorry. Kaden Johnson.
[00:23:29] Speaker C: It's okay, it's okay.
[00:23:31] Speaker B: It's okay.
[00:23:31] Speaker C: You guys see how he treats me?
[00:23:33] Speaker A: Don't roll up the same way at the apartment.
[00:23:35] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. All right, MIP at three. I've got Christian Brown. I think he's stepping into a bigger role with the Nuggets. I think he's one of the more slept on defensive players in the NBA, and he kind of gives the Nuggets a little bit more explosiveness in transition that they could utilize much better instead of like, playing more like more in the half SEC, like half set piece, half court set pieces that they do now with Jokic. And number two, I have Emmanuel quickly. I think he's going to have a big responsibility on the Raptors, a team that I think is being a little bit slept on with how much we saw Scottie Barnes progress towards the end of the year last year. I think I actually really thought about putting RJ Barrett on this list, too, because I think Emmanuel quickly and RJ Barrett both take big jumps this year as well. And number one, I'm with Nick. I have Jonathan Kuminga. I think he develops into the second best player on the warriors this year. Don't be surprised if you see him with 24 points per game. I think the defensive aspect of his game is already pretty polished. If he could just add a little bit more spacing and range to his offensive game, he's going to be lethal. He's going to be really good. And obviously, playing with Steph Curry, drawing that attention away from him offensively is going to allow guys like him and Brandon Podzymski to flourish.
[00:24:54] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
What are we doing next?
[00:24:57] Speaker B: We can do six men of the year next.
[00:24:59] Speaker C: Let's do it.
[00:25:00] Speaker A: Okay. Six men of the year. Okay. So number three, I have. It's very. This, this is situational. Extremely situational. I have Westbrook at three. So the reason I say it's situational is like, if he's legit, the 6th man, last year he was. When he was, like, the 6th man, before they kind of transitioned away from him being six man and kind of making him be a backup center. The Clippers, he was averaging like 15, six and seven. And I think he'll do even better than that. Having the best playmaker in the NBA, you know, playing with him and then having all these different lineups that they can run where it's like, if you want to run athletic and, you know, score a lot of fast break points, him, Aaron Gordon, Christian Brown, Peyton Watson, and, I don't know, Murray, that lineup would score with ease, and then you got, you know, spacing the floor with him, Jokic, Christian Brown, Murray and MPJ, you know, so there's definitely a lot of situations where Westbrook could easily be one of the best six men in the NBA. And then number two, I have Dante Devicenzo, I think that he's going to have a really big season off the bench. It'll either be like him or Josh Hart. That'll be one of those guys on the Knicks, though, will be in contention for six men of the year. Just because, you know, they get played a lot. Especially Josh Hart. He plays a lot. And then, number one, I have the best six men in the NBA. I'm nasreed. He's good enough to start. You know, he really, truly is the best player.
[00:26:23] Speaker C: He's like a top, I mean, maybe like 50 player in the NBA. If you just want to talk about pure skill and talent and he's coming off the bench.
[00:26:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:31] Speaker A: Yep. He could start. He would start on any team in the league.
[00:26:34] Speaker C: Yeah, pretty much.
[00:26:36] Speaker A: Great defender. I mean, he averaged 15, I think last season. It's only going to continue to go up.
[00:26:41] Speaker C: So, yeah, I agree.
[00:26:42] Speaker B: He's really good. My six man of the year top three is really generic. That's why I threw in a pretty heavy sleeper. So I'll start with my top three three. I have one of either Josh Hart or Dante Devoncenzo, whoever the Knicks decide to be that top guy off the bench.
Tom Thibodeau loves to run his starters for a really, really long time, but I feel like nonetheless, Steven Shenzo and Josh Hutt are both significant enough in that rotation to get those heavy minutes off the bench and they're going to score a lot of points. Josh Hart will get a lot of rebounds and do a lot defensively. They both know their roles better than anybody else and they're going to lead the Knicks to a lot of success. Two, kind of how nick just hit the nail on the head with Nas Reed, one of the top players in the NBA. Top 50 I would agree with for sure.
And, you know, 6th man of the year last year. He's a center. You don't see that often. He's really legit. And number one, OMG, Jamie has Malik Monk, a Sacramento king at 6th man of the year. Yeah, I'm so biased.
[00:27:36] Speaker C: God, the bias is just killing this show from you guys.
[00:27:39] Speaker B: That's what I do.
Malik mug, I think, should have won it last year, averaged around 14 a game.
[00:27:44] Speaker A: Should have won it on the 18.
[00:27:45] Speaker B: Yeah, I think he should have. I think Malik mug averaging 14 a game last year and missing the last two, three weeks of the season really hurt his case.
So, yeah, I think he gets it back this year. However, my sleeper, other than Alex Caruso, who I also have here, I think this is, you know, it's a sleeper for a reason. I don't really believe it to be super realistic, but Reed Shepherd, I believe he's going to come off the bench for Houston behind Fred Van Vliet, behind Jalen Green.
[00:28:12] Speaker C: That's cool.
[00:28:13] Speaker B: He was one of the top picks in the NBA draft this year.
Far and away the best shooter in the draft and in the summer league. He averaged 20 points a game, five rebounds, five assists and three steals a game on high shooting percentages. Great from the mid range. Great shooter. He gets the basket a lot better than people think. He does turn the ball over a little too much, but he's a rookie that's going to get kind of ironed out as the season goes on. But I mean, Reed shepherd, that's my sleeper. If Houston performs better than other than a lot of people think, because Houston's roster is very, very solid, I don't think it's crazy to say Reed shepherd could sneak away that award.
[00:28:48] Speaker C: I so, yeah, it's not crazy to say at all.
You would like to think if he was able to be in contingent for that award, he would probably have rookie of the year locked up, too. I mean, just with how the class.
[00:29:00] Speaker B: We'll get there.
[00:29:00] Speaker C: Yeah. 6th man of the year for me. Number three, I've got Ahmaud Malik Monk. I think he takes a little bit of a step back in production with some of the additions that Kings made. But that being said, he's still, you know, obviously just as good of a player as he's always been and just as good of a pure bench scorer as he's always been. Number two, I have Josh Hart. No, you guys were talking about like being between Josh Hart and Dante Devicenzo. I think with the absent, like with the departure of Isaiah Hardenstein, the lingering injuries of Mitchell Robinson and the off court drama of Julius Randall, the Knicks are going to have to just throw whatever they can in their front court and, you know, Josh Hart maybe six three, but he's averaging 13 and a half rebounds per game in the playoffs.
[00:29:47] Speaker B: Crazy.
[00:29:48] Speaker C: I think he could produce numbers like that in the regular season if given the opportunity. He's a guy that, with some of those injuries and lack of depth in the front court that the Knicks have, could seriously average like twelve rebounds a game all the way through the season. I think that alone will have him at number two in the 6th man of the year race. And then number one, I just think the best player to come off the bench in the NBA by far is Nas Reid. He's absolutely insane. He, they call him big guard. And he really is, like, the definition of a big guard. Like, I've never seen someone move like that. Jellyfam, seriously. I mean, but, like, I've never seen somebody move the way he does to be 611. And, I mean, he's a pretty stocky guy, so I think, like Nick was saying, I think he's young, so he's just going to keep getting better. And I think he could lead a really strong bench unit that they have over there in Minnesota.
[00:30:41] Speaker B: Absolutely. Do you think so? If he improves upon what he did last year, what do you think his averages would look like?
[00:30:48] Speaker A: 15, eight and a block and a half a game.
[00:30:52] Speaker C: I'll take it. Step. I'm gonna. I'm gonna give you. I'm gonna give him 17 more title.
[00:30:59] Speaker B: That'd be like one of the best six man seasons.
[00:31:01] Speaker C: That's what I'm saying. I really think that Nas Reed is one of the best players I can remember to come off the bench. I'm talking, like, no joke. The best player that I can think of to come off the bench since, like, manu. Yeah, like, I think he's better than Lou will. I think he's better than Jamal Crawford.
[00:31:16] Speaker A: Like, yeah.
[00:31:18] Speaker C: Like, Nasreed is not like your typical six man. Like, he's like a star coming off the bench. Like a manujano.
[00:31:25] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. If he averages that, you know what Kaden saying, how far do you think the Timberwolves make it in the playoffs? Is that all right?
[00:31:30] Speaker A: I mean, they'd be in the final doubt. Yeah, but, I mean, I don't know. It would just depend on how healthy Boston is.
[00:31:36] Speaker C: West is also crazy stout. Yeah, I mean, you know, that's true.
[00:31:41] Speaker B: All right, moving on to. We have three awards left. The MVP, defensive player of the year, and rookie of the year. Let's get into our rookies of the year.
[00:31:47] Speaker A: Okay, let's do it. Number three, I have Rob Dillingham. I think that this is such a guard heavy in terms of the players that are actually going to be good rookie of the year race. I think that he's going to. He's instantly, you know, going to be the backup point guard. We're going to play him a lot.
And they came out and said at training camp today that he is significantly taller than Mike Conley, and Mike Conley is like, six two. So I think that's a little crazy. They said that.
[00:32:15] Speaker C: They said that about Rob. Really?
[00:32:16] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:17] Speaker C: Really?
[00:32:17] Speaker A: Yep. And like, that he's already shooting really good and that them two have a pretty good connection. So I think that Dillingham is going to have a huge season. He's going to improve on the only hole in his game, which is defense. And I think that he's gonna have a really huge season. Then, number two, I have Stephan Cassell. I think that he's gonna have a really big season because, you know, being as versatile as he is, he could keep coming and start just cause he's six five and they're gonna want to play their young guys, especially somebody like him. He has the second best, second highest potential on the team behind Wemby. So he'll have a pretty big season, in my opinion. Then, number one, I know the player that's probably the best rookie in the class and will probably be one of the only ones that is an all star consistently, at least Reed Shepard. I think that he's going to be fighting Fred van Vliet for the starting position this year.
[00:33:01] Speaker C: Yeah. How long into the season do you think it takes before people start asking?
[00:33:07] Speaker A: 15 games. He comes back quick.
[00:33:10] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, I don't disagree with you.
[00:33:13] Speaker B: All right. Starting off with my rookie of the year race, honorable mentions. I have Rob Dillingham, Stephan Castle, Matas puzzles. So number three, I'm gonna start with Alexandre Saar. I think them getting Valentine's kind of hurts his production, but I feel like after that really, really unfortunate summer league that he had, where he had like zero points through his first, what, two games or whatever, it was like zero for 15. Yeah, it was really bad. That cannot happen in the regular season. I mean, he's seven foot one, seven.
[00:33:40] Speaker C: He's also better than that, for sure. We know he's better than that. Yeah.
[00:33:44] Speaker B: And I think he will prove to people that that was a fluke. He's seven foot two, can shoot from three, gets done all over the court, can really, really good interior defender, and I think he's going to show it. I don't think the Wizards will be any good at all this year. There will probably be the worst team in basketball by a good amount. They are terrible, and that's what's going to hold him back from winning the award. So despite him playing well, I don't see him getting it over somebody like Zack Edie, who I have at two, who will probably be the starting center on a team that will contend for a top four spot in the Western Conference in Memphis.
You know, we saw idiot Purdue.
A whole lot of numbers that dude put up. I don't think he puts that up in the NBA just based on how he plays and who he has to share the ball with. But he's going to block a lot of shots alongside Jaron Jackson. He's going to, he's going to get the ball on clutch moments and I think Edie will get it done, but rookie of the year Reed Shepherd, Houston Rockets I touched on him earlier, being that 6th man of the year sleeper, and I think if he performs like how I think he will, he will definitely be the rookie of the year in a very weak class compared to, you know, classes previously. So I really like Reed shepherd. Phenomenal, phenomenal shooter. And hopefully he could prove it at the NBA level.
[00:34:55] Speaker C: Yeah, awesome, Jamie. So I actually have the exact same top three as you do. So that's pretty great. So, I mean, I guess since you've basically already heard my list, I'll get to it and give you my opinions. But just some guys that I wanted to point out that could be sleepers that maybe we haven't reached on some guys putting up empty numbers. We talked about Alex R. Who I have at three, obviously, I think Portland has a couple guys that could put up empty numbers. Tyler Kolik was a hooper in college. I mean, he's a great facilitator. Nice shooter as well. And he's crafty around the rim. Isaiah Collier in Utah. I think he's an absolute bucket getter. He's going to kind of fill the a similar role to what Colin Sexton has and or has been for them. And I think they could probably move Colin Sexton or I think that's what will happen. And then I really like, I like Cody Williams as well on the Jazz. Another one. And he's kind of your perfect NBA wing frame. Really strong defender as well. Little brother of Jalen Williams, who's also a great defender. But anyways, as for my list, number three, I have Alex Saar. Like I was just saying, he's not the player that we saw in the summer league. Victor Wimanyama struggled in the summer league as well. I don't think that's a fair way to assess an 18 year old playing professional basketball for the first time or. Well, not really. He was playing overseas, but on an NBA level, on a United States media level. I think Alex Saar will put up decent numbers for the Washington Wizards, who will be terrible this year. Zach Eady at number two, instant impact. They're just going to plug him in right away and I think he could actually share the floor with Jaron Jackson at times with the way that Jaron Jackson can space.
They're gonna get Edie to develop a little bit of a mid range game. He's not bad by any means with that either. It's more so just him having the ball in a non catch and shoot situation outside of the paint, that he can become a liability. He can't put the ball on the floor, which is, granted all because of his height. I mean, if I was seven five, I wouldn't be able to dribble the basketball at a high level either. But he does have great footwork and the pain, and he's a strong defender and strong around the rim. And then at rookie of the year, I have Reed shepherd from the Houston Rockets. I agree he'll probably start the season coming off the bench, but if he's as good as I think he will be, he'll compete for 6th man of the year. He was absolutely amazing at Kentucky. I mean, once again, coming off the bench with Rob Dillingham, they were arguably, they were both the two of the top three players on that Kentucky roster alongside Antonio Reeves. I think Reed Shepard defensively for to be as good as he is defensively at his size is very telling of how high iq of a basketball player he is. And I just think his freakish athletic ability and his ability to shoot the ball at a high level is going to separate him from the rest of.
[00:37:50] Speaker B: The rookies for sure. I just want to touch on two other rookies that nobody mentioned that, you know, I just want to talk about, first off, the first overall pick, Zachary Rizawshe. Nobody picked the first overall pick.
[00:38:04] Speaker C: That was like, crazy to think about.
[00:38:05] Speaker B: Yeah, that's like, I don't think there's gonna ever be a conversation.
[00:38:09] Speaker C: It's more of a testament year to my opinion on how the Atlanta Hawks develop wings than it is to Zachary Ricochet.
[00:38:16] Speaker B: I mean, also, I mean, playing overseas, he averaged like three points a game, and he was drafted purely based on potential.
Apparently, he's not a great shooter. He gets to the basket well, but he's skinny and again, only average like three points a game overseas. Who knows what the Hawks got in Rhys, because that's definitely confusing. So we'll see how he does. But another one is Donovan Klingon, former UConn big, now playing in Portland. Do we think Klingon has a chance at seven foot?
[00:38:43] Speaker C: I think Klingon is one of the most talented guys in the draft, but Portland just has a lot of, like, weird other mediocre centers that they're paying, like Deandre Aiden and like Rob Williams, Time Lord and I think that's going to stunt Klingon's growth a little bit.
[00:38:59] Speaker B: Yeah. For sure.
Watching Jared McCain take the award.
[00:39:04] Speaker C: They're too deep. They're too deep.
[00:39:05] Speaker B: They are. There's no shot.
[00:39:06] Speaker C: He might not even play this year. He might be a G League prospect, which is nothing.
[00:39:10] Speaker B: That's good for him. That's honestly good for him.
[00:39:12] Speaker C: That's probably the best thing for him.
[00:39:13] Speaker B: Yeah. All right. Moving on to defensive player of the year. I'm pretty sure there's a unanimous number one, but let's get into it anyway.
[00:39:22] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay. Number three, I have Rudy Gobert. He's just always gonna be in the running forward just because how skill he is in the paint.
Yeah. Then number two, I have Evan Mobley. I think that he's gonna be really good and kind of like a Darren Jackson, similar to Jared Jackson's defensive player of the year campaign a couple years ago. And then one is Wemby.
[00:39:45] Speaker B: Easy pick there.
[00:39:46] Speaker C: How many years has Rudy Gobert won it in a row? Is it? Has he been winning it?
[00:39:50] Speaker A: No, because Jared won it two years ago. Yeah, but Rudy has four.
[00:39:55] Speaker B: Four.
[00:39:55] Speaker C: Yeah. Has he won it two years in a row or.
[00:39:57] Speaker A: I think he won it two years in a row in Utah. Then Draymond won one, and then Jaren. Yeah.
[00:40:05] Speaker B: All right.
[00:40:06] Speaker A: Mark is smart, too.
[00:40:07] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:07] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. How could I forget about that?
[00:40:09] Speaker B: All right, honorable mentions. I have Rudy Gobert, Derek White, and Yana Toto de Kumpo.
[00:40:13] Speaker C: Derek White.
[00:40:13] Speaker B: Derek White I love, thrown in a perimeter defender. And Herb Jones. Shout out Herb Jones.
Number three, I have Evan Mobley. I touched on him earlier in regards to the most improved. I think if he has to make that most approved jump, he's got to be in contention for defensive player of the year. He's got to match up with those Tim Duncan comparisons he saw coming out of the draft. So if he even wants to touch that, he's got to lock down some folks inside the paint. So I haven't finished at three. Number two, I have Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder. I feel like there was a real race there for a little bit between Wemby and Chet Holmgren for the rookie of the year. And a lot of that came down to the defensive abilities of both guys. Both of them are phenomenal interior, and, you know, they really get it done. But once again, Chet will always fall short of the seven foot four frenchman who I have winning the defensive player of the year this year very easily, I think, barring any injury. You said Rudy Gobert has won four defensive player of the year. I don't see why Victor Webignama couldn't win the next eight consecutive.
[00:41:12] Speaker C: Seriously. He might actually win the next, like ten. Yeah, like eight. Like, no joke. Could win the next.
[00:41:19] Speaker B: He is a seven foot four freak of nature. Blocks anything within his radius. You can't even pass the ball near him because his arms are so lanky. He has like a nine foot wingspan or something. It's disgusting what Victor Weminama is. He's truly an alien. And if he does not win defensive player of the year for the next 25 years, I don't know who will. So that, yeah, it's definitely went real deal.
[00:41:41] Speaker C: Okay, depoy, we're going away. This is the year that we are done with Rudy Gobert.
[00:41:47] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:41:47] Speaker C: We're done with Rudy Gobert.
[00:41:48] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:41:49] Speaker C: At number three, I have bam out of bio.
[00:41:51] Speaker B: Good old.
[00:41:51] Speaker C: He is an absolute beast in the paint. High energy guy. Can get steals, can get blocks, especially for his size. A lot of talent when it comes to timing blocks. Last year I thought Bam was the best player on the Miami Heat. I think this year is a breakout year for him in terms of. I think everybody will, will believe he's the best player on the Heat. I think that will become the consensus this year. Bam Adebayo is a beast, and I have him at three in the depoy race. Number two, I have Giannis Ananakupo, a guy that weirdly can go under some people's radars.
But I think this is a big year for Giannis.
When he's healthy. He's consistently a top three defensive player in the NBA, in my opinion, and a top three player in the NBA as well. I think a big year coming for Giannis, and that entails second in the deploy race only to Victor women Yama, who will take it from him even though they both will probably deserve it. Victor women Yama is just a beast. Like Jamie was saying earlier, don't be surprised if he averages three blocks and, like a steal and a half every game this year.
[00:42:55] Speaker B: So, I mean, he's going to get those games where he gets like 8910 blocks in a game.
[00:43:00] Speaker C: There might be, will wendy get a quadruple double at some point in his career?
[00:43:05] Speaker B: I feel like if there's anybody that's gonna do it, it's gonna be him. Yeah, it has to be. I mean, I'm pretty sure his season high last year was ten blocks in a game, and that was on a like cause. I remember at the beginning of the season, they wanted him on a minute restriction. Like, they only wanted to give it.
[00:43:18] Speaker C: Like 25 minutes or something. Like crazy.
[00:43:19] Speaker B: He's gonna play like 35 May, like maybe 35 minutes a game.
I can't even imagine. He's gonna average 3015, like four. I don't know. It's kind of crazy what the potential of Viktor Webbuyama is. So now let's move on to the big daddy of them all, the most valuable player. Are we doing a top three or a top five for this one?
[00:43:40] Speaker C: Top five.
[00:43:40] Speaker B: Yeah, we're doing a top five.
[00:43:42] Speaker C: All right, let's go. Do y'all want to go one by one for this one since it's the MVP?
[00:43:45] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:43:46] Speaker A: Okay, number five, dramatic. I have jokic.
[00:43:49] Speaker B: Okay, I like that.
Okay, I just want to say really quick, I did a top ten. And so I'll just shout out ten through six really quick because it's a little all over the place. Ten. Kevin Durant. Nine. I have Jalen Brunson. Eight. I have Joelle Embiid. Seven. I have Jason Tatum. And six, my big, big surprise is John Morant. But at number five, I have Anthony Edwards.
[00:44:14] Speaker C: Okay. At number five, I have Luka Donkic. It's fine.
[00:44:19] Speaker A: Whoa.
[00:44:19] Speaker C: I think the Mavs aren't gonna be as good as a lot of people think they are this year. I think Luka will have a great year, but I'm really, really confident in the four guys I have ahead of them.
[00:44:30] Speaker B: I love that man. We're already kicking it off hot with his MVP award. All right, number four.
[00:44:35] Speaker A: Number four. I've got Shea.
I just think that these three guys that I have ahead of him are going to have significantly better seasons.
[00:44:44] Speaker B: At number four, I have Giannis onto the Kounmpo. I would love for him to finish higher because I think it is a extreme possibility he wins the whole dang thing because I remember we talked about it. What was it last week? How possible it is for him to win an MVP. I could for sure see it being this year.
I'm honestly going back to back on it. I'm putting him at three instead of four. He's not dang good. He is very good because I think.
[00:45:08] Speaker C: He keeps getting better.
[00:45:09] Speaker B: Yeah, it's crazy. I also think voters fatigue is going to hit Nikola Jokic one way or the other. You know, I'm going to put him at three and I'm going to put Jokic at four. So Jokic, he's already won, what, three MVP's? Now he's done. We're done with Jokic.
[00:45:23] Speaker C: Yeah, he's not winning.
[00:45:24] Speaker A: What?
[00:45:25] Speaker B: Russell Westbrook is going to take too many minutes and points away from him. So, Giannis, we'll go to my number three spot. Okay.
[00:45:31] Speaker C: At number four, I got a shout out. My guy, Jason Tatum. I think Jason Tatum has a big year, and I think the Boston Celtics could very easily win 65 to 67 games this year. And if they do that, there's a absolutely no reason that Jason Tatum's not top five in the MVP race because if they do that, I think he will be averaging 28, seven and seven. Like a very LeBron esque stat line. And, you know, if LeBron was on a team that went 67 and 15 and he averaged 28, seven and seven, he'd win the MVP.
[00:46:01] Speaker A: Yeah. Be unanimous or something. Probably.
[00:46:02] Speaker C: But Jason Tatum, I have him at four.
I still think these guys ahead of him will deserve it, but you know how the media is with him sometimes. So I have Jason Tatum at four, though, but expect big things from him this year.
[00:46:15] Speaker A: Number three, I have Jason Tatum. Same reasoning. I just think that he's going to be like maybe the best player in the NBA this year. I think he'll maybe be like one or two. And I think kind of like the motivation based off of last season. He's really just going to raise his performance even more and then Porzegis is going to miss some time. I think that they're going to maybe run some small ball lineups, run him at the five sometimes. So I think he's going to literally just have an amazing season.
[00:46:40] Speaker C: I feel that.
[00:46:41] Speaker B: Yeah. All right. My number three, I mean, I literally just thought I switched Giannis and Jokic, but I guess I'll touch on Jokic a little bit.
So I guess this would be Giannis now, but Jokic voters fatigue is going to get the best of them and I think it's about time that it does.
Obviously, one of the best, if not the best player we've seen in a very, very long time. The slowest man I've ever seen. Jesus, he get it done from all over the court. Shoots the three shoots the midrange, has a baby hook like no other and hits every contested layup, hits every pass. You ask him to throw it across the court, he legitimately does everything. But I think two guys ahead of him, I think are going to make slight improvements to their game to get that spot ahead of him. And Giannis, I forgot to drop him before.
[00:47:26] Speaker A: Number. Oh, gee.
[00:47:27] Speaker C: Number three, everybody. Am I just not here? I'm wearing camouflage.
[00:47:32] Speaker B: I think we're about to kick you off the podcast.
[00:47:33] Speaker C: Yeah, I think so, too. Number three, all hell, thanks permitting, I have Joe Ellen beat. I think he makes a lot of noise this year. I just talked about how I have the Sixers as the two seed in the east this season with Nick Nurse being second in the coach of the year race. This is a really good, well built Sixers team with a good coach, with a good solidified star player. Embiid's won an MVP before. I think he could. I think he actually. I'll go ahead and say it now. I think he wins the scoring title this year.
[00:48:01] Speaker B: Yeah, I like that.
[00:48:02] Speaker C: Maybe average is like 32.
[00:48:04] Speaker A: Yep, he could.
Number two, I have Anthony Edwards. I think that he's going to have a huge season. I think the Wolves will be the first season in the Western Conference and I think with that being said, you know, same amount of treatment that Shea got last year for being, you know, top seed in the west. I think that he's going to do that while averaging 30 something points per game. Elite level defense, good playmaking. They said that they're going to run him at point guard a lot this year, so we'll see how that works out.
[00:48:28] Speaker B: My number two, I have Shay Gildas Alexander.
He is still extremely young. He was extremely good last year and I don't see why he couldn't move up that MVP rankings with the improvements that Oklahoma City made in the off season.
Adding I heart and Alex Caruso. Shea is just really, really good defensively. Offensively, yes, he's a bit of a free throw merchant, but it's okay. He's going to be on, I want.
[00:48:53] Speaker C: To say first guard since Jordan averaged 32 years in a row, right?
[00:48:56] Speaker B: Yeah. He's probably going to average 30 plus. He's probably going to average like eight.
[00:49:00] Speaker A: Harden for sure.
[00:49:02] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, Kobe.
[00:49:03] Speaker C: I swear I think I saw that somewhere. I don't think Kobe averaged 32 years.
[00:49:07] Speaker A: Well, harden, you know, he did.
[00:49:09] Speaker B: Harden.
[00:49:09] Speaker C: Harden probably did.
[00:49:12] Speaker B: But yeah, regardless, Shae is going to average 30, probably eight and a half assists, six rebounds. He's going to eight and a half assists.
[00:49:18] Speaker A: Who do you think this man is? He don't do that.
[00:49:20] Speaker B: I mean, he's a great passer. I think with Hartenstein. With Hartenstein now and a lot of improvements along the roster, Chad Holmegren's going to make that second or third year lead. Whatever.
Shae is gonna be really good and I think he finishes at that two spot for the MVP.
[00:49:34] Speaker C: Yeah, you are right. Hardin average 33 years in a row.
[00:49:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:49:37] Speaker C: So maybe it was.
[00:49:39] Speaker A: It might have been like an efficiency.
[00:49:40] Speaker C: Maybe other than Harden. Maybe it's him and Harden that have averaged 32 years in a row.
[00:49:44] Speaker B: He'd be the third.
[00:49:45] Speaker C: Okay at number two. Hinted at him earlier when I said that I thought he was gonna have a huge defensive season. I'd be honest. I'm gonna koopa it, too. Jamie talked about him really, or hyped him up a lot, and I agree with everything he said and I take it to even a bigger scale. I don't know how great the bucks will be this year. I'm not high on them really at all. But that being said, that's not going to stop Giannis from continuing to improve, which he has done his entire career. Giannis ceiling. I know I just said Embiid is going to win the scoring title, but Giannis could average like 33 34 this year. I think they're going to lean on him a lot when it comes to scoring and then we already know about how good of a facilitator, rebounder and defender he is. And I think all of those categories, he'll stay the same if not get better in big year for Giannis.
[00:50:33] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:50:34] Speaker A: One for me, I have Aluka.
I think he's gonna have a huge season and I think that they already have him as the far and wide favorite and I think that's what's gonna. The odds always seem to be something that pushes the narrative. So I think that the narrative by the NBA is going to be to get Luke of the MVP.
[00:50:51] Speaker B: Yeah. My number one is also Luka Doncic. Kind of like how Giannis Luka has only improved every season of his career. Last year, he averaged 33.9 points per game, 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds. Those are ridiculous numbers not to win the MVP because Jokic won it. So I think if the Mavericks make that jump, especially because the Mavericks literally went to the finals last year, I don't see why the Mavericks couldn't be good once again in the regular season. But, I mean, if this man somehow manages to average a triple double, which is not far out of the possibility at all, I feel like the MVP is rightfully his if he averages the triple double, which I think he will.
[00:51:34] Speaker C: All right, number one, I was trying to think about this SGA stack because I didn't mean to just like spew something that's not true, but I think it was. He was the first one since Jordan, first guard since Jordan to average 32 years in a row on 50 plus percent shooting. I'm pretty sure that's what it was. But anyways, we're talking about him right now. That's my MVP. I have Shay Gills Alexander and it's because I think the Thunder are going to be that good. I think they're the one seed in the west. I'm not saying they're going to make the finals. I'm not saying they're going to win the finals. I still think with their age they don't have that playoff swag to them come into the playoffs and teams aren't necessarily scared of them yet. It will happen at some point, but teams aren't really fearing them yet. I don't know if they don't even really have have it held down at home court as strong as a team would that you would like to see in the playoffs. But with that being said, Sga is going to have a heck of a year. Expect maybe another 30 point per game year from him. I agree with Jamie. I think he's a great passer and with the team around him, he's got shooters around them, he's got bigs around them. He's, he's got easy go to assist that he's going to rack up maybe seven or eight a game and then rebounding. He's, he's a pretty good rebounding guard as well.
[00:52:50] Speaker B: Five and a half last year was.
[00:52:51] Speaker C: Tied with Fox, I think, for steals last year and I think he'll average a steal and a half or two a game this year. But this just kind of goes, this is more telling of how good I think the Thunder will be than anything. I really think that they dominate the west in the regular season, get 60 plus wins and SGA wins MVP. I think that's a really easy narrative for the NBA to follow as well.
[00:53:14] Speaker B: Man, those were some good talks today. Is there who could be a dark horse MVP for you guys this season?
[00:53:21] Speaker C: Jalen Brunson.
[00:53:23] Speaker B: Yeah, I'll say. John Morant.
[00:53:25] Speaker C: Yeah, John Morant's good.
[00:53:26] Speaker B: That's a good pick.
[00:53:26] Speaker C: I didn't think about it.
[00:53:27] Speaker B: I think he could average like 28 a game this year and I think if they do, Memphis is really good. Why not?
[00:53:33] Speaker C: Yeah, I agree.
[00:53:34] Speaker B: But I believe that's all we have for you guys this week. Thank you all for tuning in to WVUA 90.7 FM and the full court press podcast. Stay up to date. Follow us on Instagram at Fcppodcast UA. See y'all next week and peace.
[00:53:56] Speaker A: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
