Pelicans Season Preview

Pelicans Season Preview

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Welcome everybody. Welcome uh to the latest episode of In the No. It’s been a while since we’ve had all three of us together. Uh you know, I’ll take responsibility of that. the my personal life um work has just been kicking my ass and so just been a lack of availability on my part. But we’re here. We’re here to talk about the the Pelicans and there is a lot for us to cover. Mason, Jeremy, welcome back. How have you guys been? Despite our teams no longer being in the playoffs, I’ve been pretty pretty okay. Yep. Yep. Um, just got back from a weekend in, uh, Kentucky. Uh, watching my trash grad school football team be trash and win a very depressing game yesterday where both teams fan base a little off sad, but oh, it was good, good vacation, good time away. Uh, and uh, can’t believe the season starts in two days, something like that. Frankie, glad to be back. I’m glad we lasted all of 32 seconds to both have a baseball and a football reference on a basketball show. I am proud of you guys. We did it. We did it. Um, and we’re done. Yeah, we’re done. We’re never going to cover those sports again in the history of this pod. Just never. Um, so there’s a lot to cover with the Pelicans. Um, the first few things from a housekeeping standpoint. The Pelicans had a couple of transactions that showed up on the transaction wire that are noteworthy and worth discussing, uh, involving some guards on the team. And so they picked up the fourth year option of Jordan Hawkins in addition to the third-year option for Eve Mey. That one, that one’s more expected. Um, and they also did not wave Jaden Springer. The deadline to wave the N contract guys so they can clear waiverss uh was I believe yesterday at some point and in order for them to clear waiverss on time. Otherwise, the way E9 contracts work is if they those players make it all throughout training camp to this this this waiver deadline, then they are now on that minimum contract. It’s not guaranteed. So, the Bellicans can still cut him any time until January, and they’ll only pay him uh whatever he’s acrewed on a per day basis. So, he’s already started to acrew a cap hit on a per day basis, but they have decided to carry a full 15 roster. They do not have any more roster spots. Springer has made the roster. And so let’s talk about let’s talk about Springer first before we get to Hawkins because I feel like there’s more to talk about with regards to Hawkins and maybe less to talk about with Springer. Why are they keeping Jaden Springer around? Let me check his place of birth. Be right back. It’s not I’ve already checked it. There’s nothing left to do. We all had that thought. And then quite frankly with scarcity of the position of need which is big man. I don’t get it but they have their reasons. I don’t understand. I mean that’s my same question too. I everyone’s question right? Especially given what we’ll talk about later on the uh Kavon Looney injury and they’re they’re thin there. So what do you do? You you go add another guard. Uh yeah. Uh I like that comment but a funky just now. Uh insert windy meme. So is there a is there a trade coming? Who knows, right? So that’s that’s the only rational explanation which is which there’s no reason to expect rational explanations for a lot of stuff this team does. So I uh I’m at a loss here. No. Yeah. I mean like there’s there’s no team that is going to be trading um for anyone at at this point. you know, they’re gonna let at least a few games go on. But Jaden Springer, you know, first of all, I I do have to say from just an advanced metrics standpoint, just an impact standpoint, he’s a better player than Jordan Hawkins, which is a wild thing. You know, this guy just was barely made the 15th spot on the Pelicans, and the Pelicans have picked up the option for Jordan Hawkins uh for $7 million moving forward. But Springer um has been more impactful when with regards to winning. He’s still not been a positive player, but what really helps him is defense. And uh just based off of my conversations with people around the team, they just really like Springer. They just, you know, that’s a guy that they like how he competes. They like, you know, his his character fit on the team. Um so they’re doing him a solid, I guess, and he’s on the roster now. That brings the Pelicans to within $2 million of the luxury tax. Actually, it’s under two million. It’s like right around 1.9. So, they are that close to to being in the tax. And of course, you know, if if DeJonte Murray was healthy, we would be in danger because of the the incentives. But, you know, I think that that is probably not in any kind of consideration uh this year. Yeah, they’re keeping Jaden Springer around. Not going to spend a lot of energy. No, no. A guy that’s probably not gonna make the rotation, you know. Yeah. I I can’t I can’t find the energy one way or the other about the 15 guy. Yeah. I will say it’s impressive how how bad of a three-point shooter is when you look at his other like he’s like he’s a decent free throw shooter and it just seems like his his shot should be better than what you see from from beyond the arc but but uh so he wouldn’t really maybe Fred Vincent a fix Oh no he’s not on the coach I’m sorry yeah you know what’s what’s crazy crazy about springer is that like I really enjoyed him as a prospect uh when he was in college. I mean, he was just one of those I mean, again, it’s really easy to fall in love with these like hyper athletic guards who get to the free throw line or disruptive defensively, but it always comes down to the shot. It all that’s that’s what it comes down to at the NBA level. And uh and at the NBA level, it’s just, you know, as Mason said, it’s it’s impressive how bad it’s it’s been for and um even though he’s been productive uh in the G-League and in other situations, but man, it’s it’s tough. It’s tough. Hold on. I think I have um was he the G- League MVP at one point maybe um last uh season uh he only played one game in the G-League and he scored 26 points uh had six rebounds in that game. The season prior to that u when he was with uh Delaware he averaged 19 points a game in the G-League with five rebounds and two 2.8 eight assists, but 2.3 steals. I mean, but he shot 31% from three. Oh, that’s Willie. That’s a Willie guy. Three and through, baby. That’s a That’s a Willy guy for sure. That’s a Willie guy. Yeah. So, um Jaden Springer sticking around. And the next guy we can talk about is Jordan Hawkins. That $7 million uh fourthyear option got picked up. So, if people are not familiar with how this works, you basically have until the season starts to decide on these rookie scale guys if you want to pick up their third or fourth year options. So, the first two for first round picks, the first two years are fully guaranteed. The third and fourth year are team options and you can decide a year in advance if you want um to do that. So Mei is entering his second year, but the Pelicans picked up his thirdyear option. Likewise, Hawkins is entering his third year, but they picked up his fourth year option. So it allows, you know, that’s part of the the positives of the the first round rookie scale configuration is that it allows the team a great deal of flexibility to keep these guys around if they’re showing signs of being productive at a low low cost. But it also allows a team to get out of situations where a guy may not be being productive and the cost is maybe not commensurate with what they can find on the market. And so with Jordan Hawkins, it’s appearing, you know, look, he could have a breakout year this year and everyone could have been like, look, you guys got upset for no reason. It’s a $7 million contract. You had a great year. This is was a stupid conversation to be had. But at $7 million, if you take a look at the guys who signed for $7 million or less this off season, it is there’s so many guys that are so much better than him that it it’s I the whole idea of it being a cost control thing for someone with upside, it just doesn’t make any sense to me. But I mean, I’m curious if you guys feel like I’m off base here with that. No. And I won’t even go to like the Brad Bills of, you know, guys of that nature who are going to sign for LA, you know, to be in LA. Not going to talk about Marcus Smart. Sadique Bay is going to make less make less than him this year. And I believe Sadique Bay is a rotation player in the NBA. And I don’t think Hawk is a rotation player on this scene. So, just to do a comparison that’s on the team, just shouts out to Jordan Hog’s family. Enjoy the, you know, enjoy the cash. Real talk. Having that cap hold on your books, that guaranteed $7 million on your books for a guy who is a shooter who can’t really shoot is mindboggling to me. when you let a shooter go in the summer in Antonio um I can’t think of but Antonio Ree like he could have filled this role for a much lower cost this year and next year that’s what where it’s baffling to me but again let me check his data his place of birth for that one that one does one does check out I’m uh I’m as mystified. I like there’s potentially the like there’s there could be an element of FOMO here, right? Where like, oh, you don’t pick up his option and then yeah, I know we we all roll our eyes that Jordan Hawk is having a breakout year, but I mean that maybe that like uh $7 million compared to potentially getting this wrong feels Can I say something? Can Can I say something? Please do. I’m trying real hard here. If Thornton Hawkins gets the playing time to get to become a breakout, we’re already in some deep [ __ ] Yeah, we are. You know what I’m saying? You know, so again, like he’s going to get the play time, right? Like you look at you talk about like I I guess like he is a rotation player on this roster because this roster is lacking quality players through I like that’s and and he’s going to play because there’s no other guys that they can really play like who who should be getting those minutes that’s not going to get you Mason because I I have a comment about that and yeah cuz I can I can pretty easily craft a rotation for the Pelicans based on the guys that are healthy that he’s not a part of that that relies on Fierce um getting meaningful minutes. I mean, Fierce is going to get those minutes. What’s going to happen, honestly, what’s going to happen is it’s Jose is going to get squeezed out of minutes, which is I can go either way on that, right? If your intention is to if your intention is to win as many games as possible, then Jose needs to play Jose amount of minutes. If your intention is fear, we’re we’re putting the chips in on fears and he needs to be a star at some point, then I do not care about Jose playing. You know what I mean? And but that’s so much easier to stomach if you have your pick for the next year. That’s the thing. That’s what I understand. And I’m going to I’m going to put this um comment from Brian Guy on the screen. If he weren’t a first round pick, would we consider this? Well, a couple things. If he wasn’t a first round pick, he wouldn’t have the option for a fourth year, I believe. Right. It’s a great thought. I mean, just in general, just hypothetical, but yeah, you’re hyp but if he wasn’t a first round pick, um Antonio Reeves would be my answer to that. If he wasn’t a first round pick, I mean, I don’t even like it’s not even Antonio Reeves thing. You look I think he’ll just be a shooter. It’d be a shooter that they wouldn’t care this deeply about because he wouldn’t even have the contract to to add on. First of all, second of all, talk about rotations, brother. I will treat this team like Tibs does. You’re right. There aren’t a lot of of NBA caliber players, which is why I will play like eight, nine guys tops, and Hawk would not be in that eight or nine rotation, man rotation. Yeah. So, yeah. So, I think to to Brian’s point, um I know so just a little bit of context here, Tan Langden and Bryson Graham when they were in New Orleans and and Jordan Hawkins was was drafted and and Swing Cash, of course, Yukon. Um they loved Hawkins. I mean, like it was telegraphed during the draft time that that is who they were going to select. You know, obviously I think if they could have gotten up for Lively, it was it’s a different story if Lively fell. Um, but like Hawkins is someone they loved and Hawkins is someone that also excels in the workout settings where there’s no like real pressure and he can just shoot the crap out of the ball in in those settings. And the comps that a lot of the pel decision makers of the old had for him were a lot of the comps that you saw casuals make which was like Ray Allen you know and I’m telling you there are high up Pelicans decision makers who are no longer with the team of course that thought this guy was going to be a star and so you know this is a guy that they thought you know can get up shots on volume and is going to convert on them and those are star qualities in their guys. And obviously that has not panned out. You have a brand new front office who has no none of those ties, none of those priors, none of the like you you’re like, “Oh, I spent a lot pick on this guy.” That’s another part of the conversation is that when the previous decision makers, you try to talk to him about Hawkins. It was like, “Well, he’s a lot pick. We can’t give up on like you know like you bring up the idea of like trying to trade him in you know a year and a half into his career or two year you know two years into his career just because you kind of look around the league and look at how his archetype plays out and you’re like man there’s not that much you can forecast this people said this at the time of the draft I wrote this at the time of the draft people have said this for for years now but you can see how that archetype is going to play out but the Pelicans weren’t hearing it because one he doesn’t miss shots in practice two you know it was it’s a lot pick can’t can’t give up on a lot of pick. Can’t give up on a lot of pick. So, it confuses me why how like you know what the tie for this like new regime is and if maybe they just think it’s like whatever like where we’re where we don’t need that extra $7 million worth of flexibility. Um the upside for us is worth it and yeah, we’ll figure out you know maybe worst case scenario we’ll throw him in a trade which is like we we went down this road to Kyra Lewis and we had to attach a second round pick to get off of Kyra which is Yeah. I mean like that’s a great point. That’s the Pelicans are only $3.5 million under the tax next season. Yeah, that it’s it’s non it ba it’s baffling, right? Because that’s that I love the Kyro point, man. That’s such a good one because it’s because that’s the other piece like oh well, you know, you could have have them as tradable salaries. That’s seven. The Pelicans would have to like they’ve got a bunch of like six, seven, eight million dollar guys and then and they’ve got very few that are like maturely above that until you get to the big money guys and it’s like another $7 million contract. That’s new [ __ ] for me. Like I don’t I don’t need that, right? Like and so yeah, if anything, it’s going to be just a buoy for this team next year to and and have to manu maneuver around the tax line again. Like yeah, it’s it’s it’s frustrating and I don’t get it. And I don’t want to harden back on it. judge won’t hold me back on it. But if I’m another team who is trying to get a uh that savage slot, there’s also the 67 225 pound guy who also can shoot that that’s you know 67 guy that um who can shoot and I would want him in Trey talks and not Jordan Hawkins. I would want Sadique Bay in trade at least he looks apart if anything. Yeah. I mean, look, I my my all of that said aside, you you look at guys who signed for $6.5 million or less this summer and you you tell me if if this is a better use of money than than than Jordan Hawkins and if the Pelicans could have made a play on these guys either through just absorbing them via the their various trade exceptions, including the mid-level or just straight up signing them. And here’s here’s just a couple just I’m I’m listing off based off like what I see here. Okay. Um they sharp $6.2 million Brooklyn to return to Brooklyn. They didn’t even give him a qualifying offer. Right. Zier Williams same thing to return to Brooklyn $6.2 million. Um Jake Laavia $6 million Los Angeles. Cam Thomas took his qualifying offer at 5.9, you know. Um D’Angelo Russell $5.6 million, right? To to to to get a role. Um Chris Dunn is at $5.4 million. I mean, look, you look at all of these guys that I’m like, “Oh, yeah, these guys can absolutely contribute more.” And this is not counting the minimums that that sign across the league, like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Gary Trent Jr., um, all of these shooters who are absolutely going to shoot better than Jordan Hawkins, but are on the minimum, you know? I mean, it’s just just the quality of player that’s available in free agency at that rate makes the decision perplexing to me much as much as, you know, Jordan himself as the player. like it’s it’s just like cool. That’s one thing. It’s just like the other thing is like you could actually have players that can contribute. So that’s tough. You can use that like part of your MLE next season to like you say get someone on the free market or if he does play his part, he gets a contract that’s similar to that. Like you don’t have to pigeon hole that salary slot right now when he hasn’t done anything to prove that he should have a $7 million sat slot for next man. I’m looking at some of these minimum contracts, bro. Okay, I already said Gary Trent. Gary, he went uh to rein Prince is at the minimum. I mean, these guys aren’t great players, but again, I feel like I trust them more as bodies than Yes. Yes. than than Hawk. Um, sorry, I just saw another really good one. U Melton went for $3 million. It’s like Yeah. Lonnie Walker’s like not even really in the league. You know what I mean? Like it’s it’s tough, man. There’s a lot of guys that Yeah. It’s just it’s it’s tough. I think we’ve harped on it enough. Yeah. All right. So, let’s uh That was That was tough. Um let’s let’s talk about one more tough topic before uh we get into like the later half of of of this show. So, since we last recorded, the Pelicans announced that Cavand Looney suffered some sort of knee injury that has a complex medical name that I cannot say off the top of my head, but the timeline they gave was two to three weeks. And so, that takes him out of the season opener and that leaves the starting center to be Eve Mey. Now, the good news is Derrick Queen just a couple days ago was announced to be fully cleared. um and clear to resume contact, clear to play five on five and all all basketball activities. So heading into the season opener, their center rotation is going to be Eve Mey and Derek Queen. Carlo and Hunter Dickinson are on the roster. I’d be very surprised if the coaching staff are willing to get them on the court. Um how does that make you feel? One, I wish you would have said D’Angelo, rest in peace, and said, “How does it feel?” Um, two, we just did this last year. Yo, like we did this last year and for the first couple week like the crazy part is you look at the schedule especially over the night you look at okay you got Memphis who is also lacking you know big man depth and you like hey well are they are they well for for the first game Clark isn’t going to play isn’t going to play um I mean they still have an allNBA level player they still Santi I mean I their backup big is better than any big the Pelicans have. Uh, well, I don’t think Santi is a five in that aspect, but him over. Well, yes, he’s better. He’s a better player than what we had. Derek K. Derek’s going to go over 25 make all this look moot. I don’t know. Um, but it’s just it’s it’s rough cuz you’re thinking, well, I was thinking pre- Looney injury. Okay, maybe we can take some of the, you know, Phoenix is on the roster in the first 11 games. Um, there are a couple more teams that have um big man issues and then Luna gets hit and it’s like we’re we’re doing this again. We’re doing this again. Yeah. Like there are two things. One one is that it this has been said at nauseium, but of course the dude that’s been habitually healthy for the last like five seasons. Guess who before three seasons? Three seasons. Three. They got some they got some 20s in here. You know what I’m saying? All right. Um, but this is classic Pelican [ __ ] Like once again, the other is I I don’t know. I I think about it a little bit more broadly than just like looking at the matchup game because like yeah the rebounding is not going to be great without Looney on the floor, but also like the Pelicans defense is going to stink too like holistically like forget just the boards like like Herb Jones is the only truly plus guy you’ve got um like that you can count on night night out in that in that lineup. Now I you know there are other guys that can that can do it every possession probably not but that’s that’s my concern is that like what is the defensive end of the of the floor going to look like for this team without Looney anchoring in the middle you know which is again kind of scary to say that like this team was so reliant on Kavon Looney but this is this is where we are right now. So uh just really really tough really tough got to lose. Yeah, I mean, look, the the Pelicans in the two NBA teams that they played in the preseason only grabbed 29 and a half defensive rebounds per game in those two games, which is good for 25th in the league in the preseason so far. Um, that’s not good. That is not good at all. I mean, Orlando and and Houston really made the Pelicans look small. And what’s going to be tough for me is that I guess we can we can we can talk about like just the roster construction as the whole and and and how they should look to project at the start of the season. What’s tough for me with the Pelicans as they are presently constructed is that they’re going to have a lot of large stretches gametoame where they do not score the ball. And those stretches are probably not going to come with the starters, but they’re probably will come with some of those stagger units, especially with the way that like Willie likes to, hey, Zion, just go carry these guys that do not know how to score the ball or or you know, and and it used to be Zion and BI and now it’s like you’re that guy. If if Jordan is sharing minutes with Zion the way we kind of saw in the preseason, Trey is going to be on the receiving end of some really bad lineups. And he, you know, as good as Trey is, what’s not within his skill set at this moment, and it may never be, I’m not sure, but I don’t want to put a ceiling on it, but it’s it’s carrying those bum lineups. And if you tell if you be like, “All right, Trey, like go create for yourself and create for others.” We kind of saw that at the back end of last season. He can create for himself. He will score efficiently, but those other guys around him are going to struggle. And and so I think when that’s those stretches of like the Pelicans failing to struggle the the ball are happening, what’s going to make those runs look even worse is they’ll go down on the other end and they’ll play defense and they’ll probably play pretty good defense for 18 to 20 seconds of the shot clock and they’ll force a tough shot because they’re they’re athletic and I believe Willie Green as a full razer on defense, probably force a tough shot and some dude is just going to grab an offensive rebound and we’re going to start it all over again. That’s going to happen two, three to four times possession and you’re just like, “Oh my god.” And then that’s what’s going to like, okay, it’s been all of a sudden it’s been 42 seconds since you last last played offense and you haven’t scored the ball in the last 300 seconds. And so you’re just like, you know, it’s just going to be a painful watch in my opinion in in some of these stretches. So that’s something they’re going to have to figure out. Yeah, I just I just like to envision Hi, I’m Trey and here are the bum others. Go ahead, Max. No, I mean that’s it’s that’s just that is really what def deflates you, you know, as a team, right? It’s it’s that it’s like you can miss a few buckets in a row and like you you know play NBA players are irrationally confident to a fault, right? They’re going to hit the next one they’re going to take. But when you get stops and then don’t get rewarded for it and then they get a put back and they get a bucket and then it turns into runs that that’s what really that that’s what kills you. And so um and that’s exactly what the type of roster construction broadly speaking the Pelicans are left with right now. So, um, you know, get get well soon to Jante because that’s a, you know, that’s not sure when he’s coming back, but that at least that extra creator would really be helpful right now. So, or, you know, maybe Fears will surprise me. I’m I’m optimistic on Fears and I do want to I do want to touch on him uh in a little bit, but just kind of continuing on about this Big Man’s situation. I think we all kind of discussed a while back in the summer of like, hey, this this scenario where the Pelicans exceed expectations is the scenario where everyone stays healthy and that starting group is one that features Looney and not Mi and that starting group is like a plus 8 to 10 per 100 possessions, right? and they play the vast majority of possessions any given game and you know they’re for 70 plus games and all of a sudden you have you know a 2,500 minute sample of of of a team that’s just winning their minutes by a big margin and you just kind of got to tread water or just not let in water too much you know uh on on the other minutes that was the scenario now you’re already starting that scenario this this season with that scenario not in play maybe I mean it’s not fully eliminated you know Looney could still come back and play 65 games. He’s not out forever, but uh we don’t know. We don’t know. We don’t know what that’s going to look like. But you’re starting behind the eightball when it comes to rebounding. And I’m not sure is bringing enough defense to what he’s going to cost you on offense. I am tempted to say they should just start small and just if you’re going to be that bad on rebounding, punt it. Just start Sadique Bay with that with their with their starters. Space it out and at least score the ball pretty much every single time when you’re down there and then you figure out the rest. Like that’s kind of where I’m at. if they’re not gonna start with that group, which is understandable. Like they’re I mean I I I it’s easy for me to sit and say like just start start small. Um I if they’re not going to start with that group, like try to find 15 minutes a game for that group like at least 15 minutes. And I don’t think we saw that for one minute during the preseason. Did we? No, because they rotating. They they had like 18 man rotations in the preseason, but they did have some Zion at the five, but not with the starting group. No. And and Sadique Bay, like your best quote unquote five players. Yeah. Though I don’t remember, you know, your best five players being together. Um but also like Bay didn’t play in the last game. It’s It’s a lot. Trey didn’t play in the game, you know. Yeah, I mean didn’t play the first two. yet yet another, you know, yet another uh preseason where they’ve not had their starting five on. Yeah, that’s what I said. That’s what I said when the lonely injury was um announced. Yeah. Here we go again. Yeah. The the good news for them is, you know, you kind of touched on it. Memphis is starting behind the eightball with injuries as well. Pretty much all of their guards um are out or questionable in some capacity. Do you guys know what the status is on Jaw? I haven’t heard it, but Jaw is making it sound like he’s going to play in the opener, but we have anything official one way or the other, right? And they signed um the dude from Cleveland, um Tom Jerome. Tom Jerome. Yes, Jerome. Um he’s been out. And then Scotty Pippen Jr. just got hurt. Um, so that, you know, I don’t know how that’s going to look for the the Grizzlies, but those are good rotation players that they’re going to be missing. As you mentioned, Brandon Clark, what’s up? Go ahead. No, go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. As you mentioned earlier, Brandon Clark and Zack Edy are are likely going to be out as well to start the season. And so, you know, it that that is a game that on paper that is winnable because Jiren Jackson’s not a rebounding force. But I can just see it being a game where Jiren Jackson guards me or doesn’t guard him and just sits in the painting issue I have with him being in the starting five just Yeah, he does. Go ahead. No, it’s like at least at least be kind of like what you were saying instrument like about making sure you get enough minutes for who who you think your best five are in the for but be be willing to pull the plug right before things get out of hand quickly early especially in the second half like you you want to you want to give it time I get it to start the season and and see see what can happen but like if if if things are starting to go bad in the first three minutes of the second half like forget it like like try something different and so I I don’t I don’t have a lot of confidence and and Willie agree can be inflexible on the fly like that, especially in the first couple games of the season. But they they’re going to have to be because this team’s got to they got to do whatever they can to win games for all the reasons we’ve talked about the last few months, you know. So, yeah, we’ll see. No, for sure. Speaking about who is a rebounding game that next game, um the alien comes in town and oh 7 foot1 women. They’ll play him and Cornette together. Yes. Don’t they call themselves French vanilla? That’s hilarious. That’s good. That’s That’s a great That’s a great nickname. I don’t care what you say, bro. Yeah. I mean, but the the Spurs also again, they’re challenged. The their guard play is going to be not quite, you know, um I’m not that big on Stefon Castle. Um you know, Dylan Harper’s going to be a rookie. He did he only play one preseason game, I believe. So he put up 11, eight and two, but I think it’s just one preseason game. Yeah, that’s what I’m also not a big Stefan Castle guy. Um, so their guard play is going to be interesting, but you know, they don’t need guard play when you got the alien. You know, I think Boon Marionovic was like, “Yeah, I was looking up to Webby.” Like this guy might be like seven. Yeah. Um, the Celtics again are are a team that is probably going to let the Pelicans off the hook when it comes to rebounding, but they’ve been playing a far more aggressive brand of defense than I’ve ever seen under Missoula. They are hunting like hunting steels. They are like as soon as as soon you know the stuff that Zion does where a guy turns his back and then all of a sudden like Zion comes on the blind side and two seconds later he’s down the court windmilling. Um, it seems like the Celtics, the Celtics as a team have just embraced that philosophy of like wherever the blind side is, like that they’re always sending a guy from there as soon as a guy is like trying to like pick up his dribble or do something. And it’s it’s looked pretty interesting to watch in in the preseason. I don’t know how it’s going to play out over the course of 82, but it seems like uh Missoula is definitely experimenting in in this season with Tatum out and you know them not having you know no Drew Holiday, no Al Horford, that kind of stuff. The way they they just attacked Toronto every chance they got was incredible to watch. And then you know the guards are just, hey, by the way, they’re shooting a three. I want you guys to understand that they’re going to shoot threes like every I mean that’s a but but it’s even wor it’s even crazier than last year. Yeah. Like they they put like a 60% three-point rate against Toronto. They are they are going to them up. Yeah. Toronto is a perfect team to deploy that defense on because RJ, Scotty, and Brandon, they are in my opinion all three like slow decision makers. like they are and you’re not really worried about them like beating you off to catch cuz like they can all like pass. So if one of them has the ball and the other two are spacing like you kind of live with with RJ taking catch and shoot threes. Yeah, exactly. So it’s just like that’s a great team to kind of deploy that swarm defense um on. So but you know we we’ll see it firsthand how the Pelicans are are going to handle it. Um the Pelicans could easily start three and 0 which is kind of insane like the with with what’s in front of them. the Pelicans and and a lot of that can just be Zion driven. Yes, would have to be kind of. Um yeah, and I I’m I’m I’m itching to see the the fourth game after that, assuming Looney’s still out, I mean, is is is Joic going to re outrebound the entire Pelicans team just by himself? Um but uh if not, you mean Yonas revenge game, bud? What are you talking about? Yeah, for sure. Uh, hey, I will say this. They’re not going to start 4 and 0 if they go three and 0 cuz I know two centers who want to eat their lunch. Okay. I mean, if they if they start if they start 4 and0, what are you going to do, Jeremy? Salute them for starting 4 and 0. Okay. Okay. We’re gonna come back to that one. What are they? We got to come up We got to come up with a a Anyways, we’ll have a pod by the 29th. So if they’re if they’re undefeated by the time the pod, I would think of something crazy I had to do. It will not involve my hair. If anyone puts anything in the chat about my hair, it will not involve that. Okay, we’re setting some ground rules, but other than that, I mean, we for Jen, you and I were talking about this. Um I can’t remember if was this on blue sky or like on the last time the last pod but pel and I I admittedly did not get a chance to watch the the magic game but the shot diet the the the the shot profile for this team right now at least has me a little optimistic right like and yeah part of that’s Brandon’s not in the team anymore right but I mean but I I’d say they’re leaning into this kind of like efficient shot selection and you know rim rim or three-pointers and and and cutting out some of the mid-range stuff You know, I So, when it comes to be a real game where defenses are trying to force you to shoot those tough shots, different story entirely, right? But at least in the preseason when the defenses aren’t ramping up, at least they’re not just falling into h bad habits or traps. And so, we’ll we’ll we’ll see if it translates. Their percent of points from two point mid-range in the preseason, 3.7%. There we go. and and Orlando was still playing a similar style of defense, being big, attacking close um attacking corners, making you um aggressively closing out. They weren’t playing, you know, conservative style defense and they still had a good shot diet now. Yeah. And look, they’re not even and like the mid-range shots that are happening, it’s like Zion with two feet in the paint. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Trey with two in the paint. Yeah. Exactly. So, it’s it’s it’s something to watch. Uh I think if the Pelicans I don’t think they’re ever going to be as long as Zion’s on the roster and they don’t have a stretch five, they’re never going to be a team that is top 10 in like three-point attempts or whatever. And that’s fine. They don’t need to be. Uh the Nuggets aren’t as long as they’re scoring efficiently in the paint. They’re not taking long twos and they’re getting to the free throw line. I think if they’re doing those things like it can be uh an offense that is at least from a process standpoint good from a result standpoint I I I don’t Can I give three guys can I give three guys and I want to give your thought ask your thoughts about the process and the in my opinion right now it’s going to be the backbone of the offense I want to give a bold prediction iction. I believe Zion Tree and Pu are going to average a combined 69.3.5 points per game this year. If you told me it was 69.49, I would take the over. So that’s Zion 28. You know, just didn’t know the thought process. Zion 28, Trey 24, which is um 40. Another 17 or so. Yeah, there you go. There you go. I think they can average 70. I I think it’s it’s over 70 because because I think Zion’s going to be closer to 2728 and that really leaves those other two guys averaging over 21. And I think and I think Trey, well, FanDuel knows I think Trey’s going to average at least 22 points a game. So, yeah. Now, they got to find another 50 from somewhere. Now, that’s the question. I like So, if those three guys, if you’re going to pencil them for 70, my question, who’s the fourth before Dante comes back? Who’s number four in scoring? And okay, Sadique, will the gap between one and two, so Zion and T? No, one and three, Zion and Pool be bigger or small uh smaller than pool and bay. So let’s say if pool is at 20. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that’s eight points. Would it be would Sadique be a 13 point per game score 11? And that’s where I think Go ahead. I think Sadique is closer to 15. I think pool is closer to 22. So I think it’s a push. Ah, okay. What if if that’s what like if it was 21? Yeah, it says 21. 45. That’d be a push. Yeah, that’d be a push. That’s a 28 for Z, 23 for Trey. That’s 51. Here’s a better here’s here’s a question for y’all. Here’s a Okay, that’s too much math. Forget about it. Here’s a better question. Who scores more points? Who scores more points per game? Uh, Fears or Herb? Herb slightly. I agree. That’s going Fierce. I’m going 12 10.5 Herb slightly. I I think Herb’s three-point volume ticks up this year. Um and he had a rough year last year if I remember correctly. Three-point shooting um compared to the years before that. So even even like a mild bounce back for him and I think the volume goes up because it kind of has to. Yeah. Um versus I think I mean you could see Fierce with Fierce is going to be so volatile, right? Like he could c in a game, he could have two the next, you know? So uh and then Jose is the other dynamic here. Like how much does he blame? So, so you’re bought in on Jeremiah. I’m not bought in. I just think Herb’s going to average 11ish. Um, okay. And Fierce is going to give me about 12 and 13. And I think it might not be efficient 12 or 13, but I think he’s going to take more shots than than Herb. I think Herbs, especially with the units that Herb’s going to be tasked with, like, dude, where where are the shots coming from? If it’s if it’s Trey, Jordan, and Zion like playing with them primarily a lot, you know what I mean? So, it’s just like and then if he’s with those bench units, I I think because of the way they’re going to be set up, Fierce is going to have the ball in his hands more and I think he’s going to score more. I I just think Yeah, I think I wouldn’t be surprised if Fierce is giving giving you 13 points a game this this season. So, a super dope season from Jeremiah is what you’re saying. I don’t know, man. Is it 13 is it 13 points on 38% from the floor or is it 13 points on like hey this is this is pretty solid like it’s it’s averaging at least one point per possession you know what I mean like I think 42 13 on 42% from the floor sounds possible like is this a Nquille season you know you know you know like before like Nquille got traded and it was just like Lonzo was gone at this point and Nquille was like that’s me it’s my job now. I’m going to be that guy. And like I think Fierce could touch the paint more than the kill, but I’m picking up with your foot now. You know what I mean? Like he would have knights. They were like, “Oh yeah, that’s Nil’s going.” But then he would have had nice like, “Bro, you’ve taken 17 shots for eight points and at least 14 of the shots were the most like disgusting choices I’ve seen in my life.” You know what I mean? Like turn around 21 foot up 21 foot fade jumpers. Like what are you doing? I put my trust in you. I believed in you. I I also think that there’s I’m I’m still taking Herb and another reason why is because I think there’s a real chance that Herb leads the team in minutes per game. Um because they need him to so badly because of the other the rest of the That was going to be my next gonna be another B prediction I had. I I I I Well, yeah. Well, I think I think Trey is probably more likely to be the the leader in minutes per game, but but like Herb feels like more necessary to play a ton of minutes. I don’t know that Trey is better, right? But I I’m having a hard time uh putting down what I’m thinking, but but you know, I just think Herb’s gonna play a lot, right? And so just by by just by a sheer number of minutes, he’s going to score. Trey and Herb may have to average 75 minutes a game for this team to win. That’s what I was going with. Like I thought they have to I and Herb has never played more than 30 like 30.8. So he’s going to have to ramp up the minute load. But even last year, you know, after the Brandon Ingram injury, Trey was putting 36 36 and a half minutes a night. So Well, two years ago, they had Dice they Dyson to kind of like Yeah. I mean, he’s the it’s it’s him or Yeah, it’s him or So I think I think this is a conclusion that Willie Green reaches every single year. like it’s something like he’s discovering for the first time and it’s like oh this is the only guy that can shoot consistently on the team and is is wing size so um shoot I think I need him in every single lineup because he just makes them work. So, 37 minutes a game. Um, here’s here’s a separate question I have. Since we’re doing these kind of types of questions, here’s a a separate one. Uh, related Herb Jones, Jeremiah Fears. Who averages more assists per game? Herb only because I don’t think Fierce is going to pass it this year. See, I’m going Fierce. I’m going Fierce. I Yeah. Okay. I’m also going Herb Jones. One Herb. So Herb Jones was at 3.3 assists per game last season. I think if Fierce is at 3.3 this season, I’d be surprised. I think if her if Fierce is at 3.3 assist, we’re in a bigger issue than we had then we want to admit. I’ll say that. For which direction? Congratulations on Congratulations on um what AJ Deans for Atlanta and Fierce has won if three assists game that pick is going to look fantastic. Yeah. Um yeah, whoever I see the v like the vision because you you need the you need the creation somewhere, right? So Herb’s got to contribute there at least until we get De Jante back. And they’re letting him play with the ball in his hands. He’s getting he’s he’s had a lot of attempts this preseason to play with the ball in his hands. Yeah, I I agree with X here. Um I think Herb’s going to be playing with more Yes. talented players. The other thing is I I think what’s made Fears look better as the preseason’s gone on is that they’ve reduced the on ball load for him. And so he’s playing in a lot of those lineups with P and then sometimes with Zion, but there’s multiple creators on the floor for him. And he’s been able to attack a tilted defense. And him being able to do that, in my opinion, has simplified the game for him. And it’s allowed him to get downhill. It’s allowed him to get to the free throw line. It’s allowed him to get easier layups as opposed to, oh, he’s got to bring the ball down, create the advantage himself every single time, and then at that point make a decision on what to do. And his decision, you know, so far is skewed so far towards, well, I just got to shoot the ball. That’s what I got to do. Um, but this, you know, them kind of easing him into, okay, you’re just kind of playing more of the scoring guard role that’s attacking um or or just like you’re taking an advantage and blowing it wide open as opposed to like being the someone that like creates it like initially. And I’m not saying he’s going to be completely and totally off the ball, but they’re having him set back screens. They’re having him move off the ball, and it’s I think that’s healthier for his overall growth than just letting him rock out. and he attacks the offensive blast for with veracity for someone who’s that smallish. Like he really gets is active on the boards in ways I didn’t expect him to be. I think Yeah. I think the the challenge and this is the the rub for the Pelicans all season is with balancing guys like Fears and Queen and trying to win basketball games is like any of those lineups where you’ve got him off the ball, you can play him off the ball and then and kind of let him find his groove. Those lineups are going to be dumpster fired defensively probably, right? Like any any any defense a lost cause. No, no, I say defense is a lost cause, bro. Like look, I think they’re going to be fine. Like I think they’re The sooner they lean into the switchy turnover generation salad. Yes. The more fun everyone’s going to have because it’s going to be easy buckets. Uh they’re going to catch some teams off guards. They’re just if you have to ask them to like run the shell drill and like play like ice defense where Yeah. funnel guys, bro. Like it’s just it’s gonna be bad. No, it’s got to be chaos. It has to be chaos. Attack passing lanes. attack guys who were when they’re not paying attention backside, weak side out. They should try to lead the team like league instead. Like that’s that’s that’s the team they should try to be. Yep. Remember when Minnesota just had this crazy trapping um defense u when they got first got and and cat and just had Cat at the level frantically. They should try some of that. They should they they should not try to just play basic drop and ice defense. That’s all I’ll say. Yeah. I mean, okay, a related question. Who leads the team in steals per game? Zion. I’m going to say Zion. I like I like that call. Um, it feels like either Zion or Trey to me. Steals, not Herb. Herb Herb got 1.9 steals late last year, but I was thinking Herb or Zion, but I I mean Herb or Zion, but I think Zion is just going to try Herb. Remember when when I was averaging 2.2 steals a game because he’s attack every um bounce pass and every try to shoot every gap. I think Zion’s gonna try to do that. Maybe sometimes I I think it’s also Zion just because he’s in shape to gamble more. Yep. Yep. That’s what it is. He’s just gonna attack everything. Se ball, get ball, play defensive end. I I I think teams it I think it’ll be easier for teams to try to avoid like not not not to not to kawaii herb, but like avoid him. Uh and and then yeah, Trey’s minutes and Trey’s length. I think Trey could generate some uh you know, good steal volume. But I think I think Zion’s the the pretty obvious choice for me. Obviously average, like I say, 2.2 steals. Oh, Z play defense kind of. Yeah. Uh I mean, De Jonte would be a sleeper call if he was uh if he was healthy. Yeah, cuz he was he had over two steals before he got hurt. again more which again more of a reason for just play fast just attack the ball go crazy and try to get out and and and run and not be in half court offense time and again Mason Herb had double the steel rate traded I I get where you’re coming from Yeah, I I mean that doesn’t surprise me. Um I just I Yeah, I don’t know. I I I think I think her being like easily like the only reputable defender on this team right now. I just wonder if if if teams if if opposing offenses try to avoid him a little bit more. Um but I guess last year was kind of the same deal. You see it. You see it Jay. It’s now Michael Pee jersey. you see it and put never put the name of the name of the front the the name of the front of the jersey not the back as a PE jersey now. Oh, also I don’t know if y’all heard because we talked about it on the previous spot bi I wouldn’t say he walked back his statements. It was like it wasn’t towards the people. It was just I just more people in in the crowd. That’s it wasn’t towards the fans. It was just literally there are more people in the stands in Toronto versus in New Orleans. I’m I’m rolling my eyes so much on that, bro. Like, look, I didn’t, for what it’s worth, I when we discussed it, it was like it’s not that big of a deal. And our my our take was, hey, put a better product on the forward and people will come. And yeah, I’m just saying is like how how are like how can you first of all, even if it was a shot at the Pelicans, how you look with your own eyes at the Pelican stands? You ever show up 10 minutes before a game, bro, none of those seats are are taken. And so it’s just like I Yeah, players talk about that stuff all the time. Like they they talk about like, oh, we go to OKC, man, their fans are up. Like the whole arena’s packed. We come to like, you know, New Orleans. Like there’s nobody there. And and people talk about Miami like the same way. Like people don’t they show up to Miami. You know what I mean? So it’s just like if it was a shot, I do not care since it’s not a shot. The fact that he’s having to walk it back. I just think this is the least interesting part of basketball discourse, bro. Like I feel like anytime someone like leaves an organization, people are always trying to find a way to like how how these words like you know CJ said the Wizards are one of the top organizations. What what do you say? He said the Wizards are the one of the top most organized uh teams that I’ve been on. Something like that. I’m like you’ve been on two other teams. Like what? As soon as I read that comment, I was like, “Oh man, he took taking Paul to the woods yet. This is ridiculous for no reason.” But but also that sounds like that sounds like something someone says to be nice about a franchise where you can’t find much. These every single player if they get traded, if they sign somewhere else, if they enter a new location, they will try to play up to their new organization and and new fan base. And that’s their job, right? You want people to feel like, “Oh, I’m happy to be here.” And no one does that better than than CJ. Of course, CJ is like the utmost professional. like the whole like, oh, I worked with uh them to like pick New Orleans a destination, bro. That good job, CJ. Crazy crazy narrative crafting, man. That is that is some professional work, bro. Um yeah, I but yeah, that’s the thing. And BI is so like genuinely he’s so much of a in this regard like he is a genuine space cadet that like I completely believe he did not think about New Orleans at all in any capacity. I think he just like thought about the first thing he, you know, that came to his mind, which was, “Oh, yeah, there’s a lot of people in the stands.” And that’s what he said, too. That’s exactly what he said. I wouldn’t even think about New Orleans when I said that. Yeah. Uh, yeah. I That’s whatever. Enough of that. Uh Pelicans kick off their season in Memphis on uh Wednesday and it’s going to be their first time to get to see them in action after all the stuff they done in the preseason. Before we head out, do you guys have any I know Jeremy, you had some kind of bold predictions that you No, I’m discuss Oh, I will take the over. I’m going to be on their record. On their record, I will. Now, the over can also hit with 31 and 51. Just remember that. That’s not me saying that. I The over is 30 and a half. 30 and a half. Last time I checked on FanDuel if care about these things. Well, on a gambling site, edit out where it was, it was like over minus 125 or something. So, it’s not even people still aren’t pounding it. So, but I would take the over on 30 and a half wins. The official prediction I gave Rod Walker for his his media poll was 32. So I guess I’m technically taking Leor as well, but I said 32. It I I’m closer to like 34 and 48 than I am to people who think 40, but I would I do think 30.5 is a tad bit too low. I I want to say that’s true because the Pelicans again have no reason to tank, right? There’s no reason to stop trying to win games. No, but also almost every team in the West might feel the exact same way. So, uh we didn’t really touch on it, but Queen’s going to be returning and I wanted to ask you uh before we wrap up here, is he in the rotation on opening night? And what are your expectations for him? Just like real quick, he has to be without Looney, I think. Right. Expectations are I have none. He hasn’t He’s just started practicing two days ago. He hasn’t really done really basketball things with contact in three months. I hope he doesn’t get I hope he doesn’t just lose track of the ball every single time. Yeah. So, fair fair point. um that maybe he won’t he won’t be in the rotation opening night. Like I I don’t know. Like I think they want to get him in there as quickly as possible because of the Looney injury, but also maybe he’s not in shape to do it. Uh you you’d hope that he is because he there’s no reason he couldn’t have been running right throughout throughout and I think that’s what Joe Mumar said this summer. Yeah. So you’d hope he was he’s gonna be in game shape. Queen’s also made it a point to mention like Yeah. Every time we’ve talked to him uh at practice or uh Yeah. Every time we’ve talked to him when he’s been made available to the media, he’s been like just been doing conditioning. I’m sick of it. Like, yep. Good. Yeah. Yeah. He’s in the rotation. I agree. Do you mean do you agree? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think so. I think Carlo I don’t think the coaching staff likes Carlo. I think he was very much in the doghouse last year. Um, I think when the Pelicans were injured and they were forced to play him, there the coaches still resisted the idea of getting him on the court. Um, so I just don’t see anything that’s changed. I think he has an uphill battle with Willie Green on that front. Um, that’s you look at Willy’s history with bigs who are European that speaks still for itself. speaks for itself. Um, and and Hunter Dickens is a two-way player, so like I would be upset if he was getting minutes over over Queen. So, and honestly, like I like I think Queen should get minutes over Carlo. You spent the resources on Queen. Yes. Play him. Like, play him. Put him in the rotation. Put him playing with good players. Put him in positions to succeed. Yeah. rookie or not, there’s I just find it very hard to believe Carlo would help you would be that much different as far as as far as impact is concerned than than Queen. So yeah, I’m willing to buy that Carlo would is more impactful than Mei, but like again the difference goes from like 450th player to like 400th player. So it’s like it’s not huge, but I’m willing to buy, especially with that starting unit, just the additional spacing and and and defensive rebounding. Um, I I’d be willing to bet like that’s like worth at least like a point per 100 possessions more at least. That’s as far as I’ll go. All right, fellas. It was great getting back um and doing this. I hopefully we can do this again soon. Uh lot of lot of busy work ahead of us uh this coming week, but Pelicans kickoff, we’ll be there. We’ll be we’ll be chatting. We’ll be talking. We’ll be discussing. Jay, it’s been a while. Just take us home. Uh let’s see if I remember how to do this. Um thank you all for who are in the chat. I don’t see the number on here, but we appreciate you guys um come kicking with us, especially because we didn’t promote it prior. Um love each other. Tell a friend to tell a friend. Subscribe to the channel. Hit the bell. Subscribe to the podcast. We are a still a podcast. We do this. We do release this in audio. I know it’s crazy. We already do it, but we do. Um, and share the audio version as well. Again, tell a friend to tell a friend. I love y’all. Love y’all later. [Music]

The crew gets back together ahead of the Pelicans season opener to discuss the events of the preseason and the stories heading into the main events. We cover Zion Williamson, Jordan Poole, Trey Murphy, the rookies, Willie Green and so much more. Including a few bold predictions.

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