Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen Future Of The Pelicans? | Trey Murphy Drops 41 Vs Spurs
[Music] This program is brought to you by FanDuel, where we give sports fans the chance to win every day. Hey yo, what’s good? What’s good? We talking about zero fears in a big blizzard. We be right back. Man, what’s happening, man? You know what it is. It’s me, Derek Queen, Believer, the biggest boss, and Cheddar Chaz in the building. You know what I’m saying? Shout out to y’all. Shout out to the all all the sponsors of the show. Taz, John Deere. You know what it is. You know what time it is. You know where you at. You know what I’m saying? AC ambulance. What you got, Ross? I’m I’m just here to tell y’all it’s it’s officially task season. Like there is no there is no better here. This is when they win. This is when task wins right here. Make me get I’m talking about I’m talking about that late fall through through winter and spring. This is task season. Look them up. Task season. Task season, ladies and gentlemen. Uh we got AC ambulance. We got FanDuel. Man, I gotta get the I gotta get the the uh the odds for the game on Monday. We’ll be back with y’all on that one. But anyways, fellas, what’s good? I’m cooling, man. Just watching some basketball. I just saw uh the movie The Predator Friday. It was fire. It was fire. I’m thinking about going back. I like seeing it again. It was good. I like the story. We gonna have to talk about that. Hey, the new episode of Derry out yet? 900 PM. So 9 PM my time. So for y’all is out. Well, I was up last night. I know they going to do right by me and do the debut at midnight. Boy, they hated on me. I was so mad. I stayed up all night waiting on that episode. Might have to be a show P today. I ain’t never mad at him. Talking about these talking talking about this losing franchise. We can only say so much. This is a joke. Shout out to the day ones in the building, man. Joe, what’s good? Uh 504 boy, what’s good? Cole, I don’t see you yet, but I know you you know what I’m saying? You hearing Spirit? What’s good? Yes, sir. Anybody else? Man, listen. Listen, man. I guess uh [ __ ] man. We could get all we we Y’all want to recap the game first or you want to talk about uh Fears and Queen first? Um we can recap the game if you what you about to say, Rose. Yeah, I say we can run a quick recap. I mean, I think there were a few things like of note to talk about probably namely just Trey sort of breaking out of the Yes. You know, that first whatever that that typical first six to eight game slump. Um so so [ __ ] Well, let’s start there, man. Trey Murphy had 41 and N against the Spurs. Uh he took 22 shots, made five threes, he was perfect at the free throw line. I mean, Ross, what what did you see from Trey in the first couple games that differentiated from the the game against the Spurs? Well, it just seemed like and I think what I’m going to compliment him on is also the thing that I’ve I’ve been critical of or or that I have a big question about is like is Trey I need Trey to be this player when the team is fully healthy. And that’s what I’m afraid of is like can can he do this and play with this level of confidence when there are other you know either ball dominant players on the court or um other you know whatever allar whatever you want to call the other players on the roster but like this is the version of Trey that we didn’t see early on. I mean, just, you know, and granted there was, you know, it was the end of the half, right? But like the way he because he had a couple extra seconds at the end of the half when he when he took the 28, you know, the the deep deep three. Um, there was nothing, you know, nothing but net. But the way he just even caught that like, you know what, [ __ ] it, I’m shooting it. there was just a different kind of confidence, a different comfort um that he played with yesterday. It just was in attack mode the entire time. Um not fear of playing downhill. I thought he took more threes. Uh it just overall was a much better performance. Man, Chaz, before I get to before I get to uh what you feel like Trey did differently, I want to say the last part we had, we talked about Trey doing too much. M and to me he simplified his game. Everything I saw from him was four dribbles or less. Four dribbles. You know what I’m saying? It was it was quick. Even he had a he had a he had a point where he attacked. He was in the corner against Wimby. He pump faked. He drove and it looked like he thought about going to the rim, crossed back over, just shot the midi. It’s just smart basketball. But what did you see from Trey? Honestly, I think it’s very simple and that’s one of the reasons why believe Willie Green is an up. I think Trey’s best basketball has come when he’s paired with Sadique Bay on the floor and that starting lineup. I go back to what was a game two ironically against San Antonio. Um Sadique Bay is out there starting, Trey starting. I think the threat of another real court spacer out there allows uh you know you’re not on Reaver’s Island if if you if you Trey Murphy, you got a little bit of a little bit of freedom to move around a little bit. I think the confidence was a factor. Um also and I think you could kind of see the rhythm kind of forming for the last maybe two or three games. Like sometimes that’s why they call get right teams get right teams because that’s the teams you shout out David Cooper new member in the building. That’s the team you’re supposed to get right against. So the trajectory versus Charlotte kind of, you know, second half back toback against Dallas kind of regressed. But to me, I never worry about Trey when it comes to shooting in particular because right now he’s 37% on the season. Yes, sir. I never worry about Trey when it comes to shooting because I feel like it always goes to the mean. Like I’ve honestly never seen him start the season like and I think these rotations he hadn’t. Yeah, he hasn’t. Right. And these rotations certainly and hasn’t helped. You know what I’m saying? Particularly that starting unit in my opinion. Oh, we gonna talk about them rotations. We we definitely talking. Go ahead, Ross. No. Well, before we but before we get off the T Murphy conversation, I I just want to ask if y’all have any like because if you look at the him and Zion pairings over the years, like they they’ve never been world beaters. Do y’all have any fear of for some reason that pairing just not being that good? um or or more of do y’all have any concern with Trey being able to play with with other like all-star level players and produce in this way? I ain’t going to lie to you, Ross. I I was for like maybe two games I counted the actions between Trey and Zion and they scored on I think they missed on one possession. To me, it’s an action that leads to money every single time. The issue I have is that you don’t run it enough to me. I need this like man I just saw Jaylen Brown and Pritchette at in that Celtics game. You saw it. Incredible. Right. And I’m just like brother Pelican. Why can’t we just do that? Like but it see and and Chaz I agree with you 100% agree with you because I watched the end of the game and had kind of the same thought. The difference sometimes and look it does go back to coaching because I clearly he has empowered them to play that way. Yeah. But it ain’t like they’re calling anything like like Yeah, those are just I mean Richard is just kind of playing off brand. I mean they’re just playing together. That that’s not I mean I guess you could call it scheme or strategy, but it’s really giving those players the freedom to be like, “Hey, [ __ ] play. You are the two best, you know, you are the two best offensive players we have. Go like get yourself in twoman isolation situations, whether it be pick and roll, whether it be slip screen, whatever it is, right? and play off each other. And what what are we missing? Why are we not seeing that more? I think it’s something and you say this. I really think I think we underestimate just generally the undoing of bad habits when you got to that’s why to me I don’t think a new coach necessarily fixes everything. It’s like I still got to teach these people like teach these guys. And I just think again, man, you know, when when I look at, you know, just what I’ve heard as it pertains to Willie Green and Trey specifically, not anyone else, but mainly mainly Trey in this regard. It’s just like all last season, Zion and Trey, they don’t really play together. Well, not last season, prior to that, Zion and Trey don’t really play together until Brandon goes down cuz they were substituting Trey for Zion off the bench. You know what I’m saying? Like it was just to me it it’s just strategywise it hasn’t been a ton of well what up game it hasn’t been a ton of time on task but everything I’ve seen when I go back to that Clippers game uh last year when you did so what up Jared when they started the quoteunquote point versus the Jazz and Trey return versus the Spurs really likes playing the Spurs for some reason um Brandon they just to me their chemistry is just great now and Trey are worried worried about a little bit, but they kind of just got together. But I I think the lack of direction and just terrible terrible performance by Willie Green is a big reason for a lot of this because you’re going from Idoka to Missoula with Jaylen Brown and Pritchard and going from Willie Green because Trey is only coach played with Willie Green. He’s never played with any other coach. So that that’s another reason why it’s like damn, you know. Yep. Yep. I think I don’t think Trey knows what and this is not Trey’s fault, but I mean because he he had a good coach in in uh I can’t think of Virginia’s coach. I can’t think of their name. I think somebody said it earlier to his name. It’s not Tony. Is it Tony Bennett? Tony Bennett. That’s not the singing. I think it’s both. I think they got a Tony Bennett that I know white guys sang like them old songs. Yeah. Tony Bennett. Well, anyway. So, yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. My bad. No, you you good, Trey. T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T Uh, Trey. Okay. Sh My bad. My bad. No, you good. You good. Go ahead. Shout out to that. Um, Trey Trey has not had a has had nothing but uh chaos in his tenure here. He’s never really seen how uh a competent organization or a competent head coach [ __ ] I I feel like that’s disrespectful to competent head coaches. I feel like uh an average head coach would would would look in the NBA. Um I think to Ross to your question, I think Trey has worked I was talking to uh shout out to coach S. I was talking to coach uh Mike about this earlier. In my opinion, Trey has worked so hard in the offseason on his individual game and and you know how that is like playing a team sport like I worked on this thing so I want to show what the work is. I want to show I want the work to pay off but it it hasn’t been advantageous in a five on five game. Like you’re doing individual work, right? But it’s still individual. It’s not like working on your strengths in a team game. Um, and shout out to my dog Darien on Twitter, man. We was talking earlier. He told me, and I and I I fully believe this. He said Trey is better as a finisher than rather than a play initiator. And I think that has kind of been some of the problem because he’s he’s been over dribbling the hell out of the basketball and he just hasn’t exactly looked comfortable. Man, you know, I told someone this someone so I spoke with someone recently and they were kind of like giving me a little bit of insight about Trey’s recent struggles and man, I don’t really got permission to share all of it, but it’s just so much going on in that building, man. And for sure, so much going on, you know, during practice and just postpractice and in preparation. It’s a very toxic situation. And I think to to Tra to Trey’s credit, you know, he’s he’s trying to overcome. What up, F? He’s trying to overcome, but it’s just like, man, it it can’t be expressed enough the mistake of keeping Willie Green in in the triple down effect from I would say from game probably from training camp, but from game two, game two onward, it it’s been a very bad situation. I have no good authority. But um with Trey, I’m like, man, and I said this to the person, I just want Trey to be learn marketing. Like even look at a person like Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis was a straight up assisted bucket guy. Lori Markin, he can put the ball on the ground once in a while, but Larry Markin can give you 40 and never get into the restricted area. So, you know, just like Lauren Markin a little bigger and stronger of course, but yet and still you just to me it’s it’s all about creating good opportunities for guys. And I think you just rarely seeing wide open shots or good opportunities created for guys. The best probably the best action I saw for Trey last night as far as like from beyond the arc was a twoman act. Well, he called Looney on it was on the right wing. He called over Looney for a screen and he shot the ball and made it like in the second half. That that was the he put the ball on the ground a little bit, got a little space, shot the ball and made it. No ingenuity, no creativity, just it’s it’s just terrible. Like it it really is, bro. It It’s sad, honestly. Hey, uh F before I get to you, Chaz, I got to ask you one more question. You had a tweet you had you had a tweet the other day and I kind of wanted to expound on it. You said the disrespect toward towards Trey Murphy was insane. What did What did you mean by that? Well, this is what I meant far as when I evaluate everybody because we always we have this conversation every year for like is it time to worry? And I’m like, nah. Cuz at this point, I’ve seen it every time like he’s all he’s going to pick he’s going to start shooting well and and then it’s all going to be, you know, oh [ __ ] can he take the next step? But I think with Trey is that people have seen these things h you’ve seen this happen every year, right? For as like on a na not national, but on like from the fan base, you’ve seen it happen every year. You’ve seen like do you know how certain players are at their best? It’s like with the John conversation. You’re not gonna tell me John is not good no more. Like I don’t give a [ __ ] what nobody say. John Morant is a good player who had who’s having a couple bad games in my opinion. I got way too much data of him being a good player versus him being three for 18. Like it it not a it’s not uh it’s not an epidemic at this point like or like it’s not it’s not a a pattern emerge as it pertains to him. So when I say with Trey to to some degree it’s like look yeah it’s true when people say he was struggling. Yes it’s true but you can’t tell me Willie Green is the worst coaching coach in the world. You can’t tell me something DeAndre Jordan is the right decision Ben Jordan pool is the right decision. Like you can’t tell me all these things about the coaching and up to and then say yeah that guy right there you know he’s struggling too. He ain’t [ __ ] either. And it’s like what [ __ ] out there fighting for their lives like you know what I’m saying? and and it would have been bad if Willie Green was just bad. Willie Green’s arguably the worst coach in in the NBA by wide margin. He’s only 30 of the [ __ ] He’s only arguably the worst coach by landslide. So, I I think that had something to do with it. F. What up, man? We talking about Trey Murphy. Uh before we get, you know, any further into the show, just kind of wanted to get your thoughts on what you saw from Trey that was different. Uh that was different from uh Hold up, Rachel. The the previous three games. Oh, Rachel back, man. What’s it? Wow. She must be here today. Yeah. Talk that talk, man. Oh, my [ __ ] My bad. Five. I forgot the question. Rachel got excited. Uh, what did you see from Trey against the Spurs that differentiated from the prior games? I just think it it he finally feel like he got probably got his legs under him, right? Um, also he was able to get some easy buckets early and for a shooter, bro, just getting easy baskets help. Um, also he took his braids out, bro. And he at this point like I don’t give a [ __ ] I like that. Yeah, man. Sometimes it be like that. Got to let your hair down. In this case, up and bro just pull it. Like he don’t care. Air ball or not, he he don’t care. Like we gonna get it popping. Um and I’m glad he’s taking this approach. U also playing alongside somebody like Derek Queen helps because you can get some easy buckets with some cut hard and somebody’s gonna be willing to pass you the rock. Um, talk about that too. Just it all makes sense, man. Again, this isn’t in the in I don’t want to give people credit for just being a part of it. Again, the team lost, but I don’t want people to think like, oh, this is some ingenuity by the coaching staff or i.e. Willie Green that has propelled Trey to get out of this slump. Nope. No, this is really just on the players just playing, figuring it out. There might be some, you know, player development coaches, some assistant coaches that might have influenced some of this. Yeah. But as far as like the the top guy, hell no. So before we before we before we move on, let me ask you this far back right back uh to you as far as how does this how does Trey Trey’s performance help the team morale after such a abysmal start? You think it’s just Trey or I just Hey tell me cuz I mean uh Chaz was talking about John in the same it’s Hold on before we get to that. Kevin Okconor, I need you to name the 39 players better than John. I I’m I’m tired of seeing you tweet that [ __ ] I need you to name the 39 players in the NBA better than John Mor. If he a top 40, I need to know who third. Anyways, go ahead. Eventually, we got to stop taking nerves ruining basketball, man. They ruin like just just pull the plug, bro. Um back away from the Excel sheets. Just just watch the game. Um but man, like it’s Wait, before I do this, say your question again because you you kind of went left. My fault. My fault. Uh, I was talking about how does how does Trey’s performance help the team morale like going forward? Like is this is this a catalyst for Yeah, I think this performance helps, but I think it’s more so like this was almost like a bucking of the system like no, we gonna we gonna play how we we want to play. we gonna move the rock around and and do what we need to do to get get buckets. Um especially in the second half, bro. Like, you know, Trey transition three, like Jose helps with that as well, being able to push the ball a lot. It just felt like, yeah, they gonna try to win it the way they feel like they can rather than, you know, be influenced because even even the third quarter felt different to be honest because usually like it’s let down Central with them, but it really wasn’t like this was one of those games where you I hate more victories, but I can kind of take one from this one. Like just the way the ball was moving and hopping like you almost had a chance to win this one. You could have stole you could have stole this one in San Antonio. That is my biggest fear and and I think that’s one of the issues most with this team and it’s one of the things again that scares me about Trey. I look I think he has the opportunity to be a very very good player. But I I’m always concerned that this team does take that as a like as a moral victory. Man, look at that. We hung close. Look, we we played pretty well. Look, Trey had four like these things that it my biggest fear of Trey is that he’s a a very good player on a bad team guy and not a very good player on a winning team guy. But good and it’s not all that’s not his fault necessarily to this point because he hasn’t been on a good team. At the same time, he hasn’t uplifted, you know, we we keep want to talk about Trey as this all-star and all that stuff. And look, he’s got incredible individual talents and I think he can play like this more consistently, but I got to see it when the other really good players are on the court. Like, I got to see it with P. I need you to do all of the things that that that Jared just said he did. I need you to do that when the other good players are on the court, not just whenever you’re playing with what basically amounts to rookies and second unit guys. And because this is what I saw a lot last year from Trey played incredible like he had just these incredible moments in losses with second unit players. And again, not his fault necessarily all the time for the losses, but at some point I I need to see it with everyone and and and it’s got to translate to wins. And again, that that’s a that’s a big ask on a on what I deem to be a bad roster with a with an even worse coach. But that’s just where it is. That’s where he is in his progression. Like I it was awesome. He played great, but I I need to see it in two weeks or whenever everybody’s back. That’s when I need to see this. That’s when I need to see the no [ __ ] you. I’m shooting it. No, it’s a transition three and I’m four steps behind the line, but I’m kind of hot. I’m shooting it. No, I’ve got Wimby going like off balance going away from the goal. No, I’m going to step back and just take the 12-footer because that’s the easy shot. That’s the easy play. Something happens and I catch the ball at the elbow. No, I’m not looking to do all this other [ __ ] I’m just going to turn and shoot the 12 the 12-footer because I’m that good and I don’t need to do anything else here. The simple play is for me to turn and take the wide of a 12footer. I need to see that when everybody’s on the court so that we can take this from a a really cool impressive player to all of those things plus wins. You know, you had something. No, go ahead. Go ahead. You know, I man I agree with you, Ross. I just think far as the rotation’s been so abysmal that it’s hard to really like it’s just so difficult, man. Because like if I go back to the first game, it’s like all right, this is kind of what the hell like this is a little weird. We got we’re doing point Herb. It’s a little strange. Like I don’t know what’s happening here. Second game against uh San Antonio kind of finds his shots. You know what I’m saying? Defense is abysmal, but it’s finding his offense more so. third game against the Spurs. And far as guys caring about or just being satisfied with, you know, being, you know, man, we almost had him. Again, man, I got I got it on decent authority that that’s not the case right now. I I think after game two, I really think in that building, [ __ ] really went to hell after game two. like just from what I was told that’s when cuz hey that’s when you know DeAndre Jordan was started getting run soon after that went to the bench after that like you know it happened in game three but that’s when Zion had the foot thing and that’s when it just all that’s when everything just got weird like even weirder than usual right but I think man when I look at these rotations I’m talking about when you try now Jeremiah Fez this is no disrespect but he’s a rookie Jeremiah fears looney Uh cuz Eve been sick. Jeremiah FZ Looney uh Herb and you Trey Trey really really the only shooter out there. And it was like, well, [ __ ] And and it seems like just from a offensive standpoint, it’s not really being made a priority in the offense now because you know, I mean, we’ve heard Willie Green say he got to find his shots in the flow of the offense. And then you you pan fast forward years later, you got Willie Green working with Herb and what the [ __ ] I don’t know what I don’t know what they were working on. They working on some type of offensive scheme after practice with Herb, right? And and it’s just like the relationship is soured to the point where it’s just like you gotta get this guy out of here because you know allegedly I almost feel like Willie Green is doing this from a almost as a sabotur. Yeah. Because it it dog like it just it’s just is so nonsensical like to to the point where you going okay so you got Zion Williamson on your team you got Trey Murphy you take Jordan Pool who who at least takes [ __ ] threes out of the starting lineup and you know shout Jeremiah Fez again. He’s a rookie. It is what it is. Jeremiah Fez is a little trigger happy like you know as a young guy. He’s a little trigger happy as a young guy. Jeremiah Fez. It is what it is. Um, but it’s just none of the none of the better players are getting the shot opportunities that they should get and they damn sure not getting the the actions and looks that they they should get neither. And I just think it’s really Willie Green. True. Hey, um, hey, my my bad. You want to say I I’m just I think Chaz is spot on, dog. like the guard makes all the decisions when you don’t have an offense that tells you where the ball goes. So, I get to dribble the ball for 10 seconds, probably get to 15 seconds into the shot clock. Now, I’m The ball’s in my hands. I get to pull Trey Trey, although he had a really great He’s not great at beating guys off the dribble oneonone. He’s not great at it. So you pass him the rock. He doesn’t beat his man. What is he gonna do? Right. Probably pass you the rock back. Y pass it the wheel and I become Will. Like man, this this [ __ ] That’s the [ __ ] that really pisses me off because I really can’t blame Fears. You can’t. You put me in the starting line. Oh yeah. It’s not his fault whatsoever. Yeah, you can’t. You gotta put You got to blame the coach. like Trey not getting enough. The fact that you was even saying the coach was saying that he had the five minutes for Derek Queen. Like that should have been a fireable offense. We not talking about the real he got a two he got two first pick grade on and you can’t find minutes for this mother. I promise you Derek Queen is not having an out-of body experience right now, right? He’s probably been doing this in training camp. Probably took him No, not training camp because he didn’t have that. Probably took him a minute to get his legs under him, right? His skill back. But there’s been flashes of this. There’s no way you pick up DeAndre Jordan and say, “Yeah, I’mma start him.” Oh, there’s a way. But it but it’s even like because even further than that, because this is one of the conversations I wanted to have on this show is like you’re two and six or whatever the hell they are. Derek Queen has clearly shown enough. Why are we starting Sadiq Bay and Herb? Oh, we gonna Hold on, brother. Wait a second. Wait, wait, Ross. Boys, you really want to go there? Hey, you good at the job, Ross. You good at the job, buddy. Hold that thought, though. Hold that thought. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me get this last point off about Trey, then we going to the rookies. I so to Chaz’s point, I will say I I’ve seen Trey concede at certain points this season to Fierce and Queen or anybody else who was on the floor. I I I we gonna talk about them in a second. I want Trey, this is my last point about this. I want Trey to have irrational confidence. The same type of rational confidence that Klay Thompson had in 2018. Mhm. In 2018, Klay Thompson took 599 threes. 599 of them son of Abyss and he made 241. So, so I’m not saying go Trey gonna make 241, but I need Trey to have that type of volume because he he’s that good of a shooter. Go ahead, F. You want to say something? Yeah. Hey, I would love to see that, but also Trey was in an offense. I mean, Clay was in an offense. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. One said they were going to shoot 43s and did it. Al’s playing alongside, you know, top 10. He had the right player shooting the threes also. Yeah. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like the ball movement with there was there. The screening was there. The the I mean Clay was cool. Like bro, there was there’s so many things that you know TR I mean Clay benefited from in Golden State more than anybody in my opinion. Um but we got to get like at least the first step. You got to get at least some kind of like offensive style here. We can even ask Trey to get to at least 400 threes, nevertheless 500. Can you imagine? Shout out to Sean Livingston, the MIDI guy. Can you imagine Shawn Livingston saying, “Fuck out of here, Clay. I’m on tonight.” And just shooting threes. He like, “Yo, what are you doing? Are you crazy?” Like I go ahead and lead on. No, man. Um, yo, so before we we we going we moving on to the next segment and I’m just so good at my job that we just going to do it like this, man. We talking about uh you know, we talking about Fears and Queen and and you know, I seen this graphic out there. Shout out to Justin, man. The rookie of the year right now is at 42% for my man Coopa Flags win, who by the way is not a generational talent. So, I need to stop I need y’all to stop with that. Uh, but but but I’m starting to see some numbers on the rise. Fears is not up here for whatever reason, but Queen is at 69%. Now, that brings us to this. Right now, FanDuel has Jeremiah Fears as a plus 7500 to win rookie of the year. Queen is a plus 10,000. I’m I’m not saying that I’m Tyoo, but if I’m organizing this, Shy Bulips Sey Bips will take one of them bets. I’m just saying Damon will take one of them bets. That’s all I’m saying. But listen y’all. Um Pal look like they got two foundational pieces uh in the future. You know, like it’s a lot we can say about Queen and Fears, but I want to hear from y’all’s perspective. Let’s start with Ross, man. What have you seen from them that you have liked it and and and how do you feel about the picks? Do you feel like do you feel excitement about the picks? feel like they have a foundational piece or you just like uh I don’t know. I I look I’m I’m excited. Um I’m not foundational makes us I got to see I probably got to see more um just over like the course of a season or I needed this to translate to some wins or something. Uh I do think they got exciting players which is more than you can typically say about rookies, you know, eight games into a year. U fear seems to be improving quicker than I thought he would. Yeah, same. like the he it he seems like in these last handful of games it slowed down for him. First few games it was it was very rushed. It was over dribbling. Um that game against San Antonio I saw him doing stuff in the pick and roll. I saw him it just seemed like the game had slowed down. It wasn’t just get to the basket as fast as humanly possible. There was there was some nuance to it. He was finding passes as he was playing downhill. um his turnovers have gone down like since those first few games. I’m seeing more there and and he’s he’s just electric. I mean, there are times when when we can get stops like he’s legitimately electric, I think, in the open floor. That’s exciting. Derrick Queen’s got [ __ ] to his game. Talk about it. Like there’s stuff there. Like the dude can pass. He’s got lights out court vision. Um there are things to improve, you know, I think foot speed needs needs improvement. Um just overall condition, some of those things, but like he’s an offensive weapon and and it’s time to just go ahead. I mean, at this point, you’re two and seven or whatever the hell the record is. I need to see more of him on the court because what else do I have to look forward to? like Looney uh I think it was Chris used to always make fun of of of what it looked like when Trey Jimson was running down the court that it was like the court would shake and Looney ain’t far behind. He he he’s wearing the same shoes. Yeah. I just don’t need to see a lot of that. And I’m not saying that those guys have no value. I’m just saying that given the position that the Pelicans are in, I need to see more of Derek Queen and him being given more responsibility and being put in more situations that will lead to future progression than I do of of Sadique Bay and some of these other plays. Sadique Bay is playing well. He’s shooting the ball well. Herb Jones, for to his credit, who who very critical of early in the year in the first few games, his shooting the ball well. Like that’s great, but those guys are role players and they may or may not be on the roster turn in a few years. You’ve seen enough in these first two games that especially while Zion and Puller out, we need a big diet of uh of Queen and Fears. Five, hold on. Wait, F. Before we do that, hold up before I get to you, man. Let me let me address this real fast. Uh uh Sean, brother, let me help you with that. You can get the [ __ ] out of here. Damn, why did I miss the comment? It’s all good, Ross. He was just a [ __ ] ass boy. Uh, five, you had a tweet the other night, bro. You said salute. You said, you going to know what I’m talking about when I say this. You said he cross one leg cash. Talk to us. Hey, bro. You know what’s crazy? That’s That’s straight off the bench, brother. Didn’t even get warm. He said, “Nah.” Oh, mismatch on the wing. Harrison Barnes, brother, you too small. This man won a championship. No, no, he didn’t. Wait, wait, the first one. Yeah. And then he [ __ ] the bed the second time in a major way, man. That was crazy. Uh Thompson might have had something to do with that one, too. Listen. Uh DQ on the wing cross he right half spin fade like hey bro off the bench with that. That’s nuts dog. Hey bro HB ain’t know where he was at. He might have thought he was at H EB. He thought he was in Golden State again. Hey he might have been searching for groceries. It it was a blur but and to see that like off the rip like okay the confidence is there. like coming off the bench one you you don’t know what your coach might think like it was one point you was probably about to get DMPS and now you’re about to play major minutes like nah he he knows he belongs now and he knows he’s good not only did he do that to Harrison Barnes you can catch this too pause like you know what I mean like it was an all you can eat buffet yeah if you if you wanted pause. You You can get you We can get to it. But um I think his game, although you know, Ross talked about fears being electric, I think Quinn has electricity, too. Mhm. It just in a super slow way. Um or methodical way. Uh that’s why I named him the Big Easy, bro. That’s that’s why I called him that. Like it’s it reminds me of of here because it’s slow, it’s joyous, it’s unconventional, but it’s something to it. It’s special. And we don’t know it’s special, like how special it is, but you know it when you see it. I don’t even want to say this [ __ ] Um there’s almost something from like a tempo and a play style perspective that well some prospect just said it uh that reminds me of Jokic like and I’m not that don’t take that out of context but like from just a like a play style and sort of the way he passes and and how methodical he is with with movements but he’s getting to his spots like there’s there’s these you know maybe a better example might be uh Shangun but like it there’s just there’s there’s something there’s just something Russ you don’t have to do that. No, you don’t have to you don’t have to do we know what you saying. And listen in that video breakdown it was it was evident. It was it was clear as day. Bro, you don’t like it. He he his game is Listen, I’m gonna tell you what I told Justin Ross I mean Ross because I want you to get back to your point. If that man was not black and from Baltimore and he had a the end of his name, he the first pick of the draft, bro. He the first pick of the draft. Like, go ahead. Go ahead, Ross. Oh, how he has a what? Yes. No. It not I’m the really the qu I guess where I’m going with that whole thing is that he doesn’t look like I didn’t think he’d be able to play center. It just when he was coming coming into the league like watching college film and stuff, but he he doesn’t get like overmatched physically like he’s a he’s he’s big. I like he w you know what I’m saying? like he doesn’t he’s not getting pushed around and his offensive game is is so clever and and sophisticated that like you’ve got to play him at center. He also looks like he might get taller like he’s something he like he’s taller wings. Yeah, he doesn’t look like he’s done done growing or something like he looks bigger now than he did in the summer. Um Paul and And I I’m just ready to see him play center. Like I don’t you know what’s what what do you have to lose? Like what is like this is we talk about this so much. Play to your advantages. He is an advantage. Like Looney, DeAndre Jordan, man. Go ahead. Go ahead. I think Oh, damn. Ross froze. I think I think Queen defensively is a four. No. Well, I think he’s a five defensively and a four offensively. What I mean by that is I think he can really only guard at the post right now cuz man him and her her must have cursed Queen out like seven times last game. Like Queen pretty bad defensively like now in the post I think he nice like because he got he got the strength to do it. He could like he kind of kept keep Wimby at bay as much as anyone else really can. And for me I agree with Ross. I think you should switch to a two big lineup because even if I’m I don’t take much away from these three games. I’m just happy to see like Queen play. I don’t take I take more away from his first match up with Wimby than I do with these because these teams second half back toback against really bad team like you still got killed on the boys in Charlotte and you still kind of got killed against Dallas and and last night was kind of in too but I give you a pass because you know Victor win but I’ll say um I think at this stage if you could get more of a high energy guy to pair there with him at the four four five. Uh I think it could work because truthfully to me that’s really the issue. If you’re the Pelicans, you’re not playing no defense anyway. That that like that’s the issue, bro. Like you you you referenced Herb earlier and somebody in the chat say something. I think it was Ramon Richardson. It’s like yeah or somebody said something about Herb shooting percentage cuz bro he’s shooting at he’s shooting 40 plus percent. Shout out to Ramon Rich. He’s shooting 45% and no one cares. Like no, no one cares, bro. No, no one’s guarding him. No, no one cares. No, like really no one cares. He’s shooting 40 what? 5% from the field and like 43 No, 5% from Yor and about 43% from the field. No one cares. In fact, people want to shoot more. That’s why leaving them wide open, bro. Whereas at least with Sadique Bay shooting 41% and at least people care like they care enough to contest. Whereas like if you’re the Pelicans, it ain’t like her playing no defense right now. It ain’t like where the defense coming from. You might as well put two bigs out there. Queen being one of them. Take Jeremiah Fez out of the starting lineup. Put uh Pool back in. So at least you got you got shooting with P. You got shooting with Trey who’s averaging careerh high and rebounding. Also, you got uh you got you still get downhill with Z and you got like Sadi, I’m sorry, not Sadi, uh Queen and maybe another big can help you on the boards because you still just getting destroyed on the boards. And to me, they doing a disservice because I agree with Ross. I don’t necessarily need to see Looney no more. But the like the crazy thing, Carlo just had a really good game and I ain’t seen him since. Chad, he played 25 minutes and then it he played I think he played 25 minutes that game and then he played 17 the next game. Like that’s the crazy thing, bro. It’s like you got the ability to run some two big lineups out there. Just go ahead and and run the two big lineups out there. Kill teams on the board, get out in transition, run, shoot. And I think P and Fier going to keep killing second units like they was doing, especially Fierce earlier in the season cuz I kind of see Fierce hitting that wall a little bit where like he’s still trying hard but the efficiency is just starting to drop more and more and more and he’s a rookie like you know what I’m saying and it’s just unfair to them guys to me. Chaz, I guess I want to ask you a question. I think you kind of answered it already, but it it you you talked about Queen being bad defensively and then you you talked about, you know, her giving him a hard time during the last game and how the team isn’t playing any defense. So, I guess my question is even understanding that Queen sucks defensively. Should you care? Like, should we care? No. I mean, my thing is he has his strengths to where like he just can’t be abysmal defensively. last night he was pretty bad but he wasn’t like abysmal and I think he still can defend the post. He can be he can give you some some level of rim defense. He got a nice wingspan and the effort is going to be there. He can help you on the boards. He’s not like lazy. He just don’t know what to do necessarily and you’re not going to learn with the Pelicans brother. I’m sorry but not with Willie Green. Yeah. I mean, a good example. Oh, sorry. No, I was gonna say because we we were because we were we we talked about that Celtics game earlier and I watched almost the whole game and Orlando because of the lineups and the way things worked out. They they put Paulo on on Pritchard for huge chunks of the game, right? And and Pritchard took a bunch of shots, didn’t make any of them, like didn’t mean he wasn’t affecting the game in other ways, right? But the point is is like it’s not like like all right, yeah, cool. That’s not the best matchup on earth. like Paulo can’t really guard Pritchard, but like who cares? Like go ahead, you know, like do the best you can, switch when you can, and and that’s what it’s like Orlando was going to play to their strengths in that game, which was have all these dudes out there that can play offense. I mean, they end up losing the game, but but the point is is like try to play to your strengths and and if that leads to wins, awesome. If not, then you probably need to reconstruct the roster anyway, right? So, just see what you have and let this dude learn on the fly defensively because ain’t nobody getting any stops regardless. Man, I I feel like I guess we could just get into the whole rotation conversation because we I’m with y’all like what’s what you you already started fears, right? So, like why not you you your future is right now with Derek Queen and Fears. You don’t have a pick, right? Why not let them just continue to develop? I mean, I don’t know what you expect to get out of this season at this point, but like why not just go all in on them? Like, what what is what is the reasoning that he’s not? Go ahead, Chaz. If I can answer that, Leo, I think because it is very early in the season and you’re kind of like you’re really some goofy ass [ __ ] away from being like four and five. Like that’s to and to me that’s the more annoying thing is that simp a timeout here a maze free throw here a simple rotation like you really even in like some of the games they before you let go of the rope you were competitive in most of these games except maybe not Denver but the other games you were pretty competitive until ultimately you let go of the rope. Your better players, with the exception of Pool early on, have played relatively well. And Trey kind of he found his groove later on, but your better players have played relatively well. You should have fallen into wins and thinking about, okay, damn, if we fix this here, fix this there, we’ll be even better. Like Clippers just lost four in a row after a hot start. Like, you know, the the West is real choppy and weird right now. It’s not as good as people anticipated. like at least not to start because Jaylen Green for the Suns just grand opening grand closing with another hamstring out another four to six weeks. I hope he’s okay. But I just think from a rotation standpoint, the queen thing, I mean, the fair thing, the fact that I know it was political, that’s what makes me like, nah, you can’t. I’m not I’m not buying stock and you starting no [ __ ] Jeremiah Fez the rest of the year just because you got a problem with Jordan P. Because the initial decision wasn’t even Fizz. I could have respected it if you was like, “All right, I’mma start I’mma start Fizz. I’m just not seeing what I need to see from you, JP. After after three games, I’m just not seeing what I need to see from you, champion. But the when you started DeAndre Jordan for one game and never played him again after that, what up, Trey? I know what’s happening here. Like with Eve Me and DeAndre Jordan, like and even Herb to a lesser degree, I know what’s happening here. So, I I that’s why to me I can’t just rip the band-aid off the season because even when I look at this, I don’t I don’t really see necessarily a talent void with this team. Fear is a lot more ready than I thought he would be. Um Queen I knew Queen would be I thought Queen would be a little more ahead of the curve versus Fierce, but he he ain’t really have a camp. He just getting back. Didn’t have the uh summer league necessarily. So, for me, I still believe in the talent of this team and the fact that you losing these games by two points here, two points there. Um, saying a couple of the games where you just got your [ __ ] teeth kicked in. And and some of that’s political dating to what’s going on behind the scenes. To me, the the entire evaluation is go back to if you find Willie Green, this would be a much better team. Like I I don’t see a big boy of talent like I thought that we would see. Like I I feel like the the record is is is false in my opinion. I feel like Fab, let me ask you this. Chad said something about, you know, they should be four. What you said? Four and five. Uh at least four and five at minimum. So, so if I said five, if I said this team would be this team would have five wins right now if there was a different coach. You you say what? I said you you’re lying. This team probably had six or seven wins if they had a different coach. M m um truth be told like again it we’ve been talking about this for a minute like it was we didn’t need a bunch of games to figure out that Derrick McQueen could play NBA basketball. We didn’t need a bunch of games to figure out that um Jeremiah Fears is a really good guard. Look, we didn’t. Also, you don’t go out and get a Jordan pool and three games in revert back to ah we’re going to put him on a Washington didn’t even do that. They had a had a whole bunch of data that they didn’t even do that. Mhm. So, like to be playing these political games not even 10 games into the season, like what what does that actually tell you? It it really begs the question like what’s going on in that building, right? what are the real stories that are that are going on? Like that’s what people need to be asking because we’re not getting the answers. Um, no one’s doubling down on, you know, okay, yeah, Zion’s hurt. Cool. Like Jordan pulls out. Kesi, too. Like you go out and get DeAndre Jordan and you start like this dude wasn’t playing NBA basketball and he started the next game against the best player in the league. Because of familiarity, you know what? Yeah. Go ahead, J. I’m sorry. Five Leo. I think it was because of ho [ __ ] You know, and the reason I say because of whole [ __ ] is because, you know, when I was doing the live show, people was like, “Well, you know, he got a ring with him. Maybe they, you know, they want to show him some love.” Okay, cool. File Jokish. Come sit your ass down. Real starter. Get in the game. But he built his legacy with the Clippers. He didn’t even play. Yeah. You know what I’m saying? And Willie Green was there with the Clippers and they all got a ties back to the Clippers. That’s what I’m saying. You might look into that, Cash. But I’m saying everybody got ties back back to the Clippers, you know, and Ty. I just think it’s like to me, I thought it was some [ __ ] to kind of like make a point to pull like I’m, you know, I’m I’m I’m driving my nuts. I’m running [ __ ] here. You know what I’m saying? and like pool staring them down after the shots. Is it I mean I rather them just curse him out in front of everybody. But it is a bigger story, right? But then it’s probably getting picked up. If if it was for a bigger team, it would probably grow legs. But the fact that it’s like dog, at least three of your starters have an issue with you at minimum. No, four. I’m gonna say four because at least four of your starters have a mission with you and three of them not playing have a problem with you and three of them not playing right now. and they not playing under mysterious circumstances. So, it’s just like it’s this guy like it’s just so it’s just he just being a hoe about everything though. Like and I can’t believe they’re allowing him to do this. Yeah. It don’t seem like much leadership uh going on even even from Uncle Joe. You know what I’m saying? Let me ask y’all this man. I guess I’ll start with Ross. What What does a perfect rotation for this team look like, though? That’s a good question. healthy or like right now? G can you give me both uh lineups? Uh I mean look for me I I know people aren’t going to like this. I I don’t know that I I think I probably start fears over pool. I’ve said from the jump I think pool is is better. he’s not going to like it, which is maybe the bigger issue. But I I I kind of think P is better either as a second secondary ball handler in the first unit or is like a six-man that, you know, plays 30 minutes or something. Um I would personally look into starting both of them um for for periods of time. That’s what I was going to ask you too. Fear and pull. I I I think there needs to be more tinkering done. I know that just running out like, you know, a generic pool herb, Trey, Zion, Looney lineup is is the I just just so irresponsible and boring that that it shouldn’t happen anymore. Like you you’ve got to find a style of basketball that works for for the players you have, which in my opinion is is playing up tempo. I’m not saying ignore defense, but play up tempo. Get up and down the court, get shots off, and and do the best you can defensively. I I mean, I know that sounds ridiculous, but but I really think that’s how this team has to play. I would I’d probably leave Herb in the starting lineup, I guess, but I would have I would think I would play Zion and Queen. So, I would probably have something like either Fears or Pool, maybe both, depending on on who you’re playing. And then Herb trades Zion Queen. [Music] If if Father Chad, if y’all if y’all want to answer, that’s cool. And then and then I think what and and I think what that that lineup will actually do is give you little more firepower off the bench too because Jose wants to play that style of basketball. Jordan P wants to play that style of basketball. Sadique Bay can support that style of basketball. So I I think and so does Mei. Mei wants to get up and down the court. So, I think when you’re fully healthy, if you’ll commit to a starting lineup that actually wants to run, wants to play up tempo, wants to pick up a little bit higher defensively, it’ll allow you to utilize some of those bench players that I think also probably are best served doing the same thing. Um, that’s what I would want to see. The only the only change I’d make, I’d probably have her coming off the bench and starting Sadique Bay because the space you need like having Trey as the lone shooter is is you almost you take away from Trey by doing that. He’s so he’d be so dependent on being behind the three-point line almost 30 foot behind it like shooting 30footers again. we’d be back at that point rather than having two spacers and then he’d be allowed to cut and and try to get downhill. Like I think that’s important. Um also it would allow you know Herb to go against second unit guys. said would free up JP would like there’s a there’s a lot of positives to that also like having Carlo how do you matter of fact I wanted we we’ll talk about this probably the Mi versus Carlo in a sense like what do y’all feel about those two like say if they were both healthy like I I think I truly think the move is Carlo to be honest like I I truly think the move is Carlo um it just there’s just more there and when you have Derek Queen. I don’t see the need for Mei. [Music] What do uh I’m glad you said that because it was one of the questions I had like Are y’all making anything of Carlo just like not shooting the ball this season? Like if him I I don’t has he attempted a three yet? Attempted one. I think he made I remember him making one. I don’t know how many shots. Wasn’t like a corner three if I’m not mistaken. If if he made one then I probably seen him think two total on the season. I y’all keep talking I’ll find out honestly because it Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. It’s just something that was weird to me like it was one of the things I thought was be like a potentially huge benefit of like hey if he can get up and down the floor. Go ahead. Yeah. I I kind of attribute that to to old Bill as well because I agree. like the guy what’s what’s this guy in uh I don’t even know dude name man in uh in Memphis but when I just say these teams are mirrors of one another like listening to J talk he like well when I do find a rhythm they pull me out the game ain’t no space on the court and like it’s just similar things like but I think um from a rotation standpoint the only the main reason I wouldn’t start fears is because I think fears causes everyone else to lag a little it. And what I mean by that is I think Feds and Herb have a similar effect from that. Whereas I feel like them two always get the first shot and sometimes they get the first couple shots and sometimes they not passing the ball at all. And I’m just like, “No, I need I need these three dudes pool Trey to be taking the first couple of shots. I need them to start the the game rolling.” Fizz, if you want to come and be the spark of the bench, which I know you can do, I love it. But I don’t want I I just can’t like to me that’s what happened with the Clippers game to where we looking at um [ __ ] me I just like dealing with who these guys are bro like I would love for like Zion to have Jobs mentality in some instances. I would love for Trey to have like the Indiana Paul George mentality but I just know that’s not their temperament. Like I just go back to that clip of the game. Zion’s two for three from the field with no rebounds. second half. I think he ended the game with like I don’t know it’s like I don’t know maybe like 25 or 27 and like eight nine rebounds some [ __ ] like that because he stopped taking shots. I just know these dudes need to take shots to feel a part of the game and be engaged and when they go in the first three minutes without shots Zion getting subbed out at five at you know at the five minutes anyway. So like why not get them the shots early in the game? But my rotation would be P, Zion, Trey, Queen, and Carlo. And I I would just run two big lineups out there, bro. Uh I wouldn’t worry about defense because they ain’t like defense working right now. Anyway, I would try to be a beast on the boards. You got three ball handlers out there in in Queen. That’s one of the greatest things about Queen’s skill set. He can operate the top of the key. You know what I’m saying? He can bring the ball up the court. You know what I’m saying? Yeah. You got Zion who’s a willing passer. Trey, a willing passer. sometimes a little too willing. I know Queen can pass the ball. I know Queen can shoot. He can handle the ball. He knows how to get to the free throw line. Only concern I have with with Queen, and I kind of have this concern with her, too, is that you pick up fouls very easily. Like, you know, they kind of like some foul machines. And that’s something if I’m a defender, I’m attacking queen every time. I got to get you off the court, brother. But I I but honestly, I would run two big lineups, man. I I think all those guys fit. Like you say, Ross, I think it’ll give Carlo more opportunities from that corner queen. You know, the passing to Carlo, passing to Zion, passing to Trey. I just think it makes way I think it makes a ton of sense, especially if you don’t want, let’s say, if you a person who say point Zion is too much stress physically on Zion’s body. Okay, cool. What? We haven’t seen Point Zion yet this season. But let’s just say you’re a person who feels that way. Cool. Let’s say you don’t think Derek Queen should be running a point. Cool. Now you got free ball handlers in Queen, Zion, and Pool who can all operate in at different instances. If either one of those guys get high is lights out for the opposing defense. You got Carlo who’s a high energy guy. You got rebounding. You got shooting from Trey rebounding at I think the best of his career at this point. It just makes too much sense. That’s probably why we’ll never see it, but it makes too much sense to me. Let me let me let me uh Fav, you you gave your line up? Yeah, I gave my lineup, but I also Trey I mean, sorry, Chad brought up something that was interesting. Remember when JJ Reic was playing for the Clippers and like he led the league in like first quarter points? Like I would hope like the Pelicans would do that with Trey or i.e. Zion, right? Like figure out a way to like get them shots early. If you can get them easy buckets early, that opens up a level of like a part of your game that like or even your offense if you’re a coach like the the defense has to adjust to that then would make the other thing that you do well easier. So that was just like you brought up first you brought up like the Clippers and then Trey I was like oh well that that would make a lot of sense for for this team. What five say just pissed me off so much because I agree with him totally. Just think about the first first game. First play of the game, [ __ ] yam on Wimby. Wimby getting like 40 points. Wimby acting a fool, right? You dunk on Wimby. Nobody’s scared of Wimby. That sets the precedent. All right, we ain’t scared this [ __ ] Now Derek Queen coming the game. He locking Wimby up the best defending the [ __ ] out of Wimby, right? Ballinger. Everybody balling. Everybody the the the point of I would say just the precedent has been set. I think the only player who didn’t really play well those games were P and Herb. Herb scored zero points and P just shot terribly. But even Trey offensively was there. Defensively he was terrible. But you just set the precedent. Even if you failed like that every single night, I would be like, “All right, at least I see what you’re kind of doing here. The talent just ain’t there.” But I see what you’re doing with this. It just looks stupid. Like it just looks stupid. Uhuh. I I was gonna say before we move on, uh, Ross, I want to hear what you got to say. Carlo ESPN is telling me Carlos shot one three this season and has not made a three. I I feel like that’s a damn lie, bro. Right wing. It was from the right wing. I know he I thought he made a three. I know I saw him make a three. But anyway, on the line. No, I don’t really have anything else to add. I just was kind of piggybacking off what you the Chasm Fives conversation there. Just I agree. what what whatever it is, you know, it it just feels like Willie is not equipped to do any of these things like and that that’s just it’s just such a piss off and it’s so frustrating because we said we all said the same thing basically from the jump. If this team has any chance of winning games, it’s going to be with a little bit of creativity like this because the the the pieces you have are not traditional and and and all Willie wants to do is just try and run. I mean, that’s why he saw the DeAndre Jordan [ __ ] why you’re seeing the Looney stuff. It’s why you’re seeing all the lineups that don’t really make a ton of sense is because there’s just not very much creativity and it’s it can be infuriating. Can I ask y’all something for sure? Do do y’all feel like because I I would been on my soap box about this since the DeAndre Jordan start like but do y’all feel like Jordan Pool’s benching and you know just the rotations in general are politically driven? Absolutely. Absolutely. No doubt. What do you mean? Like this this hypothetically, right? Hypothetically, let’s say after game two, Z after game two, Jordan Pool was just like, you know, don’t quote me here. He was like, “Man, you don’t know what the [ __ ] you’re doing, right?” And Willie was like, “All right, I’ll show you. I can’t bench you against the Celtics cuz Zion just popped up and said, “My foot don’t feel right.” You’re like, “So, I can’t bench you now, but from here on out, you’re gonna be benched.” and that like do you do you think Willie Green is petty enough to bench Jordan Pool because they had a verbal uh in incident? Oh, I think he’s definitely petty enough to do it. Um the fact that three games Ross three games is not a lot of games. Like it just it’s this is a tough This is a tough one for me because like the answer to your question is unequivocally yes. He’s petty enough. We’ve seen him do all kind of dumb petty [ __ ] At the same time, like man, like Pool was lighting the world on fire, you know? Like, and that’s that’s part of this this thing for that I’m I’m struggling with, right, when it comes to Pool because of the same as the CJ stuff. I feel like he’s been he was put into a bad situation of like almost not not a savior, but like I feel like the expectations for P were way out of line. like did not in any way match what Jordan P has been or done in his career. Not saying he’s a bad player because he isn’t, but it felt like he came in was like, “Ah, yeah, now we got our guard like type of thing like just to provide I’m sorry, Rob, you go ahead. I I’ll go after you.” Appreciate that, Chase. This is the This is the funny thing about this, right? Jordan P is a champion, right? He’s won an NBA champion. He’s been in the league. What is his his eighth year? Am I tripping? Is it? That feels like a lot, but yeah. So, whatever. I mean, something like that. Somewhere in there, right? Yeah. I think the seven or eight year. He’s a veteran in this point. Yes. Willie Greens played basketball like for a guy to lose his starting spot in the third game of the season that like that doesn’t track like you know like Willie Green you know Jordan P can score like you’ve seen it you you can talk to people what happened for Jordan Pool to lose his job and And it wasn’t performance-based because we’ve seen Willie Green give guys chances especially veterans chances but not the guy you traded for or something like the ain’t this crazy the thing two five like see I agree with Ross I don’t think Jordan P was like like lighting the world on fire but in that Boston game he was your best player like statistically across the board he was the best pelican anyway on the floor I think he he the only one who had just damn Jordan Pool had 22 points. Your next highest score was Derek Queen with 12 points, right? Go ahead. But but but but simply could I mean this is one where and again I’m I’m guess playing a little bit of devil’s advocate but like does it have anything to do with the fact that maybe Jeremiah Fears who you just drafted really high in the draft. You lost the first two games and [ __ ] you could make an argument he was your best player in those first two games and it was just a well [ __ ] you know because this is how Willie thinks right? real real black and white basic [ __ ] like well y maybe we got to change something you know this is the change you can make because we know Willie Green probably don’t like Jordan Pool anyway so he was probably looking for a reason and this gave him a reason you know like it might not be as like I know we’re calling it politics it could just be you’ve got such a simple simple-minded coach with no creativity that like I think I think you just threw a great alley right there cuz you know look Jeremiah Fields my dog and he’s a rookie man. Jeremiah Fields had two points. He went one point 11 four turnovers. That game he started. It was terrible. The game he started is terrible. Yeah. That’s why I’m like what the [ __ ] did you see? Like if you’re Willie Green, like aside from the fact I heard about the argument, but it it’s still just like, bro, this is so like painfully like [ __ ] What you doing? Cuz the crazy part because to me, I still don’t say he got benched for Fierce. I felt like the first because Zion was out so you had to play Fars but I felt like he got benched for DeAndre Jordan against against the Nuggets and and and now I’m going keep it a buck. I feel like he getting benched for her. I’m I’mma keep it a buck because to me it’s just no way to it just ain’t no logical way you still running her out there with that starting unit, man. I just it just look crazy to me. He g he gonna let Herb play through his struggles. Yeah. But he wouldn’t let Jordan P do that. Oh, 100%. That like you know that’s that’s not even a surp like that you we can’t there’s no way you could say that and be in any way be surprised like No, not not at all. That’s like the best Willy Green of all time. Like that’s the problem. Yeah. Yeah. That’s why I don’t want people like the fans to be like yo is it’s Jeremiah Fit. I’m like, “No, it’s clearly like some petty [ __ ] going on.” Like, well, it’s clearly like, look, man, to me, the obvious answer going into this season, I ain’t know who you was going to start in in her place, but it was it was to start somebody else. Like, either Sadique Bay, Carlo, Queen, whoever you gonna start, but you need to do it. And the fact that it just looked crazy, you it’s just I don’t know. Well, let’s address the elephant in the room then. like, “All right, after what’s happened these last couple games, let’s just let’s just play hypotheticals here. Let’s just say in a week everybody’s healthy. Who’s will he start? Who who’s will he start?” I think What’s the starting lineup? I I think it’s Jeremiah Fierce. Well, it depends. It depends on how much hell Jordan Pool raised behind the scenes, but All right. Well, no. Let’s Let’s do All right. Everybody’s healthy tomorrow. Everybody healthy tomorrow. Let’s say everybody’s healthy tomorrow. Who starts everybody healthy tomorrow? I think I think you see Sadique Bay out of the starting lineup. Insert Zion. And I think I think starts in Wait, is this is this is this in play? Cuz you saying everybody. Oh, no. He’s too far away. I don’t count him yet. I’m saying I’m saying the group that the group you had to start the season with with Looney. Who starts? I think I think um the only I think Lo I think Eve starts over Looney at this point and I think um that’s another thing you you you’ve played Looney his first game back like you boy Willie Green is a [ __ ] boy can’t help himself. Yeah, against Hart. Who was it? Hard son. It just look crazy, too. I think I think it’s probably Eve and uh Zion re into the lineup. And I think Yeah. Inferious. I I’m not sure what Pool said to Willie, but he definitely he he said it with his whole chest because Willie is I think you lose. Like I I I think like I think you’ve lost P until Willy’s gone. Like I really I I believe that to be true. This is the last I want to say too on this point. Uh, Ross, if P was just a sixman, fine. He’s like the eighth man, man. Because because Miy uh well, a backup B comes in, then Jose Sadi Bay comes in, right? And P just there to like the two minutes in the first. That’s why I was like, come on, man. Like, this is crazy. I I I got a hotter take. I think if Willie remains the coach throughout the the the the season, I I could see a world where Jordan Pool is not here after Allstar break. Oh yeah, I can see him making enough of a fuss cuz he he got to get a new contract. I I can see it being a thing. I I I definitely could see that. Not to mention, you shouldn’t like if you if you’re committing to like if you’ve committed to Willie, there is no reason keeping Jordan Pull on this roster. Like no reason. Be bad as possible. Like even if you don’t have your pick, if you commit with it, just just be as bad as possible. Like at that stage, that’s what that’s what and that’s why I keep saying like you should just be playing fear. Like if as long as Willy’s a coach, who cares? You’re not going to be good anyway. Yeah. So just play the rookies. Like let’s continue to see what we have. Well [ __ ] Go ahead. Go ahead. I just I just want to add this point because I was thinking about this earlier. Um third queen, right? Really good. How do y’all feel about the pick now? Like I know he overpaid. We understand he overpaid, but like do you do we get it? Like do we understand like we good? Like Go ahead. Yeah. Go ahead. my my position on it like it was kind of prior to this recent run was kind of like I understand it because you might look at this roster and say I didn’t really build this and I feel like we void of talent like you know what I’m saying I I can see uh Joe looking at it and saying man we void of talent this is this is a mistake but damn like I still think this is one Some things you just not going to know for years, dog. Because if Derek Queen becomes Sabonis, you still you feel good about it. But if you or the Pace get like that’s pay to get number five and number five is Demarcus Cousins. You feel you gonna feel kind of played like it’s just I just wish he wouldn’t have done it because it’s it’s unfair pressure on that young man. And if you the Pelicans, you just you just in a weird weird spot. I just wish he wouldn’t have done it. I feel like Go ahead, Ross. No, no, no. You You were You was I I feel like this. Do Do I like the price that he paid for him? No. Do I like the player that he got? Absolutely. I feel like it’s a great answer. I I I feel like if you if you are leading it, let’s say you’re leading a company, right? And you have a vision and and you see the person on the on the market that you want and he fits what it is that you want your company to embody and you go get him. I can’t be mad at that because at least you have at least you had the balls to do it, right? I I got the guy I got the guy I want going forward. Like it’s a chance that is he going to be better than AJ next year? AJ is probably going to be the the top player of the draft. I don’t know. I don’t know. You know what I’m saying? But is do I think that Derek Queen is going to be do we have the potential to be a perennial all-star going forward? Yeah. You know what I’m saying? So it’s like it’s a it’s it’s like you really never gonna have that answer. It’s going to take five years I feel like to get the actual answer to that question. Especially with the Pelicans thing because the number of rookies they drafted that haven’t made it to the second like lottery rookies that haven’t made it to their second contract. I don’t give a [ __ ] if you had all the conviction in the world and you just like no this is my guy at number seven with the Pelicans and you just never you just never know. Like it’s just sad. But I think I think both of them dudes doing great things right now and I hope it continues. I before we get out of here, man, let’s let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Uh, as Ross as Ross eloquently put it, man, I don’t know when Zion coming back. I don’t know what the timeline is. I ain’t heard nothing from the Pelicans. Per per usual. Per usual. P per usual. They go they go MIA. Uh, is Zion’s absence helping this team build an identity? I’mma say no. And the reason I say no is because man, I ain’t gonna lie. When you really like, you know how when you watch the game, when you chilling at the house, you can kind of look away and come back. When you watch it live, you be like, “Who the [ __ ] are these guys?” Like, dog, when Charlotte played, I was like, “Who the [ __ ] are these guys?” And you were outrebounded by like 10. It was a dog fight. You had Trey Ban looking like bootleg Iverson out there giving you buckets. Conan Nipple had like 20 and seven. No, I I think I think you kind of got by that second game. No Lively, no AD. Uh just [ __ ] Gaffford’s hurt. I you No. And then go you go to the last play. Herb dies on the screen set by Gaffford. Queens in drop coverage. Cooper flag right there. Misses the floater to send the game into overtime. Um, nah. I just think I think you you just got the same problems and you playing bad teams or teams on the second night of back to backs quite honestly. Like I saw Darren Fox get like three rebounds offensive boards in a row last night and it’s just nah. Do Ross, let me ask you this. When Zion comes back, right, you see what Queen and Fears are doing. You saw what trade did does he does Zion disrupt this or do you let’s say you being Willie Green because the actual Willie Green doesn’t have a logical sense in his head but you being Willie Green ros do you find a way to make this work with with all of them? Uh I I think I could find a way to make it work. Willie Green won’t. Um, and the reason, you know, to go back to your original question, no, you’re not building any chemistry or changing any culture or anything right now because we just all sat here and talked about the fact that like all them dudes could get healthy next week. And man, I don’t even know how many minutes Derrick Queen would play. I wouldn’t I have no level of comfort that if if everyone got fully healthy by Wednesday that Derrick Queen would play more than 12 or 13 minutes. So I no I don’t think you’re building anything as long as Willie Green’s there. I don’t think you can build anything. Um and and and and to be honest with you, I do think Zion kind of disrupts things because I I just talked about it like I hadn’t seen Trey play this way. I hadn’t seen this kind of ball movement with with the whole like with the whole group. So no, it goes back to the same thing. You never know quite what you’re going to get with this team. Um, it’s it’s just so poorly coached that you’re never going to get any level of consistency. And that’s kind of that. I mean, and and also, who the [ __ ] even knows when Z’s going to play anymore? I’m I’m I’m pretty much over that conversation at this point, too. But that’s the greatest thing to me, too, bro. It’s like Derek Queen just was not playing after coming. He had one he come he came off a good game, had one bad game, then we just didn’t see him for like two games. the [ __ ] with Dream Effect, man. He was just He was just getting garbage time. That’s why I’m like, you know, I’m excited for the young man. I am excited, but I I I’m really just trying to keep everything in perspective in this like n best defender. Yeah. Best defender in the NBA, Bill Green. Uh man, F before we get out of here, man, we got to we got to we got I got some some quick hot takes and some overunders. We can try to get some chat questions out. Gonna do all this in five minutes, but five. How much longer for you? You’re the GM. You’re the president of basketball. How much longer for you do you bank as Zion as your cornerstone? He got about two years. This one then next year. You give him you give him you give him one more year if this this [ __ ] don’t work. Yeah, because I can see where you fire Willie, you get another coach, you figure like like, hey, this is what it is. And if it’s uh if it if it’s not working out, then like, hey, bro, well, we just got to figure this out. Then, you know, you got two guys you spent a lot of cash on to to bring over to draft, right? So, now, not only you trying to figure it out with Zion, you got to figure it out with a new coach. That’s just a lot at play. So, you might as well just move on from him, get something in return because you’re you’ve used all your your draft capital. Maybe kind of reup on that and kind of move forward from there. Uh, Chaz Ross. Yo, DM me, David. I got DM me. Holl at me. Um, man, I I have it on pretty cool authority that Zion and Joe pretty locked in. Like they they got a really good relationship. I would also say, not that he’s faking it, not not that this injury is fake. I’m not saying it at all. But what I’m saying is if Willie Green had got fired after the Denver game, I think Zion would be playing right now. I just think you see a more collective buy in. That’s why I say that because man, it’s hard to give a [ __ ] where you’re just like who cares anymore. I’ll just say that, right? I’ll just say that. But for me, you you got to at least wait till you after Willie Green. That That’s the [ __ ] up part because now it’s all stupid again. It’s all stupid again because had you just started fresh, cool? Like it would have been it would have been nothing. Like let’s if you file your Willie Green at Thanksgiving and go the rest of the season. I think me personally I think that’s enough time to see what you got here and then you just go into the offseason and figure it out. The shitty part too is even if let’s say whoa appreciate you with that southbuck big dog big mo big big hb appreciate you fam like the shitty part is even if you is going to tear it down because now people are getting older her being 27 Trey being what about 25 going to 26 c I mean pool being about 25 26 I think I do think Joe approaching this as a multi-year post approach because he didn’t get to pick his head coach. Then also you got to wait till the offseason to trade everybody anyway cuz now you getting pennies on the dollar. So you might have just punted a whole another season with Willie Green. Yep. Yep. Rush, you got anything on that? No, I pretty much agree with Chaz and five. I mean, I think you got to give it to the end of the year. [ __ ] Bill, bro. Uh, all right. Check this out. Check this out. Uh, hot takes. Hot takes real fast. Fears and Queen have already showed more chemistry in their eight games played than Zion and Ingram have in their five years together. Hot take. I’m gonna say nah. Just just a hot take. Uh saying what fear fears has made Jose Alvarado expendable. Hot take. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I think I I think Jose’s skill set is still cool. Ifo I like Jose as a break glass in case of emergency guy, man. Yeah. You know, but I’mma say yeah. If I’m talking about my actual backup point guard because again, Fierce shouldn’t be starting. So, yeah. Uh overunder. Fierce and Queen will combine combine 25 points per game over the next 10 games. Yeah, I’ll take that. Yeah. Yeah, that’s that’s unreasonable. Fears and Queen will have both have 10 plus starts by Allstar break. Total or individually? Total. Oh, yeah. Combined. Yeah, individually. Individually. Uh, I can’t see them starting Queen yet. That’s something weird happened because you got think think about how many Willie Green favorites you gota you gonna have to jump to get Queen in that starting lineup. You’re gonna be disrespecting a lot of your front court thinking about that. Not not really disrespecting them, but you got you got Looney and Eve that you gota be like, hey, you know, and you know, you’re not gonna say nothing to her or you or you’d have to restructure the lineup, which he’s not, you know, then you’re talking about moving her. Yeah. Just that’s a tough one. Yeah. And you know, having to do work is just crazy. It’s [ __ ] [ __ ] mass, right? No. Um, last one. Willie Green, this is just a yes or no. Willie Green finishes the season as head coach. No. I said no last year. Look at us. Yeah. I can’t say I’m at a point where I I can no longer say no. This dude is a [ __ ] Teflon Don. Yeah. Hey, bro. He know he know where the bodies are. But there is somebody out there that man he could help. He can help the Pelicans. He’s waiting on a job. If anybody wants a coach that I mean people saying Derek Queen kind of look like Joker if you think Zion could be like an Aaron Gordon type, you know, fears Jordan Pool could kind of mimic Jamal Murray. Gotta shoot the ball. Cra Murphy could be your what’s your boy name? Michael Porter Jr. Oh yeah. MP. I mean I mean I know a guy that coached him to a championship. I take I take a I take anybody with a pulse at this point that that had a little bit of uh charisma uh some moxy with him. Just I’m just tired of Bill, bro. I’m saying we would think Elvin Gentry was a godsend right now. We we were like, “Oh my, he’s so innovative. He’s a genius. He’s Oh my god, how does he do it? We think he Michael Jackson right now. He’s the best. That dude can coach. God, he’s good. All right, man. Let’s get out of here, man.” Uh, couple of these. Shout out to Dave, man. Welcome home, brother. Appreciate you, brother. We We appreciate that. Uh Joe says, “Y’all think Hulk know how to fry some chicken? Church is down the street. Just had a spot open up.” That’s tough, Joe. Oh, bad. Oh, girl, it’s tough. Oh, man. But no, I don’t think he can. I don’t think he can either. I don’t think he can either. Knuckle the base guy. What up, Norco? Who that that dollar 99go? Give him hell, Malone. I might take Jimmy V. You know, from what from what I was told, Malone come with quite a bit of baggage. Yep. I don’t know what the baggage is, but hey, man, if you I deal with it. If you win, Chaz Chaz, you’ve said this a lot. Yeah. I don’t give a [ __ ] what you do. I don’t care what you do. Yeah. Yeah. There were there were some there were some lineup questions in and frustrations when Malone was in Denver um with with Malone. Yeah. Hey, look. Yic can make anybody look like a [ __ ] genius. Uh the baggage plus some of that. Give me Give me Barga. I don’t know if him and Joel make it. Yeah. Malone talk big [ __ ] But it definitely wouldn’t. I’m cool with that. Yeah. I I Hey, if if if you get Malone, it’s you you’re giving him the whole all the keys. He ain’t I mean it’s this is like a Yeah. Stan It’s called Stan Jr. man. It’s gonna be the same Stan situation. They gonna hate that [ __ ] We y’all said we needed a stand. That’s I think we do. No, I wish. You know what I will say? I think the players on this team just don’t like Willie cuz he’s a [ __ ] ass. I think Malone I think they respect Malone mind. Like I think they like Derek Queen Fizz cuz they they they confrontational people like far as chippiness and talking big [ __ ] I think they I think this whole team would respect a a a hotheaded coach’s mind on the rail. Someone with a hint of racism. I think I think they’d appreciate it. Malone kind of Malone Malone kind of mimics Shawn Payeyton. You know, you know likes to, you know, he he said like to drink. Shawn Payeyton did some other things to Sean allegedly. Allegedly. But he got they both got chips. Shout out to the Xbox King. They call Sean the Xbox. You know what I say? I see I see Shan one night. Imagine Balone going over to Jordan Pool saying, “Man, I remember when we played y’all in the playoffs and you eliminated us.” Like, “Oh, people people got Jordan Pool in the playoffs [ __ ] up. That dude was a hell that year.” Like, it just [ __ ] happens. You want to talk about Good Authority? I gotta go on Good Authority. BGO ain’t coaching [ __ ] right now. Oh, for sure. Oh, yeah. For sure. For sure. Not a damn. For sure. For sure. We heard we heard a little something, man. It might have been a little little little yelling match or something like that. You know what I’m saying? At a practice. I heard something got cancelled. I don’t I don’t know. I don’t I don’t know. Culture. I don’t know if we can say that. Yeah. I don’t know if we can say that, but allegedly. Allegedly. Allegedly. If y’all heard that, if y’all y’all if y’all heard it, y’all a hear that. Um, shout out to I broke my back spinal who is a terrible that boy nice play. It’s crazy because I know exactly what you mean. Yeah, I know what you mean. I told y’all a terrible shot. It went in though. Oh, let me see. Man, it’s a little bit easier to get to these uh these uh these chats when y’all send the super chats, honestly, because they highlight them for us. So, if you just send in regular, I I apologize. Uh let’s see. I wonder if you’re giving up ees, it would be easier to get Kesler. I don’t think you I don’t think you want Kessler right now, my boy. Shoulder if you want that. Uh Joe, has anybody looked at what Burggo did in Charlotte with his centers? that Wood would not work with Queen. Dude made Graham have his best. That dude had Miles Plumbley averaging seven [ __ ] assist that year. I remember that vividly. So, y’all do with that what you will. Uh oh, bro. I just don’t like Willie Green, dog. Like, I just not like Willie Green. Oh, I missed one. I missed one from Knuckle, man. Knuckle, my bad. Mike Malone that had them boys running plate. Yeah. The bare minimum, bro. Look where we at. That’s why that’s why to me that’s why I’m not that concerned with the roster because I’m like dog any of us could have made some of these decisions. Like do in the Charlotte game Willie Green took two timeouts home with him. He had two timeouts when left when the game was over. He’s unbelievably bad. That’s why it’s just like Oh, any of us had his team at 500 like at minimum. Crazy. We uh they play tomorrow night, right? Yeah. Yeah. Without JG. We we’ll see y’all tomorrow night, man. Tag back in with us. Like, subscribe, comment. We’ll holl at y’all later. Peace.
0:30- Intro
3:00- Trey Murphy
30:46- Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears
45:30- Future
1:04:00- Rotation Questions
1:13:49- How Do You Like The Derik Queen Pick Now?
1:17:09- Zion Williamson
1:21:30- Fan Questions/Comments
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19 comments
Thank you Lito! Because Poole gives them bench scoring where as Fears can learn to be a distributor.
I definitely agree that there is some petty shii going on with Poole.
Chaz called it.
The Clippers game when Poole scored 30 and Willie's fake azz talked about how proud they were of him during the post game press conf.
Poole's trainer M. Edwards was on X and called Willie a LIAR! 😂 So there is DEFINITELY some shii going on behind the scenes.
I honestly think Poole came in with too much energy for Willie and Willie's used to controlling people. Benching him is his way of controlling Poole.
It doesn't make sense that Willie is unwilling to let Poole find his rhythm and his place on the team. There is a documented conversation from Zion where he said he told Poole "that no one was trying to hold him back and to go play freely."
Poole apparently responded by stating "No, I am here to fit in with y'all." That fitting in process on a new team takes time. Damn sure more than 3 games.
Chaz, Willie bench Messi for liking a social media post lol
Jeremiah Fears had played better than Poole, Poole has been just jacking shots up, and Fears need to start, that's the only reason he will be Great he need to make as many mistakes as possible right now, the Pelicans wasn't winning a Championship this year anyway Bey has been really good for the Pelicans better than Poole also. Yall calling Fears Trigger happy but not Poole trigger happy is crazy work. The Pelicans need more action plays instead with Queen and Fears on the court together as well as Fears and Trey and Queen and Trey.
Why does that one guy keep saying Fears shouldn't be starting that's dumb not to start your number 7 pick on a bad team. Dude acting like the Pelicans are a playoff team, imaging Memphis not starting Ja or Portland not starting Dame Warriors not start curry, 76ers not starting AI..There's so many examples of team starting thier top 10 pick PGs, it benefits him in the long run not this season, Willie should've started Trey his rookie season
It is sad when a city is so desperate for anything to look like a winner. Queen, Fears or Murphy has not proven anything. Only starter out of three for a pretty good Western team, would be none of them. They would be bench players. Trade Zion, because it might just be him playing for the Pels!
Maybe, it just those Spartanburg boys are weak minded players! Ijs!
I know this question is after the show but fellas, Ross mentioned that Queen should just play center. What do you think extended minutes with Zion and Queen on the floor together would look like?
Fears, Trey, Herb, DQ,Missi/Karlo for now..
Healthy
DJM, Poole,Trey, Zion,DQ
Taylor Jenkins
Derik Queenivic
I really like Big Easy as a nickname for queen. Instant city-player connection, and it matches his playstyle.
A lot of fans from other teams that are in our comments , saying that they're gonna watch the pels because of fears a queen
We can use teams injuries vs us when we injured too it is what it is we should be be 5-4 or 6-3 right now the talent there we need coaching
Missi off the court = all other players + 3.5 points
Where’s Missi
Zion and pools going to get traded for a first-round pick this year
Is it fair to Zion that Bill has been his coach for the majority of his time in NO. Fire Bill then see if Z is your cornerstone
Start Fears, Poole, Trey, Z, and Queen.
Poole is a good player that has to have his game reigned in by a good coach so the offense can be more efficient. He’s perfect off the bench because he can be the score first guy and play more his style.