Is Nico to Blame? + Detroit Pistons Basketball & A Big Warriors Week

Is Nico to Blame? + Detroit Pistons Basketball & A Big Warriors Week

What’s up everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show. Excited to have you all back. We appreciate you coming back and checking out the show. Hope you’re enjoying it. On today’s show, I’ll get into our weekend without Steph, uh, which sucks. We’ll look ahead to a really important week for us as a team as we are going on the road. Um, we are starting a six-game road trip in Oklahoma City where I am right now tomorrow, uh, with a back-to back on Wednesday in San Antonio with an NBA Cup game in San Antonio again on Friday. So, uh, just looking ahead to an important week. We will get into that and then I’ll also go around the league give my thoughts on the red hot Detroit Pistons before another edition of red light green light. Let’s get into it. you know, when you have a couple games like we had, I I don’t think there’s real concern, but you do, you know, you be making a mistake if you’re not going back to the drawing board and like taking a look at everything that you’re doing. Although Steph was out, I just don’t think we looked very good as a team, as connected as we needed to be on both sides of the ball. um have the same fire that we need to have. Um looked a little lost, which again without Steph, that’s some of that’s going to happen. But then also some of the stuff on the defensive side of the ball, whether Steph is out there or not shouldn’t be happening, you know, and so you definitely have to take a look. I don’t think there’s any real concern like we know we’re going to be a damn good basketball team. And the interesting thing about the NBA is one week you’re feeling good, the next week everything’s crashing and burning and and that’s just the nature of the sport that we play, you know, the business that we’re in. So, um, no real concern, but um, definitely, you know, identifying what we’re doing well, what we’re not, what we need to do more of, what we need to do less of, and then more importantly, I think building identity. You know, that’s something that we’ve been talking about. It’s like, who are we as a team? You know, when every night when we go out there, what is one thing for certain that this is our identity? You’re getting this for sure. And I don’t think we’ve necessarily figured that out yet. And so, you know, I think that’s important in coming out of this also is that we understand we’re building the identity and what that identity is going to be is up to us. Um there are several different identities that team have that teams have and I think for us we have to figure out and we have to figure out fast and we will figure out fast what that identity will be for us and I think the one thing that it has to be is you have to be a defensive team. You have to be a team that defends if you want to compete at a high level in this league. We have not been defending at a high level over the course of 48. We’ve had spurts of where we’re putting it together at a high level and certain groups that’s putting it together at a high level, but we have not done that consistently for that to be our identity. And that needs to be a part of any team’s identity. As I said, if you’re going to compete for a championship. So, um, that’s kind of where we are. Uh, and I think this is an important week. It’s a great test. Obviously, OKC, the defending champs coming into their house. They’re going to be ready to go. It’s a great ball club. San Antonio is playing incredible basketball. We got to go to them two games in a row. They’re feeling good, you know. So, very important week. And then obviously ending the week off in New Orleans uh versus the Pelicans. So, you know, we’ve talked about winning the week. Uh this is an important week for us to win. And if you win this week, you gain some ground, you know, and you gain confidence. And so, very big week for us um that that we’re looking ahead to. Uh playing OKC is obviously always tough. obviously defending champs. They’re the defending champs for a reason and they’re hungry still. You know, they’re missing Jay Dub and they’re playing like this. Caruso has been in and out of the lineup and they’re playing great basketball. They’ve done an incredible job of building this thing up and they got a standard that they that they’ve set for themselves that they abide by and they keep they live up to their standard every single night. They’re not coming in games beating themselves. You have to beat them. As I said before, reminds me not the style offense, but the way you have to win. It reminds me a lot of the old San Antonio Spurs. They were just never going to beat themselves. You were going to have to beat them. And that’s that’s this OKC team. Shane’s having another MVP- like year. Um, you know, got to try to defend him without filing. We know how tough of an assignment that is. And I think for us, it has to be understanding that Shay is not a oneperson assignment. Uh, Shay is a full team assignment. And that has to be the mindset for us uh going into this game. You know, if you’re not on the string defensively, you’re going to get ate up. Uh these guys are great one-on-one players and they have a great offense that they run. And so, um that’s where we are as a team. And looking ahead to this OKC game, which I think is a very important game for us for morale, for where you are, for most importantly just continuing to win, uh getting back on the winning track. After the break, I’ll talk some Detroit basketball, the fire Nico noise, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics, and my take on how the West is looking back after this. As promised, now we move around the association. We got some Detroit basketball first. We will get into that. As you all know, if I’m not cheering and obviously not cheering but playing and you know as myself uh a Golden State Warrior, I’m rooting for the Detroit Pistons. Um as the crib, always want to see the Pistons do well. It’s very near and dear to me and my experience growing up. Jordan Dumar’s granted me the access that they granted me to be around Detroit Piston basketball and what that did for my life. So, I’m always rooting for the Pistons and this year they are looking incredible. They are off to a 9 and2 start and they want they won in OT last night. Um, they look good. Kate Cunningham is looking like an MVP candidate. Jaylen Duran said, “Y’all didn’t pay me. I’m coming to get every penny that I’m asking for.” He playing some grown man basketball. Isaiah Stewart is being Stewie. He’s knocking down the three. I saw he hit a big three the other night. Uh, you know, Caris Levert is now there, a big addition for them. Duncan Robinson is now there, a big addition for them. Osar Thompson taking another step. Detroit Pistons is looking really good. Um, albeit albeit they haven’t had a tough schedule. I know that’s the first thing everyone say is, “Oh man, their schedule hasn’t been that tough.” Well, there’s a couple ways of looking at that. Number one, it’s the NBA. You got to win the games regardless. and the schedule not being tough, that’s nonsense. Every game is hard. Uh but number two, they’re they’re getting in season mode. They’re learning themselves. They’re getting their confidence. They’re learning how to win close games. So when you play against a stiffer competition, you feel like you’ve been there before. And there may be some adjustments you have to make that a veteran team or a championship team like OKC or you know ourselves who won championship there may be some adjustments that you have to make in those games and that there’s some things that you still have to learn but this is also a team that’s been to the playoffs like and when you come out of the playoffs when you come out of a series remember the Detroit Pistons should have beat the New York Knicks last year and when you come out of a series knowing everything that you did wrong to win that next step you’re coming in that next year. You you’re you’re saying around amongst each other, yo, we’re ready to take this next step. We know we did X, Y, and Z wrong. And if we can correct those things, we’re in the Eastern Conference Finals. We’re giving ourselves a chance. And so, they’re coming out with that type of energy and that type of attitude and and they look great. They look incredible. Anytime you’re going to compete for a championship, guess what you must have? You must have an MVP candidate. K. Cunningham is definitely that right now. You usually have a second all-star. Jaylen Durren is showing that he going to be that this year. You usually have a great defender. Allar Tom is laying his he he’s he’s putting his fork in the ground. You must have a good bench. Caris Levert coming off that bench scoring. You must have some shooting. So when you start to look at the team, you’re like, “Yeah, the schedule is what it is, but these boys coming.” And like I said, you lose in the in the playoffs. I know what that’s like. You lose a series you thought you should have won, could have won, but a team was more veteran than you. Look at when we lost to the Spurs, you know, when we lost to the Clippers, you’re like, “All right, we taking that next step.” And that’s what Detroit looked like to me. So, it’s beautiful to watch, man. And regardless of what the schedule been, the Pistons are taking that next step, and I’m looking forward to watching it all year. Next up, we will talk Nico. Um, as you all know, uh, Nico has been under constant fire. Uh, Nico Harrison, that is the Dallas Mavericks general manager, has been under constant fire with the teams, uh, getting off to a bad start. And everybody’s yelling, “Oh man, fire Nico.” And there are stories coming out now that Nico and and the owner is no longer on good terms and XYZ. It’s only a matter of when, not a matter of um if we’re starting to hear all these things. And you know, when stuff is going wrong, everybody’s quick to jump and try to pounce on it. And that’s just what people do in this business. Quite honestly, the team that Nico has placed his bet on, and I say that no pun intended, but the team that he’s constructed to go win a championship hasn’t been on the court. Nobody assumed Kyrie Irving would tear his ACL. AD started off with the eye. He’s had the injury as of late. you know, that the team hasn’t really been out there, you know, and and so I find it crazy that everybody’s just going to act like Kyrie Irving is this easy easily replaceable guy that him not being out there does not matter. Do you see the Indiana Pacers without Tyres Hallebertton? They look like a completely different team and we’re gonna act like Kyrie Irving not being out there while he recovered from an ACL tear that this team is just supposed to come out and look great. Yes, they got the number one pick. Guess what teams that get the number one pick usually look like the next year? Trash. Cuz guess what? You’re going to play that number one pick and albeit may although they may have a ton of potential, man, they got to learn the NBA game. And that takes time, mistakes, but you have to play them for them to get the time under their belt. They mess up on defensive rotations. They don’t quite understand the concept of the offense. They don’t quite understand what the defense is trying to do to them while they’re on off. Like, it takes time. Klay Thompson is having a bad year. You think that’s not due to not having the point guard out there? Not saying it’s all on not having a point guard out there, but having a great point guard out there makes a huge difference. The setups that you’re getting, the open looks that you’re getting because they draw more attention. All of that stuff is a domino effect. PJ Washington shooting well below what he’s shoot been shooting from three. You think that’s not a byproduct of that? So, I find it weird that everybody’s just like Luca’s playing great. Everybody was on Luca last year. Now Luca’s playing great and everybody want to take that opportunity to on Nico because Dallas is playing bad. But it’s not apples to apples. The team that he constructed to be out there isn’t out there. And I know what everybody’s gonna say. Oh man, they injury history. You you knew you had to you had to wonder that or think that that was going to happen. Well, AD for better part of the last two years has been extremely healthy before getting to Dallas. So, remember AD came into the league at 18, 19 years old. So, then you take it upon yourself to be like, oh, what what what most people would think, man, this guy’s been around LeBron James who takes incredible care of his body. He’s learned so much. He’s now healthy often. He’s not the guy that’s always hurt. Kyrie Irvin since being in Dallas has been pretty healthy. So miss me with the injury history stuff and going back 10 years and guys has been healthy the last two or three years. I don’t buy that. But to try to pounce on Nico and make like oh man they they they’re they’re off to a bad start in 10 games. Number one, coaching has something to do with that. Not saying Jay Kid is is not doing a great job, but I’m saying like you can’t just y’all just want to go point the finger at Nico because that was a story line. Now let’s make that a story line again. That is whack to me. The team that he put out there. So So next year they come back that full team that Nico intended to be out there and they have success. Then what? Then what? You can’t tell me they don’t have good players. Everybody, you know, everybody’s always talking about, “Oh man, wonder what’s going to happen with Daniel Gaffford. We want to see the trademark of it.” Like, they have great pieces. So, let’s see it all together before we just yell, “Fire Nico.” Let’s see if it actually works because if it worked next year, what y’all going to say? Oh, man. But Cooper Cooper Flag got a year older, not the team that he put together. So let them see it through before we just yell fire Nico. Let them see it through. Then you make your decision. But let him see it through because again let’s not forget no G general manager is trading Luca Donuch without the owner’s approval and without the owner’s belief. So let’s not forget that. We can we can run the scapegoat play. Cool. Go ahead. I understand what you’re doing. I understand that. So, we can run the scapegoat play. Cool. Or, and I’m not blaming Patrick Dumont of that, but I think that’s what everybody else is trying to get him to do. Yes, the Dallas Mavericks did didn’t, you know, they just had their first game not selling out since 2001. I understand all of that. But Rome wasn’t built in the day. I saw Dirk say, “Oh man, I feel bad for Dallas Mavericks fans, the Mass fans.” Yeah, cool. But what happens if you win with those same guys that Nico believed in? Then do you feel great for those fans? I get it. But the the I I think the noise is is it’s a it’s a recycled story that people was hoping will happen and unfortunately the they’ve been caught by the injury bug and it’s it’s it’s not going great. but the team that he built is not out there. So, let him see it through. And and speaking of the maths, uh great segue is, you know, has the West been what we all thought the West would be? And I would say from a record standpoint, you kind of have to think so because in the beginning of the season, all West teams are playing against a lot of West teams. And so, the records are kind of all over the place. Uh, I think as this this season plays out, we’ll we’ll see those those records take shape of what what we kind of think. Um, but they’re all over the place right now. Spurs have been a great surprise. Not necessarily surprised, but they’ve been great. Um, we’ve struggled a bit, the Clippers have struggled a bit, the Lakers have been great. You know, OKC’s obviously been great. Houston’s been really good. You know, so I think the West is exactly what we thought it would be. uh hasn’t quite played out the way we’re thinking, but I think it is exactly that. And when you’re in a tough conference, teams are going to lose to each other. You know, Portland has been really good. Portland’s been really, really good. You know, took a tough loss to Orlando, but been really good. Know crossc country flight. First game is always tough. They’ve been really good, you know. So, I think the West is exactly what we thought it’s going to be. It’s not going to be an easy conference. it’s going to, you know, have take some time to play itself out. But yeah, it’s it’s a reason everybody losing each other. It’s a very tough conference and I think we’ll continue to see that as this season goes on. And lastly around the association, uh, Jaylen Brown and thoughts without Tatum. Uh, does Jaylen Brown have much to prove? Um, what I would say about that is Jaylen Brown is Jaylen Brown. If you’re Jaylen Brown, of course you want to prove that like, yo, I can do this, too. I can be the number one option. We could be a great team. I would say I think it’s unfortunate for people to try to judge if Jaylen Brown can be the number one option right now because quite frankly, Jaylen Brown doesn’t quite have a championship built roster around him. You know, I I I think when you look at them, they they kind of wanted to reset the tax a little bit this year and then swing again once JT’s back healthy. Not that Jaylen Brown can’t do it, but let’s give yourself the best shot. And I don’t think anybody thinks the best shot is with Jason Tatum out for the season. I don’t think anyone thinks that. So, in turn with the new salary cap that I’ve talked to y’all about that is garbage or not salary cap, CBA garbage. I think with that, you have to take that into account and got to play by the rules. So, what a better time to use those rules in your favor and get under the tax so you can swing again for another two or three years once Jason is back healthy. So, does Jaylen have something to prove as a competitor where he is in his his career? Yes, I’m sure he thinks so. But what I will say for people that’s going to try to criticize him if he’s failing is he doesn’t quite have a roster that they will be building to win a championship. and he’s also missing a player that makes $65 million a year. That makes a difference. That’s not quite a fair assessment. Nonetheless, I think Jaylen Brown is having an incredible year and I expect that to continue. That’s it around the association. Now, we will get into our little game, Red Light, Green Light. We’ve done this one before, but as a reminder, it’s called Red Light, Green Light. Our producer, Greg, will read out a headline or an opinion. And I’ll give a green light, red light, or a yellow light. If I have mixed feelings, I’ll give a yellow light. Let’s do it. All right, Dre. First one. Joel Embiid saying Trendan Watford triple double reminded him of Ben Simmons. I’m going to say uh Red Light. Um I’ve played against Trendon Watford. He’s a really good player. I don’t think anything uh about him reminds you much of Ben Simmons. Um however, Joel’s a troll and I feel like that was his way of trolling a bit, but I’m going to give that a red light. All right, next one. Darren Peterson is the best player in college basketball and will be the number one pick of the draft. Darren Peter Peterson is an incredible player. Um is he the absolute best player in college basketball? I think, listen, he with his college and his ability, his shooting ability, scoring ability, I think it’s great. But, um, right now, currently, I’m going to take AJ Debons and the dark horse, Caleb Wilson. That’s a yellow light. Yellow light. It’s not a red light cuz Darren Peterson is special. So, I’m not going to red light like that’s just It’s not I just AJ Debonsa is like I think man that that’s who I’m going with currently and like I said Caleb Wilson is special and underrated. Who do you think Debons’s player comp is right now in the league? AJ Debons’s player comp in the league right now would be I think it’s it’s interesting because he gets downhill like Ant-Man. Like the way he attacks the basket is like eh man but he’s 16 and I just don’t like you you want to say Paul George but he don’t have the smooth the handle that he got a good handle but he don’t have the handle that Paul George has and he’s way more powerful like downhill. So I don’t know man it’s interesting he’s like a mixture of guys you know he could be a generational talent might be a true 101. Um, all right. Next one. The NBA Cup. The NBA Cup is a yellow light. Um, it’s, you know, it’s great. It it brings some excitement to the games, but I think ultimately the what I’ve heard from guys that’s won it is and and it it gets a bit tiresome like it takes a toll on you in the regular season. So, Yellow Light because it’s great with all of the hype that it brings, but also yellow light because it takes a big a much larger toll on you than you realize. The next one, Brandon Ingram slamming that water bottle. Brandon Ingram slamming that water bottle is a um a red light. It cost him $25,000. Uh he hit his guy in the face. I know he felt bad about it. It got all over Scotty Barnes. It’s a red light. Uh, but hate to see anybody get fined. Shout out to be though. Last one. The Sixers Iverson black jerseys are the coolest throwback jersey in the league. The Sixers Iverson black jerseys are the coolest throwback jerseys in the league because it makes you think of Allen Iver. The jersey isn’t that special to where you’re like, “Oh, it’s the absolute best.” They are fire, don’t get me wrong. Nice looking jerseys, of course, but more importantly, you immediately think of Allan Iverson, which we all want to do. AI. AI is one of the goats. Of course, that’s a wrap on this edition of Red Light and Greenlight. And that is also a wrap from this episode of the Draymond Green Show. I thank you all again for tuning in to the Draymond Green Show. We’ve got another huge episode coming up this week. Got to reset and lock back in. I’ll see you guys on Friday. Deuces. If you’re rocking with the Draymond Green Show, be sure to click follow on your favorite podcast app. And while you’re there, go ahead and drop a fivestar rating and leave a review. I want to hear what you think, and it would also mean a ton to me if you share it with a friend that you think would enjoy it. Let’s keep this thing growing. The Draymond Green Show is presented by Odyssey and executive produced in conjunction with the new media. Our executive producers are Leah Reese Dennis, Danny Frezinger, and Greg Holtzman. Video production and creative design by Kurt Courtourtney, Tim Mikl, Lauren Vieira, and Evan O’Brien. Special thanks to the team at the new media and the team at Odyssey, Mora Curran, Josephina Francis, Hillary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Kate Rose, Colin Gainner, and Jake Galley.

Draymond assesses how the Warriors have looked without Steph before previewing a massive roadtrip. The he gives flowers to the Pistons and shares some brutally honest thoguhts about Nico Harrison and the Mavericks. We wrap up the show with another edition of Red Light, Green Light.

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