LIVE REACTION POSTGAME SHOW: New Orleans Pelicans vs Minnesota Timberwolves

LIVE REACTION POSTGAME SHOW: New Orleans Pelicans vs Minnesota Timberwolves

[Music] This program is brought to you by FanDuel, where we give sports fans the chance to win every day. Pelicans lose another game, but it ain’t all bad. Let’s talk about it. Uh, I think we got some people on the way. We going to see if Chaz pull up. I know five pulling up. Um, and we’ll see who else from the Propel Talk show is available, but if not, got myself and we got y’all here in the chat, man. So, y’all hit the like button now. You ain’t got to do it later. Shout out to the good people that support us here. Sunshine, Taz, FanDuel, Scott, Vner, as always. Game time at John Deere. Nothing runs like a deer. And like I always say, nothing loses like a pelican. Chat, what’s up with y’all? All right, let’s see. How many losses in a row is that y’all? Josh, no, I’m just starting the show. Uh, we got some people on the way. They just they just run a little late. So, that’s five in a row again. Jeez. Five in a row. Six. All right, Chunk. All right, so I mean, let’s talk it. The Pelicans had three three players in 20 uh at 20 points. Whole starting lineup in double figures. Derek Queen 124 and five. Sad Bay with 20. Jeremiah Fierce 27 and six. Uh really good strong first half. I think he was 126 and six to start. Trey Murphy 217 and eight. Bryce McGawan, Bryce McGawan’s fan here. uh 15 and five. Another strong first half, good third quarter as well. Eight and six and Carlos returned. Um Hawkins was seven and three off the bench. Um nothing really for Michael Peavey tonight and Jose had 13 points, left the game with an injury. We will keep an eye on that. So let’s see what we got. You only had three players. What up, Hop? He only had three players that made one or more threes. Finished the game with seven threes made for the third time this year. Three losses, man. You know, eventually it becomes a numbers game, man. And um you know, you took 25 threes, but I mean a lot of them came in the fourth quarter when it was too late. Um seven for 25. Uh appreciate Hold on. Appreciate that dog for the update there. Um, but you know, the the Timberwolves make 15 threes, you make seven. It’s always going to be a numbers game. But I but I do think overall the Pelicans played a solid game considering the talent. What up, F? What’s popping, dog? What’s up with you, bro? [ __ ] man. Trying to be a daddy in this this world while watching the Pelicans, man. It’s it’s a tough job trying to juggle, you know, four things at once. the Pelicans and and being a dad. It’s not it’s not for the weak, bro. But that’s why you you [ __ ] It’s hard when these [ __ ] not good. You know what I mean? Not my kids. They all right. They just Everybody running around with their head cut off. My three kids and the Pelicans. Uh Richard Dollar, how do we hold Ant to 11 points? They trap the hell out of they Hell yeah. What up, Chaz? What up, man? Yeah, they they they trapped the hell out of that, man. They, you know, they forced uh they forced others others to beat him and um you know, look, I mean, Julius Randle had 28 and you know, they got they got contributions from a lot of other a lot of other guys from Clark to Reed Goar had 15. Uh Dean Geno had his 15. You saw Jay McDaniels have a few nice players particularly in that second half. That’s what you know they’re supposed to do. But I mean y’all, as we welcome Chad to the show, I mean five, I’ll start with you, man. Um, I mean, look, bro, when you when you three and what, 29? Three and 21. Mhm. Three and 20. At some point, you Yeah. I mean, at some point, man, you just I’m not even focused on the win anymore because I don’t expect it to come. You know what I’m saying? I’m just I’m not expecting a win to arrive. So, I’m trying to find things in the midst of these games that are entertaining or that or that are building blocks. Now, if the Pelicans choose to actually um use the the right path with these building blocks, it’s a whole different story. But Fab, I want to start with you, man. In the midst of another loss, um game was, you know, competitive for the most part. Timber was going, I think, a 15 nothing run and that that pretty much was the game. But what did you see tonight that, you know, second second game in a couple nights here against Minnesota um that the Pelicans for the most part kind of held their own? Yeah, man. I I thoroughly enjoyed this. Like I would pay to go watch this team for three quarters. Like I would for three quarters. Um that’s all that’s all they giving you. Whether it’s the third or the fourth quarter, that’s usually the thing that’s that’s in the air. But I I love the the ATO’s from James Rego tonight. Um there were some players that I was like, “Oh, wow. That’s that’s super creative.” Like the it was I think it was like a u a back screen. It ended up being for Jose. It turned into a wide open three for Bryce McGaw. He ends up missing it. But like things like that intrigued me. Intrigued me a lot. Uh the I think it was like a almost like a double drag, but it ended up being inverted for Hulk come off a off a pin down ends up being that’s the lob to to Carlo. But the play that starts it was was magnificent to me. Like that’s the stuff that int like these are building blocks for me. Uh, and again, Jeremiah Fears and and Derek Queen, like I think they’re finding like this cohesion between each other. Um, as they both try to, you know, make make themselves valuable for Jeremiah. The game is slowing down for him. Uh, I think he’s making better decisions as of like, let’s say the last week or so. Um, and again, this is 23 games into his NBA season. things like this, I in my opinion are happening earlier than than planned, right? Like it it should start to slow down, but he’s taking it to a different level. I think he’s understanding his gears a lot more. Um, but yeah, man, I’m kind of excited about this team. Uh, Chaz, man, uh, y’all y’all be sure to tap in with Chaz during the during the live stream. Uh, pretty much streaming streaming the the entire game from start to finish. Uh and then working OT here with us on the three three and 20 team man that’s that that’s dedication man. Same same kind of question. Yeah. Delusion delusion. Yeah. in the in the midst of uh this this three and 20, the frustrations that come with it, the lack of talent, the lack of shooting, the you know the you know kind of you know the future of so many of a few veterans that are actually that are hurt right now even maybe even some that are playing right now kind of you know up in the air. We don’t know how how that those situations are going to end, but what have you been seeing like a game like tonight, a game like uh Tuesday? Are you seeing anything in the middle of all the chaos, all the losses, all the all the negative things that is like, all right, you know, I can I can buy into that if they choose the right path building, you know, going down the the uh the line here. It could be a player. It don’t have to be coaching. It could be it could be a style like you know what you you know um man some cool ass sneakers out there I’ve been seeing um I think I think from the from the standpoint of uh all right see all right to focus on the positive because I don’t think the Pelican situation is really that bad honestly I think it’s overstated but I think um I think you’re getting answers I think I think you know said, “I I see what Jeremiah Fears is and what he could potentially be, but I think that question mark going bigger and bigger with Derek Queen, and I think they not really and I think that’s a troublesome thing because it’s like I’m not seeing him maximized enough.” What I am seeing is a guy that should be on the floor with another center, right? But I’m not I’m not necessarily seeing him maximized enough. Um, in the rotation questions I have a problem with. Like to me, I I don’t I I don’t I think this is a a oneanddone situation for James Bao. I don’t think he’ll be back. But one of the reasons why I think that he shouldn’t be back is mainly because I see some of the same mistakes being made. like what I I I just want I want to see guys being asked more to do more. Um because to me the game ended not ended but there was a there was a point where I Derek Queen had a couple good plays comes out the game right Jose comes into the game you’re like a [ __ ] here we go. So the lead immediately evaporates right? Everybody who was in the chat, they was like like, “Oh [ __ ] here come Jose.” And the lead, the lead, I think they had like a four-point lead. Might have been six-point lead. Lead immediately evaporates. That don’t mean Jose didn’t hit a couple big shots, but certain things I’m still seeing like seeing Jose with with too much with a little a little too much rope. Um I I hate seeing this Jose and Hawkins playing at the same time. I don’t like to see this. I don’t like to see fears the fears and Jose backcourt. I thought McGowan had a couple points, had a couple nice shots, drives to the rim. He just missed point and blank layups, wide open shots. He’s missed a lot. I don’t like not having Trey in the game at the top of the fourth. Think the energy is just so lethargic when Carlos not out there. And with Queen again, well, what up Leo? Shout out to Leo, man. Shout out to Leto. Shout out to everybody in the chat also. Peace to y’all, man. Um, I think with Queen again, bro, you gotta get him the ball. You gotta give him the ball early so he feels involved and feels like active. Not that um Rudy is the most ideal matchup, right? But all right, end of the game, prime example, end of the game, you’re down about 10. I think you’re down, let’s just say 10. All right, you finally get Trey back into the game. Cool. Jose’s hurt. [ __ ] stepped on his arm. He’s out the game. Bam. He’s out. Cool. Whatever. You bring him back into the g he’s hurt. And you you brought him back into the game at a 10-point game after you just saw the lead evaporate with the man on the court. It just it’s just weird. Like it’s just too much weird [ __ ] He’s And then Jose is calling for a foul. The whole time he’s hurt. No one sees it. Apparently, he got to go and file himself to get out the game. He runs straight back to the locker room. get Jose an Academy Award. And I I just think I I just think the coaching just they they’re just not understanding winning time. So So I mean, let me let me ask both of you guys here. I mean, how much, you know, what’s the balance between some of um, you know, the guys from the previous regime maybe just having to find new homes, new places. Um, um, yeah. Yeah. Like I mean we’re talking you know Jose Herb you know even if you even if you mention Trey I mean but some you know Hawkins those guys who you know they’re they’re in a transitional period here as well right? Um and you know I don’t know I mean we see it all the time to where you have certain guys it’s like I’m not ready to move to this new path why I’m here. I’m not ready to give the reigns of this of this basketball team to Jeremiah Fears or to, you know, or to Derek Queen. It’s just not something that I’m that that I’m ready to do. And yeah, I mean, you know, we we we’re old enough to know sometimes ego gets in the way even even in the smallest, you know, smallest thing. People playing for money, people playing for pride, people auditioning for new, you know, for new situations. I’m just curious that, you know, are we going is this are we going to have to get used to some of the the cluttered element of this team, the uh the the indecision cuz I don’t know if it’s all on Bergo. I just think it, you know, you know, you you know, you’re looking at a mixture of a future and the past of this team kind of meeting at the same time and I mean sometimes it just it just it just looks awkward on the floor, but it’s clearly the future is pointing towards these two guys, but they just so happen to be 19 and 21. Uh, shout out to J Steam123 for the Mexican 60piece. Appreciate you, dog. Um Chris, all we all we have known is clutter. Yeah. Like this ain’t this ain’t new. You know what I mean? Like I don’t even know like realistically I don’t know when this team was really good to not have clutter. Like everybody’s been fighting for something once upon a time. like whether it’s minutes, whether it’s money, whether it’s, you know, status, whether it’s, you know, I hierarchy, right? Like it’s always been been clutter. Um, and this is no different. Actually, I actually actually want to see the the fight of it. Hopefully that like that that competition brings out something different than in in everybody. Um, and it feels like the rookies themselves like they don’t mind stepping on toes. They don’t they don’t care what like, okay, you want you want this team that’s three and 20. Okay. Well, I do. I’m going to I’m going to take it from you if if need be. Um, I’m going take all these minutes. I’m going to take all these shots until someone shows me otherwise. I’m going to continue to do this or tells me otherwise like I’m going to continue to do it. So I don’t mind it. I hope it continue. Chaz the So Mei didn’t play tonight, right? But when Mei’s when Mi’s available, you know, you have guys in in I won’t say in front of Queen, but you have guys that Queen shares minutes with and depending on the game, you know, Berego’s trying to figure out the right the right balance versus just throwing them out there for 30 minutes. I don’t know that’s the right way or the wrong way but that’s what we that’s what we have been seeing when Mi was healthy for example and now with Carlo Queen play 29 minutes tonight but um you know and with with fears when P comes back you see sometimes the uh Jose being in front of him getting I won’t say getting in his way but sometimes yes getting getting in his way specifically you mentioned the backcourt minutes as this team as a pool comes back as a Herb Jones eventually comes back at some point like how if you were in charge if you were or if you were in Burggo’s shoes, how do you balance the fact that you clearly have these two guys that need to develop? Your season’s not going anywhere, but you got a bunch of other guys that you can’t give excuses for not playing. You can’t just not play Herb Jones. You can’t, you know, m maybe there’s a game or two you cannot play José Alvarado, but he’s gonna play like, you know, Mei, you kind of got to play him. You gotta play Carlo. You got all these different guys and that’s not even talking about, you know, Zion, right? How do you balance that? But clearly knowing like these two that these two guys are the future and we got to clear some space for them right now. But as a coach because Morgo can’t make the trades. I think it’s a great question because I don’t think it’s a situation where you don’t where you avoid playing anyone, right? I think I think there is a balance where you can play everyone who’s readily available because everyone has skill sets. The issue is everyone’s playing well not as much now because Hers’s been gone and Jose’s toned it down a little bit. You you see it tonight still, but everyone’s playing outside their wheelhouse. Everyone is like it’s a free-for-all, right? And if it was a situation where they just started doing this, I would feel differently. But the fact that they’ve been doing it all season, like everyone just like, you know, everyone tripping, like everyone clicking to to to an extent, right? Um, and if if Jose get if Jose gets a rebound and you not above the break somewhere, he’s pulling up and shooting a three. That’s just what he gonna do. Like he’s not passing the ball. So that’s not always the right decision, you know. Um, for me, if if Derek Queen is the future or one of the pieces of the future, you got to stop treating them like an afterthought. And to me, that’s why some of the issues have been kind of systemic because if you see one thing works or you see something work once, right, you can’t abandon it before someone shuts it down or even if you if it doesn’t work that one time, if if the [ __ ] what’s the what’s the guy? Hunt uh hurts. My bad. It hurt. Terrible quarterback in my opinion. But the push works, right? And it works most times. Sometimes a one day a [ __ ] gonna stop it, but it work 90% of the time. So if Derek Queen is going to be a quote unquote engine of of your offense because I think he can only play one way and that’s as the engine. I don’t think he got the motor or the athleticism or the size to be like give it to me in the post or nothing. I just don’t or junkyard type play. I think he has to be the engine of the offense. Let’s not punt one season of him developing that and let’s or let’s not tease that from what we saw in the Dallas game and just be like, “All right, look, Jeremiah Fish on a little more promise. We gonna let him do what he want to do and everybody else just get it how you live.” It’s like, no, we got to start instilling some good habits, some healthy habits because it’s get it’s getting to the point where I still don’t know what the identity is. I just know y’all gonna try hard every night and I don’t know who to thank for y’all trying hard. Is it just the absence of Willie Green? Is it Herb a little bit out Herb is out of the equation so you got less people going rogue? Um like I I I just don’t know who to um credit for the effort necessarily. But I to me I still just don’t see any identity to Fav’s point. They going to give you three quarters. It’s just about which three quarters you going to get. You saying, “All right, we went we was losing the third quarter. Now we winning the third by two points or we bringing even, but we punting the fourth quarter.” And we’re not just punting the fourth quarter when we’re down because it used to be like we battling back cuz we lost a third. If you winning in the four, you punting the four. You could be up 10 12 points. You gonna still punt the fourth quarter. So we still not really having an identity. You know, it’s just shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic. I I I think you have like a lot of validity to that, but I do think they have some some sort of identity when I see like the back cutting, the the movement that there are players. It’s hard to create that like on a whim. Like, have they really they didn’t really get an off seasonason at this? Like I players in and out of lineups like I I can’t just put this all on J. I’m not like just trying to like Jeff for for for for J. Yeah. Yeah. I think it’s just him cuz he ain’t got nobody can shoot neither. [ __ ] Like, right. Like, how many wide open looks were generated? Right. How many missed layups can we count? Like I That ain’t him blowing that. That a Hey, that’s that’s got to be on the on the players. That’s that has to be on them. Like we got to put some some of this at at the feet of them. But um yeah, like I would I would like to see where both happens, Chaz, with like Jeremiah fears his growth and Queen’s growth happen simultaneously. Like don’t and I think that’s where like the decision- making will come in for for Jeremiah like you have the ability to get your own at all times. allow Derek to be the engine and that way when the fourth comes you can just go off because at that point they’re so focused on him you were the you know in in football like you’re the you’re the ex guy like you you’re the you’re the game changer he’s the engine you’re the game changer you’re the you’re the speed like but that takes time to development um I we just need time I don’t I don’t know if we’re going to get I guess we you know five five when you when you when you’re saying this right now uh about fears Russell Westper comes to mind for me because I remember it’s it’s the balance that like like when you have that kind of like motor and intensity or you know you play with that level of like aggression um defiance it’s you know you it’s it’s difficult I think for young people to manage that by themselves. And that’s where coaching like comes into play. Like you almost got to help him through it, right? Because I remember with Westbrook is it was I mean to this day it’s something that he that he struggles with trying to balance like when am I when am I pushing this button versus this button? How do I use my superstar talents around me versus having to feel as if I got to do this by myself? You know what I mean? And with fears, he’s so used to doing things by himself. I think what you’re speaking to is overall maturity of of of just learning like, hey, I’m still going to be able to get mine, but there’s nuances in this game and with players that have gravity that I can use to make that easier versus I can dribble three, four, five times past anybody I want to and get there consistently. Like, you don’t need to necessarily do that, right? Um, and I think that might come with maturity and you know, you got to think like, you know, what Chaz was mentioning about overall development, how guys are, there’s certain things with with these two that are going to change. I don’t know if, you know, with Queen, you know, much is it much may not change physically. He may get into better shape. Um, but he but but he’s not going to improve as an athlete really, but one of the best parts about him is that he’s really smart. He processes quickly with the basketball and without it. he sees the second pass like he’s almost like a guard in a in a sense of he doesn’t see the person that’s in front of him. He’s not worried about that person. He’s worried about the person that’s helping afterwards. So, and that that’s that’s a beautiful thing. But eventually what’s going to happen is he’s going to get a jumper and I and a consistent jumper whether that’s the midi or whether that’s from three. And you know from there what does that open up for him on close out? What does it look like if Derrick Queen’s attacking a close out? You know, what does it look like when Jeremiah Fierce continues to work on his jumper, which in all honesty, man, I didn’t think he would be even this solid. I I mean, I didn’t think I didn’t think he shoot 30% at this level. I mean, even even even for this period, maybe maybe he goes on a stretch, you know, but what happens when that three becomes, you know, higher volume, you know. So, you know, Chaz, what I what what I would hope that this team does, but it’s hard for me to hope because I’ve just seen so many examples in these 20 plus years of them not making either the evident decision or not making the decision early enough, them just waiting too late. It’s clear clear out things for those two. You can put guys like Bryce McGawans. You can put Micah Peaveys if you know if you want to. You can put um you know Carlo Bills and types. You can put you know Trey Murphy’s. These people that help make the game easier for them. But clear you got to clear out a lot of [ __ ] You got to get rid of a lot of people. And we ain’t talk about two people. Yeah, you got to get you you have to move these people in um you know in bags because those two those two specifically man like they need parts they can’t leave games with 25 threes shot up and seven seven man that’s not gonna fit what they do well anyway man that’s why I think so much of it is systemic because Man, it’s it’s like it goes back to the offseason, right? When when there was some criticism surrounding Dairy Queen like in the summer league. I’m like, nah, this seen these types before, man. You know, you got one on your roster right now. This brother need the ball. Like, he he this is how you wire it. I need to see a couple layups go in and I’m locking defensively. I’m start getting blocks. I’m going start running the court. Like, I I just need to see this. I need to play extended minutes. You can’t sub me out. It can’t be no sub pattern. I need to play I need to play 30 real minutes in a row. Like this how I gotta go. And to me that’s where my hesitancy comes in as far as like when I think about building around Queen in particular because I’m like well [ __ ] you just kind of seem like more of an asset versus the way he’s being utilized. I’ll say that like I think Fierce can play off of Queen. I don’t know how much Queen can play off of Fierce because I say that because if FQ Queen ain’t got like a clear lane to the rim, he he kind of struggled with jumping a little bit at this stage, right? And uh Go ahead, Chris. Go ahead. Well, well, but see, that’s what I’m trying to figure out, right? Because you know, Chaz, if if if you add like let’s say let’s say you think they’re they’re a poor version of Jamal Murray and Yogic, or let’s say you think it’s it’s the inverse. Let’s say you think it’s a a better Jamal Murray and a and a lesser version of Jokic. M it don’t work if you don’t have a KCP equivalent or close or Christian Bonn or Michael Porter Jr. or an Aaron Gordon like you gota you got to put the pieces that help create the space for these people to work as well because ain’t nobody ain’t nobody running to close out for Bryce McGawans you know respectfully ain’t nobody running to close out for Mike Peavey so you know you know I’m wondering as well like you know you got one shooter on the [ __ ] team like so how how can I how can I truthfully And this is this a real question. How can I truthfully evaluate what they’re running into when you know the parts don’t match what fit them best yet? And I mean, I don’t know in 23 games into their rookie year if it if it should. I think you kind of got to look at uh D, I hate to it’s two different sports, but you you I think you almost got to look at if you if you’re going to continue to do things the way you’re doing it. I think you kind of got to look at Derek Queen like a third down running back. And what I mean by that is like short distance. All right, we got the lead. We just need a first down here. Queen, just just keep keep him off of us. Like, you know what I’m saying? And I because I think with his motor and the rebounding, I just I just can see he’s not a five at this level. And again, Rudy Gobear is not the best person to to really check that against, but I’m just like, I don’t see how much stronger you can really get. And you know, Strikeman is more of a below the rim type player. That’s why for me, I want the ball in his hands every possession. I want him orchestrating the offense every possession because I think it opens up opportunities for everybody. And I know I’m gonna get a better version of him because he’s going to be more inspired to run and play and jump. And two back-to-back possessions, man. Three Pelicans by the ball, they missed the first offensive rebound. Three Pelicans are by the ball again, they missed the second. It’s like, no, it’s too many. The Pelicans have struggled for years with bad athletes and but so you got you got to maximize what works for certain guys. Um I I think I think what you don’t want to do for as talented as Sabonis is, right? I think Sabonis is incredibly talented. He’s been miscer. He is a four. He’s a big four that plays the five. And every time he in the playoffs, he get exposed because he’s really a four. Caron Towns is a four. He’s a big ass four that plays the five. And now you see Mitchell Robinson with him because he keeps him and Brunson can’t play defensively. So I think if you’re the Pelicans, you got to put Queen at the four and you got to maximize his maximize his offense because at best he’ll be a neutral defensively. Like he’s just gonna be a that’s just what it is. You know what I’m saying? like at best you maximize him on offense and you go from there. Like with with Naz Reed, nobody really give a [ __ ] what Naz Reed does on defense because they know like he he gonna shoot the ball. He gonna get some putbacks. He gonna rebound a little bit. I think that’s the I think he could be. Of course, Queen could be he’s more talented than Naz Reed, more skilled than Naz Reed from a passing and dribbling standpoint, but you kind of got to use players at their strengths. Like you don’t want to live in an ideal world where Z going to shoot five threes a game or you know LeBron is about to start he going to start taking all the final shots. Ru Ruie Hachimar took the last shot tonight. You know what I’m saying? Like and hit that [ __ ] You know what I’m saying? So you got to just realize who guys are early before you know you spend all these years miscasting them. I think that’s one of the pluses you’re seeing right now because you’re seeing who guys are and who they aren’t. I think that’s one of the the the positives going on right now this season. Um, five. I mean, I’m trying to think here. Like, do I remember Shenon’s rookie year? I I vaguely remember it. I ain’t gonna lie. I remember being like, “Oh, that’s interesting.” But I remember him being good like that. I was ahead. call. I was calling him like baby Joker at the time just cuz you could just see the flashes, but it wasn’t like he have some really good games. He probably had some really bad games. I I’m just, you know, I’m curious, you know, five to, you know, to Chaz Chaz’s point and some of the things you mentioned as well is like if there’s a if there’s a plus here is that these guys are are ahead of the curve that maybe than what we expected like like their development is a little bit past and especially with fears. especially with Fars, but that’s been Fierce’s MMO his whole pretty much like career. He’s always been a step ahead, you know, of wherever he’s supposed to be. So, but you know, I’m you know, again, I mean, I’m curious like, you know, how do you continue to take advantage of that of that momentum without the front office just clearing space for them by getting rid of certain players? like cuz they’re not going to trade everybody. Dejonte Murray’s going to play basketball at some point this year, you know. Um you still you still have Zion and we’ve heard heard enough about what his trade value is or isn’t. Maybe maybe Herb Jones ultimately gets traded. Maybe José Alvarado gets traded, but you know, you mentioned earlier five that you want to see them have like you want to see that power struggle kind of kind of happen. Doesn’t have to. Nobody got slap [ __ ] out each other. May or maybe they do, but um you know like how how I mean I’m just curious like what that balance ultimately looks like for for for two guys that are so advanced you know um but trying to kind of keep them at a pace because when Barago first first took the job the first thing he tried to do was kind of reel them back a little bit we not gonna have you playing 30 minutes we gonna have y’all both playing about 20 minutes now you see them again because of injuries or whatever the case may be they’re back up to 29 and 30 minutes like, you know, I I I’m just I’m just looking for clarity personally of, you know, you you know, you see these two building blocks, but you just got a lot of [ __ ] you know, in their way. And I I don’t know as they get healthier. I think we’re a long way away before before anybody’s traded. So, I just can’t tell you if you got 13, if you got 12, you got 11 players that all need to play, how exactly you are going to maximize every single thing for a guy in Berago that’s coaching for a head coaching job. He’s trying to coach to to to have this job for down the road here, few few years. He ain’t just coaching for right now. First, let me talk about like the let’s say the minutes, right? or when Bergo started he or started coaching the team, he dropped their minutes down a little bit. I think that was more so like trying to give them like a baseline of like, hey, whether you’re whether you play 20 minutes or 30 minutes, like there’s a standard that you have to play at. I get it. No one else is playing at this standard. I’m not really worried about him. If if I’m Bergo, I’m tying my success to these two people. No one else, right? Like I’m here to benefit you more than everybody else. This year seven for Zion, year six for Trey, year whatever, whatever for everybody else. Nah, y’all are the future. So, let me try to help y’all and I’m going to I’m going to make you earn these minutes as much as I can. I remember like Queens kind of started like his motor would be up and down and Breger would bench him, whatever, whatever. Like, and then he would play after that and what what would happen? like you wouldn’t see those, you know, motor question marks again. And for fears, it was the the decision-m uh potentially bad shots. All right, cool. The decision-m got better. It’s like I don’t want to compare it to like parenting, but like it’s almost like, yo, you get out of line, I got to almost reprimand you so I could tell you like this is how you get better at it. Uh it makes sense. Hopefully they can continue to just have the freedom to fail. Like that’s what I want for them. Like right like have the freedom to to play within yourself but also understand your success is tied to other people. Your failure is also tied to other people. Wear that responsibility. Play with that responsibility within yourself. Um get other people involved because when they have success then you have success. It’s all about running a team because I think that’s what the last essentially the last regime didn’t do, right? Understand that this is a wholeheartedly you thing. It’s on your shoulders. We’re here to help you and assist you, but this is on you. Um earlier you guys talking about Queen. You remember like the the playground game where it was like a bucket you shot a ball in and you didn’t know where the ball was going to like pop out of like multiple Yeah. That’s what I think of Derek Queen, right? Like you you threw the ball in the middle and it had several That’s not a pop shot, huh? I don’t know. I never played this game. You never seen it like in like it’s on the um it’s on the what you want to call it? It’s like a uh it’s like a diving board for the ball. Yeah. And I I think I know what he’s talking about, but go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. But like that’s how I see Derek Queen, right? like you you throw the ball to him and you don’t know where it’s going, but it’s going in the place that it’s designed to go and he can figure it out from there. If you’re if you’re Jeremiah Fears, like you don’t want to be the decision maker, bro. That’s not your thing. You might as well let that’s his thing. You you want to finish and slash. Great. Cool. You want to shoot threes? Great. Cool. let him facilitate to you so that way you can get your rhythm and then when the game gets close and it’s you and you’re already in rhythm. He not trying to take jumpers. No way. Like this I don’t know eventually I think they’ll see it but uh yeah if if I’m Jeremiah Fierce like I’m allowing Derek Queen to to help me rather than vice versa. I just thought about something and it reminded me shout out to Showtime 504 Pro block a shot is the game y talking about. Appreciate you dog. You know what? I kind of think because I remember this watching Houston when Jaylen Green was like he looked terrible at one point. Then Don went down and you was like, “Oh shit.” And then you got Jabari at the five. It was just a totally different team, right? And I think they won like 10 12 games in a row, something crazy, right? But then that was a man Thompson, right? Yeah. Man Thompson, right? Then then the good one comes back and then it’s like oh wait what happened to Jaylen Green you know like so I think and they had to decide like all right which mentality are we going with which player are we going with or we’re going to be a pace team. I think it’s hard to be a pace team with Derek Queen. So, I think it kind it’s kind of difficult to thread the needle with um JB’s philosophy, but because you know, for me watching it looked like his a lot of his game is guard oriented like from from what I’ve seen like for watching his highlights and stuff like that with guys like uh what’s my man Terry Roier, Devonte Graham, you know, guys, which I think Jordan Pool kind of fits the mold of guys like that, but and even Jeremiah Fz to to a degree. It just seems with this philosophy, I wonder how much Derek Queen fits into it. But also, I’m like, but I just saw you do it in Dallas. I just saw that happen in Dallas. So, it makes me like that seem like you can win with that. Like, why why you want to just play you play like that? That’s more the long game. You ain’t never won with Terry Roier and Devonte Graham. Oh, that shit’s cool. But, you know, it get to the point where analytics be for nerds at a certain point. it get to the point where it’s like, “All right, look, the the g the point of the game is to win. This [ __ ] had seven assists in first quarter.” Like, I kind of want to see a little bit more of that because I think you you got to make he got to be a budding allstar at some point because this looking bad right now. This this ain’t looking good. And like just looking at his numbers, you know, again, it’s not all his fault because look, man, you can’t control when you play. You can control your own motor, but you can’t control when you play. But if it’s up to the players, why we need coaches, right? If everything’s up to the players, I mean, why we need coaches, you know, four for nine, uh, got four free throws, four rebounds, total, five assists. Five assists, pretty good, right? Uh, so damn, five fouls, 12 points, only one turnover. So, I had to see what his potential uh, turnovers. I mean, potential assists were, but it’s like this is a double double machine. that this guy is built to be a double double machine kind of almost like a you know a lesser sabonis in that regard. I need him to feel engaged like like you know I need him to have the first few bites at the apple and then we go from there like you know what I’m saying because that’s the only way I’m going to get him engaged for 48 minutes like it’s the only way I’m gonna get him diving on the floor or like fighting for the boards a lot of the times cuz lie man it’s a scary motor when the brother not getting the ball man and and his offensive limitations or his his physical limitations don’t make up for that all the time. So, you need him as as engaged as possible. I would think that’s that’s the same problem Zion had early on, right? Like you wouldn’t get him involved. Like it’d be a different totally different person when you did. The game I was referring to was called Funnel Ball. I don’t know if y’all ever seen this. I’ve never seen that before. You never seen this? Oh, wow. All right. Me either, though. I’ll be honest. Interesting. I’ve never seen that. Oh, wow. Damn. Not pictured as at all, honestly. I was I was trying to find a photo with like a bunch of black kids, but you know how that um they might have just ain’t have it at black parks cuz I’m trying to see. I never seen No, man. Maybe that’s uh Yeah, you know, I went to Kaza school at one point, but yeah, man. Like throw the ball in there and the [ __ ] just goes everywhere. But yeah, man. That’s cool. Now I kind of want to play this [ __ ] now. I’m interested. Oh, man. We the I had And I And I only I I only seen this in New Orleans when I came to Chicago. I did not see this. I had the uh there’s a there’s a ball attached to a string around Tell No, I saw I I saw growing up in Chicago. I ain’t seen Chicago. I only saw I only saw it in New Orleans. That’s the only like that’s it. Oh yeah. So I’m I’m like is he No, I ain’t I ain’t seen that one. Five. Oh my good. No, no, no. I mean [ __ ] that [ __ ] cool. I kind of want to play or not. like, “No, now I’m interested.” Um, let me see here, man. What we got here? What the hell? Okay, so yeah, man. I mean, I saw a Dave, shout out to A Davis. I saw his comment about about um about putting the talent around about um I saw um Davis’s comment about putting the talent around uh Queen and Fear similar to Sabonis and and Shenum, you know, but again, it’s like, you know, year one, Sabonis is on, you know, was fighting for minutes at the end of the bench at OKC, right? It took him to get to to go to to get traded for Olad Depot, I think, to go to Indiana and really and really start to shine. Shenon, he also has some players in his way, but you know, eventually talent talent going to shine, right? Um [ __ ] joking. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But but but it was on Denver. Denver immediately they didn’t waste any time. Like Nerk, you got to go. We gonna have to like we we see this now. We got to invest in it. And that’s really that’s really what it is. The Pelicans been been too afraid as a franchise over time to just invest in what they’re seeing or project going forward. So they get all these all these players whether they’re allar calibers, fring allstars, starters, role players, specialist, they get all in the way of what the future is. They did it with AD. Um Chris Paul was probably the only one that they that they that didn’t happen with, but it happened with AD and it happened with Zion. Um you know in which you know you got you got Drew Derek Favors, you know JJ Reick, uh you got uh you know you got Lonzo, you got BI, you got all all these guys. You telling you telling me is is Zion’s team? No, it don’t it don’t look like it. AD he had one year his you know his rookie year and second year you know you got Tyreek Drew still got Eric Gordon Ryan Anderson you got all these guys like Jesus and it’s like oh oh [ __ ] AD can score 20 points game ain’t no [ __ ] you supposed to wait a little bit longer. So, you know, I would hope that, you know, through this and, you know, I don’t I don’t want them to try to make this more difficult than it has to be. We got 400. No way. Right. Ain’t no way. Ain’t no way. We’ll stop this right about we’ll end the show right now. We’ll we and and listen, we’ll be playing you playing the game uh five or talking about right now. We be playing football be playing football. y’all better stop playing. Um, so, you know, so I’m just hoping that that in the midst of all this with all these players that are here now with, you know, with Jordan Pool and Giant and Herb and Trey and all this, I’m hoping that they don’t let what’s currently here now disrupt what needs to happen going forward. Maybe you don’t have to get rid of everybody. You know what I’m saying? Even that Even that’s not enough, Shelby. 66 likes ain’t enough. 500 people in here. That Yeah. What we doing? Are we streaming simultaneously on Twitter? We on X. That’s what it is. Oh, yeah. That’s probably why that’s probably why that’s what it is. That’s what it is. That’s what Yeah. Like, you know, like like like I don’t I don’t want them to, you know, to to say, “Oh, well, you know, we got to add these amount of players.” You got to find a way to keep the basketball in these dudes hands. And it might mean you might be terrible for another couple of years or for another year. That’s okay. See, you know, go. I was just going to say, is it okay? Thank you. It’s going to take some real honesty from this organization that historically been dishonest about everything. They’re not going to tell like yo just tell the truth. Like if you move from Zion be like cool our future is Derek Derek Queen Jeremiah Fierce we we might be bad for a couple years. Can you with but this is what we’re developing. Like that’s the whole thing. Like are you going to have that ability? I think Detroit did a good job of that when they drafted Kade, right? Yeah, we’re going to be bad. Their fans knew it, but they saw something in getting Cade and they then they drafted Den and then it all kind of I mean, you got Troy Weaver here. Can you can you replicate that? Yeah, I think that’s a big question. I think what’s Man, because we we we got told something earlier in the group chat. Uh well, wait for the game, right? Yeah. I ain’t going to hold you, son. I think boy, that [ __ ] was baldhead in the other day. Uh that that arena. I I just think they in a point where they can’t they just can’t sustain a full tear down. And as much as we know, cuz we got told a lot of [ __ ] about the sales and all that [ __ ] and how they doing two for fives and all kinds of [ __ ] right now to get people in the building. That’s like imagine if you can’t even lie to a [ __ ] no more and you ain’t got like no top pick at least. Well, you ain’t got a pick period going into next year. But I I feel like the only way that they could have realistically did a tear down, that’s why you should have did it a couple years ago. But the only way they could have because you would have had the Zion answer by now. You’d have, “All right, [ __ ] it. Now we can move on.” But the only the only reason you can’t do a complete tear down is because for one, you ain’t got no pick and it got to be like a top two pick. It can’t be It can’t be uh No disrespect to BJ. I like BJ, but it can’t be BJ Ashcom. It got to be it can’t even be Coopa Flag. I don’t think I think it would have had to be like Victor Win beyond because like it just looked like locally it kind of look since the team been so bad it kind of just look like locally your only option is to win to get [ __ ] in the building and when you hire an older guy like Joe Dumas I think and you see what the Pistons doing. I think they gonna try to expedite the process and be like, “Oh, no. We got our pick for next year, Dairy Queen. This is year two. This is year two for them. So, we ready to win now. So, now we we we about to get some talent in here and we gonna start winning.” So, what does that what does that what does that look like? Because if you go that route, what kind of supporting really good players are you gonna are you going to bring in? And how do you make sure that they’re not stepping on the toes of these two guys that you said we got to we got to build through to where you’re not repeating past mistakes? I in my opinion I think I think what I gather from Troy Weaver’s team building in Detroit I don’t think he care about fit period. I I think because Duran and Stewart don’t fit whatsoever. Like it’s working itself out. Yeah. A little bit a little bit better now. But originally Yeah. But it looked like you couldn’t It looked like he was never getting no first back for Duran at one point. Like it looked like a total by low situation, right? And then Ivy. Ivy looked kind of questionable for years. Then you had Killian Hayes. I think Troy Weaver one of them people that just like I don’t give a [ __ ] I’mma just throw all this paint on the wall and I’ll just figure out what to make later with the paint and he just gonna keep I I think he just gonna take the best player available in any trade in any uh any draft. I think he just in talent acquisition mode because there’s no disrespect to the players, man. It’s no disrespect whatsoever to the players. Pelicans just physically are just lacking like this. just from a physical standpoint, they just not very strong. They can’t really run. They can’t really jump. They’re not super tall. They just don’t have no advantages necessarily. Like, so it’s [ __ ] up. But it just ain’t like if JV in the starting unit right now would be one of your only advantage creators. And that’s like sad to say. It it go to your strength and conditioning program as well and also what guys doing in the offseason. But it’s also about the guys you you bring in. Um, man, shout out Jordan Hawkins, man. Jordan Hawkins drove to the rim today. Dro Hawkins, I appreciate him jumping into the contact, man. Jordan Hawkins tried tried to do the A and one. Joe Hawk threw the [ __ ] ball over the rim. I mean, over the backboard. I said, “No, dog.” That’s why we can’t get no and ones. If you notice, we we cannot get three-point plays. We too skinny. Can’t nobody can’t nobody finish through the through the contact. Nobody, dog. It’s crazy. Yeah, it’s crazy, dog. But um this is why I thought like the DeAndre Jordan signing was interesting. It it like the Sadique Bay one is helping out. I think is is paying dividends just to those two players specifically. Um, I think they are benefiting from that in a way like we won’t see until, you know, three and four years down the line. Um, but as as Chris kind of talked about, you can’t have people stepping up like letting the Jante play isn’t going to be beneficial for Jeremiah Fierce, nor is it for Derek Queen for that matter. Do you think he just takes uh Jose’s minutes five or you think he he’s too far gone with that because Jonte interesting guy? I like the Jonte like I like a lot but that’s a different mentality than just taking Jose’s minutes. Right. Right. Like I think even Jose knows like Jeremiah fears is the future. Jonte probably thinks like [ __ ] this my like I I got this. I still got it. Like this ain’t the time for that. But I I get both sides. But this is why I won’t mind the competition because there has to be some kind of tug-of-war. Like you have to value it. I don’t want anybody being given a team anymore. Like earn it. Take it from somebody. So it it sounds like a um you know you know the old the old adage you know the cream rises to the top you know kind of thing like you don’t you don’t necessarily have to clutter their movements but you don’t have to make it you don’t have to make it easier for them to step either you know what I mean like you know you got to still it got to be a balance of it of them not getting entitlement too early but you not putting them in a space to where they can’t they can’t move freely. Um, and it’s a it’s a it’s an interesting line to walk. Like, you know, Chaz, I I think of SGA, like you know, when SGA got to got to Oklahoma City, the first thing they did was bring in like they traded, right? They they traded for Chris Paul. And the funny part about that year is that people don’t remember they weren’t supposed to be good. Like they they weren’t it weren’t the plan was to trade CP3 at the deadline. Like that was the plan. And it just so happened that they were good. And then from there, the run starts. Everything that they built kind of goes from there. And now they got assets on assets on assets that they just keep pushing down the line and which they’ll probably have until we’re dead, you know. But yeah, go ahead. Go ahead. I think you know what I think OKC is very interesting. It’s funny you brought that up, right? Because I think it’s so funny. It’s that that’s a great that’s a great comp because I mentioned OKC and SGA on the on the live stream. I spoke specifically about Chris Paul with his homeless ass. Um, don’t and don’t try to spin the block. Chris Chris like he he’ll do anything not to come back here like nah ain’t done playing he watch he go he gonna end up in uh he’ll end up somewhere weird. Watch he end up in like Boston or something. Yeah, somewhere weird like what the [ __ ] But I think OKC is such an interesting comp because OKC failed a lot and they failed with a lot of talent a lot of times. You talking about all the talented players that went through that organization and it wasn’t until they say, “Yo, this guy right here, we gonna just lose for about three, four years in a row because he not supposed to be nobody. He just showing a little bit of promise and we going to bring some guys in that gonna show you how to win.” Like people forget OKC was missing in the draft. OKC had some years but they looked [ __ ] off. Like it was like what is y’all doing? But every time every year you saw Shay get better. Every year you saw Shay get better. And once Chris Paul kind of taught them dudes what winning time was, they just took the next step. They start acquiring the same type of physical athletes. You look at a guys like uh Caruso and Jaylen Williams and Kenny Hustle. Uh Luke Dort like a shorter version of that but strong physical athletes. You got uh Hartinstein. He got a calf injury right now, but Hartinstein um Chat is a little bit Cadet is like the anomaly on that roster far as he don’t really fit the the build necessarily. And maybe SG the other Yeah. The other Jaylen Williams, right? Yeah. And um and they and even with they draft, they got Usman Jing, who I was a like fan of coming out of like overseas, but he been good. Like it just so I say that to say there’s no right way to do it. But the reason OKC, another reason OKC was so interesting to me when you brought him up, Chris, I think great players just there’s a difference between some of these great players and players who had great careers, right? Shout out to Camelo. Talk about it. Camelo had interesting quote, right? He was like, man, talking about Chris Paul, man, Chris Paul, they they mistreating all the old these Hall of Famers. It’s like, Camello, you’re talking about yourself. Really? He felt that. He felt that. Yeah. He felt that in his soul. And it’s like Carmelo, where you where it went wrong for Carmelo and Carmelo is incredible, right? But where it went wrong for him is when he couldn’t figure out the triangle. And the reason I bring that up is you got Phil Jackson and you can’t figure out the triangle. This worked for Kobe. It worked for Shaq. It worked for Jordan. It worked for Pippen, but it ain’t gonna work for you. The reason why that relates to the Pelicans is great players know how to play with other talent. Great players know how to know when to take a step back and know when to take a step forward. All like I feel like with Derek Queen, Jeremiah Fz, I feel like they they both highlevel talent guys. And I think irregardless of who the Pelicans bring in, if you hire the right coaching staff and if you get the right amount of buyin, guys will know when to step forward and when to step back. like Jaylen Williams and um SGA. Jaylen Williams know when it’s time to like SG SGA killing these [ __ ] off. There you go. The the Jay’s Tatum and Brown look at look at what Brown doing right now. Like it’s just that that kind of go to show you like, you know, I could kind of do this the whole time, but I know my role. I’m Batman. This is Robin. Oh, we won A1B. And I I just think great great players and great talent um they’ll they’ll rise to the occasion if you surround them with the right leadership and the right structure. You think five to Chaz’s point, you think you think that that um you know because some of that is just like it’s just common sense. I mean all these guys have egos, right? I mean all these guys want to be great. All these guys have individual goals. Uh, but you think that, you know, with these with some of these previous Pelicans teams, you had so many players that just got in the way of each other simply because it was, “Okay, it’s my turn. Now it’s my turn. Now it’s my turn. Now it’s my turn.” Versus guys just saying just getting out the way and saying, “Yo, this is his this is this is his team. This is his moment.” Um, this is his part of the game. This is his quarter. Do you do you see that level of I mean there’s there there’s some level of maturity there right you know with that and even like with Brown and Tatum it took time they had periods to where you know there was there were multiple years where people were like one of them got to go they can’t they can’t play they started with [ __ ] Kyrie Yeah. Yeah. like you know and Kimber I mean so I mean that’s like that’s my thing bro like it it even took them what five what six years five years before they finally put it put it all together a long time we 23 games in of these two guys’ career and we like how do they how do they move here how do they move there um do you think their advancement and development um and the work ethic that these two guys put in speaks to, I guess, the the maturity of maybe them being able to catch what it means to just be a duo together a little earlier than some of the teams that or the examples that took a little bit longer. We have to give a little context. The Celtics got to the Eastern Conference Finals like I think year or maybe actually the first year. First year. So, it’s like the first year. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They won right away. figure out dunked on LeBron. I wanted I want LeBron to lose right there. I was hating. I was hating. But go ahead. Damn. I remember that. Yeah, that [ __ ] was crazy. Yeah, they were uh See, I I think that should be like a a point of emphasis, right? And that not just like a point of emphasis from them two, but a point of emphasis from the coaching staff and also a point of emphasis just from the organization. Like you have to be aligned like hey these are our guys we like we we have to do this like it’s a must like it I don’t care who’s on the court with them they are supporting cast to these two but like who’s going to be that honest about it like who’s going to be that upfront about it like that that’s the question we need to to truly ask like who’s going to be the one to deliver this kind of message and it rang throughout the organization. Um, does that mean that Berago has has the leg up on his on his job whether it’s the best move or not? Listen to me. If uh shout out to uh Scoop B, he put out some some co like if those are the three guys who then there’s I think it was uh Ali. Yeah, Ali from Yukon. What’s what’s his last name? I forgot. Kevin Ali Kevin Ali who who was cleared of those accusations by the way. Shout out to Kevin Alley. I do. It wasn’t nothing crazy. It was it was nothing like like that how that sounded. Well, look because he looked like he looked like Kevin Johnson to me like like he always had. You see what I’m saying? And Kevin Johnson got real allegations. So no not those type of allegations. Um, but uh it was it was Darvin Ham, it was uh you know the hip-hop crew, Kevin Alley, Darvin Green, you know those guys. Shout out to Jake Fisher. Also uh Mosley Mosley from Orlando is also a guy in consideration. Really? Now that’s different. Why? I see that one. How? I don’t know, man. They want him gone. Paulo want him gone. No, I’m I’m just saying if he become available and you got to think about Ty Lou as well. if certain guys become available, well then it’s gonna be But see, we talked about this. We talked about this owner show in the past. A guy like Jamal Mo Mosley um might end up being a being a casualty for them going to spend money on one of these big coaches to try to get the next level out of Yeah. And and when you It’s It’s a It’s It always happens. It’s a lot easier. So I mean Jamal Mosley boy what I’ve always I don’t know because you know that’s the thing the beauty of the substack is it’s behind the payw wall and you get to support like the journalist but at the same time a lot of stuff don’t really go public if I’m not mistaken. Yeah Jake Fischer in his substack with Mark Stein he uh mentioned that uh Mosley might be somebody in consideration. I heard that a couple times. Okay. So and people you know they might be saying you ain’t getting the best out of Paulo. You know what I’m saying? Maybe we need somebody. We ready to take the next step. Mark Jackson, we need somebody new. Need somebody We need somebody a little lighter. Hey, so we heard the story about Mark Jackson and really why he got out of Golden State with the uh the religious stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But you know, come to find out the owners were, you know. Yeah. Yeah. That’s crazy. You know, we got a couple people. What was that dude we had at one time? He was a defensive I think he was like defensive coordinator. His name started with a E. He got ran out for like wearing a wire or some [ __ ] in Boston or Golden State. I think his name was Man. Think he went up going to Darren Man. He Yeah, that’s why that’s another guy who was like an outcast from Boy It’s a dirty game. It’s like House of Colors. Like Chris be saying it’s a dirty game. Oh, I just think no matter what happens next year. See, that’s why it’s such a [ __ ] up situation because now you got you feel like you in a tough spot because you know it ain’t like you got a bunch of young talent. You really got two guys and some guys who like they’re young but not making money. You know what I’m saying? So, you almost got to be like, “All right, look, I’m gonna try to get some talent in the off season, and whatever happens next year, since I got my own pick, I could pull the plug.” And you got uh it’s not the best pick, but you got uh the Bucks 27 pick, top four protected, which I wish they would have just got that [ __ ] unprotected from uh Atlanta and just got their portion of that back. But if it lands in the top four, the Pelicans keep their pick and the um Bucks pick if I’m not mistaken. So, they still got so many young guys on solid contracts. And you know, you you kind of you got some transferable skills. It’s just you’re too small height and sizeless strengthwise. You don’t got enough athleticism. That’s why Carlo look like awesome out there because we ain’t got nobody else to do that cuz the baro like we ain’t got nobody else can run like that. Look at him. I was like dis dog. Look, bro, that that Boston game like just just stays in my mind for example, man, because they got they had role players that were looking like first place like 40. Yeah. Like uh but no, I mean Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But the No, I’m earlier in the year where Oh, this year. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What’s the center? Uh uh Quita on second half back to back. Yeah. like um uh Josh Josh Josh Manat uh Manoa whatever like like all these talented guys but role players that just look like like damn like I mean Pelicans ain’t got nobody that could do that. It’s like I mean and and I I caught myself earlier today. I’m like damn like you know I want Carlo to play basketball man but you know and I want him but I I shouldn’t be thinking like oh they got to make room for Carlo Matic. No, they need to add better. They need to continue to add add talented guys that are capable of doing some more of these things to where I’m like, man, like I need to see Carlo play 20 25 minutes a night because they have no other big that can even attempt to shoot a couple threes a night. They can attempt to finish alive at the at the rim. And it’s been like that for years. That’s why when like Eves has a good game, I’m still like that a I feel like Smokey Mama Smokey when mama gave him a dollar like make it enough like no that that ain’t enough. Like I can’t like it’s not enough. It’s not going to be enough against good teams. Like it’s not enough. It’s not enough skill really. I know we talk about like talent and athleticism, but the skill team. Yeah. Yeah. like or just the the actual knowhow to like when you get the ball like what are you looking at? What what are the advantages? Like who do we get the ball to? Like how are we going to score on this play? What is the defense doing? Like how fast can we process this information and it’s just not there at all. No. And then guys guys guys overcompensate with 46 seconds left on the on the game clock and you up by four and the point guard gets the rebound and versus passing the ball to the guy that probably should have got the ball to bring the card up. He’s in a rust to hurry up and get up course he turns the ball over and ultimately lose the game. Sound like you’re talking about somebody in particular. A man if if I can just say one more thing about OKC bro is again OKC being a super small market team they were never going to get marquee free agents once Russ and all those guys left. Their second best player was Enus Caner for for a little bit. Second best player and we like Enus Caner get like 20 rebounds. Enus Caner was [ __ ] ball. He just sucked on Enis was Damont Sabonis before Damata Sabonis, right? But I think this boy went to Boston, right? Yeah, that’s him. Portland. Yeah, he guts. Oh, he had a little go back to his home country. They were trying to kill him. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He was wilding out. But um so I I think I think if you’re the Pelicans again, man, the only way you really gonna acquire your talent is two ways. You got a you got a hit on in the draft which you you haven’t really done aside from maybe one or two years and the the kind of off the roses with a couple of those guys or through trades buying high upside buying high upside talent or even recouping like re uh replenishing uh your draft assets and then buying more or taking on bad contracts etc. That’s again, that’s why I think Troy Weaver, if you look at what Troy, if if two, three years from now, Derek Queen ends up being Darren, you kind of feel a little bit better depending on where your pick lands next year, right? Because you’ll say, “All right, he he ain’t worried about fit. He was just drafting all the talent he could get and it finally came together and worked out. We hired JB Big St. It worked out cool.” But it’s like, you got to get the talent in the building at this point. like you just got to get it in the building. McGawan was one of your better players tonight. That’s not a knock on him, but cuz I you know it’s rather have him and not have him tonight, but it just like McDonald’s came off the street, dog. Like Brandon Boston last year off the street or something like you you got to get talent desperately. Some high pedigree guys. Yeah, Detroit Detroit is interesting, you know, as well because, you know, I I I forget in the midst of, you know, when you when you name some of those some of those players, all the guys that they had over there and for years people was like, what are they doing? Like, you know, you drafted you, you know, you drafted Sadique Bay, you know, um, but you don’t really have a future there, you know, it doesn’t really seem like you have a future there for him. You you drafted Kate Cunningham, but then you brought in Jaylen Ivy. That don’t necessarily fit. You wouldn’t you wouldn’t get, you know, wait you Jeremy Grant’s making big money your team. Wait, what you doing? Wait, you signed Kristen Wood like what what exactly is going and then you know a year from you know a year after that you know shortly after that you’re not thinking about it anymore you know you you you forgetting less and less you know oh you brought in James Wiseman like what exactly are they doing and then immediately you thinking totally different about how that how that program you know is looking and from here now now they have a system similar to what OKC found they have a system Now, they knew immediately off of last year, like as soon as Malik Beasley was out, we need someone actually we need multiples that are capable of filling that kind of role. And now they ain’t missed the beat. Now you watching them do some of the [ __ ] you see Miami or OKC do. Half the team out, the stars, the stars missing games. You got players playing that you might not have heard of, but then people in Detroit know who they are and they go on a 10 game winning streak. You know, like they got a beauty of it, man. They got a style, bro. Y like that’s all like I that’s why like losing right now I’m not really tripping about you know like find a style find something that works for you that that eventually will will replicate wins right or or produce wins but find something that that creates advantages for your team for your team to learn about itself because really that’s what it’s about you’re really trying to play five on zero Mhm. Play. This is how we’re going to play. Win, lose, or draw. We’re going to do this. We’re going to try to do this for four quarters. If we can do this for four quarters, we’ll have a chance to win. Now, they’re finally putting three quarters together, can they put it at three and a half? Can we get to to a full game of moving the basketball, playing defense, flying around? Can we Can we get to that point? I’mma be patient to see because there ain’t nothing else we can do. Yeah. All right. Um, let’s uh let’s get to um some of these super chats and get everybody out here. Chad Chad, you have some before we before we move. Oh, no. I understand I believe in Troy Weaver, man. I believe now I ain’t gonna say what extent I believe in him, too. But I I I believe in him to a certain extent. Shout out to Troy Weaver. Track records matter, man. And especially when you’re able to do them in some even if you even if it’s not replicating it pattern by pattern if you have success of people speaking higher of whatever your strength is in multiple places that ain’t no example. I mean that ain’t no accident. You know what I’m saying? Like like that it’s it’s something to that. So fierce dur but the thing is Chaz the first year of Troy Weaver versus year three or four of Troy Weaver or in a lot of cases after Troy Weaver leaves. Yeah. Looks totally different, you know. So, you know, we’ll have to see. Um, Cajun Curveball, man. Appreciate you for the champions, dog. Imagine walking into a stadium with a pale jersey on right now. You get joke. I love these teams, man. Please save. The good thing is nobody walking into the stadium, boy. Empty. Hello. Hello. Hello MD hilarious man. Can the crew recall Appreciate you Justin Justine? Can the crew recall a player as focused working hard as Hulk who regressed so much in each quincent year of his career? I bought his [ __ ] jersey. H worked hard and regressed. Boys don’t Working hard is heavy lifting, right? Because when you say working hard like like are we sure? Are we sure Hulk was working hard, man? I’m not saying he was just he was just he was just wasting his time, but Right. I think all these guys work hard, right? I I I think there’s just some things that like watch watch Mitchell Robinson in practice in training. Mr. Robinson looked like he look he look better than Jokic, but but in the real world when when the bullet’s live, it is it just don’t translate. I think uh man, Joe Hog is losing shooting battles to Willie Green, dog. like it it’s just you know what maybe maybe to a to a lesser degree like like NIL uh the kill and Hawk’s game are different but we used to talk about how hard how how hard NIL worked how much he you know how much talent he had pretty certain parts of his game look but he could never really put it together consistently for it to ever matter now the kid was a better player when he left New Orleans than Hawk has been since his rookie year but we talking like Pelicans and role players off the top of my head. Like that’s the first person was worked pretty hard. He just Yeah. God man that that turned left so fast. Yeah. That turn left so fast. It’s about I think it’s just about game at the end of the day though. Like it’s really a talent thing at the at the end of the day, you know? It’s tough. Tough man, man. That dude mix high school mixtape was so crazy, bro. Who? Austin Rivers. Oh my god. I probably watched that [ __ ] like a thousand times. I think so. You couldn’t, bro. You couldn’t have told me that that that that him and AD wasn’t going to be special, bro. You couldn’t have told me. I I thought I thought that parent that dual was about to be cold, bro. Like, but I remember reading a story one time. It might still be I don’t know how old it was. It was Katrina and they talking about how J.R. Smith always late to practice so Chris Paul got to go pick him up. You couldn’t have told me J.R. Smith and Chris Paul wouldn’t about to be cold. Only difference is J.R. Smith was so talented he could stick around the league for a few years. He just turned himself into a 3 and D guy whereas Hawkins is like I don’t know man. I hope it work out for the brother man. He got a shooter. He got to shoot or nothing else. The same man like you know I I I don’t want I don’t want Hawkins to fail. I hope he can ultimately figure it out. And for what for for what it’s worth I do think that he’s that that he’s playing better. I think he has a better relationship obviously with James Burggo. Um it’s just, you know, he what he has to do to be productive on the floor is just for him is just tied for one thing because he’s not strong enough. He’s not a good defender. He can’t handle the ball. His he he threw a oop today. You know what I mean? But he’s not a playmaker. It’s all about him shooting the basketball. Man, that’s it’s a lot of pressure for a dude that hasn’t proved to hasn’t proved to be even a good shooter yet for a full year. Oh man, I still I still recall the conversation I had inside that that Pelicans uh uh facility uh with the with let’s say a trainer. Yeah. and we we were discussing Jordan Hawkins and he was adamantly telling me like he should just be a shooter and I’m like no if he’s just a shooter and the shot fails what else would you have and he looked at me like you know one of those people that just be like you don’t know what you’re talking about you don’t you know hey bro I get it you play high level college basketball I’m just telling you what I see and sure as [ __ ] look at us now. Look at us now. You got to think five. Duncan Robinson, for example, Duncan Robinson got paid and a bad year of shooting for him was like 37% from three. Yeah. It’s like, oh man, this guy this guy can’t shoot anymore. But that but it’s 37% on a high volume. It’s not like, you know, but but but that’s the now he’s he’s doing a little bit more than he did in some of his in some of his bad years. A bad year for Jordan Hawkins? 33% 30%. What’s a good year if Jordan Hawkins shot 37% from three? We I mean we we might be talking about us. We we we might be having a different conversation about him. It might not be the same. He It’s tough for him to even do that right now. So for certain guys, man, like especially like shooters, it’s it is important that you learn and at a guard position, you know, when you’re kind of, you know, undersized. Undersized like Yeah, you got to be able to do something else. Let’s see. Alrighty. What else do we have here, man? Really got a whole bunch today. Just ain’t going crazy here. We just going to go ahead. Um, the only reason I listen, the only reason I listen to this [ __ ] is my season tickets were next to Justin. Yeah, we have a small pie. You should check it out. Not no more. Appreciate that. That Mexican 50, dog. Thank you, my dog. Yeah, boy. Like $2. I just wonder what they gonna do to get people in that building, boy. They g cuz that’s another thing. If you’re the Pelican, it’s so [ __ ] up because the superstar era is kind of dying. You ain’t really got like LeBron and Stephss and Dame and all them dudes older now. So, it ain’t nobody like that really to trade for. You you gonna have to kind of like get somebody and hopefully grow them into a star like Theres Maxi and uh SGA and guys like that. Oh boy. They best ch allow plus ones. I This might sound crazy like they might need a um not a uh like a not a graphic designer but um remember Kanye was going to rant and he was talking about uh Lady Gaga like she had got the little the Polaroid thing. What he said she I like I like some of uh I like her I like some of the Lady Gaga songs. What the [ __ ] does she know about cameras? Cameras. What was like what was her title? Uh, I’m trying to think of her her title at the time, but like I don’t remember. I like some of the Gaga songs, but like they need somebody just to to not let necessarily like rebrand, but like reculture the Pelicans. Like you better start selling towards the people here rather than, you know, just selling a superstar because as we see, cats are in and out of lineups. They’re healthy one week. they they out for several months. Like you can’t base your business model on people that are in and out of the lineup are unhealthy. That’s not but but but it goes back to your point earlier about honesty. You have to be honest about exactly what you have here. You know what I’m saying? Like and see and that’s the problem like like you got this asset and you you keep trying to sell people that you know on you know like almost a limit you know at some point they got this they got this well you need to be honest flat like this exactly this is what we are this what even okay they’re not even honest in the building with each other no so and it so so so it shows to the people they program each other some of them inside the building I talked to enough of them outside where they tell me the stuff that I’m seeing online. I’m like, “God damn, y’all all think this way?” You know what I mean? Y’all want to ask this whole time? So, you know, so it’s just it’s just confusing, bro. Because like for you to for this to 100% work, somebody got to walk in and say, “I don’t know what y’all looking at. This is a piece of shit.” And but it’s okay. It can grow from this, but we got to these are the steps that we have to take from here. You at ground zero. Like, you know, you looking at a you you looking at a girl across the room that’s a, you know, that’s a two. You ain’t got to treat her, you know. See, I’m about See, you going creative creative creative director was was the uh the term I was looking for. That’s what they need. There you go. There you go. Yeah. You know, that’s why I think this situation really not that bad, bro. They just they just can’t see the forest for the trees. That’s why I’m like, when you zoom out and look at everything, you’re like, “All right, this not a bad situation. This is how but you gotta fix it one thing at a time. Yeah. And I think the messaging has been on board from Joe Dumar from the standpoint I’m not trying to build a team just around Zion. Even if Zion was Zion, I’m not trying to build a team just around him. That’s not how you win no more. Like we not really seeing that in the league no more. So it’s just about hitting on your picks, man. Hitting on these trades. And I I just don’t think they can afford they they need a like the beam type. That’s what I mean. They need That’s what they need. I don’t know what the equivalent of that would be, but like we on fire. I I don’t know what it’ll be something because the won’t buy down ever was [ __ ] whack, dog. That’s what it was. God awful. But guess what? All that [ __ ] is whack. Like all that [ __ ] we were we were we were a big part of what the rebranding was though, right? And then like I mean we like we were there. We gave we like we gave the start, the lighter, the flick, the you know we like we gave the opportunity for it to grow. We went through all of it to like build this is what you really have now build. Yeah. And once again I think that too many people involved thought that they were still that that that the team, the future, the the things that they had were better than it actually was. And it was coming from the messaging down the people that were making the decisions, the people thinking that 49 a 49 win team, you know, um was capable of beating anybody in the NBA. So you continue to have to have these thoughts of settling for these mediocre expectations or or or player situations and you keep holding on to [ __ ] longer than than you should. You know, oh man, I really like that door. You know what I mean? like I you know I’ve I’ve had this that’s a that’s a great and then you don’t get rid of it until it falls off the hinges you know what I mean they should have got rid of Willie Green years ago but they held on to him because for whatever reason same with Brandon Ingram same with some of the other the other mistakes that they made they got to be honest about this [ __ ] even if it’s not a piece of [ __ ] even if it’s even if it’s better than uh you know if you see it from the from the perspective that Chaz does and Look, Washington would love the the the Wizards would love to say that they got Derek Queen and Jeremiah Fierce right now. They would their situation. Shout out to Trey Johnson. I hope you bounce back, dog. But [ __ ] that’s crazy, you know? But but they got to they got to be honest, man, because otherwise you just going to just keep repeating the same mistakes, doing the same [ __ ] selling people the same stuff. And the thing about people that live that watch this show that’s here, we read through all that [ __ ] We know when [ __ ] in front of us. We know when you trying to play us. We know when you when you not showing your forehead. We know when you kind of like uh them people in Sacramento five Chaz y’all mentioned it perfectly. They had something that built that it wasn’t it wasn’t cliche. It wasn’t coin may have been coining people outside but for them it was everything and they still doing it. Yep. Yeah. And it was unique. It something they will never die. Mhm. They just don’t got the room to make some of the mistakes that they make dog. And I say this about like some of the fan base a little bit like damn y’all don’t watch other teams because some somebody say something so crazy though. I never I’m not even going to repeat it. No say that but man somebody told me they like y’all watching this. There’s like uh what they say I think I think what they said I think they said RJ they said no it was I think it was no one other player and Brandon they were like man all those guys left they’re all all NBA levels I’m like you do not watch I watch the Raptors like every game like I I love that team like it’s a very interesting team what are you watching brother shout out to RJ Barrett I hope you get better soon though but what are you watching like no like you got. But the issue is the reason I brought that up is because it’s like the the the the Pelicans organization. I’m going to say the David Griffin regime because Griff I mean you know Joe just got here but it’s like they don’t watch other teams neither. They don’t watch basketball neither. That’s the problem. It’s like use it’s an echo chamber. You’re so in tune with what you’re watching you’ve lost all objectivity. Like, no, bro. Like, no. You You gotta You gotta, you know, zoom out a little bit and watch other teams and how they’re building what they’re doing. You know, you know what’s funny? Beyond just the basketball court. No, no, no. To that point, Chris, like I had this idea a couple years ago, like if I’m the Pelicans in this situation, like I’m calling go Casey and I’m like, listen, I’m sending someone to come watch how y’all run your organization for a month or two. Yeah. And like, let me shadow and understand how y’all do this. Not from the like I don’t need to see like the player development thing because you know nobody wants to do that but I’m talking about just for from a fan experience from a building a brand like you’re a small market team I think New Orleans is probably more culturally advanced way more culturally advanced then yeah get a spot uh than uh OKC but it’s night and day when you talk about basketball and and the fan experience. So that’s probably the I mean you should right like it would benefit OKC from a from a revenue standpoint right if you know the Pelicans were to bring in more money that’s more money in the pot right like no one would say no one should say no to that in fact you know I I never even hear any about the Pelicans having scouts anywhere aside from like overseas but I never really hear when you talk to other people like cover teams they don’t never say the Pelicans got some scouts in here in Indiana like you just or at least you never hear about it maybe they play Maybe Griff played it close enough to the vest to where it never really got out. But [ __ ] everything was getting out from that organization, from that regime. It got to the point where you like, you know, we had, you know, Chris had Chris was like, “Don’t don’t give me no more updates on this person, please.” You had to change the name of the thing to no more updates. Yeah. Like I hear no more about this person, please. Like it is it got to that point where we was just hearing everything. But it’s like to F’s point, man, if the best way to get better is to do an apprenticeship, take on, you know, the the the to model yourself after someone who’s successful in the arena you want to be in. But that take a lot of uh self-reflection and uh you know, less ego. And hopefully we start seeing that with this new regime. Well, I mean, look, man. I mean, I I I do I do agree with you guys that there’s some there there’s some [ __ ] to move forward with. Um, but you know, look, I mean, they they as all like the same this the next part of this rebuild or this retooling, it can be lost or won with either a move that they make or they don’t make this off season or at the trade deadline or whatever the case may be. like it just so you know I’m hoping that they’re taking notes along along this process and being like real about they are not a traditional 3 and 20 team. most three and 20 team most most three and 20 teams right now can can start thinking about well the draft class is coming you know coming in next year and in some respects if the Pelicans make some trades they’ll be able to get some draft capital and get back into the draft but it’s not based off of what their record is is going to provide them so like Ross have been saying um coming into the year you got to be unique and a little different with how you approach some of this [ __ ] to get to where you ultimately want to get tradition traditional isn’t working for you and traditional isn’t what isn’t would work for some of these other you can’t be traditional in a small market surrounded by giants. You can’t you got to think different. You got you got to get lucky. You got to think crazy. You got to be delusional. Um and [ __ ] that’s all that’s all we want to see, man. So hopefully, you know, look, man. Uh you know, we we’ll see what you know what happens. You know, we continue to kind of, you know, um take some details in these games as as they continue to lose. I think the Pelicans are back on the court Saturday. They play again. Uh, who do they I don’t even know. I think it’s the Nets Saturday, I believe. Yeah, that dude MPJ going crazy. Brooklyn, he is. He is MPJ. I’m not even talking about basketball. He just going crazy. The rip in the for I seen a question somebody asked him. Get over you is wild out. You supposed to write that down or whisper that, bro? Or, you know, or text it or something. You supposed to make sure the cameras is off. Like, are you He wilding out. Just a just a different guy. That guaranteed money, boy. He don’t give a [ __ ] Do it every time. Well, well, Ivory, I know you watching, man. We get to see your dog Danny Wolf uh uh Saturday, man. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how things go up, man. And our dog Jagger Jagor Denim Oh, star line up in Brooklyn, man. But yo, appreciate all y’all pulling up, man. 500 plus people in here, man. I don’t know where the likes ended, man. But, you know, shout out to everybody pulled up. Shout out to Five. Shout out to Chaz, man. Y’all like, comment, subscribe, everything that we doing. And we will holl at y’all as always postgame. I did a lot of y’all tell y’all we showed up after Brooklyn. I don’t know if we showed up at the Brooklyn, but we’ll see. They win maybe, but but probably not. But for sure, we gonna see y’all on Sunday. Y’all know where to find us then. So for for myself, for five, for LA on the ones and twos, we’ll holl at y’all.

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