https://open.spotify.com/episode/1EI1MuvrzjdiZca0IysuC0?si=oQpMtrBxTZ-_8QTu-Te04A

Phenomenal podcast between Matt Moore and Adam Mares (who used to host a pod together before Mares went onto bigger things) that touches upon Malone vs Booth and Braun vs. Watson at length. Further convo regarding Malone & Booth:

Matt: “You can’t back somebody into a corner and be surprised when they lash out”

Adam: “Who backed who into a corner”

Matt: “Booth put Malone a corner”.

Adam: “I disagree. I think Booth also felt like he was put in a corner. Which led to a double suicide of both guys doubling down. My perspective is that Booth drafted players that he really believed in and [have now shown that they have something to them], and Malone BROKE THOSE GUYS. Like really broke them. [Or it Watson’s case didn’t develop them]. But with Picket and Zeke, Malone really broke them. Pickett went scoreless in a summer league game and now is putting up 29 points in a game”.

Matt: “What I don’t want to do is justify the way Malone treated Zeke and Payton. With Pickett, it’s different because he was REALLY bad.”

Adam: “I mean, I’m just not surprised, he is playing well and I’ll put in that way. But my thing is that in the fallout of the war, everyone took a side. And this is not a side thing”.

Matt: “Malone made it so that if you were a Booth guy, he wouldn’t talk to you and he didn’t want his guy talking to them either. Which froze out chunks of the organization”.

Adam: “Meanwhile, Booth got blinded by rage. He was in a corner”.

Matt: “They were both so paranoid about losing the power struggle and it’s like, do you not realize the oppurtunity you have”.

Adam: “Yes the opportunity. And this is the point. Payton Watson is really good, Zeke is good but fragile. Pickett give him a chance and see what he’s got. And then the other part is, Malone needs some vets, [but develop the kids].

—–

Convo related to Braun vs Watson:

Mares: “I think no matter how we slice it, CB would be my (3rd option rotationally at the moment) between him, Cam and Watson. Some of this is that Cam being a shooter… you know, CB & PWat even though they have shot well in the regular season, I don’t consider them shooters, and you need a guy that has to be guarded out there (with the options this year being Cam and Hardaway).

But with Watson, the big things are:

1) we’ve watched a lot of games where if Watson is guarding a guy, they try and get him switched off. You don’t usually see that with CB. You don’t move heaven and earth to get CB off of a guy, but with Watson it’s been like that. They don’t want to attack him. (Points to Boston game).

2) But the bigger thing is: We’ve already seen a series against OKC, and it’s going to happen again this year, where it came down to, in large part, how many three pointers CB can hit. As good he is, as no matter what the regular season #’s say, teams are going to live with… what happens if CB misses three in a row. They know they can’t stop Denver, but if CB is missing wide open threes, it helps break the system. I don’t think that’s going to happen with Watson. If you leave Watson in the corner 3x in a quarter, he is irrationallly confident and capable of hitting those shots. With CB, I don’t want the season coming down to whether he can hit open 3s. He gets in his head.”

Matt: “So Swiper has been saying that too. But while Watson will take that open shot, CB will drive and re-route the ball to Jokic in the lane. Are you saying you would prefer the open shot”?

Adam: This is an easy one for me. I want the open shot. Against the top defenses, I don’t think CB will get away with it. And this is what happened. He didn’t take that many 3’s in the playoffs because he has a quick leash on himself. And teams know that’s what he is going to do, and they set up (with the best defense in the world) to defend it.

Matt: “The record scratch is the most damaging of all the options to me.”

26 comments

  4. At this point, I don’t really care about what happened. Nugs are in a great spot now from an organizational perspective. DA is doing awesome. Guys are stepping up and playing great team ball.

    I’m so over Booth and Malone talk. End of the day nugs still have a title from their tenures. That’s dope. Zero point focusing on what could have been outside of that

  5. Almost as if GM and Coach are supposed to work together, and neither of them wanted to listen to each other. Both had great individual qualities but made a HORRIBLE team, honestly Kroenke made the right decision not taking sides and letting them both go.

  6. All trash takes made in complete hindsight and in a vacuum.

    None of these young dudes showed these types of flares in games, and I’d imagine they didn’t in practice either. Malone had a set way of running things and it all culminated in a championship. He was clearly correct.

  7. I said the same thing. Pwat and Cam bring a game that CB can’t. CB doesn’t need to go anywhere but if the team were to have to sacrifice one I’d lean CB.

  8. Everyone had an argument. Yeah Malone should’ve done better to develop the young guys. However, as a contender this isnt really anplace for projects (Watson and Pickett and Nnaji all were project players and have all looked rough or inconsistent until recently.)

    We cant pretend that Watson was prime Kawhi coming out of UCLA and Malone squandered it. There were games where he did look rough, and up until recently didnt have an offensive move that consistently worked if it wasnt a slam dunk or wide open corner three

    Its like expecting the eagles or chiefs to draft and start Anthony Richardson

  9. I just got done listening to this podcast and the whole Malone v Booth thing, it is like who cares at this point? Yeah, it was a nasty double suicide situation. Would it have been different if Booth gave Malone some better vets to go along with the young guys? Who knows and it is not worth rehashing…very much a “if my mother had wheels she would be a bicycle” conversation.

    Regarding PWat v CB, it is interesting to discuss the potential options. Matt and Adam acknowledge that they just don’t know. However, worrying about CB’s confidence shooting open 3s in the playoffs when it is mid-January and the dude isn’t even healthy yet, is a waste of brain power. I also trust Adelman to make smart decisions about rotations and playing time in the playoffs and not stick with a lineup just because he used it a lot at the start of the regular season.

  11. Why do people act like Watson never played. He averaged 25mins last year under Malone.

  12. I made a post a few weeks ago about how much I miss the dynamic between Moore and Mares and was absolutely roasted for it.

    But these guys have an amazing dynamic and this content is a perfect example.

    Edit to add:

    Thanks for sharing. I will listen immediately!

  13. Booth and Malone negatively complemented each other, so they both had to go. That’s the way it is. Let’s not forget about Booth’s many wasteful player options and Nnaji’s contract that is still very inflated. Both guys were affecting this team poorly

  15. For reference…

    Nnaji’s avgs last year when Moach had ‘broken’ him:

    3.2pt, 0.3 3pm on 32%, 1.6reb, 0.4ast, 0.2to, 0.4stl, 0.7blk. UNTRADEABLE

    Nnaji’s avgs now that Dadelman has ‘fixed’ him:

    4.1pt, 0.4 3pm on 37%, 1.9reb, 0.3ast, 0.5to, 0.4stl, 0.4blk. GIVE HIM THE MAX

  17. A lot of Malone defenders in this sub, but the man truly showed what type of person he was when he hopped on ESPN after being fired and immediately said SGA was showing why he was the MVP. I don’t care if that’s what “he was paid to go on and say” a person with integrity and that doesn’t have a personal vendetta doesn’t go on this rant https://youtube.com/shorts/TGitckbZRLI?si=rwdXDkWB_3D3vfPI and then immediately switch sides. He helped bring a championship to this city but his behavior after the firing is indicative of how he was behind the scenes the entire time imo.

  18. Hot take: Jokic has absolutely carried this team for the last decade no matter the GM or coach. Whoever can best listen to and/or understand what Jokic needs to find success has done the best job with the team.

  22. Malone wanted players he could play now to win now (3 years ago), Booth aquired players that needed development.

  23. I think Malone it’s to blame for Zeke. Not for Pickett tho. Even this verison of Pickett isn’t what this team really needs. The backup PG needs to bring the ball up the court quick, run offensive set well and should play good PoA defense. Pickett can do 1 of those.

    For Petyon it’s unique cause is Peyton going to continue this when everyone’s healthy? Idk Id like to see him have some more freedom to create but we’ll see.

  24. I’m glad Malone is gone. He was a good coach for a while, but hes way too short sighted. Doesn’t see the value in getting guys lower on the depth chart more playing time, he just wants to win the game in front of him at all costs. I think if a contender wants to swap their coach he can work for them for a couple years but hes not a guy who will help the org succeed in the long run.

    Booth can still be a good gm in this league, he just needs a coach who isnt as stubborn as an ox.

  25. I think two things can be true at one. Malone led us to a championship and helped developed Joker and Jamal into who they are today WHILE ALSO being too stubborn to give opportunities to younger guys who deserved them. His stubbornness was ultimately his downfall. Doesn’t cancel out his accomplishments and what he provided to this franchise. But I do think parting with him was the right decision in terms of allowing the team to evolve rather than stagnate and/or regress.

  26. Adelman has turned all of our young guys back in to assets not even half way thru the season

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