When will the New Orleans Pelicans win a game?

When will the New Orleans Pelicans win a game?

This program is brought to you by FanDuel, where we give sports fans the chance to win every day. Say y’all, the Pelicans are in too, but we going to talk about when they go to get their first win. Hold up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Before we get into the show, let’s just give a shout out to our sponsors right now. AC Ambulance, what’s good? John De, you see the hat? T, you see the hat? Uh, Scott Vic, they fight for the win. 504500 11. Uh, Sunshine, anybody who I’m forgetting, you know what I’m saying? Blame it on my head, not on my heart. Uh, I got to give a shout out to FanDuel. Shout out to FanDuel. The Pelicans are a minus two and a half on a spread tomorrow against the Celtics. They’re negative 138 on the money line. Uh, so you do with that information what you will. I I’m just saying. No Shelsey Bips, but I’m just saying. Say y’all, the Pelicans on to uh let’s just let’s just start there. They’re on two. I’m g just start with Ross. Ross, what’s the biggest reason for you for the 0 and2 start? Uh coaching. It’s it’s coaching. Um I would say a little bit of, you know, a little bit of guard play. Uh but mostly just coaching. I mean, the same stuff. It always is. Half and half. Yeah, I’m straightly appreciate for checking in. What what’s good five? Same question for you. Is that is that is that the common denominator? The coaching is the uh you know since the the spirit is in the air and you know coaches in Louisiana just getting fired, we might as well just make this a twofer. You know, two for one, two for two for six Amsterdam. Like we might as well get this out the way while we can. While it’s while the good times are good, continue those good times. Brian Kelly is no longer here. Let’s just add another one. Let’s Let’s add to the pile. Jeff Landry, since you getting [ __ ] done, let’s get this one done. Let’s get this one done. Come holl at Gail since y’all cool, right? Make this one happen. Allegedly for me. For me. And then I might I might [ __ ] around and vote for you. If you can get this though, I might [ __ ] around and vote for you. But yeah, man. Uh, coach has been a huge problem. Um, just the lack of detail. Again, I I was talking about this during the during the um preseason games, right? Because they weren’t really running sets during the preseason. I’m like, you don’t have the luxury of like not having things installed now or being able to practice certain things or like real game atmospheres. I don’t I didn’t care that they were in Australia and against a team that they wouldn’t play like you needed to practice certain things and they just were it was just kind of just playing basketball and I knew that wouldn’t translate well to a real NBA game because lo and behold you got into clutch situations and you were unprepared. No different than last year when you had a certain team together for a general amount of time. They were unprepared and I don’t see them being prepared in the next two months. So, we might as well just restart this thing. Just we’re 0 and2. Let’s just go back to zero zero with a new coach. Um, before I get to Chaz, breaking news. Breaking news. I don’t know if this is breaking news actually, but uh Mei and Carlo were full uh practice today. So, that’s I would say that’s trending upward for for both of them. Um, Chaz, let me ask you this, bro. Mhm. What does this team do well right now? I know it’s only two games in, but just what do they do well? Before I answer that, I appre shout out to everybody in chat. I want to give a big shout out to them tank dogs for holding it down last night. Y’all know damn spirit. Free C Miller. We we going up this year. Shout out to Uptown Downtown. Rest in peace, Mr. Maddic. Shout out to all my people. See y at the source awards. But so for me, what I think they do well, honestly, I think if I want to speak on a positive note, I I think they they are relentless with attacking downhill. They’re just not finishing effectively. Um I don’t need to go through what would be Thomas. I don’t need to go through the highlights again. But just if I want to be complimentary, I will say if that’s the ideology, if getting to the rack is the ideology, you managed to file out two of the league’s premier defenders in Javon Jackson Jr. and uh Victor Wimbeyama and they got away with a lot. Victor Wimbeyama and Jam Jackson Jr. got away with a lot. So what up to Trey Lass? Shout out to Gus. Shout out to everybody in the chat, man. But they got away with a lot. So if I had to compliment them on that and I would say the team ain’t soft. They don’t look they don’t look cowardly. They just in my opinion I think they they had abnormally bad performances from each of their starters. Well, one starter in each game. You got Trey’s abnormally bad offensive game in game one, and you had Herb score absolutely zero points in in game two, which just can’t happen. Like, and fluke [ __ ] you know? At minimum, they should be one and one in my opinion. Jose Tuck his jersey in, that’s one less point. You’re up four when Castle shoots to three. Bird doesn’t pick up a tech going to the bench, you’re up uh what five when Castle shoots that three. You know what I’m saying? This the little things. And Jordan Pool said as much in the post game, the last two-minute report. Uh they said it wasn’t a foul. He actually actually deflected the ball off of Harrison Barnes in overtime, I believe. But he said it ain’t about the last play. It’s the things early in the game that all add up to a team with a little margin for error. Man, listen. Uh Chad spoke about getting downhill. I would say respectively in games one and two, the Pelicans have shot 31 and 29 free throws. Um Ross, what what do you think this team is doing well? Like before we get into the negative, like te tell me what are they doing well for you, if anything? Yeah, I don’t I mean look, I kind of agree with what Chad just said. What the two things that are they are getting to the line a lot. I wish they would make a few more. I feel like we we’re hovering in that 70% range. It’d be nice to to make a few more. Specifically, Zion, I think feels like he first game maybe he was in the 50% range and and last game I want to say he missed five or 62. And look, that makes a big difference. Like if he can consistently knock down 75% of his free throws, 70 even 70% of his free throws, you’re talking about what, two, three points a game. And when you’re when you’re right here on the fringes, like those that matters. Um, but it just just one quick go back to what Chad says, like if you if you’d have told me today and I hadn’t watched the games, hey, now they fouled out Wimby and Jiren Jackson, what do you think the record is? Like we’d all be like, oh, they won the game. Like Zion went nuts and and that’s that. Um, but look, I you just got to clean stuff up. You can’t keep just getting, you know, you can’t keep getting outplayed in the third quarter. And and look, put it on the players, put it on the coaches at this point, you know, like we we kind of collectively blame Willie Green for a lot of this stuff, but at the end of the day, they’ve they’ve got to find a way to win the third quarter. Like, I think they played good in the first halves. They’re getting downhill. The shooting has been hit and miss. I I you know, they’re hanging in there. Um but you you got to find a way to win games. Look, this is this is part of this is part of of of like going from a bad team to a a decent team. Find a way to win games. Let me ask you this though, Ross. Followup question. Are these are these issues you’re talking about, are they fixable? I I do. I really do. I I I I don’t I’m not of the opinion that this is a really bad team. I I don’t think this is like a 45 win team, but but there’s good enough players to win many of these games. And again, we talk about this a lot. close losses, you know, blowout losses, bad bad players, close losses, bad coaches. And and I think this is one of those situations where, you know, I don’t I don’t want this to linger 20 games with Willie Green again. I mean, last year we were all like, well, you know, if it gets to the end of the, you know, if we get to the, you know, January first, maybe you make a decision. I if this, you know, I don’t need to see many more games because there’s an opportunity even with the the the coaches on the bench right now that I think you would it would be addition by subtraction. So, I absolutely think you can resolve a lot of these issues rather quickly, right? Go Chaz, go ahead. You want to say something? Yeah. I I I tend to agree with with with Ross from the standpoint of you got enough evidence of what hasn’t worked. That’s why entering the season without several wholesale changes um is a was a little bit disheartening because I think we all had the same concerns as from that standpoint. My my greater issue is like the the all of the uh roster flaws have been highlighted thus far. Like everything you worried about like oh you know this hasn’t been much of a problem yet. But it’s like, yo man, we got 10 shot. We got 107 in the chat. 38 likes. Stop being some hate in there. Oh, hit the like button with your [ __ ] ass. It’s inexcusable. It’s hating. But nah. So, you know, but it’s so it’s so hard for me to get away from you can’t score zero points, brother. You just can’t do that. And and if you’re and if you’re you’re Trey, you can’t give up like four or five threes. You can’t to because to me it gets to a point where just being objective. Well, what’s happening for Lauren? If I’m being objective and I’m putting myself into the coach’s shoes, if I say, “Hey, Trey, don’t do that.” Or if like, “Well, you’ve been playing basketball long enough. You understand Matt. You can count the four. You can count the three. It’s a three-point game. The only thing we can’t give up is a three. Why you you know why you you going you dropping down to double. Yeah. You dropping down to help on Lucernette in this context. Don’t just don’t do it. Then in overtime on the screen you give up another three. That’s let’s just not do that brother. You know Herb let’s you know got take some of the dip off of the chip brother. That’s not your game. Have you practiced that shot son? And frankly I don’t care if you have. Don’t don’t do it on my time. Do it on your own time. You know what I’m saying? It it was just to me again it’s just been abnormally bad performances by two players you don’t expect to see those type of performances from. And that’s why I think at some point it has to level out because also if you’re the Pelicans, you really haven’t done anything overwhelmingly well at this point. Like you aren’t shooting incredibly well. You aren’t like you know necess you’re rebounding effectively but you aren’t rebounding like super incredibly well. you’ve been without a center. You have your own your own things to overcome that you’ve been battling uphill against not having a center, not having a guy you brought in to be your starting center, having a start um not start, but having to play Derek Queen significant men in his second professional NBA game, Jeremiah Fez being your second or third best player out the gates, like certain things you’ve had to overcome as well. And you know, I would just like to see um you know, some balance with things. You know what I’m saying? And of course, you still not generating easy looks, but I like the defensive effort from Jordan Pool so far. I like the defensive effort from Z. I like the rebounding from Herb. Like the rebounding from Trey. It’s just putting all of these things together and figuring out these rotations and I I think you’ll win more often than you’ll lose. Um, Brother Five, can I read you something real fast, dog? Yeah. Learn me something. So, man, shout out to uh shout out to brother Grub, man. Uh, Brother Grub, he he tweeted something the other day. I paid attention to, man. He said, “The Pelicans problems are not individual. They’re systematic. After two games, they average just 29 and a half three-point attempts. They’re 21st in three-point percentage, 25th in assists, 28 in defensive rebounding percentage, 19th in offensive rating. The Pelicans right now are nothing more than a glossier version of the team than they were a year ago.” Yeah. Um, and I I think just that just comes with like lack of of preparation or lack of system, right? When you have a team that has freedom, with freedom comes responsibility and they they do this thing where they just kind of just play, right? Like there’s no no spacing concerns. there’s no those spot like checks like okay this is what we’re trying to do just in the in the flow of a game. um if it’s not like a set that’s drawn up, they’re just out there playing, right? The fact that we we saw the Jordan Pool um Zion pick and roll late in the game and that was the first time it’s almost like alarming because maybe when the team was like on a 140 run, you would have saw that to kind of stop the bleeding. You would have saw something like like just, hey, we we need to get a point. We need to get to the free throw line. We need to do something to stop the run. But no, like that’s the systemic systemic problem that Grub’s kind of alluding to. They don’t have anything like a foundational thing. That’s even points to Chaz. Like they don’t have a superpower. They don’t have something that they do. Great. Like what is this team’s identity? What like what is their calling card? We don’t know. And I don’t think they do either. Followup question. Could one say that the quote unquote offensive freedom that the Pelicans have is because there is a lack of ability on the coaching side? Lack of ability as far as far as as far as he he doesn’t have a voice to determine uh a a set or because he run let let me take that back. He runs sets. There is a set being run but there is no play being called. I would say it’d be more like he’ll call a play, right? Whatever the elbow is, like they’ll draw something up, but there is no there are no rules to this. Like you can just go out and do whatever. Like I think some of that needs to be, you know, drawn in a little bit. Like you can’t shout out to her. Like you can’t have Herb dribble into a three. You like that that ain’t your game, big dog. Not at least not yet. Like he shouldn’t be shooting step back. Like he he tried to do a crossover step back three. Yeah. Lo and behold, he traveled. That shouldn’t be a thing that Herb should be worried about. You know what I mean? And again, this is a from a guy that likes Herb. Like I like him as a player. That shouldn’t be a thing. That’s a wasted possession. That’s not that’s not in the realm of thought. But if you allow everybody to have the same amount of freedom, like this ain’t this ain’t America, dog. You can’t do what he do, you don’t get that opportunity until proven otherwise. Like what Zion does isn’t something that Jose can do. Whatever Jose can do isn’t something that, let me draw that back, isn’t something that Jeremiah Fierce does. Like everybody got a part to play and and different [ __ ] goes to different players. And I don’t think that that has been set organizationally uh for this team. Ross, the issues that we’ve been talking about tonight. Um I know, you know, we blamed it on Willie Green uh for for the better part of four years, and I don’t think we wrong about that. Chaz brought up, you know, issues of, you know, players giving up threes or players not rebounding or lack of hustle. How much of this falls on like coaching versus roster construction? Well, I think a lot. I mean the because like let’s just take three-pointers for instance, right? Like there’s there’s always this thing of they want to get up 43s and this that and the other. Well, like that’s all fine and good. Who’s going to take them? Facts. Like you I I don’t the players on the roster. I don’t really want us getting 43s up because I don’t look is it a good idea in theory? sure for certain teams, but I don’t think like if this team shoots 43s, I just don’t know where they’re going to come from unless you’re just aimlessly hoisting them up. And that’s part of the roster construction. It’s part of what what I keep referring to is like just general guard play is that, and it’s why I think you really need somebody like Carlo to come back to to sort of aid in some of these initiatives. Like if you want to shoot 43s, you have to have three-point shooters on the court. and and and and if you want to make the majority of those, you have to have good three-point shooters on the court. So, there’s a lot of this that that I think falls back on roster construction. And then it falls back on like player style, too. Um, but it’s not aided in any way by by what Willie Green is is doing or not doing, I guess. Can I answer that question? I’m sorry. Absolutely. Absolutely. No. Go ahead. I I I agree with Ross. I I think from the standpoint is I say this during the offseason after about player three in your starting unit [ __ ] gets real questionable and when you talk about top end talent you also have to evaluate okay what kind of talent is that and are people to quote the late great Shawn Payeyton are people doing their job just do your job like you know what I’m saying like yo I I need you I need you to maximize your ability. I I need I need like to me Z aside from the miss free throws, he’s done his job so far, you know. Uh Jordan Pool, I’m giving him some grace because he just got here, new position, new team, whatever. I’m giving him some grace. Fear’s done his job. Queen, when he’s played thus far, done his job. I just need Sadi Babe done his job for the most part. Everybody has to do their [ __ ] job. And and to me, a a part of it aside from like rotations and game management, it it it mostly fall has fallen on the players because if I’m if I’m Willie Green, I’m like, of course, I didn’t tell Zion to go out there and miss five [ __ ] free throws. You know what I’m saying? I didn’t tell Herb to do whatever it is he did. Um I didn’t tell uh you know, Trey to miss rotations. I didn’t tell him to have a bad first game. It’s like it it kind of gets to a point where it’s like, bro, it’s starting to look like you just not delivering. It’s just not delivering because some of those shots, even if I go back to last game, like, this is a wide openen shot. You just missed it. I don’t know what else I I could really do from a coaching standpoint. Now, what I could do probably is help generate more of those shots, but then, you know, you don’t have great screeners out there right now to, you know, initiate some of those things. You don’t you’re relying upon a 19year-old rookie as your backup point go who’s performed phenomenally but you know you’re relying upon him you’re relying upon Derek Queen who literally just got cleared a few days ago to go out there and guard [ __ ] Victor Winyama like this this is a position you find yourself in for a number of circumstances and I also think we’re still dealing with the David Griffin baby oil residue on this roster because you still got guys taking up roster spots who arguably shouldn’t be in the NBA. They’re on this team because David Griffin brought them here and you know, you got to turn some of these players into real rotational players and it’s going to take some time. Um, can before we move on, I guess I I do want to ask that question because it was one thing that stood out when you mentioned uh Eaves and and probably Carlo coming back is that you you had Hunter Dickinson on the roster, played in the first game, Ees gets hurt, so in theory you’re thinking he’s going to play more in the second game when you really need him against a team that that’s, you know, obviously got Wimi, but other um, you know, other tall players like other centers. I mean, they play a pretty pretty tall roster. and then he doesn’t play at all. In fact, you you signed DeAndre Jordan. Um, so now you’ve got this sort of glut potentially of of oddfitting pieces that surely you send Hunter Dickinson somewhere else so that you can find a guard that can come help, right? Or a wing like or we just going to carry like DeAndre Jordan, Hunter Dickinson, Carlo, Zion, Queen like this this patch of odds and ends. Well, Hunter’s on a two-way, right? So, you can go back and forth. Yeah. I think I think Gil end up I think DeAndre Jordan going I don’t know, man. I’m just not I just think it’s g that spot gonna be rotational. That That’s just what I I kind of Well, that and that’s sort of what I’m alluding to is I just feel like there’s I feel like there’s help you need in other spots that like if you’ve got Eves and you got, you know, and Looney like I mean Looney is not going to be out for for six months. Like there’s just comes a point where I’m like I don’t you don’t need all these players. You don’t need all of these random like fours and fives. You really need some more like versatile players. More shooting for sure. And like I you know I don’t know. It just feels like there’s a weird roster happening right before our eyes. Well, that’s why I was asking about roster construction because I think uh I mean like you said it’s a little clunky in certain areas and like I don’t they just somebody took the comment down but I think Jas Marella said he forgot the Jante was even on his team and and I think I forget about him all the time dog like I really don’t know what spot he’s coming back to and because he can’t because he’s not a great shoe if if DeJonte was a a good shooter. No, no issues. I think he comes steps straight back in. Whoa. Shout out 504. Um, 504. 504, my dog. We just talking about how to get this W, brother. We just talking about how to get this W, my dog. We block. Gota start with one. Gota start go. But what I was saying was that if Murray was a really good shooter, this would be less of an issue. Um, but we, you know, outside of kind of a one little, you know, four or five month span in Atlanta, he hadn’t really been that great of a shooter, which complicates this this issue I keep referring to even more. Will he help with just general guard play? Sure. But is he that much better than than the guys you currently have that are that are soaking up the guard minutes? Okay. Well, [ __ ] No, Chaz, go ahead. Go ahead. I was I was honestly about to say and you know I’ve I’ve been a fan of the Jante for a minute man. I don’t see this team missing the Jonte Murray right now. Like to Ross’s point to me that’s I just see $30 million worth of depth that’s that you can’t utilize because of you know the injury and what happened with that situation. Again, David Griffin uh baby oil residue. So, like when you inherit something like that, it does [ __ ] up your your ability to team build roster construction to to a degree because you don’t want to have to attach an asset to move off of a contract like that. But in even in the I know he’s a rookie, he’s only been two games, so I’m not I’m not, you know, I’m a Jeremiah Fear supporter and fan, but I don’t I’m not like crowning him as the answer just yet. But looking at everything, to me, the biggest issue is to Ross’ point, you lack three-point shooting. Like, you lack an offensive threat with that second unit. Like, because really, it’s not even just with the second unit because I don’t want that pool and Trey off the hook. When Zion comes off the court, you let someone aside from Jeremiah Fizz that can get you buckets and spurts, back toback spurts. Be it in the post like my dog JV used to do or be it from the perimeter like even Anagi could do in spurts or even like some of the other guys historically you’ve had in spurts. Trey Trey being in the starting unit and not off the second unit. Now you see with the second like the second unit is lo it lost like a contributor because of course you got to replace Brandon’s production which he’s done so far. But I I think to Ross’ point you need some shooting on that second unit. You need some scoring on that second unit and that’s why upgrading Jordan Hawkins is critical at this juncture. I wanna I want to get into Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. No, no, no. Um, I I like that Chaz uses the word scorer in shooting because somebody might be like, well, Dejonte can score, right? That’s not the same. That’s not the same. But those are separate entities. He can score. And also, he’s one of those guys that needs the ball in his hands. And I think you kind of trip up Jeremiah Fears by taking the ball out of his hands and possibly the second unit. And I I don’t know. Again, I I’ve dealt with it at Achilles injury. I I didn’t have the I’m not De Jonte Murray. I’ve never been in NBA, nor do I have like NBA trainers getting me back to 100%. I don’t see him being himself. 10 months after an injury. Yeah. 12 months. Can’t even get table time. Yeah. He can’t can’t even get table time. Uh so that’s why it’s really difficult for me to just be like he’s going to play in December. Like and I think Jeremiah’s Fears’s ascension weighs more than getting Dejante Murray back on the court. Like it’s more important in my in my eyes. So, I would try to move that $30 million to get valuable shooting that you need, especially in that second unit. I’m sorry, Leo. I apologize to to Fav’s point again. I agree once again because it’s like when I look at Derek Queen, when I look at Jeremiah Fizz, yes, it’s two games, whatever. I see two guys that can individually handle the ball. Before I saw Derek Queen, I was like, damn, I would like another player out there with Jeremiah Fez that can handle the rock. You know what I’m saying? Just to relieve a little bit of pressure from him. But now I see both those guys can bring the ball off the court effectively. Both of them can get downhill. They if they got they both have effective handles and with Queen being like a larger player like just his strength will help him get to the cup also. So now you need someone that can take advantage of the opportunities that Zion, Queen, and Fierce create when they’re getting downhill. And you got Sadique Bay, you got Trey, you got Pool. I haven’t seen a many catch and shoot opportunities for Pool just yet, but you got Pool. But I also think again, you got Jordan Hawkins shooting who he he ain’t been bad like from like in catch and shoot situations. I don’t think he got to be like 100% on the season out from three. I think he only shot three of them [ __ ] But your options right now are Herb uh Hawkins PB hasn’t played yet. And defense is they not worried about Herb and Hawkins not he’s not a volume shooter like from and not efficiently either. So that’s what you desperately need to solve this math equation. you you need someone that’s at least a real threat from behind that ar I guess I was gonna follow up with like realistically re realistically to Johnson Murray coming back I I really don’t even like five to your point you know you need time for that type of injury this season I really feel like it’s a wash for the J for the Jonte right yeah I don’t it it sucks because The injury happened right at the beginning of last season. So, your year mark comes around and you still need another probably three to four months to truly get back into like game shape. Mhm. Like I I don’t It’s just a tough situation to be in and when the team and your game style doesn’t necessarily coincide with the team’s development, it it it’s hard to implement you or get you back on your feet. Uh when those things aren’t necessarily aligned, I think the best thing for both parties is try to move him to a place. But who would want a Dejante Murray right now? Good question. Especially with that with what he’s old. Russ, let me ask you this, dog. Has Zion Williamson lived up to your expectations so far this season? We’re only two games in, but when you look at what he’s I want to say it’s uh respectively 25, nine and a half, and I think five. Do you do you is that your expectation level for him? I I don’t want to put, you know, I don’t want to speak for you, but I’m just asking. Um, man, that’s a tough question because I I look, I think he’s played well. Uh but but it look I know Chaz has said this a bunch and I’ve I’ve agreed with it over the years is that him playing this he’s played well on your own and two like he’s got to be incredible and it’s an unfortunate burden to carry and and so while I think look is he play like he’s he’s playing at an all-star level if he does this for the whole year you know the team will win a bunch of games or should win shouldn’t win a decent amount of games and we will all say hey this is great. But for the team to to like jump to make like a big jump, it it can’t be 26 8 and five. It’s got to be like 32. It’s got to be 33 34. It seems again it seems trivial and unfair. I think it’s not it’s not that’s just what it has to be. And so unfortunately my like my expectations I need to see him getting 30 something a night because who else is gonna do it on this roster? So Ross holder my bad dog I just got to ask. Not it’s not even ask. No he owe it. Yeah owe it dog. Like I should be asking for 40. I think we being nice asking for 32. Like yeah you you kind of need to do this. Yeah. To this is what I think last game I think took 18 shots and the first game he took what like 21 something along those lines. 21. Now I’m not mad at the shot attempt. Now the first game pissed me off because he should have gotten more attempts and we know how that goes with this offense and it it was just crazy. Should have got more attempts. The last game I don’t necess there was a spurt where I felt like he wasn’t getting enough shot attempts but it was it wasn’t to the point where I was like it was a blatant freeze out right like like I felt with Jordan P. My greatest issue, well, not issue, and he played against two very good defenders and beat him. So, my my issue though is yeah, you leading the league in steals, but as a collective, we not creating them fast break opportunities where you can go steal two, six extra points, four extra points. Like I I’m sh kind of I’m not surprised he leading the league in steals, but I’m not seeing as much gambling as I saw in the preseason. Now that could be like all right now these are real games. Let me not I’m not playing against uh you know this guy. I’m not playing against you know [ __ ] Space Ghost over here. I’m playing against Winyama or real real dude. So I can’t I can’t always gamble as much. But at the same time I think you got to create you got to get out in transition. You got to create easier looks. Of course, you got to feed the [ __ ] hot hand. First game could have easily been 30 some points with a couple more shot attempts, especially once Jiren Jackson Jr. had four or five fouls cuz what’s he going to do at that point? He gonna get the [ __ ] out the way. You know what I’m saying? It it it was just ah but it just want to this [ __ ] kind of pissed me off that you brought up Zion. We need to we probably need to talk about him. I look back at the tape. I am mad this [ __ ] went so early. I am pissed. Oh, on that last thing. Yes. Yes. The the jumper, right? Like he went way like you gave him way too much time. Like he like you had an opportunity to like really it might have been the like last shot. I think it was the second to last. But I I still like you you had time to walk it down. He went at like 12 seconds or something something like that. There was an opportunity for him to really waste more time than he than he gave him. Um also in that what should the style of this team be? Right. We you talk about creating more, you know, more opportunities getting in get in transition, but how is this team going to do it? They don’t necessarily rebound well, so they’re not getting extra shots. They don’t play defense well, so they don’t get a lot of steals. So, that tells me you probably shouldn’t play fast because you don’t shoot particularly well. I I don’t know how they create extra opportunities because they don’t necessarily have an advantage night in and night out. Go ahead, Lita. No, I was going to say I I kind of disagree a little bit with the the the the stock I kind of disagree with the they shouldn’t play fast part. I really think that they should I think that they should play fast specifically when you got like a young you got a lot of young guy younger guys when you talk about he u fears and you talk about queen especially Zion’s style of play because I feel like with him like you saw you saw the Spurs got him right they they they build the wall and they they were somewhat daring him to shoot it. He didn’t take the perimeter shots. We’re still trying to get to the spots. I think with this team, and this is about to sound like a disc, but I don’t really, no disrespect, the IQ is really low when the game slows down, especially in a half court set that I don’t think that they have the ability to find those type of shots when when when they have to when they have to create like the next like the swing pass. Like they just they’re just not seeing it. I go ahead. You about to say something about Yeah. No. Uh I was looking at PJ uh Candid for in the comments. They were they were tied at the moment. That’s what I was saying. You got up. You went up two. Hence why they hit the three. If Zion doesn’t, you know, go at 12 or whatever seconds. He was five. It was like he was excited. Yeah. Yeah. I’m not mad. I’m not mad that he meant the shot. I I just think that comes with time. like he hadn’t been in that situation to know like, yeah, I’m taking I’m taking the last shot no matter what. So, we were going to either we going to overtime now or I’m winning the game. But that’s neither here nor there. I think um from Leo’s standpoint and I agree with both of y’all. I I think Leo for me, I would just spam the plays that work. I don’t give a [ __ ] if Derek if no if uh Zion taking 22 shots, Queen taking 22, and and Trey taking 22. when you you look up you like damn nobody else in the starting unit shot the ball like no so so like because in this offense once it slowed down the offense is going to give you one look I mean the defense is going to give you one look and her either going to be on or off that night because it allows me just to cheat so much off of this player now when you start Sadique Bay you have more than advantage but that’s not that’s not something you actually want to have to do I I that’s why I think someone like I mean it’s over now but if you would have had like John Collins that someone you can’t just leave or someone who’s like a vertical threat can rebound who’s like not just a total non-perimeter threat is like I I at least got to account for him. Whereas with this it’s like oh I don’t mind her taking shots top of the key. I don’t mind her taking her taking shots from the wing. I don’t mind her taking like I I’ll live with that if he beats me. Like who who was it? Um like if if you go to the game Russell Westbrook hit like five threes against you, you you’re just supposed to lose that night. It just is what it is. Whereas with the Pelicans, they’re in such a tough spot. And this was kind of my issue last season going into this season, especially when you look at how things happened in the postseason even without Zion. Because you like in theory, you can say, well, Zion is the best player on the team, so of course you can’t expect him to win without Zion. But another thing you could say is, well, they should at least had a little more spacing. You should have saw like more like space opportunities. Whereas, when I watch this team and I say, well, [ __ ] with a traditional center, a nonshooter on the wing and Zion, who’s really out there, I got to sacrifice something. So, if I’m not if Herb not like Dennis Rodman on defense on the boards every single night, it it won’t level out from an offensive standpoint. So, I they gonna have to find an injection of offense in that roster. Like Herb, I’m so not Herb. Uh Poo, you got to score 23 24. That’s why I expected him to score anyway. Zan, you gotta score 30 some nights, bro. You gotta do it. You can do it. Just [ __ ] do it. Trey, you got to score 26, 27. You got to you got to over over accommodate until you get those assets in the starting unit. And and I think that’s kind of the point that that I was making at the beginning is that it it it even though 27 or 26 is nice, when you go look at the style of offense we play, right? It’s not enough shot attempts. Like you can’t take 18 shots. You have to take 23. Those extra because those extra You have to ask yourself where are those extra five attempts actually going if you’re not taking them. And it could be the difference in winning and losing for somebody like Zion. Like it’s an extra six points. He’s going to get fouled a lot during those attempts. So there’s a bunch of stuff. And you start looking at the players that we want to compare him to in terms of like, well, who does that offense hum through, right? Jaylen Brunson doesn’t take 18 shots a night. Um Anthony Edwards doesn’t take 18 shots a night. Tyresese Maxi doesn’t take 18 shots a night. LaMelo took 25 tonight like in a win. It it just there’s got to be more nights where he he takes 24 25 shots. Yeah. Because all of the other stuff that that’s going to open up, be it free throw attempts, be it continuing to foul out players, it it’s just part of what comes with the style of offense that we’re going to have to play and and if you want to win games, like this is how it’s going to have to happen until the roster around him is just better. I mean, it is what it is. And I’ll lead him up. Go ahead. That’s another issue there. He’s taken 18 shots. There 18 tough shots. There aren’t any easy shots for him, right? You look at Shay, you look at and you look at hell uh LaMelo, at least there are easy buckets for them throughout a game. So, it’s not as taxing. So, you see Shay close out a game. He still got his legs. He hadn’t go he had to he had had to go through three or four defenders to get to a bucket all game, you know, because there is spacing. There are plays set up. There are options that free them up. So that’s that’s why I’m like we probably should slow down because we we don’t do a good job of getting him easier shots, easier buckets. I think Go ahead, Leo. I go up you. No, I was just gonna say Ross and five like y’all spot on because Ross like this is why y’all the best in the business, bro. My question was literally going to be how do you get 30 when you averaging 15 shot attempts that is and you don’t take like you don’t get the extra point. You’re not taking perimeter shots. Everything is a tough contested this this that and the third. And the other problem is he don’t have the type of handle to even create that type of separation. Like he been really handlewise he been really struggling to handle the basketball this year. I know it’s only been two games but it kind of looks it kind of looks worse to me than it did last season. I I don’t I don’t think he feels comfortable dribbling the basketball yet. Even though he’s in he is in better shape. That’s one of the things to me like you brought up you brought up Shay, right? Like Shay got a variety of moves that he can hit you with. Zion, you pretty much know what you what you gonna get. Like it’s just like the Spurs did. They like it’s it’s kind of y’all remember how the Spurs played LeBron in the finals the first time they played him and then when he with Cleveland and they just went under everything. Yeah. Yeah. I bro like you know what I’m saying? Like I that to me if you’re a smart team that’s how you play it. for. Go ahead, Shaz. I was uh I was reading this comment and I was kind of appalled by by Cliff’s comment, but we know they got a game on tonight with uh homie playing. If they get down to the clutch, we gonna see if he closes out. Shout out to Cliff. Um I you know what I agree I agree with Leo from the standpoint of if you That’s why to me with this team now, they doing their part on the rebounding for the most part, right? Doing their part on the rebound. I got to give them credit for that, right? Shout out to them shirts. The thing is they you got we got to generate more turnovers because we got to generate more live ball turnovers. That’s the thing cuz yeah, [ __ ] throw it out of bounds, travel, whatever. You got to get out in transition if you’re the Pelicans because in the half court again, shout out to Sadique Bay because he’s been taking advantage. Jeremiah Fizz takes advantage. But I’m going say what was the last three line the like the last three matchups that I saw for the Pelicans would what what I think it was Houston right or was Houston the first game who no I’m going say the last four Houston to a lesser degree San Antonio and Grizzlies they have very good defenses and they have very good defensive front courts Jiren Jackson Jr. Stephen Adams, I’ll throw Kevin Durant in there, too. Uh, Paulo France, Jonathan Isaac, all them dudes. And, um, of course, Victor Win, right? So, it’s like, all things considered, I think he scored well. Where the extra points come in is, yo, I’m kicking it to you. It’s your world. And you just, boy, like, you can’t, you gota, it’s the little things, man. is like when you do get an opportunity, you got to take advantage. Like last game, I thought offensively Jordan Hawkins took advantage of the offensive opportunity. Now, defensively, he was he was terrible, but offensively he took advant took advantage. And to me, it just goes I put this on my Twitter. It goes down to it’s just when I say the little things with a team like this, if you are a a non-contributor on the night, just stay that. Don’t don’t just don’t don’t be a negative. Again, not trying to, you know, beat up on Jose here because to me, Jose should have never even checked in the game. Jose checks in technical before he plays a second. Okay, cool. Whatever. Kevin Johnson shoots. No, he ain’t missed a free throw. Someone missed a free throw. It might have been Quinnette, right? Queens under the basket. He get pushed under the basket. Bam. Kevin Johnson gets the ball. Kevin Johnson. I think I think he he might have misses. He I think Kell Johnson missed the shot. Herb misses the rebound. Jose flops on a Kevin Johnson like box out. Struck this flops for no reason. Didn’t get the call of course. Kell Johnson putback. Two points. That’s a three-point swing for Jose Alone who didn’t score a single point. Played roughly five minutes in the game. Those five minutes just cost you three points for no reason. You just can’t be that level of non-contributor. To me, I put that on Will with it green, though, because I’m like, why would you in the game? Like, why why’ you even do that, bro? Like, you know what I’m saying? What’s the point of that at at that juncture? So, it’s just the little things for a team like this. And you gota I think they need to tighten up the rotation also. Honestly, I think it’s about time to tighten up tighten up that rotation. I think we’ve seen enough of a couple guys. I was gonna say this. Um, Chasse, your point earlier, you was you was talking about um, you know, well, it might have been you and Ross. talking about Carlo and you talking about Mei and I think uh with this roster specifically with the type of player that Zion is um what his what his gifts are, you got to look at basketball in a in a in a non-traditional way of hoop like you can’t you can’t look at it like uh you know like a like a you know we call Jion a generational player typically like he would be taller, he would have these skills on the perimeter like dribbling, shooting, something like that to to set him apart. Like the way he plays, you got to think creatively in order to get him the best the best out of him. But it all comes down to you got a very mundane head coach who is boring in a sense of his style of basketball to where like you you just not gonna get that out of him. But anyways, I was going let’s talk about Trey. So, Taz, we talked about Herb a lot last game. Yep. And man, I went back and I looked. I’m going to say this. I think for as atrocious as her played cuz it was bad, brother. It was very bad. I think Trey lost you that game. The threes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Trey’s defense lost you that game. Is is is is Trey is Trey pressing like what what’s going on? He he may be pressing I but I think defensively it was it was more so a lack of discipline. Who okay who’s whose fault it that’s I feel like we’ve been talking about that, right? Like whose fault is that? I for me not know See, here’s the thing with that, right? Here’s the thing with that. Do I gota tell you fire is hot every time? Like, you know what I’m saying? It’s like like what what you doing isn’t working. Like, you gave up four threes already. Just just what you doing just stop doing that. What you got doing? Stop doing that and you’ll be fine. And you know the last play of course the last play doesn’t it’s not what cost you in regulation is not what caught you the game but I really I really would like to know what was the line of thinking in that situation because only a three like ties the game like a two cannot beat you if anything just run them off the line like it this something that I shouldn’t necess at this stage because it’s like what everyone’s fifth and sixth year, seven year I some stuff I just shouldn’t necessarily have to tell you. They tra him a good defense we because he has a perfect size balls. I disagree. I I thought I thought in the preseason his defense was all right and I thought in the first game it was okay. To me, this is this is like was an awful defensive game. And to me it was just getting lost on rotations, dying on screens. And you just see a team that was just so much more I can’t even say they were that much smarter because the Spurs made a lot of mistakes, but they were just so they just executed a little bit better because you couldn’t if you’re the Pelicans. I think they put Bae and Zion like in a in a uh in an action, right? The Spurs did. They died on the screen. They went back to the same action on the same in in the same area on that left wing. Scored again twice. Scored threes twice. Same action. We just couldn’t navigate the screen. It was three different players. I for it was Zion and Bay and then it might have been Zion and Trey. Couldn’t execute the like we just couldn’t navigate the screen. And it’s just like come on y’all. Like it kind of get to the point where push these [ __ ] out the way. you’re not getting screened. And we ain’t wasn’t getting screened by no killers. We was getting screened by like some of their perimeter guys, you know? It’s just you. It’s like, look, man, if you’re going to be you if you’re going to be that negative of an asset on defense, you got to be more of an asset on offense just to balance things out. You know what I’m saying? And and you just can’t put up you can’t put up a donut defensively. Now, rebounding, assists, I think he had what, like nine, eight, nine, 10 rebounds, something. Five, six assists. I think offensively, he played a hell of a game. And I didn’t even think it was like a perfect offensive game. I think that’s just that might just be how high his okay game floor is offensively, but defensively, I thought it was one of probably his worst defensive game as a pro. Well, we got that Lakers game. Oh, yeah. We get Matt Ryan. Yeah. Look, same similar situation. Yep. Dyson Daniels aka uh Vampire Stat goes to the free throw line, bricks two [ __ ] free throws. Yeah. Right. Trey gives up wide open jumper to uh Matt Ryan. Season him derail and loss right there. So again, who was his coach then? It’s the coach that he has now. But he’s not the only one, right? He’s not the only one that was going on their own screens. Yeah. Or not like I don’t know why they teach people to die on screens or to fake like they’re fighting over it. Just try to fight through it. Or if even if you don’t know your teammate is covering for you, like you got to like you really got to know, right, that that that man that’s guarding the the screener is up on the screen and is going to switch. Like you you have to you have to know because if you die or if you die on the screen or you just fake commit to it like that just leaves the offensive guy that has the ball like he’s the he’s the most advantageous person to scoring at that point like you leave that wide open and and the Pelas have been burned on that multiple times. Should should shouldn’t it depend on I see this is why I don’t think I don’t view basketball like as black and white because to me it should depend on who the shooter is. It it should depend on how how we playing the action. If I’m if I’m going with the role, if I’m down on the if I’m going under, it should depend on who the shooter is. Well, to that like he went under on Deon Facel, right? But he also went under on uh what’s it? No, Castle. Like those are two separate players with two different history. One’s a two-year player, sec second year player that this jumper is coming along. Got castled as you know had seven threes against you in a in a um the the what’s the game they call it? The playin game right in the Smoothie King Center. So, two different players with two different histories, but yet you’re making the same decision on both of those. Can’t have it both ways. Ross, let me ask you this, bro. Are we um are the fans expectations of Trey Murphy too high? Or is this is this who Trey is? No, the fans expectations of Trey Murphy are too high. Um and and this is who he is. I think like it’s and that’s not a bad thing. I I don’t I am not saying that as an insult. I think Trey Murphy’s a very good player, but I think people got carried away with the like Trey being a bonafide allstar with his ceiling being, you know, as some really really high tier wing in the NBA. Like I think he’s a very good player. I think he can be better offensively. Um, and he’s gonna shoot better than this at some point, but like I don’t I mean I think we said this like if Trey Murphy is your second best player, I’m not sure how far you’re going. And and that’s not a knock at Trey. It really isn’t. I think you know I I don’t like I don’t think Trey Murphy I don’t think he should ever be guarding like a one. I just haven’t really seen him like do that a lot successfully. And so when you find him doing something awkward like he did like he did on that last play because we keep talking about him getting screened and I don’t believe he was screened. No on he wasn’t I don’t actually know what he was doing. Like it’s like I wish if he had if he had gone under I could be like hey made a bad choice but like maybe there or maybe that was what they were told to do, right? Like maybe they said, “Hey, we’re going under on Castle. I don’t care whether there’s two seconds left or 20 minutes left.” But that’s not what he did. Like there was no scream. He just went and buried himself five feet below like for no good reason at all. So I just I’ve never felt like he was real comfortable like being out there with guards. I I think he’s a great helpside defender. I think he can do some like I I don’t think he’s a bad defender when he’s in the right spots, but not everyone can guard everyone. And I don’t think Trey is like is Herb Jones defensively where you can feel comfortable with him guarding, you know, perimeter players. you can feel comfortable with him guarding certain, you know, fours and maybe even fives to a certain extent. I I think his lane is a little more narrow defensively and and that that sometimes goes back to coaching. It sometimes goes back to who are the other players on the court with him at that time. But, you know, that’s why I say expectations matter. Not every player can do everything. And and if if if the if going into the season you thought Trey Murphy was a player who could do everything, that’s probably unfair. He’s a very good offensive player. I think his passing has improved. I think his handle has improved. His shooting is going to get better. And I think he’s actually taken like a jump that we thought he could take rebounding, but like that comes with like there’s still stuff he can’t do. And I think part of what you’re seeing is is the the awkwardness on offense is just you’ve got you’ve got Jordan P. You know, some of Trey’s best moments have come without Zion on the court because Zion really hadn’t played the last three years. So, like I I just think there’s there’s a feeling out process there that that I’m I’m willing to give him time on. Um and and we’ll see how the offense looks in a month. Uh five, I feel like in in this iteration of Trey, it’s Willie Green’s fault, his struggles, because I think that honestly, I think uh I think for Trey, uh simpler is better. Um simplifying a game for him is better. And and to Ross’ point, yeah, he’s playing with Jordan P now, who was an additional ball handler, but I think that that could still make the game much easier for Trey. Ross talked about catching shoes earlier for was that Chaz I think talked about catching shoes early for Jordan Pool. Yeah, I’d like to see the same numbers for Trey, right? Like I think I think he’s working too hard to have to create these shots. This is not Trey’s fault in my opinion, but he’s working too hard to have to create these shots for himself, but really it should just be in a Florida game. He’s doing a little He’s trying to do a little too much too. Like let’s let’s not like be fair there. I think like there’s been times where I think he’s over dribbling like he’s not just taking the shot when it’s available. Like he’s he’s he’s I don’t want to say pressing because No, like he’s trying to figure things out offensively and you can like see that happening. Yeah. Oh, go ahead, P. No, I was just trying to answer the question. Uh, Trent Murphy signed a 4-year, $112 million contract. Once you sign contracts like that, I truly I don’t This is why I don’t blame Willie Green for Zion’s miscues. Like once you pass that like that rookie scale, like coaching at that point isn’t like detrimental more so to you. It may be like to winning, but you as performing, I don’t think so. Right. Like you, Willie Green isn’t out there, you know, not helping Trey when he’s dribbling, dribbling the ball off his foot or some [ __ ] like that. Like he’s not out there missing shots. That’s not on Willie. But if you can say that Trey himself asked for these these barometers, the this attention, he did. like he has the clips on YouTube saying, you know, like, oh, in February I wanna you I got trips to I got a trip to take like, you know, he was at Allstar weekend last year talking about, hey, I want to be here next year. Well, well, god damn. What What are we not supposed to hold him to the standard? What are we not supposed to say? Trey need to be better. And I and I think he’s been better like, all right, the rebounding has helped this year, right? He hasn’t he hasn’t had like really a breakout game this season. It’s only been two games, so cut him a little slack. But nah, bro. We need to be tough on Trey. Trey has been pressing, but we need to be tough at this this structure because these are the this is what he said, right? This is the standard that he set for himself. So, we can only be critical of that. Um, but at at there are times where I think he’s doing too much or getting outside of himself or doing things that not doing the things that helped him get this $112 million contract, right? Like your job is to shoot, rebound, pass, defend. And I really mean defend. Like I’m not cutting you slack on that. I know you haven’t been a a defender your entire career, but when you sign a contract like this, bro, like it is your job to do that and not just be helped side. Sometimes you might have to sit in the stance because that night we talked about this preseason like for Trey to be like considered a great player or get to an off like he has to impact winning that night impacting winning would have been sitting in a [ __ ] chair and guarding the dude with the ball and somehow getting a stop with no help. even with the screener possibly coming. Who knows? But your job right then and there was not to allow the man in front of you to score. And if you would have done that, your team would have won. No matter how good or bad you shot, this was a winning moment and you could have helped your team win. I want to see the next time that happens, Trey be impactful and help his team win. I think I kind of feel like we go through this every year with Trey, honestly. Like I think he’s averaging career highs and steals and rebounds and [ __ ] what what else is steals, high, rebounds, um assists, I think, you know, because of the offensive volatility from the first game to the second game. Like it was a major jump for us like I guess points per game. But I’m just think it’s a rhythm thing. Uh he’s a he’s shooting 28% from beyond arc. We all know that’s not real. Like, you know what I’m saying? To me, it’s a rhythm thing. I I think I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, honestly, because again, it seems like everybody is gener generally to me, I don’t think nothing’s changed offensively. And what I mean by that is I think the weak points of the offense are still the weak points. Whereas, you can’t generate easy look and you can’t generate enough three-point shots, right? Um, I think you have two kind of two people starting. Well, [ __ ] I don’t know who’s starting at the five right now, but you got at least one starter that probably shouldn’t be starting right now because they’re a non-p perimeter threat, but for for Trey specifically, I just think the shot will come along. I don’t think Trey and P have great chemistry right now. Right now, like, and you could tell when Z coming off the court, they’re a little like perplexed, but that comes from not playing together much. Like, you know what I’m saying? at least not playing with real competition. I think this is what Trey and Pool’s third or fourth game together maybe third. Yeah, third game together. So, and then again different starting lineup every [ __ ] every night thus far. Um what’s homie name? This got to be heard. What? Third game? Third, fourth game as well. Yes. So, you know, to me it’s kind of just like nothing’s to me nothing’s changed. Honestly, I to me nothing’s changed. I I just think from beyond the arc, the shooting ain’t ain’t really there. I think he’s having a little bit trouble getting down here. I would like to see him get more free throws if if I really had any real complaint, but that to me also comes from someone’s ability to set a nice screen for you or you turning over the defense and getting fouled in transition. So, I think I would really like to see the team generate more um more turnovers, but just looking at everything, I’m kind of just like, you know, uh I just think I just think the three-point shooting is going to round Oh, damn. He’s also shooting the the fewest three-point shots he’s attempted in the last three years. But again, I think I think this and uh I saw Mamem say something about this and this is why I disagree with him with with this is because again the NBA progresses every year. NBA sees things every year and things change from Z’s first year to this year. Teams guard them differently from Herb’s first year to this year, etc., etc., etc., right? Once you build a reputation for doing things, teams are going to adjust to you. Like we saw Missoula say, “Oh, I’ll live with Brandon Ingram shooting dreams. I’ll live with Herb shooting dreams, etc.” I think one of the reasons again you not seeing easy looks is because teams know they don’t have to defend Herb Jones. Like you just don’t have to defend him in the first game. E because Eisi gonna take what five shots a game. Two of them probably going to be putbacks. You know what I’m saying? Offensive board put backs. So you out there three on five from an offensive standpoint. You’re not going to throw it into Eve in the post. Most he gonna get the balls in the dunker spot on the alley. And with Herb is like if he cuts cool know hasn’t really finished at the rim well these first two games. Shot well from behind off the first game. Second game you know put up a donut. But teams just know I got two players on the floor I don’t have to worry about at all from offensive standpoint. I’m going to lock in on these three guys. I’m not going to be late on a rotation getting to uh Trey because I’m helping off of her. I’m not gonna be late on the rotation getting to I don’t think Jordan Pool got a single wide open look. Uh, no. He got he got a couple from the corners in the first game, but I’m not going to really be late rotating over the pool because I’m helping off of Eve and Herb or whoever’s starting at the five. Hunter Dickson. God. Oh my god. Hunter Dickson and and her. I don’t got to worry about them. So, I I think I think it’s more of that of of an issue in my opinion. And hey, looking it’s it’s exactly why I think you you’ve maybe give it another game or two, but you you have to really consider starting Sadi Bay because I think Herb can do more with that the second unit than Sadiq Bay could. And I think Sad Sadi Bay is going to open up more with the first unit than Herb can. Maybe I’m wrong. Um and I’m will look I’m willing to give it a few game few more games to see, but it’s something you’ve got to really really consider. And and again, this is like it it’s not a knock to either player. It’s just the skill sets that you need. I think with for the exact reason Chaz explained like no one we’ve seen it time and time again. No one is afraid of Herb shooting. Even when Herb is making shots, they’re still not afraid of it. Yeah, man. That’s Go ahead. And I want to ask all y’all, Lo, and I I can start asking you, Leo, because I was saying that myself, like, yo, I would like to see Herb kind of run the second unit as like the de facto point guard type guy. And now I don’t know if I feel that way no more because now I’m kind of like, well, [ __ ] I don’t like go ahead. Go ahead, bro. I wouldn’t have I wouldn’t have him as a debacto point guard. I would have him in a I would have him in a very similar role to what he’s currently trying to do with the first unit, supporting, playing off fears, being kind of a secondary, right, playmaker and ball handler. You have a good defender with that group. I I I think it just I think it actually opens some things up, especially if you end up having Carlo with that group um that might be able to kind of spread the floor a little bit. So yeah, I don’t I mean I I agree with what you’re saying. I think you were going in that direction, but I’m with you. Like Jay Johnson makes a really good point for us her coming off injury. He is and to me that was the biggest one of the biggest things is like when I watched his team again it’s like what would help them so much is her being stronger. If he was physically stronger and you could disrupt sets just it’s just like jamming a receiver. You know what I’m saying? If you can disrupt disrupt sets knocking people kind of like off their path a little bit box out a little bit stronger. It it just it would to me it would help a lot for us with her with the second unit. I would like to see him a little bit in a um Andre Miller type role. Uh little bit in that u what’s homie name, man? Slow-mo type role. But yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. But what do you guys think as far as Herb in the second unit? What what do you envision for Herb’s offensive role moving forward? Man, I always think I always think if you gonna instill confidence in somebody, you know, if you want them to start playing better, like have them attack a second unit because it’s it’s it’s less talent on a second unit than he will be going up up against as a starter. Um, you know, he could he could essentially find his flow in the game. Uh, I think Herb is I think Herb is understated in transition and I think with the starters he might not necessarily get the opportunities to finish it in transition. Like he might he might be able to start the play in transition but I don’t think he can finish because you playing with a Zion, you playing with a Trey, you playing with a Jordan Pool like if he’s on the floor with I don’t know Fierce Queen etc. like he might have more leniency and it might be more um volume I hate that word but more volumes of shots for him but but in a better in a better light of a shot. My bad. Oh, my bad. Y I was going to say um I actually actually do like the idea right of her coming off the bench because I think there’s just too much pressure for him to shoot right now. Yeah. Like it it’s such a a glaring idea that Herb Jones needs to be able to make shots to to be effective. Like it just takes away from the in my point beauty of basketball for him. So allowing him to be in the second group, you don’t have to match him up on your best perimeter player anymore. Now he just gets to play free because nine times nine times out of 10, say if you play uh let’s go back to Memphis for for example, he doesn’t have to guard J all game, right? like he’ll be again with their second unit, whoever those guys are and he might just be able to play helpside for the entirety of his time there and then in the fourth quarter, who knows, right? Who knows where he’ll be? Maybe he’s in a rhythm of a game and you can trust him a little bit more. I think there’s just too much pressure for him right now. I would love to just kind of have Sadique because Sadiq’s knows his game like I’m here to defend get three mess up the game and I think he’s strong enough to to blow up plays aggravate really you know good wings in this league her right now he’s just not in it false like he’s just not there and look it’s it’s that and I think Chaz alluded to this and you just did 25 it’ be one thing if you know hey all right yeah it it It makes the offense kind of quirky, but man, he’s just shutting down. Yeah. But Job got an easy 30 something, you know? It’s like, and that to me is where you get this weird thing of like, well, until you’re back to whatever defensive player that maybe you were, and I still think there’s always going to be types of players that he’s going to be better against and types of players he won’t be. But, he but in any case, I think where he is right now, you’re 100% right. I think it’s it’s half. He’s trying to prove that he’s healthy again. You know, partially that he’s trying to prove he can shoot. Partially he’s trying to justify a big contract that he just got. Like it it is it’s a lot of pressure and I think it would be better served if he if he wants to put some of that to good use. It would be playing the second unit with Queen, playing the second unit with fears. I think he can do more to help those players and possibly take some stuff off of their plate defensively playing helpside fixing some of their mistakes and then being able to do more offensively with that group too. Can I I just wanted to respond to Jay Johnson. Same Jay like we we all well me Ross and five saying the same thing. is like if he was playing defense well right now, this is less of a conversation. But the fact that he isn’t playing defense well, and of course with some people, it just ain’t nothing you going to be able to do with them like on defense. Like some people you just ain’t stopping them, but you can at least make life a little difficult. And you like this is and I don’t mean this as an insult necessarily to her, but a lot of times a wide open jumper is a turnover for a guy like that or when you cut baseline and you or you cut and you can’t jump and lay the ball in on reverse layup or you getting blocked by the rookie, you know, Colin Coward because you can’t like rise up and you’re not strong enough to finish your contact. There was another play um first half herb drives. It’s windy though. You know what I’m saying? It’s Wimpy. What are you gonna do? Thinks about laying it up. Kind of gets stuck. Spins around a little bit and tries to It’s like, “All right, you’re just not a threat out here, period. And you’re not stopping nobody needs. You’re not really wreaking no havoc. So the other teams just has an ability to steal possessions.” That that’s more my perspective on it. And to pick it back off, like if you looked at it right now, would you be able to say that Herb is clearly better at defending than Sadique? Like could you definitively say that? But could you say who’s the better shooter out of Sadique and Herb? So like that’s truly the the two questions that you need to answer to be like cuz it’s not about Herb per se. It’s about benefiting the the first unit. Like who benefits them the most? who raises their game the highest? Like you have somebody to dribble the ball in Jordan, you have Trey that’s spacing the floor, you have Zion, that’s those three player who benefits those three players the most. And then you you kind of, you know, go from there. See, Desmond King, shout out to you. This this line of thinking I have a major issue with, right? because it doesn’t reflect reality, right? When you consider opportunity cost, you thinking about Herb Jones right now, 27 years old, a a year and a half removed from all defense. When that contract kicks in, Herb Jones is going to be about 30 years old, making $20 million in a league that doesn’t pay guys like that 30 20 $30 million more unless they’re champions. It just doesn’t OKC been trying to trade Lou Dort for years. Every time somebody name come up, they’re like, “Well, they got Lud Dort’s contract.” Like, you know, it’s role players like that, especially nine offensive role players. They just don’t get that kind of money no more, dog. Like, it it’s just not a like John Collins got given away to the Clippers. Them dudes just don’t make that kind of money no more. Even if Herd was still and he could score and he and John Collins can score. You know what I’m saying? Like Lou Dort can shoot threes. Lou DH shutting [ __ ] down in the postseason a lot of the times, right? Like you especially for the Pelicans, Herb Jones contract is only good if you’re a like a contender level team. for the Pelicans. If Herb Jones got to be one of your top four best players, then it’s a terrible contract because you don’t give that to that type of player. You You just don’t do it, man. Before we uh I want to run a commercial before we get out of here. I want to get some overunders and and hit the chat questions and [ __ ] But but before we run this commercial, man, we got to show some love to the rookies, man. I personally uh you know I feel like bro Skye’s a living for fears like dog just doing he just going out there hooping like he really he really living up to his last name like without being corny he really living up to his last name and and and to give love to Queen man I seen this man defend Wimby and like he played phenomenal defense I seen Wimby get 40 today and I’m looking at what he did in that in that game today. I’m like, he bro, he couldn’t do none of that on I’m not gonna say he couldn’t. He didn’t do any of that on Queen. And not to say I’m not saying Queen’s a all world defender, but I’m just saying if you reviewed the film from college, if you listen to what his knock was coming into the NBA, defense was like the main part of that. And to hold your own against that guy, man, kudos to you, bro. Y’all got anything y’all want to say about the Rickers before we uh I hit this commercial? They be open, dog. They ready. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right, man. Be right back. Hey, you dropped your wallet. And this just in. Attorney Scott Vikner was seen chasing an ambulance. Wow. For real. But that’s David Big, not Scott. I’m still confused. Ambulance chaser. Hey, you dropped your mom. My wallet. Oh, thanks, Dave. Thanks, Dave. All right, man. Confused. I’m still I’m still confused, too. Uh, all right, man. Let’s get some hot takes, man. We about to get We about to make this rough rough. This team will look completely different by the trade deadline. No, no. No. All right. Uh, five. If the Pells can’t shoot 43s, it’s a coaching issue. It’s a coaching issue, not a Russell. Both. Okay. Uh, Chaz, this offense needs a traditional point guard. No. Ross, Trey Murphy’s development depends Trey Murphy’s development determines whether this team is a playin or a rebuild. Uh, no. Uh, five. Jeremiah Fields will make the all rookie second team. No, he’ll make the first team. I agree. Uh, Chaz Jordan Pool will be the will lead the Pelicans in scoring by January. No, I think Zion Zion’s starting too strong. I I don’t know. All right, last hot take. Ross, Derek Queen should be the starting center. It’s a good one. Uh, no. No, but it’s a good question. Can I follow that real quick? Come on. Power forward. I couldn’t I wouldn’t I wouldn’t start him yet. Um I agree with you. But but I I reserve the right Ask me that question in two weeks. Like damn, only two weeks. Give me Give me Give me two more weeks. Okay. Is this the Pelicans organization two weeks or is this like a legit two weeks? This is a Propel talk organization. Give me two weeks and ask that question again. Look, he’s played good in in limited minutes. I think um like this is something we could probably talk about next show, like what the future looks like for him based on how he’s played, but I’ve been impressed, but I I don’t know. It’s too soon. Let me ask you this. Zion’s averaging nine and a half rebounds. Is this sustainable throughout the end of the season? Can he keep this up? It has to be. It has to be. rebounding. Re rebounding is is basketball IQ and effort and positioning. It’s not like he can he can get all the rebounds he wants to get. Yes, it’s sustainable and it has to be sustainable or or I think this the losses start to pile up more and more. Let me All right, let me ask y’all this. Ross said two weeks for Derek Queen, right? Is I’mma ask this. Y’all can all answer this question. Yes or no. Derek Queen by December will be averaging 22 and a half points a game. I mean, excuse me, 22 and a half minutes a game. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. By December. Yeah. I think so. He gonna be average by Yeah. actually don’t think so. Are there any roster changes? I think I think you got to recall, look, the plan was for Looney, I think, to start. So, like Looney is gonna come back. Eves is going to continue to play. I still think like I still could make an argument that if Carlo takes a step up from what he was doing the last month of last year that he actually might be more impactful than like to to certain units than both of those players. So, you’re just going to run out of minutes. And I don’t think that the front court really is necessarily like the problem right now. Like I think you’ve got other issues. So, I don’t I’m not sure, but I 22 and a half feels like a lot. I think you’re going to see some two big lineups when you have to have awkward lineups like Yeah, I’m with you. Unless something dra but but I don’t believe Willie is like that. So, you go now you’re back to that full ser like that full circle thing of like right Willy’s the coach. Things need to change. Willie doesn’t make the change. You still like and but he’s not it’s not going to happen. Like you got to get him out of there, bro. We can’t develop everybody at the same time, dog. Like, somebody got to get 22 minutes. It’s got to be him. You spit an additional first round pick on like it’s got to be him. I I’ve said from the jump if if if Looney doesn’t play like I’m fine with it. If you tell me like no, we’re going to go with Eve, Carlo, and Queen in some kind of like and Zion and Trey and some kind of like weird rotation, I’m fine with that. Like I don’t I I don’t need to see the Veteran Center. I just don’t I No, I think you do need the veteran center. I think it’s either Mei or Carlo. Like it’s for them to figure out like you know the basketball out there like one of y’all got to pick up these minutes and the first one that truly like is like the rebounder of the group. Like I think that’s the issue is Car Carlo is going to play with a lot of energy and he potentially is going to be able to shoot. Like that that to me is the is the big swing for like whether he plays or not. If he can’t shoot, then who cares? But he showed glimpses last year of being able to like stretch the floor in the corner and rebound. And he plays with like a high motor. So it’s that damn keyword. Hey, last one. Pelican start this for all y’all. Pelican start 0 and2, right? Over under 40 and a half wins. Over. Like way under. You say over I still think you’re way under. I think I think they crossed 40. I think I think they just they started off the season with a dash of bad luck. And uh look, last season started 2 and 0. So, hey, you’re way under. We doing we doing different things now, you know, but now now we start 0 and2. We working our way up. We building a foundation here. You’re getting healthy. You got your guys coming back. You know what I’m saying? And I do think also the fact that Derek Queen can handle the ball. I don’t think I need certain players on my second unit. No more playing. I think I’m comfortable with with Queen and Mei or Queen and Carlo playing because Queen can handle the ball. I’m gonna tell you this much. You take over under 40. You can do whatever you want. better beat the Celtics because if not because if not it’s it’s way it’s way way under and you go and and you you’re going to need to have a new coach real real soon. Is that a bad thing, Ross? No, it’s not a bad it’s not a bad thing because I think if you don’t beat the Celtics, I think you probably start like 0 and six or seven. Yeah. All right, let’s ask this question. Do they win tomorrow? Yes, Ross. I think they do. I like I think they they they Celtics seem really ain’t that good, but man. Okay. Leo, did Jenn Brown score 40 tonight? Yep. They undefeated. I mean, they they don’t have a win either, right? Nope. Play 35 minutes. Road game in New Orleans. Man, I there’s no more Simons to beat us. Derek Derek White had 25. Jaylen had 25. I don’t even know who Nius Queta is. He has it’s just a run-of-the-mill center. But what makes me nervous is like they’re still better than you at the guard positions. I think like and I think Pritchard White and and Brown and Simon like if they play small like they could create a problem that that they definitely could from a standpoint. No, but I don’t think they will. Zion loose. Zion’s got to be I think Zion get over 30 tomorrow. He’s got to get 35 or 40 tomorrow. Chaz, do they make shirts in green? Do they make your season thrillin law shirts in green? You think they get beat tomorrow? I think they get beat tomorrow. Joe Mazula is going to come through for me in the clutch. He’s going to do what I like. He’s a He’s a bonafide killer. He’s a psychopath. He’s going to get Willie Green fired and I’m going to appreciate him for that. I got Z and Trey going for over 30 tomorrow. One of them going for over 30. If they lose the Jazz make the shirts. If they lose, I I gotta make the shirts. But I I got I got Zion or Trey because you ain’t got Well, Derek White, of course, and Jaylen Brown’s a solid was a good defender also. But you ain’t got that demon in the paint tomorrow. So now, hey, it’s a free rain like. So we gonna see. They they need to shore up the three-point defense because like I said between between White, Pritchard, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hower, uh Simons, like even Chris Buché can shoot a little bit like they they can like run a lineup out there that if they get hot, listen, all the Irish people in New Orleans are going to be at that game wearing green with their Celtics flags waving behind the Celtics bench. I’m telling you, the little leprechaun is going to appear above the basket. It ain’t going to matter. The Celtics are getting a dub in the Smoothie King Center. Green smoothies for everybody. If if they lose tomorrow, I think you fire Willie. Yeah. There’s just no like if you lose tomorrow, it What else is there? Like he lost what I mean. I mean, yeah, we’ve we’ve had how many times we had this exact conversation, but like the good thing is other teams kind of inhale a little bit right now themselves from an injury standpoint. Laker just lost Luga for a week and I don’t know. I hope it’s not serious hamstring injury and just got hurt. Rockets [ __ ] 0 and2. This is This is a weird It’s a weird start to the season. I don’t know if I I quite remember nothing like this, but the West was coming out slow like this, but we gonna see. All right, man. Let’s get to these chat questions. Yeah, I’m wishing I’m wishing five. I think I think that’s a loss tomorrow, man. Damn. I’m the only one saying we going to win. Ross [ __ ] Ross, we got this. Ross, we got it, buddy. No, trying to change mine. Change mine. All right, we losing. We losing. We winning. No, we’re losing. Lord, let me see. Shout out to that boy 504. What’s good, man? What’s good? What’s What’s the topic? [ __ ] The topic is the money line, bro. You sir, you just moved. Got it. Uh, man, shout out to Chuck Nulan, man. Chuck been a member for four months. Fears is the answer. That is that is that is not a question. Um, y’all see what I did there? All right, never mind. Dr. Dr. Dr. 318. Um, how do you coach discipline? Saints and Pelicans have the same issue. Anybody want to take that one? It starts at the beginning, man. Uh, starts with consistency. Uh, it starts with, you know, saying what you meaning and meaning what you say. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Um, and no cutting corners. Uh, if you tell somebody, hey, we doing we shooting 43s. Uh, if you catch the ball wide open in the corner, you shooting it. And it doesn’t matter if it’s Kyro Lewis or Brandon Ingram. If you don’t shoot it, you shouldn’t play and you got to stand on it. And I don’t think teams or or coachings coaching staffs have have done that from a holistic standpoint. real. Uh, shout out to E, man. E said Brian Kelly fired and Willie Green hopefully is next. Hey man, Brian Kelly got fired before Willie Green. That’s crazy. Hey man, Willie done not lived a lot of demons, man. Willie play behind stakes, man. Oh, he cool with Chanty, huh? Yeah, that is his friend. We need to get the federalis on the line. Hey. All right, shout out shout out to Kimberly. Kimberly said, shout out to LSU, man. Can the Pelicans follow suit and get the dude that’s getting booed out of here? I told everyone I’d find that 50 that they find that 50 in the backyard. Humbra [ __ ] cannot I don’t think 50 million. I don’t think it take 50 million fire Willie Green. Yeah. I just think that my my biggest issue with Willie just Willie just looks dumb. like he don’t even like a [ __ ] that’s like baking like trying you know how some people I don’t know if Doula really know what he talking about at all but he just appears like he does like at least I’m confident he’s he gets angry talk [ __ ] he’s he’s there will just be sitting there looking dumbfounded like he just look he just looks like I don’t even want to go there yeah just get this just go on about you just you know I’m supporting you as long as I can dog but just it’ll be better if we all just uh it’s time to go. Yeah. Uh, go ahead, Russ. No, no, I wasn’t going to say nothing. My bad. God damn party over. Shout out to E again. E said Jeremiah Fears is the second best. Oh, how y’all feel about this? The second best option. Too much dip on your chip. But I I see the vision. I think he’s the fourth best option. But I do but even that’s kind of like h that’s not a good that’s not a great thing. But I I do think he’s been he’s been balling though. Shout out to him. Been very efficient balling. Shout out to our dog Uncle R. Man. Ronald said, “Can we put these losses on a 200 run and a 140 run?” Not not with a not with Willie as a head coach, man. It’s not It’s not gonna happen. Ronald, sorry. Have both of those come in the third quarter? No, the 14-year-old was in the fourth quarter, I believe. cuz you were up by 10 when Zion checked out the game if I’m not mistaken. Yeah, you were up by like eight or 10 and he checked out and then you look the thing is they only lost the first by one no third quarter. They only lost third quarter by like two points or one or two points, right? So they they they exercised the third quarter demon to a degree. It’s that fourth quarter. It’s that it’s the pool and Trey lineup that’s not really producing right now. So you you got to get them kind of going as a as a tangent or my opinion would be the sub pool out first or sub Trey out first and then u let them run that second unit a little bit more. This might be a topic for another show, but to Chaz’s point, I think they don’t know who’s the second guy yet. Definitely. They haven’t established that. Yeah. It’s been what? Yeah. For [ __ ] It’s been two game. Well, three games. Give him some time. That’s crazy though. That’s That’s You think so, Leo? The second guy like the second guy. Hey, we talking I’m seeing we talking like fourth or fifth. Like we talking about the second guy. I think that matters. No, no, no. It I’m saying the fact that that’s not set in stone like by training You got a you got a a proven a guy that’s won a championship, right? He knows that Zion is he knows what that looks like. Cool. You got another guy that’s been on a team that just got a contract that’s trying to come into his home. So there I mean there it should be. This is actually a good problem to have to be honest. I think so. I I think it’s going I think it’s gonna work itself out. I’m confident. Oh, that is a funny comment. Dazelle said, “We Antonio Daniels catches and sees things much quicker than Bill Green. Can they swap? Can they swap job?” I don’t think I don’t think Anton I don’t think Ado stand for that [ __ ] bro. Lot of a lot of a lot of [ __ ] that be happening out here. I Man, I don’t want to hear no Willie Green on the microphone. I was about to say it. Could you imagine? Golly, I didn’t even envision like I just totally thought like he was fired in that sense like like he wasn’t even even in the the organization no more. My my bad, boy. Sad damn hell. They need to eradicate that coaching tree, dog. Doc Rivers, my Williams, Silus out the league already. But that coaching tree just needs to be eradicated. Like just no no one that spawned from that coaching tree needs to be coaching in the NBA period. Wait, is Taloo? Tyoo was thought it was Doc, but he Yeah, I don’t Too kind of just more of a a rah guy though cuz to me Tyoo more of LeBron coaching uh prodigy than Doc cuz remember he coached the Cavs and LeBron was telling him sit his ass down and and he sat down and he he like this calm down. Uh I don’t know. I don’t know. I mean, he did play for Phil Jackson, so there’s another thing. Yeah. Yeah. Play for Phil Jackson. Uh shout out to Denzel, man. Who is your top five coaching candidates? You ain’t got to give him five. Just give him one if you if you if y’all got a coaching candidate. I mean, we talked about Mike Malone. I mean, you got Burggo in house. Um I really did like Buddy from uh San Antonio. What’s your What’s your guy in Miami? Chaz. Um, I forgot the dude from New Or something. I can’t name his name. I forgot his damn name, too. What? I I I take Taylor Jenkins. I take somebody who somebody who’s close to the game should be relatively cheap because to me, you you can’t afford Mike Long. No. And I need somebody that knows what winning looks like. Tail Jenkins knows what winning looks like. He’s one without his stars. He’s one with him. You know what I’m saying? And if you’re the Pelicans and as a fan base, Chris Quinn, that’s his name. Shout to coach Chris Quinn. If you’re the Pelicans, you need to recognize even as fans, you need to recognize your situation. You’re not looking necessarily for somebody to help you get over the hump to get to the championship. That was Taylor Jenkins’s issue. You need to make the playoffs consistently and convincingly. So, I wouldn’t mind uh homie. All right, man. Last one before we get out of here. Ross, I think this one to you, bro. What is Looney’s first name? He’s going by uh Christopher with a K. Huh? Yeah, that’s what I think. All right, man. K and a P. That’s been an hour 36 minutes, man. I don’t know the light on that. Uh, but it’s we give y’all all 36 minute pie, bro. Like I really feel like the like count should be well over in the 150s, maybe in the 200s, honestly. Like if we if we talking about self-respect and self worth um Cordell, that’s a good one. Kevin Kevin Cordell. We uh We’ll be back tomorrow, man. We’ll be back. 118. That’s disrespectful. God, this is disrespectful. Damn, man. We had to start shortening these pies, bro. For real. Um man, but anyways, we’ll be back tomorrow for the Celtics. Hopefully get a dub. We’ll see. I’m taking the under. And uh I think they play Wednesday, too. Do they on the back toback also? It ain’t a backto back cuz they off Tuesday. Oh, I’m tripping them off Monday. I’m tripping. Yeah. Let me see. Hold up. Uh they play Wednesday. They play Denver on the road. Pelicans about to go two and two. telling you then they then the Clippers then the Thunder telling you telling you he better Hey bro tomorrow better win tomorrow your body ugly I’m confident ugly I think we got him all right man like subscribe yeah we got we got them yeah we got yeah like subscribe comment we’ll holl at y’all tomorrow peace Please see

Started season with 0-2 start. We take a look at what’s gone right, what went wrong and when will they get a W

0:30- Intro
1:45- Why are the Pelicans 0-2?
4:09- What do the Pelicans do well?
21:00- Roster Depth
28:00- What To Do WIth Dejounte Murray
29:50- Zion Williamson
47:10- Trey Murphy

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John Deere
Presented by Sunshine, your hometown John Deere. Nothing runs like a Deere.”

COMPANY BURGER
Make sure to check out Company Burger located at 4600 Freret Street. Order now on their website site or Uber Eats- www.companyburger.com

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