Reacting to your Dallas Mavericks Hot Takes – Slightly Biased Reacts

Reacting to your Dallas Mavericks Hot Takes – Slightly Biased Reacts

Bleacher Report. Hello, it’s me, Slightly Bias, reporting for Donington. Soldier. Hello. It’s Thursday, 6 PM Central Standard Time. Usually, I’m live at 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, but I’ve had I’ve had a busy day. And if I look a little disheveled, right? At least, you know, you think to yourself, usually when you see me, it’s like, “Oh my god, who is that guy?” Oh, it’s slightly biased. If it now just looks like a normal regular like Abberrombie and Fitch model, it’s because I’ve had a long day. You know, the I just I just got home five minutes ago. I was sitting in Dallas rush hour traffic for an hour and a half. Just got home five minutes ago. Uh today I wanted to react to some of y’all’s hot takes on our Dallas Mavericks. I went to YouTube. I went to Twitter. I uh tapped into my community. I wanted you guys to fill me in on some hot takes you have for this team. Uh really I said NBA hot takes. I didn’t even mention the Mavs hot takes, but I knew that I would get a slew of Dallas Mavericks related things and we did. Um, nothing too crazy. Sometimes you guys send some [ __ ] that I just can’t even really begin to describe. Um, but this time was pretty tame, but we do have some stuff that pertains to just what this team will look like next year. Um, uh, offseason stuff. All things that I think are important conversation pieces. And you know, we’ll just use this as kind of a vehicle to talk about some of these things. So, let’s just go ahead and dive right into it, folks. Let’s start here. Let’s start by moving my beautiful face. All right, let’s shrink it a little bit and then let’s maybe move it down a little bit here. Maybe we move it up. Actually, that looks good. We have one right here from our guy Evan over on YouTube. Jane Hardy will take a huge leap and become the Maverick’s best point guard by the end of the season. So, this isn’t even really a hot take. This is more so a this is a take, right? I would definitely call this a take as in take this man to a mental institution immediately. Um, no, I’m just kidding, Evan. Actually, not really. I don’t see a scenario in which this is the case. In fact, this is one of those things where, you know, it’s funny. I remember last year, uh, when we were talking about Spencer Denwy, we were talking about scenarios in which, well, what if Spencer Dwey ends up and and I remember saying, well, Spencer Denwy ends up playing a lot of minutes for this Mavs team. Something’s gone terribly wrong. And wouldn’t you know it, that ended up being the exact case. Uh, I feel like if Jaden Hardy ends up becoming the Maverick’s best point guard, things have gone terribly wrong. Now, I don’t want to poo poo Hardy entirely because I guess there’s a tiny small percentage chance that he could take a leap, but we’re going to be entering year four. I have not seen much in the way of him. And I I’d even put his chances of being on the team next year at under 50%. Like, I think it’s less than a coin flip that Hardy’s on the Mavs roster next year. He has a very tradable contract. I think that’s part of the reason they gave him that contract was that he could be used in trades. Uh I I wish him the best and I hope he has a great career. Seems like a great kid. Like seriously, I I I want nothing but success for him, but I’ve just I haven’t seen it. Like it’s just it’s year three just ended and I I don’t know what my takeaway from Jane Hardy, the Jane Hardy experience is supposed to be. Uh, Brody, although without any fans, the 2021 series against the Clippers was one of the biggest Mavs chokes in history up there with 2007. So, of course, what Brody is referencing is the Mavericks Clipper series in 2021. The Mavericks went up 20 on the road to start that series and even found themselves up, I believe, 18 at one point in game three before blowing that lead. Um, they were also up 3-2 at one point in the series. Uh, no home team won a game until game seven when the Clippers won it. This one’s kind of an interesting because yeah, I I guess you could say they did choke it. Now, the thing is is the Mavs were overwhelming underdogs entering that series. Nobody expected them to win. In fact, they were playing Boon Marionovic 30 minutes in a game seven. That’s how desperate they were for answers by the end of that series. The fact that that series went seven, I think was honestly kind of remarkable and really was a sign of who Luca Donuch is as a player, his playoff performance there. Um, and you know, they won the first two games and really the three games they won that series on the back of like really really hot Tim Hardway junior shooting and uh you didn’t have Brunson yet. You know, Brunson was horrible in that series. I mean, Brunson’s just an average and not even by Brunson standards today. I’m saying if Jaylen Brunson is even an average backup level point guard in that series, uh the Mavericks probably win. If Chris Davs Forzingis is anything other than a toddler, then uh the Mavericks probably win that series. But, you know, a choke in the sense that they were up 20 and they had a golden opportunity to win game three and go up three on the series. But, I don’t know if I’d call it a choke only because they weren’t supposed to win. 2007, you were the one seed. Like, that’s that’s up there, right? That’s up there. Um, I get I get what you’re saying though. Josh says the Mavericks will have the best defense in the league with a top 10 offense and make it to the Western Conference Finals year one of Cooper Flag. They’ll get 61 and 21 in the regular season. AD will make all NBA first team. Um, so again, this is a take. Take this man immediately to a medical institution. Um, I just I I think the Mavericks will be a great defensive team next year. I really do. the best defensive team. You know, that’s difficult for me to say. This Thunder team, I’m assuming, is probably a couple weeks away from being the champions of the National Basketball Association, uh, with one of the best defenses we’ve seen. Period. Point point blank. Period. One of the best defenses ever. Um, and they’ll be returning basically everyone there. I I I don’t foresee them having too much of a of a upheaval in terms of their roster construction this upcoming season. I just I don’t think the Mavericks have the perimeter defenders. The thing the thing about that Thunder team is they throw 12 guys out at you and all of them play defense at a high level besides like maybe Isaiah Joe uh besides like maybe Aaron Wiggins. All of these guys play defense at a at a very high level. The Mavericks will have weak spots defensively even with their best defensive lineups out on the floor if that makes sense because they don’t have the two-way players the level the uh the Thunder do where you’re not really sacrificing much with one guy being on the floor versus off. Now maybe they’ll make some changes in the offseason but um you know that that remains to be seen. 61 to 21 ain’t happening. I mean, that’s I know we’ve gotten a little desensitized to 60 win seasons because we had three of them in the NBA this year, but I cannot imagine a world in which the Mavericks are 61 and 21. Uh, I just can’t imagine 80 making first team. Now, this is one that I could see, right? Keep in mind, these are hot takes. These are supposed to be hot. So, I respect Josh’s take here. I really do. Um, 80 making first teams very possible. I think that’s actually, you know, you guys tell me how delusional this is. All right, you guys tell me how Homer or slightly biased this is. Please, please let me know. I was thinking because this this conversation keeps popping up. Who’s going to be the next American? Who’s going to be the next American? Who’s going to be the next American to win MVP? I was thinking to myself, I was like, would I sound like a [ __ ] idiot if I threw out Anthony Davis’s name? like like you kind of have to at least acknowledge him because if the Mavericks are really good next year and he’s playing at the level he was at when he was healthy this year like he he might have some like outside arguments you know he might have some I don’t know if he’d win it but he might have some so I I can see him making a first team I think that’s within the realm of possibility Jason Kidd is a top 10 coach in the league also you should take an anonymous poll to see what percentage of the fan base actually likes the trade. I liked it. Okay, Naxster is coming going in hot. He’s coming in hot. Hey, I said to give your hot takes. Um, I think even in an anonymous poll, I I think most people would say they hated the trade, but Jason K, top 10 coach in the league. You know, I’ve said this, if you watched me at all um over the years, you know, this has been my opinion on coaches across the league in general, is that it’s very difficult to gauge them realistically. Um, I’m not sure there’s really that much that separates coaches as long as you’re not talking about like the Eric Spolsters of the truly top end coaches versus the guys who are just in way over their head. I think all of everyone in between is just a really really smart basketball mind that um is capable of with the right personnel around them coaching teams to the promised land. And I think Kid’s one of those. Uh, one of the things I’ve always said about kid, right, is you turn a Mavericks game on, the team plays hard as hell. They they believe in whatever Jason Kidd is saying. They play hard. Um, I thought there was about 40 to 50 different points last season where the Mavericks could have easily just rolled over and uh, folded and one, two, three, Cancun the season. And I don’t think anyone would have blamed them. And they didn’t do that ever, right? They they they had their losing stretches, don’t get me wrong, but at no point did it feel like the Mavericks were just rolling over and accepting their fate. They were playing hard and I think that’s a testament to coaching. I really do. And yeah, I mean, top 10 coach in the league maybe. I mean, sure. I mean, we we’ve seen him in the playoffs. He gets the most out of a team in the postseason. We’ve seen that firsthand. He’s had two postseasons with the Dallas Mavericks. They made the conference finals in both of them. Now, he’s also had two seasons where he didn’t even make the playoffs. So, I don’t know really what that means. Um, but yeah, I I really don’t think Kid’s a bad coach. I I I’ve came to Kids Defense quite a few times this season to be 100% honest with you. So, I’ve I also called for him to be fired last year. I’m just I’m not in on the constant back and forth with the coaching thing. Like, whatever. I If you fire a coach, fine. If you don’t fire a coach, f like usually usually like for example, the Knicks Knicks fans right now are up in arms about Tibs. It’s just like the Pacers are just a better team. Like that much is certain. The Pacers are just a better team. Sometimes that’s it. Sometimes there’s no like need to blame a coach or anything. Sometimes that’s just the end of the discussion. And yeah, Rick Carile is one of the greatest coaches ever. Like that. That goes without being said, everyone. If you were a Mavericks fan, you should know that. Tub Tubs, if PJ’s perimeter shooting doesn’t rebound, he is a must trade before the deadline to sell while his stock is at its highest. So PJ’s an interesting guy. Um, I know again if you’ve been watching me, you know that I’ve kind of tossed PJ in these mock trades. I I never do it because I want to trade PJ Washington. I want to be very clear about that. I think PJ Washington is awesome. I think PJ Washington is a player pretty much every single contending team uh and really pretty much every single team in the league would love to have the dirty work forward. Um who can shoot threes, can space the floor, plays hard defensively, rebounds incredibly well, has good size, has good positional versatility, and is a dog. Is not scared of the moment whatsoever. We know that for sure. Uh the reason why I toss him in trade stuff is just because he does have that uncertainty hanging over his head in terms of um his contract situation, right? He’s entering the final year of his deal. And I I can’t help but feel like looking at the future of the league where these things are headed with sal with the salary cap and with the aprons and how restrictive those things can be, you got to think ahead and you got to plan ahead on this stuff. So, if you think PJ’s contract is going to reach a number that is a little too uncomfortable for you, now is the time to capitalize on that. Uh, and I will say PJ shot what, like 30 PJ was 38% from three this year. I know those numbers dipped off when Luca wasn’t on the floor, but um, you know, I don’t really think that his his perimeter shooting needs to rebound necessarily. I thought he shot the ball really well this year. Connor Cooper Flag will have a Tim Duncan like start to his career where he wins a chip early on then wins it later in his career multiple times. I can get behind this one. This is one I can for sure get behind. Um, now I like that he said early on in his career, not necessarily his rookie season. Of course, Tim Duncan won a championship in his rookie season. I I’ve said this a million times. I I don’t know about winning a championship. I personally I don’t think this Mavericks team in its current form is really all that close to that level. Um but I’ve said this a million times in defense of my Mavericks. The the talks that this was a terrible landing landing spot for him and one of the worst landing spots for him I thought was pure rubbish. Uh pure garbage. Like I I think this is a great landing spot for him. I think he’ll have the opportunity to learn from a guy like Anthony Davis, learn from a Kyrie Irving, learn from whatever veteran guard they end up bringing in, whether that’s Chris Paul, whether that’s someone like Drew Holiday, whoever they end up bringing in is going to have real pedigree in in uh in this league. So, I think it’s a great situation for him. I also think playing wise, playing style-wise, it’s a great situation for him because he can do all the stuff that makes him great as just a connective player on this team, while also he will have on ball responsibilities from time to time. And that’s something that he will be able to grow into. And yeah, there’ll be some some, you know, rough moments as a rookie, but it’s a good opportunity for him to get those reps while it not being the end- all beall, if that makes sense. So, I think this is a great spot for him. And yeah, I think him being on a competitive team is great. I I I don’t like this. Everyone’s just crying. And I’m saying this is such a terrible landing spot. Yeah, he should have gone to the Hornets. The Hornets are so [ __ ] good all the time. Mac, and I I’m sorry to I’m sorry to say that about my Hornets, but I mean, come on, Mac. 80 will never win a playoff series in his post Lakers career. Okay. I mean, they can’t all be positive, unfortunately. Yeah. I I don’t 80 what, 33, 32? Um I’m not ready to sit here and say the Mavericks in their current form are like going to go on a crazy playoff run next year. So, I I don’t I don’t know if that’s outside of the realm of possibility if I’m just being honest with you. Victor, I don’t know if it’s a very hot take, but I truly believe without trade, Dallas would be the hardest opponent for OKC. I would bet on Mavs. Slightly biased. Pacers would be terrible matchup for us, though. So, I’m happy Vic uh mentioned that final that final little piece there. But yeah, I mean, I I think if the Mavericks just sort of held course and went into the playoffs with the team that they had, yeah, I think we’ve seen this. We saw it last year. We even saw it during the regular season. This this Mavericks team does match up pretty well uh against a team like the Thunder. They don’t turn the ball over that much. They have um incredible or I guess they had incredible shotmakers and guys who can just get out the mud offensively and Kyrie and Luca and they just have role players that excel in their role and are capable of doing more than one thing. And um I still think even though the even though the Thunder changed their entire roster because they had series against the Mavs last year and went out guy like Hardenstein, I still think the Mavericks would have caused a lot of problems with their size. I mean, we saw the Nuggets do it, right? So, yeah, I think the Mavericks would have been a difficult opponent for OKC. Now, I will say this though, if you’re living in a It depends like, are you living in a world where the trade doesn’t happen uh and all the injuries kind of still happen like Lucas still deals with the calf problems and Lively still dealing with injuries, or are we living in a fairy tale la La La Land where there weren’t any major injuries and there w there wasn’t the trade? because I I think I still just think Luca in the form that he would looked like he was in in that series against the Tan Wolves. I don’t know how I don’t know if that would have been good enough. Just truth be told. Uh but I I do agree. I’ve been trying to tell Mavericks fans this. This little last part right here. Been trying to tell Mavericks fans this because I keep seeing this. This team would I can’t believe I’ve seen this team would have won the finals this year. And then I I’ve seen um people upset because last year Oh, last year we like the the Thunder are going to get the Pacers. Dude, this Pacers team would have dogwalked the Mavs. I’m just being honest with you. this Pacers team would have dogged walked the Dallas Mavericks. I’m sorry to say it, but that’s just the truth. Okay, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Hardywood Hardy Wood away. Uh Cooper will not win rookie of the year. Now you guys are just being annoying. Now you guys are just being doomers. What’s the point of that? What’s the point of that? Um, he’ll be the he’ll be the odds on favorite to win rookie of the year. Now, yeah, I mean, I don’t know. This is a talented enough draft and there will be guys who are capable of filling up the stat sheet. I think of, you know, a Dylan Harper, an Ace Bailey, a Fierce. These are guys who are going to go to teams where they’ll probably get a pretty, you know, substantial role immediately. maybe not Harper uh to the extent of those other guys I just mentioned but roles where they’ll get an you know expanded role immediately and they might put up stats that Warren’s rookie of the year. Now the thing Cooper Flag will have going for him is that he’ll be on a team trying to win and so if he’s making a big impact um it’s hard to imagine him not winning the award but yeah I don’t think that’s that you know crazy to say uh and I don’t think that’s ne would necessarily be like a horrible thing. Lambie Kyrie isn’t a true point guard and especially after this injury can’t be relied upon as the one for a team that intends to contend. The Mavericks need to find a one who can start even after Kyrie comes back from injury and if they don’t they’ll struggle to create looks come playoff time. So this is multiaceted. I right after the Mavs made the Luca trade and they sold us that [ __ ] that we’re we’re winning now. It’s a window. our win now window is right now. Uh I said I called [ __ ] on that because I was like this team is not good enough. They don’t have they don’t have the creators. So I that’s why before the trade deadline I was begging the KD drum. I was like well if you’re going to do this you might as well just go and get Kevin Durant. Like you might as well just blow this whole thing up and go get Kevin R because you don’t have the offensive guy. You don’t have the initiators. You don’t have the creators. And mind you this was before the Kyrie Irving injury. Uh you you just don’t have the creators. And that’s not a shot at Kyrie. It’s just you need multi multiple of these guys. You see this in the playoffs right now. Like one guy just isn’t enough. So you need uh multiple guys. And yeah, is Kyrie at this stage in his career, especially coming off of an ACL injury, going to be good enough to be the number one go-to guy uh at least offensively for a team that’s trying to win a championship? That is the stated goal of this team, to win a championship. I’m really not that sold on that either. Uh, which is why I’ve mentioned this when I’ve done like locked on stuff about this team moving forward is that this team being the sixth best defense in the league is not going to be good enough. This team being even the fifth best defense in the league is not going to be good enough. This team is going to have to hang their hat on being a truthfully elite defense. Now, they might not be as good as the Thunder, but a top two, top three, elite level defense that wins games that way and has enough offense to close games out in the form of Kyrie when he comes back hopefully from injury um around the All-Star break. And AD, who’s still, you know, an incredibly talented offensive player, don’t get me wrong, but he’s also not a guy who can just be your number one. Go get me a bucket, I need it. That’s not really AD’s game. Uh it is Kyrie’s game, but Kyrie’s also just not the facilitator necessarily that you’re kind of looking for in that regard. Um now I don’t know if they’ll find a number one this offseason. Like that’s not going to happen. But I agree with your sentiment. One of the things I I’ve been feeling when it comes to the Mavericks getting a guard in free agency or in trade or whatever the case may be is I want it to be somebody who can play with Kyrie when Kyrie returns. That’s why like the Anthony Simons of the world, the Cole Anony’s of the world, um these are guys that I just I’m a little bit hesitant on because those guys cannot play next to Kyrie Irving. They just can’t. That’s why like Drew, the idea of Drew Holiday makes sense to me. It’s just the age, the decline in play, the contract. Those are all things that, you know, make that pretty much next to impossible for you. But Drew, in theory, even at his older age, is somebody who can play alongside Kyrie. I mean, yeah, if Dererick White were actually available and it didn’t cost an arm and a leg, yeah, that guy’s perfect. That fits that mold to a T. So, we’ll see what they do. Um, getting Cooper Flag, and we we heard the Mavs assistant GM talk about this. It it changed their window to a 20-year window. So, that’s what they said. Um, so we’ll see how aggressive they are in this pursuit. Manus, Nico gets fired during next season. Uh, Rockets vers Pistons in the next NBA Finals. Okay. Wow, that’s that’s that’s that is hot. Paul George in pick three gets traded for Lowry in pick five. Um, that’s an interesting trade. Jared McCain becomes an all-star next season. Jar Zion will play for the Heat. Okay, so uh some interesting takes there. Those are all interesting. Uh, but the Maverick centric one. Nico gets fired next season. I think Cooper Flag bought him some time. More than likely bought him some time. Now, if the Mavs just flame out next year and are garbage, yeah, he’s probably going to be gone. And I will say this, before the Mavs won the lottery, if they just had the 12th, 11th, 10th overall pick in this upcoming draft, uh, and they were bad next year, I absolutely think he was going to get fired. Like, I just think the heat would have been too hot and it would have just been a perfect, all right, let’s rip this band-aid off. But the Cooper flag, um, addition does probably extend his job security a little bit. I have bad news to a report there because that just seems to be the case. I’m not actually reporting that. I I haven’t heard that, but that’s just usually how these things go. Um, you think sometimes like NFL coaches and front offices will pick a quarterback because they know if we take a quarterback high, that extends our our lifespan a little bit because it gives us some time. And that’s what having the number one overall pick in the NBA draft does, especially a draft as loaded as this. So, I I would be a little bit surprised if he gets fired next year to be 100% honest with you. Uh, I think it would have to take a big collapse. Retina deserves all the respect and more in the slightly bias community. I’m just going to gloss over this one because realistically, I mean, Mavs lead. Cooper flag will have rookie of the year locked up by December. I like that. Now, I will say this. Um, I’m gonna, as much as it pains me to say, I’m gonna have to say I I I’d be a little bit surprised if this happens. Obviously, I’d be ecstatic because this means Cooper Flag will be balling out if he has rookie of the year locked up by December in a draft class like this. But I’ll push back a little bit because uh we know how voters get. We know end of year stuff can sort of perk people’s ears up a little bit. And as I mentioned before, there will be some guys in this draft class, guys who are very talented offensive players who will just kind of get the ball in their hands a bunch and just be told, “Dude, whatever. We’re the Charlotte Hornets, man. Go just [ __ ] around. We don’t even really care anymore.” I’m so I don’t Why am I doing this to my Hornets? I love my Hornets, man. And I It’s just I’m so frustrated with them. I think that’s what it is. I I’ve really had it with them. I’m just fed up with them. That’s part of the problem here. But there will be guys on teams like that that will put up pretty goddy stats. Um which will make me push back on this a little bit because I do think there’s a world where like there will probably be games in which Cooper Flag is not closing um in the closing five. That wouldn’t be all that surprising to me at all. Depending on how this goes, I doubt this will be the case. I really do. But you never know. there might be like a world where Cooper Flag doesn’t start. Again, I don’t think that’ll be the case, but it really wouldn’t shock me all that much uh if Kid went with like this, well, we got a veteran team and he’s going to have to prove it approach. That doesn’t like that’s not the way that they’ve talked about Cooper Flag. Does not make it seem like that’ll be the case, but um you never know really. So, I this would be incredible. Like, if this ends up happening, things are great if Cooper Flag has rookie of the year locked up by December. Things are phenomenal. They’re going so well. They’re going so well. I’m getting choked up. Oh, Landry says, “Flag will be more fun to watch than Luca.” Guys, I’m just reading this. That’s not what I said. All right, because anytime I anytime I say stuff like this, I just need to need you guys to understand before I get Eastern Europeans in my DMs. I’m just uh I’m just reading what this guy says, what what my guy Landry here has said. Um, their play styles are not similar whatsoever. That goes without being said. Luke is one of the more fun players to watch in a long time just because of his his skills and his ability obviously and his play style. The fact that, you know, he’s going to shoot a bunch. He’s going to shoot setback threes. The fact that he’s going to break you down off the dribble, so you’re going to get the the highlight flashy, you know, flashy handle plays where he breaks a guy’s ankle. He’s a post technician, so you’re going to get the highlights where a guy jumps crazy and he does a step through and he looks great. The passing highlights are out of this world. the past fakes. It wouldn’t It would be It depends. It depends if if um you’re an old head and like some of the ones I’ve experienced, whether at the uh at a tattoo shop or a barber shop or the gym during open runs, uh if you’re an old head that’s like def you win playing defense. Defense is how you win. He’s not a team player. You’ll probably think Cooper Flag’s a little bit more fun to watch than Luca. And I do think Cooper Flag is going to be a very, very fun player. very very fun player to watch, but they’re just different, right? They’re different types of players. Um, watching Luca take 20 step back threes a game was boring. Again, guys, I’m just reading a chat. That’s not I’m just reading a chat, okay? So, uh, Flag will be really fun to watch. And I and I hope I you I hope this is true. I mean, I’m a Mavericks fan. Like, I hope this is true. I hope this is true. Mookie cheeks. Dallas will compete for a title next year if they get a healthy Kyrie AD and make playoffs. So, I’ve said this already that I don’t I don’t really feel as though this team is a championship level team. Now, with that being said, though, we’ve sort of seen this really not just this year, but really for the last seven or eight years that the playoffs have shifted. Um, the league as a whole has shifted. We haven’t had a repeat champion since the Warriors. Um, in that sevenyear stretch, we’ve had seven different champions. No team has even won twice over that stretch. So, the the league is changing quite dramatically, right? Um, and we’ve also seen tons of different teams make the finals over that stretch, make the conference finals over that stretch. It’s really become about matchups in the playoffs. It come It’s really become who’s healthiest entering the playoffs. And with that being said, the makeup of this current Mavs team, assuming they don’t do anything crazy, like I I expect them to make moves, but assuming they don’t make like a huge blockbuster move, the makeup of this team could give some teams real matchup nightmares with this size, right, in the defense. Um, your smaller teams, I’m thinking like a team like the Warriors, a team like this currently constructed Lakers team. Uh even a team like the even even a team like the the Thunder if you want to go there if you want to go that route. Like the size could overwhelm them. Uh so if they get a favorable bracket, yeah, I think it’s I think they’ll compete. I think they’ll be a team that could make the conference finals. How about that? They can win a couple of series. I just I look at a team like the Thunder. I look at a team like last year Celtics team. I look at even the way this Pacers team has performed so far this postseason and I just I don’t see this Mavs team reaching that those heights. But sometimes you don’t need that. Sometimes you just get lucky. And will the Mavericks be good enough to at least put themselves in a position to get lucky? The answer to that question, I think, is yes. But I also think there’s probably going to be seven or eight teams in the West who are in similar positions. So, uh, that’s just kind of where I’m at with that. Again, this this is assuming they don’t do some bad [ __ ] and say anything in trade-wise, which you never know. You never know. Uh the sports pundant says Gaffford for Reeves will happen. So, I I’ll say this. I listened to a uh I’ve been listening to this Lakers podcast recently and uh let me pull up the name of it. It’s the the lake the Lakers um the Lakers Nation podcast. I’ve been listening to it. Great job. good, great podcast. Been listening to it and they’re doing their sort of u uh mock off seasonasons and uh one I I’ve got two major takeaways. One, the Lakers I think are in a horrible spot. Seriously, I think they’re in a lot more trouble than I think people realize. That team feels really far off. Really far off. But also number two is uh it’s funny because I’ve been listening to several he tries to do different types like different builds and he just keeps coming back to Gaffford. He just basically like I it’s just like all the this possible center options. It’s just all roads lead back to Gaffford. Now the question is will the Mavericks and Lakers deal with each other again? Uh question number one. And question number two is, well, I guess question number two and question number three, are the Lakers in love with Daniel Gaffford? And the answer to that question is yes, what realistically are they willing to give up? How how much pressure do they feel? That’s what it’s going to boil down to. Cuz if Luca walks in the office, he’s like, “Hey, LA is amazing. I love LA. I’ve loved the Lakers. I love Laker Nation. It’s amazing. Playing with LeBron’s amazing.” Uh, I love it. It’s amazing. I’ll sign an extension right now. And he just signs an extension. And that’s just kind of that. The pressure might not be on for them to make a real big all-in move. You know, even if LeBron starts acting up, you’re like, “Dude, honestly, we’ll we’ll trade you if you want. Like, we’ll we’re ready to just build around Luca entirely.” Uh, but if Luca goes to him and goes, “Uh, free agency is amazing. I want to experience free agency.” Then you might have a problem on your hands and then you might feel the heat and then you might start to feel the pressure. Um, the other thing here to factor in is the Reef’s contract stuff’s interesting. He’s gonna hit unrestricted free agency next summer. Like, that is going to happen almost 100%. Unless his agent’s the biggest dumbass in the world and they take uh just the stupidest contract extension you’ve ever seen. Like $20 million a year less than what he should be making. Probably 1520$20 million less than what he should be making. Uh he’ll be hitting unrestricted free agency. So maybe they feel that pressure. I I would imagine it would have to cost more for the Mavericks. Like it’d have to be Gaffford and then stuff for Reeves. I don’t really see the pathway. Gaffford being on the Lakers. Yeah, 100% I could see that, but I I just I feel the return will probably be a little bit more disappointing than you might think. But then that also leads me to believe is like, will the Mavericks do that again? Like, will the Mavericks trade with the Lakers unless they feel like they’re just running away with a with a heist? I don’t know. We’ll have to see. Keshi Cooper Flag will make the All-Star game an all defense in his first year. When was the last time we had a rookie make the All-Star team? Was it Blake Griffin? Is that how far back you have to go? Wait, did Blake Griffin even do that? What am I even thinking? When was the last last NBA rookie to make allstar? Let’s see. Yeah, Blake Griffin in 2011. Just doesn’t really happen anymore. and you’ve we’ve had some great rookie seasons like Luca got kind of close. Um Wimby got kind of close to being allstars. The the level of play you have to reach as rookie is just insane. And I just don’t I don’t think Cooper Flag will have those opportunities, right? And also it’s not really his game. You know, his game isn’t like I’m going to score 30 points a night. Uh he can stuff the stat sheet, don’t get me wrong, but I just I don’t think he’ll have the responsibility needed to put up those Gotti type of stats. And I also just don’t really think that’s his game. So I’d be I mean again I’d be I’d be ecstatic. I’d be jumping up and down. I’d be this would be incredible. Um but I doubt he makes the All-Star game. I also doubt he makes all defense. There’s only 10 guys, you know, only 10 guys. Again, it’d be incredible. I wouldn’t be wouldn’t be that upset. Uh Brandon, okay, bold take. I’ll be the judge of that. I think Brandon Williams here we can already tell this one’s going to be insane. I forgot what some of these said. I think Brandon Williams would become a star player if someone just gives him the minutes. I actually believe this. I love my guy B will. And I think there’s a pathway for him to become a legitimately solid bench guy. A guy who puts up the stats if he had the the uh the role to contend for six man of the year. Maybe. Maybe. I mean that that that that award’s always weird and it’s just, you know, you never know, right? Maybe uh a star though, he’s too small. Hate to be that guy. He’s too small. Um I think what Brandon Williams benefited from a bunch was, and I mean this in the up I don’t mean this in a disrespectful way. I love the guy. Uh I shout when I said courtside last game of the season, I was I chatted him up and he was I said, “Bradon Williams, congrats on the contract.” Thank you. Really nice guy. Love him. love him for that for that brief interaction we had. But you can just kind of tell we were synced like that. Um he’s he’s probably like eight years younger than me. Actually, no. Let me not do that to myself. I know that he’s not. But um he’s just too small. And I think part of what helped him out this year is that he’s Brandon Williams. He was a two-way guy who got converted last game of the season and uh teams didn’t game plan for him really. If it got to the point where it’s like, dude, hey guys, Brandon Williams averaging 25 points a game over his last 20, it’s like, all right, let’s put Dor on him, right? Let’s put Jay McDaniels on. Let’s put some length on him. That becomes a different conversation. But Brandon Williams was a uh incredible player down the stretch for the Mets. He was incredible. I mean, he was shockingly good. So quick, an incredibly quick first step. Has a deep bag. Good finisher. a great finisher for his size, very creative, flashy player. I like him a bunch. I’m happy the Mavs converted him. I’m happy he’s part of the equation and he could carve out a significant role for himself this upcoming season. Again, assuming the Mavericks don’t do anything crazy. Uh Chris, I want the Mavericks to go for a title, but I think trading away the team down to just Cooper Flag and Lively, building it properly over a few seasons, let them learn how to be the main players from the start. This all depends on the front office not being stupid in the future. So, I get this um I get this line of thinking. I’ve said if I were the GM, slightly GM, Nico gets fired or whatever, maybe he just retires and steps down and I come into the fold and I’m the GM of the team. The very first call I’m making privately, the first like, yeah, it’s okay. Leak this out. Leak this out. It could be strategic call making is to the Atlanta Hawks. I’ve already said this. I’m saying, hey, you got a trade exception. You got a second first round pick in this year’s draft. Gaffford, let’s let’s talk about it. Right. Uh, but the first call I’m making behind the scenes is I’m I’m feeling out AD’s trademark it. Like that would be one of the first things I do. I’m just feeling it. I’m not committing to anything. I’m not saying we’re trading them. I’m just feeling it out. I’m seeing if there’s a team out there that may be disappointed in the playoffs or maybe a younger team that feels like, damn, if we we’re ready like we’re ready to go and be seriously good, we’re just an we’re like an Anthony Davis level player away. uh and they’re willing to pay me a$150 on the dollar, then then I’ll think about it. But um again, I actually think this is a really good situation for Cooper Flag to grow and develop in. Um again, he’s not the type of player who needs the ball in his hands 24/7. He’s not the type of player that needs these on ball reps. Hey, you’re even if even if it’s 61 points per possession, we need you doing these pick and roll ball handler uh isolation reps. We just need you to get these reps, right? He’s not going to be that level player. And also, I think for Lively’s development, I mean, we’re only in year three of Lively. He’s what, 21 years old. For his development, being on a competitive team is important for a guy like that as well. So, um yeah, I I I just think in some ways this is better for their development. And another thing that’s sort of preventing the tear it down approach that I understand after winning the lottery. That’s kind of what pops into the head of really I think any team that stumbles into lottery success. Um is like all right let’s build around these guys now. But uh another thing preventing that is you don’t like you don’t control you control next year’s pick and then that’s it. You don’t control another pick until 2031. That’s dangerous. That’s a dangerous game to play, right? Because even if you just say let’s shut it down this year and tank. There’s no guarantee you get a high pick. We’ve seen that. Ask the Washington Wizards that. Uh, ask the Utah Jazz that [ __ ] Ask the Dallas Mavericks for their whole existence before this year. Uh, how the lottery luck works. The Mavericks had never moved up in the history of the draft lottery until this year. Never moved up a spot. Like, I’m not saying moved up to number one. I’m saying they never moved up a spot. Um, so I don’t know that that that kind of prevents me from being more gung-ho about this because it’s just like if you don’t own your picks, you might as well just try and be good. Cavish. Is this the last one? It is. Cavish hot take. Shay is just Kyrie with a worse bag, worse shooting, worse finishing, worse clutch factor, worst IQ, and more foul bag and flopping. Um, I don’t even know what to say to this one. This was just uh, congratulations Shay Gilders Alexander. Congratulations. Congratulations Oklahoma City Thunder. Congratulations Shay Gilders Alexander who is just a worse Kyrie with a worse bag, worse shooting, worse finishing. I love Kyrie. Uh, what about the fact that Shay’s like six, like four inches, five inches taller than Kyrie? What does that mean? I don’t know. Thank you, Bleach Report, for having me every Thursday, 5:00 p. p.m. Central Standard Time. Uh, next the next time we do this will be in June. So, the draft is going to be here before you know it. Free agency is going to be here before you know it. Um, exciting times. Exciting times. Thank you, Bleacher Report, for having me. I love you guys.

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