The Fantasy Gold Hiding on the Jazz & Wizards (Don’t Sleep on These Teams)
Hello everybody. It is Rick Campla and it is Hall of Famer Steve Alexander. We are the fantasy NBA today and we are starting on our um long uh uh beautiful month of June here of covering um all of the teams in the NBA. All right, we’re we’re going to do uh EP two teams per episode and we’re just going to make it through the entire NBA of course focusing on a spotlight style from uh from a fantasy perspective and we’re going to have a lot of fun. So before we bring Doc in and we dive into this thing, um let’s tell you about Bet Online, our awesome and amazing sponsor. Bet Online is the world’s most trusted betting platform and your number one source for all your sports betting action. Baseball seasons in full swing, the WNBA, you can bet on that. Uh they’re into the NBA, the NHL, they provide bets on the playoffs, all that stuff. Bet Online has all the ways that you need and more ways to stay in on the action. They have the latest odds, news, and scores, even live in-game betting when the games are being played. They have the largest selection of odds in everything from uh the NFL to MLB. Uh sorry, I just kind of lost my spot here. NHL and UFC. Bet Online remains the best online source for all your sports wagering info. In between games, head over to the Bet Online casino with all the top Vegas style games, including poker and a live casino. Bet Online, the game starts here. Doc, before we dive in, just want to say hello, man. Later on in the show, we’ll be talking about Pacers and Knicks and obviously looking ahead at the finals a little bit, but you ready to go? I’m excited for these team breakdowns, dude. Uh I’m excited about the finals. Um has nothing to do with fantasy, but I’m I’m excited that my Pacers made it. And uh you know, my prediction of Knicks Knicks versus Thunder almost came true, but didn’t quite but it was okay because my paces are in there. So yeah, I’m I’ve never been more excited to talk about the Washington Wizards and the Utah Jazz. Right. Let’s go, baby. Um that’s who uh we’re chopping up here today. Uh we’re going to uh like segments under the team, team MVP, players who surprised, players who disappointed, offseason outlook, and players to watch for next season. So uh every team will look at it um through those uh through that layering. Um, and I do want to tell you this, uh, before we dive in, if you’re watching us live on Twitter, just a heads up, not every offseason episode will be available on this platform. Please make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy NBA Today podcast feed to catch every episode, every episode, and stay in the loop, okay? And we appreciate you all for that. All right, doc, let’s start with the uh Utah Jazz. Um, literally uh, you know, I love my job. I cherish my job. probably my least favorite team in the NBA right now because of how they go with the tanking and they never try to be good and shutting all these guys down and ruining careers and blah blah blah. Like I just don’t like any of that. Okay. I I don’t want them to have nice things. Uh you like come out of this. Come out of hibernation, please. Okay. Yo Bear, wake up. Eat some honey or something. Damn. I don’t know, dude. But like this is a joke. All right. So wanted to get that out there, Doc. So we’re talking to Utah Jazz here. And let’s begin with team MVP. Who was their team MVP last year for you? Uh, and I should say uh fantasy MVP. Well, Rick, I had Oh, jeez. Now my uh I had the Washington Wizards all queued up. So, I am going to let you go first here while I get them pulled up. I I screwed that up. So, the uh the for me the fantasy MVP for uh the Utah Jazz was Isaiah Collier. Uh, I got a lot of of sort of wear and mileage out of him. Um, you know, Clarkson, they shut him down. I didn’t have Colin Ston on on any of my teams. Um, I didn’t have Kee George in any of my teams. Obviously, Doc, you know, uh, actually, I’m changing my answer. I’m ch I just had a brain fart. Walker Kesler is is my my fantasy MVP for I did I did Rock Collier a lot and he was really good for a stretch about a two-mon stretch and then it it kind of fizzled a little bit towards the end. Uh, but I I’m going to go with uh I’m going to go with Walker Kesler because obviously the 30 deep thing uh Doc, he powered the best record uh on my team in 30 deep. Obviously didn’t win the chip. Stuff happens. It’s hard, man. Um but in the regular season I was rated as the top team. Why? Walker Kesler literally made my team. Um I drafted him somewhat late, Doc. I don’t know if you have uh the draft results from 30 deep up there. I’d actually love to hear the number I drafted him at. Uh I I don’t remember fourth round, fifth round of a 30 team uh league, whatever it was, but he’s my fantasy MVP. Walker Kesler. Uh 12- 11, 2.4 blocks, really solid year. Could have used more games, Doc, but um I think that is what it is. But that’s my uh my fantasy MVP for the Jazz. How about you? Fourth round uh fourth pick for you for Walker Kesler. So that’s that’s n what? 94th. Is that what that works out to? I believe so. Fourth pick of the fourth. Okay. Yeah. And it took you 36 seconds to make that decision. I think you were already dialed in. Uh I was waiting on him like a catcher on a fastball. Home that baby right in here, baby. I want those blocks, man. Those blocks. Yeah. I like I like that. Um because in all honesty, there really was not a fantasy MVP on the Utah Jazz. You had Lorie Markin who played well, but he only did it in 47 games. I don’t care if you’re in a roto league or any kind of league that the 47 games just kills you, right? And the 40 games from John Collins was not very helpful either. The 37 from Jordan Clarkson was garbage. Walker Kesler only played 58 games, but he he came back at the end and uh and actually was able to help help people win. So, uh, he he was up there. For for me, I think it’s, um, it’s Keonte George just because he played in 67 games and because he scored 17 points a night. Uh, the shooting was not great. Uh, the stats were not great, although he did average 5.6 dimes. So, 5.6 dimes is 17 points. Uh, I’m okay with that. I wish he had more steals. Um, but he played in a lot of games. He he didn’t he didn’t take a huge chunk of the season off. I had Kee George late uh in a lot of drafts. He didn’t really help me win anything, I don’t think. But uh he had a pretty good season. He did indeed. All right. So uh so you had Keonte and I had Kesler. So now we move on to players who surprised. And uh Doc, I I’ll uh you’ll go first on on a lot of these, but I just I I Give me that sandwich, man. I want a bite. Filipowski, bro. Give me some Philippowski, bro. Like he was a uh the 31st or 32nd pick. Like a very high in the second round pick, right? Like I mean he he was a a hot shot at Duke. No doubt about it. But like dude, whenever Doc, let me give you his numbers in starts, okay? He started 27 games, 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists. I like it. Uh, he had 40 defensive stats in 27 games. Combination of steals and blocks, 40 in 27 games. I like it. He had 41 threes made in 27 games. I like it. Uh, on the season, he went nine points and six rebounds in 21 minutes, Doc. Uh, played 72 games, which is a remarkable number on that that misguided team. But I’ll start there. Uh, and go uh players who surprised you last year for the Jazz. Um, I think Isaiah Collier was was my pick. I did really enjoy Philipowski uh when he was getting starts and when he was kind of hot. I mean, he was kind of a double double machine. He would get some blocks, he would get some threes. So, I’m with you on that. Um, Isaiah Collier was pretty fun when he got it going and he was I wouldn’t say was the most reliable player around, but he he did some good things and he was kind of fun. um after the All-Star break in his 25 games, he averaged 12.7 assists, 1.1 steals. Um he’s not a three-point guy. He he doesn’t hit a lot of three-point shots. Uh.7 was his number after the All-Star break, but uh 12.7 dimes in a steel for a guy that likely went undrafted in your league if you got him on the waiver wire. I think he was able to help teams out late. Yeah, he he was, you know, you’re getting seven dimes off the waiver wire, man. Like that was found money for a lot of people. Um I I do uh you know, I I admire them for playing um Keonte George so much and Keonte George for stepping up. Uh great point about Collier in the threes. Um he does not provide that yet. He’s he’s got to get that part of his game better. um you know is he ascends as a pro. Like you you’re you’re not going to be a big time big time paid point guard uh without having a three ball like at least a little bit of a three ball. Uh right now he’s got virtually no three ball. Um so I like that Doc. Uh but Philipowski surprised me. Collier surprised me too for sure. Um players who disappointed on the Utah Jazz. Doc uh you go first on this one. Uh, well, I I mean, 40 games out of John Collins. John Collins was playing well. Like, he was getting a steal, he was getting a block, he was getting rebounds, he was scoring. Uh, he was playing very well, but 40 games does not get it done. And then Lori Markin, I mean, I think you and I um pre-season write him up every year as a disappointment because we know he’s going to play in 45 games and then be gone. So I I think um they were, you know, Collins was actually both, right? He was kind of surprising because I feel like he returned to the form we thought he was going to have a few years ago and then it flushed it all down the toilet because he didn’t play in enough games. He played less than half the season. So, I I’m going to go with uh Johnny Johnny Collins. So, I’m just looking him up here real quick. Uh, doc John Collins was 43rd according to Basketball Monsters algorithm here. 19 points, 8.2 rebounds, two assists, one block, one steel, one and a half threes. I like all of this. Okay. Uh, not that I care, but 53% from the field, 85% from the free throw line. I bet he shot a good three ball. Uh, number two, they don’t have that listed here, but he was 43rd, Doc. uh in in value last year and that that’s based on averages, right? Not totals. Um but his average stat line is damn good. Look, I I’m a huge John Collins guy. Have been going back to the Atlanta days. I I think um he’s a really, really, really talented player. And I don’t understand why the league is kind of turned off on him. Uh he makes $25 million a year. Everybody feels like he’s so overpaid. Dude, those numbers that I just described, that’s $25 million. That play 75 games. You may be really happy with what you get out of him. Um anyway, uh so that was uh um disappointing. I mean, the Lowry Markin had just let go of the rope. They have completely ruined this guy. Like like it just gone and forgotten. He’s a myth. 47 games played. The buzz kill with Lowry Markin, Doc, outside of the games played, he sucked when he played. He shot 42% last year. That’s not Lowry Markin. He’s always like a high efficiency guy, right? 19 points a game. Just brutality, dude. Brutality. They once they sort of All right, throttle down with the boat. All of these guys are going to play better cuz Okay, here we go. We’re actually trying to win here. That the whole everybody knows there’s a dark cloud. We suck. We want to suck. And it’s just what a horrible way to go to work every day, man. Um, so, uh, all right, so let’s get into offseason outlook here, uh, Doc, for the Utah Jazz. And, uh, let me give you the lay of the land free agent-wise. Um, they have, uh, John Collins has a player option, Doc, at 25 or 26 million. Uh, and I I don’t know if he’ll pick that up or not, honestly. Let’s have a little conversation about that. Micah Potter and Oscar Sheway are two-way players, so they have a decision to make with those guys. And then one more little tidbit. Uh Clarkson and and uh Ston are entering the final year of their deals. Makes them more tradable. And if Collins picks up his option, then he’d be in the final year of his deal and he would be um more tradable for the Utah Jazz if they decide to go that way. Uh so talk to me about that, Doc. And and with John Collins, like does he does he leave 25 mil on the table to go make another nice number somewhere else to get the f out of Utah or do you think he takes that $25 million bag? I mean, like you said, the numbers he put up last year are are more than 25 like he can make I think he can make more money uh and get out of Utah. Um, I I just I I don’t know if if NBA executives are going to be um buying into what John Collins is selling, but I don’t I doubt John Collins is buying into what Utah’s selling. So, I I kind of think he’s he’s going to um turn it down and and enter the market. One thing about the Jazz is this is Danny Ang’s team. Danny A, you would have thought by now would have put something together that would be fun to watch and playoffbound and competitive and it’s just not happening and they’re literally no man’s land. Like nobody wants to nationally wants to watch the Jazz. I don’t think people really care about the Jazz. People are like, “Oh, Larry Markin is my favorite player.” He’s not. um and and they just don’t have a lot of selling power on that team. So, I I don’t know, man. I I feel like I feel like Danny Ames needs to make a big move and make something happen uh better than what’s been happening before because outside of Keonte George, Walker Kesler, and Isaiah Collier, and Philipski um like those are four uh intriguing young players. None of them are are great at this point, but at least those are the building blocks. But man, I I feel like he needs to tear it down and start over. I feel like they just need a uh a reset mentally. Like get out of the tank lane and go for it and push, get uncomfortable, challenge your players. Um and you know, go for it. It’s just Doc, you know, there’s teams in Major League Baseball that are just baseball teams. They’re not going for anything. They’re not even really tanking. Tanking is very difficult in Major League Baseball. You kind of don’t do it. You just, you suck, right? Like it’s, you know what I mean? Cuz the the baseball draft is weird. There’s not usually like, oh my god, you got to go Cooper Flag or Wimby or, you know, the quarterback of the century. Like when Arch Manning comes out of Texas, Doc, I guarant [ __ ] tease he’s the number one overall pick in the NFL draft. There’s no question about it. Arch Manning. Um, but in baseball it’s different. Anyway, so back to the Utah Jazz here. It’s just about uh uh going for it. Think about it. This is talent. Walker Kesler talent. Philipowski last year proved. Dude, how many 20110s did he have, Doc? He’s a talent. Okay. Is he a future all-star? I don’t know. He’s a talent. Uh you mentioned Collier Keonte George talent. Uh Jordan Clarkson even right now in his 30s is a talent. Colin Ston is a talent. Um Taylor Hendricks, they like him. I don’t know much about him. Cody Williams. Um another lottery pick. So they’re they’re not devoid of talent. You have Lowry Markiny. You have John Collins. Doc, theoretically, Larry Markin and John Collins could be one of the best forward combos in the NBA. Theoretically, think about Larry Markin is a sharpshooter. He’s been an all-star. Uh, he’s had years with good stats. He’s helped teams win. John Collins, the statline that we just read, he can do that again. You know what I’m saying? I’m not saying they’d be like in the top five forward tandemss, but they may be top 10 if everything gets triggered forward. So, and I I don’t know. How do we know, Doc? How do we know? Like, you know what? It’ll probably be an offseason move or something. Uh, and if they just and if they don’t make any offseason moves, they just like make draft picks and, you know, like one vet, they go get Cory [ __ ] Joseph or something like that, like some Garrett Temple, like just some old head, right? Like some move like what? Why are you doing that? Um, that’s going to tell me that they’re still in tank mode. But like you said, they need to make a move. That that’s what’s going to be my signal. Oh, Utah’s serious now. Utah’s back. And you know what, Doc? There’s a that this is reality meets fantasy because you want players on teams that are feisty and going for it. You don’t want te players on teams like Charlotte, right, where there’s nothing to play for, nobody cares, you got the shutdown possibilities. So, um I would just like to see Utah turn the corner on that and and end the tank, bro. And end the tank. Uh Juju Watkins ain’t coming through that door anytime soon, bro. Little WNBA juxosition there. And I think the first step in that is like Larry Markin needs to be somewhere else. Like that’s step number one. Like let’s get him to a new a new place and then and then start from there. But yeah, I don’t know. It’s just it’s been it’s just weird. I I I would I expected more from Danny H by now. Well, he uh you know made the Go Bear trade, made the Donovan Mitchell trade. You know, he’s torn that thing down. And so they have, you know, millions of draft picks and all this kind of stuff. And but what my point is, you have the talent to go make a run at the playin tournament. Oh, what’s the playin tournament? Well, it’s something, okay? It it’s better than um getting stuck at the B. Hey, they’ve been tanking uh through the WBY thing and the flag thing. Did they get either of them? No, they did not. Okay, so stop thinking that you’re going to like hit the lottery. Uh uh you know, cuz you’re not. and uh and so now it’s time to go out there and play. All right, players to watch, doc, uh as we uh as we get to the last segment here for the Utah Jazz. Um who we’re keeping a close eye on and this kind of thing. Uh obviously uh Isaiah Collier is a guy for me, Doc. Um I’m not going to say I have my eye on Walker Kessler. We know who he is, what he can do, and you know, Philipki either because he’s going to be a backup to start the year. Um Collier’s very interesting to me, Doc. Uh he’ll make improvements. Maybe the three ball is like, “Wow, look, he’s really popping threes right now.” Okay, so that’s all intriguing. And then, um, the lost but not forgotten Taylor Hendrickx. He was like the sixth or seventh pick in the draft, right? When they took him, um, on draft night, what, two years ago? He played three games, Doc. Started all three games at the very beginning of the season. So, it seemed like Utah had a plan for Taylor Hendris. Uh, and I presume after missing the entirety of this year that he will be right for the 2526 season. But th those are the guys I’m watching here for Utah. Uh, same. Uh, Walker Kesler, I think, is a watch guy. Um, he was showed so much promise two seasons ago and then the season before this one, he ended up being a huge disappointment, let everybody down, and then he kind of bounced back this year. like can he build on that and be better? Um I think everybody in Utah should be excited about Isaiah Kier. Um he looks fun. Kyle Filipowski, as you mentioned, uh he could be really fun. And then Keonte George just needs to keep uh improving, get getting better. I mean, it would not shock me if two years from now uh Kee and Isaiah Collie were making up uh one of the better young back courts in the league. Keonte. I I’m I’m I’m I’m warming up to him. I am. Uh he he’s on my radar for next year, dude. He’s on my It’s got to be the right spot. Uh not going to reach for him, but uh but he’s on my radar. I like the P uh and I like the three balls for Keante. Um so, uh so guys, want to encourage you uh to check out our season rap series uh posted on Sports Ethos. Um, and uh, you know, it’s we’ve got articles already published. So, uh, we want you to check that out. Uh, we are taking you on the fantasy NBA today, Rick Hamla, Hall of Famer, Steve Alexander, with the greatest producer in the business, even though he says he’s not a producer, but he actually is a producer, Andre Lamoo. Um, he’s behind the glass doing his thing. Uh, juggling plates, I think, right now. Uh, with pots and pans. Not quite sure, but uh, but Doc, so we’re we’re one team down. Okay, we’re we’re doing a 30 team breakdown here from a fantasy perspective uh with these segments that we’ve been taking you through. So, one team down, we got 29 to go. So, let’s get cracking. Let’s talk about the Washington Wizards. I don’t know, Doc. For me, like it’s an overall upgrade over like like uh I I over like talking about Utah, right? Like I just I’m happier than I was five minutes ago because we’re talk. I just I I I kind of like I you know, I was digging into this dude. They have a lot of players that I like. The Wizards have a lot of players that I like. Um, but fantasy MVP. It is clearly Jordan P. For me, uh, he played the whole year. Um, he was very, very good. And Doc, you know, coming into the year, I was like, I I I put a an edict out to Washington. You have to put the ball in this man’s hands. Remember two years ago, P was coming off the bench in Washington behind I I can’t even remember who the hell it was, but it’s like you make the move, you get him from Golden State and Pool’s struggling and all this kind of stuff. That was the year that you and me thought he was going to like pop and be like a 25 point per game guy. Uh I got mocked on NBA radio by the way, like literally live on the air from Antonio Daniels about that. He’s like, “Cam, I He’s like, “Cam, I told you.” Cuz I was talking to Paul. go, “Dude, if pool goes to a crappy team, he’s going to he’s going to score 25 a game.” And AD was like, “No, he’s not. He A, he didn’t see it in pool. B, he’s like, you are underrating how freaking hard it is to average 25 points a game.” Which was a great point by him. Um, and but look, this year was the pool that I thought was going to happen that previous year. And maybe 25. I bit off more than I could chew there, Doc. But Jordan Pool for me, and this is subjective. Uh, there’s no like you have to do it this way. fantasy MVP is subjected to us as we go through these 30 teams. So, I got pool. Who was your fantasy MVP for Washington last year? Well, you know, before I before I say that, I I want to reiterate something you said earlier. When I listen to a podcast, the guys are always like, “Oh, like and subscribe.” And and I I hardly ever do it. Um I I I’ll hit the like button, but I hardly ever subscribe because, you know, I don’t need more stuff coming at me. But Rick and I like doing this and for us to keep doing this for you guys, you got to like and subscribe and and make that happen. And it’s not just uh to boost our egos. Uh it is for reality of the situation. Like let’s keep this thing going because Rick and I I mean I want to do this for the next 5 to 10 years of my life and want this to be our thing and we’re only going to get better and uh Bruce is going to be back. So, so like and a subscribe. We’re not just telling you that uh for for fun. Uh we need you to do it. Like please help us out and do that. U as far as my MVP goes. Um it’s Jordan Pool. And Rick, I I piggyback everything you said. Two years ago, I went all in on Jordan Pool. I thought he had a chance to be lead the league in scoring. Uh, we I just thought he was going to be a one I thought he was going to be a one-man wrecking crew like George Gerbin was, right? You know, back in 1974 for the terrible San Antonio Spurs, whatever year that was. I’m sure Andre knows. Uh, but Gervin to me was always the guy like this bright light on a bad team that just would go off every night. He was so fun to watch and I was like, man, Jordan Pool is going to get out here and shoot it 30 times a night with no conscience and just ball out. And it was a he he was actually probably the biggest fantasy bust um of that year two years ago. And then this season, you know, everybody faded him and he was drafted way more appropriately in like the sixth round or whatever. And he actually played well. I mean, he scored almost 21 points a game. That’s not easy to do. um four and a half assists, three rebounds, 1.3 steals, uh hit a bunch of threes, and and didn’t really do anything crazy. Like it was a very quiet um non-controversial year for Jordan Pool, first one in a while. So, congrats to him. I guess if it wasn’t Jordan Pool, I I my other choice I think I would have said Bub Carrington. Not because of his huge stat lines. Um because it was they weren’t huge, but 10 points, four boards, four and a half assists. Uh but he played in all 82 games. If you drafted him, you could at least run him out there every night. I wish he would shoot it better. But yeah, th those were my two two guys I was thinking about there. It’s just we get to talk about Bub again, bro. Our boy Bub Carrington. Uh with the Washington Wizards here. Um here’s uh some nuggets about uh Gervin and the Spurs. 74 to 85. Doc, uh he scored 33.1 in 8081, 32.3 in 8182. Back when men were men. I wonder what year the uh Iceman poster came out that we all had on our walls where he’s sitting on best poster. It’s one of the best posters of all time. If you haven’t seen it, look it up. It’s Iceman and he’s sitting on a throne made of ice blocks and he’s got his legs crossed. Like I’ll never forget the leg cross because it it just was so uh it just stood out. And he had his arms up on the throne. I think he’s wearing a crown. It’s like it was so cool. Awesome. Awesome guy, by the way. The nicest guy. I’ve met George Gervin. I’ve had a lot of conversations with him. Uh I I don’t have his number. I don’t text with him, but I’ve I’ve been around him a lot, right? Dude, he is a light up the room dude. He is full of life, funny. Uh he’s uh he’s got the gift to gap. Uh big fan. Um, and like I I didn’t really wa He was They weren’t on TV. That’s why I didn’t watch Gurve, dude. Like, you know, back in the day, dude, we got Laker. I’m talking 80s. You got Lakers, Celtics, uh, Rockets, 76ers, uh, probably like Knicks and I I don’t know, maybe the Suns or something, but like it was a it was about eight teams that you saw on national TV, bro. like they they didn’t mess around. They and honestly the only time I remember watching George Gervin play was All-Star games. Good point. And I had a book I had one of those little books that you bought at at school, you know, you could bring the order for for him home and it was like NBA superstars of the 70s and Gervin was featured in that and that. Yeah. At that when I read about him and saw and knew about the finger roll and stuff, I’m like that’s that guy is my favorite player. So there was a early on in my NBA fandom, a Gervin was my guy. Dude, when I just super quick, when I was like a young fellow, like seven, eight, nine, like learning how to read and kind of exploring that, right? Uh my mom bought me uh uh books that had like real life baseball stories like the story of Lou Garri, right? And his, you know, health issues and ultimately dying and all that, you know, Joe Deaggio and the streak. And so I’m just reading about this stuff, right? not watching video on it, uh, not going to baseball reference, just reading the stories of it, right? How Mickey Mantel tore his ACL on a on a freaking like water spot in the outfield, right? Like Mickey Mantel, like one of the one of the absolute giants and goats of the game. Like wrecked his and he was never the same after that, right? It was just some water thing in the damn outfield. So all these little stories, right? It’s just a memo to you kids out there, uh, all you young fellas and young ladies, you can still read and get smart. All right, back to work here. Um, players who s who surprise, uh, Doc, as we transition here, um, I’m not going to put the pool thing didn’t surprise me. Uh, it it was like I I kind of foretold it with the they got to put the ball in his hands, make him the one, blah blah blah. Uh, so again, he was my fantasy MVP and um, but Alex Sar Doc surprised me a little bit. Uh the numbers were better than than I thought and the percentages sucked obviously, but really really good fantasy goal blocks and threes and I knew that was his skill set, but I didn’t know it would translate right away. Alex Sar uh proved me right uh when I said he is the top talent in this draft uh and should be drafted over Zack Reach. But uh but anyway, um he surprised me a little bit. He was even better than I thought he was going to be. Uh and then I’ll I’ll say this guy and check up Doc Keshan George, man. Keshan George did not I you know I knew he’s from Miami. Uh he came out with a reputation as a shooter. Um and uh you know deep pick in the first round starts. I just loved it was like 111 it felt like every game you look at his boxes. One steal, one block, one or two threes and he’s only going to build on that. So th those two guys stand out as players who’s surprised. How about you? Yeah, I like both of those. I was going to go with those. Um, Justin Chimpeni actually averaged more points and more rebounds than Keshan George did and played uh, six games fewer than he did. Uh, Justin Chimpeni can play and he he never really got a big opportunity this year, but I kind of like him. Uh, Tristan Vukovich when he got run and when he got a chance to play, he looked pretty good. He passed the eye test. Um, you know, Jonas Funus and Alexar were always in his way, but when Vuke V got some run, he looked pretty good. So, I I kind of like um what the future folds for holds for him if he can get enough minutes. Um, and then Bilal Koulal surprised me in the other way. I kind of thought uh for the second year in a row, he was not as good as I thought he was going to be. Um, but he’s still got a a friendly fantasy game, fantasy friendly game. And I think um there’s still time for Koulabala to turn around. So, there’s lots of young uh interesting players on this team, but collectively they’re just still a huge mess. Yeah, indeed they are, bro. So I look BL Kulabali um he’s he’s a sleeper for me heading well maybe I’m I’m jumping ahead to to a different segment um let me just talk about last year and then uh I am going to write him down because I there’s a point I want to make uh when we players to watch get into that but I I mean I I like Bal Koulali’s statline doc you you know when I see blocks and steals and they’re like you’re my guy okay you’re vetted um 12 points a game Five rebounds, three and a half assists. Pretty good. Pretty good. A lot of room for growth, too. 7 blocks. He was at point8 as a rookie. Uh 1.3 steals, so he’s at two defensive stats. Okay. I mean, we’re we’re we’re sort of the floor of where I need you to be. 1.13 is obviously that needs to pick up, but I see a 111 guy brewing here. And I love the 111 guys. So uh so I’m I’m down with uh with with Bal Koulabali for sure, Doc. Um players who surprised. All right. So I I have nothing else on that. Do you you ready to move on to the next segment here? Yes, sir. All right. Players who disappointed Doc uh you know fell below expectations um and all that kind of stuff. Uh I’ll let you go first on this. Who disappointed you uh from the Washington perspective last year? Kyle Kuzzman, Malcolm Brogden, Corey Kispert, Chris Middleton, Marcus Smart, uh the it’s a it’s a long list. Just pick a pick a veteran. Pick a veteran. Any veteran not named Jordan Pool. Um Koosman was kind of a mess. Oh, he was he was so uh kind of dominant the year before and then last year was just kind of average blah. Now he’s now he’s not even there anymore. Kiss, I always like Kiss. I think he’s going to do something. I’m going to go with Chris Middleton just because I kept telling everybody that Middleton was washed. Uh nobody would listen to me. you’re like, “Oh man, Middleton’s coming back.” And and got a little bit excited. I never fell for it. He even had a like his first game back, I think he had he scored like 20 points and had a good game and people were like, “Here we go.” And I was like, “No, it’s it’s it’s fake. It’s fake news.” Um, so I I I would say Chris Middleton was the most disappointing. Not really because it’s his fault. I mean, I I just think he’s playing on one leg. Um, Malcolm Brogden, uh, 24 games played. I I didn’t know, I I will admit I I when I looked at the roster construction heading into the year, like he didn’t fit, right? You got all these young guys. He’s an older guy, should be a mercenary. Like the the n the the Knicks and Pacers might be playing a game seven tonight if Brogden were on the New York Knicks, right? The guy’s still a good player. Uh, and I’m I’m I’m curious where he where he ends up. I Brogden, if if he goes to the right team in the right spot, he’s really going to help that team. Um, I because I I just I think he can still play. When he gets run, he’s really good PR guy. Anyway, uh, that was disappointing. 24 games from Brogden. Uh, they didn’t even find a role for him at all. They basically curbed him all year. And uh uh you everything you said about Justin Champeni is true, but Doc, there were a lot of openings as the season went along for Washington to get him in the starting lineup and really see at least a temporary or mini pop from Justin Champeni. Um but he did not get those nods, Doc. Like he was uh he was getting leapfrogged by all these other guys to the starting five. And uh and and to me that that kept his value really in check. if you’re, you know, 20-minute bench player versus, all right, you’re you’re getting spot starts here. It’s a difference. Uh the minutes lead to points, which leads to value. So, that was disappointing that Justin Champeni didn’t get more opportunity uh when other guys were hurt out and stuff like that. And I really didn’t understand that. And then Doc, Cory Kiss, I kind of maybe thought uh that I’ll just say it this way. I thought it was possible that Corey Kiss starts uh for Washington last year, right? and and Keshan George ended up uh boguarding his spot because I think Bal is a lottery pick was was was going to start right then you have uh Jordan Pool and you have uh what am I looking at here? Uh you you know Bub Pool obviously the two Bubb the one but anyway Doc uh uh Keeshan George kind of like and and knock knocked him back but uh where are my notes here? Uh, but Kispert, dude, I I thought, you know, maybe like that that shooter in your starting five, you know, like Kyle Corver was for a lot of of the years of his career. Did you think Kisper was going to start last year? Was that a disappointment to you that he played 61 games, all of them, off the bench? I mean, I can’t believe he didn’t start a single game. Uh, I’d like to know how many he started the year before without I’m too lazy to look it up right now, but I I I thought he would at least start like half of those games. Um, but I also thought Justin Champeni should play a lot more than he did. I think Keshan George uh should have had a bigger role on that team. I don’t know that Jonas Valhunis needs to be out there uh muddying up the waters of Alex Sar and and Tristan Vukovich. Um, so I I didn’t love a lot of things that Washington did with their roster, uh, with their rotations, but it is what it is. I thought he would start, uh, I thought he would start games. 22 starts, uh, two years ago, played 80 games, 22 starts. So, yeah. And I mean, that that gave us promise and hope for this coming season. And And he was good. He was a silly season hero down the stretch, wasn’t he, that year? Yeah. Yeah. I was rolling with him. popping threes, hitting 20 point games. Like I I was like, Kisserts. Uh and then I believe they paid him. Uh do I have that on my Well, this year they do. Yeah. Four years and 50 four years and 54 mil. They paid the man. And this year it was less than 12 points and then absolutely nothing else to go with it. Uh three boards, 1.7 assists, point4 steals. Like there’s just nothing there. Like he he was unrosterable. That’s so Doug Mcder, right? That’s so Doug McDermott. Uh Doug McDermott. Um probably a hell of a guy, you know, nice player, but not not a fantasy friendly guy at all. All right, let’s move on to offseason outlook here um as we uh make our way through our conversation about the Washington Wizards. We are spinning you around the league doing all 30 teams from a fantasy perspective. This is how we spend our summer uh when we’re not at the beach or the pool and uh and and uh you know having some fun. Anyway, uh the Wizards free agents this summer, Doc Malcolm Brogden, UFA, he won’t be back. JT Thor restricted free agent. Tristan Vukovich, uh restricted free agent, who there’s no way they let him go. Uh and then Chris Middleton, player option. Uh Middleton is going to be back. Uh Doc, I hate to disappoint you if you have other ideas on this, but Chris Middleton has a $34 million player option. I can I Dude, I would literally uh Anyway, I would bet a lot of money, dude. I would bet a lot of money on uh on that happening, man. I would um he he’s uh Chris Middleton’s going to pick up that option. $34 million, dude. You think another team’s going to pay Chris Middleton $34 million right now? Nope. No, he has to pick it up. That’s free money. And um you know, and that’s the thing about Middleton, like he he only played in 14 games last year. Uh and he started in all 14. Like, come on. Like, let Cory Kisser play. Let Keshan George play. Let Let somebody else play. Like, we know. You act like it’s Middleton’s fault. You act like it’s Middleton’s fault. Are you getting on to the coach or Middleton here? the coach like coach I don’t know why you’re you’re you’re tanking anyway you’re not trying to win games uh you don’t have to rely on your you know 35year-old one-legged they didn’t play every night doc they didn’t play Brogden why did they feel like they had to play Middleton right I don’t know I don’t know it’s crazy dude it’s crazy um all right so uh in the draft Washington goes sixth and 18th So, another high draft pick here. Uh, tankathon.com has them taking Trey Johnson, a shooting guard out of Texas, uh, at number six. So, that that’s all they need is another guard. I mean, they’ve got they’ve got a lot of like young talent at just about every position here. So, it’s kind of a BPA, best player available situation for them. All right. Uh, last segment here for the Wizards, Doc, players to watch for next year. Who is that for you on these Washington Wizards? Uh, as far as I test go, I really liked watching Keshan George play and I really hope he gets um an expanded role next year and gets to show his stuff more. Um, so I I think Keshan George is is on that list. Justin Chimpeni is is on that list. Like I love that guy when he gets to play. Um, and then your guy, well, our guy Bub Carrington obviously I mean hopefully Bub takes a big step next year and your guy Alex Sar uh clearly is on a path to start him. So, u but I think Keshan is the one guy that I really hope uh has a mini breakout. Alex Sar and Keshan George are my two guys here. Doc, I I actually will will I I’ll reach for Alex Sar this year. I I I’ll I would like not I’ll for sure draft him at Value. Definitely not fading. I’m very high on Alex. I think he’s going to have a fantastic second year. And uh and I I will actually reach for Alexar. I will take him around uh before where maybe he should go uh for fear that I get sniped on him uh in between that pick and then that next pick. I’m probably going to go uh like Brooke Lopez or Alex Sar. I’m I think I got to rock with Sar. Uh and and that’s I’ve really come a long way here because I love some Brolo, bro. He is a fantasy staple. Um but you know, maybe Sar is the guy you got to kind of reach up a little bit. And then nobody likes Brook Lopez anymore, Doc. Like it seems like everybody’s turned off and tuned out on that guy other than me and you. Uh, and so he’s probably gonna fall around farther than he should fall or two. So that’s probably how I’ll rock that. I’m I’m very very psyched to have a lot of shares of Alexar next year. And uh, and then Keshan George, doc, because I see a 111 guy brewing here, a fantasy gold stud brewing here. Um, I don’t think the P is going to be exceptional. I don’t. Uh, right. Let’s get to double figures. Let’s get to about five, six boards, about three assists, something normal like that, and then give us really good fantasy gold. Uh, but Keshan George is uh definitely on my sleeper list and I’m excited to see what happens with him. Um, I’m also Doc excited to see if uh they they just give Bub Carrington the starting point guard job. Like I I want to know that. That’s a question for me here. Like dude, if if we get through free agency and we get through the draft process, Doc, and they have not added competition for Bub Carrington, right? like we’re gonna be psyched about Bub as a point guard heading into year two. So that that’s kind of a that’s kind of a big talking point here. Do you think Bub has that spot locked up or do you think Washington may go in another direction this off seasonason and make Bub the backup? I was kind of surprised they had him uh you know start 57 games and he played in all 82 last year. So, the fact that they, you know, gave him that long of a leash last year would lead me to think that they like him and and want to roll with him this year. But, you know, it just depends on on who’s available and what what kind of deals they can swing. But, I would say as of now, I think Bub’s the starting point guard in Washington. Um, as you were talking, I’ve just just re-evaluated my depth chart, Doc. Right now there’s no competition for Bub Carrington. The the only competition is Doc uh usage rate with Jordan Pool. But in terms of competition for the starting point guard job, uh there’s nobody else. Uh Kisspert’s not I mean he’s he’s a shooting wing. Bal Koulali is not a point guard. He’s a wing. Keshan George is a wing. Justin Champeni is a wing. Middleton’s a wing. Uh you have you know Vukovich, Holmes, and Sar. They’re bigs. And then you have uh just kind of junk stuff. AJ Johnson uh the first round pick that Milwaukee immediately gave up on. Um still assessing what what he is. Is he a one? Is he a two? What what’s kind of going on there? So he lingers, but Bob clearly was uh prioritized and higher on the on the pecking order than him last year. And I don’t AJ Johnson didn’t do anything to me to disrupt that. So um there you go, fellas and ladies. the Washington Wizards. Two down, 28 to go uh with our uh fantasy breakdown of all 30 NBA teams. Doc, let’s do a little playoff check-in and an opportunity for you to gloat a little bit. We’ll talk OKC in Indiana. Um for sure, but your Pacers beat the New York Knicks, Doc. And uh it was kind of cool. I’m uh Saturday night, uh I I I was out and about as I’m want to do. Um, and uh, so I did not live bet that game. However, I did put a Honeybean on Indiana minus 4 before I left the crib, Doc. And it was cool. Like I’m out, you know, seeing shows and running around with my buddies and stuff and, you know, it’s like midnight. Maybe you got a little cocktail in your hand. You’re, “Oh, what about that?” And then, uh, you know, and then you see, “Oh, boy, that bank account looks good right now. That bank account looks good, dude.” Did you uh monetize the Pacers uh victory in game six? Uh a little bit, but not not a lot. Um dude, I was so It was one of those things where, you know, part of the reason we bet on games and it’s fun to bet on games is so that you have interest in a game that you would you wouldn’t normally have interest in. I was so nervous uh about game six that uh my family was all out of the house and I was sitting at this desk by myself in silence with nothing but that game on and I I sat here and watched the whole thing and uh I didn’t want to go out and watch it because everywhere I go there there’s no volume anywhere and you can’t there’s so many distractions that I I was like I’m not doing it. this is too big of a game because I was I was so worried that the Pacers were going to be that team that blew a 3-1 lead um and then and then lost. And I I just because if if game seven was tonight in New York, uh I I would be a mess right now. So, I’m just glad that uh I’m just glad they won. I’m glad they they we didn’t have to go deal with a game seven tonight. Although I do kind of wish there was a I mean a little bit of me wishes there was a game seven tonight because game sevens are a blast. Uh but that would have been that would have been very scary stuff. So indeed, bro, uh I I I did not think um that Pascal Seakum should have won Eastern Conference Finals MVP. I I don’t like it. I I didn’t like Doc that there’s nine voters. I don’t think that’s even close to enough voters. Uh, I talk a lot about this on the, uh, Sports Ethos NBA show with Rick Campla, uh, which you’ll be able to find on on our timelines and stuff like that. I’ll be, uh, retweeting it out here in just a little bit. Um, who would you have voted for for Eastern Conference Finals MVP, Halley or Pascal? I was shocked that it wasn’t Hallebertton. Uh, I mean the the big shots the the big shot that he hit earlier in the series that you know went off the back of the rim and all the way up like that alone I I think should have done it. But but he also I think Pascal scored more points but he did 25 ppg to 21 for Hallebertton was first on the team and almost every other meaningful stat besides that and in scoring he was second. That’s correct. So, I don’t understand what happened there. And and then you see the video where like and the MVP of the series is and Tyrese starts walking towards the podium like that’s how Seakum and he just stops and he’s like what needle on the record. Like that was that was uh but you know it’s just another thing to motivate him for the finals. He’s like, “Okay, I guess I need to go win the finals MVP now.” Good point. And you know, his dad being back in the house and dad celebrating in the suite was fun. And like all of it was just uh fun except for that. I wonder I wonder um I wonder what Hallebertton’s true feelings are about that snub because I I think even Pascalakum was like really me. um cuz he had those three 30-point games, but you know, Hallebertton was the MVP of that team and he is the MVP of that team and he’s he’s and you take him off that team and they’re toast. Um so that was very weird to me and I still don’t understand how it happened. Agreed, bro. Agreed. Uh but you know it it’s an award we have these debates. Now we move on. OKC and Indiana, Doc. Two small markets. Uh I I’m I’m really I don’t usually care about ratings. Like if there were two like big-time teams here, um you know, if New York were playing the Lakers, for example, like I I we we I wouldn’t even be talking about this right now, but because it’s OKC and Indiana, I am really, really, really curious to see what the ratings say on this. if we get the historically low rating or if the ratings are really really good and America plugs into two Midwestern teams. Um here Doc I that that’s fascinating to me. But let’s talk basketball. I got OKC and six doc. I’m going to give Indiana two. I lean more to the five side than the seven side. I kind of want to say OKC and five, but uh I’ve got a lot of belief in Indiana. What they built the ma they they’ve got the magical touch, bro. I mean, they they pull the rabbit out of a hat a lot. Um, I don’t think they’re going to do that against OKC, but they might. So, I’m going to So, that might uh is leading me to build in a couple of games. I got OKC in six. How about you? Yes. Uh, I am I like the idea of betting Oklahoma City in six at plus 450. OKC plus six is plus uh OKC and six is plus 450 I believe so I believe so um because you you have to get you’re trying to get the the games perfect it could go seven it could go five it could go four you know uh so I think it’s it’s uh for OKC to win 42 I believe it’s 450 and then for the Pacers to win in seven is plus 1,200 00. Um, and and here’s the thing about Indie, like I feel like this is a team of destiny and you’ve had all these weird things happen all the way through the playoffs. You have the New York firefighter getting beat up by New York fans and then they bring him to Indie and hell, he probably lives there now because he treated him so well and he had the trip of a lifetime. And then you’ve got Hallebertton’s dad. You’ve got Hallebertton as the most overrated player in the league. Just had all this stuff. You had the shot that goes off the back of the iron and all the way up and back down for the apparent win and and ends up taking him to an overtime win. Um, you had all the last minute shots that Albert’s hit this season. You have Seakkum playing the best ball he’s probably ever played. Um, you’ve got Carile like, “Hey, I know we’re a 10-point dog in game one, but I don’t care. We’re going to go out there and and try to win that game.” Um, so I don’t really put anything past the Pacers. I think smart money is on the Thunder. I like the number that you picked in six, but I also don’t hate um if the Pacers win, it’s probably going to be in seven games. I don’t think they’re going to win, but I think uh at plus 1,200, I’m willing to take a chance uh to just see what happens. I like it, dude. Uh the the and then just one more thing and you you can take it wherever you want to go. Lou Dort and Alex Crusoe and Kase Wallace and all of these guys guarding um Tyrese Hallebert to me is is everything. I can’t wait to see this. Do Do they just play it straight up? Do they man and a half him? Um do they uh do they double team him? Do they just blitz him and try to take the ball out of his hands? Uh how they defend him? because we know how Indiana is going to defend Shay Gilis Alexander. They’re going to sick him with Aaron Nesmith. Niss’s going to make him work harder, but SGA is still going to get his 30 plus. Uh he I love Nmith, but he ain’t shut down like that. It’s not not like you’re putting Jordan or Pippen on him. Okay. Um so, but so I’m I’m really fascinated about that. I think Alex Cruso Doc is going to have a huge series just like he has the whole playoffs. I think he’s going to be a major major major factor. Um, and if if I had to like pick one uh other uh who’s going to be the most important for both of these teams, I would say it’s Alex Caruso. Uh I I think he’s going to continue his fine play. I think we’re going to see him guarding Hallebertton a lot and I think he’s going to do it effectively. Um there’s a prop out there for Hallebertton to have 16 dimes in any of the game any game in the series. Um, 16’s a lot of assists, but I mean, those guys are going to be draped all over him. He’s gonna have to be passing the ball a ton. So, I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that he could have a 16 assist game in the series. That’s at plus 265. I kind of like that, too. Uh, and then two other things about ratings. Um, what’s the thing we always hear from old guys uh who don’t watch the NBA anymore? Number one, they don’t they don’t play defense. Nobody plays defense. I miss Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Well, guess what? Both of these teams play defense. So, there’s one thing. Two, they’re both so young and they were both built pretty much organically. like these guys have all been with these teams for a while. Hallebertton came in from the outside, but that was a while ago. Um, and we’ve got two teams who’ve kind of been true to what they are and they’ve been built the same way and they’re the two best teams in the league since January. So, you got that. They’re also the first two teams to meet in the finals. Uh, not over the luxury tax. So, they did it the right way and they’ve done it by developing this youth. Um, and I think if people watched the playoffs, um, they were rooting for Oklahoma City. They were rooting for Indiana. They didn’t we they didn’t want to see the same old teams in there over and over again. So, I I hope my hope is that the ratings are good and that people are like, “Man, the NBA’s kind of, you know, I don’t feel like these teams just stand out there and jack up threes all day.” Although, even though they do. Um, and then there’s the whole SGA narrative. Oh, he’s a foul baiter and he’s going to shoot and he is he does shoot a lot more free throws than anybody in this series, but I’m okay with that. So, I I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be fun. I expect Oklahoma City to win, but I’m not just going to write off my Pacers. Uh I’m just not that. That’s why I’m at six games and not five. I feel like five games, you’re kind of writing them off a little bit. You’re saying, “Wow, this is going to be a disaster.” I think we may get some thrills and chills. I I I just The Indiana thing is strong, dude. It’s back-to-back years in the East Finals. Uh now they’re in the NBA Finals. They’re obviously a legitimate team. You got to give them the credit uh that they have earned and uh now deserve. Um, one more time before we get out of here, if you are watching us live on Twitter, just a heads up, not every episode will be available on this platform, please make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy NBA Today podcast feed to catch every episode and stay in the loop cuz we got you like that. So, for Andre Leamush, for Hall of Famer Steve Alexander, I am Rick Campbell. We appreciate you guys so much. Please retweet this on your timeline. Let let everybody know uh what your boy Cam and your boy Docker saying about Utah and Washington. We got our 30 team breakdown which began with this show. So let everybody know the killer work we’re doing over here at Sports Ethos. We’d really appreciate it. Go to sports ethos.com, subscribe to our work, download the app from your favorite app store, the Sports Ethos app. It’s free and it gives you blurbs on MLB, NFL, and NBA as well. We are out for now and want to shout out our sponsor, Bet Online. We thank them for presenting the show to you. Bye-bye.
Rick Kamla and Dr. A are back with another Fantasy Team Deep Dive — this time, it’s all about the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.
We’re covering:
– Surprise breakouts (and their staying power)
– Biggest letdowns (and bounce-back potential)
– Offseason rumors that could shake up fantasy boards
– Early sleeper picks from each roster
– Fantasy outlook heading into 2025
Whether you’re in a dynasty league or already thinking redraft, this is the edge you need.
