What’s the FIRST MOVE for Trajan Langdon with the Detroit Pistons?! – From Half Court Episode 146

What’s the FIRST MOVE for Trajan Langdon with the Detroit Pistons?! – From Half Court Episode 146

[Music] what is going on I want to welcome you from half court for today Wednesday May 29th 2024 I morning of your host sha Murphy alongside the man the myth the sery Troy sery Troy it’s good to see you my friend how are you doing I’m doing well Sean awesome little run from our uh Eastern Conference uh division Rivals the Indiana Pacers of course living here I’ve kind of adopted them as a second your new hometown’s team yeah yeah my my hometown second favorite NBA team uh had a great little run uh sad to see the season end but my goodness uh to beat the Bucks in the first round and the to go down 3-2 against the uh Knicks and then win an awesome game six and game seven uh pretty cool run uh had made Boston you know really grind and you know grind towards the end and made things very competitive with them was great to see but uh yeah we got a Celtics coming out of the East and more than likely a Dallas Mavericks team coming out of the West so yeah and I think unlike when the Hawks made the Eastern Conference Finals a few years ago there’s actually a lot of Reason to Believe that there’s sustainable success that can be had in Indiana and if you’re if you’re excited about anything for if you take any Silver Lining from that series other than the fact that you could have won each and every game that you were in it’s also the fact that you have guys like Andrew nard that looked like a guy the last two games in particular especially when give that opportunity and you know Rick Carlile is just great at building a culture great at coaching and developing teams so I think he’ll be able to help them with take help those guys with taking the next steps and if you’re the general manager of the Pacers you’ll feel you feel pretty good with you know pushing your chips in the middle of the table a little bit and starting to propel what you have going on because you know it’s a pretty good situation Indiana presently yeah it really is and bringing in Pascal sakam I think was huge huge huge a couple weeks before the deadline in mid January so um I’m curious to see what this off season is going to look like are they still do they still think one more little tweak can can make them even more competitive than already are I don’t know uh but also there’s that reason to not change anything and run this entire roster back so uh do you think um it sounds like the Pacers are reportedly and I and I I believe it was for sham chirania that they’re reportedly planning on offering Pascal seaka a Max contract this off season do you think he’s earned that deal do you think you know as as someone who who supports the Pacers do you feel comfortable with Pascal cakam being a max player I mean I think personally if you’re if if you’re looking at what you want to see from a guy that you trade for to be your number two player I think he about checked every box that doesn’t mean I might be in love with paying him Max dollars but having said that I think he’s pretty good to have around Tyrese halberton when especially when you’re Indiana you’re not gonna have many opportunities to get Pascal cakam so if you’re gonna overpay for a guy I think he makes sense right knowing that you probably are overpaying going into that and looking yourself in the mirror and saying you’re okay with I think is something that has to be done but yeah like you said um I think that is a good move because you know finding a Batman is very hard in this league but once you find a Batman it’s even harder I think sometimes to find a robin and I think uh SE yakum fits that mold with him and Tyrese that would be very hard to replace so yeah I’m all for it but then you have to look in the mirror and and really really push hard to try to get maybe some veterans who would uh come to Indiana for even a little bit less than they could get elsewhere but also with a guy like Tyrese Halbert and that’s a very attractive thing for all positions right I mean a wing would love to have a Tyrese halberton as a point guard uh if you want to get a you know go a little bit big and kind of having a backup with Miles Turner um a who’s a vet who’s a proven you know uh you know down low Defender and um you know can can even block shots and you know grab rebounds then yeah I I think even him would love to have a uh at tyres halberton to play Pick and rooll with right so yeah I I I think um you have to have a lot of those conversations but if you’re if you’re willing to say yes to you know those conversations then yeah I I say bring them bring them bring them back max contract yeah I mean again I I I in in in fairness I don’t know how much how much of a choice they have either especially if they want to continue to be competitive but you know again I think it’s going to be a really fun uh interesting few years for them and uh to pull it back to your Batman reference before you need a before you get a good Batman and Robin you first must get a good commissioner to run your run your police department and the Pistons went and got their new Commissioner Gordon and that’s what we’re gonna talk about here today because this is from half court for each and every week we come here and talk all things Detroit basketball NBA basketball WNBA basketball if basketball is being played in a landfill we’ll talk about it if you like that make sure you like this video subscribe to the channel hit that notification Bell but also be sure you follow my people on X you can find Troy on X at Troy Sergey 44 you can find myself on X Sean half Port uh jeffi Frey will be joining us as well in a little bit you can follow him on X at jeffra but with that let’s get right into the big news for the Detroit Pistons it has been announced as of last week are reported I should say that trun Langan is reaching a deal to become the new president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons he started as a scout for the San Antonio Spurs then he was a assistant GM with the Brooklyn Nets and then ended up being the general manager for the New Orleans Pelicans after he actually also interviewed alongside uh David Griffin for that same job but they liked langon so much that they offered him a massive contract to be their general manager as well now Lan who has been one of the you know kind of the uh upand cominging prospects as far as uh next Executives someone who’s been pegged as gonna get this type of job at some point will now have the opportunity to run the Detroit Pistons we’ll have the likes of Kade Cunningham jadeen iy Jen Duran assar Thompson to play with he will also have some important decisions to make about the likes of Troy Weaver Monty Williams and what direction they go there now Troy just off of you know initial Impressions off of the things that we can see on the surface what are your impressions of the higher and how much time do you you know like how as far as judging this type of hire how much time do you think you know it necessarily takes to really get a good outlook of how someone’s doing right right right I think uh we certainly have to get into to the mix of the draft and see uh of course uh any deals or free agent signings and then even actually probably have to wait until the season actually starts to see how that play plays out so certainly I think you have to be as a fan in the long game being being willing to play the long game with trying to judge this hire but uh yeah first thoughts are are good I really think kind of the best and the only way that you can look at um you know having emotions about this good or bad is to look at the New Orleans Pelicans roster and um you know before the Pod we were talking a little bit about you know what that roster actually consists of and yeah number one consists of veterans right you got got like CJ mcallum you have Jonas valan chunis who are proven players in the league who can really help your team win and prodive Veteran contributes on both sides of the Court which is super important for a team like the Pistons another thing that we brought up was Winks um looking at a guy like Brandon Ingram even looking at a guy like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones those guys are able to play the wing well on guess what both sides of the Court which is something that they’ve struggled with that position for for a while now is you can have a good guy like boan right uh but you know doesn’t really play the other side of the Court very well so you know I I think looking at this cast in his role right right right and I think he can probably if he does the same thing like he did in New Orleans he can assess this roster and truly truly have those conversations of what the heck does this roster need what do what does Kate Cunningham need you know to be put around what does assar Thompson what could help assar Thompson uh grow and contribute as as a player and you know maximize his potential you know if we keep it Jaylen Duran you know what what does he need as well uh likewise with the jayen ivy conversation so yeah I I I feel the more I think about it the better I feel but I I really think looking at the New Orleans Pelicans roster is the only thing to only way to really try to make a guess here in uh late May yeah 100% you know it’s it’s it’s a lot harder to you know have that type of you know uh conviction about an executive candidate because unlike a coach and a player who we can see up front you know all the work of of an executive’s done behind the scenes so um we don’t know truly the full extent to um you know like their their capabilities but what we do know is you know langan’s someone who’s been highly regarded across the league for you know a good while um he’s someone that you know they they very much liked in New Orleans and you know is is is not a you know insignificant loss for their franchise and I think like another you know situation that you look at and you kind of like you know if you take any hope or you like want to look for the positives he was an assistant general manager you know in particular in Brooklyn from like 2015 to 2018 that was when they had the d’angel Russell you know Carris Levert Jarrett Allen Brooklyn Nets where I mean if you remember what those Nets had as far as assets that team took chicken and turned it into chicken salad they didn’t own their picks they were you know they were pretty much given to Boston and and spread all throughout the league so they were able to identify talent and get pieces and essentially again make chicken salad out of the little things that they did have so you know for for someone like langden who’s coming into a situation like Detroit where they are in that unfortunate situation where they’re losing a lot of games and don’t own a lot of their picks going forward it gives you that you know that understanding of it’s someone who’s been there before who’s helped you know take situations and you know make them better with time right so I think if there’s anything that you need you know as far as like a candidate that you’re bringing in it’s a proven track record to be able to do something like that right so I think of the candidates that were available you like is he the most experienced no but he’s really experienced and I think he ALS he still is really experienced I should say and he still has a youth that I think fits this team as well now one thing that I personally I’m not sure if you saw Troy but there was a lot made of the fact that when Langan was a player he was a client of AR telum and in my opinion there’s just this weird narrative around AR tellum as a whole like yes he has a say or he might have input and give you know like his opinion on people but just this thought that he’s the one who’s running the show is just simply not true um so I I I don’t really know and I’m not sure if how you feel but I don’t think having that prior relationship is something that should be a a damning judgment or an impression on his ability to be an executive no I mean we’re hiring him right so I mean I don’t think our talent really plays into that a lot so I’m I’m really not worried much as a Pistons fan um we got to remember here that this is this is the highest basketball league that there is right so I mean when you hire someone very rarely will they be influenced by outside sources to a degree in which you are talking about where you would be certain of course people have talk to other people of course there’s judgments and calls but you know when when someone when if it’s a coach if it’s a GM the president of basketball operations those guys are actually doing the job you don’t have to worry about conspiracy theories of you know who’s in their ear and making all the calls it’s just I don’t really play into that game so yeah I think I think where a lot of it comes from is you know as I’ve kind of referenced on other places before comes from a Mike fani SE segment where he was talking about you know kind of like the you know some of the connections with arell but also I think it just comes from the conversations of having too many cooks in the kitchen right of not necess necessarily having that clear hierarchy of who was fully in control you know like during the co head coaching process I know you know there were candidates that tum liked and know there were candidates that Troy Weaver liked right and so um I think if you kind of just look at the um the the the biggest thing that this hire does as a whole is it brings Clarity because ultimately langan’s going to have the final say it is his basketball operations that he’s going to be running so everything that will happen moving forward will go through him and so that kind of brings into what those next steps are and over the next couple of weeks he’s going to have a lot of really difficult decisions to make you know specifically about the the general manager and and their head coach I personally I don’t know you know like I’m not sure what your thoughts are Troy I think it makes a lot of sense for both sides to try and give one more year at least to Monty Williams hope that the roster that that he was given was you know like something that you know like can be improved upon now that he’s had a year with some of these players and now that you know you bring in someone else to run the ship so to speak and and and steer things uh clear I think there’s more of a path at least to me for him to continue with the organization than a Troy Weaver just because of the of what position was filled where they are as far as their their status in the organization and especially with how close the general manager works with the president of basketball operations they generally want someone in that seat that they pick themselves this isn’t reporting this is just sheer speculation but what are your thoughts on that regard yeah yeah I I certainly would like another chance with ammani Williams I think there’s just there’s still some untapped potential with him as a coach because of what we’ve seen in pre previous um you know teams like obviously I’m thinking the Phoenix Suns most most recently uh but at the same time Sean when you when you win 17 games and then are worse the next year and and the next year is your new hire I don’t know if my or your opinion is gonna matter with this um right meaning I’m not sure if he’s back because it’s it’s just it’s so hard for the fans even I don’t know if the players but to the organization to to run it back with with the current coaching I I get it I I want it to happen but I just I don’t know Sean I don’t think that that’s super realistic at this point I I don’t know maybe I’m wrong but well I think on the flip side it’s it’s difficult because for one you know it’s still the beginning of the week the Pistons you know at at this time still haven’t officially announced you know that that they’ve struck a deal with with TR and LAN l so as far as you know like moving forward with you know like the coaching search and you know like things of that regard if if you’re going to make that move that’s a move that you have to make pretty quickly because teams like the Lakers have already moved on from their head coach about about a few weeks ago teams like the Hornets already moved on and hired a new head coach the Cleveland Cavaliers right in your division they’re about to be going through the process of getting a new head coach so a lot of the candidates that would in theory make sense for the Pistons are talking to other teams right now so when you look at you know reasons as to why he would be back for another season you know to to me you know would you want to move on from Monty and not know what the landscape is for coaches on the market and then do you really want to bring in someone who could just be a like a stop Gap or do you want to actually find someone who can fill that chair for the long term right and I just don’t know like depending on how this job market goes if that candidate would be out there um I I brought up on on crunch time I think James bgo is someone that would make sense in um in Detroit he was the old coach of the Hornets back when they used to get to the playing tournament quite a bit ever since he’s left the the Hornets have seemingly Fallen apart so um I think he’s someone that would make a lot of sense but again you know to to your point I I it’s it’s hard to see him coming back after that type of season but on the other hand they made a very very significant commitment to him and I still think that the Pistons would be better off if that Monty com contract somehow worked out for them rather than just having to swallow it sure you know yeah yeah yeah it’s going to be a really interesting summer but I gu didn’t really think about the fact that you know other coaches who or other organizations who parted away with their coaches are talking to the best candidates right now and especially you’re right Cleveland that was a good team to bring up because um I I think they’re going to be pretty aggressive with their hire this summer so yep especially if they want to keep Donovan Mitchell especially you know like if they want to you know write the ship with Evan Moy and a lot of the pieces that they have there you know a lot of teams you know especially with how how few great coaches there are out there in the NBA like there’s there’s truly like I I think the the term I’ve heard before is just like a coach shortage I think it’s pretty fair to say that the NBA there’s like about like five or six great coaches a ton of pretty okay coaches and then a couple guys who just don’t fit the bill aren’t you know aren’t quite up to Snuff for that role um I don’t know if Monty fits under that quite but I mean it’s certainly this this last season I mean I think we all can agree was was puzzling as far as that regard goes right yeah um another little piece of uh Pistons news Simone fonio actually had surgery speaking of Italians we’re joined by one right now Jeff aifr Jeff it’s good to see you my man welcome to the podcast we appreciate having you here now that you are here what are your thoughts on the tra and langen hire now that you’ve had some time to Stew on it and what do you want to see this summer from him so we can all agree and I’m not sure if you guys have already mentioned this but I think the first move the obvious move would be to I think this would be a good message to send to the fan base would be to fire Troy Weaver you know I think that’s the first move that needs to be done uh now to speak on the hire I do like the hire you know I think we have to be realistic here Tim Connelly uh you know the the timle Wolves advancing it just kind of became unrealistic at that point and they needed to bring in a president of basketball operation so if Tran langden he was one of the candidates and I love his resume I mean that’s all we really have right now and I know with the Pelicans he was more in that that if you compare it to like a backup quarterback but not quite because he’s actually doing stuff uh behind David Griffin I I like him as a player um what he knows his experience I mean he’s played overseas and I think that’s the biggest thing that I like about him personally is you know when you have a anyone in charge that has as is in touch with overseas basketball and you look around the NBA and see where it’s heading it’s heading to it’s always been a global league but you have more European Superstars than we’ve ever had to me that’s exciting you know and and and we’ll see as time progresses with like the whole like Talent evaluation thing and in in terms of making moves but initially off the bat just judging a book by its cover I like the hire so out of all the candidates Tran was the one I was probably the most intrigued by just given his history and his track record so we’ll see what he does but I think the Troy Weaver you know bringing in a new general manager and at least just clearing house um would be the the first thing I think would send a good message to this fan base immediately yeah for sure I I I think he he’s definitely going to have to have a lot of uncomfortable conversations as far as that regard goes and you bring up the you know the one angle that we didn’t quite touch on which is the Tim Connelly route which you know although he would obviously be the you know kind of white whale so to speak you know the the number one candidate out on the market it also you know would have kind of felt like the Pistons of the past uh you know specifically last off seon if they had just continued to wait out for Tim Connelly and I mean what if they made a massive money deal for him and that didn’t work either right like that’s a very realistic scenario now I mean his track record’s pretty dang good so you don’t know that for sure but nonetheless I think the Pistons did a good job of identifying someone they like someone who’s young and they could build around and and making a definitive decision because I mean that that’s what they needed is Clarity and so um someone who again who you know who I’ve said before kind of has been able to take chicken make chicken salad um you know that’s that that gives some optimism for sure but um you know he’s going to have to make a lot of hard decisions and I think the other piece as well is you know what what do you do with Monty like do you do you enter the coaching search right now because it is already well under way for several teams you’d be getting in pretty late in that candidacy pool you know what what do you envision happens there Jeff what are your thoughts and this I know this is a very sensitive topic I know a lot of uh I almost said Lions fans well also Lions fans with pistons fans not a lot of easy conversations on this pot of late we haven’t been able to ask many fun questions no no in no layups and I’m okay with that you know Monty I think that conversation you have an argument for both ways although it doesn’t seem like it I tend to lean on the side of I need a little more of a sample size especially given what given what he had his first year coaching and I know people bring up well what about the rotations what about how he misused assar and Jade Ivy and that story like I trust me that I understand that and there’s people that bring up well he works better with an older roster but then people seem to forget what his first year in Phoenix looked like that’s where I always go go to what he took that Phoenix team I think they went from like 19 wins to like 35 wins The Following Season yep and they didn’t get and they didn’t even have Chris Paul at that time so you know I I I like Monty of course he has his flaws if if there is a move where you know Tran says hey we got to bring in a new head coach that’s fine because I respect if if you’re a president of basketb operations you want your guys and I understand that but also I’m not I’m on kind of the side of giving him a little more time like that that’s where I’m ultimately at right now so again if he’s fired I I I’m not going to throw a hissy fit about it but I would give this man at least more time to where you can to me it’s always been the roster construction has been the biggest issue for me so if I’m going to blame the roster construction why am i g to blame the guy that’s had to deal with the roster construction at the same time although you can like I said bring up rotations and bring up different things um I I I would lean keeping Monte and and we’ll see maybe Tran clear’s house but at this point in time the only fire only person that should be fir should be Troy Weaver in my opinion but we’ll see could be both yeah 100% it’s going to be it’s going to be a pretty difficult conversation to have not only that but he’s also going to have to identify you know which pieces he’s going to want to build around and you know he’s also you know right off the bat I I I would also Imagine one of his first orders of business is going to be negotiating that extension with Kade Cunningham and so you know a lot of a lot of looming things for Detroit this off seon uh one guy who I think is is I was kind of bringing up a minute ago uh Simone fonio uh he had surgury earlier this week on his toe the Pistons said he should be good to go by the time the season comes around and even though he is a restricted free agent uh it does seem like he wants to be in Detroit he was really good in his time with the Pistons and I think it makes a lot of sense you know bringing guys like him back because you know he fits the mold of things that we need on this team um besides him you know like do you think it’s going to be a very you know like do do you think it is going to be a very heavy off season as far as transactions like do you think it could be he could wait a little bit until the deadline I personally think that the roster is probably going to look a lot different day one than it did at the end of this last season um because you have to start moving in that direction but how aggressive I guess is more so the question you guys think they’ll be yeah I think pretty aggressive I I think you have to kind of do a a complete uh 180 with this roster in a lot of ways um just to try to be more competitive and yeah we have some good pieces but fonio is a guy that I I would if I you know if I were to have an opinion on it I would want to stay just because of you’re right just um you know how you get both sides of the floor with him and just his ability to score too I mean it’s just I I think a wing guy guy and I don’t think he’ll necessarily hopefully not be a starter right I think he’s kind of more of that uh you know second string kind of guy ideally who you would want to come in and to get you a bucket and to play some solid defense on that you know side of the court but uh yeah I I I just I just think there’s too many moves to do Sean um I love that game we played a few months ago that that still is going to be so interesting to see uh who who gets the the closest answer to that right of you know looking at the core four of how many of those four are going to be there looking at Cade Ivy assar and Duren um and I think we both said I think all three of us said two but I think are different to I’m sorry I think actually I said three and Jeff I think you were three too but Sean you were more in the two Camp so we we’ll have to see how that uh plays out yeah 100% je I think it’s going to be an aggressive summer it and Ne G goes back to what I said earlier about leaving an imprint and I think for Tran Langdon to be more aggressive to overturn this roster at least try and make moves like be in conversations and I’m curious with the you know the the you know history and you brought this up on our show kind of like the Brad Holmes when he went to the Detroit Lions with LA I’m curious if he can get a deal done for Brandon Ingram but not even just Brandon Ingram I’m talking about frency as well I see I see an aggressive summer and I also see you know potentially a a a trade on draft night I think that would be a great thing too whether it’s moving up or or moving back you know because I saw that clip I believe uh Anthony put out Piston’s talk about his his philosophy and identifying Talent uh if you’re drafting top five and what kind of players he’s looking for like if I’m tran and you’re walking into the worst team in basketball I think you have no choice but to be aggressive I know what we’re used to the last couple of years is letting this thing marinate letting players grow but when you bring in someone from the outside and they’re coming in that I think that mindset will be the complete opposite not saying he’s going to trade away everybody but he’s going to look to improve this basketball team immediately so I am excited whether that’s making moves or you know maybe going out out you know outward and acquiring Talent yeah 100% I I honestly think it it doesn’t even have to be massive moves with massive names either if the Pistons can go out this off season and hit a double not even a home run but just a solid double get on base so to speak that would be something that sets them up you know going forward because we talk about all the time the teams that are you know that are at the end of the season they’re at the end of the road so to speak they’re the teams that have made their own luck they’re the teams that have made the right decisions that have built and and constructed really solid rosters and a lot of these teams didn’t really depend on lottery luck outside of the Minnesota Timberwolves but I mean we don’t have to talk about that that’s fine nonetheless like the Indiana Pacers for example they did not they were not the ones that drafted Tyrese halberton but they identified a way to go out and get him they weren’t the ones that drafted P Pascal cakam but they found a way to piece things together and go out and get him too right and then you also see the you know even some of the later you know we were talking about him a little bit ago Andrew neard a guy that you know wasn’t super high um highly regarded either but you’re able to develop him in house because you have solid veterans and pieces you can put around them right so um for you know for for Detroit it’s not I don’t even think it has to be going to get a star player this summer if they can go get a Brandon Ingram that would be awesome but just hit a freaking single or double get on base get some solid you know get some guys that are playable and really at that point you can only go up from where you were over the last couple of years yeah agreed and to that point I don’t think it has to be necessarily significant I know when you’re the worst team in basketball record-wise and twise I mean yeah you you start to think like maybe we do need a significant move which would be great but at least just adding shooting would make my it would make my entire summer if you add two uh consistent three-points spot up Shooters to help Kate Cunningham I think that would I would be a static with that now is that the only moves that need to be made no but that’s the really that’s the the minimum of what I’m asking for it’s just add Talent whether that’s in free agency maybe it’s a you know a Malik monk or maybe it’s a Gary Trent Jr who knows it doesn’t necessarily have to be a Brandon Ingram although that would be a great to add a proven All-Star but hey like you said Sean I’m I’m I’m cool any any way you can improve this roster I mean Tran knows that just as much as we do yep Malik Monk’s a great example of that he’s a guy who’s like you know super solid you know especially if he were to come to Detroit you know I think he wouldn’t have to play the six-man I think he’d probably start right away and he’d be just a quality level starter who can get you buckets who can you know who can be reliable on defense I like that name Jeff very very very good he’s a guy too Sean that I think um we could potentially I feel like the fit could be so right with him in this role that we could be potentially seeing the best basketball we’ve seen from leik monk I just think with I don’t think he’s been around you know guys like Kate Cunningham I mean he has a sabonis and things like that but where I’m getting at at it is you know as as a point guard being able to get him the ball and to get him open shots and buckets I think that could really Elevate his game yeah I think with the respect to dear and fox I don’t think he was looking at oh how can I get my teammates set up that’s at all times I think he’s just look I think he’s looking to Chuck that mother yeah right right versus Kate has a little bit different of of a mindset in game so yeah shoot first pass second I think kade’s like pass first oh no one’s open okay I’m shooting right one and one more thing as well um you know just kind of speaking on this we actually talked about this when I came on Country Time last week Jeff but a lot of people in the in the Pistons Phantom you know for whatever reason there’s this debate of whether or not the Pistons should start over all the way with like meaning trading even K Cunningham and seeing what you can get return and starting over that way um I I personally just think that that’s the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again hoping for things to change and you know the the whole point of the you know of the Pistons winning that Lottery was you know it had been a long time since they had the chance of draft number one and it really been since Grant Hill since they had that type of prospect so I personally think that if you’re moving on from aade Cunningham you’re hoping you find another Kate Cunningham right so I don’t really know if that makes a lot of sense do you guys agree with me on that I do yeah go ahead Troy no no you you just can’t start from scratch because kid cunninghams don’t grow on trees sure the league is getting deeper but that just proves that the other 29 teams are going to want uh you know their their star players to be around other solid players so I mean I just no you’re not guaranteed like like not even 50 % chance that you would get a player just as good if not better than him moving forward if you were to part ways with him so to be honest I’m I’m surprised you even brought that to the podcast because that this is so silly to me no no it is absolutely silly I and and I did not bring it to the podcast as a this is my idea I am just I know people are gonna say it in the comments because we get it in the comments it’s a conversation people are having but Jeff it’s just not a worth while conversation no and I and you I think you guys both nailed it the last thing that fans should want is this team to rely on the on the lottery once again okay so let’s look at what is real you have a a player in Cade which he is one of the most talented you you brought it up in quite some time at least homegrown drafted players he’s going to sign that rookie extension the NBA incentivizes him to do so all right so he’s going to make a lot of money and you’re going to keep him around and and let’s just say hypothetically let’s just turn the top let’s say let’s make an aru if you were making an argument to trade him you’re you’re you’re selling a stock when it’s not at its highest point anyway like why would you trade Kade now he he just returned this season off missing all of last season the prior season so if anything you even if you wanted to trade them you wouldn’t do it now uh but even thinking about trading them to me is dumb you haven’t even seen this roster maximized yet you know it’s not even a a roster you can look at and say yeah he’s got enough you know like no and he’s the best player you have so no absolutely not uh Kate is is a to me a true franchise whether you want to debate he’s a one or a two I think you know we get to see Anthony Edwards in the playoffs so everyone comp paars every player they have to who he is even if Kade isn’t Anthony Edwards he’s still a very good player I mean he was on uh the ringers what was it top uh 25 under 25 whatever it was and he was ranked on there like he is widely regarded as one of the best upand cominging players so no absolutely not the fact that even people would suggest that I mean you trade him get what for him number one but number two you got to rely on the lottery to your point Sean to get another Cade or hopefully an Anthony Edwards or Victor wanyama which by the way you didn’t even get number one when you had the worst record like what are we doing here it’s a it’s a dumb conversation yeah I mean historically when when you’ve drafted Luke Canard over Donovan Mitchell when you drafted Stanley Johnson over Devin Booker when you’ve been the franchise that’s done that thing over and over again and you finally get a guy that fits the ilk of those types of names you don’t just trade him once the signs of trouble you know start showing up right away plus as a reminder he’s not even 23 yet so like all this talk about how we need to like start a new like he is so young he’s still at fa he’s still at square one even with going into you know getting that Max extension but speaking of that Max I’m not sure if you guys saw but with the new media rights deals getting kind of solidified um and with the uh all NBA awards getting passed out they have uh now revealed how much Luca donic could be getting paid with this super max extension and it’s absolutely crazy I’m not sure if you guys saw the numbers but it’s totaling in a five it would be a 5-year extension totaling up to 346 million and it would have him earning $78 million in the final year of that contract guys we’re getting to the point where NBA contracts per year are what they used to be for like an entirety of a Max contract it is insane what money these guys are getting paid like uh you’ve said many times and I’ve adopted this belief myself is would you rather have that money going into the players or the owners to me it’s a no-brainer you got to pay him and and if you’re a Dallas Mavericks uh Team you’re not gonna let him go right I mean you you gotta pay him that cash so you’re right it is quote unquote ridiculous in that regard but at the same time Luca Don okay so Kate Cunningham’s don’t grow on trees Luca donic definitely does not grow on trees so uh Jeff what do you think what I he’s he’s worth every penny I bet they wish they could pay him more if anything right he is uh no it’s it is it is crazy I mean you look around just the NFL and the NBA I mean you’re gonna see aund you’re gonna see a hundred million dollar player uh per year by the way eventually so like that’s you know good for the players good for Luca he is he is that caliber of player like we’ve got to see it now since he’s been in the league it’s it’s wild that there really hasn’t even been like there’s been a lot of growth but he peaked immediately and he’s still not not peaked but he’s he was immediately great and he’s only getting better so for LCA like yeah he is uh the definition true definition uh of not only a franchise player but you know a face of the league potentially player and uh he should in my opinion he had every CH I think he had just as much of a chance to win MVP as joic did this year even though the records weren’t quite the same his impact is is incredible given now that he has Kyrie Irving seeing what they’re doing now but this is a guy who took a Mavs roster to the Western Conference Finals without Kyrie Irving he did win but he still got him there he’s he’s incredible he’s probably my favorite player to watch and and Kyrie who’s been historically my other favorite player to watch I tune in Mavs games and I’m spoiled so it’s it’s awesome yeah the the level of basketball that they are playing right now is just nuts I mean people like like about a couple of weeks ago even even this podcast for all intens of purposes we are hyperfocused on on that nuggets uh Timberwolf series because it was such a high level of basketball it felt like it was for all intents and purposes the finals but then the Mavericks were like hey hold up you y’all forgot about Luca donic y all forgot about Kyrie Irving and we are just watching Luca just blossom in real time and to the guy that we all knew he was and and and it’s just this is what happened s when a guy of that elk has the right pieces around him right you know like the the PJ Washington deal was such a win in a way that I never thought was possible but also Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford being as awesome as they both are is absolutely huge but just I mean you when you talk about a guy just truly arriving as a super duper Star it feels like that’s what watching Luca do in real time and I mean until proven otherwise I think he is the face of the league if he keeps this up yeah I bet K what do you think kosma thinks the Mavs weren’t a true Contender when he was uh there was a deal agreed for him to go to Dallas and now uh he’s sitting there watching PJ Thrive with them if he’s not losing sleep over that he’s lying he is absolutely lying because I don’t know how you look at their success in though oh man I screwed up badly I really screwed up oh my gosh I applaud the Mavericks a for being such a great organization and that’s because of what Mark Cuban has done but also their ability to take risks just in general I mean they trade for Kyrie Irving who is who’s such a wild card within its own right and it’s and it’s worked out for them they get PJ Washington they they draft Derrik Lively he’s he’s been really good this playoffs and then you bring and Nico who’s was a Nike executive but now he’s the GM and he’s doing really well like Jason kid we’ve already known to be a really good coach at least now U and now lately he’s been a really good coach for them so and he’s been great for Luca too so I I think the Mavericks just as a whole um with just the last what two years them these like the domino effect to where they are now it’s it’s been impressive man Mavs are so I’m so glad they they got Luca that is such a perfect spot for him and I hope he never leaves and I hope you never piss him off to the point where he leaves and last season I mean with them not even making the play in tournament we were pretty convinced that you know that gamble was not gonna pay off with trying to get a a Kyrie Irving just with the head case he was last season with you know how he ended things with Brooklyn but then comes over here but Sean you and I were Texon last week I mean this is we haven’t seen this Kyrie Irving since Boston and now we get to see potentially uh the Mavs still have to close it out but potentially uh Kyrie Irving going to Boston to try to beat them to win a championship I mean Sean I could not have made this script up I none none of us no NBA fan was thinking of the script until it happened and boy are we here for it whoever whoever wrote whoever wrote the script for for the NBA this year absolutely cooked just absolute absolute shout outs to them Just Master Class like I think the I think the script writers at the NFL are even like oh that’s good we didn’t even think of that you know what I mean uh but no no in all seriousness I remember the Pod just like yesterday when when that trade happened and I remember the big thing we said on that podcast is it looks awesome on paper but basketball’s not played on paper and a lot of it was it’s a great fit but the RO like it’s a like it’s a great pairing but the roster they had around them at the time was just not even close to capable of taking them over the top if you remember they were small Maxi Cleo was their starting center you know like they just they they weren’t athletic they couldn’t defend it was it was just a terrible fit but now you have guys who can space the floor you have guys like Derrick Jones Jr who’s playing as well as he’s been as as well as he’s been for you you have guys like PJ Washington but even like Jaden Hardy’s playing really good basketball like like just from top to down they’re getting contributions and the other thing you brought up all the credit to Jason kid because he’s coaching his ass off right now just absolute coaching masterclass and I didn’t think I didn’t think Jason kid was that good I’ll say it I knew he was a great player great mind his resume as a coach was not great for a minute there so it feels like he’s truly evolved as a coach as well so just all the credit to everyone over there it’s been it’s been fun but on the flip side in these last three games Carl Anthony towns is three of 22 from three can’t win with those numbers what do you mean he’s taking 1500 shots a day so understand that he’s consistently working on his game best big man three-point big man three point shooter of all time shots makes did you see how Shaq was like that’s cap no one’s shooting like like no one’s shooting 50 00 shots a day this time of year yeah that’s that that you probably could have knocked that down and I would have belied a 1500 I think that’s a little could it could be true but holy sh holy hell that’s uh that’s too many shots uh great for him but no way in May you’re taking 1500 shots and clearly it hasn’t translated uh I think in Steve kurur Prime with the bulls he said he only T shot like 250 a day and that was not in May so I I don’t know what that was in the off SE that was in the off seon that not in May yeah times that by seven h i just H just just Troy just says certain things away that I I couldn’t just it it’s so so well said but the you know in all seriousness the the other pieces as well like I I think I think the some of the slander on Rudy go bear is a little bit too extreme but having said that you would think for a four-time defensive player of the year that at a certain point he would have a moment where he would look like it you know like like specifically I’m not saying that he’s not a great because he is a great defensive player you earn that that that four-time Defensive Player of the Year award for a reason right but having said that just about every big moment where you know this this postseason where they’ve needed Rudy goar to make that big stop or to be you know that that that defensive player it just hasn’t been there I mean you had Rudy I mean you you had in particular the moment that sticks out is when Lucas strips Rudy on the uh on the defens side of the ball and they’re standing right in front of the Timberwolves bench and he’s essentially looking at him like really you have this guy in and it’s like you almost even have teammates like like the they were making jokes about how lethal that fadeaway shot from Rudy goar was like at a certain point as good as he is like when he when he just when you have guys who just continually have these types of performances or lack thereof at this level at a certain point it’s just who they are is it not the only thing I don’t like uh the only thing I don’t like is when I and I don’t think Pistons fans or people in Michigan do this but I’ve seen like the comparison to someone like a Ben Wallace who has won multiple def oh yeah we don’t we do not we do not compare this man I the thing I always point to is Ben wal you’re not you’re not putting Ben on an island if you’re Luca going yeah we love this matchup yeah we we want this matchup ideally to take the last shot we’re going to do it on Ben Wallace like no one’s ever said that in their right mind so there is that to Rudy but to Point like does it take away from his impact no um personally I I know he’s a rookie but Victor wanyama to me man like that dude to lead the league with almost four blocks a game is ridiculous like he’s going to win defensive player of the year next year like just place that bet now just place that BET right now yeah do it now but yeah it’s people are gonna poke fun at him I mean he’s obviously a liability on the perimeter but like as as a interior Defender like dude Rudy bear is probably one of the toughest you know guys to get a shot off on you know I mean whether whether or not there are flaws in his game his defensive game um I don’t think they’re big enough to be like oh he didn’t deserve that defensive player the year I agree I think the Kendrick Perkins stuff on first take was out of pocket and kind of a little bit of an overcorrection I’m not sure if you guys saw but he essentially said he was embarrassed for voting for Rudy goar great offensive player of the year and that he’s tarnishing the award with his performance and that no one respects him and it’s like that feels a har you know what I mean like like again he’s he’s a four-time defensive player of the year for a reason having said that it does feel particularly damning that this team not only looks better when Nas reads on the court instead of him but also you can point at their best defensive performance this entire playoffs against joic even was the game that Rudy goar missed because of the birth of his child like is that not a concerning right but what do you do if you’re the Timberwolves to try to fix it you know and they only have one solution which I’ve been bringing up for two years they only have one choice you know what their choice is dreade cat Trey cat Carl Anthony towns you’re a Washington Wizard and the crop goes wild yep Kyle kosma you’re a Minnesota Timberwolf oh that would actually pretty be pretty fun though I’m not gonna lie but in all seriousness yeah I just but yeah and again the whole the Rudy thing it’s like and I I’ll say this too like Victor even though I I think he was the only the one the only one closest to Rudy with winning that defensive player of the year I I don’t think even Victor could keep Luc is still getting the shot off like it doesn’t matter who it is like let’s be realistic here so again if you want to bring up the the the meme of Jane M Jane McDaniels looking over and being like oh [ __ ] because he knew Jaden is their best perimeter Defender like he’s not I think he was just more like pissed off that he he couldn’t be the one guarding Luka on the last shot like that’s probably where that was uh but it’s funny funny as hell but hey still four time Defensive Player of the Year winner how no matter how you look at it yeah I also think he recognizes because like you know it’s it Minnesota is a pretty heavy switching team I think in that moment he realized pretty clearly that was the switch they wanted oh yeah specifically like that was that was what they draw drew up the play for was to put Rudy in that position and I don’t necessarily knew know if needed to switch because again I think you know he he probably could have stayed in front of him but I mean you know at the same time that is just also one of the best clutch shots I’ve seen in the playoffs in the last 10 plus years I mean my jaw dropped before it even left his hands it felt like it was going in he probably hit that he’s hit that so many times in the regular season too like he just makes it look so easy yep 100% speaking of making things look easy the Boston Celtics might have had the easiest run to the NBA finals in the history of the of the NBA Playoffs if you look at the uh Fortune they had um on on their end as far as uh Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese halberton both missed their final two games Jimmy Butler missed the entirety of the series round one so they haven’t really had to face much adversity heading into the finals but they sure will next round they sure will next round and I I think what makes this matchup so interesting like this pending matchup between Boston and and Dallas it’s not just the Kyrie Irving you know Boston storyline which obviously is going to be compelling you know there I think you know there’s even the people who compare Larry Bird to LCA Like Larry Luca donic to Larry Bird I think that’s going to be brought up a lot in this year as well but to me when I look at like when you look specifically at the matchup it’s the best fourth quarter team in the league versus versus one of the worst in the Boston Celtics a team that you know plays with their food gets in tricky situations this year hasn’t really had a lot of times where they’ve had to dig themselves out of holes when they have they’re not very good at it against arguably two of the best closers in the history of basketball MH like how how do you like boss into that match match up like how like how do you pick them in that matchup because for me like when it’s when it’s five minutes to go I trust everyone on Dallas’s side way more than I trust people on Boston side even with the talent up and down the roster it is it is deep I just think you know when it when if it’s close with five minutes to go who do I trust more I trust Luca you kidding me it’s going to be it’s going to be a good series um that’s a great Point Sean um I I look at Boston’s roster though and I I I just see a better a better allaround roster with with how Tatum and and brown specifically Jaylen Brown played the last series I look at a vet like an Al Horford I I just can’t bet against Boston even though you’re right everything you said you looked at that game two against Miami you look at that game two against Cleveland you look at that game one against Indiana that they barely barely they were so lucky to get that game into overtime to then you know kind of cook the Pacers uh with you know how tired they were but I I don’t know you have some great valid points Sean but I still think Boston’s roster is just too good yeah I I and I guess my counter to that would be and Jeff I would love your input too I’m trying to look back at this entire playoff run I can’t think of the Boston Celtics performance where it was like oh that was dominant I mean yes you brought like uh you brought up the individual performances like Jaylen Brown this last round was really good Jason Tatum always has his moments of Brilliance and you know you can tell he’s been there before in that sense but to me when I when I think back of every Celtics game I’ve watched this playoffs it’s how they’ve almost managed to screw up almost every single game and how they were essentially just playing with their food and looked puzzled with the final minutes yeah and this has to be the year for B Boston um and I’ll get into who I have winning but uh because I would I’m I’m obviously picking Dallas I already picked Dallas against the Timberwolves but this has to be the year for the Boston Celtics you can’t make as many Conference Finals as they’ve had they’ve made and not walk away with a championship I I don’t know I was watching um a podcast and they were talking about it and I think of all the teams that have made like I don’t I think the Celtics made like seven maybe e Eastern Conference Finals something like that that number I think every team that has had that same accomplishment has walked away with at least one NBA championship so if the Celtics don’t get it done this year that’ll be they’ll be the only team with that stretch that amount of time making Conference Finals making finals and not walking away with something so there’s a lot of pressure I think specifically on Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown because Jaylen Brown given the contract he was given and also what he’s been saying lately how he doesn’t feel like he gets enough credit well here you go um you’ll have the opportunity and Jason Tatum because I I I I think for a while here it’s still kind of the storyline it’s like Jason Tatum no one doubts how good he is well people what people question is is he a number one in terms of skill but number two in terms of mindset like is he a true number one guy and that’s something that I think just always Looms with Tatum but luckily for him as a roster to Troy’s Point Derek white I think is going to be one of those X factors this this series and I also think Drew holiday is going to be one of those X factors and I think porzingis is is getting healthy healthier so that’ll be a good thing for them I’m still I’m still gonna go with the Mavericks I’m gonna pick the Mavericks to win in the finals I TR like you said Sean I trust Kyrie and I trust Luca I picked him to go to the Western Conference Finals I thought Denver would be there um and then I had Denver winning but of course now that it’s the timber wolves I’m changing I I CH I picked the Mavericks to make the finals so I’m going to go with the Mavericks still I think Luca gets his first NBA Championship yeah I mean with Christof porzingis that really is the question right is he going to be healthy is he going to be available because um you know if if he is that Boston team’s a whole different threat and I think it makes it a better matchup against Daniel Gafford and and drik ly but if they don’t have them if he does if they don’t have porzingis then that is a very significant piece of the Boston puzzle that made them so dangerous right so I I don’t think it’s going to be a sweep by any means I don’t think it’s a I I don’t think there’s a definitive you know like favorite as far as one team is clearly going to win over the other but if you are looking at you know players that you trust in that war of attrition if it do if it is the nailbiter type series that we all think it can be I think you look at the the fourth quarter moments but I also think this is especially when you start to notice the gaps of of head coaches and we’ve talked for quite a while about is Joe Missoula the right coach for the for the Bost in Celtics this will without a doubt be the defining Joe Missoula series because if they lose this in what world does he come back as the coach next year especially if they lose bat right so no no you’re right Sean I just think that’s that’s an interesting point with Missoula I guess I didn’t really think about that because in Boston you have different expectations in the rest of the league right it really is going for number 18 right right right a championship or Bost with a roster we can admit that Boston has the better roster all around however like you guys said it’s about it’s about uh playing the game not just who wins on paper so with with you going into this finals as the favorite in Vegas and on paper with as far as just roster right as far as who who’s on your team and you don’t come up on top that’s a great point shot I didn’t really think about the coaching um uh consequences if this thing doesn’t uh you know go Boston’s way I’m I’m curious too about playing in the garden it seems like obviously Kyrie’s familiar but also Luca and Kyrie just don’t care where they play like they they’re always gonna play and play really well that’s what makes that team special yeah oh it Mak and I think the biggest question is the guys around them which I I think Derek uh Derek Jones Jr and and PJ are GNA can match up well with Tatum and Jaylen Brown and I I do think guys like Lively and Gafford they’re always going to be X factors Hardaway junr but I I just like the MTH even though the Mavs don’t have as much talent I just think in terms of an actual playing basketball as a team they just look so dialed in so well connected like the way they played this series I know every series is different but the way they they’ve beaten the Timberwolves I think it it shocked everybody at least we all thought this would be a series I mean they they are just whooping their ass so and they won both games in Minnesota like that makes if I’m Boston like yeah you in and we talked about their opponents they’ve had to face to get to the finals Dallas has had test after test they beat the Thunder they went the distance with them and now they’re gonna most likely Clippers round one Clippers round one which they they were they got better as the year went on and then now you have the Timberwolves who they’re probably going to sweep but still the Timberwolves who just took down the defending Champions like Dallas is they’re they’re battle tested which I think could be a concern for the the Celtics big test yeah without a doubt I think Kyrie’s experience in these situations is something that could play a big difference and I think you know the other thing too of why I’m leaning Dallas I think you know it’s a big thing of it it comes down to momentum right of who’s who’s getting hot who’s playing their best basketball at the right time and I think it’s without a doubt the Dallas Mavericks are playing the best Hoops they’ve played all season again Boston’s more than good enough to go out and win this and they have you know the right pieces in my opinion I don’t think you could put a better roster around Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown to win a title I only hope that we that we get a healthy porzingis so that there aren’t those excuses there aren’t those wh ifs and we can get that Clarity of are these guys the right pairing are these guys a championship pairing I still think they are but at a certain point you got to prove it that’s right right I like I like the Mavericks bench too better then the Celtics don’t really have debt I mean especially without porzingis now the L’s in the starting lineup like you those guys that are coming off the bench for the Mavericks they’re good players like they they could start on some bad teams so I know I think the Celtics they have a the least a fiveman lineup with a healthy porzingis probably the best fiveman lineup uh you look at in terms of talent but once it comes down to it in the finals and you need guys to make plays like I I trust the guys at least on the bench for the Mavericks and that the bench players will be playing a significant amount of minutes but man as a roster although they don’t have the the starting five on paper like guys that are coming off their bench like Derrik Lively and Hardaway and guys that that are contributing like man they they’re going to be a problem for the C I think this series goes to I don’t know about seven but I I can see the Mavs and six I I’ll I’ll go six I’ll take the Mavs and six in the NBA they’re both teams that are really comfy on the road too like you brought up how like how Dallas is really good on the road Boston over the last few year has been better on the road themselves too so you know homec court advantage might not mean a whole lot in this series I think if anything I think Luca is going to be excited about going into the garden with them booing him and and giving him a hard time like he’s the type of player where that rils him up so uh yeah I think I think that’s gonna be exciting but guys I mean we’re just we’re just in for an exciting summer of Hoops as a whole I mean we have we have the NBA finals coming up we have the draft in a few weeks we have we have the Olympics for men and women we still have we have WNBA Hoops to talk about now which have been awesome I’m not sure if you guys have been watching at all but like cam Brink might be one of my favorite players of all time now I’m watching her play in about hour and 15 minutes yep it’s just we’re we’re just great time to be a Hoops fan and we’re going to be talking all about it right here thank you so much for tuning in if you like this video be sure you like it down below comment as well any thoughts you have about the Pistons or any playoff series we talked about but also be sure you go check out crunch time with Jeff I fre Boer and the boys on youtube.com crunchtime but that is going to do it thank you so much for tuning in we will catch you guys next time from half court be sure you’re subscribed [Music]

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Trajan Langdon, Detroit Pistons, NBA, Pistons