The Charlotte Hornets are basically champions of the California Classic

The Charlotte Hornets are basically champions of the California Classic

I’ve been hearing Queen in my dreams all night after the Hornets go undefeateds in the California classic my friend we used to pray for times like this and we I used to pray for summer league moments like this the end we’ll recap it all today on a euphoric lockdown Hornets podcast plus this you say as you say that you will remember this I think five times that’s so cake this is cake you are locked on Hornets your daily Charlotte Hornets podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day in a minute cuz we [Music] live no time for Chinese national teams cuz we are the champions of the world and the California classic of the summer league H that is the beautiful voice of Doug Branson find him on every Hornet boox score.com writing about championship teams these days I’m Walker mail listen to me WFNZ anywhere that uh not anywhere you get your podcast but anywhere you can tune in to 927 FM in the local region you can find a radio anywhere you find a radio and you can do it uh anywhere you are because of the WFNZ app as well thank you for making us your first listen we’re locked on Hornets you can get us anywhere you get your podcast and that incl includes YouTube where we are like almost you know we could party we could throw the club banging music mhm mhm but we’re almost taking it in we almost don’t know how to react to this sort of thing I know I don’t know how to react to this sort of thing after the Hornets go 3 and 0 for the first time since they’ve gone to the California classic and they usually lose a whole bunch and they lose and then they lose by a lot of points when they lose not this year Doug this is not the season for that we have turned a new Leaf here in Charlotte and Charles Lee is at the head of IT Lee uh We’ve turned a new Lee here turned a new Lee it’s a beautiful thing um they beat the Kings 86 to 82 you know I saw Rod marrow our buddy tweet this out and I was thinking it are we in store for another miracle after midnight except this was going to be I hate my own creation I hate my this is now turned into I hate my own creation we we hey look this is this is like Doc O in your favorite movie Spider-Man 2 not being able to contain the gravitational pole that Miracle after midnight has it has taken over and I thought we might get another version I would say this does not qualify as a miracle because the Hornets were in pretty much control even at the end of this game there was a three to get it within a possession but then there was a free throw hit afterwards and so they ended up winning this game uh just share your thoughts Doug on winning the California classic it it technically like there’s not a champion there’s not an award there’s no trophy but you go undefeated I’m calling them the Champions well listen if we can make up something like a pig trophy or whatever the hell they were doing last season then we can make up some kind of trophy to give the Charlotte Hornets for going three and0 in the California classic look if you want to be a Debbie Downer there are plenty of ways to be a Debbie Downer about this you could say well we didn’t really get a look at tjan salon at all because of the laceration to the knee no look at the second round pick KJ Simpson so how you know how excited could you be about you know watching Player Development when you’re you know two top draft picks weren’t even able to attend now tjan Salon you know will get a look at him in Vegas and you’ve got the you know these weird team it’s not even NBA teams right it’s Sacramento Kings one that they beat because I think the Kings fielded two different California classic teams it is Kings one that’s right it is Sacramento Kings one that went two and one in the classic yeah yeah and I again I don’t want to cause a diplomatic issue so no offense to the the Chinese national team but they just weren’t they were not ready for any of the nearly any of the teams that they played well and their travel their travel schedule was ridiculous they did a whole graphic on that how they were going to Australia there was like a 16 17-hour flight coming in to to their situation but again no no no no it doesn’t matter Hornets they they still win and they look great what but okay but you could be a Debbie Downer about this or you could look at it like this the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets the new head coach rallied uh these young players to do something that honestly is a little unprecedented in uh Charlotte Hornet summer league history which is actually win a basketball game it’s not that they lost a lot in summer league it’s that they got smoked the past couple of Summer leagues right I they were losing horribly it was like we don’t know if they’re going to win a single game and we don’t even know if they’re going to make any of these games close and now you’ve got a three team that decimated their first two opponents and then when they fa some tough competition they fa some adversity in this game against Sacramento who threw some Zone at them threw some tougher defense that they’ve seen they they rallied together uh thanks to Bryce McGowan a guy that the team waved and and was able to step up and play well um in these three games so yeah I mean there’s you can you can take some of that and say you know how is that going to affect because look Nick Smith junor and Bryce McGowan if he remains with the team and everyone else Mark Williams was in attendance in this last game that word is going to spread and Brandon Miller’s already got a taste of it because he was with the team practicing before he moved over to the Team USA select team word is going to spread amongst this whole roster they are going to be more ready for October’s training camp and preseason and then into the regular season on and on they’re going to be more ready this season than they’ve ever been yeah that’s the point you bring up it’s the fact that they haven’t been losing a lot of Summer League games it’s the fact that they would get destroyed and I went back uh yesterday on Weston Walker to last year’s California classic result the Hornets lost two games and they lost by 19 and 15 points so they were getting beat by double digits and now here they are winning two of the three by double digits by 30 and here they are just winning the last one and you’re right Sacramento was much better than the other two teams that they played coming in and they gave the Hornets a lot more of a fight but also the Hornets respond especially falling down what did they get down not 10 but they got down a decent amount maybe it was 10 in the second half and then they were able to fight back and Bryce Macwan showed some chippiness right like actually showed that he cared wh which is phenomenal and I know that’s probably because he’s not on the team anymore there are some chips on the shoulder for sure for Bryce Mcall but he showed it got chips everywhere chippiness chips on the shoulder uh Doritos whatever kind of chip you’re wanting Bryce McGaw gave it to you and I love seeing it I I this right everything matters if if our team here in Charlotte is not good in the regular season Doug and that often is preceded by a terrible summer league showing and we didn’t get the summer league showing that was so terrible that is what allows us to feel some hope yeah let’s talk about Bryce McGaw and some of these individual performances in the next segment but I want to stay here for a second because yes if you’re looking for us to draw a definitive line between what is happening now and what’s going to happen in the regular season just just can’t do it you can’t do it that would be overreacting to not just summer league but the pre-season summer league you that would be it would be ridiculous it would be ridiculous even if they go 5-0 and win the Vegas Championship I think it would be ridiculous to draw a definitive line between that and what’s going to happen in the regular season why because it’s going to be different players different levels of competition and and there are so many variables that go into what your regular season performance is going to be but if if you’re into the intangible stuff if you’re into the narrative stuff if you’re into the storyline stuff I would give you a guy in Charles Lee who is trying to change the culture he’s trying to splice the DNA he’s trying to change he’s trying to develop The Hornet’s DNA he’s Charles Xavier Lee and he’s taking the school of young mutants and and turning them into winners and it’s got to start somewhere and and I’ll just quote Charles Lee exactly everything matters now maybe walk and I don’t even say maybe it’s almost a guarantee walk that if they have a good regular season you and I are probably going to forget about summer league I don’t think we’re going to be hopping on here and be like Oh remember when Bryce mcgall dropped 29 Points but it has to start somewhere and we can celebrate it now and that’s okay you know what’s funny I am so confident there is no way I’m going to forget this I’m not all right I’m gonna hold you to it I’m not no I I’m so confident in this if if we remember the bad ones why would we forget about the good one because we remember the bad ones we remember last year we remember remember okay yes we remember it but what I’m saying is like during our podcast that we do every day last season when the injuries were mounting I I don’t know that you and I were often referencing Marlon Garnett’s horrible coaching in summer league and how were because it was lamelo’s guy we would go back to it no see I I think you’re dead wrong about this it’s not even it’s not even last year Doug it’s not even just the Brandon Miller stuff think about the good moment that we could draw from Summer League we can go back remember Malik monk didn’t even play in Summer League if I’m not mistaken he had an injury so we didn’t get to see our first round pick miles Bridges I believe it might have been the same thing PJ Washington gets hurt in the NCAA tournament so we don’t see our first round pick there in summer league so then we go to last year where Brandon all right we’re all excited but they don’t have a point guard and so it’s kind of like a weird start they’re terrible I mean you can rattle off all the bad performances we remember them it’s why I absolutely think I don’t know what the extent I need to remember like I don’t need if know I don’t know if I’ll remember a play that happened in the third quarter but I remember them going three and 0 like I I I stand down on that okay or you stand down you’re going to stand down or you going to stand up I think you’re going to stand on that right you stand 10 toes down that’s what the kids are saying 10 toes down I’ve shortened it stand down stand 10 toes because stand down to me means I’m standing down I’m backing off standing down is back off you want to stand on that right you want I’m standing on I’m stepping up I’m standing 10 toes down all right so I have a little yellow sticky out and I just want to I just and this yellow sticky will remain on my on my whiteboard here that I have off to the right of me and and I want to let’s pick a date let’s just say well let’s say no don’t tell me the date don’t tell me because I no yeah don’t tell me okay I won’t tell you the date I’m just GNA write a date down here and I want to know if you mention this three and 0 uh let’s just say five times it’s five times a fair if if it’s mentioned it’s it’s a good amount of time it’s it’s going to be late later on into the regular season oh this is and I want to know between the start of the regular season and that point in the regular season which is a good enough time where five would be reasonable if you say as you say that you will remember this I think five times that’s so cake this is cake I can’t this is oh man this is and and I will even to go further I will make it relevant I’m not just going to play the game be like oh remember the time they went 3 and0 and then bring up nothing that relates to it no man we can make this well here’s why you’re going to play the game because it has to be from the moment the regular season starts so we’ve got a ton of show we’re going to forget this is going to stay on my board but you’re going to forget about it and I want to see if you mentioned this three and 0 start five times between the start of the regular season and this mystery point which is again a fair enough time okay as long as it’s fair enough as long as it’s a fair enough it’s fair enough it’s not the very end of the regular season but it’s it’s fair enough okay I love this game I can’t wait to win coming up next on the lockdown Hornets podcast don’t go to sleep on the just speaking of forgetting we’re definitely going to forget about that but but I’ll try I’m going to put it on my board we’ll try well why are you trying to make me forget something that’s so fun already you’re like well you let’s focus on the positive you said we could play the cynic we could do with all the negative problem I’m a realist the problem is I’m positive but I’m also real I also realize that we haven’t bet the buzz in a long time either we got a bet the bus my man my man is singing queens in the background and then we immediately move a queen in the background and it’s like all right well we’re we’re moving on uh yeah coming up next I continue to remember the three and 0 start we start to do some player e vals maybe rapid fire Bryce McGaw 29 Points we know the answer to whether he had a good game yesterday or not we’ll get to all of that coming up [Music] next this episode is brought to you by game time game time game time is an authorized ticket Marketplace of Major League Baseball which makes getting tickets faster and easier prices on the game time app actually go down the closer it gets to first pitch with killer last minute deals Allin prices views from your seat and their lowest price guarantee game time takes the guess work out of buying MLB tickets there’s plenty of deals like there’s so many deals it’s ridiculous you won’t forget about these either last minute deals Flash and Zone deals Zone deals are cool because you can save even more when you just choose a section and then let game time choose the seats there’s also all-in pricing seat views lowest price guarantee or game time will credit you 110% of the difference there’s also game time ticket coverage take the guest work out of buying MLB tickets with Game Time download the game time app create an account use code locked on NBA for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account redeem code l o c k e d o n n ba that’s locked on NBA for $20 off download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed more locked on Hornets ahead have douge Downer trying to make me forget about a championship before the regular season even starts and I’m just trying to celebrate all of the fun performances you’re saying no you’re not going to remember it I remember I remember exactly where I was Doug I was the sicko with all the other sickos watching at 10 p.m. start a 10 p.m. tip almost getting to midnight I believe they won when the clock hit zero is 11:59 eastern time I wanted to get it to midnight it did not happen oh well and here you are playing douge Downer trying to say that I’m not going to remember this excellent start turning over a new league I’m not being duy Downer I’m being douge realist and I’m saying that this this does matter and all of the things that you’re going to forget those things matter they all they all stack up they don’t guarantee anything but they matter and I’m glad that the Hornets as an organization are finally finally after so much time I just feel like I feel a level of elation I feel I feel on cloud n right now because they are finally taking this stuff seriously and they’re finally bringing bigs that can shoot into this organization we’ll get to Stevens we’ll get to Stevens I no you’re right that that’s your thing I’m going to let you exploded about Jake Stevens and what he was able to do but let’s get to Bryce McGaw he look I I asked you yesterday the last game that the Hornets played I asked you if you thought Bryce McGaw had a good game and remember he scored 20 points he got to the foul line a billion times he made all but like two of them 12 14 uh four of eight from the field in that previous game so you know good shooting percentage and yet it just felt like you know he was attacking Non-Stop and it’s one of those well do we think that this type of performance could translate into something that matters in the regular season enough for him to crack the rotation or even just stay out of Greensboro for most support with a healthy roster right he would start he’d play if there were so many injuries which there were you get the idea I don’t think I need to ask you that question today I think Bryce mcgaw’s clearly had a phenomenal game 29 Points for Bryce hit shots when it mattered late still did his get to the free throw line thing went nine of 12 from the charity stripe nine of 17 from the field hit a couple three-pointers took six of them but hit a couple of them as well um five rebounds the not not a whole lot else to be honest with you but you didn’t need a whole lot else when you’re scoring and you’re getting to the charity stripe so really like what Bryce mwan showed and this is a guy that is not currently on the Hornets roster he was waved and then you know played with the team because they gave him that option if he wanted to and he said sure to thing yeah this was definitely a good game and I would have said that had he not gotten close to 30 like even if he had scored 20 like he did the exact you know the exact score scoring Mark that he had against the Chinese National Team like I would have said they had a good game because I I did think while a lot while he didn’t tally you know a lot in the Box Score I did notice him a lot more on the defensive end he had the steal that led to the stuff he had five rebounds there were some things that he did and he was a clutch scorer like I mean he he scored when it mattered and that that three-point shot that he hit with about a minute to go I mean that was decisive for the victory so Bryce McGowan’s definitely making his Mark so you know you you obviously that first game right after he got waved that was in his head because he awful in that game um and I was like Wow but that had to be because he was waved and then you know you saw him improve and honestly like I mean I think he’s again we’re only three games in we’ve got a lot of Summer League left to play but I mean I we’re talking about a battle for three two-way spots right I mean all of these guys are really battling for all of those two-way spots I don’t know that any of those are officially decided yet and so you know Bryce mcgow I think is making a case for one of those spots certainly more than leaky black did in this game in this one yeah I mean it rolls reversed here and not even so much reversed but I did think leaky was pretty good in the last outing not in this one 0 of three and and also just some mistakes on his end too did did not think this was a particularly strong leaky game for sure but Bryce you’re right here he is getting waved and now the last two outings he’s put up good stat lines just a Flatout good contest from him against the kings in the last game in the California classic so you know shout out to Bryce like if if he’s not going to stay with the Hornets which why would they wave them I mean I guess you could pick him back up for sure but there’s maybe another team that would be interested in Bryce and so we’ll see exactly what happens there and that process might have to play itself out you know but I think you know if if the two-way option is there I wouldn’t mind them holding on to Bryce McGowan in in that spot and because I I do think that he does have something to offer if he continues to develop but we’ll just have to see um shout out to Xavier Simpson six of 11 from the field you know missed a couple three-pointers that he took but five of eight from the free throw line and just seems like he knows what he’s doing you know you look up Xavier Simpson we didn’t know a lot about these guys right I it felt like there was more name recognition with some of the other summer league rosters put together of the past and they were terrible but this is the year where I didn’t know a lot about a lot of the other players that they would bring in Xavier Simpson being one of them he played four games games for Oklahoma City in 2021-22 he didn’t play all of 2223 he was in the G league and he played seven games for Memphis last year which remember Memphis was the only more injured team in the league last season than the Hornets were so I have to imagine that’s how Xavier Simpson logs 23 minutes per game in seven games that he played for Memphis and here he is looking like a complete grown-up short player only 6 feet tall but I think attacked at the right times got things organized when need be just felt like a real grownup out there on the floor and we’ve had some older point guards on the roster before but it didn’t seem like they were as effective as what Xavier Simpson was this go around and that’s probably a little bit of the Charles Lee Magic Touch knowing how to put a roster together and also just bringing somebody that seems like a grownup but shout out to Xavier Simpson who I isn’t going to make the team in my opinion like I don’t think he’s really he’s not going to be a guy that they’re considering but I I might not remember zavier Xavier Simpson uh five times from now to Midway point of the regular Seas I’ve got plenty of post I’m that that’s why I want to shout him out now because he did matter this session well yes and this is again what we’ve been asking for for many years it’s not like you need to go get an All-Star point guard to play for your summer league team or even a guy that’s a threat to make the roster just get someone that can be functional at the point guard position who can make decent decisions with the ball in his hands and not make it about completely about his own offense so that you can get a fair look at the the guys that you actually want to evaluate including some of these bigs that he’s been working with on the pick and roll if you want to add one of those guys it’s not fair to evaluate those players if you don’t have anyone that can actually run an offense and Xavier Simpson has been able to do that although I I’ll ask you this do you notice that Xavier Simpson’s dribble Cadence is kind of weird like when I watch dribble sometimes it’s just it’s odd and I think I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it necessarily it’s just you watch guys dribble over and over and you watch all of them dribble over and over and a lot of guys dribble the same way in the NBA it’s just I just think it’s a function of a thing you do a lot and everyone does it and they’re probably all taught it’s just when someone does it differently it just stands out like I’m like that guy dribbles weird J maybe it catches the defense off guard for like a half second then he’s by you if that’s the case you’re like what the hell is going on here yeah I know I think there are guys that have weird dribbles and sometimes it can be a function of like oh that’s their way of messing with the defense and and sometimes it’s just I think people get a funky dribble I think if you’re making your 2K player and you go with all the different forms of one player and then you know the jump shot the rebounding style you’re not going to pick Xavier simpsons’s dribble for your 2K player or maybe you specifically will because it’s so weird no I I don’t think I don’t think I would and and that’s that’s because I’m a c that’s okay let’s move on uh we need to we need to shed some light on your boy Jake Stevens we’ll get to him coming up next and Nick Smith junor too yeah well I don’t know about the light I maybe maybe we don’t shed the light on him coming up next on the lockdown Hornets podcast go to sleep on the Hornets just yet feels like there’s some Darkness surrounding his game at least right now certainly with his shooting we’ll get to all of that in the last segment of looh you know Doug it it’s not it’s not been a great summer league session for Nick Smith Jr yesterday you know I I did look at the bright side because he was missing shots in a two- game sample at the time wasn’t hitting shots that’s bad you’d love to see the basketball go through the hoop but whatever right maker Miss League that whole deal it felt like he was getting better at some of his weaknesses from the previous season and I just wanted to credit him for that hoping that maybe the ball would go through the hoop in the next game and we still have got we still got time right we don’t need to write what his summer league session is all about about the California classic session is over and that still despite him getting better in some areas wasn’t very good and I will even say I think in specifically like the facilitating running point guard being on ball in the possessions that he was running point yesterday that actually regressed which is fine right like you’re not going you know we often say Improvement is not often on an escalator right sometimes it’s not linear and you’re going to have some Peaks and valleys and all that stuff Wibble wobbles I call them Wibble wobbles yeah well he had a Wibble wobble it wobbled when maybe you wanted to Wibble I don’t know which one is the good one but Wibble is the good one yeah the you want to wobble you you want to be in the zone is is a Wibble wobble you’re you’re all over right Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down that’s right so so wobbling is bad he wobbled yesterday and I think in the second game there was some real Improvement to some of his weaknesses and that wasn’t true yesterday and the shot didn’t fall so overall bad outing the shot hasn’t fallen all summer league so far uh four of 16 in this game one of nine from three I don’t have the totals but I I can’t imagine he’s made more than five threes and he’s taken a lot of them one has to wonder at this point after watching again watching the video of how much uh watching the video of Charles Lee you know commanding this team uh before they got started here at the California classic one of the things that jumped out was you know how much he was on Nick Smith Jr about his defense and even in a video that they released of a of the second game while Charles Lee was coaching one of the bites was him going active hands Nick active hands one has to wonder if the focus on defense has leaked a little bit into the offense you know what I’m saying like it’s got him it’s got him wobbling a little bit on the offensive end he has he has to get it together he has to get it together no he does and and again I mentioned it yesterday there there was the the camera angle that showed Nick Smith Jr coming out of the game Charles Lee talking to him nsj kind of putting his palms up and it was after he didn’t get in a defensive stance at the point of attack and he gets uh driven by on that possession and like there’s it you’re right it does feel was Nick Smith Jr even in the clip that we all got so hyped about that the social media team released the first practice where he’s coaching Nick Smith Jr on defense seeing a lot of coaching nsj on defense and and again to be fair I thought he was better I thought he was more active in game two but we’re seeing a lot of the coaching Clips with with nsj as the Target and so now you’re right if he’s not hitting shots and even in this game I I don’t think he was particularly good on ball you know and he does got to get it together he’s got some time too you know three games okay like you can move on you can come back from this and still have a relatively good summer like that’s still something that can happen it’s just right now it it it hasn’t for the most part yeah I mean you’re right on the passing regressing I mean there was a drive that he had I believe in the second quarter where he just drives drives right in and there there was you know he he wanted to kick out to the corner there was a guy clear as day right there ready to intercept it so just simple stuff like that um where you go okay that’s that that hasn’t exactly consistently improved yet and where you know you would trust a Trey man or a meet you John Ball way more than you would Nick Smith Jr and that’s going to affect his playing Time Jake Stevens go Jake E I am the original Jake Stevens uh Hornets hipster uh I was here first this is my Island and if you want to visit it will be$ five at the gate uh Jake Stevens uh big guy physical rebounder and uh he was one of the only guys in like two straight games now one of the only guys that could shoot a three they haven’t been running a lot for him I i’ would like to see you know particularly if he’s going to play a little bit more in Vegas I would love to see some more pick and pop possessions for him to just show it off uh but he but he did knock down one late in the second half as they were making their run back the first one by the way the the first three they were they were 0 for 11 in the first half from three unbelievable they won this game that’s crazy they had to go to your boy well Ste so Stevens was starting in place for M who injured his ankle in that first game not really sure how serious that is if he’s going to be able to participate in Vegas we’ll find out that information soon I imagine but Steven steps up only plays 22 minutes in this game again I thought they would give him a few more minutes but he was definitely they went small you know in the second half and and uh went with banks a little bit there but um Stevens makes an impact and that’s you know really when you’re talking about a guy that might be a third Center barely May plays a lot in Greensboro might show up in your roster if injuries happen you just want to find a guy who make makes an impact because if I remember summer league correctly and years past I mean Nathan Mah did not make an impact for me the guys that they were bringing up at the center position did not make an impact for me and Stevens does the the reason why I think Stevens is not going to be a featured player like that’s going to start and like dominate is because he’s slow right I mean he kind of Lumbers around and they’re they’re playing him in a ton of drop coverage right now defensively he is not going to be able to switch you know what I’m saying like there are there’s obvious reasons why Jake Stevens is not battling for a starting Spot somewhere in the NBA but he does enough where it excites you about the prospects of him being you know your emergency center which is all I want I want the Hornets to have depth at the center position such that if they have one injury it doesn’t the team um I’m gonna ask you a question about the centers here because Jake Stevens hits the only three that he takes took a lot more against China I think hit half of them right so shooting big man can call him that Moe gets hurt in the second game but listed at Center takes six three-point shots if you are a center on this team Drew PM they pick him up from Asheville very good three-point shooter in the Big South with they’re obviously hunting for one you know what I’m saying like obvious this this is what I’m saying for sure are they hunting so yes they’re hunting for one but are we actually going to see a little bit more of the unle leashing of Mark Williams from 15 ft out because if every single Center in summer league Doug is taking three-point shots and maybe it’s not every single one but if all the other centers that you have like Banks isn’t taking the three-point shots and so he’s in there for rebounding and and more so the the pick and Float game if you will there was a nice little possession I believe it was Simpson and banks that connected on one of those pick and Pops or pick and floats if you will but if we’re seeing Center shoot is Mark Williams are we going to explore with that a little bit more because Steve Clifford talked about it and we just never saw it limited sample I I this is this is what always you know frustrated me with the Donovan kingan conversation oh man maybe he can shoot threes like dude the free throw shot isn’t even there it’s not even there for Walker Kessler stop trying to make these guys three-point Shooters Mark Williams that is the guy that actually shows the signs that might be able to shoot threes other than these other centers that were trying to force as three-point Shooters we’ve seen Mark Williams knock down mid-range jumpers when he takes them but he doesn’t take them because we’re just having him all around the room which is totally fine but my question is do we think Charles Lee actually explores a little more so to where we see it on the floor Mark Williams shooting 15 feet or further out because I think the answer to that question is yes I think we actually do see it just a tick a tick more than what we saw the last couple of years I sure hope so because they have to make it Mark Williams and the staff have to make a decision on what Mark Williams is going to be either you can put some weight on him and turn him into a physical rebounder I don’t know if you can turn guys into physical rebounders honestly I think that that’s something you could put pounds on guys but I think that’s something that sort of exists inside of you um and so I you know I think then the alternative is you turn that guy into a shot blocking three-point shooting you know Menace on the defensive end and you sacrifice you you build some guys around him like Bridges like Josh Green like lamelo who’s a great rebounder from the guard position you fill in around him guys that are going to help you rebounding wise to me that that path makes the most sense but they got to pick one because if you can’t shoot three this is what I’ve said a billion times on this show you don’t need a Post-It note you need 10,000 Post-it notes to count how many times I’ve said this on the show if you can’t shoot and and you’re a liability rebounding then you’re not a starting center in this league it’s just a fact yeah and I I I don’t want him to just put on the pounds and eat whe protein and get as big as possible because I do think that takes away a little bit from his ability to defend on the perimeter like I I want that that’s actually something that he has in his Arsenal and we can remember the Trey young block running out in transition if he puts too much weight on how much does that go away from his game and That Matters by the way like when yes Mark Williams always going to be a drop cover uh drop covered Center first but man would you can split out like on the perimeter and hold your own we’ve seen it happen that’s why I love the idea of Mark and I think he does have the fire in in some rebounding situations no it’s not consistent that’s an issue no doubt about it I think it is there and I’m hoping that we see that more consistently but it’s not happened consistently enough to a point where yeah like there are bad rebounding games from him I I want him to shoot as well and I think he can be a really good player I see why like and I do think the Hornets love him you know from everything we’ve heard they view him as a guy that they’re going to give every shot in the world to perform this season uh he has the fire but can he make the fire in the crowd you know I think that’s the question and can TJ Sal we’re going to find out if tjan Salon pretty soon uh just really quickly before we end the show so I think probably one of these two-way spots is going to go to a guy that we haven’t even heard of yet you know there everyone pays attention to everyone else’s summer league team and you know I’m sure they’ll scoop some wi up that we haven’t even heard yet and and oftentimes too between these prummer leagues and the regular summer league they may even pick some guys up uh so this roster may change but just from what you’ve seen so far you’ve got three two-way slots to hand out who are you who are you giving them to and obviously Nick Smith junior is under contract he doesn’t count so of of the non- Nick Smith Jr category who are you giving the two-way spots to well I really wonder what Moe would have been like I mean I where where are we with his injury because yeah I he was so good like even in the six minutes that he played in game two there was the block that he had had not even six right it was only five or something like that if it’s not broken I’m giving him one I’m just going to tell you if it’s not broken I’m giving him one you know I don’t I don’t know how long he’s going to be out I mean is he going to play in Vegas I guess I haven’t seen a report on on just how they wrote him off pretty quickly as soon as he came out of the game I think Rod Boon had it like not even you know five minutes later that yeah he ain’t coming back so G and I don’t know if mwan continues this maybe it’s just McGaw if you already have nsj locked up and if m ens continues to get to the free throw line and he continues to put 20 points on the board and he’s not terribly inefficient the three-point shot hasn’t been great but Macwan and ghee might be those guys sorry to your boy Jake Stevens well you got three right we have three two-way spots now I thought there was already one agreed upon am I mistaken about that I thought there might have been one that was already given out so those are the two so Stevens the next one that you’re rolling with Doug if you’re going Bryce and if you’re going um Moi if I have three to give out then I’m giving and and even if I don’t I think oh boy yeah between I think I’m giving one to Bryce I think I want to see this experiment continue uh I’m not giving one to Leaky black I don’t think he’s played well enough I don’t know what he I don’t know what he does I honestly I just don’t know what leaky does is that is that a cliff is that a cliff guy I mean Lee likes defense too I I still think there’s some stuff there but yeah I’m I hear you you know what I’m I’m gonna stay strong on the Jake Stevens train I think he does give you something that Moi doesn’t which is like some physicality underneath like he was pushing guys out of the way he had the tip end shot over their Center he was dominating the The Bigs that that China was throwing out like he can push guys around down there and again he’s slow so you’re going to have to play him and drop coverage all the time you’re never going to be able to switch but you’re talking about a guy that’s going to get Li limited if any minutes on on your roster so you can you know you can work that you can work that a little bit I’m I’m GNA go I’m staying I’m staying on Steven’s Island buddy okay that’ll do it for lock running every 15 minutes come join $5 thanks for making us your first listed we’re free and available anywhere you get your pods that includes YouTube there’s Doug Branson singing again he’s on a substack every Hornets boox score.com you can listen to me Walker mail every weekday 12: to 3 p.m. on Weston Walker sports radio 927 WFNZ have a great rest of your day we’ll be back with you tomorrow are the champions of the world [Music] me

Walker and Doug celebrate an undefeated California Classic after the Hornets finish 3-0 beating Sacramento Kings 1. How much does it matter? Who are the players that balled out? The guys go through impressive performances by Bryce McGowens and Zavier Simpson, while questioning Nick Smith Jr.’s session so far.

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