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Mac & Bone Show - Charles Lee Interview · Mac & Bone Podcast

0:00
Speaker 1: All right, we need Charles Lee. This is so funny.
0:02
Speaker 1: I'm looking at Grayson Allen Christian to take good as coaches.
0:04
Speaker 1: Here here that T shirt he's rocking right there, Sir
0:07
Speaker 1: Moo's on the loose. Yeah, shout out are tallins, baby Moo.
0:15
Speaker 1: There we go, Baby. Charles Lee is in the house,
0:17
Speaker 1: and Bone is very happy Bone, because I was getting
0:19
Speaker 1: ready to read the College Basketball Time Villain's List and
0:22
Speaker 1: it was gonna be about four of your favorites, coach Man,
0:25
Speaker 1: hold on, I want to hear these, my guy, Christian
0:27
Speaker 1: Laightner Man still Grayson Allen, Christian Lightner, coach king, we're
0:31
Speaker 1: twenty twenty six, man, move on, man, well, y'all. Guy
0:35
Speaker 1: guy was a huge part of the Dream Team.
0:36
Speaker 2: I was in that thirty for thirty that ESPN did
0:39
Speaker 2: on him, like unbelievable. Yes, right, And I grew up
0:42
Speaker 2: actually a Bullets Wizards fan, being in the DNB area
0:46
Speaker 2: and so like we had a little later in.
0:47
Speaker 1: Time during the guy became an All Star Ago. One
0:51
Speaker 1: duke guy that will not be on a Villain's list
0:53
Speaker 1: is kan Ka Nipple. Though, man, everybody loves them some
0:55
Speaker 1: kind get my man, Grayson Allen off that list too. Oh,
0:58
Speaker 1: that's right, I'm right, get them on. So we forgot.
1:03
Speaker 1: That's my bad. Coach. I had a slip there and
1:05
Speaker 1: forgot that he was one of us. Now I got
1:07
Speaker 1: to defend it. Must have slipped and hit your head.
1:11
Speaker 1: How am I hosting a sports show in Charlotte? Oh man,
1:14
Speaker 1: coach coaching straight around? Good to have you here. You're
1:17
Speaker 1: already regularly, You're already coaching me. You know it never stops.
1:20
Speaker 1: I coach at home. I got a coach here at
1:22
Speaker 1: the radio station Mount too. I appreciate it. Forward to
1:25
Speaker 1: it though. Oh man, So let's wait, there's so much.
1:28
Speaker 1: I don't know if you noticed. It was kind of
1:29
Speaker 1: eventful for y'all. You know it has been. Jeff Peterson definitely.
1:33
Speaker 2: Uh. We were busy this offseason, and so I think
1:36
Speaker 2: that the Hornets got better. And obviously change is going
1:39
Speaker 2: to be tough for some people. But I think overall
1:42
Speaker 2: the mindset is, how do we just keep moving this
1:44
Speaker 2: thing in the right direction. The Carolinas deserves a really
1:47
Speaker 2: good basketball product, and we want to have something that sustainable,
1:50
Speaker 2: and I think that we can a year after year
1:52
Speaker 2: be competing in the playoffs for a championship, and so.
1:56
Speaker 1: That's the road that we're going down, and we'd love
1:59
Speaker 1: this port that we've actually gotten. So let me let's
2:02
Speaker 1: let's talk about what the team will be like now
2:04
Speaker 1: there's no sense in going backwards and like why was
2:07
Speaker 1: this done? Plus you'll just tell us Jeff did it?
2:09
Speaker 1: Never George, So you're now coaching this team. You still
2:14
Speaker 1: got a pretty darn good league guard in Kobe White.
2:17
Speaker 1: This just in. But the Lamela thing that gets me
2:20
Speaker 1: is man the gravity that he had. Guys would be drawn,
2:23
Speaker 1: he'd kick it day, you'd swing it open. Threes that
2:26
Speaker 1: he would create. Are you worried that that kind of
2:30
Speaker 1: stuff will not be there? With that? Like, how do
2:33
Speaker 1: you make up for it? I guess with the roster
2:34
Speaker 1: you have.
2:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, even first and foremost super appreciative of everything that
2:39
Speaker 2: obviously like Mellow and Miles and Josh have given to
2:42
Speaker 2: our team. I tell everyone from day one, from year one,
2:46
Speaker 2: the people that we had on that group helped us,
2:48
Speaker 2: like they impacted our environment, our culture, they impacted the
2:51
Speaker 2: product that we put on the court, and I think
2:53
Speaker 2: just a year after year we keep getting better. They
2:55
Speaker 2: helped me be a better coach, and so super grateful
2:57
Speaker 2: for all their contributions and commitment to the team. But
3:00
Speaker 2: I do think moving forward, we were a top five
3:03
Speaker 2: offense last year, and yes, Mellow was a piece of that,
3:07
Speaker 2: and Josh and Miles, but also Kobe was a part
3:10
Speaker 2: of it, and Brandon was a part of it in
3:11
Speaker 2: Musa and all these things, and so I still see
3:14
Speaker 2: so much depth and versatility from this group coming back.
3:18
Speaker 2: I think that not only are they going to take
3:20
Speaker 2: steps forward, but they also understands the importance of what
3:24
Speaker 2: made us good, and they understand that all the ball
3:26
Speaker 2: movement is what really I thought Tolka our offense to
3:28
Speaker 2: another level last year. We were able to create some
3:30
Speaker 2: of the most catch and shoot threes. I think that
3:33
Speaker 2: between Moosa's offensive rebounding and created extra possessions for us.
3:37
Speaker 2: I think our defense got better last year, and all
3:39
Speaker 2: of a sudden move up to middle of the pack
3:41
Speaker 2: defensively helped us get out and run a lot more So,
3:45
Speaker 2: our returning players understand the recipe for success offensively, and
3:49
Speaker 2: then I think you add in some guys that obviously
3:52
Speaker 2: add more gravity and hopefully create more space for us
3:55
Speaker 2: to be able to get downhill. And Kobe's phenomenal getting
3:58
Speaker 2: downhill and getting fouled, and I'm creating some bockets there.
4:01
Speaker 2: Nas Reed has been in the Western Conference finals multiple times,
4:04
Speaker 2: and he's a physical force and great size and athleticism.
4:08
Speaker 2: So I actually think that we'll be able to make
4:11
Speaker 2: some great strides offensively and defensively this year with this group.
4:14
Speaker 1: We have said for a while now we're not the
4:16
Speaker 1: only ones, but we're looked at, Hey, what's next for
4:18
Speaker 1: this team. We've often brought up the name nas Reed
4:22
Speaker 1: for your system and your offense. We've said that name before.
4:25
Speaker 1: So you just mentioned him there. Listen, when you've watched
4:31
Speaker 1: him before, I'm sure you've thought, man, that's a guy
4:34
Speaker 1: that fits so well into what you want to do. Offensively,
4:37
Speaker 1: you're spot.
4:37
Speaker 2: On, and you know going up against him, uh, he's
4:41
Speaker 2: been to the sixth Man of the Year, played a
4:42
Speaker 2: pivotal role in their playoff teams. Like I said previously,
4:46
Speaker 2: I thought last year one of the things that we
4:47
Speaker 2: struggled with sometimes was like the physicality of the game.
4:50
Speaker 2: And when you bring in a person like him who's
4:52
Speaker 2: played in high level playoff games and understands what that
4:55
Speaker 2: competitive level is going to look like and feel like
4:57
Speaker 2: and he's still able to operate at a high level.
4:59
Speaker 2: It's huge, and so I think that he's going to
5:02
Speaker 2: stretch the floor for us. He shoots a great percentage
5:04
Speaker 2: from three. I think he could be another ball handler
5:07
Speaker 2: to help us initiate offense. He's played some pick and
5:09
Speaker 2: roll with the likes of Julius Randall and Towns and
5:12
Speaker 2: Go Bear, and so he adds that element to our
5:15
Speaker 2: our offense. And you know, if you ever had a
5:17
Speaker 2: situation where you're playing a team that goes small, he
5:20
Speaker 2: has the versatility to play some five, or we can
5:22
Speaker 2: go big and throw him out there and Musa and
5:24
Speaker 2: Graham and I love the optionality that we have with
5:28
Speaker 2: this team right now.
5:28
Speaker 1: You also has the nickname Big Jelly. So Big Jelly. Yeah,
5:33
Speaker 1: his nickname is Big Jelly. Okay. He was part of
5:36
Speaker 1: this like internet finger roll movement back in the mid
5:39
Speaker 1: two thousand, so his date. So you got a moosa
5:41
Speaker 1: in a big Jelly now up front? How about that?
5:45
Speaker 1: Always learned something here? Every time I come home with
5:47
Speaker 1: you learned something there? You go, well, you reminded me
5:50
Speaker 1: Grayson's on the team, which I should not be forgetting momentarily,
5:53
Speaker 1: and we teach you nickname, No worry. Brian settled the
5:57
Speaker 1: Grayson thingre Rember. I love him now. He shouldn't be
6:00
Speaker 1: on this villain's list. I'll tell you I met. I'm
6:02
Speaker 1: a write letter report when we get done. You mentioned
6:06
Speaker 1: you mentioned the physicality. I was watching the Orlando play
6:09
Speaker 1: in game and I'm yelling at my TV. The first
6:12
Speaker 1: thing I'm yelling is how is Orlando being able to
6:15
Speaker 1: play that physical? But it's postseason right. The other thing, too,
6:19
Speaker 1: it starts to dawn on me, and you guys all
6:21
Speaker 1: said it afterwards, is man, we are getting pushed around
6:24
Speaker 1: as a team, right, Like if the game does play
6:26
Speaker 1: like that, and in the postseason it often does, you
6:28
Speaker 1: got to be able to handle it. How has that
6:30
Speaker 1: come along? I've seen so many of the different shots
6:32
Speaker 1: of like Moosa's workout and guys in the gym, it
6:35
Speaker 1: seems like dudes look different, Like it seems like they
6:37
Speaker 1: have all taken the message.
6:39
Speaker 2: You're spot on, And that's what's so great about this group.
6:42
Speaker 2: They're they're committed, They're a prideful group. They really have
6:46
Speaker 2: the mindset of like they want to get better every
6:48
Speaker 2: day and they're looking for like how can I get
6:50
Speaker 2: that competitive edge on my opponent, and how can I
6:53
Speaker 2: elevate the guy next to me to also want to
6:55
Speaker 2: have that competitive edge, which has been really cool to see.
6:58
Speaker 2: We've had so many guys in the gym during the
7:01
Speaker 2: off season, and so their relationships are building. They're obviously
7:04
Speaker 2: getting better our strength and performance staff and our coaching
7:07
Speaker 2: staff or push them to the brink and preparing them
7:09
Speaker 2: for the season. But I've been proud of this group
7:12
Speaker 2: because I think that they're proud of the progress we made,
7:14
Speaker 2: but we're pissed off at how the season ended. And
7:17
Speaker 2: so this group has taken that message, I think, to
7:20
Speaker 2: heart and it shows in their work. And like you said,
7:22
Speaker 2: you see these videos of Musa working out. I think
7:24
Speaker 2: we've seen some pictures and videos of Tjong with his
7:27
Speaker 2: shirt off nowadays. He walks around the facility like that
7:30
Speaker 2: all the time too. But if I had a body
7:32
Speaker 2: like that, I would probably do the same. That's what
7:34
Speaker 2: Bone looks like he does all the time around there.
7:37
Speaker 1: I just put on, well you got here, we've seen
7:40
Speaker 1: Mussa working on his handles. Also, how can we right now?
7:45
Speaker 2: He might I might have to slow him down on
7:46
Speaker 2: that front, but he's got to expand his game at
7:49
Speaker 2: some point. But I do think, like you said, the
7:50
Speaker 2: physicality of the game not only does it happened in
7:53
Speaker 2: the postseason. I think that the league wide, even during
7:55
Speaker 2: the regular season, we're seeing more full core pressure. We're
7:58
Speaker 2: seeing more physicality allowed in the regular season. I think
8:00
Speaker 2: that's helping prepare you for that moment, and I think
8:04
Speaker 2: that our guys are going to be a little bit
8:05
Speaker 2: more ready for it because we can play a fast game,
8:07
Speaker 2: and when we get people off of our bodies, we
8:10
Speaker 2: can We're really skilled, We're really talented. But you know,
8:13
Speaker 2: when you go up against the top ranked teams in
8:15
Speaker 2: the NBA, they're going to try to push you off
8:17
Speaker 2: your spots to take you out of your offense. And
8:19
Speaker 2: I think we'll be able to combat that a little
8:21
Speaker 2: bit better this year. And some of that's on the
8:22
Speaker 2: coach as well, to put them in better positions.
8:24
Speaker 1: How ready are how ready are Brandon Miller and con
8:28
Speaker 1: for the next level of leadership that you're going to
8:30
Speaker 1: ask for.
8:30
Speaker 2: They've been great, and it's a great question as two
8:34
Speaker 2: young players that not only are focused on their own
8:36
Speaker 2: individual games improving, they got to realize, how do I
8:39
Speaker 2: bring the rest of the group with me, and you know,
8:42
Speaker 2: just their presence in the gym every day brings a
8:44
Speaker 2: level of consistency. You know, talking to them, there's there's
8:49
Speaker 2: more room and there's more space that needs to be
8:51
Speaker 2: taken up in the room without some bigger personalities in
8:54
Speaker 2: there right now, and so they have to find their
8:56
Speaker 2: voice and they've done that with the communication. Like Brandon,
9:00
Speaker 2: he's you know, going through his rehab process right now,
9:02
Speaker 2: but he stayed for all the summer league practices and
9:04
Speaker 2: during the summer league practices he's talking to Christian and
9:07
Speaker 2: he's talking to Hannas and he's talking to Michael and stuff.
9:10
Speaker 2: So I loved watching that con has has taken He's
9:15
Speaker 2: taking up golf a little bit, and so he's also
9:17
Speaker 2: taking some guys out on the golf course, and so
9:19
Speaker 2: it stretches not only on the court, but I think
9:21
Speaker 2: these guys recognize the importance of it off the court too.
9:24
Speaker 2: When you can build these relationships and bonds, it helps
9:26
Speaker 2: you in the toughest moments on the court as well.
9:28
Speaker 1: That's all you are in the golf brotherhood thing is
9:30
Speaker 1: it's a duke thing that it's an all around thing.
9:36
Speaker 1: Everyone loves him some golf, bringing out the other people
9:45
Speaker 1: out there. That's that's that's how do hear one thing?
9:50
Speaker 2: Checks trying to give my Duke guy, it's a hard time.
9:52
Speaker 1: Even though he is wearing a Duke cat today.
9:54
Speaker 2: I appreciate that. Yeah, he's a loyal man. I forget
9:57
Speaker 2: part of this too, uh huh. He's got to work
9:59
Speaker 2: on his golf game. I mean, I love the guy.
10:03
Speaker 2: He is a phenomenal competitor.
10:06
Speaker 1: We were at last year at one of the Hornets
10:10
Speaker 1: shows that they put out where I think it was
10:12
Speaker 1: the last year where Mellow was out there and he
10:15
Speaker 1: asked his teammates where he's supposed to hit the ball?
10:17
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yes, yes, he said, where do I hit it? Now?
10:20
Speaker 1: Like you go that? That was good? All right? So
10:25
Speaker 1: the the Median narratives are out there like there's first
10:28
Speaker 1: of all, and I don't know if you pay any
10:30
Speaker 1: attention to this, she probably shouldn't care what we are saying.
10:32
Speaker 1: We don't know the halfway, you know. But like nationally,
10:35
Speaker 1: I mean, dang near everybody loves what Jeff has been doing,
10:40
Speaker 1: loves the direction right, acquiring assets but still getting a
10:43
Speaker 1: guy like nas Reed re signing Kobe. Even though you
10:46
Speaker 1: trade LaMelo and all that sort of stuff. The guys
10:48
Speaker 1: from Phoenix Grason, you know, included guys you picked up
10:51
Speaker 1: there could be good role players. But it seems like
10:54
Speaker 1: they all say this though, they will take a step
10:57
Speaker 1: back now, but they'll take a step forward in the
10:59
Speaker 1: law long term. Well, you're coaching this year's team. They're
11:03
Speaker 1: not waiting for three years, and then they bring you in.
11:05
Speaker 1: Do you take that personally? And hear like, no, it
11:09
Speaker 1: doesn't have to be that way, Like, do you do
11:11
Speaker 1: you feel like that the people are a little wrong
11:13
Speaker 1: on that?
11:14
Speaker 2: Well, I definitely don't take it personal. Everyone is entitled
11:17
Speaker 2: to their opinions. And one of the things that we
11:19
Speaker 2: talk about a ton as a team is there's always
11:22
Speaker 2: gonna be a lot of noise. And you know, in
11:23
Speaker 2: this day and age of social media and all the
11:25
Speaker 2: different outlets and streaming and serious and XM radio, you
11:30
Speaker 2: almost can't escape it. But I will say that I
11:33
Speaker 2: think we do a great job internally of creating our
11:35
Speaker 2: own expectations and standards, and so while we hear that stuff,
11:40
Speaker 2: we embrace it in a sense, But no, that's not
11:42
Speaker 2: what's going to ultimately drive us. And so I'm looking
11:45
Speaker 2: forward to, like you said, coaching this year's team, understanding
11:48
Speaker 2: that we have a really good group. I think, a
11:51
Speaker 2: smart group, a competitive group. Kobe White said it in
11:55
Speaker 2: the media, and so like, I love when the guys
11:57
Speaker 2: say things, and I'll usually piggyback with they say and
12:00
Speaker 2: support them because if they're saying it, that's what they're
12:03
Speaker 2: actually focused on trying to do and try to accomplish.
12:05
Speaker 2: And he said, we're going to shock some people, and
12:07
Speaker 2: so I'm with Kobe. We'll shock some people, will be
12:11
Speaker 2: better than people realize. But ultimately, we have to create
12:14
Speaker 2: our own expectations and standards of how we want to
12:16
Speaker 2: operate within our hive.
12:17
Speaker 1: And that's what's really going to drive us throughout the
12:19
Speaker 1: whole year. We know we've got to let you go
12:20
Speaker 1: here in a second, but when the schedules released, as
12:23
Speaker 1: a coach, what's the first thing that your eyes gravitate towards?
12:26
Speaker 1: What are you looking for? Is it? Is it back
12:28
Speaker 1: to back? Like what is coach League gets that schedule?
12:31
Speaker 1: What your eyes are going towards.
12:32
Speaker 2: First of all, I'm hyped because that means we're getting
12:33
Speaker 2: a little bit closer to like trying at this time
12:36
Speaker 2: and training camp and and the nitty gritty of it
12:38
Speaker 2: all because there's been so much preparation on the coaching
12:42
Speaker 2: side staff but also the players side too. But then
12:44
Speaker 2: I look, where's that first game? Should we start working
12:47
Speaker 2: on our scouting report right now so we can make
12:50
Speaker 2: sure we win that first game. And so to see
12:52
Speaker 2: we're going to start on the road versus Brooklyn was
12:54
Speaker 2: cool to see. Obviously played them last year at home
12:57
Speaker 2: for the first game. Really good team, They've made some
13:00
Speaker 2: changes to their roster. Then after that, I'm looking to
13:02
Speaker 2: see where's our home opener. We the vibe that we
13:06
Speaker 2: had in that arena last year to finish with that
13:10
Speaker 2: Miami game and obviously Kobe's big shot, the arena going
13:14
Speaker 2: crazy from the jump, but from introductions to the end
13:18
Speaker 2: of the game was dope to see. So I'm like,
13:20
Speaker 2: when can we get back in there? I want that
13:22
Speaker 2: feeling again. So to come home and see that we
13:24
Speaker 2: got it back to back right after that Brooklyn game
13:26
Speaker 2: is really cool. Then the next month I look to see,
13:30
Speaker 2: like when are we on the West coast, Like when's
13:31
Speaker 2: that first West Coast trip? And it comes in November
13:34
Speaker 2: and the end of that three game West Coast road trip,
13:37
Speaker 2: we have to end up playing our first NBA Cup game,
13:40
Speaker 2: which I'm also excited to see, and that's going to
13:42
Speaker 2: be on the road in Atlanta, which will be a
13:43
Speaker 2: tough game. And then after that, I'm like, Okay, what's
13:47
Speaker 2: that next like tough streak that we got to be
13:49
Speaker 2: ready for. And again it's in January, and I think, well,
13:52
Speaker 2: we have sixteen games in January. I think thirteen of
13:54
Speaker 2: them are on the road something like that, and so
13:57
Speaker 2: that that's going to build some like character and resiliency,
14:01
Speaker 2: and we'll see like where the camaraderie of the group
14:03
Speaker 2: is and everything, and then where we after all start break,
14:06
Speaker 2: like what's going on and how do we need to
14:08
Speaker 2: manage that as players a staff. And we open up
14:10
Speaker 2: with a back to back on the road, which will
14:12
Speaker 2: be kind of tough for us. And then at the
14:14
Speaker 2: end of the season, you're like, okay, as you're trying
14:16
Speaker 2: to work on seating and where are you our April
14:20
Speaker 2: we have seven games and five of them are on
14:22
Speaker 2: the road, So that'll be a little tough stretch as well.
14:24
Speaker 2: So isay a lot of challenges that we're looking forward to.
14:26
Speaker 1: As a pregame show host for the Hornets, I look
14:28
Speaker 1: at what games star passed my bedtime. That's what I
14:31
Speaker 1: look at. It's just four o'clock. No, no, that's dinner time.
14:34
Speaker 1: I'm sorry. Anything even the Dallas tip off eight o'clock.
14:38
Speaker 2: It's a problem. Yeah, the last one too. Christmas, like
14:41
Speaker 2: especially having three kids. Now, I did look at Christmas
14:43
Speaker 2: and we are on the road right before Christmas and
14:46
Speaker 2: right after Christmas.
14:47
Speaker 1: That's not good for you and the family. Well we'll
14:49
Speaker 1: figure it out. But you're a sicko though. I mean
14:51
Speaker 1: this in a good way. Like I can see you're
14:53
Speaker 1: getting so excited thinking about like training camp, Like you're
14:56
Speaker 1: not a dude that's like, yeah, I love this off
14:58
Speaker 1: season time, Like you are ready to go, let's do it.
15:00
Speaker 1: How's Brandon? I know, we gotta let you go real quick.
15:03
Speaker 1: How's Brandon's shoulder? He is making great progress.
15:08
Speaker 2: He's actually in the stage now where he was doing
15:10
Speaker 2: a little running, he's doing a little bit of shooting.
15:12
Speaker 2: So day by day he has approached it with a
15:14
Speaker 2: great mindset and stuff, and and he's in a really
15:16
Speaker 2: good spot.
15:16
Speaker 1: So you tell you guarantee he plays in the openers.
15:19
Speaker 1: I want to guarantee. I tied to get him don't
15:23
Speaker 1: do that. I tried to get it. He's smooth. Brian Travis,
15:25
Speaker 1: a PR guy, doesn't even have to worry you. Smooth.
15:28
Speaker 2: He is making progress and we will we will play it.
15:31
Speaker 2: That's good to hear.
15:32
Speaker 1: Man. Hey, it's good to have you here, coach. We
15:34
Speaker 1: appreciate and look forward to to you guys joining the
15:37
Speaker 1: Charlotte sports landscape again. We get you going. Man, great
15:40
Speaker 1: to see you guys. I'm actually caught about golf right now.
15:43
Speaker 1: I love it. Why weren't you on the golf trip?
15:45
Speaker 1: I don't know. I need to him off my number.
15:47
Speaker 1: There you go. That is Charles Lee. You're Charlotte horn
15:49
Speaker 1: Is by the w