Latest / Small Ball with Kenny Beecham / Grant Williams On Why He Left The Celtics For The Mavericks

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Grant Williams On Why He Left The Celtics For The Mavericks · Small Ball with Kenny Beecham

0:00
SPEAKER_02: I don't ever initiate talking trash.
0:02
SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm not a guy that's like, if you guys see my trash talk, it's like the nerdy trash talk.
0:06
SPEAKER_02: You're like, what is this guy talking trash for?
0:08
SPEAKER_02: So when he says that, I'm like, nah, I'm here.
0:12
SPEAKER_02: And that's when he gets the ball back, drives, Shimmy goes middle, gets the foul, and one.
0:18
SPEAKER_02: He says, I'm here too.
0:19
SPEAKER_02: And then we just both black out.
0:25
SPEAKER_00: Welcome, welcome, welcome back to the Kenny Beach and podcast.
0:29
SPEAKER_00: Y'all, we got a special guest today.
0:31
SPEAKER_00: We have not been around for very long.
0:33
SPEAKER_00: The Kenny Beach and Podcast started, what, three months ago?
0:35
SPEAKER_00: And we're getting our first NBA talent onto the show.
0:38
SPEAKER_00: Grant Williams is a player that I've had a few conversations with in the DMs here and there, but I never really understand.
0:44
SPEAKER_00: I never really know what the connection is between me and the player.
0:47
SPEAKER_00: Even off a few conversations, I knew immediately that if there's anybody I wanted to bring onto the show, Grant will be one of the first guys.
0:53
SPEAKER_00: And he said yes immediately.
0:55
SPEAKER_00: So shout out to Grant.
0:57
SPEAKER_00: I think one of the reasons why Grant said yes, and I think one, he's just a good guy, but also because of the love that y'all showed me on this podcast, he sees the tweets, he follows me, he sees the Instagrams reposts of y'all showing that y'all were listening and watching these episodes.
1:11
SPEAKER_00: I can see that he sees it.
1:12
SPEAKER_00: So he must see the community that we're building, and he wants to speak to y'all.
1:16
SPEAKER_00: So leave a like if you're on YouTube, subscribe to the channel, uh, go over to the audio platforms of Spotify, the Apple, leave us five stars.
1:22
SPEAKER_00: We're still in the top 10 of sports podcasting on Spotify, and we appreciate that.
1:27
SPEAKER_00: But top 10 is not the ceiling.
1:29
SPEAKER_00: I know it's not.
1:30
SPEAKER_00: So go over, leave five stars.
1:31
SPEAKER_00: So before we even talk to Grant Williams, I do want to rattle off some things because it's been a little while since we've been able to really talk about the NBA.
1:38
SPEAKER_00: And today, as I'm recording this, there's a lot, a lot to talk about.
1:42
SPEAKER_00: Shout out to Grant Williams.
1:44
SPEAKER_00: Actually, Clippers fans, y'all should be thanking Grant Williams for coming on coming onto the show because this whole episode could have been me flaming the LA Clippers.
1:53
SPEAKER_00: To the Grizzlies.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: To the Grizzlies.
1:56
SPEAKER_00: Like, come on, man.
1:57
SPEAKER_00: Shout out to my guy Gileard.
1:59
SPEAKER_00: The man is on the court, the same height as me.
2:01
SPEAKER_00: He's a true inspiration.
2:03
SPEAKER_00: No way that should be the team y'all losing to.
2:05
SPEAKER_00: And they are winless in the James Harden era.
2:08
SPEAKER_00: While Taver's Maxie just dropped 50 for the 76ers.
2:12
SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of bad things about this team right now.
2:15
SPEAKER_00: One of the things is that when they were down by double-digit points, Tyron Lew decided to take James Harden off the court.
2:20
SPEAKER_00: And guess what happened?
2:21
SPEAKER_00: They went on this great run to bring it within one, within two.
2:25
SPEAKER_00: They even had the lead at one point while James Harden is sitting on the bench.
2:28
SPEAKER_00: And with a minute and a half left in this game, James Harden came back and they lost.
2:32
SPEAKER_00: I'm not blaming James Harden exclusively, but I'm just saying there's a lot, a lot wrong with this team right now, but they got saved because we ain't got a lot of time to dissect it all.
2:41
SPEAKER_00: I do want to talk about the Mavs, though.
2:43
SPEAKER_00: Since we do have Grant onto the show, the Mavs are a team that we haven't talked about a lot over the NBA season.
2:47
SPEAKER_00: I'll be honest, but you're part of that is because I've been trying to figure out what's real and what's not with them.
2:52
SPEAKER_00: And I mentioned early episodes that usually for me a 10-game sample size is good enough for me to start making assumptions and starting to put the pieces together.
3:00
SPEAKER_00: Well, right now, after today, the Dallas Mavericks are 8-2.
3:04
SPEAKER_00: They just beat the New Orleans Pelicans.
3:05
SPEAKER_00: And this was an interesting game.
3:06
SPEAKER_00: I was so excited for this one because the Dallas Mavericks, as we know, has not been a good defensive team.
3:11
SPEAKER_00: One of the places where they struggle the most is Interior.
3:15
SPEAKER_00: Jonas Valentunas, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram.
3:19
SPEAKER_00: These are all guys who can get to the basket, specifically in Zion's case.
3:22
SPEAKER_00: So I was very curious of how this game was going to go.
3:24
SPEAKER_00: And well, the Dallas Mavericks smacked them.
3:26
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely smacked them.
3:27
SPEAKER_00: They're the 23rd ranked defense in basketball, but the second offense, which is different for Dallas Mavericks teams.
3:33
SPEAKER_00: Usually when they're going to be good, it's going to be the defensive side of the ball because that's just who Jason Kidd is.
3:37
SPEAKER_00: But a few weeks ago, Jason Kidd said in a post-game interview that he is okay with being in the range of 120.
3:44
SPEAKER_00: That's not the Jason Kidd we know, but as of right now, it is working.
3:48
SPEAKER_00: And a lot of that has to do with the guy Luka Doncic.
3:50
SPEAKER_00: It's not a surprise, right?
3:52
SPEAKER_00: This guy has been an all-NBA player for the majority of his NBA career, all NBA first team player for the majority of his NBA career.
3:58
SPEAKER_00: So far on the season, he's averaging 32, 9, and 8, 52% from the field and 41.5%.
4:05
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm giving him his half.
4:06
SPEAKER_00: 41.5% from three.
4:09
SPEAKER_00: Now, Luka has always been a guy to get a bunch of three-point shots up, but never has he been above league average as far as percentage goes.
4:16
SPEAKER_00: When you talk about the volume and the amount of shots he's taken, you can argue that he's above average three-point shooter, but just strictly on the percentage.
4:22
SPEAKER_00: His 41.5% right now makes an unguardable player even more unguardable.
4:30
SPEAKER_00: And I don't know if if it's sustainable, right?
4:32
SPEAKER_00: Again, he's a career 34% three-point shooter.
4:35
SPEAKER_00: So this would be a huge jump for him.
4:37
SPEAKER_00: But let's say he's not a 41% three-point shooter.
4:39
SPEAKER_00: If he can maintain 38%, I do not know what you do to stop this team.
4:44
SPEAKER_00: This is a team that I think if you're trying to scheme, you you can't.
4:50
SPEAKER_00: You cannot scheme against this team.
4:52
SPEAKER_00: The way you beat him, it beat them is really trying to score a bunch of points.
4:57
SPEAKER_00: And a lot of teams haven't been able to do that.
4:59
SPEAKER_00: In this game versus the Pelicans, one of the things we saw the Pelicans do a lot is just completely throw a double team at Luca, specifically on a catch.
5:05
SPEAKER_00: When he had his back to the basket, you saw a second defender, and Luca is one of the players that is so very comfortable with a double team that it makes him, again, unguardable.
5:14
SPEAKER_00: And when you think about the personnel on this team, they have shooters after shooters.
5:17
SPEAKER_00: Derek Jones Jr.
5:18
SPEAKER_00: had a career year shooting a three-point shot at 34% with the Bulls last season.
5:22
SPEAKER_00: Now he's shooting 41% too.
5:24
SPEAKER_00: Again, don't know what's sustainable and what's not at this moment in time.
5:27
SPEAKER_00: But right now, they're putting together lineups with the four people on the perimeter are elite level three-point shooters.
5:33
SPEAKER_00: Grant Williams, who we'll talk to in a couple minutes here, is shooting 50 plus percent from three.
5:38
SPEAKER_00: Today he gave us zero, though.
5:39
SPEAKER_00: He gave us a donut.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
5:41
SPEAKER_00: Against the Pelicans.
5:42
SPEAKER_00: But he guarded Zion pretty, pretty well.
5:45
SPEAKER_00: What do you do to stop this team?
5:47
SPEAKER_00: I haven't been able to figure it out.
5:49
SPEAKER_00: One of the things that I've also loved about Lucaslash what the team is doing right now is last year, Luka Doncic, when it came to catch and shoot 3.3 pointers, he only averaged 1.1 a game, which means that every single one, almost every single one of Luca Doncic's three-point shots was off the dribble created by himself.
6:04
SPEAKER_00: Now it is at 2.4, more than doubled his three-point catch and shoot.
6:08
SPEAKER_00: And he's shooting 45% there.
6:11
SPEAKER_00: Now, one of the things I always question when it comes to high usage players is what are they doing without the ball in their hands, right?
6:17
SPEAKER_00: When you when you're a high usage player, the time where your teammates are creative for themselves is really the time for you to for you to rest.
6:24
SPEAKER_00: And Luca, throughout the course of his career, has been uh hands-on-the-nees guys, uh standing at the hash guy when it came to him not having the ball.
6:32
SPEAKER_00: And now I feel as though he's more engaged.
6:34
SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not seeing a crazy amount of movement, you know, he's not turning into Steph Curry because that's just not who he is.
6:39
SPEAKER_00: But we're seeing him being an impactful guy off the ball, which is something we hadn't seen.
6:44
SPEAKER_00: The experiment of Kyrie Irvin and Luca Dodges had a very small sample size last year.
6:47
SPEAKER_00: And obviously, it wasn't great.
6:49
SPEAKER_00: They were an elite level offense, but still struggled defensively.
6:52
SPEAKER_00: And you're kind of seeing that now.
6:53
SPEAKER_00: But the elite level offense that we're seeing now is like leagues above what it was last year.
6:58
SPEAKER_00: There's a tweet about Kyrie Irvin that I saw after his last game, where a lot of people were saying it was a highlight reel of his buckets from the previous night.
7:06
SPEAKER_00: He shot nine for 19 or something.
7:08
SPEAKER_00: And and on those nine buckets, there was like two layups and seven catch-and-shoot shots.
7:13
SPEAKER_00: And people just seeing that mixtape was like, man, ain't it turned Kyrie Irvin to a catch-and-shoot player?
7:19
SPEAKER_00: That's not who he is.
7:20
SPEAKER_00: He's not just a catch-and-shoot player, but he is providing value in that role in moments.
7:27
SPEAKER_00: So far, we haven't seen the ultra, uh, the ultra-efficient Kyrie Irvin, the 50-40-90 Kyrie Irvin we've seen over the course of his career.
7:35
SPEAKER_00: And it hasn't really mattered too much.
7:36
SPEAKER_00: The last two games for Kyrie looked like more Kyrie than the previous, I don't know, eight.
7:42
SPEAKER_00: But I'm just saying, he's not a catch-a-shoot player, like some people on Twitter want you to believe.
7:47
SPEAKER_00: He still gets his.
7:48
SPEAKER_00: Today against the Pelicans.
7:49
SPEAKER_00: We saw a lot of those moments because, like I mentioned, they were throwing these doubles, and Luca was freed up Kyrie Irvin to do whatever the hell he wanted, and he took advantage of it.
7:58
SPEAKER_00: I still question the defense, obviously, when you talk about potentially trying to win a championship, because when you have a guy of Luca Donce's caliber, your goal is to compete for championships every single season.
8:09
SPEAKER_00: A 23rd ranked defense is never gonna get the job done.
8:12
SPEAKER_00: Very, very rarely will it get the job done, unless you're the Cleveland Cavaliers of LeBron, where they had something like this and then turned it on in the playoffs.
8:19
SPEAKER_00: This, the reperts, the team doesn't have a reputation of being able to turn it on and come playoffs defensively, but there are a lot of good signs with this team.
8:26
SPEAKER_00: One of the good signs I saw today was with Josh Green getting real minutes and looking good because Josh Green's a guy I've bought a lot of stock in a couple of years ago.
8:34
SPEAKER_00: 40% three-point shooter, good defensive and tangibles and all of that, all of that.
8:38
SPEAKER_00: This year so far, has it looked like himself on the offensive side or the defensive side?
8:42
SPEAKER_00: And if anything, I always usually see a player, if they're struggling offensively, be able to be like, hey, I'm still the the same defensive player.
8:49
SPEAKER_00: He hadn't been that, but today he provided a lot of value.
8:52
SPEAKER_00: So I'm still again trying to figure out exactly where the Mavs set in my set in my hierarchy of contenders versus pretenders, where are they at?
8:59
SPEAKER_00: But when you have a guy of Luca Dante's caliber, anything is really possible.
9:04
SPEAKER_00: Now, before we really get into the conversations with Grant Williams, there's a couple other things that are on my mind that I'm just I'm just gonna throw it out right now and I'm gonna monitor it between now and the next episode, and we'll see what ends up happening, okay?
9:18
SPEAKER_00: Tyrese Maxie just dropped a 50-piece against Tyrese Halliburton and the Indiana Pacers.
9:22
SPEAKER_00: The first thing I'm monitoring is who is the best point guard in the Easter Conference right now?
9:27
SPEAKER_00: Is it one of the Tyreses?
9:28
SPEAKER_00: Is it still Damian Lillard, even though he's struggling?
9:30
SPEAKER_00: Is it Jalen Brunson?
9:31
SPEAKER_00: I don't know, but I think the Tyreses, one of the two, has a good conversation.
9:35
SPEAKER_00: If we're just talking about the two week and two and a half week sample size.
9:38
SPEAKER_00: The next thing is the Miami Heat still don't make any sense.
9:41
SPEAKER_00: I watched them play against the Atlanta Hawks the other day where they had Hayward High Smith, Hot Make Hawkins, no Jimmy Butler, no Tyler Hero, and they spanked the Atlanta Hawks.
9:48
SPEAKER_00: And the second night of a back-to-back, they were down by double digits to the Spurs, and they came back at one pretty easily.
9:53
SPEAKER_00: The thing makes no sense.
9:54
SPEAKER_00: Eric Sposter is still the greatest coach in the association, and Bam Anaballo is playing out of his mind.
9:59
SPEAKER_00: I still want him to score and shoot the ball more, but he's just chelling.
10:03
SPEAKER_00: Next thing, Rockets, six-game win streak.
10:07
SPEAKER_00: What do we believe about the Rockets?
10:08
SPEAKER_00: They're one of the few teams, top five and um top ten in defense and top ten in offense.
10:11
SPEAKER_00: I don't think that's sustainable, but is this a real team that we should be thinking about as far as being contentious for the playoffs?
10:17
SPEAKER_00: I'm not, and that's that's the furthest I'm going with the Rockets at this exact moment.
10:20
SPEAKER_00: They had 21 straight days of being at home, which is different than any other team.
10:25
SPEAKER_00: So I don't know if this is just great home court advantage, um, going against teams that are struggling with injury or whatever, but I'm enjoying what they're doing.
10:33
SPEAKER_00: Maybe we'll talk about them a little bit more on the next episode, but just keep your eye out on the Rockets because Alper Shangun is pretty crazy, and Uncle Jeff coming off the bench just gave uh 15 points to his former team, and all of that was basically in the fourth quarter.
10:45
SPEAKER_00: And the last thing, and this one hurts my heart to say did I jump the gun when it came to the Warriors?
10:52
SPEAKER_00: So far, it has been the Steph Curry show.
10:56
SPEAKER_00: Wiggins has not been himself.
10:58
SPEAKER_00: Clay Thompson has not been the version of Clay Thompson we're used to, so it's really just Steph Curry.
11:05
SPEAKER_00: I'm assuming that Wiggins will get back to nearly the version of him we know, but it's just something I'm monitoring.
11:12
SPEAKER_00: They've had a couple wins that were not questionable, but like down to the to the nitty-gritty, the one game against the Sacramento Kings without Dearon Fox, the one tip in game against the OKC Thunder, like they have wins under their belt, but a lot of it is just Steph Curry being one of the best players in in the NBA, and I'm not seeing the value of some of the other players on the roster.
11:34
SPEAKER_00: These are just the things I'm monitoring right now.
11:37
SPEAKER_00: We'll give it a little bit more time and we'll come back to it.
11:40
SPEAKER_00: But now it's time to talk to our guy Grant Williams.
11:53
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12:47
SPEAKER_00: Now it's time to bring in the first guest of the Kenny Beach and podcast, Dallas Maverick's very own forward.
12:54
SPEAKER_00: It's Grant Williams.
12:55
SPEAKER_00: Grant, welcome to the show.
12:56
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me, man.
12:58
SPEAKER_00: This was this was dope.
12:59
SPEAKER_00: Um, you were the the fastest person to reply.
13:02
SPEAKER_00: And I I appreciate that, man.
13:04
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that.
13:05
SPEAKER_00: I've been just trying to get people on that I feel like I vibe with.
13:08
SPEAKER_00: You know, we we've had a few conversations through the DMs and stuff.
13:11
SPEAKER_00: So I really do appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to end up on the show.
13:16
SPEAKER_02: Anytime, man.
13:17
SPEAKER_02: I was super excited when I got the invitation.
13:19
SPEAKER_02: I was like, oh, absolutely, brother.
13:20
SPEAKER_02: I was like, I watch you guys, I watch you guys as a group more than everyone, so I might as well come on the individual.
13:25
SPEAKER_00: That's love.
13:25
SPEAKER_00: That's love.
13:25
SPEAKER_00: And we'll definitely have you on the group show uh later down the line, I would say.
13:29
SPEAKER_00: But uh this is really cool because I feel like um a lot of things are changing for you, you know, your new team, new role, new everything.
13:39
SPEAKER_00: Talk to me about the new change of being a part of the Dallas Mavericks.
13:42
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's actually, you know, very different from where I was in Boston.
13:46
SPEAKER_02: You know, you're asked to do a lot more.
13:48
SPEAKER_02: Um the team itself is young and we're all kind of learning each other from a whole new brand new situation.
13:53
SPEAKER_02: I think all of us are new to the team except for like probably five guys.
13:56
SPEAKER_01: Right.
13:57
SPEAKER_02: And so we're getting used to one another and we're having some early success.
14:00
SPEAKER_02: And we have to, you know, learn how to win.
14:03
SPEAKER_02: You know, we're winning games close, tight, you know, but we also have to understand that we don't always have to put ourselves in that position.
14:08
SPEAKER_02: So, um, and then, you know, we have levels of improvement in different areas, like our defense has been great.
14:14
SPEAKER_02: Um, we're one of the best offenses, and that really keeps us in the games.
14:18
SPEAKER_02: But in order for us to be the team that we want to be at the end of the year, we have to lock in on the other end.
14:22
SPEAKER_02: So um for me, I'm trying to be even more of a leader too.
14:26
SPEAKER_02: That's another uh interesting thing for me because when you're on a on a talented team like the Celtics, you know, you feel like you have eight different captains and a bunch of guys who can talk and you know know what they're saying.
14:36
SPEAKER_02: And here you still have some of that same similar stuff because guys are pretty, you know, versatile and cerebral.
14:42
SPEAKER_02: But um from I have I've had some experience and I try and you know incite that wisdom on guys while also understanding that if I'm gonna communicate, I have to hold myself to a higher standard and and really take a step in growth in my game.
14:54
SPEAKER_00: You mentioned something earlier in that um I did a TikTok, right?
14:58
SPEAKER_00: Where someone asked me the top five young cores in basketball.
15:02
SPEAKER_00: And I I I didn't add the Dallas Mavericks.
15:06
SPEAKER_00: Because in my mind, you know, you've been in the league for for quite some time.
15:09
SPEAKER_00: Of course, Luca's been in the league for quite some time.
15:10
SPEAKER_00: I don't really look at y'all as young, but you look, you're 24, Luca's around the same age.
15:15
SPEAKER_00: Y'all really do have a young core outside, of course, Reed, who's been around for over a decade, but really, really young team.
15:21
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I was about to say, when when you think of our team, like people always say, like, oh, they're like average age, I think, is 26.
15:26
SPEAKER_02: But the reason why that is, it's because we have Keith, who's like 30, whatever he is.
15:30
SPEAKER_02: Right.
15:30
SPEAKER_02: Um, Mark, uh, Maxie and Dwight are both 30 plus, and then Kyrie's close, I think, close to that.
15:36
SPEAKER_02: And everybody else both under that, 24, 24, 19, 20, 22.
15:40
SPEAKER_02: And it's just like everybody is super young.
15:43
SPEAKER_02: And we have a bunch of guys who, you know, are trying to find their way in the league.
15:46
SPEAKER_02: You know, Josh has got his extension, um, Omax is a rookie, Jaden Hardy's second year, and you know, we're uh relying on those guys to do a lot.
15:54
SPEAKER_02: Derek Lavi has been great for us from the start, but you know, he's still a rookie.
15:57
SPEAKER_02: So um we have a bunch of young talent that's gonna have to continue to grow and develop together, while also, you know, growing in bonds and understanding that not only we have to be close on the court, but off the court as well.
16:07
SPEAKER_00: You mentioned the defense part of like the struggle so far.
16:10
SPEAKER_00: Um, and one of the things that I like to look at when watching ball, you you know, I'm a sicko.
16:17
SPEAKER_00: I watch as much basketball as anybody that's not actually in the league, right?
16:21
SPEAKER_00: And I like to look at the philosophies of different coaches and things.
16:24
SPEAKER_00: And Jason Kidd historically has been known as a defensive-oriented coach.
16:28
SPEAKER_00: Like even the conference finals run at the Dallas Mavers went on during um the last couple years, that was a defensive-oriented team that was drop driven by Lucas offense on the same side.
16:37
SPEAKER_00: But now things have maybe changed.
16:39
SPEAKER_00: Is the philosophy still the same and and the execution is not like has Jason Kidd evolved to be like, yeah, we're cool with dropping 125 as long as you get 124?
16:49
SPEAKER_02: No, he's he's still committed to defensive end.
16:51
SPEAKER_02: That's the issue, is that you know, we're fortunate to be able to score and you know, do our 125 plus points a game, but um defensively, that's still his you know calling card.
17:02
SPEAKER_02: And for um my perspective, I actually had to, you know, sit there today and watch a bunch of hours of or hour or so of film just because you know, I'm supposed to be that steward and that leader, and I haven't been doing my job.
17:13
SPEAKER_02: You know, I haven't I've been doing a good job individually, you know, maybe matching up and you know being physical, but um, understanding my positioning, understanding how to communicate to others, you know, being mindful of the people I'm on the court with, all those things, you know, will really help this team.
17:27
SPEAKER_02: So I'm trying my best, you know, step more into that role.
17:31
SPEAKER_02: You know, I feel like I've been a good defender, but you know, that next stage in development for me is a being a great to an elite defender.
17:37
SPEAKER_02: And I feel like I'm not not fully there yet.
17:39
SPEAKER_02: And that I think that will help us tick to the next level because we have a bunch of versatile guys, you know, Derek Jones Jr., who does a phenomenal job of being on ball and being a pest, you know, Josh Green who does a great job, and Tim, who's always in the right spot.
17:51
SPEAKER_02: And so for me, not being in the position or really maximizing the potential of our defense, that's that's what the next step in development is.
17:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I thought the Mavs had a really good offseason, man, bringing you in.
18:01
SPEAKER_00: And I guess I just watched Derek Jones Jr.
18:04
SPEAKER_00: in Chicago here for two years, and I was impressed.
18:07
SPEAKER_00: I was telling people that like that he's a real NBA player.
18:09
SPEAKER_00: He's not just a highlight reel that he might have been a couple years ago, like he does a lot, and I think he's playing better now than what he did last year.
18:16
SPEAKER_00: And when you think about the draft, I don't watch much college ball, but the people that I know that do is like, oh, Derek Live is a perfect guy to bring him to the team.
18:23
SPEAKER_00: So um, it was just cool to see them have a vision for Luca, make the adjustment to Trey for Kyrie last year, and then add the defensive-oriented pieces in you and Derek Jones Jr.
18:33
SPEAKER_00: and so on and so forth.
18:34
SPEAKER_00: What is it?
18:35
SPEAKER_00: What has it been like though?
18:36
SPEAKER_02: It's special.
18:36
SPEAKER_02: You know, I've played with two of the best, you know, young talents in the league for the past four years.
18:41
SPEAKER_02: And being around Luca and Kai, you know, you see how much of a magician they are.
18:45
SPEAKER_02: Like some of these like passes and opportunities that you get because those guys draw so much attention, and how people guard them is completely different.
18:53
SPEAKER_02: Like I'll I'll be in Boston, you know, they do a good job of just switching, make sure they peck the pain, and you know, try and make those guys, you know, not only score in isolation, but create place for others.
19:02
SPEAKER_02: And when you watched, you know, Mavericks play, you see like Toronto last night, they guarded Luca in backcourt and let us play four-on-four.
19:10
SPEAKER_02: Like they didn't care if you know we were playing with more space on the floor.
19:14
SPEAKER_02: They were denying him to the point where they didn't, he could stand at half court and they would be tight and hugging up to his body.
19:20
SPEAKER_02: And Kyrie does a phenomenal job because you know he creates his own shot more than anyone, but they're really two different players.
19:25
SPEAKER_02: Like Kyrie's a guy that can create his own shot easily, and then all of a sudden, if he gets trapped, he gives you the ball and make a play.
19:32
SPEAKER_02: Well, I feel like Luca is a little bit more where he, you know, can get a bucket, every do whatever he wants to do.
19:38
SPEAKER_02: But in situations, he puts in on the money where you don't even have to move.
19:42
SPEAKER_02: Like you don't even have to exert any effort.
19:44
SPEAKER_02: You're just standing in the corner, and next you know, you get the ball and it hits you in your hands in the perfect pot, and you are able to just lace up and shoot a three.
19:51
SPEAKER_02: And um, that's I feel like the difference between the two guys is Kyrie, I feel like it's a little bit more trusting in the same like you guys are basketball players, you know, go go do it and have fun.
20:00
SPEAKER_02: While um Lucas more so I'm just gonna make sure you guys are relaxed.
20:04
SPEAKER_02: You guys are gonna have to do a lot on defensive ends, so we're gonna make sure you can only shoot the ball on this end and really take time.
20:10
SPEAKER_00: So, and like you mentioned, the game plan for the Toronto Raptors, how does that change for you as someone that's not the the focus, I guess, of the defense, right?
20:20
SPEAKER_00: Um, when they're doing different adjustments to Luka Doncic or a Kyrie Irvin, how does that change your game or the way you play offensively?
20:30
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's interesting because every team's different, every team's philosophy is different.
20:33
SPEAKER_02: You know, when we played Toronto last night, their whole thing with me was just don't let him get a shot off.
20:38
SPEAKER_02: Like how I can catch the ball and they would be, they put Scotty on me last night.
20:41
SPEAKER_02: And the past four years of my career, I've had like a Gary Trend or one of those other guys on me because they knew I wasn't necessarily involved in the actions.
20:50
SPEAKER_02: So I think that Toronto did a good job because they understood that, you know, the guy that would be playing a short role and stuff like that, let's put one of our better defenders on him.
20:58
SPEAKER_02: And so that way if he screens for Luca, guess what?
21:00
SPEAKER_02: Scotty's switching on to him, OG switches on to me, and hopefully they don't get much action.
21:04
SPEAKER_02: And then that way he gets me off the three-point line, different so forth.
21:08
SPEAKER_02: So last night I was thinking, I said, I didn't do a great job of, you know, creating enough separation or even just giving better outlets for guys because um, when they spawn in on us, you know, they're got like Derrick Jones and these guys may have to be involved in the actions, and they've done a phenomenal job of it at the start of the year.
21:24
SPEAKER_02: But we're putting a lot of pressure on um Luca and Kai to create a lot when we we could have helped them out a lot last night on the offensive end.
21:31
SPEAKER_00: You um a couple days before that, you had you match your career high against my my Chicago Bulls.
21:38
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
21:39
SPEAKER_00: Um, I got a lot of respect for you.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: I got a lot of respect for you.
21:45
SPEAKER_00: But it feels it feels like you know, things happen against the Bulls that they I guess the Bulls didn't plan for you.
21:51
SPEAKER_00: I think what you scored the nine out of the first eleven points or something like that.
21:55
SPEAKER_00: Like obviously the the way they defended you wasn't high on their scouting report.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: And this year, you're, you're killing, you're killing the game.
22:02
SPEAKER_00: Do you think that with you being a starter and notoriously before that, more of a role player coming off the bench and kind of a spark plug offensively and defensively, that teams haven't necessarily adjusted to you being the starter out there?
22:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think they have, but I don't think they've adjusted to the shots that I'm willing to take now.
22:21
SPEAKER_02: You know, that's I feel like the biggest issue because like when I was in Boston, you know, I was pretty much just, you know, spot up shots in the corner.
22:27
SPEAKER_02: If I got a little shot fake sidestep every now and again, I'd shoot it.
22:31
SPEAKER_02: But like now you'll see me where I'm picking pop actions.
22:33
SPEAKER_02: I'm actually taking shots that I would never have taken.
22:36
SPEAKER_02: Like I would drive and shot fake and shoot a mid-range and I should build that one-legged fadeaway.
22:41
SPEAKER_02: And they're like, when the heck did he start shooting that?
22:43
SPEAKER_02: And they're like, they just are kind of shocked, but at the same time, they're like, okay, so he's actually a ball player now.
22:48
SPEAKER_02: He's not just gonna, you know, be receptive of other guys, put him in a position.
22:52
SPEAKER_02: He has he's creative for himself.
22:54
SPEAKER_02: And I think start the games off, that's kind of when honestly, historically, I've got I've had success.
23:00
SPEAKER_02: You know, like when I was in Boston, every time I started, started the game, like when you for some reason when you put the four or like the three and they put you know their their third or fourth best defender on you, you know, those are the guys that ended up getting the puggets.
23:11
SPEAKER_02: Like last night was D Jones.
23:12
SPEAKER_02: D Jones had 12 points in the first half or first quarter.
23:15
SPEAKER_02: You look up and you're like, oh well, yeah, that's part of it, you know.
23:19
SPEAKER_02: But uh I remember in Boston, I remember putting the Suns two years ago, or last year, I think it was, and I think I scored our first like nine of 11.
23:26
SPEAKER_02: And because D Buck was on me, and D Book was talking trash and doing his good old stuff.
23:30
SPEAKER_02: And um, it's just a matter of like, I feel like when teams have to decide what's gonna beat them, they never will choose Luca or Kyrie.
23:37
SPEAKER_02: So it's gonna be funny.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: Right.
23:39
SPEAKER_00: Um what was your reaction to the the shot that Luca hit against the what was at the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the season?
23:46
SPEAKER_02: You see me on the bench, I was going crazy.
23:49
SPEAKER_02: I was like, how the he, but he thing is he works on that.
23:52
SPEAKER_02: Like he works on shots like that every single day.
23:54
SPEAKER_02: And it's actually frustrating as a as a teammate and as a player because like you just sit there and you're like, how the like, how the heck does he make that?
24:03
SPEAKER_02: And you just get mad because you're like, I if I went and shot that shot 26 times in a row, I don't think I make it once.
24:09
SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
24:10
SPEAKER_02: He'll do it like four times in a row.
24:11
SPEAKER_02: Like you there's that same off the back top of the shot clock shot to start every game.
24:16
SPEAKER_02: You're like, yep, I try it, and then I made it, and then he'll be like, I'll do a 10 in a row.
24:19
SPEAKER_02: Like, no, you can't.
24:21
SPEAKER_02: He'll do a 10 in a row, and I'll be like, I'll try it, I'll get like three, and I'll be like, okay, yeah, I don't see how he can test.
24:26
SPEAKER_02: He just is a special talent.
24:27
SPEAKER_00: That's insane.
24:28
SPEAKER_00: So when you hit your free agency period, um, you're a restricted free agent.
24:33
SPEAKER_00: I I always tell people that as this is as an outsider, obviously, that restrictive free agency is like the worst possible thing.
24:39
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
24:40
SPEAKER_00: And oh you okay, so you agree with that.
24:44
SPEAKER_02: I'm in the union, I'm first vice.
24:46
SPEAKER_00: All right, all right.
24:46
SPEAKER_02: Trust me, I've spoken out on that a lot.
24:49
SPEAKER_00: Okay, okay.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, you you ended up your deal ended up being done a lot later than some of the other deals.
24:55
SPEAKER_00: And I'm assuming that it's because of the restrictive free agency, right?
24:59
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, let's just say with restricted free agency, no team's gonna tie their money up in the first two days when there's still potential other free agents available.
25:09
SPEAKER_02: So, like when you have unrestricted free agents, those are the guys that simply go first, and that's when all the CAP for teams go away.
25:16
SPEAKER_02: So now the teams that are available are the ones who have like whether like I got kind of screwed in a way I had all mid-level deals, or and I had other deals before that that were probably more, you know, more financially lucrative, but they were either shorter term or they had like non or they had like a team option and stuff like that.
25:34
SPEAKER_02: And I wasn't willing to do that.
25:36
SPEAKER_02: So um I feel like distributed free agencies is a that's a struggle because a team can easily say, you know, we want you back and all this stuff.
25:45
SPEAKER_02: And when it's time to put the money up, they'll just be like, we'll wait for somebody else to make an offer and then see what your market value is, and then if you don't get the deal, you're kind of stuck with the team.
25:55
SPEAKER_02: And unless you force your way out or you know, kind of work your back ends and get it get it to work out, you you were kind of stuck on the money value that the team may have you at.
26:03
SPEAKER_00: With the Celtics, did you you feel like they were gonna let you hit restrict the free agency, but ultimately they were gonna let you end up on a different team, or did you go into the offseason thinking like I'm gonna be a Boston Celtic for the next four years or so?
26:18
SPEAKER_02: Whatever that Magic Johnson uh meme is, let's just say that.
26:22
SPEAKER_02: I'm not gonna be here.
26:24
SPEAKER_02: The people walking here, we've been talking about next year, and I'm sitting there saying, I'm not gonna be here.
26:34
SPEAKER_02: That's exactly how uh how I was going into it.
26:37
SPEAKER_00: Right, okay.
26:38
SPEAKER_00: But is that from your perspective, or just I guess seeing the writing on the wall?
26:41
SPEAKER_00: Uh obviously they made a lot of decisions with you and and Rob Williams being out, with Marcus Smart being out, and they bringing in um Porzingis and Drew Holiday.
26:49
SPEAKER_00: So was it that was how you felt, or did you just see the writing on the wall if they wanted to maybe go a different direction?
26:55
SPEAKER_02: Oh no, that's how I felt.
26:56
SPEAKER_02: I kind of like worked my way here to Dallas.
26:58
SPEAKER_01: Okay, right, right.
27:00
SPEAKER_02: Um, it wasn't necessarily because of the guys or anything.
27:03
SPEAKER_02: It was, you know, it's just it's time for the next step in your development stage.
27:07
SPEAKER_02: And I knew that, you know, being in Boston, I knew kind of what the moves they were gonna make was gonna be because they wanted me to come back.
27:12
SPEAKER_02: Um I remember uh Brad wasn't the happiest when I when I wasn't uh really uh likely to come back to Boston.
27:19
SPEAKER_02: So um, but I wanted to make the best, you know, opportunity for me to take this step to Dallas.
27:25
SPEAKER_02: I had a couple other teams that were in mind.
27:27
SPEAKER_02: It's funny because your favorite team was on that list and uh just didn't work out.
27:32
SPEAKER_02: But um I would say that yeah, I kind of was happy that I was able to get here to Dallas and we've been working on it for you know a while.
27:39
SPEAKER_02: So felt good.
27:40
SPEAKER_00: I'll say it because you won't that was the right decision to avoid this team, right?
27:46
SPEAKER_00: You made the right decision playing alongside Luca is feeling.
27:50
SPEAKER_02: I feel like the issue with uh the Bulls right now is like they just you know they're they're they're talented, you know, they're gonna have the they have the ability.
27:57
SPEAKER_02: Their second unit is actually the team that always you know keeps them in games because their first unit typically like warms up into the game.
28:04
SPEAKER_02: But I don't know why it just hasn't worked out there.
28:06
SPEAKER_02: I don't know if it's like their you know lack of the defense on the first unit or if it's like not being able to space and shoot shoot you know keep up with the pace and threes of this league nowadays, but it's it's interesting.
28:19
SPEAKER_00: I think that um for my non-expert opinion, what you just said, the lack of three-point volume and and makes is like the main thing that's holding us back.
28:29
SPEAKER_00: That's why I was excited.
28:30
SPEAKER_00: Like, I I know I don't know if you remember the tweet when we ended up freeing up a little bit of money.
28:34
SPEAKER_00: I was like, we want Grant Williams, we want Tory Craig.
28:37
SPEAKER_00: And because I wanted somebody that can come in and hit a high clip of three-point shot shooting, and you're doing it right now in Dallas, so it would have been good for us, but I'm I think for your career, it makes more sense to be in Dallas.
28:49
SPEAKER_00: So I think you made the right decision.
28:51
SPEAKER_02: You know, Pat's struggling right now.
28:53
SPEAKER_02: You know, I grew up with Pat and he's not necessarily performing the way he needs to.
28:56
SPEAKER_02: Maybe it's you know, the trip to free agencies, as I said, can really screw with you.
29:01
SPEAKER_02: But um I think that he he he can be that guy for you guys.
29:04
SPEAKER_02: You know, Kobe's you know always been a spacer and Zach can shoot it.
29:07
SPEAKER_02: Damar is phenomenal what he does, and boot's having a poor shooting year so far, but it's only the first eight games.
29:13
SPEAKER_02: I feel like the issue that I always say with the Bulls is like people, you know, you can't stress over eight games for the season.
29:20
SPEAKER_02: I feel like they'll they'll figure it out and they're always gonna be competitive enough to win, like to beat anyone.
29:24
SPEAKER_02: So it's just a matter of can they have enough success to win at a high level.
29:28
SPEAKER_02: Losing Lonzo early on, that was probably the hardest.
29:32
SPEAKER_02: This the hardest part about being a Bulls fan is that when Lonzo was there, younger.
29:36
SPEAKER_00: We were cooking, man.
29:37
SPEAKER_00: We were cooking.
29:38
SPEAKER_00: Unreal.
29:39
SPEAKER_00: That was other than the Derrick Rose era, that couple months from the Lonzo ball being here was like the most fun I've had as a Bulls fan.
29:46
SPEAKER_00: And then it was taken away, and now we just kind of sitting around.
29:50
SPEAKER_00: We're in a lot of games.
29:51
SPEAKER_00: Like we were in the game against you guys, and then you guys pulled away.
29:53
SPEAKER_00: We're in the game against the Suns last night, and then they pulled away.
29:56
SPEAKER_00: It's just the reality of it.
29:57
SPEAKER_00: That's too much Bulls talk.
29:58
SPEAKER_00: We we want to get back, we want to get back to you because um obviously you have I don't do you do you like I guess the um what's the word I'm looking for?
30:11
SPEAKER_00: The titles of 3 and D guy.
30:15
SPEAKER_00: Does that bother you or do you like that?
30:18
SPEAKER_00: Because I can see it being kind of like restricting to who you are as a player.
30:21
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, honestly, I don't mind it as much just because like when you think of when you think of a 3 and D guy, those are the ones that you know make the most of a team.
30:30
SPEAKER_02: Like I feel like when you had Mikhail Bridges and Phoenix, you know, he was a 3D guy, quote unquote.
30:35
SPEAKER_02: Same with Cam Johnson.
30:37
SPEAKER_02: And now they go to these different other opportunities, different markets, and you see the growth of their game.
30:42
SPEAKER_02: And that's kind of how it was for me in Boston.
30:44
SPEAKER_02: I was just always considered a 3nd, and now you see I have a little bit more to my to my game where I can, you know, play in the mid-range, I can be a screener roller, be able to, you know, have a little touch of the rim and create for others.
30:55
SPEAKER_02: But you know, it's not limiting by any means, but it definitely doesn't help you for what you would you say, like contract talks in the future, you know, because teams will only believe that you may have this, and then when it gets you in house, they're like, oh well, thank the Lord.
31:08
SPEAKER_02: I got this guy like this.
31:10
SPEAKER_02: Like I know when Brooklyn traded for McKill and Camp, they didn't really expect this, right?
31:15
SPEAKER_02: But now they're like, oh, thank you.
31:17
SPEAKER_02: Like we we made the right deal, we like we did exactly what we needed to do.
31:20
SPEAKER_02: And that's why I say a lot of those 3 and D guys are the most undervalued players.
31:24
SPEAKER_02: But um, I think the best part about being undervalued is eventually people are gonna be able to say, like, this guy's worth it and belongs in this league.
31:32
SPEAKER_02: And you know, that's that's that's all you really want is that respect from your peers and respect from the people around you.
31:38
SPEAKER_00: This is a question I ask everybody that I see as like a positive to really good defender.
31:44
SPEAKER_00: What percentage of defense is prep slash skill slash heart?
31:50
SPEAKER_02: I think honestly, it's like 85 heart, uh sorry, well 75 heart, 15 prep, and then 10% skill.
32:00
SPEAKER_02: You know, like there's the cerebral side where it's like there's some defenders who are just very intelligent.
32:06
SPEAKER_02: There's other defenders who play with the most heart in the world, and like you watch like a Pat Bev and like the Drew Holidays and the Smarts, like they're just very, very in D White.
32:14
SPEAKER_02: Would you ever say that those guys are like elite at like just being on the floor and doing it?
32:20
SPEAKER_02: They are they play with their their heart on the floor every single night, right?
32:24
SPEAKER_02: And you see that by how they express themselves, how they approach it, like then it's different ways.
32:28
SPEAKER_02: Drew and D White are both silent, they're not talking trash, they're like doing everything, little gritty things that people don't even really talk about or notice until unless you're a basketball at like Apple and Smart and Pat Bever, the talkers, they're more physical, the more like, oh, I'm gonna get under this guy's skin.
32:45
SPEAKER_02: Like the dentist shooter last night, he's a guy that will just like do little things to annoy people.
32:50
SPEAKER_01: Right.
32:51
SPEAKER_02: And then you have guys like me and PJ and guys like that who are just more physical, that are positional defenders who aren't necessarily blocking people's shots, or like if you look at Draymond, is he ever like jumping up and blocking AD shot?
33:04
SPEAKER_02: No, pretty much in the right position at all times, and he's making the right read and trying his best to be the best, one of the best help defenders and on ball defenders in the league.
33:12
SPEAKER_02: So um, I think that's all like mostly heart, and then the cerebral side adds into it.
33:18
SPEAKER_02: And then at the end of the day, the skill side, there's you can be as long as you be, if you move your field on the offensive end, you can move your feeling on the defensive end.
33:27
SPEAKER_02: It's a matter if you want to.
33:28
SPEAKER_02: Right.
33:29
SPEAKER_02: That's what I was saying.
33:30
SPEAKER_00: You mentioned Dennis Schroeder, the game the other night.
33:33
SPEAKER_00: Um, there's a moment where you lightly tapped him.
33:38
SPEAKER_00: Give him a combo.
33:40
SPEAKER_00: You lightly tap.
33:41
SPEAKER_00: Um I I didn't get to watch the complete game.
33:44
SPEAKER_00: What was the outcome?
33:45
SPEAKER_00: What was the reason for that?
33:46
SPEAKER_00: And what was the outcome of that moment?
33:48
SPEAKER_02: Oh no, it's funny because like Dennis is I play I played with Dennis.
33:52
SPEAKER_02: He's the type of person that will always like, he's like Mo Wagner too.
33:55
SPEAKER_02: Those two guys, maybe it's maybe it's always saying maybe it's German and German in them, but like the funniest thing is they're like the most physical, tough guys, and they'll bump you, elbow you, or something like that.
34:04
SPEAKER_02: But the moment you do something back, they're like flailing, or they're going back to the official.
34:09
SPEAKER_02: So I remember I was like, so he they called a foul on him for smacking my wrist.
34:13
SPEAKER_02: So I'm like holding the ball, about to throw it to the referee over it's like around him.
34:16
SPEAKER_02: And so he smacks my hand.
34:18
SPEAKER_02: So I'm just like, all right, and I like it like that, like messed with him.
34:21
SPEAKER_02: But I easy could like if I wanted to like actually hit him, I could have, but like I just like messed with him, like smacked him off.
34:26
SPEAKER_02: I think I don't know if I swept him in the nose or the lip.
34:28
SPEAKER_01: Right.
34:28
SPEAKER_02: And I just walked away.
34:29
SPEAKER_02: And Dennis knew I was just messing with him, so he's not mad, but immediately immediately like he went to the official turnaround, like, you got to review that took four things.
34:37
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, come on, man, you're the one talking about me about flopping.
34:41
SPEAKER_02: Don't do that.
34:43
SPEAKER_00: So you guys don't go against the Boston Celtics until the start of 2024.
34:47
SPEAKER_00: So you gotta wait until you get to get your your you think you get a video?
34:52
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
34:53
SPEAKER_02: Honestly, I'm I I I love my time there in Boston.
34:58
SPEAKER_02: You know, the people uh were amazing to me, you know.
35:01
SPEAKER_02: Um, I missed a team because those guys, those guys will always be my brothers for a long time.
35:04
SPEAKER_02: We went through a lot.
35:06
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, the fans there, you know, they're some of the best in the league.
35:09
SPEAKER_02: You know, they've always been that, they've been very supportive of the franchise and they value guys who play with heart and toughness.
35:15
SPEAKER_02: And if anything, I don't even know if I'll get a video, but I know for damn sure Marcus Marlowe.
35:20
SPEAKER_02: And that's what really matters to me because um those guys, like the guys who I played with, Marcus, the Robs, um, I feel like they deserve more than anything.
35:29
SPEAKER_02: For me, I'd be happy if I got one, but it'll be a little bit emotional going back because you know you give four years of your life to organization.
35:36
SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, that's where I started.
35:38
SPEAKER_02: You know, it was the first place that drafted me.
35:40
SPEAKER_02: Um, it's something I always be thankful for.
35:42
SPEAKER_02: I always thank Danny and Brad for their belief in me and allowing me to become the player that I am today.
35:47
SPEAKER_02: And without Boston, I wouldn't be who I am.
35:49
SPEAKER_00: I think you deserve a video strictly off game seven.
35:53
SPEAKER_00: You know, that that moment, you know, that that alone, they could just show that highlight reel over and over.
35:58
SPEAKER_00: And I'm sure the fans get hyped for it because that was a crazy moment.
36:01
SPEAKER_02: Until the next uh game seven uh role player does something, really with game seven Kelly.
36:06
SPEAKER_02: Hopefully, I'll be.
36:07
SPEAKER_00: Oh man, that was against what the Wizards.
36:09
SPEAKER_00: Yep, game seven.
36:11
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that was crazy.
36:12
SPEAKER_00: Um, I I got a couple more defensive-oriented questions before we get to like the super fun stuff.
36:16
SPEAKER_00: When I mention you returning back to Boston, because I'm assuming that when you play them, your assignment defensively might be Jason Tatum or or Jalen Brown, one of the two.
36:27
SPEAKER_00: How do you, after playing alongside him for many years, as a defender, how how do you think you guard him?
36:33
SPEAKER_00: Do you know, do you know his secret recipe of you know trying to get his buckets?
36:37
SPEAKER_02: Honestly, both are different, you know.
36:39
SPEAKER_02: Um you can have some a strategy in your mind that you think is gonna work, and then you go and try and do that, and let's just say you'll still get 40 in your head.
36:46
SPEAKER_02: So we're gonna have the attempts.
36:48
SPEAKER_02: But um, it's just a matter of making sure everything's hard for them, you know.
36:51
SPEAKER_02: Um JT, you know, making sure that he's working for everything down to court because he's gonna be cerebral enough to know if you're too physical with him, he's gonna get fouled, he's gonna get the call.
37:00
SPEAKER_02: But also if you're you know, if you play off of him too much, he's gonna try and low you to sleep and then step back to his left and shoot that little pull-up from three.
37:10
SPEAKER_02: So he has great footwork and he's a guy that you know you have to be into his body and make him, you know, not be able to use his size and his length.
37:17
SPEAKER_02: With JB, I feel like his ability to, his athleticism is, you know, him and Ant Edwards are both up here.
37:25
SPEAKER_02: Like there's not many that can compare.
37:27
SPEAKER_02: Um, so you should have to, you know, try and get him to speed up and you know, force him into difficult decisions because when he's has a great opportunity to make the easy, easy read, he's great at it.
37:36
SPEAKER_02: So making sure that he sees bodies, make like one-on-one, it's gonna be difficult to guard both of those guys.
37:41
SPEAKER_02: I'm not gonna say I'm gonna go out there and hold them guys to two points, four points.
37:46
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely not.
37:47
SPEAKER_02: But I'm gonna do my best, you know, just make it make it difficult for them and make other guys have to beat us, you know.
37:51
SPEAKER_02: I know they have the they have probably one of the more talented teams in the league, and they have the ability to beat you in offense because they have some you know great shooters on the outside.
37:59
SPEAKER_02: They have Peyton Pritcher, Sam Hauser, and um, you know, Al off the bench.
38:03
SPEAKER_02: And every now and again they play, may play O'Shea Brissett or Lamar Stevens or one of those guys or Luke.
38:09
SPEAKER_02: But outside of that, you're gonna be really the defensive side of the basketball is gonna be where you have to hone in because offensively you're gonna they're gonna switch, they're gonna try and you know keep the ball outside and make you score over their elite defenders because they're a really good, you know, team defensive, like individual defender teams, and they're gonna try to make you score in isolation against them.
38:27
SPEAKER_02: And fortunately enough, we have two guys that can really do it and create command a lot of help.
38:30
SPEAKER_02: So um it's gonna be a fun game.
38:33
SPEAKER_00: Has there been a matchup, individual matchup, where you were doing everything in your power, but none of it has worked, and the guy just went crazy and got his buckets regardless?
38:44
SPEAKER_00: A bunch of times, yeah.
38:46
SPEAKER_00: What's the most notable one?
38:48
SPEAKER_02: The one that I always remember is like when I guarded Chris Middleton my first two years through two, three years of the league.
38:53
SPEAKER_02: Like every time I played him, for some reason, I don't know if he had it out against me or if he had it out against the Celtics.
38:58
SPEAKER_02: They say he's a Celtics killer.
39:00
SPEAKER_01: Right, yeah.
39:00
SPEAKER_02: He was a guy that I felt like every single time I guarded him, the shot went in.
39:05
SPEAKER_02: Like, no question.
39:06
SPEAKER_02: Like, I would guard him, I could tip the ball, I could block it on the backboard if for some reason the backboard slanted to the left and then hit the ball in.
39:15
SPEAKER_02: Like it was absurd every time I played in my first two or three years in the league.
39:19
SPEAKER_02: Until his knee surgery, like I was like, I don't know if I can guard him.
39:22
SPEAKER_02: Him and him and CJ McCollum are two guys that I was like, I don't know if like they just have it out against me, or if they just like for some reason want to get hot against the teams that I'm playing against.
39:31
SPEAKER_02: But those two guys, and then um, those are the two main ones, and then the other guys that I feel like you can go hit or miss.
39:38
SPEAKER_02: Like, there's either a night where Julius Randle and Pascal go for 30, yeah, or there's nice where they go for four.
39:42
SPEAKER_02: Like last night, Pascal had 29.
39:45
SPEAKER_02: Like, maybe not all of them are on me, but he had it.
39:50
SPEAKER_02: There's maybe a game where he has 12, and I'm like, yeah, I did a pretty good job.
39:53
SPEAKER_02: But those two guys are another two.
39:54
SPEAKER_02: So, like those that are probably in the four.
39:56
SPEAKER_02: Um, Jokic is now on that list where it's like I've always said that I can I can do my best to guard him, but I need that backside help because it's huge.
40:07
SPEAKER_02: You know, like that hook, I there's nothing I can do about it.
40:10
SPEAKER_02: If I can make him catch it out 30 feet and stuff like that, absolutely I'm defending my my butt off.
40:15
SPEAKER_02: But if he gets some two feet extended posts, like there's not many guys that at my size that I'm gonna do a phenomenal job of you know keeping that in a bucket.
40:24
SPEAKER_00: I want to get into Grant Williams's most viral moments.
40:29
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna tell you the moment, and I want you to either tell me the story or what's happening, and then because some of these things we don't have answers for, and I need the answers on this show.
40:38
SPEAKER_00: All right, I'll give you all the answers, don't worry.
40:40
SPEAKER_00: There's a viral clip from a few years ago where Deuce Tatum is in the locker room and he's dapping up everybody.
40:45
SPEAKER_00: Everybody except for you.
40:47
SPEAKER_00: What is going on between the beef of Deuce Tatum and you?
40:51
SPEAKER_02: That actually was the first moment that I felt like Deuce had done something like that.
40:55
SPEAKER_02: So in the moment I was super confused, but then I realized that, oh crap, like JT told me afterwards Deuce had to go to the bathroom.
41:03
SPEAKER_02: So that's why they got up and he, you know, went to the bathroom and came back.
41:07
SPEAKER_02: But after that, ever since the viral moment happened, he bought into it deeply.
41:12
SPEAKER_02: So, like, if I was ever at the house or just hanging out, like, absolutely, Deuce loves me, you know, say what's up, everything else.
41:18
SPEAKER_02: But whenever we were in public, he knew there was a camera and he would just be like, he would look at me, stick his tongue out.
41:24
SPEAKER_02: I just bought into it too.
41:25
SPEAKER_02: I was like, if you don't want, if you want beef, we might have beef.
41:28
SPEAKER_02: And so I'm still beefing with him until he turns 12.
41:31
SPEAKER_00: The next one, it's not it's a viral moment, but we see a lot of crazy stuff happen in basketball, a lot of painful looking things.
41:39
SPEAKER_00: Jordan Bede stepped on on your head, bro.
41:43
SPEAKER_00: And I think I think you were mic'd up, right?
41:45
SPEAKER_00: And you were telling them everything is good.
41:47
SPEAKER_00: Like, how, how, how is that possible that you were able to play through that?
41:51
SPEAKER_02: So, in the moment, I remember like the ball got deflected, and I dove for it, and I think JB did too.
41:59
SPEAKER_02: But then Joel, I guess, tripped over JB.
42:01
SPEAKER_02: I don't know how he fell, but he just full foot ran to the face.
42:06
SPEAKER_02: So I thought originally I was like, Did I break my nose?
42:08
SPEAKER_02: So if you see me on the clip, I like go do this, like nose is fine.
42:12
SPEAKER_02: I go here, I'm like, oh crap, I'm bleeding, but I didn't know how much blood it was.
42:18
SPEAKER_02: So when I sat up, that's when I saw it start trickling.
42:21
SPEAKER_02: I was like, oh no.
42:22
SPEAKER_02: So I was like, all right, so I gotta go out and get this fixed, but I'm not like on when I got to the bench, I was like, I'm not that bad.
42:29
SPEAKER_02: Like, I can go back in the game.
42:30
SPEAKER_02: And they're like, Are you sure?
42:32
SPEAKER_02: Like, are you how's your head?
42:32
SPEAKER_02: Like, I was like, I'm good, like, I don't care.
42:35
SPEAKER_02: Back in the game.
42:36
SPEAKER_02: And I thought the entire time that, like, I don't know what I thought.
42:41
SPEAKER_02: I remember in the clip, I said something like, You were just competing, like, bro, don't worry about it.
42:45
SPEAKER_02: I thought he was just deep, like going for the ball, but I didn't realize he had tripped and like fell backwards on me, or how I didn't even see the clip.
42:52
SPEAKER_02: So I was just basing it off of what went on in my head.
42:55
SPEAKER_02: And let's just say it wasn't the most pleasant feeling.
42:58
SPEAKER_02: Um, it's like 365 pounds on your head, and uh I don't think that he could have easily like stepped fully.
43:06
SPEAKER_02: I think he did a great job of like when he did realize he was on my head, he like leaned the other way and picked his leg up.
43:11
SPEAKER_02: I'm just happy he didn't go, you know, to JB's side.
43:15
SPEAKER_02: You see JB's face, he's like JB knew if it was him, he'd be done for the rest of you.
43:23
SPEAKER_00: The next one I got, I'm sure you've talked about it a bunch.
43:27
SPEAKER_00: The I'ma make bo foam.
43:29
SPEAKER_01: Yep.
43:30
SPEAKER_00: Um, just walk walk me through the moment um because that that is your most viral moment.
43:36
SPEAKER_02: I felt like Goober arenas now.
43:38
SPEAKER_02: Um, for me, it's just like I was in the moment, I'm like, I make free throws all the time.
43:44
SPEAKER_02: Ever since then, for some reason, free throws suck.
43:47
SPEAKER_02: Um, but I was at like a 90% shooter last year.
43:50
SPEAKER_02: That season, I think I was on at like 88 or 86.
43:53
SPEAKER_02: So I was like, all right, easy.
43:54
SPEAKER_02: Like I'm going, it's a free throw.
43:56
SPEAKER_02: I'm not stressed about no free throw.
43:57
SPEAKER_02: And then Donovan like is like messing with me and Donovan.
44:00
SPEAKER_02: My good friends I'm just like, all right, yeah, yeah, my way.
44:02
SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna make a both, like, easy.
44:04
SPEAKER_02: And confidence wise, I felt good.
44:07
SPEAKER_02: Like, absolutely, you're growing up to make a both.
44:08
SPEAKER_02: You're not nervous at all.
44:09
SPEAKER_02: You missed the first one.
44:10
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, okay, that's a bad miss.
44:12
SPEAKER_02: I was like, all right, well, I just walked over to the ram.
44:14
SPEAKER_02: I was like, all right, cool, like the everybody's like, uh oh, uh-oh, uh-oh.
44:17
SPEAKER_02: And I'm just like, all right, man, like fans are going crazy around me.
44:20
SPEAKER_02: And I get the ball and I'm like, all right, cool.
44:22
SPEAKER_02: Like I know I'm gonna make this one.
44:23
SPEAKER_02: That's I'm not even worried.
44:24
SPEAKER_02: I shoot it, it goes like in and out, and over the top, I looked at, I was like, I was just I was just shocked myself because I was like, for one, viral moment.
44:35
SPEAKER_02: Two, it's just like I didn't miss free throws.
44:38
SPEAKER_02: I now I'm just like, I still, for me, it's the most frustrating thing as a shooter.
44:42
SPEAKER_02: Like, free throws are supposed to be the easiest thing in the world.
44:44
SPEAKER_02: Like, I was made 23 for 23.
44:47
SPEAKER_02: Like, free throws were easy to me.
44:48
SPEAKER_02: So, like, since then, I'm like, all right, cool.
44:51
SPEAKER_02: Like, a lot of in and outs have been happening, it's starting to piss me off, but I think I'll easily get back to it.
44:57
SPEAKER_00: The next one um is the playoffs versus Jimmy.
45:01
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
45:01
SPEAKER_00: Um, what was they saying?
45:03
SPEAKER_00: You poke the bear or whatever, whatever it may have been.
45:06
SPEAKER_00: Talk me through was that game two of the series?
45:09
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think I don't know if it was game, I think it was game three or game two of those two.
45:13
SPEAKER_02: But um, I remember like I shot the three, and Jimmy says, like, hell, hell no, he not, he not here.
45:20
SPEAKER_02: And I don't ever initiate talking trash.
45:23
SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm not a guy that's like, if you guys see my trash dog, it's like the nerdy trash talk.
45:27
SPEAKER_02: You're like, what is this guy talking trash for?
45:29
SPEAKER_02: So when he says that, I'm like, nah, I'm here.
45:33
SPEAKER_02: And that's when he gets the ball back, drives, Shimmy goes middle, gets the foul, and one.
45:39
SPEAKER_02: He says, I'm here too.
45:41
SPEAKER_02: And then we just both black out and go and compete.
45:43
SPEAKER_02: Because me and Jimmy have been competing for the past what three, four years?
45:47
SPEAKER_02: At least, and we played each other, what, how many final, how many conference finals?
45:51
SPEAKER_02: Three of the four.
45:54
SPEAKER_02: So, like, I have the utmost respect for Jimmy because not only is he like one of the most like hypest competitors you'll ever play against, but he's a guy that like can stand on business.
46:04
SPEAKER_02: Like he keeps everything basketball, and then off the court, he can be the nicest guy in the world.
46:09
SPEAKER_02: So um, that's why I think I have the most, and that's why in the moment, like you see us both going at it, like competing and everything else, and afterwards we speak as if nothing happened.
46:16
SPEAKER_02: But I always said that I would never, if something like that happens to me, I've always own it.
46:21
SPEAKER_02: Like when I miss two free throws, I own it.
46:23
SPEAKER_02: Like when I um the Jimmy moment happened, like I could easily like you know, duck the media and walked out and like try my best to avoid it and I address it, but I was like, yeah, it got the better of me this night.
46:33
SPEAKER_02: And then the next game, I think I had played one of the better deep defensive games against Jimmy.
46:37
SPEAKER_02: So I was trying my best to like if I mess up, I try and get it back.
46:41
SPEAKER_00: The next one I have is you being Batman.
46:46
SPEAKER_00: Now, when we just passed Halloween, I don't even did you did you do anything this year?
46:50
SPEAKER_00: Because I didn't see I didn't see anything.
46:52
SPEAKER_02: We were we played on the 30th, I think, and the first.
46:55
SPEAKER_02: So like we didn't play on Halloween this year.
46:57
SPEAKER_02: So I was like, oh, they did that on purpose.
46:58
SPEAKER_02: They never want to see my new updated suit, you know.
47:01
SPEAKER_02: Oh, sorry.
47:02
SPEAKER_02: They didn't want to see Batman's new updated suit.
47:04
SPEAKER_02: Right, but you would have you would have done Batman again.
47:06
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
47:07
SPEAKER_02: You know, he me and him have never really met.
47:08
SPEAKER_02: I'm not sure.
47:09
SPEAKER_01: Oh, right, right, right, of course, of course.
47:10
SPEAKER_02: So like um, I think it would have been very interesting to see if uh Batman would have showed up to the game that night, you know.
47:16
SPEAKER_02: I think that they say he was in Gotham in Boston, and then you know he hasn't been seen since.
47:20
SPEAKER_02: So I'm wondering if they're still there.
47:22
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he might he might be.
47:24
SPEAKER_00: He might be.
47:24
SPEAKER_00: The the last one is is the last one.
47:28
SPEAKER_00: You let me know if we keep, okay?
47:31
SPEAKER_00: All right.
47:31
SPEAKER_00: You were at a Dallas Wings game.
47:33
SPEAKER_00: Oh, easy keep.
47:34
SPEAKER_00: Oh, easy keep.
47:35
SPEAKER_00: Okay, cool.
47:35
SPEAKER_00: You were at a Dallas Wings game, and there's a moment after the game you were talking to uh Satus Sab Sabi Sabali.
47:42
SPEAKER_00: Sabali.
47:43
SPEAKER_00: There we go.
47:44
SPEAKER_00: Um, and people on Twitter noticed that when you were talking to her, you had your phone open, but you had the contacts open.
47:52
SPEAKER_00: Talk to me, what was really happening in that moment?
47:55
SPEAKER_02: So I think I had just gotten like either Dirk or Finley's number.
47:58
SPEAKER_02: Because I've known Sat since I was like a junior in college, sophomore in college.
48:04
SPEAKER_02: So like it definitely seems like sketch because it was like one, the contact was open, two, I'll cover my mouth, and I actually think I said like what we're doing after the game or something like that.
48:13
SPEAKER_02: That's like like I think we ended up like talking about going to get a drink or something.
48:17
SPEAKER_02: But it was funny because like in the moment, I go to Twitter and I'm just like, oh my gosh.
48:24
SPEAKER_02: Uh me and Sa, you know, we might have something coming out here soon.
48:27
SPEAKER_02: So that's gonna be even even cooler, you know.
48:29
SPEAKER_02: The glow up, you know, it's gonna be one of the things, you know.
48:31
SPEAKER_02: It must have worked out, I guess.
48:32
SPEAKER_00: That's love.
48:33
SPEAKER_00: That's love.
48:33
SPEAKER_00: Uh that's that's all the viral moments.
48:35
SPEAKER_00: The other one I have is not super viral, but I wanted to ask you about, I guess, was the um the time you were ejected against the Bulls for running into or bumping into the referee, not running into.
48:47
SPEAKER_00: That makes it seem way more than what it was.
48:50
SPEAKER_02: Uh yeah.
48:50
SPEAKER_02: Um, I remember I think they missed the call on the other end.
48:54
SPEAKER_02: It was like a moving screen I got.
48:56
SPEAKER_02: That possession, I cut it off.
48:58
SPEAKER_02: It was definitely a foul on me.
48:59
SPEAKER_02: Like I fly, I tried to take a charge.
49:01
SPEAKER_02: I think it was on Zach or something like that.
49:02
SPEAKER_02: And when they called the block, I think emotionally I was so frustrated.
49:06
SPEAKER_02: I get up and just trying to take off and run.
49:08
SPEAKER_02: And as I get up to take off, she walks onto the court Cheryl, and I had to apologize to her afterwards because like should never have bumped her or anything like that.
49:16
SPEAKER_02: So she walks on to like dude's like, all right, 12, you know, everything else.
49:21
SPEAKER_02: And I turn my head and go.
49:22
SPEAKER_02: But as you can tell in the film, I saw like right when I saw her mother run into her, I try and like get out the way.
49:28
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, turn my body and my hip hits her.
49:31
SPEAKER_02: And that's when I got ejected, and I was like, okay, I'm already pissed about the foul call.
49:35
SPEAKER_02: I'm already pissed about this.
49:36
SPEAKER_02: And that's when I just blacked out and I don't remember what I said.
49:39
SPEAKER_02: But I definitely like had to apologize because that moment, like, it's never, I've never, I've been ejected two times in my career.
49:47
SPEAKER_02: One, that, and the other one by accidental trying to punch the ball after the back.
49:51
SPEAKER_02: I remember that.
49:51
SPEAKER_02: I remember that.
49:52
SPEAKER_02: Off the backboard.
49:53
SPEAKER_02: Like steps used a half court shot to end the quarter.
49:55
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, or in, or in, or going to immediate timeout.
49:58
SPEAKER_02: I'm just like, all right, like we're down 20.
50:00
SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm just like, all right, here we go.
50:01
SPEAKER_02: I'm trying to knock it off the backboard, catch it with my hand.
50:03
SPEAKER_02: As I go like this, I look at the ball, just go deeper and deeper into the stands.
50:08
SPEAKER_02: And I'm just like, all right, hopefully no one saw that.
50:11
SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm trying to grab the ball, you know, hand to the official and go to the bench and chill.
50:14
SPEAKER_02: And I just turn around, Scott's just like, yeah, man, I gotta eject it.
50:19
SPEAKER_02: He said, Yeah.
50:20
SPEAKER_02: And I said, All right, no worries.
50:21
SPEAKER_02: And I just walked off the court.
50:22
SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
50:25
SPEAKER_02: I'm sorry.
50:27
SPEAKER_00: Well, that's um, that's all we have for you.
50:29
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate you taking the time, Grant, man.
50:31
SPEAKER_00: It's been nothing but love.
50:33
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, we want to have you on the other show down the line if you're if you're willing to do it.
50:37
SPEAKER_00: But you taking the time means the world to us.
50:39
SPEAKER_00: So we we really appreciate it.
50:40
SPEAKER_02: Any time, brother.
50:41
SPEAKER_02: Thanks for having me on, and hopefully we can keep this going everywhere soon.
50:44
SPEAKER_02: For sure.
50:50
SPEAKER_00: I want to again say thank you to Grant Williams for coming onto the show.
50:54
SPEAKER_00: He did not have to do this, he did it strictly off the at the kindness of his heart, which we really do appreciate.
50:59
SPEAKER_00: And he said he will come back.
51:00
SPEAKER_00: So maybe around the all-star break, we'll give Grant a little text message.
51:04
SPEAKER_00: He'll say, Hey, I'm here for it.
51:06
SPEAKER_00: Maybe he'll be in a three-point shootout the way he's been shooting this season.
51:09
SPEAKER_00: We don't really know.
51:11
SPEAKER_00: But hopefully, this is not our last NBA time to come onto the show.
51:14
SPEAKER_00: I do want to say I appreciate the way Grant Williams was transparent.
51:18
SPEAKER_00: Like, usually, if you want to hear an NBA player talk about other teams, you have to wait until they hit retirement.
51:24
SPEAKER_00: So to hear him be transparent about the struggles of the Bulls as an active player just means a lot to me because you just don't normally get that.
51:31
SPEAKER_00: He's just been the real deal, you know?
51:33
SPEAKER_00: And maybe he's maybe he's Batman, maybe he's not.
51:35
SPEAKER_00: I I mean I don't know.
51:36
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
51:37
SPEAKER_00: Let me know in the comment section your favorite part of this episode with Grant.
51:41
SPEAKER_00: And as always, I'll see y'all in a couple days.