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Fanatically Speaking: The NBA Season Kickoff - Eastern Promises & Western Wildcards · Fanatically Speaking with Kent

0:00
what's up everybody welcome to fanatically speaking
0:02
i'm kent i'm log off i'm the log off legend and
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uh we're here to say everything that every fan
0:07
is thinking but louder and probably a little
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crazier get ready this is fanatically speaking
0:12
with kent and log off you know what's funny like
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i don't hate i don't i'm not a social media hater
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i'm a social media Hater. You know what I mean?
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I don't want people to think that I get on the
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internet and start hating people on social media.
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That's not what I do. The first half was absolutely
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horrible. Inept offense, inept defense, special
0:37
teams, you name it. I'm gonna turn into Oprah.
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Why were you so angry? He sucks this season.
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This game, whatever, whatever's going on, right?
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And then in the very next pitch, guess what they
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did? They double Homer. And he's like, told you
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that. Why are you always knocking down people?
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Listen, you got the highs and the lows. Yeah,
0:58
so I knew that. You need the highs and the lows.
1:01
So I do that, yeah. I'm trying to be the voice
1:04
of reason here. I am what I am. What's up, everybody?
1:19
Welcome to Fanatically Speaking. I'm Kent, the
1:22
co -host and promoter. Yes, I am Log Off. I'm
1:25
the Log Off legend, hater of social media. I
1:27
am the co -host and producer of the show. Here
1:30
we go. Got an all NBA episode here as the season
1:33
beginning. Another one? Another NBA episode?
1:37
Let's do it again. Yeah, I mean, it's the beginning
1:40
of the season. Season's about to start. You want
1:43
to lead off with the, I guess the kind of a full
1:45
season rundown, like a bird's eye view of, of
1:48
all the different teams or. Yeah. Let's start
1:51
an Easter conference and let's see from last
1:54
year. We'll talk about, uh, let's talk about,
1:56
you know, who's going up, who's going down and
1:57
who's going to come out, uh, you know, at the
2:00
end. Cool. All right. So yeah. So looking at
2:03
the, uh, the NBA Eastern conference, um, obviously
2:06
we know, uh, NBA finals championship, Oklahoma
2:09
city thunder versus the Indiana Pacers. the star
2:13
for the Pacers, Tyrese Halliburton, Torres Achilles
2:15
in the finals. So that terrible for them. But
2:21
as they sat atop the Eastern Conference, I think
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it's fair to say that they won't be there without
2:26
him again. The Eastern Conference, who stands
2:30
out to you on that side, Kent? OK, so what stands
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out to me? A couple of things. You mentioned
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the Pacers. I think they'll take a step back.
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You mentioned Halliburton. They lost my alternative
2:43
free agency to Milwaukee We'll get into the Bucs
2:45
in a minute and then the Celtics they traded
2:48
away everybody and Jason Tatum is out for So
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those two teams are top four teams and They're
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gonna take a step back Feel like the teams that
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are gonna still be there the Cavs and the Knicks.
3:00
They were the one in the three seed last year
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I really like the Knicks with Mike Brown. Now
3:07
is the head coach and That stands out. And then
3:12
just like the Orlando Magic, you know, making
3:14
that deal for Bain. And I think they'll bump
3:17
up into that top three, top four tier. Okay.
3:22
No. And that's fair to say for me. Okay. So you
3:24
mentioned Tatum's injury. You mentioned Halliburton's
3:29
injury and you mentioned some of the trades that
3:32
or the acquisitions that the Orlando Magic made.
3:38
but you get onto me. I feel like you do this
3:40
to me every year. And I, I remember, I remember,
3:44
uh, not, I want to say what mid two thousands,
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uh, 2013, 14, I was really, really big on the
3:53
Atlanta Hawks because they were a fantastic regular
3:57
season team, just like the Cleveland Cavaliers
4:00
were. And I'm still going to hang my hat on the
4:04
calves. They're, they're coming back. full strength
4:07
with their entire squad that played well last
4:10
year. I mean, if we're going to be honest, like
4:13
they, they really just fell short with their
4:17
injuries. The injuries are what really stopped
4:20
them from getting over the hump. In my opinion,
4:23
last year, maybe they, maybe they didn't have
4:24
the talent, but I mean, if you go back and look
4:28
through the playoff run from the first series,
4:30
they had knickknack injuries that stopped the
4:33
momentum that they had. They won 64 games last
4:35
year, dude. That's hard to do in the NBA, especially
4:38
this this year's NBA in the what do you call
4:42
it? The the universe of load load management
4:47
and player rest. And, you know, so for them to
4:51
win that many games. Like it was as a team that
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we feel like all overachieved. It was really
4:57
impressive. So, um, at the top of that division,
5:00
I think I'm going to stick with the Cavs. Embiid
5:03
is a top five player, right? Um, and the Sixers
5:07
should be near the top, but it got to be healthy.
5:11
Embiid is a top five player on paper. It's also
5:14
a top five player on the injury report. He's
5:18
also a top five player. at local hospitals in
5:23
Philly. Like he it doesn't mean anything to me.
5:26
Like I want to say, I think he played less than
5:30
20 games last year. Like it was something he
5:34
didn't get lucky. Give me a second. Actually,
5:35
I got to look this up because it like it blew
5:37
my mind. I want to say he played like the number
5:42
of games that he played last year was in the
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teens and. It's hard for me to call you a top
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five. He's a top five when healthy Yeah, I don't
5:54
have a problem with guys missing games. Like
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I don't want to feel like I'm disparaging him
5:58
from missing games It's always something with
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him and keep in mind. It was a tricky year for
6:04
him last year Well, he had a lot of bad press
6:06
coming out about him He's getting in spats with
6:09
with local reporters and stuff. Like it was a
6:12
lot going on And, and then on top of that, your
6:16
team is struggling. They went 24 games last year.
6:19
The Philadelphia 76ers went 24 games. The star
6:22
player is out and you're having public spats
6:25
with, with the media. Like, I don't know. We
6:29
know he can play. Let's see what he gets on the
6:32
court and does this year. Just looking at, again,
6:34
the bottom teams, you know, we want to look at
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like, who's going to take that step up or if
6:39
any, again, Sixers, maybe if healthy. They find
6:43
themselves in the playoffs. And then I'm an optimistic,
6:47
being optimistic about the Hornets. OK, hold
6:52
on. Hold on. Wait, you laugh. I didn't laugh.
6:55
You laughed. I laugh because, well, you know,
7:02
my fandom, I want to believe. Listen, you can
7:06
believe I'm not I'm going to I'm going to give
7:08
you that. I'm going to allow you to believe,
7:10
by the way, real quick, Joel and be played. 19
7:13
games last year. Yeah. And I'll continue. Um,
7:18
year before that, by the way, 2023, 24, you only
7:20
played 39, uh, regular season. So, um, when it
7:24
comes to your Hornets, how let's, let's be realistic
7:29
over under how many games for them. If I tell,
7:34
if I tell you under 36 wins, are you happy with
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that? Oh, I'm not going to be happy unless they
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make the being like the top 10 at least this
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year. No, no, no. So let's go. Let's go off record.
7:50
Yeah. Let's go off the record. If I tell you
7:53
that, if I tell you that they there within three
8:01
games of competing for the playing game, are
8:03
you happy with that? I'm not putting money on
8:06
it. Okay. No, no, no. Don't put money on it.
8:09
However, I would. absolutely like a give me the
8:16
win I want to know the win total that you're
8:20
comfortable with this year give I need a number
8:26
sir I need a number how many wins how many wins
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for the horn how many wins for the Hornets regardless
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of postseason anything how many number of wins
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What are you satisfied with? I need them to double.
8:45
So 38 38 wins. Yeah, I'll take the under. Okay.
8:52
No, I'm innocent and I'm not knocking you like
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like I need you to understand like 38 38 wins
8:57
is that's 38 wins is a lot. That's yeah, that's
9:02
that's again. I know I'm just saying you said
9:04
what would make me happy and try to be realistic.
9:07
I'm going to say 38 wins. Okay. And so, and I'll
9:09
say this, if they, if they get 38 wins, regardless
9:12
of what happens, you can't be upset. Okay. Is
9:16
that fair? We have it. We got it on tape. Yeah.
9:19
No, I mean, I'm just saying like, cause, cause
9:21
no, cause like 38 is, is the best season they've
9:26
had in how many years? In forever. Forever. Like
9:30
you got to take that. And so yeah, I'm trying
9:32
to reel you in as you know, the rational sports
9:35
fan here. Okay. So, uh, you want to shift to
9:44
the Western conference? Uh, yeah. All right.
9:48
Yes. Okay. So we'll flip over to the Western
9:50
conference. Let me scroll down here. Obviously.
9:52
Okay. See one, the championship. So last year's
9:57
rankings, number two seed is very interesting
10:00
because it's the Houston Rockets who have recently
10:03
acquired one Kevin Durant. Okay. And then you
10:06
got three even more interesting, the Lakers who
10:10
have LeBron and Luca. And now DeAndre Ayton,
10:14
you know, they've made all these offseason acquisitions
10:16
trying to make things as, you know, well balanced
10:19
for them as possible. And obviously they had
10:20
a really good bench too. You got Denver Clippers,
10:24
the T Wolves, the Golden State Warriors, Memphis
10:28
Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and then the teetering
10:31
Dallas Mavericks. That's kind of the top half
10:34
of that conference. And then at the bottom, you've
10:38
got the Suns, the Blazers. Your spurs from last
10:42
year, Pelicans and the Jazz. Go ahead and do
10:46
it. Talk about your spurs. Yeah, they're going
10:50
to definitely be better. Wimby will be healthy.
10:54
So they're going to jump up into that top 10.
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I don't know where, but the teams I look to drop
10:59
out is one of the two. It's going to be Memphis
11:02
or Sacramento. Got you. OK. And I'm actually
11:06
I'm going to throw you an alley right here. And
11:09
it's weird. Just for the record, Kent is a Spurs
11:13
fan. He's been a Spurs fan forever. Okay. So
11:16
he's not like some bandwagon fan because they
11:18
got Wimby. And so I have a question that I don't
11:22
think I've asked you ever. What are your not
11:28
career expectations, but let's just say the next
11:31
two years, like, what do you expect from Wimby?
11:35
Like, what do you expect to see from him as a
11:37
player? Yeah. Like I said, I just expect expect
11:40
him to bulk up in the next few years, which he
11:44
already has a little bit. It's a weird fit, right?
11:47
Again, he is one of a kind. So then just all
11:52
the pieces around him now with Fox and Castle
11:55
and all the other young players, veterans like
11:58
Barnes. I think they're gonna just put it together.
12:00
The only difference is, of course, they got new
12:02
head coach, Pop is gone. So in that sense, you
12:08
know, that might be a little issue, but the Spurs
12:11
organization, they know how to develop players,
12:15
especially young players and players like Wimby.
12:18
And, yeah, I just expect them to just keep going,
12:20
rise higher and higher. Now, is he going to be
12:22
MVP in the next two years? I don't know, but
12:26
definitely defensive player of the year. I think
12:28
I expect that every year. Yeah. I think I saw
12:31
something that said that, uh, just based on his
12:34
career trajectory, that, uh, that, uh, big Vic
12:39
would be the favorite for deep boy of the year
12:42
for like the next eight years in a row, like
12:44
something ridiculous like that. Um, I do think
12:47
that, yeah. And I do think that like, um, listen,
12:52
he's, he's a one of a kind type of player who.
12:57
I think is, which is fair to say we've seen NBA
13:00
players with his body type, very tall, long,
13:04
thin, and it doesn't really last. It's not really,
13:09
you know, a prototypical body type. But I think
13:14
like, and even like his body movements to me
13:18
aren't as fluid or natural as let's say like
13:24
Kevin Durant. Do you think that's fair to say?
13:27
Yeah, he's not gonna be Kevin Durant. He's not
13:30
gonna move like that. No, no, but I think but
13:33
you know me Yeah, no, and and like I said, I'm
13:36
not that's not like a I'm not trying to cast
13:38
any aspersions against him or anything Like he's
13:41
right. He's a good he'll be a good player, but
13:45
his movements are mechanical and Okay, I I commend
13:49
the San Antonio Spurs for Going out of their
13:53
way to not mess this up he's had, you know, some
13:56
health issues, you know, his first couple of
13:58
years in the league, and they're taking the time
14:02
with him, understanding that as he reaches his
14:05
prime, they will have a very legitimate chance
14:10
to win an NBA championship with a player like
14:13
that. So. I commend them for that. And I hope
14:17
we just get a chance to see him play a significant
14:19
amount of games. Like if he plays, I know I got
14:23
on you about the Hornets totals. I would like
14:26
to see him play 60 games this year. Okay. Yeah.
14:31
I mean, I think, yeah, hopefully 60, 65, right?
14:36
Get 65. Gotcha. Yeah, no, absolutely. And my
14:41
60 is just more because of his health. And yeah,
14:44
you know, like I said, it's when he started in
14:46
the league, he was, I felt like he was playing
14:48
some. And then all of a sudden it's like, wait
14:49
a minute, this was a plane and you know, Victor's
14:52
not out there. So, but yeah, but I feel, I feel
14:54
good about them ascending. I do think they take
14:58
that step up. Uh, yeah. I expect him to make
15:00
the plan at least. Okay. So you expect them to
15:04
make the plan. Okay. No. And I think, and I think
15:07
that's a fair expectation. Um, when we get to
15:10
expectations, As I'm looking at the entire NBA,
15:15
all, all the teams, both conferences, the one
15:19
that stands out to me the most is the go to state
15:22
warriors. And, um, you know, so obviously that
15:27
the big three that they had and Clay Draymond
15:29
and Steph is done. You know, Clay's now playing
15:31
for the Mavs. Uh, Draymond still there being
15:34
a jackass and, and Steph Curry as great as he's
15:40
been. Even in his aging years, I still don't
15:45
see a real path to success with the Warriors.
15:49
Am I missing something? You know, they're not
15:53
better than OKC. We don't know what Houston will
15:56
look like. I take them over LA. Denver. Again,
16:05
it would be tough, but Horford's old. And even
16:08
though they added him, I mean he can still play
16:10
now. We say guys are old, but I mean guys play
16:12
till they're 40, you know, so. Age is no longer.
16:16
I don't think an excuse, but aging if you got
16:20
aging team. And the warriors are an aging team,
16:23
I guess, but. I give him a shot against some
16:26
of these teams. It's just, you know, could they
16:29
be the Minnesota OKC the young up and coming
16:33
teams like that? I don't know. I don't. The West
16:38
is so good. I don't see them being good enough
16:44
to compete legitimately. I think a second round
16:50
exit for them in the playoffs is a success. Just
16:54
with how competitive the Western Conference is
16:58
every year. And I mean, anybody who knows basketball
17:02
knows that toward the tail end of the season,
17:06
you start to kind of mail it in, one, for proper
17:09
seeding, and two, to make sure that your team
17:11
is healthy. And with all the other teams that
17:15
have a very deep bench, I just don't see their
17:18
bench. And I mean, honestly, their bench in comparison
17:23
to their starting five talent, I don't see them
17:27
having enough to be able to compete. legitimately
17:30
in that Western Conference. And, you know, we'll
17:33
see what happens with Steph Curry after this
17:35
year. But, you know, I think we all I think he's
17:39
a universally loved athlete, if there is one.
17:42
And we all want to see him, you know, have a
17:45
have a nice, appropriate, well -deserved ending.
17:50
I don't think he's finished. And I'm just looking
17:53
at these standings again. So a couple of things
17:55
I will point out. One, they added Horford, right?
17:57
Locked up cominga at least for two years at least
18:00
for half this season if they decide to trade
18:02
them But then they're gonna have Jimmy Butler
18:04
now. They're having full season so with all that
18:07
being said last year, I mean They were four games
18:12
from the 2c two games from the 3c So that would
18:18
again like I don't expect him to win the NBA
18:20
finals unless again Curry a Butler just go, you
18:24
know have one of those runs But they're going
18:28
to be right there. I mean, it's okay seeing everybody.
18:31
I think we can agree on that in the West. True.
18:36
Now, and I, I don't want to muddy the water about,
18:43
about what you said about their record, because
18:45
I think, I mean, yeah, they were a good enough
18:49
team last year to win 48 games. Like that's impressive,
18:53
but there were a lot of teams that were good
18:55
enough to do that. in both conferences. Like
19:00
you said, it always comes down to wins. Can you
19:03
win these games? You mentioned Horford. Horford's
19:06
what, 37, 38? Yeah. OK, you've got Jimmy Butler.
19:11
And he still can play. No, listen, he can play.
19:14
He's a hooper. But at some point, you're going
19:16
to get that fall off. You mentioned Jimmy Butler.
19:21
I think over the last six years, I don't think
19:25
there's an NBA player that's had more games.
19:28
Just played more games than Jimmy. He's been
19:31
one of those star players that have been in rough,
19:36
deep playoff runs for years. He was a little
19:38
hobbled last year, too. These are just the things
19:41
that happen. And I'm sorry. Al Horford is 39.
19:47
He's almost a 40 -burger. That's OK. I'm just
19:51
saying it's at some point you're going to get
19:53
you're going to get the drop off. You know, it's
19:56
just it's just how these things go. Like I said,
19:58
one good run. They got one good run in them.
20:01
OK, I hope so. I hope I'm wrong. Yeah, but we'll
20:06
have to see how things go with the with the Warriors.
20:09
God bless them. Anything you've got to kind of
20:13
wrap on just the NBA season as a whole? Anything
20:16
you're looking out for? I think we've talked
20:19
about it. We want to see the Clippers and that
20:22
soap opera. What comes of all that in the league?
20:27
I know you're excited and waiting on that. Very
20:29
excited. And that's not really like got to do
20:33
with the games, right? I just want to see what
20:35
happens there. That's a big story. We want to
20:37
know because there's, you know, it sucks that
20:39
there are the injuries to like Halliburton and
20:41
Tatum. And I know there's we talk about injuries
20:44
a lot, by the way, especially in NBA. You know,
20:48
let me ask you then. Cause that's kind of what
20:50
I look at. I'm looking at the Kawhi stuff. I'm
20:52
looking at the Hornets. Those are the two things
20:54
I guess I'm really anticipating. But like for
20:58
you, is there a player or a team that you're
21:02
looking to make a jump? Yeah. And, and to me,
21:06
I feel like this team with this roster has skated
21:13
for a couple of years in terms of, um, in terms
21:18
of like production. And I'm gonna go with the
21:21
Memphis Grizzlies. Like John Moran was, you know,
21:27
Alan Alverson 2 .0. You know, he was one of the
21:31
league's most popular players for, I'd say for
21:34
about a year or two. Like he was really, really
21:36
up there. And you look at the rest of that roster.
21:40
So, you know, John being the star, they got Jaron
21:44
Jackson Jr. They, I got Zach Eady, who's seven
21:50
foot eight. They need to develop him into a player.
21:54
They got Kasey P, they got Ty Jerome, they got
21:57
Scottie Pippen Jr. They have a roster where I
22:01
feel like they should be able to string together
22:04
some Western Conference success with John Morant
22:09
being, I would say easily, top three finisher
22:14
in the league today. And by the way, when I say
22:18
finisher, I mean the finisher of a game. Not
22:23
at the rim. Hey, the game's on the line. I think
22:27
John Moran is in the top three of player that
22:29
you want the ball in his hands to go get you
22:31
a win. So you want to see him like go back to
22:35
the job before the drama for all that stuff.
22:38
Go back to the job that everybody was wanting
22:40
to see play for the excitement. in the energy.
22:43
This is irresponsible for me to say as a fully
22:46
formed adult grown black man. But I think that
22:52
with John Moran, all of John Moran's problems,
22:55
if he was balling on the court, I don't even
22:58
think it don't matter. It could still keep be
23:00
it could still be ongoing. The nonsense, the
23:03
guns, you know, the fights and, you know, arresting
23:06
cops showing up at his house and all that. I
23:08
feel like all of that can continue. He's out
23:10
there whooping. I don't think any of that even
23:13
matters. So I think it should be, he should make
23:16
the main thing, the main thing. And I have a
23:19
fair comparison for that too, because there's
23:22
a player who has a lot of stuff going on off
23:26
the court. But when he gets on that court, he's
23:29
out there balling. I see you, Ant Man. I see
23:32
you. Yeah. But Ant also does it. He is also funny.
23:38
He's hilarious. You know, I mean, he's got this
23:42
personality and I don't care about all this other
23:44
stuff. He's just you know, I mean, but I don't
23:48
know how it depends on the situation. It depends
23:50
on what it is and how people perceive it and
23:53
look at it. But that's interesting. Well, like
23:55
I said, Memphis is surprised by that only because
23:58
they did Bain and KCP and do anything in Orlando
24:01
really to help them. Yeah, I don't think so.
24:05
I don't know. So does he help Memphis? or trading
24:09
Bane, is that going to come back to bite them?
24:11
Gotcha. Gotcha. And just random, just really
24:14
quick, because I am shocked by this. How old
24:17
is Contavia's Caldwell Pope? Just guess. I'm
24:21
going to guess that he's 32. That's a fantastic
24:25
guess. I would have thought 36. Like that dude
24:29
is 32 years old. And I'm looking at 32. Wow.
24:32
He is 30. I didn't look it up. No, that's it.
24:35
No, that's it. It was you're a spot on. But I'm
24:37
looking at this. I'm like, this is an error.
24:41
He had a yeah, he's had a hell of a right. Yeah,
24:45
Detroit. Well, Detroit, L .A., the Wizards, Denver,
24:49
Orlando. Oh, wow. Yeah. And now Memphis. Yeah.
24:54
You know, you know what does that, though, is
24:57
guys start so young. Now no, I know and like
25:00
I said, I mean I'm looking at me young and you
25:02
say, you know I'm just saying yeah, they come
25:05
in me and then you say oh man, he's old He's
25:07
played for 12 years. But yeah, 12 years from
25:10
19 years old. Yes. Yeah, exactly You know and
25:13
like I said not a knock on him. I just I thought
25:15
he was much much much older The NBA is the best
25:30
sport because one great player makes a bigger
25:36
impact in this game than any other sport. Kent,
25:40
do you agree with that? I do agree. I'm just
25:45
going to go over. So I'm going to cheat a little
25:49
because I want to do a top 10 list. to kind of
25:54
calculate who the top 10 players in the league
25:57
are right now today. So what I'm going to do
26:00
is I actually pulled this up from the Ringer.
26:02
They have a ranking of the top 20 players in
26:04
the league currently right now today. And I'm
26:07
just gonna rattle them off from 20 all the way
26:09
to one. Ready? Okay, we got Jalen Brown, Paulo
26:13
Benchero, you got Booker in Phoenix, Kat in New
26:17
York, Evan Mobley, number 16. Jalen Williams,
26:23
15. Jalen Williams, 15. Kawhi Leonard, 14. 13
26:31
Cade Cunningham. 12 Anthony Davis. At number
26:36
11, LeBron James. At number 10, Kevin Durant.
26:42
At number nine, Jalen Brunson. Eight, Donovan
26:45
Mitchell. Seven, Steph Curry. Six, Wimby. five
26:51
Ant -Man, Luca at four, Yannis at three, Shea
26:56
Yoselzander at two, and Joker at number one.
27:00
Now, that's a solid top 10. You didn't say Embiid,
27:04
right? Or did you say Embiid? Joel Embiid is
27:06
not on this list, sir. So, okay, I'm just checking.
27:12
Okay, interesting. Yeah, very interesting. And
27:15
again, this is just from the ringer. And I'm
27:18
scrolling through this list. Maybe MB didn't
27:21
play enough games to qualify for this list or
27:23
some qualifier like that. Because as I scroll,
27:25
I still don't see him on here. I actually see
27:28
Tyrese Maxey on this list. And so I'm guessing
27:31
MB was omitted because of his injury history.
27:34
On that list, if you kind of had to rattle off
27:37
that, that top 10, does it sound legitimate to
27:40
you? With LeBron outside the top 10 started with
27:46
KD, KD Brunson, Mitchell, Curry, and then guys
27:52
you're not gonna argue, Wimby, Ant -Man, Luca,
27:57
Giannis, SGA, and the Joker. So the bottom half
28:01
of that list is really to me the only thing that's
28:03
in question. That's Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson,
28:06
KD, LeBron, Anthony Davis. So you got Wimby as
28:11
a top 10 player? Yes, absolutely. OK. Until he
28:17
shows me that he is incapable of that. Absolutely.
28:21
Top 10 player. Yeah. Yeah, SGA is a given. Giannis
28:25
is a given. Jokic is a given. Ant is a given.
28:29
Yep. Steph is a given. I think Steph is still
28:33
a given. A given. So yeah, that's five. I don't
28:36
think you mentioned Luka. Luca is a, yeah, he's
28:39
a top 10. Yeah. So that's six guys. Yeah. So
28:42
listening to it. So even though I don't like
28:44
them, I think as a top 10 player still. I agree
28:50
with you. And I think it was intentional to put
28:56
him number 11 on this list, just outside of the
29:01
top 10. And then in the top 10, you put one Kevin
29:05
Durant. Now we could do the whole, you know,
29:09
KD, you know, LeBron thing all we want. I think
29:13
they're equally about the same type of player
29:15
right now at their career in terms of like impact.
29:20
But I mean, I'll put it to you like this. The
29:24
only other names that are outstanding on this
29:26
list that were in the top 10 that we didn't mention
29:29
again was Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell.
29:32
They are eight and nine. I think you're comfortable
29:35
bumping both of them out to put KD and LeBron
29:40
at eight and nine, whichever, whatever order
29:44
you want to put it in. I would put KD and LeBron
29:47
over both of them. And then again, I think Jason
29:49
Tatum. Jason Tatum not on this list because he
29:53
won't play this year. So yeah, and maybe that's
29:55
what it is with the Embiid thing. And maybe it
29:58
is. And again, I think Embiid went healthy as
30:00
a top 10 player. I mean, we can't argue he was
30:02
an MVP. I mean, he's right. right up there with
30:05
Jokic. But again, it's that one healthy Tatum
30:09
I get. Not this year, but if we're saying just
30:13
in general who are top 10 players, Tatum's the
30:16
top 10 player. OK. And that's not my Duke love.
30:20
It's your Duke bias. So I'm going to say I'm
30:26
going to disagree with something you just said
30:28
when it comes to Embiid. I would not have him
30:33
as a top 10 player for the very reason when we
30:38
were when you asked me about Wimby earlier in
30:40
this episode and you asked me whether or not
30:43
I have him as a top top 10 player I said yes
30:46
of course I do and you asked me why and I said
30:49
because he he hasn't showed me that he is incapable
30:51
of not being a great player of or of yeah being
30:55
of not being a great the great player that we
30:58
think he is okay I do apply that to Joel Embiid
31:03
though. Okay. Yes, we've seen him be great, but
31:10
I think he... So he's 11? I would put him out.
31:17
I would rather have all these other guys on this
31:19
list than him. And I'm including Donovan Mitchell
31:22
and Jalen Brunson too. And it's just because
31:25
at some point you have to be reliable. He's so
31:29
unpredictable. Like, not to mention, like, you
31:31
know, I think a lot of us, we kind of get hung
31:33
up as basketball fans of kind of the last couple
31:35
of years. They had that one big run, you know,
31:38
versus Toronto, you know, but it's just been
31:41
nonsense ever since then. But everyone's forgetting
31:43
that he didn't even play his first year because
31:46
of injuries. Like, this has been a thing with
31:49
him for, since the very beginning of his career.
31:52
And I think that questioning, having like his
31:56
ability, to be able to play at that level at
32:00
that size and be that impactful. No, man, I can't
32:03
put them in the top. I just can't. OK. Yeah.
32:06
I mean, I'm fine with it. Yeah. Yeah. Just the
32:09
it's it's it's yeah, it's insane. But who who's
32:17
your number one? They had no kids. Who's your
32:21
number one? Damn it, man. My number one player
32:27
in the NBA right now, um damn Wow, this is a
32:32
tough question, man. Oh I don't want to edit
32:35
this out man. I might want to leave this in like
32:37
ah damn Give me honest Yeah, I mean give me honest
32:46
it's hard to argue that he's you know what? I
32:49
mean like yokich is yokich, right? But how many
32:53
years as Yanis? I mean he puts up the numbers
32:56
every single year And then you get that Yanis
33:00
fatigue like honestly he's in the MVP top three
33:03
top four voting every single year Listen he he
33:08
just doesn't have a jump shot So I mean at the
33:11
moment based off winning the title and all that
33:14
I mean SGA is probably the best Yo kitsch with
33:17
the in everything. Yo kitsch does it VPs? Well,
33:20
tell me if I'm missing tell me if I'm missing
33:23
anything Tell me a player in the last decade
33:25
that's had a better playoff run resulting in
33:28
the championship than Janis That year was incredible
33:32
What he did in that final? Yeah, didn't he end
33:35
it with a with 50? I Believe so. Yeah, it was
33:40
amazing. Yeah, it was one of those iconic epic
33:43
uh, runs and title wins. Yes. And I feel, and
33:47
I feel like it's, it's massively underrated people
33:51
go look at that stat line from that finals run,
33:54
carried them through the playoffs and then hurt
33:56
his knee at the end of the game to it, to end
33:59
a series. Like he's been incredible, man. Give
34:03
me and above everybody that anybody else that
34:06
I would pick. I just feel like he wants it more,
34:11
whatever that means. Yeah, I mean, again, Jonas
34:15
gives it all and he's doing it for Milwaukee.
34:19
I don't know if I want to see him stay there
34:21
or go somewhere else. I don't I just don't know
34:24
if they're doing enough to to really help him.
34:28
I mean, they kind of try with Dame Lillard, but
34:31
at the end of the day, like what what what is
34:34
he so loyal to? And he's so good about it. He
34:38
won't say anything bad. But again, you know,
34:42
Yeah, but that's beyond the center point. I can't
34:47
argue with that. I was thinking about it and
34:49
you said it. Well, no, I mean, I'm just looking,
34:53
I just, like, I just, I'm thinking a match up
34:56
with Jokic. If you take any variation of Jokic,
35:01
SGA, Luca, Ant -Man, and Wimby's a little unfair,
35:08
but I'll throw Wimby in there. Steph Curry, LeBron,
35:13
out of all of those guys, do I feel like any
35:16
of them want that bucket more than Giannis? I
35:19
don't. I'm sorry. No, I mean. Yeah. You're right.
35:24
He's going to want it. He's like, no, you're
35:26
going to give me this dunk. OK, no, that was
35:29
a great question, man. You came out of nowhere
35:31
with me on that one. We did the whole league,
35:42
so let's do the hornets. Yeah. Yeah. Let's do
35:45
a hornets deep dive. So we know their season
35:48
pretty much fizzled last year with the, uh, with
35:51
the injuries to Lamelo ball. He's going to come
35:54
back this year. Um, you know, they've recently,
35:56
you know, checked his height and, um, he wasn't
35:59
six, seven, so he was not six, seven. He's six,
36:04
six. you know, so he'll be back this year. Hopefully
36:07
he can stay healthy. I look at Ball, Bridges,
36:14
Miller. If all of them takes a step up, I think
36:17
they hit that number that you want them to. That
36:20
38 wins in the East, I think that's doable for
36:24
them. But all in all, it's unfortunately, I'll
36:31
have to see it to believe it. The stars would
36:34
have to align perfectly, and I think it's wishful
36:38
thinking at this point. You never know if the
36:41
draft cakes are gonna work out. That's a Charlotte
36:45
history. You just never know with their draft.
36:51
But I mean, Brandon Miller showed that he's going
36:54
to be a star, if not already a star. Mellow and
36:59
Bridges have a good chemistry. Again, they brought
37:02
back they brought in veterans like Colin Sexton.
37:05
They got Plumlee Oh, dude, you just oh you beat
37:09
me to it. So yeah, so that's what I was gonna
37:11
say. They've got They've got a healthy balance
37:16
of young irresponsible talent and veteran like
37:23
pure NBA grizzled veteran leadership Mason Mason
37:27
Plumlee Pat Conant, okay Josh Green, Colin Sexton
37:34
as a guard. They've got veterans on that team
37:39
with good athletic history, where it's like,
37:43
OK, these guys can go out there and play. Then,
37:45
of course, you got the A -side. You got Mello.
37:49
You got Miller. That's your A -side. If they
37:53
all take a step up, man, it can be done. Looking
37:58
at it, this is the best team they've had in a
38:00
while. I just hope that it works out for them.
38:04
Yeah. I thought they really got some depth on
38:07
the roster when they traded PJ Washington to
38:09
Dallas. And then again, injuries last year, we
38:12
talked about metal low, but Grant Williams got
38:14
hurt, Miller got hurt. So again, Grant Williams,
38:18
right? Hard nose player. And then like I said,
38:22
the young guys. you know, Trey Mann, you know,
38:25
I think you might have mentioned Trey Mann, right?
38:27
But then there are rookies. I mean, you know,
38:29
Calkbrenner, Kniepl, McNeely. I mean, I'm not
38:35
like hopeful, but that's just me. I mean, I'm
38:39
just not. I don't know. I mean, he's OK. And
38:41
I hope that, you know, he just all of a sudden
38:43
turns into some great player. But yeah, they
38:47
got a really deep roster. And like you mentioned,
38:50
a lot of the It's like they got the youth, they
38:52
got the veterans, and then they got that tweeners
38:55
that are young but veterans. I think Mello is,
39:00
you know, he is an unbelievable talent. I know
39:06
a lot of people say trade them, things like that.
39:09
I don't think they're there yet for that. Because
39:12
again, as I always say about the Charlotte sports
39:15
is when you get a star, you don't just trade
39:18
them away. And that's like that whole nother
39:21
conversation of looking being here and watching
39:23
this franchise trade away guys left and right.
39:27
Because as we mentioned, they don't just come
39:30
here. So I feel good about the season. I hope
39:36
it goes well. I mean, as a lifetime Hornet fan,
39:41
I mean, you know, I want to see a playoff run,
39:43
want to see something. You know, they made a
39:45
play in a few times some years back and they
39:47
got bounced twice by Indiana. So I want to see
39:51
something Really like you said jump up to that
39:54
36 38 win threshold and Just put something together
40:00
man Charles Lee. I think you know he might be
40:02
the guy. I hope he's the guy but You know let's
40:07
see if they put it all together, but Colin Sexton
40:09
That's probably in a trade man was a really good
40:11
backup last year And then even with man and and
40:14
mellow on the court. I thought they played well
40:16
together And of course, he got hurt too last
40:19
year. So, you know, Sexton's a really good six
40:24
man. You know what I mean? Like that's a really
40:27
good like, hey, mellow and foul because that's
40:32
the other thing issue with his team is that dude
40:35
just can't stop fouling. He's got to work on
40:37
his defense. I swear to God, he fouls out too
40:41
much for a guard. So yeah, man, I mean again,
40:46
I'm hopeful I'm optimistic But again, I always
40:49
set myself up that way Okay, so and I guess the
40:54
thing that kind of That shocked me a little bit.
40:58
I I think I think Colin Sexton should be higher
41:01
up in the rotation. Okay, like like I feel I
41:06
Think I think he should be starting Okay, and
41:12
I'm okay with that but you'd have to go Then
41:14
you're going Mellow, Sexton, Miller Bridges.
41:18
I like that. What, Plumlee? I like that, yeah.
41:21
Yeah. Why not? Like, I mean, that type of speed
41:25
and athleticism, you know, and I think that they're
41:30
both Sexton and Mellow. are both like offensively
41:34
talented enough to be able to create their own
41:36
shots. The defense would probably be atrocious,
41:39
but offensively, you know, it means, yeah, section
41:43
can be a turnstile sometimes. But, but I like
41:46
that as a better, I guess, I don't know, I guess,
41:49
I guess I'm more balanced offensively matched
41:53
lineup. So, so then they would go defense, you
41:57
know, you bring in a green or a knipple. Correct.
42:00
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And just kind of mix it up.
42:02
You know, they'll probably have to really try
42:05
to outscore other teams, which is the game of
42:07
the game. But I'm saying it, you know, some defensively,
42:10
this team has not been very good. And I think
42:13
that was the reason they got Charles Lee coming
42:16
from the Celtics. So that's the I think that
42:18
might be one of the biggest things is a big thing.
42:22
But I want to see this team play good defense.
42:30
Okay, I listen I Who is the best defender? I
42:35
want it all who's the best of the I could tell
42:38
who's the best defender on that team? Well, it
42:42
was supposed to be Josh Green, but he's kind
42:44
of underwhelmed me Grant Williams Yes, he is
42:49
Grant Williams who's not starting So nobody could
42:54
but he could again you're saying sex man, but
42:56
then you could start Williams and then have Bridges
42:59
Miller ball. There's a lot of different variations
43:02
and I'm sure they'll mess with it and find the
43:04
right fit. But again, I mean, I'm looking again
43:07
at this roster, I just can't believe they got
43:09
this many guys. And it's like, you know, the
43:13
playing time, you know, it's gonna be a battle.
43:17
Okay. Yeah, no, and I hope so. For that bench,
43:20
to get bench minutes, you know what I mean? Like
43:23
the starters are the starters and then it's gonna
43:25
be a battle to get bench minutes. And they already
43:29
cut Dinwiddie. He couldn't even make the roster.
43:32
Yeah. Yep. And that's another big thing. So they
43:36
signed Spencer Dinwiddie, I believe it was in
43:38
July. They signed him to a deal. I think it was
43:40
only for like three million. It was something
43:42
nominal. It was a decent contract. And they were
43:46
coming up on the time to where within that contract,
43:51
the money was going to be due. And it was a couple
43:53
of days before they were like, hey, we're just
43:55
going to make the decision and cut them. I can't
43:57
say it's the, you know, the worst decision. They
44:00
have a solid team. Like it's pretty well balanced.
44:05
And that shows you that because I thought that
44:07
was a good pickup. And again, instant offense,
44:11
but they had to get rid of a contract that was
44:13
against the cap. So they chose him. Okay. Yeah.
44:16
I mean, yeah, they had to go and you know, it's
44:18
one of those things that happened. And I do think
44:20
out of all the other core acquisitions, you know,
44:23
we talked about Grant Williams, Pat Conaton,
44:26
Plumlee. Um, I think that the loss of Spencer
44:33
Denwitty is the least impactful. It's the least
44:37
impactful than the other acquisitions. So I'd
44:41
rather get rid of him than any of those other
44:43
guys. Let's roll into the, do you want to do
44:53
a favorite horn at all, Tom? No. Because I'm
44:57
proud. OK, no. You know what? You know what?
44:59
You know what? Yeah. We say that. Let's do our
45:03
favorite Charlotte Hornet slash Bobcat of all
45:06
time. I like that. Yeah. It won't be a Bobcat.
45:11
Maybe. Yeah. So all right. So again, we like
45:14
to end our show with a fun topic, whether it
45:18
be just a random question to what would you like,
45:22
what would you do, or just a fun, like, favorite.
45:25
Right? Maybe a list, maybe a top list. Today
45:28
we're going to do, you know, stick with the NBA
45:30
and the Charlotte Hornets. Going to do favorite
45:33
Charlotte Hornet. And as Loggol said, Bobcat,
45:38
that will not be my case all the time. Wow. Okay.
45:45
Why? Why what? Oh, Bobcat? Yeah. I'd like to
45:50
forget about that moment in life. They had ugly
45:55
orange and the name Bobcats. Yeah, it was it
46:01
was a bad uniform. Bad name didn't stick. But,
46:04
you know, Bob Johnson wanted his name in there
46:07
one way or another. OK, so do I get to how does
46:11
this go about the pick? However, man, I mean,
46:16
I'll go first. OK, I'm a I'm a lifer, so we'll
46:21
start with you. So I'll go first. I'm a short
46:26
man. And the most obvious answer would be Muggsy
46:33
Bogues. But I'm not gonna choose Muggsy Bogues.
46:37
I'm gonna choose the player on the hornets that
46:44
kind of reached me the most as a young person,
46:48
watching them growing up when they were good.
46:51
I am going to go with Larry Johnson. Grandmama.
46:56
I'm gonna go with grandmama. I mean, that character,
47:01
you know, it was such a big deal in the 90s.
47:06
I mean, it didn't even matter if the hornets
47:08
were good. People knew who Larry Johnson was
47:10
wearing that grandmama outfit. So yeah, for me,
47:15
I'm just gonna pick, I'm gonna roll with that.
47:17
I'll start here, right? So I went through a couple
47:20
phases when the Hornets got here. I'll say this
47:25
about Larry Johnson. He's one of my favorites.
47:31
He is the, I would put him at the top. A lot
47:34
of people are gonna say Kimba because of his
47:36
and the longevity and the way he played as the
47:41
best. I would say Larry Johnson is the best all
47:44
time Hornet. Had the commercials, had that. Had
47:48
that uh, you know character, then he was on TV.
47:51
He was on Family Matters as grandmama first athlete
47:56
in this city. He had his own shoe with Converse
48:00
Wow Had had grandmama cookies. I mean for me
48:06
a little different and It's to pick one. This
48:11
is like being a fan is tough sometimes and Larry
48:14
Johnson's the good one and I'm not gonna take
48:16
yours And as I get older, now, of course, as
48:21
an adult, I don't, you know, mellow is, I pull
48:23
for mellow, I root for the guys, just like Kimba,
48:28
but, you know, are they my favorite, right? So
48:32
that, the team that connected with me the most
48:37
that had the best run were those teams that,
48:42
you know, right before they moved to New Orleans.
48:45
And even before that, you know, man, Baron Davis
48:51
is probably my favorite. Wow. And again, and
49:01
I think and I think a lot connects to that. But
49:04
but I got more to add to this. But again, that's
49:07
that team that went far, almost made it to the
49:10
Eastern Conference Finals. And then he was on
49:13
the team when they moved to New Orleans. So again,
49:15
as heartbroken as I was to see the team, he was
49:18
the up and coming, you know, player. But even
49:23
before that, man, I was a huge, like, this is
49:26
going to be crazy. And again, if anybody ever
49:29
emails me, they'll know. Bobby Fields. I mean,
49:35
again, his short time in Charlotte, man, he was
49:39
like, not the best player, right? But you just
49:44
had to like the way he played the game, everything
49:47
about him, obviously tragically ended in a car
49:52
wreck his life. And that was monumental, especially
49:55
here in Charlotte and for me as a fan at a younger
49:58
age. So I have to put out there Bobby Fields
50:03
as one of my favorites, almost my favorite, even
50:08
in the short time here in Charlotte. But yeah,
50:12
Baron Davis. All that to say Baron Davis, to
50:15
go through all these times that I was a fan,
50:18
from Rex Chapman to Larry Johnson to Bobby Fields,
50:22
Baron Davis. I'm gonna roll with Baron Davis.
50:26
I'm so jealous of that pick, man. I mean, we
50:30
both think people who are fun and got really
50:32
good personalities and brought a lot of energy
50:35
to the team. And cool shoes. And dope shoes.
50:39
Baron Davis had underrated basketball shoes,
50:43
if anybody ever knows that. Yeah. Yeah, Baron
50:47
Davis had some dope shoes for sure. I'm sitting
50:55
here looking at these uh Baron Davis shoes, man.
51:00
Yeah. Looking all of these up. He did have some
51:04
dope shoes. I knew a guy, man. He had like, I
51:08
don't have any pair and every time I go to the
51:10
gym, he's like, he's like, man, he's got the
51:12
best. They got the best grip. Yeah. You know,
51:17
it's funny. It's sad, man. I don't think I ever
51:20
enjoyed playing basketball in an actual basketball
51:23
player's shoe. ever. Like my best shoes are like,
51:30
like some flights. Give me some high top, give
51:35
me some high top Nike flights, right? Just, you
51:39
know, it'll be strapped them up on the side.
51:41
Like I can hoop it, no. I don't know, man. Iversons
51:43
were, I like, I like hooping in them and, uh,
51:48
uh, pennies were pretty good. The pennies, the
51:50
T -Max. T -Maxx were really good. I used to ball
51:54
in those two. Them John Wall, Tim Duncan's I
51:57
got. They held up, man. And by the way, I'll
52:02
tell you which John Walls did not hold up. Those
52:05
John Wall Reeboks. I had a pair of them shits.
52:09
They got me. They had them shits on sale for
52:11
like $69. And I like the way that they look.
52:15
They had them on sale for like $69. I want to
52:17
say it was at Foot Action. And I got them shoes
52:21
and I put it it was like an instant ankle roll
52:27
Anytime I played in them shoes man them Reebok
52:31
ones would know that that was not it not those
52:34
All right, everybody, thank you we appreciate
52:42
you listen to us for another episode of fanatically
52:44
speaking Again, I am Log Off, the Log Off legend,
52:50
hater of social media, co -host and producer
52:52
of the show. And again, I am Kent, the co -host
52:56
and promoter of the show. And please remember
52:58
to like, follow, share, download. And we are
53:05
on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. and
53:08
then all podcast outlets. Yes, all podcast outlets.
53:13
Make sure to leave us some reviews. Make sure
53:15
to leave comments for us. You guys have any questions
53:19
or any feedback. We always love that type of
53:21
stuff. So yeah, so please submit that and tell
53:25
a friend. And remember that this is a podcast
53:27
for fans, by fans. We don't have any allegiances
53:31
to any, you know, any organizations or anything
53:33
except for our own teams. So we want to put out
53:36
a podcast that mirrors that, you know, for fans
53:39
by fans. Got anything else, Kent? Oh, that's
53:42
it. All right. Wrap. Kill it. It's a wrap.