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- [00:01]
BetMGM Announcer
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- [01:15]
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- [01:44]
Keith Parrish
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- [02:25]
Dave Dufour
Welcome back to the NBA Daily. I'm Dave Dufour, here with my good buddy Keith Parrish, the host of Grits and Grinds, a Grizzlies podcast. Also, Fast Break Breakfast, where, you know, we talk about food quite often. Keith, I hope you're having a good summer.
- [02:41]
Keith Parrish
Summer's been good, Dave. Yeah, I'm happy to be here. Happy to talk about the Grizzlies and all the changes.
- [02:49]
Sean Hyken
Right.
- [02:49]
Keith Parrish
But also still an exciting team that I think continually flies under the radar.
- [02:53]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, well, let's, let's dig in again. The, the Grizzlies did make a bunch of changes. They were 48 and 34 last year. They were the eight seed getting out of the play in before getting swept by the eventual champions, Oklahoma City Thunder. Look, I think it's easy to look at this team and say, oh, the eight seed last year.
- [03:16]
Keith Parrish
It's easy.
- [03:16]
Dave Dufour
But you forget that this was the 2 seed as late as what was it?
- [03:20]
Keith Parrish
Did they make it to March that I don't have on the tip of my tongue as we record. They were the two seed for. Yeah, I mean, way past the trade deadline. At the trade deadline, they were the two seed in the Western Conference and they, again, they only finished a couple games behind the eventual two seed. So, yeah, they were certainly in the thick of things. I would also say even as a Grizzlies fan and podcaster, we forget things like, oh, the Grizzlies had, you know, the sixth best net rating last year. They were one of the only teams that finished top 10 in offensive and defensive rating. It's like the Celtics and the Thunder and the Cavs and the Grizzlies. But everyone's like, oh, the Grizzlies had a horrible year because you got embarrassed in the first round. They, of course, trailed off greatly at the end of last season.
- [04:08]
Sean Hyken
Right.
- [04:08]
Keith Parrish
Taylor Jenkins got fired. So when you finish with the whimper, that's essentially all anyone remembers and of course, seem to lead to some big changes.
- [04:18]
Dave Dufour
Well, let's talk about the coaching change before we get into the. The summer. They did make the change from Taylor Jenkins to Tuamas Isola, you know, what do you expect to see from this team that's different than last year? I mean, weren't they already running at least a variation of his system?
- [04:34]
Keith Parrish
Well, so there, there was some confusion over whose system was whose the beginning of the year. A lot was made about the Grizzlies, whatever the circle offense, the, the lack of screening, a lot of cuts. And that was not Isolo's strategy. That was a different thing with the change to Tomas supposedly is going to be more screening a lot more big man setting screens, maybe playing more to Zach Edie's strengths. There's been some, there's an argument it plays to John Morant strengths. Although there are some concerning like John Moran's pick and roll numbers. Not incredible. He's actually better at just blowing by guys. So the idea, I think the changes we're gonna see and I get it, he did not have the best finish to the year and it's hard to lay that at his feet. Sure he. But also when, when stuck in a tough situation. I don't know if he exactly bathed himself in glory either. Just they. They crashed out to the end of the year. But now I do think he wants to run more like big man screening and also much like Taylor Jenkins did, wants to play at a high pace. I think we're going to see a lot of pressing. I think they're going to take a page. I mean they did some of this last year and of course you saw what the Thunder did, what the Pacers did a very similar regular season team to the Grizzlies. I mean the Grizzlies had a much better regular season profile than even the Pacers. But you saw what the Pacers did, how they just kept getting better and better throughout the postseason. And a lot of it's ball pressure and playing fast. I think that's something that Isla wants to do. But also a lot of this is just conjecture because I don't know much about what he's done. I mean he has, he has a Euro basket history or Euro league history, you know, coaching over there. And they obviously felt highly enough about him to hire him and make him a highly paid assistant last year and then of course made him the interim coach and then gave him the full time position this off season without interviewing any other candidates. So I think it's a little bit of a mystery box like we can say. I think they're going to do a lot of ball pressure stuff and. But beyond that I don't, I don't really know. I don't know if they have the bodies for it.
- [06:46]
Dave Dufour
That's the one thing I worry about with this system. If you're doing a lot of ball pressure. We think the pacers were going 10, 11 deep and I don't know if the Grizzlies have the guys to do that. Well, let's move on to the summer. I mean, what do you feel like was the most impactful change that they made this summer? I mean, obviously we're probably going to talk about the Bain trade, I'm assuming.
- [07:06]
Keith Parrish
Oh, I would say. Does trading Desmond Bain away count? Yeah, yeah, I think that's clearly the most impactful move they made is, is getting rid of Desmond Bain and swapping him out in some way. People highlight the draft haul they got from the Magic, but I mean, essentially when you talk about this year, they traded away Desmond Bain for the draft rights to Cedric Coward and Kentavius Conwell Pope. And that's, that's a massive change.
- [07:33]
Dave Dufour
Yeah.
- [07:34]
Keith Parrish
And whether or not it's a, it's a positive one in the short term, I, I doubt it. I mean, there's some argument that maybe they could somewhat recreate in the aggregate. They could channel some of the offense from Desmond Bain towards more Edie, more John Morant, more Jerry Jackson Jr. Maybe that's the theory. But they decided to pivot because they were not close to the Thunder.
- [07:56]
Dave Dufour
Right.
- [07:57]
Keith Parrish
And they said, all right, let's just, you know, instead of paying Desmond Bain this relative, really relatively rich contract, I would argue he's paid for what he is, which is one of the best shooting guards in the NBA. That's what they make. But they said, let's split up that money, let's go a different way, let's get some future draft assets and try to maybe have another route to building a, a contender.
- [08:16]
Dave Dufour
And you feel like this was financially motivated. You don't, you don't see an argument for, like you said, spreading that money to multiple. Again, talking about how they need depth.
- [08:26]
Keith Parrish
I think there's a strong argument that it's not financially motivated. I think there are a lot of teams in the same exact situation who would have said, I think we might be the sixth best team in the West. What if we traded one of our best players for four first round picks in a swap and become the seventh best team in the West? I think there's a lot of GMs in front offices that are like, yeah, let's do that. Cause I mean, why not, why not take more bites at the apple in the draft, see if we can find a, I mean, yes, a cheaper contributor, a guy at a rookie deal that maybe you find that transformative guy. You could even find the next Desmond Bane.
- [09:03]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, that's true.
- [09:04]
Keith Parrish
No, but it's the. So I don't know, like, I get, I, I Think there is a fair argument that you could say this? No. This is a. Your odds of contending are much better if you have several lottery picks. If you try out such a coward. If that pick that might come from Phoenix next year is in the lottery, that is a more realistic chance to contention than sticking with what you had, which was Desmond Bain and Jared Jackson Jr. And John Moran and then trying to fill in the pieces around those guys.
- [09:33]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, well, I mean, now that there's. There's a big void in who the third best player is for. For the Grizzlies, who's the player that you expect to either take a big step forward or. Or do you think maybe losing Desmond Bain causes somebody to take a step back? I mean, who do you think has the most potential for boom or bust?
- [09:54]
Keith Parrish
I think the player that the Grizzlies want to step forward is Zach Edie. I think you hope coming off that first team all rookie campaign that he maybe could handle more of a offensive load. He was not very polished offensively. That was a slight disappointment for me. I don't follow college basketball very closely, if at all. I kind of thought he might have more in the bag when he got the ball in the post. Not so much. I mean, he's huge. His hands weren't very good as far as catching passes and things, you know, but he's a solid screener, solid rebounder. And so like, I think they want to get more out of him and again, more shots should become available. You have low usage guys like KCP probably in the starting lineup. Jalen Wells, not really a high usage guy. I don't, I don't anticipate like Jalen Wells taking a step up, you know, maybe. But maybe that is something they're thinking about for him too, that he'll have a bigger role. But I would think this team right now, you know, they're booking on Jaren being great again, on John Morant regaining the all star form, at least playing enough games to make an all star game.
- [11:00]
Sean Hyken
Right.
- [11:00]
Keith Parrish
But then I think, I think a big step forward from Zach Edie in year two could be what they have, you know, lined up.
- [11:06]
Dave Dufour
Well, let's talk about John Morant and Jaren Jackson. You know what, what are the expectations out of them this year? You mentioned Ja needing To Play 60 Games. I Mean, Is 60 Enough for your. For your best player?
- [11:19]
Keith Parrish
I think splitting hairs. I, Yeah, I take 60. I take, you know, I mean, but most guys in the NBA, it's 60 to 70 games as it is. Like the Actual number of guys eligible for those all NBA spots, very low. The number of guys who actually hit 65 games. I think 60 is totally reasonable for a guy like John Morant. Of course it's going to be easy available in the postseason. And so far he hasn't necessarily been consistently available in the postseason. But I think the expectation, like I said, John Moran needs to be in the All Star game. Jaren Jackson Jr. Needs to continue to be in the All Star game and they need those guys to be the, the alpha, omega, the just the two stars carrying everybody else.
- [12:03]
Dave Dufour
What do you think about Jaren? I mean, what does he need to do in your mind to justify if. I mean, listen, none of us are justifying what we're paid. What, what does he need to do to justify that giant contract?
- [12:15]
Keith Parrish
Well, I think Jaren. I think Jaren creates winning basketball at an unbelievable level and I think the money paid to him is absolutely worth it. I think the question marks for Jaren have become in the postseason when the other team can scheme specifically for you and they can send those double teams and when you're playing a unbelievably good defense like the Thunder and they're like, yeah, we're going to swarm you and we're going to put Caruso on you because you can't blow by him. And by the way, if you get by him, you're going to be met at the rim by a Holmgren or a Hardenstein or something. So I think he's had some postseason struggles and then going back a few years ago against the Lakers when, when these teams can put whoever is on him like an AD on him and say, listen, we're going to double team you, you have to pass, you have to do something else. Whether or not he can do that, because he's not a natural passer, he's not a gifted passer. He is an unbelievably good defensive player, as everybody knows. He also is underrated offensively and maybe again it's because people just watch him in the postseason and he's. He's had in his career way more struggles in the postseason. But his regular season numbers. He just cooks guys right and he scores at an unbelievable rate. He's one of the top per minute scores in the NBA which again, I feel like people just don't recognize. You have one of the best defenders in the NBA who's also one of the best per minute scorers. That's a guy worth every dollar you just paid him. So I think for him it's the fine tuning of the postseason performance. Of course there's, you know, there's nitpicks about the foul trouble. I would say mostly overblown. People wanted to be a great rebounder. My joke is, yeah, I would also like him to be a Hall of Famer if he's one of the best scorers and defenders.
- [13:56]
Sean Hyken
Yeah.
- [13:56]
Keith Parrish
If he was also an elite rebounder. You're talking about one of the best two guys in the league. Three guys in the league. So I think some of those concerns are overblown. The main concerns, I think, I mean Jaren's proven he can be like a first or second level, I think scorer, a go to guy on a playoff team. It for me has become, can you now do this in the postseason when they have a whole week of focus to be like, how are we going to ruin Jaren Jackson Jr's night? I like to see him be able to overcome that.
- [14:26]
Dave Dufour
Look, they just made a big move, obviously moving on from Desmond Bane. Is there anybody on this roster that you see as a trade candidate, whether it's somebody that you feel like they could either upgrade the spot or use as a part of a bigger package to, to maybe land, you know, I don't know, fifth starter or whatever they might be looking for?
- [14:47]
Keith Parrish
Yeah, I, I think the answer is way down the bench. I think it's probably John Conchar still. They've been trying to move off John Conchar's money for a little bit now. I think his just salary size is going to be a useful chip because they can send him out and bring back a guy making 12, $13 million if they want to. They're far enough under the luxury tax where that could be a thing. So if they're going to make a move this year, I don't think it's a big trade where you use like the matching salary of Kentavius Caldwell Pope. I actually think Kentavius Caldwell Pope maybe more likely than not to play the whole year. I think they like him as an actual player. I think they're thinking we can get him better or closer to what he was on the Nuggets and on the team before that. Like, you know, obviously not a great year for him in Orlando, but I think they like him as.
- [15:38]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, I mean they.
- [15:39]
Keith Parrish
This team needs veteran leadership. I think, I think that's still a thing. I think Desmond Bain was the locker room leader and there's a vacuum there. I don't think that's John Morant or Jaren Jackson Jr's role on the team. So I think they want KCP for both on court play and probably off court leadership. So I don't actually think, I mean, maybe if someone, I'm not thinking of who the player would be. Maybe if there's a legit guy who is available that like $30 million salary range, they could say, all right, we're going to use a couple of these picks we got from Orlando and KCP to bring him in. But that trade, that's unlikely. I think more likely would be them saying John Conchar, thanks for your service. We gave Cam Spencer a full contract. We already have Gigi Jackson, Vince Williams, Cedric Coward, Jalen Wells. Maybe that would be the guy most likely to be traded. If it's not Conchar, maybe it is one of those swings I just mentioned. Like this is a make or break year for Gigi Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. If you were betting, if you're setting a line for which guy gets traded, I put Conchar first and then maybe Vince or Gigi next. Because it is make or break for.
- [16:40]
Dave Dufour
Those guys this season, they'll immediately miss his rebounding. His rebounding per minute numbers are insane.
- [16:47]
Keith Parrish
One of the, one of the best rebenders on the squad, pound for pound.
- [16:50]
Dave Dufour
Might be the best rebounder contender.
- [16:52]
Keith Parrish
Hit us up.
- [16:53]
Dave Dufour
Yeah, contenders, what's the, what's the biggest swing factor? What's the make or break for. For this team? I mean if this team was to. To launch itself into championship contention status, what happens.
- [17:06]
Keith Parrish
The true variable is I would say if Cedric Howard can be good, that. But like that's. I guess anybody can say that for any rookie. I think the true thing is just, it's just John Morant. Like if we could turn that dial up from 60 games to 72 games. If John Morant shows the same explosiveness, if he's able to finish his floaters, if he actually hits some three pointers. I mean concerning trends with his three layups. Yeah, I mean his, his finishing the la. I can't remember again, it's August as we record this. Don't know what's coming out but my, my immediate recall for all the intricate stats might have slipped my mind but like there's still some. Like there's so much good from Jaw. I feel like it's just overclouded by just the availability and him only playing three games in a row. Four games in a row. He had five games in a row once and we got all excited and so him, him trying to piece together a whole season to see, I mean, to one. To see is that guy still there? You know, is, is the, the. The. The peaks. And again, he had games last year where he was like absolutely all star. You're like, oh, yeah, that, that's why we all thought he was one of the top 15 players in the NBA. Like, I think that's the true swing factor if, if Ja and Jaren are there. I mean, also there's some health in that, I guess, not just beyond jaw. Jiren had toe surgery. They're hoping he's back by the start of the year. And then there's. Edie had ankle surgery. He is going to miss the start of the season. So I guess that's another health and other swing factor for the Grizzlies as it seems to be every year.
- [18:38]
Dave Dufour
What do you feel like the most realistic outcome is? You know, if you had to lay some money on the line, where. Where are you laying it?
- [18:46]
Keith Parrish
I think the most realistic outcome is this team is mid-40s wins, as they usually are. I mean, I say usually. I mean, they were in the 50s a couple times, three, four seasons ago. Yeah, I would say most realistic outcome is they're fighting for the play in spots. There. There are a lot of teams in the west where they're just. It's. It's going to all come down to a twisted ankle here or there on their players. And we saw, I mean, last year, of course, all the teams beyond outside of the Thunder were just so bunched together. And I think it's going to happen again where a lot of squads are going to win between 40 and 48 games. And I expect the Grizzlies to be in that fray. And I would say, yeah, 44, 45, 46 wins around there. More likely than not, they end up back in the play in.
- [19:35]
Dave Dufour
You think, you think that they get out of the play and have any chance in the first round?
- [19:40]
Keith Parrish
I don't give them much of a chance in the first round. I don't. I don't think they have that elite talent to match up with. Like, I mean, of course not the Nuggets or the Thunder, but I still struggle to see how they're going to be the Timberwolves or catch up. I mean, even, like, I don't know, I feel like the, the Lakers are tough. The Rockets, of course, you know, are expected to be really, really good as we sit now. No, I don't. I don't think they're in that category. And so I wouldn't expect them to win a first round series. But I mean, again, maybe, maybe it all gels and I like, I can see, I can see the vision where if you sound, if you surround Ja and Jaren and of course like Scotty Pimp Jr. Is really good. We haven't mentioned Ty Jerome, which feels like an unbelievable free agent signing. And like all of those guys, those guys may be going to be pushing the pace, a lot of ball handling and then you have depth. If Santi Aldama, you know, continues to progress, if Brandon Clark is back healthy, there are a lot of good players on the team and so maybe there is a world where it all comes together and they can take advantage of maybe some other team's injury. And you do see them break back into the second round.
- [20:50]
Dave Dufour
Well, guys, you can follow along with the Grizzlies all this season over at Grits and grinds over on YouTube podcasts, wherever you listen to them. Keith Parish, he'll also be here popping in all year anytime the Grizzlies do something fun. Thank you, Keith for hanging out with us.
- [21:05]
Keith Parrish
Guys.
- [21:05]
Dave Dufour
Stick around. We're going to have a lot more team previews coming up after this.
- [21:19]
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Sean Hyken
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- [21:49]
Keith Parrish
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- [22:21]
Dave Dufour
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- [23:02]
Host/Interviewer
We are continuing our season preview shows and now we're going to talk about the Portland Trailblazers. And with us to talk about the Blazers is Sean HYKEN. Of the Rose Garden Report. Sean, how's it going?
- [23:14]
Sean Hyken
Good. How about you?
- [23:16]
Host/Interviewer
Doing great. Ready to talk basketball. Preseason basketball. A team that I find myself thinking about more than I thought I would is the Blazers. And there were a lot of different things that happened this summer to this Blazers team and organization. But what do you think was the most impactful change that happened this summer to the Blazers?
- [23:40]
Sean Hyken
I think there's two that you kind of have to point to, and surprisingly, neither one of them is the Damian Lillard return.
- [23:47]
Host/Interviewer
Oh, okay.
- [23:48]
Sean Hyken
Because, I mean, look, he's not going to play this year. Everybody kind of knows that. So that's like, that was a great, you know, news cycle. A lot of fans are excited about it, but, you know, it's going to be 18 months before we even see what he looks like the next time he plays on the court. So I'm, I'm not even really counting that. The two things that I think are really potentially going to have huge impact on, you know, this franchise for years to come. One of them, obviously, is the sale. We just found out a couple weeks ago that Tom Dundon, the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes, is the buyer and is the guy who's leading the ownership group that's going to buy the team. About three months after the Paul Allen estate announced the team got put up for sale. So that's obviously the biggest thing, and I think right neck and neck with that almost is the drafting of Young Hansen.
- [24:38]
Host/Interviewer
Yes. I'm so glad we're, we're only like two minutes in here, maybe not even two minutes in yet. Already talking about Young Hansen.
- [24:46]
Sean Hyken
Dude. I mean, it's, and it's, I mean, look, it was, it was as much off my radar for them to take him at 16 as it was everybody else's. I, I had kind of the same reaction. Everybody else did.
- [24:55]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah.
- [24:56]
Sean Hyken
But a, you see him at summer league, and obviously summer league competition is not the same as actual NBA competition. So when he actually starts playing in October, it's going to be a learning curve. But you watch them at summer league and you're like, okay, there's something here. They, they saw something that made it worth draft. Like if you, if you just watch those games and you took away, you know, anybody's name or where anybody was projected to go pre draft, and you just told somebody who had never followed the draft before, this 7 foot 2 Chinese guy is who the Blazers took in the first round, people would say, oh, yeah, yeah, makes sense.
- [25:32]
Host/Interviewer
That's not.
- [25:32]
Sean Hyken
That, that, that, that's Reasonable so he might actually be good and just, I mean this is obviously also a part of it. I, I, I kind of knew that like it was going to be a big deal. But being down in Vegas and seeing like how much fan interest there was in him and seeing how much media coverage from China there was in him just for summer league, I don't think people are even still, even after we've been talking about it all summer. I don't think people are prepared for how big of a deal it's going to be if he's even, you know, a rotation player player. Because if you really think about it for as big, you know, as big of a country as China is, obviously with as many people as they have and as basketball obsessed as they are, who is the second best player ever to come from China besides Yao? Is it easy? Long. He was a lottery pick, but high profile probably. So then, I mean it's like it's really not a, it's really not a long list of guys to like. Yeah, like if so, like if Yog Onsen has, he doesn't even have to ever be an all star. If he has like Mason Plumlee's career, he's the second best Chinese player ever. Besides. Yeah. And then if he actually is, if he actually is Chinese Jokic, which Jake Fisher tweeted that as Nugget scout told him he was on draft night, then that just takes it to a different level. Now I'm not one of these people that believes that they drafted him for, you know, marketing reasons or for off court reasons. Like that's something that's been floated around. But I actually know quite a bit about the amount of work that Joe Croner and Mike Schmitz and their front office staff put into scouting him and how long it took for them to be able to even get over there to see him and how, you know, how long they had been on him before they decided to draft him and all of this other kind of stuff. But that other stuff that comes with drafting him is certainly not going to hurt. So I think, I mean the sale is the most important thing because the most important thing about any team is who owns the team. But I think the young Hanson thing, as far as the on court impact that a lot of this stuff could have, I think that's actually the most impactful one and not the Dane one.
- [27:40]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah. The amount of intrigue around watching this guy and the thing that I was a little surprised like he has, well I, I saw somewhere that he has like the Biggest hands in the NBA. Like it's 99th percentile.
- [27:52]
Sean Hyken
Doesn't surprise me.
- [27:54]
Host/Interviewer
And he's as insane. Touch that to me was. Was really. And obviously the processing stuff is just on another level. Yeah, I hope he's good. The league will be way more fun if this guy was really good. But I do want to talk about the sale. How. How are Blazers fans feeling about the sale and where this all ended up?
- [28:15]
Sean Hyken
You know, we've all kind of known for seven years, ever since Paul Allen died in 2018, that the team was going to have to be sold eventually because it was written in his will and in his estate that everything that he owned was eventually going to have to be sold. And all the proceeds were going to go to his various charitable interests and his foundation and all that kind of stuff. But there was never a hard timeline on, you know, this is when the team has to be sold by at least not one that was made public. And so a few years ago, when Phil Knight put in an offer for $2 billion to buy the team, which, you know, in retrospect, when you consider how much it went for and how much other teams are going for, 2 billion wasn't going to get it done even two years ago. But when Phil Knight puts in that bid, everybody's all excited because, oh, the Nike guy, you know, guy with local ties like, this is. This is perfect. And then when they said no, and then they basically said at the time the Paul Allen state, Jody Allen actually made a public comment, which he very rarely does, that these types of estates could take 10 to 20 years to unwind. And since then, it's been, you know, every time we've asked anybody in the organization about it, it's just been, yeah, there's no. There's no update. You don't know when the team's going to be sold. It's going to be sold eventually, but we don't know when it's going to be sold. So when they announced in May that they were putting the team up for sale, everybody was really excited about it locally because this was something that people have wanted for a long time. And I personally, I'll say this. I personally, like, I don't know Jody Allen at all. I've never met her. I've never talked to her. They. She doesn't make herself available to media in any way. I've literally never been within 20ft of her. But from what I've heard from people in the organization that do work with her closely, she is actually more engaged than I think the public perception is. And she's been totally supportive both, you know, financially and creatively with things that people on both the business and basketball sides of the organization have wanted to do. So I think a lot of the kind of fan animosity towards her, just based on what I know is a little bit unfair. But I also know that literally because of what was written in Paul Allen's will, her owning the team and her and Bert Cold, who was Paul Allen's kind of right hand guy when he was alive, being the ones that make all the decisions was never going to be a long term thing. And it was always just going to sort of be an interim thing and an in between thing for however long it took for them to sell the team. So I think the fact that every, you know, that's all done now, we know that they're not going to own the team. Pass whenever it, however long it takes for the board of governors to vet everything with this. And then you look at Tom Dundon, who I didn't really know much about before his name emerged as the guy that was going to buy the team, but you look at, you know, the fact that he bought a team already in the NHL that hadn't really done anything in a number of years, you know, is in a small market similar to Portland, and they've been a playoff team pretty much every year since he bought the team. I don't really know a lot about hockey, but people I know who are in that world say that that franchise both, you know, on the ice and as far as like the fan experience and you know, other stuff with the organization have all completely turned around since Tom Dunn and bought the Hurricanes. So that's all pretty encouraging. I think the thing long term that's really going to be the most impactful thing with the new ownership is what the arena situation ends up looking like. And that's something that's going to be figured out for, you know, over the next few years. I'm not at all concerned about the Blazers moving. That's something that has been kind of floated really since they announced that the team was for sale. You know, there's been some, you know, in local media and some, you know, certain, you know, sections of the fan base that immediately jumped to like panicking about that. I think a lot of that is kind of consent manufacturing for, you know, public funds being used to build a new arena or through fund, you know, renovation for the Modus Center. I think that's what a lot of that is. But it's Going to be interesting to kind of find out whether once Tom Dundon officially owns the team and his group, are they going to push for a fully new arena or are they going to go along with the plan that the Blazers have kind of had in place over the last few years, which is to do a multi year, super, you know, in depth renovation of the Modus center as it is and just kind of go forward with that. That's really what ended up happening with the, with the Hurricanes. When he bought the team, he ended up getting the city of Raleigh to pay for a 300 million dollar renovation to the arena that they already played in and then they signed a long term lease to stay there and they didn't build a whole new arena. So I think they're going to probably try to push for a new arena just because usually that's what the new owner comes in and wants. Yeah, but I don't think the Modus center is so old and so decrepit that it absolutely could not still be the Blazers arena for many years with, you know, a major renovation, which I do think it needs. But that, however that ends up landing, that I think is going to be the biggest thing to come out of the sale.
- [33:24]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah. And my guess is that the league would push for a brand new arena as well.
- [33:28]
Sean Hyken
Adam Silver said that on the record at the board of Governors press conference.
- [33:33]
Host/Interviewer
So yeah, yeah, they, they want new arenas. I think that, that's quite clear when you look across the NBA. Who are the best three players on this team?
- [33:43]
Sean Hyken
I think one of them has to be Drew Holiday who they just traded for. Okay, so that's, I mean that, that's, I mean, look, Drew is it. He's not quite the same guy he was two years ago when the Blazers got him in the first game trade and then traded him to Boston and then he helped the CE a championship. He had kind of a down year last year, but I think he's still really good and I think he still has a couple, at least a couple two, three years left where he's going to be really impactful. And you know, especially on the defensive end, he's a huge upgrade over Anthony Simons. So I think Drew is one of them and then I think the other two, at least based on who their two best players were last year. I think you kind of have to say Denny Abdia and Tomani Kamara.
- [34:23]
Host/Interviewer
Okay, who's the, who do you think is the best? You think, you don't think that Drew's their best player, do you?
- [34:29]
Sean Hyken
I Mean, if you look at, like, career accomplishments and like still being impacted.
- [34:36]
Host/Interviewer
This year for just this season.
- [34:40]
Sean Hyken
Could be Drew. Could be any obvious.
- [34:43]
Host/Interviewer
Okay.
- [34:44]
Sean Hyken
I don't know. I think it's one. I think it's one of those three. Yeah, that would be. That would be kind of where I would land. I think I'd probably lean towards Drew just based on, you know, tenure and based on, you know, seniority. But, yeah, it could be any of those three.
- [35:00]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah. That's interesting. Who starts?
- [35:03]
Sean Hyken
If you make me pick the five starters right now, and this is just my own read and my own A opinion and B, guess this is not sourced. I don't want this to get aggregated. Like they're suddenly like, this is who they're gonna. I had that happen a few weeks ago. I wrote in a mailbag that, you know, they should consider bringing Jeremy Grant off the bench if he doesn't earn a. You start exp. And then that got turned into, you know, that I hike in reports that Jeremy Grant is going to like. Nobody's decided anything. So I just want to make it clear none of this is sourced. If you make me decide right now who I think the opening night starters are going to be, I think it's going to be Scoot Henderson, Drew Holiday, Danny Abdia, Tomani, Kamara Donovan. Clinging it.
- [35:45]
Host/Interviewer
Okay. Interesting. This is a team that you. There. There are a few teams like this, but I just really have no clue. I feel like there are so many different combinations. There's a lot of things that could.
- [35:57]
Sean Hyken
Be, you know, could. It could still be Jeremy Grant. You know, it could be Shaden Sharp.
- [36:02]
Host/Interviewer
Sure.
- [36:02]
Sean Hyken
I mean, I don't think it will be, but it could be Matisse thible. If John C. Just really wants defense. Just, you know, I don't. I don't know, but I. I think that probably makes the most sense out of like. Like, if I were the one deciding it, I would probably have it be those five and I think that's probably where it's going to end up. Just based on my own kind of read where things are.
- [36:23]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah, that makes sense to me too. I think Scoot. This is a big year for him.
- [36:28]
Sean Hyken
Huge.
- [36:29]
Host/Interviewer
What are the expectations and kind of thoughts about where this is going with Scoot Henderson?
- [36:34]
Sean Hyken
Well, they're really encouraged by what he was the second half of the season. It was obviously it was pretty rough his rookie season and really for the first couple months of his second season, it was. There was. There was. I don't want to use the word, but there was a Lot of talk about, like, is this a bus? Like, is this guy? Like, it was so far below what we. What the expectations were that I, you know, that was a conversation that was being had locally. I think he's kind of cleared that at this point. I, like, I don't. Like. I think. I don't think anybody's really still thinking about him in those terms. Is he a franchise guy like they thought he was when they drafted him third overall and basically caused Dane to request a trade by drafting him instead of trading that pick? I don't know if he is, but I think they're encouraged enough by some of the improvements that he made. You know, his shooting has gotten a lot better, which. That was never one of his strengths coming into the league when, you know, when he was in the G League, you know, that was never a strong point of his, but, you know, he's gotten more consistent as a shooter. The finishing stuff, I think is gotten better. That still has a little ways to go, but that's something he's going to have to get into. I think his, you know, his. His. His playmaking has always been, you know, the passing instincts have always been there. I. I think there's. I think there's a lot of room. And I think trading Anthony Simons.
- [37:57]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah.
- [37:57]
Sean Hyken
Has really cleared the Runway out for him to, you know, earn that starting spot at point guard this season. And, you know, with the Drew Holiday thing, Drew is such a. You know, I think at this point in his career, you know, if any trader for Drew five years ago, he would have been, you know, starting at point guard. But at this point in his career, I think Drew is more of a 3 and D, like a guy that plays off ball. I think that's just kind of where he is right now at his age. And just the way he plays now and the way he's played for the last couple of years. So I think him and Scoot together is actually a, you know, a combination that makes a lot of sense. And, you know, I. There are obviously, because, you know, the move was such a big deal when they first announced it. There are, you know, people wondering, you know, what is bringing Dane back mean for Scooter or, you know, what does that say about where they. Where they feel he is? A, like I said, Dame's not going to play this year, so you don't even have to worry about that for another year. And B, like, I hate to say this because it's obviously a great story. You know, Dame coming back to end his career in Portland, the guy is going to be 37 the next time he plays and he's coming off of a torn Achilles, which basically only Kevin Durant, who was 30 when he right tore his, has come back from at the same, you know, level that he was at before. You know, Kobe was 35 when he tore his. And he was never the same guy after that. Everybody's been talking about John Wall the last week because he just retired. That was another guy that was never the same guy after he tore his Achilles. So I think, I think expecting Dame to come back and be, you know, the all star level guy, that even though he had a couple, you know, a down year last year in Milwaukee, he was still an all star level guy. Like expecting him to come back after a torn Achilles and be that. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but I think expecting it is not really something that anybody should do just based on, you know, the history of guys that age and that size with that injury. So I think if Scoot continues to improve the way he did the second half of last year, like, it's, it's all there for him.
- [40:02]
Host/Interviewer
Who do you think has a chance to be traded from this team? I feel like there's a lot of candidates for that question too. Even though they've just traded several guys.
- [40:11]
Sean Hyken
They just traded. I mean, the guy that I think they kind of needed to, you know, I, I mean, I think the Anthony Simons thing was a big one to clear up that, you know, with. Considering he was up for a new contract. They tried to trade DeAndre Ayton and they couldn't find anything without taking back long term money. So they ended up just buying him out, which, yeah, is going to clear a lot of playing time for both young Hansen and for clinging Clingan.
- [40:37]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah. Who. Who's next in line? Are they going to. Can you trade Jeremy Grant at this point?
- [40:43]
Sean Hyken
The thing that I think, I think they. If there's a guy that I think they should trade, it would be Jeremy Grant. I just, I don't think he really makes a lot of sense on this team as it's currently constructed. I think it's very clear that the two starting forwards, just based on how good everybody was last year, those two spots have to go to Danny Abdia and to Moni Camara.
- [41:06]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah.
- [41:07]
Sean Hyken
So I don't, I just, I don't know where Jeremy fits in there. But to your point, just with that contract and now, especially after he had kind of a down year last year, I'm not at all surprised that they haven't really been able to find anything for him this summer there, that there's not that much of a market. You know, maybe he rebuilds his value towards the deadline. Maybe he, you know, has a good first half of the season and there's a, the team that decides they do want to trade for him. But right now I think I, right now I think if there was any, if the Blazers could trade anybody on the roster, that's who I think they should trade. But I don't, I don't know, like, I don't, I don't know if there's like a lot of obvious, you know, Rob Williams I think is the other one, but they've kind of always been in this weird spot with him where he, you know, he's good enough that if he ever was healthy, he's a guy that you could probably get like at least one first round pick for because he's so impactful on that end. But because he's never healthy, you're not really getting anything close to that kind of value for him. And if you're not only getting like second round picks or whatever, then at that point they'd rather just keep him because they like him as a guy and they like what he brings in the locker room and they like what he does when he is healthy, but he's also never healthy. So that, that's just one of those things where they're just kind of in a weird spot with him. As far as the younger guys, I don't know, I mean, I think it's pretty clear that they are still very committed to Scoot, Henderson, Shaden, Sharp, Denny, Abdia, Tumani, Kamara, Donovan, Klingan, now Young, Hanson. I think those are the guys that they view, at least as of right now, as though guys that they're building around like long term, like over the next, you know, because like the Drew thing's a short term thing and obviously the same thing is a short term thing over the next couple of years as he nears the end of his career. But those six guys that I named I think are the six that they see as, you know, guys that are going to be here for the long haul and anybody be besides that, I think it's certainly possible could be moved. But, you know, yeah, they kind of did what they were going to do this summer. I don't think, I don't, I don't think there's anything really imminent with anybody else right now.
- [43:08]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah, the Jeremy contract is going to be tough to move. He's 32, 34, 36 for the next three years. The last year's a player option.
- [43:14]
Sean Hyken
Yeah.
- [43:15]
Host/Interviewer
He just has to play better. It was just a weird, weird year for him. He shot 36 from three, which is fine. He shot 38 from two.
- [43:23]
Keith Parrish
Yeah.
- [43:23]
Host/Interviewer
I don't even know how that's possible.
- [43:24]
Sean Hyken
Yeah.
- [43:25]
Host/Interviewer
What was the deal?
- [43:26]
Sean Hyken
He just wasn't making. He just wasn't making those shots. I think he's still, you know, a decent enough defender that like, he, you know, there are, There are things he does like. I think he's still like, you know, an NBA rotation player. It's not, it's not. I don't think it's as bad as it was this year long term, but just. Yeah, that, that contract, that age, that. It's just, it's. It's kind of, it's kind of tough. And I mean, that. That contract that they gave him was kind of a. I think it was kind of agreed to when they first traded for him because he was a guy that Dane really pushed to get that last summer before Dame requested a trade. And then giving him that contract was kind of a last ditch attempt to get Dame not to request a trade. And then Dame ends up requesting a trade 24 hours after they agree to that deal with Jeremy. And then you can't really just like back out of that contract. Yeah. And, you know, the way they spun it at the time, and I think there was some truth to this was even though, you know, Jeremy doesn't obviously make a lot of sense on a rebuilding team, they wanted to have some vets around and not have the entire team just be kids with no adults in the room. And they like Jeremy as a, As a guy and as a locker room guy. And they felt like he was still, you know, provided enough value on the court that when they needed to later on they would be able to move him. I think that part of it was a little bit of a miscalculation with how restrictive some of the rules about salary matching and the apron stuff is with the current cba. I think that part, they may be miscalculated a little bit. But. Yeah, I just. It's kind of tough to figure out where he fits long term on. On this roster. But unless they can find a way to move him, he's going to be here. So, you know, we'll. We'll see how it ends up shaking out.
- [45:06]
Host/Interviewer
What's the biggest swing factor for this team? Let's say that they progress from that. 36 wins to low 40s, you know, sneak into the play in what's the biggest swing factor for them to get there?
- [45:18]
Sean Hyken
I think it's the, the two young guards. I think it's Scoot Henderson and it's Shaden Sharp. We've, we've talked about Scoot already. If Scoot becomes, you know, a clear cut, you know, good starting point guard, like, like a playoff caliber starting point guard. If Scoot makes that leap and kind of continues the, the progress that he had the second half of last season, that I think that's going to be big. This is a big year for Shade and Sharp too because he, you know, he is extension eligible. I, if I had to guess right now, I don't think they agree to anything before the deadline in October. But this is a big year for him because I think he's the most talented player on this entire roster. If you just look at like pure, you know, athletic ability, physical talent and like what the high end of what he could be could look, he just hasn't done that. Like he's the guy that, I think that if he hits his ceiling, he could be like a multiple time all star. Like that's how talented I think Shaden Sharp is. But he just has not done that consistently. You know, his second year he missed a lot of time with the core injury last year, you know, he played and he was really good at some time, at some points and then other times, like when they started their turnaround in January, Chauncey Billups benched him and made it very clear publicly that the reason that he benched him was because he didn't like the way that he was defending and Shade and ended up responding to that and playing better on that end later on. But it's just, you want to see him put together a full consistent season of what the best version of himself is at both ends of the floor. And he hasn't done that yet. But if he can do that, then I think that changed a lot about their ceiling.
- [46:49]
Host/Interviewer
Last question. What's the most realistic outcome for the Blazers this season?
- [46:56]
Sean Hyken
I think they could get the 10th seed. Okay. I think that's, I think they could. I think anything above that is a little bit ambitious. But you look at the bottom of the West, I think they're clear. There are four teams that I think they're pretty clearly better than and that's Utah, New Orleans, Sacramento, Phoenix. And then you look at those other teams and it's like, you know, Memphis is already starting to have injury problems. You know, what if Kyrie Irving doesn't come back and, you know, Anthony Davis misses a bunch of time like, like Dallas could fall. Like, I think they're like comfortably the 11th best team in the west as far as like, where I would have them. Just on paper, everybody's healthy. But if you think they're the 11th best team, then you just have to think that a couple of those teams in front of them have, you know, a bad injury luck or have something go wrong or what, whatever, which inevitably it will for somebody. So I think the, you know, that 9, 10 play in range is probably the most comfortable ceiling that I would put on them right now.
- [47:55]
Host/Interviewer
Go check out Sean at the Rose Garden Report. Anything else you'd like to promote before we get out of here?
- [48:02]
Sean Hyken
Not really. Just go subscribe. I got some. I got a new show starting on Rip City Radio 620. That beautiful is probably going to start closer to the end of the season. I'm sure it's going to be available on podcast platforms. We're still hammering a lot of that stuff out. But that's coming the, the WNBA team, the Portland Fire. Like, yeah, you know, they just did a press conference this morning when we're recording this to announce their new general manager, Vanya Siernovich, who I think I'm pronouncing that name right. She's, she was the Golden State Valkyries assistant gm. So, you know, people are excited about that hire. Then, you know, we'll, whenever the CBA gets done, we'll find out about the expansion draft. So that's something I'm going to have a lot of coverage of whenever that happens. And just, yeah, I mean, this is going to be a really, however it ends up going, this is going to be probably the most interesting Blazer season on a number of fronts in a long time. And I'm actually like, I think I'm more excited for training camp to get started than I have been in a number of years.
- [49:05]
Host/Interviewer
Yeah, there's a, there are, there's a lot of different outcomes for this Blazers team and it's not even necessarily wins related, but by the end of the season, I just feel like there's going to be so much more information about the roster and the players that I think is honestly should be intriguing for NBA fans. Sean, really appreciate you coming on and we'll, we'll talk to, we'll bring you on again when there's more Blazers topics.
- [49:28]
Sean Hyken
Yeah, always good to talk to you, man. Par le tu francais, hablas espanol, Par le italiano if you've used Babbel, you would Babbel's conversation based technique teaches you useful words and phrases to get you speaking quickly about the things you actually talk about in the real world. With lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts and voiced by real native speakers, Babbel is like having a private tutor in your pocket. Start speaking with Babbel today. Get up to 55% off your Babbel.
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Dave Dufour
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Sean Hyken
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Sean Hyken
The problem with group insurance is that healthcare isn't a group decision, it's personal. Group insurance means businesses get one carrier.
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