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00:00I'm telling you, I wasn't just saying that because he's coming on the show.
00:03It literally is my favorite coach press conference of all time.
00:10I give you Herm Edwards, Mike Singletary, the late Denny Green, all of them.
00:15Jim Mora?
00:16I'll take this guy.
00:17I'll take that for data.
00:19River Island's guest line, David Fisdale, analyst, NBA TV,
00:24coach for a number of teams throughout the years,
00:27joins us live now here on Willard and Dibbs.
00:30Coach, how often do people still bring up, take that for data to you?
00:34I get it yelled at me across the airport from time to time.
00:38Okay.
00:39All right.
00:39Decent chance that's me if it happens.
00:42Favorite, tell me you've heard whoever it was who artistically put that press conference
00:49and kind of auto-tuned it to Tone Loke because, come on,
00:53you sound a little like Tone Loke, coach.
00:55Coach, I've been told that one before, too.
00:58Same neighborhood.
01:01Well, appreciate you coming on.
01:03We know that you've spent some time coaching Kristaps Porzingis,
01:07and our audience would love to get to know this guy as a player a little bit.
01:12So what can you tell us?
01:14I mean, he's ultra-talented.
01:15It's no surprise, you know, when he's on the floor, he is, you know,
01:22one of the most dangerous big men in the league because he's a two-way player.
01:26He takes pride at guard.
01:27He takes pride in protecting the rim.
01:30He plays the game the right way on the offensive end.
01:32You can't switch against him.
01:34He's an elite nail post-up guy.
01:38Obviously, he can stretch the floor deep.
01:41Big-time basketball IQ and work ethic.
01:44You know, obviously, the big thing that people are always going to talk about are the injuries.
01:48You know, he's gone through a few of those, obviously.
01:52But I think the deal was a smart deal.
01:55You get a talented player in your midst, and, you know, I don't think after this contract,
02:00he's going to cost as much because of the injury history.
02:03But he also, he's a guy that you can get in your fold.
02:07And if you can get him healthy with your training staff, you might have a late steal on a veteran.
02:14That would be great.
02:15And, you know, the system here kind of runs through Steph Curry.
02:19So, I'm wondering, Coach, how he fits with the way Steve Kerr likes to run his offense.
02:24Oh, I mean, Coach plays through the bigs.
02:27I mean, all of the stuff that he runs through Draymond, he can do through Chris Stapps.
02:33You know, and Steve does such a good job of playing through those guys and utilizing their passing ability.
02:39The difference with Chris Stapps that he has, I think, is he gives you,
02:44it's almost like he gives you two dimensions.
02:46He's a lob threat.
02:47So, when any time Steph is involved, you got a trigger there.
02:51So, he's going to get, he's going to, his ability to catch lobs and pick and pop,
02:56that's just not an everyday thing in the NBA.
02:58So, you're talking about Steph Curry coming off of this guy.
03:02And if you switch, he's a killer.
03:05So, he and Steph, that duo is going to be dynamic.
03:09And it just fits everything that Coach likes to do.
03:13This kid understands not to hold the ball, to play fast, you know, .5 and move it.
03:19But, he's smart enough to pick up the concepts of when Steph's off the ball, we're screening for Steph.
03:26You know, he's just a really bright dude and a hard worker.
03:30And probably the best part about him, I think all you guys will like, is he's a great teammate.
03:35You know, he's just one of those guys his teammates really embrace and like.
03:39Coach David Fisdale is with us here on Withered and Dibs 95.7 The Game, doing work for NBA TV.
03:45Coach, I'd love to ask you this.
03:48Like, let's get real.
03:49Steph Curry's still playing great.
03:51But I think this fan base is at odds with each other sometimes with regard to whether or not the Warriors are almost chasing ghosts.
04:01Like, with the guys at their age, with the injuries we're talking about,
04:05how realistic is it in your mind for the Warriors to still be a contender?
04:10Right now, this year, they're not.
04:12That's just not realistic.
04:13You lose Jimmy Butler, you know, where you're already, your margin for error was slim.
04:20You know, I said about this team all year, you know, if they're, if they could get to the A seed, that would be awesome.
04:27And then they're a team in the playoffs you don't want to play against because that's their time.
04:32Veteran team, they got a day in between every game.
04:35You know what I mean?
04:36Like, and they lock in on an opponent and they're as good as it gets when it comes to dissecting a team if they could just play a seven-game series against them.
04:44So, you know, I always saw them as that this year anyway in need of a deal to get to the true contention spot.
04:52But, you know, now without Jimmy Butler, you know, it's just not going to happen this year.
04:58The league is too good.
05:00This is one of the most talented NBAs we've ever seen.
05:04And a big part of that is the absolute influx of superior talent coming from Europe and Canada.
05:12And so, you know, at the end of the day, Steph is still Steph.
05:17Draymond is still Draymond.
05:19But, you know, and it's not chasing goals.
05:21You're just trying to, you know, work with what you got to give those guys the best chance to win because you owe them that.
05:28You know, if they're not going to, if you're not going to do that, then you need to talk about moving them because those are champions and they only understand chasing rings.
05:37And so, you know, I know that the front office is doing everything they can to try to build a championship team around those guys.
05:45But the other thing that they're always going to run up against is their age.
05:50And do you do anything that extends out past how long those guys are going to play that could end up hurting you, you know, or strapping you for later?
05:59So, you know, it's a lot of considerations when you talk about older superstars and trying to build around them and how delicate that is.
06:06Because, you know, that's not an easy job.
06:09And I think, you know, they've done as good a job as you could do at trying to bring people in, you know, build with the cap that they have and make themselves relevant.
06:19They haven't been sterile over there just sitting on their hands.
06:22They've been trying to do stuff.
06:24Ultimately, though, you know, when I look at you guys' roster now and the players that stare, you're just not going to get a lot back, you know, for the guys that you have on the roster right now.
06:36They're all solid players in their own right, but not anything that's going to demand another team give up a really good basketball player to join the roster.
06:44So, you know, it's a difficult situation.
06:47At some point, they're going to have to make some tough decisions, hopefully not in the near future.
06:52But, you know, I think the Kristaps Porzingis thing is a sneaky thing that could end up, as they build, you know, next year and beyond, as Jimmy gets healthy, if you can get Kristaps on a lower budget and you got a seven-foot dude out there that could do all those things I just talked about, you know, you immediately get back into a competitive conversation.
07:16Former NBA coach David Fisdale here on Willard and Dibs 95-7, the game.
07:21I'm curious about your thoughts on Jonathan Kaminga because here many fans are mixed on exactly how good he can be in the association.
07:30Coach, when you see Kaminga, what do you think of his game and how good can he become?
07:34It's all about fit, you know, and he just didn't fit with the style of play.
07:40And, you know, he may end up finding a home in Atlanta maybe, you know, just based on them not being a different system.
07:51You know, you can see the kid, Nikhil Alexander-Walker, has really thrived there.
07:56Obviously, J.J. has really thrived there.
07:59They're an attack team.
08:01You know, they're a dribble-drive team with the backside movement instead of the front side being movement.
08:06And that's different.
08:08The Warriors are a passing team, a movement team, a catch-and-shoot team a lot of times when it comes to Steph.
08:15And the pick-and-roll stuff and the ISO stuff is all towards the end of it and on the backside of it.
08:21And that just didn't fit Kaminga.
08:23And so, you know, the kid is talented.
08:26It's no question that this kid is a talent.
08:30He's exactly what the league requires from the standpoint of 6'9", athlete, super motor, and can attack the rim.
08:41You know, so it's just a matter of him landing in the right, you know, in the right role.
08:45And hopefully this Atlanta situation is the right situation.
08:49Because Atlanta clearly has a systematic way that they're going about putting together their roster with length and skill and motor.
08:59And so I think Kaminga fits right into their template.
09:03And he may have a lot more success there just based on, you know, the style of play.
09:08David Fizdale with us here at Willard and Dibbs.
09:11Coach, I wonder how you'd handle what is clearly a difficult and maybe even a little prickly situation here as we move through the latter stages of Draymond Green's career.
09:23His skills have definitely diminished, but he's royalty within the organization.
09:29And then now they've even opened up about potentially talking about him in trade conversations.
09:35As a coach, how would you handle that, both in terms of minutes and just from an emotional standpoint?
09:42Well, I think the first thing the organization has to do, and I think they will, is you got to spend time sitting down with Draymond and mapping this out together and talking about this is, here's what's on the table.
09:56Here's where we think you're at, you know, and here's the options that we're looking at.
10:01And, you know, really have an honest and open discussion with him.
10:06And, you know, you have to see where he's at, right?
10:10You have to see where he believes he's at right now.
10:12And if he's at a place where the organization is, you know, if you have better players than him on the roster and he wants to still be there, then he has to, it's going to be an ego sacrifice where you have to, you know, really let go of what was and start to become something else.
10:30I watched, I watched it happen with Udonis Haslam, right?
10:34Championship forward, big, huge part of all of our championships, three championship guy, you know, respected, tough.
10:44He'll fight you the whole deal.
10:46But father time started to catch up to him and, you know, Pat and Spoh, they had real honest conversations with UD, you know, as they were after the LeBron era, you know, because things have changed.
11:00And you got to start looking at young guys and things like that.
11:03And so UD made the choice to not be traded.
11:07He wanted to stay in the same city, wanted to stay with the same organization.
11:10And you see how it played out.
11:12The guy undrafted played, you know, 20 plus years with one team.
11:17And I see that with Draymond, just depending on where he feels like he's at.
11:21And if he feels like, man, I really still got a lot left in the tank to contribute to a championship team.
11:26And then you start talking through that stuff with him.
11:29What teams would you like to play for?
11:31You know, who can you see yourself with?
11:33We'll look to that.
11:34We'll talk to them, you know, because this is a business ultimately.
11:38And you got to really, you know, the only way that it really gets messy is when you start doing stuff without conversation and without being eye to eye and face to face.
11:46All parties deserve that.
11:48I think all parties will handle it that way.
11:50I've been up there with those guys.
11:51I watch them operate their class acts.
11:54And so, you know, these are just the real discussions you got to have with your agent vets.
12:00And hopefully they have the conversation.
12:02And next year, if they can keep Chris Stapps at somewhat of a bargain rate.
12:06And you got Jimmy gets healthy and Steph and Draymond and Chris Stapps.
12:09And coach, is that enough for them to make real noise next year, assuming health, of course?
12:15Well, I think a lot of, again, that's a piece of it.
12:18Because that's what you need in the playoffs with that type of mindset, those type of skill sets, the absolute lack of fear in the crunch, the understanding of how to play down the stretch.
12:30That group brings all of that.
12:32But to get that group to the place, they're going to have to fill in the blanks with young, athletic, long, smart talent.
12:41And, you know, they got a couple young guys on the roster who I think is going to take a huge jump this summer.
12:47And, you know, hopefully, like the kids from Florida you guys have, and, you know, Santos and those guys.
12:53So I think those guys have the ability to fill those gaps.
12:58They just have to have big summers.
12:59But they're going to need that big time to get through the season to get that group there.
13:04David, you're talking about Will Richard.
13:07I'd love to hear more about that because this fan base thinks that the Warriors right now are kind of devoid of young talent.
13:15Who do you like on this roster amongst the young guys?
13:18Yeah, I don't think that's the truth.
13:20I think they've really gotten a lot out of their young talent.
13:23And they've really done a good job of picking talent off where other people missed.
13:28I mean, that kid was undrafted.
13:30And he's a champion from college, and he's playing minutes for them.
13:35You know, what you have to see right now is the warts of young guys because you don't have all of your talent on the floor to cover it up for them, right?
13:43And so that's what happens when you have young guys playing a little bit above their stock, above their station.
13:50And so you're going to see the warts over time.
13:52You're going to see that kind of stuff happening.
13:54But, you know, I think all of the positives, he's a good, solid basketball player off the bench.
14:01I love the kid Santos.
14:02Like I said, Will is a talented kid.
14:06You know, I think they're going to have to go because they let Trace go.
14:09I do think you're going to have to go get another young, talented, big athlete to give Steph another lob threat and give him some rim protection back there,
14:21especially knowing that Chris Stapps may have injury history.
14:25You know, he's going to go through that during the year.
14:27So you need another guy that can defend similar to that.
14:31So they'll probably be hunting for something like that in the offseason.
14:34But, you know, ultimately, I do think there are some good, young, talented players on the team.
14:39They just need to take a jump.
14:41You know, Moody.
14:41Moody is a good basketball player.
14:43I thought he took a big jump.
14:46You know, he can guard.
14:48Melton is a good basketball player.
14:50He's more veteran, but he's solid.
14:51You saw his value.
14:52He's just coming off an injury.
14:54How is he going to look next year once he really gets his confidence and his legs underneath him?
14:59You know, so I think there are some things in the cupboards.
15:02It's not dismal, you know, where you should be hopeless from the standpoint of your youth.
15:07And you've got coaches up there that really know how to develop.
15:10And so they have a track record of that.
15:13And I think this is just the hard part is you've got to suffer, Warriors fans.
15:17We all go through with it, you know.
15:20They don't know, Coach.
15:21This ain't 2K, bro.
15:23This is real.
15:24Like, it's hard to move pieces.
15:25It's hard to get.
15:26We don't push a button and a guy, you know, gets 30% better all of a sudden.
15:31You know what I mean?
15:31It's not that kind of deal.
15:33Like, it takes time.
15:34You've got to go through some pain of rebuilding.
15:36You know, it just doesn't work out perfect, you know.
15:39And, you know, ultimately, I think the thing that if you're going to say anything that's
15:43bit the Warriors, that could have been a real home run for them, you know, throughout the
15:48time that they've all been together was the Wiseman draft.
15:51And you have to take them, right?
15:54Like, it's like, the guy's so talented.
15:55He's better than, you know, he's a freak when you look at him on paper, but it just didn't
16:00work out.
16:01And so that's, you know, that one will always haunt him a little bit.
16:05But, you know, at the end of the day, this is the suffering that NBA teams have to go
16:10through when they rebuild.
16:11We went through it in Miami.
16:13You know, it was, we lost Bron, you know, Chris Bosh ended up, you know, having to retire
16:19with the blood clot.
16:20And it was like, oh, man, what's happening right now?
16:24You know, like, we're just taking punches.
16:26And, you know, so it's, this is the league and the other teams aren't waiting for you to
16:30heal.
16:31You know, they are trying to get better.
16:33They are building their teams to win titles.
16:34And, you know, these kids are coming into the league better.
16:37Look at San Antonio.
16:39I mean, all babies, but they, I think they're a contender right now.
16:43Like, they are ready to go.
16:45And, you know, that's tough to contend with where you talk about the five you just threw
16:49out.
16:49All of those guys are over 30 years old, you know, well into the mid-30s and stuff like
16:54that.
16:54Like, that's a, that's a tough ask, you know, of all those bets.
17:00So, you know, that's just the life of the league.
17:02And I know it's frustrating for fans, but, you know, I know those guys are trying to
17:07put it together the best they can because they want, they want Steph to end his career
17:10the right way.
17:11No doubt.
17:12Though, coach, before you go, you just said something that I bet you don't know may well
17:18have triggered a lot of fans of this organization because of some of the stuff you just talked
17:23about, there is very much a prevailing thought amongst many fans that Steve Kerr and his staff
17:29do not develop young talent.
17:33You said they have a great track record.
17:35So, speak on it, coach.
17:37Speak on it.
17:37I mean, how much, there wasn't, like, I see these guys in the gym and what they're doing.
17:42You're talking about Jerry Stackhouse, Terry Stocks.
17:46These guys, don't just look at what you, because I don't think that's fair.
17:49Your staff has changed dramatically over the years, and the guys that was there before
17:54were great developers.
17:55You said Mike Brown didn't develop players.
17:57Like, what are we talking about here?
17:59You're telling me Jerry Stackhouse isn't a developer, Terry Stocks.
18:02These guys have track records of bringing young dudes through this league and getting them
18:07to high levels, you know?
18:08And so, yeah, I'm sorry.
18:12You've just been blessed with great vets, and that's the reality of it.
18:16Like, you know, these young guys are hit or miss, but you've been really blessed to have
18:22a roster of elite draft picks and veteran players.
18:28So, you really, it's hard to grow them when these guys are just doing all of that.
18:33What do you want those other guys to do?
18:35They got to make a shot, and hopefully they can guard.
18:38That's the development y'all not getting.
18:40You know what I mean?
18:41Like, what are we talking about here?
18:42So, you know, ultimately, I just think, like, you know, you're going to have to see it right
18:50now because they're going to need it.
18:52And you're going to have to, you know, they can make their judgments for themselves as
18:55fans, you know, as they look at this next wave of time that you're going to go through
19:00because you're going to need young guys for Steph and Draymond to have an opportunity
19:05at all to get back to the promised land.
19:08Coach, you're the best.
19:09That was really great stuff.
19:11We thank you for the time today.
19:14Oh, absolutely, man.
19:15And, look, I'm a quiet, I'm a sneaky Warriors fan because Steph is my favorite player.
19:20So, I'm rooting for him, too.
19:22And Steve is my guy.
19:23So, hopefully, everything gets together and it works out for him.
19:26Okay.
19:27Yeah.
19:28We'd love to chat with you again down the road as that happens.
19:31All right, guys.
19:32Take care.
19:32Okay.
19:33You, too.
19:33David Fisdale, NBA TV, longtime coach in the league.
19:38Take that.
19:39Come on.
19:40Take that for data.
19:42Come on.
19:43Take that for data.
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