00:00The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired LaMelo Ball, the Charlotte Hornets, people are saying sold high.
00:09Coach, you like this move for Charlotte. Tell people why.
00:14Well, I think what they have decided to do is they have realized that Conn Canipple maybe was better than
00:21what they thought when he drafted him.
00:22And they have decided that they are turning over the keys to the team to Conn Canipple and Brandon Miller.
00:31So to me, you know, LaMelo, while a, I would say, top 10 talent, I think that they were more
00:41willing to move off of him and kind of give the keys to someone else and trust the player development
00:45of Charles Lee.
00:49I also really like Nas Reed. And I don't know if this is because I know Nas and Nas lives
00:54in the same town that I grew up.
00:56We grew up in the same town, Asbury Park, New Jersey. Maybe that's it. I don't know.
01:01But I feel like Nas and this is this skill set of NBA of this shooting big man that can
01:07stretch the floor, even though he's not like cat size.
01:11It's going to be intriguing for a Charlotte Hornets team that really made a big jump in the last year.
01:17So to me, Kevin, I think they both won, honestly.
01:22I think I think Minnesota had to get this kid because they needed another shot creator in the backcourt because
01:30it was just too much on Ant.
01:32But I think Charlotte needed to extend their timeline, go get Nas, get the draft picks and kind of give
01:40the team the Connipple and Brandon Miller.
01:43So I am in disbelief at what Charlotte did here.
01:47And I'm actively annoyed about what some people have said on the Minnesota side of it.
01:51But I just want to say that.
01:55If we have if we have a conversation, this is why, again, like it's exciting.
01:59I really appreciate coaching. But I like talking to coach because even if like we kind of disagree on the
02:05initial, he kind of makes a solid point.
02:06I saw someone yesterday say that Charlotte got better and I almost punched my phone.
02:11Now, that would have been useless. But that's a dumb thing to say, guys.
02:14OK, Charlotte did not get better.
02:16Charlotte's whole thing was having a super, super mega elite offense.
02:20And it was an offense ran by LaMelo Ball.
02:23And I think there is legitimate reason to worry about how Conn, Knipple and Brandon Miller will look without LaMelo
02:34Ball.
02:35Net rating last year, when the three of them were on the court, was a plus 15.
02:41When Knipple and Miller were on the court without LaMelo, it was a minus seven and a half.
02:48That's a huge, guys, that's a 20 plus net rating swing, whether LaMelo is out there or not.
02:56Conn, Knipple is a legitimate all time great shooter already.
02:59We know that. He's not bringing the ball up.
03:02Brandon Miller is an awesome slashing wing, high upside.
03:06He's not bringing the ball up.
03:08Kobe White is not LaMelo Ball.
03:10Kobe White's job is to get buckets and shoot threes.
03:13He's, he's not, and he's not nowhere, he's nowhere near the passer that LaMelo is.
03:19And I would argue he's even worse defensively.
03:22So, Charlotte got worse.
03:24In a league where almost no one is doing that, it's very jarring.
03:30Now, if you want to argue that Charlotte is willing to get worse
03:36because the current core was not going to be championship level,
03:41I, I don't know if I like love the idea of that, but I'd like listen to it.
03:45Okay.
03:46But it's very important.
03:47And for me that people understand Charlotte got worse and are taking a huge risk here.
03:53Like everyone's talking about this risk Minnesota took.
03:55Guys, Minnesota has no choice.
03:57They have Anthony Edwards in the prime of his career.
04:01They've been to the Western Conference Finals in two of three seasons.
04:04They've been eliminated by the Western Conference Champion in four straight years.
04:09They have to go in.
04:11Everyone's like, oh, Ant's going to ask out.
04:13Yeah, guess what?
04:14That's the parachute.
04:16You want to know why they traded all their picks?
04:18Because they're going to get them back if Ant asks out.
04:21Sorry.
04:21That's the deal.
04:22But I just think Charlotte coach are running a, I think Charlotte are very much so going to be worse
04:34next season,
04:35barring some huge deal that I don't think is coming.
04:38And I hope they understand that that's what they've done here.
04:42And I know I'm not positive they are.
04:44They might, but I'm not positive.
04:47Well, that's why I kind of made the reference point of they both won short-term, long-term.
04:53I think they are, they are, I don't want to say they're punting, Kevin, but it's like third and eight.
05:00And instead of throwing a slant, they ran a draw play.
05:03And they're just going to, they're going to, they're going to play it.
05:05They're going to play it out another year.
05:07And they're going to try to figure out.
05:08Also, I've noted, do look for Miles Bridges possibly to move next.
05:12He has an expiring deal.
05:13I don't know what Miles brings back, but I think that is the next domino to watch with Charlotte.
05:20Yeah, certainly.
05:21So I'll just say on the Minnesota side, I think the fit of Ant and LaMelo is super exciting.
05:27And I think the most underrated fit is Gobert and LaMelo.
05:31LaMelo, or excuse me, Gobert has been lacking that elite passer.
05:35It's why he's always so good when Conley's on the floor.
05:38LaMelo's going to set him up and Gobert will protect him.
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