How can the Pelicans be right? What does a successful 2026-2027 season look like?

The New Orleans Pelicans are betting on themselves heading into the 2026 NBA season, but what does success actually look like?

On this episode of New Orleans.Basketball, Raphael Rattler and Garrick “G-Money” Rattler break down the biggest storylines surrounding the Pelicans, including why Trey Murphy is still on the roster, what we learned from NBA Summer League, and who faces the most pressure entering the season.

We also debate whether making the Play-In Tournament would be considered a successful season, how much pressure is on Zion Williamson to prove he’s “the guy,” and whether rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen can change the franchise’s long-term outlook.

Topics Discussed:

🏀 Trey Murphy remains with the Pelicans
🏀 Pelicans Summer League takeaways
🏀 What defines a successful 2026 season?
🏀 Is making the Play-In enough?
🏀 Can Zion Williamson finally lead a winning team?
🏀 Ranking the five people under the most pressure
🏀 Joe Dumars & Troy Weaver’s roster-building strategy
🏀 Extension candidates

Do you think the Pelicans should prioritize winning now, or developing Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen for the future? Let us know in the comments!

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#Pelicans #NewOrleansPelicans #ZionWilliamson #TreyMurphy #NBASummerLeague #NBA #JeremiahFears #DerikQueen #JoeDumars #JamahlMoseley

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:24

What up, what up, what up? Welcome to another episode of New Orleans Dive Basketball. I am your host, Rafael Ratler, drawing my fellow middle brother, Gary G Munarat. What's poppin' with you, bro?

SPEAKER_01 0:34

What up, bro? What up, what up, what up, man? It's been a been a minute, man. Been a minute, but it's all good. Everything's all good on this side, man. The city uh is dealing with some uh personal losses. If you if you know, you know, Taysom Hill retired in the city. It's a sad time in the city, man. It's a sad time in the city. Uh, I know this is a Pelicans, you know, Pelicans podcast, but of course, you know, living in the city and things, tough to see, tough to see it happen. But you know, Chris Olave got uh a new contract today. Um, and this this all ties into to the Pelicans because it's it's crazy, man. Because I feel like like it wasn't even a year ago, maybe a year and some change ago, where everybody was like, man, it feels like the Saints are like running in mud, it's ugly, you know, Derek Carr was a quarterback and stuff in LA. And now it feels like there's like a rejuvenation, reinvigoration of the of the team, and the you know, the perspective of the team and the hope going into the season, and it just goes to show you, you know, just how quick, you know, and how how how finicky you know things are in in sports, where you could be, you know, at the bottom of the pile, and you know, one or two things happen, um, and and you just you know, you got hope and and you see what happens. So, um, you know, the pelicans, of course, being the the never-ending media darlings that they are, of course, you know, because will gillery retired. I mean, retire, Lord have mercy. Like, I'm putting years on Will, man, because Will Gillary is taking his talents to to the H town. Um, it just kind of bought the Pelicans once again bubbled up to the surface. So, I blame Will for this one. I'm gonna I'm gonna let him know I blame him for this wave of you know Pelicans misery again. Um, but I personally, bro, am happy. Um, I just finished watching the TPT. Uh, they're going into their final, so I that's excited basketball. We had a new orange representer, uh Lamar Peters, on the team that lost, unfortunately. Uh, but he was out there hooping, so good for him. The WNBA All-Star game was uh incredible. Shout out to the W for putting on an important, uh, an important product and a fun product. My aces are rolling again, and brother, last but not least, but most importantly, happy Spider-Man brand new days to everyone who who who celebrates as you see my Marvel shirts. I will be in the building tomorrow. So um, yeah, man, everything's all good on this side, man. Good to see you. How's everything on your side?

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Everything is blessed. Uh, we just ramped up our last camp of the summer basketball camp at the dance camp. Shout out to them. Big three Texas team. Good luck. Uh, hopefully they they win ice cues tournament. Um, but yeah, man, it is been a while, but there's been no changes for the Pelicans, and everybody knows, like every national outlet has graded the Pelicans offseason as F and the Pelicans are the butt of every joke. Like, do they know the off-season has started? All of those things. So, before we jump into that, and to your point, the misery that it feels like Pelicans fans are living in right now, even though no games have been played and nobody in LeBron plays for the Sixers now. Yeah, crazy. Before we dump into that, make sure you guys will follow us on X, on Twitter, on IG, on TikTok. That's Inno Basketball No E. Make sure you're liking the episode below, and make sure if you're not already, subscribe to the channel. So there was a ton of hoopla, which I feel like every single summer, there's a ton of hoopla around the Pelicans because they're just a unique team that has a bunch of talent but hasn't won anything in the last couple years. It has this like phenom that like everyone still recognizes as a phenom, but like at the same time, it's like, well, we're ready to move on, but wait, what happens if it works out? Stuff like that. All the hoopla around Trey Murphy, and how every team in the league. I had people from Boston's like, yo, can I get Trey Murphy? I was like, Does my name look like Joe? Like, like every team was, and then nothing happened with Trey Murphy, and now the the rumor bills around Ben Matherin before then, you know, it was a Miles Turner, and there's been a whole lot of nothing going on in the Pelicans so far this summer. Even Summer League, which we got a chance to attend, and I think that this was one of the more fire years of summer league because this rookie class really put on a show, first off, but also I just think they're gonna be pretty damn good, Garrick. I think they're gonna impact this league in a way where you got a lot of guys on their way out, like who knows how many years LeBron and Steph and KD have, but you got a nice wave of young talent ready to kind of see who takes the mantle of being those top guys of this decade. But the Pelicans team had no first rounders. You had two first rounders last year that some people saw going in. Maybe you'll see another glimpse, especially because the Pelicans are betting down on them. You did not. I wasn't shocked that you did not full seasons last season and it just it wasn't there. But I just feel as if I don't want to say the summer is is underwhelming because it is, and right, and like if you're if you're if you're a Pelicans fan, you're underwhelmed. You looked at the the the losses and the record last year, you said, what are you gonna do? You get to the offseason, and you do nothing but resign the uh DeAndre Jordan, and you're like, So, how is this gonna change? And so, like, I thought it'd be a really good exercise for us to go through and say, Well, if the Pelicans are gonna bet on themselves, which it seems like they're doing, there may still be a move out there, Jordan Hawkins, Jordan Poole, whatever, there might be something around the edges, but for the most part, I don't think any of the major pieces are gonna move from here to the start of the regular season. So the Pelicans are betting on themselves, which is the same thing they've been telling you they're gonna do since about midway through last season. So now you have to define like what does success look like, right? For a team that's coming off 26 wins, you're not expecting to go win the West the very next year, making zero moves at all, other than a coaching change. So, I think we need to talk about what does success actually look like? What is attainable? So, I'ma start here. So, obviously, two years ago, Pelicans missed play-in, and they were the play-in darlings for the beginning of the play-in until the last two years. Is the Pelicans making the play-in but not making the playoffs? Like, for a team that's coming off 26 wins, like some people would be like, that is a win, like you should be happy if you finish 500 in the West and you make the play-in and not make the playoff. What are your thoughts on that? Because, like, I look at this and say, You're betting, and we'll we'll get to the pressure rating because I won't go through that again, but like I look at this and say, You're betting a whole lot on Zion, you're betting a whole lot on Jeremiah Fears and Derek Queen, you're betting a whole lot on Trey Murphy and Herb Jones, guys that you're not really the part with because you think you can compet now. You're betting a whole lot on the front office, you're betting a whole lot on the coach that you gave a five-year card, you're betting a whole lot on guys that haven't shown as a collective the ability to win yet. So making the play-in and not making the playoffs, like to me, I feel like that's not good enough. But what are your thoughts in terms of what success could look like in the following season?

SPEAKER_01 8:24

Yeah, man, it it's it's tough for the Pelicans to kind of try to sell you know a play-in, you know, win, or getting to the play-in, uh, as a win because the Pelicans have been there, like they they have been in the play-in tournament. Um, you know, and uh you know, the main guy, you know, one or two of the main guys, we'll talk about Zion and Trey. Um, both of those guys were there, you know. Obviously, Trey didn't play, um or Zion didn't play in in what in them, but they've been there, and so um I think I don't think that making just a play-in tournament is a win. I think the Pelicans, you know, you talk about all of those things that you're betting on, you're also betting on DeJounte Murray coming back off this injury, um, to step in and be a difference. Because again, the Pelicans did have 26 wins. Um, and there are a lot of reasons why, but one of the main reasons is that they didn't have a their starting point guard, and so you know, plugging in DeJounte Murray turned this team into a different team, you know. Whether you you know what did it result in more a lot more wins and things like that at the end of the season, obviously not, but it turned them into a different team, and so you're betting on that as well. And so when you talk about all of those guys that you're betting on, right, you're betting on guys like DeJounte Murray and Herb Jones and Trey Murphy and Zion Williamson, like Sadiq Bey, and then obviously, you know, the improvements of Derek Queen and Jeremiah Fears, but like those first couple guys, like those are not rookies and third-year guys and four-year guys anymore. Like, these are guys should who should be wanting to win at the highest level right now, and those guys collectively should want to win at the highest level. Um, you know, and so I think you know, don't getting into the play-in tournament, like getting there, obviously on paper, that is an incremental win because you were not in the play-in tournament, but it feels like an empty win, right? It feels like a more moral win, like a morality win. Um, and you know, like Jay-Z say, moral victories is for minor league coaches. Um, and so I I just don't think that that's something that like they should celebrate or try to uh sell as a win. I think for the fan base, like they understand that this team didn't do anything over the season, and so you can look up and down the boards of people saying like they don't expect anything from the Pelicans. So maybe a play-in tournament, uh you know, uh being a part of the play in tournament might actually get give them something. Um, but I think on if you if you take a step back and look at these guys who are you mostly relying on all of those guys should be wanting to win at the highest level and shouldn't, you know, with with the things that you say happened last season, the starting point guard wasn't there, the coaching was all that okay. Well, if that's the case, then change that that narrative then and show with the new coaching staff, with pretty much everybody going into you know training camp healthy. Is that gonna be the change? And if it is, you know, the the pelicans outside of if they make another little, like you say, outskirt move, the pelicans will find themselves on the end of like the way people talked about the draft pick, right? For months and months and months and months and months, it was the worst trade of all time. The Pelicans were dumb, they they are poorly ran and everything. And then the Jared Queen had a good season that that you know that pick didn't land where everybody thought it was, and now you don't hear about it at anymore, right? And that is the same exact things that could happen, you know, with the Pelicans last season, and so you know, the season that just passed. So it's on the team to do it. I just don't think you would sell the play-in participation uh as a win this season.

SPEAKER_02 12:11

And the reason why I asked the question, I agree with you. I I think the reason why I asked the question is like if you look at history, I'm a big history buff. If you look at history and you say how many teams that finish bottom five in the league then turn around and make the playoffs latent the next year or make the top six the next year, there's not that many examples. One of the examples was Mike Brown in the Sacramento Kings, and of all places, the Sacramento Kings. And again, this is Mike Brown who's coming off experience with LeBron. This is a tenure coach, very similar to Jamal Mosley. Obviously, Jamal Mosley didn't have a LeBron James at any point in his career, but you're coming from an established coach and coming to set a standard for the Kings, and that's what you know Springbrunn them, and now I don't know where the Kings are.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Kings are there is they're they're they're putting their players in Darius Acuff.

SPEAKER_02 13:02

Yes, it it is rough. But I look at that and say, okay, there's a one example, but like it's not very prevalent where a team that stays mostly the same roster-wise and only switches the coach, then turns around, makes the flip. But to your point and to the point of the question, I have always said the same thing. I think seasons, especially in today's NBA, are more about like what are the answers that you're getting from your team on a year-to-year basis. And the biggest problem with the Pelicans has been that they haven't been getting answers because each year, okay, you make it to the playoffs with Brandon Ingram, but there's no Zion. Okay, you make it to the playoff, but there's no Zion. Okay, the next years they're they're tough, but you fight hard and you things are getting better, and then the next years you don't make the playoffs, and now you got a whole nother team and Trey Murphy. And so, like each year has been a different iteration, and you haven't really been able to say, We got to the playoffs. This is what our issue was, this is what we need to go address, this is what we need to add, and that way we can see where we're at from here. Like, let's use Jamal Mosley in Orlando, for example. They go to the playoffs, they can't hit a shot. They're like, We're gonna go sell the farm because we need someone to make a shot, anyone to make a three-point shot. So they go sell all the assets they have to acquire a shooter. Well, they still couldn't hit a shot, and no, and Jamal Mosley no longer works for the Orlando magic, right? From that, but at least you were able to say each season we see what we're missing, and for the Pelicans, like it's been hard to kind of come to that, and so like the question really derives from all right, so let's say the Pelicans have a good good regular season, they make it to the play-in hell, they make it to the playoff. Now I'm looking at OKC and I'm looking at San Antonio, Denver will see. They still have to me the best player in the world on their team. The Lakers, we shall see. Um they'll be good because Luca Donchis played for the team, but like I I have to see it. I have to see it. The Rockets will be good. The the Minnesota Timberwolves. So let's say you match up with one of those teams in the in the first round. Let's say Zion's available. If you lose in the first round to one of those teams, does that tell you enough to say, well, we want to continue forward with Zion? Or it's time to start selling pieces and start looking at the the fear, the fears, queen, ease, mesy timeline in terms of when you want to compete. So, like, what are your thoughts on that? Like, what is that level this season where the Pelicans have to get to where you can say definitively this is the direction we need to go?

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Well, to be honest with you, I think you're gonna make that decision before that because there's an extension to be had. Um, and we'll talk about that. And so I think you know, at that point in time, you'll know, you know, what's the decision. Now, could you pivot off of off of Zion, meaning like move him on at that point? Um, you know, I I think we'll talk about that as far as the extension contract um goes. But I think listen, I think if you make it to the first round of the playoffs, um in any shape or form, um, I think it it would depend on how they how you go out in that round, right? Like if you if if it's like that OKC series where like you just didn't have a shot in any game, like after the first two games, honestly, the series was over. Um if if if it's if it's like that, then I think you do honestly get some answers because it's like okay, like you're not even like close to where you need to be at with this team together. Like, is DeJounte still if the Jante is still there, you know, obviously you make those decisions. Whereas like if it's a competitive first round matchup versus like OKC or San Antonio and you get beat 4-2 or 4-1, um, but the games are competitive. Um, I I still think you, you know, you you still look to see if there's any you look you listen to all offers, right? But but I think you do get a clearer answer, um, you know, to to some things at that point, right? Um, if that is the indeed the case. And so I I think it's a it's a matter of like this team, you're at a point where this team is like a lot of these players are starting to hit the point where like they are who they are, right? Like you're you're not gonna drastically change in year nine or year ten or year 11. You you're just not, and so you you get to a point where this this team is who they are. Now you have like 10 of I mean, honestly, the truth is that the these guys have just been injured, they haven't been there, and so like they could put together something, and you be like, Okay, well, like, look at this now. They're healthy and some things are showing, but but like that's only like 10 in. Like, now you guys have you know, you have your your point guard, uh, you know, available. You have Trey and Zion who are available and should be motivated. Herb has seen a whole season of people like disrespecting him as a jump shooter, and it is hurting the team, like all of this stuff needs to be like taken in for these guys on the team, not so much as like the team itself, the collective, but like each person on this team, and so you're you're at a point where like you have to put something down, or else you are who you are, like you can't keep doing this while they hurting all of that. And now, like you said, like the Pelicans have the contingency plan, like they have if whether it's the right one or not, you've put in a lot of equity in between Jeremiah Fairs and Derek Queen. And so, like, it's always been well, Zion and Brandon Ingram, or Zion and Trey, or Zion and Trey and Herb, or Zion and Brandon uh uh uh CJ, whatever the case was. Well, now it's not so much as like all of those players, it's now like hey, you have Jeremiah Fairs and Derek Queen, and so you know there is a world where like they're very competitive. Zion is a good player is a uh a fantastic player, Trey is a fantastic player. DeJante is a fan. The every time you hear anybody talk about this team, you hear about the people on the players on the team, like, yeah, that guy's pretty good, is a whatever, but like the team is is trash, so like you have to these guys have to do it themselves, and so I I just don't think it you can make a blanket statement off of a first round loss one way or another. Um, but I do think that like if you are blown out of even a first round series, that is not a win, and you should look at that as okay, this you are not even close to be competitive. Um, and I think that that is where you start to make that decision on turn this all over to Jeremiah fans and Derrick Queen and see where you go at that point.

SPEAKER_02 20:18

I think that's fair. I I think if you look at the West, and again, I think the West has this like mantra of being this like juggernaut, which is as a mystique, yeah, as a mystique, which it is and historically has been over the last couple decades. But like I look at it and I'm like, well, I think the Timberwolves got better. I think if Ant can make it to the Western Conference Finals multiple times with Julius Randle, he'll be able to rein in Lamella ball. And I so I think I think they got better.

SPEAKER_01 20:51

The Clippers got worse. I think I think I think the two best teams, two of the three best teams are in the West. But like after that, I think like the the like the next five or six teams are are in the east, like the bare best teams are in the east. Like I Detroit and and or like Orlando and Miami, like all of these teams where like you would think of them as like, oh, they just like they've all like take your steps, change things. Uh the the the Eastern conferences now, the box office. I like at one point in time, you go get Anthony Davis and Trey Young versus Tyrese Halliburton. Like, there's a lot of box office stuff in the in the east right now, not even talking about Cleveland and the Knicks who won the championship, and and like the Giannis is on the heat now. So, like you didn't say you didn't even say the 76ers. The 76, the 76ers, like there's just a lot of like really even like some of their the bottom tier teams. Like, I can't wait to watch Caleb Wilson in Chicago. Like, there's a lot of good players, I mean a lot of good players of good teams and competitive teams in the East that you just don't know. But I agree with you, like that. The West has been having that mystique for a long time, and that shine is starting to wear off a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 22:06

Like the Suns didn't get better. The Warriors damn sure didn't get better. Like the Mavs are kind of there. The grizzly, like all these teams are just like in the wash. They could be something, they couldn't be. And so, like, I think that there's a better shot than people are given the Pelicans to make the play-in and things like that. It's just to your point, what do you do once you get there? Like, what does it look like from that standpoint? And so, like, that leads us to our next point. Like, there's a ton of pressure on this team, especially, and they're they're doing it to themselves, right? Like, without making moves, you know, the rash move last offseason with the trade of Derrick Queen, the rash, the the rash move in a hundred eighty degree direction to make no moves. This all, like, no matter what, you are your eyes are on the pelicans of all teams for the wrong reasons, right? And so I want to do a little exercise just because, like, I think that there is a different levels of pressure for different people. Um, and so, like, let's go with top five people in the entire organization. It doesn't have to be a player, right? Top five people within the organization that have the most pressure, right? I will start with number five. And this might be controversial, but like this is where I put the front office. So I'm just doing a slash one. Joe Dumas slash Troy Weaver, because I think Troy Weaver does a lot of personnel, and Joe Dumas is the people person uh of the front office. I don't think there's that much pressure on them. Like, I I I think they're in the spotlight because of again the moves we talk about or their lack thereof of the moves they talk about. But I just don't think that Miss Gail Benson gave Joe Dumars two years, three years to say, go turn this around and go do something that this franchise has never done before. I just don't believe that. So it even if you know the season explodes again, right? And and it's three years in a row, I don't see Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver being the heads that's on the chopping body. And so, like, I I I view their pressure as lower-ish, but at the same time, like I think the next moves that they make going into this season, trade the deadline this season, offseason, next season, I think it's gonna tell the story one way or the other. Because again, Joe Dumas has a checkered pass in terms of Android Weaver, checkered in terms of success and failure. It's been really good when it's great, and it's been not so good when it's not. And I think that that mantra is gonna linger over the organization until it's really great or it's really not, and so like that's that's where I put that group, the front office. I just I just don't think a lot of the pressure is on right now. I think that they are in the we're cleaning up mode of we inherited this franchise and trying to build forward, and now they've got their coach, and now it's like now we're looking to go forward with young players and the roster. We have things like that. I don't know how you feel, but who would you what group or person would you put at like fifth on the list?

SPEAKER_01 25:21

Yeah, no, listen, I I would probably put the front office at at four. Um, I think they have a just uh I agree with you. I definitely think that um that they have not a lot of pressure on them. Um, however, I do think you know we've seen like executives or like people who people who you know get high contracts or whatever, uh get ham, get get the axe like quickly. I don't think it's gonna happen to Troy Weaver and Joe Dumas at all. Like, I don't think that's gonna happen. However, I I just think that there is somebody who has a little less pressure on on them um at five, and that's gonna be Jeremiah Fares for me. I think I think he's on the list of of pressure, however, I think because of what the Pelicans paid for Derek Queen, and because Jeremiah Fares has theoretically DeJounte Murray right now in front of him. Um, I I think that his his progression helps the Pelicans, but him staying, like him staying the guy we saw at the end of the season, and maybe he he takes another year to to make the next step next year. I don't think that that hurts the Pelicans um in the same in the same sense. And so I do think like they want him to get better. I think you see the the videos of him in the gym, um, and they can't keep him out of the gym and things. So you hear all of this good, uh, these good things out of him. Uh, and so I'm not you know, you don't worry about that. Uh, but I do think like you know, he he is a guy that this team is like they believe in, um, and they and I think he believes in himself, and so I don't think that the there's a lot of a lot of pressure on him, but I do think if he does, the the pressure is like if you do take a step up and make this like conversation with about DeJounte Murray early in the season a little heated, more heated than it needs to be. Um, or you earn the trust of Jamal Mosley, which means that you're busting your chops on the defensive side of the ball. Um, I think that that that turns the notch up for the Pelicans a little bit, um, as opposed to you know if another player were to do it. So I have I have Jeremiah Fears at five, and I have uh the front office, like you said, Troy Weaver, uh, and Joe Dumas at four.

SPEAKER_02 27:38

I have it in verse, but I'm putting Jeremiah Fears and Derrick Queen in the same again. I'm using that slash again. Uh I'm putting him in that same bucket. And here's why you said that DeJounte Murray is in front of Jeremiah Fears, and so that gives him a little bit more time to figure it out, right? From that standpoint. I'm looking at the Pelicans roster, and I think Derek Queen has some in someone in front of him, and I think that someone is Zion Williamson.

SPEAKER_01 28:09

And so Well, yeah, I I agree with that, but you paid, but you paid extra draft picks for Derek Queen. So that's why I would say his is a little bit more like, okay, like, you know, like that that would be my only way, but I I agree. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 28:23

Here's why I look at that a little bit different. Yes, you pay what you pay, but like at the same time, I think you were trying to get this player because you knew he would be better than or equal to whatever you would get in the next this this year's draft. And so to me, yeah, you paid like a premium to some degree, but I put them in the same bucket that like you need one of them to take a leap leap. And like what I mean by that is depending on how this season goes, like, depending on the level of leap you had, it goes back to our further or our earlier point. You want to have a pivot point, you want to have an alternative option in case Zion doesn't work out, but you need one of these players to really excel to become the next star to some degree, and like there's different levels of players. You've seen hot rookie seasons, and you've seen calm sophomore seasons or second seasons, you've seen hot rookie seasons, and then you've seen people take the leap, and then you're like, oh, wait, this guy's almost an all-star. And so, like, I put both of them in this bucket that one of them needs to take that leap where at some point in the season, and again, this is gonna determine the success of the Pelicans no matter what. At some point in the season, you need to start having the conversation in a good way. Is Jeremiah Fears better than DeJounte Murray, or should he be getting more minutes than DeJounte Murray? Or is Derek playing through Derek Queen going to be more sustainable long term than playing through Zion Whit? Like, you need to start having those questions, whether or not it's causing animosity between the team or not. You need to start seeing the play to determine, oh, one of these guys might be one of those guys, right? Like, that's what I uh that's why I kind of put that pressure here. Because again, to your point, you draft two lottery picks, two young guys, they have flashy rookie season, they are not quiet players, like they are they're not Dylan Harpin, who's like doing the right thing and saying the right thing, blah blah blah. Like they are brash in your face. So I need to see what that looks like the next year so I can know okay, if it doesn't work out with number one, we got a solid path, or we have some nice players, but we still need you know the sun that it revolves around. So, like that's why I put them at four or five. I got number three, and this is for uh a different reason. I don't think it's a it's it's a pressure on the Pelicans, I think it's a it's a pressure point or turning point in his career, and I got Trey Murphy for all the talk this summer, and again, like Trey had a phenomenal season from the aspect of people saying, Oh, this is what it looks like when he's in a full-time role, 20 point per game score, top 10 in dunks, top 10 in threes, all that stuff. Every team wants him, and then you hear him all summer long in the trade movers. But like to me, if I'm Trey Murphy, and I'm sure he felt this way, right? Like, Trey's a prideful guy. Am I a second wheel, a third wheel, or like, is there another level? Like, to your point, you're getting to that point where players are who they are. Is Trey is who he is, or is there another level? Whether it's I'm not even saying, like, can you give Trey the ball and like ISO? That's not what I'm asking. I'm saying, can you get to that next level of being a dominant play finisher from the three-point line or from uh underneath the goal? Like, can you get to that next tier of off-ball player, right? So, where what are your thoughts on that? What are your thoughts of Trey at three?

SPEAKER_01 32:14

Yeah, no, I I had Trey three as well. I think that's a you know, that's a great point about you know what's that next level for Trey Murphy? Um, and is there one? And obviously, you know, his situation is tied, I think, to uh one of those guys that's tied to this Pelicans season and this pelican, you know, how this season pans out. I think if you know if he is you know knocking on the door of a fringe all-star, right? Like people are talking about like this guy, if the Pelicans, if the record isn't good, but they're like, hey, if he if the Pelicans were better, he would be you know in all-star considerations. Um, then I think he drives up even more of his trade value at the end of the season, if that is something the Pelicans want uh you know to see, or if he is playing as well as he is he is, you know, is he part of this next iteration of the you know, is he part of the next good Pelicans team uh moving forward around you know Jeremiah Ferris and Derek Queen? Because again, his skill set is so malleable, it could it could fit you know in between those two guys, you know, like like a you know, like a glove. So I think he is his pressure is more about you know, can you get this team you know to float to the next level? Um, can you get your game to the next level? Um, and what does your what do you look like on the floor? What does your next contract look like? Um, you know, in those things. And so his his improvements or him being you know a better version of himself helps this team out, you know, tremendously. Obviously, I think he'll be second in line as far as you know shots going, or you know, as as far as the game, he might lead the team in shots, you know, you just never know, but he's gonna be a key player for this team, and so he's got a lot of pressure on him as far as the the team and the success go. Um, but he also has personal pressure on him as far as you know what are you in your career? What are you gonna be, you know, the next day? Everybody knows you as the shooter and things, but everybody's also the the word around is that you know you're not the best shot creator, right? And so obviously you don't like you said, don't want to give him the ball and do it, but is there is there more to your game? And that's a that's a personal that's a personal kind of kind of pressure that you have for your career. Klay Thompson.

SPEAKER_02 34:26

If you Hall of Fame career, obviously he's got a couple years left before he retires. If you take Klay Thompson and you put him on name random team, and you're the one option, that team probably is not that great, but he's a hall of famer in the role in which he played, right? He was the best at the role in which he played. That's what I'm looking for. Like, to your point about Trey, like I already think he's a fringe all-star knocking on the door. So, like, do you have I am an all-star in you or or not? Because I think that is gonna be extremely telling for the direction this Pelicans team go. I think, depending on his performance, that's how the Pelicans will be judged for this summer of not or reluctance to movement or overambition of what he's his trade trade value is. I think his performance this year is gonna tell a whole lot of that. Who you got at two?

SPEAKER_01 35:24

So, at number two, I think, and I only think he's number two because the I think we both gonna have the person at number one, but like he would really be like one B to me. Okay, it's Herb Jones. Okay, Herb Jones. Okay, Herb Jones in the year of 2000 the 23-24 season shot 41.8 from the three-point line. Okay, that on that is that would be fantastic. That is pie in the sky for me. That is that's pie in the sky. Since then, yeah, since then, he's been at 30.6 and 30.9 now in those same years he was paid 13 million dollars, 14 million dollars, and 15 million dollars. All right, yeah. So this this season coming up, he'll be playing getting paid 15 million dollars. After this season, Herb Jones will be making 21 million dollars, 23 million dollars, and then a player option for 24 million dollars. Okay, I Herb, I have called Herb Jones a transformational draft pick on this podcast. I still believe that it is one thing to shoot 30 from the field from the three-point line, and you're making 14 million dollars. Right, it's another thing if you're shooting 30 from the three-point line and you're making 21 million dollars, 22 million dollars, 24 million dollars. And so before this extension kicks in, after this season, he needs to get back to the three-point shot. It doesn't have to be 40, but it can't be 30 around a Zion-led team or around a Jeremiah Fairs and Derrick Queen led team. And so, as far as like pressure goes, like we saw uh again, I will never forget the moment I watched LeBron, they tipped the ball off, and that man went and tapped Herb on his on his shoulder, I mean on his on his shorts, and then turn his back and look directly at Zion. You cannot, you cannot win, you cannot be a productive team when your center started with if you want to talk about starting Yazmisi or Derek Queen, however, you want to start, either one of those guys, or Zion at the five, if that's the way they was playing at the end of the season. None of those guys are shooters, okay. None of those guys are shooters, and so if you're gonna play one of those guys and then also have Zion, and also like you, you're you're not gonna be able to have a functional offense if one guy if one and two of those guys you can just turn your back to and walk away from, you're just not, and so going into the season, it's Herb used to be one of the most the best contracts that you could find up and down the roster, right? Like up and down the NBA, you could Herb Jones was one of the better values for his contract. That time is not it's not gonna that that you're not gonna have that time for after this season, and so you know, 22, 23, 24 million dollars, like you have to produce for this team at that point, and so he's number two on my list because if if he isn't able to knock down those shots, because we've talked about all the things that can happen with Herb, you can put the ball in his hands, you can set screens, you can do this, you can do that. When the when when the game matters, and Herb Jones is an important part of this team because he is the best defender on this team. When the game matters, you're gonna have to knock down an open shot. That's just the way the offense you could try to hide him with screens. Hide they are going to treat him like a non-shooter, and at some point, you have to change that, change that reputation for you to at least be serviceable in those corner and those corner threes, uh, and other things. So, for all of those reasons, I have Herb Jones number two on my on my most pressure for the Pelicans this season.

SPEAKER_02 39:46

Let's now I look at OKC first championship, franchise history, Shea plays on the national team, best friends with Lou Dort. Got him up out of there, bro. Like, to your point, it's crazy to think about from her perspective, just because of what he means. He has a day in Louisiana and things like that. But to your point, like, $13 million is cute. We could take a fly on 10 points per game, $13 million, great defense. But like in this economy and in this salary gap, you're making 20 anything. You have to be a player we trust. You're talking about a game, and there was multiple games, but they're you're talking about a game in the regular season when they're leaving her. What is gonna happen in the postseason, right? When when teams are like we will live with X, Y, or Z shooting. That's where it really spums up. So I think that's a great call out, and I think it's an honest one. Number two is where I have Zion. Of course, the organization is putting a lot of pressure on Zion, saying, Hey, he's our best player, we're moving forward with him, the best player. Um, you see him working out for the first time. And uh, I'm not one of those people like, oh, you see him working out, so now you know he's working out. There's plenty of people that work out in silence. Like, you don't ever see Nicola Jokic workout videos. You see him racing horses in the summer, like everybody don't have to show their workout on social media for me to trust that they're working out. I am for me, I'm just happy Zion is not rehabbing this summer and is working on his game and bettering his game versus getting back to zero, right? From a health standpoint. But I look at this from Zion's perspective, and you've called this out before, you've seen the other number one picks come and go, you've seen another number one pick get traded, and Zachary Richard say, but you've seen some of the other phenoms come behind you, get to conference championship, get to the finals, get all these things, and you have zero playoff minutes, not games, minutes to your name, to your season. And I was listening to a podcast the other day, and they were talking again, terrible about the Pelicans, terrible about Zion, and like one of the guys on the podcast was like, damn, Zion's only 26, and like you think about it, and you're like, Man, Zion's been the lead for forever. And then you look down, he's like, Man, he's not even like to the prime part of his career. And so I put Zion on this pressure list. Less for the Pelicans, of course, you need Zion to be the star because you're not going anywhere in the West if you don't have one of those guys. And I'm still not ready to say Jeremiah Fears is one of those guys, or Derek Queen is one of those guys. So Zion is your best chance of being that. I think this is the season you got all the workouts, you got all the hype videos, and I know Zion's had the shirt off summer video before you're like, Zion looks great, but like the the past couple seasons have shown you that like the young man is heading in the right direction, you got a healthy season behind you. This is like the year to me where you're either not out the league or away from the Pelicans, you either classify yourself as the guy or a guy, and so I think that this is a huge presser situation to see where he is at in the league for himself, right? Like, regardless of the contract extension, regardless of how the Pelicans feel about him, where are you at? Because, like, when I'm looking at the top 20 list, the the team USA for the Olympic list, the top 50 under 30, whatever list, Zion ain't on all none of them, right? And and if you listen to any you listen to first take, you list the ESPN, you listen, whatever, Zion's almost always mentioned, but for a guy to not be in a top 20 list, top 30 list, for anybody. Top whatever Olympic list and always be people are very evident that the talent is still there. So at some point, it either is going to show itself or the talent is where the talent is. And so I think this is a pressure season for him to show who he is, right? One way or the other. So either the Pelicans make a decision and say it's never gonna get there with this iteration, or we need to keep stacking, right? Because we finally figured it out. So that's that's who I got at too. I'm assuming you got him at one. So go ahead and say you put two cents.

SPEAKER_01 44:35

Yeah, yeah. I got Zion at one. And you know, a lot of what you said, you know, kind of echoes about what we talked about with Trey Murphy. Like, where are you in your career? Where do you want to be in the NBA hierarchy, right? Um, I think for me, this is obviously Zion's most pressure-packed season um that he's seen so far. And I think the first reason is that we've talked about this off the pod. Like, you know, a lot of those times that Zion was failing and not taking his body right and things, he was insulated because he still had all that potential, right? The he was still on Team Jordan, you know, he was still getting max contracts because who or you could be, right? This is the first time where, like, Jordan, you don't you're not on Jordan no more. Like, this is the first time where like people like, are you gonna give him that max contract, or like, do we need to negotiate? Obviously, there's no contract extension as we speak, as we record today. Um, and so now it's like your failures are starting to affect your pockets a little bit, right? It's starting to affect you know the your financial standing, right? It's it's starting to affect your ability to maximize your earnings in the NBA. And so now, if anything, like this is an opportunity for you to either stake that claim or like, like you said, like accept the fact that like you're not one of those box, you know, market guys. You can still be box office, people come see your 360 dunks and and things like that. Um, but if that's what you are, right? Like, if that's what you see, we've seen the the the world pass guys up like quickly. Um, and so it's not like the NBA is devoid of like young talent, right? There's a dearth of young talent out there, and so that'll be my first reason. And again, my second reason is bruh, like the Pelicans had I I keep telling the the the the Woody scene in Toy Story when he came home and he saw Andy had changed the whole room out with Buzz like your stuff on the bed and the and the posters, you know, and the and the pictures on the wall wasn't of him and Andy, it was of of of of him uh Andy and Buzz, and strange things are happening to me was playing, and it was it's a it's a part of my childhood, and this is this is like the first time Zion has been on a team where it's like huh, you know, like they're really high on this guy, Derek Queen. Like Derek Queen is getting posted all over the Z the Pelicans uh the Twitter feed, and you know, he's the one taking the to the the the the admin job, and Jeremiah Fears is the one that everybody's talking about and things like this. Is the first time like Trey obviously came, but he wasn't a lottery pick, like he wasn't a high lottery pick the way you know Derek Queen and Jeremiah Fears are, and so like the Pelicans have a contingency plan, and so this is no longer you know, put our eggs in Zion and hope that he can get it together because we don't have anything else in the bullpen other than him. This is like, okay, let's let's see what you can do, and can you bring these guys along with you? Because, like, these are the these this is the next the you know, the next Pelicans greats or the next Pelicans uh lifers, and so I think this is this is a season like Zion has never seen again. You're coming off of a healthy season, you know. Obviously, some usage things are weird with the coaching, so you get a little bit of a of a okay with there, but you got a new coach, like the guys, their guys behind you. Like, now is your opportunity to show that what you know you stayed healthy last season was not a fluke, and this is who you are moving forward. Again, you're just 26, so you have a you know, it's not like you're gonna be out the league at this point or anything, but I liken this kind of sorter to Aaron Gordon in Orlando, right? Remember, Aaron Gordon, it was giving him the ball, he was getting a match contract, he was in a dunk contest. They they were trying like hardest to make him a number one option. And at some point, Orlando was like, great player, really good player. Can't win, can't win with him as the number one option, and they sent them to Denver, and he got next to Jokic, won a championship, and has become a great, you know, a great player in his role and doing those things, still putting up 20-22 points a game in their you know, in their their heyday as champions and things like that. So, like, this is your opportunity, like you know, if you if you if you are Aaron Gordon, there's nothing wrong with that. Like, Aaron Gordon is a fantastic player. Obviously, Zion has a lot of I would say a lot more talent than him, but if the injuries are all the things that keep you back, or just not locked in, or you know, not getting you know the the deep not maximizing your talent, then that's just who you are, then that's just who you're gonna be. And so I I think that Zion has the most pressure going into this this team. I mean, this year again. I don't think it's like make or break your career kind of pressure, but it is make or break who you are as in this NBA um hierarchy and how much money you're gonna be making moving forward.

SPEAKER_02 49:40

I would agree with that. Now, you you brought up my number one because I'm gonna be honest with you, Garrick. I don't know, I can't think of, and I watch a lot of basketball, I can't think of another situation where incoming coach has this much pressure on Mosley is my number one because if you go through the sequence of events, you hire Joe Dumas who and Troy Weaver, who already are known to like certain types of players that and want to play a certain type of way. That's that's who they are. So you kind of knew that whoever they hired as a coach was gonna be of that elk and was gonna believe that. Jamal Mosley ended his time in Orlando and two weeks later found a five-year contract with a team that had 26 wins and no first-round pick the year before. And then they followed up the offseason by adding no players to said roster, and then the players they're rooming rumored to be around, like Benedict Mathrin and Miles Turner, are not defensive players like that. So the Pelicans are setting up Jamal Mercy saying, look, your problem in Orlando was the fact that you couldn't score, you couldn't generate offense. Our problem in New Orleans is that we have no foundation of who we are as a team on night, and that's what you're good at. But also, we're damn dog shit on the defensive end. That's what you do best. You come fix this. We're gonna give you all the offense in the world, you go get these guys to defend. You got you on football fields, we got you in Vegas Heat, you're gonna get these guys to go defend. I can't think of a time in history where they're putting this much on a coach in one offseason to basically take an entire offensive roster and make them defend to some degree. And so, like, I look at this and I think it's a lot of pressure on Jamal Mosley. Obviously, he thought it was a good fit and brought his entire staff with him to say, I think this is a fit for me. You're walking into a similar type skill set, best player, and saying I can do more with this versus taking a year off like most people do. Mike Ballone took a year off before he went to North Carolina. Like, most coaches take a year off, assess the situation, and then go, but that's not what happened here. And so, like, to me, I the the amount of pressure is all on Jamal Mosley. Like, you know, Zion can score, you know, Jeremiah Fears can score, you know Trey Murphy can score. It's the defensive end that has always been the issue. I have been knocking on this podcast for six years now, saying the Pelicans will never be any good unless they defend. The two years when they went to the play ins and the playoffs was when they were top 10 in defense. I don't think that that is necessarily a coincidence. And so I think getting back to that, establishing a culture based off that, like you look at summer league, and yeah, the Pelicans didn't have any first-round picks. The roster was a lot of names. You're like, oh, Kobe Buffkin, oh, okay, I know that name, stuff like that. But like the biggest takeaway to me was not the fact that they won for the first time in like three years, it was the fact that like I could see the identity of the coaching staff start to take over the team. Like they were playing, they couldn't score, they were playing based off hustle and defense, and like all season long last year, you'd be like, Okay, there are times, and then there'd be like times where the Pelicans would really lock in, and you're like, Where is that every game? Why do you not get that? But it wasn't like an identity every night of you're in a dogfight every night. We might not hit shots, but we're gonna be punching you in the face along the way. Like, you didn't get that, and so like I got some semblance of that in the summer league, which was refreshing. Like, if anyone remembers Willie Green's first summer league, where he coached the summer league team, the first thing you saw was, oh, they're playing defense. Oh, Trey Murphy is Garden Jabari Smith, like they were playing defense. You're like, Oh, okay, this is something, and it worked well for Willie at the beginning. And so I'm looking at this and I'm looking at Jamal Mosley, and the Pelicans are like, Come save us. Like, I I don't think it's Zion that they're saying it to, I think it's Jamal Mosley. I don't know if that's a fair position to be putting him in, but damn it, that's the position he's in. And so I put him at number one on the pressure rating because if the Pelicans start out 3 and 15 and every team scores 130 points a night, everyone's looking at Jamal Mosley. You're not looking at the players because you're like, we already knew y'all didn't play defense. You're look, you're looking, you're looking at the coach that was brought in to play defense, and so I think all I think the majority of the pressure is gonna be on Jamal Mose and his staff to see what type of foundation and what type of identity he can build out of this roster. Now, we talk about the roster, we've talked about this, and we'll get out of here. There's been no again, no moves other than shout out to DeAndre Jordan trying to get to year four, or you know, get to year 20. Shout out to him. I think the most likely moves, there might be one or two small ones, but I think the most likely moves are gonna be extension. Now, the only two people you really look at and say you could be up for extension, like DeJounte is eligible, but I I just I don't think there's any chance DeJounte Murray is getting an extension from the Pelicans this this summer before the season starts. Or Sadiq Bey and Zion Williamson. Sadiq Bey, I've seen his name and like some trade. I'm not a betting guy, like I go to Vegas and don't place any bets. If there was a bet I would put, it would be that Sadiq Bey was getting an extension and on this team this year and probably next year, too. Like he Joe Dumar said it himself. He is the epitome of what Joe Dumar looks at looks for in a player, someone that can get his own on the offensive end and play bully ball, and then someone who's gonna bully you on the defensive end, too. Regardless of your limitation, whatnot, that is what he likes in a player. And so, regardless if you're moving forward with Queen and you're moving forward with Jeremia Fierce and you're moving off Zion, whatever, you want someone to be who you are as an organization, right? Be okay, that's the model of what we want our players to be. And I think Joe Dumar looks at Sadiq Bey, not because he's on the Pelicans, he also had him on the pistons and says, That's that's what I want. And so I would venture to say that he's gonna extension the only thing that's probably taking so long, and then figuring out where the hell the money's gonna come from. Because right now, the Pelicans got some maneuvering to do to get under the tax and and things like that. Zion, what do you think? Do you think that this something that gets announced before the season, during the season? I can't imagine after the season, but I mean, but uh where do you do you think they extend them at all? They just play it out and see where it falls. What are your thoughts on the extension for Zion?

SPEAKER_01 57:04

So I think that is why I think you know Zion's contract is I think that is the one thing that is being what that contract could look like is the one thing that's like not being talked about because you know, Zion took that, you know, his previous contract, the one he's on now. Um, he took that and had all of those provisions and things in there, clauses and things in there, um, and no player option and nothing like that. Because I think he knew, like, okay, I have to like I rebuild. Did not do well. This, I'ma take this, whatever y'all need to put in there, just put it in there, we'll we'll do whatever we do. The non-guaranteed part and all of that. And I think that by him doing that, his contract got even more valuable, possibly to other teams. Because you know, you gotta, you know, can you get to this weight clause in there? Oh, he didn't, I can cut him, or it's non-guaranteed. If it's bad, I can get rid of him. I'm not on the hook. There is always that optionality of getting off of Zion. And so now when you talk about like the last guaranteed year of his contract moving forward, like I'm sure the Pelicans would love to have some of that stuff say in there, like, hey, can we do some of this guaranteed stuff? Can I can we do some of that more? And to not only protect themselves but make Zion even more movable, you know, uh you know, attractive to another team who just might like the Blazers took a shot at John Moran. Somebody could do the same thing for Zion, right? Um, but at the same time, if I'm Zion, I'm like, hell no, you can't do nothing like that. I'm I saw you saw what I was I was on the floor, I did what I was supposed to do last year. I was playing standing in a corner like James Barigo asked me to. Like, I no, we're not doing none of that, and so that I think that's a very interesting like thing that like you know, the the the the what what win horse used to call it the fun max is over, bro. Like we we we gotta talk about these things, and so it wouldn't surprise me if it took a little time because I I do think like the Pelicans should you know try their best to to get as many things to protect themselves as possible, especially with Jeremiah Fizz and Derek Queen there. And you know, if you're playing great, then let's let's let's roll, like we good, like we could try some to do some things, but if not, like I want to be able to pivot in a you know an effective way to to make sure that my team, um, you know, in my organization is is well suited to move on after you, and so I I wouldn't be surprised if it took a lot longer um than a lot of people expected. I would still say that if it if it is gonna happen, then I think the Pelicans will try to get it done just for you know uh for for PR sake, get it done before the season started. If if they you know if if they really were 10 toes down for Zion, like if we are all in on you, if if the Pelicans feel that way, then be all in. Do it before the end of the start of the season, lock him in so that he knows that this team is is all in. But if not, like and if if that's something like you hold out and you see what happens. But obviously, you can't hold out for too long because you know you gotta make sure he doesn't leave for nothing. Um, if that if that's something that you're like, I want to just play, you know, play it, play it safe. Um, but at the same time, I think that the the Zion has all the right to say, nah, I did what I was supposed to do. Um, and so now I don't want none of that. I want the guarantees, I want to make sure that I'm I'm good here and that my money is good no matter what. And so I I think that's what's gonna it's gonna take a while to iron that stuff out. I look at it in a couple ways.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:52

I think you're right. I think some of the language in there, some of the stipulation, some of the outs in there, you might lose some of it. I'm I'm sure the Pelicans and Troy Weaver are gonna fight to keep some of it, but you want to make sure make sure it's still attractive enough in case things don't go right that somebody else will take it. Here's the other thing about it like, what does the number look like? Like it like in a time where you got guys about to make 70 and 65 million and Donovan Mitchell signing the new man. Like, if you get a Zion on a 35, like a 40 million dollar contract, and it works, and like he turns on this season, all of a sudden you got a lot more money to play with that you don't have to make some of the decision that some of these other people are making when their best player is making 60 million and 55 million and stuff like that. So I'm I'm just really curious to see because I'm sure Zion wants the long term long-term uh stability, but also probably wants a lot of clauses in there that's like, yo, if it works, you gotta you gotta pay me. So like I'm just I'm just very intrigued by it. I think regardless, you're there's gonna be an uproar. Why would you pay Zion? Things like that. But like the other thing you gotta think about is think about the Jalen Brown situation this summer. All right, let's say the Pelicans really did want Jalen Brown, they don't have anyone near what he makes in salary, so you are sending multiple players to make up for the salary anyway. And and again, like, I'm not sure why people were surprised that the Pelicans didn't go free agent shark hunting. This it it's just never gonna be the case. If you're never gonna be a team that acquires someone in free agency, you either got the draft or via trade. And so if you're gonna trade for someone to come help Jeremiah Fears and Derek Queen and whoever at some point, they're probably gonna be someone else's asset that they no longer want, and they're probably gonna be making a shit ton of money, Garrick. So, like, how are you gonna match salaries if everyone's making 15 million and 20? You're gonna have to need four people to send out in order to make it happen. And so, like, someone on the team has to be making substantial money other than Jordan Poole. It's someone on the team has to be making substantial money. So, like, I'm just I'm just curious to see how it'll play out. I'm I'm with you though. Like, if this whole summer's gonna be like, hey, we 10 toes down, we doubling down on Zion, Jamal Mosley, like put on the cape, like come get us. Like, if that's the case, their actions is probably gonna tell you that hey, we believe in Zion, the extension's gonna come sooner rather than that. I'm I'm just curious to see how it plays out over the next couple months. Um, again, this is the NBA dead season. Shout out to football training camp because this part in the year is it's hard, it's a thousand degrees outside, not a ton of basketball, other than the TBD, the big three, the WNBA. Like, you just gotta get through it. You just you just gotta push through. Uh, everybody's going on their vacations because you know, this is this is a tough time. But with that being said, we can come back with you. We gotta we gotta hit our growth uh rankings chart, and this summer is gonna be huge because again, the Pelicans made no moves, and all their all their players other than DeAndre Jordan should be on the up, right? Maybe not DeJounte Murray, but everybody else should be on the up. So they're banking on internal growth. So we'll break down who growth whose growth matters the most for this team. But what you got left for the people, Garrett, as we rap in the summer and walk into August. My goodness.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:32

Yeah, no kidding. As always, you never know what people are going through. So give someone a smile today. Uh, yeah, man, it is it is it is the dog days, uh, you know, but you know, we have we got some some some hoop on TV to keep us a little satiated. So uh, but yeah, man, I I'm tweaking for college football in the NBA and NFL to pick back ups. Um, I am a I am a creature of habit, and my habit is being broken right now, so it is very tough. But I'm a big movie guy, so I'm going to see Spider-Man brand new day in a couple. So I'm happy about that. As always, follow myself at Garrick underscore rattler, follow my brother at Raphael underscore rattler, follow the page at in o underscore basketball. No e. That's wherever you get your socials, and most importantly, subscribe to New Orleans.basketball. We'll see you guys in the next one.