All Wizards Talk
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All Wizards Talk
JuJu on that Beat
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SPEAKER_03From athletics to athletics, steer is gonna welcome back to All Wizards Talk Podcast on the All Sports Talk Network. Um host Bryce Nakens joined alongside as always by Henry J. Brown. And quick apologies if we're not as energetic today. I think I'm coming down with the flu. Henry, I know you have something going on.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I told Bryson, I think I gave him whatever I have from like half half the country away. Yeah. My bad, little bro.
SPEAKER_03If if we're not as energetic, that is why we apologize in advance. But this was still a big game to get something out on that we definitely have to talk about for a bit. And so we'll go ahead and bring that to you guys. I know Henry, you were at the game. Do you want to talk about the Baltimore guy himself to start off this? Juju, we're leading with Juju. What is the we're leading with Juju? Why not? Let's read with Juju.
SPEAKER_04It's sort of charming to see him having come this way because there was a time when I covered the team, and people would ask me, like, are there any NBA prospects on this team? I'm referring to the 2023 team that actually made the tournament behind Jameer Young. Um, and they would ask me, Are there any prospects? And I would say, No. Um, because I just didn't think uh Juju Reese, then a sophomore in college, um had the juice. I didn't see him having within a bucket of a 2020 game in his third NBA game, but that's exactly what he did tonight. Who would have thought? 10 offensive boards.
SPEAKER_03Crazy. This is the most rebounds by a rookie this season.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and so and someone next to me, it might have been Abdullah, was asking me, like, is this like the record for like Wizard's rookie ever? And I was like, there's no chance because West Ensight probably averaged 20 during his rookie season. I think he won MVP that year. So um, that was a surprise. It was really good to see him uh actually dominate like that. And he hit his free throws too, so it was a complete game. And that's what you want to see.
SPEAKER_03Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_04What was that? Eight of eight at the line. Yeah, he hit all of them. Uh, and Gil didn't have to play the five. Uh, so I think it was a win all around, which is funny because also Trey Young's debut game, and Reese isn't really a pick and roll guy, and they still I mean they didn't win, they lost, uh as you know, they do.
SPEAKER_03Uh, but it could have been much, much worse. It definitely could have been much, much worse. They lost by 10. They were down by almost 30 at one point. I had a midterm before coming in, and I got to catch right at the what?
SPEAKER_04That's the first half. It's got bad. Sorry, yeah.
SPEAKER_03The the first half was bad. I got to I had to miss the first six minutes of the game. I had a mess tray young's first bucket as a wizard, unfortunately. But I mean, like, I tuned in and I saw what they were down, I think 51 to 31 at one point. And the second quarter is like, oh my goodness, to the jazz.
SPEAKER_04That's what I'm saying. Like, I looked up and I we they were down by 25. I just missed it. The jazz were shooting the crap out of the ball, and this shouldn't surprise anyone. But in the in the third and fourth quarters, uh, the third stringers showed up and just made the game on their own. What else is new?
SPEAKER_03Which crazy, like Leaky Black ended up getting 16 and night, even though I text you some thoughts about how he was playing late in the last time.
SPEAKER_04Leaky had eight points in the first like five minutes. Like he was Trey Young's favorite like release foul. It's crazy.
SPEAKER_03And so, but late in the game, I thought it definitely looked like Leaky checked out a little bit. You you could kind of tell with some of the guys where it's like they almost checked out. Does that make sense? Like on defense? Because I see that some defense is really rotten. Some of the defense and leaky is known to be a guy that is a good defender, and seeing him check out it was just really concerning to me. He's on a 10 day, he's on a 10 day, right? He's on the D. Two way. Interesting. He took he took uh Tricky's spot. Yeah, no, Trickies.
SPEAKER_04Two took Watkins.
SPEAKER_03I think that was Juju. Oh, really?
SPEAKER_04That's right. Yes, yes, yeah, that's duh. We just talked about him. We all came from the circle. Got it.
SPEAKER_03And so, like, it's just I mean, it was just disappointing to see him, like, especially two-way. This is your opportunity to kind of show, and I think he can't get another two-way after the season, is the thing.
SPEAKER_04That sounds right. He's been around a couple years. I think he was played somewhere last year, and I remember the Hornets before that. I can think of an Eric Eric Collins call he did with Charlotte, where he's like, I love Lee.
SPEAKER_03No, he has he can get one more two-way, but even then, like, he's still fighting for you know that second contract, and like it's just a defensive effort. It's like you gotta you gotta at least try.
SPEAKER_04Here's what I'll say the Wizards have had really awesome luck with the guys they just pulled out of thin air. I feel like almost everyone they've brought up, whether it's um I forgot uh Kadary Richmond or Alandis Williams or even Reese, these guys who they just call their butts, they've they've all been pretty good.
SPEAKER_03Well, Kedari and Alandis were in the G-League system with the go-go, so like you kind of have a had a clue with them what they were gonna do. There's continuity. The problem is Allandis couldn't get a two-way contract, he's already played three seasons in the NBA. Yeah, that's the problem with some of these guys that they work for.
SPEAKER_04They've been lucky enough with these fringe guys. I was like, there's gonna be a point where they're this is gonna run out.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, which kind of brought up my next question is like please you have the you have the Alondis Williams, you got the Kadari Richmonds out here where it's like, look, they're balling out. Sure. I've had some people ask me why, you know, they gave, for example, uh Leaky a two-way over Alandis, and I had to explain it's because, well, Alondis isn't eligible for two-way per you know the NPA rules, and it brought up the question. It's like, are you gonna be willing to kind of maybe take a chance on like an Alondis Williams who looked really good for a just a one-year minimum, maybe? Um, especially if you have the spot.
SPEAKER_04We we've we've we actually have we actually talked about this in the podcast, I'm not sure we have, of just how cramped the uh rotation is gonna be next year. Like everyone, the fact that they guaranteed both of the two-way guys potentially through next year, depending on what they do with uh the Watkins money. There's not a whole lot of room. And I feel like if you were to pick between Alondis and I don't know, um Sharif Cooper, like that's an easy decision for almost all of us. Like Cooper has one of the our favorite third string wizards. So I don't know. You can't really be throwing spots like that away. And you also have to account for Gill, you know, probably another one-minute contract on the way.
SPEAKER_03Sharif is hooping this year, like it has like the stats are not what I thought they were gonna be.
SPEAKER_04He's averaging almost eight points a game. It's actually funny. This isn't even his first time being Trey Young's backup. His only other season in the NBA was like four years ago. He averaged like half a point a game on like 20% from the field. It was really nasty, and he's just a different kind of guy now. Like when Trey sat in this game, we've only talked about Trey Young's performance. When he sat, I know, um, the fact that he was another guy who could sort of have some dribben penetration, and you missed that, but there was a little bit more continuity there.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, which you know, that was one thing I wanted to ask was like just you know, is there any chance of them being offered like a one-year minimum? And like, I don't think so either. I think there are better players, I say better players, players that make more sense to use like a one-year minimum on, especially you know, coming up with a draft, because they're gonna have one second round pick that's like in the 35 range.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and they already have a lot of guards taking up the back end hype bar room.
SPEAKER_03So it's like it's kind of tough to justify giving someone, you know, a one-year minimum like an Alandis Williams, where it's like he's also on the older side. He was he's what 27? Yeah, 26-27. He's easy, easy to better. Yeah, whereas you could actually fill up a roster spot with one of your second round picks, that's an early second round pick, instead of doing a two-way deal, you could do a one-and-one and be like, hey, look, this is your tryout year, right here. You're on a standard deal. All right, go out there, show us something, especially in that 35 range where you're gonna get some guys that probably should have gone in the first round, but some people just rose up that late first round because teams just like they're fit with them. And so you have maybe like, you know, I think you know, I've seen a lot of people talk about him with the draft coming up, you know, Swain over at Texas. Yes, I think I think he's a late first round pick. He should be a late first round pick. I see people talk about him like he's a top five, top ten prospect. Yeah, I've heard him in lottery conversations. I think back end of lottery. Yeah, I just don't see it. I know a lot of other draft people don't see it, like Tyler Rucker, friend of the pod. Um, he doesn't see it either. He's like, he's got the skill set to be a good player, but lottery, even top 20 guy, no. He's like late first round.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, there's different kinds of second round picks. Um, the Wizards, both the guys they guaranteed from the second round. Uh, they were both in the top half, they're both early 40s. There's a difference between that and like the 50s. Like, that's a that's a wasteland. Like the fact that the Knicks found Mohammed Di Oara out of nowhere, that's like an anomaly. But you do find good guys in the 40s and the late 30s, like you're talking about. That's just a missed first-round pick.
SPEAKER_03Like, yeah, missed first-round picks. They just fell because teams like to better fit with the guy, you know, that was a borderline second first-round pick guy, and they just fell because of that. Swain could be one of those guys you take there, give him a one-and-one, see what happens. I think he'd actually mesh really well with the team as well, seeing how he plays. I think he'd mesh well as and you know, actually force Vukovic to try a little bit more on defense, which I I know that sounds really horrible of me, but it breeds competition, and you kind of need that going forward.
SPEAKER_04And so that's where they ask the Wizards themselves, they'll say they like that competition that you're talking about. Like they came into the season talking about a meritocracy, and that's what you're breeding.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's that's what they do, and so but that's why I say you're probably not gonna see even like as good as he was tonight. I just want to be realistic with it. Julian Reese, great performance. I'm not taking anything away from him. Is he back next year on a two-way contract? And it's still in the air.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I mean, one one good game doesn't separate that because it has been inconsistent at other points. Um, you know, he we all sell a few highlights sometimes, but yeah, the hands still need some work. Um, the the I don't know, the smoothness with with which he attacks the basket, uh, his fitness of Trey, because as we know, Trey likes pick and roll guys and the guys who could just finish finish a noop down there. That's not quite his game. He's a bit undersized for a center. He's about 6'10. Um, I think it's 6'9. Yeah, there we go. That's so that's not a best. Yeah, uh, I don't know. There's no guaranteeing two-way contracts, but that's not how the game works. If you're if you're a guaranteed two-way contract, you're probably a guaranteed maximum regular contract.
SPEAKER_03Like Sharif, he's got one more year. I think he's guaranteed another two-way.
SPEAKER_04Probably, yeah. And maybe like another team likes what they see in him. Maybe Sacramento's like, you know, this guy could actually like play some back appointment.
SPEAKER_03They give they give him a minimum deal, one year minimum. Exactly, exactly. Yeah, being honest, Cooper. If you have the option of a two-way or one-year minimum, take the one-year minimum. That's NBA money, man. Go do it.
SPEAKER_04If it's guaranteed, take it.
SPEAKER_03And so that's where I'm out with Julian Reese. Where it's if they bring back Sharif Cooper on another two-way, you only have two spots left. You have three second-round picks. Do they use all do they try to use all three? Do they trade one and use two to put them on two-way deals? Who knows? It's just it's gonna get like you mentioned with the rotation. The two-way spots are also going to be a situation to watch for because of the amount of second-round picks they do have.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and and AD isn't the healthiest dude ever, so you know, get ready for some of those guys to actually play.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and so it's just really interesting. Like we said, this is his third game in the league, his first good game that he's had. It's also his first season in the league, and he's already 22. And so it's just one of those things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Four-year college student makes sense. Yeah, you gotta take in age, you gotta take in is he actually like is this a dude that we think can develop in a year or two and earn that standard deal? There's a lot of factors that go into it, still really early. Great game from him, you know, definitely someone that a lot of people are talking about, considering B More Guy. All right, sister is Angel Reese, uh, great player in the WNBA. And so it's definitely a guy people are talking about, but there's also there is yeah. There who who was it that made their debut tonight, Henry?
SPEAKER_04Oh, I can't. Uh there was some no skin on the jazz. I think I could make a joke there, but I can't think of it, so I gotta say Trey Young.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I was I was about to say, you know, like when I was watching the game, I felt really cold because someone was like playing tonight, making his debut, and it was Ice Trey. And be honest, it's it wasn't the greatest of debuts, but it wasn't the greatest debut.
SPEAKER_04And yet, the fact that it wasn't the greatest, but even still, him being there changes everything. I was like enough before the game, uh, I got to talk to uh the jazz coach Will Hardy, and he mentioned that there's guys in the league who I don't know, there they say some guys are like you gotta pick him up like at half court. Not a whole lot of guys actually test you on that, but but Trey Young does because not only can he shoot it from really deep, he didn't even do that particularly well tonight. He only hit one three, and it was in the second half. It was and one too. Crazy. Yeah, that's the thing. Uh, but the fact that he can also get to the rim so easily. The first bucket of the game, he just walked to the rim. And to see a guard on the wizards do that was just unreal. Because as talented as you know the bubs and the other Treys are, um, that's something that they've missed. Someone who really can yeah, effectively and consistently punish another team. Do anything he wants on offense, practically. Yeah, yeah. And just to throw the passes, he was doing like it just warps the defense, just to know that there's a guy who can just feed like that.
SPEAKER_03Well, you I think you wrote about it over on SI about like the three wizards, Trey is gonna help the most. It was you, right? Yeah, that was me, yeah. And Balal wasn't one of your guys, and I feel like Balal really did well with Trey Young just in the minutes he did. I felt like he was more confident because of having Trey on the court. Does that make sense?
SPEAKER_04No, totally. I mean, you just know, like, even if they didn't have a chance to win and they're playing the Utah Jazz in March, the fact that you have the guy just raises the stake. Something inside of you just knows I have a better chance at doing something great right now. And Trey said that after the game, that of course he and Bilal still have a long way to go before they've built real chemistry. Um, he's familiar with his game, he's played against him for a few years. He mentioned when he first got here that Ballal's locked him up a few times, and Trey appreciated that he was willing to cut and he just knew that Trey could feed him and he was willing to meet him at the rim or just finish a play.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And we I think we talked about it on the last pod of what we can kind of envision for Bilal paired alongside Trey. And it's like a John Collins kind of player, which some people might take that as an insult. It's not because John Collins was a great slasher, he was also a great pick and roll partner with Trey Young as well. Trey really elevated John Collins to look like a $30 million player a year, but in reality, he's what little what 15?
SPEAKER_04John Collins' PR has fallen a long way. There's that really famous tweet, uh, you know, the one I'm talking about, where it's hit next to Kevin Durant and it's the Atlanta like PR team on their Twitter saying, like, current MVP, future MVP next to him in that age. Like freaking yellow milk. But I you see the role. Bilal can be that non-center pick and roll guy who can get downhill and just be a mega athlete. Just the kind of guy who can get to the rim at a second and do something while he's there.
SPEAKER_03And his three-point shot has looked so much better. It's quick. I never thought it'd be this quick. He's he's firing. I don't I don't know who he's been working with form-wise for his shot, but it's working now.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, there's been a few times, you've probably noticed this, uh, the last two home games, there's been a moment where he just sort of dribbled the ball up at a point where you'd think like the defense would just put a hand up and he would do a simple swing pass, but no one's met it by the top of the key a few times, and he's hit just hitting these really basic walk-up threes, and just seeing a guy, it's technically a pull-up three, and he's willing to take that. And he fires it, gets it out of there quickly, and it's gone in. I don't know what his numbers the last few games have been, but they have to be a little bit more than a lot of things.
SPEAKER_03I'm doing the math real quick. I'm doing the math real quick. He is nine of twenty-two for his last three games, which would come out to 40%, nearly 41% from three. Last how many games? Five. 21 threes in five games isn't nothing. It's not nothing. He took seven against the Rockets and went five of seven. Now that was crazy. He took six against the Magic. Didn't make one. But he also went two of three against Toronto, two of four tonight against the Chaz, oh for two against the Hawks, but that was just a rough game in general for a lot of guys, and so I'm not really holding that accountable for him. But the fact the fact that in so far the first three games of March, he's shooting almost 39 from three and 43% from the field, take that 100%.
SPEAKER_04And he's not getting spoon-fed the way that he will be from now on. Like he can now just sort of not that he wants it this full time, but he can just be in the corner and know that even if he's not looking at him, Trey Young sees him.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and so and I I'm just gonna be honest, I don't want Bilal to fall in this habit of taking five plus threes a game because I don't think that's his game. Take three game, three threes a game, knock down one or two, go ahead. I'm fine with that. All right, completely fine. Like we mentioned, John Collins kind of archetype. Collins is shooting almost 40% from three, and it's because he's knocking down one out of 2.9 shots from distance a game. If he does that and is taking these eight or nine shots during a game and driving to the rim and tacking and getting some free throws, I'm fine with it. That's got like you you live with that. That's a really good player. And it and just being honest, is Bilal starting next season? Probably not. Probably not. And so if you could just get that off the bench, 100%, you'll live with it.
SPEAKER_04I mean, I think he when we're talking about the guys who can be improved by Trey Young being there, he's he's one with a bullet. Like there, he there's it's it's the clearest archetype, it's the clearest instance of a young guy that's gonna be. But just needs a bit more structure. And trail. It just makes sense. It's like peanut butter with jelly, right? Yeah, we we need a better way to differentiate between the trays, by the way, because I was the f I was I'm proud to say I was the first one to trip that wire where I asked Coach Keith after the game about Trey, and he's like, which Trey? And I was like, we're here. That's a great question. Which one? We have to address it. We finally have to, I and I have no answers, and no one actually asked Trey Young after the after the game. So I guess. Trey with an A. Because neither of Trey, Trey isn't either their real names. Trey Young is Rayford, and Trey Johnson is Richard. I think it's Earl. I think it's Earl. Where did I get Richard from? Did I make that up? Is he Earl?
SPEAKER_03I think so.
SPEAKER_04Did I just make something up on the freaking podcast?
SPEAKER_03He he might be Richard. Richard Earl Johnson. Richard Earl! Alright. He's he's Trey because he's the third Richard Earl Johnson.
SPEAKER_04And Rayford Trey Young is the second. Yes. We call him two and three.
SPEAKER_03His dad, his dad is a good person, by the way. That's cool. It makes sense. Oklahoma guy.
SPEAKER_04He's talking about Oklahoma in the postgame. Did he? Yeah, he just said, like, because uh Monumentals Chase Hughes asked him about the impact he makes on the kids because it's not often you see the youth this excited about a wizard coming to town, but they have like he's just a popular guy. He he's been a franchise guy for half a decade now. Um, and he just talked about how it means a lot to him being someone who the kids look up to and they're excited to see and get the autograph for because that was him 10 years ago when he was at the Thunder Games.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, because you know, and even when he was at Norman North, and you know, there'd be kids. I I'd go there as an eighth, ninth grader just to watch some games, and even then there were some little kids that look up to him. Oh you when he was a freshman there, kids would still go and look up to him. So, like he gets it, he a hundred percent gets it, and so he he, like we said, not a great debut, not a bad debut. You you know, fine with the minutes restriction that he has, whatever. We can't really judge because he hasn't played with the two best players this season and Keyshawn and Alexar. And he might not play with them at all this season. Who knows? He might not. I feel like that's something we should also talk about while we're here.
SPEAKER_04Um Keyshawn George, real quick, is something, yeah. Yeah, so he's scheduled to get his next checkup in like three weeks. Three weeks is a reevaluation.
SPEAKER_05Start of April.
SPEAKER_03Yes, it'll be end of March, start of April. The re-evaluation date puts him at two weeks left in the season, and it's just a reevaluation. It's a it's the same thing we've heard with Alex Tr. Now with Anthony Davis. I've heard people complain and be like, well, Alex Sarr is supposed to be back a week ago. Why is he not? I was like, well, it wasn't a return date, it was a re-evaluation date to determine what the next steps are if it's injury, if he's clear for action, if they have to take further steps with it. Same with Anthony Davis, they're giving him another two weeks to see how he progresses to see. Okay, is it actually healing? Do you need surgery? What's going on? He's cleared for limited on court activities, but with Keyshawn George, three week three-week reevaluation date. It's a partially torn UCL, and you don't really see that in basketball. It's a baseball injury. It's a it's a big baseball injury, and usually a partially torn UCL in baseball means you're out three months.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, or if you're like, there's was it Bryce Harper or someone who like tore his UCL during that World Series run? So he didn't field, but he could still hit. It's like weird. It influences some muscles. It was the same with Shohei as well. Yes, that's right. So he didn't pitch. Yeah, you're right. Um, and it's weird, it's it was like a contact UCL tear. He got tripped on a screen on like Monday, and they just announced it yesterday. What happened?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's it's one, yeah, it's it's definitely a weird injury. You don't see it much with basketball. You're not throwing as much, but you are shooting. It's his left arm, so it's not as big of a deal if it would be his right elbow. Yeah. Was the torn UCL, so it's not as big of a deal, but like we said, we only really know time frames for like baseball injury wise returns for UCLs. Like we said, partially torn UCL. Usually the time frame is you know six to twelve weeks, which is a month and a half to three months. With basketball, probably a little bit different. I don't envision him playing at all the rest of the season.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, here's what we know uh they're 16 and 46, which means are there 20 games left? That seems like it could be right. 46. No 82. So 82, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So you don't wash your jersey during a win streak. You don't switch seats when your team's not big. And you definitely don't shave during the playoffs. When things are working, you don't change them. That's why when you drink Jaegermeister, you drink it ice cold. Anything else? Well, that just be bad luck. Drink it cold. Don't drink it at all. Jaegermeister. Damn, that's cold. Drink responsibly. Jaegermeister Lacour, 35% alcohol by volume. Imported by Mast Jaegermeister, U.S. White Plains, New York.
SPEAKER_04I think my math is right. Yes, 1646. Yes. 20 games left. Yes, you're right. So a quarter season left. I I don't know if he comes back. Again, I know nothing. It's just happened today. But I think this is sort of on the Anthony Davis thing. I think both of their releases are on the exact same track. Where AD, similar thing. He's farther along. They said he's progressing as normal. Um with his ligament damage and his is also his left hand. Uh, but also he's like two weeks away of his own from a checkup. So probably just to keep Adam Silver uh off their scent. Yeah, keep him off the radar to work to back. We are keeping these guys in contact with doctors, and we are theoretically working towards a comeback. I don't know what they are.
SPEAKER_03Now, I think that's the thing with Trey Young where it's like, look, we played him, just put him on a minute restriction because he just came back. And you saw him go to a locker room during the game as well. Yeah, he was not happy about that. And neither was Brian Keaton. No, no, but I'm just looking at the schedule, 20 games left. I mean, their next win might not be until March 25th against the Jazz again.
SPEAKER_04You never know. This team gets weird. Uh, these third stringers are legends of the sport. Uh, I was we were joking after the game, like, it would be really funny if someone like Sharif Cooper, who's been around for all of these heroic fourth quarter comebacks, just ends the season with a positive plus-minus because they just try their butts off. Uh Reese ended up sitting with the last minute a bucket away from 2020. So I don't know. Nothing would surprise me with these guys if they just gutted out a weird win every now and then.
SPEAKER_03Like they beat the Celtics in one of Tatum's return games. Like, that would not surprise me somehow.
SPEAKER_04That would be so funny because they I think the Celtics game against the Wizards in DC. I think that might have been the most demoralizing game I've seen this season. There, that was one where it was like the second quarter just started, and I was like, I want to go home right now. Like, I'm just not having a good time.
SPEAKER_03The last the last one is uh at Boston at TD Garden. I'll be on my way to Boston that day. I will be landing as soon as the game ends.
SPEAKER_04That game, you're not missing out. It's gonna be rotten. No, I'm not and there's there's theories as to whether or not the South is gonna keep momentum going with Tatum. They probably will. Uh, I don't think the Wizards will deter them, even on the best days of Juju Reese and Sheree Cooper.
SPEAKER_03No, like it's just it's weird. The only like kind of like weird win I could see them pulling out against a good team would be the New York game, because if Trey Young plays, you know Troy Young is gonna try his hardest to beat the Knicks because the Knicks hate him. All that entire fan base. That was funny.
SPEAKER_04Another one of the low moments of the season was that Knicks game. Uh this all this game felt worse. I don't know why. Um, but at that game, the Knicks fans were there and they booed him. They didn't even play. Like they they know how to travel and they know how to they know how to keep flowing. I love it, and I think he's gonna keep that going himself.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but you know, we talked about on the last pod as well. This is the last thing I kind of want to mention before we call it quits here because it you know, we're in the grinding part of the season. This is something to look at with this loss. The wizards now are a game back from the second worst record in the NBA. Okay, two and a half game, two and a half games back from the worst record with the Sacramento Kings at 14 and 49. They've just played one more game um than the Wizards, so naturally they are gonna be higher because of that. Yeah, um, and now because of this win, the Jazz jumped, went down one spot to the six worst odds or six best odds at first overall, which means the Jimmy Giants there, they lose their pick. But yeah, you're looking at that as a Thunder fan. Kind of, yeah. But this also, because the Thunder also have the Clippers pick as well.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god, go to hell.
SPEAKER_03Continue. But um, this now creates a three-game separation. Remember from the last episode, we talked about how many wins are realistically on the schedule. We said four or five. They'll eliminate this one because this is one of the ones we counted. Realistically, there's only like four wins left on the schedule. So, really, the pick is almost secured at this point.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god, please don't get my heart going. We're talking about we're talking about this at the game. Like some of the guys were like saying there's there's no reason to think they're gonna lose the pick. I I think I'm just a paranoid soul, but you're getting you're getting me all riled up that that they might actually hold on to it. I can finally go to bands.
SPEAKER_03Just just being honest looking at it. I mean, like, next game against is against New Orleans and being honest, New Orleans has no reason to lose. They're gonna play their best guys 30 plus minutes and go out there and try to win, and the wizard's gonna put guys on minutes restrictions and play the leaky blacks and Julian Reese and you know, the entire fourth quarter.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, they've gotten to the point where like Justin Champagne, I feel like hasn't played in a month. That's not true at all. He's played here and there, but he gets DNP. He just isn't playing much fairly consistently in the last few games. And like it happened to Sharif Cooper as well. The day Sharif Cooper gets a DNP because he's over he's powering the wizard with too many wins. That'll be the day.
SPEAKER_03But like, just looking at the schedule that they have left coming up, New Orleans. They they need to win. Like, just being honest, the port Pelicans need to win.
SPEAKER_04I guess. I don't know. They don't give a crap, but yeah.
SPEAKER_03Well, like they don't have their pick, they don't have a pick at all this year. So it's kind of one of those things.
SPEAKER_04Stephen A. Smith started a war for no reason against them a few days ago, so they're they're probably and then they go to Miami, who is vying to keep their playing spot as they always do. But they're they're dumb. These are playing those play in eastern teams, they're gonna burn you. Heat, magic, or bulls. Like one of them is gonna make you so mad because the Wizard are gonna pull out a win from nowhere. Later nowhere.
SPEAKER_03But then you go Boston, Golden State, Detroit, Detroit, OKC.
SPEAKER_04Boston, Golden State, Detroit, Detroit, OKC. That's what I'm talking about.
SPEAKER_03Uh New York, Utah, which could be one of the few wins that they have left on their schedule. So, like just being honest, just looking at it. Let's let's talk realistic. What games can they pull off to win? All right. We'll count New Orleans because you never know if New Orleans, if someone gets hurt or something. Jazz is also in the cards. Jazz is also in the cards, and then Brooklyn. After that, those are the only games that you feel confident they can win. Playing teams or contenders. Yeah, so no more Pacers games, you're saying? No more Pacers games.
SPEAKER_04It's like just they might be in good hands then.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's that's what I'm looking at. It's like there's only three games left against, like, or when I say three games, actually two games left against tanking teams.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I wonder two things. I wonder if Trey Young is gonna just lead a win by himself out of nowhere. I just want to win chair. I wouldn't say that because I think he's gonna be on a minutes restriction the entire season. You're probably right about that. I'm just I'm saying I wonder if there's gonna be a game where he just goes bananas, but again, you're right, he probably won't play the minutes, and they like to front load their minutes anyway. Um, also, if AD plays, which I'm still doubtful for, I wonder if he'll actually intersect with Trey Young, because if they play together, it might be that that that might create a situation that might be hard to lose depending on the the opponent.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you just never know.
SPEAKER_04You never know. I don't know anything.
SPEAKER_03I'm just I'm just talking out of the last thing because I just saw it got reposted by Wizards PR. In the last 40 years, only three NBA players have had a 20 rebound game within the first five games of their career. Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, and now Julian Reese. Congrats, man. Congrats. We'll we'll end it on that high note.
SPEAKER_04I gotta be honest.
SPEAKER_03We'll we'll end it on that high note. I know Baltimore guy.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and it's crazy. Like, I remember when he was just just getting his his like face fried off in in March Madness. And I had to write about the game after. I was furious. And and here we are, 18 and 20, it's third game.
SPEAKER_03I remember the uh Wizards were actually doing a little video today because I was like, of course, I keep up with the social media team as I think their media team has you know greatly improved the season. It's not bad. Like, I think they've done a good job with it. They did a little video today of what do you consider the DMV? I want to play this game with you real quick.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_03Because you because you're from the DMV. Yeah. All right. I would like to call myself an honorary member considering how much I spend time up there. Yeah, you yeah, you you're from the wiki area. I'm familiar with the area. I've got family from Bethesda, would spend summers up there all the time. So, like, I I know the area, I know how to take the metro, I know how to walk around, I order from the food trucks, like I you know, I'm complicated stuff.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, let's hear it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, all right. So this is uh they were asking what is considered the DMV, and these are some of the you know talents that they listed off. Ready? Okay, Richmond.
SPEAKER_04I can look at a map. If it's too far south, I'm saying no. I there's not many areas in in Maryland that will make make me say yes to this. I don't yeah, Richmond. I'm leaning no. I don't think so. I don't think so. Nova is its own thing. I mean, you you're familiar, like it's yeah. Let me look. If it's close to oh, no way. No, I just saw it on the map. It's even more south than I thought.
SPEAKER_03About it's definitely not the DMV. Uh like that's that was my thought. Bub said yes. I don't understand what Bub is on, but I don't see it. Then the then the other DMV guy, Cam Whitmore, said no. And they got Anthony Gill on here, since I guess he's the veteran been here longest, so he's kind of DMV now.
SPEAKER_04I don't know. He's he's he's um he's the DMV's favorite son. Let's say that. We'll say that.
SPEAKER_03McLean.
SPEAKER_04Where? McLean. What the hell is that McLean? What state is that in? And do I know anything?
SPEAKER_03I haven't I haven't heard of that either, I'll be honest. Uh oh, that is definitely DMV.
SPEAKER_04Oh I know! Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, that is McLean. Over by Arlington. Definitely. Okay. Was I saying is it McLean? I was saying McLean. Alright, maybe I'm wrong about that. I might be wrong about the name.
SPEAKER_03So hit me. Everyone, everyone said yes, so yeah, I'm I'm tripping, yeah. Hagerstown? That's too farmy for me. I'm trying to figure out where it is. Is it Maryland? Yes. Why can't I find it on here? What's it by? What's it by?
SPEAKER_04It's more north. Like, that's that's what I think of when I think of like we're starting to get to like Harford County. It's not that farmy, but it's Oh, I know what you mean. Yeah, that's too far north. That's like Pennsylvania to me. So I ah, but that's Maryland. That's like core Maryland. I'm I'm I'm I'm very accepting towards a lot of Maryland. Um maybe I should say yeah. I'll just say yes. I'm saying too no too many times. I'm gonna be self-conscious. I can't even find it, to be honest. It's it's pretty far north. It's it's gotta be like right next to directly east to the really skinny part. Directly east or west, you mean? East to the skinny part. It's not in that Cumberland little area. Oh, okay. I see it now. I see it now. Oh, I don't think so. Probably not. I'm I feel like I'm just saying no too many times.
SPEAKER_03I I don't think so.
SPEAKER_04You are you are the DMV guy. I don't know anything. I don't know any people from Hagerstown, I will say that.
SPEAKER_03They they all said no, but there we go. They're all saying they were just like me. Fredericksburg. Um, ooh, this one's kind of tough, actually. Because like it's kind of close, but kinda not. Yeah. Because you got the keys there. You got you got you got the minor league team. Yeah, but that's no one gives a crap. No one gives a crap about the keys. Yeah. Fredericks in Maryland. Because I think of Frederick. Like, you mean Frederick? I think no Fredericksburg in Virginia. Oh, hell no. Probably not. I'm very biased against Virginia, I will say. I'm the wrong guy to ask.
SPEAKER_04Because I think Frederick is like borderline. Isn't it more north than I think it is? Why are they throwing Virginia stuff? I don't want to hear about Virginia. I I only want to hear about Maryland. It's the DMV, all right. DC, Maryland, Virginia. They better not say Delaware, because that's not what the D stands for. I don't want to hear that. No, it's DC. Who says Delaware? At least Frederick Burg is north. I don't know.
SPEAKER_03They get they get like partial points. All right. The next one was Bethesda, and I think this is clear. Yes, it's part of the DMV. Yeah. I mean, like, it can't it can't get much closer to DC, right? Beth Bethesda's DMV. You you walk a mile, you're in DC. Like, come on now. And so I I think it's clear. Uh, even though Bub said no.
SPEAKER_04I mean, it's there's a lot of people. This is the Baltimore guy we're talking about. This is I'm I'm in I'm in PG. I don't know if Prince George is on there. Um it's not. Well, what? Um it doesn't get as bougie as Bethesda does. So I will say I see where it's coming from.
SPEAKER_03Bethesda is bougie. Bethesda. Yeah. It is. I won't lie. I won't. Oh. Um, but Bub said no, but he's also from Baltimore, so what can we expect?
SPEAKER_04That's the thing. The Baltimore and the and the and the PG guys all have different opinions on this. But yeah, any more? Silver Spring? Yes. Yes.
SPEAKER_03Yes, 100%. They they all said yes.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03The final one, or no, not the final one. We got one more after this. Baltimore.
SPEAKER_04This is controversial. I say yes. But I know like Najee Marshall was in town a few months ago and he said no. He was like, that's its own thing. I think it's its own thing too. I it's its own friend. It's like an island within it, but I consider it like a part of like the family. It's like the weird black sheep.
SPEAKER_03Well, like you you have, you know, Baltimore, Washington International Airport, and so like you kind of have Washington in the name, but it's not really in Baltimore, it's almost in the halfway point.
SPEAKER_04Did anyone say yes, or was it just me? Because I think of it as its own thing, but I don't know. I I consider it part of the No one said yes. That makes sense.
SPEAKER_03That's as DMV as you get with Cam Whitmore. That's not what he said now. You're not supposed to say yes to that. You're not supposed to say yes. I have I have a friend from Baltimore and he says the same thing where it's like it Baltimore's its own metro, it's its own thing.
SPEAKER_04It's got you know, it's it's got its own line. Um, I just I feel bad that it's that it's on its own sometimes. Because it's it it's it's you know, that's a pretty thick part of Maryland it's in. Um and it doesn't really have a home.
SPEAKER_03And this this is one where I think it's going to be difficult to determine which metro it's a part of. Okay. If it's Baltimore DMV Metro, Ellicott City. Uh yeah, it's a it's a tough one.
SPEAKER_04Elected City to me feels a little too classic. Like Old Town.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04I don't know. I've been I've been to Elector City a bunch of times, and it just feels like it's part of a different generation. I don't know. Like I feel like I'm like in like an episode of Mad Men sometimes when I walk around there. Seeing I look at it on the map and I I say Baltimore.
SPEAKER_03What do you mean? Oh, isn't it part of Baltimore? I agree. I I don't think it's DMV. Even though Cam said yes and Bub said yes. But like like we said, Bubba. It's split.
SPEAKER_04That's like that's about as close as you've asked.
SPEAKER_03Bub said Richmond was DMV, and even the social media clowned him for that.
SPEAKER_04I don't know what he's on with that one. I'm glad you didn't ask Alexandria. I don't want to talk about that. You don't want to talk about Alexandria? No, no, and Baltimore, I I want to read it. Baltimore is probably isn't, but I just I there there's nothing quite like that. Where it's smack in the middle of where you'd think the answer would be, or not smack, it's too north to be obvious, but it's it has its own culture. I think that's the differentiating factor.
SPEAKER_03I I think that's the differentiating thing. It's it's its own thing, it has its own freaking accent. That's gotta mean something. It does, it does, and so but I just want to play that fun, of course, little game real quick. Some real deep cuts.
SPEAKER_04I was scared at first. I was like, is he got is this guy's gonna ask him about Virginia cities? No, no, but my Virginia's not that good.
SPEAKER_03I I took him straight from what the social media team did just because they because that's what popped up the question. I was like, man, because there's like somewhere. I'm like, uh like the fact they said Bethesda wasn't DMV. I'm like, oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I don't I I would have thought Bethesda would be an easier one. Yeah, I'm surprised they didn't ask but any of the easy ones, really. Like, didn't ask but like I don't know, they they were too smart. Like we in the eastern shore, I will say. Like, there wasn't like a stupid like Catonsville kind of question, or I feel like I feel like Bowie would have been a good one to ask. Bowie? Well, Bowie is um is it Bowie or Bowie? Yeah, I gotta memorize it. Well, Bowie's part of PG, and that's probably what they would have said. It's hard to say, were they doing county? I feel they were doing counties, so I don't know. I mean Bowie. I I mean I would I would have said like Waldorf as well. Like it's yeah, like they say do it from the gimme's, I will I will say, so I guess credit to well, there were some gimme's on there, it's just some of them were had controversial takes. Yeah. And so the Baltimore one is a real test.
SPEAKER_03That's an episode one at all. I feel like that's a good place to end tonight.
SPEAKER_04There we go. I feel like it's a good place to end. Thanks to Najee Marshall. He gave he gave everyone a uh everyone who isn't around here a crash course and this sort of thing when the when the Mavericks were in town a few months ago. I love that. I love that. But yeah, because someone's episode one made a big mistake that day. But sorry, close this out. That's enough. A lot of Maryland talk today. I've done a lot of interrupting, but we we've we've made the lines clear.
SPEAKER_03All right. Well, that's an episode. Thank you guys for tuning in, listening as always. Appreciate each and every single one of you guys that listen to the pod. We'll catch you guys in the next one. Peace.
SPEAKER_00Spring just slid into your DMs. Grab that boho look for that rooftop dinner, those sandals that can keep up with you, and hang some string lights to give your patio a glow up. Spring's calling. Ross, work your magic.