Can Jeff Peterson thread the needle by building for the present and future? Walker and Doug discuss Peterson’s comments on being a third party trade member and his team building philosophy at Hornets Media Day. Who is getting the most praise at training camp? Charles Lee says he doesn’t want to “mess up” their offseason trade acquisition.
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Jeff Peterson speaks at Hornets media Day and also will'll give you some Training camp updates what's been going On in Durham the last couple of days we Got you updated on all of it here on Lockon Hornets you are locked on Hornets your Daily Charlotte Hornets podcast part of The locked on podcast Network your team Everyday in the minute cuz we live [Music] It's locked on hornets part of the Locked on podcast Network it's your team Every day thanks for making us your First listen we're free we're available Anywhere you get your pods and that Includes YouTube today's episode is Brought to you by good old FanDuel you Can start the season now with a big Return on FanDuel you can place your First $5 bet and you'll get started with $200 in bonus bets guaranteed just visit Fanduel.com to get started I'm Walker Mail you can listen to me on W U fnz Every weekday from 12:00 to 3 and There's Doug Branson there's his Substack every Hornets boox score.com if You're checking us out on YouTube and What I like when Doug does the weird Faces for one but also when Doug Broadcasts from home there's always a New toy in the background that I get to Pick out the the classic Little Tikes Goal is great but the worm the worm is
Phenomenal where does that rank on the Toy hierarchy with baby Doug Branson Right now honestly it's it's less a toy And more just a nuisance that I have to Pick up she doesn't even really play With it uh there are a series of toys That are but but you cannot take it away If I were to take it away it would be an Apocalyptic disaster but but she also Never plays with it and so yes they they They have protected status in this house And uh so yeah there there's the Wormy Okay I like wormy uh the little tiges Skull though I think that's perfect for Any dad Niche basketball podcaster to Have in the background it just totally That is the biggest representation of Who you are right there little Ty's Basketball goal in the background at the Crib doing a broadcast I I like to think Of my baby a lot like rickel and gay Plotkin in that there are people within The Hornets organization that they just Refuse to get rid of for for whatever Reason for relationships for but like Mitch cup still I think has some kind of Role Cliff like no one gets fired in That organization they just get moved Into a different closet and so that is Wormy wormy is uh wormy is cup check Wormy is Steve Clifford yeah wormy cup Check I like it that's what that's what The name will be um all right so wormy Cup check helping us out today as well
But of course cup Che is not the general Manager/ shot callar anymore that title Belongs to Jeff Peterson we got some Interesting sound from Jeff on Hornets Media day and we had a chance to sit Down with him on Weston Walker ask him Some interesting questions got some Interesting answers too so let's get to That some of that sound let's start with The sound bite you want to play first Doug take us wherever you want to go Here's the steering wheel where are we Heading so I think a big question that Folks have for Jeff Peterson is what's The status of this team like is this a Rebuilding team is it a retooling team Are they trying to win right away are They going to completely tear the team Down mid-season if they even try to win To try to go and get Cooper flag you Know what is the what's the ultimate Goal of this team and how do you balance How do you balance because look this Team is not a title Contender right so There has to be some balance between What you want to do longterm what you Want to do shortterm he did before I Play this clip he did also give us a Quote uh that that's in my notes that I Think like really kind of illuminates This so he said when asked about you Know building this thing into a premier Franchise how do you do that he said we Want to be a consistent relevant
Contender you don't do that overnight it Takes time and Walker I think that Scared some fans because it did sound Very cup checkes and like we want to Build a 100% consistent you know so did Did that scare you like what do you Think about that sort of comparison Between philosophies there no because I Never had a problem with what cup Che Said back it it was just all about the Execution but it the the comment whether It comes from Mitch cup or Jeff Peterson It always makes sense I too want to be a Consistent winner now we have that Trauma where we're not even a winner With a one-off season we don't even get To the playoffs and that becomes the Issue the execution of not becoming a Winner for just one season not becoming A winner consistently but I never had a Problem with the comment whether it Comes from M Geor okay so he he uh Elaborated on this on your show so let's Take a listen to that yeah I I think With us you know we we wanted to take a A holistic approach um in terms of just Having sustainable success it's not one Of these things where we want to make The playoffs one year and then we're out For another four years or make the plan Game one year and then playoffs and then We're out for five like we want to be a Consistent relevant Contender um you Don't do that overnight right it takes
Time you have to build it the right way You can't skip steps so Um every move that we do make uh again As I said earlier we're very strategic To see um if that's going to uh Positively impact that goal um knowing That that is the North Star and we would Kind of just work backwards from There so if we're threading the needle With organizations it is how franchises Get in trouble because it's instead of Fully committing to One Direction or the Other it if you don't commit then now You're making a bunch of moves that Don't make sense when paired with one Another so with all of the things that Jeff Peterson has said correctly with All of the Good Vibes that we've had Surrounding Jeff those do not go away Whatsoever but um I am interested in how You're going to thread the needle and I Hope that it's not such a slim margin For error I hope that you have maybe 80% One Direction with just like holding on To a couple of pieces on the other side To help balance just a little bit but What do you think about trying to play Both Sides here like this is how Franchises get in trouble and yet maybe The Hornets are trying to do this as Well yeah but it's difficult because Jeff Peterson again is not coming into a Situation where a full rebuild is in Order and that you know typically when
You have a new coach new owners and a New GM that equals rebuild like Historically that's how it's been but That's not what the situation is here But they also don't have like a blank Checkbook it's not a Phoenix Sun Situation where the owner comes in with Billions of dollars and says go and pay A top dollar for every you know veteran That is available here and let's go try To win as many games as possible that's Not the situation either but what you Don't want to do the danger is becoming The Washington Wizards that have a mix Of young players and Veterans like Brogden and a few other guys where it's Like and kosman it's like what the hell Are they doing or Chicago that has a lot Of pieces veteran pieces that don't make A lot of sense and they're making moves That don't make any sense so like you Don't want to get stuck in that Situation so I I feel for Jeff Peterson And at the same time like I've looked at Some of the moves that he's made and I Think they make they make sense within The context of trying to facilitate Lamelo ball and Brandon Miller being Better as players you don't bring back Miles Bridges right when you didn't have To unless you wanted to be good unless You wanted to compete and I think that's The big word that's hanging over Everything is competitive like you can
Be competitive this year and not win Enough games to make a play in and still Be in sort of Lottery contention and Have a lottery pick to play with when You go to the trades so like I I do Think that they're focused on winning Sooner rather than later but they Probably don't want to make the mistake Of coming out and saying yeah we want to Make the playoffs this year and then Everybody gets disappointed and goes What the heck are these guys doing yeah I and I don't think that there's been a Problem with what Jeff Peterson has done This offseason right there's not a move I point to and say man I I hate that Move so with everything he's done he Might be trying to tell you that we're Playing for the long term and the short Term and it might just be a cliche thing To say and so that's what he's telling You on the microphone and in reality It's we what we're going to do is just If we build smart move on top of smart Move then we'll end up in a good spot That that basically let's just if we Individually do something smart and then We keep doing that then ultimately You'll end up in a good place and so That's hopefully what Jeff Peterson and This Hornets team is doing and this can Kind of lead us into what I know the Sound B that you want to play they have To make a move eventually and we saw
Michael Jordan make his move all the way Back in what was that 2014 and they they Got Lance Stevenson didn't work out then TR then later made the move for Gordon Hayward that didn't make out I think you Can make an argument that if either of Those work out and either of those Players make an All-Star game Michael Jordan might still be owning this team Because he would have been re-engaged in A way that he wasn't uh towards the end But like you have to take that risk Eventually and both of those risk I Think that that Jordan made were Calculated risks were risks that weren't Like horribly criticized the moment they Were made just neither of them worked Out So eventually you know Peterson has To make his move and that was my biggest Criticism of cup cheack and probably Unfair criticism because like again Unless you have backing from the Ownership group to go in and make those Moves it's tougher to make those moves As general manager unless you just quit Uh but like they they never took the Risk again after Gordon Hayward yeah so It'll be interesting to see how they Operate in season as well while there's Been so many questions around the Hornets being this year's Utah Jazz Zack Low has brought that example up a couple Times do you win a lot and then you Clearly aren't going to win enough to be
Good in the playoffs and so all of a Sudden you start to lose a little more And hey we find ourselves back in the Lottery to hang on to this pick I don't Like being compared to the Utah we got To pick a different team I just I Understand what the analogy is okay you Like Walker Kesler enough though so Maybe there's one thing that is good Enough for a comparison for Utah yeah I Just W I like it when he gets dunked On By Brandon Miller that's what I like Remember that remember that yam I do Yeah so let's just be the Hornets then Let's just be the Hornets instead of the Utah that's right don't compare anybody Where the Hornets where you winning Version of that team coming up next on The lock on Hornets podcast don't go to Sleep on the Hornets just yet we have One more Jeff Peterson sound bite to get To plus we'll give you some training Camp updates and preseason set to begin Very soon we'll get to all of it on Lockdown [Music] Hornets this episode is brought to you By game time game time game time has a New feature called Game Time picks that Makes getting tickets for your favorite Live Events even easier game time picks Filters out all the fluff to show you Only incredible deals on great seats so You don't have to waste time searching
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Going to Dallas cat going to New York Why are the Hornets constantly just Stealing some of the little pieces of Fruit that drop along the way of this Big Hall Jeff Peterson said this with The uh relationships that he's able to Build and that's why he's been able to Be a part of a couple of these trades Yeah I I think again you hit on the head Relationships that's that's everything In this league so you know there's Constant dialogues between myself and And the other GMS and those decision Makers around the league and um you know I I just I push our group and they've Done a tremendous job in pushing me as Well in terms of like you know we we Have to turn over every Rock um and Figure out how we can be better and part Of our kind of philosophy and approach Has just been let's just be very Strategic and opportunistic when these Uh situations present themselves that we Can uh we can partake in them So yeah every every deal it's be every Deal which which yes you're quoting Scott fitter and now people are Twitching that might like the Panthers But uh it it it's not making a deal Where you're giving up the assets to add Like veteran talent that helps you right Now and doesn't help you long term what You're doing is you're basically Stealing picks like what what's the risk
Here for the Hornets there is zero risk For what they did the risk is if James Nai finally one decides that he wants to Play but even two is good enough to play In the league and then has this star Studded uh career in New York like That's the only risk here with the Mavericks you gave up a couple seconds That you were able to replenish anyway Which is something interesting to note With this trade that you just made so You're able to get Josh green and that Can allow us to go into training camp Updates because Charles Lee absolutely Loves himself some Josh green but yeah Love that answer from Jeff and it if it Continues this way like he's on Pace to Continue to you know be a third team or An outside franchise in some of the Blockbuster moves yeah much more Reminiscent of Trader Cho of Rich Cho Two GMS ago than it was of Mitch cup I Think and uh look cup Che came into this Organization with the reputation from La Of being behind the eightball on the Latest and greatest Innovations of you Know how you build a team and so you he Already had that reputation and I don't Think that reputation changed much while He was here he was part of discussions But never never really like seriously in The discussions for Donovan Mitchell or Some of these other other cats so again For Jeff Peterson hasn't made the big
Move yet the risky move you know still Still waiting on that to to make a Judgment call but yeah good stuff and He's only been here for like six months So we'll give you some time we're Impatient now I won't we're I'm ready to Win baby all right never mind uh when The season starts I expect big time Moves Josh Green he got a lot of Praise Uh there are a lot of other comments Coming from um Charles Lee and other Players in Durham right now where the Hornets are hosting training camp where Do you you want to start dog yeah I Don't know if we talked about Josh Green Yet but there's yeah Lee is lapping Praise on this guy for just like the Extra efforts on defense the multiple Efforts on defense and his Versatility I think he made some comment About like when they watched the tape They're like how do we just not mess Josh Green up because he is doing Everything that they want him to do and Offensively they want to turn him more Into a facilitator a playmaker we noted When they brought in Josh Green that uh His passing is good particularly in Transition position but he can also pass To the corner on a drive so it'll be Interesting I think the big question With Josh Green is Like how much does he expect to expand His game because look the Hornets have
Great scores already in that starting Lineup with lamelo with Brandon with Miles how much does he expect to expand His on ball game versus what the coaches Expect and will that cause some conflict I mean I think that's the big question How how much will he accept a sort of Auxiliary defensive role with his second Team we we've heard nothing to the Contrary we've not heard anything about Josh Green being upset with his role and It's the only role that we've seen him Play whatever team he's on whether it be Dallas however many forms of Dallas that He was on we see it with Team Australia Where he I guess infamously now did not Score a single point in that's not what We mean that Josh just to be clear That's when we say auxiliary roll when We say we've got a lot of scores we do Not mean score zero points but this is Why we we've talked about I mean Borderline exactly what Charles Lee has Been saying with Jeff or with Josh Green Right it's it's the fact that he almost Did it again that's a we're gonna need a Fine dedicated to you calling Josh Green Jeff Green that's right Josh Green Josh Green Josh Green Josh Green is the guy That they traded for but this is what We've been talking about with Josh they They identified a player that is already Doing what they want him to do with this Team they're not going out and banking
On a different version of somebody that They signed and this is what we Discussed so many times man it's why I Feel so comfortable with them going out And getting that guy because we're not Trying to make him into something he Isn't and some of the players eventually Switching scenes they do become a Different basketball player but that's Not what the Hornets are banking on they Went out and they got a guy that's going To play defense that does not need the Basketball in his hands that comes from A team with two really high usage Backcourt players and we just want him To cut we want him to get out in Transition we want him to shoot open Threes even if he was reluctant in Dallas maybe you make certain tweaks Where he doesn't get as trigger shy at The three-point line but other than that What else do you want him to do that he Wasn't already doing in Dallas in terms Of a role standpoint execution can be Different right but in terms of role I Don't want him to do anything else and I Think that's how Charles Lee sees it I Think that's how Jeff Peterson sees it And it's why I think he'll seamlessly Fit into the starting lineup and yeah if If you take away if you take Charles Lee And what he says for gospel like he's He's a starter there there's no ifs or Buts about it oh no I don't and I think
We've already seen video of him playing With the main team and Nick Richards at Center because Mark Williams is out but You plug Mark Williams in there with the Main group so I don't think there's any Question about that I don't even think It's a battle like I just think it's Automatically Josh green and then Everything else sort of sorts itself out On the bench and we should note the Josh Green deal was was again another example Of Jeff Peterson getting involved in a Deal that really was not about the Hornets but facilitating that Klay Thompson to Dallas move that like six Other teams had to help come in and and Facilitate so just taking advantage of Those opportunities uh Coach Lee has not Just praised Jeff Green though he has Really like been very you did it you Said Jeff see you're in my head talk About wormy you got got a brainworm I Have RFK over here get it right get it Together it's Josh Green please uh all Right so Josh Green getting a lot of Praise So are the other Hornets Coach Lee has Been very positive in Camp I my question Is when are we going to see Mt Lee M Like when are we going to get because Eventually Lee's got to come into one of These press conf or one of these scrums Whether it's preseason or whatever and Say hey guys didn't have it you we
Haven't seen that yet so I'm I'm curious But uh you he's certainly challenging Guys like he's challenging The Bigs Nearly every time he talks to dominate The paint and that's filtering through When you talk to Nick Richards when you Talk to Mark Williams they're like this Guy wants us to dominate the paint and I'm I don't know about you Walker but I'm sensing this Vibe just from media Day and training camp so far That there a little bit of speculation But just me trying to read some tea Leaves in these comments and we'll see It at preseason this weekend I just Think that there's a simplification Happening with the bigs in terms of what They're focused on and in terms of how They're going to play defensively I I Wonder if we're going to see a lot more Drop coverage if we're going to see less Trying to switch these guys on to to Guards or and things like that and if It's just going to be more focused on We're going to anytime someone drives We're going to stop that happening um That's that's just kind of the feeling That I'm getting well no I mean it would Make sense it would make sense that That's going to be the case I I think All right so where does the the Complicated stuff fit in I think the Complicated stuff for Mark and Nick are Going to be when you go off of your man
To go Rome and and do it at the right Time you know there might be some Simplicity in just always sticking to Principles within the Steve Clifford System as a rim protector so perhaps There's something there where like Mark Is just it's going to be about feel it's Going to be about Vibes with some of the Decisions to go block a shot but he has The freedom to what I think Doug is Maybe to make some mistakes of course You don't want too many but you can only Expect some mistakes one with the new System that Mark is learning but also With you having this kind of freedom to Make your own choices so now like it it Might just take some time hopefully Mark Is healthy for not this year not only Just next year but years to come with Charles Lee and him being able to wreak Some Havoc defensively but yeah I I Think it's I think we're going to have Fun I think there's going to be some More complicated stuff at times and also Some simpler stuff at times just like Different scheme than Steve clipp I Think you're on to something with the Making mistakes part because I I think There's I think there's going to be a Focus on getting to the spot early at The rim and really setting a reputation Early in a game and maybe early in a Season that when you come to play the Charlotte Hornets or the Charlotte
Hornets come to play you you're not Getting to the rim and the Hornets have Actually been successful in recent History doing that like if you go back To two years ago when Clifford first Jumped on and you look at the numbers in Terms of frequency of where uh teams Were shooting against the Hornets the Hornets were like top three in the League in denying the rim now they had Massive problems at defensive rebounding Turning the ball over and fouling and That killed their defense they still Finished 20th in defense but they were Denying the rim and they were denying Threes and then and then lamelo and Mark Got hurt and everything went to poop but Like before that like Clifford had this Team obviously there were different Pieces with Rosier and UB and Hayward But had a a function of this team Playing defense at a high level so it's Not impossible to think that the Hornets Could get back there with Charles Lee And even with these well I mean Josh Green I think is an upgrade defensively Over uh Terry Rosier in some respects so Yeah I think it's possible but I think There's going to be reputations even if It means giving up a three in rotation Sometimes if you're early to the spot Particularly help guy if you leave a guy Open in the corner I think Lee's going To be okay giving that up because I
Think he wants to set the reputation That like we're not going to give you Free layups Anymore and that's the kind of Basketball I like too not giving Anything easy at The Rim I mean I know It's the classic three-point thing you Know I I don't think we'll undergo the James bgo style where we're going deny Everything possible at the rim and then We're going to have single game Franchise records for three-pointers hit Against us frequently I don't think That's going to be the case no I don't Think so either I think it's going to be An evolution right it's going this is Going to be a process what you're going To see in preseason and early in the Season will be different oh well it Might be because they might be more Terrible if they decide to break the Team down but say let's just say that Everything goes right and everybody Stays healthy and this team is actually A play in Contender and they leave it be At the trade deadline or they even Upgrade it at the trade deadline I think What you're going to see is evolution of A team that does deny the rim at all Cost early on and then works out Essentially Works inside out I think That's what that's what's going to Happen here all right let's get to the Last segment here coming up next on the
Lock on Hornets podcast don't go to Sleep on the Hornets just yet preseason Just around the corner we got to get Through training camp then we'll get to Preseason we'll talk about some of the Things we want to see there coming up Next [Music] Looh this episode is brought to you by FanDuel hey NFL fan fans you can start The season with a big return on FanDuel America's number one sports book so when You get a hunch in the middle of the Game you can check out the latest stats View live playby playay and so much more On the same page where you place your Bets you'll get started with the $200 uh With $200 in bonus bets guaranteed when You place your first $5 bet that's Fanduel.com again fanduel.com America's Number one sports B more lock down Hornets ahe preseason starts tonight or Not tonight Sunday I'm getting ahead of Myself I want to be here so bad it Starts Sunday 5:00 p.m. at the Spectrum Center versus n we're going to talk About that in a moment but I do have one More piece of trading Camp sound that I'd like to share before we start Talking about the preseason and we just Got done talking about how I think that They're going to simplify things for the Centers but someone asked Nick Richards About complicating things a little bit
For the centers maybe even expanding Games offensively for the centers let's Hear what Nick Richards had to say this Is very interesting we ever going to see You step out in a 5 out situation five Out you never know never know you might Be Surprised five out situation you might Be surprised wait a minute bushel season Is back he's hiding a shot in a bushel I Knew it okay all righty I mean it's so Funny to hear that he Nick Richards Essentially gave us nothing except for Just like the slightest crack where Mark Williams Charles Lee they're telling you That Mark is going to be the shooter and Nick says you never know with me we'll See five out oh my God it's again Everybody is shooting every single body Is in range as soon as they step foot in Spectrum Center Let it Fly Nick Richards Mark Williams doesn't matter let it fly Maybe the preseason is the time to Unleash that let Nick Richards shoot a Few three-pointers in game one and if it Doesn't work out for you then we just Take it right back but maybe it does and Then he survives to the next round what Are you wanting to see in preseason Besides Nick Richards shooting three Balls I want to see this uh Competitiveness this effort this Toughness that has been uh talked about A ton I want to see that put into action
I want to see a Defense with with vastly different Players but with the same kind of Intensity that we saw in summer league Remember that first game of Summer League when we were all just like Wide-eyed like whoa what is this what What's going on here I mean everybody Was up in shirts I want to see a level Of that intensity that you're not really Accustomed to seeing in the preseason Now I expect minutes to be reduced Particularly for lamelo ball for I mean Mark Williams is not going to play but Even when if Mark comes back for the Preseason I expect his minutes to be Limited like I want them as as much as I Was on Canalis I was going to say I know You waiting on I'm just going to preempt That W on it because there's a Difference between limiting minutes and Not playing guys at all that's my point Here I I think you do you do want to Take care of guys particularly that have Injury histories there's nothing wrong With that there is something wrong with Saying I'm not going to play you in the Preseason so that you can't get game Speed action you know that's crazy so That's that's really what I'm looking For I'm looking more for Vibes than like Particular skills or like you know Clifford used to talk about this all the Time Lee really hasn't talked about it
Maybe he will after the first preseason Game but you have such a limited time in Training camp before Preseason particularly if you're a new Coach like to install a bunch of uh Complicated offense is almost impossible Particularly how much they've been Focusing on defense so I don't expect a Lot of that I expect a lot of jazz on Offense and a lot of intensity on Defense well I mean it remember Charles Lee is kind of famous for these defense Only practices and I know lamelo ball Talked about that that they've been Implementing some of the coverages there He sound happy about it he had sounded Happy about any of the things that he Said to the media uh he does when he's Not with the media but he doesn't sound Particular L happy at the podium or in The media scrum but yes I do think that Uh you know if if there's anybody that Can get his team understanding defense Well enough maybe it is Charles Lee with That being his mindset all around yeah I'm excited for preseason I think for me Like I go back to the players that show Us something previously unexpected Before the regular season starts yeah of Course I'm going to go back to this Player but PJ Washington was that guy When he was a rookie right I like what's Unfortunate is we both don't think tjon Is going to play so we in the pre in the
Preseason I think he'll play no no no he Will but we don't think he's going to Get uh be a part of the rotation in the Regular season right so like with PJ Part of the reason I didn't like him as The draft pick at the time was because It didn't feel like there was a ceiling And I didn't even know how how good his Floor was like where his floor was but Remember he comes out Gang Busters in The preseason and then in the first game Of the year you know has seven Three-pointers made against Chicago You're able to carry momentum in from Like the first four games going into the Regular season so who is that preseason Kind of like breakout player that can Carry momentum into the regular season That's the guy I want to see and I don't Know who that's going to be because I I Don't think it's ton I just I just don't Think he's going to play that's why I Don't think it'll be him but maybe I'm Wrong is it I don't know could it be Josh green hitting a few more threes and The next one I'll point out what about Nick Nick Smith Jr like maybe maybe he's A guy that gets preseason run plays well Having already maybe gotten ahead of Schedule because he spent time with Summer league and you know finds a few Spot minutes James book knight style at The beginning of the season because his Head coach gives him a chance maybe Nick
Smith Jr is that guy I think honestly if He plays astronomically better Offensively than he did in summer league Where he couldn't hit a shot because I Think this team is going to need a few Offensive rims pches to counter some of The focuses on defense and just a lack Of three-point shooting depth that this Team has like I think Nick Smith junr Has a window and there is the biggest Battle in this preseason is going to be At Wing depth although I think another Interesting battle is if they bring on a Third Center is that Harry Giles is it One of these other bigs that they're Going to bring on exhibit 10 contracts Like is is there a spot for a third big Now that you have even if it's minor it Is some injury concern with Mark Williams you've got Nick Richards there Uh they did talk to Harry Giles Yesterday at training camp he seems like He has a sort of New Perspective on his Taking care of his body and his health And his career so you know is is he that Guy we we'll have to kind of see what They do there I mean obviously you've Got Taj Gibson what's his role but do They bring on you know another Center to To work there I think that's going to be An interesting look too obviously Josh Greed we talked a lot about him Interested to see how you know he works Within that system and anything else uh
Well no while you're thinking I'll just The last thing for me on Nick Smith Jr Remember they threw everything at him in Summer league I think that was like one Of their projects if you were to rank The players that they're investing the Most in I think Nick might have even Been number one over tjon just because They probably knew what was going to Happen with tjon going into year one of His career with Nick Smith Jr there There's a lot of pressure on him one to Stay on the roster there is back uh Backcourt depth whether it be point Guard or Wing but the the you say Drastically better offensively remember It was really just shot making with him Because we we applauded the way that he Was handling the basketball more like we We were here for him starting to play a Thinking man's game a lot more than what He did when we saw him go into the Regular season it's just the shot making Right like can you make the shots you Got to put the ball on the cup good news Is that it's a small sample and people Go through shooting slumps and hopefully It was just shooting slum for him cuz we Did see him shoot well in the regular Season it was remember he was leading All rookies for a while so hopefully Just making more shots will help while He also expands his game a little more On ball H yeah anything else Doug well
On the other side of the ball I mean you Know you just traded with the Knicks you You didn't really I mean I don't think We're going to see James Nai uh but we Will we might I I won't no guarantees With the first pre-season game we might See Carl Anthony towns the newest Nick Who knows I I this might be too early I Don't know how much time he's actually Spent with the team in training camp we Might get a first look at Carl Anthony Towns that could be cool and for fans if You are going to Spectrum Center you're Going to get a first look at some of the Renovations that they've been doing There so that's cool I'm definitely Going to start a little subtext and Substack chat and ask people how that's Going you know I saw when we were there At media day I didn't see that big of a Difference to be honest with you now I Did not take go to the premium sweets I Did not do any of that I did not take a Peek onto the main floor um I I didn't See anything from where I was but again That's just like media entrance close to Center Court Grill whatever and then Right next to the practice court so Again I probably checked out like an Eighth of the stadium and I didn't see Anything well this this is Phase One of Some number so I mean I think there are Going to be some things you notice some Things you don't hopefully they this new
Technology that they're installing to Get people Faster into the door uh will help we're Also on on every Hornets box score we're Close to releasing a sort of guide book To attending a game at Charlotte that We'll update as we kind of get in and See what the Spectrum Center looks like And see what they have to offer so make Sure you subscribed to every Hornets box Score I just put up a new podcast Episode going to try to do a tape grind And flow today on lamelo balls defense By the way you can wash today's game or Not today I did it again I want it so Bad hopefully you're listening to this On Sunday and today makes sense but Sunday you can watch the game on Bal and NBA TV you can listen to the game on Walker Station WFNZ are you gonna be Doing any of the coverage will we hear Your voice nope not at all you will not Be hearing my voice you can enjoy the Game not good because I love hearing Your voice but good you can enjoy the Game you can uh that's right no no I'm Not complaining right I am not uh plus We got NFL stuff to watch so it'll be Nice to just flip the channel back and Forth needing to take care of my Panthers responsibilities and NFL Responsibilities but yeah Kyle Bailey Will have you covered I believe most Pream for the regular season and then
Postgame coverage I'll be on there Sometimes but most of the time I believe It'll be Willie P on Panthers Panthers Play at one yep oh man see that's this Is going to be a beautiful day in Charlotte right I mean you can watch the Panthers you just walk on get hot the Blue line over to the Spectrum I'm Jealous I'm saying I'm me Nashville Tennessee I I'll go listen to some Country music while you guys enjoy your Dev Sports weekend All right there's Doug Branson and wary Cup Che you can find at Doug at least on Every Hornets boox score.com I'm Walker Mail listen to me on WFNZ every weekday From 12:00 to 3 P.M have a great rest of Your day have a great weekend we'll be Back with you on Monday to recap some Hit basketball yeah enjoy it [Music] W