Kelly Iko, The Athletic’s Rockets beatman and host of the Ikosystem show, joins to discuss the rebuilding Rockets. We discuss the key dynamics around the team this season:What can we make of the fact there are more young guys than roles? What are the expectations for Stephen Silas as he enters the last guaranteed year of his contract? Can franchise pillars Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Jr., and Alperen Sengun evolve this year? Plus, our predictions for the Rockets season.

Zion is back! Will Guillory of The Athletic takes a look at an intriguing Pels season. We discuss Zion’s form, the frontcourt fit with Jonas Valanciunas, the path to a good defense, what Willie Green’s rotation will look like, and of course make our predictions for the Pels’ season.

Plus, Thursday Daily Duncs.

Thursday Daily Duncs (10/13/22)

Patrick Beverley-Russell Westbrook

Something or nothing? In the Lakers' preseason loss to the Timberwolves yesterday, Patrick Beverley tried to bring his floormates together during a stoppage. Russell Westbrook didn't join.

As much as Beverley has talked up his fast friendship with Westbrook now that they're teammates in Los Angeles, there are many years of them being nemeses.

But I'm going with nothing.

Westbrook, who was called for a foul on the preceding play, might have been talking to a referee. Though resisting Beverley's continued attempts to wave him into the huddle, Westbrook high-fived Beverley while taking his spot outside the paint. By that time, Westbrook might have thought he was too late to huddle and it was time for the free throw.

Mostly, it's the high-five that does it for me. That's a key piece of evidence people overly thirsty for Lakers drama are overlooking

Draymond Green

The Warriors didn't suspend Draymond Green for punching Jordan Poole in the face.

Why not?

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:

I'm told that the Warriors, they put a significant amount of weight on the fact that opening night was ring night, that the players are going to get their rings. Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Steph Curry – their fourth championship in Golden State. The banner is going to be raised. They did not treat this like it was one of 82. They didn't want to suspend Draymond Green and keep him from that. Now, if this incident had happened in the regular season or if this had just been a normal opening night and they weren't there as defending champions, there probably would've been a suspension for Draymond Green.

This strikes me as reasonable. Green was integral to the Warriors winning the championship. The ring-and-banner ceremony is a uniquely special moment in celebrating that massive accomplishment.

There are two, overlapping questions about how Golden State should have punished Green: How severe should the punishment have been? What punishment is appropriate? You can think Green deserved a harsher penalty than he got while believing suspending him for ring night wouldn't have been a fitting punishment.

My problem with the logic, though: Why didn't the Warriors just suspend Green for their previous two preseason games (which he missed anyway while away from the team) and maybe their last preseason game tomorrow (which he'll probably play in)? If Golden State wanted to send a message of a suspension while allowing Green to attend ring night, that would have been an easy middle ground.

Instead, the Warriors went out of their way to say Green's weeklong absence wasn't a suspension.

Jeanie Buss

Rich Eisen asked Lakers owner Jeannie Buss who's in her inner circle.

Buss:

“People are fascinated with that for some reason. I could ask you, do you ever ask Mark Cuban who his inner circle is? Or Joe Lacob who his inner circle is? There’s just something about being a woman I think people feel like, ‘Oh, what crutches does she need, or what does she lean on, because she’s not capable of doing it herself.’ I have great people that I work with. People seem most interested in Linda Rambis, who I’ve been working with for over 30 years. I’ve operated in the same style since I started working with the organization and, even before that, with the Great Western Forum putting on events. And I build – I’m a leader. I’m not a dictator. I like to build consensus. I like to hear from everybody at the table. And then ultimately people need to understand, I’m the governor of the team, and I’m held accountable for every decision that’s made both business and basketball. So if anything goes wrong, it’s on my watch, and I’m held accountable for it.”

People are fascinated with Buss' inner circle because they care about the Lakers. People caring so deeply about the Lakers has made Buss a lot of money, by the way. The franchise has made numerous questionable-at-best decisions, and people are so invested in the team, they want to understand who's behind those decisions.

There has been major interest in the Mavericks' power structure under Mark Cuban. Ditto the Warriors under Joe Lacob, though winning breeds contentment. The Lakers can't just tell fans to relax and trust the front office.

What does Buss mean when she says she's held accountable for the Lakers' decisions? She's not at risk of losing her position. She'll suffer the financial losses (or, more accurately, lesser financial gains). But she can just try again next time. As the Robert Sarver situation showed, owners are – in many ways – above accountability.

People in basketball operations usually aren't.

Unless they operate in the shadows of Jeanie Buss' inner circle. In that case, they're fairly well shielded.

Damian Lillard

Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard revealed more about his 2021 offseason meeting with LeBron James and Anthony Davis at LeBron's house in Los Angeles.

Lillard, via Logan Murdock of The Ringer:

“Like, man, what if that happened? What if I did go? I thought about it. At that point, I was thinking about a lot of things.”
Lillard added: “I was like, ‘If I’m going to ever look at a different situation than mine, I’m going to look at one where I know I’m going to have a great chance to win.’”

Lillard landed where he always does: loyal to Portland. I think it's cool Lillard has his own values and continues to stick with them. There are obviously temptations to join better teams.

However, I'm not sure the Lakers had enough ammo to trade for Lillard. Maybe if he demanded a trade specifically to Los Angeles. Maybe. But it's tough to imagine how the Trail Blazers would've reacted to something so out of character.

Lillard's meeting with LeBron and Davis at LeBron's house sounds similar to Russell Westbrook's meeting with LeBron and Davis at LeBron's house. The Lakers, of course, traded for Westbrook that summer.

Tyler Herro

The Heat signed Tyler Herro to a four-year, $120 million contract extension. (The deal could theoretically be worth $130 million with incentives. Emphasis on theoretically.)

Want an idea how these negotiations unfold (beyond just listening to our annual Mock Rookie Extensions podcast, of course)?

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:

Herro said Tuesday that the Heat made its initial extension offer on July 1, the first day that he became eligible for one. The first offer was four years, $100 million, Herro said.
The Heat, over the ensuing weeks, raised the offer to “like $112 [million], then $120 [million] and then $130” million, factoring in potential incentives, Herro said.

The significance of the Heat offering Herro an extension July 1: That shows they wanted to keep him rather than use him in a trade for someone like Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell. Once he signed the extension, Herro counts at his actual 2022-23 salary outgoing in a trade but the average of his salaries in 2022-23 and the four seasons of the extension outgoing.

Simply, trading Herro became far more complicated with the extension – a burden Miami wouldn't have accepted if wanting to trade Herro. The Heat were apparently willing to accept that limitation as early as July 1.

Andre Drummond

Bulls center Andre Drummond has made 3-of-4 3-pointers this preseason.

Like many centers, Drummond relishes opportunities to play like a guard. With the Pistons, Stan Van Gundy did the best job satisfying Drummond's desire to touch the ball more often, having the center serve as a passing hub from the high post. Drummond was actually good at that. Forays into shooting have been more erratic.

Drummond tried to make himself a threat from beyond the arc his last season-and-a-half in Detroit, but he connected on just 6-of-59 triples (10%).

Maybe this will be different.

If not, Chicago could again tap Drummond's passing. Already an offense not defined by traditional positional roles, the Bulls are down a playmaker with point guard Lonzo Ball injured.

Zach Lowe

Zach Lowe of ESPN published the top 10 of his annual League Pass Rankings.

The most watchable team: the Brooklyn Nets. And on some nights, I totally agree. They have the lure of massive untapped upside – or the possibility of spectacular failure. But when Kyrie Irving is out, there just isn't the same appeal (in either direction).

The safer pick is Lowe's second choice: the Golden State Warriors. Their chemistry is under the microscope after Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole. Plus, not only do the Warriors play a well-established enjoyable style of basketball, they're trying to integrate several intriguing youngsters, creating a compelling present-vs.-future debate.

Patrick Ewing

Georgetown posted an enjoyable video of Patrick Ewing watching his current Hoyas players trying to name 90s Knicks by pictures. Considering these Georgetown players weren't even born when Ewing last played for New York, I thought they did pretty well. But it is fun to watch them struggle.

For anyone – Hoya or otherwise – wanting to brush up on their 90s Knicks, I recommend "Blood in the Garden" by Chris Herring.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings installed a bell in their practice facility to honor certain overlooked plays. Harrison Barnes earned the first ring by taking a charge. But when someone hit the bell, it broke.

Classic Kangz.

They have since replaced the bell.

Trey Murphy III

Speaking of bloopers, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III broke up Kyle Lowry's hit-ahead pass to Bam Adebayo – right off the backboard into New Orleans' own basket. Adebayo quickly raised his hand to claim credit for the bucket, which he was entitled to as the closest Heat player.

-Dan Feldman

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