A take-less approach to the Warriors practice scuffle

Plus: JJ on Victor Wembanyama and Tommy on KCP

Welcome to the second issue of A Farewell to Takes. We really don’t want this newsletter to feature outlandish takes (although sometimes Tommy can’t help himself — more on that below). It seems like everyone on social media and sports media television feels the NEED to provide a take on anything and everything. Admittedly, at times I HAVE to give a take — I am on First Take after all. Seeing all the takes this week on Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole at Warriors practice made me think … maybe people should just NOT give takes. There were so many bad ones on Twitter and TV.

I don’t have a take on the Green/Poole incident, but I would like to note that fights have happened amongst teammates at practice for a long time in the NBA. I’ve seen a bunch of former players say this exact thing over the last few days. I witnessed fights. I had friends that were in fights on other teams at practice. Heck, I was even involved in a few scuffles myself. Hedo Türkoğlu once gave me a black eye (presumably he decided to hit me because Grant Hill convinced him not to pee on me). The reason this Draymond incident is such a big deal is:

  1. It’s Draymond. He’s basically been a lightning rod for controversy since the 2016 season.

  2. It’s the Warriors. Defending champs. Multiple players seeking extensions.

  3. There’s a video. This is a massive component of this story.

I’m not condoning what Draymond did at all. My point is simply: this is not historically abnormal in the NBA.

Featured in this issue of A Farewell to Takes:

  • The Stat of the Week

  • Tommy's One Bold Prediction about an underrated acquisition in the Western Conference

  • My Featured Player of the Week

  • Our Wine of the Week

Next week we will have our playoff seeding predictions in both conferences as well as our predictions for regular season awards. Please enjoy!

—JJ

The Stat of the Week is 36.5  

Victor Wembanyama, the 18-year-old phenom from France, put on a show last week in Las Vegas. In two games against the G League Ignite (who have their own legitimate future star in Scoot Henderson), Wembanyama averaged 36.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks. The Wembanyama show featured highlight dunks ...

VICTOR DUNK GIF | Gfycat

https://gfycat.com/sardonicinsidiouskingsnake

... insane blocks, and highly efficient shooting. After only seeing short clips of him on IG and Twitter for the past year or so, I was blown away watching him play in game. I don’t know what the comp for him is (I’ve seen a lot of “Gobert/Durant hybrid”). The reality is we have probably never seen a player like him. LeBron said Victor isn’t a unicorn, he’s an “alien”. Giannis called him a “generational talent.” Whatever Wembanyama is, I’m sure fans of the Jazz, Spurs, Thunder, Magic etc. are salivating at the thought of adding him to their roster in next year’s draft. How much will the prospect of drafting Wembanyama #1 overall in next year’s draft affect tanking THIS season? It remains to be seen but will be a fascinating story line. —JJ

One Bold Prediction: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be one of the best offseason acquisitions of any team this summer

It should surprise nobody reading this letter that the Denver Nuggets are going to be a problem this season. They have the two-time reigning MVP; a potential all-NBA guard in Jamal Murray who's finally healthy after an 18 month absence; a consistent, great Head Coach; and two wings in Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon with limitless potential. What may surprise you though, is the addition they made that may put them over the top. At the beginning of July, Denver traded Will Barton to the rebuilding Wizards for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, a move that hardly made a ripple in the broader news cycle of free agency. But Caldwell-Pope could not be a more perfect fit for this particular roster, and with the health caveat that always comes with this group, completes a starting 5 that is as complete and deep as any in basketball.

KCP has been a plus defensive player his whole career, with a particular shoutout to his immense, underrated impact on the "Bubble" Lakers championship run. Last season his defensive RPM was 4.29, good for 37th in the league, with a rotating supporting cast of below average defenders that made his life more difficult. Throughout his career he's also ranked near the top of the league in defensive real plus-minus, often chasing around his opponent's best scorer. Offensively you know what you're going to get from him, but fortunately for the Nuggets, that skill set fits perfectly into what they're trying to do. While only a 36% 3 point shooter, when you look at his last three seasons in LA and Washington with teams that offensively catered more to his skillset, that number rises above 40%. It's been well documented how historically gifted Nikola Jokic is at getting his teammates open looks from 3, and when you think about who else Denver should have on the floor, KCP is likely going to have some of the best looks he's gotten in his career so far. In the grand scheme of things, it's clear that Denver's main objective is just to keep everybody in one piece, but small moves like this should not be overlooked. —Tommy

Editor's note from JJ: At this point in his career, I would not describe Aaron Gordon as having "unlimited potential."

Featured Player of the Week: Tari Eason

I called a Houston Rocket summer league game for ESPN back in July and was really impressed with LSU product Tari Eason. He’s continued his strong play in the preseason, and I expect him to have a big rookie year. Houston is still a ways away from being a playoff team, and young players like Eason and fellow 2022 draftee Jabari Smith will be given plenty of opportunities. While Eason doesn’t have the hype of the top 3 picks (Banchero, Holmgren, and Smith) from this past year's draft, I actually think he’s got a real chance to be in the conversation for 1st team All-Rookie. I’m on the Eason hype train. He’s also already getting Dennis Rodman comparisons (which may not be a good thing?). —JJ

Episode 128 was a special one that featured two guests, the first being Bradley Beal. We met up with Brad in LA for a conversation about signing his extension, the future of the Wizards, playing with Westbrook, Steph Curry's impact on the game, and more.

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We also had on writer, director, actor, comedian Hasan Minhaj. The Kings lifer has a really thoughtful way of approaching "winning" and asked JJ a question that prompted this conversation about what NBA players owe fans.

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Wine of the Week: 2016 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

First of all, I’m going to try and keep the Wine of the Week recommendations within a reasonable price point. I recognize some people are willing to spend 20 bucks on a bottle of wine and some people are willing to spend 200 bucks (or more).

This week’s WOTW is a 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from the producer Altesino. Brunello di Montalcino is made from the Sangiovese grape which typically has high acidity (like pinot noir), but still maintains a fuller body and tannic structure. Tannins are what gives you that feeling of your tongue sticking to the roof of your mouth. I call it “chewy mouthfeel” — shout out to TJ McConnell. Altesino makes a great Brunello, and although the price can vary depending on the vintage (2010s go for a lot more than 2017), I think the 2016 is a great value. This wine will feature cherry, leather, juniper, and some berry aromas. The 2016 Altesino Brunello comes in somewhere between $45 and $60 depending on where you shop from. Vinfolio has some availability on pre arrival at a great price point. —JJ 

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