点击查看原文：Return of the Wembanyama
Return of the Wembanyama
Columnist Mike Finger and Spurs beat reporter Jeff McDonald discuss Victor Wembanyama’s return to the court as the Spurs held their first preseason game Monday. The duo also debate what impact Carter Bryant will have this season.
Suggested reading:
Victor Wembanyama in midseason form as both shot-blocker and wordsmith
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson confident in decision to sit Stephon Castle
How tutoring sessions with Gregg Popovich aided Spurs rookie Carter Bryant
How Wembanyama looked in his return, Spurs win over Guangzhou Loong-Lions
Body by Vic: How Wembanyama’s offseason transformation could transform the NBA
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Here is the transcript of the podcast:
Mike Finger: [music fades in] From a highly secure network of top-secret locations across South Texas, this is the Spurs Insider. The preseason is underway, the regular season is coming, the gang is together. I’m Mike Finger, joined by Express News Spurs beat writer Jeff McDonald and sports editor Nick Talbott. Now, I said the gang was together, but we’re missing Tom Orsborn who is traveling across the country with the San Antonio Spurs to Miami as we speak. We’re going to try to soldier on without him.
We are recording this the morning after the preseason opener, the long awaited return of Victor Wembanyama to the Frost Bank Center court in uniform. He had a scrimmage over the weekend. He just tormented an exhibition team from China last night. Jeff, you were courtside watching the return of Victor, not necessarily with the Spurs gang being back together, a lot of people in street clothes. But it was nice to see the big fella back. Announced at 7’4" by the way. He’s added an inch on the, on the Spurs roster and the 7’4" fella from from France is back. What did you think about his his his first big game action in seven and a half months?
Jeff McDonald: We we have me and Victor have something in common. He added, he added an inch to his height over the, over the off season and I added an inch to my waistline.
Mike Finger: That’s, that’s pretty good.
Jeff McDonald: So…
Mike Finger: That’s pretty good. We’re both growing.
Jeff McDonald: I think the, the listeners out there are probably more interested in whatever the measurement is that he added maybe around not necessarily his waistline, but his biceps, his shoulders, his thighs. There’s been a lot of talk about how he’s this new muscular fella. I got to be honest, from my vantage point, he still does not look like, you know, Yanis, Dwight Howard. Um, and I, you know, I I I’m convinced that he did do the offseason workout and he is stronger, but he’s still a slender fella. But, uh, still a really fun fella to watch play basketball.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, he went from being the most interesting man in the world during the summer, doing all his kung fu and, uh, uh, various, uh, you know, trips around the world. Now he’s just back to being the most interesting man on the basketball floor. Like, it really is, was was the takeaway from both the scrimmage and the, uh, and the, uh, preseason game last night was just all this interesting stuff that that Victor is doing and that the Spurs are doing around Victor.
Um, in the scrimmage, he did use that bulk a little bit. Like one of the viral clips was him just ramming into new teammate Luke Kornet on his way to just a vicious dunk in the intrasquad scrimmage. Um, and Kornet by the way is they signed him because he’s one of the best rim defenders in the league, and, and, uh, Wemby just bullied him on that play that and that everyone saw. And then last night in the game, two things stood out to me about Wemby. One was him working with Luke Kornet running pick and rolls with Wemby as the 7’4" ball handler, and just how that two-man game and how great it looked, um, you know, the first nine out. Now, granted, they were playing a team of Chinese guys that were, they didn’t have anybody to match up with either of those two players. Against NBA competition, it might be a little, a little tougher, but, um, Kornet did have some good moments with Porzingis last year in Boston playing together. So I think that combination is going to be fun to watch when they’re on the floor together, Victor and, uh, Luke.
And also, the thing that stood out to me is, you know, last year, we were never on the, um, Victor should never shoot threes bandwagon. A lot of some people were, like, he’s 7’4", he should just be in the paint. He shouldn’t shoot seven threes a game. Well, last night, Victor took one three-pointer, um, with like 2:50 left in the first half. He only played a half, so it was basically at the very end of his stint, took it and make it, made, took a three-pointer and made it. Other than that, he was, um, turning those down to pump fake out of them, to drive the paint, to dish to Julian Champagnie for threes. And that was an interesting change in philosophy to me, or a change in focus to me. And if he’s going to be that kind of playmaker, um, it’s going to be a really interesting Victor Wembanyama season.
Mike Finger: I think that, uh, I agree with you on, on that noteworthy development. I think there have been stretches before where he’s gone away from it and I would almost bet everything that I have that there are going to be games when he shoots eight to 10 of them again. Like he’s not going to abandon that part of his game. That’s a, that’s something that he takes pride in. It’s not just a vanity type of deal either where he thinks he’s a three-point shooter. That’s what unlocks the, the alien in him, right? That’s or that’s a piece of what unlocks the alien is that that he’s 7’4" and can make those threes. And he is not going to have a Dwight Howard body ever. He’s never going to be just a pure post player. Um, and so those three-pointers are going to come. But you are right in that if he can go through stretches where he really focuses on the other stuff, and in talking to Mitch Johnson after that game last night, you know, the one play that he brought up was not the just otherworldly dunk/fast break assist, which I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like, where he dunks where he, uh, not dunk, block, where he where he blocks a a Chinese player’s shot into the backboard, which starts a fast break that like immediately turns into a Keldon Johnson fast break bucket. Uh, if you haven’t seen that online, you can probably find it.
Um, Mitch didn’t bring that up. He brought up a play where he, Victor, was on a dribble drive, turned, and in the words of Mitch Johnson, made a chest pass that anybody in this room could have made. I think he was looking. He’s never seen me play though. I think Mitch was looking at Jeff McDonald when he said that. He’s he’s giving me a little, he’s giving me a little too much credit, I think. Mitch said anybody in the room could, room full of sports writers and and camera guys could have, uh, could have made this chest pass to Julian Champagnie for a three. And that’s what stood out to him is Victor understanding situations and understanding how to get people involved and understanding that he can make things easy, not just by doing it himself, but by relying on his teammates. And the, the quote that was in the triple take, that which which which is returned to expressnews.com, the the the the take, three takeaways from every game that Jeff wrote with his three Diet Cokes last night. If you want to look that up, find one of my favorite Victor quotes that I’ve heard. And and the more I thought about this, the more brilliant it is. I don’t know if he borrowed it from somebody, but Jeff, it was in your triple take. Do do you know it off the top of your head?
Jeff McDonald: You’re gonna turn down a shot I can make with my eyes closed. You’re going to make me, you’re going to make me look it up, I think, because I want to make sure I get it right. You know?
Mike Finger: Well, I’m pretty sure it was, I’ve I’ve learned that I can, I can turn down a shot that I could make with my eyes closed. Oh, the Lord. Well, do you have it or not?
Jeff McDonald: Well, I’m trying. You’re just being quick. This is dead air. We’re losing listeners.
Mike Finger: Keep talking, I’ll find it. Okay. Well…
Jeff McDonald: All right. He go, he goes, uh, you know, he goes, I, I, you know, basically I probably turned down a shot that I could make with my eyes closed, but that was to get one of my teammates a shot he could make in his sleep.
Mike Finger: How great is that? That’s a quote. It was, uh…
Jeff McDonald: Someone, someone on social media said it’s like, uh, good to great but literary.
Mike Finger: Yeah. Yeah. I I turned down a shot I could make with my eyes closed for a shot that a teammate could make in his sleep in your, in his second language. Pretty good.
It reminded me of, um, this is where we’re going to really lose people here, and I don’t have this off the top of my head either, but there was a TV show back when people watched TV on, uh, about the, uh, the, the, the West Wing, it was called, I think, The West Wing. And, um, the there was a a story about dealing with foreign diplomats and there was a, an idiom that the diplomat used about, why should we have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world twice over, isn’t once enough? And this was a key plot point in this particular, um, episode because it showed that, uh, it was not the diplomat who was speaking but someone with a command of the English language understood it. I can’t believe I wasted everybody’s time with that. But it made me think of that when when I heard Victor give, provide such a perfect metaphor, such a perfect quote in his second language. He blows me away on and off the court. This is not breaking news.
Jeff McDonald: You know what that was part of a very long Victor answer that was pretty illuminating too. Um, on that topic of, I mean, the specific question was asking about that, those couple of plays where he had a three and I’m just used to him taking those. I’ve just gotten used to him if it’s open, he takes it. He had a three, pump faked his defender, got moving towards the paint, and and dished to Julian for a three. Um, and he gave a long answer about why he’s looking to do that this year. And part of it was him realizing he, he, I mean, there, he’s got, um, a bad shot for Victor is still a good shot sometimes. Like he can still make those. So he’s figured out I can get a shot, a shot, anytime I want. With 21 seconds on the shot clock or two seconds on the shot clock. So why don’t we try as a team to find a a better one, an open one, and if it comes down to it, I can still take that same contested shot with two seconds left on the on the on the clock. Like he can he can get a shot off at his size and his skill at any point in the shot clock. So why take, why take a, he can get that same three later. So why take it then when you might be able to get Julian Champagnie for just a wide open one?
Mike Finger: Which again, isn’t like a revolutionary idea. This is something that basketball coaches have preached for years and years and years, but to hear him say it in exactly that way last night. I think that’s, you’re, you’re, you’re basically quoting what he said. I think it was, I can get a fadeaway jumper, a contested fadeaway jumper with 21 seconds on the shot clock. Um, there’s no reason for for him to take it before two seconds on the shot clock.
Jeff McDonald: We have, we have 24 seconds to find the best solution.
Mike Finger: We have 24 seconds to find. He’s incredible. Just forget all the, the crazy stuff on the court. Like, he fills up a 10-minute press conference with so many quotable quotes. It’s, it’s really, really good.
Um, and but, but but the, the point for the listeners who care about is, is this team finally going to start winning again? Is, is he going to put this stuff into practice? And is this going to make the team better? And again, this is an exhibition team, an exhibition opponent from China that featured Victor Oladipo and Frank the Tank Kaminsky and not a whole lot else. Um, but you, you had to, you had to be encouraged if you’re a Spurs fan by just the signs of, first of all, that Victor was out there on the court playing a basketball game in uniform with basketball rules and basketball sort of speed. And you didn’t worry about something terrible happening. At least I, you know, I, I don’t think that anybody, any fans were worried. I don’t think Victor was worried. I don’t think any coaches were worried about, oh, is is he going to hold up? He just looked like Victor. And that’s a huge, huge thing for, for him and for this whole program. So.
Jeff McDonald: And I think, I think we learned the Spurs could probably win the Chinese league too.
Mike Finger: Maybe. We don’t know if that’s the best team in the Chinese league, but…
Jeff McDonald: Yeah. I do think Victor’s probably one of, would be one of the two or three best players in the Chinese league.
Mike Finger: I thought now you’re now you’re trying for these hot takes trying to get us attention. The Spurs did, they did not cover. Well, we don’t. You can. I’m not involved in this nonsense.
Shout out to, uh, longtime, uh, friends of the podcast, Paul Garcia and Matthew Tynan, who were in the closing stages of this huge exhibition game. One of them was sick enough to have looked up what the, uh, point spread was for the a preseason game featuring the San Antonio Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs team playing a bunch of exhibit 10 guys and uh, and two-way guys against an exhibition team or a team from China. And they looked it up and it was 35 and a half, which, who’s, who’s betting on this? And uh, and at the time they brought this up, the Spurs were uh, were leading by 35 in the last minute of the game. And then things did not go well for the home team. They did not cover. So uh, there there there was talk that maybe there was a scandal there, that maybe the game was fixed, but uh, I think the NBA have it has its hands full with the Kawhi situation. We don’t need to be starting another investigation for Pablo Torre. I think that evidence of Pablo Torre, baby. Uh huh.
But man, who, if you’re out there and you bet on that game, like, uh, get, touch some grass, man.
Jeff McDonald: What was, what was, what did De’Aaron Fox say on media day? You know that number at the bottom of the screen, 1-800, get help or whatever. You need to dial that.
Mike Finger: That’s right. That’s a good segue to the guys who did not play last night. Uh, we’ve we’re a week into training camp and I know there’s there’s fury out there. There’s concern. There’s there’s there’s panic in the streets because not only is De’Aaron Fox not playing, not only did did the starting point guard not play last night, but Stefon Castle sat out, Devin Vassell sat out. Which other important guys are, Dylan Harper sat out. Um, just for the listeners, Jeff, you’ve been going to practice every day. I don’t know how they survived without Jordan McLaughlin. Jordan McLaughlin sat out. What, what is the rundown? What is the update since our last podcast on the status of all those guys? I don’t think Devin Vassell is a true uh, injury concern, right?
Jeff McDonald: Yeah. Yeah, I did ask Mitch about Devin before the game because he was the one that didn’t really have an injury designation. He was just kind of a healthy scratch. And Mitch said they’re just beating the crap out of each other in practice and some of these guys are just going to, they’re going to get rested. And it’s been this way for every preseason I’ve ever covered with the Spurs. Guys don’t play in every game. They they think Devin’s, I’ve been told Devin can be expected to play in Miami, um, on Wednesday. The one, the one updates since the last time uh, we we convened on the podcast, which you you and Tom kind of already alluded to on that one, but I’ve I heard it with my own ears from people that worked for the Spurs is that Dylan Harper seems to be a little bit ahead of the time table and it would actually not be a surprise at all if he makes some preseason appearances before this slate is over. So really, the only update I have uh, on all those guys is a positive one. Everybody else is about the same. I guess Stefon Castle was not hurt the last time we talked, but he banged his knees with Victor. It’s just sore. They’re not, there’s no long-term worry about that at all either. Um, and the only guy right now that seems doubtful for like games that count is Fox. So that’s where they stand with that.
Mike Finger: How about Kelly Olynyk?
Jeff McDonald: Um, that’s a good question since he hasn’t done much. He’s coming off a heel surgery in the in April. And uh, I was told he also had a baby, which I thought that’s a huge, he’s probably the first NBA player to ever have a baby. Um, like that, that’s a story we should do. But then I was told no, I don’t even know what that joke means. I don’t even know what you’re trying to get at there, but go ahead. That was the exact quote I was told. Kelly Olynyk is still ramping up and also he had a baby. So I was like, wow. Then I was told it was actually, you know, a, you know, his wife or partner had a baby. Oh, I see. So the lady. So anyway, I don’t know if he’ll be ready. I don’t know. They don’t need him. They got Cornet just banging around in there. It’s going to be great.
Mike Finger: I was out in the world yesterday. Sometimes I do climb out of my ivory tower and mingle with the masses. And I uh, was talking to a a Spurs Insider listener, an avid Spurs Insider listener, enjoys the show.
Jeff McDonald: Tell me you visited your mom’s house without telling me you visited your mom’s house.
Mike Finger: No, it was not. Um, but uh, the he uh, he asked about the the second player the Spurs drafted this year. And he, did you guys talked about that guy much on the podcast? And I thought about, maybe we haven’t, but that’s that’s that’s a question that some people have is what’s the deal with Carter Bryant? What can we expect from Carter Bryant this year? He he played in the exhibition game last night. Uh, we had got to talk with the young man afterwards, a delightful interview, Carter Bryant. Um, what what do you, I know the answer to this and I know you’re about to throw cold water on everybody who wants to see more Carter Bryant, but what what just just run down for the sake of posterity on this podcast, what can we expect from the young fella from Arizona this year? What’s his status and and what should be realistic expectations for him?
Jeff McDonald: I’m I’m not going to throw complete cold water on it. I do think he’s not a guy that we’re going to see a lot of on the NBA floor at the beginning of the season. I think that’s something he’s going to have to work up to. But just sitting there courtside last night watching him move, there is a lot to like there. Um, and you start with the fact you got to remember with with as it is with a lot of these rookies coming in, he’s 19 years old. Like the body he’s in now, which is already an NBA body, is going to, you know, get bigger and stronger. Like you can just see that the the frame he’s got to go with that just otherworldly athleticism he’s got and that defensive um, mentality he’s got. Um, he’s going to grow and get more muscular and stronger and he’s going to be a beast. What what that translates into, but he’s going to be a physical beast who can jump out of the gym. And I think I think when he gets to that point, you can you can work a lot with uh, physical beasts who jump out of the gym and play defense. So I I definitely see where he can find a role on this team, maybe not the first month of the season, maybe not his whole rookie year, maybe he’s hit or miss his whole rookie year. But when you’re projecting this out seasons down the line, I I can see why they’re excited about him.
Mike Finger: I would quibble a little bit with that in in that I think his body, athleticism, physical abilities are more NBA ready than just the experience part of it. Like I think I think the physical stuff is going to get better. He’s going to get bigger, but that that body right now, and I it’s sort of off putting to refer to a body.
Jeff McDonald: I agree.
Mike Finger: Release the files. The the physical tools are ready right now. It’s not he needs to get.
Jeff McDonald: That’s what I was getting at, like he’s got the body.
Mike Finger: The physical tools for that. He’s he’s a guy who, um, in college basketball, his only season of college basketball at Arizona, did not start and did not play. I I I think he averaged 20 minutes a game. Like he didn’t play even half a game. Um, he didn’t average half a half a game in college. Like he is just the the the the readiness to play NBA basketball from just a game experience standpoint just isn’t there yet. And like the days of Keldon Johnson, Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker, all those all those late first round picks, mid to late first round picks over the years who would dominate the G League for a year and then kind of be poised to take that huge leap in his second year. I think that he’s probably on that track, especially considering all the depth this team has when it’s healthy. Like if if everybody, he he could prove me wrong if none of these guys are ready to go on opening night and he could start out there against Dallas. But if you look at the Spurs depth chart when everybody’s healthy, there are probably 11 guys ahead of Carter Bryant, is that fair to say? And there’s just not room for him. And I think that he’s a guy who would get a lot of benefit from getting those reps up in Austin once that G League season starts. It won’t it won’t start when the NBA season starts. But realistic for for the question out there, what are we going to see from Carter Bryant this year? I think that he’s a guy who they’re definitely excited about, might see some sporadic action here and there because of injuries to other guys. I think he’s going to play in Austin and I think that’ll be great for him. And uh, by the end of the year, he might be ready to to move into the rotation. For sure, I think they’re looking at next season for for them to really count on his defense, his three-point shooting, athleticism, all that stuff.
Jeff McDonald: The YouTube comments are just going to be brutal.
Mike Finger: Well…
Jeff McDonald: You’re supposed to say that he’s he’s going to challenge for Rookie of the Year in the NBA. That’s what you’re supposed to say.
Mike Finger: I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’m sorry. And also while you’re you’re the one who monitors the YouTube comments and sitting uh, court side last night at the Frost Bank Center, Jeff looked over at me after a certain player committed to turnover and and said he wanted to spend the whole podcast the next morning talking about one player in particular. And I’m going to give you the chance to do it because I don’t I don’t want the blowback.
Jeff McDonald: I’m not going to. No, because it feels like piling on. It’s fine. It’s fine.
Mike Finger: We won’t do it. Some listeners will know who we’re talking about.
Jeff McDonald: What I’m what I’m going to what I’m going to say is what I said when the Spurs first entertained signing this guy. It’s a very good use of a two-way contract to sign David Jones Garcia. Correct. He is he is he is absolutely the kind of guy that you signed to a two-way contract. Um, the summertime hype where he’s going to start or be in the rotation, we knew was overblown and it’s still overblown. But I don’t want to pile on the guy. Like he’s going to be a fine…
Mike Finger: I I shouldn’t have I shouldn’t have done that.
Jeff McDonald: He’s going to be an amazing, amazing G League two-way guy who can maybe get some spot minutes in the NBA, which is exactly what we what we thought he was. So yeah. I was being too reactive. No shame in what you took, what you told me about the YouTube comments, which I, you know, uh, and and uh, I’m sure like you said, great use of a two-way guy. Uh, all their all their two-way guys are uh, probably exactly what you expect from a two-way guy. So, but going back to Carter, he’s built like an NBA player. I and and, um, like I think about when Kawhi came in, I think Kawhi was a year older too. Carter looks his his his frame is more NBA ready to me as a rookie than even Kawhi’s was. And then we saw what Kawhi kind of grow grew into uh, over the years. I don’t mean I don’t necessarily mean basketball and skill-wise. I just mean he became just a beast of a human. And I think Carter Bryant can do the same.
Mike Finger: Yeah. And, and, uh, again, another guy who, I know the the listeners don’t care, but it’s great interview. Learn something there. There, um, sometimes questions asked of of players kind of lead them in a way. Um, and I enjoy when the players don’t go where the questioner might want them to go. Um, and there was a question last night about how uh, is Victor, you know, when Carter was raving about Victor and he had some great descriptions of just the crazy things that Victor does in practice and and all over the place. And there was a question about how is is he the type of guy who makes you feel okay about uh, about letting your guy go by you every now and then? You know, and that’s just the kind of, um, hyperbole that you’d expect someone to say about Victor. Yeah, you can let your guy go by, you’re going to be fine back there. And Carter said, oh no, you never want to let, you never want to let your man beat you, no matter who’s back there. You don’t want to put that on Victor. And I think that’s a cool mentality for a rookie to have. Um, it it it’s it’s sort of something that every player thinks, you know, you never want to let a guy get by you. But he’s seems like a really fun dude.
Jeff McDonald: I also enjoyed his, I enjoyed his his pure joy at getting to meet Pop.
Mike Finger: Yeah.
Jeff McDonald: Talking about that. Pop Pop by the way was at at shoot around the other day. Um, you know, he made the President of Basketball Operations made a appearance in front of the…
Mike Finger: El Hefe.
Jeff McDonald: Where we could where we could see him, like he was in the actual gym, uh, just kind of sitting there and talking to various players, including Carter Bryant and Carter kind of, it was very, it was very endearing how how just in awe he was. He he did say something that we know is true. It’s but it he like like that guy’s been the coach of the Spurs for my entire life. And it’s true. It’s true. Like…
Mike Finger: Carter wasn’t alive…
Jeff McDonald: Plus a decade, by the way. Like he started a decade before Carter was born.
Mike Finger: I think I think Pop might have had two championships before Carter was born.
Jeff McDonald: Possibly three? No, no way three. For sure two. Carter was probably born in in 2005. If I had to… I don’t have that in front of me. But that is that’s making me feel older by the second. Um, but yeah, Carter said that he he was shocked that Pop knew his name. And that may really made me laugh because towards the end of Pop’s career on media days, he’d often make the joke about how when Pop was a coach, Pop would come and say, I don’t know any of these guys’ names. You know, the the the camp invitees and the and the two-way guys. And he that was always said with a wink, but that was really, uh, I I think that was, I I enjoyed hearing that because it’s nice to know that, uh, that the that El Hefe is still engaged and taking ownership and and taking part in in keeping this thing going. Um, I think it’s good news for people to hear that he’s involved like that.
Jeff McDonald: Carter Bryant was born on November 26, 2005.
Mike Finger: So that’s what, three championships? Two. So that would have been…
Jeff McDonald: Not three, you’re right. You’re right.
Mike Finger: Three championships won before he was born. I think we’re going to, Nick, we’re going to quit the podcast right now. You can just talk from now. You’re you’re the young one. Uh…
Jeff McDonald: I’m not the young one.
Mike Finger: Oh very old then. I want to bring Nick into this. He’s he runs the sports department. He does a great job, uh, uh, keeping us all in line. And do you want to tell the listeners about the big event we have next week for people who might want to have the chance to ask the great Jeff McDonald a question live on the internet and have Jeff like just crap all over it and like like tell tell tell the people what what we’ve got going.
Nick Talbott: I think you’ve described it beautifully. You get to ask Jeff a question and have him crap all over it on the internet and I think that’s pretty much the most accurate thing of Jeff McDonald’s life.
Mike Finger: When and when and where is is it and how can people uh, find out more about it?
Nick Talbott: All right. Well, you can find out more about it, um…
Mike Finger: In the description?
Nick Talbott: In in the description for this podcast. Hopefully Monty our uh, uh, producer will have have that down there for us. And it is October 17th at 1:00 p.m., I believe.
Mike Finger: Uh, for our… That’s a Friday, 1:00 p.m. Central time.
Nick Talbott: That is that is a Friday right, I believe, right before they play the Pacers. So if…
Mike Finger: At a home playoff game?
Nick Talbott: We will be in studio. Home playoff game. In studio. Home home home postseason home preseason game. Excuse me.
Mike Finger: We will be in studio. Yeah. Oh yeah, home that.
Nick Talbott: We will we will be not at an undisclosed location for once because we’ll be in our studio. Uh, and you will actually be able to see what Mike Finger and Jeff McDonald look like whether you want to or not.
Mike Finger: Video. Tom Orsborn will be there. Tom Orsborn will be there. Nick will be taking questions.
Jeff McDonald: Tell Tom not to wear wear shorts though. He needs to wear long pants. We don’t want to get the hopefully we’ll get the desk thing so we won’t see the legs.
Mike Finger: No, it’ll be…
Nick Talbott: They have a, we have a nice new desk. Very, very nice, Jeff. I know you haven’t been in the office in like seven years.
Mike Finger: Longtime listeners will remember we’ve done a couple of these before. Uh, it’s always a fun time. We’ll it’ll be an hour, uh, or so. Again, 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 17th. Uh, it’s it’ll be a live Zoom event. You can sign up in advance. Um, and, uh, and I think, I guess the day of, too, get on the Zoom, ask questions on the Zoom. We will try to take as many as we can. Really getting excited for the start of the season to to write about, uh, meaningful basketball again. And I I hope the listeners feel the same way. And that should be a good one.
Jeff McDonald: That’s 1:00 p.m. on the 17th.
Mike Finger: 1:00 p.m. Central Time on the 17th.
Jeff McDonald: Okay. I’m going to I’m going to add that to my calendar now so I don’t forget.
Mike Finger: Okay. Should be a good one. Um, yeah, and and between now and then there’re going to be a few more exhibition games. Tom has the one in Miami covered. Utah will be in town on Friday. Uh, and then a couple against the Pacers, one at Indiana and one back in San Antonio before the start of the season. And and Jeff, you mentioned there’s a possibility that Dylan Harper might play in one of those games, which would be a pretty big deal. Anything else that you’re monitoring the rest of this preseason schedule that you think, uh, might have a, uh, an an an impact, uh, in the regular season or any anything that the Spurs need to get done over the next week, week or two?
Jeff McDonald: Uh, oh, I, man, I’m I’m going to Indianapolis this uh, at the end of the week. I’m just hoping not to pull a Mark Sanchez.
Mike Finger: Oh boy. Oh boy. Yeah. You you are not staying at that hotel, are you?
Jeff McDonald: No, no, but I didn’t I didn’t know Indianapolis was such a fun town, apparently. I didn’t know you could it was possible to get into trouble in Indianapolis.
Mike Finger: On, uh, Blue Sky yesterday or the day before, I saw a, uh, a comment that I think we, we, we, you know, we like to close these podcasts with life advice. And, uh, there was a comment about, I I endeavor to live my life in a way that I’m never arrested for my own stabbing. And, and, uh, I think that’s, I think that’s a good kind of just life outlook. A good a good way to just wake up every day. Don’t, don’t, don’t get arrested for your own stabbing today. I I think the world would be a better place if we all live like that.
Jeff McDonald: I’m actually, I’m actually, I’m surprised it’s not a Victor quote.
Mike Finger: Something he would come up with. Victor, Victor lives that. He, he, he, he lives that philosophy. I don’t think Victor will ever be arrested for his own stabbing. Um, but yeah, be careful in Indianapolis. Don’t uh, watch out for any NFL broadcasters.
Jeff McDonald: I think that’s what, it is a, it is a Sunday when I get there, so…
Mike Finger: Oh, the Colts in town?
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, the Colts are in town. They might need to send the national guard to protect us from the broadcasters.
Mike Finger: Yeah, that’s that’s one of the biggest menaces in, in, in cities these days are NFL broadcasters from what I’ve, from what I gather. The, um, how about Victor? Do you how how over under on the number, there’s four preseason games remaining over under on how many you think he plays in?
Jeff McDonald: What are you going to set the over under at and then I’m supposed to pick?
Mike Finger: Uh, well, okay, I will say two and a half.
Jeff McDonald: Ah, that’s a good over under. I was hoping you’d say something else.
Mike Finger: I’m pretty good at over under setting.
Jeff McDonald: I’m gonna say under and I’m gonna say he plays in two, two more.
Mike Finger: Okay. So three total. I think that would make sense.
Jeff McDonald: It’s just a total guess. It’s a total guess.
Mike Finger: Over under a half a preseason game for Dylan Harper.
Jeff McDonald: Uh, a half, so you’re asking, will he play one? Yes. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I’ll take the over there.
Mike Finger: Over under…
Nick Talbott: Both.
Mike Finger: Over under two and a half on, you’ll take the over on both, Nick? Over under two and a half on, um, Stefon Castle.
Jeff McDonald: Uh, under. Are we promoting gambling?
Mike Finger: I guess I shouldn’t do that. You’re right. It’s just…
Jeff McDonald: I’m I’m I’m putting all these into my parlay right now. So… Yeah. Anyway, uh, no, that’s that’s something to look for. I think we will see a couple of Stefon Castle games, a couple of Victor games. Devin Vassell’s definitely going to play. I don’t think there’s any injury concern there at all. Who else are we missing? Um, who didn’t play last night? I think we’re going to see some Jordan McLaughlin games and it should be good. I think there’s a lot of intrigue about this team. I think just the game last night reminded the viewers of how fun a team built around Victor Wembanyama can be. We had we had spent seven and a half months sort of forgetting that. It’s it’s going to be exciting. Uh, we look forward to having as many of you who can make it to the Zoom event next Friday. And until we see you next time, take care of each other and keep it real. [music fades in]