This team has a chance to do X, Y, Z, um, or we'll just be like, yeah, there's, they're still good, but like this, we'll figure out like this team might have a lot of growing pains, um, early on, but what were your thoughts? Um, Other than what I've said or building on what I've said, what are your thoughts on Finch's availability?

Yeah, I think just to kind of harp on what you were saying, I think there's going to be some growing pains, right? If they do come out and they're 17-4, great, right? But I think that there's going to be some growing pains in the beginning.

LaMelo still has to adapt on the defensive end as well.

He has to be connected, and they have to know where he's going to be at, and there has to be a lot of communication on that end.

um defense wins championships sometimes because obviously offense is great now but at the end of the day it's all about just being connected on that defensive end and i think if they start on that that end like everybody that was one of the biggest things that everybody said yesterday is defense so if they really harp on that side and lock in and lock down and even even they said they say hey they they said it could be one of the best defenders you know, in the league.

So if they really take that serious and take pride on the defensive end, sort of like that year, 2024, like you was talking about, they could be able to make some noise because defensively, nobody wanted to play against the Timberwolves that year.

So if they can bring that tenacity and bring that type of play back, that'd be great.

i was really a big part of that like if if ios second half of last season was a flash in the pan like the wolves are going to be a lot worse situation than if he continues growing or just continues to do what he did down the stretch of last season in the playoffs so I thought it was an encouraging quotes from Mello, just about feeling like he's at home here combined with his relationship with Tim Connolly.

Every one of

them.

For sure.

But all seriousness, though, I truly believe it.

It does feel different.

The biggest thing is you just got to find... you got to find that hunger when it comes to the playoffs, right? Everybody's game planning in the playoffs and getting ready for you, you know, when it's a series.

You know, so obviously teams are going to game plan.

Their offense is just really... herky-jerky grind it out burton gabby williams just trying to get anything to work for them their defense is awesome but again like the lynx's offense is just at such a different level that i i just don't know how well that'll fare i guess the point of all of this is just what's like what's your expectation for these two valkyrie games

Yeah, yeah, for

sure.

I mean, for me, you know, this is like, like, like they said, like, you know, it's like candy in the store, you know, Liv is gonna, she's gonna be able to feast, you know, and she's gonna be able to get easy assist.

I mean, I said it before.

I mean, Liv has made Natasha Howard an all-star for sure.

Those pocket passes, those pick and rolls.

So now you're going to be doing that with fee now.

But I definitely think it's something that opponents are Worried about and considering sort of in their defensive scouting.

Like, okay, when are we going to get the Fee's, like the first signature shoe? Please explain to the uninitiated, what is the difference between a player exclusive and a signature shoe? Because they are not the same.

Yeah.

They're not the same player exclusive is you're getting basically you're getting your own spin on like your own creativity on a silhouette that's already out like a sneaker that's already out.

And you just personalize it.

You know, it's the same thing with like colleges.

That's the best example to give.

When different colleges like UConn and Duke and North Carolina, they all get their own player exclusives.

They were rough.

But I guess your your initial thoughts on just the X's and O's of the trade.

Yeah, I think it's going to open some things up for Rudy.

He was the first person I thought of when the trade went down because everybody's saying he's going to help Ant when Ant's doubled, and I respect that.

if you can get some easy buckets for Rudy, some lobs and different things like that, he's used to back when he was in, you know, back when he was with Utah and everything like that.

I think that's where, you know, he's effective in that dunker spot when he, when he gets the ball right away, quick and put it up quick, you know? So I think LaMelo will be able to, you know, get the ball to him and be able to help him, help him be a better finisher when it comes to the law presence.

And then, you know, being able to, you know, play again, you know, play off of Anthony Edwards.

I mean, that's going to be special in itself, man.

And so I got like, it's certainly still something to watch, but at the very least you got to kind of got to give the wolves the benefit of the doubt that they've done their due diligence in that area.