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Alright, welcome to Swish and Tell - where we cover top stories over the last
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week from thePeachBasket.net.
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Let's dive right in.
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Marcus, we've seen some blockbuster trades over the years, but this one-the
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Mavericks dealing Luka Doni to the Lakers for Anthony Davis-this is seismic.
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I mean, Luka is arguably the face of the next generation in the NBA.
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What does this trade say about where Dallas sees itself right now?Man, Eric,
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this is wild.
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You're telling me a guy like Luka, a walking triple-double machine, the dude
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who just brought Dallas to the Finals last year-he's getting shipped out?
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Like, what!
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But honestly, I think it's all about Dallas saying, "Look, defense wins
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championships." Anthony Davis brings that elite defensive presence Dallas has
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lacked, even though Luka...
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man, Luka's gonna be missed.
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Badly missed.Exactly.
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Mavericks' GM Nico Harrison pointed to defense as the driving factor.
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And when you think about AD's ability to anchor a team defensively, you can see
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the logic.
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But here's the rub: you're trading a 25-year-old, already a global
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superstar-and, I mean, some would call him the future face of the league-for a
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guy who's 31 and already has a track record of injuries.
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That's a gamble, no question about it.Oh, it's a huge gamble.
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And let's talk about Luka for a sec.
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The man is special, like Magic Johnson-meets-Larry Bird kinda special.
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But, you know, there've been rumblings-conditioning concerns,
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defensive lapses, all that jazz.
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And, I gotta say, if Luka doesn't tighten up, especially with LeBron mentoring him,
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the Lakers' bet on him could backfire big time.Interesting point, Marcus.
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LeBron could be pivotal here.
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Luka idolized him growing up in Slovenia, and LeBron is the ultimate professional
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when it comes to caring for his body and extending his prime.
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If Luka picks up even half those habits, that could be transformative for him and
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the Lakers moving forward.Right, right!
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But lemme throw this out there-can two ball-dominant guys like Luka and LeBron
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really make it work?
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Luka's not exactly known for off-ball movement, you feel me?I do.
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And this is where JJ Redick's system will be critical.
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For the Lakers to contend, they'll need Luka to adapt, especially defensively.
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Let's face it-this team isn't built for lockdown defense right now, and Luka
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hasn't been known as a defensive asset.
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That puts a lot of pressure on JJ to make all these pieces fit.Pressure's the right
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word.
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And man, the weight on Luka's shoulders-it's heavier than James Harden
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trying to get downhill on two defenders.
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Seriously though, if Luka's defensive liabilities stay as they are, teams are
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just gonna pick on him, right?
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And it ain't 2K-you can't just trade for AD and say "We good now."True, Marcus.
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Now, think about the historical angle.
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Franchise-changing trades like this-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers in
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the '70s, or even LeBron's move to Miami-they've often redefined team
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identities.
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Dallas is steering firmly into a defense-first approach, while the Lakers
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chase a unique hybrid-developing Luka long-term while also keeping an aging
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LeBron.
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It's balancing the future and now.Yeah, it's wild.
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Because like you said, teams don't just recover from trading away the "next big
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thing." Especially when Luka's only 25-25!
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This is franchise-altering stuff.Which brings us to legacy-building, Marcus.
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A move like this could cement or unravel the reputations of these GMs-Nico
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Harrison in Dallas, Rob Pelinka in Los Angeles.
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Both are taking calculated risks, but the ripple effects for the league...
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they'll be massive.
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And these two teams are polar opposites in how they're defining their futures.
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It's fascinating.Crazy fascinating.
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The Mavericks are basically betting on defense, while the Lakers are doubling
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down on offense.
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But man, Eric-do you think Luka can really transform into the Lakers'
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centerpiece post-LeBron?
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That's the million-dollar question.Alright, Eric, speaking of young
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stars and their legacies, let's pivot for a second to LaMelo Ball.
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Here's a guy putting up 28.2 points per game, grabbing five boards, throwing out
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over seven assists-and somehow, he gets snubbed from the All-Star team?
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Like, come on!
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How'd that happen?Yeah, Marcus, it's surprising.
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LaMelo leads Eastern Conference guards in fan voting, yet he's left off?
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It just goes to show how much team success impacts All-Star selection.
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The Hornets are just 12-32-as incredible as LaMelo is, the team's record held him
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back.
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That raises a question, though: is this kind of selection criteria
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flawed?Definitely flawed, man.
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The All-Star Game is supposed to showcase the league's best talent, right?
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But instead, it's becoming this weird popularity contest mixed with team
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records.
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Like, it's not the Finals!
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LaMelo's the kinda player fans wanna see-highlight passes, step-back threes,
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flair on offense-you name it.
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And he's carrying this team!No doubt, Marcus.
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His numbers are elite, but his efficiency has been a question mark.
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Shooting just 41% from the field and 33% from three-those are tough for voters to
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overlook.
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At the same time, though, he's playing under constant double-teams.
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The Hornets rely on him for everything offensively.
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It's not like there's a supporting cast to pick up the slack.Exactly!
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And that's what makes all this "trade LaMelo" talk so crazy to me.
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Dude's only 23, putting up franchise-level stats-why not build
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around him?
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I mean, Charlotte fans love this guy!
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He sells jerseys, sells tickets, he's a vibe for the city.
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Trading him?
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That's like tearing up the foundation you're trying to stand on.That's the
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argument-to build around him.
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But let's look at the other side for a moment.
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Injuries have been an issue.
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He's missed a significant number of games over the last few seasons.
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And let's not ignore the bigger question here: what does Charlotte gain by holding
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onto him if the rest of the roster isn't competitive?
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Trading him now could bring back a package of draft picks and young players,
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jumpstarting a rebuild.Yeah, but rebuilds aren't guarantees, Eric!
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You trade a star like LaMelo, you're basically crossing your fingers and
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hoping one of those picks turns into another, well...
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LaMelo.
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And good luck keeping the fans on board while you're losing even more games.
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That's a tough sell in Charlotte.It is, and that's why the Magic rumors are
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intriguing.
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Orlando has the young talent and draft picks to make a compelling offer.
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Imagine LaMelo playing alongside their strong defensive core-he'd instantly
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transform their offense.Whoa, whoa, wait.
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You're talking about sending LaMelo to the Magic?
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That sounds scary good for them but brutal for Hornets fans.
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Like, imagine being a Charlotte fan and hearing your franchise guy just got
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shipped out for "potential." The optics on that?
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Not great.Agreed.
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Hornets fans I've spoken to aren't thrilled by the thought of losing him.
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For them, LaMelo represents hope-a reason to watch, to show up to games.
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He's not just a player; he's a connection to the community.
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Trading him isn't just a business decision, it's personal-for the fans and
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the city.That's what I'm saying!
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And, like, how many guys in the league can even do what LaMelo does?
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He's got that rare combo of skill and swagger.
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Charlotte better think twice before letting him go.
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If they really believe in him, the move is clear-add pieces around him!
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Bring in a legit second option, fix the roster, and see what happens.Well,
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Marcus, that's the decision they have to make: rebuild or restructure.
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Either way, the clock's ticking with his value this high.
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It's a pivotal crossroads for the franchise, and one way or another, how
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they handle it will have a lasting impact.And man, if I'm LaMelo?
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I wanna see some commitment.
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Show me this team's serious about winning, or else-don't blame me if I
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start looking elsewhere.
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And trust, Eric, fans feel the same way.
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They want a reason to believe, you know?So Marcus, speaking of
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franchise-defining choices like Charlotte's, let's talk about the Spurs,
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because they just made a bold, calculated move to reshape their future.
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Adding De'Aaron Fox to pair with Victor Wembanyama-it's not just about now, it's
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about the long game.
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What do you make of this emerging pick-and-roll powerhouse in San
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Antonio?Man, the Spurs did it again.
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De'Aaron Fox!
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Whew, I already love it, Eric.
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You've got Fox putting up 25 points a night, one of the fastest guys in the
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league, and now he's running alongside Wemby?
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Like, hold up, this is about to be special.
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The Spurs know how to build around talent-they've been showing us this for
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decades.Absolutely.
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And here's the thing-it's not just talent for today, it's a system geared toward
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sustainable success.
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Getting Fox while keeping young assets like Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan?
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That shows incredible trade strategy.
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They didn't gut their future to make a splash.Right!
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And the Spurs, man, they've always been about that balance.
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It's like, evolution with tradition.
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You've got Fox's quickness and playmaking joining Wemby's insane versatility.
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There's this perfect mix of veteran leadership and young energy now.
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You can feel it, Eric, they're building something real again.For sure.
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And Victor Wembanyama, wow-what a foundational piece to build around.
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Adding someone like Fox takes the pressure off Wemby to do it all.
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Plus, with Fox's ability to penetrate defenses and create space, it's only
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going to make Wemby more unstoppable in the half court.Exactly!
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Like, imagine the high pick-and-rolls they'll be running.
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Wemby rolling to the rim, or spotting up with those freaky three-pointers he's
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starting to knock down?
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And let's not sleep on Fox defensively either, Eric.
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That dude's a pest on-ball.
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He's got that edge!And you know Marcus, looking at the Western Conference
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landscape, this move isn't just about competing-it's about breaking through.
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The Spurs are signaling they're done with the rebuild phase.
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They want to be back in the playoff mix now.Oh, no doubt.
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And you know what this feels like?
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It feels like classic Spurs.
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They weren't loud during the offseason, no major splashes-then boom, right before
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the trade deadline, they unleash something massive.
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It's textbook franchise management.That's the thing about the Spurs-they're so
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calculated.
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They held onto their draft picks, stayed under the cap, and when the right moment
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came, they struck.
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If this works out, we could be looking at one of the best guard-big combos in the
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league for years to come.Years to come, Eric, that's gotta be the plan!
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I mean, look at their history-Tim and Tony, Manu and Kawhi.
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They know how to create iconic duos.
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Now, it's Fox and Wemby getting their shot.
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And honestly, I'm here for it.It's definitely something to watch, Marcus.
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The Spurs are positioning themselves as serious players in the West again, and
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this trade was the statement move they needed to make.Man, I can't wait to see
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how this shakes out.
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Just imagine the excitement for Spurs fans-playoffs, big games, a team built
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for the future.
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This is what the league needs, Eric-teams making smart, bold moves.
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And that's it for today!
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You guys, thanks for rolling with us-catch you next time on
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"Swish and Tell!"
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for more top stories you will only find on thePeachBasket.net!
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