Off Season Interviews: Milwaukee Bucks
Aug 25, 2022 17:06:24 GMT -5
Golden State Warriors (Caleb) and LA Clippers GM (Remy) like this
Post by The Athletic on Aug 25, 2022 17:06:24 GMT -5
I just want to give you the space to reflect back on your two titles. Personally this is the most competitive fantasy league I’ve been in- so I know first hand the accomplishment that is. What would you say was the main key to securing last years ship?
Jacob: It's really crazy. It's hard enough to win a 10 team league, so to win a 30 teamer, back to back, is quite special. I could go another 60 years without winning another ring. It's that tough. Honestly, the key is to just put yourself in the best position possible and hope you get lucky. Otherwise you end up trading LaMelo Ball for Javale Mcgee. You don’t want that. Both years I was the number one seed so I theoretically had the easiest matchups until the Finals. As plenty have noted, in my first Championship run I would've been eliminated if I had been any other seed in the tournament. But Sood had to trade for Thad Young and the rest is history. Last year, I felt my team was really solid and I was pretty confident in my chances in the East. I also stayed reasonably healthy until the FVV stuff popped up. That's really it. It's making good moves, being patient, and getting lucky. I think a lot of people in this league try to go all-in for a one year run. But that's a poor strategy in my opinion - if the luck doesn't break your way (and it rarely does), then you're out a ring and the next 3 to 4 years of competitiveness. It's better to put yourself in a chance to compete every year, and hope one year everything breaks your way. The team with the most talent in this league nearly never wins. There. You happy, Johnny?
We’ve heard it’s 3 peat or bust… does this mean that you’re willing to make additional moves mid season that may hurt your future in order to win? Or was it more about how you approached the off season? Are you like full on rebuilding next year?? I know I’m peppering you bro - I don’t need like details but I am looking for a big picture outline of the transition from this year to next.
Jacob: With all that being said, throw it all out the window this year. I genuinely think that this may be the only 3 peat opportunity EVER in this league. Every year, the parity gets a little bit better. It's harder and harder to win trades. Trade deadlines are an absolute grind to suck out a 20 fppg player for two firsts. Then you gotta watch the guy brag about him a whole offseason as if didn’t barely ask for him the deal. It’s tough. So I gotta go for it. Right? The stuff of legends. Yeah, the plan is to go all-in. I guess I should formally announce it here. The card I'm hoping to play is a LaMelo trade. I'm targeting getting two to 3 quality, quality assets for him at the deadline to fill out my depth and make a run for it. We'll see. I have definitely been feeling the implications of going for a three-peat. People are tight with assets around me, and that's fair. Hopefully LaMelo can break through.
Tough off season for DJ. 35-38 is still well within range but i am skeptical he retains his spurs output. What are you expecting from him in his first year in Atlanta?
Jacob: He’ll be fine. I really don’t know what it will look like, but I’m not expecting a massive drop-off. They gave a lot for him. Trae can’t be utilized like that forever, and I assume they will go with the strategy of having one of Trae/DJ on the court at all times. So he’ll be running a lot of offense. 40 seems out of reach again, but I like him around 36-38. I think everyone in this league is taking that production on a $14M deal. Obviously, I’m taking a lot of heat because I hyped him so much. Probably deserved. But I’ve been right about him every step of his career so far. And the same people who rail on him are in my DMs. So it is what it is. Let ‘em talk.
Congrats on landing Walker Kessler bro. Given our scoring and the situation in Utah that was really nice value. What are your expectations for him this year and long term?
Jacob: I was thrilled. In all honesty, he was on the radar at 15 before somebody made a donation for that pick. And that was before the Gobert trade. I was floored guys like Koloko went before him. He’s really tailor made for this league, what was it 7 blocks per/36 in college? A 20 minute role could easily equal 20 a game, and his learning curve for shot blocking is non-existent. Plus he’s shown flashes of a shot. Sure, he’ll get played off the floor in the playoffs. But as I think most people fail to realize, we actually don’t count those games! I was shocked BMan didn’t take him to be KAT’s backup. I think the Jazz still have moves to make, so we’ll see how his role shakes out. They probably want to see what they have in Udoka too. But Kessler is gonna have his chances. And that’s all you can ask for with a rookie picked in the 20s.
Yeah so you know I gotta bring Jval. He’s been on the block seemingly since you traded for him. Do you regret that move? What was the mindset when agreeing to that deal with Octy?
Jacob: We’ve been over this. That move was made because I thought it was the best approach to losing cap and being able to resign Fred. Obviously, I thought JVal had more value than it appears he has, but I get it. That being said, if you think the Pels are gonna run Zion at Center during the regular season, you’re insane. JVal will be there 30 minutes a night and he just has to stand there and catch to get a double double. I think people realize that, but again - nobody wants to see a three-peat. There’s a lot of incentive to make sure I don’t get to fill out my roster - and that’s understandable. I would do the same. But eventually, I’ll crack it. I always do.
Sooooo open roster spot to start the season eh?
Jacob: Yeah, not worried. Honestly I think trying to put your whole team together at the start of the year is a trash approach. What if Giannis and LaMelo tear their ACLs week three and you’ve already gone all in? The best approach is to wait as long as you possibly can to make your team finalizing moves. That way, you lower your injury risk exponentially. I still have a top 4 East roster. It doesn’t really matter that I don’t have a 15 per at the bottom.
If you could eliminate one team in the playoffs this year.. who would it be and why?
Jacob: Look, I could sit here and lie and tell you all match-ups are equal. But I don’t take any joy from beating up on my big brother Free every year. That’s just another 9 to 5. I take joy from watching Johnny brag to the entire league that he has the most talented team, while leaving with just a Conference Title. That brings a smile to my face. The easy answer is just that - taking down Johnny for the third time in a row. But that’s been done. I want the big dog. I want the Commish. I want the expert. He’s desperate for it. Already talking dreams of a title when he still hasn’t gotten a WCF championship. That’s bold. There’s steps to these things. And I’ll be happy to show him the way, after I pave it once more.
Jacob: It's really crazy. It's hard enough to win a 10 team league, so to win a 30 teamer, back to back, is quite special. I could go another 60 years without winning another ring. It's that tough. Honestly, the key is to just put yourself in the best position possible and hope you get lucky. Otherwise you end up trading LaMelo Ball for Javale Mcgee. You don’t want that. Both years I was the number one seed so I theoretically had the easiest matchups until the Finals. As plenty have noted, in my first Championship run I would've been eliminated if I had been any other seed in the tournament. But Sood had to trade for Thad Young and the rest is history. Last year, I felt my team was really solid and I was pretty confident in my chances in the East. I also stayed reasonably healthy until the FVV stuff popped up. That's really it. It's making good moves, being patient, and getting lucky. I think a lot of people in this league try to go all-in for a one year run. But that's a poor strategy in my opinion - if the luck doesn't break your way (and it rarely does), then you're out a ring and the next 3 to 4 years of competitiveness. It's better to put yourself in a chance to compete every year, and hope one year everything breaks your way. The team with the most talent in this league nearly never wins. There. You happy, Johnny?
We’ve heard it’s 3 peat or bust… does this mean that you’re willing to make additional moves mid season that may hurt your future in order to win? Or was it more about how you approached the off season? Are you like full on rebuilding next year?? I know I’m peppering you bro - I don’t need like details but I am looking for a big picture outline of the transition from this year to next.
Jacob: With all that being said, throw it all out the window this year. I genuinely think that this may be the only 3 peat opportunity EVER in this league. Every year, the parity gets a little bit better. It's harder and harder to win trades. Trade deadlines are an absolute grind to suck out a 20 fppg player for two firsts. Then you gotta watch the guy brag about him a whole offseason as if didn’t barely ask for him the deal. It’s tough. So I gotta go for it. Right? The stuff of legends. Yeah, the plan is to go all-in. I guess I should formally announce it here. The card I'm hoping to play is a LaMelo trade. I'm targeting getting two to 3 quality, quality assets for him at the deadline to fill out my depth and make a run for it. We'll see. I have definitely been feeling the implications of going for a three-peat. People are tight with assets around me, and that's fair. Hopefully LaMelo can break through.
Tough off season for DJ. 35-38 is still well within range but i am skeptical he retains his spurs output. What are you expecting from him in his first year in Atlanta?
Jacob: He’ll be fine. I really don’t know what it will look like, but I’m not expecting a massive drop-off. They gave a lot for him. Trae can’t be utilized like that forever, and I assume they will go with the strategy of having one of Trae/DJ on the court at all times. So he’ll be running a lot of offense. 40 seems out of reach again, but I like him around 36-38. I think everyone in this league is taking that production on a $14M deal. Obviously, I’m taking a lot of heat because I hyped him so much. Probably deserved. But I’ve been right about him every step of his career so far. And the same people who rail on him are in my DMs. So it is what it is. Let ‘em talk.
Congrats on landing Walker Kessler bro. Given our scoring and the situation in Utah that was really nice value. What are your expectations for him this year and long term?
Jacob: I was thrilled. In all honesty, he was on the radar at 15 before somebody made a donation for that pick. And that was before the Gobert trade. I was floored guys like Koloko went before him. He’s really tailor made for this league, what was it 7 blocks per/36 in college? A 20 minute role could easily equal 20 a game, and his learning curve for shot blocking is non-existent. Plus he’s shown flashes of a shot. Sure, he’ll get played off the floor in the playoffs. But as I think most people fail to realize, we actually don’t count those games! I was shocked BMan didn’t take him to be KAT’s backup. I think the Jazz still have moves to make, so we’ll see how his role shakes out. They probably want to see what they have in Udoka too. But Kessler is gonna have his chances. And that’s all you can ask for with a rookie picked in the 20s.
Yeah so you know I gotta bring Jval. He’s been on the block seemingly since you traded for him. Do you regret that move? What was the mindset when agreeing to that deal with Octy?
Jacob: We’ve been over this. That move was made because I thought it was the best approach to losing cap and being able to resign Fred. Obviously, I thought JVal had more value than it appears he has, but I get it. That being said, if you think the Pels are gonna run Zion at Center during the regular season, you’re insane. JVal will be there 30 minutes a night and he just has to stand there and catch to get a double double. I think people realize that, but again - nobody wants to see a three-peat. There’s a lot of incentive to make sure I don’t get to fill out my roster - and that’s understandable. I would do the same. But eventually, I’ll crack it. I always do.
Sooooo open roster spot to start the season eh?
Jacob: Yeah, not worried. Honestly I think trying to put your whole team together at the start of the year is a trash approach. What if Giannis and LaMelo tear their ACLs week three and you’ve already gone all in? The best approach is to wait as long as you possibly can to make your team finalizing moves. That way, you lower your injury risk exponentially. I still have a top 4 East roster. It doesn’t really matter that I don’t have a 15 per at the bottom.
If you could eliminate one team in the playoffs this year.. who would it be and why?
Jacob: Look, I could sit here and lie and tell you all match-ups are equal. But I don’t take any joy from beating up on my big brother Free every year. That’s just another 9 to 5. I take joy from watching Johnny brag to the entire league that he has the most talented team, while leaving with just a Conference Title. That brings a smile to my face. The easy answer is just that - taking down Johnny for the third time in a row. But that’s been done. I want the big dog. I want the Commish. I want the expert. He’s desperate for it. Already talking dreams of a title when he still hasn’t gotten a WCF championship. That’s bold. There’s steps to these things. And I’ll be happy to show him the way, after I pave it once more.
