Off-Season Interviews: Caleb
Oct 11, 2022 23:08:37 GMT -5
Denver Nuggets (Kevin), New York Knicks (jsood), and 1 more like this
Post by The Athletic on Oct 11, 2022 23:08:37 GMT -5
Caleb has generously agreed to take some time away from his busy commish duties to interview with us. Give it up for da commish.
There’s a lot of buzz around the Warriors going into this season. Some people are proclaiming them as title contenders and even better than the vaunted Pelicans. How are you feeling about the squad going into next year and what are your expectations for the season?
Caleb: First off, thanks for taking the time to interview me Sood! But I feel really good bro. Despite the great regular season, last year was really frustrating. Once Jake and Johnny’s playoff rosters settled I knew my squad just wasn’t good enough to compete with the big dogs. I tried a ton of different avenues to try and get it to that level, but every single one would have severely hampered my future. I knew we had to absolutely grind this off-season. Idk about you Sood, but I am a big believer in depth being critical to winning championships in this league, so my goal was clear. I wanted to grab as much high quality depth as possible. I looked for guys with at least 30+ point ceiling potential who I might be able to grab at a reasonable enough price. I still feel like the vibe around the league is that more are not sold rather than sold on my depth. Ultimately though I do feel like I did my job this summer. The training/camp pre-season period hasn’t been too kind to us with Kelle, Gary, AB all going down and Jae’s future up in the air, but I’m confident that by the time the playoffs come around the boys will be ready to rock. The expectation/goal is championship. We’re locked in Sood.
Markelle Fultz was a big trade acquisition for Golden State with a lot of preseason hype. He suffered a minor setback in a broken toe recently. Has that changed your outlook for him at all?
Caleb: Curse of the damn toe bro. But nah. It’s definitely a bummer, especially because it seems like the Magic are ultra careful with bringing back their guys from injuries, but long term this season I’m still all in. I think this pre-season has just proved even more that they need a floor general, facilitator type of the floor. Kelle is by far the best at that on the team. He had a full off-season to work and I’m expecting a big season from him.
In another franchise changing move this offseason. You sent big Joel Embiid packing for established vets in Jrue Holiday, Jusuf Nurkic and the forever maligned Jae Crowder. What was the thought process behind this move and which of these players are you most excited about?
Caleb: Yeah definitely a win now move. In terms of the process of it, I’m all in. Rings live forever. I have my favorite player of all time on my team for the back end of his career. I owe that man a title. I’m okay with hurting my future slightly if it means bettering my chance in the present. In terms of the deal itself, I have nothing bad to say about the big fella, he was absolutely incredible for me. But there’s always the injury risk in the back of my mind with someone of that size. (Yes, I know Nurk isn’t exactly an ironman.) On top of that I think Harden and Maxey are going to demand a large load this year. Joel will still be the guy, but I'm not sure he'll see quite the usage he had last year. I also just know what I'm getting back. Jrue is about as consistent and steady as you can get. That’s 33-34 that I can take to the bank every night. Nurkic’s game is perfect here, and while he won’t play all 82, if he’s healthy in the playoffs he’s a difference maker. Jae is another one of those guys you can count on for 16-20. Just too many points for me to pass up. Joel would have demanded a large price tag next season off, so for me while it may hurt a little in the future it is something I could get through. If I had to pick one I'll go big Nurky because I know he has the ability to go for multiple 50 point performances on any given week. I'm excited to see if this is the year he can have a sustained stretch of popping off.
You had the option of drafting at the 9th slot in this draft for a pick that could’ve netted Dyson Daniels, Jeremy Sochan, Benedict Maturin or Tari Eason but instead you chose to ride with Josh Hart. Do you stick by that decision? And also talk me through some of the things you like about Mr. Hart.
Caleb: I do bro. The cap savings and young talent was hard to pass up on, but again you know my mindset by this point. I was never the biggest Josh Hart guy. I just felt like he was a scrappy high energy guy who would be a good role player for years to come. I’m not exactly sure exactly when it happened but he’s actually a really good basketball player. I’m not saying he’s gonna average 30 again but I feel like that 30 he averaged last year got discredited right away just because of the situation in Portland. He’s always been a high rebounds guy, but I think he’ll contribute assists, steals, and will shoot a pretty high percentage. 25-27 with 30 point upside is what I felt warranted moving that pick and luckily enough I had someone willing to offer that in Free. I’m gonna be so locked into Blazer games this year.
Give us one player on your team that you believe is a huge sleeper and will contribute above peoples expectations.
Caleb: Honestly the main two are Kelle and Hart, but we’ve talked about them plenty. For a lowkey guy I’d definitely go Zeke Nnaji. At this point it seems like he is still behind Deandre Jordan but I have faith that his talent eventually wins out this season. He seems like an extremely hard worker, has improved every year, and transformed the body this summer. Obviously he’s a big which helps, but he can also shoot the hell out of it. I’m not sure when it’s coming but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a leap to 17-18 point a game in the near future.
If you could beat 3 owners in this league on your path to a championship, who would they be and why?
I think it’s 4 bro, but that’s a great ass question. Round 1 give me Kyle. He’s been a pretty staunch doubter so he’d be fun to kick the party off with. Round 2 give me Tyler. He’s done an unreal job so far, but I would love to be the one to show him it’s not quite his time yet. WCF- No other than the great Salami. He’s sent me home back to back years, I owe him back big time. Finish it off with Jake. That's the b2b champ and I think it would be a beautiful thing if I was able to be the one who stands in between him and a three peat.
A lot goes into being a commissioner of a league like this. What keeps you motivated to stay heavily involved year in and out, through all the dumb squabbles, drama, and awful trades?
Caleb: Lmao First off I just love basketball- that's definitely the most important. I also am super competitive, so give me an outlet to combine both and I'm super down. Yeah, there's definitely heated discussions and conflict but I just try to keep the big picture in that honestly it's dope that people care enough to get heated over a free league. A lot of people in here i've known since I was a teenager or know IRL so it's just like were all brothers. Sometimes it can be tiring but then I just take a quick chat break and boom i'm good. I'll be here as long as I can find 29 other people to grind with me.
Lastly, you’ve been at this for a long time now and I can’t remember the last time you rebuilt. Do you ever foresee yourself rebuilding in the near future? And if so would any team be able to acquire Stephen Curry?
Caleb: Aslong as Steph is somewhat worth his contract, we'll be going for it. And I expect that for at least the length of this contract. Haven't really given too much thought to after that. It'll be pretty tough for me to take a step back and rebuild/retool, but if the situation calls for it I'll do what I have to do.
There’s a lot of buzz around the Warriors going into this season. Some people are proclaiming them as title contenders and even better than the vaunted Pelicans. How are you feeling about the squad going into next year and what are your expectations for the season?
Caleb: First off, thanks for taking the time to interview me Sood! But I feel really good bro. Despite the great regular season, last year was really frustrating. Once Jake and Johnny’s playoff rosters settled I knew my squad just wasn’t good enough to compete with the big dogs. I tried a ton of different avenues to try and get it to that level, but every single one would have severely hampered my future. I knew we had to absolutely grind this off-season. Idk about you Sood, but I am a big believer in depth being critical to winning championships in this league, so my goal was clear. I wanted to grab as much high quality depth as possible. I looked for guys with at least 30+ point ceiling potential who I might be able to grab at a reasonable enough price. I still feel like the vibe around the league is that more are not sold rather than sold on my depth. Ultimately though I do feel like I did my job this summer. The training/camp pre-season period hasn’t been too kind to us with Kelle, Gary, AB all going down and Jae’s future up in the air, but I’m confident that by the time the playoffs come around the boys will be ready to rock. The expectation/goal is championship. We’re locked in Sood.
Markelle Fultz was a big trade acquisition for Golden State with a lot of preseason hype. He suffered a minor setback in a broken toe recently. Has that changed your outlook for him at all?
Caleb: Curse of the damn toe bro. But nah. It’s definitely a bummer, especially because it seems like the Magic are ultra careful with bringing back their guys from injuries, but long term this season I’m still all in. I think this pre-season has just proved even more that they need a floor general, facilitator type of the floor. Kelle is by far the best at that on the team. He had a full off-season to work and I’m expecting a big season from him.
In another franchise changing move this offseason. You sent big Joel Embiid packing for established vets in Jrue Holiday, Jusuf Nurkic and the forever maligned Jae Crowder. What was the thought process behind this move and which of these players are you most excited about?
Caleb: Yeah definitely a win now move. In terms of the process of it, I’m all in. Rings live forever. I have my favorite player of all time on my team for the back end of his career. I owe that man a title. I’m okay with hurting my future slightly if it means bettering my chance in the present. In terms of the deal itself, I have nothing bad to say about the big fella, he was absolutely incredible for me. But there’s always the injury risk in the back of my mind with someone of that size. (Yes, I know Nurk isn’t exactly an ironman.) On top of that I think Harden and Maxey are going to demand a large load this year. Joel will still be the guy, but I'm not sure he'll see quite the usage he had last year. I also just know what I'm getting back. Jrue is about as consistent and steady as you can get. That’s 33-34 that I can take to the bank every night. Nurkic’s game is perfect here, and while he won’t play all 82, if he’s healthy in the playoffs he’s a difference maker. Jae is another one of those guys you can count on for 16-20. Just too many points for me to pass up. Joel would have demanded a large price tag next season off, so for me while it may hurt a little in the future it is something I could get through. If I had to pick one I'll go big Nurky because I know he has the ability to go for multiple 50 point performances on any given week. I'm excited to see if this is the year he can have a sustained stretch of popping off.
You had the option of drafting at the 9th slot in this draft for a pick that could’ve netted Dyson Daniels, Jeremy Sochan, Benedict Maturin or Tari Eason but instead you chose to ride with Josh Hart. Do you stick by that decision? And also talk me through some of the things you like about Mr. Hart.
Caleb: I do bro. The cap savings and young talent was hard to pass up on, but again you know my mindset by this point. I was never the biggest Josh Hart guy. I just felt like he was a scrappy high energy guy who would be a good role player for years to come. I’m not exactly sure exactly when it happened but he’s actually a really good basketball player. I’m not saying he’s gonna average 30 again but I feel like that 30 he averaged last year got discredited right away just because of the situation in Portland. He’s always been a high rebounds guy, but I think he’ll contribute assists, steals, and will shoot a pretty high percentage. 25-27 with 30 point upside is what I felt warranted moving that pick and luckily enough I had someone willing to offer that in Free. I’m gonna be so locked into Blazer games this year.
Give us one player on your team that you believe is a huge sleeper and will contribute above peoples expectations.
Caleb: Honestly the main two are Kelle and Hart, but we’ve talked about them plenty. For a lowkey guy I’d definitely go Zeke Nnaji. At this point it seems like he is still behind Deandre Jordan but I have faith that his talent eventually wins out this season. He seems like an extremely hard worker, has improved every year, and transformed the body this summer. Obviously he’s a big which helps, but he can also shoot the hell out of it. I’m not sure when it’s coming but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a leap to 17-18 point a game in the near future.
If you could beat 3 owners in this league on your path to a championship, who would they be and why?
I think it’s 4 bro, but that’s a great ass question. Round 1 give me Kyle. He’s been a pretty staunch doubter so he’d be fun to kick the party off with. Round 2 give me Tyler. He’s done an unreal job so far, but I would love to be the one to show him it’s not quite his time yet. WCF- No other than the great Salami. He’s sent me home back to back years, I owe him back big time. Finish it off with Jake. That's the b2b champ and I think it would be a beautiful thing if I was able to be the one who stands in between him and a three peat.
A lot goes into being a commissioner of a league like this. What keeps you motivated to stay heavily involved year in and out, through all the dumb squabbles, drama, and awful trades?
Caleb: Lmao First off I just love basketball- that's definitely the most important. I also am super competitive, so give me an outlet to combine both and I'm super down. Yeah, there's definitely heated discussions and conflict but I just try to keep the big picture in that honestly it's dope that people care enough to get heated over a free league. A lot of people in here i've known since I was a teenager or know IRL so it's just like were all brothers. Sometimes it can be tiring but then I just take a quick chat break and boom i'm good. I'll be here as long as I can find 29 other people to grind with me.
Lastly, you’ve been at this for a long time now and I can’t remember the last time you rebuilt. Do you ever foresee yourself rebuilding in the near future? And if so would any team be able to acquire Stephen Curry?
Caleb: Aslong as Steph is somewhat worth his contract, we'll be going for it. And I expect that for at least the length of this contract. Haven't really given too much thought to after that. It'll be pretty tough for me to take a step back and rebuild/retool, but if the situation calls for it I'll do what I have to do.