Damian Lillard's impact on Drew Timme and the latest on Gonzaga's 2023-24 schedule
Former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau shares his thoughts on Drew Timme playing with Damian Lillard as well as Gonzaga's 2023-24 nonconference schedule
Transcript
00:00 Hey, everybody, it's Christian Pedersen,
00:01 joined as always by Dan Dickow.
00:03 And as you can see on the video version of this podcast,
00:07 we thank you again always for tuning in.
00:08 But as you can see,
00:09 Dan is the more swagged out of the two of us.
00:11 And so I am now the jealous one, 'cause I want that hat.
00:15 Dan, are you trying to launch that we have merch now?
00:18 - We're getting close.
00:19 We've got some gear for our inner circle
00:24 of our team here in Spokane.
00:26 You will get yours pretty soon.
00:28 I'll have to get with our manager
00:31 in regards to the person who handles all of it.
00:33 - You've got a nice call there for our inner circle
00:35 in Spokane.
00:36 I'm still feeling like I'm in the inner circle.
00:37 - Is she gonna hate, I can't put her name out there
00:39 because she would absolutely hate
00:41 that I put her name out there,
00:42 that what her job title and description is.
00:46 But you know who it is.
00:48 I will get a message to her to get some swag,
00:52 some gear in the mail.
00:54 - I'll say this, I'll peel back the curtain.
00:56 When we reference like multiple people
00:59 in a production part, but it's all the same woman
01:01 who is a saintly, saintly woman that puts up
01:04 with the two of us just meandering
01:06 around the college basketball season,
01:08 littering content everywhere for her to clean up
01:10 and organize into the wonderful product
01:12 that you all enjoy, AskinZagin Nation.
01:14 Dan, you're catching us on a mailbag edition.
01:17 We got a bunch of fans submitted questions.
01:18 So fans, reminder, you can send these in at FanNationZags
01:21 on all the social media and/or DanDickOut21 on social.
01:25 Dan, I almost blew up my phone.
01:28 And I know that you did an episode already
01:31 on the Timmy trade, specifically diving
01:34 into what that means for Drew,
01:35 but I almost blew up my phone going straight to Twitter
01:37 to send one into you after that Drew/Timmy trade
01:41 being like, unpack the layers of this.
01:44 It feels like there's a lot of people that wanna know
01:47 a couple of things about it.
01:48 So I think the two sort of NBA trade questions
01:50 we have for you are, any more thoughts and fallout
01:53 on that trade and how that's gonna impact Drew/Timmy
01:56 in terms of his NBA potential and career?
01:58 And two, a lot of people wanna know your experiences
02:01 either directly with trades or just indirectly
02:04 with like how that kind of happens
02:06 from an NBA player's perspective.
02:09 - Yeah, absolutely.
02:10 I think first off for Drew,
02:12 I think it's a great trade that helps him.
02:16 Now it doesn't help him in regards to,
02:18 at this moment in time, Milwaukee's going to change
02:21 his two-way contract to a regular NBA contract.
02:24 He has to prove that, but what it does is it changes
02:28 the level of contracts or guaranteed roster spots
02:33 with the Bucs going into the regular season.
02:36 So the NBA now sits, I believe at 18,
02:38 you can have years ago when I played it was 15,
02:41 but now it's larger because you've got two-way contracts
02:44 and you've got some different things,
02:45 exhibit 10s and stuff like that.
02:47 But essentially what it does is now that Milwaukee
02:51 does not have more rosters or excuse me,
02:56 players on their roster than are available roster spots,
03:00 it leads you to believe that there is a solid opportunity
03:04 for Drew to really kind of carve out even more of a home
03:08 or a niche in the hearts of the front office
03:11 and the coaching staff to make them believe
03:14 that he's gonna be there and convert that to a regular deal.
03:18 That's my initial thought, my inclination.
03:22 So that's good for Drew.
03:24 When you look at the basketball side
03:26 and then the cultural side as far as how to learn
03:29 the NBA game for Drew, I think it's fantastic.
03:34 And the reason why is he now has two future Hall of Famers
03:39 that he's going to be able to learn
03:41 from leading into training camp, through training camp,
03:44 and then as much as he's around the parent ball club
03:47 trying to earn his way and find his way in the NBA,
03:49 he's gonna have a chance to learn from those guys.
03:51 Giannis, obviously he's been an MVP,
03:54 he's won an NBA title,
03:56 he's one of the best players in the world.
03:59 He does it by playing the right way,
04:02 valuing team, valuing work ethic, valuing loyalty.
04:07 Yeah, he made comments recently
04:10 that if he doesn't see Milwaukee contending,
04:12 he might wanna get out of Milwaukee in a couple of years.
04:16 But that's the norm in the NBA,
04:18 unfortunately now these days.
04:19 Giannis has been there for a long time.
04:22 And I think he's a guy that he can learn a lot from
04:25 because Giannis was drafted obviously late lottery years ago
04:29 but there were so many knocks on his game
04:31 that he had to prove the doubters wrong.
04:35 And I think, granted Drew Timmy's not a lottery pick
04:40 but he's got a lot of doubters that he's gotta prove wrong.
04:43 Giannis as a four, doesn't shoot it great from the outside
04:47 but he's improved enough to be respectable.
04:49 He's worked on the things that has allowed him
04:51 to become a good player, become now a great player.
04:55 Now for Timmy, we all have talked about the weaknesses
05:00 and knocks on his game
05:00 and we don't have to go back into that.
05:02 But he has a sounding board or an example of somebody
05:06 who has been doubted and questioned
05:08 in certain areas of his game.
05:10 How do you go about fighting those?
05:11 Or how do you go about being true to yourself?
05:14 I think that's huge for Drew.
05:17 And then when you look at the impact for Damian Lillard
05:21 potentially on Drew is you look at another guy
05:23 who's been unbelievably loyal throughout
05:25 his whole entire career with Portland Trailblazers.
05:28 Portland has just been a mess of a franchise
05:31 in particular with their previous GM, Neil Olshay
05:33 where they weren't able to put together a roster
05:36 around Damian Lillard to give him a chance
05:39 to really showcase what he could do to the basketball world
05:44 and really propel a team deep into the NBA playoffs.
05:49 They had a broken roster his whole career.
05:52 I mean, CJ McCollum's a great player
05:54 but you're pairing two similar undersized guards together.
05:57 They never were able to get a inside presence
06:00 that really paired well with Damian Lillard.
06:04 They weren't able to get a consistent scoring threat
06:07 from the wing or a shooter to relieve pressure.
06:10 But what Damian did throughout all those years
06:13 was continue to improve.
06:14 He kept his head down, he worked,
06:16 he became arguably a top three point guard in the NBA
06:21 over the last 10 years.
06:23 And that's something to say
06:24 because the other point guards in that conversation,
06:27 Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook,
06:30 all also future Hall of Famers.
06:33 I personally think Damian's a future Hall of Famer
06:35 but what I think you're gonna learn,
06:36 he can learn from him is the same kind of thing.
06:39 Doubted coming into the NBA was Damian Lillard.
06:42 Granted he was the sixth pick in the draft
06:45 but he came from Weber State, a mid-major
06:49 where nobody had high expectations from him.
06:52 He believed in himself, he worked at it.
06:54 He realized his strengths, fine-tuned those
06:57 where they were sharp as a sword,
06:59 looked at his weaknesses,
07:01 soften those up around the edges,
07:03 became a all NBA type player seven years now,
07:06 I think it is.
07:07 No, he's been an NBA All-Star seven years.
07:08 So, I think for Drew, what he can learn
07:11 from Damian Lillard is that stick-to-itiveness,
07:15 that growth of your career, that belief in yourself
07:19 and then also the leadership aspect
07:21 and being true to who you are.
07:24 Everybody from Spokane and the Gonzaga community
07:27 knows Drew's got a big personality.
07:30 Now, Damian Lillard, if you don't know it,
07:33 he is a quiet, unassuming leader
07:35 but he's got a big personality
07:36 in regards to everybody follows, everybody listens,
07:40 everybody trusts what he has to say.
07:43 And I think that's another way that Drew Timmy can learn
07:46 from a future Hall of Famer.
07:48 So, that's the answer to that first part.
07:51 In regards to the second part of the question,
07:53 have I got experience with trades?
07:57 Unfortunately, yes, but fortunately, yes.
07:59 So, it's a hard one to say.
08:02 It's the nature of the business in pro sports.
08:04 I believe I was traded, golly, I don't even,
08:08 I wanna say 10 times, either eight or 10 times,
08:12 but I was traded on draft day,
08:16 I was traded in the middle of summer
08:17 where it really didn't matter
08:18 because I wasn't living in that particular city.
08:21 I was traded in the middle of the night
08:23 where I had to be packed up and ready to go
08:26 36 hours later, 24 hours later to the next destination.
08:30 I've been traded in so many different ways,
08:33 I can't keep track of all of them,
08:35 but you can look at it in one of two ways
08:37 as a player that gets traded.
08:39 One, you can look at it as poor me,
08:41 this team didn't want me,
08:43 or you can look at it as,
08:44 hey, I got a great opportunity in front of me
08:47 at this next destination because this team wants me.
08:50 Now, there's a lot of subcaveats and directions
08:54 we can take each of those two thought processes,
08:58 but for all intents and purposes with our conversation,
09:03 we're looking at the impact for Drew Timmy.
09:06 - You can also be the extra guy throwing in
09:08 at the end of a trade where you're very clearly-
09:10 - And that was me many times.
09:11 My salary contract number made it work a number of times.
09:15 And that one can be more frustrating
09:18 depending on how you look at it.
09:21 - And not saying that you were only a salary dump,
09:24 but just that also feels like an unfortunate reality
09:27 where sometimes people are like,
09:27 "Hey, I'm here too."
09:28 And they're like, "Yes, you're affordable.
09:30 Welcome, we welcome you in.
09:32 We welcome you with open arms because we can afford you."
09:34 And I know that that's a real thing
09:35 in the NBA versus college.
09:38 Next question we had, a reminder, everyone,
09:39 you can send these in at Fan Nation Zags
09:41 on all the social media or DanDickHow21.
09:44 People saw the Eastern Oregon game pop up on the schedule
09:47 and wanna know what's going on there.
09:48 Is that the last addition to the Gonzaga schedule?
09:51 Do you like that game?
09:52 - I mean, look, it's not the appealing game
09:57 that most fans are wanting.
09:59 I believe, don't quote me on this,
10:01 Cole Forsman, our journalist,
10:03 can probably dive deeper and make sure it's correct.
10:07 But I believe they do have the opportunity
10:08 to add one more game now.
10:10 And once that is added,
10:12 I believe the schedule will get released.
10:14 But this Eastern Oregon game,
10:17 it doesn't move the needle in my eyes one way or the other.
10:20 Quite frankly, most Division I teams
10:23 are done building out their schedule.
10:26 They don't have openings to add Gonzaga.
10:29 That's just the fact of the matter.
10:31 So with this last game that will be added,
10:35 I think it could be another non-D1.
10:37 It's hard to say,
10:38 but Gonzaga's played Eastern Oregon now three times.
10:42 Actually, I believe this will be the third time.
10:44 Chris Kemp does a nice job for the Mountaineers.
10:47 They're out of La Grande.
10:49 They challenged for their conference title last year.
10:51 I believe they made it to the NIA.
10:53 They were in the NIA playoffs a season ago.
10:57 So they are a good program.
11:00 They return all five starters,
11:02 including guys that a player,
11:06 I believe he's a wing,
11:07 averages nearly 20 points a game.
11:09 So no, it's not another matchup
11:14 that people would get excited about, about the Pac-12.
11:18 No, it's not a Mountain West contender
11:21 or somebody from the Big 12.
11:23 But listen, you have to fill your schedule
11:26 with enough games.
11:27 And this is an opportunity to get game action.
11:32 I believe it's still in early November
11:34 before they head off to Maui.
11:36 So you're gonna be working through some kinks
11:38 with your offensive, defense, things you wanna work on.
11:42 Maybe you wanna look at another rotation
11:44 going into that tournament.
11:45 Maybe you wanna make sure each guy
11:49 has kind of got a few game reps
11:51 so that you give them a full opportunity
11:54 of a look early in the season
11:56 to see if they're worthy of being in the rotation or not.
11:59 - 22 and 11 last year, making it to the NIA playoffs,
12:02 as you mentioned, before losing in the first round
12:04 for Eastern Oregon.
12:05 It almost feels though like, you don't even,
12:08 like you're saying, you don't even really care
12:10 about the final score of this one
12:11 'cause this is beneficial in certain other ways
12:14 that you're not gonna run out
12:15 of hypothetical lineup against Kentucky.
12:17 You're not gonna put game one against Purdue
12:20 and the Maui invitation will be like,
12:21 "Oh, well, like, let's see how these guys go."
12:22 But you might last 10 minutes of the Eastern Oregon game,
12:27 get some of those new kids, some different looks,
12:29 and take advantage of the time and opportunity
12:32 to play a varsity game, but in a manageable situation.
12:35 - Yeah, I mean, a lot of the exhibition games,
12:40 the scrimmages that are closed doors,
12:42 which Gonzaga does have one on their schedule,
12:46 I don't know what the date of that is.
12:49 I do know who they're gonna have
12:50 a private scrimmage against.
12:53 It's not the time and place to share that
12:56 because it hasn't been publicly said,
12:59 but trust me, it will be a great test
13:02 for Gonzaga to help get them ready,
13:04 that private scrimmage.
13:05 So I think those type of settings, the scrimmage,
13:10 and then these exhibitions are a chance
13:12 for the staff to kind of tweak some lineups,
13:15 see which guys play well under the lights.
13:17 'Cause to be honest, some players can perform
13:22 in front of the crowd, as odd as that sounds, some cannot.
13:26 And you wanna sift through that as soon as you can
13:29 early in a season.
13:30 - It would be a really odd choice for us
13:33 to burn our bridge with Gonzaga Athletics
13:35 over outing their private scrimmage
13:37 this early in the season.
13:39 I think I'll choose Bigger Hills to die on.
13:41 Dan, thank you very much for checking in with us
13:43 on another Mailbag Edition.
13:44 It's always great to pick your basketball brain.
13:47 Folks, remember, you can find us at Fandation Zags
13:49 on all the social media,
13:51 or you can search and subscribe Gonzaga Nation
13:53 wherever you get your podcasts.
13:55 And you need to get this podcast
13:56 because if we haven't plugged it enough for you before,
13:59 we'll plug it again.
14:01 Dan is working away like a crazy person
14:03 in the awesome new studio.
14:05 I see Greg Heisser's face every day popping up
14:08 on our YouTube.
14:09 He and Greg have a bunch of awesome interviews.
14:11 He talked to Stu Jackson.
14:12 He's talked to a bunch of the players.
14:14 We've talked about this a lot.
14:15 There's just, there's so much
14:16 unbelievable content headed your way.
14:18 You're not gonna wanna go find Gonzaga Nation,
14:20 smash that subscribe button, leave a five star.
14:23 Yeah.
14:24 - Here's the other thing.
14:25 So we're sitting here on what?
14:28 Monday, October 2nd.
14:29 We've recorded our weekly show,
14:33 and we've also recorded our mailbag for the week.
14:36 Guess what?
14:37 October 9th, Adam Morrison and I record our first episode
14:42 for this upcoming season.
14:43 So we're gonna be doing a similar format
14:46 as to what we did last year, where it's the two of us.
14:49 But now that we have a studio
14:50 and we've got some flexibility,
14:52 there's gonna be many occasions
14:54 we bring a third person into the studio,
14:57 whether it's a media member,
15:00 whether it is a former Gonzaga player as well.
15:03 So lots of flexibility this year
15:05 with what Adam and I are gonna do.
15:06 - Is it Rob Zachary?
15:08 - I'm sure he'll be a guest at many times.
15:11 - I love Rob.
15:13 There is no,
15:14 this will be an entire thing
15:17 that probably our boss is gonna say,
15:18 you should have cut that out of the podcast.
15:19 But I'll tell you,
15:21 as a baseball player in college myself,
15:24 we are the loosier, goosier,
15:26 more like we try to be friends with everybody
15:28 'cause nobody really cares
15:29 and gets competitive about baseball.
15:30 And I could just pick up that my vibes
15:34 and Rob Zachary's vibes,
15:35 we would have been friends in college.
15:37 We would have been that branch out union
15:40 that starts to like, let's go support everybody.
15:42 We love every, Rob seems like the kind of guy
15:44 that he and I probably also would have gotten
15:45 into a lot of trouble in college together,
15:46 but hey, maybe that's why I like podcasting with him.
15:49 But Dan said it exactly.
15:51 There's amazing content coming all year long.
15:53 So smash that subscribe button.
15:55 Thank you everybody for tuning in.
15:56 We'll talk to you guys next time.
15:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]