Cavs’ Pressure, Pistons’ Potential & Bucks’ Uncertainty: Biggest Questions in the Central Division

WindhorstThey think that Peyton Watson at 6 '8", who can play both ends of the court, is a guy who can be a difference -making player. That two -way guy shot over 40 % from three last year. They paid heavily in terms of having to lose Dean Wade, having to lose Max Struess, having to not re -sign Keyon Ellis.

WindhorstThey, you know, basically three players, you know, that were core rotation. Well, Ellis wasn't at the end, but numerous rotation players they had to say goodbye to, plus a future first round pick to get Peyton Watson.

WindhorstIt's really a referendum on these decisions. These big decisions that they made,

WindhorstDonovan, they had to, but certainly keeping Mobley and going all in on Watson will define this season, I believe. They're pot committed. If nothing else, I give Kobe Altman a share of credit for putting it on the line and saying, you know what, Evan Mobley, I believe in you. Like Evan Mobley is going to be 26 in June, if I remember correctly.

Like he's gone from being, I call him Slim Duncan, but it's a big difference between Tim Duncan and Slim Duncan. Like, I get that. I see the skill set, but I give Kobe Alman a lot of credit for, hey, going and trying to get and getting James Harden, even though you know what you're getting when you get James Harden and holding on to Evan Mobley.

Like these things are era defining moves for a franchise when you have the opportunity to go get a Giannis and maximize the tail end of his prime and fully committing to Donovan Mitchell. Like you said, when it looked very obvious to me in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter of game one against the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, that they were going to get swept.

it was very clear to me that that team had run out of gas and maybe had maxed out.