Ben DuBose

You have no choice.

So you can have that all-out switching lineup.

I think there's going to be more clubs in the bag for Ime Udoka defensively in the second half of this year relative to the first.

And so that can potentially help as well.

But I understand your point.

Like, you've got to see it to fully buy in.

I guess the way I'm choosing to... I've been a little down the last few pods, and the way I'm choosing to sort of reframe my expectations, you have to give to get.

And I go back to the offseason with the KD trade.

This was not...

a free agent signing.

This was not a draft pick where it's a pure add-on.

You had to give to get.

And there are trade-offs.

And we thought after the first month of this season, which was an incredibly small sample in the grand scheme, that 13-4 start, one of the best net ratings of all time, that maybe this team was going to be a 60-plus win juggernaut.

But in hindsight, especially when you add in the additional headwind of not having Fred and Fleet, of not having anything close to the peak version of Dorian Smith for at least the first half of the year,

That was just unrealistic.

And so when you go back to the KD trade, you gave up two floor raisers in Dylan and Jalen, well, specifically Dylan.

The culture, the fight defensively, that's why it made sense for Phoenix in their situation.

KD is the upside guy.

He can make those tough shots against even great defenses in playoff settings and