6 in 62 Mailbag! (Western Conference 12.18.25)

Nate and Danny dig into a Western Conference mailbag for the Grizzlies, Wolves, Pelicans, Thunder, Suns, and Blazers, focusing on young bigs, long-term team-building, and how to survive in an OKC/Wemby/Jokic world.

Memphis Grizzlies — 0:15

What has Zach Edey’s overall impact been so far, and why hasn’t his strong play gotten more discussion?

Given that most of Memphis’ wins with Edey back came against sub-.500 teams, what’s actually real and what projects beyond this season?

Why are Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. “bad all of a sudden”—how much of it is attitude, effort, health, or role?

Minnesota Timberwolves — 12:00

If Tim Connelly decides to make a significant move, what sort of framework should he pursue—selling high on Julius Randle, moving Rudy Gobert to lower long-term risk while raising ceiling, or something else entirely?

Who is a realistic trade target for Minnesota at point guard who can shoot, defend enough, and still let Anthony Edwards be the primary creator?

What is Rob Dillingham’s trade value right now—does he bring back even a late first?

Why did the Wolves let Nickiel Alexander-Walker go—could they really not find a way to keep him or other options?

How good is the offensive chemistry between Gobert and Randle actually—are they meaningfully helping each other?

New Orleans Pelicans — 26:23

Do Derik Queen’s flaws—lack of true center size and questionable mobility—ultimately cap his long-term ceiling, or can his creation ability and defensive hands make those weaknesses not matter as much?

If you’re the Pelicans, what kind of offers would you need to seriously consider moving each of Jose Alvarado, Zion Williamson, Sadiq Bey, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III?

Oklahoma City Thunder — 36:57

Is OKC the deepest team of all time when fully healthy, given their bench of Kason Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, AJ Mitchell, Kenrich Williams, J-Will, etc.?

Which Western Conference teams, if any, would intentionally punt games against the Clippers late in the season to worsen the pick OKC owns from LA?

What is AJ Mitchell doing defensively that makes him so effective?

How many All-Stars should the Thunder have this season?

If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were to get hurt in the playoffs, how good would OKC’s offense remain—could they still realistically win a series or two?

Which Western Conference teams have the best chance of beating OKC in a playoff series, and how would you rank the Rockets, Spurs, and Nuggets as threats?

Phoenix Suns — 47:45

Given the Suns’ surprising competence plus the fact they don’t control their own firsts, has your view changed on how they should operate over the next 2–3 years?

If you were running the Suns and received a strong offer for Devin Booker, would you trade him?

With the Suns hovering around the 6-seed race, could they be sneaky buyers at the deadline—and if so, what position or role should they target given their current roster and Jalen Green’s fit?

Portland Trail Blazers — 53:05

Is Portland’s rebuild a failure—especially considering taking Scoot over Amen, choosing Klingan over Edey, trading out of the Cedric Coward spot for Hansen, and the current returns on Shaedon Sharpe?

With OKC, Wembanyama’s Spurs, and Jokic’s Nuggets (plus Houston) as massive obstacles, how should the other Western teams approach big-picture strategy, timelines, and the pursuit of relevance?

Have any of Sharpe, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan actually improved from last year, or is it fair to say none of them have taken a real step forward?

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