What is krack Owakin Hardwin knocks listeners, I am Dance Valley coming, yet
you would out my pen appuist co host Adam Bramo. I am, however,
super pleased and excited to be joined by fellow Bleacher Report colleague Jake Fisher.
Follow him on Twitter at Jake L Fisher. He is also the author
of Bill to Lose How the NBA's tanking error Changed the League Forever. I
highly recommend that book. Go check it out. You can find it wherever
books are sold. He is also the host of the Please Don't Aggregate this
podcast that is on the Get Collin app so you can also find all that
stuff on his Twitter again, that's at Jake L. Fisher f I s
h e R. He was nice enough to take some time about a half
an hour, come in and talk about the fallout that we can expect from
this season and the playoffs leading into the off season. We get into Lakers,
Nick's, Grizzlies, Pelicans, the Jazz predominantly talk a little bit about
what we can expect the trade markets to be this summer since there is limited
cap space. It was a fun conversation. We hope you enjoy it.
Thought it'd be a nice little break from us covering the awards the playoff races.
Just something to do a little bit different as we keep talking about the
same thing over and over again. A nice little primer for the off season,
in my opinion. Before we dive into this, I just want to
remind everyone to continue rating, reviewing, and most importantly, subscribing to us.
Wherever you get your podcast. This is your first time checking us out,
please consider throwing us that permanent subscription. We are modestly insufferable when it
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so hurry up and go join. With all that out of the way,
though, let's get to talk talking to NBA offseason with Bleacher Reports Jake
Fisher, Jake, thank you so much for coming back on the Hardwood Knox
podcast for a second time. I really appreciate it. First and foremost,
how are you doing. I'm hanging in Man a little a little groggy today.
I'm not gonna lie, but we're here with a br colleague, so
trying to bring in as much energy as we can. How are you?
I am doing spectacular. How much? Look you're busy. I mean it's
not the trade deadline, but I know you're busy. How much caffeine are
you consuming on a daily basis? Is this a life doesn't begin before one
Graham situation? Or I don't bring I do not consume caffeine. Actually,
that's been kind of a strong stance of mind dating back to my childhood.
So we'll see how long it continues. I just turned to eight a couple
of weeks ago, so I'm still early in the in the adult world,
but I think I'm going to be a staunch commitment guy to know caffeine.
Yeah, I mean, holy shit, that's impressive. I turned thirty a
couple of years ago, and I don't drink coffee, but if you tapped
my blood, there would just be caffeine in it. That's just how I
functioned, So kudos to you. I wanted to start here. We don't
talk about the Lakers a lot on this podcast because they really haven't given us
anything interesting to talk about. But you published a piece recently, a Bleach
report about the future or lack thereof, of Frank Vogel in Los Angeles.
They were just eliminated from playing contention of all things, What is the what
do we expect from them this offseason? You already wrote that Frank Vogel has
probably gone, but is there any other upheaval we should expect? Yeah,
you know, on Monday, woke up and was trying to figure out with
our editors what the story for Tuesday should be. And the fact that they're
facing elimination and last night we're recording this Wednesday morning, it seems pretty ripe
to to spin that ball forward. And you know, the Vogel talk has
been out there since January at least maybe even earlier. Memory doesn't serve to
be much longer than January. But you know, I talked to people in
and around the Lakers this week. They were kind of speaking about Vogel's tender
there as a fore gone conclusion. You know about the ifs and the winds
and you know, spitballing types of candidates and not you know about whether Vocal
will be back. So I mean, I do think he's unfairly being scaped
over here, I will say that. And the guy helped them get a
title in twenty twenty and the year after they were number one in defense,
and obviously that the injuries have been, you know, not necessarily his fault.
And I think also the Russell westwork traid clearly of course was not something
that Frank Vogel went and beat his chest and wanted to have that be completed.
So it is what it is. I think it's also and that's kind
of just where the NBA is right now. When situations don't really go as
planned, the coach is typically the one to have the blame be you know,
fall on their shoulders, so outside of him, you know, to
answer your question, they're going to definitely look to move Westbrook. I mean,
that's something that they obviously look to do at the trade deadline, but
it's gonna be difficult. Well, they have to move both first round picks
that they now will have access to. This summer of the twenty twenty seven
and the twenty twenty nine to get off of his contract when it's an expiring
contract, that's a that's a you know, precarious situation to me. I
mean, I don't want to give up draft capital through the next the rest
of this decade, you know, just to get off of an expiring contract.
I'd rather try to find a different solution. I'd rather try to maybe
use one pick to get off for us and another pick to try to use
that Taylor Horton Kendrid Nun package that they kind of offered all over the league.
I mean pretty much every team I called before the deadline said that they
got some type of call from the Lakers about Taylor Horton, Tucker, and
Kendrick Nuns. So I mean, i'd imagine that would continue. I can't,
you know, I don't know what Kendrick Nun's trade value would be,
being that he hasn't played a game on all this season, so I don't
know what the options are. It's pretty limited. I Mean, the gist
of what the Lakers can do this year to really or this offseason, to
really shuffle their deck is to change the coach which we said it's pretty expected
to move Russell Westbrook and then to trade a Taylor Horton Tucker Kendrick Nunpacking.
That's really it. That's really where their flexibility lies. I think, you
know, there's like the Frank vocal situation is what they can change just because
the RUSS is the forty seven million dollar player option and as you mentioned,
it's expiring. Conci's such a big salary even in the off season, Like
we're talking about like a one for three or four players swap in most situations
there and like with that, they they're already talking about You mentioned in your
piece that Rambus could technically be a candidate, but you were quick to rebuff
that. I think you scared Lakers. You scared the crap out of me
when I first let that line. Is that one of the least likely outcomes,
like we're not going to see Kurt Rambis, like you know, paunting
the Lakers sidelines next season. You know, from my understanding, the Lakers
are not very far along in their head coaching process. I mean, bank
Will still employed and they still have a couple of games left here, right,
But even you know, the Kings from what I've been told they haven't
really started making legitimate outreaches yet, even though they're very expected to move on
from Alvin Gentry as well. So the names that are being out that are
being whispered out there, even the ones that I've written publicly, the ones
that I did not include in that story, I mean, they're not technically
like quote candidates, right, That's why we put it in potential candidates,
excuse me, potential candidates and probable candidates and that type of language, being
that those are names that maybe the Lakers want, maybe those names would want
the Lakers, and the fact and fiction will kind of separate themselves once that
opening really is available and once the season comes to the conclusion and they actually
start reaching out to Cannon's the rambist thing. I mean, by all accounts,
he's one of the four most powerful people in that franchise, and if
he wants, if he wanted to coach, I think he'd be the coach.
Like if it's that, you know, if it's that streamline, like
if Kurt Ramas wanted to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers,
I think it would happen. But from my understanding, he's got a pretty
cushy gig and that he's just kind of a senior advisor. I mean,
sure he's got a lot of power, but a lot of this goes back
to Rob and Vogel and Lebron and Clutch. Right, he's kind of shadow
GM is the name that people say for his wife Linda, Like he kind
of is operating in the shadows. To move yourself onto the front lines,
onto the sidelines might be something that is not exactly ideal in terms of,
you know, for a power player. For I always use the word COGNICENTI
for the Lakers, being that kind of how it seems people exist in that
franchise. My final thing on this is and you touched upon this in your
piece of Leacher Report too, so go check that out. That was just
loaded with a ton of information. As always, we should not expect the
more nuclear scenarios. I think a lot of talking heads or you know,
made for clicks or engagement segments have centered around, oh would they trade Lebron
or a D Like. The most nuclear scenario I feel like is what you
outlined. If they're actually willing to give up draft equity to get off Russ's
deal, and that seems like the biggest roster move that they would make.
Agreed. I think, you know, if some very very very beneficial deal
for Anton Davis comes along, that's you know, knocks their socks off,
that's like, holy shit, this is going to be, you know,
a real thing that moves our needle here. I think they would listen.
But honestly, everyone, I've pitched the idea of because when I wrote about
the Lakers a couple of weeks ago, back when they really started to take
a tumble and everything seemed to be starting to shift towards this point, like
when it really seemed possible that they could miss the play in Torment altogether.
I think it was like the first week of March I wrote a story about
them, and I did not include the potential of trading Anthony Davis, being
that everyone I talked to them pretty much pushed back immediately on that concept.
But I was surprised how many Lakers fans kind of wanted them to explore that
opportunity, and even still like, at this point, still seems very unlikely
that they would really entertain that. I mean, people in the league want
to whisper about like maybe Lebron and a d aren't on great terms right now,
but like at this point though, they want a title together when healthy,
and I think people around that situation still believe when those two guys are
healthy together, they will have as good a shot as anyone to win a
championship as wide open as the league you know, purportedly seemed right now,
which isn't an egregious thought to have, like a health of Lebron and ad
Like, I think if you could just build a half competent roster around them,
which is something the Lakers just haven't been able to do this season,
I actually think that that's a fair stance to take, sort of intertwined with
this team just because Quinn Snyder was one of the names you mentioned in your
piece that might peak the Lakers interest, and his name's sort of been floating
around the ether. Is maybe is he leaving the Jazz. There's been some
weird stuff in the past with him in the front office. We know that
he already won a power struggle there. Is he There's a lot to dig
into with the Jazz's future, But is he actually a flight risk in Utah?
It seems so. Mark Stein first reported that a couple of weeks ago
in his sub stack and he wrote some line in there ang the lines of
that the Jazz have been unable to extend his contract. And I don't have
the details one hundred percent confirmed, but my understanding is that, yes,
that there's been efforts to extend his deal or to add an option or to
pick up an option whenever the Again, I don't have the exact specifics,
but he's at least his behavior with his contract has at least given Jazz people
an impression that he might potentially leave. And I think, you know Danny
Ainge taking over as CEO, there's certainly a lot of rumblings around the League
of quote unquote big changes coming in Utah. Whether that's I mean, they've
already hired a bunch of people under new OWDA Ryan Smith to the front office
and the coaching staff and what have you to try to support Donovan Mitchell,
and they're never ending quests to make him more comfortable in Salt Lake City.
And I mean Doc Rivers his name comes up a lot too in conversations to
people about a potential candidate to replace Quinn Snyder. So the fact that those
two pieces are out there, like connecting all the data points, it would
seem to be that there's at least some type of expectation that it really is
plausible Quinn Snyder might not be with the Jazz next season. And I know
you say you didn't have like one hundred percent details on this. I guess
that's the nature of coaching contracts. But is like is he a free agent
this like does he have his own option or do we just not even know
what the terms of his deal right now are because I've not been able to
find out anything about what his actual contract looks like at the moment. From
my understanding, he could become one. Okay, I guess all I can
say, yeah, that is wild and this is sort of happening in the
backdrop of you know, and Quinn Snyder went on in a passion speech against
this. It was like two parts valid, one part hysterical. I don't
know if you saw that he said, sometimes Rudy and Donovan Mitchell eat lunch
together. And that's not just me like pulling a random quote, like if
you read that entire thing, That's how he closed out this like long,
like winded speech. It was hysterical. The Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell stuff.
I don't want to set a benchmark of Utah has to get here in
the postseason otherwise they're gonna explore major changes. It sounds like, based off
what you said, that anything could just be on the table in general for
them. But are the futures of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell like actually something
that is on the table if the Jazz, let's say, flame out in
the second round of the playoffs yet again, people are on the league New
York in particular, I've heard a bit of Miami definitely want Dono Mitchell's future
to be on the table. I've been saying all along, and this is
more of an educated guest, because you know, teams don't very often candidly
talk about their plans to break up a superstar and all star pairing middle of
the season. But I've been saying all along, if they do decide to
ultimately move on from one of those guys, my educated guests would be that
it would be Rudy Gobert first and not Dono Mitchell, which is kind of
treacherous being that that could in theory put put the Jazz in a position where
they move Rudy for you know, extraturn package, and then by some time
next season or the year after that, Dona Mitchell does request to trade and
then all of a sudden they're left without both of those guys. And you
know, there's also a lot of credit to be given to Rudy Gobert as
to how successful he's been there and how much he's raised that team ceiling,
especially defense. I mean, he's a three time Defensive Player of the Year,
could would again this year, probably won't, just based off of how
the narrative machine works, But I mean, I'm not so sure how moving
Rudy Gobert dramatically changes things there. I think it's mostly the depth around those
two guys that's been the big issue. But if they are to go back
and answer your question, if they are looking to quote unquote break up that
pairing, my guests at this point would be that Gobert would be the first
name to go rather than Donovan. I think he's just Donovan is a younger,
be more of a piece that is malleable, that can fit certain types
of playing styles and pieces around him that you just don't look to move if
you don't have to until he levies a trade request. Kind of the same
thing with Damian Lillard in Portland and Bradley Beale in Washington, Like until he
does ultimately say, like I do want out of here, I wouldn't very,
very, very I'd be very skeptical of the jazz, even remotely entertainment.
Mcdonovan. I agree with everything you said there, and it's the Rudy
Gobert stuff, especially because I don't know what you actually get when you move
him. He's a generational defender, but you look at the end of his
contract, there's a forty six point seven million dollars player options on that.
I don't know who's going to be pining filming at the mouth to pay Rudy
Gobert in his thirties that type of money. I know this ventures into more
guesswork, but doesn't seem more likely that they would move both of them rather
than just move Donovan and try and continue to build around Rudy Gobert, Because
to me, it almost seems like if you tried to build around Gobert,
that sets an even lower cap on your ceiling, just because of his limitations
on the offensive end. I don't know if I agree with that. I
think, you know, if you have him as a bassline defensively, and
he can be a pretty good pick and roll partner as a lob threat,
which we don't really see him used too much as I think, I think
there's a way to build a team not around Rudy Gobert is like your focal
point, but to build a team around him being he's a forty six million
dollar contract on your books and he is what he is, like, you
know what you're getting for to go there pretty much every night. But I
just think, you know, this is a superstars league, and especially if
superstars league of guys who can score and create their own shot on their own,
and when you have a guy that in Donovan, he is the piece
that just across the board. Anyone he talked to in the NBA would say,
like, you keep this guy as long as possible until he says,
I don't want to be here anymore. So I don't think they would move
both those guys to summer unless Danny A just wants to come in off the
top rope and say, screw it, let's let's build this thing over from
the from scratch and you know, I mean, starting a rebuild is the
easiest way to give a front office longevity, right, So maybe that's what
they ultimately try to do from that perspective, but at this point, I
don't think that's very likely. I think I think we'll see Donovan Mitchell and
a Utah Jazz uniform on opening day in twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three.
Yea three are players like him on like their second contracts that they just
don't get moved That just rarely ever happens in this league jumping to another Western
Conference team. And I know you touched upon this in your latest podcast episode.
I don't really like giving it credence, but I know it's like a
topic Zion Williamson's future in New Orleans, the debate over it. Has it
actually been overblown? I don't think it's been overblown, being that there's been
so much tension down there and the fact that his father is going on local
radio kind of, you know, saying that Zion wants to play and he's
posting that Instagram dunk and the Pelicans clearly don't want him to play. You
know, there's enough there where, I mean look at to bring us back
to Utah. I always come back to this example when talking about superstars.
Are all stars in their their franchise, you know, longevity when the Jazz
will ultimately, when the Jazz went out and said that Gordon Hayward could just
go find an offer sheet back and I think it was twenty fourteen and he
signed that deal with Charlotte, Like I think Gordon Hayber remembered that when he
became, you know, the top free agent on the market in twenty eighteen
and left for Boston. So like the way it just like it just like
any relationship. You know, if someone you know said something to you,
that can stick in your craw for a while. So if someone's actions,
you know, reveal something that maybe isn't what you want them to be,
you know that that that can stick with you. So it hasn't been you
know, ceremonious and Austin pats to go down there from the jump right right
back to Zion's rookie year where he came back from that injury and there were
those burst limits that he didn't like. And you know, I think when
David Griffin went out and publicly criticized the referees for the injury that ended zion
season in twenty twenty, which was like a finger injury. Like I was
told, there were some eye rolls from people around Zion about like Griffin trying
to kind of win favor with him and do stuff like through the media to
you know, go to bat for him. That that wasn't necessarily taken as
intended. So and I don't know if that necessarily means that work. This
is trending towards you know, Zion gets traded this summer, blah blah blah.
But to say that it's overblown, like the fact that that relationship hasn't
been komed by ya is something that could ultimately rear its ugly head at a
certain point. Would you expect it given Zion's injury history, and then how
important a healthy's line actually is the Pelicans franchise that he would sign and they
would offer an extension this summer, and that this becomes if it ever blows
up the situation of the player just wants to get his long term money and
then maybe he'll try and orchestrate a trade later until something otherwise happens. I
expect him to sign a contract very similar to what joelmbe did in Philadelphia a
very injury incentive late in type deal where it is a full max, but
there's a lot of benchmarks he has to hit to actually get that number.
And the Pelicans overall, they've been We know they went after Lowery and CP
three over the sum or they traded for CJ. McCollum at the deadline,
a deal that I actually thought it was a home run for them when people
were panning it. Do you think they'll still be aggressive as we go into
the off season or are they sort of looking at this as a situation of
let's add a healthy zion and allow this cour to marinate and see what we
actually have here. You know, at this point they're probably going to get
a top ten pick thanks to the Lakers pick falling falling, falling, falling
down the standings. I mean, for a while everyone in the league was
talking about how the Grizzlies are going to have three first round picks this year,
and they can't take three first rounds on this roster. They're gonna make
a big move. Now. One of those picks is a Pelicans pick,
and it's top ten and based off of where they stand, like I can't
imagine adding, especially where this draft is kind of being considered that there's supposed
to be a lot of good players from you know, five to fourteen.
But I don't think there's anyone that's going to come in that the Pelicans right
now are going to look at and that this guy can be a massive piece
for our court. Maybe I'm wrong, but at this point I'd expect them
to try to look at that pick to go trade and upgrade and make a
move to push this team sealing closer to the legitimate playoff picture rather than the
plan. Yeah, I think they're going to continue to try to win.
I mean, it's been three years since that front since that front office has
taken over, and they're on their third coach now. They seem to have
gotten it right with Willy Green. The seed they trade, to your point,
was pretty much a home run. Adding and Larry Nance as like another
huge bonus. Like they've got pieces here where you see things seem to think,
you know, add Zion Williamson and one more piece, could they be
right in the mix with the Minnesota's and the Denver's of the world, of
that middle tier of the pack right now, Like I think that's very possible.
And the other thing I come back to just how hard Willy Green has
them defending and transition. Like even with c J and Brandon Ingram on the
court, this team feels the West is gonna be wild next year of Qui's
back in Denver's of full strength. But the Pelicans feel closer I think than
nationally. They get credit forward to being something special if Zion is healthy,
of course, Yeah, I think the whole league is just trying to a
point where I don't think we're ever going to see a situation where the Calves
and the Warriors met in four straight finals ever. Again, I think there's
just so much talent in the NBA right now. Coaching is better than it's
ever been, Skill development's better than it's ever been. The way that the
way that scoring has opened up with pace and officiating and the amount of three
points shots that are being taken, and the quality of the shooters that we
see from top to bottom. I just think I think the West and the
East are both going to be blood bass for you know, many many years
to come. I really do. Another team that was eliminated from playoff contention
a while ago, you would report it on that the Knicks are planning on
keeping Tom Thibodeau beyond this season. Is that still what you expect and do
you see there being any like measurable fallout from the disappointment that was this season?
I think when you specifically look at do we expect to hear Julius Randall's
name throwing about the trade market all off season? Yeah? I reported that
a little while ago, and then someone said it on a show last night,
and then it is taken as news. So now I'm just I'm just
I'm just making an uncessary shot. Yeah, I do think I do.
I mean, nothing has changed. I think he's got the ultimate support of
Leon Rose there, and I mean he won coach of the Year. It
took them to the first round, you know, home court advantage in the
postseason just a year ago. As much as there's I think credence to Knicks
fans wanting to have it change there, He's going to be the coach there,
at least for next season. The changes will come. I don't know
if it's going to be Randall, but I mean they pretty much put everyone
on the table at the deadline from my understanding, I mean, even the
even Mayo quickly was I think being discussed in certain scenarios. So there's gonna
be a lot of efforts to have a roster overhaul. Will Randall be one
of them, I mean, good luck moving contracts. It could be one
of the more difficult contracts behind Russell Westbrook and Rudy Gobert. So maybe it's
in a package for one of those guys. But I mean, every time
I've talked to Knicks people about a rusteel, they've kind of laughed me off
the phone. So I don't know if that's going to change. And I
don't really see a clear trade partner for anyone, you know, wanting Julius
Randall right now. So we'll see, we'll see what they can do it.
But I would expect most of their trade opportunities to be more on the
periphery. The Alec burks Is, the neurons, the wells. They're gonna
have Robertson's contract to address. I think it'll be more of that stuff,
but then than a big Randall trade, but who knows. It certainly could
be on the table from from everything I've heard, and if they're going to
keep tips, then the sort of implication there is that this team is not
actually looking at the conventional rebuild that I think some fans have been pining for,
where it's going to be all about the youngsters. If you have tips
there, my assumption would be that you're going to still try and be aggressive
to make moves that make you a win now candidate next season. I think
in the Knicks for an office is pie in the sky best case scenario.
Offseason, they're they're trading for Zion and Donovan Mitchell's that's their goal, right,
Like they want to get stars back there in the garden and the playoff
picture and blah blah blah, Like they really did think they had Kad and
Kyrie e Ben coming, you know. Like, I think that's still the
type of long term aspirations that they do have. Short term, long term
I think that's overall what their goal is, to get at least one star
first, who will hopefully try to attract another. So no, I think
any any any type of concept of moving towards a rebuild, I don't expect
that to happen at all. And it's been since roughly the dawn of time
that the Knicks have extended one of their own first round picks. Does R.
J. Barrett have a chance to break that trend or is this a
situation where he might Actually, you know, he's really good, but there's
still a lot of questions about his game. If he's coming and asking for
the MAX, I don't think that's a no brainer decision from an organizational perspective.
So it feels like there's actually a pretty good chance he won't sign an
extension this offseason. Well, if he doesn't sign on this off season,
that doesn't mean he won't next year. But I'm not I'm optimistic they'll find
a deal, I think. I mean, obviously he's gonna want as much
as he can get, but I don't think there's any really credience to him
having a MAX, right, So is there a number they can find that
makes both sides happy? I think so. From early conversations I've had about
that, I think there's at least optimism that a deal will get done.
He has played really well late, you know, he had a really strong
second half of half of the season. I think he I think he's turned
his way into a Timms player. I mean, I think he's played well
over thirty five minutes again or well over thirty most nights he's played in authorities,
right, so I think he's someone who's going to be at least around
in the near term. However, he is probably the best player they have
to put on the table for a package to go get a superstar type player
that theoretically would become available. So that could also be, you know,
the biggest monkey wrench of all in this scenario. You know, you only
have a couple of minutes. I'll wrap up with a couple quick questions here,
is there a team that we should be watching. It's maybe not being
talked about enough as we head into the off season, whether it's a playoff
team with a ton at stake that isn't the Jazz, or just a team
that you expect to be older, aggressive or make some serious waves once we
get into the NBA off season. Grizzlies, we'll do something. To my
point earlier, I mean, there's just there's not much room for them to
take two first round picks onto their books right now. I mean, how
valuable the picks they have are that's to be debated elsewhere. But because I
think the off top of my head, they have to they have the Jazzes
pick and their own picks, so that'll be somewhere between like eighteen, and
they'll two picks from summer between eighteen and thirty, which aren't you know,
the most valuable commodities. But they can go get something. So plus they've
got some other young pieces that they could maybe throw in a sweet nurse.
I don't know what that they can get back, but people are on the
league are definitely keeping an eye on them to make a move, and I
mean Miami as well. Like the Heat did a little thing with the thunder
at the deadline right to free up a future first round pick from I was
talking to a cap guy earlier this week who said they could trade it up
to four first round picks, you know, Tyler Hero and Duncan Robinson and
go get anybody, right, So I mean, is that Bradley Beal,
is that Dona Mitchell? You know they're gonna try to get somebody. That's
People on the league are definitely bracing for the Heat to go make another big
splash, and earliest in a temph to go make another big splash. Yeah,
that deal with the thunder. When it happened, I was like,
oh, they're clearly going to do something before the actual buzzard to the deadline,
and when they didn't, it just felt like they were setting themselves up
to do something seismic over the offseason, which would be extremely typical for the
Heat. I guess at this point it would be. Yeah, I mean,
they went out and got Jimmy Butler, they went out and got Kyle
Lowry, always never having cap space like that, when that they had no
cap space, got Jimmy Butler. I'm like, all right, this isn't
the NFL level. The salary cap is a myth, but when it comes
to the Heat, you just have to trust that they could probably pretty much
do anything much. Yeah, And looking at this off season, when I
do find so fascinating is the cap climate is just like there are maybe what
a half a dozen teams that might have like semi serious cap space and even
fewer than that that will actually have ready access to max space. Do you
think that that will increase the sign and trade or general trade markets in general
or will should we just maybe expect sort of a quiet, uneventful offseason at
this point where the NBA stands, I am no longer ever expecting a quiet
transaction window. So I do think there will be a lot of sign trades.
I think the draft will have plenty of trade opportunities. It's gonna be
I think the summer will be hectic. I do. I just to agree
with you because I feel like every year it's especially on the trade deadline.
Oh not much is going to happen at the trade deadline, and then all
hell just breaks loose. Yeah. I mean, last year we were saying
it was the Summer of sign and trade. It's a summer of sign and
trade, And now I think I think just every summer it's going to be
the summer of sign and trade, being that the league is just so centered
around stacking multiple superstars who make these gargantuan salaries and just limits a lot of
flexibility on the books. Jake, thank you so much for taking the time
to speak with me. You're able just to tell our listeners where they can
find you and all the great work that you do. Thank you man,
Thank you for having me. The book is still out there, Built to
Lose, how the NBA's tanking are change the league forever. Please buy that
so I can make my advance back. And the podcast is coming out twice
a week on the calling app. Please don't aggregate this and yeah we're writing
up Leach to report once a week. So thank you again man for having
me and for giving the platforms alls and I echo the sentiments on the book.
It's one of that I can't see if it's one of the three books
I have on my basketball A little thing right there. It was a great
book your information, I Leach for your articles. You were, you're you're
one of the best newsbreakers in the game right now. So thank you once
again for having the time, and I hope you allowed me to ask you
to come back on in the future. Sure. Thanks Jarn