I promise it will not be just me for very long. We have someone else is gonna come on. We're gonna try and talk some more. James hard and Bryant to Porrek writes for Forbes editor at at Bleacher Report and has been on the podcast before. For people who listen to him, We'll stay a little bit longer because I really thought that there would be I think I am to that question that I asked Grant before. I thought there would be a little bit I guess maybe not a little bit more action, but some of the names that are still on the board, I definitely thought we're gonna be hashed out more quickly. And like you know, if Jako Peartle's deal was done, let's say, I really thought Van Fleet we would have a resolution to that sort of following suit, and the fact that we don't, I find that a little bit compelling and and sort of makes me wonder, Okay, well, what could what could what else could necessarily be in store there? And then Brook Lopez as well, and I also thought by the way that we would have the rockets doing something anything at this at this point, and so like I just I don't know if we're done again it's only eight thirty pm Eastern time, and you know a lot of these like if people are operating on West coast schedules. But I'm if I would have rank my surprises, I would say I'm surprised Houston hasn't done anything as of right now, like anything major they did extend to if anyone cares, they extended to guarantee deadline. I believe on on Bruno Fernando, so in case you were just worried that that situation was was not hashed out. And if there's commenters who have questions now as I'm running solo until we get someone else here, would be a great time to to ask them. But I think I'm most surprised the Rockets have not done anything of consequence to this point. They've been linked to Brook Lopez pretty heavily though, and then Van Vleet and Lopez being still on the board are are fairly surprising and looking at like some of the other names, I'm not surprised they're still on the board, but like not having anything hearing anything about PJ. Washington, Grant Williams, even Miles Bridges in Charlotte, Christian would I guess that's not surprising that he's kind of still on the board. There nothing with Ruby Hatchamura in uh like in LA and they and even Dennis Shrewder. They now gave Vincent and we're waiting to see what happens with DeAngelo Russell. That doesn't surprise me. I thought his was gonna drag out a little bit. I thought maybe we have like some Austin Reeves news too. Yeah, that's a great from Afblue eighty two. Surprise no one has gone after Austin Reeves. Yeah, I guess it's just prohibitive still to go after restricted restricted free agents. But like, I just thought that matching window coupled with the teams that were sort of like, okay, what is the what are the stakes? He year now with let's you San Antonio as an example, all right, we tied up our cap space in Austin Reeves for twenty four thirty six hours whatever, it was, Okay, they just sort of pivot. You can still get to the salary floor. And it's not like, look we're talking about the Spurs right now. They haven't spent They've only spent on Trey Jones at the moment. So I just I like that's another you know, that's another one where it's okay, is his market not going to be as robust as we thought it was to where there was all this reporting that the Lakers will match anything, you know or everything, and it's now they're not gonna have to match anything, like It'll just be it'll just be them setting the market. And then if he doesn't get another offer, is he actually gonna get like the full boat from the Lakers. There's it gonna be very much. Okay, There'll be the nontax bayermid level or like the above, like the average annual salary for the league, and we'll give that to him. Does he want to reach free agency sooner? Is it only a is it a shorter term contract then we thought, rather than a team coming in with an offer sheet for three or four years. And I think I guess too, as I'm like kind of talking myself through this Austin Reeves dilemma. Part of the reason that maybe you're not going after Austin Reeves is if you believe, if you don't want to give him the poison pill, which I could understand why, I mean, looking at the teams I can right now it's the Spurs, and I think it's Indie. I don't like Detroit used up their cap space. I'm trying to think of other teams, like, yeah, it's only San Antonio and Houston at this point, I could still do Indie use their cap space. So if you're a team that doesn't want to pay him the poison pill of those two, you don't want to pay Jordan or Austin Reeves anything higher than you know, let's say mid level exception money on average, well then sort of what's the point because you know that the Lakers will match or you know, twelve million dollars a year offer or whatever it is. So you really need to have a want to pay like cap slock pay Austin Reeves. And maybe there just wasn't that appetite in this market given what we've seen most of sort of these middle ticket players go for so far. I mean, there's been some numbers that are taken aback, but like starter money for Vouchin Yaka Purdle, where those numbers seem big to me, and especially the years on Peurdle to be honest with you, but like there's been nothing like Chris Middleton getting thirty three million a year, basically like does that you know, does the idea of then paying Austin Reeves twenty five million on average across four years with a poison pill? It feels like that makes such a scenario less palatable would be my official stance there, So I'm wondering if that factors in af Blue eighty two also says what a Reeves, what a Reeves deal from the spurs change the equation or even discussion around of a cell extension. Maybe that's the hesitancy. I don't think it doesn't need to change the discussion. Are they a great fit alongside each other? I think Vassell and Reeves are both very plug and play. Reeves I think probably gives you a more playmaking Vassell gives you more creation, like self creation off the dribble. Probably. Maybe you're getting to a point where you don't want all these kind of just like six foot six guys and under like you want to have the You have Jeremy so In, and you have Victor Weeban Yama of course to go up front with Zach Collins, but you want more of a bigger wing than having, you know, Malchai Brandam and Devin Vassell so perhaps like you're worried about that, just like they're kind of the overlap in the I don't know how to frame it. Of the not big wing types in Reeves and Devin Vassell, I don't like. I don't know. Vassell is pretty long, though, if I'm not mistaken, I don't know what Devin Missell's wingspan is so to where I'd be confident with him guarding up. And he's listened at six five, so he's actually shorter than I thought he was. I thought he was six six six wingspan, so he's not like ridiculously long, So I guess it could. And you don't want to wrap up. If you're the Spurs, you are in the infancy of your rebuild, so you don't want to tie up too much money long term. This quickly where it's okay Vassell, let's say his extension, he's gonna be him and Jane McDaniels, I think are my two most fascinating rookie scale extension candidates. We know Anthony Edwards will get the max. We know Tyre's Halliburton will get the max. Where those two guys get I think you're among my biggest questions. But if you v Sale is gonna get I would say, at least twenty five million a year, Like, it's just he's gonna get more than mcael Bridges. And so if you're paying him that, and then you have to pay Austin Reeves, let's say on average like twenty million, all right, having forty five million tied up in those players immediately almost is that like starting next year? Yeah, that's probably not maybe the most palatable course of action for a team that is still very early in it's rebuild. I guess it changes the calculus a little bit. If you believe that Victor woman Yamas is going to be incredible right away they write the hell now, and you think that you're gonna be really good because Reeves is gonna come in and he's gonna elevate you. And that's also maybe why you're you would look at you know, we talked about brook Lopez for San Antonio. They haven't been linked him at all though, and it would be I would say with Reeves, with Lopez for the Spurs specifically, it would be wildly out of character for them to do something like this, especially when they're at the stage of their development they currently sit within and so, and it's good that we have the chat now because I can't monitor my phone and try and talk myself. Ruey is back to the Lakers three years, fifty one million dollars. That's wow, that's like that's a lot of money for I mean, what is that. It's under seventeen, so it's like, what is that it's like sixteen per No, that'd be three and forty eight, So it is it's about it is seventeen on the button. I gotta I am probably still getting sticker shocked. That just seems that seems a little bit high for someone that I don't say, Well, people saying great price on Ruey, Yeah, I guess that's that's fine. Then get some really high moments in the playoffs. But if Rudy got this is like when I'm thinking about so, if Ruey is someone who's getting three and fifty one, I think the markets for like Grant Williams and PJ. Washington's should be more. We kind of knew I heard that Reddish to the Lakers was basically going to be done too, So that doesn't surprise me if that's actually what's happening. Fk Retro says that I have not seen a notification that would not shock me though. But like if you're PJ. Washington or even Grant Williams and Rudy's getting seventeen, I know, like they're not the same type of players, but you can all play across basically the same positional spectrum. You're looking at. Grant Williams and PJ. Washington is more of a four five, Rudy's more of a three four. But like I mean, PJ. Washington and RUI specifically like they can handle some pretty tough perimeter defensive assignments. So the PJ. Washington market, I think that number is going to blow a lot of people away. I don't really care to get into it. I'm like, I don't I'm assuming Myles Bridges will stay in Charlotte. I don't know that teams like would Houston be considered like using their cap space on him? Is that why they're holding out to kind of see a public perception would be And we've seen them bucket a little bit by going with Emau Dooka, but I think it's pretty clear that other teams around the league were very comfortable hiring him. So I just and you know what, I'm gonna I'm gonna take you something. I don't think the Ruby deal is good. I feel like it would be too much of a character. I don't like it. That just seems like he's not a He's not a seventeen million dollars a year player. This is not someone who's on the court for all your highest stakes moments last year. And if you're looking to try and think, Okay, well he's still young enough to improve and that's a number we can move later. I kind of sort of maybe get it a little. It just seems like a slight overpay. Who was given Ruey that much money? Like, was Houston or San Antonio in on him? Was Indiana stiffing around him before? Bruce Brown? Probably not. So I don't like it. I don't like it. John, Oh yeah, okay, so you can't. Reddish to the Lakers has been confirmed. That's just kind of replaced the Lonnie Walker the fourth role just come in being being absolutely clutch tax. Okay, yeah, there you go, Reddish to the Lakers. I'm semi intrigued by that. If you get him, you're gonna get him to play the Lonnie Walker the fourth role. He can give you more defense in theory. He still gets tunnel vision a lot. I will say his offensive efficiency was pretty good when he was with Portland last year. Which speaking of we ever heard anything on Matisse Thybole? Oh there it is. I don't know if you're still in the chat whoever was concerned about Julian Champagny. But he is finalizing a new deal with the with the San Antonio Spurs. Champagny is. Champagny is in San Antonio. We can all now, I think we can end the show right. Uh this? Oh this is interesting though from someone tweeted that Woades was on ESPN and said that Toronto was in a real fight with Houston for Fred van Fleet. So as Grant and I were talking about this, very much could be Houston trying to get van Fleet and Brook Lopez, which I would argue is an incredibly okay outcome, Like to your free if that's what you're going to spend your cap space on and you had to spend fifty million dollars anyway, which the like, you just blow it all at that point. That's Those are two guys who are very much plug and play on both ends of the floor that are not going to hurt the development of any of your younger kids or your most important players long term. If that's the I'll believe it when I see it. I really thought when we saw the I really thought when we saw them, plenty of funny. I really thought when we saw the Chris Middleton number, I thought that Milwaukee would have been all in on brook Lopez. And if they're not, I'm curious as to where they pivot after that. Again, they have Bobby Porters, they have Jannis. Does Dwight Powell fall into minimum range? So they just take a flyer on a Thomas Bryant, someone in theory where like a Mo Wagner, guys who can theoretically give you some floor spacing. Is Jock Landale still floating around out there? I didn't see that he signed anyone. He at least takes threes, doesn't shoot them as well as brook Lopez. I guess there might be options out there for the minimum, but I think if you're gonna let brook Lopez walk, they're better be a contingency or it's just we're gonna be leaning more heavily into two small ball. And what was this free agent? Yes, someone in your chat someone of your chat calling. We have someone on Twitter at me saying someone of the chat called Champagnie and the Spurs. Yeah, yeah, shout. I can't even remember who it was. We had so many comments, which I'm ecstatic about. The room number is dwindling. You. There is a guest coming on. We will talk more James Harden, so bear with us. They're running a little bit later than they said they would and this is a na impromptu guest. I was hoping that we would just have I thought we wouldn't have too much news. Yeah, but apparently it's been very manageable. So oh and here he is. He will be on for twenty to thirty minutes. Briant to Pork of Bleacher Report and Forbes n the NBA podcast Fame Brian, how goes it? It's going well, Dan, Thanks for having me on, I mean, thank you for I just I decided to Grant and I were spinning our wheels before on the James Harden stuff and I wanted to get and if we have like any live I'll ask you if you have like any larger impressions of free agency so far, but this is a little bit of a nightmare, right because it's at least holding up other stuff the Sixers could do. I guess you don't cry about losing George Niang and Shake Milton. But at the same time, it's kind of like, all right, well, that's like not ideal that they're just kind of sitting here and spinning their own wheels. Yeah, because they don't have a way to replace George Niang or Shake Milton except for minimum contracts. So as soon as this Harden news broke yesterday, that was my first thought is like, wow, I you know, I Paul Reid's restricted, so there they should be able to retain him. But I thought, like, you know, Milton, it was pretty clear he was gonna leave, and I don't think the Sixers, regardless of what happened with Harden, we're gonna pay five million a year like the Timber Oilves did. So like I'm throwed for Shake, you know, I hope wish him well in Minnesota. Niang, like you know what eight close to nine million a year for I gotta I gotta interrupt you. The Rockets did the thing one for fed Wren that is wow. Trace t called the Champagny's anyway, I don't care it's it's champagne season. Oh my god, that's interesting. All right, I need to hear your thoughts on that one. That is so that's is that his max? I think it's close to it. If not, let me see, let me see. Uh so they max, isn't it? That's the max they could have done for three years. It came in at one thirty six point It was the full the full ten percent, right, it said three. I mean it says three from one thirty. Wow. Yeah, let me see. Let me see, because it's yeah, well four year seventy five right, it looks like, oh wait, this is how long has he been in the league. I thought he was a seven to nine. Oh, I guess if he's is he a seven to nine? I have his full year max was got to be at seven and nine, right, yeah, I have one twenty eight point five would have been his actual max on five percent? Yea, yeah, that's what I have too. Wow. I would imagine that's probably some agent manipulation of the Yeah, it's I mean it's closed. Yeah yeah, yeah. Wow. I'm surprised by that because I heard, I mean, it was well reported that the Rockets were really only doing you know, these two year balloon deals. So I wonder if that was the thing. You know, it was Stein and Fisher I think, among others, had been saying two years eighty three or whatever the full max was for him over two and then the Raptors were willing to do like three years ninety three years one hundred. So I wonder if no, he if Fred VanVleet went to the Rocket and said, you give me that third year at the max, I'm yours. I kind of I don't, I mean, I don't hate it, Like, let's see, is there a player option at the end of it? Is it? Maybe a team would make it even more palatable? And they have so they still have like if they could get more like they could theoretically still get brook Lopez too. Yeah, I mean Dylan Brooks is the guy who's been rumored for them, right, So I had to imagine because so his max his max is forty point eight so depending on what I haven't seen like updated projections of what Houston has, but it used to it was like around sixty point five. So they've got about twenty left plus the room mL E. Yeah, and they could if they wanted to, like trade Jayshawn Tay to somebody just to open up the moor, yeah, or even I mean, do you need Kevin Porter Jr? At this point? I mean, I'm gonna ask you another question, which team needs Kevin Porter Jr? Sure? Sure, well series which is no longer like is no longer operable. I mean it's operable, but it's just not it's even more galaxy right now. Was James Harden opted in a smaller number so Houston could spend their money elsewhere and complete a trade with the Sixers for him, So like instead of having to give James Harden, let's say forty seven million whatever it was, yeah, they now were he's making thirty five. But they only need to send out if they're sending out like say fifteen million or even eighteen million. You go from oh, James Harden cost us forty seven out of pocket to James Harden cost us eighteen out of pocket or whatever it was. But now that just makes I mean, the Rockets could still theoretically do, but it makes infinitely less sense now that like hardened Janalen Green and Fred van Fleet is sort of like then you have Amen Thompson there, like he just gets too crowded. Yeah, yeah, oh, I know, the Hardened thing's done. I mean, he's clearly not going to Houston at this point, but I was thinking that too when he opted in if the Clippers were playing hardball. You know, Houston has not only a lot of young prospects, but like almost a log jam at some point where there's not going to be enough room, especially if they start signing some veterans like Van Vleet, or if they brought in Hardened, like someone's gonna get squeezed out of the rotation. They're gonna have to start not necessarily selling low, but you know, cashing in on these guys before they get squeezed out, and then you will have to sell low. So I that thought crossed my mind as well. I clearly not in the plans now, or it does not seem to be in the plans now. But no, Kevin Porter Jr. Fifteen point nine this year, fully non guaranteed next year, but like still technically under contract for four more years, so you can acquire him if you were interested in having him this whole time at fifteen point nine flat for the next four years, but the following three are fully non guaranteed or a club option, so you could treat him as a fifteen point nine million expiring as well. It's actually a pretty genius contract extension from the rocket side. And I think he would count if they I mean, this matters depending on how much money they want to bring back or a shave. He counts his eighteen point three and outgoing salary to right because of the ways incentives are set up. Oh, I mean, does he have hiss they were likely incentives? Maybe it looks like, let me see sixty regular season games. All I see on spot track is team wins in playoff metric, and I don't know what that means necessarily, I mean, regardless of FK Retro says the ninth most expensive deal league history for Fred van Vleet, I guess, I guess for yearly salary because we've seen way more than that's Actually that's surprisingly high, right, I wouldn't have guessed that. I was surprised to see three. I mean two makes sense from what I heard leading up. Like, I'm not gonna be the sources guy. I'm not as plugged in as Shams or would or Jake Fish or anyone, but you know, sure, I heard that Houston was doing two with the objective of we've got these giant salaries now, so if a star becomes available all of a sudden, we can say, hey, we've got Fred van vre forty million dollars contract, plus we can attach him to Jabari Smith, Jalen Green, Shangoon, whoever, and all of a sudden, we've got a pretty enticing package for a star. Yeah. I'm just I mean, we have to see because, like we said, the agent spin is already on. It probably took like a player option to get him to Houston, right, I would have I mean maybe not like with any team three years at the max. Yeah, I mean, I guess so his if it was so if we're talking guaranteed money, he would have been at two years. Like it's almost one hundred million, it's two years in ninety seven six. I bet Piranha was probably trying to offer like three and one ten or something, and so what that point, it's like, I'll consolidate my years, roll the dice on maybe them keeping me if it's a team option, I'm saying, or I'll just enter free agency and still be under what it'll be thirty two at that point or whatever it'll be. So what I'm loving Tracy and our comments just really he's been you haven't been here with Tracey's been obsessed since the start of this with Julian Champenny and we're sure good deal, four years, twelve million with a team option. So it so what do you what do you think about we've gotten the fight. What do you actually think about this move for Houston? I mean, again, I think there's like a second part coming. So whether it's this year, next year, in the third year, if it's not a player option, you know, I have a feeling this is not the end of Like I don't know that Fred Vanvlee is spending all three of these years in Houston, but in general, like I I mean, you're gonna have to overpay, right, Like if you are you won fifty seven games over the last three years, You're not going to be able to attract someone who came from a playoff team unless you overpay them. But Fred van vleets the type of guy that I think makes more sense for them than at James Harden culturally, and you know, like I don't think it was a coincidence that when em Adoka came to the rockets all of a sudden that James Harden stuff died down and all of a sudden Fred van Vleet stuff picked up. So I like it from that perspective. I'm curious, you know, it's like, how do you mesh these veterans whoever they spend the other twenty million of caps based on whether it's brook Lopez, Dylan Brooks, whoever you know, and the room MLI, which is you know, seven point seven million, Like that's that's a considerable amount of money. They should be able to get an actual rotation player there, But how do you fit those guys with your young core? Who gets squeezed out of the rotation? I think that's the big question for me. So like you in theory, Kam Thompson, who who gets it isn't a KBJ that's most likely to get squeezed? Yeah, yeah, because I would think I'm in Thompson, Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet. You know, you're splitting thirty two minutes, like ninety six minutes between the three of them, thirty two minutes each. You can maybe play one of them up at the three if you want to go three guards, But like those three should be your primary backcourt guys. Yeah, I mean, I'm interested to see who they get with the other twenty million, But I like what Houston's doing overall. Like I'm I'm really really glad they didn't go for James Harden because I think that would have been the exact wrong thing for them to do. Like, I know they're losing, they're losing patients, but like this feels like a good bridge move for you can get competitive and still have some stuff to do later. He's like he's plug and play, and it's almost this is a good situation for him because I think you could argue at this point between KPJ, I'men Thompson Jalen Green that less of the regular type of offensive burden will technically like Toronto needed him to be almost this like bold text playmaker because it was him and Siakam. Scotty Barnes just wasn't there yet, and so maybe it's probably about the same because you're waiting on Scotty Barnes to develop. But he's plug in play, and I think that they can at least long term alleviate the lift because he's not I've called him like a one point five level score. He's not like super good at getting to the basket. His pull up from a range isn't great either. He doesn't really have a pull up three like an efficient one anyway. So I'm an agreeance with you that it's good they didn't go after hard and like you needed someone who was going to be easier to fit in as part of a larger team concept. And I think that's Van Fleet before we get to the actual hardened stuff. How mad would mort be? Your podcast co host? Mort at the NBA podcast. Go check it out. The fellas are spectacular. How mad is he if they signed Brook Lopez? Because that does Burry Alperren shangun pretty definitively like just having the barn Smith. You have three bigs? Every team has three. They play like three or four bigs. But yeah, like what does that? That signals something weird? Like okay, one, how how mad? How mad is more in deary too? It does it kind of signal something about Alprenshane Gun and Houston, Like did you really do you want him to back up brook Lope Pears for the next two years? I guess is that? Okay? It? I would guess that Brook Lopez is going back to Milwaukee, and More is gonna sleep well tonight, although he's very worried, as we'll touch on the hard and stuff, very worried about half the pulse might factor in there. But yeah, I'm I'm interested to see, like is it. I mean, Dylan Brooks has just been so rumored that you've got to figure you know, like all of these newsbreakers didn't get that from nowhere, right, like multiple people have had it. Not to suggest, of course that anyone tampered, because of course, no one negotiates with the free agent. Before that, the Calves were trying to trade for Max Drew's and it was like two days ago, and I was like, well, well that's illegal, right, I think I want to say, like Barry Jackson today had like you know, they were doing a three team sign and trade. I'm like, hey, are we that's allowed? I wasn't. I checked across the second round pick, right? So the hardest stuff, what is the I think traditional not traditionally. He's just like you're like, already, look like you're had to next book and we just saw it with Christops. Porzing gets to some extent when there's these opt in in trade scenarios and James Harden's not extensional, but we know that, but in opted in trade scenarios, typically you're not getting a good return. And when I was coming up with trade packages for Harden, they ran the gamut of all these different types in my head because I'm trying to follow the historical overturns on these opt in in trades, which might be expiring contracts and like kind of a small asset. But then I'm also trying to balance it with, well, this is James Harden and he's had a workable number, and so like, what type of return if you're the Sixers or if you're a Sixers fan, should you be bracing for on this I honestly don't know, because you're totally right that usually noted in in trade is pretty underwhelming. But it's also Darryl Moury, and he's crazy enough to take this thing far longer than most executives would. I mean, we saw it with the Ben Simmon saga two years ago, right where he you know, Ben is like saying he requests a trade holds out throughout training camp, Like it just turns the Sixers into a circus for a while, and more. He's like, I got four years man, like, buckle up, I'm not I'm not budging, and then ultimately leads to Harden, which you know, on a side note, now more than ever, I'm very curious what the alternative packages were in the Ben simmonsaga, because like, if Tyrese Haliburton was ever on the table, I don't think he was, but if we ever find out that he was actually available, we're gonna look at more in a different way. But yeah, I mean, I think you know that the best case scenario with the Clippers being linked as strongly as they are best kids scenario is a Hardened for Paul George. Plus you know, make the contracts like whatever contract failure you throw in there to make it work. When Horseno said today, the Clippers and offering Paul George, which makes sense. They want to do a big three. They've got this new arena opening next year. No, of course you want Hardened Paul George, Kawhi Leonard to be part of that, although none of them are on their contract for next year, so that makes that interesting. You know, like are you willing to settle you know, Kevin O'Connor throughout I think it was James Harden and PJ. Tucker for Norm Powell. I think Nick the Tomb Terrence Man and let me get him right, Let me let me make sure I cite this package correctly. All right? Did I? Did I lose you? Brian? We might have lost Brian And that was a good cliffhanger as Man, Norm Pal Robert Coving Sixers fans are in this weird state of relieved that the Sixers are not going to be the ones who give contract because I think there was a lot of concern of like God forbid they give him the full four years two hundred and thirteen million, or even you know, do what Dallas did and give like three years close to a max. I don't think anyone who watched the Sixers this past year wanted that. But the alternatives also aren't great. So like, as everyone is taking this victory lap of like, yes, we're not over paying for James Harden, you know, good luck to whoever else gets himness to deal with his second round collapse? Cool, but like, how does Joel Embiid feel all about all of this? Is my big question over the last Guess what twenty eight hours at this point could we also get word to that. Uh, Kyle Newbeck was I think the first reported, and then Ramona shall Burn quickly confirmed that the Sixers also aren't going to extend Tyrese Maxie this summer, which you know, I'm gonna write about it tonight, like, yeah, it makes sense to some extent, but it's also risky and you know, it just leaves more long term questions for the Sixers, So you know, at what point does Joel Embiide get a wandering eye? If ever? I think that's probably the biggest like unspoken question of the Sixers offseason right now, and it's it's the Paul George scenario feels most on I almost I was writing about it. I was like, I feel like the Clippers would be more likely to trade Kawan Leonard for James Harden than Paul George because well, I know you're down what is the union? Like you mentioned Joel Embiid, and is it just like, if you're trading Harden, what is the path to actually fielding a team competitive enough to not disenfranchise him over the longer term? Is it? Really? I think Bulls fans are worried that they're gonna get involved in this and maybe you have zach Lavine for Harden, But it's like, I don't even let's say, I just can't envision them getting enough where I don't know if I don't think the Bulls would do like a zach Lavine trade for Hard maybe I'm just wrong. I don't know why you want to pair de Rosen and Harden together. I just don't. I don't see it. I just don't know if, like, are they even gonna get enough assets? As one of our editors is just slacking the hell out of me right now, it's really funny. Are you going to get enough assets to then turn around and make consequential moves? Because right now, also by not extending Maxie, yes, you can increase your flexibility next summer. It technically also makes him easier to trade. It's just I don't know what player really like. You're not trading him for zach Lavine. I don't know. You can get into a conversation about Damian Lillard, but then you're really turning your window into like super finite, and it was short, it was short enough, So I'm just I'm at a loss here, which makes me wonder the only thing I can reasonably think of, because I don't think that Daryl Morey is going into this with we're gonna trade Joel Embiid and start over. We've never even really seen him, like when he was in charge early on with the Rocket, they were in sort of limbo. But it's been like not a middle build, but like a like a middle top build where it's like always just kind of recycling your pieces and your vets and your contracts. It's not my guest, but you kind of alluded to this is the only thing that can realistically think of here is that they're gonna get more for James Harden than I thought they are going to because I don't understand what the path forward is that they don't. Yeah, I don't either. I mean I think that's the question. And like they're already out a twenty five first round pick from the alpre For trade, twenty seven first round pick from the James Harden trade, the James Harden Ben Simmons trade, so you know, both are lightly protected, but that limits they can only trade one first round pick right now twenty twenty nine or twenty thirty, if you know, if the twenty seven twenty fives don't convey so like they're limited. You know, you talk about Dame Lillard and it's like, okay, cool, You're gonna everything you get for James Harden plus Tyrese Maxie plus the one first round pick trade him for Dame Lillard. So you're effectively trading James Harden and Tyrese Maxie for Dame Lillard. Like, I don't think that puts you closer to a championship, Frankly, I think it at best you are breaking even at worst you are further away. And Terrise Maxie is like the one hope moving forward, you know, if you do ever reach that point with embiid where he starts to develop the wandering eye, like now, all right, cool, Portland's looking for some stuff, Like it is Portland's willing to do Scoot and Shaden sharp right now and then plus whatever Norkic Simons just for the salary filler to get to EMBA. Like if they're willing to do that, you know, I think I am. I am personally much more open to it then the Sixers are. I agree with you that the Sixers are just not even remotely entertaining and beat stuff right now. But it does feel like are we heading to that point? Like, are we just delaying the inevitable here? And we'll have to see what they end up getting for Harden. But if Joel is unhappy with that, they are just so asset strap moving forward that unless they have another draft find like Maxie, where you know that twenty one pick turns into a potential All Star. Cool, if you get no a Yannis or a Yogis or a Maxi like that, then yeah, all of a sudden, the Sixers future looks better. But otherwise, like you know, they do have their first round pick next year, but nope, they should potentially be a playoff team even without James Harden. Are you going to be able to cash in on that pick if not? Like I do think there are some long term questions about the Sixers future that are unanswered right now. And then, as you mentioned, losing guys like Shake, Milton, George and Yang without an easy way to replace them, Like, the Sixers right now don't even know which mid level exception they have, so it's not like they can go out and sign free agents right now because they don't eat. Like you can see you guys to minimum deals, but you can't, you know, you can't sadd anyone to it. You don't even know if you're gonna be like first Apron, second Apron over the second Aprin. Like you can't sign anyone to a five million dollars do right now? Yeah, And that's I mean, like they're missing they've missed opportunities. I'm sure, even if it's just a matter of talent retention and based off how what you would do or how you feel or what you know, the plan then just based off everything you've said, is that they're not looking at if James Harden leaves it's a start over point, like the plan is too. Like this isn't a Daryl Morey looking at this and saying let's go to the blanks late right, Like they're very much going to try and like I guess maximize Joe Ella Meid's window is still the still the plan, it sounds like it. And all the messaging from the Sixers camp, I mean, Kyle heard it, Ramona heard it. I heard it. You know they're saying for the MAXI stuff like he's still part of our plans. This is just about preserving flexibility. Now, the unseaid part of that is that if they extend him, all of a sudden, he's poison pilled and it makes it much more difficult to trade him over the next year. So if one of these opportunities comes up, whether it's dame whether it's Lavigne, whoever, and they're like, all right, we have our chance to get our second start, We're gonna trade Maxie for him. It's much more difficult to do so after you extend him. So, you know, I thought, going into free agency, Lamello, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, you know, we'll see in a couple hours, I guess because those guys become extension eligible at midnight. I thought all three of those guys are probably no brainer twenty five percent max guys, give him a dozen data language whatever. I thought Maxie and Desmond Vain were going to be the real test cases of this new CBA, because you know, now all the sudden teams are able to offer five year deals below the MAX, which they were not allowed to do so before three hours from now. And I think from the Sixers perspective, with you know, the hard and uncertainty, if they don't get a point guard back for Harden, they're going to have Maxi in a role that he did not play last year where he's theoretically going to be the full time ball handler, and Nick Nurse in his introductory press conference talked about wanting to get him more reps in the pick and roll, like expand his creation responsibility. So I think that was in the cards either way. But from their perspective, it makes sense, like let's you know, kind of sink or swim. Let's see how he fares in that role before we commit to him, because we just saw with Golden State no committed to Jordan Poole arguable year too early and now has the salary dump him for Chris Paul and give up a first round pick to do so. In Miami with Tyler hero like makes this run to the finals with out him is you know, he's the salary anchor if they're going to trade for Dame, But like, it doesn't seem like Portland's really valuing him at that point. So Tyrese Maxie right now has a ton of trade value. Once he's on this new deal, probably not as much. Yeah, i'n't be with you there. It's such a it's such a bizarre situation to be in. Would you have felt better about it if Harden just left rather than opted in and created this this limbo dislike period of lurch for Philly. I don't think so. I mean, regardless of what they get back for him, it's going to be better than losing him for nothing. And you know, I'm not convinced that they would have resigned George and Yang at close to nine million a year regardless of the Harden stuff. I think they got him. I think it was like two years six point five million. So I frankly, I think Darryl Morray has done a really good job in his six or tenure of mining the margins a bit. I mean, no, Paul Reid was a good find late in the second round. Isaiah Joe was as well. Even though the okay see thunder get to reap the res agree with you. He was a great. Yeah. I mean there's been an infatuation with washed backup bigs, which I don't know how much with Morey or Doc Rivers. You know, he more very much credited Doc Rivers for the Montrese Harold signing last year, So we'll we'll see about that. Uh. You know, Jayalen McDaniels is still out of the market. Who knows what's going to happen there If he's camp rooms already starting to drive up around the league, but a bunch of teams still have a mid level or room exception, So we'll see. I would think slash hope the Sixers bring him back, if only because they just need more youth and athleticism in their lineup, and he could also be part of a post Ambat vision. But you know, like if the alternative is hardened for like worst case scenario, how Owl and Marcus Morris or something as terrible return but still better than if they if he walked, they didn't have cap space to replace him. They would only have the non tax pyramid level. You know, maybe there's still away if you wave and stretch Morris that you still get to the non tax payramid level. And now you have Norm Powell as well. So I think we'll see what they get back. I feel like this was probably the best case scenario for them, But no, I say that now not knowing what the return package is. Of course we haven't really like what does this mean for the Raptors? This ven feet stuff like getting into this like they I just is there I don't know before since you're coming up with your time, they're gonna be getting out of here. Are there any like situations right now? You're most fascinated by any contracts that either surprised you good or bad. Aside from it, you know, anything that's not happening in Philadelphia right now that's really caught your attention. Yeah. I mean, it's a good question about the Rafters. They're very clearly devoid of a point guard. And you know, Pascal and og are both heading in the last year of their contract, Like, does MASSI start to pivot? But if so, why did you just sign Yaka Peartle to a four year contract which I did not grant. And I had this discussion, would you rather have Vouch at three and sixty or Yaka Pearl at four and eighty? I feel like Peardle by a mile, right. Oh, I picked Boch. I said it would be interesting if those teams like flip flopped those players on those deals were like this, like the theory of Booch is shooting in Toronto even though it hurts your rim protection, and then like Peartle as an actual rim protector in Chicago. I probably feel better about both of those deals. But yeah, and peartle without like a clear pick and roll guy. I mean like having him with friend Vleet made sense. But now there's no Van Fleet. I've actually gotten this question on the side and FK retroaction sign in trade and then raps get KPJ. The only incentive for Toronto to do that, I mean for Houston to do that to give Toronto like a massive If someone asked me if they could just do it and give Toronto a massive trade exception, I don't know. I mean, first, I don't know why you need a forty seven million dollars trade exception, but Toronto would have to compensate them in some way. For Houston, it could be beneficial. They have like twenty million dollars a little bit more in functional cap space left. If you wanted to shed money and you turned Fred van Fleet into a sign and trade, what you could theoretically do is like, let's just say it's KPJ for FEV straight up, Like you're now Fred van Fleet out of pocket immediately is costing you twenty four million dollars. It's like it would free you up to spend more money in free agency, so long as you could stay under the hard tap at that point, so there would be a benefit. I'm just looking at Houston's roster and I'm like, who does Toronto actually want that? Houston would also be willing to give up on a player that they can sign for nothing, Like, yeah, Tarr Easton would be great, But unless you're trying to do this because you're trying to add Brook Lopez or somebody else, I just don't, you know. I guess Jay Shawn Tate and that or KPJ, but I just don't know that the Raptors, as you said, it would be a functional, expiring contract and maybe as a stop gap. But do you want KPJ if you're Toronto would be the question. I have no idea what Toronto is doing? Are they? Where are they in relation? Looks like one hundred and thirty eight point nine on spot track and that's with Yakob already accounting for us. So like, yeah, I mean they could technically take back KPJ still have the full non tax mL E at their disposal, I believe. I'm yeah, I don't understand the direction this other question. I don't. So it's from Ryan Booth. Is Jalen's green going to get traded now after Fred van Fleet and Amen are now being added to the Rockets. My guests would be no, no, you feel, But my one thought would be, could this potentially make it more likely that they they trade somebody considered part of their core for a win now player? I think whenever you spend this much on someone like van Fleet, and certainly if they get in the brook Lopez business, who I think he's the most surprising free agent left on the board for me. And I don't know how you feel about that, just because when I saw that the Chris Middleton deal and he sagned for like eight million less than his player option whatever it was, I kind of thought the brook Lopez stuff was going to come together really quickly and was kind of surprised that it didn't. Yeah, I mean, we'll see, as you said, you know, if Toronto wants to take Kevin Porter Junior back, all of a sudden, Houston goes from twenty ish million in caps based to thirty five. So maybe they're able to fit both brook Lopez and Dylan Brooks and set of one or the other. So wouldn't shock me if either Toronto takes him back or they're just looking to offload him in something like starch a Wizard's ass team afterwards, just like maybe better than the Wizards, but just sort of like you and all this money on Dylan Brooks, Fred van Vleet and Brook Lopez. I guess having the like Amen Thompson and Jalen Green and Jabari Smith year like that gives you way more upside than the Wizards ever had. But that's just like Jengu and Taris and like they got they got some intriguing young guys. I like what Houston's doing, and I understand why you go for Frank van Vleet to like kind of expedite the process. But still, I mean, he should be pretty interchangeable, right Like I think he could play next to both Amen and Jalen Green, So I like it. Do you what do you think about the Spurs thrown castra, said brook Lopez. The Rockets have been the only key marks he mentioned for like two years and forty plus million, but the Spurs just to plug him next to Wemby, and as Grant said, just like fuck people up on behalf of Wemby until like and the Spurs have to hit the salary for right, like they're how I don't know how far under they are at this point, but so what is the salary for this year? Because they gave Trey Jones ten million? Yeah, I know they let me see. I know NBR NBA PR tweeted out earlier. So like they're still creating. There's one twenty two. I guess they're I have them at like, I don't know what's happening with you know, what are they keeping? I have them probably like they're only like ten million below that. One twenty two point four is the like maybe ten to twelve million below that, so they don't need to spend that money, but like would thirteen millions there ago Tracy says they're thirteen million under and he look, he's he was on the Champagny signing. So we have to trust, we have to so, but you have money to throw at Proklopez still at the point, like you still have cap space that you can go that route. It would just be so uncharacteristic of them, which makes me sad because I wanted the Thunder to do this too, But they ate up cap space and roster spots with that Tavis Berton's trade and so I think it's probably the Rockets are Bucks, and you seem pretty confident that it would be the Bucks, which Grant and I were talking. I think the most impactful free agent to leave so far has been Bruce Brown, and if brook Lopez leaves, it automatically becomes brook Lopez, Oh Fred van Fleet. But like the box is, you can't reasonably put them in the same tier as Boston if they lose brook Lopez, right, No, definitely not or in Miami. Frankly, although they gave Vincent thing hurts them. And if they lose Max Screws too, that's kind of hurt too well. So I guess he's going to Cleveland and the three teams sign and trade with the Spurs, which is also why the Spurs may not be using cap space, Like are they just gonna take on like a Coro and Chetti Osman or I don't even know what that deal are are the Cash is trying to get rid of Rickey Rubio because, like so, I'm curious to see the terms of that deal. I do like the Josh Richardson signing from Miami. Kevin Love is coming back. They're also kind of in a deadlock because they've been linked to Damian Lillard and James Harden at least loosely, and so they're another team that's kind of in a pause, I before you out of here, any other thoughts, Like I'm just staring at other like Grant Williams and PJ. Washington or two other names on the board that I guess I'm not surprised, but I'm curious to know after what Yaco Pearle got, after what Ruy got. By the way, in seventeen million for Ruey Feels Steep, everyone was kind of celebrating it. I know it's a new cap, but like I feel like PJ. Washington and Grit Lawyer was gonn maybe get more money than we were thinking. Well, if Harrison Barnes got eighteen and everyone's making fun of that, I'm not that was fine? Yeah, who was like he's not his plugging play, Like he's just not as plugging play as a Harrison Barnes type. And he's younger so he could develop, and I know he played some big minutes with the Lakers. They're also higher stakes moments in the playoffs where he just wasn't on the court. It would be very funny if like really just had this really like outlier shooting performance in the playoffs, much like eighty a couple of years ago, and they just got tricked by it and then it just regresses back to the meame. But I'm thrilled to Rue. I love really, I'm very happy that he got it. You know, I hate to even bring it up, but Portland, I'm just still curious because that that was the one Jeremy Grant not necessarily the av but giving him five years with the Dame stuff still so up in the air makes me nervous for them. And Grant said he thinks that has potential to be one of the worst contracts in the league, and I just, yeah, I don't agree. I've heard nothing on mobamb bookxcept that he is a free agent is not on the Lakers anymore. That's all ways. I just I went so I had hit him rank these three deals, and I guess I know how yours would pan out in terms of trade asset value Kyle Kuzma at four and one oh two, Vouch at three for sixty, Peartle at four for eighty, and Grant at five for one and sixty. That there's a chance that like there's got to be some unlikely incentives or something taked in there, right, or maybe the fifty years, like yeah, Arsley guaranteed or a team option maybe yeah? Is this like one of those times where the agent lid for Portland's sake? I hope, so h man, how Kuzma Peartle would be my one and two in some order. So you're just a lot higher on Peartle than I am. I had Peartle is four, Grant is two, and Kuzma's one. Okay, Yeah, I think I mean, as you say, we got to see the details, like player options, incentives, all that good stuff, like one non guaranteed. Who knows, Yeah, I think I mean the Booch thing. I just don't know. Like twenty million is about the line for replacement level center right, So like Vooche, Purtle, Valentunis, Miles Turner, they're all in that ballpark. So you know, I don't know how much you like, hate, or love any of those deals. It's just like, can you see them contributing to a championship caliber routine? I could see it more for Purdle than I could for Booge. I guess that makes sense. I'm just having trouble when I think of Jeremy Grant, even Kyle Kuzma. I could see more teams finishing him as a like looking at him as like a finishing piece than a oh, we're one Nicola Vukovitch away from a title or a one yacht of Purtle away from getting over the hump. It feels like those are more deals that would be moved as part of not salary dumps, but like we need to have this salary to bring back someone else, and like their viewed as filler more than they are an actual asset. Yeah, yeah, that's reasonable. I mean, I know both fats were not a fan of the vouge deal, and I get it because you're just not sold on the team's vision in general. And I think that's completely fair, you know, like aav wise, it's fine. I don't think it's going to be a negative value contract. They think they should be able to move it as part of a bigger trade if so desired. I mean, there's been a lot of smoke around them in Philly today, so I'm intrigued to see if any of that comes to fruition for their sake, I hope they do not trade zach Lavine for James Harden. I think you do the heartbeat of your Philly though right immediately, just immediately. Yeah, I don't think it's on the table. I mean from I would be suppressed it just why would you resign Brudge only to turn around then trade Zach Lavine? Yeah, and then James Harden and Dmard Rosens like the most confusing, like bearing, I think every yeah, I mean Harden, he should go to the Clippers. It makes sense they've been looking for a point guard, ball handler whatever for years. Like Russ is gone at that point. I don't think Russ is any interest in resigning. You're playing again with James Harden, but I think that's probably the logical outcome. But I think Morey is going to make them sweat. I do not know. I say that now and like five minutes later we're gonna get the Loach bomb. But like I'll tell you, I'm as when I signed off here, I'm gonna start writing some Sixers stuff. I'm writing about Tyres Maxie tonight and then I'll do the hardened stuff later because I just don't think there's a huge rush to your Harden. The last question I for you is how did you feel about Reggie Jackson to Denver contract full Emily. I went off for like fifteen minutes on it. I thought it was so egregious player option Ryan player option. I mean, I probably feel the same as I found about Mantras Harold last year. Just who are you bidding against to get Reggie Jackson? I mean with Denver, you had one chip, right, you had the tax Emily, and that's its Bruce Brown. There were people on Twitter who said to me, because I was not about it, I was just like, well, he's gonna be the Bruce Brown replacement. He was like, he doesn't do any of the things. He's not giving you rim pressure, he's not giving you defense across the one through three spots. I guess he's a better shooter in theory. Maybe you trust him to run pick and rolls a little bit more. But I get keeping high character guys around, but like, what was his leverage that he needed to be the MLA guy with a player option. I'm shocked that he got more than a minimum Frankly, and I think like Dennis Shrewder's agent should be thrilled. Although the Lakers are now basically out of their MLA so maybe not I mean, what's going out dlo. I guess he doesn't have yacht, Like who is signing? Like, what's his leverage? At this point, Toronto would make sense and the sign and trade if they can finagle it under the hard cat like are they? But at that point his MASSI and people are dragging him right now. They're like his MASSI lost it. It might be a it might be a Todd Huston says Bruce is a better shooter than Reggie. I mean maybe I could give him like a lot of load up time or something, but I trust Reggie Jackson as a shooter more in general than I do Bruce Brown's. Yeah, I guess like a Gary Trent Junior de'angelo Russell sign and trade could actually make sense for both sides. Yeah, who's playing the two for Toronto at that point? Well, I mean, oh, ge, like you're just gonna play Scotty o g and Pascal Siakam in Peardle together. I'm assuming basically so, but I just that would be like because I'm even looking at the like the non glamorous options that are just like like, I don't know where you're gonna sign Gore on drag like we know that already ended poorly. There. There's Aaron Holliday, There's Derek Rose, there's a schmith is still out there, George Hill. I just did they take a flyer on John wall? I just does Russell Westbrook end up there? That's the other thing is I'm assuming the hardened stuff would hold up, like whatever's gonna go on with Rust and the Clippers too? Yeah? Yeah, just because I know the money doesn't matter. But are like, are we gonna envision them playing together again? I don't know that I could get there. Yeah, wow, the cold could they be a bitterer on I? Oh, I saw you You tweeted earlier that you wanted him freed from Chicago, Like I thought. I heard about him like two months ago. It was like a poison pill candidate if someone was aggressing en up. And now it's like, could you just would they even pay him? They gave him the qualifying offer, But if you offered him five for like two years and ten million, would the polls just be like peace Westbrook? I guess that's the one other option out there. I don't I don't know what they're doing. They're they're the I think they're the most confusing team in the NBA to meet officially, because you can say it's Portland, but at least Portland's like, well, we're trying to straddle two rebuilding lines and if everything went right, if Shane need scoop pop, oh, we just got our answer. Dennis Shrewder, Holy fuck, two years twenty six million with the Toronto Raptors. So there we go. That is who's playing point five for the Toronto Raptors. That's means they're l e right, yeah, I think so whoa Missia has officially lost it. I like, so I kind of understand what's happening, but at the same time, I'm like, uh, what is going on here? That's brutal. Good for Dennis Shrewder after throwing away eighty million dollars a few years ago. Yeah on ironically, Yeah, he was good for the Lakers last year. Man, Like that was a I know they were talking about bringing him back for like the Biannual potentially and they got Torrian Prince on that instead. But uh yeah, much much more than the minimum. So good for him. I mean, so they're like, now Delo's leverage is just gone, Like does Delo get Grant and I set the over under on his next contract at twenty million. Do you think he gets less than that? Now? I mean where who is paying him? The Lakers? I guess I guess so, But what, like who are they bidding against? I mean I would I would say, to be fair, I said the same thing about ruy Achimura. Yeah, well, I mean, yeah, that's true, that's true. I was gonna say he's restricted, but that makes the point even more. Yeah, Orlando has got nothing h utah utah doesn't they have? Like I guess they have some, But like, why do they want him and Jordan Cross and Tucker The Lakers? I guess would be THEO doesn't need him because you just got Trey Jones back. Houston doesn't need him because you just got Fred Van Vliet. Okay, see, he definitely doesn't need him. Yeah he is. Yeah, I mean I wouldn't be shocked if they give him a one plus one. I'm just like, sorry, but this is just how the market broke and try harder in the playoffs next year. Maybe, Yeah, I mean the whole wording about they lost him or something like that. Yeah, I can't remember what that report. Yeah, right, where they when? When? They benched him. They're like they were afraid of losing him. It's like, well, then you're not. That is not the message you want to be sending to teams right before you become a free agent. Yeah, I got man. This is just I can't a Nuggets is defending Duggetson is defending the Reggie Jackson deal or my mentions, I can't do it. You can't. You didn't know. It's not a matter of oh, don't sign Reggie Jackson. It's don't use your best spending tool on Reggie Jackson. It's not right. It's not just I mean like, if you do Reggie Jackson, then turn around and sign somebody else. Would just be like, hey, Christian Brown, you're a point card now, Like I don't, I don't what like God forbid, what if delo? What if the Lakers are like now we're good? And like he just doesn't have a market, Like what if he's available for the tax mL? Who would you rather signs like a minimum deal somewhere? And it's like, this is why you don't give Reggie Jackson even if he takes a tax mL somewhere, Like who would you if you just straight up who would you rather have Delo or Reggie Jackson? I mean, for all of his flaws. I think it's Delo. I was you did mention Delo? Is it weird? If you still have time to answer, you could jump off whatever we're the Austin Reeves is still just floating around out there. I guess there is the appetite for actually going after I guess him and other restricted free agent it's still low, even with the changes in how long like they have to match, because we haven't seen a single restricted free agent offer sheet given out. Well, Cam Johnson got paid by the Nets. No, but like it wasn't like another team who gave him that, like the Pistons. Yeah, yeah, Well, I think you still have to ways at the end of the moratorium, and I think teams just don't want to wait, especially like that's I will sign off with this because it is a bugaboo of mine. But so Austin Reeves. Because of the arena's rule, the Lakers can offer like four years fifty ish million. Other teams could offer him four years one hundred. So the Lakers sending out this like very strong messaging, They're like, yeah, we don't care, We're gonna match whatever. They're gonna probably cost him twenty thirty million dollars at least, because other teams are just like, well, we're not gonna sit on our cap space for a week and then just have the Lakers match, and now all of a sudden, we miss out on all of our other free agent targets. We're just gonna go to Plan B right away. So now the Lakers are probably going to get him back at four years fifty. But like, he frankly deserves more than that. He deserves to make four years seventy, four years eighty, if you know. I mean, if Fred van Bleets making forty million a year, Austin Reeves should be making twenty. So it's it's a bummer that the new CBA's in that tweak the Arenas rule at all. But yeah, I imagine he's going back on four years fifty. I like, who's which is just Spurs still have money they could throw That's fine, that's fine value. I mean, the Rockets could do it if they really want, if they really wanted to, just to see if they could fuck with the Lakers books. Sure, But if I'm the Spurs and you're that close to the salary floor anyway, and you're clearly not using it, like you could take on money via trade or is a one year inflation. I would totally be like, let's see what happens if we just offered Austin Reeves this and like, maybe it's not the full four year one hundred, maybe it's a little let four eighty or something like that. Just mess with the Lakers books. I would one hundred percent. And to do that if I was running a basketball team and had to, I mean, yeah, if I'm willing to just sit on cap space for a week, sure, like and maybe that's the Spur. The Spurs right now on spot track have twenty eight almost twenty nine million dollars, so maybe that is the plan. Yeah. I just also, by the way, just as a quick rack up on the Nuggets, they could have gotten Shake Milton for what they got Reggie Jackson for. That's just my only point. And I don't even think we see anyone in our chat is defending the signing. It's just on Twitter if people at me because of my reaction to it. But Brian, thank you so much ropping on on short notice. This was this was of course anytime. Thank you for having me and enjoy the slapstravaganza everyone. I'm thrilled for all the NBA agents to hold their guns and wait until six oh five to announced deals. Yeah, and also, by the way, let's change the way we report some of these things. I don't know if you saw one of the tweets where it was from Brad Turner reports Clutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Josh Hairston have agreed to a multi year deal for Cam Reddie to join the Lakers. Well are you? I think I think next year? Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm still like parsing through the CBA. But I think there's fines now if agents release the stuff before the Morris horium ends. So I wonder if the agents are like getting their names out now because they're like, we can't do this un till July six next year. You've stayed way too long. Get off of your please. This was a blast as always. Follow him on Twitter at B two Poorrek bt O p O R E K. Correct, Yes, yep. Fantastic work over at the NBA pod Forbes and for Bleacher Report as well. He used to edit my articles allegedly occasionally occasionally still will We'll see take care Matt, thanks so much. All right, you too. I'll be good with dam. I Am going to leave everybody else there because I'm tired. We've been at this for three and a half hours. Shout out to Grant for who has an actual family, for staying with me. Shout out to my wife and my dogs for being relatively quiet, and my wife for not caring that I'm just here for three and a half hours. Shout out to all the comments the listeners. Appreciate every single one of you. We'll be back. I'm sure at some point next week, or at least I'll be back. I'm sure I'll get off and then we'll have the James Harden Trade or some shit. But this was a blast. Please, if you haven't done so, subscribe to us if this is your first time checking us out, listening or otherwise, and until next time, I mean with the shout out to the one oh and you can also support the show by joining our discord the linked in the podcast and YouTube description. Follow our socials they are in the YouTube and podcast description. And we have merch so go check out our store. The link to that is in the podcast and YouTube description as well. Thank you once again to everyone. Be careful out there with all the slops still coming out and until next time, and as always, I need a shout out to the one, the only, the indelible, still a free agent who deserves again at least as much money as Reggie Jackson. Frank Ela Tina