What is up, fellow Sikos. I am Dan Favalley, joined as always
by mister Grant Hughes. Another very special podcast for you, super duper incredible
collaboration with Bleacher Reports, Joey Aikley, Jay Dunbar and Brian Taporik. They
are back. You've now seen them on the channel by this point multiple times.
I believe they are Twitter links. Are their links to their Twitter or
counts? Excuse me, We'll be in the podcast and YouTube description. We're
doing a five year draft or breed draft today. Basically the top thirty players
anyone that was eligible for a draft class. They could have been undrafted,
but since twenty nineteen there are more extensive rules and thoughts and approaches that went
into this. We are coming you from the past. Grant and I actually
have not done this yet. The five of us have not gone through this.
Going to bring Joey, Jay and Brian up on stage in just a
minute, but Grant anything else before we kind of just you know, baptize
ourselves by fire as we get every single pick right. The goal is to
pick the top thirty players of the last five years that were drafted, and
I'm excited to have one hundred percent hit rate. I'm I'm excited for this
to be not remotely controversial, for everyone to agree that all the picks are
correct and in the proper order, and I'm just happy to I'm happy to
be here for what we've already set up will be a draft without flaws,
so you know that'll be fun. It is good to see all four of
your faces again. Very excited to get into this. But before we get
into the nitty gritty of, as Grant already said, getting every single pick
right, Jay, are you able to just take us through this process and
what we're actually attempting to do here and how it'll work and all that that
good stuff. Yeah, absolutely so we hear. You know, as a
pr you know, we love redrafting thing, especially during the off season.
We're just kind of cheting for some poops. So we decided to do a
five year redraft. We're actually using the twenty nineteen to twenty twenty three classes,
mostly because you know, this year's group hasn't played a minute in an
actual game yet, but also twenty nineteen is just a more interesting class in
this year because you know, let's face it, this, this isn't that
exciting in a group. But so as far as the actual rules that we're
doing, we're doing a full first round redraft. We're using for the order,
we're using the winning percentage of the last five seasons, so we can
kind of get a good gauge of where the team should fall without you know,
copying last year. It's order, and you know, the pix will
be based on best player available generally, although we will consider a team needs
in certain cases, and we're not going to consider salary because that would kind
of unfairly, you know, skew things away from twenty nineteen, twenty twenty
classes or getting a little bit more expensive. So but I think I covered
everything. Somebody can correct me if I miss anything, But that's the general
gist of it. And we're gonna possibly collaborate on certain picks where there might
be too divisive or if they're they're not no brainers as well, all take
turns. But we're not actually building individual teams, correct, Yeah, we
have we have each of us are in charge of all thirty teams, so
one person will in the end make the call. But this is more collaborative
this time, and we're gonna kind of try to arrive at the right pick.
Well, we have the teams. Everyone is technically going to have the
final saying up on screens, so you could yell at each person based off
how mad you are at that fanted to make that easy on everybody. This
was once again rigged by the person who did a bunch of spreadsheet work.
And Brian has the first pick. So should are we all ready to yet
started? Is anyone else? Are we nervous? And he thoughts comments concerns
before we take off? I was gonna say, I wasn't clear there was
the safety net of a collaborative discussion on each thing. It's a bad pick.
It's on all of us. It's not just as you means. That's
right. So Brian, are you ready to start us? You have the
first pick. Somehow you're the one who ran the order and somehow went up
with the first pick. So why called shenanigans there a little bit? But
whatever? That is? Right? Yeah, Joey Jay and I met yesterday
to just hammer out the ground rules and I shared my screen. They can
both out for this ran the randomizer and this is the order came out with.
So with the number one overall pick, the Detroit Pistons are going to
select Victor women Yama, and I'm guessing there will not be much much debate
about this one. I mean, Anthony Edwards would be the only other guy
I would even remotely consider here. But I think Wemby frankly has best player
in NBA history within his realistic range of outcomes. And with all due respect
to ant ma'am and anyone else from these other draft classes, I don't think
that's the case. Wemby is going to give me a top ten defense right
away. And well, you know, as the general manager of Detroit,
I am fully anticipating in losing Kate Cunningham that's some point in this draft.
But I will happily make the trade of Kate Cunningham for a big So we're
not concerned with Jalen Duran's future. I guess that's just just not super worried
about it. Durham won't get poached during Well that's true. Well I think
I well, maybe I just tiped my hand a little bit. Worried about
Marcus Sasser. How does he fit? I think, frankly, Detroit loves
nothing more than accumulating too many big mens. So this actually feels like it's
right Troy, I am out now just being Troy Weaver. Yeah, there's
like kind of a poetic tragedy to the Spurs being the second team up and
watching Wemby go first. So, uh, Brian already kind of spoiled.
WHI I'm picking for number two with the Spurs and the Edwards. I just
I don't love framing things this way, but he might be the best two
way player in the game right now, where you're talking about the highest ceiling
on both offense and defense. I don't even know who else is in that
conversation. Wemby. Of course, as time goes on, the offense has
to develop a little bit, probably Shay Gildas Alexander not eligible for the draft
obviously, But just I don't know who the other candidates are that you would
want to, you know, throw out in that situation. But yeah,
I think this was also kind of an easy pay, Like the first two
felt like they were gonna be no brainers and we'll get into some debates there
thereafter. But I don't I mean, put him on San Antonio. There's
no longer Wemby there, But that's fine. You have another top tier perimeter
defender. You know den Misseell was he he was eligible for the straft,
so we might lose him. But if it's with Anthony Edwards, perfectly,
Chris Paul will set up Anthony Edwards. That'll be a nice little dynamic and
fun. But I thought this was an easy decision. Yeah, no notes
right, Like there's just you know, you could you could really contort and
try to think of a couple other guys. But I'm just I think I
think I would say Edward Wards had no shot at being number one, But
I think it's like even harder to imagine him being number three, if that
makes sense, Like this just is the correct spot for him? Do you
really think he doesn't have a cage? Just of like what is like the
like are we sure that Wemby's going to hit his ninety nine percentile outcome on
offense and that like with that, I wouldn't have to be clear I would
have picked Wemba, But like, is there is there an argument that,
look what Anthony Edwards has done over a longer period of time, is there
a chance Wemby's ever as valuable as at Edwards is on offense? Isn't the
only way you get there to go even like zoom out even more and just
say, well, the injury risk is there for Wemby as an ant has
been super healthy and just we under like his floor is like I don't know,
two years ago, he's just not going to be back down to that
level. Maybe you know for another ten Wemby, it's like, well we've
never seen you got to rely on the whole. We've never seen anything like
this, so we don't know how to project the health stuff or whatever.
But that's all just such, you know, transparent. You know, I'm
just curious. I wouldn't have made anybody. I did my best. I
don't have a good case. But number three it's great. It's me.
I'll just job is off the board. Do you guys want to move to
pick number four? Or even for me it's a little early. I also,
well, I don't know, I'll be surprised if there's a ton of
uh controversy here, but I think it needs to be Tyre's Halliburton. I
see some nodding, but but I you know, I'm open to arguments.
I just think I wasn't gonna look too hard at team needs. But if
we're talking Wizards and they're just like Tias Jones remains unsigned, so like,
and that even that wouldn't be an overwhelming you know, we have our cornerstone,
which also the Wizards don't have, so to get Haliburton, who I
think is probably the third best player here anyway, at a position of pretty
grave need for Washington just like kind of checks all the boxes for me.
But is there anybody else that we need to think about for this spot or
is it just Haliburton? I had him third on my board. I mean
that I think there might be a run on point guards here pretty soon,
and I think it's probably pretty obvious which point clients we're talking about. But
you know, I think Hallie, especially coming off a run of the Conference
finals, and for all the reasons you said the Wizards needed a point guard
since prime John Wall, and you're not going to get much better than a
guy who's you know, a legitimate candidate to leave the NBA. And it'sists
probably each of the next ten years sick he wants to be. I think
also that because of the hamstring injury, some people have just forgotten that he
was in the top three of the NVB gussion before that. Hamstring injury,
and so when he gets and then he comes back, he's not the same.
They turn over the roster a little bit. You bring in Siakham,
you lost Buddy Heel to the trade deadline. They were playing him off the
ball more. I think this is not that anyone thought he was terrible after
that, but if you're looking and other names here that are about the comments,
like Hyrie Salbert might have been one of the five most valuable players in
the NBA for basically half the season, and had he not gotten injured,
maybe would have finished with that same status, which is just okay, it's
one season that doesn't happen by accident. Yeah, absolutely, and he was
third on my board as well, and even at you know, even after
the injury, he was still scary in the playoffs and the fact that he
got injured against the Celtics, maybe he saved their bacon. You know,
they really pushed them and they deserve their flowers, the Pacers do after that
series. I mean, that was you know, and Halley was he was
scary in that series, even though that was post injury. So yeah,
I agreed with with everybody there. I think, you know, he's maybe
not as clear of a number three as the other two picks were, but
definitely comfortable with him at number three. So I am next for what teams
we have? We have the Rockets, the Rockets, okay, well so
Philly fans. But I think I'm taking Maxy for this one, right we
have. I think it's between maybe him and Jaw and you know, just
giving Jaws off court stuff, I'm probably not putting in the future of my
franchise in his hands, at least if I have the choice not to.
And you know, MAXI, who knows what his failing is. I mean,
he just keeps proving people wrong. And you know, I think,
uh, he's a He's a clear number four from me, But I don't
know if there's any pushback against that. This is a hard one for me.
I had morent four on my board, but I totally take your like
it's such a risk reward thing. Like I guess the argument I would make
for Moran, and there's probably two or three other guys we could probably bring
up, is that he's probably had two seasons at least as good as MAXI
was last year, you know, in terms of scoring average, and like,
really teams access too he was the best player on Grizzlies teams that won
fifty plus two years in a row. But yeah, the downside risk is
just like it's so significant. And if if the argument is like Maxi at
his best is pretty close MAXI at his worst, I would argue is nowhere
near as bad as Jaw at his worst in terms of like trying to build
a functional franchise. So I get it. I can't push back too hard,
although it is we have too Tyresee's in a row. How do we
feel about that? Is like and also with Jaw, great kind of alluded
to this, but one there's an addition to the off courtse stuff. There's
just all the injuries. And then it's easier to fit Tyrese Maxi into a
larger like offensive ecosystem than Jahn Moran right where you kind of have to build
it around John Moran. He's worth, he's good enough to do. So
you could build it around Maxi, or you could make Maxi kind of a
not an accessory, but like a number two or number three option if you
need to. And I don't think Jaw is wired like his skill's not wired
that way. And I also wonder does his Even if you like Josh skill
set in a vacuum better and I think he's the better passer and there's more
directionality to his game, how long does his prime last when we know about
these like hyper athletic point guards like Maxie Speed made kind of Wayne as time
goes on. But he also has these other counters in different directions. So
I honestly, even if you threw the off court stuff and injury stuff out
of the equation, do we think the gap between these two is even that
large? I would just say that only like the counter to the counter to
the counter is I can imagine. I can imagine a scenario where John Morant
is the best player on a team clearly that makes like a conference finals or
even a finals. I don't know if I see that with MAXI. But
maybe that's unfair just because of who he already plays with, where like he's
just not going to have that that label. Does that you know what I
mean? Like Moran is such a singular star that you do have to build
around, which is like a positive and a negative as you explain, But
I don't see that. I don't know. Brian needs to weigh in.
Yeah, what the hell, is that a fairst of like the Maxie Morant
comparison. Yeah, I think it is. I mean I think Maxy to
Dan's point, you know, if you're imagining the hypothetical fit in Houston with
like Red van Vleet, he both guys can frankly play on or off the
ball, and we saw there will be some size issues defensively in the backcourt
there. But we saw Maxi with Kyle Lowry this passed off during the past
season after the trade deadline they after he got bought out, like that dual
point guard pairing actually worked really well and helped unlock some versatility of Maxie that
he wasn't able to show in the first half of the year. So I
mean, I obviously a little biased here. I did have Maxie fourth in
with my board, like I do think it is close. But you know,
Houston, I think in this exercise in particular, it's also tough because
you have to assume they're going to lose at least Shandon and Jalen Green,
probably Jabari Smith as well, So like they're you know, there is a
major drop off of young talent there. It will still have you know,
potentially guys like Tara Easton, Reed Shepherd even know I'm and Thompson, So
you know, figuring out the fit after in the aftermath of this exercise would
be really interesting. But I think they'll have enough chips in play to still
be able to you know, they could flip Fred van Fleet for and some
of their picks for someone else who fits better with MAXI So yeah, I
like the pic. Jack, even if you don't agree. The fact that
Maxie's in the discussion just reiterates getting him at number twenty one might be the
best, just like value of this is like the path like between twenty nineteen
and twenty twenty three, just because you might be, okay, greatest of
all time, but with the number one pick, you kind of expect that
outcome Like number twenty one, Tyres. Maxie was such a fucking steal.
Yeah, I mean, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it saved
the Joel and be there and Philly, Like, I think he would have
requested the trade by now if they did not tire Smax in that spot.
All right, Joey, are you ready to give us pick number five?
I am, but hold on, hold on, I'm gonna I'm getting a
call here from Joe lacap How are you. What do you think about this
pick? You want to take James Wiseman. I still believe. I mean,
I'm gonna I think I'm not gonna take that. I'm gonna take I'm
gonna I'm gonna take John Morant over James wising So I think you guys already
made the argument for me. This isn't very difficult. But it's really a
shame that Joe Laco doesn't agree. But yeah, they're gonna lose Lenovo ball
here in this exercise for sure. So this is just like the most no
brainer pick of the whole thing. I just I mean, I think that
I think that bit should have gone number one. Forget the players. I
don't know where you're doing this. This is great you also, I'm not
gonna be able to talk for the rest of the podcast. You also have
thank you, okay, well for the Orlando Magic. I mean, I
really like what I've seen from Paolo ban Caro, and it just feels like,
why not just let him stay on the same team. So I'm taking
him. There. There's a lot of arguments here. There's several guys who
could be like you have Chet, Yeah, Scottie Barnes, Maybe who else
do you guys consider here? If you have the six pick that I think
Polo would be the way to go. Yeah. I think even for me,
who I'm anchored to having to say no matter what, that Jaylen Williams
is better than Paolo, who I do have one spot ahead of him.
I think that's reasonable, just because like I think you mentioned, you mentioned
Chet, you mentioned Zion and Barnes. Those are the only guys I'd really
seriously consider there. Anybody got anybody else? Barn This was the one that
I so Palo was similar on my board, I would get hung up between
him and Scottie Barnes. I like that Joey took him because I do feel
that Palo ben Caro's ceiling is just so underrated because the magic refused to surround
him with actual spacing, and that just buddies like the fact that he's as
good as he is, and he's been working within dog shit, not even
spacing, but like around dog shit shooting, and look, casep's gonna help.
I don't know if it's gonna get much better next season, because they
didn't get that hot like, they didn't get someone who sets the table for
others. They didn't get someone who takes jumpers off the dribble. They didn't
even get Casep's not a super high volume guy either, And so you're betting
just the fact that his step back started to fall last year. I think
he's better on defense than a lot of people give him credit for. And
he just has so many counters on the offensive ends who actually work within that
shitty like half court offensive environment. I honestly wonder had you put like even
league average shooters around him. Are we just talking about Ben Carroll before we're
talking about John Morant or Tyree Maxi or maybe like I might put him on
the same level tari As Halbert. And that's how much I believe in in
this kid, just because the circumstances in Orlando have been offensively just not well,
we're never gonna know, because Joey just put him back on the magic
they have KCP. Now maybe yeah, we hope, I mean probably are
gonna lose Jalen Suggs. And it's actually so as well, so they actually
might have to have more shooting in the backward now. Jalen Zugs was like
their best shooter last year. Yeah, okay, they're also gonna lose from
out their space. Ye. Pick number seven goes to j Well. I'm
glad to see Zion didn't go to a city with the night lights, because
that might have been disastrous. But I think I'm gonna put Zion in Portland.
I know all the arguments against him. I know his health is very
questionable, but the ceiling is just too tantalizing for me to pass up.
I just think, like, if he ever gets it together, he's just
he can be a singular talent. And I know it's not looking likely at
this point, but you know, on the off chance that it does come
together, I want to I want to have a shot at that. So
Zion at seven. Where does Zion go if injuries aren't a factor, if
we just remove those from the equation, I don't think any lower than four?
Probably Yeah he go three? Yeah right yeah. Like that game against
the Lakers and the plane was just like the oh my god, this is
this is what we've all been waiting for. And then of course he got
hurt. But like he the flashes that he's shown, like his upside is
nearly unmatched. It's just like, can you be betting on him, but
especially at number seven here, I think it's a worthwhile gamble. What is
the downside for him aside from the injuries and like when he goes to Dallas
just the roster building stuff, right, it's all the New Orleans stuff where
it's like, well, you have a primary ball handler that is not your
typical primary ball handler size or position. You have to find a ton of
shooting around him. You have to compensate for him on defense. It's kind
of the I don't know, it's it's it's not. He's super talented,
obviously, and I do think he's the He's probably the last guy on the
list where you'd say, I think he can be the best, like our
number one option slash best player on a team that wins really big like everybody
maybe with some exceptions, I think he's maybe the last guy there. But
yeah, it's not easy to build around him. But that's fine in Portland,
just because you do have a ton of guards, most of a couple
of whom can shoot, and you've got a million centers. Maybe one of
them will. Yeah, yeah, So yeah, he's just not he's not
the cleanest, you know, he's not the most plug and play guy,
I guess is what I'd say, Grant, you are on the clock at
what pick are we up to eight? Yeah? We're at eight. Uh,
potentially his pick for a veteran. Yeah, I would like I'm back
at this and several future first tour Orlando for do they still have Vucevic?
So I can just agree. So this guy's fifth on my board, and
I'm gonna take chet Holmgren. I feel like maybe that's higher than some people
had him. But I just think one Chicago now has a center that,
like a modern player that they can really truly build around, can help them
be, you know, potentially great on both ends, just like there aren't
bigs that can potentially win Defensive Player of the Year, could potentially shoot forty
percent on decent volume from three, and can handle like he's just he really
is pretty close to a unique player. And I think what we saw last
year in which he played all eighty two games after missing the rookie season,
so I'm not super worried about the foot anymore, that he was very durable.
I just think he brings so much at a position where he does all
the normal center stuff and then he does a million things that you don't get
from centers. So I just think as a building block, it's hard to
do a lot better than that at number eight. I don't have an issue
with that. I think that maybe for some people it might be tough for
them to envision like woes Chet Holmgren look like outside of you know, if
he has to generate more of his own offense or be responsible for more of
the offense, and my point would be, I think he'll look great.
That's why I'm excited that they got rid of Josh Giddeon. They brought in
guys, none of whom dominate the ball like in Alex Cruce Isaia Harterstein,
and so I think they're going to increase his ball handling responsibilities, especially in
lineups that have only one of Sga or Jalen Williams. So I'm excited to
see that. And I don't feel like I think you probably could have made
a case for him like a pick or two earlier. Honestly, in my
opinion, I don't know if anyone disagrees with that. Yeah, I mean,
I had him ninth on my board, but that isn't like a reflection
of him being bad. It's just a really good players you've got drafted in
the last five years. And no, I think it's a completely defensible pick
here, and I have no issue with the great I certainly didn't want him
to leave the thunder that I stuck him in their spot at number fourteen when
we first threw up. I do think, like what I if I were
arguing against it, I'd say, you probably, if there are still any
left, want to be taking a guy who can be your primary ball handler,
like shot creator, and that's not really what he is, So you
know, I think that's it's fair if you've got him lower. But I
just I wasn't gonna let him get past there, especially Chicago's such a fit
for him. I think the foot injury too, like missing his first year,
that might be something that could like prohibit some people from taking him this
next pick at number nine, unless anyone is further Chet Holmgren thoughts for the
Hawks, I have, Scotty Barnes, I think that you're speaking of someone
who could be an offensive hub. I think he showed a lot of growth
as a playmaker as a multi level scorer last year. I've said this like
eighty times to Grant, had he met the games played threshold, he would
have been my most improved player pick, including for some of the work he
did on defense. He probably has more strides to go there. We have
to ask, Okay, is the outside shooting reel. I think it's more
real than not, even if you think that, you know, the first
half year when he's hitting this pull up jumpers, in the second half year
when he's not really hitting them, even if you have questions about that,
I like the I guess the cross the bordness of his skill set right now
to where, Okay, will he ever be a dominant player at X,
I don't know, but he could be a second tier like he could be
an All Star level player in all these different areas that I don't know that
I need him to be an All NBA or MVP type candidate in one area
of the game, and so I would be excited. I mean, with
Trey Young in Atlanta, that gets a little iffy, but maybe we can
trade him to San Antonio and get some of our picks back and just thild
around Dottie and I guess Jalen Johnson could go in this draft, like I
think Scott he's also shown that he could he could play next to Trey Young,
like he's someone you could use as a screener or just as like the
second side ball handler. Two. So I like his valuability. Again,
he's not as plug and play as a jet Holm Grin. But if you're
going to get the offensive creation, I think it's okay to say always like
sort of scalable, I'll roll the dice there then, yeah, I mean,
and he gives you a good backstop in case you do trade tray,
like you will still have some sort of primary ball handler playmaker without Jeantey Murray
now, and so it gives you that sort of like backstop in case you
want your picks back. But you also don't want to be you know,
the twenty twenty one Detroit Pistons. So we've yet to have like anyone try
to override anybody yet where it's like no, like that guy's way too high.
It's gonna come later. Yeah, it's the last ten and they're going
to be very difficult. Can I ask a question then, because I did
think about this, I thought about taking Lamello. Would there have been pushed
back there? I would have pushed back pretty hard, I think, oh
yeah, but I don't listen to you, so I'm asking. Yeah,
I think from anyone whose opinion you value, LaMelo would have been a totally
fair pick. I mean it all comes down to shot creating, and I
mean that's one of the most important skills. Obviously Scotty Barnes does some of
that, but Lamela Law does a ton of that. So in my opinion,
at least it would have been defensible. Yeah, well, Joe Lacob
would have called you on that one him after that one is speaking of Joe
Lacob, like, is there a way to get LaMelo in touch with like
Steph's ankle guy because that happen. Well, I mean that's that That would
have been part of my pushback, is like in addition to some other stuff
like how this is two years now that work, I mean we should probably
wait to talk Steph Curry start of his career and then yelled at you for
like would you not take step in this because of his Well you can check
the archives. It's at least ten years old. But I did write about
how I'm not sure about if if this is the right risk for Award Calculus.
When they signed Steph year fifty five or whatever. I think I called
it an overpay when it happened. Pretty much this is why it's good that
old br articles are like so irreparably broken you can't even find them on the
day. I definitely have some some strong Evan Turner take back in the time
I've never seen the light of day. I still look good. Oh,
just gonna say I called the Alan Crab contract in twenty sixteen a bargain.
I still look back at that stepp thing and think, like made some good
points there, but this is still ultimately just like the worst take I've probably
ever had. I do like that we found a way to turn Scottie Barnes's
pick into we wound up at Steph Curry and Alan Crab and all right,
we'll get us back on track at number ten And damn, frankly, this
might be the first time I generate pushback, or any of us generate pushback.
And you guys have taken nine of the top ten on my board and
number Frankly, this guy, I think I'm just way higher on him than
consensus. But Alpa and Shangun would be my pick in terms of best player
available now This is weird because Cleveland is definitely going to lose Evan Mobley,
is very likely going to lose Darius Garland as well, and so all they
have left is Donovan, Mitchell and Jared Allen of their Big four. I
do not think if we have concerns about the Mobley Alan Paring, I think
the Shanggun Allan Paring would be even worse. So this would require a follow
up move, presumably you know, the oft rumored Alan plus Lavert for brandon
Ingram or something of that ILK. But if I'm just like, yeah,
well, you know, losing Garland and Mobley is going to probably a gree
it either way. But I don't know. I mean, I just maybe
I'm just Nikola Jokic killed and after seeing him and what a big asking center
can do for your entire offense, like shang Gun, I think is probably
the closest thing to that, With all due respect, bonus out there in
Sacramento. So I'm at least gonna throw his name out there. But I
am very open to push back on this pick because of the specifically because of
the Walkie fit in Cleveland. I don't know, I think it's a better
player I'll go ahead, no oh no, if you have a hotter take,
do you think he's the best player available? I think as a best
player available, he's justifiable. But I will say like I would have definitely
taken LaMelo bet On La Melow Balls upside over Shang Huns. But I mean
the stuff he did last year was absolutely nasty, and he's probably a little
bit more. I know people got caught up and now the Rockets played without
him, they kind of again their hot streak with him, and so there's
I think it's easier to build an offense where to me, I view it
this way. I find it harder to build an offense around domas the bonis
than I would around Aparain Shangun. I think that there are more either you
have to cater mortar bonus of strengths on the offensive end and then on the
defensive end. I think that's a bonus is just a weaker defender, whereas
like Shanghun still has some of the like position, like the spatial awareness.
I think he has down a little bit better than the bonus. I mean,
I'm trying to like, I think as the best player available, it's
like we're still in a situation where you could take five or six guys and
it would be hard. I just can't decide how much I care about fit
at this like it should should you know that maybe that's ultimately where it is
and the fit is weird, But like, there are a lot of teams
where the fit would be weird if they have a normal center that's half decent
at all. It's strange, like he just has to play center. I
don't know, can I can I give some names that I have above him
just on my informal board and see if anybody wants to like chomp with those
so's. I'll leave Jaleen William doubt he is above him, but I recognize
I'm not a rational person about him. I have Mobiley above Shang Doon just
on my big board, so that like you know, and then Kid Cunningham,
LaMelo Dan, and then I actually have Desmond Bain. I could probably
convinced that Desmond Baine does not belong there. But does anybody jump at any
of those as like, oh, he's clearly better than Shanguon, because I'm
not sure I do. No, you're saying that Shangun is clearly better than
them, rather No, I have those guys that are above him on my
board, but it's in like a negotiable range. It's not like a drop
off like there was after Halliburton at three for example. I mean, I
have LaMelo Is like in that department for me, and then Jay dub and
even I think Desmond Bain and I'm just such a believer in kid. But
when you're like kind of basing this off track record a little bit, yeah,
I just I have not waited as much fit Like I have fun talking
about the fit of shanggon On what this roster would be, but when I'm
actually making the pick, I'm I'm just trying to take the best player that's
there. But we're in I think you phrased it best like super negotiable territory
at this point. Yeah. Plus, what he's got to have been just
not I'm not looking it up, but like Shanguon must have been closer to
an All Star nod than any of the guys we just talked about for various
reasons, but just last year, like his number are ridiculous. I don't
think I can talk you out of it. Brian, Ultimately, you did
put him, manage to put him on a team with even worse space,
and though Mitchell's gonna carry, it's gonna be you know what we're gonna We're
gonna turn Alan and into some mythical floor space and maybe we'll just get Lorie
Marketing back. Maybe we'll just that'd be perfect. Actually all right, Well,
if no one has any severe objections, I will stick with Shango and
a tom. I'm back on the clock with Sacramento at eleven. And this
is like the opposite problem because they won't lose Boxes twenty seventeen, so the
bonus was before this as well. They won't lose tomorrow obviously. Keegan Murray,
I guess, is the one guy Ye'll just draft him and get the
band together makes too. Yeah, I don't think of going that route,
with all due respect to Murray. Maybe on my next pick, but I
won't be the Sacramento oh man. I mean, I think I'd be torn
between Mobile and Jadab here, but I know Jadab is not making it back
to me if I would like to grant so, I mean, I actually
like the theoretical fit of Box Jadab, Damara Bonis, and Malik Monk,
like just go all in on offense. But Jadub can also, okay,
the one semi impactful defender in that lineup, so I would lean toward him
because the mobile is the bonus that just breaks my brain and not a good
way. Mobiles under Rosen is super brain breaking too and would be the worst
space. It would be like the most nineties ass team. And I feel
like my feelings are known on this issue, you know, I I think
you should take if you were going for fit, though, do you think
you should have skewed towards someone who is more of a capslock shooter like a
Desert may Ban than Jalen Williams. I'm just if I'm saying if he was
accounting for Fit in Sacramento, Yeah, well, I mean, yeah,
it doesn't mean Bane's a better shooter, but like Jadab shot like forty three
percent year. Yeah, and like I think positionally like his he's just bigger
than Bain. So like, big surprise of making the Jadab case. It's
done. Yeah, I I you know, when I'm picking these guys,
I'm mostly focused on BPA, but I mean kind of fit as a tiebreaker,
so I totally hate Like, yeah, Bain would have been great,
but I think the two way upside of Jay Dobb is hard to turn down.
Joey j Any like pushback there or you you with it? No,
I think grants his enthusiasm, and Jada is infectious. So I could do
another twenty minutes if you want time. Uh, that puts me on the
board at number twelve. I want to take Evan Mobley just because Gobert and
call Anthony Towns and Evan Mobley and not like we just we could run all
centers and those would be great. Uh. They got Luca Garzer back too,
right, so we could just play love two shooters even in that lineup.
And Mobley is tempting in a vacuum. I'm not picking him spoiler alert,
I'm gonna do I'm gonna I'm gonna ride for a guy here in a
second. But Mobley's intriguing because he did shoot like forty when he comes back
from that in on of the break threes. The volume was low under two
attempts per game, and he didn't up the volume in the playoffs and his
efficiency plummeted, and like that's the aspect of his game. And I think
even if he's playing as the center, you still want him to develop that
just to make him more versatile if he's not going to have the ball or
than someone. Okay, you can get him going downhill to the basket,
that's fine, but that's prided on. You need some winter spacing around him
where it can mobly be some of the floor spacing creator himself. I am
gonna go with LaMelo ball, though I think his passing is transcendent. I
think we're talking about you know, does the gas pedal you kids his targets
in his car? I honestly don't know. I hope not. But so
there is off court stuff that you have to worry about, and there's the
injury stuff. Of course we already talked about it. I'm just betting on
give me this bigger dude who is standing between There was an argument in our
discord, not argument, but debate whether he's like six' five or sixty
seven. He's somewhere between sixty five or sixty seven. And so to have
that size for someone who's running your offense, and who, by the way,
is a great fit alongside Anthony Edwards and just this roster in general.
He can be disruptive defensively and just like the passing, like it'd be nice
he's get to the basket more, but it'd be nice he could finish better.
I just the passing, half court, full court, whatever he's doing.
He's to me, he's, you know, an angelic pastor, Like
he's just celestial when it comes to that stuff. So I'm gonna roll the
dice here on those ankles of his holding up long term. I'm not sure
the Morning Talks can handle LeVar and Ant in the same room. But I
did have to remind you guys that poor Anthony Edwards is now not on the
team anymore, and this hypothetically about that they need LaMelo even more nowtering my
decision. I really appreciate it, all right. I feel good about this.
Uh at thirteen for Indiana, I think it has to be Evan Mobley.
I understand the disagrees. The Mobiley Turner front line, like I guess,
is just a really oversized three. Not worried because I think Mobiley can
guard any three that you put in front of him, so defensively that's fine.
And just like big picture Indiana, which unfortunately did lose Tyre's Halbert and
so maybe their whole identity changes, it's still a team that can't guard,
so I just think Mobiley is pretty clearly the best defender UH left on the
board, so it has to be him, and we're just gonna worry about,
like, can we really play you know, three essentially bigs together.
I think it. I think it works partly because of the spacing you get
from Miles Turner, so I think I think you know. I'm open to
arguments, but I think the fit there is pretty good. I would love
to see that in action, because I have no idea whether it would be
super effective. We're sort of just like a car crash theory where you can't
live away and it is really bad, but I want to find out.
So I respect the decision and I would support it. That is a tepid
endorsement. I feel like, isn't he clearly the like who would be your
other best player available candidates? Right here? Does that have Mobily like lower
than this? No? He was mine? I mean franscid, I guess.
And if you're worried about Indiana losing Haliburton and needing a point guard,
that's one thing, but you could also be banking on I mean, Andrew
Lempard is not guaranteed to be picked in this and you could to be willing
to turn it over to him. Also, Miles Turner is no stranger to
the trade block, So if you end up moving Miles Turner, who's on
the nineteen point nine million dollar expiring contract, like actually Siaka Mobley as a
you know, the long term front court pairing, I think could be very
interesting together. Jay, you're on the clock at number fourteen, rounding out
the lottery here, Well, we have okay see. I think this is
maybe the first time that team need is really going to play into the decision,
just because home runs elsewhere now and you know, okay See is pretty
stacked. So I think I'm gonna go with Franz Wagner to kind of replace
some of those front court minutes and you know, some of that scoring.
But I'm open to chriss in there. I know we still have Kate on
the board. You know who else would be? You know, we got
doesn't in Vain. I mean, but I think Franz kind of fills that
front court void, even though you know, not exactly the same skill set
as Chet. You know, we also lost Jadub as well, So I
mean I think that there's the argument there, like two big boys in the
front court. Yeah, it's tough, like because this so far, this
the Thunder have been uh robbed more players than anybody else. So like this
new version of them is tricky. I think because you've still got SGA here,
You've got lou Dort for the moment, probably you're gonna have him,
so like you kind of have a clean slate a little bit. Yeah,
I think this is almost the best player available right Like, just because they've
lost two of their three best guys, I don't think a lot of best
guy. You know, Caid doesn't really make sense next to s GA.
I don't think same with like a Manuel quickly would be another each other,
Like the Thunder just lost their second best creator and there's no Josh Giddy like
breakout coming in. So we're just banking on Case and Wallace assuming I'm assuming
he won't go in this exercise. But what about band Ban doesn't overlap with
SGA at all, But he doesn't give you the I mean he's I guess
kind of undersized. Yeah, I don't know. Franz is pretty solid.
I think, Yeah, good pick Joey. You were up at number fifteen.
I am, and you know the Pelicans have lost ion in this exercise,
so I would love to take a big guy, but it just doesn't
feel like there's like a good center option here, like probably for me,
Lively would be the first name, and I just feel like that's a lot
pretty early for fifteen. So this might I might try to do something like
move to Jonte Murray to shooting guard and move CJ. Mccollin to the bench
and try to get a point here because I don't know what else to do,
and I think the highest upside is Kay Cunningham. But I'm totally willing
to you know, anyone have any other thoughts to let me know. I
love that pick that. I think that's pretty clearly it's that's a good one.
Well, talking about it for another minute so that I can think about
my next bat. Anyone have liked Yeah, I mean the fit, like,
that's a really good fit. And then you're just super huge, I
guess because you've lost Zion here, so there's not going to be overlap with
trying to get ball handling. I think that that's even if you didn't think
Henning was the best player. Like that fit right now I think is super
intriguing. I had him at twelve. He was my best guy left.
I think like a decent margin, So I think, yeah, you're you're
covering it from every direction by putting him there. Yep. I'm just happy
that my we're fifteen picks in and the top fifteen guys on our list are
going, so at least we are according to my needs to be more contentious
though, So I'm going to throw my next pick and someone that I know
you all will disagree with Garrett No, Ducee McBride. That is okay.
So sixteen it is the Raptors. They've lost Scottie Barnes, so this is
like a really wide open pick and I think it's just truly best player available,
and that could go a couple of ways, but it might. It
might be Desmond Bane if they don't lose quickly, that would be nice,
so they would have like a point guard or a combo guard there. But
yeah, again, more so than any pick I've had so far, like
totally willing to hear people out and change the pick. I think it is
Bane. He's the highest. He's my best player left. I guess maybe
like do we talk about Darius Garland if we assume they're going to lose quickly.
Like that might be a little deep on the board for some people,
But that's the only other one I'd really think about. I wouldn't I personally
would think about Devin Vessel, but I would still take Babe. Well,
then that seems like a good enough Let's go with Bane there. Jay,
please take care of my Knicks at number seventeen. Oh man, well,
I don't know if I can handle the pressure here. But so the Knicks
have not lost anybody, which you know, it's good for me, But
I don't know what that says about their drafting over the last few years.
But man, I just nothing clearly stands out to me. I mean,
you have Garland, but you don't necessarily need a ball handler. We have
feeling fronts and still there. You know, I think I don't know,
Brandon Miller might be blocked a little bit. We have quickly on the board.
Go back to New York. Very open to suggestions here, but I
think I might go quickly. But bringing back back, I got a lot
of guys that everyone I go down. It's just like, I don't know
what it's the the nixt time I lost anybody like you said, and so
it's like, well, these guys are all weird fits or duplicative or whatever.
Dan chime in for Knicks needs here, like they got to get another
big right, Like I mean, if you're just going with player, you
know, roster deficiencies, they got. Hardenstein's gone, Mitchell Robinson can't say
healthy, So do we think centers? And then if you're doing that,
you're reaching pretty deep down the list, I'd say. So the two players
I thought of was in keeping with the theme of to Unseen Jay's Celtics.
Devon Vesselle would just make a lot of sense of having Mchal Bridges, o
Geobi and Devin Bassell's just ridiculous. Even though Devonzel is not a great defender,
if he's all of a sudden like your third or fourth most important defender,
it's a different story. The guy that I did think about here was
Jabari Smith. I don't think Tims would use him properly and he would be
more to fined like this was his pick. He Derek Lively would be on
this team right now. I think that's pretty clear. So you could go
that route, but I do think best player available to me, there's a
better debate to be had where if you went to quickly route the vessel,
it would be a perimeter player versus a if we could have a debate about
it. But I don't think that I could take from a pure talent and
a vacuum standpoint Jabari Smith or Derek Lively right here, I don't know.
I mean, your argument is kind of leaning toward the cell at this point.
I mean, especially since they don't necessarily need him to be you know,
the there a one a two defender, so nice hee take too,
Devin Vassell. I mean, Julius Randall's still there. But if you're looking
for if you think you might move rand or you're gonna lose him because of
the like you don't sign him to an extension and you trade him. Or
if you just think, okay, we want our third best shot creator and
we have McHale Bridges. Devin Vassell is better at that than McHale Bridges.
He's not the same level of passer, he's not the same level of cutter,
he's not the same level of defender, but he is better at getting
to his spot coming around ball screens, and that's someone you know they probably
would prefer to I think quickly. Could you could argue might be the better
fit is like the actual point guard type and what he does defensively at the
point of attack. But that would be my spicy take if you were considering
pivoting, is that he beat Rogs, Michael Bridges and the shot creator packing
order for me go ahead. No, I was gonna say, and you
know, as my co GM and in honor of you calling me a sociopath
the other day, which I greatly appreciate it, I think I'm gonna pivot
and uh the South, I dig it. That would be. That'd be
a fun perimeter trio right Visell, Bridges and og Absolutely tough grant, What
were you gonna say? I was gonna just try to complicate it by throwing
out like, well, do we want lower usage guys like a Trey Murphy
or something like that, or do you want to go Nick Claxton if you're
still thinking about how do we get some big man minutes covered? The other
thing is like we haven't really reached into the I'm trying to look at the
list now. Most of these guys are from some of the earlier draft classes.
Other than like Chet and Wemby. So I'm waiting for someone to take
like the pure upside play of someone that's had like just their rookie year,
and let's go, I really don't want. I don't want, Okay,
so we're going to have to talk through this one. So I have the
Warriors here at eighteen, Grant Brand just reminding you on the board. Unfortunately,
there's also another Warrior on the board that I could irrationally take a little
high if you Minga. That's where that's where this podcast will end. We
need this to be more interesting because I'm willing to do it. Uh,
Darius Garland's my best player available. That makes no sense, so like we
can't take him technically. Brandon Miller is next, and I'm kind of warming
to the idea of him because if the issue with the Warriors is they don't
Now I'm not ruling out Kaminga because I'm not allowed to do that contractually.
They don't have a guy that's like, there's your second star. I think
Brandon Miller based on his rookie year, Like I remember, like part of
one of the knocks on him was that it's like, well he feels kind
of like a second star to me, and he outplayed that as a rookie.
But if that's the floor, then that kind of like fits a little
bit here, and mixed with the fact that he is the second best guy
I have on my board, I'm leaning Brandon Miller, but I would love
to hear other nominations here. Well, if you took Trey Murphy, it
would make me not have to regret the moody over Murphy on Draft day.
I'm still living in a world of the Warriors have a one percent chance of
winning it all next year, which is about one percent too high. And
I don't want you to take Brandon Miller and have to wait two a few
years before he is who he is. But from like a non Warrior perspective,
it makes a ton of sense because they really do need like a guy
who's going to lead the next era. And I don't know if Kaminga is
that, you know, I think Brandon Miller would be a better top option
in a few years. So anyway, I kind of support it, and
I kind of don't. Yeah, so that is a good no that you
raised the point I didn't really think about, like who's the guy that is
the best player tomorrow? You know, Brandon Miller might be the best pick
here in three years, But who's the guy if they're saying we're trying to
still build the best possible contender around Steph, is there someone that's older,
that's maybe more topped out that would would justify being taken here? Like is
it like Herb Jones? Like, I don't know, that doesn't I'm trying
to think of me the door. Jayden McDaniels, I don't. If you're
trying to still cake in upside, maybe it's Jaden McDaniels, but I don't
know that if you go with Brandon Miller, and maybe if you went with
this is again doesn't fit into the motif that you were just trying to outline.
But if you were looking to kind of get that second someone who might
hit stardom or quasi stardom or Steph is still there, like maybe Jabari,
I don't, Yeah, Jalen Green, maybe I feel like that could be
disastrous. Now. I think I think Jabari is interesting because he would solve
a lot of problems they have where you get some spacing from a big guy
that can guard. I don't know. I'm still leaning Miller, even though
it does like what this will be the third timeline if we if I I
think, just for novelty's sake, I'm going to do Brandon Miller at eighteen,
which leaves me at nineteen for the Nets who just have nothing at this
point. So I go whatever route I want. I think my best player,
like in a vacuum right now is Darius Garland, and so I think
I have to go that route. They need a point guard of the future
anyway, So this ends up fitting and he is also someone I don't think
we saw it as often this past season, but Cleveland was so stop and
start with their availability at the top when you look at the injuries to like
everybody in their top four, basically that this might actually end up You know,
if we circle back and like evaluated these results in a year, two
years, three years, it might look egregious that he dropped all the way
to nineteen, even if you're doing best player available or fit. So he
is pretty scalable as a as a point guard type, but in this situation
he gets to run the show, which per reports, while he's willing to
stay in Cleveland, probably because he has no leverage and his trade value bottomed
out like he's we've seen and make an All Star game in that in that
type of role. Yeah, he goes like five, six, seven spots
higher for doing this, you know, based on where his reputation was a
year ago. I think just the injuries to start this season threw it off
track and like pretty pretty solid value there. He was definitely the best player
I had left too. I'm mad that no one else is mad. I
wish you could have taken Brandon Miller there because brooklyns to you know, you
know, rebuild, but then instead granted saying the Warriors are rebuilders. So
that's quite apart loud with that. Well, as the owner of the next
two picks, with the Grizzlies and Jazz, I am mad that you took
Garland because I was hoping he fell to one of them. Because the Grizzlies,
having lost John Morant, desperately need a point guard now. They also
doesn't main so their backcourt is Marcus Smart and and and Eric gig Jackson's got
so I think I'm going I'm leading toward Emmanuel quickly here. He's the best
player and got left on my board, and I think he'd fill a huge
positional need for them, so, barring any drastic objections, flocking in quickly
with the Grizzlies number twenty Yeah, no problem with that. I think that's
an excellent fit now too. And look him and it's smart, kind of
nasty defensively right. So yeah, you are now on the number twenty one
as well. Great? Yeah, so Utah have they I don't think they've
actually lost anyone yet, No great sign. Cool, Okay, we're still
trying to figure out the Loring marketing thing. So honestly, like this is
probably the hardest team to do for this entire exercise, because who knows what
direction they'll be going in in three weeks, assuming that they keep marketing and
are looking for quote unquote a second star. I think, you know,
like Jabari Smith, I think there's too much positional Overlaps and Keek and Murray.
I know we've seen marketing play the three in Cleveland especially, but I'd
probably look for either a wing or a guard here. And I'm a very
big believer in Jalen Johnson, but I think the guy on the board who's
left, who still has that like could be a star upside, even if
the floor is probably lower than Utah would like, is Jalen Green? And
maybe I'm just buying into the Mickey Mouse march that he just had, but
but you know, it just sounds like Utah is hunting for we need someone
else who can be this primary option and have marketing get bumped down a peg,
and like, I just don't see that for really. I mean,
you know, a lot of these other guys left on the board, a
great players, great complimentary fits, but I think Jalen Green is the only
one left arguably with that type of the ceiling. I like the logic,
it's hard to argue. I think that's right. It's just like the I
probably of the last Yeah, I feel right. Man. Can I ask
why is it? And I'm not saying anyone here views it differently? Why
was it different this year that he had a good run towards the end of
the season when that's just been his m oh? Is it? Like?
Why is this time different than the other two? Is it just because they
were watching the Rockets because they had like bigger like names and Shane Gun was
playing well. I know he got injured towards the end of the season.
I just I'm having trouble. Yeah, he had an incredible stretchers. Having
trouble wrapping my mind around why we're buying into it now when this has just
been the trend for three years. I get it's because I would probably several
of you guys know because you read it. I cited it a million times.
They won, they were thirteen and two like during I think it's March,
and that's coincides mostly with Green just losing his mind as a scorer.
So like, that's to me, that's the only difference. I don't know
how persuasive that should be, but I think that's all it is, is
that his hot streak at the end of the year coincided with team success.
Anyone anyone else? Is anyone else a believer in jailing Green? Grant's like
a convert. I feel like, like two thirds of the season and then
he converted towards the end. I'm not saying you're doing this new now.
You were on it for a while. What was happening, but it was
one of your bigger about faces. Yeah, well, I think like I
went from this guy has no chance to be like a winning NBA player to
like, oh, actually I need I think maybe now I view him more
like Brian described him of like it's not a definite, but in terms of
upside, like his scoring ability is there's nobody else left has has it,
Like that's just that's where we are in the draft. Yeah, it makes
sense. That also makes sense for me as a Warriors fan. And Jalen
Green shoots thirty three percent for the first month and the DAWs are sixteen and
then they have to trademark, and then I feel like, thank you,
Brian for that long game. You're welcome. Yeah. To be clear,
I have not like sold on Jalen Green. I recognize the floor the flower
for him, for like a Jalen Johnson or even Trey Murphy. But this
is just purely a ceiling play because the Jazz are just like the one place
they don't want to be in and where they are right now where it's like
not even stuck in the middle. They're stuck in like purgatory. And I
think Jalen Green forces their hand one way or the other. Right there you
go a good way for I get tanks and they trademarketed, and then you
know they've got Jordan pulled two point zero on their heads. Yeah, I
just find it fascinating that someone who watched Tobias Harris' floor over the past half
decade is like prepared to take someone of low floors Jalen Green. So that
Obias Harris didn't have a ceiling, there's the difference. It was just low
floor, low ceiling. So the akers around the clock at number twenty two,
I am primarily responsible for them. My best player available is probably Denny
Avvia at this point, but I don't love that they need someone like anyone
who qualifies as like a two way wing or combo forward. But I want
a little bit more shooting, even though he brings more ball handling. I'm
gonna go with Trey Murphy here. I think just that motion shooting alongside or
surrounding lebron Nad and I'm assuming JJ Redick let him operate in motion. You
know, maybe Brownie James will set him up for a couple of assists on
his drives when he never really plays during the season. But I love the
fit. I think he probably has a ways to go. I think his
defensive reputations become a little overinflated at this point, but I actually think that
his offensive skill set could be deeper, where people think of um ah,
he's taking ultra d threes and people are setting them up like he's got some
just bizazz to him if you give him a little bit of space on the
ball. And so if the Lakers do decide to trade Dangel Russell, that's
someone who can maybe pick up some of the like just not set even secondary
but just like tershy ball handling responsibilities. Yeah, I like that one.
Do you think since it's the Lakers, they would be they might have been
the Jalen Green spot, which, like, are they hunting for the guy
that could be the third star because that's not Murphy. But I think Murphy's
probably the most sensible fit. Yeah. I mean it might be Jalen Johnson
if they're like we need the most star upside, I thought about him too,
because I love Jalen Johnson or even nas Reed alongside Anthony Davis, but
this just means shooting so badly. So Trey Murphy just feels like if we're
going, if we're considering fit at all, I think you could make a
case you want to that, oh he'll have a better career than Danny Avdia
or Jane McDaniels or like Jabari Smith was tempting. I'm I'm in the bag
for Jabari Smith and but like he could play next to a d and Lebron.
But it's just I'm trying to like I have to wait fit a little
bit. It seems like based off how this podcast is going, sure,
well yeah, all right, okay, there's nothing further on Trey Murphy.
I have Dallas at twenty three, so uh, they haven't lost anybody,
but they will probably lose Derek Lively, which makes it semi reasonable to just
take him here. I don't know how exciting that is. He's not this
high on my board, but if you as well, Dallas made the finals,
so should we just keep that team together? Like, there's a decent
arguments we made that you just have Lively come back, But I kind of
want Derek Jones replacement that this version has Klay Thompson. So the shooting is
semi solved. Maybe, But let me ask you, guys, of the
following players, who is the highest on your board. I'm like looking at
a type here, Jalen Johnson, Herb Jones, Jonathan Kaminga, Jabari Smith,
Like, Who's who do you have highest? Out of those guys,
I have Jabari the highest, Okay, anybody have something else? I have
Jalen Johnson the highest and Ji second. Damn. So nobody has Jonathan kaminga
highest, is what I'm hearing. I would love to have it about him.
If you just want to take him, so go ahead. No,
I don't think I can do that. I mean, if I'm going by
my board, I should. So. I think it is between Johnson and
uh and Jabbari. Man, that's tough. We've only had one like great
year from Johnson. Jabari's had two solid ones. I think the defensive upsides
higher with Jabari probably and maybe, but other than that, like Johnson's got
a lot of advantages on him. Is kind of like what if Maxi Kleeba
was still good? Yeah, right, Like and he can get his own
a little bit if you need. That's the other thing. No scenario on
Dallas. Do we need someone that can individually shot create just because Luca and
Kyrie like, that's issue handled. So I think probably, I don't know,
I'm gonna go Jabbari, but it's really close with him and Jalen Johnson,
I think, And if I were allowed to be as biased as I
want to be Johnathan Kamenica Jabari is bigger too. So if you're thinking like
lab threats for Luca, Jabari is probably more in that, especially if home
run fit that you just made, well, like Brian, you're about to
say, you're we're about to say, Brian, if you lose Lively like
Jabbari makes some sense, yeah, And I mean there's a chance that you
lose like daffer is technically eligible for this draft as well, but you're like,
you're probably not gonna lose both of them at this point. I mean
there's only you know, seven pick seven, and I think, yeah,
so like I you know, I think you'll have at least one of them.
And then you know, if you're looking for this guy could fill in
as a front court replacement if I do lose one of them. Whereas you
know, they just double down like they have Clay Nagie Marshall now in a
wing. Yeah, I like it. I like it a lot. This
team with Dallas is huge. Now if you're you're talking like, well,
if gonna lose Lively, but if you have Smith and Luca and PJ.
Washington and Clay is still like big for a win, like there's an interesting
team. We're getting into the territory where these teams aren't losing a lot of
guys because they're they've been good. They don't have a lot of young players,
so all these teams are going to seem unfairly improved from here on.
I think, yeah, we're just stacking teams here. But the next one
is actually in uh, you know, their timeline is kind of at an
end. With Miami, Jimmy Butler's thirty four. You know, he's going
into the last year guaranteed, the year of his contract, so I think,
you know, it's tough. I mean, BAM's twenty seven and it's
probably going to be his team soon, so it's not necessarily like they need
to go into full rebuild mode soon. And we're with Jimmy and Tow we're
still looking at, you know, a win now player. So I am
not necessarily looking for upside here. But that's not to say I'm you know,
averse to it. But given the conversation, I mean, I don't
know, I could see Jalen Johnson there. I'm kind of leading toward there,
but I you know, I'm still having nightmares about Dark Lively. I'm
not sure in his lobs from last year, but I'm not sure, you
know, with Bam in the front court, you know, I you know,
I just I'm I'm looking probably towards uh, Jalen Johnson. I think
just as the top guy left on the board for me. He's my best
non warrior available. Can take a lot. Yeah, and the fit like
he shot threes well enough last year where it's you you you stick him next
to Bam and I think that's still that can work on on offense too,
And he just brings all these different dynamics when you're looking at the stuff he
could do in the open floor. He's got some ball handling, some counters
going downhill and if he gets better defensively, which I assume he will,
and just Miami's I'm not going to say culture Miami system under coach Alex b
Ulstra, like that's I wouldn't rule out Miami be like well to play Jalen
Johnson at the five when BAM's catching a breather, and that'd be something I
would absolutely watch. Yeah, Okay, Joey for two here jo Yeah.
Well, I'm a little surprised Jalen Suggs hasn't been taken and I absolutely love
him and I wouldn't want him to be a Clipper because he's in the same
division as me. But I think I just don't understand how he just I
mean, obviously he gets to play great defense, while James Harden just doesn't
play any defense. You kind of need a guy like him, So I
just think it's an obvious pick. Yeah, I like that one, especially
after losing PG and whatever is going on with Kawhi. Was he booted off
team? He would say, because he was injured? Was he actually injured?
I just don't. So you lose Paul George Gui is always a question
mark, Like, just get someone in there who can like capslock check people
on defense. Yeah. I like he was on my rightarf for my next
pick. So I like that one. For twenty six with the Suns,
I would just love to get Derek Lively. Man, would that make the
sound scary? I Mean, the biggest problem with them right now is they
just don't I mean, whenever Nurkic has to defend anything on the perimeter,
it's a disaster. They you know, It's an interesting one because they could
also use like a wing defender, and there's several on the board that could
be taken, so I could be talked out of it. But I just
the idea of lively blocking all these shots and just dominating down low, and
the fact that he's just so young and honestly probably should have got taken already
based on that alone, I just, yeah, it seems like a good
pick. Coach, budg just orgasm defense. Yeah, you just solved our
defense with one guy. Basically, Yeah, number six ers. Can you
make the wrong pick just to make Brian I rate? That'd be great.
It's crazy, you know, I'm ending up with you know, I had
the Knicks and the Sixers. I wish Ben Simmons was in this school because
Botage we're down at you know, we're down at twenty seven, so and
you know, the Sixers have a clear big three here Maxig indeed, so
right, you know, I keep forgetting the exercise we're in, of course,
and I took them too, so that kind of does change things for
me. So I don't know if there is any you know, ball handle,
like reliable hand or left at this or you know, they're just gonna
have to sign someone off the free agent heat ten day contract. It until
they solve it. But because the guard's list here is looking pretty thin.
I mean, I was originally thinking our Jones just to kind of round out
that wing for the Sixers, but you know, Maxi's departures is really for
me for a loop, I guess, I mean, I might have to
go nem Hard just because we need something in the backboard now. And he
was a killer in the playoffs. He looked like he's just kind of like
he's taking that next step, and I think, you know, given the
players left, I think he could really have some a lot of upside left.
So we'll go nem Hard for Brian Sixers. I did my best for
you, Brian. I'm intrigued. I'm intrigued. Yeah, I mean,
I like Kegan Murray the top guy left on my board, but I don't
know fit wise if he makes a ton of sense, especially give the other
additions they made this offseason. When you said Herb Jones lastly, my hero
is worked up because like he's the only other like Keegan, and then Herb
is the number two guy on my board, and like the defensive potent of
Paul George and Herb Jones together, you know, especially what we did recently
with the Beat the Celtics project, like a couple of you guys basically just
assembled a bunch of wings together, and it kind of seemed like that was
the real life sixer strategy. But now add Herb Jones to the mix,
and you know, you stay have a pretty good chance of making life hell
on both the Celtics and the Knicks, who are probably the two biggest threats
to Billy this year. So that's tough. I mean, I could be
swayed either way, but I think, yeah, them Hard or Jones would
be my pick. There. Commenters will hate you. I think that people
who listen to podcasts will love you. I love I love that fit after
losing MAXI yeah, you got to get a ball handler, right, Like,
It's just I don't know, I don't know, I don't know who
else you would even. I mean Kobe White, that's like the other night
I thought of, yeah being able to like kind of have him in the
I'll call him the mini like Alex Caruso role, but he's also a ball
handler, like a real ball handler. At the other end, I really
like this pic JA, I love the Yeah, I agree a fit.
I have Denver here and like you lose case you So I wish I could
extract a promise from you guys that someone will take Jonathan Kminga or pause at
some point. I'm not gonna take either of him now. I just like
I can't believe we're going to get through this without either of them. But
it has to be Herb Jones, right, Like, just slot Herb Jones
into casep's vacated shooting guard spot. You get better defense, you get like
at least recently comparable shooting. I don't know that i'd say that's likely going
forward, but that's just he's he's maybe the most win now guy left.
He's established, like we know what he is. He's one of the best
defenders in the league. Like, that's just I don't know who else i'd
even really seriously think about it other than Herb. There, agreed, I
think it would you have considered, Like do you like him? Is there
a chance Jane McDaniels would better for this team? Yeah? I thought about
him. Like again, there's like a clump there with even Keegan Murray too,
Like you get the positions get weird there because he can't he's not a
two I guess McDaniels. Do you feel okay about McDaniels on twos? I
think Herb's a better defender than Jane McDaniels, like by a pretty like small
margin. They're both great, and I just yeah, I don't know,
I like I like Herb a little better, I guess is what it comes
down to. But McDaniels for sure would be another you know, okay,
he just replaces kcp uh. I'd like to have a discussion about pick number
twenty nine. I feel like Keegan Murray would be the easiest play to fit
in here, and it gives Boston sort of that secondary another secondary wing,
combo forward which they don't just have. Like if you replace Sam Howser's minutes
with Keegan Murray, you're better. They're a lot better. But I'm also
just kind of wondering when you factor in like the Porsingius injury and also the
fact that they don't have this. I know they have Drew, they have
Derek White, they of him, they don't have a capslock playmaker. Does
it make sense to go with another secondary playmaker who's also a combo forward in
Denni Afdia. Those are the two that I'm kind of grappling between my on
my board, I have Danny Avdia higher, Kinggan Murray feels like more of
the okay, and Jane McDaniels. I want someone with more ball skill.
Yeah, you can slid me into Boston. Their defense doesn't need them.
So those are the two that I've been hanging back and forth, and I
was curious if anyone had any strong thoughts as to which way I should be.
I think those are the two. I don't know who else you do,
really, even I'm trying to find another name to just make this harder
on you. That the one other guy I've got at least in my top
thirty, and he will be under consideration for the Bucks if you pass him
up here is kau If you're really worried about the Porzingis injury and Courtford's age.
I know the Celtics did just resign all of their reserve centers basically,
so maybe they're not super concerned about that. But yeah, otherwise, I
think Murray and Avia are the players that I would crow it like Murray.
I am Murray higher than Avia, but I don't think you can go wrong
either way. Per se. I'm gonna go with I'm just gonna go with
Dan. I'm gonna go with Keegan Murray. I think his offense is a
hair more scalable. I think that Denny's the better player in a vacuum.
But Boston doesn't need better players. It needs depth that fits into its structure.
And look, they're the two highest remaining players on my board anyway.
That being said, Danny Aby has been highest player on my board for a
few picks now, So I'm gonna sendle on Keegan Murray, who just anyone.
I know you guys have noticed Bake. He just brings a lot more
defensively than I think people realize at this point after the year he had.
And so yeah, the shooting's intriguing, but there's also just the defensivelopment there
where you can kind of move him across the two, three and the four.
Our final pick. Misterk Well, we just mentioned Denny, so he's
in consideration. A conglu I think is in consideration. Grant, I'll throw
you a bone and lie and I'll say, comengo. What about Jackson Davis?
Yeah? Come on, men, yet, come on, you know
what, all these guys are under consideration. Some might take a hold of
more consideration than others. The brook Lopez stuff is weird this offseason. It's
just I'm surprised by how much brook Lopez chatter there is, so that you
know, that makes me wonder should I go a conglu or like Nick Klaxton,
Probably not Jalen Duran because the the Bucks are very much in a win
now window. So like that's what makes me nervous even about I mean conglu
for sure, because like he is still more conceptual than actual. We just
still like you see these flashes and you can envision what he could become,
but we haven't seen it full time. I guess you wouldn't have to do
that in Milwaukee either, as long as he kept brook Lopez. But how
he would mesh with Bobby Portis is at least a consideration. Part of me
thinks, pass both of them and just take lou Dort, like, just
go for the best defenser left on the board, and you know, cover
up for Dane defensively that way. I know they just signed Gary Trent Junior,
and like, I think part of the appeal was we can promise you
the starting shooting guard role, which might not be the case. We got
lou Dort here, but then do you have Gary joun Junior coming off the
bench. So I don't know. This is one where I like want to
deviate because I don't think Loue Dort is the best player available on the board,
but for Milwaukee he might be the best fit. So curious what you
guys think here. To me, it's him or McDaniels, those are the
two. I think McDaniels was the name for me that I was thinking of
for them, because you want more of like just the general pop, whereas
lou Dort's like kind of more physical, Yes, some of the pops.
I don't think you's go wrong either way, but it would be between those
two for me. I guess you have to feel you know, lou Dort
will get up threes, whether or not they go into a different story.
Jade. McDaniels kind of he can be both evils where it's low volume and
low efficiency, but we've also seen him be moderate volume, higher efficiency.
Yeah, I mean, McDaniels gives you insurance against Chris Middleton, who you
think they were just running like a buy one, get one and he was
like, yeah, yeah, well what about the idea that to your point,
Brian about like what's what's up with brook Lopez. If there's a future
where the bucks are mostly are more than they haven't in the past, Yannis
at center, you could get away with McDaniels at some four and maybe that's
his best position. I don't know if Dort is. I don't feel as
good about Dort. I mean, he's gonna be stronger than whoever regards,
but like it's gonna hurt your re mounding like that kind of thing. McDaniel's
size I think maybe might tip it. I don't know, but Dort,
I guess maybe it depends on how much you believe in Dort's shooting, because
Dan's right, like he's gonna get them up and if they fall at forty
percent or like thirty eight percent, but then you look at it and say,
well we have Gary Trent Junior and Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez will stretch
the floor as long as we're gonna get up threes. I Grant's point about
Jane McDaniel's size, which I didn't even consider, is like Chris Middleton is
the day facto for might make the most sense, but like McDaniels can toggle.
It feels like between a few more existences than the dort Can and Trent
and Lillard are not a big backcourt, Like that's pretty dr size. You
might need to get some of that back at a different position. Agreed.
Okay, you guys talker mcgannis like a collaboration. Oh you know the name.
I didn't think, but maybe he should should Tari heusedn't have been considered
here. Isn't he mostly a four? Like a pure four? I don't
know, I maybe, yeah, I mean the defense is there. We're
we're definitely skewing DEFs for the Bucks, that's for sure. Well, when
you start Damian Lillard passedly, Gary Trent, I think you kind of have
to. Yeah, yeah, I mean the cool thing about this exercise is
that we got through thirty names and there's still a ton of talent on the
board. Like we've brought up a number of them already, but we hadn't
mentioned you know, Austin Reeves, aaron Ne Smith, PJ. Washington,
Cam Johnson, not read, Jalen Duran, Like, you know, we
could easily We're not going to to be clear, but we easily could do
a full second round of this and still have you know a bunch of very
good players available. Yeah, I thought somebody might reach on one of the
Thompson's, just like just on pure upside, like who's well, maybe let's
before I know, Jay, you have an out. Who's the best player
on your board that didn't get taken? Dan? Who? I'll just go
around? Who did you have highest that wasn't drafted in Jonathan Cominga No,
find no that that wasn't here. It would be lou Dort for me,
would be the highest on board it wasn't drafted. What about you, Brian?
It was a conglu for me, And that's really just a bet on
the upside. Jay McDaniels, Okay, no he took him. Oh no,
he did take him. Sorry, Yeah, what about you, Joey?
I'm sorry I had him as someone took him. That's such a I
apologize, Denny. I really failed you. I had six picks to grab
you and I didn't. By uh. A couple of people on my board,
Jordan Poole, Trade Fasting Jackson, James Weisman. Oh that was I'm
sorry. I got yeah, I really Uh, I really like Kobe White
one guy, so I had I had four guys in my top thirty still
there. Uh. Kuminga obviously was my highest. He was at nineteen for
me, no apologies, Uh black than Kobe White, and then I did
have pods at thirty, but that's a pure Homer pick. At least you're
honest about it. Yeah, I can't hide it anymore. It's been long
enough. Who do you think before? Very quick before J goes who's the
worst player that we took? And it was clearly all right, like we
went with the fit here rather than just on the pure talent perspective. Okay,
okay, so maybe like the biggest reach because like I mean, the
worst player has probably taken the last three or four picks, but the biggest
like reach based on fit might be a different conversation, right, Yeah,
I mean I think I make a case for I took Brandon Miller. That
was the one that stood out. Yeah, yeah, to a team that's
like we're trying to win today, like we don't need a guy who's in
his second season. But I just I really was just going by my board
more than anything there, and I couldn't take Garland. I think Garland was
Yeah, Garland was still there, but that made no sense to me,
for him to go to the Warriors, So ye'll nominate one of my own
as a big reach there. I mean, like, I know it doesn't
make sense timelinewise, I think it was the best player available and if you're
looking for that bridge to the next you know what the post Steph Aaron looks
like. Think Grandon Miller probably had the highest upside of Ranning. Plus the
Warriors kept Kaminga and Pajemski, so they just having of riches going for.
This was loads of fun. Guys. Thank you for bringing this project to
Brandt and I. But we will reintroduce you in the outro when we actually
recorded. I know j has to goes, I want to let you go.
But this was great and hopefully we'll get to do more stuff like this
again in the future. Absolutely appreciated guys. Thanks well, that was a
bunch of fun. Uh super agreeable on allur We had like a couple of
the base I thought it was a good, good exercise come vacillating between.
The thing that I struggled with was like, were we doing best player available
or are we fit and going? So it seems like we had it was
like trying to juggle both and after the first few picks, it got really
tough to do that. Yeah, I think that's just it mirrors how the
actual draft goes. Right, You're always in the real world, you're always
like, well, is this guy's better than this guy? But we need
this, you know, and it's there's I don't know that there's ever a
right answer. So yeah, no real shocks here, but I think,
I mean, really, if anything, surprising amount of depth because there were
a lot of good players we didn't draft, and even some more we didn't
talk about. But yeah, I had fun. I well I had fun
until we finished it and no Warriors were selected. But as you pointed out,
both Pods and Kaminga are still warriors, and so the pick you made
on behalf of the warriors looked a little bit better. I guess it was
all part of a grand plan to help them emerge looking best from this exercise,
anything else you want to add or shall we call it? Let's call
it? Are you ready to take us out of here? Let's call it?
Yeah? Thanks everyone, Thanks especially to Brian Tojay to Joey. Awesome
idea, fun to execute, good to work together. Hopefully we'll get some
more of those done in the future. Let us know what you thought.
I mean, this is a very comment and response worthy exercise. We did
so point out the worst picks, the best pick, who should have gone
where, who was on drafted that shouldn't have been all that stuff. You
can do that by joining our discord, by making sure you're subscribed wherever you
can get your podcasts. Check us out on YouTube. Five k subscribers,
level cleared, big excitement. I know you've mentioned this, but thrown that
out there too. Yeah, tell your friends, tell your enemies, spread
the word, let us know if you like this idea, if you'd like
see more, if you'd like see less. Always open the input. But
yeah, that's going to do it. Fun draft. Thanks everybody. Shout
out Franklin Lackina apologies, Jaredien