What is crack a lacin fellow thermonuclear a evers. I am the incredibly sleep
deprived Dana Valley coming at you with my certified man tabulous co host, mister
Grant Hughes. We have to talk about This is not what we plan to
talk about. We were gonna bounce around the NBA and talk about a whole
bunch bunch of different stuff and teams and players. James Harden was traded to
the Clippers, though, so we're gonna get into that. We're gonna talk
about the impact has on the Sixers, the Clippers, maybe the rest of
the NBA as well. But first, and I would argue foremost at this
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You can support the show that way as well. Grant, how the
heck are you doing well? I'm not sleep deprived, so that's good.
But if it's any consolation to you, I also just still feel tired,
so I don't know what to do with that. But I'm gonna you won't
be able to tell. I'm gonna power through because our listeners and viewers matter,
and I'm gonna suck it up and pretend not to be tired, partly
because I don't have an excuse. But yeah, So James Harden got traded.
Did you know about this the first I'm hearing about it. You found
out much sooner than I did. I didn't find out till this morning.
It's Tuesday morning. Apparently it was like an overnight thing and it was triggered
by According to Sham's Steve Baumber and Josh Harris were on the telephone and just
hashed it out, Which is crazy because all the reporting leading up to this
was all the Clippers have stepped away from the negotiating table. We must agree
before we go any farther to immediately dismiss any report that parties have stepped away
from the negotiating table, because that keeps happening and the deal gets done like
immediately afterwards. So that's clearly like the last gasp negotiating ploy from one side
or the other and then the deal gets done. Right, that seems forget
what the last one was. But this clearly happened before. Yeah, I
will say I'm tired of the Clippers making these late night trades and deal It
happened with KWHI and Free Agency. It happened when they traded Tobias Harris to
the to the Sixers, and now it happens again, like I get that
they operate on West Coast time, but it was a it was an ungodly
hour for West Coast snobs who are allowed to watch late games that run until
just ten o'clock there at time, rather than one time. Anyway, but
we should let's start with the trade details. Yeah, get to it.
So the Sixers are trading James Harden and PJ. Tucker, as well as
Philip Petrosev, who I imagine it will be done separately, although we're making
a lot of assumptions here, but those three players are going out coming into
Philly. Robert Covington reunion feels pretty good, Nicholas Patoom, kJ Martin,
Marcus Morris Senior. They are also getting draft picks. They are getting LA's
twenty eight first rounder unprotected. They're getting two second round picks. They're also
getting a twenty twenty six first round pick from OKC. It is technically the
Clippers, but it's the least favorable of They have a protected Houston pick,
their own first round pick, and then that Clippers pick, So the Sixers
will get the least favorable of that, which you know is not going to
be a great pick, but it's a second first round pick, and they
will also get a swap. I believe that their swap is coming in twenty
twenty nine, correct grant I get that one, Yes, that is right,
and then a couple seconds in twenty one and twenty four and one in
twenty nine, and in exchange for I thought this was interesting, and I
misread it. The thunder is part of this deal because they're giving up that
first round the least favorable those first round picks. They have the right to
swap picks in twenty twenty seven with the Clippers. I read it as they
were giving up the twenty twenty six pick outright initially, and they were just
taking that swap. This makes a lot more sense. It's a very Sam
Presty trade because you're still potentially getting the Clippers pick in twenty twenty six if
it's good. If it's not, you send it to the Sixers. And
now you're kicking the can another year, allowing the Clippers another year to implode
or fall off, and now they have even fewer assets with which to you
know, rebound should they go that route. And so I'd argue it's a
it's a I mean, it's a it's a very typical Sam Presti trade,
is right, it's just kind of let's let's use the assets we have,
because we have too many of them draft wise to like kind of just nudge
up the upside of you know, some of them, right, like,
because that twenty seven swap could potentially be a really great pick and and so
as as a I don't know, the six, there needed to be something
done to compensate the thunder for you know, getting off of that other pick,
and so this gives them I think some just better upside potentially, right,
There's no I think there's been a lot of research done on swaps that
a lot of the time the payout is not as good as we tend to
make it out to be. So getting a swap is you know, we
equate it to getting a first Sometimes it's not always that way. But this
one I kind of like the upside on them. And they also for them,
they only in that year, they only have their pick and the Nuggets
pick, which the Nuggets pick probably won't be very good. Yeah, and
so there's a chance that the swap gets exercise fairly. So that's the extent
of my analysis on what the thunder did. Is that. This is I
actually tweeted, this is the one of the things I got right. I
said, it would be very Danny Ainge. Oh, it would be very
typical of Danny Ainge or Sam Presty to get a swap from the Clippers in
exchange for sending out like a first round pick. And that's basically what happened.
It was the thunder low and behold. A lot of people thought the
thunder and the heat, We're gonna do some shenanigans like that when he came
to Damian Lillard. No, it happened for It happened for James Harden.
What's end of the spectrum do you want to start with here? Clippers are
sixers before we get to the league wide repercussions, if if they exist at
all, I guess sixers, just because I want to ask you. The
first question I had was like, just what do you think of the return
package? Because all along Darryl Moury now so I'm jumping ahead. All along,
Darryl Mory essentially said, I want to get someone that ups our championship
equity, right if I'm going to trade James Harden. He did not do
that, because you know, I guess makes the Sixers deeper. But you
know, we'll talk about this, but what the Sixers got were you know,
things they can use to go get that guy theoretically from someone else.
But just what did you think of the return package in light of like Harden
is a kind of extra complicated situation, but in light of you know,
the going rate for other big name stars, you know, numbers just sheer
number of firsts assets brought on because this is just expiring money essentially, and
what amounts to to first and a swap as far as like the stuff you
really care about? How do you think that stacks up, like maybe just
against your expectations of what the Sixers were going to get, or how it
stacks up against what the package might be hypothetically like ultimately, is this going
to be enough to get another star like at market rates you know where to
because the hard and discount I think is real because there weren't other suitors.
The Clippers kind of knew they had the Sixers over, so that depressed the
return a little bit. But you know, two first or two first for
a guy that's expiring and that the Sixers like just weren't going to go forward
with, so, what's your overall impression of like just what the Sixers were
able to get for James Harden when I thought they were getting too unprotected First,
when I misread it, I thought it was a home run. Now
I think this is probably where I would have expected. We've had the conversation
before, and it just felt like it was always gonna come down to could
they get Terrence Man or a second first round pick in addition to a first
round pick and a swap while also not taking on any long term money.
I was actually surprised. First of all, you weren't up for this,
which kudos to you. The details took forever to come out. Wows reported
it, and he even apparently this was per Keith Smith. I didn't listen
to the Walsh podcast. He was abow he was in the airport about to
catch a flight to LA the trade breaks, he tweeted out, but he
doesn't have the details. Yes, so he missed his flight, got kicked
out of the airport basically because he was taking too long to figure out the
details. And then I guess went home and eventually finished the reporting on it.
It took forever for the details to come out. And so I was
like kinda we were laying in wait to figure out what it was. I
think knowing how ugly he made it and knowing what few avenues were available to
both him and the Sixers, this feels about right. If anything, I
think you can argue the fact that you walked away with two first round picks
a swap and kJ Martin just another guy you can has a very low cap
hold you can throw into a Deal's like, oh, look at this guy
who's young. He'll give you some rim pressure. He'll be moved around defensively,
even if you don't think he's a great defender. And then like the
I like Roco, I know some Clippers were just fans, I said,
were just like kind of writing off his departure, like, oh, if
Terrence Man, would you know, hadn't started season with an ankle injury,
wouldn't been playing as much. I still think he's pretty valuable. I think,
but Tom can help the Sixers. I don't know what a healthy Marcus
Morris has left. If anything, it is a reunion of sorts for him.
He's he's a Philadelphia native. Uh. They have too many like non
wings now who also aren't guards. But also aren't centers. It's like these
pure fours and maybe Roco can play some five. That's something they need to
address. I don't I was not shocked one way or the other, but
it really comes down to tyres. MAXI isn't going anywhere now because I think
that factor a great deal into this trade was Oh, he's averaging over thirty
points per game while shooting a trillion percent from three, and his passing is
improved. He looks has more laterality off off the dribble. But now you
have these two picks, a swap salary matching, and you can trade one
first round pick yourself. So three first round picks and a swap plus expiring
salary. That's a real look. Jaden Springer probably has some value right now
just because the defense he's been playing. Yeah, that's a real offer.
When you get into and we should probably talk about what stars could they go
after. You're not going to outbid most teams that if it's like a real
sweepstakes a player like you know, let's just say I'm just throwing it out.
I don't think and this would be hysterical though. I don't think they
would have the best offer for McHale Bridges. Maybe they would if he came
on the market, but like three first round picks in a swap is a
real like baseline, like where if the player says they want to go to
Philly or says they don't want to go somewhere else, or maybe it's just
our other teams scared away from a Pascal Siakam or Zach Lavine. Those are
the names that are going to pop up. You know, I think most
most frequently that that's a real offer to put on the table. Yeah,
I think I think before we go to the Clipper side of this, I
think you've got us angled exactly where we need to go, which is like
the next steps for the Sixers if you're ready to go there. Because within
Woj's reporting and this has been it's just putting a finer point on what I
think everybody knew the Sixers wanted to do. Is their quote expected to pursue
a high level guard in trade, right, So what does that mean?
And like sure we all know what you know, they want an all star
at least we want someone that's gonna definitely start that's gonna be like no worse.
Clearly the third leading scorer on the team, maybe the second leading scorer
depending on what we're talking about, which is all fine, and all the
assets you've made that they can package together if forty ish million in expirings and
I mean, you know, not including Tobias Harris, but they're probably not
trading him. The picks, the swaps, you know, all those seconds
that they have. But like pickens are slim if you're just trying to add
you know. So, I mean, you mentioned the two Zach Levine,
Pascal Siakam, like DeMar de Rosen. We could just go down the list
of guys that are that even like brush up against this high level thing.
And not all of them are guards obviously because we mentioned Seacam, But it
to me, the one that jumps out is Levine, And I'm I think
probably what the Sixers have is close to enough to get him, especially if
things keep going south in Chicago. But is there is it Seacam, Is
that the other guy or I have a list of like ten twelve guys we
could sort of run through his options, But I'm Levine jumps out to me
as like if if in the Sixers ideal world, of the guys that are
actually available or we think are available. It almost has to be him unless
you have somebody else that you like too. I think, I mean you
have names, I have names we could run through. I think Lavine is
the most obvious and sensible of the most obvious candidates, because I saw Pascal
Siakam's name float around out there. Apparently he doesn't hate Nick Nurse as much
as an Ogna. Nope, he does or st think about the Nick Nurse
angle. This is why, this is why we need to team up,
because you pointed that out. Continue. Sorry, my whole thing there is
just like let's just say he's cool with Nick Nurse. What is like Skaman
and be going to be on offense? There's a lot of overlap in the
spots they want to work from. I definitely Sacams used to being more of
a floor general type, although not so much this season. But just like,
I just don't know, defensively that could be really cool, like it
might be super effective. But I'm looking at and look, Levine's a great
fitch is an off the dribble, three point shooting guy. Now you put
him in a role where he becomes the third option, which is not your
primary ball handler. That's a role. I still think he could be like
a number two wish guy on a contender, but like the number three spot
is like that's the role that like Zach Lyvine goes in and you have a
leg up on so many other teams. If he's your third, third option.
I don't want to say third best player. That could be disrespectful,
but like Tyrus Maxley's trajectory right now is yeah, super nova esque. I
get the interest there, It's just this team needs correct me if I'm wrong.
I know they have the Anthony Melton Kelly er Bray juniors had a pretty
good start, Like they need wings, yeah, and Levine's not a wing.
And then defensively again you have Melton here, Jade Spring here too.
Apparently you better mention Jayden Springer if you're talking about defense. But like if
Maxie and Levine or your back court like that puts an awful lot of pressure
on your front line. Intobias Harrison, Joel Embian like whoever, and Melton
like, if that's gonna be your go to lineup, let's say so,
I look of the names that are out there. I think of the most
obvious names, like some of us might actually come up with some under the
radar ones that could make potentially more sense. But I've seen the word guard
thrown them around a lot in the subsequent reporting or analysis. I don't know
if that's like, if that's so much a need as it's we're reacting to
what the market looks like, and it's well like Demarto rows In, who's
kind of a forward now, but he's not a wing on defense, Like
that's not somebody who's a wing on defense. Yeah, And the other thing
I think we should mention before just we go through the names. Do you
think that it's more likely they don't actually make this move in season because they
want to see what their cap space can do. They're in line for like
sixty five plus million in cap space right now, they have the kJ Martin
hold that's super tiny. Everyone else is expiring, and so I could see
a scenario where it's they're kind of making the move on draft night when they
can also trade their twenty twenty four pick now with on your offer is four
first yep and a swap plus all this flexibility. Yeah, I know.
I think as I was trying to put together, like what is the best
path forward for the Sixers based on what they said they want. Unfortunately,
it feels like waiting is the best way to go, which is like,
that's a weird follow up tack to take when you just traded a guy on
Halloween, right, Like, they clearly there versions here they could I guess
you could have waited. You could have let the hardened thing linger. I
know that would have continue to be really awkward. And maybe this was Embiid
or you know, someone else within the organization saying like we just have to
turn the page to some extent. But you're totally right. If you wait
till draft night, I think the chances of getting someone that really moves the
needle increase significantly. I think, I guess, like I would be surprised
if they got anything done before the trade deadline. So either way, who's
looking to trade right now? I guess Chicago and Toronto are kind of circling
the drain. Here's totally the thing that I bump on other than Levine.
That's why Levine keeps coming back because I was looking because there's another route that
the Sixers can go, and that is the one they've kind of talked about.
Is just we're playing the cap space game. We're gonna get into free
agency this summer, and like half the guys or more that I was targeting
as potential trade possibilities are guys that are gonna their deals are gonna expire.
That's Siakam, that's Anonobi, that's I don't know, like you want Klay
Thompson, if you want to get real nuts, like there's all these guys
that are just gonna hit free agency. That does it make sense to give
up a bunch of assets that you just got when you could wait and sign
these guys or kind of double do both if you wait long enough until draft
night. So the cap space thing, uh, that would be like the
ultimate weighted out move. But I just feel like the way that the Sixers
have conductive business to this point, like you know, they didn't operate hastily.
But again, it's not November yet as we're recording this, and they
made a trade, so like there's something pushing them to move. I just
I think they should wait. I just don't know how realistic that is.
And I think if they don't get really patient with this, then they risk
you know, they already took probably less than hard would have been worth.
Like in a vacuum if none of this other bullshit was happening, and then
if you hastily do something with the assets you got instead of waiting for a
better deal to materialize, maybe you're getting less than you otherwise could have.
Again, you know, your returns just keep diminishing if you don't, you
know, operate patiently. I just it's hard to imagine a lot of patients
right now based on how things have gone. I don't know, you know,
you know what I mean, Like there's this there's a push and pull
in terms of the timing of what comes next. Yeah, and for me,
I think I don't wait because I want to use cap space, even
though that can facilitate trades, just because when you look at the free agents
on the boarders you kind of alluded to already. First of all, three
of them are now on the clippers, and you've now presumably helped the clippers
keep two of them with Paul George and Kauiet there said we got to talk
about that when we get to the slippers. So they're off the board and
then it's okay, siakam again, the fit with Joel and Beead is weird.
I don't know how you feel about, you know, playing for Nick
Nurse. Again, if Ognanobi's the guy, he's not, he can't be
the guy. Like, that's not the reason he can't be the reason you
wait, that's not a player who's good enough. Neither is right now,
Klay Thompson. So I would wait because you believe that the star trade market
is going to open up this summer from the current Zach Lavine or Siakam or
could it kind of be towns And we're not gonna want to see that with
embiid anyway, because like those are the when we're looking at in the like
in the middle of the season. Are there any other you know, I
have some names where I'm like, well, that'd be really interesting in the
off season, but like right now, aside from the three I mentioned,
like, what are the other names that we could really realistically plausibly see becoming
available? Yeah? Well, so again, these are guys as your search
for guys under contract, and some of these will have limitations because they just
signed these deals. Like Kyle Kuzma, You're not gonna use all your assets
to get him, Jeremy Grant, h Lori Markinen. Is this package enough,
like could you get Lori Markinen for what Howie market in Philly would be
pretty sweet? I mean it makes some sense. I just don't know.
If you saw you tell might just say no, thanks, like we we
can get like three premium first for him if we want or something. You
know, this will be an unpopular opinion, I assume among jazz fans.
I'm not saying they should. I'm not endorsing a Larry marketing trade. Danny
Ainge doesn't give a shit. Yea, he will. He will if if
I feel like if the Sixers offered the whole kit and kaboodle for Larry marketing,
so three first and a swap Larry marketing, Yeah, that's happening right
Maybe I'm I don't know, uh who else? Uh Bogdanovich from Detroit I
think is someone. But again, we're not talking like you're you're like thinking
that they might be like, well, we'll give you like one first and
so yeah, because I think I think again the patients thing, like maybe
you go get a piece now and then maybe on draft night when that twenty
four pick becomes available, you then have three, two or three depending on
what you give up to get somebody. Now, I just I'm trying to
be realistic about what this package can return and choosing teams that have veterans that
are either not interested in winning or would just put a higher value on,
you know, future assets and flexibility, like the expiring money. Used to
be a first round pick, and like fifteen million in expiring money would get
you something like really good or it might you know, fifteen million in expiring
money might just get you a first but the market is just different now.
So I just I'm trying to be And I didn't even give you some of
the other trade candidates that are going to be free agents, like we talked
about Siakamananobe, Buddy Healed, Gordon Hayward, Like we're digging deep, you
know for some of these names. So I'm curious if you have like more
blockbustery ones or I'm just trying to be. I went kind of the plausible
with what the Sixers have, they could maybe get this guy, not that
he'd be the put you over the top championship equity piece. So I think
Mihale Bridges is one, whether that's this season or the off season, and
it would throw I'll throw at you very quickly if that offers on the table
if it's three first to swap and expirings, like, are there teams that
would cut? Like are the Knicks gonna come over the top and beat that?
Are the Pelicans gonna come over the top and beat that? Are the
thunder I mean mckel bridges on the thunder? My my god, this is
the thing. So mckil bridges I just didn't consider because I didn't think the
Nets would trade him for what the Sixers are offering. And I maybe was
maybe that was a mistake because I was limiting it some more like let's look
at Portland, Let's look at Detroit, let's look at Washington. Look at
these teams that just like, please give us all your firsts. We're starting
over. The Nets aren't quite The Nets aren't that type of team, But
there's Bridges would be if you just could pick someone, I think Bridges would
be like the guy potentially you know that they that the Sixers should target.
Didn't wasn't there reporting that Brooklyn wouldn't give up Bridges for four firsts? But
like, again, let's see what the first are? Sure it were the
Knicks dangling fake first in that deal? Or was it Memphis for protecting the
hell again, I'm trying like you're in the you're in the realm of you
have to make the biggest wing possible because we're gonna have talk about the Joel
Embiad element of this very shortly. So that was the name I thought of
if you were waiting until the offseason. I don't know how realistic it is.
I think it's realistic. They could look to move him. I don't
know if they would look to move him in conference. But Jalen Brown,
oh wow, Like if the if the Celtics, if they fall short this
year and they're just gonna get out in front of the salary crunch because they
paid Chris Tops, they gotta pay Drew, who's a free agent the Sixers
could target, by the way, if they wanted to. Like, that's
a name that I don't again, I don't know if you even said it.
I don't know if that would put them over the top. Embad and
Brown and the st and Tyres Maax. That's the hell of a team,
Like that's your you're one three five, Like that's how you spread out your
star power. One three five. But I don't know if the Celtics there
have to be a third team involved there, or maybe they want to pick
equity at that point to make their own kind of move. But again,
I wouldn't predict it, but I'm wondering if that's a name that they could
just be, Hey, we're we're monitoring this situation because that's what that's why
we're making this now, to have that type of AMMO for Again, it
can't happen this season, right, yeah, And I think you know,
the Celtics are not going to take any calls on Brown until they see what
this you know, roster can do this year. Let me ask you,
do you think we may have talked about this you it would cost you.
It would cost the Sixers more to get Bridges at his number than it would
cost to get Brown at his right. Like Bridges is just a like if
I'm the Sixers and I have the choice of Brown or Bridges like considered you
know on those contracts, I think I'm just taking Bridges. Yeah, because
McHale has including this season, I think he has like three total seasons left
on his deal, and they're all I believe they're all team control, Like
he didn't have a player option. I'm double check that. So his contract
runs through Wow, so it's three I don't know, it's this season and
then two more seasons under team control after that. He's projected to be making
less than sixteen percent of the salary cap in the final year of that team.
Such a choice contract, and he fits any like I think he just
would be exactly what you would want if you're drawing up the player to add,
totally comfortable being the third option, great perimeter to like, he just
fits what the Sixers should be targeting. Like, you know, I hope
they're not so hung up on the idea of, like, let's get a
guy that can average twenty five and you know, hit eight threes a night
or whatever that Like, I think I might rather have Bridges than Levine if
we're gonna get all the way down to it, especially with the money aspect
of it, right, Like, So that's why I think. I think
if you're the Nets, a lot of teams think like the Sixers do and
are saying to themselves, man, bridges would just be perfect, and so
your floor needs to be four firsts. I think if you're the Nets,
because the bidding war for that type of player could just get out of control,
especially with free agency offering like so little this coming summer. If you're
like, you're not gonna do a lot better than nobody is gonna sign someone
that is as good as Bridges, that makes less than Bridges in free agency.
So like, he's the guy, he's the prize. So I if
the Sixers could get him, they should trade everything they can. But I
just I don't think it's going to happen. Other names I thought of,
and again I'm looking, this is assuming the Sixers weight and I'm not saying
these players will request out the Donovan Mitchell Cleveland stuff. He stars get wandering
oys after this year said they fall short. Yeah, I don't know that
I would want a mortgage or give up all my assets to then create a
Maxi Mitchell backcourt. But that would I mean on offense, that's going to
be thermonuclear af brandon Ingram. I mean as a third option. I don't
hate it. That's not you know, that's that's with the Pelicans though,
Like if the Pelicans are relatively healthy and they're I'm just like, I don't
I don't mean to just poke holes. I'm trying to just have the discussion
about it. That's the whole point. Yeah, I wonder if New Orleans,
if things are going relatively well and they are healthy enough, if they're
like, nope, we're just going to see what we can do for this
full season and then readdress. I don't know, but like three firsts that
should be enough for Brandon ingram should. I would think if this season goes
to hell for some reason and that the Pelicans have been they've been pretty good
so far, a shocker. I think they have the best transition defense in
the NBA. Like that's life, death taxes and the Pelicans like being really
good transition defense under Willie Green. Yeah, in addition to other stuff.
And they've been running some good space your lineups, giving herb Joes some ball
handling responsibilities. But just if this season goes awry again because of injuries and
Brandan Inghamer has been a part of that. Yeah, He's just a name
that I would circles like, well this summer, I could see him becoming
available. This is gal You ready to Galaxy brain this a little bit?
Yes, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee doesn't pan out, he asked her out again?
Or Galaxy brains in time too? Damian Lillard asked her out. Does
Philly try to enter the Yiannis sweepstakes at and yes, three for tround picks
in a swap isn't enough to get yannest, But are they gonna take into
account where Yiannis would want to go? That seems incredibly unlikely. But this
is just when I'm thinking about the opportunities that are before the Sixers right now.
If it's not zach Lavine, and unless they really think like they want
Shrey Young next to Tyres Maxie, which they should not, No, I
feel like they're trying to bide their time and wait for someone's seismic. That's
always the sort of underdiscussed because we rushed, We rushed through all this stuff,
right, It's like we're doing a podcast, like, you know,
hours after the deal happens, trying to figure out what the next steps are,
and the reality is, like, you know, two months from now,
there's gonna be a half dozen new you know, all stars that we're
talking about as the next most likely players to be traded, and we probably
haven't said almost any of their names yet. So like if you just kind
of wait again, the whole push pull of the patient's thing for the Sixers
there will be other options that we have not discussed, that nobody has thought
of yet really probably because that's just always how it works, right, It's
just you're going to get a new just this new rolls over. There's just
you know towns again. I'm sure you know, name the name, the
name the Timberwolves players that you know will get thrown into this as they try
to manage their books eventually, and you know, there's just going to be
there will be I'll say this, I will bet you that by the trade
deadline, because right now, Zach Lavine, I think we're sort of I
don't want to put words in your mouth, but that's the most sensible,
Like, that's the main that makes the realistic options. By the trade deadline,
there will be three or four guys that make more sense than Zach Lavine.
I would assume, just because that's teams. You know, some team
that thought it was going to be good will be bad and they'll be out
of the race and they'll be looking to pivot, and that's just what's going
to happen. So I mean that that's bad podcasting because we're just throwing like
hypothetical, you know, not unnamed players out there, but it's just another
argument in favor of this, just kind of trying to slow play this.
But then there's the MBT element, like how much long? How far does
his patients extend? You know, he said all the right things and has
continue to do that. But let me put it to you because I keep
dancing around it, like do you think a deal gets done with these assets?
Like put it like rank the order of likelihood, you know, Draft
night, twenty four, trade deadline or before trade deadline, something gets done
with these assets. I think. So I'm gonna say I think Draft night
or later is more likely than before the trade deadline, just because I could
see a scenario where Darryl Morey and the Sixers aren't gonna want to give up
their best offer to get Zachlovine, and if it's a matter of getting Pascal
Siakam, they might just say it seems like he really wants to become a
free agent because he's told every single team that he's not signing an extension with
them, so we'll just go out and sign them in free agency. Right,
So I think that's probably more likely. And you mentioned this would be
a good segue into the embid stuff. But like you have to factor in
what's his patients like, and so his current contract has after this season just
one year, oh excuse me, two years left and then he has the
player option in twenty six, twenty sevens Like, they don't have to acquiesce
to a trade demand this summer, although that is kind of when pre agency
would start. Morey's kind of a risk taker though, and I imagine he's
communicating with HIMBIID. That's why I kind of feel like they would wait.
But before we talk about how long a bead should wait, what is like
when you're mentioning names like Siakam, we've mentioned Towns, Let's say Zion becomes
available over there, Like, are you willing to put another kind of big
next to him? And over those three names? Is they're like the easiest
fit of the Zion would be the most interesting one if the Pelicans decide to
go a draft night route again. But I don't like even that name.
I think you have enough to get Siakam, you have enough to get Towns.
I don't think you have enough to get Zoo first round picks and a
swap just isn't like that's without a blue chip prospect in there just isn't.
Yeah, No, I think it's it's almost weird that we're like having a
hard time building around Embiid and Maxi, which like shouldn't be the case.
It doesn't feel like, but I guess to me, like all the names
you mentioned, you talked about how Sacam you know, is not the greatest
fit with Embiid because of where they like to operate from. Zion would just
be I don't know how you would manage. You have to put the ball
in Zion's hands, like that's something we've learned, and I don't know that
that's a great idea with the other two guys you have. Who's the third
guy you mentioned outside of Sacam and Zion Lawns, Yeah, that's another weird
fit. Like I just don't know, So I just keep circling back to
a fragmantlet be available in December. Do you want to put him with Maxi
too? That's the thing. You got a small guard and an MVP center.
Both of them should have the ball all the time. So in between
those two you just need three Michael Bridges and then we're good. That's it.
That's that's all. Just figure out figure that out. Uh, yeah,
no, I I just uh, it shouldn't be this hard to figure
out the fit. I think maybe the problem is, like I'm framing it
through what Darryl Morey has said is like we want a guy, you know,
that we think is a star, and maybe like the reality is you
do just need you know, two or three guys that can start in between
your your cornerstones, and like, funnily enough, that could have been like
I don't know, five years ago, Covington, Batoom and Marcus Morris that
would have made like a ton But we're just a little late in the game
now. But I'm the more we talk through this, the more I'm just
convinced that, like, of the options right now, there's not one guy
that is just a no brainer. I think it's I think he might just
break these assets up. I think I think Lavine's closed, but he's close.
I I The thing neither of us have mentioned too is just even if
Joelbe's not willing to wait, and there's real real risk in treating this as
a quasi gap year in the sense that the Sixers might still be really good.
Yeah, as constructed, they're not winning a title, and so you
are punting on a year of Joel Embid's career. But if you go out
and make the trade over the off season, that neutralizes any imminent trade demand
from him, And so we can sit here and say we need to make
a trade this season. Otherwise Joel Ebie will last route. Yeah, if
you sit through the off season and don't do anything, But if you get
to the off season and you make the splashy move you keep MAXI, which
you will, then that that threat is neutralized, which I think would be
another vote in favor of waiting. But you mentioned this before a few minutes
ago. There's going there might be a name or two or three that are
just floating around at the trade deadline. That makes sense that we're just not
even mentioning yet. I can't. We've run the gamut of just so long
shot candidate that I would imagine that may not happen, But we honestly like,
we don't know. Yeah, isn't it wild that the more we talk
through this, the more the the gap year idea becomes like pretty plausible.
And that from the outset of the hard and stuff always seemed like a terrifying,
like the worst possibility because it's embiads in his prime. You don't know,
you know how many more fully healthy well, you don't know if he's
gonna have a fully healthy season ever. Are you really gonna just you know,
you're not punting, You're still gonna play the games, but it is
punting in a sense if you're not really a championship threat, which is what
you probably need to be with an MVP in the middle of his best seasons.
Like, the more we talk through it, it just wait, like,
so here's the thing if you do this gap year because it is like
the prudent choice and you're gonna wait for the best options to arise, you
know, months from now. How much does Joel embiids trust in Darryl Morey
to get the next thing right? Like Erode because you've you know, this
hardened thing was catastrophe. I guess you know you come out of it okay
with what they got from the Clippers. But now Maury, in addition to
bringing on Harden, who is his guy who you know, surprise surprise,
like want it out because that's what happens. That's kind of on Maury because
you should know if anyone should know what you're getting into with bringing Harden into
the fold. That's Daryl Morey, and now Joel Embiid sees that he sees
the trade, and now he's being asked to like, just you know,
we're not going to contend this year. Sorry, I mean, you're not
gonna phrase it to him that way. And then he's like, Okay,
now that you've swung this mega deal in twenty I'm gonna I trust that you'll
get it right in twenty twenty four. On Draft night like that, he's
got to at least internally be thinking, I just I don't know. That's
it's almost like three strikes at this point, Like there's there's just too much
that's gone on for him to totally, you know, buy in. But
maybe maybe he has I don't know. Yeah, that's a great point too.
I also just think what is the deal for them to go out and
make right now? Though, And it really just comes down to, look,
teams aren't looking to really make trades right now for the most part.
We mentioned Toronto and Chicago feel like they are on the verge of reaching that,
but I mean Toronto's on the verge of reaching that point for like how
many years now, But everyone else they're trying to see what they have.
And so if you're the Sixers, even if you insist me to make a
move this season, there's real value in just waiting until the trade deadline or
closer to it to see what else materializes other than the Siakam and zach Lavine
scenarios. That that, and I'm just not sold on Ananobe as a target
because he seems like he does not like Nick Nurse at all. Yeah.
Right, And again, as is the case with all these guys that are
on expirings, like maybe you just sign that guy, like, you know,
if you maybe you just you don't have to you don't have to give
anything up because you've got limited assets as it is. You basically every almost
everyone you have just showed up, you know, in the last twenty four
hours. So maybe you should see if your money goes a little ways before
you before your trade stuff. Clippers. Yeah, we should probably hit the
Clippers side. My big questions in order, and you already hit on this
one was are we getting extensions for Kawhi and Paul George now? Which is
like, I guess it, you know, you I've seen that reported that
that's suddenly likely. I just like, are we sure? Because like,
I guess what's the alternative. The alternative is you just have your three highest
paid players hit free agency and we the same time, which is like depending
on how this season goes. I mean, I don't know. Maybe that's
that's not palatable. Everybody keeps tying, Okay, this is a tangent because
it's too early on the Clippers side for a tangent, do you put an
If so, how much stock do you put in the hole? The Clippers
are going to open a new arena, and Steve Balmer really wants to have
stars there to open this new arena because you see that all the time.
I think I've made that argument because it's like been accepted into my brain.
But is that like, is that really a reason? Does that tip the
scales for you? Well, for for Kawhi and PG, Yeah, yeah,
it's they. Yeah, I'd be floored if one of them was not
there. Unless James Harden comes, the whole situation deteriorates. He's the only
one that's willing to stay at that weird I just yeah, it's I would
be like, there, you want to open a new arena because you're in
and I'm not trying to disrespect the Clipper. You're in a Lakers town.
It's like you need to have a good team to open that arena. I
think that's part of the appeal with the James Harden stuff. I didn't see
a joke on Twitter that actually might be accurate, is that they just saw
how bad things were going in Toronto and Chicago. The Clippers did, and
they decided, well before one of them does the dumb thing and trades for
James Harden themselves, like we need to go in here and get James.
Let's get out ahead of this and do the dumb thing ourselves. Nothing we've
seen right now from the Clippers so early that would say, oh, like
they need to go get James Harden right away. It's the same logic as
there was before. And that's Look, that's the more compelling conversation to me,
is I guess there's two elements to this, and the second the second
part of it's going to be predicated on the first part, because we want
to know, well, are they going to be the team that even gives
James Harden a big money deal? Like what if they try and play hardball?
Well, you know what's going to inform that decision. How does this
all fucking work on the court? And I will say we trolled James Harden
a lot, but he is still a fantastic basketball player. By just the
catch all metrics, last year he should have been All NBA. He led
the league and assists. This is someone who is still one of the best
passers in the game, even when the step back isn't falling, even when
he can't get to the rim as much like he is going to create looks
for his teammates, he's going to make defenses react. I think he's also
not received enough credit for what he can do off the ball. He has
shot high clips on small volume, but high clips as a spot up three
point shooter. And I know some people are like kind of like, it's
thirty seven percent? Really that hot? On catch and shoots. His percentages
have kind of run the spectrum of like good to great then wherever you land.
And look, if he was shooting thirty seven percent on catching shoot threes,
that's good enough for me. It doesn't need to be higher than that,
but what do you And look, the Clippers need his playmaking. That's
just I know, Bones Highland has had some good moments as their backup point
guard. But there's just something about what we're starting Russ and then Bones Highlands
our first line of point guard defense. After that, it's just it's uncomfortable.
And now it just that issue doesn't exist anymore, So there's real merit
to making this deal. Aside from well KWin PG are always hurt in the
playoffs. They're never playing together. So now we have that third star to
throw in there to one either just booy our chances with everybody healthy or to
offset any potential absences. But there are a lot of concerns beyond that,
and I think, you know, I'll start with my biggest one is what
does this look like with Russ and harden to where I'm sure they can coexist
behind the scenes. Is their third try at it. But defensively, Russ
can still do a lot of stuff where he wants to lock in on ball,
but like, these are just two guys off the ball who could get
torched, who could get targeted. And now you're like, okay, you
still have two of the premier wings in the game. But this is a
team that used to feel like it had all the wings and now it doesn't
really have, Yeah, all the wings you still have Terrence man kawhi MPG.
I'm just like, what are your some of your biggest concerns about or
questions I should say, not even concerns about this fit. So you hit
on a lot of them. But the Hard and Russ thing gets me to
I think, what ultimately is my biggest question? And this came up for
me as sort of the best argument against the Russell Westbrook to the Lakers deal
a couple of years ago, which was, Hey, look, he's going
to raise the floor, he's gonna eat innings and so Lebron and Ad can
have, you know, cushier roles and we'll keep them healthy. And like,
I think a lot of that same logic applies to adding Hard into the
Clippers. He will get those guys easier shots. In theory, like if
you just have him and nobody else on any given night in December or January,
he might just win you that game which you otherwise would not have won.
So and I think that was that's more true of Harden, that that
sort of theory of what he can do than it was of Westbrook a couple
of years ago at the time, because he just wasn't the same guy and
wasn't as good of a floor razer as I think Harden can be. The
issue though, in both cases, is so this is a team that is
beyond all in, right, both in terms of like their financial commitments,
their lack of outs, the inability to like remake this roster by trading you
know, picks or whatever, like all that stuff is just done. They
could still trade it twenty thirty first, Okay, they really want to go
all in? Yeah, they still have one more bullets to fire. The
issue is, we're so if you are that all in, you are trying
to win a championship right like, and maybe success will still be I'll still
be viewed as success if you make the finals or you make the Western Conference
finals and play a competitive series. The issue is you're gonna try to win
those games with Westbrook and Harden on the floor together. That seems hard And
if not, then what are we doing? Because Westbrook and Harden may clash
and so maybe one of them Westbrook almost certainly will be marginalized and you know,
not closing or not starting or not playing the minutes that matter because him
and Harden together just that's you got too many holes defensively, you know,
Westbrook as an off ball threat is a zero. So like, well,
I'm just I just think if the big picture is to win a title,
I don't know. If this, I think you're gonna run into the same
playoff questions that you maybe existed already, and certainly Harden brings his own suite
of playoff questions right because of his history. I just I think there's this
should make the Clippers a better regular season team. I think the Clippers probably
shouldn't care about the regular season and like maybe everything breaks right and the playoffs,
you know, hardness facilitating like crazy and George and Choir a great I
just it's such an all in move and I'm I guess I have quote.
If you're asking me what my biggest question is, it's does this matter as
it relates to the lofty goal that the Clippers have of like making good on
this core, I would say it does. I don't know how much,
but I do think it's a bump because there are a couple of things.
One to Russ is credit, like he's averaging under nine shot attempts per game
right now in thirty plus minutes, almost half of his made buckets have come
off of sists this year, and so the Clippers can still generate the spacing
necessary to where like if you want to use him as a slasher, you
want to just give him the ball, get him like running in transition.
He can facilitate the offense that way. So I think there's more. I
don't think he's a complete zero off the ball. I think now when you
add Harden into the equation, there's like that collision of styles and pensions for
wanting to be on the ball in general, Is Harden willing to adjust to
the to the degree that Russ has adjusted in LA and how are those concessions
being made? Striking that balance will be difficult. I think at this point
though, this is where I'm at, is if there's overlap or if it's
not working, it doesn't really matter because then you just put rush on,
put Russ on the bench where you get rid of Russ, and like you
just can't make this trade with Russ in mind, it wouldn't shot. I
mean, I would expect this is one of the other questions is like what
is their closing lineup going to be? I would be their most use closing
lineup in the highest leverage moments. And if we're gonna say this is the
core they have in the playoffs, I'd be fairly surprised if Russ is guaranteed
a spot like you have hardened Kawhi and PG they're closing. I think you
have to put Zubots in there because you're not really I know you have PJ
Tucker now, but he is just he is so I don't even know what
the word is. I don't want to and you cooked, but just like
he's just not You talk about a zero on offense, Yeah, like that
aside from like gonna maybe help you on the offensive glass a little bit,
he's not gonna do much. So you can't really downsize. I feel like
Terrence Man almost needs to be like the the fifth lock there in closing units.
And so do you have you know, we've seen Tylu kind of fall
in love with Marcus Moore Senior a little bit too much last year. Does
the same happen now where it's like, well, no, we have to
play all four of these guys to close with them, and that's gonna ruin
some of their optionality and lineup versatility. Uh, I don't you know?
I don't know what's gonna happen. I think it's I think there's a pathway
to where this works out incredibly well. But I find myself almost worried more
about Hardened fitting in than Russ fitting in because the stakes are just so much
lower with Russ. Yeah, the heart, So I guess I want to
I want to be clear that like I think we I'm getting, you know,
looking at the macro stuff and trying to see what how is this gonna
work in? May you know, uh, just having James Harden and PJ.
Tucker is just better than having Robert Covington, Morris Patoom and I can't
remember who else was in the trade, Like, yeah, the talent upgrade
is like no question, Like on paper, suddenly you've got a like one
of the best facilitators in the league playing alongside two way wings that while they
can do that, you know, be first options themselves, I think like
it's probably better for everybody if at least some of the time they're just feeding
off of setups from a like generationally great and prolific assist guy. Right,
Like that's that's a good thing. Like that's all good. But I think
you're right that like the odd man out here almost has to be Westbrook because
I think most of the good stuff that Westbrook gives you man can give you,
and he can give you some other things too. And if you're looking
at like, well, we're gonna need to punch up the scoring, like
Norm Powell could close, and if you need to be bigger, Zoobots can
close, and if you need just go five out, Tucker can close.
And so like in terms of the role that Westbrook would actually play alongside those
other three stars, I think you could probably you know, on balance,
get more from several other guys, just depending on what the need is,
given the night or given the series and the opponent that you're gonna try to,
you know, win four out of seven against. So I guess like
that circles all the way back for me to you know, the on paper
stuff. Sure, this all makes sense, Like what are the dynamics gonna
be like? Interpersonally? Because you said it, this is the third time
Russ and Harden are teaming up. And Russ kinda was like a little bit
of a pariah with the Lakers, and that was an ugly thing and he
you know, kind of found a home and now this guy here comes Harden,
and now everything's gonna change for him in terms of his role and you
know the fit and and you've got you know, just I don't know,
like how how let me ask you this because I'm kind of rambling. Do
you think we get like early Brooklyn Harden, who is just like I'm out
here to pass, Like I'm just I want to set up these other two
guys? Or is it gonna be it's the end of the game and I'm
hunting my step back to try to win it. You know, No,
I think he's gonna Look. He understands the stakes for himself, which is,
you want to get paid one more time because you couldn't get paid this
offseason and there wasn't really it seemed like a trade market for you outside of
the Clippers. He played a hand in that, of course, but this
summer had to be as much as he was annoyed, as much as he
feels like he was, he was the victim, and I who knows,
maybe he was. I still think, don't opt in it if you want
to right anyway, he has to understand that, like if his path to
getting the money that he wants and setting himself up because he passed on an
extension in Brooklyn, and he passes on the chance for a longer term pay
day with Philly, who I imagine was at least ready to give him some
sort of multi year guarantee that you have to fit in, And so I
would expect more Brooklyn Harden, someone who's really searching to try and find the
right balance. I just he helps this team in so many ways. But
I'm just wondering. You know, they're twenty fourth in average offensive possession time
right now. He's not gonna speed them up. They are actually and I
was kind of surprised to see this. I thought I was reading it wrong.
They're fourth in transition frequency. Wow, I think they're just they're running
a lot more off of live rebounds. That's probably stuff that he could do.
But if you're gonna like there's a chance that he slows them down even
further, and I think that's more of the concern, where, Okay,
if James Harden's gonna slow things down, it'll still work. You have some
of the best methodical players in the league on your team right now, between
him, Kawhi and even Paul George. But like, that's another kind of
stylistic like not not clash, but like just an overlap of well, is
this gonna pull them further away from they weren't really that athletic and quick to
begin with. Now they're even less athletic and slower. And you know,
I honestly don't know like what the answer ends up being. And that all
that also leads me into the question here is kind of the impact that I
think they will miss rocos esecially when you're gonna you know, juxtapose his departure
against having PJ. Tucker there to maybe take some of his minutes. Yeah,
like what does this team need still? Because it's I can make a
case for they need kind of a different center option from the plumb Lee Zubot's
Tucker crew. I can make case that they need another wing. I make
a case that maybe you want like a different type of like guard than a
Russer a bones highland than you have there right now. I think that's probably
the lowest priority. But when you're looking at oh, can they go out
and get another wing or change up kind of you know, a combo forward
who can also a lot of time at the like the like you know,
the the prime version of PJ. Tucker like age him down ten years or
something. It feels like they need that player. And look, I made
a joke before, like that twenty thirty pick is still on the table and
you're you're already this all in. Yeah, this is a good bit,
by the way, for like a stat padding thing, like what team you
could pick one team to reduce the ages of every player by five years.
It's got to be the Clippers, that's the first thing, because you get
five years ago PJ. Tucker and Russ and harden h That's the same with
the Sixers with Patuma Morris. But then what is maxing twelve max season eighth
grade? That's not no. I ironically, I think what they answer your
question, they do need another wing. Like that's because this was team Wing,
you know, Team Wing West with with I guess Toronto being Team Wing
North for a while. That was more combo for yeah, they need another
wing. I don't know where you I mean, you could play Powell and
be undersized, or you could have Tucker play more for Flash three I guess.
But yeah, that that's if you're gonna upgrade the roster further that that's
where it has to happen. Can I can I give you I don't have
a lot else to say, but can I give you, like my the
sort of clarifying take for me that helps me put this whole Clipper side of
it like in a box and like shove it off to the side for a
minute. Can I can we? Can I throw out some trade targets,
follow up trade targets for the Clippers before we get into that. Yes,
I think to keep an eye on like a door. If Smith or Royce,
Oneal and Brooklyn, they probably enough to get one of those guys.
Now, this would be complicated because the salary matching rules. But since they
have you know, you wait the appropriate amount of time with Tucker, and
you have Norman Powell, they could in fury. I don't I love when
you're laughing before you say the name. I know it's good what it does
to just like their salary Outlook, they could be a Jeremy Grant team.
Oh my god, can you imagine? Uh? Yeah, no, he
would well is he a little? He's kind of more for yeah, he'd
be fine. He would be money though address it's more of like well,
but I think if you want James Harden defending power forwards, like you can
have Jeremy Grant defend some wings or maybe that like your downsized lineups. That's
I mean, godspeed with the rebounding. But I know you want to give
more names, but you just so, now are you asking? You're asking
more by definition of George and Leonard defensively because they're gonna have to move around
and like check some quick guys some nights, they're gonna have to move up
the position spectrum something it becomes I think who's already on the roster becomes even
more important. And it seems like this happens with like each passing Clippers move
somehow is Terrence Man, Yeah, just becomes more critical than everything. You
can't give up Terrence Man in a trade that no, no matter what that
they were correct, Yeah, they needed a guy who can guard five positions.
I guess, uh that was I guess that was kind of like it.
But like if we were thinking smaller scale like Delawn right, yeah,
it could probably help them, Like we can get the money to work they
are, which they could. I like all those yeah, I don't,
I mean, like they don't have enough to get into the the Mchael Bridges
business unfortunately does. We've established nobody does. But like that twenty thirty pick
is a real thing. If they put it on the table, I wouldn't
give that to be clear, I wouldn't give that up for de Lawn,
right, I wouldn't. I wouldn't give it up for Royce O'Neil either.
I guess you would have to give it up for Door, Like what else
are you giving up for Smith? But for that twenty thirty? Like,
so they have their twenty nine correct? Never mind, I'm sorry, I'm
looking at the sixers. I was getting confused. Yeah, so they have
to move that twenty thirty. That's all the Clippers can do. Can I
give you my like macro thought? That makes me not have to think about
this trade anymore from the clip, not have to like change my thoughts about
the Clippers. Yeah, which is that if you thought that LA's like success
or failure depended entirely on the health of Leonard and George and then being able
to hold up through a regular season and multiple playoff series, this should change.
This trade changes nothing because if it always depended on those two guys being
healthy and you did not think that they could do that based on the precedent
of the last several years, which is kind of where I'm at and have
been dismissive of this Clippers team, you know, from when we started doing
our over unders and whatevers. Then adding Hard into this doesn't change anything about
this team's outlook because the only thing that matters still I guess this is just
more an indictment on like Hard and as an alpha, as like a guy
that you know hit he alone gives you a shot, like he's not that
guy. It's still just if Georgian Leonard aren't healthy, congratulations. You now
just go into another offseason disappointed and trying to figure out do we want James
Harden here? How much do we pay him to stay? And then you
got these like that's still what this is. That is still what this team
is. It didn't change the fundamental truth about the Clippers that those two guys
both have to be totally healthy for an entire playoff run or nothing's happening.
Here here's my pushback, and just very quickly, the last two names I
wanted to throw out there, Oh yeah, DeAndre Hunter and twenty thirty And
if you were throwing bones in there, like does that get you in the
OG sweep Stace? Would you consider throwing Terrence Mann in for OG? Who
can he can play them five which Terrence Man cannot? I mean I would,
Yeah, for sure, we all love Terrence Mann, But I think
OG, even if he's expiring, is like, there's your wing. There're
your wing problem solved only five And who can if you if Russ can't guard
somebody or Harden can't guard somebody, and Anobe can guard whoever it is.
Yeah, that's that was just and they could like end up with maybe like
this whole was like an elaborate plan, like Reggie Bullock will get waved or
bought out again and then he'll like go back to the Clippers. So my
pushback to you would be and I kind of side with you that I think
this increases their ceiling, but not by the degree that a James Harden and
a vacuum should. Yeah. At the same time, do you remember what
it felt like when the nets during the like the KD Kyrie James Harden aaronets
were actually the James Harden KD Kyrie aaronets like that where they felt inevitable.
Yeah, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard collectively are more plug and play than Kyrie
and KD because that's more of a Kyrie thing. But the Kyrie's credit,
he's always played with ball dominant players. Now the clips like that is,
though they're also more two way than KD and Kyrie. It's like, isn't
there a chance that if all these dudes are healthy, that that's what we
end up feeling or is it different because it's like, well, what,
well, no, I think you know, I think we both touched on
it a little bit. Like on paper, this makes like a lot of
sense because you just sort of slot those three main guys into roles that really,
you know, I think ultimately like we need a basket. It's the
fourth quarter of whatever playoff game, Like Kawhi is gonna get the ball and
he's gonna try to score on somebody probably like that's where I'm going if I
need that bucket. But you're totally right like the fit in terms of like
who likes to do what or who's best utilized doing X, Y and Z,
like Harden on the ball, Kawhi and PG off of it. Generally,
like everybody's kind of playing to their strengths a little, you know,
much more than how do we figure out what to do with Durant and Irving
and hard and altogether the fit is like way cleaner, like like no argument
there on that. Before we get into kind of a segment where we're gonna
we mentioned that you've had a great segue about well, how much does this
improve the Clippers contender stock. We're gonna go through and tier the contenders.
If you had to say one of these three players James Harden, Paul George
or Kawhi aren't going to be with the Clippers next next year, which one
are you picking? It feels like there's an obvious answer, is there,
Well, I thought you would grab, Well, it's just gonna be hardened
because he changed his mind all over again. Is not gonna get paid by
anybody but the Clippers, Paul George and Kawhi will get paid by anybody I
would have had. There'll be teams that don't have There'd be plenty of teams
that don't have cap space. Let's use the Knicks as an example. They
find out Kawhi or Paul George wants to be in New York next year,
they will move Heaven and Earth to have the cap space to make it happen.
Yeah, aren't those two immediately at the top of the free agent list
if they if they opt out, Like, I don't have the class up
in front of me. But as I was looking at it from the Sixers
perspective, like, well, I mean Clippers have the top three free agents
this summer. I don't want to overthink. I would still say Hardened just
because of the disaster potential and the last three teams that he's worked his way
off of, Like I'm just not gonna assume he'll be back. But your
point, you're dead right, Like, if you're a team and you can
pick one to to try to go get, like hard in his third on
that list, So that's I think it would be. I think it would
be PG just because Kawhi is like, like what if he's nudged down the
pecking order a little too far and he didn't sign up to be the third
option, or like if they are playing with all four of those dudes and
Russ winds up having the ball more than him, that's just sort of and
he's not dealing with the degenerative knee issue like Kauhi is that would just be
the If I'm Paul George, I could probably look at a bunch of instance
Ride would be the number two, maybe the number one, Yeah, and
could just decide that would just be my pick. I think they'll all three
will still be there. But when James Harden's involved, look maybe he greats
on both of these dudes, and then Kwi is like I'm out of here.
Yeah, it's hard to imagine. Like you know, George and Leonard
have been so it seems it has seemed like all the reporting is like these
guys want to be in l like that. That's why, you know,
as badly as these last few years have gone, I don't feel like we've
heard a whisper of either of them. You did hear some like maybe the
Clippers will trade Paul George potentially, but that came and went pretty quickly.
Neither of them has ever agitated to go anywhere. So Yeah, I don't
know. I think, are we really gonna sign it? Like so say
they all resign, We're gonna do this for two or three more years,
those three guys together, that's gonna be a weird. Well, if we've
learned anything about James Harden windows post Houston. It's even in Houston because of
like the churn of running mates he had. It's not gonna be two or
three years. They'll get this season, maybe next season, and then unless
it ends with a title like there's just material changes mate. Yeah, yeah,
right, no, yes, if Harden is involved, somebody's window is
is narrow. I made a joke while we were waiting for the details that
by the time the full James Harden trade details leak out, James Harden's gonna
have request another trade. Good joke, good bit. I like it.
All right, So let's let's go through this exercise, and I'll throw up.
I made a tier maker because we're hip and we're cool. But that
let's tier some of these contenders. Can you see the screen Grant? Yep?
Cool. So let's start with Tier five is really we're not that would
just be where we put all the other teams. We won't discuss, but
that's Tier five is multiple years away from being multiple years away, so like
the Wizards. Tier four is one to two years away. Tier three is,
hey, it could maybe possibly potentially happen. Tier two is they could
absolutely win it. And Tier one is the championship inner circle. I think
it's best to just work our way from tier one down. Sure, so
we gotta go Denver, Boston, Milwaukee in that top tier, right?
Do you disagree with any of those three? Denver is definitely in there.
I was clearly wrong about Boston. I just I was worried and I apparently
should not have been. There's health is the only thing that's going to slow
them at this point. Who else did you mention? You mentioned Milwaukee?
Their defense has been Yeah, I'm anyway, okay, if we stop with
Denver, Boston in that top tier just at the moment, like prisoner of
the moment stuff. All right, So you want to put them in here,
they have to be in tier two that they got it. Yeah,
no lower than tier two because they could absolutely win it. Right? You
mentioned a fourth team? No? Or was that it? I know that
was it. I think Golden State and Phoenix are in one or two.
I'd probably put both of them in two. We look, I we all
know how I feel about Devin Booker. I get compliments all the time from
Suns. It's always you ever Like, I know you're not on social media
as much, but they are just fan bases that are in love with me
or this podcast right now, and I always cherish it, but then I'm
always just reluctant to like embrace it because there's gonna come a time where they
just they're so mad at us, and they probably stop listening because our views
don't align with Yeah, there their favorite team. They're with the Sons and
Booker is my point, But like we're already seeing what the Bradley beal back
stuff, Devin Booker is dealing with an injury, the fact that Katie's probably
be the most durable of the three early on, So I think tier two
is. I would have put them in Tier one until we just saw two
of their three best players miss most of the game. Let's see all three
of them play a game before we do that, because we haven't seen it
yet. Yeah, what do you want to do with what was the other
team? Oh, Golden State? Golden State in Tier two? I think
they I mean they've just won two road games in a row. Dan,
I don't know if that's ever happened before, at least last year. Well,
I was going to say, do you know what they're like? Plus
minus is without Steph Curry on the floor. Oh, it's off the charts,
like everything's upside down right now. All the starters are terrible and have
massive negatives. It's like plus forty something without Steph. Maybe am I in
the neighborhood there? I don't. I was asking you, Yeah, you
know it's I saw a chart this morning and it's just like every start you
know, this is the best starting five in the league last year of how
usage groups, and they're just getting crushed and then the bench comes in and
they win the game with the reserves. I'll give you the Warriors in Tier
two, but then you're gonna have to give me the Cavaliers in Tier two.
I could deal with that, but just because they have not even been
remotely fully healthy yet. And I'm watching Evan Mobley and some of its flickers,
some of its moments. He had a huge game against the Pacers the
other night that I saw, I'm all in, and I mean I was
all in to begin with. So I have them in tier two? Is
there anyone? So here's a team, and if we forget, somebody will
throw them in there. What do we do with the sixers? Well,
I was gonna say, what do we do with the Lakers because they were
clearly a Tier two team preseason by most accounts. Do you know what's interesting
is and people can't seem to grasp this is like they're they're better postseason team
than regular season tea. Yeah, because I still think they belong in Tier
three? Is where I put him? What's what's the definition of hey could
maybe possibly potentially happen? Yeah? Sure, we're talking about winning the title?
Yeah, And like you need Lebron and AD to remain durable because it's
clear that this Lebron minutes cap, Yeah might work for the first three quarters,
but it's not working in the fourth at this point. And I do
Can I defend Anthony Davis for a minute? Please? Do? There's I
had to write something last year and it went beyond the whole every other game
AD. There was legitimate inquiries about like what can a d give you on
offense from night tonight? But some of this, like the discourse that I've
seen on him, like what people want him to do he's not built to
do, Like if you want him to bang in the post or like be
attacking and finishing through traffic all the time. Do you know what's gonna happen.
Like his body type need to be different, and he's not gonna be
the defender that he is, right, Like he's not Joel Ebiid, Like
he's not like he's the way he's able to fly all over the court and
teleport on defense. Part of that comes with the territory of he's built this
way. He's he's long, he's he's strong, but he's still spindily.
Yeah, maybe he's he's fragile too, but that's because he can be all
over the place as well. If you're looking for him to create and kind
of like bang with guys, that's just not like that's gonna come at an
opportunity costs not just stuff his health, but like of what he is on
off on defense, excuse me. And yeah, there's a real concern about
well, if he's kind of more of a play finisher and is his jumper
will will come and go. But like that's the player that he is and
that's still pretty damn good player when he's healthy. I just I feel like
we need to move on from wanting Anthony Davis not to just being someone he's
not, but someone that he shouldn't be based on what his role is defensively,
I just like I tend to tune out of the crew. Like I
get it, he's frustrating something goes whole halves without scoring sometimes, But like
he's probably gonna be the best defensive player in any postseason series he's involved in.
And like that's kind of that's all I need. That's you know,
that's what That's what matters to me, That's what matters to the Lakers.
So I think we're done with Tier one and two then, right, because
I think we go Lakers sixers in Tier three sixers, so even the sixers,
like we don't need to nudge them down. We're not we can't include
the possibility of a trade. But I just think you have the MVP,
you have MAXI breaking out, You've got capable NBA players in between it,
and you have upside if you get a third star. So like that tier,
I mean we're talking Tier three. It's not like we're trying to get
him into Tier one. Here there are three teams before we start to see
where the Clippers fit in all this that I'd like to ask you about.
Okay, what do we do with the Dallas Mavericks. I'm not going to
overreact. The offense is awesome. I just all the same questions I had
before the season are still there when I had them, you know, a
little bit better than five hundred. I don't think Dallas can be in Tier
three. I think I just like, if that's the if the bar is
hey, it could maybe possibly potentially happen. I mean, just by the
letter of that law, I guess you put them there, But I just
I'm not ready to come off my priors of skepticism. Kyrie Irving hasn't even
done anything weird yet, so I have to factor that. And are you
trying to get him into Tier three? Is that what you're saying. I
guess maybe I should have left here for a little bit more open ended than
one to two years away, one to two years away from having a trade
Luka daja. Yeah, so yeah, I mean, and also this trade
hurts their championship chances more than it improves the Clippers CHAMPI chances maybe through uh
so Tier four seems fair for them their borderline. Yeah. The other two
of the other teams, Memphis is just like, I mean, they don't
have jaw. They're not gonna have Steven Adams for the rest of the year.
I'm just the offense does not look good for many many I don't.
I didn't want to take it, but Mini Victory Lap because I was so
sure the offense would struggle with that once Adams was hurt because he meant he
quietly meant so much. They I mean, Memphis can't be three. I
guess you got it, even if you're gonna cake in like jaw will come
back. No, No, I don't think so. Look you don't have
to. I'm well, except for this offseason when I smashed there over and
their entire future crumbled. So they're Tier four. I think. So we're
gonna have a really crowded Tier four because I think Tier three like we're saying
they could win a title and I'm almost out of teams there. So the
team that we haven't hit, well, who what are the other two you
want to get to before we Miami? Miami? Is Miami Tier three?
I man, I don't, I don't know. That's my first thought.
Well, you think it's Tier three? Yeah? Do we have to like
give them credence because of what they because they keep making the finals? I
think we should probably put him in Tier three, even though they're they're I
mean, they've been a wreck. They're one in three at the moment.
I just I'll give them tier three. They look like a I don't they
look like a Tier four team on paper? Is what I would say.
We both gave him an f for the offseason. Two. So and here
we are heat culture the Knicks. I mean, if Miami is three,
the Knicks can't be lower than three. I think I was gonna say,
do you think it? Two? I think Julius Randall has done a very
good job passing the ball for the most part this year. But it does
kind of seem like we might be on that every other year track of where
if I wish we were doing this ten games and this season, yeah,
maybe we revisit it, like twenty games or something. Because this exercise is
instructive. We'll give the nixt tier three. Okay, I am good.
I have many concerns about them, though, you know who. I'm not
concerned about Quentin Grimes or RJ. Barrett though, Okay, very high on
that's a good place to be. I know Jane Jalen Brunson will start hitting
more of his shots. A Tier three is fair, uh, anybody I
mean we have to get well there, I'm noticing now I forgot more teams
than I thought. What do we do with Sacramento? That was the next
team I wanted to talk about. I think I think you cannot go lower
than three for them. The Taron Fox injury is wild, but it's only
it's like it's it's only like it's it's not considered serious. I think Tier
three is right for them. Also, I don't know what I was expecting
their offense to be, but it's just still thermonuclear AF times infinity. I
just they're just, yeah, they're gonna score. I think this is another
team that, like so much of the preseason analysis is bearing out like defense
not great, offense can be awesome. And also they're due to get hurt,
and here we are like that is just you know, I hate that
we were right about that last time. Do you know who has the best
half court offense in the NBA right now? Tell me the Clippers without James
Harden. Okay, what do we do with the Clippers? We have to
well, I think the other team that I think just fits into this mold.
Oh wait, no, that might be all of them. What what
do we do with two more Minnesota. I kind of like Minnesota in Tier
three, we're gonna overpopulate Tier three. Look, I I think they belong.
I'm I want to put them in Tier four because of that god awful
loss to the Hawks. They like the transition defense looks like it's gonna be
bunk, and I've like, I don't know, like maybe as Jane McDaniels
plays in more games that will come to be. I'll give them Tier three
because I was high on them during the regular season, but I as a
team that just like, it feels like their souls can be crushed on any
given moment and they're just gonna be play apathetic and it's plicably they're They're the
team that's right there. They're fragile, so can I I want to take
an easy one off the board. We love the Thunder, but they are
clearly one or two years away, so we have to just put the Thunder
Intier four. Well, I was actually gonna get into that Sam Presty was
a liar. I don't know if they actually borrowed wins from the future.
They're just like, they're just good. They're just good. Now, that
was one of the teams I wanted to focus on today before James Harden through
everything. I'm just I'm watching chet Holmgrend. He's stronger than I thought.
Defenses don't know what to do when he has the ball in his hands and
he's spinning. Cason Wallace has been defending his ass off. Isaiah Joe's been
making an impacting when he's not hitting shots. Usman Jang is going to be
the best player alive. Imagine if chet Holmroom gets fatter as Roy J.
Dubb leading second units. Hey, how about that? He can do everything
I was going to have unless you think that, Like, dude, the
Nets and the Hawks are weird. They like, I mean, I don't
know what the Hawks, I don't know. I think, Well, we
got to do New Orleans here, I think because I'm not comfortab Well,
no, no, no, because I can't do that. I can't.
I can't put them in Tier three because I'm gonna do it anyway, because
that's where they belong. The Timberwolves in Tier three. I get the Pelicans.
That's fair. So uh, we need to do the Clippers. We
had to figure this is what this whole thing has been about. Here are
they're better than Tier four like you're taking them over the Grizzlies, the Mavericks
and the thunder Right. Yeah, I think so, I think, But
can we I can't get to Tier two with them, I don't think.
I think. I think we're just gonna have to stuff another team in Tier
three unless you can make how about well, upside wise, what t two?
Here's my thing? What team in Tier three? Are you willing to
take over the Clippers right now? To to like in terms of likely commanding
a championship? Yeah, I'm still gonna take Oh well, New Orleans is
an interesting comparison because I have kind of the same health. You just wanted
to put them in Tier four though, Well, I know so, I
think. I think if you're just talking upside and I guess all these guys
are healthy at the moment, whereas New Orleans does has already had injuries,
just not to the guys you'd expect necessarily. I think you probably do need
to put the Clippers in Tier three. I don't. I can't get to
Tier two just because I just don't have faith in a James Harden and be
the collective health of everybody else. I just that the this just looks off
though, it's like, so if we were to rank the teams within tier
three, Oh boy, so would you have the Clippers at the front of
tier three championship equity. I'd probably have the Lakers first in that group.
I think they're ahead of the Sixers. I know, coming out of the
East. I mean maybe coming out of the East isn't harder because like there's
the Nuggets in the West and then everybody else, and in the East it's
kind of the Bucks and the Celtics and the Calves. All. Yeah,
I think that's right. I think you gotta have the Sixers after the LA
teams. So yeah, and then I mean the other the rest of the
order doesn't really matter as much. I might put I'm gonna leave him in
Tier three. But I think the Lakers and Clippers are kind of like that
line of demarcation where if there was a Tier two point five, we might
have them there. Yeah. I want to put the Clippers in Tier two.
Oh, you're just you're such a you're so reactive, Dan, you
can't do that. You don't want to put the Warriors in tier two just
because they wont to content. I was ready to put them in Tier one,
but I didn't want to get too crazy right away. I think I
think this is collectively. I think this is right. The Clippers are somewhere
between like that second and third tier the sign of a good compromises. Nobody's
totally happy. So we've nailed it. We gotta do the rest? Do
we need to do? Yeah, let's do the rest. Let's be completed
here, all right. I wasn't gonna do the rest but that. So
let's let's knock off the bottom tier. Yeah, hornets, Detroit's down there.
I mean, come on, bull they're down there. Come on,
Yeah, that's a bad I why not do it? Lockers probably need to
be down there. If look, if you want to talk, you know
what, let's put them in tier four because who knows what Wenby's doing two
years from now? One? Yeah, imagine Wemby in two years first,
so he might be eight feet all in two years he's still growing. Got
a factor that in Portland is tier five. Yes, if there was a
Tier six, I'd probably throw Toronto in it. I have Houston on here
twice. Don't ask me why, because I like this rock. You like
different logos, It's like an alternate logo. So to pay no attention to
that. Anyone else belong in tier I mean the Raptors, whoa dah,
they're tough. I don't know. I think I could just put all the
rest of these teams except for the Rockets option B in Tier four. What
would be your locks for Tier four? I think the Hawks still be Tier
three, Yeah, they could. I think the Pacers belong in Tier four.
I'm okay with that. They're closer to those teams than they are these
bottom what do we have bottom six? And that's like kind of the magic
definitely? Then if the like the Spurds and the Thunder are here, yeah,
I think everybody else, I mean Utah Utah might be closer to multiple
years away than one to two. Right, No, they are because Danny
Age, I think jazz fans and all of us are kind of realizing this
year is what everyone thought last year. Yeah right, good point. Toronto
the talent on paper, they could be Tier four, but it's like they're
gonna implode. Right, Yeah, I'm good either way. I think Brooklyn
needs to be Tier four. Toronto can be five, just to keep it
even there. Look at that same number of teams in three, four and
five. Look at that where we want to put the second rocket Tier one
second because that's the hikeem Rockets logo. So if you have a Lajan,
you're a contender Tier one for them. Wow, they won't let me take
it out. That doesn't that's not a thing. Well I'll exit up.
I'm gonna save and save and download the image in this. There you go.
Uh So that was semi instructive. So the Clippers I feel like they
at least moved up within the tier we put them in. Yeah, to
your point, like, there's a way better argument that they belong in tier
two than tier four, right, So like again it is like the two
point five thing, because if we're just talking ceiling and ignowl that they are
in fact healthy, then probably they could move up. I just just like
emotionally, cannot get to a place where I believe the Clippers are will will
stay healthy after so many years of not doing it. I think that wraps
up all this, which would mean we were going to rank and tier the
city edition jerseys, but we can save that for the next time we podcast,
since that's pretty evergreen and most of them are just got awful. Anyway,
do you want to start us off for stat padding. All Right,
I got a couple like quick quick hitters here, actually just one at the
moment. All right, we're gonna do some more cloning, Dan, because
we've had great The algorithm loves clone based content. Apparently it's the same idea.
We've already done this with Jokic or Jannis or I forget who else,
the idea being I think you clone player four times. You have a five
man unit of just this player rookie edition, Dan, you can clone Wemby,
Scoot or Chet? Which are you cloning? And tell me why I'm
cloning Wemby because I think he can do everything like Chet's handle is there already.
I think Wemby's gonna wind up being a better passer. It's probably closer
between those two than people want to People want to say Scoot's a distant third
for me at this point, I do. I would say that if you
had five Scoot Henderson's you would score a lot of transition points against the hypothetical
cloned Chet or Wemby team, probably, although maybe not. Maybe Wemby would
just play like a zone by himself and you just couldn't shoot from anywhere?
Uh Okay, Dan, next clone question. You've got to play with five
Jordan Pools on the same team or five lou Dohrts on the same team.
Let's imagine they're playing against each other. Maybe this is the question who wins
in a battle of clones Ordan Pooles versus lou Dorts. I think a team
of five lou Dorts would end up winning more games overall, just because the
shot crease isn't there. But defensively they would create so much chaos that they
could get out and transition, go downhill and look, we've seen lou Dort
fire up off the dribble threes and sometimes they go in. And so I
think you generate you have a hope of generating just enough offense with five lou
Dorts, whereas you have no hope of defending anything with five Jordan Pooles.
I think the way this goes is the Dorts foul out all five Pools in
the first quarter. That end's in a forfeit most likely, let's see.
Okay, I have another no more clone content. Dan, You are a
coach. You must choose and these are the rules that you have to follow.
If you are trying to win the game. You either must choose Julius
Randall has to play a whole game right handed, or DeAndre Ayden is only
allowed to dunk. I'm gonna take DeAndrea and only being allowed to dump because
you can create enough space to where he is able to dunk. Whereas forcing
Julius Randall to work with his right hand, there's still the variable of how
does that look in traffic? Is Julius Randall the most left handed person in
the NBA? Lefties are always so one hand dominant. I'm trying to think
who else would fit that category, But he's with r j oh pretty close,
and the Knicks have a glut of lefty dominant players. Okay, another
one in this vein Kyrie Irving gets only three dribbles per touch or Klay Thompson
must take at least three dribbles per touch. Who's more successful, Oh,
Kyrie? Yeah, he's playing with ball dominant guys before, and so he's
done more off ball stuff than we credited him. Yes, okay, maybe
that was too easy for you. All right, you can give me some
here. I have some more for it later, but I'm ready. You
stole my blue Dohrt Jordan pul wand till that one's out. Here is in
the vein of James Harden playing for a new team, which NBA star has
played for more teams for their career. Vince Carter or Dwight Howard. Oh,
well, you make me want to say. I'm gonna say Vince Carter,
but I'm concerned you've made me overthink it. That is correct. Vince
Carter at eight teams, Dwight Howard at seven. Trevor Ariza or Jeff Green.
Oh, I'm gonna say Jeff Green. That is correct. Eleven teams
for Jeff Green to ten for Trevor Reza, Sam Cassell or Ray John Rondo.
Oh Man, all right, so Cassell got Rockets Bucks. I'm gonna
say Rondo. That is correct again. Nine for Rondo, eight for Cassell,
DeAndre Jordan or Derrick rose Hm. I'm gonna say DeAndre Jordan. That
is correct again? Four for four joined us seven Derek Rouse has six which
NBA player has played for more teams? James Harden or Russell Westbrook. That
is a tie. That is correct. You wept the entire segment five teams
a piece, counting the Clippers for James Harden. Right now, I have
This is in a similar vein though four of these active NBA players have suited
up for at least ten teams, which one does not belong Jeff Green,
Justin Holliday, James Johnson, Robin Lopez or Garrett Temple, So who has
not played for ten teams? Yes, Garrett Temple correct again? He Oh
no, that's incorrect. Oh, Robin Lopez has nine? Everyone else had
ten or eleven. I gave you a gimme two because Jeff Green was including
Yeah, I knew that was out. You were on such a role that
I just assumed that you were right. We found my niche. I have
some. I have a couple others. Did you want to use any more
than you wanted to give me? Oh? Yeah, I got I got
a bunch here for you. I just want to make sure I phrase them
correctly because I got a little bit over complicated. I also have some.
Guess who's for you to get to? Oh yes, we forgot about that
one. All right. So Dan, I'm gonna need you to make me
a five man roster using only twins, so you can take one or the
other, and you're gonna have to leave some out your options. There are
I think this is all of them. There might be some more. You've
got the Lopezes, You've got the more I, You've got the Martins,
Caleb and Cody. You've got the Thompson rookie twins, and you've got the
Champagne twins. So just make a five man unit using only the only twins,
and you don't have to take both twins, making only so I can
take one twin, yep. Okay, give me Brook Lopez. Yeah?
Why am I ready forgetting about the other twins? Uh? So we have
the Martin brothers, give me Kayleb Martin, I'm gonna take. I'm gonna
take Julian Champenny Okay, I'm gonna bet on it. And the Thompsons.
I'm sorry, what were the other ones? The Morrises and the Thompson's.
Are they all in their prime? You're taking them right now today? Oh
my god? Just take both Thompson's. Do it. Yeah, I'm taking
both Thompson's brothers. So Brook Lopez, Kayla Martin, Julian CHAMPENNI am and
Thompson R. Thompson. I like it And sorry to Robin Lopez, the
Morrises, Cody Martin tough break another you can see how my brain works.
You need I don't even think about that. Uh, you need to make
me an eight man rotation. I'm sorry for how you if you cut this
together, apologies? Uh. And all eight players have to play in equal
amount. Okay, you're picking from siblings, so you have, for example,
the to A Cumbo's. You gotta take both, all right. You
gotta take the Nasces with Giannis if you're taking you honest, which you're gonna
do because you want Joannis. But you also have to choose from the Curries,
the McDaniels, the Holidays. You can pick two of the three,
whichever you want. The Mobley's, the Wagner's, and the Murray's. You
say the Mobley's, Yeah, Isaah Mobley is a person. Oh yeah,
forgot fuck all right, So I'm taking you honest, got it? And
I thought you said eight man, right? You gotta take the curries,
right, yeah, the Curries Seth and Steph. I'm gonna go Drew Holliday
and Justin Holiday Okay? And am I gonna take the Thompson's again? O,
sar Thompson's. I'm really you know you can't take this. This is
non twin editions. So you got you could choose the Wagners. I like
that one. The Mobley's like that one. The McDaniels. You want some
wing defense, a lot of options, the Murders. I go the McDaniels
there, that's fun. Just to get Jaden and then I'm gonna go.
It's gotta be the Wagners or Mobley's. You're gonna leave Evan Mobley out there?
Why I have be honest already? Oh sorry, No, I'll give
me the Mobleys, all right, I like it. That was overly complicated.
Give me some more and then I can give you some guess who's so?
I have another, uh small bat or two of who does not belong?
So? Which NBA rookie? Well, let's let's do it this way.
Six NBA rookies have averaged at least twenty points and five assists per game.
I'm gonna give you two groups of four. You have to tell me
which rookie does not belong from each group? Okay, which NBA rookie did
not average twenty points in five assists Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Alan Iverson
or Oscar Robinson. This is a hell of a question. Uh, I'm
gonna say. I'm gonna say, Larry Bird, that is correct, nicely
done. Was it the points? Yeah? He was, No, it
was it was the assist for which NBA rookie did not average twenty points and
five assists. Luka Doncic, Tyreek Evans, Lebron James or Trey Young.
Hmmm, I'm gonna say, Trey that is correct again. Damn you're on
fire today, are you? Trek Evans did it? That's always the one
you gotta throw in there, or that's the or that's an indictment on my
questions today. I'm just getting really good at this. Don't ever sell yourself
short? Uh this one. So I'm trying to figure out how to do
this one because it's I don't think we'd be able to cut it up,
but I feel like it would be a really good one. Spot the NBA
Lie Steph Curry edition. So I'm gonna give you three truths and a lie.
Okay, got it to tell me which one is the lie one.
Trey Young has made more shots from thirty four plus feet than Steph Curry and
Damian Lillard combined. Two. Jahn Morant is shooting a higher percentage from thirty
four plus feet for his career than Steph Curry. Three. Andre Miller has
attempted more shots from thirty four plus feet than Steph Curry. Four. Steph
Curry has made more shots from thirty four plus feet than Lebron, James Kobe,
James Harden, and Michael Jordan combined. Oh man, I want to
pick that last one. Uh, I'm gonna say, what was the jaw
one? He's got a higher percentage on thirty four plus footers and Steph correct
he could be like one for two. Though, I'm gonna go with my
gut and say that the jaw one is a lie that is incorrect. The
lie is that Andre Miller has attempted more shots from thirty four plus feet than
Steph Curry. I was so sure about that one. I forget. Imagine
Andre Miller taking the unselfish heave and not caring about his percentage. But yeah,
he had one seventy for his career and Steph has won seventy six from
that distance. Okay, good question. I have I have one more for
you that's absolutely hysterical, so let's say it before the end. Do you
have anything else for me? I got three guess who's for you, and
it's gonna be it's really gonna pick at what I perceived to be your weaknesses,
which is like distant NBA passed stuff, not really distant. But they're
all players you're aware of. Okay, So I'm gonna give you clues.
You're gonna try to guess who this person is, so you'll see the trend
emergings. One of them was drafted in eighty five, one and ninety five
and one in oh five, so the nineteen eighty five draft d I was
a number seven pick out of Saint John's in nineteen eighty five. I'm left
handed. I was known primarily as one of the great perimeter shooters ever,
despite playing my entire career pretty much before the real three point revolution happened.
Oh you have a guess already. It's not. It's not. I can't.
I don't want to pronounce. It's not raheem no. Okay, average
at least this is crazy average, at least twenty five points per game on
better than fifty percent shooting from the field. This is a perimeter player,
by the way, five straight years from eighty eight, eighty nine to ninety
two ninety three was a tall Chris Mallen. Bang. Good job. I
was going to give you the buzz cut as the last clue if you weren't
going to get there. But well done. All right, let's see.
Okay, this is a ninety five draft d I was the number fifteen pick
in nineteen ninety five by the Nuggets, but did not ever play for the
Nuggets. Was a Clipper for my first two and a half seasons. Traded
to Heat, then Bulls, then Sonics, then Spurs, where I won
two titles. With the Spurs. I led the league in three point percentage
in two thousand and two thousand and one at forty seven point six percent.
The next year, I led the league in two point percentage, shooting fifty
eight point eight percent. I shot over forty percent from three eight different times.
I never won the three point contest, but I was a finalist in
it. I won the dunk contest in nineteen ninety six. Oh, wearing
my warm up? Nothing yet, all right, I'm running out here.
My father was an all time great in the NBA. My brother also played
in the NBA. I got nothing, nothing, Okay, I'm trying to
think what other clues I could give you I did. I did a sea
walk and celebration for my finalist appearance in the two thousand and three three Point
Contest while I was playing for the Sonics. What other clues can I give
you? I was the inspiration for Grant's early e aim the screen gamer La
clip thirty one doesn't exist anymore. I could just give it to you.
It's Brent Berry. I feel like I should have known that one. As
a skinny white kid trying to play basketball. Brent Barry was kind of an
icon for me, Okay, last one. I was the seventeenth pick out
of New Mexico by the Indiana Pacers in two thousand and five, played eight
and a half seasons there, then went on to play for the Clippers and
Heat, but I was pretty much washed by then. That's like twenty thirty
Ranger Bang, good job redeem yourself on, Brent Berry. We actually have
a couple from Rubik Scal for you. Rubikscal as always, so let's start
here. I currently hold the record for the fastest to one thousand threes.
It took me three hundred and fifty games, fifteen games faster than the previous
record holder, Steph Curry. I am buddy, healed nice. I believe
we have two more? Okay, next one. I was the fifteenth overall
pick in twenty twelve. I was drafted by the Sixers, but I was
sent to the Orlando Magic in a four team twelve man trade that sent Dwight
Howard to the Lakers. I showed a holiday No oh, sorry, go
ahead. I showed immediate promises a forward on the Magic. My six foot
eight inch athletic frame, my quick first step, and my handles received praise,
but my jumper and strength were questioned. Ooh, okay, back up.
This is a Sixers pick traded to the Magic and the Dwight Howard deal.
Correct, Okay, continue sorry clue number two. I began my sophomore
season in the Magic starting lineup, but my role grew limited because of the
depth at forward position. Aaron Afalo, Aaron Gordon, Tobias Harris, Victor
Oladipo, etc. Cetera. And I was traded to the Blazers in the
summer of twenty fifteen. Is this Tobias Harris. No Tobias Harris is one
of the names that was mentioned. Include numbers two, Oh shit, okay,
good goodness, you contributed to the forward depth that nudged this person out
of the rotation. Why can't I think of this person all right? In
my first season in Portland, I worked my way from the end of the
bench back into the starting lineup, cashing in on Terry Stott's growing preference for
small ball lineups. Though my twenty eight percent clip from three point range was
a concern. Is one of the clues going to be On the last day
of the season, I did not play because I had a contract incentive to
shoot over a certain three point percentage. Clue number four is I signed a
four year, forty million dollars contract with the Blazers, and the contract had
a five hundred thousand dollars bonus for ending the season shooting thirty five percent from
three Well, with four games to go in twenty sixteen twenty seventeen, my
three point percentage was thirty five point one, so I didn't attempt to single
three in my last four games, giving up open corner threes on multiple occasions
to shoot a long two point instead. Just a great period in niche NBA
history. This is moharkless. Yes, that is correct, and that is
one of my that is the first thing I think of when I think of
more Markless is that three point shooting incentive in his contract every time? Uh,
that will do. This will be the last one again from Rubiscal,
These are fantastic. I went to Okill Academy and I was a consensus five
star recruit as one of the best shooting guards in my class. I excelled
in my one season in the LSU, leading all freshmen in scoring with twenty
three points per game. Only I yes, that is correct. Nice job,
dire tonight, freshman, more Markless, the one that took you forever.
I don't know the magic thing through me. I was trying to think
of the Holiday. I don't know. Drew Holliday never played for the Magic
I know that, But I was trying to think of the big big sixers
trade on the draft night, and that's the only thing I could get to.
Yeah, I have one more for you that I I'm very excited about.
All Right, I guess I'm ready, but nervous. Would which NBA
player would you rather have a version of Prime Steph Curry who thinks he's Prime
Shack or version of Prime Shack who thinks he's Prime Steph Curry, Oh man,
neither of these guys are going to have a lot of success. I
guess I would take Steph Curry, who thinks he's prime shack, because maybe
he would draw a lot of contact and shoot a ton of free throws very
successfully. The alternative I do not like. I don't think I want Shaq
taking a bunch of thirty footers off the move. I think I'm with you
on that one, but I thought that was an interesting one. That's a
great I like that one. I don't have any more for you after you
nailed Danny Granger so quickly. Yeah, I don't that's it. Do you
want to take us out of here? Yeah? Everybody, thank you for
listening, for participating, for providing us ideas. That's always much appreciated.
As Dan said at the top, If you would like to be a part
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Neilakina in an apology to Jared out