What is krack alak in hardwareknocks listeners. I am Dan Favalley coming at you
with the ever fantabulous Brian Taporek, quality editor for Bleacher Report, co host
of the NBA Podcast, and a writer for the NBA at Large and also
the Sixers over at Forbes. He does a lot, he does it well.
We I have tapped him. I begged him to come on for the
Atlantic Division look Ahead and he was kind enough to oblige. So before we
dive into that, we have to ask the most important question of the session,
Brian, how are you doing? I am doing well, Dan.
I appreciate you having me on as always. I guess you knew. I'm
the person who spent more thinking about James Harden's contract option more than like anyone
else not named Darryl Morey on the planet, probably over the last month.
So thank you, and I am excited to dive in. It would look
it was I had to subject you to the torture of the Sixers. We've
been talking about the Knicks back and forth for forever, and then you're also
kind of grandfathered into the Kyrie stuff just because you traded your team the Sixers.
Traded for James Harden, So it was just like three of the five
teams. The boxes were checked in there like it had to be the Atlantic
Division, right, Yeah, And I will just hold my nose and talk
about the Celtics that I will suffer through that so as a quick refresher for
everyone. The reason we're not going fifty minutes on each team is because one
free agency is almost here and this is gonna be data as fuck. We
will be longer, extensive deep guys into each team after free agency. We
just want to get a feel for what's going on for every team, So
these will be aim to be ten minutes or less on each squad, just
like we've done in the previous look heads. I will go into alphabetical order,
which is always a risky proposition because I am known to get the alphabet
wrong. And the first team up in the Atlantic Division alphabetically is the New
York I'm just kidding, it is Boston Celtics, Brian told Porrex, favorite
team I go through there. As for anyone who's doing this first time,
I'll run through their vitals really quickly. Notable non guarantees. There's Al Horford
at nineteen point five million of his twenty six point five millions guaranteed. I
imagine they're going to guaranteed that. That'd be shocking. That's really the only
one that matters. There's Jawan Morgan has a team option, and then Nick
stowskis notable extension candidates, Jayalen Brown is extension eligible and notable trade exceptions.
They have that Evan Fourier one, it's seventeen point one million, it expires
on July eighteenth. They have a one Hunt and Gomes one at six point
nine million, which expires January nineteenth, and then the Dennis Shrewder won at
five point nine million, which expires s February tenth. They also have a
Romeo Langford one for three point eight million that expires Sebruary tenth. So they
have a lot of like options with their trade exceptions. Their best spending tool,
if they choose to use it, will be the miniml E. It'll
take too much for them to ducks to ducks to duck the luxury tax Apron
and so Brian just heading in for Boston, like, what are the general
things you're thinking about needs, questions, priorities or whatever, and how they
should approach. Yeah, I mean, you know, the conversation after they
run to the finals was do they need a point guard? Even though they
got two wins away from winning the finals with Marcus Smart as their point guard.
But I guess that will be one area of need in mind. Otherwise,
like they're of any team in this division, they're feeling pretty good about
themselves, Like they don't have a ton of major decisions to make this offseason.
It's like who do we spend the taxpayer men level on? And then
otherwise we're just gonna basically run it back with this same core. Most of
our guys are young enough that you can reasonably expect internal improvement to carry them
even further. Like I think that the biggest question is, like does Jalen
Brown develop more of a ball handling this summer? Or does Jason Tatum caninue
to refine his shot selection this summer? Can Robert Williams stay healthy and rehab
that knee this summer so he can make it, you know, unscathed through
a playoff run next year? Like those are all far more important than like
who do they spend six million dollars on? For sure? And I think
I thought I saw people say the point guard criticism was overblown. I actually
didn't think it was overblown. I think the interpretation of it was exaggerated.
No, anyone who's thinking they need to go out and try to trade for
like Chris Paul, like, no, that's not what they need. And
as people pointed out, like I mentioned, this name is too ambitious given
the market, like at Tias Jones. They need someone on that level,
and it doesn't matter if he wouldn't play in crunch time, because the first
like forty three to forty six minutes of the game matter anyway, and you
put yourself in a position where if you can take care of your possessions in
a more efficient fashion, let's just say, where you're not letting the shakalk
run all the time, where you're not committing all these turnovers, someone who's
just more of a game manager. I think Marcus Martin Jason Tatum are fantastic
passers, especially Tatum now at this point, but it feels like they need
a game manager and it's not something you don't even need to go nuclear,
although, like you know, they can't even get Mike Conley because you have
to get up one of your core guys for it. But I do think
even a point guard you could play through like the first three point five quarters
would go a long way for them if they can help just deliney eight touches
the other thing that stands out, and like their shooting percentages are okay,
they need someone who feels like a knockdown shooter that's not a star, Like
it's not Jason Tatum's off the dribble three's or Jalen Brown's spot of attempts like
they need and you can't bank on Marcus mart to like get super hot and
he's improved, you shooting a lot over the past two to three seasons,
it just felt like over and you want to be able to play that player
in higher leverage moments where some people might say, well that could be Peyton
Pritchard or maybe we're still hoping for Aroni Smith to be that She's like,
well, those guys probably aren't playing when it matters. And I think just
in general, they just need an eighth guy. Like they're top seven,
it's like they're really good. So if you find an eighth guy, again,
maybe he's not playing in the high leverage moments, but if you're just
extending your rotation that much, especially to the point when you get in the
playoffs where there's just eight guys you could rely on. Do I think that's
out there for the miniml e. They're appealing enough to where if the money's
equal, I would assume teams would choose them. But I'm looking at these
trade exceptions, man, Like the N fourtyday one is massive, and they
have like a bunch of medium sized ones, So it's not outside the realm
of possibility that they could make an impact move without trading one of their core
guys, like a you know, Derek White is sort of my cutoff,
Like you're not trading. I'm sure you would trade Horford in the right deal.
I don't think you know Tatum and Tatum's as untouchables it gets, but
like you'll need to move a Smart or Robert Williams or a Horford or a
White, right, Yeah, I mean you look at the market outside of
the top few guys, especially a guard is just pretty barren unless I mean,
who knows Kyrie Irving, who will talk about shortly? Maybe he wants
a Boston thirty million dollars discounted, a point guard and a high leverage shooter.
Can't do much better than Kyrie on the market, assuming that is off
the table. Tayas Jones a great shout. I mean, like Ricky Rubio
would be that table setting point guard, but he's not the shooter that you
want. I guess if Patty Mills opts out, that's a possibi. Like
if that's just completely crater, my guess is he's not like Thyash Jones.
I don't know if he gets as much as Tyas Jones, my guess he's
he'll be too expensive. But Delon Wright, Yeah, yeah, I mean
I wonder if like smart, right and White are all just kind of duplicative
or EXPI that's a word. Yeah, Like Dante DiVincenzo. I don't think
you're gonna pry out of Sacramento for six million because he's restricted, like they
would hopefully. I like it. Rubio feels like the right answer because I
imagine he'll go. He's not going for more than the MINIMLI when he's probably
not playing for at least half season. Doesn't give you the shooting. But
again, someone who can be the I don't want to I'm not trying to
be condescending when I put it this way, but the adult in the room
on offense, like when you look in the half court, like, that's
just it feels like that's what they need. And if you're banking on Tatum
and Smart to just make leaps and maybe even Brown there a little bit,
that's fine, maybe even White a little bit. But I would like to
see them trying to address it. Do any like other free agent targets or
even trade targets bring to mind to you for that would be good fits for
this team. Yeah, you mentioned knockdown shooter, so I immediately think Malik
Monk if he's willing to settle for because I mean, he went ring chasing
last year for a minimum. So if he can get even some portion of
the tax payment level or the whole thing, that wouldn't help really with the
ball handling, but he would be that, you know, come flying around
the screens type of shooter. Trade target nuggets. Fans are gonna hate me
because they're living fear. Yeah, but Monte Morris, if they are really
serious about just trimming salary, trying to duck the tax, like, the
problem is, I don't know what Boston sends back, like is a future
first enough for Monte Morris or do you have to send like Pritchard Ernie Smith
back. But I mean that that's probably the best fit slash target they could
acquire. I would do I would do that in a heartbeat too, And
I don't think the Nuggets should do it, but it does seem it's going
to be like him or Will Barton because they're dead set on ducking attacks and
it probably makes more sense to be Will Barton just because Monte is more valuable
to them at this point, but also his salary is Biggers were like you
basically have to dump Monte Morris just to duct the tacks as of this moment,
and so there's like more wiggle room with Barton salary if you wanted to
take back a player like pretty sure or somebody. But yeah, Monte Morris
on the Celtics would be spectacular. Yeah. I mean again, like the
Boston right now, if they aren't v team to be in the East looking
across the landscape, like Milwaukee will be back next year, Miami will be
back, who knows about Brooklyn, But like they can feel pretty good about
where they are, so they don't need to make any drastic moves this offseason,
I would say, but yeah, if they could, if they wiggle
their way into Monte Morris, I'm just gonna be miserable for a week.
What DeVante Graham helped his team at all? Oh that's interesting. I mean
you can say know because I look on your face and senuation. No,
I mean, like, yes, I don't know how much he moves there
ceiling higher, but adding another good rotation players certainly wouldn't hurt. And if
you're not giving up a ton to do it or anything of real value,
like you've got the trade exception, he fits in there. You know again,
are you are you giving up Nie Smith or Pritchard? Are you giving
up a future? First? Like, I don't think New Orleans can realistically
off ask for you know, like a huge return on him. So that's
an interesting call. I like that I have at least one more name for
you, and I'm less excited about it. And it also just I don't
know why it just vacated my mind too. Oh here it is he would
have to not be what he was this past season. But Cameron Payne ah,
yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean that's the question,
right, And I guess we'll see what happens with Phoenix, Like if they
let eight and go, and you know, some of those guys start to
get a little nervous and they're looking around and they're like, oh, this
is not the situation we signed up for here. We thought we were resigning
with the title favorite. So I figured would more be like they have to
he might camera pay bten. He's like, ask for a trade because again,
you're not probably not getting a ton back for him. No, I
mean I would think that you would just offload him if the Celtics were willing
to use a trade exception would be at this point, Yeah, yeah,
because I mean, well, who knows who's going to even own the team
in three months, but the current owner is certainly notoriously cheap. I have
two names from the same team. Okay, they're looking we know they have
to dump other salary, and we'll get to that in a second. But
Derek Rose feels like he might. I don't I'm talking about knockdown shooting.
I'm just naming all these point guards that aren't knocked down shooting. Sure,
and then he's this kind of better, right, this guy's not a point
guard and he's coming off foot surgery. Now, but Alec Burks, Yeah,
it's like someone else who fit, Like I mean, so many players
fitting in their trade exceptions at this point, let's be right. I mean
that's the luxury. Like, I don't know if they're going to end up
using it or using the whole thing, because they're already over the tax line.
And like I always say, like the line of demarcation is like fifteen
to twenty million over like, if you're under that, the bill isn't like
exorbitantly expensive, but once you get into like the fifteen to twenty range,
it starts piling up pretty quickly. So I would be surprised if they take
like a full seventeen million dollars salary back. But neither of the guys you
mentioned. I guess Derrick Rose is close, but like Burke's as well,
like ten to eleven million somewhere run there. Yeah, he's in there.
So I had thought too. It turns out he makes too much. I
thought I didn't realize he was getting paid this much next season, But if
they were trying to pay Brunson and didn't want to pay Brunson and Spencer Dinwoody,
I thought he's into the oven. Four day trade exception. I can't
confirm that he makes two and a half million dollars more than the oven four
trade exception. Oo wow, how much of that is in bitcoin? I
mean I would imagine all of it at this point, right, So maybe
does it? Does it count? Like because it last fifty percent of value?
So maybe he's only only ten million? Now? Yeah, I don't
have this team, is I guess I would say decidedly on interesting because they
are so good and we don't think they need to make any other changes.
Do you see them offering an extension or would you offer an extension to Jaylen
Brown this summer? Yes? I mean do you think I don't think he
takes it? Right? I kind of thought though, like once you get
into the like the twenty percent raise from where he's at, it's not that
agregious for him to take it. I guess if the thought is if he
went on the market tomorrow, he would just get or the whatever year,
he's just gonna get the full boat, like it'll be a fullmat So they
should absolutely offer it on the offense. So these signs it though, Yeah.
I mean, if I'm if I'm any agent right now, I'm telling
my clients do not take an extension before the new CBA kicks in, because
we want to see what happens there in case they make any changes, especially
to the Supermax, like you know, because the current supermacs just didn't work
as intended. And then also like the new team V deals kicking in twenty
five twenty six, so I would he would try to agency the year before
kicked in like one plus one, right, It's just is he the type
like would you say? I mean, that's so far down the line,
but he was the only real like extension candidate on the team that matters?
Do I say that? And Grant Williams is extension eligible as well too,
Yeah, and he was pretty important to them during points of the playoffs,
not so much the finals, but yeah, Martin, I were trying to
figure out, like what a reasonable extension is for him, and I think
we landed at like twelve to fourteen million is as high as we would go.
I feel like that's right, And fourteen might even be on the higher
end because he doesn't feel like a I'll say in every series player, I
think you can get it. You can play him all the time the regular
season, but he doesn't feel like in every series player, right. Yeah.
Our whole thing was like, what do they project him as long term?
Like is he going to take over as their starting power forward once Horford
ages out slash leaves and play next to Robert Williams? Or do you see
him as this like energy guy off the bench all the time, in which
case you're probably less willing to pay him eight figures annually. No, I'd
agree with you there, So I don't actually expect him or Jaylon Brown to
get an extension. Yeah, I think they'll. They will certainly try to
offer it to jail In, and I think he will, hopefully with the
guidance of his agent, he will look at the wider picture and say,
no, thank you, I would like my full amount of money because he
took less than the max on his current deal. So it's time to get
Jayalen paid for real. Final question on them, very very quickly. What's
more likely they use one of their trade exceptions that are worth more than the
mini Emilie or they don't use their minimli just like maybe their tax conscious and
it's like, oh, we're not No, they decided to be the Nuggets
East, Like we're not going to spend our tax bearer MLI God, for
their sake, I mean, I hate them, so I hope that's the
case. But for their sake, I hope they use it because they again,
we're too wins away from the finals. This is not the time or
two wins away from winning the finals, right, This is not the time
to get cheap So I think it is more likely that they use their trade
exception and really just go all in on this thing than cheap out, which
is also just what I would do if I was Brett. The next team
the should be fun Brooklyn Nets. Their key free agents include Kyrie I player
option, Bruth Brown free agent, they have full bird rights on him,
Nick Claxton restricted full bird, Patty Mills as a player option, he would
be non bird, and then Marcus Aldridge sneakily. I almost forgot that he
played for them in the previous season, so he's an early bird. And
then they have Blake Griffin, drag Andre Drummond. Those guys were all non
bird free agents. They have Kesseler Edwards has a team option. I assume
they will exercise that. If they don't, uh, that would just be
a bow on top of what's already been a ridiculous off season. Their most
notable trade exceptions they have three point two million left over from Spencer Dinwoody seven
on July seventh, the DeAndre Jordan's trade six point three million that expires August
nineteenth. And then they have a trade a TP from the James Harden trade.
It's worth eleven point three million and that expires on February tenth. Their
best spending tool is a mini is the miniml E. And look, we
could go through their needs, which I think needs to be like wings and
two way players in general, but like the Kyrie Irving situation, like what
is the what is the most likely outcome to this? And I will say
I think it was. Kevin O'Connor was on a podcast with Logan Murdoch and
I'm summarizing here. He said that Katie's frustrated with the front office because they
haven't gone to enough length to understand Kyrie. Now, I think the nets
are very culpable and everything that's happened, I think then personally trying to grow
a backbone all of a sudden is hysterical because you handed your franchise over in
twenty nineteen and why, Like, it's too late if you get if you
let Kyrie go, you're losing Kevin Durant. But like, what else are
they supposed to do? They've literally given the keys to you and Kyrie.
It's all just hilarious to me because there's been like a weird rivalry between Nets
folks and six Ers folks ever since the hard and Trade went down, and
I think we're like rooting for each other's respective demise. And frankly, it's
probably gonna happen to both teams, but I figured it would happen to Philly
before Brooklyn, not the other way around. Like I can't blame Brooklyn for
not wanting to go like five year fully guaranteed max on Kyrie, given just
everything surrounding him. I also can't blame Kyrie for not wanting to take a
short term prove a deal or like if they're trying to get him to pick
up his option and say, like, all right, prove we can rely
on you this year, and we'll give you the full amount of money next
year. Because all it takes is one injury and he just loses, you
know, could be hundreds of millions of dollars, Like it felt like bluffing
for a while. I don't think it's bluffing anymore, Like it does not.
I don't know. I mean, I would think if cooler heads would
prevail, they'll do something like what's probably gonna happen with James Harden, where
you just I mean Harden's sake, he's going to opt in and take a
short term extension because him opting in, he can actually earn more money than
he could as a free agent. I think Kyrie, it makes sense for
him financially to opt out and then take maybe like a two plus one deal
that would get him I was going to mention that gets him into free agency.
Won the TV money supposed to hit again, right right, and he's
young enough still that he could. I mean, I don't know if he's
gonna max at that age, but like every I mean, like the starting
contract is going to be like forty million dollars for anyone with us, right
yeah, at this point, But I don't know. Man, Like,
the more we hear this, and like I feel like WOJ and Shams don't
report stuff unless there's some real smoke behind it, and for both of them
to be like hinting at well, now Kevin Durant's thinking about his future too.
You know, you wrote a great at br when all of this started,
like a month ago, I think when it was Christian Winfield of the
New York Daily News who first reported, Like with people, by the way,
shout out to Christian because people are like, oh, why do you
think that you know all this? There's no way Kevin Durrett hasn't talked to
the front office. And now other people are coming out and saying the same
thing. So shout out to Christian Winfield, the New York Daily News.
Yeah, and you know you were writing like if they do this with Kyrie,
they're at risk of losing KD as well, which now seems to be
the reality. So like, I don't I still don't buy the whole,
Like Kyrie is gonna opt out and take thirty million less and play for the
Lakers on the mini emil E like that. I never say never fifteen plus
million in salary this past year, I know, I know, but like
that they wouldn't have non Bird on him next year either. I guess RUSS
will be coming off their books when I've gone on shows and they've asked me
about it or I've seen people talk about it like, oh, they'll just
sign him, and it's like, no, this if if he wants the
actual deal, they'll be flexible in summer. Technically, if Lebron doesn't sign
anything, like, you have to pay Lebron. So it's like, if
you really want to be able to pay Kyrie, like this is a three
year thing that he's agreeing to so that you can gain his full bird rights,
unless again, you're he's opting in and being traded, right, Yeah,
So I think that's I'm gonna write a column about it. I'm like,
in the midst of writing a column. I think that the most logical
option if Kyrie really does want out, pick up the option, you know,
as a condition of like work with me on an opt in and trade,
and if the NTS say no, you walk in thirty seven million dollars.
You can make their wives hell for a year and then you can bounce
next summer. That's a good point. I expect it to be like a
two plus one outcome. If not. If you're ask me to pick who
who breaks first, I think it will be the Nets because this isn't This
is almost like the Clipper situation where it's like you're not trading. It's the
inverse of it. You're not trading for Paul George. You're trading for Paul
George and Kauai. Right, You're not just getting rid of Kyrie. You'd
be getting rid of Kyrie and Kiddy. I'd be fascinated by the Kyrie.
Excuse me the Katie trade talks the I find it funny that Dame is tweeting
out a picture when players do this, I have no by the way,
people were mad at me because they made a joke about it on Twitter.
I am all for this. I do wonder how like that player's teammates feel
that, no, they would probably be involved in such a Kevin Durant like
Shaden Sharp after Dave apparently wanted to do. And more interestingly, though,
like the people mentioned the Suns the team that I was wondering if they could
get involved in it, and I think my answer is no. But if
you're the Nets, you're rebuilding, if you're trading Kevin Durant. At that
point, can the Bucks use as a primary anchor like Chris Middleton to suss
in or attract other teams that might send stuff back to the Nets. And
look, if I'm Kevin Durant, I want to play Milwaukee because Johannest attend
to Coopo's fucking spectacular. But then NETS also don't have to trade Kevin.
I've like, at that point, your reputations already damage enough, Like send
Kevin Durant wherever the hell you want at that point. But I don't know
if Milwaukee could fee it would take a team really wanting Chris Middleton of course.
Yeah, I have not put too much thought until like Kevin Durant trade
scenarios, and I'm sure someone will at BR at some point this week,
So God blessed whoever has to write that article. Like, I've seen people
talk about Toronto as a bad at least trappled together. An interesting offer Toronto
would be Toronto and Phoenix or like in Milwaukee were like my three favorites.
Actually, i'd love him in Denver two. Imagine, Yeah, you get
like man, but you're right, Like, is Brooklyn taking back Michael Porter
Junior given the back issues as the main return for Kevin Freak and Durant,
No, I think you'd probably you probably to give Jamal Murray might be the
more likely and he's coming off in it'd be Jamal Murray and Bones Highland and
then every single pick that you can offer, which is not many because you
flipped a I think they can only trade a twenty twenty nine pick because then't
they just trade twenty seven one? Yeah? So yeah, and that's gonna
be the problem with a lot of these contents that, like a lot of
teams are now very restricted in which picks they can offer. I get New
Orleans would be interesting because they have some of the Lakers picks left still and
pick swaps, Like if things go south with Zion Williams. I know he's
like supposed to sign a max extension, but if he does not, or
if things go south in those negotiations, can you trade? Would you trade
Zion for Kevin Durant for the Pelicans right now? Yes? You would?
Yes, I don't know that I would do it. Really. Let me
pretend that Kevin Durant has hasn't had his own health issues the past three years.
Sure, but oh no, I would do it. I would absolutely
do it, all right, But Zion Williamson and stuff though, like that's
what we're talking about. Yeah, I mean, it would have to be
whatever filler So if it's like Zion and Bi and like six picks, no,
but if it's like Zion and DeVante Graham and whatever else, I don't
know. I guess they would have to thrun all and tune is probably.
I feel like this is gonna be a few tile exercise because, like we
said, we both expect Kyrie back. What are your biggest needs for the
like, assuming Kyrie irving were let's just assume Kyrie's back, because the whole
tooculate, then that's future changes. If he's not, what are you looking
at for this team to do? Yeah, I mean I think they need
to to hell with the luxury tax. You've got to bring back ideally both
Brown and Klaxon, because I think both are super important both for their short
and long term futures. Like if you are concerned with things going south,
like even if you could resign Kyrie and you get them out of two plus
one, like, there's no guarantee this all doesn't come to a head next
summer, so I think you need to be planning ahead as well and trying
to keep your good young players. I mean, they've only got what,
like, assuming Kyrie comes back, they have eight players under contract right now,
so they just need to like fill out their roster with warm bodies.
I agree with you. Wings are going to be super important, just like
for every other team. Do they have like a wing? Right? Okay,
there's the candidates are Kevin Durant, which, okay, fine if you
like Kevin Durant the wing, if you want to say he's more of like
a combo foward like however you want to find it. There's Kevin Durant.
Then there's Joe Harris, Bruce Brown. I know Rhodo World's death chart has
Ben Simmons listened at the three. It's like that's what this team is.
Kyrie's there obviously, but like Ben Simmons isn't a wing. Bruce Bound's not.
You can defend them, but he's not a wing, like you know,
he's not used like a wing on offense. They just they need that
like a you know, I don't and those are available and scant supply to
again with and during this offseason, but with a mini mL that's gonna be
tough to get. But they need they just need wings. Yeah, I
mean what's wild about them is that if if they smooth things out with Kyrie,
which is a big iff at this point. You try it out Kevin
Durant, Kyrie Ben Simmons, and any combination of Joe Harris, Seth Curry,
Patty Mills, Bruce Brown next season, that those lineups are gonna cook.
Like, I get why the Nets are one of the title favorites right
now, but I would not in my wildest dreams bet on them, especially
given what's happened over the last week, because I just feel like something is
going to go wrong. I don't know what, I don't know when,
but I like, I just can't see this sticking together through next June enough
for them to win a title. Some of the names that sprung to mind
for me that I think they could afford and would fit, and look,
they could also use some like let's assume they bring back Claxton, they still
sort of mean like front Line Certainty where it's easy Claxton and Dayron Sharp and
please don't let it be Blake driven and the Marcus Haldred again. I don't
know if they do. Think they can even bring back Andre Drummond, like
beyond he said, I remember you got traded there and it was like you
know, I'm here. It's just a rental they can't afford. Me.
I mean, do you do you think he's getting more than the Mini mL
E but no problems. I don't think the next told be the one team
that's spending that though, that makes sense, yeah, Like, I don't
know. I mean, they have to just round out their roster, and
I think the competition for wings is going to be more competitive than for bigs.
Like I think you can find a reasonable big on a min deal.
So I think they probably you know, whether they if they lose Drummond,
maybe they maybe they're the next stop on the Dwight Howard Redemption Tour, like
JaVale McGee, Hassan white Side, Dwayne Deadman, Like none of these names
are super sexy, but I mean Dwayne Dedman would be great. Yeah,
yeah, So I think they probably spend the MLI on a wing and just
go cheap with the third veteran big. Some of the names that's bring to
mind for me, and I think most of these I would consider below Mini
MLI, except for the first one, which is Gary Harris. I don't
know what he commands, but he would be great for them. Looking at
God, they could use either of the Martin brothers. I've said this for
a few teams now, and I'm not looping them together, but they both
have the same sort of positional flexibility on defense. Daniel House would be good.
And look, they need multiple wings and so you probably need to hit
on some minimum. So it's like, are they a team that needs to
enter odney Hood territory? Abdel Nader? Those are names that they probably need
look at. Someone should take a look at p J Dojer, depending on
how healthy he is coming off of that ACL injury. I understand any nets
fans we're listening to, these are not sexy names, and I wouldn't spend,
like I said, the Mini Emily on both of them. But you
have to also look beyond the mini mL E. If you could get Gary
Harris or even what is TJ. Warren gonna get. I assume if it
only takes the mini mL E, like Indiana will just resign him. And
I assume he would probably want as much money as he could get. But
but who knows he would play like a wing who can defend one on one
in Brooklyn like they will play a lot. Yeah, yeah, I have
been running through I put non taxpayer up on Saturday and I'm doing taxpayers tomorrows.
These are Sixers specific targets, but you named a lot of the guys
that I had in mind, because I you know, I think the Sixer's
biggest needed is wing. So if for talking wings, Otto Porter Junior is
another one, I would assume because if like the Warriors are willing to give
him the mini Emily, he's probably just staying there. But if not,
like if their tax bill is just like, okay, we can only go
so far before we're just like we cannot spend as much money and they have
to resign Looney and Karry Payton as well, He's I think he probably does
get a full at least full mini Emili. Yeah, I mean, I
love the Martin brothers. Gary Harris is a good one. House is the
one. Like, he's probably my number one guy. We'll get into Philly
later. But like, I would think that he might not even get the
full Emily, but I think he probably should. I don't know what Torrian
Prince gets because he's coming off a bigger contract, so maybe he gets more
than the mini Emilly. But like he's he sometimes feels like the idea of
Torrian Prince on defense is better than Tory and Prince in practice like the shooting.
Sure, Like if you've got Bruce Brown, Ben Simmons and Claxton,
that's know that you need like that Ben Simmons. Part of this is tough
because it's like I kind of forget he's there because we haven't seen playing so
long and so, yeah, you have more defense than you did last season
noticeably, So right, yeah, well I think do you have Ben Simmons.
It's a fair point. Uh the I thought, I don't think they'll
use like they're better trade exceptions, but like the Nicks, if they're really
looking at dump Cam reddish, why not take a flyer on him. He
fits into I think two of their trade exceptions. He fits into the DeAndre
one exactly. Maybe I can't remember where he just worked there, and they
of course have the James Harden won if he's more expensive. I know that
contenders don't normally think in those terms, but like I'm just getting I want
I want wings, like I don't can't be like young old as long as
they can play, and there's like some either untapped upside to them or they've
proven something. Just give Brooklyn all the wings. Yeah, Cam reddish should
be. I mean again, like, I think the Nets really need to
be mindful of the future here because they owe their next five picks either like
fully unprotected just going to Houston or pick swaps to Houston. So if this
thing really goes south, they could be sending some premium picks to Houston.
And like the mid twenty twenties, I wonder, and I guess the first
round equity that they could actually give up. Maybe he's too expensive for this,
but like ken Rich Williams, someone's got to get him out of Okacy.
Well not, they don't have to. I don't make that clear.
He's thrived in Okacy. He also said he wanted to retire there. He's
someone My point is everyone should be looking to trade for Kendrick Williams. So
if I don't mention him for a team, just assume that he's a tradetographer
that team. I feel the same about Blue Dort too, do you.
I'm like so much lower on Blue Dort than everybody else. Interesting, Yeah,
there's something there's like infrequent rim pressure and like spotty shooting, and he's
a defensive monster. The best I think it was Brandon and or David Brandon
on Twitter described Lue dort once as a big mactruck made up of other miniature
Mac trucks, Like that is perfect. Yeah, I want that guy,
might do We went over on the nets because of course we're going to the
New York Knicks now, not any less dramatic key free agents include Mitchell Robinson.
He's unrestricted, but they have full bird rights and for anyone who cares,
Ryan Archie dak and I was also a free agent. The notable non
guarantees TOAJ Gibson. His salary doesn't become guaranteed until January seven to twenty twenty
three, but they're gonna waive him because we already know what they're doing at
this point. They're notable extension in candidate. They're notable extension candidates include RJ.
Barrett and Cam Reddish. They have no notable trade exceptions. They're best
spending tool as of now. As of now, I'm just assuming they wave
TOAJ Gibson. They're gonna be in that eighteen million dollars cap space range if
they want more. That's where the Cam Reddish salary dumps come in. So
their best spending tools going to be cap space. They made that clear on
draft night. I have listed as their biggest needs slash priorities, and this
is to jump start the larger conversation. Is a fucking direction. Is what
I literally have before I throw it to you. I would just like to
say I received a lot of criticism for what I wrote and what I said
after the Knicks trade stuff. I don't if you like the idea of what
they did in a vacuum getting three conditional first for that one first, fine
like I still would have. I liked hushmont Jag. I actually would have
picked him. I also liked Doc Basha. I thought he would been a
good fit. Fine, That's actually not what I'm criticizing. I'm not even
technically criticizing that they definitely overpaid to salary dumb Kember Walker. And some people
will say, well, if that's what it cost to salary dumb Kember Walker,
they didn't overpay that fine wave him. It was one season, and
you're clearly not planning to app operate like a salary cap team again anytime soon.
If you're making run at John Brunson, that three million dollars a year
work around, it is where I would have been with that my larger issue
and has nothing to do with Jalen Brunson. I have I promised everyone I've
watched Jon Brunson. I'm excited for the Knicks to go too and oh against
the Utah Jazz every single season. But this is like, he's not the
player you pay twenty five million million dollars when you don't have another star in
place already, and that star probably needs to be on the higher end of
stardom because I don't know that you could feel comfortable saying, oh, Drew
Holiday's my best player. Jon Brunson can be my second best player, like
it can't be someone on It has to be a top ten guy like Luca.
And that's where the criticism is is they are consigning themselves to the middle
again. I don't care how good Jail Brunson ends up being, but awesome
that you guys want to pay forty million dollars combined to Derrick Rose and Jalon
Brunson next season. That's a hell of a smart thing to do. That's
where my criticism is. Though I think Jon Brunson is fantastic. I think
there's something to be said for Yes, he will streamline the development of RJ.
Barrett on offense and yes, you know what, maybe he'll force Julius
Randall to act more like a big and a spot up guy rather than someone
who has carte blaunched over the offense. My issue is just that you're not
at a point, especially after paying Randall and Fournier, where this is what
you need to be doing, and then jumping through so many hoops to do
so. And the final thing, I'll say, you can look at it
what they've casted to dump salary and create space so far, they are not
done. If you dump cam Reddish like a lot of people think they will,
and they haven't yet to their credit, you will have turned the number
nineteen pick in the twenty twenty one draft into another Charlotte pick that you turned
into cam Reddish, who you then used to create six million dollars in cap
space. That is poor asset allocation no matter how you look at it,
And it'd be different if the player at the end of this shit stained rainbow
was an actual star. It's not Jalon Brunson, who is BT Is Jalen
Brunson a top forty player. I haven't thought exact. These are not the
hoops you jump through to get something like that, unless he is he the
Knicks's finishing piece. No, no, no, no, exactly, and
you know what if they don't get him, now this somehow it looks even
worse, but it's funnier. So that's I just wanted to clarify. That's
what I'm meaning by a fucking direction. I'm not actually if that's the trade
they made with the pick, and I actually think the pick they gave up
it was at the Denver pick to get off Kemba, but you still got
the Milwaukee pick. I'd rather have the Milwaukee twenty twenty five pick. It's
top four protected. Denver was protected until Kingdom come. There was a lot
of infected, So that's I wouldn't have done it because I think there's a
chance Washington pick doesn't convey I think there's less of a chance now that Detroit's
pick doesn't convey that team looks fun in the years to come. I can't
even come up with free agent targets for this team outside of Jawn Brunson because
I have no idea what the fuck they're doing. What about Kyrie? Is
that? Like? Are you if? I will give the same criticism hitching
your wagon to Kyrie Irving is just like playing with dynamite. Now. Now,
people were in our YouTube comments saying, well, you probably were against
them getting Kyrie in the first place and looked how well that turned out.
You don't get the backtrack if they go ahead and get Kyrie. Do you
know what the actual contingency plan is in place? If they don't get Brunson,
it's Malcolm fucking brogged in? There is It's not a likelyhood, but
there is a percentage chance whatever it is, that this all ends with them
just getting Malcolm rocked in from the India Pacers. Yeah. Yeah, I
mean, like, I'm keeping my eye just if if things go south with
Kyrie and he opts out, Like the team's on his sign and trade list
are all well over the tax, so most of them are over the apron
already or will be, so they can't receive a player in a sign and
trade unless they get under Miami's the one exception there, but I think would
reported their interest isn't minimal And like, did you see what Mickey Harrison tweeted
out the other day? No, it was I can't This is me summarizing
again, but he tweeted out an article where it says proof that the unvaccinated
or killing people. So this is like Kyrie was like he saw the Ruvers
that he was like, no, it's the one place in Florida with the
unvaccinated are not welcome. Interesting. Yeah, So if he opts out,
like, the Knicks are his only realistic option other than resigning with Brooklyn.
So it's just something that I'm gonna like, you know, the deadline is
Wednesday for that, the opt in opt out decision, Like, if he
opts out, I'm thinking like, oh, okay, now now the Knicks
are in here, But otherwise I completely agree with you, Like, I'm
still not sure. I mean, I think Barrett is the closest thing to
it, but I still don't know if the Knicks have like anything resembling a
star on a championship team. They don't have a they don't have a pull
star cornerstone. Right now, I think it's not Julius Randall. I know,
I thought the Julius Randall contract year will, extension year, whatever you
want to call it. I bought into it. I still think he can
be better than he was for most of last season. It's not him maybe
I'm not willing to rule out RJ. Barrett, but I do think at
this point, like it's not fifty fifty that R. J. Barrett is
the top ten players, Like it's not right, right, yeah, Like
he could be a co star or like a number a strong number three on
a title team, but yeah, I would be surprised if he is,
which is important, yeah, of course, right, Like, don't get
me wrong, it's important to have good players and especially good young players.
But like I almost feels like if they get Brunson, and I mean,
this is what it felt like for the last couple of seasons with them,
They're like signing all of these guys to mid tier deals, so it's like,
okay, well if we need you know, some start out there wants
a trade, Like, oh, we've got all these mid sized contracts,
we can easily cobble together something. And I guess now they added these three
first round picks, So like if Donovan Mitchell, if things go to Hell
and Utah and he wants out, maybe maybe they're in on him. But
otherwise, like, yeah, I guess what what is the plan here?
Like, are you gonna cobble these together? For? As you said,
Malcolm Brogden is like the backup plant, or like Mike Conley is the backup
plant. I don't know like it this the plant sounds good in theory,
but they have yet to execute on it, like three years into this now.
Yeah, and I think a stuff that I would like to see them
do. Some people said, well, like you lined out, what if
those picks they're planning and run another star if they go ahead and turn around
trade for de Jontay Murray or Mitchell becomes available, I'll eat my words,
like that's I'm willing to do that, and I would love to do that.
I just don't think I will. They aren't a position where they could
get creative with what they're doing in free agencies. Is they have capspace And
if Jalen Brunson does go back to Dallas, you know, do you start
shopping around the restricted free agent? Well, I don't think, Like there's
just there's no one in this market that I think is worth them burning most
of their cap space on at once. But can you look at like they're
a team that could still use wings Like I would love for them to take
a flyer on like in a mere coffee. I think they're a good landing
spot for a Caleb Bero Cody Martin. I think they also need shooting in
general to just open things up if you want to play Mitchell Robinson and Julius
Rynolds together at the same time, So can you go on the market and
find some of that, because now you have more money than you know,
more than two thirds of the league to spend. At this point, they
aren't a ton of good shooters on the open market. But at the same
time, like if Garry Harris wanted to complete for the Knicks, like yeah,
like that's someone who shot well enough from three this year, and so
that's what I'd be looking to do, is like kind of finding those glue
guys to where that could just space the floor. And I'd love to see
them do that at the five. But I think to wrap up the discussion
here, they're gonna wind up resigning Mitchell Robinson. You have Jericho Sims there,
You're gonna you want to see what you have and will be topping.
I'm just sort of resigned to Tims probably wouldn't play a floor spacing big if
it's at his disposal anyway, And maybe it's more likely that he's forced to
try out Randall and top In, which I know will be a defensive disaster.
But they need to open up the floor. And by the way,
they need to do that even if Jalen Brunson comes to town, because like
he's used to operating with a lot more space in Dallas, and then Nicks
are gonna give him next season if he's higns there. Yeah, no,
that's a good point. I mean, like Taias Jones, You've mentioned him
earlier for Boston, Like if he is not willing to sell for the mini
mid level and isn't even willing to sell for the non taxpayer like he wants
twelve fourteen million, he would be someone of interest for me. I don't
get why Mo Bamba is like not generating any free agent interests at least in
terms of like the lead offa is or are they more likely like they still
drafted Paolo ban Caro, so like I don't like, I don't think that
makes them more or less likely to get rid of them. I just thought
they were going to get rid of them when they ended up with the top
three pick, right right, and like I would Yeah, I mean,
it seemed to be a lot of people are like expecting them not even to
if who I'm a qualifying offer, which I mean like cool, I get
it, Like you've got Wendell Carter and now Paolo like those are your and
you've got Jonathan Isaac coming back in theory at some point. But Bamba's good,
Like I feel like he's gonna wind up being signing for less than he
should and being a huge stealing free agency. So if if they lose Mitchell
Robinson somehow, that would be another guy I'd be certainly after because like he's
still raw. But the skill set in the upside is really intriguing, especially
for a team that needs to be taking some mome when swings on town.
And look, if they don't use their cap space on like a big free
agent, like they should absolutely be what teams within a dumb contracts If we're
not getting they're not getting Bruns in what are they attaching to it? And
then yeah, you are reloading your deck again. I still wouldn't love the
order of operations because why did you if you miss on Bruns and it means
that you dumped Kemba and I assume they're waiting for the other moves before to
know that they have them. So yeah, that's the I don't it's tough
to look ahead to the nixt offseason because if you assume they get Bruns and
like that's the move, right, and then they could use the room exception
after that and it's awesome. Like I don't know what I think their biggest
position of need. While I would like to see some sort of shape shifting
up front, I really think it's like, can you get some actual properly
sized wings in there? And men Cam Reddish adds to that, if you're
gonna keep them, we just it doesn't sound like they're going to keep them,
or we don't know if they're gonna keep them more. If Tis even
fucking likes him at this point, right, will Tidds play him at any
point next year? That was the other point about this trade too. It's
like, well, Tims wasn't gonna play a lottery prospect anyway, and it's
like Tom Thibodeau was not a good enough coach for you to think that way,
right, Just fire your coach. If if your coach is not willing
to play a lottery pick, that he shouldn't be your coach. And that's
that was really my fundamental issue was like the moves in a vacuum. You
can evaluate different ways the picks that they got versus the ones they gave up,
but like the line of thinking, like the overarching thought process that went
behind this or what you're trying to do. It's not even like, oh,
we're planning for a Nicole yogis pursued six years down the line or something
ridiculous like that. It's like, I'm like, it's just it's Jalen Bruns.
Like a jale Brun's a really good player. He's not someone that should
dictate like this much of about your team operating. Yeah, I mean,
especially like if the costs to get eleven, like to you know, okay,
see gave up three for future first for the eleven pick. Couldn't they
have gotten more for thirteen than just dumping Kembo's contract and getting up Milwaukee pick
that's probably gonna be in the twenties. Yeah, so the value is off
they two. So that's so weird. Not a detriment to move on its
face, but more of I do think it was not great value. And
look, if that was the cost to dump Kemba Walker, I'm just not
dumping Kimber Walker. That's a lot of the refrains here. It's like,
well, if they gave that up, do you really think they just took
the worst deal and one it happened on draft night under pressure, Like there's
a chance there could have been other moves out there, like the Warriors of
Andre Goadala, where that felt like a very like impulsive decision to send him
to Memphis with that twenty twenty four big I mean, if there weren't like,
hey, here's a novel concept, you didn't need to dump Kemba Walker
then right, I mean, like, okay, CE has twenty million cap
space burning Hall in their pockets. They expires on June thirtieth, Like you're
telling me if you have some good antel, like on June twenty nine,
that you're in line for Brunson at that point or Kyrie God forbid, like
you wouldn't be able to attach the future first to Alec Burks or Rylands now
weel or I mean probably not kept up because there because they wouldn't be able
to reacquire him for but it would be well within the window. Yeah you're
right, so well yoh yeah for sure. Uh the next team. No,
boy, do you just want to We'll go to the Toronto Raptors.
But the first yeah, the Philadelphia seventy six ers key free agents for them.
Not sure if you've heard of this guy, James Harden. There's also
he has a player option. Paul Mill's happened Doctor Jordan the key uh Shake
Milan also has a one point nine million dollars team option Isaiah Joe and Paul
Reader on non guaranteed deals, and Charles Bassi is a seventy four K guarantee.
Notable extension candidates. I threw this one in there for you, Tobias
Harris. It is the third anniversary of his five year deal, so he
used extension aledgeable BT just in case you needed to know. No notable trade
exceptions their best spending tool. And this is like the topic that I think
tates everything I have it as the mini mL E. You've written extensively about
how they could try to open up the non taxpayer mL E and the bi
annual, but it looks like after that trade for Melton, they decided we'll
use the miniml and he's probably better than any player that we would have gotten
with the bi annual or the non taxpayer to begin with it. Maybe they
just didn't want to hard tap themselves. Yeah yeah, I mean they've sent
some pretty clear messaging out over the past week that they are not going to
salary dump just to get access to the MLI. So they're not going to
like give him a tistavole away for free. The Melton trade makes it more
likely that they're going to have the mini one, the only two realistic pathways
they can see that for them to get the full one one, James Harden
opts out and resigns for less money, but it would have to be like
substantially less money. Now I think you said, what was the number of
thirty six? Yeah, it's like if if they want to do a minimum
deal for the fifteenth roster spot, like so as assuming they're gonna, you
know, use the full non taxpayer on someone and then use the minimum exception
for the fifteen spot. Yeah, it's like he has to take a ten
ish million dollar pay cut. Yeah. Yeah, Like before all of this,
he could have, like heading into draft night, he could have taken
forty two point seven and they would have added access. Now it's just a
tougher cell I think the other way is trading to Buias Harris for someone who
earns slightly less money. So Gordon Hayward's the guy I've got circled, especially
if they if the Hornets lose Miles Bridges in restricted free agency, do they
just do to Bias for Hayward? And like, I honestly don't know which
team would have to include anything else or if either team would like I think
both teams would want the other one to send something else and they would ultimately
realize, like, actually, this is a pretty fair value trade as is,
so we'll just pull it off. Yeah, And look, there's as
we talked about this the other or the night before we recorded this, there's
probably just more value in not having to be so beholden to the hardcap to
where you're literally just working like with such finite room under it. If you
were trying to use that non tax payer and who are you getting for it?
You know, like, do you have they met probably better than anyone
you're actually going to sign at this point with the non tax payramid level.
Yeah, Like if they do this Harris for Hayward trade, and you know
they've been linked with PJ. Tucker a lot, Like, is Hayward and
PJ. Tucker better than Harris and whoever they get with the tax payramid level.
Impossible to say now without knowing who they get, but I would I
would think no, because Harris is like the one two way wing on their
roster, and that is really stretching the definition of the gay wing, which
is I was gonna ask you, so, like, what are the needs
of this team, and it feels like they have like more than a team
in this position probably should do you have? They? Melton definitely helps for
sure. Yeah, that was pick up. Yeah, Yeah, I mean
I think I've been saying all all offseason wing wing, wing, wing wing,
that's the number one need by far, especially if you're going against Tatum
and Jimmy Butler and maybe Kevin Durant in the playoffs. And I mean Giannis
is his own beast, but Chris Middleton in the playoffs as well. So
ideally a two way wing, I think, because like, assuming they don't
make any major trades like you have Maxi, Harden, Harris and Beat,
all of whom can go off for twenty or Embat and Harden's case and even
Maxie's no'll go off for thirty on any given nights. You don't need another
high volume score like I would really just look for like a low usage three
and D guy. So Daniel House is one of the main main guys,
main realistic targets that I had in mind for them. We went over a
bunch of the other candidates. We're talking about Boston, but like either of
the Martins, Gary Harris would be interesting, Otto Port, it would be
interesting Torre and Prince if he's willing to go for the mini one. T
J. Warren's probably the one where like that's the highest risk but also the
highest upside of anyone in that conversation. And I do wonder, you know,
the Sixers, because Danny Green got hurt and then they traded him for
Melton, Like right now you're penciling in Matisse thybole as they're starting three.
But I don't think that spot is set in stone by any means. So,
like, you know, because so many contenders are limited to the mini
mL, the Sixers can at least say, hey, like we have a
real chance for playing time here, Like you have the opportunity to start here
where it's like you're not getting that in Boston or Denver. Or wherever so
that that might help them, or Michael Rubin can just ship some fanatics Monday
under the table now, I guess, Yeah, it's such a would you
do? I don't know if he's like he's I don't know if he's three
enough, and then I also don't know if he's a big enough But like
what if Bruce Brown was willing to take the many? Yeah, yeah,
I had him on my non taxpayer I know he shot the three well last
year, but Booken almost uniquely able to use him on offense, where like
he was doing other stuff too, hanging around the dunker spot and whatever.
Yeah, I mean, I thought, especially given his relationship playing with Harden
before, he'd be a really interesting candidate and just weakening Brooklyn. You know,
that's certainly something that can help because you're going to be competing with them
in theory for a playoff spot next year. Kyle Anderson was another one,
but I think he's probably too expensive and like the fit is just so weird
and I don't trust Doc to figure it out at all. But it could
work. I think, I mean, he would help them defensively a lot,
and he gives them like a different type of playmaker and rebounding. I
think he would help too, Like their rebounding was garbage last year, which
is also why they need to Well this isn't also why because they did hit
on their backup five signing. Now that you hit on it again at the
minimum, and that's that's like another need. Like I would love you don't
spend one, he'll cost more, but like you can't. I don't think
you could justify. Like if Chris Bouchet said, hey, I'll take the
mini Emily to come there. I mean, I might do it anyway because
he could play with it me technically, but like that that would be a
hole, mom. But you also want to use your best spending tool on
a position that your best player man, right right, Yeah, it sounds
like they're I mean again, this is coming from Darryl, So I don't
know Doc it's gonna buy into it. But Darryl on draft night made it
sound like Doc was impressed with what Paul Reid gave them late in the season.
He's optimistic about Charles Bassie, who was a rookie last year, a
second round pick, So it sounds like they might just let those two guys
battle it out for the backup five job, and he said, there's gonna
be like a pretty high bar if they do get a minimum center, because
like roster spots are also a problem, and they've got assuming Hard knops in
or whatever happens with Hard he comes back, which I think you will.
They're at thirteen already, so like if you spend one, you know you've
got Read and Vassie. Like if you signed another min guy, you've got
four centers, or if you consider Read a four, he could probably play
either spot, but like you know that least room for one wing and you've
got then your wing rotation or wing slash forward rotation is Harris fible quark mas.
I guess like Isaiah Joe was not going to play George and Yang was
you know, good in the regular season, struggled in the playoffs. Like
I would personally advocate using those two final roster spots on two wings. And
I wonder, like House I have circled as you know, my the guy
who I think they might be able to get for cheaper than other teams because
he played with Harden and Houston more he's got a relationship with him as well,
so maybe they can get him in on a min deal, or maybe
they can split the mini emili between him and one other guy. I don't
know that that would be That's how I would do it, if I,
you know, without knowing like who is willing to take what? That would
be my mindset going in the off season. I was wondering, and I
don't I'm not wondering as much anymore. And he but he said he wanted
to play with dwell embiid if Nick but Toom well, yeah, yeah,
because the Clippers have so many wings. I was like, maybe they don't
want to pay him, but it kind of seems like they don't care about
the tax, which if that's true, he always are quick to give to
there for not caring until they all of a sudden start to care, right.
But Tom would be fantastic if they could get Tucker that is a like
he opts out with the intention of getting the full mL the bigger mL E
like that, or the one hundred twenty percent race from Miami, which comes
pretty close to that, Like you're not taking six point four million from the
Sixers. Another name I thought about, and they could move him around a
lot. Want just Connal Anderson would be really good. Here. Oh that's
interesting. I actually had not thought about him, but Tom was on my
list of tax payer and a mere coffee as well for this. I think
this will be the fourteenth team that we've done as recording this, I have
suggested a mere coffee for no fewer than ten of those teams. Good.
Yeah, yeah, I mean he just again like they don't need another high
volume score. They need someone to stand in the corner, knock down threes,
be switchable on defense. I think he can do all of those things.
And if we're gonna pillage the Warriors, Damian Lee would make I know
he wasn't playing for them, but he'd probably play for the Sixers. Yeah.
I mean, looking at teams that are already well over the tax line
and have a number of notable free agents is a safe bet. Like if
they do go for a backup center, Isaiah Hartenstein would be one of the
guys I'd go after. But yeah, I didn't name him in my targets
because I don't want them to spend money on a backup center, but if
they did, that would probably be the guy I'd try to get. So,
how do you think the Well? Before I get to James Harden.
Yeah, do you think the d DN Tamail trade now, it felt like
they could have been. I know they were linked to like Windhorse sort of
mentioned that, like, oh they're dreaming of getting a third star. The
heat religion isn't set up to make a big trade. No, So I
don't think Melton is like the biggest move that they make this summer, right,
Like that ends up being like the biggest get for them. James Harden
notwithstanding, right, I don't want to like rule out anything because I'm sure
Darryl is coming up with the I just can't imagine trading Kyrie's Maxie on his
rookie scale. I just I can't. Yeah, I wouldn't be thrilled about
it. It would have to be for an absolute surefire superstar. And I'm
not putting like you know, Kyrie named the Sixers as one of his teams
of interest. I do not think they reciprocate like you have. That was
hysterical James Harden's right, James Harton literally requested a trade to get away from
You don't think they're gonna want to? Yeah, So I think Melton and
then whoever they signed with the MLA will probably be there two big splashes.
How do you expect what would be your guess on how the James Harden contracted
because they'll be back in Philly, but it doesn't feel like there's still a
bunch of different scenarios still in play and that there's not this huge feel for
what he's necessarily going to do. Yeah, I mean, you know,
our colleague Jake Fisher has reported he is likely to opt in and take a
short term extension, and then I think either Wood or Windhorst has since echoed
that reporting, So they are more plugg give than I am, so I
will absolutely believe them. I think Harden would probably like a full max extension
for you know, he would, I'm sure we would like all five years.
That's not going to happen. I'm sure he is going to be pushing
for a max extension of two years. I'm sure the Sixers are going to
be trying to get a little bit less than that. None of that impacts
what they can do this offseason, So Wednesday, we're gonna know either way
what they're able to do. I you know, like a couple of weeks
ago, I wrote that him opting out and resigning for less would be their
best play because at that point it was easier to get access to the non
TAXAMN level and the biennial exception. Now because he would have to take such
a big discount to get there, I don't think it's going to happen.
And frankly, I mean Derek Bodner of the Daily six newsletter, I think
was the first to point this out. It's a really smart point. Again,
Summer twenty twenty five is coming, so if he signs a three year
extension, he comes off the books right then. The only guy they currently
have signed through then is Joel Embiid you know, knock on would Tyree Smith.
But you know, like if if Maxie, I'm assuming he's going to
get a MAX extension next offseason or something close to it, but they could
have I mean, we'll see what they do in the ensuing three years.
It's you know, it's two early to be saying like, oh, I've
got like ninety billion dollars in cap space, But like they they could set
themselves up to have a third MAX slot right when that summer happens. If
Harden does do this three year deal, so I would rather him, I'd
rather pay him more over three years than slightly less over four unless he really
did take a big enough discount to go full non tax mid level and full
by annual exceptions. Yeah, and look, there might be some the fact
that they're not set up to make a big trade anymore. If you could
cut salary another way to open up both, like if it's the exchanging tobias
for a cheaper player or players or that works out. The more that I
think about, the more it might go that route. I guess you,
especially more of all people, doesn't want to go to never say never direction
to where some opportunity opens up the middle of the season. And I know
that you might want to make some like like middle of the season like signings
or ten days or whatever. But I'm also just sort of like you're not
set up to like make this meg or blockbuster anyway. Do you really need
to care about having such a thin line of breathing room beneath the hardcat Yeah,
I mean, if anything, it would be like to convert one of
their two way guys to arrest of season contract. But I'm with you,
like they're pretty locked into this core, like they just do not have They've
got these three gigantic salaries, and then Melton is right now their fourth highest
BADE player at eight point two five billions. So like, unlike the Knicks
who have a ton of these mid tier tradeable salaries, the Sixers have nothing.
Like you, It's very difficult to cobble together a trade. Danny Green
was their one trade chip, and you know they made good on it.
But now it's like, even if you cobble together Quark, Moss and Thible,
that's still like nine point four million dollars in salary, so you can't
even get You know, they were linked to Eric Gordon leading up to the
draft, it's like, good luck figuring out and Eric Gordon trade. Right
now, that doesn't involve to Buias Harris, you'd have to include basically everyone
else on the roster. What would you do if James Horn's hand like a
five year, one hundred and seventy five million dollars deal. I mean,
it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world because at that point you probably
do have but you just have James Horton for five years at like thirty five
million of pop. Basically, yeah, yeah, you would hope if he
does that, you would at least try to structure it in a way you
get the full non text and bi annual this year. You probably have it
go up and at least the next year and then have it decline after that,
so you're at least gonna have, you know, hopefully the salary is
in line with his production, and also it'll be cheaper as this cap boom
happens in twenty five and if you're trying to get off of him at his
body isn't totally broken by then, maybe you'll be able to do that.
That about rats us up on the Sister Sixers, which brings us to our
last team, Toronto Raptors. Key free agents include Chris Bouche unrestricted full bird.
You to want an Abby who would actually be a good fit for the
Sixers. They probably want someone who's like played more aren't though I'm assuming that
Is Young is also a free agent as his essak Banga, he's a non
guaranteed deal. Other notable non guarantees Delano Banton. He has one hundred and
fifty K guaranteed on his one point six million dollars salary until July fourth.
Armani Brooks is fifty K guaranteed if his one point eight million dollars salary and
then two hundred and fifty k will guarantee on August first. Notable extension candidates.
Both Siakam and Fred van Fleet are extension knowledgeable this summer. That is
that's interesting and notable trade exceptions. They have three point one leftover from the
Kyle Lowry trade that expires on July sixth, and they have five point three
million from the gore On Dragas trade which expires February tenth. Their best spending
tool should be the non tax player mid level exception unless they do something to
the clear space, which they can. They're also you know, they're a
thoroughly uninteresting trade team just because it has to be a mega star because of
who they would need to trade and then like it would have like even the
Rudy Gobert structure is like unless it's literally he had an Obi and the rest
of your roster that isn't Gary Trench in your Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes and
Fred van Fleet like you, you would have to trade Gary Trench and your
og had an Noobi almost in the same trade. So what do you have
as just their biggest needs? What are you like looking to see from them
going into the free agency. I think they don't have enough six nine players.
That's really I think. I mean, way we were talking to me,
they don't think that they do. I know, it is awesome.
I'm like saying that half facetiously, but I also think they genuinely might just
want to go full a full team of guys between six seven and six nine
who could dribble, shoot and pass and defense, and that maybe that's just
the vision, you know. I think when they ran into Mbid in the
playoffs and they didn't have anyone who could guard him unless they broke his face
with an elbow in garbage time, that at least suggested that they could use
a traditional center or at least someone who could soak up minutes against bigger guys.
But at the same time, like, how many of the other teams
that you're going to go against in the East other than Philly has that like
low post to behemoth like Brooklyn. Even if they bring back Nick Claxton,
you're not worried about that. Robert Williams, sure, but that's not the
way he's going to score baskets. You know, he's gonna be a lib
threat and he'll be a like offensive, rebound, put back type of guy,
but he's not going to create his own off of post ups. Brook
Lopez is just gonna bomb away from three. He's not going to post up
a ton bam at a Bio. Same deal. So, like, I
agree, they could use one, but I feel like their need for one
is overblown. And so with thank you, I just felt like I was
on my own a little bit. I don't really know how Raptors frans feel
about it, but I hate Rudy Gobert's fit there. Yeah, that level
of center, right, Yeah, I completely agree with that, and especially
as you said, given the caliber of talent they would have to give up,
Like if they're giving up Og and Trent, I wouldn't like I don't
almost be asking Utah to send more back or at least send the pick back,
and like Utah would definitely go tell you the f yourself. But like
Rudy on that contract, I get I get the value that he brings.
And I'm not saying that he is a bad player or that he is overpaid.
It's just it is tough to build around someone on that type of a
contract in general, unless they are a top five NBA player, and even
the most ardent Utah Javits fan I hope would not argue that he is that
caliber over player. So the Utah Jazz fans in our discord and listen to
this podcast and comment on YouTube or whatever, they seem pretty like I think
some of them want to trade Donovan Mitchell instead of Rudy. Look, that's
fine too, Rugo Beart is probably the more certainly in the regular season,
you can make the case he's the more valuable player. It's just Donovan Mitchell
is the prototype of player you would rebuild around, not just because of his
point of attack offense, He's also just he's younger, right, I think
that is coming more from like we know who the source of this, all
of this discord is coming from. And even if they trade Gobert, are
we just like bibing time and told was shocked to hear that Quinn Slider was
fired. I said it was Grant or Adam on podcast, like, I'm
not plugged in, and we all just knew based off were plugged in.
Just hearing it in the ether that he was leaving. Probably knew a little
bit more than we did. You would think yeah, yeah, Like I
have a feeling even if they trade Gobert in this offseason, like he asked
out in the next year or two anyway, So I think they just might
want to rip the band aid off. You're definitely getting more from Mitchell and
trade this summer anyway than you are for Gobert, So that is all beside
the point. But yeah, I would not, like I'm cool with like
precious that Chua showed something interesting this year in Toronto, and like, if
you've got again, if you've got all these six nine guys, you're Siako
Barnes Chua. If you resign Chris Bouche and you showed Chris Bouche forever,
every team should sign Chris Bouche. Yeah, hopefully Nick Nurse will stop hating
him at some point. Uh, they've gotten OG's six seven's got a huge
wingspan, like, they've got plenty of length. It's you know, you
don't need to break the bag. And maybe would you be okay man,
I mean you finally got the practice with Joel e and by now he's gonna
be on the receiving end of like Joel and yeah, yeah, I had
thought about like and these don't fit. First of all, the list of
biggs who might give you a shot against Joel and be it's just so tiny,
right, like, yeah, biggs would be I would ultimately be okay
with the big nounbound to name for the most part. If they went and
spent their non taxpayers been level on that big I didn't want to see them
make it actual trade. For one, when you have, like you know,
Pascal siafam's not incapable of playing the five like you when you have your
lineups that are positionless or you had og defend certain centers, maybe that's where
you're looking to get away from. I Saiah harten Sign would be great here.
Maybe not as mobiles they're used to, but he's a really good rim
protector. I also would really like I don't know if this gets him out
of Brooklyn, but Nick Laxton here he fits like there, he's all over
the place. Maybe he wants someone with a little bit more girth to them.
And the other name. I'm sure it's been thrown out there, but
Kavan Looney would make a lot of sense for them too. If you have,
like if you trust Siakaman and assuming Bouchet comes back to sort of space
the floor as his other front court partner. I saw. I can't remember,
but I was seeing someone talking about like, well, Cavan Mooney's not
switchable enough, and I was like, a lot, there are a lot
of things that Cavan Looney is not not switchable enough. Not one of them.
So same right, So those would be like centers. I would be
okay with them. I don't want to say burning, but using the I
don't know why. I'm like, they're not setting money on fire. Those
are really good part spending spending. But I would also really like to see
them get just like I mean, if they if they can create in the
half court, that's a bonus because their their bench is kind of thing.
They ran their starters around this year. I'd like to see another half court
creator. I thought there should be a sneaky good Victor Oladipo team if he's
a non taxpayer m l E guy, that would be yeah. Yeah,
I mean for Looney because I think the Warriors have bird rights on him.
Yeah, they correctly, right, This is like the we're about to see
how much the Warriors don't care about the tax if they haven't really bird rights
on GP two, So they could pay him basically more than anyone as well.
Yeah, and then just used the taxpayer on auto because like I would
think ten point three million, I don't with their current luxury tax bill,
it's not just ten point three million. But like I it's not like yeah,
but yeah, right, But you know, it's not like the Raptors
are gonna pay him like twenty five million. If that were the case,
or if like the Knicks are going to swoop in and pay him twenty five
million, it could be a matter of he's gonna wind up having the non
taxpayer mid level market and are they willing to He has never been paid paid,
so can you give him something like there should be no hope down discounts
on cob on Looney's part, right, right, right, that's fair.
I mean I wonder again I'm gonna bring up Mobamba, but like that seems
like it could be a pretty interesting fit in Toronto. That was gonna be
my next thing was I really thought they just need shooting, Like they just
needed Mobamba shot the ball. Well, there aren't a lot of the more
you look like, there are not a lot of pure shooters on the market,
and then some of the ones that you kind of where I was looking
at, either shooting or someone who could give you point guard reps, like
they just don't fit the Raptors mold, like a Gary Harris at Taias Jones
not the best shooter, but like as another sort of guy to manager offense
like those are not Those don't seem like Toronto Raptors players. They have it.
They very much admitted that they have a type, and so I could
see this going in a bunch of different directions. I could see them not
signing the center at all. You know, you have Daddie is young,
you have Chris Bouche. Roll it back that way. I suppose, like
maybe they'll make a minimum signing. But I could see their non taxpayersman level
going to something other than a big for sure. Yeah I could too,
I mean, because they could take a cheap fire on like Derek Jones junior
maybe or that's a good one. I mean Mantra's Harold, Well, now
maybe he goes for lesque because he's facing some legal issues, Thomas, he
should not be like it was three pounds. Three pounds is a lot.
Look, you can go to b Ja's and buy all this stuff in bulk
for he's cannabis whatever. It wasn't actively hurting anybody at the time. I
mean, we don't need to litigate the Monts. No, no, no,
no, I'm just saying that, but yeah, that isn't Look unless
you were buying it for your whole block. Look, if he needs to
sell it because he didn't get like the max contract he was looking for,
like you gotta just does his side hustle. Yeah, I mean, like,
I don't know what Thomas Bryant gets if there's a huge market for him,
but like maybe you can get him on a men deal or like to
that point. They are a team that can't afford to go offense first and
basically whatever they do. Yeah, yeah, I mean they are the good
thing for them is that they are one of the few teams where wing is
not a huge need for them, So while everyone else is fighting over the
same like six mid level targets, they might be able to swoop in and
steal someone like a Brent Forbes. Maybe Oh okay, there I thought about
what was the other So one of the things I thought about, I don't
know if the non text players level is enough to get him out of San
Antonio. Balanie Walker Walker, Yeah, would be interesting here, like someone
they could talk all right, he's like big enough to where we can move
him around, but like he is someone who is comfortable like getting shots up
and putting a ball on the floor, right, yeah, yeah, Mali
Brunk too. I'll name him as like if you're looking for just a pure
shooter again, I want like would they have the stomach and how much does
he cost? Like Joe Ingles, when's he coming back next year? He
could slow it down for them a little bit on offense, and he shoots
well. Obviously didn't have the greatest season this past year, but still right,
yeah, I mean I think well, I mean, I guess all
their their biggest concern will be the playoffs, Like, so as long as
he's back by then. But you mentioned the bench is pretty thin, so
I think the point one of the like, you know, you want to
round out the roster and like make sure you're not playing Fred van Fleet thirty
eight minutes in late November, so they get to the playoffs and aren't totally
gas already. Who do you think to rap up here? Is more likely
assign an extension Fred van Fleet or Pascal siakam ooh uh, Siakam is eligible
for a much bigger extension than van Fleet, right, Yeah, because he
makes a lot more money. It's off his number. I actually think it
is probably fair market value for Fred van Fleet. But he's got to be
looking at like he has his player option next year, and there will be
teams that there will be a team that would probably max Fred van Fleet next
year. So I guess is that he of the two would be less likely
to accept an extension. But if you're going to extend Siakam off of his
what is he making. He's at thirty five point four next year, in
thirty seven point nine in twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four. Yeah,
so that's probably I mean, it might not be his full max, but
that will be close enough that there actually might be some And again frankly like
not knowing what the new CBA is gonna bring and not knowing just how high
the CAAP is gonna spike at twenty five, Like, I think if you've
got guys who you feel comfortable building around for the next four or five years,
you should try to lock them in as soon as humanly possible, Because
I think most agents are going to say, like let's wait a year or
two, like we've got a big pay day coming around the corner. Yeah,
And that's why I'm almost positive, because van Fleet's probably in for more
money even before that windfall. Sakham is the one I would look at and
he I'd be comfortable extending him if I'm Toronto and I think feel like the
number he could wind up at from here is probably actually one that might be
sort of mutually okay, like that middle ground, right right, yeah,
because I mean again, like it's going to kick in in twenty four,
twenty five, so most of the extension will be under the new TV deal
cap numbers, so whatever, you know, whatever the cap rises to.
Like even if Sam is making forty plus million, if the CAP's one hundred
and seventy, yeah, he's he's all of a sudden making like less than
twenty five percent of the cap, even though he'd be Is he a thirty
five percent guy after or is he still thirty? Uh? He might?
I think he might still be thirty. I know he's been No, he's
got to still be thirty, I'll check, really right, yeah, because
he was twenty sixty yeah, yeah, so he'd be Oh so maybe m
does he wait two years to become a thirty five percent guy? Is the
other question? Well, but he would have to sign up. You could
do a shorter extension. Yeah, that's true. Maybe that's way. Yeah,
and that would work out for both sides then too, because if he's
worth if he's in a position to get the full boat when his contracts up,
then great. That means he's played like fantastically for you, right right,
right right, Yeah. I mean again, like, I'm gonna write
about this at some point because I think it is a point worth hammering home,
like over our heads for the next three years. Yeah, extensions normally
aren't worth it to begin with, based off the races you could get,
but there are still a few. I think Siakam's is one, even with
the TV money coming around. That's one that I just find interesting. And
if he was willing to sign out for longer, it works out better for
Toronto. Anything else on this team, anyone else that you thought of for
them as a free agent, I one of the free agents I didn't want
to mention. I was afraid to kick around his idea. I deleted it
from my note. Oh I thought about Jon Smith for this team. Too.
I was like, they want a shot well in Indiana, Like,
let's just let's give it a go. They like developmental project, they dance
to be of their own drum. But yeah, because Indiana's limited, they
can only offer him like not a ton of money, right. I just
don't he would be back there anyway, because I don't know who's downing down
the door to sign Jon Smith. But I feel like I shouldn't be allowed
talk about the Raptors because I just assume that they'll try anything. Is basically
where I'm at this point. I know it's imagine having a coach and executive,
well executive a lot of teams have, but a coach who is willing
to play young players and experiment during the regular season. It's a novel concept
for you and I especially Brian. Are you able to tell everybody where they
can find you in the great work that you do? Yes, Well,
thank you again for having me. You can find me on Twitter at b
to pork that's t O p O r e K. You can find my
stuff on Forbes Sports. Gonna have a lot about the Sixers. Have written
a ton about James Harden's contract and blah blah, blah. I've got non
taxpayer targets, not have taxpayer targets for them, and they'll have some like
general once we hit a loll I've got some general new CBA thoughts to unload
in August, so stay tuned there. I would be caring you to come
on and talk about those. I'm excited for that. Yeah, I mean
because again, like the Supermax is got a change. I think I wonder
if some of these extension rules change. I'm just curious how all this plays
out over the next year or two. And you can find my podcast,
the NBA podcast Wherever podcasts about Yes check that out. Him and more are
great. Thank you so much for coming on, especially because we've been staying
to about ten to twelve minutes a team, and you and I did naturally.
I think it was twenty minutes the team at this point. But this
was great. Thank you so much, and we will talk to you so
and BT until next time. We leave everyone with the shout out to the
one, the only, the legendary, the conference finalist. It could be
a free agent, but he won't be because his team is going to be
smart enough to guarantee a salary. Frank Rochino,