1 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:22,239 What is up, fellow thermonuclear A efforts. I am a very exasperated damp 2 00:00:22,359 --> 00:00:27,079 Valley who, after planning all his content drops were and recording his concurrent drops 3 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:32,159 for the beginning of this week starting Tuesday, found out via WOJE that RJ. 4 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:34,799 Barrett had agreed to a four year, one hundred and twenty million dollars 5 00:00:34,799 --> 00:00:39,439 extension with the Knicks, part of which is incentive based. That's per Ian 6 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,240 Begley saying gets tied to all Star appearances among other things. We don't know 7 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,119 the full details yet, but we'll get into that first and foremost, though, 8 00:00:46,679 --> 00:00:49,719 let me remind you, let me plead with you to continue subscribing to 9 00:00:49,799 --> 00:00:52,600 us wherever you're consuming us. 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Those are on the screen if you're watching on YouTube, 27 00:01:52,359 --> 00:01:56,159 or they can be found in the podcast and YouTube description themselves. Finally, 28 00:01:56,959 --> 00:01:59,840 if you've done all those things, please consider recommending us to people who you 29 00:02:00,159 --> 00:02:02,799 like hoops or retweeting our promos on Twitter to help us out, or you 30 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:07,359 know, bumping our YouTube channel to someone who's looking for more content. I've 31 00:02:07,359 --> 00:02:09,560 been putting out a lot of stuff during during the off season, so I 32 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:15,400 appreciate you all following along and any new people who are hopping aboard the community. 33 00:02:15,759 --> 00:02:17,360 With that out of the way, let's talk some RJ. Barrett and 34 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,400 let's not frame it first and foremost in the context of how it impacts the 35 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,599 Donovan Mitchell trade sweepstakes, since that's what WOS did. Just shameless here by 36 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:30,479 the talking about woes, but also the Knicks. Let's just let's let's start 37 00:02:30,479 --> 00:02:32,800 here though. RJ Barrett four years, one hundred and twenty million dollars. 38 00:02:34,039 --> 00:02:38,680 As Ian Begley from SNY noted, the bonuses for r J. Barrett's rookie 39 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:42,680 extention are tied to All Star selections, selections to the three All NBA teams 40 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:47,039 and NBA All Defensive teams, so it's worth it's worth up two hundred and 41 00:02:47,039 --> 00:02:52,199 twenty million dollars. So that implies that these bonuses are heavy. It could 42 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:57,960 be as much as something like two million dollars for each of these benchmarks across 43 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,199 all four of those years. In case maybe you're talking about like a crap 44 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:06,280 ton of money in bonuses. I don't know what the final dollar amount that's 45 00:03:06,319 --> 00:03:08,360 going to be guaranteed. I think a lot of people had sticker shock when 46 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:13,759 they first saw this deal. And to this point, as I mentioned in 47 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,199 something that I've recorded before, this news actually broke with regards to Donovan Mitchell 48 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:21,400 and spoiler alert the raptors check your feeds for that sometime later this week. 49 00:03:23,439 --> 00:03:25,879 I don't think RJ. Barrett has shown that he can be the second best 50 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:30,120 or the best player on a championship contender. Would I ruled out the outcome 51 00:03:30,159 --> 00:03:32,039 though, just because he just wrapped up his age twenty one season, the 52 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:37,560 Knicks have sort of thrown him through the ringer when it comes to his roles. 53 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:39,400 I would certainly not rule out him being the third or fourth best player 54 00:03:39,439 --> 00:03:43,280 on a title contender. And that's really what this is paying him as when 55 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,039 this deal kicks in in twenty three, twenty four. That the salary cap 56 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:51,520 right now is projected to be like one hundred and thirty three point six million 57 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,159 dollars, And so even if he got the full thirty you're talking about someone 58 00:03:55,159 --> 00:03:59,360 who's gonna be worth about twenty two percent a little bit more than twenty two 59 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,599 percent of the sal recap. That's not a big deal. And that's assuming 60 00:04:01,639 --> 00:04:05,680 he starts at thirty, I assume they'll be escalators here instead of the Knicks 61 00:04:05,719 --> 00:04:09,960 to having him out of the climbing deal like they've done with some of the 62 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,280 most recent contracts they've signed. That's fine for someone who's going to profile if 63 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,560 you are cham Whiship contender is your third or fourth best player. And again, 64 00:04:17,639 --> 00:04:20,319 that cap number could go up and the deal notes could go down. 65 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:25,639 I mean, like, I'll personally be shocked if there's more than one hundred 66 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,839 and twelve million dollars guaranteed as part of this deal. My guests would be 67 00:04:28,879 --> 00:04:32,319 that they's somewhere in the neighborhood of eight plus million dollars tied to incentives, 68 00:04:32,319 --> 00:04:35,639 which, if he reaches, the Knicks would obviously be happy to pay it, 69 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:40,800 and fans should be thrilled to flip that bill. The number could still 70 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,639 rub some the wrong way if they just deem RJ. Barrett a lost cause. 71 00:04:45,959 --> 00:04:48,360 Someone who is never shot better than fifty six percent at the rim for 72 00:04:48,399 --> 00:04:53,079 an entire season, someone who's never posted higher than a fifty three point five 73 00:04:53,079 --> 00:04:56,680 to shooting percentage, so not even coming close to sniffing Lee average for his 74 00:04:56,759 --> 00:05:01,360 career. I get it, but the context of what's happened with the Knicks 75 00:05:01,399 --> 00:05:05,360 matters first and foremost, He's not had a consistent role. He's been with 76 00:05:05,399 --> 00:05:11,720 three different iterations of the Knicks, essentially, and after he made strides in 77 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,319 his sophomore season, especially looking at RJ leading those bench heavy units and then 78 00:05:15,319 --> 00:05:19,319 his catch and shoot shot from deep, they buried him further in the offensive 79 00:05:19,319 --> 00:05:23,360 pecking order, which I don't think did them or him any favors. They 80 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,519 eventually gave him more control over the offenses of the season went on. We 81 00:05:26,519 --> 00:05:29,519 saw him attacked the basket more, had some really nice moments doing that. 82 00:05:29,759 --> 00:05:31,600 I think there's actually a lot more to plumb if you surround him with better 83 00:05:31,639 --> 00:05:35,720 spacing, which they've also not done. They have not surrounded him with the 84 00:05:35,759 --> 00:05:40,680 team that shoots a lot of threes at an efficient clip. They've been efficient 85 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,040 through most of his seasons, particularly the last two, I believe, but 86 00:05:44,079 --> 00:05:46,240 they're not taking threes of this obscene volume. If you surround him with shooters, 87 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:48,800 I think he's a good enough passer to maybe not pass guys open, 88 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:55,040 but to react properly to defenses and find guys around the hoop, creating assists 89 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,360 at the rim. With some of his you know, change of acceleration dribbles. 90 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,480 He's low turnover. His career turnover percentage is at ten point nine, 91 00:06:02,519 --> 00:06:05,439 and it's improven each and every season. He was under ten percent, turning 92 00:06:05,439 --> 00:06:09,680 the ball over one hundred ten percent of his possessions last year. That's a 93 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,680 big deal. I think he's defended well above his pay grade and well above 94 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,639 when anyone's expected. The metrics on defense will still not paint him as the 95 00:06:16,639 --> 00:06:21,040 most impactful defender. He's not like an exceptional rebound or I think he's just 96 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:25,519 fine for his size or the position that he's playing. And given how the 97 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:29,319 Knicks have run their offense, particularly looking to get the ball in the hands 98 00:06:29,319 --> 00:06:32,759 of Julius Randall as soon as possible and to get him to run the show. 99 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:38,279 But the assignments he's needed to cover, especially last year, but what 100 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,079 I saw from him as a sophomore, if he's not someone who will elevate 101 00:06:42,199 --> 00:06:45,920 you on defense within a team concept, he's certainly someone's not going to torpedo 102 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,319 you. And that's while taking on maybe the you know, the second toughest 103 00:06:49,319 --> 00:06:55,120 assignment. That's high praise for a wing who's only coming off his age twenty 104 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,000 one season, and so he's not going to value with the steal of the 105 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,600 block rates. But he is just someone who is stout and solid, can 106 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:02,399 handle on the ball, and won't really burn you when he's when he's away 107 00:07:02,439 --> 00:07:04,600 from it, He's also not going to take chances. Do you want him 108 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,160 as your primary wing defender? I would argue, no, you don't want 109 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,360 him on the best players that are playing the two, in the three spot 110 00:07:12,439 --> 00:07:15,120 or maybe even the four, depending on the lineups you're talking about. That's 111 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,319 not something he necessarily did a ton through his first three seasons. But I 112 00:07:17,319 --> 00:07:21,600 think he has the size and strength sixty seven and he is like pretty pretty 113 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,439 strong to defend up. Maybe he's listed at six sists at six six, 114 00:07:26,439 --> 00:07:28,600 I always thought he's listened to six seven. I think he could do some 115 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,560 stuff as a small ball four. I also believe that the three point shooting 116 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:39,399 is going to remain serviceable. He's shooting over thirty seven percent on catch and 117 00:07:39,399 --> 00:07:43,360 shoot threes for his career. That's a big deal. He didn't shoot forty 118 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,160 plus percent like he did as a sophomore of this past season, and it 119 00:07:46,199 --> 00:07:49,000 was while raising his volume. But the Nicks were worse this season. They 120 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:54,120 gave him more responsibility, and the spacing was off. The quality of looks 121 00:07:54,199 --> 00:07:58,000 just felt like they weren't the same. And at thirty four point two percent, 122 00:07:58,079 --> 00:08:03,360 that's close enough to like a like league average to not necessarily worry about 123 00:08:03,439 --> 00:08:05,639 where he is. And so he's probably somewhere in between. Maybe he just 124 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,720 ends up being this thirty six thirty seven percent shooter from three. If he's 125 00:08:09,759 --> 00:08:13,319 gonna be thirty seven percent thirty seven plus percent off the catch, then I 126 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:18,519 think that's you know, that's perfectly fine. This isn't someone who is subsists 127 00:08:18,639 --> 00:08:22,600 subsisting on wide open corner looks either. He actually shot thirty one percent from 128 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,319 the corners this past season, so he was better away from the corners above 129 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:31,440 the break. Only twenty five percent of his threes came from the corners this 130 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:35,360 past year, and so he was at thirty six percent on above the break 131 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:37,919 or non corner threes, whoever you want to frame it. That's a fine 132 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,879 number, and I think it shows because most of his attempts, he's not 133 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:43,720 taking these off the dribble three pointers. It's happened a little bit, but 134 00:08:43,759 --> 00:08:48,559 it's not He's not Donovan Mitchell. That's not who He's not even Jalen Brunson 135 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:50,639 in that regard, and that's not something Jalen Brunson. That's not a strength 136 00:08:50,639 --> 00:08:54,039 of his. As my point, that's more so the Knicks have left Julius 137 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:58,559 Randalls to those devices, even though they arguably should not have. So he 138 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,240 is scalable on off to where I think you don't need to put the ball 139 00:09:01,279 --> 00:09:03,919 on his hands for him to be effective. He can still be a threat 140 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,360 and is comfortable working away from it as more of a stationary shooter, not 141 00:09:07,399 --> 00:09:11,840 someone who's in constant motion. I would like to see him get more on 142 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,679 ball reps. I think there's going to be something too. I don't think 143 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,559 he'll ever have in off the bounce three, but I think there could be 144 00:09:18,639 --> 00:09:22,519 something to his mid range game and more importantly the force and thrust with which 145 00:09:22,519 --> 00:09:26,159 he played towards the latter half of last season. I really think this is 146 00:09:26,159 --> 00:09:28,039 someone who will be a much better finisher at the rim, who can create 147 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:33,879 opportunities by getting the foul line eventually, not sort of unlike we saw with 148 00:09:33,919 --> 00:09:37,639 the mid career progression of a Jimmy Butler. I don't think he's ever going 149 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,320 to have. Barrett will have that type of just gravity. But this is 150 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:46,799 someone who has done pretty okay, not even pretty okay, just a really 151 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:52,480 awesome job when looking relative to his position at drawing, shooting fouls, and 152 00:09:52,519 --> 00:09:54,279 I think that's something that's only going to continue to improve if you put the 153 00:09:54,279 --> 00:09:56,639 ball in his hands. So there's more to plumb here, and we too 154 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:01,159 often look at these twenty two year olds as finish products, when that's not 155 00:10:01,159 --> 00:10:03,919 what they are. He's about to enter year four. His role with the 156 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:09,039 Knicks has been wildly inconsistent, not the minutes, but the context of his 157 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:13,960 usage, and so you need some stability there. The catch twenty two is 158 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:16,240 I don't think the Knicks are currently built to give it to him. Since 159 00:10:16,279 --> 00:10:20,240 you still have Randall, you've now added jail On Brunson. I don't know 160 00:10:20,279 --> 00:10:24,360 where he fits into that packing order, and it'll only become more complicated if 161 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:28,399 both Randall and Brunson, on top of Barrett remain once the Knicks make this 162 00:10:28,639 --> 00:10:31,360 Donovan Mitchell trade, which by the way, it's not dead. We will 163 00:10:31,399 --> 00:10:35,440 get to that in a second. So I'm ultimately fine with the Knicks extending 164 00:10:35,519 --> 00:10:41,559 RJ. Barrett their first draft pick to resign with them on this extension. 165 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:46,080 Since Charlie Ward that's just still a wild factoid here. I think it was 166 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,039 smart to lock him up on this deal, or at least not unwise. 167 00:10:50,279 --> 00:10:54,440 It's he would really have to torpedo from here on for this to be one 168 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,879 of the worst contracts in the league. And it's four years, it's not 169 00:10:58,919 --> 00:11:01,679 the full five. Don't know if there's a player option on the back end 170 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:03,840 of it. It takes him through his age twenty sixth season though at most, 171 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,000 which is nothing. That's like the you know, the start of his 172 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:11,440 primer, maybe nearing his peak. And I really do believe there's a ton 173 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,840 of runway here for growth from him. And I think this when you're looking 174 00:11:13,879 --> 00:11:20,600 at the inefficiency of a player. We've seen these guys who have had mid 175 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,240 not mid career, but sort of early career turnarounds after you know, two, 176 00:11:24,399 --> 00:11:28,159 three, four rather inefficient seasons. Look at Kema Walker when he really 177 00:11:28,159 --> 00:11:31,120 turned himself into a good author dribbleshooter after struggling so much. Even someone who 178 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,759 might be more of a better camp their games are not similar. But Bradley 179 00:11:35,759 --> 00:11:39,080 Beale when it felt like he was sort of not I guess struggling to find 180 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,200 his place in Washington's offense through the first three seasons of his career, and 181 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,559 then something just clicks and you give him maybe a little bit more agency. 182 00:11:45,799 --> 00:11:48,279 He learns how to play alongside the personnel as the team's getting better and there's 183 00:11:48,279 --> 00:11:52,519 more stability there. That's something that I could see happening for RJ. Barrett. 184 00:11:52,519 --> 00:11:54,360 I don't think he I think at this point you bet against him becoming 185 00:11:54,360 --> 00:12:00,399 as good as Bradley Beale. But it's something like that transition is not outside 186 00:12:00,399 --> 00:12:03,159 the realm of possibility, and so if you have sticker shock, I get 187 00:12:03,159 --> 00:12:09,039 it. We still need to remember that we have to evaluate these deals in 188 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,519 the image of what the salary cap is going to be in right now. 189 00:12:11,519 --> 00:12:15,200 Like r J Barrett, someone's gonna take up maybe twenty percent of the Knicks 190 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,759 salary cap long term. That's just that's not big enough to be up in 191 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:22,080 arms about. I'm fine with them betting on his potential. I'd probably argue 192 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,240 it's actually smarter than not, provided they have an actual plan for him, 193 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,200 which I don't love. The setup right now, there's not a ton of 194 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,759 spacing around him, and then he's going to be third in the pecking order, 195 00:12:31,799 --> 00:12:35,559 potentially fourth depending on how things shake out, and so that will be 196 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:39,320 something to monitor that. I think this is even a situation where if he 197 00:12:39,399 --> 00:12:43,240 is potentially moved, not this season, since he'll be on the poison Pill, 198 00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:46,720 since the poison pill prevision kicks in. It just he's not immovable, 199 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:48,960 but it's a lot harder to move him if he's ever moved down the line. 200 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,799 It wouldn't shock me if you put him in a better ecosystem or just 201 00:12:52,879 --> 00:12:56,240 a more clarifying one that you could see him thrive. And I don't think 202 00:12:56,279 --> 00:12:58,759 he needs to leave the Knicks to thrive. I just think give him a 203 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,000 clarifying role and like stick to it. I really believe that this is someone 204 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:07,360 who we're not talking about is on the fringes of the top one hundred player 205 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:09,639 conversation, that he would maybe be closer like top fifty, maybe someone who 206 00:13:09,639 --> 00:13:13,879 works his way into that All Star All MBA discussion. I have not ruled 207 00:13:13,879 --> 00:13:16,120 out set outcome for R. J. Barrett's career, and that's why I 208 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,519 think this. I'm not going to call the extension of home run because there's 209 00:13:18,519 --> 00:13:22,679 some risk caked in here. I don't know that he's been worth this much 210 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,480 money through his first four years, first three years. Excuse me, but 211 00:13:26,519 --> 00:13:30,279 I think he's shown enough at different points and in a lot of different areas. 212 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,320 When you look at defense, his set jumper and then him attacking the 213 00:13:33,399 --> 00:13:37,960 rim last year and some of the passes that he made and the attention that 214 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:41,960 he drew while he was attacking downhill like that, I think this was a 215 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:46,879 justified risk in so far as it's even a risk. So we'll see if 216 00:13:46,919 --> 00:13:48,720 he remains part of their long term core, but it's pretty easy to expect 217 00:13:48,799 --> 00:13:52,799 him to be in New York through at least this season, which brings us 218 00:13:52,799 --> 00:13:58,399 to Donovan Mitchell, because everything Nicks is framed through Donovan Mitchell and the way 219 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:03,720 Ward framed it was just like wild. In the initial tweet of the the 220 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,360 RJ. Barrett extension, reporting Woods has said New York Knicks guard r J. 221 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,879 Barrett's find was like a four year rookie extension that could be worth up 222 00:14:09,879 --> 00:14:15,120 to one hundred and twenty million. His Asian Bill Duffy told ESPN. Complicating 223 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,759 the franchises offseason trade pursuit of Utah Jazz All star Donovan Mitchell, can we 224 00:14:18,799 --> 00:14:22,080 give RJ. Barrett's contract extension its own tweet, please before we go right 225 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:24,639 to Donovan Mitchell. It didn't need to be clickbait. There was no link 226 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,519 in that tweet. And RJ. Barrett is I think a big enough household 227 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:33,240 name, or at least divisive enough name in NBA circles that that draws engagement 228 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,759 anyway. And it's the fucking Knicks. So it could have been, you 229 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,639 know, like Kevin Knox agreeing to an extension last year and people would have 230 00:14:39,679 --> 00:14:46,120 cared about it. So I just don't understand why you shoehorn that into the 231 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:52,360 tweet unless you're trying to sort of preemptively win the press conference that you're intending 232 00:14:52,399 --> 00:14:54,639 to have with Donovan Mitchell or about the Donovan Mitchell trade sweep stakes. Wogs 233 00:14:54,679 --> 00:15:00,720 noted in basically the follow upiece that he that he wrote the Knicks set a 234 00:15:00,759 --> 00:15:05,200 deadline of Monday to get a trade done for Mitchell with the Jazz. When 235 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,559 they didn't meet it, they committed to RJ. Barrett with an extension, 236 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,480 which again makes him harder trade. It also insinuates that ar J. Barrett 237 00:15:11,519 --> 00:15:15,559 needed to be in every single permutation that of a don Van Mitchell trade, 238 00:15:15,559 --> 00:15:18,360 which which no because most of the permutations have been floated out there did not 239 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,799 include RJ. Barrett. I don't think. I think r J. Bart 240 00:15:22,879 --> 00:15:24,960 iss a good player who the Jazz do not want and probably shouldn't want, 241 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:30,559 because they would have had to have made the decision on his future, if 242 00:15:30,639 --> 00:15:33,320 not now, then by the end of next season, and to recommit to 243 00:15:33,399 --> 00:15:35,559 someone who you only have a year with at most, and when you're in 244 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:41,679 the infancy of a rebuild, it just gets finicky. And I could understand 245 00:15:41,679 --> 00:15:43,519 why you wouldn't want to do that. My expectation is that they didn't want 246 00:15:43,559 --> 00:15:46,600 to do that. That was all along, and I'd argued on this podcast 247 00:15:46,679 --> 00:15:50,279 it's a difficult conversation to have. But if you were the Knicks and you 248 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:54,240 had the option of giving up RJ. Barrett or holding on to two or 249 00:15:54,279 --> 00:15:56,360 three additional first round picks, it would have made more sense to hold on 250 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:00,039 to those picks, since they would, in theory, probably be more value 251 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,759 in future trades if you want to acquire another start a pair with Mitchell. 252 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,639 This feels like the framing feels like the Knicks are really going out of their 253 00:16:08,639 --> 00:16:11,799 way now to make it seem like they're going to swindle a jazz the jazz 254 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,799 if and when a deal happens, because they were able to keep RJ. 255 00:16:15,919 --> 00:16:18,720 Barrett, And that's just not like I don't want to say nothing could be 256 00:16:18,799 --> 00:16:22,360 further from the truth. But they're not going to swindle the jazz. Teams 257 00:16:22,399 --> 00:16:25,960 that are trading superstars are seldom ever swindled, especially ones that are making the 258 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,240 decision on their own accord, like the Jazz so far are, and when 259 00:16:29,279 --> 00:16:32,679 that player has all this time left on his contract, like Donovan Mitchell does, 260 00:16:32,879 --> 00:16:36,120 and so you're not swindling anybody, And you don't need to make it 261 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,279 seem like the jazz had all this interest in Barrett or weren't willing to do 262 00:16:38,399 --> 00:16:41,360 a deal without Barrett. Yet eventually you figure out a way to get it 263 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:47,080 done. Anyway, you're not winning that press conference because it's like that's not 264 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:52,600 an actual like this is not an actual war to be one. Everyone can 265 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:56,279 tell that Barrett doesn't make a ton of sense for Utah. And if you 266 00:16:56,399 --> 00:16:59,480 wanted to after the fact painted as a victory that you didn't need to give 267 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,400 up, you're maybe you can talk your only core prospects because Barrett's the closest 268 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,359 you come to a blue ship prospect, depending on how you feel about Quinton 269 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:11,880 Grimes, Fine if you want. That's what the Timberwolves did with Jade McDaniels 270 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,359 and Rigobert. I find it very hard to believe that they saved more than 271 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,559 one first round pick or swap, and that it was probably an earlier pick, 272 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,680 not one of the distant ones, by keeping Jade McDaniels. It's fine, 273 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,000 they wanted to keep them. It's fine they're painting that is a big 274 00:17:25,079 --> 00:17:30,319 win to each their own. But to now portray the RJ. Barrett extension 275 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,400 as you having a backbone and Mitchell talks and that you're going to come out 276 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,359 of this huge win because one of the players the Jazz desperately coverted. Because 277 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,960 if you're going to come out and say that there are significant complications, that 278 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:47,279 there are significant hurdles out of clear in the parameters of a deal because RJ. 279 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:48,559 Barrett, let's just say, can't be traded. He can, but 280 00:17:48,799 --> 00:17:52,880 but it's too hard to trade him, then the implication is that the Jazz 281 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,519 really wanted RJ. Barrett and he was some breaking point. That's just that's 282 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:03,039 not the case. The Jazz have always get future picks more than tangible players 283 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:07,759 or prospects like Quentin Grimes or even an Obi Toppin who have multiple years left 284 00:18:07,799 --> 00:18:10,319 on their rookie scale deal. And I'm not saying they should have preferred Topping 285 00:18:10,519 --> 00:18:12,599 to RJ. Barrett, but when you're looking at Grimes specifically another winging a 286 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:17,200 little bit smaller than Barrett, who can profile when you're not looking at his 287 00:18:17,319 --> 00:18:19,680 on ball stuff as someone who can exist in this three and D role, 288 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,519 Yeah, you prefer Quentin Grimes. He's gonna be cheaper for three years. 289 00:18:23,599 --> 00:18:27,680 You don't have to make this huge expensive bet on him. And so I 290 00:18:27,759 --> 00:18:33,039 don't know what the Knicks like think there, and you know, I just 291 00:18:33,279 --> 00:18:37,400 I don't I understand what's happening here. But it's just so dumb because there's 292 00:18:37,759 --> 00:18:41,799 no more. This does not complicate the pursuit of Donovan Mitchell at all, 293 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,359 because yes, RJ. Barrett's technically off the table. I have to imagine 294 00:18:45,519 --> 00:18:48,359 that the Jazz probably have a list of priorities of who and what they want 295 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:52,599 from the Knicks, and I would be floored. I would be flabbergasted if 296 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:59,000 RJ. Barrett was higher than fifth on that list. You have a twenty 297 00:18:59,079 --> 00:19:02,880 five pick, twenty seven pick, and a twenty nine pick Quentin Grimes, 298 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:04,400 and then maybe Barrett comes after that. But you also might have just had 299 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:08,000 other year picks in there, because, like, let's not forget, while 300 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,960 you can't trade him in back to back years, you could still finagle deals 301 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,240 where the Knicks are trading a twenty six pick a twenty twenty eight pick, 302 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,519 so he could be look theoretically as low as like what, let's just say, 303 00:19:19,039 --> 00:19:22,000 not that they could get all of them, but that they ranked in 304 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:23,759 order of preference what they want from the Knicks. I would hazard that the 305 00:19:23,799 --> 00:19:27,680 twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven, twenty twenty eight, 306 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,640 twenty twenty nine first all up here ahead of R. J. Barrett, 307 00:19:30,839 --> 00:19:33,759 and I would think that Quentin Grimes does as well. That's six. 308 00:19:34,039 --> 00:19:37,200 Let's just call it five, because maybe they're looking at it as, oh, 309 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,839 well, twenty five's not that far away. So we don't need to 310 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,039 pretend like the Knicks have pulled himself out of the Donald Mitchell's sweep stage, 311 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:45,720 that they're doing some you know, we don't need to a row as size 312 00:19:47,079 --> 00:19:49,519 this. This framing like this has spin, that's exactly what this is. 313 00:19:49,559 --> 00:19:52,319 I still expect Donovan Mitchell end up with the Knicks. Maybe this makes it 314 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:59,160 slightly more likely that he's with the Jazz until the regular season starts, because 315 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,720 the Knicks are actually pulling back. Perhaps they're higher on this core than expected, 316 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:06,079 and they want to evaluate where they are before doing something during the regular 317 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:07,839 season. Perhaps they start four and seven and then meet Utah's asking price. 318 00:20:08,079 --> 00:20:11,599 The other way that you could frame this, and if you've listened to this 319 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,079 long, I'm sure you thought about it, that the Knicks are trying to 320 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,720 get out in front of them giving up more first round picks than have been 321 00:20:18,799 --> 00:20:23,400 reported. There's been the five first round pick framing, which it sounds like 322 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,599 a lot, but we know for a fact and only two unprotected first rounders 323 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:32,319 have been included. So that means that they're giving three first rounders that aren't 324 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:34,839 their owner that like that are heavily protected, I guess, And that's not 325 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:40,160 really when you're looking at the picks they have in Dallas's top ten protected this 326 00:20:40,279 --> 00:20:42,759 year, Milwaukee's top four protecting twenty twenty five, and then the Detroit and 327 00:20:42,799 --> 00:20:47,400 Washington picks. They are probably not going to convey next year, and they 328 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,480 will never convey higher than eighth I think is the highest spot that one of 329 00:20:49,519 --> 00:20:52,240 them can be at, and it's protected so far out in the future you 330 00:20:52,279 --> 00:20:56,960 can't really plan or bank on when you're going to get them. Those are 331 00:20:56,039 --> 00:20:59,799 not like they're useful, don't get me wrong. When you pile first round 332 00:20:59,799 --> 00:21:03,680 picks together juice, so that five first round pick headline, that's going to 333 00:21:03,759 --> 00:21:07,960 draw attention, But it's not like the moon and back when you're looking at 334 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,079 the offer. But perhaps the Knicks understanding this, no that they're going to 335 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,160 get to a point where we're talking about seven or eight first round picks are 336 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:15,839 going out, and that three to four of them are their own, and 337 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,400 that three to four of them are unprotected. But it's okay because we got 338 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,720 to keep RJ. Barrett were able to convince the Jazz to let us have 339 00:21:22,839 --> 00:21:26,720 him. I don't know what the ultimate package is going to be for Donovan 340 00:21:26,759 --> 00:21:29,279 Mitchell. Maybe doesn't even go to the Knicks at this point. That's when 341 00:21:29,279 --> 00:21:30,559 I might start to buy into this that the Knicks pulled back, because if 342 00:21:30,559 --> 00:21:36,400 Donovan Mitchell is indeed sent elsewhere, until then, this extension changes nothing for 343 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:41,039 me. The Knicks are still the favorites because they still have the best package 344 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:45,119 even with it out without r J. Barrett included if they go to the 345 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,240 max or close to it when looking at their best assets. But it's also 346 00:21:51,599 --> 00:21:55,920 just an issue of okay, was he ever part of the best package? 347 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:57,759 To begin with the fact it's not. The Knicks can still build the best 348 00:21:57,759 --> 00:22:02,880 package without RJ. Barrett's Was RJ. Barrett ever included in the package that 349 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,440 the Jazz wanted the most, like the realistic package. I'm sure they asked 350 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:10,359 for everything in everyone, but the realistic package that they that they actually want 351 00:22:10,599 --> 00:22:14,119 from the Knicks. Was he in it? I don't know. My guess 352 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,000 is no, but he certainly doesn't need to be and you don't need to 353 00:22:17,079 --> 00:22:18,799 view the R. J. Barrett extension through the Donovan Mitchell prism. All 354 00:22:18,839 --> 00:22:22,400 this means is that he's most likely going to finish the season with the Knicks 355 00:22:22,599 --> 00:22:25,160 in the event they do not only make a Mitchell trade or maybe some other 356 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:27,160 other trades. So he's going to finish the season with the Knicks. Nothing 357 00:22:27,279 --> 00:22:30,839 is guaranteed beyond that. You don't need to buy the spin here. This 358 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,000 is just I think it takes away from the decision that Knicks made. If 359 00:22:34,039 --> 00:22:37,759 you're trying to look at this as, oh, we were so willing to 360 00:22:37,799 --> 00:22:38,920 give him up, but this didn't meet our deadlines. We were just going 361 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,880 to sign him anyway, what I would give the Knicks more credit if this 362 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:48,400 wasn't the vein of reporting that we were being subjected to right now, and 363 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,119 I would expect this all to end with either the Knicks using this as a 364 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:53,319 way to say, well, we got to keep RJ. Barrett even though 365 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:57,519 the Jazz really wanted him when they trade don Mitchell, or it's preemptively getting 366 00:22:57,519 --> 00:23:00,359 out in front of the Knicks had to give up seven first round picks because 367 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,440 they wouldn't include RJ. Barrett. Maybe it's a little bit of both there. 368 00:23:03,799 --> 00:23:07,440 Either way, I think J. Barrett extension is good and justifiable for 369 00:23:07,519 --> 00:23:11,920 both team and player here, and I think it has zero bearing on what 370 00:23:11,079 --> 00:23:15,200 happens in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes. And I will only believe that it has 371 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:19,680 any impact on it if and when Donovan Mitchell heads elsewhere. That those are 372 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:22,759 my thoughts on the extension. What do you think? Let me know. 373 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,480 Please remember to subscribe on YouTube and on your podcast player. Both it helps 374 00:23:26,519 --> 00:23:27,640 us out of time. You go to Apple Podcast, Spotify and then also 375 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:32,240 head over YouTube like can comment on our YouTube videos to help the algorithm. 376 00:23:32,279 --> 00:23:34,799 Love us back, follow us on the socials in the description links to those 377 00:23:34,839 --> 00:23:37,680 are in the descriptions, and also join our discord and the links out as 378 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,440 in the description as well. So next time and is always lead shout to 379 00:23:41,599 --> 00:23:47,079 one the only the draft pick that should have broken the curse where one of 380 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:52,240 the Knicks first rounders did not sign an extension before or since Charlie Ward. 381 00:23:52,559 --> 00:23:55,200 The one and only Frank Nilicky