1 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:20,920 What is up, fellow thermonuclear a Eppers. I am Dan fa Valley coming 2 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:26,839 at you with the very fantabulous, the spectaculario spectaculario. Yes that is a 3 00:00:26,879 --> 00:00:31,760 word. Here. Bleacher Reports Grant Hughes and also Hardware Knox is grant us 4 00:00:31,879 --> 00:00:35,439 At this point, friend, colleague, been on this podcast many times. 5 00:00:35,439 --> 00:00:39,200 We've worked together for like over a decade at this point is twenty eleven or 6 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,320 whatever it's been. Now that's been. It's been a minute. We're getting 7 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,320 fucking old. Yeah, offseason report card time. Who is excited? But 8 00:00:45,359 --> 00:00:48,520 before we get into it, Grant, it's been a minute. How the 9 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,679 hell are you? I'm so happy to be back. I'm so happy to 10 00:00:51,719 --> 00:00:54,560 be doing these grades. I'm so happy to see your face, and I'm 11 00:00:54,600 --> 00:01:02,439 so happy to talk for forty minutes off offline about pre workout supplements and as 12 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,599 because we're getting old, we have to have those conversations. So I enjoyed 13 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,680 that. But I'm going to enjoy this conversation more because I'm I love this 14 00:01:08,719 --> 00:01:12,480 part of the year in a weird way because the dust is kind of settled, 15 00:01:12,519 --> 00:01:17,840 and like how you felt on July third, as all this stuff was 16 00:01:17,879 --> 00:01:22,879 going down, has given way to sort of a bird's eye view, and 17 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,359 I feel like it's a little easier to kind of take a holistic look at 18 00:01:26,359 --> 00:01:27,280 each team. So I don't know, I think this is a really good 19 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,439 time to be doing this, even though even though this will potentially change for 20 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:36,120 certain divisions that we'll get to later, I do feel the timelines were messed 21 00:01:36,159 --> 00:01:38,480 up the past two years, and I think that you've now this is the 22 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,959 third year that you've done this with me, so like I don't know the 23 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,640 exact day that we did it, but I don't think the league has felt 24 00:01:44,719 --> 00:01:49,000 more unsettled than it does now when we've done these just because of the Kevin 25 00:01:49,079 --> 00:01:53,200 Durant and Donovan Mitchell ripple effects. And I guess you could look at it 26 00:01:53,239 --> 00:01:56,599 as well, those are mostly just going to affect the Jazz and the nets 27 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,319 if anything happens, and then they'll invariably impact like one other team and each 28 00:02:00,439 --> 00:02:04,040 or two other teams. But then it's like, well, are they holding 29 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,200 up Colin Sexton, or they holding up John Collins, or they holding up 30 00:02:07,239 --> 00:02:09,439 like these other deals like a trade that Phoenix or Toronto would want to make. 31 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:14,759 So I feel not even a little bit confident about doing these right now 32 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,080 because I'm just like in my head have to make sure I'm not accounting for 33 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:23,439 stuff that is unsettled that has not happened yet. The good news is, 34 00:02:23,479 --> 00:02:25,159 I think most of the teams we're gonna do today are pretty settled, so 35 00:02:25,199 --> 00:02:29,120 we can at least like work into it that way, right, And so 36 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:30,840 I'm gonna try and this is gonna be the criteria. I'm gonna try and 37 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,400 clip this exact clip that we're talking right now and put it in front of 38 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,319 every single podcast. So the criteria is one homers don't need to listen to 39 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:43,039 this podcast like I'm just gonna I'm not gonna We're not gonna be like unduly 40 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,000 like unkind to your team. But if you're looking for just rosy outlooks on 41 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,439 everyone, it's not happening. So if you're watching on YouTube, I know 42 00:02:49,439 --> 00:02:51,599 there's a lot of homers on YouTube, just feel free to click off and 43 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:58,000 go to another video. Also, remember C is like average to like above 44 00:02:58,039 --> 00:03:00,319 average, so don't be insulted. Your team gets to see we went through 45 00:03:00,319 --> 00:03:02,159 this last year. I went and listened back to one of them, like 46 00:03:02,159 --> 00:03:05,840 that's the same criteria we used. So if your team gets to see or 47 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,280 a se minus they passed. This isn't like I don't really even know, 48 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,879 like what what do you need to be plus in for it to be viewed 49 00:03:10,879 --> 00:03:15,840 as like a passing grade? Uh? And these are from like the team's 50 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:20,080 perspectives. I'm glad that every player got the money that they did. Uh. 51 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,759 And the other thing that and I'm sure Grant followed it the same way 52 00:03:22,759 --> 00:03:27,479 as like, I'm not necessarily assuming that these teams could have gotten players for 53 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,360 cheaper. Uh. It's just a matter of is this the direction they should 54 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,439 have gone? Was the alternative going a completely different direction? Like I'm not 55 00:03:34,439 --> 00:03:38,719 gonna say, oh, okay, Uh, the Bulls they should have went 56 00:03:38,759 --> 00:03:40,199 out and they should have been able to sign Bradley Beal, Like, no, 57 00:03:40,319 --> 00:03:44,759 that's not that's not how we're so we're trying to we're grading teams relative 58 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:49,439 to the tools they had at their disposs That's the key to that. No, 59 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,039 that's the key. Is is a thing that's always stuck in my head 60 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,639 from I forget even where I heard it, But it's success is measured by 61 00:03:55,680 --> 00:04:00,639 what you accomplish a relative to what you had capacity to accomplish. So it's 62 00:04:00,639 --> 00:04:06,120 like these teams all had different resources, different cap situations, different needs, 63 00:04:06,319 --> 00:04:11,159 different I don't know, levels of levels of aggression is not really one of 64 00:04:11,199 --> 00:04:14,639 those things because everybody should have a high one. But you know, the 65 00:04:14,719 --> 00:04:18,959 reality is all these teams are operating sort of on distinct, you know, 66 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:25,319 sets of circumstances. So yeah, it's it's how did you do relative to 67 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,120 like what you could have done, and then that's where we get into maybe 68 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,800 what you should have done or what you should not have done. So yeah, 69 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:35,120 everybody's grade is kind of you know, depends on what they had the 70 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:40,519 ability to do. And I would say too, Homers, maybe come back 71 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:42,920 a little bit because as I'm looking at my grades for all these teams, 72 00:04:42,959 --> 00:04:46,240 I'm pretty friendly. I think I went soft this summer. I think I 73 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,399 have higher grades than looking around at some other people that have done grades, 74 00:04:49,439 --> 00:04:54,319 I tend to come out higher on almost everything. So I will be we 75 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:58,560 don't know what each other's grades are, so I'll be interested to see how 76 00:04:58,639 --> 00:05:00,680 much meaner you are than I am, because I I think that's where we're 77 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:02,360 going. Well, I think there's a good time to note that you can 78 00:05:02,399 --> 00:05:08,000 find Grant at GT Underscore, Hughes over on masturbatory Twitter, where every team 79 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,240 and every transaction is the greatest thing ever. I did not. I felt 80 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,360 like I was harsh or fair. I wasn't trying to repeutive, but there 81 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,639 are no with that. So let's get into the Central Division criterias out of 82 00:05:16,639 --> 00:05:20,199 the way. No one failed for me in this division. I didn't give 83 00:05:20,199 --> 00:05:24,720 out any failing grades. So if that's the definition of kind, maybe I 84 00:05:24,759 --> 00:05:28,319 met it. But let me so let's start with the Chicago Bulls. I 85 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:30,319 can run through their most notable moves here. Look, if I miss some 86 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:32,920 orf like between the two of us, I'm sure Grant and I will catch 87 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,319 ninety five percent of what happened. But if we missed something major, you 88 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:41,600 could feel free to let us know. They drafted dal and Terry at number 89 00:05:41,639 --> 00:05:45,519 eighteen. They picked up Tony Bradley picked up his player option. They signed 90 00:05:45,519 --> 00:05:47,360 Derek Jones Junior to the two year, six point six million dollars deal player 91 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,879 option on year two. They signed Andre Drummond to the exact same contract with 92 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,800 the player option. On year two. They resigned Zach Lavine to a five 93 00:05:54,879 --> 00:05:58,639 year, two hundred and fifteen point two million dollars deal player option. On 94 00:05:58,639 --> 00:06:01,199 that final season in twenty six twenty seven, they signed Justin Lewis to a 95 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,759 two way contract, signed Javon Freeman liberty to an Exhibit ten deal, and 96 00:06:04,759 --> 00:06:10,439 they signed Goran Dragas to a one year that minimum. Notable exits that were 97 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,120 not mentioned in what'll be the notable move section above, I have Troy Brown 98 00:06:14,199 --> 00:06:16,920 Junior went to the Lakers, and then Matt Thomas and Tristan Thompson both remained 99 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,319 unsigned at the moment. It's probably also worth noting because when we get to 100 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:25,120 the Wizards this is gonna matter. The Bulls did not give zacklbe no trade 101 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,160 clause. I don't think he was eligible to one for be fair, but 102 00:06:29,519 --> 00:06:31,560 just just a fun adectote there. So what do you have for these for 103 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,279 these guys? Do you want to list all the other players who did not 104 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:39,480 get no trade clauses on their deals? Yeah? Just the next hour ninety 105 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,319 minutes, about a hundred and sixty minute hour, thirty minutes will be spent 106 00:06:42,399 --> 00:06:44,839 listing all the players in the league that don't have a no trade clause. 107 00:06:45,759 --> 00:06:50,040 Uh. Yeah, So I just I had him at a flat B and 108 00:06:50,079 --> 00:06:56,959 I feel like it was just again because the big piece of business was getting 109 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,839 Lavine back into the fold. They didn't have a lot of other options, 110 00:07:00,879 --> 00:07:03,000 like I'm not in love with Drummond or Derek Jones or anything like that. 111 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:09,079 This team feels like a sneaky, oh, we're gonna get part way into 112 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,720 the season and blow it up team because this just is like Demarja Rosen's not 113 00:07:12,759 --> 00:07:17,399 an MVP candidate anymore, Shocker and Buschovich's It was kind of the start of 114 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:21,399 like what I think is a kind of a bad team building plan of action 115 00:07:23,079 --> 00:07:26,639 a couple of years ago with that trade from Orlando. I just you know, 116 00:07:26,639 --> 00:07:29,680 they got the big thing right. They didn't do any like horrible damage. 117 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,439 They didn't have a ton of resources, so it's not like, you 118 00:07:31,439 --> 00:07:35,759 know, they missed out on all these other opportunities. I don't feel great 119 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,759 about that great. I'd be more likely to lower it than raise it, 120 00:07:39,959 --> 00:07:44,199 especially if I don't know how fair this is. But if Lavigne's you know, 121 00:07:44,279 --> 00:07:46,759 knees continue to be issues, or if he has health problems going forward, 122 00:07:46,879 --> 00:07:51,160 like that's that's an issue. But like just just to stick with Levine 123 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,759 because that really is sort of the main piece of business. You know, 124 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,920 I think I've flipped farther on him from negative depositive over the last like four 125 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,120 years. Then I can remember on almost any player because I just didn't think, 126 00:08:03,519 --> 00:08:05,759 you know, I thought when the signed him to that offer sheet and 127 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,040 restricted free agency years ago, it was a perfect King signing because it was 128 00:08:09,079 --> 00:08:13,399 so stupid and just misguided and this guy won't help you win. And then 129 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,959 Lavine is like one of a handful of guys that can be your number one 130 00:08:16,959 --> 00:08:20,360 option and also scale to being a great number two because he's fine on the 131 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,040 ball and off it, and he's just improved, you know, incrementally every 132 00:08:24,079 --> 00:08:28,399 year. So I think that's the right number for him. I think he 133 00:08:28,519 --> 00:08:31,720 is that you know, reasonable minds could disagree, but I think he is 134 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,840 worth that money. So I guess that's really like ninety percent of my grade. 135 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:39,639 I think they just kept their best player. They did what it took 136 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:41,799 to do that. And you know, I'm ready, I'm ready. I'm 137 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:46,720 totally receptive to the other stuff on the margins knocking that grade down. So 138 00:08:46,799 --> 00:08:50,679 I give him a B minus largely for the same reason and just like I 139 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,759 think it's also a win for them that Lavine didn't go. I know he 140 00:08:52,799 --> 00:08:56,120 has health concerns in the past, but didn't go the shorter term route trying 141 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,799 to get into free agency at the peak of the Caps moving that's two thousand 142 00:09:00,879 --> 00:09:05,600 and twenty six or two and twenty five. And this deal takes him through 143 00:09:05,919 --> 00:09:07,759 if he picks up his player option his age thirty one season. If he 144 00:09:07,799 --> 00:09:11,600 doesn't, it only takes him through his age thirty seasons. Let's argue even 145 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:16,360 more just of a no risk prop or low risk proposition, we should say 146 00:09:16,399 --> 00:09:20,679 so they hit their big move. I also just I'm I think you can 147 00:09:20,759 --> 00:09:24,279 say, okay, well why didn't they use their mid level exception? Why 148 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,080 do they still continue to act like a smaller market team. And I think 149 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:30,000 that's a fair criticism. I just want to know who did you want them 150 00:09:30,039 --> 00:09:33,399 to spend? And I'm not saying this was your criticism. I'm not great. 151 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,960 Tell me who you wanted them to sign at the level? But like 152 00:09:37,039 --> 00:09:41,720 idod Porter, but he wanted to go to Toronto because his girlfriend's from Toronto. 153 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:45,720 PJ. Tucker really wanted to go to Philly. And it's like, 154 00:09:45,799 --> 00:09:48,039 well, could they have gotten Kyle Anderson, could they have gotten Isaiah Hartenstein 155 00:09:48,279 --> 00:09:52,120 instead of Drummond? But do you want to spend the entire MLI on a 156 00:09:52,159 --> 00:09:54,759 backup big Maybe you do just because Ruche is entering the final year of his 157 00:09:54,799 --> 00:09:58,840 contract. So I'm I'm been willing to listen to people quibble about that, 158 00:10:00,879 --> 00:10:03,960 but I just don't think that there were any opportunities missed here. The path 159 00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:09,120 not taken would be well, could they have been more aggressive in any trade 160 00:10:09,639 --> 00:10:13,080 proposals? And the answer is right now to me is no, because like 161 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,559 they don't have the asset equity to go after Donovan Mitchell, to go after 162 00:10:16,639 --> 00:10:20,559 Kevin Durant and so like, yes they have Patrick Williams there, but okay, 163 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,679 like they can't trade a pick until twenty seven at this point. So 164 00:10:22,919 --> 00:10:28,039 I'm fine with what they did. I would have liked to have seen I 165 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,000 want to be more confident in their front court rotation, and so I kind 166 00:10:31,039 --> 00:10:31,600 of feel like they missed there. I think that, by the way, 167 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,559 I think the Goran Drauget signing was probably a home run, like this is 168 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:37,200 not This is someone who can kind of still probably and put the ball on 169 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:41,080 the floor. And I'm just surprised that it took more to get Andre Drummond 170 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,799 or even Derrick Jones Junior than I know Drugts is older, but I would 171 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,440 have liked to have seen them gone a route where either if it instead of 172 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,840 Derrick Jones junior Andre Drummond, could they have found someone who would have spaced 173 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:56,159 the floor in the front court or a better rim protector than Andre Drummond, 174 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:01,120 who's not like this true blue rim protector. I think people just and it's 175 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,399 fine, he's your backup five. I get it, Like, could you 176 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,720 have gotten like I would have preferred probably has on Whiteside to Andre Drummond's here, 177 00:11:07,799 --> 00:11:09,679 Like I'm just that's where I'm not Dwight Howard maybe, And I know 178 00:11:09,799 --> 00:11:13,120 Drummond was like before we went to Brooklyn was a big part of the Sixers 179 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:18,720 success and deepening that rotation. I'm still just very uninspired about the frontline rotation, 180 00:11:18,759 --> 00:11:20,639 and a lot of that comes down to, well, what is Patrick 181 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:24,360 Williams. We still need to know what he is? Is he or three? 182 00:11:24,519 --> 00:11:26,960 Is he or four? And I still remain very high on him. 183 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:28,519 I was in big support when they took him at number four, so I'm 184 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,639 not even imputing them for that. But there are still too many questions up 185 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:35,519 front after the season that Vooch had and if you look at some of the 186 00:11:35,519 --> 00:11:39,639 bigs that were available, and like Hartenstein's the one that springs out to me 187 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,240 the most. I didn't want him beside Marvin Bagley, for instance, but 188 00:11:43,279 --> 00:11:46,279 like, could they have done something like even mo Bamba would have made more 189 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:50,240 sense here? And maybe he got too much money from the Magic over two 190 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:54,360 years, but could you've scaled that to three? I'm just it wasn't an 191 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:56,679 uninspiring all season, but it was unspectacular. I think a B minus relative 192 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,080 to what was working, what they had working for them is like that if 193 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,000 you could have won as highs a B plus though, and I might have 194 00:12:03,039 --> 00:12:05,639 understood it because I think that the zach Lavine contract is a pretty massive win 195 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,960 for the organization, right because you know, just to put a pin, 196 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,480 put a bow on the lavine thing. Like you know, over the past 197 00:12:13,519 --> 00:12:18,399 couple of years, there were definitely periods where it was like, oh, 198 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:20,159 you know, there were it seemed like there was a chance that he might 199 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:24,360 leave, and now the cap space situation of this past off season made that 200 00:12:24,399 --> 00:12:28,039 seem less and less likely as it sort of crystallized. But like we got 201 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:31,519 to work big too small, I think, and so it was not a 202 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:37,080 foregone conclusion, probably right up towards the end of last season, that Lavine 203 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,879 would be back, Like there was a legitimate chance that maybe he was, 204 00:12:39,919 --> 00:12:41,320 you know, there was a just all the agents speak stuff, but like 205 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,080 he was going to test the market and he was looking forward to being an 206 00:12:45,159 --> 00:12:48,000 unrestricted creator and all that stuff. So they got him back, and that 207 00:12:48,159 --> 00:12:50,879 just kind of controls it for me. So I think actually we kind of 208 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:54,639 view that the same way. It just we ended up closer than I thought 209 00:12:54,639 --> 00:12:58,120 we would actually. Yeah, I mean I I was prepared to be harder 210 00:12:58,159 --> 00:13:00,480 on them, but when I was going through their actual off seas than everything 211 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,120 else that happened around the league, I don't know how much you like. 212 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,600 The stuff that you're going to take issue with is stuff in the more distant 213 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,039 past, like the rose and trade, the foods trade, and the stuff 214 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,879 that set them up here. Also, we might be feeling completely differently about 215 00:13:11,879 --> 00:13:16,159 this team if Caruso and Lonzo Ball never get injured, then to your point, 216 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,799 that's why drag matters, because like all the reports about Alonzo Ball continue 217 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,919 to be pretty iffy. That's probably putting it kindly too. Yeah, So 218 00:13:24,279 --> 00:13:26,519 I mean, and and their season completely changed when those two guys were hurt. 219 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:31,639 So and dragics will not do what those guys did defensively. But yeah, 220 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:33,919 that that, you know, position of need addressed. I would say, 221 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,720 even even if maybe his age makes him, you know, as as 222 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:43,879 unreliable potentially as ball is going to be, we'll see anything else on them. 223 00:13:43,919 --> 00:13:48,720 That's all I got. Let's move on to the Cleveland Cavaliers. UH. 224 00:13:48,879 --> 00:13:52,799 Notable moves for them include they drafted O'Shea Baji at number fourteen. They 225 00:13:52,919 --> 00:13:56,879 drafted Isaiah Mobile at number forty nine and then signed him to a two way 226 00:13:56,919 --> 00:14:00,320 contract. They signed r J niem Hard to a two way con track. 227 00:14:00,879 --> 00:14:03,799 They signed a two way, not a two way, excuse me. They 228 00:14:03,799 --> 00:14:07,159 signed Robin Lopez to a one year veteran minimum deal. They're big move so 229 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,000 far. Well, their second biggest move so far was they signed Rickey Rubio 230 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:13,960 to a three year deal eighteen point four million dollars the full mini MLU. 231 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,679 They signed Huel Netto to a one year veterans minimum deal, and then they 232 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,720 signed Darius Garland to a five year designated rookie extension. It's worth one ninety 233 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,720 two point nine that can be bumped up to I think it's two fifteen or 234 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,200 two nineteen, whatever it is. If he makes All NBA and it becomes 235 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,519 worth thirty percent of the cap, it's two actually two hundred and thirty one 236 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,639 million. It could be bumped up to I believe you, which that's a 237 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,480 number you're happy to pay if he made an All NBA team. Right, 238 00:14:39,519 --> 00:14:45,279 it's just whatever it is. That's fine. Notable exits, so Colin Sexton, 239 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,919 Ed Davidson, Rajon Rondo will all remain unsigned, so they haven't exited, 240 00:14:48,919 --> 00:14:52,000 but Colin Sexton specifically still restricted free agent as we record this, and 241 00:14:52,039 --> 00:14:56,559 then Moses Brown signed an Exhibit ten deal with with the Clippers. How did 242 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:01,000 you grade the offseason from this team? Sort of knowing that I would argue 243 00:15:01,519 --> 00:15:05,120 just so I won't give you my grade, but I did sort of bake 244 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:09,759 in the fact that I think they've mishandled the Colin Sexton situation at least to 245 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:13,159 date. So that was gonna be my first question to you, is how 246 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:18,240 how do you feel about how the Sexton thing has gone? I'll I guess 247 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,639 I'll get to that. The sex and thing actually didn't factor that much into 248 00:15:22,679 --> 00:15:28,080 my grade, just because I don't know what's going to happen yet with him. 249 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,240 I do think that the longer this goes on, and like we're way 250 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:37,039 past the long end now in terms of offseason and stuff, the better the 251 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:43,240 chances are that they kind of retain him on a deal that makes sense for 252 00:15:43,279 --> 00:15:46,919 the team, as opposed to you know, past scenarios where it's, well, 253 00:15:46,919 --> 00:15:50,399 we're talking about twenty million a year or you know that that always seemed 254 00:15:50,399 --> 00:15:56,440 a little if a little much to me, So I didn't really factor that 255 00:15:56,519 --> 00:16:00,039 in and I gave them a B plus not to bury the lead again and 256 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,440 working from the big to small thing, like I think Garland people, I 257 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,399 could if if you think it's if you think Garland has improved enough, I 258 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:12,440 guess I could be receptive to that. But clearly he's if you're not sure 259 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:17,759 if he's a little too small or defensively we're not sure that he's a MAX 260 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,960 guy. I think offensively he's there and he's young enough to improve. And 261 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,440 I think too, just the numbers, the stat that just you know, 262 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:27,679 say what you want about on off swings, but the cows are thirteen point 263 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,679 nine points per hundred worse when he's not on the floor, like that's a 264 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:36,000 big deal. He is a vital piece. He's the only guy last year 265 00:16:36,039 --> 00:16:40,799 for long stretches that could sort of get the offense running. He's a good 266 00:16:40,879 --> 00:16:44,360 enough shooter. I think to project as someone that really stretches the defense like 267 00:16:44,399 --> 00:16:48,960 a Lillard going forward. The size is an issue again, but I just 268 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,919 think he's vital to the team. They locked him up, and then I 269 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,279 think Rubio and Netto coming in as like your second and third stringers, even 270 00:16:56,279 --> 00:17:00,279 if you're not going to get a full season of Rubio, Like suddenly that 271 00:17:00,639 --> 00:17:03,359 point guard situation, which was a real weakness behind Garland last year, is 272 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:07,519 like you're set. I think Netto is someone we both thought made sense for 273 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:11,400 almost everybody as like a backup, and that's what he'll be until Rubio's back, 274 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,799 and then he's your third guard, and that's a massive luxury. So 275 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,680 I think they shored up the position they needed. Rubio's deals a little rich 276 00:17:18,759 --> 00:17:22,680 given the injury history and the age, but I think this is a situation 277 00:17:22,759 --> 00:17:26,079 where clearly he really mattered to that locker room. Like when he left, 278 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,920 everybody was upset, and to have him back, there's just you know, 279 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,039 the vibes are good. I think, you know, we don't talk too 280 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,640 much about that kind of thing, but I think it matters everything else. 281 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,920 After that, I was just kind of met about. But yeah, I 282 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:42,960 just thought they did the big thing and they hit the position they needed and 283 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:48,880 so and I'm a softy grading this offseason, so they ended up at the 284 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,720 B plus room. So I gave them a C and I considered giving them 285 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,319 every anywhere between a C plus and the C minus or not. Like huge 286 00:17:56,319 --> 00:17:59,799 swings. The Darius Garland thing is big, and then he also doesn't have 287 00:17:59,839 --> 00:18:03,240 a option, which is really good for the team when you're projecting forward. 288 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,920 I didn't love the ruby O deal because, like you said, he's not 289 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:08,960 going to be ready, and it costs you almost the entire mini mid level 290 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,440 exception, and I think that I most disenchanted. I was also fine with 291 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,759 the Akbagi pick. I know a lot of people don't think that he's gonna 292 00:18:15,799 --> 00:18:18,319 end up being good enough shooter in the NBA to justify that pick. I 293 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:22,359 think it's fine, Like, you don't need him to be a really good 294 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,000 defender based off this team that you have, and so if he is going 295 00:18:25,039 --> 00:18:27,279 to hit his threes, like you needed that from the like the two in 296 00:18:27,319 --> 00:18:33,359 the wing spots more than you needed anything else. But does Colin sexts and 297 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,160 stuff to three year, forty million dollars offer that's apparently on the table. 298 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:40,400 You're daring this to end in him just accepting his qualifying offer, which I 299 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,720 don't understand. And this offer right now seems very geared towards Oh as of 300 00:18:44,799 --> 00:18:47,119 right now, I have them, and there's probably give or take money here. 301 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:51,519 They're within like eleven point four million dollars the luxury tax. That is 302 00:18:51,599 --> 00:18:52,759 very much an offer that says, hey, we're trying not to go into 303 00:18:52,759 --> 00:18:56,759 the tax this year. Well, then there are a few things that could 304 00:18:56,759 --> 00:18:59,160 have happened. Did you need to give out the ruby O deal that badly? 305 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,160 Honestly, he's not going to be ready until at least the middle of 306 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:06,359 the year. And then if you were concerned about paying the tacks this year, 307 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:08,799 then you shouldn't have traded for Carros Lavert. And I was an advocate 308 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:11,799 that it was fine they went after Lavert. I thought people were assigning too 309 00:19:11,839 --> 00:19:15,359 much value to that first round pick that they owe, which they technically might 310 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,119 not even end up paying out if they finished the season in lottery. It's 311 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:23,000 going to convert into two second rounders. So I just like, what team 312 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,000 are you? Are you a team that wants to have this more urgent timeline, 313 00:19:26,279 --> 00:19:29,839 because if you do, then you can figure out how to duct the 314 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,839 tax later to give Sexton what would still be an offer. I imagine he'll 315 00:19:33,839 --> 00:19:37,000 sign that's cheaper than what you would have paid in him an extension last fall, 316 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,079 and now you're daring him to sign his QO. It feels like to 317 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:44,599 where he'll just be an unrestricted free agent and it becomes hard or easier to 318 00:19:44,599 --> 00:19:47,119 lose him for nothing at that stage. And if you just didn't want to 319 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,279 pay Sexton, then this should have been someone that you more aggressively look to 320 00:19:49,319 --> 00:19:53,319 trade even while he was injured then. And so I just don't understand that 321 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,799 line of thinking. The Sexton thing is still very unsettled, and so maybe 322 00:19:56,839 --> 00:20:00,319 I'd be prepared to bump up their grade a little bit, but just like, 323 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:03,720 the mode of operations here just doesn't really make sense to me. And 324 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,920 if it's because they again, if you're gonna tell me, well, they 325 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,640 obviously prefer Carris Lavert to Colin Sexton, then what is Colin Sexton still doing 326 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,920 on this roster because like you're not, his trade value hasn't increased because in 327 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,720 potential sign and trade scenarios right now, unless San Antonio or Indiana really want 328 00:20:18,839 --> 00:20:22,519 him, so you should have just moved him rather than go through this whole 329 00:20:22,599 --> 00:20:26,200 or deal of if he signs his QO and he stays like he's going to 330 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,039 be someone who's playing for his next contract and he's gonna is he gonna work 331 00:20:29,039 --> 00:20:32,759 within the context of the team. I also think that he's more valuable to 332 00:20:32,759 --> 00:20:34,920 this team than people are giving him credit for. I think his passing I 333 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:38,839 don't want to say it's underrated, but that the criticism is exacerbated when you're 334 00:20:38,839 --> 00:20:41,920 looking at someone who can make decisions in driving kicks, like, yeah, 335 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,839 he can do it. And if you want him to take more catch and 336 00:20:45,839 --> 00:20:48,480 shoot volume, that's something you can work on. But he's a legitimately accurate 337 00:20:48,839 --> 00:20:52,920 catch and shoot three point marksman. That's something that this team needs. And 338 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:57,519 he's more of a connective tissue to me than Annetto or even like you, 339 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,720 Okoro or even a Lavert because of what he can do off the ball. 340 00:21:00,759 --> 00:21:04,480 I get Rubio's value as a playmaker, his IQ and then to the locker 341 00:21:04,559 --> 00:21:07,440 room, and then even his defense. This isn't a team that needs con 342 00:21:07,559 --> 00:21:11,680 Sextant to being even a B plus defender. And I think con Sexton can 343 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:15,160 be better on the ball moving forward. You need more offensive firepower, and 344 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,359 as we close the season and we look at the play in tournament, they 345 00:21:18,559 --> 00:21:23,480 very clearly needed more offensive lethality away from the ball. On the ball whatever 346 00:21:23,519 --> 00:21:26,519 Sexton. No, he's not going to hit those zach Lavine type jumpers that 347 00:21:26,559 --> 00:21:32,000 you alluded to in the bulls grade, but he gives you that off ball 348 00:21:32,079 --> 00:21:34,960 valve, that outside valve, and there's even someone who just puts like pressure 349 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:37,440 on the rim. And he's always been fair, or not always, but 350 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,279 he's become fairly decent when you look at the frequency with which he draws shooting 351 00:21:41,279 --> 00:21:45,599 fouls. And so I view him as an easier squeeze on this roster long 352 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,160 term than I do Carros Lavert. And if you're saying you like Lavert better, 353 00:21:49,279 --> 00:21:52,519 I think it's because you view him as the better passer, which is 354 00:21:52,559 --> 00:21:55,640 fine, and because he's taller, I wouldn't call him a better defender. 355 00:21:55,799 --> 00:21:59,079 He's certainly not a better shooter. Maybe he's a little bit better of a 356 00:21:59,079 --> 00:22:03,319 self creator. So I'm just very disenchanted with the way that Cleveland has gone 357 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:07,759 about this, this whole context in situation, And I just don't know what 358 00:22:07,799 --> 00:22:11,160 you look at, aside from the Garland thing this offseason and say that was 359 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,559 a home run, even they're cheaper deals like the Rubio, I don't. 360 00:22:14,559 --> 00:22:17,119 I just don't know that that was a home run. I think the main 361 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,079 difference is I guess I'm viewing. So let me ask you first though, 362 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,400 if if they it doesn't seem likely, but if the Calves were able to 363 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:29,920 keep Sexton at that three for forty number, would that how much would that 364 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,279 bump your great up? Would that get you to the C plus or would 365 00:22:32,279 --> 00:22:33,640 that get you to the B minus? I think you I could probably go 366 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:38,160 B minus or B what would? What would? I would refrain from going 367 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,480 too high on it because it's like, what did this do with the relationship 368 00:22:42,519 --> 00:22:48,160 between player and team? That the only reason they got here was because they 369 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,039 really played their leverage and that's that's the name of the game. And restricted 370 00:22:52,039 --> 00:22:53,039 free agency as supposed to Like, yeah, I could probably be talked into 371 00:22:53,079 --> 00:22:56,200 a B plus. Then if he ends up signing the deal for three, 372 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,200 if he ends up signing a three or forty million dollar deal, I'll be 373 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,640 flabbergast, And yeah, I will sixnificantly train my change my grade. So 374 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:06,079 this is largely based off that I don't think he's going to sign that contract. 375 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:08,119 I don't think he should sign that contract either. Yeah, I think 376 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:14,359 so. I guess I think this is a little bit more like the Bulls 377 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,000 situation than I initially thought, in that, like, the problems are older 378 00:23:18,039 --> 00:23:22,599 than this offseason, right, like the I can understand liking the Lavert move. 379 00:23:22,759 --> 00:23:27,039 I just don't like Lavert just as a you know, it doesn't do 380 00:23:27,079 --> 00:23:30,400 it for me. I don't like what he brings. And Sexton's a little 381 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,039 bit that way too, even though I do agree that maybe the pendulum has 382 00:23:33,039 --> 00:23:37,200 swung a little too far towards the negative on Sexton, because you know, 383 00:23:37,559 --> 00:23:40,480 there's that stat out there that I can't remember offhand that you know, there 384 00:23:40,519 --> 00:23:45,119 aren't that many twenty point scorers that had his true shooting efficient true shooting percentage 385 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,480 a couple of year when he was last healthy, like he's gonna so. 386 00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:51,200 But to me to answer kind of my own question, if they got him 387 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,759 for three for forty or like even three for forty five. I think that's 388 00:23:53,759 --> 00:23:59,119 just that's what I view him as being worth because I think not just on 389 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:02,680 this team, but on most teams, almost any team that's gonna do anything 390 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:07,000 winning wise of consequence, I think he's your six man. I just think 391 00:24:07,039 --> 00:24:10,720 that's just what that's the type of player that he is. It's early, 392 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:12,640 but that's just how I view him. So, like, yeah, it 393 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:17,240 would have been great to have moved him, you know, a long time 394 00:24:17,279 --> 00:24:18,920 ago and maybe not done the LeVert thing, and then maybe we have a 395 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,960 big thing that can play both ends on this team, which is another thing 396 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,759 that I didn't talk about when I was saying they address their needs, like 397 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,400 it'd just be great if a Coorro could shoot, and then like your problems 398 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,440 are solved. I feel like he's going down the Joshua Kogi route of like, 399 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:33,880 man, if a Kogi could ever just shoot, the Wolves would have 400 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,200 their who that is, like he shot pretty well on corner. He's better 401 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,240 than a Kogikogi's like a super outlier case. But I just remember always thinking 402 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:45,759 that, like they have a guy if he could just make shots a Coors 403 00:24:45,799 --> 00:24:48,880 better. But I'd feel instead of Leavert, instead of sex and if they 404 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,720 had just you know, gone down different paths with each of those guys. 405 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:56,759 Maybe you've got the six seven ready to play two way wing that just feels 406 00:24:56,799 --> 00:25:00,640 like needs to be there. I guess you're kind of making me think I 407 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,720 should lower this to a flat beat. But how much of the difference does 408 00:25:03,759 --> 00:25:07,039 that really make? After we did talk me out of a C minus for 409 00:25:07,079 --> 00:25:10,200 them to a flat seat, we kind of got we got towards the middle 410 00:25:10,279 --> 00:25:14,480 there. Yeah, I don't know. I just I guess maybe I'm a 411 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,200 sucker for Ricky Rubio and it just makes me happy when he's on a team 412 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:19,720 that's happy to have him. Yeah, I mean, good for him. 413 00:25:19,759 --> 00:25:23,279 I just it's even the same thing with Joe Angles in Milwaukee. Where did 414 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,039 they need to command the entire Mini mL E or in most of the Mini 415 00:25:27,079 --> 00:25:32,079 Emily in Rubio's case, when he's not gonna play until, like he tours 416 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:36,920 a cut at the end of December, right, So, I just is 417 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:38,839 he that important? And it's also just that you did kind of, you 418 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,720 know, artificially lower the offer you're willing to give the Sexton then, And 419 00:25:41,799 --> 00:25:45,839 I just I guess if you think Colin Sexton is a sixth man. That's 420 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,799 fine as a salary cap continues to go up, Like the six man is 421 00:25:48,799 --> 00:25:51,960 gonna cost you more than thirteen million dollars? Like, are you telling me 422 00:25:52,000 --> 00:26:00,279 that Colin Sexton's ceiling is Jordan Clarkson. I don't know, he's that's that's 423 00:26:00,319 --> 00:26:02,559 the first name that comes to mind, to be honest, It's like he's 424 00:26:02,599 --> 00:26:04,799 a Clarkson type. I can't get there. He's a better he's a better 425 00:26:04,839 --> 00:26:08,720 shooter, better passer, i'd say, probably even better defender. I just 426 00:26:11,319 --> 00:26:12,960 I'm just I don't know, Like, if you view him as a sixth 427 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:17,160 man, that that's fine. I just still feel like this if you view 428 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,839 him as as a capslock sixth man, but if you find him less valuable 429 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,240 to your team than Rickey Rubio and Ricky Rubio as your sixth man, then 430 00:26:23,279 --> 00:26:26,920 I understand the offer. But three years, forty million dollars for a sixth 431 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,599 man that wouldn't be Like, what do you think Tyler hero is gonna get 432 00:26:30,599 --> 00:26:33,920 paid in Miami to be a sixth man? So like we and it's different 433 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:41,400 players, but like I think Collin sexton ceiling is pretty significantly higher than Pique 434 00:26:41,519 --> 00:26:45,599 Jordan Clarkson right now, who's probably like his I think his biggest advantage is 435 00:26:45,599 --> 00:26:48,839 just he's a better perimeter shot creator or shot maker you could say, off 436 00:26:48,839 --> 00:26:52,200 the dribble, and he's not even like super efficient when he's doing that anyway, 437 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,880 So I'm surprised. I guess I'm just higher on Colin Sexton and the 438 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,960 consensus, and I did a podcast about that the offseason, so that's not 439 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,839 surprising anyone. I'm I don't really love the way that they've I think they've 440 00:27:03,839 --> 00:27:07,079 painted themselves and to this to this weird corner where I don't even know how 441 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:11,160 they come out of it as a winner, unless again, he just signs 442 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,319 I guess the three or forty million dollars offer. I think, just to 443 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:19,440 argue against myself a little bit, that I sort of balk at any kind 444 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,599 of any team that goes with the two small guards as like, these are 445 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,680 our starting backcourt players. So if Sexton is that guy, but if anybody's 446 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,839 gonna do it, I think the team that has Jared Allen and Evan Mobileyn 447 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:36,880 can get away with it. So maybe maybe saying he's a six man for 448 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:41,039 this team is a little bit unfair, because yeah, you're gonna have like 449 00:27:41,079 --> 00:27:44,039 some point of attack problems, but your back line is so good and mobile 450 00:27:44,279 --> 00:27:47,440 covers up for so many mistakes, or I mean, I assume he will 451 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:51,279 continue to get better and cover up for like all the mistakes that you could 452 00:27:51,319 --> 00:27:53,359 get away with it, and then you do have better shooting and shot creation 453 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:59,599 even if you're undersized. Yeah, but clearly the Cabs don't feel that way, 454 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:03,720 likely because because twenty million a year, if that's your starting shooting guard 455 00:28:03,799 --> 00:28:06,799 on a team that's theoretically going to be really good, would not have been 456 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:11,480 unreasonable even with the injury. So clearly the Calves are less convinced than certainly 457 00:28:11,519 --> 00:28:15,440 either of us that Sexton is like a piece for the future. So and 458 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:18,119 maybe that's a locker room thing. I don't know them. You can never 459 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,960 be too like too sure factoring in that type of stuff, But it is 460 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:27,000 this type of situation makes it seem like there's just something beyond the on court 461 00:28:27,039 --> 00:28:30,119 stuff. I don't know, just pure speculation that's fair. And I think 462 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:33,160 the only other thing I would argue here, and it's very lightly I don't 463 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,839 know that I've factored in my grade. It would have been nice to see 464 00:28:36,839 --> 00:28:41,039 them more try to more aggressively upgrade the wing spot where if Abaji is your 465 00:28:41,079 --> 00:28:44,400 biggest addition there, I don't know if that's going to cut it. Again, 466 00:28:44,799 --> 00:28:47,759 the market wasn't flushed with all these wings, and they clearly weren't willing 467 00:28:47,799 --> 00:28:51,759 to spend the entire mid level exception, so that limits them there. But 468 00:28:51,799 --> 00:28:55,240 they've created some of these constraints for themselves, or they had the ability, 469 00:28:55,240 --> 00:29:00,440 I should say, to operate outside some of them. The Detroit Pistons are 470 00:29:00,519 --> 00:29:03,160 up next. Though their most notable moves, they drafted Jay and Ivy at 471 00:29:03,279 --> 00:29:07,759 number five. Corey Joseph picked up his five point two million dollars player option. 472 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,000 Howa Dudio picked up his five point two million dollar player option. They 473 00:29:11,039 --> 00:29:14,599 signed Buddy Bohim to a two way contract. They signed Marvin Bagley the third 474 00:29:14,599 --> 00:29:17,359 to a three year, thirty seven point five million dollars deal. It is 475 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:22,480 fully guaranteed. And they traded Jeremy Grant and number forty six to Portland for 476 00:29:22,559 --> 00:29:26,799 number thirty six, which became Gabrielle Proseda Milwaukee two thousand and twenty five first 477 00:29:26,839 --> 00:29:30,160 round pick, top four protected and a two thousand and twenty six second most 478 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:34,680 favorable of Portland or New Orleans is. They then acquired Jalen Durin the number 479 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:41,279 thirteen pick from the Knicks for Kemba Walker and that Milwaukee two twenty five first 480 00:29:41,319 --> 00:29:45,160 round pick. They also acquired in a separate trade, New Rland's Noel alec 481 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,160 Burk's six million dollars in cash, a two and twenty three second round pick 482 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:52,440 it was Detroit's own and a two and twenty six second round pick for the 483 00:29:52,519 --> 00:29:56,079 draft rights to Nikolo Raduchevich who was draft in two thousand and fifteen, and 484 00:29:56,079 --> 00:30:00,599 a two thousand and twenty five second rounder. That's top fifteen protect top fifty 485 00:30:00,599 --> 00:30:03,920 five protectives. It was basically they got all that stuff to take those guys 486 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:08,079 into their cap space. Norlands Nowell alc Burks two second rounders and six million 487 00:30:08,119 --> 00:30:11,240 dollars in cash to lease out cap space in the Knicks. They also signed 488 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:15,279 Kevin Knox to a two year, six million dollars deal with a player with 489 00:30:15,319 --> 00:30:18,680 a team option excuse me on year two, and they resigned Rod McGruder to 490 00:30:18,759 --> 00:30:25,240 a one year veteran minimums deal. Notable exits they declined Luca Garza's team option, 491 00:30:25,319 --> 00:30:29,480 and they declined Carson Edwards's team option. What grade did you have for 492 00:30:29,519 --> 00:30:33,599 the Detroit Pistons grant? So this is gonna feel weird after the Cavs got 493 00:30:33,599 --> 00:30:36,559 a B plus, which I think I'm gonna call it B just for comparison's 494 00:30:36,599 --> 00:30:38,640 purposes. This was a bus put it in the dock as a B. 495 00:30:38,759 --> 00:30:42,920 Now I'm sorry this year to see if we have to do make Kulpa's next 496 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:47,440 off season, that's fair. That's fair, as long as we don't have 497 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:51,359 to apologize for killing the Jared Allen signing again. The statute of limitations expired 498 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:56,920 on that. This is a B plus for me, I might have had 499 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,920 it in the A range if not, for which I maybe you won't agree. 500 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,160 I think you might. I just the Bagley signing is just like I 501 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:11,240 don't understand it on any level other than he's still kind of young, and 502 00:31:11,319 --> 00:31:15,759 it's like physically athletically talented, he just has not been a positive player. 503 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,319 He like, I don't know where the competition was that made the number get 504 00:31:18,319 --> 00:31:22,039 as high as it did for him, and the positional glut, like you've 505 00:31:22,079 --> 00:31:26,759 got other more important, slash better players that need to be at the four 506 00:31:26,799 --> 00:31:30,440 and the five, and so I don't understand why we're investing here. I 507 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,119 guess you could criticize them for not going the cap space route. They they 508 00:31:34,119 --> 00:31:38,200 had a way to do that. I don't feel like that is legitimate. 509 00:31:40,319 --> 00:31:44,359 So yeah, like they want. Their draft was great. I think Ivy, 510 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:47,279 I mean part of its luck. I don't think IVY could have easily 511 00:31:47,279 --> 00:31:49,480 come off the board sooner. I love his fit with Kaide. I think 512 00:31:51,319 --> 00:31:56,440 Duran is who knows project, but like you know, they really wanted him, 513 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:57,720 and a lot of it was one of those picks where everybody was like, 514 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:01,160 oh, I can't believe they pulled that off. So I feel good 515 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:06,839 about that. And then and then just being willing to take on bad money 516 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:08,519 I think, and even the money's not even that bad that they got, 517 00:32:08,839 --> 00:32:13,279 so I'm getting a first for Grant. There's just all these little wins. 518 00:32:13,359 --> 00:32:16,839 I think that add up to me. But it's just the baggy thing that 519 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:22,079 I that gives me pause and keeps me from from going much higher for them. 520 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:23,599 So you ended up? Would you say B for them? B? 521 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:29,519 Plus? I struggled what to do when looking at their transactions with the Knicks, 522 00:32:29,519 --> 00:32:31,680 like do you look at them separately? Do you view it in totality 523 00:32:31,799 --> 00:32:40,480 because it's they end up acquiring Jalen Duran and Kemba Walker and non zoell alc 524 00:32:40,519 --> 00:32:45,160 Burke six million in cash and two second rounders for like, that's what was 525 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:49,799 the cost of their cap space plus that Milwaukee first round pick, unless I'm 526 00:32:49,839 --> 00:32:53,319 forgetting anything there, So, like, is that like a sensible you like, 527 00:32:53,799 --> 00:32:58,920 are they so sure Jalen Duran is that guy? And it doesn't even 528 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:00,599 sound like he's gonna be part of their starting lineup, which I guess you 529 00:33:00,599 --> 00:33:05,759 can argue make sense. I'm ultimately I think fine because I don't think I 530 00:33:05,799 --> 00:33:07,599 don't think they needed to go to the cap space route, and I also 531 00:33:07,599 --> 00:33:12,079 don't view Alec Burks as like if you view Neuralan's noels A some costs at 532 00:33:12,079 --> 00:33:15,319 this point, that's fine. Kemba Walker clearly was. But if you view 533 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:21,319 like alt Burks can play and give them shooting that they could definitely need the 534 00:33:21,359 --> 00:33:22,559 stuff that I didn't. And I think the Ivy pick was just that that 535 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:25,519 spot he fell to you, like, that's a fell at number five. 536 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:30,400 But that's a no brainer. And I'm, like I said, I'm tantalized 537 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:36,400 by the Ivy Cunningham during Trio, Why did you not more aggressively target shooting 538 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,200 on this team? And I'm inclined to feel a little bit better about that 539 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,839 because Isaiah Livers healthy looks like he's really gonna sling it. And I actually 540 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,599 just made the case I think they should start him, that they should start 541 00:33:45,759 --> 00:33:50,400 They should start Bay, Livers and either Stewart or Duran with Ivy and Cunningham. 542 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:53,279 But the Marvin Bagley contract, I just he played really well for them. 543 00:33:53,279 --> 00:33:58,279 He had some nice connections with Kaide, showed some nice touch around the 544 00:33:58,279 --> 00:34:00,759 basket, some some even nice fades a little bit, But like, where 545 00:34:00,799 --> 00:34:04,400 does he fit in the context of this I don't ever want to see him 546 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:07,960 playing before and it only makes sense if he can't play before. The only 547 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:12,360 front court partner that it really makes sense to play him with right now is 548 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:15,719 Kelly Olynnock because Olynic can shoot, and that would be a defensive disaster. 549 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:20,519 And I also just think, when you look at the totality of this team, 550 00:34:20,679 --> 00:34:22,119 is there enough? Is there enough shooting? You have Burkes, you 551 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:25,840 have Livers, Let's consider Sebek Bay a good shooter. I think Kake Kunnyham 552 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:30,000 will be better. But the I want to see Kake Cunny him surrounded by 553 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:31,360 more shooting, and I don't think that they did that enough. So I 554 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:36,840 ultimately went with a B minus because I don't think I was blown away by 555 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,119 the transaction thing. I think what they did with the Knicks was absolutely fine, 556 00:34:39,159 --> 00:34:43,119 but I just like the Bagley deal rubs me the wrong way, like 557 00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:47,199 I said, and I still think there's this weird like on like ambiguity when 558 00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:52,320 you're looking at the it's more so the four spot because you're I guess you're 559 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,920 gonna play like two bigs or two undersize, but because Isaiah Stewart is a 560 00:34:55,039 --> 00:34:59,400 kind of small and I really love Beef stew but I don't I don't necessarily 561 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:01,920 love the the log jam that they've created there. And even you can filter 562 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:05,719 out Nolan's Noel if you don't think you should play, but there's also a 563 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:09,360 chance that no One's Noel is more impactful than Marvin Bagley at this point, 564 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:14,800 and fully guaranteed. I understand having mid end contracts with the cap going up 565 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:19,280 can be valuable for trade talks, but fully guaranteed at nearly thirty eight million 566 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:23,079 for over three years, I didn't understand that they've clearly been a team that's 567 00:35:23,119 --> 00:35:28,320 going to think outside of or not outside the box, but they're gonna think 568 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,480 to the beat of their own drum or whatever under Troy Weaver. So we 569 00:35:30,519 --> 00:35:35,239 have to see how it works out. But I didn't love anything that they 570 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:37,880 did. You can. I don't know that you can hate or love the 571 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,159 jay Nivy pick because it was almost sort of made for like did you. 572 00:35:40,559 --> 00:35:44,039 I guess if they picked Bennedick Mathern, you wouldn't have been mad. But 573 00:35:44,079 --> 00:35:46,960 you really have to feel strongly that Shaden Sharp or Bennedic Mathin is better than 574 00:35:47,079 --> 00:35:51,639 jay Nivy. I don't feel strong enough on either of those fronts. It 575 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:53,440 just felt like the no brainer pick. So how much credit do you give 576 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,920 them for that? That's why I ended up in a B minus. Yeah, 577 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,320 I can see that for sure. I think for me, just you 578 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:05,840 know, Ivy Ivy has like major downside risk, which actually in the top 579 00:36:06,119 --> 00:36:07,480 like in the top ten, especially if you're a team like the Pistons, 580 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:10,880 I'm good with. I think you're just trying to hit hit bombs like that. 581 00:36:12,039 --> 00:36:16,119 That's just that should be the approach. So yeah, my grade rests 582 00:36:16,159 --> 00:36:21,280 a lot on a guy that they, like you said, lucked into that 583 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:24,079 has a huge like volatility factor in his future. And I just think, 584 00:36:24,119 --> 00:36:27,599 I just think, ivy, I think it's still a guards league. I 585 00:36:27,599 --> 00:36:30,880 think it's cool. And we saw a bunch of forwards and stuff go go 586 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:36,239 off the board early. That's fine, But like, if you're gonna tell 587 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:38,280 me that there's a guy with a shot, like a just a shot to 588 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:43,400 be a super athletic league guard that actually makes sense the next to the big 589 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,400 wing that you already have that handles the ball, Like, I don't know, 590 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:50,719 I like, I like the theoretical approach a lot there. I also 591 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:52,159 do feel like this is a grade that could be bumped up. Like I 592 00:36:52,199 --> 00:36:54,800 look at these moves and I'm like, I can't see myself a year from 593 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,920 now if this is just how it plays out. And they let no One's 594 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,000 well and Berth come off the books and they like because they also and this 595 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,440 is what I'm getting at. They haven't even bought out Kenba officially yet, 596 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:06,679 I know that was reported, so are there other moves to follow for them 597 00:37:06,679 --> 00:37:08,440 this offseason? So it's a grade that I could see immediately changing because of 598 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:12,559 something else they do. I don't look at this roster and think, well, 599 00:37:12,559 --> 00:37:15,519 I'm going to be incredibly wrong about the actual moves that they've made. 600 00:37:15,559 --> 00:37:20,480 I think, look, Burke's ivy great pickups, I'm the back league contract, 601 00:37:20,519 --> 00:37:22,440 and I think some of the weird decisions it creates, and then the 602 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:27,400 issues that go unaddressed as sort of a byproduct of it, that's the stuff 603 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,119 that I can't get past for them. Yeah, that would bring us to 604 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:36,639 the Indiana Pacers had a fairly eventful offseason. They are another team that's just 605 00:37:36,679 --> 00:37:38,760 like with Buddy Held and Miles Turner still on this roster, this just feels 606 00:37:39,119 --> 00:37:44,039 a little futile, but so their notable moves. They signed Deandreight into a 607 00:37:44,079 --> 00:37:46,480 four year, one hundred thirty three million dollars offer sheet Phoenix immediately matched it. 608 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:52,760 They drafted Bennick Mathin at number six. They drafted point guard Andrew Nimbard 609 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:58,480 at number thirty one and signed him for four years, eight point six million 610 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,679 million dollars deal. They acquired Kendall Brown, the number forty eight pick for 611 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:06,920 Minnesota, for a twenty twenty six second rounder, the least favorable of Indiana. 612 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:09,480 San Antonio Miami's I think it ends up being they picked up O shaber 613 00:38:09,519 --> 00:38:14,400 Set's team option no brainer decision. There signed Jalon Smith to a three year, 614 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:16,519 fifteen point one million dollar contract. It includes a player option on the 615 00:38:16,519 --> 00:38:20,719 final season and they also as of right now, guaranteed him a starting spot. 616 00:38:21,079 --> 00:38:24,760 And then they traded Malcolm Brogden to the Boston Celtics for Daniel Tie, 617 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:29,400 who has two years and seventeen point eight million guaranteed left on his deal and 618 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:31,440 then a team option on that final year. But they acquired Daniel Tis, 619 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:36,840 Aaroni Smith, Malik Fits, Nickstowskis, Jowan Morgan, and Boston's twenty twenty 620 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,920 three first round pick top twelve protected. They then, when you look at 621 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:44,280 their notable exits, TJ. Warren signed with Brooklyn. They waved Dwaine Washington 622 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:46,199 Junior as a way to create money to finish up the eight and offer sheet. 623 00:38:46,239 --> 00:38:51,679 He then signed with Phoenix. Ironically, Land Stevenson sil remains unsigned and 624 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,199 just as a footnote, they did wave Malik Fits, Nick Stowskis and Joan 625 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:58,800 Morgan who came over from that that Celtics trade. What grade did you give 626 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:02,559 the Pacers? So I had this as a b back in July when I 627 00:39:02,559 --> 00:39:07,320 initially wrote up grades on the assumption that there was just more coming because the 628 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:10,840 Brogden trade had happened, the Jalen Smith deal had happened, but this was 629 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:15,800 before the DeAndre Ayden being a member was a member of the team for like 630 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:21,840 five seconds. But I'm going to drop this too. I think I'll just 631 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:24,679 go C plus. You could talk me into a C but for official purposes, 632 00:39:24,719 --> 00:39:30,119 I'm going C plus. I don't hate them going into the season with 633 00:39:30,159 --> 00:39:34,239 their cap space. I think actually that might be one of the better qualities 634 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:37,519 they have because it's basically them in the spurs with you know that are kind 635 00:39:37,519 --> 00:39:40,119 of your buyout or not your buyout, but your your salary dumping grounds. 636 00:39:40,119 --> 00:39:44,719 Maybe you're going to get some picks that way. But like I like the 637 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:49,559 Mathering pick. I think it makes sense the Brogden trade. I'm fine with 638 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:52,559 Jalen Smith. Like we joked, I think during all of our free agent 639 00:39:52,639 --> 00:39:55,559 pods about how like he just tease my guy, why doesn't everybody want to 640 00:39:55,559 --> 00:40:00,400 sign him? I'm okay at that number. I'm not super okay with guaranteeing 641 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:01,960 him a starting spot, but I don't think it was being on that I 642 00:40:02,039 --> 00:40:05,599 just found I found it funny that I had to throw it in there that 643 00:40:05,639 --> 00:40:08,599 they guaranteed him a starting spot. I mean, I would have done it, 644 00:40:08,639 --> 00:40:12,599 but you know, I'm not super rational about Jalen Smith. Yeah, 645 00:40:12,639 --> 00:40:17,639 I'm gonna go c. Plus, I just the whole Eighten thing felt weird 646 00:40:17,679 --> 00:40:23,480 to me because it seems like, if you're gonna sign him to the offer 647 00:40:23,559 --> 00:40:28,880 sheet, you had to have thought for a second that maybe the Suns weren't 648 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:32,519 gonna match, and and it seemed very clear at least the Sun's maybe smoke 649 00:40:32,559 --> 00:40:37,119 screened it really well, but it seemed clear that like that was never a 650 00:40:37,159 --> 00:40:43,280 possibility once they matched immediately. So I guess I just wonder what else maybe 651 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:45,119 could have been done with that cap space that I guess they were saving. 652 00:40:45,679 --> 00:40:49,559 I think a Miles Turner trade would have made some sense, But then, 653 00:40:49,679 --> 00:40:52,679 like, how long have we've been saying that, So it's just kind of 654 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:57,000 uninspiring. On balance, I think they did move Brogden at the right time, 655 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,840 and I'm okay with that return for it, just for a number of 656 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:04,800 reasons, his health being so iffy, the potential that like he's just a 657 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:07,440 really bad contract, even though the number is not huge, If he has 658 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,079 another season like last one or even worse in terms of availability, and it's 659 00:41:10,119 --> 00:41:14,440 just give Haliburton the keys, I think is the other thing that I'm very 660 00:41:14,599 --> 00:41:16,760 good with based on how he finished the season. So I don't know, 661 00:41:16,800 --> 00:41:21,159 I'm just kind of talking in circles, but it just feels like average to 662 00:41:21,199 --> 00:41:23,800 a little bit above average to me, because it does seem like maybe there 663 00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:29,079 was some funky like miscalculations in their like overall plan of what we're going to 664 00:41:29,159 --> 00:41:32,880 do with our resources this offseason. Yeah, I was close to you again, 665 00:41:32,920 --> 00:41:36,639 you've been kinder to me. I gave him a c A lot of 666 00:41:36,639 --> 00:41:37,639 it was. I don't have a problem with the Jaion Smith contract. I 667 00:41:37,639 --> 00:41:39,840 just want to make that clear. I find it weird that Jon Smith got 668 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:45,079 a player option. Yeah, but that again, they paid him basically as 669 00:41:45,119 --> 00:41:47,719 much as they could pay him to given that his team option had been declined, 670 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:51,119 and he look he played well for them. So I have zero issues 671 00:41:51,159 --> 00:41:53,400 really with that contract. I don't have any problem with the Malcolm Brockton trade. 672 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:57,280 I do find it funny there are a lot of Pacers fans that were 673 00:41:57,320 --> 00:42:00,519 in comments of mine and others where we were looking at we were coming up 674 00:42:00,519 --> 00:42:02,400 with trades from Malcolm Brogden. There were patients says that really thought that they 675 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:07,119 were gonna get like a top ten pick for Malcolm Brogden, and they didn't. 676 00:42:07,159 --> 00:42:10,159 They got a top twelve. It's like a mildly protected first from a 677 00:42:10,159 --> 00:42:14,639 team that's gonna finish in the twenties anyway, and you gotta take back like 678 00:42:14,679 --> 00:42:16,360 that. That's why I mentioned the value of the Daniel Tie contract is like 679 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:21,280 two years that it'll be less than it's less than mid level exception money. 680 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:25,320 Now when you kind of already have all these bigs on the roster with Isaiah 681 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:30,440 Jackson, Jackson go go, butads Miles Turner is still there, Jalen Smith 682 00:42:30,559 --> 00:42:35,119 starting starter, Jalen Smith, excuse me also, and then the eighton offer 683 00:42:35,199 --> 00:42:37,440 sheet. I don't have a problem that they did it, but like you 684 00:42:37,559 --> 00:42:42,320 waved Dwayne Washington Junior, who was like a capslock shooter, and me, 685 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,280 look the rest of your roster, it's it's like not even peppered. It's 686 00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:51,280 brimming with guards. So it's not a huge opportunity cost. But you didn't 687 00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:54,559 put any like extras on the eight and offer sheet, like a player option, 688 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:59,039 a trade bonus, could I know, in like frontload it to make 689 00:42:59,079 --> 00:43:01,800 it somehow less pal WoT for Phoenix. I know herb Sigmon typically hasn't done 690 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:06,519 business like that, but Phoenix had all the time in the world to sign 691 00:43:06,599 --> 00:43:09,199 him. This feels like they were doing a favor for Ayton's agent, who 692 00:43:09,239 --> 00:43:15,639 is Bill Duffy. And my other issue here is that how many times have 693 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:20,599 you just like, given the fuck you signed to Miles Turner at this point 694 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,760 and it's I don't know that this will absolutely factor in, but this is 695 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:27,360 someone who is going to be a free agent. He's extension eligible. I 696 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:30,920 imagine that I suppose the Pacers could bowl him over with an offer to where 697 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:32,679 he would sign it, or maybe he actually looks at this roster and says, 698 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:36,440 well, there might be an opportunity for me to do things on offense 699 00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:39,440 that I couldn't and look, probably, let's be Frank shouldn't have been doing 700 00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:43,840 when Domaso Bonus was on the team, and I like his fit next to 701 00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:46,360 Haliburton and bennednick Mathern, who I think was a fantastic pick. I had 702 00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:51,440 Benne nick Mathern higher on my board than Shadon Sharp. I would put that 703 00:43:51,519 --> 00:43:53,719 with the caveat of I get like shin deep into the draft. So let's 704 00:43:53,760 --> 00:43:58,679 just see how that pans out. But I don't understand why then you gave 705 00:43:58,760 --> 00:44:02,039 him the offer sheet at all. It was so palatable for Phoenix to immediately 706 00:44:02,079 --> 00:44:05,639 match it like that, And what was the intel you had, because we 707 00:44:05,679 --> 00:44:08,559 know NBA teams are informed enough. With all of that said, I do 708 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:14,800 respect that they have decided that this is a at least from the you know, 709 00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:16,960 the outside looking like this is a rebuild and all the thing I wanted 710 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:22,559 a quick correction on here. I gave Andrew Namehard to two teams, r 711 00:44:22,599 --> 00:44:25,239 J Namehard to two teams. They have Andrew Niamhart is who they signed to 712 00:44:25,239 --> 00:44:30,519 that four year deal. So just the quick correction there. But I just 713 00:44:30,599 --> 00:44:35,159 like, I respect that they've chosen to actually rebuild, which is something that 714 00:44:35,199 --> 00:44:38,440 Herb Simon has really avoided. And I'm not saying that any of the moves 715 00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:43,599 that they made we were detrimental, but it just feels it's all very average. 716 00:44:43,639 --> 00:44:46,199 I don't think they won any single moves that they've actually made. Like 717 00:44:46,280 --> 00:44:50,519 maybe the name Hard you know, the number thirty one pick, maybe that 718 00:44:50,559 --> 00:44:52,880 panned out is like this bargain contract for the team, but the eight and 719 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:57,760 offer sheet there was I failed to see what the upside was for them, 720 00:44:57,800 --> 00:45:00,400 and I really thought when they offered it that they were just going to be 721 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:06,320 something attached. That made it a little bit harder to digest for Phoenix and 722 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:08,360 the fact that it didn't And then what message does that send to Miles Turner? 723 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:14,480 Have you somehow damage his trade value because you so clearly don't figure a 724 00:45:14,519 --> 00:45:16,800 future with him involved At this point, I mean, it's gotten to the 725 00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:20,559 point where there was like a huge I won't even call it a subset, 726 00:45:20,599 --> 00:45:23,239 but a very large portion of Lakers Twitter was I had. I was having 727 00:45:23,320 --> 00:45:27,960 arguments with that Miles Turner is worth more than a second round pick to trade 728 00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:30,800 for. And I'm not blaming that on the Pacers. That's clearly just to 729 00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:35,519 disconnect in certain fans that live in La La Land, But like, what 730 00:45:35,559 --> 00:45:37,960 are you doing here? And why see I'm not going to be trade him 731 00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:39,440 for the sake of trading him. I do believe that some of this business 732 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:44,800 again is being held up by Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell, but you're not 733 00:45:44,840 --> 00:45:47,440 directly involved in either of those sweep stakes, although I would make the case 734 00:45:47,480 --> 00:45:51,800 that if Indiana wanted to, I could support a Halberton Donovan Mitchell backcourt if 735 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:55,039 anybody cares about that. So I'm just I respect the direction. I just 736 00:45:55,079 --> 00:45:58,840 think it was a very average offseason for a team that, when you look 737 00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:01,960 at how much cap space they had, could have been a lot more aggressive. 738 00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:06,719 And I do recognize that what really could change this is what do they 739 00:46:06,719 --> 00:46:08,639 wind up doing with the cap space. Do they fold it over at the 740 00:46:08,679 --> 00:46:13,800 trade deadline into something that a team that's looking to get off money in advance 741 00:46:13,840 --> 00:46:17,199 a free agency or just for some reason, or do they win the move 742 00:46:17,239 --> 00:46:21,400 that includes Buddy Heeled and nowhere Miles Turner in it. There's a level of 743 00:46:21,440 --> 00:46:24,800 incomplete here. I also just feel like there shouldn't be given all the tools 744 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:29,320 that they were they had at their disposal this summer. Right, Yeah, 745 00:46:29,360 --> 00:46:32,840 incomplete is definitely at play here. I just wonder, like I wonder what 746 00:46:32,880 --> 00:46:37,719 Miles Turner's trade value is. But the only thing that's for sure is that 747 00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:39,400 it's lower than it was a year ago and then two years ago, which 748 00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:44,440 is about how long the trade whispers had kind of been swirling around. So 749 00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:49,320 it might be the longest tenured mentioned in trades without getting traded player in the 750 00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:52,480 league. I'm trying to think, is there anyone else that's like, No, 751 00:46:52,639 --> 00:46:54,440 he's got the belt, because like it was him, and like you 752 00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:58,679 know, dame in there for a little bit and bal for a little bit, 753 00:46:59,199 --> 00:47:01,400 but a bell for sure. Pel But but this is I mean, 754 00:47:01,840 --> 00:47:07,679 not only was he is he like the longest tenured guy. He's also the 755 00:47:07,719 --> 00:47:09,719 guy that you could just talk yourself into fitting on every team. Remember how 756 00:47:09,760 --> 00:47:13,480 often how easy that is, and how often you'd just say, like, 757 00:47:13,480 --> 00:47:15,280 you know, who would really help the Hornets, Like the Hornets were always 758 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:17,599 the team, right, just get him in there. You know they still 759 00:47:17,639 --> 00:47:21,039 might be the team. They might still be the team, that's right. 760 00:47:21,360 --> 00:47:27,320 No, I just wonder this is another thing where I think part of like 761 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:32,239 us not feeling super great about the whole situation is due to like what Indiana 762 00:47:32,320 --> 00:47:37,320 did not do eighteen months ago, right, because like they're just in this 763 00:47:37,400 --> 00:47:39,360 situation that they didn't need to be in. If you're gonna trade Turner, 764 00:47:39,400 --> 00:47:44,119 and clearly they've entertained the idea for a very long time, just fucking do 765 00:47:44,199 --> 00:47:46,880 it, because now you're in Now he's an expiring contract, and yeah, 766 00:47:46,880 --> 00:47:51,280 he's worth more than a second rounder, I think, But the longer this 767 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:54,840 goes on, the less valuable he becomes, just because he's gonna be unless 768 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:57,679 they extend him, which I don't I mean, do you, I don't 769 00:47:57,679 --> 00:48:02,000 think that's that would be honestly the most us out. I think I'd rather 770 00:48:02,360 --> 00:48:05,880 like if they came at a thirty million dollars a year extension. Well, 771 00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:07,599 actually he can't even go that high because of how much he's being paid. 772 00:48:07,639 --> 00:48:10,960 So that's the other thing. He's at what is the eighteen million this year, 773 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:15,239 so he probably doesn't even sign one because one hundred and twenty percent raise 774 00:48:15,280 --> 00:48:20,280 all of that. Maybe, like if he liked the team, maybe, 775 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:22,039 but I can't imagine he's super happy, and I don't want to be. 776 00:48:22,519 --> 00:48:25,599 I'm really trying not to ascribe his feelings to this. But how many times 777 00:48:25,760 --> 00:48:30,199 he was basically sent to Boston at one point? Right, Well, I 778 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:35,239 can admitted that, so I'm again I like the Pacers direction. So it's 779 00:48:35,280 --> 00:48:38,159 like, again a C is not super critical. And I wanted to throw 780 00:48:38,159 --> 00:48:42,960 this to you, is if they wind up doing the deal where it's they 781 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:45,480 take on Russell Westbrook and they wave him and they're sending out Buddy Healed and 782 00:48:45,519 --> 00:48:50,360 Turner and they're getting back how many of the Lakers picks would you need them 783 00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:52,559 to get back to? Like that deal for them if they even just got 784 00:48:52,599 --> 00:48:55,239 twenty seven unprotected? Is it something you consider at this point because you're like, 785 00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:59,519 well, Buddy Heald's contract is I don't view it as a substantial net 786 00:48:59,559 --> 00:49:01,599 negative. I get why, you know, unless you're a team like the 787 00:49:01,639 --> 00:49:05,679 Lakers, who should want Buddy Heeled at that number, I can see why 788 00:49:05,679 --> 00:49:08,719 it's not part of the appeal. I've like, if I'm the Lakers, 789 00:49:08,719 --> 00:49:12,360 I probably would give up the two first round picks for Buddy Healed and Turner. 790 00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:16,159 And if the Pacers did that move, that trade is gonna it's gonna 791 00:49:16,159 --> 00:49:20,119 skyrocket for me. And again, it's not so much that Miles Turner is 792 00:49:20,119 --> 00:49:24,880 still on this roster as the eighton extracurriculaus here. That just did not add 793 00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:29,360 up in the end. Yeah, I'm doing if you're giving me both of 794 00:49:29,360 --> 00:49:31,280 those Lakers first, I'm doing that in a heartbeat. And the Pacers get 795 00:49:31,280 --> 00:49:35,760 an a because I don't think I don't think there's anything more valuable than like 796 00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:38,239 a few years down the line Lakers picks right now. So the only thing 797 00:49:38,239 --> 00:49:44,880 I'll say is that we probably might have felt the same way before Lebron James 798 00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:46,960 just decided to sign with them, and then before Anthony Davis forced his way. 799 00:49:47,079 --> 00:49:51,519 Would you here's the question, though, would you do it for the 800 00:49:51,559 --> 00:49:53,639 one? There could be other maybe they include Austin Reeves or whatever, But 801 00:49:53,679 --> 00:50:00,480 would you do it for the one unprotected Lakers pick? I think I would 802 00:50:00,800 --> 00:50:05,760 only because it seems clear that like Turner is just not worth a first on 803 00:50:05,800 --> 00:50:08,239 his own, and because that would have happened by now, I assume, 804 00:50:09,239 --> 00:50:13,320 and he's not going to be on the team next year. It's this seems 805 00:50:13,360 --> 00:50:15,480 like the other clear things. So you're sort of just I mean, it's 806 00:50:15,519 --> 00:50:19,960 not really truly accurate to think of it this way, but I'm giving up 807 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:23,800 Healed for you know, the privilege of buying out Russell Westbrook and getting what 808 00:50:23,840 --> 00:50:28,239 I think is going to be a super valuable first. So like kind of 809 00:50:28,239 --> 00:50:30,360 messing with the hypo a little bit. But like if two, I'm two, 810 00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:35,480 I'm like jumping up and down one of those two firsts. I think 811 00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:38,360 I still do it. Here's my issue, I might I think I need 812 00:50:38,400 --> 00:50:44,199 something else on the Pacers because I think you're sending out the two most valuable 813 00:50:44,199 --> 00:50:46,840 players in that deal. Oh no question, So why are you getting Like 814 00:50:46,920 --> 00:50:51,679 can they have to include like a twenty six swap? Then, like it 815 00:50:51,760 --> 00:50:54,360 just needs to be something. But I might do it anyway if you're that 816 00:50:54,440 --> 00:50:58,320 much of And look, if you're Kevin Pritchard and the front office, you 817 00:50:58,440 --> 00:51:00,159 might just be like, well, this sends the message that like, hello, 818 00:51:00,239 --> 00:51:02,760 job security, because we need some time to see how this stuff plays 819 00:51:02,760 --> 00:51:06,559 out since we're clearly going to be so bad, and now you've set yourself 820 00:51:06,679 --> 00:51:10,119 up for Okay, I still think the Pacers will be not a playoff team 821 00:51:10,159 --> 00:51:13,440 this year, even if they stand pad, but now you've ensured that you'll 822 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:15,840 be even worse. Get another high pick in there have some of these future 823 00:51:15,840 --> 00:51:21,079 assets built up, like predominantly that that Lakers twenty seven pick. So I 824 00:51:21,159 --> 00:51:25,159 might do it if I'm very much committed to like this long term rebuild. 825 00:51:25,159 --> 00:51:29,559 But it feels like they deserve to get more because maybe I'm just too high 826 00:51:29,559 --> 00:51:34,679 on Miles, maybe I'm too high on Buddy Healed. Well, we were 827 00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:37,599 certainly not too high on Russell Westbrook. That's we can agree on that. 828 00:51:37,920 --> 00:51:39,960 It's interesting because if you just put them on a team with four shooters who 829 00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:44,760 could all defend, that team might actually still be really good. But you 830 00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:49,880 know how a specific a set and impossible a set of circumstances that is I'm 831 00:51:50,039 --> 00:51:53,599 I'm out, I'm done. I want to take my lap on calling that 832 00:51:53,679 --> 00:51:58,760 Westbrook acquisition just ridiculous last year and nothing has changed. I just like, 833 00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:00,239 you can't you can't win. You can't win with them, I don't think. 834 00:52:00,760 --> 00:52:04,079 But that's we're not doing the Lakers, so we're also done with the 835 00:52:04,119 --> 00:52:06,719 Pacers. You're done with Russell Westbrook, and we're done with the Pacers. 836 00:52:06,760 --> 00:52:09,599 Our final team in the Central Division, the Milwaukee Bucks. I have them 837 00:52:09,599 --> 00:52:15,239 on the notable moves. They drafted Dan Favalley's draft day favorite Marjean Bouchamp at 838 00:52:15,320 --> 00:52:17,800 number twenty four. Pat Connaton picked up his five point seven million dollar player 839 00:52:17,800 --> 00:52:21,079 option, and then the Bucks signed him to a three year, twenty eight 840 00:52:21,079 --> 00:52:23,440 point three million dollars extension. There's a player option on that final year. 841 00:52:23,719 --> 00:52:28,079 This entire deal would take him through his age thirty three season. They resigned 842 00:52:28,119 --> 00:52:31,039 Jevon Carter to a two year VET minimum deal player option. On year two, 843 00:52:31,280 --> 00:52:35,760 resigned West Matthews to a one year vet minimum deal. They signed Joe 844 00:52:35,880 --> 00:52:37,400 Ingles to a one year, six point five million dollars deal that was the 845 00:52:37,519 --> 00:52:42,559 entire miniml. They signed Bobby Portis to a four year, forty eight point 846 00:52:42,599 --> 00:52:46,119 six million dollar deal a player option. On year four, they resigned Surgebacca 847 00:52:46,159 --> 00:52:50,880 to a one year deal with the Veterans minimum. They resigned Luca Veldoza to 848 00:52:50,960 --> 00:52:54,039 an Exhibit ten contract, and they signed Lyndale Winnington to an Exhibit ten deal. 849 00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:58,920 Notable exits the only one I have, and I was actually surprised Jordan 850 00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:01,440 Wara remains on the Tide as we record this, I feel like I should 851 00:53:01,480 --> 00:53:05,119 double check that because I feel like it's like or triple check it as signing 852 00:53:05,199 --> 00:53:07,960 that I just could have completely have missed. But oh I did not. 853 00:53:08,159 --> 00:53:13,039 I did not miss it. So yeah, what did you give the Milwaukee 854 00:53:13,039 --> 00:53:17,639 Bucks? So this was a C minus a month ago, and having lived 855 00:53:17,639 --> 00:53:22,360 with it now for a little while, it's a it's a D plus and 856 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:27,039 my official is a D plus. I just and like it's kind of unfair 857 00:53:27,079 --> 00:53:30,559 because I don't know how we're viewing this team. If Chris Middleton. Middleton 858 00:53:30,719 --> 00:53:35,800 is healthy for the balance of the playoffs. Last year, the biggest issue 859 00:53:36,440 --> 00:53:40,559 might not seem as as big because so they use they use their rosterricks, 860 00:53:40,639 --> 00:53:44,320 they use their exception on Joe Ingles. Right. I love Joe Ingles. 861 00:53:44,360 --> 00:53:46,840 I love the idea of Joe Ingles. I have a really hard time imagining 862 00:53:46,960 --> 00:53:52,280 him, uh closing games, and maybe that's not gonna happen, but he's 863 00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:59,079 gonna be a significant rotation guy in what I assume is a deep playoff run 864 00:53:59,119 --> 00:54:02,000 that at least to me, I would be disappointed if it didn't include the 865 00:54:02,039 --> 00:54:07,400 conference finals, if not the finals. So what you're doing is saying the 866 00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:15,679 West Matthews, Ingles, Conaton, I just bow Champ. I just I'm 867 00:54:15,719 --> 00:54:17,400 not going to pencil him in for anything, even though I do like him, 868 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:22,079 maybe not as much as you do, but that's how much I'm smitten. 869 00:54:24,920 --> 00:54:30,840 We're gonna play, We're gonna we use our biggest resource on Joe Ingles, 870 00:54:30,079 --> 00:54:34,760 who's coming off a torn acl And like this, again, this is 871 00:54:34,800 --> 00:54:37,679 a well, what would you have wanted them to do to me? Sign 872 00:54:37,719 --> 00:54:40,039 a guy that you think might be able to stay on the floor on either 873 00:54:40,199 --> 00:54:44,800 end or on defense, because offensively, I think he'll probably be fine. 874 00:54:45,480 --> 00:54:47,000 The SHOT's going to be there. He's a great passer. You can use 875 00:54:47,039 --> 00:54:50,960 him in pick and rolls like there are you, you will find us this 876 00:54:50,960 --> 00:54:54,559 For Joe Ingles offensively, I just don't. I don't see him being playable 877 00:54:54,760 --> 00:54:58,559 in the biggest minutes against the best teams. And that's all the Bucks should 878 00:54:58,599 --> 00:55:00,599 care about. Now, that guy it's super hard to find. Like and 879 00:55:00,679 --> 00:55:05,880 maybe the Emil wasn't going to do it, but like, in addition to 880 00:55:05,960 --> 00:55:10,519 just I don't see him healthy being able to occupy that role coming off a 881 00:55:10,519 --> 00:55:16,039 major injury. I definitely don't see it. So maybe that's harsh, but 882 00:55:16,400 --> 00:55:21,719 like this team is at a point where when you've got such a finite number 883 00:55:21,760 --> 00:55:24,280 of ways to get better, you just can't. You can't mess you can't 884 00:55:24,280 --> 00:55:29,039 mess it up. Like, and they're the stakes are incredibly high because they're 885 00:55:29,079 --> 00:55:32,480 gonna be great. Uh, they're a title threat. Like even now like 886 00:55:32,519 --> 00:55:36,719 that having Engles, it doesn't knock them out of that class. I don't 887 00:55:36,719 --> 00:55:38,119 think. It just makes it harder. It takes their odds down like a 888 00:55:38,159 --> 00:55:42,119 percent or two. But that's a big deal at that echelon. Of the 889 00:55:42,199 --> 00:55:45,679 league. So I'm granting them more harshly just because I think had they nailed 890 00:55:45,679 --> 00:55:49,519 it, had they got the perfect guy, you know, with that, 891 00:55:49,679 --> 00:55:53,360 with that Emil E, then maybe they're like prohibitive title favorites. I don't 892 00:55:53,360 --> 00:55:57,039 know. I mean, it's hard to say, but I just think the 893 00:55:57,039 --> 00:56:00,079 stakes were high and they and they just didn't get the right guy. And 894 00:56:00,079 --> 00:56:02,360 I love Ingles. That's just not the right guy. They This might be 895 00:56:02,400 --> 00:56:07,599 our biggest digression. I give him a bow. So the English signing I 896 00:56:07,679 --> 00:56:10,239 was more happy with in the moment, then after I lunched on it a 897 00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:13,519 little bit because you're right. I don't think he's gonna be a part of 898 00:56:13,519 --> 00:56:15,239 closing lineups, but I think the shooting and passing will help them a lot 899 00:56:15,280 --> 00:56:19,679 on offense, to where if you ever want to go with Janice as the 900 00:56:19,719 --> 00:56:22,039 loan big, you can go Engles, Middleton, Drew Holiday, Connaton and 901 00:56:22,079 --> 00:56:27,400 Jannis and that's a viable lineup at both ends. To me. Other thing, 902 00:56:27,480 --> 00:56:30,440 I like Marjehan Bochamp. I don't know if his athleticism is going to 903 00:56:30,480 --> 00:56:32,920 translate perfectly to the offensive end, but the way he hit looked when he 904 00:56:32,960 --> 00:56:36,599 hit some corner three, he looked kind of comfortable with it in summer league, 905 00:56:36,679 --> 00:56:39,000 and then what he should be able to do defensively. I'm very high 906 00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:43,800 on him and I'm hoping he gets a real crack at rotation. Minutes early 907 00:56:43,880 --> 00:56:46,239 on Middleton coming back from that res surgery. We have Joe Engles out, 908 00:56:46,320 --> 00:56:50,440 and presumably you don't want to play Wesley Matthews a trillion minutes. Again, 909 00:56:51,239 --> 00:56:53,719 he was so important to them in the playoffs in like this problem that was 910 00:56:53,760 --> 00:56:58,000 a problem, wasn't surprise, but also like wildly uncomfortable at the same time. 911 00:56:58,159 --> 00:57:02,199 Yeah so, but I also liked getting Javon carterback, like that, 912 00:57:02,400 --> 00:57:06,400 getting West back. I like that. Here are the things that I straight 913 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:08,559 up to not like you mentioned that, and I talked to Ty Windus of 914 00:57:08,599 --> 00:57:13,320 the Eurostep about this. It doesn't seem like Milwaukee wants more honest as the 915 00:57:13,360 --> 00:57:15,679 loan big lineups, especially during the regular season, which I can get. 916 00:57:16,320 --> 00:57:20,679 I hate the Bobby Portis contract, and I'm well aware you look at some 917 00:57:20,719 --> 00:57:24,280 of the numbers he and you honest straight up the buck slid opponents when they 918 00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:28,719 are on the court together. My whole thing is, I don't view that 919 00:57:28,760 --> 00:57:30,480 as someone who's going to be in your best playoff lineups. And to give 920 00:57:30,519 --> 00:57:34,920 a four year deal that's still going to be above the mid level exception type 921 00:57:34,920 --> 00:57:37,679 money moving forward, and then the player option. You couldn't have spent that 922 00:57:37,719 --> 00:57:40,559 money elsewhere. I get it. I don't love the contract. I don't 923 00:57:40,559 --> 00:57:44,599 love what it says about how they want to build out their roster moving forward. 924 00:57:45,440 --> 00:57:47,800 I don't it's uninspiring. It was only the minimum, but like Serge, 925 00:57:47,840 --> 00:57:51,400 Ibacca didn't play well enough to be like just pencil him in for a 926 00:57:51,480 --> 00:57:55,119 roster spot here. And but what I will say, and this would be 927 00:57:55,159 --> 00:57:59,000 subject to change. And by the way, I love the Connton stuff for 928 00:57:59,039 --> 00:58:01,000 them. I'm surprised. I thought if he declined his player option he was 929 00:58:01,039 --> 00:58:05,440 going to get the full mid level just because how bare in the wing market 930 00:58:05,679 --> 00:58:08,280 was and he played so well last year. This does take him into his 931 00:58:08,760 --> 00:58:12,800 like early mid thirties, But I think that's fine for what the Bucks need 932 00:58:12,880 --> 00:58:15,079 him to do. And it's to me it's gonna wind up being a below 933 00:58:15,119 --> 00:58:19,320 vout at worst, it'll be a market value extension. So I liked that 934 00:58:20,920 --> 00:58:23,679 they're spending. They're twenty seven plus million into the tax right now, and 935 00:58:23,840 --> 00:58:27,719 I'm they every team, if you're good, if you're going to the tax 936 00:58:27,760 --> 00:58:30,840 I'm not gonna, you know, applaud the team governors here. But the 937 00:58:30,880 --> 00:58:32,280 fact that they were willing to spend where it was, oh, it wasn't 938 00:58:32,280 --> 00:58:36,480 even a second guest. They just paid Bobby Portis and they locked up Pat 939 00:58:36,519 --> 00:58:39,599 Connaughton long term, and the fact that they were willing to use their mini 940 00:58:39,639 --> 00:58:43,800 mid level and all of it on one player. I liked that level of 941 00:58:43,800 --> 00:58:46,679 aggression. I don't know that all of these moves are perfect, and I 942 00:58:46,719 --> 00:58:51,559 don't know that I don't look at this team and think they're better than the 943 00:58:51,559 --> 00:58:53,199 team that closed last season. I think the way that you're going to get 944 00:58:53,239 --> 00:59:00,280 better is either of Marjan Bochamp explodes or just with Chris Middleton's healthy. Same 945 00:59:00,320 --> 00:59:01,840 time, that's not the worst position to be in, because if Chris Milton 946 00:59:01,920 --> 00:59:05,920 was healthy, we might be talking about them as the NBA champions. And 947 00:59:05,960 --> 00:59:09,199 so I gave them a better than regular passing grade because this is a team 948 00:59:09,239 --> 00:59:15,639 that clearly at least senses the urgency with which they need to operate, and 949 00:59:15,760 --> 00:59:20,920 what nothing they did is irreversible to me, and they could still technically go 950 00:59:20,960 --> 00:59:22,840 out on the trade market. You have that grace and Allen money, and 951 00:59:22,920 --> 00:59:27,480 Bobby Porters is at least a solid mid end contract you can move once he's 952 00:59:27,519 --> 00:59:30,199 trade eligible. So I'm not saying they were geniuses to signed Bobby Porters to 953 00:59:30,199 --> 00:59:32,519 a deal that they're moved later. If I had to guess, I think 954 00:59:32,519 --> 00:59:37,480 he's gonna wind up underperforming that extension. That's just projecting forward. But I 955 00:59:37,599 --> 00:59:40,840 like what they did this offseason sort of signals, and I think they at 956 00:59:40,920 --> 00:59:45,599 least preserved they're upside from last season if they're at full strength. Yeah, 957 00:59:45,679 --> 00:59:49,360 you know, you're making a lot of good points. I think I'm gonna 958 00:59:49,360 --> 00:59:52,239 go back to my original C minus from the D plus. The D plus 959 00:59:52,280 --> 00:59:57,320 does feel harshly you in for a C minus. I do think so. 960 00:59:57,519 --> 01:00:00,559 And actually, since I still am lower than you on it, it's weird 961 01:00:00,559 --> 01:00:04,480 that I'm going to defend the Portis contract a little bit. I think it's 962 01:00:04,480 --> 01:00:07,800 it's obviously like in a vacuum, it's too much. He's all all the 963 01:00:07,800 --> 01:00:09,880 points you made I agree with. I just think it's like, let's preserve 964 01:00:09,880 --> 01:00:15,199 the asset. You know, let's just an asset in quote marks too, 965 01:00:15,239 --> 01:00:19,119 because like you said like, I don't know, I don't know that that's 966 01:00:19,679 --> 01:00:22,719 like you're trading him for fair value. Maybe you are, but it's like 967 01:00:22,119 --> 01:00:25,480 you maybe just losing. Otherwise I think, well, I think to your 968 01:00:25,519 --> 01:00:30,840 point, and this would rebukes what I said, Like it was when you 969 01:00:30,840 --> 01:00:35,400 were trying to build trades for the Bucks leading step laddering your way to salary 970 01:00:35,480 --> 01:00:39,239 wasn't possible. That's a lot easier easier now once Bobby Portis is eligible to 971 01:00:39,239 --> 01:00:42,559 being moved, and now you have Grayson Allen's deal. And I also say 972 01:00:42,760 --> 01:00:45,320 Bobby Portis as a switch defender, not so much as a rim protector, 973 01:00:45,480 --> 01:00:47,960 and by not so much I mean at all, but as a switch defender 974 01:00:49,000 --> 01:00:52,440 has been a little bit or like a lot more capable than I remember him 975 01:00:52,480 --> 01:00:58,000 being in Chicago. I still just and even when we're accounting for the salary 976 01:00:58,039 --> 01:01:01,159 cap spike that's coming, I'm just really it's just sort of where I'm at. 977 01:01:01,159 --> 01:01:06,159 But I might be too married to this idea of let's play Yannis as 978 01:01:06,199 --> 01:01:07,559 the loan big and I don't view, you know, when you play those 979 01:01:07,599 --> 01:01:10,880 two together, there really is no center because like they and I guess that's 980 01:01:10,920 --> 01:01:13,880 like part of the appeal, and I get you don't want to wear and 981 01:01:13,880 --> 01:01:17,320 tear on Jannis, But I'm even looking ahead to the playoffs, and that's 982 01:01:17,360 --> 01:01:22,039 where I ding them the most. It's just what is their best lineup going 983 01:01:22,079 --> 01:01:24,280 to be in the playoffs? Is Jannis, Middleton and Drew? I think 984 01:01:24,280 --> 01:01:29,840 it's content after that? And their biggest failure this offseason to me is that 985 01:01:29,960 --> 01:01:31,840 I can't look at that fifth spot and say that's who it is. I 986 01:01:31,880 --> 01:01:36,760 think it's probably brook Lopez right at this point it is, and but like 987 01:01:36,960 --> 01:01:38,880 now we don't know, but like what if that's TJ Warren? Like all 988 01:01:38,920 --> 01:01:44,079 the risks are there and all of those why was he not on? Maybe 989 01:01:44,079 --> 01:01:46,320 he really wanted to go to Brooklyn? But they could have actually just I 990 01:01:46,320 --> 01:01:50,760 would have offered him the same contract, sure of course, I think, 991 01:01:51,239 --> 01:01:53,039 I mean not just the like they could have instead of Ingles. I totally 992 01:01:53,079 --> 01:01:55,840 get that. That's one of the instances where well, do you know what 993 01:01:55,880 --> 01:01:59,239 else they could have done? And it's like, well, would TJ Warren 994 01:01:59,239 --> 01:02:00,440 of did he really want to go to Brooklyn so bad that he would have 995 01:02:00,440 --> 01:02:05,159 said no to five million more dollars for the one year? I don't know, 996 01:02:06,480 --> 01:02:09,719 let's be Frank. Yeah, no again, like I think we both 997 01:02:09,760 --> 01:02:14,679 still agree, like if the Bucks just won the title, like you wouldn't 998 01:02:14,719 --> 01:02:17,239 bad and I so, I mean, it's fine, it's just you know, 999 01:02:17,400 --> 01:02:22,400 I just I'm just re reiterating. I just wish if if it had 1000 01:02:22,400 --> 01:02:24,000 been t J. Warren, I would have been, like, man, 1001 01:02:24,039 --> 01:02:28,119 they maxed out what they could do with that slot, because they got a 1002 01:02:28,119 --> 01:02:30,000 guy that, in theory, if everything breaks right, is on the court 1003 01:02:30,119 --> 01:02:34,320 at the end of the finals. You know that that's that's that's what I 1004 01:02:34,320 --> 01:02:37,000 would have liked to have seen. And they didn't make that type of move. 1005 01:02:37,039 --> 01:02:38,679 They didn't take that because your Ingles probably isn't that player. No, 1006 01:02:39,840 --> 01:02:44,079 But so can we recap this very quickly, We'll go through the teams of 1007 01:02:44,079 --> 01:02:47,199 what our grades are. So for the Chicago Bulls off season report card, 1008 01:02:47,199 --> 01:02:51,960 I gave him a B minus. I already don't remember what I gave him. 1009 01:02:52,000 --> 01:02:54,880 You gave them a B. The Cleveland Cavaliers, I gave them a 1010 01:02:54,920 --> 01:02:59,159 C grant, gave them a B. The Detroit Pistons, I gave them 1011 01:02:59,159 --> 01:03:01,360 a B minus. Gave them a B plus. Theonana Pacers, I gave 1012 01:03:01,440 --> 01:03:05,960 them a C grant gave them a C plus. For the Milwaukee Bucks, 1013 01:03:05,960 --> 01:03:07,360 I gave them a B. Grant gave them a C minus. If you've 1014 01:03:07,400 --> 01:03:10,280 just skipped ahead to the end of this, go check out the entire episode 1015 01:03:10,880 --> 01:03:14,559 for our reasonings as to why we gave them the grades that we did. 1016 01:03:15,360 --> 01:03:19,320 Grant, can you tell our fine listeners where they can find you on social 1017 01:03:19,320 --> 01:03:22,199 media and all the fantastic work that you do. You can find me at 1018 01:03:22,239 --> 01:03:25,559 GT Underscore, Hughes and mostly I'm gonna retweet when you post this pod. 1019 01:03:27,920 --> 01:03:30,639 I don't that's if that's not an endorsements to follow Grant on Twitter. I 1020 01:03:30,679 --> 01:03:32,760 don't know what else could be until next time. And as always, we've 1021 01:03:32,800 --> 01:03:36,880 reached the shout out to the one the only dedn't end for free agency because 1022 01:03:36,880 --> 01:03:39,639 he's too damn valuable for them to not guarantee his contract, Frank Jokina