1 00:00:14,679 --> 00:00:19,280 What is krack Alakin Hardwoo Knox listeners. I am daf Valley coming at you 2 00:00:19,359 --> 00:00:26,640 with the ever, always fantabulous and ubiquitous Grant Hughes, good friend, longtime 3 00:00:26,679 --> 00:00:30,120 colleague, and he works at Bleacher Report. Fantastic rider over there. Check 4 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,560 out his stuff. We are back better than ever or worse than ever, 5 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,359 maybe a little worse for wear, but feeling okay to continue our division look 6 00:00:37,359 --> 00:00:42,439 aheads in advance of twenty twenty two NBA Free Agency. We're onto the Southwest 7 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,039 division. If you've not checked out the previous episodes, we've been releasing them 8 00:00:46,079 --> 00:00:49,920 like wild, so go check them out. But the first question we have 9 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:54,520 to get to the most important question is Grant. Where's Kyrie Irving? I 10 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,320 mean, how are you doing? Grant? I'm feeling very I'm feeling very 11 00:00:59,359 --> 00:01:03,640 Kyrie Irving today, and I'm Kyrie and Irving and Kyrie Irving because that's all 12 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,319 anybody's talking about right now. So those are the only words that I know. 13 00:01:06,359 --> 00:01:07,799 I'll try to make up some other words, talk about these other teams 14 00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:11,439 that Kyrie Irving is not on and may never be on. But yeah, 15 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,560 we're gonna have to weave that in. I think it's unavoidable. That's what's 16 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,439 going on, unless when this runs, it'll be irrelevant because it'll be somewhere 17 00:01:19,439 --> 00:01:22,280 else, most likely the Lakers. It seems like at this point we talked 18 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,359 about it, I talked about with Brian Toupork in the Atlantic Division podcast and 19 00:01:25,439 --> 00:01:27,799 everything we said about it, this is terrible plugging. It's just outdated at 20 00:01:27,799 --> 00:01:32,879 this point, and it released the day that we're recording this. So but 21 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,079 the Southwest a lot of interesting teams here, like Grant said, we will 22 00:01:36,079 --> 00:01:38,120 weave in Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant talk just to make it topical. We're 23 00:01:38,159 --> 00:01:42,239 not trying to force it, but just in the event those teams are linked 24 00:01:42,239 --> 00:01:45,719 to them as a brief refresher for anyone who is new around these parts. 25 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,280 We are aiming to do ten minutes or less on each team. Grant and 26 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,519 I have done I would say like a mediocre job of sticking to ten minutes 27 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,640 or lessan each team. But that's why we're not going like belly flopping in 28 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,640 talking about we're talking extensionallengeable candidates, but not about every stencher or what the 29 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,359 price looks like. But with that said, we're gonna go alphabetically because we 30 00:02:04,439 --> 00:02:07,240 like to live dangerously, even though the alphabet is not our collective strong suit. 31 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:13,439 And that brings us to the Dallas Mavericks, who incidentally might technically be 32 00:02:14,039 --> 00:02:17,120 like the only Kyrie Irving team. But I thought before I should getting into 33 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:21,400 their vitals grant that this was funny. In the framing of the report of 34 00:02:21,479 --> 00:02:24,280 Kyrie's preferred teams, they noted how the Mavericks and Nicks are sort of best 35 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:28,360 set up to do something, but they're both more focused on Jalen Brunson. 36 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:34,960 That is how far has Kyrie Irving's the perception of Kyrie Irving fallen that Jalen 37 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,319 Brunson is the bigger priority over him. And it's look, I'd do the 38 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:42,039 same thing. I want to make that clear. I'd one hundred percent do 39 00:02:42,159 --> 00:02:46,360 the same thing. It's Jalen Brunson summer. We just gotta get used to 40 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,759 it. Like every every year that somebody defines free, well, I mean, 41 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,560 if Kevin Durant shakes loose, then it's Kevin Durant summer. But but 42 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,080 yeah, I mean, good time to be Jalen Brunson, Like you're in 43 00:02:55,159 --> 00:03:00,919 high demand, like you've got all this leverage because you're team kind of needs 44 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:06,080 you pretty badly, and some other teams want you like inexplicably badly, like 45 00:03:06,159 --> 00:03:09,599 the next and so it's just like really good high on the list of guys 46 00:03:09,599 --> 00:03:14,000 you would like to be this summer. Is Jalen Brunson Good for him too, 47 00:03:14,039 --> 00:03:16,120 because I bet if the MAVs would have offered him that max that we'll 48 00:03:16,159 --> 00:03:20,400 call it the Josh Richardson Special, he would have taken it, but they 49 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,560 didn't offer it, And now he's going to make probably close to double rather 50 00:03:23,599 --> 00:03:27,800 than fifty six million. He might be over one hundred million to the Mavericks 51 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,840 Vitals though they're key free agents. Jim Brunson, if anyone didn't see that 52 00:03:30,879 --> 00:03:37,319 coming. Notable non guarantees Maxi Kleiba his nine million dollars, his nine million 53 00:03:37,319 --> 00:03:39,639 dollars salary guarantees on July three, they will let that guarantee. He's also 54 00:03:39,639 --> 00:03:45,280 extension eligible if anyone cares. Then the most important non guarantee is Frank Neil 55 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:47,800 Keena two million dollars as his salary. I imagine they would keep it, 56 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,840 and they should because he's their best player, maybe their second best player. 57 00:03:52,319 --> 00:03:55,800 Lucas Okay, sometimes other notable extension candidates Dwight Powell. Please, oh please, 58 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,560 Mavericks, do not extend Dwight Powell and then Christian would who they just 59 00:03:59,599 --> 00:04:04,479 acquire notable trade exceptions they have. Look, it's expiring today as we're recording 60 00:04:04,479 --> 00:04:09,080 this. It was the Josh Richardson ten point nine million dollar trade exception. 61 00:04:09,919 --> 00:04:13,280 I wish they would have done something to like sort of fold that over or 62 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,759 used it. And I guess they still technically could, so this podcast might 63 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:17,759 get out they did if they decide to use that trade exception. Otherwise, 64 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,920 they don't have any really big ones as of now. Their best spending tool 65 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:26,279 is awkward. I have it at the Mini mL E because even with Jalen 66 00:04:26,319 --> 00:04:30,720 Brunson's hold, they're like really close to the apron. And so even if 67 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,120 you lose Jalen Brunson, you're not going to open up unfettered access to the 68 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:39,000 bigger MLLE to where you're comfortable hardcapping yourself unless you dump other salaries. So 69 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,959 I have them at the Mini MLLE. If something weird happens with Brunson or 70 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,240 they dump a bunch of salary, they have the potential to get to that 71 00:04:44,319 --> 00:04:47,439 bigger mL E and then Grant. Now that I rambled through that, that 72 00:04:47,519 --> 00:04:50,160 might have been the slowest vital read that we've had yet. What are you 73 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,240 just your thoughts, general impressions, needs, priorities, and free agency. 74 00:04:54,319 --> 00:04:57,240 I think it probably starts with Jalen Brunson. Yeah, right, No, 75 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:02,360 I think your preamble was necessary because they're kind of a I don't know that 76 00:05:02,519 --> 00:05:05,199 it is complicated. They have a lot of moving parts, even which is 77 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:10,199 weird for a team that you could also just imagine kind of looking very similar, 78 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,680 you know, at the end of free agency. I mean, I 79 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,519 just I put them in the contender class. I think their needs are fairly 80 00:05:15,519 --> 00:05:19,199 clear, although I think it's difficult sometimes to like because what we're saying is, 81 00:05:19,399 --> 00:05:23,480 well, it looked like they needed X, Y and Z against the 82 00:05:23,519 --> 00:05:25,959 Warriors who went on to win the title, So it's like you kind of 83 00:05:25,959 --> 00:05:29,519 have to you know, which they won't need that type of stuff. The 84 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,040 problems the Warriors present are not the same as as other teams. It's just 85 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,560 kind of how it works. But so I think they need, you know, 86 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:39,759 additional shot creation is always great. I think you'd like someone if you 87 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,959 could, with their limited resources that can put the ball on the floor more 88 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,639 than Reggie Bullock can. Same with Dorian Finney Smith. Both those guys are 89 00:05:46,639 --> 00:05:50,000 really useful, you know, role players for this particular team because when you 90 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:55,399 have Luca, it's it's okay if if you're supplementary offensive guys have like one 91 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,800 or two things they can do. And I think they need some rim protection 92 00:05:59,439 --> 00:06:03,000 that you know, like Maxi Kleiba is a good shotblocker, but he's not 93 00:06:03,079 --> 00:06:06,079 the guy that stands in there and the tears stuff around the rim. He's 94 00:06:06,519 --> 00:06:10,480 more of a switch guy. He's a good perimeter defender. I think they 95 00:06:10,519 --> 00:06:14,120 need someone in there that can that can kind of shut things down because again, 96 00:06:14,199 --> 00:06:15,879 that's kind of where the Warriors started to have success in that series. 97 00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:18,759 And you know, whether that's an issue against a lot of teams, I 98 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,879 don't know, but it was against a very good one and if the MAVs 99 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,240 want to be very good, then you got to worry about that stuff. 100 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,959 I think there's the Brunson situation is obviously kind of top of top of the 101 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:35,600 list. I feel like it's going to take a hundred million to keep him, 102 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,120 and as we talked about earlier before we started recording, I think you 103 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:44,360 said, like, that's kind of an okay number for them. I don't 104 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,120 know if it's an okay number if you're another team just because you're you're sort 105 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,759 of I don't know. We know Brunson works well alongside Luca, we know 106 00:06:51,879 --> 00:06:55,600 that it's a good fit there, so maybe you're willing to pay a little 107 00:06:55,639 --> 00:06:58,720 extra. Plus you send the message to teams around the league that if you 108 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,160 come to Dallas and have success, you will get compensated. There's that element 109 00:07:01,199 --> 00:07:05,480 too, so, but after Brunson, you know they're looking at fairly like 110 00:07:05,879 --> 00:07:10,720 you know, low end free agents, which I don't know if you want 111 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,000 to get to those now, but you know, playmakers, big guys that 112 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,519 can block shots, like that kind of thing. I agree with everything you 113 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,040 sort of just said there. I do think that Christian Wood trade probably give 114 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,519 him a little bit more flexibility if they want to do anything on the front 115 00:07:21,519 --> 00:07:26,560 line. He's a really good offensive player, and I think there's more mobility 116 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,800 to him on defense, and I'm very interested to see just what he looks 117 00:07:28,839 --> 00:07:30,839 like in a system where you have Cleeve but Duran, Phinney, Smith, 118 00:07:30,839 --> 00:07:34,360 Reggie Bullock, and then Jason Kidd did coach his team really well on defense 119 00:07:34,399 --> 00:07:38,439 when you look at sort of the barometers of like what they were able to 120 00:07:38,439 --> 00:07:41,079 do in transition, which I'm not equating to effort, but those are like 121 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,560 more controllable, especially in certain line up packages. And I also think you 122 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,279 know I had mentioned this at one point on the previous podcast, but Christian 123 00:07:48,319 --> 00:07:53,160 would averaging over twenty points for thirty six minutes while shooting better than fifty nine 124 00:07:53,199 --> 00:07:57,079 percent on two's and thirty eight percent on threes during that span. The only 125 00:07:57,079 --> 00:08:01,480 other players accomplishing the same or Michael Porter Jr. And John Collins and Michael 126 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,160 Porter Junior han't even played a ton Christian Wood's played. So I think that 127 00:08:03,199 --> 00:08:05,920 gives them flexibility if they want to go for like a shot blocker type or 128 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:11,279 all defense at like the four or the five, because you have like Britons 129 00:08:11,319 --> 00:08:15,120 and Powell and Dornan Vnnie Smith will play the four, so you can move 130 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:16,839 around stuff there. But it feels like they need another front court component. 131 00:08:16,879 --> 00:08:20,519 I'm with you. The question I wanted to ask you is, if you're 132 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,600 the Mavericks, would you go five years on Jalen Brunson, who turns twenty 133 00:08:24,639 --> 00:08:28,720 six later this summer, let's say it's what if he's willing to accept you 134 00:08:28,759 --> 00:08:33,679 know, the rumors the Knicks are going four and one hundred, which would 135 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:37,039 be twenty five million a year, Is he willing to stay? Like, 136 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,200 what do you even get to at that point? It's a fifth year. 137 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,519 That's where it gets for the Mavericks specifically, because that takes him into I 138 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,279 think it's through his age thirty season. At that point, it's like it's 139 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,159 he's a smaller guard. It'd be a thought process and you're not. You 140 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,279 know, maybe the discount is that fifty year twenty million dollars, that's still 141 00:08:54,879 --> 00:08:58,919 five years one hundred excuse me, a twenty million. That's just that's something 142 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,200 to think about because they can't offer you know, those raises, like the 143 00:09:01,279 --> 00:09:05,799 eight percent raises versus four or five now like that that doesn't really matter in 144 00:09:05,879 --> 00:09:09,000 the grand schemn it's that fifth year that gives them the real advantage if they 145 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,720 want to use it. Yeah, I think I think my stance on it 146 00:09:13,799 --> 00:09:16,600 is I'm not I'm not doing it unless I have to, like if he 147 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,000 comes back, you know, I'm I want to see what the Knicks are 148 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,879 gonna do first, Or I was gonna say or whoever else, but like 149 00:09:22,919 --> 00:09:26,120 it, it's gonna be the Knicks if he's gonna get a big offer. 150 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,600 I think there was even reporting that the Pistons were just I mean they have 151 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:31,159 Jay n Ivy now, but that they were just out like any team that 152 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,159 you thought was going after jail. Brunson probably looked at the arms race between 153 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,440 House and New York is like, nah, we're good, We're good. 154 00:09:35,519 --> 00:09:39,080 Yeah, this is a you know, we say you say it all the 155 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,480 time, you know, the whole It only takes one idea to like set 156 00:09:41,519 --> 00:09:45,720 the market for a player, and like Brunson has the one, like the 157 00:09:45,759 --> 00:09:48,639 Knicks are the one. And so if I'm Dallas, I that fifth year 158 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:52,240 I'm keeping in my back pocket, and if I have to use that and 159 00:09:52,279 --> 00:09:56,320 I just can't let him go, then then yeah, I mean I think 160 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,879 I do it just because it's too difficult to replace him. I would just 161 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,679 the one other note on it's not necessarily pertinent to free agency, but you 162 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,120 know, the Clippers are a team that has a bunch of like mid tier 163 00:10:07,159 --> 00:10:09,039 salary guys to package up in a trade for a star, and Dallas has 164 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:13,679 that too, with you know, say Tim Hardaway on the high end down 165 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:18,120 to Powell at like eleven, Hardaway is nineteen point six. You got din 166 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,960 Witty in there, you got Burton's. If they didn't have these encumbrances, 167 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,720 you know, on their first round picks based on the Knicks trade, which 168 00:10:26,759 --> 00:10:30,039 I think may stretch out to like twenty five. They don't know if that 169 00:10:30,159 --> 00:10:33,360 if if they're going to convey until then, I think there are twenty twenty 170 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,679 three was top ten protected if I'm not mistaken, but I'll I'll double check 171 00:10:35,799 --> 00:10:39,360 that you're right. So they can't trade a pick before twenty twenty five functionally, 172 00:10:39,639 --> 00:10:41,879 yeah, so, But so all that, I mean, they are 173 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:48,000 really they would be really set up well to you know, to consolidate and 174 00:10:48,039 --> 00:10:52,039 trade some of that stuff with draft assets attached for whoever like you name it 175 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,799 in terms of big stars, but they just don't quite have the draft flexibility. 176 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,399 I wonder if you know, they may not have to think about this 177 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,320 unless Brunson is not back, but if they do need a you know, 178 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,679 like a replacement or an upgrade however you want to think about it, they're 179 00:11:07,759 --> 00:11:11,799 kind of halfway there to having like a really solid package to put on the 180 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:16,679 table. The thing they could do and you need Brunson's cooperation, is can 181 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,720 you use if you're losing Brunson, can you make that assign in trade to 182 00:11:20,759 --> 00:11:24,440 New York where they're giving you that two and twenty three pick back or just 183 00:11:24,519 --> 00:11:28,200 a two twenty three pick that you're then sending to another team in addition to 184 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,519 other picks to make stuff happen. This would be if they decided they wanted 185 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:37,480 Kyrie or or Kevin Durant, like that might be the pathway. Can you 186 00:11:37,519 --> 00:11:41,960 do something to get the encumbrances off that twenty twenty three pick. What makes 187 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,360 that tough is the Knicks are clear in cap space specifically just to sign Jail 188 00:11:46,399 --> 00:11:48,000 and Brunson, so they're calling your bluff. They're not there yet by the 189 00:11:48,039 --> 00:11:50,559 way, though, So if they don't want to dump Cam Reddish like, 190 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:54,720 maybe that's the mechanism through which you work. There's also like their best salary, 191 00:11:54,879 --> 00:11:58,159 they have salary matching tools that are short term, but like that Tim 192 00:11:58,159 --> 00:12:03,519 Hardaway junior contract after his injury does not look good. And that's why I 193 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,159 feel like this team could technically be largely set, which is why you really 194 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:13,600 don't want to use lose Jalen Brunson because your flexibility there to make any sort 195 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,519 of replaces. I haven't even considered like free agency guards they go after because 196 00:12:16,519 --> 00:12:20,000 they they're probably they can't get a Delon Right or Tias Jones, like, 197 00:12:20,039 --> 00:12:24,000 they just won't have the money, and so I'm for them. I think 198 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,240 resigning jeal Brunson makes a ton of sense for them. I would probably give 199 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:31,120 him a fifth year just because I don't think that the deal is gonna end 200 00:12:31,159 --> 00:12:35,240 up being it'll be detrimental maybe for New York. It won't be detrimental for 201 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:39,480 Dallas because they have the ecosystem within which he can work. Well, maybe 202 00:12:39,519 --> 00:12:41,000 he wants a bigger role. Though we saw it with Jeremy Grant leaving a 203 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:45,679 really good team for a shitty team. Joe Brunson would be doing the same. 204 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:46,879 There's nothing about the Nicks that makes you think that they're going to be 205 00:12:46,879 --> 00:12:50,360 better than Mavericks anytime soon. Yeah, no, I agree, I think, 206 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:56,159 and like, unless it gets completely out of hand, I think of 207 00:12:56,240 --> 00:13:01,559 talking about Brunson, even if you got that fifth year on there, he 208 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:03,720 might still be a tradeable number. Like, you know, it's not like 209 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,519 that, it's not looking like it's gonna be just this albatross contract you know 210 00:13:09,159 --> 00:13:11,120 that they couldn't possibly get off of if they are you know, couldn't use 211 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,840 to move on with, you know, it wouldn't have to give up their 212 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,679 entire draft future to do anything. So it's like, I think he's gonna 213 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:22,399 be overpaid, but it's sort of just that's just what you're gonna have to 214 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:26,600 do in these specific circumstances to keep him. Do you have any free agency 215 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,879 targets that you like, or even if it's trade targets for this team, 216 00:13:28,879 --> 00:13:33,000 I will say I had them as an Isaiah harten Stein team, and then 217 00:13:33,159 --> 00:13:35,159 he probably might have been too expensive. I don't know. If the mini 218 00:13:35,159 --> 00:13:39,519 Emily gets him and now just Christian, would I think that that renders renders 219 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:43,039 that suggestion move that was one of my favorite destinations. I'd Saiah harten sign 220 00:13:43,159 --> 00:13:46,960 and uh and Luca would have been hell of appairing. Yeah, I had 221 00:13:46,039 --> 00:13:48,919 him too. I mean, he's just gonna be on most of these frankly 222 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,840 so, but yeah, I agree that the would thing just kind of I 223 00:13:52,879 --> 00:13:56,759 don't know. I still think if you get him for the tax payer mid 224 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:00,480 level, like I'm doing it, but but I don't know. I think 225 00:14:00,759 --> 00:14:03,799 Gore and Dragic feels like kind of a likely just minimum signing. I forget 226 00:14:03,799 --> 00:14:07,240 where I read that rumored, but you know that makes that makes sense to 227 00:14:07,279 --> 00:14:09,639 me. I don't know how much he'd actually play, but if it's a 228 00:14:09,919 --> 00:14:13,639 you know, a throw a bone to Luca type of thing, that makes 229 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:18,600 sense. I had bomba on there. You know, I don't know what. 230 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:24,519 I don't imagine Orlando is going to match almost anything in restrict free agency 231 00:14:24,519 --> 00:14:28,399 on Obamba. And then like another kind of pie in the sky possibility is 232 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,559 Kavon Looney. Technically the mini mid level would be a raise, but I 233 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:35,000 think the Warriors will pay him above that to keep him, and there may 234 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,840 be one or two teams with even more spending power that are willing to go 235 00:14:37,919 --> 00:14:39,879 up to the full mid level. Potentially, I wouldn't necessarily do that, 236 00:14:39,919 --> 00:14:43,519 but I could see a team or two convincing themselves that that was worth it. 237 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,200 I thought this would be, and maybe it's more so if Jalen Bruns 238 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:52,399 and leaves, And again it's probably then predicated on can you access the full 239 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:54,960 non tax player mL E. This would be a good Victor Ladipo team based 240 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:00,720 on what you get in Miami clothes last year. I also wondered if he's 241 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,799 not a free agent, but like Kelly Bridge Junior, might be fun on 242 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:05,000 this team if you can work out a trade for that. I'm sure it's 243 00:15:05,039 --> 00:15:07,679 gonna be looking at cut money. You don't really have a deal that's gonna 244 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,879 save them a lot of money. And he doesn't fit into that Josh Richardson 245 00:15:11,919 --> 00:15:15,399 trade exception that probably expired just as we were having this conversation about the Josh 246 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:20,080 Richardson trade exception. This would be a great t J. Warren destination. 247 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,799 I feel like too, And it's I thought, you know, if you're 248 00:15:22,799 --> 00:15:26,639 still looking to kind of juice up the front line. I still don't know 249 00:15:26,679 --> 00:15:30,200 what Chris Bouchet is gonna cost in free agency. He's twenty nine years old, 250 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:31,679 which why I would say they probably can't afford him. But it's also 251 00:15:31,759 --> 00:15:35,799 like, Okay Biggs, who you know, he's not like, he doesn't 252 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:37,639 need to explode to be valuable, but the way that he moves, especially 253 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,679 on defense, his appeal is there, so that would be curious. I 254 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,960 also like want Toscano Anderson for this team, like just fits the mold of 255 00:15:46,039 --> 00:15:50,159 they have the Dorian Phinney Smith, Reggie Bullock, a bunch of versatile guys 256 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:52,799 on the wings, or like Phinney Smith's case, essentially a combo forward. 257 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,200 And I think that's the level of siding that they're ultimately going to be looking 258 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:00,720 at a side from from Jail and Brunson, and I view this in a 259 00:16:00,759 --> 00:16:03,480 good way that I don't think they are free agency slash offseason needs to be 260 00:16:03,559 --> 00:16:08,159 super interesting anymore unless Joe and Brunson leaves. Yeah, I mean you're also 261 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:12,879 forgetting that just once Frank Nilikina realizes as full potential as I'm sure you're anticipating, 262 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:15,919 they'll just they won't need anything conference due Listen, all I'm going to 263 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:19,840 say is they didn't get to the conference finals with Luca before Frank Nilakina. 264 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:25,559 It was that Frank Nilikina that they made the conference finals. Your Galaxy brand 265 00:16:25,679 --> 00:16:27,159 just exploded on the screen. I don't know if people are gonna be able 266 00:16:27,159 --> 00:16:30,279 to see that. Are you ready to move on to our next team, 267 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:36,600 which is alphabetically the Houston Rockets. I do not have them with any key 268 00:16:36,639 --> 00:16:40,480 free agents, notable non guarantees. Jayson Tate has that one point eight million 269 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,240 dollars team option. They have to exercise it by July seventh. They will. 270 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:47,399 That being said, He's also an extension candidate, as is Kevin Porter 271 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,879 Junior and Eric Gordon. They're notable trade exceptions. I only have them. 272 00:16:49,919 --> 00:16:52,600 They have a few, but the only one that really is like sizeable enough 273 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,000 to matter is they have four million dollars from the wood trade and that it 274 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:00,039 doesn't expire until June twenty four, twenty twenty three. Their best spending tool 275 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,759 projects as the non taxpayer mL E. There are ways that this team could 276 00:17:04,759 --> 00:17:08,079 technically open up cap space, but I don't know why you would want to 277 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,240 it just to jump through so many hoops. I'd rather just have that ten 278 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:17,359 million dollars spending tool. Ten plus million dollars spending tool, And what do 279 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:21,200 you have for just their their biggest needs and priorities or questions. And I 280 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,079 think we're both asking the same thing in the sense that after their draft, 281 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:27,200 which I thought they had, I know everyone had paddle Ben Carroll going to 282 00:17:27,279 --> 00:17:30,960 them at first, I think Jabari Smith is actually the better fit for their 283 00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:37,359 roster because of what he's like, his switchability on defense, It should just 284 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:41,640 slide better next to to Shane Goon and but they have ty Ty Washington, 285 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,680 they got Terry Easton, they have nineteen players under guaranteed contract if you just 286 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:47,839 assume Jason Tait is going to be there. And so I think we're both 287 00:17:47,839 --> 00:17:49,400 sort of wondering, like, okay, well, where where are they shedding 288 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,440 somebodies? Yeah? Right, Well they're a little like, okay, see 289 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:56,039 that way, I think they had nineteen or potentially nineteen, they might have 290 00:17:56,079 --> 00:18:02,680 had fifty. Yeah, they're all on weird second round partial guarantee. No, 291 00:18:02,799 --> 00:18:06,240 I think so they're obviously the Rockets are a full on rebuilder, but 292 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:10,480 they're also over the cap, and so like in this situation, sometimes you'd 293 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,079 say, well, like this is a let's let's make some moves and take 294 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,279 on some bad money multi year, Like you could shift things around. You 295 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:21,200 might have more flexibility after wall Is bought out, but like they might have 296 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:23,680 seventy million in room next offseason, and I don't think you want to mess 297 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:27,319 around with that by taking on you know, like a Tobias Harris or we're 298 00:18:27,319 --> 00:18:32,200 getting way out in the weeds. But like so their options are even more 299 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,839 limited in that regard because it's not a place where you're gonna you know, 300 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:40,519 accumulate draft assets for somebody's bad money. It's certainly not bad multi year money. 301 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,240 I think again, like because they have so many roster spots filled free 302 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:49,079 agencies kind of not their main you know focus, they still have to think 303 00:18:49,079 --> 00:18:52,640 about what how they're gonna, you know, move Eric Gordon on at some 304 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,359 point, even though I think I've read recently that you know, they value 305 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,319 his leadership and all that stuff, but like they probably probably saw that they 306 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:02,960 got a bottom five first for Christian Wood, and we're like, what we're 307 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,880 gonna get for thirty something Eric Gordon? Yeah, suddenly, But I don't 308 00:19:07,039 --> 00:19:10,400 do you think that Eric Gordon. I think Eric Gordon should get more than 309 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:14,240 Christian Wood did just because he fits in more places like Christian Wood. I 310 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,599 don't know, you know, Dallas that made that made a lot of sense. 311 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,559 But he's Christian Wood's not exactly like a plug in play on a contender 312 00:19:19,599 --> 00:19:22,480 type of player, where Gordon I think maybe he is there, yeah, 313 00:19:22,519 --> 00:19:26,960 because I think he's better on defense even at his age, and there's just 314 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:30,839 the downhill juice he provides an addition to the shooting. It's a more like 315 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,559 he's a bigger commodity. That being said, like the injury history, even 316 00:19:33,559 --> 00:19:36,359 though he was healthy this year, it's not great. And I don't I 317 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:41,039 honestly don't know how teams were going to view that second, like the last 318 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:45,079 year of his deal, which is non guaranteed unless he makes an All Star 319 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,319 Game or they win the championship. In theory, if you win the championship, 320 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:52,319 you won't care. There are teams that will care. Hashtag Phoenix Suns. 321 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:57,400 Yeah, no, I think so for their free agency, Like I'm 322 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:03,480 just skewing young assuming they're gonna go after anybody. But it's like, you 323 00:20:03,519 --> 00:20:06,160 look, you know, kind of another second draft type of team. So 324 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:11,920 you're Lonnie Walkers, your Jalen Smith, your Bombas, your your guy coffee 325 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,920 from the Clippers. I think is someone that they have buddy might look at. 326 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,960 But yeah, it's not like you look at this team, it's like, 327 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,839 well, what do they need because that's just not gonna come via free 328 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,920 agency. It's gonna come as you know, Jalen Green and Singoon and and 329 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:30,160 and uh now I can't think of Jabar Yeah, the guy who was supposed 330 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,160 to go number one the entire draft until he didn't see how that sort of 331 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:38,079 fits together and then maybe make some moves the deadline. That's maybe when Gordon 332 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,799 goes. But yeah, free agency, I just, uh, you know, 333 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,720 I would love to like paint this as a more interesting free agency team, 334 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,319 but I just I'm not sure I see it. They're more treating trade 335 00:20:47,319 --> 00:20:48,920 team but for just to throw out for the sake of names and free agency. 336 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,960 I thought along the lines of second draft as well very quickly though. 337 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,960 They still look they have ty Ty Washington, But would you consider I know 338 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,640 I didn't count him among their key free agents, but would you consider bringing 339 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:04,279 back Nis Shrewder. I feel like Shrewder has I don't think I think Shrewder's 340 00:21:04,279 --> 00:21:07,359 getting into that area where it's like I just don't want him on my team, 341 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,000 because there's been enough teams that have basically decided that, like, especially 342 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:15,599 ones that are concerned about winning that like, I don't know, I feel 343 00:21:15,599 --> 00:21:18,319 like I feel like we sort of known now. So especially if it's a 344 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:22,079 young team where maybe you don't want and you have some guys like Kevin Porter 345 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,319 Jr. That, like, maybe their professionalism has been in question at points 346 00:21:26,319 --> 00:21:30,200 in their careers, Like I'm not sure you want like a get mine Dennis 347 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,240 Shrewder as like a tone setter, but like someone like that, like on 348 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:37,599 court wise, just to sort of be a playmaker and provide a little offense. 349 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,400 Yeah, I mean that makes sense. I just don't know if he's 350 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:42,079 the guy if they're gonna have this, But no, if I'm gonna, 351 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,200 I don't, I'd rather just play ty Ty Washington, Josh Christi for Kevin 352 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,440 Porter Junior, the like John Green all that ball handed responsibility. I will 353 00:21:49,519 --> 00:21:55,480 say if it's someone like a veteran who is either going there because you're like 354 00:21:55,519 --> 00:21:57,440 sort of what Daniel Tye did last season, Like if Delon Wright can't get 355 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:02,440 the mid level exception somewhere else, but Houston is offering the full non taxpayer, 356 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:04,960 I might consider that just to have like someone with more experience. I 357 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:10,000 don't know, like on the lower end though, who's actually worth maybe than 358 00:22:10,039 --> 00:22:14,960 cutting into minutes of some of your your younger guys so you know, like 359 00:22:15,039 --> 00:22:18,079 you're not I'm like going through the list of free agent point guards, like 360 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:19,559 if Eric Bletzo gets weighed like, that's not some where you're gonna look at 361 00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:26,799 even hollow netto I don't think give you like enough like mentorship there. Rondo 362 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,640 No, so like if Delan right, yeah, if that was an option, 363 00:22:29,759 --> 00:22:32,480 I might consider it, or even Taias Jones if he can't get the 364 00:22:32,519 --> 00:22:36,079 middle MLI money. He's only twenty six, so you can consider that I 365 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:40,079 had more. So just I'll list off like they're more sort of like wings 366 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,519 because that's what this team still feels like it needs. Maybe they're a PJ 367 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,559 Dojer team. He's coming off that injury. As my voice just cracks there, 368 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,759 I don't think they have the touches for him, but just like I 369 00:22:49,799 --> 00:22:52,640 want to see him go on a team and play. Kevin Knox just a 370 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:57,039 sort of a third draft guy at this point. What was the other name 371 00:22:57,079 --> 00:22:59,680 that stood out to me the most. I don't know why. It's not 372 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:03,599 a one would make some sense if Milwaukee doesn't have the stomach to match on 373 00:23:03,759 --> 00:23:07,440 something, you know, more than the minimum. Oh, that would be 374 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:08,799 a good one too. I didn't even think of that, but like, 375 00:23:08,799 --> 00:23:11,039 those are the types of names you already mentioned, Oh, Jared Colver, 376 00:23:11,319 --> 00:23:15,119 I was like, let's just see jar why not? And look, that 377 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,559 might be even too rich in the sense that, look at all the players 378 00:23:18,559 --> 00:23:22,319 they have on this roster. So I have the two questions here to wrap 379 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:26,240 this up, is do you think Jay Shawn Tate and or Kevin Porter Junior 380 00:23:26,319 --> 00:23:30,519 get an extension from this team. I would extend Tate for sure, if 381 00:23:30,599 --> 00:23:36,400 only because I hate to like frame everything for the Rockets in this context, 382 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,799 but like, that's gonna be a valuable player that teams are gonna want if 383 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,799 if you're looking to get some draft assets later, Like, yeah, Tate, 384 00:23:42,839 --> 00:23:45,759 is he a Josh Richardson special candidate in terms of like his the upper 385 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,039 end of what they can do for him. I hate to put you on 386 00:23:48,079 --> 00:23:53,079 the spot, but if you're giving him ten million plus a year, I 387 00:23:53,079 --> 00:23:56,799 think he'd be a value at that contract just because of the defense, and 388 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,920 maybe you can work out, you know, a little more of an offensive 389 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:06,559 repertoire for him. But I would I'd be more hesitant on Porter just because 390 00:24:07,319 --> 00:24:11,759 I'm not convinced that he's certainly not convinced he's a point guard. And I'm 391 00:24:11,799 --> 00:24:15,680 also not convinced that he makes a ton of sense next to Green. And 392 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,000 I think you do need to start thinking in terms of like who's the optimal 393 00:24:18,079 --> 00:24:22,920 Jalen Green like running mate in the back court. So I make Porter prove 394 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,319 it, but Tate, I think I would be interested in keeping around on 395 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:30,200 an extension. Yeah, And like now that you have ty Ty Washington there 396 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,359 in addition to Jalen Green, maybe there's not as much of an urgency to 397 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,640 extend Kevin Porter Jr. I don't even know. And Rockets fans of or 398 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,880 some Rockets fans have disagreed with I'm with you, and I don't think he's 399 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,759 like the league guard. If you want him as a microwave score, either 400 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,559 in the starting lineup off the bench. That's the shock creation. The pressure 401 00:24:45,559 --> 00:24:51,519 he puts on defense absolutely huge secondary playmaking fine. I don't know what number 402 00:24:51,519 --> 00:24:53,839 i'd be comfortable extending him at, though, like I think I would probably 403 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,319 land at if he would sign for between ten and twelve, I might consider 404 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,920 it. That does give you a mid end contract a later if you want 405 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,400 to, And like you said, they do have cap space next summer, 406 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:07,519 I don't know how valuable that is at this particular stage of their development. 407 00:25:07,559 --> 00:25:08,920 And they're also you know, they got some Brooklyn Nets picks coming down the 408 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,400 pipeline that might be pretty flashy as well, so they have to consider that 409 00:25:12,799 --> 00:25:18,200 moving forward. The other issue, so you think Eric Gordon. Is he 410 00:25:18,279 --> 00:25:22,200 on the team to start next season? I think probably because if he was 411 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:26,400 gonna go anywhere, I think the draft would have been the time to do 412 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:30,319 it. But I would say I don't think he'll be on the team through 413 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,319 the deadline. If you're saying next season like twenty three, twenty four, 414 00:25:33,759 --> 00:25:37,119 you know, I meant like to start and then I'll to follow it up. 415 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:38,880 So you think he'll start there but won't finish this year? Yeah, 416 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,480 because I think if he was going to go this offseason, he would have 417 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:48,000 gone. I imagine all the all the conversations that they had around would were 418 00:25:48,079 --> 00:25:52,000 happening in parallel with conversations about trying to move Gordon, and just it didn't 419 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:57,039 happen. So I think I think they have to move him at some point, 420 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,039 like maybe you maybe you get the benefit of him as a leader and 421 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,039 like, you know, a guys setting an example for the first half of 422 00:26:03,039 --> 00:26:07,279 this year, and then then you know, you decide we just we just 423 00:26:07,279 --> 00:26:08,960 have to we have to do this at some point in terms of like where 424 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:14,079 we are as a rebuilding team. And it's like I'm almost just wondering, 425 00:26:14,079 --> 00:26:15,200 like who are their trade candidates and if you think he's gonna be there. 426 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,799 I assume he's just gonna be gone because I'm looking at look, john wall 427 00:26:18,839 --> 00:26:22,279 is gonna that's gonna end in a buy out, Like unless there's like a 428 00:26:22,279 --> 00:26:23,720 trade out there, Like, yeah, that's gonna end in a buy out. 429 00:26:23,759 --> 00:26:26,839 Then whoever they acquire for John wall is probably gonna be bought out if 430 00:26:26,839 --> 00:26:30,880 they do move them. But like, looking at this free agency class, 431 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,480 it feels like teams will give up something for Eric Gordon, even if it's 432 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,240 not more than what they got for Christian would because what are their alternatives? 433 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,960 And you sort of hinted at one that I've given some thoughts to is like 434 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,160 there if Philly's trying to cut, because there's the rumor that Philly is is 435 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,079 the favorite to sign PJ. Tucker, which a camp be unless it has 436 00:26:48,079 --> 00:26:52,240 access to the full mid level exception, which is incredibly difficult for them after 437 00:26:52,279 --> 00:26:56,119 making the Melton trade. Unless James Harden is either taking like sub thirty seven 438 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:57,799 million a year, which would be like a ten million dollars pay cut, 439 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,880 or are they flipping to Bias Harris for a smaller amount of salary, and 440 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,960 that could be a way of consolidation where it's are you giving up Eric Gordon 441 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:12,559 and another salary four Tobias Harris and the Sixers are also compensating you in something 442 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:18,440 draft equity whatever to take on that last year. It feels like something along 443 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,279 those lines is going to happen just because they have so many and look, 444 00:27:21,279 --> 00:27:23,160 there are players that they don't need to have, you know, they have, 445 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:26,480 I mean, Trey Burke is on their books next season, so like 446 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,240 they could just waive some of these guys and not care because they could trade 447 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,720 Sterling Brown somewhere or just wave him. But I kind of just feel like, 448 00:27:33,759 --> 00:27:40,279 given the relative shallowness of this year's free agency class, we're going to 449 00:27:40,319 --> 00:27:44,119 see Eric Gordon moved because teams are going to need to take to the trade 450 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,880 market to get upgrades. Yeah. I agree. Yeah, they got those 451 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:51,440 four guys that came over in the wood trade that are all on expirings between 452 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,680 like three and five millions, so or blessed than that. Markus Chris only 453 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,640 makes two point two, So they got all that. You know, if 454 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:02,119 either they're getting waved bought out and they could just do it's small enough to 455 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:03,000 where you stand with them all together and it's like, oh, we have 456 00:28:03,039 --> 00:28:06,799 eight million dollars or ten million dollars and dead money from one year. That's 457 00:28:06,799 --> 00:28:10,519 not going to matter as much to the Rockets. Yeah right. Our next 458 00:28:10,519 --> 00:28:15,200 team, the Memphis Grizzlies, who their summer could be if they wanted to 459 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,200 be pretty incredibly interesting. Their key free agents are Kyle Anderson, Tias Jones, 460 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:22,680 and Jarret Culver. John Contart excuse me, the other non guarantee. 461 00:28:22,799 --> 00:28:26,400 He has like a third of his salary guaranteed until July third. I expect 462 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:30,119 they might just guarantee that then. Notable extension candidates they have a few, 463 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:33,000 John Morant, I assume they he'll just sign a max extension with them. 464 00:28:33,079 --> 00:28:37,000 Dylan Brooks, Steven Adams, and Brandon Clark are more interesting extension candidates, 465 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:41,240 just because there's more less of a defined market for them. They have a 466 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:45,440 notable trade exception from the Grayson Allen deal four point one million that expires on 467 00:28:45,559 --> 00:28:49,480 July seventh of this year, and their best spending tool. I'm just assuming 468 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:53,480 they'll keep the salary cap holds for Kyle Anderson and Tias Jones, which would 469 00:28:53,519 --> 00:28:57,799 mean they're they're non taxpayer mid level team if they want to have cap space, 470 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,119 though, they could, I just don't know what they would intend to 471 00:29:00,759 --> 00:29:03,880 do with that. And so what are you looking for or thinking about most 472 00:29:04,359 --> 00:29:08,319 for the Grizzlies heading into free agency. Yeah, I think initially and maybe 473 00:29:08,319 --> 00:29:11,799 still now, there was some question of how they would sort of choose to 474 00:29:11,839 --> 00:29:17,359 operate, whether they'd clear space or they'd operate as an over the cap team 475 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:19,599 and potentially bring back their their two main free agents that you mentioned. I 476 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:25,759 think it's more likely that, like I mean, maybe Jones comes back, 477 00:29:26,799 --> 00:29:30,200 and maybe maybe that that's feasible, But I think just sort of based on 478 00:29:30,279 --> 00:29:33,039 how like, you know, the guys they added in the draft, Labban 479 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:38,240 and Roddy, and I think Zayre Williams is a guy that's most likely going 480 00:29:38,279 --> 00:29:41,720 to improve. I mean in love with him. I was not a fan 481 00:29:41,759 --> 00:29:42,440 of the pick, and now I'm in love with him. I mean, 482 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,880 he played significant minutes for a really good team and like they trusted him to 483 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:51,200 guard you know, you wouldn't like they have plenty of great options for like 484 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:53,480 top scores, but Williams wasn't someone they necessarily hit all the time. So 485 00:29:55,039 --> 00:29:59,880 with those three, I think Kyle Anderson's time has probably done. So Yeah, 486 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,200 I just their options are big. I mean they're a trade team too 487 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,720 because they've I don't imagine they're going to extend anyone for sure other than Jaw 488 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,119 Like I think Brooks and Steven Adams as and and throw Green in there, 489 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:15,000 I guess, depending on what happens with him and his partial gant and his 490 00:30:15,039 --> 00:30:18,799 guarantee. But like they have salary and mushed together in a trade they've got 491 00:30:18,839 --> 00:30:22,039 you know, I think they have all their picks plus a Warriors twenty twenty 492 00:30:22,039 --> 00:30:27,319 four first coming. So they still are a team with just like an a 493 00:30:27,319 --> 00:30:32,359 ton of power to like just do what they want. I mean, we 494 00:30:32,359 --> 00:30:34,599 could just get into it now, Like you know, Kevin, if you're 495 00:30:34,599 --> 00:30:38,559 looking for teams that can put put together at Kevin Durant package, I don't 496 00:30:38,559 --> 00:30:41,880 know, the Grizzlies are right there, and like they've got all the picks, 497 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:45,559 they've got salary and you know, not totally dead salary, like Adams 498 00:30:45,599 --> 00:30:51,319 and Brooks are starters, you know, on a good team. So yeah, 499 00:30:51,359 --> 00:30:55,559 they've got a lot of flexibility. It just depends on how they want 500 00:30:55,559 --> 00:30:57,599 to operate and what they want to do with Tyas Jones, like how big 501 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:02,319 of a priority he is to bring back. I think they can get him 502 00:31:02,359 --> 00:31:06,119 at a decent number, just because I think the teams that want point guards 503 00:31:06,119 --> 00:31:10,720 are gonna like go bigger on Brunson and maybe you're gonna trade for Brogden or 504 00:31:10,759 --> 00:31:14,920 Danangelo Russell or something before you get down to let's talk about signing Tayas Jones. 505 00:31:15,279 --> 00:31:17,640 Yeah, I guess he could be a backup plan for like the Knicks, 506 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,079 or if the Mavericks have the non tax player Emily that feels like his. 507 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:22,640 I don't want to say a ceiling, but that feels like where Hill 508 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:26,920 land that ten million dollars a year, and I might look, I know 509 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,559 you're about to pay ye, I'd still just keep him around because if you 510 00:31:29,559 --> 00:31:33,039 need to move him to make but you already like you traded damn me Melton, 511 00:31:33,079 --> 00:31:37,799 not that he was necessarily the purest point guard anyway, it would. 512 00:31:37,799 --> 00:31:40,119 I do think now, for all the reasons you laid out, I'm not 513 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:42,559 really adding anything to discussion at this point. And also, keeping Thyas Jones 514 00:31:42,559 --> 00:31:45,720 limits the amount of time that Dylan Brooks has to have the ball in his 515 00:31:45,759 --> 00:31:48,680 hands, which is some nights. That's too much of an adventure. Would 516 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:52,440 you for the Kevin Durant stuff, and I don't I don't want this to 517 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:56,119 define you know, the low grow fruit. But if during the Grizzlies and 518 00:31:56,279 --> 00:31:57,440 Kevin Duran his four years left on his deal and he wants to come to 519 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:00,799 Memphis one, I think you absolutely go after him because you're so good. 520 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:06,039 Now, my question is where is the line you're not moving? Jaw Brooklyn 521 00:32:06,039 --> 00:32:07,880 comes to you though, and want Sharon Jackson Junior. What are you doing? 522 00:32:08,519 --> 00:32:13,079 Yeah? I mean they and if you're the nets you, that's got 523 00:32:13,079 --> 00:32:15,920 to be where it starts, like you have to start negotiating there. We 524 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:22,079 say no, I don't discussion. I am first saying like, how about 525 00:32:22,759 --> 00:32:25,880 you can control our draft? So Brooklyn, you have a draft back now 526 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:30,559 because you don't have one basically, and you can have all whatever you want 527 00:32:30,559 --> 00:32:34,960 through you know, alternate swaps and just full on rights to these picks through 528 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,039 like however far we can go, twenty seven, twenty eight, like whatever, 529 00:32:37,279 --> 00:32:39,960 take it all, because if we have John, we have Durant, 530 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:43,440 and we have a decent supporting cast, like those picks are going to be 531 00:32:43,519 --> 00:32:46,319 in the twenties anyway. I also think, and I'm not sure that I 532 00:32:46,359 --> 00:32:49,559 would do this. This is I think this is where it comes back to 533 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:53,559 are we romanticizing prospects or younger players? The fact that they have Desmond Bane 534 00:32:53,559 --> 00:32:59,119 and Zeyer Williams. It feels like if Brooklyn is actually rebuilding, if they're 535 00:32:59,119 --> 00:33:01,839 moving him and Durant, they will be There are packages that can be built 536 00:33:01,839 --> 00:33:07,880 by Memphis, specifically without including either of their two most important blue chip cornerstones, 537 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:10,920 which is Triple J and John Morant. Yeah, I mean there's some 538 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,960 argument to be made that, like do you want to mess with this? 539 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,519 I mean, I know it's like blasphemous because we're talking about Kevin Durant, 540 00:33:17,559 --> 00:33:23,240 but like you know, age wise decline wise, Like I don't. I 541 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:27,960 mean, Kevin Durant's best years are behind him, right, Like at best, 542 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,519 he's going to sustain and stay very very good. Great. You know, 543 00:33:30,559 --> 00:33:32,559 we thought he was the best player in the league for like a couple 544 00:33:32,559 --> 00:33:37,920 of months there, so he still has that status. But like the future 545 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:42,759 is so bright and there's so many options and it's just not a small market 546 00:33:42,799 --> 00:33:45,079 move generally speaking, to do this. It's like we're we're operating in reverse 547 00:33:45,119 --> 00:33:49,400 almost, like this is usually the team that has Kevin Durant has to trade 548 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:54,200 him for seventeen fisholders. It's still intriguing though, and it's just the reality 549 00:33:54,319 --> 00:33:59,920 is the Grizzlies can do almost whatever they want if you but if you do 550 00:34:00,279 --> 00:34:04,480 the big thing, then all of your different avenues to succeed for the next 551 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:08,800 seven eight years kind of trimmed down to one. And if also just to 552 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:13,880 throw it out there, like, you know, if you're depending on Kevin 553 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:17,960 Durant to not age and John Morant to not get hurt, that's really kind 554 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,320 of you're kind of a high wire act now, and it's kind of a 555 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:24,880 boom er bus. But you know, if they had Durant next year, 556 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:29,199 like who They're right, they're going to be at the top of the West 557 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,280 anyway, I don't know who i'd pick over them for sure at that point. 558 00:34:31,599 --> 00:34:36,199 Yeah, he members might be my favorite Katie Landing spot. Are there 559 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:40,199 actual available players as of now that you've given thoughts at who Memphis should you 560 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:45,800 go after via Trader Free Agency? Yeah? I think you kind of again, 561 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:47,840 assuming they're going to have the full MLA, which is a significant asset. 562 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:51,639 Like I think you probably look at Auto Porter and I you know, 563 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:54,639 all that stuff I said about how maybe Kyle Anderson is expendable now because of 564 00:34:54,679 --> 00:34:59,159 the forwards and the pipeline and the wings and the pipeline. I still think 565 00:34:59,199 --> 00:35:00,440 Porter makes sense. I don't know if I'm given him the full m l 566 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:05,760 E, but you can. I think Gary Payton is someone you could add 567 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:10,639 to just make this defense like just unfair. And like you know, I 568 00:35:10,679 --> 00:35:14,920 do think Brooks is someone they should be looking hard to trade. And so 569 00:35:15,159 --> 00:35:16,920 if you want to do that, and you've lost Melton too, so I 570 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:22,239 think if you want to move Brooks, you probably want to have another defensive 571 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,960 like shutdown option. Peyton is smaller, but he plays as big as Brooks 572 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:30,880 a lot of the time. So you know, of the non Warriors division, 573 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:34,920 I think if you just want to ensure the Tias Jones thing, you 574 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,920 look at Netto. But other than that, like you know, Dalen Wright 575 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:42,719 again, you know, just someone that makes sense as like a Melton replacement 576 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,960 sort of. But yeah, other than that, I think they're more of 577 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,760 a trade team, and I'd be looking at what I could get for Adams 578 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:52,440 Brooks and you know what that kind of thing. I wonder also if they 579 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,239 should be looking at another type of four or five, just especially if you're 580 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:59,280 living in Kyle Anderson walk and he played a ton of time at the four. 581 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,320 You have and Clark, Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson Jr. And n 582 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:07,239 Xavier Tiltman and now David Roddy of course, and we can't forget Santi Aldama. 583 00:36:07,559 --> 00:36:10,280 But like is it's just something that you would maybe want to someone who 584 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:14,960 can play with either Steven Adams or Jaren Jackson Junior, like a Chris Bouche 585 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:19,119 I will mention for every single team because he's amazing, or even a Mobamba 586 00:36:19,159 --> 00:36:21,760 could be good for this team, or even Hartenstein. I think that, 587 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:24,079 you know, maybe that makes more sense if you're eventually gonna get rid of 588 00:36:24,079 --> 00:36:27,840 Steven Adams, if you're not extending him and you're letting him walk, because 589 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,639 those two you don't want to see play were Steven Adams, which is why 590 00:36:30,679 --> 00:36:35,519 I gravitated towards Chris Bouche. You can also go to the Otto Porter Junior 591 00:36:35,559 --> 00:36:37,519 rout, but I was trying to think of like someone who might be able 592 00:36:37,519 --> 00:36:40,079 to log a little bit of time at the five as well, So I'd 593 00:36:40,119 --> 00:36:44,719 be curious if if they could go that route. I also wondered if are 594 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:49,400 they gonna because you mentioned sort of a priority should be to move Dylan Brooks. 595 00:36:49,599 --> 00:36:52,840 Is their focus gonna be more on trades this offseason knowing that they have 596 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:55,920 to make some decisions soon on a Steven Adams, on a Dylan Brooks, 597 00:36:55,920 --> 00:37:00,639 even Brandon Clark, And then what type of swing are you making in that 598 00:37:00,679 --> 00:37:04,719 situation, because it could be something like, you know, you could probably 599 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:08,639 get Eric Gordon for if Danny Green, let's just say you guarantee his salary, 600 00:37:08,679 --> 00:37:12,159 include another smaller salary, and then there's a sweetener. And Eric Gordon 601 00:37:12,199 --> 00:37:14,719 would make a lot of sense on this team, especially if you might move 602 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:17,079 down and Brooks in another trade. I have wondered if and he hasn't been 603 00:37:17,079 --> 00:37:22,360 mentioned, and Grizzlies fans were totally against my idea for them to trade a 604 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:24,480 Miles Turner at last year's de mind, which is fine. Does John Collins 605 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:29,480 make sense for this team if you're if you're not giving up any of your 606 00:37:29,519 --> 00:37:35,039 three best assets, which is Morant, Jackson and Baine. Does he make 607 00:37:35,119 --> 00:37:38,760 sense alongside Jaron Jacksons you're a long term or no long term? It's stuff. 608 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:43,159 I think you know, the ideal version of Jaren Jackson is a full 609 00:37:43,159 --> 00:37:45,880 time center at some point, right, and you're like, you just he's 610 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:49,880 going to provide you all the spacing and shop blocking and you don't necessarily need 611 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,320 more heft in there. I do think the playoff run kind of showed that 612 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:55,480 the Grizzlies are really good when they have two pigs in there, and one 613 00:37:55,519 --> 00:38:02,000 of them's Jackson. I just Collins is such a weird fit almost just be 614 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:07,280 like he which is crazy to say because he can do so much, But 615 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:14,519 I just I don't know if Jackson Collins frontline has enough like Punch is like 616 00:38:14,559 --> 00:38:19,320 physical big enough, physical enough, but you I mean, you'd upgrade your 617 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:23,960 skill level just immensely, and you could have some crazy five outlooks too with 618 00:38:24,519 --> 00:38:28,840 that, and you'd be long. But I don't know if you're quite like 619 00:38:29,679 --> 00:38:31,679 which is like, it's twenty twenty two and we're are they big enough? 620 00:38:31,719 --> 00:38:36,880 Are they physical enough? But that's kind of my reservation. Yeah, And 621 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:39,239 I think if you were going to go that route, you probably want someone 622 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:43,480 who's going to be more of his own shock creator, because even I like 623 00:38:43,599 --> 00:38:45,000 John Collins is for a game, but the Grizzlies feel like they still need 624 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:49,079 is it z? I hear Williams long term? Is it Desmond Baying based 625 00:38:49,119 --> 00:38:52,039 on what he did this season? You have Jaren Jackson Jr. Still feels 626 00:38:52,039 --> 00:38:54,360 like they could use some insurance there, which is why Eric Gordon is a 627 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:58,880 stop gap would be pretty interesting. The other he would have to be a 628 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,360 trade because he's a team option at the pacer actually absolutely picking up I would 629 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:06,719 love o'she Brissette for Memphis, someone that they could because of the way that 630 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:08,840 they're sort of they're set up at every position, but not set up at 631 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:13,760 every position. Just someone you could toggle between basically everywhere at this point, 632 00:39:14,079 --> 00:39:15,880 might be like and it feels like a Grizzlies move. That's a guy that 633 00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:20,320 maybe wouldn't cost a Tony's certainly not making a ton Is it a stop gap? 634 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:22,760 Is a long term play? That could be someone that that they look 635 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:27,280 at. It's funny going through the free agency list though, because I feel 636 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:30,880 like I'm not in love with anyone for them, Like I could see Lonnie 637 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:35,840 Walker might be interesting here, depending again on what you think the future is 638 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:39,639 with what is Kyle Anderson coming back? What are you doing with Dylan Brooks? 639 00:39:39,719 --> 00:39:43,000 And I was actually gonna ask you whether you see anyone other than Jaw 640 00:39:43,079 --> 00:39:45,719 on this team getting an extension, because that would if you extend Dylan Brooks, 641 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:50,400 if you extend Steven Adams or Brandon Clark. That probably says a lot 642 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:52,880 about how or it informs a lot about how you're going to view free agency. 643 00:39:53,159 --> 00:39:55,480 Yeah, I think one thing that just popped up to me. If 644 00:39:55,480 --> 00:40:00,239 you're gonna lose Kyle Anderson and you want to replace some of the facilitation that 645 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:02,719 young, I think he's another guy we're gonna I feel like I'm gonna mention 646 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:06,639 on every team just because you can get away. I think I actually feel 647 00:40:06,679 --> 00:40:08,599 better about a defensive front court with him and Jackson then I do Collins and 648 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:13,079 Jackson. And he's a good pet. He's what he averaged like five assists 649 00:40:13,079 --> 00:40:15,960 a game or something ridiculous like that with the Bowls a couple of years ago. 650 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,239 I don't know if you want him necessarily playing that big a role, 651 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:22,039 but he can do it. I think extensionwise, it's just Jaw for me, 652 00:40:22,199 --> 00:40:25,960 because you know there's you can make the opposite case. But I think 653 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:31,320 a guy like Brooks and Adams, some of the appeal or some of the 654 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:35,880 value in them might be tied up and then being expiring. You know, 655 00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:38,840 that's changed a little bit lately. I feel like the idea of the expiring 656 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:45,360 contract has doesn't return quite the same amount of you don't get a haul for 657 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:52,280 that anymore. But I would feel uncomfortable committing what it would take to Brooks 658 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:58,519 just because that's a fairly large salary slot that may not be a positive asset 659 00:40:58,599 --> 00:41:01,280 if it goes out three or four years versus it's expiring. Oh, we're 660 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:06,440 a contender, we need a three, and we need a lower little three 661 00:41:06,559 --> 00:41:09,920 and D wing that can just toughen us. Like he makes sense as like 662 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:15,280 a rental to me. Maybe that undersells him, but lowercase three uppercase D 663 00:41:15,719 --> 00:41:19,920 exactly. I would just be worried about him specifically hitting free agency. And 664 00:41:19,960 --> 00:41:23,320 then if he gets the eighteen million dollars a year offer from some team, 665 00:41:23,440 --> 00:41:27,400 if you get him at the number that he's really coming off, of course 666 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:30,119 between twelve and like fourteen million, I would consider it. For Dylan Brooks 667 00:41:30,119 --> 00:41:34,119 would probably be the only other player i'd look at. Yeah, you don't 668 00:41:34,159 --> 00:41:36,840 extend Adams, right, There's like that's just my thought was, like, 669 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:38,320 if you can get him in a really cheap number, and then it's someone 670 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:42,599 that is just there and you could also move later on. But I just 671 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:44,960 the big man market or what it will be for him. You could view 672 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:50,320 it that way in free agency as well. Exactly right on to the New 673 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:54,719 Orleans Pelicans get excited. Their key free agent is Tony Snell. Notable non 674 00:41:54,760 --> 00:42:00,280 guarantees include Jose Alvarado, he will he will be back, do not worry. 675 00:42:00,519 --> 00:42:04,519 Notable extension candidates on this team Larry NaN's junior, CJ McCollum, Jackson 676 00:42:04,599 --> 00:42:07,920 Hayes, and oh that guy's I on Williamson. They have one notable trade 677 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:12,679 exception. That's the Steven Adams six point four million dollars one. It expires 678 00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:15,559 on July seven, twenty twenty two. Their best spending tool. I have 679 00:42:15,719 --> 00:42:20,239 it as the miniml E because I have them inside ten million dollars of the 680 00:42:20,239 --> 00:42:23,079 Apron right now. They could I don't know if they're gonna want to pay 681 00:42:23,079 --> 00:42:28,000 the tax one, let alone the Apron, and two if they wanted to 682 00:42:28,079 --> 00:42:31,440 dump salary, maybe it's with Jackson Hayes or through a Devonte Graham trade and 683 00:42:31,519 --> 00:42:35,039 open up the bigger EMI leave they could. I don't know if this is 684 00:42:35,079 --> 00:42:39,079 the market to try, excuse me and do that in but I have them 685 00:42:39,119 --> 00:42:43,840 as a mini Emily spending team. I think it starts here. This one's 686 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:47,440 the easier one. What are you doing with Zion Williamson's extension? I didn't 687 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:52,280 think hard enough about this one. I think I'm offering it. Look, 688 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:54,519 you give him the max, do you? Yes? And if you could 689 00:42:54,519 --> 00:42:59,760 include this sort of Joel embiad type stage safeguards, if he's not willing to 690 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:02,679 do that at all, that's where it gets a little interesting, right, 691 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:06,800 that's where you start, though. There's no scenario where you don't start with 692 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:10,159 let's talk about an MBI desk extent, rookie extension, right like you just 693 00:43:10,639 --> 00:43:15,480 you can't. It can't be in no questions asked extension, like I think 694 00:43:15,519 --> 00:43:21,119 honestly, then if that's just a hard line, I might DeAndre Ayton this 695 00:43:21,239 --> 00:43:23,239 and be like, we'll just talk about this in a year. Sorry, 696 00:43:23,639 --> 00:43:27,880 I just you gotta. I just run the risk then of And I don't 697 00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:30,920 think Ayton would have this kind of leverage after he had a really good season. 698 00:43:30,199 --> 00:43:35,320 Zion would he could just go sign like a two plus one, three 699 00:43:35,360 --> 00:43:37,639 plus one somewhere, and then you don't like he won't even deal with you, 700 00:43:37,679 --> 00:43:42,480 like you're just gonna match, have to match that offer sheet. He 701 00:43:42,719 --> 00:43:45,400 Zion said he would come out and sign with the Pelicans a long terminative look. 702 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:49,320 If push Katon's shove and he wasn't willing to include any safeguards in the 703 00:43:49,320 --> 00:43:52,880 deal, I might give it to him anyway. Just his talent at full 704 00:43:52,880 --> 00:43:55,880 strength, Like just remember him last season was probably one of the fifteen to 705 00:43:55,920 --> 00:44:01,280 seventeen best players in the league. You're You're not wrong, I just I 706 00:44:01,599 --> 00:44:05,679 guess this is just me being risk of verse. Like I think there's still 707 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:09,519 like no argument in terms of his the impact that he made in the like 708 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:15,079 blink of an eye that he was healthy, it felt like really potentially great. 709 00:44:15,079 --> 00:44:16,440 I still have questions about, like what kind of roster do you fit 710 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:22,000 around him? I have made like I just don't see a scenario where we 711 00:44:22,079 --> 00:44:29,039 go the next ten years and don't have more than one season where injuries are 712 00:44:29,079 --> 00:44:31,320 a major factor, like even in the next five, which is what you're 713 00:44:31,360 --> 00:44:37,079 talking about, with an extension that he's eligible for. So I guess I'm 714 00:44:37,119 --> 00:44:40,159 more comfortable and like, of course he said he'll take the full Yeah, 715 00:44:40,639 --> 00:44:43,599 of course, I'll take the full max if they offer it, like, 716 00:44:43,719 --> 00:44:45,519 because then I can demand to trade anyway. That's just how the league works. 717 00:44:45,519 --> 00:44:51,440 It's fine, I have more reservations. I don't think I'm willing to 718 00:44:51,480 --> 00:44:54,559 do that. I would draw a harder line just knowing that worst, you 719 00:44:54,599 --> 00:44:58,679 know, push comes to show he's a last guy in the world that's going 720 00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:00,679 to take the qualifying offer and just you know, gamble that way. There's 721 00:45:00,719 --> 00:45:05,840 no scenario. I don't think that's realistic, Are you sure? I just 722 00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:08,800 don't think, based on his injury history, anyone advising him could possibly say 723 00:45:08,880 --> 00:45:13,639 this is a good idea. I just like, he's got to get he's 724 00:45:13,800 --> 00:45:17,440 he seems like someone that and not personally, but just the situation he's in. 725 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:23,280 You need to lock down as much guaranteed money as you can. And 726 00:45:23,360 --> 00:45:28,000 so the idea of that level of risk. Now maybe that changes if he 727 00:45:28,039 --> 00:45:30,119 has a phenomenal we don't he doesn't get an extension, and he has a 728 00:45:30,119 --> 00:45:32,840 phenomenal season, and suddenly it's like, well, it's a no, Like 729 00:45:34,119 --> 00:45:37,400 he has all the leverage in the world, like there's this that's the downside 730 00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:43,440 risk of doing an eight in this situation. I think what so I think 731 00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:45,920 he ultimately just has more leverage than New Orleans because I think he is that 732 00:45:46,079 --> 00:45:51,079 anomalous, that transcendent, and that's not it's not a shot against the Pelicans. 733 00:45:51,119 --> 00:45:53,519 I just I wouldn't let that player as long as I can have him 734 00:45:53,599 --> 00:45:58,199 here and be under team control. Maybe it's he doesn't have a player option 735 00:45:58,239 --> 00:46:00,440 in year five, and I do. I ultimately think it's gonna end up 736 00:46:00,440 --> 00:46:04,400 with he signs a five year max. I don't know what's gonna happen with 737 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:08,639 the player option. My guess is it's either really heavily safeguarded the entire contract 738 00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:14,719 for the Pelicans, or maybe they are lighter guarantees, lighter non guarantees in 739 00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:16,719 his favor, and he gives up his player option in the fifth year. 740 00:46:17,159 --> 00:46:21,320 That being said, it also could be if they're both sort of on the 741 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:24,159 same page, he does have the leverage to where even if he has a 742 00:46:24,159 --> 00:46:28,559 bad year next season, someone would offer him the max and restricted free agency. 743 00:46:29,079 --> 00:46:31,199 Could he roll the dice, want to stay in New Orleans, have 744 00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:34,760 a good year, and then he just gets the five year max from New 745 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:37,280 Orleans free and clear, where there aren't going to be any injury safeguards in 746 00:46:37,320 --> 00:46:40,199 there for them because he's coming off of let's say, a sixty seven game 747 00:46:40,719 --> 00:46:46,039 like campaign only missed like ten or fifteen games. Yeah, I think I'm 748 00:46:46,039 --> 00:46:50,239 maybe anchoring too much because when it was real bad, when it was just 749 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:52,559 injury after injury, and you know, all this time off, I kind 750 00:46:52,599 --> 00:46:58,800 of developed the opinion that, like one, Zion is a player who's great, 751 00:46:59,719 --> 00:47:04,760 may almost entirely because of just ridiculous athleticism, right, Like, you 752 00:47:04,760 --> 00:47:08,280 know, he's not he's not like I don't know some of the passes he 753 00:47:08,400 --> 00:47:12,559 threw, but he has to give a space to be able to throw those 754 00:47:12,599 --> 00:47:15,039 passes. So I think that's what I'm not going to say entirely but very 755 00:47:15,119 --> 00:47:19,880 largely based on athleticism. And just like I think it's fair to say that 756 00:47:19,960 --> 00:47:22,639 since Duke, he's become less athletic. So just you know, the injuries 757 00:47:22,639 --> 00:47:27,519 are taking a toll in that regard, and like the trajectory I would expect 758 00:47:27,599 --> 00:47:30,679 unless he comes, unless we see you know, best shape of his life 759 00:47:30,719 --> 00:47:34,519 stuff over in summer league. Not in summer league, but during that time 760 00:47:34,719 --> 00:47:37,639 where it's like he's the weight his way down and you know, he looks 761 00:47:37,639 --> 00:47:42,480 incredible. He looks like Duke Zion, then I might change my opinion, 762 00:47:42,559 --> 00:47:45,239 but I'm I'm just kind of pessimistic on his long term health outlook and how 763 00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:52,159 how well he's going to age as the athleticism declines, because like when that 764 00:47:52,199 --> 00:47:54,440 goes, when that's not a lead anymore. It's not like he's a knockdown 765 00:47:54,480 --> 00:47:58,800 shooter, except for his debut when he made like four or threes and everybody 766 00:47:58,960 --> 00:48:00,960 lost their minds. It was among the people. There are a lot of 767 00:48:01,000 --> 00:48:06,360 questions. I just if he's not getting off the floor and can't move with 768 00:48:06,440 --> 00:48:09,280 burst, I don't know. He proved me, I would love it. 769 00:48:09,320 --> 00:48:12,519 If he proved me wrong, it would be I would love it. I 770 00:48:12,599 --> 00:48:15,480 just, I just I have a lot of reservations about more of the story. 771 00:48:15,519 --> 00:48:17,599 Though this was very first take key of us. But Zion Williamson will 772 00:48:17,639 --> 00:48:21,280 be in New Orleans next season. Yeah, that's being said. The last 773 00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:25,719 first take element of this preview, Brooklyn comes along, offers Kevin Durant want 774 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:30,639 Zion Williamson back in a package? What are you doing if you're New Orleans? 775 00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:35,519 Yeah, such a hard question. What did I say before we started 776 00:48:35,519 --> 00:48:37,559 recording when you ask me that, I think I said I would do it. 777 00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:43,360 I said I wouldn't because it's just if Kevin Durant really wants to be 778 00:48:43,360 --> 00:48:45,519 in New Orleans, I guess anything has to be for a discussion. But 779 00:48:45,559 --> 00:48:49,440 what else are if it's just if it's Zion plus salary, I guess you 780 00:48:49,559 --> 00:48:52,840 consider it. But like can we we can't pretend that Kevin Durant has just 781 00:48:52,840 --> 00:48:57,960 been mister durability over the past three years. Right, Yeah, so I 782 00:48:58,039 --> 00:49:00,480 ultimately wouldn't. But they are a team that I think could build subsequent packages 783 00:49:00,519 --> 00:49:05,079 where if New Orleans is going or excuse me, if Brooklyn's going around asking 784 00:49:05,119 --> 00:49:07,199 for all these we want Scotty Barnes from Toronto if that's a know, like 785 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:12,519 doing those types of things. If you circle back and they miss on all 786 00:49:12,559 --> 00:49:15,639 those initial marks, New Orleans is among the teams that could build like non 787 00:49:15,719 --> 00:49:20,159 Zion trade packages that would make a ton of sense. What do you view 788 00:49:20,280 --> 00:49:22,880 is like the roster's biggest needs now though heading into free agency, well, 789 00:49:22,920 --> 00:49:25,679 they don't have They don't have a lot because their roster is basically set. 790 00:49:27,280 --> 00:49:30,559 It looking really really good if you pencil in healthy'sion, Yes, yeah, 791 00:49:30,599 --> 00:49:35,800 I know, I think they are like potential major high riser. You know, 792 00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:38,760 you saw flashes of what McCollum kind of did to transform how they operated. 793 00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:44,880 I think so. Having said that, I think i'd like one more 794 00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:49,360 versatile defensive piece just because Herb Jones, as great as he is, I 795 00:49:49,360 --> 00:49:55,199 think you're gonna need some lineups where, you know, what's up Dyson Daniels 796 00:49:55,280 --> 00:49:58,800 is on this roster. They might really that is kind of what he does 797 00:49:58,840 --> 00:50:01,400 everything but shoot basically right. Uh, you know, I think I think 798 00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:07,440 i'd like one more you know, wing switchy defensive piece. I think i'd 799 00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:10,960 like maybe, I look, I think that your best looks are gonna be 800 00:50:12,159 --> 00:50:15,320 Zion at the five, you know, if you're really trying to maximize what 801 00:50:15,320 --> 00:50:20,280 this team can be. But just like zion nance type where Nance making the 802 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:22,599 defensive five. Yeah, yeah, like a strip like a like Miles Turner 803 00:50:22,599 --> 00:50:25,000 would. This isn't a free agent thing, but someone like that has always 804 00:50:25,000 --> 00:50:30,760 made a lot of sense there for me. Pelicans fans already tuned us out. 805 00:50:30,320 --> 00:50:32,199 They're in love with valentiunist, who was really good, and they don't 806 00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:36,960 view Turner is enough of an upgrade. I think defensively he would be a 807 00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:39,320 massive upgrade. I also don't know. I don't know their path to getting 808 00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:43,199 Miles turn anymore. Like if you're Indiana, do you want you own his 809 00:50:43,280 --> 00:50:45,960 Valentciunists? Like wow? And then if you're the Pelicans, do you want 810 00:50:45,039 --> 00:50:50,960 Zion and you own his Valentciunists? And uh you know? And and uh, 811 00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:52,000 oh my god, why can't end miles turn on your roster? Like 812 00:50:52,039 --> 00:50:55,159 that doesn't make a ton of sense? Not? No, I think so, 813 00:50:55,360 --> 00:50:59,159 just in terms of like they're they're well, do you do you what 814 00:50:59,199 --> 00:51:00,760 do you see their needs? As you see them as different than our needs? 815 00:51:00,840 --> 00:51:06,559 And quote unquote, but I think so I would prefer them to prioritize. 816 00:51:06,679 --> 00:51:08,679 I don't want to say a point guard because you have CJ. McCullum, 817 00:51:08,800 --> 00:51:14,159 Zion Brandon Ingram and DeVante Graham is not just like he doesn't suck now, 818 00:51:14,239 --> 00:51:15,880 he's just he's shooting has fallen off. But I would like to see 819 00:51:15,920 --> 00:51:19,639 him get an upgrade in what DeVante Graham is supposed to be. So is 820 00:51:19,679 --> 00:51:22,280 that DeVante Graham getting better? Is it? Oh? We're giving Kyra Lewis 821 00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:28,760 Junior a really extensive look this year. I don't view the wing depth as 822 00:51:28,840 --> 00:51:30,840 big of an issue. I guess because I really Dyson Daniels is like my 823 00:51:30,880 --> 00:51:35,840 second favorite prospect in the draft, and then also what Trey Murphy was able 824 00:51:35,880 --> 00:51:37,440 to do during the tail end of last year in the regular season and the 825 00:51:37,440 --> 00:51:40,360 playoffs. But I do think it would be smart to sort of hedge against 826 00:51:40,360 --> 00:51:44,119 that, So I would be that that's my second priority. But if you 827 00:51:44,119 --> 00:51:46,960 could also just get shooting on this roster, because that's going to be the 828 00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:50,920 best, especially with do you want to Uncutis can shoot the ball well, 829 00:51:50,960 --> 00:51:52,360 but if he and zion Is going to be a lineup you tinker with. 830 00:51:52,760 --> 00:51:57,320 The volume is not high for Valon Shunis. It's the same Liaron NaN's junior 831 00:51:57,480 --> 00:51:59,920 Like I like the Laron n junior Zion winners and look a lot better on 832 00:52:00,119 --> 00:52:04,440 defense, clearly, but Larry NAT's not someone who chucks up threes and observe 833 00:52:04,559 --> 00:52:06,559 volume. So can you find someone who might be willing to do that? 834 00:52:06,679 --> 00:52:08,960 My single favorite free agent target for them, who I don't know if they 835 00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:14,719 can afford. Gary Payton is second because theyre brings that defensive element to where 836 00:52:14,800 --> 00:52:17,000 look. Him and Herb Jones could just like swap assignments like that's how Herb 837 00:52:17,079 --> 00:52:21,400 Jones covers the positional spectrum. Gary Payton, the second guards up a ton 838 00:52:21,440 --> 00:52:23,840 as well. He shot the three ball well enough last year with Golden States, 839 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:27,760 where you can envision if you get him those open looks, he will 840 00:52:27,800 --> 00:52:30,559 hit them. And he's a he's good at moving off the ball, or 841 00:52:30,559 --> 00:52:32,320 if they want to use him to set screens, if they get that creative 842 00:52:32,360 --> 00:52:36,480 with him, he's my favorite. And then he's also just like, okay, 843 00:52:36,480 --> 00:52:38,079 if Devonte Graham goes buster, we want to get rid of Devonte Graham, 844 00:52:38,079 --> 00:52:42,440 Like at least we have another point guard on the roster. But that 845 00:52:42,519 --> 00:52:45,880 was my thing is you don't really need that point guard because you have Zion 846 00:52:45,880 --> 00:52:47,880 bred Ingramac, But like those are your primary playmakers, that's all you need. 847 00:52:49,199 --> 00:52:52,360 No, I think I think that Peyton Peyton makes sense in a very 848 00:52:52,360 --> 00:52:55,880 specific count, and I would add Bruce Brown too, because they're insofar as 849 00:52:55,920 --> 00:52:59,920 those players, those players are similar to anyone, they're similar to each other. 850 00:53:00,559 --> 00:53:04,639 If you have essentially a power forward in Zion who's gonna play a lot 851 00:53:04,639 --> 00:53:06,920 of point guard, you might as well have a point guard who's going to 852 00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:08,880 play a lot of power forward basically, which is what kind of how Peyton 853 00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:12,920 and Brown operate. You know, Peyton proved himself to be a pretty good 854 00:53:12,920 --> 00:53:15,360 corner three point shooter, which is like, that's fantastic if you could do 855 00:53:15,400 --> 00:53:20,159 that for this Pelicans team and just you know, at least have someone run 856 00:53:20,199 --> 00:53:22,039 at you once in a while. All the other stuff he brings will be, 857 00:53:22,280 --> 00:53:25,239 you know, very welcome. Brown's kind of the same way. I'm 858 00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:30,760 oddly like more skeptical about Brown being like sustaining some of his shooting from this 859 00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:32,719 past season. But yeah, for some reason, I don't know what the 860 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:37,000 is, just like something just fell. I think it was his was too 861 00:53:37,079 --> 00:53:38,559 much of an outlier where it's Gary Payton is sec it was like thirty six 862 00:53:38,559 --> 00:53:42,960 percent on catching shoots. It's like, okay, like I think Bruce Brown 863 00:53:43,039 --> 00:53:45,719 was like closer forty on those. It's like it's just a little bit out 864 00:53:45,760 --> 00:53:49,360 of nowhere, a little much for me. I think backing up a little 865 00:53:49,360 --> 00:53:52,280 bit to kind of hit these targets in full. Like I think I do 866 00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:57,199 think they're they can duck the tax and I think they could be in position 867 00:53:57,239 --> 00:54:00,239 to have the full mid level. I mean, they've got so many as 868 00:54:00,320 --> 00:54:02,719 on low numbers that they could finagle a little bit and then if you have 869 00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:06,719 the full mid level, that opens you up to going after you know, 870 00:54:06,960 --> 00:54:09,519 t J. Warren. I think he's just another big wing sized body that 871 00:54:09,559 --> 00:54:14,800 could work combo forward. Like it seems like PJ. Tucker is only interested 872 00:54:14,880 --> 00:54:19,320 in like you know Billiori, Miami go back to me. Tucker would be 873 00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:22,280 just like it would be perfect. P J Tucker type would be like the 874 00:54:22,519 --> 00:54:24,840 which I'm sure every team wants to, right. That's that's my that's my 875 00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:29,360 insight. Every team could get more buyers like PJ. Tucker to round out 876 00:54:29,400 --> 00:54:31,440 their rotation. Yeah. No, so I think if they get to the 877 00:54:31,480 --> 00:54:37,679 full mL E, then they really get pretty interesting because they're the names are 878 00:54:37,440 --> 00:54:40,719 pretty pretty solid at that level, I thought, and again this sort of 879 00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:45,239 deviates them. I think their biggest need is shooting just in general, Like 880 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:47,360 they could be a sneaky Victor Ladipo team in that case, like maybe you're 881 00:54:47,360 --> 00:54:51,480 just really out on Devonte Graham and you want to go completely point guardless type 882 00:54:51,519 --> 00:54:53,440 deal and he's not going to torpedo your defense. He had some good moments 883 00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:58,280 in Miami during the playoffs. I also thought on the smaller end, but 884 00:54:58,360 --> 00:55:01,360 because you have Trey Murphy the third and Daniels and Herb Jones, Gary Harris 885 00:55:01,480 --> 00:55:05,159 here, Yeah, might make a lot of sense. So those are names, 886 00:55:05,199 --> 00:55:07,440 and look, we were obligated to mention. I wouldn't spend the mL 887 00:55:07,480 --> 00:55:10,159 E on him, but like Chris Bouche would totally work here. Yep, 888 00:55:10,400 --> 00:55:14,679 yeah, he's He's like anywhere you're thinking about Miles Turner and you're willing to 889 00:55:14,760 --> 00:55:17,280 take a downgrade. Bruche is like, Bruche is the fit, you know, 890 00:55:17,960 --> 00:55:22,159 and we we're also probably couldn't tractually obligated to mention a mere Coffee who 891 00:55:22,199 --> 00:55:23,760 also would be a pretty good fit here as well. It's pretty good fit. 892 00:55:24,599 --> 00:55:30,119 Our final squad in the Southwest is the San Antonio Spurs. Their key 893 00:55:30,199 --> 00:55:35,760 free agents are really only Lonnie Walker the fourth. He is restricted. Notable 894 00:55:35,800 --> 00:55:38,760 non guarantees Zach Collins. Half of his money became guaranteed after the draft, 895 00:55:38,800 --> 00:55:43,199 so I imagine they'll just guarantee at seven point six million. Katabate's job, 896 00:55:43,440 --> 00:55:47,840 Trey Jones and Jack Liondale are all non guaranteed at sub two million. Non 897 00:55:47,880 --> 00:55:52,840 guaranteed it's sub two million. I would expect probably the best, maybe not 898 00:55:52,239 --> 00:55:54,840 Katabate's job to be back, but I would expect the other two to be 899 00:55:54,960 --> 00:56:00,039 back, and they have Dejante, Mary Jacca, Peurdle, Trey Jones and 900 00:56:00,199 --> 00:56:05,840 Romeo Langthorpe Romeo Langford. Excuse me as they are most notable extension candidates. 901 00:56:06,079 --> 00:56:08,880 They don't have any big trade exceptions. They're best spending tool. I have 902 00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:13,559 them between twenty five and thirty million dollars in cap space, be twenty depending 903 00:56:13,559 --> 00:56:15,800 on how things shake out. They can they can get to max room for 904 00:56:15,920 --> 00:56:21,519 a player who's whatever experience level they want, oh between zero and let's say 905 00:56:21,559 --> 00:56:22,920 seven years. Once you get to the ten range, that's forty two point 906 00:56:22,920 --> 00:56:25,039 seven million. That would take more of our at all. But they can 907 00:56:25,119 --> 00:56:29,400 get max room if they want. What are you looking for? What are 908 00:56:29,400 --> 00:56:31,840 you thinking about for the Spurs as we had into free agency. Well, 909 00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:36,840 I mean so they're you know, they're still mostly a young team and they 910 00:56:36,920 --> 00:56:40,159 have, you know, some flexibility. They can clear enough room. I 911 00:56:40,360 --> 00:56:46,000 think from my perspective, you start with Aton and Bridges because you're just one 912 00:56:46,039 --> 00:56:49,480 of these few teams with cap space, and you kind of work down from 913 00:56:49,480 --> 00:56:51,880 there, which is hard to do because you're going to tie up stuff in 914 00:56:51,960 --> 00:56:54,199 an offer sheet, so you better know before you do it, which I 915 00:56:54,239 --> 00:56:59,639 think everybody realistically does generally speaking. But if there's a team that doesn't care 916 00:56:59,639 --> 00:57:01,519 about tying up their cap space, it's going to be the Spurs. That's 917 00:57:01,559 --> 00:57:05,000 true, and they also did. I think what helps them too is they 918 00:57:05,039 --> 00:57:07,920 added three rookies, none of which are bigs. But depending on how you 919 00:57:07,960 --> 00:57:12,760 feel about Jeremy Sown and then Soha and then Blake Wesley and Alkai Brandam, 920 00:57:13,840 --> 00:57:15,360 I'm just like they are a team that could I could just see that, 921 00:57:15,440 --> 00:57:20,000 Yeah, we'll give near max or the max to DeAndre Miles Bridges and if 922 00:57:20,039 --> 00:57:22,960 you match whatever, like who are we going to sign anyway? Right exactly? 923 00:57:23,199 --> 00:57:27,840 And it's so I think they feel like a pretty good I don't think 924 00:57:27,880 --> 00:57:32,559 they're like Jaka Peartle is a good center. I think him well, I 925 00:57:32,960 --> 00:57:38,199 need here's the bigger question, would he accept an extension? I mean it's 926 00:57:38,239 --> 00:57:43,280 still not as it's still not a non superstar centers league, you know. 927 00:57:43,519 --> 00:57:46,400 I think I think any center that gets a reasonable extension offers should probably just 928 00:57:46,480 --> 00:57:50,360 take it unless you have like I'm gonna be an All Star and I'm gonna 929 00:57:50,360 --> 00:57:52,519 bet on myself already an eleven point three million I think is about his max 930 00:57:52,760 --> 00:57:57,119 that because it does that feel Does that feel about right to you? It 931 00:57:57,199 --> 00:58:00,800 feels right If I'm him, people now know that he's like one of the 932 00:58:00,840 --> 00:58:02,639 best rim protections in the league. I might roll the dice into free agency 933 00:58:02,679 --> 00:58:07,000 because that's about where the mid level exception might wind up anyway as of now, 934 00:58:07,320 --> 00:58:12,239 that's true. No, I think they feel the Spurs feel like a 935 00:58:12,320 --> 00:58:16,400 logical spot. To me, maybe I think it's pretty clear based on the 936 00:58:16,559 --> 00:58:22,440 reporting, and then just i'd like, I don't know, noise I've heard 937 00:58:22,480 --> 00:58:27,000 from people who are actually plugged in and like report this stuff. It very 938 00:58:27,079 --> 00:58:29,880 much feels like DeAndre and is trying to push his way to San Antonio. 939 00:58:30,000 --> 00:58:32,960 To me, I don't know if the interest is mutual, like they could 940 00:58:34,079 --> 00:58:37,679 use him. I just don't know. And the thing that's sort of hanging 941 00:58:37,719 --> 00:58:40,400 over all this, I do believe that the de Gante Murray trade rumors are 942 00:58:40,559 --> 00:58:46,239 driven more so by teams interested in Dejante Murray got him Atlanta Spurs, especially 943 00:58:46,280 --> 00:58:51,280 because, like the John Collins framework, if there was a third team involved 944 00:58:51,320 --> 00:58:53,920 in San Antonio is getting showered in draft equity. Okay, but Otherwise it 945 00:58:53,960 --> 00:58:59,079 feels like a very lateral move to where I think Collins could diversify your offense 946 00:58:59,559 --> 00:59:04,760 if you think Primo is or you even think like Brandon can make an immediate 947 00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:07,920 offensive impact, that vassel is ready for more on boll responsibility. But like 948 00:59:08,519 --> 00:59:14,719 it's a lateral or getting worse move that doesn't set you up better for the 949 00:59:14,800 --> 00:59:21,800 long term. I think Murray is like levels orders of magnitude more valuable than 950 00:59:21,920 --> 00:59:24,360 John Collins. I'm with you, and he's not. He's not going to 951 00:59:24,400 --> 00:59:28,679 sign an extension, which I think is also why this is why people are 952 00:59:28,719 --> 00:59:30,239 talking about this, because the max they can offer him, Like, this 953 00:59:30,320 --> 00:59:34,039 is a guy who's gonna get near max or max money when he actually hits 954 00:59:34,039 --> 00:59:37,360 free agency at this rate unless anything happens and he's scheduled to hit free agency 955 00:59:37,880 --> 00:59:43,239 in two years in twenty twenty four, So I mean, I would offer 956 00:59:43,280 --> 00:59:45,880 the extension, but just one hundred and twenty percent off his number. It 957 00:59:45,880 --> 00:59:47,559 doesn't get you to what his max would be. No chance he takes that, 958 00:59:47,559 --> 00:59:51,159 I think he shouldn't take it. I think I think the arrow is 959 00:59:51,199 --> 00:59:53,400 still up on a guy that just went like twenty one nine and eight and 960 00:59:53,800 --> 00:59:57,679 is improving and like all the ways you want, and is a great defensive 961 00:59:57,719 --> 01:00:00,800 guard. I will say that gets me to what I think this team's They 962 01:00:00,840 --> 01:00:04,199 have two needs that stand out, Like they could use another front court somebody, 963 01:00:04,400 --> 01:00:06,519 whether you think it's someone who needs to play the four or five or 964 01:00:06,599 --> 01:00:09,760 straight up five behind Jaco Purdle. But I also am like they need and 965 01:00:09,880 --> 01:00:15,920 maybe he's already on the roster. They need like the second ball handling shot 966 01:00:16,039 --> 01:00:20,360 maker, even the primary off the dribble score. I would say because it's 967 01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:23,119 not Murray's not like he's developed a mid range game, gives you some just 968 01:00:23,199 --> 01:00:27,000 finishing around the rim. He's good enough to hit, like if you need 969 01:00:27,119 --> 01:00:30,400 him to slow dribble into threes or hit spot up threes, like, that's 970 01:00:30,400 --> 01:00:34,360 something he can do. But they need like That's why when Murray tweeted and 971 01:00:34,440 --> 01:00:37,039 deleted the picture of Zach Lahine and the Spurs jersey, that's the type of 972 01:00:37,159 --> 01:00:40,639 guy unless you believe that guy is on the raw. I mean, he's 973 01:00:40,679 --> 01:00:44,719 the type of guy for anything. But unless you believe that type of somebody's 974 01:00:44,760 --> 01:00:47,199 on the roster, that's who you need. I do think it puts them 975 01:00:47,239 --> 01:00:52,960 in an interesting pickle. In the sense that how do you find that guy 976 01:00:52,280 --> 01:00:57,400 based off where they are going to be drafting with this roster because they're sort 977 01:00:57,440 --> 01:01:00,679 of they're too good to tank, as like, you can't unless you're gonna 978 01:01:00,719 --> 01:01:05,320 trade Murray. You can't move anyone else on this roster and tell me that 979 01:01:05,360 --> 01:01:07,679 the Spurs get appreciably worse. I'm not saying he's there. He is their 980 01:01:07,760 --> 01:01:12,639 nerve center, but it's just like everyone else, the drop off to me 981 01:01:12,800 --> 01:01:16,320 between their best player and their second best player is probably one of the largest 982 01:01:16,360 --> 01:01:20,320 in the league right now, depending on how you feel about Kevin Johnson or 983 01:01:20,320 --> 01:01:22,199 I'm in love with Devin Vassel. At the same time, it's like, 984 01:01:23,559 --> 01:01:28,840 why would you tank because Murray's like younger on this great contract, still so 985 01:01:28,960 --> 01:01:31,719 good, So how do you go about acquiring this player? Maybe you do 986 01:01:31,840 --> 01:01:35,400 trust your draft, like, oh, we found him and Jeremy Sowen, 987 01:01:35,480 --> 01:01:38,280 or we found him in Brandon, who a lot of people had like really 988 01:01:38,440 --> 01:01:43,039 going off towards the lottery. I'm like less, I'm more of a skeptic 989 01:01:43,119 --> 01:01:45,400 and how his shot making is gonna don't know if anyone could see me using 990 01:01:45,440 --> 01:01:49,920 my hand like, but so, unless you really trust your draft, which 991 01:01:49,920 --> 01:01:52,480 I imagine the Spurs do. Dude, they sort of just like if someone 992 01:01:52,639 --> 01:01:55,039 everyone's like, oh, they need to sell off the Jante Murray. What 993 01:01:55,119 --> 01:01:59,880 if they decide who woa whoa whoa, we have cat base, we have 994 01:02:00,079 --> 01:02:02,360 trade assets, like we're going the other way. I don't know if eight 995 01:02:02,559 --> 01:02:06,960 or Miles Bridges is that guy. I would love to see Miles Bridges on 996 01:02:07,079 --> 01:02:10,519 this team, if only because the Spurs, after being like the bastion of 997 01:02:10,639 --> 01:02:14,599 conventionality for so long, now just have all of a sudden, like these 998 01:02:14,679 --> 01:02:17,920 like wings and forwards like position list Kelton Johnson, Miles Bridges, Devin Vassell 999 01:02:19,360 --> 01:02:22,239 and like that they're running out that as a front court. At one point, 1000 01:02:22,440 --> 01:02:24,760 that was my long rambling way of saying, the Spurs' direction feels so 1001 01:02:24,920 --> 01:02:30,119 undefined and normally I might crucify teams for that. With them, I'm like, 1002 01:02:30,639 --> 01:02:34,800 I just view it as flexibility as valuability. I agree. I do 1003 01:02:35,000 --> 01:02:37,599 think there have been some signs recently, like they made a trade, they 1004 01:02:37,639 --> 01:02:42,079 made a deadline trade, like you know, I think there are signs that 1005 01:02:42,159 --> 01:02:45,440 they're going to operate sort of more conventionally as opposed to the last twenties years. 1006 01:02:45,480 --> 01:02:50,760 Where it's kind of we'll just draft and we'll develop, and that's just 1007 01:02:50,880 --> 01:02:53,119 kind of how we're gonna do it. I do think they'll wait till Popovich 1008 01:02:53,239 --> 01:02:58,679 is gone to like really just become a quote unquote normal team in terms of 1009 01:02:58,760 --> 01:03:02,039 how they build. But yeah, Levine is the guy, Like we should 1010 01:03:02,079 --> 01:03:07,000 have just mentioned him up front. It just doesn't seem realistic because Chicago can 1011 01:03:07,079 --> 01:03:09,519 do the fifth year and just you know, more money and all that stuff. 1012 01:03:09,559 --> 01:03:14,519 But I don't know, man, like I would be thinking about not 1013 01:03:14,639 --> 01:03:17,119 that there are Lavine types per se, but like if we're talking about restrictive 1014 01:03:17,159 --> 01:03:21,880 free agents to sort of like mess around with, Like I think Anthony Simon's 1015 01:03:22,079 --> 01:03:25,800 actually shares a lot of similarities too. Like younger Levine. You know, 1016 01:03:25,880 --> 01:03:30,440 you have the defensive questions, you have this like oh shit, this guy 1017 01:03:30,639 --> 01:03:34,480 is lights out shooter all of a sudden. I mean that's you know, 1018 01:03:34,639 --> 01:03:37,400 probably disrespectful, but like great, great shoot, a great athlete, like 1019 01:03:37,639 --> 01:03:42,880 kind of similar And you would use Murray to guard whoever you don't want Simon's 1020 01:03:42,920 --> 01:03:45,320 to guard, And that's just kind of how it would work there. So 1021 01:03:45,480 --> 01:03:51,239 yeah, super flexible. I think I just I'm not trading Murray just at 1022 01:03:51,280 --> 01:03:54,159 all like that, that all that noise needs to see take even though I 1023 01:03:54,239 --> 01:03:59,599 think they what was it framed as that Drew Holiday type offer? It depends 1024 01:03:59,639 --> 01:04:00,800 on the team that's making that offer, because if it's a team like the 1025 01:04:00,880 --> 01:04:04,719 Bucks who can't make that offer but are projected to be that good, that 1026 01:04:04,800 --> 01:04:09,000 doesn't do it for me. If I'm san Antonio like it. It needs 1027 01:04:09,039 --> 01:04:13,480 to be like bold Over type deal to where if it was the Hawks that 1028 01:04:13,599 --> 01:04:15,719 went that, or if it's the Knicks, where you know what, we're 1029 01:04:15,760 --> 01:04:18,440 gonna Yeah, we'll bet against your next three to four first round picks. 1030 01:04:18,559 --> 01:04:23,320 That's at that we're willing to make here. I need a minimum of like 1031 01:04:23,639 --> 01:04:28,000 three shots at getting someone who might be as good as Murray, because chances 1032 01:04:28,039 --> 01:04:30,039 are you're not going to hit on any of those. But I need I 1033 01:04:30,159 --> 01:04:32,599 need a minimum of that, Like so they got to be high value assets. 1034 01:04:32,960 --> 01:04:36,840 I am I'm not mad or even disappointed. Maybe I'm a little proud 1035 01:04:36,880 --> 01:04:41,440 of you, or I'm this isn't creative. I might take for this section 1036 01:04:41,599 --> 01:04:45,199 was I would go and I don't know if it's taking max money, I 1037 01:04:45,280 --> 01:04:47,480 would pay Anthony Simons to see what the Blazers do because I know they have 1038 01:04:47,559 --> 01:04:50,840 brandom. I love Josh Primo, I like Trey Jones. You already know 1039 01:04:50,880 --> 01:04:54,360 how I feel about Devasel. But you can make it work, and I 1040 01:04:54,400 --> 01:04:57,599 don't know that Trey Jones and Josh Primo and Malachi Brenham like you could have 1041 01:04:57,760 --> 01:04:59,840 some of those guys, you could, you could keep them there and it's 1042 01:04:59,840 --> 01:05:04,039 fine. There's no one aside from Devin Vassel and he can play up like 1043 01:05:04,119 --> 01:05:09,199 he doesn't need to be your two Simon's and Murray works in the back court 1044 01:05:09,280 --> 01:05:12,920 and I like that better than I think you could argued that Eton or Bridges 1045 01:05:13,039 --> 01:05:15,599 is just as good of a fit. But like Jaka Peartle is fine. 1046 01:05:15,679 --> 01:05:19,719 You have Keldon Johnson who he's extension knowledgeable as well. I would go the 1047 01:05:19,760 --> 01:05:24,440 shot creation route and that you're not getting that as much of it and Miles 1048 01:05:24,480 --> 01:05:28,119 Bridges or or eighton And I'd be curious if you know, I know the 1049 01:05:28,159 --> 01:05:31,000 Blazers seemed prepared to pay Simons, but if we haven't really talked about we 1050 01:05:31,159 --> 01:05:36,920 think his extension or rather next contract ends up being like is he if you 1051 01:05:38,000 --> 01:05:43,639 gave him twenty five million? Like is that something that the Blazers wouldn't hesitate 1052 01:05:43,719 --> 01:05:45,960 to match, and you know if it's like I don't. He's the one 1053 01:05:46,000 --> 01:05:50,239 where it's like, okay, if the Sun's let eight and walk and get 1054 01:05:50,320 --> 01:05:55,039 nothing in return, it's gonna be max money. Simon's is tougher because I 1055 01:05:55,039 --> 01:05:58,760 feel like his sample size of impact is just a little bit more finite to 1056 01:05:58,880 --> 01:06:01,719 this point, like if I'm the Spurs, I don't know, man like 1057 01:06:01,760 --> 01:06:03,320 I would do it. This is probably why I'm not in charge of an 1058 01:06:03,360 --> 01:06:05,119 NBA team. I mean, do it with some pretty reckless things with the 1059 01:06:05,199 --> 01:06:11,039 offer sheets. Well, no, I agree. I two things. One 1060 01:06:11,199 --> 01:06:15,599 is I think Simons seems like it's faded company that the Blazers will keep him 1061 01:06:15,639 --> 01:06:18,280 at a number that's like kind of scary and that fits sucks, that fits 1062 01:06:18,559 --> 01:06:21,880 terrible. It's like him and Lillard are not a good fit. It's McCollum 1063 01:06:21,920 --> 01:06:26,800 and Lillard with more question marks. I really think what they've done is they've 1064 01:06:26,880 --> 01:06:30,320 gotten younger and then I think there's now more defense on the perimeter around them 1065 01:06:30,320 --> 01:06:35,719 with Josh Hart Jeremy Grant. Sure, but the San Antonio fit is great. 1066 01:06:35,960 --> 01:06:40,840 So like whatever the number is for it to be a like a palatable 1067 01:06:40,880 --> 01:06:44,400 signing for the Blazers, that number should be higher for the Spurs. So 1068 01:06:44,800 --> 01:06:46,079 just a round about way of saying, like, the Spurs should probably be 1069 01:06:46,199 --> 01:06:50,719 willing to offer more because it makes more sense and all the flexibility and optionality 1070 01:06:50,760 --> 01:06:54,119 you talked about, all these young guys, all the all their pick equity. 1071 01:06:54,840 --> 01:06:59,280 If it's apparent after a year or two that the Simons thing like Simons 1072 01:06:59,280 --> 01:07:01,519 turns out always its Stat's bad team guy, we're overpaying for that, like 1073 01:07:01,880 --> 01:07:05,239 garbage stretch run on a Blazer's team that was trying to lose. You still 1074 01:07:05,280 --> 01:07:10,039 have all these other pieces to throw in to move him. Do you always 1075 01:07:10,079 --> 01:07:12,320 have to be thinking like how difficult will it be to get off this? 1076 01:07:12,679 --> 01:07:15,000 I don't think it'll be very hard if they if they need to, if 1077 01:07:15,039 --> 01:07:19,800 it goes totally totally wrong. So Simon should be like that. To your 1078 01:07:19,880 --> 01:07:25,239 point, the Spurs should get reckless because you need to know, you need 1079 01:07:25,280 --> 01:07:28,039 to push the Blazers to a decision which they'll make and the worst case, 1080 01:07:28,119 --> 01:07:31,159 you've just tied up the Blazers. Yeah, forgot. I was afraid to 1081 01:07:31,159 --> 01:07:33,159 say it, but I'm like, you know, his max is thirty point 1082 01:07:33,239 --> 01:07:36,519 five. I might just do it. The Blazers don't seem like they're not 1083 01:07:36,559 --> 01:07:40,920 gonna match anyway, then maybe you're a little bit worried. But like you 1084 01:07:41,039 --> 01:07:45,760 have Dejanta Murray below market for the next two years, exactly their flexibility there. 1085 01:07:45,119 --> 01:07:49,199 Yeah, the last two phases of this part for the Spurs, do 1086 01:07:49,280 --> 01:07:55,400 you think Kelton Johnson gets an extension. I think he's a clutch guy, 1087 01:07:55,559 --> 01:07:59,400 so no. I think I think he's gonna wait and see if he can 1088 01:07:59,480 --> 01:08:02,800 get nine figures in restrictive free agency or whatever whatever his max would be. 1089 01:08:04,079 --> 01:08:08,320 Yeah, I don't see him extending like I would try again. I would 1090 01:08:08,360 --> 01:08:11,079 try because I mean he shot he was the best corner three point shooter in 1091 01:08:11,079 --> 01:08:14,480 the league last year. The way he went from like it felt, I 1092 01:08:14,519 --> 01:08:17,039 think nikaias Duncan used to call him basically like a bowl in a China shop, 1093 01:08:17,239 --> 01:08:20,359 and I called him like a bowling ball with legs. When you look 1094 01:08:20,840 --> 01:08:24,680 at the way he played last year to where he felt more plug in play 1095 01:08:24,760 --> 01:08:29,399 on offense, that makes him infinitely more valuable because it's like he doesn't need 1096 01:08:29,439 --> 01:08:30,880 to have the ball in his hands. It isn't just this straight line guy. 1097 01:08:31,680 --> 01:08:35,560 I would look at extending him because I get what you're saying, but 1098 01:08:35,640 --> 01:08:39,920 I kind of feel like, I don't know in the fifteen to eighteen range, 1099 01:08:39,960 --> 01:08:43,279 like you're turning that down. If you're him, I think he would 1100 01:08:43,399 --> 01:08:45,119 I would, I would offer it if I'm the Spurs, for sure, 1101 01:08:45,199 --> 01:08:48,520 because like you, I think I think there's still like a lot of like 1102 01:08:48,640 --> 01:08:51,600 for as physical and strong as he isn't as hard as he drives the ball, 1103 01:08:51,640 --> 01:08:55,760 he still doesn't get to the line like nearly enough for his style of 1104 01:08:55,840 --> 01:08:59,079 play. And so I think if you add that and the three point shooting, 1105 01:08:59,720 --> 01:09:02,000 like forget improved, just sustains or it goes, it gets a little 1106 01:09:02,039 --> 01:09:06,600 worse, like suddenly he's just like an efficiency monster and at the position you 1107 01:09:06,720 --> 01:09:11,399 want like that, it's just yeah, so he might be worth you know, 1108 01:09:11,600 --> 01:09:15,720 twenty twenty five million a year down the line at some point. It's 1109 01:09:15,760 --> 01:09:17,640 just I don't I wouldn't rule that out yet. I think on that track, 1110 01:09:17,880 --> 01:09:21,640 I wonder if you price that into why you wouldn't go and make an 1111 01:09:21,680 --> 01:09:26,039 offer sheet to eight and or first of if you're gonna make an offer sheet 1112 01:09:26,079 --> 01:09:29,119 to Bridges, the Bridges Kelvin Johnson fit and you end up paying both of 1113 01:09:29,159 --> 01:09:31,840 those guys brings your center at that point, but I wonder if that proves 1114 01:09:31,840 --> 01:09:35,520 prohibited for the Spurs. I'm all in on Simon's with them. This is 1115 01:09:35,720 --> 01:09:39,199 who is most likely on this team to get an extension. I don't know 1116 01:09:39,239 --> 01:09:42,600 why I left Kelvin Johnson off the initial list. Maybe I was tired when 1117 01:09:42,600 --> 01:09:45,560 I was writing this. But between Murray, Peardle and I think it's Kelvin 1118 01:09:45,640 --> 01:09:48,439 Johnson are like the only the real I know, Trey Jones, Romeo Langford, 1119 01:09:48,479 --> 01:09:50,840 Who cares? Who do you think it is most likely to side an 1120 01:09:50,880 --> 01:09:54,880 extension out of those three? I just go Purdle, even though I said 1121 01:09:55,960 --> 01:09:59,239 I downplayed it, just because I think Murray has way too much too loosely. 1122 01:09:59,319 --> 01:10:00,399 He leaves a lot of money on the table, and I think Johnson 1123 01:10:00,479 --> 01:10:05,199 probably does too if he extends now based on just the raizors, isn't big 1124 01:10:05,319 --> 01:10:10,079 enough right now based off what we outline, whether it's another big maybe some 1125 01:10:10,199 --> 01:10:14,199 more established wing defenders, or just high volume shooting, whether that's off the 1126 01:10:14,279 --> 01:10:16,319 dribble or even to catch at this point any free agents that you particularly like 1127 01:10:16,439 --> 01:10:20,079 for them. Yeah, I think shooting Murray makes it kind of easy because 1128 01:10:20,079 --> 01:10:24,119 you can sort of throw more limited guys in there. I think he might 1129 01:10:24,159 --> 01:10:27,399 see him bring back someone like Brent Forbes, just like, let's just get 1130 01:10:27,439 --> 01:10:30,359 the guy next to Murray that Murray can cover for, and then he's going 1131 01:10:30,399 --> 01:10:32,199 to space the floor. You know, Gary Harris is someone else, I 1132 01:10:32,279 --> 01:10:35,279 think Malik Monk. It just they have a lot of options. I don't 1133 01:10:35,279 --> 01:10:39,760 know, you know, I don't know how much of their cap space they 1134 01:10:39,920 --> 01:10:44,600 want to use, because like they're another team that if we get part way 1135 01:10:44,640 --> 01:10:47,079 through the year and nobody has space and the first kind of hang onto some 1136 01:10:47,199 --> 01:10:49,920 of it, maybe that's your Tobias Harris dump. Maybe that's you know, 1137 01:10:50,000 --> 01:10:54,520 whatever else, whatever else you want to do. So, I mean, 1138 01:10:54,600 --> 01:10:59,479 they could fit any kind of shooting backcourt player. I'd love to see a 1139 01:10:59,560 --> 01:11:04,680 center with some stretch. That'd be cool. But Crouche Cluchet for sure jumps 1140 01:11:04,720 --> 01:11:08,840 in there. But yeah, it's gonna be a fun Obamba team too, 1141 01:11:10,119 --> 01:11:12,520 for sure. I think I think you have a lot of options. I 1142 01:11:12,600 --> 01:11:16,399 do think one consideration to just kind of keep in the back of back of 1143 01:11:16,479 --> 01:11:19,720 mind is that not using all this space might not be the worst thing, 1144 01:11:19,760 --> 01:11:24,800 because I think most other teams probably will use the few that have it may 1145 01:11:24,920 --> 01:11:27,800 end up and they have like if they keep some of it, they have 1146 01:11:27,880 --> 01:11:30,640 a walking trade exception who was good for them And Josh Richardson, I think 1147 01:11:30,640 --> 01:11:34,000 it's will come underrated at this point. I think my favorite free agent target 1148 01:11:34,079 --> 01:11:36,880 for them, and it's sort of a hedge against what happens with Peartle, 1149 01:11:38,479 --> 01:11:41,960 would be Isaiah Harten sign here. This feels like a place where he could 1150 01:11:42,000 --> 01:11:45,039 really thrive. I don't know I would pay like they could output other teams 1151 01:11:45,159 --> 01:11:47,880 not getting into a bidding war for him. But you're even in a scenario 1152 01:11:47,920 --> 01:11:50,319 where if Peartle was going to sign an extension and you could get heart and 1153 01:11:50,359 --> 01:11:55,079 sign, you end up paying twenty three to twenty five million a year for 1154 01:11:55,159 --> 01:11:59,119 both those guys. Like that's a quality center rotation there, which is why 1155 01:11:59,159 --> 01:12:01,680 I'm not as thrilled about the eight and fit for them. And it would 1156 01:12:01,720 --> 01:12:05,560 probably happen unless the Suns just suck if they like it would happen to be 1157 01:12:05,640 --> 01:12:09,279 a sign and trade, and it's what are you giving up? It'd probably 1158 01:12:09,279 --> 01:12:13,680 be pertile and Richardson to start. Is there anything else in there is aton 1159 01:12:13,920 --> 01:12:15,680 make you a lot better than those two? I guess we have to see 1160 01:12:15,680 --> 01:12:19,520 more of him independent of the Sun's ecosystem, where he was used as more 1161 01:12:19,560 --> 01:12:23,520 of an accessory than anything, and that might be I don't mean to insult 1162 01:12:23,640 --> 01:12:28,079 him, like he was just more a complimentary offensive player than than a prominent 1163 01:12:28,199 --> 01:12:30,920 like hub right. I like Nick Klaxson if you want to mess around with 1164 01:12:31,039 --> 01:12:35,760 more restricted free agents, I think because you know, the Nets probably have 1165 01:12:35,880 --> 01:12:39,760 a fairly low ceiling on where they're willing to go it depending on who knows 1166 01:12:39,800 --> 01:12:43,680 something. Kevin Durand and Kerry Irving are gone reporting this as a report. 1167 01:12:43,960 --> 01:12:46,000 New report came out the Nets are willing to get rid of both Kevin Durant 1168 01:12:46,000 --> 01:12:49,079 and Kyrie Irving. Just this is not really the Spurs at all, But 1169 01:12:49,119 --> 01:12:55,359 could we just pure comedy, like you grow backbone now after turning over your 1170 01:12:55,399 --> 01:12:59,439 franchise them in twenty nineteen, letting them run the coach out of town, 1171 01:12:59,680 --> 01:13:03,039 letting him hire the next coach, signing DeAndre Jordan for them having to undo 1172 01:13:03,640 --> 01:13:09,279 that move, training for James Harden for that everyone do that move, telling 1173 01:13:09,359 --> 01:13:11,880 Kyrie he can't play, but then letting him be a part time player, 1174 01:13:12,199 --> 01:13:15,319 Like this is no time to pretend that you're not just the jellyfish of the 1175 01:13:15,439 --> 01:13:18,520 NBA. Right now, you chose superstars over culture, That's fine, stick 1176 01:13:18,560 --> 01:13:21,399 with it, like this is not the time as to put I'm sorry, 1177 01:13:21,560 --> 01:13:27,199 it's just I don't think the Spurs are They could get infinitely better with either 1178 01:13:27,279 --> 01:13:30,279 one of those guys. If Kevin Ritt says I want to play in San 1179 01:13:30,319 --> 01:13:32,199 Antonio, I would absolutely think about it. But they don't feel like a 1180 01:13:32,279 --> 01:13:39,520 team that would touch this situation even tangentially with a ninety thousand foot poll. 1181 01:13:39,800 --> 01:13:43,000 No, it's like, well, what's the Gregg Popovitch is number one? 1182 01:13:43,199 --> 01:13:45,520 Like quality He's wants in a player as guys that have gotten over themselves. 1183 01:13:46,079 --> 01:13:50,760 We're gonna add Kyrie Irving to this mix. He didn't put the Spurs on 1184 01:13:50,840 --> 01:13:55,000 his list, right He was on Kyrie's list when he was with the Calves, 1185 01:13:55,039 --> 01:13:57,760 I think maybe even the Celtics, but he wasn't on the list now. 1186 01:13:58,000 --> 01:14:00,760 So I want to drink. I want to dig up and all I 1187 01:14:00,800 --> 01:14:04,119 have just as many cold takes as hot ones. I want to dig up 1188 01:14:04,159 --> 01:14:08,359 the tweet I out of, Like when Kyrie was talking about, you know, 1189 01:14:08,600 --> 01:14:12,479 we're going to be a collective head coaching me and Steve and everybody else. 1190 01:14:12,520 --> 01:14:14,840 And I think I said, this is going to end badly, and 1191 01:14:15,000 --> 01:14:17,520 it wasn't that long ago for it to be super smart. But it's it's 1192 01:14:17,680 --> 01:14:21,399 your spot on the So any other targets on the Spurs, I thought, 1193 01:14:21,479 --> 01:14:26,159 if they wanted to get creative, well that's not creative, but experiment with 1194 01:14:26,199 --> 01:14:30,239 some of the lower tier guys. Cody Martin. Caleb Martin here, I'm 1195 01:14:30,279 --> 01:14:32,119 your coffee here. I think I probably prefer the Martin Twins. This might 1196 01:14:32,159 --> 01:14:34,319 be the first time where I don't think of me your coffee is the perfect 1197 01:14:34,359 --> 01:14:38,720 fit because the Spurs have like all these ones, twos and threes running around, 1198 01:14:38,760 --> 01:14:42,359 and I don't think you can move coffee around as much positionally as either 1199 01:14:42,399 --> 01:14:45,199 of the Martin twins. But either of those three guys, if you wanted 1200 01:14:45,239 --> 01:14:47,720 to try it there on the we'll say young ish. And I think Coffee 1201 01:14:47,800 --> 01:14:51,399 is the youngest of those three at twenty five, and the Martin twins are 1202 01:14:51,479 --> 01:14:56,199 are twenty six. They could also be a team. Like you know, 1203 01:14:56,399 --> 01:14:59,399 if let's say you're punting on your cap space in a sense, we're not 1204 01:14:59,520 --> 01:15:03,079 planning on using it like instead of a Miles bridges like they could go out 1205 01:15:03,119 --> 01:15:06,399 and sign Auto Porter from the Golden State Warriors if they were looking for a 1206 01:15:06,520 --> 01:15:10,680 stop gap or a human trade exception. That's the other thing I could see 1207 01:15:10,720 --> 01:15:14,520 them do, because they're operating like more of a normal organization, is do 1208 01:15:14,640 --> 01:15:16,840 they go out and sign players with sort of the intention of this is we're 1209 01:15:16,840 --> 01:15:19,520 staying competitive anyway for at least this year with pop. But if we want 1210 01:15:19,520 --> 01:15:23,600 to move them into deadline to get more stuff or as part of a step 1211 01:15:23,680 --> 01:15:26,800 ladder to a bigger trade, we absolutely can. Yeah. Definitely those kind 1212 01:15:26,840 --> 01:15:29,680 of guys where you just kind of flex and say, we'll just trade this 1213 01:15:29,800 --> 01:15:31,720 guy to a contender down the line at some point, like put them in 1214 01:15:31,800 --> 01:15:34,760 the mix. For any of those guys, I think. I think Warren 1215 01:15:34,800 --> 01:15:38,760 would make sense as a risk in that regard because maybe he looks great and 1216 01:15:38,840 --> 01:15:42,840 then you flip him. We haven't even talked about Kyle Anderson coming back home. 1217 01:15:43,000 --> 01:15:45,880 I feel like it just would be his first thing to do, and 1218 01:15:45,960 --> 01:15:47,640 if he starts to shoot it a little better, then he's another guy you 1219 01:15:47,680 --> 01:15:50,439 could flip or he just kind of he would have to shoot it well to 1220 01:15:50,479 --> 01:15:55,399 make sense. With Murray, I think, but he's not someone you're necessarily 1221 01:15:55,520 --> 01:15:59,159 like building into your core. On the other end of the studroom here, 1222 01:15:59,720 --> 01:16:05,680 what's up Jalen Smith? Here? Sure if Jalan Smith everywhere the Official podcast 1223 01:16:05,760 --> 01:16:09,680 of Jalen Smith. The thing they do, I guess, have to consider 1224 01:16:09,800 --> 01:16:13,399 with the front line is what do they view Zach Collins, who actually had 1225 01:16:13,439 --> 01:16:15,439 some nice moments for them this year, but still feels like more of a 1226 01:16:15,560 --> 01:16:19,800 flyer, stab in the dark type of player to their future than someone who's, 1227 01:16:20,119 --> 01:16:23,359 Okay, we're not going to spend or we're not going to bring in 1228 01:16:23,359 --> 01:16:27,399 another person who plays the four or five because we were disinvested in Zach Collins, 1229 01:16:27,640 --> 01:16:30,159 I mean, and they're not that invested. Is the thing, because 1230 01:16:30,199 --> 01:16:34,920 like I think that it's totally worth just seeing, because what is it like 1231 01:16:35,079 --> 01:16:39,640 seven point three this year partially or I don't even know what the guarantee level 1232 01:16:39,720 --> 01:16:42,159 is in twenty three, twenty four or seven point seven. It might be 1233 01:16:42,279 --> 01:16:45,279 totally non guaranteed. I believe it is until let me double check right now 1234 01:16:45,399 --> 01:16:50,880 on my salary sheets for them, he is guarantees six twenty eight. One 1235 01:16:50,960 --> 01:16:54,760 day after the draft in twenty twenty three, he's seven points a million dollars. 1236 01:16:54,760 --> 01:17:00,319 Sound no risk basically in expiring if it goes sideways and was like, 1237 01:17:00,920 --> 01:17:02,239 what were we talking about? Like, let's add a little bit of stretching, 1238 01:17:02,279 --> 01:17:05,039 a little bit of like athleticism to the front line. He's totally worth 1239 01:17:05,199 --> 01:17:09,439 seeing how that works. I say this probably about too many teams, but 1240 01:17:09,520 --> 01:17:12,479 the Spurs all season is gonna be fascinating because even if they don't do anything 1241 01:17:12,560 --> 01:17:15,840 major, I just feel like there's like I have an energy about them now 1242 01:17:15,920 --> 01:17:18,960 again, I I like the Jeremy Sowan pick, I'd really like the flyer 1243 01:17:19,000 --> 01:17:23,920 on Malachi Brandam, and I don't know enough about Blake Wesley. Aside from 1244 01:17:23,960 --> 01:17:26,840 like the Spurs, I'm now taking flyers on all these sort of like guard 1245 01:17:26,880 --> 01:17:30,039 types to where it could work out between Primo and Trede Jones. I am 1246 01:17:30,079 --> 01:17:33,039 in love with Josh Primo. There's like a a wiggle, like a water 1247 01:17:33,119 --> 01:17:36,960 wiggly element to his game, and I just really enjoy there'll be a team 1248 01:17:38,000 --> 01:17:40,680 to watch. Do you have any final thoughts on them? Before we scaedaddle 1249 01:17:40,760 --> 01:17:44,359 from this look ahead that went over by quite a bit, just just to 1250 01:17:44,479 --> 01:17:46,960 that point that they got a lot of bites at the Apple at important positions 1251 01:17:47,039 --> 01:17:50,920 at like the playmaking guard spot and the wing spots, and so they have 1252 01:17:51,039 --> 01:17:55,600 a lot of shot. I think that, which at the same time sets 1253 01:17:55,680 --> 01:17:58,119 them up as a pretty good consultant, not that the Spurs ever do this, 1254 01:17:58,239 --> 01:18:00,880 but as a consolidation trade team where it's like, we got these two 1255 01:18:00,000 --> 01:18:03,760 or three, you know, prospects that we got enough of, so we're 1256 01:18:03,800 --> 01:18:08,439 willing to move them and combine some salary, and that would include Petole potentially 1257 01:18:08,520 --> 01:18:11,119 to get the numbers higher. Throw a pick in there, and then you 1258 01:18:11,199 --> 01:18:14,880 know, if someone shakes loose and it makes sense like they could. They're 1259 01:18:14,880 --> 01:18:16,439 a little like Memphis that way, where they can they can just kind of 1260 01:18:16,520 --> 01:18:20,359 put together better offers than most teams. So if if if they don't hit 1261 01:18:20,439 --> 01:18:24,399 on all these guys, which they won't, they may hit on enough to 1262 01:18:24,479 --> 01:18:28,239 have some leftovers to move on. Yeah, I would watch out for them. 1263 01:18:28,319 --> 01:18:31,079 If there's like the next star that we don't see coming becomes available, 1264 01:18:31,079 --> 01:18:32,920 I would just watch out for them. The other thing I would say, 1265 01:18:33,560 --> 01:18:38,920 and I almost didn't mention this, but like, if Charlotte is that concerned 1266 01:18:38,920 --> 01:18:42,119 and they tried to spin it like they need to trade him to afford Miles 1267 01:18:42,199 --> 01:18:46,079 Bridges, you can almost just offload Gordon Hayward to San Antonio, who isn't 1268 01:18:46,560 --> 01:18:50,680 a good value but makes you better, doesn't up end I think any of 1269 01:18:50,760 --> 01:18:57,479 your development. Is there enough of a sweetener or sweeteners to consider that, 1270 01:18:57,600 --> 01:19:00,079 or maybe it's you know, Josh Richardson for You're you're cutting some You're not 1271 01:19:00,319 --> 01:19:03,079 giving up. You're not just taking on thirty million dollars with Gordon Hayward this 1272 01:19:03,159 --> 01:19:06,640 year, you're taking on fifteen or sixteen or something like that. I could 1273 01:19:06,680 --> 01:19:11,199 see the Spurs doing something like that with a team that's worried about its finances 1274 01:19:11,319 --> 01:19:14,960 or trying to open up space. The Hornets don't need to do either, 1275 01:19:15,039 --> 01:19:17,640 but they're concerned about the luxury tax. You build that around Peardle, you 1276 01:19:17,720 --> 01:19:20,359 know. I think you build that around Peardle and like Doug McDermott, and 1277 01:19:20,560 --> 01:19:24,560 if you want to use Richardson to really match, then great. But I 1278 01:19:24,640 --> 01:19:28,000 think there's there's totally ways to do that. And I bet you I'm assuming 1279 01:19:28,039 --> 01:19:30,000 even though the Hornets have Mark Williams and Kai Jones, they'd still be interesting. 1280 01:19:30,000 --> 01:19:31,880 Oh yeah, no, those guys aren't going to help this year. 1281 01:19:32,359 --> 01:19:35,880 Mark Williams might well, but if Steve Clifford is gonna coach that team. 1282 01:19:35,920 --> 01:19:41,319 Don't you want like you're you're just ace defensive big in there because hes teen 1283 01:19:41,359 --> 01:19:44,000 to play defense. And it's just like, well, my whole thing is 1284 01:19:44,079 --> 01:19:46,960 like, if you're giving up Yako Peardle in that deal, maybe you view 1285 01:19:47,000 --> 01:19:50,800 Doug McDermott as sort of a net negative for you, but like Yako Peardle's 1286 01:19:50,800 --> 01:19:54,920 positive value for sure. Yeah, you need to be getting something. You 1287 01:19:54,960 --> 01:19:57,840 can need a lot of sweeteners from from Charlotte. I would consider something like 1288 01:19:58,000 --> 01:20:01,199 they could do anything in love with the Spurs. Grant, this was great. 1289 01:20:01,239 --> 01:20:04,439 Are you able to tell us as always where our listeners can find you 1290 01:20:04,720 --> 01:20:08,479 and all the great work? And I look, I say I mentioned this 1291 01:20:08,520 --> 01:20:11,640 in the discord. Grant is going to be on here basically the co host 1292 01:20:11,720 --> 01:20:15,279 of this podcast now like this is becoming a collective podcast. We're excited that 1293 01:20:15,359 --> 01:20:17,720 he's going to be back frequently. Can you tell them where they can find 1294 01:20:17,760 --> 01:20:20,640 you and all your great work, which the handles of which will be in 1295 01:20:20,720 --> 01:20:24,960 the podcast description moving forward as well to where I won't have to say this 1296 01:20:25,560 --> 01:20:30,960 anymore. You can find me a writing for Bleacher Report on Twitter gt Ndersport 1297 01:20:30,039 --> 01:20:34,479 hues and back here more often than in the past, so that's a cool 1298 01:20:34,520 --> 01:20:38,680 thing. I'm looking forward to doing plenty of leaks. Yes, we have 1299 01:20:38,760 --> 01:20:41,319 two more left as of right now, so we'll talk to you soon. AG