What is krack alacin fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am Dana Valley coming at
you with my certified fantabulous co host, mister Grant Hughes. Today we'll be
going through NBA news and rumor updates and reacting to them for every NBA team.
Then there will be another episode coming out immediately the day after where Grant
and I are giving you every NBA team's holiday or Christmas wish list. If
you you know holiday wish list. We don't want to, you know,
isolate anybody who doesn't celebrate Christmas. But it's news and rumors today. Before
we get started the user reminders, please rate, review, and subscribe to
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I'm very curious. Someone in our YouTube comment said it was something I
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we appreciate everything that everyone does for us. We really do love and are
grateful for all of our listeners. And just in case I forget the next
podcast, if you're listening to this over the holiday weekend, have a very
safe holiday. We'll be coming at you before New Year's Eve and New Year's
for sure. But if you're just checking out a podcast because the holiday season
or whatever, if you're traveling, what have you? Safe, happy,
hope, it's a blast, and thank you all for everything you do to
continue to support us. Grant, how are you doing? Thank you for
all you do for supporting me. Hey, thank you, and thank you
for always asking me how I'm doing. Even though however long we've been doing
this for, I still feel like I never have a good answer because if
I just said, like hypothetically, if I just said I'm good, and
then there was dead air for like ten seconds, would that be better or
worse than when I try to think of something to say. You should try
to catch me off guard. It can't be anytime soon now, but you
should do that and see if I notice said none, You're gotten a business.
Dan. You have incredible answers when we're not recording, And so maybe
we should charge admission for people just to watch the pre production put like they're
like, they're basically sixty minutes long now they used to be like twenty thirty.
Yeah, like sixty minutes. We just ramble and we game plan.
There's some like the there is, But I would say, if you're a
regular listener and you're UH, you're you're familiar with our tangents, you can
imagine how the one hour pre taping UH conversation goes, which is to say
it goes in a lot of different directions. They definitely could not have No
one would have guessed the tangents of tonight, probably not, probably not.
Yeah, put it behind a paywall. Let's get a paywall up. Everybody's
hear us talk about the Dan's caloric deficit, which I wasn't gonna say this.
I only just thought of it now. I definitely wasn't gonna say it
on air. We have officially reached people think I'm sick. My older sister
said something to me. She knows what I'm doing, but we were at
the gym together and she's like, oh, you look like you're like Saint
Jude's level sick right now, Like it's hit so that I have like a
month left. So I thought, I I didn't. I guess I see
myself every day so I don't notice it. But I'm not sick. I
I appreciate any and all concern I got a lot of it last year.
I was honestly, I think I forget that some people listen and watch us,
and so when people like flooded them, that was the That was one
of those flashblub moments for me, whereas like people actually listen or like know
this podcast where they're like, like, are you okay? Right? Just
uh, if your concern is, you know, limiting people's worries about you,
maybe don't say people think I'm sick. And then I have a month
left? Uh like in close proximity to each other, sorry, until I
gorge on real food? Right, one month left until? Uh? So
news and rumors do we just want to We'll alternate. We'll go through every
team here. Obviously some teams are more more sparse than than others. But
I think we've gotten a lot of some disappointing injury news, that's for sure,
especially if you're a Knicks fan and it is tis the room, tis
the season for for trade rumors. Yep, let's go for it. You
want to you can take the Hawks. Let's let's get it moving. Man,
I have to take the Hawks. They're so depressing, but yes,
let's do. Let's do the Hawks. Uh So bogged up Agdonovic may miss
or will like he's been dealing with he played right what's that he played?
He played tonight, so he did play. He's been dealing with the right
ankle issue. He missed two games. That's just something monitor because he's had
right knee and ankle issues in the past, and then this on the Hawks.
Per Mark Stein, the recent injury loss of Most Improved Player candidate Jalen
Johnson was an undeniable blow, but that alone doesn't explain in Atlanta's under achievement.
The Hawks made DeAndre Hunter and Clint Capella available in various trade discussions during
the offseason and are likely to expand their trade approach in the coming weeks.
And then Michael Grange of Sportsnet added that the Hawks maintain their interest in Pascal
Siakam. I don't know what to make of the Hawks other than that their
defense really sucks, and that's what I don't know how to fix it with
a trade. My reaction to the Siakam stuff, I just don't think he
ends up fixing what ails them the most? Do I think he would be
interesting on this team? Sure, but why are you gonna put someone else
who needs the ball in their hands or prefers to have the ball in their
hands next to one Trey Young but possibly two de Jente Murray as well.
Yeah? I agree, I don't it's interesting that the two guys that Stein
mentions, Hunter and Capella are guys that theoretically are two of their better defensive
players, right, So these are the guys we're gonna move because we're underachieving.
And it's not like, you know, cutting either of those guys loose
is you wouldn't think would improve the defense. But at this point, who
knows, right, Like, they are a couple of the common elements of
a roster that has been bad defensively for quite a while. So you know,
I don't I don't know what to do with that. But Siakam,
I mean, actually maybe this is a topic for the Raptors or something later,
But like you mentioned, I'm having a hard time finding the team where
I feel like he's clearly the missing piece that kind of addresses what they need.
I mean, you know, there's maybe a couple, but it's definitely
more frequently the case where exactly what we just said is what you'd say about
a Siakam acquisition, which is like, well, yeah, I mean he's
been an All NBA player and he's really good and he can help on both
ends. I just he's not like the skeleton key to whatever this team's problems
are. Yeah, that probably is more of a Raptor I think I could
probably think of a few teams. The Hawks, to me, are not
one of them. Though if I were teams, I'd be calling about the
Jontay Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovich to see, hey, what could Like I was
trying to go through teams for Bogdanovic the other night, and I don't there's
not an obvious one that sticks out. But like, if you're a team
that doesn't want to cash in your chips for like, what if the Sixers
just said, we're okay eating into our cap space, we don't want to
give up all our assets. But like Bogdanovic in Philly, Bogdanovic in La
Bogdanovic in Toronto, if the Raptors haven't accepted reality at this point, would
be someone who could help them for sure. There's a lot of teams that
could use him, and I remain we had a discussion in discord. I
know a lot of some of our members are kind of lower on de Jonta
Murray. I'm still pretty high on him, and so far I was a
team, like, I'd rather have Jontay Murray the Zactly and I if I'm
the Lakers, I guess it gets a little bit weird he feels like a
more specific fit, like Orlando is not going to go after him because it
feels too he's better on offense than markkel Foltz. Uh but do you want
like is that enough of an upgrade from there? But there are teams,
like a ton of teams that I think if you don't like, you could
think about and come up with like, Oh, no, he would make
He would make a lot of sense there. Yeah, that's fair, all
right. The Boston Celtics Chris has Porzingis missed Boston's game against the Warriors on
Tuesday night due to a calf due to calf injury management. Uh, he
probably would have made a difference because they maybe only would have missed like thirty
nine threes and won that game had he had he been involved. How many
threes would they have shot with him out there instead of instead of Horford for
most of the game. Another more center news, although I will say,
uh, neamyas Kaida, who I was familiar with a little bit because he
came up with the Kings and kind of bounced between their NBA roster and G
League roster. I think I don't know what he finished with, but he
was looking he's big, he's athletic, and he's the When I'm thinking of
Celtics needs and I want like a Luke Cornett upgrade, I kind of think
of someone like him to just bang around and be more athletic than everybody else
for like ten twelve minutes. He definitely did that against Golden State. So
I don't know if he's long for that roster or if, you know,
if they view him as someone that's gonna do more than kind of show up
every you know, once a week or something. But he was. That
was an interesting set of minutes from him. I hadn't seen him play for
the Celtics yet. So speaking of just sticking with centners in Boston, Luke
Cornett should return from his thigh injury before Boston's Christmas Day game versus the Lakers.
Also Jason Tatum. Now I didn't have this in there because it happened
to Warriors games praying his ankle and he was out on recording the Wednesday night.
I can't remember the day of the week. That's something that I mean,
the Celtics started winning the non Tatum minutes, but that's certainly something that
matters for sure. The Brooklyn Nets Dennis Smith Junior is still dealing with lower
back issues. He didn't play Wednesday against the Knicks. He's played in just
two of the nets past fourteen games. Lonnie Walker, the fourth, though,
is close to returning from his hamstring injury. He has not played since
November thirtieth, and finally, and less optimistically, Jacques Vaughan said he still
doesn't have a timetable for Ben Simmons's return from a back injury. Simmons is
supposed to be re evaluated a couple of weeks. He's missed the team's past
twenty games, and so just still basically no timetable for his return. Is
the is the update there? Yeah, I've that's tough. I really was
excited about both Smith and Walker signing with ending up in Brooklyn this year,
and they just haven't been able to shake the injury. Bocus. Maybe Smith,
if he gets back, I can he can. I've been harping on
Brooklyn for just not being disruptive on defense despite all their long wings. Maybe
he can help with that when he comes back. Would you like, would
you take a stab at Ben Simmons if you're just kind of a rebuilding team
right now, that's he only has one year left on his deal after this.
I mean for probably Yeah. My knee jerk answer is probably not.
I just unless he's gonna help me get off of longer money. That's I
still think the the Oh my god, what are they called now? Are
they still the starters? Why can't I remember? Uh? No? Dunks?
Right? Don't? That was a big brain like seven names. They
they crapped all over. They were very nice about it. They went through
my trade deadline primer last year and I suggested Ben Simmons for Gordon Ayward.
I'd suggest that again, let's get some more like sized playmaking wings in in
Brooklyn and Ben Charlotte coud tank the rest of the season. Maybe Ben Simmons
comes back and you have him Brandon Miller, LaMelo, Mark Williams another motto
pick, Let's do it. Uh. Speaking of Charlotte Charlotte Hornets, Miles
Bridges was denied entry to Canada and unable to play in the Raptors versus Hornets
game earlier this week? Uh? Those earlier this week or is that tonight?
I can't remember that it was earlier this week that he was a night
entry. I don't think they had a home. They might have had a
home and home against Toronto. I don't know. But uh for those who
have lived under rocks and never listened to this podcast. Before Bridges was was
a to night entry due to a previous plea no contest to a fellony of
domestic violence charge. He faces additional domestic abuse charges now those are still ongoing
right like the whole like, I haven't heard anything about them. Thrown at
a car thing just great look for everything. This was Monday, by the
way, but it was. It's interesting because they don't know when he might
be allowed back in Canada, and I have zerro sympathy for that. Couldn't.
I could not fucking care less about Miles Bridges, could not Mark Williams
we do care about. His name is five straight games with a lower back
contusion. He's not expecting to play Wednesday as the Pacers. I haven't looked
up if he actually did play tonight. Mellow Ball does not have a concrete
timeline for return from his right ankle sprain that's kept him on the shelf since
November twenty eighth. He has reportedly resumed individual on court activity, so that's
a positive step, but again, you know, looking at another season really
kind of wrecked by ankle injuries. Not a great look. Just the Hornets
are dead in the water without him, and it makes it hard to like
plan all of your other stuff because like, what kind of pieces do we
need around this guy? Is he improving? In what ways? Is he
improving? You don't get that information. So it really is more than just
well he's their best player and he's heard. It's like, no, you're
This franchise is in a position of we got to figure out where we're going
and what do you need next to them? Yeah? Next to him is
can he be the driver of your half court offense or do you need a
different type of playmaker next to him? And they can't answer that question yet.
I will say the contract changes things, but like Steph Curry had a
bunch of ankle issues early on and he penned out, Okay, sure,
yeah, the Chicago Bulls. This is kind of a bummer. Tory frag
will miss at least the next eight to ten weeks after being diagnosed with an
acute sprain of his right planter fascia. The injuries expected to be immobilized for
at least four weeks and so like I would put if he's back before ten
weeks, I'd be a little bit shocked. Billy Donovan also said zach Lvine
is still on track to return within the three four week timetable for his right
foot injury that was back on December sixth. He has not played since November
thirtieth, though. If he does the three weekend of that, we're looking
at a little bit after Christmas. If it's the four week, we'll see
him into the new year. The Bulls, that should be noted, beat
the Lakers again on Wednesday night. They've been very good without zack Lavine,
and this might be a good spot to talk about if you're the Bulls.
I mean, we've heard that there isn't a market for zach Lavine, and
it's just does this change are I think there's three different ways to look at
it. Can you get as many picks and prospects as possible for him,
and like maybe you still don't throw up your team, but you decide to
just get whatever you can, or you at the point where if there's not
a market, are you willing just to go Zack Lavine for expiring contract or
something like if I'm very curious see what he'll met on the trade market,
but I am also curious to see if what's happened without him informs what the
bull because we assume that Zack Lavine's trade was gonna kind of initiate or be
the first step in Okay, the Bulls are finally starting over? Is it
just gonna be them kind of divesting into multiple players and trying to perpetuate this
court well, and like if any team we're going to to be seduced by,
you know, a December winning streak that gets some you know, oh,
we're only at the end of this thing. What are they like eleven
and seventeen or something. Now it's like if hey, well, what's Zach
Levine's back will really be cooking and we're gonna get that sixth spot in the
East or whatever of all teams, I know, all the reportings suggest that
this relationship is pretty much over. It's just kind of a matter of when
can the Bulls get a satisfactory return. But it's like, please, Bulls,
I'm speaking directly to you now, do not allow these wins. If
anything, these wins should suggest to you that, like we even more strongly
need to focus on moving Levine because clearly everybody's happier. I think Nick Vucevic
had comments, you know, not not outright saying like it's better without him,
but it's something like we're playing together, you know, just kind of
the if you don't need to like really do a lot of stretching to read
into it that like Levine being out of the lineup is not viewed as a
catastrophe by some of his teammates. I think that that feels like it's fair
to say we will have more on Zachlvie once we get to the Kings.
For some reason, that takes me to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Calve's announced
on December fifteenth that Evan Mobley needs arthroscopic surgery on his left Knee's going to
miss sixty eight weeks. Darius Garland same day, December fifteenth, diagnosed with
a fracture jaw. That dude. I know, Daniel Tice like has the
belt for getting hit in the face, but Garland has like you took it.
Garland's got it now, right, I mean, like in terms of
severity and frequently like just get just a face that gets hit. Some people
have one and Garland definitely does. He's expected to miss multiple weeks. I
heard I think I saw initially four weeks, but you know, who knows
we could do a real I mean, do you want to start talking about
Donovan Mitchell, trades and all this stuff, Like maybe maybe you should get
to the Evan Mobley stuff first. Well, I mean Evan Mobley stuff is
a big deal, Like six to eight weeks obviously, sort of like the
ball thing where I mean, Mobley hadn't been playing well in a lot of
respects, like just had stopped shooting jumpers, had looked hesitant. Maybe that
was the injury. But it's kind of like the ball thing where you know,
it's like almost a joke. Now, I know I've said it so
many times and you know, I'm sure everybody's tired of hearing it. But
like the here we go, the best version of this CALVS team has Evan
Mobley as it's best player. Whenever that happens, right, Like that's the
theory. And now you're going another couple of months probably minimum, you know,
based on you're gonna err on the side of caution with someone that's as
important to the franchise as him. Where you just don't really get to see,
like, you know, how's he developing? You know, two months
in a season may not seem like a ton, but like that's a big
deal for a player his age for a CALVS team, that's disappointing, Like
it's just it's not great. And so that takes you into the next sort
of spiral downward of like what do we do with Donovan Mitchell? But so
they well, so I don't understand that, to be honest with you,
and what is the to me, there's no Donovan Mitchell drama unless Donovan Mitchell
decides that he wants out because he doesn't see enough help around him here.
It's what are you gonna get for him in February versus if he decides to
see his one guarantee year left on this deal after this, what are you
gonna get for him? Now? Like how much different is the return gonna
be in February versus July or whatever? And I just don't think there'd be
a material difference. And so if he hasn't indicated he wants to leave,
I'm not even thinking about moving him. And this is not necessarily related to
Donin Mitchell stuff. And it's more murky because Darius Garland won't be part of
it for a while. There is a chance, just based off the like
the first game Jared Allen I think had after the even Mobile injury was reported,
this might just reinforce to the Caps like we need to move forward with
the one big or there needs to be a very more specific type of big
on this team so that we can stagger these two more and so potentially that
could be valuable information. This is I want to make it clear, it's
more of a bad way, more of a bad thing than any sort of
blessing in disguise unless you're just a big Craig Porter junior fan. But I
can't bring myself to think there is any urgency behind making it decision on the
Donovan Mitchell trade. Yeah, I think I'm more responding to like the news
cycle which which took the Mobile and Garland injuries and combined it with the Calves
being pretty disappointing to the very disappointing certainly for what we thought they were going
to be. And it just seems like the there's just a groundswell of like,
okay, let's start talking about the Mitchell trade. You're seeing different you
know, reports from plugged in people. Just this is like the topic now
and and maybe that's a mistake because it's kind of like the tails wagging the
dog a little bit. It's like, well, if we talk about a
Donovan Mitchell trade enough and make it into a you know, item in the
news cycle, then it'll happen. Like that's not really how it works,
but that is definitely like where this that is where this Calves conversation is going.
I don't know if that that's right, Like I agree with you,
like you don't, Well, we don't trade him tomorrow because like his market's
diminishing or anything. You wait till the deadline. You could do it in
the off season, do a million different things. He's like a weirdly tough
guy to trade for too, because unless sure, you know, all the
talk is well the next he wants to play for the next But it's like
so if you're the Nets or the Heat or whatever, you probably have a
leg up on re signing him. It's you know, when he when he
opts out, But like he is kind of like a rental for a lot
of other teams, like the longer term one than you want. But it's
like that affects what you might give up for him, that affects the teams
that might be interested in him. It's this has happened a few times now
lately, where it's like, you know, we're there's a marquee player that
is you know, not so far from free agency. I mean you could
already the Calves really did this, but there were two plus years left on
the deal then, where it's just like, well, who's going to trade
for this guy and give up stuff where maybe you could sign him or or
or you know he's gonna leave anyway. It's just a it's an interesting dynamic.
But yeah, it is hasty to talk about the Donovan Mitchell stuff,
but that's what everybody's talking about. So yeah, and the other thing they're
doing is they are on the verge. It looks like of negotiating a buy
out with Rubio, which could be a little tricky because he's away from the
team dealing with his mental health carently an ongoing family issue, as much as
beef severe who have kept him out of international play. In this He's guaranteed
four point three million dollars next season, though, and so that adds a
little wrinkle to that process. This brings me to the Dallas Mavericks. Kyrie
Irving has now missed six straight games with his right foot heel injury. Head
coach Jason Kidd said there is still no timeline for his return, which you
know that's given all the injuries the MAVs has kind of dealt with, that's
problematic. Derek Wiley is second has missed a couple games with a sprained left
ankle. Something to monitor because the MAVs cannot stop anybody at the rim when
he's not on the court. And part of that is because Max and Kleba
Oh still as you have to play basically this season. Then Josh Green with
his elbow injury, remains sidelined. I don't really there's not much more to
go into with the MAVs, but Derek Jones juniors stopped hitting his threes.
Dante Egson has been great, but they really need a wing or point of
attack defender who defenses are inclined to guard from the perimeter at the other end.
But I will say Dante ms turned this guy who can drive and kick
in that spase, and he's hitting his threes for the most part. I
just don't know you want someone who's gonna draw more attention away from the ball
than Dante Xen. Yeah, I think that's right for the Denver Nuggets.
Big news item that you just typed into the dock, and you're gonna have
to elaborate on because I haven't kept up with the numbers. I know he
wasn't hitting him. But Aaron Gordon is hitting his free throws again, did
he Where'd he go like eight of eight or something. No, he's shot
over like the last five games. I think in the eighties, I believe,
and that was he was in the fifties for most of the season.
He is so okay. First sixteen games he was. He also started hitting
his threes, but he's not taking enough for them for me to care.
Twenty two point two percent on threes though on two point four attemps per thirty
six minutes through his first sixteen games, fifty two percent at the foul line,
three point three attempts per thirty six minutes again, first sixteen games,
last five games fifty percent from three only one and a half attempts per thirty
six minutes, and then eighty one percent on free throws five point three attemts
per thirty six minutes. I don't want to step talk about too much of
this. The Nuggets just didn't have a good news item unless you care about
Nicole Jokich signing a shoe deal. But because that is my part of my
holiday wish list for them, they need him to be hitting free throws because
he is someone who his attack mode away from the ball and on the ball
ebbs and flows with kind of how he's faring, with his efficiency at the
charity stripe and from the perimeter in general. Can I give you my I
arrived at this decision just just recently because the Nuggets haven't, you know,
looked like world beaters. I am officially my official Denver stance is I don't.
I'm not worried about anything until the playoffs. I'm just not gonna get
sucked in. I won't do such an like the fact that we're talking about
harping on Aaron Gorn's free throw shooting or oh is Peyton Watson you served Christian
Brown as the seventh guy in the rotation. This team is still built hashtag
built for it. They're gonna be fine if and I'm not even worried about
them. They have one of the best defenses in the league against top ten
offenses, and so it's like, I know we're kind of early in the
season, but this team is every I don't remember what podcast I was listening
to, but they mentioned Minnesota, Boston, Philly, even Milwaukee in there.
It was like, no, like, Denver is still needs to be
at least mentioned in the inner circle of contenders, whether you want to call
them the favorite five like they are, they're the raining chance for no.
Yeah, barring this significant injury, that's gonna last into the playoffs, Like
you can't. You cannot raise an issue with me that that is going to
make me concerned about that. Wake me, honestly, wake me up in
the second round and then well then we could start talking about any Denver Nuggets
concerns. Yeah, you know who's not going to be in the second round
or the first The Detroit Pistons who you have right now, are they even
gonna be in the NBA? Like, at some point, at what point
do you get kicked out? At what point does Adam Silver say, you
guys got to leave pretty soon? Probably twenty three in a row, twenty
four in a row, I can't remember now, it's scor it's so bad
it's impressive. A couple notes on them. Jalender And has not played since
December sixth while dealing with brain left ankle, and head coach Money Williams recently
said he still isn't practicing the athletics. James L. Edwards the Third had
a lot of goodies this week. So apparently the Pistons will be interested in
adding og An Andobi or Tobias Harris via trade or in free agency this summer
when they're both hit the open market. And Edwards we'll talk about all this.
Also reported that contending teams like Dallas, Boston, Oklahoma City have expressed
interest in trading for Isaiah Stewart, who's currently subject to the poison pill provision.
After signing a four year, sixty million dollar extension, there's a team
option on the final year of that season. Now, one very quick note
before kind of diving into the thought process behind this, it's actually easier to
move poison pill deals in the new CBA if you're sending them to a team
that is not dealing with luxury tax apron concerns because of the two hundred percent
rule on sort of some of those salary blocks so he could be moved.
I know it's very rare, but I'm wondering if this kind of sparks seeing
more players sign extensions in the summer and then still get moved that following season,
like when they're coming off their first deal. I would love him,
I think I don't. I don't know if I I think I would love
him most of that in Boston maybe or is it I thought about Okac a
little bit, but I'd like someone bigger, like taller than him there,
uh, Dallas, I guess makes some sense if you really don't trust Maxi
Kliba and Dwight Powell in the you know, playoff settings, but so I
get their interest in like the problem with trading for og An Andobi for them
is you're gonna have to give up stuff, and you're not good enough to
giving up stuff. You have no extra first round picks if you want to
sign og Anobi like, and you're gonna create the CAP's best necessary if you're
gonna create the cap space necessary to get him, Okay, sure, like
a wing who spaces the floor defends his ass off. That fits on every
team, whether you're rebuilding, whether you're competing for a title. But like,
if you're gonna get Tobias Harris, I understand he shouldn't cost as much,
but you're still gonna need to send outgoing salary. And so is it
you trading Joe Harris and Monte Like are you hoping to do something along those
lines? I just this team, doesn't you know? Obviously people who run
NBA organizations are supposed to be smarter than us. I'm not quite sure Troy
Reaver knows what he's doing. Well, that's the thing. It's like this,
the idea that the Pistons would do anything but trade away veteran players at
this point just seems it's needed. The type of thing you do if you're
trying to win a few extra games or make it respectable as an executive because
you know you're maybe on the way out or you're and you're trying to prevent
that. Like that's that seems like what this would be because I give me
the other, give me the rational justification for let's add of you know,
it's just to anonobe to me. You're right that he fits, he's a
universal fit just because of his skill set. But it's like, what,
why does this team this year need him, and why would this team this
year give up things to get him? And why in the summer would Anonobe
re sign with the Pistons, all things being equal, I just like it
cause out and so like you're you're gonna have to give up at least two
firsts, and I would take the over on that two first to just give
him more money than he's probably worth because he's not a max player. He's
just a desired archetype. When you're looking at what a max player should do
on the court in a vacuate, you need more offense out of him.
What's also interesting here, though you mentioned Troy Weavers' job security, you just
signed Monty Williams to one of the most expensive coaching contract history for was it
five years, seven years? I don't even remember if it was like seven
for seventy or something like that. So my whole thing is like, how
are you supposed to replace? You can do it, but so you're gonna
find Troy Revers replacement by also saying, well, like you can't hire a
head coach though, just because I know they don't kind of get to the
cap. We're not paying this dude. That's what bad teams do. That's
what teams with bad ownership and bad organization organizational structure do. Like the Kings
did it all the time. They did like three times in a row.
Where it's just like the coach and the GM just were ever hired at the
same time, or they were hired in the wrong order. This this happens,
but it kind of only happens with teams that don't have their shit together,
which is very very much the case for the Pistons six years and seventy
eight and a half million dollars. By the way, for Monty Williams,
I will say I'd be okay if they signed Annobi and if the Sixers were
gonna I know, he's kind of gone cold after his hot start at the
Sixers said well, we'll break up Tobias Harris into your smaller expiring contracts,
and fine, do that. But the idea of them giving up trade assets,
because it's just like, what are you any trade whether they trade like
a star Thompson or kid coming home and get ogn Andobi and as well,
what the fuck is this team doing You're not gonna get now here's something that's
interesting just based off the way they've used him if it was just j and
Ivy and salary for ogn Andobi? Is that too because was about to start
his third deal? Is that too just? I still can't do it because
the draft equity I have in Ivy as a as the Pistons. But again,
I just don't think this is a team that should look at you want
to sign him? Fine, this is not a team that be looking to
trade assets. You need to be an asset accumulation mode. Yep, I
agree with that. Let's move on to the If you're ready to move on
to the Warriors, here our next team. Yeah. They announced on Thursday
that Gary Payton, the second who had a calf injury that was described initially
as a tear and seemed really like this was maybe going to be a really
long term thing. He's been cleared to begin some light on court individual work.
Will be re evaluated another week. He could return as soon as Friday,
the twenty second against the Wizards, which is a first of all Jordan
Pool reunion time. Will there will there be a Jordan Poole tribute video?
Oh my god, Yeah, there is it. It's at Chase Center.
I think so they're they're they're just at home against Boston. I don't think
they're flying to Washington. Then there there will be everyone gets a everyone gets
a tribute video, right, I mean Draymond won't even be there to make
it awkward because he's suspended. So that's a positive too. Oh, yes,
they are home, just to confirm, and it's on ESPN, which
which is just like it has to be a little bit pissed about that because
now Draymond, the only reason you have that game on national television is for
Pool versus Draymond. Right, too bad and perfect segue. Draymond Green suspension
is gonna last at least three more weeks. According to Sean Sherani of The
Athletic, that would put his potential miss games total up at thirteen. Who
knows it's an indefinite suspension, that this is a new thing. You know,
Joe Dumars has done this, you know, indefinite with with Jaw.
He's done it with last year with Joab before he gave the hard twenty five
games, and now with Draymond. And it's kind of like being framed I
guess as like or he's framing it as like, let's help these players.
Let's not just like cast them out and punish them, which I don't know
whatever. It's also kind of like a f're cynic and I will raise my
hand. It's also a nice tool to, like, you know, we
don't have to say a strict number of games, because every time someone gets
suspended, it's always being compared to all this person did this and got five
games. How is this only worth eight? If you just do indefinite and
you say, well, he's he's in a good enough place now he can
come back, that's kind of makes it a little easier to be wishy washy
that way. How do you I don't want to be too cynical here either,
because I do try to be very empathetic to the mental health thing.
But the way that Steve Kerr has talked the way not even someone like I
can't tell if Nurkic and Gobert. Nurkic was clearly trolling, but like Gobert
saying this idea that Draymond needs to seek help, why wasn't it then broached
If it has to do with what's happening on the court, it should have
been broached in twenty sixteen at the latest, right, And it seems like
they're suggesting, and I hate implying or asking this because we don't know.
Some shit must be going down off the court, in which case that does
change the dynamics of this quite a bit. I will say, though,
if that's not what's happening, and this is how they're talking, that's some
really underhanded CD shit to frame it this way. I'm not a fan of
mental health being used as a shield because there are people that have less resources
and support at their disposal that are going through real shit. And I'm not
saying because you're rich you're in this situation with resources you can't go through real
shit. I hope everything is actually okay, but the way they're talking it
making it something serious is going on off the court, and I'm not I
don't want to hope for that my I don't know if I'm being too insensitive
or is this too curmudgingly? Is this politically incorrect by saying if something's not
happening off the court, this is really fucked up the way that it's being
framed. Yeah, well, I mean it's it's just as a default setting.
It's hard for me not to be cynical, but looking at the JA
morant stuff like he got suspended. You know, he went and went to
Florida and did however many hours of you know whatever kind of counseling, and
then he's a change, you know, like that's and then he does this.
It's just like that was total bullshit. Sorry, like I will just
be cynical about it. So it is, it's not totally out of bounds
to sort of, you know, raise an eyebrow at like the way that
the lead is kind of I don't know, again, I don't I totally
sympathize, and I don't want to say like all this mental health stuff is
all phony if it's I hate having to use it if it's happy, because
if we're not doubting that it's capable of happening. I just the way it's
being framed, because it wasn't framed like this after the Rudy Gobert choke hold,
which was when you think that was more vicious than what he did to
use of Nurkice right. Last item here related though, the Players Union is
not going to appeal Draymond Green's indefinite submension because he is accepting it. That's
I saw. That was from WOJ I think so, that's another interesting one
like it. You know, usually the players Union, certainly in other sports,
like in baseball, the players Union will just appeal everything like no matter
what, and basketball hasn't quite that way. But that's interesting that it's like
we're good, we're hands off, which makes me think that it's not just
Draymond accepted it, but he actively said, don't fight it, because it
does create the dunked on guys who are both lawyers. I believe right,
LaRue and Nate are both You're in a tourney background too. It creates a
slippery slope in the sense of does it give the NBA like too much purview
over what they're able to do with players. And it's not just the suspensions,
it's you have to go to counseling now because you did X, and
so I would have expected the players Union to appeal just for the sake of
making this unable to become a precedent. Yeah, you just raised made me
think of something too. I feel like I've seen some pushback on the the
idea that you know, it seems paternal the pushback being it's paternalistic, it's
like controlling. It's a little weird that the NBA is now sort of as
part of these suspensions in a couple of cases. You know, you got
to go get yourself right, you got can't you can't come back until things
are sorted out. It's like, well, that's take that. That seems
unfair somehow. It's like, no, man, I just like the NBA
is a business and it employs people, and you could they don't have to
let you play. It's like it's not your it's not your they can say
no. It's just like any you know, if you haul off and slug
a co worker at your office job, like there's a decent chance that you
might need to jump through some hoops to get back into the office there cause
for sure. Yeah yeah, uh. That actually is the second to last
note, because you didn't mention that Trace Jackson Davis and Jonathan Kaminga have played
Draymond Green and Keavon Luonian to the trademarket. I don't know how I missed
that in the note, but that is absolutely what's I mean. I just
the groundswell of like I don't know if it's joy, but just like thank
god it's finally happening with Kaminga and TJD playing well among Warriors fans. It's
just it's just all anyone's wanted for so long. It's to have like young
athletic guys be contributing to this team. And we had one game of it
against Boston. So it's a we're having parades out here the Houston Rockets.
We won't mention Jalen Green because I will mention Jalen Green when we talk about
their holiday stuff. I'm and Thompson returned for one game from his sprained ankle,
then missed the next four with an illness. He was cleared to play
on Wednesday, though, so that's good to get him back in the fold.
I'm very interesting to see immediately, not you know, the first couple
of games, but like the bigger picture of this same season, how much
they rely on him because they're kind of trying to tow two different sides of
the timeline right now. Yeah. Indiana Pacers Miles Turner's dealing with a hamstring
injury that signed sidelined him Monday and as a list as questionable for Wednesday.
Jalen Smith, who's missed nine straight with the left knee and heel issues,
participated in Pasterers practice Tuesday, and one more piece of injury news. Andrew
Nemhard will miss a sixth straight game Wednesday with a bruise right knee. I
am medison to reticent to mention this, but there's a reporter from fans sided
I apologize I don't remember their name, mentioned that India is prepared to like
Pony up for Ogn and Obi and trade talks and would be willing to part
with jars Walker and said talks that to me is kind of more of a
duh thing. It's just I know that Jarvis Walker was just drafted eighth and
technically said they had the seventh pick they could have gotten so and they clearly
wanted them there. Uh. I just if I'm Toronto and I'm rebuilding around
Scotty and Og is the one I'm sending out, I definitely don't want Jarison
Walker on my team because Siakam is technically still in that roster. Then with
Peerle, I just yeah, that's the player, by the way, that
INDI needs. When you're looking at there, I don't think Og fixes their
entire defense, but it opens up so many different options for them, and
the fact that they've they're fun to watch, but like they've just completely ignored
like this idea that they need the combo wing Combo three four type for now
what two or three years basically, And so at least if they're lasered in
on og Anobi, at least they understand what they need the most. Even
though I don't think they would put the best offer on the table for him.
They have to be more cautious because I know he has ties to Indiana,
but would he leave in free agency? They're not a team that's historically
traded multiple of their own first round picks, which you're not getting out of
this for Jaris Well. I don't even think if you went to the Raptors
and said, Benedig matack through Jaris Walker in a first round pick, I
don't know if they say yes. I don't either. I don't either,
just because I mean, but but you're right that you know, and no,
there is no player that would solve all of Indiana's defensive problems, but
like Anonobi's got to be one of the ones that can do the most to
help, right And speaking of like you know who look pretty good on the
pacers right now, would speaking of jarifs Walker blah cool Bally would would not
have been a bad guy to have this like six' eight wings slash guard
that flies around the floor, would love to run and transition and can theoretically
came in build as like this guy will be a great defensive player. Don't
know what else he'll be like that, that guy would look pretty good as
part of Indie's course. Certainly better than Jaris Walker has played like eight games
so far. I wonder would they have given blakul Bally a shot though right
away? I mean you might have had to. Yeah, certainly the runway
in Washington and being such a you know, a much worse team is longer,
and like he's just gonna get a better look. But I don't know,
Like, wouldn't you think that he's so obviously talent, Like I don't
know that you could deny it if you had him in practice often enough,
right like he would presumably get in there. I will say, the fact
that they were willing to slow play it with Jaris Walker kind of makes you
wonder. It makes you even think, well, then they should have gotten
blow Cool vollymore. Everyone view him as a project. Clearly they were prepared
to take the slow play route with whoever they drafted, and he's just way
less of a project than it seemed like he was going to be. So
that takes us to the LA Clippers. I think, wait, no,
do you have the Clippers or do I Clipper head coach? And this is
only one note on him. They've been playing Other than my first no,
be they've been playing really really fantastic basketball. Head coach Tyron who said Mason
Plumley with his left MCL's brain has resumed some on court running. That's that
is very I don't really find it exciting because I think that Zubox has been
playing so well and I'd probably like to see them they have Tye. I
don't know if Mason Plumley, like when you look at the type of big
you want to play with, a Harden ball handler or even a Russ Paul
handle like, is plumbly the but again, having him back would certainly make
their rotation even deeper, and they've been They have a top five offensive defense
right now. Ever since they lost that the first five games uh post James
Harden trade, they have a top three net rating and they're basically top five
in offense and defense. And when you watch them, it's Oh, Kawhi
looks like an MVP, and James Harden has incredible chemistry with everybody he's taking.
I don't know if he's taking more catch and shoot threes than ever,
but it certainly feels that way. And even Paul George is just like he
looks I don't know what he's ever looked as connective to me. Norman Powell
looks fantastic. I think I'm stepping on too much of what I'm eventually going
to say when we do another podcast with the Clippers in it. But they're
and the big the big thing here. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard combined have
missed one game. Yeah, I mean that is That's all it is.
That's the whole thing for the Clippers. Everything else is secondary. Paul George,
I will say to step on, Uh, I don't know something we
may talk about several podcasts from now. Currently, if I'm picking West All
Stars, he's my last cut. He was my hardest guy to keep off
the roster. Why do you think him and Kawhi or just like, if
you get to a point where it's right, like these guys haven't really missed
any games. Do we just extend them? I mean, if the biggest
question was can they stay healthy, then I and if they answer it,
I guess I guess there might just be the good will of knowing, well,
we traded for James Harden. All these guys wanted to be in LA.
They're not going inwhere you don't need to. But Connor's like sitting here
watching especially Kawhi, It's like, we can't just erasee his injury record.
But no, yeah, I mean it at least makes it because there was
a minute there where it was and the Clippers viewed it this way too,
of just like hard, no, no, we are not extending them.
We you know that they would have done it in the off season if it
was a no brainer to do it. It was a no brainer not to
do it. Now it's the calculus is changing a little bit, which is
interesting for the Lakers. After missing twenty three straight games with the left knee
injury, Gabe Vincent did in fact play basketball for the Lakers and they're lost
to the Bulls on Wednesday night. Vincent played fourteen minutes. He was one
of four from the field, three points, three assists. Just good that
he's out there because in theory, he is someone that addresses quite a few
of their needs as just a guy who's gonna have a little more size as
a backcourt defender and can make some threes and has done it in the playoffs.
It's never been like a super highly accurate regular season shooter, but definitely
is someone that fills a role there. Secondly, both Lebron, James caff
and Anthony Davis left ankle spring question to play on Wednesday. Ad did play,
Lebron did play. They both played the thirty seven and thirty eight minutes
respectively. Lebron was an assists shy of a triple double. Speaking of guys
that just keep playing like that, Although, what do you think about let's
we can talk about this now you have it as a West All Star,
right, Lebron, Yeah, he's a start. He's starting making sure.
What do you make of both the Lakers and the Pacers just kind of coming
out of the Ncason Tournament a little bit Gas. Do you think that's coincidence
or do you think that's real? I think Vegas is undefeated. Fair good
answer, I will say. Note side note, I know I had this
discussion with you. I think It was on last week's podcast where I wasn't
sure if I was the Lakers whether I would trade D'Angelo Russell to get zach
Lvine on his deal. I can now say with the utmost confidence I would
absolutely give up d' angelo Russell on the zach Lavine trade. I'm back on
that. I think I just had a little bit of galaxy brating for I
think that's when you want to include Rubyata Moore and other stuff is a separate
matter, but this team needs just an infusion of shooting and kind of another
put. Maybe Kaye Vincent helps with that wuff to see. I'd still every
every day of the week and twice on Sunday, I'm giving up D'Angelo Russell
for Zaclyen. I don't even like zach Lavine that much like I just think
he is a better fit and can deliver more. Look, you're consistent with
your take. Some might called stubbornness, but the consistency is it's it's smart.
In this case the Memphis Grizzlies. The only note on them Jamran is
and in a big fucking way, hits the game winner against the Pelicans on
Tuesday night in his return from a twenty five game suspension. I thought just
based on how the offense was being run, and he was just like the
successory for definitely the first quarter, certainly most of the first half that it
was, I wasn't concern, but he looked great in the second half,
and I hope. Look, I think people we definitely crapped all over John
Morant when all the stuff was going on. He is a kid. Redemption
is an actual thing. As far as we know, he didn't, you
know, mortally hurt anybody. The whole fighting teenagers in retail stores is just
it's pathetic, quite frankly, but everyone deserves their chance the shot at redemption.
I hope it works out for him. And that was as fun as
the Grizzlies have been all season because they've been with all the injuries they're dealing
with. And to that end, they're going to get Marcus Smart back soon.
He's missed fifteen straight games with the spring left foot. He has started
scrimmaging again though, per Taylor Jenkins, that is good because they need to
see a sample with Okay, what do we look like with Triple J Marcus
mart Bain and Rant. Ideally you'd also get Lucnard as part of that,
but Lukenard has also missed fifteen games with Boone and brus in his left knee.
He was scheduled to return by the end of the month, but it
is noteworthy if the Grizzy have not provided an update on his three week timeline
since early December. And finally, Derek Rose is listed as week to week
after suffering a right hamstring strain in the December fifteenth loss to the Rockets.
I'm excited for what you're gonna do with the Miami Heat here because I see
you putting a question mark, and that was my exact reaction when I read
what was there for them. Okay, I wanted to talk about Jaw real
quick, though, like we aren't we Unfortunately, we are not going to
get to see what the fully formed version of this year's Grizzlies can look like
because Steven Adams is not involved in Brandon Clark just may not play at least
until much later in the season. But man, like I just forgot how
dynamic Jaw is because down the stretch of that game against New Orleans on Tuesday,
he just like he just gets to the front of the rim and then
jumps straight up and then he just finishes over the top of whoever's there.
It doesn't matter. It was like he was doing it over bigs, he
was doing it over wings, he was doing it over smalls, and it's
just he just changes everything about Memphis because he just he gives them someone that
can go get a bucket in ways that like we both love him. Desmond
Bane can't. Jared Jackson certainly can't. Just I need the tracking data on
this. Assume they can. If you rewind like two years ago and look
at the speed at which Jaron Jackson Junior is able to complete his spins off
of dribbles, it used to kind of look like buffering internet. And now
it's just like, oh, he's better, he's better, But you're right,
I just want to No, that's totally fair. I just I did
this is not there's no analysis here. It's just like, oh my god,
I forgot jaw was just like a top fraction of a percent athlete among
NBA players and just is jumping over people to finish weird floaters over and over
again down the stretch of games. It was fantastic. More of that,
please, So for the Miami Heat, per Brian Windhorse of the Hoop Collective,
the Miami Heat, and at least two other teams in the I assume
he meant Southeast division, but you had in the notes Southwest. I don't
know, uh, two other teams in a division would also have interest.
I assume it's Southeast because one of them is probably Orlando, and one of
them I don't know who else that I was Gona. Actually, I'm sorry
for the typo there. That who and I didn't listen to that podcast,
So this is like classic aggregator, but it was floating around a bunch.
Yeah, I like, what is the other team in the Southeast? Better
not be the ass that would be fun to judge Murray. It better not
be Charlotte. Who is? It's probably Washington, right, just like I
I mean if it was the Southwest, would that make more sense? Well,
I mean, so it's not Thelies, it's not the Pelicans, it's
it's gotta be I mean, you know what, I bet it's Orlando in
Atlanta because it just can't beat Charlotte or Washington. But if it's the Sounds
that need to be relegated, Atlanta's front office apparently, I mean we should
should we talk about Donovan Mitchell now? Is that what you're holding off on
trade stuff? I mean, no, no, that was the I don't
think he's gonna become available. And I also just think that there's this weird
there's this dark contrast between how the Heat evaluate Tyler Hero and how the rest
of the league evaluates Tyler Hero. And if your offer is Tyler Hero and
stuff, the stuff other teams are going to want will far exceed what the
Heat are willing Slash can give because of how they view Tyler Hero. And
they're also look they the fact that Duncan Robinson's been playing so well, the
fact that Haime Hawkes Junior's been playing so well, the fact that I don't
know if you saw this stat from Cooper Morehead, but in games that bam
Adebayo and Jimmy Butler miss the Heat just shoot like a fifty from three in
the first quarter. The fact that they're just this Heat culture is such a
it's so annoying and it's so real. They're fine, but like they don't
have Like you can't just trade Duncan Robinson now, and like even Kyle Lowry,
it's well, if you're trading Kyle Lowry, you better be getting back
Donvan Mitchell just to have another ball handler in there. And if you viewed
Tyler Hero as super critical to your team, you don't just have this expendable
Like re signing Gabe Vincent might have made it easier to give up salary.
Not Gabe Vincent even specifically, but oh we can get rid of Lowry,
or maybe it makes it easier to give up Tyler Hero. I just I
don't know what like not that I don't know what the Heat are doing.
I just they're not built as built for a star trade based off how teams
around the league view Tyler Hero. And look, they're gonna be harder pressed
after this summer to do that because Kyle Lowry comes off the books and so
unless you're just resigning him with the intention to trade him, it's gonna get
trickier to navigate the trade. Waters Yeah, I mean they are, and
they aren't set up to They're kind of I mean this past offseason kind of
proved it. They're set up to make like a pretty good offer, but
almost never the best on the market, because you know, the if it's
it'll be Hero or Lowry. I guess as your big salary and then Yovic
as the young guy going out and then however many picks I think, can
they trade three firsts or two? I can never remember, Like if they
like work it, they could get they could put in three. Yeah,
and that's like that's good, But it wasn't. I guess For example,
himy Hawkins is one of the rare rookies where it's oh, they drove off
the lot and he's more valuable than he was and they're not going to move
him. Yeah, you've taken him off the table. Yeah, it's got
and like somebody's gonna have to really like Yovich a lot, although Yovich is
still like fourteen years old, so there's a lot of upside there. But
yeah, I think they have the ability to have a lot of second best
offers, you know which which applies to Mitchell on anybody else they're going to
go for. You got the Bucks next the Milwaukee Bucks. Nothing to really
report on there. Jay Crowder is still out for anyone like Cares Pat Content
is back. That's a fairly big deal. When you look at their rotation,
I will say they are playing Andre Jackson Junior a little bit more.
I still think they should play margin on Brochamp a little bit more. The
actual news item is Damian Lillard became the twenty first player in NBA history,
a fifty first player. Sorry to clear twenty thousand points. I cannot confirm
whether he got the game ball. It's always so the point of contention these
days, these game balls did. The thing I learned from the Giannis Pacers
game ball thing was that, like, there's more than one game ball.
Apparently there's two they have like a backup. Not know that. I don't
know, it's not I thought a game ball is a game ball, Like
I don't go unrelated note, Hardway Knox is looking for a new co host.
You can email us Hardwin knocks at gmail dot com. There's the one
you can get if like a beer gets spilled on the ball. But shouldn't
the game ball be the one that was used in the game and not like
the backup that sat over there at the scorer's table for the whole game?
Like that's oh, I understand that, Like you get the game ball,
it should be the one that was used the most. That's that's the game.
There's not two game balls. There can't be that they would have more
than one basketball that they got, they got more than one basket. Did
you see what Pat Bev said about this where if he was on the Pacers,
he would have like punctured the ball or sliced it up and then give
it back to them. And it's like, first of all, you know
what, you know why I believe he would have done that, because he's
absolutely the type of defender someone would have hung sixty points on. That's why
I believe he would have done. Okay, shots fired at Pat Bev.
So I have the Minnesota Timberwolves next. How much do we want to talk
about the Anthey Edwards like abortion text thread and subsequent I'm sorry about that.
That's not me press release like, so I would like to say something on
it. Just go for it. I don't want me to read the I
should have framed. I should have asked you whether you wanted this one nor
I could read it? So, uh page is it? Jorday I didn't
read? Tagged Anthony Edwards in a post including a conversation via league text messages,
which allegedly should a photo of a positive pregnancy test, and responses from
Edwards that I've read, among other things, Hell now can't do this,
get an abortion. Lol. The most oddly placed lol in the history of
lols. The laugh it's just you're right, it's so ridiculous. The post
also includes a photo of a wire transfer of one hundred thousand dollars with text
messages saying I'll send you money to help to help you out, and you
got the money, what's the hold up? And then after this pretty short
order. Maybe the next day I think it was, Anthony Edwards on Twitter
released a statement that said I made comments in the heat of a moment that
are not me and that are not aligned with what I believe in who I
want to be as a man. All women should be supported and empowered to
make their own decisions about their bodies and what is best for them. I
am handling my personal matters privately and will not be commenting on them any further
at this time. Before you talk, I think the only thing I would
add to this is like, yeah, man, this is a personal matter
that should be handled privately, and it sucks that like every conversation human beings
have now can just be screenshot it and sent out to the world. That's
that's kind of one of my It's like This isn't our business. We don't
this isn't something that's important for us to know about. But it just that's
just where we live now. Yes, that that is fair. And I
did not appreciate though, what Steve and A had to say on the matter,
and I appreciate very little of what he has to say. Quite frankly,
they're gonna have to fill me in. Well. He basically said,
why are we getting on, Anthony Davis. We're pro choice in America for
a reason, and it's it's page's body. It's not Anthony Edwards's decision to
make, even if he has a voice in that textbook is very much read.
Should we talk? We didn't see the whole conversation, and you're right
about the screenshots were one. Not only is it annoying the stuff goes public,
but then are we getting the full scope of a conversation. I will
say, he is twenty two, and I'm not excusing. This is not
boys will be boys, kids will be kids. I definitely said stuff when
I was that age that would mortify me now. And because we did not
live in the age of social media, I mean even two years ago,
like social media climb, which is completely Maybe three five years ago is completely
different. So I'm not gonna excuse it. But just like the fact that
now we're talking because you do you did grow up in today's climate, and
you are old enough to recognize saying get an abortion lol, really isn't okay.
And now we've had the whole thing with the homophobic slur previously. That's
true. I forgot about that. It just it troubles me, and it's
not I know some of people making jokes about the league's trying to find like
the next American face of the NBA, and they all keep not panning out.
I look, this is not anything on the level of what Josh Giddy
has been accused of. Like we're not talking about non consensual sex or sex
with a minor here. But it's just it's troubling, and I think it's
fair to me not. I know he's young and we don't understand the entire
context of the conversation. I'm with you, this stuff should remain private.
But if he's saying like things like what did the wire transfer mean? And
he's like checking up on it, like you got the money? Like what
is going on here? I think my biggest pushback would come, and I
think it's I think he by the way he handled the response to this way
better than Steven A. Smith did, which I guess really isn't that surprising.
This is now the second time in eighteen months where you've kind of had
to say this doesn't reflect who I am as a person on something that's fairly
serious. I'm not writing him off as just a human being entirely, but
it's just there's clearly it's just it's unsettling. And again, I don't want
to sit here as a person in my oh my god, I'm not to
say mid thirties now, don't I in my mid thirties criticizing someone who is
still a kid. It's it's disappointing, and I think it's fair to frame
it that way. I don't know that we need to come to his defense,
and definitely the whole these private conversations being made public. I totally understand
the slippery slope that travels, uh, but this is an unsettling pattern of
if you don't want call behavior things that have said, I'm just say,
you know, and I think you know you said it with respect to to
John Morant, like redemption is a thing. Everybody makes, mistakes, gets,
should get and chances, you know, as long as just we should
operate with that attitude. But at one point are we going to stop accepting
the explanation of that's not really who I am when someone is describing something they
said in private that they thought would never be discovered by the world at large,
and then instead and then instead accepting a prepared statement that they're giving because
they know they fucked up, as like that's you know what, Actually who
I am is this, and here's the press release about it, as opposed
to this unguarded moment I had with a close with someone close to me,
Like, you're gonna have to do a lot of work to convince me that,
like the press releases who you really are as opposed to the private conversation,
Like that's just not like that on its face is so such an absurd
thing to try to convince people of that, Like that's what really bumps me
on things like this. I'm not just singling this out, but it happens
all the time. Oh, this was reflective of who I am as a
person, and I'm going to work to make changes. Like the second part's
good, but you're not having to work to make changes unless this is in
fact who you are. Like, it's just it's hard. It's hard for
me to swallow that part of it. I guess. Really the only commentary
of prepared to give on this is probably the response to stephen A. Smith,
where it's saying no, just because Amy Edwards has money and was Party
two the conception of this unborn child, that doesn't give him the right.
And I'm not saying this is what he did, but like, you don't
get to demand someone gets an abortion. That is the opposite of pro choice
FYI. But again I thought I didn't want to be the podcast that skipped
over it. Yeah, you know, you're right, we have. We
had to talk about it. I feel good we handled it well. I
think, don't please don't. That's who we really are, d we handled
it well. From moving on to the We're onto the New Orleans Pelicans.
They announced on December twelfth that Matt Ryan underwent surgery to remove loose bodies and
his right elbow will be sidelined for approximately six to eight weeks. He has
not played since November eighteenth, and the early laryn ns junior is expected to
return from aggravating his right rib fracture is December thirty first. He has not
played since November twenty seventh. The only thing I'll say like that I really
have to add to this is they kind of need to I think Pelican says
need to stop pretending like they have the answer up front, like the secondary
upfront rotation in Lyron Nt Junior, because he's just not available enough to be
that answer. He unlock so much of what we can do. Yes in
theory, in practice he has not done that. Yeah, so would like
Hakim Olajuan if you could, if he were available for you. Do you
know who else would? Who's that? I'll give you a guess. Is
it Chris? It's Chris Busche. I don't know if you saw on discord,
Mike Kernishon said he thinks that I like hacked two K because they proposed
a Chris Bouchet for Jayshon Tait in second round picks trade, which I did
see that congratulating after the type of deal I would propose. More injury news
unfortunately for the New York Knicks or I guess updates on particular injury. Mitchell
Robinson underwent surgery on his left ankle. We knew that he reevaluated eight ten
weeks. In fact, he is not expected to return this season. The
Knicks applied for a seven point eight million dollars hardship exception. You can use
that to sign or trade for a player on a one year deal. Big
bummer, you know, Isaiah Hardenstein, we were talking offline. Looks like
he's you know, we love that signing from the jump, Hardenstein, this
is a big against the Nets, by the way too. Jeez, yeah,
I don't. I haven't seen any further reporting that it was serious.
But he got get like whacked in the face or something. I can't even
say. I was watching the game. I was like, you got to
be Kidney, And of course in that moment, I was like, oh,
Tims is actually going to be forced to play Julius at center, and
no Todd Gibson checked. No Tod Gibson got fourth quarter minutes. Speaking of
so, Tod Gibson's signed by the Knicks at age thirty eight to a non
guaranteed deal. He's played in three games so far. Jericho Sims sprained his
ankle on Monday night as well against the Lakers. So if you are a
center for the Knicks. He's going to be out a couple of weeks too.
Sam Stay confirmed out there the Knicks applying for a So I haven't I
have maybe a spicy take, let's hear it. Losing Mitchell Robinson is gonna
be not a net positive. It's bad, and he was having a great
season. I think Hartenstein is better for them on offense, and so the
fact that he he's not necessarily gonna be starting, although with Jericho Simms out
like that's gonna change obviously, the way they go about their rotation. Him
playing more minutes I think opens up their offense and ways that Mitchell Robinson is
just never like going to do for you, and so if you can get
enough defense. He's been a fantastic rim protector this year. Someone said this
in discord, I think goes everything Blacks I had said. The Knicks have
a lot of interesting decisions to make this summer because Jalen Brunson is extension eligible.
Julius Randall is too. By the way, there's a non zero chance
both of them are all NBA players. I know the absence of positions probably
hurts Randall, but like the way he's been playing, and like, because
of the games played threshold, there's a real chance that makes a third All
NBA team, And that's like, that's gonna make a lot of people uncomfortable.
But Julius Randall has been that valuable to the Knicks. So you have
that looming. Hartenstein's a free agent, Emmanuel quickly is entering unrestricted free agency.
Excuse me, so like you have all of this, that's just a
fascinating subpot. But I mentioned I wonder what Hartenstein gets. I know,
non star Biggs, they tend to get repress in the market and everything Blacks
and Discord. He had to see that Yaka Perl contract. It was licking
his lips. That made me laugh. So I don't think it's gonna make
the Nicks better. I think it might make them more. They'll be like
a nice diversification in the way they're able to play offense. But they have
that they apply for a hardship exception, which would be worth seven point nine
million dollars if granted. They can use that to sign a player for the
rest of the season or to trade for a player on an expiring contract.
I don't know if any bigs spring to mind for you immediately. But that
is something they could investigate, and they also do have if they want it
to go. I don't. I wouldn't want to use this trade chip on
a center, but the Evan Fournier expiring deal can get you a more expensive
center if that's what you're in the market for. Yeah, I mean,
like, I just keep every time a team is looking for a third big
I just like Bismack Biambo was doing nothing till the Grizzlies went and got him,
and he's been pretty good. So let's just you know, you don't
need to you don't need to give up a bunch of assets for a stopgap
guy like that. They're out there, They're they're in THEO. Was like,
they only would need a stop gap. Call the Hornets. The Hornets
just manufacture these like old school bigs all over the place. Bring me j
T. Thor. I don't thinkis would play him, but bring me j
T. Thor. You've got the Thunder. Oh yeah, that's right,
because you had the Knicks, uh the Oklahoma See Thunder. They are expected
to be in the mix for lowry marketing if he becomes available. Per Yahoo's
Jake Fisher, They've also been linked to Isaiah Stewart according to the Athletics James
Edwards, as we mentioned already, also per Jake Fisher, Josh Giddy emerges
a popular trade target before the social media accusations that Giddy had an improper relationship
with a minor. We have not seen further reporting on the in a opiate
relationship with a minor situation, so we're not going to comment further on that.
The Thunder should absolutely be getting rid of this kid. I just don't
see the path to this has nothing to do well, maybe it is coloring
my judgment of this. We've seen him play better like he's not a part
of their best units. At the moment, their offense with their best five
guys in the court can struggle at points. There was a tweet too that
said Josh Gitty is the highest usage rate in that lineup with the starting five.
That is not okay if that's I didn't even have tire of double check
that because I was just so flabbergasted from him. Well, that's an interesting
name to watch. I'd be curious if teams are going to trade for him,
and it's always tough to trade for these guys who are still on their
rookie scales. But Larry Marketing, okay, see inject that into my veins.
I always talked about them getting hefed up front, but like he like
if Josh Gitty is no longer a part of the team, as part of
that equation man Lou Dort, Shay gild Alexander j dub Chet Holgan and Larry
market In. How many titles is that team with five sick over under?
Yeah? Six and a half? No, yeah, that that'd be a
fun trade because it's just like, so we got forty seven first rounders Jazz,
like, how many do you want? And then the Jazz day,
Well, we also have forty seven, so like, can we get like
naming rights on your arena instead because we don't need anymore first although well I
forget where other reporting was, but five ish picks for Larry Markin and was
gonna happen with the Jazz. It's just ridiculous, Orlando Magic moving to a
former Jazz player. Joe Ingles is dealing with the spring left ankle. He's
day to day. Markel Fults will miss his eighteenth straight game on Wednesday with
left knee tendonitis I mean, well, let's we'll get through this and then
we should talk about Folts a little bit. After missing twenty games with the
fracture of the third metacarpal and his left non shooting hand. Wendel Carter Junior
is not listed on Orlando's injury report for Wednesday against Wednesday's game against Miami,
we can talk about so markl Foltz, like coming into the season was going
to start at point right, Like that was just that's what it was.
And he just hasn't played and Suggs and I mean, like it's been nice
to get a little bit more Anthony Black exposure than we otherwise would have gotten.
But like, does Fults does a healthy Folts, Like how much does
he change for Orlando? Or is are we past the point of like where
you sort of Orlando even needs what he provides. He doesn't. I just
don't know what his role is anymore with this team. I think they could
use the on ball decision making, but it's not going to open up their
half court offense anymore. And we've seen a couple times, you know,
in losses. They did lose to the Heat. During Wendo Carter Junior's return,
they lost the Celtics on what was that Sunday? They're actually in the
midst of a three game losing Streakers were recording this. Their offense can just
look clumpy at points. Mark l Folds is not going to help with that,
even if you trust his passing his driving. So I'm just very curiously
because he's in the final year of his contract. I don't know if they
trade him. It's hard to do that when he's injured. But he's also
good sal a good salary matching tool if you do decide to get in a
more aggressive sweep stakes. What do you think about Markel Folts to the Wolves
as a backup point guard because Mike Comley getting hurt is like the only way
things go south for the Wolves as far as I can tell, how to
get to the money for him? Yeah, are they trading Kyle Anderson as
part of that? Anderson and Joe Ingles on the same team again, I
mean we can dream. I have the Philadelphia seventy six ers. Nicholas Patuma
missed Wednesday's game against Minnesota with a right hamstring issue. Also, our good
friend of the podcast and fell a Bleacher reportant employee, Brian to Pork wrote
an interstring article about but Tum has been so great for the Sixers, but
he's on an expiring contract and the reports were that he was going to retire
after the twenty twenty four Olympics. Do you look at moving him since you
know he's not going to be coming back for someone who might factor into the
longer term equation. I'm probably just trying to convince him to not retire and
if I became him a little bit more to make that happen. But thought
that was that's an interesting subplot. Yeah, I mean he you know,
you look at well, what are the Sixers? We talked last I think
last week, and I've been thinking a lot about it, like, how
do they thread this needle of getting somebody that can really help them this year
without either, you know, almost definitely having to allocate some of their fifty
five million plus in cap space to resigning that person next year, or how
do you not give up assets? Basically, the way you the Sixers could
do this is you just retrade Batoomb and Covington and Morris and Picks, and
then that's how you get someone and hope that they don't compromise your cap space,
like trading Batoom is the way you would do that. But if he's
playing so well, like, I don't know, just yeah, I kind
of agree, just see if you can stick around and come back for cheaper
I got the Phoenix Suns two games, just barely. Two games in his
return from back issues. Bradley Beal sprained his right ankle and that's going to
sideline him through at least the beginning of next year, meaning twenty twenty four,
not the next NBA season, although the right things are going, who
knows. He's played a total of twenty four minutes with Devin Booker and Kevin
Durant this season. Josha Koge, a smaller note, has miss four straight
games with a hip issue. The Beal thing, like I guess, I
guess his health track record was part of the reason that it was, like
in addition to the contract and the cost of getting him made it off.
But like talk about this in the time of the trade, I guess maybe
it could have been. But I remember him dealing with a bunch of back
stuff, and if he was on a better team, I feel like he
probably would have played more towards the tail end of those previous seasons, maybe
so, But I just think like this is, I mean, this is
on the way, you know, negative or bad end of the spectrum of
possible outcomes for him so far. But like I do, the injury stuff
was legitimate. It wasn't the main reason that the contract was viewed as so
bad. It was that, like, Beal has never been anything more than
like the second best player on a team that could maybe win a playoff series.
And he's not that guy anymore. Why is he getting you know,
maxed out with the only no trade clause and existence and all that stuff.
This is just a bummer because the Sons have quietly been kind of disappointing.
What are they now? They've they're currently tenth in the West fourteen and thirteen
and again twenty four minutes of all three of those guys together like this,
this is, this is to draw a distinction. This The Suns are not
a wake me up in the second round situation like Denver, even though it's
tempting to do that with their top three, I'm I can't, I can't
put them in that same level. I do agree because it does feel like
you have points. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have sort of checked out defensively
a lot of the time, and but when you do kind of dig into
their lineup data, when you start building like the three man four man combinations,
it's very easy to find a bunch of units that are net plus.
And it's just like if Beal is healthy, if they are healthy, they
will absolutely be there. And so I'm not it's not wake me up in
the second round, but it's just if you're gonna tell me those three players
are available in late April, I am not too concerned about this team,
but we're at the point where it's something to monitor and you're almost operating like
we're waiting for the shoot to drop with Kevin Durant, because there's always been
something every season ever since he injured det Achilles and Booker too. Booker is
like a fifty some odd game you know, sixt out earlier. Though that's
good some of them. Yeah. The Durant thing is that is exactly right
way to frame it though, just waiting for the knee spray in the ankle
sprain and the whatever that always sidelines him for a chunk of the season.
The Portland trail Blazer is only one what I deem notable thing on them comes
from Danny Mrangue of the Jack Ramby's podcast. The Blazers apparently have zero interest
in trading Jeremy Grant because they're happy with his production, with what he's like
in his role. I call I very much like Danny, I call organizational
bullshit speak on that. There's just that team is. They're not overrun with
veterans. But you need to get to a point where you can't be both
bad and then playing your veterans. And that's what the Blazers are right now.
They've had some frisky games, but the other night where it's Malcolm Brogden
playing the entire fourth quarter, and it's just, yeah, okay, if
you're trying to beat the Warriors, which I guess they were, are you
lost. It'll be different if you were winning games. But they will absolutely
move Jeremy Grant, and I don't know if they'll do it this deadline.
Put zero interest in moving him. No, yes, zero. I would
say Portland should have at the very minimum some interest. A zero's not kind
for me. Maybe a lot we don't even need this, A lot you
should have some You should have a modicum of it. I will say it
does feel like it's more pressing just because of what it does to Shadon Sharp's
shot attempts and roll in the offense and then Scoot Henderson's minutes. Apparently they
need to move Broggeden because it's clear they're not gonna just not play him if
he's available. And I'm a very big believer in yeah, you want veterans
can help. They can streamline the development of certain players. But when it's
going to start to infringe upon the development of those players, it becomes an
issue. Right, Sacramento Kings, and you tease this earlier, Zach Lavine
would be interested in joining the Kings via trade. According to the athletic sam
Amok, Kings might have interest if the price is right. Amick also adds
a Sacramento used the price of getting siakamoor anenobe as too exorbitant, So I
mean, reading between the lines there, it sure seems like the price for
Levine's not gonna be that high relatively speaking, which is kind of wild because
both of those guys can be free agents. Those Toronto guys. What do
you make of Zach Levine to the Kings feels a little bit like, uh,
just let's continue to not give any attention to the defensive end and just
upgrade the Kevin Herder spot with the guy that's kind of like Kevin Herder,
accept like fifty percent better at everything that that's a weird fit to me,
don't I think if you do look at the roster, they could use kind
of that another outside shot creator where you're gonna get either Kevin Herder wants to
work off the ball or him in the league monk, or gonna want to
get going towards the basket a little bit more. I'd rather bet on Keegan
Murray continuing to turn into that player on offense rather than give up assets to
get Zach Colvine, and just it ignores your need for wing defense. And
I saw Kings fans, I remember what they were responding to, and don't
necessarily I don't like throwing shade at people. It was clear that what they
wrote was just not accurate. They were talking about Davion Mitchell as the bat
like Davey I much just hasn't played meaningful minutes in forever, but like Kim
Murray's not an elite wing defender, Kia Murray's developed into a very good,
very serviceable wing defender. Daron Fox has also been very good on defense.
Sacramento's defense overall is not good, even though they've had some really good performances,
and I'm not concerned about their offense despite it not ranking inside the top
five. They're in the top ten comfortably since Daron Fox came back, and
that's bringing to right ankle. I understand that you might want a different type
of shot creator. Like I said, my issue with that maybe the price
on Zack Lvine, Like if it would he just salary it's Barnes and Kevin
Herder type deal and whatever else you need to get there, I'd consider it.
That's where it's like, Okay, that gets a little interesting. But
and it's I'm not saying it would cost them Kegan, but you're gonna have
to think of stuff for Zack Lvin that then will preclude you from giving up
that stuff to address what are bigger needs on your roster. And that's why
I'm I'm not doing it. Like what is this has been a confusing thing
for me. What is the goal for the Kings? Because I think among
Kings fans a lot of is like, let's make the playoffs again, and
we're good. The organization has been talking and more in terms of like that
we would agree with, which is like, let's step up, let's get
better, let's chase like a high prize and not just try to make the
playoffs again. How far are you going with zach Lavine and Demonisabonis as two
guys on the floor and like playoff series defensively, because to me, that's
just like, look, when you have an elite wing defender like Murray,
I will not I will not join you in speaking ill of Keegan Murray because
I know it's not. You know, he's he was better on defense for
most of the season than he was on offense going in. That's why I'm
saying, like I'm not, it's not they don't have zach Lavine at home,
but I want to see we saw it in Summer League. Like give
Keegan Murray's gonna have more on ball reps. His time goes on. I
don't need zach I'd rather especially with the zach Lavine contract. So I I
understand the theory behind zach Lavine, but the reality of having to get him
is going to come at an opportunity cost. That is then going to inhibit
your team building process. And that's that's when people who are saying, and
I don't buy this, I think it's bullshit that the Sacramento Kings are better
off with the Domos a Bonis. If you believe that Domas a Bonis can't
be the second best player on a title team. That is different from saying
that the Kings are better off without Domas a Bonis. Yeah, even I
would not say they're better off without him. I would say they're better,
They're they're better off not paying him like a max player. But but like,
no, there, I mean, obviously he's a great offensive player,
you know, put in all the asterisks and say for the regular season and
all this other stuff, but like he's objectively just a really valuable piece,
Like they're not better without him. But it's like, it's funny. Did
you see what dearon Fox said on Twitter where someone was saying, well,
why would why wouldn't they be better off off with Domas a Bonas His stats
have been the same for like three years, And then darreon box Quo tweeted
and said, oh, consistency is the new like bad like attribute in the
NBA. We don't need consistency. No, yeah, we've we've I have
definitely said enough about the Kings and Sibonis. We are on the Anonobe team,
though, I just before we move on, the Kings are my Ananobe
team. Make that happen. So but the so this is actually so,
we'll get to that with the Raptors because there's something mentioned in there I believe
about that. We'll move on to the San Antonio Spurs, who, as
we were recording this, have still not started Trey Jones in case anyone's been
tracking that like like I have, but only one note on them. Victor
wim Yama miss Tuesday's game against the Bucks with right ankle soortness. All word
is that he will be fine. Back to Ananobe Slash Raptors talk, Toronto's
expected to see Keegan Murray in exchange Forandoonoby per Yea, who's Jake Fisher.
Sacramento has thus far proven unwilling to trade Keegan Murray to any of to any
of the teams they've or for any of the players they've been linked to.
Per Jason Anderson and the Sacramento b player. Oh sorry, I thought you
were done, you know, I just I was gonna throw the There's expected
to be a robust market for Siakam ahead of the trade deadline. According to
the Sports Nets Michael Grange, who is the player that you would trade?
Who is the player you would trade Keegan Murray for? If you're the Kings.
If I'm the Kings, I'm honestly asking, like, what would I
would trade Keegan Murray for og and and Obi if I were the Kings?
Like that's that is? That is okay? Are you? Are you including
anything with that? Well, you got to get there with them, you
gotta, yes. But if it's Kean Murray, I mean, if it's
Kegan Murray and Harrison Barnes, you're kind of decimating your forward rotation at that
point. But I just I think, I mean, I think I really
like Keegan Murray. I think his defensive growth is legitimate. I think he
has the capacity to be He just proved it he eleven threes in a row
or whatever it was. He's also an older prospect, so like, yeah,
he's getting better, but the ramp towards his peak is like he's closer
to that than you would, you know, say, someone who's nineteen or
twenty is I just I think Anonobe is like, Okay, how good does
Keegan Murray have to get defensively before we don't laugh at comparing him to Anonobe.
Right, Like Anonobe is just practically a one of one defensively, he
he might be the best all around individual defender in the league. He can
guard five positions. Like, that's just there's a reason we've probably said his
name, I don't know, twenty five times an episode for like six months
in a row. Basically like he's just we're probably you know what, We're
probably too high on Anonobe. But I still think if if it's Murry and
not too reed me, I don't know, I'm trading Murray for Anonobe.
Sorry, I just that's not a hard decision for me. And Anaobe said
he'd resign, Sure, I probably would. I don't know if I'm including
anything else other than I we get there to the money, So you have
Davion Mitchell, you include his money with Keegan Murray, and then you actually
actually might almost be there because of how cheap Anaanobe is. Well, here's
the thing that, like does Toronto even think about that? Because I feel
that's whatever for Anonob. So I'm just operated on thessumption if I was trying
to I wouldn't move Ananobe. It would take an offer a bull me over,
because yes, you have to pay him, But if you're eventually gonna
move Seakham, or let him walk because that's what the Raptors do. Apparently,
he just makes so much more sense next to Barnes. So even if
you want to start over, trade Shruder, trade Perl, trade Siakham,
let GTJ walk, or trade him and then like rebuild around Barnes and Anenobi,
the counterpoint to that is just he could then leave in free agency because
he's on a restricted free agent What is the team that that ken and will
give up enough to get Anenobe? Because I don't think the Kings are the
Ananobe team. Where if I asked you, what's the team you put og
Ananobe on and they are immediately in the inner circle of title contention, that
isn't already there, and I think it's probably between the Pelicans and the Kings.
Maybe would you say Philly. Philly was the first team that came to
mind, but I was hesitant to say they're not already like pretty close to
the contenders circle, but like they are in it if he's on that team.
You mean that that that that's that's a no brainer for me. What
about the thunder or do you not like him there? No? I like,
if you just take out Giddy and put it at an Obi, I
mean what we already were already like fantasized about market in there instead of Giddy,
like I would also, I think Anonobe might actually, well, I
don't know market and is shooting in volumes marketing better there for his they have,
I feel like they probably have enough defense. Their defense would be so
it's already good, but it would be so good. Like Anonoby door Shay
is like quietly one of the best defensive guards in the league. Now,
chet Holmgren is one of the best defensive gigs in the league. Like they
just I mean, and it's not like anonob takes anything off the table offensively.
He just can't dribble or pass. But he's gonna make open threes.
That's all you need from him. So we have OKC New Orleans, Sacramento
will throw Philly in there, because I think it's fair to say it feels
like they need not a third star, but another player anybody else that what
about an honest question, would the Knicks without Anobe be there? Ah?
Man, I don't know. I mean, I'm not sure that gets them
all the way there. Although, like how much how different are they from
like the Philly tier of the of things that are just like just below the
Milwaukee Boston of what I guess I have to say They're not quite there,
but it might be pretty close if I'd probably feel better about it if you
could tell me that they would play Randall at the five with Annobe at the
four. Who then is your five on defense guards? Fives? Yeah?
Yeah, the other team that is currently just slipping through my mind right,
oh Miami, m I feel like that could be they might need more offensive
creation. Then he provides that, but like, I don't know, you're
keeping Lowry or Tyler hero in that equation. You're probably fine, Cleveland,
just upgrade the Max Strue spot. Although how do you get how do you
get like you would have to give up Donovan Mitchell for the imagine they were
just like, no, fuck it, we'll trade injured Devan Mobley, the
Raptors will tank. Oh man, what I mean, what are the odds
Cleveland trades mobile? That might be a zero interest Yeah, what is there
a number that's less than zero? Let's see you got the Jazz. I
think yes, we're onto the Jazz. Keante George missed his fourth straight game
on Wednesday with a sore left foot. Jordan Clarkson could return on December twenty
eight from a right thigh strain that assigned lined him since December eleventh. Jordan
Clarson is available in the right package, the right deal, per Bleacher Reports
Chris Haynes. John Collins is already back on the trade block according to Andy
Larson of the Salt Lake Tribune, and according to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer,
the Jazz would be willing to move lowry market in for a return comparable
to that of the Ruby Go Bear trade that's five ish first or players of
comparable value of note. Marked In recently said, I really believe in what
the Jazz are building here. So many questions, the first of which is
did Danny Ainge and Justice Adach just send out like a mass text and all
these rumors came out like the Jazz are kind of in they need to consider
everything mode because I think Larry Martin is a fantastic player. I don't know
where you're going if he is your best player, and does he prevent you
from getting the person who can be your best player. If you believe that
can be Walker Kessler or Kiante George, you already have them. But if
you're looking, and I guess this year's draft stock will be high enough perhaps
that it's not an issue. But he's coming up on a new deal.
So if I were the Jazz, I would look at moving market in.
But it doesn't feel like they're particularly serious because when it was Rudy Gobert,
they were saying the same stuff, and they were reporting out of Utah that
here's here. Would be the red flag for me if they said he's untouchable,
like kind of with the Donovan Mitchell where it's oh, the Jazz aren't
ready to trade him. That's what I knew they were probably gonna trade him.
So the fact that they're not saying that about Mark In this could be
face value and it only takes one team. Just with him coming up so
close to the end of his deal. I know he's younger, I know
he's a more valuable offensive player. You're not getting that much. And also
just because the past two seasons they look more like outliers compared to the rest
of his career. They're not clearly, but so I would be fairly surprised.
But like Man the Thunder, the Heat, like those are probably my
two favorite marketing teams. I was gonna ask you one for your thoughts on
this, but I saw this cropping up around Nick Twitter said they would really
like him there, and I'm kind of like, if Julius Randall's still there,
I know marketing is more of a play finisher, but then you're just
deciding, oh, he's our wing. Yeah, and so it's just I
don't I just I don't love it during the playoffs, even though defin if
you were going to go that route, I'd rather see you not mortgage your
future to the hilt and just get going on Bardanovic for a season and just
see that kind of what that looks like. Yeah, I'm ready for teams
to quit trying to play marketing at small forward, which kind of feels like
what the Knicks would have to do unless they get it. Also depends on
like, maybe you feel better about that of Mitchell Robinson's gonna play again this
season, which he's not. I guess, like my reaction to the to
the O'Connor and thing is like, one, this is very angy, like
just it feels like, let's set the market at a ridiculous level and if
we get seventy percent of this thing I threw out there, then we still
win. But like another aspect of this is the same reason the Jazz would
be willing to move market In is the same the same reason that another team
will just not offer what is reportedly the expectation from Utah because like I mean,
you said it, he's not The Jazz cannot really do anything of consequence
if Marketing is their best player, like second best maybe and paid like a
second best. Sure, third best. Oh yeah, Like that's now we're
talking. But other teams around the league I think view him similarly. Nobody's
saying we need market In, We're willing to give up all this draft capital
to get him because he's going to be the cornerstone of our team. Like
that's just not what he is, you know, which is not a knock,
Like he's a borderline. Did he make the All Star team last year?
I mean he's like a board. Yeah, he's he's that level of
player and not more than that. So you're not getting like, I don't
know what this is. So the only team that could realistically do it and
would probably just protect all the because they were about like the Thunder could do
it and protect the hell out of them. But that might be what you're
looking at, because I even thought what would be the most unprotected picks you
could get for lowry market in I think it's two. It's two, it's
not three. I just it's not you can't get that high. You can
get two and then a couple like quote unquote first or whatever. Realistically,
I thought the most aggressive real offer where you're not talking about, well,
this pick is protected in the next buyers was the Miami Heat sending like salary
so whether it's Tyler Hero or it's lowry, and then if it's lowery,
you need to take more money back. And then would they go to two
first and two swaps? He was like, seems like a lot. I
don't so I would probably do it if I'm Miami. I don't know if
that's enough to get Like, if I'm Utah, I might just want to
say, Okay, well what's his price point in his next deal? Yeah,
because he might just be more valuable to keep around then because we have
they have so many future first right. I think he's someone I would be
very much invested in keeping as long as I didn't didn't have to maxim,
didn't have to treat you know, think I don't know what the number needs
to be in the new cap environment, but he can't be paid like he's
the guy, because that's just not that isn't what he is. My hot
take, I don't know if it's a hot take, but I think they
should be trying to trade. They should be buyers, just in the sense
that I think this would do good things for the players that are around them
long term. They should be looking for, like not someone to take over
for Kiante George, but another sort of four general type like go just see
what Charlotte wants for LaMelo. So that's that's rough on Jontay Murray kind of
definitely a lower end option there. That's the type of thing I would like.
Why don't you see what Donovan Mitchell costs from Cleveland. I hear he's
available. I was I was gonna swing much much lower and be like,
well maybe this is if he's healthy than Mark el Folk spot spend it spend
the rest of the year here being like, you know, just capably running
the offense, and then he leaves. Go with me on this if they
just keep heading down this path, Like what's the future of Steph Curry look
like with Golden State? I think he's just bound to be in Utah at
some point. That just seems like the honestly, they be more realistic that
they should even just like a Delaonn Wright or a Tias Jones. Yeah right,
Tias Jones is it's already sort of happening. It's gonna be a hot
name at the deadline for sure, because I mean, send it back to
Minnesota for that's another one. I forget who I tried to earlier. They
can get to his money, but it's gonna cost him. Kyle Anderson,
I might do that. I mean I believe in Nasrid enough and Alexander.
Would Kyle Anderson shake Milton and seconds? I'm good do it. I don't
know if the Wizards Washington good, Yeah, I don't think so. Uh,
speaking of the Washington Wizards, our last team, Uh, Delon Wright
who's missed eighteen straight with the Spring mc Ellen's right, and he is now
day to day. That's an upgrade. Still kind of a bummer. Landry
Shamma could return as early as December twenty first, which is tomorrow as we're
recording this from bruised Wright rib that has kept him out since December sixth.
Anything to add to this, uh, this fascinating Wizards team very quickly over
under of one point five of these players still being on the roster after the
trade deadline. Al Kuzma, Jordan Poole, Tias Jones, Delon Wright,
Daniel Gafford one point five. I'll say over because you gave me, like,
what do you give me? Five guys? Six guys? Point Five's
that's the That's how you know that's a better over under. Uh? I
hope it's. I hope it's under that. I hope there's only two of
these. Two of the guys you mentioned are still one of there's gonna be
Jordan Poole. I don't know who's trading for him right now. Well,
yeah, that's so yeah, let's take him off the table. So you
said Gafford Jones, right, Kuzma, I mean they should trade all those
guys. They should. Those guys are gone, right, I hope they
should want Kuzma. If you're Memphis, like and you're trying to make something
of this season, you should definitely want Kuzma. I don't know if he's
enough of an upgrade. Defensively, he probably is the Harrison Barnes of this
season. But like, if you would include something else and it's not Kigan
Murray, do you think going from Barnes to Kuzma makes a difference for the
Kings. I think it makes him a little better. Again, I don't
know if he endorsement, Yeah, well that's that's that's how I feel.
He the other one I thought of, Well, I've actually thought of a
bunch. You'd be kind of sneaky interesting in Dallas Kuzma, would you mean
yeah? Interesting? Yeah, I mean I'm not sure. I certainly like
he would be. Are you worried about how he'll fit in a different offensive
role. I think I think he would get more defensive attention than Derek Jones,
for example, or even probably ExHAM. So if, like as you
mentioned earlier, if one of the issues is just like let's get somebody out
there that is going to scare the defense, I think like he you know,
make fun of the bad shots and all that stuff all you want,
but like he's gonna get defensive attention in ways that some of the guys Dallas
has do not. So that's I mean that that that's a I don't know
what you're giving up to get him, what what Washington would want from Dallas,
But I think he's he's definitely there's a spot for him to help out
in there. So I'm gonna put a clock on this. I say,
we get to the non Rubik Scal trivia ones that we have, and then
we'll try to do as many Rubik Scal trivia one and she's had a bunch
too, I think, both of us before we get out of here.
How's that sound to you? Works for me? Okay? So, uh,
do you have any guests of players? I do not have any guests
of players for you? Okay, So I got one for you from Nikola
Kolev. Are you ready? I'm ready? Clue number one of five.
I spent two years in college, after which I was drafted in the NBA.
During my still active career, I have played competitive games for three teams
and have been traded three times. Okay, Clue two. A jack of
all trades, master of none, my current coach has called me a utility
infielder, praising my versatility as a defender, playmaker, and scorer. Hmm,
that's interesting, okay. Clue three, I led to twenty sixteen FOBA
America's Under eighteen championship in scoring with seventeen point four points a game. Oh,
FOBA America's like that? Does that? I don't know what that tells
me. Clue number four, well, not a numerical highlight. My most
well known NBA game involved playing against a family member. Is this, Nikhil
Alexander Walker? Correct? The fifth clue was finally, in this stable situation,
I'm carving out an NBA role for myself, but I'm not nearly a
successful as my cousin, who's already been named to an All NBA first team.
So you were, yeah, kind of the same as the previous clue.
Yeah, FEBA Americas is tricky because it's like, well, that could
be Canada, which in fact it was. But all right, all right,
that's a good one. Be rich. Are you ready for be riches?
Do you need to put on your be rich hat? Yeah? Let
me again climb into the mind of a psychopath. I'm ready Clue number one,
also a five. I was the fourth pick in a late nineties draft.
After starting almost every game for four seasons, my poorly run team let
me leave in free agency. Fourth pick in a late nineties draft. All
right, Clue two. I made the All Rookie team, then won sixth
Man of the Year. Eleven years later. In between, I won two
NBA titles. Whoa fourth pick, sixth Man of the year, two titles.
All right, Clue three, just because Grant hates these the three most
similar players to me into Basketball Reference there David Lee, Sharif Abdul Raheem,
and Larry Johnson. Three legends. All right, so we got a it's
like a power for so a big guy that won six Man of the Year,
that was the number four pick in the I should have it, by
the with the number four pick from the late nineties, I don't have it,
though. Clue four. I averaged thirteen point three points, six and
a half rebounds, and three point seven assists for my career. My best
statistical career was in two thousand and three two thousand and four, after which
my team cashed me in with two other rotation players in a first round pick
for a Hall of Fame center. Whoa, there was a lot to digest
there, Give me that one more time. I averaged thirteen point three points,
six and a half rebounds, and three point seven assists for my career.
My best statistical season was in three to four, after which my team
traded me with two other rotation players in a first round pick for a Hall
of Fame center. Man, these are all so vague. I'm actually surprised
you didn't get it on that clue. Really, you know, really really,
but really though, are you really no? Really traded me with two
rotation players and a first you said for a Hall of Fame center. Correct?
The sixth Man of the Year thing has really got me hung up on
it. Do you want the final clue? Yeah, give me the final
clue. I'm left handed and love Candy. I'm left handed and love candy.
Oh boy, you're gonna rip your hair out if you don't get this.
I'm left handed and I love Why is that such a why? Why
is that supposed to be the clue? That just well, based off all
the other clues, this should have been to giveaway how loving candy and being
left handed? There was a so I'll add to it. Okay, I'm
trying to think whether I should start naming players that they would be associate.
Well, there was a document well there was a video documentary made about this
player's love for candy, love for the only thing. So when you say
a player that loves candy, I think of Dwight Howard because he liket.
Remember there was like he had skittles, like in a bedside table that he
would just like, wake up and eat. Yeah, who the hell else
loves candy? It was not Dwight Howard in case that I guess he's not
left handed. Was not the number four pick in a late nineties draft.
Also, oh man, I don't have it. I don't have it.
I'm just gonna start naming players, all right. Brian Grant, Okay,
that's a player who I am. Garius Miles, Okay, I also know
him. Corny mcghetty. Okay, these are all duke. No, why
why are you naming these Guysqui O'Neal, I have nothing. These are just
names you're saying. The answer is lamar odom. Why are you saying Brian
Grant? Wasn't Brian Grant part of the Shaquille O'Neal trade. Clearly I have
no idea. Yeah, maybe he was from the the heat. Great,
Now I have to go check that to check my memory on the transactions from
like eighty years ago. Okay, so now I'm piecing it together. The
number four pick in a late Narin and he's Draft six Man of the Year.
Yes it was Karan Butler, Brian Grant, lamar odom, a two
thousand and six first round pick which became Jordan Farmar and a seven second round
pick which pocad Rinaldis, a Buddhist shout out to me for remembering Brian Grant,
came on. That's impressive. You know what this this tells me.
These were just bad clues because I should have got I should have got I
refused to accept responsibility. Now let's see, So you thought I should have
got it on the trade thing because he was traded with two rotation players for
a few a Hall of Fame excepter, hearing that he won six Men of
the Year and two NBA titles and then was traded for a I was gonna
say, Kardashians, what I thought that would have been a dead giveaway,
that would have got it. Yeah, I might have guess Tristan Thompson first,
but probably not. All right, well noted six men of the Years.
Yeah, I've defeated. I feel defeated. I'm sure Bill is ecstatic.
Congratulations you got me, had a bunch more from Mike Kurnishing, but
you did not give me access to the document that you said, So we
will be skipping over yours this week. I do have we both have trivias
from rubikscal though. Yes you want to start, yes, So it's basically
one, but it's split into kind of like three different questions. So Dan
as as I'm sure you're aware, Steph Curry's two and sixty eight game made
three pointer streak is no more. That was the longest streak of all time?
Who had the second longest. I'll give you options unless you want to
just spouted out because you came across this at some point, Jef Curry,
that is correct. So that's one I was gonna say. Did you just
know that or was it like obvious from the framing of the question. I
knew it. Okay, however, uh, the longest streak, not by
Steph, belongs to Aamian Lillard. Wrong. I'll give you options, Klay
Thompson, Kyle Korver, James Harden, Jason Tatum. It is Kyle Korver.
Do you want to guess? Is it more over under one hundred?
Uh? Oh, it has to be. If it's the second longest,
it's over one hundred, because Dame has over one hundred. I think one
seven. Uh, longest active. Now you've already said it is Dame Amian
Lillard. I don't know what that number is. Uh. That that is
Uh, that's so crazy that Steph. How about this hypothetical, This isn't
a trivia question. Is Steph going to have another two hundred game made three
streak? Is that possible? At age thirty five? What an history gain?
Dat again to sixty eight? So if we divide that into eighty two?
Oh did they count playoffs? No? I think it's just regular season.
So that would mean that he has to play basically three and one quarter
full regular seasons from here. I won't rule it out. I'm not gonna
lie roll it out. Yeah, that is staying healthy enough to accumulate those
games, I think is maybe more of the issue than making a three in
every game he plays. That that would be where I would have some concerns.
That is the only trivia that Rubik Skal sent me, unless I check
my phone while you look for others. No, that's all I got.
I've got a bunch. So one, my dad, this actually might this
is a guess a player. I'm sorry, but clue number one. My
dad played four years with the tar Heels, but his college career coincided with
Michael Jordan and James Worthy. Though he played one hundred and three games from
North Carolina, he only averaged one point five points in four point three minutes.
Okay, my dad was part of the famous nineteen eighty four draft class,
having been picked up by the Denver Nuggets, but he suffered a serious
knee injury before tryout and never played in the NBA. Ooh, okay,
clew three of seven. My dad did, however, get to see me
drafted fifth overall by the Utah Jazz, and I played all eighty two games
in my rookie season, starting half of them. I should get it from
that, but I don't don't have a fifth number five pick for the Jazz.
All right, continue CLU four. Unfortunately, my NBA career was played
with injuries, starting with a torn acl and then in order a separated left
shoulder, a sprained ankle, a bone bruise, and then a torn pteller
tendon. Jesus, tough, tough luck. Did we didn't get a year
on the number five pick by the Jazz? Did we? What's that we
were not provided with the year that this player was picked fifth by the Jazz?
No? All right, clu five. My highly touted athleticism was fast
fading. I was no longer getting any playing time. I reached minna dear
in twenty twenty one when the Hardenless Rocket it's waived me before the start of
the season. Oh man, I should I should get this right away.
So the number five pick that was waved by the Rockets in twenty one,
I think I might just be off today. Nothing's coming. I spent two
years playing in Europe getting healthy again before I rejoined the NBA. Hmmm,
oh is this just exim? Yes, Dante exem his dad is Cecil Exam.
I didn't know that about his dad. That was a good week.
Did I send this to Ruberg Scale and the side chat? Just the like,
the knowledge and depth like the knowledge and the depth of the research is
just mind melting. Here. Very impressive. Yeah, pretty much for every
guess a player, I learned something. Yeah, I totally learned about shit.
And then shout out to like be Rich for always just giving you ones
that are gonna annoy you in some way every time, especially if I don't
get them, and shout out Nicolecha and Mike Hernishing for sending us some.
We appreciate every single one of you. All right, now, would you
gotten this last clue? I am shooting fifty three percent from the field forty
and a half percent from three in twenty games this year, and both her
career highs that wouldn't if I wasn't gonna get it off the previous ones that
wasn't gonna get me there. Uh, I'm trying to This one reads like
a not a high coupe, but it almost feels like a poem. But
it's trivia now at passing and shooting, I was a killer, though my
big man skills were kind of vanilla brad Miller to make what's that Brad Miller?
Wow? Wow that I'm gonna finish it though, just because I appreciate
the run. Oh yeah, go ahead. The first to make consecutive All
Star appearances but for different conferences. Who am I? I'm Brad Miller.
I've played golf with Brad Miller. Have I ever told you that just got
random? These cool stories about how they know these NBA players or play golf
with these NBA players. I've shown Kemp dapt me up twice. That's my
cool NBA story. I was randomly paired with him one time and it was
like, that's clearly or just like at a just random like Wednesday, like
a couple of few years ago. That's a weird. So you belong to
the same country club as Brad Miller, that's a very It was a public
course Brad Miller. I don't think he was wearing jeorts, but he had
a real jeorts vibe. Very nice guy, cool guys. That's what podcast
money gets you, folks. Yeah right, youwo. That's why everyone should
have a podcast. Everyone does. Okay, let's see, I got you
reminded me. I have also a rhyming uh kind of guess a player slash
trivia thing from Rubik's scalp. In restaurants, I have a reputation for not
tipping at Central Orchestra. At Central, all my prospects were slipping a growth
spurt gave my college stats an uptick in the late eighties. I was drafted
fifth as a supersonic. You're gonna have to let the the rhyming thing of
tipping and slipping do a lot of the work here and then slipping. Scottie
Pippen, was he drafted by the Sonics? He was? You got it?
Was he? Yeah? So rubiksk this is another learning moment. I
did not know that Scottie Pippen was notorious for like not tipping at restaurants and
stuff. But that's the thing I learned from Rubik Scal's trivia limericks, So
I didn't I didn't know that either. She shouted. By the way,
Ruby Scal shouted out Trey Kirby from No Dunks because he was the original source
of the Brad Miller trivia. Your friend Brad Miller, a good close personal
buddy. Let's do Let's do one more. Okay, this is trivia from
Ruby Scal. The fifteen sixteen MAVs had three point guards who started at least
one game for them. All three of them were born on the same day,
June twenty sixth, nineteen eighty four, who were the point guards.
Uh is JJ Berea one of them? He is one of three? That's
correct. Eighty four. So hold on, how these guys are fifteen six
sixteen MAVs. Who the hell is on the fifteen sixteen MAVs? Was was
that the year Rondo was there for like five minutes? No? Probably not
him. I think that was fourteen to fifteen. Okay, fifteen sixteen MAVs
point guards. I'm so bad at these, like just trying to remember who
was on that roster. One of them might feel like you should know.
Oh, that doesn't help me. This is just wild that the same birthdays
and they all started at least one game for them. We're just like,
I didn't know this shit. It's the same, like down to the day,
like the same month your day. Uh, let me look at that.
No, oh, it's the same. It's the same day and year.
Wow, that's bizarre. Shout out. How do you even find that?
Uh? I don't know if I'm gonna get anybody beyond JJ Burrea without
without hints. Okay, I'll do. How about your word association? Try
and get you through the last two guesses? Great North Carolina Raymond Felton.
Oh, he was on the Maps and did not remember that. Wow,
I can give you the birth date, maybe that June twenty sixth, nineteen
eighty four. Nope, that uh you believe it or not. That does
not help me. Uh all right, this is the guy I thought you
were gonna get, So keep that in mind. Okay, go get Jerry
Sloan. Oh, Darren Williams. There you go. Damn that's I.
I honestly, god, I cannot remember that Darren Williams, or certainly not
Raymond Felton. I you would if you had said you have, Like you
just remember Raymond Felton starting for the Maps. I apparently blocked that out for
memory. I'm trying to think this. Well knows Devin Harris was also on
that team. He just didn't start, seeh, Devin Harris. I definitely
associate with Dallas. But that's uh man, what was going on in my
life in twenty fifteen sixteen? I just blacked out that whole year. I
can't remember. Well, if probably the Warriors are winning seventy three games,
I just didn't care about anything else that might have been it. Do you
want to take us out of here? Sure? Thank you everybody that I
guess especially Rubik Scal is just the MVP of this episode for teaching us things
and doing ridiculous for an hour and forty minutes, and then the final ten
minutes Ruberscal comes in and just dominates, just just called called out of the
bullpen and throws one hundred and five to just take us, take us home
again. Thanks everybody. If you are not already following, you can do
that on our socials at Hardwood Knocks on Twitter and TikTok at Horbard Underscore Knocks
on Instagram, subscribe on YouTube, rate review five stars on iTunes, Apple,
Spotify, every place you get your podcast, Tell your friends. Word
of mouth is always really helpful if you want to join our discord, which
is how you can basically become a part of the podcast at this rate,
with the way we're harvesting suggestions and trivia and guess the players do that and
get merch the links for that or in the YouTube and podcast description, I
think that covers it. Thank you for listening, thank you for watching that.
We close as always with a shout out to the one only Frank Nilikina
and an apology to jaredown