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Brewing Company, Golden Colorado. Hello everyone, and welcome to the latest episode
of Hardwood Knocks. This is Adam Frommel here with my fantastic co host Dan
for Valley, who's gonna kick things off by telling us how he's doing today.
I'm doing all right. I am very tired. My caffeine intake is
way too high. I don't mean I'm trying not to complain because I know
people have it worth and we cover a game for a living, but I
am exhausted, and to be honest, I love podcasting, so this is
going to be fun and cathartic. This week needs to end for me.
That's how I feel. How do you feel? Hear you? I hear
you. You know. Right now, I'm just trying to think of examples
of athletes who it's just impossible to hate, coming up with like Derek Rose
Maybe yeah, I don't we'll start. I mean, should we throw a
karm Malone in there? Maybe Kevin John's and Ben Roethlisberger. Yeah, you
know, there are a lot of options O. J. Simpson. Yeah,
just these universally likable that's look. As someone who now works part time
in social media branding, I understand the challenges of running accounts like that and
how under appreciated social media managers coordinators whatever they're called are. That fan Duel
tweet was is going to end up being like one of the three most tone
deaf sports tweets of the year, and it's only February. I can say
that without question at this point. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, like
people can make mistakes on social media for sure, but like there was there
was forethought that went into that one, and that was just weird. Yeah,
when you saw the fan Duel sports betting account replied to it, like,
it was like, okay, there were some type of coordination here.
That's a problem. Yeah, yeah, just not not a great one.
But you know what was great on social media was all the questions we got
for this mailbag edition. Yes, you're gonna lead us through it. Well,
let's preface this with Adam is currently on a media blackout because he's recording
a tennis match that he wants to watch. I respect it. So he's
coming in here blind and this is going to be very just off the cuff
and exciting, which our mailbags usually include more forethought and we're about to put
into them. But we have a lot of good questions. We'll try to
get to as many as possible. Shout out to people who are dming me
mailbag questions when we're not even doing mailbags, just for the future mailbag,
I honest to God, want to shout you you out, and I'm going
to use one of them today because it was I thought it was a great
question. But I appreciate the engagement. Keep them coming, and definitely make
sure that you know you're you're sending us more questions when we solicit them from
the from the hardwarknox account, and if you can tell that they're coming from
the NBA math account, sending good questions there too, so that Adam's ego
is not bruised and broke. I was gonna say I would welcome some some
DM questions to me as well, but I know that's not going to happen
because for whatever reason, and it's kind of our running joke behind the scenes,
whenever I solicit questions for a mailbag, just crickets, absolutely nothing and
any time Dan sends out one, it's the response rate is so much better.
So I'm I'm glad to know that there is a clear favorite, as
there should be among the co hosts. It get. I don't think it's
the co host, but there's Maybe you're too cool for the Internet, because
now it's getting glaring since you're using the NBA Math account with seventy k plus
followers whatever it is, I'm using our Hardwoodknox account follow at Hardwoodknox. How's
that for a plug that has I think four thousand, five hundred followers.
We love every single one of you. Keep with questions coming, but that's
like, that's a glaring differential. I thought I really had the hook this
time with the t PA chart with the Twitter followers who submit questions up in
the top right. It was still behind your kitchen. It was too interested
in land. People wanted to retweet it and engage with the actual graphic you
put on there rather than the solicitation itself. That's how you have to look
at it. Maybe I need to like act like my feelings are really more
hurt than they are, or beg which I can just shamelessly beg. Yeah,
and Look, someone in the reviews wrote, I'm reviewing this because I
feel bad. It seems like they're desperate for ratings and reviews. That's literally
what our last written review says. I mean it's they're not wrong. Like
that's a pretty good read of the situation, to be honest. Look,
every time we get a rating or review, our ego gets to go up
a notch. For it's temporary, but we really appreciate it. So keep
those coming. We might be desperate, who knows, But are you ready
to get into these questions? I think so. This one is fascinating to
me, and it comes from long time listener Miroslav Shook, who I feel
like I Butcher's pronunciation all the time, and it's because I just suck at
talking. Who is Denver's second best player this season? You know you want
the answer to be Jamal Murray, but I don't think it has been,
Like I think it's one of the role It's got to be like one of
the successful role players. Or Michael Porter Jr. Who I also have trouble
putting in that category because as potent as he's been offensively, he just hasn't
played enough yet. So like it as as much as I might get made
fun of for this answer, like is there a chance it's actually Monte Morris
or can you get really excited? Because could it be Ja Michael Green?
So if we're talking consistency, Ja, Michael Green and Mante Morris absolutely belong
in the conversation, right, that'll have to high enough ceiling for sure.
Jamal Murray's peaks have still been there, and I'm convinced he's banged up,
like it kind of looks like he's wearing concrete shoes sometimes, and so I
don't know if there's something wrong with him there and he needs to take some
time off. But he is still their second best player, and if you
want to talk about he is their second best player. But does that mean
he's been their second best player this season? I don't think that. That's
a different conversation. I don't think anyone's peak has been high enough to meet
his. And is it Michael Porter Junior. I think it might be Michael
Porter Junior despite the misstime. I know in like the value added impact metrics,
he's going to be second almost across the board because Murray just hasn't quite
been efficient enough and the other guys are our role players as successful as they've
been, so like it really might be MPJ. I just I have not
enjoyed him defensively this season, and there have been moments, though there were
more moments last season, I would argue. I would say that there have
been the most moments, like the first few games this season, but not
since his return. He's definitely been a turnstyle since coming back. If you
had to say who's been their second most consistent player though, were most reliable?
Yo kich is just number one through and through, and I mean Gary
Harris might be their most consistent player. That's just been a good thing.
An important clarification. Are you going to really just throw shade at someone who's
not even playing right now? Come on, that's messed up. I'm sorry,
I take it back. What is the Actually it's Monte Morris, I
think it is, dude, So I just wrote know what you're going to
get every night. There's a chance of Shamichael Green, but there have been
just some minutes where it's rough. I will say the yokicher Michael Green pairing
on offense just amazing anyway, and everyone loves playing with him too. It's
it's so obvious, like how much he's surprised people at how good and all
around game. He's had some bad games and maybe Monte Morris hasn't had those
valleys. My follow up question to this, for the third question on this
topic, do you, like, can we relitigate the Fecundo Composo addition at
all? I still don't know. You know, he's been better defensively than
I ever would have expected, but he's shooting like twenty five percent on above
the break threes, and there's he's missed some time too, and he's not
playing a ton. I just don't understand the as John Hollinger of The Athletic
calls, like the value proposition of spending a financial resource on him, even
though it was relatively cheap. When you have Monte Morris and you have Jamal
Murray and you were just you know, couldn't they have taken a flyer on
Glenn Robinson the third, like just anyone who would have boosted their wing depth
to some extent. And I'm just wondering if he's if you want to call
him a luxury, that's fine, but he seems like a very unnecessary luxury.
Yeah, I mean I was. I was a huge Fecundo Composo fan
even before he came to the NBA. I enjoyed watching him overseas and an
international competition. So I was excited when Denver signed him, But that excitement
was mitigated by exactly what you're talking about, because it never made that much
sense, because if you're going to play him, it's either in a small
dual point guard lineup, which doesn't really make sense when you don't have defensive
anchors around them, or at the expense of Murray or Monte Morris, which
you know, as as you said, it's a luxury item and it's one
that could have been better used elsewhere. I would even argue, and look,
it was most of the Biannual exception, so we're not talking about a
ton of money here. I still might argue that I would have just for
what this team needs, I'd have preferred to just bring back Tory Craig.
I'm not gonna lie, and maybe I'm too far and moved from that situation,
but I found I'm entirely in agreement with you. I am going to
need to rEFInd my spot here because we went on that tangent. This was
a good thought exercise, so I appreciate that question. Cole Walker has three
questions. Let's start with this one. Are all of these injuries a blessing
in disguise for the mat magic? I'm assuming he means, and like,
Okay, this has to be the dumb moment of maybe we'll rebuild or it's
going to improve their their draft positioning or both. Right right, they're nine
and sixteen at the time of recording, which is worse than they've been in
the previous few seasons. Can we just still, like, can we mention
their injuries? Though? The injuries are Alfred Rukmino out with dealing with knee
injury, Cole Anthony has the shoulder issue right now, Michael Carter Williams dealing
with the foot, Evan Fournier's missed time with back problems. We know Markel
falls is out for the season with the torn a c on his left knee,
Aaron Gordon's out I think it's been like a week at this point,
in another four to five weeks with that left ankle sprain, and Jonathan Isaac
is out for the season. I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh.
It's just the onslaught of injuries here, but he's he underwent knee surgery,
so he's not going to play. You know, he was injured last year,
right, And so that's the thing. It's like, on one hand,
sure, it's good that they're finally moving towards the bontom of the standings,
that they might have more more valuable draft pick during a really strong class,
but then you look at who the injuries are and that far outweighs that
benefit, because ultimately you don't want Cole Anthony to have to start over in
his rookie progression. You don't want Marquel Foltz, who is showing flashes of
being like a legitimately good point guard in the NBA, to have to start
over coming back from the torn ACL. You obviously don't want Jonathan Isaac out
of the lineup the entire season because you can't evaluate him or get the luxury
of him playing until he's a year further down the road. And then Aaron
Gordon, you're missing out on chances to up his trade value, and if
you truly are tanking and moving towards the bottom of the standings, then you
obviously want to move him. So like, none of those are good things.
So no, I don't think there's enough of a silver lining in this
situation to be worth talking about. I'll push back a little bit there.
The Aaron Gordon trade value thing is I believe that's real unless your plan is
we just want to bottom out this year without making major changes and we want
to keep him because I do still think he's a useful player of the Magic.
Definitely need to around just everyone with more shooting. But I think look,
Cole Anthony's issue is day to day his shoulder, so him just getting
more exposure here because Faults isn't there to take on so much of the minutes.
I think those reps could end up being really valuable for him, even
with the Michael Michael, Michael Carter Williams stuff. That's just going to ensure
that Cole Anthony is getting serious playing time. I will say, though,
I think that's valuable. But in some I would probably agree with you where
unless you're looking at this says oh, is it the impetus to tear it
down and what does that even look like now because of the Gordon injury,
I would hazard that it's let's see what we can get for four yer Gordon
and Terrence Ross. That's the way that you know Vooch is. I just
don't think you're gonna get equal value for him, and he should probably be
an All Star this year. He made my latest All Star list. Well,
first of all, no one should be playing in the All Star Game
this year, but also yes, he should be selected as an All Star.
Can you name the three who have been there starting two, three,
and four over the past two games. I want to see how many you
can name. They're starting two threes and four us. I think I knew
two of them because I watched their game, which was a loss to the
Blazers, but I couldn't remember what the third one was and when I looked
it up, it just it makes me even more excited to ask this question.
Dwayne Bacon, Okay, you have one right, James Ennis two,
Kem Birch has played right as he started. Nope, no, I'm going
to tap out at those. Gary Clark, Dwenny Bacon, Gary Clark and
James Ennis starting in the same lineup. Yeah, that's that's not ideal.
Cole Walker also asked do you think there's any way Brooklyn can fix their broken
defense? Doesn't matter. I think let's just answer the second question first.
It absolutely matters. I know this team is going to be ridiculous offensively,
but I don't think you can with the top end talent they have. You
want to be able and what they gave up to get James Harden. You
want to be able to make the case that, oh, they're the clear
cut favorite in the East. And I think there are at least two teams
in Milwaukee and Philly who belong in that conversation, arguably above them. So
I think it absolutely matters, which would make the question do you think there's
any way Brooklyn can fix their broken defense? I think this one is as
simple as just saying no, Like they knew what they were doing here and
that was sacrificing defense to have this offensive oriented trio. And I'm not sure
that there's really anything that they can do because DeAndre Jordan is not going to
be capable of cleaning up the messages that they leave on a nightly basis.
They don't have the pieces around them, especially as they're playing like Joe Harris,
who's going to have to get minutes. So no, I think they've
definitely limited themselves personnel wise to having what's probably going to be a bottom ten
defense at best. The offense could very well be good enough to make up
for that, but when you have a team that's constructed like this, having
a good defense, it might not be a necessity, but it's a floor
raiser, right because your offense is going to have bad nights, and if
your defense is never there to pick up that slack, that's problematic just because
you're going to go cold at some point in the playoffs, especially as teams
are adjusting and you haven't yet made those counters. And this team is all
about the postseason venture this year, So without the defense to raise the floor,
it's not necessarily like a death knell, but it does mean that there's
less room for error on the offensive end, and a cold streak could very
well knock you out. So what I think is encouraging for them is that
their defensive shot profile is actually pretty good, and so they're they're coaxing teams
into you know, they're at least keeping them away from the rim at a
relatively good clip, and they're taking a lot of short mid rangers and just
all mid rangers in general. They teams are taking the fourth most mid Rangers.
When you're looking at the share of their their field goal attempts that come
from mid range. They don't allow a ton of threes or like I said,
looks at the rim that helps. They don't fall lot, So like
there's some low hanging fruit there that I think really helps them. But they
don't have the personnel. I think you mentioned it. They're probably a bottom
tim defense at best, and they're twenty fourth right now in points allowed per
possession minus garbage time. This is per cleaning the glass. They don't have
the personnel to establish a much higher ceiling, and I don't know that they
can get one. It's I would argue that it's good that centers can technically
come cheap. Maybe there's one that ends up on the buy out market.
Maybe you can, you know, luck into a Pha Tucker, though I
don't know why Houston would deal with Brooklyn again when it controls so many of
their future picks. Can you get a Thaddeus Young? Can you get Aaron
Gordon? Would be perfect for this team if he was healthy. But now
you're running into the problem of well, what the hell do the Nets have
left to trade? And you won I don't think anyone's gonna be interested in
DeAndre Jordan until you arguably can't trade him because you don't have any other bigs
on this roster, so you still kind of need the DeAndre Jordan and Nicholas
Claxton. I think he's still recovering from COVID, and look, I want
to mention this on the podcast because I'm sure that I've gotten it wrong and
we're going to continue to get stuff wrong. This has been the hardest season
of my entire career to keep track of shit, and it's just with the
constant lineup changes, injuries and the COVID protocols. So I don't want to
misspeak and say that someone's been dealing with that stuff. And I also don't
want to discount that when where you know, if I'm about this slander Davis
Berton's I'm giving anyone who's recovering from COVID like all the leeway in the world.
I want to make that clear. But this has been just a it's
melted my brain trying to keep track of all this stuff. So you're not
going to move Jordan, and I think what you can do is does any
team value having the injured Spencer Dinwitty because you'll get his bird rights in free
agency, Like can you build the Spencer Dinwitty two seconds? And Timothy lehil
Cawbero who's giving them good minutes? Does that get you Aaron Gordon from Orlando?
Like that type of deal might be the one you can make. Maybe
that's what you do for Thaddius Young. I actually wouldn't make that deal because
he's been great on the short role for Chicago and his fantasic defender, but
I just like he can be limited in the playoffs. We saw it during
his time with the Pacers and the other one that I absolutely wouldn't move.
But maybe they're more open to this because they have so much offensive firepower.
You do have Joe Harris and that four years, seventy five million dollars deal.
I don't It wasn't a bad deal in real time, but it did
feel steep. Just but it's he's been fantastic for them. He doesn't affect
the field goal percentage of like ninety on. It may not be a great
value, but it's hard to complain about that basic right now. It's good.
First of all, what look at this roster, He's probably what who's
the better defender than him, Bruce Brown. You just answered the question right
there, Kevin Durant, Bruce Brown, And let's just throw another player in
there. It's got to be Jeff Green or maybe some nights, probably Jeff
Green. No, that's it. You know two point five players are better
than him on defense per night. So he's not a terrible defender, but
you don't want him being one of your top three guys. As my point,
probably not. But I wouldn't move him because I think he's so crucial
to ensuring just offensive balance since he doesn't need the ball and it doesn't impact
what he does defend the number of touches that he gets. So I don't
know if there's a smaller scale move. Again, is there a center that's
going to wind up on the buyout market if Toronto starts selling Aaron Baines would
be super interesting for this team. He started to play better. Again,
what are you giving up if you're Brooklyn and I don't even know that you
need a big, by the way, if you can get a tucker,
if you can get a wing that's gonna help you defensively. You can punt
on defensive rebound and continue to go small. But if you're gonna need to
switch, like, you need guys that can do that, and they're again,
their personnel just really isn't build to do that at the moment, I
think I would just give up any pick or player below Joe Harris in the
packing order. So it's your three superstars in Joe Harris or you're only untouchables.
I think I think so just given the construction and look like so far,
Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving have played in six games
together, they're four and two. In those games they've they've totaled one hundred
and sixty five minutes on the floor together. Their offensive rating in those minutes
has been one nineteen point three, which is obviously really good. Their defensive
rating has been one fifteen point one, which is obviously really bad. They're
still winning those minutes substantially, Like you can lean into that strategy. It's
just a higher variant strategy that comes with more risk in the postseason. But
given the construction of the roster, and you know, we're talking about these
moves on the periphery that aren't really going to change things at at a large
macro level, So you know, yeah, you can make those, you
can try to improve marginally, but you're not going to change the overall naketive
of this team, so just lean into it. And I would be reticent
to even move Spencer Dinwitty because while everyone thinks he's good as gone in free
agency, he's still a really good player, So like really good. You
don't want to sell low on him because maybe he's look he's to this team.
He's just not as valuable anymore following these straits. That's that's a fact.
But if you can maybe flip him on his next deal, that is
something to consider. But if you could get I wouldn't trade him for Thady
as Young. If you could get Aaron Gordon still using him, I'd probably
consider it. So that's that would be That might be the biggest move that
they could feasibly make. But I don't even know how much Atlanta would be
interested in Dinwity's bird rights. I would argue, if they don't want to
blow it up, they should be very interested because he's exactly the type of
player that they need to play next to Cole Anthony or Markoffolds. Yeah,
given that, given the Dinwitty is an impending free agent coming off an injury.
I would still move him for Thady is Young, just because you might
as well just push the chips all in right now, because you've you've opened
the title window wide open, and you don't know how long it's going to
stay open. This I'm gonna use this question because it toes on what we
were just talking about. It comes from Myer roth bomb what team is better
the Bucks or the Nets? I think it's still the Bucks. I mean
the numbers bear that out so far. Johanness is unbelievable and probably a little
bit overlooked and underappreciated at the moment. Just a little bit of a fatigue
after back to back MVP seasons, a little bit of questioning just because of
the postseason failures, which, as we've talked about before, you know,
it's hard to pin those entirely on his shoulders. But he's playing phenomenal basketball
right now, and this team around him is good and has some depth.
I'm not as impressed by their depth, but they've gotten great minutes Fromobby Porteris
this year. In Brent Forbes, I still think the DJ Augustine signing was
a mistake, given how much has been more useful than he was last year,
even those marginal improvements have helped. Yeah, there's and look, I
think the problem with you, honest is just a lack of variants in his
game. Now. He is screening more lately, which is a big deal,
but the free throw shooting just a lack of counters when he has the
ball in his hands. I'm just trying to take mid range game winning jumpers.
I don't know what you're talking about. He's trying to diversify. Look,
that's like a I didn't have a problem with that. Everyone was saying
how open Middleton was, and I was just like, there wasn't enough time
on the clock. Like that doesn't bother me. I think it's fair to
question whether should he still be taking this many pull up jumpers or three pointers
when he's not hitting them. I do think that's a fair and honest question
to ask. But I would lean the Bucks as well. There's a chance
though, while both these teams, both these teams are better built for the
playoffs. Probably I would argue you might be able to talk yourself into Brooklyn
come post season time because how many Well, no, it's the same how
many players do you trust in a playoff closing lineup on the Bucks. I
think it's Drew Holiday, be honest, Chris Middleton, that might be it
for me. I'm just it depends on the matchup as well. And then
I was going to say the same thing. The Nets have four because you
have James Horrenon kyr Iring, Kevin Ran, Joe Harris. I think those
four are just fine. So maybe you could talk yourself into Brooklyn. But
should we also include the seventy six ers here though there might be that tier
and they might be the best of the three. And look, this is
the This will be the third and final question from col Walker. Do you
think the overall do you think overall that the East is better or worse than
years past? Without looking at, you know, the concrete data for this,
and I wouldn't even read too much into the winning percentages just because of
how on even this season has been, I would say it's it's deeper,
like maybe it doesn't have the same top end talent because I feel like Milwaukee,
Brooklyn and Philly belong in their own tier, but there are just so
many quality options still where it's like Miami's starting to play a little bit better.
Toronto is starting to play a lot better. You still have Boston,
who feels like maybe they'll move away from being something special. And then there
were just teams. Maybe they're overachieving at the moment, but New York,
Charlotte, Charlotte being competitive is a game of itself. Not as much,
but Cleveland's been frisky. Detroit's also one of those teams that isn't gonna win
games, but it's gonna play tough every night, just because everyone on that
roster is fighting for either a bigger spot in the rotation or a spot in
the rotation itself, so they're they're always challenging even if they aren't winning games.
And there's like, what's wild about the East is that there's only one
I mean, maybe you say the same thing about the West, but there's
only one team that you know doesn't care about making it into a top ten
spot, and that's Detroit. Everyone else is one. The Wizards are six
and sixteen and they are only currently three games out of the play in spot.
So every team from the Wizards and above like actually wants that spot.
Because you look at the Hornets, the Hawks, the Knicks, the Bulls,
the Calves, the They've all been bad for a while, and then
the Wizards have been bad lately. The Magic have just been so mediocre that
you know they want to end in that sweet spot. Anyway, I would
argue, yes, there seems to be a lot less easier out, especially
when you just factor in like how much time some of these teams are,
how much time players are losing to injury in the league's health and safety protocols,
And I'll spotlight Miami there as a team has been really impacted by that.
Let's get to some more questions here. I want to ask you one
follow up question on the East before we do, and that's how many of
these teams could make the NBA Finals out of the East. And you would
be like, yeah, that makes sense. I think it's the three.
I'm trying to talk myself into another team, but I don't think I can
at the moments, I don't know what I could talk myself into. Boston,
you can, They're like, I mean, just if Kemba is Kemba
again, and Tatum and Brown are both there, they can beat anyone on
any night. They feel like a wing shut. Maybe Mark, if Marcus
Smart is healthy, you can really trust, like their top four or five
guys, But there death has to matter to some extent in the playoffs,
so that that would legitimately surprise me this year. But maybe the jail and
brown leap is the difference if you have Kemba being Kemba. So that's a
good point. I have to ask about the Hawks though, because they're eleven
and thirteen. They've been underwhelming so far, but they also have not had
these new additions. Bogdon Bogdanovich hasn't been available since basically the start of the
season. Janottle Gallinari hasn't been fully worked into the lineup. They still haven't
had Chris Done on the floor. Rajon Rondo has been in and out.
DeAndre Hunter is hurt now. But if this team is fully healthy, like,
is that a team where you would be shocked that they're in the NBA
Finals coming out of the East or is that within the realm of realistic possibilities
to you? I mean it's definitely within the realm. I would still be
surprised. Their defense has been a lot better than expected. I guess I
just haven't seen it on offense from them, and that's a product of Gallinari's
been injured, he's still ramping up, and you have Bogdanovitch is out the
improvement. I'm on the fence. I'm on the fence too. Who would
shock you more? The raptors of the hawk is coming out of the east.
The raptors see it would shock me more of the hawks. I think
that's where like, if we're using that, it's just the line of demarcation,
Pacers or hawks. Definitely the Pacers. I think I'm there too,
because we don't know what's gonna happen with Kasler and they are banged up.
They don't have TJ. Warren at the moment. But I think like I
would definitely not be even remotely surprised by the seventy six ers, the Bucks
and the Nets, probably in that order. I wouldn't be surprised at all.
If it's the Celtics, I'm on the fence about Atlanta and Toronto,
And then I think Indiana, Charlotte, Miami and everyone else is firmly out
And I realize I just said Miami, and I could really come to regret
that. But we just haven't seen it yet this year. Yeah, i'd
probably have if I had to power rank the East right now, I'd go
Philly, Milwaukee, Brooklyn, Boston, Toronto. Miami would be like the
six, and then the Hawks would be seven. For me, I think
Miami and Toronto is a toss up right now. But I do think the
heat ceiling is lower relative to last season. Even when they are going to
be a full strength, like they need to make a move, whether it's
another shot creator or if it's like that dynamic four. Them not resigning Jay
crowd Or is a disaster. In my opinion, I don't understand this is
This is why I think we can definitively say that the East is stronger,
because we're not like comparing these teams to like a low lying fruit at the
top of the conference. The seventy six ers of one seventy two percent of
their games. The Brooklyn Nets have maybe the NBA's best big three. The
Milwaukee Bucks have the two time raigning reigning MVP, the reigning Defensive Player of
the Year, and a good roster like these aren't just no name teams that
we're comparing typical more first round stepping stones too. You know, this conference
legitimately has quality depth. I'm with you there. This next question comes from
jar who asked a few We'll see I might sprinkle it more throughout the podcast.
This one fascinated me though. Who is more likely All Star nod Chris
Paul or Mike Conley. Wow, that is really tough. There's something going
to be hard for either to get in, honestly, just because of how
deep the West is with top end guard talent. But I think I would
probably go with Paul just because neither is going to get voted in as a
starter, and I think that Paul is more likely to generate respect from the
coaches who make the reserve selections. But you know Utah is going to have
that. I mean, they're leading the Western Conference right now. They could
be leading the Western Conference at the time that selections are done, and they're
gonna have to have someone in there. I would go Conley because I do
think he's been better in the aggregate, even though CP three has had of
carrying an incredible workload at times when Phoenix and He's been awesome and crunch time
for them, that that MIDI is still just money for him, which is
absolutely wild. With Conley, though, I would actually believe that coaches are
more likely to vote him in because he's never gone to the All Star Game
before, and they're going to view this as not just something of a career
treatment, career achievement award that he also deserves. So I think it's gonna
be tough for both of them to get in. I think they each have
another player on their team who's more likely to get to NOD. I still
think Devin Booker is more likely in Phoenix than Chris Paul and than both Mitchell
even though he started the season not slow and Gilbert in Utah. But there's
also look, some people I've seen made the case that they think Conley has
been Utah's most valuable player this year. I push back against that significantly,
just because of what Gilbert does defensively. Yeah, I think he's been their
second most behind Gilbert. So it might even look Donovan Mitchell's peak has been
higher lately. It's just that Conny has been more consistent. The other thing
the factor in is he is dealing with a hamstring injury now, so what's
going to come into play is how much time does he miss, And I
think clearing the twenty game threshold has made him He'll be fine. But if
it comes down to, you know, if this is like a coach thing,
I actually think he's more likely to get in than thank Chris Paul,
if only because he's he would deserve it, but it's also the element of
he's never been there before. Right. You know? What I hope happens
though, is that everyone is just like having an All Star Game is monumentally
stupid. No one wants to go. All the selections opt out, so
they have to pick reserve replacements, you know, and then we eventually get
an NFL Pro Bowl situation and all of a sudden, Isaac Korro is an
All Star. I mean, players get fine. That isn't the CBA that
they get fine if they're chosen for the All Star Game and don't play.
So I don't know if the NBA will show more leeway there. Yeah,
there's gotta be leeway there this season. I mean, they've said it's going
to be a bubble environment, right, so there's no way that you can
require a player to go to the All Star Game and participate in a mandatory
bubble during what's supposed to be their time off. Fair enough, Well,
let's stick with I would be downright shocked if someone was fined for skipping the
All Star Game. Look, the NBA's already has a to put a kind
of questionable stance on the national anthem, so it wouldn't surprise me they don't
see him. They're not as in touch with morality as people like to think.
I think that's we've been reminded of that a couple of times over the
past year and a half. But it wouldn't surprise me if they find people
for not going because it's about advertising revenue, like the Athletic reported that,
and I'm sure they'd be pushedback from league partners, one of which we are
both employed by, and maybe advertisers, like they're gonna put the press on
them if you don't have the best players in the game. If they exit
in mass there's gonna be some issues there. So it wouldn't surprise me if
they get fined for skipping it. Would it be a good or bad thing?
If Mike Conley finally ended his Doll's card drought, which should have ended
a while ago because everyone opted out and he was like a second tier pick,
do you think he would rather be that honorary All Star or just not
make it, knowing him, he'd probably rather not make it. But he
also said on the low post once he made it pretty clear that making the
All Star Game is important him. So I don't know where I land on
that. I also maybe push back against has he necessarily not that he hasn't
deserved to make it, but just the guard pool in the West has been
forever, so deep. It's one of those things where it's hard to use
the word snub because that implies that you have to replace somebody else. But
like, just in terms, and this is why for years I've said that
the NBA needs to expand all star rosters more about should be a level of
play reached then, you know, happening to align with a ridiculously strong positional
class, because I just I don't want twenty years from now, some some
eighteen year old to be scrolling through Basketball Reference and come across Mike Conley's page
or whatever it is at that point and be like, oh, you never
made the All Star team. Let's move on and look at someone else.
Yeah, that's a that's a great point. Let's stick with Jarf here.
He actually has two more really interesting questions, so I might give him a
third one after this, But are there any buyout candidates that could actually impact
the postseason? Well, this is where seeing these questions for the first time
makes things a little bit harder. Oh, come on, there's like you
can't say that I've thought about buyout candidates too much to this point. So
there are I think there are a few obvious ones. Maybe Robin Lopez in
Washington, depending on how bad they get. Cody Zella and Charlotte has been
mentioned, but I feel like they'd be more likely to trade him and they
just don't have big so I don't know why you move him at this point,
even if you don't plan on resigning him unless he's giving back a ton
of money. Otto Porter in Chicago would be interesting, just if they're just
done with him. That's someone who I think could definitely I'm a wing.
If a wing is bought out, teams will be foaming at the mouth.
And he has not been. His availability has been up in the air obviously
this year, but he also just hasn't been too great, So that would
be a name I'm trying to think. I guess Trevor Reza still belongs there,
just he hasn't played this year. Hasn't reported to the Thunder, but
I could see him Wayne Ellington in Detroit. He makes so little and he's
been just shooting the hell out of the ball. He would definitely help.
But I just feel like he's so cheap that Detroit should be able to get
a second round pick for him on the trade market. And that's the thing.
It's like, I feel like there's been a noticeable decline and impact buyout
market players in recent years, just because teams are dealing with fewer awful contracts,
but also they're more more willing to give up draft assets. We've seen
so many more trades lately and it's affected the buyout market. Yeah, and
look at the buyout candidates always seem like sexier than they can. You name
three legitimately impactful buyout stories in the last five years. Well, the season
where it was who the Sixers get Marco Belinelli and who was the other one
actually did a lot of work for Orison Eliasova. Those two ended up being
really that it can happen, but it's just I think the level of player
that gets bought out. There's often a disconnect between a like PJ. Tucker
is not getting bought out. There's a team that would give up the second
round pick for PJ. Tucker, and there are a few of them.
Two games that I would find interesting is so Dante xim and Houston just we've
seen. Look, he's always injured, including right now, but he's really
shown great defense in the postseason in the past. And so if his calf
injury is healed and he just really doesn't have a place in Houston, which
is I think it's fair. And look, if Tille Fativa can save some
cash, that would be the other one for me. And I don't know
if they would want to get rid of him, But Garrett Temple has been
fantastic defensively in Chicago this year, and so he doesn't really align with their
offensively either. Yeah, he has a three balls not falling, but he's
been pretty good there. But defensively, first of all, he's a player
that Nets should have kept, by the way, I don't know why they
let him go, But those would be two names I'd be fascinated by.
And maybe there's always like the surprise candidate that we can't see coming. I
don't I don't really know who it is at this point, but like Kyle
Howry is not getting bought out, So anyone waiting on that scenario, I
very much apologize to you. Let's again, let's stick this will be Jars.
Last question, which is the best team that will lose in the first
round this year? M How are we approaching answering that? Because I think
first it's the Utah Jazz. I think so just if they get the wrong
matchup, that completely go bear off the court. Right look, right now,
I would be I wouldn't necessarily say this would be a certainty, but
if they ended up having a match up with the Warriors as the eight seed,
that's a disaster, just because I'm not saying the wars would definitively win,
but that's you don't want to face Stephen Curry in the first round,
you don't. I think I just have too much confidence to the Jazz still,
just when everyone's at full strength. They just have so many impactful positive
players and so few negative players in their rotation that it's hard for me to
see them totally bottoming out. I think my answer would be whoever earns the
number one seed in the East, just because as we talked about, there
are so many quality teams in that Eastern Conference that the eighth seed is going
to be a good one that has enough ability to threaten a top heavy team
like that. My actual pick would be the Denver Nuggets and maybe the Dallas
Mavericks, but I'm just lower on them than the consensus. Right now.
You look at Denver, I think it's definitely fair to say Jamal Murray is
more valuable in the playoffs, which is absolutely true. But the defense is
they just don't have that wing defender right now. This is as the rosters
currently stand, so maybe this changes, but paulmost happened Ja Michael Green can
pitch in on like a Lebron type or Anthony Davis type. But the teams
that they're gonna have to go through and might be matched up with in the
first round are gonna have a second guy. There's there's Kawai MPG, There's
Anthony Davis and Lebron James. Even if Phoenix, it's like, Okay,
who do we have to go up against? Chris Paul? Who do we
have to go up against? Devin Booker? Like though Gary Harris will get
one of those and he should be fine, Like who's who's the other?
So my pick definitely to me, would also have to come from the West.
I still think that the top one or two teams maybe three in the
East are going to be decidedly better than eight. I know the Hawks are.
That's we don't know how to play Inteerman's gonna shake out. Maybe the
Nicks end up winning the player. I mean, like the Heat could very
well end up with the eight seeds though, that's I would still yeah,
all right, but I think the pick has to come in the West because
whatever team is in the eight sea is actually going to be really good.
Yeah. If I think if we look at it as like which team would
be the most likely to lose to like a generic eight seed, like a
typical eight seed from one of the past five seasons, just that strength team.
It's not the Lakers, it's not the Clippers, it's not the Bucks.
And then we're at like this not the Sixers tonight. It could be
the Nets because if that offense goes cold, if he goes prevail. But
then I think the next tier is like the Jazz and the Suns. I
actually wouldn't pick that. It would take the right matchup for me to actually
pick the Jazz in this like the matchup that works against them in the first
round. I still think there's something too. I don't know how good they'll
be in the playoffs, but I'm not like that low on them. I
think that'd be the famous at this point. I think the Nets are going
to be my official answer, minor mine's gonna be the Nuggets. So we're
on records that well, we have the right to change our minds if they
make any serious roster changes. Right. That's a cool question though. I
like that just because there's no like conventional way to think about how to answer
that. Yeah, next question, let's go with and this will cover a
few of them, but this is the only Bradley Beale one we will answer
from Josh, does Bradley Beale get traded? And to Nope, I don't
think he gets traded this season because the reporting has been so strong that he
wants to stay in Washington, and there's no reason for leaking that to this
extent, right, and it's him saying it, and he's not going to
care what the Wizards get back, and the Wizards don't want to trade him.
He doesn't want to be traded. Every party involved has made it clear
that they're still playing for this season. You still want to see what he
can do with Russell Westbrook actually healthy for a prolonged period. It's not gonna
work. It's dumb. They should trade him, but they're not going to.
Is he on the Wizards to start next season? Yes? Oh,
I would say no. Still, which team would have he is the most
likely? Let's say he gets moved before next year, which team is most
likely to have traded for him? I think it's got to be Denver.
We've been talking about that for so long. Just how much sense that makes,
how much Ammo they have that they can move, and if Denver,
if he does, if Bill does become available before this year's trade deadline.
The Nuggets are thirteen and eleven, like they can very much justify a swing
for the fences move, both because they know how good they are and because
of how much they've struggled relative to expectations to this point. So I can
absolutely see them being willing to part with Jamal Murray or MIKEA. Porter Jr.
Or whatever else it might be that's not Nikola Yokic to get him.
And then if they don't make a deep playoff run, that situation isn't going
to have changed during the off season. Here's my thing is Bradley Bill doesn'ts
would they need most and so look, this question comes from Nuggets aptly named
the Count Nuggets. Is trading Jamal is something you would really consider if you
were the nuggete GM And so if you're getting Bradby Beal, are you do
you would you prefer to part with Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Junior. I'm
not getting up both. I'm want to make that clear. But if it's
one or the other and there's other moving parts there, like salaries, we
might have I think we've already talked about this. Would you move Jamal Murray
or Michael Porter Jr? My answer hasn't changed. I would still move Murray.
I think that that Porter is just a more natural fit alongside the other
stars, especially in a system where where Yokich can dominate the ball in the
half court. So yeah, I think that Porter's ability to score from all
three levels, both on and off the ball, which we don't typically see
Murray operate as much as a spot up guy. He's great as that rolling
guard in the reverse pick and rolls, but he's more of a luxury to
this team than Porter is. As weird as that might be to say,
I don't know if he's more of a luxury right now, but I think
he might be a little bit more redundant with Bradley him because the ceiling is
still so ridiculously lofty. Yeah, I think in general, like unless it's
a transcendent guard, you're typically keeping the wing over the guard. I think
I'm still with you. But what bothers me about Michael Porter Jrs. He
seems he seems very much to care about what's that? What bothers you on
the court. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that bothers me off the
court. But he seems like is he going to be okay because being the
third option is still and that he seems like something he already had that like
weird press conference in the bubble this this past but then both he and the
team responded to that weird press conference in the bubble by playing better. I
don't know, like I get the sense that he's a player with a big
ego who also knows how to control the ego. Look, I think it's
a conversation I ultimately have the answered that you would I prefer to trad Jamal
Murray in that scenario. My pick for where he would go though, would
probably be New Orleans or to Toronto. I think those would be the teams
that would take the all in swing on him, particularly heading into the last
year of his contract. Maybe New Orleans is actually less likely at that point.
You need a commitment that he's going to resign if you're if you're the
Pelicans. This question comes from Jacob w Bourne, very good friend of the
podcast and just us in general. How many wins do the Warriors need by
the end of the season for Steph to be considered an MVP candidate? Is
it forty five? Is five hundred basketball enough? Yeah? Just given what
we've seen traditionally from the MVP voting, I think Russell Westbrook was the only
guy not in the top four to win v like gazillion years. Yeah,
it's definitely happen four, but not recently. Yeah, yeah, I remember.
I think west An Salt was one of those if I remember correctly,
that like missed the playoffs and and one MVP maybe. But but back on
topic, I think that just because of that that history, you're probably looking
at like forty five to fifty wins. I was going to say the low
ends. I was gonna say, because this year so wonky, maybe people
are more like that was in an eighty two game season, so it would
be I would say, so forty three to forty four would be a sixty
winning percentage, and as of right now, that would put you fifth in
the West. And I just feel like there's enough weirdness this year to maybe
where people are willing to go off the beaten path and look more so at
well, look at his supporting cast rather than I feel people normally skewed towards
the most dominant player on the best team. So that would be forty three
to forty four. Forty five territory would be that for me. And that's
over the course of seventy two games season. Yeah, I think I'd probably
go a little bit below that in the seventy two games season, just because
this year is so wonky, and I think there is a lot of recognition.
Now. It's one thing if the Warriors were fully healthy and not good,
but just because Clay Thompson went down right before the season, before they
had a chance to adjust, I think that gives him a little bit more
standing Leeway, But yeah, I mean I think you still have to be
probably a home court advantage team in the West, certainly because of the way
the conversation has gone thus far. Where it's been, Well, Yokich isn't
on a team that's currently played from home court advantage, but Lebron is,
Joel embiad is, and I think you throw Kauai in there. I think
he's been among the third most mentioned, well four if you include Yokich and
then maybe Kevin Duran, although the chatter is sort of like slowed there.
But when you're looking at the alternatives, when so many of them come from
teams that are going to finish in the top four, I think you absolutely
need to be in the top four in the conference. Yeah. And you
know, if if Steph does somehow win MVP this season, Rick Puker might
just have to mute all of Twitter. Oh my god, thank god he
hasn't worked for the same company as us anymore, so that we can say
that that was I I had to think about that before I said it.
That was one of the single worst sports takes of all time. I just
mad having to mute Stephan Curry because people are celebrating him too much. Shut
the fuck up. That's my message to you. Like that is the dumbest
thing I've seen on the internet. Next question comes from this one is I
don't really know. I don't really know how to describe this one, but
from Wall of Oz, what's a reasonable price Denver could give up for lu
Dort any chance? Okay, so he would bite. I think the latter
is the most important here. Yeah, can we just answer the second part
first? Is twenty one years old, is one of the best defenders in
basketball. Three point shot comes and goes. But he's gotten there's way more
offensive upside than we realized. Yeah, there's he's gotten increasingly better just turning
the corners with the ball in his hands. He is I tweeted the I
tweeted the other night when they almost beat the Lakers without shake Gilt Just Alexander.
Mind you, Los Angeles didn't have Anthy Davis, but they didn't have
shake Gili Alexander, I tweeted about lu lu Dort. Is what you get
when the unstoppable force is also the immovable object. You're not wrong, but
no, I mean, like, I have no idea what the trade package
would be just because there's no way that the thunder are realist stically parting with
him. Yeah, he's so, he's twenty one years old, he's under
team control for another two years at under four million dollars total one point eight
million next year, one point nine million dollars team option the year after.
It would take maybe, okayc is like, look, we're not going to
be great in two years, and he's gonna command this huge contract we already
have to pay. Say, maybe we like Garius Baisley better. We're gonna
have hopefully a high pick in this year's draft. We have other picks incoming.
I'm just saying, if you had to talk yourself in a moving Dort,
I'm not going to view this through the lens of the Nuggets. What
would it realistically take for Okac to consider it? And all right, I'll
make the offers and we'll see if you take them. We'll see how far
down the roster we can work here. You're trading in for yokis right.
No, That's what I was gonna say is it would take a minimum of
two first round picks to get lou Dort and I'm not even sure if that's
enough. Yeah, I don't know. It's just yeah, because the teams
that are going to give up two first, it would be a great fit
in Denver. Well, he would be a fantastic fit in Denver if they
aren't an ideal fit. But in Denver's in Denver's defense, they were willing
to pay Jeremy Grant. He just bet on himself equal money in Detroit.
Let's make that clear. But so along those lines, like hypothetically, like
what do you think Denver would have to give up for Don chich? Okay?
Okay, But seriously though, look, if you're Denver, I think
would have to be two first and RJ. Hampton I think that would be
the like because you're a good team. So how valuable are your first round
picks? I don't think the founder are going to be super interested in bow
Bowl. Which here's straight up, I'm going to ask you this with a
straight face. Would you trade Michael Porter Junior for lu dor No? Okay,
absolutely not. I'm just I'm trying to imagine, like what would go
through Sam Presty's head if another general manager called him and it is like,
so what's your price for lu Dort? It's happened. It is absolutely hop
Yeah, that's I feel like, I feel like general managers like have enough
respect for each other. And I'm not I'm genuinely not making fun of the
question because he really is an ideal fit. No. Look, it's an
interesting thought exercise because he's not one of the most untouchable tiers in the league.
Right. It's just a weird one. It's a very strange interaction to
imagine. I would think if you're getting if you're negotiating with a contender,
I would probably say it ends up being two first and then a prospect.
Not Michael Porter Jr. But like, okay, but can I can I
push back on that? Why the fuck does Oklahoma City want more first round
picks? Like you're using them hoping they turn into lu Dort's That's why I
like those those picks from contenders, So that's what you want them to turn
into. Here's here's another question I have for you, And it was posted
me like the Sam hinkiest move that you could possibly possibly make. That is
a great point, and I think that's why. So it would have to
be tangible stuff, which means that you're probably looking at two young It's got
to be a player. Yeah, so you already said no to Michael Porter
Jr. Is there a prospect that springs to mind? And that's like,
legitimately, that's why I started with Yokich because I was already thinking that about
the draft picks. So it wasn't registering to me that those are things that
I could offer here just because I didn't think Oklahoma City would have any interest.
So in my head, I'm like, Okay, definitely not Yokich.
They would definitely wouldn't trade Jamal Murray. They definitely wouldn't trade Michael Porter's junior.
Where do you go from there? Like, would you trade anyone?
I would think, right, you would trade anyone else. But that's not
really saying much when you're looking at Denver's roster. To me, bullball and
RJ. Hampton is okay? Cool? But or if they wanted like Monte
Morris or JA Michael Green or Will Bardon or something, But then like,
why is Oklahoma City doing well? Someone posed I think this was Sam Quinn
on Twitter from CBS Sports posts, would you rather have the number four pick
in this year's draft or lu Dort the number four pick in this year's draft?
It's close for me, this draft is so good. Here's so I've
just salivating, especially after watching watching Jonathan Kuminga's Gee Lee Ignite debut. I'm
just so excited about this draft class. I legitimately think they're like six or
seven guys who'd be number one picks in a normal year. So if Washington
comes knocking with the top five pick this year because they want to keep Bradley
Beal and they're like, hey, give us lue Dort, I would do
that. I would do that. I think it's questionable unless it's the number
one pick or two pick or maybe three. But here was a question that
was posed to me on because I've been on a bunch of podcasts this week,
which I tried to say yes to every single how much time we spent
on lu Dort. By the way, Well we're not. We're only gonna
move. It's adjacent. This is lue Dort adjacent. I was on the
Chase Thomas podcast Fella Blue Wire podcast. They he asked me, Michael Porter
Jr. For OG and a Nobi m do you know I like that deal
so much better? And there's the OG and a Nobi poison pill stuff like
we get it. But I like that deal. For Denver, that is
o Gianna Nobi is the exact type of player that they need, and for
Toronto, I think it's at least questionable. I think I wouldn't do it
unless they're including more than Michael Porter Jr. Just because of his injury history
and he's a wildcard on defense. You already know that Ogianna noby' is a
two way player, but I thought that was a fascinating thought exercise. Am
I wrong? No, you're not. I think I would do it for
both sides. I think Amnaobi is such a good fit for Denver that that
speaks for itself. But I think you can sell yourself on the upside of
Porter, especially because of how potent he is on offense. Like, ultimately
you still have a roster that's going to be a better defensive team than offensive
team if you're keeping Kyle Lowry in place, especially, I think that he
fits really well there. I don't know where I would land on it,
but I think it's I think it's very close. Eric with a K asked,
what's the most realistic package for Alonzo to the Bulls trade and would he
actually be a good fit with Zach Lavine. I'll let you go first,
because it's a trade question. A Lonzo Ball has been playing out of his
mind since the trade rumors hit, and I think part of that is the
Pelicans have kind of put the ball in Zion Williamson's hands more. And if
you use Brandon ingram as more of a shooter, it's going to open the
floor for everybody else. But there's you know, there's sort of no denying
here that Lonzo Ball has been night and day over his last ten games,
fifteen point eight points, four point nine assists, shooting forty six point two
percent from three point range. And I do think he's a good fit with
Zach Lavine because Lavine can put a little bit more pressure on the rim,
and Lonzo Ball is a good defender, not lockdown one on one, but
he'll be disruptive. I don't know what a reasonable price is now, because
Lonzo Ball has played so well where it's like a lot of people were suggesting
the framework b Larry Marking in for Lonzo Ball. Just give them, give
both teams too distressed soon to be restricted free agents. But Lonzo bad fit
in New Orleans though, I think Larry Marking it helps because he's a better
shooter than Nicole O Meli or anybody else that they have in the front court.
That being said, Lonzo Ball to me is the much more valuable asset,
and so it's probably Larry marking in and at first see, I don't
know. This is one of those situations where I look at the two teams
and it's like when you're in a fantasy league and you look at someone else's
roster and are just like, yeah, like we're just not natural trading partners
and the other yeah. And the thing that's weird too, just because Lonzo
Ball is going to be a free agent the summer, the Bulls might have
the cap space to go out and give him this monster offer, and so
why are you going to give up so much value? Having his bird rights
helps because you can match anything. But at the same time, I don't
know what they I think it for New Orleans to consider it, though,
would probably have to be marketing in at the first. I don't know Chicago
would be willing to do that, but that would be my framework. There
there are other teams that I feel like would make more sense for Lonzo.
I think he's a good fit with Lavigne, but Golden State has been floated.
I think that would be a good match. New York now has Dereck
Rose and Alfred Paynton, so not them, but I liked New York for
Lonzo Ball. They'll have cap Space two this summer though, So I do
think because of how well Lonzo Ball has played, it's probably less likely now
that he gets moved right probably so, I think, especially not they're winning
too. I think it's increasingly clear that with this version of Zion Williamson who
it really feels in the last week or so that he's like figured it out.
It just seems like things have clicked for him. Given how they're playing
right now, I think it's more realistic that Ball could be the long term
point guard. This is hysterical, No, it's oh no, I'll push
back against that. He I don't think he's a fit long term in Phoenix.
They need a different kind of They need the mess with the makeup of
that roster a little bit. He doesn't put enough half court pressure, like
he just can't be your point guard in those situations. So I don't really
like him the Pelkins that much long term. With both Ingram and Zion,
there see. I think that Ingram and Zion can eventually both take enough of
the ball handling responsibilities that it works. You need to then this has to
be how he shoots. It can't be oh, six weeks good, exactly
six weeks terrible. I'm operating under the assumption that he continues to play like
this to the rest of the season. We have another Pelicans question. But
I find this hysterical because I'm just going through these now. Like we said,
this was an off the cuff podcast. Jake Vandenbrink actually asked about the
Michael Porter Jr. For OG and a Nobi swap. I swear that's not
what I was reading before. He asked, does it make sense for them
to trade MPJ for an athletic defense first minded wing OG and Aenobi would be
the dream, but that might not be realistic. I would probably agree it's
not realistic. But lu Dort for MPJ, that's deal. Stilling you right
in the face, Denver. I hope it happens now, just so that
you can rub that in everyone's noses for all eternity. Let's make this our
last one. Who are setting it's for the Pelkins. We were some realistic
trade targets for the Pelicans that would help propel them to a six seven eight
seed. And we already answered this is Lonzo playing himself into an extension or
trade. Let's do this. Let's finish the second one. First. Is
Lonzo on the Pelicans at the end of the season. I think, so
do they resign him and restrict the free agency? That's just contingent on whether
this keeps up, because I mean, is he on the Pelicans at the
start of next year? I think he is. I'm gonna say no.
I don't know that they would let him walk for nothing because I could see
him finishing the season here. But I feel like maybe signing trade scenarios would
open up in that case where maybe a team with that doesn't have cap space
would be interested in him. I'm buying into the improvement into it last year.
I can't I can't do it long term. I think I think he
can be that this player. I'm just not sure the Pelicans can facilitate it
long term. This is to me, it's more about the makeup of the
roster than Lonzo Ball. Are there any trades which is fair? Are there
any trade target you'd like to see the Pelicans pursue this season that could bolster
their playoff odds. Should they be making those moves as the question one percent
should be They've already paid as they paid Steven Adams Zion is really good.
Now you're gonna have to pay Josh hard at some point, like they,
I would go all in if he was available. I would trade for Bradley
Beale if if I was them, But on a smaller scale. You know,
they definitely need wings. Their wings are branding, John Hark That's where
my head went first. What wings? Harrison Barnes, he would be interesting.
I'd be curious what the asking price is there for Sacramental because Barnes is
having a career year. He's also just under contract for so long that does
does New Orleans want to saddle themselves with the final three years or two excuse
me, two years and thirty eight point six million of his deal? But
he would be very interesting fit there. Joe Well, I thought about a
sort of a short term solution and maybe there's like a combination deal here.
I like PJ. Tucker in New Orleans. Can you get Daniel House as
part of that too? Those might be just two lower key players that are
great fits with the roster. I even contemplated Victor Ladipo for a minute.
If the asking price is just so low where you're giving up salary filler,
or if you're getting off blet those money in the process, I would consider
it. He might be interesting there. To me, Wayne Ellington, maybe,
I just they need they don't need more guards to me, even one
who plays off the ball as well. It's like, oh, so you're
going from JJ Reddeck to Wayne Ellington, who has been better than Reddeck this
year. But right, that's what I'm doing it at. Its just kind
of an upgrade there. It'd be great for them if the Pacers were willing
to trade Justin Holliday, I just don't see it. I'm trying to think
of like the mid tier guys, and look, there are so many Blue
Door not what they're shooting at points, even though they've they've kind of perked
up shots. Right now, Okay, so are you giving up Zion from
lue Door obviously so the natural conclusion of this podcast, Yeah, I'm just
I'm trying to go through my mind to see there's like any lower key.
Aaron Gordon would have been interesting, healthy and if you didn't have Steven Adams,
just as like a Porter junior could be fun. I wouldn't trade for
him, though, unless you're getting off of Bletsos money, right the I'm
just trying to look. So here's the other issue with trade targets I'm noticing
this season and why I wouldn't surprise me if we're in for sort of a
like a quiet trade deadline, let's call it last year. I definitely didn't
predict the quiet trade deadline last year? Did I? I did predict a
shitty twenty twenty one free agency, and everyone thought I was out of my
mind. Look what happened. Uh, but o Giananobi would be great for
the Bolts. I'm just a what about Michael Porter Jr. This is what
I was getting at, though, is how many teams are gonna still fancy
fancy themselves, still in the plane hunt. And I think the Pistons and
the Timberwolves, and I'll say the Thunder and maybe the Rockets. So I'm
really I'm not even sure you want to have the Timberwolves that list. No,
the timber Wolves are there, but they're not making the play in But
I'm saying they're there are a maximum or let's say there are under five teams
that are gonna be sellers at the trade deadline, definitively. Maybe someone pivots
that we can't see right now. That makes it so much harder when you're
looking at availability, and so unless Detroit's fling, I still don't know that
I'm putting Minnesota in that class like they're they're currently what six and a half
games out of tenth place, six and a half games out of ten,
tenth place with Karl Anthony Town's coming back like I can, I don't think
they're realistically within striking distance, but I can see themselves talking and talking themselves
into it. That's lu Dort for Luca don Chichloggett logic. I'm sorry,
that's they're not in it. I mean, they don't really have anyone interesting
to sell. Malik Beasley's been good. He might be a good fit in
New Orleans. Hey, Jeremy Grant. I wonder, I wonder what the
asking price like, what would the Pistons demand in a Jeremy Grant trade?
I mean, there's an obvious answer, Blue Dort obviously, Yeah, I
don't that's I'm not saying that teams should go after him, but he would
be a great fit for the Pelicans. I would think they just they need
wings. That's who they need to prioritize. Can they get if they can
get Reggie Bullock from the Knicks, Like, hell yeah, just get wings.
That's my advice to the Pelicans at this point. It's kind of a
weird thing to advise a Pelican to do. Wow. Okay, I think
that's the best place to end this podcast. Thank you for anyone who made
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until next time we leave you at the shout out to the one, the
only, who else could it be? After the podcast that we just had
blue mother freakin sort