What is krack alak in fellow thermon nuclear a effort. I am a damn
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or sorry, as my notifications go off here. All right, let's
dive into this mailbag. We have a Damian Lillard question, but let's address
what's going on with Damian Lillard first before we go into it. So the
latest is kind of the status quo, just that he really wants to go
to Miami, and that the report for Woad where he actually really wrote about
it, Like for Wog to write right again, I feel like I haven't
seen a column like that from him in forever, but he mentioned reported whatever
that general manager Joe Cronin is not going to trade Damian Lillard wherever he wants
to go. That could be posturing, but Damian Litter clearly really wants to
go to Miami. His agents himself are pushing to go to Miami. They
are trying to dissuade other teams who might want to acquire him from acquiring him
in the first place because he doesn't want to play there. This is all
typical stuff. But the debate is sort of mutated into this morality conversation,
whereas the league needs to change and how could Dame do this to the Blazers,
this and that. So I want to reiterate a few things that I
kind of touched on in the first Damian Lillard trade podcast, But I just
want to illuminate further here. This stuff happens all the time. It's and
forget about proudly Beal's no trade cause, I just that's never I'll be shocked
if I don't know who the next MBIA player is to get a no trade
cause, but it's gonna have to be someone absolutely transcendent because that was a
disaster for Washington. But forget about that. That's a different type of market.
It's franchises and stars, even when they have years left on the bill,
typically work with one another. Even when it's more combative, stars still
hold leverage. Where Anthony Davis trying to request out more in advance a free
agency than we had necessarily seen at the time. Yeah, they shopped him
around to other teams, and he had more than one team on his list.
I think Boston was on there for a minute, but I think it
eventually fell off, and maybe it was just the Lakers, the Knicks might
have been tangentially on there or whatever. This stuff is normal, and I
don't think that the way that people are reacting is a wow, Damian Llewards
all of a sudden, a terrible person. He's trying to burn down the
Blazers. I don't have an issue with, you know, and this is
how people compared it. When teams decide to trade players under contract, that's
part of the gig. That's part of why they get paid so much money.
If there's not a no trade clause or some understanding with the team,
that's just so be it. That's a nature of the job. When it
comes to a player asking for out with a bunch of years left on his
deal, it's obviously a little bit more finicky because they kind of gave up
that right to force their way out in fury by signing said contract. But
teams still, when you have the leverage to ask for out, they tend
to acquies. And I don't have an issue with players doing that. I
don't have an issue with them giving teams a wish list. I don't have
an issue with them trying to diswade technically other teams from trading for them,
so long as it doesn't actually impede the trade or the return for them.
And that's where I'm kind of taking issue with this, And it's not just
Damian Lillard. It's a larger symptom of this trade request process is you're narrowing
down the pool of potential suitors because I don't know how many teams are going
to do what Oklahoma City did with Paul George or with Kawhi Leonard when when
the Raptors acquired him and go sort of rogue where the star wants out.
You're not on his list. You're not even on the you know, the
purview of his list. You require them anyway. I think a few things
coming to play is that stars have more leverage now and it seems like they
are able to not that they're able, but they might be more forceful about
their situation. Where would Damian Lillard report? I think he would would he
loaf around like James Hard No, I don't think so, but that threat
is there, And now you're paying these guys just so much money. The
number is so exorbitant espial, especially when forget yes, it's a percentage of
the salary cap when he gets to fifty nine million in twenty six, twenty
seven, it's a percentage of the salary cap that you know, it seems
like a lot in just raw dollar rap. When the salary cap is seventy
or one eighty whatever it is at that point, it won't seem so huge.
That number is just so monstrous when you're dealing with thirty five percent maxes
and supermax contracts. Let's say you have to take on those guys. It's
a different one. It's Paul George and I was he on his second contract
or third contract, but it wasn't just this gargantuan number. And the diddo
for Kawhan Leonard, I think he was only on his second contract at the
time, post like play, his Postbrookie scale deal. Maybe maybe I'm wrong
there though. So then when the number is this massive, it's going to
cause more pause and it gives the player more leverage. And the fact that
Damian Lillard chose to sign extensions with this Blazer's organization in a precarious situation with
this undefined direction and then changed his mind. I don't like the idea that
not that he shouldn't have agency in the matter, and if the team wants
to work with him, so be it. I wouldn't because I think that
sets back the franchise, but him one limiting them to one team and then
trying to dissuade other teams and not him, but also his agents. I
get that it's sort of part of the game here, but we've now reached
the point where it can be an active director detriment to these teams that are
trying to rebuild and retool their rosters. Are you're gonna have to accept an
inferior return. And I happen to believe that the Heat's best offer if they
can renegotiate that, Okay, see protection in twenty five to twenty six.
I think three first round picks, three swaps Tyler hero Haimi Hawkes, and
Nikola Yovich like as a baseline is an ok Maybe it's not the best offer
that'll be out there, but it might be the best offer that's out there,
And you might not even get that Miami offer because the way that Lord's
playing his hand here, and when you have four years and two hundred and
eight plus million dollars left on your deal, an extension that you signed that
per woads you pursued was the word that w us. That's where I sort
of take issue with it, where you're changing the shape and scope of your
trademarket to this degree. I'm not It's even different if you're going to give
them more than two or three teams, and I think I would have taken.
Now here's where it's going to differ is Kevin Durant didn't catch as much
shit when this happened in Brooklyn, in part because when you look at the
team that he limited it to, look at what they were able to give
up, and that was considered a capslock haul and the heats. The return
if you send Dame to Miami, to me, is not going to be
on par with mcael Bridges and Phoenix's draft when you're going that far out.
And maybe I'm misevaluating that package, but that's also still part of the problem.
Shame on me, shame on us in general if we weren't you know,
I think I've made I didn't make jokes. But there was definitely a
discussion that we had on this podcast about how did Phoenix lose this? Did
Phoenix lose this negotiation despite there being only a market of one, but was
there only a market of one because Brooklyn wanted to give Phoenix that chance to
give the Anti up and then they were going to explore aditional offers and the
marketplace else where, either that season or over the summer. We can't be
sure, but because you're able to get the asking price that you set where
it does seem like Miami's haggling even more because look, Damian Lud's not Kevin
Durant, but the whole the idea of stars who have signed extensions, it's
and I'm not even talking about forget the first contract after that rookie scale kind
of just beholden to take it. Anthony Edwards was never going to turn down
max money from the from the Timberwolves if he wasn't happy in Minnesota because that's
his first chance to get put eight. I'm not saying he's not happy Minnesota,
but that's how those people worried about when they were worried about Lamela Ball
or Zion Williamson sort of doing the same thing. It's just never gonna happen.
But I'm talking about like you're already you're past that contract, You've signed
others and now in Damian Lollard's case, in Kevin Durant's case, you've signed
an extension with these teams under these terms of how they were built. And
in Brooklyn's case, yeah, the shape the form of their team had changed.
That's on Kevin Durant because he first spearheaded the change to it, and
then he tethered it to two stars who didn't mesh together, and one in
Kyrie ir Ring, who was just so mercurial that he's submarine the entire thing.
And so I don't view it as sort of the NBA forcing these players
into no win situations or it's a double standard when it's oh, Damian Lillard
can't request a trade, No, I don't. I don't have an issue
with that. I also don't have an issue with the franchise working with him
or him giving them a wish list. But when it comes down to you're
able to dig tage just the one team you're going to, then you should
have let yourself reach free agency, or you should have requested out when you
only had a year left on your deal rather than signing extensions. It's you.
If you want to have a conversation about does the MBA you need to
abolish the draft because it's not fair that these guys don't get to pick where
they end up until X amount of years into the league. That's a really
tough discussion to have. I don't think it's really pertinent here, but it
doesn't apply because it doesn't apply here. Damian Lillard has signed multiple extensions with
the Blazers now, and so if I'm the Blazers, I'm making the best
trade for the Blazers. As Joe cronin. The issue here is, I
don't know how many teams are willing to pony up in part because of Damian
Lillard's age, but also just in part because, yes, some of the
appeal is okay, he's under contract for another four years, but that's also
because these deals are getting so massive. That's also some of the drawback for
certain organizations. And so you were gonna winnow out some suitors even if it
was open season on day Let's just say he didn't have restrictions. You're gonna
you're gonna winnow down the list of suitors just by vault there. And so
if you're then limiting it to only contenders, and he's saying, oh,
only Miami or Brooklyn, where I don't know if Brooklyn would would be a
contender with them, my guests, my guess, my educated guestimate would be
an aggressive No, they won't get there. But if he wants to play,
Michael Bridge is more power to where Michael Bridge seems like a fantastic teammate
Socam Johnson by the way, But when you're already inherently limited because of the
salary structure of this player, which look no sympathy for the teams here.
They signed Ami Lollard to this contract, they didn't have to give him that
extension. They know that he could have acted throughout, They know what type
of leverage he might have had later on in this deal, and so there
is a level of Okay, we don't need to you too far towards siding
with the team here. I just don't like the idea of when we've already
eliminated top tier players leaving in free agency for the most part, where Fred
van Fleet feels like the biggest name that's ever gonna shift unless something changes on
the open market, and now you're sort of taking away you know, free
agency was always rigged in the sense that these bigger markets were all he's going
to have a heavy advantage. And now more of these glamor markets or flagship
franchise or the mode let's say, just the usual suspects. When it comes
to teams that would be willing to pony up a lot of assets for trades,
it's going to be the same teams a lot of the time. And
so you're removing other squads that might be wanting to take a chance, like
a no Casey spoiler alert, or a New Orleans or a yeah, I'm
just spitball here like that rational picture. They maybe a Toronto like they did
with Kawai and as Okasey did with with PG and even Utah. So they've
been signed up, they've been kind of in the mix on the periphery,
but they've only called and had exploratory talks with Portland. And I'm not saying
that it's patently Oh, then Dame should want to go to Utah. I
mean it would be funny. I just want one of these guys to go
to the basketball nerdom spot, which no, I want to go to a
Casey be partler where I want to go to San Antonio, which Damian Lillard
the franchise Damillard has a deep respect for whatever the heck that means. And
look, I'm not saying he should want to go somewhere that's completely shirking his
timeline. I think, let you San Antonio and even Utah has an example.
Are they those two teams immediate contenders with Wemby and Dame as their top
two players in San Antonio? Or if it's Dame and let's say they keep
Kessler and Lowry market and as part of that that trade, are those teams
contenders? I'd argue no, But like in Okay, see a New Orleans,
if they decided to get involved, then yeah. And so I don't
like that this part of the process, And I don't know what the solve
is, Like I honestly, you know, this new CBA has it seems
like more harsher fines where agents can even be penalized and players for agents can
be penalized if they're issuing public trade requests on behalf of their clients. And
I don't really know how that factors in when it's you're kind of being open
about it, and like all these reports are leaking out, but does that
count unless you just come out and make a statement and say that Aaron Goodwin
has said that Damian Lillard doesn't want to be in Portland anymore. So I
don't know what the solve is. I just think it's unfortunate that one anyone
who's using this is sort of a measuring stick of morality for Damian Lillard about
a person, let alone a basket, like, never mind a basketball player,
but a person. That's kind of bullshit. But I also think that
we need to open our eyes and say, okay, like if these players
they've signed extensions by choice, and they had all the leverage to begin with,
and are now exerting leverage in such a way where they're not only dictating
their wish list, but they're dictating the exact destination and the type of package
that you're going to get for them. And look the way it's set up
right now. I understand that if you're Damian Lillard, although I haven't heard
too much of this when it comes to the Heat, but if you're Damian
Lillard, you don't want the Heat, for instance, to bankrupt themselves because
what do you want something left to actually contend with? And I think you
kind of go into this and acknowledge that in Bradley Beal's case. Yeah,
they're just going to be, you know, asset poor when it comes to
draft picks and young players. And they already wear asset poor when it came
to young players. You don't want to, you don't want to then say
okay, if they don't have to give up DeAndre And maybe Washio was never
interested in him, I get why he would push for that not to happened.
So I understand everything that's going on from the players the side here,
but I do think that they need players need to be more realistic. If
you've chosen to sign these extensions and you're the one asking for out that there
needs to be I can you set an arbitrary minorum like five teams that you
at least need to pick, and then you could look, there be run
arounds around that. Damian Lillard could just say the Lakers, the Clippers in
Miami and Brooklyn and so forth, and you know, the Clippers and Lakers
can't really give you realistic packages anyway, And so I don't know what the
solve is here, but I'm all for other teams getting involved and taking chances.
I just like the current climate is unfairly prohibitive to what when you look
at the salaries and just the agency, not the agency, but the way
that players are now delivering demands or requests as you call them. And this
is again not Damian Lillard specific. I worry that it's going to deter those
out of left field candidates from coming in and deciding, hey, we're ready
to accelerate our time, Like what if the Magic kind of decided that Damian
Lillard was the guy. I'm not advocating for that, even though I already
have. I want to see more of that randomness is part of what makes
the trade market interesting, and because some people hate the transactions of this league
or think that they're overcovered, and I think both sides have points, Like
I don't know, I want to both side that argument, but the transaction
game has been largely neutered in a sense where yeah, free agency and trades
are still covered like they're this big to do. The free agency is not
a big to do anymore. It's almost impossible to hand out bad deals,
you know, unless you're paying Villain Brooks eighty million dollars over four years,
are deciding to give your entire Mini Mlie to Reggie Jackson with a player option.
But we're not talking about backbreaking deals. Jeremy grants like the longest one
that's been given out over the off season, non extension. Of course,
it's just kind of a plug and play guy that can be moved. I
disagree with people who think that it's going to be like this net positive asset,
but it's not the end of the world. And you look at even
Fred van Fleet gets a MAX but it's only two years guaranteed. Bruce Brown
getting that massive salary but it's only for one year guaranteed. So it's almost
impossible to see these big games. One reach free agency, then to leave
in free agency, and then in free agency itself. You're not we're just
saying all these you know, big deals or like this mark key player movement
because teams understand asset preservation and the extension rules were loosened on purpose because they
wanted players sustain their current markets, but then them signing extensions and agitating for
out later. Again, I'm fine with it. I just don't like the
idea of them being able to create these uber specific mandates where it's not something
that's collaborative and it's not a wish list of preferred destinations that's extensive, that's
maybe ranking ten teams or whatever. That it's just this one team or these
two teams, and that's I think that's where I diverge from the whole.
You know, Damian Lillard as well, within his rights to do whatever he
wants here, and look, he I mean technically he is. I just
don't have to like it, and it's not just Damian Lillard specific. Of
course, that was longer than expected because it's me. But let's move to
this question from Christopher, which is a fact I've been campaigning for it,
but not the question itself. But Christopher asked, not saying it's going to
happen, but with plenty of young players and all the draft picks in the
world, what do you think a trade package for Dame too okay see would
look like. So a few variables come into play. Year one, knowing
that Dame doesn't want to play in Oklahoma City at least YO as far as
we can tell at this point. Two, you have to your offer is
going to reflect that market of one he doesn't want to play for you,
and two that other teams probably aren't going to come close to meeting what you
would want because he has such a finite wish list. The third variable for
me would be if you're okay, see if you're a team that's really going
to accelerate attempting to accelerate their timeline. Part of the appeal of Damian Lillard
is, yes, he's under contract, but that can also be for four
years. But that can also be part of the drawback. Like I said,
four years a two hundred plus million dollars, two hundred eight plus million
dollars. He's going into his age thirty three season. I think it's going
to be next year for him. Yeah, he's about to turn thirty three.
That can be a deterrent in theory, but you're viewing that against the
backdrop of Okay, we're not on his list and the market is not going
to necessitate that we go over the top. And then finally, you also
have to look at it as if we are acquiring him to accelerate our timeline.
A huge part of that appeal is rooted in, Okay, Damian Lord
is with our core, and we're not going to bust up our entire core
to get him. And so immediately I take that to view as shay Gil
Alexander off limits, chet Homegren off limits. Now you start to get into
some interesting names. Jaylen Williams. I'm putting him off limits because you're gonna
need to win defense there after that. You can't just put red tape on
everyone inside off limits. Josh Giddy would need to be on the table,
Kays and Wallace, Ushman, Jang and even lu Dort. Now, if
I'm the Blazers, though, I think what gets interesting is there are two
I guess issues. Here are two things to tackle before we flesh out a
package, and I have an exact one that I think's at least a fair
framework. Is let's start with the lu Dort thing. His contract is a
bargain. He's I remember when remember the stinker shock some people had when he
signed it, And now it's just like you look at the cap rising and
this dude is still on the right side of twenty five. He's never gonna
make more than seventeen point seven million the final years a team option, he
has four, so four more years of team control. One of the most
elite perimeter defenders. He can be an offensive misadventure, but we've seen him
go on heaters from three. Specifically, you have to ask yourself do you
want lou Dort or do you want extra drafts or prospect compensation? And so
if I'm Portland, I'm going to skew towards I want the picks, but
you also have to take an consideration. Okay, Josh Giddy is such a
high end prospect at this point with two years left on his rookie scale.
Good defender, great size of kicks, eight, good rebounder. It really
improved his shooting and just off ball work. Watching him play alongside SGA this
year a lot that's going to be not an opportunity cost, but that's going
to take up real equity. It's not the same as getting two of those
Miami Heat first round picks that are probably going to convey in the late twenties.
And now you're Portland and so you look at Josh Giddy, he is
six eight and I think just reasonably when you go through the thunders three most
important players SGA, I would say jilln Williams or Jet Homegrin. Maybe I'm
overvaluating jilln Williams, Wing jadub or Wing John Williams. We want to call
him, but it also there's gonna be overlap if you have Damian Lillard coming
in and then you have Josh Giddy, An Sga and Kayson Wallace. So
do the Blazers want Josh Giddy And in the theory, yeah, he's six
eight. You could play him with Shaden Sharp and Scoot Henderson. That's just
an Anthony Simons mix and match those guys. But that's like a lot of
different Like I'd be really interested in seeing a Giddy Sharp Henderson line up.
Fuck it, Like, throw Simons out there and make Giddy the four.
But that's just a lot of guys who prefer to operate on the ball.
Three of them, I guess you could. You could say four all four
would but Simon's works off the ball. Sharp should be fine off the ball.
But Henderson and Giddy there's a lot of overlap there. Now, if
you want Giddy, that's fine. But I viewed this as you probably need
to find a third team to go after Josh Giddy. That's gonna send interesting
player X and a first round pick or something, and then you flesh out
the package from there. So I'm gonna see if I can throw the package
I have up on screen and then i'll, I will, I will read
it off once since there it's a little preview or something actually wrote about.
So I had to write about this trade package. You should be up by
the time this is live, so you're not seeing too far behind the curtain,
although you are seeing behind the curtain. So three team trade involving the
Spurs. The Blazers get Davis Burton's who has you know, twenty two ish
million guaranteed over the next two seasons, Ushman Jang Keldon Johnson, a twenty
twenty four first rounder, most favorable of the four that OKAC could own between
Houston, the Clippers, OKC, and Utah. Chicago's two twenty five first
round pick, it's top ten protected comes via San Antonio, and then Houston's
two twenty six first round pick, which is top four protected. Oklahoma City
would receive Damian Lillard. This trade needs to take place, I think on
August twenty nine, when everyone could be aggregated. The Spurs get Josh Kiddy,
Victor Ladipo's expiring contract, and so in essence, if you're when you
look at this from like every side, Oklahoma City is given getting rid of
Davis Burton's and Victoriola Depo. Then giving up Ushman Jang, Josh Kitty,
and three first round picks for Damian Lillard. That's a like a pretty substanti
full amount to give up. And if you're if you're San Antonio, you
look at this the lens of Okay is giving up Kelvin Johnson and the Chicago
pick worth Josh Kiddy. I really like his fit in San Antonio. Maybe
you'd like his from scratch off the dribble creation more if he was banging in
off the bounce jumpers a. He's a really depth pass or a good remount
of great size hopefully stretches the floor enough at this point where he's not going
to shrink it anymore than a Trey Jones would and he's going to give you
more on defense in the glass there. And then if you're Portland's, okay,
you're taking on Thomas Burton's but you get Ushman Jang, Kelton Johnson,
whose four year extension is gonna be one of the best in the league and
he's only twenty three years old, and then you're getting three first round picks.
I think it's also actually okay. SE's cost was two first round picks
Usman Jang and Josh Giddy. Now there are ways that you could mix in
mac here where it's okay, if Portland wants the lou Dort, you have
a conversation. If they want Josh Giddy themselves, you can cut out the
middleman from San Antonio. So there are different bacinations here, and okay,
see just has picks for days they could include. I mean, if they
want to include that Denver twenty twenty seven top five protected pick as sort of
an add on. But if you're Portland knowing what you can get from Miami
and what other teams who are not Miami or offering you, is long term
cap relief plus Ushman, Jang, Keldon Johnson and three first round picks a
hall. And I think it's a reasonable hall in this case, and so
that would be the package I would try to structure if I was Oklahoma City
and it's again, there could be different iterations of it, but the thunder
standpoint, I think two first round picks Ushmanjang and Josh Kiddy is a good
place to start. If you think there needs to be more pick equity coming
from them, I think we have to maybe sort of reevaluate which players are
involved, or do you just include lu Dort and you pull back on Josh
Giddy or Ushman Jang in general. I think, look, Ushman Jang is
a really interesting link to me, like sort of a connective guy at both
ends of the floor. And I know we had that risk stuff this year,
or the hand stuff whatever it was that really limited him. But I
kind of liked what I saw a lot of the time, especially pre second
injury, pre first injury, whatever it was. So I think that's a
fair package. I would love to see, Okay, see go for it
now. Of course this is all moot and we shouldn't spend any more time
on it because they absolutely won't. It's Oklahoma City. But that is the
that's the package. And then you've left with a core of and look,
I think that's a reasonable offer, and they have more picks to include if
you need that, and they're not giving up scrubs in that deal. They
have Kays and Wallace or Lexay Polkaevsky. If Portland really wants it, wants
him or another team wants him to facilitate, they could reasonably build a Damian
Lillard trade package while having Lou dort sga Ja, Jaylen Williams and chet Home
Grin And so you're just pairing those dudes with Damian Lillard. That's just absolutely
outrageous. In the scenario, you could also build deals where maybe use of
nurkis is going back to San Antonio in that you know, sort of version
of it. You'd have to expand it where Okay, they're taking Dort,
can you send Nurkish to San Antonio? But what are they pulling back?
Are you not getting as much first round equity because that's staying with san Antonio
or going back to Okay. See, but yeah, that's the I think
Jang, Josh Giddy and two first round picks and maybe you go to a
third if you're Portland. Let's say the let's say the Spurs just aren't involved
and they're not sending Keldon Johnson and if you can get three first round picks
Jang and Keldon Johnson for Dame. At this point, I think I like
that all for better than Miami's, especially because the Hero Simon Sharp Henderson fit
is just weird, even if you think you can move Hero later. Let's
move on to some non Damian Lillard related questions. Austin asked, who are
the best available options and where they headed. I'm assuming you're talking about free
agency, and let's hope that this is like not too dated by the time
it comes out on Friday morning. So six names I have circle here.
I'm not ranking them in any particular order. Recursus just PJ. Washington restricted.
He probably goes back to Charlotte, but the Spurs could be fun.
I think they have like sixteen plus million in cap space, or even if
it was like they could work out a sign in trade. So I can't
really think of another team. And just I think it's just because of how
the cap has dried up here and I'm not really in the business of thinking
about sign and trade destinations right now. Iodassumu, one of my favorites,
can defend basically one through four and if the shot comes around it was fine
as a rookie dipped off last year, can still finish around the rim and
keep the ball moving. I don't know what it takes to get him.
He's an early bird RFA. But the Bulls signed Javonne Carter, they resigned
Kobe White, they have Demarduroz and Zach Lavine. And Alex Caruso. So
like, I don't think you're just gonna get him for the minimum. I
would assume Chicago keeps him around. But if like, if that was it
like a Boston, Dallas and San Antonio a bunch of wiggle rooms. So
those those teams can make sense. Kellyer brig Junior is still floating around out
there. If you're missing out him. A tist thighball Ubrey doesn't provide nearly
as much defense, but just as a wing archetype, he can make sense
in Dallas, Charlotte of course, Utah maybe just they need more wings in
there. And he's not a pure wing, but he's closer than Allowry.
Marketing to a pure wing Christian Wood is weird. I can't come up with
a market for him. I don't even know, like what type of money
is he getting at this point. I don't think it's going to be from
Dallas. Brooklyn would be interesting thing, but they're still in attacks of right
now. Charlotte maybe okaysee in Fury, but they just have that monster roster
crunch at this point where all their transactioning Portland maybe post Dame trade, is
that like a destination. I'm struggling with Christian Wood doesn't like make a like
Boston could have maybe considered him instead of Christops. Going all in out of
Christops porzingis trade, but you're just not going to get anywhere near the level
of defense slash rim protection. Javonte Green is just one of my favorites.
I don't think he would rank maybe in the top ten of available names from
most people. I think you'd be a steel for anyone Denver as sort of
a Bruce Brown replacement defense someone who has the positional malleability there maybe even can
guard up and even bigger wings than we saw from from Bruce Brown. And
if his threes fall at the clip they were before his injury this year,
that's big. And then finally, how Madudialo, who's the subject of next
question from unbiased Pistons fan that should timestamp that one specifically. I am sort
of intrigued that he hasn't been scooped up yet and I kind of thought he
would leave Detroit this summer, but liked, I just don't know where the
market is coming from. This is someone, Yes, there are spacing limitations,
but he just delivers really heavy drives. He can shy away from contact
and take off from weird angle points. The free throw shooting is certainly an
issue, but he shot I think it was after December thirty first, until
he suffered that right angle sprain. He shot like forty eight plus percent from
mid range, and a lot of those were sort of pushes and extended layups.
But he looked comfortable when he was turning a corner using one or two
dribbles and pulling up. If that part of his game is there, and
look, you can explore his three point shot too. The pistons and Diato
basically cut it from his diet by by the end of you when he was
playing last season. A team with better spacing can either maybe try to get
more out of him as a standstill shooter or just work around. If he
was able to get to Boston, I just don't know why he ends up
signing for a minimum type deal. He could be interesting in Dallas still.
He'd be interesting in Indiana, but they kind of already have that undersized wing
type in in Bruce Brown. Charlotte would be another team that I think he'd
be a pretty good fit on. Utah maybe Sacramento, just because they could
use the you know, the defensive activity. But that's another one where it's
like, could they get some real sized wings in there. Philly would be
lucky if his market just creators or they figure out that James Harden stuff and
understand like what version of the mid levels there they're able to use. I
think that that could be a really good fit. So those are teams that
keep an eye on. I guess my favorites would be Utah's not going to
happen, but I would really like him in Utah and Philly and then maybe
Dallas just pivots there. Now the Matisse typle stuff is gone again. He's
he's smaller, but he's at least a body that you can throw on like
tougher covers. I'm not gonna say premier scores and like all the way up
to certain wings, but he has positional valuability there. And yeah, UnBias
Pistons fan asking what's up with how M Dudillana having a deal yet He's probably
didn't rank these, but so PJ. Washington and like are we shut?
Anybody else is guaranteed to be better than the hollow. I'm more intrigued by
Iota soon move probably Kelly Ubre maybe be Christian, like he has to be
on the top five free agents left right, Like that's just that's just a
fact. At this point, Unbiased Pistons Fan has a follow up question which
I tried to really research and think about. Maybe I'm just not in the
all time all team mode, but Unbiased Pistons Fan asks, I've been thinking
a lot about an all time all too good for Summer League team. Who
should be on it? Jalen Williams, Keegan Murray and Lebron James or who
I have so far? That's an interesting three, like super like two super
recent dudes and then Lebron James. So some of the names. I narrowed
it down to five names and at midimum, they had to play two summer
league games. Kd average twenty five plus points on forty five percent shooting in
two summer league games. Blake Griffin was at nineteen and ten on fifty percent
shooting in Summer league. Kauai average twenty seven I think, on forty seven
percent shooting in Summer league. Lebron of course dominated. I think he only
played in one game, so that's like not fair, but I don't include
him Anyway, DAMARDA. Rosen was kind of smooth, and he think played
in like almost ten Summer League games. Maybe that defeats the purpose we're talking
about. Oh, they're so good, they should have played in very few
Summer League games. And then the entire twenty seventeen Lakers Summer League team which
won the championship, but that had Kuzma is the one who stands out specifically,
I think had that monster game, either in the playoffs or in the
actual championship. That's an interesting question, though, I will say from what
I've seen of Summer League, where I haven't taken in any of the full
games that have been on so far, but I've watched a lot of not
a lot of I've watched some film on them, including of Julian Champenny.
For this next question, Keegan Murray looks man and I know that was he
was already mentioned, but if Sacrament was gonna let him explore, geez,
that's gonna be an interesting like actual development. I don't mean like, oh
the development look at gam in the ball and though his development is going to
be super interesting. Next question comes from Devin Vassell fan, does wenb have
what it takes to overtake Julian Champenny as best player on the Spurs this year.
No, he does not, But Julian Champenny will say I knew very
little about him, so I watched everything that he did in the Summer league
games so far, called quote unquote sumer League games so far. The three
point shot looks legitimate, super comfortable when he's going and finishing with his right
hand. He had a couple of attacks where he looked super at home going
with his left hand. They don't know if he can really finish with that
would be a question. And there's like some real defensive it just his size
but six eight, but kind of his activity, especially away from the ball
and in passing lanes, that's like a dude like if you're looking to space
the flour and plug in play. I would be very curious because he does
look a little smooth with the ball in his hands, could get choppy of
points. Can he improve? Is kind of a passer and he's we'll see
if this translates to the regular Spurs, but he'd been like sneaky on the
opensive glass so far in Summer League and so like that's something to watch that's
a really good fine. I understand now why people were so ecstatic about that
that contract Devin Vassell fan though, second and more serious question, how confident
are you in the lineup of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sollhan Victor
wemban Yama and Zach Collins playmaking wise? I just don't see any of them
getting benched. For Trey Jones, I don't know where I land on whether
I see any of them getting benched. You absolutely should be benching, I
would say Collins or Kelvin Johnson, maybe even Jeremy Sowen, Like you just
need someone who can run the offense, and maybe that's wemban Yama and the
combination of having you know, Devin Vassell's improved on ball skills and the sample
side you got from Jeremy Sowen last year. But it's not Zach Collins.
We know it's not Kelton Johnson. At this point, I would bring Kelton
Johnson off the bench personally, but he is. He gave him the extension,
so I understand the reticence there. But just like the offense is potentially
going to be a slog just because they're so young, and they're working without
that true captain or that floor general who even with Trey Jones, yeah good
in maintaining his dream getting in the lane, but doesn't have much of a
three point shot. I just keep coming back to the ball control and how
protecting possessions is going to be crucial for this team. Luca Danchich, Lebron
James, and Dame Lillard and Trey Jones were the only players last year to
post an assist rate above thirty and turnover rate below twelve. He just it
has nothing to do with him getting the contract, which might have been one
of the best deals or was one of the best deals a free agency,
might have been the single best deal of free agency non minimum division. Of
course, you need to figure out a way to get him, if you
need to make a ceremonial just to not Brusigo is okay, whatever, But
he needs to be like the point card right now, unlessure you're going to
join the Damian Lord sweepstakes or try and take a look at another point card.
But I think that lineup, I'm very intrigued by it, and let's
see what Wemby looks like. Of course, I'm a big believer an on
ball Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sowen, but not right now. I think Ty
Jones needs to be in there to organize it, and I would bench Keldon.
But I also get I think if you look at him right now,
he's probably more plug and play than Jeremy Sowen, And so can you look
at benching Jeremy and bringing him off the bench to try and run the second
unit more since you don't necessarily want you don't want to sandwich all your creators
in the same line up. They'll play a ton together no matter what,
but you want to give your rotation some balance. So that's a way you
could go. I think the least likely actually is probably you're not gonna bench
Collins just because you don't want to put women Yam in a position where he's
technically the center. And then at that point like you're asking a lot defensively
of Jeremy Sellen or and or Calton Johnson. So I don't I don't think
ironically, I think so that the saved ones are Wemby, I would assume,
I guess we shouldn't put it past the spurds, but you're gonna have
Wemby the Cell and Collins are like your starters, unless they decide the Spurds
decide, hey, we want to throw another big in there where it's like
we're going to start a truer big and I don't know Charles Bassie or like,
like they just don't even have him at that point. So yeah,
I'm maybe they bring back Georgijang or something the side that I think at this
point, like Zach Halls might be one of the safer ones they've They've Reggie
Block voting on this team now, like this seems just a lot of fucking
wings. Remember when the Spurses didn't have enough like perimeter players. This is
this is incredible how far we've come. That's a great question, though.
I'm insured to see how it plays plays out, and I want to know
what you would do, Devin Vassell fan, I know it's not bench,
Devin Vassell. Oh, this one's fun or potentially embarrassing. It comes from
Real Syrup twenty two nineteen. Do you have an off season take about the
draft of free agency that turned out to be epically incorrect and or downright embarrassing
over the past few seasons. I'll share mind to get the ball rolling.
It was Spring twenty nineteen. Oh, we're painting a picture, my belove.
Nuggets just lost a heartbreaking playoff series to the Blazers at home in Game
seven after being up three to two. Much of the off season scuttle butt
was about Michael Porter Jr. A young, top five potential guy who was
drafted in twenty and eighteen but didn't play his entire rookie year due back surgery.
Could he come in and be the final piece this roster needs to put
them in true contender status. Not according to me, I'm tired of hearing
about MPJ. As far as I'm concerned, he's now expendable because we just
drafted bullball end quote who that's spicy, That's right up there. Mind's worst.
Where I predicted Kawai would be a bust? Trying to focus on more,
Let's just focus on the last Like two or three years, I missed
on the Jalen Brunston signing. It was never the amount, but I had
a problem with the mode of operations that Nick took took the Knicks took as
a stammer to get there, and also just with what his fit would look
like. I just underestimated him. That was a big miss. I didn't
think Walker Kestler was gonna be mobile enough to be an impact defender on the
defensive end, like more away from the basket, I was. I missed
him, like that's a wolf and this is the worst one. And there
are receipts on receipts on receipts of this because it's basically a joint one from
Grant and I. This one's solo. I was not high on him and
Mobley. I thought he was very clearly like the worst of all those guys
we were talking about between Scottie Barnes, Kay Cunningham, Kay Cunningham, Scottie
Barnes and who owned Jalen Green and like I might have had him below like
one or two two other guys I missed on. That was pretty bad.
The whole Evan Mobile and Jared Allen can't really work together. They do have
warts. That was bad. This is the one and it dovetails with Mobile
now and can't work together. Grant and I called Jared Allen's hiding for four
years not famillion, one of the worst contracts of what was that was the
twenty twenty one free agency. He has one two alas always three more years
left on this deal, so it was there was last season. Oh my
god, time is weird. So two and twenty two free agency? That.
How's that for super recent? All these happened last summer, so we'll
keep it super recent. There. You could go back to some of my
older stuff, and my excuse was I was young and I was just trying
to pump out as much contest as possible. Like I'd probably wrote some pretty
shitty, shitty stuff. My writing was probably even worse than it is now.
But the Kauai I got called out. I think my cold takes exposed
for it once and spurs Twitter one at me, and then they fell in
love with me because they just owned it. I was like, yeah,
I don't this was terrible. I predict that he was going to be a
bust. Now I would never write that. I won't predict bus I'll write
about bust that have happened or in the process of tr inspiring. I will
never Now that I'm more confident and kind of understand how shitty it is to
be frank, but you get to a certain point in your life and also
where you don't feel confident that you're indispensable in the industry because it says in
my bio I'm professionally an essential, but I would never write something like that.
Again, apologies to Quai, but it seems like you it worked out
quite all right for you. Next question comes from each p Burgie and I
wish I could give this one more thought, but it's you know, four
to thirty in the morning by me, and I'm tired, and I did
think about this. I think you'll see by my answers has two questions quick,
what if if Warriors raft l Mela Ball instead of Wiseman, how does
the landscape of the NBA change. I don't even want to answer that question
because not that I don't want to answer, because it goes into what you're
asking the next one. I think, yes, the Warriors would be infinitely
better off in theory, but as LaMelo Ball allowed to be Lamela Ball like
he isn't like this season, Lamel Ball is not going to happen where he
was just chucking like that's just so much overlap with a with a Jordan Pool.
Then would he have been given the freedom and the runway to make mistakes
and develop as a facilitator. I think you can see that the IQ there
is from the ball to fit with the Warriors. And so how are the
Warriors different? I mean they're either probably talking about an extra championship from now,
like maybe there's you know where they had the two gap years? Is
it only one? I don't I don't know, or did they flip a
Melo ball for someone spicy, like when they finally made that Jordan pooltray.
Like let's say get to this point anyway, but you had LaMelo ball this
past season instead of Wise, Like, who are we talking about on gole
in State right now? Pascal Siakam, Damian Lillard himself. I don't know,
so I think that's how it changes. But I don't want to spoil
too much of your next question. And I think you had I delete it
here And if I'm doing this un solicited, I guess whatever. It is
my podcast. But are there any other No, there aren't any other wives,
but I kind of thought of like along similar lines. Well, nough
it ties into your side question, so h P. Bergie also asked how
much do you think role situation matter when it comes to players being bust or
not? For example, what James Wise and being all star if he was
drafted by someone else, Kennor HASNAPA with Lebron have been not as good if
he was drafted somewhere else? Basically, I'm asking his people's careers are predetermined
verts all up in the air. Can you think of some other examples where
the team or player got drafted by a player that really mattered? So,
yeah, this is what I had marked. And I think one of the
big ones is just like, Okay, Thomas Robertson and Sacramento and was that
two thousand and twelve? Would he still be in the league or been a
much better player if he was able to develop outside of the Kings? And
I think you could even ask that about Marvin Bagley of a third. I'm
not trying to throw all this ship at the Kings, but it's it's a
fair question. Never would have lived up to the Luca Dodgich hype, of
course, And then they're sort of the inverse where it's like, well,
what if Damian Lillard had gone earlier in two thousand and twelve, and like
or you can even like do it. We're talking about missed opportunities where it's
is Chris Paul, Chris Paul if he ends up in Atlanta in two thousand
and five, and so I think you and you could go back, like
what if Steph Curry goes to a different team, YadA, YadA, YadA.
I think you get to a level of stardom that is always going to
do bust out no matter what. And maybe because it takes time, like
Steph Curry might be an example, was not the best version of Curry until
later in his career. Would you not have been able to find that with
certain teams who didn't eventually grow to understand or hire a coach that knew how
to maximize or optimize his skill set or at least grant him the freedom to
be Steph and really just a fine game that we're watching today. And so
some of Mike Lebron James, I don't worry that he always would have been
transcendent. I do think Steph Curry revery been would have would have broken out.
When it comes to guys, where is there sort of this untapped star
potential? I guess I think a lot about Larry Market in a little bit
in Chicago where it's okay, well that was clearly Chicago and Cleveland, because
you saw two situations where Chicago was just misusing him. He had dealt with
a bunch of injuries, there was log jams there, bad coaching, badfront
officing, bad everything. Then he goes to Cleveland and he's solid, but
he's he's not playing out a position. At that point, he showed he
can play the three, but he's not anything close to a focal point even
as a play finisher. Then he goes to Utah and really bust out because
things are more built for him to have the freedom to do so, and
then buy necessity, by exploration, he'd busts out, and then by necessity
he becomes so central to everything that they're doing. And so I do think
that it does matter where you're drafted and how you're used to an extent when
it gets to that level, though, feels really rare. Now. James
Wiseman, for example, what happens if he was on a team that ran
a bunch of traditional pick and roll and just had Pristine's spacing And I guess
the Warriors had one or the other. But if had Pristine's spacing, ran
a bunch of traditional pick and roll, and we're willing to kind of slog
through his defensive mistakes and weren't on that immediate timeline. Could he be better?
Could he be an All Star? It's just so tough to say.
I do think when it comes to I think I would say from like one
or two time All Stars and below, like if if that was their best
case outcome, which I guess there's no way to know this. You're more
likely to be impacted by where you're drafted than if you're just like a perennial
All Star or an All MBA, multi time All MBA type player, not
sort of a one off where lowry marketing. I'm not saying he's a one
off, but it would be really my melting if he's just he didn't even
may call HIMBA this year, but if he just starts contending for it.
And there's also different scales of it where it's like, okay, well sabonus
in Orlando and Okac was kind of nothing like we saw him and Indiana.
Is that just a matter of waiting and time or actual situation? Was it
both? So? I think that level of star again, someone who can
make All MBA and maybe multiple All Star games, you can absolutely be shaped
and see your career altered by where you're at. But I do tend to
think that stardom will invariably break through, and so like even if it's a
James Wisen being on his third chance, I don't know if Detroit's the right
ecosystem, especially they have more shooting on that roster. But like just with
Asar Thompson, Kay, you mean his jump shot, He's come around,
Kay Cunningham, Jay and Ivy did improve there. So maybe there is enough
spacing, especially when you're looking at Alec Burke's Boyan Bogdanovich and now you have
it's about to say Cam Johnson, but it's actually Joe Harris there. Maybe
you just see something. He seems like someone who needs to be the primary
big, and if he's not just the primary big, it's almost like the
inverse of John Collins, where yeah, he needs to be a five on
offense, but you might need him to be something less than that on defense.
But we I honestly, I don't know. You just have to kind
of watch him wait and see. So the one that I'm always fascinated by
though it's Franknie la Keina obviously no, but is actually just I mean,
I'm not gonna Lie Frankie Kinasti fascinates me. There were Thomas Robinson is the
one that I constantly come back to where he had if he had ended up
somewhere in Sacramento. He just had so many of the tools that I just
feel like he could have been just something on both ends of the floor.
I'm trying to think of like a comp for him, and I don't really
have a great one, like all Blake Griffin with defense or something, and
maybe he never would have had that playmaking acumens. That's not fair. That's
a great question though. Next question comes from kill Hoss. Will you be
watching summer league games? And if not, will these for a few box
and pox scores. I'm sure I'll be watching some as I hopefully, once
I start feeling better, I will make sure to catch Wenby's debut, so
I'll be watching some full summer legue games. I do a lot of more
film rewatching, and yeah, you'll do box box score diving and then you'll
try and look be like, oh, I need to go watch that game
or those players possessions. That's to me, that's the most effective way to
cover the league, especially when you're at the summer league level, where a
lot of it him would come undane for me. At this point, guys,
I'm not gonna lie like this is the slog time, not just because
I'm sick, but like I've gone through the entire regular season, the trade
deadline, prepping off season content, trying to keep track of the moves in
the salary sheets. We're gonna get into grades probably soon, and then it's
you know, how much of the summer league can I I don't know what
to read into it, and I tend to I will say I tend to
do lex less like box score informing where it's okay. If I need to
go, like I see a player over the last ten games has done X
in the regular season, I will take that and then try and go back
and watch or if I'm taking in full games at that point, to see
what I need to be watching for in summer league. I really do.
Like That's why I rely on the eye test the most, which is maybe
why I'm so bad at predicting summerleague success into translate into the regular season.
Although Desmond Bane when my bigger hits, when I saw him go start handling
the ball the summer before his sophomore season, I was like, I think
that's what it was. I was dis dude, is gonna break out?
So my one hit volume shooters don't always miss. So yeah, I will
be watching summer Summer League games or at least film on it. I rely
on the eye test a lot more than the box scores for those and unless
I'm covering it, and then you want box score contextualization. But I can
tell you now, I don't think I'm gonna be bleach. Reporters trying to
give me to go to some league multiple times I always decline, in part
because of just the anxiety having to cover it with all those people there,
and then too just again like I'm at the point where I'm like burnt out,
and so we're gonna get We're gonna reach a stage where I've time to
take a breath and like we're just gonna turn around and maybe get into off
season. Not maybe I'll try to. I will get into off season,
look aheads unless something happens like this podcast remaining wildly unprofitable at this stage.
So yes, we'll be watching Summerleague. Definitely will catch Wemby's debut, and
from what I can tell, Julian Champennie already looks like a future Hall of
Famer. Next question comes from Moose Machine. The Bucks have all things,
consider it a pretty good summer so far, but seemed to have a glaring
hole at point guard. How should they fix that? Any they should get
a point guard? Come on, Moose Machine. Any decent free agents left
for a minimum already trade you could think of they should swing. Also,
Bucks fans seem obsessed with trading for Colin Sexton. Thoughts on his potential fit
on the team and how feasible it is to trade for him. That's interesting.
So I think it would probably come down to I'm very curious how Utah
would value Colin. You can get his salary, by the way, but
it canna cost you players that you want, Like so Colin Sexton's at seventeen
point three million this year, and so Milwaukee. It doesn't have to be
dollar for dollar match, but it will be one hundred and ten percent.
I think it's like you need to send out pretty close to that. You're
gonna need to get rid of two of Bobby Portis. I guess Jay Crowder
once he's trade eligible, Grayson Allen, pat Conaton what does what does Utah
evaluate him? As they do have a Baji. They just drafted Bryce Sensiba
and they also have Who's who's the other? One day you have another score
and I'm forgetting Let's look at their let's look at their little sheet here.
They did they extended Jordan Clarkson and so he is still there, Keyante George
and so like having all those names, do they value Sexton less? Even
with Tayn Horton Tucker being back? And then it's all right, you're not
giving up. You're just in first. Are you're gonna give up Marjan bow
Champ? Or let's just say, you know, does like does this package
of let's say it's gonna be great? I would say Grayson Allen and Pat
Conathon is the deal? Like is that worth getting Colin Sexton? I mean
maybe does Utah even want to Grace and Allen reunion? I don't think you're
giving up Bobby portis in that deal? You could step out of your way
to three salaries where it's kind of like if it was one of Alan or
Content and then you went to like, are you going to give up Marjan
bow Champ? Look at that point and then you give up another salary.
I think that might get you pretty close, but not even there. It's
tough for the Bucks to get to a number if you're willing to include Jake
Crowder. But I just don't think Utah's gonna want to be in the Grayson
Allen or Jake Powder business. But I shouldn't say that about Grace now.
It's a different front office and dido for For Jay Crowder, I think he
could be a good fit. That's just not someone who I view as a
potential closer for them, just because you're looking at Brooke, Jannie, Chris
Middleton, and Drew. I guess you can close with Sexton, but then
it's just you've decided that Chris middletonager and draw your wing defenders, and so
you're gonna be sacrificing something either at the point of the attack or on the
wings there. Which is why I might like Jay crowd or even Pat Compton
better in that I might even well defensively, won't like Millie Beasley. I
thought that was an excellent flyer for them. By the way, in terms
of free agent options, I don't really think there's anyone who could be a
difference maker if I would assume he was just gonna, you know, Chicag's
gonna let him walk for the minimum to a division rival, the conference rival,
whatever. Yeah, I would love him. He doesn't provide, I
think the offensive juice you need, but just take the flyer's going on dragging
to do anything. Do you want to be the team that like sees if
Kemba's knees have anything left, or what's going on WITHI on wall? Frank
niel Keena is out there and I heard that he's one of the best off
the dribble jump shooters in the league of all time. Actually, Tail Maldone
would be interesting. I do think he's on a two way with Charlotte,
but he would be gettable. Does Paddy Mills eventually get wave that could be
someone or what about a Davante Graham. He's a partial guarantee for twenty four
twenty five, so maybe not. That might be something that's more mid season.
Looking at trade targets. Trey Man would be someone in Oklahoma City,
very guard heavy at this point, and there's like real shake and separation and
bounce and directionality to his on ball game. He will take step backs,
he will get in the lane, hit floaters, create separation, react to
sort of that chaos. He was just wildly inefficient this past year. Do
you take a flyer on him? He's only making he has another year left
on his rookie scale too, And so it's what, I don't know what
the salary matching is, Like, he's making such little money that you might
like, do you double up on players? And you can't really do so
until the middle of the season. I don't think the Bucks have any trade
exceptions. Nope, they do not that they can use here. So like
that's a more complicated for them because they can only trade these bigger numbers where
it's okay, well, if you're willing to move Grayson Allen or Pat Connaton
for this guy, like what else is the deal? Including you're not getting
Kendrick Williams for that, You're gonna take on Victor Oladipo's money. You're like
Patty Mills and Trey Man, Like is that just the money for Grayson Allen
or Pat Connaughton? Are you that out on any one of those those guys?
So it's a small number, but it's like if you're making it over
the offseason's actually kind of difficult for Milwaukee to to pull off Tis Jones his
fourteen million dollars salary. Doesn't you know, better shooter than Trey Jones.
Definitely better game manager as well, won't turn the ball over as much.
Do you think he's gonna close though him and draw? I think you play
him and Drew to again, that's a dumble question. Again, you're making
sort of the same defensive sacrifices. It's coming get the point of attack just
because you're not gonna you know, moved I guess you moved Ties to off
guard through Drew point of attack in Middleton on the wings, so there will
be a defensive concession there. This is probably more of a mid season one
and that, but they could get the number depending on where the nets go.
Spencer Dinwoody could be mega interesting for this team. And so those are
all the names that I thought of. Hope you enjoyed this sub one hour
mailbag. Please, if you've gotten this farm you haven't done so already,
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next time, and as always, I hope it come at you with much
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