What is krack alak in Hardware Knox listeners. I am Dan's Valley coming at you without my fantabulous co host, Adam Prommel. I am, however, super pleased and excited to be joined by my good friend and colleague Bleacher Reports brand hused to wrap up our buy sell or hold for every every every NBA team series. We're onto the Eastern Conference in this podcast. If you did not check out the Western Conference one, do so already. That's been up for a few days now. A few quick housekeeping notes. One, follow Grant on Twitter at GT Underscore. Hughes does a great job covering the NBA at Bleacher Report. Follow us on Twitter at Hardwood a Knox. Follow us on YouTube YouTube com S or Hardwin Knox. We will come up. You can follow me on Twitter at Dan for Valley at av a L, follow us on Instagram at Hardwood, Underscore Knox, Join l Discord channel. It is open fully for everyone. The links are in the podcast descriptions. Now for real, if I lied previously because us for getting to do it correctly, I forget that certain platforms don't actually allow you to click on the words that are that are hyperlinked. So the discord channel is in the podcast description. We might eventually pump in on social media, but we just want to give the people who are listening and want to join the chance. First, we've already had a good discussion in there, because I think we have two dozen people in there so far, so let's keep getting those numbers up. And finally, but most importantly, please please this is your first time listening, or if you just have not done so yet, consider throwing us that permanent subscription that helps us out a great deal. If you're already a subscriber, help us promote this podcast, tell your friends about it, acquaintances, random people you work with, or on the internet. You could help by retweeting some of the promos that we get out there, just so people are aware that we exist and that our podcast is only modestly insufferable relative to national NBA basketball coverage. Lastly, for real, please remember to over to iTunes and throw us five star ratings and write reviews. Even if you don't use iTunes, those help us a ton in the charts. I cannot stress it enough. With all of that out of the way now, though, let's get to some more trade deadline talk with Bleacher reports Grant Hues Grant, welcome back second time this week after speaking with me for like almost three hours last time, and it was actually it was a two hour podcast where we talked for three hours. How the hell are you? I'm the same. It hasn't been that long. There hasn't been a lot of time for things to change. I'm happy to be back. That's also the same, no existential rant for me this time. Unfortunately, I feel like we just need to dive right in with these trade deadline by seller holds. We are onto the Eastern Conference. So, as I mentioned in the intro, if you haven't checked out the West, go do that now. Hawks Atlanta Hawks buy seller hold, not hold. That's that's I'm gonna skirt the question a little bit with not hold. I think probably, I guess I'll explain why not hold. I think they're starting to look a little friskier. They were one of the most disappointing teams, and I guess they still are if you're thinking about the bottom line for the first half plus of the season. But I think they're They've won five of their last seven. This is again, I don't know what's going on tonight. We're recording this Thursday. I don't think they even play. There's won a couple of games. But if anything, if you got to choose between buy or sell and avoid not hold, I think they should buy. I like some of the expirings they have Lou Williams, Dalon right, Gordy Jang, and Gallo is Danilo Gallinari is basically an expiring I guess he's only five million guaranteed for next year. So you've got all their own firsts. You can throw stuff together, you can get into the mix for sort of whoever you want. I don't think that should be Ben Simmons, but I like their options. I think if you're looking to do something, you've got to just focus on the defense because the offense is fine. And then as a secondary thing, they still have the Trey Young is off the floor, we can't score problems, which are just like that's been the story forever. So those are the areas I focus on if you're looking to buy, which I think you know you lean that way on the spectrum versus Cell, I don't think this is a Cell situation. I'm with one of everything you said. One of the targets I've thought a lot about and I think Jake Fisher. A Bleach report reported the Hawks actually had conversations about him. We've been banging this drum for months. It's not a victory lap, just saying if the Spurs are gonna trade Derek White, that's someone who gives you some point of attack defense and if you want, can displace Trey Young from the ball a little bit when he's in the game, which is something the Hawks have never really leaned into. I'm not sure if he's the guy that can necessarily lead units on his own, but he did a lot of it in years past, not as much this season of leaving bench units for San Antonio, So maybe there is something to try there with it. And they just have so many tradeable contracts, even like Galladhari doesn't suck either, so like maybe a team gets him and decides like, yeah, we'll keep him next year because we can move his twenty one point five million full guarantee for something else and and trade, or he's just going to help us as a secondary scorer. I will say, and I don't know if this is I wouldn't sell, I would buy. I'm one hundred percent buy on here. There's no equivocating for me. But the noise about them maybe potentially trading John Collins not as part of a blockbuster. I find that interesting because I think John Collins is really good. His offense is so scalable now, like we're not talking about someone who needs to be the primary screener. Good three point shooter, has a little bit of a floor game. I just I value so much of what he does, even though his numbers aren't huge. I don't know why if you're a team that's trying to be good, you would move him independent of making a trade like for Ben Simmons. And it seems like the Hawks are kind of out of those sweepstakes a little bit, So what do you kind of make of that idea? I know they have Clint Capella and that look Collins has gotten better on defense, but you don't necessarily want him to play a ton of five. You have to have him play five when Capella's off the floor. Maybe that makes stuff weird having on Yaka Kungu there. I just I found it interesting that Collins appears to be available outside the idea of the Hawks buying aggressively. So yeah, I think I find that strange too, And all I can think of is is, you know, it's happened the last two years now where there's been a report that, you know, Collins is unhappy or frustrated or whatever specific word you want to use with basically how how the offense runs. Uh. And And to me, that's like it seems to me that if the Hawks are willing to do what looks a lot like selling low or moving him for something that isn't like a significant addition, it's just that like maybe the situation is worse than it seems. And certainly there have been signs where it's just if we got to pick a side between the Collins camp and the Young camp, we're going to pick the Young camp and Collins just has to go. I don't know, I don't know. It's just it does it doesn't. It doesn't add up to me. I like him too, for all the reasons you said he's very scalable. He proved in the playoffs that because he's had an interesting career like trajectory, because he was kind of an energy shot blocker, rebounder as a rookie. And then it was suddenly, well Collins is kind of just like empty points and you know, he's efficient, but I don't know. And then you know, in the playoffs last year he was doing all everyone couldn't shut up about all the dirty work he was doing and how great this is. So I think if you can make it work with him, you should, because he's not a he's not being paid a max salary and he's not being asked to do max level stuff. But I'm holding onto him. I wanted to throw a couple of other ones at you. I love like the idea of Marcus Smart here. I don't think that's been thrown out there or if that's super realistic. I think Robert Covington is someone that you could pretty easily get if you're looking to just kind of have a decent off ball defensive guy, and you know Portland would be happy to take. I think, you know, throw together Daylon Right and Gorgy Jang and you're there. And then Portland gets a bunch of expiring salary too. Maybe you have to sweeten that with a pick of second rounder thing. That's fine. I just think, yeah, whatever you need to do, because that's not going to help Portland. That specific package won't get Portland under the tax but you get the gist of it. What about as a let's let's figure out what to do when Trey isn't on the floor thing. Do you think that matters or is that just not worth it? It probably matters, but that would be more of a buyout thing to me. I just don't know. He hasn't played this year, essentially for Toronto. I would need to see what it looks like and just at that price point. So then you're you're just deciding we're giving up Bogdanovitch or Gallo or is it part of a bigger trade where the Raptors want John Collins on their team. So I wouldn't be in love with that idea. I had found it intriguing how open Collins has been about his unhappiness. He went on the Hawks Report podcast hosted by a friend of the podcast our Kay Spencer, and he was like, he kind of downplayed the initial rumor that he wanted out. He said, I haven't asked for out. I don't want to be traded. I still want to be here. But he actively knowledged that he wants to be used better and that he's upset that his usage rate is his lowest since his rookie season. And so he wants to be able to do more, which I totally understand. That's just going to be something to monitor if it's not settled with the deadline just into beyond, if they don't have this immense playoff success. I do agree that Smart would be interesting there. I just I don't know how people view his four years, seventy six million dollars extension based off a predominantly what I've seen where people are trying to figure out how to get himTo the Jazz. I understand his offense has not been great, but he's a terrific defender, and he does provide some playmaking and he's actually has, like prior to this season, had two years about of quality shooting, some of which included pull up threes. So I just don't know what you would give up to get him. Is it it's one first round pick in salary? Then yeah, sure, absolutely try and do that. But you know it's also tough with this team. You don't know what DeAndre Hunter is either. You've already paid Kevin Hurder too, Cam Reddish, so that's fine, like you're not necessarily log jams when it comes to extensions, but if you do acquire Smart on his next extension and you've paid Hurder, Like, what are you doing with Hunter who just hasn't been healthy enough over the past too really his whole career. It feels like the past two seasons specifically to gain any sort of momentum, and last year, before he got injured, it looked like he just showed so much progress on the offensive end. That's another wrinkle to this team, where it's like, how do you make any major moves without knowing how one of your three or four most important players for the long term is actually going affair for you? I think I would still lean by and Smart would be interesting. I do think part of this, you know, Shlank saying that they moved Reddish because he's hoping it would shake up their team. I guess maybe he was right, but Reddish wasn't even playing at the time. I just right, which wow, I mean, if he's playing time in New York doesn't increase. But that's a conversation for the actual Knicks. I think they just decided that the first round pick from Charlotte it should convey at some point, maybe not this year, the act's going to be more valuable for them in a trade, then reddish himself and if smart is available, But is it even like you know, I don't know. Josh Richardson is a name I just keep throwing out if you're looking for someone who gives you some just you know, multi position defense, and he's been hitting threes this year. He's not necessarily going to help your creation. I know he's had he had a rocky two seasons in h Philly in Dallas respectively, But like that is a name that I think just helps them a ton when looking at some of their their defensive struggles on the perimeter. Yeah, I agree, I think Josh Richardson is I mean, he's gonna come up a lot for me too today on on this pod, because it's like, if you're not going to hit on all the bigger suspects that will get to a million times, the Grants and the Barns and the you know, Eric Gordon's and stuff like Richardson's kind of especially, you know, like if you just want a guy who's gonna fill in and give you competent minutes on the wing on both ends, like he's out there. I don't think like the Celtics are married to him, so he's gonna come up a lot for me too. I think that's all I got on Atlanta. What you want to move to Boston? Yeah, I don't think I have another note Atlanta. So Boston, the Boston Celtics buy sell or hold. I'm hoping for snake right now. I don't know. Well, so I'm gonna equivocate a little bit again. I think they're a seller ultimately, and that's got as much as anything. It's got to do with their tax situation. They're just they're two point eight million over the line, and there's just like the way to get under it is very obviously to move den a shrewder. It doesn't seem like they're interested in or have the ability or desire to sign him in free agency or to resign him for whatever he might be worth. So that's the movie. You get under that way. I think John Hollinger has floated, you know, just paid a team of a million bucks to take Bruno Fernando and that probably gets you there too. There's other ways to do it, but like Smart, you know, Richardson to a greater extent, Smart could bring back real value if if you want to do more serious shake up. But The bottom line for me is just they want to get under the tax. Not that hard to do. They're kind of a middling team, but sort of a ton of teams in the East are a middling team right now. I would love to see them take a swing for a third, you know, big star, but that doesn't just they got to wait out at the Al Horford thing, and I just don't see that being realistic. So I think they just trim a little bit this deadline and and you know, go into the offseason and see what they can do. Then I'm with you again, except I think they should and maybe will operate more starkly as sellers outside of the let's just duck the tax, which could be done. There's any number of ways you already mentioned, like you can move ballball and Bruno Fernando. There's also what are they gonna do with PJ Dozer that's like kind of a nice flyer, even though he's not going to play again this season and probably not at the start of next year and is entering free agency this summer. I just think I mentioned with I can't even remember what's a Dallas where it felt like they needed this organizational cletons around Luca and KP. It feels the same way in Boston, and you keep Robert Williams the third because that was I can't believe they got him on such a cheap extension. He's also tough to move without that extension kicking in. Just yet, I'm looking at moving every single person after that because there's someone who's really interested in I'm still intrigued by Romeo Langford. I'd be kind of intrigued by Payton trischerd. The Smart thing is interesting if you aren't moving Smart, is it as part of a cell job because you should be able to duck. I would say you should be able to save between three point five and four million rather easily in any Smart deal, and that will safeguard you against I think people have talked about if Jalen Brown gets his unlikely bonus money, you still want to make sure you're under the tax. Are you willing to make that type of a play though, And if you're not with Smart, just because you consider him such a core player both on and off the court, I do believe you should do it with Richardson Den He's been good like there have been games where neither he nor Grant Williams another guy because it's going to be extension els, well, you might as well look at moving him and see what you could get. But they've been Boss's two best shooters, and I've seen close games at Boston were neither one of them are just in the crunch time lineup, And so that is that in Mayodoca. Problem is that the way that the Celtics or they feel like they need to play some of these bigger names. Anyway, I think that with Josh Richardson zero twelve point two million next year, I don't know if he nets you a first on his own, I would give up a lower level first for Josh Richardson. I think a lot of people would disagree with that, but that's that's someone I'm looking to move. And if I am moving smart, like I said, if you can get like a first and a player or maybe even Boston abused is getting out from under his extension, which is again I don't have a feel for his value, but I would think you should be able to get a first round pick and like youngest type player for someone like him still just because of how much of a game changer he is defensively, and I do think losing him would hurt because you mentioned this about seeing them trade for a bigger name they need like a floor general, another type of playmaker in a different In addition, excuse me to some lights out shooting and even rim pressure smart leads them in assist this year, Like if you trade him, like there needs to be like supplemental passing coming back as part of that deal too. Or maybe you just decided to keep Shrewder at that point, knowing that he's just gonna walk over the summer. I I don't know necessarily the combination of players you move, but like you said, they are going to duck the tax, and I would be looking at moving every single person not named Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown because you're not you're you're you're okay, you're not even good this season, and you're not on the precipice of contention. Really, you feel one or two very significant players short of rejoining that tier of the Eastern Conference. Yeah, I think that's right. And and look it's like it's not a it's not a it's not a bad situation really because you've got you've done the hard part. You've got those two guys and as long as you're confident that you can find the playmaking around them and get the ball to quit sticking. I mean the Celtics. The Celtics defense is awesome, so like it's not like they're that far. They just need to get to like, I don't know, fifteenth in offense seed like whatever, that's that's plenty, and then you're right back to like, well, this is now a team that could make what would it be like the fourth conference finals with that they've been able to make with Brown and Tatum, So I mean, they're not that far off. It's just you've got those two guys. You just gotta you gotta tink around the edges a little bit. But but but I don't think now's the time to try to make those additions. I think we both agree the most likely player to be traded is Dennis Shrewder on this team. For sure, you go different out for the tax, but I think it's him who would have been your most likely player to be traded for Atlanta. That's really hard. I think, is it Gallow? Just because I felt like it was Gallow plus two first was just the package that was floated for pretty much everything. I might be willing to go, but he's been too good. I just thought because he was an expiring contract, like could they do something with Delon Wright, I would have picked cam Reddish, but he's gone, you would have been right, Yeah, I don't know. I think it just depends on because Gallows your ticket to like something a little more serious. I think potentially in terms of like getting a bunch of salary coming back, I guess I'd probably picked someone like like Jang just because you know, I guess that's kind of the cowards way out, but like, he's super expendable and they you know, if you're going to throw together some expiring salaries for something, he's almost definitely going to be involved in that. So I'm just playing the odds on that. I'm gonna step out on a limb here. I'm not saying John Collins. I'm just gonna say that Bogdan Macdanovitch is the most like the player be moved. Why do you say that the idea of him is still really valuable to teams. He's not been great this year and he's had miss time, we know that, but his salary is lower than Gallows. He is still younger than Gallow teams he's not young enough to be viewed as a prospect, but having him for two more years at eighteen million of pop, because he's probably picking up his player option right now, I think some teams probably view that as a little bit of an asset or it's just a nice matching tool, where I think it might appeal to more because there's I'm just looking at teams and I'm like, what team wants to just get off of gallows money next year to save them? Like, what is the contract Atlanta's taking back? Who's that close to the cap space that wants to use it this summer to just pay him five million dollars to go away? And so Bogdanovitch at two years and thirty six million dollars left. If you buy into the idea of his secondary playmaking, he's probably also someone who's not as bad. He's no, he's part of your perimeter defensive problem if you're in Atlanta, but he's in his over his career has not been as bad defensively as I think a lot of people would think when you just look at trying to stay in front of some guys. So I'm just gonna say him, I know he has a trade bonus, so maybe that complicates things. But if I'm a team, like if I'm Detroit, to be honest with you, I'm going to be more intrigued by Bogdanovitch plus picks for Jeremy Grant than I am by Gallinari plus picks for Jeremy Grant. Oh, I agree with that. I would say I was looking this up to make the opposite point and like kind of drag Bogdanovitch a little bit, you know, because he was supposed to come in and fix the Trey Young off the floor minutes the Hucks actually score fine when he's on the floor without Trey. They're at one hundred and thirteen point seven points per hundred possessions. That's in the seventy fourth percentile. In those minutes, there have not been very any of them at all, But maybe that's maybe I don't know. Yeah, he has he has a lot of value. I think he fits pretty much anywhere because his skill set is just like he's a combo guard that doesn't kill you on defense when he's engaged and can shoot. So it's like, yeah, I mean definitely, that's why you want to keep him too, though, I would think, I guess if you're not getting someone like Jeremy Grant's not helping you with the non trade minutes offensively. I mean, I guess maybe has some ball skills, but that's why you wouldn't want to give them up if the offense is respectable during that time. The Brooklyn nets oooh, all kinds of weird just going on there, Just all kinds of weird. James Harden will not be traded this season. If he does get moved, it'll be over the offseasons. So I don't know if we need to tackle that, but by seller hold obvious answer, not so obvious in terms of what can they actually do about that? Well, the obvious answer to me is hold, because they're just like what are they gonna do? Are you? So you just go down the line and they have the three extremely expensive contracts and like not a lot else unless you're to move Joe Harris. He's your only guy between like six million and thirty five million that's on the roster. You make seventeen this year. But he's hurt anyway, So I'm holding. This is another team I think you mentioned it with with Atlanta to some extent like isn't the idea just that like if we have all our guys, were fine, and they just need to be able to have all their guys and they just they haven't. I mean that's been the case. I mean for years now, they haven't had all three of those guys healthy for any stretch and on the floor. And that may not change if Irving's vaccination status doesn't change. But I just see them again as like it's a cop out, but like they're a team that if they do anything, it's going to be on the buyout market, their tax bills through the roof, if you do anything, I guess you look at moving Nick Klaxton, but like who replaces what he does for them? He's you know, he's not He hasn't blown the doors off. But there aren't a lot of like be the most switchable big in the league. Like they don't have a guy if they trade him, and it's not like you're going to get a bunch of salary back for him, because what's I'm looking at my salary sheets here, what's he even make this year? He's like a minimum guys one point seven. Yeah, So and then and then if you trade for him, you're thinking about his restrictive Cree agency in the next contract, you're gonna pay him, So, uh yeah, I don't know. I just I don't know what to do with this team. I kind of am with what I think and assume they believe is that once we're healthy with this roster, I think we're okay. But that's also just an admission that, like, there's not a lot that they can really do because they don't have a lot of trade assets that they're actually going to think about trading, and they don't seem willing to take on more money because they're so deep in attach And they do have like six point seven million dollars in a trade exception from DeAndre George six point three million that they could look at using, and it does expire in August, so they could still use it over the off season, but that would be an avenue they could explore if they wanted to. I'm with you, they're not moving their four highest paid players just because I don't even know what Joe Harrison's value would be, and I still think when he's healthy, he is just so important to complimenting your stars. Patty Mills has been great. You can't look at moving him. Javon Carter would be my most likely to get moved guy, just because it seems like his playing times wildly inconsistent. He has not replicated what he did during that bubble run with Phoenix in either of the past two seasons. I do still he could be a defensive bulldog. Maybe you can pay a team to take on his you know, three million dollars three point seven million dollars this year and then three point nine next year. I think that's probably the move they're gonna make. Even Bruce Brown Jr. He's so important how they're going to have to defend in the playoffs at this point. He also has that implosit no trade clause. You're not moving Cameron Thomas or even Dayron shop Sharp when they're so early into their rookie scales unless it's part of a bigger deal. I don't even think you shop Claxton. Just like you said, he's so cheap, and yes he's going into restrictive free agency, hasn't been able to remain healthy. You match if they're look at the teams that have cap space, what is it Detroit San Antonio And who's the other one? There's one other one that's definitely gonna have cast. It could be Memphis, Okay, see probably so oh yeah, which teams are any of those teams coming with an offer sheet that you can't even imagine. And at that point, if it's mid level ish type money, you could just match it and then move them later, or maybe you broke her as sign in trade, in which case he becomes more valuable use that larger salary. It's just what is your stomach for doing anything? So I it might behold until the buyout market by virtue of them not being able to do anything else. It would not shock me if they're trying to move Javon Carter and if they're willing they could. If Bruce Brown Junior is willing to go to a different team, like they could step out of they need wings, like they just they have Kevin Durant, DeAndre Brenberry and Bruce Brown and you can't play DeAndre Benberry and Bruce Brown together and hope to have a good team for extended stretches. That's what I'd be looking at if I were them. I just they don't have like the asset juice to to do anything major. Paul millsap is I guess we could say he's the most likely want to get moved since he's on a minimum salary and they definitely don't want to waive him because their tax bill. It's between him and Javon Carter for me. The last thing I'll say though, and this is only ten gently related to the trade deadline, Like there's a chance this team doesn't have Kyrie Irving or James Harden next year. It's something I thought about because Kyrie can be a free agent, and if the New York state vaccine mandates don't change, I think the Nets would keep him just because what are you gonna do? Like I could you capitalize on a sign and trade? Maybe, but what if he just wants to leave, and then it would still be a sign and trade because there's so few teams I guess that will have cap space this summer. I think that James Harden and Philly noise is real. I buy into that one percent. I wouldn't want to put up with. You know, this isn't Kevin Durant's fault, but his injury risk and then just the Kyrie Irving extracurricular bullshit. So it'd be wild if they gave up all that equity for James Harden for a year and a half of James Harden only to then turn that into the Ben Simmons or whatever, and you've lost Kyrie Irving in the process as well. I don't know what you turn him into. I they are living proof because I think when these teams form, these types of teams drawn Mick like they're gonna dominate the East of the league for X amount of years. Man title windows are fickle and they are short, and anything as we're seeing now with the nets can happen. Where as of right now and this is this would be the best part to put a bow on it, and definitely could comment on their off season. Would you even say there's Milwaukee for me in the East? I think I'm at the point where Miami is the team that I would predict to come out of the East after them. Are you still putting Brooklyn in that like they're like ky rim is gonna be available every other game. James Harden dealing with another hamstring injury, is still you know, he is better than he was at the beginning of the year, but the stretcher he was dominating is kind of passed. And then there's the Kevin Durant mcl stuff. He'll be fine when he comes back, but could something else crop up? I just don't trust the makeup of this team. No, I think I think what I'd say is their ceiling is still they you know, if everything broke right, which it hasn't at any point in the time this team has been together, then yeah, their ceiling is they could beat anybody. They that Like, sure, they could absolutely come out of the East, but like what the chances of them hitting that ceiling are lower than ever. So No, I think it's Milwaukee. I think it's Miami. I mean, given everything, doesn't Cleveland deserve I have to say it doesn't Cleveland deserve to be in Philly, Like I mean, em beat as a wrecking ball right now. I think there's you could talk yourself into fourteen. I mean I don't know that. What about if you're just betting on like the median outcome for this season, Why isn't it lant, Like let's put at lanted in there. I don't know. There's all these Chicago we didn't even talk about the Bulls, so yeah their next No, you forgot your alphabet. We gotta do the Hornets. Oh yeah, I apologize Hornet's defense has been better of late. But police from the alphabet police on this Yeah no, I I yeah, So I'm with you. I guess we're gonna go with Javon Carter just to put a put a put a pin in this one, yeah, Tim? Or I guess do we just are we overlooking mill Stap here? Because it's like, who who wants Millsaps? He's at one point seven? So it's there were teams that were like Chicago could use some like backup five Jews. Maybe Brooklyn doesn't want to help a conference rival Golden State. If Draymond Green isn't getting any health here, do they create or you know, just a do they create a roster spot and then just acquire him? Or do they not want to pay that tax bill? Do they pay? Some want to take on Belizza because the next don't want to take on Beliezza and they get mill Tap. Let's just go with I don't know it's Javon Carter or Paul Millsap you we just want to go to Javon Carter because he makes a little bit. Yeah, it's a consensus. Let's move on to the Hornets. Who since like there's so much noise because of what's happening with the rest of the league. But since the like right before Christmas, they have a top five defense. I know that they've been. One of the bigger things is their small ball lineups. Always I won't say always, but they generally have outperformed the defensive expectations under James Barrego, which is why I've always thought among the complaints about him for Charlotte, I thought that's been unfair. I know a lot of fans seemed like frustrated with the like James Book Knight and playing enough and like they don't get run to Kai Jones. But it's your team is too good. It's glad to happen, and who are you playing, James book night over on this quotation, I digress, though, they're doing a better job defensive rebounding overall. When they do have Mason Plumley on the court as well, What what are they what are you doing if they're them? Bicever Hols and I do think this is a little bit more trickier this side of the Miles Turner injury. For sure. Yeah, I mean, because he made them all the sense in the world as as the center for them, and like Christian would, I guess, is your alternative that provides some of the offense and none of the shop blocking. I think Montrose Harrold is another guy that they might want to think about as like an plan C for a center upgrade, at least offensively. So yeah, I guess I categorize the Hornets as a buyer. But their window is very is tricky to figure out because it's kind of it's a little like Memphis where like, oh man, like, hey, I mean to a lesser extent, but like we're good, and we didn't really plan on this right away, but you know we're LaMelo Ball is ready to lead a team and okay, cool. But I don't know, other than the Miles Turner thing, what the no brainer move is out there. I do have a wild I know, I don't do this a lot. I have a wild idea. I'd like to to run past you. Please throw it at me. So Gordon Hayward paid like a first option superstar. Depending on what you think of this roster, is their third guy, fourth guy. You know, it's hard to say, probably not fourth, third seems fine. He has a fifteen percent trade kicker and his salary is enormous. But I wonder so even if so if you're confident that Turner's foot thing like maybe if you're if you're thinking of Turner as the center we're going to keep through this contract and keep, you know, for the next four or five year deal that we sign him to. And if you're also confident that Miles Bridges is kind of the luster as Warren off a little bit after the start of the season and you're not sure you want to give him a hundred million dollars plus, I wonder if you throw Hayward and Bridges at the Pacers for on the idea that you would resign him t J. Warren and Turner, and maybe you'd throw draft picks one way or the other. But you're getting Turner, You're moving a thirty million dollar guy that's just not going to be worth thirty million dollars to you. You're giving up on the idea of paying Bridges like a superstar. And maybe if Warren gets healthy, who knows if he's ever going to play again this year, so you'd be taking his next contract on faith. But something like that, just to get Turner and to get thirty million dollars from Hayward off the books kind of stuck out to me. Moving them both at the same time, because I think you need at least one of them, and Hayward's been rock solid for them. He's in the least health and safety proticles. Now. I think he's so plug and play for someone who can also handle the ball that I don't mind having his money on the books if you were to do something like that, though with the Turner injury, you also like he would have to be Lavert Warren and Turner going back to Charlotte for me to even think, And you might want to pay Bridges over Lavert at that point. You might even want to Hayward long term over Lavert at that point. So unless Indiana is deciding to give up draft draft equity as part of that, I don't think I would do it if I'm If I'm Indiana, Yeah, that's a bad trade. But did you know that Gordon Hayward is from Indiana? There's that if he has a pre existing relationship with Brad Stephen, should we send him back to Boston? Probably? Actually, is he from Indiana? Why do I keep? Yeah? That's right, right, I don't know what I'm buy for them as well, but I think they need to be like I don't even know that this was the time to go on on a Miles Turner trade if it cost you, because one who is the is it PJ? Washington? And then a pick you've already traded away this year's pick and it's protected pretty far out? There's a chance you're giving up a twenty twenty six pick? Then? Was it PJ? Washington? And book Night? How else are you figuring out the money? There is Kellyridg're going Indiana as well. I would have considered it, but now that he's injured, I'm sort of holding my trade. Ships. Let's see how good we are is currently constructed and reevaluate this over the off season. When they know Miles Bridges's price point, I think they'll they'll have You know, tary Ro's year has played better lately, you'll still have a mellow ball. What are you able to do on the margins in free agency? And can you do something to sort of I don't even want to say beef up, but diversify the center rotation. That's not going to be this all in type play. You know, what are the nets. One for Nicholas Claxton, is it seconds, then you can try that. I know he's on the smaller end. Another player that would be interesting for this team, just on the lower scale, Bruce Bruce Up, Bruce, Chris Bouche. It's just like again, someone's not this huge center but can play the fod for you. And it seems like they want someone who stretches the floor. He's not shooting well from three this year, but he has shot well from three in the past, and he shoots threes, so he's stretching the floor via that volume. I think that's the degree to which they should buy is more of these minor moves and they can be more aggressive over the offseason. They'll also have a better idea of what's going on with that pick they owe too. Oh, it's not New York anymore. Excuse me, it's Atlanta. So that that is what I would do with the just because you're not you know, what does let's even say it's a healthy Miles Turner, what does he assure you a crack at this year winning one playoff series? It's not two. I don't think he gives you an Eastern Conference final ceiling and just because you're I did double check their seventh and points alot per possession since just before Christmas. There's a lot of noise in that because of what's going on with the rest of the league, and like, I don't know if you're gonna hold serve at that point. So they just feel a little bit too early into their window of winning to make any substantial type of a buy play. Yeah, I the only thing I wonder is is if, like, if Turner's your guy, if if you think, as the Hornets, like this is a guy that fits what why To me, it almost doesn't matter if he doesn't play the rest of this year, because, yeah, the Hornets are a nice story and maybe they'll win a playoff game, they're not probably gonna win a series. So if you're if you're getting Turner, I think the to me, the idea would be like he's our center for the next six years, so and now maybe maybe his value there are fewer suitors because the ones that want him to win this season are gone, and maybe that the values, you know, so I think it could be an opportunistic play to just go get him now and help to put you know, yeah, maybe he misses this year. Maybe you want him to sit out this year if you're Charlotte and you get him because like, this is your guy. I don't know if he's their guy, but he certainly makes sense, you know, just it's just like looking at it from ten thousand feet, like, yeah, he stretches the floury block. SHOT's cool, he'll help. Like, I don't know, I guess I Charlotte's a weird situation where like I'm saying they're a buyer, but they're almost like you're not necessarily having to be a buyer for this season. You're still trying to put together the team that's going to make a deep run eventually. So would you do Kelly Ubridge junior, James book Knight and PJ. Washington for Turner And let's say, like are you getting let's say you get Justin Holiday back in that deal? I think the money works there. Yeah I would, I would because Justin Holiday is not nothing. That's another that's another like sneaky uh fallback option for teams that need wings. I don't know if he's available, but yeah, I would do that. I guess I had book Night gotten the opportunity to show more maybe that would change my thinking, but I just I just don't know. I don't know what he's gonna be yet. So yeah, I think I think I'm good with that from charlotte'son, and I think that would be tough for me because Ubra has been good. I still think PJ. Washington is rock solid the book Knight. Like I said, I'd be fine moving him, But the alternative of giving a distant first and that they could give New Orleans is first this year, but it's lottery protected and it then it turns into two seconds. So maybe if his value dropped that much, where if it was Ubre and Book Night or PJ. Washington plus that first and maybe a second, if they want to take that, I'd make that play. Otherwise, what's stopping you from just waiting until the summer? Then you're just more suitors. He'll be in the last year of his deal. I guess teams would want to extend him, and he does have the number to where an extension wouldn't be a bad move on his part, but I would I would still probably just wait unless the cost comes down. But the Book Night and Washington plus Ubre for me, if you put if you forced me to choose. I'd probably say no this season, but I get why you would say yes, because your logic tracks for sure. Well. And also I'm the wrong guy to ask about Ubra because yeah, I still think of him as the guy that was on the Warriors that had no idea where to be on either end, Like that was brutal. He's great now. He made ten threes the other night, but that's never going to leave my mind. Bonus segment for this podcast, very quickly, what did you think of Andrew Wiggins making the All Star Game? You know who the All Star starters are. I think nine of them. We're on point. You could have maybe gone a little bit in an alternate direction, if you wanted Zach Lavine over Trey Young in the East or Damar Rosen for some reason, but Andrew Wiggins all Star starter thoughts as a Warriors fan, that's how That's how you hashtag dub the vote, That's that's how you do it. I'm happy for him. I'm an unabashed homer. He does not deserve to be an All Star starter, but he's a very good player. And uh, I think it's kind of I like chaos sometimes and this feels like a very chaotic in the drizzle. We're gonna have to question our our All Star election integrity going forward. Please get rid of positions on the All Star ballot already, like even the way they're they're grouped. Now, no like it, just I'm over it, and we they I don't know how many players have All Star appearance incentives tied to their contract, but we got to get rid of those two because this is a sham that Andrew Wiggins made it. And I saw a question on Twitter that was, well, if it wasn't gonna be Draymond Green, who else have gotten that spot? And I don't have a I don't have time to sit here name how many other people I would have chosen in the drug gord over Andrew Wiggins. I think that's got all. All I know is forever. Now we're going to talk about if, like if you were like fifty years from now, when someone mentions Andrew Wiggins, like, is the number one overall pick the average over twenty points in games several years he started in an All Star game? Like why isn't Andrew Wiggins in the Hall of Fame? Can we start that campaign now? I think we probably should have. Look, this is a dub for Warriors fans. That's what big time and probably the how loyal Canadians are. I guess I have to think that gave Wiggins a boost. I also not to diver too much, but we did have a question directed at you, specifically from one of our listeners wants to know why you implied on the last podcast that Jordan Pool was not part of the Warrior's future. Oh, it's mostly financial because the way the way that the roster is set up, like the backcourt is gonna cost eighty million dollars plus for the next you know, handful of seasons. Pool shot creation is super valuable. I think in larger stints this year, now we have a better idea of what he like. His growth has been insane because he was a guy I thought was like, they're going to decline his option, like he's going to be out of the league. I'm sure I might have said this to you or other people because he did not look like an NBA player. He's very much an NBA player. Now he can start for a lot of teams, and that's another reason I think there will be other teams that view him as like this is our lead guard and we're gonna make offers to him commensurate with that role. And he will not be that for the Warriors at any point, you know soon. And so if what you're saying is, hey, team that's in the tax, you want to try to match this, I don't know, throw a number out there for for eighty five or four for ninety that he gets and it's going to cost you, Like I can't do the math, but it'll be like this is gonna be a two hundred million dollars contents Like no, they're just it's got that's all it is. It's he's that you enjoy this while you have him. And unless the roster meaningfully changes, which how they're just not going to be room. The Warriors are going to have these these expensive contracts and have to hit home runs on minimums and stuff like that. And hope Cominga and Wiseman are ready to help before their next contracts start, because that's just the financial reality, that's all. Yeah. And when Jordan pools to echo just what you said quickly when his next contract kicks in, you're gonna have Steph on the books for two more years fifty one point nine million and fifty five point eight Pools new deal will take effect when Draymond Green has that twenty seven point six million dollar player option. Clay Thompson will be in the final year of his deal at forty three point two million, and look Andrew Wiggins, that will his contract year's next season, so his new stalary will be kicking in at the same time as Pools. And this was pos I think by to John Hollinger was what percent chance would you give him his next deal being worth more than one hundred million, And so that becomes sort of a four and a four year, one hundred million dollar proposition. It's probably, I wouldn't more likely than not, but right now it's a coin toss. The cap is probably going to explode at some point again, so you have to plan around Wiggins, Thompson, Curry, Green and then Pool On top of that, it's gonna get tough to keep all those guys together unless you really believe that Thompson and Green specifically are gonna age down in salary. And even then you're still looking at one year of like an infinite task bill at that point, at least at least Yeah, and the last thing i'd say is I think Pool somewhat justifiably. I mean, you don't make the kind of leap eated without like an totally irrational amount of confidence. I think he views himself as a starter, and he was a starter, and he was a good starter, and then Clay Thompson came back, and now he's coming off the bench. I think he I think he and you can't knock him for it, is gonna want a bigger role. It's not just the money, it's it's the role that he's gonna want. I think it's he's he deserves to have a shot at being like a you know, closer to the guy on another team. So that's another factor. How was that for a little bit of a tangent? I promised that person I would ask you that question, and I'm in lockstep with you. But this is the Eastern Conference podcast, And because now I have my alphabet correct, we're onto the Chicago Bulls. This is a tougher I think it's a tougher question buy seller hole for the Bulls than it was two or three weeks ago. I think it's still a buy for me. The things that they might need to buy have maybe changed like they have need a point of attack defender now since they're two best ones are are on the shelf with the Crusoe and Ball. But to me, this is a this is a team that like it's just the Patrick Williams question. I think that that's that's the lynchpin, Like what are you willing to move him for one of the wings out there? Jeremy Grants the obvious pick. What do you need to do? You've got you know, Troy Brown, got Derek Jones that you could throw in there. I just think, you know, this is the biggest thing for me is like how do you evaluate Patrick Williams. You had age nineteen season and you had five games this year. There's some reporting that he might be back this season, which is which differs from when he initially had surgery, But that's gonna be after the deadline and you will not have any more information on what kind of player he is or what his value should be. So I think it's a really tough spot because yeah, sure, like Jeremy Grant is way better than a guy that's not going to play. But but for this team that's got a bunch of expensive guys already and Zach Lavine's going to hit free agency. A good player on a rookie scale deal is like invaluable, So I think they're a buyer. I think if they're a serious buyer, Williams is probably someone will they could move. But but I just don't know how you make the decision on what you think he's worth because they just have this like zero information on how good he's going to be. So the fourth pick, you know, they just they just don't know. I think they're a light buyer now because they definitely need some backup five help, They need another wing, they could use some point of attack defense now with Long the Blonk Cruizo injured. At the same time, you at least know those guys are coming back, so maybe you don't prioritize that. But this is not the season for me to go all in now. I'd rather just Patrick Willo's probably more value over the summer, when a team can acquire him saying oh, he's gonna be ready to play with us next season, rather than now is the will he won't he And even if he does, he doesn't have any time to acclimate himself to our program anyway. All outside of the actual games themselves. I'm not making like I wouldn't. I was on the fence whether I give him up, Like if you didn't need to even include that Portland pick, if it was just Williams to get you Grant or Barns. I was on the fence about it to begin with. I just don't know if this is the season to do that. I know the Bulls are sup like have this urgency now, but Vooch has not played too well. He's only been valuable as an offensive decision maker, not as a shot maker or even a floor just basically as a passer. So you need to do a better job of maybe reconciling what's going to happen, and you need the off season to do that. So yes, I'm looking at trying to get a backup five. What is it going to cost to get at you know, Mo Bomba or are the Knicks willing to trade Newryland's Noell? How much does Mitchell Robinson costs at this point, Chris Bouchet would be another name that could pop up there for them. Do you sort of just tread water, like is this a teen that just looks at having Christ and Thompson to see what's happened there, they'd be a good Paul Millsap destination, even though he's not a true five. Those are the things I'm thinking about. I also don't know that there needs to be this urgency when you have Io Dassunmu playing like he is. The frenetic energy that he has brought on defense really helps them in a big way. And so just between him having Javonte Green eventually knowing you have Carusoe and Ball coming back, I think you can get away this season by saying, look, we're not going to make the All in play. Well, we'll decide on that closer to this summer. Where Look, frankly, Portland's first round pick probably has more valuable over the summer after the draft because that pick is not conveying this year. It's a lottery protected and I know the places are getting frisky, but I have to imagine they sell or start shutting down guys at some point. I know they're doing what they're doing without Damian Lillard, but I'm talking like Robert coming to the use of Nurture's been playing spectacular. Those are I would expect at least one of those two guys to finish the season on a different team, and so I'm not against them buying, but I now find myself like, you know, I'm not giving up Patrick Williams for Jeremy Grant or or Harrison Barnes right now, and I did. I'll throw this out there. Part of the reason why is like, what if the Celtics make Jalon Brown available and you're able to build packages around Lonzo Ball and Patrick Williams. You also have Kobe White still, you have the Portland pick, you could trade a first round Your first first round pick that you can trade would be of twenty twenty seven. Maybe the Celtics get more picks based packages that are intriguing. But if you're getting a young player with in Fury, who Williams could be plus two let's just say two first round picks plus Lonzo Ball. How perfect of a fit is Lonzo Ball in Boston? First of all, that might that just might be interesting. I'm not sure if Jalon Brown comes available, if I'm Boston, I wouldn't make him available. But Boston is odd enough to where no, I'm not waiting specifically for that. I don't think the Bulls. I guess I see more than one way for the Bulls to make an all in acquisition, and so I'm sort of letting that ride a little bit longer than rendering that verdict or making that call at the deadline. I don't know if that any of that made sense. No, I agree, I think they only push back. Well at first, I would just I would just say that if Jalen Brown became available, the Bulls would have outbid a ship ton of teams that are gonna want him and like and go back to Atlanta. Right Atlanta is trying to make a consolidation move. Jalen Brown made a ton of sense. And this is also the second like homecoming angle I've played because he's from Georgia. I think with that, I at least you know that they're probably not looking to fully restart in that scenario until Lonzo Ball as like a Lynch Pain plus two picks, and then you can include swaps if you need to. I do agree with you that they probably could if you're looking at future assets, Yeah, they'll definitely be outbid plus like all this stuff I've been saying about the Warriors forever of like they're trying to have it both ways. They're not. They shouldn't trade these young guys because they replace the age docre like I can't. Then I probably should have then say that the bullshit trade path Chrick Williams, because that's kind of the ticket of you know, once these guys age out and you want that, you want that next guy on his you know, towards the end of his rookie deal, to really pop, and he's kind of the only guy they have that has a shot at that. I wonder if there's just like a lower level wing that they can get for cheaper than what Barnes or Jeremy Grant is going to cost them too. I know that they can use one that will knock down threes and maybe have some more ball skills, and I'll hold up defensively. Robert Cover springs to mind. I don't know what his costs would be, but you're certainly not giving up Patrick Williams or Kobe White in that scenario. No, I mean, that's that's a Derrick Jones situation, I think, or something or something like that, expiring and picks. I guess, I don't know, but Cleveland Cavaliers buy sell or hold the endlessly fascinating Cleveland Cavaliers. That's a hard buy for me, not just because of where they are and their chance to like finishes the freaking number one seed in the East. It's it's they've got they've got Rubio's expiring that they can move and they can double dip now because they did get granted the disabled player exception for eight point nine million, they have another tool to improve the roster. Not a trade asset per se. But so you've got Rubio, you've got Sexton that it seems very clear that they don't want to pay that another team might have interest in giving you something of more present value for that they might want to get a restricted rights. This to me is a clear Eric Gordon destination or any other you know, scoring capable of dribbling, guard or wing that's out there. I feel like that's just you know, if Gordon Dragas gets bought out, like the caption, put in a call like that type of thing. But their buyers, I think they need to be looking for ball handlers, guards, wings, because they got the bigs and they got Darius Garland and there's you know, they're set there, but but they really need you know, in between stuff. I am going to tell them to hold because look, if there's the bot. Maybe I should say this is another light by you. Just Contexton's injured and out for the season, So what is his trade Like, You're still probably better off moving him in a potential sign and trader after he signs his next deal. I just he makes so little money and his next team wouldn't be acquiring him thinking he's coming back this year most likely. So what does that help you get? And I'm not giving up Colin Sexton to get Eric Gordon like that just doesn't make a ton of sense for this team. And there look, don't rush this timeline. Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, those guys are young. Giddo for Jared Allen, you have him on our contract for five years. Isaaco Coro was young. If you could do something like Rubio and you're not giving up a first round pick and you're getting Eric Gordon or you're getting Carros Lavert, those are moves I'd be looking at. I think it was was it Daniel LaRue suggested like this would be a good Dennis Shrewer destination just basically he's so cheap, gives you just another guard and he's gone after this season, so and that doesn't cost you any of your core assis, and it shouldn't cost you a future first round pick. I recognize that they're spectacular. I'm just not approaching this deadline with any sort of of urgency to wear if it costs the calves of a future first I'm still a little bit reticent that you could protect the hell out of it. Maybe that makes you easier, and you do have that Rubio expiring contract as a ready made money matching tool, but I'm just looking at the names out there and I'm like, yeah, look, if carslat can be had without having to guarantee a first round pick, didof Eric Gordon? That's those are great fits. But if you start getting into that realm, I think you need to be closer to full strength to consider that. Yeah. I mean, I would say though, like the Cavs first round picks are not going to be that high. It looks like for a few years now. So it's not you know, it's not all first round picks are not the same. So yeah, I agree, like they don't need to be urgent buyers, but I think they should be very opportunistic. I do, like I I don't know if I'm Houston and the Calves call me up with you can have Rubio's expiring and callin Sexton for Eric Gordon, and we mess around with the money to make that at work. I mean, like Gordon's under contract next year too, and if he's I mean, we're probably overvaluing Gordon because he's playing like he's shooting the best he's ever shot right now. But if if you the sign and trade is a compelling argument for keeping Sexton around because you can get extract value that way. But I really don't think Sexton has a future in Cleveland. I think you want a very different type of backcourt partner for Darius Garland and Sexton who's undersize and is not a defender and needs the ball and all of the normal all the criticisms we've heard forever. I don't know. I don't hate that for the Cavs. I'd like to do something giving somebody younger, soon to be or eventually, like a thirty three old Eric Gordon. That's just I don't know. Well, the thing is, if you have no interest in sexon it's hard. It's hard to say. And Rubio is like, I mean, there's an opportunity cost right if you give up Rubio and that like nice, that's seventeen point eight million expiring for just Gordon. But if you're going to do something now again your point's good. That doesn't need to be now, you know, I don't. I don't hate it. It's something I would think about it. I'd have to look a little harder at like what someone comparable to Sexton has been able to get somebody in assign and trade in the off season before I was, you know, guns blazing on getting rid of him right now. But it's it's interesting to me at least I would rather than have to do something like that. I would ask, and I know they're different players, but Rubio plus what and it's not a first it's not Sexton for Gary Harris, I'd rather just give me a firing contract lower cost. This presupposed that you don't want to resign Rubio, which you know his market is in it's not gonna be two row. He was playing well and was important to their second unit, but market isn't going to be two robust following this ACL injury. I would imagine that is something I would like. Those I would buy, but like I'm looking at those types of moves rather than if you're including Sexton or even this year's first. I just do that as more aggressive, And I don't know that a player is going to elevate them enough. Whoever they acquired very much feels like he's gonna be filling a hole or some sort of like a insurance against the way that roster is set up now, not who's going to push them over the top. Yeah, And the thing is with how young their best players are, You're not there's there is not an available twenty million dollars guy who fills their need on the wing that is twenty two years old. There's like that guy's not out there. So yeah, it's a tough fit for sure. The Oh so, if you have to back her again, who would be your most likely player to get traded from Chicago? Let me look back. I'll say Troy Brown Jr. He's one of their expirings, a little cheaper than Derek Jones. I'm gonna say that too, because I think that maybe they use him to try and like bolster the backup five rotation or something. And then for the Calves, who do you have is their most likely player to be traded? I think it's Rubio, right, I mean, like if only because expiring sellaries are still valuable and and he's just he just he enabled if they want to do something, he's the way that they get it done. I'll go with him too. It's just wild because he makes so much money that you're probably making a not insignificant move if that happens, And I wouldn't endorse them doing that. They just really don't have anyone else to trade beyond that, and they're not gonna they're semi close to the tax but they're within you know, they're they're closer to four million under it right now, so you don't need to Like, they just don't have these middling salaries that they're going to move. Like what is the benefit of them like getting rid of Dean Wade or I guess you could say Dylan Windler or something, but there's uh, yeah, I don't. I think it has to be revealed for them at this point. They're so good that I understand the temptation for them to do something at the deadline. Speaking of a team that will be tempted to do something at the deadline and buy that's something I mean trained Jeremy Grant the Detroit Pistons buy seller. Hold, Yeah, they're a seller. That's it. It's Jeremy Grant. I mean they you know they might. If i'm them, I'm I'm looking to move pretty much anything that's not named Kid Cunningham or Isaiah Steward. I guess. So I think their goal should be to get a couple at least. I think you need to like legit firsts that you're actually gonna get that are decent. I think that's probably what it should take. Just because Grant is We've mentioned him for every freaking team we've talked about, and he's still seems like the best player who's like definitely gonna move. So I think they should. And if only for that reason, like you're not gonna the market isn't getting better for Jeremy Grant, so I think now, if for nothing for no other reason, the timing is right to move him. So their sellers, I think he's the most likely guy to be traded, you know, if you want to look at like I said, a link or I don't know, like Frank Jackson or or or Josh Jackson, Corey Joseph. Both of them I think can veto because they signed one year deals they have sort of it's not quite an implicit no trade, but there's something funky there. But yeah, it's Grant and it's it's the Pistons are a seller, and they're they're like the seller of the deadline. It seems like, well, Corey Joseph got two years, he has a player option, because Corey Joseph needs a player option clearly. So I'm with you on everything you said there. I'm just curious, like Jeremy Grant seems like he's on his way back this awayson plays his December tenth. It's like all these trade talks are happening in the backdrop of him is just not playing in over a month right now. And it's wild that we're just assuming that someone's gonna give up two first round picks or the equivalent in players for the right to pay someone one hundred and twelve million over four years, because it seems like he's gonna like want that extension. Who overgets him is gonna come or it's gonna do zoe under the guys that they'll be offering it to him. I'm very curiously which team wins the Jeremy Grant steep Steak, because I also wouldn't put it past Troy we were to just hold Pat and revisit this in the summer, because I don't know, like, what are the most aggressed like you probably I do think you've probably lost one of your most aggressive suitors in Grant in the Bulls, who weren't even really mentioned that often anyway. I think because it was gonna cost them Patrick Williams, and so it's like, you're not taking that Lakers package of talent Horton Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and a first and whatever you have to do to finish that. Is Memphis going to be interested in him? He makes a lot of sense in Atlanta, Dallas would really want him, but like, what is the team that one has two first round picks or the equivalent in players to trade and it's going to be willing to give up that for Jeremy Grant. Dallas just doesn't have that type of cachet unless you think Josh Green is worth the first, which I you know, he's played better but this season with actual minutes, but I don't think he's there. Atlanta. I guess you could consider it. They do have that Charlotte first round pick now, so one of their own picks and that Charlotte pick maybe Memphis. I don't know if they're willing to do it, but they could easily do it salary matching. Plus they have the Utah pick this season, they might have the Lakers pick depending on how that falls. They have their own pick. They have pulled states in twenty twenty four. I just I'm very curiously which team actually ends up sending two for tround picks or the equivalent Detroit's way. You know what's interesting too, is theoretically, if you're trading for him, it's because you're a very good team that you know is trying to like lift your ceiling a little bit. You probably aren't trading for him because you need a number one option. And there was a lot of reporting earlier this year about part of the reason he chose the Pistons is because he wanted that big role. I wonder how feel assuming this happens. I'd be shocked if he's not traded, just because of the momentum has all been building towards the trade forever. But how's he going to feel if he's suddenly back to, like, oh, I'm the fourth option on the Nuggets? Or the or whatever, like that's a tough. That's a tough I don't know about face, and like what in the kind of career trajectory I think he was trying to sort of put together for himself if the Mavericks can figure it out. I like him there because there's a more natural number two, number three role for him, and that seems to be like what would be more up his alley. Yeah, I agree with that. I like him much everywhere though, that's fair, But I'm saying, like to meet his functional demands that he apparently has, Dallas feels like the best team, or he could also be high enough on the pecking order because in Atlanta, unless you're getting John Collins a part, I guess they really don't have a true number two options. So maybe that's available to him. Definitely not Memphish, just between bane Jaw Jaron Jackson Jr. I mean, the Lakers we could just throw out like they're not going to be part of it. I'm trying to think of what other team might surprise is getting. I know you people have mentioned Utah. They just don't I don't think they have the asset juice to get in this race and he wouldn't be the second option on that team. I hope, well, Utah is the one where I feel like he could go and make the most difference. But I agree, like we talked about it on the Jazz, like the Jazz just don't quite have it, you know what it would take to get him Chicago, He's definitely not going to be the number two there. So No, the thing is, he probably shouldn't be a number two honestly, right like he is, he is a three or four like he's he's he proved he could do more than we thought he could. But he's not a one. He's he's a he's a very very good third or fourth option, probably fourth on a really good team. Like That's just that's what That's what he seems like to me. And that's also just why I like Dallas because there might be more shape shifting there based on like how they're running stuff through Perzingis you have Luca as well? Are I guess you're giving Jalen Brunson up as part of that deal, in which case you get to a point where I don't know if I don't think I like the Jalen Brunson Kig Cunningham fit. I think Kig Cunningham will fit alongside anyone. But Detroit is one of the teams that's going to have cap space this summer. So what's the appeal of trading for someone that you could trade out sign out right if you really want him and it would be okay. Well, Jalen Brunson's cap hold is minuscule. It's microscopic. What is it this summer? It's like one point seven million dollars just something like that. So you get to have all the benefits of cap space while then going ahead and resigning Jalen Brunson after using it. But it's Detroit at a point in their trajectory where it's like, we need that type of flexibility, but we're going to spend this money on other players and then pay Jalen brunts in a boatload. So I don't know if as work salary plus Brunson in a five pick would get Detroit to bite. Yeah, I agree, Indiana pacers buy sell or hold And actually one note on this just because of something that happened on Twitter on third on Wednesday, people complaining and she doesn't need me to voice support for her because she's a fantastic writer and just one of the most brilliant basketball minds out there. I just feel compelled to say something because I railed against how people need to be okay with us talking about trades. There are people going after Indie corn Rosus Caitlyn Cooper frequent gas front of the podcast because like she wasn't being critical enough of the front office or talking enough about trades. The day after I saw her publish a podcast with Bleacher Reports Jake Fisher so that they could talk about trades in the future of the franchise. He has come on this podcast talked, I would say, very honestly about what the front office has done and the problems with the roster we like. I know I went on an all Basketball Consumption Matters rant last time, but like, don't try And from the bottom of my heart to people who think that they can dictate the way that people enjoy covering the league or taking in the league and think that it's up to you to tell them how to do their job, from the bottom of my heart, fuck you, like you, And this is not just that Kaylen Cooper, like Jeff Garcia going after Mina Kimes and her talking about football one of the smartest football minds out there, analysts. Never mind that Jeff Garcia shouldn't be allowed to write shit down on Instagram because he's never been a writer as far as I know, But like, there's no reason to attack these people. And I got just because Kayley Cooper is so good at her job she does not need me to say anything. But she's she went on a she tweeted, she's going on to social media hiatus. Like, from the bottom of my heart, who people think that they get to dictate the way people consume or cover the league? Like, just go fuck off? Like this is just like so beyond and out of control. People just suck. And I don't even I think I'm talking to people who listen to this podcast, because if you're still listening to this podcast, this specific pod, you're not going to fall under that umbrella. But this just bothers me. When did it become like or I guess it's always been like this, and it's definitely worse for women in sports. I totally understand that, but just like, man, I fucking hate these people. It made me so angry to see just stuff like that happening all the time, and I just feel compelled to say it, mostly because one Kaitlyn Cooper is the goat I'm talking about, like someone who knows the game can still talk about trades and the mechanisms of the front office. But then also really right, and I mean really fucking right. She's a great writer. To see people think like they can tell her how to cover the league or that her work doesn't matter like someone at that level is honestly like grotesque for this industry, And it's just a sad commendation on what people think they have a right to do or say or what they know about the game. And just the timing of it was terrible because she had a podcast with trade or reconnoisseur Jake Fisher. So I just wanted to give me a quick shout out of fuck you to those people specifically, not just towards Caitlyn Cooper, but who think like that in general. And I do. I love just so many different elements of the way the NBA can be covered, whether it's really deep x's and ohs or just more general themes from takeaways of the game. If it's mellow. Getting fans kicked out of the Sixers game on Thursday night, because fans tend to be fucking toolbags and think that they can talk shit the players when they bought a ticket. I'm just like, there's room for everything, and it really that really bothered me, among other things in particular, So there was, look you were looking, where was that? Where was that? Ramping past that timestamp? What are we timestamping that? What is the title? You are the official? You have to write in the line for that? I okay? Can I So I have something I'm going to say, and it's that I think social media might be bad, Dan, I think it might be bad. It might not be a good thing. So you're not going to hear me push back on any of that, I think, Uh, I don't know. Maybe you should have Caitlin on an ask her at some point, like if anyone's ever said anything to her face, like in a human interaction that was negative about what she does professionally, because I agree, like she's the person I point to all the time when I want to tell people like here's how you should break down a play or here's how you should look at what's happening on the court. I bet no one's ever said anything bad to her upfront. But yeah, on social media because it's a horrible cesspool of toxic just awfulness. Yeah, that happens, So I don't blame I've taken kind of a permanent hiatus from social media. You yeah, get at me. I might check it like next month or something accidentally, or I might forget to turn notifications off on my phone accidentally. You want to talk about the Pacers, Yeah, not these keyboard dipshit warriors. So the Pacers buy sell or hold. I think they're a seller. I think even though Herb Simon kind of tried to undring that bell pretty shortly after. I think it was Shams who had it that they're looking at a rebuild. I forget the verbiage, but they're sellers. I think, you know. I still think you you try to move Turner, hopefully you get a first or you know, something for that. I think I'm fine with movings. I'm fine with like a blow blowing it up because we just if they don't get a first removing Miles Turner, I'm just gonna say they probably shouldn't moves. Yeah, you might want to wave on that one or like the equivalent. I don't know what other players are out there that they could get. I think you might try to move Warren even though he's hitting free agency. I think Lamb is the same way. That's some nice expiring money. LeVert, for sure, I'm out on LeVert, So I think there's it's just how do you want to do it right? Do you want to just stockpile picks? That doesn't seem very Pacers, even if they're making a little pivot away from what they normally do. I just think you got to come out of this deadline, hopefully with like three new first round picks and some good young players, because it's not like the Pacers. It's not like any of the guys the Pacers are trying to move with the possible exception of Lavert and just barely or on bad deals. So like, maybe maybe the urgency is not there, but that also just means you should be able to get good value back if you wanted to get a more expensive guy, like you could become a salary dumping ground if you want to take a real hard turn into the rebuild, like yeah, we'll take Tobias Harrison like a whole mess and draft equity or whatever if you wanted to, you know, I don't know, just they need to be sellers. I think it's kind of portland Y in a worse way, and it's kind of gotten stale, and you know, I just think they've got the guys that if they want to really just fast track a rebuild, you can get a bunch of firsts for like several guys on this roster. I'm team Cell as well. I'm definitely higher. He will be one of the players I would move, but I'm definitely higher on him than you are. I always use someone who can do stuff off the dribble effectively, and he's done that over the past like two months, basically shooting like third eight percent off the drible three's averaging over twenty points per game. Definitely has his issues and could be a tight off ball fit if he's playing alongside another ball dominant star. I don't think he's the I don't him at eighteen plus million next year, I don't care. He maybe his salary is lower than that from there on, or if he's playing well, you won't have an issue paying him, especially if he stays healthy. But he's not the answer for the Pacers because I do agree that they need to pivot now. That said, I'm talking. I don't know what to do with Warren. I just feel like at this point he's got to be so cheap in free agency. Might as well hold on to him because the idea of him helps You're not don't move some bonus. He's so central to an offense that doesn't have a higher end point of attack guy like all NBA Victor Oladipo. And that's not Malcolm Brogden, it's not Carraslavert. I just wouldn't You'd have to be blown away. And I think he's so and I don't mean this as an insult. He's so difficult to fit in mid season because he needs to be a prominent part of your offensive ecosystem where Miles Turner is very Yeah, he might not be happy about it, but Dot the Arc play defense and maybe you know, attacks attacks some open spaces. You don't need to run stuff through him. And Sabonus is at his best when you can run stuff through him. So I'm and Brogden can't be traded. But I'm keeping Warren, I'm keeping Sabonus, Brogden, I'm keeping keeping Duarte obviously, I'm keeping I'm keeping Turner. I'm revisiting it in the summer. Whatever offers are out there now will still be there because unless you just have a great prognosis for this injury, I don't think his value. I think his value is only gonna be hurt by it because there might be teams that are like, well, foot injury on a big man, will he be available for the postseason, and so you only move him if you're desperate to move him, which I don't think you need to be desperate to move him. Move justin holiday, move Tory Craig sign O shaper Set to a supermax contract to freaking love that guy. Don't move o' shaper set unless you're burn away by an offer. So that's what I am looking after them. They're sellers, but I'm not of the mind one because you can't move Brogden, and I would look at moving him over the summer too. I do find it funny that when the initial report came out that the Pacers were open to a rebuild, and I think it was shams or were someone else used the justification that Herb Simon is more open to a rebuild at age thirty seven, and it's like, well, it's herbs tim and planning on being around for the end of this rebuild then, like why would he get older and then be more open to a rebuild. So I don't think they're going to go with a full Monty that direction, and I don't think that they need to, but there definitely needs to be some material shake up here because they are the team. Is there another team that you can't predict what you're going to see from them on a game to game basis? I don't. I don't. I don't even understand the Pacers this season on my big theory with no basis behind it other than reading between the lines of earlier postgame interviews. I just feel like everyone hates Rick Carlisle. Maybe in that lock of look is that is that what's happening? See? That would kind of square with what you heard about the end of his tenure in Dallas. I think just on Sabonus, I first of all, he's made twice as many All Star Games as Andrew Wiggins, which is a joke ridiculous. I think I just view Sabonis as like one of those specific everything He's he's a ceiling setter, and the ceiling with Sabonis even though he's like on a he's on a good contract for what he does, but in a major role, I feel like Sabonis just puts he he he adds a lot, but he puts significant constraints on how good your team can be. And he has every opportunity to just prove this wrong. But it just feels like the big guy that has to have the has to But I don't know if it has too strong a phrase, but like has the ball a ton and is like your fulcrum, but is not a good defensive player and is not a high volume stretch guy. It's just I don't know how good it's a Buchevich thing. It's that's the that's the comp to me. And and I thought of Vukovich as a guy that just was a ceiling setter too, So I'm I would if you're serious about a rebuild, like a rebuild rebuild, I think Sabonus is someone you move because I think your return would be pretty good on him. And I guess I just don't think si Bonus is as good as as most other people seem to in terms of like I'm trying to win a championship at the end of this rebuild at some point. I don't. I don't feel like si Bonus is a guy that in this role helps helps you get there as much as you know, let's let's start over. So that's that's the only thing. Who's the most likely guy to move? Do you think that's very quose? I'm just gonna say Lavert, because I do think they'll do justin Holiday might actually just be the answer, but I'm gonna say sorry. I think, Look, I think a holiday is contract is almost like two. He's he's a three in the wing that makes six million dollars, Like I want to keep him, whether I'm rebuilding or like I don't. I don't. I mean his age is not a rebuild age. But I'll go livert to. I just don't. I just don't feel like it makes it doesn't make sense there anymore for him. I think if you can get value, you do, and it's like it's like the half measure if you really want to balk at a Turner or Sabonus deal. I also think that you do need to leave this trade deadline getting a future first round pick. You probably come close to getting one for Lavert and just with the Turner injury, I would have said him if not for the injury, and with Holiday, you're not, like you said, he could be a part of whatever. And I guess Tinley so could Lavert be. But it's easier to move Vert when he's been playing well for the most part over the past two months. And when you do need to do something significant, you're not getting a first round pick for justin Holiday, You're more likely to get one for for Lavert. YEP, that's fair. The Miami Heat buy sell or hold. They're a hold, and it's just because like their teams seem set to me, they're barely under the tax line. I think they're one of a couple of teams. Toronto is another one. They're like, you know, in the hundreds of three hundred grand under the tax line. I do think they have an open roster spot, but it looks you can correct me if I'm wrong. I think Caleb Martin's on a two way and they'll just convert him. Yeah, if they want him for the playoffs, they're gonna have to. Yeah. So, so I really don't have an open roster spot. They're maybe like this Christian Wood stuff. There was some reporting that they've been interested or people are talking about them being interested, unless that's like a I don't, I don't, I don't understand that, And I have no possible understanding of why the Rockets might want Duncan Robinson because what he said ninety million dollars, Garrison Matthews, I think, do you think I would look about look into trading Duncan Robinson, not just because he's not shooting as well as he did the last couple of years, but because I think increasingly like the Heat are a championship contender. I think, or at least they very much think of themselves that way, and like Robinson has shortcomings that get exposed in playoff series, and I think that if you're real serious about this, you could you could use that ninety million on someone that you're not gonna have to worry about being a liability, as great a shooter as he has been and probably will be again. I think if you're the Heat, like that's your chip because because you're not trading Butler, you're not trading out of Bio, you're not trading Lowry. So if you're trying to meaningfully improve, I think Robinson's probably the way but even then, it's like they're a hold for me. I don't know if I said that, but but if they got to do something and they want to get serious, I guess Robinson's the guy. But I don't know. I don't know what you're what on the market is going to justify moving him. I'm with everything you said there. I'm a hold just because look the other thing that we what if Victor Latibo just comes back and helps this team, who already might have the deepest rotation in the league, she didn't even look like you don't I get the idea of Christian Lloyd. He's so dynamic on offense, and he could play with bam Adebayo and the heats defense is just so versatile to give up that. I guess if you're getting off Robinson's dealing the process. Rob rob sorry Wood is not someone I would use as part of their closing lineup. I would still think out of Baio Tucker is the way you want to close games with Butler, Lowry and then Hero at that point. So but Man duncan Robinson plus a twenty twenty five first does that unless they're including another first like twenty twenty seven as well, I know they have depending obligation. Okay, see, but that twenty twenty three first will be that will convey it's lot unprotected. So like maybe they could do something interesting if they wanted to, because we know that Patroley doesn't give a shit about just trading away future first is my point. So Duncan Robinson is look, if you're gonna overpay, overpay for shooting, and Duncan Robinson is still has that gravity and he shot the ball better at least relative to his early season, you know, rock bottom clip. I just don't think they have the need to do any of that. I think their most likely player to be traded is going to end up being like is it freaking over year at seven? Like it's it? Like, is it that just because that they want to stay a little bit closer? But oh no, it's kazy Akpala because they gave up three around picks to get him. He's in the final year of his deal before strict and three age, he makes only one point eight million, and just by getting rid of him, if you know, you already need a roster spot for Caleb Martin Duck further beneath the tacks and maybe give yourself some flexibility for the buyout market. So I think Kayak Poll is the most likely player to be treated. And I'm also just hold because there's no even there's like you're too good to even say. Well, like, what if someone became available and you can include Tyler Hero, like who is becoming available? That would make sense for the Heat to actively look to give up Tyler Hero. Plus it would have to be Doncan Robinson is the more money. So I'm a firm hold here and I think it's it's it. They're deeper than I expected. I thought depth was going to be an issue, especially because they wasted a roster spot on your Donus Haslam. But just between Tyler Hero playing so well but also fun fact about p J. Tucker. I was gonna make this the stat of the week for the podcast, but I don't know if people would appreciate this much he has taken already, or used rather already, roughly double the number of dribbles he did all of last season combined in Milwaukee and Houston. Miami's like running stuff through him and letting him pass and put the ball on the floor. He even made a joke someone asked him, I think from Five Reasons Sports about his role this season, he was like, they actually let me take twos, so just like they're so good, like getting contributions from Gay Vincent, Max Struss, like you all and Caleb Martin and then you have Victor Oldipo maybe coming back. It's a I think it's an easy hold, but it is the idea of them just going full throttle and saying, you know what, we're so married to the now. What is Duncan Robinson in two first round picks getting us? It's hard to say. I mean, Garrison Matthews, maybe you gotta make the money match though who was sure? It's CAZy you're most likely player to be traded. Yeah, you talked to me into that. That was a good argument because they again like you can you have to mention this for several teams like this the buyout. They're a buyout destination. So if that one roster spot's going to Martin, then you clear another one. Potentially pay someone to take Paula and get down from the tax a little bit. That might be a tricky. They might have come real close, but like what's this stop? Like what if Goren drag gets bought out? Can they just bring him back? Is that allowed? I don't know if there might be a restriction on that or not. I can never remember. But yeah, they're a buyout destination too, so a collague probably gets you there easier than anybody else. The Milwaukee Bucks by seller hold, So this is mainly a hold with like a little nudge towards by their way over the tax. They have Bobby Portis's player option to worry about. I mean, he's played himself into a bigger contract. So their financial stuff is, you know, pretty tight for a Milwaukee team. They've got no draft picks until I think they can trade the twenty twenty eight first, so they're pretty limited there. I mean. So but to me, like, is there a PJ. Tucker type out there to bring back for it? You know? Such is if there is such a thing as a PJ. Tucker type, you need some Brook Lopez insurance. How sure are we that he's gonna matter or be Betty be ready when they need him. I think Devincenzo is clearly like the piece that they could dangle, but you know, the salary matching gets tricky. I think Kevin Pelton had holiday or had justin holiday for de Vincenzo and some kind of pick compensation, which or maybe just straight up I think that makes some sense. But yeah, I think they look to improve a little bit on the margins if they can in those areas. Devincenzo is the way to get there. But otherwise, like I think the Bucks are the safest, you know, one of the safest bets to come out of the East again, so I'm they're pretty close to a hold for me, Yeah, just because by virtue of them not having a lot to dangle, and unless you know, if the framework is and there needs to be more money added to this, by the way, but would you do Brook Lopez and Dante de Vincenzo for Harrison Barnes. If that's the framework, there's probably second involved. I don't even know if that gets you to the money for them, because that's he's at thirteen point oh, he's at thirteen point three. Devencenzos if about four point seven, so you're looking at almost eighteen million exactly. That might be just enough to get you Harrison Barnes. But I'm just saying that's that's the framework. Yeah, I think I at least think about that. I just wonder because because then you're Yannis at center like full go, which like fine, that works great. I worry these are the type of things you got to worry about for a team in Milwaukee's position, like what do we do with Joel Embiid in a playoff series? Is Jannis gonna handle that? Like? I mean, I don't know that brook Lopez can handle that, but at least he's he's big, assuming he's healthy and recovered. But yeah, Barnes really would give them a lot of what Tucker more than Tucker gave them offensively, certainly less defensively. But yeah, I mean that's interesting. I have to think about that. I would think about it because it doesn't seem like they're committed to de Vincenzo, Like if they were going to pay him, they would have they paid Grayson Allen. They extended Grayson Allen instead when they had the opportunity this past offseason. So I don't know's it's tough. Barnes doesn't seem like an intuitive you know, need filler there, but he would close right like he would be the closing four. I think over over what overness Barnes, Middleton drew and then your fifth is Oh, Donna, Evencenzo's gone, like I guess Pat Connaughton or Grayson All. Yeah, the other thing I thought about, and it's just I don't know what Donta deven Tenzel's value is heading in the restricted free agency. But if you did Dante de Vincenzo and Pat Connaughton for there might need to be another salary in there for Maxi Kleeba and Dorian Finney Smith. Oh, that's interesting, Dallas sort of resetting the clock of it because Donte Devenchnzo, I think, look, DFS is good. Maybe he could play some of your small ball five minutes. He could certainly get up to the flour for you if your Milwaukee. He's going to be a free agent, and then Max and cleeb has another year left on deal. He's actually played, he's been part of Dallas's defensive uptick. But that's twelve an eight million dollars in salary, and so you might need to add another one there. But looking at the ball skills Devencenzo might give you. Plus he's you know, can't defend as many positions as Dorrin Finney Smith or even Maxi Kleeba. But is it a hedge against Now you have both him and Jalen Brunton going into free agency, do you need something else in there? Would you even give up Dante Devincenzo for just one of those guys, because I know Pat Conaton's become so huge and like it could be devincenso for Dorian Phinney smith works straight up. But that just presumes that you think DFS can play the sort of the PJ. Tucker role, you know, I think I probably would just again, unless you think you're gonna do a Deven Chen. I mean, like they already did trade Devincenzo, like we forget about that, like that I sent it back to Sacktown just now too, because yeah, so yeah, all right, you're really trying to get him back. Maybe maybe that's the universe thing Deevencenzo is destined to be a king. I think I like that. I like although boy, that makes at least the theory of Devincenzo means that the Bucks have like another or you know, quality ish guard that starts. Let's start to look pretty thin if he's not on the roster. Although I guess Allen Allen's a little more limited. I feel like on the ball, but I like definitely, I like Phinny Smith. I think I think that makes it. If you are looking for your PJ. Tucker type, that's kind of pretty similar. I mean, he does it more with length than just being stronger than everybody, but on defense. But yeah, I kind of I'm kind of into that you could do. If this makes it, maybe this is the deal Josh Green and Dorian Phinny Smith for Dante even Chantzo. I'm doing that if I'm the Bucks, and look if you're if you're the MAVs who just probably lost him or or maybe definitely lost Hardaway Junior for the year, maybe defense Enzo someone you want a longer look at before you hit restricted free agency and you lock him up. I don't know. I would say definitely, because Tim Hardaway Junior at the time I was injured, Like he wasn't playing as much as they signed him to a contract to play, right that dude to play, not twenty to twenty five minutes a game. You needed thirty from him, which they were not getting. That actually was a more interesting conversation on the Bucks than I thought we were gonna have way to go, way to go us I did a lot of people flowed like why not try and move George Hill the four million dollars salary this season and next? I believe it was. It was a flat raid on double checkout as I'm speaking, But like if yeah, so that's not a lot of money, and the idea of George Hill could still make sense for some teams, but like who is your backup point guard aft? Like I know jannest does a lot of stuff, and you have Middleton and Drew, but that seems especially if your trading game as part of a Dante de Vincenzo deal, that seems like you're moving one too many guys who can do things with a ball in their hands. Yeah, you're too You're too thin if you do that. Not that Hill's any great shakes, but like that's he fills a pretty limited h he addresses a pretty significant need. As it is, it would just getting real tough for the Bucks after that. The New York Knicks buy sell or hold. I would like you to start because I feel like there's a passionate take coming. It's I mean, it is common sense considered an impassion take. It's it's sell and look the report came out. Windhorse went on television and said that Burke's kemba are all available. Evan four days of course, I evan four days of No, you don't. Here's my issue. He left off a veteran, and he should be the veteran that you're most aggressively trying to move, and that is Julius Randall. I don't he's been so bad and this is I'm not going to make an excuse for myself, but I did vow earlier this season I'm not going to be as afraid because I really am not doing this for hot takes. But I can't conform to hive mind as much because even after Julius Randall had a great year last season, I kind of talked myself in his extension being a good move, even though I wasn't easy about it due to how much of an outlier the previous year was. I understood the logic and it was if you hit on this deal, it's so below true max money that this gives you a bunch of options to build out your team. When I knew and talked about in about how the Knicks were probably going to regress and how having Julius random sort of complicates the development of everyone else. We've now seen it with Obi Toppin and Tims has just refusal to play him. You have so many veterans, and we did say this on this podcast. I think you and I we did off season grades, Adam and I said this a bunch. They went at least won too many moves deep into the all offense spectrum, knowing that their defense, like trusting their defensive performance last year too much. And so now looking at what's happened this season, RJ. Barrett has shined when given more opportunity. You've gotten Quentin Groves into the rotation. Recently, Obi Toppin is not playing enough. Oh and hey, you suck as a team. You suck. I get what the logic was on the Olson, but you suck. And it's time to actually and it's been time for a while, Like, let's do if you're the Knicks, the real reboot so that you can actually maybe play Cam Reddish, who gave up a first round pick four and I know he was dealing with the injury and he's a new player, so maybe they work him in a little bit over the All Star break, but he's averaging over of course of his first four appearances, eight minutes per game. If that's on Tibbs, there needs to be better communication between TIBs in the front office. You don't just give up a first round pick for a guy who your coach is not going to play. And so I'm very much and this is now where the I alluded to this before we went on the podcast, and you were intrigued. If I am the Knicks, I am calling the Lakers, and I'm offering Julius Randall, Evan Fournier, and Kemba Walker for You can do it for Russell Westbrook straight up. But if they need you to take back Kendrick Nunn or a couple of their minimum guys is at KEMP pays more DeAndre Joan whatever, and I am doing that deal. Maybe they need to include their first round pick in twenty twenty seven or a swap, but give me the year of Westbrook salary against the entire Julius Randall extension and two more guaranteed years of Evan Fournier. And I'm not boarding the cap space bandwagon. Yes, your books are cleaner sooner because Russ he either comes off the books after next season. Maybe you broke or a buy out because you're not planning on being super good. Maybe it's just easier too, because you actually have so many assets. His salary is so large that it's tough to move as an expiring But if you're just attaching it to a ship ton of picks, yeah, that'll open up avenues for you as well. I don't think it damages your ability to go out and make a huge move if you want. But the main point, or the main benefit, is there's just more flexibility there. There's more room for a Manuel quickly because you don't have to play Russ, but there's definitely more room for topping in the rotation. There's it's easier to fit in Quentin Grimes, it's easier to highlight RJ. Barrett Roll, it's easier to test out Cam Reddish because Julius Randall isn't there soaking up touches where just burning like double digit seconds off the shot clock, going literally absolutely fucking nowhere with the ball, And I don't I talk to someone about the framework of this tree, and I know Bobby Marks proposed something similar on the low Post. I promise that this was floating about my mind before were listening to that, and it's different from what he was proposing. He said, I think it was Kemba Fournier and someone else for Russ and that first round pick. If I'm the Knicks, I don't even know if I need that first round pick, maybe all for me your swap in twenty twenty six or something. But if you can get the first round pick, that's even more of a benefit to do it, because if you are the Lakers, Julius Randall like could kind of help you. Evan Fourier is shooting, and then like I don't even want to call it secondary but like super tertiary dribbling. Oh shut. I think Ken was a better fit for that team, even as much as he struggled to stay healthy or struggled at times this season with the Knicks. He's a better fit for that roster than Russell Westbrook is ever going to be. And That's where I'm at with the Knicks, though, is that the Julius Randall extension was a big gass mistake and now you just have this huge and good for Julius Randall for getting paid. He had a real All NBA campaign last year. Regardless of whether you think he deserved to be on the second team. I want all the players to get paid, but the Knicks now have this huge financial stain on their books. And he's also someone who dictates how everyone around him is playing. When you're looking at Yeah, they've gotten RJ. Barrett more on ball reps, but like, how are you going to sufficiently develop Obie Toppin when Tims doesn't want to play them together? Is it fired? Tibbs and another coach can do something different with this roster. I guess I'm open to it, but I'd rather see them and it's not just Randall and Fournier, Like if you can get something for Burkes, Noel, even Derek Rose, he's injured right now. None of the veterans should be on top, even Mitchell Robinson just going it into a free agency. We need to see if I'm the Knicks RJ. Barrett, Cam Reddish, Iq, Quentin Grimes, Obie Toppin, Like it's if, I don't know if it needs to be a wholesale rebuild, but this is not. You've consigned yourself to sub mediocrity at this point, it's not even mediocrity, and short of RJ. Barrett just blossoming into a top ten player in the NBA while Julius Randols still on this deal. It's just tough to find a path beyond stripping it down and sucking up. Probably that's called a tough or not easy going year next season, just any sort of real long term promise with this roster. So I have the Knicks as a seller, I think I can't. I can't get there on Westbrook with you, just because I understand the thinking of like, uh, you know, this doesn't work. I was gonna say with John Wall but like, I don't know why the Rockets want to have Randall or for other team it works with because they might actually want to have this beast. Yeah, I mean to me, I gotta I gotta explore less drastic options to get off the Randall money than than Westbrook. One year of Westbrook, one year in Westbrook, I think, I think the issue I have with that, so I agree, you know Randall, as I was talking about Sabonus, Randall's another example of like the ceiling center, Like if he is on your team, he has a major role and it's gonna put a cap on your on your team's quality, like unless he shoots forty percent from three after, you know, and that basically Randall has turned back into the player that he kind of always was except for last year. Like that's an oversimplification, but that's kind of what we're looking at. I think I'm I'm hesitant because if the point of this is to let, you know, bear it into a lesser extent, Reddish and grimes and quickly, uh kind of spread their wings, Like if you're actually gonna put Westbrook on the floor, there's like no wing spreading that's going to happen because Westbrook just is just determines everything that happens on the court, and nobody else gets any shine. That's just how it's always gone. So unless you're gonna buy him out for like an insane amount, that's tough. So I'm with you that this is a seller. Uh, everything regressed that we thought would, like opponents quit making quit missing two out of every three threes they took, and Randall quit making every three like you. So this was foreseeable. It's too bad that it played out kind of how so many people thought it might. But I gotta explore less drastic options to move off or Randall and to a lesson. So I think I think someone like Walker is much more likely to be moved just because Randall's tougher, you know. And Robinson I think actually is low key like pretty likely to move just because there should be a lot of suitors for him at that at that number. But and I also think I love the Reddish play, like I think, you know, to me, that was indicative of, first of all, like Knox was not going to do anything, so if I just have no problem with that, but that was indicative of I think the Knicks being sort of realistic of like we're not gonna go trade for a vetter, and we're going to try to get you know, maybe another bite at the Superstar wing, you know, four years from now. Apple. Not to say Reddish has a real serious chance of that, but there's a little some chance. So I like that move. I think that's the type of thing they should be exploring. I can't wait to hear responses on on your on your Westbrook move though. That's good for you though finding another team to potentially take him on. Maybe it was fifteen in five years, is that what it would be? What's that fifteen and five years? Yeah, yeah, yeah, which would be wild debe fifteen and four years if you got traded mid season, right, that's true. I get the last thing I'll say is I get the last, the less drastic measure point. I just don't know what that is to move Randall. The one that I had thought about was Eric Bletso and Sergebaca for Randall and then something that either they could get Kemba back, and then Randall, in theory helps you next season when you have Kawai and Paul George is a sort of another on ball outlet, and maybe you trust your defense enough to also house Randall in there. But and then if you're the Clippers, you can save some tax money this season by dealing with the with the Knicks. So there was that route. I just don't with the Paul George injury now combined with the kai Letard injury, I don't know if they would be as interested in having a move like that this season. I thought Randall was also someone really helped you while Kuhi was out as just another ball handler. I got another idea for you. They should just trade him to the Kings for Harrison Barnes straight up because the Kings. Because the Kings would be like, well, we got an All NBA guy. That's that's cool. We'll do that. We've got to win now, and Barnes is probably you know, it might be more helpful. At least he wouldn't be, you know, dominating possessions. Would you do that? I would do that. I wouldn't do that if I was the Kings. Yeah, but the Kings will do anything. You don't know what the Kings are gonna do. Who is your most likely player to get traded for this? For the Knicks? I think I'll just say Walker, but I'm tempted to Robinson's in there too for me, but I think someone, you know, I think someone will decide that Walker can be at least like a six man or something. I want to say Burke's because they should move him when his values this hide, but they probably want to keep him because they'll fancy themselves the top three team next year. That needs out right, I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say Kemba too as well. I could see it being like Robinson a little bit, but yeah, but just beyond that, there's I it's the answer. This question should be Formida Randall, like that should be an active thing. That they are trying to do. It's not going to be because that's just not how the mix you're thinking, clearly, And the least I'll push back is I don't think the reddit trd the reddit the Reddish trate was a good idea because you're one not playing him, and I still think that first round pick has more value in trade talks than someone who is going to need more money after next year if you're if you're playing it also if you're planning on paying him, So now you've just made yourself a lot more expensive with Barrett and Reddish being extension eligible at the same time you've already paid Julius Randall. Gay Fournier has two more guaranteed years after this one, so that is something to monitor too. It's I'll understand it if they actually invest court time in him and it needs to happen this season. Otherwise, don't trade for Reddish in the middle of the year. You wait, I like the home run swing that might be a strikeout. I like that on the margins. That's all the Orlando Magic byseller hold, big seller, great seller, just like a ton of I mean, you know, Terrence Ross decent number twelve and a half million, you could at least get a good second for him. I think it's some you know, maybe some salary relief. Gary Harris. Gary Harris obviously has got a big number that you could put together if you're I don't know why Orlando would want more long term money from a better player, you know, for cap relief for another team may just get bought out. I think Mo Bamba is a decent trade candidate. And you know, this is a guy he's blocking two shots a game, and at least when I looked this up the other day, thirty five point something percent from three. There's like not a lot of guys that can be back to He's back to hitting them after missing them for a Yeah, and they committed to Carter, So I guess that doesn't not a crazy number. So that doesn't preclude you from investing in Bomba in restrictive free agency. But you know, the Magic can get to near max cap space for this coming off season or the next year if they want it. I just think, you know, they got they got a lot of assets for a team that's the worst team in the league at least in terms of the record, that could kind of get them some more pieces to add to what to me is kind of a nice uh you know, nice rebuild they have going. Yeah, they're a seller for me too. It's interesting because like they're not they don't have any like hardcore selling options. It's like you mentioned Robin Lopez, Mobamba, Terrence Ross. So I think, yeah, shooting numbers are down, but on a better team that's gonna get him better looks, he should be fine. Gary Harris has played a lot better offensively recent months that combined with his defense. If you're willing to take back some longer term money, is there a team like I mentioned or is it even just you know, when an expiring contract for expiring contract where you're flipping like the Rubio plus something for Gary Harris type of framework. So yeah, and I think, look, I don't think you need to move Mobamba, but I absolutely would look at it. And something I thought about is just like what would Toronto attach to go on Draga for Mobamba and Terrence Ross, Like their bench could use another big or they could use another big in general, and they could their bench could use someone like Terrence Ross. I don't know if you're getting this year's first out of them, even if they protect it just because Mobamba's track record is not like super tantalizing, even though the idea of what he can do and maybe do you lower it, like what about Terrence Ross and Robin Lopez. We're going draggage and like a second or something like or two seconds along those lines. That's something that you could look at as well. But I think they do have some interesting players to move. I'm curious to see what happens with Gary Harris though, because I don't think he'll finish the season in Orlando. I just want to know whether it's going to happen by via buyout or if they actually find a taker for him. They are so far under the tax though for years to come that they should be open to taking back longer term money if they can get like an actual whether it's a higher end second for a GA, maybe even a first round pick, depending on what money you're taking back for Gary Harris. The one thing I wanted to know if they would consider if this is more of a general question of are these dudes gonna play this season, but like Jonathan Isaac and Mark el Faults and I'm just like, look, you have Cole Anthony, you have Jalen sugs. You have Franz Wagner, like, if someone came along with an offer for Jonathan Isaac, don't you at least have to listen. I know he's aren't sol your defense, but more to the point, what if someone just trying to like buy low or mark El faults He has two years, only has one guaranteed season on his deal left after this one at sixteen point five million, and then there's the non guaranteed year in that third season. I was just thinking, like, what if there's a team that's not thinking about this year or so much, they just want to get mark El folts in and you have so meant like RJ. Hampton, maybe that was a miss with the Aaron Gordon trade last year, but like you just have so many guys in the backcourdish type which you consider making a move like that, it feels less and less likely. I had just assumed that faults End or Isaac would play at some point this season, but we're heading into the All Star break soon, so that's trade deadline. We're talking about trade deadline, and I haven't heard or read a peep about either of them. If someone if someone in barm Orlando and someone came asking about Foltz, I would be like, yes, please, I did the worst contracts on every team earlier this year in Folts, was I think their worst contract just because I don't know it's I got a fundamental level primary ball handler who can't shoot is just like a non starter for me. Let alone, paying a guy's you know, sixteen and a half million dollars to not play and then and then when he does play, not be able to shoot. He has his values, But like, Isaac might be one of the hardest players to evaluate in the league right now in terms of like what he's actually worth, because if he's himself, even if even if he doesn't get better from his pre injury form, like he's easily worth seventeen point four seventeen point four seventeen point four over the next you know, three seasons. So I think you listen real hard on Folts. I think Isaac. I just I'd be like almost too scared to involve myself and trade talks about him because I just don't know if he's gonna play and what he's gonna look like. But I think maybe did you mention Gary Harris as a Cleveland possibility, like, yeah, the Rubio plus something for Gary Harris. Yeah, I think anyone that doesn't quite get in all the way there on Eric Gordon should just think of Gary Harris as like a nice ballback who's even better in a lot of ways because you're not paying him next year. Jonathan Isaac has not played basketball since January first, two twenty Just something to note here while we're talking about him. I thought, I don't think. I don't think you get these picks directly from them. It probably involves them moving some of their assets to another team to get at least one first round pick. If you get two first round picks from the Blazers and maybe one of those is like an unprotected one of their own down the line, I might consider it. And a move like that I've mentioned Isaac or Turner, where maybe it's someone you're not sure they're gonna play the rest of this year kind of jobs with you keeping your pick this season that's lottery protected to Chicago at the moment, and then moving forward while trying to still win with Damian Lillard. I think it's a wild long shot. I just I might be more open to it if I'm Orlando that I think most people would be because John he's he's a defensive system unto himself if you just go back and watch him bike And maybe I'm just for like two plush years since he last appeared in an NBA that's a really long time, and just not knowing still what he's gonna be on offense. I just wouldn't he wouldn't be untouchable for me. But maybe I am too far removed from watching him ruined souls on the defensive end. Are we okay? So I just need to take a deep breath before we get to the next team. Are you okay? It was if the Jonathan Isasen stuff was too it was too much for you. No, it's just because I'm know how ready I am to talk about Ben Simmons since that's all we've done for nine months. Well, if Phillies, isn't it open and shut by seller? Hold? It's it's you hold because you can't buy without moving back? And is Ben Simmons by is he sell? I don't mean, what do you even say? I don't know. I would say bye, I'm only moving Ben Simmons if I think it makes my team, Like if you flip Ben Simmons for Daron Fox and something. Whether it's getting off Tobias Harris's deal or you're getting Buddy Healed back or Barrison Barnes back. I consider that a buy. But if you're not moving Ben Simmons, I think you need to hold like you're within seven million of the luxury tax. Maybe you could get under it as part of a Ben Simmons trade, but I would hold in the sense that I'm not settling on a Ben Simmons deal just to get like a poop poop ladder of you know, Minnesota giving me John McDaniels picks and Malik Beasley. That's just this is your last best chance to get a co star for Joel Embiid and use Ben Simmons to do it, even if you have to include stuff. Wait out the James Harden situation. But you're not even just waiting out the James Hardon situation. You're waiting out what's happening with Bradley Beal, what's happening with Damian Lillard. Maybe even just on the periphery. I don't think it's going to gets at this point. If you're waiting on the Jalen Brown stuff even though I still think that Boston would be foolish to break up the Jays. So that's where I'm at with Phillies unless you're blown away, and I would still do if the Kings. If that rumored deal of basically healed Barns and Fox for Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons was on the table, I would take that because even if you were trying to get James Harden later, the Nets aren't going to have enough leverage to be like, oh, we don't want any combination of these guys for James Harden, So there are still ways to make it happen. I think that's at least a package where it makes your team a lot better enough now for you to make the immediate move, while again not punting on these future scenarios, but changing up what your best offers look like. So I'm sure I have written and said the opposite in the past. I think I think I've probably said I believe this Ben Simmons thing is going to go into the offseason. I think Daryl Moore is not bluffing. I've kind of changed now. I feel I think Simmons gets traded. I think and I think it's Sacramentos specifically, and I think at the combination of Embiid playing like fucking prime shack for the last few weeks and the King's pressure mounting and the irrationality that just tends to crop up there, and I think Fox is going to be involved, and I just think it's going to happen. It's just a gut thing. It's just maybe because I'm so tired of saying like it isn't going to happen. I've just like talked to myself into it. But it's just starting to feel more like there aren't a lot of options. There's almost no options for the Sixers that are like Fox, maybe make it as simple as this. I think Fox is the best player that they can realistically get in a move this year. And I think I've decided that some amount of we're willing to hold out for this crazy return as posturing, because that's what a smart negotiator would do to try to coax the best offers you could possibly get, is say, well, I'm not even going to consider parting with this player with this asset for less than just this crazy package. And you've got the you have the hardened stuff to use as you know, part of that smoke screen you've got, you know, to get better offers to say, look, look, we don't have to do this. We can wait because we have this thing out here that you know, if we wait long enough, we might we might do better. So you're really gonna have to bowl us over. And I think the Kings just are in a position where they got to do so I just it's come together for me where it's Maybe it's because I want it to be over, but maybe that's what it is. I agree with you in the sense that if Sacramento was, like what if there's picks involved on top of that return, like or maybe you're getting too you're getting how Burton and healed in Barns instead of the Aaron Fox. So I don't I I don't know where I wouldn't have Ben Simmons and the Aaron Fox in the same team with where I stand. And so if you're getting Ben Simmons and I'm the Kings, I'm moving the Aaron Fox. But the Aaron Fox is shooting forty five percent from mid range this year, is still one of the best finishers in the league. I know he's not a pure playmaker. But you still do have Tyrese Maxie on the team in that situation, if the Kings are aggressive enough to wear and this is I'm very much against let's just propose trades involving the Kings because they're going to do something stupid, but because it's Ben Simmons and it's someone shiny who maybe actually helps their team, it would not shock me if this turns into an overpay where it's Fox and it's did you take back to Bias Harrison, give up Buddy Healed and Scotty Barnes and then also send back picks. That wouldn't shock me if Sacramento did something like that. And I also think, to be honest, they would have probably made much worse moves historically than something like that. And I'm also the argument in favor of a trade happening is I don't think if James Harden really wants to get to if that's the scenario Philly's focused on, if he really wants to get to the Sixers, it doesn't matter whether they have Ben Simmons, Darn Fox, John Collins, I don't even know what like other scenarios out there, even talked about DeAngelo Russell for all, I like they could make it happen. There will be ways to do it, maybe even creating cap space where you're finding ways to dump Harris and de Low or whatever salaries left to create that cassease, or getting the third and fourth team. I don't think you need to. I would hold and not be afraid to just because I don't know that. I don't think Daron Fox, while he's the best player you can get, I don't think he noticeably. I would say, what would you if you peg the Sixers chances at winning the title this season at four percent? I would say Darren Fox nudges it up like two percent, And I just don't think that that's enough too, because I don't know what his game will look like in the playoffs. The Kings don't have him playmaking as much he wasn't. His decision making on drives was weird to start the year. He's still one of the you know, statistically, one of the best finishers against tough looks at the rim. Like I said, he's shooting forty five plus percent or around there for mid range. Again, guess who doesn't even shoot from mid range? That would be Ben Simmons. So Darren Fox counts as a floor spacer relative to Ben Simmons, and if you're getting other stuff, I would so consider it. I just don't. I still buy into the fact that I think this Sixers are gonna let this drag out into the off season. And I would actually say, people told me I'm crazy. I think it's more likely Ben Simmons place for the Sixers this season that he gets traded from the Sixers this season. Nope, it's gonna happen. I just want the saga to be over. So I'm gonna I'm gonna speak it into existence. I just for Kings fans' sake. I hope that they don't like if you give up Heel Barnes Fox and picks for Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons, Like, I don't that that's a lot, man, that's a lot. Yeah, But like to take the temperature. I saw Sean Cunningham as a guy who's worked for ABC ten in Sacramento forever. He's at every King's game. He's like a fixture. And I saw him on a podcast or on a grab from a podcast earlier today and his take, and I think he speaks very much for the voice of like a large faction of Kings fans. He was like, I go to Darryl Moray and I say, pick any four players, pick any four for Ben Simmons. Done deal. I think that. I think that's where a lot of Kings fans are is like do something, do something. I don't care. That's that's where I think. Just not that that needs to dictate what a front office decides, but this front office, Like I feel like this front office sometimes like walks down this or not. The front up's not fair because Monty McNair hasn't presided over all the bullshit that's happened in the years past, but just some of the bullshit in the most recent years of it. I just feel like the King's almost like open the window and like listen to the street and if someone says, you know, we really should break it up, like they're like, well, I guess we gotta do it, you know, Like that's that's that's what informs decisions. It feels like sometimes does it because they never even break shit up. It's just perpetuating the same. Hey, we're gonna finish twelve, eleven, ten, fourteen, whatever. So I get the sentiment of doing like four players is too much, Like I'm not giving up. I'd probably make Haliburton untouchable in the deal because he's so perfect next to Simmons. But maybe I'm overvaluing Haliburton. Just I love how this turned into a king segment. But let's move most player player most likely be traded on Philly though it's Simmons, don't say it's I guess you could say Harris, but it's Simmons. I'm gonna say it's work on cork Moths their tax bill get someone like do they try and just create a roster spot to get another ball? But it's just it has to be Simmons because he is so central like to everything that they're gonna try and do, and you really can't make like your salary matching, you're not trading Seth Curry. And then in being you're not moving if you don't move Simmons, Like what are you attaching to Danny Green? I actually still think Danny Green is gonna be pretty important to come playoff time because but heast thy bawl fantastic on defense, but like he's not gonna give you a lot offensively, and that can become an issue in the postseason. Agree the Toronto Raptors, who I'm just gonna to clue you in on what I think. I don't want this to shape your opinion at all, but I'm gonna predict right here, right now, as long as they do not play the Milwaukee Bocks, the Raptors are gonna win a plaoff series this season. Well if they get Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving's not playing, so their odds get a lot better. You see how I thought this through, right, Yeah, I like those chances. They're a buyer to me there, I think as close to I don't know if there's anyone closer to the tax than they are. I haven't them at two hundred and sixty eight thousand under the tax line. I think they are the closest team because it's uh they have what they have. Miami beat there and I think that was the only other closest team that's bringing to mind. But while you're vamping, I'll just double check that. No, no, yeah, So it just just that's just to point out that, like anything they do, that's going to be a consideration. So they're margins small. I think we've talked about Gorn dragas a lot can. So it feels like the buyout is obviously there and any team that is thinking about trading for him will hesitate. I think, or at least think for a second about, well, why am I giving anything up if there's a chance that I could just sign the guy. I think Chris Bouche is another guy that you might look at at being moved, But I wonder, you know, so at Toronto's a buyer, so it's like, could you It depends on what you're trying to buy normally, say you're trying to improve the roster in the short term, so I wonder if you can send out at first with Draggitch and bring back like a bigger name from a team that's looking to kind of bust things up. Like I feel like I've seen it written several places, like what if you go to Portland and say, can we have Norm Powell back and give you a first with Draggitch and we'll just take power back. That's will be good, right, That's kind of something Toronto needs, is a guy that can make shots and defend a little bit in the backcourt like that that could work. The other option is you can Toronto get a pick by you know, sending out draggitch and taking back bad money, you know, longer money at least, So it's not like it's just a buyout or can we swap him for you know nothing? There are some options, I think, you know, because all they want to do or play like big combo forwards like Barnes and Grant should be guys they're thinking about I just because they fit the fit the mold. I think, like you gotta still listen on Siakam because his value is back up to about as high as it's ever gonna be and he's still maybe slightly overpaid, so I would listen. I don't know what's out there, probably nothing, but yeah, they're a buyer and the Dragas thing is the big obvious move, and I think they do have some options with what they could get back for him. I'm with you on everything, so I'm just gonna throw a couple of hype of that out those at you instead, since we both know I think it should buy one. Do you like the idea of Miles Turner on this team if he's healthy. My very last bullet point on my Raptors notes is what about Turner here? Question Mark, so yes, I do. I think, like, I think that's interesting. They need a center who's actually a center, and I think the stretch would work. Well, what are you giving up to get it? I think it's the structure for that. It's going drag and it's probably two first round picks because I don't like I like you to wanton Aby. I don't know that Indiana would value him the same way. Maybe it could be Malakai Flynn wants an Abby and drag plush one first depends on what they think of Malakai Flinn. He still has two years left on his rookie scale deal. I'm not as high on Turner here. I think it works fine offensively, Like does he help you against the Sixers NMB? Does he help you against the Bucks like with Janice and that that structure. I'm just I honestly don't know. I definitely don't think he helps you against Ibid. But you know, the list of options there's not existent, of course, if you want someone that's exactly the thing. I know. I brought this up earlier from talking about the Bucks, like what are you gonna do with Himbid? Like, well, nobody has anything, but even Miami I'm saying, like, does Turner help you? I'd rather probably see like Siakam, Barnes and o Gianna nobis not rather, but like, is it help you as demonstratively enough above just using og and Pascal Siakams you're from court, let's say, with Bruche and barn sprinkled in. I mean it helps in that you're pulling somebody away from the basket at least on the other end, like which you could do with the five out stuff they do already, and you know everybody's six six to six nine. But like it, you know, no, it's not it's certainly not going to help you, like if mbiad is rumbling down the lane or he's posting up or whatever. But like again, there's not a fix for that. So and be honest to a similar extent, Yeah, I don't know. That's interesting. I that's funny that we both kind of just thought about him. But if it's two first and drug ch yeah, give me Turner for sure, because it'll flip him for something else that makes more sense if it doesn't work out. Malachi Flynn go on draggage and maybe a second for Eric Gordon, who says no, Flynn, Draga and the second for Gordon. Well, since we said the Raptors are buyers, I think I think I would do that from Toronto side. I think he was interesting to you out of the entire like that money draggage, money comes off the books. Malkai Flynn just someone else to look at in the back court. You could structure it maybe without Malakai Flynn, and it's a protected first, but that protected first is protected like let's say top eighteen or top twenty this year, and then turns into two seconds immediately. If I'm Toronto, I'm not hamstringing myself out into the distance. Yeah, I think that works. I like that similar structure Malakai Flynn two seconds and draggage for Caros Leavert. It same sort, even if it's the first, the heavily protected first and draggage for Karros Lavert. I think I like Gordon better. I like Gordon better. I think I would still do that though, actually, because I like the playmaking you get with Lavert. I think I think he's an interesting on ball guy because all there it seems like the Raptors are flushed with guys that are like, well, he's pretty good. With it, but Lavert like that's what Lavert does, so that that's one of the things he does well. So I think I think I'm into that, And I think the issue there is, like you have to you could play him with van Fleet, fine, but like it's Siakam or Barnes, he's on the floor with it, can't be both of them. I don't think he's a starter on that team, do you. I think he's no, But I think because he's being sprinkled in, like you definitely have to stagger it to where you probably only want him playing maybe ideally with none of Siakam or Barns, but only one of them at most. Yeah, this is my last one for them. Drag Flynn. Two first round picks for Derek White. I think that's too much for Derek White, all right, one, I mean, then get keep Flynn. I guess, like I don't. I can't imagine san Antonio wants necessarily another guard. Yeah, I kind of balk at the two firsts. I love Derek White on the on the Raptors like for yeah, absolutely, but I don't know if it's two first san Antonio's got to do that, I think. But if it's one. Now you got me sounds I don't know, do you where does that one rank in your in your hierarchy of home. I would love to see Derek White on the Raptors, and I don't think it's too high a cost to pay you protect the picks would just be the you know, maybe it's something like again, is it's something more than immediately turns it into two seconds? If it doesn't convey, it's just because you're not going to give up og in that deal or Barnes and so would the Spurs like precious that you were Malchi Flynn enough to count them as one of those players plus Droga because Dragas doesn't factor into anything san Antonio's doing. It's just the money matching is there? So your return is like, so can you do Wanton Abby and a first round pick and Flynn? Is it? And like is that considered enough? So if you can get away with one first round pick and whatever? But I think I think I do it. If I'm Toronto, I think the Spurs for two vers round pick should absolutely do it. Whether Flynn needs to be involved or not, fine, if you're keeping Flynn whatever, But if it's two first and it's Draggits and white. I can't imagine. I feel like Toronto won't make that type of a deal. But if those picks are protected, I don't know, I don't hate. Maybe maybe they even do the Spurs like delonod Banton with up the G League like recently. So I just think Toronto's really good and one player away from like fucking shit up in the East. I don't know why I use profanity back to back there, but no, that's where I'm at. We're very much on record several times on this spot as being like unapologetic, can't quit the Raptors. That's that's we agree on that most like a player to be traded, I mean drag I guess the buyout is the only thing that's looming there, but maybe maybe maybe Bouche. Yeah, he's the only other one. I'm gonna say Bouche, just because I don't think the Raptors are thinking lons along the lines of, hey, let's do something big enough to where you move Dragge. Unless they go with the bad money route like you mentioned, that would be a very smart course of action. Washington Wizards buy seller hold final team. We've made it. This is a hard team, and not just because it's the last one. So I have them, I guess I have them as a buyer. The way I would see it unfolding potentially is you sort of like undo what you did in the Westbrook trade, which is they've got like several like nicely priced, you know, rotation ish supporting level players, and I wonder what you could do to cobble some of that salary together. We're talking, you know, like Harold, we already mentioned as like a Charlotte possibility. Uh, you know you've got You've got Aaron Holiday, You've got this isn't part of the these are aren't all part of the Westbrook trade, but you know, throw KCP and Kuzman in there. You've got Thomas Bryant. Could you package that with a pick which is encumbered because they all want to Okay, see that might not go till twenty six. I think I think it's protecting roughly forever. Yeah, probably probably conveying in twenty twenty three. I have in my notes. I forget what the protections were that made me think that, but if I could get top twelve and twenty twenty four Lotto protected next year in twenty twenty three. Okay, well it may not convey it. Top ten in twenty five, top nine in twenty top nine. I love these protections. I don't hate Washington as a Sabonis possibility if if you could, because I think if look, if the plan is we're about to pay Bill a ton, we need a second star. I think you could throw some of this stuff together and some of it provides relief for the Pacers, and you'd have to figure out a way to get more draft capital in there, like a lot more. But I think Kuzma is not nothing. So I like, I'm trying to think of second stars for this team, and Sabonis was like the only semi available guy that I could think of that would sort of make sense. But what is it like Harold Avdia, Hachi Mora for some like I don't even know, like how many? How are you even giving them a pick? You could say, if that's the problem, you've got to figure out it might have to be a three to get to get picks involved there somehow. I mean you could include one. It's just I'm not giving up a pick, Like if you say first, allowable first and just figure on. Oh, it's gonna be twenty twenty five because well, we'll not make the lottery, like we'll send an okay c R pick next year. But I'm not giving like it would. So I guess Abdia and the pick is the meat and potatoes. And then that is does Indiana want Ruey? Can you get off Breton's in that deal? They might actually be able to use that type of floor spacing if they're gonna keep Turner then though that could be weird all Breton's and Turner, I guess works in theory. I forget Breton's is on this team all the time. Yeah, Kuzma, well, I would like to keep Kuzmai, I think, but like he's he would you like a very quick fun Kyle Kuzma stat yes, I would. In Predictable has a metric called clutch win probability added, and it measures exactly what it says. Demarda. Rosen is first, sure Kyle Kuzma second it in the week this season and clutchwin probability added pery Predictable, that means he'd be first after Rosen didn't like spend a whole weekend in game winning threes probably or just was lights out the entire fourth quarter this season. Yeah, yeah, yeah, No, I don't know. So they're they're weird, They're a buyer. I think they want to try to get better just to keep Beal happy because he made those comments to Chris Haynes of like, it's time for them to show me their sere they have their commitment? Is there that all that stuff. But yeah, are they a buyer for you? No, they're a seller for me, with the caveat that I'm not selling Bradley Beal. I think at this point, if you were going to move him, it should have been over the summer at the latest, and it probably should have been before then. Now it's signed him. He's only what is he's only twenty eight years old, right, So sign him to his next deal and he will still be movable when he's allowed to be traded after that, to the point I would argue that he might even be considered still an actual asset on that deal where it's not Russell west Brook signing it after Russell Ustrier signed when he was thirty one whatever whatever he was, if he was thirty and just you knew Westbrook never being able to adjust for you never saw him being able to adjust to a decline and athleticism effectively. So I view bial Is more of an asset on his next deal for Washington, I do right now, trade basically everything under the sun after him with If you still want to go for it next season, fine, but give yourself more flexibility, like what does it take? Will someone just give you Devis? Like will they take Devis? Berton's the spencer dimwod He fit has been tough, he has not looked great this season. Move him. Do something with the center position. You have Bryant, you have Harold, you have Daniel Gafford. I know you signed Gafford to an extension, but like Brian and Harold seemed pretty important to what you're doing. Move some combination of those guys. I'm keeping KCP, I'm keeping Kuzma. Which teams are interested to? Someone want to take a flyer on Marine, I'm keeping Avda. I get rid of Holiday. He's said it into restricted free agency, hasn't really done anything meaningful for this team. So I'm selling like certain supporting cast members to give myself even more flexibility to maybe buy in the off season or just keep my window with or without bel open. Ended. I don't think it. Look if you trade, for example, and this is why I'm partly saying this, if they trade Spencer Dinwoodie and Davis Burton's, let's say they trade both of them, how do you think their playoff chances will be impacted? Not meaningfully. There you go seller, so you can sell and still not punch on the playoff race altogether. And that's just where I'm at with this team. I think you could if I'm allowed to equivate, I could say either or like if you wanted to buy. I don't hate the idea of like Sabonis is weird to me. Maybe he would be a good fit on this team. I get your where you're trying to think of like putting in and they already have like Kuzman Kate like they're kind of set with between Avia and Kuzman KCP is like those three fours. So and then you also have Davis Burton's floating around here somewhere. I think they need to break up sort of that upper like the bigger front court lob jam when you're looking at either pure fours where that feels like Ruey and Davis parton slash centers where it's like Harold Gafford and uh uh Thomas Bryant there. That's why I land on sellers for them. But if they wanted to make a play, it's just you're giving a first round pick in twenty and twenty five to buy someone meaningfully, That's what That's what's tough for me to wrap my head around. Yeah, just to argue against myself and support your point. Like if I would say, if they if they're gonna be sellers, what could you get for KCP or Kuzma? I thought about that, but it's like, if you do want to still give yourself a chance with Bio, why would you move either of those two players. That's that's the thing. Yeah, But like suddenly if those guys are on the market, suddenly there to me, like you know, then then it's just not just Eric Gordon that is your your your two that that is the only guy you can go out and get. And suddenly Kuzma, like Kuzma's kind there's not a lot of Kuzma types because you know, he's a three four that can defend and do stuff with the like there's a lot of there could be some equity to be had there for sure, you know it would be hysterical this offseason if and I figured out a way that I think it would be worthwhile for the Pelicans to help out the Lakers. If you were the Lakers and stead the Pelicans take our pick in two and twenty four, So we're removing the right to defer in two thousand and twenty five, but we'll let you maintain the right to swap with us in two thousand and twenty seven two and twenty seven, so you now have a swap in two thousd twenty seven. Now the Lakers can turn around offer Westbrook a twenty twenty six pick, a twenty twenty five swap and a twenty twenty eight first round pick for let's say Kuzma KCP, and then maybe just another like I Spencer didn't what He'spring called him there, we gotta stop because you just you just reverse traded Russell Westbrook. Well getting them Spencer, it would be the funniest outcome where they end up giving a total of three first rounders and once to the Wizards in some sort of Westbrook deal. But being tongue in cheek, I am saying I did figure out a way for the Lakers, I think to make it worth the Pelicans wild by saying we'll let you swap first rounders with us another year to take twenty twenty four. Out right, the Lakers just need a do over button. Every team once a decade should get a do over button, and they would just the Lakers would have used there already. This would have done it already for sure. Yeah, they did another one, Grant, This is great. Are you able to tell our listeners where they can find your work and you're sparingly used social media account? Yes, you can find my work at Bleacher Report, and you can find me or at least like you know. I guess it's me on we tweeted something today, I saw it and you replied, well, I did well. Listen. If if there's something that involves me, I'm much more likely from people that I like and trust and know our good humans, I'll engage. But yeah, GT underscore hughes on Twitter, and yeah, be nice to each other on that thing, so I'll use it for me as always. We end this podcast, although I didn't do it last time, with a shout out to the one the Only Grand's favorite player, Frannio Keenam