What is crap iraq and hard monopolists? I m Dance Valley coming out without
my binnabulous co host at a Framo. I have a Fake Trades Galore pod
to drop with you alongside Leach Report colleague and good friend Brian to Porrek.
Follow him on Twitter at B two porek at bt O p O r e
K. He also covers the NBA at Forbes and he is the co host
of the NBA Pod. Follow them at the NBA Pod. We're gonna get
to the fake trades in the second. This is actually the second intro I
recorded, and my first one was super swift. I promise, but I
was trying to hold the podcast until Monday morning. I no longer did that
because we have a trade. And so not only did they edit out the
three trades that involved the players that were mentioned in this, but we're also
going to talk about that trade. So Lowards reported that Caros Lavert is headed
to Cleveland. He will go along with a second round pick from the Miami
Heat in twenty twenty two four going back to Indiana. Ricky Rubio, a
lottery protected twenty twenty two first twenty twenty two second round pick via the Rockets
and a twenty twenty seven second round pick via Utah. As of right now,
those selections that in the year getting this year, Cleveland twenty twenty two
first would be number twenty three and that Houston second round would be number thirty
three, And so I think those numbers are important to keep in mind because
I don't I didn't see like any super controversial takes against this, but I
did kind of see people hinting at the idea Cleveland was somehow pushing its chips
in with this, worried they're worried about Caros Lavert's fit. On the first
point, I overwhelmingly disagree. Giving up two picks in the thirties because the
calves are that good this year is not going to hurt you, And that
two twenty twenty seven Utah pick could look kind of juicy, depending on what
you think about the sustainability of what's going on with the Jazz this season.
But you were able to pick up Lavert, who the Pacers wanted two first
round picks, for the fact they got two picks in the thirties is closer
to their asking price than not. Lavert probably makes you better, I know,
there will be a lot of people that miss Rubio and will lament his
absence because of how good of a job he did, sort of igniting Cleveland's
second unit. I totally hear that, and I I think Lavert I don't
think. I think Lavert gives the Calves a higher ceiling when we're talking come
playoff time. I've usual to see how much value Rubio really has for the
Calves. He's also entering free agency, and Lavert has another year left on
his deal the Caves. By the way, you're saving like three hundred k
as part of this trade, which will give them closer to four million dollars
in wiggle room under the tax. That's just something to keep in mind should
they make other moves, so they sort of have another they're kind of kicking
the can in terms of when it comes to committing to a certain three guard
rotation because they're gonna have to pay context in this summer restricted free agency unless
he unless they wind up trading him before the deadline. You can argue whether
you think this trade makes it more or less likely. I think it's probably
just a neutral on that. I don't think it really makes sense to move
him while he's in injury. He's expected to miss the rest of the season
after tearing meniscus in his left knee, and now I know if you're resigning
him to a longer term deal. My bet is that his value probably goes
down restricted free agency. There's not a lot of teams with cap space,
and just coming off this type of an injury, it gives Cleveland some leverage.
That sucks for Sexton. I hope he still gets a crap ton of
money, But so for LeVert specifically, I do think he's better built to
play off others than he has been in years past. He's shooting almost thirty
nine percent on catching shoot threes this year. He's always kind of hinted at
and off the dribble three that has not been falling up the same clip this
year. There was a long stretch sort of in the middle of the season
where that was falling, but he is. He's sub thirty percent on off
the dribble threes this year. As superstar from Indie Cornrows, Kaitlyn Cooper has
noted I think she said it on this podcast where she's written about it a
few times too. He has existed as sort of a separatist Indiana's offense.
It would not surprise me if he leads the league in the percentage of attempted
screens that he rejects, because it does always seem like he's kind of refusing
a screen, whether it's tacitly or actually animatedly and like pointing to reject it.
So there's that to consider. But he gives you someone to better run
the second unit. He also gives you a person on the wings who can
handle the ball and put real, real pressure on the rim. That's something
like Kevins didn't really have in the first place. I think, you know,
when Colin Sexton went down, he was getting to the rim at at
a really good clip. And Isaaca Coro takes more than half the shots at
the rim. But he's not something that necessarily want handing the ball. Nord
teams have to necessarily respect his mid range jumper. He's gonna take corner threes
this season, or he's gonna try and get to the rim mostly off the
ball. That's what he does. You're not you know, Lamar Stevens,
Brandon Goodwin, those aren't guys that you can rely on to handle the ball
on high volume and put actual pressure on the rim, and nearly thirty percent
of Lavert shots are coming at the basket this year. That is decidedly above
average for a player at his position. Perkley in the glast, he's finishing
it a sixty four percent clip there, and you do get a little bit
of the at least the threat of the off the dribble juice. I think
work gets interesting. He was just not a facilitator. There seems something seemed
to like turn an Indian where he wasn't being kind of how Sacramento stream blind
to Aaron Fox's offensive role a little bit and gave Halibert and more control.
Lavert has been more of a score this season for Indie. I do think
he has that playmaking in him. We've seen it in Brooklyn. I think
even in Indie we've kind of shown it. If you have bigs that where
they're you know, their runs or just their games in general aren't going to
stall out before the basket, he will be able to find them, or
maybe if they're hanging around the dunker spot. Excuse me. We've seen him
throw some needles through through tight windows. He can be really patient once he
gets into the lane and vary and change up his speeds. So I think
if you are are putting the right bigs around him, and in Evan Mobley
and former teammate Jared Allen, I think you do. Those are two really
smart biggs. We know how to move off the ball. The other thing
you do want around him to really emphasize his playmaking would probably be more shooting,
which neither. When you look at some of the lineups and Indie he
was in, they didn't have a ton in Cleveland's not. You know they're
gonna be harder up probably for those types of lineups. But you can't get
away playing him with Darius Garland. And if you are really worried about that
fit, you can tether him more to the second un where're gonna have Kevin
Love in a game, and then if he's only on the floor with one
of Mobiley or Allen at that point, or maybe when you get the stretches
where Market and Love are playing without or are your two biggs. Cleveland has
gone to that a little bit this season, so there are a lot of
things that Cleveland can do there. And I think Rubio is a much better
passer. I think he's a higher IQ player overall, and he's more likely
to elevate his teammates. But I think what the Calves need is someone who
can have the ball in his hands, put pressure on the basket. Maybe
he hit some tough off the dribble jumpers. Again, it's something Lavert has
shown he can do, even if it hasn't been a consistent part of his
game, and he can table set a little bit. This is someone who
I would view is just an ideal replacement if you know you're not gonna have
Sexton or Ruby over the rest of the season. And that was the other
thing here. You don't have Rubio for the rest of this year, you
don't have Sexton for the rest of this year. And sure, yeah,
you could just wait and say this has found money that we're in the playoffs.
We weren't expecting to be this good. You're a top four seeds in
the East right now. It's you don't have to look at this to sound
money. And the cost here was just ultra low. The most important asset
you're giving up is that could be number twenty three pick. It might even
be a worst off pick. It could be number twenty five by the end
of this season or something because the Vert, I do think really helps you,
and there's some pre existing chemistry there with Dared Allen. They both played
with the Nets for quite a while, and it's, you know, it's
it's honestly hysterical that Jared Allen and Carousel Vert are currently on a top four
team in the East and the Brooklyn Nets are not among those other top four
teams in so Shaw Marks might be going through it at the moment for reasons
other than just lavert and sexist and refinding each other on a team that is
currently better than the Nets. And so I'm just sort of of the mind
of why the fuck not, especially in a season where if you're Cleveland,
you're looking at this and you're saying, Okay, are the Nets going to
implode? What's going on with the Ben Simmons, James Harden talk, what's
going on with Kyrie irving, Kevin Durant injured. We don't know what's really
gonna go on with Philly if they wind up keeping Ben Simmons or if they
trade him, or they even get a part in back. There are a
lot of questions there. Yes, Milwaukee still exists, Miami exist, Chicago
exists, but This is just such an open ended race right now. I
don't think Lavert gives Cleveland a real chance to come out of the East.
But they're a better team than they were at the start of this trade,
and it's okay to chase some immediate when the cost is is this low.
I mean, at worst, you gave up a player in Ricky Rubio who
he's coming off an ACL injury, so even if you resigned him cost you
as much. But what is he going to look like when he comes back
from his a c lngury. We'll be able to navigate traffic as effectively as
he was before. We don't know. So you're giving them players coming off
an a c L jury and then at worst you're talking three picks in the
thirties, only one of which is a first rounder, and that's you know,
we don't know what's going to become of the U top pic into US
and twenty seven for Neianna. This is interesting in the sense that, as
Woges noted, this could be the start of some dramatic changes, and so
I would expect to see names like Druliday, Tory Craig. Those are guys
that could be moved after this deal, Miles Turner, Domasa bonus of course
as well, even T J. Warren just heading into free agency. How
wholesale, how how full tilts are the Pacers going to go with this rebuild.
We've seen conflicting reports, you know, people were getting up in arms
and trying to generate these opinions about oh, the Pacers were going to blow
it up, and then Herb Simon says, oh, no we're not.
But now now they might wait to see what happen, wait to see what
moves actually take place here. I do like the value they're getting back for
Laverte in this trade. Specifically, I would inflord if they ever got two
first rounders for him, and the fact that they're going to get two picks
that are within probably you know, they're gonna be the top thirty five.
Basically Houston's not dropping out, you know, dropping below that in the draft
order. That solid value for a player. I think most people might be
us a net negative contract. I've been a little bit higher on the vert
than consensus. I also just don't think Indie was the right fit for him,
and maybe Cleveland that'll be sort of a spark there. I don't necessarily
know he's gonna fit in their offense, but there is more just like it
feels like there's gonna be agency, more agency for him there and freedom to
explore. And I also think they're better set up to use him as a
facilitator when you're looking at the at least the players that they're gonna put around
him, even if you're gonna question can they surround him with enough shooting to
sort of maximize that play him, because I do think Carosel Lurk can be
a really good passer with Indie though this opens up minutes for Kristin Marte.
Of course, Dwayne Washington Junior will get more minutes. They're not planning on
going to the playoffs, or maybe they end up converting him from the two
way. Anyway, that's that's rock solid, and you're getting another pick in
this year's draft. It also allows you when you're looking at trades with I'm
gonna even Domas Miles Turner. Of course, the fact that you now have
two first round picks in this draft, it allows you to focus on maybe
getting back more distant picks so that you're not sort of loaded leading into this
draft. You get another twenty twenty twenty two pick. Now you have three.
Maybe you could package two of those together to move up if you want
to, but you generally don't want to go into these drafts with like,
you know, four and five picks, especially you know, four picks within
the top thirty something. So I'll be curious if should they trade Miles Turner,
do they prioritize maybe getting just some extra assets in terms of tangible prospects
or players is of right now, but then maybe also sort of looking a
little bit further ahead and taking two twenty three or two and twenty four draft
equity. I do think that this move doesn't have to signal anything super seismic
on their end, just they're clearly not focused on this season. They're looking
at the bigger picture, which I do believe is smart because they've just been
all over the place this year. However, you don't move some bonus who's
your best player unless you get the right deal from him. And I think
that if you're into you're holding out for a package that looks better than what
Orlando got for Fooch, because I view Simonis is a much more versatile and
impactful offensive player. Even if you trust Fooch more defensively, so you know,
if it's similar, you want two first round picks and a youngster that's
worth looking at in Mundel Carter Junior. So unless that package comes along,
you don't have to move him. And then with Turners specifically, I don't
know how much worse offers get if you wait until the off season when he's
un during the final year of his deal. He's injured right now, he's
not coming back before the trade deadline. People are wary of bigs with foot
issues unless you think he's gonna return and sort of damage his trade value.
Events of the off season, I can see them looking at offers where if
they're not getting two first round picks and a player of interest, maybe they're
only getting one first round pick or two low end first round picks or one
first round pick and after prospect. If they're just underwhelmed in that sense,
they might decide to hang on to Turner. You're also now if you're not
getting back expiring money, maybe you're less interested in moving him too, because
what Rubio does is also sort of give the Pacers a chance to maybe create
cap space this summer, although they do have Turners money on the books too,
so having money on the books beyond the season clearly isn't the end of
the world. The fact that they're doing this now though before you know,
a few days before the deadline, I think is clear that they are going
to consider, if not make a few other moves. And if I had
to guess, the players on this roster most likely to be traded are Tory
Craig and Justin Holiday, followed by Miles Turner. If you're looking for a
bigger name now that Lavert is gone, I do think Turner would be more
likely to get dealt than Sabonus. It would really throw a shock if it
was Sabonus that got moved, and be curious to see what's asking. What
the price is that Indian gives them up for. Those are my thoughts on
that trade. I generally like it for both sides. We don't have to
create controversy through that. I really think the most divisive take is that Cleveland
somehow didn't have a reason to do this. I'm not of that mind.
They just gave up so little at this point, and the East is just
so topsy turvy and a good way for them, and they've been this good
without having someone like Leaver on the roster without Rubio or Sexton playing. And
if you think that Sexon is gonna come cheaper over the longer term, now
you can pay him and then consider still keeping Lavert. Give next year a
chance the ver it's gonna be on an expiry contract. If it doesn't work
out, you decide between two. You know you have Garland and or do
Sexton or Lavert fit into the bigger plans? Who who's the better compliment to
Garland there? If neither of them work, you could look at moving both
of them. One sex and signs is his new deal. But the fact
that Laver is still in a contract is just like works in Cleveland's favor this
summer because you don't have to make a decision where you would give him a
longer term deal. It's we can monitor how he just is with Garland and
are set up this year, and then if you keep Sexon resigned Sexton,
you can still monitor the three guard lineup and you're just because you have Sexon
on new deal, it doesn't mean that you're overpaying for that. Look Lavert
is going to be making when Lavert enters the next year's deal. Excuse me,
the final year of his contract, he'll be making eighteen point eight million
dollars. And so let's say, look, let's say sexting yet eight a
year annually. Let's just say like it's right around lover. So you's known
about thirty seven million for those two and then you still have Darius Garland on
his rookie scale deal it at eight point nine and so to pay those three
players around let's say forty five million dollars, I honestly don't know what Sex
is going to get is in his next deal. That is hardly egregious.
And there are scenarios where, especially given just the dearth of wings right now,
I'm cleaning, you could play all three of them together. I think
Sexton is a good enough off ball shooter we've seen, and even Garland the
same difference there. You could run stuff with them and have Lavert be the
one on the ball. Or is Lavert going to continue to hit his catch
and shoot threes. I don't know that he's going to be a great mover
and shaker if he's off the ball, But if you just need him to
sort of act as a stand still sniper, you could do that. Just
to change up your lineups. I know they favored going super big and might
not want to do that. You're definitely gonna want to stagger these minutes somehow,
because I do think Lavert is sort of wired to run a unit,
even if he's going to take the score first mindset, not necessarily act as
a floor general type to that ladder point. And this will be the last
thing I say. I do think Lavert has a higher end of that passing
in him, just watching him in Brooklyn specifically, even if it hasn't always
come out in Indiana. Of course, the health risks, they are concerned
with him. He's been banged up a bunch throughout his career prior even getting
moved Indiana when he had the was it kidney cancer or whatever it was.
I apologize I should have looked at up before I recorded this confirm. I
don't know why that keeps slipping my mind. Anyway, though this is not
this is a fine flyer for Cleveland, because I don't know how valuable Ricky
Rubio was to them long term anyway. And I do think immediately not only
just Lavert, just help you by virtue of adding a player who's going to
be in the rotation for one that's not right now, but I honestly think
that his game gives them a higher ceiling right now in the playoffs, and
that just matters amid the ambiguity in the in the East pecking order. That'll
do it that trade. I hope you're able to listen to this before anymore
of it becomes dated again. This podcast is not dated as of right now.
As of Sunday evening at five fifty pm Eastern time, we have a
ton of fake trades. Brian and I go through thirteen of my own.
I think it ended up being and we had like twelve or fifteen listener ones
that have since been windowed down by by three or four. So thank you
everyone who sent in the questions. Shout out to those who sent in trades
that involved Rubio and LeVert specifically, and I had to bounce those. I
apologize, but we appreciate your participation. And the last thing I'll say if
you're getting this far is please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to
us wherever you get your podcasts. iTunes helps us out of town. Even
if you don't you use it, throw us that far us our rating right
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follow us on social media across the board. We have the links and the
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YouTube dot com, sir chartwe Knox will come up. And then also we're
really trying to continue to push building the Discord community. We have almost three
dozen people in there right now, and like Z, only been pushing it
in the intros of these podcasts, so I'm actually pretty happy with that at
the moment, and the participation has been great. So the Discord link is
in our podcast description as well. Let's get to fake Trades Galore plus other
talk with Brian to pour it. Brian, welcome back to the Hardwood Knox
podcast. I think I gave you like a week off before asking me to
come back on the podcast, so thank you so much for joining us again.
How are you doing. I am doing well. Thank you for having
me back. I thought I was coming back when Ben Simmons got traded,
so I'm hoping within the next hour that actually happens. But until then,
my brain is completely rattled with the trade that we saw on Friday with Portland
and the Clippers, and then you know, Sean's coming out with the like,
oh, by the way, the Sixers might not have to wait until
the summer to get James Harden. So it's been a busy weekend. I
can't tell be convenient or just like so fucking annoying. If Ben Simmons was
traded while we were recording this podcast. We recorded with yesterday and went like
thirty minutes on the Heart and Sixers stuff, and I was like, Okay,
we're gonna keep going, but there's a chance you might have to rerecord
all of this. So I think if it happens, it's like one of
those deals that's going to happen at like Tuesday night at like one am.
I'm gonna be fast asleep by that point, and then my phone is going
to explode and be like what the I will be among them because I will
be up from me. I'm just gonna send you a waterfall of them too.
One word please do yeah, so you wake up. We're gonna start
at those two points. We have fake trains galore, some from our listeners,
so shout out to our discord members and followers on Twitter. But let's
start with the two like biggest news topics right now. I mean there are
other ones, but the trade with the Clippers and the Blazers and so Norm
Powell and is headed to the clipp basically was the was the front runner of
that deal and the Clippers had to give up Keian Johnson, Eric Bletsoe and
Detroit's twenty twenty five second and Justice's Winslow and Robert Comming to his head to
the Clippers. Also, I don't know how I forgot about him because he's
like this is like Danny Green vibes when the Spurs just folded him in to
the Quai trade to make the money work with right Danny Green, I think
was better at that point than coming just now. But that's where I'm at.
I wanted your thoughts. There's been a lot of takes on this by
now, so we know this won't at least be outdated, But what were
your thoughts reactions to this trade? In general? Love it for the Clippers.
There is absolutely no downside for the Clippers. And this is the advantage
of having an owner who is richer than God. It doesn't mind him like
they added I think close to twenty million dollars to their luxury tax bill in
a season where you know, it doesn't seem likely that they're actually going to
compete for a title because it sounds like Kawhi is not going to return this
year and Paul George's availability is very much in question. But you get Covington's
bird rights this summer. You have Norman Powell on a very noble contract for
the next four years, and he is a perfect fit with those guys moving
forward. So it's you know, it's a testament to Steve Ballmer for willing
to take that much. He's spending eighteen million more in luxury tax to improve
his odds next year and moving forward. So good on the Clippers. Amazing
job. And look I get it from the Blazer's perspective of like, I
know what they were trying to do. They were trying to get under the
luxury tax threshold. They did, so congratulations to Jody Allen who's now going
to get an eight figure check to cash in on the Warriors. And that's
spending egregiously. But it just feels like like I just can't help but feel
they could have gotten more. Like I can't believe because like Bledsoe and Justice
do not matter at all in the long term perspective. Kean Johnson. Hopefully
he pans out, maybe he pans out great. And then this twenty twenty
five second from Detroit, Like, I just don't know what message you're sending
to Damian right now, other than we are taking an obvious step back and
maybe this increases their chances of getting a high lottery pick. And you know,
for their sake, I hope so, and I you know, I
get it from like they have so much money committed Damon c J. Already
Anthony Simons is going to be a restricted free agent this year. They're going
to have to resign him. You don't want to spend one hundred plus million
on, you know, guys who are just like six foot four and under,
so like they are trying to reallocate resources. I get all of that,
but I like, you still couldn't have gotten more long term value for
Norman Powell and Robert Covington, Like I love the framing that I saw photoground
on Twitter on Friday, or it was like, you know, they gave
up two first round picks in Gary Trent Junior for the package that they received
for the Clippers effectively, it's just horrific asset management from the Blazers. I'm
with everything you said there, and it's you know, I think sometimes when
you have the benefit of himesite like it's reductive to say that. But like
those trades for Covington j Jarryton finger happened last year. Covington was the off
season before last year, and they were viewed as good moves at the time.
I still think they were good moves. The Blazer's biggest fault was,
and this includes the even the Larry NaN's trade, which I liked, is
they just kept hitting singles and doubles rather than going for the triples and the
homers because they were so married. It seems to the C J Dame partnership.
And I just if you think key On Johnson is like that guy,
I haven't seen enough of him at the NBA level. I know that he
could probably jump over a gym. That's that's great. He was just the
number twenty one pick. I. I don't understand how you couldn't like separate
this deal. We mentioned all the trade exceptions that are floating around out there
that Covington could have fit into. That freaking Norman Powell could have fit into
them. Isn't he only making five million dollars this year? So yeah,
I mean, and there there are a fewer teams, like New Orleans still
has a seventeen million one, Orlando has a seventeen million one, Like there
are teams out there that could have fit him either way. So I just
don't know how you even separating that. It was just to only duck the
tax to get the number twenty one pick, who's already like the first year
of your career is done. You haven't even had him in your system.
And then that Detroit second, which is what unless you think Detroit is still
gonna be rock bottom bad, which they have Kay Cunningham, who was looked
like he is he played more time, he'd be the rookie of the year
from me, even over Evan Mobley and Scotty Barnes, like just watching him
play. So I I understand the logic. It teams like really poor execution
as you framed it, and I find it very hard to believe. And
this is made me rethink. You know, we have all these hypothetical trades
are going to talk about, but for what Norman Powell went for the other
thing I'm gonna say about the Blazers that I have to assume they didn't just
pick like a bad deal on purpose, that this was maybe they weren't willing
to wait. And the other thing I won't listen to is the two things
is them cleaning up their books. When you trade a good player who's not
on a bad contract, that's not cleaning up your books like Norman. But
like, let's just made that clear. The other thing is just like if
you need to say, well, let's see how this goes before Thursday,
when the only other players involved in this deal are Eric Bletsoe and Justice Winslow
and Keyan Johnson, who no one even knows what he is, if you
have to say that, maybe you shouldn't have made this trade, I'm just
going to say, it's made me rethink, like what is this deadlight going
to look like in terms of players with values? Where Houston wants a first
round pick for Eric Gordon, but you didn't even get an actual first round
pick for Norman Powell. You got Keyan like, so that's just that's wild
to me. And it's even even if that was a first round pick,
it got Covington and Norman Powell. So the fact that Norman Powell alone didn't
get his own first round pick. The even thing I threw out was just
like, wouldn't you have preferred? And maybe Dallas wasn't willing to do this,
but you basically could have done Dwight Powell and a twenty twenty five first
for Norman Powell. Wouldn't you I would have preferred that deal. Fossa plays
there, should get out of the tax, and you have an actual will
first round pick in the distance. I guess maybe they wanted something more imminent,
so they took what was already a player, not even a pick.
So I I still don't I understand what they were trying to do. And
I think the friend of the podcast, Carabone Big, who was always good
at making me rethink some of these moves, and she's also just like her
podcast, her podcast We Would Take is fantastic. As she pointed out,
it is refreshing that the Blazers are at least picking the longer term direction in
some form, whether it's are we going to tear this down including Dame over
the offseason? Are we trying to actually rebuild a round Dame? I that
was a great point. I think it really is refreshing that I guess Joe
Cronin is going to be heavily involved in or it's going to have a really
good chance of securing this job long term, because why else would you let
him make a move. So it is is a refreshing approach. It just
feels like relatively, if not flagrantly poor execution here. Yeah, I hear
that, Like, let's see what happens between now and Thursday, because CJ
has been linked enough trade rumors at this point it sounds like the Pelicans especially
could be in on him. Again. It comes down to like what the
Pelicans have to offer, because I feel like if they're really prioritizing cap savings,
like they have the Thomas Saturanski is the ten million dollars expiring. They
have Josh Hart who is a good player, but he's also non guaranteed for
each of the next two years, so they can go that route and then
like get Jackson Hayes as the you know, the young prospect and that's interesting,
but you know, I would do that trade in a heartbeat if I'm
the Pelicans, because you're not really giving up anything of long term value.
Like Hayes right up for an extension this offseason. You know, Josh Hart
again, really good player, playing well this year, But like I think
you can live with, you know, the sacrifice of Jackson Hayes. It
might be worth the upgrade of you know, of Josh Hart to CJ.
And then from the Blazers side, like, are you gonna then wave Josh
Tart for more cap savings? Like I again, I just don't know what
they're thinking in terms of like what is the long term plan? Here are
they are? They just trying to go all in and like realize, hey,
there's only three teams with cap space this summer, so maybe if we
can like totally clear our books, you know, they'll have Simon's cheap cap
hold so they can like do all of their other moves and then resign him
as their last thing bledsoe you know, nineteen point four million total salary last
year, I think only three point nine of that is guaranteed if memory service
correctly, So like they could potentially be one of the few cap spased teams.
But like how many guys are clamoring to go to Portland on value deals
when Dame's future is also up in the air. So like, I don't
want to like totally slam the Blazers and until we see in the full picture,
but like, if this is step one of a series of moves,
I am very lukewarm on step one, and I hope steps two, three,
four, however many can help redeem this. I do find it.
You said this, you responded to me on Twitter with this the day of
the trade. If they have cap space, they might be able to sign
a player as good as Norman Powell. And right, his TJ trade is
interesting because the one you outline that would have gotten them out of the tax
as well this season, and then you still have Norman Poet, Like,
if you're gonna end up if that's the second move that you've made, that's
almost borderline and excusable to me, because you've accepted what would be I think,
relative to who CJ is as a player, not terrific value. But
you're valuing his contract then, so he's been devalued in that sense. If
that's the trades you make after this, I'm just gonna blampoon the Norman Pawelet
trade that much harder, all right, Moving on to James Harden, the
I'm just even relative to the NBA. I don't know how many times I'm
gonna say the word relative on this p yes, either, and knowing that
there's a lot of posturing going on right now, and you and I sort
of exchanged conspiracy theories on this before we started recording, I am surprised that
the James Harden to Philly scenario is accelerating this quickly, even just in the
news cycle itself. What do you make of this whole situation? We know
it's real now at least to like some degree. This isn't like, oh,
maybe he would consider the off season if the Nets are actually thinking about
entertaining moving Harden? Just what do you just make of this whole situation?
How do you expect this to end? Yeah? I mean, did you
see the King's game the other night where like Harden looked very clearly checked out.
He's now been out since that game with the hamstring injury. To be
fair, Kyrie Irving gets a bunch of Knights off. Why can't James Harden?
That's fair, that's fair, And like, overall, I wonder how
much of that is where the Nets heads at is like we think we are,
you know, we buy into all of the hardened Sixers smoke. Over
the last couple of weeks, months, however long, it's been like,
we think we are going to lose him no later than this summer. Let's
at least try to extort the Sixers for a little bit more right now,
because we know what players tend to get and sign in trades or opt in
in trades, Like we're going to get less value this summer if he becomes
a free agent than we will now And if we don't think like right now
they are still the title favorites according to betting markets. But if Kyrie does
not get vaccinated by April and they only have him for half of the playoffs
in the first round, yeah, yeah, Like I just don't I'm not
saying, like the Nets, I have no belief that they could win the
title this year, but I'm not sure that they're going to So maybe they're
willing to take a slight step back to again, like you know, at
least shore up there their future beyond this season. I also like they've got
one hundred and ten billion dollars tax bill, and it's you know, maybe
that's just gonna be us talking about the luxury tax for an hour and a
half. But like it's gross to frame it this way. But again,
if if the two options are we lose him now or we lose him this
summer, the Sixers can offer a couple different frameworks where they could shave the
tax bill of the Nets by forty or fifty millions. So, like,
I think that could incentivize them to act now. And then I think this
Joe Harris stuff is the wild card. Like his agent just came out and
said he might need a second procedure on the ankle he as it played since
November. You know, he's saying he's confident that he's going to be back
this year. But find me an athlete who's ever been like, oh,
yeah, no, I'm out. Well maybe Zion, I guess, but
you know, like that's what athletes say. But like the Nets will know
behind the scenes, do they think Joe Harris is coming back this year?
Because if not, you don't have Joe Harris, you have Kyrie for half
of the playoffs. Like maybe you would see this as an opportunity to flip
hard In for multiple rotation players or multiple starters. And again, there is
a framework that the Sixers can offer where they accomplish that goal. If you're
the Nets and you also shaved fifty million, we had a listener Nuggets Bulls
fan propose Ben Simmons, Danny Green, Phillies twenty twenty two first and a
twenty twenty three second coming from Atlanta, Brooklyn's own or Charlotte for Ben Simmons,
that being the for James Harn excuse me that being a framework? What
is your is that? Like what we're thinking about? Like, what is
the stuff that and I know you wrote about this, What is the extra
stuff that Philly has to include in this deal? Yeah? So I think
I think the Nets, first of all, are going to ask for Tyrese
Maxie, and I think the Sixers are going to say nowt so, Like
I think that's where the conversations begin. And then I think the Sixers are
like, all right, we're not doing that, but we have a couple
other things we can offer you. Danny Green is one of them, Seth
Curry is one of them. I don't think they would include Batist Bible.
Like I think overall, if the Nets asking price gets out of hand,
the Sixers are just going to be like, all right, we'll see in
July. Like we're gonna offer your less in July than we are right now,
so you can you can take what we offer now, but you're not
going to get this entire package in July. So like, I think the
framework that I landed on that I think is probably most agreeable for both teams.
And you can throw picks in here if you need to as well.
It's James Harden, Joe Harris, and Paul millsapp for Ben Simmons, Danny
Green and Seth Curry. Saves again about I think it's close to fifty five
million in tax for the Nets. And you you know, if if Joe
Harris is not coming back this year, and Paul Millsap's been out of the
rotation for more than a month now and they've already said they're going to try
to find him a new home, you're effectively swapping James Harden, who at
his ceiling is a super star, for Ben Simmons, who is a three
time All Star, and then Danny Green and Seth Curry, both of whom
are starter level rotation players. They'll at least give you more depth, like
a five man lineup of Curry, Danny green, Ben Simmons, Kyrie and
Kevin Durant sounds kind of awesome offensively at least, so I think that's probably
the framework that makes the most sense, that's probably the most realistic for the
listener idea. Like I think that Sixers would do that in a heartbeat,
but that doesn't come with tax savings for the Nets, so I think they
would probably try to at least, you know, if they are going to
trade Harden, I think that's one of the major reasons to trade him now
instead of the offseason is if you can, you know, cut your tap
to bill in half. You don't think you're gonna win the title anyway,
And honestly, like, do you think that trade if Harris is out?
Do you think that framework may And that's all that much worse? I might
argue they are break even, if not better, They're they're probably a little
bit worse because you're using the only one who's been a losing the only player
has been able to consistently run your offense this season, the Kyrie irving element.
It's not even about Kevin Durant being out, it's just you've lost what
has been your primary offensive engine, getting seth Curry in that deal is just
a bona fide win because he is the quintessential all playoffs superstars. Make it
work. But I can put the ball on the floor a little bit and
then Danny Green just I still stand by it. I know people think Danny
Green is washed. That dude still just makes winning plays throughout almost every game
that he's in. So that wouldn't be you know, if you're the Nets,
I think you would probably or I would probably rather recoup some draft equity
here so that could we make other moves more enticing. But if you're also
the Sixers, and I'm not trying to be ironic here where I know the
Sixers have their own disgruntled star, so they can't be like, oh,
James Harner's disgruntled. We're not going to give you as much from as we
would. But you get to the point where how much I don't want to
say how much worse or the Sixers, But now you lose Seth Curry,
who's been your second best player this season, maybe third, depending on how
you feel about Maxie, and you're bringing Harris who's probably not going to help
you this season. Just the way things are shaping up and you're losing Danny
Green, who's at least playing for you and is a much better shooter than
Mitty cybel Is. At this point, you either have to have other moves
lined up or hope that you're gonna win the buyout market. There's yeah,
I would do it because it's James Harden, But that sort of leads into
my next question, like, are you at all concerned about what we've seen
from James Harden this season and then just the prospect of giving him that next
deal? Yeah, I think yes to both, but I think it's a
gamble you have to make. This is just like these are the types of
home run swings that typically decide whether you win a title or not. Like,
you know, the Bucks overpaid wildly for Drew Holiday, but that turned
out to be a wise decision because only won the titles the Suns. Like
when the Sons acquired Chris Paul, a lot of people shout on them for
it, but then look where they you know, they made the finals last
year. They are the best team in the NBA in terms of record right
now. The Bulls when they acquired DeMar de Rozen, everyone thought they overpaid
for him, both in terms of value like contract value and what they gave
up, but that has paid off for them, So I think like and
and then you know the other hand is the Lakers Russell Westbrook, where it
has just gone so horrifically wrong. So you know, given the concerns about
Hardon's age, some of this decline, signs of decline that we've seen from
him this year, you know, just his past relationship with other stars in
particular, like he has clashed with basically every star teammate he's ever had after
a couple of years, with KD being the one possible exception to that rule.
So it's fair to wonder how he and Joel would get on together.
I would think from Joel's perspective, just getting the Ben Simmons cloud removed from
that franchise. Like, I don't think Joel Embiid cares if like he has
a co star, like you know, if he's the one a to Hardens
one or whatever, and I don't think he would be. I think,
you know, six Ers fans love Joel Embiid more than anyone since Allen Iverson.
Like, no matter how good James Harden is in Philly, he will
never be he will never like supplant Joel Embiid in that regard, and like,
you know, I know mo dackel on br wrote about, you know,
basketball fit wise, does James Harden make sense? And you know,
the defense is a major issue, and he's such a pick and roll heavy
player and Joel Embiad has never really been that type of a player. You
know, I would argue in part because he's never had a guard who can
do it. We have seen more of it this year with him in Maxie,
So I think, like fit wise, I think Joel would try to
adapt his game to Harden. You know, the question is would Harden do
it to Joel? But Arden's also never played with the big like Joel Embiide.
I mean, the best bigs he's ever played with their Dwight Howard and
Clint Capella, both of whom you know are great rebounders, great shop blockers,
Yeah, great lab threats. But yeah, like he's never you know,
I don't think he's ever played with the big who's like a real threat
from ten feet or beyond fifteen feet or beyond. So I think there are
more ways that it wouldn't work than it would it would work. Like there
are more possible pitfalls here than like this is, you know, doing the
doctor strange thing, Like I see X number of possibilities. There are more
possibilities where it blows up in their face than it doesn't. But the upside
is so high. I understand why the Sixers would be swinging, especially given
Mori's past history with Harden. And you know, again it comes down to
how much more do the Nets want beyond Ben Simmons, Like I think they
do draw the line at Tyrese Maxie. And look, if you wind up
doing a Harris scenario because you're trying to save the Nets like fifty plus million
in luxury tax, he becomes like a really great fit and important player if
he's healthy again, probably not this season, but that's like, yeah,
salaries inflated, but you're gonna have to pay Seth Curry after next year anyway,
and he's probably getting Joe Harris money at least, so that would be
interesting. I didn't even factor in that they could save them so much luxury
tax, and so that would be a benefit of I fans should not think
like this. They should be aware of it, but they don't need to
think like this. But that is going to be a factor for teams at
the top if you're losing James Harden. I do wonder though, if they
might think just Brooklyn holding out hope and this is the final thing I'll say
on it, that they'll have all their three stars available for most of the
playoffs and that this would still give them a best chance at the one off
title, and then they could disband it after this season. I think if
James Harden is really that hot for Philly, I would still just do it
now, because the way this season is shaping up, you can't guarantee you're
gonna have all three of these guys available, and just the East is not
going to be, you know, an easy walkthrough for them. Just between
Milwaukee being there, Miami looks tough, Toronto is frisky. There's just not
a team that I would want to play in the playoffs at all. So
if James Harden is really just I'd trade him now because I don't think knowing
what more he's done just with Ben Simmons, and Ben Simmons wants out,
he's not going to be a pleasure to negotiate with. If James Harden has
the threat of like entering free agency under in his quiver. So I'm with
you there the one stat I wanted to throw it. You're just I'm getting
this is preemptive because I've seen some of Net's Twitter reaction to James Harden,
and I could see this going with have fun losing in Philly, like with
Joel Glass and Bead Native Glass and Bead. Over the past three seasons,
Joe Embiad is playing one hundred and forty two regular season games. Over the
past three seasons, Kyrie and Kadi combined have played in one hundred and fifty
six games. There will come a point this season probably where Joel Embiid has
played in more games over the past three regular seasons than Kyrie and Kadi combined.
So anyone who's worried about Harden tethering his prime to Ebie's health, I
get it. Things aren't that much safer in Brooklyn for him. Yeah,
and like again, if they don't have to give up Maxie. He's not
at the level of Kadi or Kyrie, obviously, but you know he is
promising, that's for sure. Yeah, that's true, but he's like a
very promising young player. Tobias Harris is overpaid, but no could be a
good number three or number four option, depending on whether Joel or Maxie are
healthy. Like I think if they could keep you know, if they even
if they do this Danny Green Seth Curry framework, I agree with you.
You know, this year, even if Joe Harris isn't coming back, they're
not winning the title, but Joe Harris is signed for a couple more seasons
like that, CORPS would have realistically like a two point five year window in
which they would have a real chance with with that group. And I don't
know, I think I would. I would probably do that specific framework,
even if it means punting on this year, because like you could still roll
out Maxi hardened diable to bias and Joel, you still got George and Yang
Andre Drummond off the bench if you get a buyout guy, or if just
like you just need one of Shake Milton or firk on cork bobs to be
playable, and that's a Nate Man rotation, and honestly, like restricting Doc
Rivers number of options so he doesn't do these terrific offense line ups might be
another benefit to this deal. We did have a question from listener Stephen if
Let's say the Sixers don't move Ben Simmons, Is there are there any other
trade targets you can even there are there any other aims? And as you
know, it's like they're they're a not insignificant but not very large amount over
the tax right now, and so you wonder like could that be a focus?
So you even a thought to like, in a world where Ben Simmons
is still on the Sixers and James Harden is not after February ten, have
the Sixers done anything at that point? Yeah? I actually wrote a piece
of Forbes about this earlier this week, and until this hardened stuff broke,
I think I got a lot of Sixers fans in like full nihilist mode.
As soon as they read that, they're like, oh, god, damn
it, We're gonna like salary dump Danny Green to the Dallas Mavericks for like
a future second round pick or something like that. So yeah, they are.
So Spotrack has him at six point three million above the tax line right
now. If George Hill doesn't get waived or something like, as long as
he finishes the year on his contract, they're going to get a one point
two million dollars set off on that so they have to dump six point three
to be safe, but realistically they're only going to be about five point one
above the tax line. So yeah, I could absolutely see that. I
get like we just saw it with Portland or going to see it with Boston
with Dennis Shrewder, like teams that are this close to getting under I think
it does make some modicum of sense, especially if you don't think you're an
actual title contender this year. So if they could send Danny Green to you
know, Dallas has a trade exception that he would fit into. I think
Boston does as well. But I would really hope they're not going to just
sal want Danny Green, if they're just going to go into a trading seption.
Yeah, and like if you I mean again, it sends a terrible
message to Joel and Bead like that will send the message you are wasting a
year of his prime if you're just salary dumping Danny Green for you know,
a future draft pick or something like that. The other alternative would be moving
fur Con and one of the other young guys, presumably Paul Reid because he's
the only one really out of the rotation. But I would think a Danny
Green like either trim or just outright salary dump would be potentially on the table
between now and Thursday. But it's complicated too because if they if they don't
get hardened by the deadline and he does not do the opt in and trade,
which is by far his smartest route to get out of Brooklyn this summer,
he becomes a free agent, they would have to get him either by
a free agent signing or a sign and trade, which if they go sign
and trade, they have to stay under the hardcap, and Danny Green waving
his fully non guaranteed ten million dollars salary is really important for them to stay
under the hardcap. So if they do either try to just dump Danny Green
out right or trade him somewhere else, they almost have to do it for
an expiring given like that, they aren't sure they're going to be able to
convince Harden to do the opt in and trade, they might have to do
a sign and trade and worry about being a hardcap next year. Do you
think shake Milton is enough of a sweetener to get off Firk on cork Moses
two year deal? I would think so. Would you do that or would
you prefer the Danny Green round, you would, Yeah, I would go.
I would go to Dann because they just don't have they would have no
ball handlers other than Seth and Maxie at that point, because like Ben Simmons
is not playing basketball for the Philadelphia seventy six ers ever. Get so,
like they you know, they are holding out hope that he would come back
after the trade deadline if they don't trade him. He's there's no way he's.
He in his camp have sent that message very clearly. I was actually
thinking about this the other day, Like, you know, at this point,
everything just comes down to his arbitration hearing after the season, like whether
he can win his money back, Like I would think him coming back after
the deadline would only weaken his argument of there is something mentally preventing me from
playing for this team. Like if it was just this was a trade request
and I didn't get traded, so now I can come back, It's like
all right, well there, I hope you enjoyed flushing twenty million dollars down
the toilet. But if he waits the entire season, maybe he could actually
recoup some of that money. I don't know, I mean, I think
he's probably gonna lose it all anyway. But yeah, like I would not.
You know, Firkon has been like their ball handler in a pinch at
times off the season, so well, I know, yeah, he's just
shooting so poorly. And I think like him and Tobias are both over extended
in their current roles because of Ben simmons absence. I would hope the ongoing
emergence of MAXI will help put them back in roles that fit them better.
But like, yeah, I think the one thing that got into on Forbes.
You know, if they do think they're going to get hardened, they
paid the tax last year, If they pay the tax this year, they
have one more year in the next two, and if they pay the tax
in either one of those years, their subjects the repeater tax moving forward.
Again, fans shouldn't care about any of this stuff, but front offices and
team owners do, so you just have to like raise awareness about it with
the full recognition of if a team does a naked salary dump like the Blazers
just did, you will annihilate them for it. We can move out of
sixers nets world now we have I have fake trades galore for you that you're
able to dump on. We'll start off with I came up with ideas and
then I picked our best listener ideas that we'll get to from Discord and Twitter.
So the first one, I'll start you off a little easy. It's
really isn't too complicated. Danilo Gallinari Atlanta's own pick this year top ten protection
and the Charlotte pick they acquired, which is I don't want to go through
all the protections, but it's protected through twenty twenty five and it's never conveying
lower than fifteen. They're higher than fifteen. Excuse me the way it's protected.
Four Derek White from San Antonio, who has three years at about seventeen
and change left annually on his deal. Yeah, I love it from the
Hawks perspective, like I like the fit of Derek White. Two first round
picks, feel Steve, what would the if the Atlanta first doesn't convey this
year, you haven's top ten protected? What would be the protection of moving
forward? I would? I would protect it like you'll never get it.
You're never getting a lottery pick in this deal. If i'm is the way
I would protect it, like you could. I know ATLANTIC can assume it's
good next year. But like they probably thought they were gonna be pretty good
this year and they've picked up. But if they're worried about top ten protection
knock of day, they can lottery maybe lottery protected for this year and then
another two years after that. The other route you could go is the Charlotte
pick and then Jail and Johnson. I think on Yeka Kongo is too much
to give up in this deal, and part of moving Gallinari without taking without
getting back like a you know, Gallanar is not a wing, but they
just traded away wing wing and reddish Kevin Hurd's not really a wing. By
Don mcdonovich isn't really a wing. Neither is Derek White, even though we
could defend some of them. The thinking now is just like since Gallinari is
just a four anyway, like this just it's minutes for it's easier to work
the front court with John Collins and Clint Capella and on Yeka Congo, and
so I think you could go to Jail and Johnson route if you're the Spurs
and prefer him to Atlanta's first round pick. I do wonder how the Hawks
would feel about that. They seem pretty high on him. But that was
the other sort of framework I thought about. Yeah, yeah, I mean
it feels steep for Derek White, but I like the fit there, Like
the Spurs should say instant yes regardless, like if you're getting two first for
Derek White, it was a good player, but why not. And then
Gallinari's only five million guaranteed next year, so you can save you know,
sixteen million additionally off your capital next year. And San Antonio is already one
of the only teams projected to have cap space next summer, so they you
know, get an additional sixteen million. Then all of a sudden, you
can get really frisky, like you could really start to screw things up for
teams, you know, not even like just be the threat that the Sixers
or some other team needs. They're like, hey, James Harden could go
sign with the Spurs, or Bradley Bill could go sign with the Spurs.
But you know, like a restricted free agent DeAndre eight Miles Bridges in particular,
even Colin Sexton, like I would value the flexibility plus those top there,
those two first round picks over Derek White. Who wait, you know
he's I always like include him in when I'm talking about all the Spurs young
guys, and then I always remember, like, oh wait, he's actually
like twenty seven already get closer to thirty than twenty five. At this point
I think, yeah, like he's not that young, So yeah, I
would do it. If I'm the Spurs Atlanta, I would have to think
about and I would probably like I would explore the market and see what else
the gallow plus two first offer could get me before I say, yes,
are you doing it? If it's one first then you're san Antonio then because
maybe I'll overvaluing Derek White. I think the non trade minutes when Bogdanovitch is
on the court have been pretty good for Atlanta, but I also think he
augments those. And then you talk about just having more point of attack defense
at your disposal on the playoffs. I think he does that a lot.
But I'm wondering, then, like, what is the minimum that you're I
know his contract is steep, so is that part of the category of like,
if you're getting one first round pick in Gallo, are you still considering
that? If you're san Antonio, I would consider it, but I would
likewise shop him around and see if I could get more I think the two
first plus the potential cap savings is what pushes me over the edges han Antonio.
One. First, I mean maybe if it's like less protected than the
Charlotte pick in particular, but like if you know, if the Atlanta it's
top ten protected this year and then like we start whittling it down to top
eight, top five, whatever, then I'm probably more open to it.
That makes sense. Yeah, I mean I might even protect it based off
what you said. If I'm Atlanta then and giving up two, maybe you
protect it heavier this year, and then you also, if you're San Antonio,
ensures you get because the Charlotte pick is not I'd be shocked if it
conveyed this year top eighteen protected. Maybe not shocked, but I'd fairly surprised.
So if you do heavier protections for Atlanta and that almost ensures you get
their pick this year, it does give you an X round extra first round
or in the chamber the next The next two are multi trade options, and
they're Dallas Mavericks salary dumps because I just don't have And the way I went
about this, for anyone who's still listening, was just a kind of I'll
talk about a lot of the same players that have just been talked about.
But I was trying to find like new fresh deals or destinations or directions for
teams, and so I went with this for Dallas to get off of.
The next two trades are gonna get them out of Tim Hardaway Junior's contract,
and he is owed quite a bit of money fifty three point seven million over
the next three years on a declining scale though, so that's a little important.
But the first trade is Dallas gets Kenrick Williams and Mike Muscala for Tim
Hardaway, Dwight Powell, Josh Green, and a twenty twenty five first round
pick that would be protected through twenty twenty seven, basically at the lottery level.
Yeah, I go to your next one because I think I lean more
toward the other one than this one. So Dallas perceives Gary Harris and Terrence
Ross. Ross has one more year on his contract after this one. I
think it's at like thirteen million or something, and then Orlando would be taking
back Tim Hardaway Junior, Dwight Powell, Josh Green, and that same twenty
five Yeah, I lean more toward that, just like ken Rich Williams is
a great player, but he's on such a cheap contract that if your goal
is to flip him later for more value, it becomes difficult unless you're packaging
him with someone else. Whereas Gary Harris, you could turn around. He's
a twenty point five million dollar expiring, so you can maybe turn him around
and take someone else's bad contract back if you wanted, and get more value
that way. Terrence Ross is under contract for one more year, and I
mean, you know, he's having a lost year in Orlando this year,
but he's a good player. I think he would fit well next to Luca
in particular. So yeah, I think that's that's more where I would lean
from Dallas's side. Okay, See, yeah, I mean I would probably
do that deal if I were them. Orlando. I mean, like Orlando
is tough because they've already got so many guys on that big salaries, Like
they don't have anyone like they have Harris coming off the books, and so
it's like, yeah, but if they're going to resign Mo Bamba and you're
also Dwight Powell and additional Wendel Carter Jr. I prefer the okay se framework
just because I think Kenrick Williams would help the MAVs a lot. And then
they're also just you know, muscala Is like, he'll space the floor if
you want to play it with Christops. I wouldn't recommend it, but that's
something you could explore. I'd like him better next to Christops than Dwight Powell,
almost at least offensively. And then you're also saving, like you're slashing
twenty seven million dollars off of next year's pay roll. And no, that's
not enough to make you a cap like a cap space team. You have
Luca doniss Room kicking in, but do you just have more flexibility. I've
gone back and forth on though, Okay, now you've burned another first round
pick, it feels like you need a good player to Chauffeurt. And I
thought that ken Rick Williams probably, you know, because Gary Harris leaves after
this season, let's assume. And then Terrence Ross is you know, I
guess his shooting will pick up in Dallas with higher quality looks, and it's
ticked up a little bit in Orlando as the season has gone on. But
it feels like Kenrick Williams kind of gives you a long term piece to monitor.
And the idea behind this, by the way, was if you want
to keep both Jalen Brunson and Dorian Phinney Smith, that's what's more important here.
So shaving the like the okay, see example, shaving twenty five plus
million dollars off your sheet next year helps you justify keeping those two players.
It's just a weird instance of Okay, we've burned a first round pick to
kind of just retained the same roster. But you do almost pigeonhole yourself just
as much, if not further. Do you keep this roster intact and then
try and pay both Phinney Smith and Brunson. So, I mean the magic
deal saves them a ton too. I think it's fifteen plus million, and
maybe that's that basically takes care of jail and Brunson's deal. It's not going
to take care of both him and Ortan Pitney Smith. Yeah, now that's
a that's a fair point about like looking ahead to how much money they're going
to have to commit. The center this trade, I don't even I can't
even mention the exact framework I listen anymore. It's Pacers Grizzlies trade. I
just want the Grizzlies to do something because they're so good. But seeing what
Norm Powell got, knowing Myles Turner is injured, and I fancy Memphis like
this dark horse and Miles Turner destination. Like, what is the cost of
Miles if you say you can have Jared Culvert, Kyle Anderson and then we'll
let you pick two of these assets between the Lakers pick Brandon Clark and then
the least favorable of Memphis or Utah's pick this season. So you're not getting
any distant picks. It's not the Golden State twenty twenty four pick. None
of Memphis is just in case they're flash in the pan, which I think
it's clear that they're not. So I would even lower the costs. You're
like, if it's Miles Turner for the those two expirings, what needs to
be attached for you know, it to makes sense for both sides here?
I lean if it's I might like, is the Lakers pick alone enough at
this point? Well, correct me if I'm round here, But if that
Lakers pick just hypothetically not saying the Lakers fans don't get mad, I'm not
saying it's going to happen, but it might if they finish in the top
ten, that pick goes to New Orleans, right right, So, like,
I wouldn't consider that a trade asset if I'm another team, just on
the off chance that things go really wrong for the Lakers in the second half
of the season, because like, there's a chance I just don't get that
pick at all. I could rather just have the certainty of, like,
sure, the Memphis or the Utah pick is gonna, you know, be
in the mid to low twenties. But that's better than the chance of just
not getting anything. Yeah, if I were the Pacers, I'd probably prefer
just the two first round picks, maybe you package them together and move up
rather than having Brandon Clark, but that would be I would no longer just
based off Turner's injury, because you're sort of also making this deal for beyond
this year. We don't. I think Turners like return day has been pinpointed
as March, and you're keeping Steven Adams as part of this framework, so
you don't necessarily need him right now. And if the cost is just again
two out of the three of the Utah pick, then since we're let's bounce
the Lakers pick from consideration, So it's the Memphis pick, the Utah pick,
and Brandon Clark. If you're giving two out of those three plus the
expiring contracts of Anderson and Jared Cover, I would do it. If I'm
Memphis, and if I'm getting two first round picks or the equivalent right now
for Miles Turner, I probably consider it strongly. If I'm Indiana. Yeah,
like, if if Indiana is willing to take that Lakers pick instead of
Brandon Clark in particular, I definitely do it for Memphis, because you're not
well, you're always gone. But I'm also like, what if it's like,
what if it's twelve, Like I know, it's top ten protected,
it's not like it's you know, lottery protected. You have more room there.
And I would think, you know, even if they do nothing and
then like you need a Lebron or an ad injury, I think to vault
them out of the play in territory essentially. I mean we've seen both already
exactly. That's what I'm saying, Like, you're betting on those guys to
stay healthy. If you are, you know, getting if you're taking that
pick as an asset, you're betting on those guys to stay healthy, and
I would never want to like Hinge my primary return of a trade on Anthony
Davis staying healthy. If I was Indiana, though, I guess I value
this Lakers pick more highly than you do. I would gamble on the Lakers
pick and then ask for the more favorable of the Memphis or You topic.
I would settle. I would still consider just taking those two picks, plus
the salary we mentioned, and moving moving forward with it. Just you could
say that maybe they'll get better offers over the off season. I don't know
what those are. They're like, you're just probably just expiring money still.
And then if someone giving two first round picks up for Miles Turner when he's
in a contract here, I don't know. I mean, Miles Turner has
been in trade rumors like as soon as he signed that contract, Like I
for his sake, I just hope he gets traded so we can finally not
deal with Miles Turner trade rumors for a minute. This trade in theory,
like if Miles Turner is going to return at some point this year, this
trade would make Indiana worse, increase their chances of getting a high lottery pick
as well, And it's a fair point, like maybe they do end up
right now, the Lakers are thirteenth, so that pick would convey there are
a game and a half ahead of the Knicks, who are the tenth spot
right now at the lottery according to Tanka than and then like Portland is nine,
you're not catching Portland, so you know, especially if one team jumps
even lower than you, like, that's going to push everyone else down the
board. So it's a fair point like that. I guess that pick is
more likely to convey than that. But yeah, I from Memphis, I
have no problem doing that deal. And yeah, in the end, I
would probably have to consider as well, you have a shape or set in
here. We deleted that framework because I think you're getting it was part of
justifying including Blanding Clark plus two firsts. Okay, okay, I'm also in
love with Ohapeer Sett and just want to see him on a good team.
Yah me too, Yeah, like that would make me willing more willing to
include Brandon and Clark because they like that's the thing even more than the Lakers
pick. Brandon Clark would be the thing I'd be most reluctant to give up
with from Memphis. Yeah, he's had a nice bounce back year after what
happened last season. Speaking of the Lakers, though trades number five and six
are centered around or centered around, isn't a thing. They involved the Lakers
and getting rid of Russell Westbrook. So the first one I have you and
I have talked about, and we were among the first, if not the
first, to posit the Rust to Nick scenario. It's I'm sure it's because
everyone listen to this podcast, but it probably just wasn't really that original of
a concept Russ till like the Knicks, it's not been reported. It's just
become like one of the most popular Twitter scenarios since then. So we tried
to figure out what the package would ultimately be. I said I'd be willing
to do it without taking any picks, but this is the framework I suggested
based off what you said to me and what others said. The Knicks would
need to do it. The Lakers get Randall Fournier and Kemba Walker. The
Knicks get Russ, Kemp bays Moore, and DeAndre Jordan. Those are just
you know, to keep the roster spots even for LA and they're on minimums
a twenty twenty six swap and a twenty twenty seven first round pick. I
would say you can't if it's unprotected. Wow, but let's just say top
four protection. Where do you land on that? I know other people have
framed it as like, and there's been different variations where the Lakers get Alec
Burks instead of Randall and I'm not doing I do not if I'm the Knicks,
you can't have Julius Random Russell Westbrook the same team. It's just it's
a non starter. I also think Fournier has been good for the past like
month, fish, So where do you land on this framework? Is they're
better framework that you have in mind for a rusty New York scenario? But
like I think the Lakers still say instant yes, I just don't know.
I don't think they have the luxury. Like sure that pick is has a
pretty good chance of being pretty good because Lebron's going to be forty two with
that point and playing with Bronny in Cleveland or wherever whatever team draft Bronny or
look, Lebron just might be retired by twenty twenty seven, right, you
know? And then sure, you can bet on the Lakers signing another star
I guess to play next to a d but given his availability questions, they're
not gonna be able to do it until twenty twenty three. Like I know,
things work out for the Lakers more often than not, But you know,
like they were really bad for a half decade and then just kind of
stumbled into Lebron in twenty eighteen because I think part of the incentive was like
he saw, okay, they had the number two pick, and you know,
a couple of years in a row here or whatever, like they got
Alonzo and Brandon Ingram and Kuzman and josh Hard and like they have all these
guys who we could trade for someone else. Well, the Lakers already over
there twenty twenty two first to the Pelicans, they were twenty twenty four.
They could be deferred to twenty twenty five to the Pelicans. They were a
swap in twenty twenty three to the Pelicans. So the Lakers just might not
be able to organically rebuild at any point in the next couple of years.
So I'm happy to bet against the Lakers long term future here. But like,
the Lakers just don't have the luxury of saying like, Okay, we
can stand pat when they just benched Russell Westbrook again last night. And I
mean, I'm sure you watched that game, but like the clip going around
Twitter today of Russ catching a corner three and the entire crowd is screaming for
him not to shoot it here, Yeah, I mean, this is just
so far gone, Like the Lakers are not winning the title if they don't
do something drastic this year. Lebron is in his age thirty seven season,
I believe, like you just can't wait because there is no tomorrow for this
group. This trade makes them significantly better, I think so. I think
it's a no brainer for the Lakers. For the Knicks, like, I
still wins, but I mean you've talked me into why they would want to
do it, getting off of the randall in forty eight contracts and like also
just freeing up minutes for the young guys. I still wonder though, Like,
well Tims played DeAndre Jordan over Obi Toppin, Is that is that a
possibility? Yeah, you have to waive DeAndre Jordan Camp. I'm like,
I'm assuming both those dudes get waived. But if he does, then he
needs to be fired. Well, maybe that's what it's like what I was
talking about with the Sixers and that stuff earlier, Like maybe Leon Rose has
to step in and be like, all right, I'm making this trade in
part so I could force you to make them right choices. Yeah, they're
looking. If you can figure out a way and you can to fold Alec
Burke's into this, I would do it as well, just to be like,
I'm not giving you any other options. The thing that gives me possible
Lakers because four days fit perfect. Kemba has not had a good season in
New York. When they have him running more pick and roll, it does
feel like the ball pings around the floor a little bit better. He's just
an easier fit in LA, like he can play off the ball a lot
more than russ Ken, and so you can deal with the fluctuations there.
It's the Randall stuff. Here is the four year, one hundred seventeen million
dollars extension that will kick in next season. If you're the Lakers, you
have to be thinking about that. The fit with him in a D isn't
the cleanest. You can at least use him as a backup five, like
you can start them together or whatever. But you can use him as a
backup five and do stuff with him setting screens and maybe rolling to the basket
if you surround him with enough shooters, like he can attack as well.
And I mean, look, you look at the game on Saturday night.
His energy is fluctuated, but like he was playing with more energy than Russ
for a good part of that game, and I think he would have a
better chance of maybe leading some of those second units, and at least at
his peak he was hitting all these ISO jumpers last year. That's not really
something that Russ has ever done, even when he was super clutch and won
the MVP Award. Was that twenty seventeen? Was that around then? I
can't remember. So that's the justification of the Lakers. It's just the swap
and the pick is it just seems like a lot to give up when you're
still you're essentially saying like we're just gonna take on four years of Julius Randall
and you're betting on him being like a lot better for you than Russell Westbrook.
And there's maybe that's the likely scenario, but it's definitely not a perfect
fit, which is where I'd be concerned. Yeah, I mean, I
just think it's also you're getting three legit rotation players for one and when you're
relying on so many men guys, I think this makes them deeper and better.
And like I just keep coming to that they don't have the luxury of
waiting. So I hear you, Like, those picks could come back to
haunt them. Probably will come back to haunt them. But that is the
cost of business of acquiring Lebron James in his mid thirties. And the really
spicy angle to all of this is if Lebron does leave LA at some point
to go play with Bronnie Jr. Maybe having Randall allows you to trade a
d and get an absolute haul for him, and Randall can help anchor your
rebuild. Dad is beyond spicy at that point. Yeah, I guess if
any Davis wants out, sure whatever. Also, poor Bronnie. I don't
have parents and didn't really grow up with parents, but like I wouldn't in
my twenties or like eighteen nineteen, Like, I don't know if I want
my dad just being around me. Lebron's traveled a lot throughout his life,
so maybe the dynamic there's different. I could, you'd be so out of
touch, But like, is that the first thing you want to do upon
entering the m and talk about you're already living in a shadow. Now you're
basically going to be living in his sad But we were talking about this yesterday,
like maybe some team, I mean, I don't follow, Like,
I don't know how Lebron Brownie has ranked in like the class of twenty since
he was like twelve. I find that stuff like nauseating. You know,
some people don't like trades, and I get the human element behind I tried
to keep that in mind more. I used to our editors, don't let
me do this anymore applicable, but I would preface like every trade article that
i've right, like there is a human element to all this and we're trying
to recognize it. And they're like, you don't need to put this,
and like, but like rating like twelve and thirteen like just adolescent athletes,
I don't. I don't. That stuff makes me cringe. But like so
I don't know where he's ranked in whatever class he's ranked in, but I
wonder if some team would draft him just to significantly higher, just to get
Lebron in his age forty one season or whatever. It's gonna well, if
you're if he's like, if you're a team in the twenties, you're presumably
good, which is why the twenty So why not roll the dice right now?
I think we were talking about this yesterday. I think it's gonna be
Washington somehow, Like they're gonna get rid of Bield, They're gonna have a
ton of picks after that, and then Washington is just gonna become the place
where, like all time grades go to retire, like they have their one
or two year retirement tour so that they can draft Brownie Jr. Got Lebron
in for a year, he can hop hop, with God willing, I
will still be Joe Biden. There's someone else by that point, not Donald
Trump. The other dump I have wasn't this So someone pitched someone who covers
the Rockets pitched me on a scenario where Russ was going to Houston for Wall,
and my stance has just been that doesn't really make any sense for the
Lakers, because if you're giving up a pick or even a swap, I
just don't trust that John Wall is enough of an upgrade from Russell Westbrook so
why waste that asset? So I countered with this and they're apparently going to
write an article about this proposal. So that's how at least interesting it is.
It's the same framework as before. So the rock that would be getting
Russ DeAndre and Kemp bays Moore the twenty twenty six swap, they their own
is top four protected that year to okay see, but they own Brooklyn's,
so like that swap could actually be maybe a little bit more valuable to them.
And then the twenty twenty seven first from Los Angeles and the Lakers would
be getting Eric Gordon, Nuaba, Daniel Tye and DJ Augustine M. I'm
more inclined to take the next offer if I'm the Lakers. I think Houston's
feels more realistic in terms of what would be available, just because we know
that all these dudes are available. Yeah, I know, would you give
up one first round let's jettison to swap, then would you sup your first
round pick to do this? Dude? Eric Gordon is a fantastic fit.
Now, the couple of things you need to consider, and Eric Gordon's involved
in other trades, including the next one, so get ready. Here a
lot of Eric Gordon, his salary guarantees if you win the title in twenty
twenty four, in theory, you should be happy to pay that. But
the Acre specifically are just cheap as shit. That's why Alex Caruso's not there
anymore. And they could feasibly like if you told me the Lakers won the
title this season because they bench Russ and Adie and Lebron were healthy, I
would bet against that heavily, but it wouldn't be the most They are still
not the most outlandish title pick relative to teams that are gonna make the playoffs.
Eric Gordon is perfect for them though, just talking about camping out behind
the three point line, putting pressure on the rim, not airballing. You
know, all these shots from like the Wings, not having the crowd boo
him because he's gonna take a jumper. Those are all upgrades. I just
don't know if you're getting enough. And the other rotation players David Nuaba couldn't
in theory help you. Daniel Tye, I guess, is a fine backup
big, but he's not going to be on the court when it matters most.
And like Houston, doesn't play him a ton either. Would you even
would you give up the one first he does? I think I still probably
would because Eric Gordon is that quality of a fit for LA. Yeah,
and I mean, like again, you are upgrading the rest of the rotation
that I think it stands to reason you could still upgrade some of these parts.
But it's a fair point, like how much is Augustine or Nuaba or
even tight It's gonna factor in when you start cutting your rotations like this feels
like a regular season trade, like a trade to help them right the ship,
you know, for the next thirty games. But Eric Gordon's probably the
only one who actually factors into their title chances once the playoffs again, or
meaningfully title factors in, I should say, so Nuaba actually gives you someone
who could defend a bunch of spots on the wings though, And that's not
a luxury they really have, right, Yeah. And Augustine comes off the
books as salaries non guaranteed for next year as a three hundred and thirty three
thousand dollars guarantee, so that's temporary. Nuaba has a playoffs for five point
four million, which I would bet on him picking up three more years of
Daniel Tice is if he I know, there's the look there, there's two
outcomes with the Eric Warden thing. Either he comes off the books after next
year, or you've wanted tie it on he's still on your books, in
which case, awesome, Fine, he probably helped to do that. So
yeah, wow, so this is you are. You just must be much
higher on Julius Randall than I am at this point, because I'm even saying
just one pick, not even the swap now at this point, and you're
not taking back John wall So and Houston by has wall and Russ on the
books for over ninety million dollars next season, you just you eat it.
It's one more year and you're not going to be good anyway. I get
like the whatever, but maybe they both give back a ton and buy out
talks to go somewhere where they have a chance of playing for something that matters.
But it's like I would do it if I was Houston. You're giving
me that twenty twenty seven Lakers pick, and we just we know that we're
going to be out of this like weird, Oh, we're paying almost one
hundred million dollars two point guards in one season, I would do it.
I'm not gonna yeah. For Houston, I would do it without question because,
yeah, twenty twenty three, like Jalen Green is still on his rookie
deal, Like all these guys are still on the rookie deal. I guess
Kevin Porter Junior becomes a restricted free agent that summer. But like, I
mean, you would have literally like close to probably one hundred million dollars in
cap space, Like you could really mess around with some teams at that point.
So I think Houston, it's a no brainer. The Lakers, where
where I have some pouts, this would also for using me a way to
ensure that you get a first round pick. In Eric Gordon trade, I
think, yeah, his salary guarantee in twenty twenty four for twenty point nine
million. I think that would matter to a team like Phoenix, let's say,
because they have a real shot at winning the title, and fans should
not think this way. I don't even think this way. I would if
I'm Phoenix, I have the opportunity to trade for Eric Gordon, You'd better
fucking believe I'm trading for Eric Gordon. Really. Robert Sarver notoriously stingy is
going to be thinking that way. So this was like I wasn't After thinking
about that and then seeing whatever the hell the Blazers did with Norman Powell has
made me wonder, Oh, it's Toronto gonna get a first round pick for
just Eric Gordon straight up. So that was my other part of that year.
We can move off from the Lakers. I'm surprised how much more I
guess I get while you like the Knicks package better for the Lakers, but
like four more years of Julius Randall. I hope everything's fine in his life,
because whenever players are playing this poorly for so long, and he was
fine on Saturday Night for most of the game, you have to think there's
something else at place. I really do hope he's all right off the court.
I am ecstatic he got paid and he delivered one of the most entertaining
New York Knicks seasons in recent memory. But that four year extension scares living
shit out of me. If if I'm a basketball operations person. The next
trade is a Jazz Rockets trade, and everyone's been trying to figure out,
oh, how can they get Jeremy Grant or Harrison Barnes or maybe even Oko
who's now on the Clippers. They do all of a sudden you need more
playmaking after the Joe Ingles injury. So this one is Jordan Clarkson, Joe
Angles. They're twenty sixteen first, that's pending in obligation to Okay, see
for Eric Gordon and Jay Shawn Tate. Yeah, I would do this for
the honestly both teams. I think I'm not sure is Jay Shawn Tate exactly
what the Jazz need defensively to where you're fine with his if he's shooting being
on the floor. I think your offense is just thermonuclear enough to make it
work anyway, But minutes where him and go Bear are on the court together
could get a little squishy. Yeah, I mean maybe you just try to
oh I say stagger because I don't think you really because part of the benefit
would be, like, well, I guess look, Eric Gordon's would instantly
become the second best perimeter defender on right exactly. Yeah, So I mean,
like and also there's some benefit of just getting Jordan Clarkson and swapping him
out with someone who can actually hit shots on occasion, like Eric Gordon will
still you know, chuck him up, but I think you put way more
pressure on the rim too. Yeah, I think he's I would value his
efficiency compared to Clarkson, who's just shooting horrifically this year. And like again,
this comes down to trading two or one rotation player now that English is
out for two and you know, I think Utaw has to act with some
sense of urgency because the title picture is relatively wild wide open this year,
especially given all the uncertainty in the East. I know, like Golden State
and Phoenix in the West are look like the two favorites to come out,
but you know, Memphis is only going to get better. Denver and the
Clippers are going to get healthier next year and knock on Wood, So like
this might be their best last chance with this group, given you know how
much speculation there's been about Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and whether they're a long
term fit together there, So this might feel like an overpay, but I
think you almost have to just to give this thing one last real shot to
work. And if if you go down and flames again in the playoffs because
your perimeter defense is so bad, then I think you probably have to consider
some bigger shake ups this summer. I would agree there. I think I
would do this too if I was Utah, And I think for Houston year
giving up on Jay Shawn Tate, but maybe you could flip flip Clarkson for
value next season when he'll have two years left on his deal, including that
year, and then you're ensuring you get just you know, sort of hedging
against Utah's future for all the reasons that you just outlined is fairly smart.
And I know everyone's talking about, like how great of a find Jay Shawn
Tate was. Next year's last year of his contracts, you're gonna start thinking
about paying him. And I hope he does get paid, but like the
shine is kind of wear it off what he's I'm going to do, So
I think I would do it for both sides. I think the side more
likely to say no might actually be well if we want to talk about like
tax implications and stuff at Utah, but they might actually be saving money in
this deal where it was pretty straight up. But I think Houston's probably the
team more likely to say no if they want a first round pick for Eric
Gordon. This is not going to be the deal that they make. I
like it for both sides personally, though, yeah, I have another I
have another set of trades where I'm trying to get the Bulls a wing without
them giving up Pat will or Kobe White, just because I feel like everything
of those every one of those scenarios has been discussed, and also I'm just
not sure they seem reticent to go all in. So my first trade is
it's a three teamer, but I'll outline the two teams. First is Boston
gets Derek Jones Jr. That Portland twenty twenty two first, which probably isn't
conveying this year because of the aut unprotected and then a twenty twenty six second
from the Bulls because they forfeited. They're twenty twenty four second for tampering with
Fronzo Ball and so, and they're also ducking the tax as part of this
deal, which is why the trade was set up this way. And then
Chicago is getting Josh Richardson and Grant Williams. I gave oh sorry, I
didn't give the Boston Celtics that second round pick. I gave the second round
pick to Okay See to take on Troy Brown Junior's five point two million or
whatever. So in my mind, I was like, Boston would prefer ducking
attacks this year. Maybe they have another trade set up for Denna Shrewder where
they don't care about taking on Troy Brown Junior. You want that twenty twenty
six second. But the framework is essentially, if you're the Bulls, that
first round pick from Portland, Derek Jones Junior and Troy Brown Junior's expiring contracts
for Josh Richardson and Grant Williams, who would be a fantastic backup big for
them behind Brooch. Yeah yeah, I like it for the Bulls because I
agree with you that pick is not conveying. I'm gonna look because I don't
remember what the protections are. Oh boy, it's just the lottery protected through
twenty twenty eight. I got probably conveyed. So if if you're selling it
to Boston, they at least know it's probably gonna convey The Blazers are not
just going to begin a string of missing the playoffs for six strads. Yeah
yeah, because it's instead in twenty twenty eight becomes the second round pick,
or I mean, the Blazers at some point might have to negotiate those protections
down just because that's going to limit them because what they have like acquire other
first. It's just like, yeah, whoa, that's a Neil Schay's parting
gift to the Portland trail Blazers. So yeah, I mean I do that
if I'm Boston, I would do if I'm Chicago. You're not, like
Chicago and Utah are in a similar boat. Not in the sense that,
like you know, Chicago doesn't have to go all in because they think this
thing's going to hell after this year. But again, the East is wide
open. You've already gone effectively all in with the Wanzo Caruso DDR acquisitions.
Like why not give up that Portland pick that's probably not going to convey realistically
at least this year, and like, who knows what happens with Dame,
Maybe they do miss the playoffs for the next couple of years, and by
the time I think conveys the mars aged out of how good he's been this
season, and like you know, vouch they have to resign after next year.
So I have no problem giving that pick up in a win out trade.
Yeah, I actually like it for all three sides, Like Boston.
I mean it again. So it's not a not great message to Tatum and
Brown, I guess. But I also probably don't value Josh Richardson that highly
after having seen him over the last couple of years. I know it's been
better this year than he was in Phillure or Dallas. But like, if
I can get out of the contract extension that didn't really make sense at the
time, I get it for a potential pick for it at some point,
or can you know, negotiate down with Portland later. Yeah, I think
I would probably do that. Grant Williams is a sticking point for me.
He shot the ball really well this year, but he's still just like a
medium used backup big at this point, and he's going to be extension ledge
Lette for this season, And so I do think Blossom would be the team
most likely. Say no. My other idea was, we were just you,
We were just complimenting the Clippers were willing to pay so much in taxes,
but let's just say they wanted to shave some of that tax bill.
I have the Bulls getting Marcus Morris, the Clippers getting Troy Brown junior,
and they can get Derrik Jones Junior. I just assumed they would be trying
to slash their payroll as much as possible. And I had Derrick Jones Junior
going to okay See just because they're the only team with cap space, and
like you could send him to a trade exception. But I have them getting
two seconds for taking on Derrik Jones Juniors expiring salary twenty twenty six and twenty
twenty seven seconds from Chicago. So you're if you're Chicago, you're getting Marcus
Morris while keeping that first round pick, while keeping Pat Will and while keeping
Kobe White. I don't know if the Clippers would want a first from Marcus
Morris. I don't think he's worth based off how he's played this season.
I don't think he's worth a first round pick right now. That's like the
Clippers are at the team that says no here if anything like Chicago obvious,
yes okay See. Sure, Like you know, Derek Jones Jr. Is
ten million expiring, It gets some cash in two seconds? Why not the
Clippers, like I think, if they're going to try to trim their tax
bill, they're just gonna try to dump Sergibaca to okay See because he's in
nine point seven million dollars expiring, so this trims her tax bill by more.
Yeah, it would, it would, but like you know, Wellmer
doesn't really seem to care about the tax bill. If the Powell thing was
any indication, and you know, having Marcus Morris signs for multiple years,
I guess it comes down to what their plans are for Covington moving forward.
Like that's what I thought, is like, maybe you view Covington is being
signed for cheaper and could do Maybe he plays a lot of your small ball.
They tried that in Portland a little bit. Maybe he becomes like your
day factor small ball five. Yeah, because I mean George Leonard Powell or
probably one two three or two three four, I should say, moving forward,
And you know, we got Reggie Jackson under contract for one more year,
so it's like, yeah, filling out those one in five spots.
But in time, like I think every other team is looking around and like
so desperate for wings, Like maybe the Clippers are just happy to hoard them
and figure like if we do ever want to pivot off of Marcus Morris,
like maybe we could get a first for him, just because so many teams
need this archetype of player. So like, if I'm running the Clippers and
I'm trying to shave tax, like I'm trying to dump Surgebaca first before I'm
just salary dumping Marcus Morris. Would you do Derrek Jones junior, Troy Brown
Junior, and that Portland pick straight up for Marcus Morris if you're Chicago,
Yeah, you would not. Why not? That's fair? Would you have
your the Clippers then you are getting a first round pick at some point over
the next six years? Yeah, No, I still wouldn't for the Clippers
just because they are also with Kawai and Paul George. It's like when now
time that Portland pick is not going to help you during those two guys ten
year on the team. So I think I would value if I'm trading Marcus
Morris. Like the idea I have come back to is Marcus Morris for Duncan
Robinson. And this was before the Norman Powell deal, so Norman Powell probably
eliminates that need. But like, I would probably trade Marcus Morris if I'm
trying to trade them for like a four or five instead of just you know,
salary filler and the down the line pick that isn't gonna do anything for
me at the moment. That's totally fair. Moving on wrapping up here,
So I don't know how I'm gonna I have a three team and a four
teams on trade here, so I'm gonna try and make it as simple as
possible. Okay, see gets and I'm listening them first. So they're getting
phoenix is twenty twenty four first round pick. Let's say it's top five protection.
They are giving up the twenty twenty two Phoenix picked that they're owed,
and so in my mind, I'm like, you, of course want Phoenix
in twenty twenty four rather than right now when it's going to be number thirty.
Yeah. Yeah. There's also I'm not going to go through the rannular
stuff here, but trust and Brian kilcull the document. I have every team
touching each other as dirty as that sounds like, the rules have been satisfied.
There's cash, there's fake seconds. So the framework was Okay, gets
phoenixes twenty twenty four. First, Orlando gets abdul Nader. They can take
him into the Gary Clark TP. I think that's still active. They get
Phoenix's two twenty three second. Then Phoenix gets Kendrick Williams and its own twenty
twenty two first back from OKAYC. And so the first part of this transaction
is OKAYC is going from twenty and twenty two is Phoenix pick, which would
be number thirty. They're just it's gonna be number thirty to two and twenty
four where that's really loosely protected. Chris Paul is technically still under contract that
year, but do you know where the Suns are going to be? You
know where they are right now though, and that's number thirty. And then
Orlando is getting Phoenix's second round pick in two thousand and twenty three plus cash
to take on abdul Nader, who is like, oh, no money at
all. So the first part of this transaction, how do you feel,
because if it's a mood like if you don't think okay, so you can
consider doing Are they willing to give up ken Rick Williams for making that concessions
with the picks? There's obviously another step in this process, but they're not
making out like bandits in the second part of this trade. Yeah, no,
I like the idea of swapping now for later with that pick because yeah,
that pick is going to be twenty eight at best, probably probably twenty
nine or thirtieth. So even if you know Phoenix is probably still gonna be
good a couple of years down the road, but like you can at least
gamble on the possibility that things goes out for them over the next two years,
whereas now it's like in your certainty things are going to go pretty bad
for them. And again, like Kenrick Juilliams is a really good player,
and he would be good on a contender, but he's learnning two million dollars,
so it's going to be really hard to get something of actual value that
isn't a draft pick, Like you just don't have this allies to match,
and I know they're so far into the cap they don't necessarily need to.
I think this is pretty reasonable value for that. The second part of this
transaction, though, is the Rockets are getting Alfred Peyton, Dario Sarich,
Phoenix is twenty twenty two first, which again they now have to move,
and then Phoenix is twenty twenty four second, and Steve Bomber's favorite thing.
Oh note, wow, tell me Fautida's favorite thing, of which he does
not have a lot of cash. Ye Okac is getting Jalen Smith and a
fake second from Houston, and then the Sons are receiving Eric Gordon and so
it's like the Macro recap. The Rockets are getting their first round pick for
Eric Gordon. Here they're not. You have Dario Starch's money on the books
next season. But if I'm Houston, that's not. Dario starts when he's
healthy, can play. I know some people view it as bad money coming
off an a c L injury. He doesn't necessarily help them because they have
Tye and Shane Good and well they still have Christian Wood by then, we
don't know. So you're getting your first for Eric Gordon without taking back damaging
money. Phoenix in some is giving up Jalen Smith, abdel Nader, Dario
Sarch, Alfred Peyton two seconds and technically two first, one of which is
already gone to get Eric Gordon and Kenris Williams and they're giving up Cat.
Yeah, definitely, I like it for really all three teams, Like okay,
see might be the one. I love the game. I know they
don't need more picks, but you know it's number thirty. It's I'm just
gonna go out on a limb and say it's not going to be number thirty
in twenty twenty four, right right right, and like you know, get
it, okay See getting Jalen Smith doesn't do anything for them because the Sun's
turned down his team options, so like that limits however much okay see can
offer him, uh this summer with an exception. But again, like okay
se could also be way under the way under the cap, So maybe that's
not issue. And honestly, I don't know that Jalen Smith is getting.
It's like around five million. I want to say it's like four four seven
or yeah it was, it's right, Like I don't know if there's going
to be a team out there that offers him that much anyway, So it
might be a non issue, and maybe they can keep him for cheap,
even it's on a one year deal, and yeah, if he wants to
bet, like if he's guaranteed playing time because their front court is like they
need a long term center. I like John Ryan Robinson earl, and they've
been very creative with him, but like they don't have like the long term
big on that rights, right, No, I like I like taking the
gamble on him, and even if it winds up being someone else, you
know, trying to sign him from you this summer, like getting him and
swapping that twenty twenty two for twenty twenty four only for the price of Kenrick
Williams. Fine, No no issues there. Phoenix. I love it because
again, like why not go all in this year? You're already so close.
You were two games for winning the finals last year. You're arguable for
them too. He's my That's my favorite Eric Gordon destination. Just the rim
pressure of the shooting. I think you could play him with both CP three
and Devin Booker in playoff games even just like his not like this crazy good
ball handler, but he can navigate traffic and his assists are out this year
and Houston. He's not like surrounded by all these shop makers. So I
love him. He's my. That is my favorite Eric Gordon destination is Phoenix.
Even though the you know, if you if you start dealing in straight
up terms, are you willing to give up your twenty twenty four pick just
for Eric Gordon and then just the salary like step laddering that needs to get
there because he's like just out of range of Jalen Smith and Dario Starch working
because of Phoenix has all that flexibility to me, the attacks, but you
still need to include a third player and then so that gets iffy. But
he Phoenix is my favorite Eric Gordon destination and that, like ken Rich Williams
too, would be a really nice fit though, Like if you can trot
out a starting five of CP three book Michael Bridges, Jay Crowder DeAndre Ayton,
and now you're bringing Eric Gordon, ken Rich Williams, Bismack Biambo who
has suddenly been resuscitated, you still got yeah, JaVale McGee, sure,
and you still got campaign there as well, like you get that's how are
they not the title favorite with that depth chart, with that rotation. I
mean, I think they are honestly should be already. Oh and Camera Johnson
too, I forgot about him, Like that's a legit ten man, eleven
man. If you want to include McGee and Byambo, like yeah, I
mean I would bet pretty heavily on them to win the title this year with
that group. So again I understand the risk of with the twenty twenty four
pick, but like a certain point, you know, Chris Paul's not getting
that younger. The what's interesting too is that you could I don't know now
that you have Byambo and Javanne McGee, not to mention Frank Kamiskey, but
like Kerick s Falliams could do like the Tory Craig thing where he was in
like the five for Sports last year. What I do wonder is your closing
lineup in most games is just basically set. So but I would say you
have four locks no matter what in eight Chris, Paul Booker and Bridges and
so are you going to allocate so much money to Eric Gordon where there could
be some instances where it makes sense to play him instead of Jay Crowder,
But then you have Jay Crowder and even Camra Johnson's on the bench in closing
time all of a sudden, which is going to happen quite a bit anyway.
If you think they're scenarios where deandreat and can't close games, which I
would, I don't think there really are. Find one for me. Maybe
that element comes into play where it's okay, so Eric Gordon is just not
guaranteed to be part of our closing lineup, or we don't think Jay Crowder
is so. But just right now, like having the optionality knowing that all
these injuries and absences have just cropped up too. Also, Eric Gordon's kind
of a nice hedge of Chris Paul breaks down. He's played in every game
this season. I think so, But that's just just something food for thought
there. And look, Eric Gordon has always wanted to go to Phoenix.
Let's get him there anyway. At this point, yeah, exactly, this
is my final trade. I know we've gone through a bunch of mine.
But Montres Harrold came out and said that basically it's the mood in Washington sucks,
so I can't. Montress was one of the like he's a good player,
but it's so hard to find fits. And so I'm thinking at this
point, whatever Washington wants to do with Brad, they'd be able moving forward.
You probably want to get off Spencer did what he's deal at this point,
So I have Tres and Din what he going to Toronto for dragats expiring
contract, prescious A Chua and Malakai Flynn. The issue with this is Toronto
is over the tax It's a little over two million, So they then have
to look at other deals. Where are you getting off ken Birch. The
other thing I proposed is what if you're Washington, would you consider taking ken
Birch instead of pressures to Chua, because then that tax stuff is a non
issue. Yeah, like in terms of value of what Toronto is sending out
and getting back, like they're getting the better end of this deal. But
I just don't know if I love the Dinwitty fit there in particular, he's
like very you you. He comes off, plays on the bench, but
you are never like tethering him to like he can't play with Pascal Siakam and
Scottie Barnes and Nolity like that can't like those two at the same time,
I can't happen, right, Yeah, I guess, like and yeah,
I mean giving them a more reliable backup ball handlers, but you're paying eighteen
million a year for that, like I and that Montres is expiring. Like
again, love love what he brings to the table, but is he there
long term? Well yeah, and it's so it's and Washington is like I
like it for Washington a sense, you're using Harold to get off of Dinwitodi's
contract, which is not the cost opportunity there isn't big for Toronto. Like
there is only one year guaranteed on like fully guarantee left on Dinwoody's steal and
so if it doesn't work out, it's a short lived mistake. And I
do think in the intern, like Harold, this isn't a team that puts
a ton of pressure on the rim. That is full court, half court.
That is what Montrese Harold does if he has enough room to rampage down
the lane. So I like that fit the idea. I just it's hard
to work it with these two players and keep Toronto under the tacks unless Washington's
willing to take Ken Birch, who was guaranteed like thirteen million dollars over the
next two years. Basically, yeah, I mean like Dinwitty is only partially
guaranteed, but it's ten million guaranteed. It's not you know, like a
of the type thing where it's like you know, a barynment or Daniela Gallanari,
Like it's still a pretty hefty chunk. So you know, it's ten
million guaranteed on eighteen point eight for the twenty three twenty fourth season, So
like at that point it's almost a sun cost. You might as well just
keep him around for the other eight point eight all the more reason for Washington
US Harold to get off of him. But yeah, did what He's not
had a season where make that no brainer? Let's dive in. We've already
done I think too listener trades throughout this, But let's go through these really
quickly. This might be my favorite one because it feels like just a no
brainer. But Kyle proposed Chicago gets Tory Craig, Indiana gets Troy Brown Junior
in the second round pick. I'm just gonna channel my podcast co host Martin
Jensen and say hard, Yes, he's been also pitching that exact framework really
similar. Yeah, yeah, he's super in on that. So yes,
yes for honestly both sides. Why not for indeed, it's you get off
of the I'm assuming Tory Craig's money's gonna stay on your books through next year,
or do you have a player option that I just assume he's going to
pick up because it's at where is he? Oh, it's guaranteed at five
point one million, but that second round pick, they can't get it until
two and twenty six, So it's like that's distant enough to maybe the Bulls
are bad again, and that's a very high second round pick. So yeah,
I love that one just because it just felt like very apropos of this
podcast specifically and apparently yours as well. Look at that. Yeah, yeah,
trade three and I have two from this person. But we'll get to
that one. I think it's one of the last one I listened. But
Braden proposed the Hornets get Derek Jones Junior and Troy Brown Junior, Chicago gets
Marcus Morris, and La gets Kelly Ubra Jr. He wrote, Hornets get
two defenders, both expirings if they don't want to pay Ubrey after next season.
Bulls get a solid three four five with good team defense and shooting.
And I get my boy Kelly Ubre on the Clippers. I like it for
the Bulls and the Clippers. I do not like it for the Harnets.
Yeah, I didn't get it for Charlotte. There needs to be some sort
of if Charlotte's getting the Portland's first as part of this, that gets interesting
because maybe you weren't. I mean, Kelly brid Junior has been good for
them and they don't have to pay him next year, which is why they
have all the leverage year. His salary is fully not guarant when it was
five million guaranteed. So maybe I don't know. Maybe they like the idea
of getting off that money and having an extra first round pick in the clip.
I guess so, But I mean, again, what are they gonna
do with it when you've got you know, Hayward Roger already at fifty million?
I like, I don't know. Maybe that gets them under or slightly
under, but I don't think it would get them like so far meaningfully under
the the cap. They'd be able to get a free agent, and like,
you know, I just think they are, especially with LaMelo being this
good and having to make a decision on Miles Bridges, I don't think you
want to take minutes away from him if that's a real risk with either of
the guys that would be coming in here. Yeah, I think it would
need some sort of draft compensation, ideally something earlier than that Blazer's pick,
just because again, who knows when it's going to convey. At this point,
Joshua has the Clippers getting Goren Drag and Malachi Flynn, the Raptors get
Abaka and Luke Kenard. Joshua also said, and then throwing second round picks
going to the Clippers. My initial reaction is, is it the Clippers are
the ones here that need picks? I guess it depends on how you feel
about Luke Lukenard actually probably helped the Raptors a deal, but he's not like
the ball handler off the bench that you necessarily want. Yeah, and does
this send them? I would guess this would put them into the tax as
well? Right, I thought the salaries were pretty similar Abaka's nine like ten
and New Canards thirteen. That's twenty three. Dragics is what eighteen? So
yeah, puts the Raptors into the tax, so you would need to I'm
sure we could get the Clippers to take on, like yeah, yeah,
they need a big Maybe Ken Birch works in LA, that's true, Like
yeah, I mean if if there's another move lined up that the Raptors could
stay out of the tax, like I sure, I like it for the
Raptors in terms of yeah, in terms of like who they're getting back and
yeah, sure, like Chris Bouche because Nick Nick nurse him so but he's
been so good, Lady, Chris Bouche is my heartbeat. I don't think
you would know he's very good, but telling Nick Nurse to actually play him
if you promised me that the Clippers resigned him so he gets a chance to
play with Norm Kauai and Paul George like when they're all healthy. Also,
it's kind of sad though, I guess you'd have one of the championship members
from the Raptors team going back to Toronto, but you still have another one
in Chris Bouchet going to the Clippers who are just collecting twenty nineteen players trying
to run it back. This came from I meant to put this lower in
case you couldn't get to it, but they didn't offer any framework. Al
Alvarro asked or said PJ. Washington to Miami. The only construction that I
could even begin to think about is Kasiak Paula and not either Gabe Vincent or
Max Strews plus Miami's twenty twenty five first round pick. I have it his
top three protected. I still don't know why Charlotte is doing that, because
they're trying to win now. I also don't know when PJ. Tucker is
playing so well and you have them at a baio. I don't necessarily know
why you. I get that the he can maybe use another big but I
don't know that if you're giving up your twenty twenty five first, I don't
know that I want PJ. Washington back, Yeah, especially because he's up
for an extension after this year, and like you're at seven, has played
well for them as well, So I yeah, I probably wouldn't do this
from either side. Honestly, what do you mean would you do Duncan Robinson?
And that first for Christian would there was a report that always interesting Christian
would Yeah, my Duncan Robinson idea was him for Dylan Brooks, And I
think both teams like recoil as soon as you say it, but then you
can like think it through and it actually might make sense for both sides.
So I think Duncan Robinson is expendable given the leap that Tyler Hero has made
and given how good Vincent heads Drew's have been, And like, I don't,
are we sure that Duncan Robinson is in the closing lineup when you have
like I think Lowry, Butler Bam obviously are locked in there. I think
Hero would be at this point. So it comes down to Tucker and Robinson,
And I think, given you know how much of a liability Robinson is
defensively, I think Tucker probably has the edge over him. I probably agree.
I just Donlan Robinson is still a good safety valve, and you lose
that element if you have Dylan Brooks. And I'm worried about Miami's half court
offense already. And I don't know if Dylan Brooks makes me less worried because
he will attack off the dribble or makes me more worried because he'll try and
attack off the dribble. The spacing would be horrible. But I think he's
also much less of a liability defensively, like if you're I mean, you're
probably not running Lowry Brooks, Butler, Tucker and Bam at any point because
of the offensive concerns, But defensively that would be ferocious. Brandon's second trade
was Boston gets Jalen Brunson, Dwight Powell and Dallas Is twenty twenty two second
and then Dallas gets Marcus Smart and Bruno Fernando. Boston ducks the tacks.
And I think this is the what it comes down to. How does Boston
view the four year seventy seven plus million dollars extension they gave to Marcus Smart,
which kicks in next year. And if you're Dallas, let's say Boston
doesn't want to pay him that money. Why do you want to pay him
that money when your defense has already been good and he hurts your shock creation?
But if you're worried about paying Brunson, who's a smaller guard between fifteen
and eighteen million and his next deal, I thought about this one way more
than I thought I was going to. I don't know who says no,
but I do think there's a chance that it makes sense for both, Like
Jalen Brunson and Boston actually makes a ton of sense on his next deal.
If they decide we'd rather pay him than Marcus Smart, I would still argue
Marcus Smart is more of a proven commodity, though, Yeah, I mean,
I think it all comes down to how much you expect Jalen Brownson to
get this summer, And a large part of that is again, like very
few teams have calf space, so he can he can want a four year,
eighty million dollars deal, but like Dennis Shrewder wanted a four year one
hundred million dollars deal last year and settled for one year and five point nine
million. And I'm not saying Brunson is going to be that screwed, like
I think some team, some smart team will go after him. But yeah,
I mean, I think there's a pretty decent chance that he's either right
around that smart extension or a little bit less. And I'm with you.
I think Boston probably says no here, but they maybe shouldn't, right,
And I'm thinking Dallas wouldn't say no, but probably should Yeah, yeah,
yeah, I agree. But that wasn't that like kind of a cool thinker
one. I was just waking out and I was like, WHOA. So
I appreciated that one. J G has Brooklyn getting Joyn McDaniel in two seconds
from Charlotte and the Hornet's getting Nick Claxton. I will say, I like
the idea of the Hornets angling for a cheaper upgrade or flyer at center because
everyone's been on the oh Christian Wood or Miles Turn or even can they get
Yaka Purtle. This team is good, but they're not like let's continue to
mortgage our future good just yet. And the nets of Nick Claxton's health has
been all over the place. Their big man rotation specifically has been all over
the place. Nick Claxton has headed towards free agency as well. You could
bet on him getting squeezed in the market, but you're a Nets team that's
gonna be eons into the tax even if you trade James Harten to Philadelphia.
So I'm curious as to what the cost would be for Nick Claxton. I
don't think you're getting a first for him, so would you do two seconds
and just you know, sort of a flyer on like this gentle mcdown's has
some nice moments over the past two years, and when you have Darren Sharp
again, him and Clackson are very different players. But if you're not going
to pay Clackston this summer, I don't think this is an outlandish return.
No, I think it's a pretty reasonable in terms of value. But I
think it all comes down to how the Nets a what they do with Harden,
but be like how they evaluate their own title chances this year, because
if they think like I think Claxton would just by virtue of familiarity alone,
but also the defensive versatility, he would project to be more of a factor
in a title run this year than McDaniels would, so, like, you
know, sure they need to replenish their stash after trading everything for Harden.
But yeah, maybe you could just bet on Flaxton getting squeezed this summer,
or like signing and trading him for something like with this deal or a similar
deal not beyond the table in free agency. If you agree not to match,
that's a good point, I think. I think Brooklyn says no in
the end, would be my gut feeling. Last couple here, This one
comes from Tie and he says, this one comes from reports saying the Bulls
are interested in Yacca Peardle, while the Spurs would require a first and a
quality player in return. He has the Bulls getting pardon my misspelling, if
you're reading this document, Brian Jacca Peardle and the Spurs getting Patrick Williams and
that Portland's first round pick. I think that's too rich for Yacca Peardle.
And I love Yacca Peurdle, but especially when you're already have vouch. I
know Yacca Peardle is going to give you an upgrade as a rim protector,
but if you're burning both of those, you need to be addressing like the
like the bigger wing void before the before the backup big Voyd. Yeah,
I think the popular framework is like Williams plus you know, Derek Jones or
whatever expirings you need for a Harrison Barnes. I think would be more where
I'd be looking if I'm trying to flip, If I'm willing to flip Williams
and that first in particular, I'm looking for someone like that said, if
the Spurs are okay getting just a pick for are you doing Derrik Jones Junior
and that pick for Yaka Peardle or is that just like why are we burning
this first round? You would? I'd probably do that for Chicago. I
don't know if I honestly don't know if the Spurs would, I wouldn't do
it if I was Chicago. Well, it's just like how many minutes is
Yaka Peardle playing? If you have vouch on your roster? But like,
are you sure he's going to be Well, I guess Yakom's only on your
contract for one more season as well? Heah, he makes enough money to
where you say, if he's a backup big fine, But right, if
they make this trade, it's because they really don't have any faith in VOUCH
come playoff time, and Woosh had been playing better lately on offense. But
I still wouldn't do it just because I think you need to. Like you
mentioned Harrison Barnes, is it Jeremy Grant or as we already went through,
is it Josh Richardson or I don't even remember the other trade Marcus Morris like
someone, And I'm not giving up Patrick Williams for Josh Richardson or Marcus Morris.
I probably wouldn't even give him up for Harrison Arnes or Jeremy Grant,
but that might say more about me anyway. Last two here, This one
isn't exactly a deal, but Hendrick said, Miles Turner to the Bucks.
The best package I could theoretically think of is the Bucks doing something like Brolo,
Dante DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton and then seconds And I can't imagine that even
gets Indiana thinking, Also, we're just if we're the Bucks, we're trading
one injured center for another injured center. That was my other guest. If
he was coming, it seems like there might be a better chance of Turner
coming back this season. Then Brook lopets though. Yeah, yeah, I
mean I know Ty Windish has been like is a pruder filming all of these
books coming out? Like Brook Lopez was shooting threes the other day, so
yeah, I mean I without knowing the health status of who was more likely
to come back, I don't think that gets Indianna's attention. And it feels
like too much for the Bucks to give up, Like I would just unless
they know for sure that Lopez is not coming back this year, I would
look to address that void. Well, I mean they just got Greg Monroe
back, right, Maybe that's the answer, related it's probably not the answer.
Yeah, yeah, the sixers, the twenty nineteen six ers can vouch.
So here is something I thought of, though it was a hypothetical Bucks
trade. I didn't write it down. Dante DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton and if
their needs to be seconds going back for Larry Nance Jr. Oh yeah,
I'd be in on that for Milwaukee. What about Portland? I mean again,
it comes down to like what's your long term plan here? Like are
you? It probably makes more sense to like, would someone give Portland's something
for Dante Devincenzo because they have Simon's McCollum and Lillard. As of now,
the actual value of the trade I don't think is way off. Yeah for
Larry nance Jr. But I don't know who would be like, oh yeah,
we'll give We'll take one. I mean, Sacramento seemed enamored with Dante
Devincenzo in the past, so can they send something to That was just the
framework I had in mind. I'm going to think about that one a little
bit more though, and like, but yeah, so I guess you're gonna
be fun on the Bucks though. It was like a PJ. Tucker type
of placement, super different, but like can be used in sort of the
same capacity. Yeah, Devincenzo for Daniel Tys was my like how do we
fill the Brolo void idea? And it feels like probably pretty good value for
the Rockets. Feels like very good value for the Rockets, But like,
are they are the Bucks gonna resign the Vincenzo. I would rather resign him,
maybe try to look at sign and trades or moving him later that I'm
taking on Tights, like it can just can we fold Jay Shawn Tate into
that deal maybe where it's Tyson Tate for Devincenzo and Conat I would have to
run the I know Devincenzo for tics either works or like close to working.
I think it works. Spent very little amount of money, so but I
guess Contenton has been he plays a lot for the bucks, right, I
know. Yeah, that's why he hesitant to give him up just in general.
Let's see he the five point three. Yeah, that would probably get
that. Yeah, that should work. That's a ten million in salaries,
so they could take back up to twelve point six. Yeah, so yeah,
I mean that'd be something I definitely would not give up to even Shens
over just Tice though, like if or, I wouldn't do that package for
just Tice. Rather, this is the final one. I almost didn't include
it because it's never gonna happen, but that's fun. Yeah, Bronco Henry's
leather pants. Denver gets Damian Lillard and Larry Nance Junior, Portland gets Jamal
Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Bronco Henry's pants added, and you need to
send him Michael Green to a third team. So naturally I sent Jamichael Green
to Okay. See for Denverse twenty twenty four and twenty twenty six seconds.
So okay, So he is getting two seconds to take on to Michael Green,
who I would be flat out shocked if he just does not pick up
his eight point two million dollars player officers. So that's why you're giving up
two distant seconds because he has another year left on his deal. Yeah,
I mean this comes down to how much faith you have in Michael Porter Junior
and his recovery from his back, because like regardless, this trade increases the
Nuggets title odds this year for Shan possibly next year if you're not sure that
Porter comes back, but it does close their window much more quickly, I
would argue because I think Nance is under contract for one more year, and
like Yokich quietly, is only under contract for one more year after this one,
I believe. So you know, does he look at that after twenty
three and it's like I'm gonna I'm gonna go on, get right out at
out at Denver, like I'm gonna go look, you know, maybe he
goes for a reunion with Karna Chops in Chicago or something like that. So
I lean no for Denver. If there's a decent, too good chance at
Michael Porter is fine in the long run, just because I think that gives
you more of a runaway, like your title window is open for more years.
But if you're skeptical of Michael Porter Junior, like, hell yeah,
do this deal? Sure? I lean know for Portland just because of Michael
Porter Jr. And how do you tri Let's assume Damian the Lord is available.
Yeah, how do you like to leave a Damian Lord trade without any
first round picks? Yeah? I don't want to say it's a catastrophe,
but it's a catastrophe. So even if you could get Denver to include their
twenty twenty seven first in this, I think they're only doing that because they
would be incredibly concerned about Michael Porter Junior. And then it's like, okay,
well, now where we have some we paid Porter Junior, Jamal Murray,
we're already super expensive. We're paying Simons. Is McCollum going elsewhere?
I don't think in a nutshell though, that if you are moving Damian Lillard,
Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Junior, like if they're both healthy, that's
not like terrible that that is honestly, you're getting two players you're probably better
than anyone you're gonna draft with any of the picks that you would get from
someone else. Yeah, Like, I think that is actually great value if
and it's a big if, if Michael Porter Junior is healthy, if Michael
So, if Michael Porter Junior is healthy and Damian Lillard's available, you think
it's the Nuggets who are more likely to say no. Yeah, I would
think so, just because again, like they you increase your aids this year,
but I don't even know, like do they increase their ads next year?
This feels like a potentially a break even move after this year and then
with the like Dame's age plus the risk of naps walking in twenty three,
Like, I think they'd rather just I think they have reason to feel good
about Murray Porter Yokichen Aaron Gordon Court. We saw it very briefly last year
and it looked great. Yeah, I think I'm with you. I find
it more interesting because even in the ideal scenario of Michael Porter Junior's health,
Michael Porter Junior's health is still a problem. So it's like, even if
we just assume that, like, oh, he's most likely going to be
okay, the overwhelming evidence has been through the first part of his career that
he won't be and so yeah, but that was just a fun one to
do, Brian, Thank you so much for sticking with me for this entire
one. Thank you everyone for their fake trades. If you have any fake
trades that you need to get off your chest before you skidato feel free.
But otherwise that you were able to tell our listeners where they can find you
and all the awesome work that you do. Yeah, you can find me
at four Sports. Have been writing a time there in recent days about all
the Sixers, hard and stuff, so plenty more to come this week on
that front, I'm sure you can. And my podcast, the NBA Podcast
wherever podcasts are found, Dan, thank you again for having me on.
Hopefully, hopefully we have a Ben Simmons trade to discuss this week at some
point. That's the coming three times in like a two and a half week
span. If Ben Simmons gets traded, and I'm down if it means not
having to deal with this for five more months,