What is krack alackin Hardwood Knox listeners. I am Dana Valley coming at you
this time with my fantabulous friend and longtime colleague. Clearly not a longtime friend
though, just a longtime colleague, recent friend. Grant Hughes from Bleacher Report.
Follow him on Twitter at GT Underscore Hughes. He is here because we
are going to I don't know what the word is. We're gonna plunder or
plow through division look aheads so that we can cover every NBA team what you
expect from them in free agency in advance of free agency, which starts June
thirtieth. So before we get started, though, Grant the most important question,
how the hell are you? I'm doing very well. I think I
don't know about plat I think we're gonna meander in a controlled fashion. Are
as much control as we can muster because of how our conversations tend to go
through free agency. So let's go with meander. How do you feel about
meandering? I think meanders good because it's like we're gonna try and be coherent
about it. But we don't watch the games. We don't know enough about
every team. We don't know what we're talking about, so meanders, we're
gonna controlled chaos is what we're all about on this podcast. Chaos sounds scary
though, you know, see this is a perfect example. We haven't even
started and we're already wasting time as a refresher. We're we could go long
on every team, but because this becomes dated anyway, like free agency,
news cycle change, everything we're aiming for less than ten minutes on every single
team. Doesn't mean we're gonna get to everything, but we're the general elements
of their free agency in off season. What we're looking to tackle. Grant
and I did our biggest question for essentially each of these teams. There were
a few teams that we didn't cover. I think it was during a playoff
nation point. So you can go back and check those pods. But if
you're wondering why we didn't spend eighty minutes on your team, it's because we
have ten or less, just for anyone who's wondering. And with that said,
we're beginning with the Pacific Division. If you didn't read the podcast title,
which respect to listening for this without seeing what the title is, that's
true commitment and alphabetical sounds right, or did you want to go in in
some sort of wind low loss order. I feel like alphabetical it's risky for
us, right, But isn't that part of like the danger that we might
jump from Golden State to Sacramento is part of the charm of this podcast.
I think, I think it's important to take risks, and I think for
us, proceeding alphabetically is definitely it's a gamble. But you gotta stretch a
little bit, you know, you have to face your fears. So I
think we should go alphabetically with just with the caveat that like, we probably
will get it wrong at some point. So we'll begin with the Warriors,
and the last housekeeping note is I'll begin each of these teams with just a
quick run through of key free agents and what their best spending tool will be.
And with that, Grant, we're about to be on the clock.
Are you ready? I'm nervous, but I'm ready. The Golden State Warriors,
the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, no less, which is why Grant
is just euphoric right now. He's in a muscle T shirt. He's really
he's really feeling himself. After that, Warriors Championship. Key free agents Gary
Payton, Second, Kavan Looney and Amania be elitesa Otto Border junior want to
Scotto Anderson. You can throw Damian Lee under there if you would like as
well. Jordan Pools also extension eligible, as is Draymond Green, but Jordan
pool just being on his rookie contract. Those are the extensions we care about
the most. Their best spending tool. It will be the mini mid level
exception if they want to use it. So, Grant, what are you
watching for from the Golden State Warriors in free agency? Well? So,
I think I think Andrew Wiggins is extension eligible too. He has excuse me,
I apologize. And Pools are on the hunt for the bag, as
they said like twenty minutes after they won the title, which is kind of
concerning as a warrior man, but they've deserved They've earned it. You know,
do you win a title, you can ask for whatever you want.
I think my main issue is, you know, and this is where the
team is headed. I think in an ideal world is how many of the
guys that are free agents are they going to bring back? And I think
ideally like all of them would be the answer, because you know, especially
with respect to Porter, Peyton and Looney, those guys are you know,
key players at key spots that mean a lot to the team, and you
know, instead of being concerned with like can we it's not realistic to upgrade
those because those guys just you know, they contributed to a championship. The
idea for them is that the organic growth of the young guys kind of offsets
you know, maybe you don't get the same level of production from those three
guys. You want them back anyway, so you're not going out looking for
major upgrades. I think it'll be difficult to keep all of their free agents.
I mean even down to like be Elites. It would be nice to
have back because he had his moments and he has specific skills that are hard
to find, and he made the minimum. So all a lot of these
guys are going to be in line for raises. It's gonna be difficult to
bring some of them back without getting up to like four hundred million and payroll
plus tax penalties. So it's just for this team, it's a question of,
like what's your threshold for spending and do you think you can do any
better than just bringing the band back, which and I'm skeptical that they can.
So, so that's kind of my my macro uh you know, overlook
of this team. Yeah, if they want another checkbook win, they're they're
gonna need to bring back the band, like you say. And look,
if they don't care about the money, which we know that they invariably will,
Joe lacop can say whatever you want. Every team governor has a threshold
and what they're willing to spend. Gary Payton a second, something I didn't
realize until day Rue pointed out. I forgot they signed him last seasons.
They have early bird rights, which means that they can pay him basically more
than the non tax payers made level exception is what that's going to mount to.
So you can keep our guess, Gary Payton a second, if you
want to. You can obviously definitely keep Cavan Mooney. You have his whole
bird rights. So like, those are two guys that if you want back,
they'll be back, And that will be where the criticism sort of lies,
insofar as if there's any were they willing to pay to bring these guys
back. Otto Porter Junior is more difficult. I don't. They can only
go as high as the mini mid level exceptions, so like six point three
six point four. I don't know if he gets more than that. I
think in a wing starved market, I could see a one or two year
deal from another team in which he would get a multi year deal, but
he does get the full non taxpayer I'm wondering to you though, is and
I think this is part of the calculus. What do you expect if you
had to guess in terms of extensions and who they're going to bring back,
what happens this offseason, then how does that impact what they actually need on
the free agent There's like that's a bad way to phrase the question. There's
so many moving parts here where it's if you want them to get another big
are you assuming that Cavan Mooney's leaving or that James Wiseman is going to be
a net zero next year? And if you're not getting Auto Porter Junior back,
is this something you go outside the organization to try and find another cheap
combo forward wing whatever he is, or are you banking on Comingo and Moody
If you don't extend Wiggins, what does that say like you need to then
just put a contingency wing in place, because he's your most important wing defender
who could technically leave the following summer. So what are your sort of you
know, if I had to starting with like their core free agents GP two
out of Porter, Junior, Kavan, Looney, be Elitsa JTA, who
among those do you expect to be back? I think I think Peyton and
Looney. Looney specifically because just the I mean, I think he's so beloved
and has been there for his whole career and just had this like for him
short like a kind of sounds so stupid, but like kind of like a
magical playoff run for him, because he's just like he just wasn't, you
know, thought of as like a key figure. He was like stop gap
center, a ceremonial starter. Draymond would finish every game he Draymond would play
at the five and all the minutes that mattered, and that just wasn't true.
Looney like sincerely won them playoff games. And so I think combine all
that he's the most likely to be back, and factoring into that, you
know, non stretch centers just aren't going to get paid that much. Looney
is a switchable center though, still, which is for sure. I think
I think there are a lot of teams that could use what he does.
Peyton, I think is also fairly likely to be back. He's super hard
to replace. He's such a weird player. I think a lot of teams
would kind of struggle to fit him in as well as the Warriors do Porter.
I could see Porter just because he fits anywhere at the at the wing
position, he can shoot it. I could see him getting, you know,
an offer that the Warriors kind of look at and say, I think
maybe Moses Moody and Jonathan Comigia are going to play enough quality minutes or better
minutes to offset losing Porter. So like, yeah, totally agree. The
moving parts, the theoretical improvement of the rook of the young guys makes it
difficult to understand to know sort of, you know, how high a priority
DoD the Worriors put on retaining any of these guys, because you're invested in
James Wiseman still like, sorry, but you are, so you're really going
to spend you know, let's say eight nine million dollars on Cavan Luney,
which is going to cost you like four x five x with the tax penalties,
and have Wiseman be like your third center on the depth chart, depending
on how you still feel about dream On. So I do think, just
to summarize, Peyton and Luney, I think are the highest priorities and the
most likely to be back of those of all those guys you mentioned, and
Porter may go and then, but ultimately I think they're pretty confident that they'll
they can. If they lose those guys, they're going to backfill with the
young guys playing more and playing better and just finding minimums elsewhere. Yeah,
which is why I don't think it's center like another because I expect we need
to be back, and so that feels wrapped up like if you can't get
the elites back at the minimum, it will be someone else. And so
I think that they need to focus more on perimeter players. Do you have
any free agent targets that you were looking to see them go after, well,
for the for a sort of the Porter replacement. We're talking minimums.
I think just generally speaking, I don't know that it's a lock that they'll
use the mini mid level just because of what it's going to cost, you
know, for with tax and everything, you know, like your Wes Matthews
Abdel Nador Tony Snell like I think, I think you know t J.
Warren is someone that would definitely not be available for the minimum, but if
you could. I don't know, if the cards fell in a favorable way
and he was available for the tax pyramid level obviously, Like that's a risk
you might want to take given is basically two years off. I think the
Warriors can afford to do that with the guard stuff. If you lose Peyton,
you just need to find the lockdown defensive guard, I think, because
that's a sort of an integral piece for this roster and you're again kind of
scraping like Chris Dunn, I think is someone you want to look at.
Hownetto underrated defender can be like third guard Michael Carter Williams has not played for
a year, but someone like that that can just just go out there and
defend, because that's really all they ask Peyton to do. He just happened
to be a great cutter and made some corner threes, but things, you
know, things like that, I think you really are looking at guys that
just have real niche skills that you want to fit in there. Yeah,
I guess I've always up I think GP two. Maybe he's not the most
likely to return. I think he's their most important free agent, even more
so than Kavan Looney. The names I have for them, I don't know
that all these would be minimum names. Derk Jones Jr. Would be interesting
here. I don't know what his market is. Torrian Prince, I think
would have to be like a mini mL E guy, or at least like
part of it. I don't know what the Wolves will want to pay him,
but he would be I think he'd be great for the Warriors, looking
at how he could hit threes and just like a body defensively, not a
great defender. And then the other one, my final one was Utah Wanton
Abby, who's just like sort of a do it all wing, big wing
that hasn't played a ton and probably a little bit were at certain points and
the Warriors might like from their wings. But I don't know if Toronto's going
to give him more than the minimum when he wasn't part of their their rotation.
How Well, Netto was a good name, though, if you're gonna
lose GP two, that feels like someone who might be available within the Warriors
price range. I mostly don't expect a very eventful offseason from this team.
They don't even have contracts to trade, and there's no urgency to make when
now like moves because they just won, like they are winning now very quickly.
Among the two most important extension eligible candidates, you can look dram On
Green into here. But do you foresee an extension for Jordan Pool or Andrew
Wiggins or who do you think is most likely to sign one? I think
Pool is most Like I don't. I don't think they're going to talk about
an extension for a Green at all. I mean it'll be a shortcom I
mean Clutch might, but I don't know that there's not going to be a
lot of reciprocation on that. I think Pool is the one you probably will
be most likely to see, And like it's kind of scary to imagine one
hundred million dollars extension for him because like he's an extreme one way player and
not to say he can't get better, but but you just sort of have
to do that because I think he's just the potential for him to be an
even better offensive player is very realistic, and I think you can find defenders
at other positions and you can get away with a small guard being a bad
defender. Curry was that early in his career and has improved not to like,
it's unfair to compare anyone to Curry growth trajectory wise, but it's doable.
Wiggins. I think I don't know what I put the Wiggins extension odds
at below Pool above Green, but I'd say i'd say it's probably like less
than fifty percent that they extend Wiggins just they want to preserve that salary slot.
I think that's important, But they don't need to extend him necessarily to
do that, because they'll be able to retain him, you know, using
bird rights going forward if he gets to free agency. Yeah, I'm with
you, and I think it's probably more likely than not they extend Pool just
because what he provides or his peak is harder to replace than what Andrew Wiggins
is doing. I think the war is very much believe that they could just
plug and play wings in Andrew Wiggins being like a prime example of that.
We were less than a minute over our time limit on the Warriors. Congratulations
to us. That brings us to the Los Angeles Clippers, key free agents
for them, they've already extended Robert Covington, so he is off the board.
Nicholas Batum they have early bird rights on him. A Mere Coffee is
a restricted free agent, they have fullbird writs on him. And probably the
most underrated free agent or what definitely the most underrated free agent, Big Isaiah
Hartenstein. He is a non bird free agent and what spectacular for them.
Their best spending tool, if they want to use it, is going to
be the Mini mL. However, they also have two sizeable trade traded player
exceptions if they want to use them. There's the one that they got from
the Rondo deal that's a eight point two five million. It expires on July
eighteenth, so they would need to use it this summer. And then there's
the Surgebaca one at nine point three million that will expire around the trade deadline
of next season. What are you expecting from them in free agency? Any
like thoughts? Well, do you even think that because of the TPS that
they just might end up being a little bit more aggressive than a team in
their tax situation normally would be? Yeah, I think they really strike me
as much more of a trade kind of in terms of like how what sorts
of transactions are they gonna utilize to improve the roster, which is in theory
it's super good if you get you know, all the big guns back and
everybody's set to go. I mean, they're they're they're a legit contender to
me that I think they just need. I think Reggie Jackson's solid, uh
you know, Terrence Man not really a pure point guard. I think they
need an upgrade and sort of the playmaking department, especially if you're banking on
kawhile inter missing X number of games, just price that in. You're gonna
need someone else, I think to supplement Paul George so I kind of you.
I look at guards, playmakers, whatever position, but specifically point guard
types that as their free agent targets. I think again to going back to
the sort of the avenues to improve, I think are really trades like they're
they're among the few realistic Kyrie Irving trade destinations just because they have several salaries
that they can throw together of quality rotation guys like Kennard Jackson throw him in
there too, Norm Powell, Marcus Morris, like they have ways to cabble
salary together for not necessarily Irving, but sort of whatever bigger name might shake
loose, but free agency I don't really expect to be a major sort of
avenue for improvement for them. I don't know if you feel differently, No,
I'm with you. They maybe they go out. I know they like
to play small, but maybe they go out and get another big, just
because I would assume that Hartenstein leaves and you still have to fill the minutes
behind Zobots if you don't want to go small all the time, and you
could find a quality big but not probably one that's going to be as good
as Hartenstein, who I think might get non taxplayer's mid level, by the
way, but you can at least maybe fill those minutes and then just commit
to playing small. I would also agree that in addition to the TPEs like
they have, they're the rare team with an excess of wings, and I
feel like they could view Marcus Morris Senior sort of the odd man out.
If you're bringing back coving you brought back Covington already. Kawai and Paul George
you're hoping they're healthy. Even if you bring back him your coffee who.
I think he's one of the more underrated free agents as well. Can you
use Marcus Morris Senior to get different guard help I proposed and Clippers fans didn't
hate it. He's not going to give you a ton of passing rim pressure.
But Jordan Clarkson for Marcus Morris Senior cut your tax bill. Jordan Carson
is a player option that he probably declines next year. I would guess at
this point could be more flexible there the other thing I wanted to throw at
you, and I think we're pretty much in the realm of trade targets here
because I just don't know, you know, if you want to try and
sign like a like would Rubio go to you and you're just find not having
him until the middle of next year. I think even named like the lawn
right probably more than will cost more than Mini mL E. Tias Jones is
definitely getting more than that. I consider Dennis shrewder for them looking at that.
I just don't know if you're gonna go that route, Like I would
prefer more of a game manager than someone who's just gonna give you scoring juice.
And that's what also makes their situation tough. This is a name that's
been thrown out and this team, my guests is they want to duct the
tax based off what they've done. And I'm not saying they would do this,
but Monte Morris does fit into that Surgebaca trade exception. I don't know
if while the Clippers can trade at first round pick in twenty twenty eight,
like, could the Nuggets sell them on like if they protect the hell out
of that pick or something and go after Monte Morris. I the only reason
I'm considering it is because Denver seems like they really want to cost in advance
of having all these mega deals for the foreseeable future on their books and sort
of mitigating their risk against that MPG deal. I wouldn't do it if I
want to make that one percent clear. The Clippers, though, based off
how they acted at a trade deadline when they weren't like a contender because they
weren't healthy enough to be one, they don't seem like a fraid to spend
in that regard, and so that's why the TPS could be really valuable.
And even just like you know, the Knicks are hell bent on sort of
fucking up their future again because it's it's the Knicks and life death. The
Knicks fucking up their future, Like I guess they don't have players the Clippers
would necessarily be interested in in that way. Derek Rose doesn't fit into a
trade exception. Norman's no, well does but doesn't really help. Alex Burst
is just outside of that range. So that might have actually been a bad
example. But there are going to be teams that you have to imagine are
going to be looking to dump certain contracts, and like those trade exceptions are
big enough for the Clippers to actually maybe get someone who would be a part
of their every night rotation. Yeah, I mean Morris would be I mean,
just as good as you could possibly do. I think, I think
for what they need for for the money, for the options they have,
because otherwise he had I had Dalan right listed as someone I was thinking of.
But I agree with you that he's you know, I don't know if
your tax pyramid level is going to get him the other because because then you're
really going like the Gore and Dragic level, like we're gonna bring Rondo back
or just like I just I don't I don't love a lot of the other
options, and like this is a luxury, right because you know, Reggie
Jackson is is fine, like they you know, if you have that full
roster healthy last year and Reggie Jackson is your starting point guard, I think,
like I think there are not a lot of teams that are looking forward
to playing that, you know, that version of the Clippers if they don't
do anything. But but yeah, I think I'm trying to think of other
teams that might be looking to duck the tax. But yeah, I do
feel like Morris is really because look, Denver has We'll get to this in
the Denver section, but you know, I think Denver believes pretty strongly that
Bones Highland is you know, especially with Jokich as your primary ball handler,
if Bones Highland is your point guard, like you're good and Jamal Murray back
and so you have plenty of you know, playmaker shot creators, Morris kind
of becomes expendable. And I think more broadly, I think they're all.
It feels to me. I've heard the opposite said, and I disagree.
It feels to me like there are a lot of teams that need a point
guard this offseason, and there are not a lot of quality options. So
that's why like Malcolm Brogden and D'Angelo Russell are just in every trade rumor and
Tias Jones is probably getting overpaid. So Morris, I think is a real
I mean, I don't know if you're going to get the most for him
sending into La into a trade exception, but Morris is someone I think that
could be hugely valuable for Denver, not just because we'll get him out of
the tax, but just because he could bring a decent return. Yeah.
The other name I thought about for and it would be a tpe thing,
and we know that this team is going to be pinching pennies was Cameron Payne.
I don't know if they would consider him enough of enough grade, but
the previous not this past year, but the previous season he made strides as
a playmaker, like an actual playmaker, So I could envision someone like that
helping him. And like I said, in terms of the bigs, like
you could chew horn like almost anyone into here. Because I think they're going
to play positionless, I would say like twenty to twenty five percent of the
time, if not more, and that if it's you know what does Thomas
Bryant go for? Not really gonna help your defense, but he's coming off
an injury, didn't play much last season after he came back from said injury.
So those might be names, but this team, I think they're gonna
be fireworks is probably the wrong word, but they feel like a team that's
going to be more active than most teams in their situation would be. I
think they are more than more so than any other team. Are the one
that's ready to tell the Warriors and they're like three hundred and fifty to four
hundred million tax, but like, hold my beer, like, I think
the Clippers have the drive and the means to just like you thought the Warriors
are paying a lot. Okay, let's let's let's get this bomber money out
there and see if we can get to like four hundred and fifty million and
cap and tax. Do you think they'll use their mini mL E then,
Oh yeah, I think so. I don't think that. I think they
care less about money than any other franchise, Warriors included. I think they're
because if you think too, like how long is the Paul George Kawhi Leonard
window going to be open? You know, like that it may be shut
already, But I think they're going to spend as much as they possibly can
to see if this year and next year maybe they have something. They're gonna
be no worse than the second most popular title bet next season, because i'll
the Warriors might be first, which fair or maybe some people consider the Bucks,
but I think the Clippers are going to be top two there it would
be. I thought about Thaddy as young for them, but I don't know
if then you're putting too many eggs in the positionless basket. But if you
could get him for the Mini mL and Toronto and want him, I guess
is Toronto's gonna pay him more maybe over a short term, that would be
interesting. But the Clippers are I'm more fascinated by them. I want to
see them use at least the Rondo trade exception. But Monte Morris, when
I came up with names that could fit in there on a different podcast,
he wasn't on there. Then I saw kind of what the Denver Nuggets were
doing, and I was like, oh, yeah, that's where I'm at
with them. A far less interesting team to me, at least the Los
Angeles Lakers. Their vitals are they don't have any vitals, but for real,
they're key free agents. You could boil it down. Malik Monk is
the most important one. He's non bird. Carmelo Anthony is also non bird,
and then Austin Reeves has a one point six million non guarantee that I
am going to guess if they haven't guaranteed it already, which I haven't seen
for reporting, they will. So really just Monk and Anthony. I think
even Anthony's more replaceable, but I felt like his season was not underappreciated,
but it was. He was not part of the issue in LA. He
did exactly what they would have needed him to do. They just had no
idea what the fuck they were doing. Overall, they do have a Mark
Gasol trade exception worth two point seven million, which I'm only noting that because
they're so limited in what they could spend, Like, if there's an opportunity
to go out there and get a player who fits into that, you should,
in theory use it. But the Lakers are poor ass franchise that might
not their best spending tool overall is that many mid level exception And the question
moving over all of this, it doesn't need to be the first one point
is will they trade Russell Westbrook are would you include a first round pick or
two to do so? Is there even a scenario in which you attached to
first him and get someone back? But what are you really looking at?
And they need almost everything. I think they could use supplementary ball handling.
Still, I think their biggest needs are just complimentary defense and shooters, because
that's how you're supposed to build a team around Lebron and I D contrary to
what the Lakers did this last offseason. Yeah, I mean, like my
overarching thought is that and this will never happen because I think, you know,
most of that front office is probably tied to the length of Lebron,
James Tenure and Anthony Davis. But I like, I'm trading both of those
guys because I just I'm blowing the whole thing up. This this is beyond
the scope of a free agent you know, look ahead. But like if
you hit home runs on like with let's say you signed guys, that are
you do as well as say the Warriors did with your minimums? Right?
You know you've You've you find Peyton Porter Belitza. You so you got three
you hit you hit three bombs with with your minimum guys and these are rotation
players. Now, like that's still not you still have one of the worst
rosters after your top two players in the league. So yeah, like,
yeah, I would try to trade Wells. But so if we're not going
to blow it up, so I guess, yes, you've got to throw
your first round pick in there with THHT and none and try to move Westbrook
for whatever. Like I yeah, I guess. But but realistically he's gonna
be on this roster because it just there's no positive value trade from another team's
perspective. I don't think that would take him on. So you just have
to you have to absolutely nail the mini mid level signing, which I think
they'll use it like, you just sort of have to. It's you know,
even though as you said, they're not one of the you know,
big spendy franchises despite being in LA. They're like a family operation. It's
not there's no Microsoft money behind the Lakers. And by the way, that
you need to get away from that where the teams can no longer be like
that's their sole source of income basically because then you have situations where the Lakers
are applying for a government backed small business to get that. Yeah, forget
the mom and pop hardware store around the corner of the Lakers need help,
I don't know, like they need everything, So like where do you even
start? So so what I was looking at for just say the mini mid
level like Bryn Forbes, because you just need someone that's going to make shots
and run around, like I mean, how bleak is that? You know?
If you want to on minimums, I like someone like Joe Ingles where
you might get like a couple months at the end of the season out of
him and then he's able to make shots and distribute a little bit in the
playoffs if if you make it, which is that's the other thing. You
can't just necessarily operate like we got to be ready for April and May,
so we'll take some risks on like Rubio or Ingles or whoever else is is
you know, not going to be a full season player because you just won't
make it in the West. So it's they're just I mean they're over a
barrel, Like what are you gonna go? Damien Lee would like start for
them, you know, can you get him for the minimum? PJ Dozer
is another, like you know, injured guy that maybe you throw him out
there and he can be like a seventh guy. I don't know I would.
I would love to hear if you have better suggestions than I do,
because mine all suck. I approach it like this is, who do I
think the best free agent they could realistically sign was, or level of free
agent they could realistically sign. Malik Monk is actually probably their ceiling non bird,
though I don't think they're going to use their minimid level to keep him,
and so if he's back, I'm calling shenanigans like with Nick Patoum and
the Clippers to where there was that wink wink, oh, we'll pay you
when you have your early bird rights. But aside from Monk, I think
you're looking at a Gary Harris or a Torrian Prince or an Otto Porter Junior
like that. Is this ceiling of guys that I could see if you're throwing
your entire minimli at them, they'll take it. I think more realistically than
that you mentioned Damian Lee was a name that's come to mind. Is like
those guys they have distressed value or undefined value. Can you get minimum and
they're very plugging play at both ends. Can you pay them and just slop
them here? And look some of the names that are being mentioned for the
Lakers, like they're not like realistic because of just what they could spend.
You can look t J. Warren in here if you want it as well.
Just I don't know what his market's going to be like, but if
I'm Indie, I'm willing to keep him if all he's getting is the mani
mL So. Something that's related to this though, is there have been reports
that Kyrie has told the Nets he would sign for the MLLE with the Lakers,
And I guess if I go back and forth, because Kyrie Irving is
just notoriously full of shit, so like I wouldn't He's a disinformation like believer,
so I wouldn't believe what he's saying. That being said, like that
is there, like if that is their saving grace is if they look into
something like that where there's a player that really forces his way there to where
maybe you could even move Russell Westbrook. I'm just given how in the now
NBA team's focus even if you attached twenty twenty seven, twenty twenty nine and
then swaps in twenty six and twenty eight to Russ because there even a team
that will give you a player back for him, because yes, it's an
expiring contract, but it's forty seven and a half million dollars. Yeah,
I know your questions rhetorical, like I because I don't. I mean no,
that that's I think. So the Kyrie thing, just to touch on
that, like that's the simplest explanation is as a pure leverage player, that's
not like a novel like a I would be like, I dare you.
I'm not a big fan of teams calling players bluff, but I think Kyrie
Irving is like the biggest cartoon and ask person in the league. So just
I would be, yeah, go ahead, you take you take the mini
Emily from Los Angeles. Maybe they could get look if they get rid of
THHT none, you open scenarios where you can get him the full non tax
payer But like that's ten plus million. Kyrie's never been even before the whole
COVID stuff eminently available, So like, if you're him, you have to
want to lock down some form of long term money. You also lost your
Nike like signature shoe deal or signature shoe whatever it is, so that had
a quatry money and I think he lost a fifteen plus million in salary last
year. That has to matter even to him. And I think just as
like a macro point, it's so appropriate that like the best way forward for
the Lakers is some star just deciding against most logic that he wants to be
there, because that's like the only way that they've built anything in the post
Kobe era, Right, Like Lebron decided to be a Laker. That's how
you get Anthony Davis, That's how you get a bunch of other guys like
that. That's how they're good or we're good. And so just banking on
another guy doing that is so on brand and perfect and it just it really
what it does is it masks like in most of Lebron's tenure, the front
office has just like just totally stepped in it, like just the decisions have
never made sense. So like of course they're of course their best way forward
is just like essentially someone still believes in Lakers exceptionalism and wants to be there.
Like that's that's the real, that's the reality, like approaching free agency
in a normal fashion and just like you're not gonna get anything. That's just
that's just they don't have the assets. That's just what it is. Yeah,
And It's just like even some of the minimum like guys might be available
for the minimum, like like a Dwayne Deadman is a backup five or I
guess they would play him next to Anthony Davis knowing what how the Lakers like
to like to roll. So it's I feel like it has it has to
be an eventful summer for them. They have more than half their roster spots
to fill at this point. I think they did a nice job with who
they drafted at number thirty five. They now have Scottie Pippen Jr. And
Sharif O'Neill or whatever's name is Shaq Sun. So they're still they're still they're
still recruiting or going after the big names and in that way. But I
don't I don't know what to expect from them this offseason if they're not willing
to include a first round pick in a rush trade. Though my responses Russell
Westbrook will be a Laker next season. Yeah, I think that's the most
likely outcome. I'm with you, it would have happened by now if it
was going to happen. Is Kyrie Warner a little Akers Jersey next season?
Yes? Or no? No justification just yes or no No. That feels
like a good time to move on to the Phoenix Suns, who are just
like there's off seasons all of a sudden become like uncomfortably eventful to where you
didn't want it to be. But their key free agents obviously DeAndre Ayton restricted,
Bismack Bimbo non bird, Javal McGee non bird, and also ish Wayne
Wright, who is just like super intriguing, is like a almost PJ.
Tucker type player. He is a non bird restricted. They also have Cameron
Johnson who's extension eligible. I'll be shocked if he gets one because Roberts arevers
super cheap, and it seems like they want to keep their options open in
terms of trades. Their best spending tool, if they're gonna use it,
is the Mini mL They like sneakily have a ton of holes they need to
fill all of a sudden, because you need another you need a third ball.
Had learned creator one who can run lineups without Chris Paul and nor Devin
Booker, but maybe all someone who's big enough to play with them. And
Cameron Payne did not fill like check that either of those boxes as capably as
he did this season before you figure out what's going on with Eton and if
you are signing and trading him, is paying Javal McGee, who I assume
you can keep because one hundred and twenty percent rays off six million should be
more than enough to keep him for a season. But like, is McGhee
and like Bismack Biambo like without like is that adequate filler if DeAndre Aton is
leaving? And then I also feel like, I know they have Shammitt,
and I know they have guys who can hit threes, but they leave like
a high volume like three point shooter. They could also use some additional rim
pressure. I know it's not supposed to be this huge concern, but I
do think it's kind of come back to bite them now on a few different
occasions. I'm still high on them if Chris Paul and Devin Booker are gonna
be there, but the DeAndre Ayton restricted free agency path looms over all this,
and I think it ultimately is just going to determine the course of their
off season. Yeah, I think that's obviously like item one on the list,
although like in terms of finances, Devin Booker being eligible for the Supermac's
extension now is like that's a good point. It's a big deal too.
But but yeah, you offer that by the way, right, I'm not
ficking around like you offer Devin Booker the supermacs. Yeah, even if you're
the Sons and you you are not habitually you know, jumping jumping at a
chance to spend like you can't I mean, like you just can't mess around.
I don't think I have like no questions about Devin Booker being in the
class of player that's worth that going forward. So for Aiden, I just
since we're doing this and day after the draft, I think like the Pistons
freeing up money but then also drafting a center that they really liked, kind
of. I don't know what that does for for Aiden's options in terms of
the offer sheets he can get. It feels to me like I think I
think so if you had to guess, I think the two most likely options
are assigned in trade, and I think the Miles Turner for Aten works even
with base your compensation issues. I'm fairly sure my math is right on that,
or he's gonna come back at less than at a number he doesn't that's
less than that five one seventy seven that he's been eligible for forever. So
I think if I'm the Sun's my goal is to sign it into a long
term contract, and you can trade him down the road if you want to.
He should theoretically be more valuable, you know, retain his value at
the very least if you've got years of team control over him. If you're
an acquiring team, that's gonna matter. But I don't hate the Miles Turner
sign and trade, especially if Aiden is going to be the version of Aten
you're gonna get. In addition to like the kind of scary he doesn't really
he's playing video games all night. I don't know how much stock you putting
that type of thing. But in addition to that stuff, like if he's
just kind of, you know whatever, the closest thing is to a malcontent
without being like outwardly like mutinous, like that would kind of suck for the
Suns next year. If he's just he's got his he's got some money,
but not enough to his liking, and you're just not getting the best version
of him. That's not ideal if you're trying to win, like immediately.
So I don't know that's the toughest situation. I'm curious, how do you
see the eight and things shaking out? If you had to like rank the
likelihood of outcomes, I think he's most likely to leave now, and I
wouldn't have said that a few weeks ago Detroit getting Joel and durn I think
the draft hurts his market. But if I just say the most likely team
and I think ends up poaching him or there's a sign in trade framework there,
I feel like it's San Antonio, and it's been very clear that he
wants to go there or his camp wants him to go there. They will
have cap space. We've seen Jean Day Murray linked to trade rumors. Now,
I don't think if you're getting Jean Da Murray in an eight and sign
and trade, you were also giving up a lot of other stuff, and
let's make that clear. In addition to that. I would explore that though,
because like Jenimur is not that much older than DeAndre. But if the
Spurs are shifting timeline like I originally thought it would be Josh Richardson Jacob purd
On, the number nine pick would be the ceiling on their offer. They
could also just sign him out right if they wanted to they could get to
that number, but you're worried about the Suns have to match. If no
team is going to engage and sign it, and he just signs an offer
sheet, you match because you can't let him walk. I don't care if
it's if it's if it's a max deal, you match. But I do
expect that DeAndre is going to be signed and traded. If I had to
pick the team, most likely it's the Spurs. The Pacers were a good
one, and I do, though, wonder if Miles Turner, yes,
he's cheaper in the intern, how much of a cheaper number are you getting
him for than eight and moving forward? Because he like from eight like.
It doesn't even seem like the Suns want to pay a center twenty plus million,
at least under their current salary structure. I don't think there's be as
big a drop off defensively as some people believe with Turner to eighton. He's
better on the perimeter than I think people give him credit for, and he
is a better straight up rim protector. Deandretan's probably just like can make more
complicated head on a swivel reads the offensive drop off. I also don't know
how big that would be because Eighten like never truly explored the self creation.
He's going to be a better offensive rebounder and has better touch around the basket,
so I think his skill set is more expansive. And I know Miles
Turner fancies himself like a post up artist and when he's really not. I
just is, if I'm Phoenix, I think I'd rather pay Aiten match and
offer sheet than get just Turner, Like what else is a part of that
deal? And and that's not just like again, the immediate drop off I
don't think would be that stark, if at all. I just really don't
trust them to be like, oh, and then we're gonna keep Miles Turner
as long as Sarver is running that franchise anyway. Are there any other teams
that spring to mind as like a potential eighton destination to you? I mean,
I so, even though I what I just said about the Pistons,
I don't think drafting a rookie center necessarily precludes you from from going after just
just signing it into an offer and seeing what happens, because like clearly you
can you can move during if you need to, Like you know, it's
just there are options there. I don't think I should you should rule them
out. But the other thing is like the base your compensation stuff, if
you're talking sign and trade, is really tricky. There are not a lot
of guys that would make sense in terms of how the money would fit and
would Phoenix actually want them. And I don't know if any of the other
cap Space teams nothing, no, no, So no. Short answer is
there aren't a lot of teams that jump out. And that's why I think
the Turner thing again just to I don't want to keep harping on it,
but like I think, actually it's possible that because of the way Phoenix operates,
the fact that they might lose Turner in free agency after a year is
like more of a feature than a bug, because you can save the face
of like, hey, look we got this guy for eight and for a
year and maybe that's as wide as the window is going to be in Phoenix
with Paul's age, and then it's like, yeah, you know, we
couldn't keep him. It just didn't make sense. And I don't know,
there's there's sort of it seems like a Phoenix thing to do potentially is like
that's actually a plus that you're gonna you get someone that makes you look good
in the moment. Aiden didn't want to be here. Uh, you saved
some face and then you know, you maybe contend again, or maybe you
go all the way. Who knows. Turner adds a lot and then he's
gone, so and then you saved. You've saved the money. You didn't
have to spend a maximum. I don't know. So it's hard to know.
With how Phoenix operates. We did kind of gloss over the other concerns
you mentioned, but but I actually for the for the playmaking, like get
to the basket stuff. I think if you have Booker and Paul, you
can stagger him a little bit and you just hope you get good campaign instead
a bad campaign, and then maybe Shamon makes some shots. I just you
know, I don't know. I think I actually think like Jalen Smith would
kind of make a lot of sense on this team. He's getting my favorite
subplot. Okay, we're gonna talk about Jane Smith real quick, because I
was looking at the numbers and so, like, yeah, granted it was
like twenty some odd games, like five hundred minutes with Indiana last year,
but he was good. He was a good player in Indiana, and it's
just insane. It's he's played so that five minutes is like half of his
total career minutes. So for half of his career, Jalen Smith has been
a good player. So he's gonna come up a lot as we go through.
Who should teams be looking at as free agent centers? Because I just
like I don't understand what happened? What like why why did Phoenix give up
so early? Why? Like I he clearly has some skills. I just
I don't understand. So I just want to mention that Jalen Smith should be
someone they really wish they still had. Uh. I can't bring myself to
look at the Jalen Smith would make a contribution on on this team. Uh,
he did have a good like spinning Indiana. But let's be like semi
realistic here. I'm on Jalen Smith Island. This is official. The flag
has planted. I do agree with you that you don't priority like if you're
trying to get the ball handling up grade with what you could spend, this
has to be a I say ball hand like like just a playmaker like shot
creator upgrade. It has to be via trade. Would be my guest,
are there any free agent targets that actually stand out that make sense to you
for this team? I thought Paddy is young. I don't want to keep
throwing that name around. But if they wanted to downsize, and it seems
at points like they do that with Shards a bunch before the season since he
was obviously injured, could you go that route. I don't think you could
get Chris Bruche for the minimli, although he would be perfect for this team
too. And it's also tough to understand because their needs shift a lot.
If Deandreton's back, You're not Yeah, you're focusing on if you bring back
Javal McGee done. Like your cent rotation is whatever. You could, I
guess have more plugin play wings if you wanted to get involved in some of
those sweepstakes. I just don't. What's weird about this team is that they'll
they'll be so good if they run it back. I don't look at the
free agent targets that are realistic for them and think that's the one that they
need to go after, right like, unless you know, I think PJ.
Tucker is going to be out of the price range. I think auto
Porter is someone they should at least look at. Bouchet was on my list.
I think be Elitza, like if you're not sure what you're going to
get from Darius Sarich after the ACL I think the Elitza coplicates a lot of
that, and I think, you know, although if you're you're so,
I don't think you could justify spending an exception on Belitz So you'll be looking
at the minimum. And if the minimum is the offer, I don't know
why he takes Phoenixes over the Warriors, for example, or just any number
of time, maybe depending on if Adan's there or not. Yeah, yeah,
sure you could have a bigger opportunity, that's for sure, because it
he'll be, like, you know, depending on what Looney does, fourth
on the center depth chart for the Warriors, but I would be I think
be elitz is going to have multiple like Whoopie do multiple offers at the minimum,
but maybe if maybe a few above that, so you know, it's
it's tough, I agree, I think. I mean, but look,
they won more games than anybody last year. Chris Paul probably had COVID in
the playoffs and that was like the biggest problem they had, so this isn't
a team that needs a huge amount of help. I think you just hope
campaign is you know, two years ago campaign, and you figure out the
center stuff. I just to put names on this, the three that I
would like to see him get as sort of jack of all trades. I
could fill different holes depending on what the lineup is. The nier who has
it going either of the Martin twins. I know their games are a little
bit different, but like just guys who are going to be able to hold
their on defense. They shot just well enough on three point on modest three
point volume last year to get going. And I think that the secondary passing
that both of them provide. Maybe you trust Caleb or excuse me, Cody
Martin. They're a little bit more than Caleb. I think Cody might actually
be more gettable too, because the hornets are cheap, and so if you're
giving them mini MLI interest free, ancy do they match and then a mere
coffee. I sort of alluded to him before they gave him more ballhandling responsibility
in LA last year, and I think a lot of people realize and he
was able to work really off the dribble. Do some pick and roll initiation.
Those would be the names I'd probably like to see them just go after.
But everything is just contingent upon what happens with Ayton and if he's leaving,
what are you getting back for? Yeah, just a couple others.
I think, you know, he's not a playmaker, but and well he'll
come up a lot. Daniel House, I think as someone just like you
throw him out there. He's, you know, basically was Utah's best defender
down the stretch of I mean wing defender. And we haven't talked about Victor
Oladipo. I don't know what he's gonna get, but like if you're looking
to take a non taxpay or do you think that's unreasonable for him? I
think that's probably I don't think he's getting the full mid level right, Like,
you just can't do that. So yeah, I mean he's someone that
you're just it's you're it's an upside play. You're hoping that the further removed
he is from the injury. But then that also cuts against like one of
my great tenets of NBA player acquisition is you never take the guy that just
sort of like looked way better in Miami, because in Miami. It doesn't.
It doesn't. There's a rule rule Caleb Martin off your board too as
well, right, I don't know. Yeah, if he stays in Miami,
I'm all in on Caleb Martin. But if he leaves, I think
he just turns back into what he used to be, which was a guy
who had to sign a two way very quickly. Because we're over on the
Suns. Is DeAndre and Phoenix to start next season? Yes or no?
I'm gonna say yes because I think the Suns will just match and then worry
about trading him at some point down the line. You're just you're not as
spicy as Stephen afa Valley, who predicted that he's leaving our final team in
the Pacific. The Sacramento Kings their key free agents. There aren't many Jeremy
Lamb if you consider him a key free agent, and then Dante de Vincenzo,
who is restricted. Trey Lyles has a team option that I would decline
if I were them, But that's just you know, their notable extension where
their most notable extensions candidate domas a bonus. The I think the rays that
they can give him is probably going to be a lot less than he can
thinks that he can get if he hits free agency in two years. I
really kind of think it's given what the Kings gave up for him, you
absolutely offer it. And for him, when you're looking at oh, okay,
the one and twenty percent rays off of like what your salary number is,
that's actually probably fair market value for him when you're looking at twenty five
million a year or whatever that ends up being on average. So I would
take it if I were him. I think the Kings are going to offer
it and he won't take it, though. That's just my gut feeling.
So there's that for him. And then they're best spending tools the non tax
payer mL They could like have negligible cap space, but it won't even be
as much. They'd have to jump through a bunch of hoops if they want
to have more than that ten million dollar spending tool. And there I think
their needs, even after getting Keegan Murray, like, they still just need
wings and defenders, preferably wings who can shoot, because you have Sabonus and
Fox now that you're running the offense through, so you want to dot them
with as many spaces as possible and then the other thing for me is do
you have a good front court partner for Sabonus. I guess you could consider
it Harrison Barnes, but I think you need like additional four power there.
And where's Rashaun Holmes getting traded? And for all this talk about My guess
is I feel like mid season there's gonna be a mid end contract that Toronto
is signed or has on its books, and they're going to be the team
against for Shaun Holmes. It just makes too much sense on the court wise
for Toronto. They don't need to go after this flashy big that cost you
Gary Trend Junior Ero Giananoby. But are there teams that could come in and
uh swoop in and give up value for Sean Holmes. I was shocked he
got paid as little as he did last summer. But he's he's a wasted
asset and I think his his value declines. It declined a minute you acquired
Sabonus because those two can't play together. Well. It declined more with Kegan
Murray because I think in a perfect world, Kegan Murray's gonna play some minutes
at center too. I don't know that's that's a big question, you know,
coming out of the draft is like, you know he The rap on
Murray is that he's a very capable on ball defender and has some switch in
him and all that stuff, but like not quite sure that he's he's actually
a guy you can play at the five against a lot of lineups. But
like, I don't know, the league's only getting smaller generally speaking, I
think there's a real path forward, Like it's possible that that Murray is someone
that spends minutes at the five when Sabonus is not playing. So yeah,
Holmes is a totally like Holmes. I mean, Charlotte, even with Mark
Williams having been drafted to play center, like Charlotte is a like a just
like no brainer destination. There's a million of him because Holmes is a like
a I don't know, a mid tier to like lower third starter. I
think that has a couple like solid skills for like you know, backup money
basically. So yeah, I think I think that's a fact. Like the
thing though, this team's biggest need is remains just quality wings in between the
Fox Davion Mitchell and then Murray Sabonis bookends because and Harrison Barnes. I don't
think Harrison Barnes is a wing anymore. I think Harrison Barnes is a four.
He'll be fine, Like he's a smart defender, you can. They're
just gonna have to use him on the big wing threats. And that's just
how it's gonna be. But that's not optimal positioning. So like they just
I don't know where they go. I think for sure they're gonna target Auto
the first of all, They're gonna target every Warriors for agent. Theory is
because that's how the Kings operate, Like they go for the coaches, they
go for you know, just everybody that comes from the Warriors. So Porter,
I think, is someone to look at. Damien Lee for sure.
I actually love Motto Porter Junior there though I actually very much works everywhere like
it just you know, that's the idea of him. Anyway, Yeah,
this season Dotto Porter for sure. Yes, I Mean that's the thing is
Porter is not going to be as good wherever he goes as he was with
the Warriors, just because they you know, they manage his minutes. They
asked him to do only the things he was good at. It's just it's
a difference between being on a team with a bunch of good players and not.
But yeah, damian ly they're gonna I for sure they can look at
him. He's a little smaller on the wing side, but like I would
rather play him than Mo Harkless. I would probably just as just as likely
want to play him as justin Holiday and like what else. That's it.
That's those are the wings. Those are the wings that they have. Deven
Shenzo's too small, I think to really be like you're you know, you
go, you go guard whatever. I don't know what his market is gonna
be. Do you think he's gonna get more or less than the bigger mL
E type money they don't need to use that. I want to be clear
to sign him, but ten million a year or less, well, I
think it's gonna be less because I don't think anyone's offer him the full mid
level, and the Kings are going to look at that and say like,
how's eight, how's you know nine? You know that, I think it'll
be under that. He could really return a lot of value on that if
he could stay healthy and develops a little bit. But he's just you know,
he's a third guard, and that's just kind of what he is.
Yeah, I don't know. I think I think they just it sucks like
every team needs wings, but the Kings really need wings, and they're just
aren't a lot that they're realistically going to be able to get beyond the ones.
I don't know. Do you have some more that you like the fit
there for? Well, very quickly, I will say if I were them,
I would offer Otto port or the bigger MLI maybe it's like shorter,
maybe it's the two years rather than three or four. I would absolutely do
that though, and see if he bites, because I think he's a perfect
fit there. I thought about Kyle Anderson for them, but because they could
use some secondary playmaking too. When you look at the like you have the
bonus and Fox, like, do you trust Davion Mitchell to be like the
floor general if if Fox is off the court, I guess you could trust
Harrison Bars for some self creation. This is tangentially related to the free agency
targets. I don't understand the obsession with John Collins among Kings Twinter like where
there was a talk about Barnes for Collins. I actually thought that made both
teams. Maybe Atlanta like the fit made more sense, but like Barnes isn't
a great defender, And then for the Kings Collins and Sabonis, Like,
yes, in theory that works, but that would be a turnstyle defensively,
even like Collins is probably Look, I'm gonna be honest, I think Miles
Turner covering up for Sabonis so much. John Collins a better defender than Noma
Sabonis. That's where I'd be at with I like that. You just that
wasn't even a doubt for you. So I'm not not controversial at all on
my end. And but like it's weird because they have more like spending power
than most teams. But I don't know if there are names out there that
might be worth funneling at all into because the wing market is so like Barren
this summer, and I'm wondering if for them even though they don't have you
know, I mean, you have Rashaun Holmes, Like can you get Kelly
Bridge Junior from Charlotte for Rashaun Holmes? Like I know they have Mark Williams,
but is their center position really set? They have Kai Jones as well.
They're looking at cut money though, so maybe that wouldn't be the route
that they go. It feels like if they're going to get a wing or
they would have to be like a big for wing trade involving Rashaun Holmes for
them, because I just aside from Modo Porter, I'm trying to think of
the three four that I would give the Bigger mL E too. I even
thought a little bit about Victor Oladipo for them, but that sort of feels
like too. If you could get him on the Bigger mL E, I
might just consider it for the talent upside play. But it does get a
little dicey with what need did you actually fill? When darn Fox and Sabonis
are there already, I would have loved for them to have gotten involved in
the the Ampy Melton sweepstakes, just because he's essentially a three D wing who
sized like a guard. Maybe you bank on davy On Mitchell showing a lot
of improvement with his jumper, and he did have flashes of that during his
rookie year. It's just weird because if you wanted me to give you like
minimum type wing like I think Utah Wantonaby could work for them. Damian Lee
would be you already mentioned, it would be absolutely fine. If they're gonna
spend money though, like make it be I would go with probably Cody Martin
or a Mere Coffee. Like, if they're going to try and throw some
of their mL E weight around, those are names that stand out. And
if it sounds like we're regurgitating a lot of the same names, it's because
there are so few wings out there right now, right and so like that's
the route I can maybe see them going. Like and if you're going to
just I don't know what how much better it makes you. But Torre and
Prince Yes in theory offensively works with you. There's just I don't know what
wing, and I'm calling out a Porter wing. He's like a big for
for what the Kings need most. There might be like one or two names
out there that are worth piling your full mL E into. Yeah. I
again, And the issue too is it's not just they need wings, like
because if you're gonna play Sabonis Fox, I think Murray can shoot it.
You know, Barnes can shoot it. But I think if you're book ending
a team Sabonis and Fox, Sabonis doesn't shoot threes. Fox has had one
year where he's shot threes well otherwise has been really bad. You got you
you can't. It's it's got to be wing that can shoot. So then
you're even like it's even scarcer out there. So like, and if you're
going to spend the mL E like again to regurgitate names, is Daniel house
worth the full emil E? Like? No way, I don't think so,
but you like, he's one of the very few guys on the market
that could sort of tick all those boxes because I think there's there's a case
to be made that like they might need to be looking at like Rodney Hood
or like you know, in the Hood Nade or Snell like that kind of
lower tier. The problem with when you add those types of guys that are
just real on the margins, contributors to a bad team, it just doesn't
usually like they're just not usually the best version of themselves. So it's it's
it's tough. There are a lot of names, but the trying to match
up like what the guy's actually worth with what the Kings actually need, it's
difficult to find sort of the sweet spot there, and they almost need like
a true wing because you have Keiga Murray and Barnes, So you don't want
to skew too much towards the four. Yeah, you can't. I know
he's order with Murray and Barnes. That's just like there's not enough foot speed
there. I don't think Gary Gary Harris is a good name for sure.
I think we'll get to this in the Northwest. But if Gary Harris is
on any team other than Nuggets, I'll be surprised. I thought, well,
yeah, we'll get on that, the different one. But yeah,
the King's off seasons interesting. I think for them, they're probably a little
bit more fascinating on the trade market than free agency because they're not gonna be
I don't think they're gonna be a team where you're surprised that, oh they
bagged that name for like the bigger m, Like, yeah, it be
great if Nick Batoum decided he wanted to go there, it would be really
It would be really funny if they wound up spending more than the minimum on
another big because they're planning on trading homes and so, like, do they
get into Hart and Stein sweepstakes thinking oh we could hard side shot. He
shoots voters and he shot some threes last year that he could totally play with
some bonus. I didn't. I was didn't understand the transfixiation with John Collins,
to be honest with you, and if you're like, yeah, so
Kings, I didn't hate they're moving the draft, by the way, as
much as other people. I still made fun of them for it because I
don't think they deserve the benefit of the doubt. But Keacky Murray seems like
he's going to be a perfect fit there. So oh. I did,
by the way, consider Chris Bouche for this team though, because one,
I love Chris Bouche, and I'm also in the mind like you need like
a real if let's just say ras Shaun Homes in the high volume shop aalker,
but he's a pretty okay rim protector. If the intention is to move
him or you know, you can't play him with the bonus, you need
like a shot blocking presence who can play alongside the bonus. And Bouche chucks
enough threes that I think it would work. Final final King's prediction or I
guess the question. The over under on Warriors free agents that the Kings have
on the roster next year is one point five. I'm gonna take I'm gonna
take the under Okay, I'm gonna go over, just so we can have
something to look back on. Grant, this was great. Thank you so
much. You're able to tell our listeners before they just hear your voice again
on the next podcast where they can find you and all the great work that
you put out Slash, maybe some of those infrequent tweets that you throw the
masks. I bet if I want to your Twitter profile right now, you
just want, you should follow Grant. He's not going to spam your feed.
I've everyone to your Twitter Twitter profile right now. Your last tweet would
be probably Hardwood Knox related. Oh for sure. Yeah, listen, I
support the brand. I and yeah, you can find me on the next
entry on your whatever podcast feed you use on Hardwood Knox probably and GT Underscore
hues on Twitter if you want. You know, for some reason you can't
figure out where to find Hardwood Knox, just check my Twitter feed because it's
like nine retweeting Dan and Hardwoknox accounts. So you know, I stay loyal.
We will catch you in the next episode. Everybody, please remember a
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we do the shout out to the one, the only, the conference finalist Brachiopta