What is krack alack and hardwoodnock listeners. I am Dan for atlea coming at
you without my co host Adam Fromwell Today for reasons we will get to in
a minute. Actually, okay, let's get to it right now. We
recorded our normal mega mailbag on Locker Room Live four pm Eastern Time on Sunday's
Please come join us. We take questions from Twitter, but we also take
questions from the chat in Locker Room Live. We have some people come on
and speak. It's a lot of fun. We've seen the numbers go up
live each time, and we would love to have you guys there in the
room. We know it's hard because we do have some international listeners and there
will be time differences, but if you can at some point Sunday four pm
Eastern time, we really we enjoy discussing with you guys at in real time,
so come join us. However, the audio from that podcast was lost.
It is in the great void. We have no idea where it is.
And rather than not have a podcast, I'm going to hold his mailbag
solo because Adam cannot make it. He is working and I'm on a Sunday
night. I am not going to ask someone to come on in an emergency,
I'll just do it myself. I am a little bit delirious. It's
been a long week leading into the trade deadline. I do love this time
of year, as people who have been listening to this podcast for a while
do know. But I'm wearing a hoodie and the hood is up here,
just in my little office where I have sound absorbing foam hanging against the wall,
got my mic up in my face, my laptop right here in energy
drink. Anyone who also knows me knows that I basically survive off caffeine,
whether it's a Meno energy or in this case, I have a bomb pop
flavored what is this called super Brain C four performance fuel tastes really good.
By the way, I am delirious, but soldiering through, and I'm excited
to do this. Going to answer your questions that you sent us over the
weekend. We got a bunch of good ones. I'm going to try and
get them all, since we obviously will not be having live listeners chiming in
with their questions. First and foremost, there's gonna be a lot of trade
deadline stuff, basically all trade deadline stuff. We do have well all right,
first and foremost, as I ramble through this again, it's late,
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Underscore math spelled exactly as it sounds. Let's get to this mailbag, go.
I am going to start first, though, with the two breaking news
items that we've had that came through over the weekend. James is out in
definitely with a high right ankle sprain. That's going to be disastrous for the
Lakers on offense for obvious reasons. He's Lebron friggin James, but also their
half court offense has struggled both with and without him this season. With him
on the court, the Lakers have their half court offense ranks in the sixty
seventh percentile of efficiency without Lebron, the twenty fourth percentile without Lebron n a
D, the seventeenth percentile when Dennis Shrewder plays with no Lebron, no AD
during the fortieth percentile. So not terrible, but that's the four hundred and
nine possession sample size. It's not Hughes huge. And then with Shrewder,
Encuz but no Lebron or a D forty seventh percentile in half court offense,
that's a three hundred and seventh possession sample size. Not totally hopeless, and
I think a healthy, Marcusol can still kind of help them in the half
court with his playmaking. I thought he was going to play a bigger role
in the no Lebron minutes this season than he has with that will be something
to look for as he gets back from conditioning. I do believe that they
should probably look at making a trade at this point. I don't know if
it's can you get a low level creator like an Austin Rivers who just seems
like he's available in New York? Do you have the Jews to get him
a Leak Monk or DeVante Graham from Charlotte. I'd probably argue no, and
we're going to get to them in a minute. Something for them to consider.
I don't know how low the asking price has fallen, but Victor Oladipo,
just the idea of him, and I'm not talking about all NBA Victor
Ladipo. It's been three years essentially since we've seen that, and he's dealt
with a right quad issue, not just around twenty eighteen, but this season.
He had a right quad issue after he was traded to the Rockets.
Has not played too well there, though we did have a good game in
their twentieth loss, consecutive loss of the season. He's making twenty one million.
He already turned down an extension. I don't think he's going to resign
and Houston, nobody thinks he's going to resign. In Houston, they shouldn't
want to pay him, frankly, because they are rebuilding. I'm not again,
I will never look out for billionaire pockets, but when you do have
to be smart about building a team. He just doesn't make sense. And
there's no guarantee that he'll be eminently movable on his next contract. So if
you're gonna lose him for nothing, my guess is that you could probably get
a better offer than the Lakers can give you. But if you like talent,
Horton Tucker is him tres and then just a bunch of salary filler enough
to get it done. The Lakers fans even want to do that, you're
looking at, you know, unless you're trading Contavious Callbo Pope. You're probably
looking at a five for one trade at that point. So you're gonna need
third teams, a third team, maybe a fourth team. I would consider
it if I were them, I said to Adam in our previous podcasts that
I might consider doing Dennis Shrewder and if it's a second even if it's talent
Horton Tucker, who is really good, but he's going to be a restricted
free agent capped in what he can get for the first year of his salary.
But I don't even know if the Lakers trust him enough to be like
to give him the what would amount to the full non tax players mid level.
And there's also the possibility that he gets a poison pill offer sheet and
restrict free agency because people want to mess with the Lakers. And fair warning,
there might be some profanity in this podcast too, just the all bets
are off after you've lost the podcast, and also apologize if you hear me
sipping during this my energy drink. So I don't know if i'd be interested
in talent Horton Tucker if I were Houston, But knowing that you have to
pay him might be a little scary, But then you also know that you're
never gonna have to pay him what Victor Oladipo probably gets. He'll get at
NAX, probably a third of what alladieople gets unless his market really tapers off.
I get why people wouldn't want to gi up Dennis Shrewder just because he's
more bankable. His off the dribble jumper can be let's call him an adventure,
but he's more guaranteed playmaking. He hasn't had as many health issues,
a little bit more of a consistent presence on defense, I would say,
though we also know Victor Ladipo can defend. He has not been great there
this year, was not great there in Indie for the bubble, but we've
seen it even post injury, He's looked good at times on defense. It's
just something that if I'm the Lakers, I'm considering, I don't again,
I don't know how you get there without including Shrewder. I'm just going to
assume because KCP is a clutch client, that he's not going to get dealt
to the Nowheresville Rockets at this point. Maybe there's a third team involved if
you're moving him. I would also say that he's super important though, because
he's probably even though he's gone through the shooting slumps, what do you he
did in the playoffs last year, He's going to shoot better from three.
You could just rely on him, probably a little bit more than all the
depot and so I might only do it if the asking price is so surprisingly
low, where again it's tress thht, and then you're fleshing that out.
I don't know. I mean West Matthews would be in there, McKinney,
I'd imagine. I don't even think that's enough money for the Lakers to bring
back Oladipo. And look, they are within two million dollars of the hardcap
right now, so they're within one point seven million of the hardcap per the
sheet that I'm looking at, So you basically have to send out dollar for
dollar or get to twenty million, and that's incredibly tough if you're not trading
shrewder. So maybe that's sort of a pie in the sky scenario, but
I do believe they need to make some sort of a move now, where
maybe they could have talked themselves into staying pat and just relying on the buyout
market. I don't know that the type of just player who could generate his
own offense, even if it's not super efficient, I don't know that they're
going to get onto the buyout market. Austin Rivers might be your best bet
at this point. That springs to mind. Even maybe a George Hill,
but one I don't think he gets bought out, and two, I don't
know that he's enough of just a self generating shock creator efficient on drive's going
to hit his threes. We'll give you some defense, but he's not.
You know this from scratch guy. That's just never really been his game,
and so that's going to be something to monitor. Hopefully Lebron James Uh,
this unscheduled rest will help him. People want to talk about the MVP implications.
That's actually a question that we had, and so there, you know,
it's fair. I think just let's give it a little time to marinate,
which we did because this happened on Saturday and recording this late on Sunday
night. But Miroslav Shook asked, can we get an update on your MVP
ballots after your developments? Look and Being and Lebron are out outside of my
top three now. I just don't know how you put them in there,
knowing that they're each going to miss, you know, in beads specifically,
it's just probably already out of there when you look at how many games he's
going to have missed this season. Lebron, maybe he's superhuman because he's Lebron,
It comes back after two weeks and still really has a chance to be
in the MVP discussion when the margins are that finn though, and you have
guys like Jannis Dame Lillard and Nicole Yokitch. Excuse me, they're just gonna
be playing substantially more minutes at this point. And Bead is tough because he
was outside the top the top seventy five and minutes when he went down,
and so he's only tumbled from there. Lebron was tenth at the time of
his injury, I believe, and that's total minutes. So again, maybe
it's time to come back. But I think his case was just a little
bit or I don't want to say flimsy ear, but it just wasn't as
strong as some others because a lot of it was narrative base where it was,
oh, look at him doing this in year eighteen, age thirty six.
However, the Lakers, the way that they were kind of playing at
the time when he went down without Anthony Davis, that definitely would have helped
him. So right now, I think i'd have Lebron and Ebid they're four
five to me together. You could put them there. Embiad was my pick,
and I want to make that clear. He was first place for me
when he before he was out with his injury. So I'm not trying to
unnecessarily the moat either of them, But it's just tough when the margins are
are so thin, and so I think Nicole Yokich really has a clear path
to winning it right now. If he's able to play in more games and
you have Lebron missing, you know he's gonna miss at least ten games,
and he might miss longer because you have to. If you're a Lakers,
you just have to slow play this. You don't need to care about seating.
You're gonna make the playoffs. You're right now six games behind the eight
seeded Dallas Mavericks. You're not. You know this, real disaster would have
to strike for you to fall in in playoff territory. So I my guests
would be that they slow play this. Even if he is Lebron and decides
to come back in two weeks. Maybe I shouldn't say that either, because
if Lebron wants to come back, Lebron's going to come back. He'll have
a say in that as well. But Yokich. Look the Nuggets or six
in the West, that's nothing, specially even in a tight race. There's
still a ridiculously good team when he's on the floor. And I do believe
that we need to pay more attention to these on court numbers with players,
they can't be responsible for what happens when they're off the court. It might
be a little bit of a difference if they're just narrowly winning when the team's
winning the minutes when they're on the court, but that's just not you know,
that really hasn't been the case for the Nuggets this season. They run
so much of their offense through Yokich. He's just this incredible threat from beyond
the arc. Now from whether he's in mid range, has the Sambre shuffle
going on for him. He's an excellent pastor. We know that he's probably
the best passing big man in NBA history. I shouldn't even have the probably
qualifier for that. I feel like I'm being just a little bit too hesitant
there. But you still just look at how much better he makes an how
important he is. They're twelve point six points better per one hundred possessions on
the offensive end, with with him on the court, the defense is seven
point six points per one hundre psessions is worse that has improved. I will
say the Michael Porter Junior and Nicole Yokits minutes at the four and five those
have been suspiciously stingy on defense for reasons I can't quite figure out. I've
been and I mentioned this in the season outlook pod for them that I thought
Michael Porter Junior sold flashes of being a good, you know, help defender
at points, and I think he's gotten better at that as this season has
gone on, too, But those minutes are just suspiciously stingy. Still,
that's really gonna help his case when you look at how she improves them on
offense. So he's number one for me right now by the slimmest of margins,
I think, I think, and don't hold me to this because I'm
actually writing my MVP Ladder and update MVP Ladder right now, I might I
think Jannis is second for me at this point, and I know people are
going to be hesitant to three pet him, but the bucks are seventeen point
nine points per one hundred possessions better with him on the court, and he's
so huge to what they do at both ends of the floor. I feel
like he really needs to be inserted into this discussion more so than he already
has been. His passing feels like it's been a lot better this year when
you're just watching him. I still don't think his counters are necessarily perfect when
you're looking at his offense, but he's still just such a monster when you
look at his ability to get to the rim, to what he can do
and in transition, and even the willingness I think to take those fade aways,
those fall aways to pull up from three. No, those are not
efficient shots for him just yet, but the willingness to take them absolutely doesn't
matter. And this is a regular season award, which I try to remember.
And yet the visions of you know, just stalled bucks posts and runs
those do sort of of linger. So maybe that's fair. Three for me,
though, would be Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. Kind of
a yoket situation here for me, where you look at how much better the
Blazers are with him on the court offensively thirteen point eight points per one hundred
possessions. They're six point one points perne hundre possessions better overall, but their
defense is seven point seven points perne hundred possessions worse when he's on the court,
and he is a part of that. Even when he is kind of
just fighting through screens, he's not the most aware off ball defender when you're
really zeroing in on him and watching him, and to be part of that
problem. I don't think it excludes you from the MVP race Penny stretch,
It's just that when Jannis is there, I do think it's close because Damian
Lillard has been absolutely absurd in the clutch this season, as has Yokich,
and I do think we've seen the Bucks have been experimenting, so you've seen
a little bit more Drew Holiday or or Chris Middleton in the clutch where doesn't
feel like Yannis is as much of a formality as a featured option there Damian
Lillard, though, I mean Matt Moore of Action Network tweeted this out over
the weekend. It wasn't just a nod to Damian Lewer's clutch performance, but
he's the Blazer eighteen and six in crunch time games this season, which is
just absolutely incredible. Dame is slashing fifty nine forty nine, one hundred.
He is yet to miss a free throw in the clutch. And I know
that we're dealing with a small sample size, but thirty eight of thirty eight
in crunch time from the line pretty good. Sixteen of thirty three from three.
He's just been an absolute monster. But as Matt Moore pointed out on
Twitter, the Blazers have essentially when you look at their net ratings and victories
versus losses, they're losing big and winning slim. I don't know whether that
should count against them or not, because there's, you know, the element
of okay. Look at the Blazers record against teams five hundred and above,
they're nine and ten, and then they're fattening up on the teams below five
hundred, where they're sixteen and six. That certainly matters too. You have
a team like Denver, though they're only eleven eleven against opponents above five hundred
and then fourteen and six against below five hundred teams. Milwaukee meanwhile ten and
nine against teams above five hundred and seventeen and five. The other direction,
the season is wonky, and you don't want to look at those specifically,
but that's all close enough to where I'll throw out even if the Blazers are
not winning convincingly necessarily, I don't know that I can hold that against Dame,
and I almost have an inclination to vault him up the ladder because of
the time that CJ. McCollum and use of Nurkicch missed this year, and
a Nurkitch is still out. So to have the Blazers in the top five
of the West, within striking distance of technically a top two seed right now,
you know they're two and a half games back of the second place Sons,
that's pretty significant to me. It would not surprise me if Dane creeps
up my own ladder. Still, I think I think I have yo kitch.
This is just so tough. I might have you honest, I can
talk myself in to Damian Lillard, but this is going to be just one
hell of an MVP race. Let's get to your questions, though a lot
of good ones mainly focused on the trade deadline, Babe for MVP, as
if available on the trade market, what would it take for the Suns to
get Aaron Holiday. That's a curious question. I don't know what it would
take necessarily, though I will get into perhaps it would take. But you
look at Indiana and you know, Aaron Holliday's not playing a ton, He's
not been the most efficient player. The idea of him as someone who could
maybe spark plug your offense, put some pressure on the rim, maybe hit
a couple off the dribble jumpers. It's good and he's cheap next season at
three point, it's about four million dollars. And they also teaching McConnell going
into free agency, and so Aaron Holliday different kind of player for sure,
but a little bit of a safety net in case t J. McConnell leaves.
You can also look at on the flip side, is do you have
use for Aaron Holliday long term? You are gonna have to pay him eventually.
And when looking at TJ. Warren, his contracts up in twenty twenty
two, same with Jeremy Lamb, Karros Lavert up in twenty twenty three,
You've already paid some bonus Brockden and Turner, and you know those deals neither
those guys aren't really way far out from free agency. Brogged In and Turner
are scheduled to be free agents in twenty twenty three, along with carras Lavert.
There refe some hesitants to just pay anyone this point, and so are
you looking to entertain offers for Alan Holliday Aaron Holliday. I'm sure they would
considerate, but the idea of him is a safety net to Tej McConnell,
who's been really valuable Indiana this year. I don't know what the Sun specifically
can give up. They have their twenty twenty two first round or going to
the Thunder as part of the Chris Paul trade, so it's really tough for
them to trade a first round pick. They would have to do twenty twenty
four first allowable or first allowable is what they would have to do. That's
too far out to go after Aaron Holiday. You can't go two drafts past
when Chris Paul's contract would be up, and maybe he stays in Phoenix and
places at He's like eighty five and is great, but you just can't take
that chance. You can use Jalen Smith. I'm just not sure how much
cache he has is the number ten pick when he hasn't played much. Saw
some kind of flashes from him preseason where I was like, oh, spin,
move off the dribble, that's interesting and it'll space the floor. I
could put the four of the five, but that was just clearly that shouldn't
have been a pick they should have taken Tyrese Halibert. Let's be honest here.
So I don't know what else you're gonna give up. You're not giving
up Cam Johnson, Michael Bridges, So you know, just does Jalen Smith
get it done? I would be skeptical because the Pacers have some bonus.
They have Turner and they have gog Betadze in the background as well. Dude,
who's moving who's moved a little bit better on defense this year? On
the Pacers games that I've watched. Just FYI, So you're not going to
do this deal for Javon Carter in seconds? That would shock me if if
that's what happened, If you could, then yeah, by all means,
I think you're fine with Cameron Payne for the most part. I understand the
urge not to trust him when you have Chris Paone, you have Devin Booker.
I don't know that really beefing up the guard rotation, right, now
is a necessity. I guess it's a nice hedge because why not hedge?
And we know that CB three is murky injury history. But the minutes that
he's off the court, they're gonna be fewer and further between during during the
playoffs, and you're gonna see a lot more of him and Devin Booker together,
I would assume during those times as well. Let's get to fred consistent
question asker, So thank you. Fred asked, do Austin Rivers and or
Alfred Payton's stay with the Knicks past the deadline? I'm going to say at
least one of them is gone. Austin Rivers, isn't he? And in
the rotation as we're recording this. I think he can do something for a
team. He was shooting a pretty high clip from three through his first thirteen
games of the season. Was all over the place thereafter. But he's someone
who can put the ball on the floor. The Rockets got away with him
defending wings. And his contract to me is sneaky useful in the sense that
he's only making about about three oh he's making exactly three point five million this
year, and then he has a non guaranteed deal next year for three point
three and then three point two of the year after. It had to be
three years in life because they signed and traded for him. That was everyone
was confused by that, But you look at it this way, three point
five million is not really a lot to take a flyer on someone who can
maybe help you in the playoffs, to hit shots in the half court,
even if it's just as a standstill, catch and shoot guy. If he
works out, you have him under team control for another two years at a
very little cost to you, and then if it doesn't work out, you
can just show him the door, no harm, no foul. And I
do think there's a team out there that'd be interested in him, maybe not
because they know that the Knicks aren't playing him, but if they end up
buying him out or just releasing him, that would be a mini failure on
their part. So I don't think Austin Rivers stays with the Knicks unless we
just see injuries, you know, take over the roster. You know,
Derek Rose has not been not been healthy of late, but even that hasn't
really sparked Austin Rivers getting into the rotation. Alfred Payton should not be with
the next after the trade deadline. I don't know if they need to wave
him to make a roster spot. I don't know if they move him,
you know, because he's salary fodder. They can use that just sort of
double up their cap space where it's, oh, they have fifteen million,
Alfred Payton makes four point eight. You could take back up. As my
work phone goes off, I apologize in the background. You could take him
in and take back a player that makes almost twenty million dollars right there,
if that's something that you wanted to do. If you're interested in Victor Oladipo,
Alfred Payton and someone else for Victor Ladipo would work. Someone cheap.
One of those two guys won't be there. But I don't want to see,
you know, Alfred Peyton taking away minutes from Immanuel Quickly or frank Neil
Keena. And I do understand more so now after watching additional minutes of what
the Knicks second unic can look like without Immanuel Quickly, why you don't start
him? And so I'm gonna give Tibbs that that being said, I want
to see Frankie Lakina. I want to see Austin Rivers over Alfred Payton.
At this point, Zach Will pointed this out and as late as ten things
calm. He's been overrated on defense for a while. I think that was
among hoops those just sort of common knowledge. He just doesn't give you enough
on offense as a as a threat, Like defenses aren't going to defend him
if he doesn't have the ball, they're not gonna be afraid of him.
Really when he has the ball, he's not like the super He's a little
bit more willing to shoot than a Rondo or a Lonzo ball, but he's
not, you know, this great finisher. So my guests would be if
I had to guess right now both of them will not finish the season with
the Knicks, I'd probably say Alfred Payton's more likely to, just because the
Knicks do seem to value him, or at least in theory, he can
run the point in a way that Frankie Lakina can't, and then starting him
allows them to go with Derek Rose or Manuel quickly or both off the bench.
There So, but yeah, there we did another question about the Knicks.
Can I find it very quickly? Yes? TPS, how do you
feel about a Lonzo to New York. I'm intrigued by it. I just
don't know what you give up for someone that you're gonna have to pay.
I would say I was on the Knicks Film School podcast another Blue Wire podcast.
I don't know what you give up for someone who's about to enter restrictive
free agency, who at minimum you're probably gonna have to get four years and
eighty million dollars. Do you give up a first round pick? I'm not
giving up a twenty twenty one first round pick, not the Knicks. Is
anyway, you could maybe consider giving up the Dallas pick this year. There
is a chance theoretically that Dallas has a better pick than New York. If
you are New Orleans, then, though, what are you accepting, because
yeah, there's we actually have a question about Lonzos. I'll save that about
Lonzo specifically in New Orleans. I'll save that part of it. What do
you want for him? Though? I think the Knicks should probably top out
at like a Kevin Knox and the Dallas twenty twenty three pick. Maybe you
give them that that Detroit second two, but that just you know, you
could go with the first when you can go after him and restrict the free
agency. I know there's more value in having bird rights in URFA because you
can match any offer that you receive. But look, when you're giving up
a first round pick, and Kevin Knox, I still believe in by the
way, he's not going to be that player he hinted at in Summer league
way back when. But he shot corner threees better this year. And I
still like his just player archetype. You look at his size and you know
how he can move, and I do think he can do some more more
stuff on the ball. I thought he wasn't as bad as a defender as
he was last season. That said you are selling low on him. Still,
Kevin, I would look Kevin Knox and the Dallas pick, fine,
but that Detroit pick this season is going to be thirty one or thirty two,
and so now you're looking at you can spend it if you're the Knicks
as two first rounders plus Kevin Knox or just two first rounders. Does Kevin
Knox plusts to Detroit pick amount to a late first round pick. Maybe maybe
not. But that's a lot to thing about for a player that you can
pay or try to pay, and restricted free agency, and I'm not sure
he is the answer to what the Knicks need. I think he's interesting there,
but he's not going to be the type of point guard to put pressure
on the rim. He's not going to just run picking roles in the half
court. He's great if you want him to sort of manage the game in
the open floor. That spectacular. And he's proved that he can be a
really viable stand still shooter, and he's he's hit some off the dribble threes
to his to his credit, so a really good player. Super treated by
him in New York. I just don't know what you give up for him
when he's headed for restricted free agency, and it is complicated by the fact
that I don't know that he's He's probably more valuable as a floor spacer around
a manual quickly around Julius randall around RJ. Barrett, and he is an
actual point guard to the Knicks. And that's that's again. If you can
pay him, I might. I would pay him twenty million dollars a year
to go to New York. And he is only twenty three, will be
twenty four when next season rolls around, So I have no problem with him
going after him. But I think I think your limit needs to be and
I don't know that New Orleans would accept this. Kevin Knox a Dallas pick
and maybe maybe the Detroit pick you need to take back Alfred Payton in that
scenario, though, if your New Orleans like, that's something that sort of
needs to happen. And I don't know that New Orleans is going to be
interesting that they do need wings, but you would have to be really They
would have to believe in Kevin Knox is the sort of second draft player,
and I'm you know, I'm not sure if if they do so. This
comes from Sucker free B asked about Lonzo Balls, specifically, what are the
realistic odds of the Pelicans being able to match what Lonzo gets on the market
based off our current cap situation. Look, it's a fantastic question. This
is not a podcast. Again, we're going to celebrate owners cutting costs,
but the reality is, particularly in a market with New Orleans, and especially
when the Pelicans they're interesting on paper, but they're eleventh in the West right
now, there's a chance they don't even make the play. And how do
you throw so much money to roster that's clearly not ready to win. You
already have Steven Adams on the books for close to sixteen next year, then
Brandon Ingram at seventeen ish. That's thirty three million dollars right there, brandon
Ingram. Oh wait, I'm sorry, I'm looking at the wrong number.
Steven Adams on the books for seven team point one, brandon Ingram is twenty
nine point five, and so you know, right there you're looking at forty
six point five million dollars let's say, right around there, and then another
eighteen point one for Eric Bledsoe sixty four sixty five million dollars between those three
players. Are you willing to have eighty five ninety tied up in Bledsoe,
Adams, Ingram and Lonzo Ball? You have to ask that question. Zion
Williamson is going to be in year three as well, close to extension eligible.
You do have to think about his next contract at this point. So
you know, are you gonna You're gonna be locked into this three four player
coreps for quite some time? And my phone is blowing up at the moment,
so I apologize. People are asking me about the about the little Melo
ball injury, which hey, let's talk about it right right after this question
about the Pelicans. If you're the Pelicans, you match and you deal with
it because you can. You know, there are still avenues next season where
I think they are projected to have, Like they'll be far enough away from
the tax where you can pay Lonzo Ball. But I don't know what else
you're gonna be able to do to improve your roster. You better hope that
that deals at least movable than once you sign it, and you can't let
him leave for nothing. I do think realistically they could match it. But
you also have Josh Hart. Now this is where things get interesting. He's
entering a restricted free agency too. And so if you have Josh Hart getting
fifteen twelve to fifteen million dollars a year, which doesn't hit as many of
US threes as you think, but as a guy who can rebound well for
his size defend basically up to power forwards, it seems like it points that's
not an unreasonable belief to think that he could get close to that high.
That would talk about talk about a hedge. How was that sentenced for a
hedge? So now with a sudden you're at one hundred million dollars. Let's
say close to one hundred million dollars for Steven Adams, ingram bletso Lonzo Ball
and Josh Hart and we haven't even have to included Zion in that. They're
really gonna have to take a long look. My guests would be they don't
move him. They don't have to be a team that probably blows them away.
This is in Chicago's not dangling lowry marketing and getting Lonzo Ball. It's
just not happening. If they're going to move him, it'll happen. Maybe
after he signs his deal and can be moved under a longer term pact,
is a larger salary, or maybe they broke our sign and trades in the
off season. A lot of teams have cap space, but maybe there are
teams that want to go after him after they use their cap space, or
just who don't have cap space. I expect, though, if Lonzo Ball
reaches restricted free agency, that the Pelicans are not going to let him leave
for nothing. Look, let's talk about the LaMelo Ball injury. Some breaking
news during this pod, even though it kind of happened a little bit,
but before the pod started. He's out, He's believed to be out for
the rest of the season with a fracture in his right wrists. I believe
I might have that wrong. I should look that up and in real time.
But let's see he is. Fracture is right? Risk correct? Look
if you're Charlotte, now this sucks. LaMelo Ball was the clear favorite for
Rookie of the Year. I'm saying this is even somebody who loves Tyrese Haliburton.
Now he's playing forty one games. Is that enough for him to win
Rookie of the Year. Maybe it opens the door for Tyrese Haliburton specifically.
I'm not ready to analyze that for him. You know, that's not necessarily
fair to him. It does change the hardest direction. He made their offense
substantially better when when he was on the court, and now that you don't
have him this idea that you would need to you know, they still might
stumble into a playing spot, but they're eighth in the East. They weren't
even technically win now at the moment, though it was easier to talk themselves
into that without LaMelo Ball, it's very tough to imagine them still being sort
of in that discussion. And now when maybe they were fringe buyers at the
deadline, or at least weren't going to sell where it was. Hey,
do they maybe try and go after Rashaun Holmes from Sacramento and go that direction?
Is there something else that they could do? I don't know that that's
an option for them anymore. Maybe they look at selling and just to underscore
out how good LaMelo Ball has been since he entered the starting lineup. So
twenty one games, wars injury atging, nineteen point five point six point two
assists, one point seven steals, shooting forty two point six percent from three
on six point one attempts per game. It doesn't get to the free throw
line a ton, but eighty one point one percent from the line, just
instrumental in what they've been able to do offensively. And look that's with you
know, a couple not great games baked in there. That his efficiencies right
there. So I'm curious to see how this impacts the way the Hornets do
business at the trade deadline. If I am them, I'm probably looking to
see, you know, can't we move Davante Graham? Can we move Molik
Monk? But both of them are entering free agent researching free agency this summer?
Are we willing to take back some bad salary with draft capital? You
know, a trade that seems to be sitting out there right now would be
DeVante Graham and you know Cody Zeller does that? What does that get you
from the Mavericks with take on Dwhite Powells the two years remaining that he has,
what does that get you? And you would I guess I think you
might need to send out Dallas, might need to send out more money,
But what does that get you? Does it get you there twenty twenty five?
First? Is that enough for you to consider it? Can you get
Tyroll Terry Josh Green? That's you know, something to at least consider.
But I would also just I would look at the market from a league monk
or DeVante Graham? Can you get a I would think maybe you could get
a first round pick from Dallas twenty twenty five, So that's pretty far down
the road. Maybe they're not interested in that. But if you're taking on
Dwight Powell giving them DeVante Graham, who helps now? And then they do
have his bird rights and free agency if he does kind of pan out,
Even though you know Trey burke Is and Gentle Brunson specifically to be giving them
great minutes this season. So maybe they're not as inclined to do that.
But I would definitely shop Molakue, Monk and Devonte Graham for teams, looking
at guys who could really microwave score at this point, just because your season's
kind of over and I don't know, Look, you have Terry Rozier,
you have Lamella Ball. I don't know that you need to funnel a ton
more to the guard spot. It's fine to keep one of Monk or Graham.
I'd be shocked if both of them were back in Charlotte next season.
But that's just a that's a real bummer. You hate to see anyone get
injured, and you know, this past weekend was an on slaught of injuries.
When you look at Lebron and Lamello just really kind of really kind of
blows there. Let's get to a question from Meyer roth Bomb. What teams
do you think will be under the radar buyers or sellers. We try to
think of one from each. I mentioned this when we recorded the first time
around. I think Toronto could be a low key buyer. Everyone's sort of
waiting on them to sell off Kyle Lowry sell off to Norman Powell as they
get healthier, I don't think, you know, as they get to full
strength, which I think they're basically there now if I'm not mistaken. They're
not eleventh in the Eastern Conference, and being eleventh in the Eastern Conference only
means that you're right now your five games back of the four spot at Lanta
Hawks, and you're only four back of you know, sixth place Nicks.
That's to get a firmly into a playoff spot outside playing in territory. If
you're not getting the moon for Kyle Lowry,'re really getting good value of
Norm Powell, who's been someone who's not a huge Norm Powell fan, just
been playing bonkers this season for them. For the most part, you stay
the course, and you know, can you make a many buy There was
a question here about would they consider trading for well this is from Johnny Deep
while the Raptors trade for a starting center so Baines can play twelve minutes a
night off the bench. Are they team that could really go maybe after Rashaun
Holmes from Sacramento. If I'm not I'm not trying to pick on Sacramento here,
just he's entering free agency and they are very big picture focused. I
know he's been their second third best player whatever it's been this year. But
if he's probably gonna be the best center on the free agency market, what
are you what are you going to pay him? So he's someone who would
fit really well in Toronto? Do they maybe try to talk themselves into this
is probably harder, but that he is young while while playing smaller in certain
lineups. That's someone who could really help them out. But that just might
be tough from a salary perspective. They're not just they're not line with you
know, expendable salary fodder. If they want to use Norman Powell as that
idea, then yeah, a lot of different options open up for them.
I guess there really aren't like a ton of centers that would bring to mind.
Maybe they're more focused on the buyout market. I don't think they get
Drummond if he enters the buyout market, which I do believe that he will.
That's you know, let's answer this question from David's Olu Ajibola as is
Andre Drummond getting bought out or not? If not what's the implications of the
cat don't find a suitable trade for him. The implication are he just makes
too much money at twenty eight point eight million or whatever it is. But
I do think he'll get bought out after the trade deadline, if not before
it, and he'll probably sign with the Lakers or the Nets. That's just
the way things are gonna go at this point. I will be mildly to
very surprised if he winds up being traded before the deadline rather than bought out.
But yeah, the Raptors would be a team that I would watch.
Is maybe sort of surprise buyers if you're looking for surprise sellers, I guess
Charlotte really shouldn't count anymore. You're not going to include Minnesota. Seems like
they're buying, but they're not really a surprised We know Houston selling, we
know like he's selling. I don't think it's Sacramento that would be a surprise.
New Orleans is probably not the answer because teams can probably see them going
either way. Maybe the Grizzlies might be an interesting team to pick there just
because yeah, they're still in the playing hunt. No, you're not going
to see them give up you know, Jaren Jackson, junior, John Moran,
obviously Brandon Clark, say, I your tilman who they seem trying to
develop. But do they look at maybe moving Valancunis or D'Anthony Melton, or
maybe even Tyas Jones emerging in one of the better backup point guards this year?
To even look at moving Justice Winslow, who's you know, barely played
for them, but he's had it. I was watching one of the games
since he came back, and he was moving a lot better on defense,
and I anticipated him to someone who was out with back injuries for with part
of the reason he missed time that I was just I was impressed with that.
So are those things you could look at? You know, are you
maybe looking at a Dylan Brooks move just because he's really good on defense,
He reminds me a little bit of a less coordinated Keldon Johnson on offense.
Sometimes the shots there, sometimes it's not he can barrow with reckless, abandoned
towards the basket. He has two years and twenty three point six million left
on his deal after this. I'd probably view that as a net negative.
But if you're looking to you know, if you're talking to the Kings about
Buddy Healed, maybe this is like a Dylan Brooks and GORGEI Jang for Buddy
Heeled situation. Are you including a second round pick there or just I think
Dylan Brooks probably actually helps Sacramento and you're getting out from under a lot of
money with Buddy Heeled, So yeah, that might be this. I wouldn't
expect them too, but it's hard to spots sellers. I could see that
being a surprise. The really bold pick would be the Knicks. I just
don't think they're gonna do that, and they don't have a reason too.
They're six and the yaest. I know they have a super tough schedule remaining.
But just I would I wouldn't go all in on a move. You
know, we were talking about what was happening with Lonzo Ball. But if
they wanted to, I mean they you get first round pick for Reggie Bullock
right now. I guarantee you that with his volume from three is ticked up
over the last month or so, he's played some really good defense, especially
when you look at the assignments that he's been handling for them. But I
don't I would doubt it on their part. I guess someone could say the
bulls they that just wouldn't surprise me. I think he needed to be shopping
Garrett Temple, wh dad he's young in that remarking. If we're looking for
like a surprise player, maybe a Wendell Carter Junior, is that something?
He's just not our tourist Cornice Vas's guy, like you know, no one
here is except for Patrick Williams essentially in Chicago. I would think that when
o'carter junior gets moved before zach Lavine obviously, and I don't know what type
of offer it would take to get get out from zach Lavine, which you
know we do have a zach Levine question from MB What would you do with
zach Lavine? I would do one of two things. Let me think a
sip of a drink right here. So one, if you don't want to
trade him, the plan to me would be renegotiate and extend him over the
offseason. And the difference there would be is that needing cap space to do
that because you're bumping his salary up for twenty twenty one, twenty two,
And what that does is it's a sign of goodwill to the player obviously,
and then you have him under long our term deal. It also just kind
of shortens what's happening. Rather than timm him, let's say, anyone a
new four year deal. Once he hits three agency in twenty twenty two,
maybe he's only on, you know, renegotiate an extend for I think that
can go up to four years if I'm not mistaken, And so now that
totals actual four years from now, rather than technically investing in him for five
years. If you're just not confident that he's going to be the same player
for a long time, there's value in paying him now when he's at the
peak of his powers. If you're not going to do that, I would
move him just because I don't know. It's still a value over the summer.
But if you get into the season is how you could get diluted by
the fact that he is going to be a free agent twenty twenty two.
Who knows if he continues playing. If well, he's been really good for
a while. O though somebod who could hit forty plus percent of his off
the dribble threes been making better decisions this season out of double teams not a
good defender. I think he's been better on the ball this year. If
you look at some of his defensive matchup data. They've put him on some
pretty tough assignments. So that's really I'm encouraging. I'd be curious, what's
the team with a godfather offer I was talking too when we had the locker
room conversation. I suggested, is Jordan Pool, who's been playing well the
Minnesota pick another first round pick, I mean Kelly Wobridge junior. Enough Bulls
fans in there said that they believed it would take more. They think it
would be Wiseman and zach Lavine. If I was Warriors, I wouldn't definitely
say no to that, but I would be looking to get Wendell Carter ju
your back. In that framework, I don't think the Warriors will even consider
giving up both for zach Lavine, maybe a Bradley Beal. I don't even
know. They might be pretty protective of their ability to develop players, which
they really haven't shown that they're particularly adept at in recent years, though Jordan
Pool again porking up, so that's something to consider. Philly's a popular destination.
That's probably my favorite spot for in Miami's up there too, but they
just don't have the firepower even if you include Tyler Hero and you know,
twenty twenty five first round pick or can they not move until twenty twenty seven.
Let me double check these pick commitments that I have pulled up here,
So yeah, you can. They can trade a first round pick in twenty
twenty five or twenty twenty seven. They would have to you know, basically
first allowable and they might not convey depending on what happens with the Oklahoma City
pick in twenty twenty three, but they could do that. I don't If
you like Tyler Hero, maybe Philly can offer you Tyree's Maxie. Their first
round pick commitment is weird because they traded away as part of that Al Horford
deal. And this is just a smart flyer by Sam Prescy. Oklahoma City
they have Phillies twenty twenty five first rounder, So Philly can trade twenty twenty,
twenty twenty three or twenty twenty seven in theory, but that is potentially
oh to Oklahoma City, so it'll be pending that twenty twenty five obligation to
OKC conveying. Are you accepting twenty twenty one, twenty twenty three, Danny
Green, Tyrese Maxie, and Matiste tie Ball. Is that getting it done
for zach Lavine? I don't know. And the Sixers could probably talk themselves
into that being too much for zach Lavine because they are really obliterating their depth
in that scenario. You know, I would do it if I were the
Sixers, if you figure out a way to keep Matisse or you probably need
to keep Matisse Danny Green because you don't want to really hurt your wing defense
that much. But I don't know if Chicago's gonna want to shake and Tyres
Maxie and giving them three first round picks for zach Levine seems ubsurd on its
face, But do you do that? Twenty one, twenty three and twenty
twenty seven pending that obligation of okay C plus Maxie and Danny Green is the
filler? You might need a little bit more money there. Let me just
check and see how much Lavine makes here. No, that would actually work,
so that could be the deal. Is Chicago doing that? Is that
enough? I also don't know what other team could kind of come out of
the woodwork for this new York would be interesting because their defense is so good,
and if you can get him while keeping RJ. Barrett, and I
would assume Julius Randall. I don't know what use the Bulls really have for
Julius Randall. I'm not totally against it, am I. This is like
I'm very much team lean into being bad, so you're not caught in the
middle. But maybe I just haven't seen good knicks basketball in what feels like
forever. You know. I would say, if you're in New York,
quickly's gone in that deal, You're just you're not keeping Barrett and quickly if
you get zach Lavine, and then you're building it around picks basically, you
know, abe there interesting no Obi Toppin. Maybe they like him. It's
just hey, he could play with Patrick Williams. And we're gonna let Lowry
market and marketstrit diffree agency. So is it topping a manual quickly? That
hurts my soul? And then how many picks are we including here? You're
including your twenty twenty one I would say one of the twenty twenty one New
York or Dallas Dallas twenty twenty three. For sure, you can trade your
twenty twenty two pick. That gets interesting then, so it would be New
York's or Dallas is twenty twenty one pick, and you can trade your twenty
twenty two pick because you're gonna still have a pick in twenty twenty one.
So New York's twenty twenty two pick and then that Dallas pick in twenty twenty
three. Maybe it has to be your own, but that amounts to three
first round picks quickly in Obi Toppin for Zach Lavine, I might you might
need to come off of that one a little bit. Maybe you're not getting
a manual quickly. And I don't know how much of a deal breaker that
would be for Chicago. They don't have to leave full tills into a rebuild
at that point. Anyway, Quickly, it's not going to be the difference.
And you do have Kobe White, but Toppin and three first round picks,
you know you could throw them. I'm gonna maybe Toppin Knox three first
round picks. They have some Detroit seconds twenty twenty three, Detroit second,
twenty twenty one, Detroit second. Is that is that the deal? I
mean they could you could. There's obviously Frankie Lakina would be eligible for there.
You're gonna consider giving up Reggie Bullock in that situation if they want him.
I just don't know why they they would. I'm just thinking of really
the outline of a package here, and you are offering them a ton of
relief that the Bulls really don't need it, though, So that's probably I
think you're looking at three first plus topping and then either quickly or knocks.
I'm sure the Bulls will prefer quickly. So let's let's say this. We'll
settle here three first two of topping No. Definitely topping. No. Two
of topping Kevin Knox quickly plus three first for Zach Lavine I think would be
would have to be New York's package. And you know, look, Mitchell
Robinson's there too. I wouldn't be opposed to moving him in that deal.
So maybe we need to walk this back. But that's those are the assets
I think you put in play as sort of the main attractions. You move
Knox from there, and Mitchell Robinson would be on the table, and they
don't believe in Wendell Carter Junior. Maybe the Nicks don't want to pay Mitchell
Robinson. I think the goal should be too. If you want to be
good with zach Lavine, you want to keep Randall Robinson Barrett like. I
think that's the framework. You want to keep or you want to you don't
want to give up both Quickly and Robinson and that deal. Let's let's say
that so you can get one of Quickly or Robinson, then you can have
Top and you can have Kevin Knox and basically three first. If Knicks fans
will listening to this, let me know what you what you think about that
one. They've also got Detroit seconds if we need to sprinkle this deal.
But yeah, that's what I would do with zach Lavine. Kim Ask,
Is there anything that Clippers can do about the point card situation to improve their
prospects? I don't know. I suggest that they trade for Sterling Brown just
as someone who could help them defend from the point of attack. I would
still stand by that, and he's more affordable. They've been linked to Ricky
Rubio, They've been linked to George Hill. Look, here's the thing.
If you're worried about the clippers lack of free throws and ability to get to
the rim, they're very heavy jump shooting team. George Hill isn't going to
help you there. Ricky Ruby All isn't really gonna help you there. Gives
you maybe a little bit more drivel penetration, but he's not looking to score
when he does. It does help you out defensively there though, and then
George Hill will be fine. Maybe the lawn Right is the name that maybe
you've even heard me mention it on this podcast. The issue with that,
as it is for all things Clippers, is there within a million dollars of
the hardcap, delun Right makes nine million dollars, and so you're looking at
a dollar for dollar swap. I don't know who the Clippers are giving up.
Do you give up Lou Williams for who's making eight? For de lawn
Right? You need to give up another player there too, But you have
FIANDU Cavin Gelly, which you know you can include that. But what interest
does Detroit have in Lou Williams? So now you have to get a third
team involved. Can you do something with the Sixers? And are they willing
to simultaneously said maybe the Clippers something and the Pistons something because Lou Williams might
be more valuable come playoff time, even though he's been kind of touch and
go might be the best way to put it, or that's the generous way
to put it when you get to the postseason. The lan right though,
because he's under contract for next year. He shot his three ball okay this
season before he got injured. He'll give you pressure on the rim. Not
necessarily sure if he's going to fix your your free throw problem per se,
but just another guy who's taking He would be among Clippers non big rotation players.
And look, Zoobots and terms Man are the only Clippers that get to
the to the rim and above average clip relative to their position. And so
the lawn right is, you know, he's only averaging per thirty six minutes
three point two free throw a tempts. That's not that's not great, but
he does take, you know, thirty nine point six percent of the shots
come within three feet, and that's something the Clippers could could certainly use.
I just don't know what the money going out is or what the three team
deal is, so, but that that would be a theory is I wouldn't
give up Zobots in that deal. He makes about the same as Lou Williams.
He's at seven million. I think he's too important to their defense.
Maybe there if you're going to give it Patrick Beverley, I feel like you
want someone better then the lawn right coming back and once you start looking at
the Pistons, I don't really know if they have anything else that you want
to include, Like do you want a flyer on Josh Jackson? Probably not
so. Yeah, Wayne Ellington, maybe you could get him as part of
that deal. I don't know who else is out there. George Hill feels
like sort of the easier solution, but he's not fixing what ails the Clippers
most. In my opinion, they could maybe use an Aaron Holiday a little
bit more. I just don't think you have the juice to get him because
you don't you know, you have Detroit picks in twenty twenty, twenty twenty
five and twenty twenty six. Are two seconds getting you Aaron Holliday? Like
is the framework? Is this? Like you know a Terrence man FIANDU Cavin
Gelly and two Detroit seconds? Is that getting you Aaron Holliday? I don't
know, So that might be something to considered. I'm going through just the
list of potentially available point guards right now. I don't really know that there's
anyone that's can you get. I don't know how much a d Anthony Melton
really helps you there either. So, and people are talking about they need
someone to kind of delineate the crunch time action for the Clippers, which is
an offensive thing. The Anthy Melton certainly isn't going to give you that.
Ricky Rubio might, but again he's just a non threat. George Hill kind
of probably comes closest to do checking every box they need on the offensive end,
So you know, something to sort of consider there. And d Afy
Melton get to the rim a lot less frequently than I thought, So we're
just going to remove him from from the list of player players that I said.
I don't know why I haven't seen a ton of him this season.
He also has not played at ton of this season. But uh, free
throw tenth rate of point one two two. That's an error on my end.
So yeah, I honestly don't know. I don't think necessarily the players
out there within the realm that they can afford realistically for them to fix those
those issues. That's a great question though. Maybe something maybe they just pick
up Elfred Peyton off a buyout market. That's just not you know, that
shouldn't be the answer for them either. That's a good question. I don't
know if they're going to be able to answer it. D Eye Kite season
asked who are the most interesting buyout candidates at the guard position. I think
Austin Rivers nelfor Peyton, two guys that we've we've already mentioned, they are
definitely up there. A lot of people have talked about baby because to the
point where George Hill is bought out, I do not know if that's necessarily
a distinct possibility. I think if you're as a thunder, you're going to
move him. If anything, there are not a ton of options after that.
Looking at that, these teams again, so many teams are just not
they're just not out of it and they're not holding onto these vets that don't
need anything. This Houston, you know, d always say, is another
guarantee year left on his contract, is there's some sort of buyout there where
they're looking to get less money and he doesn't want to play for a disaster
fest in Houston and he's not shot the ball well this season. But as
someone who is shown that he can hit pull up triples in the past.
That will probably intrigue some teams, similar to the way that you know,
Reggie Jackson intrigue the Clippers last season. Yeah, that's really all I got
for you is, I don't think there's gonna be you know, guards are
ye, Boston's not gonna buy out Jeffs and he not really doing anything for
you this season anyway if you get him. Yeah, I got nothing of
those. Those are all the names. I'd be most interested in Austin Rivers
of all those guys, by the way, and just to in theory of
what he could do. Maybe you know, maybe Houston does Sterling Brown a
solid. My guess would be they could get a second round pick for him
of the deadline, but he would be interesting shooting the ball well from three
Ransom point for Houston as a lot of defensive range, so that might be
someone to kind of sword of monitor there. Again, that's if they're doing
him a solid. Otherwise, Yeah, I think that's you know, we're
pretty much out of here with that. Yeah, I got nothing. Let's
move Let's move right on to their next question comes from A James who's a
player that no one is talking about that would be traded come Thursday. I
won't don't hold me to this, but some names that I think you could
consider would be Josh Hart. Everyone's talking about Lonzo Ball in New Orleans.
He's also entering resturgen free agencies, so that would be a name to keep
an eye on. Teams really covet wings. That's why you're seeing so much
interest in Harrison Barnes. Aaron Gordon isn't really a wing, but he can
defend the wing positions, and he has gotten better as a pastor over the
past couple of seasons and shooting the ball really well from three this year.
Fun fact. So if he's going to be available, I don't know what
you get for him when you know that you have to give him, you
know, between ten and fifteen million dollars in restrict to free agency. But
my guest would be maybe New Orleans could get a contender to give them a
first round pick or a semi interesting young player. Jeremy Grant would also be
a name to watch. There have been reports that the Celtics I think if
thrown out two to three first round picks for him, and those were probably
be crappy first round picks, So two first round picks and a young player
feel like it would be possible because you know, if you do Peyton Pritchard
and two first from Boston, is that something that they consider Portland? Can
their pick commitment situation is I wouldn't say it's wonky, but they've already traded
away a future first round pick this one. In fact, it's lottery protected
to Houston in the Robert coving Kings deal. Can you go twenty twenty three
twenty five? Zach Collins and Anthony Simmons? Does one of them get it
done? And it would probably be Simons is more interesting to Detroit, although
I guess they could use the theory of Zach Collins. He just hasn't really
played the past two seasons. I'm just trying to think of other teams that
might go, you know, that far into it. He would still be
good in Phoenix. I just don't know that you're getting. You know,
do you get Cam Johnson and Cam Johnson Jalen Smith and a twenty twenty four
first round pick. You're not gonna get twenty twenty six first round pick.
But he'd be interesting just because Jeremy Grant could plays in five in Phoenix,
so using Dario starts there. And if you don't trust the eight and stuff,
I guess the problem with with the eight minutes. Excuse me, I
guess the problem there then becomes, you know, now you have eight and
you've traded away other assets, so if you wanted to move eight and later,
you can't really combine him with anything too interesting. But yeah, those
would be the two names I would watch ahead of the deadline who aren't really
being talked about. Hayden Brush asked what are the chances of the Heatland one
of Aldridge, Oladipo or Rudy gay Am, And I already answered this in
the pod that no one will ever hear. We'll say ninety five percent,
might even be higher than that. I feel like they're gonna wind up being
Aldridge via a buyout. The stuff that the I thought at first the Spurs
letting this go public meant that they did have a suitor lined up, and
I think I let myself get too caught up in the fact that the Spurs
were doing something uncharacteristic. So I don't know how they're gonna fine takers.
So my guests would be this ends in a buyout with the marks soldrin,
he goes to the Heat. If they can take a flyer on Oladipo where
salary filler and then like you know, Kendrick Nunn, they won't give up
for him. Houstons willing to accept that, then that's something that I could
see them doing. Moosa, speaking of Oladipo, asked where is Oladipo going,
because if the Rockets don't trade him now, he's going to leave and
they won't get anything in return. I agree with you. Something also to
consider here is they the Rockets have essentially opted for Victual Oladipo Overcowers the Vert
and his second round pick. That decision looked questionable at best. In the
moment, I thought maybe they believed they could trade Oladipo for more than that.
Always a sketchy belief. A lot of other people who cover the Rocks
deposit they just wanted the cap space. You could have traded Taras la Vert
over the off season into some teams cap space and then gotten value for him
as well. So I don't want to hear that that it was for cap
space. I do think they move him the Dallas seems like the no brainer
here. They have James Johnson's expiring contract and they can give you Josh Green,
Tyron Tyrell Terry. I don't know why, Why don't I can someone?
Can someone explain to me why I want to call Dallas' is Tyrell Terry
Tyrrell Maxie? Is it just because he's so similar to Tyrese Maxie. I
don't know, but if anyone can explain, I'd appreciate the help there.
That just seems like a no brainer destination. We mentioned Miami, New York
has cap space, and so if Fusian's are going to save money, Kevin
Knox for Victor Ladipo almost works. Kevin Knox and Elfred Peyton, let's just
say, and they're still saving, like you know, on their books that
are all the people's a very collected salary, YadA, YadA, YadA,
but they're still saving like close to fifteen million just pure books. And both
those guys, you know, Kevin Knox is on the books next season.
But at least you have someone to sort of kind of monitor there, and
you do get out from underfactility depots contract. But if you were looking for
pure cap savings, you know, does a Detroit second and Elfred Peyton and
Austin Rivers do it, you know, But that's something that you could build
if you're the Knicks, and that's not I might take a flyer. I
know that the Knicks can sign him out right this summer, but there's value
and seeing if whether he's one can stay healthy and two fits in with Barrett
and Randall because we have seen him kind of hijack possessions in Houston and then
in the bubble with Indiana last year. And that would be those Willig teams
I would single out, and I mentioned the Lakers before just as a you
know, can they get to the salaries point to get him. Maybe there's
step ladder trades involved, but that's still because they're Hardcaps. This isn't like
they have the numb rom one of the hardcap where that could super work.
And the other team I've thought about, by the way, would be if
Memphis decided to buy, could they pick him up on the cheat because it
feels like they need another off the dribble score, preferably one who's a better
shooter than him, which is why Buddy Healed might be a little bit more
interesting. Than Oladipo in Memphis, and he would be purely a rental because
I don't think he resigns in Memphis. But those are my strongest Victor Oladipo
thoughts. What did the Sixers do with the trade deadline this year? Coach
Wilson. I think they're inevitably going to trade for Newmania be Elitza. That
just seems like the deal there. They could also use kind of another big
man presence while Joel Embiid is out and so is there something there where it's
a second round pick and you're going to use I probably wouldn't use Mike Scott
or Totally Radley at this point, just because knowing what's going on with him
bids you kind of need the serviceable death. And maybe I'm being generous by
calling Tony Bradley serviceable, but he's he's shed a ton of weight, moving
pretty well, is it? Vincent Pourier? And I think you might need
another so out, Well, you definitely need another sout and Terrence Ferguson.
There you go, Terrence Ferguson and Newmania be Elitza and maybe a second to
get excuse me, Terrence Ferguson and vince in Pourier and a second, maybe
not a particularly good second, like they have a twenty twenty three second.
I think it comes from Portland. If I'm not mistaken, it's from Atlanta,
Charlotte or Brooklyn, so I very much am mistake him. I'm not
giving up the nick second round or from Naumania bi Elitza. Maybe that looks
bad enough though where you are going to consider that. That would be the
framework of a deal. I don't know if they're going to swing anything higher.
Zach Lavine again would be my ideal. Destonate would be their ideal get
to me Radley Biel obviously, but he's just not available, so let's kind
of move on from from that one. I don't know if there's another name
for them that interests me. Evan Fournier could be fun. I just I
don't want to have to go up Danny Green if i'm them for that,
because I do think he's still sort of really valuable to their to what they're
going to do defensively. Maybe you get JJ Reddick on the buy out market
and he's injured right now, so that's you know, I don't know what
you're really giving up for that Kyle Lowry people have mentioned I will be surprised
if Kyle Lowry gets moved. However, if he does get moved, I
fully expect him to go to Philadelphia. And so that is I guess kind
of a you know, cheers to Philadelphia. There, I'm not I'm not
really sure. Let's get to these we've got We've got a few more left.
Let's see how money I can answer. We'll go a little bit rapid
fire. What's the most likely thing the Celtics are going to do? Dylan
nothing, because that's the Danny Ains special in the middle of the season.
And I guess that's kind of rude, so I should I should take that
back. But he's the king of almost during the regular season. They do
have that huge trade exception. They need help, like they are. Yeah,
as we're recording this, they are right now seventh. They're in playing
territory five hundred in the East. You might still expect them to finish above
the Knicks. There aren't a lot of other teams that you would expect them
to usurp. I mean, Atlanta should only get healthier. Miami's been on
a tear. Milwaukee, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, I would say those five teams
might be fairly guaranteed to stay in front of Boston. I'm not just going
to write off the Knicks if they have a tough schedule, and I still
have a level of skepticism about them, perhaps just because I can't believe this.
You need to do something, and you can talk yourself that the Celtics
need a little bit of everything. They simultaneously have a log jam of bigs
and yet they could use a more dynamic center. They need to replace the
Jeff Tigue minutes somehow, and that's even with Marcus Smart returning, and you
definitely need another wing, a reliable wing aside from John Brown and Jayson Tatum.
The issue for them is how much you wanting to give up if a
player doesn't profile as part of your closing lineup. They're in this very intriguing
situation where Kemba, regardless of what you think with him, I don't think
they should move him. I still believe in Kemba, and they were rolling
at points last year when he was good, and he's perked up a little
bit since going through the motions. Kemba, Marcus Smart, Jason Tatum,
John Brown, those are your four. Can you get away with Harrison Barnes
is the five? Maybe, but I need more than a than a maybe
if it's going to cost two first round picks and maybe one of their young
players. I would estimate not Pritchard, but maybe a Nay Smith or a
Langford to get him. Aaron Gordon's a name that stood out to me for
a while with them because I think you can get away with him closing at
the five for you, and then he does also kind of diversifies your wing
minutes at least when you're looking at defensive matchups. And look, Orlando uses
him as a three. He's out there with you know, Ken Birch and
nicolev Ruchev of Vujovic at the same time, So I mean like he's he
plays the three in Orlando. A bunch the lineup was watching their name the
other night that I believe they lost. It was Birch, Bomba and Gordon
run the court at the same time. So those would be names that I'm
circling upon them. They've been linked to Jeremy Grant obviously, as we mentioned,
I just don't know how realistic that is. They might be able to
address backup point guard via buyout. But even as I'm saying that it's ken,
they actually you might be married to Jeff t. George Hill would be
interesting for them. You can't keep up a ton though, because he's not
a part of your closing lineup that is young. If you want to use
him as the five, I really kind of like that fit for them.
I don't know how much he helps them really with the rebounding. Maybe a
combination, you know, if you can get Garrett Temple and Paddy is young.
Just because you are working that huge trade exception, you have Tristan Thompson
on the books for another year, but you have his money, you have
some other money you could send to Chicago if they're willing to part with him.
Those would be players that if I'm Boston I would target. So yeah,
that I'm trying to just think of other names for Boston. But I
don't expect anything huge from them because I'm kind of, you know, skeptic
that we're gonna have a busy trade deadline, and I think it'll be busy,
just I don't know how many deals will be significant. So yeah,
that that's actually I think that's a good place to really wrap up here.
We might have another pod before the trade deadline. If you really want to
motivate me to do it, at me on Twitter at Naval Valley. Say
you want a trade idea dump to publish on Wednesday, the day before the
trade deadline. I have a spreadsheet just fill the trade ideas. And I'm
always afraid to go public with because I don't like getting reams and I think
people inherently believe that, you know, not not just me, but other
people do that to generate incandescent conversation or to be trolls. I don't put
them on Twitter. I don't even write about a lot of these. I
do write about hypothetical trades at least report, but I would just have a
spreadshe of them. If you guys would like to see them or hear them.
Add us on Twitter at Hardwood Knox. I'm at Dampa Valley at l
E. Please please, pretty please remember to subscribe and download every episode wherever
you get your podcast, whether you use iTunes or not, head over to
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really helps us out. We are on YouTube Hardwood Knox, follow us on
Twitter. I think it's already mentioned Hardwoo Knox. Until next time, though,
I leave you with the shout out to the one the only the fourth
place in the Eastern Conference at the moment and kind of sort of surging,
what are they going to do with John Collins? Can they maybe acquire another
wing? They've been linked to Lonzo Ball. What's going to happen there in Lanta Hawks