What E's up, Fellow Sickos and thermonuclear afres Im Dan Valley coming at you
with another solo podcast, A podcast I wanted to record for just a minute,
but between fireworks and puppy duty that comes with the fireworks, couldn't carve
out time at night. Didn't want to do it during the day because it's
gonna become so dated. We're doing it during the day on a Saturday anyway.
I've got triple screens up, friend of new Cares, I've got my
well, I guess four screens if you count my two phones. The other
laptop here where have notes, cap stuff and about signings. We'll get to.
I'm gonna go through what I think is every NBA team's biggest need that
they still need to address now that we're done with this first sort of wave
of free agency. As I'm recording this, it's the sixth. The moratorium
will lift shortly. I think I'm eight minutes out of that happen happening,
so we have some more deals that will become official, if anything news.
We're gonna cover enough teams here Aleius. I'm gonna try and make it super
quick pace, maybe like I mean an hour for all thirty teams would be
great, but again I'm gonna go through all those very quickly. Just subscribe
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comments, like share all the nine Appreciate all of you guys, and subscribe
of course, Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. All the
support continues to be very much appreciated. But look, let's just hop to
it. And like I said, we'll use the Some teams might be longer.
And if there's any signings we missed, because we want to talk about
every signing, I will fold those into which is why partly I have another
screen up here, because I have unbolded the signings that haven't covered for each
team yet insofar as they've made them, and we're gonna go. Look,
it's a little dangerous, and I thought about going to reverse, but now
I'm doing it myself. This isn't the time to go reverse here. So
we're gonna begin with the Atlanta Hawks. Their biggest need no move since we
might still be waiting on them to do stuff. So to last talk,
it feels like they need I mean, they still need two way wings.
Just because Zachary Risichet is really young. We don't know what he's gonna look
like at the NBA level. Dyson Daniels is very defense oriented, even though
I kind of like his passing field there. They do have DeAndre Hunter,
but he's like this is like he's like one point twenty five way where it's
like there's gonna be days where all look how dynamic he is or plug and
play on offense. I know he's defending quite well. There's gonna be days
where it's at so he's not quite I wouldn't call him one dimensional. He's
got the body, he could still stack up. But they also kind of
need, like is the plan at this point just to have Are you gonna
give a lot of backup point guard reps to Dyson Daniels or Kobe Buffkin I
don't hate, And of course Bogdanovich is here actually don't hate that idea of
like, Okay, let's see what we have in Kobe Buffkin, and let's
give Dyson Daniels. Let's surround him with shooting. Maybe those are the minutes
where you downsize with because if theoretic you'll be big all the other positions.
Do you go with a Kungu or Nance or Jalen Johnson is like, you
know, two of those guys as your front courts for better spacing than Capella.
I don't hate it, but I probably like to see them get like
another backup type of point guard if they're not going to go that route though
they need two way wings. I just don't see them expending the assets necessary
to go out and get those two way wings. The Boston Celtics, since
we last spoke, they did sign resign Xavier Tillman two years, four point
eight million dollars. I think that was good, just a different type of
big man look for them, and he can hold up I think better than
people realize. On switches, they still feel like not that they're shallow.
At the five. You have Horford and Cornette and Tillman, and that's like,
that's probably fine for bigs. And then the porzingis injury sort of looms
and you have Namias Kaita is coming back as well. But it's like,
okay, if Al Horford gets injured, things feel like they could get touch
and go. I don't know what else you would expect them to do.
When you do look at this team, it's like kind of you know,
what do they actually need? Because their top like you could trust their top
seven guys. You want to throw Sam Hawser in there, top eight,
if you're throwing Peyton Pritchard, they just really they don't have a hole.
I would say maybe they could use a different type of reserve wing on this
roster. Maybe someone would shimme in between the two three or four justin Holliday
would be interesting. You would you know, you have to look and you
run roster spot issues here. Of course they're only working with minimums. If
you want a different type of backup playmaker for them, I would kind of
get it up. But like just between Derek White, Andrew Holliday and Jason
Tatum and Peyton Prichard and of course even Jent, like you can just stagger
minutes. Definitely you can run some stuff through Al Horford, and I think
I might be over compensating for focusing too much on saying that they need this
additional this additional playmaking, so kind of like just another combo wing forward type
because look, you have White and Brown and Tatum and I guess you want
to throw holiday then, but that's sort of it. And so someone outside
the starting lineup who's not Sam Hawser that can maybe fill that role a little
bit better defensively. But this team is just the Celtics are the quintessential no
notes team. But aside from just health, I don't know what you can
actually like, what concern are we going to manufacture here? So let's not
manufacture anything. Let's just keep it moving. The Brooklyn Nets, I mean,
you talk about a team, they're all over the place. I kind
of bandied about the idea like they they need I want to see them have
like a floor general of the future, timand I mean they need anything of
the future, because who's there, who's their primary building block right now?
They don't have one, and so if you want to have that be the
need. But just like having Ben Simmons, having Dennis Shooter, I know
you have Can Thomas is probably him or Nick Klakson. The closest they have
to a building block, but those two are not building block type of people.
If you end up moving to Cam Johnson or Dorian Phinney Smith, seeing
if you can get sort of a younger point guard type feels like the way
to go to this team, that someone who could start organizing your offense again.
Having Ben Simmons if he's healthy, or Dennis Shooter in the interim,
those guys are not going to be long for Brooklyn anyway, and so they
just need a talent infusion. Younger talent take the flyer if you want him
in the wings, comble forward. It's not a big like I'm fine with,
I'm interested in I'm still interested in Noah Clowney, full disclosure, dayon
sharp like kind of nice physical, some brute force there, and then you
have Nick Lass. So I think that's the route for for them to go
there for sure. The Charlotte Hornets, they still not moves again. I'll
go through them. If there's any moves that we have not covered yet,
we'll get into a little detail with them. They're like still they're kind of
in the talent acquisition mode type deal. It still kind of feels like,
do they need the guy that's gonna just play next to LaMelo ball long term,
and it's not gonna be is it? Trey Man. It's not gonna
not gonna be Reggie Jackson. I do kind of like their wing setup now
when you look at having TJ's lawn and Brandon Miller, I think that's a
good start. You also still have Cody Martin on this team, so like
I'm not and we don't know what's gonna happen with Miles Bridges as of this
moment, of course, so they could use some wing upgrades in theory if
you're looking for a veteran presence. But it's like, if that's a two
three, do you think it's Josh Green? That's fine. I tend to
be a little bit lower on Josh Green than most. I like him better
in the non LaMelo minutes, to be honest with everybody. But if they
could, I guess it's just like I'll call it wing shooting. Just they
have they they do have Miller, they have LaMelo, they have Josh Green
can hit threes, but see they meet it. So you do have guys
who can do that. Maybe if you want, if you want them to
swing for the fences. I think you look at it and try to identify
it and say, okay, they do have Salon, and so if you
want to evaluate him in the larger context, okay, the four is set
and if you don't trust Miles Bridges, which totally fair. So just like
another two three that's based on the floor, I think would be good.
You could make a case that would be better to have some backup point guards
here. Again Trey Mann being there, He's got some wiggle to him.
And then of course Reggie Jackson is just like a good enough steward probably,
and then again, they still have Mesich on this roster, so I'm gonna
settle on that. Another team that's sort of in transition though, so you
could come up with a ton of different ones. The Bulls, I mean,
what don't they need to make sure that they duck attacks and any Demard
Rosen fine in trade? I like, I guess like they still kind of
could use shooting they have if Zach Levine's gonna be moved, it seems like
they're trying to move Lonzo Ball. You did just trade for Josh. I
think that's sort of the logic behind Okay, we brought in Jalen Smith here.
That gives you kind of another guy him and Vooch to space the floor.
I think if you want to get super general as, we'll just get
future first round picks and just continue to lean into sort of the bottom.
It does seem like they're taking a more gradual approach. You kind of just
need indiscriminate shooting across the two, three, and four, and I would
probably shooting with size, like real wing size is probably the way to go.
Because you do have Kobe White, you do have Io Discreming on this
team, and again for now you have Zach Lavine and Lonzo Ball I hope
is healthy enough to watch this season. You brought back Patrick Williams, but
just sort of like you know, Javon Carter is on the smaller end too,
So just like Kobe White and dissume was kind of a wing has good
size, can defend up, but just like wing, I think, just
go wing shooting in volume, which spoiler alert, that's I guess that's going
to fall into the category for a lot of these teams. Every team could
be like, couldn't we have someone who plays the two to three in the
four then just shoots threes, that'd be great, but that's probably their biggest
need. It's tough to really boil it down for them, though, until
you get understand what direction they're actually headed in. And it does seem again
that they're maybe not a full tilt rebuild, butch is based off the rumors
about will they sign and trade to Marta Rose into the Sacramento Kings or maybe
even the San Antonio Spurs, So it does seem like they're headed in that
direction. But until they pick it, not to be confused with jam and
Picket, but until they actually pick that direction, it's like kind of tough
to identify the needs. And as of right now, I guess you could
say, because you paid Patrick Williams and you just have like you're kind of
fine in the back court of Giddy and Kobe White, and as soon move
if you want to evaluate those guys against the future, it's still you could
say, well, let's get like an actual center. If you want it
to get like a center of the future in there, you go with that,
because they don't really have that on the roster, But anyway you want
to slice it with that, and could you get someone who fills either of
those roles that I just talked about in at Marta Rose and Sign and Trader
as part of a Zach Lavine trade. Honestly don't know, certainly not gonna
get that as part of the Lonzo ball trades. I don't think he has
a ton of value around the league right now, or if that matter,
does Zachlline next team up the Cleveland Cavaliers. So since we last spoke,
Domna Mitchell agreed to an extension three years, about one hundred and fifty point
three million dollars, one fewer year than he could have signed for. But
now, if you're Cleveland, like you've added two seasons so this season the
following season to say, okay, we have this, we're not going to
be under pressure to move him, and then he'll have another guaranteed year before
free agency or the option to get to free agency. But like that could
be if you haven't won yet, or if you haven't progressed, or you're
looking to you know, the roster got so expensive with Mobile on a new
deal, maybe Allen on a new deal, you bought yourself two years here
with this three year extension being tacked on to two plus one being tacked on
to the year that's already there, So you've given yourself two more years.
I would say, of just not you know, worry free, but you
know that he can be here for two years, is not going to be
pressure to move him. You can see what the work that Kenny Atkinson does
with this core four. I think that's you know, they could have hoped
for the four year extension that would have bought them even like three years with
this, but to just get that commitment from Donna Mitchell is a very big
deal for this team, and I think it reiterates why organizations that might not
be on a player's list or be in the primary running go out there and
make the move. If you think you're closer, you think it makes a
difference because these guys might stick around. So I was kind that was kind
of cool to see In terms of biggest need. I mean, it's kind
of the same. It's you want more like, I guess a two way
wing, someone who could play in the playoffs, maybe lock some time at
the four, can defend maybe some of the bigger wing assignments where that's not
Isaaca Korro Strength who is This recording still remains unsigned. By the way,
in restricted free agency. They would be an interesting Dorian Phinney Smith team,
I think, and they should be able just between George and Nyang salary,
they could cobble together enough to get there. I just don't know in terms
of draft equity, what is Brooklyn gonna want for that player? And so
you go out, you draft jam and Tyson. Is that enoughs like kind
of to sweeten that package. But that's sort of the need because we know
that they're gonna heavily stagger, you know, all four of their top players
where you're gonna see different combinations between the two guards and the two bigs.
But we know that they're probably gonna aggressively stagger Jared Evan Mobley unless Evan Mobley
just comes in he's shooting, you know, a bunch above the great threes
and hitting him at thirty five, thirty six percent clip or whatever that's gonna
be. That's gonna remain their biggest need. Next up the Dallas Mavericks,
who I turns out I'm a lot higher on there all season. A lot
of people who don't think they've improved by that much. Maybe those people really
like Josh Green or Tim Hardaway Junior Uh, they probably could use like another
point of attack defensive option, just because I believe in Dante exhim and even
just having watched Quentin Grimes for the first like I don't know, like the
two seasons of his career before things went sideways this past year. That's actually
a role that he could fill while spacing the floor and not needing the ball.
The fact that Detroit gave him up in that Tim Hardaway dump where that
they only got them seconds that was bizarre. So it's is there something there
that's medically a red flag or behaviorally or functionally like what is it about that
organization that was out on him in the Knicks even eventually moving on from him.
But I do think that they can reasonably appros like Derek Jones Junior gave
you flexibility and pop that. No, you're not gonna replace with Dante Exim,
you're not going to replace it with with Quenton Grins, But you do
have options there. They're not barren of this, and Naji Marshall I do
think can hold up against They're probably more change of pace, smaller players like
the Shake Gillis. Alexander's the name I mentioned, So if you need someone
to go. But like, I think he could probably do well against a
Devin Booker type or a Bradley Beal type. If you have more of these
just like explosive type guys or really just super quick twitch, that might be
where he runs into some issues. I just think they can approximate it enough.
At the same time, like there's no other need, Like you could
look and say, all right, like do you want to see kind of
a different type of like three, like another type of wing in there,
And I mean, I guess that'd be fair. But Naji Marshall can spend
time at a three or the four PG Washington, you can move him around,
but I think it's maybe another point of attack option. Not I don't
know that they need to close games. That's also gonna be like a very
tough thing to fill at this point in the offseason. I mean, do
they want to reunion with Dennis Smith Junior. I don't know. I was
about to say Dennis Jones junior. That would have been super weird. That's
not a real player for a case. Anyone who's wondering, so like I
just and you're kind of looking at the options. It's I have wondered just
like Markel Foltz is still floating around out there. My guess is maybe just
Orlando is gonna re sign him at this point because they're just bringing all their
normal guys back apparently. But uh, that would be if they're gonna address
something. I think this team is better that you have Klay Thompson on the
wings now, by the way, and if you can like figure out you
know, nauseus to cover some of the tougher wing coverages and then Clay gets
to shift on to just like maybe glorified fours at that point. I don't
know if their defense will be as good as it was last season, but
I think their offense is a lot better. And I really don't think if
there is a drop off defensively that you're gonna see it. And if you
wind up with like a Markel Foltz as just an option floating around on here,
I mean, good god, they're gonna have a case to be favorites
over Okay see at that point, and by the way, you know,
it takes a lot for me to put anyone in the same classes. Okay
see, Uh, Denver has made They have not made any other move since
we talked about the Clay Thompson signing with Dallas, by the way, in
case that he wants to go back and listen to that podcast. So I
mean they probably I'm like, what is their biggest need? I would probably
say you could are like a veteran backup five or a veteran backup one,
or I think you probably need like the KCP replacement, or just like here's
the issue. And there are a lot of Nuggets fans who agreed with what
I said about the Nuggets on the last podcast, Like I understand this idea
that Christian Brown will come in and be as good or better defensive, leaving
Kintavius Caulled the pulp. I also understand that there are real second Apron challenges
here. I think when you really start to dig into the frozen picks and
how long you know, if you're in the second Apron for a full season,
your pick becomes frozen, then if you do it again, it's going
to be moved to the bottom of the draft. And then to get out
of it, you're talking about like being out of it in I think three
or four years or whatever it is. Those are real challenges. My issue
with the KCP thing, and I promise I won't spend a shit ton of
time on this is that if you really wanted to, you could have ducked
the tax the second apron excuse me, with him, they're like fifteen million
away from it right now. You add kcp's twenty two million dollars or whatever
it starts in year one into the fold your Zeke Naugy salary. Dounb Beleway
and we talked about that deal when it was initially signed last year and said,
well, it's good that you have this sort of matching salary on the
books that you need to make a trade. But that's almost turned into a
toxic deal because he hasn't played, and they went out four years for some
reason, which was very lengthy, and I'm sure we mentioned it at the
time. That is my primary issue here is that I'm team. If there's
a way to do it, and there was a clear path to do it,
it might have cost you some draft equity, but I think he probably
could have done it without giving up seconds. But like you're trying to figure
out and Zach wophrase this way, you have to figure out the backup to
the backup minutes now, ok So, Christian Brown comes in replaces what KCP
is doing. Now you need someone to replace like the Christian Brown type reserve
minutes. Do you think that's Julian Strother. We're going to see a lot
more hunter Tyson. There also seems like this might have been the product of
a disconnect between the coaching staff and the front office. Just the way that
you know Justin Holliday's not back at this moment, and the way that he
was played in favor of Peyton Watson during that Minnesota Timberwolve series. Is that
something that Calvin Booth would not have wanted to see, no matter how bad
Peyton Watson was. I just think for this year, you continue kick the
can. Yeah, you have to reconcile when Aaron Gordon's on his next deal
and Jamal Murray has presumed extension kicks in. Okay, fine deal with it
then. So that's where I ended up with. When you're citing a need,
it's I mean, like, I guess just a veteran backup five.
I'd like you have Nase and you have Jordan, and you have Deron Holmes.
Now I think it's probably I'm gonna go with shooting. You need to
go another wing type of shooter, but just like you were a low volume
three point shooting team, and that's a tough math to win, even if
you have Nicole Jokich on your squad. So you kind of need like someone
in the vein of a two three four who's not who has more experience.
It's like maybe that would be a Justin Holliday at this point if we're talking
just minimum options, is there anyone that you could get as part of a
Zeke Najy trade? Do you take a flyer on like his? Has Sadik
Bay fallen down into the minimum territory? Do you take a stab at Jay
Crowder? I just feel like they need an extra body there. I don't
expect them to play at this point because of how invested in the youth they
are. It's slim Pickens at this point in Freeing and Joe Angles would have
been fantastic, by the way, but he's he's ended up. Excuse me,
he's not gonna end up going. I thought that was a great addition
by Minnesota to get him, which we'll probably get to. So just like,
do you want to see him take a look at Dario Sarich, Just
like some of a backup five there. They just they just need another veteran
in the rotation to me in case there are nights where the younger guys aren't
giving you enough or you need to sort of pivot. I'm not even any
of the names I listed, you can't guarantee me that they're gonna play over
X or should. And maybe that's what Calvin Booth is doing because he wants
to take all the other alternatives out of Michael Malone's clip, which he's basically
effectively done. So like if Gordon Hayward's willing to sign for the minimum,
that'd be interesting sort of gamble for them. Not really gonna help their three
point volume or defense though, but I guess from just a pure talent play,
would he even be willing to do that though, just because he wants
He clearly wants these youngsters to to develop. Our next team here is going
to be someone's Detroit Pistons. I'm not gonna take ownership of them. They
just added that's one of the things we missed on them is they signed the
league Beasley to a one year, six million dollar contract right before I hopped
on this podcast. I think just continuing to load up on shooting. I
totally get it. And now you have Tobias Harris, you have Malik Beasley,
you have Tim Hardaway Junior. So those are guys who can effectively space
that we have Marcus Sasser two by the way, so when you have you
know, a non spacing five and Calender and Isaiah Stewarts here, they've yet
to resign Simoni Fontechio and that's probably their biggest need is like let's make sure
he comes back with Oursar Thompson and Rob Holland and how shaky j and Ivey's
been. You just can't have too much shooting on this team. And so
I think you've gotten to a point now where you could play if you really
structure it. Stewart at the five like you can get to some either five
out or four our combinations that make at like literal actual sense. And so
I like that from them. I probably continue to load up on shooting.
I think what they maybe could need as I mean a bunch of stuff,
but could there be like a better way to get some floor spacing five minutes
At this point in free agency, you're not just gonna go out there like
Daniel is not like okay, whatever, you know, the Daniel types of
like four or five years ago. Maybe so it have to be done via
trade. I think it might be more realistic, you know, can we
get some like the idea they had with Monte Morris that didn't pan out,
whereas like, do we have sort of a veteran floor general, an alternative
to to Jade and I mean an alternative to the kid coming here to lead
some of those minutes? Again, you're looking in free agency and like Folts
isn't a good enough shooter. I don't think because didn't what you're gonna want
to go back to Denver? I mean, did you just want Tyas Jones
on this roster because you can afford him? And doesn't seem like any other
team is all that interested? Is that something you're addressing via via trade?
But that seems like what they could still. I think that's what they need
the most. It's just kind of that alternative there. I don't really like
I get the investing the minute equity and like and Arstar Thompson can do some
stuff. Maybe we see him as like some primary playmaker minutes around shooting,
but I kind of like to see them get just more of a veteran presence.
There again the idea of Monte Morris, which I thought made a lot
of sense for them. The next team we have is going to be and
we have some stuff to talk about them, I believe, the Golden State
Warriors. So since we last talked, Kyle Anderson signed a three year,
twenty seven million dollar deal in a sign in trade. They also got Buddy
Healed via sign and trade for Dallas' twenty thirty one second round pick. They
guaranteed him two years an eighteen million. Basically, it's the three million partial
guarantee in year three, so guaranteed total of twenty one and it goes out
to an unguaranteed year four. So that's a very team friendly contract for the
Dubs. And the fact, look, you basically turned to Chris Paul and
Klay Thompson into the Anthony Melton, KYLEE Anderson and Buddy Heald. But even
more so, like to turn Klay Thompson's departure and that traded player exception into
Buddy Heald and KYLEE Anderson I think is nice work. And then even with
like this team now, they're really interesting defensively when you look at having KYLEE
Anderson and Melton adding that to the fold. If Gary Payton the second is
healthy, still have Draymond Green, Jonathan Comingga, maybe Andrew Wiggins has a
bounce back year here. They're like they're in an interesting spot and Buddy healed
shooting. Of course that'll be important, very interesting how they flush out this
rotation where it still feels like they have a lot of players who need to
be on the floor, even if they don't have that second a lister beyond
Steph, and that's still their biggest need. I know they've been linked to
Larry Market and I think he would help. I thought a little bit about
do they need more of a backup playmaker, but just between Kyle Anderson,
Danfy Melton, having Draymond Green and Steph, I think you eke out just
enough here. It might be a need, but I don't know that it
needs to be top of mind. They just needed another reliable person who can
generate their own shot, and that's not on the roster right now. You
really have to believe in Andrew, like even the twenty twenty two version of
Andrew Wiggins that was not necessarily his but not it just wasn't his strong suit.
I don't need to use the necessarily qualifier. I don't hate Larry market
here. I love that fit, but that's not really his game either.
You sort of banging on Kaminga to become that player right now. They need
It's like almost a higher end talent is the way to phrase it, but
like that's what they're clearly looking to compete. I think they've done better work
rebounding after deciding not to keep playing, not going to second Apron, then
the Clippers or the Nuggets have done. So do I like the roster better
than the Nuggets? No? Do I like them better than the Clippers?
Absolutely at this point. So, but that would be their their biggest need
again unless you just really think that like Moses Moody or Cominga or Pods is
going to become that guy. But also mentioned him in sort of the secondary
playmaking options for them too, and I just don't That's why I go back
and forth where it's like I like Larry Marketing, but to see the guy
for this team that I would just give up everything for, and it's I
mean probably not everything, because he's gonna be a free agent and you have
him and if you're keeping Minga, both of those guys are gonna need new
deals at the same time. But like, if that's the move, I
guess I would still make it. But it's like you probably need him to
generate more of his own shots or you're just hoping that infusing this team with
some extra spacing, having Larry market in in addition to maybe pods and you
know, makes a leap there. And then you have Moses Moody playing some
minutes. They're spacing could still be pretty walky on this team. But with
healed, is there more room for Kaminga to kind of develop that part of
his game. The Houston Rockets like they they're they don't have a knee just
because I like that they haven't really done anything this offseason because like just continue
to invest. They resigned Aaron Holliday. Uh, they just don't have a
need like I want to. I want to see all their their like I
want to see them play their their prospects and just let's look at all these
guys who need minutes. Brevent Fleet, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Reed
Shepherd, Dylan Brooks, Jabari Smith, Cam Whitmore, Alpha and Shangun Tarry
Easton. That's ten guys and I didn't even mention a Jay Chante or Steven
Adams, So that's just a lot of bodies there. If you had to
quibble, like they do, maybe need like I guess someone like a wing
sized player who might be able to generate their own shot. Now Am and
Thompson sort of wing sized player, but he's almost a point guard of a
fringe big at this point, I think you could also just make the case
like let's continue to lean into complimentary shooting. But I'm reticent to just list
anything here for them because I don't want to see them. It's it's not
a need. But if they wanted to make a consolidation move, which I
don't see the name out there, that would make sense for them. I
mean, lid marketing would be interesting on this team. I love Jabari Smith
so much, but I'd kind of love to see those two play together.
But like this team just doesn't have They're at a point in their development where
it's right, we have basically all the boxes checked. Maybe we need more
information about, well, what do we have in terms of primary playmakers When
it's Jalen Green and Fred van Fleet and Ahmen Thompson, Do we need more
there? Do we have enough shooting? Where it's okay, it's Ree Shepherd,
it's Jalen Green. Where we're gonna get is Jay Shon Taate or Chari
Easton. Are they gonna be healthy enough? Well? They hit enough jump
shots? How does kem Whitmore fit in this equation. I'm not adding anyone
to this roster personally. If you wanted to pick, I guess it might
be like another veteran playmaker just to That's not Van Fleet's game necessarily. The
Amen Thompson learning curve and just Aaron Aaron Holly is kind of more of a
downhill threat, not gonna be known as like that pass first. But this
is like one of the teams where it's need is like a very strong I
wouldn't expect them to address anything. If the right star, you know,
Kevin Durant and they want him, or I'd be more interested in Devin Booker
if he becomes available, then yeah you pounce, but there's not there's no
point in futzing and fiddling on the margins for the rockets is basically what I'm
getting at the Indiana Pacers. I mean the same thing, and they need
a wing, like a wing defender. Aside from an Aaronie Smith or having
Andrew nemhartfil that role. TJ McConnell can play some of it. I guess
you can make the case that Jaris Walker defensively fits that bill. Sure,
I don't know if he fits that bill offensively. They would be another if
you can get to the salary match, in which you could, but it's
okay. Are we comfortable getting rid of TJ McConnell at this point? They
would just be an interesting dory Phinney Smith team to kind of take a flyer
on him. From there, they would have been a very interesting mckillbridge's team.
But the Knicks made sure that that wasn't really happening for them, And
you're kind of looking at you know, if they were able to scoop a
free agent off the scrap heap is like kind of to take like a flyer
on. There's just that guy is not really available. Maybe Javonte Green at
this point like that would be someone who'd be fairly interesting in Philly. I'm
not really taking him like a fly on Jay Crowder if on them again if
you just want it as like the body type there, but then you're infringing
upon just because he's like more forward than Wing at this point. And so
whoever you get, you don't necessarily want them. You created a weird I
don't know if it's redundancy or just position an overlap with having Obi Toppin and
Pascal Siakam and Jarris Walker. Something's gonna have to give and it's not gonna
be si Oakham's minutes, and you've just paid top it, and so does
Walker's development suffer at all with this setup, So you don't want to bring
in someone else who's not worth maybe complicating that even further. I think Dorian
Phinney Smith because if you wanted to, just if you wanted to play super
big, not even like structuring at the lineup, like you could just play
Dorian Phinney Smith with Pascal Siakam and Miles Turner and like Jaris Walker if you
really wanted to see what that looks like defensively, you could try it and
then just throw Tyree t Alburton at the one. But yeah, that's been
their biggest need. It remains their biggest need. We'll see if they look
to address it. I wouldn't expect them to do it this summer if the
cost is cheap enough for Dorianfiney Smith. But they would be a team to
watch at the trade deadline for sure. For me. Next team up,
someone's Los Angeles Clippers not taking ownership of them either. They kind of need
Like do they need Terrence Man, Norman Powell, Kawhi Leonard, Derek Jones
Junior is there? They have Nicholas Batune back. They need more playmaking.
I just between having Bones Highland and Kevin Porter Junior. Russell Westbrook's not gonna
be there. You have James Harden for sure, he might be more comfortable
this season because the ball should be in his hands even more. You have
Kawhi Leonard to get there, so as a secondary option. Okay, sure,
I guess if you want to see them go a splashy or backup big
route or can someone downsize and play big man minutes for them? But you
might be able to get there with Batoum and Derrek Jones Junior, with Kawhi
Leonard, like just having big enough lineups there with Terrence Mann rolled into there,
they do not need the I don't want to say forget about the off
court allegations. From a talent perspective, if you can get Miles Bridges for
a song, okay with this team, I just don't think he's gonna make
even if it's costing. Norman Powell is not a good defender. He's gonna
make the defense, I guess not worse, but he's not a defensive upgrade
over Derek Jones Junior. I don't. Look, I'm gonna be honest,
I don't if he's a defensive upgrade over Nick Patoum. I think Miles Bridges
is super malleable. I think he's younger. When you're looking at his fit
on the court. Offensively, there's not enough self creation juiced there for me
to like it. So I kind of hate that addition for them. And
again could be colored by the domestic violence issues that he had off the court,
and look, that's fair. I think that the league has moved on
or decided that he is you know, he was punished, he quote unquote
served his time there, paid his dues there. I've yet to see any
just I get to hear anything or see anything that would suggest that he has
begun the path that would make you think he's worth the second Champs. Redemption
is a real thing, but we also have to earn it, especially when
you're sort of this repeat offense, like a proven repeat offender, where don't
forget about the second case where they said there wasn't enough evidence there, they're
just like anecdotally terrible and there was certainly enough evidence in the first case.
And you can't shifting stories in these situations. Take those with a grain of
salt, just because when you're talking about domestic violence victims and if any story
shift or if they painted as like it wasn't as bad as usual, you
have to take those with a grain of salt as well. It's the same
thing with the Kevin Porter Junior stuff. This organization clear doesn't have a problem
betting on potentially poor character players. I don't think he gives you enough backup
playmaking either, I guess from a talent perspective, again, sure, but
it's got to be that or maybe just unless you're really high on Mobamba,
it's that or just sort of the backup five stuff behind Zobots. They have
the tools if they want to. Because they ducked the second April, this
is another team man. Their excuse for the second apron. I think the
look the Warriors were flat out with it where they just said in February Joelka,
but they don't want to pay it. I respect that more than just
man in the same in the second aprin it was gonna be tough by the
way you offered Paul Georgia contracts. Still reportedly that would have taken you into
the second apron. So unless you were just dumping Norman Powell from three and
getting rid of Terrence Man, you still would have had set. You could
get rid of p J. Tucker two. Of course there are the others
are small ball five. That's why you don't need the backup five option.
But so I just the excuses here, I understand they're tough to reconcile with.
But if you're in a championship window now you go into the second apron
if it's to keep your own players, to keep your championship contact, and
then you figure it out thereafter if more players are getting paid, or if
you really have to have a conversation about that, we need to be out
of this in the next three years. When your window is now, it
can't be about just the future. And that's what and the Clippers just painting
it is that like the Nuggets at least, okay, you look at their
draft track record, what they've done with Youngster, some of the moves that
they've made, at least they can kind of justify it. The Clippers is
just what what are you doing? You've traded all your picks already, you
don't have young guys on this roster, and you offered him a contract,
so you didn't want to give him the fourth year, which again stupid.
I think that was a bad decision. I will I think it was a
bad decision or a curious decision. Will I Am I open to the fact
that I'll be wrong for Denver for the Clippers. Yeah, sure, I
don't root for teams to fail. I don't care if I'm right or wrong.
It's not people don't remember when I'm right anyway, They're only gonna remember
when I'm wrong. So for engagement purposes, blue Clippers win the title at
this point, I just don't. But it was a curious way for them
to justify it, like his departure and the fact that it sort of came
out like the way they released it before he even picked his next team.
That was just super bizarre too, just super cringe And just as a recap,
we did cover this Nick Batum back. Then you have Chris Dunn,
So forga abut Chris Dune for a minute. Is that enough playmaking? Though?
I just and I guess with the Kevin between Kevin Porter Junior's flyer James
Harden, Kris Don doesn't. I don't know if he does enough playmaking for
me you would like to. You have Kawhi Leonard Dellenbatum, So maybe I'm
just like, yeah, it might just be the backup five route unless you
really trusting Mobamba here. It's it's one of those two things I think you
could also add for this team, Like they just need shooting. Even if
you think Kevin Porter Junior is gonna come in and launch and hit a bunch
of threes. If Derek Jones Junior repeats his performance from Beyond the Arc he
had this past regular season, but two will hit some threes, it's just
very iffy. Now you have a lot of guys that, like, you
don't have a lot of off ball good like bankuble shooters. It's Norman Powell
and then like I'm like, maybe we'll throw Nicholas between me and the Terrence
man of course is in there. So yeah, there's steam as a bunch
of needs. They should be pretty frisky defensively. Zu Bought is a good
rim protector and they have a lot of just optionality and malleability on the roster
and quick pet peeve I've heard. So there's always like everyone in while there's
like the basketball cliches going around where I think I saw a point of attack
was there and maybe advantage creation. I saw optionality was becoming one. I
just want everyone to know that we probably we probably are responsible for like jumping
on the bandwagon of cliches. At points optionality and scalability were here first.
So just just remember that that you heard it on Hard on Knocks first,
or at least in the early aughts before they became cliches. The Lakers vannie
Lebrown to take that million dollar pay country duck the second apron fantastic pr worky
by his team to make it look at Yeah, he's want to take less
if they can get actual talent, knowing they came and get fucking Yodae valentiunis,
or he might take a million less for us to duck the second apron.
If they want to duck the second apron, it's just dump a real
salary. It's are you looking at Jared Vanderbilt trades or you look and it
gave Vincent trades? Or is it we're getting rid of some of the minimums
where we gave those guys those options. This team is so weird they need
two way wings. It's just boil it down. If they've actively decided every
year since they've won the title that two way wings are stupid, or they've
devalued them at almost every turn, and I guess over the past two seasons
or all seasons they haven't, but only because they're not in a position to
get them. So I don't know how you get any two way wings on
this roster. It's gonna have to happen via trade. They would be an
interesting story of Phinny Smith team. Can you shave salary as part of that
deal? Like, what is the matching salary you want to send out there?
Brooklyn might be willing to take on. Gave Vincent. That's not enough
alone for during Phinney Smith's you need to include you can't step ladder your way
with minimums. On top of that, I don't know. I'm not giving
Jared Vanderbilt up in that just because he's probably one of your better just point
of attack. There is point of attack defenders here right now, unless you
think that Gave Vincent is going to have sort of this one be healthy and
then have a Miami Heat renaissance. E Van Build actual makes less than him.
I don't know why I thought he was on the books for more.
They'd be interesting Dorny face Smith team, but they just need any reasonable just
this guy might be a two way wing. The Heat just absolutely need to
be in the Heat. The Lakers absolutely need to be in on that player.
And look, I think the Lebron deal getting the max, he should
get his money. It complicates their path to staying beneath the second Apron.
I don't care much though, Like I think like you could still just make
moves and cut salaries part like you could just aggregate. Just as an example,
you gave Vincent and Jared Vanderbilt on the books for twenty one point seven
million dollars next year, you could trade that money and just take like back
like a seventeen million dollar player if that player is indeed sort of available.
In theory, you could step out of your way with like three. I
wonder if making a deal is harder because it doesn't seem like they want to
give up Dalton connect or even in Austin Reeves. And so two first two
swaps plus salary, who does that get you? Probably not in the tree
Young discussion. Doesn't look like Darius Carlin's gonna request the trade either. None
of those guys are wings. By the way, could you get like how
hot would Atlanta be just to get off DeAndre Hunter? And you could say
this is kind of like a fact simile of it, like what I call
one point twenty five one point five way wing, just with if you were
like exchanging him for money, but that's he's making RUI He's making more than
Marija Cha Moore. So would take two salaries and Atlanta's not gonna be a
team that's gonna want to take on money. But that's what they need,
is two way wing. So we move on to the Memphis Grizzlies, which
they're just kind of floating around out there that Luke and Ard still remains unsigned.
The Declines team option haven't really done anything outside of drafting Zach Edy.
This seems gonna be frisky as it is, but they need a bigger wing
slash forward. I mean maybe they think they have the answer and Gigi Jackson,
I'm open to the concept of it, but like between him and Vince
Williams and Marcus Maher Desmond Baying kind of playing up, you just need like
more of a properly sized wing. They would still be the money getting there
is just impossible to make work. They'd be a good Jeremy Grant team.
The Lakers, I still think would be a pretty good Jeremy grand team by
the way, too, So you're probably looking at like a three for one,
and that's an area if they have to cut. Money is part of
the process too. But is that the trade you want to go on.
I don't know that's what the Grizzies have needed since basically they decided Rudby Gay
was not that player. However many years ago, and he wasn't even that
player I guess when they had him, So again, I wouldn't expect him
to make a big move. They would be would they make a move closer
to the trade deadline when they kind of know what's happening with this core They
just haven't seen enough of Jared Jackson Junior John Morant has been made a Marcus
Smart together, like you need more of that information and then let's sprinkle in
some more Vince Williams and Gigi Jackson into there. So it's a tough team
to really say they need anything, but we know what their need is.
I just wouldn't expect them to even try and address it. Right now,
we're on to the Miami he who have lost Caleb Martin's. They haven't done
anything, but they oh, they did things. They re signed Thomas Bryant
one year you at the minimum and Alx Burke Alec Burks, excuse me,
one year at the minimum. That's a really good pick up. The Burks
one can generate his own shot, hit some catch and shoot threes, playmakes
some gets a little tunnel vision. You'll become frustrated with him at points on
defense. But at the minimum, that's one of the better minimum signings that
we've seen this offseason. They need like another advantage creator, but preferably one
with size, like or it's do you want a different type of front core
partner for Bam at a bio. It's just they can still get to Nikola
Yovic interesting now the way he I know people have talked about his offense,
the way he defended last year I thought was great. So you have him,
you have Kevin Love, you have Haimai Hawkes, Jimmy Butler. You
move bodies around and okay, poof, you've got like a frontline partner next
to Bam, a higher end one. That's why they're in on Larry market.
He would be perfect for this team. Not gonna create advantages for you
on the ball necessarily, but like so, but you could go that route,
like someone who's just gonna open up the floor, be a good play
finisher, can do some stuff on the ball. Otherwise it's you need an
advantage creator, but that player probably needs to have size, just because between
Terry Rozier and Tyler Hero and Alec Burks, like, you're just not super
huge in those areas. And that's not Terry Rozier's strength, by the way,
So maybe you're exchanging one of those guards in a hypothetical trade, like
who's the bigger Okay, advantage creator that's just going to be out there that
you're also going to have the best trade package for. I don't have the
answer there, but their offense still feels like it could be spotty this year,
and that could be even worse if okay, both of Tyler hero On
Jimmy Butler need to enjoy better health than they did last season. If you're
only getting from one of them, the ceiling on this offense feels pretty low.
Could they get that's not really va Like what would it cost to get
Keldon Johnson would be interesting here, but again what is like not enough on
ball stuff? That's and that's someone who's like, yeah, okay, the
straight line drives and then in theory hit those off the catch threes depending on
like how much he actually cost to get. I wouldn't actually mind them going
after him, but that's just that's sort of their biggest need. Don't know
what name really springs the money here. I love Larry marketing for them,
even though I did not list that as their their biggest need. That's their
second though, just like let's increase the like, let's upgrade that spot that's
next to Bam from the like Nicola Jovich or Hakes, Like, let's allow
so I guess Jovic if you're in on him, you're fine with that.
But like, rather than having Jimmy Butler or Jaime Hawk is like the way
you're structuring out your lineup B or de facto fours in those scenario, can
you get someone else to play that role? Losing Caleb Martin's kind of big
there because he opened up sort of those three wing type lineups to where you
could envision that not being necessarily a huge need. The Milwaukee Bucks since we
last talked, they added Torrian Prince on a one year minimum. I think,
for you know, to replace like the maddening Jay Crowder minutes like,
that's a good approximation you're gonna be just as frustrated with Torrian Prince. I
trust him more as a three point shooter I think at this point than Jay
Crowder, and he's probably okay, but not probably He's gonna be okay guarding
smaller type of wings, like truer wings than Drake Crowder would be. But
in the right matchup, Jay Crowder is probably more valuable defensively because Torrian Prince
isn't giving you a ton of resistance defensively. With the Bucks, though,
I mean, their biggest need still kind of feels like athleticism on the wings.
I just I know there's been talking about trading brook Lopez, but you
have Bobby Portis there and you can go to Giannis at the five. It's
looking at those two three four spots as could you just get more athletic if
that player can shoot, Okay, that's a plus as well, but just
more bounce and more pop from there. So that's not something that they've done
unless you really are like a big A J. Johnson believer. Are you
like super big believer in Tyler Smith? How much do those guys even wind
up playing. They've now added Delon Wright and Torrian Prince, though that doesn't
really satisfy that need, even if I think it improves the balance of their
roster. I think Delon Wright specifically will end up helping them a pretty great
deal. The Minnesota Timberwolves a team that I think has done some really nice
work on the margins, or at least the Rob Dillingham swing. It's a
risk, but I like the idea of, oh, they're in the second
apron, but they're still just kind of doing shit. We already mentioned Muka
Gars that they have Joe Ingles one year at the minimum and PJ Dozier.
If that's an interesting flyer. I like the Joe Ingles kind of gives you
the veteran backup playmaking element with better floors. Basically, Kyle Anderson clearly not
as valuable defensively. This team I still worry a little bit though about its
wing shooting and trying to open up the floor. And that's I think,
you know, if you're looking at Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Rob Dillingham
and then Joe Ingles, I think you could say that they have enough reserve
playmaking even if you would like them. I mean, like, what do
you want them to go out and get Nick Schmith or somebody they could use,
Like if you could get if lukenar just falls into minimum territory, I
don't know why Met Memphis would let that happen. That's something though, that
he'd be a great fit for Dever'd be a great for for a bunch of
teams. I think that's my biggest concern for Minnesota. They have guys who
open up the floor in Mike commm they and Nas read in Karl Anthony Towns,
but their wing shooting can be shaky. Just between the Kail Alexander Walker,
Jane McDaniels and then even Anthony Edwards himself good not great. Maybe even
you wouldn't even call the super dependable shooter Joeingles does give you some of that,
But how much are you relying on a thirty seven year old Joe Ingles
at that point to play? But this is a team that they're gonna be
if Dynym hits, they're gonna be fucking scared. Even if he doesn't,
you just have the prospect of another leap from Anthony Edwards, nas Reed,
Ni Keele, Alexander Walker, Jade McDaniels like those are all guys that continue
to get better. Good time to continue buying Minnesota Timberwold stock if you had
sold it before last season. Our next team is the New Orleans Pelicans.
We're still waiting on the I don't think the because they now they're folding it.
We thought it was gonna have to be completed before the new league year
started, but that I don't think the Jontay Murray trades officially complete. But
you need you you couldn't go in. You would have been into the tacks
if you completed it before this new league year now because Jontay Murray is making
even more close to the twenty five million dollar mark. You need to figure
out the additional salaries that are going to go in there. I know e
J with Dell started being involved, so I don't know if it has been
announced. I but it has. I apologized, but they added de Jontay
Murray. I liked it for them. They're currently like I think, almost
six million dollars beneath the tax They You could still make a case that they
need more complimentary shooting, but they really need a five. There's just no
center on this right now that you can bank on playing minutes unless you're gonna
lean all the way into Zion Williamson at the five. I haven't gone and
looked at all these like the way depth charts are listed on all these different
websites. Zion Williamson is probably just listed as their starting center, which I
mean Murray McCullum, Ingram, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones like that's enough,
body, So yeah, we'll just play Zion at the five. I don't
real that you've insulated him defensively and you want to put him in a position
to succeed because of how well he played defensively last year. I also think
that there might be more of a wear and tear element just being in the
five fly out, and given his injury history, you don't want to subject
him to even more of that. It's a center and it almost needs to
happen via trade because you're looking at the centers that are gonna be available right
now on the open market. And it's okay, Daniel Picce isn't really gonna
do anything for you. Like how many minutes the Mike Muscalas flowed around out
there. I don't think you're gonna fall on precious Tota range. I would
guess that he's probably back with the Knicks at this point. Damian Jones still
flown out there. You want to take a flyer on Javal McGee or ken
Birch, don't you know? I don't, I don't, I don't know.
There's just not a lot of good. The pickings are slim. If
this was a if this was a top Tipbadau Tam I might take, like,
just take the flyer on Josh Gibson. But yeah, so it's gonna
have to Dominic Barlow. I don't know what he would end up being.
And Paul Reid was just waved by the sixers too. We haven't gotten them
yet, so do either of them fall into your price range? Those might
be some options there. Otherwise it feels like it has to happened via trade.
I know everybody kind of wants the Jared Allen there making the money work.
It's a little bit tougher when you look at the the players they sent
out for de Jontay Murray. Are you trading Brandan Ingram in that deal?
I hate his fit in Cleveland, by the way, So do you need
a third team? There's also gonna have to be more money maybe coming back
your way involved. So I could still see a case for like, all
right, let's get some higher volume shooting in there. Lukenark can also be
interesting, or Gary Trent Junior if he's gonna fall into their price range for
this team. But they need a five, I mean, like they just
they need a five, preferably one who you like them to protect the rim
and space the floor. But it's preferably one who's a good rim protector.
And then can they at least create some vertical spacing. Can they set good
screens, but you need like a good rim protector. I would argue,
more than more than anything next team up, the New York Knicks. I
guess they were gonna stick with five for them. I mean, they have
that mckail bridges trades officially completed. I would expect them to maybe bring back
pressures at you, and now they are capped at the second apron rather than
the first. But it's a five. I mean, I look at this
roster and I still say it, right, you have guys who can shoot,
but who is like a really good high volume shooter, and it's Dante
DiVincenzo and like Randall and Brunson might be good shooters for self creators, but
they're not these capslock shooters. Even mckel bridges is not a capslock shooter.
I think you're just you're you're overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of talent and depth
on this team. It doesn't matter, but a five for sure just pressure
that you would come back. Are you with Daniel TIC's team? Are you
a Nick Richards team? He's only making five million bucks? That might be
in it. You know, New Orleans is looking to go try and pull
off a trade that someone who could maybe fit there as well too. But
what I will say on the Knicks is that and I might have mentioned this
in the last podcast. I really hope that having O Jannoby, McHale Bridges,
and even Josh hart factor in warms TIBs up to the idea of,
Okay, well we can play Randall at the five without him being our defense
of five. There's the O Jannobe can play a lot of that role for
five, ten minutes, twelve minutes a game, and then Randall's your five
on offense, where he's gonna be more of a mismatch if you want to
see him set screens go like roll down hill that way, or just he's
more of a mismatch if he's gonna attack on the ball if they have their
five on him, and if they don't like that, he's gonna be able
to maybe punish smaller mismatches. Or you have someone else, like who's the
five covering? Is it probably Josh Harden's the liability he'll get that five movement
off his feet? Is that O Jannanobe, same different, same difference to
mcal Bridges. So not that I don't want them to sign the center.
Just having Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Simms is super risky, but I want to
see them get to more of those minutes. In general, we're gonna go
to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Uh what do they need? I think they
could still need a third player aside from a joe On Williams or Shake Gillians
Alexander. That's gonna put defenses in rotation. But it's I don't know where
those minutes are coming from. Just full disclosure year and maybe Alex Carusoe or
Cason Wallace can get there a little bit. I know a lot of Thunder
fans like we've been developing Uzmanjang as a ball handler. Defenses don't care about
that, and we didn't see enough for I love Usmanjang people listening to the
podcast. No, I don't think he's gonna be your answer for next season.
The answer might be, are we gonna put the ball in Chet Holmgren's
hands more? And do we have Isaiah Hartenstein screening for him or just in
the five out setup? Is he gonna be able to do more creation?
I also just recognize you're going to get better name I mentioned Cason Wallers,
someone who can get better on the ball. Jay On Williams not done going
at all, Shaglin Lexander can still get better nitpicking here because they have just
they have every fucking thing. Like I just this team is probably now with
the aosition of Hartenstein aside from the Celtics, might be the most complete team
in the league when you're looking at the balance playing, being able to play
different styles and like a glit like just the relative lack of weaknesses. I
think it has to be that Boston's first, and they will be until proven
otherwise. But the Nuggets, no, they've been demoted from that discussion.
Maybe the Mavericks, who ironically have sort of the same type of need,
but their defense, I think specifically around the perimeter, is a little bit
more shaky there. Now we're on to the Orlando Magic. I don't know
that I've turned on a team's offseason more quickly than I have. For the
Magic. I don't hate it, but I was prepared for it to be
spectacular once they signed contagious called La Pope from Denver and then it's just been
what we're going to retain our own guys. I think, look, they
elevated Johnathan and Isaac Salary. I think they looks like they're starting him at
twenty six point nine millions almost twenty seven million next year, and then it
declines from there. So they renegotiated it in amounts to five years and eighty
four million in total. That's gonna make them a lot more flexible as they
start to They signed Franz Wagner to that max extension tow hundred twenty four point
two million, with language that could take it to if he makes all NBA
up above two hundred and sixty nine. They resigned more Wagner as well with
two years twenty two MILLI million dollar deal. I get what they're doing,
and like there's internal growth from Suggs, from Wagner, from Ben Carol,
you're gonna get. I want to see him get a higher end offensive organizer
or just someone who did some of that stuff will just adding a ton of
shooting. I think KCP in motion as a shooter in general. I know
his clip fell off, but he's someone defenses will respect. That satisfies some
of the role. But I don't know if you've opened up the floor nearly
enough here and you have not given yourself enough proven just floor general juice at
this point, maybe you're gonna rely on Wagner or Sugs to just do more
of that. They're making the leap or is this gonna I don't think the
team is better set up to necessarily give Anthony Black more minutes and work against
his spacing limitations. But I haven't hated any of their individual moves though.
The Johnathan Isaac want is just a smart piece of business. He goes from
he's gonna make a twenty seven million next year, he'll drop all the way
back down to about sixteen point two. Then he's at fourteen point nine,
then thirteen, then twelve point three in twenty twenty eight, twenty twenty nine.
This is someone who's only twenty seven, so you're talking about like he's
gonna be in his early thirties. That could end up being a steal.
I assume there's some story but reprotections on this. I have not seen any
of it yet, So I like what they've done. They should still be
a defensive beast. The floor will be a little bit more open. However,
I really wanted to see them be more aggressive just on the trade market
or for like why not even like this could have been maybe un spectacular,
but a Tias Jones team, so that would have been nice. Offseason is
not over, but that is still just their biggest need is someone to organize
the offense who preferably won't shrink the floor in the process. We are on
too, the Philadelphia seventy six ers, who have done some stuff since we
last talked. Well, did one thing and that's added Kayla Martin on a
four year deal worth more than thirty two million dollars. Then they wave Paul
Reid, so they're basically just unless something changes signing Kayla Martin into space.
Look, they've assembled a real roster around the big three of Joel Embiid,
Paul George and Tyrese Maxi, having Kelly Ubray, having Andre Drummond. Eric
Gordon will see how many minutes that he's able to play there, so there's
still work for them to be done. I would expect Kyle Lowry to be
back on this team probably, but if their roster a lot more than I
kind of thought I was going to, I think the Kayler Martin sn is
actually huge. Their biggest need, I still think would be like a four
combo forward type between Kayla Martin and Paul George and Kelly Oubrey. You're able
to build that together into like a two three four rotation. But I would
like to see someone more of a you know, pulling off a Doring Finny
Smith deal before midseason. That's just not gonna happen. Now. I'd like
to see more of a body that goes there right with like a true not
doesn't have to be a pure forward multi position, but like if you're having
all I'll say this way, if you're having Paul George or Kayleb Martin defend
the four, they're playing up, So you want someone who's a four that
can maybe play down would be the best way to phrase it. That's not
exactly the smallest Like that's not exactly the smallest ask and they're not just gonna
get it. I mean, Javonte Green be an ice flyer on the team.
Maybe you bring back kJ Martin for that, you take a shot at
Jay Crowder doesn't really you know, satisfy the defending down thing. And if
they're not, they don't have to defend down, although Larry marketing it would
fit. I just kind of wonder, now you can't get there if Larry
market is still floating around mid season, and there is if they renegotiate,
what makes it tougher If they don't renegotiate and extend him, Like the Sixers
could still do something along those lines, and maybe you're working like a mega
kJ Martin signing trade. At this point, you just have five tradable first
round picks, so there are still things that they can do. There will
be some salary cap hoops that they have to jump through now, but yeah,
just someone like in that Vein. I don't know, like do you
bring Robert Conington back. Marcus Morris can maybe do some of that for you.
But that's we're talking signings now, Like that's what you're looking at after
the major work you've done. Love the Kayleb Martin signing for them. I
think we'll see a better outside shooting performance from him this year, and he
gives them a lot of defensive optionality, which just Paul George, Kaylen Martin
and Joel Embiid, you've kind of built out the skeleton of which would be
a really good defense, but it is kind of contingent upon. Right.
Everyone needs to be healthy and on nights this drum and do enough. If
em Bead's not playing or if he's hurt, what does that do to your
defense? I don't know how well, they're set up to navigate that situation
at the moment. Next team would be the Phoenix Suns. They've added Monte
Morre's one year at the minimum. Actually think given their turnover issues, especially
in the fourth quarter, that becomes pretty big. I know, he hasn't
been healthy or great for a couple of years. And then they resigned Damian
Lee, which also means that they're probably not resigning Josha Kogi, which I
think is a good thing for them. The Joshacogy experiment did not work out
their biggest need. I think it's just you need to revamp the five man
rotation to get someone who's more in line with what Mike Budenholzer likes to do.
I know you have Mason Plumley, you have a use of Nurkice.
Maybe see some minutes as bull bull like, just be the rim protector.
You're not a good defender, but you're big, you're long. Just be
the rim protector. There are pathways if they could rope in like a third
and fourth team, because I don't think the Blazers want Nurkice, Like rolling
the Ice and Robert Williams the third here I think would be a really good
bet for them, but they need and I don't think that like maybe even
a Nick Richards via trade as the name I mentioned for them a bunch.
I'd like to just see someone who I think fits the motif of one as
a screener and diver more uh, but also just defensively, not just because
Buttonholeszer is there, but a stronger option defensively at the center spot and right
now, like you really don't don't have it, so like we're gonna play
Kevin Durant at the five or like I said, Bulbuls the primary rip protector
inspiring at best. Think that's very clearly there their biggest need. I don't
know what else do you want to I guess two way wings, but that's
just like I mean, you got Damian Lee back that's got to count for
something, and you have Grace Grace that was probably more two way than people
realize last year, so that would be that just feels so unreally two way
wings, Like, yeah, this team that can only offer the minimums doesn't
really have anything to trade that'll definitely work out the Portland Trailblazers, So fewer
centers maybe, like is that what they need at this point. But in
all honesty, like I think I would continue to want to just see shooting,
and I don't really care the position that it comes at, just because
you have so much equity tied up in the back court. Can the shooting
come in sword of the three or the four spot where yeah, okay,
you might be infringing upon some sharp or Simon minutes there or Tible minutes or
Jeremy Grant minutes, but you're not gonna you don't like you just have enough
bodies at the five and resigned are not coming there. You also could say
they have Denny Avdia now and just between with Simons, do you want like
sort of another backup type of point guard in this like Portland, just continuing
to punt on the idea of like a true backup floor general. I think
Deny Avia probably gives you enough as sort of a driver and playmaker there,
but he has an upgrade you're shooting enough. He's probably a shooting improvement over
what you're fielding last year. But like just there's a lot of question marks
here. You're not gonna get any as of right now. Spacing at the
five. You have to Monty Kamara kind of shot better from three last year.
I think a lot of people realize, but like a shaky jumper there
Maatistai bole, same difference. Even if you're banking on sort of Chris Murray,
like taking a jump and shade and sharp, you know, taking a
jump and you have Simon's This team just needs like someone who's gonna help get
their three point attempt right up there or just be able to. They have
a few guys who are either better off or most used to working on ball,
and so can we get some just more guys to dot them around there?
I did not mention du operation. It's like, yeah, you can
get some floor spacing in the front court that way, I just some higher
volume stuff there. Would feel like it's going to be their biggest need.
The Sacramento Kings, who I mean, they be the team that feels like
it's most likely gonna date this. They're pursuing a Demartin Rosen sign and train
with the Bulls. I'm not gonna pretend to love it. I don't hate
it. They could certainly use someone else to break down defenses and be a
primary playmaker. That's just like, so are you just never gonna play him
with the bonus or de Aaron Fox because the spacing could get wonky there.
And then if you're training Kevin Herder part of that deal, you're becoming a
worst shooting team. And like the floor basing isn't super perfect, Like who
are the shooters you're counting on aside from Herder? I know he's working off
a down year, but it's Kevin Herder. You have to go buy the
previous sample, not just what happened last year. So I guess Harrison Barnes
and Keegan Murray and Kean ellis. Like, if we're not including Kevin Hurder
there, there's just not enough. So I prefer to see them just get
some more optionality on those wing spots in the form of someone who can shoot.
I don't I understand the need. Yeah, you a playmaking would be
ideal, But Denny Aviy and Michale Bridges have been traded, so you're not
going to see You're not just going to see those players readily available. The
case have been linked to Larry marketing. I like his fit a lot better
than I like the the Rosans fit. I'd like to just see them open
up the floor more. And there's I don't know that you need to skew
as defense heavy as you might have would have. I just think the leap
that King and Murray has made, you'll probably get enough if you finagle your
matchups the right way with Harrison Barnes, because you have Kean Allis as well,
It's like that feels like maybe there's enough there to do something where it's
if you could just continue to open the floor. Let's not forget Devin Carter
cut his teeth defensively, so I don't know how much he plays a rookie
coming in, but that's someone who might be able to take on some really
tough assignments for you. And going hurder for Demarto Rosen is just so counterintuitive
to opening up the floor even more. And it comes back to the challenges
I think of, not you know, LAMPOOTI him as a player or building
block, but that is part of the challenge of building around so bonus even
Darren Fox a little bit when those are your main two and neither of them
are perfect shooters. But Aaron Fox, you know, he can hit some
off the dribble looks and we'll stretch the floor. That is not what the
bonus is gonna do to add to Marta Rosen into that fold. It's just
it's shaky. I don't hate it. I might like it more if Harrison
Barnes was the outgoing money rather than Kevin Herder. So I get the theory
of what Demarta Rosen would do for this team. I just don't love what
the spacing might look like after said deal happens, And so i'd like to
see them open up the floor. Maybe I'm already kind of like in Demarta
Rosen as a king mode, and that's why I'm all, That's why I'm
already here the San Antonio Spurs. Yeah, wa, I think it's wing
shooting for them. I just you have Chris Paul, you have Trey Jones.
So I'm gonna say that they're fine at the floor general spot. Now.
I would like to see them also just get a little bit better with
that primary front course spot next tomb. Is it gonna be Kelden Johnson's the
Jeremy Sowen playing a bunch of minutes there. I don't know, But are
eight of those guys good enough shooters to kind of open up the floor?
So you have, like I mean, when you're looking at your plus shooters.
I guess you could win me at the five. Will call him a
plus shooter. Denvessell, Well, okay, there, that's like it.
I don't know what you want to consider, Chris Paul. It's certainly not
Trey Jones, Keldon Johnson, so and Brandham like those are all just even
Stephan Castle coming in like that. We're talking about a lot of guys with
limited range. The idea of z that Collins might maybe give you some shooting,
so they would be They've been linked to Larry Marketing, and I think
they're my favorite Larry Marketing team. Uh, just the Thunder, I guess
could still be like at the Thunder of my everyone my favorite team for everybody
apparently, but like or even just like, could they get Trey Lyles from
the Kings, like just someone to kind of open up, like more people
to open up the floor here? And I just don't like there's not enough
of it. Keldon Johnson's coming off a down year as a shooter. Maybe
with Chris Paul like now with forty eight minutes so to speak, or let's
say forty minutes of good point guard play, but like Brandham is not proven
enough as a shooter that's not going to be We'll see how even like any
minutes he's going to get But like a Blake Wesley, that's not going to
be his strength. It's not Jeremy Soone's strength. So it's really just Devin
like to count on is let's be reasonable about their shooting. I will give
it to Chris Paul. I'll throw Kelvin Johnson in there for selling Wemby.
And it's just like, how many of those are just guaranteed to shoot thirty
seven percent or better on five plus three point attempts per game. Of the
group I just mentioned, probably Wemby and Masel are the most likely picks.
And so if you want to include Collins or Mamu in there as one of
the guys who could theoretically space the floor, fine, I think it needs
to come from the wing spots. More is what I would like to see
from San Antonio. And look, I'll count lowry marketing. He could play
four to three, especially next to wen Minyama. That's just absolutely that's absolutely
perfect. So the Spurs want to trade for marketing and they have my blessing.
I know everyone was a little bit worried about that the Toronto Raptors.
I think they still need a like it's such a weird place to be.
How many times I gotta say that about the Raptors, Like, can we
get a like a like an actual wing here, like a true wing?
Is RJ. Barrett okay? Sized like a wing? Grady dig size like
a wing? Are they? R J. Bereck comes closest to actualizing the
wing part. It's not a Bajie. It's not Bruce Brown. Maybe you
think it's Jacobe Walter. How much does he play? They need him more
proven like wing and probably someone who could shoot. They probably someone who's gonna
guarantee them more half court just shooting than n RJ. Barrett or not Baji
like Grady Dick is there? Okay? And you have quickly And let's assume
that Barnes is gonna continue to improve because he's Barnes, Like, you need
another type of wing and I don't even know they don't even need to be
capslocked, like I'll continue to mention him. Just give me Dorry and Phinney
Smith on this team. At this point. I would have loved when they
had the cap flexibility. I thought so Mony font Techio was a great potential
addition for them. Maybe they could still evaluate some sign and trade scenarios because
Detroit stacking up on all these shooters who are not Somonny font Techio, but
they're also trying to work with his smaller cap hold not moral the story.
I don't think it's a realistic option. Can they go at like a Luke
Kenard on this team would make a lot of sense. I don't know what
his market is. He's got so much tunnel vision on this roster. They
probably need someone who's gonna be not more plug and play, but at least
not kind of actively hurt you on offense with this tunnel vision. So Gary
Trent Junior's return is kind of out, and I would say a properly sized
three that's doing a lot of these things, and that's not Gary Trunchy.
You're six five around there. That's not going to be his bag. I
did mention new Canard, but that's not going to solve that either. And
they're not going to be a team that gives up assets in a trade at
this point, Like I think they've kind of shown their hand as we're gonna
take a little bit more of a gradual approach here, But it might just
come down to, oh, can they take flyers on someone? Again,
I don't think that player's out there in free agency. Look, you put
some mony fon Techy on this team. I'm on in if you could get
there, Are you a team that's gonna try and like, do you become
a Gordon Hayward team? I just eh, that'd be interesting. I think
Gordon Hayward at this point, like if he's getting a minimum from someone,
that'd just be interesting. If you try and take a flyer on, like
rehabilitating, what's Joe Harris? Like, how is his body looking these days?
Chimokk Is that someone that you could like take a flyer on whose career
has just been derailed by injuries and never really played a ton He's shown flashes
and in Orlando. So I don't know. I just that's like then,
I just don't expect them to like actively do anything about it. As some
quick breaking news, Demarti Rosen Persham's is traveling to meet the Kings and Sacramento
this weekend. The Kings are in serious pursuit of him. Everything I said
still holds true. So if he goes to the Kings, that won't take
this podcast, so can be kind of planning ahead here our next team,
and we're getting towards the end here, folks. We have the Utah Jazz.
They need to figure out they could probably use fewer like Center Force too.
I don't know, like it was it really necessary for them to go
out there and sign Drew you beecks. I just don't understand they still need
wings, especially if just like you know, they have Cody Williams, who
we all know. I love Cody Williams. I hope he plays a shit
ton. That also might be the benefit of trading marketing as you open up
minutes for him, maybe for Bryce s and Sabah. Those guys aren't wings.
Tell Hendrix not a wing, Kyle Philipalski not a wing, Darius Basley
not a wing. They just need wings. And if you can get that
as part of the like if you were able to get if I'm the heat
and they were just like first round pick Salary and Himai Hawkes for l marketing
in I don't know that I'm saying no right out of the gate as Miami,
but like, if you're able to get a prospect along those lines,
just another wing you older type wing player. The Spurs. They're not gonna
give you Devin to sell. I probably count Jeremy so In here like he
can play like he could guard of course to four positions at this point,
so I would count him if you end up getting him from from San Antonio.
Uh, they were linked to Miami, so i'd be a Hi May
Hawke is there. I don't know which other I mean a bunch of other
teams should be showing interest. I'm just trying to think of, like where
do you look at would would New Orleans we want to give up either a
Herb Jones or a Tredy Murphy for him if they do marketing wanted to stick
around And we're saying marketing and zion Ar or front Court's or if you're getting
brandon Ingram in that scenario, I don't think that that's someone who's if you're
trading Larry market In, you're not interested in the brandon Ingram route. So
you're trying to think of like teams y Marketing and Memphis would be super interesting.
What if you just built something around Gig Jackson and money just you have
to be Marcus Smart's money at that point, does that do anything for Utah
like that you can talk you can talk to me to that. I mean,
Houston's got wing prospects to spare, But like, if you're getting marketed
and planning on paying him, you're basically saying that Jabari Smith or Shang Goon
isn't long And I guess that would be Shane Goon in that instance. Maybe
I mean is that like, is like would you do Shang Good? I
just I don't know, like Shang Goon and either Easan or Cam Whitmore as
part of the like marketing train, because it doesn't seem like Houston's totally sold
on Shane Good and the Jazz have enough bigs, but they're clearly not sold
John Collins whatever. They're clearly not sold on Walker Kessler. They want like
a younger big that they can run their offense through. I don't know that
I love it. I don't know that I hate it either. Could you
get of course there's Kaminga from Golden State that might come close to wing prospect
or if you're just taking picks in that package, then definitely get Moses Moody.
Someone free Moses Moody. Nice target for Toronto would be I think he
would fit really nicely there. He fit really nicely on a lot of teams
actually, So yeah, finding like you need to. I think the goal
needs to be to get a wing prospect back in whatever Larry Marketing trade you're
making. And I just like, there are teams that we just went through,
okay that maybe they end up there. I'm like, they could give
you that. Excuse me. I don't know if there are any others that
I'm missing here, Like Denver could give you a wing and Michael Porter Junior
don't know that you want him, but Larry Marketing in Denver. It's just
like if he replaces Michael Porter Junior willing to give up Payton Watson in that
scenario, money gets all sorts of crazy. But the Jazz have a ton
of cap space. You would have to include your twenty thirty one pick.
I think would you do that? I don't think Utah would do that,
But like Michael Porter Junior is a talent flyer, you probably need to give
up two of your young guys to pick in addition to Michael Porter junior salary.
I don't even know if that moves Utah. I'm gonna tell you right
Now, if it was Brown, Watson and a pick and then Michael Porter
Junior for Larry Market and I'm probably not doing it because Brown and it would
have to be like, you can have one of those guys and it can't
be Brown. I don't think the Brown is too important to this team now,
So it could be Watson if you want Strawther and the first and Michael
Porter Jr. I'm doing it. I mean Aaron Gordon, Nakoleokachen Liary marketing.
That's fucking nasty frontline. That is a nasty for those are all dudes
who could really play the five and a pinch too. I don't think they
have the assets. I'm just spitballing here. If you wanted to go that
route, and we are on to our final team, which is the Washington
Wizards, I still want to see them get and I'm maybe bub Carrington ends
up being this guy, just a younger four general type. You have Brogden
on this team already, and I guess you could say that they're a wittle
a wittle, a little bit wing lighter after giving up Denny AVVII and so
it's okay you have Kuzma, but are they eventually gonna trade him, and
then it's Blockhoula Bali and after that it's Corey Kisbert h But i'd yeah,
I'm gonna go with I'd like to see him try to chase a playmaker that
they can maybe evaluate against the future. I loved, I mean for them
and even Brooklyn was a team I mentioned, And maybe he becomes available at
the trade deadline. I just don't know who you have now that, okay,
he would want. But I loved Aaron Wiggins for this team. Maybe
that's something Brooklyn could look at if okay, see still wants to look at
Cam Johnson or Dorrian Phinny Smith And don't really don't think they do. I
think they're shooting higher than that. So I like just a younger primary playmaker
type. Again, I want to see bub Carrington get a ton of minutes.
Tias Jones could theoretically still be back here, but like, I would
like to see him go that route. I'm trying to look at names though
at the moment, to see just like, are there even any flyer types,
like could you get a train man from Charlotte? Are they kind of
willing to not give up on him? But give you him, what could
you do with the Knicks, Like, what are you facilitating there to get
Deuce McBride a flyer on him? You're not gonna get Jalen Pickett from Jaydon
Hardy would be great, but I think he's really important to what Dallas is
doing now. If they're like they do have other salaries, if they wanted
to look at you would be pretty small here. But if they wanted to
look at bringing in Brogden, that's a route that you could go and maybe
you get Jayden Hardy as part of that. I don't hate that. And
so your salaries there or just like you have Ye Powell and Maxi Kliba,
like those are your kind of your primary salaries, and then jayde and Hardy
is in there. You're kind of bit You're you're leaving it awfully small at
that point. But I don't think that that's especially if you're willing to incrude
Olivier Maxon's prosper as just well, if you're giving up Jane Hardy, I
probably wouldn't do that. But Jane Ardy from Dallas, maybe they don't view
him as as important as long as Luca Doncis and Kyrie everything there he was
playing by the end of the playoffs, but that would be a name.
Uh, they're just you're not gonna give up the equity. If even if
Detroit wants to get rid of jayde and Ivy, they would be I don't
like the salary matches here gets weird, and I don't know what Chicago wants,
but like they would be just like Lonzo Ball, that'd be a fun
team to be. Okay, let's just see what his knees have left.
I just to get to you could get to well, they're they're so cheap
with all the other stuff. I mean, you could send them Brogden.
Is it a three team trade where you're sending Brogden somewhere and you're just getting
Lonzo Ball and maybe something else, and then another team's taking on Brogden and
sending something to the Bulls because their money is would I don't think the Bulls
want Jordan Poole. And after that, you're not giving up Kyle Kuzman on
a Lonzo Ball trade unless it's again a third team. You're gonna back a
shit ton of stuff. They would be a fun just and if you're going
through teams that would be worth just all right, let's just kind of see
what happens with the Lonzo ball situation. I would throw Charlotte as a team
that'd be like, okay, like, yeah, why not. I wouldn't
hate it for Detroit just to take that flyer. I would, like I
said, I would not hate it for Washington probably like the teams that would
have the flexibility to just be kind of look at that. That's probably it
though to be. I mean that Orlando, he's had a cap and what
is the money that's going out in that's anario. That's a that's a bad
one. Now we've hit all the signings. The only thing I didn't really
comment on too much is the Franz Vaughner getting the extension. I think that
I would have waited if that's what he was commanding. I guess you don't
have the cap space next season because you've decided not throw it over, which
again, fine, just he shot a really low percentage on jumpers last year.
He was sub twenty nine percent from three. He ends up being sub
forty four percent on two point jumpers, and you haven't improved your spacing enough
to say, okay, like we're gonna bank on him getting less attention and
having more room to work on the ball and just or even just to get
off threes. That was just I know the cap is going up, I
know these are the fun Maxes, as ESPN's Brian Windhorth calls them, But
that was just why could we not have kicked that decision down the like use
restricted free agency at that point, Let's see if this guy gets actually better.
I don't the language. I hate the way Shans reports it is just
like a five year deal that could be worth two hundred and seventy million dollars.
Give the actual number what it is. I don't care about the language
because if he does make an All NBA team, you're gonna be happy to
pay that difference. I was just I talked about this on a previous podcast.
I guess I was prepared for them to extend him, but I just
it happened so quickly. They've viewed as a no brainer after the season he
had, and I'm very curious to see if and where Jalen Suggs's number kind
of ends up here. But if those are my secondary kind of thoughts on
the Magic is a team that I'm endlessly fascinated with at the moment. I
don't know that they've made the most of their cap space. I think they've
made good moves, but I don't know that they're good move that really get
them any closer to their ceiling. They might improve incremantally based off internal development
and just infusing KCP into the rotation as replacing minutes from Joe Engles and Markel
Foltz at this point as of now, but just sort of running it back.
They're still loaded for a trade and so I would still love Simon's on
this team. This is a team that I mean, you can get there
if you're willing to include Cole Anthony. I don't know if you when he
only has one year left on his deal. In talking about Malcolm Rock and
that could be someone that you just take a look at. You could still
get to the money there for him. You could aim higher, like let's
just get LaMelo ball onto the Orlando if you think that he's going to remain
healthy. So their off season is one I mentioned this during their section.
I wish I would have spent more time in it. Their off season is
one that I'm just I'm conflicted on because I don't hate it, but I
was so ready to love it after they got KCP, and now I'm just
sort of like, okay, man, what's going on here? Don't none
of these moves are indefensible. I would have waited on Franz personally, but
I think I don't know if this makes it and I guess the thing they
did this off season, I would say it makes it more likely to extend
Jalen Suggs. I'd be very curious to see what his number winds up coming
in at because I really do think to maximize Frans and even I mean Jalen
Suggs, Paler, like you, even at least one other caps lock and
they don't have a capslock shooter, and maybe that becomes Jet Howard. Is
that what they're betting on next year? This team is really really, really
good and deep, but like they're a team where it's they need that offensive
and if it's not going to be a capslock shooter, then certainly just a
better offensive organizer than having a turn to Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony and Palo
Bank Carrol and Franz Vadner and saying, Okay, we're just gonna sort of
put together this floor general by committee. I think that can work in certain
instances, and I'm high enough on Jalen Sugs and Palo Bank Carroll specifically that
I'm open to it. But then, like that's when you need to go
get the capslock shooter, which they have yet to do. So really good
team was expecting and hoping more from them this offseason. The off season or
the free agency period is like a week old, so there's still time for
them to do stuff, and I'm hoping that they will continue to do That's
right. It's I guess a version of stat padding, but it's by myself.
So I'm going to try something out, and hat tip to Discord user
be Rich for suggesting that we do something where maybe we react to viral clips
or videos. Those get a little bit hard to do during the off season.
So I'm going to talk about or I'm going to react to Skip Bayless
talking about lebron James, BRODDI James the Lakers. Someone sent There were two
videos they sent one of them in Discord, and just based off the way
it was promoted that Bronnie James is more clutch, is it clutcher? I
asked my editors about this. No one answered me. I think it's more
clutch. I don't think clutch is a word, but he called Bronnie James
more clutch or has more of a clutch gene than lebron I have not watched
these, so the whole point is to just react off the cuff. I'm
not trying to give them, We're just putting them on the show. I'm
trying to give them super shine where I'm necessarily bumping it. But it's all
jokes, nothing personally here. They're gonna be bad jokes because I have them
doing this off the cuff. It's supposed to be unplanned. I think if
we were gonna do aper dive into a clip like a viral play or something
going around, yeah, you watch that a bunch and try and whatever.
But if we're reacting to opinions, just something to try out. Hopefully everybody
enjoys it. Hopefully we'll see if I even enjoy it, because I cannot
stand listening to Skip Baylet's but yeah, nothing personal, all jokes, all
jokes. Here's just just jokes, good nature of fun. We're gonna be
off and running here. Hopefully this translates somewhat to audio. I'd probably recommend
I don't know, watching it on YouTube. So let's let's play. It's
two clips. They're each like, I think, two minutes long. Let's
just see. Let's just see what we got going here, Bronnie Okay,
first, right off the bat, I'm sorry interject. I don't watch the
Skip Bayless show. This is my first exposure to it. Is this always
what he wears? Like he's got a black shirt, plain black shirt with
a gold chain. It kind of looks like he's trying to recreate that rock,
Like does he have a Fannie pack on beneath this? That picture,
but that's not a turtleneck, so I don't what did we do? Like
the gold chain and the plain back shirt, it's like, looks like Meek
Mill maybe trying to be the rock here. I don't know. This is
just right off the bat, I'm already turned off, signed sealed. And
the other thing too, is I'm not gonna criticize. I hate criticizing appearances,
but as someone who was most recently called what was it in the comments
looks like an AI Disney character, an AI generated Disney character, I feel
like I'm allowed to say this, he kind of looks like, I don't
know, like, can we pick a I've been tanning before, full disclosure,
but like, can we pick a how aggressive you want to be with
it? Like right now, he kind of looks like Ted Dancing decided to
get like a die job and then go tanning exclusively in beds that have like
year old bulbs or maybe planets fit planet fitness bulbs. At this point,
I don't really know what he's trying to trying to do here, but I
already don't. I don't like that, and he just looks so miserable at
this point. You get paid a bunch of money to give bad sports takes
for a living. Be happier. My guy delivered. Now with the Lakers,
he's on a guaranteed Laker contract. There's no G League involved here.
Oh boy, okay, inaccuracy right off the bat. So it is a
guaranteed deal. The fourth year for Bronnie James's contract is a team option.
There's going to be the G League is involved. They already, I think
came out and said JJ Reddick. I believe that the plan is for him
to spend a ton of time with the Lakers G League affiliate, so they
was at the Erie Bay Lakers. Still, so there is G League involved,
which is exactly what you want to happen for someone drafted towards the end
of the second round, even just like first round picks being in the G
League. If there isn't, you're dealing with the top on a team that
has title aspirations. I don't know if the Lakers should really have those aspirations,
but there's there's going to be some G League minutes involved here. He's
going to be on the Laker roster, as I said from day one,
and he's going to play. Okay, so oh looks like he might be
needed to finishing the thought here. I don't Yes, he's gonna be on
the Lakers roster. You're right on that skip. He is not good.
Like, what is the over under the number of games real Laker games that
bron he plays in. I would assume they're only going to be like massive
blowouts, and maybe we have this sort of fanfare of all we need to
see bron and Bronnie on the court together. But let's I mean, like
I will set me over under the number of NBA games or let's let's do
total minutes. If you're giving me five hundred minutes, I'm gonna take the
under fairly significant minutes fairly quickly. I don't know how many of that will
be. And I am again no, if he's playing fairly significant minutes fairly
quickly, I don't know what the Lakers are doing. And this is just
like I want to know where he's going with this point, because this was
never the intention to draft Bronnie to have him play a bunch of minutes,
and I think JJ Reddick made that clear when they were talking about getting him
into their player development program. A Bronni fan, in fact, I think
Bronnie is built even tougher than his father is because Bronnie's been through a lot
in his life. Oh my god, this man is a This is idiotic.
I know you probably get paid to be this caricature of an actual sports
analyst, but I will not diminish what Bronnie went through. I think one
that gets underplayed is the attention in the social media age and also having lebron
as your father. Mir Vader wrote an incredible piece of the Ringer called The
Weight and Weight of Bronnie. You talk about that incredible title of Bronnie James.
There's that pressure that I don't think anyone necessarily can relate to, and
you have to deal with that this is a young kid. And then there's
he had that cardiac arrest episode last summer and that's ridiculously tough to come back
from. You're going to sit here and tell me that he has been through
more than Lebron James, who during his adolescence, from what the just based
off stuff that we've read, was CouchSurfing at one point with his mom,
didn't have a permanent home, was living with coaches. There was concerns about
how unsupervised he was at one point. But Bronnie James has been through more.
This is just now at a point where I'm I'm not criticizing Bronnie James
here, but he has had a level of safety that Lebron James was basically
never ensured while he was growing up. And this is just such a blasphemous
comment to make. I mean, we're just the cardiac arrest thing with Bronnie
James, that is scary as hell. I can't imagine what that was like
for Savannah and Lebron to have to see your kid go through something that you're
just not supposed to see someone in their youth go through, adolescence, go
through but like he's been through more than Lebron James. Like oh, and
even if you like even if you want to talk about you want to throw
off court stuff out of the equation coming in is this highly touted prospect,
but like where your safety net wasn't like if at the end of the day,
like if Bronni doesn't pan out, he has now signed and Lebron would
signed a massive contract too, but like there's a there's generational wealth set up
for him. I'm not saying he couldn't get another job, work really hard,
I'm not saying it won't even be a good NBA player, but there's
just like a fail safe there for him that wasn't there for Lebron. So
this is just like, my god, let's see if I even make it
through this entire clip in the harshest spotlight any kid could ever be thrust into
as Lebron James junior fair in terms of spotlight. But what's tougher to deal
with spotlight or maybe not knowing where your next meal or is coming from,
or where you're gonna sleep that night, that week, where you're gonna be
living the next year. What's what's tougher to deal with? Let's skip asking
you. I love how Bronnie's handled this. I get a good feeling every
time I watch him not only play basketball, but just handle himself, carry
himself. That is one. I want to know how much of Bronnie James
playing basketball. Skip Bayless has watched. So we set Bronnie James's rookie minutes
over under at five hundred. I'm gonna go over under five minutes that Skip
is sat down and watching even Bronnie James highlights, I'm gonna smash that under.
And also if he's watching Bronnie Ja handle himself, this is just kids
got a backbone, kids got guts, kids got principle and character. His
parents did a good job raising him. Hell yeah, I respect it.
We got to give credit where credit is due, You don't We tend to
lionize these athletes when you don't know them personally. And there's a lot of
performative jokes made it at Lebron's expense, and many of them are just hilarious.
I will say, even if you cringe at some of the stuff,
he does say, or maybe some of the social media posts that he has
this it does seem and I'm not saying that other NBA players aren't. I
think people went after Jason Tatum for the comments he made about having a kid,
how he initially didn't want deuce when he was younger. I mean,
he was, what is eas Jayson Tatum was nineteen now, so he's carrying
the two few years there, so he's nineteen men and having a kid like
that's something that you have to reconcile with. But Lebron James does seem like
a like a good parent or involved dad. And that's just the view from
afar. So it's really cool to see people recognize that part of and like
for even someone like Skip to say that I fav that I favor that part
of this. I think he'll be more calm, cool and collected in the
eye of next year's storm than even his father will be. That's probably because
he will be playing in the G League and Lebron will be trying to win
actual NBA basketball games. Is the best player on his team and one of
the best players of all time, but carry on, I think he'll play
pretty well alongside his father. But it is going to be circus material because
you have a first time head coach trying to juggle minutes with Bronni and proven
veterans who are not going to love it when Bronni gets his twelve minutes,
fourteen minutes, and sixteen minutes. And maybe that is actually a good point
in semi interesting and I push back on the proven veteran aspect of this.
Yeah, they a lot of these veterans have just proven that they shouldn't be
guarandeed minutes. I mean, you look at this Laker roster and if everyone's
healthy, okay, yeah, lebron Anthony Davis, Dangel Russell, Rujyachi Mora,
Austin Reeves. Who is Bronni playing in with those guys? No,
So now you get into the gave Vincent Jared Vanderbilt, Yeah, better track
records neither of I guess gave Vincent might play Bronnie's position. Jared Vanderbilt's material.
Bronnie's not gonna take minutes from him. Jamon Jeffino, I mean,
are you gonna rorry about I guess Max Christy. That's the reason they hired
JJ Reddick was to develop Max Christie. So I'm interesting to see how they
kind of juggle that. But what makes it a circus is because it's Lebron.
It's because places like what is Who's Skip Skips on Fox Sports? Is
the Skip Baylor Show on Fox Sports? Again my first exposure to the Skip
Baylor's show, and that I can't take my eyes off this gold chain.
I just honestly can't. Like this looks like my god, looks like Eric
Roberts forgot that he was Eric Roberts right now. I'm so, I just
don't understand the outfit. I need to maybe I need to check out other
Skip Baylor show clips, but I am in should see how JJ Reddick handles
that dynamic is the first time head coach and also just the framing that he's
Lebron James's podcast co host. Those aren't his credent credentials, but they have
that relationship built in there. So not as far as Skip Bayless takes go,
that was OK, even some nights twenty minutes a game playing alongside,
if not in place of his father. I really want to see the Lakers
about Lebron for Bronnie, but like I want to see them do it spitefully.
I want JJ Redick to have a game plan in place or wanted a
certain play run, and Lebron doesn't, and then he just gets bench for
his kid. How funny would that be? I'd be with it. I
think Bronnie would be pretty good. I think he'll he'll become a clutch three
point shooter. I've always gotten the feeling that Bronni had a bigger clutch gene
than his father does based off what I literally just pulled my microphone out of
its stand. What is this man talking about? This is gonna ruin the
rest of the clip because I got way too over exuberant here based on what,
like, what is he has the more clutch? Is it maybe because
he learned to drive on a standard car and Lebron only does self driving cars
or get chouffered around. I don't see what makes Bronnie more clutch than Lebron,
right, I need the evidence? What is it? McDonald's game?
He was in the spotlight and they went to him late two or three times.
He just nailed threes. He did not shoot the three well at USC
But I'm giving him a complete and utter break because I'm knocking on wood for
him he had a serious heart condition. He did and does have a serious
heart condition. But I don't know that two or three plays in a McDonald's
game makes you more clutch than one of who's perhaps the greatest NBA player of
all time, who's always been a playmaker first, And this is narrative that
he's always passing out of dries or out of situations in crunch time, being
too deferential has always been overblown. Just pretty mind melting stuff here. That
way laid him to start his first year of college basketball at USC and it
just never quite got going. And I get it in that tam never quite
got going around Isaiah College. Excuse me, Isaiah Colliery, who I thought
was going to be the first pick in the draft and he fell all the
way to the bottom of the first round. I'm throwing all that out because
I think that Bronni and only six to one and a half, will become
a very credible, if not difference making on ball defender. I think that,
Okay, I'm trying to say, yeah, you could be six to
one and be a credible on ball defender. Tying that into his shooting and
his clutch gene certainly interesting I am looking. I want like more evidence as
to why Skip thinks this body of his, which already looks pretty good to
me, will become more That's a good point. I mean, this dude
looks like Lebron. I mean, this might have something to do with the
resources available to him, but Bronni looks kind of like chiseled and built in
a way that even Lebron didn't seem like coming in where he was even still
had that young, stringy look to him. But I think it's also what
is Lebron six' eight six' nine, and so if Bronnie is six
one sixty two around that area a little bit easier to fill out there,
or more of a man body. So I I like what Bronnie will bring,
except it's going to be very difficult on JJ Reddick to juggle minutes and
egos down the bench Bronnie. Yeah, that's a I would agree with that
point from Skip, that it's gonna be hard to juggle those egos. But
we're operating under the assumption that there's gonna be pressure on him to play Bronnie
in NBA minutes, and I think if he's getting run in the G League,
that that's in playing with the actual Lakers in practice. Maybe he earns
minutes that way. I don't think like if they're if it gets to a
point where the Lakers are just playing Bronnie over some of these veterans, Like
if he's taking Austin Reeves's minutes and he he sucks, then yeah. But
I feel like we're manufacturing a lot here because his name is Bronnie James and
he's on a team with his with his dad. So I just I can't
bring myself to worry about that. The circus is gonna come from all of
us, including ourselves that are covering this, and Skip, who's really gonna
milk it? So this next clip here, I think is it was promoted
as Skip Bayless talking about why the Lakers no longer have the cachet to get
players that might actually be super interesting. So let's go, let's go see
what he has to say on this matter. There are four key pieces to
that puzzle last year who were not healthy and yet and still they're right there
in the fourth quarter a game one at Denver, first round of the playoffs,
and Lebron pouts and won't shoot until oh my god, this anti Lebron
narrative just so tired. And again I'm being part of the problem, but
I always tell people that seem to actually get aggrieved by it, It's fine
to dunk on them if you want to have fun. That's what I'm trying
to do here, But to actually get mad about this tape because it's just
so cartoonish at this point, and it's from someone that looks like they're using
Donald Trump's skincare routine regime, whatever you want to call it, that I
can't take it seriously like Lebron. Okay, Lebron has pouted Lebron like refusing
to shoot. Let's just let's just come on here, settle down, skip
again. I know that you've done a lot of Bronni games film work.
I question how much Lebron James film work you've done. The Game's out of
hand Game two at Denver, the whole series could have been turned on its
head. Lebron gets a wide open free throw of a three point shot to
win the game seconds left, and he missed it, as simple as that.
Wow. Yeah, I feel like we should. There needs to be
bigger penalties every time an NBA player misses a shot like do we should we
have taken away Lebron's first born or should we have just executed Lebron on the
spot for missing a shot? They're really just missing a shot at Michael Jordan
never missed a shot, so, I mean, anyone who played for the
Dallas Cowboys has never dropped a pass. So I just there needs to be
skips, right. We need harsher punishments in place for these dudes who can't
shoot one hundred percent from the field, even when they're just totally wide open
and playing in front of tens of thousands of people, and like against the
team where there might be a close I don't even remember the place talking about,
but yeah, sure there might have been someone closing out and running after
him. But you need to be perfect. Yeah, the fact that Lebron
missed that shot. Jordan wouldn't missed that shot. He would taking him one
hand and his eyes closed and waited for a defender to come out to him
so that he could have shot it contested. But that team coached by Darvin
Ham, who was doing a pretty good job to me, was right there.
I mean, I tend to give coaches most of the time the benefit
of the doubt, just because they forget more about basketball on a daily basis
than I will ever know. I think some of the lineups that Darvin Ham
would perpetually run were definitely worth criticizing. I think that the offense in general,
too for the Lakers was not inventive enough. That might be a symptom
of having Lebron James. But do I think that he needed to be scapegoaded?
I mean, let's see how JJ Reddick does before we answer that question.
I suppose so ooh, you see anyone who's watched, they're like dramatic?
Should I add that into like my podcasting repertoire, which is staring at
the ground and just shaking my head solemnly, like really just adding dramatic because
he looks like he's really about to uncork a take here. I'm gonna be
upset if the if the build up isn't worth the return. Oh, I
keep hearing Laker entitlement of well, let's just go get de Jonta Murray.
And it came down to Atlanta saying, no, uh, we want Austin
Reeves. You gotta throw Austin Reeves into whatever the deal was probably really was
in there maybe d Low's. I don't. I don't know, but they
want I just I don't know. We know that the Lakers didn't want to
give up Austin Reeves, and I think in the Dejenttey Murray deals specifically,
you probably have a case to do that because, like if it was Reeves
and two first versus the Pelicans gave up Byson Daniels in two first, the
Lakers' own picks are going to be more valuable than the picks that the Pelicans
are giving up, so to speak. So I of understand that stance.
And we don't have reporting right now on how seriously the Lakers were in on
Dejontay. It seems like they're more interested in cashing in on maybe a bigger
name, or did this come down to they wouldn't include Dalton connect It also
just seems like, honestly, I know that they could use some secondary playmaking
now or Reeves would have definitely worked for them. It seems like the Hawks
wanted to prioritize getting some wing bodies in there and wing defenders. The Lakers
don't have those guys to offer, so could they have beaten Atlanta's offer?
Sure? This is not the player where if you could have gotten him,
then I'm gonna criticize you for not I think part of the appeal would have
been all right if you would put every pick, two picks and two spots
on the table and could have gotten him. And now you're keeping Austin Reeves
and you have lebron and Ad and Bronnie James playing his like eighteen nineteen minutes
a game. Sure, but we haven't seen enough reporting on it. I
don't think this is one of the opportunities that the Lakers necessarily just whiffed on
undert Austin Reeves. And I was with the Lakers for saying no, because
Dejonte's not that good. I like him, but I don't him. I
guess I agree with everything that I didn't know if this was gonna go on
for him to compliment the Lakers, though, so I'm very This is just
I make some roundabout points, and I think people listening or watching, we'll
have no idea where they're going. But this is a I don't know where
this is going. Guys, Austin Reeves is really really good and he's only
going to get really really better. Duh. I mean, I don't really
know that. We could say really, really better is proper English. But
aside from that, we're framing this is Austin Reeves is one of the young
Lakers they want to build around. He's not old. I'm older than Austin
Reeves. This seems so it's fucking ridiculous that I'm saying this. He's twenty
six. This is not like, how much better do we expect him to
get at twenties? Do you think he's gonna turn into building black material?
And then I kept hearing about Donovan Mitchell. Let's just snap our fingers and
go, let's try for Donovan Mitchell. And I said, Cleveland's not going
to give him up. And Cleveland just maxed him out and he is now
for the next whatever it is, five years a Cleveland cavalier. He is
a Cleveland Cavalier for the next four. But three of those were guaranteed.
And the way that pre agency works is if he wants to leave, we'll
be talking about this again in two years. But he is right the game
of max extension and he is still in Cleveland. And I think if you
were ever setting you're the Lakers were putting their eggs and then we'll just go
out and trade for Donovan Mitchell or Trey Young basket. Uh, yeah,
you should. You shouldn't have done that. De Jonte obviously went to New
Orleans. Great take by Skip. I'm pretty sure that Dejonte is in New
Orleans. That's really that's great, good call Clay. Let's go get Clay
and now on the front burner becomes DeMar DeRozan. We'll see how that works
out. Oh, sound of it was? Right now? Those like DeMar
Rosen's going to the Kings. We know Clay took he could have had four
and eighty from the Lakers versus three and fifty from the MAVs. I think
what goes into that. I guess the Lakers could have guaranteed him a spot,
a starting spot, but to Skip's point, like the Lakers being a
circus might have worked against them there. And he's playing, you know,
Michael Thompson, his dad, and then just the air of like the pressure
there. Did he want to go in Dallas where okay, you guarantee the
starting spot there might just be less of a media who PLA And then I
think the think the more important thing here is the money is comparable enough,
the playing time is comparable, if not better enough, that why not just
go to the better team, which would be the Dallas Mavericks. My point
is he has a point. This is exciting. In the end, something
just happened. A message just got sent that the Lakers are no longer the
destination right because they didn't get Klay Thompson. Sure, and because what players
who are under contract didn't force their way there. I don't I'm not really
sure where we're where we're going here, and there's only like a couple seconds
of this clip left. Maybe they're no longer in the eyes of players around
the league, the Lakers anymore, because Lebron has become oh god, I
don't even want to let him finish the sentence, but I'm gonna more trouble
than he's worth running the Lakers with now his puppet head coach JJ Reddick.
Okay, this is just like Lebron is definitely him and Clutch Sports have gone
to great lengths to say like they aren't involved in these decisions, which I
do think is bullshit. And I think that you can lay if you want
to, some of the blame for the Russell Westbrook trade which might be the
original Cardinal Sandal, though I think you look at the Danny Green trade as
well. A job of a front office is to keep stars in check and
to if you want their input, solicit it, do it. But you
also need to shoot them down when they're wrong. And so I only assign
so much blame as what has gone wrong in LA. I don't think Lebron
has sat there and completely devalued the presence of two way players. That would
be he's too smart for them to do that. Does he maybe want ultimate
power and control and they've given him too much? Look, I honestly can't
speak to that, but to say that Lebron is more trouble than he's worth,
Lebron was still one of the fifteen best players in basketball last year,
and so I want to know specifically what he has done to ruin the Lakers
and if it's the whole him and Bronni are just the attention that comes with
being in Los Angeles has to like prevented some other players from wanting to be
there. I'd like to hear more about it on the record, But like
Anthony Davis forced to trade to only the Lakers, and there's always going to
be that cachet. Is there Lakers exceptionalism? Will some teams charge a Lakers
tax? Are they overvaluing some of their own players if they don't want to
give up Austin Reeves and some of these deals for targets that we haven't even
mentioned or heard about yet. Okay, sure, but this idea that Lebron
has ruined the Lakers when he is still very clearly and I don't think it's
he's the reason it's this way, Like, yeah, I guess his style
could be harder to incorporate, but I've never like, how do you watch
this guy play and think that he's still not great enough to be well,
like, we still kind of need to flesh out like our roster in future
and take his opinion into account. Lebron is now effectively the unofficial head coach
of the Lakers. Oh okay, yeah right, this is just utter bs.
I think that we can just I mean, we can just leave it,
leave it there, because yes, okay, JJ Redick is Lebron's homie.
But JJ Reddick was not only interviewed by the Lakers, he had interviews
with the Raptors the Hornets. Wasn't there another organization that he had interviewed with
a while back. So he's ad at least two other NBA interviews. So
this has been a name that's at least been floated, whether the interviews were
out of courtesy or not. He's a name that's been floated. And the
other thing here is just like, unless the Lakers did this on purpose to
make it look like they weren't bending till Lebron's will, they went after Dan
Hurley first and offered him money and just one of the like dumbest public negotiations.
I have no idea what they were thinking on that it was. I've
likened it to you don't propose marriage to someone without knowing the answer. There
are just certain questions you don't ask without knowing the answer. And the way
those negotiations unfolded with the money in the years that they offered him would be
one of those situations. And so so was this sort of an elaborate plan
and make it seem like, oh, we're not going the Lebron's will be
done route. Spare me that Lebron is not the head coach of the Lakers.
This was as promised. It took him forever to get there, but
blaming Lebron for the state of the Lakers is quite to take here. Not
perfect, He's definitely made some missteps along the way, but everything that's wrong
with them can be laid at the feet of ownership and the front office,
because even if they solicited his advice or listen to them, part of their
jobs is understanding when not to do that. Hopefully you just didn't hate that.
We'll still work out some kings for it. There'll be different types of
clips that we go through. If you'd like to submit one that you'd like
to see me or maybe grant together review, you'd have to be a discord
or our email. We do have a trade to report though, at the
end of this, a big one, so everybody sit down. The Spurs
are trading guard Devonte Graham and a second round pick to the Charlotte Hornets.
Per WoDES, the Hornets will wave Graham, allowing him to become a free
agent. The Hornets are gonna have to pay the partial guarantee that was on
Graham's number, which is like two point nine to two point eight five million.
They're gonna get a second round pick out of the deal, and the
Spurs are now twenty five million dollars plus under the cap I think at this
point twenty six million dollars plus. So they are set up to do some
spicy things. Maybe that helps them out and allow remarketing trade or trade for
someone else who knows. Hope you enjoyed this. We'll be coming at you
with I think more frequent episodes in the following We only had two this week.
We apologize after putting out like eight or ten in the previous week or
whatever. Please remember, if you're watching this far, subscribe YouTube, Spotify,
Apple the Pole nine join our discord only thoughts in the podcast in YouTube
description beyond the lookout for our latest merch drop, which will be coming soon.
The designs are in. I have samples on the way. This is
exciting. They kicked some asks, so we'll be on the look out for
that until next time. That has always leaves the shout out to one the
only, the indelible the legends, Frank Healing. So