What is Krack Black and Hardwar Knocks listeners, I am Damp Valley coming at
you in a few moments with my fantabulous co host Adam Bromwell doing this pre
introduction. Because we have this podcast every Western Conference team's top trade and free
agency targets as told by Hardwood Knocks. We get into the criteria of how
we structured this. But we recorded this and then there was a Pelicans Grizzly
trade that messed it up, so we decided to record a separate part where
we analyzed the Grizzlies and Pelicans trade and then we also go into adjusted offseason
approach free agency trade targets for them, So you'll hear that first. There'll
be timestamps in the description at some point, and yeah, scroll around,
jump around, listen to the whole thing. We encourage that if you have
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So it didn't take long into draft week to have the first trade with quite
a bit of significance. As first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wocharowski, the Memphis
Grizzlies decided to unexpectedly clear out of the blue trade Jonas Valentiunis the number seventeen
and fifty one picks in the twenty twenty one NBA Draft to the New Orleans
Pelicans for Eric Bledsoe's bloated contract, Steven Adams's bloated contract, the tenth and
the fortieth picks in this year's draft. It's gonna be a little bit tough
to analyze this one and fully break it down because there are inevitably going to
be some secondary transactions. We already know, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports,
that Bledsoe isn't expected stay in Memphis. There are protections on the twenty
twenty two first round pick that has headed Memphis's way via the Los Angeles Lakers.
Some of these picks could become second rounders. It definitely doesn't seem like
this is finalized yet. We're just kind of going through the initial pieces that
are in motion here. And my gut reaction was a little bit of confusion,
just because this was so out of the blue. There was no warning
whatsoever that this was going to take place. But as you start to analyze
these pieces in motion, it kind of feels like the rare true win win,
doesn't it It does. I don't know that it came out of nowhere.
This was like it was clearly in the ether for a while because Woejin
low like mentioned this the day before Sunday. They mentioned it basically the exact
framework of this trade, and so whenever they mentioned like exact details, it
piqued my attention as, oh, it sounds like Memphis is going to move
the pick. I was surprised that they were able to move both Let's Adams
in the same deal. And it ends up clearing more than twenty one million
dollars of payroll for next season. Now what they turn that payroll into is
still up for debate. I think that's the big thing here is the implications
for New Orleans. I mean they're both big implications. The Grizzlies are clearly
they're slow playing what they're doing more than I think most people thought after making
two playoff biz and I actually support that. But looking at the Pelican side,
they can have more than thirty five million dollars in cap space now.
But you're renouncing everyone in that scenario. That's Josh Hart, that's Lonzo Ball,
they're just gone, and their interest in Kyle Lowry and knowing how much
he'll command. It might be a situation where you can float Josh Hart's cap
hold, which is I think about ten million, and signing Lowry and you're
just letting Ball walk, or you're just paying Lowry and that's it. That
would be an awfully larger price to pay. You're moving back seven spots in
the first round, you're moving back was eleven spots in the second round,
and then you gave up that Laker's pick that yeah, you top ten protected
it. If that's all, then to let Heart and Lonzo Ball walk and
sign Lowry, I don't know it would to me. It would just feel
steep. At the same time, I don't hate this deal from what they
paid to get off of that money and there it's off. They save themselves
even more in twenty twenty two because Adams had another year left on his deal.
I think Bledsoe was between three and four million partially guaranteed. So you
give yourself flexibility in twenty twenty two free agency, and now you've done independent
of Lowry. Let's say Lowry signs elsewhere, which I don't know how you
feel about this. I'll throw it to you really quickly. Wouldn't you predict
that Lowry's not on the Pelicans next season? Would that not be your prediction
right now? Yeah, I don't think that's where he's gonna wind up there.
It feels like there's more of a chance of that now because it would
be a good fit. He does have an established relationship with Valancutis, but
it doesn't feel like that's going to be the number one priority for him to
end up with the Pelicans. I'll also say I think part of the reason
I felt of surprise that this actually came to fruition, despite the rumors that
it was in the works beforehand, was just that I was so firmly entrenched
in the Memphis should not blow anything up camp that I didn't want to believe
that anything like this was going to happen. I mean, yes it did.
I'm going to yell at you in a minute about that. But yeah,
So if if you're not going to have Kyle Lowry, which is a
real possibility, there are other things that you can do. Now. It's
if you're a team and the Pelicans aren't signing Kyle Lowry, and you know
they have they always could have matched whatever you were offering Lonzo, but now
they're just so far away from the tax that it doesn't matter. You're less
likely to give him an offer sheet, which kind of squeezes his market maybe
makes him more likely to return at a different type of number for you as
well. You can also do other things. You can make a trade exception
out of Eric whatzzo salary, so you can split the difference where I don't
know how much Lonzo Ball commands, but let's say it's between like eighteen and
twenty two to keep him, and then you have another you know you can
you can operate as an over the cap team, especially, but you can
use that exception to take in a player who's making eighteen million dollars still,
so like you can operate as over the cap Keeplon's own heart, have that
trade exception, then go out and trade for someone in a sign and trade
in that scenario from another team, whether it's a you know, at Duncan
Robinson. I think because the name has been floated a bunch because the Pelicans
need shooting. But yeah, yeah, and there's a lot of different stuff
that they can do now. So I don't hate the opportunity cost here,
but it's one of those situations where you kind of have to wait and see
what the Pelicans turn this flexibility into. And my question now to you,
though, is what also matters is Janus Valentiunis is fit on this team next
design On Williamson specifically, what do you think of that whole dynamic in the
front court. I really like it. I mean, Valentiunis has shown that
there is a significant amount of stretch to his game. He's not necessarily going
to be a true stretch five knockdown three point shooter, but he can operate
back outside of the perimeter. He's one of the best interior scorers in the
NBA today, but he's also comfortable operating out of the mid range. But
what I think it does for you, even beyond the fit when they're both
on the court together, is it gives you the ability to maintain an offense
when Zion Williamson is not in the game. If he's if valid, Junis
is leading the charge with bench units, he's going to be able to be
a featured scorer. We've seen that work in key situations in Memphis, and
I think that's one of the early overlooked aspects of this. The other overlooked
aspect is I think this gives other free agents more confidence in the New Orleans
front office because they easily could have accepted that they made a mistake by giving
Steven Adams such a ginormous contract, But instead they recognized that shortcoming and actually
made the move to offload it in a way that's going to better the team
both in the short term and in the long term. And they deserve a
lot of credit for doing that. We've seen plenty of front offices refuse to
acknowledge mistakes and double down on them, and this was the exact opposite,
and that shouldn't go unmentioned. Yeah, they deserve credit for undoing a lot
of what they did. Lash, I mean, ideally you don't make the
mistake in the first place, but like that, that is the definition of
a sun cost so right, at least they're getting out of that. Yeah,
I'm just yeah, I agree with everything you said. I would just
be skeptical of given how much they had to undo. Stan Van Gundhi,
Eric Bletsoe right, Steven Adam Right. Again, ideally you don't make those
mistakes in the first place, but how many times have we seen organizations refuse
to acknowledge that a mistake was made and just dig yourself even deeper? I
will say, what we've really yet to see? And this was not an
original thought for me, So I want to credit that in the No podcast
with Shamadua and Mason Ginsburgh was not all that episode, but they are Blue
Wire teammates. David Griffin really hasn't proven that he can with them anyway,
that he can make the right buy now play. He's done a lot of
good selling. When you look at the jew holiday trade, when you look
at the Anthony Davis trade, and even this trade could be constitute as a
cell. I guess you bought cap space, but you grease the wheels of
salary dumps. What is his the fact that his hallmark move though might be
what he got in the anti Davis return, it's probably not great. And
now I do think there's pressure of what you also have to look in if
you want confidence in the Pelicans run office, how do they handle the Lonzo
ball situation? Now? Does this make it more likely that he's leaving that
he's staying, Because there's two schools of thought there. It's oh, they
have they don't have to worry about matching him at all. They're going to
carry his cap hold. They'll see what Josh harkeets in the market too.
They're not really planning on using a ton of cap space or they did this
specifically to use a ton of cap space in which part, in which case
he barring other moves, and there's still a chance they could make other moves.
He is part of your opportunity costs for if it's Kyle Lowry or if
it's someone else, for whatever comes next to mention your Jonas fun shun his
point. I do like the fit, and he does have more range.
He's not a high volume three point shooter. But he did show that he
could hit some trail threes while he was in Memphis. I don't know that
he counts the floor spacer, but he also has that floater game that helps.
And you mentioned he can manufacture his own offense, which is something you
didn't get consistently from Adams. You don't have it yet in Jackson Hayes.
So that helps you in It helps you in the Zion minutes too, just
because you look at your point guard situation right now, and unless Kira Lewis
Junior or Nag goes Boom, unless Lonzo Ball shows an element of half court
creation that he really just hasn't yet, you're gonna need a little bit extra
of that. So I like the fit. This team still needs spacing around
Zion, and I would include it would be nice to see them get whether
it's a small ball five option or just another type of center, a guy
who can actually chuck threes at that spot. And everyone's looking for the shot
blocker who can space the floor. But they do need a better defender at
the five spot right now to me, because Valanciunis is like, if you
need him to be like stout around the rim. Okay, but he's not
like gonna be supermobile on defense in that area. I am looking forward to
one seeing him pancake some dudes on screens. Imagine running a pick and roll
with Zion and Goonis Valancunists, like, just imagine that we're going to see
a ton of that. It'll be super fun. And the other thing is,
I'm pretty sure that New Orleans might have a higher offensive rebounding rate than
defensive rebounding rate at this point. I wouldn't surprise me at all. No,
Yeah, I think we're too quick sometimes to say that you're either a
floor spacing five or you're not. Like I think more realistically, there are
three categories. They are the true floor spacers, then there are the spacing
detractors, and then there are the people who operate in between those two extremes.
And Steven Adams fell into that second category and Valancunist falls into the third,
maybe sometimes the first. That's a huge upgrade for a Zion Williamson led
offense. And the other thing, I was already excited and intrigued by the
possibility of Ball coming back to this team and showing that the strides he made
throughout this past season where legitimate could carry over into the next campaign that he
was an increasingly good fit for the incumbent core. He's even better fit now
because all of a sudden, you have a center who can create his own
offense, which lessens the scoring responsibilities on Lonzo Ball's shoulders, which is his
biggest weakness, a half court score. So all of a sudden, you
have a team that's even more primed to plumb every positive thing out of his
profile that it can and account for his weakness is better. So I do
think they're going to pursue Kyle Lowry. They'll be floated as a possible landing
spot for every intriguing point guard on the open market. But Lonzo is an
even better fit now. I'm wondering if this trade the dream for me scenario
for the Pelicans was having Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry, because just think of
how much Lonzo Ball benefits from being alongside a floor general like Kyle Lowry.
Just think about how much that amplifies his game and how that can be a
symbiotic relationship. So you had more ready made salary filler for sign and trade
with Kyle Lowry when you had Adams Robletto on the roster. Now it's like,
I guess you could do like a Josh Hart sign and trade plus does
I don't even know if Jackson Hayes's money get you enough there. I guess
you could still include Valichunist if you wanted to. But I do think valentchunis
Is value to the Pelicans was a part of their calculus. Valichunis re union
in Toronto wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. It kind of sucks
that I gotta see this Zion Valentchuta's pick and roll. Now I am at
my point though, is I think it makes it less likely that you are
going to have Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball teams. Is very much of I'm
of the mind now you've decided if we're getting Kyle Lowry's because we have this
cap space. Whereas before it seemed a little bit easier to sign and trade
because also you have the number ten pick to use with any of the salary
you were sending out. Now, yeah, you still do have. They
moved down in number seventeen, and like I said, they have if I
could see Toronto being semi interested in Heart It's just I don't know where the
rest of that money is coming from. If you're not including Valichunists, which
I would agree, I don't think that they should unless they have a different
type of center coming in or deal tea up. It was a pipe dream
always, but I was kind of hoping to see it, and I think
this makes it less likely to sort of put a bow on the Pelicans.
Can I force you to make a prediction of is Lonzo Ball in New Orleans
next season? Yes? Or no? I think I think you will be.
There's just so much cap space that the ability to match without any repercussions
is too much here. I'm gonna say no. I still think they might
try and split the difference here somehow we're using the trade exception, or they
can lower his capital by the way, because his capital is like twenty seven
five, he's not going if he gets that much money, the Knicks have
done something wild. It would be my prediction. But you can lower it
by signing him to a new deal that's worth less. If it's eighteen million,
you lowered it by nine million. It makes it easier to split the
difference here. So I still think it's going to be a sign in trade
scenario for him. I'm fascinated they were. I think they were one of
my most interesting teams of the offseason when Bleacher Reports Grant he was and I
did this segment. They're even more fascinating to me now because this is not
a move that I think intimates any one direction for them. I fully agree
with that. On board. Hey Hardonnox listeners, it's Dan again, this
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So from memphisis perspective. You took on over twenty one million dollars in salary
this year. You're getting rid of Justice Winslow is part of this. You're
declining his team option because you need the cap space to do that. You
also have to factor in the cost of Steven Adams next year, which is
seventeen nine, and then you're probably gonna wigh Eric Bletsoe if you're I think
that was three point eight million, I had the exact number written down three
point nine million guaranteed. So at minimum, as of now, you've now
taken on twenty one point nine million you've taken on forty three forty four million
dollars in total to move up seven spots in the draft, seven spots in
the first round, eleven spots in the second round, and you get the
Lakers twenty twenty two pick, top ten protected. I think it's a smidge
of it's a smidge much. We have to see what happens with Eric Bletso.
Maybe they're able to use Adams or Eric Bletso too in a subsequent trade
because those are money anchors. Maybe Eric Bletso gives a lot back and a
buy out, because if I'm Memphis, and I'm not saying players should have
to give back money, but if he wants to leave and you're being pressured
by Clutch Sports to buy him out, you're just having dead money on your
books all of next season, so you can't use him as a money matching
tool in a trade. So I'm not just saying there needs to be money
given back off next year's partial guarantee. There probably needs to be money given
back off this season to make it worth Memphis. While what I like about
this is and people were making the joke like, oh, John Moran's gonna
have to request out by mid season. Memphis is taking gradual swings here where
I don't they don't even know if they had and it wasn't Jonas Valanciunis,
even though he was probably their most consistent player last year and definitely their second
best player last year. He wasn't going to be the number two long term.
I don't even think you can argue that they know Jaren Jackson Junior is
that guy. You've now moved into tenth in this draft, where no,
I don't know if you're going to find that guy, but you're getting another
bite at the apple, and you've reloaded further your draft pick Cachet because you
have a Jazz pick next year. You have that Warrior's pick in twenty twenty
four, which that could be Dad could be effing tasty that Warrior's pick.
I think it's top four protected in twenty twenty four. So've you are in
a position to still, especially when you look at all these other type deals
you have on your books. You can go out there and make a huge
trade if you view it as the right opportunity. But now is the time
to take the gradual approach because you haven't doubled down on anyone on your roster.
I know it sucks. John Morant is really good now he's not Luca
dan jag like. He has not inferred the obligation too. We need to
build a contender around him. So while he is cheaper, and I'm not
saying that because I want him to be cheap, it's the clocks. It's
kicking to me. Once you sign your first Max cornerstone, that's gonna happen
next summer. He's going to be extension of the next summer, so you
have two more years of a cost control John Moran before that extension kicks in.
Make these swings now to find that guy when you have the flexibility to
do so, because when John Moran's making a ton of money, it's gonna
be harder to make moves like this to accumulate assets to either one trade or
two. As I said before, get you more bites at the apple.
That's why I'm ultimately okay with this. And they're sort of doing they're not
undoing, but they're admitting a folly with the Justice Winslow trade wherever. They
took on a lot of money to get him, and because of injuries,
he just never panned out by inevitably declining his team option again unless there are
other moving parts here. Yeah, you've admitted to a mistake, but you've
opened up another window of opportunity. And that's why I like it for them,
even though, and we have to shout out Amy here. It sucks
from an emotional standpoint because Joanna sound Tunis did such a good job of endearing
himself to the Grizzly sam base, but also just embracing because he did resign
there embrace sing the role of Okay, I'm on a young team that turned
out to be better than expected, but I'm on a young team and I'm
going to immerse myself in this culture, be there for the younger guys.
And he really did shine there. So from that perspective it sucks. But
from the callous, zoomed out team building perspective, I think Memphis it's eminently
justifiable, if not a really good move for them, we can't say great
until we see what happens. Obviously, I'm leading more towards the really good
side of the spectrum because we need to talk about Steven Adams here. There's
such there's such a tendency in modern NBA discourse to immediately fail to separate the
player from the contract. Steven Adams was misevaluated and signed to a ginormous contract
that unquestionably overpays him. But because that's the first thing that gets mentioned now,
we forget that he's actually a really good basketball player. He was not
a really good basketball player this past season, but going into the year,
we knew how bad that fit looked, and that's exactly how it played out.
He's only twenty eight years old. He turned twenty eight six days ago.
He is two years removed from an excellent final season with the Oklahoma City
Thunder. He's thrived when he's played alongside good point guards like Russell Westbrook and
Chris Paul and he now gets to play with another one and John Morant,
who is a score first guy who can take advantage of defensive weaknesses with his
athleticism and let Adams clean up and do the dirty work. He is going
to thrive on the glass. He gives a screen setting presence that is better
than Valentunis ever brought to the table, despite Valentunis being a good screen setter.
That's what's another thing that's getting overlooked about this trade, and the immediate
aftermath is that we want to talk about how the money doesn't make sense for
Adams, how they had to take on assets just to acquire the player,
and we forget that, Hey, this is a really good basketball player who
actually does make sense for this team. And that's why I immediately liked it.
Because he can elevate Morant's game just by virtue of the screens, by
the willingness to do the dirty work to create second chance opportunities to grab defensive
rebounds or to defer them to a quick transition player. He makes a lot
of sense for this team. Yeah, I somewhat agree with that. I
just think he's deteriorated so much defensively and we've sort of yet to see like
a value. But well, you know, but he's just a lot slower
than he was two or three years ago for someone who's only twenty eight.
Now, he's a better defender than you on his mountain tunis now. And
I think he'll benefit from being next to a league guard like a John Moran,
or even just looking at some of the secondary players at this point,
like a Taias Jones or a Dylan Brooks, like secondary playmakers like that compared
to what he was working with in New Orleans. I will I just and
look, the number of two years and thirty five million is just not like
it's it's not great in retrospect, but if it's on the right team.
I still don't know if Memphis is the right team. They need more shooting
around him too, and their search for a wing score is never ending.
This is like, not since Rudy Gay now have they really had one.
I know they thought Chandler Parsons was going to be that guy for them,
but and it really seems like they're going to pursue that in the draft,
especially with the subsequent reports that they're looking to move further up from that number
ten pick. Don't know who's four, but it seems like that's the priority
here, right. And you also, this trade looks better if you're in
love with someone that you know is going to be at number ten and you
think he is the guy, then you know what, Like that makes this
trade a lot easier to justify from their perspective too. I'm curious to see
what are they attaching to move up they have the Laker I guess it's like
the Lakers pick the Utah pick. I wouldn't attach the Golden State pick there.
I'd be curious to see how far they're moving up and then what the
equity is to get there, because looking at what they have right now,
unless they bowl over someone with an offer, I'm not seeing a path to
them cracking the top six like Oklahoma City six, Orlando at five, like
Toronto at four, and then Cleveland at three. He's in at two and
Detroit at one obviously, so you're moving trying to move up another three spots
max. It feels like, Yeah, my initial assumption was maybe they're moving
up to take James Smoke Night, but like, I don't know, and
he might still be there at ten, even though a lot of people think
that he's going top ten, So like he just might still be there at
ten, in which case maybe you don't need to move up. So I'd
be interested with the opportunity costs there, just what is it going to take
to move up three spots or whatever. And I can't shake the pairing of
Corey Kissper here just because he's such an elite shooter from so many different levels
and a guy who shot forty four percent on six and a half threees per
game last year with last year with Gonzaga, Like, if you're looking for
shooting, that's the guy in this class. He's not necessarily the creator that
you might find a little bit higher up. But that's where my head initially
went when I saw that Memphis was moving up to ten in the draft.
Is he clear top ten two? Like that wouldn't be like to move to
get him ten? Yeah? Yeah, I mean I think, like you're
probably not getting him just outside the lottery in this class, but it felt
like ten was a reasonable spot where it's probably a slight overdrafting based on what
we're seeing with the consensus big boards, but it wouldn't in any way be
like unrealistic. The trade is exciting because neither of these teams are done,
like you just the set up of their rosters. But that's why it's it's
fascinating to me. The other element of this is how it impacts the off
season that we're getting there and do you you know this is we all spoiler
we already recorded something on this that is now just terrible gone in the et
there no one loves her hearing any looking at what Memphis has done, do
any trade or free agency targets now stand out to you for them, because
I still do. I still do have a few, But I'm curious to
see if if that crossed your mind at all about how this impacts who they're
going to target or what they're going to target in the off season. No,
I mean I'm going into this. I was. I was in the
camp where I didn't want to see any moves like this. I think this
was still a good one for for Memphis given what was brought back in the
return, but so much depends on what happens with Eric Bledsoe here. I
guess you're still looking for that shooter, that three and D guy. I
mean, like if but you're you're not close enough to true contention to make
a play for for Danny Green or something where it would just be you know,
what are you boosting too? So I don't really have any specific targets
for this team. Still, I think they need wings and shooting more than
ever. I would argue now just because you've you've you've shrunk the floor with
this trade, even even though you know Justice Winslow was a terrible shooter for
them and barely played for that matter. And yes, as Daniel Green says
in the chat they have three first next year or projected to have three first
and yeah, we already talked about the Bledsoe buy out. There's a chance
that they don't even have to pay that four million Daniel, depending on if
if he wants to buy out like he's giving a crap ton of money back
to whether they're gonna like that's me. If I'm Memphis, I'm holding the
line there. I would still like to see them even though it doesn't look
like they're going super whin now like Buddy Held still stands out here and now
you have the money to match it. Where Sacramento wants to lean into a
rebuild, which they might Buddy healed Eric bletso structure, and then they're the
ones that have to deal with the Eric Bletzo buy out and what are you
giving them an addition to the basically two years worth of cap relief, you
could also trade Steven Adams and then lean into Jaren Jackson junior at the five,
which is something I don't know if they've been reluctant to it, but
they couldn't experiment with it last year because he hasn't been too healthy and I
also think he does need to get his bowling still under control. He probably
I think he might be better suited defensively at the five, maybe just because
he won't have to cover as much ground in a lot of instances, and
he seems to be like there's a little bit of chaos there. So there
are a lot of different moves they can make. But Buddy Held stands out
to me if they wanted to. And what this also impacts is now they're
definitely not going to be a cap space team, unless I won't say definitely
because we just saw trades happen. You're working with the non tax payers mid
level exception. Maybe there's something I don't think he signs for this, but
Will Barton is still a target that I would love for this team to help
them generate more spacing with his passing and just his shooting in general. Is
there assigning trade with Denver if Miami doesn't want to pay Duncan Robinson. That's
also what the other guy, if you're not looking at a Blootzow trade,
is there are signing trade to be worked out for Duncan Robinson because I think
he's spectacular. Other than that, like, can you look on the lower
end of just some shooting, Like you just need to put floor spaces on
the floor. At this point, you don't even in my mind, need
to do like full mid level type targets. It's just, hey, can
we get Wayne Ellington back in Memphis for a minute to generate some extra spacing,
not saying he has to play a ton of minutes for maybe you could
also get a veteran to come in and provide some spacing. You you're funneling
him the full mid level exception, which I think a nontaxpayers is gonna be
out between nine point five and nine point six. No one stands out in
total. I would like Doug McDermott for this team doesn't create a lot,
but I think he'll probably get more than the mid level, and I don't
know why he would necessarily leave. They could take a look at a Terrence
Davis who's a restricted free agent, but those guys are also well not Doug
McDermott, but Terrence Davis is on the smaller side, and you do want
them to be like more of true wing sized at this point. So I
still think shooting is a priority to where some of the targets we mentioned in
the previous edition, Will Barton Buddy Heals specifically, and you can go through
I'm assuming you're gonna go through a lot of suggestions we have in the chat.
I think those are two those would be the two ideal names for me.
With Duncan Robinson also booming. I just don't think the Heat are gonna
balk at any or flinch at any offer sheet or want to actually move on
from him. Yeah, so we've we've had quite a bit of activity in
the comments here. Brad Henry says, maybe the Grizz want to get to
eight for Vager. That's friends Vagger. I think that could make sense for
this team. I wonder if they do have to move up to get him.
It feels like he could feasibly be there at number ten as well.
Ohen Mayat says, I'd imagine we lean more into Jaron at the five minutes
looks fairly good in the Utah series and fixes some of the spacing issues.
I think that's the dream from Memphis. Is that working, But it's just
tough to rely on that given the fragility and the injury history on display here
where it's looked good, but the sample size has been so small that it's
tough to commit to that without any contingency plans whatsoever. Dylan Hank says,
I hear they like Josh Giddy at number ten. I've seen that one as
well. I don't know how much validity there is to those rumors. I
really like Josh Giddy as a prospect. I just I don't know if I
love that fit. You're taking the ball out of John Morant's hands, and
you're adding another spacing liability, like an oversized point guard who has no shooting
to his game whatsoever. At this stage, that feels like Memphis making a
poor decision more than anything else right now. Who would you be okay with
them taking at number ten now after making his trade, assuming they keep the
pick, Is it actually kiss Burt? I think that's the play right now.
It would probably be a bit of a reach, But I just I
can't come up with a better prospect team pairing at that slot right now.
But I also do really like the idea of Moses Moody there. If he
doesn't keep rising up the boards, that's another great fit. As a self
creator. I've seen a lot of people wondering if I don't think he will
just based off it feels like we're he've been mocked. But A is Jonathan
Cominga like the person that they're trying to trade up still to get. If
you're if they're still trying to trade up, they better get into the top
six probably. I see he seemed that consensus top five or six at this
point, so I was just I was a little bit surprised at his name.
I think I think they're probably helped by the Scottie Barton's helium we're seeing
right now, where it doesn't feel like Comingo's get to go in the top
five unless there's a big surprise, but you still have to move up to
get him. Moral of the story though, is they got to get you,
whether it's signing someone like a Reggie Bullock or Alec Burks or making up
a little bit of a bigger swing on the trade market. I still like
this trade from Memphis, though I appreciate the bites at the apple they're giving
themselves for New Orleans. It's kind of the same question, and we went
over it a little bit, but you how do you think this changes their
offseason approach when you're looking at additional trades or what they might do in free
agency. There's I mean, we talked about the Kyle Lowry element to no
end. Are you okay if the end result is Lonzo Ball is gone,
maybe Josh Hart's back, we don't know. But you've signed Kyle Lowry and
that's why you did all of this? Are you good with that? Probably
not, just because what are you what are you doing with that timeline?
Lowry is roughly forty five at this point right like, still a great basketball
player, but how does he fit with the Zion Williamson brandon Ingram timeline.
That's what doesn't make sense to me if you want to bring him in because
you're anticipating making a huge leap by all means, but you're not doing that
by replacing Lonzo Ball and or Josh Hart with him so much as supplementing.
I'd be much more okay with at if it's in conjunction with Alonzo Ball resigning,
which there should be enough money to do. Now to what, I'm
sorry cant the last point. What's in conjunction with Alonzo Ball signing a Kyle
Lowry addition? But yeah, sign and trade. I guess it is still
possible. I just the framework gets a little bit more fickle. Now.
I will say, if Kyle Lowry and Zion Williams in are on the same
team, they must be the NBA duo that has like the biggest collective asses
that we've seen, right, Like that has to be like that has to
be a thing. The biggest Kadonka donc duo or whatever it would be called,
would be seen an all Kadonka dog team. If that happens, I'm
either episode right there, Yeah, the dog team. I agree with you.
If you can get Kyle Lowry while keeping Alonzo ball, I think that's
the move. I'm not saying signing him would be a mistake. This would
be an awful lot of trouble though, to just get him, and it
would also reek of oh remember when they kind of prematurely accelerated their timeline with
Anthony Davis. I know Zion Williamson is great, transcendent, but it's the
same thing as sort of John Morant, Like this isn't Luca don Chich,
who's shown that he's just gonna pull a mediocre roster too, you know,
fringe title contention, and maybe he don't. Don't you have to in today's
NBA firmly in the midst of the player empowerment era, which is largely a
great thing. But like, if you're not immediately appeasing these teams, we've
already seen how much speculation there is about when they're gonna leave. So I
say I'll say no because he's not He's not off his rookie contract yet.
I don't care whether his family is happy, whether that's like valid there he's
going to sign his next deal with the Pelicans and just show him that there's
a light at the end of the tunnel somehow. This though, just ending
this with Kyle Lowry not be the worst case scenario. I'm just saying to
go through all that on doing moves that you already made that seemed a little
bit premature when looking at the Adams contract, specifically to just get Kyle Lowry
where Lonzo Ball is now An said that was given up as part of that.
It would just feel a little bit weird. I'm not saying it would
be terrible because I love I love Kyle Lowry and I love his fit on
this team, but they also need to you know, they still need wings.
Like if you're what if Josh Hart might leave is a part of this.
If you're getting Kyle Lowry, so you fix your league guard issue,
what is happening with the wing situation because you're brandon Ingram and then what and
then again maybe Josh Hart, you still have to like, you know,
do you get into the justice winslow sleepstakes right now just because he's a possible
wing defender even though he can't show sweepstakes. That's also fair because he can't
shoot and the Pelicans need shooters. So it comes back to some of our
targets for New Orleans still hold a lot of weight. Miles Turner obviously doesn't
make sense anymore if you're planning on keeping you on his faal and Chunis.
I would still argue Miles Turners the better fit, but we don't know what
his Connor situation is. I will tell you one two of the ideal free
agents for them, or I'll go three here, now I'll go four.
Is can you diversify your or five rotation further by getting a PJ. Tucker,
a Jeff Green, a Paul millsap or Jamichael Green. They don't address
your biggest needs, but it allows you to change up the look without pigeonholing
yourself to oh, this third big can only play center like Valentiunist and Jackson
Hayes. Those guys can only play center. All four of those guys,
I would argue, you could get minutes for at the four. Yeah,
Jeff Green might be the one at this point where you don't, but he
could certainly defend for Aside from that, I'm just the wing shooting market.
If they could get into Duncan Robinson sweepstakes, that would be the splitting the
difference part where it's Duncan Robinson keeping Lonzo Ball. I don't know what it
costs to get Duncan Robinson out of Miami, whether that's even possible to do
so you I think it might also be time to think, you know,
maybe we need to think a little lower end for them. Just find shooters
on the wings to put on the court. A Firk on College Garrison Matthews,
Like there are a lot of names out there, Garrison Matthews would be
fantastic for this team. That's a great figured. You'd like that one.
A Fork on Cork Moss, who's not the best shooter, but it gets
like kind of streaky and gives you some size. James Ennis shot forty three
point three percent from three this year, So those might be names who are
looking at if you're not trying to do anything too sexy. I even thought
about someone who hedges this, and I feel like his name comes up in
every discussion. Well, Reggie Bullock, Obviously his name comes up. He'd
be good for this team. Will Barton all of a sudden, makes a
lot of sense for this team. If you're gonna commit yourself to Lonzo and
you don't have that league guard fixed, He's someone who gives you some secondary
playmaking, a little force basing, not so much defense. It's just again,
it feels like they could be pulled in so many more different directions than
we initially thought about. And the wing market in free agency this year is
very just sparse unless you're gonna like even the biggest names like Norman Powell would
kind of be nice for this team, but like, he doesn't give you
the enough defensive though it's expensive. I don't think he's big enough for them,
and he's not going to give you like the defensive juice that you need.
The last question last year on the Pelicans as a free asient target.
Let's say just Lowry's not coming and you're trying to split the difference. Another
job thought, Frank Neil Keena here, I'm just gonna cut you off there,
like, come on, let's let's end the pocket. Now. What
do you think? What do you think about Spencer Dinwoody for this team.
It's it's hard to pinpoint any guard target right now given the inevitable dabbling with
Lowry and Ball. If operating under that assumption, yeah, then I do
think Didnwoody makes sense as kind of that downhill attacker who can create for himself,
can get everyone involved. He's probably a higher end target. I think
that could get expensive quickly. But theoretically that fit would make sense. The
shooting would be a concern career thirty one percent three point shooter. That's why
it's just it gives me pause. Maybe if you don't get Lowry to someone
like a Gore on drag has become available because the heat to climb his team
option. I don't know they, I think everything could be on the table
for them. I just I would like like Sterling Brown makes a lot of
sense for them now, So I'm interested to see what they do because this
feels like the first This feels like one domino that's gonna fall on in a
line of let's not say many, but a modest amount do you have?
Brad Henry did say in the chat, I think in life, acceleration matters
more than speeds, So just show the player's team growth year over year.
I would agree. I just think Kyle Lowry's thirty five, and you just
if you're giving up the tenth pick, I know you still have a first
rounder. If you're giving up the tenth pick and Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart
and another first round pick while moving down eleven spots in the second round to
get him, it just feels like that feels a little overly ambitious. Maybe
I'd be wrong, and I love Kyle Lowry, but I don't think that
can be be moved like it needs to be. Okay, we at least
kept Josh Hart or something at this point, but I would it would be
less than ideal to lose Lonzo Ball as part of the Lowry transaction. I'm
right there with you. I think that it has to be in conjunction with
a resigning. I don't do it for us, for people who are listening
on the podcast, we will now cover the rest of the Western Conference.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the latest episode of Hardwood Knocks. Today we
are going to venture into offseason territory and talk about trade and or free agent
targets for every team in the West. So we're gonna start a third room.
Actually, no, you okay, edit the name. I'm sleep deprived.
I apologize, Yes, I think it was wrong in the first time.
By the way, too, I didn't in there. I was so
focused on the missing hyphen. All right. Take three. Hello everyone,
and welcome to the latest episode of Hardwood Knocks. This is Adam from Will
here with my fantastic co host Dan fa Valley. It's our third take at
successfully titling the name of this green room room that we are in. We
are recording live, and we're gonna be talking about some trade and free agent
target It's for every team in the Western Conference. We'll go alphabetically through,
beginning with the Dallas Mavericks, finishing with the Utah Jazz. But before we
can get started with the Dallas Mavericks, I have to ask Dan, how's
it going. It was going better before I fucked up the title on this
room. Twice and also thought that I did not record it. But other
than that, I'm tired, But tis the time of year for that,
I am spectacular. Other than that, how about yourself? I mean,
in your defense, I'm probably one of the very few people who would call
out that you didn't hyphenate free agent when it's being used as a compound modifier.
Honestly, I don't care about that. It's the fact that I deleted
it after thinking I didn't record it when I did, and then still twice
putting East when we specifically said we were going to begin with the Western Conference
pod. Yeah, you know, mistakes happen. You're tired, We're all
tired. We'll get through it. How are you though, I'm good?
Maybe I'm good. As I was telling you before we started recording, I
went to a neighborhood pool with my toddler and the rest of my family today,
and I still need to wash all the chlorine off of me. But
it was great. It was nice to just be in the water album the
sun having a good time. You sound a comblination of sick and like you
just spent a long day at the beach, which is exactly how I sound.
All the time. I mean, that's pretty accurate because I was pretty
sick last weekend and I'm like still getting over it a little bit. Still,
it's still a bit congested. So I apologize for the nasally sound of
my voice today, I make no apology because it's my normal voice. Are
you ready to would we need a table set? How we approached this?
I think it's always a good idea too. Yeah, I'm not sure how
well I know how you did it, because I know your list. But
I based my targets off of who I think should be a top target for
each team on the trade and free agency market, and I took into account
obviously roster construction. But I'm not the person unless I think it's feasible that's
gonna say, Hey, the Lakers should prioritize signing and trade for Kawhi Leonard.
So like this was, I took into the fact their their cap sheets,
their assets, and what I think is realistic, and I tried.
I did varying levels of aggression. So for some teams I have like an
aggressive trade target, but then someone who's probably just a little bit more realistic
or easier to get a hold of, and like yourself, even though we
did focus sometimes on their incumbent free agents unless there are special circumstances where you
don't think the Pelicans would necessarily be guaranteed to resign Lonzo Ball, or you're
the Clippers and you don't have full bird rights on Nick Patuma, Reggie Jackson.
I just implicitly left those guys off. I focus more so on outside
cree agency targets when it came to that category. I mean, that sounds
like a lot of work, Like I just picked names out of a hat
while I was coming back from the pool. So you're qualified to have your
own TV show on Fox Sports one. That's all there. You go,
congrats to you. Did you want to I'm assuming we'll go on alphabetical order.
Did you want to start us off with the I'm not. I'm not
going to say the team is because I'm wanting to mess those up every once
a while. No, I will say before we actually start with Dallas though
that you know. My my approach was basically the same thing. I tried
to error on the side of being a bit too conservative here, just because
I think that is more of a service than getting too aggressive with moves that
in all likelihood are not going to actually play out. So in a lot
of cases they are lower level targets than you might typically hear being floated for
the team, and that is intentional, look, and it's just to use
an example, the Gold State Warriors are taxed through the roof. Like,
you can't get mad that one of my top targets for them is out works,
Like that's just the right Yeah, yeah, for sure. So starting
with the Mavericks, you know, I think that the need there is pretty
obvious because we've watched Luca don Chich continue to raise his level of play and
raise the team along with him. But it's clear that a little bit more
help is needed. Jalen Brunson great backup guard, but his ceiling is limited.
So you just need another guy who can score off the ball because Luca
is going to have such control over possessions on a nightly basis. But you
also need a little bit of that self creation juice. So I'm looking at
Norman Powell here. He's probably going to be a bit more of an expensive
target because that upside is so clearly there. But the two way ability,
the ability to create out of the pick and roll, the ability to thrive
as an off ball shooter. He just feels like he makes a lot of
sense for this Dallas team, regardless of what ends up happening with Kristaps porzingis,
if they do end up trading him elsewhere, if he is a part
of the team, because they're essentially running it back with him and potentially Tim
Hardaway Junior as well. Yeah, and he's like kind of a score that
they don't have that like North South element of two, where I know he's
not like the highest volume guy at the rim, but he still will,
you know, get there from time to time, and that's not necessarily like
you know, I know, Luca Danges gets to the basket a ton,
but like Dallas isn't getting to the rim an absurd clip. This year,
they were like they were set third to last during the playoffs or no third
to last the regular season at rim frequency. So, and they do have
the cap space for him I had for free agent targets. So their cafspace
situation is weird. So I'll say that first they sensibly get to pick between
Tim Hardaway Junior or twenty plus million dollars in cap space. I think they
can do both. If I'm them, and Josh Richardson opts in. I
think someone would definitely take him into cap space, and I would grease the
creels of a Dwight of a Dwight Powell salary dump two years and twenty two
point two million left on his contract. You can then resigned him Hardaway Junior
at basically an identical number to what he got this year and still have twenty
five plus million in room. So I still I think probably makes him Hardaway
Junior priority, but also try and go after I would like to see him
go after a Mike Conley or a Kyle Lowry. I think Mike Conley's more
gettable for them, and I like him a little bit better for the fit.
And then if you're talking lower level, like if you've resigned Tim Hardaway
Junior or if you just don't want to burn all your cap space, will
Barton opped out and would be interesting. That's kind of like that secondary playmaker.
He can. He does a good job finding shooters coming around screens.
He's a good for most part off ball player. He's not gonna give you
a ton on defense, but I think he instantly becomes their second best shot
reader. Or they could look at and even I would imagine even cheaper options
would be if Goran Dragic if his team option gets to climbed by Miami,
which I don't have a feel for what they're gonna do, or DeVante Graham
should Charlotte not want to pay him, knowing they have Rosier and LaMelo Ball
in the fold. Barton was my second choice for this team, But yeah,
I think a lot does hinge on what Josh Richardson does with on eleven
point six million dollars player option. If I think I do as well,
I think that there's still enough intrigue about his two way upside. As bad
as these last really two years have been for him, he's still, you
know, going into I believe it's age twenty eight season, there is still
plenty of time for a turnaround here. If he does choose to opt in,
which I don't expect him to do, I wouldn't hate them keeping him
here either, because in theory, he remains very much the kind of player
that they should want to have around this core. Again, in theory,
it did not work out this year, it did not work out last year,
but his skill set is ultimately what they're looking for when we're floating out
names like Norman Powell and Will Bart. Yeah, I'm with you. Did
you have anyone listed as a specific trade target for them? I did go
with just one free agent or trade target for each team. I think that's
where our methodologies veered a little away from each other, so really quickly I
had I would like to see them make a bigger deal, but unless you're
gonna like I just don't. They would need to do something with the New
York pick they own in twenty twenty three, whereas can they get it back
so they have the freedom to trade more picks? Is ostensibly the only way
I can envision them getting into play if they want a Zach Veen or Bradley
Beale, and I still think their offers would fall short just because they don't
have that young centerpiece, and Christaps porzingis really no longer qualifies as that.
Maybe you could do with for Kemba Walker, I focus he's strictly just looking
to get off money and is intrigued by Christops, so that would be an
option from them. But the one I actually listened was Jordan Clarkson. If
you could do a deal with Utah, who, in my mind should Richardson
opt in. I have Richardson listened as a potential trade target for them.
That might be a good sort of Maybe Utah needs a little bit more because
of how bad Richardson was, But I know Clarkson cooled off towards the end
of last year. He's still average eighteen point four points while downing fifty two
point three percent of his twos, and he should get some higher shot quality
Utah shot qualities through the roof, so never mind, but he should get
some off ball opportunity, more off ball opportunities next to Luca. But he
can also run those second units without him, and at thirteen millions a year
for the next three seasons, I think that's reasonable for someone who very clearly
becomes your second best shot creator after Don Chitch. I get it. I
don't love it, because I think if you're making a trade in particular,
you want a guy who can thrive both as the leader of the second unit
and alongside Don Chitch, who ultimately is going to be playing forty plus minutes
per game in the postseason. And I don't know that I love the two
of them together because Clarkson is so much better on the ball monopolizing possessions and
then you're relegating don Chitch to the wings or to the corners. So I
don't know that it makes as much sense, but I still don't mind it.
My other thought was like, would they use Utah. I think could
trade any one of favors by Danovitch, Clarkson or Ingles just to cut what
would be a huge tax bill. Should they bring back Mike Conley and so
they just want because they Dallas as Caspace. If they just want someone cheap
and you're only giving up, you know, a swap with Richardson work straight
up. And if they're really just want a Jettison cap space or something like
that's something considering Ingles seems Ingles seems like a great fit. And I can't
quite put my finger on it, but he seems like a good fit for
the Dallas culture too, especially after they resigned JJ Reddick moving right along though
Nuggets. Yeah, yeah, so I have Austin rivers On here just because
he's non bird and he was pretty big for them without Jamal Murray there.
I also think they should take a look at bringing back Will Barton. They
do need secondary playmaking during the absence of Jamal Murray recovering from the torn left
acl some of the outside free agents to consider. They still need to like
beef up their wing defense and backcourt defense. I think people are gonna laugh.
It's the only team I listed him for. I believe frank Neil Kina
just throw him out on the floor and look, he'll defend him. Gonna
laugh. He'll defend one through three and they don't have someone that's going to
defend one through three right now. Maybe Aaron Gordon, but like so if
he's gonna be cheap enough, because I'm assuming the Knicks just cut him loose,
Frankie smokes. I have Kelly who Bray Junior because the Nuggets do have
a path to using the non tax payramid level, and I don't know what
his market is going to be, just to have some like more size and
length on the wings. The one who entreats me the most though, would
be a Danny Green. They definitely need the non taxpayers mid level to do
that. And for clarification, the non tax payramid level, you could still
be a tax team, but you have to stay below the tax apron,
which is I think one forty six this year, maybe it's one forty three,
whatever is, so those are the ones I have to listen. Also,
I had Reggie Bullock Bullock on there too, but I think the Knick's
end up keeping him, so I don't want to list him for too many
different teams. Noah has said wherever Frankie goes, I will follow. But
I'm right here with you. I am there. My targets were slightly different
here. I like the idea of Buddy Healed in Denver a lot. I
think that the best route for making that happen is through a Wilbarton sign and
trade the elite three point shooting. I can't imagine how well that would play
alongside Nicola Yokich. You're sacrificing something on defense there, You're sacrificing a little
bit of shock creation. But given the number of playmaking guards on the roster
and the presence of Yokich at center, you can kind of afford to get
away with that. I just I feel like the offensive potential would go through
the roof with a shooter of that caliber. As for a free agent signing,
I looked a lot at Evan Fourier here where he's another Yeah, definitely
a reunion because that is where he started his career, but he's grown a
lot since then, both as a self creator and as a facilitator, and
I would love to see the veteran version of him back in Denver. And
I think it's especially appealing because Jamal Murray is going to miss a significant portion
of the twenty one twenty two season and you are quite sure the level at
which he's going to play when he returns, so that kind of gives you
this, this failsafe option as another creator who can ease the regular season load,
in particular off Yokich. I don't mind the Buddy Heel sign and trade
again. Actually, if I'm Sacramento, I'd be interested in Will Barton if
you're losing you already mentioned they'd be losing Will Barton in it. It's just
the money for him when you have Gordon and Michael Porter juniors coming up on
deals four days really interesting. I will say if he falls in like the
non taxpayer MLI territory and Boston doesn't pay him, that franchisees wandering through the
woods right now. But I do think he becomes He would be great for
the Nuggets, especially if maybe they don't think that they can keep Will Barton
because he gives you probably a little bit more on all shock creation, not
as much passing, but on ball shot creation, which they definitely need without
without Murray, so he would be an interesting one on the trail of lukewarm
to scorching hot. Though, where does it fall to say that Aaron Gordon
is not a lock to be resigned? And his presence was disappointing once he
arrived, Like the idea was that he was going to become this unleashed offensive
weapon to be able to guard multiple positions, and he just disappeared. He
was not a big postseason presence, and it's I think we've reached the point
in his career where the idea of Aaron Gordon remains so appealing, but it
has yet to translate into actual production. And Denver tends to be a pretty
smart organization when it comes to doling out contracts, and I don't necessarily see
the Nuggets giving him a massive pay day. I don't think he's a lock
to be resigned either. I will say they don't think they're going to resign
him. They need to flip him at the trade deadline given the assets you
know RJ Hampton and another pick they gave up to get him, and there
will be teams like Minnesota, probably Portland still that we're interested in the first
time that will give you something, not as much as you gave up for
him. It does. It sucks for them. It makes their job harder
because there I don't know how much time, even if they keep him through
next season, how much time do you get to measure his fit with Murray,
MPJ and Yokich, those four At the same time, you might not
have that opportunity before the trade deadline. If you don't feel good about paying
him at least as much as he's earning now in his next contract, I
would say that you have to move him at the deadline. I agree my
trade targets for them. We've already talked about this on the podcast. I
think they can build a pretty competitive offer for Marcus Smart. Celtics fans who
listened to this podcast, we're not happy about that. There's definitely the emotional
value that Smart holds to the franchise, But I think the Celtics will look
at it if they're not going to pay him his money and extension, if
they can get value for him and something to look at. I also have
Josh Richardson listed again. Should he opted in Dallas, that might age poorly.
He's someone that they can take a chance on, can defend one through
four. His defense definitely suffered this year, but it wasn't the worst part
of his game. And if you get the Josh Richardson who was in Miami
on offense, you've mined like this incredible gem, And so I would Josh
Richardson Denver or Utah would probably my favorite Josh Richardson trade destination if he winds
up opting into that final year of his contract. I actually really like him
on the Lakers too, but we'll get to that. It's in theory.
I love Josh Richardson everywhere. He's just one of those players where it's like
Miami Josh Richardson is like, it's not the same player. But Michael Bridges.
I want Michael Bridges on all thirty teams. I hear that that's totally
fair. Are you ready let's do the Warriors. I think we can keep
this one pretty short because we've talked about it a lot. It's basically whichever
star becomes available. Like if we're talking about free agent targets, They're going
to be low level targets because there's limited money. They're not going to land
another star at this point unless there's a trade. So right now, it
seems like the leading candidate to be a big name player who is legitimately available
is going to be Bradley Beal. If you're the Warriors, you want to
capitalize on the window on the window window while Steph Curry is still playing at
this ridiculously high level. We don't know how long that's gonna last. We
hope it lasts a long time, but we don't know. If that changes
and somebody else requests a trade, you know, like whether it's Paul George
or someone else entirely, then they should go for whoever that name is.
Yeah, and look just for their free agents. I have listed Nick batum
Otto, porter Andre Goodalo if his team option by Miami gets declined, just
someone who similiar with their system. And then Alec Burks, because they I
don't know that you can guarantee you're gonna trade for a star and you need
that other shot creator and Alec Burks. I don't know how many people watched
necessarily the Knicks this season all the time, but he hit some mega important
shots in fourth quarters for them, in crunch time against tough set defenses.
So if you can get him at the taxpayers MLI, I think that's a
win. So further trade targets I have, I almost feel like it's going
to be Bradley Beale at this point. And when I ended up on that
is you give up. I think whatever asset it costs you over the next
like the twenty twenty three timeline, if they want lives been numbers seven,
number fourteen, your twenty twenty two pick and a twenty twenty three pick swap
do it. It's when they want assets that go beyond it where it gets
iffy. But here's where I think the new level. I almost feel like
bill end out there. But of the four targets that have been mentioned for
them more speculated about Bradley Beale, Zach Lavine, Pascal Siakam, and Damian
Lillard, how would you rank in terms of who would do the most to
elevate their ceiling. I think that Lillard is number one just because of the
sheer level of talent. I don't think that he's necessarily the best fit alongside
the Splash brothers. But what in the world does a defense do against Damian
Lillard, Steph Curry and Clay Thompson, assuming that Clay Thompson returns to even
close to his pre injuries value. It's it's pure talent for that one.
Beyond that, I think that you could safely put Lavine last because he he
I mean, he's he's a great player. He would elevate them, But
his skill set is similar to Beal's, and deal is just better. And
I think I would fit in Siakam at number two because he actually fills in
the holes better than the other guys. It's a deal all of these all
of these players would unquestionably elevate the Warriors Championship aspirations. Like we're splitting hairs
regardless and trying to determine how much of it is fit and how much of
it is just here ability. I think Lillard's ability supersedes everything else. And
then the fit with Siakam puts him at number two, and then I have
the other guys in more of a distant third and fourth. Again relatively,
I think if you want to play the Lillard talent card, I get it.
He is forced for me. Just because they would get flamed on defense
if you play Lillard on the court. And it also yeah, but if
you could tell me Clay Thompson's going to fan like pre injury play thoms and
maybe I feel better about it. But any Lillard trade is gonna end up
costing you Wiggins, who became important to your defense. So I'm waying things
like that. I have Beal first, because I think he has shown he
can carry an offense on his own. But he's also used to playing off
the ball more cutting, more so than Damian Lillard. So it was Fit
is better even than Lillard's the better player, and he's better on defense than
Lillard. Zach Lavine is two for me. I agree with what you said
about the Bill thing, the fact that he's younger and could maybe help them
serve as a bridge into the next era. I think of the four names,
he's also probably the least likely to cost you just the whole kitten caboodle.
I'm not saying Chicago would give him away if Bill asked for a trade,
but I think maybe you get away with you can maybe build a package
where you keep Wiseman and still get Levine, And then I have Siakam third,
just because I'm not as crazy as the fit as you on offense with
Draymond Green, I just don't know how that works out. No one would
score on this team with Draymond Green Siakam, But you're also you know,
at that point, then you're depleting your wing depth even further because you're giving
I think I think they're that Golden State just has so much more spacing than
Toronto ever has, just through the sheer presence of Steph Curry alone. When
when Sam has been slowed down, it's because his moves a bit more predictable.
You're able to send multiple help defenders to anticipate those spins that, instead
of to the basket, are then into traffic. You can't do that if
you're playing him with Golden State's corps. I get it, but I would
still prefer the skill sets of Bill and the venon offense because those are more
they need. Yes, the playmaking from Siakam is important, but they need
a from scratch shot maker more than they need that defense. In my opinion.
Look, maybe I'm wrong, because most of these trades, unless they
work out an ubre sign and trade, are gonna end up Costia Wiggins.
So I'm not saying he's a toppier defender, and that's not why you do
the deal. But all Wiggins and Clay are your wings right now, and
none of the guys we mentioned are wings. Like Bradley Beale comes closest and
he's not like this defensive wing. So that's funny that we said the Warriors
are going to be the shortest, and I think they've been the longest team
so far. Houston Rockets, I believe my turn to start here. So
for free agents, I just think they need to look Their cap situation depends
largely on what they do with Kelly Olinik, and I think they're gonna just
bring him back, so I don't project them to be like this big cap
space team. And so you're working with the non taxpayers mid level in all
likelihood, So I listed town Horton Tucker because the non taxpayers mid levels the
most he can get in year one. Anyway, maybe the Lakers match that.
He's not a shooter, whe's the rocket still need. But he does
kind of fit the mold of like let's just get these dudes who are going
to defend their ass off and then we'll you know, put pressure on defenses
in other ways. And then the other one I have for them is Jared
Vanderbilt. Let's just get a guy who will be affordable, will work his
ass off getting up and down the floor. His free agency does his free
agency. His defense can leave a lot to be desired, but he covers
a lot of ground, and so if you're playing him with some other guys
or even in a front court with Christian would like, there's a lot of
mobility there along with size and rebounding. So that's where I'm at with them.
Since they don't have money, a ton of money to throw at these
restricted free agents, I went sort of that route. And then for trade
targets I want a similar route is the second draft or in one of the
guy's case, third draft guys Kevin Knox of the Knicks. They just haven't
his playing times decrease in every single year. Can you get him for very
little try and reboot him. He's improved a shot. He showed him off
the dribble shock creation when he was in Summer League, but that's now going
back three years or whatever it was. And then Josh Jackson, I don't
know what his future is in Detroit. But if they're gonna draft Kig Cunningham
and they have Jeremy Grant there and you have we have to imagine they're still
invested in Saku Dumboya. They also have Za deep Bay. Can you get
Josh Jackson, So like, just take flyers on those types of guys,
because that's the point that Houston's at in its development. I think we have
pretty similar mentalities about this team, And first and foremost, a shout out
to John Wall and his forty four point three million dollars salary for next season,
because that sure messes with everything here. I also had Hordon Tucker as
a primary target for all the same reasons that you said, So the only
name that I would really want to add. And I think this probably hinges
on them not bringing back Kelly Olink. Don't know the likelihood of that,
because he did look like a good quality fit alongside Christian Wood. I would
love to see them take a bylow flyer on Lori Martin it because ultimately he's
going to offer a similar skill set to Olnox, but there's more upside there.
He is better off the dribble, he's better of a self creator.
There is more theoretical upside there. He's more athletic, so that feels like
a potential upgrade where they could play off of the complete lack of development in
Chicago as that organization has been in such constant flux. We've seen the upside
that Markenen has in small doses, it's never been sustained. He's also dealt
with a significant number of injuries. He feels like the perfect kind of buy
low option for this team where we already know that his skill set could fit
because we've seen Alytic play alongside would and then they're just looking to make it
even better. That's I don't think that's unreasonable at all. One of the
other names I did consider, and it was a long lines of if they
end up working with cap Space, I don't know. It depends on who
they draft. If you wind up with Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs and you
have Kevin Porter Jr. Maybe this isn't as appealing, but they it feels
like they could use another microwave scores Like what it just about, I'm a
leak monk to come off the bench and shoot fourteent three and get buckets for
you. So I'm totally good with that. That brings us to your team,
which is the Los Angeles Clippers, And by your team, I mean
the team of which you are a diehard fan of. Yeah, apparently I'm
learning something about myself on this episode. But who do you have? I'll
start, I'll start with them, I think the answer here. Again,
we're operating under the assumption that there are no fundamental changes to the core,
and they do still have to figure out a way to bring back like Reggie
Jackson. I don't see any path to a departure for Paul George and Kawhi
Leonard, which means that they really need to find another attacking card because this
team's biggest shortcoming was its inability to create in the half court setting to get
to the free throw line to settle for these hero ball jumpers that George and
Leonard are both good enough to make on a consistent basis, but you're putting
an enormous amount of pressure on their shoulders. So the best option in that
player archetype in this free agent class is probably Derrick Ross. He presumably can
be had fairly cheap given his more advanced age at this stage of his career.
He's not going to be a game changer, but he was very good
for the Knicks during the second half of the season. I mean to the
point that we both considered elevating him all the way to the top of the
six man of the Year rankings just based on what he did in New York.
So that could be a relatively cheap option for the Clippers to shore up
what emerges their biggest weakness. Yeah, i'd really be I'm with you on
that. And look, he's kind of like the only attacking guard that you
can envision taking the maybe the mini mid level exception. I honestly don't like,
maybe go on drag if his team option gets declined by Miami. I
still think Reggie Jackson, you have to bring him back at this point you
can, and why I have him and Nick Patuma on the list, and
so Nick Patum they don't have bird rights on. He either needs to accept
one hundred and twenty percent rays off what his minimum salary was this season,
or they can use their taxpayers mid level to keep him. Some people think
he might resign for cheap just because he got all that money from Charlotte,
and this would technically like so there's that. At the same time, you
might just want to be paid what you're worth. And I would pay the
taxpayers mid level for him if i'm them. So if that's what he commands,
or chunk of a half of it, whatever, pay him that Reggie
Jackson they can pay up to about eleven million dollars is the max. I
think they're gonna have to go close to that high. I don't know if
there's a team that will come and blow him out of water with an offer.
Looking at the cap Space teams like a you know, okay, see
he's not gonna do it. San Antonio probably doesn't do it. Maybe the
Knicks. So I think you just need him back. You also do need
to without Kawhi Leonard and the fact that you do like to play a little
bit smaller. You do need guys on this team that can guard wings.
And so I have a Sterling Brown listed had a really good season in Houston
this year. What does it cost for you to get like a Jeff Green?
Would he be willing to leave Brooklyn? Maybe? I honestly don't know,
Like I don't know the answer to that question. Can you poach a
Mark Kith Morris from the Clippers, come play with his from the Lakers,
come play with his brother. Not a great selection, but just another bigger
body to go in those smaller lineups, or even a Wesley Matthews to defend
on the perimeter from from the Lakers. So those are the names they're looking
at. I think personally they're more interesting on the trade market. They're not
going to get Kemba Walker, I don't think, because if you're okay,
see you own the Clippers pick outright, are you willing to trade Kemba to
them in that scenario? Probably not right. I know Kemba's right. I
have Eric Gordon listed, who dealt with growing in knee injuries last year,
but choice yeah, so his ultra deep three point shooting even when they don't
go in, has value. And he shot fifty eight plus percent on drives
this past year, so he gives you sort of that attacking guard too,
and he's held up defensively on the wings. I would assume there were rumors
that Houston wants to use Eric Gordon and then either number twenty three or twenty
four to move up to in the draft, and I think one of the
trades I saw was that to move him to Indiana for number thirteen. There
are all sorts of things wrong with that report, because what money is Indiana
sending to Houston in that deal for it to work. But aside from that
two years and thirty seven point six million guarantee for Gordon, given his injury
history turns thirty three in December, I think teams will be willing to take
him on. I'd be shocked if you get more than like cap relief.
And the Clippers do have all these movable deals. When you look at Patrick
Beverley is expiring, if Sergebaka opts in he's expiring, you have Luke Kennard
that deals at least small enough, even though there's three guaranteed years left on
it. I really like Eric Gordon in the Clippers. I almost you're not
gonna like this, and I still might talk myself into it if you can
cobble together the salary filler, which is like thirty three million, whatever it
is. I don't hate Russell Westbrook in LA given how well they space the
floor if you have four years around him. So oh, I what was
no? What was the best version of Westbrook that we've seen in recent years?
It was him alongside Paul George do it again? Was that his best
version? I think the version second half of the year in Houston might have
been the best version of Westbrook we ever saw when they got for a full
sustained season. But yes, that's the best version of Paul George we've ever
seen him. Was like friends level Paul George, Yeah, which I believe
he still refers to as MVP level Paul George. Yeah. The only issue
with it, obviously is that to just get to the number to bring back
his He's on the same contract as Paul George. You're looking at Paul George,
John Wall the what is it? Forty four million next year? You
have to trade like all of your it's it's surge. Beverly Kennard and Rondo
is like, how you get And I would do it, but like is
Washington They're only doing that if they trade Bill, which maybe they do,
and then four for ones are just wildly tough to pull off. I fully
agree with all of that. I would really like to see that. I
don't know how likely it is because unless Bill is out first and then Washington
is totally looking to reboot, it's gonna be that'll be tough to make that
happen, but in theory it does sound like a fun fit. The Lakers
are mine, right, they are so the Lakers. It's funny because some
of their their trade targets for me are free agents also, so I'm just
gonna throw all these together their actual free agent targets. They might be able
to work if they renounce everyone with the bigger mid level. I'm gonna assume
they're operating with the smaller, the taxpayers mid level, which they won't be
doing. Like it gets all sorts of tough if they do do sign and
trades. But like in Alec Burks, a Patty Mills for this team I
think would be really good. And I think you let Dennis Shrewder walk at
this point. It's not even just price range. I think if he believes
he's getting the eighty four million the Lakers offered him, let alone the one
hundred million that he thinks he's worth, I would argue he is out of
his mind. But I'm just letting him walk. I hated the fit.
He can't anchor lineups on his own. I'm not saying Mills or Alec Burks
could, but they're definitely more complimentary on offense than he is. That being
said, I do think the Lakers between having the number twenty two pick that
you can officially move after the draft, having Kyle Kuzma at three years and
thirty nine million, having KCP salary, the ability to sign and trade Tallin
Horton, Tucker, Alex Trusseau. If again, they're metal because you do
need to work out with the players evolved, they can be aggressive with signing
trade options like I loved Dinwoodie in Los Angeles. I love Kyle Lowry Moore.
Maybe Toronto's willing to accept like effects simile of the offer they wanted to
take at the trade deadline. Where is this Kuzma assigning trade for Forrton Tucker?
And I don't even know if you need more salary beyond that, Maybe
you need a smaller one to include it, or I like Kemba Walker on
the Lakers. I know he's an injury risk there, but if you can
calls together, it's just the salaries, it's KCP, it's Kuzma, and
I think you need another one. It's probably a signing trade scenario with a
Thht or a Crusoe. I really think Kemba could help out the Lakers a
ton, because they need that a legitimate third best player, number one,
but someone who can leave the offense in the no Lebron minutes or at least
elevate it in the playoffs during the Lebron minutes. And a healthy Kemba Walker
does both of those things. Agreed, But I just don't know how much
we can count on the first word of that name. The healthy part feels
like the knee. The knee is troublesome enough that I have trouble believing that
he's going to turn the clock back enough to be the third best player.
Like, as you're saying that, I'm sitting here thinking, like, is
it that much of an upgrade over this version of Shrewder? Yes, trade,
but I don't know how substantial it is. Like I might honestly rather
bring back Shrewder at eighty four million than commit to this Kemba Walker contract.
Oh No, I wouldn't. I'd rather Kemba Walker. And what I think
is also hope I'm wrong, because Kemba's great and healthy Kemba is so fun.
I just I don't know that we're going to see that again. I
do think what's appealing about him, and this wouldn't if you're going to shrewder
out. It doesn't apply to this. But you don't get hard capped by
trading for Kemba because it's not a sign in trade, and if you're hard
captain Lakers, that really limits what you could do mid season. So I
think that's why he might be more appealing or more realistic than a Lowry or
didn't really I think Lowry is the best fit if it's between throw the hardcap
situation out at the table. If if it's between Damard rose In, Russell
Westbrook or Kemba Walker. Let's say all those options are on the table,
and Russell Westbrooks obviously younger contract, he's not a free agent. Which of
those three are you taking? I really liked rose in La. If they
can make it work, I don't hate it. I don't know if he's
the guy I want a hardcap myself for, but I don't. I don't
hate it. It's fair he doesn't offer enough spacing. But if you're talking
about a guy who can anchor a second line up, there it is.
I did go. I went less sexy here because as much as Lakers fans
love to dream on Twitter about lineups of like Damian Lillard, Bradley Beale,
Pascal Siakam, Lebron James, and Anthony Davis. It's not gonna happen.
I have trouble believing they're gonna land any of those huge names because they just
don't have the asset used to make it happen right now. So I'm going
with Reggie Bullock and Josh Richardson here as primary targets because I think that's the
more realistic type of player. They'll be looking at the three and D guy
because that's ultimately what you always want to surround Lebron James with, and somehow
He's teams routinely failed to realize that. But Bullock hugely did you see what
would say that if they're unable to, I think if they move on from
Shooter or something, they might have interest in trading for Ricky Rubio, And
I was just like, of course, they're never ending quest to not surround
Lebron James with enough shooting is actually it's baffling. But yeah, Bullock had
just a hugely overlooked, underrated season with the next this year, and we've
talked about Richardson already where if he is able to turn it back and they
can hit on that dark fire, that team is going to be so damn
good. But I think that's ultimately the archetype they should be looking at.
Forget about the big names. Just target the guys who actually fit this roster.
Do you know it's not they could really do you know that? They
could really use Danny Green? And that's not even tongue in cheek, like
that's you're right, they could have used it. They could have used Danny
Green. But what if they got Damian Lillard and Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beale.
Reggie Block will be fantastic on the scene. I really like that target
for him. I don't know if he'll fall into the MINIMLI range, but
if they're working with the full MLI I would love him in LA. I
think he'd be spectacular. We're onto Minnesota, which is linked to big names
like John Collins or Ben Simmons via trade. I don't think John Collins is
leaving Atlanta, so I don't even think a sign and trade is really on
the table there. What they really need is another front line partner for Karl
Anthony Towns aside from Jane McDaniels is there and he's really good. I like
Paul millsapp there, maybe a Rudy Gay. I don't think p J.
Talker would go there, but he would be interesting. I could also see
if you knew he was gonna play at some point next season, taking a
flyer on Zach Collins would be really interesting, or maybe even just having a
multi year flyer or know that, oh he's in house. Once he's healthy,
he will play for us. I think they can be. They're one
of the teams that even if Otto Porter would be want to go there to
try and reboot his value. I think he would help a ton. I
am more interested to see what they do via trade because I think they would
loved if they want to get into Ben's Women's sweepstakes. By all means,
go do that, but as more like realistic targets. I love the idea
of Jonathan Isaac in Minnesota. Imagine him and Carlathy Town's playing together on the
front line, or even Harrison Barnes as you're four, like that's you know,
and you have like some money to get there, depending on what Sacramentals
asking prices and presumably Sacramentos leaning into a rebuild or trying to cut money during
that. So those are the two trade targets I have really circled for them.
I could add another name of that list, but I didn't want to
list him for so many teams because he's coming up and you'll notice him in
a second. But he would also fit here, but he's he's a man
to be named later. Fair Enough, I wrote down not Danilo Gallinari because
I forget where the rumor came from. But there was the rumor that they
were looking to acquire him from the Hawks, which just doesn't make any sense
for this already offensive driven team. I love the idea of adding more front
court versatility to this lineup around D'Angelo Russell and Karl Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards,
and I like the names you mentioned. I'm also including Nick Patum and
Jamichael Green, both guys who can feasibly play both of the three or the
four. They can fill so many different roles. Patum really re emerges that
Swiss army knife during his resurgence with the Clippers. Jamichael Green has been able
to defend so many positions and really ingratiate himself to the Denver organization with his
work ethic and just willingness to fill those little roles. And that's the kind
of player that you need alongside three three plus guys who are such ball dominant
offensive offense first superstars or potential superstars. I really like the Jamichael Green pick.
I'm so curious to see what happens because he declined a seven point six
million dollars player option, so I assume he expects that he's going to get
at least the full mid level, which the Demers could in theory work with.
I would like him there the free agent, the most ambitious one if
they if new or Leed is open to somehow sign and trade with Josh Hart,
feel like he would be a really good fit in Minnesota. You are
getting smaller around the wings, but just having Anthony Edwards, Jade McDaniel,
Josh Hart, like there's some like really fun lineups that you could build with
that. Beasley too much for that to be a huge priority for me,
but I do like the fit. If you trusted Malik Beasley to run stuff
for you, you could throw Malik Beasley with those three plus Karl, Anthony
towns. You do have d Low on the bench in that situation, but
whatever Sun costs at this point, no, that seems that's excessive. Orlando,
is you correct? That is incorrect because Orlando's in the Eastern Conference,
So we're gonna go to Oklahoma City. That's what I meant Oklahoma City?
Is you? Yeah? Okay? See is a tough one, just because
they only have so many players under contract right now and even fewer under guaranteed
contracts because Sam Presty has acquired roughly four thousand, seven hundred and eighteen draft
picks over the next decade, so seems like they could go in a bajillion
different directions because what poor pieces do they truly have in place? We know?
Skill? Just Alexander is one other than that, like lu Dort is
intriguing, Teo Maladon, Darius Basley, Alexey Pokashevski, Moses Brown. These
are all who needs to be resigned. These are all intriguing pieces. I
don't know if you can call them guaranteed centerpieces yet. Moses, my bad,
Well you messed up the Orlando one, so I was trying to make
you feel better. But regardless, like to me, The only thing that
matters right now is making sure that whoever you bring in fits with Shay,
because he is the unquestioned centerpiece who you know should be around for a long
time. So even though I just said I love the idea of Lonzo Ball
staying in New Orleans, I think he's a great realistic fit for this Oklahoma
City Thunder team because his skill set allows Shay to play more to his strengths.
Shay is a developing passer. He's not the greatest facilitator out of the
backcourt right now. You give that responsibility to Lonzo Ball, who can run
the show and transition and then take more of an off ball role when Shay
is working as a primary score. I just think those two guys they operate
on similar timelines. You can afford to give Lonzo a slight overpay because you
know that your core is going to be comprised of so many rookie scale players
for the next two decades or however long. Sam Presti wants to horror draft
picks, and they work together. So I just it's a fit I keep
coming back to as one that I just really really like more so than almost
anything else. Okay, se could do this offseason, because I don't think
the Thunder are yet in a position where they should make a play for whichever
star becomes available two years from now, when more of their roster is fleshed
out. Yeah, go make a play for whichever superstar demands a trade.
Because you have assets just boiling over and you can you have to get rid
of them because you can't play that many rookies. They're not there yet,
which means that the trade targets are less appealing inherically. So I just keep
coming back to Lonzo here. I hadn't thought about that. He's a very
interesting fit. It'd be a wild fit wal Kemba Walker still there, Having
Shay Kemba and Lonzo Ball, I wonder how they would feel about adding what
could probably be like a twenty plus million dollars a year guy just as Shay
is about to be that guy. The fall to have two of those guys
on under contract long term before you're ready to win. But the Lonzo Ball
shafit is fantastic. So for them I had listed I went two different ways
here as one is there a free agent. I didn't have lons of Ball
that they should overpay, who's like young but super plug and play. I
came up with Gary Trent Jr. Would be a great fit for them.
Not gonna give you am not gonna give you a ton of creation, but
they need shooting and he'll hold his own on defense. And he does give
you some like close out verve when he has open space. But if you
don't want to spend your free agency bucks at all, a low key named
monitor here Garrison Matthews from Washington. That man can shoot, he can defend
a little bit. I saw John Hollinger was pretty critical that he can't do
anything on the ball. I kind of disagree a little bit, but it
feels stupid to disagree with John Hollinger. It feels like we saw it a
little bit more in his first season with Washington, and he's been on a
two way contract both years. I think the Russell Westbrook edition kind of displaced
him, and it might have been the same with a healthy John Wall.
He has some kind of like downhill like flash like I don't he's not going
to change these directions, but he's like confident and speedy going downhill, and
in his first season showed that he could draw some contact and attempt to finish
through it. So if you're just looking for a younger guy who is flying
under the radar, gives you shooting taking a flyer on the rest of his
skill set, he would be great here for trade targets with Oklahoma City,
I think you have to spot who's going to be the next star that's undervalued
that they can take on and help rebuild his value. I still think Kristos
Porzingis would be the guy. If Dallas is interested in Kemba Walker and there's
like a spot potentially there I could I like, and I like Christops's fit,
and he's younger on the younger side anyway, and they they're not like
set at Center anymore. They have some interesting piece of be like what is
poku going to be even long term anyway, So I would very much be
in favor of something along those lines. I just don't expect them to make
a splash on the trade market or even free agency. Probably they're probably more
likely to make a splash on the trade market in the sense that if there's
unwanted money to be absorbed, they can still get to like roughly one trillion
dollars in cap space and I'm thirty plus million in cap space, but yeah,
you get the point, basically the same thing. Yeah, I mean,
okay, see, it's just this malleable ball of clay right now.
We don't know what it's going to look like. And I don't think that
any move at this stage of the rebuild should change that. The Phoenix Suns
are mine. I think when you look at their own free agents, Tory
Craig and campaign are both important. Tory Craig is a non birding Campaigns an
early bird. They should be able to keep him. I don't know that
he's going to command the market above the ten to eleven million dollar range.
Looking at outside free agents, I think you need to beef up your center
rotation, especially with Dario Startz. Now we're covering from that torn acl.
Daniel Tye I think would be great for this team. Norland's Noel, even
if you're just looking for more of a rim runner and mobbed and I think
he'd be really good on defense. Do you trust his hands on offense he
has? It's a different story for trade targets. So I think you could
go, oh, Cody Zeller I had here as a free agent target,
to just someone who will pancake dudes on screens, and he's not a bad
passer, So for trade targets, I think they could do a lot of
different stuff. I would aim if you're breaking Chris Paul back. On the
higher end, Larry Nance Junior is a target I have listed. I think
that's someone you can get without giving up Eton or mcal Bridges, but this
one you'll probably have to give up DeAndre Eten for should he become available.
I love the idea of Pascal Siakam and Phoenix. If Toronto decides to hit
the reset button wants to shop age twenty seven, Pascal Siakam, the Suns
could like he gives you more shock rease than DeAndre Ayten. And I don't
think Aten is necessarily the better defender at this point. Maybe he's more suited
to play the five, but his rebounding so inconsistent there anyway, or he
at least he can shrink enough, and he did. Look he played phenomenal
points in the playoffs, but we've seen the fact that he was able to
vanish at certain points. Pascal Siakam is less likely to do that. And
also you want to proof your defense should you meet the Bucks in the finals.
Again, Sam can be thrown at Yanna should you meet the Heat in
the finals, so you'd be thrown at Bamadabaio a little bit more, or
he'd be thrown at Kwaiet Leonard or Lebron James who meet the Clippers and nor
the Lakers. So that would be that is my favorite. People aren't talking
about this, but if this dude becomes available, the Sun should definitely be
in the mix. And I would say that even if Chris Paul's not there.
To be honest, I just think so much of this offseason is going
to be about running it back for Phoenix. With a new deal for Chris
Paul, They're going to be looking at signing mcail, Bridges and DeAndre Aiden,
two extensions, campaign abdel Nader, Tory Craig, all those guys they'll
want to be bringing back. So I do think we're looking more ad moves
on the periphery for this team. I understand the commits, the commitski I
was just looking at his name. I understand the Pascal Siakam appeal. I'm
not sure I entirely agree, just because my takeaway from the playoffs was slightly
different, where yeah, Aiden can shrink. He's not always there in those
biggest moments, but we also saw the flashes of just how good this team
can be when he plays at that upper level, and he can be a
ridiculously dominant glass cleaner who is a versatile defender focusing on rim protection and can
take over games and show flashes of increasing stretchiness from the five. I looked
at those higher end performances from him during the playoffs and was like, yeah,
like, this team still has another level to reach even if the exact
same roster is brought back. I love the idea of Daniel Tis on this
team just says that high quality rim protecting presence off the bench that they didn't
necessarily have. I don't know that I would swing for the fences with a
big trade because I do think that there's enough internal growth opportunity here that you
don't need to. I would staunchly disagree about running it back and full.
I get you want to bring back like the Nucleus, but the as I
picked the Sums to win the title, so it's not like I'm super long
on them. The path to the Western Confert out of the Western cons's gonna
get harder next year, even when you're in the Kauai injury, the Jamal
Murray injury. So I think you need to like a Larry Nance junior.
It is probably the median outcome of a move that's the type of splash I
think they need to make either looking at their front court rotation, or you
still do probably need a third shot creator who can play alongside both Chris Paul
and Devin Booker at the same time, because you're not going to play campaign
in those minutes, and I don't know that you could trust mcale bridges to
create in volume, even though he's shown he can dribble into some pull up
mid range jumpers. And that's also the appeal of Pascal Siakam is Deandre's never
going to be that player and Pastor Siakam already is that player. So yeah,
but I understand where you're coming from. I don't think you need to
break it up. But if you want to go to the third star route,
which I think there's real merit too, and it doesn't cost you mcaal
Bridges in the process. I love the idea of Siakaman Phoenix. Yeah,
I think it's I think it's just easier to go that third star route one
more year down the road. I would bring back Chris Paul on as front
loaded as deil as you can and try to do it one more time.
I think the problem with that is then you're dealing with Chris Paul in his
age thirty seven season, right like, it's the time is now, if
you're gonna do it, I would say do it now rather than wait,
which is totally fair. I just I do think you're you're a bleeding hearts
here. You're bleeding I thought I was the bleeding heart on this podcast.
You're like, no Keith Memphis together so that they can lose in the first
round every year. I like Conman Nudy, I guess, But I mean,
there's there's another level for so many guys on this roster. Devin Booker
age twenty five season, DeAndre Aden age twenty fourth season, Michel Bridge is
aged twenty five. What if Jalen Smith does anything. Cameron Johnson has shown
more and more flashes like there's there is still so much untapped potential within the
incumbent roster. I think the problem to me, though, is that those
players getting exponentially better doesn't erase not having extra bodies that you need, like
you're not replicating for sure, Devin Booker, and you still I think you
still needed, which is why I still you're focusing on guys like Tye again
along to periphery. I don't I don't know that you need to do anything
groundbreaking here. Larry has just endorsed my Larry NaN's junior suggestion in this movie.
Noah says, Jalen Smith isn't doing anything, and I agree, but
he's also only going to be twenty two next year, so I feel like
I have to mention them. And maybe he has like the cachet of oh
I was drafted number ten last year, so like you can maybe get something.
You could use him to get something, is my point. So we'll
see. Dario Sarch's injury hurts you there though, because he was probably like
the cleanest Siller and now it's like, oh shit, what do they do?
Yep? The Blazers are all you Yeah, I mean the Blazers are
another team where it's just impossibly difficult to predict what they're going to do because
they don't know what they're going to do yet. Is Damian Lillard going to
be there is c J. McCallum going to be there. If they are,
are they looking to entirely shake up the rest of the roster. I'm
I'm personally operating under the assumption that the core is largely going to be intact.
I still until Damian Lillard himself explicitly says I want a trade. I
just I don't buy that he's going to be on the move. He's under
contract for a long time. I can't see Portland trading him unless it has
no other option, and we know that he and McCollum fit well together.
It's the pieces around them. So I don't think that we're going to see
any significant changes to this roster, and ultimately it's going to be left working
with like the mL to make as big a change as possible. So I
think that Nerland's Noel is my primary target here because this team has to improve
on defense and having a reliable back end rim protector who can also hedge out
and impact some passing lanes, freeze up the rest of their wings who are
good team defenders. Looking at Robert Covington in particular, to play even more
to their skill sets. Nerland's nwell on this team in the twenty four minutes
per game that he plays makes a big difference. Yeah, I had him
on my list too, and I was operating under the same assumption. I
do think if the Blazers do nothing, there is a chance that Dame accelerates
his unhappiness. But it's clear that he wants them to do something, and
I don't have any of those moves listed. Aside from I think Ben Simmon
should still be their trade target. I love if I'm in Portland, I'm
doing CJ. McCollum plus stuff for Ben Simmons. I'm just doing it.
But I don't think Philly will. But that's a trade target for them for
the free agents. I also have Norman Powell, which I want to ask
you a quick question. Norman Powell fifteen million dollars per year over or under.
I think it's going to be over this year because teams had less of
a revenue loss and they expected during the pandemic, which means that they're going
to be more willing to spend money on a pretty depleted free agent class,
and he's going to be a beneficiary. Also, the only players to score
average as many points per game on a true shooting percentage as high as Norman
Powell where Steph Levine and Dame. So he was in a pretty good stack
on me. I'm gonna I'm gonna take the over on that as well.
I feel like here's a fifty point game on his resume two or something.
Yeah. So I also had Jeff Green. Jamichael Green will be good for
them. I like Reggie Bullock here. The problem with them is, even
if you assume their core is intact, without knowing how much Norman Powell runs,
you there's a lot or if they're want to pay the tax or how
deep they want to go into it. Are they minimid level, full mid
level? So those targets for me, me run the gamut. Also for
trade targets, I had Larry Yann's Jr. Would be great on this team.
I think he would probably get away with him playing more five than he
does in Cleveland. He could also play alongside use of nur kids just be
because he has started shooting degrees. He ups your defensive versatility a ton.
I would love, love love Jonathan Isaac here if he's going to be healthy.
That's probably the closest non Ben Simmons all in play. I could think
of for them, because when you look at the other stars available, it's
like, how much I know Bradley Beale's an upgrade over CJ. McCollum,
But how much better does Bradley Beal make your team relative to having C.
McCollum. I don't know if it's like this huge jump up if you were
getting him in addition to see J. McCollum. If it was a warrior
situation where you're keeping all your stars, it's different. I guess Pascal Siakam
would be interesting here. I don't know if they have the juice to get
in there you would need. Toronto will be interested in CJ. Which if
they're moving Pascal Siakam, they're probably rebuilding, right. Yeah, No,
I agree with all of that again, I just I want to keep focusing
on defense for the Blazers, which draws me immediately to Larry Nance Junior to
Jonathan Isaac. Those both seem like great fits if you do want to continue
trying to see what you can get out of Nurkics my turn with the Kings.
So for free agents I already had, Josh Hart would need to be
assigned and trade unless they're clearing money which, by the way, you could
probably list for Shaun Holmes here because the max they can give him is about
eleven million dollars. Otherwise they need to create capspased to resign him. What
are you doing if you're them one, do you think Rashaun Holmes gets more
than eleven? Yes? So do I. If you're the Kings, are
you clearing cap space? And it's Look, when you look at your books,
it's not just get rid of Marvin Bagley. It's either get rid of
him and de Lan Wright, or get rid of Buddy Healed, or get
rid of Harrison Barnes while taking back minimal or no money in return. And
I think that's where I'm like, I don't know what you do because you're
I think Rashaun Holmes is great, but as a King's team you're not great.
So does it make sense to get off of talent just so that you
can pay to retain talent that doesn't put you over the top. It's confused.
I think it does here. I think it does here. If I
were the Kings, I would look to make multiple of those moves. I
think you can try to see what you can get for Bagley. You can
try to move Harry and Barns for a younger piece and some draft equity.
You can move Buddy Heelds for a player who has a more diversified skill set,
and really commit to bidding to building around Fox and Aliburton. It gives
you a lot more flexibility. You can then use some of those pieces subsequently
to flip them for you know, bigger name players who are available. But
this current roster isn't going to do much and doesn't have enough flexibility in its
current state to make a huge jump up up the ladder. Christaps Porzingis is
a name that really comes to mind here as a potential by low bylow ish
target. I would love to see him operating alongside Fox and Aliburton's. It's
a fit that makes a lot of sense. But I would still prioritize finding
a way to get Rashaun Holmes back because he's going to go for something around
eighteen million on average annual value. Wow, you might be higher on him
than I am. I guess my problem then is though, and I think
people probably try to oversimplify the King's situation. I don't think it's as easy
is just telling them to blow it up. If they wanted to, because
you have Haliburton Fox if you can go out and get a Pascal Siakam like,
and you're just gonna go like, we're gonna go for it now.
Fine. I have Miles Turner or listed as a trades target for them.
I have Jonathan Isac listed as a trade target for them. Kings fans hated
well that commented on what I was talking about. Hated the Jonathan Isaac idea
for me. But if I'm them, I would do Bagley and number nine
and maybe something else for Jonathan Isaac if you know that he's healthy, and
we haven't really gotten a ton of updates on his health status yet, So
I'm not against them making the buy in play. I think where it gets
weird for me is that if you're going to pay Rashaun Holmes, I feel
like your other moves, aside from creating the money to retain him, need
to be buy in plays. And if you're getting rid of healed and barns
and making those trades where you're divesting players to get picks cost controlled prospects,
more flexibility, I don't think that's a bad route for them if they want
to kind of reset, go with number nine Haliburton and Fox, they shouldn't
be afraid to do it because, like Haliburton's young, Fox is under contract
for a long time. The West is tough. If you want to rebuild,
I think Kings fans deserve something more than the sub middle that they've been
living in. It's just I don't know how Rashaun Holmes fits into either of
those two extremes, because to afford him, you're kind of taking yourself out
of a lot of the buy now plays. And then if you're getting rid
of him, it makes the idea of buying hard so much less appealing because
you don't have Rashaun Holmes, who was I can't under like. He was
the second best player on the Kings this year, and there were times where
he was their most consistent player, I'll say, and the Fox end of
the year it is clearly their best player, but he was their most consistent
player. So I if you could get rid of Buddy Healed, like,
if that's its facility, right, If it's if you can get rid of
Buddy Healed and keep him, then I think it opens up more stuff.
But if you get into the oh we're moving Harrison Barnes for this to cut
salary. That's where I'm like, Okay, well now it feels like you're
very much treading water. I think Buddy Healed is probably a lot easier to
replace. I think the only thing I would want to add there is Rashaun
Holmes is going to turn twenty eight in October. But he's a relatively young
twenty eight because there isn't a significant injury history and he's played so infrequently until
the last two years that he doesn't have as much mileage as some other players
who are at that current tier have because he was such a late bloomer.
So I do think that your timeline is a little bit more extended than you
would typically think when looking to resign a player of his age. I think
that's also fair. And look, it's not necessarily about the average annual value
for me. It's what it takes for you to get there. And I
think that's where that's where it gets weird really quickly, I get, but
I want to be clear on that too though. That like what I'm saying,
move, move Buddy Healed and Harrison Barnes, it's not just turn those
into young guys and draft picks. I want to do that to create capps,
to create cap space, but then make a secondary transaction for a guy
who fits better around that core. Like, I don't think that you just
make those moves and then wash your hands and say we're done here. I
think that you make those moves intending to make a secondary move that diversifies the
type of talent that you have in those spots. Because Barnes has such limited
upside and Held is such a specialist that I just think you need to invest
those assets in something that fits better along the subsequent core of Holmes, Fox
and Haliver. Barnes is such a perfect fit for this team, though I
don't think. I don't think that I don't have If you're gonna pay Rashaun
Holmes sixteen to eighteen million dollars a year, you should be fine with Harrison
Barnes at a similar price point. Declining would be my That's why I think
it's it's buddy Held is the most expendable for me. You could talk me
into Delan Wright and I would move Shield first two, especially because Barnes has
the declining contract structure. He's ultimately going to make twenty point three This year,
ineen point four next year, So yeah, I think we're on the
same page there I had, and this is probably whether you're getting rid of
a Shawn Holmes are keeping him because you still do need other options at the
five. But Daniel Tys for this team. Nerland's the well for this team.
I think he might have already mentioned him, and then Ken Birch even
just someone who's sneaky good if anyone was paying attention to Orlando and then Toronto
this year, Ken Burchs played really well. He's undersize, but he scraped
and he's hinted at having a corner three pointers. So those were those rounded
out my list for the for the Kings, which brings us to the Spurs.
And I believe you kick us off or do I kicks off? I
can go ahead and kick us off. Yeah, I mean with the Spurs,
they're another one of these many teams in the Western Conference where it's hard
to pinpoint what exactly they're going to do because I don't think they know their
direction yet. Like ultimately Demard Rozen is still in play for this team,
but they also have so many young pieces that are they going to continue trying
to operate on two timelines and once are they going to commit to more of
a whole sale rebuild are they going to continue leaning in the veteran direction,
And we just don't really know yet. So with that in mind, I
think their primary target is a guy who has been mentioned in connection with him
a few times at this point, John Collins. I would love to see
him fully unleashed in a situation like that with a really smart coaching staff,
because if you watch him a lot with the Hawks, it is abundantly clear
how ridiculously impressive his skill set can be. He can make face of jumpers,
he can operate off the catch, he can guard multiple positions. They're
not necessarily well on a consistent basis. He's a developing passer. He's a
tremendous athlete who can dominate in the pick and roll game, but he always
makes bad decisions and it doesn't always feel like he knows where to be.
It's like there's a lot of squandered talent. When you watch him for long
stretches, he can disappear for times. He can go through stretches where he
makes bad decisions and giving him the leeway to operate with more autonomy with a
coaching staff in his ear is really appealing. Like the idea of him serving
as the scoring centerpiece on a team with a bunch of impressive young guards who
can also score and can also help set him up but aren't so ball dominant
like Trey Young. San Antonio feels like a really good landing spot for him
to maximize his value on this next contract. There's also a look and I
know you say it makes me had decisions. I thought he really typified his
value or growth in the playoffs, where he still found ways to contribute on
offense to spite spending so much time alongside standout games. Yeah yeah, and
when he's not, when he's not the primary screener, that's taking away a
huge part of his game. So the fact that he figured out how to
make an impact, he is so much better defensively. There's people have said
that there's been regression as a rim protector. I think that probably is more
to do with the fact that he's not allowed to guard the rim as much
when Clint Coopela's on the floor. So I love him in san Antonio as
a means of being able to balance the two roles better. I ultimately think
he the Hawks match whatever. But if I'm San Antonio, you just look
at the combination of you mentioned. You don't know what they probably don't know
what direction they're going in. I'm with you. I think they probably lean
towards Can we get an impact player and then keep de Rosan, maybe Mills
as well, and like try to tread water a little bit, but we
don't want to tire ourselves into anything. John Collins fits with that, just
because he's he turns twenty four and September, so he's still young, and
I don't think he's going to be immovable if you sign him to a max
contract. I still just think he's he's really good. And so I know
there are people that are against the Spurs spending that much. I would just
do it. You have so much cap space if you announce everybody, just
do it and see what happens. I do also have listed for them Josh
Hart or Duncan Robinson, just two other restartive free agents that you could throw
some money at that I think would be good for this team and as trade
targets for them. I have Lattery Nance Junior listed. Again, I think
he's such a player, so and look if I'm them Also, I'm not
ruling this out. I would never predict it, but maybe they lean into
a point where they're a little bit more open to rebuilding. Or can they
split the difference? Do you pay one guy twenty something million use the other
twenty to thirty million of your Cavs space to take on an unwanted contract that's
attached to a pick and or prospect something else, like if New Orleans is
looking to shed money or do a bigger trade, can you get involved and
take on Eric Blutze or Stephen Adams if you're getting compensated for it. They're
so complicated. I don't know if they're interesting, because I think this all
ends with them running it back in some form just because that's the Spurs way.
But there's so many different directions they could go, and they have a
ton of cass space. I would like to see them be at least somewhat
aggressive with it. Or if they are going to be like, hey,
we want to make the most of Greg Popovitch turning seventy three next season in
January or whenever it is, we're gonna get after it, then do something
significant to really mean it. Don't just resign Tomar, Rudy Gay and Patty
Mills. The Collins thing is we mentioned, or Hard and dougte Robinson or
again explore the trade market get involved for that doesn't have to be a splash
a target. But again, like a really fundamentally sound guy like Larry nance
Juior, I just I feel like when you started this exercise you just wrote
down his name for every team and just deleted him from some. Yes,
pretty much. I love lyon Next Jr. The final team. We have
the final team who had not list lyon Next Junior four although he wouldn't No,
he probably wouldn't be the best fit in Utah, but now he would
fit Utah. So for free agents, they have the mini mid level there.
I don't know if they're willing to spend it because their tax pay payment
not actual, like how far into the tax they are. Their tax bill
could end up being between fifty and sixty million dollars if they resigned Conley for
twenty to twenty five million, because they're basically as they stand now in the
tax essentially, so every dollar amount that you pay Conley is taxed, is
how he was looking at it. I have Nick Batum does he want to
come back. Does he want to team up with his French national teammate Rudy
Gobert Otto Porter They've had interest in him previously. And then I have PJ.
Tucker just to drive home the point and in my in my I drive
this home with my trade targets. I don't think Gobert's a liability. I
think that what Utah has on the perimeter her their defense in certain matchups,
because you can't rely on Gobert like you normally wouldn't make your defense. So
I do think you need the option to go smaller when it calls for it.
So someone like a PJ. Tucker, if he's wanting to play for
you, their trade targets. Josh Richardson if he opts in, would be
great in terms of quickening your defense up front to make life easier Uncle Bart
and certain matchups or to go we want to be able to downsize at the
five, but they could also play some four. Maxi Kleiba would be great
for this team, and Thaddy is Young would be really good in Utah.
I don't know how gettable either is. If Chicago ends up having to move
Levigne or realizing that you know we're not we shouldn't have made that food trade
or whatever. Maybe he's more available. They do have the contracts to make
it work. But as we don't know if we talked about this at the
top of the podcast for some reason we did with Joe Ingles, the Jazz
might just be looking to shed money, in which case, like any of
these trade targets are off the table because they make money, not more than
the Jazz would necessarily be sending out. But they just might be someone who's
relatively dormant because they're trying to slash their tax bill, which I hope they
don't. I hope they don't as well. Everything about this offseason has to
start with resigning Mike Conley and then going from there. I like all the
targets you mentioned. I think the biggest need really seems to be another perimeter
defender, and even players on the Jazz have admitted as much, per Ben
Anderson from KSL Sports, like we already, Royce O'Neill has said, I
think having another guy to help us all out besides myself, Joe, Mike
Donn and Rudy, probably another wing guy like focusing on the defensive end there
so I love the Josh Richardson idea. I love them trying to go after
like Tory Craig would be another great addition, Nick Batu makes a lot of
sense. If that doesn't work, you probably want a little bit more guard
depth, just given Conley's injury history, given how little you can rely on
Jordan Clarkson from a night Tonight basis in some of these bigger moments. So
Derek Rose can make sense for this team again as another attacking guard. But
the options are limited by what happens to Conley because if he does come back,
like as you mentioned with the tax bill, you are not looking at
a significant payment beyond that. And the other thing is like, even if
they lose Conley, they're still in the taxes of now they get out of
it pretty easily. But what other mover are you're gonna make. You're not
replacing Mike Conley with any version of the mid level. They might just be
they might just say, you know what, Jordan Clarkson had his career year,
he can create we still have Joe Ingles buyon Bydonovitch, Donovan Mitchell,
like, let I just don't even look at Oh, there's here's this low
level point guard option that they can sign it and take a flyer on and
hope that it works out. They can't afford DeVante Graham. I doubt they
want to bring back Derek Rose, who never played a game for them,
and they probably can't afford him either. Go on Draggage maybe if he wants
to play there for a discount or his team option get declined. So for
their sake, I think they need to do whatever it takes to resign Mike
Conley, and if they're not willing to pay an astronomical tax bill to do
it, then figure out a way to lower it and still bring back Conley,
just because I think, as you mentioned, he is missional to what
you want to do immediately the longest term. Yeah, so that does it
for us. We stayed pretty true to our five minute average per team that
I wanted to aim for. So so yeay us until next time the first
Yeah, shout out at us this episode if you if you haven't checked out,
thank you Noah. This was a great episode. We really appreciate that
we're gonna do the East soon. I don't know if we're gonna do it
on Locker Room. We should discuss that but if you haven't checked out the
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the speaker request this time. Until next time, though, leave with a
shout out to the one the only who can solve all of the Denver Nuggets
is primitter defensive issues free agent Frank Nilikina