Speaker 1: Hi, Welcome to the NP podcast. My name is more
than Jensen, and today we have a big one for you.
We are going to be talking Giannis Antokombo, who is
now in Miami playing for the Heat. Well technically it'll
be July sixth, but let's not act like that's not
gonna happen. LaMelo ball all of a sudden, he is
playing in Minnesota of all places. Oh, and we have
the draft. The draft actually happened, and we have a
couple of contracts to take care of too. Austin Brie's
sticking in La Kobe White also is sticking with his
team and Charlotte. Just a lot of offseason stuff. And obviously,
you guys know where I'm going with this, because if
we're covering the off season, it's obviously with my good
pal Brian sap Pork. So, Brian, I'm not even gonna
ask you how you are because we don't have time
for it. We just need to start with Giannis, Like,
all right, Miami Heat. Like the package was killil Whare.
Like I'm going off memory right now, killil Whare. Haimi
Hakas caspar As Shaq was shown as Tyler Hero and
the thirteenth pick in the draft, which turned out to
Natamend and then additional draft compensation like a fairly significant
bunch of draft picks. Like, here's where I'm at before
I throw it over to you. I still believe the
Bucks made a big ass mistake not trading him proactively
a year ago, because ultimately it ended up with two
teams Miami and Boston who showed interest. Where I'm like,
if this has been a year ago, that list would
have been much longer. And as much as I love Killilware,
and I really do, I don't think he's, you know,
a guy who you can circle in future all star
like personally, I do think he has all star upside.
I love him, but there doesn't seem to be that
one sure fire guy coming back at that trade. So
where do you stand on this return? Like I feel
as though it's like they painted themselves into a corner
and out of that position, they got a decent haul
for Giannis, but I'm still left like a little I
don't know if I'm underwhelmed or overwhelmed. Maybe I'm just whilmed.
Speaker 2: No, I think that's a good way to put it.
Like they salvaged as much as they could given when
they traded him. Had they traded him a year ago,
I think they get a much bigger package, like assuming
they you know, they had the quote unquote exclusive negotiating
window with the New York Knicks or whatever last summer
and that did not result in anything. And I would
go out on a limb and say, the Knicks are
probably okay with how those negotiations correct. But yeah, I
mean they got to a point. You know, he had
been making it clear by all reports since last summer
that he wanted out, he thought his time was over,
and they were just in denial about it. And it
was not just people inside the team. I think a
lot of people in Milwaukee in general were in denial
about just how far gone it had become. With that said, yeah,
I mean like they didn't get a blue chip prospect,
an All star, and I would like to get your
thoughts on them picking the package from Miami over Boston,
but they kind of just went with a like ten
Nichols doesn't equal a dollar, but we at least have
ten Nickels and maybe one of them turns into a quarterach,
right than you know, just Jalen Brown and then we're
potentially in this situation, this exact same situation with him
next year, right, because by all accounts, he you know,
I know there were reports about him maybe willing to
go to Milwaukee, but Mark Spears at first said no,
he has no interest in going there. And I was like, oh, well,
maybe he wants his own team or whatever. But you know,
I think they made the right choice going for Miami's
package over Boston's. But yeah, I mean, it's this is
It's going to be a long climb out of where
they are, and I'm curious to see where they go
next because you know, Tyler Hero is on an expiring
contract right now, and you're either extending him or I
think it makes sense to explore moves with him this offseason.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't think they're done. I think
this is the starting point. And look, if they get
a haul for Hero, which I have questions, like I
think he's a good player, don't get me wrong, but
like if they if they are able to pivot him
elsewhere and just like an additional first rounder, Okay, that
becomes interesting, right, like if you can if you can
swing that or maybe to new younger players as well,
Like I'm just not closing the door of that being
a thing, and that would change the parameters of the
deal in my opinion, and it was the better package.
Like I know people say Jaylen Brown would have been
the best player. That's that's totally correct. He's also going
to be thirty by the time the season starts. Like,
what's the upside even if you took like the Boston package,
what really was the upside there of Jalen And I
guess Sam Hauser was probably in there for salary matching
purposes and then a modest slew of draft picks, right,
like very modest. I just don't know where that gets you,
Like I I don't see the logic in that. So
to me, it always came down to Miami.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess where do you see them going next? Now?
Knowing that they don't have this, you know, the face
of the France type guy, They don't have an aj Debanza,
Darren Peterson, the camp user, Like, how you know they
could they could keep this group together because you know,
you have Tyler Hero, Kyle Kuzma, Miles Turner, Ryan Rollins.
We'll see what happens with Kevin Porter Junior. You've got
the two new guys Braden Burry's and Nate Ammett that
you just drafted. You know, you've got the young guys
from Miami, Like, there are some interesting pieces here, and
I think you could feasibly say, yeah, we'll keep them
all together. We'll win thirty or thirty five games, and
you know, we're not going to compete for a playoff spot,
but we were not going to necessarily tank. But I
wrote something at Forbes the other day that I think
they're actually uniquely positioned to tank despite this new draft lottery.
You know, the reform basically is trying to snuff out
all tanking, and by introducing this relegation zone, right, the
Bucks control their picks, so the relegation zone doesn't matter
to them. If anything, it actually behooves them to finish
in the relegation zone, so that whichever teams have their
picks for the next couple of years, they have lower
odds of getting a premium pick, and those trades look,
you know, much less damning than they would if, like
God forbid, any of those picks end up being number one,
number two, number three. So you know, I don't know
that they necessarily need to go like full process sixers
here and trade anyone with a pulse. But like I
come back to Hero, you know, he's an obvious one.
But if you know, if if the Lakers don't sign
and trade Lebron for Jared Allen and don't get Jalen
during or Walker Kessler in free agency and Luca is
clamoring for a center, I mean, would you not move
off of Miles Turner if they're willing to give up
something of real value for him?
Speaker 1: In a heartbeat?
Speaker 2: Yeah? So, I mean I think they're kind of because
they don't control their own picks, they are kind of
uniquely positioned to tank, and they might face less competition
from other teams. Like, if you have your own pick,
you're going to be scared of the relegations, so you're
not gonna want to end up there. So I think
there will be fewer teams that are willing to do
that type of thing, and maybe that means the Bucks
have less competition for you know, yeah, we'll take your
bad contracts. We don't care, you know, Like I don't
want to wish John Morant on them, but if they
can get a free look at John Morant for sure.
But I mean, you know, the Nets basically just got
Julius Randough for free. Like, yeah, if there are other
teams that are, you know, I would go. I would
pull up spot track and see which teams are close
to the aprons and close to hard caps. Once we start,
you know, hard capping teams and you know, start calling
those front offices and saying, look, if you want salary relief,
we're open for business.
Speaker 1: Yeah. No, it's it's the right play. It's definitely the
right play. Like the lottery form, as stupid as I
think it is overall, I don't think it's gonna necessarily
move the needle for teams that actually want to try
to build through the draft to a certain extent, I
just I think they're going to be somewhat unafraid of
trying to take that approach. It's not something where I
think it's like, don't get me wrong, the reform is stupid.
It's dumb. It's an overreaction based on three years of tanking,
because like they were just great players coming to the
draft over like a three year period, Like what can
you do? But I just don't think teams are gonna say,
oh no, now we can't focus on draft picks. Anymore,
Like that just seems like a major unnecessary overreaction. So
I agree with you on that some are pointing out
and I think wrongfully so that Miami is now too shallow,
And like I hear the like the idea behind the
criticism because they relinquished so many young players. But I'm
just like, we're still not sure what's gonna happened with
Andrew Wiggins, with Norman Powell. Like if those guys come
back all of a sudden, you have a pretty good
team there, Like you still you're you're not done. You
still have to go out and in free agency and
find ring chasers. You still have to go out and
get do something more. But like if you get Norman
Powell back, especially someone who's just like built to play
off of high volume guys, like a guy who can
just constantly take these you know, won dribble pull ups
off the catch and and then just you know shoot
off the catch as well, Like he would just fit
like a glove next to Gianni's uh in that setting.
And then Wiggins too, if they like get him an
extension at a lower price point, like all of a sudden,
I don't think the depth is that bad like if
they lose both wigs and well, they can't because they're
there's that's a player option, I believe, Well, well they
could because they could decline set. But if they lose both, yeah,
then we have a shadow problem. But I mean it's
it's kind of huge if both of those guys stick.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I mean it sounds like Norm Powell based
on reports, it's going to be tricky to retain him.
I'm not sure where the cap Space team is coming
from because right now it's just Brooklyn, Chicago and Lakers
and theory, but like it's kind of bran Winhorse calls
it phantom cap Space, and I think that's a good
description of it. Detroit is obviously up to something with
the Isaiah Stewart salary dump, and they've been connected to
Austin Reeves. They were connected to Kobe White before he
resigned with Charlotte. They've been connected with Tyler Hero. So
maybe Norman Powell is an option for them, whether via
signed in trade or just a straight free agent signing.
But yeah, I mean when they made this deal, I
assumed they'll do kind of what the Calves are hoping
to do with James Harden. The Heat will do that
with Wiggins where they get him to decline the player
option sign a longer term deal at a lower annual value.
They are now hard capped at the first aprin. You know,
we'll see what else they have up their sleeves. I'd
find the whole thing very interesting. And I'm going to
break this rule later when we talk about Charlotte and Minnesota.
So this is very hypocritical of me to say, and
I'm acknowledging that right off the bat, But there's this
like rush to judgment on this Heat team, like they
made this trade and people are just like, you know,
all of this for the sixth seed. It's like I
and I understand, you know, wanting to say that now,
but you know it's we're recording this on June twenty fifth.
Free agency doesn't open for another few days. The off
season is still very young. I mean, no one was
talking about LaMelo Balls like definitely going to get traded
this off season forty eight hours ago, and look where
we are now, right So if nothing else did, the
NBA off season just always has surprises up its sleeves.
I would imagine that Miami is well aware in the
wake of this deal. They need more shooting and more playmaking,
and I would think that they have a pretty good
sense of how they're going to add that, right, I
would think they're going to be a pretty popular destination
like for minimum contracts, because not only you know, you
get to play with Bam and Giannis and South Beach
no state tax, blah blah blah, but also you get
playing time. I mean, you know, there's going to be
an opportunity there that that might not be on other teams.
So I just want to give this Heat team like
an incomplete for now. I want to see how they
fill out the rest of this roster. They definitely have
real concerns and they have real financial restraints by being
hardcapped at the first apro and not having that much
flexibility below it right now, But I'm not ready to say, like, oh,
the Heat or the fourth best team of the East
going into next season. I don't know. I just want
to see, you know, what else they're going to do
this offseason, and then I will render final judgment on
like August first or something.
Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, I agree, because then we have more data.
We know what goes into the team, Like we know
the structure of it all. I like, I just I
think we're at this point, we're just judging too early.
And maybe we can just sum it up with how
you said it, basically like free agency hasn't even started.
Let's just see how things kind of materialize. But we
are quick in this business to just rush to judgment.
We've seen that with the Heat, We're seeing that with
so many other teams. I will say this, I am
kissed a little bit of one thing because so as
you know, Dan Favalley and I record quite a bit,
and we have said for a long while that you know,
if this burs were to go, get like a big man,
like a backup big man who could play like the
four and the five, I say a store would be
the way to go. And we were both like resigned
to the fact that now that's just not feasible because
Detroit won sixty games, Like, that's just not gonna happen.
He's gonna be completely unavailable. Three seconds is what it took.
Speaker 2: I've got a good story about our mutual friend Dan
later once we get to the Lamello part.
Speaker 1: Oh oh, I know, I know how I know his
boner for LaMelo. I'm well aware of that. We have,
we've had some fights, but I will still hear it.
Speaker 2: Sir, Well, we'll get there later, we'll get.
Speaker 3: Yeah, but but we've seen some movement, like yeah, Detroit,
that's interesting too, like something is bubbling there, which frankly,
like we're recording this at like I think two p m.
Speaker 1: What do you what do you call it? Like not
not Eastern time, Central time. There's a non zero chance
that by the time this podcast come out comes out,
Detroit has done something.
Speaker 2: Mm hmm.
Speaker 1: It certainly feels that way, like things are moving quickly
right now.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, they have something up their sleep. I'm not
sure what it is, and I'm not sure who they're.
You know, they're they're targets are coming off the board
fairly quickly. But yeah, it's clear that they're they're trying
to do something.
Speaker 1: Right, I'm assuming it's shooting related.
Speaker 2: Yes, I feel it feels like a fair assumption.
Speaker 1: Yes, right, So to wrap up, Yiannis like I have
to ask because people have been asking me, and I
don't know how much stock I should put into it,
but I just since people are asking, I think it's
something that they're thinking about. How much stock do you
put into the fact that you'll be thirty two during
this season or upcoming season.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think that's a legitimate concern long term,
especially if he's going to sign this four year, two
hundred and seventy five million dollar extension when I'm reason
eligible for it in January. But like Miami was going nowhere,
like this is a move for Miami. This was basically
the package you were offering for Dame Lollard, and you
got a player much better than Dame Lollard. So, you know,
I I understand why they make this swing. Like, I
don't know if this makes him a title contender as
currently constructed. No, you know, I think they will continue
to add, and like I Windhorse has been saying this
a lot since the trade, that they're gonna need like
kind of two transaction cycles. They're going to need this
offseason trade deadline, and then potentially by next offseason. He
thinks they'll like you know, be a much more legitimate
championship contender. But it sounds like he's kind of lukewarm
on them as a title contender this year. I will say,
I've seen a lot of like, you know, did he
just go to Bucks South? Basically? No, I mean, ban
Otebaio is so significantly better than anyone he played with
in Milwaukee last year that it's not even a conversation.
If they're able to retain Norm Powell, who made an
All Star Game last year, he is also better than
anyone that he played with in Milwaukee. I mean, yeah,
Like they have limited financial flexibility and limited assets to
improve the roster from here, for sure. But unlike Milwaukee,
Miami is actually a free agent destination, and with Bam
and Giannis, they would imagine they're going to be an
even more popular free agent destination. So I just I
don't have any issue with Miami. You know, if that's
the price they had to pay to get Jani Santa
to compo, absolutely pay that ten times out of ten.
And you know you've got a pretty well renowned strength
and conditioning staff. Like the calf injuries, you know, I
think are a legitimate concern for Giannis moving forward. He's
just been dealing with a bunch of that stuff in
recent years, and you know, you've got to hope that
doesn't continue to pop up. Is there a chance of
this deal ages very poorly? Yes, of course, Like these
superstar deals often, do you know, I think it's typically
the team on the receiving end tends to fare better
than the team that actually got the superstar. So if
we I would not be shocked if we look back
in three or four years and say, what the Bucks
actually did better than the Heat here, right. This also
just it gives the Heat something to actually play for
for the next few seasons other than just we're gonna
maybe struggle to make the play in. We'll hover around
five hundred, maybe we'll win one playoff series. But like
they were just stuck and this this gets them unstuck
for better or worse.
Speaker 1: Right, And that was I think that's been That's such
a good word, unstuck, because I think that's been our criticism,
Like if you sum it up over the past two years,
maybe three years, like that's that's been the thing. It's
they just felt stuck, Like when they did the whole
Dame waven stretched last year to sign Miles Turner. I
remember our exchanges, like you and I when we saw that,
like they were not fit for the podcast. I can
just tell you that much you and I we were.
Is the kind word flabbergasted?
Speaker 2: Yes, yes, And like that's that's where I think it's
fair to criticize the Bucks because I mean, that's what
we said at the time last year, was like, if
you better be sure that Yannis is staying here long term,
if you are making that type of a move, you
can't make that type of a move in the hopes
that that will convince him to stay. It's got to
be the exact opposite. And yeah, now they're going to
have twenty million, a twenty million dollars dead capit on
their books for the next four seasons, I believe, And
you know, that's going to really hamper them moving forward.
I know the cap will go up, but that's still
you know, even if the cap goes up to two
hundred million, that's still ten percent of the cap for
someone who's not playing basketball. For you, right, it's not
a good great use of resources. And you know, we'll see,
Like the question for them is still how do we
get that blue chipper? And you know, maybe maybe Braden
Burry's turns into that guy, or maybe colohe Ware or
Yaka units uh uh Haka is like any of those guys,
maybe they turned into them, but I don't know. I mean,
them not having their own picks is problematic and it
might take a couple of years for them to start
cashing in on some of the Miami picks. And you know,
I think it was smarter them to get like very distant.
It was twenty with twenty thirty one and thirty three
I believe, or two of the picks that came over.
You know, that is smart. Gianness will be in his
late thirties by then, if he's even still in Miami,
so like, yeah, that's that's the time to be targeting.
But yeah, like it's going to be a bleakue couple
of years in Milwaukee, I think. And frankly, I mean
this is going to sound harsh to say, but I
would argue they only have themselves to blame for that
sure thing is out when you know, I mean everyone
and their mother knew what was coming.
Speaker 1: I mean, I honestly, I don't even think it's going
to be that pleakue, Like, yeah, there's going to be
like the feeling of divorce from Giannis. But I also
think Box fans were well aware they were stuck, right,
I mean I can't imagine otherwise, Like I feel like
the fan base, at least on social media, were like,
oh my God, we're going nowhere. So this at least
kind of, as you said, got them unstuck. And now
there's a sort of path too well I don't know what,
but something else, and maybe that's good enough to some extent.
All Right, so we're gonna take a quick commercial break
that we're going to come back with Lamello trade analysis,
because we totally geared up for that when we woke
up this morning. All right, bright LaMelo ball is no
longer a hornet. Surprisingly, so they cashed in after a
solid year from him, which I think was pretty smart work.
He's now a Minnesota timberwolf. And we'll have to join
a backcourt of Andrew Wickens and Io Schumo, who was
just resigned to a five year, one hundred and twelve
million dollar contract, which means, you know, you have three
guards now, all earning a substantial amount of money. In
that entire process. You traded away, Julius Ramble, you traded
away nas Reed. I'm just left with questions in regards
to like the roster symmetry of Minnesota at this point.
I don't know where you stand.
Speaker 2: I am very much on that same wavelength. I I
understand the upside here you know, you can get Aunt
Edwards working off the battle more and he is a
very very good catch and shoot three point shooter, so
you know, being able to unlock that part of his
game I think makes a ton of sense. Lamela just
having someone else who can just shoulder more of the
offensive load. Like you know, Aunt, it was just getting
relentlessly double team because he was the only one who
could create, especially after Dante DiVincenzo towards Achilles. So I mean,
like there is dynamic offensive potential between LaMelo and Ant,
but even you throw Io in there as well, Like
those three guards are gonna be fantastic, and they still
have Terrence Shannon as well. They dress drafted. Who is
Isaiah Evans from Duke who's a good shooter? Like the
backcourt looks phenomenal, but yes, my question is very much
in the front court. And this is where I'm going
to break the rule that I had from Miami, where
I want to see how things play out. You know,
the Wolves are now hard capped at the second apron
because they're aggregating Randall and Reed to bring in LaMelo
and Josh Green. I've seen varying figures, but it seems
like they're already pretty close to the first apron and
like ten to fifteen million ish under the second apron
with a couple open roster spots. So regardless, they're unless
they're able to dump Dante DiVincenzo, which John Krasinski of
The Athletic Today said they are not planning to do that.
They're not going to have the non tax emly. I
guess they'll have the tax emily potentially. Is that enough
to get a legit? I mean, yeah, you have Gobert,
you have Jaden McDaniels, and you're a Barringer who they
drafted last year. And other than that, like their front
core depth chart is decimated all of a sudden, and
I just don't I don't know how they fortify that.
And also, I mean, I find it interesting. I'm not
saying they're necessarily wrong for doing this, but it seems
like a lot of other contenders in the West, in particular,
you know, you see Victor wembin Yama and you see
this Spurs team and you realize, there he stays healthy,
they're going to be a problem for the foreseeable future.
And the other teams seem like they are starting to
double down on size, trying to add more size. The
Wolves just went in the complete opposite direction. Yeah, which
I just find interesting.
Speaker 1: That's a very polite word.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, maybe it works out. I don't want to,
you know, I don't want to say I am definitely
right and they're definitely wrong, because again I can see
how this works out for them, and if they much
like Miami, maybe they have other moves up their sleeves,
and in two weeks time, they'll have, you know, a
much more fortified front court and I'll feel much better
about their outlook. It's just right now, seeing the restrictions
that they have to work with, it is hard for
me to fathom how they're going to fortify the front
court to the extent they're going to need to to
contend right away with this duo or trio.
Speaker 1: I agree, I just I can't find the path. There's
there are a couple of players that I've kind of
been looking at since this trade went down, like who
could they out and go out and make a play for,
And like one guy who came up in my mind,
like he hasn't been reported anywhere but on Yeko Congo,
Like I think he would make a bit of sense,
Like you think he's like, he's on such reasonable deal
at sixteen point one million, that should be somewhat like
realistic to facilitate in some capacity, I think. But at
the same time, like, is that the way you want
to go? Because he's proven to be more offensively inclined
than defensively inclined, because despite being six ten, you know
he's he's really focused on his offensive game, Like is
that enough? Like can he play next to Gober because
he's pretty much more of a center than a four.
I just think that they have questions now, and also
like just a little mellowfactor of it all, Like I
know that I'm a hater, but at the same time,
I don't think he's given me reason to be optimistic.
I just don't. I think he's erratic. I think that
this year we just saw was probably his best yet
because the pegging order was finally established and he wasn't
the top guy, like he had to share the wealth
and that was so much better. But he's just like
you can just see how much he takes these dumb shots.
He takes weird decisions, and like for once when he
was a little bit handcuffed, it went better, and I
think Charlotte was just like, oh oh, he's actually got
positive value right now now hit it like immediately, which
just speaks volumes to me that this guy is probably
someone Ain't is gonna want to kill in about six months.
Am I wrong? Am I being too harsh?
Speaker 2: I don't know, because I could see, like again, I
can see it working out with Ant, I could see
it working out with Gobert because LaMelo is a great passer.
I mean, this is by far the best passer that Gobert,
really Gobert has ever played with. Is that fair to.
Speaker 1: Say, yeah, g yeah, yeah, yeah, I think it is.
Speaker 2: So. I mean, like I think I don't really have
concerns for them offensively. It's more defensively. And then just
with LaMelo's injury history, can he stay healthy? If not?
There you know, they made themselves a little bit more
top heavy with this. It'd be harder to kind of
replace forever however long he's out. So that's a potential concern.
Like I hear the you know, concerns about LaMelo's just
like being on unseerious. I guess this is the nice
way to say it, you know, I there's nothing concrete,
and like the way the ant approaches the game is
not the same way as LaMelo in that regard, But
like I think Ant off the court had either had
or at least either has or at least had some
maturity stuff to work through as well. So like that,
I have some concerns about do they kind of amplify
each other right regard or you know, I mean they're
both now in their mid twenties. Aunt as a father
like that is a very humbling experience and teaches you
a lot of responsibility very quickly. So you know, maybe
these guys are starting to grow up and realize that
they need each other, and you know, like I don't
want to rule out the possibility of this working out
for them. I think it is very fair to be skeptical,
you know, Like the price that they paid is completely reasonable.
I love Nasrid. I know every Minnesota fan loves nas reading.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, we forgot that. My apologies. Let's let's just
list that we have it here. So Lameto goes to
the Hornets for oh and Josh Green goes to the
So yeah, LaMelo and Josh Green goes to Minnesota for
nas Reed A twenty thirty three unprotected first three first
round pick swaps in twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty and
three second rounders. By the way, this is fun, Like
we're beginning to see the inclusion of second round picks
in star trades. Like that's not been a thing before.
Now we're starting to see it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and well, the second rounders are like or not
the second round. The pick swaps are weird. One of
them is unprotected and two of them were already tied
up in other swaps. Yeah, so they could be fairly meaningless. Yes,
so it's effectively nas one pick, one pick swap and
some fodder. But like it's right, not a huge price
to pay for a player of Lamello's caliber. I mean,
like de Jonte Murray arguably fetched more in both of
his trades in recent years. Yeah, so, I mean this
could also be kind of a sign of the times
with like how you know, a how teams are valuing
just max contracts in general, and be how they're valuing
draft picks, and you know what they're willing to give
up or not give up. I know, Minnesota already had
traded away a lot of stuff, so they didn't really
have a ton of options here. But you know it,
I think, especially in the wake of this new lottery reform,
the more deals that we see for superstars, the more
we'll start to get a sense of, like what is
the actual asking price for these types of players moving forward?
Because you know, I don't think I would imagine Hornets
fans saw that trade and I'm like, that's.
Speaker 1: It, right, yeah, Like, I mean, look, they safeguarded themselves.
Kobe White came back what three years seventy four? He
also got Christian Anderson. Oh, by the way, I John
Hollinger deserves credit for this, but I saw, Yeah, that
was that was amazing, and I just need this to
become a thing. Hannas Christian Anderson, are you kidding me?
Are you kidding me? That's great? That is that is
just fantastic work.
Speaker 2: It really is.
Speaker 1: But like Christian Anderson coming off the bench, Kobe White
is there, Like I just I don't think the loss
of LaMelo is going to be that substantial. Sorry, Like,
like Kobe White, I did you see his per thirty
six numbers after getting traded to the Hornets. He was
damn near thirty points per game.
Speaker 2: He was a monster.
Speaker 1: Yeah right, I'm not saying He's going to duplicate that
over the course of a full season, obviously, But what
I'm saying is I trust him to a certain extent
more than LaMelo in certain situation, also trust his health more.
And then you have Christian Anderson coming in, also a gunner,
also a floor spacer. I don't know. This just felt
smart to me overall, Like I gave them in my
trade grades over at Jahoo. I gave the Hornets an
A and I gave the Wolves A. See, I am
not loving it for Minnesota, and I'm like, but I
can be wrong, Like hell, we're all wrong occasionally, so
I will see. I'm open to being wrong on this one.
But I just I love the symmetry here for the Hornets,
especially when you also consider they got Honess at the
Hanna Steinbach in the draft. It just feels like they
have such a well rounded offensive team, Like nobody plays defense.
That doesn't matter. They're just like gunning for one fifty
every single game. I'll take it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, no, I'm with you. I think the Hornets
will be fine. They also now create I guess we'll see.
Maybe they turn this into like a sixteen team trade
by the end of this, but as of now, they
would create a forty million dollar trade exception, which is
the largest I believe in NBA history by a significant margin.
Like that's that's big enough that you can absorb some
pretty substantial players to that. Not quite Max guys, but yeah,
like a Julius Randall type could go into an exception
that big. So that's another option for them. And yeah,
I mean if they think that Kobe White can provide
eighty percent of the potential of LaMelo at fifty percent
of the price, right, No, And also, I mean this
goes I haven't seen much reporting from the Charlotte side
of things lately since this trade went down. I've seen
much more from the Minnesota side. Yeah, but it seemed
like Charles Lee just did not like LaMelo all that much.
I mean, especially early in the year, Like he was
pulling LaMelo in fourth quarters, and yeah, you know, he
got LaMelo. It seemed like he and LaMelo got more
of the same page as the year went on, and
like obviously they had a very strong second half of
the season. But you know, I don't know, I think
that would be the thing I'd be worth most were
about from a Minnesota standpoint, It's like, why did coming
off of the season that he just had where he
stayed healthy and you know, they finished above five hundred,
They looked really good those last couple of months, why
were they willing to move him at the price that
they did. Yeah, Like that's a fairly big red flag
to me.
Speaker 1: Yeah, agreed, agreed, And that is why I think that
was what they saw, Like they saw public opinion kind
of sway based on their finished last season or this season,
because technically next season is starting on what June.
Speaker 2: Thirtieth, I think so, like right, yeah, yep.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And and they just basically said, like I said before, oh,
like we we can feel that we can get something
for him now. We did not feel that that was
the case before, which again rech F, Yeah, they just
seized the moment. Yeah yeah, it's so where do you
leave on this? Like we're when you saw this news,
were like, what was your instant reaction? Was it, oh,
why did they trade ball? Or were they were you like,
oh they traded ball, good idea? Like what was your
gut reaction?
Speaker 2: I My gut was more surprised from Minnesota's side than anything,
or just trying to figure it out from Minnesota's side, Charlotte.
I mean, you know, last night they ended the draft
basically saying the Lamello is being shopped. It could happen
in the next twenty four to forty eight hours, and
Minnesota and torontover the two teams after him. And I'm
you know, I'm surprised that they did it at the
price they did it for. I would have expected them
to want more for him. So I'm just trying to
grapple with what that means about know, was it his injuries,
was it being you know, having not really never played
in the playoffs before, being considered unseerious, Was it like
some of the off court concerns, like why were they
willing to sell at the price they did? Yes, and
this was my kind of gut reaction. But no, I mean,
like they they've got a good thing going with Konk Nipple,
Brandon Miller, you know, I like the kids that they
drafted this year, Like they've got a very interesting young
core and now add nas Read to it. I don't
know that they're going to be you know, they need
uh like LaMelo was key to their offense. I think
they are going to take a step back this year.
But I don't know that this really meaningfully changes their
trajectory either way. Like I don't think they were going
to win a championship with LaMelo being paid what he
was and being kind of the focal point of that team.
And also I mean he was he's coming up for
another deal soon. I think they were basically eyeing that
and saying, like, we don't want to pay this, so
we're just going to get out now before this really
comes to a head.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And that's why I'm also skeptical of the Wolves
leaning into this because if those same issues materialized there,
you've basically just relinquished a team that made two conference
finals this in in a row and they made it
to the second round, right this year? Was that? Was it?
Not the second round?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Like that's that's yeah. Yeah, so that's all right, you
know what, I know how to how to sum it up.
This is just a risk, and I don't necessarily mind
risk taking. This just feels like such a huge risk
for the tuls. I'm I'm fascinating. I'm absolutely I'm not fascinating.
I'm fascinating dud by the outlook of this, right because
I feel as though this could go in a million
different directions.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it really could. It could be a landslide
win for either team, or it could just be like
a giant kind of shrug.
Speaker 1: Like, oh this is where things it was wrong.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, this happened. I guess, fine, it doesn't really
change anything for either team.
Speaker 1: Right right?
Speaker 2: I guess My concern from Minnesota standpoint is that if
this goes badly, they are more or less out of
chips to play. Yeah, so what does that mean? You know?
I think Wendy reported the other day that vultures were
already starting to circle over Minnesota and wonder when Ant
would want out, And you know, I think this pushes
that back, but that would be My concern is that
if this goes bad, does this start the process of
realizing we're out of you know, basically them being where
the bucks we're with? You honest, it's like we're out
of chips to play. I don't know what else we
can do here.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it's I do see some similarities actually between
Milwaukee and Minnesota in that regard. I will say for
for Charlotte though, like I'm low key loving just the
flexibility they acquired here because Kobe White for three seventy four.
Like that's just below twenty five million a year. That's
such a steal. I think like they still they still
have Ca Nipple on a rookie deal for another three years,
Brandon Miller for one more year than he has to
be extended or will He could be extended this summer,
but I don't think he'n's necessarily going to get one,
and if he is, it could be pretty cheap because
of the injury concerns. Like, I just don't think that
they are in a situation where they will be you know,
big big spenders necessarily, like I think their salary flexibility also,
So wasn't there something about them having now the second
most first round ers at their disposal something along those lines,
like they are beginning to have like their cupboards filled,
like the Hornets actually doing the NBA right they do?
Speaker 2: Roster Man, what a world we live in? If so,
that's Rild, that's wild.
Speaker 1: We're gonna take one more commercial break and then we're
gonna be back with the draft. Just covering the basis
on that one. All right, Brian, the draft is over.
It's it wasn't a draft with lots of surprises at
least not at the top. Everything kind of went to form.
Like over at Yahoo, I was like on call during
the first round, and I remember telling my editor like
in the middle of the first round, like I need
something to react to because everything kind of like shaked
out like I wanted to or everyone kind of foresaw it,
which I think was interesting because usually within the first
five or six picks you have something going oh nothing,
Everything was just kind of like like smooth. When when
according to plan, do you think any anyone in like
the top five or six made a big blunder? Do
you did you see someone where you went odd? They
should have gone in a different direction, like I have
some later in the first round, but not something that's
like totally creechous.
Speaker 2: No, it was an extremely chalky draft, like unusually chalky draft.
I would say, I think we knew the top four
and we had a good sense of what order the
top four we're going to be in. But even like
five through eight and a lot of mock drafts, knew
exactly Keaton Wagler five, Michael Brown six, like knew exactly
how they would all slot. I would say more as
Johnson at nine was arguably the first even like minor surprise.
Speaker 1: I loved it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean they just hired his former head
coach in Dusty May, so you can understand why they
would go that route. I No, I don't think there
were any major missteps really from from any team, which
was impressive. I wish the Pelicans. We need the Pelicans
in every draft to really spice things up. We missed
them this year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Like I think Kevin O'Connor over a yeah, who
had some draft rates and I remember reading them and
it was just like A A A A plus AAC
like and and and like that. I actually felt it
was kind of representative of the draft, Like there were
few where I was like, oh, okay, that's a little weird,
Like I thought Marrow would go higher, Like the fact
that you just fail down to like, okay, see his
laps at twelve was just like they didn't even have
to work for it. Bride. I thought I thought he'd
be gone at eight to Atlanta. I was kind of
weird out that they didn't go that route with him,
but like, all right, it is what it is. So
but but that's where I'm at, Like it's minor things
like oh, Mara went four picks too late.
Speaker 2: Man, right right, Yeah, I mean like credit to you know,
the mock draft community and the people who are you know,
talking to scouts and teams, like, seems like teams were
much more honest this year, scouts or whoever, We're much
more honest this year about where guys, you know, we
got their projected ranges right. There was no Young Hanson
jumping you know, twenty spots like we saw last year. Yeah,
I mean Derek Queen obviously was the trade is what
made that so outrageous, although Dan did point out that
you know, you now look at the sum total of
that trade, Derek Queen for US and Newell and Kingston
Flemings like still a win for the Hawks, but not
the landslide like they might get Cambooser or Ajdabansa from
this right, Pelicans dodged a bullet there.
Speaker 1: And I will also say, by the way, the Grizzlies,
oh my god, the Grizzlies like to me the big winners.
And I'm not gonna split this into winter solutions. I'm
just gonna say they definitely like they had the sixteen selection,
they traded down to twenty first and they picked up
five second rounders and then they spent three of them
on Isia Stewart. So basically, yeah.
Speaker 2: What's wild is that they I believe this is correct.
So they traded from sixteen to seventeen, got two second
rounders that was the okay see, and then seventeen to
twenty one was three second rounders that was from Detroit,
and I believe they just sent back the same three
second rounders to Detroit to get Isaiah Stewart. So they
effectively got Isaiah Stewart from moving down four spots in
the draft. Yeah yeah, and like from seventeen to twenty one,
not from you know one to five or six to
ten or whatever this is outside the lottery, moved down
four spots and get a center who is really just
a great fit for just their ethos, their organizational ethos.
So yeah, thin Grizzlies, really any of these team, I mean,
the Knicks did it too. They picked up a bunch
of second round picks to move, you know, ultimately completely
out of the first rounds. But it sounds like there
were you know, the top twenty to twenty five teams
felt pretty good about and then after that it was
a total crapshoot. And if there was not a significant difference,
you know in the eyes of scouts from good number
twenty five to number thirty five or number forty, then yeah,
hell yeah, pick up a couple extra chips that you
can use. You just got Jose Alvarado for two picks
two seconds at the trade deadline, and Jose Alvarado helped
to close out a finals game, Like especially for the
next team that's sweating the second apron and you know
it doesn't might be losing some key contributors from their
championship squad. Like, I thought that was really really smart
management from them. Yes, Grizzlies to like, kudos are any
team that pulled that kind of thing off. Less kudos
to your Chicago Bulls for selling draft picks. And you
were not the only ones who did it, but I
believe you're the only ones who did it twice.
Speaker 1: I absolutely hate you for keeping the shifting alive. I
really do, I really really do. No, but everyone sold
draft picks, right, I'm not even sure what so I
fell asleep during the second round. I'm not gonna lie
to you. I just did. It was incredibly uninteresting, Like,
did they even like the Bulls actually traded both of them.
Speaker 2: Right, They sold what the fifty six six the Lakers,
and then the Lakers sold that to the Mavericks, which right, uh?
And then yeah, they traded thirty eight for Cam Jones.
Who it sounds like they're playing on waving right. I
forget what else, but yeah, effectively, it seems like they
sold it without technically selling it.
Speaker 1: Right right, Oh, that was such an ownership move. But
I like, I do think that it seemed like the
Bulls actually did well in the first round. I think
the Spurs did well in the first round too. Yes, yeah,
Like I know a lot of people were like, why
two centers? Like did you see how much they struggled
grabbing a bucket out in the postseason?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean why two centers? Because they Luke Cornett's
only under contract for one more year. And I mean
it sounds like the kid they got at number twenty
came out after and said he's still feeling pain in
his knee, needs another knee procedure, is going to miss it.
He's part of this season, so you know he's not
He's like a long term he is a long term
home run swing that an organization like the Spurs in
particular are so uniquely equipped to exploit that. Like, man,
you know, there's a real chance that he busts, that
the injury just ruined him, and like he's never gonna
live up to the potential that he had. But from
my understanding, that kid was a lottery pick if he
stayed healthy, correct, And you know, you get that kid
to twenty, you pair him with Wemby if he's healthy,
Holy hell, you know, he's He's the type of guy
that you know, if if he stays healthy, we look
back in five years and I'm like, how the hell
did he follow the number twenty?
Speaker 1: Right? Yeah, yeah, no, he's he's that dude. He's really
really good if healthy. But I also don't think you
should sleep on Charles Reed or Tarish Reed because like
I know that he wasn't a highly like perceived prospect
at you know, Yukon necessarily, but that dude is just
so large. Like when they, or rather when Okasee drafted
mara At, who's like seven three seven four, that was
sort of a response to Wemby, right, and the Spurs
basically said, oh, okay, we're fighting size with size. Now, cool,
let's get the six to eleven guy who's also like
two sixty two seventy, who's not gonna give up ground
because could you just imagine like chars Reid against chet
Holmgren two, Like Homers is not gonna o him. It's like,
I just I love like the chess match of it all,
and like, yeah, the Spurs still need a wing. They
still need like a real power forward. They can solve
that in free agency, like perhaps they pivot off Daron Fox,
who knows it's probably not gonna.
Speaker 2: Happen, but well they got who had Malik Brown too?
Speaker 1: And the second they got yes they did, But I
you know when you're like, was that how late? Was
that right? It was pretty late for forty yeah, forty four. Yeah,
Like I just don't think you can look at Leak
Brown and go, oh yeah, the number forty fourth pick
is going to help us, But then again it's the Spurs.
Speaker 2: Yeah right, yeah, I mean you're not you're not banking
on him as like a key rotation player next season.
But he's just that's more size and more of like
forward rather than you know, I don't think I mean
terrorist Reed is just obviously a center and it's not
going to play much more will four. But you know
it also just begs the question of like do they
see is wemby heading down the Anthony Davis road of
you know, he's he's a five who wants to play
the four, right, But you know, maybe like Lord knows
he could shoot the three well enough to do it.
You know, maybe that is a good role for him offensively,
and then you figure it out defensively. But I mean,
man him. If those guys stay healthy, it's you know,
I think after I think after the read pick, I
tweeted or not tweeted whatever blue skide a gift of
Godzilla versus King Kong, and I said, this is the
Western Conference finals next year. Yeah, this is gonna be
like a bunch of behemoths. I mean, now, okay, see
you have to keep Isaiah Harten's side. If you had
any concerns about doing that before, it should be gone
because now the Spurs are just even bigger than they
were when you face them this year. Yeah, it goes
back to the Minnesota thing earlier. It's like, I no,
even like Denver added what's his name, Trevon Brazil at
thirty five, he's six thirty. I mean Houston's got a
ton of size with Shengun Steven Adams Clincopella, like all
of these Western Conference contenders are so oh big that
it's gonna be really interesting. It's it's interesting to see,
you know, we went ten years ago the Warriors forced
everyone in the downsize, and now whether it's Wemby or
the Thunder or whoever, Like, yeah, it feels like we're
having the exact reverse trend happening now, right.
Speaker 1: I will say this, and I think I still think
the Bucks are in a better position after they pivoted off.
Be honest, I did not cut their draft. I thought
you could go in better ways than what they did
at ten and thirteen. Like Berry, I like him, fine,
I just don't think. I just think you could have
gone in a different direction in ten Like I would
probably have gone Mara Mara over him, for sure. I
probably would also gotten Steinbach over him. But I'm also
a big stook, like I'm not. Like it's not that
I'm not a Braden Burry's guy, but I wonder if
he's just a guy. If you catch my drift, like
I hope I'm wrong, like you know me, I'm I
always hope I'm wrong on prospects that I'm not crazy
about because the league is so much better when everyone hits.
But like I have some questions and Nata mend or
amend I mean not even short like the pronunciation of
that last name, because ESPN announcers just kept switching. But
I don't I don't like to be mean Brian, but
I'm still trying to figure out what he does well
on a.
Speaker 2: Basketball that does seem fairly problematic for a lottery pick.
Speaker 1: Right, I mean, six' ten almost six, eleven failed to
even shoot forty percent from the, three and LIKE, i
a lot of it was a bunch of dumb. Shots
some of it, was you, know by design that they
just threw him into the deep, end and because he
had to, CONTRIBUTE i get, it but he just he
just reeks up bad, habits which makes me nervous because
you sually bad habits with young players at that. LEVEL
i don't, know it's it's it's not necessarily. GREAT i
THINK i think they could have gone in better directions
with both those. Picks BUT i, mean at least they
got two bites at the, apple so it's it's easier
to at least try. Something as long as they don't
go over, five that's the nest That. Yeah, yeah and,
you by the, way, congratulations You're philadelphia seventy six. Ers
you got Your jared McCain, replacement which means that you're
going to trade him while his value is at an
all time high in two. Years.
Speaker 2: Uh, well the good news is he's one million dollars
cheaper Than jared McCain this. Year so this is, chess
Not checkers from The sixers respect, it but it's it
is very funny that they, went you, know traded an
undersized guard and then ended up picking another undersized guard
who might not be able to play With Tyres.
Speaker 1: Maxy, Right, god what do you? Like is there any
other takeaway from the first, round second, round just the
entire draft where you were like, this we need to
talk about, this.
Speaker 2: Just the volume of picks, Traded LIKE i don't think
the second round in. PARTICULAR i there might have been
one pick that did not change hands at some. POINT
i Think toronto at number fifty IF i remember, correctly
BECAUSE i. Would, YES i was helping Edit Bleacher reports live,
grades and part of that was checking which team had
the pick and then which team it originated from and
then all of the other trades that preceded, it AND
i wanted to shoot myself in the face by the
time we got halfway through the second. Round that one of,
THEM i think it was pick, yeah pick fifty eight
go went to The, PELIKANS i Believe Eve. Yeah And
i'm looking at this on ESPN's draft tracker From detroit
via The, Knicks, Nets, Sons magic And. Clippers just get
rid of the, pick just Like Adam silver should just
take it if you traded that many. Times no one
wants to fifty. Eight so, YEAH i mean just the
overall volume of picks being. MOVED i mean it speaks
to just you, know second round picks have become valuable.
Currency we, see, yeah in a lot of. TRAIT i mean,
again like how was The alvarado went for two? Seconds
like two to three. Seconds seems to be the asking
price for you, know rotation guys on expiring. Deals So
i'm not. Surprised i'm guessing this will be a trend that.
Continues and you, KNOW i will say that as much
as you fell asleep during the second, round and you,
know none of these names necessarily stand out as like oh,
yeah this guy's going to make a huge difference for this.
Team but the reigning FINALS mvp was the second round.
Pick oh, yeah three TIMES Mvp Nicola jokis was a
second round. Pick, like we don't know which of these
guys is gonna, pop but the odds are that someone
does someone, yeah. Yeah AND i guess one we should
talk about Is Henry vsar WHO i, mean he was
supposed to be a late first early second round, guy
and it sounds like that was some agent, manipulation WHICH
i don't know how much you can speak to, this
but it might be, worth you, know kind of explaining
to the folks how, agents especially once you get to
the second, round and try to manipulate the draft process
for their.
Speaker 1: Clients, OH i actually Have, Yeah SO i actually have
a good example of this because there was A dane
in the draft this, Year Tobias, jensen and from WHAT i,
HEARD i haven't gotten it confirmed with his family WHO i,
know SO i perhaps should just reach. Out but What
i've heard was that they ASKED nba teams to not
draft him if they weren't planning on playing, him basically
like they didn't want to get. Stashed AND i Think
that makes sense because that just Means tobias can choose
his own team if he eventually develops further and becomes
AN nba, interesting then his draft rights are not held like,
hostage so he can just kind of. Choose of, course
there's also this parameter of it, all WHICH i think
is interesting that seems actually have to offer a guy
a contract every single year to retain his, rights which
that's something THAT i think more prospects definitely need to
be aware of to because, frankly you could just say,
yes they'll just wave your. Ass but then it's fine
because then you're just you're going to be an undrestricted free,
agent which will be anyway. Regardless so lots of different
ways to slice that. Pie but, yes agents will love
to get their fingers involved in these processes so they
can get their guide to a certain. Place it'll be smoke,
screens it'll be, threats it'll BE i have other, clients
WHICH i technically also is a. THREAT i am a
big proponent when it comes to the draft of teams
just basically saying fu. TO i think agents serve a
much larger purpose in free agency because that's where the
real money are made AND i don't like billionaire squeezing.
MILLIONAIRES i, LIKE i don't like either. Concept but you
know WHAT i mean, though and so so, There i'm, like,
cool go nuts, Agents but agents in the draft like
trying to finaggle guys to a certain. Place i'm just, like,
no you know, What teams should just take guys and
say we dare you to make a, fuss, like, yeah
we double dare you because that word is going to
come out quick that you're not someone who takes this.
Seriously so, yeah but like fifty, two he'll be a.
PLAYER i think he's going to be in the league
for a. While he's. Good you can shoot the three can,
like he's a smart, player like he he can reap
out at a certain. LEVEL i think he's pretty. Good M.
Speaker 2: YEAH i mean it seemed seems like that was not
a THE nba is sour on. You he just really
wanted to go To. Atlanta AND i THINK i made
great value For atlanta to get a guy who was
projected to be a late first early second. Rounder yeah,
yeah yeah at that, spot especially BECAUSE i know they
went With zubie The Saint john's kid at twenty.
Speaker 1: Three, yeah ittu four that was.
Speaker 2: Weird, YEAH i, know Some hawks fans were a little you,
know like they Took Kingston flamings at. Eight makes, sense
you need a guard after Trading Trey. Young, great he
can be your next point, guard the future. WHATEVER a
big was their other main need coming into the. Draft And,
zoobie you, know plays really, hard but it's six ninety,
five not a traditional, big not really helping.
Speaker 1: Eight man like six six, eight, yeah six eight to forty,
Five like he's really, good but, yeah he's he's so,
small the little.
Speaker 2: Guy yeah, yeah so, yeah it doesn't really you, know
A congo is also small for a traditional, center so
it didn't really address their needs in that. Regard so
to get you, know a legit seven footer fifty two
like The hawks, ARE i am very tempted BECAUSE i
think they're like plus eighteen hundred right now to win The. East, Oh.
Speaker 1: I'm.
Speaker 2: Tempted tempted BECAUSE I I i, mean This Jalen brown
stuff is still floating, Around Like windy is pretty resolute
that he is getting traded this. OFFSEASON i think you
can make a case That atlanta makes a lot of
sense for A Jalen brown landing. Spot, heck maybe even
Throw zoobie Or visa in into that. TRADE i, mean
that's already a valuable. Asset you just got a guy
twenty spots later than he was supposed to, go, right,
RIGHT i Don't, yeah they even if they even if
they just stand pat like they were already pretty good
last year after the trade. TRADE i, mean, hell they
won more games against The knicks in the playoffs than
any other team, did including The.
Speaker 1: Spurs, yeah, true, True, NO i HAVE i have The
hawks pretty high currently on my my seven League pass
rankings for. Sure.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah oh by the, way LIKE i just hope he
doesn't get The kings or, Sorry kang's staying on. Him
m a cup itself at. SEVEN i love this. DUDE
i know defensively he's a terrain wreck at this, point but,
offensively like this dude might be you know HE i
think he and And boucher could actually duke it out for.
Speaker 2: He did.
Speaker 1: IT i APPRECIATE i did for for A rookie of The.
YEAR i think he's that good, offensively M.
Speaker 2: I i can see. IT i, mean, yeah they're The
lord knows they need the. Help they need.
Speaker 1: Help they just need something, new and they finally have
like a blue ship prospect like last or this. Season
remember when at one point you AND i looked at
the roster were, like did they have anyone under like twenty?
Four they were just so old across the, Board like
finally they have one guy who can, actually you, know
become an offensive. Engine And Maurice johnson at, Nine LIKE
i know a lot of people, say, oh that's. HIGH
i loved, It like he's one of my favorite players
in the.
Speaker 2: Draft you gotta talk to your Boy hollinger about that.
One he was pretty lukewarm on.
Speaker 1: It H, WELL i, Mean john AND i don't always
see eyd eye on on things. More i'm actually. Kidding
we very often do rare courages that we. DON'T i
just don't think he has any particular. Weakness really.
Speaker 2: Seems like a good player to pair With Cooper flag then.
Speaker 1: Yeah but like WHAT i mean is he's not necessarily
someone who's elite at you, know playmaking or shooting or,
something but he can't do it and then the big
man stuff he just. Does like to, ME i always
have this it's sort of like a cheat cheat sheet
where IF i see a prospect who is, physical like
he's built strong and he uses his wide body to
like get himself an. ADVANTAGE i am absolutely in BECAUSE
i don't like the hesitant guys who are like scared
of contact and, like but the guys who just like
what's the phrasing, here impost their, will impose their, physicality
they always seem to just go places in the. League
one of the prime EXAMPLES i have was going dating
back to like the early two, thousands WHERE i Remember
bulls fans at the, time AND i was included BECAUSE
i was A bulls fan at the, time and it was, like,
Oh Tyson, Chandler Eddie, curry that's, cool but both of
them were so reluctant to be. Physical and then they
had a game against The suns With Amari stotdemeyer And
stoudemyer just ate them both, up like completely because he
was so physical and he was just not afraid of.
Contact and that was WHEN i, Realized, oh, yeah that's
that's where the difference. Is, like if you are physical
and you're willing to apply that, physicality good things are
going to. Happen, well Res johnson on both ends of
the floor does.
Speaker 2: That so what you're saying is that you like prospects with, size, length, athleticism.
Speaker 1: Physicality, OH i know what you're trying to, do. Sir
i'm not fighting on that. One not you're such an asshole.
Speaker 2: Flap, yeah the new acronym take THE nba by storm who? Knews?
Speaker 1: Yeah oh, boy oh. Boy well on that, Note, brian
can you let the good, look let the good people
know where they can find your work starting what you're working?
On oh?
Speaker 2: Boy what AM i? Working who? Knows the whole week's
been a Blaur uh you can find. Me I'm Blue
sky AT B T O P O R. E find
GENERAL nba Content Forbes sports and fan sided uh sixer
stuff At Liberty, Ballers lakers at Silver screen And. ROLL
i had the piece up today about The Minnesota lamello,
trade UH, I, lakers The Austin. Reeves oh we didn't
even talk About Austin.
Speaker 1: Reeves yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah SO i broke down kind of what his contract
means for them heading into free agency spoiler, alert nothing
other than it might impact what mid level exception they.
Have Uh and then, YEAH i WROTE i just returned
To Liberty ballers like a week, ago two weeks, ago
AND i already got to write About jared. McCain so
that's how you know. Where PLUS i wrote About filon.
Trade The filon pick actually might help redeem The jared McCain,
trade because you, know you can make an argument that
those those two guys are roughly. Equivalent and then the
six who's also got three second round picks that they
can use to tax dump, one if not two. Players,
yeah next, Year, stine very exciting.
Speaker 1: Stuff all, Right, well thank You brian for joining the
show again and to talk about. Offseason i'm pretty sure
we'll link up in the coming month or.
Speaker 2: So something tells ME i will. Say i'm on vacation next.
Week so if THE nba wants to just go on
pause until About july, SIXTH i would be very. Happy,
YEAH i think that's going to.
Speaker 1: Happen, YEAH i don't. SO i don't think. SO i
don't think they're going to cater to your, schedule, Stir
even THOUGH i, WOULD i would appreciate it as.
Speaker 2: Well, yeah deeply. Disappointing all, right well we will we
will slum it until. Then.
Speaker 1: Yep indeed for one listening, in thank you for doing.
So until we talk, again have a good one and
stay safe. Everyone