WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.799 What is up? Fellas it goes on? Dana Valley coming 2 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:07.799 at you with mister Brian Taporrek of Bleach Report, longtime 3 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:10.720 friend and colleague of mine. Over there, he's also writing 4 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:15.199 for Liberty Ballers, Silver Screen and Roll Forbes. What else 5 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:17.399 have I fan sided? I forget anything else. 6 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:22.000 Yet I think that is it for now. Don't tep me. 7 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:23.039 Do a lot. You do a lot, you do it 8 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:28.280 incredibly well. There's a lot of NBA salary cap CBA 9 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.399 minutia stuff floating around now, so I figured who better 10 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:34.520 to talk about it with? Then? I consider myself a 11 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:37.200 CBA in cap dork, but you're on like another level. 12 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:39.119 I don't know what the level above dork is. I 13 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:41.359 mean that as a compliment, but you are above it 14 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:43.640 degrees above me. So I wanted to bring you on 15 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:47.240 to pick your brain about some of the latest developments, contracts, 16 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:51.000 then some overarching topics. But the one question I have 17 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:53.840 I'm sure everyone wants to know the answer to, mister, 18 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:55.079 how the heck are you doing? 19 00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:58.320 I am good, Dan, I'm repaying you because you did 20 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:00.520 me a solid this week. You have a fun thing 21 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.119 coming out later this week at Bleacher Report that everyone 22 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:06.959 should check out. When it's live and we got something. 23 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:10.439 By the time this goes out live, my My Baby 24 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:13.159 will be published, something I've been trying to get through 25 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:17.400 for a while now. So we've got Wednesday at Bleacher Report, 26 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:19.519 come check out. We got a big project that will 27 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:23.680 spark some nice water cooler debates to say the least, is. 28 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:25.480 That the right way to phrase it? Or is it 29 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:28.120 going to be angry arguments? 30 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:32.000 I honestly, I like when we came up with the 31 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:35.719 idea and we like did the exercise ourselves, it was 32 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:38.920 more like, oh my god, this is agonizing, which I 33 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:42.159 think is a fun way to do it. Like I 34 00:01:42.200 --> 00:01:46.319 think the reaction will be angry and then you'll, you know, 35 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:49.680 my My one piece of advice would be, I think 36 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:52.480 everyone should follow the zach Low rule for really a 37 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:57.000 lot of things, but no hill. If you're mad about 38 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:00.560 you say this person got snubbed or belongs on this 39 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:04.920 who is he replacing or who is she replacing? That 40 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:08.680 would be my best piece of advice for And that's 41 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:10.800 applies to the thing that you've got coming out later 42 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:11.680 this week as well. 43 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:16.240 It's that was fun with the project that I just did, 44 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:18.759 and I will say it's always fun and then I 45 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:21.240 finish it, and I just remember, like, this is only 46 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:24.639 gonna I think about it from the through the lens 47 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:27.080 of Oh, I have no idea if this is right, 48 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:28.960 but I think this is what I'm gonna go with. 49 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:30.960 But it's just so difficult. You can go a bunch 50 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:32.800 of different directions. And then I try and talk that 51 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:35.599 out when I'm writing, and then I just remember at 52 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:37.360 the end of it all, when I files like, people 53 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:38.479 are gonna fucking hate. 54 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:40.240 This no matter what. 55 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:43.000 Yeah, which is just such a bummer. Not that it 56 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:45.280 needs to be well received by everybody, but I miss 57 00:02:45.800 --> 00:02:47.759 like it doesn't feel like there's any more genuine debates. 58 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:50.599 It's always got to be like hostile or mean spirited 59 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:54.639 or everyone just agrees, which everyone should just agree with 60 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:57.520 everything I say. All right, personally would be preferable. But 61 00:02:57.919 --> 00:02:59.280 you go through this and you think like, yeah, this 62 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:00.840 would be like a fun debate to havelf and I'm 63 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:03.319 having it with myself, and then you just remember, yeah, 64 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:05.680 everyone's gonna hate this, or most people are like or 65 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:07.919 the only reactions I'm gonna see, or that are gonna 66 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:09.919 get looped to me, or that I'll get message about 67 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:11.159 of the people that are met. 68 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:14.240 Sure, but you know, I will say Reddit has been 69 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:16.560 very kind with some of our big projects as of late. 70 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:19.479 So thank you to everyone on Reddit for proving that 71 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:22.560 civil discourse again still exists on the internet. 72 00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:24.520 I've heard good things about I'm not on Reddit a lot, 73 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:26.360 but I've heard good things about Reddit over the past 74 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:27.319 like year or two. 75 00:03:27.479 --> 00:03:30.919 So it seems like the one place where normal people 76 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:33.680 can exist and not be overrun by AI bots. 77 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:37.960 Well, speaking of ai bots, shall we talk about the 78 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:44.319 Pelicans or not? At Yeah, let's start there. DeAndre Jordan 79 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:48.879 in demand got a two year veteran's minimum contract. I 80 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:50.479 did not know was for two years when it first 81 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:52.080 came out. I don't know if that was not part 82 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:54.800 of the release. But as you know, as many of 83 00:03:54.840 --> 00:03:56.360 our listeners probably know, that you were not going to 84 00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:59.639 get reimbursed the difference between the two year veteran minimum 85 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:02.759 and then anyone thereafter if it's for longer than a year. 86 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:05.919 So the question was, why would the Pelicans do this? 87 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:07.759 Why didn't they just sign them to a one year 88 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:10.479 contract and then resign them again next summer. They have 89 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:13.439 since come out with the explanation. They believe that he 90 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:15.919 was going to sign basically with a better team if 91 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:18.319 they didn't give him a second character year and they 92 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:21.160 valued his locker room presence too much. Sure do you 93 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:25.399 one buy that? And two? Is it an acceptable excuse 94 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:27.879 as a team that doesn't have a ton of room 95 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.319 they're inside ten million of the tax right now, not 96 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:32.759 known as big spenders, maybe they wouldn't have taken on 97 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:34.560 money anyway. But what have you made of the whole? 98 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:36.639 I don't know why I'm starting here, but what have 99 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.800 you made of the whole? DeAndre Jordan in demand situation with. 100 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:43.160 New Orleans definitely an eyebrow razor is made for me 101 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:45.800 as well. You know, I will say, like this stuff 102 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:51.000 doesn't really matter unless you are close to the tax 103 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:53.839 closer than they are to the tax or you know, 104 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:55.800 you're hardcapped at one of the aprons and you're like 105 00:04:55.879 --> 00:04:58.160 a million dollars away from it. That's when you need 106 00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:00.879 to be really concerned about it. Like this will be 107 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:05.079 relatively inconsequential for them this year, But the fact that 108 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:08.480 he's on to guaranteed four point one million dollar salary 109 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:12.079 salary in twenty seven to twenty eight, that's where it 110 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:14.759 just feels like, you know, this is again a minor 111 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:18.759 thing in the grand scheme of the Pelicans cap sheet 112 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:21.480 and their long term strategy. But he's taking up a 113 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:25.639 roster spot. He is taking up a salary slot as well. 114 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:28.480 So if the intention is just like, we want to have, 115 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:32.040 you know, another four million dollar contract that we can 116 00:05:32.040 --> 00:05:35.600 attach to Jordan Poole or Dejonte Murray or even you 117 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:38.759 know a Trey Murphy Herb Jones that we're considering trading 118 00:05:38.759 --> 00:05:42.560 at some point, Okay, maybe maybe I understand it from 119 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:44.920 that perspective. I felt the same way with Zach Collins' 120 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:50.480 contract when it came out. It's like, why less unless 121 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:53.160 you are planning on trading him that you know, fine, 122 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:55.439 But this is one of those moves where it's like, 123 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:59.000 if this guy finishes this current contract on the Pelicans 124 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:03.480 in two years, I can't say I totally understand it, 125 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:07.240 especially when you trade up for Derek Queen last year 126 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:09.720 and give what could have been a very valuable pick 127 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:10.600 for him. 128 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:14.680 It did turn into after the trade went through, When 129 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:16.319 you see what it turns into, the trade actually doesn't 130 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:20.160 look as egregious anymore. But I do think the problem 131 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:23.079 here is that this makes you wonder more about new 132 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:27.040 Orleans's over arching processes because I mean, but you could 133 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:28.720 go back to that trade about was that the best 134 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:31.120 use of resources to go out and get Derek Queen 135 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:33.560 who wasn't even starting by the end of last season, 136 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:35.279 and then you have something like this. You also have 137 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:38.279 the reports around last year's trade deadline, and then just 138 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:41.240 relative to their off season activity now it's they're just 139 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:43.879 cool with where they're at, like they're not trying to 140 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:47.319 shuffle any decks. And I think that's why this is notable. 141 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:50.720 It's just because it's another it's another strike against I 142 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:52.920 would say a front office for a lack of creativity 143 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.079 or innovation or however you want to frame it. And 144 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:58.839 they did overhaul their medical staff within the past few months, 145 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:01.680 so I mean maybe that should count for something. But 146 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:05.759 the Joe Dumars era in New Orleans has been I 147 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:08.720 think the most childble way to put it, wildly on inspiring. 148 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:12.079 Yeah, I think our mutual friend schmid Dua does a 149 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.879 great job kind of covering the behind the scenes of this. 150 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:16.800 And you know, he had a threat about this the 151 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:19.120 other day that basically said, like all of these things 152 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:22.920 are you know, none of them are like franchise crippling 153 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:25.920 mistakes by any means, but they just add up, and 154 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:28.319 you need to hit on the margins, especially in this 155 00:07:28.439 --> 00:07:31.319 era where you know, teams are being much more mindful 156 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:35.000 about every single dollar that they spend, as we've seen 157 00:07:35.240 --> 00:07:38.199 a couple of very notable examples throughout the rest of 158 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:41.639 the league this offseason. So you know, these things add 159 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.000 up over time. You need to continue to hit, like 160 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:46.519 you know, them getting Sadik Bay last year in the 161 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:49.480 Jordan Poole CJ McCollum deal, like that was a home 162 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:51.680 run for them. He was fantastic last year. He's only 163 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:55.480 earning six point six million dollars this coming season, But 164 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:59.839 you know what, like it's still just hard to understand 165 00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:03.680 the Pelicans long term strategy. You know, like, Okay, they 166 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:06.639 were taking calls on Trey Murphy but asking for you know, 167 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:09.560 however many first round picks they wanted, Like it sounded 168 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:13.800 like two first round picks was not enough for Trey Murphy, which, okay, 169 00:08:13.959 --> 00:08:18.360 you know, under previous cbas or under previous lotteries, maybe 170 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:22.920 that was fair. But valuations tend to change very quickly 171 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:25.600 in the NBA, and I still don't have a clear 172 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:29.399 understanding of like what the Pelicans' long term plan is, Like, 173 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:34.919 how how are you getting this group from lottery beyond 174 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:38.960 just like pray they stay healthy to even like a 175 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.879 forty five win team. I mean they're not even close 176 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:42.679 to that right now. 177 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.679 No, I don't. And it goes beyond can Zion play 178 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:50.279 in sixty five plus games? There's like that's not even 179 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:54.000 just the lone pathway And I don't I don't even 180 00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:57.679 understand the vision of the roster, the way that it's built. 181 00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:59.799 And they just won what do you play last year's 182 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:02.399 was played what sixty plus at least only won twenty 183 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:03.120 six games. 184 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:05.399 Yeah, I mean they looked a lot better, I'll say, 185 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:07.879 once Dejonte came back, like they. 186 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:10.200 Were having the organizer goes a long way. 187 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:13.320 Yeah, So like I think they you know, maybe they 188 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.279 win thirty five or forty games this year, but it's 189 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:18.720 still you know, I don't know, are you are you 190 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:21.159 okay with that? Are you striving for just like let's 191 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:23.000 get back into the play in mix, let's get into 192 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:25.039 the first round of the playoffs and we're satisfied with that, 193 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:28.480 or you know, are you ostensibly trying to build a 194 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:32.080 championship contender? Because if that's the case, then, you know, 195 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:35.720 I think, like we'll talk about Boston. I'm sure you 196 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:39.159 know they were brutally honest about where they were and 197 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:42.360 the chances of them building a championship contender around those 198 00:09:42.360 --> 00:09:45.519 two and made the decision that they did. The Pelicans 199 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:47.720 are much more in like the Chicago Bulls camp of 200 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:50.559 being two years too late on being brutally honest about 201 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:52.519 where you are and what that means. 202 00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:56.559 Really quickly, who would you rather have Kingston Flemings and 203 00:09:56.600 --> 00:09:58.240 Asa Newell or Derrek Queen? 204 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:04.519 I mean I would I would think the former. I mean, 205 00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:06.679 Queen looked really good last year. I'll give him that. 206 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:09.799 But just the process of that trade in general is 207 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:10.360 still just. 208 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:13.919 It's bad process. But I think what it ended up culminating, 209 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:15.960 I'm not like super high on Kingston Flemings and so 210 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:17.799 I look at him. Well, maybe they won't come out 211 00:10:17.879 --> 00:10:19.960 as poorly as I thought. But yeah, you're right about 212 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.720 the process comment. Speaking of process, No, boy, Gary Trent 213 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:28.519 Junior four years sixty four million dollars from the Bucks 214 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:32.759 fully guaranteed. They explored some sign and trade scenarios, but 215 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:36.600 I guess those just didn't materialize. Sure, maybe maybe the 216 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:38.919 same team that was interested in him was also the 217 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:41.919 team that was lurking to give Trey Young the max 218 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:44.200 that he could have got had he left the Wizards. 219 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:49.320 This is clear salary caps or convention. Whether they agreed 220 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.559 to this deal when he first went to Milwaukee two 221 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:53.519 years ago or whether it was last summer when maybe 222 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:56.399 his market was a little bit more robust, this is 223 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.279 just there was a wink wink in place where going 224 00:10:59.320 --> 00:11:01.320 to pay you more or if you stay when we 225 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:03.799 have your early bird rights, if you stay through X 226 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:05.879 And I guess to the Bucks's credit they held up 227 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:07.679 their end of the bargain. And for Gary trans Junior 228 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:11.000 had like couldn't be a consistent part of Doc Rivers's 229 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:14.759 rotation when they were trying to win games. I've seen 230 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:17.159 a lot of well why should we care. The Bucks's 231 00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:20.840 punishment will be they have to pay Gary trans Junior millions, 232 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:24.279 which is funny, and I guess it's to somebody extent, 233 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:27.480 it's kind of true they did. And you can say, well, 234 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:29.679 why does this matter for them? They're not. They're they're 235 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:32.559 building from the ground up basically, but like this is 236 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:35.600 a slot they could have gotten how many picks to 237 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:37.919 take on a salary in this slot. What did Charlotte 238 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.679 get to take on Dorian Phinney Smith like three seconds 239 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:44.879 or whatever it was? So why should my question to you, 240 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:48.279 why should we care about something like this happening? 241 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:52.799 I mean it goes back to the Kawhi investigation too, right, 242 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:59.159 If if these rules are only in place selectively, then 243 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:01.279 what's stopping every team in the league from doing this? 244 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:04.559 And maybe some of them get punished some of them don't. 245 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:07.600 I mean that we ran into that with the tanking 246 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:10.240 stuff over the last couple of years, where Adam Silver 247 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:14.840 selectively doled out punishments, but not to every single team 248 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:18.720 that was participating or doing what you know, the Utah 249 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:21.480 Jazz got fined for doing, or what the Indiana Pacers 250 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:24.159 got fined for doing. Same deal here. I mean, if 251 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:26.720 you say this is okay, if you say the Qui 252 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:31.759 thing is okay, you know what's stopping the Miami Heat 253 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:34.639 from saying, all right, Lebron, come sign with us for 254 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:36.759 the minimum and we've got fifty million dollars in a 255 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:39.200 bag for you over here? You just got to you know, 256 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:43.919 endorse Calshi without actually doing anything for them. 257 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:47.519 I mean, is that can't that be has it. Gianni 258 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:49.000 is investing Calshie already, so. 259 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:52.000 Yeah he can hook him up. Yeah, there you go. 260 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:55.759 See. Is there any difference, because we'll get I totally 261 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:57.440 agree with you, is that it's not even it's not 262 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:00.840 about Gary Trent Junior situation specifically, it's this opens the 263 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:04.120 door for if there isn't some type of punishment for it, 264 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:06.759 is other teams using this in a more egregious fashion 265 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:09.840 or for something that is more consequential than giving Gallery 266 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:13.360 Trent Junior this quasi non tax player mid level deal 267 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.320 for a team that isn't really necessarily operating with the 268 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.759 utmost urgency after treating honesty sent to Kumpo. I wonder 269 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:24.320 if it raises the stakes of like what happens with 270 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:29.120 the Kawhi Leonard and Aspiration investigation, which Mike Vorkanov of 271 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:31.759 The Athletic just published a terrific piece today where he 272 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.360 just went into detail of all the stuff that a 273 00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:38.919 lot of it hasn't been public knowledge yet, and the 274 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:42.440 more you just read everything that's going on, I get 275 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:44.440 that so much of it is circumstantial in the sense 276 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:48.320 that there doesn't appear to be the smoking gun in 277 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:50.519 the sense of what happened with Joe Smith where it 278 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:53.919 was in writing this is that. But I don't know 279 00:13:53.960 --> 00:13:56.039 how you look at this and come to any other 280 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:59.960 conclusion than no, like they tried to circumvent the salary, 281 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:03.639 And the other conclusion would be thank god that Kawhi 282 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.559 Leonard Marvel action figure was never released. That thing was 283 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:09.320 scary looking. 284 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:12.879 Yeah, the most horrifying NBA thing I've seen since the 285 00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:14.519 original Pierre the Pelican. 286 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:19.799 Right, right, So do you think it raises does not that, 287 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:22.200 I guess you couldn't raise the stakes any higher, But 288 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:25.200 does it kind of increase the importance of the NBA 289 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:31.200 getting this KWHI level investigation right? Because if it's this 290 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:33.840 stuff is now happening at the Gary Trent Junior level, 291 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:36.159 like you really need to run a point where it's 292 00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:38.639 all right, is this more rampant then we thought? We 293 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:42.279 thought like tampering, We've just decided teams are going to 294 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:44.759 tamper and that's fine. And now this is approaching a 295 00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:47.440 different level to where if this is as common the 296 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:51.240 Gary Trent Junior stuff or the Kawhi Leoner stuff being 297 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:54.120 a bigger example, if this is as common as people think, 298 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:58.080 it erodes trust in the NBA. It brings into questions 299 00:14:58.120 --> 00:15:00.240 about like how are like, how do you go bout 300 00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:03.799 team building? You implement the second apron or these restrictions 301 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:05.679 in theory because you want to increase parody, but you're 302 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:08.200 still giving certain teams an edge if they're willing to 303 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:11.360 do things like the Clippers did with Kauai. This is 304 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.159 just I kind of understand looking at a Garrett Trent 305 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:16.360 junior contract and saying like, well, what is it? What 306 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:17.919 does it matter? And I saw a lot of Bucks 307 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:20.039 fans taking that stance. I was like, no, like this 308 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:23.120 stuff matters because it's just the benchmark against which other 309 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:25.919 teams are going to operate, and if nothing is done 310 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:29.480 for this or the Kauhi stuff, like this is probably 311 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.600 is the Garrett Trent Junior thing easier to prove than 312 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:36.159 the Kauai thing, just because nobody can rationally argue that 313 00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:39.120 this is an amount that it like, because it's not 314 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.080 even a one plus like a one minus one where 315 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.480 the next season is get like, this is four guarantee years. 316 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:47.799 Yeah, I mean, like you look at you know, the 317 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:52.000 early twenty twenties, Gary Trent Junior averaged like upwards of 318 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:54.720 eighteen points of games, so maybe they think he's going 319 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:57.120 to have this massive bounce back year and then we're 320 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:59.200 all going to be eating our words by December. And 321 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:02.159 if that's the case, more power to them. Or maybe 322 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:05.159 they just think, like we have this vacuum. You know, 323 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:08.600 Giannis isn't here. We obviously added Tyler Hero and a 324 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:10.840 couple other guys, but like we have this vacuum for 325 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:14.279 shots and touches, and Gary Junior can just stat pad 326 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:18.639 on a bad team and we'll, you know, hope. And also, 327 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:21.240 like to your point, you know, if your plan is 328 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:23.399 like he's gonna stat pad on a bad team, then 329 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:26.440 we're gonna flip him. Who's trading for him for three 330 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:30.240 and a half more guaranteed years. So I think your 331 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:35.960 point overall about like how this impacts competitive parody in 332 00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:41.639 this overall scheme of the NBA implemented this system to 333 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:45.279 forced teams into making difficult choices, and if this is 334 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:48.600 their way around that, you know, we're seeing Okac having 335 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:52.519 to effectively salary dump Isaiah Joe Aaron Wiggins. You know, 336 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:54.519 they got second round picks back for those guys, but 337 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:57.960 like they are losing talent. They are a weaker roster 338 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:02.360 with those two guys off than what they were last year, 339 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:05.519 although obviously they added a couple draft picks as well. Uh, 340 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:09.519 if this is the way around that, then that threatens 341 00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:13.119 the entire integrity of the system. And then you're just 342 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:16.559 back to square one, where you know, we haven't seen 343 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:21.119 anything quite like this yet. But what's stopping a star, 344 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:23.720 you know, not from doing like what Wemby did where 345 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:27.480 you just bypass the escalators, but like, what's stopping a 346 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:29.880 star from just taking one hundred million dollars less than 347 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:32.279 his max and not from a like Jalen Brunson. This 348 00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:33.720 was the most he could sign, but he could be 349 00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:36.079 a free agent next year. But like you know, say 350 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:40.160 Nicola Jokic next year is gonna you know, on pace 351 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:44.279 to be a free agent, could earn you know, five year. 352 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:48.559 I think like three hundred and fifty million dollars. Yeah, 353 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:52.279 three fifty three is the current projection. What if he 354 00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:55.480 says like, I'm good with one hundred and fifty million, 355 00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:59.640 then all of a sudden, you know, like these are 356 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:03.279 all of this is why this stuff matters. It's because 357 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:06.640 if certain teams are playing by the rules and others 358 00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:08.680 are not, they are going to have such a clear 359 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:13.200 advantage over the ones that are And so if you know, 360 00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:17.400 I'm not saying the Nuggets and Jokich have a two 361 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:21.759 hundred million dollar horse farm waiting for him back. But 362 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:26.240 if they are somehow able to reduce the cap hit 363 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:29.559 of someone like that, that just gives them such a 364 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:32.440 huge advantage over every other team. And you know that 365 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:34.880 was with the Bucks for the last two years. They've 366 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:37.519 been trying to build around Giannis, trying to convince Giannis 367 00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:40.559 to say again and again and again, and if you're 368 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:44.079 getting Gary Trent junior autominimum deal as part of that 369 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.000 pitch with the understanding that you are going to pay 370 00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:51.039 him a lot more later than you know that Like 371 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:54.200 what if Jannis had stayed because they got Gary Tron Jr. 372 00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:57.400 At a minimum because they potentially circummended the cap to 373 00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:59.200 get character on Jr. At the minimum? 374 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:02.559 What is upos? You're listening to this episode right now 375 00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:04.640 thinking Wow, would be so cool if there were no 376 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.400 ads on it. 377 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:07.279 We have the power to make this the last ad 378 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:09.279 you ever hear. And that's not a threat, it's more 379 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:11.559 of a promise. The best way to support the podcast 380 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:13.440 is to join our Patreon, which you can do at 381 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:16.240 patreon dot com. Slash Hardwood knocks NBA tons of perks 382 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:18.599 there in addition to the promise of and not threat. 383 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:21.319 Can't emphasize that enough of no more ads, which is 384 00:19:21.319 --> 00:19:22.880 a huge bonus. We're going to do a couple of 385 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:26.480 Patreon subscriber only pods every month. You get access to 386 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:28.480 our discord. You just get to be a bigger part 387 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:31.759 of this community. You get our sincerest appreciation, which really 388 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:33.279 can you put a price on it? If you want 389 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:35.079 to support the pod, that is the best way to 390 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:37.039 do it. Thank you again as always for listening and 391 00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:37.519 for watching. 392 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:40.000 And now back to the show. So you mentioned wemb 393 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.039 He agrees to the twenty five percent max with no 394 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:47.559 escalator language. And this is it's a different discussion because 395 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:51.039 now we're talking about hypothetical money for the most part. 396 00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:54.559 But so he signs projected to be what would be 397 00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:57.119 a five year and two hundred and fifty two point 398 00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:59.599 three million dollar deal. What he gave up was the 399 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:02.160 ability for that to be a five year, three hundred 400 00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:04.400 and two point eight million dollar deal had he made 401 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:07.759