Speaker 1: What is up Fellasiko's I'm Damp Valley coming at.
Speaker 2: You with the one the Only mort.
Speaker 3: Yentsen of the NBA podcast fame, of.
Speaker 1: Excuse Me, of Yahoo Sports, fame, of the HBO Max fame,
and of OnlyFans celebrity. I almost loved it right ahead
to OnlyFans. I just the people want it, and so
I just wanted to get right to it. Yeah, we
are back with another NBA trade deadline primer.
Speaker 2: It's Chicago Bulls.
Speaker 3: Time, so we all know more.
Speaker 1: It's gonna get off some legendary takes here before we
get started. If you've enjoyed these, we've never done thirty episodes,
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our discord. The link to that to the podcast and
YouTube description and the big question though more, how are
you doing?
Speaker 2: You see the Bulls banner on the board.
Speaker 1: Like, how does that make you feel when you come
in the room and that's the first team that you
know we're gonna talk about.
Speaker 4: Honestly, I am so far removed from my twenty two
year fan hood off the team at this point that
it just it registers as any other NBA team, which
was a realization I had not that long ago, because
you know, a lot of people always said, like, all
I grew up with a certain team that are going
to be like lingering feelings, and like no, no, I
am fully on the other side, like the breakup is final.
I have had closure, Dan, So this is great.
Speaker 1: Look, I wore my Bulls red just for you, just
I want everything to come up Bulls. But let's get
started with because I'm excited you're gonna take us. You're
gonna take us on a journey and I can't wait
for it. But we got to get the minutia out
of the way.
Speaker 3: First.
Speaker 1: Let's take a look at the Bulls's trade deadline vitals.
So they have about thirteen point six million dollars in
room beneath the tacks. They could have sixty million plus
in cap space this summer. That is them renouncing all
of their free agents. Kobe White, I would assum Munikolovucevich,
Kevin hurd Er, the whole nine your favorite, Zach Collins.
I know that'd be a bummer for you. They they
do have all their own firsts as of right now.
They also control Portland's first that is lottery protected more
until the end of time.
Speaker 4: Did you know that correct? Yes, that that is actually
in the the lengo of the deal. Yes, until the
end of time literally, yes, but.
Speaker 1: It's actually through twenty twenty eight. And if it doesn't convey,
it'll go. It turns into one second round pick. And
they also their biggest trade exception six point two million
dollars from the Isaaca Korro trade that to be honest,
it could have expired by the time you listen to
this February third, twenty twenty six. My question really quickly,
do you think the Portland pick will convey by twenty
twenty eight? I think it will, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4: I think it will. They, I mean, depending on which
direction they go in. Obviously the Blazers, like dude, they
want to hit the acceleration button. I have a feeling there.
I don't think they're that interested in being bad anymore,
right Like, it feels like they've gotten a group together
that's interesting. Danny ab devis breaking out like Dame is
coming back next year. It just it feels as though
this team could make some noise. So I I want
to lean like I'm gonna attack this from a positive
ankle inside of the bulls for a change and say
yes for the sake of the bulls. I do hope
it conveys, because that would be the first time a
pick actually goes to the Bulls in like what six
hundred and seventy four years.
Speaker 1: Oh, when is the last time they got another team's
first round I don't know that off rip is the
question is.
Speaker 3: That like the Eddie Curry trade, No, it has.
Speaker 2: From the I better not be for their say, but god.
Speaker 3: I don't even remember.
Speaker 4: Like they didn't even get like a real first by
trading sac Lavine, Demartin Rosen or anyone like, oh.
Speaker 3: That would They didn't even get like the best assets
in the right.
Speaker 4: Right, they got their pick back, which I don't think counts.
I don't think that doesn't.
Speaker 1: That doesn't count as acquiring an acquiring your own first
round pick is not the same as acquiring another team's
first round pick, right, So more of the story is
we both think that if they were to trade that
Portland pick, another team can view it as we will.
We're not getting it this year, but it'll convey in
twenty seven or twenty eight. So I think that's a
real first round pick, I think. So here's the question more,
how will they how should they approach the trade deadline?
Speaker 2: You teased it.
Speaker 1: I don't even know the full breadth of it, but
you said you had to take here, and so I'm
very happy to say here.
Speaker 4: But let me let me first answer the actual question,
how will they approach the trade deadline? I don't think
they'll approach it in a way that we will understand.
I think they will do something that is weird and
where we're sitting afterwards and going, hmmm, all right, you
did that.
Speaker 3: Sure, that's that's fine.
Speaker 4: I guess like it's it's gonna be something where it's
gonna be weird and awkward and we're just gonna look
at each other and going, do you get it?
Speaker 1: No?
Speaker 3: Do you get it? Nope?
Speaker 4: And that's gonna be the end of it now in
terms of how they should approach the deadline. So, Dan,
it's been a while since we've recorded together. So I've
come fully prepared with the loaded machine guns on this one.
All right, I think the bull should actually go in
on the Giannis Ansatakumbu sweepstakes. And because that is not
a single player on this roster who is untradeable. And
I say that as a major Matzas busselas fan, and
I understand people will say, what about Josh Kitty. No, no, no,
no one on this roster is untradeable. They have control
of all the all their own draft picks, which you
just outline, and I think that is crucial. That means
that they can go in and offer Josh Kitty, Matzas Boussels,
and a bunch of draft picks, including some of the
and they're not the draft picks, but including some of
the expiring contracts to align salaries. Right, So here's my thinking,
because this has to be step one in at least
a two step plan. Now you get Giannis in there,
and you include the contract of Josh Gitty, which is
twenty five million on the books next year, and you still,
you know, you don't have to match as much salary,
like you don't have to make up in Giannis's entire
contract with expiring contracts like the twenty five million for
Josh Gitty. Right now, we'll take up like what a
little over half of the salary matching for Janni's.
Speaker 3: I think, so, can't you.
Speaker 1: Just you could probably just do Josh Giddy and Zach
Collins and that might get you there.
Speaker 2: Josh Giddy and Vooch would probably get you there.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, you.
Speaker 4: Probably need to add Busselos obviously, And like some of
the maybe Dosumu or whoever, honestly, Dan, whoever the hell
they want. It's fine because the idea here isn't just necessarily, hey,
let's just trade for Yanna's and give up everything the
to the Bucks and then just try to win with
Giannis and nothing. No, the idea is that even if
you trade for Yanni's, who's going to be earning fifty
eight million next year? Fifty eight and a half million,
honestly next year, because of the plethora of expiring contracts
on their books. The Bulls after in this theoretical scenario,
after acquiring Yanis, could still go into free agency and
actually dangle Yanis as a hey come play with him. Hello,
Austin Reeves, would you like to come to Chicago? And
be the secondary option to janis Astakumpo. Now, some people
will arguably say, well, I mean, is that a lot
better than the depth that they have right now? Maybe not,
but it'll be more fun, Like it will be a
more competitive team. I think in terms of like the
high end ceiling, having a Yani's slash Austin Reeves duo
would at least be fun and it would at least
be competitive, like the the top tier ceiling I think
would be higher. And again like it's impossible trait the
entire roster, so some talents will still remain. Like if
the Bucks are disinclined to accept Iodosumu, for example, like
you can resign him this summer as well. There are
a lot of options here for them moving forward. I
would just think that is more of an interesting pathway.
It's way more risky, but it's an interesting pathway instead
of just you know, training for Zion Williamson or on
a well, I mean, let's just be real here. Demantsa's
bonus has been bandied about as a bulls target for
about six months now. I don't think that's particularly inspiring,
So I think this could be more fun. Now, I
will say Just because they offer the farm for your
honest does not mean necessarily the bus will agree to it.
But that should be their approach at least. Just reach
out to Milwaukee and just say listen, listen, Bucks, as
you see us lay down on the bed, just ravage
us for everything you want. Just take us for everything
that we have. That would be from the Bucks's perspective.
Speaker 1: Unless you like modest Boozellis and a bunch of Bulls picks,
They're like, what other team's future do you want to
short more than the Bulls. Maybe the Kings, probably the Pelicans,
and I guess the Bulls have this knack for always
being in the middle, so you could, but for Milwaukee
unless you think that Aman Thompson or Dylan Harper or
someone's gonna be available to you over the offseason. I
think that's a very compelling. Modest Boozellis and a metric
ton of Bulls picks. I think that's great for them.
From the Bulls, I understand your map out of let's
get Yannis, let's have cap space, and that's definitely a
real pitch Yannis. It's like we could sit here and say, well,
you don't do that unless Yanna says he's going to
sign an extension with you, right, I don't think he's
giving the bull The bulls of all teams aren't getting
that promise from him, and so as Chicago or you
making you're doing this anyway, you're going on that path anyway.
Speaker 4: I mean, look, look, look at this team. Look at
this team, like there again in the middle of nowhere,
as they have been for what feels like half an
eternity at this point. It's they're so irrelevant. They were
just like this is a team that does not matter
in many way, shapes and forms, and like even the
fan base has just completely tuned out on this. The
squad like they're they're just they don't care. They need something,
They need something major, like when it's the last time
they actually acquired a real superstar in the in his prime,
Dwayne Wade doesn't count. If they trade for Anthony Davis,
that won't count either, Like Giannis is that dude?
Speaker 3: And yeah, some.
Speaker 4: Bullsmen will say, well, I don't want to give up
Josh Giddy for Gianna Sanzukumpo, in which case I will
laugh at you very loudly, because yes you should. Again,
this just this is something else and if they could
get this is the risky part again, like going into
free agency, because you never know. Austin Breeches might say, look,
that's playing with Giannis is super attractive, but I want
to stay in in.
Speaker 1: Could you imagine if the Lakers lost another homegrown player
essentially to the Bulls and free agency.
Speaker 3: That'd be really funny, man.
Speaker 4: I mean, look, I at least he's a one homegrown
who's like a real star, who would be like a
major ascid for once, Like, when is the last time
the Bulls gotta get Okay homegrown Caruso was like.
Speaker 3: Yeah, but he's not. He wasn't on that level. You know.
Speaker 2: No what I'm saying, it would be worse. It'd be worse.
Speaker 1: It'd just be funny for the Lakers if Okay Caruso
left and time with the Bulls and Bray and Austin
goes and does the same thing.
Speaker 4: Right, Uh, Talen Horton, Tucker Slander all right.
Speaker 1: No.
Speaker 3: Player option tailor?
Speaker 4: Yeah, but I mean that's I think it's interesting because
we are always looking at expiring contracts as though, like, oh,
how do you like go up this getting Giannis and
still having this much money in free agency? How could
that not be an asset in and of itself, Like
you get a guy in who's like a Tier one
superstar who's like, at worst, what for worst in the
league or sorry for best? Like at worst, like he's
at that level, Surely someone will look at that in
free agency and go, oh, there's like a forty million
dollar a year contract waiting for me to play with Gianni.
Speaker 1: Man I did not expect you to come out with
that it I think from the bucks this person. When
you look at the teams that are mentioned for Giannis
as you and I are recording this, it's Golden State, Miami, Minnesota,
and New York.
Speaker 3: I agree that Minnesota has some.
Speaker 1: Compelling pieces of what could you get for Jade and McDaniels,
and then Baron Jay and Terren Shannon Junior if he's
healthy or interesting. You can't sell me on Dillingham having
first round value right now.
Speaker 3: I just haven't seen enough.
Speaker 2: So the Knicks and.
Speaker 1: The Wolves being in there just sort of is Giannis
forcing forcing his way there. The Warriors have a real package,
I think four first round picks, and Steph isn't going
to be there forever, Like that's that's a real Like,
that's a real offer, Miami khalil Ware, two first round picks,
other stuff swaps. They get to four first round picks
if they wait until the offseason. If you like Jakacionis,
they have some of these guys on the margint Pelle Larson.
Speaker 3: Could be good. That's a real offer.
Speaker 1: But like what you're laying out with the Bulls, even
if you don't think modest, Buzellis is a blue chip
type of prospect, and he's he's probably a cut below that,
at least from what we've seen.
Speaker 2: But like that's a that's maybe the most compelling.
Speaker 1: This offer hasn't been ruled out scenario that I've heard,
because from it seems like Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma
City just aren't going to be involved. And I would
agree for the most part. Houston's a little more interesting
now just because of the injuries to Steven Adams and
maybe Apern shan Gun, But that's not a reason gonna
blow up your entire team for Giannis San Antonio. If
you could get there without Castle and Harper being involved, sure,
like this is a real I haven't seen the Bulls
listed as a Yana suitor just there anywhere.
Speaker 3: Else they're not.
Speaker 4: I mean, I'm look, I'm gonna write about this over
at Yahoo Sports like this that that article is probably
gonna publish before this podcast. But basically that's the pitch
I'm gonna lay out. And I love the fact that
you win Super Scilllis And I haven't even mentioned Josh Gitty,
who's part of this, because I have this is what
is interesting to me. I have no idea what the
hell Josh Gitty's trade value is around the league. I
have no clue. I think it differs wildly amongst teams.
Speaker 1: I yeah, I mean his he had like an awesome
start to the season and the Bowls since December fifteenth
have one of the league's best offenses. But during since
the turn of the calendar's shooting sub twenty percent from three,
Like he's cooled off a great deal. They've been slaughtered
with him on the floor during the stretches. Of course,
he's missed like a bunch of time too as well,
So you need to facture that in.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I just I don't know what his trade.
Speaker 2: Value would be.
Speaker 1: I you could. I'm trying to remove myself from it.
Maybe you get like a whatever first round pick for him.
I don't know what team is coming in and saying,
here's a good first round pick or here's two yeah,
first round picks.
Speaker 3: I agree with that, So, like, is it contract is toxic? Though?
Speaker 1: Look uh, the entire thing you mapped out. Like, if
I'm Milwaukee, I think even more so than the war
I think the Warriors to me have the most compelling
offer right now. But I tend to over romanticize picks.
If you really like kurtleel Ware or Yakachonis, I understand
why you'd prefer Miami's. But like, if you're Milwaukee and
you don't have your own draft picks again until twenty thirty,
they're just having Josh Giddy there to maybe he's good
and boost his own trade value, or maybe he's kind
of semi interesting, or you turn into something until you
get your.
Speaker 3: First round picks back.
Speaker 1: I think that's at the very least, his contract is
far from toxic. So I just if you're Milwaukee, you
just take on that mind. I mean you Damian Lillard's
dead money on the books for forever anyway, like that,
you're not getting out of a post Giannis rebuild until
Damian Lillard's dead.
Speaker 2: Cap hit comes off the books regardless.
Speaker 1: And so if you don't even want Josh Giddy for
three years after this one, but even then, it's like
it's so it's kind of short term. I know it's
a four year deal, but one of it's already gone. Basically,
I love this idea from Milwaukee's perspective. I don't think
I don't trust the Bulls to make the most of
having Giannis, but you're right if you wanna, you know,
it's the Bulls have shown some offensive signs and the
cardiac Bulls and all this stuff, some big crunch time
moments if you want a concrete direction, because right now,
like even when they're playing well, you kind of look
and say, well, Modus Bizillis hasn't been in a lot
of these high leverage crunch time minutes. It's like, so
what are we doing here? Like, who is the most
important player in this building right now? Kobe White is
available for trade and gonna be free agent. I would
assuming they prefer to keep him. I'm assuming because he's
cheaper and does more defensively for them.
Speaker 2: Yiannis gives you a direction.
Speaker 1: I think it's an incredibly imperiled one because I mean,
if you want to test and see how badly players
want to sign extension, this is a good case study
because if I'm honest, I'm not signing an extension with
the Bulls.
Speaker 2: Let's see how next season goes and then.
Speaker 3: We could talk.
Speaker 4: Well, see, that's the thing, because what if they then
get Austin Austin Reeves? I mean, I need it needs
to be noted, is a big part of this very.
Speaker 3: Fantastical scenario, right, because.
Speaker 4: He is probably the main guy free agency for me specifically,
if you look at it through the prism of getting Giannis, right,
I think that is the guy to like pair with
him and like the lead guard.
Speaker 1: Do you know what's tough about that, though, is do
you think the Lakers, like you, the Lakers are just
gonna max him out?
Speaker 3: Right? I just have trouble and vision him leaving.
Speaker 1: And that's what that's what gets dicey because then if
you make this trade, you kind of already had so
little in place, if you don't have any assets left
to trade, it's it's just Yannis and who Noah sen
Gay like I.
Speaker 3: Lebron. That would be that would that would be so weird.
Speaker 4: But yeah, I mean, I mean, I don't like to
like if we're talking about it, yeah.
Speaker 2: Because you just I guess it would depends.
Speaker 1: I say, I like it for the Bucks, but I
need to know how many of Chicago's picks, okay, because
you need something left over to least trade for a
lower end. Okay, we have if free agency doesn't pan
out or you're trying to sell Yannis on, well we'll
be able to do some real damage in twenty twenty
seven free agency or something.
Speaker 3: I mean, that's not far fatt you probably could.
Speaker 2: Is he waiting that long? He's thirty one? That's the question.
That is the question.
Speaker 3: It's all in all.
Speaker 4: This is just to say this at least gives Chicago
a direction that is less rudderless than it has been
for years and years and years. But that's not gonna happen.
They're gonna trade for sa bonus and it's gonna be
immensely funny when Nikola Vusovic ends up in Sacramento alongside
Cyclovine and Tamarto Rosen, you know, Bull's West. It's gonna
be fantastic, but it's not gonna solve anything for the
Bulls because I'm a big fan of the bonus, but like,
let's be real, he's a center who doesn't you know,
protect the rim at at a great level. He's not
a three point shooter, so he's effectively a note the No.
Three center. He's fantastic as a playmaker, one of the
league's probably the league's best rebounder, super strong, fantastic on
the interior as a score. But like, you can't run
your entire offense through and you can't he can't be
the best player on your team, or you're pretty much screwed.
Speaker 3: You know what, would be hysterical.
Speaker 1: So I'm just trying to think of if you're gonna
trade for for Giannis, I think part of the belief
need to be that if you can't get another big
name in free agency, that you can flesh out a
deep enough, impactful enough roster that Yannis as the only
top as the only All NBA level or All Star
level player on your team can do a ton of damage.
And now I'm almost I'm thinking, like a bunch of
steps ahead is would it be the worst thing in
the world if they're using some of their you know,
you do not want to overpay, but christophs Porzingis is
a free agent that could be someone who's a good
fit next to you. Honest, they're gonna have they'll have
their own free agent guards. So do you bring do
you just consign yourself to bringing back Kobe White? Is
he part of the trade like with Milwaukee's ee value
in having him? And if not, okay, you have Iodis
soon mood Trey Jones might still be there. I'm trying
to think of guards that are on the free agency
market this year you're not gonna want like Quentin Grimes.
Speaker 3: I was thinking about Quentin Grimes.
Speaker 1: Yep, that could be one, or like just again a
lower end solution, Anthony Simons, could you do something where
can you include enough picks? Or is the compation enough
to Milwaukee's looking at its roster and saying he only
has one year left on his deal before his player option?
Can you get Ryan Rollins as well as part of that?
There there are things that could you You could also
do this. I'm not an advocate. I hate the fit,
but if they're really one of these teams are so
out on one of these other expensive names or bigger names,
like could you just turn around and trade for jaw
or Karl Anthony Towns at that point, So you could
do mort I love this, I love it?
Speaker 3: Do it? Do it?
Speaker 1: Excellent idea by you question to them, you actually this
dovetails nicely.
Speaker 2: How important?
Speaker 1: So let's remove the Giannist thing from the equation. We
agree that they should be trying to get assets some
other way, not consolidating into anyone. But be honest, how
much should they be prioritizing their cap space this summer?
Speaker 3: Though? In anything that they do.
Speaker 4: It's difficult because again this summer specifically, you know, you
have so much any of these players coming in on
player options where they can dictate their own future, so
that you don't know, you know, Trey Young, is he
going to be an unrestrict free agent? Is he going
to you know, pick up the forty nine million dollar
player option and stay with Washington? Like, there are just
so many unknowns. So I would probably if I were them,
I would look at twenty seven instead to gain more control.
But at the same time, man, this is the thing.
If you plan ahead, you know for a year and
a half, you also just know that this league moves quickly,
So you can sit there and say, oh, I'm planning
for twenty seven and then come trade headline in twenty seven,
you have everyone size extensions and like the guys goes
goes down with injuries and like all of a sudden,
like the best player you can go get in twenty
seven is like CJ McCollum, I don't know, like somewhere
like CJ catching straights there. I'm sorry, CJ, but like
you know what I mean, it's that's just not good enough.
So I it really comes down to he's there a
player or maybe two players, because the Bulls can have
oodles of cap space this summer, where you say this
is going to elevate this.
Speaker 3: Better than the players that we have on the expiring contracts.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's the right way to approach it.
If you're the Bulls, do you view is Austin Reeves
a target for you almost regardless of what they do
at the deadline?
Speaker 3: Yeah, he should be. He should be.
Speaker 4: And again that's also because I don't trust the Josh
Giddy experiment because I think Reeves, I think is so
much better in terms of like creating gravity. He's not
he's not a super strong off ball shooter, but he
is good enough to the point where defenses bend a
ton on him, and then he's just a more natural score.
I mean, I gotta give him this. He's phenomenal in
that regard. Like he'll come in and he'll take and
make a lot of pull ups in the mid range area,
Like he'll play a lot of pick and roll basketball,
Like his whole body doesn't have to contort when he
takes a jump shot, like Josh Giddy, Like he is
a more natural fit in Like however we slice it,
is he as good a rebounder and playmaker? No, that
is what you lose. Josh Giddy will have him beat
in those departments. But in terms of like just the
scoring punch, he could come into the Bulls and average
twenty eight per game, probably fairly easily and efficiently as well.
So it comes down to if you get that guy in,
who are you going to align him with? Is that
going to be a Kobe White? Is that going to
be a weird backcourt? Is it going to be Bussilis
who you think as your secondary guy? Like, there are
a lot of possible names to come up with that way,
but Austin Reeves to me is absolutely someone if I'm
the Bulls I'm looking at this offseason.
Speaker 1: Yes, So let's go through two of their biggest names
that people expect to maybe be on the move.
Speaker 2: What should it take to move Kobe White if you're
the Bulls.
Speaker 4: Yeah, look, the Bulls can't really dictate terms on this one.
They painted themselves into a corner. They had Kobe White
for a while, They had him on a three year
contract that was so below far market value.
Speaker 3: And they never utilized him.
Speaker 4: Now teams trading for him will get one play or
not one playoff series, one playoff year of him at
best before he's an unrestricted free agent this summer, so
like his value is gone. There was a point when
he had, you know, two playoff years left on his
deal where you could realistically expect the Bulls to actually
fetch a quality return like one or two maybe even yeah,
maybe even two unprotected first rounders because he was that
good in terms of being implemented. You know, you had
the financial security for a while with him where he
was very cost controlled. That's out the window. Now he's
an unrestricted free agent and the word is out. He's
good and he's someone who you can plug and play
to a great extent. Because he plays in Chicago. I
don't think people really watch him a hold ton. He is,
in my perspective, pretty underrated, just in terms of how
you can implement him scoring wise, Like, yeah, he's not
a great defender. I'm not going to sit here and
say that. You know, he's He's someone who dictates the
flow of a game milk. Defensively, he's a decent passer,
he's a decent ball handler. He's a quality rebounder for
his position, by the way, but his major strength is
just finding ways to be a major offensive influence. He
can play off of ball dominant guys. He can also
handle the ball himself and create for himself.
Speaker 3: So like, I'm.
Speaker 4: Looking at good teams that might have a chance to
go out and get him and then say, fine, well
we only have to match like twelve point nine million
this right now, that's peanuts, and then we can try
to resign him in the summer.
Speaker 1: Do you think they get a first round pick for
him or do you require a first round Let's just
as an example, is just the team the Clippers.
Speaker 2: Let's say they put their two sets round picks.
Speaker 1: I think they have them in twenty thirty one and
twenty thirty two on the table and it's salary matching. Yeah,
do they need to get more than that if they're
gonna move Kobe White.
Speaker 4: If I'm the Bulls, I'll obviously prefer to get more.
But is that deal out there? I mean again, what
you really have to do with you the Bulls? You
have to create a bidding warp between the contenters. If
you ask me, like the Bulls know that they messed up?
I think I have to assume because if we know,
they better Dan well know. So the only way to
create like a lucrative market for Kobe White is to
basically go to every contenter imaginable and say, hey, you
only have to match twelve point nine million to get
a guy who can come in and be either a
starting guard for you or a very explosive six man
which could help you go into the playoffs on a
high note. That is the play they have, and if
that's the play that they're going to utilize, which I
really hope for their sake instead of just letting him
expire and cross their fingers and hope for magic, it's yeah,
I think you can get a first.
Speaker 3: Would you do so?
Speaker 1: Teams like a team that doesn't have a first though
that's been linked to him as Minnesota. Is the structure
of Dillingham and Tarren Shannon enough salarywise, you would need
another player in there. Or it could be Mike Conley
and Tarren Shannon Jr. Or is that too little?
Speaker 4: I personally think that's too little, But I mean it's
the Bulls, so who knows.
Speaker 3: The other one that would be?
Speaker 1: I feel like could be interesting and it would probably
take a third team. But let's just say they can
get the Celtics out of the tax because they have
all that room beneath the tacks themselves. If Boston's putting
its twenty six first on the table with Anthony Simons
and then you have to you're trading White and then
like maybe you're sending it's part of a three. Maybe
you're sending to Sumo elsewhere because some assumed team plenty
of teams will want him.
Speaker 3: Do you do something? Is that? Is that enough?
Speaker 1: So basically Boston's twenty twenty six first round pick for
Kobe White and Simons is really the structure right?
Speaker 3: Yes?
Speaker 4: Yes, I mean that is at least interesting. I think
that is a real first I mean not in terms
of like, you know, it's not gonna be high because
Boston has surprised us all this year. But if it's
unprotected and you know it's gonna convey, yeah, absolutely, But
can they let me just make sure? Can they trade
that right now? Because oh, they have their twenty seven
as well?
Speaker 3: All right? Cool?
Speaker 4: I thought for some reason that there was some some
pick protection there. No, that's an outright I wonder.
Speaker 1: If Boston would do that because it would be easy
to find, like, because Chicago can't just give White for
Simon's straight up, but they could do. They need another
like seven million bucks out going, which is right in
dessous Mu's wheelhouse.
Speaker 3: I'm sure teams would want.
Speaker 1: I mean, they just have all these other expires. It
could be part of a bigger deal where they're taking
back money. So that doesn't that almost feel like the
ceiling on the White value though at this point is
they got a first round pick that's gonna convey in
the twenties. That's what it feels like to me.
Speaker 3: Yeah, So where's Boston right now?
Speaker 4: They're projected to twenty four, so that's probably going to
be between twenty five because I assume White is going
to make them better, So that's probably going to be
twenty five to twenty seven presumable. It's look, if you
look at the entire evolution of Kobe white is then
is it then a total loss in terms of getting
him when he was what the seventh overall pick and
he's been a very good player for them over the
course of his career. They were, Yeah, but I mean,
this is the situation they found themselves in. They could
have traded him for a freakin' haul.
Speaker 1: A year get to It's like the extension rules aren't
news today, right, so they could have You're right, they
should have traded him when he was at the peak
of it.
Speaker 2: They could have gotten after the first season of that deal.
Speaker 1: Is when everyone started talking about or even at last
year's trade deadline, it felt like they could have gotten
real stuff for him.
Speaker 3: They could get it. They could.
Speaker 4: I mean, I've heard through the grape Wine that they
had some real offers for him last trade deadline, where
I was pretty surprised that they didn't. You pull the trigger,
But again it's because it was apparently picks oriented, and
the Bulls have it's historically been very very not anti
draft picks, but they're just not that interested in going
the draft route, which is lunacy. But that's also why,
like I flipped it on his head with the honest idea,
because like, all right, if you don't care about draft picks,
then it shouldn't cost you anything to go in for
like a top three player in the NBA.
Speaker 1: I heard they didn't get any real offers for Kobe White,
and they never got real offers for Alex Caruso and all.
This is just an agenda driven against the Chicago Bulls,
who are victims of the hashtag media final player?
Speaker 3: What would it take you to move? Io? To soon move?
It does seem like they're more interested in keeping him.
Speaker 1: They're big on the oh, he like the Illinois ties,
the Chicago ties. I think if you could get he's
such a good player, but because of his free agency,
you're not getting a first for him, if you can
get two seconds for him, or if you're getting a
first because you're taking back bad money. Sure, I mean,
like even this doesn't get Boston out of attacks. But
if Boston said, hey, and Frey Simon's our first round
pick and a second round pick for I own Kobe White,
I don't know like how much like are you doing
that if you're Chicago?
Speaker 3: Is that not enough?
Speaker 4: If I'm the Bulls and I know the fact that
Iola Assumer wants to resign. He's also said as much recently.
I am doing everything in my power in not including
him in the honesteel first and foremost, and I am
doing everything I can to go into free agency and saying, hell, hey,
look this works like you're a Chicago guy, We're giving
you minutes, We've you reaching a new pinnacle in your career.
I would do whatever it's necessary there. What's interesting to
me is and that this is something I need to
look into, because admittedly I just haven't what the hell
is his cap hole for this summer set that's like
fourteen point three million or something.
Speaker 2: I think it's under fifteen or isn't it under fourteen?
Speaker 4: It's around there, which just makes it so much easier
if you go, like if you're Chicago and you actually
go out and find it an expensive player and then
still resign him afterwards, Like even the afore mentioned Gianna scenario,
you could probably still go out and get it, get
another guy, and then resigned Iotosumu. At the same time,
it's like you you will have to relinquish some guys,
and like the big issue here is Patrick Williams in
that contract, Like if you could ever get off with that,
you cans that is that.
Speaker 1: Is, could you get off of that in the Yiannis
deal if you're including enough stuff and the Bucks are
just like on whatever timeline is it, like Patrick Williams.
Imagine Patrick Williams and Josh Giddy or just the matching
salary and the Bulls have traded three three first three swaps.
Speaker 3: And models adream scenario.
Speaker 4: Like for the Bulls, if that if look, if they can,
if they can pull this off not giving up any
expiring deals, they would be in the most advantagious position
they've probably ever been in. Besides the Jordan heres going
into free agency like that, that'd be ridiculous. So you're
getting off like what twenty no, forty five, forty three
million in addition to the sixty million they could probably get.
Speaker 1: Right and to be the Josh Giddy thing just doesn't
feel like it would be a deal breaker from Milwaukee
because that contract is fine. The Patrick Williams of it
all is just that thing's got another three years left
on it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think there's probably easier to get
off of Isaac Corro if anything, because it's it's just
shorter and smaller.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that could could you could basically view if you
can get off Isaaca Corro, you could view that almost
as the Iodasumu cap.
Speaker 4: Hold rightly close to it exactly. So my entire point
is this, as we're wrapping up Dan is, if this
team was run in a manner of you know, competence,
and if ownership and the front office had just one
milligram of creativity in their brains, this could actually be
a highly interesting situation going into the trade deadline?
Speaker 2: Do you view that is having a tent pole?
Speaker 3: For sure?
Speaker 1: But if you're looking at where the roster's at now,
what do you view as their big If they were
to take a flyer on a let's say, a distressed
asset or a young player, right, where would you want
that to come from?
Speaker 4: So I've been very high on the vouch for a
kuminga idea which you know hasn't been bandied about as
much recently, but that that is like I think one
of their biggest things, just more youth, more athleticism. There,
you know, they finally hit one, right, in Sailors for example.
They they are a little bit younger now than they
were a couple of years ago where they were leaning
into like the current you know do they went timeline
with Drosen and Cyclovino with those guys, So just getting
younger I think is a major priority for them. Vouch
who's actually done fairly well and it's been consistent and
available all throughout. I don't think that's necessarily a bad
deal for either team, like this the Warriors, even they
what they take on, less money on top of it,
and they get a guy in who I assume Steve
Kerr would trust more and who would help them spacing wise,
Like that's a deal I wouldn't hate. That is the
type of need that I think they have. Just get younger,
get better.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think it would be cooler to see
they do need a big man of the future, but
I would like to see it like a Kaminga's like
a combo forward wing player. I know they have Boozellis,
but I'd like to see them have another younger one
of those I don't like. Noah sang Gay Okay, he's there. Yeah,
I think that's right. I thought the two names that
I thought about is I don't know what the cost
would be, but he's just had such a checkered health
built throughout his career. Derek Lively the second, if he
was available, I don't know what it would cost to
get him from Dallas, but to just get him in
your program and oh hey, hey, maybe we have a
center And the other one I thought about it seems
like they might be more inclined to pay him and
Christian Brown at this point, even though they already paid
Christian Brown. But what do you have to do if
Denver's so scared about what Peyton Watson is gonna get?
Peyton Watson be really interesting here too, And if you could, yes,
you take on the Nause deal, which I know people
are joking, doesn't look that bad anymore.
Speaker 2: You could send them Io.
Speaker 1: There are crazy complicated structures where they could get Io
and Kobe White. Or do you just entice them with hey,
that Blazer's pick, Like, would you give up the Blazer's
pick to have Peyton Watson?
Speaker 3: I wouldn't.
Speaker 1: I know he's gonna be a restricted free agent, Ah yeah,
but I wouldn't. I wouldn't rule that out if it
was available. I mean you're just flirting with me right
now by suggesting Iodol Sumo and Denver because that is
like my preferred destination for Io that I've been I've
been thinking about this for like nine hundred days straight.
How to get Iodo Sumo to the Denver Nuggets. Could
you just imagine having his floor presence the point of
attack defense? This just the smart decisions him playing off
of Nicola Jokic, Jamal Murray and like be either if
whether he's coming off the bench or you're starting in
a pinch, this guy is just Taylor made to play
with Nikola jokicch would So let's assume Peyton Watson is
not on the table. If you got Denver. If Denver
gives you a first round swap and it's twenty thirty
two second round pick, do you consider and you know
the money you're gonna have to take back in that deal,
do you consider it?
Speaker 2: Or is that not enough for Chicago to bite.
Speaker 3: When it's the swap? That's my question.
Speaker 1: Uh, the swap I think can be into It can
go as late as two thousand and thirty one, so
it could be. That's probably the one that's interesting, right
because they already traded their twenty thirty two first, Yeah.
Speaker 4: So it's a Brooklyn but like that's to me, it's
interesting because then you're so far out where what's the
deal in Denver at that point in time? Is Yokich
still there? Is he still as good? Like he probably is?
But like that's at least a so, yeah, you could swapce.
You could swap with Denver in twenty eight thirty and
thirty one. A right, give me thirty one, give me,
give me the furthest out.
Speaker 1: You can't, so you would, but if that because you're
taking back Zeke Nagy as part, like that's one.
Speaker 3: Four year, two two more years after this one, okay.
Speaker 1: So a swap and that second and does what is
Denver's Do they have another second they could throw in there?
Speaker 3: No they do not.
Speaker 4: So oh but you know what the sikh Nase contract
that it's that is declining in value. So that's not
too bad. It's going to go down to like seven
and a half the next two years, right.
Speaker 1: His, I mean it's it's super cheap relative to the
percentage of a cat the cat, right, yeah, for sure, Like.
Speaker 3: That wouldn't that wouldn't bother me. I can live with that.
Speaker 1: If I'm the Bulls, I wonder do the Nuggets live
with that? Zek Nagi has been he's been playing a
lot of them at the injuries, not hitting threes.
Speaker 4: But but if they're getting I had to assum back,
like at some point I get that there's still gonna
be a position on need because of Yo kitchen everything,
but like it, that's a talent upgrade immediately.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I mean, if you're not giving up Peyton Watson,
that's just insane. I don't envision the Nuggets paying both
of them, but that would be an insane And also,
as we're recording this, Aaron Gordon's going to be out
four to six weeks at least again, so you could
use any.
Speaker 3: Real help start. I will do some more power forward.
It's fine, It is fine. What makes trading Zeke Naugy
a little more painful? Right? Yeah? Yeah, it will absolutely.
Speaker 2: Do you have anything else on this team?
Speaker 1: Or or can you tell the audience members where they
can find you in all the great work that you do?
Speaker 4: Ye, well, thank you for that. You can find me
over at Yahoo Sports. You can find me at the
NBA podcast. If you speak Danish or understand Danish You
can follow me on buzzer Beater at Danish podcast, or
you can catch me calling games.
Speaker 3: On HBO and Max. As always, follow moret all the
stuff that he does.
Speaker 1: Join our discord, the one that's in the YouTube podcast description,
subscribe if you haven't already, but also spread the read
the word of the Hardwore Knocks NBA podcast until next time,
and as always, well give it to shout out to
the one.
Speaker 3: The only, the indelible.
Speaker 1: Maybe he'll come inside and play with Giannis after the
Bulls trade for him, Mister Frank Nila Keine