Speaker 1: What is up, fellow sikos, I am Dan Favalley coming
at you for a third consecutive episode with more gentsen
of the NBA podcast of Yahoo's Sports of Sports Illustrated.
What else did I forget of? Legend?
Speaker 2: I don't think you've forgotten anything. Look, it's too many things.
It's too many things. It's fine. You can just say
one thing that is completely acceptable. So thank you as
always for the very very kind introduction. Dan and I
love how we pivot always from our off the camera,
off the microphone chat and going straight into analysis. Because
if people knew for how long you and I would
chat before we started recording, and what we would chat about,
they'd be like, that's a podcast in enough itself.
Speaker 1: Yeah, look it's behind the NBA podcast the only fans paywall.
Go check that out link link bio. We could use
another word in bio two. So we're here to do.
We did our Eastern Conference teams that we think are
worth monitoring the most closely. As NBA trade season kicks
off December fifteenth, when a bunch of dudes who signed
contracts could be traded. Guess what happens after the Eastern
Conference One go check out that podcast if you haven't already.
It's on both the NBA podcast Feed and Hardwood Knocks.
We talk about the Western Conference, so we're gonna follow
the same format. We're looking for teams that we think
are going to define the deadline, or that we have
the most questions about, or we think that need to
make moves, whether they're buyers or sellers. Will alternate picks.
I don't know whom more it's gonna pick. He doesn't
know who I'm gonna pick. It's gonna be super fun.
Do you have any additional thoughts before we get off
and rolling here?
Speaker 2: No, No, let's get let's get the show on the road,
because you and I we can go long on every
what what would we agree on last time that we
that each episode would take forty five minutes and then
we bring exact we were going to.
Speaker 1: Do this entire exercise east and west in about ninety minutes,
and we did about ninety minutes on just.
Speaker 3: The east, right exactly, So let's not.
Speaker 1: Let's only do three minutes on the west to really
make those specific mountain time zone people feel like shit.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, there we go. So no, no, let's not
waste any time. Let's get right into it.
Speaker 1: I did the intro, which means that Moret is the
guest and so more gets to go first again. More
Which Western Conference team should we be watching ahead of
NBA and into NBA trade season?
Speaker 2: I would like to start with the San Antonio Spurs
because I think they are so interesting, not just because
they have Wempy. Well, that's part of it. Let's yeah,
who is that? I think he's French? I haven't I do.
I think he's French. Maybe he could be from a
different planet. I'm not like I still, to this day,
Dan think that the matrix might be real.
Speaker 3: And sometimes it's testing us.
Speaker 2: Wemby is sort of like one of those elements where
it's sort of like just feeling it out, like, are
you guys paying attention? Are you seeing what's happening right now?
Of course it's all Wempy driven though, in terms of
why this team is interesting because he is they need
to trade him, you think, yes, preferably preferably for for
a second rounder and like cash considerations.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's that.
Speaker 2: That'd be a good Bulls hashtag pulls right by the way,
fun story, the Bulls decided they're not gonna tank that year.
Then they kind of tank that like last year when
the when the draft was very shitty, and then apparently
they're not gonna not gonna tank again this year when
it's Cooper Flak and Ace Bailey and Dylan Harber and stuff.
It's very funny.
Speaker 1: I don't mean control them, but they got Josh Giddy
their set, so they don't.
Speaker 3: Worry about that. Julian Phillips, come on down.
Speaker 1: They're Gucci, as I think the kids say, or maybe
they're adults now, they're Gucci.
Speaker 2: They're Gucci. See I don't I don't get that reference
outside of like the the actual back, the Gucci back.
Speaker 1: I think that's what it's implying, is that they're on
the level of Gucci because they're just so well off
at this.
Speaker 2: Well the furst r in real if we go back
to reality, the Spurs are because they have their superstar,
they have their guy who's going to lead them into
to everything, and Dan they might also have the best
rookie of this draft class. And Stefan Castle. I mean,
this guy is extraordinarily good, and I think people tend
to overlook him because of the lack of the scoring efficiency.
But if you watch him play, the defense is there
and he's fantastic. So they have so many chips that
they can move forward with. They have tradable contracts like
Kelton Johnson for example, if they determine he's not a
part of the future, he's only earning nineteen million this year.
That goes down to seventeen and a half million next year,
and again seventeen and a half million the year after,
which is like ten percent of the salary cap, so
he's movable. They only have Harrison Barnes and Zach Collins
who can make an argument are their quote unquote worst
contracts for through next season, so they're tradable. Chris Paul
is only on a one year deal, like if he retires,
he retires. If he returns for a cheaper salary, that's
also good. Everything for their sake is pretty well aligned.
Devin Missel is also on a very team friendly deal,
so they can go in and make moves, like if
they decide Calton Johnson should go somewhere and they can
get another piece in, they can do that. They have
a lot of draft equity if they want who they
own Atlantis unprotected first round for this year. They have
their own. They might have Chicago's as well, just to
bury the Bulls fully. So they just have so much
flexibility that the world's their oyster. They can do whatever.
They can sit in silence this trade deadline and they'd win,
and they can be proactive and do something that they'd
win too. It's very hard to see this team coming
out as losers in any way, shape or form. Right now.
Speaker 1: Here's my thing? Would I mean, I just never find
this burs interesting around the trade deadline. They're not these
teams that typically make many moves, and I do feel
like they've telegraphed, especially what they did over the offseason,
where they move the pick that becomes Rob Dilleham for
distant first round considerations to swap and the outright pick
as to say like, no, we're still slow rolling this,
but we're not punting on now because we know Wemby's
too good. We're gonna bring in Chris paul I. They
are fascinating though, because there has to be at least
some impetus to be no, we don't need to go
make if like we don't need to go get Brandon
Ingram or Jimmy Butler or one of those names, but
let's add some shooting or like someone who's a little
bit more dynamic on the ball as a floor space
or two or just another Do we think that there's
a better front court partner for Wemby out there or
even right now? Like the offense has been twelve in
points per possession the past like month over the month,
past month, I believe they might decide, like, maybe we
want to ski even a little bit more with defense.
And so we have Wemby and we have Steph Castle,
and now you know we have Sohan, but they don't
necessarily you know, you mentioned Keldon Johnson. I feel like
he's been on the trade block since he signed his
extension a couple of years ago. I do think they
have some stuff Jeremy Sohan. It's very clear what he
can be on defense, and then it's very clear how
he's best used on offense. I am curious about his
long term fit. All of which is to say I
would be a little bit surprised if a Keldon Johnson
or Jeremy Sohan, or really anything even Harrison Barnes. I'd
be surprised if any of those moves happened in season.
I look at the Zach Collins contract and say, if
you only give up a little bit of equity, what
can you do? We already talked about, like could you
get the Raptors to give you Bruce Brown? So we
don't need to go back into that, But that seems
like it might be their not their best course, because
their best course is Wendy's so good now, Wenby's so good. Now,
we have enough assets to create our own trade market.
Let's just go see who we could get. It seems
like they are what they should do given their direction.
What they actually want to do long term is but's
in fiddle here, like don't let the trade deadline go
by and do nothing and be content with contending for
playing consideration. And so that's why they're interesting to me,
because I think Wemby's good enough not to make them
entirely buck their trend of they're more conservative approach. But
I do think he's good enough, and they've been good
enough that you even Devin Vesel since coming back and
the starting five that they have, I think Devin Vessel
should start. But you look at the results of their
starting five right now, and they're winning the minutes by
Like I think they have a net rating over twenty
last time I checked, so I would like to see
them they have a net rating of eighteen point one.
I was wrong. So they suck clearly, there's like the
bones at the top of their rosters, specifically, like there
are intuitive fits, there's some upside. I just want to
see them go get like another rotation player, preferably one
I think like who opens up the floor for them.
But again, the offense has been pretty good of late.
Maybe they do look at going in a different direction.
Speaker 2: I mean, I'm just gonna repitch my own trade and
I did this a couple episodes ago. Again with the Bulls.
We still have to like finacle the parimeters there. But
if you could go out and get Kobe White or
Iodosumu or even both for example, that's what I pitched
over at Forbes. I sent both of them for Malachi
Brennan Sack Collins that their twenty twenty seven unprotected pick
from Atlanta plus the Bull's Owe pickback. You said that's
not enough for Chicago. Well, I agree with you. It's
at least worth a shot, because if you see how
the Bulls negotiate, it might be it might be enough.
Honestly in the Western COPPERCE. I don't care.
Speaker 3: That's fine, it's it's well deserved.
Speaker 2: But like, that's a call that I would like to
make because there are several components of this, And there's
the reason why I keep sinkling out Kobe White for
the Spur, specifically one him and Chris Paul. They have
this very deep rooted relationship. They know each other very
very well. So if he can come in and and
actually have like the mentorship of Chris Paul for at
least a half a season maybe another season going on,
you know, he'll just kind of absorb Trey Jones's role,
And like, don't mean wrong, I like Trey Jones, but
I don't think he's going to be long for their showster.
Speaker 3: You'd need guards who can shoot next to wenby yea.
Speaker 1: If he could shoot like Tius Jones maybe and be
having a different.
Speaker 2: Goals right exactly. Tias was a guy who I also
thought would be interesting for them, but they then they
went out and got Chris, which, okay, you know, you
get that that was that was the perfect move for them.
But Kobe White is a guy who I think just
fits the Strawster. So perfectly because he can play on ball,
he can play off ball. He's become a better defender,
He's become more assertive, he can get to the free
throw line, he can playmake there is this element of
grabbing go that he has that I don't think a
lot of their guards have as currently speaking. And you
can really set up a really nice spacing element around
Wemby if Kobe White and Devin Missel are on the
floor together alongside Wemby. So and and you and I
talked over the last part that the Bull should be
open to trading Kobe White because of the one hundred
and forty percent extension limit. He's gonna eventually see himself
an unrestricted free agency because he's impossible to extend. So
I think I agree with you that the Spurs aren't
in a rush. They're not inclined to make a deadline
deal because they rarely do. If they were so inclined
this year, I think that's the name. I think it's
Kobe White.
Speaker 1: That's interesting because you don't think they're gonna want to
wait and see if Steph Castle turns into someone who's
gonna or I guess the flexibility of having Covie that's
the thing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you can play them both that you don't. That's
the great thing about this. You don't need to pick
between them. Like those two work. I mean, Stefan Castle
and Kobe White alongside each other. I could see that
being one of the best backcourts in the league in
a couple of years. Like, look, they're both big. Castle
is six to six, Kobe is like six ' five.
Obviously Castle is like his his defensive upside is way bigger.
But then you have the off ball capabilities of Kobe White,
the scoring neck for him, You're also just gonna meet
a guy who can get into the paint consistently and
just score to open things up for Wimby. Like I
love Devin Vessel, but he's not necessarily that player. Kobe
White is a little a little bit more inclined to drive.
I feel like, so that's that's a weapon. I would
love to see them go get and I think they
can get him.
Speaker 1: I think they. I mean they, Like I said at
the top, I think they have the assets to where
they could pretty much create their own trade market if
they wanted to. They're just even Kobe White seems like
a name that would be a little too high end
for the Spurs to go after mid season, but I
think he's a fantastic fit. I probably still I think,
what do you view as their bigger need? Do you
want them to get that type of player or would
it be we kind of want to upgrade from the
Jeremy Sohan, Keldon Johnson, Julian Champennie, Harrison Barnes like primary
front court partner for Wemby.
Speaker 2: Lot Dan, you and I like each other, so we're
not gonna be We're not gonna be fighting right now.
I don't want to hear any upgrade from Julian champennee
slander right here. I won't hear about it. He's really
good man.
Speaker 1: You don want to talk me into Champagney. I love Champenny.
I'm just saying, so you view the bigger needs like, well,
let's get that kind of like more dynamic.
Speaker 2: You need a card So because it's a ripple effect,
it's a ripple effract, you need to have guys move
the ball. Like So there was this idea that Wemby
could just consistently create his own shot off the dripple
in getting inside of the paint, and there's he can
to some extent, but he's so tall, Dan, Like he's
so tall that guy guards posting defenders are they just know,
like there's so much ground to go in and go
for the steal because the ball has to travel from
his hands down to the floor and that's a pretty
far distance. Like he'll get better, of course, but he
will need someone who can actually penetrate the defense. And
if he runs as a trailer or he pops as
the free point shooter, I think that opens it up
a little bit more. They need someone who can just
kind of create some attention for themselves and thus alleviating
some attention from Wemby, and that is a Kobe White
esque player. And given Kobe's contract is brilliant, that's why
I singled him.
Speaker 1: Out, I think that's a good point to move on.
I'm going to go with the Sacramento Kings here.
Speaker 2: Love.
Speaker 1: I want to know one if they're gonna do anything,
because they've kind of They did make waves over the
off season. They got to Martin Rose and we saw
that happen, but they've kind of punted on making any
meaningful mid season additions. And I think this is weird.
It's very rare that I am higher on a team
than their fan base, and it seems like I might
be higher on the Kings than their fan base at
this point because there are very there are issues there,
but I just feel like they're on the cusp of something.
They've had some I don't want to call it. They've
just not played well in net during crunch time. They
have more losses in the clutch than any team outside
Charlotte right now. You've also had we've seen it normalize
a little bit, Kevin Herder in his new role, shooting better.
Keyan Murray shot a little bit better lately, I believe,
But like those cold stretches from them, you were missing
Demart de Rozen, you were missing Malik Monk. I would
argue the fact that, and I know that there have
been some extremes on both ends of the spectrum, that
they have a league average defense relative to the personnel
that they have. They're still in like a fairly good position.
And I think if you can go out and if
you want to try and consolidate, what could we get
someone who might be more of a consistent shot maker
and than a Kevin Herder who's been riding highs and
lows for a long time. We want to go out
and get a Larry Nance junior or Dorian Finney Smith
just to maybe boost our front line optionality alongside Domasa
Bonis or even behind him if you wanted to play
Larry Nance at the five. They definitely look their defense.
A lot of it is prided on getting set. They
they're doing an excellent job of getting back after they're
missing kind of threes or jumpers, but like when they
get into kind of the if they're getting looks at
the rim or they're getting into that short mid range area,
those guys they need to do a better job of
getting back on defense. Like they've gotten burned on at
least a lot of the possessions that I've seen from there.
And you can quibble again about their shot profile, which
is I really think think it wouldn't be as it's
not cataclysmic, it wouldn't be as stark if you didn't
have those starts that you did from Keegan Murray and
Kevin Herder. But if you get someone who's gonna help you,
maybe even out that shot profile. But we talked about
this team when it came to most confusing, that might
be more of a matter of lineup staggering at this point,
so I think they have a couple needs. I wouldn't
say no to them just getting kind of another wing
defender since Kean Ellis doesn't seem to be guaranteed necessarily
any set minutes. They definitely need though, And part of this,
I know is a function of how they're gonna try
and limit looks at the rim. And I think that
this might be solvable with the personnel they have, although
with some of the lineup is probably not like someone
who could get out and contest other teams jump shots
would be really huge for them. And I know that
like if you're a Keegan Murray for example, like you're
also trying to concern yourself with helping and you know,
uh walling off those excuse me as I choke here
those pathways to the basket. So they're in a tricky situation,
but I think they need to just get someone. There's
probably like two or three archetypes that would fit that
just make the jobs or the makeup of their team
makes so much more sense. And it's gettable with the
assets they have, like they have future first that they
can trade. If you look at Kevin Herder's money, that
you're willing to move like they have the ability to
salary match, and I think they could go up and
down the spectrum of do we get a rental someone onexpiring,
do we get someone that we view as more of
a long term piece. I am just curious though, if
they'll make any significant acquisitions when they're may be still
trying to figure out, well, what is our big picture
arc for this DeMar Derozen Malik Monk, the Aaron Fox
Domonte Bonis quartet.
Speaker 2: The fact that there are almost six million under the
first aprint is such a huge win for him. It
might be their biggest asset. The fact that they can
aggregate contracts and they can do this, So I want
to know what they can get if they package Kevin
Hurd or Trey Lyles in a first. I want to
know what that what that gets you. I'm not really sure.
Speaker 1: That their first this year is going to Atlanta unless
it falls in the top ten, right, so that would
be a twenty six first. That's a twenty seven first,
That's I mean, that's attractive. I wonder what front office
would be thinking in those long term like ames like
maybe a Brooklyn But are you know I wouldn't want
to give up a twenty seven first for I. Honestly,
if I'm the Kings, I know Cam Johnson has been
mentioned a lot. I don't mind him there. I think
I want someone who's better on defense than him, or
at least a better rebounder in general than him. But
in a nutshell, you would give up that package for him,
I think. But I just don't think that he's the answer.
And that's also why the Kings are confusing, is I
almost prefer them to make a like a like hit
a double rather than go for the triple or the
home run that like in That would be a Larry
Nance Junior. That would be a Dori Infinny Smith. We're
just going to recycle the same names here. So but
that's what makes it tough, is that I don't know
if they're not If you're not getting some who profiles
as part of your closing lineup, it very much complicates
with what type of impact are they gonna end up
having on this overall product.
Speaker 2: Right, it doesn't have to be one player either, Like
it doesn't have to be a two for one. You
could just find a guy who you like and then
take on a secondary guy like with a mint deal
for example, so it's a two for two deal. I
feel as though they have options here though, it's just
what kind of arget type should we look for it.
I actually think that camp Johnson idea is interesting. Even
though he's not the best defender and the best rebounder.
He comes in and gives you the off ball stuff
that you so so sorryly need right now.
Speaker 1: You definitely help. I think Kegan Murray's role specifically, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. I think I think he moves the needle more,
okay a little bit more than maybe you do. I'm
not sure, but like I I like him. I think
I think camp Johnson's offense unlocks a lot of things.
And you know me, I lean more offense than night
lean defense. I don't, I don't, I don't. I love defense,
but I worry more about like offensive fifth than defense.
And for the sacrament of Kingston particular, who needs to
like recapture this idea that hey, we're one of the
most potent offensive his offenses in the league. Adding Cam
Johnston and his what forty three forty four percent from
three on high volume, I don't hate it, man, I mean,
he will come in playoff like playoff other guys. He
won't utilize possessions with the ball in his hands as much.
That's so you can kind of leave that up to DeMar.
What's a good deal? Like? What what kind of like
do we need to look for a specific arget type.
Speaker 3: Or specifical position.
Speaker 1: I don't This won't help the rebounding, and I don't
know if he helps the defense, and what about like
a and he's playing well right now, so I don't
know why the team wul necessarily want to trade him.
What about DeAndre Hunter for this team?
Speaker 2: Oh? I love DeAndre Hunter season.
Speaker 1: This year, Buddy Robert Atlanta want Kevin Herder play. I
mean they probably want it first, but why would they
want Kevin Herder back? But that's where you rope in
other teams like they're the Rockets. Could imagine Kevin Herder
on the Rockets. That'd be a good like like you
just rope in third and fourteen like the.
Speaker 2: Red Rocket on the Rockets. That's that's where you're going
for it. Yeah, Okay, I see the logic there. So
DeAndre Hunter is interesting, right, That's so funny because he's
a guy who when he signed that deal a lot
of people are like, oh, that's a little rich, and
then over the past couple of years, it was like, oh,
that's way too rich, Like he's overpaid, and now he's
sort of harassing barnstaying like in his prime, like he's
just cleaning up his own his own shot diet, and
now he's on the cusp of actually being underpaid. So
like it's a real predicament for Atlanta too, like do
we believe in this is this new DeAndre Hunter moving forward?
Or should we cash the fuck in right now? That
has to be a conversation Atlanta. So like, if I'm
the Kings, I at least call them and to listen, like, yeah, what.
Speaker 3: Would it take for DeAndre Hunter? Like what would it take?
Speaker 1: Do you know? He would be great for this team specifically?
And I think people don't realize how big he is.
I don't. I don't think his team would trade him.
To be clear, Aaron Wiggins would look really good here
addressing basically everything that we want them to do. And well,
like that's the closest it comes to, all, Right, this
player isn't a megaitar. He'll check mostly everybody, like not fully,
but he'll partially check a lot of the boxes they need.
He would be fun that he can play wing minutes.
Speaker 3: That's a good shout. That's a good shout because he
can play.
Speaker 2: Four.
Speaker 1: I think this is futile in the sense that they're
probably just gonna end up trading for like a Jay
Shante or a Cody Martin or Larry Nance, which all
those names would be fine. I would like to see
them aim well. Honestly, I would love Larry Nance Junior
in Sacramento playing with Sabonis or kind of behind them
is a different look instead of Trey Lyles. But I
don't I think they should because like you wouldn't got
the Marta Rozen who's thirty five? Like now is now
is the time? And so I would like to see
them be more aggressive. I'm just I'm hard pressed to believe.
I'm at the I think it's possible because what we
saw them do over the offseason, but I need to
see it to believe it.
Speaker 2: What about Bruce Brown and we'll move on Bless the
last guy we brought. We brought him as like as
a possible Spurs target. What about Bruce Brown as a
King's target?
Speaker 1: So there, We're just gonna see how many non non
plus shooters they could play at once and just still
make it.
Speaker 2: Well, well, I think he's a decent shooter when the
personnel around him fits though, Like you can count on
him to make the open ones and you can.
Speaker 1: Go downhill and make he can make passes out of that.
Speaker 2: He can make passes like look, he I don't understand
why this this isn't a guy Grant has a heart
on for because he can pass on the move.
Speaker 1: I'm sure, I'm sure Grant has gotten an erection over
some Bruce Brown.
Speaker 2: Right, Okay, great, I just want to make sure that
we're not forgetting Grant's erection.
Speaker 1: I'll have to confirm with him next time we speak.
But I would say, I would say that's a Grant
huge player at his peak, for.
Speaker 2: Sure, exactly Like but but that's also it opens up
the floor, like he's a little bit of.
Speaker 3: A wild card.
Speaker 1: My old thing is, like, you don't think that's someone
who's for offense specifically is two on balie like he
can some of like the big man stuff off the ball.
But then you've now decided, well, he can't play with
both de Rozan and some like that just can't happen, right.
Speaker 3: And you know what, that's fair.
Speaker 2: That's a fair point because Malik Monk has developed as
a playmaker so much in recent years, so we have
to facture him in as well, like he needs the
ball in his hands a little bit more, you know what,
You're right, we have to lean into like off ball guys.
Oh you know what, there's there's there's a guy in Detroit,
Like he's not earning a whole lot.
Speaker 1: I wouldn't hate on this team, FYI.
Speaker 2: I'm I'm thinking a much lower salary.
Speaker 1: Oh can I try and guess?
Speaker 2: Yes?
Speaker 1: Uh smon Fontechio No, although.
Speaker 2: I will like sold it's it's in that same preath
Malik Beastley. I wouldn't hate a Malik Beastley there high
vall your three point shooter off the catch.
Speaker 1: What do you give up for him when you're not
gonna have bird rights? You can give him one hundred
and twenty percent raise off of six million. So he's
gonna leave that's the problem, well is he though?
Speaker 2: Like remember last year he got like the the mid
deal for.
Speaker 1: It really doesn't get more then, Like if he doesn't
get closer to the mid level than not next year,
I will someone needs to start a gofund me for
that bro.
Speaker 2: Right, But I agree, I saw. I thought he would
be a non taximlits target for the past two years
since he signed for like a min deal in Milwaukee
and then he got six million this year. Like, yeah,
sure he's trending up, training upwards, but like it's he's
it seems like he's gettable every single year. So like,
I wouldn't hate half your rental with Beastley on that
team and then just Hole paying that he stays, Yeah.
Speaker 1: Just what do you give up for that? So it's
Trey Lyles and then you're gonna get smaller. So you're
gonna need to get a big at some point Trey
Lyles and six.
Speaker 2: And the deal.
Speaker 3: Maybe maybe they can get Isia Stewart.
Speaker 1: And that changes the calculus for sure. Then that gets
you a caps lock rim protector in there as well.
I like that. So Isaiah Stewart and Emilie Beasley are
gonna be making about twenty one million combined. I think
Isaiah Stewart did fifteen. I should pull up a salary page.
That's that's a doable number for them if you're gonna
get and look. But so, but at that point, like,
going from Kevin Herder to Malik Beasley, do you view
that as an upgrade because of the contract because Kevin
Herder has to go out in this deal less you're
trading right, you.
Speaker 3: Probably have to relinquish some draft capital to get this done.
Speaker 1: So would you prefer just forget about any of the
capital that's going there. Would you prefer having Herder and
Lyles or Stuart and Beasley, knowing that Stuart and Beasley
would come at the cost of some type of draft equity.
Speaker 2: I would rather have Stuart and Beastly at the cost
of some draft equity, because again, it doesn't like that
package doesn't justify an unprotected draft pick for example, like
you would have to protect the first and as soon
as first are protected in this league, I feel pretty good,
like most teams are pretty smart about protections, so I
would roll the dice on that. Plus, like, let's be
real about this, the Kings are win now team, Like
they even though most of their core is pretty young,
they're in it to win it right now, like the
Mars thirty five, Like they want to get shit done
right now. This Malik beast I say a Stewart trade
even if you relinquish some level of draft capsule. That's
a that's an that's a move for now, that's a
win now move, which.
Speaker 1: I know there, I know we have Kings fans that
list to us. I really want to know if you're
doing as the Kings, just assuming this year's pick conveys,
it's twenty twenty seven is the first plus Herder and
Lyles for Stewart and Malik Beasley.
Speaker 3: With the caveat that is not an unprotected twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I think, yeah, I mean, and I
want to know what the I think Detroit would have
to depending on if it's heavily protected, Detroit has to.
Speaker 2: Say no, oh yeah, yeah, no it like it has
to be like protected at the right place. This is
something that I feel is forgotten in most trade conversations
when we talk about protected picks, right everyone is like
slinging this out, like, oh, it has to be protected, yes, sir,
that's cool, but at wanted, Like something could be one
top one protected could be top twenty protected. That's a
major fucking difference right there in those two. So like
lottery protection top ten.
Speaker 1: I don't think if I'm Detroit, I don't know I
from that. I Meann Herder makes a lot of sense there,
But you're giving away two players who've been really good
for you for a lottery protected first, I'm probably not
doing it.
Speaker 3: If top ten, then all right, fine, here's here's what
you can do.
Speaker 2: Top ten protected first year, top eight protected next year,
and then I wonder if you should just from there,
like basically say, if it hasn't conveyed, then it transforms
into two seconds or something. I don't know.
Speaker 1: I still think I like it for Sacramento, and maybe
if you could you include another swap like in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Okay, so lottery pick lottery
protected and then a swap option.
Speaker 1: I honestly, I think it has to be top ten
protected at most and a swap not even just do.
I hate that for both sides. We need to move on.
But that's a that's an interesting framework. Oh.
Speaker 3: I will say this.
Speaker 2: On the final note, I will say this. Mark Stein
reported in the summer that the Pistons were trying to
shop I say, a stewart and couldn't find takers. So
maybe we're overestimating his trade.
Speaker 1: Pat that's true. I mean, he's someone do you can
Isaiah Stewart. Here's the question, can he play twenty five
plus minutes per game on a consistent basis? And we
still don't really have the answer to that question.
Speaker 2: Then maybe that answers whether or not we should really
like give them top ten protection. Maybe it's just a
lot of protection detection, take it or leave it.
Speaker 1: Well, I mean so if they just have to haggle
over their protections, if you get yeah, it's just it's
weird because what did Stu play last year? He played
over thirty.
Speaker 2: He was pretty good, I feel like. But but the
thing is Detroit fans are a little bit like, in
my opinion, it seems like he's very up and down
in terms of the fan base, Like some love him,
some hate him.
Speaker 1: He's like I think he's great, and we don't have
the evidence of can he play heavy minute on it?
Like the pistons are better and I don't think this
is a symptom of it, but like he's playing less.
So it's just I'm just kidding. And it's also in
the King's instance, like how many minutes are you actually
playing him? Because he's some bonuses backup slash, maybe you
pair them together a little bit. I forgot he averaged
thirty last year over thirty minutes per game only in
forty six appearances. But yeah, I love that deal, the
framework of it. But a first and those two for Stewart,
and then you would have to work back. What are
the protections there any swaps that would make Detroit like,
what is Detroit's terms on that?
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting at the very least, but we should
move on. You're right, But like, I think we have
a framework here at the very least. All right, So
I think it's my turn. I hate to bring this
this team up, Dan, but I think we have to.
They're just constantly in the rumor mill, the Houston Rockets,
And I'm not a big proponent of, hey, let's accelerate
the rebuild because I think they're doing pretty good as
currently constructed, and I like the young core.
Speaker 1: I think I think you're one Josh Giddy away from
being something really special.
Speaker 2: Smart. Yes that look, that is every Bulls fan on
Earth is nodding along with you right now. Yes, that
is that they need specifically Josh Giddy. That is right.
They can't trade Jaillen Green. That's the big one. Like,
because and this I feel it's necessary to say because
I see on a daily basis, way way too many
like trade deadline Jalen Green trades where I'm just like,
it's poison pill status. It's not gonna happen. He's just no,
it won't work, So he's not going to be able
to be moved. What are we looking for here? Because
if they are to make some sort of move, it
has to be a consolidation thing. They're so good right
now that I just I'm not in like the Jimmy
Butler territory of adding a guy who's thirty five. I
want to say, if you have to go for someone,
it has to be someone who is in like, at
the most in his midst twenties.
Speaker 3: And I just don't know if that guy's out there.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I just if I'm them, I'm not consolidating
until the off like real consolidation. The trade that I've
been kind of proposing for them is Jay Shawn Tate
and jaqu Landelle And then do you need seconds for
Duncan Robinson? Right, that's the type of player. And then
you have a contract that you can move like a
bigger salary anchor as part of another deal and I
think he'll be expiring next year too, But someone along
those lines where it's a shooter who I think is
good enough to crack their Because that's the other thing
is it's cool if you could trade two guys that
you aren't super heavy heavily relying on, but like you
already have too many good players and so that might
exacerbate the issue a little bit. But if i'm if
I'm the Rockets, like they've been so good as constructed
this year and they have the bigger picture in mind,
I'm just looking to bring in someone who's not gonna
cost a ton of equity because the consolidation trade is
coming later. And is this someone who stretches the floor
and we actually envisioned him cracking the rotation regularly. And
I do believe though one of the counters to that
would be right, if you're giving up non core assets
for a shooter, can't you just are you just gonna
eat into the very few minutes that read Shepherd's already playing?
Why don't you just play read Shepherd more? At that point,
I think Duncan Robinson as the example that we're using,
definitely has the benefit of just being bigger. U so
there's that going for him, and but I also when
you look at what the team would be like with
him in its rotation. I don't know how many minutes
he's gonna play, but I think for certain matchups, if
you need three point shooting, they always need three point
volume and accuracy. But if you're looking to open up
the half court more so on a certain night, you
can you can futs around with his minutes. And that's like,
that's not the only name out there. They could certainly
they could go after Lindy Waters or something would be
the type I'm talking about. I think Duncan Robinson is
capable of shouldering the heavy workload obviously, but that's the
scale I'm kind of looking at. If on them, would
you agree or would you be more open minded to
if player X or what you deem is the right
consolid consolidatory player becomes available that you would go after him.
Speaker 2: I again, it has to be the right one, as
you say, and I don't know who the right one is,
so like, there isn't that one guy who stands out well, ironically,
there there kind of is, but we've already shipped his
ass off to San Antonio. Kobe White would be fun
on this team took he.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but at that point it's yeah, he would, and
that things in terms of too, Like we know Fred
van Vliet, even if they pick up his team option
he's there next season, he's probably not going to be
there that much. Maybe they didn't want and he goes
back on a smaller deal. But yeah, that seems to
be the position where if you were really gonna go
for it, it's can we just get more of a
primary I don't I won't even say it doesn't have
to be a primary scorer, but close to an alpha
option who can also play off the ball.
Speaker 2: Yep. But then, of course, do you envision long term
a Kobe White Jalen Green back court because probably.
Speaker 1: Not right, it's not there.
Speaker 2: He's yeah.
Speaker 1: I still don't understand. I guess I understand a little
bit from their perspective, but I don't view his extension
as eminently true. I kind of view it in the
vein of had they let remember what the Pacers did
with Obi toppin in restricted for agency, who was giving
him that deal? If you let Jaleen Green go to
restricted free agency, who was giving him even this deal?
I understand the cap hold of it all. But so
I I I'll say this, if the Rockets are going
to make any move, however dramatic or nondescript, I am
not considering the future of Jalen Green in Iota.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: No, I agree with that. So here's the question.
Speaker 2: Jeff Green, Steven Adams, that's twenty point six million in
total potential outgoing salary. If you add some draft picks
to that, what can you get. I know that that's
not a consolidation move. That's is just me spitballing the
hell out of it.
Speaker 1: But I mean, technically it could be a two for one.
It's just not you know, when you when you think consolidation,
it's like, what like main part of their rotation.
Speaker 2: Right, but like, well maybe there is space for another guy,
but like Jeff Green and Steven Adams don't really play
a whole lot obviously.
Speaker 1: It's kind of like their Garrett Temple.
Speaker 2: It seems so yeah, but okay, then it could be
Chuck Landale for all I care, like Dale trade already exactly,
but like if you combine it with Steven Adams, well
then that you lose a lot of size though, and
you have no backup sinners left.
Speaker 1: Well, I mean, one, I don't hate that just because
then you could continue to ratchet up the jabbari at
the five minutes when Shenglu's not on the court. So
I'll make the rocket smaller up front if they get
to more of those looks.
Speaker 3: But like, what can you get though, Like, just just
to wrap that up, what can you get?
Speaker 1: What do you think you think they could get brook Lopez?
Speaker 2: God, I mean that would be funny as hell, like
Milwaukee though, just I don't know, you know what Milwaukee is.
Speaker 1: You're not gonna I mean, I guess you get a
little bigger on the wings. But probably they would be
we keep measuring. They'd be an interesting Cam Johnson team.
Speaker 2: Right, yes, yes, okay, yeah, no, no, but that's all
that's also that's almost a cheat guilt, right because virtually
any guy who can hit threes at a high rate
and play off ball fits at for like ninety percent
of all NBA teams, Like, find me a place where
Cam Johnson wouldn't be a good fit.
Speaker 1: No, but he's well, but like for them specifically, because
we're talking about he has a little bit of stuff
he could do off on the ball, but he's more
company working away from the ball, and he probably does
just enough defensively that you could view him as being
a main part of the rotation, because yeah, he fits everywhere.
But we could say that about a bunch of guys.
Would they be Let's say they fit on the rockets,
but is this Are they good enough to get minutes
on this rockets team? Because they are so deep? And
I think Cam Johnson probably is like, if you're not
a center, you have to be really good to get
minutes on the rockets.
Speaker 2: Yeah, right now, Yeah that's true.
Speaker 1: Would you look at like that, No, that's a stupid
like would you look at maybe trying to upgrade the
backup big situation a little bit? Like what this would be?
Would to reunite Ema Udoka with Robert Williams the third
what if it gallery and just bring in Robert Williams
and some pick equity and like that's the route you go,
and it's okay, we have Barsmith Junior, Alpern schangundin r
W three. Life is over for the opposing offense.
Speaker 2: So I have an idea. It's it's very ambitious and
he would hate it, the guy who comes in because
he's a starter right now, and he would hate it.
And it's a lot of money for a guy who's
gonna be a backup big but at least you'd know.
Speaker 3: That he'd be there.
Speaker 2: If you ship off Steven Adams and Jock Landale for
Nikola Vucevich, you at least have I mean, I know,
I know it's twenty million this year. It's like.
Speaker 1: Summer a lot in that scenario, and you could use
this should just be that, it should just be the
contract of And maybe it's the Bulls.
Speaker 2: They didn't didn't take a Picacko.
Speaker 1: Poor Bulls fans. Oh shout out to any Bulls fans
still listening to this podcast. We love you guys.
Speaker 2: Look they didn't even take the pickback for for Alex Caruso. Look,
look this is a dump.
Speaker 1: No, no, I'm saying I would make if I'm the Bulls,
I'm just getting off of Voochs for two reasons. I
don't have that final year of his contract, and then
this year specifically, you should be worse, which has to
be the goal. I just if you're Houston, I'm not
afraid of taking on money just because I'll turn around
and trade it, especially if they're going to be on
expiring contract. That seems like a terrible allocation of money. Though,
like you have I know Shane who's not making a
ton this year, so maybe you consider it. But what
is that and then.
Speaker 2: Clipping him in the summer? You could flip boochily.
Speaker 1: I guess if he should if he's hitting shots like this,
I get it. But right Smith, why are you getting no?
Speaker 2: And so it was just to to illustrate that there
is a deal out there. I would feel so much
better about it if Bush was on unexpiring Let me
just put it that way, if like this was his
last year on his contract.
Speaker 1: They probably they thought feel a lot better about it. It's
gone right now.
Speaker 2: Well then you could argue, hey, give us a couple
of seconds or something like But but I do like
the idea of actually giving Houston another offensive option at
the fund would.
Speaker 1: Oh man, you know who? He's a little small though
I was gonna say Norman Powell would be good on
this team. I don't think the Clippers should trade him,
but that would be What.
Speaker 2: About the last name before we move on? How about
trying to figure out a trade for on Ygo Congo?
Speaker 1: Sure? Why he trying? They got look there. Well, so
now you're gonna have Jabari Smith Junior, on y Echo
Kungou and Alpern Shango.
Speaker 2: Is Jabari long for this roster necessarily.
Speaker 1: Again, but that's I'm not don't make any decision that
exascer debates that one. That you're right, that's fair, fair,
we met. I did mention Kevin Herder before. I don't
know what the cost would be to get him. I
don't think the Kings just want your empty salaries. I
guess that gets complicated, but he'd be interesting here.
Speaker 2: You're about one second away from pitching. I say a
stewart to this team as well, aren't you?
Speaker 1: Well you want them to get a big so badly.
That wasn't really what I was targeting, but they just
like Aman Thompson's a point guard center. Basically, it's just
like a hybrid big wing player.
Speaker 2: You know what. He's a power forward. He's a real
four like he you know what he is. He is
a six to sixth version of a Mars Stademmeier. I
finally figured his ass out.
Speaker 1: Oh I don't know that I love that comp No, no,
just just.
Speaker 2: Just when just as a score, like when he attacks
the rim, like he's so explosive. He can play some
devastating pig and roll basketball. When the vision of him
is coming into score, he can do more than a
Mari like when he gets the ball virtually anywhere. He's
also a threat to make a pass and make a play.
Amari wasn't that well when it comes to just scoring
the rocket attacking the rim that minset is one to one.
Speaker 1: What do you think about them still trying to get
some of them? Would you trade any of like the
stuff that you have that's real to try and you know,
co opt even more of the Phoenix Stuns draft they
just came holme like, who are you giving up? If
they came with their twenty thirty one first and a salary,
whether it's Grays and Allen or I'm not taking back
nurkice if I'm this team but right, or if it's
a cot the human trade exception.
Speaker 2: Right, just just basically rending out cap space for the
price of picks. Yeah, I do that. I always do
that if I'm a team, I don't care if I'm good,
Like if I have you know, expiring drying.
Speaker 1: A roster, are you trading it? Are you willing to
trade if you're Houston because the twenty thirty one first
the player you're sending out probably has to be good.
Speaker 2: Oh oh, okay, so it's it's an upgrade situation for Phoenix.
I thought you were talking about like a salary dump.
Speaker 1: Well, so you're Phoenix gives up a twenty thirty one
first round picked to dump salary and not get any
value in return.
Speaker 2: I'm no, yeah, right, but I was also weirded out
by your question. Now, I kept if you're asking, so,
who are they targeting here?
Speaker 1: I don't know the roster. I just I don't know.
It would have to be tari Esan but him and
Aman Thompson you can't.
Speaker 2: No, no, no, no, no, no no no. I don't even
know what.
Speaker 1: I need to see them own so much of Phoenix's
draft or when that yeah, Devin Booker trade request invariably
comes down the pipeline.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Dylan Brooks earning too much. I don't even know
who the player is.
Speaker 1: Like Brooks was earning like matched up with Allan or Nurkic, like,
then that would be down interesting discussion.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1: Well, more of the story is I don't think the
Rockets need to think big and if they are saved.
I still think you save it for the other. This
team is really good. This team is really really good.
But since we're talking about them, I'm gonna pick the
Phoenix Suns. I'm just here's why they're They're a second
apron team. So for anyone who I'm trying to be
like more like less complex about this, they cannot send
out multiple players in any trade, and they cannot take
back more money than they send out, So it has
to be a one for one in which they're taking
back the same amount of money or less. That's effectively
what they're looking at do. And do you think they're
the team? Like when you consider all the teams that
are theoretically on the timeline that could the Lakers, the Suns,
maybe you loop the Bucks into there. Are they the
team that's most likely to trade a twenty thirty or
later in their cases, twenty thirty one first round pick.
They have to be the team most likely to do that, right?
Speaker 2: Oh? Absolutely so. Two years ago when I went on
the big if LUMPERG trip, I spoke with a lot
of sums people obviously, and what I really the thing
I took away from that was the draft is just
not a priority. It's never been a priority for them. Well,
I mean not never, say never. When they won the
draft lottery, of course they were looking at it, But like,
they don't look at draft picks the same way as
the vast majority of NBA teams do. They look at
it as a currency to be us to be spent.
They they aren't necessarily big on drafting guys. I mean
they did this year. They brought in Ryan Dunne, they
brought on ohso Egodora. I mean, so uh, Ecodoro, keep
killing Odoro. But like they brought in some guys. Yeah, yeah,
so they brought in some guys. But usually they're very
much inclined to not use draft picks. I think right
now they kind of needed to because they find themselves
in salary hell, so they had to bring in cost
controlled assets. So it's it's a question of is the
question is have they matured to the point where they
realize the value of draft pick now or are they
still you know, yolo, let's spend it. I don't know.
Speaker 1: I I think you're I guess it depends on what's
out there. You're not just trading it. If you trade
that just to get out of the nrkage contract again questions,
but if you have the chance to, I think get
a better wing to properly sized wing type in there.
Or Isaiah Stewart is a really good name. It's just you,
I think in that.
Speaker 2: I haven't heard that this podcast at all. Dan great, great,
what's a great name. I hadn't heard that name all podcasts.
That's a great name. I say, A Stewart, fantastic.
Speaker 1: I think what's really difficult for me is that if
you're trading Nurkic with your twenty thirty one first and
then getting someone back you're going to play, it's almost
easier to make that deal. And in theory you aim
a little bit because in my head, would you give
up twenty thirty one and Nurkic for Isaiah Stewart?
Speaker 2: I would nod, but I don't. I wouldn't need you.
Speaker 1: And that's what makes this so difficult is what are
you so?
Speaker 4: Then?
Speaker 1: Are you looking to attach twenty thirty one to who
that gets you a better player?
Speaker 2: Yeah, Grayson Allen and the pick for I say a Stewart,
I probably do that because it's stream staring. You're saying.
Speaker 1: Detroit would be the team to say no to that.
Speaker 2: No, I'm yeah, no, I'm saying if it's if it's Nurkic,
and like, if you're spending the pick to get off
of Nurkic for for for I say a Stewart, that's
the deal where I think they're just relinquishing too much
size as is.
Speaker 3: If you look at this roster, it's super small.
Speaker 2: Like I had. I had Gerald Boorga on the on
the on the podcast I think about a month ago,
and he and I just kind of harped on the whole.
They're not a big team, like they have so many
off guards, they have so many of the small wings.
So I just wouldn't even consider the Nurkic trade. I
would consider the Grayson Allen plus the pick for for
I say a Stewart, that's the pick or sorry, that's
the trade. I would look at it.
Speaker 1: I don't know if that just seems like if I'm Phoenix,
I'm not doing it.
Speaker 2: Why not?
Speaker 1: I understand Grayson Allen's redundant on this team and it
hasn't had the best year, but like he's a better
I'm I just don't. You can't talk me into I'd
rather trade Grayson Allen and my twenty thirty one pick
for a player that I think I can get for
Nurkic and my twenty thirty one pick. Now, if you
if you're saying Detroit won't do it, now we can
have a different discussion. But I'm I'm just keeping like
Grayson Allen to me is still someone who has stabed
the loan value.
Speaker 2: Nurkic does not, right, But would you So let let's
take the pick out of the equation. Who's who do
you think it's the most attractive created asset here, Grayson
Allen or Isaia Stewart?
Speaker 1: Oh, Isaiah's Stewart?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so it might not have to be like an
unprotected situation here either. Like that. That again, that's where
the currency comes in, right, Like, what would you have
to add to the Grayson Allen deal to get you
is say a Steward? And now we're just putting use
of nrkics on ice here for a second. Let's just
focus on Grayson Allen. What would you need to add
to Grayson Allen to get is say a story in there.
Speaker 1: I mean you would probably you need to add your
twenty You don't think else to add more? Right, that's
the problem, right, I think it's like you could probably
work it because what does Grace and now making he's
at fifteen six, which is actually that's probably right on
the nose of Isaiah Stewart, right, yeah, Stewart is you're
not getting anything else back that Troy's not gonna give you,
Like they might give you a second back or something.
What about doing something like you might not like the
influx of players that are coming in in this, but
I'm doing quick math in my head to see the
money would even work. What about Nurkic and that first
for Dorian Phinney Smith and Dayron Sharp.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so now it gets interesting because you're adding size.
Like if you just said Dorian Phiney Smith, I would
have been.
Speaker 1: Like, I don't know what. I don't even think that's
too much money coming back to Phoenix, right, yeah, you're's
only had an eighteen Oh my god, he is impossible.
Speaker 2: Like they just eat size. That's that's my focus for them.
I would like to get them.
Speaker 1: Why not do something like can you just go and
get Nick Richards from Charlotte? And now you're aiming smaller?
Where's that's where the Josha Kobe salary comes into play?
Speaker 2: Oh, wait, there might be a different option here. You said,
Dayron Sharp, right.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm making four million. You could definitely do like that.
Speaker 3: But how if you replaced him with Trent and Watford.
Speaker 1: For the Suns? Mm hmmm, uh, I think I'd want
more like heft out of my size.
Speaker 2: That's fair. I mean, look, he can grab him go.
He can play the four and the five, well more
of the four than the five. Yeah, I don't hate it.
Speaker 1: So, I mean, if you're you can just get both
of those players for Joshua Koge, but I don't know
like how many, Like you're not giving up a first
in that deal. Jor would makes sense on this team,
but you don't have a good outgoing salary to send
for him. They're in a tough spot like they need it.
Feels like either a combo wing or a combo big or.
They probably need both if we're being honest.
Speaker 2: But and we and we can't even get Booch there
because they don't have the salary.
Speaker 1: You don't want to trade Bradley Beal for Oh I
do want to throw some cold water on this, just
because it was reported Jimmy Butler may want to go
to Phoenix. Jimmy Butler cannot go to Phoenix. You have
to trade Bradley Beal. But like you're you're not trade,
like you have to try. I'm not even looking at
the salaries of those players, but you would have to
trade one of the Big three, and the only member
of the Big Three you would be open to trading
is Bradley Beal, and he's at fifteen point two million.
Bradley Beial's a no trade clause. Why would he sign
off on going to a Miami team that no longer
has Jimmy Butler. So he's not going to He's not
going to Phoenix. I just found that. I found that hysterical.
Speaker 2: Agreed, agreed, that was always very dumb. Be careful, Bernie
Lee's gonna come after you. He's gonna be in the
comment section any second now.
Speaker 1: I'm gonna care about that. I did not even know
who Jimmy Butler's agent was until that whole thing happened.
So that's the degree to which I care about that.
Speaker 4: That's great, that's stand out for this team going the
flyer big somewhere that we're not kind of thinking of, like, oh,
can you just go get go get someone, go get
Jay Huff right now, let's do this.
Speaker 2: Oh that'd be interesting, like what can you even what
can you get for Roys O'Neil.
Speaker 1: Uh, probably someone who's worse than Roy Zonia, right.
Speaker 3: See that's and that's the challenge, right because.
Speaker 1: Look, if he's your salary though, so a lot of
it comes back to you can vary the levels of
how attractive your twenty thirty one plus salary offer is,
because if you're giving up Royce O'Neill or Grayson Allen,
I'm aiming for a better player in return than if
I'm giving up use of Nurkic as an example.
Speaker 5: I don't Yeah, I don't have a I don't like
Walker Kesler on this team, and I'm not giving up
twenty thirty one for him.
Speaker 2: Nobody becoming a little bit underrated by the way. I
think people are crabbing on him a little bit too
much recently.
Speaker 1: But no, I think I would agree with you. I
just I'm not giving up twenty thirty one for Walker Kessler.
Speaker 2: What is what is valentiunis on Valanchiunis is on nine
point nine? Oh right, so wh yella at nine point eight?
See this is where this is where the new Apron
just comes to and screws you over.
Speaker 1: What about I don't know if they would do this,
and maybe this feels like a bad trade for everybody.
So I'm gonna propose it. Use of Nurkic to Toronto, yes,
for and that pick So use of Nurkice and that
picked in Toronto for Akbaji and you could pick between
O Linok and Chris Bouchet.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't. I don't hate that. It's a it's
another wing though. It's another wing in there, and another
shooting guard. Yeah, and a big but like you Knowshi
is good. Like it feels like when he would come
to Phoenix he wouldn't play as much. It all like
the gated trade value.
Speaker 1: What about could you? I mean you would have to
be if you're the Hawks, you're saying, we're gonna keep
Clint Copel, We're gonna keep wearing hands. There's probably like
mechanisms where on Yekkakungu on this team with that twenty
thirty one first you're thinking about that.
Speaker 3: Yeah, fort forty million, let's see, that's so the Grayson.
Speaker 1: I'm trying to get Vig Crachie somewhere. That's gonna I mean,
he was he played against the Knicks the other right,
but you could do You could probably get someone else
from the Hawks because the Kongo's at fourteen's at eighteen
point one.
Speaker 2: So oh, you keep trying to send out Nurkic. Okay,
I thought we were still on Grayson Allen.
Speaker 1: Well, you could do Grayson Allen too. I mean, if
I'm a Hawks, I'm pouncing on I'm not gonna well,
pouncing is probably a strong word, but I would certainly
consider it.
Speaker 2: I mean, you eventually need someone to come in and
take over the book don Bogdanovich minutes, because I have
to assume that he's soon is going to ask, you know,
for a better situation. Given his age, I have.
Speaker 1: To assume the Hawks are playing well right now.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I mean, look, he he is very competitive,
very very competed.
Speaker 3: He likes the situation. You'll never complain publicly.
Speaker 2: I wouldn't be surprised if there is a part of
him that kind of goes like, all right, eventually, I'll
I'll have to I'll have to go to somewhere.
Speaker 3: And I have heard some rumplings over here.
Speaker 1: That that aggregator alert that he might have had.
Speaker 2: Some interest in joining up with his his best friend
in Denver.
Speaker 1: Oh wow, he's really that tight with Locko Chanshar.
Speaker 2: There we go that that was exactly the name. Yeah,
that was a good read. Yeah.
Speaker 1: So to wrap it up on Phoenix, they'll have options.
But do you ultimately think they will trade their twenty
thirty one pick for the right Well, no, that's not
the question. That's or no, that's.
Speaker 2: Okay, Okay, Then I'm gonna say no because I don't
think that trade is going to be out there. That's
interesting enough.
Speaker 1: Most of me agrees with you, but I'm going to
manifest an interesting trade deadline and just say.
Speaker 2: Yeah, all right, So the Blazers are next.
Speaker 1: I'm trying the team. By the way, this, I mean
this ties into the trade deadline them in the heat.
I just have like probably the two teams that I
have the least feel for the time.
Speaker 3: Right, Yeah, saying so, here's the thing.
Speaker 2: I keep getting told that they loved you Aiden so
and that despite the fact that he's involved in very
very many online trade rumors, I kind of get why
they wouldn't pivot off of him so soon. But also
they have Donovan Klingen. Eventually they're gonna have to make
a call there. Given how high they drafted him, Robert
Williams is probably the center they're looking to shed.
Speaker 3: Jeremy Grant doesn't really fit the time.
Speaker 1: I bet you the center they're looking to shed is
DeAndre Aiden.
Speaker 2: Well, I mean again, depending on whether what I've heard
is right or wrong.
Speaker 3: I mean, I don't know. That's just what i've heard.
Speaker 2: I've heard that they love him, So if that's true,
I said I would I would consider the possibility that
time Lord is the guide's to be moved off. But like, look,
that could all be smoked. That could be smoked. They
could be sitting there going yeah, we love da and
just trying to pump up his value. So we'll see.
But like there are so many movable pieces here. Jeremy
Grant doesn't fit the timeline. But by the way, good
on Dame to get his boy paid. Man, Like, seriously,
I love that. Just on his way out, just sign
my guy, get him all the money in the world,
and then maybe I'll consider staying here. They do that,
and he's just like laters, it's love it. It's just
masterful play by Dame. But Jammi Grant, I'm super surprised
he's still on the roster. Honestly, I thought they trade
over the summer. He's still there.
Speaker 1: Love him that I know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yep, they do that.
Speaker 2: So yeah, no, they like him too that they're may.
Speaker 1: More getable following the Denny Avvia trade, though, I would think,
and like Tiamani Kamara has become so integral everything they
do that I would think Jeremy Grant is more gettable
than ever.
Speaker 3: I definitely think they're listening to offers for virtually everyone here.
Speaker 2: I mean. The thing for me, right, and I keep
falling back on this is they don't have, you know,
that guy they thought Schoot Henderson would be that guy.
We're you know, a year and a half soon ish
into his career. So far nothing should have he's gonna
be that guy. I don't mean to be like a
negative about it, but like, has he shown anything that
makes you suggest he's ever going to.
Speaker 3: Be that guy?
Speaker 2: So I don't think there's any player currently on the
roster where you just kind of go, oh, yeah, this
is like a lock. This guy is just maybe maybe clinging, but.
Speaker 1: No, he's I mean he's I think Donovan Clingan's really good,
and I missed on him. He was not a draft
pick that I thought was smart. I was clearly wrong,
but he, like, that's just not the player you build around.
I think Shade and Sharp probably has the best portfolio
like type of right now, but I don't think either
he or Scoot has shown nearly enough like to drive
offense for both themselves and everybody else in an efficient matter.
And that's what makes them really difficult because also moret
I think we can point to names and say, like
all these, anyone on their roster should theoretically be gettable,
like lockdown clinging. I think Tomati Kamara is just so
cheap that, yeah, someone overwhelmed you with an offer, you
listen on anyone, So there are players you're not. I
don't think you give up on Scoot, and definitely give
up on Shade and Sharp, but I think will still
be an excellent player and is an excellent player. But like,
I think they probably need to be or more open
minded than they ultimately will be. And I'm just wondering
if part of that is because what are you targeting?
Like do you how much appeal for a roster that
already has so many dudes? Like does future draft picks
have for you when your your most valuable draft pick
is always going to be your own anyway.
Speaker 2: No, it's it like, are you asking me whether they
should go out and prioritize draft picks because I think
they should, Yes, even if they have their own fault.
Speaker 1: It's just and then you also, if you're doing that
by trading for guys that really aren't going to play,
you simplify and streamline some of your rotation. I'm just like, who, Like,
who are you itching to move though in exchange for
draft picks. I think a lot of people singled out
Anthony Simons. I think if this team was to target
an archetype that they need, it's just Capslocks shooting, and
so yeah, his percentage is I think he's around thirty
two percent this year. But like as a threat level,
as someone that that's drawing like defenses out, they need
more of those types of guys, right, But you're also
at a phase where That's why I found the Dennyavvia
trade weird, just because if you see this team giving
up future draft equity to bring in this player who
he's starting to find himself on offense. I think he's
been good defensively, as a rebounder still really physical, can
get up the floor, but they confuse the hell out
of me.
Speaker 3: I actually liked the trade. I liked that trade for.
Speaker 1: One I'm just saying it was it was just it
was weird. It was weird. This team was weird.
Speaker 2: It is weird.
Speaker 3: But I like the trade because of his contract.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, they got him on what is probably
a top five quality contract based on his production last year. Like,
we didn't see that, I don't want to say declined.
We didn't see the slump or whatever we want to
call it this year. Last year we saw a guy
at average fifteen seven and four on decent percentages on
It seemed that was pretty bad. I thought it was
noteworthy that he was able to sustain those percentages and
that iffficiency on a team that was so bad. So
I bought into it. I bought into like the playmaking
for upside. If he's not that guy, then yes, you're right,
then that was a portraite.
Speaker 1: I think, well, I don't think it was a poor trade.
I think it was a weird trade. And I would
ask you now and I'm not I won't deliver a
verdict on this trade, specifically for like I've talked about it,
and we'll continue to talk about it, but this is
something that we're going to look back on, like two
three years down the line and have to wonder how,
like see how it panned out. I just if you
traded Denny Avvia right now, are you getting a lottery
pick plus a distant first round pick and then salary
filler that is as good or as appealing and so
far as he's even appealing as Malcolm Brogden.
Speaker 2: Well, okay, so that's it depends on what kind of
player you're you're you're looking at here, like, are you
talking about Deny Avdriva in the way that he's played
this year or are we talking about Like My.
Speaker 1: Point is they value Denny Avdya, which I think again
it's not unforgivable. I'm not even saying it was wrong.
They valued him like he is going to be part
of the bedrock upon which they built.
Speaker 6: Right and I and look, I could see the pathways
that last year, couldn't you?
Speaker 1: I could? But you know, we we laud what his
contract is in terms of team friendly, but by the
time the Blazers are good, that deal is no longer
going to be team friendly because he's not going to
extend off it. You have to deal with his So again,
I don't think it was the wrong move. I think Dennyavi.
I think Dennyavia still is one of the more underrated
basketball players in the NBA. I just found it curious
and it makes it harder for me to discern what
I think this team will do at the deadline. If
I had to guess, at minimum, I think they trade
like a reserve wing type. Maybe we see Matis Stible
go on the move, and I think they'll move one
of their bigs that's not Donovan Klingen, but that big.
It might just be Duop Wreath. By the way, there's
like those teams. Any team that needs a big just
call Abat dwap Wreath.
Speaker 2: Yeah that's true. No, he can play.
Speaker 3: We saw it last year.
Speaker 2: He's not played a lot this year, but like there's
there's a player in there.
Speaker 1: I think he's like this, Well, this is like I
guess this, This is like the he's like the straight
to DVD rim protecting floor spacing center.
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah he is. Guess he is.
Speaker 3: And they're worth in that for sure.
Speaker 2: As to just wrap up the after thing, I think
what really screwed them over on everything is they were
hoping for a big year two of Scoot. They were
hoping that that rookie season was.
Speaker 1: Just he showed signs to be fair for like the
latter half, and I don't know how much of his
rookie season was messed up by the ankle injury he
started with. I still find it curious though, that they're like,
he's mostly come off the bench still this season, and
maybe I'm assuming that's not the plan long term. And
he's missed a bunch of games recently and only played
into both of which he came off the bench for.
I Again, this team is weird. It's just it's just
weird to me. You know what, It would be good for
them though, Delano Banton. If I'm a team, they might
just want to pay him at this point. But if
I'm a team and I got seconds, just like that's
a name that I'm circling. Yeah, So my question, I
have two questions for you about this team. Who is
the player that you think is most likely to be
traded the one player will start there? Because then I
have a separate question.
Speaker 2: I think you Seremon Grant really yeah, yeah, I mean
it should be.
Speaker 1: I feel like it's Robert Williams the third or I mean, honestly,
the answer is dwap brief.
Speaker 2: But but but when we're talking about like players, who
are you know playing?
Speaker 1: Yeah, so I just Jeremy Grant's money is I don't
think he's on a terrible deal. I do know that
people around the league still view it as a net
negative deal, but it's not. You know, I don't think
it's aged any worse than it looked in the moment.
It's just I feel like for non stars, we don't
see someone with such massive salaries moved midseason that often.
Maybe I'll be proven wrong. Uh My follow up question, though,
that was of the players that you consider likely to
be traded, so not Shadon Sharp, not Scooted, not Clinging.
Who could they get the most for in a trade?
Is it Jeremy Grant or is it someone else Shayden Sharp? No, No,
I said, so you think they would move him?
Speaker 3: Ill?
Speaker 2: No, you were asking, didn't you ask me what you think?
What player of the non movers, whom.
Speaker 1: The one that Scold get moved?
Speaker 3: I man I could get moved.
Speaker 2: Okay, my apologies. Then I didn't understand the question.
Speaker 1: That is weird.
Speaker 2: I guess Simon's I think could because he's just so seamless,
a fit virtually everywhere, and he's young. Yeah, yeah, twenty five,
twenty six something somewhere along those area.
Speaker 1: So he's actually my I don't know that he's he's yeah,
this is an age twenty five season. I think he's
my answer for the most trade value. I honestly, I
feel like because there are some teams that are just
in need of bigs, and I know Robert Williams have
been playing lately. I think he's the I view him
as the player most likely to get traded. But maybe
I look, if Clington is still injured at that point,
I know he's a post to be back. Or did
he already return? What was his status? I couldn't remember.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, even even if he's playing right now,
he's he's a walking injury. And I think that's what
seems are very very aware of, Like they know that
you can't rely on Robert Williams to play a lot
of games. You just you can't. And I think that
I think there are certainly some some level of hesitancy there.
Speaker 1: I didn't mean to talk over you there. Clinging is
day to day at the moment, so he's been upgraded.
So yeah, he didn't return. I haven't remember all good,
but yeah, if he's back, I think it makes because
right now it's you kind of need, not that you need,
but like Robert Williams is serving an even bigger purpose
than he would if you had Clingon and Aighton and
himself all available ones.
Speaker 2: M we'll see.
Speaker 3: I mean, it's a team that definitely needs to do something.
Speaker 2: I think we might disagree on where they land specifically,
but this is a team that needs to do something.
Speaker 1: I hope whatever they do brings in some shooting too.
I'm not saying view that as the primary inbound value.
I think you're right with the draft picks. I'm gonna
set the over under though, of all the tradable names
at one point five of being moved, are you taking
the over of the under? So at least you're saying
are yeah, is it at least two players of the
one Yeah, I think they consider being traded, get moved
or is it.
Speaker 2: I'm just gonna say under. I'm gonna say under. It's
gonna be one guy.
Speaker 1: I think again, I'm just gonna go counter even though
I don't believe it and say over manifest they yeah,
nice trade.
Speaker 2: Look, I would love that. I'm hoping for Over because
that would make for more entertaining trade. That line, give
me trades man. Yeah, absolutely, my turn to pick. I'm
gonna go with.
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's be Massachiss. The New Orleans Pelicans.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I had a feeling you to go there.
Speaker 1: So many I have been so high relative consensus on
the Pelicans entering each and every season, and I just
don't learn my lesson. It's like me betting the Grizzlies
under when fewer than twelve players are injured, like they're
just gonna clear the over unless their entire roster is
abducted by aliens. For the most part, now, I don't
know what mad like, what are you supposed to do?
You're not. Here's what I'll say. This is what you
absolutely shouldn't do at the trade deadline attempt to salvage
this season it is over, Like you're screwed, Like this
year it's over.
Speaker 3: Oh absolutely, yes.
Speaker 1: You need to do like this is just I don't
want to hear. What aggravates me so much about them
is that they've repeatedly done these I would call them
half measures, even if you think they're smart measures, like
to the Jente Murray trade. But they've constantly viewed themselves
as we're building around Zion Williamson, but in the image
of a team that can coexist without him, and by
attempting to do that, not only have they failed on
a number of occasions to exist without Zion Williams in
but they've assembled what is a very counterintuitive roster. Even
at full strength, you could talk yourself into a lot
of elements of what they have, but there's always just
so many functional trade offs and oddities that it's confusing
as hell. And even now this season, they're second to last.
Last time I checked, I should probably recheck that in
rim and three frequency. So like, this is just a
team that, even at full strength, I don't think is
ever built to be the best version of itself. So
now you go into this trade deadline, and I think
the actual move is just get whatever you can for
brandon Ingram to take this idea that you could extend
him and delay what feels like an inevitable trade, even
if you think the number is more palatable this off season,
just this should have been made the decision on brandon
Ingram should have been made already. It should have happened
at the latest over the offseason. And so I really
do think that they screwed up there because I don't
know what value they thought they were going to get
back fro him in a trade. And then from there
you need to work your way back and say, well,
what are we trying to do from here? We know
we're going to get a high draft pick this year
from our own draft picks. Dash are we continuing to
try and move forward with I guess Zion and Trey
and Herb and de Jente Murray and Eve's mecie who's
emerged as your core or more? Should they be thinking
more nuclear than that? But are they even in a
position to think more nuclear and say, well, we're going
to take steps back? Who's training for CJ. McCollum or
Zion Williamson at this point? So even that feels unrealistic.
Speaker 2: So I wrote a major article over at yah who
basically saying Simon Williamson is the toughest player to build
around in the league. And I still firmly believe that
because of the archetype that he is, this team should
blow it to bits like there should be. I'm going
to reverse engineer this in a way. There are three
players currently on the roster who I think should be
locked in as guys you want to retain. I'm not
saying you should build around them, but like Eve, Missy,
Herb Jones and Trey Murphy are the three guys that
I want to roll into next season. And I'm very
open to Jordan Hawkins as well. So like three four,
everyone else is fair game. Like you can get something
for deonce during the summer, I'm not sure what you
can get for CG. I'm not sure what you can
get for Sion. I agree with you on the brandon Ingram.
Just get him out of there as soon as possible,
preferably this trade deadline. Like you, I'm at that point
where whatever you can get is more or less fine,
because then he can start his new career elsewhere.
Speaker 3: If you can get some level of draft capital in,
take it.
Speaker 2: Like I'm not even looking at how can we improve
the course of this roster for this year. No screw that.
You have entered into one of those situations where you
have to think three years down the line. Whatever move
they make now and throughout the course of the offseason.
It can be with the mindset of within the next
twelve months or twenty four months. It has to be
forty six months, forty eight months. They have to look
long term. So nuclear option for virtually every single player
on this roster outside of the guys that I outlined before,
just blow it all to bits.
Speaker 1: Do you think that's realistic to do? Though, because most
of these guys that you're trading would be close to
the n any deer of their value. I mean CEG
mccollins probably the closest to not being at the nay deer.
But his contract is so people don't love it. I
didn't hate it when they signed him to it, and
I still don't think it's some albatross. And he's done
a very good job, like over the past couple of
seasons of upping his three point volume. I just don't
I understand to blow it to smithereens slant for sure.
I just don't know if that's actually feasible.
Speaker 2: No, And see that's the challenge, right, I mean, you
can't do it over the course of just this trade deadline.
This trade deadline for them is sort of like a
little bit of a mood point, like they Brandon Ingram
is the guy. I think they should pivot off this
trade deadline, and then it's going to be the summer.
It could be that they just say screw it, like
we will not make any moves. Who'll just play it
out and then we make everything happen in the summer.
Brandon can leave whatever, But I mean, I would try
my best before this trade deadline to make something happen.
And then I'm just gonna push it to summer because
they're gonna lose regardless. Like I'm not afraid of Sion
or an Ingram something returning and suddenly they're playing, you know.
Speaker 3: Sixty five basketball. That's not gonna happen.
Speaker 2: Like they're not gonna play six six fifty basketball the
rest of the years. That're gonna happen. They're not.
Speaker 1: Zion's still out. Brandingram just got injured, and that also
that might make a branded Ingram trade tougher. Yeah, this
seems in a rough spot. They do have options at least,
like their assets stashes in the stale. It's just the
even if you could blow it to smithereens, it's still
a tough call. Like let's just say they could get
deals lined up for McCallum and Ingram that they like.
It's tough to make that call because then you've decided, Okay,
are we quasi rebuilding? Is the plan to rejigger around
Zion for next year? Is he gonna be? Are we
hoping he comes back and builds up his trade? Guys,
we can move over the Austin.
Speaker 2: It's done. It's done. It's done, it's done. Many I
don't think.
Speaker 1: You can make You can't make his Ion Williamson trade.
Speaker 3: Now I would no, no, no, you can't.
Speaker 2: And look if we even make that inall.
Speaker 1: Because I'm thinking higher on Zion Williamson then majority. So
I'm just like, at this point, he's not ruining any
tank because he's either hurt all the time. And then
it's like, but if you do ever get like a
transcendent Zion for just fifty seven games plus the playoffs,
like you could do some real damage. So it's it's
a tough I don't have answers for this team. That's
why I think they're a team to watch. But there
I don't expect them to be. They're not gonna buy
and if they do that'll be my practice. I just
don't think they're gonna be the sellers that people expect
them to be. And so do you do you think
they trade who's the most ingram, the most likely player
to be traded just because of the contract situation or no?
Speaker 2: Yes, yes I would. I would think so, just to
see if you can get anything out of him, absolutely,
like bullet.
Speaker 1: Do you believe that they will move at least one
of him or McCullum by the deadline?
Speaker 2: Yeah? See that's now you're putting me on the spot,
Like yes, Like what is.
Speaker 1: TJ shooting from three? And this year? I know he
was in.
Speaker 2: Yes, oh yeah, CJ is like at like thirty one
I think last time I checked, Yeah, thirty one point four.
Speaker 3: Also, I will say this this.
Speaker 1: This works the second highest three point percentage, honest team.
Speaker 3: That's so funny.
Speaker 2: And and look he even though he takes like six
and sevens per game, like, he's still very low on
like the the threesome layups, like he's still a lot
of twos. But I will say they.
Speaker 1: Are second to last in rimon threes. By the way,
only we just talked about the Kings. Only the Kings
are lower than them, and it's it's by a preposterous amount,
by the way, but not surprised.
Speaker 2: So c J. I want to just wrap up CJ
here because he's got a very good reputation within the league,
Like he is a standout locker room guy, great teammate,
and and he's one of those guards who can play
like the one and two. So I wouldn't be shocked
if they do find it taken for him this summer.
I don't think they find it now because like right now,
especially with the aprons active and everything, just finding a
spot for a guy who's going to earn you know,
thirty zero point six million next year and forty three
point three this year, that's not going to be easy.
Speaker 3: But I do think they can move him in the summer.
Speaker 2: I do think that there are team's out there that
value who he is and what he gives you. So
I don't think this is I don't I think he's
very unlikely to get traded here at the trade headline,
Brandon seems like the only one just like, squeeze everything
you can out of that contract.
Speaker 1: I just don't have the team for Brandon Ingram. I've
gone through that exercise. Buck I thought that he might
be like a flyer on there, But now if they're
looking at trade Jimmy Butler, that's gonna be yeah, no
non starter.
Speaker 2: Can I.
Speaker 3: So So here's the thing. This, this surprised me.
Speaker 2: I've had a couple of Pells fans like who I
speak to occasionally reach out and just basically ask about
science future. This isn't trade that I'm related. But he
was like they were basically telling me, you know what,
I would just let him go. I would just let
him walk. And I'm just like that, that's super aggressive.
And then they hit me back with but what trades
are out there? And like, I'm kind of stumped. I'm
not gonna say that I agree with letting him walk,
like just wave his ass. I'm not there. But I
also think it's a reasonable counter Like what the hell
type of deal is out there for him?
Speaker 1: I don't know. But at that point, even let's just
say there's no trade out there for him, right now,
what do you gain by just letting him go? You're
not using that money to hit home runs in free
agency from there, assuming you even open up cap space
when Trey Murphy's extension is gonna kick in, and you
have CJ on the books to maybe get him off too.
So it's I would rather just now he could be
viewed as the salary anchored to trade. Maybe he comes
back next season plays well enough where he ups his
trade value. I still the thing I want to say,
but I can't, Like we aren't prepared to talk about
di on Williams and trades. I still bet they would
get two first round picks for him. I don't know
that they'd be elite, but you don't think the team
would just especially if they have like some extra tospair,
would just say fuck it and try it. Maybe maybe
on my deal Hornets.
Speaker 3: The Hornets would do it in an instant.
Speaker 1: They technically don't even own this year's first round pick,
even though they do because it's lottery protected before it
turns into two seconds.
Speaker 2: But then future, the future like they would do it.
Speaker 1: That would be the Sato and zye on building your
team around man would be.
Speaker 2: Who like, honestly, who cares about the Hornets outside of
Hornets fans, no one? At least this would get them
on the radar a little bit like this is a
team that's that's.
Speaker 1: Il fan short. Some of our best standalone. When we
do standalone team content has been the Hornet stuff. People
care they have Cody Martin. He's the best basketball player
in the world.
Speaker 2: All right, fair enough, I'm not seeing.
Speaker 1: Which is basically just like a code Martin fans.
Speaker 2: Okay, that's very niche, though, that's very niche.
Speaker 3: But I'm saying I would.
Speaker 2: I would be shocked if the Hornets weren't, like, oh.
Speaker 1: Well, here's my thing is, like the Hornets picks would
be too valuable to give up too. If I'm Charlotte
like you, I bet you they would give up Jon
Salon in a first plus that, I bet you they
would do that.
Speaker 3: I think there are some Pelicans fans that would take that.
Speaker 2: Really, I think there are based on my interactions with people, again, fans,
I want to I want to reemphasize that fans fans,
not decision makers fans. But there are absolutely fans out
there who are like totally fed up with this thing,
just like to the point where I don't care.
Speaker 1: Just I get it. I blame the organization more than
I do Zion at this point.
Speaker 2: Yeah, agree, oh agreed, absolutely, yeah, yeah, But but the
thing is if you keep him though, that's the thing.
Then this is this is the challenge. If you keep
sign around, you sort of still have to build around
him from an on courtp because well, I mean you
kind of do because you have to factor in lineups
with him on the floor, and he's so difficult to
play around here.
Speaker 1: So here's what I'll say. I don't know. He is
very unique in a specific talent. One hundred percent agree
with that. And I think also, and this is a compliment,
your take is rooted kind of in the reality. But
they have him under contract, he has not been healthy.
If they decide to make him a glorified reserve who's
not going to impact just the makeup, they can do that.
Speaker 3: That's true.
Speaker 1: Yeah, But what I will say is I understand that
he's a specific talent. You have never once said, let's
surround him with as much rim protection and floor spacing
as possible. I'm not even saying from the same player,
because we know that those are like they're real unicorns.
Name the players who fit the bill of plus rim
protectors and real floor spacers. The list is very short.
You have never ever, ever, ever committed to that. You've
never even put yourself in a position to have the
kind of personnel. Well maybe that was the plan with
Dejonta Murray this season is to where it's, wow, how
many screens de Zion William said, to where it's like
we're trying to figure out how to get him moving
or used without the ball. I I just I accept
what you're saying, and there it's definitely rooted in fact,
But I reject this notion that the Pelicans have done
a good enough job attempting to properly build around Zion.
I agree that we could even say that, and I
think they got caught up in as Look, I understand
the temptation there. They were trying to juggle too many
different agendas because it's we want Zion to be a
big part of our team, but we can't count on
him to be there. And so that's why brandon Ingram
is important. That's why a CG. Mccoum's important. That's why
de Jonta Murray is important. That's why it took so long.
Remember how long it took, Like it happened in two
we know by now, but like it even took up
until some point last year for them to just say, Okay, yeah,
we'll put the ball on Zion's hands and let him
go like there was even when he comes back from injury,
there was always this like, maybe we should vary up
the pecking a little bit. So the one thing I
will say, just to go back to it, I don't
even think I'll listen to it. I will entertain any
argument that is made genuinely and without making fun of
the size of my nose, and even I'll maybe the
latter I'll listen to. You can't. I don't think you
could sell me on any universe in which it makes
sense to just let.
Speaker 2: No no, no no. And I agree, I'm not a proponent of that.
I found it interesting that that some members of the
Fame base are there. That's kind of that was like
one of those Whoa moments for me, because I didn't
think that it was that bad. But I've seen it
and I've heard it, and it's like whoa that they
were pretty far along to your point about sign I
think you hit it right on the head there in
terms of they had to balance building around Sion with
the fact that his lack of availability right and I
think nowadays availability has become such a huge element that
you just if you have a guy who you just
don't know miss a half a season or a full
season any given time. Like you can't trust Kawhi, you
can't trust Joel Empeede, you can't trust Sion Williamson. In
that sense, they're great, great players, and I'm emphasizing great
because they truly are when they're healthy and in shape
and everything. But if they're only playing forty percent of
their games, eventually you'll have to make a tough ass call.
And I understand why Pels fans and even the Pels
themselves might be thinking about, Hey, let's actually maybe lean
in towards availability, consistency, something else. I will say this
to wrap it up. If they win the lottery and
they go Cooper Flag, that at least gives them a
legitimate argument to just start over.
Speaker 3: But that'd be fun as hell.
Speaker 2: They'd go from Anthony Davis, a big man, you know,
a big man power forward there, to sign Williamson, a
pseudo power forward slash center, and then again to Cooper
Flag with three first That would be amazing.
Speaker 3: I would love that just for the storytelling of it all.
Speaker 1: Their their off season, I think is going to be
their trade inline will be interesting because of the brand
and ingram of it. All Right, their off season, even
if he's gone, is going to be so fascinating. If
he's still imagine they don't trade him, think about how
interesting their off season is then.
Speaker 2: Right right? Oh yeah, no, no, no, they're They're on my
short list there more.
Speaker 1: We only have two teams left, and you only have
one pick left. Who are you gonna go with? Uh?
Speaker 2: So, my I think it's either the Warriors or the Lakers.
Definitely a California team, And you know what, I'm tired
of talking about the Lakers. I'm just going to go
into the Warriors here.
Speaker 1: You want to talk about the Kings again instead? We
had some fun there.
Speaker 2: That's fun. Yeah, no, yeah, that's true. Now I want
to I want to go to a different part of California. Look,
I'm not sure what this team really is, but it
seems like they are constantly in the rumor mail to
make a significant upgrade. I don't know for them what
constitute is the significant upgrade, but I'm I'm interested. Like
the Anthony Malton is is out for the rest of
the year. He's at twelve point eight million. It's it's
debt money, but he's in on an expiring. Some teams
would actually find that interesting if they can get off
long term money.
Speaker 3: Gary Payton Junior, Okay, not sorry, Gary Payton. The second,
of course, is also on an expiring. They don't really
know what's gonna happen with Jonathan Kamena, like he's gonna.
Speaker 1: Be I'm sorry, because the Warriors are the king of
the ramp up leaps or leaks. Excuse me, do you
remember the James Wiseman ramp ups? And then they basically
Brian Windhorse, who I love, I love Wendy. But he
reported that this was not verbatim, but he basically reported
that the Warriors are ramping up to make a decision
on whether they're going to keep forri trades.
Speaker 2: It's just so excuse me.
Speaker 1: Jonathan KAMINGA, Yeah, maybe the Warriors trade for Zion.
Speaker 2: I was about to say that'd be interesting, that'd be interesting. No,
but yeah, So what do you think about Kamena? Is
he a long term fit there? Or is he just is? Is?
Speaker 3: Are we kissing him goodbye?
Speaker 1: This is hopefully Grant doesn't listen to the episodes that
he's not on too often. I don't. I still don't
see it with Kaminga, and I think he needs to
be too heavily featured to make his best impact, and
maybe the Warriors don't have enough spacing to explore the
full breath of what he does as a complimentary offensive option.
I don't see it enough consistently from him at either
end of the floor and especially on defense, to say
this is someone that can he be on a team
and a good team. Absolutely, because I think the Warriors
are good team. I think they're better than a lot
of people expected. You look at the defense six to
allowed in points per possession when danfy Melton hasn't played
a ton. When you look at how small they are,
they're they're oh no, they're fourth in point slot per possession,
sixth in defensive rebounding without even being that huge. I
think Draymond Green, the job he does defensively is still
just so underappreciated for some reason.
Speaker 2: M hm.
Speaker 1: Just with Kaminga. I'm not saying I'm actively looking to
move him, but if it's you need to pay you,
they offered him reportedly between twenty five and thirty million dollars.
I don't feel comfortable paying Jonathan Kamena yet based off
anything I've seen this season. I know he had the
great run to close last year. The preseason, you might
have been able to convince me on it when he
was just bombing and making threes, just like the I
guess the rest of the team, So I think what
this team needs, and then it spills into yes, he
should be available. They still need to be a number
two option, and it's I think they've shown, though, what's interesting,
because this isn't a novel concept. I think what is
new about them is that they have shown their defense
is so good and that their rotation is so deep
that they won maybe have more players to spare than
you initially thought. But my other thing is I can't
name an exact archetype of player that they need to
go after, but I think that they've now made their
possibilities less finite because there's more options there to where
I think they're good enough. Like I'll use this as
an example. I think it's one that we've used in
the past. I'm not saying this should be their primary target,
but if you ended up with Norman Powell or Anthony Simons,
I think that's enough to say you add that type
of offense into this equation and Okay, maybe the Warriors
are good enough, because I really think the thing that
they need to do Steph is gonna be on the court.
In the regular season, You're gonna have an offense that
rates in the nine ninety nine percent tile. When he
is off, they're in like the fourth percentile. You want
someone who can bring that number up a little bit,
and then you want someone who can at least steal
minutes alongside Steph during the playoffs, where I'm not saying
Steph is less valuable, but defenses are gonna force you
to have your supporting cast make more decisions, and so
you need that second I'll say, frum scratch creator or
shot maker, however you want to frame it. So, yeah,
do I think that Do I think they should be
a Jimmy Butler team depending on the asking price. Absolutely?
Do I think that they should be a Zach Lavine
team if the price had dropped a lot where it's
just money. Yeah, I'm throwing out I would like Zack
Lvine on this team. But I think that they've opened
up the world where Steph is still clearly good enough
to be the best player on a contender, that you
can go get someone who is good enough to be
let's say, a regular season second option and can at
least scale a little bit to the playoffs and still
be mostly fine. And that's why before I throw back
to you, I as a Warriors fan, and just as
I'm not a Warriors fan. If I was a Warriors fan,
but just as someone who covers the league and wants
teams to actualize the best possible versions of themselves, I
will be absolutely livid if this trade deadline goes by
and they do jack shit. And I recognize that the
market has a lot to do with it because we
can't identify the one player go out and get that guy.
Because look, even with Jimmy Butler, and you say the
same thing with any like a Zach Lvine salary player,
do you really want to give up Andrew Wiggins with
what he's done this season where he's facing the floor
playing good defense. With Jimmy Butler, it's probably easier to
make that call, even though Butler doesn't necessarily stretch the floor.
You want his creation. But like there are tough decisions
to make, I just think that there are enough potential
upgrades out there, even if it's not the star that
this team has established it is good enough, decent enough.
It needs to think in those immediate terms.
Speaker 2: Is that player Brandon.
Speaker 1: Ingram Again, if you're telling me the call the salary,
if you're telling me the cost is Wiggins Melton and something,
is it Moses Moody you're putting in there? Is it
a protected first round pick? If that's the maximum cost,
I would try it just because what Brandon Ingram does
is not very warriors y, but it's definitely something that
would help them during the non Steff minutes and then
the playoffs, I think right.
Speaker 2: And there's also the component that guys seem to gravitate
towards Steph Curry to the point where I wouldn't rule
out a change and shot diet for Brandon becomes a warrior,
Like I know that he's like, you know, a Midi
law were you know, once a Kobe disciple and all that. Uh, yeah,
that came out wrong. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1: A mini is the Chicago Bulls. Well they're a bottom
of the MIDI lover, They're like the bottom of the middle.
Speaker 2: And well they they up their threes this year though.
Speaker 1: Yeah, by the way, we've throwed the Bulls a lot.
They've been They've been entertaining to watch this year. They
have quite faster, like they're fun.
Speaker 2: They they they actually improved their shot profile, but they
did in the worst possible timing.
Speaker 3: Like it just it doesn't make sense. They didn't now
but yeah.
Speaker 1: Which decides to have the most efficiencies in the career.
Speaker 2: Of his career right now? It just makes no sense. Booch.
By the way, an interesting option for for the Warriors
that I'm not even kidding.
Speaker 3: I don't hate that type of upgrade for them at
the center.
Speaker 1: So I guess you can get to that money without
giving up brandon Ingram. Excuse me, I'm just assigning players
to the Warriors that have Zion brandon Ingram Pelicans apparently too.
Would the Warriors trade herb Jones to get food? Is
the question? So for real though, so Vouch's money is
at around like twenty million, so you could get there
with Melton other and keep wigging. So if you could
do that, but what is the other money going out?
Because I really I think they need Garret Payton.
Speaker 2: Well, that might be the sacrifice that they have to make.
I'm not okay, okay, So how about this? How about this,
Like we need to expand the trade. Is there any
way that they that they can then get Tory Craig
in return to sort of alleviate the loss of gear.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that would be I don't think that would be
hard at all, right for you consider I know he's
had a good year, but like using Kevon Looney as
the filler there instead of GP two.
Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I mean, look, I yeah, sure if it works,
and it could be let's see, come on, Luoney is
at eight and Melton Yeah, and yeah because straight twenty.
Speaker 1: Honestly, I hate this because he's such like an idiosyncratic
player and he's had some like really interesting stretches for them.
But if you're getting vouch, you are eliminating your need
for Kyle Anderson, right, So you could throw him in there.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you could.
Speaker 1: If it's Melton and then take your pick of the
non Wiggans play. I think you could talk me into
GP two as well, but I really think they need
what he brings in the absence of Melton.
Speaker 2: The larger point here is then you won't have to
give up Wickens. That's kind of my point here, the
fact that you can think out.
Speaker 1: And get the kudos to Andrew Wiggins by the way
we wouldn't be having this discussion a few months ago,
and now, well, how can the Warriors figure out how
to keebook?
Speaker 3: I can't.
Speaker 2: I want to. I want to say that something about that.
By the way, I found the constant criticism last year
just hurled at Wickens so distasteful because it was reported
early on that there was, you know, a family emergency
and there there was like he was going through it,
and everyone were like, no, he's he's washed, he's done,
He's not this, he's not that. Like. It was the
perfect example of when people forget the basketball players are
humans too, And his father unfortunately passed, and you can
see that him getting closer on that allowed him to
return to his workplace and actually perform at the level
that he expects of himself. So kudos to Wickens for
also just having the patience and the with withal to
actually block out all the stupid shit from the outside
and focus on himself and now focus on hoops. I
think that just he earned so many points with me
for being able to do that. That's so good on him.
Speaker 1: Yeah, there's definitely time where lines are crossed, but I
also would point out everybody deals with stuff and still
us to do their job, and it is going to
get pretre, and especially when you don't have their wars.
They weren't as open about it, like this was all
kind of known within league circles. But when he's entitled
to his privacy, I get why fans could be frustrated
with his play, but there's a point where you go
when you're attacking players.
Speaker 3: Personally, it's just right.
Speaker 2: So I totally agree with that, and that that was
the thing it bothered me a lot. Like again, people
were throwing him into trades all the time, like and
calling him washed and he'll never return, and it.
Speaker 3: Was just it was too much. So I'm loving this
season from him. I'm love you're seeing the passion that
he plays with. So I think kudos to you as
well for saying, hey, let's let's try to find a
way to keep bench wickens here because I think he
loves being in Golden State and playing next to Steph.
He certainly looks like it.
Speaker 1: So if you playing next to Steph, I very much
I'm gonna question your right like general like.
Speaker 2: You right exactly. No, it's a fair point. It's a
fair point. So if you can hang on to Steph
to Wiggs to Draymond, and you can add a guy
like Booch. I mean, I know he's not the guy
you talked about as the second option, and I fully
understand that.
Speaker 1: You could run stuff through him though yes you can,
Yes you can.
Speaker 2: You can run high post low posts. You know he
can give you roughly eighteen twenty points per night. I
mean I don't hate it in the in the accurate
come production of the Warriors?
Speaker 1: Do you like it better than the idea of because
then this does cost you Wiggans unless you're really going
like what four or five for one? Do you like
him in Golden State more than you like Zach Levine?
Speaker 2: No?
Speaker 3: I mean sac Lavine would be just ridiculous, But.
Speaker 1: Like, do you make that trade? Though you can figure
out a way to keep GP two, but like you're
gonna have to give up a lot Andrew. No, you're
gonna have to give Amanrew Wiggins as the player that
we were identifying as. Yeah, exactly, that's a very different
cost benefit analysis there, because Wiggins is more plug and play,
but Levine gives you the better space and the better creation.
Your defense is gonna suffer. But do you have the
depth to pick that up. And then of course there's
Levine's contract, and if you're gonna pay Kaminga, you might
not want it on your books. But I think Levine
would help out Golden State quite a bit.
Speaker 2: Oh oh, he would. Lavine has become drastically underrated, and
and that's a drum that I've been banging for years now.
He's really good. He is offensively speaking. He I feel
as though you need to put him next to an
elite player, like truly elite player, because he's never had that.
Speaker 3: He's never had that.
Speaker 1: Do you think in terms of if they're not thinking, well,
I guess one of these names of people like would
you do? Could you see them doing like sort of
a contingency plan where it's, okay, we're using Melton to
get Dennis Shrewder for the rest of the year.
Speaker 2: Oh like a stop gap. Would that worked?
Speaker 3: Let's see, because they're they're five hundred and thirty three
thousand under the first apron.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it'd have to be like a dead match. I
thought Shrewder was making less than twelve eight, but maybe
I'm wrong.
Speaker 2: He's making a little bit more. I think he's thirteen something.
That's it's I can't remember them. Yeah, so like I have.
Speaker 1: Naim, my spreadsheet has Dennis Shrewder at thirteen. It would
just work.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it would just work.
Speaker 2: It.
Speaker 3: Well, that's interesting, that is interesting.
Speaker 2: What would what do?
Speaker 3: What do the Warriors have to relinquish? Additionally, like seconds can.
Speaker 1: Also give out other month Like would you give up
I'm not giving up kaminga in that deal? And I'm
not I'm probably not giving up a.
Speaker 3: First for Shrewder. No, no, no, but like seconds, right, if
do they have seconds?
Speaker 2: I don't even know they have.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they have some seconds they could give up. Would
you consider giving up? No? Not as I mean they
never use him though I know he got hurt. But
Moses Moody like, is that if you could structure the
deal where he's.
Speaker 3: I mean, he's a poison pill status, we need to
but it.
Speaker 1: Is like it counts as ten point five for the Nets,
so it's easily workable.
Speaker 2: It is. You're right, yeah, because he's he's earning less
than six million next you know, six six million more
on his deal next year, so that's definitely manageable.
Speaker 1: Oh, here's another name. Yeah, what do you think about
Colin Sexton for this team?
Speaker 2: Oh? That's a good shout. Colin Sexton gets talked about
too little in terms of the Tree Kennedy. That dude
gets right.
Speaker 1: He can obviously shoot, but when he gets going downhill,
he is such a Yeah, he created playmaker.
Speaker 3: He puts pressure on a defense. So that's to Anthony
Melton and what.
Speaker 1: Uh probably need another what six million? How much is
he making? Eighteen something that I ever thought I was
going to talk about Colin Sexton on the Golden State Warriors.
Speaker 2: I'm not gonna lie, but that'd be fun. So he
makes eighteen point three.
Speaker 1: So that's a you need another like five million going
out from right states, and so that's Kevon Looney, you
have GP two. That's the you're trading Kyle Anderson in
that right that's that's you look at a lot of
these players and you say they're not necessarily expendable, and
so it's do you want to give up if you're
a Golden State? Okay, yeah, Danthy Moultain, I guess relinquishing
his non bird rights is kind of a bummer. But
if you get into the conversation of well, do you
want to give up Slow Mo or GP two or
Kevon Looney to get a Colin Sexton. Honestly, I don't
think they do this for alone, but you can probably
work with Utah where if it's Moody and Melton like that,
probably his framework that would work or come close to it.
Speaker 2: Who would you go for if you're the Golden State Warriors,
So you go for Colin Sexton or nic Vi.
Speaker 1: I go for Colin Sexton personally, I know him and
Steph would be small, but YO, already I guess you
trust Booch to like he'll help float your defensive rebounding
into the playoffs. But look at how well a lot
of their bigs have played this year. When you look
at you and you look at Draymond even tj D,
and I say bigs even though they're knowing they're all undersized, Right,
I just I think I prefer Sexton. What about you?
Speaker 2: I'm torn. I'm honestly torn, because I do think size
in today's NBA has become more of a factor than
has been recently. And I love Colin Sexton. He's six
' one, He's a small dude, but he's explosive as hell.
Supremely underrated. I could see like I need to bring
out like the yellow legal pad and just go pro
some cons for like a day before I really make
my mind up. There I my insuition, says Vouch. But
I'm I could absolutely see a world wherein But like overall,
it's a really good question, Dan, I don't know Sexton
or Voot like both of them would be an upgrade.
So it's it's stealer's choice.
Speaker 1: Can I know we said we're gonna wrap this up.
Can I just ask you, is there like, forget about
the I'm not talking about one of the top ten players,
but is there just a name whether they're gonna become
available actually or not that you actually view would be
as an ideal get for the Warriors because Butler might
be realistic. I don't know if you call him my deal.
I think he definitely helps them. Is they're like you
look it up and like if you said if you
said you thought it was Gianness, like, that's fine if
you think that's the level of the type of player
they need. That's what I struggle most with Anthony Davis. Really,
that's not going to help your offense with that's Steph
at all. I don't think he's been driving more, but.
Speaker 2: Well, I mean he's he's leveling it up with the
defense as well, and the rebounding, the playmaking, the high
post the thing. I just think overall, you can get
away with that offense with him in there, Like, do
you want.
Speaker 3: It to be primarily perimeter created?
Speaker 2: That is that?
Speaker 3: Why do you think you need a playmaker?
Speaker 2: Is that why you bring up you feel like the playoffs?
Speaker 1: Is where I'm at in my head. It feels like
that outside egg creation right would be super valuable unless
you because I feel I feel like if you really
wanted to, you could do a lot of the stuff
we're talking about using Draymond.
Speaker 2: Well, you know what, then let's go Lebron. Let's go Lebron.
Speaker 1: Honestly, the money there is so like, so Wiggins is gone, Melton.
Speaker 6: You just told me that even if it's you could like,
I'm pretty bron Bron makes sense.
Speaker 1: I don't think he's ever gonna want to leave LA,
but I would love to see him and Steph play together.
Speaker 2: Right exactly, Like, let's go Broun.
Speaker 1: How do you just get it? How many players do
you end up having to give up to get to
his number, which is he's at forty eight point seven
this year and that's basically the number the Lakers can't. Like,
you probably need another team because the Lakers can't take
back a shit ton more money because they're so close
to the second apron. Uh and the Warriors, we know
they can't take back a ton more money. So how
do you get to the forty eight point seven? Wiggins
is twenty six point three. If we throw Melton in there,
we're at thirty eight. We're about a thirty nine million
at that point. So I guess, kevon Looney, I guess
that gets you there? Did I just math it out?
Speaker 2: I think you did twenty six? Let's see twelve, that's
forty eight. That's forty nine. Actually yeah, and then.
Speaker 1: Code they get you to forty seven. It's close. Yeah,
you for another team, and you might have to send
out another small seat three.
Speaker 2: Because again you know, they're hard capped at the first
aprins they only have five hundred and thirty three thousand
dollars to work with under the first apron. And then
the problem is if you trade three for one, you
have a roster issue as well.
Speaker 3: Well, do you?
Speaker 1: So here, look at this, I think this three for
one would work. It would so slow mo plus Melton
plus Wiggins for Lebron because those three salaries amount to
forty seven point nine million.
Speaker 3: Mm hmmm.
Speaker 1: So then you have the Lakers, like that's enough to
bring in. Oh, wait, is Lebron at forty eight or
is he at forty seven?
Speaker 3: I already forgot he is at forty eight point seven.
Speaker 1: All right, So I didn't get there, So you need
to give up like you could do Lindy Waters get
you there? Does that damage your rotation? You might even
be able to, like say G. Santos would get you there,
So that would do it like G. Santos, Slow Mo
Melton and Wiggins for Lebron. I don't think that guts.
Speaker 2: Your rotation, No, no, no. But it got from a
roster spot perspective, because if you're so close to the
first apron and you're hard tapped, you can't go sign
min deals.
Speaker 1: Okay, Yeah, that was a good point. Good point.
Speaker 2: So that's what I'm referring referencing. It's it's basically a
roster spot issue. Yeah, you'll have to I mean, you
still have to do it right right, but you'll have
to expand it like you it has to be sort
of an enormous deal, like you have to give up
Wiggins Melting, probably Gary Payton the second Kevon Looney something else,
and then Lebron and like two guys earning like you know,
Cam Reddish and Jackson Hayes for example, like a three
for four, like a four.
Speaker 1: For three, and you have to bring Brownie back probably
two in that deal. We got to fit him in there.
Speaker 3: I'm gonna keep my mouth shut about that whole thing.
Speaker 1: Would you what if he became would you look at
LaMelo ball if you were the Warriors?
Speaker 2: Uh? Well it might be the one place where you
can mature, so sure, sure can can I ask you? Like,
how how does he get to Post Trade? How does
he get to to San Francisco? Is he driving or flying?
If he's flying, it's cool, but it might be quicker
for him to just drive the way he drives.
Speaker 1: Still, I haven't heard anything about that in a little bit, so, I.
Speaker 2: Mean it might be outdated, It might be an outdated reference.
Still no, But like, I still think he needs some maturity.
I think there are a lot of empty calories with
his play. But like playing next to Steph, if that
doesn't if that doesn't give you an NPAH education, nothing does, so, Yeah,
i'd be I'd be open to it.
Speaker 1: Any other names stand out for you before I move
on to my final pick.
Speaker 2: No, you brought up Cycle of Being, which was the
guy I bring up because I I you know.
Speaker 3: Him and Steph in the same backcourt.
Speaker 2: I mean, let's let's be real, that would be arguably
one of the most entertaining backcourt duoes over the past
ten years.
Speaker 1: You're not looking at if you're the Dubs, you're not
looking at CJ. McCollum, right, M.
Speaker 2: Probably not.
Speaker 1: No, you're not giving up. You don't have to go
any picks in that scenario, I'm assuming right, Like, I
probably wouldn't do it. I was just curious.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, look again, if the price is right,
I wouldn't hate it.
Speaker 2: But he's not a guy.
Speaker 1: What if the price is just salary no Wiggins.
Speaker 2: Yeah, then I probably do it. Yeah, that's interesting.
Speaker 1: I think they have good to the point and they
better do something, is my other pointed. So my final
pick came down to three teams. More the Nuggets, who
I just really don't think can do anything. They're just
they seem kind of desperate right now. The Jazz will
do stuff, but they're bad enough, and so aside from
Colin Sexton, I don't find any of I don't think
Walker Kestler gets moved. I don't find any of their
trade candidates that appealing between Clarkson and Collins. And again,
they're also bad enough. So I'm going to settle on
a small market team that I think deserves a little
bit more shine. The Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaker 2: Yep, yeah, Mom and Pop shop for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1: Well they did a triple p loan Lakers. There you go.
Look they got the I mean, I guess they don't
have to do anything because they've proven time and again
that they won't do anything. Aside from blame Darvin Ham,
I just what does this team need? They're like, I
think it's it almost feels like they need more floor spacing.
They could use kind of another creator type that's going
to be more liable than Dan Russell. But they also
they just need wings and those ways need to play
defense because their transition defense has.
Speaker 2: Been oh, you're going way too into the weeds here.
They need something that you can you can simplify this
by saying in a different way, they need two way guys.
They they have so many one way players there's just
no way that they.
Speaker 1: There two way players. There's Anthony Davis.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I said they have so many one way players?
Did I say two way players? I meant they how
many two way players? Do they even to have one? Yeah? One,
that's the problem. They have so many one way players,
and that's that's the problem. That's the issue. Like Lebron
for some reason, By the way, I need to address
this because it's it's it's frustrating as sells to me.
So there are a lot of Lebron fans out in
the world. They keep referencing him and his defense as
if you know, he's Miami Lebron defensively, which is just
can we can we please move on? Like I get
that there is the occasional chase down block. That's cool,
love that. But he's forty. It's totally fine that he's
not the defender that he was at age twenty five
to twenty six. Like for him to focus on offense,
no worries whatsoever.
Speaker 3: Let's just run with it. But he's not the defender
that he used to be.
Speaker 2: Let's just get that out of the way. Yeah, they
need to wait, guys, they need guys who can defend
the point of attack. They need guys who can hit
the three. They need three and D players more or
less just to surround a D and Lebron. Do they
have those guys like circled with some of their current players.
I don't know, because how many teams out there would
be like, yes, I would like to relinquish a two
way player for your one way player. Thank you, Like
that's not gonna happen. I don't know who that is.
Like are the nets open to taking on something me?
For Dori and Phinney Smith, I don't see it.
Speaker 1: I think one of their problems is even though I
think when he's healthy, like a Jared Vanderbilt could have
some value in that contract is in terrible when you
look at their salary filler, whether it's Gabe Vincent Vanderbilt,
D'Angelo Russell on the expiring, they just don't have a
ton of standalone value. And so if you want standalone value, yeah,
Austin Reeves, I don't even like Ruy Hotchimore. Appli doesn't
have a ton of standalone values because he doesn't give
you enough defensively, that is the battle they're fighting, and
when you get into that realm where so yes, we
know that if they wanted to, they have swaps they
could give, but they can trade up to outright just
two first round picks, right, and those first round picks
are far out enough that they're they're intriguing. So you
would go a twenty twenty nine first and you could
trade a twenty thirty thirty one first right now, I
believe is what they have available, assuming that the Utah
pick the top. Yeah, it's only protected from one year,
so you go twenty twenty nine twenty thirty one. Now
you vary up the levels of protection. That's intriguing. But
because you're not sending unless you're sending out someone who's
also intriguing. People front offices. I mean, teams are gonna view, oh,
we're taking back Gabe Vincent who only has a year left.
But that's part of the value the trade for you.
It's not doing anything for us. They might even feel
that way about Jared Vanderbilt. D'Angelo Russell. Yeah, I think
that's easy to say. Okay, he's just the salary filler
to make it work. He's coming off right.
Speaker 2: Books.
Speaker 1: When you're at that point, though, it makes it harder
to find someone or a package, that's com measure it.
That's worth giving up your last best two trade ships.
And so a deal I came up with more was
it's the salary filler route. I think it's like Gabe
Vincent d Low Vanderbilt like it's it's three for two,
four for two, but you have to give up your
two first round picks and you get back Jeremy Grant
and Robert Williams. The third is that even so from Portland. Actually,
Portland's fans did not like this. If I'm Portland, I'm
just jumping at the opportunity two guys who aren't factoring
into the I would say the three years from now
part of my program, and I can get two Lakers
picks in twenty nine and thirty one, I do leap it.
Portland fans generally disagreed. I think that's fine. People could disagree.
If you won't do what, you won't do it right.
I'm curious what you from both ends of the spectrum.
Not just would Portland do it, but is that enough
for the Lake because you're not getting both those I
would be shocked if you get both those players with
one pick, given the outgoing salary that you're sending out.
Speaker 2: I mean, it does give them some two way pressing's upfront.
Now the question to me becomes what's the role because
Anthony Davis has not shut up over the past four
years about not wanting to play center, like I'm a four.
Speaker 3: Which is just I'm still not there with it, but like.
Speaker 2: Is he gonna expect tiy More to come in and
be the starting center so he can finally play the
four or is it going to be Jerry mc grant
and that starting lineup because whatever you choose there that
might piss him off.
Speaker 1: Well, so no, I really, first of all, he's playing
enough center at this point where even if he's mad,
he's not pouting about it. He said stuff about it.
But what he's doing every year eventually like he's not
demanding the trade because of it, though true. And if
you're getting Robert Williams the third, start him, don't start him.
That's still let's say up to what another So Anthony
games will sit for some, but then they'll be ten
to twelve minutes. He could play with r W three
where he's not.
Speaker 2: The fun yeah, and then they can sell him on.
See we're actually trying to help you Okay, cool, Yeah
I would. I don't the.
Speaker 1: Way I'm not above like, just throw me the two
way guys in there. You just be super huge start Lebron,
Austin Reeves, Jeremy Grant, r W three, and Davis. Fuck it.
If your offense suffers, that's fine. Your defense would certainly be better, right, I.
Speaker 2: Mean, that might be the kryptonite to Phoenix at the
very least if they met in the playoffs, because they
don't have kryptonite.
Speaker 1: Is playing without Kevin Durant, so.
Speaker 2: That too, that too, but like they just don't have
the size. That would at least be a major advantage
for the Lakers. Yeah, look, whatever gets the more two
way guys. I mean I was asking you if.
Speaker 1: You think I'm sorry I'm talking over you again. No,
do you think that's enough for the Lakers to say
we will get Like it's those distant first round picks
are interesting, right because they have so much value to
both the team that is trading them and the team
acquiring them, but also because they're so far out. If
that is the only form of compensation, other teams can
downplay it because those front offices know we're probably not
gonna be the ones making these picks.
Speaker 3: So, but are they unprotected?
Speaker 1: Well, I'm saying if they're unprotected, that's fantastic, But is
that so From the Lakers end, it's we just gave
up two unprotected first round picks that are a half
decade away, the first the soonest one's coming a half
decade away for non stars. But from the other side
of the spectrum, the Blazers could say, you haven't given
up a single asset that helps us right now.
Speaker 2: Right again, it comes down to what the Lakers are
thinking about their own chances, Like, if they genuinely are
going forward to try to win a championship, yeah, you
probably do that deal, you probably do.
Speaker 3: But again, are they realistic enough to know that they're.
Speaker 2: Not getting passed? Okay, they're probably going to have a
pretty hard time against the Suns, the Mavericks, like even
the Nuggets, Like, are are we looking at a situation
where they're self aware enough to say we have to
look down the line, because if they are, yeah, don't
trake those picks.
Speaker 3: But I would I would prefer, like in a nutshell,
I would.
Speaker 2: Prefer more than what your return, like what you suggested,
I would prefer more than time Lord and Jeremy Grant.
Speaker 3: The thing is can you get more? I don't know
the answers to that.
Speaker 1: I don't know out of Portland. I mean they might
be willing to throw in like Repair or Chris Murray
and that they're not going to give you to money Kamara.
I don't think that if that was and Blazer fans,
this is what they were mad at. I didn't put
this in the trade, but I mentioned could you get
to money Kamara as well? Maybe if the Lakers included swaps. Now,
if he's on the table, that changes the complexion of
everything for me because it's we're just loading up on
guys who play both ends of the floor. Now, I
just if I'm the Blazers, I need more than those
two first round picks to make that three parts right
right right?
Speaker 2: With Kamara? For sure, I think there might that has
to be a better deal out there for the Lakers.
But if they're giving up those picks, it feels like
it I.
Speaker 1: Feel like I agree, but it's wouldn't bring as much
because I think you can also get into discussion, would
you rather make that deal or give up one first
round pick and get Zack.
Speaker 3: Lvine at least I then lean into offense.
Speaker 1: And you figure out and that deal you mentioned his
name before, you just figure out a way to get
Torrey Craig back as well. Right, I don't know. I
think I prefer the Blazers deal. I understand that it's
less splashy, but I still think the best way to
build around Lebron and Ad is to surround them with
a combination of as much spacing and defense as possible,
or let's say, complimentary offense and defense as possible. Right,
You're not gonna get a lot more complimentary than Robert
Willing's the third and Jeremy Grant the appeal of keeping
some first round equity and getting zach Lvine, but like, like,
do the Bulls even do that trade because of all
the like the players that they're having to take back
to get zach Lavine.
Speaker 2: There, Yeah, I was. I was actually about to say
we even sure the Bulls would ask for a first
round draft pick back.
Speaker 1: Then you should then you go to the zach Lavine route.
Speaker 2: But the exactly, But That's what I'm thinking, because if
you look at like you and I've said this during
the last episode, and this, like the Bulls should basically
just be looking to.
Speaker 3: Get out of those steals like Sack and Booch.
Speaker 1: Right, you would do it if you're the Bulls, But
how I guess doesn't that become less realistic if you're
not getting back expiring like if the bull if the
Lakers come calling with so d Lo and Ruey get
you to what thirty seven about? So you need to
come up with another. What is Zachlvine at forty eight
this year? No?
Speaker 3: Yeah, thirty six, right, thirty six?
Speaker 1: Thirty six?
Speaker 2: No, no, no, thirty six for for d Lo and
RUI roughly because it's eighteen zero point seven.
Speaker 1: Oh so thirty all right, thirty six, you're right, I
had I thought Ruby was making more. So that's thirty
five point six. Which So to get to zach Lavine's number, Oh.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you at gate Vincent, you at Gabe Vincent, and
then it's Sack and it's Javon Carter for example, or
you know Tory Kreek.
Speaker 1: Yes, do the Bulls do they look without a pick?
I mean you could throw seconds if you go ahead,
throw seconds and there I propose.
Speaker 2: Okay, I mean, look, I don't know the answer to that,
but they are getting off of the money. For d Lo,
so like you are saving that chunk of the cash.
Speaker 1: That's a good point. Now the other name on the Bulls,
what about vouch d Lo, Jalen Chafino and seconds for Vooch?
Would you do it?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Why not?
Speaker 3: Why not just get off the contract for Vooch? Yeah,
for sure it should.
Speaker 1: The Lakers consider that Vouchin Davis could probably play together.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and he's a spacing option, and then you keep
all your first round picks there as well.
Speaker 1: Look, if you can get Zachlebe without giving up first
round picks, as the Lakers, I really don't think they can.
I would do it like that shouldn't even be a question.
Speaker 2: Then at that point, I wouldn't be.
Speaker 3: Surprised if they could.
Speaker 2: Again, I cannot overemphasise this is enough. The Bulls are
horrible negotiators. I'm not even trying to bury them.
Speaker 1: I'm trying to They haven't traded zach Lavine yet though.
They might be terrible negotiators, but they're not gonna then
they'll trade him for you know, Josh Giddy Junior when
he's at the end of his contract.
Speaker 2: Is what Well, No, you're looking at it from the
other way around. The reason they haven't traded Sack yet
is because they just refuse to give up assets to
dump him.
Speaker 3: That's the thing.
Speaker 2: I think they'd be very open minded to trading him
as long as what they.
Speaker 3: Got back was just less salary.
Speaker 1: That counters what Wendy was reporting recently though, that there
there's nothing more. So you think teams still want something
to take on Zach because then that's not a bulls thing.
That feels like a landscape thing, because if you want
an asset to take back zach Lavine right now, like
why do you want zach Lavine? Then but there's no
like you know what I mean?
Speaker 2: Well, I mean, look, if teams can get away with it,
they're going to. I think there are a lot of
teams out there that are just kind of playing this
slowly and looking at it, going look, eventually, the bulls
are going to come to that point where it just
they're just going to salary dump him, and that's when
we'll be ready. I do think again, it's been so
negative that this course around him has been so nigaanive
like Winty himself has also been saying for a long
time that teams are expecting the bulls to relinquish assets
to get off of him. If that's changed now, I'm
not sure what's happened. He you know, he's more available
this year, sure, but it is.
Speaker 1: A contract that bad I understand, So it's I look
at it. I don't think so it's two years and
ninety million is how I kind of view it, because
this year, you know, by the time he gets moved,
it's going to be halfway over. I understand. That's a
lot of money. Like it's just two more years. I'm
just if teams are still expecting the bulls to like
trade an asset to get off him. And to be fair,
it is more than ninety million. It's forty six and
forty nine, so ninety five million, but that's a lot
of money.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I look, I don't know if the mark has
changed in terms of that, but I do know that
what was what the bulls didn't want to do. They
didn't want to relinquish assets. That's why they didn't trade him.
I'm not sure what his market is right now. I mean,
we'll see, but like if they if they even if
they gave up, like if the Lakers then gave up
a protected first, that would morph into two seconds if
it hadn't been conveyed by a certain year. I think
that would also be very acceptable for the Bulls.
Speaker 1: No, I think it would. I think my problem then
is the Lakers, though, is like it still limits other
stuff that you could go do. And you're also limited
because you're consolidating into zach Lavine, which gives you very
few salary anchors unless you're going to go ahead and trade.
I guess you're still a Vanderbilt and Reeve, so it
doesn't completely strip you of optionality. But if you ever
want to go get two way players, that's an interesting
that's a fascinating discussion though. That's and by the way,
you don't view them as a potential another guy who's, oh,
we're giving up minimal equity to get beyond salary. You
don't view them as a brandon Ingram team, right. I
don't really like his fit here.
Speaker 2: No, no, I I mean again, he would have to space,
he would have to be more at a defender like he has.
You have to be either overpowering as a as an
outside scorer like Sakis so you can lean into offense
if anything. Yeah, I think Brandon is just he's not
good enough offensively, so you can create an offensive by
didentity off of that, even though he does give you
some playmaking that sack, don't I would prefer the off
ball spacing element instead.
Speaker 1: Would you give up the kit and kaboot? Well, I
don't know if it would take the kitten kaboodle, but
would you go after Jimmy Butler?
Speaker 2: I love Jimmy, I really do. But we talked about
this before the spacing of Davis Lebron Jimmy. I mean
there's a lot of quality in that lineup, but the.
Speaker 1: Space basically just a screen and diver and spot up
shooter on that team.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1: I don't hate it. No, but like you also have
to give up picks for and that shrinks your window incredibly.
Speaker 2: Right this, No, No, not, Look, that's think because I
don't know where the Lakers are. That's kind of my
issue here. Like I don't think that there is a
clear cut destination for them. I don't think there's a
clear cut path for them towards the title. I don't
know if they're if they're basically just kind of treading
water until Lebron is retiring and then they kind of
pivot off into something else from there, because it just
seems as though right now, as current construction constructed, I
don't believe in them to win the title at all.
Speaker 1: I just don't, and I don't do you view them
any of the names we mentioned or trades do you
think make them?
Speaker 2: So there is all right, So there is an upside
in in sac. I'm not gonna lie here because again,
if they lean into the offense, you still have the
defensive anchor of of Anthony Davis who takes away shots
at the rim, which I still to this day prioritize.
In a playoff context, you can have a guy like
Sack who finally is that off ball like very dynamic
off ball guy who you've needed for years alongside Lebron
like I like Austin Reeves. But people mislabel him as
you know, an off ball guy. He's better with the
ball in his hands, he's better at as a creator,
like a secondary creator. If you bring Sack Lavine in there,
and he and this is the most important thing, that
he accepts his role. That he's like, you know what,
I'm not gonna pound the ball into the floor seven
times per per possession. I Am just basically grab and
go I'm gonna take a ton of spot up. I'm
gonna cut, I'm gonna, you know, back cut off guys
as well. I'm gonna do everything off ball, Like eighty
percent of my stuff is gonna be off ball movement.
Speaker 3: If he embraces that, yeah, I.
Speaker 2: Kind of think that moves the needle enough to the
point where we can't rule out that they can make
a run.
Speaker 1: Do you think they'll do something?
Speaker 2: Yes, but I have no idea what.
Speaker 1: Like end up moving just a minimum contract to give
themselves right exactly.
Speaker 2: They could do a small thing, they could do a
big thing. I have no idea where the leaguers are going.
Speaker 1: I will say, if they don't do something that's like
an actual upgrade, it's time to I'll be on Anthony
Davis watch leading into the off season because what are
you doing at that point? What's the plan?
Speaker 3: Yeah, so that's funny you asked that.
Speaker 2: I just wrote an article of Forbes about basically that
that they need to figure out a plan because I
have no idea where they go from here.
Speaker 1: With Ad, I have none. Again, I think if you want,
if Lebron and Ad are players, you view as good
as they are the centerpieces of your team. You are obligated,
and you have been obligated, and you have failed on
those obligations to better optimize and upgrade the roster around, right.
Speaker 2: I will say this, if Anthony Davis gets available in Atlanta, Dallas,
Dallas should be looking at every option available under the
sun to go get them.
Speaker 3: No, get out of here, oh Luca Davis, Yes, sir.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm not doing that.
Speaker 3: I don't.
Speaker 1: I think the setup they have now is better for
the playoffs.
Speaker 2: I think they need like a dominant big I love
Derek Lively and I don't think they should necessarily give
him up, but I absolutely think they need a super
versatile big man next to Luca.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I hate that idea.
Speaker 2: I don't. I don't think.
Speaker 1: I don't hate it, But you're like, how are you
getting there without Kayrie?
Speaker 2: That's the thing that's and that's that therein lies the issue.
It's how to get there. But that, like, that's one
scene that should just basically go into brainstorm.
Speaker 3: Mode and go, Okay, how can we get him here.
Speaker 1: I don't think these are two teams he would want
to go to, but you know where he would be
fun as hell. I was being serious about Atlanta and
maybe he would want to go there. But Atlanta with
him and Dyson and Trey Young, that's like you. I
wouldn't move Zachary Resche either for a d I don't
think so you would have that would be a team,
but you are to be really fun.
Speaker 3: Detroit, Oh kid? Yeah, Kate and Ivy?
Speaker 1: All right about Ivy to get a D on. I
think Ivy's been better this year, but I would consider it.
Speaker 3: So just like the caid A, d ron Holland Core long.
Speaker 1: Term, Yeah, I lo I or Asaar Thompson insert one
of those guys there.
Speaker 3: Yeah, the timelines are a little bit off, but I
don't hate it. I don't know.
Speaker 1: I don't hate it either. What about they would never
do it? Indiana would be really fun? Him in Siakam
with Hallie.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, So you're bringing up these elite playmakers and stray.
I'm almost counting Kate Cunningham in there. Yeah, but not Luca.
Speaker 3: What's up?
Speaker 1: No, No, I'm looking at the cost benefit analysis of this.
Speaker 2: Okay, fair enough, I'm just looking at you.
Speaker 1: And also, the teams I just mentioned are nowhere near
as good as Dallas at their peak, and so my
belief would be that what it takes to get Davis
would leave you inferior and also probably more fragile, if
we're being honest right getting into the playoffs than what
you have right now.
Speaker 2: But we agree though that Luca and ad would be ridiculous.
Speaker 1: I mean, okay, good Luca and insert any Luca you
know what, you know what would suck. Luca and Jokic,
they'd be awful together.
Speaker 2: Yeah, just yeah, we have to we actually have to
see it. We have to see it so we can
see how awful that would be. Yes, again, I'm leaning
into that that is the biggest wettest dream there is
from Danish basketball fans right now.
Speaker 3: That is the Luka Yoki.
Speaker 2: I get at least a question a week about this,
and I love answering it every single time because the question,
even though it's worded differently every single week.
Speaker 3: It's basically how sick would this be?
Speaker 2: And I'm just like very I love that it has
to happen for Europeans everywhere. It just has to happen.
Speaker 1: Any other anti Damish trade destinations to mention that might
be fun before.
Speaker 2: We no, no, not now, but like when he gets
to the age of thirty four thirty five. He's bound
to become a bull, right, That's just what they do.
They bring their their guys home.
Speaker 1: Think Davis hate himself? No, I mean, will pay him
a bunch of money, That's what.
Speaker 2: I'm saying, because and then they'll have the from Chicago
introduction and he'll be scoring like sixteen points per game
by then, be a defensive ability.
Speaker 1: They'll trade him where he wants for his age, like
thirty six or thirty seven.
Speaker 2: A year and a half into the Bulls tendre, they'll
trade him. Yep, exactly, Yeah, it is written.
Speaker 1: Do you know where he'd be really fun? And maybe
he would wait, like would be a wave his no
trade clause to just go to the Lakers bil Wait yeah,
like if you did a bill for a d swap,
which I think a third team might need to be involved.
I know Ad makes less than Beal, right, unless I'm wrong, Yeah,
no he does, he does, but he.
Speaker 3: Makes too much next year though, right not next year?
Speaker 1: No, not next year, so right now, so you'd have
to involve other teams here. But an ad for beal swap,
I don't know, Like, is there any appeal for bal
just being in Los Angeles in the face of a
thirty four win Lakers scene next.
Speaker 2: Season, So so book Kati Davis, Oh my god.
Speaker 1: That'd be nasty shit.
Speaker 6: Yeah.
Speaker 3: No, look, I'm gonna go on the.
Speaker 1: Here's here's the thing. Would you get if you're the Sons,
You're giving up your twenty thirty one pick if they
asked for it? Right to make that happen.
Speaker 6: For Davis, Dude, I'm look, I if I'm James Jones,
I even go to Bradley Beale and I'm not doing
this like in the fake way.
Speaker 2: I'm actually telling Bradley pel listen, I'm gonna drive you
to Los Angeles my damn self.
Speaker 1: We gotta get them away.
Speaker 2: We're gonna listen to n Ya all the way, on
the way, all the way, and we're just gonna do that.
Speaker 3: I don't care. I will help you move if you
agree to this.
Speaker 1: I don't Why would you if you're Bradley Beal, why
would you wave your no trade clause the playof it's
your scenario. We've gone off the rails. I think it's
time to wrap it up unless you have anything to add. Uh,
can you tell the listeners to both of our podcasts
where they could find you more.
Speaker 2: Yeah, So we're doing a lot of crisscross lately. Maybe
maybe we should just tell the listeners what that's all about,
because I don't think we've been too transparent about that,
because I know there are people who are like so,
so the same pot is in your feet and your
your feet.
Speaker 1: Grant has decided he hates speaking with me for more
than ten minutes at a time. Right we are recording
in twelve minute increment sessions, so you'll be getting one
full episode from myself and Grant every other month right now.
Speaker 2: But we're helping each other out a little bit just
to keep our feeds active and like we're giving grand
a break.
Speaker 3: Obviously, I lost Brian to Porik.
Speaker 2: As my my co host because you know, he's enjoying
life as she should. It was. It's it's hard on me,
it's good for him, so all the best luck to him.
So we're helping each other out a little bit, you know,
and and giving us some.
Speaker 3: Flexibility in terms of the publishing.
Speaker 2: So I love it. You get a chance to talk
to you, which I joined.
Speaker 1: I don't think any of our listeners have complained about
the crossovers, But if you don't like the crossovers, I
will tell you the alternative is that you're going to
get instead of like three four episodes a week, you're
gonna get two. So this is just like I don't
think I haven't heard any complaints about it, being like
that's what creators do. Now, there's we probably have some
crossover and listenership, but you're not on YouTube. We're on YouTube,
so that works out well.
Speaker 3: Too, exactly exactly. So that's that's the way it is.
Speaker 2: And so if people want to listen to this podcast,
they can also find it over at the NBA podcast,
Like you can listen to it twice.
Speaker 1: We would love so if we listen to everything we
publish at least four times.
Speaker 7: At least yes, if you're really leading team twice there
you go, right, But yeah, you can find my work
over at the NBA Podcast.
Speaker 2: You can also find it at a at a pope
carerie of different sites across the intro Wips, Yahoo.
Speaker 3: Sports, Forbes, Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 2: I think that's it, fortunately, Yeah, absolutely absolutely top fifty
in terms of like, yep.
Speaker 1: Until next time, And as always, if you've not subscribed
to us or the NBA podcast, what are you doing
with your life? We go for over two hours on
Western Conference teams to monitor during trade season. I hope
you enjoyed this. A lot of fun with mort this week,
and we'll be talking to you again in the future,
as you know. Thanks a lot more and shout out
the one, the Only, Grant Hughes. Of course, I really mean,
I really do love Grant. Yeah, and I hope, I
hope he doesn't hate me. But I'm still trying to
figure it out. We're only like five years into this partnership,
so try and figure that out.
Speaker 2: But he's a sweetheart. He's a sweetheart.
Speaker 1: Grant is a maze. Is the most underrated content creator
in this business. It's like, well there's a ton of
he's up there. He's a fantastic writer. H go follow
him to force him back on social media at Chief Hughes,
at GT Hughes whatever. Until next time. It is always
I get the shout out to one though, the only,
the indelible, the only truly untouchable player in trade Dawks,
not the least of which because he's not in the
NBA right now. Mister Frank Bolts