Speaker 1: What is up fell Siko's I am dan Fa Valley
coming at you with mister Moore Jensen of the NBA podcast,
fame of Yahoo Sports, fame of HBO Max fame and
of course OnlyFans celebrity. Our trade deadline primer train keeps
chugging along. We are on to the reigning Eastern Conference
champion Indiana Pacers. We have yet to see if they're
going to repeat as Eastern Conference NBA champion Indiana Pacers.
Let's talk about the Indiana Pacers trade deadline vitals. My god,
how bad of a segue was that they are five
point eight million dollars beneath the tacks, mister more Jansen,
And they are sixteen point eight million dollars beneath the
tacks for next year. But that does not include Benanck
Mathern's next deal. That was important for two reasons, because
we're gonna talk about Bennecmathren and also they didn't have
a lot of trade deadline vitals to put in here,
so I figured that that would be fun. They control
all their first round picks moving forward. Something tells me
that they're not going to trade this year's first round pick.
If I had to guess, but they do have the
option of doing so if they so please. So I
think we should probably start there with Benedick Mathren. What
do you think they do with him? What should they
do with him? He's currently he's out and has an
undisclosed timetable for return, but he is going to be
a restricted free agent this summer. Where do you land
on the Benedick Mathrin front with the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 2: I expected a little bit more from him this year,
but granted he's been in and out of the lineup,
like I don't think he's been. Is it fair to
say he hasn't been like fully healthy throughout the whole
entirety of the season. It felt like to start the
year he had like three or four games when he
was like fully healthy, then he went down, then he
came back, was sort of like knacking injuries here and there,
and then now he's out again. So I don't want
to sit here and say, oh, you know, he's disappointed
me in terms of how he's played this year, because
I do want to take the injury concern real and
I want to be serious about it. But yeah, I
need to see a little bit more of him. If
I'm ready to say, yeah, commit to him for the
long term. I do think he's a bucket getter. I
do like how he's getting to the free throw line.
He can put a lot of pressure on the rim.
The three point shot comes and goes. There are stretches
where he actually looks pretty comfortable behind the arc. There
are other stretches where he does not. That's a bit
of a concern. He is, however, someone who I trust
in a capacity of providing athleticism, scoring, be that mid range,
be that rim pressure, be that just however way he wanted. Like,
he does have that ability to just go get you
a bucket, and I do think that's important. My question
is what is that worth, Like, what is the cost
of that, because I think that is going to ultimately
determine my answer. If he's looking for or something along
the lines of forty five million a year, I'm probably
not inclined to go that high, and I think that
would be perhaps a mistake. But on the other hand,
he's a restricted free agent. Those guys rarely cash out
in free agencies. So if I'm the Pacers, I could
enter the offseason and be somewhat optimistic that I can
get him back at a rate that I would find tolerable.
Speaker 1: I think what's tricky is I don't know how to
evaluate what he's done this season in the larger context
of what do the Pacers look like when they have
Tyre's haliburt and how they want to play, and then
also the integration of what should be a top whatever
pick it's a top five prospect. I think that becomes tricky.
I think what's encouraging for him this season, like you mentioned,
the ability to get downhill draw fouls. That's an element
that this team needs from its perimeter player.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I also think what is super inch is that his
average dribbles per touch, his average touch time right in
line with last year. And that's kind of a big
deal because I don't think he's been quicker necessarily getting
off the ball. The playmaking, I think clearly is just
never going to be there, even when he's driving and
collapsing defenses. He's just not going to do it enough.
But this would have been the season in which he
had a license to operate and dominate the ball even more.
And so yes, the touches can be up, but the
fact that he's not holding onto it and turning into
trying to turn into SGA or Jalen Brunson or someone
along those lines. I think is a fairly big deal.
I could if I were running the Pacers, I could
go either way with it. What you mentioned about restrictive
free agency might be the most salient point. I don't
know what his value is in a trade, and so
if you were to go out there and you identify
and need moving forward, that is greater than would Benedic
Maathrin provides you, and he can help you obtain a
player who checks that box. I think you have to
be open to moving He's about to start a new contract.
Your financial situation is gonna get progressively if you're depending
on how certain guys get paid. But at the same time,
what you mentioned about restricted free agency, it's not just
about guys not cashing out. Teams don't even try to
give him off for sheets anymore. We've mentioned it a
zillion times on this podcast. Paul Reid is the less
restricted free agent to get an offer sheet. And the
other thing too. He's a different caliber of player, But
look at what happened to kind of these guards wing
types who were just imperfect and have deep gaps in
their game this past offseason, Jonathan Kaminga, Quentin Grimes, Cam Thomas.
Two of those three guys ended up signing the qualifying offer. Again,
Benic Mathern is different. He has more size than Grimes
and certainly Cam Thomas. But I think if you were
to pull NBA executives as to who is easier to
fit on your team, They're gonna pick Quentin Grimes, A
lot of them will probably prefer him. His better analog
might be Jonathan Kaminga. It's that there there's way more
proof of concept with Bennett. Like the stuff Benic Mathn'
is supposed to be good at, Bennedic Mathrin is actually
good at, whereas Jonathan Kamenka a lot of the stuff
you think or he's supposed to be good at. Yeah,
he hasn't proven that he's good enough to deviate from
the core tenants with which Golden State wants to play.
So I don't mean to say that Matherron is in
the same exact boat as those guys, but I just
think as someone who is not quite a good defensive wing,
but he's also not someone who you can task with
running your offense. Any market for him on the outside,
I imagine would be finicky. My prediction would be just
Indiana's going to roll the dice played into restricted free agency.
What you risk there, though, because we just sawt this offseason,
is do you want a messy negotiation like the Warriors
had with Jonathan Kamenka, or do you want to get
to a point where maybe he feels like he should
sign his qualifying offer? Or do you use the leverage
of what happened to basically all of those guys. Because
let's go into the summer. What if Quentin Grimes or
Cam Thomas doesn't get paid or Jonathan Comingo is still
stuck on the Warriors because he has that team option,
nobody wants him. That's gonna have to be sort of
a reality check for Benic Mathern. We're even betting on
himself with a short term deal or signing his qualifying
offer might not be the best path. Maybe there's something
like a jail in greenish contract outcome here. I'm not
giving him three for one hundred, I want to make
that clear, but is it something along those lines. I
think he's ultimately still with the Pacers past the deadline,
in part because I just don't know what is the
team that's coming in and saying, we'll give you a
first round pick for Benic Mathred right now.
Speaker 2: Right. It's funny you bring up one hundred million. That
was the number I had circled, but you said over
three years because you compared it to the jail in
Green contract. I had a different amount of years in mind,
that was five. I was thinking twenty at a flat
rate throughout the entire contract, like five years one hundred,
and that might be a little bit on the low end.
But at the same time, who's out there who is
willing to go in and beat that offer? Like yeah,
you could then argue he might prefer a shorter deal
to prove himself, and then all right, then you can
probably say two years, like we can give you a
long term deal where we get some benefit. If you're
the pacers, like five years one hundred, then say all right,
if you want a shorter term deal where you earn
a little bit more money, it's two years fifty so
twenty five straight. But at the end of the day,
I don't think the offer is that he's going to
be looking for out there, so taking the security might
not be the worst thing in the world. One hundred
mil is still one hundred mil.
Speaker 1: Right, Well, I'm curious. Do the Pacers even go just
a flat twenty million dollars per season?
Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah, I mean they could. I mean they, I
mean they could.
Speaker 1: The question is should they? Will they? I don't his
it's so tough. I think this might just go for
all non stars. At this point, were reaching a stage
where it's so to predict anyone's value. But these types
of cases are just particularly tough to forecasts, and so
I keep coming back. I mean the other thing, there
are teams that will have cap space or could have
a ton of flexibility. I just don't know what's the
team that's coming in and saying we're gonna give him
noticeably more than the fifteen million dollars non tax payermid level?
Is is Atlanta with cap space? Gonna do that? Is
Washington with cap space? Gonna do that? Is Charlotte? If
they decide to go that route, going to do that Washington?
Speaker 2: That's interesting. It's absolutely not interesting, now I get it.
I'm saying it's interesting in the terms of, like there's
actually a team out there that could go in and
see some of these teams I hadn't considered them like
as a you know, a trolling candidate. Teams with cap
space do have that going for them to a certain extent.
Speaker 1: Do you think the Pacers are the team toatroll though?
Speaker 2: Can they have four to lose like a significant talentship.
Speaker 1: When they have a top five pick coming in in
a healthy Halibert and I think they could probably talk
themselves into it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's fair, that's fair. But I honestly, yeah, I
would roll the dice if it's like, if it's the
if it's like for a twenty million a year, let's
just say that was the number, then I actually wouldn't
hate a gamble on it on Matherin in Washington necessarily,
even like, yeah, I don't love the fit next to Tray,
I grant you that, But at that price point, I
mean you can move off of that deal presumably, right, sure.
Speaker 1: I mean, what what is the offer for better? I
want to know what is Benedic math Inn viewed as
around the league right now before I'm gonna say five
and one hundred. I look, I'm with you in the
sense that I think that would be movable. Is that
a deal that I'm sure will be a net positive
moving forward, even though if you frame as a percentage
of the salary cap, what is that gonna be less
than fifteen percent?
Speaker 2: So about twelve percent?
Speaker 1: Yeah, So framed that way, sure, it's it's fine. I'm
five years and one hundred just seems like that's an
awfully long time to go out because if he doesn't
pop or doesn't get any better, is it again? He
could be moved, but he does. He approach Obi top
In territory to where it's all right, the contract is fine,
You're not gonna get anything for it. The contract is
just fine.
Speaker 2: I personally I view him as someone who is probably
going to go above the Obi toppin category. But I
do think your concerns are valid because as we know,
he is not someone who's going to be the feature
point of an offense first and foremost, like he is
going to be a complimentary score. We know the defense
is inconsistent is probably the best word I have. So
what you're really looking at is where are we seeing improvements?
Is there something he's done in terms of like the
improvement over the first four years of his career that
we can bang on that where we trust he's going
to get significantly better. I do trust these equality rebound.
I think he changed that two years ago and that's stuck.
I do think the three point shots he's displayed this
year is a such low volume or so sorry, such
a small sample size that I can't quite trust it yet,
but I'm at least open to it. Like he's never
had one of those egregious three point shooting seasons if
you catch my drift where he's like in the mid twenties,
Like he's always been at a point where I'm like,
you know, I at least trust him to be somewhat
average in that department, if not better. Like the free
frow percentage has always been quite good, even on high volume,
so like there's some upside there. I feel like his
base is a little higher than we give him credit for.
But at the same time, I think we're also in
agreement that his ceiling is very much a fluid concept. Yeah,
that's a concern.
Speaker 1: I think that's why you probably let it ride into
restricted free agency. Although this would lead me to my
next question here. The Pacers are in a unique situation
because as they are going to be bad, I mean,
they've been pretty frisky. As we're recording this. It's that
Pascal Siakam Johnny Furphy front court is really coming in.
It might be the future in all seriousness though, because
you have Tyre's Haliburton coming back, because you're going to
have this high level, high level draft pick, assuming you
don't have to give up that draft pick. If you're
the Pacers, are you considering not you know, going like
mortgaging everything, but oh, we're trying to get someone at
this trade deadline that qualifies as a bye because we
believe they could be part of our program into next
season and beyond.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't think it's a bad strategy. The question
is who do you give up? Like, are is it
math ring your tankling or are you trying to get
off other pieces instead? Like because I have I have
a name that I want to bring up to you
now that we're talking about the Pacers well before so yeah.
Speaker 1: I guess before we get to a name, is what
do you view as their biggest need? Oh?
Speaker 2: Get for it seemed that is struggling to this extent,
who lost their starting center and free agents. See, it's
like you can point the finger in so many different ways.
I'm probably going to say, like primary big Man because
Siakam is, you know, a power forward. I don't think
he's a natural center by Henny Stretch, you know. So
a primary, defensive oriented big Man will probably top my list.
But I'm open for ideas at this point because again,
I'm one of those skeptical people when it comes to
the Achilles things as well. Dan, like you know this,
I just don't have any guarantee that Tyreus Halburton is
going to come back and be you know, Tyrese Haliburton.
So if there's a deal out there where I can
get a point guard for ten cents on the dollar,
I'm exploring. I'm not prioritizing it, but I'm exploring it.
So I'm not sitting here going, well, we only need
this one precision layer, or we need this this. I mean, yeah,
I have it in priorities, but I'm not closing the
door on anything. But I guns in my head I
would say big Man primary center.
Speaker 1: I would agree with you. I'm wondering, though, the thing
you mentioned about Tyre's Haliburton having that uncertainty of what
does he look like upon return? Does that prohibit you
or force you to before you go and say, oh,
if we identify a primary big man that we can
get now, but it's going to cost us giving up
our twenty twenty seven first round pick or just assets
in general. Does that make you more hesitant to do it, though,
because that's the push and pulls. It's oh, you can
look at it. Tyrs Haliburton's back. We're going to resume
contending for titles or at least running the Eastern Conference.
Of course, we want someone who. But you could also
play the other side and say, we don't know if
this is ankilles injuries they're still really serious. What if
he needs a year, or what if it's just never
the same again? Give I mean this is a team
that plays a frenetic style, even defically when it's in
the half court and slowing things down with peak Tyre's Haliburton,
and so I've had that push and pull going back
and forth in my mind. If push comes to shove
and it's a big man for me too, I think
you could talk to yourself into maybe some different options
on the wings. Of course, But if I say, oh,
center X, I really like that fit and I can
get him from the Pacers are probably doing it within reason.
But that has to be in the back of your
mind of, well, we don't want to prematurely accelerate our
position or or or operate off this baseline that we
had last year before Tyres Haliburton got injured and just
assume we're gonna resume it when he comes back.
Speaker 2: Right. So I've had that thought as well, and I've
landed specifically on I am not relinquishing, you know, first
round draft picks. I'm just not not until I've you know,
crossed that threshold of seeing Tyree Spack and you know,
being who he used to be. I am making that
draft pick in this this June absolutely I am. I
am not relinquishing the twenty seven pick. I'm not relinquishing
future draft equity whatsoever at this point until I'm damn
sure or that the team I have in the fold
is healthy TERESI is back to normal and things are
working out. That's where I am. But you know me,
I'm also one of those, you know, the extra seat
belt type of guys. I mean, I don't want to
go out there and swing unnecessarily. That's not how I
do things. I would definitely play this very very cautiously.
Speaker 1: So who are the targets you have in mind for
them if you're I'm fascinated by the name too, because
if you're planning to make an upgrade without giving up
any draft equity, I think that it's gonna narrow your
scope of potential targets significantly.
Speaker 2: Right, And that's where things become tricky, because they don't
really have a lot of those deals that make sense
for a lot of teams. And that's why I actually
wanted to talk to you about someone specifically. So Jars
Walker is a guy who I loved coming into the draft.
He struggled. I think that's the kind way to phrase
that this has not been a good year for him.
We thought now that he'd give given more minutes, that
he'd explode and begun this you know all around power forward,
that he was pegged ass. But he's just not converting
at a good rate whatsoever. His feel for the ball,
while still good, has just that manifested itself well into
you know, consistent production. I want to say so it's
because he's the primary trade candidate for me in terms
of like they get to avoid an extension talk and
restricted free agent down the line, But does he have
value around the league? Like there are certain games where
he's just playing his ass off and where you're seeing
you know, he had a game against Miami the other
day and he looks so good. He was like he
did all the things you saw when he was at
Houston in college. Like he was passing the ball, he
was defending, he was rebounding, he was hitting threes, he
was doing everything. But that just comes in chunks here
and there. It's like not a consistent pattern. Does he
have trade value to go get a big man? Like?
Does he? Is he the one you can dangle for
someone who has a backup center who can fill in
starting wise? I don't know the answer to that question.
Speaker 1: I think it it probably just this is stupid, but
it probably matters the type of big man that you're
talking about. If you were to go to Brooklyn and
say jars Walker for Dayron Sharp, I imagine they would
consider something like that. But are you ready to give
up on And I'm with you for the most part
everything you said about JAREDS. Walker's shooting has been way
better by and large than I would have expected down
this year. But he's a forty three percent from three
over the past month or so. I I don't I'll
put it this way. I don't think he's getting if
you just put him as a standalone value. I don't
even know if he would get you the number twenty
five pick. And then, like, I just don't think you're
getting a first round pick for him if you were
just to put him on the market for draft equity,
you're looking at seconds. And so I think any big
man that you're hoping to get for him has to
be maybe commeasure it with that, because I mean, we
could go super low level of the Grizzlies as they
begin to initiate their rebuild, like they might consider giving
you a Jock land Ellen a Jaris Walker trade. But
is that, like, are we at that point with Jarres
Walker as the Pacers?
Speaker 2: That's my question. Dayron Sharp is a good name. Those
two salaries aligne almost perfectly as well. That's interesting. That's
actually really interesting because the Nets aren't interested in winning
this year anyway. They take on a guy who's a
former lottery selection who they can sort of mold in
their own vision. Would you do that? It's yourret idea,
but would you do it if you're the Pacers?
Speaker 1: I have no idea the idea of giving up on
Jaris Walker to get what I assume they would prefer
to be their backup big man rather than they were
a stop gap starter for next year is just rings hollow.
But I also don't know, what are you doing better
than that? What is the And I think that's the
trouble is he? I think you could also wonder though, Okay,
you get Dayron Sharp, but Walker is going to be
making more money. Do you view him as better because
he'll be functionally an expiring contract next year, more valuable
to you as matching salary as part of a larger
deal over the summer in the middle of next year.
That might be something that they need to weigh as well.
Speaker 2: Man at I never thought, especially this early in his career,
that we'd be talking about Jars Walker as someone who
could help you match salary. That is not where I
thought his career would go at this soon at least,
that is wild.
Speaker 1: Who is the name that you had in mind? I
thought you had a name in mind.
Speaker 2: No, I didn't have a specific name mind. I So
I was looking at and again, this is a rental,
but he's an unrestricted free agent. So I kind of
thought like, if you can shed some money and then
re sign him over the course of summer. I was
looking at Sack Collins like someone of that ilk who
can like step outside, he can play starter minutes, he
rebounds at a pretty good rate, he can pass the ball.
He's also effing injured all the time, which is not
exactly something that the pacers would find attractive. But I
was thinking king of going the route of overpriced centers
that are expiring, who you could then re sign at
a much more reasonable rate in.
Speaker 1: Say that Vooch's music.
Speaker 2: So I didn't bring up Vouch specifically because uh, he's
just so old man and like I, I wouldn't do
that to the pacers. Like he's durable, but for how long? No,
I mean he's firdy five. Come on, he's firdy five.
If you want to build something with Halliburn and you're
at least got to find someone who's somewhat on his timeline.
But I will get Vooch this. He's durable. He's really durable.
So if that matters to you as an organization, sure,
I don't mind. I was thinking Colin specifically, because he,
like Hys, he fit the gap a little bit more.
Speaker 1: Now I think the name that's been bandied about a
lot for them, it runs counter to your vision of
what they should be doing with their assets. Has been
a Vita Zoo bots. Do you like his fit? Look
if the cost ends up being your matching salary with
Matt Thrin Walker and the twenty twenty seven first round pick,
is that something you're considering or do you? And I didn't,
so I just refreshed. I have a trade deadline big
board at bleacher Report with my top three trade targets
for every team. I still have a Vita Zoo box
on the Pacers big board. But I thought more and
more about taking him off because I wondered if he
could hold up under the style that they would want
to play with Tyres Haliburton. I think he he moves
his feet better and can play faster than you think,
But it was just a question in the back of
my mind, and so I found myself wondering. I don't
know if the Clippers would do that deal, but as
the Pacers, I've thought more and more about, oh, would
I do that deal? And I think I still might
lean towards yes, But it's it's not as much as
a no brainer to me as I think it is
for a lot of other people.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you were saying, Matherine Jaris Walker and the twenty
seven pick for Soupbuch. Yeah, that's a little rich for me,
a little rich really. Yeah. And I, by the way,
I am not a super whatsoever. That's that's still a
little rich for.
Speaker 1: Me because my guests would be the clipper say no
to that trade.
Speaker 2: And then I would argue that that's probably good for
the pacers if they decline that, because I wouldn't go
that far. And again, I love the guy, but I
do think there is a scenario where in you know,
it's very matchup dependent, but in the playoffs, I do
think his lack of spacing can hurt you and he
can't be played off the floor a little bit if
you'll force to switch on him and get him up high.
I do like you said, I do think he moves
his feet well, but there are just certain matchups where
I just wouldn't trust him. Like it's a good name
for that specific package, I think is a little rich.
Remove the twenty seven pick and yeah, all right, then
we're in business. But that's obviously I know that's the
main cookie going back, So like I get it. That's yeah,
he's not underwhelming. It's not that, it's just he's a
to turn twenty nine. I the non spacing thing annoys
me a little bit. I just.
Speaker 1: You forget about get ability. Then what is the do
you have an ideal big for them?
Speaker 2: So that's why I actually brought up Sack Collins because
of his skill set like that, I kind of ignored
his his injury concerns. I don't necessarily want a center
in there who is, you know, close to all star caliber, which,
in fairness, you know Sue is probably closer to all
star caliber than and most people actually recognize he's he's
very very good. Someone who can you can have, who
can do it a little bit of everything. I need
someone who's a bit of a connector, like give me
a center version of Bruce Brown. That was my thinking,
and that was why Sack Collins kind of popped into
my head because I think he kind of fits that criteria.
I want someone who isn't just you know, a So
I basically took Miles Turner. I said, what, like, what
were the issues there? One? Not a great rebounder. The
shooting was decent, but it wasn't particularly consistent he didn't
always move the ball as well as other big men can, Like,
I need someone who can move the ball, especially the elbows,
and so it just kind of started picking apart a
little bit and for me to optimize Hallipper and in
particular a Sack Collins type, not Zack Collins necessarily, but
a Sack Collins type just to me fit the bill.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's uh. I don't know that. Maybe I'm just
having trouble imagining your vision because you're using Zach Collins
as the example.
Speaker 2: Because we haven't seen him play for a long time.
Speaker 1: He's played in ten games this year and he's had
You mentioned the shooting. He's been above average from three
I think twice in his career.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I might be romantical. Yeah, it's fair. I might
be romanticizing the shooting. I used to see him in
season where he shot the ball well and that might
have stuck.
Speaker 1: And I know that part of this can be attributed
to the way that they're going to play, but I
would also like someone who would be more of a
rim deterrent and that's just not no, it's not him
at all. And to be fair, Miles Turner, like when
you look at the sheriff shots that came at the
rim for Indiana's opponents over the years, Like that wasn't him.
It would be, though Collins offensively, I guess I understand,
because it doesn't force you to move away from what
you were doing. And then in theory, if defenses are
even respecting him a little bit, you do still have
the room for Haliburton Siakam to work. TJ. McConnell, Andrew Nemhart.
Of course.
Speaker 2: There's an agend though there's a different name that's better.
But that's the thing is he's not particularly gettable because again,
the Pistons got better. I say Stuart, like that's something
that he be.
Speaker 1: He'd be terrific for this team here.
Speaker 2: Really would the three point shooting, the defense, the rebounding.
But again that him and players of his ilk who
has that level of skill in those specific areas, they
are just going to cost you an arm and a leg.
And I wonder if that's worth it for the pacers,
Like I see a Stuart, how what would that cost be?
Would that be like the twenty six pick with only
a small level of protection.
Speaker 1: I don't, I do not know, just because Detroit is
just so win Now that I think they could try
to charge a but I think it would be commeasure
it with whatever it would cost to get zubots, unless
you're the one, you know, running that trade, in which
case you're gonna offer you know, Obi toppin to the
Clippers for zubots and you're gonna want the Clippers first
round pick in a couple of years too. It sounds like, yeah,
So that's I think the center position is. That's like
kind of a tough fill for them because I don't
even know how open are they to, Like they've kind
of tried the different archetype stuff where you see Jay
Huff getting minutes, but like we've seen Siakaman Furfey play
in the front court. They were hoping Isaiah Jackson would
be like a kind of change of pay center getting
away from the Oh we need floor spacing or a
ton of floor spacing from that spot. So would they
be more And I don't know how big of a
swing would they be looking to make, because zubots would
be a big swing. I say a Stewart would be
a big swing. Jared Allen if he became available to
be a big swing or are they just more comfortable
saying we prefer to roll the dice on like a
Daniel Gafford type. Just someone's squarely in the middle of everything.
Speaker 2: That's a good name. I like that. Daniel Cafferty is
I hadn't connected the those two. That's interesting.
Speaker 1: You know, I wouldn't mind, or maybe I would love
Nicholas Claxton. M I just love Nicholas Claxton in general,
but yeah, that would be a fun one of the
floor spacing elements not there. But he's shown some playmaking
this year. We know he could speak and put the
ball on the floor.
Speaker 2: Good. Yeah, he's been really good passing the ball, and
to his credit, a lot of his passes at least
this is the eye test talking. I haven't backed it
up with statu yet, but it feels like a lot
of his passes are to Noah Clownley when he's coming
off screens and Clowney is just getting them up. Like
Clowney is not hinting that three at a notable rate,
but he's getting those bad boys up. So like, I'm wondering,
if you just replaze Clowney with a good shooter, would
Nick Claxon like five and a half asis per game?
This year, Like, I think that's a really good player
to bring up. That's that's an interesting subplot there for him,
a good landing spot too, and h wise alligance with
Syreez pretty well too. He's like twenty five twenty six.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and he can you know, he can play fast,
although injuries in the past have been a concern, right two,
that'd be something to consider. But the contract is reasonable enough.
What is it basically twenty five flat right every year?
And so I'd be curious what he So I think
Zubots gets more in just a trade. I think Zubots
would be pricier to get if you were looking at
Isaiah Stewart or Nick Claxton. And just the Piston situation
means everything. So it probably costs more to get Isaiah
Stewart than Nick Claxton as well. What Fiel's declining, so
he's I didn't even realize. I forgot about that. So
he's got twenty three point one next year and then
twenty one the year after that. So the fact that
it's declining, and that's a number where if it works out,
you can totally extend him off it.
Speaker 2: What about a it's a big swing because he's constantly injured,
but maybe a change of scenery could get him, you know,
fixed up.
Speaker 1: Derek Lively, I would love for a team to just
take a random fly.
Speaker 2: He would be fun.
Speaker 1: Yeah, But it's I mean, we're talking about injuries and
the Pacers are just not having a non Miles Turner division.
It just felt like so many of their big men
were always injured. That was the I think that was
just the Isaiah Jackson James Weisman just both getting injured.
Speaker 2: Last year was brutal with the same injury that didn't help.
Speaker 1: That's I don't even know what do you give up
for derekly No, if the Mavericks just came right now
and said Derek Lively for Benancmather and it doesn't actually work,
But I don't think the Pacers do that.
Speaker 2: No, that's a little aggressive, right, because you're just gambling
on someone who you don't even know will play more
than what fifty games thinks to you.
Speaker 1: And we also, I mean, they have Tyres Halbert, and
that's what I say. We don't know how does he
fare independent really of the Luka vacuum, But it's I mean,
you have Tyres Haliburt, you'll be fine there, but yeah,
the hell thing, that would have been an interesting name
though I thought about He's probably just two and Atlanta's
not looking to trade him. But I'll just name on
Yuka Kunglu for every team that.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I want to be that's fun. Yeah, especially
with a three point shot at it. Mm hmm.
Speaker 1: That might be if you're looking for the ideal be like,
can you don't get else? Like yeah, maybe on Yuka Kunglu,
but like an injure too taller that might be there,
that might be their ideal big man at this point.
Speaker 2: Yes, can we figure this out? By the way, so
Onyeka until last year was listed at six to eight.
Now every official channel has him at six'. Ten has
he grown because if he's legitimately six,' ten my undersized
comment that is just.
Speaker 1: Is muted he maybe he was wearing, different shoes but.
Speaker 2: Isn't ISN'T the nba aren't they supposed to actually measure
guys NOW barefoot.
Speaker 1: I thought it was like kind Of The wild west
with that stuff at.
Speaker 2: This point now they tried to like make.
Speaker 1: IT serious i think let's here's. The Test What's kevin
durant listed at right? Right now because that's been fluid
for the past. Two decades he's listed at, six eleven
so it does seem like they're going with more, truer listings.
Speaker 2: Right because he was six' nine for. A, long time yeah,
so if.
Speaker 1: Look if HE'S a true i feel like that's a
generally listed SIX ten when. I watch, him but.
Speaker 2: Yeah he doesn't he doesn't play six ten. All THE time,
but i mean, If he grew I'm not gonna i'm
not gonna sit here and. Argue against that that'd be
great Six.
Speaker 1: Ten on kong give me this is it's interesting to like,
throw targets around but do you actually see It feels
LIKE gafford and i don't even necessarily love His, fit
in indiana but that seems like the type of move
maybe he would. Make, this season otherwise it feels very
much they'll recalibrate over the offseason on, a bigger move
or they might even wait until the middle of next
year when they have a better Feel For who. TYRES
haliburton is i.
Speaker 2: AGREE with that i think the most important thing for
them is just not relinquishing future assets in terms of,
like draft equity and then also trying to figure out
how do we pivot, Off certain contracts like if you
can get off, OF opiitabin contract i. Wouldn't hate that
the question is who's going to take on the remaining
pretty one million he has? After this year is that
going to be? An Attractive. CONTRACT aaron nesmith i. Love the,
extension he's played just not that. Great this year he's.
Also been injured he's missed, half the season so like fair,
to be fair but that's. Not been great is that
a contract you're looking to get rid of or are you're?
Saying maybe accurately so it's a twenty. Game sample size calm, the.
Speaker 1: Fuck Down man if, I'M another team I would the
pacers showed Any, INCLINATION to oh i Don't, KNOW about
aaron i would absolutely.
Speaker 2: Be, blowing, NOW yeah YEAH i think, I would too
so that might, Answer, the question actually.
Speaker 1: Do you have anything Else? On the PACERS.
Speaker 2: Only that i think going, into, this, offseason oh sorry,
this off season trade the line first? Off season, Afterwards
They yeah like i'm basically going to be repeating. MYSELF
from earlier i don't think they should go, in, and
say oh the point guard position is. ALL in lock
i think they shouldn't be open, to exploring everything just to.
Be absolutely sure i'm not saying this should Go In.
On john moran i'm not saying that should Go In
the metal ball any. Of that stuff just if there
is an upgrade to be found, that is good, THAT
comes cheap i think everything should.
Speaker 1: BE in play i don't know how you say that
until YOU see what i think, you're talking about An Upgrade.
Speaker 2: From, tyrese, haliburton, No no no i'm saying As someone
like i'm not necessary as, saying an upgrade but like
it wouldn't hurt to at least have some more depth,
at that position BECAUSE you know tj. Is Getting older
andrew neimhart he's done. Well this year is he someone
who you trust to run that? Position Moving forward if
tyree's is, going to, be you know an in and
out of the lineup type of guy for at least
the next, YEAR or so i don't know the. ANSWER
to that i think. He's DONE well but I still
like nimhart more as someone who plays. Off elite guard
is the being, A ELITE guard but i think. Look
splitting cares my point is this just be open. Minded,
TO everything.
Speaker 1: Yeah i think if you're talking about someone you envision
being you want to upgrade. The, backup POSITION sure but
i also. To Correct ourselves ernie smith can't be, traded
because yeah.
Speaker 2: That's that's, fair so.
Speaker 1: More can, you, tell everyone, well Very quickly who's indiana's
most likely player? TO be traded i feel like for
some teams, it's really easy and for this.
Speaker 2: One it's not I'm Gonna say jaris, walker because like
maybe now he's getting his value a little bit up
because he's starting to hit. The three ball but like
maybe they're so concerned about him not finding this role
that they're trying to sell him on teams, that, are
like look look what he's done over the past month.
And A half so i'm Going To say jeris walker,
for that reason also for the future contractual stuff that
they might just want, TO avoid altogether.
Speaker 1: I think i'd. Be with you and if, It wasn't
him mathern might have to be the default as sort
of an asset. Like CAPITALIZATION there but i also want
because they're not going to pay To Get, off, isaiah
jackson right that's, not, something.
Speaker 2: No, no, no no no not.
Speaker 1: At that, deal so more can you tell everybody where
they can find you and all the fantastic work.
Speaker 2: That, you, do yes sir you can find Me Over.
At yahoo sports you can find me OVER at, the
nba podcast and If you speak danish or At, least
understand danish who can catch Me at BUZZER beata where
i have a PODCAST there and i cover.
Speaker 1: Games for hbox, until next time and as always we
can shout out, to the, one the only the player
who checks every box mort was talking about when he
so Seriously wanted the pacers To Upgrade from tyrese Haliburt
And Mister frank nila keina