Speaker 1: Hi, and welcome to the NBA Podcast. My name is
Speaker 1: Morten Jensen, and if you heard just the sound of clicking,
Speaker 1: you know who my guest is today, and that is
Speaker 1: mister Brian Taborick. We are going to cover some breaking
Speaker 1: news here. On July twenty fourth, Jayshon Tate has agreed
Speaker 1: to rejoin the Houston Rockets for a one year, three
Speaker 1: million dollar contract. That is what we're here to talk about, obviously. So, Brian,
Speaker 1: your initial take on Jayshon Tate returning to the Rockets.
Speaker 2: I didn't even see that he was on my list
Speaker 2: of potential sixers targets if they whiffed on Lebron which
Speaker 2: published on Thursday.
Speaker 3: So that's a bummer.
Speaker 1: Oh oh all right, all right, that happened too. Yeah,
Speaker 1: all right, Perhaps we should just say congratulations to Jay
Speaker 1: Shawn Tate and then get into the actual interesting bit,
Speaker 1: which is Jylen Brown not knowing what to do with
Speaker 1: his role now.
Speaker 3: I guess I think something tells me I've seen a
Speaker 3: lot of this, like concern trolling over this.
Speaker 1: I mean, no, it's it's just funny. I don't think
Speaker 1: he cares one bit.
Speaker 3: I can't imagine anyone on the sixers.
Speaker 2: Is gonna care too much about having to make some
Speaker 2: sacrifices Now, I'm gonna go out on a limb.
Speaker 1: Yeah, same, same, I wrote as much over Red Yah who.
Speaker 1: I just think they're all going in and for those
Speaker 1: who's been living under a rock. Lebron James obviously has
Speaker 1: signed with the Philadelphia seventy six ers two years, eight
Speaker 1: million over the two years second years of player options,
Speaker 1: so that is technically a minimum contract. I think they
Speaker 1: rounded it up because I think that the mid deal
Speaker 1: is like three point nine something, so the actual contract
Speaker 1: is probably like seven point eight million something. Along with
Speaker 1: those lines, he just basically said, screw the money. I'm
Speaker 1: going for a championship. I'm going for a basketball glory
Speaker 1: and honestly, respect respect, I can dig it. I think
Speaker 1: that is perfectly reasonable. I know people will say, oh,
Speaker 1: he did it again, he joined a good team, and
Speaker 1: they'll make Kevin Durant jokes as well, just like from
Speaker 1: the twenty sixteen offseason. I just look, the man is
Speaker 1: forty one, he's served his time, he was a free agent.
Speaker 1: He can do whatever he dan. Well, police's asmars.
Speaker 2: I'm concerned also, like will people make those jokes having
Speaker 2: seen what's happened with the Sixers over the last fifteen years,
Speaker 2: Like this is not I mean, yes, you know, David
Speaker 2: Bannerman of ESPN said this was like driven by you know,
Speaker 2: he wanted to win and he thought this gave him
Speaker 2: the best chance to do so. But also, the Sixers
Speaker 2: have been cursed to suffered just the weirdest thing. I mean,
Speaker 2: Joelle Embiid had a goddamn appendectomy a week before the
Speaker 2: playoffs started this past season. So this is not like
Speaker 2: cave Kevin Durrett joining the Warriors, like the Sixers not
Speaker 2: the current title favorites. Even after making this move, you know,
Speaker 2: I think of the options that he had, this gave,
Speaker 2: you know, I think the Sixers arguably were his best
Speaker 2: chance to win. But this is not like we just
Speaker 2: at you know, created a dynasty that no team should
Speaker 2: even bother competing against over the next one to two years.
Speaker 2: This is just you know, he the money was relatively
Speaker 2: even regardless of where he went. I mean, I know
Speaker 2: the Warriors could have potentially given him the non tax MLLE,
Speaker 2: although that would have required some maneuvering, but otherwise it
Speaker 2: was like minimum or taxpayer mL E. And when you're
Speaker 2: a ten year veteran like Lebron or twenty four you're.
Speaker 3: A bubble up more than Yeah, anyone.
Speaker 2: With ten or more years of experience is earning three
Speaker 2: point nine The taxpayer emily is six point one million,
Speaker 2: So like two million dollars that much of a difference
Speaker 2: when you're you know, Jams, Yeah, you're you're a billionaire, right, Like,
Speaker 2: money was clearly not a factor. I mean, it's just
Speaker 2: it's insane. It's insane that the Sixers were able to
Speaker 2: add or any team like the fact that he is
Speaker 2: willing to sign for a minimum contract is just paradigm
Speaker 2: breaking in this this era of the NBA where you know,
Speaker 2: other teams are giving away John Morant for free or
Speaker 2: trading Jalen Brown for twenty cents on the dollar because
Speaker 2: of money, and then you have this that just breaks
Speaker 2: everything that Oudam Silver and the NBA was hoping to
Speaker 2: accomplish in terms of, you know, money forcing parody.
Speaker 3: This is the exact opposite of that.
Speaker 1: And I'm gonna guess the league is not going to
Speaker 1: investigate this as they are with Garrett Truck Junior.
Speaker 2: One would hope, I mean hopefully the league realizes that
Speaker 2: you know, he didn't have. There was not a fifty
Speaker 2: million dollar option on the table. I don't think Lebron,
Speaker 2: you know, assuming he plays three more years and you know,
Speaker 2: the Sixers, if he finishes out this contract, the Sixers
Speaker 2: will have his early bird rights heading into his what
Speaker 2: age forty four season, so that thinks maybe we'll get
Speaker 2: a Gary Trent junior s contract there. But yeah, I
Speaker 2: mean this is just the money was. It was what
Speaker 2: it was at this point. He is at a point
Speaker 2: in his career and of his life where money was
Speaker 2: relatively inconsequential, and it was just where's the best fit,
Speaker 2: where's the best chance to give me a championship? And
Speaker 2: he thought it was Phially.
Speaker 1: I don't think he's wrong either. Like, obviously this team
Speaker 1: had four star or at least start caliber because Edgecombe
Speaker 1: great rookie, but like we don't know if he's just
Speaker 1: like a star yet. But like they had four quality
Speaker 1: pieces in the starting lineup, they had a gaping hole
Speaker 1: at the four. Lebron will just slide right into that slot.
Speaker 1: It's gonna be embid Lebron, Jaln Brown, VJ Hcombe, Tyrese MAXI.
Speaker 1: It has to be the most potent starting lineup in
Speaker 1: the Eastern Conference at least. Like the big question here
Speaker 1: is health like and understandably so, but I get it,
Speaker 1: like I get the russianale behind this. By the way,
Speaker 1: if he's like twenty years in, does that mean you
Speaker 1: you qualify for seventy percent of the salary cap.
Speaker 3: Don't give the NBA any ideas. Got a new CBA
Speaker 3: coming up in a couple of years.
Speaker 1: Oh god no. But like, I just I like the FIT.
Speaker 1: I just I don't think you can point at this
Speaker 1: and argue against the fit or the logic. I just
Speaker 1: don't think you can argue against anything here. It just
Speaker 1: makes sense. And you know, one player in particular who
Speaker 1: I think Lebron is just gonna mesh with so so
Speaker 1: well is MAXI because Maxy is sort of like Lebron.
Speaker 1: You know, he'll have a game where he has forty
Speaker 1: plus points, but if the play dictates that he sacrifices
Speaker 1: his own shot and gets the ball to the right
Speaker 1: player at the right time, he will do that. Like,
Speaker 1: I think Maxy's overall basketball, like you, is somewhat underrated.
Speaker 1: I don't think we spend enough time talking about it
Speaker 1: because we usually reserve that conversation to guys who have
Speaker 1: like huge assist numbers, and Maxi is like somewhat pedestrian
Speaker 1: in that area. But I just think he and Lebron
Speaker 1: will mesh so well because they share this mindset of
Speaker 1: just making the right play again and again and again.
Speaker 2: I mean, I think Maxi was probably the biggest reason
Speaker 2: that Lebron Joe's Philly. That he's professed his love for
Speaker 2: Maxie repeated. Maxi is a rich Paul client, so they
Speaker 2: have a relationship through Clutch Sports. They've worked out together
Speaker 2: in the off season. I remember there was some anecdote
Speaker 2: like way back when about how you know Lebron famously
Speaker 2: like for workouts, We'll get there like two or three
Speaker 2: hours early and it is already in the gym, and
Speaker 2: like Maxie I think showed up at five point thirty
Speaker 2: one day and Lebron was already there and he's like,
Speaker 2: all right, I gotta up my ante here. But yeah,
Speaker 2: I think they're wired that same way in that they're
Speaker 2: just hungry, competitive, love the game of basketball. I think
Speaker 2: this like fit wise, I've seen a lot of you know,
Speaker 2: questions about like, wow, the Sixers have a lot of
Speaker 2: guys who want to touch the ball, and they don't
Speaker 2: have a lot of shooting on the roster, which I
Speaker 2: think is a fair concern. Like, you know, Nick Nurse
Speaker 2: certainly has his work cut out for him. I would
Speaker 2: point out Lebron this past season, especially toward the end
Speaker 2: of the year, you know, really willingly took a step
Speaker 2: back in that regard and kind of deferred more to
Speaker 2: Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves and moved into more of
Speaker 2: a tertiary role, which you know, then he proceeded to
Speaker 2: let everyone know what a big sacrifice that was at.
Speaker 3: This stage of his career.
Speaker 2: But you know, I don't think the Sixers are signing
Speaker 2: Lebron James. I don't think Lebron James is hanging the
Speaker 2: Sixers with the expectation of like the ball is going
Speaker 2: to be in my hand every single possession. I think
Speaker 2: they're going to want to utilize him as a decoy
Speaker 2: at times, although I do think, you know, they don't
Speaker 2: want the ball in Maxi's hands every possession either. I
Speaker 2: think this between the additions of Jalen Brown and Lebron
Speaker 2: James now this offseason, you know, and VJ. Edgecombe last
Speaker 2: year as well, already started making strides in this direction.
Speaker 2: I'm sure it's going to be the focus of his
Speaker 2: this offseason as well. They've got really now four guys
Speaker 2: that can initiate the offense on any given play, which
Speaker 2: is going to enable Maxi to operate a lot more
Speaker 2: off the ball, yeah, than he has in the last
Speaker 2: couple of years, which is I would argue that's where
Speaker 2: he's at his most dangerous. You know, he is such
Speaker 2: a good catch and shoot, three point shooter, good cutter,
Speaker 2: just so lightning quick that you know, if he if
Speaker 2: he gets open. Like the chemistry, the passing chemistry between
Speaker 2: Lebron and Maxie is gonna be sublime.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: And I saw someone in the Livertiballer slack. I think
Speaker 2: it was from ESPN research. Maxie and Lebron were the
Speaker 2: league's two leading fast break points scorers last year, so
Speaker 2: I think this, you know, it's gonna be interesting how
Speaker 2: this fits with Embiid, who has historically not been a
Speaker 2: super up tempo, fast paced guy. But hey, second form, Yeah,
Speaker 2: I think it's gonna basically have to be that because,
Speaker 2: like the rest of this roster is now designed to
Speaker 2: fly up and down the floor like I I mean,
Speaker 2: they're gonna be so dynamic in transition now that I
Speaker 2: think there was just such an obvious like Lebron's sized
Speaker 2: void on this team where you know, Dean Wade would
Speaker 2: have been fine as the starting power forward, but now
Speaker 2: slotting Lebron James in there instead.
Speaker 1: It Yeah, like even Dean Wade has to be like, yeah,
Speaker 1: I get it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I would think so. I would think so.
Speaker 2: And so, like you know, I've seen the the Jaylen
Speaker 2: Brown stuff about how he's gonna, you know, not want
Speaker 2: to operate off the ball, still want to be the
Speaker 2: number one alpha guy. It's like, you know, I I
Speaker 2: would imagine all of these guys, you know, based on
Speaker 2: the reporting and be MAXI Jalen Brown were really leading
Speaker 2: the way in terms of recruitment for Lebron from the
Speaker 2: Sixers standpoint, And I doubt Jalen Brown is calling Lebron
Speaker 2: and is saying like, hey, Lebron, just so it's clear,
Speaker 2: if you come here, I'm still number one.
Speaker 3: You know, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say.
Speaker 2: He's probably telling Lebron, look, man, you come here, I'm
Speaker 2: going to sacrifice and we do whatever it takes.
Speaker 3: Like I don't need the ball in my hand possession.
Speaker 2: I think Jalen Brown is going to be very hungry
Speaker 2: to prove both the analytics community and the Celtics wrong,
Speaker 2: and I think that's going to be one.
Speaker 3: Of his primary focuses this year. And I think, whatever
Speaker 3: it takes to do.
Speaker 1: That, analytics community, I'm going to show you, I'm going
Speaker 1: to take nineteen mid range shots.
Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, Okay.
Speaker 1: Great, great plan. So I want to get into VJ.
Speaker 1: Edgecombe before we get into other players and everything. Uh,
Speaker 1: second to your guy obviously had a great rookie season.
Speaker 1: I'm sitting here thinking this is going to be like
Speaker 1: a long term investment play as well, just him laying
Speaker 1: next to Lebron, you know, training next to Lebron. Like,
Speaker 1: I don't think he's necessarily going to even have a
Speaker 1: statistically superior season year two than he did in year one,
Speaker 1: at least like rosstats wise. I think he's going to
Speaker 1: be more efficient, but that's sort of besides the point.
Speaker 1: Like for me, I think for Edgecombe, next season is
Speaker 1: going to be about sacrificing. It's going to be about learning.
Speaker 1: It's going to be like absorbing just what Lebron does
Speaker 1: on a daily basis, and then when he enters year three.
Speaker 1: All good heavens.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4: I mean, what's interesting about kind of the long term
Speaker 4: picture here is that one Jalen Brown is now eligible
Speaker 4: for an extension in two days.
Speaker 3: It's only a one year deal. I don't necessarily think or.
Speaker 2: Know that the Sixers are going to give it to him,
Speaker 2: but as just something to keep in the back of
Speaker 2: the mind. Two, pull up the Sixers cap sheet if
Speaker 2: you don't have it up already, all right, and then
Speaker 2: go to twenty eight and twenty nine because I will
Speaker 2: tell you as a spoiler. Joelle Embiid, Jalen Brown, Tyres, Yeah,
Speaker 2: are all set to become unrestricted free agents after the
Speaker 2: twenty eight twenty nine season, assuming Umbeid picks up his
Speaker 2: sixty seven point two million dollar player option in twenty
Speaker 2: eight twenty nine, which feels like a safe bet. VJ
Speaker 2: edgecomb that offseason is slated to be a restricted free agent,
Speaker 2: so this does not interfere with anything regarding their long
Speaker 2: term planning. Yeah, Lebron coming to this team, even if
Speaker 2: he picks up his player option next year, you know
Speaker 2: that has no bearing on what.
Speaker 1: Oh no, adding four million dollars on the cap sheet
Speaker 1: for Lebron James.
Speaker 2: That's right, pouring out for Josh Harris. He is going
Speaker 2: to have to pay the luxury tax this year. But yeah,
Speaker 2: I mean this, the Sixers still have an opportunity to pivot,
Speaker 2: and I think they will. You know this is this
Speaker 2: feels like a one or two year window with this group,
Speaker 2: and then you get to twenty eight, twenty nine, Lebron
Speaker 2: is probably presumably retired at that point.
Speaker 3: We'll see if the Sixers.
Speaker 1: We say this every single cockdal.
Speaker 3: I know, maybe not.
Speaker 2: Yeah, maybe the fuckery will just continue till he's fifty.
Speaker 2: But I bring this up because the NBA can also
Speaker 2: have a new CBA after the twenty eight twenty nine season.
Speaker 2: The current one runs through twenty nine and thirty, but
Speaker 2: either side can opt out after twenty eight twenty nine. Right,
Speaker 2: So part of me thinks that this is just we're
Speaker 2: gonna basically do what the Celtics did in twenty twenty
Speaker 2: three and say, like, we got a two year window
Speaker 2: with his group, and then we're gonna have to start
Speaker 2: picking and choosing. Like I'm I don't know if Jalen
Speaker 2: Brown is here beyond twenty nine to thirty or beyond
Speaker 2: twenty eight twenty nine. But right now, I don't care,
Speaker 2: and I don't think anyone should. I think Sixers fans
Speaker 2: to just enjoy this whatever this winds up being for
Speaker 2: the next one to two year and worry about the
Speaker 2: future later. I mean it, This just makes everything kind
Speaker 2: of click into place. And I will say the one
Speaker 2: area I think that they still need to address this offseason,
Speaker 2: or at least at some point between now and the playoffs.
Speaker 2: The backup center depth is still questionable at best, I
Speaker 2: would argue, But forward depth was also a big concern
Speaker 2: for this team. Like before Lebron came, it was Jalen Brown,
Speaker 2: and then the only other sort of small forward on
Speaker 2: the roster was Justin Edwards. Now, suddenly the forward depth
Speaker 2: looks a little bit better. When you've got Lebron and
Speaker 2: Jalen Brown in the starting lineup. You've got Dean Wade
Speaker 2: coming off the bench, you have Don Barlow, Justin Edwards,
Speaker 2: Jabari Walker assuming he is still in town. I'm assuming
Speaker 2: Dale and Terry is getting waived as part of this,
Speaker 2: because right now the Sixers do not have enough room
Speaker 2: under the hard cap to officially sign Lebron, so there
Speaker 2: are other small shoes to drop at some point, right,
Speaker 2: But backup center is one that I'm going to keep
Speaker 2: a pretty close eye on because I don't know that
Speaker 2: Huck Porty, A M. Bona and Jani Broom are you know, the.
Speaker 1: Backup You can say it, Brian, It's okay.
Speaker 2: I just especially you know, now, the Sixers are clearly
Speaker 2: all in on winning this year. Those guys are good.
Speaker 2: But you know, Bona is fine. Porty, we don't know.
Speaker 2: He was a third string center last year. We've barely
Speaker 2: seen them. Broom no, but I'm assuming he's getting traded
Speaker 2: to the Lakers for Bronni at any minute now.
Speaker 3: But but yeah, like they're.
Speaker 2: Gonna need a veteran big and there's not a ton
Speaker 2: of options on the market. I think Nick Rich and
Speaker 2: Kelly olynnok are probably the best two other than that,
Speaker 2: you know, I I think I think they're I FanDuel
Speaker 2: right now. I believe they are right behind the next
Speaker 2: in terms of Eastern Conference favorites, and then both teams
Speaker 2: are well behind the Eastpurs and Thunder for obviously using
Speaker 2: for title favorites. Look, man, even if they don't win
Speaker 2: the title, the six Ers haven't made it to the
Speaker 2: conference finals in twenty five years, Like the bar is
Speaker 2: pretty low here from Lebron. You make it to the
Speaker 2: conference finals and it's a success.
Speaker 1: No, you're right, you're right. And they also have some
Speaker 1: optionality within like the course of the season before the
Speaker 1: trade that line, Like, I'm sure they'll figure something out,
Speaker 1: Like I wouldn't be surprised if they spend the first
Speaker 1: couple of months just kind of seeing what they have
Speaker 1: and then tinkering a little bit, Like we've seen that before.
Speaker 1: That doesn't look If le Baron Phylon is good, that's
Speaker 1: that becomes a thing, right, Like because if he's immediately
Speaker 1: one of your best guards, then you also have sort
Speaker 1: of a decision to make, like do you want to
Speaker 1: go all in for a guy who's more win now
Speaker 1: approach sheet where you'd like dangle Pylon or do you
Speaker 1: just rock with him and say screw that, Like he's young,
Speaker 1: you need the youth him and Chcomb in the playoffs,
Speaker 1: we're good. I there are so many paths they can
Speaker 1: walk here.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean, man, it's gonna say if they
Speaker 2: trade Filon, maybe they're gun shy after the Jared McCain
Speaker 2: reaction last year, But you know, now looking back on
Speaker 2: that like, they've got three second round picks to dangle to.
Speaker 2: I guess they traded a couple for for Jalen Brown already,
Speaker 2: but yeah, they still have so they don't have many
Speaker 2: first round picks they can offer. They've already traded twenty
Speaker 2: eight and thirty one in the Jaln Brown deal, which
Speaker 2: means Stepian rule, can't trade twenty seven to twenty nine,
Speaker 2: can't trade thirty or thirty two, so they can all
Speaker 2: only trade their twenty thirty three first round pick. They
Speaker 2: have as many as four swaps that they can offer,
Speaker 2: and I believe as many as nine tradable second round picks.
Speaker 2: I think the tricky thing is that they don't have
Speaker 2: contracts right Like it's the Big three VJ. Dean Wade
Speaker 2: is the next highest paid player at nine million, Simons
Speaker 2: at six million, and then it's Filon at three point six.
Speaker 1: So Dean Wade, you are a trade candidate. Welcome to Philadelphia.
Speaker 1: It might be gone by January.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2: I think there's a non zero chance to the team
Speaker 2: weight it does not finish the season, and Phillip there's
Speaker 2: non zero chances the Simons doesn't finish the season.
Speaker 3: Eire like if want to a.
Speaker 1: Great deal now, like Simons is always could have been
Speaker 1: a good deal, but it's like even better now just
Speaker 1: him spotting up off the bench.
Speaker 3: My god.
Speaker 1: Yeah, like this team is offensively speaking, the Sixers should
Speaker 1: have the most potent offense in the East, maybe even
Speaker 1: the league.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think if everything clicks, I mean, all five
Speaker 2: guys are just you know, VJ is not quite there yet,
Speaker 2: but the other four have made multiple All Star teams
Speaker 2: at this point of their careers. Like yeah, I can't.
Speaker 2: I mean, the Knicks would be the only other one.
Speaker 3: And I think.
Speaker 2: When McHale is presumably the worst one offensively in that,
Speaker 2: I guess Josh Hart too hard.
Speaker 1: And bridges right, like just inconsistency wise, but like, yeah,
Speaker 1: I just think the again, this is baking in health
Speaker 1: from the Sixers, healthy Embid, healthy Brown. And look that
Speaker 1: is also like we just have to acknowledge that. And
Speaker 1: Bet is going to miss games like he just is.
Speaker 1: I wouldn't be surprised to Brown as well missus twenty
Speaker 1: plus games held. Lebron himself could miss twenty plus games.
Speaker 1: And what the luxury is is that when you have
Speaker 1: this amount of good players, you can fill in for
Speaker 1: one another another like and beat goes down for two weeks.
Speaker 1: All right, you up the load a little bit for Lebron,
Speaker 1: Jalen Brown, Tyres, Maxie. They all chime in a little
Speaker 1: bit more. MAXI goes down for a week or two. Well,
Speaker 1: here you go, Anthony Simons, Leveron Fylon and Lebron James, Like,
Speaker 1: now you take over the offense like it's it's it's
Speaker 1: just the luxury of not having to, you know, claw
Speaker 1: and scratch your way to a certain point total, like
Speaker 1: you will find points organically within this scheme.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think I don't know how you don't.
Speaker 3: If you don't, Nick Nurse should be fired yesterday.
Speaker 1: Right right, So we're gonna take a short commercial break
Speaker 1: and then we'll be back with like the rippling effect
Speaker 1: of the Lebron James decision. Oh my god, another dish.
Speaker 1: All right, Brian, let's get into the trickle down effect.
Speaker 1: So you had something to say before we went on.
Speaker 1: You had some sort of predictions, you basically said, Demarto
Speaker 1: Ross And now because Lebron has fine found his home
Speaker 1: in Philly, like you think Damar is gonna go to
Speaker 1: what's it? Miami? And then I think, you said, Jonathan
Speaker 1: Kuminga to Cleveland, Like, what is like the overall prediction
Speaker 1: from your point of view?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think we're gonna probably see a
Speaker 2: lot of moves in the next couple of days. I
Speaker 2: think Lebron was holding up a lot for the interested suitors.
Speaker 2: I mean, obviously James Harden is going to resign with
Speaker 2: the Calves, Draymond's gonna resign with the Warriors. I'm very
Speaker 2: curious to see the terms of Harden's deal. In particular,
Speaker 2: I think the Calves will do whatever it takes to
Speaker 2: say under the second Aprin because they finished over it
Speaker 2: last year, so they do not want to be in
Speaker 2: danger of you know, they've already got the what twenty
Speaker 2: thirty three first round pick frozen. If they finish over
Speaker 2: the second Apron in two of the next four years,
Speaker 2: the twenty thirty three pick will automatically go to the
Speaker 2: bottom of the first round, which I would imagine they
Speaker 2: have no interest in doing. So whatever they sign hardened too,
Speaker 2: and maybe the hardened thing waits so as they sniff
Speaker 2: out Kaminga possibilities. One would think that Max s Truce
Speaker 2: will be some of the matching salary going out in
Speaker 2: that trade.
Speaker 3: I don't know.
Speaker 2: I mean, you know, the Lakers are the other team
Speaker 2: that's been after Kaminga, and they've been like doggedly pursuing
Speaker 2: him with Jared Vanderbilt. Would have been the salary going
Speaker 2: out they, because they are under the first apron, could
Speaker 2: have offered him a lot more than what Van do.
Speaker 3: Do is earning.
Speaker 2: I think it's like close to twenty one million as
Speaker 2: a starting salary. I don't know how the Calves get
Speaker 2: up that high because they I mean, right now they're
Speaker 2: thirty eight million dollars under the second apron, twenty five
Speaker 2: million dollars below the first apron. So once they resigned
Speaker 2: hard and they're presumably right up against that first apron,
Speaker 2: which is going to mean they can't take back more
Speaker 2: salary than they send out in a trade. Struce is
Speaker 2: at sixteen point seven, so maybe they send out both
Speaker 2: Struce and sam Merril if sixteen points that or Shrewder
Speaker 2: they can send out in a deal as well.
Speaker 3: I don't know.
Speaker 2: It feels like Kamingo was waiting for Lebron to happen,
Speaker 2: and now there's going to be the saddest bidding war
Speaker 2: of all time between the Calves and the Lakers for him.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: DeRozan, I know has been linked to the Heat. I sure.
Speaker 2: I guess that's exactly what they need. Another forward who
Speaker 2: can't shoot, so that's perfect fit.
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, good luck with that.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I mean Mario Hazzonia. I saw he's coming back to
Speaker 2: the NBA. I believe he was between Golden State and Cleveland.
Speaker 2: So assuming Comingo goes Cleveland, I guess Hazonia is going
Speaker 2: to the Warriors.
Speaker 1: It's like, am I being an asshole if I just
Speaker 1: say Pickwolf?
Speaker 2: Hey, he was the MVP of the league that he
Speaker 2: was in this past year in Spain.
Speaker 3: Like kind of turned it around.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, no international, Yes, I I just don't
Speaker 1: think like he's well maybe maybe I'm being harsh. I
Speaker 1: just don't think he plays the best in the NBA system.
Speaker 1: I think he's so much more of a like a
Speaker 1: thinker and like with the smaller space courts in Europe.
Speaker 1: I think that is like his claims of fame. I like, technically,
Speaker 1: for the most players, they like to play more in
Speaker 1: an open court setting. I think he's kind of the opposite.
Speaker 1: So we'll see. Like I am open to being wrong here,
Speaker 1: absolutely sure. Yeah, and by the way, the Spanish team
Speaker 1: he was on Real Madrid, sir, like the most potent
Speaker 1: Spanish club ever, both in football and basketball. All right,
Speaker 1: the Spanish club. How dare you you podcast the European
Speaker 1: for ten years?
Speaker 3: Sorry that I am not grinding Mario Hiszonia tape these days.
Speaker 2: He was also on my list of backup plans for
Speaker 2: the Xers if they lived on Lebron. Oh, that's the
Speaker 2: only reason I know that he won the MVP in
Speaker 2: that league.
Speaker 1: I mean, look in fairness to his Sonia. Actually, like
Speaker 1: he started his career out in Orlando when Orlando was
Speaker 1: just like this pitiful franchise that couldn't get anything off
Speaker 1: the ground, like at all. So I will actually give
Speaker 1: him that liked he also, speaking of Lebron, didn't he
Speaker 1: didn't he block the absolute shit out of Lebron when
Speaker 1: he was a nick. Wasn't there something there between the
Speaker 1: two or dunked on.
Speaker 3: Him or something that does sound familiar now that you mention.
Speaker 1: It, right, there was something he did where everyone was like,
Speaker 1: oh my god, I don't remember. It was a blog.
Speaker 1: It was something along those lines. So like it's just
Speaker 1: come full full circle that we're talking about Lebron and
Speaker 1: then coming up with Mario Hissnia. But I will give
Speaker 1: him this. You're you're right, so brace yourself with this.
Speaker 1: This season with Real Madrid, he averaged seventeen and a
Speaker 1: half points in twenty three point nine minutes. Yeah, all right,
Speaker 1: Like if he's got that offensive game that can actually
Speaker 1: now be transferred to the NBA at h what thirty one?
Speaker 1: Forty one? Oh that's not too bad? No, all right,
Speaker 1: all right, fine, fuck it, let's go all in on
Speaker 1: Mario Hoshana's return to the NBA. I'm down. I fuck
Speaker 1: with that.
Speaker 3: Maybe he'll come to the Sixers too.
Speaker 1: If he If I remember correctly and it was a block,
Speaker 1: he should absolutely come in with the biggest fucking swacker
Speaker 1: and just point to Lebron like you remember, you remember?
Speaker 3: I just spectacular?
Speaker 1: Who do we have else? Like the free agency market
Speaker 1: is more or less like outside of the players you mentioned,
Speaker 1: like there aren't like a ton of guys like do
Speaker 1: we what do we like foresee happening in Philadelphia? Because
Speaker 1: like they will not necessarily have a lot of maneuverability,
Speaker 1: right right, yeah, they have none?
Speaker 3: Right?
Speaker 2: Like literally they are five hundred thousand dollars over the
Speaker 2: hard gap right now, So something they're gonna wave Daily
Speaker 2: and Terry and then of course of course, but like
Speaker 2: I don't know, they can't even afford a minimum contract
Speaker 2: right now, right, So is.
Speaker 1: That a trade? Could Could the Sixers call up Reil
Speaker 1: Madrid and go, well, like Mario is leaving anyway, you
Speaker 1: need a former NBA player, can we?
Speaker 2: I mean, they like I'm not even saying this facetiously,
Speaker 2: they might have to trade Dominic Barlow just to make
Speaker 2: room under the apron, because I just don't know, Like
Speaker 2: you Wight, Okay, they're five hundred thousand over Dale and
Speaker 2: Terry's a two point six, so you wipe him out
Speaker 2: sign Lebron. You're now two point one million dollars under
Speaker 2: a minimum's two point what like four two point more
Speaker 2: than two point four. So they don't have enough room
Speaker 2: under the apron for a minimum contract right now, or
Speaker 2: at least for anyone with two or more years of experience,
Speaker 2: and like they can't you know, they just signed Wade,
Speaker 2: they just signed Simon's you're not getting rid of Filne presumably, right.
Speaker 2: They just signed hak Porty, which that that one was
Speaker 2: the one that like I still don't fully understand why
Speaker 2: they dipped into the bi annual. It doesn't matter now,
Speaker 2: I guess, But like why they gave him three point
Speaker 2: four million instead of two point four million really tied
Speaker 2: their hands in a bad way right now. I mean,
Speaker 2: Jabari Walker is at two point six but already two
Speaker 2: hundred and fifty thousand of that is guaranteed. So if
Speaker 2: you wave him and then sign someone else, you're adding
Speaker 2: one hundred thousand dollars to the books. I yeah, I mean,
Speaker 2: like waving Terry's step one. I'm ninety nine percent sure
Speaker 2: that's coming any minute now. And then Yeah, I mean,
Speaker 2: I do wonder. I think Barlow is probably gonna have
Speaker 2: to go unless the other option is that they signed
Speaker 2: someone with zero or one years of experience because that
Speaker 2: and then just have open roster spots or have a
Speaker 2: open roster sparkling in the season. Oh let me, I'm
Speaker 2: gonna do some quick math here. I don't even know
Speaker 2: if that gets them there.
Speaker 1: Oh, so they're in trouble.
Speaker 3: Trouble, Let's see.
Speaker 1: This is, by the way, great, this is like a
Speaker 1: great audio experience.
Speaker 3: Just Brian, Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2: I mean, I'm gonna wipe out Dale and Terry.
Speaker 3: Okay, we add Lebron, Yeah, yeah, yeah, add Lebron.
Speaker 2: There four hundred and fifty thousand, or almost four hundred
Speaker 2: and sixty thousand over you take out Terry, they're at
Speaker 2: two point one two seven million. No, someone with one
Speaker 2: year of experienced a two point one eight five So
Speaker 2: they have to sign an undrafted free agent.
Speaker 1: Okay, or.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean that's the only option.
Speaker 1: So yeah, I oh, they're absolutely going to trade team,
Speaker 1: but way later on.
Speaker 3: I would I think that's a possibility.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, right, like that's the I mean.
Speaker 3: They're gonna have to do something. They gotta do.
Speaker 2: Something now, right, I mean they've only got thirteen guys,
Speaker 2: oh right, or they will only have Okay, so the.
Speaker 1: Sixers have one more, like they have one more trade
Speaker 1: in there, like in the cylinder at this point. Then
Speaker 1: that we have to like look ahead to.
Speaker 2: Yeah, because they have they'll have if they assuming they
Speaker 2: wave Terry, they'll have thirteen guys under contract. Two point
Speaker 2: one million dollars is under the heart hardcap. So they
Speaker 2: either sign someone sign an undrafted rookie free agent who
Speaker 2: would be one point four million, and that I mean,
Speaker 2: that's their only option. They either go into the season
Speaker 2: with thirteen guys under contract, they signed someone an undrafted
Speaker 2: free agent to a mind deal, or they have to
Speaker 2: trade someone, And I'm like, I mean they could look
Speaker 2: to trade embiid I guess, but.
Speaker 1: Hey, welcome to Lebron.
Speaker 2: I mean, I literally just published the piece this morning
Speaker 2: at Liberty Bollers about what an Anthony Davis trade might
Speaker 2: look like for the Sixers. But that would actually add
Speaker 2: money to their books. So that's that's not going to
Speaker 2: do it any good. Thanks for them right now?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't know, man.
Speaker 1: It's all right, so we can we can then calculate
Speaker 1: at like currently, it doesn't make a whole bunch of
Speaker 1: sense to expect, like, you know, ring Chasers approach Philadelphia
Speaker 1: because they just don't have the financial tools to make
Speaker 1: that work. All right. Then let's get into other teams,
Speaker 1: like is there a team out there who you think
Speaker 1: can still make a sort of underrated move, be them
Speaker 1: signing or a trade, like is cominga arguably the biggest
Speaker 1: piece left because.
Speaker 2: I guess Matherin and Peyton Watson were also out there.
Speaker 1: I'm still like anticipating then we're doing something with Watson
Speaker 1: because I just can't imagine them losing out on him,
Speaker 1: but at the same time, that's also becoming an unsustainable situation.
Speaker 2: Have you seen the There was some like Michael Porter Junior,
Speaker 2: Peyton Watson were hanging out a lot recently, and I
Speaker 2: think Peyton Watson even showed up at the NETS practice
Speaker 2: facility at one point, right, So I don't think the
Speaker 2: Nets have like they don't have the cap space to
Speaker 2: sign him to an offer sheet, but.
Speaker 3: And I mean it would and he signing trade would.
Speaker 2: Probably, I mean Julius Randall would be the obvious one.
Speaker 2: But I don't know why Denver wants Julius Randall.
Speaker 1: No, I mean when he was moved earlier to Prokelaps, Like,
Speaker 1: why do the Nets want him? Like right? Right? Yeah?
Speaker 2: So, I mean Terrence Man would be an option. They
Speaker 2: just signed Dayron Sharp to that deal, so he can't
Speaker 2: be traded. Kean Ellis can't be traded. Oh and even Randall,
Speaker 2: I mean he's he can't be aggregated for another month
Speaker 2: and a half. Yeah, I mean they don't have a
Speaker 2: lot of I guess they could. They could do Terrence
Speaker 2: Man and ewar Demon and that gets you to twenty
Speaker 2: close to twenty three million.
Speaker 1: Hmm, Okay, yeah, is that fair value.
Speaker 2: Well, I mean it's a restricted free agent, true, all right,
Speaker 2: but yeah, I mean they would have to make that
Speaker 2: move or like they can't. They can't sign Peyton Watson
Speaker 2: to that offer sheet unless they trade those guys first,
Speaker 2: or they would have to approach Denver and say we're interested,
Speaker 2: this is our offer, take it to leave it, or
Speaker 2: I mean they could reroute those guys with their team
Speaker 2: if they wanted. But yeah, either way, like Denver, no
Speaker 2: team has cap space to sign I mean, Duran Watson, Mathering.
Speaker 2: They're all kind of screwed right now if they're hoping
Speaker 2: to get a big offer from another team unless it's
Speaker 2: a sign and trade at this point.
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, So we're basically back to where we were,
Speaker 1: like I want to say, seventeen eighteen, where the restricted
Speaker 1: free agents are probably gonna get fixed like late July August. Man,
Speaker 1: Like we've talked about this before. This has to be
Speaker 1: one of the most like major things to the players
Speaker 1: Union is going to bring up next time around in
Speaker 1: CBA negotiations because these guys are just getting squeezed in
Speaker 1: restricted free agency.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I was have a piece half written about that for Forbes.
Speaker 2: I want to let I guess I'll spoil it.
Speaker 1: Spoil it.
Speaker 2: I want to run this idea by you because I
Speaker 2: want to temperature check on if this would fix anything.
Speaker 2: So you can sign a restricted free agent during the moratorium,
Speaker 2: but the clock, the matching clock, doesn't start until after
Speaker 2: the moratorium lifts, and I would argue that is one
Speaker 2: of the main reasons why teams don't even bother because
Speaker 2: free agency just moves so quickly that you know, if
Speaker 2: you can't if your cap.
Speaker 3: Space is tied up until July seventh, July.
Speaker 2: Eighth, like you don't, you're at risk of losing out
Speaker 2: on basically everyone else.
Speaker 3: My idea, we could go one of two ways. One
Speaker 3: just get rid of the.
Speaker 2: Moratorium entirely, and then June thirty, if it's fair game
Speaker 2: you can sign guys regardless, or if you really need
Speaker 2: the moratorium for whatever reason, at least make it such
Speaker 2: that the matching clock can start during the moratorium. Technically
Speaker 2: that's non binding, as is everything or almost everything else
Speaker 2: during the moratorium, but you know, if June thirtieth rolls around,
Speaker 2: you get someone to commit to an offer sheet, then
Speaker 2: you know the team has twenty four or forty eight
Speaker 2: hours to match it. Whatever it ends up being. You know,
Speaker 2: then your cap space is only tied up until July second,
Speaker 2: so you know you're not quite as at risk of
Speaker 2: missing out on everyone else. Do you think that would
Speaker 2: at least give these guys a chance.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I like that one. I think that's a good
Speaker 1: wrinkle because like some teams are aware they can't go
Speaker 1: chasing like the big UFA fish, so like some teams
Speaker 1: will absolutely find interest in the RFA guys. I think
Speaker 1: that's a really good direction to go in that that
Speaker 1: at least gives the RFA guys a little bit more power.
Speaker 1: Like I'm not sure it's going to be automatically utilized
Speaker 1: like it might. Seems might still, you know, be a
Speaker 1: little bit preventive about it, But I do think it
Speaker 1: gives them more of a of a chance to go
Speaker 1: out and say, well, screw that, we're not gonna we're
Speaker 1: not in the market for Lebron or Jaln Brown or
Speaker 1: whatever anyway, Like you know, if we're just toying around
Speaker 1: with the idea that they were UFAs, like, why not
Speaker 1: throw an offer sheet to Peyton Watson? Why not try
Speaker 1: to go for someone like that? Yeah, yeah, I look
Speaker 1: at the end of the day. I just want something
Speaker 1: back that makes free agency feel a little bit more
Speaker 1: like free agency again. Mm hmmm, because he doesn't.
Speaker 3: No, yeah, it's I mean, it's trade.
Speaker 2: Like teams have no reason to save cap space at
Speaker 2: this point because all of the big stars sign extensions
Speaker 2: or you know, it's very rare for stars to change hands.
Speaker 3: Hilariously, Now, you.
Speaker 2: Would argue the last two big ones that change hands
Speaker 2: were both with the Sixers.
Speaker 1: That's true, Yeah, Paul.
Speaker 3: George and Lebron names.
Speaker 2: So yeah, I mean, like this doesn't fix the underlying
Speaker 2: problem that you know, guys are signing extensions and forcing
Speaker 2: their way to wherever they want via trade rather than
Speaker 2: free agency, but it would at least give teams, you know,
Speaker 2: I like, had the Bulls or the Nets been able
Speaker 2: to sign Peyton Watson to an offer on June thirtieth,
Speaker 2: that they match and Clack would have started.
Speaker 3: Or even Jalen Duran.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Like, do they really blow all their money on
Speaker 2: Norman Powell and Nick Claxton and Zach Collins if they
Speaker 2: have a chance at getting Duran and Peyton Watson instead.
Speaker 1: I mean, look, if I were with the Bulls, I
Speaker 1: would have gone with Peyton Wattson over Norman Powell. I
Speaker 1: mean instead, for sure, you know, I think people crap
Speaker 1: on that deal a little bit too much. But like, yeah,
Speaker 1: I would have gone the youth route for sure, and
Speaker 1: if that is what prevents them from doing so, like
Speaker 1: because you have to wait, and removing that hurdle would
Speaker 1: absolutely get you know, these teams more active in the
Speaker 1: initial parts of free agency. And look, I'm just a
Speaker 1: fan of good young players actually getting good money instead
Speaker 1: of always having not always, but for the most part,
Speaker 1: having to take less. Wemb Nutting, he decided to take
Speaker 1: less because he's a cheat code.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that is correct.
Speaker 1: So like Peyton Watson, just let's let's wrap on on
Speaker 1: that one just and let's set aside the financial restrictions
Speaker 1: for well, like we have to be realistic. Where does
Speaker 1: he make sense?
Speaker 3: I mean he's everywhere. He's a great player.
Speaker 1: It's just.
Speaker 3: I don't know, I don't know anywhere that has yeah
Speaker 3: that no one.
Speaker 2: Has the cap space to sign him. I mean, Brooklyn
Speaker 2: could be interesting. I guess I just have no that
Speaker 2: Ruster is just so weird that you know, they're still
Speaker 2: just looking for anyone who might be a long term
Speaker 2: piece at this point, like Sacramento. If they could SWI
Speaker 2: I'd argue they're in the same boat, just we just
Speaker 2: need more talent.
Speaker 3: I don't know, can Charlotte.
Speaker 1: Oh God, that.
Speaker 3: No, not really at all.
Speaker 1: But I just conceptually if you added him to the Hornets, fuck,
Speaker 1: like that would be ridiculous.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, you know they've got let's see, they.
Speaker 1: Kind of coster, but like if you've got him.
Speaker 2: Somehow, well, Grace and Allan, Dorian Finney, Smith, and Royce
Speaker 2: O'Neill all have trade restrictions, but they all expire in September,
Speaker 2: and as we've seen, these restricted free agent processes sometimes
Speaker 2: play out until you know, the qualifying off for deadline,
Speaker 2: which is in October.
Speaker 3: So technically.
Speaker 2: They could offer up some combination of those three guys
Speaker 2: in September and a sign and trade Grant Williams too,
Speaker 2: He's a fourteen point three million dollar expiring contract. Yeah,
Speaker 2: I mean, honestly, like.
Speaker 1: That's that's not the end of the world for Denver either. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Right, you get two of Grayson Allen, Grant Williams, Dorian
Speaker 2: Finney Smith, Royce O'Neill.
Speaker 1: Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neill, and Denver. I wouldn't hate those
Speaker 1: guys like those are like Dorrian Finney Smith, Grant Williams.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, DFS, what's what what a weird contract?
Speaker 1: Yeah? And oh yeah yeah yeah that's it's like year
Speaker 1: that has to be year three of his zero guaranteed dollars.
Speaker 1: But if they pick it up, he's got a player option. Yeah,
Speaker 1: that player option as well is not guaranteed. Yeah, it's
Speaker 1: the weirdest contract.
Speaker 2: So he's technically I mean, he could be an expiring
Speaker 2: him and grand Williams could be. Grant Williams isn't inspiring,
Speaker 2: Dorian face Smith could be.
Speaker 1: And that's why we also have to wait to pass
Speaker 1: judgment occasionally because remember how much everyone hated the DFS
Speaker 1: contract last summer. Yeah, everyone hated it, and that was
Speaker 1: because it was reported as being fully guaranteed and then
Speaker 1: it turns out, oh no, it wasn't. Like this is
Speaker 1: actually fine.
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. Hopefully we're going to get
Speaker 2: a similar report about Gary frin Junior any day now.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, well, Brian, your Philadelphia seventy six ers has
Speaker 1: gotten Lebron James so muscle tough sorer. Yeah yeah, now
Speaker 1: you're proud to be back on the wagon again. Huh uh.
Speaker 2: We're still on the Spurs and thunder wagon. But I
Speaker 2: appreciate Lebron James for the page hees this year. Thank you, sir,
Speaker 2: Thank you for your service.
Speaker 1: Could you let the good people know where they can
Speaker 1: find your work and what you're working on next?
Speaker 3: Oh boy, what well, I don't know what I'm working
Speaker 3: on next.
Speaker 2: Now Anthony Davis column about ninety percent written that I'm
Speaker 2: about to tear to shreds.
Speaker 1: Thanks.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: You can find me General NBA, Forbes Sports and fan
Speaker 2: sided sixer stuff at Liberty, Bollers Lakers stuff at Silver.
Speaker 3: Screen and Roll.
Speaker 2: You can find me on Blue Sky at B T
Speaker 2: O P O R e K. And that is assuming
Speaker 2: that all of this is actually real life, not a
Speaker 2: simulation not having died and being caught in a weird
Speaker 2: basketball purgatory, which is what it feels like right now.
Speaker 1: And there we go, and for everyone listening in, thank
Speaker 1: you for doing so. Until we speak again, have a
Speaker 1: good one and stay safe everyone,