Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
For walking up to six o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
We haven things off to the Rockies as they're hosting
the Astros. Of course, we've been having a great time
reacting to NBA free agency. The Nuggets very very busy,
a lot of buzz around the team and to help
us break it all down, give us perspective as we
head on to the Kiawei Commas Spirit Health hoighline. Our
good friend Adam Mahras Adam, thank you so much for
the time, man.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Oh, thank you guys for having me on. The sun
shining a little bit brighter today than I was expecting
it to, so things are looking good.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Yeah, Adam, appreciate the time. We were talking about. Obviously
the deal yesterday with MPJ, have not had a chance
to visit with you. What's your take on that deal
and what do you think of some of the other
deals also the two today as well well.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
I think it all starts with the Michael.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Porter deal because the Nuggets signed Michael Porter to a
max contract five years ago, and I think that was
an aggressive signing at the time.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
But since then, the NBA has changed.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Up their salary cap structure and it is very unpopular
and I think foolish to have three players on a
max contract to begin with, and that really is what
has hamstrung the Nuggets in my opinion over the last
five years, is they have a lot of money tied
up in three players.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
So finally having the ability to move off.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Of Michael Porter, I think the least producing of the
three max guys and Nicole jokis Jamal Murray the other
two getting off of him, And they got off of
him because they had a draft pick that was available
to trade for the first time. That twenty thirty two
pick only became available to trade yesterday, and on the
first day it was available to trade, they attached it
to Michael Porter to get a player in Cam Johnson,
(01:36):
who I think is identical and talent and skill set,
but better in terms of feel for the game and
the role Dever's going to need him to play. And
on top of that, obviously half the price, which has
afforded them the flexibility to make some of these other moves.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
Hey, Adam Shelby Harris here, what is has anyone heard
from the Polyokers about how he feels about Michael Porter
Junior being traded?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I don't think there's anybody on the team has not said,
and he's not on record of commenting on any of
these moves, So the answer to that is no. But
I can tell you that I think Cam Johnson is
going to be the exact type of player he loves
playing with the way I would say it is he
is the skill set of Michael Porter, but with sort
of the mind and the approach to the game of
(02:22):
a Christian Brown or an Aaron Gordon, meaning he's going
to be able to shoot the ball. He provides that
shooting that you need, the height, all those different things,
but he reads the court a lot better than Michael Porter.
He's an unselfish guy. He doesn't really need touches or
need anything. But he moves off the ball really, really well,
a lot better than Michael Porter. And when you play
with Nikola Jokic, what you need is four guys around
(02:45):
him that all read the court well and are willing
to do the things you need. Cut screen, get out.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Of the way in some cases, sprint to.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
The corner to provide spacing in some cases. Cam Johnson
is willing to do all of those things, but he's
also very good at reading them, so he doesn't miss
the signs. Jokic always talks about guys he likes when
they're in the right spots. Cam Johnson's the guy that's
always in the right spot.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah, I like his fit specifically for that.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Also his defense probably a little bit of an upgrade there,
although and.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I know you heard it as well.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Tim Bontemp's pretty critical of the move, not only the
trade but also training a future first round pick. When
he used these players more similar he thinks it's more
of a cost cutting move.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
What do you think about that?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
So I think he was actually half.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Right on this because one important detail about what the
Denver Nuggets have done is they have gotten below the
tax We'll see if they actually get below the luxury
tax line, which would save the Kronky some money. So
you look at that and say they attached a pick
to have a player bond. TIMPs called him similar. I
think Cam Johnson's an upgrade for the reasons I just stated.
But it was a move that signaled the Nuggets saving money.
(03:49):
But why What he think he got wrong was that
the Nuggets weren't just saving money. They were adding flexibility.
They were adding all of these other exceptions and ways
that they can add talent for the roster that has
allowed them now to add a Valanunis, to add Bruce Brown,
and to add a Tim Hardaway junior. And so a
team that didn't have a lot of depth last year,
(04:10):
in fact, that was their biggest weakness, has now put
together a roster.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
That I think runs nine.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
To ten maybe even eleven deep. And so he's right
to point out that the Cronkeys are shedding money, So
I think he's wrong to say that that was the
only or even the main motivation. It also opened up
a flexibility that has allowed them to fill out their roster.
Speaker 7 (04:29):
Yeah, yeah, I certainly agree with that.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
We were talking earlier on the show about Valentiunis and
some of the traits that he brings. Pretty skilled big man,
tough rebounder. But you've been involved watching the NBA, covering
the NBA for a long time. What if you had
two or three ways to describe what his game was about,
(04:53):
maybe Nuggets fans that might be unfamiliar with him, what
would they be?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, first, he's enormous.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
He's a true seven footer.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
And he's a wide seven footer. Not a heavy guy
or a.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Fat guy, but he's solid.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
I mean, he's built like a Viking. He's got that
big beard. He looks like a seven foot Viking. Just
a really thick bodied guy. In Denver. For the last
few years they've had DeAndre Jordan, who's a little long
in the two, it's a little more limited. Valanciunas is
a true seven footer, and in the Western Conference a
lot of these teams are loading up on multiple digs.
Houston Rockets they have three true centers. They played two
(05:27):
of them together often, but certainly when Yokich comes off
the court, Denver didn't have great options of true seven
footers to go battle on the boards with other teams
who had backup seven footers. So Number one, he provides
that size and rebounding that you need. Is a very
good rebounder.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
But he's also a guy that has a pretty good
post game.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And the postgame has gone away from the NBA by
and large unless you're an elite guy like Anikoi Jokich.
But off that bench we saw last year there were
a lot of times when Denver didn't have shot creation.
I think Valenciunas is a guy that gives you at
least one option. I don't think it's the main option
or the only one, but he is an option of, hey,
if you have a mismatch, let's throw it down. Because
he's a very good low post scorer.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Who's going to force other teams to have to.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Play big with him. And so that's his skill set,
rebounding sighs and the ability to play through him in
the post on occasion.
Speaker 6 (06:16):
My last question here, and I guess you know, obviously
what the team having these young guys that had to
contribute a little bit and they had under On Holmes
get hurt. What did his moves kind of do for
the young guys. You know, you're kind of pushing them
out a little bit, but how does this move affect
the young guys on the nuggas rosters.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well, I think what's really interesting about that question is
what David Adalman's approach will be this year, because I
think Michael Malan was a guy who was very averse
to playing young young players. And one of those reasons,
I believe, and it was well reported that him and
Calvin Booth had a difference of opinion and it was
almost like both guys were dug in on what they
thought was best and we're not gonna, you know, feed
(07:00):
the other person's vision. You have David Adaman now, and
if you look at how the Thunder won the title
this year, and I think every team is going to
have to learn from this because of this new salary
cap structure sort of requires that you have a lot
of depth. The Oklahoma City Thunder played twelve thirteen guys
throughout the regular season. That's how they survived.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
In an eighty two game season, and then when.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
They got to the playoffs, they would play nine or
ten guys, but it would be a different nine or
ten guys depending on the series. I look at Denver
situation and I think they have depth, but I don't
think they should pencil in anybody outside of the top five.
You've got five starters and now you've got five, six
or seven guys that all do different things.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
And for David Adaman.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
To succeed, I think he has to play Peyton Watson,
Julian Strawther, they' Ron Holmes. He has to give those
guys minutes. But he also has to play the veterans
that they brought in. You know, Zeke Naji who's still
on the roster. He has to play Bruce Brown, Tim
Hardaway Junior. These guys are good too, and I don't
think it's in either or. I think it's an ad
to survive the regular season.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
All of those guys have to play.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And when you get to the playoffs, one series might
be a Peyton Watston series. One series might be a
Tim Hardaway Junior series. And that's how you make it
through four rounds.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Adamara is last one.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I have four.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
You appreciate the time. You were very propthetic by.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
The way in the yonas Valanchiunas addition, he actually tweeted
it out moments before it happened. He said, you know,
the Nugget should really go back and revisit that, and
then boom.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
As if by magic.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
How on a scale of one to ten, how surprised
were you actually by the trade of Michael Porter Junior.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Well, I was very surprised by that one, for sure,
because that was one that we knew. We long knew
Michael Porter was overpaid relative to what he contributed to
the Nuggets. He's on a max contract basically I think
forty something million dollars, so I knew the team wanted
to move him, but I was surprised that they actually
pulled it off and the team had signaled and all
of their press conferences. I don't know if we'll make
(08:57):
any major moves. We're going to build around the margins,
some guys on minimums. So to trade one of the
starters who's been here for seven eight years was very surprising.
And to get it done at the price of one
draft pick, and by the way, very good draft pick.
Who knows where the Denver Nuggets will be in twenty
thirty two, that'll probably be a very valuable pick. But
to only have to give up one trade ship to
(09:19):
be able to replace Michael Porter, in my opinion fully
and maybe even then some to me, was an incredible move.
And this front office is one week into their tenure
at the Helm and to pull off a move that
shocking and in my opinion that favorable was really impressive.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Adam Oh, I appreciate the time, man, Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Thank you guys, have a good one.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Thanks Adams, Suf Adam Aris. So there you go.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
He was surprised, like I was, okay, well, well surprised,
Oh what happened?
Speaker 6 (09:49):
I expected that.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
But seriously, to his point, man, it's hard for you. No, no, no, well.
Speaker 7 (09:57):
No, it's just a hard surprise hard I.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Want to exactly, I want to tip the cap to
this new front office construction because this has been a
very exciting free agency.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
For that, I think they honestly, I don't think it
realistically could have gone better.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Agreed, Yeah, but yeah, sometimes when you do too much
in free agency, it doesn't always work out. But I
do believe though that the Nuggets have nailed it, and
we have you know, a year in a year out
though the NBA. You know, you look at who you
think nails free agency, and the season comes and it's
(10:34):
a completely different story, you know, and once again it's
everything that's great on paper. But I believe Cam Johnson
is going to be a great addition, you know, a
way better I hate to say it like this, but
a better fit for what this team needs right now,
no question, to be a championship contending team. I think
(10:55):
he is a perfect cag for that. But I haven't
had a good point though, with the changing of salary
cap and everything, you can't have three backs players. It
is kind of what it is right now. So I
would be very interesting season, be very interesting. Is Valentiunis
of Russian dissent.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Where is he from?
Speaker 6 (11:15):
I don't think from.
Speaker 8 (11:18):
As you both type, yeah, Lithuania, Okay, yeah, yeah, Adam
said something else that and you I'm glad you asked
about the young players because this has been sort of
a point of discussion over the last several years, especially
with Michael Malone.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
And with the new CBA.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
You ask him about if this was going to sort
of push out for some of the young players.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I think nothing else gives David Adaman options.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
And and and hey, it's great to be able to
see if some of the young players do step up
into more prime roles. Hey, Julian Strather takes a step forward,
if Doron Holmes is better early on than expected. I mean,
all those are good things. That's what you want to see.
But they haven't had options. And in fact, to the
thing that Bondtips was talking about that you and I
were referencing, Dave, he was saying, are we going to
(12:04):
really be back here again? Saying, well, they need the
young players to step up. Well, since then, they've added
Valan Chunis, and they had of Tim Hardaway, and of
course they add of Bruce Prust. They added guys that
give them options. The point of it is is you
aren't just relying on the young guys. It's great if
they get there, but if they don't get there, you
have other players you can plug in.
Speaker 7 (12:22):
See I look at it differently.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
I think with Julian straw the if and I'm not
saying he can't develop into a like really solid NBA
VET capable of getting you twenty plus occasionally. But if
the Nuggets had complete, I mean complete confidence in Julian
(12:46):
Strawther right now, to me, there's no way in the
world you go after Tim Hardaway Junior because Tim Hardaway
Junior represents perimeter scoring and a guy who's I think
he's a LUs defender. Okay, who does that? I mean,
what's Julian Strawther. What is his role for this team?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I mean he's a shooter, he's your backup small forward.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
I guess no, No, I mean I don't think Strather
can play three. I think he's got to play two.
And to me again, I mean I'm not saying he can't,
because I mean the playoff game he had, you know
he's got some ability. I remember watching him in college
in person thinking okay, that kids, that kid's pretty good.
But that said if I do now they even even
(13:37):
if I'm right, which I don't know, the Nuggets would
never admit this publicly. But my sense of this whole
thing is if they thought Strather was like that close,
I mean, he just needs a great summer, he's gonna develop,
He's gonna be a guy that's gonna come off the
bench at six or seven. He's gonna get us twenty
minutes a game. Uh, He's he's got enough energy and
strength that he can play defense, and you know he's
(13:59):
gonna knock you down. If all that, if they had
complete confidence in that, to me, you don't go out
and sign Tim Hardaway Junior one hundred percent.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
That's why I asked the question in the first place,
because it seems like you wouldn't sign some people where
your young guys are supposed to step in and actually play.
But the issue, I guess is you can't wait for
them to get ready, and it's a lot of unknown
if you're actually trying to take advantage of this championship window.
You know it's a very short window. Now with this
new CBA, everyone has a short window, and it's and
(14:31):
the CBA is punishing teams that are too top heavy
on their roster, So you would think that, you know,
just like Oklahoma City did, they're using.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
A lot of young guys.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
He's a deal, I know.
Speaker 7 (14:43):
But once again, but what does that mean? What does
that mean?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Well, I'm just saying that this is not like we're
talking about Duncan Robinson in the break right, and he's
got it. He's making forty eight million, right, Well, you
invest that kind of money, that guy's gonna play. That
guy's gonna start, he's gonna play Tim Hardaway on a
vet min D doesn't tell me you don't believe in
your young guys, That's what I mean.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
Why would you sign it?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Yeah, because you want to give yourself options. You want
to give yourself more than just a reliance on this
one guy.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
If you believe in Jillian Strawther like one hundred percent,
And again this is not me throwing shade at Julian.
I still think he can be a good player. He's
got a ways to go. But if you were totally
I won't say committed, if you had total confidence about
his game right now and say next year he's going
to be a dog, right, you.
Speaker 7 (15:31):
Don't to me, you don't sign Tim Hardaway junior.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
Okay, well said though, like you just don't you lay
the framework for him to have this role with the team.
Speaker 7 (15:41):
And but for.
Speaker 6 (15:42):
Me, it just tells me that they're not completely sure
about the young guys they have with the team, and
just for insurance, you get you get a Tim Hardaway
junior to get a Bruce Brown.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
But once again, think we're basically say the same thing.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
Then no, But I guess the issue is if you
were believing in your in your guys, you don't need
to go get them.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Well, there's believing in your guys and then there's being
reckless like and I think I think we could we
can maybe say that the plan, especially since the front
office and the coaching staff didn't see eyed I was
maybe reckless. It was reckless to a fault because you
got into a position where you're playing your vets, your
starters more specifically, more minutes than you really needed to
(16:25):
do that because you didn't have the requisite depth, because
those young guys hadn't stepped into more prominent roles because
you didn't develop them. I mean, it's all certain, you know,
cyclical at that point. My point, my point here is
I don't know if for me, This doesn't say that
that you don't think much of Julian Strawther or j Jaln.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Pickett who that by the way, they don't. That's your
backup point guard right now.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
We can get into that at some point, but you
don't have another pack up point guard unless.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Bruce Brown's gonna fiddle it.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
But what is you probably do this new CBA want
guys like Strawther, want these younger guys to step into
that role, and then Hardaway is there, But that's not
that's not the role that you know.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Who's a better player right now?
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Well?
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Who would I bet on being a better player?
Speaker 7 (17:06):
Who's a who? No, who's a better player?
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Stop reframing the question who's a better player? Right now?
Come on, man, what are we doing? It's not even close,
it's not probably.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
But we know what straw like, I don't know, I don't.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Know what it is. It's it's right now. It's like,
what color shirt are you wearing right now? If you say, well,
I didn't go to Ryan's closet this morning, he's probably
got a multitude shirt right now? Tim Hardaway is a
better player? You just you were just on here saying
on open threes. You want another cupcake? Hardaway was what
(17:48):
sixty six percent? Yeah, yeah, you're going to go with
that guy? Okay, here your numbers, let me come over.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
No, I'll just say using your numbers to prove that,
you know, argument is not that hard. You know, it
takes it just takes some It takes something to like
be able to have a proven guy out there than
an unproven guy.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
But so are we are we now the door closed
on trailer.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
What he's got, I'll tell you what, got a lot
of work to do, Okay. I'd come to camp like
ready to go. I'd be working out and be like okay,
because to me that that's a sign like I need
to prove to them I can fit in here, otherwise
I might not be here.
Speaker 7 (18:44):
That's that's how I look at that.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
The league is always an option, always an option, because
it's just this playing you add in his players is
going to be tough to find playing time and unless
magically knows how to play point guard.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Yeah, and that's that's about the only other position at
this point. I mean, and maybe we can talk about
this on their side. For free agency, they checked as
many boxes that we needed them to check.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I mean, I don't know what else is missing.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
They need a point guard. They checked the two.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
To me, they checked the two most pressing needs. You
needed a perimeter shooter, you needed a backup big a
rim protector, and you got both.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
But the issue is you need another guy to come
in and be able to bring the ball up. And
that was the greatest part about Russell Westbrook. That's that's true,
you know. I mean, you need you need a guy
to run that second unit. We saw how important that
was with Alex crusso they can bring the ball up.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
The problem with Pickett is his size, and he is
I think again he is a liability on defense. If
he plays too much, he gives you effort. I think
it's a tough kid. I thought he developed a little
bit as a score. He can handle it. Okay, good
enough to play, but.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
You can't you you can't.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
I don't think playing him too many minutes otherwise he
gets exposed defensively.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
M M.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Yeah, it's interesting stuff.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Do you guys see the what we get into the
same On the side, the odds, the championship bonds of
the Nuggets have been pretty impressive.
Speaker 7 (20:20):
Yes, yes, save increase. I've increased.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
I think that's because Julian Strather's pencil in is the
key backup.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
I think if people started to think about it more though,
I would get it better. Yeah, what a thousand dollars
coming up? That it is five minutes thanks to Colorado
Joint Replacement coloradjoint dot org
For walking up to six o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
We haven things off to the Rockies as they're hosting
the Astros. Of course, we've been having a great time
reacting to NBA free agency. The Nuggets very very busy,
a lot of buzz around the team and to help
us break it all down, give us perspective as we
head on to the Kiawei Commas Spirit Health hoighline. Our
good friend Adam Mahras Adam, thank you so much for
the time, man.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Oh, thank you guys for having me on. The sun
shining a little bit brighter today than I was expecting
it to, so things are looking good.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Yeah, Adam, appreciate the time. We were talking about. Obviously
the deal yesterday with MPJ, have not had a chance
to visit with you. What's your take on that deal
and what do you think of some of the other
deals also the two today as well well.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
I think it all starts with the Michael.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Porter deal because the Nuggets signed Michael Porter to a
max contract five years ago, and I think that was
an aggressive signing at the time.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
But since then, the NBA has changed.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Up their salary cap structure and it is very unpopular
and I think foolish to have three players on a
max contract to begin with, and that really is what
has hamstrung the Nuggets in my opinion over the last
five years, is they have a lot of money tied
up in three players.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
So finally having the ability to move off.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Of Michael Porter, I think the least producing of the
three max guys and Nicole jokis Jamal Murray the other
two getting off of him, And they got off of
him because they had a draft pick that was available
to trade for the first time. That twenty thirty two
pick only became available to trade yesterday, and on the
first day it was available to trade, they attached it
to Michael Porter to get a player in Cam Johnson,
(01:36):
who I think is identical and talent and skill set,
but better in terms of feel for the game and
the role Dever's going to need him to play. And
on top of that, obviously half the price, which has
afforded them the flexibility to make some of these other moves.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
Hey, Adam Shelby Harris here, what is has anyone heard
from the Polyokers about how he feels about Michael Porter
Junior being traded?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I don't think there's anybody on the team has not said,
and he's not on record of commenting on any of
these moves, So the answer to that is no. But
I can tell you that I think Cam Johnson is
going to be the exact type of player he loves
playing with the way I would say it is he
is the skill set of Michael Porter, but with sort
of the mind and the approach to the game of
(02:22):
a Christian Brown or an Aaron Gordon, meaning he's going
to be able to shoot the ball. He provides that
shooting that you need, the height, all those different things,
but he reads the court a lot better than Michael Porter.
He's an unselfish guy. He doesn't really need touches or
need anything. But he moves off the ball really, really well,
a lot better than Michael Porter. And when you play
with Nikola Jokic, what you need is four guys around
(02:45):
him that all read the court well and are willing
to do the things you need. Cut screen, get out.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Of the way in some cases, sprint to.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
The corner to provide spacing in some cases. Cam Johnson
is willing to do all of those things, but he's
also very good at reading them, so he doesn't miss
the signs. Jokic always talks about guys he likes when
they're in the right spots. Cam Johnson's the guy that's
always in the right spot.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah, I like his fit specifically for that.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Also his defense probably a little bit of an upgrade there,
although and.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I know you heard it as well.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Tim Bontemp's pretty critical of the move, not only the
trade but also training a future first round pick. When
he used these players more similar he thinks it's more
of a cost cutting move.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
What do you think about that?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
So I think he was actually half.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Right on this because one important detail about what the
Denver Nuggets have done is they have gotten below the
tax We'll see if they actually get below the luxury
tax line, which would save the Kronky some money. So
you look at that and say they attached a pick
to have a player bond. TIMPs called him similar. I
think Cam Johnson's an upgrade for the reasons I just stated.
But it was a move that signaled the Nuggets saving money.
(03:49):
But why What he think he got wrong was that
the Nuggets weren't just saving money. They were adding flexibility.
They were adding all of these other exceptions and ways
that they can add talent for the roster that has
allowed them now to add a Valanunis, to add Bruce Brown,
and to add a Tim Hardaway junior. And so a
team that didn't have a lot of depth last year,
(04:10):
in fact, that was their biggest weakness, has now put
together a roster.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
That I think runs nine.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
To ten maybe even eleven deep. And so he's right
to point out that the Cronkeys are shedding money, So
I think he's wrong to say that that was the
only or even the main motivation. It also opened up
a flexibility that has allowed them to fill out their roster.
Speaker 7 (04:29):
Yeah, yeah, I certainly agree with that.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
We were talking earlier on the show about Valentiunis and
some of the traits that he brings. Pretty skilled big man,
tough rebounder. But you've been involved watching the NBA, covering
the NBA for a long time. What if you had
two or three ways to describe what his game was about,
(04:53):
maybe Nuggets fans that might be unfamiliar with him, what
would they be?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, first, he's enormous.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
He's a true seven footer.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
And he's a wide seven footer. Not a heavy guy
or a.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Fat guy, but he's solid.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
I mean, he's built like a Viking. He's got that
big beard. He looks like a seven foot Viking. Just
a really thick bodied guy. In Denver. For the last
few years they've had DeAndre Jordan, who's a little long
in the two, it's a little more limited. Valanciunas is
a true seven footer, and in the Western Conference a
lot of these teams are loading up on multiple digs.
Houston Rockets they have three true centers. They played two
(05:27):
of them together often, but certainly when Yokich comes off
the court, Denver didn't have great options of true seven
footers to go battle on the boards with other teams
who had backup seven footers. So Number one, he provides
that size and rebounding that you need. Is a very
good rebounder.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
But he's also a guy that has a pretty good
post game.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And the postgame has gone away from the NBA by
and large unless you're an elite guy like Anikoi Jokich.
But off that bench we saw last year there were
a lot of times when Denver didn't have shot creation.
I think Valenciunas is a guy that gives you at
least one option. I don't think it's the main option
or the only one, but he is an option of, hey,
if you have a mismatch, let's throw it down. Because
he's a very good low post scorer.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Who's going to force other teams to have to.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Play big with him. And so that's his skill set,
rebounding sighs and the ability to play through him in
the post on occasion.
Speaker 6 (06:16):
My last question here, and I guess you know, obviously
what the team having these young guys that had to
contribute a little bit and they had under On Holmes
get hurt. What did his moves kind of do for
the young guys. You know, you're kind of pushing them
out a little bit, but how does this move affect
the young guys on the nuggas rosters.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well, I think what's really interesting about that question is
what David Adalman's approach will be this year, because I
think Michael Malan was a guy who was very averse
to playing young young players. And one of those reasons,
I believe, and it was well reported that him and
Calvin Booth had a difference of opinion and it was
almost like both guys were dug in on what they
thought was best and we're not gonna, you know, feed
(07:00):
the other person's vision. You have David Adaman now, and
if you look at how the Thunder won the title
this year, and I think every team is going to
have to learn from this because of this new salary
cap structure sort of requires that you have a lot
of depth. The Oklahoma City Thunder played twelve thirteen guys
throughout the regular season. That's how they survived.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
In an eighty two game season, and then when.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
They got to the playoffs, they would play nine or
ten guys, but it would be a different nine or
ten guys depending on the series. I look at Denver
situation and I think they have depth, but I don't
think they should pencil in anybody outside of the top five.
You've got five starters and now you've got five, six
or seven guys that all do different things.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
And for David Adaman.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
To succeed, I think he has to play Peyton Watson,
Julian Strawther, they' Ron Holmes. He has to give those
guys minutes. But he also has to play the veterans
that they brought in. You know, Zeke Naji who's still
on the roster. He has to play Bruce Brown, Tim
Hardaway Junior. These guys are good too, and I don't
think it's in either or. I think it's an ad
to survive the regular season.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
All of those guys have to play.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And when you get to the playoffs, one series might
be a Peyton Watston series. One series might be a
Tim Hardaway Junior series. And that's how you make it
through four rounds.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Adamara is last one.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I have four.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
You appreciate the time. You were very propthetic by.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
The way in the yonas Valanchiunas addition, he actually tweeted
it out moments before it happened. He said, you know,
the Nugget should really go back and revisit that, and
then boom.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
As if by magic.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
How on a scale of one to ten, how surprised
were you actually by the trade of Michael Porter Junior.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Well, I was very surprised by that one, for sure,
because that was one that we knew. We long knew
Michael Porter was overpaid relative to what he contributed to
the Nuggets. He's on a max contract basically I think
forty something million dollars, so I knew the team wanted
to move him, but I was surprised that they actually
pulled it off and the team had signaled and all
of their press conferences. I don't know if we'll make
(08:57):
any major moves. We're going to build around the margins,
some guys on minimums. So to trade one of the
starters who's been here for seven eight years was very surprising.
And to get it done at the price of one
draft pick, and by the way, very good draft pick.
Who knows where the Denver Nuggets will be in twenty
thirty two, that'll probably be a very valuable pick. But
to only have to give up one trade ship to
(09:19):
be able to replace Michael Porter, in my opinion fully
and maybe even then some to me, was an incredible move.
And this front office is one week into their tenure
at the Helm and to pull off a move that
shocking and in my opinion that favorable was really impressive.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Adam Oh, I appreciate the time, man, Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Thank you guys, have a good one.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Thanks Adams, Suf Adam Aris. So there you go.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
He was surprised, like I was, okay, well, well surprised,
Oh what happened?
Speaker 6 (09:49):
I expected that.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
But seriously, to his point, man, it's hard for you. No, no, no, well.
Speaker 7 (09:57):
No, it's just a hard surprise hard I.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Want to exactly, I want to tip the cap to
this new front office construction because this has been a
very exciting free agency.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
For that, I think they honestly, I don't think it
realistically could have gone better.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Agreed, Yeah, but yeah, sometimes when you do too much
in free agency, it doesn't always work out. But I
do believe though that the Nuggets have nailed it, and
we have you know, a year in a year out
though the NBA. You know, you look at who you
think nails free agency, and the season comes and it's
(10:34):
a completely different story, you know, and once again it's
everything that's great on paper. But I believe Cam Johnson
is going to be a great addition, you know, a
way better I hate to say it like this, but
a better fit for what this team needs right now,
no question, to be a championship contending team. I think
(10:55):
he is a perfect cag for that. But I haven't
had a good point though, with the changing of salary
cap and everything, you can't have three backs players. It
is kind of what it is right now. So I
would be very interesting season, be very interesting. Is Valentiunis
of Russian dissent.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Where is he from?
Speaker 6 (11:15):
I don't think from.
Speaker 8 (11:18):
As you both type, yeah, Lithuania, Okay, yeah, yeah, Adam
said something else that and you I'm glad you asked
about the young players because this has been sort of
a point of discussion over the last several years, especially
with Michael Malone.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
And with the new CBA.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
You ask him about if this was going to sort
of push out for some of the young players.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I think nothing else gives David Adaman options.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
And and and hey, it's great to be able to
see if some of the young players do step up
into more prime roles. Hey, Julian Strather takes a step forward,
if Doron Holmes is better early on than expected. I mean,
all those are good things. That's what you want to see.
But they haven't had options. And in fact, to the
thing that Bondtips was talking about that you and I
were referencing, Dave, he was saying, are we going to
(12:04):
really be back here again? Saying, well, they need the
young players to step up. Well, since then, they've added
Valan Chunis, and they had of Tim Hardaway, and of
course they add of Bruce Prust. They added guys that
give them options. The point of it is is you
aren't just relying on the young guys. It's great if
they get there, but if they don't get there, you
have other players you can plug in.
Speaker 7 (12:22):
See I look at it differently.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
I think with Julian straw the if and I'm not
saying he can't develop into a like really solid NBA
VET capable of getting you twenty plus occasionally. But if
the Nuggets had complete, I mean complete confidence in Julian
(12:46):
Strawther right now, to me, there's no way in the
world you go after Tim Hardaway Junior because Tim Hardaway
Junior represents perimeter scoring and a guy who's I think
he's a LUs defender. Okay, who does that? I mean,
what's Julian Strawther. What is his role for this team?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I mean he's a shooter, he's your backup small forward.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
I guess no, No, I mean I don't think Strather
can play three. I think he's got to play two.
And to me again, I mean I'm not saying he can't,
because I mean the playoff game he had, you know
he's got some ability. I remember watching him in college
in person thinking okay, that kids, that kid's pretty good.
But that said if I do now they even even
(13:37):
if I'm right, which I don't know, the Nuggets would
never admit this publicly. But my sense of this whole
thing is if they thought Strather was like that close,
I mean, he just needs a great summer, he's gonna develop,
He's gonna be a guy that's gonna come off the
bench at six or seven. He's gonna get us twenty
minutes a game. Uh, He's he's got enough energy and
strength that he can play defense, and you know he's
(13:59):
gonna knock you down. If all that, if they had
complete confidence in that, to me, you don't go out
and sign Tim Hardaway Junior one hundred percent.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
That's why I asked the question in the first place,
because it seems like you wouldn't sign some people where
your young guys are supposed to step in and actually play.
But the issue, I guess is you can't wait for
them to get ready, and it's a lot of unknown
if you're actually trying to take advantage of this championship window.
You know it's a very short window. Now with this
new CBA, everyone has a short window, and it's and
(14:31):
the CBA is punishing teams that are too top heavy
on their roster, So you would think that, you know,
just like Oklahoma City did, they're using.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
A lot of young guys.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
He's a deal, I know.
Speaker 7 (14:43):
But once again, but what does that mean? What does
that mean?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Well, I'm just saying that this is not like we're
talking about Duncan Robinson in the break right, and he's
got it. He's making forty eight million, right, Well, you
invest that kind of money, that guy's gonna play. That
guy's gonna start, he's gonna play Tim Hardaway on a
vet min D doesn't tell me you don't believe in
your young guys, That's what I mean.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
Why would you sign it?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Yeah, because you want to give yourself options. You want
to give yourself more than just a reliance on this
one guy.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
If you believe in Jillian Strawther like one hundred percent,
And again this is not me throwing shade at Julian.
I still think he can be a good player. He's
got a ways to go. But if you were totally
I won't say committed, if you had total confidence about
his game right now and say next year he's going
to be a dog, right, you.
Speaker 7 (15:31):
Don't to me, you don't sign Tim Hardaway junior.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
Okay, well said though, like you just don't you lay
the framework for him to have this role with the team.
Speaker 7 (15:41):
And but for.
Speaker 6 (15:42):
Me, it just tells me that they're not completely sure
about the young guys they have with the team, and
just for insurance, you get you get a Tim Hardaway
junior to get a Bruce Brown.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
But once again, think we're basically say the same thing.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
Then no, But I guess the issue is if you
were believing in your in your guys, you don't need
to go get them.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Well, there's believing in your guys and then there's being
reckless like and I think I think we could we
can maybe say that the plan, especially since the front
office and the coaching staff didn't see eyed I was
maybe reckless. It was reckless to a fault because you
got into a position where you're playing your vets, your
starters more specifically, more minutes than you really needed to
(16:25):
do that because you didn't have the requisite depth, because
those young guys hadn't stepped into more prominent roles because
you didn't develop them. I mean, it's all certain, you know,
cyclical at that point. My point, my point here is
I don't know if for me, This doesn't say that
that you don't think much of Julian Strawther or j Jaln.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Pickett who that by the way, they don't. That's your
backup point guard right now.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
We can get into that at some point, but you
don't have another pack up point guard unless.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Bruce Brown's gonna fiddle it.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
But what is you probably do this new CBA want
guys like Strawther, want these younger guys to step into
that role, and then Hardaway is there, But that's not
that's not the role that you know.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Who's a better player right now?
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Well?
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Who would I bet on being a better player?
Speaker 7 (17:06):
Who's a who? No, who's a better player?
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Stop reframing the question who's a better player? Right now?
Come on, man, what are we doing? It's not even close,
it's not probably.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
But we know what straw like, I don't know, I don't.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Know what it is. It's it's right now. It's like,
what color shirt are you wearing right now? If you say, well,
I didn't go to Ryan's closet this morning, he's probably
got a multitude shirt right now? Tim Hardaway is a
better player? You just you were just on here saying
on open threes. You want another cupcake? Hardaway was what
(17:48):
sixty six percent? Yeah, yeah, you're going to go with
that guy? Okay, here your numbers, let me come over.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
No, I'll just say using your numbers to prove that,
you know, argument is not that hard. You know, it
takes it just takes some It takes something to like
be able to have a proven guy out there than
an unproven guy.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
But so are we are we now the door closed
on trailer.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
What he's got, I'll tell you what, got a lot
of work to do, Okay. I'd come to camp like
ready to go. I'd be working out and be like okay,
because to me that that's a sign like I need
to prove to them I can fit in here, otherwise
I might not be here.
Speaker 7 (18:44):
That's that's how I look at that.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
The league is always an option, always an option, because
it's just this playing you add in his players is
going to be tough to find playing time and unless
magically knows how to play point guard.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Yeah, and that's that's about the only other position at
this point. I mean, and maybe we can talk about
this on their side. For free agency, they checked as
many boxes that we needed them to check.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
I mean, I don't know what else is missing.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
They need a point guard. They checked the two.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
To me, they checked the two most pressing needs. You
needed a perimeter shooter, you needed a backup big a
rim protector, and you got both.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
But the issue is you need another guy to come
in and be able to bring the ball up. And
that was the greatest part about Russell Westbrook. That's that's true,
you know. I mean, you need you need a guy
to run that second unit. We saw how important that
was with Alex crusso they can bring the ball up.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
The problem with Pickett is his size, and he is
I think again he is a liability on defense. If
he plays too much, he gives you effort. I think
it's a tough kid. I thought he developed a little
bit as a score. He can handle it. Okay, good
enough to play, but.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
You can't you you can't.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
I don't think playing him too many minutes otherwise he
gets exposed defensively.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
M M.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Yeah, it's interesting stuff.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Do you guys see the what we get into the
same On the side, the odds, the championship bonds of
the Nuggets have been pretty impressive.
Speaker 7 (20:20):
Yes, yes, save increase. I've increased.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
I think that's because Julian Strather's pencil in is the
key backup.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
I think if people started to think about it more though,
I would get it better. Yeah, what a thousand dollars
coming up? That it is five minutes thanks to Colorado
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