December 12, 2025 • 48 mins
Mort & Bry discuss the arrival of trade season!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:18):
Hi, and welcome to the NBA Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
My name is Morten Jensen, and today we'll be discussing
trades because it's December twelfth as we're recording this, which
means December fifteenth is creeping up and that is a
very special day in the NBA trading calendar. And to
help me through that entire podcast, I have my good
(00:40):
friend ed buddy, Brian Saporik, who can tell all of
you wonderful listeners why December fifteenth is so important.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yes, well, glad to be back, as always, glad to
be seated. We've got unofficial start to trade season on Monday,
which you know, I feel like so. Keith Smith of
spot Track pointed out that we have had at least
one trade early on before, Like you know, most of
the activity is going to happen right at the trade
(01:12):
deadliner in a few days before, but we've had at
least one early on. The reason December fifteenth is the
unofficial start is that players who signed with teams in
free agency this past offseason, in most instances, become trade
eligible on December fifteenth. There are a few exceptions. Chief
among them this year is Jonathan Kaminga. He will not
(01:34):
be eligible until January fifteenth. There are a few other
notable names, Quentin Grimes. I believe Giddy as well, if
I remember correctly, Not that the Bulls are looking to
move off of him, but so most most guys will
be eligible December fifteenth. I think the thing you know again,
I'm not expecting Giannis to get traded on Monday, Anthony
Davis to get traded on Monday. Don't think we're going
(01:56):
to see a big blockbuster on Monday. But the one
thing I do think is worth noting, and we saw
this last year with the Warriors. There's a new rule
in the new CBA that if a player gets traded
on or before December sixteenth, you can aggregate him again
in a trade before the deadline. Typically you have to
(02:16):
wait two months to aggregate a contract with another contract
after you acquire a player if you're over the salary cap.
That will not be the case if you acquire someone
before December sixteenth. So it wouldn't shock me if we
actually do see one or two small trades on Monday,
because the Warriors did this with Dennis Shruder last year,
acquired him on December fifteenth and then ended up using
(02:38):
his contract in the massive deal that got them Jimmy Butler.
So I think they actually gave other teams a blueprint
to follow. I know Chris Paul has come up as
one such candidate since he had his very awkward divorce
from the Clippers recently. But that's what I'm keeping an
eye on over the next week. If teams make some
(03:00):
sort of smaller moves. And then we dropped the Brian
Whinhorst meme of like what are they actually planning here?
Like are these guys going to be here beyond February
fifth or is this just stepway in a two step
move to get a bigger name?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yes, so December sixteenth is also a date to just
note in the back of my our minds collective NBA minds.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yes, yes, yes, so.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
We are going to be talking about some of the
bigger names, Brian, just in terms of who is on
the radar of potentially getting moved. Now we know Anthony Davis,
we know Jannis is being brought up. Although there's also
a point to be made in regards specifically about Giannis
as to moving him in the off season might be
(03:50):
preferable for the Bucks because there should be more opportunities
you do won't have to be fearful of roster allocations
because in the off season you can carry twenty players.
So if you want to swing some type of five
for one deal, that is something you can do in
the summer, you.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Probably can't do it here.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I just wrote a major piece over at Yahoo Sports
where I was asked to send Giannis everywhere, literally every day.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
That was That was the assignment I got.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
And by the way, Brian, just before I go into that,
can I just compliment NBA fans, not a single death
threat yet It's been out for like four days. I
have yet to receive a single death threat for that article.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
To be clear, did you post it on Blue Sky
and Twitter or only on Blue Sky?
Speaker 2 (04:41):
No?
Speaker 1 (04:41):
But no.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
See this is where it gets extra extra cool because
Yahoo Sports put it, put it up on their socials
and even like you know, attached my name, like they
made me a collaborate on Instagram for example, so like
everyone could just go there and give me death threats,
but they didn't. No one has sent me me death
threats yet. Like it's coming eventually, obviously it's inevitable, but
(05:05):
like so far four days in none good on U
and b fans, thank you.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Are we reaching a healthier internet after all these years?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
So that'd be wonderful. No.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
But the point was that during that article, when I
wrote all those trades, I had to consider roster spots,
and basically whenever I sent five players to Milwaukee, I
felt like, Okay, then I have to send four at
least four players the other direction. Because I gave it
like a one player like buffer. You can waigh someone
(05:40):
like that's fine. You won't have those same concerns in
the summer. So let's start with the honest. Do you
think there is a chance that he is going to
be moved before the trade deadline?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
I certainly think there's a chance, but I agree with
you it feels more likely during the off season beyond
just the roster but situation. A lot of teams are
hard capped right now, so they are those restrictions that
you'd have to work around, Like teams over either the
first or second apron can't take back more money than
they stand out. So a couple teams are like really
(06:14):
pressed tight against those margins. I mean, you know, the
Knicks in particular, since they keep coming up as like
Giannis really wants to go to the Knicks. Well, they're
already they are hard capped at the second apron, so
are already well above the first apron. So they can't
take back more money than to sandout. And they only
have one forty eight thousand dollars under the second apron
(06:37):
right now. So even if they swung like a two
for one or a three for one deal for your
honest in which they took back less money, they would
need to leave themselves in enough room under the second
apron such that they could sign players to fill the
roster spots right that they would open up. So those
are some complications. The Warriors are another one. They're only
two hundred and sixty four thousand under the second eight.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Brian, Oh, I'll keep you the most complicated that because
I wrote that the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's just not happening.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
There's there's no way.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I basically said the best trade none, none, because they're
twenty two million over the second apron. The Bucks are
seventeen point something below the first apron. So like if
you had to make it a one to one deal
like a or you know, a single team, single team trade.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
There's just no way, you couldn't.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
You couldn't make it happen because the highest salary they
had was forty six point three million, and Giannis is
like at fifty four. There are so many restrictions in
trading Gianis at this point, it's pretty insane.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
And I think especially since the Bucks, I mean, I
guess they technically get the worst of their pick versus
the Pelicans pick this year, they don't have control over
their draft pick next year. They've traded away a couple
future first as well, so like they don't have you know,
if they trade be honest, they don't have incentive to
(08:04):
just like do what the Nets are doing, or do
what the Wizard's doing and just like completely go full
youth movement and we're just going to tank for a
really high draft pick because you aren't, you know, you're
going to be giving that draft pick potentially to Atlanta
or New Orleans or Portland. So if they're not getting
those picks back in a honest deal, you know, I
(08:24):
think they would want more certainty in terms of which
picks they are getting, which is another reason you do
this type of deal in the offseason ahead of the draft.
You know, the Hawks, I know are probably the one
team that they're going to come up a lot in
this discussion since they do control the twenty twenty six
Bucks Pelicans pick. Like, you know, right now, the Pelicans
(08:47):
look terrible and it looks like that's going to be
at worst a top five, top six pick. But the
Pelicans did just win last night. I mean, Derek Queen
is really starting to come into his own. Jeremiah for
you has also been really good lately. They honestly kind
of look better without Zion, which is a separate topic
of discussion. But you know, there's no guarantee, especially since
(09:11):
other teams like the Wizards ohe their top eight protected
pick I believe to the Knicks, and then Jazz oh
their top eight protected pick to Oka see like those teams,
I mean, the Wizards are down in the water. If
the Jazz fall out of the playoff race, like those
teams are going to have clear incentive to finish with
a bottom four record in the NBA. So I think,
(09:35):
like the Pelican point being Pelicans, that looks like a
top five, top six pick right now, it might not be.
And I think you know that the Bucks are going
to want to see how this lottery plays out in
particular and see if they can get a top three,
top four pick for Giannis given the caliber of names
projected to be at the top of this draft class.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I wonder, Brian, because we've talked about Gianni's before you,
and it's just in terms of like trade parameters. And
then we've been told off by the way on different
social right because this is not happening. Gianna is staying
and we've been quietly laughing amongst ourselves. Well no, so here,
(10:17):
here's the thing in terms of the Bucks, right, we
can sit here and say, oh, well, if Giannis comes
with the list, they have to respect it and whatnot.
What if the Bucks behind the scenes are just like, well,
we tried to make everything work, but now we have
to think of ourselves and they just kind of put
it out there.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
They put the word out.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Brian, whoever gets us our effing picks back gets Yannis.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Is that like a thing that could happen? Is that like?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Because I think at this point, when you have Gianni's
freaking out to the Koombu, that's when you have a luxury.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Like that's when I as.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
An organization would basically tell the teams calling saying Hey,
you know what, this is a race whoever gets us
our picks back so we control our own future and
our own destiny. Yeah, then let's talk you win exclusive
negotiation rights, yeah, or some or you know something along
those lines.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
I mean, it's interesting since they're technically they're they're uncertain
which ones like right now. You know, Atlanta gets the
better of Milwaukee's pick and New Orleans pick this year,
and Milwaukee has the worst of the two, so like
they might not have to do anything and they'll get
their own pick this year potentially, or I mean right,
(11:38):
you know, they could also win the lottery and win
the number one pick and then Atlanta get gets that
pick instead. In twenty twenty seven, New Orleans gets the
more favorable of the Pelicans pick and the Bucks pick,
and Atlanta gets the less favorable of the two. So
because of that New Orleans Atlanta trade in particular, you know,
it's harder for them to get control of all of
(12:00):
their draft capitol back at once if anything. Like you
pointed this out in your article Portland having control, they've
got I believe swap rights in twenty thirty they have
Oh boy, side note, thank you to whoever writes, these
(12:21):
real GM blurbs. You are doing the lord's work because
these are so complicated at this point. But yeah, twenty
twenty nine, Portland gets the most and least favorable of
its own pick, Boston's pick, and Milwaukee's pick, and twenty
twenty eight, I don't even know it's either going to
Portland or Washington.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Right, Yeah, no, we're reaching a point that was tough
for me too. Yeah, there are so many of these
picks on the move that even spot Track, a site
that you and I use religiously, where I'm like, I
don't understand what is told.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I don't know where this is going.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
But then I know, yes, I like I'm a smart person,
but I fail to comprehend what exactly is the pick
breakdown on that particular situation. So like, yeah, no, but
I just think it's it's like an interesting perspective of
being the Bucks because like in theory, you should be
able to basically say, well, if you want an MVP
(13:26):
caliber player, we are going to set a very specific price,
and we can get that price. I guess I sort
of get that approach if they go about it. But
you're right, there are so many different avenues to this
the you know, the Blazers are probably in the driver's
seat if they want to be, because they also have Danny,
who's like, on, well are we there is see all
(13:49):
the league's best non rookie you know, non max contract.
Is he just on the best contract?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
I mean it's either Ham or Jalen Johnson. And just
because he's being paid less, like he's putting up all
star caliber numbers at.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Million half of Jalen Johnston even that's.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Yeah, which which will complicate things in the future for them.
But there are ways around.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
That, right, for example, the league actually going in and
speaking to the players union and fixing this thing that
we've been bitching about for seven years.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I was gonna say, just to renegotiate and extent.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
But either way, sure, Okay, I want credit, I want
this podcast rule.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah. I mean the other thing from the Bucks perspective, like,
I agree with you, they don't have to abide by
Jannis's list. But Yiannis can become a free agent in
twenty twenty seven, So that is the power that he wields. Yeah,
he can start signaling like you can trade for me,
(14:50):
but I'm not going to resign with you in twenty
twenty seven, and that will be to deter other teams
from going with these all in offers for him, you
know that said we saw Toronto make a gamble with
Kawhi Leonard a decade ago where they had no assurance
that he was going to sign with them. They didn't
give up a massive haul or anything, especially in retrospect,
like it was DeMar DeRozan. I think Yakam Purtle was
(15:14):
in that trade as well. I think maybe one first
round pick. So like that's where I think it gets
tricky in terms of compensation. Like I saw Howard Beck
the other day on the Low Post podcast or whatever
it's called now, said like he's not sure that teams
are lining up with these like massive four first round
(15:34):
pick offers that we've been seeing for superstars in recent years.
I kind of get it from those teams perspective, Like
I think the Clippers and Sixers this year. I read
about this at Forbes recently, like they are kind of
showing the risk of doing these types of trades because
it's just with title windows shortening around the league, it's
(15:57):
becoming much harder to project like to seven years out.
So when the Sixers traded a you know, a twenty
twenty five pick in twenty twenty just to get off
of Al Horford's contract. They're not thinking like, oh, we're
going to have to suck so badly that we tank
at the end of the season to protect that pick
from going to OKAC, which is exactly what happened. Like
(16:19):
the Clippers when they, you know, trade for Paul George
and to sign Kawhi Leonard in twenty nineteen, they're not thinking, oh, well,
in twenty twenty six, we're gonna get risk of giving
up the number one overall pick to Okay. See, but
here we are. So you know, I think teams might
be reluctant to include these like distant twenty thirty, twenty
(16:39):
thirty one, twenty thirty two picks. So maybe this is
more of a like player centered trade where Atlanta or sorry,
Milwaukee is getting back, you know, a legit like blue
trip player. And I think there are enough teams. You know,
you named a bunch of them in your article, whether
(17:00):
it's Atlanta either with Trey or Jalen Johnson. If you're Milwaukee,
you're asking for Jalen Johnson first. You know, San Antonio obviously,
like any of Castle, Harper, Fox doesn't make quite as
much sense from a timeline perspective. You know, Houston, Reed, Shepherd, Shengoon,
and Thompson like those are the types of names that
(17:24):
you should at least you know when you when you
open those conversations with teams like that's the bar they
need to clear. And I think there are enough teams
with prospects like that that they might be able to
clear it.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
It's interesting. It's it's super interesting. I agree with you.
It's that it could be player oriented. I think the
Bucks will at least just to save save face is
probably the wrong phrasing, but like, I do think some
draft equity will be attached. But due to the complexity
of the nature of like any team getting gone is
I think the Bucks would also prioritize, you know, team
(17:59):
picks that are outside of the control of the team
acquiring Giannis, if that makes sense. I mean, because if
you trade Giannis to San Antonio and you'll get the
Spurs' own pick, it's going to be ridiculously low. It's
probably gonna be in the bottom twenty five of the
(18:20):
first round. But if you get like well, they've used
most of them, But like if you get Hawks, the
Hawks pick from from the Spurs for example, well that
has a bigger chance of converting into being a good pick.
So so many avenues to consider. Here, we're gonna take
a short commercial break and then we're gonna be right
(18:40):
back by talking about Anthony Davis.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
So, Brian Anthony Davis.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I've spoken about him at length overall in my Danish
pod because I have this bonus pick with this whole situation.
Whenever we see, you know, Anthony Davis trades from like
major outlets, be that the Ringer, ESPN or whatever, it's
always like, oh, here's a bunch of guys and here
are two draft picks where I'm like, what are we
(19:09):
doing here? It's it's almost been a year since he
was traded, right, we're approaching it. At least he's played
nineteen games for the Dallas Mavericks after this year, let
alone this year, where he has fifty four million in salary,
he has over one hundred and eleven million left on
(19:30):
his deal for two additional seasons after this year. One
of itch is a player option. I've even seen people
online be like, well, he might not pick up his
player option twenty seven to twenty eight. Dude, it's sixty
three million. Yeah, he's picking that shit up talking about
but I mean, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
What's scarier? I think? I mean, I completely agree, and
I think with Scarier from the team's perspective, that might
be acquiring him. All of the insiders are saying that
Rich Paul is going to push for a contract extension
wherever he lands up, and like, I mean, if it's like,
(20:13):
you know, you're going to take a twenty million dollar
play cut pay cut per year, that might be something
I would be amenable to. But if he thinks he's
still a max contract player, a thirty five percent of
the salary cap player at the stage of his career
given his availability issues, I would have no interest in
trading for Anthony Davis if I thought he wants a
(20:36):
thirty five percent max Like, that's as plain as simple
as I can say.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
It, right, And this is basically where I end up too.
So it's not just the salary.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
It's the fact that his lack of availability is a
huge concern. He's going to be thirty three in March.
It's it's the compound, what do you what do you
call it? Like compounding factors of all the three right,
it's it's it's threefold, like people are always looking at
it like it's Anthony Davis. Sure, but it's not like
he has one argument against him. He has three, and
(21:09):
all of them are just major, major counter arguments in
a way, because this is thirty five percent of the
cap this year, thirty five point two percent of the
cap next year if he picks up his player option,
thirty six percent of the cap. Because you know when
you signed it, and you don't even know when the
CBA thing's come in, like you, the thirty five percent
of the cap is the max starting point, but then
(21:30):
it can actually increase depending on expectations. That said, it's
like it is the most expensive percentage of the cap
a player can earn. And he might play in what
see I was about to say jokingly, Well, he might
play in twenty five percent of your games. That'd be
(21:50):
optimistic given where he is sat right now.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
I mean he's been at like heidd forty and twenty one,
twenty two, fifty six, twenty two, twenty three, seventy six
and twenty three, twenty four and then fifty one last year,
is at ten this year, so reasonably, I think you
you hope or expect for anywhere between forty to fifty
anything beyond that as a bonus. But that is not
(22:14):
a player that you can pay a thirty five percent
max too. If you're gonna you're baking in. He's going
to miss at least thirty games per year and all.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
That, right right, It's yeah to me, it's I'm removing
the picks. That's what it is, coming down to it.
I'm just removing the picks. I'm not going into a
situation with Anthony Davis where I'm saying, oh, I'm gonna
acquire a soon to be thirty three year old who's
(22:42):
barely on the floor and who's earning literally the most
you can possibly earn. Oh and by the way, in
order to achieve that, I'm going to relinquish draft equity
moving forward. So the trade I came up with in
a different Yahoo piece that was actually with the Bulls
because the Bulls have these strictly expiring contracts, and I
did get some comments where it was like, you know,
(23:06):
only expirings, Frankston Davis, Yes.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
That's a good deal for Dallas.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
That's like, I'm not even trying to front, Like Nicole,
I think I said Vooch, Sat Collins and Kevin Herder
for Davis and Jaden Hardy. I think because that was
that worked, that's not a bad deal. The Mavericks get
out of that contract immediately, immediately, Brian, Financially speaking, it's
(23:33):
a win.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
I can see why there would be some push back
to that, just because none of those guys project as
like long term pieces at all. Like that's effectively just
Anthony Davis salary.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Don all right, Sure, then expand the trade and add
you know, Noah Sink or something.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Right, but like or, I mean, would you include Kobe White?
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Dude?
Speaker 1 (23:56):
What is the odds? What are the odds of him
staying in Chicago? Anyway?
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Sure, if you want, yeah, then I think that makes
it more interesting if you're willing to include Kobe White
or yeah, I say, I know he's done for you.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I mean I did, I did.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I did make the argument though, that Kobe White would
be more you know, probably more inclined to resign with
the Bulls if Davis was there. But like, my point
is that it's having just expiring contracts for a guy
who's that not that old, but that injury throne. That
was the word I was looking for.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
M h. It's just a safe.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Bet all round. Yeah, like the Bulls were taking on
the risk. We're just using the Bulls as a placeholder
here because they have the expiring contracts. I know there
are more teams that have expiring contracts, but who are
the team, Like, who are the people taking the risk?
It's the it's the people taking on anything Davis's contract.
So like, I just that the picks. So what is
(24:52):
like your pain threshold in terms of Davis you think
that he does he is good enough to warrant like
a young player.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, I think like one intriguing young player. I'm not
like an I'm and Thompson or even I mean, I've
seen like people mention him with the spurs and frankly,
I just hate that idea. I think we've talked about
this a lot with I mean, they're gonna have their
pick of the litter with stars, like, do not waste
(25:23):
your contracts on someone who does not fit the timeline
and does not fit with the core. And like frankly,
you know they have Harrison Barnes is expiring, Kelly Lenox expiring,
So that's thirty two and a half million throwing Keldon Johnson.
You're getting close already, but like I would rather just
have Harrison Barnes and Kelton Johnson, both of because those
(25:44):
guys are playing well and fitting well with san Antonio.
Like I actually I don't see a trade for san
Antonio in particular that makes sense for them. I mean Portland,
I guess Jeremy Grant and stuff. Jeremy Grant, time lord, sure,
(26:05):
and like, would you okay here here, okay, okay, okay,
here we go?
Speaker 1 (26:11):
All right, all right, I like this, Yes.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
What do you do from either side? Jeremy Grant either
time lord? I mean, they don't need another center because well,
I guess they do because Eric Gliveleys are.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Actually let me just let me just go to the
page the placers page on scruck. Yes, go ahead, Jeremy Grant.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Jeremy Grant, time lord. Who is an expiring contract right now?
Derrick Fiveley's hurt, so they end they're trading away Anthony Davis,
so they would presumably want another center. And would you
include Scoot Henderson in that trade? Oh see, I told
(26:50):
you it was interesting.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
That is It is interesting because whenever you get those
type of sounds out of me. That means it's interesting. Yes,
he has, so we don't really know how year three
Scoot is looking. But like the injury in and of itself,
the fact that he's missed so long is also a.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Little bit concerning.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
But he didn't really look that great last year. He
didn't take that leap that we all expected him to.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
He came into his own toward the end of the year.
But up for an extension after this year, right, Well,
you're you've got to make a commitment one or the other.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I'm inclined to say no, But at the same time,
I also understand that again it's the allure, right of
Vagncine Davis.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
It's the allure. But you know what, I'm going to
stick to my guns.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
No, Yeah, I mean I agree because I don't know
how he fits with Klingen, right, and I like that.
That's where I think it gets tricky. It's like, try
to find the team that needs Anthony Davis and has
the contracts to make it work. You can find one
or the other, like Detroit, No, I'm in Milwaukee's desperate
(27:59):
enough to do any thing, but oh god, oh no,
like when they do Miles Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Ryan
Rollins or Kevin Porter Junior for him.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Hmm, like moving those pieces, Like wouldn't you want like
all well, pivoting off Kuzma. Yeah, just getting off Kuzma
is an acid itself, so probably yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
And he's also just like that's the salary you'd have
to include because otherwise, Yeah, I mean, I guess they're
far enough under Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I think it
would have to be something along those lines. So like
I don't think I guess Turner Portis' was ad making
(28:47):
fifty four. Yeah, Turner Portis is about thirty nine. Add
in Ryan Rollins forty three?
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Really because you really want to Rolls.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
No, No, I don't, But that's I mean that, like,
I mean, the Mavericks are not going to say yes
to anything. They're not going to say yes to just
Miles Joner and Kyleskusma, I hope for their sake, and
I think it's it's interesting from the perspective of this
is why I think, among the many reasons why I
(29:22):
think they have to fire at Nico Harrison, because he
makes that trade last year and like he would not
be willing to do any of the deals that we
have just floated out there. He would be asking for
these plus two or three first round picks because he
needs to save face. They don't have that need.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Anymore saving face trades. I love him right, like to.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
You know, you use the word compounding mistakes or compounding
problems earlier, like this is where the Mavericks have to decide,
like do we are we fine taking a loss but
a potential loss on both ends of this trade. We
are going to trade away the best prep player in
this trade both times. And we're like, this is what
(30:08):
we're gonna have in return, and I think it's it's
gonna be a tough sell. Like whatever they get for Ad,
it's that plus Max Christie plus one first round pick
for Luka Doncic, Like right, it's funny because Kyle Kuzma
Ryan rollins Max Christie in one first round pick for
Luca like that, you would get fired immediately and he did.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
It's funny because my my co host on my Danish pod,
we discussed this today earlier and he made the same point.
Just you have to look at collectively what the package
for Lukadanci is going to be, because that is going
to be the optics. Yeah, and it's it's absolutely true. God,
are they in a dumb spot. And it's entirely self inflicted.
(30:48):
So I'm not even gonna sit there and go, oh,
poor Dallas Mavericks. No, I'm gonna say, poor Dallas Mavericks fans,
the organization and of itself. I'm laughing on the inside
because this is just so dumb. Everything has been so
incomprehensibly stupid. And then everything has been said by the
lottery just winning Cooper Flag, like oh yeah, all right, yeah,
(31:10):
ye oh boy, all right. Well, we'll be right back
after a couple of commercials, and we're gonna be talking
about the point guard field, and that is going to
be the last subject on today's pot. John Morant, Brian,
let's start here. I know, the Rockets apparently are not
(31:32):
interested in acquiring John Morant, despite the fact that they
lost Fred VanVleet for the season to an ACL tear.
And I'm like, at that point where if it seemed
that is basically playing without a point guard or saying well,
you know what, we're fine, We've rather play without a
point guard than have you John Morant, that is a
(31:55):
pretty big sign that the trade value is not where
it's supposed to be. Is that the kind way of
saying it, or should we just say it like it
is and say, if you're a noted assholes, probably difficult
to find a new home.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, I mean, not a great start to the season
for John Morant, shooting a career worst thirty five point
nine percent overall, sixteen point seven percent from three point range,
effectively quiet quit on his team, threw his coaches under
the bus, got suspended. You know, it's it's a shame
because like a couple of years ago, you know, this
(32:34):
guy was a locked in All Star, made the All
NBA team in twenty one twenty two. The suspension happens.
I believe at the end of the twenty two to
twenty three season, he gets hurt. In the following year,
misses most of the game, and it just feels like
he has not ever since that big suspension, Like his
career has just been off the rails for now kind
(32:55):
of like two plus years. Yeah, And so I mean, no,
I think I would bet there is at least one
team out there that gambles and says he just needs
to change your scenery and he can get back to
what he was.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Before depending on the price, right, right, right.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
But the concern is, like, he is not a great
three point shooter and has never been a great three
point shooter, And what happens if or when he loses
half a step, Like that's his athleticism, much like Derek
Rose back in the day, much like John Waller back
in the day. Like his athleticism is what makes him special.
So when that starts to fade, he's gonna unless he
(33:33):
evolves his game, which is still within the realm of possibility.
But he could have a steeper drive.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Well, I mean I was I was waiting for you
to say that, because you've actually said this before, and
every time you said it, like I've actually gone with
the flow, like yeah, sure, I could see it now
though I'm I'm maybe I'm being too harsh. But if
we're being really, really tough about this and also on it,
(34:01):
what have we seen in terms of like major area
components of improvement from John Moran since he entered the league. Yes,
he's been able to increase his shot volume and maintain
a certain level of his scoring efficiency along at the rim,
which is tied heavily to your point about his athleticism.
But what have we really seen? Have we seen improved defense?
(34:24):
Not particularly have we seen improved three point shooting? Don't
make me laugh, like we have we seen improved leadership?
Game of just how I am laughing? Like, what have
we actually seen from him that should give you and
me or anyone else this idea that oh yeah, there's
something left to squeeze out right.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
I'm not saying he will improve, no, I know.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
I know, but I'm just based on what we've seen
in his career so far, and like this is your.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Seven seventh yep, yeah, yeah, that's a fair question, is point?
I mean, like I'm thinking to it. You know a
Jason Kidd who like was such a non shooter early
in his career and then added that to his game
and lengthen his career a lot. But right, I think
that is one of the big concerns with Jaws, Like
how much I mean, I'm not in the grizzly locker room.
(35:18):
I don't want to like question.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
And you're supposed to say I don't want to be.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
But like how much does he love the game? How
much does he care about the game, Like, does he
have does he have a solid head on his shoulders
and does he have the right type of people around
him to help him dig his way out of what
he's put himself into over the last couple of years.
I think that without knowing the specifics, it seems like
(35:47):
that is an open question around the league and kind
of like the big unspoken question around him, right And
I think that's what that's what will make other teams
nervous about trading him, because that's the type of intel
that you know. It's hard to know until you make
the trade, but it's a pretty big gamble unless the
(36:10):
cost is lower than what his resume would suggest.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
So we're in agreement that the trade value for jah
Morand is not particularly big. Then we were talking about
some other point guards trade on. For example, the Hawks
have played very very well without him. It's become pretty
clear that Jalen Johnson is the team's best player.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
Now.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
I don't want to throw Trey under the bus and say, oh,
they're automatically better without him, because there's also a playoff
component that I think we're sort of missing with him.
He does have a tendency to play well in the playoffs.
I don't think that is something that should be disregarded
also the playmaking. You know, there is going to be
a need for multiple playmakers. You know, if you run
every thing through Jalen Johnson, eventually that is going to
(37:02):
catch up to the entire team. That said, I am wondering,
given what we've seen so far, if there are different
different ways you can allocate forty six million dollars of salary,
which is what job wow Trey Young is concerning.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
In order to improve the team.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Like, so, what I'm really asking Brian in a roundabout way,
is Trey Young worth forty six million to the specifically
to the Atlanta Hawks.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
I don't think so. Yeah, I mean it's based on
the like early chatter, it doesn't sound like he's gonna
have a as robust of a trade or as a
free agent market as you would expect for a player
like him, which is, you know, like typically a player
like Trey Young just doesn't hit the market at all anymore, Right,
(37:56):
A multi time All Star, former All NBA guy like that.
It's very very rare for a player of his caliber,
especially at his age, like Paul George did a couple
of years ago, because he was thirty four and the
Clippers didn't want to pay him for four years. Like Trey
Young is smacktab in his prime, but the Hawks did
not want to sign him to an extension before the season,
which you know, you could potentially explain away like, Okay,
(38:20):
maybe they want to see how much Dice and Daniels
gets and then you can pencil that into your long
term budget and like see how Christops fits and if
you want to commit more long term money to him,
which you know, it seems like he's still dealing with
his health stuff from last year, so I don't think
the price tag is going to be super big there.
So you know, I think the Hawks are frankly the
(38:41):
if not the most interesting team ahead of the trade deadline,
one of them because Trey should be back, you know,
I think in the next couple of weeks, so that
will hopefully give them a month or so to see
how he fits with the rest of this cores. You know,
ni Alexander Walker has been phenomenal season like Jalen Consen's breakout,
(39:01):
you know, is the is the thing drawing headlines. But
like Nikhil Alexander Walker, what a find.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
For them, such a huge loss from many too.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Yeah, So you know, I think if it was only
Jalen Johnson's emergence, that would be one thing. But now
between Jalen Johnson and Nikiel thriving in these bigger roles.
You know, Trey went into the season saying like he
doesn't need to be this helio centric guard, Like he
wants to have other guys to take more of the
(39:34):
offense from him. He just didn't have that in previous years.
So when he comes back, I want to see that
in action. And if he can't do that, then we
arrive at the point of like, well, yeah, then they
just gotta trade him for whatever they can because there's
or you know, yeah, or you just get like maybe
(39:56):
you just gamble that he's not gonna have the market
that he thinks, and he's will and take a shorter
term deal with you and resetted market next year.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
Let's wrap up with one final point guard here, a
guy who has certainly not said anything of the sword
in terms of oh, I'll like, I haven't had the personnel,
so I will I will dedicate myself to this la
middle ball, a player who is just like wants to
be president of the United States and wants to you know,
(40:24):
take weird ass shots while doing so. I guess it's
what the hell is that situation? Pray, because now they
got Conkinible in there, who is looking like the rookie
of the year. He's phenomenal. It feels like he is
such a safe player. And I mean that in the
best way possible, Like the floor of Conkinibble is pretty high,
(40:48):
and like you feel safe with the ball in his hands,
You feel certain with the ball in his hands. Him
as a decision maker, you'd like it. You'd like the
way that he conducts himself, scoring wise. Everything about him
just screams stability. And then there's a contrast of LaMelo
ball and also Miles Breeches for that matter. But let's
put a site knowing that LaMelo, who's just like all
(41:09):
over the place have been for years. He's also in
and out of the lineup constantly, right, right, is it
just time to pull the damn plug on that project?
Speaker 3 (41:21):
I imagine of the three LaMelo, Trey and Jah, LaMelo
will have the highest trade value, but that is a
very relative term. Like I also do not think there
are going to be a ton of teams super excited
to pay LaMelo ball one hundred and thirty million dollars
over the next three years, which is what he's being o.
(41:43):
It's only twenty five percent max. So going back to
your point earlier about ad like twenty five percent versus
thirty five percent, there is a big difference there. But yeah,
like I mean it's year six of his career. He's
had chronic ankle injuries, been in out of lineup for
now four seasons. We still it's like a chicken or
the egg thing, Like do the Hornets like is he
(42:04):
putting up big stats on a bad Hornets team? Is
he a good staff bad team player? Or are the
Hornets bad because they are relying on him as much
as they are? And like, do you know, I think
there's still a question of like how much does he
meaningfully contribute to winning basketball? And that's a harsh thing
(42:26):
to say, but like his shot selection is terrible, he'd
been very uninterested in defense a lot of the time.
Great scorer, great passer. No, his three point percentage has
dropped each of the past five seasons. Now he's got
almost thirty nine percent of the sophomore he's down a
twenty eight point five percent this year. Was it thirty
three point nine last year?
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Can we just say there's no fun Max about lamental ball.
Speaker 3 (42:53):
I mean, you know, like back back with Steph was
really starting to take you and I were like, I
just want to see this dude shoot, you know, like
this was yeah. I mean he started eventually taking eleven
twelve threes a game, but it was like early and
his rise were like, this guy just needs to jack
(43:13):
even more threes than he already is. LaMelo took that
message to heart and probably should not have because he
is taking ten or eleven threes a game and probably
like we need to mix in. I mean, doesn't really
draw us town of free throws. Like it's been under
five free throw times per game for his entire career
and each every season of his career, which is not
(43:36):
ideal for a lead guard. So yeah, I mean, like
I get the impression that Charlotte's coaching staff just does
not really like LaMelo all that much. I mean they've
benched him a couple times, notably, and there was one
game I believe against Toronto where they did that and
(43:56):
then came back in the fourth quarter and actually won
in overtime. It was just like a oh, they they
realize they have other options now, So yeah, yeah, I
mean I think if they can get a decent hal
for LaMelo, if nothing else, they should be exploring his
market for sure.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
Right if there is one.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
And that's wild to say, but I mean he's also
something that that dawned on me. He's in his six year.
I feel like he's sort of newer commodity than John Moraine.
But they're only like there's one season splitting them. Yeah,
but he's just played so little that you feel like, oh,
he's a new player. He's really not.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
Right. Well, that's where you know, it's just hard to
find teams that are desperate enough to make any of
these moves, Like Milwaukee was the one because Jannie is
going to ask out otherwise, or it is very likely
to ask out otherwise, Like Sacramento is willing to shuffle
the deck. But right, okay, you're gonna trade football and
put them on the Sacha Batto Kings, like you're gonna
(45:03):
run into the same exact problems that you've had on
the Hornets. I mean, right, yeah, the Clippers are struggling
this year, but I don't think LaMelo ball solves any
of their problems. If anything, he just makes them worse
they've got. Harden is a great playmaker, but LaMelo and
Hardened in the same backcourt is not going to fix
your terrible defense. Minnesota, I guess is the one that's
(45:23):
been hunting for a point guard. But I don't know
it just Mello, Yeah right, Yeah, it's got to be
Randaller Gobert going out.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Oh wow. I mean I'm shipping go Bear out for
LaMelo a any day of the week.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
But still, yeah, it's just hard to find. And maybe
the Pelicans could we get like a LaMelo Zion swap.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
All types of nastiness there. Yeah it.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
I don't know. I mean, it's it's just hard to
find teams for any of these three, which is again
a wild thing to say about them, but it's hard
to marry their contract, the need for those players, and
then also what it would likely cost to acquire them.
I guess Miami, maybe if if they strike out on
(46:12):
your honest maybe they'll get desperate to do something silly.
Speaker 2 (46:17):
Brian sp Pork, thank you so much for joining the show.
We went through a bunch of trade candidates, some more
attractive than others.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Let's just prove.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
And sorry, is there something that you are working on
that you would like to bestow upon us before you leave.
Speaker 3 (46:35):
Yeah, I'd say my big, big personal news recently is
that I am at on SI Now. The Sixers on
s I site will be the home of all my
Sixers content moving forward, so I'll use six Ers sikos
out there. If you still follow the team, may God
have mercy on your soul, but please please follow me
over there. Austin Krell, who many of Sixers folks know,
(46:59):
had been on the beat prickle years and I are
going to be covering the team over there. So that's
that's the exciting news. But I'll still be at Forbes
Silver Screening Roll fan sided, still still got my my
toes and a bunch of different places, and we need
to talk sometime more. You need to get you me
and Dan on yeah, because it's been a while. We
(47:21):
we did a five year redraft at BR recently and
I went on Hardwood Knocks with Grant and with the
other drafters, but we got Dan and I in particular
are now in a blood feud about Jalen Johnson versus
Palo Boncaro because I took as you know, I took
Jalen Johnson, head of Palo Boncaro right, which Dan took
(47:44):
great offense to.
Speaker 1 (47:47):
But I will know Jalen Johnson, yes better.
Speaker 3 (47:50):
Well. ESPN just put out there twenty five hundred twenty
five today. I guess who's ahead of Palo Boncaro.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
As you should be, j Jalen much this better. So
Dan was caping for Eastern Conference to Martin.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
Rosen, he sure was yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
I love Dan, but Jesus sir, okay.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
I know, wow, yeah wow. We maybe maybe have us
on the three of Us get because we've got a
couple other fun, fun NBA projects coming out in the
next two weeks. So yeah, say clue to Bleacher Report
as well. I will not spoil what they are, but
things along that ILK.
Speaker 2 (48:29):
That sounds awesome And for everyone listening in, thank you
for doing so. Until we talk again, have a good
one and stay safe everyone,
Hi, and welcome to the NBA Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
My name is Morten Jensen, and today we'll be discussing
trades because it's December twelfth as we're recording this, which
means December fifteenth is creeping up and that is a
very special day in the NBA trading calendar. And to
help me through that entire podcast, I have my good
(00:40):
friend ed buddy, Brian Saporik, who can tell all of
you wonderful listeners why December fifteenth is so important.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yes, well, glad to be back, as always, glad to
be seated. We've got unofficial start to trade season on Monday,
which you know, I feel like so. Keith Smith of
spot Track pointed out that we have had at least
one trade early on before, Like you know, most of
the activity is going to happen right at the trade
(01:12):
deadliner in a few days before, but we've had at
least one early on. The reason December fifteenth is the
unofficial start is that players who signed with teams in
free agency this past offseason, in most instances, become trade
eligible on December fifteenth. There are a few exceptions. Chief
among them this year is Jonathan Kaminga. He will not
(01:34):
be eligible until January fifteenth. There are a few other
notable names, Quentin Grimes. I believe Giddy as well, if
I remember correctly, Not that the Bulls are looking to
move off of him, but so most most guys will
be eligible December fifteenth. I think the thing you know again,
I'm not expecting Giannis to get traded on Monday, Anthony
Davis to get traded on Monday. Don't think we're going
(01:56):
to see a big blockbuster on Monday. But the one
thing I do think is worth noting, and we saw
this last year with the Warriors. There's a new rule
in the new CBA that if a player gets traded
on or before December sixteenth, you can aggregate him again
in a trade before the deadline. Typically you have to
(02:16):
wait two months to aggregate a contract with another contract
after you acquire a player if you're over the salary cap.
That will not be the case if you acquire someone
before December sixteenth. So it wouldn't shock me if we
actually do see one or two small trades on Monday,
because the Warriors did this with Dennis Shruder last year,
acquired him on December fifteenth and then ended up using
(02:38):
his contract in the massive deal that got them Jimmy Butler.
So I think they actually gave other teams a blueprint
to follow. I know Chris Paul has come up as
one such candidate since he had his very awkward divorce
from the Clippers recently. But that's what I'm keeping an
eye on over the next week. If teams make some
(03:00):
sort of smaller moves. And then we dropped the Brian
Whinhorst meme of like what are they actually planning here?
Like are these guys going to be here beyond February
fifth or is this just stepway in a two step
move to get a bigger name?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yes, so December sixteenth is also a date to just
note in the back of my our minds collective NBA minds.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yes, yes, yes, so.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
We are going to be talking about some of the
bigger names, Brian, just in terms of who is on
the radar of potentially getting moved. Now we know Anthony Davis,
we know Jannis is being brought up. Although there's also
a point to be made in regards specifically about Giannis
as to moving him in the off season might be
(03:50):
preferable for the Bucks because there should be more opportunities
you do won't have to be fearful of roster allocations
because in the off season you can carry twenty players.
So if you want to swing some type of five
for one deal, that is something you can do in
the summer, you.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Probably can't do it here.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I just wrote a major piece over at Yahoo Sports
where I was asked to send Giannis everywhere, literally every day.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
That was That was the assignment I got.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
And by the way, Brian, just before I go into that,
can I just compliment NBA fans, not a single death
threat yet It's been out for like four days. I
have yet to receive a single death threat for that article.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
To be clear, did you post it on Blue Sky
and Twitter or only on Blue Sky?
Speaker 2 (04:41):
No?
Speaker 1 (04:41):
But no.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
See this is where it gets extra extra cool because
Yahoo Sports put it, put it up on their socials
and even like you know, attached my name, like they
made me a collaborate on Instagram for example, so like
everyone could just go there and give me death threats,
but they didn't. No one has sent me me death
threats yet. Like it's coming eventually, obviously it's inevitable, but
(05:05):
like so far four days in none good on U
and b fans, thank you.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Are we reaching a healthier internet after all these years?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
So that'd be wonderful. No.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
But the point was that during that article, when I
wrote all those trades, I had to consider roster spots,
and basically whenever I sent five players to Milwaukee, I
felt like, Okay, then I have to send four at
least four players the other direction. Because I gave it
like a one player like buffer. You can waigh someone
(05:40):
like that's fine. You won't have those same concerns in
the summer. So let's start with the honest. Do you
think there is a chance that he is going to
be moved before the trade deadline?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
I certainly think there's a chance, but I agree with
you it feels more likely during the off season beyond
just the roster but situation. A lot of teams are
hard capped right now, so they are those restrictions that
you'd have to work around, Like teams over either the
first or second apron can't take back more money than
they stand out. So a couple teams are like really
(06:14):
pressed tight against those margins. I mean, you know, the
Knicks in particular, since they keep coming up as like
Giannis really wants to go to the Knicks. Well, they're
already they are hard capped at the second apron, so
are already well above the first apron. So they can't
take back more money than to sandout. And they only
have one forty eight thousand dollars under the second apron
(06:37):
right now. So even if they swung like a two
for one or a three for one deal for your
honest in which they took back less money, they would
need to leave themselves in enough room under the second
apron such that they could sign players to fill the
roster spots right that they would open up. So those
are some complications. The Warriors are another one. They're only
two hundred and sixty four thousand under the second eight.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Brian, Oh, I'll keep you the most complicated that because
I wrote that the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's just not happening.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
There's there's no way.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I basically said the best trade none, none, because they're
twenty two million over the second apron. The Bucks are
seventeen point something below the first apron. So like if
you had to make it a one to one deal
like a or you know, a single team, single team trade.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
There's just no way, you couldn't.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
You couldn't make it happen because the highest salary they
had was forty six point three million, and Giannis is
like at fifty four. There are so many restrictions in
trading Gianis at this point, it's pretty insane.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
And I think especially since the Bucks, I mean, I
guess they technically get the worst of their pick versus
the Pelicans pick this year, they don't have control over
their draft pick next year. They've traded away a couple
future first as well, so like they don't have you know,
if they trade be honest, they don't have incentive to
(08:04):
just like do what the Nets are doing, or do
what the Wizard's doing and just like completely go full
youth movement and we're just going to tank for a
really high draft pick because you aren't, you know, you're
going to be giving that draft pick potentially to Atlanta
or New Orleans or Portland. So if they're not getting
those picks back in a honest deal, you know, I
(08:24):
think they would want more certainty in terms of which
picks they are getting, which is another reason you do
this type of deal in the offseason ahead of the draft.
You know, the Hawks, I know are probably the one
team that they're going to come up a lot in
this discussion since they do control the twenty twenty six
Bucks Pelicans pick. Like, you know, right now, the Pelicans
(08:47):
look terrible and it looks like that's going to be
at worst a top five, top six pick. But the
Pelicans did just win last night. I mean, Derek Queen
is really starting to come into his own. Jeremiah for
you has also been really good lately. They honestly kind
of look better without Zion, which is a separate topic
of discussion. But you know, there's no guarantee, especially since
(09:11):
other teams like the Wizards ohe their top eight protected
pick I believe to the Knicks, and then Jazz oh
their top eight protected pick to Oka see like those teams,
I mean, the Wizards are down in the water. If
the Jazz fall out of the playoff race, like those
teams are going to have clear incentive to finish with
a bottom four record in the NBA. So I think,
(09:35):
like the Pelican point being Pelicans, that looks like a
top five, top six pick right now, it might not be.
And I think you know that the Bucks are going
to want to see how this lottery plays out in
particular and see if they can get a top three,
top four pick for Giannis given the caliber of names
projected to be at the top of this draft class.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I wonder, Brian, because we've talked about Gianni's before you,
and it's just in terms of like trade parameters. And
then we've been told off by the way on different
social right because this is not happening. Gianna is staying
and we've been quietly laughing amongst ourselves. Well no, so here,
(10:17):
here's the thing in terms of the Bucks, right, we
can sit here and say, oh, well, if Giannis comes
with the list, they have to respect it and whatnot.
What if the Bucks behind the scenes are just like, well,
we tried to make everything work, but now we have
to think of ourselves and they just kind of put
it out there.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
They put the word out.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Brian, whoever gets us our effing picks back gets Yannis.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Is that like a thing that could happen? Is that like?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Because I think at this point, when you have Gianni's
freaking out to the Koombu, that's when you have a luxury.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Like that's when I as.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
An organization would basically tell the teams calling saying Hey,
you know what, this is a race whoever gets us
our picks back so we control our own future and
our own destiny. Yeah, then let's talk you win exclusive
negotiation rights, yeah, or some or you know something along
those lines.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
I mean, it's interesting since they're technically they're they're uncertain
which ones like right now. You know, Atlanta gets the
better of Milwaukee's pick and New Orleans pick this year,
and Milwaukee has the worst of the two, so like
they might not have to do anything and they'll get
their own pick this year potentially, or I mean right,
(11:38):
you know, they could also win the lottery and win
the number one pick and then Atlanta get gets that
pick instead. In twenty twenty seven, New Orleans gets the
more favorable of the Pelicans pick and the Bucks pick,
and Atlanta gets the less favorable of the two. So
because of that New Orleans Atlanta trade in particular, you know,
it's harder for them to get control of all of
(12:00):
their draft capitol back at once if anything. Like you
pointed this out in your article Portland having control, they've
got I believe swap rights in twenty thirty they have
Oh boy, side note, thank you to whoever writes, these
(12:21):
real GM blurbs. You are doing the lord's work because
these are so complicated at this point. But yeah, twenty
twenty nine, Portland gets the most and least favorable of
its own pick, Boston's pick, and Milwaukee's pick, and twenty
twenty eight, I don't even know it's either going to
Portland or Washington.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Right, Yeah, no, we're reaching a point that was tough
for me too. Yeah, there are so many of these
picks on the move that even spot Track, a site
that you and I use religiously, where I'm like, I
don't understand what is told.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I don't know where this is going.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
But then I know, yes, I like I'm a smart person,
but I fail to comprehend what exactly is the pick
breakdown on that particular situation. So like, yeah, no, but
I just think it's it's like an interesting perspective of
being the Bucks because like in theory, you should be
able to basically say, well, if you want an MVP
(13:26):
caliber player, we are going to set a very specific price,
and we can get that price. I guess I sort
of get that approach if they go about it. But
you're right, there are so many different avenues to this
the you know, the Blazers are probably in the driver's
seat if they want to be, because they also have Danny,
who's like, on, well are we there is see all
(13:49):
the league's best non rookie you know, non max contract.
Is he just on the best contract?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
I mean it's either Ham or Jalen Johnson. And just
because he's being paid less, like he's putting up all
star caliber numbers at.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Million half of Jalen Johnston even that's.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Yeah, which which will complicate things in the future for them.
But there are ways around.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
That, right, for example, the league actually going in and
speaking to the players union and fixing this thing that
we've been bitching about for seven years.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I was gonna say, just to renegotiate and extent.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
But either way, sure, Okay, I want credit, I want
this podcast rule.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah. I mean the other thing from the Bucks perspective, like,
I agree with you, they don't have to abide by
Jannis's list. But Yiannis can become a free agent in
twenty twenty seven, So that is the power that he wields. Yeah,
he can start signaling like you can trade for me,
(14:50):
but I'm not going to resign with you in twenty
twenty seven, and that will be to deter other teams
from going with these all in offers for him, you
know that said we saw Toronto make a gamble with
Kawhi Leonard a decade ago where they had no assurance
that he was going to sign with them. They didn't
give up a massive haul or anything, especially in retrospect,
like it was DeMar DeRozan. I think Yakam Purtle was
(15:14):
in that trade as well. I think maybe one first
round pick. So like that's where I think it gets
tricky in terms of compensation. Like I saw Howard Beck
the other day on the Low Post podcast or whatever
it's called now, said like he's not sure that teams
are lining up with these like massive four first round
(15:34):
pick offers that we've been seeing for superstars in recent years.
I kind of get it from those teams perspective, Like
I think the Clippers and Sixers this year. I read
about this at Forbes recently, like they are kind of
showing the risk of doing these types of trades because
it's just with title windows shortening around the league, it's
(15:57):
becoming much harder to project like to seven years out.
So when the Sixers traded a you know, a twenty
twenty five pick in twenty twenty just to get off
of Al Horford's contract. They're not thinking like, oh, we're
going to have to suck so badly that we tank
at the end of the season to protect that pick
from going to OKAC, which is exactly what happened. Like
(16:19):
the Clippers when they, you know, trade for Paul George
and to sign Kawhi Leonard in twenty nineteen, they're not thinking, oh, well,
in twenty twenty six, we're gonna get risk of giving
up the number one overall pick to Okay. See, but
here we are. So you know, I think teams might
be reluctant to include these like distant twenty thirty, twenty
(16:39):
thirty one, twenty thirty two picks. So maybe this is
more of a like player centered trade where Atlanta or sorry,
Milwaukee is getting back, you know, a legit like blue
trip player. And I think there are enough teams. You know,
you named a bunch of them in your article, whether
(17:00):
it's Atlanta either with Trey or Jalen Johnson. If you're Milwaukee,
you're asking for Jalen Johnson first. You know, San Antonio obviously,
like any of Castle, Harper, Fox doesn't make quite as
much sense from a timeline perspective. You know, Houston, Reed, Shepherd, Shengoon,
and Thompson like those are the types of names that
(17:24):
you should at least you know when you when you
open those conversations with teams like that's the bar they
need to clear. And I think there are enough teams
with prospects like that that they might be able to
clear it.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
It's interesting. It's it's super interesting. I agree with you.
It's that it could be player oriented. I think the
Bucks will at least just to save save face is
probably the wrong phrasing, but like, I do think some
draft equity will be attached. But due to the complexity
of the nature of like any team getting gone is
I think the Bucks would also prioritize, you know, team
(17:59):
picks that are outside of the control of the team
acquiring Giannis, if that makes sense. I mean, because if
you trade Giannis to San Antonio and you'll get the
Spurs' own pick, it's going to be ridiculously low. It's
probably gonna be in the bottom twenty five of the
(18:20):
first round. But if you get like well, they've used
most of them, But like if you get Hawks, the
Hawks pick from from the Spurs for example, well that
has a bigger chance of converting into being a good pick.
So so many avenues to consider. Here, we're gonna take
a short commercial break and then we're gonna be right
(18:40):
back by talking about Anthony Davis.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
So, Brian Anthony Davis.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I've spoken about him at length overall in my Danish
pod because I have this bonus pick with this whole situation.
Whenever we see, you know, Anthony Davis trades from like
major outlets, be that the Ringer, ESPN or whatever, it's
always like, oh, here's a bunch of guys and here
are two draft picks where I'm like, what are we
(19:09):
doing here? It's it's almost been a year since he
was traded, right, we're approaching it. At least he's played
nineteen games for the Dallas Mavericks after this year, let
alone this year, where he has fifty four million in salary,
he has over one hundred and eleven million left on
(19:30):
his deal for two additional seasons after this year. One
of itch is a player option. I've even seen people
online be like, well, he might not pick up his
player option twenty seven to twenty eight. Dude, it's sixty
three million. Yeah, he's picking that shit up talking about
but I mean, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
What's scarier? I think? I mean, I completely agree, and
I think with Scarier from the team's perspective, that might
be acquiring him. All of the insiders are saying that
Rich Paul is going to push for a contract extension
wherever he lands up, and like, I mean, if it's like,
(20:13):
you know, you're going to take a twenty million dollar
play cut pay cut per year, that might be something
I would be amenable to. But if he thinks he's
still a max contract player, a thirty five percent of
the salary cap player at the stage of his career
given his availability issues, I would have no interest in
trading for Anthony Davis if I thought he wants a
(20:36):
thirty five percent max Like, that's as plain as simple
as I can say.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
It, right, And this is basically where I end up too.
So it's not just the salary.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
It's the fact that his lack of availability is a
huge concern. He's going to be thirty three in March.
It's it's the compound, what do you what do you
call it? Like compounding factors of all the three right,
it's it's it's threefold, like people are always looking at
it like it's Anthony Davis. Sure, but it's not like
he has one argument against him. He has three, and
(21:09):
all of them are just major, major counter arguments in
a way, because this is thirty five percent of the
cap this year, thirty five point two percent of the
cap next year if he picks up his player option,
thirty six percent of the cap. Because you know when
you signed it, and you don't even know when the
CBA thing's come in, like you, the thirty five percent
of the cap is the max starting point, but then
(21:30):
it can actually increase depending on expectations. That said, it's
like it is the most expensive percentage of the cap
a player can earn. And he might play in what
see I was about to say jokingly, Well, he might
play in twenty five percent of your games. That'd be
(21:50):
optimistic given where he is sat right now.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
I mean he's been at like heidd forty and twenty one,
twenty two, fifty six, twenty two, twenty three, seventy six
and twenty three, twenty four and then fifty one last year,
is at ten this year, so reasonably, I think you
you hope or expect for anywhere between forty to fifty
anything beyond that as a bonus. But that is not
(22:14):
a player that you can pay a thirty five percent
max too. If you're gonna you're baking in. He's going
to miss at least thirty games per year and all.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
That, right right, It's yeah to me, it's I'm removing
the picks. That's what it is, coming down to it.
I'm just removing the picks. I'm not going into a
situation with Anthony Davis where I'm saying, oh, I'm gonna
acquire a soon to be thirty three year old who's
(22:42):
barely on the floor and who's earning literally the most
you can possibly earn. Oh and by the way, in
order to achieve that, I'm going to relinquish draft equity
moving forward. So the trade I came up with in
a different Yahoo piece that was actually with the Bulls
because the Bulls have these strictly expiring contracts, and I
did get some comments where it was like, you know,
(23:06):
only expirings, Frankston Davis, Yes.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
That's a good deal for Dallas.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
That's like, I'm not even trying to front, Like Nicole,
I think I said Vooch, Sat Collins and Kevin Herder
for Davis and Jaden Hardy. I think because that was
that worked, that's not a bad deal. The Mavericks get
out of that contract immediately, immediately, Brian, Financially speaking, it's
(23:33):
a win.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
I can see why there would be some push back
to that, just because none of those guys project as
like long term pieces at all. Like that's effectively just
Anthony Davis salary.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Don all right, Sure, then expand the trade and add
you know, Noah Sink or something.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Right, but like or, I mean, would you include Kobe White?
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Dude?
Speaker 1 (23:56):
What is the odds? What are the odds of him
staying in Chicago? Anyway?
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Sure, if you want, yeah, then I think that makes
it more interesting if you're willing to include Kobe White
or yeah, I say, I know he's done for you.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I mean I did, I did.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I did make the argument though, that Kobe White would
be more you know, probably more inclined to resign with
the Bulls if Davis was there. But like, my point
is that it's having just expiring contracts for a guy
who's that not that old, but that injury throne. That
was the word I was looking for.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
M h. It's just a safe.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Bet all round. Yeah, like the Bulls were taking on
the risk. We're just using the Bulls as a placeholder
here because they have the expiring contracts. I know there
are more teams that have expiring contracts, but who are
the team, Like, who are the people taking the risk?
It's the it's the people taking on anything Davis's contract.
So like, I just that the picks. So what is
(24:52):
like your pain threshold in terms of Davis you think
that he does he is good enough to warrant like
a young player.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, I think like one intriguing young player. I'm not
like an I'm and Thompson or even I mean, I've
seen like people mention him with the spurs and frankly,
I just hate that idea. I think we've talked about
this a lot with I mean, they're gonna have their
pick of the litter with stars, like, do not waste
(25:23):
your contracts on someone who does not fit the timeline
and does not fit with the core. And like frankly,
you know they have Harrison Barnes is expiring, Kelly Lenox expiring,
So that's thirty two and a half million throwing Keldon Johnson.
You're getting close already, but like I would rather just
have Harrison Barnes and Kelton Johnson, both of because those
(25:44):
guys are playing well and fitting well with san Antonio.
Like I actually I don't see a trade for san
Antonio in particular that makes sense for them. I mean Portland,
I guess Jeremy Grant and stuff. Jeremy Grant, time lord, sure,
(26:05):
and like, would you okay here here, okay, okay, okay,
here we go?
Speaker 1 (26:11):
All right, all right, I like this, Yes.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
What do you do from either side? Jeremy Grant either
time lord? I mean, they don't need another center because well,
I guess they do because Eric Gliveleys are.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Actually let me just let me just go to the
page the placers page on scruck. Yes, go ahead, Jeremy Grant.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Jeremy Grant, time lord. Who is an expiring contract right now?
Derrick Fiveley's hurt, so they end they're trading away Anthony Davis,
so they would presumably want another center. And would you
include Scoot Henderson in that trade? Oh see, I told
(26:50):
you it was interesting.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
That is It is interesting because whenever you get those
type of sounds out of me. That means it's interesting. Yes,
he has, so we don't really know how year three
Scoot is looking. But like the injury in and of itself,
the fact that he's missed so long is also a.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Little bit concerning.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
But he didn't really look that great last year. He
didn't take that leap that we all expected him to.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
He came into his own toward the end of the year.
But up for an extension after this year, right, Well,
you're you've got to make a commitment one or the other.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I'm inclined to say no, But at the same time,
I also understand that again it's the allure, right of
Vagncine Davis.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
It's the allure. But you know what, I'm going to
stick to my guns.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
No, Yeah, I mean I agree because I don't know
how he fits with Klingen, right, and I like that.
That's where I think it gets tricky. It's like, try
to find the team that needs Anthony Davis and has
the contracts to make it work. You can find one
or the other, like Detroit, No, I'm in Milwaukee's desperate
(27:59):
enough to do any thing, but oh god, oh no,
like when they do Miles Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Ryan
Rollins or Kevin Porter Junior for him.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Hmm, like moving those pieces, Like wouldn't you want like
all well, pivoting off Kuzma. Yeah, just getting off Kuzma
is an acid itself, so probably yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
And he's also just like that's the salary you'd have
to include because otherwise, Yeah, I mean, I guess they're
far enough under Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I think it
would have to be something along those lines. So like
I don't think I guess Turner Portis' was ad making
(28:47):
fifty four. Yeah, Turner Portis is about thirty nine. Add
in Ryan Rollins forty three?
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Really because you really want to Rolls.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
No, No, I don't, But that's I mean that, like,
I mean, the Mavericks are not going to say yes
to anything. They're not going to say yes to just
Miles Joner and Kyleskusma, I hope for their sake, and
I think it's it's interesting from the perspective of this
is why I think, among the many reasons why I
(29:22):
think they have to fire at Nico Harrison, because he
makes that trade last year and like he would not
be willing to do any of the deals that we
have just floated out there. He would be asking for
these plus two or three first round picks because he
needs to save face. They don't have that need.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Anymore saving face trades. I love him right, like to.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
You know, you use the word compounding mistakes or compounding
problems earlier, like this is where the Mavericks have to decide,
like do we are we fine taking a loss but
a potential loss on both ends of this trade. We
are going to trade away the best prep player in
this trade both times. And we're like, this is what
(30:08):
we're gonna have in return, and I think it's it's
gonna be a tough sell. Like whatever they get for Ad,
it's that plus Max Christie plus one first round pick
for Luka Doncic, Like right, it's funny because Kyle Kuzma
Ryan rollins Max Christie in one first round pick for
Luca like that, you would get fired immediately and he did.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
It's funny because my my co host on my Danish pod,
we discussed this today earlier and he made the same point.
Just you have to look at collectively what the package
for Lukadanci is going to be, because that is going
to be the optics. Yeah, and it's it's absolutely true. God,
are they in a dumb spot. And it's entirely self inflicted.
(30:48):
So I'm not even gonna sit there and go, oh,
poor Dallas Mavericks. No, I'm gonna say, poor Dallas Mavericks fans,
the organization and of itself. I'm laughing on the inside
because this is just so dumb. Everything has been so
incomprehensibly stupid. And then everything has been said by the
lottery just winning Cooper Flag, like oh yeah, all right, yeah,
(31:10):
ye oh boy, all right. Well, we'll be right back
after a couple of commercials, and we're gonna be talking
about the point guard field, and that is going to
be the last subject on today's pot. John Morant, Brian,
let's start here. I know, the Rockets apparently are not
(31:32):
interested in acquiring John Morant, despite the fact that they
lost Fred VanVleet for the season to an ACL tear.
And I'm like, at that point where if it seemed
that is basically playing without a point guard or saying well,
you know what, we're fine, We've rather play without a
point guard than have you John Morant, that is a
(31:55):
pretty big sign that the trade value is not where
it's supposed to be. Is that the kind way of
saying it, or should we just say it like it
is and say, if you're a noted assholes, probably difficult
to find a new home.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, I mean, not a great start to the season
for John Morant, shooting a career worst thirty five point
nine percent overall, sixteen point seven percent from three point range,
effectively quiet quit on his team, threw his coaches under
the bus, got suspended. You know, it's it's a shame
because like a couple of years ago, you know, this
(32:34):
guy was a locked in All Star, made the All
NBA team in twenty one twenty two. The suspension happens.
I believe at the end of the twenty two to
twenty three season, he gets hurt. In the following year,
misses most of the game, and it just feels like
he has not ever since that big suspension, Like his
career has just been off the rails for now kind
(32:55):
of like two plus years. Yeah, And so I mean, no,
I think I would bet there is at least one
team out there that gambles and says he just needs
to change your scenery and he can get back to
what he was.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Before depending on the price, right, right, right.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
But the concern is, like, he is not a great
three point shooter and has never been a great three
point shooter, And what happens if or when he loses
half a step, Like that's his athleticism, much like Derek
Rose back in the day, much like John Waller back
in the day. Like his athleticism is what makes him special.
So when that starts to fade, he's gonna unless he
(33:33):
evolves his game, which is still within the realm of possibility.
But he could have a steeper drive.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Well, I mean I was I was waiting for you
to say that, because you've actually said this before, and
every time you said it, like I've actually gone with
the flow, like yeah, sure, I could see it now
though I'm I'm maybe I'm being too harsh. But if
we're being really, really tough about this and also on it,
(34:01):
what have we seen in terms of like major area
components of improvement from John Moran since he entered the league. Yes,
he's been able to increase his shot volume and maintain
a certain level of his scoring efficiency along at the rim,
which is tied heavily to your point about his athleticism.
But what have we really seen? Have we seen improved defense?
(34:24):
Not particularly have we seen improved three point shooting? Don't
make me laugh, like we have we seen improved leadership?
Game of just how I am laughing? Like, what have
we actually seen from him that should give you and
me or anyone else this idea that oh yeah, there's
something left to squeeze out right.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
I'm not saying he will improve, no, I know.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
I know, but I'm just based on what we've seen
in his career so far, and like this is your.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Seven seventh yep, yeah, yeah, that's a fair question, is point?
I mean, like I'm thinking to it. You know a
Jason Kidd who like was such a non shooter early
in his career and then added that to his game
and lengthen his career a lot. But right, I think
that is one of the big concerns with Jaws, Like
how much I mean, I'm not in the grizzly locker room.
(35:18):
I don't want to like question.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
And you're supposed to say I don't want to be.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
But like how much does he love the game? How
much does he care about the game, Like, does he
have does he have a solid head on his shoulders
and does he have the right type of people around
him to help him dig his way out of what
he's put himself into over the last couple of years.
I think that without knowing the specifics, it seems like
(35:47):
that is an open question around the league and kind
of like the big unspoken question around him, right And
I think that's what that's what will make other teams
nervous about trading him, because that's the type of intel
that you know. It's hard to know until you make
the trade, but it's a pretty big gamble unless the
(36:10):
cost is lower than what his resume would suggest.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
So we're in agreement that the trade value for jah
Morand is not particularly big. Then we were talking about
some other point guards trade on. For example, the Hawks
have played very very well without him. It's become pretty
clear that Jalen Johnson is the team's best player.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
Now.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
I don't want to throw Trey under the bus and say, oh,
they're automatically better without him, because there's also a playoff
component that I think we're sort of missing with him.
He does have a tendency to play well in the playoffs.
I don't think that is something that should be disregarded
also the playmaking. You know, there is going to be
a need for multiple playmakers. You know, if you run
every thing through Jalen Johnson, eventually that is going to
(37:02):
catch up to the entire team. That said, I am wondering,
given what we've seen so far, if there are different
different ways you can allocate forty six million dollars of salary,
which is what job wow Trey Young is concerning.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
In order to improve the team.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Like, so, what I'm really asking Brian in a roundabout way,
is Trey Young worth forty six million to the specifically
to the Atlanta Hawks.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
I don't think so. Yeah, I mean it's based on
the like early chatter, it doesn't sound like he's gonna
have a as robust of a trade or as a
free agent market as you would expect for a player
like him, which is, you know, like typically a player
like Trey Young just doesn't hit the market at all anymore, Right,
(37:56):
A multi time All Star, former All NBA guy like that.
It's very very rare for a player of his caliber,
especially at his age, like Paul George did a couple
of years ago, because he was thirty four and the
Clippers didn't want to pay him for four years. Like Trey
Young is smacktab in his prime, but the Hawks did
not want to sign him to an extension before the season,
which you know, you could potentially explain away like, Okay,
(38:20):
maybe they want to see how much Dice and Daniels
gets and then you can pencil that into your long
term budget and like see how Christops fits and if
you want to commit more long term money to him,
which you know, it seems like he's still dealing with
his health stuff from last year, so I don't think
the price tag is going to be super big there.
So you know, I think the Hawks are frankly the
(38:41):
if not the most interesting team ahead of the trade deadline,
one of them because Trey should be back, you know,
I think in the next couple of weeks, so that
will hopefully give them a month or so to see
how he fits with the rest of this cores. You know,
ni Alexander Walker has been phenomenal season like Jalen Consen's breakout,
(39:01):
you know, is the is the thing drawing headlines. But
like Nikhil Alexander Walker, what a find.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
For them, such a huge loss from many too.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Yeah, So you know, I think if it was only
Jalen Johnson's emergence, that would be one thing. But now
between Jalen Johnson and Nikiel thriving in these bigger roles.
You know, Trey went into the season saying like he
doesn't need to be this helio centric guard, Like he
wants to have other guys to take more of the
(39:34):
offense from him. He just didn't have that in previous years.
So when he comes back, I want to see that
in action. And if he can't do that, then we
arrive at the point of like, well, yeah, then they
just gotta trade him for whatever they can because there's
or you know, yeah, or you just get like maybe
(39:56):
you just gamble that he's not gonna have the market
that he thinks, and he's will and take a shorter
term deal with you and resetted market next year.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
Let's wrap up with one final point guard here, a
guy who has certainly not said anything of the sword
in terms of oh, I'll like, I haven't had the personnel,
so I will I will dedicate myself to this la
middle ball, a player who is just like wants to
be president of the United States and wants to you know,
(40:24):
take weird ass shots while doing so. I guess it's
what the hell is that situation? Pray, because now they
got Conkinible in there, who is looking like the rookie
of the year. He's phenomenal. It feels like he is
such a safe player. And I mean that in the
best way possible, Like the floor of Conkinibble is pretty high,
(40:48):
and like you feel safe with the ball in his hands,
You feel certain with the ball in his hands. Him
as a decision maker, you'd like it. You'd like the
way that he conducts himself, scoring wise. Everything about him
just screams stability. And then there's a contrast of LaMelo
ball and also Miles Breeches for that matter. But let's
put a site knowing that LaMelo, who's just like all
(41:09):
over the place have been for years. He's also in
and out of the lineup constantly, right, right, is it
just time to pull the damn plug on that project?
Speaker 3 (41:21):
I imagine of the three LaMelo, Trey and Jah, LaMelo
will have the highest trade value, but that is a
very relative term. Like I also do not think there
are going to be a ton of teams super excited
to pay LaMelo ball one hundred and thirty million dollars
over the next three years, which is what he's being o.
(41:43):
It's only twenty five percent max. So going back to
your point earlier about ad like twenty five percent versus
thirty five percent, there is a big difference there. But yeah,
like I mean it's year six of his career. He's
had chronic ankle injuries, been in out of lineup for
now four seasons. We still it's like a chicken or
the egg thing, Like do the Hornets like is he
(42:04):
putting up big stats on a bad Hornets team? Is
he a good staff bad team player? Or are the
Hornets bad because they are relying on him as much
as they are? And like, do you know, I think
there's still a question of like how much does he
meaningfully contribute to winning basketball? And that's a harsh thing
(42:26):
to say, but like his shot selection is terrible, he'd
been very uninterested in defense a lot of the time.
Great scorer, great passer. No, his three point percentage has
dropped each of the past five seasons. Now he's got
almost thirty nine percent of the sophomore he's down a
twenty eight point five percent this year. Was it thirty
three point nine last year?
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Can we just say there's no fun Max about lamental ball.
Speaker 3 (42:53):
I mean, you know, like back back with Steph was
really starting to take you and I were like, I
just want to see this dude shoot, you know, like
this was yeah. I mean he started eventually taking eleven
twelve threes a game, but it was like early and
his rise were like, this guy just needs to jack
(43:13):
even more threes than he already is. LaMelo took that
message to heart and probably should not have because he
is taking ten or eleven threes a game and probably
like we need to mix in. I mean, doesn't really
draw us town of free throws. Like it's been under
five free throw times per game for his entire career
and each every season of his career, which is not
(43:36):
ideal for a lead guard. So yeah, I mean, like
I get the impression that Charlotte's coaching staff just does
not really like LaMelo all that much. I mean they've
benched him a couple times, notably, and there was one
game I believe against Toronto where they did that and
(43:56):
then came back in the fourth quarter and actually won
in overtime. It was just like a oh, they they
realize they have other options now, So yeah, yeah, I
mean I think if they can get a decent hal
for LaMelo, if nothing else, they should be exploring his
market for sure.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
Right if there is one.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
And that's wild to say, but I mean he's also
something that that dawned on me. He's in his six year.
I feel like he's sort of newer commodity than John Moraine.
But they're only like there's one season splitting them. Yeah,
but he's just played so little that you feel like, oh,
he's a new player. He's really not.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
Right. Well, that's where you know, it's just hard to
find teams that are desperate enough to make any of
these moves, Like Milwaukee was the one because Jannie is
going to ask out otherwise, or it is very likely
to ask out otherwise, Like Sacramento is willing to shuffle
the deck. But right, okay, you're gonna trade football and
put them on the Sacha Batto Kings, like you're gonna
(45:03):
run into the same exact problems that you've had on
the Hornets. I mean, right, yeah, the Clippers are struggling
this year, but I don't think LaMelo ball solves any
of their problems. If anything, he just makes them worse
they've got. Harden is a great playmaker, but LaMelo and
Hardened in the same backcourt is not going to fix
your terrible defense. Minnesota, I guess is the one that's
(45:23):
been hunting for a point guard. But I don't know
it just Mello, Yeah right, Yeah, it's got to be
Randaller Gobert going out.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Oh wow. I mean I'm shipping go Bear out for
LaMelo a any day of the week.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
But still, yeah, it's just hard to find. And maybe
the Pelicans could we get like a LaMelo Zion swap.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
All types of nastiness there. Yeah it.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
I don't know. I mean, it's it's just hard to
find teams for any of these three, which is again
a wild thing to say about them, but it's hard
to marry their contract, the need for those players, and
then also what it would likely cost to acquire them.
I guess Miami, maybe if if they strike out on
(46:12):
your honest maybe they'll get desperate to do something silly.
Speaker 2 (46:17):
Brian sp Pork, thank you so much for joining the show.
We went through a bunch of trade candidates, some more
attractive than others.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Let's just prove.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
And sorry, is there something that you are working on
that you would like to bestow upon us before you leave.
Speaker 3 (46:35):
Yeah, I'd say my big, big personal news recently is
that I am at on SI Now. The Sixers on
s I site will be the home of all my
Sixers content moving forward, so I'll use six Ers sikos
out there. If you still follow the team, may God
have mercy on your soul, but please please follow me
over there. Austin Krell, who many of Sixers folks know,
(46:59):
had been on the beat prickle years and I are
going to be covering the team over there. So that's
that's the exciting news. But I'll still be at Forbes
Silver Screening Roll fan sided, still still got my my
toes and a bunch of different places, and we need
to talk sometime more. You need to get you me
and Dan on yeah, because it's been a while. We
(47:21):
we did a five year redraft at BR recently and
I went on Hardwood Knocks with Grant and with the
other drafters, but we got Dan and I in particular
are now in a blood feud about Jalen Johnson versus
Palo Boncaro because I took as you know, I took
Jalen Johnson, head of Palo Boncaro right, which Dan took
(47:44):
great offense to.
Speaker 1 (47:47):
But I will know Jalen Johnson, yes better.
Speaker 3 (47:50):
Well. ESPN just put out there twenty five hundred twenty
five today. I guess who's ahead of Palo Boncaro.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
As you should be, j Jalen much this better. So
Dan was caping for Eastern Conference to Martin.
Speaker 3 (48:04):
Rosen, he sure was yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
I love Dan, but Jesus sir, okay.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
I know, wow, yeah wow. We maybe maybe have us
on the three of Us get because we've got a
couple other fun, fun NBA projects coming out in the
next two weeks. So yeah, say clue to Bleacher Report
as well. I will not spoil what they are, but
things along that ILK.
Speaker 2 (48:29):
That sounds awesome And for everyone listening in, thank you
for doing so. Until we talk again, have a good
one and stay safe everyone,
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