July 8, 2025 • 22 mins
We're in the dog days of summer and Trysta is here to break it all down. She looks at the Jonas Valančiūnas trade to Denver, Bradley Beal potentially in the buyout market, and how the Clippers play into this after trading Norman Powell and bringing in John Collins.
Plus, Summer League is here! Trysta has thoughts on the Ace Bailey vs. VJ Edgecombe matchup plus early standouts and more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
On this episode of The Heat Check, Man, we are
just at that dregs of free agency. There's nothing really
big is going on. I'm gonna break down Jonas Valanciunis,
and that's where we're at right now. That's the short
week before, you know, between the opening of free agency
and the start of summer League. I'm actually not ready
(00:21):
for summer League. Just like cock clockwork pause, weird shit
is happening. We have a second hundred million dollars buyout
on our hands. We have a thirteen year NBA vet
who is just gonna ghost his new team wild and
a bunch of trays that we're supposed to have gone
through are just sitting there, like uh, like some vegetables
(00:42):
that I don't want to eat them. My mom made
what's up? No time to waste? Whyatt drop that motherfucking
beat that should be Rihanna. You're listening to the Hottest,
the Hottest. It'd be a podcast out here. I said
what I said, it's the Heat Check, the Heat chat check.
All oh man, The biggest story in the NBA right
(01:07):
now is a guy about a guy that most casual
fans don't even know. Yonas Valentinnis aka jv aka wish
version of of Travis Kelce. That's probably the most people
know about him is that he looks a lot like
Travis Kelce. But things are getting weird, so weird, and
(01:27):
when I mean like weird, I mean in a way
that's never happened ever before. So we were given the
Denver Nuggets praise last episode. I was going through all
the moves that they made and I was like, oh, yeah, Nuggets,
go get Yonis Valenti Nis a backup for Jokic. They
finally have none yogic minutes that they can rely on.
(01:48):
This is just such a great move. They go into
the cash just a little bit, but it's great for
them because in the in the regular season where you
need somebody to eat up innings, so that so the
yogic isn't just gas. By the time April rolls around,
you can give Yonas vounce, who's fifteen twenty minutes a game?
You know. And then after the trade was made, and
(02:10):
actually I found out on last last episode's podcast while
we were recording, Nuggets found out that Jonas had planned
to sign a three year deal with path and Akos
Pathen and Akos in Greece to play EuroLeague Basketball and
not the NBA, even though he's under contract in the
NBA still for two more years. In fact, now all
hell is broken loose. Both sides are digging their heels in.
(02:33):
Jonas is like, I'm not playing and they're like, well, we'll
see you at training camp. So how do we get here?
So the Nuggets traded backup center Dariosage to the Kings,
which actually helped the Kings because they were paying Yonas
ten something million dollars a year and then now they
only have to pay Darosage five million years, so that's
good for them. The Nuggets get off of Dariosas, who
was not involved in the rotation, they get a backup bick.
(02:55):
That was like one of the many important moves that
they made. Most people like the trade, like me, because,
like I said, do you get a guy who can
eat the innings up, who's only making ten million dollars
a year, You got him on a team option. If
he's washed, you don't even have to keep them. He
averaged ten to seven and two in his thirteenth year
in the NBA. He was very good for the Pelicans.
He's pretty good for the Wizards. Like, this is a
guy who can start, this is a guy who's capable
(03:18):
of giving you double doubles. And then the news broke
that He's like, I'm not playing for Denver. I'm gonna
go and play for Pathenacos panathen Echos in Athens, which,
by the way, Athens very lit. I used to live
in Athens, and if I got the chance to go
between Denver and Athens, I'd probably also choose Athens. So
but what the hell was going on here? What the
(03:38):
hell he Why didn't you tell anybody? Okay, how do
you just go behind the scenes and have this deal
already inked and not tell any NBA officials? Why would
he all of a sudden turn down an opportunity to
play with a three time MVP. It will be one
of the more favorite teams to win it all, especially
considering he's much mentioned that he was tired of playing
(03:59):
for bottom feed. The Nuggets were surprised. To say that
they were surprised, it's probably an understatement. They were shocked,
and they were pissed, and they were like, yo, you're coming,
you know like you are mister, do not play with us.
You are grounded, like you're coming to training camp okay.
And he's like, I mean, I'm staying in Athens. That's when.
(04:22):
That's where I'm gonna be. This is like when Odyssey
told me that I needed to come into the studio
when there was like five or six inches of snow
and ice on the roads. And then they offered to
give me an Uber which like who trusts a random
Uber driver could drive me at eleven at night? And
they were like, no, you're coming, And I was like no,
(04:44):
I'm not, Like I promise you, I'm not leaving this door.
Whatever it is that you need to do to me
in order to like shore this up, I'm not coming.
That's what Yarns Valanchoo is. That's the same energy. It's
like I'm just not getting on a plane. Nothing you
can do about it. So we got Jay Huff getting
traded for to the Indiana Pacers. We got Utah moving
(05:08):
guys around their Utah, by the way, is looking for
two first round picks and a matching salary for their
center Walker Kessler. So centers are the market is dry, okay,
And all of the Nuggets were thinking about was Jonas Valanunas,
So I don't know what to make of it. This
one's stings. There's not a lot of options for them.
A European redditor explained that this is really not about
(05:29):
the nugget as much as this is about the money.
So Panatheneko's tried to get Yonas last year, but then
the Pelicans signed him. Uh No, the Wizards signed him
excuse me, to a deal and then traded him to
the Kings. Then the Kings traded him to the Nuggets.
So he went from the Pelicans to the Wizards, to
(05:49):
the Kings to the Nuggets. And like, none of those
teams except for the Nuggets, we're doing shit right, like
they're not doing like we got Zion doing his bullshit
and then we're playing with Kyle Kuzma. Now we're playing
with Maleik Monk and the disgruntled Deer. But it's the
whole thing is just bad. He said he was fed
up with losing culture, and that's when the discussions with
(06:09):
Panathoniko's ramped up again. So this is before any Denver
was in the mix right. The Nuggets, though, have a
team option for next year, so he's actually under contract
technically speaking, for two years, so Yonus would likely be
a cap hit and then I guess they could encourage
him to come back to the veteran minimum myth at all.
(06:32):
So Penathon Akos is offering him three years and thirteen
million million dollars, where he's getting paid ten points something
for one year and maybe a little bit. The difference
could be more in Greece, could be more for the Nuggets,
just depends. But you get a fully guaranteed deal to
play in Athens. You have a brand new stadium, you
have euros right with the fries inside, really good ones.
(06:55):
You got great satsiki, you got batties, you got the
I think it's the Adriatic Sea. I don't know there's
Mediterranean water going it's it is the Adriatic Sea. I'm here.
I got a stat roster, you got fireworks going up
in the arena, you got fans going crazy, championships you're
contending for. You're probably gonna play a lot of minutes.
(07:17):
It seems quite enticing versus just like, what did they
call Draymond Green an overpriced backpack for thirty Just like
you're basically the inning eater for the greatest scorer and
center maybe in history. So and you're probably getting crushed
online for anything bad you do when you'll just off
(07:38):
the floor. When you calculate his taxes on his American
contract and compare it to what the Greek team is offering,
he might actually more pocket more money in Europe anyway,
the schedule is much easier than the NBA. He could
be looking at ninety one hundred games next season, and
the EuroLeague schedule is just a lot easier than that.
There are logical reasons off Oviously to go back. Try
(08:01):
to get a chip with Denver. I mean, he helps
a lot, but you've got Deron Holmes there. What's going
to happen with him? Denver's first rum pick was last year.
That was him. He had an injury. Now he's back healthy.
He looks really good. But European Basketball Side Basketball News
summed it up as Yonus Valanciunas wants to leave the
NBA and the Denver Nuggets, primarily because of a longer
(08:23):
guaranteed deal with Panathanacos. Panathon Akos athens his desire to
play a major role on the title contending team, frustrated
with playing for NBA teams without a winning culture, and
personal reasons. Okay, I mean I get it, but you're
under contract, so like you probably should have figured that
out when you were signing with the Wizards, And we
(08:43):
had this with that. Sasha of Zenkoff, who played for
the Kings and then went to the Raptors, also two
bottom feeding teams that he didn't want to be a
part of, and they released him. But the Nuggets are
not a bottom feeding team, and it sounds like they
are not releasing him. They could theoretically hold him hostage
and then he wouldn't be able to play anywhere and
he wouldn't get any money. So I don't know, I
(09:05):
don't know what I see happy. I don't know what
I see happening. You just don't want an unhappy player
on your roster. Plus, if you keep him on the
roster and he doesn't play, now, you don't have any
cap space to sign anyone else. So it's tough. Well,
I mean, the good news is if they do lose
out on Youonis Valan Judas, the Nuggets will have turned
Dariosarach into a fourteen million dollar mid level exception that
(09:28):
they can go out and buy a player. But there's
not a lot of available players available short of Al Horford,
who they want at this stage, I don't know, Maybe
you trade for someone. I don't know. It's tough. You
don't have to give up draft a like capital. You
don't have any first round picks left. Very tight squeeze.
It's gonna be interesting going forward. Apparently he's said to
be going undergoing a physical this week in Athens and
(09:51):
thus is out of the country. Is he gonna come
back and play for Denver? Fascinating? Fascinating stuff. Where at
what Denver does next, how they proceed, will very interesting.
All right? Moving on the entire valanchounisting is obviously weird.
But you know what is also very weird is not
only did we have a former number one overall pick
in DeAndre Ayton in the middle of his prime really
(10:15):
getting bought out by the Portland Trailblazers. You then had
Damian Lillard, who had one hundred and twenty million dollars
left on his contract getting bought out. And now you
have another one that may get bought out in somewhat
of the prime of his career as well. So now
you have not just one number one overall pick, but
you have two all stars, but two of the ten
(10:36):
most highly paid players in the league. That might be
getting bought out or stretched and waived. What why? What
the fuck? What's going on happening? The league is changing, folks.
The CBA has put us into chaos. We got into
the weeds last week by Damian Lillard who got bought
out by the Milwaukee Bucks. Well waved and stretched pause
(10:59):
so that Miles Turner can get signed the bottom out
of his one hundred and thirteen million dollar contract. They
paid him out over five years, and now they're gonna
have twenty two point six million dollars against the cap
every year for the next five years, which is just insane. Apparently,
Tony East, by the way, is reporting that Dame isn't
the only one who got but blindsided, but the Pacers
found out that Miles Turner was signing with the Bucks
(11:20):
when Schamp's tweeted it as well, holy shit, all those
like Miles Turner on the trade block rumors he just
decided just put the shive in and twist it. Because
I wondered to myself, why wouldn't he just come back
to the Pacers and say, Hey, this is what I'm
getting offered by the Bucks, get a little bit more
money and stay with the same contending team. No, he
(11:40):
was like, fuck y'all, I'm gonna go to your rival
and play with Yannis. Back to the buyout market, notable
sources say that a buyout of Bradley Beal is around
the corner, as the Suns appear to be adopting a
Milwaukee Bucks model, which is funny because they played each
other in the finals and they've really gone downhill ever since.
By buying out Beale rather than bring him back on
(12:02):
what is a rebuilding project. John Gambadaro, who is just
tweeting incessantly, said I expected decision and a resolution in
the next twenty four to forty eight hours. On Bradley Bill,
rumors are that he is required to give up about
fourteen million so that he can take over ninety six
million over the final two years, and if they amortize it,
(12:23):
it'll be nineteen million dollars a year, which doesn't make
any sense because they're not contending. Why not just take
the cap hit right now? Like does not a team
like the Bucks? They suck? They are terrible. Also, why
not just use Bradley Beal? You got Jalen Green there?
What is he? You hat? Devin Booker there? Why not.
Why not? And now the Sun's completely transformed. In the
mix of this buyout talk, they slipped in that Devin Booker,
(12:46):
the last of the Big Three, signed a two year,
one hundred and fifty million dollar extension, making him the
highest paid player in the NBA at seventy five million
dollars per year. Okay, we're crazy, it's crazy time. Okay,
fifty fout crazy. Sixty five feels great, seventy five is crazy.
That's four million dollars more than Shake guil Just Alexander.
(13:07):
Do you think, really, Devin Booker's worth four million dollars
more than Shake kill Just Alexander per year. No, once
he hits the open market, there's probably not gonna be
a shortage of suitors for Bradley Beal. The Miami Heat,
of course, or back in the mix doing their shit.
They're back in the mix. Friend of show, Barry Jackson
to the Miami Harold thinks that Bill could come to
(13:29):
the Heat if he's cite a vet minimum. Not a
lot of logic to that. If DeAndre Ayton can get
eight million a year, I don't see how Bill doesn't
get more than that fourteen million. Probably he averages seventeen
three and four. We can't act like Bradley Beal's a scrub.
He's a fifty forty ninety guy. He just can't play
any defense, and he was on a team that didn't
make any damn sense and he has no trade clause.
So not anymore. Though not anymore. Other teams are going
(13:53):
to be monitoring the situation, Lakers, Bucks Wolves. I like
Bradley Beal a little bit on the Bucks. Wolve's kind
of makes sense. But the team though to watch is
the LA Clippers, because they did something very interesting this morning.
They traded Norm Powell for John Collins. I won't wore
you with the details on how that whole trade went down,
but that's basically the trade. Norm Powell goes to Miami.
(14:14):
Now they don't really need Bradley Beal because they have
Norm Powell. And now there's a spot open at the
shooting guard position. And now you would have starting at
the one, James Harden, you'd have Bradley Beal at the two. Ooh,
that's just a cone on the perimeter. You've got our guy,
Eva Kazubac, you got Kawhi, and you got John Collins.
(14:36):
That's a pretty good starting five's. That's a team that
could win the Pacific Division. That's a team that could probably,
I don't know, make it to the second round at least.
It's just a very fascinating thing. Now, Kevin Love he
gets bought out by Utah, SloMo Anderson, Kyle Anderson he
gets moved as well, and Kevin Love tweeted, I never
(14:58):
thought I'd I'd be a MA problem after getting traded.
I like that move for the Clippers, I really do,
because yeah, you got Brook Lopez, Nick Batoum, Chris Dunn,
Kawhi Zubach, Derreck Jones, Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench. This
is a squad. They're pretty deep, and I think they're
probably deeper and more underrated than other people think. Also,
(15:20):
what is Utah doing? What are they doing? What do you?
What do you trade for? Use of Nurkic for for
and like why you why are you getting second round
pick to trade away Colin Sexton, Like usef Nirkish's toxic
contract because nobody wants this contract, but you you want
the contract for a second round pick? What do you? What?
Are you broke bitching it? It is like a broke
bitch thing to do, like just accumulate as much draft asked. Ooh, ooh,
(15:43):
like just you got an asset, you got you got
some draft capital. Ooh. It's like, uh, it's like that
Dave Chappelle skit where he was the crackhead. That's what
Danny Ainge is doing for draft picks. I don't get it.
You sent John Collins off for a return of Kevin Love,
Kyle Anderson, and as second round pick when you factor
in the Jazz bought out Jordan Clarkson, who I thought
(16:05):
had some sort of value trader. Danny turned Jordan Clarkson,
John Collins, Colin Sexton, and the second round pick into
Kevin Love, useless, Nurkic, Kyle Anderson, and a second round pick.
I don't get it. I really don't get it. Then
they sent out and bought in one second round pick.
(16:26):
That's a wash. Danny Ainge turn Clarkson, Collins, and Sexton
into which are three charters with a bunch of interest,
into eleven and a half million dollars in buyout debt,
use off Nurkic and Kylie Anderson. That's a worst team.
It's probably like, well, these washed ask guys don't even
care about playing any minutes. They know they're terrible. Jordan
Clarkson's gonna want to play, John Collins is gonna want
(16:47):
to play, Colin Sexton's gonna play, and we're playing the kids,
so we don't want any toxic shit going on in
the locker room. Best case scenario, they created twenty six
million dollars of a trade exception for John Collins if
they absorbed Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love with that mid
level exception. But I think Kevin Love's getting bought out.
Not a great run for Danny Ainge in Utah moving on.
(17:08):
It's just a massive disaster for what's happening. Ace Bailey
doesn't look good in summer League. We'll talk about that
in a second. If you don't get anything for Lori
market and you got to move on, buddy, I don't
even know what this team has. This is just a
front office disaster. Finally, I am headed to the Summer League,
my favorite time of the year. I'll be there for
a week, Thank god, it's not twelve days. I just
couldn't imagine it. I'm going to immerse myself in the
(17:30):
nuts and bolts. I can't wait to see VJ. Edgecombe,
Live Cooper Flag, Young Hanson. Apparently though the Summer League
begins way before Vegas Summer League. We have the California Classic,
we have the Utah Summer Leagues that opened last night.
We got to see VJ. Edgecombe and Ace Bailey. They
went head to head and no shade to Ace Bailey,
but we've been crushing them right. He's been getting absolutely
(17:52):
mauled online. Just this kid doesn't want to be in
Utah analyzing everybody language that he make his agent's not
even a real agent. Then that then his agent gets
his son as an unpaid intern, and then like somebody
calls the league office and then they had to fire
(18:14):
this unpaid intern right away because they were like, this
seems very shady, which did seem shady. So everything surrounding
As Bailey feels a little rinky dink, you know what
I mean. But he shouldn't get blamed for that, just
bad representation. He put up some serious numbers, well as didn't.
(18:34):
But VJ. Edgecomb the guy that was taking Ace Bailey
spot at the number three spot, which Ace was supposed
to go to Philly and then he didn't work out there,
and now it looks like Philly might have ended up
getting a little silver lining there because the number three
pick in the draft vj Edgecomb out of Baylor, who
wasn't very good and didn't look that stunning at Baylor
because there was no space on the floor with a
(18:56):
bunch of guys who could not shoot. Twenty eight points,
rebounds and four assists on forty eight percent shooting. He
did take twenty seven shots his scholar defense, one steal,
two blocks. He's able to get to his spots quite easily.
One for seven from three. That's that's not great. But
the thing though, that's fascinating is that there's only three
(19:20):
other players that have done this in the history of
the Summer League, and it's like Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum,
and maybe Donovan Mitchell. I forget who it was, but
that's a fascinating that's a good company for you. And
if he could become a Jalen Brown type player. Jalen
Brown is not an electric shooter either. He's not the
greatest three point shooter. That would be pretty great, the
(19:43):
best player on the floor for many stretches of time,
and after they had a home run on jere McCain
This has gotta be something fun for Sixers fans. You
got a little maxy, little McCain, little edgecomb. Figure out
a way to wave and stretch and be and you'll
be on your way. Ace Bailey, though, tough sledding three
for thirteen from the field, eight point seven rebounds, one assist,
(20:04):
shot the ball up a jillion times, and struggle from
deep twenty percent. Shot wasn't falling, he was just forcing it.
He did have three offensive boards. They're gonna give him
a lot of minutes in Utah. When you have a
bad summer league performance and you go up against somebody
who was drafted right before you, it just sends like
(20:25):
little mini alarm bells, like ooh, does this have bus potential?
You really want to see guys play in Summer League
one or two games and then be shut down because
they're so good. If we see Ace Bailey all the
way through Summer League, that would be bad. Also a
couple of other points, Cody Wims, I don't think he's
(20:45):
got it. I didn't think he had it at Colorado,
to be honest, it's just big. He's just a Jalen Williams,
but bigger and less athletic and less skilled. He struggled
again forty two percent from the field. He just is
lost out there. If we know what he is, Kyle Philipowski,
which if you're a casual fan, you probably don't know him,
(21:07):
but just listen to the name. Kyle Philipowski is better
than Cody Williams. And he looked better and exceeded expectations.
He had twenty two points. Our man, Cody Williams. I
don't know if he's gonna I don't know if he's
gonna make it. For the sixers, you've got Adam Bona.
Adam Bona is good. He's really good, six', ten backup.
(21:30):
Big he was eight for. Eleven he had sixteen points
and eight. REBOUNDS i liked him AT. Ucla he could
help this. TEAM i mentally, LIKE i, Said waven stretch
Impad waven stretch. Him they also Have Jeni. Broom isn't it?
Interesting they're just doing what they used to do where
they drafted center after center after center after. Center they're
doing it. Again they cannot rely ON mb to do.
(21:53):
Anything JOHN I broom at thirteen and, five he didn't
go two for four from, three stretched the floor like
a Little, minima anyone wave and stretch them. PAUSE i
have a lot more to share from summer week in
the next. EPISODE i will see you guys next. Time
wish me. Luck it's gonna be hot as. Hell i'm
gonna try to get the tea for you. Guys al
(22:14):
what's happening With? Indiana what's happening with some of these.
Moves but that's all the time that we. Have come
Back tuesday for an all new. Episode check out the
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(22:34):
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(22:57):
and see you next. Time
On this episode of The Heat Check, Man, we are
just at that dregs of free agency. There's nothing really
big is going on. I'm gonna break down Jonas Valanciunis,
and that's where we're at right now. That's the short
week before, you know, between the opening of free agency
and the start of summer League. I'm actually not ready
(00:21):
for summer League. Just like cock clockwork pause, weird shit
is happening. We have a second hundred million dollars buyout
on our hands. We have a thirteen year NBA vet
who is just gonna ghost his new team wild and
a bunch of trays that we're supposed to have gone
through are just sitting there, like uh, like some vegetables
(00:42):
that I don't want to eat them. My mom made
what's up? No time to waste? Whyatt drop that motherfucking
beat that should be Rihanna. You're listening to the Hottest,
the Hottest. It'd be a podcast out here. I said
what I said, it's the Heat Check, the Heat chat check.
All oh man, The biggest story in the NBA right
(01:07):
now is a guy about a guy that most casual
fans don't even know. Yonas Valentinnis aka jv aka wish
version of of Travis Kelce. That's probably the most people
know about him is that he looks a lot like
Travis Kelce. But things are getting weird, so weird, and
(01:27):
when I mean like weird, I mean in a way
that's never happened ever before. So we were given the
Denver Nuggets praise last episode. I was going through all
the moves that they made and I was like, oh, yeah, Nuggets,
go get Yonis Valenti Nis a backup for Jokic. They
finally have none yogic minutes that they can rely on.
(01:48):
This is just such a great move. They go into
the cash just a little bit, but it's great for
them because in the in the regular season where you
need somebody to eat up innings, so that so the
yogic isn't just gas. By the time April rolls around,
you can give Yonas vounce, who's fifteen twenty minutes a game?
You know. And then after the trade was made, and
(02:10):
actually I found out on last last episode's podcast while
we were recording, Nuggets found out that Jonas had planned
to sign a three year deal with path and Akos
Pathen and Akos in Greece to play EuroLeague Basketball and
not the NBA, even though he's under contract in the
NBA still for two more years. In fact, now all
hell is broken loose. Both sides are digging their heels in.
(02:33):
Jonas is like, I'm not playing and they're like, well, we'll
see you at training camp. So how do we get here?
So the Nuggets traded backup center Dariosage to the Kings,
which actually helped the Kings because they were paying Yonas
ten something million dollars a year and then now they
only have to pay Darosage five million years, so that's
good for them. The Nuggets get off of Dariosas, who
was not involved in the rotation, they get a backup bick.
(02:55):
That was like one of the many important moves that
they made. Most people like the trade, like me, because,
like I said, do you get a guy who can
eat the innings up, who's only making ten million dollars
a year, You got him on a team option. If
he's washed, you don't even have to keep them. He
averaged ten to seven and two in his thirteenth year
in the NBA. He was very good for the Pelicans.
He's pretty good for the Wizards. Like, this is a
guy who can start, this is a guy who's capable
(03:18):
of giving you double doubles. And then the news broke
that He's like, I'm not playing for Denver. I'm gonna
go and play for Pathenacos panathen Echos in Athens, which,
by the way, Athens very lit. I used to live
in Athens, and if I got the chance to go
between Denver and Athens, I'd probably also choose Athens. So
but what the hell was going on here? What the
(03:38):
hell he Why didn't you tell anybody? Okay, how do
you just go behind the scenes and have this deal
already inked and not tell any NBA officials? Why would
he all of a sudden turn down an opportunity to
play with a three time MVP. It will be one
of the more favorite teams to win it all, especially
considering he's much mentioned that he was tired of playing
(03:59):
for bottom feed. The Nuggets were surprised. To say that
they were surprised, it's probably an understatement. They were shocked,
and they were pissed, and they were like, yo, you're coming,
you know like you are mister, do not play with us.
You are grounded, like you're coming to training camp okay.
And he's like, I mean, I'm staying in Athens. That's when.
(04:22):
That's where I'm gonna be. This is like when Odyssey
told me that I needed to come into the studio
when there was like five or six inches of snow
and ice on the roads. And then they offered to
give me an Uber which like who trusts a random
Uber driver could drive me at eleven at night? And
they were like, no, you're coming, And I was like no,
(04:44):
I'm not, Like I promise you, I'm not leaving this door.
Whatever it is that you need to do to me
in order to like shore this up, I'm not coming.
That's what Yarns Valanchoo is. That's the same energy. It's
like I'm just not getting on a plane. Nothing you
can do about it. So we got Jay Huff getting
traded for to the Indiana Pacers. We got Utah moving
(05:08):
guys around their Utah, by the way, is looking for
two first round picks and a matching salary for their
center Walker Kessler. So centers are the market is dry, okay,
And all of the Nuggets were thinking about was Jonas Valanunas,
So I don't know what to make of it. This
one's stings. There's not a lot of options for them.
A European redditor explained that this is really not about
(05:29):
the nugget as much as this is about the money.
So Panatheneko's tried to get Yonas last year, but then
the Pelicans signed him. Uh No, the Wizards signed him
excuse me, to a deal and then traded him to
the Kings. Then the Kings traded him to the Nuggets.
So he went from the Pelicans to the Wizards, to
(05:49):
the Kings to the Nuggets. And like, none of those
teams except for the Nuggets, we're doing shit right, like
they're not doing like we got Zion doing his bullshit
and then we're playing with Kyle Kuzma. Now we're playing
with Maleik Monk and the disgruntled Deer. But it's the
whole thing is just bad. He said he was fed
up with losing culture, and that's when the discussions with
(06:09):
Panathoniko's ramped up again. So this is before any Denver
was in the mix right. The Nuggets, though, have a
team option for next year, so he's actually under contract
technically speaking, for two years, so Yonus would likely be
a cap hit and then I guess they could encourage
him to come back to the veteran minimum myth at all.
(06:32):
So Penathon Akos is offering him three years and thirteen
million million dollars, where he's getting paid ten points something
for one year and maybe a little bit. The difference
could be more in Greece, could be more for the Nuggets,
just depends. But you get a fully guaranteed deal to
play in Athens. You have a brand new stadium, you
have euros right with the fries inside, really good ones.
(06:55):
You got great satsiki, you got batties, you got the
I think it's the Adriatic Sea. I don't know there's
Mediterranean water going it's it is the Adriatic Sea. I'm here.
I got a stat roster, you got fireworks going up
in the arena, you got fans going crazy, championships you're
contending for. You're probably gonna play a lot of minutes.
(07:17):
It seems quite enticing versus just like, what did they
call Draymond Green an overpriced backpack for thirty Just like
you're basically the inning eater for the greatest scorer and
center maybe in history. So and you're probably getting crushed
online for anything bad you do when you'll just off
(07:38):
the floor. When you calculate his taxes on his American
contract and compare it to what the Greek team is offering,
he might actually more pocket more money in Europe anyway,
the schedule is much easier than the NBA. He could
be looking at ninety one hundred games next season, and
the EuroLeague schedule is just a lot easier than that.
There are logical reasons off Oviously to go back. Try
(08:01):
to get a chip with Denver. I mean, he helps
a lot, but you've got Deron Holmes there. What's going
to happen with him? Denver's first rum pick was last year.
That was him. He had an injury. Now he's back healthy.
He looks really good. But European Basketball Side Basketball News
summed it up as Yonus Valanciunas wants to leave the
NBA and the Denver Nuggets, primarily because of a longer
(08:23):
guaranteed deal with Panathanacos. Panathon Akos athens his desire to
play a major role on the title contending team, frustrated
with playing for NBA teams without a winning culture, and
personal reasons. Okay, I mean I get it, but you're
under contract, so like you probably should have figured that
out when you were signing with the Wizards, And we
(08:43):
had this with that. Sasha of Zenkoff, who played for
the Kings and then went to the Raptors, also two
bottom feeding teams that he didn't want to be a
part of, and they released him. But the Nuggets are
not a bottom feeding team, and it sounds like they
are not releasing him. They could theoretically hold him hostage
and then he wouldn't be able to play anywhere and
he wouldn't get any money. So I don't know, I
(09:05):
don't know what I see happy. I don't know what
I see happening. You just don't want an unhappy player
on your roster. Plus, if you keep him on the
roster and he doesn't play, now, you don't have any
cap space to sign anyone else. So it's tough. Well,
I mean, the good news is if they do lose
out on Youonis Valan Judas, the Nuggets will have turned
Dariosarach into a fourteen million dollar mid level exception that
(09:28):
they can go out and buy a player. But there's
not a lot of available players available short of Al Horford,
who they want at this stage, I don't know, Maybe
you trade for someone. I don't know. It's tough. You
don't have to give up draft a like capital. You
don't have any first round picks left. Very tight squeeze.
It's gonna be interesting going forward. Apparently he's said to
be going undergoing a physical this week in Athens and
(09:51):
thus is out of the country. Is he gonna come
back and play for Denver? Fascinating? Fascinating stuff. Where at
what Denver does next, how they proceed, will very interesting.
All right? Moving on the entire valanchounisting is obviously weird.
But you know what is also very weird is not
only did we have a former number one overall pick
in DeAndre Ayton in the middle of his prime really
(10:15):
getting bought out by the Portland Trailblazers. You then had
Damian Lillard, who had one hundred and twenty million dollars
left on his contract getting bought out. And now you
have another one that may get bought out in somewhat
of the prime of his career as well. So now
you have not just one number one overall pick, but
you have two all stars, but two of the ten
(10:36):
most highly paid players in the league. That might be
getting bought out or stretched and waived. What why? What
the fuck? What's going on happening? The league is changing, folks.
The CBA has put us into chaos. We got into
the weeds last week by Damian Lillard who got bought
out by the Milwaukee Bucks. Well waved and stretched pause
(10:59):
so that Miles Turner can get signed the bottom out
of his one hundred and thirteen million dollar contract. They
paid him out over five years, and now they're gonna
have twenty two point six million dollars against the cap
every year for the next five years, which is just insane. Apparently,
Tony East, by the way, is reporting that Dame isn't
the only one who got but blindsided, but the Pacers
found out that Miles Turner was signing with the Bucks
(11:20):
when Schamp's tweeted it as well, holy shit, all those
like Miles Turner on the trade block rumors he just
decided just put the shive in and twist it. Because
I wondered to myself, why wouldn't he just come back
to the Pacers and say, Hey, this is what I'm
getting offered by the Bucks, get a little bit more
money and stay with the same contending team. No, he
(11:40):
was like, fuck y'all, I'm gonna go to your rival
and play with Yannis. Back to the buyout market, notable
sources say that a buyout of Bradley Beal is around
the corner, as the Suns appear to be adopting a
Milwaukee Bucks model, which is funny because they played each
other in the finals and they've really gone downhill ever since.
By buying out Beale rather than bring him back on
(12:02):
what is a rebuilding project. John Gambadaro, who is just
tweeting incessantly, said I expected decision and a resolution in
the next twenty four to forty eight hours. On Bradley Bill,
rumors are that he is required to give up about
fourteen million so that he can take over ninety six
million over the final two years, and if they amortize it,
(12:23):
it'll be nineteen million dollars a year, which doesn't make
any sense because they're not contending. Why not just take
the cap hit right now? Like does not a team
like the Bucks? They suck? They are terrible. Also, why
not just use Bradley Beal? You got Jalen Green there?
What is he? You hat? Devin Booker there? Why not.
Why not? And now the Sun's completely transformed. In the
mix of this buyout talk, they slipped in that Devin Booker,
(12:46):
the last of the Big Three, signed a two year,
one hundred and fifty million dollar extension, making him the
highest paid player in the NBA at seventy five million
dollars per year. Okay, we're crazy, it's crazy time. Okay,
fifty fout crazy. Sixty five feels great, seventy five is crazy.
That's four million dollars more than Shake guil Just Alexander.
(13:07):
Do you think, really, Devin Booker's worth four million dollars
more than Shake kill Just Alexander per year. No, once
he hits the open market, there's probably not gonna be
a shortage of suitors for Bradley Beal. The Miami Heat,
of course, or back in the mix doing their shit.
They're back in the mix. Friend of show, Barry Jackson
to the Miami Harold thinks that Bill could come to
(13:29):
the Heat if he's cite a vet minimum. Not a
lot of logic to that. If DeAndre Ayton can get
eight million a year, I don't see how Bill doesn't
get more than that fourteen million. Probably he averages seventeen
three and four. We can't act like Bradley Beal's a scrub.
He's a fifty forty ninety guy. He just can't play
any defense, and he was on a team that didn't
make any damn sense and he has no trade clause.
So not anymore. Though not anymore. Other teams are going
(13:53):
to be monitoring the situation, Lakers, Bucks Wolves. I like
Bradley Beal a little bit on the Bucks. Wolve's kind
of makes sense. But the team though to watch is
the LA Clippers, because they did something very interesting this morning.
They traded Norm Powell for John Collins. I won't wore
you with the details on how that whole trade went down,
but that's basically the trade. Norm Powell goes to Miami.
(14:14):
Now they don't really need Bradley Beal because they have
Norm Powell. And now there's a spot open at the
shooting guard position. And now you would have starting at
the one, James Harden, you'd have Bradley Beal at the two. Ooh,
that's just a cone on the perimeter. You've got our guy,
Eva Kazubac, you got Kawhi, and you got John Collins.
(14:36):
That's a pretty good starting five's. That's a team that
could win the Pacific Division. That's a team that could probably,
I don't know, make it to the second round at least.
It's just a very fascinating thing. Now, Kevin Love he
gets bought out by Utah, SloMo Anderson, Kyle Anderson he
gets moved as well, and Kevin Love tweeted, I never
(14:58):
thought I'd I'd be a MA problem after getting traded.
I like that move for the Clippers, I really do,
because yeah, you got Brook Lopez, Nick Batoum, Chris Dunn,
Kawhi Zubach, Derreck Jones, Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench. This
is a squad. They're pretty deep, and I think they're
probably deeper and more underrated than other people think. Also,
(15:20):
what is Utah doing? What are they doing? What do you?
What do you trade for? Use of Nurkic for for
and like why you why are you getting second round
pick to trade away Colin Sexton, Like usef Nirkish's toxic
contract because nobody wants this contract, but you you want
the contract for a second round pick? What do you? What?
Are you broke bitching it? It is like a broke
bitch thing to do, like just accumulate as much draft asked. Ooh, ooh,
(15:43):
like just you got an asset, you got you got
some draft capital. Ooh. It's like, uh, it's like that
Dave Chappelle skit where he was the crackhead. That's what
Danny Ainge is doing for draft picks. I don't get it.
You sent John Collins off for a return of Kevin Love,
Kyle Anderson, and as second round pick when you factor
in the Jazz bought out Jordan Clarkson, who I thought
(16:05):
had some sort of value trader. Danny turned Jordan Clarkson,
John Collins, Colin Sexton, and the second round pick into
Kevin Love, useless, Nurkic, Kyle Anderson, and a second round pick.
I don't get it. I really don't get it. Then
they sent out and bought in one second round pick.
(16:26):
That's a wash. Danny Ainge turn Clarkson, Collins, and Sexton
into which are three charters with a bunch of interest,
into eleven and a half million dollars in buyout debt,
use off Nurkic and Kylie Anderson. That's a worst team.
It's probably like, well, these washed ask guys don't even
care about playing any minutes. They know they're terrible. Jordan
Clarkson's gonna want to play, John Collins is gonna want
(16:47):
to play, Colin Sexton's gonna play, and we're playing the kids,
so we don't want any toxic shit going on in
the locker room. Best case scenario, they created twenty six
million dollars of a trade exception for John Collins if
they absorbed Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love with that mid
level exception. But I think Kevin Love's getting bought out.
Not a great run for Danny Ainge in Utah moving on.
(17:08):
It's just a massive disaster for what's happening. Ace Bailey
doesn't look good in summer League. We'll talk about that
in a second. If you don't get anything for Lori
market and you got to move on, buddy, I don't
even know what this team has. This is just a
front office disaster. Finally, I am headed to the Summer League,
my favorite time of the year. I'll be there for
a week, Thank god, it's not twelve days. I just
couldn't imagine it. I'm going to immerse myself in the
(17:30):
nuts and bolts. I can't wait to see VJ. Edgecombe,
Live Cooper Flag, Young Hanson. Apparently though the Summer League
begins way before Vegas Summer League. We have the California Classic,
we have the Utah Summer Leagues that opened last night.
We got to see VJ. Edgecombe and Ace Bailey. They
went head to head and no shade to Ace Bailey,
but we've been crushing them right. He's been getting absolutely
(17:52):
mauled online. Just this kid doesn't want to be in
Utah analyzing everybody language that he make his agent's not
even a real agent. Then that then his agent gets
his son as an unpaid intern, and then like somebody
calls the league office and then they had to fire
(18:14):
this unpaid intern right away because they were like, this
seems very shady, which did seem shady. So everything surrounding
As Bailey feels a little rinky dink, you know what
I mean. But he shouldn't get blamed for that, just
bad representation. He put up some serious numbers, well as didn't.
(18:34):
But VJ. Edgecomb the guy that was taking Ace Bailey
spot at the number three spot, which Ace was supposed
to go to Philly and then he didn't work out there,
and now it looks like Philly might have ended up
getting a little silver lining there because the number three
pick in the draft vj Edgecomb out of Baylor, who
wasn't very good and didn't look that stunning at Baylor
because there was no space on the floor with a
(18:56):
bunch of guys who could not shoot. Twenty eight points,
rebounds and four assists on forty eight percent shooting. He
did take twenty seven shots his scholar defense, one steal,
two blocks. He's able to get to his spots quite easily.
One for seven from three. That's that's not great. But
the thing though, that's fascinating is that there's only three
(19:20):
other players that have done this in the history of
the Summer League, and it's like Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum,
and maybe Donovan Mitchell. I forget who it was, but
that's a fascinating that's a good company for you. And
if he could become a Jalen Brown type player. Jalen
Brown is not an electric shooter either. He's not the
greatest three point shooter. That would be pretty great, the
(19:43):
best player on the floor for many stretches of time,
and after they had a home run on jere McCain
This has gotta be something fun for Sixers fans. You
got a little maxy, little McCain, little edgecomb. Figure out
a way to wave and stretch and be and you'll
be on your way. Ace Bailey, though, tough sledding three
for thirteen from the field, eight point seven rebounds, one assist,
(20:04):
shot the ball up a jillion times, and struggle from
deep twenty percent. Shot wasn't falling, he was just forcing it.
He did have three offensive boards. They're gonna give him
a lot of minutes in Utah. When you have a
bad summer league performance and you go up against somebody
who was drafted right before you, it just sends like
(20:25):
little mini alarm bells, like ooh, does this have bus potential?
You really want to see guys play in Summer League
one or two games and then be shut down because
they're so good. If we see Ace Bailey all the
way through Summer League, that would be bad. Also a
couple of other points, Cody Wims, I don't think he's
(20:45):
got it. I didn't think he had it at Colorado,
to be honest, it's just big. He's just a Jalen Williams,
but bigger and less athletic and less skilled. He struggled
again forty two percent from the field. He just is
lost out there. If we know what he is, Kyle Philipowski,
which if you're a casual fan, you probably don't know him,
(21:07):
but just listen to the name. Kyle Philipowski is better
than Cody Williams. And he looked better and exceeded expectations.
He had twenty two points. Our man, Cody Williams. I
don't know if he's gonna I don't know if he's
gonna make it. For the sixers, you've got Adam Bona.
Adam Bona is good. He's really good, six', ten backup.
(21:30):
Big he was eight for. Eleven he had sixteen points
and eight. REBOUNDS i liked him AT. Ucla he could
help this. TEAM i mentally, LIKE i, Said waven stretch
Impad waven stretch. Him they also Have Jeni. Broom isn't it?
Interesting they're just doing what they used to do where
they drafted center after center after center after. Center they're
doing it. Again they cannot rely ON mb to do.
(21:53):
Anything JOHN I broom at thirteen and, five he didn't
go two for four from, three stretched the floor like
a Little, minima anyone wave and stretch them. PAUSE i
have a lot more to share from summer week in
the next. EPISODE i will see you guys next. Time
wish me. Luck it's gonna be hot as. Hell i'm
gonna try to get the tea for you. Guys al
(22:14):
what's happening With? Indiana what's happening with some of these.
Moves but that's all the time that we. Have come
Back tuesday for an all new. Episode check out the
fee for past episodes which come unexpected you, to Like
Danmian lawler's birthday, party which had pretty much everyone In portland.
There do not forget to follow the heat check all
season off season. Long because the tea is, hot so
(22:34):
is the. Weather download. Subscribe tell your, friends all of,
them even the ones you haven't talked to in, Years say,
hey pull up to the party and follow the heat
check and follow us on TikTok at this heat checking,
At Trista cook On, Twitter instagram and threads met his
new social media platform WHERE i post every day When
i'm not in, jail BECAUSE i was In instagram jail
this last weekend and it. Sucks but, anyway thank y'all
(22:57):
and see you next. Time
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