Andy Bailey on the NBA Draft, What do the Utah Jazz do with their picks + more

The NBA Writer for Bleacher Report on tonight's 1st Round of the NBA Draft

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
You were tuned into Utah's best midday sports show, The Bill Riley Show,
presented by the Less Schwab Tires,right here on your home of the
Unix ESPN seven hundred. Well,we're now about four and a half hours
away from the NBA Draft beginning.We'll have coverage tonight with myself, Spence

(00:22):
check Its, and Gordy Chieza righthere. Jazz picking at ten and twenty
nine today, thirty two, possiblytomorrow. I don't think they'll keep all
three of those picks. Heck,I don't know if they'll keep two of
those three picks, but we'll see. I didn't think they keep all three
last year, and they did.But I just don't think you want that
many young players on your roster.But again, if they decide to go
full tank mode, maybe they do. We'll see. Andy Bailey covers the

(00:45):
NBA for the Benicia Report. He'sbeen always kind enough take a few minutes
out of his day practicing law anddefending those who need defending in the great
state of Wyoming to talk a littlebasketball here at the Bill Riley Show.
So I won't be bothering him anyfurther doing that, but I'm glad he's
got a few minutes to day totalk some draft with us. How are
you, Annie, I'm good andI'm always happy to be on your show.

(01:06):
Thanks for having me. It's goodto have you back again. So
let's let's just start with the Jazzsince we're here. Do you believe they'll
have it? They'll they'll make allthree picks in this draft today and tomorrow
or even two tonight. I'm withyou. I give them the amount of
young talent that's already on the roster. I would think that alone probably inspires
them or motivates them to make somedeals. I also think there's there's the

(01:33):
quote from Danny Ainge from a coupleof months ago about how they might be
ready to go big game hunting thissummer. That could be motivating some of
their thinking in the next couple ofdays. So it's nice to have an
excess of picks, and that's youknow, that always looks good when they
trade is first reported, as itdid when they moved Gobert and Mitchell a
couple of years ago. But eventuallyyou you just have to there's a cap

(01:55):
on how many guys you can haveon your roster. So they're going to
have to start moving some of theseat some point, and twenty four seems
like a draft to potentially move outof, like, not out of entirely,
but it does I think make senseto consolidate this year. I think
so too. The Big Game huntingline sounded really good. I'm just not
sure that's going to be possible thissummer. If if the Big Game hunting

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for a guy like Michale Bridges,who I like it offul lot is what
the hall was, I'm not surethe Jazz are willing to give that up,
but they could. They're one ofthe few teams, much like the
Knicks, that had those picks todo it. I'm not sure they would
do it, But at some pointin time, you've got to stop accumulating
picks like the Jazz have and startturning those picks into either players or assets,

(02:38):
because you're not gonna want all thosepicks over the course of the next
six years. I think that's absolutelytrue. And I also, you know,
it's one thing to say you're goingto go out and get win now
players. It's obviously another thing todo it. And I'm not I'm not
necessarily doubting how genuine Danny and DannyAndrews being when he said that, but

(02:59):
not all only is it not possibleor potentially not possible, like you said,
to do that this summer? Itmight it just might not be smart.
I think Utah has been relatively patientfor the last couple of years,
and to hit the gas now mightbe a little short sighted given the relative

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weakness of this draft, relative weaknessof this free agent class, and maybe
this trade market. Compared to twentyfive, I think if they're going to
push some chips in twenty five wouldbe a better year to do it.
I think there's going to be betterdraft prospects available. You never know who'll
be available for trade between now andthen, So if Jazz fans are up

(03:40):
for it and have the patient forit, I think they need to wait
at least one more year. Wellif that's the cay and again, I
guess you can never know what thetea leaves are going to show you.
But would is there a thought processthat you know, maybe two years ago
after they dealt Rudy in Donovan thatthey should have gone tank and they should
have gone and just tried to getas good you know, do what the

(04:02):
rockets have done. Do what theOklahoma City thunder have done to try to
rebuild it that way? Or doyou like what the Jazz have done.
I like what they've done, andI think the intention probably was the tank,
at least to some degree. Idon't think even the Utah front office
could have expected the marketing to beas good as he has been. And

(04:23):
as long as you have like afringe all NBA forward on your roster,
it's going to be hard to justbe really really bad, and that'll continue
to be the case obviously if he'son the roster next season. I guess
where you could maybe second guess themif you're if you're among the fans or
analysts who think they should have leanedharder into the tank, is maybe they
should have traded Mike Conley earlier lastseason that well, season before last,

(04:46):
and maybe should they should have tradedKelley Olnick a little bit earlier this past
season, and maybe that helps themstart tack stacking up losses a little bit
earlier in the season than they did, and they could run into a similar
issue again this year. I mean, I just mentioned if you're going to
be angling for a draft class twentyfive is maybe the one to do it.

(05:09):
Utah is in a tricky position becausethey just might not be able to
have an aggressive, we want tolose type season if marketing's on the roster.
And at the same time, I'mnot necessarily advocating for movings marketing.
It's it's kind of a political neutralstance that I'm taking with the Jazz right
now. I just if there's onething I'm fairly confident about, it's that

(05:30):
this summer probably isn't the one togo all in with win now moves.
Talking Andy Bailey here at the BillRiley Show today on ESPN seven, and
it's a little bit of breaking newsthe heater extending bam Otebaio. You want
to take a guess on the totalvalue of the contract. I think I
already saw this, Okay, soI would be cheating, but I think

(05:50):
it's what around one sixty or somethinglike that. Six. Yeah, won
sixty six for three more years,and the number are going to continue to
be eye popping for me. Imean, I understand that the cap is
going up and beam Atabayo is anotherfringe all NBA guy, but yeah,
the contracts that we see nowadays arepretty well, if you can look at

(06:14):
it from the perspective of what percentageof the cap is that going to be.
I think that's a pretty good dealfor the Miami Heat. I think
he's a very versatile big man whocan do a little bit of point center
type stuff. It'd be nice ifhe had a little bit more range as
a shooter. But he's he's agreat player, and that's just kind of
what you have to do with greatplayers these days in the NBA. You
got to sign them to the maximmoney every time you can. So the

(06:38):
Jazz stay at ten tonight, Andy, they need everything. I'm not convinced
Keiante George is the point guard forthe long term, at least not the
starting point guard for the long term. They need to get better defensively.
They were awful awful defensively. Theycould use a wing defender. There's a
lot of things they could use.And Justin Zanik said, we're in the
position to take the best player possible. Give me a couple of names that

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you think might be around to tenthat would be good for the jan Well,
I agree with you on everything hejust said. I'm not necessarily I
am not out on keyante George byany stretch of the imagination. But I'm
also not necessarily sold that he's likea long term playmaker, traditional point guard
type. So one name that I'veseen slipping a decent amount, and it's

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probably because of the knee injury thathe suffered towards the end of his season
overseas is Nicola. Topic I thinkwould be very interesting if he slid all
the way to ten. He's gota great feel for the game. Serbia
is kind of invading the NBA rightnow, and there's a style of play,
a team for style of play withthose guys that I think he's super
intriguing. Ron Holland is a guywho was first on a lot of people's

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big boards I don't know, sixseven months ago, and then maybe was
a little underwhelming with the G LeagueIgnite this year and it's lit a little
bit, but I've seen him slipto around Utah's range in some mock drafts.
Cody Williams and just to go backto Ron Holland at a wing,
who can I think conceivably have somepoint forward. Potentially, He's a great

(08:07):
athlete and I think he has apotential to be a pretty solid perimeter defender
too. And then one other wingto think about that's I think going to
be around that range is Cody Williams, who may not have the same defensive
upside as Ron Holland, but hisbrother Jalen has certainly developed into a pretty
good defender in the NBA, andI think Cody profile should be a pretty

(08:28):
good shooter. So there will beoptions. I don't you know, I
don't know how many surefire superstars orin this draft, but I think it's
going to be a relatively deep classin terms of guys who can become role
players, and I think there's goingto be a few of them around ten
for Utah, I agree, andI think that's probably the best spot for

(08:50):
them to be. Twenty nine.We'll see what happens. Thirty two,
we'll see what happens. What's yourfeeling on Brownie James. Does he get
taken tomorrow night by or tomorrow afternoonby the lake? Yeah? I think
that's its floor, and the reasonsfor it are obvious, and I think
it's fair for people to be cynicalabout it. I mean, his his
college numbers were not good, butI also understand why la would do it.

(09:16):
I mean, lebron Is is he'sa very obviously he's probably still the
most marketable guy in the league.The Lakers have kind of a tradition of
treating their aging stars well as theynear the end, as they obviously did
with Kobe Bryant as well. Andif you if you just remove like the

(09:37):
the you know, NB, thehardcore NBA analyst numbers guy equation from it,
it is pretty cool for a fatherto be able to play with his
son in the NBA. I meanthat the sentimental side of it is is
really a cool thing. And it'sjust one roster spot, and you know,
those are valuable for teams that wantto contend. But at the same

(09:58):
time, I don't necessarily think likehe's guaranteed to be a bust. He
had a pretty solid combine. Heshowed, you know, fairly well in
the scrimmages, and he put upbetter athletics and athletic numbers and measurements than
I expected from him. So there'sat least some defensive potential there. And
I've been touting the pedigree for CodyWilliams because you know, I do think

(10:22):
there's something to his brother already beinggood in the NBA. And if I'm
going to, you know, saythat with Williams, I certainly have to
extend that to a father son relationship. And Lebron is a top five player
of all time, so it wouldn'tbe crazy for his son to develop into
an NBA level player. Is therea guy you've watched or scattered in this
year's draft anywhere in the draft that'llbe a first round guy that you really

(10:43):
like? I mean that you're like, oh, Okay, this guy,
I got no doubt he's going tobe a great player. Well, I
don't know if there's any no doubtersthis year. And the interesting thing about
a draft like this, where there'sa lot of predictability and there isn't you
know, there isn't one guy thateverybody's saying, you know, he's definitely

(11:03):
gonna be good. Is you cankind of fall for a lot of different
guys in a draft like this,but one that I keep coming back to.
And maybe it's a little dangerous becauseof his age. He's already twenty
three years old. But I've likedTristan de Silva for a long time from
Colorado. His teammate the younger guyCody Williams has gotten more the attention,

(11:26):
but I just to Silva side.He's almost six' ten and his feel
when I watch him play, hemoves very much like a wing or a
guard, which is I think greatfor six ten guy. Not huge assist
numbers in college, but I dothink he has some point forward potential,
and in some ways he kind ofreminds me of Hoimay Hawks from last year's

(11:48):
draft, where the knock on himis that he's older. You know,
he should be dominating younger guys atthat point in his life, but he
just has a feel for the game. He's he's one of those guys I
watch him. He knows how toplay basketball. So that's that's one that
my eyes keep being drawn to.Is Tristan de Silva from Colorado. Moment
or two more here with Andy Bailey. How's Paul George and his potential status

(12:11):
going to impact the Western or EasternConference? That seems like the biggest Domino
just sort of chilling out there rightnow, and he's getting older. I
was, you know, looking ata bunch of people who are potentially available
if there's free agents or trade targetsthis summer and I was surprised that he's

(12:31):
He's already thirty four years old.He's as old as Klay Thompson. So
there may not be a long runwayleft for him to be an impact guy,
but he certainly is one now.He's a much higher volume three point
shooter than I think people realize.And if he winds up on a team
where he's like the third option,which would be the case in Philadelphia with

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with MB and Maxie, if he'sa third option anywhere, that's a title
contender. So I think he's obviouslya huge potential swing wherever he winds up.
He's you know, he's not thedefender he was five ten years ago,
but he's still pretty solid and switchableon that end. He can be

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a secondary creator. He's a verymalleable player. I mean, there's a
lot of superstars who when they goto a different situation, you kind of
have to reorganize your team and you'refor philosophy to fit that guy. But
I think Paul George just fits anywhere. So he's wherever he winds up,
even if it's back in the Clippers, that's that's going to be big news,
I think. So I think youwrote something today about should the Nuggets

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take a look at him? Youthink they will? Well, I think
every team, you know, giventhe way this is played out with the
Clippers, I think every team hasto at least call and say, hey,
what's what's the deal here. It'sreally tricky with the Nuggets because you
know, if Kntavious called the Popepicks up his option, they're over the
second apron and they're they're out.I mean, they can't aggregate salaries to

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get to Paul George's number. Buteven if KCP declines and both of those
teams are first apron teams, it'sstill really tricky to make the trade.
So it would take a lot ofcap gymnastics to make that work. But
if it meant giving up Michael PorterJunior in whatever draft capital they have,
I mean, it certainly makes Denverbetter in the short term. And like

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I just said, George is reallyadaptable wherever he goes, and if he
were suddenly with a playmaking five likeJokic, I think he'd be extremely dangerous.
So that would be huge for them. I just I think there might
be too many cappitles for that oneto happen. Who goes first tonight?
Is it Sar? Is it theFrench kid? Is it Shepherd? Who
you think ends up going first?Another thing about this draft, it's just

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so unpredictable. I mean, everybody'ssaying Receschet, and so I guess by
default I will do that as well. And I can see the intrigue.
A six' ten shooter who movespretty fluid out there. But I keep
thinking back to twenty thirteen, whichwas another draft that a lot of people
were kind of pessimistic about, andAnthony Bennett's name comes out of nowhere for

(15:07):
the first overall pick that year.So I will say Resachet, just because
it seems like it's kind of outin the ether right now. But don't
be surprised if we get something offthe wall that kind of sends the draft
into minor shop ways tonight. Readhis stuff at the Bleacher Report. Andy,
thanks as always, We'll meet somewheredown the road. Appreciate it,

(15:30):
Appreciate it. Thanks for having me, sir. There you go, Andy
Bailey with us here on the BillRiley Show today. Read his stuff with
the Bleacher Report. I always likeAndy because he's thought out and measured.
He's an attorney, so you knowhe's going to be a smart guy.
But his takes are thought out andmeasured. They're not hot takes. They're
usually fact based, which is alwaysgood, but also Staton information based as
well. So appreciate Andy Bailey takinga few minutes with us here at the

(15:54):
Bill Riley Show today, keeping aneye on the Euro's Portugal late first half,
four fifth minutes, still trailing Georgiaby a score of one to nothing.
Keep tabs on that when as Diegoes along today. I want to
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(17:22):
We'll grab a time out when wecome back on the other side.
Little topical trivia, some Hoodie andthe Blowfish tickets to give away for their
concert coming up in July at theUtah First Credit Union Amphitheater right here on