Rookie Extensions & Non-Extensions (Part 1) - Featuring Dan Favale

Mort & Dan discuss the players who received rookie extensions, and those who did not.

First up.. those who did!

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

https://www.fanduel.com/research/ncaab

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What is up, fellowsikos, I am Dan Favalley coming at
you with the one the Only, Mort Jensen of NBA podcast,
fame of Yahoo Sports, fame of Forbes, fame of HBO,
Max fame now and also most notably of OnlyFans celebrity,

(00:23):
mister Mort Jensen.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Before we talk.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
We're here to talk about just extensions, all signed by
not They're not all conventional rookie extensions because a couple of.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Them came from second round picks or undrafted guys.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
But we're going to get into what we think of
the extensions, as well as talk about the players who
did not sign extensions, because sometimes that is just as fascinating.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
We haven't had a chance to do that.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
We thought it'd be a good time to do it
now as we're still mainlining the start of the NBA season.
Now I can ask you, mister mort Jensen, how the heck.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Are you doing?

Speaker 3 (00:50):
I am doing very very well, thank you. This is
one of the first times that I've actually been healthy
over the course of like a month or so, because
remember when I was just a mess, to be honest
with you, just a mess that was like for a
month and a half. Now I've been healthy and feeling
good for like a month. So obviously, as I say

(01:12):
this out loud, I just jinxed my ass. But no,
I'm I'm I'm having a blast the NBA season this underway. Now,
got a new job, as you alluded to, So I
can't complain.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Well, we're here for the complaints, so try and find one.

Speaker 3 (01:26):
No, well, that's gonna be tough, man. It's a it's
good vibes.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
You want to complain about the Bulls number ranked defense,
number one ranked defense.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Go ahead, I you don't want Honestly, I don't have
a lot to complain about with the Bulls because I've
noticed something. If we want to get there.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
No, that's not what this podcast is when you stay
on topic. I was what I actually wanted to ask
you was before we dig into the extensions, like go
extension by extension, did you notice any themes coming out
of these negotiations or any thoughts that you had, like
just coming out of the rookie extension season about where
these types of transactions are headed.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
It's funny you ask that because I've wrote about that
over at Yahoo Sports and basically, oh you did well.
Now I'm flattered technically, I'm you know, we don't know
with certain absolute certainty whether you know, two players picking
up the qualifying offer is going to have like a
sort of effect on the future market. We don't know

(02:26):
that it depends on the amount of money being available
and whatnot, but it does feel like restricted free agency
players are realizing just the deatness of it that it's
just no longer a viable option for them to go
in and earn their money. So they seem to be
split into two camps. One there's the camp that just goes,
I'm going to bet on myself so much that I'm

(02:48):
going to be like a max contract player, so I
become you know, quote unquote unavoidable. The second camp is
the Nikola Yovic camp, where you just go, oh, you know,
I'll sign whatever you put in front of me because
I just don't want to go through that whole thing
with the uncertainty and you squeezing me and and everything
involved there. So it's going to be fascinating to see

(03:10):
over the next couple couple of years how players adjust
to this market, because how long has it been since
we've seen like a true offer sheet, like three off
seasons ago, somewhere along count Is it real?

Speaker 2 (03:27):
It was a real one.

Speaker 3 (03:29):
It was a real one. Yeah, But like it's it's
something that has changed the market a little bit.

Speaker 4 (03:35):
Like, you know, the the raw idea of restrictive agency
is nice because it basically means you can go out
and sit your market, you can get paid what you're
hopefully looking to get paid.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
That option is fully taken away now, So like, what
is the incentive of players to go into that market?
Which is something I think is a fascinating question moving forward.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Do you think if they decrease the amount of time
and I know they already have, but decrease the amount
of time incumbent teams have to match, if that would
do anything. What if it was just this hour or
two hour clock, and so people are giving out offer
sheets like three o'clock in the morning and an alarm
goes off somewhere in you know, Charlotte's headquarters, that Brandon

(04:18):
Miller when he's a restricted free agent, got this offer
sheet from Detroit out of just pulling stuff out of
my butt. Right now, one, I feel like that would
make for a ton of interesting anecdotes. But I do
wonder if you remove the time or how much time
these teams have to match? Would that make another team
more in clined? Because that's part of the other thing too,

(04:38):
is a lot of free agency stuff isn't happening.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
So I actually think that this excuse is stupid.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
Now, but where you don't want to tie up your
cap space or your money, like let's say you're offering
an exception in someone else knowing you're not going to
get them, and I understand that, but then it's also
what moves are you sitting on at this point you
look at what's become a free agency in general.

Speaker 3 (04:59):
It's super interesting. I want that. I see. I think
we should have one off season where we just go
absolutely nuts, like one one hour to match basically that's
that's that's a rule.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
We can only be given out between like we'll make
like a certain window like between twelve pm Eastern time
and what like six pm, like just a six hour window,
and that's where all the RFA business needs to happen.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
Boom, there we go. See now that's actually putting some
mustard on the whole thing. And more to it, the
month before we need to do something even more drastic
just to get every one wild the NBA Draft lottery
one hour before the draft.

Speaker 1 (05:41):
That was I guess there's not a ton of transactions
that would kill the draft day transaction market though.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
But it would be fun. Like imagine eight seam just
coming up from like, oh we're respecting to draft twelve. Oh,
now we're picking one, Like, I.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
Mean, it's easy when there's a Cooper flag in the
d but you're putting them in a weird position where
if it was the year before, where it was, well
we're gonna take saar Resische or who are you gonna
take there? That's I don't know if I would be
a fan of that one.

Speaker 2 (06:09):
And also the problem with my.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
Window one, you're encouraging tampering at that point because these
contracts in theory can't be negotiated.

Speaker 3 (06:17):
Within like all right, because.

Speaker 1 (06:20):
And so I care about the integrity of the NBA,
But I was when I was going through these extensions too,
because I do think what's happening with restricted free agency
is kind of just a larger sign of what's happened
to the NBA offseason in general, is that there's less
transacting on the free agency market. I don't know what
brings it back. I thought you and I have actually

(06:43):
talked about this. I think I thought we'd get to
a point where the money would just matter so much
that players wouldn't be betting on their own under I mean,
I thought the money would just matter so much that
these guys would want to hit free agency.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
And it doesn't.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
Maybe it's it will happen, but more the money's gotten
pretty insane and we're not seeing it happen.

Speaker 3 (07:04):
No, And look, I ge't it. Like players want the security,
they want the extensions. And that's why these superstars, like
remember back in the day when it was sort of
this thing where I want to experience free agency, I
want to be whined and dined like Lebron James going
on his tour in twenty ten, where.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
You're being held captive.

Speaker 3 (07:29):
Right, one of the greatest nights on Twitter of all time,
basically Carmelo Anthony going on his tour just to shop
around and ultimately re signing with the Knicks and.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
The Lakers, putting Stay D twelve on a billboard.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
You remember, that wasn't thirsty at all. But like that
is that is the challenge, right, Like that has that
has gone? Now that entire thing's gone. Now players and
teams are just like, hey, Yo, so you want to
you probably yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (08:06):
These conversations are happening in like January rather right than June.

Speaker 3 (08:10):
Yeah no, But like it's it's funny how informally it
is now. Right, it's basically just you know, ad walking
around and shoot around to someone and someone coming down
like yo, want to come talk? Okay, like the thing
he walks out like one hundred and eighty million. It's
just that is the way things are done now, and

(08:32):
it's not really all that interesting for fans, which I
actually I think the NBA greatly enjoyed that fans were
a part of that, like that in whole experience. Remember
when they had these major free agency shows and they
leaned into it, like they still have those shows, but
those shows are like water now now compared to you know,
ten years ago, because what is the conversation, Oh, who

(08:53):
has their Emily left?

Speaker 1 (08:55):
It was so grant and I have done a block
of Bleacher reports free agency, so the past two or
three years definitely less two. And it was in the
summer of twenty twenty four the KCP contract news hits
like right away, and so we were like, oh, this
is gonna be it's about to get nuts, and that
ended up being the biggest move were talked about like

(09:15):
all night, and Adam Silver had mentioned that basically, this
isn't verbatim, but I think he had said that that's
not really They're not focused on transactions in the offseason,
and I think that is one in a necessary slash
and enviable thing to say when games are happening. But
you are a league that has allowed your league partners

(09:39):
and just allowed the league itself to market the league
itself as this product of transactions as teams, players changing
teams via trades, via free agency, and you've made that
part of your DNA. I do think there's been points,
you know, you skewed too far in that direction. We
want to talk about the actual games, developments on the court,
but they're at this weird crossroads because as much as

(10:03):
there's look, there's issues with any type of coverage. I'm
not defending the coverage, but the NBA doesn't get to
sit up there. It'd be if you're like the NBA
sitting up there and denouncing sports betting when it's no
you directly campaigned for this.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
Basically, Yeah, I agree, I agree, let's bring back free
agency in some capacity because this is just this is
a snoot list.

Speaker 1 (10:24):
Yeah, that's what I was gonna ask you, is what
is the way that or that you could see it
coming back? Because the only thing I've come up with
and we've yet to see it. I thought Daron Fox
might have been a flashpoint to where and Trey Young
still could be. He was another name I had circled
to where I thought he wouldn't be this no brainer
max guy and if he thought he was a MAX guy,
would he then play it out? And Trey Young still

(10:45):
he doesn't have an extension, but he has that player option.
Darreon Fox already kind of just signed. So I'm wondering
if it gets to is it the I don't want
to say the top top tier superstars, but is it
the the regular stars the not let's let's say perennial
all NBA guys who just side teams are trying to
squeeze me or give me less than the max because
of the way the salary cap is structured with the

(11:06):
quote unquote threat of the aprons, and are they the
ones that go to the Jaylen Brown, for instance, had
he been super Max eligible this summer instead of a
previous one and said, oh, you're not gonna give me
the full boat. Why would I'm not gonna sign this.
I'll let it ride out. I don't know if that's
I sound. If I sound unconvinced, it's because I'm not.

Speaker 3 (11:26):
Yeah, no, no, because because like the teams, theen moneys
to actually go out and sign guys, and that's where
that's where the issue lies. Like again, teams are loading
up pretty quickly on these extensions, as I talked about before,
and they're extending a lot of players, and they just
don't have, you know, the money to go out and

(11:46):
sign as the Aaron Fox or a Chilean Brown unless
you're you're basically saying, hey, Jalen, do you want to
sign for less? Which just kind of puts him back
in the same situation he would technically in this you
know hypothetical have been in in Boston, because the whole
idea of leaving a franchise who low balls you is
to go out and get your money elsewhere. If that

(12:07):
money isn't on the market. That is the biggest in
my eyes, at least the number one issue with a
bullet like who has the money? Like the and then
you have the interest levels. So the Nets, for example,
had oodles of cash. Sure, were they interested in going
out and signing a veteran guy. No, No, they had
no intention of that. They wanted to rebuild. They wanted

(12:30):
to use their cap space in order to rent it out,
which kudos like they're not doing anything wrong. Well, you
could argue the way they spent their five first round
draft picks is all. We'll circle back to that one
in a couple months. But I you know, they're not
going to go in and say, oh, let's accelerate the
timeline after being what into your one of the rebuild.

(12:53):
That's just not a thing. So for them, you look
at the midsier teams, then well, the midsier teams are
already like semi capped out, Like they have two guys
on forty million dollar contracts, they have a couple in
fifteen sixty million dollars. They can't afford to go out
and sign someone to like forty five, forty six, forty
seven million. So like, at the end of the day,

(13:15):
that's the challenge, that is finding teams who are legitimately
flush with cash and who are intriguing and actually trying
to get better immediately.

Speaker 1 (13:27):
Which the issue is kind of circular too, because the
reason teams aren't gonna have all this money is in
a lot of cases they're signing extensions for players themselves,
like a lot of the non star guys. There's we
veered outside of rookie extension territory, but this is all
just tied together where it feels like interest in reaching
let's call RFA the semi open market, that feels like

(13:48):
it's at.

Speaker 2 (13:49):
Somewhat of an all time low.

Speaker 1 (13:51):
So you have these teams that are giving out extensions,
which is money that's going to be on their books,
and you approach it from two perspectives. As a player,
especially if you have the cloud, why might as well
just guarantee myself money and then I will force myself
out once my trade restriction lifts if I need to.
And then as a team, it's what's the point of
having cap space when you have no one to spend

(14:11):
it on. If we're gonna make trades, we need matching
money anyway.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
And I don't know, I don't even know. Is it
a stretch to call it a problem?

Speaker 1 (14:19):
I guess I just don't know what brings back free
agency in the NBA. I don't know, we're never going
to be back to the halcyon days of the DeAndre
Jordan being held captive in twitters a lot, because those meetings,
those type of meetings don't take place anymore. It's all
the negotiations, Like at some point it's the question might
be like which NBA team is most likely to have
the first chat GPTGM, that's just doing all that, Like

(14:43):
probably the Kings would be.

Speaker 2 (14:44):
My vote might be the one. So yeah, it's it's in.
I don't even know if I want to call it
an issue.

Speaker 1 (14:50):
It's an issue if the reporting we still get where
the Lakers have set themselves up for twenty twenty seven
cap space, so the Heat have done this when Jokic
and Luca could have been free agents, it was already
not going to be a free agent, and why should
we believe that Jokic is going to be a free
agent at that time anyway, And that makes those reports
ring hollow. And I don't know what would bring free
agency back. It almost feels as if a rule would

(15:13):
need to be implemented, specifically with the design of incentivizing
players to want to go.

Speaker 3 (15:18):
Into free and see I think The only argument I
could find towards someone being interested in the return of
free agency are some of the players who feel a
bit left out perhaps who know that, Oh, if I
were on the open market in the old days, you know,
I would get the full non tax semi league or

(15:38):
something like that. Now I'm because of the current situation
that I'm in. Everyone is capped out. Everyone is looking
at the aprons. I'm gonna have to sign for like
seven million a year. Like those are the players that
are probably getting screwed a little bit who would want
to see free agency return in some capacity. But I

(15:59):
think those guys are actually just fine with the current
setup because they get paid when frankly they want to
get paid. Like Luca could have chosen not to sign anything.
That offer was just there. You know. I was surprised initially.
I I know, we hadn't had any reports on it whatsoever,
but I thought he had an eye on San Antonio

(16:20):
because the Spurs could have had max cap space next year,
like they wouldn't have had to, you know, retain Darren
Fox for example, and Fox wasn't on it. He was
on an expiring deals is you could have gone into
that summer and then if Luca was like, hey, Wemby,
the Spurs would be like, oh, Jiarren, it was nice
you wanted to come here, Now go find a new home,
like they could have done that, but instead Luca was like,

(16:41):
I want to I want to extend. Then the Spurs
went to Daron Fox and was like, hey, you know what, sure,
let's extend your ass as well. That's the way it's
built now and players are getting paid and no one
is batting an eye. It's only for us who cover
the league and for the fans that we lose out
on an entertainment product.

Speaker 1 (17:02):
And I think a lot of the guys were about
to talk about or illustrations of how much has changed,
how's that for a segway to where it's no they
got noticed a lot of these guys just might have
bet on themselves previously where they knew their teams would
have give them more money, or they would have trusted
there will be at least one team out there that
gives me an offer sheet that I can leverage. Dyson
Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks, so he signs a four year,

(17:23):
one hundred million dollar deal flat twenty five million dollars
per year average of and I think it's important to
talk about these things now and percentages of the cap
because the.

Speaker 2 (17:31):
Dollar figures are so high.

Speaker 1 (17:32):
It's an average of fourteen percent of the salary cap.

Speaker 5 (17:35):
It has no freaking steal. Oh freaking steal. Okay, I
disagree why I don't think. I want to make it clear.
I don't think it's a bad deal.

Speaker 3 (17:48):
It's what fifteen percent of the cap? Next to your
surf for one of the best defenders in the league,
how dare you?

Speaker 2 (17:54):
Okay?

Speaker 1 (17:54):
Well, and if you asked, the GM serve a one
of the most versatile defenders in the league, which I'd
probably disagree with there. I think someone who is does
what he does on defense, like where you're looking at
someone who can blow up like an entire guy's night.

Speaker 2 (18:08):
Tyson Daniels is spectacular.

Speaker 1 (18:10):
He's had one and I know you could say this
is an issue of role. He didn't have the opportunity
or the usage in New Orleans. We're talking about one
season's worth of evidence, and you've now decided that this
is someone who is a fifteen percent.

Speaker 2 (18:21):
Of the salary cap. Guy, I guess it's I don't
have an issue. I don't think he's overpaid.

Speaker 1 (18:25):
I just don't this feels about right for someone who
still has a very limited track record for what the
based off what he did last year, and there's still
some there's a pretty big question mark in his game
on offense when it comes to do you trust that
he's gonna hit floaters enough or will he ever develop
kind of a consistent yeah, perimeter game.

Speaker 3 (18:46):
I hear that. I totally do. And look, if this
had been like twenty percent of the cap, I would
have sat there and gone, that's a tough sell, because again,
you can't play, you can't play or pay one way
players in this league. I just don't think he's a
one way player. I thought we saw enough last year
to at least see that, oh there is something in

(19:06):
his tank that is more significantly more than what we
saw with the Pelicans. Like if he had just made
a marginal improvement from year two to year three, I
too would have been skeptical, very skeptical. But the leap
that he took, I think from the playmaking, also just
the fact that he was able to pay some space

(19:27):
himself offensively. I just think this is a tremendous deal
and it's so tradable too. At the same time, like
even if last season was is going to prove to
be a slight outlier, and he's going like his real
value and I'm putting this in quotation marks is like

(19:48):
a little less of last year's production. Yeah, you're gonna
take one of the league's peskiest and best on ball
defenders at fifteen percent of the cap. By the way,
that percentage declines as the contract age, just I think
it ends up ad. I don't want to lie to you.
Look and just look it up. Thirteen percent of the
cap in twenty nine, twenty thirty. I mean, good lord,

(20:11):
that's that's fine.

Speaker 1 (20:14):
I think it's fine. But you're you're telling me it's
a steal. I don't think you've said anything that's I
guess where I struggle is to call it a steal
after he's had the one standout season and you can say, again,
he didn't have that opportunity in New Orleans. But it's
I think it's the Hawks played it smartly by not
going as far like everyone thought.

Speaker 2 (20:35):
I not everyone.

Speaker 1 (20:35):
A lot of people thought he was gonna get the
jail and Suggs deal five for one fifteen. I thought
that was just far too rich, and I think this
one should end up being perfectly fine. But how often
have we who is the archetype of player that you're
comfortable paying fifteen percent of the salary cap to If
on offense they're not if they're a borderline liability at
the foul line, or they're not able to shoot any

(20:56):
type of threes, and it's tough to understand what their
offensive value is and in the context of certain lineups.

Speaker 2 (21:01):
Again, I like Dyson Daniels. He has you used the.

Speaker 1 (21:03):
Word past is pasky great way to describe him on
the defensive end, but it's also not yo he's If
he's gonna win Defensive Player of the Year, it's not
gonna be because he's been the anchor of basically an
entire system. Like it's because people are gonna appreciate the
one on one stuff that he's able to do in
the plays that he's able to blow up, which again,
all have a ton of value. I just struggled to
see the pathway to this becoming a steal in the

(21:25):
sense of we look back and it's, oh, Dyson Daniels
is like a fringe All Star, or he is an.

Speaker 3 (21:30):
All star that's interesting. I mean, you see, I don't
think that contract necessarily warns that mindset of like an
all star or fringe all Star, because again, like if
we're talking about fifteen percent of the cap and it
goes down to thirteen percent of the cap, we should
eyeball that. As someone posts like what the fifth starter

(21:53):
like somewhere like on the pegging.

Speaker 1 (21:55):
Order, I guess our only disconnect is is you think
it's a heist or whatever the word is using.

Speaker 3 (22:02):
I think it's fair, right, And that's because I don't
think I think you can argue offensively. He's probably always
going to be like a fifth option. I think that's
perfectly fair. Then you add in the defense, you add
in the rebounding, you add in the improved play making
that we haven't seen this year so far, by the way,
but it's early, so let's not get our ahead of ourselves.
That's when I think you know it's reasonable, say okay,

(22:25):
in terms of like overall importance. You know, he's he's
not the fifth guy in a starting lineup. He's probably
the what currently what the third best player on the team.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
Is that a reasonable Trey Jalen Johnson, you would have
to like Resa or a Kunglu or I have.

Speaker 3 (22:45):
I would have Persinkis over him if I knew the
health was sustainable, and it's just not so. Right now,
I feel pretty comfortable, you know, putting Dyson Daniels in
as like the third best player on the team. And
that's why I think it's a heist, because usually guys
of that ilk, you know, in that type of ranking,
gets around twenty percent of the cap, if not twenty two,

(23:06):
twenty three percent of the cap.

Speaker 2 (23:08):
That's fair. I guess I'm more so of as a team.

Speaker 1 (23:11):
I probably wanted another year where it just feels we're
dealing with it alsos like we're dealing with a one
year sample size with which he's getting paid off.

Speaker 3 (23:17):
Oh, I get it. I think you know your skepticist
is I accept your skepticism. I do, uh, I disagree
with it because I think, you know, we saw so
much of him last year to the point where the
sample size for you know, the two years before that
became sort of irrelevant. But I do get what you're saying.
You know, if we'd seen this for two years, then

(23:37):
you'd feel more comfortable just handing him that deal. And
I can certainly get behind that way of thinking.

Speaker 1 (23:42):
Our next guy up is Christian Brown. That one, this
one came in at the buzzer five years, one hundred
and twenty five million average of about thirteen point six
percent of the cap. No options on it as well,
I'd feel about this one.

Speaker 3 (23:56):
Well, it's uh, it's basically the same, well roughly the
same deal, right, all things considered, I like it. It's
I don't have any issues with it. I mean, again,
he's what a fourth guy on that team Offensively, Defensively,
I you know, he's not bad by any stretch of

(24:18):
the imagination, but I also think he has moments where
he could be better. Like I don't think he's quite
a finished product. Offensively is where he shines. I loved
how like his shot selection last year just became one
of the better in the league. You know, he wasn't
just gunning. He was reading the floor, seeing what can
I get in this particular instance. And what did he

(24:40):
end up shooting? Was it? Was it fifty seven percent
from the field or something ridiculous like that.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
He was up there, yeah, and he shot over He
shot a better two point percentage last year with Nikoliokic
off the floor. I think he was in the sixties
either way or whatever it was, but the growth he
showed in transition as a cutter, even if he was
just going to get into the paint with the ball.
In general, I think the big question for him is
it's shooting. I hate to boil it down to this,

(25:05):
but ken the three point volume and efficiency tick up here.
And you know defensively too, He's Dyson Daniels has this
one dominant thing to where like the on ball, if
you were to list the best on ball defenders in
the NBA, he would be on your short lists and
Christian Brown is that's not his game. But then it's

(25:25):
also he can get in trouble sometimes with when it
comes to screen navigation. There are certain matchups to where
it felt like he definitely holds up better a lot
against a lot of these I guess star types on
the perimeter than KCP would have as he was aging.
But you still have questions about, well, what is the
actual I don't want to use the word position, but
the positional spectrum that he can guard.

Speaker 2 (25:47):
This feels I'm probably this is an interesting question.

Speaker 1 (25:50):
Is so you're probably higher on the Dyson Daniels extension
from a team perspective than this one, Right, I like
this one better than the Dyson Daniels.

Speaker 3 (25:58):
I think it's why for me because the thing I
think we tend largely to ignore the need for offensive
production around Jokic. Right, it seems like so many people
are just like, well, yok is gonna yoke, and to
some extent that's true. But his passing skills, his passing instinct,

(26:19):
his court vision that needs to be bridged with high
competence offensive players. Christian Brown is that. Yeah, And I
even agree with you on the spacing thing, because he
took less than three threes per game last year and
he didn't get much to the foul line either, So
like something there has to grow, Like there's whether it's

(26:39):
an up to three point volume or it's him just becoming,
you know, like a free from merchant. I honestly, I
don't care one of those things has to happen. But
he just flew in with this high understanding of offensive execution.
I think you need that next to yoke. I just do.
So I'm not low on this deal, what's right. I

(27:00):
think him and Dyson Daniels very comparable. Like the reason
I say with Dyson it's a steal is because of
the projections. Moving forward, I think Christian is a little
bit more reaching his ceiling close.

Speaker 2 (27:14):
He's older too, pot.

Speaker 3 (27:16):
Exactly right, But I like what he gave the Nuggets
last year in terms of offensive production and the way
he went about it. Very very high on Christian Brown.
I think a lot of people are sleeping on him.
So I don't hate this whatsoever.

Speaker 1 (27:30):
What's interesting Not to bring it back to Dyson Daniels,
but I would almost feel better about him if he
was tasked with doing more on the ball offensively and
you had to not build your entire offense around him,
but you tailored the shooting around him more specifically. But
the idea of him playing alongside someone who's ball dominant,
or two people who are more ball dominant than him,
I don't feel comfortable with. I mean, Christian Brown is

(27:51):
just you absolutely feel comfortable with that.

Speaker 3 (27:53):
Yeah, yeah, he's It's funny, right, Usually when we say
pluck and play guys, we tend to look at great shooters,
which you can't say Brown is yet yet somehow he
fits that description.

Speaker 2 (28:05):
Next up we have I found this deal fascinating.

Speaker 1 (28:07):
I'm curious your thoughts on it Jabari Smith Junior as
my dogs go off in the background.

Speaker 2 (28:11):
They're not happy about it either.

Speaker 1 (28:13):
Five years, one hundred and twenty two million dollars. The
salary declines from year one to year two. It then
rises in years three, four, and five, averages out to
about thirteen point three percent of the salary cap, and
it includes no options.

Speaker 3 (28:28):
I did not like it at the time. I'm still
skeptical of you know, what his ultimately, what his ceiling is.
I understand why the Rockets did it in terms of
like the cap percentage, because they're banking on him becoming,
you know, that fit next to Albern Shinkun. They want
someone who can be a floor spacer. They want someone

(28:48):
who can go off the dripple occasionally like he's He's
doing it fairly. He's not someone who will consistently break
you down. And at the same time you also need
some one who isn't going to necessarily be overwhelming in
terms of like shot volume. So, like I understand part
of the appeal to me, Tari eastn has flat out better.

(29:11):
He did not get an extent. Yeah, I know that's fair.
You can you can do that. You can give me
all the weird looks you want, that's fine. Uh, Jabari
has been impacted as like shooter, right, natural shooter? Then
how come he don't shoot well? Dan?

Speaker 2 (29:27):
What do you mean? How come he don't shoot well well?
I mean for him to shoo eight attempts per G.

Speaker 3 (29:33):
Yeah, I'm looking at Look, his career percentage is thirty four.
I'm least looking at a slightly above league average if
we're gonna like label him a good shooter, like he
hasn't done that yet, and like I'm not saying he
won't get there. The free throw percentage since year one
has been encouraging, Like I love the shot mechanics, but
the ball is just not going into an extent that

(29:54):
I've expected. And that was through three years. Like again,
people think I'm very low on him, and it's fair
if that is, like you know the vibe you're getting
for me, I'm not low on him, but I just
think we have crowned him a little too early in
this whole process. And now he's also been been paid
to a point where I'm like, are are we really there? Like?

(30:18):
Are we really at that point? I thought it was
expensive for a guy like him because I just I
don't have a good read on him, despite he's the
fact that he's three years since of the league.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
I do think part of the reason that a lot
of people wouldn't have a good read on him is
because of how the Rockets were structured to where he
I mean, he's starting games at the three now, and
I look at it as oh, he can thrive defensively
while playing alongside two other bigs, and it's I think
what I agree with with you is what he is
going to shoot from distance is not stand out for

(30:48):
someone who's considered a wing, but as someone who's kind
of a combo big masquerading as a wing to be
able to stretch the floor. I also wonder what he
would look like in on a team that's better designed
to get him the ball for higher quality shots. He's
not going to have the lowes shot quality on the
Rockets by any stretch. And look, there are still some
issues I want to see. Can there be more of

(31:09):
just the catch and drive game from him? Is the
handle good enough for him to do that? Does Does
Houston have a good enough spacing for him to do that?
But I think the defensive malleability, the fact that he
has shown he can. He's certain to me, I trust
him reliably spacing the floor more than I do Tarr Easan,
and I'm not just saying that is watching Tari Easton
this year, I think this number is fair and I

(31:30):
could honestly make I love Christian Brown, But of the
three players we've talked about, I might be most fascinated
or think that he has the highest ceiling of all
three of them, just because of what he You can't
Dyson Daniels and Christian Brown are never going to be
able to wear as many hats defensively as Jabari Smith Junior.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
And that's not because I'm not saying they won't try to.

Speaker 1 (31:49):
He's just he's this big who can also do a
lot of wing stuff on the defensive end, and that
to me, when he's also mostly plug and play, I
would argue on offense, I find that tantalizing, and I
think there might be more on offense. I don't want
to see him doing a lot of stuff he did
earlier in his career before we may Rudoka got there,
and even now he can fall in love with some
of those looks that no one wants to see, at

(32:11):
least not on this version of the Rockets I thought
this deal was. I think this deal has the potential
to look so team friendly, especially when we get to
the to the back end of it. But I think
your skepticism, especially when it's rooted in his spot on
the Rockets and the team may seem to be building there.
I don't think that's I don't think that's unfair.

Speaker 3 (32:31):
Like I hope that you're right about that that because
if it turns out to be a team friendly contract,
that means he's found a more permanent place in this
league where his production has you know, leveled up or
to a point where we're seeing that he is a
more integral part of the team. And I think that
is a very very fair conclusion in terms of like, well,

(32:55):
what do you expect Like these Rockets over the first
three years of his career, they have been all over
the place, like what is he being asked to do? Like,
I agree with you defensively, I think he's underrated. I
think that's something that we don't get to talk enough
about because he came into the league as you know
this this I think Laurien Markenen was one of the
guys he was being compared to and you know, that's

(33:17):
the worst thing about comparisons is you kind of get
locked into this mindset that, oh, he's then he's like
player eight, which no, he's he's not like, yeah, he's
a six to eleven guy who shoots threes. That's roughly
where the comparisons end. To me. It's I just don't
know if he has the touch that we all kind
of look at him as having. Like the in between

(33:40):
game is not something I love the two point conversion rates.
Sometimes I'm just looking at not not just the stats,
but like watching him play. I'm just like, you could
make these shots at a higher regularity, and like I
can accept that he's having, you know, a year where
he's just like awful, because everyone has a down year
here and there, but it's just been three years of

(34:01):
like middling efficiency. I just I need to see something
in terms of especially in the efficiency apartment, where I'm like, oh,
this is his role, this is where he offers something.
But I do agree with you in terms of the
defensive upside being like a wing big, which I think
is the best way to categorize him. There's some side,
yeah there.

Speaker 1 (34:21):
The rim stuff is it's how to the finishing sure
is an issue, but it's even just how do we
get him to the basket more and without On this
current version of the Rockets, it's not going to be
as a screen or in roller, which is maybe not
something that he might have bailed out and done the
like prefer to operate from the middle of the floor. Anyway,
it's a lot of this hinges, which is a weird
thing to say on his driving game or ability to

(34:43):
just to kind of eat up the space that he's
going to have on either on kickouts or maybe like
he'll maybe he won't even have a ton of open space.
Because I think that in a lot of these Rockets
lineups you can say what you want about the percentages
he's going to be viewed as one of the more
dangerous shooters on the floor.

Speaker 3 (34:58):
And by the way, like when I set the Tari's
and stuff, I want to be fair. One of the
reasons that I have Jabbari rated below. It's also part
of the mentality I think, you know, he's he's going
to be extremely teem friendly in the sense of like
how he's wired personality wise, like he has willingly relinquished

(35:20):
opportunities for the sake of others like he by all accounts,
is a fantastic teammate in that regard. I need that
dude to be more hungry. Like I can't even count
the amount of times when he's had an open three
or not open, but like where he could have been
allowed to shoot that, like where you know, you catch
my drift, like just fucking take it. And the same

(35:40):
thing goes with drives. The same thing goes when when
you have a driving lane, Like he just turns down
so many opportunities, And I think he's sort of a
victim of his own like unselfish mindset. I think he's
the type of guy who always looks for like the
best shot imaginable, and he'll turn down the good ones
in the process. So there's definitely a part of that
also thinks that if he gets that sorted out and

(36:03):
he just starts taking the good shots instead of like
the best shots, that he'll be just fine.

Speaker 1 (36:09):
Next up we have Nikola Jovich of the Miami Heat.
He received four years sixty two point four million. The
salary declines from year one to year two, and then
it rises in years three and four. It averages about
eight point eight percent of the cap smallest number we've
seen so far, no options more.

Speaker 2 (36:27):
How did you feel about this one?

Speaker 3 (36:29):
No, I loved it. I loved it. I mean I
was a little bit surprised that he signed it. I
don't know what the mind, you know, the thinking process
was there, whether he was like, you know, we don't
know what the future holds, let's just lock it in.
Perhaps there was something of that going on, because we've
seen these improvements from him, you know, over the course
of three seasons. I think the three point shot is

(36:51):
something that got better last year. I know people will say, well,
his efficiency went down, but like the volume went up.
I thought he took them with more purposeful purpose. Generally speaking,
the size you can't teach like six' ten wing who
can do stuff with the, ball who can actually make passes,
defensively still got some things to iron, OUT i DON'T

(37:12):
i think the discipline level is probably not where it
needs to. Be but, like how young is this? Kid
like twenty? Two, Yeah like just to your point About Jabari,
smith we can apply that To yovic, Too so freaking,
Young like there's time to iron out some of the.
Kinks so it's a great, deal great freaking.

Speaker 2 (37:34):
DEAL i thought it.

Speaker 1 (37:36):
WAS i thought it this was one that made sense
for both sides Because yovich has been intermittently. Available when
you look at how many of the games that he's
played throughout his, career the upside bet on The heat
for a price range that's just so ridiculously. Low though it's,
yes it's the idea of being able to put a
floor spacing big, man because we're still waiting to See
bam and Kohlil ware are BOTH i guess for their

(37:59):
positions it's okay they can space the, floor but a
lot of what they're doing it feels like more concept
than the like. Practical And Nikoli jovitch is an actual floor.
Spacer but the thing THAT i think intrigues me the
most about him is when this dude gets going, downhill
the reads he can make as a, scorer he's got
some nice shoulder stuff in. Him as a, passer we've
seen him make excellent plays for The heat and now

(38:20):
The heat overall are playing, faster WHICH i think fits
what he can do when he has a live dribble
or he's just hot footing it towards the. Basket he
can create chaos as a playmaker as.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
WELL i don't.

Speaker 1 (38:31):
LOVE i know a ton of smart people who just.
DISAGREE i don't love the idea OF i don't view
him as someone that you could put on the elbows
on the block anywhere and set up the offense to
run it from. There maybe he could catch it shoot over. Someone,
sure that's NOT i don't know that He's he's a
little bit more physical than he gets credit, for BUT
i don't know if he's built for. That you mentioned
the defensive, concerns so that would be maybe a reason

(38:52):
to be skeptical if this deal is how do you
view someone who is a pure for Almost it feels
like we talk a lot about those, guys but what
he can do, defensively even if he is a peer,
four there's a lot of. Layers there's a lot of
like dynamism to the way that he plays on that
end of the.

Speaker 3 (39:07):
FLOOR i.

Speaker 1 (39:08):
Agree next, up we have Aj, green not a traditional rookie,
extension but four, years forty five, million average of six
point three percent of the, cap no.

Speaker 2 (39:18):
Options what are your spicy?

Speaker 3 (39:20):
Aj, well how can we hate on a guy who
is one of the best shooters in the league getting that?
Deal it's, no that's a good bit of business from The, bucks,
who for the first TIME i feel like in a long,
time had the organization's best interests at, heart instead of
always focusing on just the need of one. Guy no that,

(39:43):
like how can you hate that it's six percent of the?
Cap it's peanuts in today's? GAME i, yeah how can
you have a problem with?

Speaker 2 (39:50):
IT i?

Speaker 1 (39:52):
Think and the fact that he can do other things
offensively other than just sling, it and even just he's
one of those guys where he will compete harder on
d and he gets a lot of credit FOR i
think what intrigues me most about him is because of
EVERYTHING i just say, said is there just a chance
that he's the third best player on The bucks by
the end of this? Season perhaps that says more about The.

(40:12):
Bucks but you have you Have Miles, turner who are?
You i'm not even talking third option, guy and that's
not really A J green's game, Anyway but just the
third most valuable player on The?

Speaker 2 (40:23):
Bucks or is it guaranteed to Be Bobby portis Or
Ryan Rollins at this, rate it might just Be Cole.

Speaker 3 (40:28):
Anthony IT'S i, mean you can't rule it. Out it's
certainly Not Kyle. Kuzma so it's that that's the one
thing we can say with. Certainty, look there are a
couple of people you can throw into that, conversation and
it's so. Early how many games are are we looking
at with the play?

Speaker 2 (40:48):
Three? Yeah? Two three? Games i've seen two there have been. Three, Yeah,
OKAY i.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
Think, yeah they played, three, third two and. One but but, like,
yeah he's in that, conversation and if he sticks in,
that if he becomes like the one of the mainstay
guys in the rotation who's just consistently, efficient, effective and
one of their better floor, spacers you can certainly make that,

(41:13):
argument which is ridiculous for six percent of the. Cap
by the, Way.

Speaker 1 (41:18):
Yet to have a guy who should be in AN
nba rotation at six percent of the set and play real,
minutes not twelve, thirteen but could play twenty plus. Minutes
THIS i think this ends up aging quite.

Speaker 2 (41:29):
Well. Yeah next, up we have a bigger.

Speaker 1 (41:31):
Name you might have heard of, Him paalo Ben carow
of Ne Orlando. Magic he signed a five year max
which is projected to be worth two hundred and forty
point seven. Million, however it can go up to two
hundred and eighty eight point eight million more if he
makes ALL nba or WINS mvp Or Defensive player of The.
Year this averages out over the life of.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
It i'm not doing the thirty.

Speaker 1 (41:49):
Percent this is just the Fun max would be about
twenty point eight percent of the cap over the life
of this. Deal and of, note he got a player
option in that final.

Speaker 3 (41:58):
Season It's. Paulo he's. FANTASTIC i still have some overarching
issues or, questions not, issues questions about how you build
around his like archetype of player that, said you, know
if there's a guy who can sort of find his,
WAY i think it's. HIM i think HE'S i think

(42:20):
occasionally he can get stuck a little bit in that,
hole you, know The Sion williamson AND i put in
this in Quotation Mark Josh giddy, mechanism where it's guys
who need the ball in their, hands who aren't necessarily
great off ball shooters, Themselves so, like when they don't
have the ball in their, hands how much do they
really bend? Defenses But paolo is different because he's so,

(42:42):
big he's so, physical he's so strong that when he
makes an off ball cut towards the, Basket, yeah you
know what you're gonna feel, him and it's going to
straw in the. Defense like defenses are keenly aware of
where he. Is so even if he's not a natural
three point, shooter it's not gonna be that big of
an issue as it is With scion Or like, Again

(43:02):
Josh kitty doesn't serve to mention with those two, guys
but like IT'S i bring him up because it's the
same archet, type the same weak this is you're looking
ahead or looking. At, so, yeah the contract is. FINE
i would hope that for the magic's sake that he
doesn't make ALL.

Speaker 1 (43:18):
Nba they had no choice but To this is the
deal you had to offer him because they Gave Franz
wagner the same special minus he doesn't have the player.

Speaker 2 (43:28):
Option AND i still Think Paalo.

Speaker 1 (43:29):
Bankaro is gonna end up being the more, valuable better
guy long.

Speaker 2 (43:33):
Term there's a.

Speaker 1 (43:34):
LOT i think what also helps him is he's just
better defensively than he receives credit. FOR i think it's
easy to get lost in the jail and suggs of it,
all and the larger picture of The orlando.

Speaker 2 (43:43):
MATTERS a good, point.

Speaker 1 (43:45):
But you're right about the off ball stuff to where and,
look the three point percentage is going to be a,
concern especially now if it's not going to tick up
from where it. Is but the fact that conceptually he
can do all these things where he can do some
of the wing stuff off the ball where you're talking about,
cutting but he can also be if you wanted, to Like,
paalo can interact with your other two best players as
the screener In Franz wagner Or Desmond.

Speaker 2 (44:07):
Baine so that gives him a level of.

Speaker 1 (44:08):
Versatility AND i also THINK i know some people look and, say,
well they're not the most efficient postseason, appearances and they're
certainly not the most lengthy. Ones but his ability to
kind of either turn the dials up or still be
a better version of himself or a slightly more super
charged version of himself when you get to the, postseason
that really had to work in his favor as, well
even though again you're not dealing with that huge sample size.

(44:30):
There we move on to Chet. Holmgren back to back
maxis Chet holmgren got five, years two hundred and forty
point seven million no ALL nba escalator, language though it
averages about twenty point eight percent of the. Cap, again
he did not receive a player. Option what did you
make of this, one MORT.

Speaker 3 (44:50):
I, thought right on the top of, IT i was
a little, worried but that's also because of like the
injury pattern and what. Not the quality of who he
is as a basketball player was, never you, know in.
Question the talent was never in, question the fit was
never in, question the defensive upside was never in. Question so,

(45:11):
yeah obviously he was going to get. This to, me
it was always a question, of, like, thunder are you
ready to invest this much in a guy who's, Played,
yeah well before the three games he's played this, year
one hundred and fourteen games in the regular season over
the course of his. Career they apparently, said, look screw.

(45:34):
That we are completely fine with this because it's it's
an upside. Play we want to make sure that our
relationship with him is great and that it doesn't take into,
summer like he's, unquestionably unquestionably going to receive an offer sheet,
like you, know to bring it back to restircut free
agency if he does hit the, Market so, like why

(45:54):
bother AND i get all those, Things so, like this is.

Speaker 1 (45:58):
FINE i thought it was actually a really good like
super team friendly deal On okayc's part because not having
the escalator language in there is. Chet holman is someone
you could envision just probably not Winning Defensive player of
The year Because wemby, exists but he is good enough
to make An ALL nba team this, year especially he's

(46:18):
doing the thing again where he kind of shows you, that,
oh like he might have learned some more counters on
the offensive. END i also think not getting a player
option just low key huge when you're we don't know
how long the core is going to be. Together stuff
changes in THE nba faster than anyone ever anticipates. Now
but if he has a player, option you're dealing with
if he's what if he's super ex eligible at that,
point like you're dealing with pay him a lot more

(46:39):
money a lot. Sooner and SO i, THOUGHT i think
some people wanted there to be more injury protections in,
there but you kind of hit on this and your
answer is, no this is someone who if he would
have hit the open, market there would have been teams
if they didn't have cap, space they would have figured
it out just to put it off a sheet in
front of.

Speaker 3 (46:54):
Them and that's also WHY i eventually moved on from,
my oh, god that was a lot of money stance
to just all, right you know, what someone out there
would have given that to him without the injury. Language
so there's just no point in debating.

Speaker 1 (47:10):
This there's probably no point in debating this one much.
Either Jalen williams triple max is in a row that's
not gonna happen again throughout this.

Speaker 2 (47:18):
PROCESS i can tell you that.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
Much so he gets the five, year two hundred and
forty point seven million dollars special escalator, language which AGAIN
oka see in a nice bit of. Negotiating he only
gets the thirty percent if he makes first Team ALL.
Nba it's twenty seven percent of the cap if he
makes second, team and twenty six percent if he makes
third team averages again twenty point eight percent of the
cap if it doesn't go. Up he did not GET

(47:39):
i THINK i haven't noted in. Here that's the type
of want. Screen he did not get a player, option
so to not Where palo gets a player option and
Chat holmgun And Jaalen williams do. NOT i know That
shay is technically more important to that, team but we're
talking about. Stars they're all on the same scale as.
Stars you could rank them however you want long. TERM oka,
see getting both of these guys to sign d that

(48:00):
don't include a player option is kind of, insane And
i'm even marveling at first of, ALL i stand by.
This Jaye williams shouldn't need the escalator. Language he already
made An ALL nba. Team he should have just been
eligible for thirty percent of THE. Max but from The thunder's,
perspective this was a really good negotiation by, them and
in a position to WHERE i don't think they necessarily

(48:22):
had the leverage to.

Speaker 2 (48:22):
Negotiate If Jay dubb came in and, SAID.

Speaker 1 (48:25):
I want five, years player, option thirty percent, max IF
i Make ALL nba third, team you really think The
Thunder we're gonna, say, No we'll let it.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
Ride absolutely.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
Not, No, no this is a great. Deal they're probably
gonna end up paying him twenty six or twenty seven.
PERCENT i would, imagine, well well he.

Speaker 2 (48:42):
Played enough, GAMES i think is the question we're gonna.

Speaker 3 (48:43):
Have to rite that. Is but even if he, did
that's a tough, crowd you, know first Team ALL, nba
that's a tough crowd to. Break like one of your
teammates is already basically shoehorned into.

Speaker 2 (48:56):
That oh, NO i.

Speaker 1 (48:56):
MEANT i just meant all you said ALL nba in,
general WHICH i would agree with.

Speaker 2 (49:00):
YOU i haven't pedeled in. There but now we're kept
with the wrist. Stuff, it's, oh is he gonna? Play?

Speaker 3 (49:04):
Yeah, NO i hear. YOU i get, it like he
hasn't played this, Year like when when is he expected?

Speaker 2 (49:09):
Back it's the Thunder so we don't actually.

Speaker 1 (49:11):
Know we, know, well we'll know about the same. Time
we know when The knicks tell us That Mitchell robinson
is gonna.

Speaker 2 (49:16):
Play that is.

Speaker 3 (49:17):
Fair that is. Fair, Yeah so next up on.

Speaker 2 (49:20):
That that was an easy. One the thunder ones are always,
easy shade and.

Speaker 1 (49:24):
Sharp more this, ONE i think it might be my
favorite one to talk about because it's just so. Fascinating four,
years ninety million averages twelve point six percent of the salary,
cap no.

Speaker 2 (49:34):
Options i'm, actually, HONESTLY i was a little bit surprised.

Speaker 1 (49:37):
That he signed an extension in, general So i'm very
curious to see how you felt about this.

Speaker 3 (49:40):
One SO i wrote about this over At force before he,
signed like when it was reported that he wanted four,
years one hundred AND i made the argument sign, like
don't don't let this go into a. Situation AND i
was telling The Portland trimple it's just sign it just that's,
fine that that's not a, problem and then they actually

(50:01):
got him for million. Less here's the. Thing you can
squeeze guys to a point where it hurts the. Relationship
AND i don't think that is worth it for the
placiers to Squeeze shade And, sharp BECAUSE i think his
talent and his potential is just too intriguing to a
point where that should be a. FACTOR i understand he's

(50:23):
not a great. SHOOTER i understand that defensively he's still
got much. LEARNED i understand that there are still pretty
big question marks, overall just in terms of what type
of player is he? REALLY i get all that the
guy has been productive since he came into the league
at what age? Nineteen he's twenty two years. Old, like

(50:46):
we know that he can get to the, grim we
know that he's highly. Athletic we know that even though
the conversion rate isn't, great he can take and make
threes like the efficiency it should. Come BECAUSE i don't
know where you stand on, THIS i have probably looked
at what five hundred shots from this, guy and from every,

(51:08):
Angle i'm not seeing what should be fundamentally wrong in
his shot. Mechanics, like are you at that point where
you think that this is just a matter of confidence,
rhythm because so FAR i have no great explanation for
why he is the better three point, Shooter So i've
just decided to assume it's going to come in.

Speaker 2 (51:29):
Time i've operated under the same.

Speaker 1 (51:31):
Assumption but there are probably some fair red flags to
where's he's. Been what he had one year of standout
foul line, efficiency and so there's that noise that needs
to be caked in.

Speaker 2 (51:43):
There you mentioned the defense. ALREADY i don't know what
to make of him as a.

Speaker 1 (51:46):
Passer like some he'll sometimes have these assist, numbers but
like the turnovers with, him including this, season they've been up.

Speaker 2 (51:52):
There But i'm with.

Speaker 1 (51:53):
YOU i want to ask you this, question why does
it feel like more people are just so much more
prepared to bet on shade and sharp than they Are
Jalen green, Though.

Speaker 3 (52:05):
Oh that's a good, question that's actually a really good.
QUESTION i think it's Because jalen has a different reputation
in terms of being like a chucker of some. Sort
there's a negative connotation. There i'm not saying it's. Fair
i'm just trying to like find a reasonable explanation Where
SHARP i think it's seen as someone who integrates himself

(52:30):
a little bit more to the. Team whether that's right or.
Wrong it's actually an interesting discussion, Though, like BUT i
think that is where it leads that there is an
idea That, jalen you, know is gunning for a certain stat,
line so to, speak Where sharp is like more, No
i'll find my own way within the flow of the.

Speaker 2 (52:50):
OFFENSE i would probably agree with you.

Speaker 1 (52:54):
There. Andy what's interesting, though is just they have kind
of some of the same red flags you were really
to where it's all, right you kind of wish the
three point, percentage especially if they're taking a lot of
catch and, shoots would just be. HIGHER i think last Year, sharp,
yeah he was under thirty two percent again on catch and,
shoots and so like that's HE'S i thought he would

(53:14):
have bet on himself if four year ninety was the.
Offer but now when you think, about you, know what
just happened with Even Jonathan kaminga And Cam thomas And Quentin,
GRIMES i think a lot of people would say at
least they prefer Shading sharp to two of those. Players
you're kind of, wondering is this a pure two that
hasn't shown that he can score efficiently to defend, consistently?

Speaker 2 (53:35):
Right what would the market be for?

Speaker 1 (53:37):
Him if it's so getting this money For I'M i
look at it AND i JUST i Guess i'm trying
to view it as who is this the the bigger
concession for? Now it's the bigger risk for The blazers
Because sharp just he locked down his money and if
he doesn't pan, out The blazer saddle all that. Risk
and if he does pan, out, okay he'll be, underpaid
but it's still a crap ton of money in the.
Aggregate i'm just, curious if we've asked for over a

(53:59):
year or two, years who you think wound up making
the bigger concession to where It's, Oh portland should have
waited and squeezed him, more or just waited and like
tried to move, him or Did? Sharp is this the
year where it all comes together for?

Speaker 2 (54:12):
Him? ALL i don't. KNOW i don't know if it's
all going to come together.

Speaker 1 (54:14):
Him for him defensively Quite, frankly he certainly has the,
tools but if it all comes together for him, offensively
that's probably a player that people are willing to play
quite a bit of money.

Speaker 3 (54:23):
For it's it's interesting as well because there's a point
That Brian, support our mutual, friend has, made like routinely
over the past four, YEARS i want to, say three
or four, years and it's basically the amount of raw.
Dollars like, players as we, know are human, beings they

(54:45):
look at things. Differently some players might be inclined to
just look at ninety million dollars and, realize, hey that's
ninety million dollars to play, basketball like, sure let's go,
nuts let's just sign this and then whether it's we're
gonna get criticized for taking too little or betting our ourselves,

(55:08):
later this is ninety million that we have in the
hand right now that we can. Accept SO i, think you,
know we can sit here and talk about, concessions we
can sit here and talk, about, oh should a player
have DONE, A b AND c to get. MORE i
think we need to include the human factor that some
people Might i'm not Saying Shaydon sharp is necessarily wired that,
way But i'm just going to use him as an.

(55:29):
Example some players might just look at a figure and, go,
well WHEN i woke up this, MORNING i didn't have
ninety million, Dollars NOW i, do thank you very. Much,
well you.

Speaker 1 (55:42):
Could also wake Up and we talked about this at
the top of the podcast survey what THE rfa landscape
has been of, Late and Think Jonathan kaminga has BEEN
x through the first four years of his.

Speaker 2 (55:53):
Career this is where it all ended. Up why what
does he.

Speaker 1 (55:57):
Need to do to be noticeably different when he gets
to the semi open market next. Year we could talk
about what he could, do but there's no guarantee you're
gonna do, it especially look, right there's just uncertainty on
the offensive ends still In. Portland when you look at
the hierarchy of how things are happening, there you're.

Speaker 3 (56:14):
Absolutely, right we'll. SEE i think this was a decent
contract overall for both, Sides. SHADEN i guess if we
are to look at it through the prism of you, know,
CONCESSION i think he's probably the one who's gonna end
up having given up the. Most, yeah but it feels
like a deal that's just decent all. Around LIKE i

(56:36):
just don't have an issue with it from either. Side
it might be one of the most like mutually beneficial
contracts at this. Point that's a good.

Speaker 1 (56:43):
Point AND i think the other thing, though that, is
if you're basing it purely off What Shaden sharp has
done so, far it's probably not the best deal for The, blazers, Right,
LIKE i know he's been able to, score but it
hasn't been with. Standout if, you IF i were to tell,
you this is Just shade And, sharp, like he's not
gonna evolve at. All, right it's not anywhere near the
worst deal in the. League i'm not trying to say,

(57:05):
that but It's, oh The blazers probably gave him more
than they had.

Speaker 3 (57:08):
To, then, YEAH i would.

Speaker 2 (57:09):
Agree we have Another blazer coming, Up Timani.

Speaker 1 (57:11):
Kamara that became The Tamani kamara, trade but was supposed
to be The DeAndre ayton, trade became The Tamani kamara.
Trade four, years eighty one, million less than the max
he could have gotten actually average of eleven point three
percent of the cap and no.

Speaker 2 (57:25):
Options how you feel about The Tamani Kamara.

Speaker 3 (57:29):
No i'm not gonna answer that. Question that's all, yours
that is your.

Speaker 2 (57:33):
SEGMENT i can't believe he didn't get THE.

Speaker 1 (57:36):
Max quite, frankly this is someone who has improved as
a driver and a three point shooter in on the
team that has like one of the worst basic environments
since he's. ARRIVED i know he's not shooting the ball
well this year so. Far we're only three games in,
Though BUT i also think if you're having a conversation
more And i'm asking you to rank the most versatile

(57:57):
defenders in THE, nba he's somewhere on that short. LIST
i don't know where, exactly but you're gonna Mention, Bam
you're probably gonna Mention Jaron, Jackson, Junior Evan, Mobley, Ogannanobi
Tamani kamar like. Those he's coming up in. Versatility i'm
not saying he's dominating or gonna win defense very of the.
Year this is this is an all defense team guy

(58:17):
like this is someone who will be and if he
is able to reliably hit the three, ball like even just,
that he's shown other. Hints but if he's just able
to do, that he is one of the most valuable
non stars in THE. Nba AND i just what would
THE max have, been like four to ninety whatever it.
WOULD i was JUST i thought it was gonna take.

(58:38):
THAT i guess the concession The blazers are, making we.

Speaker 2 (58:42):
Don't have to pay.

Speaker 1 (58:42):
You you had that non guaranteed year. Left they could
have just guaranteed him and he would have been on
the books for packing. Peanuts BUT i THOUGHT i thought
he was gonna get the full four year.

Speaker 2 (58:51):
BOAT i was, wrong.

Speaker 3 (58:52):
Clearly, WELL i, mean they just don't value him to
the same way that you, do and they're obviously.

Speaker 2 (58:57):
Wrong but so where what He you're just you think
this is a steal. TOO i think this is gonna.

Speaker 1 (59:05):
Age LIKE i know he's, older this will take him
through his age twenty nine. Season unless you're, thinking and
based off everything you've said on this podcast about where
these salaries rank in a team conceptual well pecking, order
you're not gonna feel this way unless you think that
he needs to show some off the dribbled juice on
the offensive, end or just better passing chops or running
pick and rolls on every other. POSSESSION i don't know

(59:26):
why you would have a problem with. THIS i. Don't
this is the one where it feels to ME i
would listen to. IT i don't THINK i could ever
understand any criticism of.

Speaker 3 (59:37):
It, well see that there's an assumption there from some
people that because he's so, old there's not any more juice,
Left but that IS i think a faulty premise because,
yeah there's probably not that big huge leap you, know
from you, know being a role player or you, know.
Nonstars she would call it to a. Star that's not

(59:58):
to say he's not gonna get. Better, no he's twenty.
Five if, anything we can argue he is going to you,
know refine his game within THE nba, context he is
going to be paid throughout some of the you, know
prime years that he's going, into because he's gonna that
contract is going to trigger next year when he's twenty,

(01:00:19):
six twenty six to through twenty. Nine was that like
through the age twenty nine. Season, yeah, Yeah so you're
paying him in the smackdap middle of his prime roughly
twenty million a year an, average which is going to
BE i don't want to say, peanuts but it's going

(01:00:41):
to be closer to the non tax emilee when his
contract is like, up when he clearly is worth more
than you, know he's he's not a you, know a
non Tax emily, guy he's worth more than. That so,
yeah obviously this is a major, get and it just
speaks again to the fact that some players will always

(01:01:04):
be greatly under appreciated around the. League he is one of.

Speaker 1 (01:01:08):
Them i'm trying to visualize what it would take this
season for me to be concerned about this. DEAL i
think even if he shoots the ball, POORLY i probably
still don't.

Speaker 2 (01:01:18):
Feel bad about.

Speaker 1 (01:01:18):
It i'm not gonna feel as good about, it of,
course but if he's gonna continue to miss every shot
on drives like he is right, now where he's not
gonna shoot amazing from, THREE i probably won't FEEL i
think it's like one of the best, contracts. Right, Yeah
i'll be, No i'll get. It he defends five positions,
basically that's okay with.

Speaker 3 (01:01:34):
ME i, mean three, games let's let's. Chill he'll be.

Speaker 2 (01:01:38):
Fine that's three, eight that's three whole.

Speaker 3 (01:01:40):
Games, more three whole, GAMES i, KNOW i.

Speaker 1 (01:01:42):
Know next up we Have Keegan, murray who got this
extension after he suffered his left thumb. Injury right, more
he was ALREADY i already suffered it five.

Speaker 3 (01:01:51):
YEARS i don't, remember, Honestly, OKAY i.

Speaker 2 (01:01:53):
Thought the news came after. Him Maybe i'm.

Speaker 1 (01:01:54):
Wrong five, years one hundred and forty million dollars average
of fifteen point two percent of the, cap no.

Speaker 2 (01:02:00):
Options he will be entering his age thirty season by
the time this contract is.

Speaker 1 (01:02:03):
Done the, more what did you think about a little
bit Of king's business?

Speaker 3 (01:02:07):
Here, well, So Brian supporik are again our mutual friend
AND i.

Speaker 2 (01:02:12):
We actually did you stop a signing? Friend, No, NO i.

Speaker 3 (01:02:16):
WON'T i. Won't, no that is.

Speaker 2 (01:02:18):
To speak on my behalf about.

Speaker 3 (01:02:19):
Scum, well he AND i recovered this when it happened
and we had. This it turns out we had the
same reaction when we saw the, number like five, years
one forty and we're, like, damn that's a lot of.
Money and then right and it's just immediately we're, like oh,
wait hang, on that's actually fine because at the end

(01:02:43):
of the, day the cap percentage is not that. Significant
presumably eventually that Demarka rosen project In sacramento is going to.
End presumably eventually he's going to have a role there
where they're actually proor it's because why wouldn't they, like,
yeah they have not necessarily been that great at giving

(01:03:07):
him the ball and giving him the necessary freedom In
sacramento since he. Arrived but we're not going to sit
here and say that he's not, good that he can't produce.
Offensively he turned into their best defender last. Year his
rebounding metrics since he came into the league also greatly.

Speaker 2 (01:03:24):
Improved low man stuff he does.

Speaker 3 (01:03:26):
Too, yes like there are some concerns He's there was
this idea when he came into the league that he
was going to be like what was? It was it
like A Carmelo anthony level. Scorer some people kind of
pecked him as, like, oh he's got that. Frame Whereas
camelo could get to the free throw line eight nine
times per. Game you, Know murray does it like. One

(01:03:48):
she was like one free thro per. Game so that's
like a major issue in terms of like him becoming
that twenty four to twenty five point. Score so you're
going to need to rely a lot on the perimeter.
Shot is that a shot that he will be able
to convert consistently at a high high. Rate he did
in the worst rookie, season and then after that it's

(01:04:09):
been pretty. Pedestrian so, Like i'm not gonna sit here
and say there aren't issues or aren't major question, marks
but given what he was, PAID i just don't have
that much of an issue with it. Overall like players
are still going to have to respect the. Three he's
become a good. Defender he's active on the class like

(01:04:31):
worse comes to. Shove he's a fourth option on AN nba,
team a, decent good defender who can actually participate on
the class and play. Superstitions, Yeah i'm giving fifteen percent
of the cap to, that.

Speaker 1 (01:04:47):
AND i think and even, well just as interestingly to
frame it is he will be as of right, now
this number will actually probably tumble because there are still
guys that will sign.

Speaker 2 (01:04:56):
Deals this is listed.

Speaker 1 (01:04:58):
As the seventy seventh highest paid salary next and when
the extension kicks, in that's fine for What Keegan murray
is right. Now AND i Would i'd probably echo all
of your. CONCERNS i think maybe if they had more
consistent their offensive hierarchy has changed every single season that
he's been, there And i'm just curious if he was
in a more stable situation Or sacramento had have been more.

(01:05:18):
Stable but he's gonna need to hit the threes of
the higher. Clip but you can feel good about the investment.
Overall to your, point because of all the things he's
doing defensively that he wasn't billed as this defensively and,
frankly if he's on another, Team, no you don't Want
Keegan murray as Your Steph curry guy as an, example
but the fact that he even had to do that
and just wasn't absolutely, awful and then the fact of

(01:05:40):
what he's actually become when you look at the things
he does in the front. COURT I i'm not if
you don't think it's a. Steal i'm not SAYING i
think it's a steal. There we need to see what
he is on.

Speaker 2 (01:05:48):
OFFENSE i just don't.

Speaker 1 (01:05:49):
Know do you Think sacramento is the place as currently
constructed or even like similarly constructed that would be built
to even plumb what he could do on, offense or
do you look at it as more as well what
they're asking him to. Do he's kind of underachieved a little, BIT.

Speaker 3 (01:06:05):
A little, column a little, COLUMN b. RIGHT i do
think some of it is on. HIM i do think
a lot of it is also on The. Kings it's
also it's always so difficult to, say, oh this is
where it went, wrong and this is exclusively. It it's.
LAYERED i, think.

Speaker 2 (01:06:23):
No boil it down to one.

Speaker 3 (01:06:25):
Thing, YEAH i. CAN'T i don't. Know it's a really good.
QUESTION i want to find out.

Speaker 1 (01:06:33):
More can you just tell everyone where they can find
you and all the great work that you're.

Speaker 3 (01:06:37):
Doing you can find me over At Yahoo, sports you
can find me over At. Forbes if you listen to,
podcasts you can find me at THE Nba, podcast and
if You're, danish you can find me At Bus repeater
and you can catch me calling games FOR Hbo Max
Big time over.

Speaker 1 (01:06:55):
Here until next, time one remember to subscribe To Hardwoo
knocks as, well in addition to THE nba. Podcast and
two shout out to the one the only still waiting
on his rookie, extension never got, it still waiting on,
it Mister Frank Niela keina