2024 NBA Offseason Lookaheads: Celtics, Nets, Knicks, 76ers & Raptors
what is up fellow thermonuclear aers I am Dan fali coming at you with my certified fantabulous co-host Mr Grant Hughes before we get started we’ve punted on doing this because people don’t like hearing it at the beginning of the podcast if they’re new just subscribe to us already or tell your friends families freemies quaint say random people on the street about this podcast Apple Spotify YouTube The Whole Nine um subscribe across all those platforms but we are going to get into our next offseason look ahead we’re moving on to the Atlantic division and we will be using when we talk about the Atlantic division and the Southwest Division an opportunity to do our finals wrap-ups with the Celtics and the Mavericks um so nice little timing there for that first and foremost though well this really isn’t most important but if you’re looking for stuff about the new CBA and how it’s going to impact some of these teams we will get into that on an individual basis but Grant and I did do a quick like couple minute explainer on some of the restrictions that are going to be kicking in and to just be mindful of if you are a fan of another team um that’s at the front end of the Central Division episode so go check Out YouTube Spotify Apple wherever you get your podcast it is up there now the most important question though Grant how the heck are you doing I’m doing very well and I should say uh we’re gonna talk about the the various like second apron stuff it’s kind of inevitable so you’ll get you you’ll obsorb some of the rules by osmosis I would say uh as we go through every division but yeah you could also ask us questions by joining our Discord if you’re not sure about something C the link to that’s in the podcast and YouTube description how’s that for seg way to be solution oriented too good job let’s begin with the Boston Celtics though who or excuse me the NBA champion Boston Celtics which I mean even just before we get into their stuff I’m looking back on this Celtics season as something that myself and a bunch of other people just overthought when you look at them on paper they just clearly had the best team and yet it felt like a lot of us myself included again harpon certain could be deficiencies would zingis remained healthy enough he ultimately didn’t when it mattered and it also just didn’t matter uh and then he was healthy enough during the regular season of course was there a playmaking deficit um what about the offensive variance those are all questions that were floating around even after they got Drew holiday though that did asage a lot of my concerns to begin with but this is just I think people will look back and say were they really tested they faced it like all you can do is play the teams that are in front of you and I also I take exception to people that get mad I was seeing you’re not on social media enough which kudos to you where some people weren’t happy with how the playoffs ended this year it felt like there were a lot of blowouts this is the second straight year that we had a five game finals if that’s your thought I actually think that that’s valid like if you wanted more competitive series on actual paper to see a certainly in the finals we would have liked to have seen it gone longer I think that’s a valid feeling to have there are people that are clapping back while saying you really need to reevaluate your basketball fandom if you didn’t enjoy the regular season if you didn’t enjoy the playoffs I agree to that to an extent is that we can’t complain about everything the regular season it’d be nice if it was shorter it’d be higher Stakes if it was shorter the regular season’s 82 games if you like basketball if you want to follow the NBA like you just need to accept that and stop complaining about it but I also think it’s okay to say yeah it would have been cool if we had more epic series as part of these playoffs I still think they were competitive games there were competitive series I personally always find enjoyment out of the postseason podcasting with you and talking to you of course certainly helps workshopping podcast titles with you certainly helps that enjoyment um it’s just we’re not I’m I’m open to a wealth of opinions that clearly aren’t toxic or disingenuous so that was a takeaway but the Celtics just in general they’re [ __ ] hell of a basketball team and they’re I don’t I if you’re if you’re saying their path was easy I think we said the same thing about the Nuggets it’s not that you can only play who’s in front of you and there were injuries so if you want to say their path was easy I think it’s more so there was one generational team in the league this year and and they won the title yeah that that’s been my when I get asked about it if it’s like a radio thing or or just you know in conversation that that’s like the thing I’m coming back to is like how is it you know fine like you know everybody likes to enjoy basketball in the NBA and the playoffs on their own terms but it’s like I I I don’t understand how you could make the case it’s a bad thing that we saw like there was one great you said this there’s one great team this year it turned out one and they operated like a great team the whole time and and like we tried to manufacture doubts we’ve not we just you know the collective we tried to manufactur outs try to poke holes try to like concern troll try whatever it is and it’s just like through it all Boston was basically not threatened the whole season which to me like per the NBA seems to want parody and is getting it six straight championships have gone to different teams now I like I like it when there is just like a grade A ass kicking like legit like you’re not touching US champion because like that’s my formative years were’re watching the Jordan bulls and like that’s that’s like to me what what is cool about the NBA is when there’s just a monster and that’s what the Celtics felt like this year I don’t know that we need to get into like or I’m not interested really in getting into the whole like well how would they have looked in 2017 against that field or whatever like that when you know or even like a a couple years ago maybe there is a case that there were two or three really great teams I just think it’s it’s cool to me to see a team win 80 games including playoff wins and just stomp everybody and and and like yeah you know and that doesn’t happen that often so maybe even there’s like a rarity component to it that made me enjoy it I’m not receptive to anybody you’re you’re more like diplomatic about it I’m not receptive to anybody that’s just like [ __ ] on the playoffs like that to me in my opinion these playoffs were awesome we had like surprises we had teams Advance farther than you thought teams that didn’t go nearly as far as we thought and then you had a dominant Champion like what else do you want I think maybe you’ve done a better job actually of adjusting your prior s I’ll use the Nuggets Timberwolf series as an example and it was just like in scope and scale and result it was an epic series but like there were just so many games that didn’t matter before the game was halfway over that I missed but I have to continue to get used to that’s part of the three-point variance it’s part of just what’s happening like it doesn’t phase me in the regular season but in the playoffs it’s I’m not focusing on oh I want every series to be Knicks versus Sixers where it was decided by basically one possession the entire Series so I think it’s okay to just look back and me like it would have been cool if this went seven but we got into this discussion in a mailbag is was it better to have X number of competitive games or just see what if the series went seven games with every single Victory is a blowout so it’s just and this series was different in the sense that like it never felt that the Mavericks had a chance and but what was what I do lends itself to your point is think about how many people were picking the Mavericks right and I actually did I mention this already on this podcast when we were were picking our finals I picked a Celtics in seven because I felt not bullied but like oh I must be missing something and I just the more I thought about it when we officially had to file our picks to Bleacher Report I went Celtics in five with Jaylen Brown as Finals MVP by the way so there you go um should have bet on it apparently but so I I enjoyed the playoffs I but like you said I guess I am a little bit more receptive to it’d be cool I like game sixes game like even just the think about the discourse had the Celtics have lost game six and I don’t root for any specific outcome I root for chaos that would have been chaos but now part of the fun is and this might be a good segue into the Celtics offseason is how teams respond to this version of the Celtics where it’s not necessarily about replicating what they’re doing because spoiler alert having six players who are all top 50 players in the NBA that’s not something you should replicate so much as everyone should aspire to have as many really good basketball players as possible but it’s now it’s okay they’ve thrown this punch how do all these other great teams that lost like Denver and Minnesota counter and if if you think that Philly will be healthy or the Knicks how do they count or even the Maverick specifically what do they take away from this and again we’ll do much more MAV stuff on the the Southwest look ahead um so that’s part of the enjoyment too for me is the Fallout from yeah for sure and like let’s I think you’re kind of getting us into you know really it’s more about like other teams should do this offseason to try to catch up but we got to talk about what Boston can do so which seems like such a they don’t get to reflect on it at all you won the title and now it’s Brad Stevens did say did you see his quote afterwards he was like this is cool but like those draft workouts tomorrow are gonna hit different and he was clearly joking and people got mad but it reminded me of do you remember that Phoenix Suns clip after the game of them working out and it was like Winter’s work and they’re doing like quarter way Bulgarian squats I don’t there someone said this on Twitter they’re trainers I’d like to know the science behind working out after a game I’m open to that but like the form on these things uh they should have fired every single one of those trainers after that video came out well we have not seen any video of the Celtics uh working out post tile so they’re clearly slacking and not going to repeat it was it was also cool though I I promise it’s the last thing on this but we gave credit to like the Nuggets kind of sticking together even when things weren’t working out we’re like less than two years REM removed from people thinking that the Celtics need to bust up jayen Brown and Jason Tatum and so they did you know move the pieces pretty substantial pieces they like changed them in and out around them but like to see these two do it after seven years together after people almost trying to paint them or or put pit them against each other like that was actually like that’s always a cool moment it was the same thing with the Nuggets where it’s like they stuck through the injuries they didn’t fire Michael Malone there was more turnover in Boston of course but to see these two guys do it and where the focus on both of them I think jayen Brown Jason T him it’s so often on what they’re not doing because I do feel like we fetishize um the primary playmaking aspect and none of these gu I mean Jason Tatum though in the playoffs with his passing in the finals specifically like they’re not they’re not Luca they’re not joic and so it’s like we we tend to gravitate towards those players like that that’s also a cool moment for Boston I think too like if you’re looking for truisms to take away from from the Celtics as Champions now in addition to what you said of like you should try to get the most really good players as possible on a roster it’s it’s that the two-way Wing is still the most important player like that the type player type that there is because they changed everything around you know over the course of the like just to say Tatum seven-year career they shuffled everybody in and out except for brown really and so like they had two awesome two-way wings and they changed everything except that and now they have a title like that’s that’s still true that that that is the through line I think that has not changed you know in light of Boston winning the title that like that’s always going to be the thing do you think and this might need to be the extent of aide of talking about their extensions in any minimum Target you like like there’s not much like they’re set like there are things they could do but like they don’t need to go out there do you think what they did is not even I don’t want to say replicable but like they have four guys who are not undersized for their positions that can just defend at an above average clip at put the ball on the floor hit outside shots off the dribble have these counters once they get inside the arc that’s just like yeah it might have taken them a while to get here but I don’t I still don’t even know if we’re fully appreciating the the anomaly that is the makeup of the the I would still say look Kristof was important when he was healthy but like the four best players on this roster are just they what like every team would actually want but like you imagineer it in your dreams it’s not something that’s supposed to exist in reality I always Circle back to I and I never get the quote exactly right but Bob Myers a couple years ago was asked about like what wins in the playoffs and he was just saying like guys that guys that when you’re evaluating them you almost never say he can’t do this whatever you’re talking about and so it’s like what when I got asked about it the other day it’s like what’s so special about this team as a playoff team and and and as a regular season team it’s like at all times except for you know short stretches of inconsequential parts of the second and early fourth quarter or whatever all Five Guys on the floor can ay defend their position and other positions and all Five Guys on the floor when they get the ball are threats to pass dribble or shoot and it’s just like that’s insanely hard to build to get three guys that can do that like Dallas didn’t have three guys that could do that it had two I mean and then and even like it’s only halfway there because neither Luca nor Kyrie are the like able Defender so like right Boston is so far by that measure like Boston’s so far be on every other team because every guy on the floor was a legit like plus two-way threat and it’s just like what I can’t remember the last time that was true of a team you know I like is it like the I is it the Warriors Kevin Durant error or pre Kevin Durant error Warriors even Draymond Green is a liability as a shooter like they lost that year you’re right yeah not last year weirdly but we’re getting way too far a field so we don’t need I do we need to go through like all the the measure the you know issues not issues categories I guess for Boston that we would with others no I think that so the the highlights are the notable free agents would be Luke cornette and Xavier Tilman um and then Sam Hower has a team option so they wanted to have someone at a larger number they could just decline it they’re going to be a second apron team unless they decide to trade one of their core players um so their best spending tool is going to be minimums and so I think there are I think there are four quick things about this team is and I’ll ask this one first because of Life inside the second apron would you as this organization look at paying Sam Hower more or even inflating a deal for Luke cornette or Xavier Tillman just to have if we want to go out maybe someone gets injured we attach some first- round Equity to this salary to bring someone back who be part of our rotation that’s an interesting you know we know Phoenix is gonna do it with Royce O’Neal there’s that that is basically done um is Boston gonna follow suit would you consider it or is it just like this thing is just so finished like what what are they gonna do yeah no I think I I that that is exactly where I was going to go it’s like if you’re looking for any semblance of intrigue it’s maybe this maybe maybe it’s how does Boston sort of create optionality where there is none and it like cornette is the guy I keep thinking of as like let’s bump that salary up to a number where because you can’t aggregate you can’t take back more than you send out to where we could trade him with a pick and get somebody you know that that is a mid-tier salary that might help us a little a little bit more because cornet didn’t feature in the playoffs like that’s really the extent of the drama here for Boston is like it’s almost just like we don’t really know yet if that’s the quote unquote right move for second apron teams but it’s definitely if you’re looking for ways to continue to add talent in in these circumstances like that’s something I definitely would look at for Boston I think it’s I think it’s worth the worth the pain of of it not working out to just try that I’m I’m very much hoping and I think I mentioned this on one of the previous look ahads we did I just want one second apron team to do this with a player where the salary is an exact match for another player so it’s like what if they give Luke cornet 9, 890,000 next year it’s like well that’s what Alex Caruso makes right down to the yeah I was GNA say that how fun would it be just to your point how to speculate like to start you immediately that’s a weird number let’s start looking around the league and see who they’re actually targeting I would do that just to troll if I was a front office by the way like you’re still keeping your options open um the other two things that I think are quick so Jason Tatum is eligible for a 5year $34.94 years 122.8 million about is the max extension the Celtics could offer I framed this was going to frame it more as would he sign it but I’ve recently I’ve seen because and I just can’t imagine they won’t offer it but people have kind of presupposed that because of the second apron concerns moving forward that Boston isn’t going to necessarily offer it and they’ll let it play out and I think you have to offer it because there’s no way in my mind that he’s gonna get less per year in his next deal I think you have to offer it and my I’m I’m more towards the side of like Willie the question to me is will he take that um I think he probably will um I I’ve thought about it a little more since we talked last just because I don’t know maybe I’m I’m projecting but it’s he Derek white is a player that seems to be about the quote unquote right things and likes winning and has is smart enough to realize this is a perfect situation and he’s never going to find a better one so forgo whatever you know however many tens of millions he might be might might there’s risks in not signing a long-term deal might be able to get If he if he plays it out and and doesn’t accept that offer I think it’s a I think it’s a no-brainer offer from Boston and then after that maybe there’s some uncertainty as to whether he’ll take it but I think he will and I mean look the year one salary being like 27.2 27 like that’s a that’s a good amount of money I would predict if he went to the open market some team would give him more but would it be for as long that would be the question yeah um and then really the only other interesting thing here is it’s not even getting into minimum targets just name like you can name whoever you want for these guys I mean like what do they actually need and it’s probably Reserve bigs and maybe a more conventional floor General and I’m just wondering you know is a Monte Morris can they give him enough playing time to get in a conversation like that they look at a Delon Wright um if they wanted to like Gordon Hayward how how much is his Market crator um do they maybe look at Daniel Ty as a reserve big I’m curious what ends up being their biggest priority if they’re looking to flesh out the rotation or make even upgrades because I think you can point to it and say you could argue for either one but just the christops porzingis injury and now he need surgery on that left leg this offseason so he’s going to miss a few months does that increase the urgency for you if your Boston be like we need to go out and trade for like a big but you know maybe we look at trading for Santi Al dama which just like we’re trying to find higher end Insurance than perhaps people would have initially thought coming off this title it definitely for me shifts the focus away from like like some of the other listed options another you know playmaker or or another Wing or whatever like to to a big guy because if por you just have to whether it’s this or some other injury I think you have it’s reasonable to assume porzingis will miss time and Al Horford’s a year old I think and he’s now just coming off an extremely long season I don’t think you want to be taxing him like he’s someone that I think you probably rest pretty liberally cut his minutes and so maybe it’s fine if Tillman Andor cornette are just back and and that’s how you you know sop up those those Center minutes but I I think in so far as they can like be choosy with minimums I think that’s where the focus needs to be just because both of their big main big guys this year I think we should should expect to play less next season than they did this year’s playing more my God yeah right something something’s gone sideways and and we need to test him for like uh like is his heart like three times the normal size that he can handle this in his late 30s my favorite offbeat targets for them if they like so big man wise Luca Garza I know that’s sort of a deep cut but that would be interesting and I love San Al dama for them the the the degree to which I’ve seen a lot of Pacers fans and media kind of think that Andrew nard is like the player that might not fit in longterm with Indie rather than a Benedict mat or TJ McConnell one I disagree and we said as much do you know what make me feel better about disagreeing I bet you you can guess guess who else disagrees who ker the God I so I’m like whenever my opinion aligns with Caitlyn’s before I’ve heard Caitlyn’s opinion it makes you feel so much better about life in general but like if Indy was just looking to recoup first round Equity because he makes so little that would be you imagine him on this team do we just pencil him in for another like Eight titles how does that work out yeah no I I I think uh if they got if no I cannot imagine Andrew nart on this team I think want to help out a conference rival hashtag Milwaukee uh not controlling where Drew holiday ended up but yeah that’s just like this team is just they’re ready to win it all again if the porzingis injury does throw an interesting sort of wrinkle into the equation depending on not just what will he look like when he comes back like is this n like the reality of his career is it’s been stop and start with injuries these past two regular seasons have been more the exception than the rule for sure yeah no that’s why I think you have to plan around that um let’s move to Brooklyn this is much will be much more of a conventional uh offseason Outlook just really because they’re boring as [ __ ] sorry fans let I mean there there’s more options I guess to talk about than we did we spend more than five minutes on this uh everyone should subscribe multiple times across multiple platforms because deserve anymore let’s run through the conventional preview here the free agents they got to think about Nick claxon um his $8.3 million cap hold is a is an interesting like over under number I think on the next deal he gets you got Dennis Smith Jr you got Lonnie Walker uh no bird rights on on either of those for the Nets um so moving to like what their cap situation is they can pay class and 25 million and still have another 20ish uh below the first apron So in theory they’re spending tool is the the non- taxpayer mle the full mle which is 12.9 million um you could extend Mel Bridges you could extend cam Thomas uh Ben Simmons just kidding um will Ben Simmons play a game for the Nets this year oh I don’t like uh well do empty gim Instagram videos count uh no he has to actually be on the floor in in front of a crowd I would say yes he’ll play for them but they seem like a candidate to do something Reckless this offseason because all the reporting of just that they want Mel Bridges to be their co-star for the next star it’s okay well that star you acquire needs to be better than Mel Bridges which is fine but it’s just like who like it seems like increasingly Donan Mitchell’s not going to be available and so my point being Ben Simmons’s expiring contract could be a good salary anchor in such a trade but I just don’t know the opportunity that’s going to be out there for them and so like is he gonna be on the Nets might be the question I’m just gonna say will be on the Nets and he will play for them next season that is and that contract is just going to expire at the end of the year and and then whatever happens happens you think you don’t think that’ll extend him no I mean like well yeah I guess whatever happens is he doesn’t play for the Nets again um one thing so we can get into like some of their questions and needs but I do think it’s important to note that they’re in a the Nets are in a little bit of a unusual situation in that like there’s not really a lot of upside to them being bad which which takes away an because they owe their draft to Houston forever and ever because of James Harden um so like it’s always fun to me to concoct trades that involve the Nets getting back their picks just because it’s nice it would be nice if they had you know some upside to to building you know to to taking like a longer View and and maybe eating it for a year or two but now it’s just kind of like you’re kind of you’re kind of busing it like you’re kind of treading water and except the Nets might know that this isn’t the smartest thing it’s just the best best of the available options but that’s just I think we need to keep that in mind that as we’re thinking of what like what should the Nets do it’s like well one of the things they should do is not really available to them well but also it’s just like isn’t it Avail it could be could be but it’s not optimal to to like a full-on tank is like I don’t see the I like they could have their picks back based on the reporting is that I think I saw I don’t know if this was from Michael Scotto or if it came out recently that the Rockets gave were willing to give back basically all the Nets picks in swaps and it’s like if you had that especially because one of them is number three right and like that pick is the third pick right now if you can get back your D and I I don’t even know if I’m empathetic I acknowledge that it’s a weird look to trade Mel Bridges just to get your own stuff back but like you got to just wash your like you made the Harden trade it’s over yeah and so I think the big well the needs really quickly I think they clearly need a floor General they need a better best player and that’s not a shot at Mel Bridges it’s I mean to be the second or third best player on a really good team that’s still an incredible level uh to reach here and I feel like they could use some more like strength and like brownness up front they could maybe use some more just like you know shooting that isn’t going to be a liability on on the defensive end but you know and look we could get into non- taxpayer midlevel targets but it’s just so hard to do with this team because is there a pathway so forget about and I’m sure Nets fan should be frustrated that we’re gonna Contin talk about well they should just Trin Mel Bridges and kind of start over what is the pathway for them to get to even Fringe contention with this group right like you have to believe that cam Thomas as you already mentioned is extension eligible is it would you feel better the extension that male Bridges is uh could sign is like three years and what is it 122 112 112 I don’t think he signs it I would offer it because would you feel better about their future if he signs that because then it’s opens up all this flexibility because all of a sudden you’re best player who’s maybe something like the 30th 35th best player in the NBA so that’s not ideal but he’s all of a sudden not a track that ages super well and creates this flexibility I’m just trying to figure out what could happen this offseason realistically that would make me feel better about the next’s the Net’s long-term future the more we talk about it the only thing is getting your draft back from from Houston like right because so because here’s let’s let’s game it out so we’ve already said like a significant priority for them is like well let’s let’s resign Nick Claxton and then you just said and I agree with you they need to get a little bulkier up front so you’re going to pay a center a starting salary start you know whether that’s 18 million whether it’s 25 whether it’s I don’t think it’s more than 25 and you’re you’re gonna ink him to a new deal and then your needs are still the same like you you still need a bit so like what does that even look like you you’re going to go find like a power forward that gives you all the bulk like if that existed the Thunder would have traded for him by now like to pair with and like you don’t even get the stretch so now this guy also needs your bulky Center need or four needs to be able to shoot like so it’s kind of that’s just a way of saying like it’s kind of Bleak because like even if they go down the list and tick the boxes like okay got Claxton back and and and we I don’t know we made use of the mle it’s like are we the ninth best team in the East now or is is that even is it even that I I don’t know so if you’re talking long-term future like re retaining Nick Claxton at like a I don’t know a top 15 top 10 center salary for next year like that does not make me feel better at all about the team’s longterm future it’s like well okay they got a decent starter for next year but what but where’s the upside in that who is the worst player they could acquire then because they do have those that future drafty from Dallas Philly Phoenix so they could make his move but like who is the worst possible player I’ll throw some names at you let’s do it this way that would make you say okay they’re a top six team in the East Murray I’m GNA start well I was going to think I I think I think Murray I no I don’t well so let’s who’s it’s Boston Milwaukee Philly I guess even though they don’t have any players Indiana New York that’s five who am I think who am I missing that would also be Miami might factor in there Orlando okay so Cleveland oh God yeah so if it’s de jonte Murray that’s not good enough what about I guess you killed two birds here with Donovan Mitchell would be well you kind of you weaken the Cales yeah that’s that’s the move you have to pull pull somebody away from one of those teams that’s definitely ahead of you right now in the hypothetical 2425 East standings Mitchell Mitchell might do it it might Mitchell might be good enough for that I think to get into but like that if he would have never gotten injured he might have been second Team all NBA and so like that’s the guy you’re getting and we’re still saying we’re not sure if they’re a top six team in the east so it’s almost like I could throw Trey young at you but is the answer kind of going to be the same yeah I I think I’d feel I’d rather have Mitchell and we’re not even sure about Mitchell so so Trey young I guess the answer is no for Trey young if he like does he get them into top six Darius Garland the answer would certainly be no right gotta be what about lamelo ball so still no but that’s a little more interesting right because you’re okay now got a we’ve got some long-term upside um although Garland isn’t really like that much older but think lamelo has the the he has the higher ceiling yeah by the by virtue of not playing basically for the last two years he still has like well I don’t know how good might he be we don’t have answers yet so that’s like a positive weirdly in this case yeah so I mean and in terms of if we’re operating if they’re just content to kind of stay the same and futs and Fiddle uh with their non- taxpayer ml I mean I think tus Jones gets more but that’s a name um do they take a flyer on folz uh I wouldn’t give him the mle but like how much does Jonas Valen chunis cost if you’re looking for a different look up front buddy heeld Caleb Martin Kyle Anderson uh all those guys were dfy Melton even this is a team look their defense was kind of disappointing too relative to their person else like do they what does Isa aoro get I tend to think he’ll get more than the mid- level I think you said he could be right around there he’s restricted how does that factor in danthony Melton might be of interest to this team but like all those names are just I hate I really do hate framing an entire team’s existence this way but you said it like you’re kind of busing it right now you just have more I I guess you could say they have more draft Equity but they don’t have their own draft Equity until 2028 so yeah yeah all right well that’s probably our five minutes there you want we got a a slightly uh more interesting uh I kind of want to just turn you loose on the Knicks uh they’re our next this could be its own podcast because of how many different Avenues they can explore but uh OG anobi has the player option I don’t know if you saw the report that he’s apparently unhappy with the nicks’s offer which is interesting uh it could just be posturing at this point but what are what are they coming in at is it just maybe they won’t offer fifth year so I’m very curious about that Isaiah hartenstein Early Bird free agent you’ve heard us say this multiple times but they can’t offer him more than his max is like four years 75 and a half million preci suu is restricted Alec Burks and then boan bonovich has two million of his 19 million salary guaranteed their salary cap situation and getting into their best spending tool it’s just completely fluid if you pencil in anobi for his max salary which is 42.3 million and and hartenstein for his max salary which I think is like 16.2 million the Knicks are all a sudden right at the tax line that’s without guaranteeing fully guaranteeing Brian MD donovich is deal if they do that they’re then brushing up against the second apron with him on the books and that’s like they could dump other Sal to increase flexibility but now you’re getting into a weird space of okay we have to it’s not just if you aggregate if they want to make a bigger trade or a trade at all and aggregate players sending out two players in the same deal or more you’re like well we have to stay under this second APR now so just have less wiggle room under that is something they need to consider um so I honestly think like their best spending tool and is probably the mini mle if that just because if it’s more you’ve probably lost Isaiah hartenstein or Andor anobi and so I just I would be shocked if they lost both of them I feel least confident for them in in Haren Stein’s return so I just they’re I don’t know where they’re going to end up at but and this gets into there’ll be the other notes so extensions that you should think about Jaylen Brunson could sign a four-year $16.5 million Max extension uh I would wait if I was him because he gets so much more money in free agency there is some reporting that suggests he would consider it we both land on the same page with this I know so I’ll blow past it I don’t think he signs it uh Julius Randle is eligible for a 4year $11.5 million extension I’m not offering that I’m not even sure if I’m extending him if I’m the Nick I know he’s valuable to them I know he’s a useful player but when you’re talking about wiggle room beneath the second apron or one of their needs is they need an upgrade from their second best player I don’t know where he necessarily want it to come from but it’s if you think jayen Brunson is the guy that’s perfectly fine and valid Julius Randle is not like that that’s not doing it unless you think he’s gonna completely revamp his playoff resume and I just you know the sample size is small so who knows what’s going to happen with that um I just even before we get into needs I honestly the question here needs to be for me is twofold is is this their last best chance of getting a big name getting that better second best player maybe even a best player and if if the answer is no how do you structure your books moving forward so that you’re not leaping in to because when you’re thinking about new contracts or salaries for Brunson and Randall that’s part of the second apron concerns and so this year avoiding is just like yeah you could do it it’s fine but beyond this year it gets super difficult so I that this is the Crux of their offseason to me I think you you mentioned so they have to play this right because I don’t think this the offseason is their last chance it might be this trade deadline though so it’s so critically important that they they preserve the ability to aggregate salaries one because that’s the way they get the player you’re talking about the better second best player maybe even a better I mean it’s hard to be a better best player than Brunson he was just like one of the five or six you know most valuable guys in the league it’s also relative to the trade market because you could even say who is the person that’s that’s getable that’s no that’s appreciably better than Julius Randall right well and here’s the thing why it’s so critical for them to be able to aggregate they’re like built to aggregate you know because if if you throw you you let’s get our second best guy well Julius randle’s cap figure is 20 just under 29 million that’s not enough I don’t think unless you really luck out to get the guy we’re talking about so you’re gonna have to throw in like one of their other mid-tier like Mitch Robinson’s at 14 you’ve got Josh Hart at 18 not saying they’ll trade any of these guys but there’s all these there’s one two three four five five guys from 11 to 19 million that and then in addition to Randall at 29 so if you they’ve got the tools to aggregate plus they have enough draft Equity to be competitive if it’s that type of offer so like if you remove that option from them that it’s it it weirdly feels to me like it costs them more than it does a lot of other teams just because like we agree they need to go get a guy like a you know capital G guy and if you hamstring yourself then by getting into a salary position where you’re prevented from aggregating like how do you get them like how do you make how do you get up to the number it’s going to take to get the $42 million guy or whatever it is like it’s just you you kind of take that option away so like I I you may know this but like and I maybe you said it sorry if you did but like if hartenstein and anobi are back at their Max figures are they still gonna be able to aggregate using other guys or is it like is that off the table now because that would change my opinion on how much I’m willing to offer someone as important as hartenstein or anobi it would really just like they’re going to be right up against the second apron if they bring boan back that’s with their first round picks on so I think this is to me this is where it’s their last best chance to get that player without having to eat into that happy go-lucky core that like if you want to get that guy without giving up Divan chenzo or Hart or Mitchell Robinson or hartenstein or anobi all those guys right now it’s yeah there might be some collateral damage unless you aim lower but like this is the thing I’m thinking of because of everything that you said and something I’ve considered a little bit more is because of the concerns moving forward and like because you could even say like you can’t even roll over you could say maybe we roll over boam MCD donovich is salary slot and trade for someone else but you’re still going to run into those second APR concerns as these guys are on New New Deals and so I’m not advocating for the Knicks to rush into something and say player X dejonte Murray’s available that’s not a great fit with the m we just need to go get somebody do they need to be more open to the idea of I don’t know what’s playing in the background for me I couldn’t see if you hear that I apologize but um like getting someone who is cheaper clearly below that level but might still crack if not their closing lineup than the top six or seven of their rotation and I’m going to use this player I have two players as an example here where you go and you you can by the way the thing that they could do is you can restructure the guarantee on bu MCD donovich is deal so it’s if you want to get let’s use Alex Caruso as an example you can guarantee 10 million for bonovich and then trade him to Chicago in an Alex Caruso deal and then you look at Alex Caruso as all right he’ll cost more money next year but if it’s like a four for 72 million dollar deal or whatever um that again maybe it makes it easier to trade someone else you’re still gonna have to eat into your quote unquote core or Denny AIA someone who’s cheaper already on a long-term deal if he’s available you just overwhelm the Wizards with picks and the bonovich salary slot do you think that needs to be a more viable route for them because it you’re then keeping Randall and it presupposes that it doesn’t even presuppose but you’re banking on either this core is enough if we just kind of fut and Fiddle on the margins or make I’ll call them semi substantial additions to the meat and potatoes of the rotation but you’re also kind of biting your time still for yes it’ll cost us more player Equity when the time comes but we’re still have the the aggregative salary if we need to to go out and get that bigger name and we’ll just deal with if we have to dump money to stay under the second apron we will deal with that when the time comes I think that I think that is like a legitimate way to go I guess how you feel about that approach depends or is very much related to who the guys are that you think they could go out and get this offseason and I know we’ve talked a little bit about Paul George as like a super long shot but ridiculously appealing option like if you actually had a chance to get Paul George I think the the more measured approach you’re talking about is like well I don’t know because it’s Paul George but like of the realistic big swings they could take I don’t know how you feel but I’m not like in love with really any of them I’m not even in love with giving Paul George that because now all of a sudden you’re okay you avoid the second apron in this year but now you’re just like that’s the territory you have to live in like moving because that number is so high right so I wanna I I value your opinion on this so I want to know like do you think do you think the bogdon like messing around with the guarantee number on bogdanovich and and going and and quote I guess like thinking smaller is that the best way to go given the options that are realistically out there right now or would you still prefer to see them I mean whoever it is like take a big shot I based off the trade market right now I probably prefer the that route with bogdanovich especially because you’re not go because it might it would be easier to say well if they could just access the non- tax pyramid level like you’re probably if you’re doing that you’re really assuming that OG or hartenstein are going to be making less than they can be paid and maybe they will I’ve seen a lot of Nick film schools used like 35 million is the number for an anobi and I’m still I’d go over on that like I just think because Philly would give him a Max OKC would carve out the room necessary to give him a Max Orlando would give Detroit would give him a max if he signs for Less I mean good for the Knicks and I I think their front office has earned the benefit of the doubt but just from a pure flexibility standpoint like and just relative to what’s out there like I’m looking at and maybe it’s you yeah okay maybe it’s a $19 million player or you could take back some more money with bonovich or you can aggregate different types of salaries is Duce McBride being attached here um I I I like the idea of setting their sites lower and then you just have to Grapple with the reality of well we’re going to need to do X if it comes time to aggregate next year or the year after and we’ll have to figure it out but I do think a part that people just aren’t considering is that Julius Randall’s next deal or might just be the number and that people have kind of baked him into their core moving forward and I’m just not sold on them reaching the level they need to with him being that guy so like if you’re gonna extend him as long as it’s not a toxic deal like if he’s at a number of 30 million or something like that gives you a pretty good starting like a really good salary anchor that’s more than the you know you mentioned the guys between 11 and 18 which you’re not getting a star with just one of those dudes Julius randle’s money on this deal or more likely the next one on its own can bring back star money most likely so and then you grease the wheels with picks from there I’m open to that and it’s not even because I necessarily believe this team could win the title if they if you put Denny obdi on this team or Alex Caruso do I think they’re Contender sure but like I don’t think they’re in the same class as the Celtics but I don’t even know if I’m gonna say if they got Paul George or or someone else so I I think I I think they need to go the route of thinking a little bit more conservatively but like it can’t be to the point of we’re just running it back because that’s that’s what this team is in a weird area where that big time trade isn’t out there but like you still need actual things and I know there people harp on a backup point guard it just needs to be someone who puts defenses in rotation it doesn’t need to be a point guard size player you have like there might not be minutes like they you actually need bigger wings or more front Court depth when you look at the size of their quote unquote Wings in D chenzo and Josh Hart those guys so their ideal offseason to me at this point again this is just based off what we know about the trade market right now is unless you can get Mel Bridges like it’s if you could get Denny AIA or Alex Kusa like that might just be your or even IO dunu like that’s a guy who’s even more cost controlled for two more years and helped you out in a variety of different ways even though he’s also on the the smaller end if you’re looking for a wing um I’ve come around to that idea of how the niick should approach their off season slight uh backtrack so between the reporting that anobi is maybe not happy with the current offers and the reporting coming out today that uh Pascal seum is going to sign with or resign with Indiana for four years and 189 just under 190 which was the the four-year Max for Indie which is what I was like okay with when we were discussing it it didn’t get the fifth year because for among other reasons Indiana did not have to offer it to have the market beating offer do you think OG is trending that way where it’s gonna be the Knicks have to be the team that if it’s four years it’s got to be the max because someone else is going to offer their four-year Max and that’s just that’s just the I don’t know binary nature of it it’s going to be either or either he’s getting it from the Knicks and it’s a little bigger or he’s getting it somewhere else and he’s leaving do do you think that’s where we’re headed with this maybe and the only thing that would throw a curveball here is that are we seeing sort of a come to Jesus moment in the new CBA in terms of the barrier for fiveyear Maxes or even outright Max is is now higher and so you look at someone like OG who is one of the most valuable defenders in the NBA but given his injury history some of his offensive limitations you’re less inclined even if you have the cap space or think you’re a contender to give him like even Philly would be an example where it’s they have all this cap space they have Maxi they have Joel embiid plug ad anobi in there you kind of have the nice balance of the 135 type deal but because he’s not a caps lock star and because of how punitive or restrictive going into these aprons can when it comes to making trades or upgrades are you going to second guess and and it’s not just maybe Oobi ends up being a good litness test for this but this is something a bunch of other guys run into where it’s like think about Haren Steiner Malik monk where it’s well yeah someone will give them like more than their early bird rights can get well if anobi is not gonna get the max are those guys gonna like is Malik monk really like 476 a no-brainer guy to me no so that would be the but I do think your point is probably more accurate that it just kind of seems like this is either posturing to make sure the Knicks give him the max because there’ll be other offers out there to where he will leave if they’re not putting the Max on the table which by the way would be fairly foolish on their part if they weren’t prepared to pay him the max after giving up Emanuel quickly for him yeah and and saying that I I think I love anobi as much as anybody I don’t feel great about him on a Max uh for the some of the reasons you you said and I don’t think the Nicks should either uh but but that just it’s funny the monk situation hardenstein anobi SE yakum to some extent it’s just like I always view those through the prism maybe this is like telling on myself of like as the team that has those guys I’m just worried I’m like anxious so it’s like oh my God someone’s gonna offer this crazy number but then if you think about just to use monk in Orlando it’s like is Orlando really gonna do that are they really gonna beat that number like I don’t know even the Paul George stuff where it’s if he doesn’t end up and maybe because Philly is sort of looming and they see more and he could has more ball skills than anobi even though he’s older but it’s like I’m really watching this offseason and I’ll be just flat out outright we’re [ __ ] great at what we do that’s just a fact but my feel for this off season is very poor because of all these restrictions creeping in and they’re not like they’re restrictions that are creeping in but like you’re not going to actually have to operate for most of these teams okay Phoenix is living it Boston is living it Minnesota maybe Milwaukee’s living it but a lot of these other teams are trying to think two three four years down the line as well and I’m very curious to see there’s all these different free agents where it’s okay these guys should have markets but will they be as lucrative as you would expect them to be so I really think that this is going to be a defining offseason on how we view not even just substars but like stars who aren’t in the okay they’re 22 to 27 years old or 28 years old where it’s just none of those guys are no-brainer Max as we we move on I don’t know if anobi ends up on less than the max yeah you feel a lot better about it is is the alternative letting him walk for nothing like you can’t replace he is right he is the second most Irreplaceable player on this team like it’s just it’s a fact right yes and when you frame it that way like I’m talking about how anxious I am about having him back on the max I would be a lot more anxious about losing him for nothing so like I mean that’s there’s a couple SC that’s not I mean again and the Knicks signed up for this so like they they should it’s interesting that some of the reporting as you mentioned is is suggesting like oh maybe they’re a little farther apart like you guys needed to have this hammered out or like a pretty firm understanding of what it was going to take to keep him like when the Pacers traded seaka and it it got done and the fact that hasn’t without anobi is a little bit weird but it’s also just like I do think their front office has earned the benefit of the doubt with this stuff and people I’ll say nationally because I’m sure Nick’s fans have thought more about this need to just pull back from this idea that yes it might be the last offseason for them to acquire a big name without eating into like this core that you the Villanova cats guys and like not having to include Mitchell Robinson in a trade but the front office was likely prepared for that and when you’re bringing in big names it takes it takes good stuff to get good stuff and so this is a reality where if it’s two years down the line and well man we really had to trade Dante Devan chenzo or even an ogn and Obi like that’s just something you need to do if you’re trying to like if you’re trying to compete at the level they’re competing and to get a player that brings you there without question that’s something you need to be prepared to do and if that guy’s not out there this year yeah be it’d be more ideal and easier for them to navigate it if that player emerges this offseason but I fully believe that the front office they’re not just going to be like well we need to get Paul George or Carl Anthony towns because Isaiah hartstein left like it’s just I don’t think they’re going to react that way so I I actually think the more likely outcome I don’t know if it’s better I want to make that clear the more likely outcome is the names that we’ve been Banning about trade-wise is oh they they got Caruso or I really don’t think the a is he is so good I I don’t know if people outside Wasington know how good he’s people in Oklahoman City know how good he is because we’ve been trying to get him to Oklahoma City for like six years but like a Caruso or dumu like those are guys that they don’t materially change what you’re doing but you’re a better team after them and you haven’t probably based off what you had to give up to get them you haven’t punted on your long-term assets there like that could get you the big name down the line it just gets harder to navigate the salary cap while doing it I think too my last thought for them is that you know they I think it’s reasonable for the Knicks themselves and for their fans to be confident that just addressing like the idea of like oh we’re gonna have to give up some of these guys that we’ve fallen in love with over the last like 18 months or maybe even less than that like I think now the Knicks have shown that they can go find it’s not like Dante dienzo was this before he got to New York and it’s not like he was gonna hit that many threes yeah right just like several guys just so it’s a testament to Talent identification it’s a testament to culture it’s a testament to coaching and those will be constants so I think the Knicks should feel good about finding like the next versions of those guys so what they what really maybe that means is like it just validates the pursuit of of the type of player that is great all the time everywhere uh because they can go find the guys that yeah situationally for us we make them really good we’ll just do that again what we can’t do because of our culture and our coaching and whatever is like create someone that is you know throw out the Superstar of your choice that is just he doesn’t matter what the circumstances are you like so maybe that just kind of nudges them more towards like we need to be very comfortable with giving up on guys who we view as core pieces that really aren’t that we turned into guys that look like core pieces so that’s just I mean we’re just like you know sucking up to the Knicks at this point so maybe we should stop well I have two quick things one’s a question for you but one’s something I think they should consider so you have 24 and 25 in this year’s draft can you I would you actually I guess it’s two questions if you could give that to Brooklyn and get back Phoenix’s 2025 pick what is more valuable to the Knicks is like both from a team building perspective but also in a trade I would think having the mystery box of Phoenix’s because look we make jokes about Phoenix that could end up being a bottom five pick next year but people like the draft better so if you could give up that to get an asset would do more for you in trade slash if it doesn’t at least you have access to a better draft class my stance is I think that’s something they should consider doing is I know some people want to see them get a cost controlled guy they traded Quenton grindes they traded Emanuel quickly they want to see them replenish The Pool tibs isn’t playing whoever they get like just think about think about what it took for Emanuel quickly to even see the floor like at first he forced his way there and then Douce McBride was like super breaking case of emergency and it just turned out they needed him so that was one and then the actual question I have for you though and that might be the place to finish is what would you prefer as a I mean whatever what should the Knicks prefer is it just wave bogdanovich and let’s say that allows you access to the non-t taxpayer midlevel exception or is it guaranteeing bogdanovich to then because yes you can use the mid-level exception to acquire players via trade but there’s no wiggle room it’s 12.85 million that’s all you could take back with bogdanovich that number is you could even guarantee you know you could like let’s just use the $1 199 Million number like if it’s you could restructure it so that it’s guaranteed for 15 million or something what makes more sense to you is it keeping the bogdanovich number in some form or and we’re just assuming they’re not getting a star is my point or is it no we should just get rid of him and if you can access the the bigger mle like that’s gonna that that’s the better path for you I I think I might prefer this is maybe just kicking the can down the road I think I’d rather mess around with bug donov whether maybe I guarantee all of it and just have A1 19 million doll trade ship or whatever I I like I like the possibilities that gives you and part of what’s like a factor there is I just don’t know who I love for them at the mid level you know this I have a name who okay yeah maybe this will change my opinion Naji Marshall yeah I mean you’re not blow up like your big term plans for for Naji Marshall but I like that would be the and it’s a lot of it’s I’m assuming assuming that hartenstein and OG anobi are both going to be backs like that’s where my brain is at but if one of them leaves it’s all of a sudden like should they be trying to like sign or trade for like should they be trying to trade for Robert Williams II or should they enter the Jared Allen sweep Stakes it’s that’s what’s tough about their offseason but assuming those two are back if but I even if you’re telling me they could get Naji Marshall I’m still keeping the bonovich number because I think it opens more options for you and ultimately because of what they need offensively if you’re not going to add that over the offseason because of the lack of optionality bonovich is scoring and shooting could still end up being a pretty big deal for you and I like that paired especially with Phoenix’s 2025 first you know if you because because then you’re then you’re then we’re just trying to make AIA happen so you got that 19 you got it first maybe throw another one you get think about how nasty the Knicks would be defensively if it was Robinson or hartenstein at the five and then you have AIA and anobi just rounding out your front court and then it’s is Josh Hart your two run out dou MC BR at the one and just play all defense at that point tibs yeah Don’t Tempt tibs with to just take Brunson off the floor and have five awesome defend would peruso very quickly give you any pause I mean he can guard up but it’s kind of like well we just have another dude who’s not a wing size but we’re just gonna count on him as defending up through wings I I have no problem with Alex cuso on me neither but I just wanted to see if I could no I’m I’m on board with that shall we go to the Sixers here this might be quick I don’t know I don’t know how to how to view this um so Dan do you know who the 76ers notable free agents are no could you tell me stop you everyone uh so basically the way I keep framing this and I’m sure you do it too when you’re writing about the Sixers is Jo embiid is the only person on the 76ers payroll that has guaranteed no questions asked money coming to him next season um Blank Slate otherwise basically now tyres Max he’s getting his Max in restricted free agency uh but unless you are dead certain that Paul Reed and Ricky Council I fourth who I could sorry couldn’t pick out of a lineup I’m just but I just know that he’s someone that might uh what is it a team option or a partial guarantee whatever it is yeah it’s a non- guaranteed deal uh those those are the other two guys you just brush over when you’re talking about the Sixers payroll commitments for next year um so I guess we should just be thorough here Nick Batum DeAnthony Melton Kelly UB Jr Kyle Lowry Tobias Harris buddy hee Robert Covington KJ Martin campaign all free agents of one stripe or another and I will say UB and Lowry are noteworthy Just Because unless they’re coming back for the minimum or the room exception like you’re going to need like you you don’t have bird rights on them so it’s not you’re gonna have to like cut into your cap space or one of your exceptions to keep them and so we probably should at some point talk about like which if any of those guys or maybe just tear it out do you think I had them projected for I think they’re going to keep Ricky Council and if you’re including their own first round pick I like I feel like 60 million ion dollars about is the cap space that they will decide to end up operating with just because they can get up a little higher than that but it’s well we haven’t be Max he will keep Ricky Council and then the number 16 pick maybe some people want to say well Paul Reed should just come back and so that lowers it by seven or eight million bucks I just that’s that’s even a stupid question because it’s like the scenario that’s out I mean this is the entire Sixers offseason is it it comes down to two question is who is the best player you can get with his flexibility and is it happening via free agency or trade MH and and like that’s where maybe you know maybe this is where you talk about like who who’s so the free like LeBron James technically might be a free agent Paul George might be a free agent could also trade for Paul George like after that it’s it’s like who out there is are you definitely gonna spend a Max on I mean I’m trying say but we the Knicks probably aren’t saying that right now so but yeah like it’s it’s an interesting it’s such a I cannot remember the last time a team had an inprime MVP and then just like the flexibility to do whatever you want and it’s kind of unfortunate that the Sixers like they can’t you know they can’t take a gap year they sort of seemed like they were doing that this past year can’t do that this year but the 25 classes are just going to be better they got to just make the most of this so uh I mean like I really this conversation needs to be about do you just do it for Paul George do you do you talk to him get him to opt out sign him do you do you trade for him and then after Paul George you’re not getting LeBron LeBron’s gonna go back to the Lakers you’re not James Harden is another prominent free agent pretty sure James Harden’s not gonna go back to the Sixers uh feel fairly confident there so it’s just like do you do and then if it is Paul George what then are you are you going to go try to see if you can put a number out there that will get kcp from the Nuggets uh do you you won’t even have the cap space to do that if you max out Paul George well you could still have like I guess you got to consider the other roster spots but like you could get up to like 20 right can’t you if you max out Paul George they’re probably looking at like is he starting at 50 yeah like he’s around that number so it’s just it’s that obliterates everything yeah so do you even do you even go for Paul George like do you well it it does feel like their their ideal offseason might be okay we got we saw Paul George did we the Kelly UB Jr comes back on the room exception and then we’re able to keep let’s say like Lowry and maybe even Batum want to come back on minimums uh and do you still have you would still have some cash to play around with but like could they go out and throw enough picks at Chicago that Alex Caruso is using up the rest of that c I’m just ballparking the these numbers now but like if you can’t get Paul George like what what is the What is the move there I think that becomes a separate twofold question of but for me it’s for them it’s Paul George or bust I would max out an anobi I just don’t I I guess I just don’t buy that he’s leaving the Knicks maybe I should perhaps I’ll look back on that and so it’s what are you if you don’t get Paul George who who really should be like plan a through C at this point what is the move because you’re not going to ever have this much cap space again because of Maxi’s number and so are you trying to go out and still sign who like you’re trying to get into like the I don’t know the the Caleb Martin business the Malik monk business are you trying to then rebuild or retool your roster through trades and you’re looking at BD bonovich you’re looking at Alex Kus as a name that I’m sure will come up are you looking are you trying to get the Nets to try mcel Bridges but then here is the issue with them by if if they if they strike out on the Paul George thing if [ __ ] needs to happen via trade teams in most cases don’t just want draft picks back if you’re talking about an Alex Caruso or a bdon McDonald okay sure but if you’re trying to get a Mel Bridges or Larry Markin in or if you want even if you want a Brandon Ingram like those teams want more than picks the Sixers only have picks like it’s cap relief and picks are their best trade offers and so if you miss on Paul George it almost feels like well you’re not getting a star like that which is fine I guess but what are you pivoting to it’s just they’re it’s funny they have so much flexibility that it’s I’m not saying it’s damning but it is Dam in for our discussion because you can’t make it central to any path because there are so many different ones that not only are available but that they could be forced to be directed down well and it’s damning too I mean in a certain way because like I guess maybe we shouldn’t underestimate like one the ambition and two the creativity of darl M like there are I mean there’s a million moves he’s thought of and gamed out that we won’t mention here because we haven’t but but the expectations are because you got Joel embiid and plus million in cap space expectations are like you’re getting someone awesome and then oh there’s all this other room and flexibility it’s like it’s hard to concoct a scenario where the Sixers offseason meets those expectations and like realistically like even like you said even if you get Paul George like Suddenly It’s the the subsequent moves are kind of underwhelming you know it’s can you get for the room exception and then you got to hit on your minimums I mean you’ll have like a tiny bit of cap space I mean but that would be ideal is room exception Paul George are you able to I haven’t done the math on this because it was something we just like you could I I assume you could get to a point where you have enough cap space to sign Paul George acquire Alex Caruso if you’re not taking back any other money you have your room exception and then it’s just okay so what do we just name those three players Paul George Caruso room exception Joel embiid Tyrese Maxi Ricky counts on the fourth still on the books in this scenario and it’s like you really need to hit on maybe Kyle Lowry comes back for the mid moment so you actually have have six guys that you could depend on like that’s not when Joel ID is on your team six deep that ain’t enough yeah I mean does it make sense to we haven’t mentioned like Jimmy Butler is another trade candidate but he presents a lot of the same problems George does with respect to you know there goes there goes your cap space basically it would not Shock me though if the heat were a team that’s like yeah we we’ll take the picks and tap rela and we don’t we don’t need but that from the Sixers perspective that’s just like well we’re running into the same issues of like how do we make another big move with this salary on the books like is the move maybe then you trade you try to trade for a Bridges or a market in or someone that’s you know down there in the High Teens or low 20s salary-wise and then you can go throw money at the kcps and Malik monks or maybe like or whatever like so then then you know you’re not getting the 4050 million do player you’re getting a handful in the you know 15 to to 25 range like plus Maxi because you got your two best players like realistically unless you get Paul George you know who your two best players are it’s GNA be Maxi and embiid so maybe you go and find a bunch of guys that are like in contention to push Maxi for that title of second best or maybe a couple of those and then you’re filling out the roster that way that feels kind of unambitious although as I’m talking about it it’s like embiid marinin Maxi and then you maybe somehow get kcp like I’m more intrigued by that than Paul George and then you’re using marketing would be so ideal because because you’re getting him at the $18 million number where it’s do they still just have $40 million in C after getting Larry Markin in I mean there’s it almost feels like that would be preferable is it’s to Let’s get someone who ends up being our third best player on a submax because Paul George might be their third best player but the problem is Paul George is gonna be on a max deal right and it feels like that would almost be preferable but I I really do think the problem is because you don’t have players to trade these teams aren’t looking to move Bridges or marke in and you don’t have the assets to sway them to in all likelihood to me but I take your point and that might be the overarching question and I only have one more question on them is do you prefer the path of Paul George room exception a little bit more of cap space like we’re talking could be sub 10 million so you use that in a trade whatever and then a bunch of minimums or is it what if you could get like what if you got kyp B MD donovic Alex Caruso and like then you’re bringing some of your other players back there like Nick Batum is back Kyle Lowry’s back Kelly ub’s back like which of those routes do you prefer where you’re still kind of you’re consolidating into a Max Plus maybe let’s say two other semi notable editions or is it like what if they just got like four to six just impact players they’re clearly not stars but all of those guys could be cadidates to be a part of the closing lineup of a competitive team I think I’ve kind of if you’d asked me this a week ago I would have said just get Paul George and let’s figure the rest out I’m much more amenable now I think talking to you about it with like the I don’t know if it’s the more conservative path but like the little you’re diversifying a little bit I I think the second way is more appealing to me and and look like depending on how you play it those are guys you could flip when other options become available although like you’re probably sacrificing a lot of your picks if you’re trading for one or two of the guys we’ve mentioned but if you’re just signing you know maybe goes out and signs like three of the best nons Superstars in free agency maybe then you can still you know step up to at the deadline or whatever to to like that you know some some new guy becomes available that isn’t available now and you still have the the ammo to trade for that guy yeah I mean like there are worse out because yeah if you’re not giving up like if you just burn your cap space on some combination of cavius cwell Pope Caleb Martin I’m contractually obligated to mention Naji Marshall for every single team that I like and so like if you’re just getting like three of those types of those exact three would be perfect by the way but if you’re just getting three of those level of players and like in addition You’ still have the room exception you might have the flexibility to bring back some of your own guys it like not just you’re instead of hoping Kelly junr stays for the room exception or hoping Nick patum doesn’t retire and comes back for the minimum you could pay them a little bit more it does make it easier because you haven’t given up your picks to then make a consolidation trade down the line rather than funneling it into that one prime time acquisition now Paul George who’s just on the older end I will say if you told me though that you could get Paul George and then through picks and were able to get Alex Caruso i’ probably pick the Paul George route I think Paul George Caruso the room exception plus EMB and Maxi you know what [ __ ] your depth I will I’ll go I’ll go with that we’ll figure it out later yeah I mean it’s one of the most interesting off seasons of any team just because singularly most interesting like they have any players my last question on them though is so inbi is extension eligible three years about 100 93.5 million are you offering yeah and is he taking I well yeah he should I mean don’t you think I I hate that I feel this way about one of the could be the five best players in basketball I’m just like I don’t know man like we’re getting into him for over $60 million a year with his injury history I understand that he’s L he’s he’s like a fate shifter fate Creator but he’s just never even a resemblance of healthy when it matters most for you and just that that risk I don’t I I guess you have to offer it because the alternative has being let’s just say you don’t offer it and then so next year what you gonna have to go four years out so like almost getting him on the threee it like shs your window of risk and well I think too just from everything we’ve ever heard him say darl Mory is all about like what’s our top five% outcome like I’ll deal with all the risks and and like that come with that if for embiid there are more than almost anybody else for downside risk right but like I think the way that myy would view it is if if like it’s an if everybody’s health is an if like so but if embiid is healthy and we have a decent team around him like that’s the level of Championship Equity that he’s always chasing and if you remove embiid from it like good luck getting someone who puts your ceiling as high as he does and I think just that’s just how Mory views team building I think I I think it’s a I think you’re right I think he gets I think they offer it and I think he takes it this I actually be fairly surprised if he didn’t the Toronto Raptors which are well they’re both of our team but they’re my team to go through there this division has a lot of with the exception of the Celtics just because they’re done like this was a very like division has a lot of like pivot Points but Toronto is notable free agents Bruce Brown has a team option the reports say they’re going to pick it up which that will impact what we’re going to talk cap wise Manuel quickly is a restricted free agent um Gary Trent Jr is also a free agent his cap hold by the way is astronomical it’s like $28 million almost he’s not I’m gonna go out on a limb and say he doesn’t get might that yeah um so their cap situation they could get to 30 million if they renounce basically all their own free agents except for Emanuel quickle who of course has that smaller caph hold because he is a restricted free agent I just don’t you know I’m I’m projecting them to have I I honestly think that it makes more sense for them to operate over the cap use the non- taxpayer amount Le and you also have the room exception there that’s what I’m projecting them for would you before we go further would you agree on that yeah what do they got to do to get there though is it just because the way I’m looking at it now if you don’t have Trent back and you don’t have who’s the other guy well you know what you do is you just sign you you put Quickly’s real number on the books like I see yeah you put number on the books more quickly and then right yeah that’s how you get there obviously and then do we talk about like I agree if you can I think it makes more sense for them to access the full midlevel and then have the who you I mean like we we know what they need like shooting they could probably use like a different type of a FL like quickly and Barrett and Barnes are great but they need they could use another type of playmaker and then I still everyone knows I’m not a yaka purle guy and I promise it’s not just because of the contract I know they have a linic here they could use like a different type like they need some diversification up front and they have it on the roster in Chris Buche they just refuse to adequately unleash it don’t acknowledge it it’s a real it’s a real shame but what were you saying before no I no I I was just going to say because who are you going to get if you preserve cap space like what how’s that going to be like who are you g to get that’s worth more than the non- tax payid level that you actually want to give nobody maybe want kcp yeah like you would prefer him over Bruce Brown like I kind of get it yeah but but yeah so uh I think we the next thing to talk about with them is is what’s the number for quickly assuming they’re going to you know like depending on the time I guess the timing of of that deal is what’s going to affect how they operate whether under or over the cap but like what’s that number going to be because I feel like we’ve had reports of like he might want 30 a deal around 30 to 35 a year we’ve heard that the Knicks offered something like 18 a year and he I said it over under it 28 when I did it with Brian toorek I think I said it at 28 I might have already forgotten I apologize but no well that’s in the I mean we we may have done this exercise to and I just can’t remember uh but his Max by the way for for anyone else to know his Max in Year One um would be 35.3 million if he gets a four-year Max from the Raptors it’s 1579 million a four-year Max from anybody else would be 151.50 million I I mean like the fiveyear max would be 24.5 but if he gets a fiveyear Max his agent is one of the best agents of all time yeah the 28 28 feels okay to me um although like again this is another situation where as the reverse like OG went the other way and the Knicks needed to have a a fairly firm idea of what it was going to cost to keep him certainly the Raptors had some number in mind and Quickly’s Camp was cool with it or at least I guess uh I just wonder yeah 28 30 maybe I I get uncomfortable into the 30s that’s what I was gonna say 30 and under is like even 30 would make me a little queasy but it’s he’s really good and he’s going to have an opportunity to develop his live dribble decision making as an actual point guard playmaker whatever that he just wasn’t going to have in New York because of jayen Brunson and the type of units he would play Within so I think I’d be comfortable with that number I will take I I’m gonna take the over of 28 million and if they go under that might be one end up being one of my favorite contracts of the offseason yeah yeah no that’s that’s an interesting one um sorry I cut you off before we got to the rest of the The Rundown here no I think that was I wanted to stop and talk about the quickly number uh do you think that they’ll bring back Gary Trent Jr I mean we’re going to get into this so I’ll jump the gun a little they do need shooting uh because like that’s just If You’re Gonna Play purle and You’re Gonna Play Scotty Barnes and you’re gonna play I mean RJ Barrett unless you believe that that just shooting works better Scotty Barnes and RJ Barrett made sure and RJ Barrett specifically have obviously Scotty Barnes was only in Toronto but RJ Barrett shooting turned in Toronto but do you believe in that is the question no I don’t I think that’s gonna the part I believe in is his efficiency and frequency at The Rim they got him you know a lot of the times not that he was operating from a dead stop in New York but like he kind of was and like they got him moving like catching on the move or just being on the Move in general which I think is a big deal um but they need and Grady dick I’m a big believer in and I was a believer in it and then Samson folk wrote a piece this offseason on him even more believer in Grady dick now but like you do need but I think they need shooting from someone who doesn’t have like Gary J has something worse than tunnel vision like what would that be be just like he he’s like blind like inho Vision like telescope Vision no that that’s almost sounds good telescope Vision what’s like a really narrow thing you could look through like those glasses yeah so it’s just it’s so I I think they need to upgrade from that spot but like if he’s only going to cost you around the mid- level like yeah just baby roll that salary slot back into it like you do he he is in the best version of the Raptors like having him is coming off the bench is like that’s a good spot to be um but when you’re would you prefer here’s to get into it just looking at the shooters on the market who would you prefer on this team next year Gary Trent Jr Malik beas or Malik Beasley let’s go through them one by one I mean am I getting Beasley at less than like what I mean he’ all be mid-level guys is what we’re assuming and you’re assuming Trent is right around there too like we said jokingly half of his cap hold which is like 14ish I think looking at it um would I rather have Beasley or Trent I don’t know that’s like a wash to me if they’re both the mid-level I don’t I don’t see a huge upgrade I don’t I think a little bit better as an on ball Defender but I also think that there’s a chance Gary Gary TR J’s younger might just be better Gary Trent Jr or buddy hee I mean buddy hee to me is like I I think I’d rather have buddy hee I think I just I I know that that guy changes offenses with his movement shooting um like I I Trent I guess kind of does that and is much younger but uh I think I’d rather have healed if it’s mid-level money all things well so I’m thinking buddy heel is probably a cap space guy that and that’s that so I was also gonna bring up Klay Thompson not that he I think everyone’s mentioning Orlando or Golden State for him or bust uh but like are any of those names like for you like do they move you enough to say well if we could just keep Bruce Brown have the non- taxpayer and bring back Gary Trent like does it move you up no we could get buddy H or Klay Thompson if we go the cap space route do either of those guys move the needle enough for you to think in those terms well if you’re if you’re if it’s a onetoone thing I guess I guess demonstrably I’m not like over the moon about either side of those but if it’s if it’s Trent and those other things or uh Thompson or heeld or whoever it is I kind of like Trent and the other things I like you know if I think but it’s it’s pretty close like it’s not an easy decision to me do you have a strong opinion one way or the other oh I think it’s an easy decision I’m not using cap space on buddy heeld or Klay Thompson not using it on Malik Beasley uh so and like you could who knows like just because I’m assuming that he’s his team option is not gonna get picked up in Memphis Luke canar could just be super cheap and that’s someone who I would think would certainly fall into mid-level range and it’s you don’t necessarily need as many minutes from him if you’re grooming Grady dick I was going to say if you’re if you’re high on him then like how much do we really need to be talking about let’s go get a shooter what would be and this is where Luke Canard buddy heeld even Malik Beasley in addition to Tren kind of fall short is that they also and it’s a weird thing to say about this team needs like another Wing I know isn’t that funny like Klay Thompson qualifies as a wing and so like but I’m not going the cap space route like for him you”ll be getting rid of Bruce Brown be getting rid of Gary Trent Jr for Klay Thompson and you’re you still have the room exception I guess so like that’s the challenge here for them so Naji Marshall I would love for shocker I would love nji Marshall in Toronto is their a team I don’t love Naji Marshall for is uh they could look at if Cayla Martin’s going to fall into mid-level I think the only substar where it’s making me think about going the cap space route cap space and room exception versus let’s keep some of our guys have the non taxpayer and the the they would could have the buy annual too is kav’s called about Pope yeah it’s like if that’s if he’s one to accept a two-year winfall and like the nuggets are being cheap little chicken shits um and won’t match I like that’s the name that I stare at like you know what he’s kind of like maybe a little bit bigger of a wing but when you look at the size of scari Barnes and even RJ Barrett canavi is call little pop in here just that not that that I don’t want to call him the dream acquisition but he would be fantastic in Toronto and and monk being younger doesn’t do that for you just because you’re not getting the defense you’re not getting the experience the the reliability no would you would this be a team this doesn’t really give you the defense but that could take a flyer I’m assuming they’re cost a non- taxpayer midlevel or in at least one of their cases is less like the flyer on Tobias Harris or Gordon Hayward as sort of they were into toxic what what I keep quoting this from Caitlyn Cooper because it’s so perfect they were in Soul taxing situations and that if you remove them from you know the confines of Charlotte OKC with with Hayward and or Tobias Harrison Philly that they’ll just be better and maybe you’re bringing them off the bench yeah much more so for Harris I think I think Hayward might just we’re kind of done here I think with him as a rotation guy it’s starting to feel like I want his spouse hear you say that she is oh is she I respect that she claps back she’s basically inaccurate with everything that she says but I I respect the hell I respect the hell out of it uh any like big men for like that you would because they have oin they have purle they they obviously have the one and only Chris bue is there I’m not burning my I don’t think there’s not like a big that I look at I don’t want to reunion with Jonas Valen chunis if it’s going to cost me the use of the mid-level here uh like is there any like big like taking a flyer on Mo Vagner would be interesting if Orlando declines his team option but I don’t see it you know if they were going to go the cap space route this would be batshit crazy when you have Perle like I say hardenstein be oh my God yeah no that’d be great do you want to do a second lap with precious auua try try that out again um yeah I don’t I don’t like Goa baz wouldn’t cost you much but like oh that’s a good one I I you know depending on which version of him is like is the shooting one real from a couple years ago or is the rim protection or maybe both then like maybe there’s your Chris bue analog uh but you know sorry if we just have to marginalize Chris P uh I haven’t thought to like just because of Ms jiri’s comments I haven’t given thought to like who would they consider trading for because they don’t feel like a team that he didn’t sound like they’re ready to follow a traditional rebuilding path but it didn’t sound like oh if Jared Allen’s available and we think that like we’re not g to go like it doesn’t seem like a team that’s ready to do something like that and maybe that wasn’t the perfect name like insert even like bigger name Marquee name X semi Marquee name X that becomes available they just don’t seem like they’re ready for could I see them do something if it’s you know it’s costing you salary or maybe cap space depending on like if if Atlanta just wants to get off of DeAndre Hunter that’d be interesting I know you’ve mentioned the Andrew Wiggins thing with them I actually hate that for Toronto when they already have RJ Barrett but but he’s from Canada did you didn’t you know that yeah bring back Cory Joseph already guys what’s going on here he’s available uh so yeah there this team is I’m I’m perpetually hot on them than the actual product turns out to be ever since their Championship I do think we’re headed down that route again I will I will say this maybe so yeah well it’s easy to get excited just because they got enough young guys that they’re kind of fun and you can still you can kind of like Scribble out of rotation already and the Bruce Brown piece of it like as a trade chip as a like a $23 million expiring salary I think is you know that’s you could you could get get get a little active there um does K johon do anything for you for this team I just thought of that name I don’t think it does the shooting was a little iffy last year I mean he does look we’ve said again ironically the original project 69 needs some guys that are 68 69 so Kell Johnson would kind of fit that bill a little bit I I do you think do you think maybe Kellin Johnson is someone that uh We’ve we’ve Tobias harrassed it a little bit like his stock has fallen a little too far in a very different way but like he’s not looking like a starter for the Spurs anymore but like he still can do a lot of good things as like an attacker as a shooter like I mean the guy was on like wasn’t he on a Team USA like not that long ago they thought highly enough of him then yeah he’s kind of interesting in the sense I would agree with you and it just feels like there’s been a lot of different iterations in San Antonio over the past few years and none of them have included like okay a premier setup guy yeah that’s my favorite Theory now of like you can’t judge a guy in a weird situation you you got to see him play somewhere that’s PJ he might be PJ Washington is you know like get him on a real team where he’s doing only the things he’s good at and suddenly oh okay this is guy this guy’s got something I think I’m with you on that’s the new like is that the is that the guy we’re gonna like is he the new PJ Washington officially like the one where it’s like there’s a curiosity where you don’t think he’s that good the results show that he might not be that good or his versatile as you think but you put him somewhere else and he is I think that’s the that’s the guy unless anyone that that should be a podcast the the building the PJ all Washington trade cidate team oh my God I think that’s right who’s the next we really going that deep who’s the next PJ Washington uh very quickly uh since we have to get out of here the two news notes that we definitely need to update from our Central Division look ahead Pascal sakam has officially resigned with Indiana a 4year 189.5 million I think it’s a contract not an extension based off the wording uh any thoughts on we had entertained I predicted he was gonna get a fifth year so I view this is a a win for the Pacers I think that’s just I I kind of was more in like this what it’ll be because it’s still the best offer on the market and it’s still a Max so you can say that but you don’t have to do the fifth year because nobody out there is pushing you to go that far and so SE yakum can’t say like I can do better because he couldn’t he could not have done better outside and I I will say also there’s been a lot of framing of from other fans but like I wouldn’t have paid Pascal seak that much money for my team to me that says more about your team than Pascal SE yakum if Pascal SE yakum isn’t enough of a differenc maker for your team um to give him the max your team sucks Golden State Warriors right I have a Monty Williams take he was dismissed by the Detroit Pistons at with 65 million left on his six-year deal that reset the so he resets the coaching market and is just there for a year now people are talking about he’s a genius I have a Counterpoint they’re talking about how look at all this money he’s getting he had a sit through 82 games worth of Detroit Pistons basketball was he actually underpaid by getting that one year $76 million contract was he actually underpaid oh man disgust I I think I my take is uh yes he was grossly underpaid uh should have gotten twice that much to deal with that although he was like kind of partially responsible for it I don’t know how you’re going to portion that blame between management ownership and the roster uh but he gets a little bit um can we please pistons and everyone else do [ __ ] in order from now on because they already hired Fred Vincent which I think everyone agrees like part of his staff which is just great assistant coach hire oh maybe he’s going to maybe he’s going to take over in a couple years once there’s not so much money left like objectively good hire but like you can’t just don’t do this like pick the head coach and then go get Fred even even if you say hey Fred we got here’s this offer we just gotta put the like we need to put someone in charge first who hopefully wants to work with you will come back to you even if it’s just itics like do it in order it’s not as bad as like the the coach and then the the top executive who decides who the coach is like that kind of out of order but it’s still just like come on Pistons like what what you have to just like Let’s Pretend We’re a functional organization that knows how to prioritize our moves like let’s do it in order that’s all that’s all I got Killing Me Softly I tell you uh that yeah I don’t have any I mean we’ll see what there James bgo was mentioned um but like how deep is he into negotiations with Cleveland and or the Lakers who seem like their favorite is JJ reick that I don’t think you need I think people over exaggerate how much you need a coach to go through the offseason you need an elite executive which they have to go through the offseason everything you just said was 100% right though can you just do [ __ ] in order it’s just you to boil down a snapshot this entire podcast can you just do [ __ ] in order and you know why we went in this order Grant I was worried more news was gonna break which is why we didn’t do it at the top but it did not it’ll probably break by the time this releases but with with that all said are you ready to to take us out of here I am uh thanks everybody for listening for watching as Dan said at the top please uh help us grow the podcast wherever you’re consuming it give us high ratings review us tell us tell everyone you know about us subscribe everywhere that you can uh participate to the extent uh you’re you you want to give us guess of players you want to give us St padding which again sorry we will get back to those uh some point soon join our Discord the link to do that is in the YouTube and podcast description same place you can uh find some merch I am supporting the apologies to Jared Allen SL Mitchell Robinson shirt for you’re always good about having your mug behind you too when you’re not using it like I really that’s like that’s real YouTuber influencer [ __ ] that’s you know I’m just playing the game uh thanks again everybody that’s going to do it uh apologies Jared Allen even though it’s crossed out on my shirt shouts Frank Nina oh I did it backwards that time [Music] n [Music]
The offseason lookahead train RUH-OHLS ONWARD! Next up: The REIGNING CHAMPION Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors. After that, Dan and Grant react to Pascal Siakam’s max contract as well as the Detroit Pistons paying Monty Williams $65 million buckaroos to away. CHAPTERS BELOW.
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CHAPTERS⬇️
0:00 – Intro
1:32 – Reflecting on Boston’s NBA title
13:26 – Celtics offseason lookahead
21:08 – Nets offseason lookahead
30:32 – Knicks offseason lookahead
55:22 – Sixers offseason lookahead
1:09:30 – Raptors offseason lookahead
1:24:00 – Pascal Siakam re-signs with Pacers, Monty Williams leaves the Pistons
#nba #knicks #raptors #76ers #bostonceltics #brooklynets #nbafreeagency #nbaoffseason
3 Comments
Great podcast. As a Pistons fan with a prideful history im so tired of getting shite on even though i realize its warranted.
The uncertainty of FA 24 is spot on & the idea of Celtics bringing back Hayward & Theis on a discount is such a C's move 😮
Like Markannen for Philly & Deni / Caruso / Marshall for the Knicks. Philly bringing PG in would be the same mistake PHX did with KD.
GIVE BOUCHER 30 MINUTES A GAME