Hour 1: Steve Cleveland Talking Utah Jazz & NBA Finals | NBA Draft Options for Utah | Derek Bodne…
good morning DJ and PK it’s 975 the zone welcome in on a Tuesday morning countdown is on it’s about to get interesting nba draft is Wednesday night well round one round two Thursday and then the NHL draft Friday night at least round one and then the rest of it on Saturday so we have been going through some of the teams uh the draft in and around the Utah Jazz trying to figure out what might they do what are their plans where might they go coming up later this hour we’re going to talk with Derek Bodner covers Philadelphia 76ers who are sitting on the third pick so that interview coming up later this morning right now Steve Cleveland joining us for his weekly visit sat down actually for a couple of segments as we talked about uh what’s going on in the NBA the Thunder winning the championship and then got into the Jazz draft as well here’s Steve Cleveland with me on 975 The Zone so PK’s out with the radio team jake Scott’s out with the radio team jake will be coming in to do the show at 10 i will be going out to replace him scotty G’s coming in at noon and there’s some discussion on whether Lloyd is actually going to go back and produce the show or stay in golf all day he told me last week he was going to be uh leaving at 11 and I mean we all like Lloyd and trust him but nobody really believes him so we’ll see how that plays out but in the meantime Steve Cleveland once again has been good enough to sit in here for a little while and talk some hoops when you’d probably rather be golfing too i’m going to be golfing not a kid 10:00 nice i didn’t know Lloyd played no wonder I never find him oh yeah yeah yeah yeah lloyd does play and and Lloyd is like a lot of guys he he play he played uh baseball in in high school right and and you pick up golf because you can’t play these other sports you can’t get people together right and you got to protect your Achilles and so he picks up golf so now he’s got kids and he’s got work and he’s got a family they’re like “You getting your kids into golf?” And he’s like “Of course.” Partly to be a good dad and partly because there’s no other way to get on the golf course unless you tell your wife you’re taking your kids it’s a lot easier to get out of the house if you’re taking the kids with you absolutely she gets the break and she knows you’re bonding with the kids and uh she looks at you with a golf like I know what you’re doing but I’m going to let it slide that’s that’s how that works i’m I’m so glad at my age that I don’t have to kind of sneak out and play golf anymore nice so I did enough of that where uh we had a lot of things going on but I remember a couple things that my uh grandmother said to me and it’s funny because I grew up they were in town and all my grandparents lived a long time so I got to spend a lot of time with them i was I was really fortunate my kids weren’t nearly as fortunate my mom uh you know my kids have no memory of my mom because she passed away so young um but I got to hang out with all my grandparents a lot but I remember a couple things that my dad’s mom said to me and one of them after my dad had rafted the Grand Canyon with both his dad and his father-in-law and the three of them didn’t hang out together a lot this was very even though they were in town they didn’t hang out together a lot and they came back three different personalities and they all had a great time and I’ve subsequently done it and if you think you might want to do it you should absolutely do it i went for the rapids i went for the E ticket ride but the side hikes down there the history of the canyon our guides knew it was fascinating it was an awesome week but anyways they come back and my grandmother apparently her friends apparently generationally this is a little weird her friends are like “How could you let him go and how could you?” And I’m like “I’m 12 what do I What do I A what do I know and B what do I care?” Right and she’s scooping ice cream she looks at me she goes “I love your grandfather dearly but I do not need him underfoot every time I turn around.” And I’m like “Wow that meant something.” Now years later I know what it meant but at the time I didn’t get it they were in a two-bedroom condo so it’s like “Go for a week get out of here.” Some of my greatest memories were living in central California and going up to the American River and uh you know nearly killing myself several times cuz you get up there and when they have four or five type uh situations where the the waves are really difficult there in the river and you got all the rocks and I remember a few times getting kind of putting my making the mistake of putting my knee in the boat and hitting rocks painful painful but uh yeah I love the river rafting and it was really good in the upper American River up there in towards Sacramento mhm a lot of people here may have done the Snake River apparently it’s awesome i haven’t done it but I I haven’t either but it I probably went up there seven or eight times with friends and that we always got a really We had done it we thought we knew everything and and there you know there are some really difficult rapids there that are at the five and six level that you shouldn’t even be on the river for and uh so I can remember being told you know stay do not put your knees in in the boat don’t kneel down you know keep your feet sit up and and I we were going through rapids and I was going up and down and all of a sudden I just got put my knee down and we must have hit some huge boulder my knee was like 12 in wide it’s swollen now the good news was I was in really cold water and and so like icing it it was like I said but uh I had great memories going down the river and and with my with my dad my friends and uh I’m too old for that now but but my but it’s interesting my kids and my grandkids in California the they continue to do that and keep that tradition and uh but those were good memories for me as well good times good memories in Oklahoma City they have their NBA championship and I don’t want to rain in their parade and I’m sure it was fun for them but I’m selfish and I’m about me so let’s just get right to that when Hallebertton went down and I mean I picked Oklahoma City to win and I thought they were going to win and I thought they were going to win game seven even though the recent history of home teams in game seven is not great the last four or five years a lot of road teams have won I always thought the Thunder were going to do it when Haliban went down I was disappointed I mean obviously you feel bad because an injury is terrible and all that but it’s also like I couldn’t buy any of the drama after that oklahoma City sits hits a shot and leads by one at halftime it’s tied to 56 and a third i’m like but it’s just a matter of time and sure enough and that’s what it ended up being just a matter of time yeah I was that was hard to see and hard to watch cuz you want you want to watch a championship where everybody’s got everybody healthy and all things are there they’re right in front of you and to have that happen and and I think like you said I mean the game was competitive and close and I I think the it was a situation where Indie the guys really bonded and got together and competed and kept that thing good for about three quarters and then it was just too much and uh and too late but it it you just hate to see those types of things happen i mean as a coach I had to deal with some injuries at times with some key players and uh it just takes air out of the balloon i mean it’s really devastating and even though you’re given a great effort you know in the back of your mind you don’t have as much talent this is impossible that we’re not going to be able to pull this off so I I fell for those guys and and uh but Indiana you got to give them credit too for just competing and being there in the moment and doing everything they could but OKC had you know they not only did they have an advantage where they didn’t have a lot of injuries but they’re a really talented team and uh I I sat there and you know you start looking at Hongren Williams you know it’s it’s it’s one of those uh SDA that you know all of them in mid20s the Indie was never going to win this game and just never and one of one of the things too is Turner going for six points and Nezmouth three Hallebertton’s injured uh what it was fun to watch was to watch McConnell and oh my he kept him in it for a while he did i don’t know if it was eight or 10 straight points that he scored but you know you you really get excited about it watching a guy that’s given and is that passionate and then he’s making baskets too you know and eventually it caught up with him but at the end of the day uh OKC’s the champion they’ve been had the best record in the league and uh you know they’ll have an opportunity to defend it but an opportunity has there been a better opportunity there are so many injuries in the league right now you know you think the Celtics could push him except Tatum’s not going to play next year and we’ll have to see this summer if they have to shed some salary because of the second apron and luxury tax and that so Boston’s got to deal with that uh Milwaukee where’s your They don’t they don’t have a Lillard maybe they’ll move Yiannis this summer uh you look at Dallas I mean I don’t think so but definitely with Kyrie Irving down and trying to break in a rookie with flags so no um I’m leaving oh well Indiana doesn’t have Hallebertton now the Knicks don’t have a head coach who knows what they’re doing i mean chemistry is important and the coach is part of that that they took him out seems crazy to me but the Knicks have been crazy for 25 years anyway so you know never change New York never change you know what you’re absolutely right so who’s the next best team denver i mean they need a bench clearly maybe Denver’s the best bet maybe Denver maybe Golden State with Butler there for a full year and maybe they add somebody maybe a young guy comes out of nowhere i I like I we’ve kind of ignored Denver this year they just kind of went away and and but you know previous to this time I mean Denver’s been dominant but their stats with the Joker on the floor and the Joker off the floor are so you can’t buy it serious so I’ve I’ve talked all the way around it so now I’m going to ask you what do you think of Houston now that they have Durant are they the second best team in the league and the biggest threat to Oklahoma City i think maybe so i think maybe I think Durant is going to be so excited to be where he’s at to get a new start and I think we’re going to see a great year by him to get to stay healthy but I don’t know if I don’t know if anybody’s going to beat OKC you you made you made a point of that just a few moments ago when if everybody’s healthy this is OKC is the team that comes back and defends his title and probably wins another title this is seven teams in seven years to win the title which is the longest streak in NBA history the previous was six in six years you go to the late 70s and from the Celtics they won in 74 they went in 76 and starting with 76 we had a lot of different champs portland and Seattle and Washington and the Lakers and then it came back around with Bird and the Celtics again it feels like it’s about time for somebody to go back to back and it seems like it sets up perfectly i’m curious what you think of the Durant trade because I think the best case scenario that you can paint for Houston okay is that they get a fully motivated Durant although I don’t know that I’ve seen that in a long time right i just and I’m I mean I was a KD guy from the start i found him amazing when he was in Oklahoma City he was mustsee TV and PK will tell you they’re gonna win a championship said some fool on the radio and they didn’t because they broke it up for money and I didn’t see that coming and I should have but I didn’t but I mean it just I I just keep waiting and it keeps not working and he seems aloof and above it all and it’s kind of weird with him on social media and the rabbit ears it just doesn’t seem like a championship mentality i I don’t know but let’s say they get the best KD and maybe Jaylen Green was overdrafted and overhyped and is a high volume low efficiency scorer and maybe he needs to be jettisoned the way Monte Ellis needed to be jettisoned at Golden State for the Warriors to become who they became right and Dylan Brooks well this is a tough cell here with Utah BYU fans he’s a nut job he’s a distraction he’s crazy sure he plays hard on defense but come on this guy’s a walking distraction they had to give up a 10th pick because you got to give up something but they didn’t give up unprotected Suns pick in 27 or some of the other unprotected picks they have out there that look really good a five sangaround picks sure have them whatever if that makes you feel bad you never see those so there there is an argument i get why a Rockets fan is waking up this morning thinking this is going to be awesome we couldn’t have gotten a better player for less now I could probably talk you into the other side of that argument that Durant isn’t going to be great and they are going to miss Dylan on defense and they’re giving up on Green too quick he’s a secondyear player let him grow up already he might be a much more efficient scorer in his fourth and fifth year in the NBA give it a little bit of time so there’s another argument to be made and who’s to say the next great player isn’t going to go 10 in this draft yeah we just saw finals where guys were drafted 11 and 12 and 11 were the three dominant players well you know it’s funny i I kind of watched Jaylen Green grow up because he was from the valley in central California and uh you know as a player at Sanwaukein Memorial High School many many a few years back but uh so you think he’s do you think he’s plateaued as to who he is is there a whole another level he’s going to get to my hope is yes my hope is yes i know what you’re hoping put your because you’re a positive upbeat guy Steve but it’s kind of like let your inner New Jersey out now yeah he is i I I’ll be honest with you i I think we need to believe in this kid and believe that he can actually get to a point where he can make a contribution and everybody’s kind of familiar with what his path has been uh but I you know how old is he now 26 25 26 jay how old is Jay 24 25 nearly that old he may may only be in his early 20s let’s find out how old he is all right jaylen Green is 23 he will turn 24 in the middle of next season in February yeah so so I think at 23 I think your peak is 27 to 32 has been the NBA peak historically guys are better younger and maybe that’s why they’re breaking down later maybe they’re playing so much basketball they got miles maybe that’s why we’re seeing so many Achilles but that’s a discussion for another segment i I like the idea of Jaylen over the next couple of years really stepping up and having an impact in this league and uh you know I I like I said I I’ve been around him and I’ve watched him and know some of his family members and those kinds of things so I’m pulling for him from my heart i get that but I think that’s the info you have to have yeah cuz with the NBA draft come up Wednesday and I want to get to that with you we’ll get that in the next segment but when people ask me I’m like I don’t know and the reason I don’t know is I’ve never had more information and yet I still don’t have the info I need right right i can watch games i can watch whole games on YouTube i don’t need to go to any there’s a bunch of sites and you you know somebody in the NBA and they give you a password and you can watch whatever they watch but honestly YouTube with the clips and the games you can see a lot even if you don’t know anybody and you got all the measurables and so I’ve never had this kind of info before it’s awesome when I was possibly second-guessing the Jazz at one point Kevin O’Connor gave me a stack of seven tapes and said “You can say whatever you want but I want you to watch these tapes and tell me what you think of these players.” Wow you have to give me that much i’m enjoying you guys thinking you know and I told him I said “You’re going to draft Sasha Pavlovich.” He’s like “Why?” And I’m like “He’s just so smooth with the ball it’s so second in nature.” I mean the other guys were a little I mean it’s just And they did and he didn’t work out right and he didn’t work out because of offthe- court stuff he’d been through a civil war it really I I don’t know him well enough to know how that messes with your personality and all but it’s got to have a major impact and we don’t know these guys and they’re given so much money and so much fame so young it’s like how can I assess the draft and who’s going to develop Steve when I never talk to these guys I don’t interview them i don’t know who has a high maturity level who has a low maturity level i don’t know who’s grounded with mentors that help keep them on track and talk them through the tough times that everybody’s going to go through and if you don’t have that mentor whether it’s a father an uncle a coach um a cousin an older brother somebody you know some of these guys I mean they just they don’t have anybody you know and they’re they’re given all this money and fame and then they’re given problems because we all get problems yes so I don’t know well but I I don’t think these guys fall apart on hoops i think it’s what you said if like when you know the family and all that stuff you have a better chance if they’re going to fight through the stuff they have to fight through to get where they want to get you know having having coached Paul George in college and watching his path you mentioned a couple of things that I vividly remember why Paul made that transition with a lot of without a lot of major problems he had an amazing mom and dad he had an amazing sister who was a baller herself at Pepperdine and uh and you know who you’re surrounded with uh you know whether it’s family or close friends or former coaches but having those connections and contacts helps keep a Jaylen Green grounded i I love Jaylen Green because he’s from the valley and he’s a guy that I watched and and I know that he’s I think he’s got good people around him and so we’ll see what happens and you like you said he’s 23 years old maybe in 25 or 26 he’s an allNBA guy you know just because of that maturation process and the things you have to go through but in in the young men you know I remember Rouio who we had at at BYU and he goes to Toronto as a lottery He had no support around him he didn’t you know had family in Brazil he didn’t he didn’t have close friends he wasn’t surrounded by mentors and consequently he you know he last three or four or five years in the league and he’s back in Brazil playing so it’s a perfect example of what does it look like for guys that are really talented and they they have a support system and they’re in a position to to make mistakes it’s okay you’re here or I’m here to help you when you have that kind of mentoring and and that kind of relationship you can mature and get through difficult times that a lot of young people in the league have not and they just imploded and you never hear about them again so it is important to know you know who your agent is and who who who’s the family members that are involved with you those uh I should have thrown agent in that list when I was talking about mentors and I didn’t exactly and I should have yeah a and so I’m I’m hoping that someone like Jaylen Greener who I do believe is being surrounded by good people and I know the family and I think he’s going to be okay but all that being said there’s still 20 21 22 23 year olds who have ex have no experience in life they’ve never had to be have a checkbook or responsibility and and a lot of these guys don’t they have somebody taking care of their finances they have somebody taking care of all the things in their life so they don’t have to worry about that but I I think the people that are been most important in my life were my mom and dad and my brothers or sisters who when I went through tough times coaching that I’d get a phone call or a text and hang in there you know and when you have that kind of support you can get through anything and so for for these guys in the league and all this money and all this fame uh and you don’t have a support system man it can be really challenging really difficult and you end up maybe making decisions that aren’t the best and consequently uh there’s some suffering during that course of time look at this list right here this is a list of all the players on the roster for Oklahoma City this is this season’s salaries in this column the next column is next season salaries there’s the column for two years out now they’re are set right these options in red are team options here is three years out that to me is why Oklahoma City three years out everyone’s saying they could win for five six seven years they got almost nobody signed in three years they have some guys Wiggins and Caruso are signed uh you know but the money they’re going to have to pay SGA now who do you pay after that yeah you know if Homegrren’s coming do you pay Williams i think you pay Williams but if you pay Williams and Holgrren you’re going to start running out of money pretty quick and you only got three guys and we know the three player super team doesn’t seem to be the model you need depth through 8 10 11 guys because you’re going to have you got to get through the injuries and you got to get through a long season they played 105 games both these teams did that was game 105 for both clubs last night well you know the thing you you mentioned you know where the money you know stops right and uh I I think that’s always going to be that doesn’t matter who you are what organization in the NBA those are things that you have to keep a close eye on and and because you know can you win can you win an NBA championship with three of those guys okay and then filling them in with I think the joker would tell you you need eight right now that’s what he’s saying in Denver we need depth exactly you need depth and and that’s the thing that would concern me about Oklahoma City how do they handle this thing in terms of salaries who are they going to give up and you probably can’t do it with three guys you do need eight next two years they look good after that we’ll see there’s Steve Cleveland we have more coming up with him we’ll talk NBA draft that is next guys he likes guys he thinks will be on the board when the Jazz draft and who they might take that’s next stay with us listen to the zone Wednesday from 3 to 6 for a special draft round table at the cage book now and score 10% off with promo code the zone the zone get yourself 10% off dj PK the BYU media golf tournament is underway pk is out blasting 350 yard drives down the middle no that’s the one thing he’s not doing wait except isn’t there one hole here at Cedar that’s Cedar Hills it’s uh you tee off a cliff yeah it’s number one number one i’ve never played here i I haven’t either but I driven by it enough to see the holes and I know up I mean on Mountain Peak and there’s a small strip awesome yeah they’re they are crazy they must do a lot of like weddings and anniversary parties here they do they do and I thing is I I played here once and I I’m not going to play it again i mean it’s just so tricked out and it is fun to play in a scramble where you know you can hit a ball out of bounds and doesn’t impact your own personal game but yeah it’s not it’s not a golf course I’d play regularly and uh but it is fun to look at and watch and the one time I did play it was pretty penal i think I lost seven ray golf balls and and I’m I’m like you know I’m nine or 10 handicaps so like I just started playing the game yeah and uh but it’s not a golf course I want to play every day got it so Steve Cleveland sitting in for PK here uh let’s talk NBA draft it’s Wednesday night round one the Jazz draft 5 and 21 and just cuz you know the Angels and I mean I only know them from the media perspective right you’ve spent way way more time around them than I have but from the outside I always understood and I think it’s becoming more clear to me now danny Inch come retires in Boston and then comes here and I think we all kind of like uh six months later and you unretired and but I think there was more truth in that it’s like he really as I look back he didn’t want to do the six or seven days a week 14 16 18 hours a day the international flights to go to Europe to go to South America to go to Australia like that wears on you but he is tight with Ryan Smith it did bring him back to Utah like you extended family here okay I’ll do it 40 hours a week my question from outside looking in is can you really win on your terms in the NBA like you know enough to win but do you have to be in it 12 14 16 hours a day and all the flights and then as we talk to people I hear well we see Danny at BYU basketball games because he wants to be there right and then Travis Hansen comes on and says “Oh yeah he’s at my kids’ games in Vegas to be supportive.” And then we hear he’s at grandkids games to be supportive which are all fine and noble things but it’s like does that help you win in the NBA and then Austin comes in like “This makes sense to me.” Austin’s at the point in his life where he has to prove to himself and everyone else hey I can do this at the highest level i’ll work 14 16 hours a day i’ll fly to Australia i’ll fly to wherever in central Europe to see the next Joker in the Adriatic League the Adriatic League you got to invest time in the Adriatic League yeah apparently you do apparently you do right and you got to find the next Joe Engles whose guy’s seven or eight so how often do you have to see Barcelona or Real Madrid play because maybe their seventh or eighth guy can turn into rotation guy here and can be runner up in the sixth man balloting and so it’s all consuming and so now I see more people never tell the media and the public 100% of the truth cuz we all want to keep a little bit of our lives public but in retrospect I think I see how this played out a really did want to retire he did want to come to Utah he wanted to do it but he was serious but he didn’t lie to Boston i don’t think he wanted to do it 75 hours a week right i think Austin does no he does i mean I’ve talked to him a few times and uh you know that’s the thing is that the first thing I heard from social media was nepotism okay this Well I mean they got the last name you can’t ignore it exactly right and and I had the opportunity on with with friends and other people and being on shows and stuff that Austin was probably the smartest young man that I ever coached and and he wasn’t the greatest player he didn’t play a great deal at BYU but his basketball IQ just growing up in that environment was always incredible and and and it was it was interesting that he I don’t want to say he was a coach and during the time we were there but when I’d sit down and talk with him and kind of go through things and what’s happening he had so many astute thoughts and just spoton from watching that for so many years and I I don’t know he had to be in Boston 16 17 years working for them so when he comes here you know what a great opportunity for him and his family but I think it’s a great move for the Jazz i like you said well you have somebody now that’s willing to go to Australia or they’re willing to go to Mongolia or wherever wherever you got to go right but you still had access to Danny’s brain like for the 40 hours he’s willing to watch video or watch games live like I want his I get why Ryan Smith says I want Danny’s perception you know his take on what he’s seeing but in 40 hours you can’t see everything no you can’t and and I the thing about it is like you’re right danny has all these years of experience as a player and and as you know in terms of overseeing you know the Jazz excuse me and doing those things but I the thing I love about Austin is that he’s hungry he’s got you know he’s around family you have that comfort zone but he’s willing to go to those places and do those things and kind of recreate the organization of the Jazz i I haven’t talked to him recently but I can’t imagine that there are changes that are being made right within the organization just from his experiences not not from what Danny has done or what Ryan has done but the experiences he’s had and I think he’s a great addition to this community and I’m excited to see kind of what’s going to happen but I I I do really really like Austin just because of the IQ that he has and just being around him for enough to know that this is a really smart young man he’s not a young man anymore you know he’s middleaged now he’s the guy and uh I I love that he’s here and I love that he’s had all these experiences away from his family and and raising his own family in Boston and coming back here it’s a good thing for the Jazz so the one thing I’ve heard about Austin and this makes sense because everything you said about him as a player PK told me because we’ve been doing the show that long pk told me that when he played he said “I talked to him like he secondguesses everybody he’s coaching both teams he’s subbing for both teams he’s analyzing the starters and the bench like “What’ they put that guy in for he can’t.” Apparently once in a game he snapped at a teammate what’d you foul him for he can’t score there’s no reason to foul him well he was open he’s going to he was going to brick it he’s no freaking good he’s just like And so PK I mean P at one point thought he’d be the next BYU coach i mean he’s covering BYU games it’s right in front of him there’s many other high-profile jobs right and he did the coaching thing for about a year and that was that was enough of that right the front office thank you coaches good luck but the player he likes makes sense to me i’ve heard how much he likes the really hard-nosed Marcus Smart type right right and he just But as a player who didn’t have the most talent who had to compete I get why he appreciates that and so when I look at this draft and I think well Flag and Harper are going one two and I know I mean I I don’t know about you but I can’t hear I I just can’t hear enough from mutant Cougar fans who want VJ Edgecom and I just with every passing week it’s more and more clear to me they have to trade up if they’re going to get him cuz he’s gone he’s not last until five most of the mock drafts have now moved him to three it’s it’s pretty much getting unanimous at this point the only question is will Philly be tempted to trade for veterans because they’ve got a veteran team or do they view this as a golden opportunity to start with the next generation and get a really good player yeah you know I I the thing about it is I I didn’t think that the Jazz would have an opportunity if I have to get PJ Edge unless it involve trades or those types of things that were happening uh and and right now you know there are Trey Johnson from Texas shooting guard interesting his his college coach was a guy that took my place at uh when when I was at Fresno State and I I have watched Texas play a little bit because of people I know and and have connections with and just being tough-nosed uh just a that coaching staff there at Texas got their guys to really compete at a high level and I I watched them because I knew the coach and I watched them in in cover and I have I’ve never watched him practice other than play me play in a few games but I I I think Austin’s made it very clear we’re we’re not in another rebuild here okay and uh the team’s done tanking remember when he first Yeah they’re in the rebuild but they’re not tanking they’re not tanking yeah they may lose yes but they’re not going to arrest a 23y old so they can lose on purpose exactly that’s what they’re not going to do they’re not going to do that and so you know I I I you know right now the pick looks like it could be like a Johnson but with trades and all I got a draft night list here of of guys and you never know where everything’s going to happen with trades and everything else where they might land there’s Steve Cleveland talking NBA draft when we come back Derek Bodner covers the 76ers they have the third pick will they trade out if they keep the pick who might they take derek Bodner next stay with us we’re joined right now by Derek Bodner covering the Sixers for all of Philly sports derek good morning good morning happy to be here the Jazz are drafting fifth the Sixers are drafting third do you think the Sixers are actually going to draft third or are they going to trade and if they trade do they trade back and stay in that top 68 range somewhere in there or do they demand more talent and and trade out because the future now is now in Philly what do you think they’re thinking yeah it’s a great uh question you know I do think there is still they have pushed back pretty strongly on the chances of them trading back you know I think they you know whether or not that is true or not everyone at this point wants to be like we’re happy where we’re at if you want to trade up you basically got to overpay and I think that’s a message they’re trying to get out there i do think it makes sense where they’re at to consider trading back you know because I think when you a lot of people look at this section of the draft the 3 through six 3 through eight section of the draft I don’t think there’s quite the separation there that there might be in some other years so if you can trade back if you get future picks maybe a a player who can help you win now I think it you have to consider it that being said pretty much all of the you know word that’s come out so far is that they seem really interested in VJ Edgecom you know I do think VJ if you want to trade back I don’t think there’s much chance VJ gets past Charlotte at four so I think it’s if that is a guy that they’re actually zeroed in on and like I said so far the report seems to suggest that they are leaning that way then I think it limits the possibility of a tradeback scenario yeah I think you’re right about VJ Edgecom there are plenty of Jazz fans who like him but he’s just not going to be on the board at five they they have to move to three or four if they want to get him and what would that cost has there been any hint of what the Sixers would demand if they move back or they keep those cards pretty close to the vest and there’s no telling right now no they they’ve kept those cards pretty close you know there are a bunch of teams here who have multiple ticks or picks in this draft uh whether that’s Brooklyn who I think has what like four uh New Orleans just got a second pick recently in the 20s um so maybe there’s a chance where they want to trade back and getting an extra pick i’m not so sure I see that you know obviously you could look at someone like Herb Jones maybe using that as a sweetener to try to get up to three but like I said I think there’s so much uncertainty with Joel Embiid that prioritizing somebody like a veteran like Herb who I think has two years left on a really good contract it’s tougher tougher to do than it would be if Joel Embiid was still someone you could rely on so I think they’re in a little bit of a you know paralyzed a little bit by the uncertainty around Embiid and I think the most likely outcome is they either take the best player available at three or they try to tra trade up to two and I think trading up to two is very unlikely i don’t think San Antonio is likely to move that pick but I think Daryl would have a lot of interest if it is realistic ace Bailey was projected as a number three pick for a long time and it is really mystifying uh people his reluctance to work out for teams it does feel like whoever’s advising him is saying “Hey you’re basically like a quarterback who’s going number one you’re going to go in this spot you can only fall why work out?” I don’t know what other logic could be applied to that i don’t really even like that logic nor do I think it’s going to work but other than that I got nothing what is your theory on why things are going the way they’re going with Ace Bailey yeah it’s it’s pretty wild where he has legitimately not conducted a single workout and from what I understand the Sixers were one of the teams that met with him at the combine in Chicago so they at least had a chance to talk to him but you know to your point he’s acting like one of two things either he feels like he’s proven enough and he doesn’t have to prove any more or he specifically wants to go to a team farther down in the draft and he’s trying to uh you know engineer that and okay like if you think you know there’s been a lot of reporting that maybe he wants to be a star and a focal point right from the get- go I don’t think that’s the best role for him I think it’s a mistake but we’ve certainly seen that in the past but like you know if you’re trying to get to let’s say Brooklyn at eight you’re talking about giving up $5 million per year over a four-year contract just to get your shots you know I think if he is a good enough player player where he is going to be worth a max contract at the end of four years that will be true almost regardless of where he’s drafted i don’t think you have to audition for something four years down the line by getting the most shots right now so I think either way they’re going about it it’s kind of a mistake i actually think Philadelphia and I’m not a very big Ace Bailey fan mostly for the onc court decision- making and the lack of awareness and passing and all that stuff but I actually think in Philadelphia where he could be you know focus maybe a little bit early on in his career on the off ball on the spot up stuff uh on cutting and trying to just be a you know limit his decision-m so he can excel and then sort of like sprinkle in the shot creation in the face up game down the line as as he’s gotten a little more used to the speed of the NBA game but it seems like he wants to go to a spot where he can get you know the most touches the most shots right from the jump and that’s his that’s his prerogative but I’m not necessarily sure it’s going to work out in the best interest for him long term you already said VJ Edgecomb is probably the guy that Philly’s going after if it isn’t VJ Edgecom who is it is there a group of two or three because there’s a group of six I think consensus but then you can kind of break it down inside that group yeah it’s it’s a great question because Daryl is usually pretty uh KY at this time of year uh Daryl my he doesn’t really tip his hand all that often and the amount of on one hand I think VJ Edgecomb is a Daryl my type of prospect on the other hand it’s been speculated about a little too much where I start wondering are we all just sort of making the right logical leap that being said I do think he is probably the the favorite and the pretty strong favorite you know but I think if I had to pick someone else personally I like Trey Johnson or at least I’m very intrigued by Trey Johnson i think the shotmaking upside is off the charts and he’s certainly got his downsides but he has one of the the real elite skills in this draft and I think that could be something to really build upon but I think in terms of if it’s not VJ I think Khan Mcipel is probably the second most likely outcome with Sixers you know I think he fits a little bit of a positional need although he’s a little short and you worry about the defense with him and McCain and Maxi but in terms of just offball movement secondary creation being able to step up I thought what he did in the ACC tournament when Cooper flag went down was really encouraging and just somebody they feel like they can rely upon pretty early in his career while also having you know that kind of upside i think Khan Canipple if it’s not VJ Khan is probably the second most likely option at three there are always busts near the top of the draft and whether it’s one of the top two picks or it’s in this next group of six are there any is there anybody in this group where you’re like the red flags are obvious i can’t believe this guy is in this group because there’s always somebody I just saw the anniversary of the legendary 84 draft and the Hall of Famers went 134 and then Stockton was in the or excuse me 1 13 and five and Stockton was in the middle of the first round so obviously drafting 246 you didn’t get your Hall of Famer there and you could have would have should have what about this draft is there somebody who’s uh would have could have should have but don’t do it they don’t really fit yeah sure and look I I I think the person I’m going to talk about here is is Ace Bailey i think he should be considered in this range because the upside is just so unique and es especially like it it’s one thing that his ability to rise up and shoot but his offball movement at 69 is really intriguing and I think it’d be a really unique skill to have but the red flags are are real high like when you look at what he did at Ruckers and the decisions that he made and the shot selection it’s one thing to take tough shots and make tough shots but he really struggled to generate good shots you know when you look at like layups in the rim he shot like 42% on layups in the rim he really struggled to get all the way to the rim in the half court he struggled to beat his guy off the dribble very negative assist to turnover and a lot of the reason that his you know I think he shot something like 34% on pull up two-point jumpers and it’s not because he doesn’t have the touch or the footwork to make them it’s because a lot of the decision-m was really bad a lot of times real early in the shot clock settling for contested long-range jumpers when there’s a real obvious kickout pass you know just one pass away that he’s just not seeing and he’s not processing he really is so focused on his own dribble drive game that he misses a lot of what’s going on with the other eight players on the floor and he’s just got a lot of you know it’s one thing to have those weaknesses but everything that’s coming out right now is him that he wants to be that on ball role right from the jump he thinks he is that third best prospect in draft he he thinks he is that on ball creation star and I just feel like he’s got a lot of ways to grow and it’s not saying he can’t cover up that ground but it is a risk that if he doesn’t is he going to actually play winning basketball or is he just going to dominate the ball and shoot you out of games uh there is some concern there derek Bodner joining us covering the Philadelphia 76ers for all Philly sports san Antonio everybody thinks they’re going to take Dylan Harper and everybody I think agrees with you just so unlikely the Spurs are going to make a move it would really be surprising if they trade away that number two pick but it does give them a little bit of redundancy here at this position three guys who maybe they want to go small you know and everybody can handle and everybody can shoot it but it does seem like they might leverage something here and make a move somewhere even if it’s not Harper do you think they might move off of Castle or Fox yeah it’s a it’s a great question because there is a lot of overlap there and it’s not just that there’s like three guards because you know obviously I cover the Sixers Sixers have Maxi and McCain but Maxi McCain are both really elite as an offball shooter and offball movement player and I think that’s a little bit easier to fix or to fit Dylan alongside of than it is someone like Fox and someone like Castle who are both really like Fox might make shots but he’s a streaky shooter both of them add a lot of value with their downhill attack that being said like I do think that they should take Harper and just kind of like deal with it later i think Harper is a good enough prospect we’re certainly when I’m talking about someone like Castle I’m not letting Castle get in the way of adding a talent like Dylan Harper now Fox is a little bit different because he just gave up something to get him because he’s doing a new contract and because quite frankly he’s got an agent who can make things a little bit difficult if he’s not entirely happy with either his role his client’s role or his shots so I think you have to take that one into a little bit more consideration but I if I’m running them I think Harper is good enough where you take that risk you draft him you sort of make it work later that being said like if they got blown away from an offer should they listen to it probably but I think Harper is just such a good player such a good prospect and such a good fit with WBY long term uh that I would still lean towards drafting him and and like I said figuring out what you need to figure out around that duo later on we’ve talked a lot about the uh top eight picks here but there’s always a good player beyond eight is there somebody beyond eight who’s caught your eye or it’s a mystery that’s why the player is beyond eight and will be revealed to us later well if if you want to talk about mystery prospects in this draft I think Cedric Coward’s really interesting uh you know obviously big wing with incredible physical tools shot the ball well over his three years but there’s a lot of uncertainty played D3 his first two years transferred only played six games before getting injured i think the upside with him is tremendous i think for the most part he has moved into being a borderline first round pick but I think most people at this point have him top 20 and he could even go within the lottery but he is the one given how much the NBA values shooting given how much the NBA values size and the ability to cover ground on defense I think he has a chance you know he’s a wide range on the board but I think he’s also one of the most intriguing prospects in this class because of that are you like everybody else uh Cooper Flag is going to be an all-star 10 times and Dallas is super super lucky to have got him you’re all aboard the Cooper flag yeah for for a team that you know gave up so much to try to compete this year on the one hand I’m real happy for Dallas fans because like they were looking at I think a really really tough next five years especially with the way that the injuries happened after that trade on the other hand it’s a little weird that a trade that I still view is largely indefensible you end up getting rewarded with a if not generational border generational prospect falling right into your lap um you know it is I think he’s going to be real good and he’s one of the more complete prospects that I’ve scouted uh over the last you know 15 or so years uh maybe some people don’t see quite the you know 30 point per game upside but with the way he processes the game on both sides of the floor his versatility and just the fact that he’s a borderline maniac and I mean that in all the good ways as a competitor I think he’s going to be incredible for a very long time well thank you very much Derek we appreciate the time and the insight yep thank you very much djpk proudly presented by our title sponsor Black Desert Resort Utah’s premier golf resort there’s Derek Bodner talking 76ers in the draft when we come back what is trending the headlines are neck
Hour one of DJ & PK for June 24, 2025:
• Steve Cleveland on the NBA Finals
• Steve Cleveland on Utah Jazz & NBA Draft
• Derek Bodner, PHLY Sports
