Thunder ‘should’ve waited’ to sign Holmgren to max, Lakers offseason is ‘fine’? | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Thunder ‘should’ve waited’ to sign Holmgren to max, Lakers offseason is ‘fine’? | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Right back. Live from New York. It’s a show that’s welcoming Yonas Valenunis to the Denver Nuggets. Even though Nick told me that he was going to go to Greece to play for the love of the game. That’s not what I said. He wanted to get W. You don’t understand. He wants minutes. He wants to play. He just wants Kevin Durant. What if you want to improve every day? What if we give you 14 minutes but guarantee the second year contract? Oh, right. That’s a happy medium. But that was a misrepresentation. You were acting like he was insulted he couldn’t start over Joker. And I was like, “No, I think he just wants to be a main contributor rather than a bench player.” And they were like, “Hey, you’re going to be a bench player, but we’ll give you more money. I’ll get out there and play.” He’s like the minor Ricky Henderson somewhere in the world getting some bats. Good move for the Nuggets though. Well, yeah. What an off season. Yeah. Uh we start with Chat’s new deal. OKC maxing out coffee book afficionado chef Chad Homegrren. This on the heels of SJA signing a four-year $285 million deal. Uh Jaylen Williams also due for his rookie expansion. That’s coming up. They seem optimistic about that. Lots of moves from the champs. Your reaction to this news. Of course they did. Yeah, that’s my rea Chad Homegrren is a bad boy. Well, no, I’m not willing to say that. I’m willing to say it. Chad’s my guy now. I got Wimby and Chat. And speaking of Wimi, if it wasn’t for Wimi, Cadet Homegrren would be the guy viewed as the newest unicorn. And I’ve been watching Homegrren since high school when he brought the ball up like a point guard. How were you watching him in high school? It’s the same. We watched the same clip. I I just watched him play in high school. I mean, not you know, like some of the on stream. No, but I No, but I watched several, you know, highlights and all that stuff. And I was I was intrigued that he was bringing the ball up like a point guard, handling it well as a seven foot footer, and then he goes to Gonaga, plays inside. All right. Now he’s in OKC doing a little bit of everything. My point is this. He is a winner and he is about the team first. That’s true. He went to Gonaga and played differently than he had played in high school because it was best for the team and and he can shoot the three. He can handle the ball. He’s one of the best rim protectors in the league. He is very good defensively. Like this is a big three. And obviously they extended Shay which is a no-brainer. This is a big three with Jaylen Williams that you just have to keep together. They’re all under 26. I know Shay will turn 27 later this month, but they’re all young. I think all three of them are going to improve. Cadet hasn’t even played two full seasons. And here’s the last thing, Nick, I’ll quickly say. He steps it up in the big moments. What did he do in game f game seven or game seven in the finals? Lot of blocks. 18 points, eight rebounds, five blocks. That’s a record for the NBA finals in a game seven. Elijah Wine played in a game seven. Euing played in a game seven. Kareem’s played in game seven like in the finals. And yet Cadet Homegrren blocked the most shots in any game seven. So, I I just think, you know, we’ve seen, and I I don’t even want to pick on the all-time great James Harden, but we’ve seen players not be able to do it, be at their best in the big games, and he played well against uh Denver in game seven. He played well in that game six against Dallas last year with 21 points. Like, I there’s no reason I see and I I look, he’s been hurt, but I don’t think he’s like injuryprone. my my personal belief. I I think this was a no-brainer and good on OKC. Listen, he obviously can be the third best player on a championship team because he just was. So, in that regard, I understand it. I’m not and I do think he is probably to the casual fan underrated defensively. I uh but I also think and you you were maybe Brew is taking your ground on this. chat guy. Yeah, for a little while. Do you think it’s fair to say individually through three seasons a touch underwhelming from what your expectation was and what we thought he would be that he missed that about this? They just want to No, I I that’s why I said in that so that’s tricky individually. I just haven’t seen him on the court as much which is why I would have waited. But can I say add one more thing to you? Yeah. And I wish I pulled this out because because I think this is what you’re referencing if we’re if we’re thinking of the same quote where he had like a a separate interview after they won and he was hinting at how how he has sacrificed his game. So maybe if he was on a bad team he could go out there and and give you 2412 in four. Don’t you think he could give you 20 plus point like if he played in Orlando’s got So like could he put up the offensive numbers Brandon Miller who was the number two pick the year after Ched or number I think they were number two pick. Sure. I sure and I don’t but I and and we can put up I think Chad’s you know career numbers and the games played this is cuz it missed his rookie year cuz he got hurt. This year he missed half the year because he got hurt. So for Brew for you to say he’s not injury and what did you say injury risk injury prone? I don’t want No, I said injury. I I don’t feel like he’s injuryprone. I know he’s had some injuries, but I don’t think like I mean I’m not saying I don’t consider Wim in injury prone. Well, that’s not an injury. That’s a condition. So I feel like that’s different. I mean Chad we have seen twice fall and miss months because of it. That’s happened and in a limited stretch. And so the point that I’m making is a player who I think had you know was it people vehemently believed a lot of people not picking on Wilds at all he should have been the number one pick has played half the time and I think has not and maybe he’s saying it’s out of selflessness but has not yet popped like oh this guy is going to be a future multi-time all-star guaranteed. I would have I just don’t see the harm in waiting. I don’t see the harm in waiting a year. Paulo just got his money. Yeah, Paulo to me has proven way more than Chet. Well, Chad’s got a ring. So, if you flip-flopped them and then Chets I don’t think Paulo I don’t think Chad and I think Brew will agree with me. I don’t think Chad in Orlando would have done what Paulo did. I don’t think Cadet is a guy who would be the best at this point in his career, the best player on a playoff team and Paulo was. I do not think if Paulo was on if Paulo was on the Thunder, he’s not giving you 24 points. He’d be the third. Oh, no. He’d be their second best player. He’s better than Jaylen Williams. Yeah. And so I I just And so I think you agree with me, Brew, like that. Yeah. And so I like that’s I’m I just don’t Nobody has explained to me the I I know the harm in paying him, the potential harm in paying him now. I don’t know the harm in waiting. and waiting could be halfway into next year, the end of next year. This contract is available. You’re the only team that can give it to him. He’s restricted free agent. Like, I don’t you know what I mean? Like, I don’t understand. Wait, you know, I’m I’m I’ve been a proponent of waiting for a sure thing. I think he’s a sure thing. I I think he is a surefire perennial. I I think he’s a surefire star. I think the question I have is will he become a superstar? But I think he’s definitely a star. Like, you know, going into next year for the Thunder, we’ve talked a lot about limiting distractions, getting motivation to um, you know, try to repeat. Don’t you think the easiest way to disrupt the chemistry of that team is holding back on a contract offer from somebody so they go out and feel like they got to get theirs in the ring? I mean I I don’t think not paying a guy literally the first moment you are legally allowed to pay him when he has played in half of the games he could have played him because of injury is uh a massive insult. I think that the and again like I Shin the Rockets paid Shinon on the same timeline but far less like there’s other there’s other there’s versions of this now I know he didn’t get the player option but they didn’t get the team option he didn’t you know and I mean and so I just I just don’t I look at Chad as um X factor is the wrong word but on the guys on the Thunder that I to me have the biggest variance he’s number one with a bullet because I do think he’s a major injury risk. I think the evidence but outside of injury which is a big deal I like I said I don’t think he’s injuryprone outside his health then I then proof of concept is there obviously you keep these three guys together my concern is similar to the Nuggets when they paid Michael Porter Jr. It was like well I think he’s better than Michael Porter Jr. I I do too. But the pro the that contract the concern was injury injuries popped up other you know post contract junior was far more of an injury risk. Remember his whole draft situation was changed because of his injuries and it was a lot of people thought he wouldn’t even play again in the NBA. Right. But then, but despite that, oddly, he in the NBA at was less injured up when he had gotten his contract than Chad has been. I mean, Chad suffered two massive injuries and my other concern is neither one seemed to be have been like, oh man, everyone would have gotten hurt there. You know what I mean? It wasn’t. You You think tall, lanky guys are an injury risk. I mean, you thought Wimi is an injury. Yeah, I mean I think MBY Wimi is a different one because my Wimi thing is like basically every guy his height in the history of the league has had a shortened career. 75 or taller. They’ve all like that’s that’s a to be fair, We W’s team and Wemby himself work at it because they know the risk and he does all that like the chat injuries to me were ominous because the first one seemed like nothing happened and he missed a year and the second one he fell down and broke his hip as a 20-year-old NBA player. I don’t think you can say an injury seemed like nothing happened. We see non-cont injuries all the time where a guy takes a step and all of a sudden his knee look at like broken bones as like I don’t know I I’m not a doctor. I don’t know it. It just it I if I were Sam Prey I would have said let’s just wait a year. I don’t see a big downside to it. I think it it’s possible they learned from the James Harden situation. They wouldn’t. It was only like $4 million. I think that separated them from signing Harden for the full max and what they offered him. Obviously goes to Houston and they never end up winning a ring with those guys. Um, head to LA. Newest Laker and video game afficionado DeAndre Aton getting the best of both worlds here by teaming up with Luca. Same draft class and now teammates super ripped. That’s what he said. He heard that’s super ripped is a lot. I don’t know. Look like Rondo out there. Uh, should Luca be happy, bro? Yeah, I think he should be overjoyed that they’re getting DeAndre Aton or or should I say dominating. That’s what he gave he gave himself that nickname. Uh, I loved Aton’s demeanor yesterday in that press conference. I mean, he clearly is happy to be with the Lakers. He clearly is happy to be in a winning situation. He said all the right things. He said, “This is an opportunity I won’t take for granted.” He talked about playing with two of the best playmakers in the league and Luca and LeBron. He seems to he talked in a way where he knew they could make him a lot better and that he didn’t kill his himself for what he did in Portland, but he did seem to I felt like he he understood he his career has kind of been, you know, shipwrecked for a little while. And so I think he’s looking at this as an opportunity. Now, let me make it clear. I’m not saying he’s going to be an all-star or anything like that, but a lob threat with Luca can hit the short mid-range jump shot. Defensively, I would like to see him improve. I think that’s all about his attitude. Now, he’s going to probably he’s an up and down moody type of guy, which I don’t like, but I hope he can just, you know, if he can be steady because he’s playing with LeBron and Luca, like I think this is a great move for the Lakers. Again, I’m not I two months ago, Nick, I don’t think when we looked at what big men the Lakers might be able to get. I don’t think anybody was thinking they’re getting a DeAndre. I I think I thought people thought they were going to get someone better. Who a in a make a trade. So, this is why I disagree with you, Brew. I think Nick Claxton’s better than DeAndre Aiden. So, I’ll just reuse him as an example. He Andre hasn’t even come close. We all agree he hasn’t fulfilled his potential and he’s still 16 and 10. I I So, I I think the Lakers need center-wise more than anything was a defensive anchor more than the points. I re the rebounds are good. I understand that. But I also like should Luca be happy with the Lakers off season. In my opinion, the Lakers this off seasonason up to this point now it’s not done have done the bare minimum going into the offseason. We said they obviously must acquire a center. They thought so when they tried to trade for Mark Williams, right? They end up getting a center in the buyout market, a guy who was bought out by his team. They as far as filling out the rest of the roster. In my opinion, they went backwards. They lost Dorian Finny Smith and replaced him with Jake Loravia who was a bench player from Memphis and Sacramento. They they they lose a guy who has played in big games with Luca in the postseason for a guy who’s never played in a playoff game. And their rationale for that was we want to keep cap space open for two years from now. And then Dorian Finny Smith’s contract with the Rockets shows up and it’s like oh two years from now there’s a team option. So that contract he agreed to with Houston if you could have gotten him to it and according to Zack Low and other reporting instead Pelinka did a weird like whisper campaign about Dorian Finny Smith’s health which alienated the agent and him with the Lakers that contract would have achieved both ends which is keeping Dorian and keeping the cap space open. Like I So you think they’ve taken a step backward because they lost Dory and I like Dorian Finny Smith too. I would have liked to have kept it and I and I’m I was strictly speaking about Aiden. So the the rest of the stuff they have work to do if they can do it. They need to have more athleticism kind of slightly answering different questions. I apologize but like it should the offseason as a whole. I went into this off season as I think we all did and the whole league did recognizing the Lakers absolutely unequivocally must acquire a center because they did not have one. And I give them credit for getting a center. And I think at 8 million bucks, the dice roll of DeAndre Aton is a good one. It’s a bet I would have made. Would I have preferred something more substantial? Would I have preferred them to be able to pull off a Walker Kesler deal? Absolutely. Oh yeah. You you you think Walker Kesler is better than DeAndre Aiden for the Lakers unequivocally? You don’t, Brew? No. You agree with me, Wilds? Yeah, I Yeah, I thought that was common knowledge. I mean, I I mean, Walker I mean, Walker Kesler, if someone were trades for I guess my point would be this. To get Walker Kesler, somebody is going to have to give up a bunch of stuff to get DeAndre Aton off your team. The Blazers gave up money. Like, I don’t I I don’t Who’s got more talent? I don’t I that when you’re six years into your career, he’s 26 years old. I when you’re six years into your career, I’m not as concerned about raw talent as I and again I like I I don’t hate the eight in addition, but I just I look at it as we knew the Lakers had to get a center. I’m maybe I was too optimistic, but I’m a little underwhelmed by the center they got. And aside from that move, it seems to me the roster got worse. The bench, I mean, Lorravia for Dorian Finny Smith is a downgrade. And that’s a self-imposed downgrade. So if I were Luca, that combined with the fact that it seems like it’s at least on the board now that I won’t LeBron won’t be on the team next year and that the local Laker beat reporters are saying that we’re focused on two years from now instead of right now when I have more pressure on me than any superstar in the league. Like I would not be I if I’m Luka I’m not overjoyed with this off seasonason. And I’m sure they’re talking to Luca’s representation if not Luca himself. He does not need to be leading them on to be getting ready for two years from now. Luca is he is not I don’t think he’s going to have as long of a prime as some of these other younger players just because so far the way he takes care of his body. Now, maybe he is ripped like Aidan said and he’s coming back with a new mindset, but Luca’s in win now mode. I agree. He needs to He is in his prime right now. I don’t care about the A. They say it starts at 27, whatever. He’s in his prime. We’ve seen physically him lose some athleticism and speed and things like that already. So, I I don’t think his representation should be leading the Lakers into like, hey, just get ready for the future. They need to win. That’s not his I don’t think his representation is doing that. That’s That is But I’m sure the Lakers are talking with Luca and his representation. I would think just like they talked with LeBron and his representation. I I I would imagine Luca’s focus is let’s have the best teams possible right now. Yeah. Especially because he’s not even bound to the Lakers long term, at least as of yet. Like he hasn’t signed the contract. So that’s why like if you’re Luca the to answer the question, you know, how are you how do you feel about LA’s offseason? Fine. Like, you know what I mean? Like I And I don’t I don’t think you disagree with No. Well, I I disagree. I’m a little more I I’m certainly more excited about Aton than you are. Like, again, and I’m not predicting him to be an all-star, but I think Aidan can be really good with two guys that draw more attention. When he was at his best in a lot of ways, he was with Chris Paul. Importantly, he had no point guard. I know that’s your boy Scoop Henderson, but like I mean he had nobody to really direct traffic, get him to rock, be a smart, cerebral point guard player. Now he’s got that in LeBron and Luca. Like I think I just think it’s a good addition. I’m not trying to say he’s going to be Jabar or anything like that considering best year since the finals. Again, Nick, we were excited about Mark Williams. Mark Williams hasn’t done what DeAndre Aton’s done at all. I I think that there is an argument to be made that Mark Williams and a strong argument. I think the Lakers believed this argument given what they were willing to give up for him. That a healthy Mark Williams would be more impactful on this team than DeAndre Aton. Now Mark Williams the health was the big concern. But I I I think that’s what the Lakers thought. That’s why they were willing to give up a swap a pick and connect. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music]

Chet Holmgren has signed a 5-year, $250 million extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes discuss whether or not the Thunder should’ve waited to re-sign him. Plus, they ask if Luka Doncic should be happy with the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason moves.

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Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes team up on First Things First. The trio offers their take on a bevy of sports stories alongside special guests from across the sports world.

Thunder ‘should’ve waited’ to sign Holmgren to max, Lakers offseason is ‘fine’? | FIRST THINGS FIRST
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