You're tuned into Heat Check with Trystal Quick.
On this episode of the Heat Check, we have a special guest in the fucking studio, Terrell Furman, host of the NBA Sports Gambling Podcast, host of the WNBA Sports Gambling Podcast on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network.
He is going to make sense of all of the draft confusion. We will get his view into.
What's going to happen from the top of the first round to the bottom, well more like the mid I'm also gonna try to make some goddamn sense out of the Brad Beil for Chris Paul trade.
And get into some Zion tea.
The NBA Draft is upon us, Terrell and Nick, so do me a favor and drop that motherfucking generic ass beating the shibby Rihanna. So to be fair, I got a text from Terrell yesterday. Ye yesterday, So that was two days ago in today's time, because this is coming out on Tuesday, and Torell was.
In Chocolate City.
He was in the Nation's capital, uh huh, watching a little w NBA, watching our Undermachine aka the DC Mystics, Washington Mystics versus the Chicago Sky And I said, why do I have them in the studio.
We can talk about NBA Draft here.
So without further ado, Terrell Furman again host the NBA and WNBA Sports Gambling Podcast. Check that out on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network. But you can get it on Spotify as well.
Right, you can get wherever you usual podcast, your podcast? YouTube? Hey, do both YouTube, Spotify, Apple do all of it, all those.
Downloads, complete combination for every single device.
You know.
What I think people should do too, is like just go into the Apple Store. Yeah, and download the podcast to the Apple phones.
Oh podcast, Hey, go download the app. The app is in Apple Store too. Sgpn's Hey, I take any type of support you can get. It is free.
What is your overall I guess vibe of this draft stardom?
This feels like stardom because you have the next Carnation of Jesus walking on earth. Who is Victor winm begnonna. That has everybody made it seem like he's just automatically gonna be great. And for one, if he's not good the first year, guys, please give him some time. He's still a sinner like center is a hard position to learn in the NBA. But you have him, then you have Scoot Henderson, who is a guy that if you ask anybody who watches Scoot Henderson, he is a number
one overall pick. But unfortunately, because Jesus reincarnated Walker are forgetting Victor Wim Binyonna, he is now being talked about in number two with Brandon Miller. You go even further down and we'll talk about a guy that I like who is number one overall high school recruit and he's sliding in the draft. So this is just a draft full of stardom.
Hmm.
Yeah, And I think I wonder because there's so many teams that are rumored to be moving up and down the board that you wonder, is it a deep draft? Is it like a three four person star draft with a lot of good role players? Like if you were to assess how many guys outside of the top three actually start year one.
We think outside of the top three. I I think you have a lot of questions. I think that where the issue is gonna come is everybody wants to see those starters come in and average twenty points per game. If you're a big, you're already in double double territory. I should be betting your double double every game. Like Evan Mobley. Look at Evan Mobley. Now he is a really really good starter. In his first year, you were like, okay, like this guy's all right. He averaged sixteen seventeen.
That's that's really good for pretty good player rookie.
That's really good for a rookie NBA player like Paulo ben Caro. He's been really really good and he's getting better, Like he's gonna be better next year. We have che Hulk who we haven't even seen yet. Like they're all
the these players in the NBA. People want them to just come in and be those all star twenty plus thirty plus per game scores, and it's not just gonna happen like that, Like it takes time to actually develop a player like they did Evan Mobley and Cleveland and now Evan Mobley next year could be knocking on the door all Stars out.
Yeah, you talk about Evan Mobley and that is just an interesting thing about bigs and biggs taking a long time to develop.
Also, oshayok Baji, like he came on late. He was really good.
I liked him a lot at Kansas. So it's going to be fascinating to see how many guys come in and contribute right away. Another storyline that's kind of circulating is just all these teams that have needs and they think are going to be active, right Okay, See is rumored to want to move up.
New York. Knicks are rumored to want to go No.
No, they're not.
You don't think they're gonna get first.
Everybody wants to come to New York. Nobody wants come to.
Okay Now, Toronto rumored to move up. Cleveland rumored to move up.
If you had to give a gain, who do you think that's not in the top ten now moves into the top ten?
Golden State, Wow, if you're done leaving, you have to make a splash. You have to Bob Byers gave this organization for championships for it. Like, if you're done leaving, you got to make a splash. And saying that Jordan Poole is coming back for the next four years is not the way to make that splash. As the first active new GM power in Golden State, I think it's one hundred percent Golden State. I think Golden States are buyers at the draft and they find their way in the top ten.
Wow, Like who, who do you think they who do you think they make a trade with because it can't be ten. I don't think Mavericks need a Jordan Pool. They're not going to probably try to move up.
Yeah, I think that surprised because they could use some more depth, especially for Dallas. But I'm looking at teams that kind of either got rid of their picks or they're just in this mode of stockpiling picks. Utah just feels like a team that's like, well, I mean, we're going nowhere fast, guys, we might as well trade back. So Utah at nine is like the number one team I'm looking at. Washington didn't get a first round pick for Bradley Beal. We're gonna talk about that, but like
that would be interesting. So Washington could could move back, or Washington could just be a buyer and get somebody really good there. But Washington can move back. It's a couple of teams up there that I think would move back with the Golden State and Golden State take a Derek Lively the second, you know, probably the best defensive big in the draft class.
So you really like Derek Lively that hold on, let me let me wait.
On that one, because I think an interesting trade could be Wizards trade Chris Paul for and whatever, Chris Paul and the eight pick for Jordan Poole and whatever.
Yeah, Golden State has their first are they seventeen eighteen?
I think? And Chris Paul said he wants to go to a contender and still compete nineteen. You know that's definitely in the wrong possibility. I think Chris Paul makes everything fun because you ought to like, he's worth some type value. Everybody wants to devalue Chris Paul and I completely understand it, but he's worth some type of value. So that with the first round pick is enticing to get a player that can come into the organization and
play now. So we'll see. But oh man, the DC team very very poverty organization, so I don't think they're doing anything that's any benefit to them.
You don't think even with Michael Winger coming in from the Clippers, which, by the way, the Clippers have made some really bad draft moves as well, underratedly bad draft moves.
Obviously, moving Shaye was was a terrible not.
Only moving Shaye but giving up every single pick and Shane seven. We talked about it, and we talked about the worst trades one day and we said Rudy Gobert probably is going to go down as the worst trade it ever. But nobody's talking about how bad that Paul George trade was and the fact that now Shay is a first teamer and he could potentially he almost led his team to the playoffs. Like he almost led to his team to the playoffs. So I don't know that that Paul George trade is pretty pretty bad?
Yeah, yea, So okay, So let's talk a little bit about some of the teams that we think might be active. So what do you think Orlando's trying to do and how do you think they're trying to prioritize this draft because Palo said already that this year they have six and eleven. Palo said this year as playoffs or bust. I really think this is a young team. We know that they've got the six pick and the eleventh pick, So do they package those picks to maybe try to get up into the top three to four?
Do they sell off one of those picks for a veteran?
Like what do you think?
And obviously they're in need of a point guard even though they have a million of them, they still need that and they need rim protection.
So if you were to be a better for what Orlando does, what do you think they do?
I think Orlando's in the situation where you can kind of just let the draft board fall to you, honestly, like if you want to make a splash play and go trade up into that top four. And it seems like, well, we know number one is not trading, and Charlotte has maintained that they're not going to trade their pick. I just saw today that Portland's said they're probably not going to trade their pick. I wouldn't be surprised if Houston tried to trade. But right now the top four, none
of the top four teams are hurting for picks. Like everybody has an assortment of picks over the next few years. And that's what I'm looking for for teams that are looking to trade out of that top ten spot is what teams do not have picks coming up that would say, Okay, we can get another first round or this year, and I can get a first round or next year and replace some of those picks. And so I think they
hold serve. I think they hold serve and they just let it come to them like, you have a pretty good chance at number six to get one of the twins, well the lesser twin as some people say ASR. So you still have a chance to get him. You have a chance to get Cam Whitmore, you still have Anthony Black. It's a lot of really really good players. You talk about rim protection, Derek Livey is gonna be in there somewhere, And that's one of my teams that I have Lively
going to if not traded at trade. Yeah, maybe at eleven. I don't think they would jump at six, but maybe at eleven. He could be there at eleven and just offer you that rim protection. Like everybody that needs rim protection, dall Is, Utah, Orlando, everybody should be looking at Derek Lively in that eight to eleven range. So I can
see something like that, but I don't think they. I just can't see them making a trade with anybody unless somebody comes from behind and gives them two three extra picks.
What do you think Derek Lively is going to be Because the big man position is so polarizing, right, and you've got Derek Lively who's sort of kind of been creeping up the draft boards a lot of teams like him. I'm just not a big fan of taking big men in the top ten, top twelve period because they're just such big bus potential, right. I love Jalen Duran, but I don't know that you should have taken him there.
We'll see what he ends up being, Like James Wiseman, hasn't worked out, like a lot of these big men that are in the lottery don't end up working out very often right away.
What do you like most about him?
I like him more because of the situation that he can potentially go to Less about the player. So the player is an amazing player. We know he's a shot blocker average like some five point six rebounds and a whole bunch of blocks over at during his time. And Duke hate the dookis, but that's like.
Mark Williams too, and he was just trash and Charlie.
Yeah, but it's like it's the timing. Biggs take time to develop to the league, Like you can't just come into Polo can come into the league and he can give the league twenty Like if you watch Polo in Summer League, you watched Polow in this rookie year. Every one of his buckets were grown man, I'm gonna get
a bucket. Bucket Biggs don't get that opportunity, Like you have to learn defensive setups, you have to learn how to switch over, you got to learn the pick and roll and being able to guard the pick and roll, like, you got to learn all this stuff as a big and that doesn't just come in one season, like a lot of that is trial and error, Like Rudy Gobert didn't come in and he looked didn't look like a defensive player of years first year, Dramond Green didn't look
like a defensive Player of the year's first year. Like some of that stuff takes time. And so the issue that I had with Golden State when it was time and they picked wise Man, was it a great pick for them, Yes, because they needed size, but they're there was no way Golden State was waiting for that because they're in.
A win now more winuation now.
Mo terrible situation. But now wise Men over there. And same thing with Duran them and Detroit, well, we don't got nothing to wait for. If y'all want to take three four years, then fine, bite be all that. So that's what I expect to see from Lively and somebody take from Lively because I think organizations understand that these bigs you gotta be patient with them. And if you're not gonna be patient, you don't need to take them.
So a team like Orlando that's not going anywhere fast, no matter how much Polo wants to say that they are, they really really are, okay, they can take and invest more into them. A Golden State that is literally looks like they're kind of retooling things. We just saw Draymond may potentially not be coming back. Is that news? Is that not news? We'll talk about it. But I mean, Derek Lively could be good. They're at a Golden State team that says, hey, we need a year or two
to reset this thing. But just expecting him to come in and be this ultimate dominant defensive thing, I don't think it's gonna happen.
Why you think Walker kess Or developed so fast.
I think it's because he's his offensive game and he was able to stretch the floor in how he was with that Utah Jazz team where it was go, go, go go. He was a big that can run the floor. He was a big that in our Auburn he was able to be able more on the offensive side and less about defense. Like we didn't really think of Walker Kesler as this big defensive shot blocking big like an area like a Evan Mobley. No, it was just more of, hey, this is another guy that's going to be able to
spread the floor with us. At the time, they thought they still had Rudy Gobert, so it was like, Okay, Ruby Gobert anchors, we have this kind of big lineup, and but Rudy Gobert goes all right, we bring in Walker Kessler. Walker Kesler is going to help us get more and more offense, so that was a lot easier for him. And then he's just a big guy, so he was able to dominate rebounding, but some of the little key things like as a big Kessler still has to work on. But they died.
I think he led the NBA though in blocks.
Yeah.
He was a defensive monster.
Yeah, And so I think that Kessler is now kind of I think that's kind of where everybody wants you to be. Is that kind of big that kind of comes in and turns it over quickly. But on a lot of other rosters, does he get that same opportunity to do that. Probably not. I think it just he got the perfect situation with no Rudy Gobert in Utah where they just said forget it. Hardy was just like, go play, yeah, go play, go, go do something, because we're not gonna just sit here and tank all these games.
And that's part of the reason why Utah was the best team as an underdog last season. Utah Jazz are inevitable.
So let's quickly shift backward to the Wizards because we didn't get to it.
Obviously, a rebuilding team, new GM, new completely new office, same exact owner. They have the eighth pick, Like, they definitely need a guard and we talked about this via text.
They need a scoring guard.
But I know that I'm seeing Oscar Thompson get mocked there too because of his upside. Would that be a mistake to you? Would that surprise you? And like, what do you think they actually do versus should do.
I don't think it's a mistake because Alsar Thompson is still a really good player. Like at this point where they're at in the draft at eight, like, there's not many mistakes that you can be made, and it's just more of wait and see because all these guys look really really good right now. But guess what, that's what everybody in every NBA draft looks. Everybody looks really really good right now. It just depends on when you get to the league, how you train that player, how you
developed that player. And so a guy that I had as a long shot was Nick Smith, Nick Smith Junior from Arkansas. This guy was number one overall recruited talent, number one overall recruited talent last year, and then he comes had a flare up his knee in the offseason, missed like six games early on, came in, had some really good outings, and then his knee flaired up again, and that kind of took away his explosiveness last year. And people were saying his tank dropped now, like he
should have just never played. He would have just had the college hype and he still would have been a top pick. Now there's some mocks that have him sliding to the yeah to the twenties, and it's like, this guy is still the first over Like in a year time, you can't go from number one overall in your class to now sliding into the twenties of the draft. So that's why I just think he's an interesting person, that he had a really good workout with Washington, he had
a really good workout with Toronto. And look, just listen to the last few number one overall recruits in the draft class, starting with Anthony Davis in twenty eleven. He went number one overall, Nearleans Noel number six, Andrew Wiggins number one, Emmanuel Moode Lord, I hate the Knicks. He went seven to the Knicks, to the Knicks terrible. And then I think, I think they trade him to actually Denver, so I think he was at Denver sometime there, but
he goes to Denver. Then you have Ben Simmons number one overall, Josh Jackson number four, Marvin Bagley number two, R. J. Barrett number three, and Edwards number one, Kate Cunningham number one, Check Holgram number two, and then you have Nick smiff here for twenty twenty two. Everybody here is the top ten pick like regardless. And so while I get it, but if you just if you're telling me that it's just a physical, if he just has to pass a physical, and the team doc says, oh, this guy is clear
cut good to go. Everybody thinks he's like one of the best scorers in this draft, and so you just traded away an all world scorer in Bradley Beal. It makes so much sense to just say, all right, we're gonna play scoring and scoring. Doctor said, Nick Smith is healthy. This was just a one year thing that me is gonna be good going forward. Why are we not going to take somebody who is explosive that can score on
all three levels? So Nick Smith finding his way into the top ten after literally almost every single mount draft has him not even in the top fifteen. I think Nick Smith is somebody to watch out for, especially Washington, because it sounds like they liked him from his workout.
Do you like Nick Smith more than Anthony Black, who is also his teammate at Arkansas? Because I really like Anthony Black's playmaking. He kind of feels like a Josh Giddy to me.
Obviously not a.
Great shooter, but plays incredible defense and get steals deflections, big body.
I think he's what six six sixty seven? Do you like Nick Smith more?
For?
It depends what I need? Yeah, what do I need? Do I need a playmaker or do I need a scorer? Because sometimes I just need a scorer that'll go out there and get a bucket, and I mean you have Kyle khu'sm over there.
They do need probably get rid of them though, right yeah, I think at some points, at some point.
You probably should just to reload. You didn't get a first round pick for Bradley Beal. You gotta start reloading. And if you're going to commit to that. That's the issue that I have with some things is they don't want to commit to the rebuild. They kind of want to be one in, one foot in one foot out Portland. The definition of one foot, one foot out to the rebuild. Are we in a rebuild?
No?
Because we have Dame Lillard. Should we be in a re Absolutely. All these teams that are now trying to commit to the rebuild after the greatest prospect that everybody says since Lebron James is now gone, is really really crazy to me. But I think that it depends on what I'm looking for between those two. If I'm looking for somebody that's a pure scorer and I just need I don't need you to do all these other aspects of the game. I don't really need you for defense.
I feel like that I can coach up defense or I have a good defensive team. Overall, I just need somebody that in the last minute of the game that I can go to to get a bucket. I'm gonna go with Nick Smith because I think he if he develops right with the right staff, he could be one of those guys that can lead league in scoring one day.
Yeah, like Bradley Beal did a couple of years ago. I think they were playing tea.
Hey, you know, the Wizard should actually try to get a guy like Brady Beal. They should see if he's on the market.
Speaking of guards, a guy who may not make it to eleven, I think he's fascinating. He's really not discussed much, and I think it's because Kentucky guys just always fly under the radar.
It's crazy.
Calipari really does sell these teams, like these players short. All of a sudden, you had a couple of twins and I forget their twins names, And Devin Booker was just sitting at sitting there at yeah, both Wiggins and like, Devin Booker's just sitting there as a fourth option.
Right.
You had Karl Anthony Towns.
You had he like barely shot any threes with Kentucky you had Emmanuel Quickly who like all of a sudden now he's a scoring machine. Tyrese Maxi fell in the draft, bam Adebayo slightly fell in the draft. All these guys are very very good NBA players, So Case and Wallace, I'm fascinated to get your take on because a team like Utah could really use him. A team like Detroit who needs a guard even though they're fifth, probably that would be a reach team like the Rockets, team like
the rock Raptors as well. Mocked eight to fifteen yep, top ten, not top ten. Best fit Dallas Dallas.
It tells h Dallas because I don't think Kyrie's staying, and I think they know really if Kyrie Lee, even if Kyrie doesn't leave, they still need to backup guard death. But I think I think there's a more than not chance that Kyrie decides not to stay with Dallas. And if you don't, then how Jason kids run that offense with Jalen Brunson and Luca with Kyrie like Jade Hard, they don't. They don't trust them. They clearly don't trust them.
And maybe it's because the defensive side of all, but it you remember when Kyrie first got there, and there was this stretch where it was either Kyrie playing or Luca playing, and then Josh Green was stepping up, Jaydon Hardy was stepping up. But as soon as Luca and Kyrie were back in the lineup, Josh Hart Josh Green's minutes went down, Jaydon Hardy didn't even see the floor.
So defense now, Yeah, And so that's what I think that that's something really good for a Jason kidd if you sit here and say, all right, we're not going to be able to retain Tyrie. Kyrie. It was very good experiment. We tried to make it work, it didn't work. Fine, We're moving on. Cason Wallace is a guy that I would love to have next to Luca that can also handle the ball. Like there's so much importance of having
two capable ball handlers in today's NBA. And you saw it with the Mavericks run to the Western Conference finals the year prior with Jaylen Brusson, And now look at Jylen Russ and he went and got a bag and went to New York and played really, really well. It's because there's so much stock and having two point guards, two capable ball handlers that'll be able to keep the offense flowing and not getting the trap situation, stuck situations kind of get stagnant with the ball. So I think
that a sleeper pick for me is Dallas. But I can absolutely see a Utah saying no, we're not letting this guy go go pass, especially with the Colin Sexton experiment seeming like it didn't work.
Yeah, and they say they're still committed to Colin Sexton because he was working through some injury issues.
But I'm not so convenent.
Sometimes it's just a bad taste in himself and the best form of ability is availability, and sometimes some people aren't there.
He just never is another fascinating player that I've seen as high in mocks as four and as low in mocks as like eight.
And I love this kid.
He's a kid who started off injured but ended up being a real difference maker for Villanova Cam Whitmore. I think he's bouncy, I think he's big. I think he'd be a phenomenal fit for the Rockets. I think he'd be really good for Detroit. Like, do you think he makes it out of the top five? Do you think he is a top five guy.
So that's what I've been struggling with it, and that's what I was looking up today and trying to figure out what I like today was I'm pretty sure Amen Thompson goes before him. Is he better than the other Thompson brothers? That's my costing players And that's really the question that betters of the draft are looking for that just fans of the sport. How many players? What is the gap between Amen Thompson and ASR. Thompson? What is
the gap there? Is it just a Cam Witmore? Is it that these brothers are so good that they're going back to back? I think that Cam Whitmore might be the gap player in between them that keeps them from going back to back. Yeah. Yeah, then five, And that's what it feels like to me. Maybe he falls a little bit less than six. Maybe it just wasn't the right fit. But I think Cam Whitmore is definitely in
contention for four, but Amon is gonna win out. And then I think Cam Whitmore goes to Detroit and five.
How much better is Cam Whittmore than Sadik Bay?
I think I think substantially better just than.
The fact of explosiveness Yeah, explosiveness and spam and just maybe it's not really more of.
The fault of sidek Bay, but just how he was coached. He was just coached to be a one track pony, like I'm gonna try to hit a bunch of threes. But if you look at him, especially when he got to the Hawks, he was slashing more to the rim. Back cuts look amazing, Like sidek Bay got digs do more in the Hawks offense under Quinn Snyder. Got to do a lot more with Quinn Snyder. So now I think Cam whitmore.
Is it money system?
Yeah? And possibly does I think that Mani's gonna have a really really good time with this, just the young talent having all these options to go to instead of having to pigeonhole it through a Devin Booker, who, yes, I would love to have the problem of I gotta find a way to make Devin Booker work in offense. But now you don't have that star. But that's so
much more freeing because everybody can touch the ball. Everybody can and you can go around all five players and so long as yeah J kN Ivey's not passing, but it can touch four out of the five guys and then in with Ivy on a good percentage look. And that's what I like about the Pistols this year that I think, no matter what they go at five, they're gonna pass the ball so much, and He's gonna get them playing together that they're gonna get the best look possible.
You think Oscar is a bad fit because he can't shoot.
That shot is ugly, No, but but he does so much else. He's a playmaker, he's a he can defend, he can do all these other things I think you want to. I don't know if point guard is the term. You know Sean Phillips and he has this position. I don't think if point guard is the right term for him. Forward is it maybe like a hybrid, kind of like a hybrid combo. And of course, like not having a shot right now is probably the best thing for you in today's NBA because so many players are working on
their shot. Outside of Ben Simmons, everybody else is working on their shot and making their shot a better shot. Like even the great Lebron James didn't have a good shot at first, and even in about halfway of his career still didn't have a good shot. Now his shot feels a lot better. He's found something. And you though it was probably one of the ugliest three pointers I've ever seen, it works for him. Yeah, and so now, and that was the same thing with the Dylan brook situation.
Everybodyselfing on Dylan Brooks, Well, if shooting is your only issue, you can work on that. So many players worked on that. Jimmy Butler shoots the ball a lot better than when he started. So with Asar, I feel like you just got to be committed to him because if you look at him, you're like, hey, if we get this guy a shot, he could surpassed his brother. That's the only
thing that he could surpass his brother. So and I think that's probably the reason why he didn't work on a shot as much, because hey, if I'm playing with a men every single team, I just get the ball to him and he go ahead and does it. And that's why I like ASR in the draft so much because looking of what he played, how he played with his brother for so long, he's so unselfish. Yeah, such
an unselfish player. And so if you put a bunch of guys that can score around him, and that's why I'm really like I'm torn at five between him and him because insert him into that lineup with Detroit and you put a Kate Cunningham who's going to have fun playing off the ball with him, a jayde and Ivy who's always looking to score. You have the bigs down low that he can get the ball to really good. Yes, I don't know, man, I'm really torn. I don't know where I want to go at five if I was
cam way more to ASR. But I think both of them fit that system really really well.
Another player who I love, who I think is super versatile, big, can do a bunch of things, probably would have scored a lot more if he didn't play for Houston as Jeris Walker. He is getting mocked a lot to the Pacers. Some people think he'll go earlier like five, six, Some people think maybe nine to ten.
What do you think he ends up? Where do you think he ends up going? Where do you think his best fit is?
I think the Pacers is a good fit, just defensively and what he what he learned at Houston, what he's able to do at Houston. Again, Dallas another good fit that I don't think Dallas. Everybody is mocking Lively to Dallas. I think there's some Grady Dicks out there to the Dallas, but I don't think they go big. Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know, but that would be that would be a killer for Nico Harrison if they don't get some defense.
Yeah, and that's what I'm talking. I'm expecting like somebody like somebody else outside of what everybody's saying. And Walker is somebody like that that could fall just because they say, hey, we're trying to score, score score the Pacers like this is Rick Carlisle was talking about. Rick Carlisle doesn't care about defense. Rick Carlisle said, I don't care if you're
scoring one hundred and ten points. My team was scored one hundred and twenty, and so that could be something that we're not interested in a Walker because of that, And that's fine, But if he falls and he gets to somebody, like I'm throwing Dallas out here a lot, but because I to Dallas. Yeah, even in you taw, you saw a terrible defense as well. Like I'm throwing these teams out there, especially Dallas one, because Dallas ten for a reason. I think they put they wanted ten
for a reason. They already been planning this way back before the Knicks were even considered at taking their as taking their pick if it fell to eleven or anything like that. So I think they planned for this and they're going to make some type of splashy move. Everybody thinks it's a big.
You don't think they'll trade that pick.
I think they they could. Like I think that there's so many things, especially with you just trading for Kyrie, like you can get something back. I remember I talked about play teams that are trying to get something back. They very well could. But I just think Dallas is the team I'm watching out for where I think they're going to do something that nobody expected, whether it's trading back, whether it's going and getting a player that somebody didn't expect,
like a Walker or anybody else that we talked about today. Like, I think Dallas is the biggest wild card because they just feel like we're playing with house money. We have Luka Donsis.
Yeah, I'm also curious about Grady Dick because oil boy, will this matter where he goes? You know, the fit is going to be key, very critical. I've seen him as high as being reached for by Orlando. Yeah, I've seen at six. I've seen him getting mocked in the eleventh pick to Orlando at six.
You think he false?
I think he false. I don't know if everybody's why are so polarizing.
I think it's I think the North American white boy thing.
And it possibly could be if possibly because.
Like he's not that athletic, but he's kind of sneaky athletic, which just means he's white.
And I think Christian Bron just helped him out. I think Christian Bron, if he gets into the top ten, I think he definitely should be sending an invoice Christian Bron's way because now they saw what Christian Bron did in that playoff run.
Especially in the more than Christian Brown can. He is a really elite shooting and that's.
What it is, like, you're not just so if you're getting the toughness and you're getting everything you wanted about Christian browny you add somebody that can shoot shoot her too. Yeah, Like, oh man, I think everybody's gonna be looking for him do it. But is everybody gonna take that chance and just being that guy?
The difference between Christian Brown and Grady Dick.
Is that you have to kind of hide Grady Dick in your defense and you don't for Christian Brown.
And is the fact that Broun has low expectations. If you take Dick top ten, you're gonna expect for him.
To be Tyler in the bubble thirteen fourteen.
Yeah, like back in of the lottery. I don't think it's that he's not sliding. I'm not gonna say like he goes all the way to the Lakers at seventeen or anything like that. I think a steal, yeah, one hundred percent, But I think he's back in of the lottery there, and he's somewhere around that Ryan. He's not necessarily Tophoi range. Yeah, maybe maybe a second Orlando pick so you feel comfortable, maybe you don't go Lively's way, or maybe you take Lively early because you think that
Dick is gonna fall to you at eleven. Fine, Like I think that's a possibility as well. But somebody was just able to says that, hey, we can take this chance because all these teams up towards the top cannot afford another mess up. Yeah, Like there's jobs relying on getting this pick right this year because this is such a good draft, and there's going to be bust. Like, there's going to be busted in the top ten people
one hundred percent, there's gonna be two, maybe three. If you're one of those teams with the bus, that's your job. Like this is a rich draft and you just so happen to draft the bus, your livelihood is done. So I don't think people are gonna take that chance with a lot of these guys.
So Metropolitan ninety two, everybody's obviously been watching Vic. But another kid, Bilal Koolabali. He's really really good, really fun. Max have him going as high as nine, as low as fifteen. There's been some hype around Sacramento trying to move up to try to get him. I think the vek Rnadive, the owner of the Kings, went to his game. A lot of people were like, why would he go see Vic in France? A lot of people think it was for blall, like, what do you think he could be?
Is he the most like I guess mystery.
I think he's the person that somebody trades up and they're like, oh they're trading up, they're going to get huh yeah, Like that's really what it's going to be. And I think you know when you come last year, yes, yes, exactly where it's like you going and get your drafted. That guy like who And it's the guy that's not on everybody's radar, But it's because Big Vic is just so polarizing, nobody pays attention to the other guys around
that team. Like as good as he is, he was not the reason why they won games, like a bunch of games, Like it's everybody else that came and helped them out. And so especially when they came over here, I think it was Las Vegas what was and they played against G League Knight like that was a chance for a lot of people to open their eyes. So I think he's one of those guys that can go
kind of a trade. Maybe a King's team does trade up and go get them, or somebody else does trade up and go get them, and everybody's like, oh, scratching their head, and then you look two three years down the line and you're like, that was a really really great trade in the one.
Yeah, the Hawks have the fifteenth pick. That would be interesting.
I think the Hawks are the Hawks could be we'll see. They traded away a lot of picks for de Johnson Murray, but they get this one right. Trey Young could be out the door. And I'm waiting for something big to happen between now and Thursday, maybe even on Thursday. I'm waiting for something big. I don't know what it is, but it just feels like the Bradley Beal thing was a tease. That was the te's move. Draymond Green not
taking his player option that was a te's move. But it feels like something big is around the corner where you're gonna have a star move for a pick and some team is gonna buy into the youth movement or just changing that team around. And Quinn Snyder, who won the Hawks, are not afraid to make changes because I don't think I can remember.
A coach coming in middle of the season.
Yeah coaching, like coaching, full on coaching mid season. Now he has an offseason to kind of playing things out. Does he want Trey Young around?
It?
Is that the like? Is that the fit? I know we talked about a lot of mock situations, and I mean the Lakers do have seventeen. Yeah, seventeen is still a valuable pick in this draft. So could there be a situation where somebody anywhere says that, hey, we're gonna take try Young and we'll give you one of our first round picks.
You think treyng only gets one first round.
Pick, I mean it's gonna be one one of many, like they're gonna get a haul for him. But a pick in this draft is one hundred percent gonna come.
So is it gonna be Try Young? I know I'm not saying it's gonna be Try Young, but I think there is a possibility that a star from somebody somewhere moves prior to draft and gives somebody like a player like anybody we talked through through this lottery, because this is a rich draft, and I think the owners and the GMS and everybody in basketball sees it and says, hey, we may not have like a superstar, but we're gonna have some really really good players that are gonna help
us compete for championships in the future.
Yeah, and we saw with Denver.
Role players, especially role players that can play defense, are so critical. If you've got two guys one obviously that's a big man that can pass like Jokic, and a secondary score like Jamal Murray, what you need is to fill in the gaps.
What's up with Taylor Hendrix? Like, what's up with them?
I think he's because no one is talking about him, but he's smocked in every.
Being in the top ten. He's gonna be in the top ten?
Is he not the least talked about top ten player?
It's either him or Walker? Yeah, I think it's either him or Walker. I think those are the two guys that people kind of like, I don't know what this guy looks like, but I heard he's a really good basketball player, so we're just gonna go ahead and go with that. But Hendricks is interesting because I think he kind of fits the mold and he's gonna be one of those guys that you're gonna take him in the top ten and you're gonna understand that he's he might not be a starter for you, but he's going to
be a very very good bench piece. And I think he Like That's why I'm like, there's so much trade potential here because if you're a contender, like you want somebody in this draft just to fill out that bitch. Like imagine if Phoenix had some type of trade capital and they're sitting there saying man, we would like anybody to come play on the bench for us, Like there's
so many Denver. So the funny thing about the parade with Denver is that Mike Malone was saying, but he's Bruce Brown went back, I would probably say that his age. I would never sign with his agent. And Bruce Brown signed another deal with the.
DIN because the amount that Bruce Brown can get on the open market, it's a probably.
Deal was a terrible one. Yes, they said this deal was a terrible deal and he should have never signed it. Now hindsight looks amazing because he has a ring and now he's gonna come in so much. I don't know if Malone was and if I was looking at Bruce Brown's reactions like I'm going to go get a bag.
I can't pay me twelve Millioneah, I can be.
A starter on many other teams, like so Denver is another one that and I was talking about you on the other show. Yes, I was talking to you about that, Like Denver is gonna need the reload that defensive position.
So would it be surprising if Denver's finds some some type of capital and says I know that during the finals they had a swap with OKCY and they did a pick swap with OKC or something like that, Like Denver could move up and be trying to go on to the next level and saying, Hey, we're gonna take one of these, one of these top fifteen guys and we're gonna make them our six man.
Second that okay, pick, you give your pick and movie fifteen. Yeah, I am curious though. Also, I like Jalen hu Chafino a lot. He's kind of a kid who could be like somewhere in the like eighteen to twenty. I've seen him as going as high as ten, which is kind of crazy.
I don't think that's gonna happen. I'll be six to six. He can play good defense, he can do a bunch of different things. High IQ does a lot.
Of interesting training and conditioning that shows me that he cares about his body mechanics, like his hit mobility's insane, which I think is really important for basketball players at this next level with this modern NBA.
Like, where do you think he goes?
I think he And this is another one where.
Like would this be a Warrior? Like would this be a Warriors?
It feels like it could be a Warriors pick and just of we need some type of defense on the road.
Yeah, Like literally we get rid of Jordan Poole and we add in.
Yeah, chain get and you get a defender. And then if you're Steve Currn Warriors, you feel comfortable about anybody's offense and saying we can we can get the best out of anybody on offense, Like we can get something out of everybody, even garyt Pack in the second like he wasn't known highly for his offense. It was really just the defensive side of Paul. But you look at him on Golden State and he has games where he can get it going from three, where he can move
off ball and the off ball movement. You have to be willing to move off ball if you're not able to do that, if you're not conditioned. And that's what I think I like about him is that fact that he is conditioned, because that's like what Steve Kurr does the entire workout. Anthony Edwards. Anthony Edwards said about his Steve Kurr workout and was like, Oh, I did all
this running. He was like, Oh, you're tired already. Steph does this like for a warm up, Like you're really tired, Like I know he's doing that with every player, not just Anthony Edwards. So I think that it could be a Warriors If Warriors don't trade up and go make like a splash play, they could go for somebody a safe option like that, come off the bench. You don't need stardom, You have stardom in Golden State. You just need somebody to come off the mission, play defense. And
guess what if Draymond Green really is gone. I don't think he's gone. I think he comes back. I think it was just something to give the Warriors more flexibility to make this a championship roster because Draymon's a team takes less now, Draymon's a team player, Like everybody wants to make it seem like Draymond's only out for himself.
He's maybe fifteen this year, twenty the next year, forty the year after that.
I truly believe contracts are a figment of an imagination, Like especially more in the NFL than the NBA, but definitely in an NBA when it comes to these player options and just saying all right, we're going to decline his player option, but we're still gonna resign you. We're gonna resign you for less money, and we've seen a
number of players do that. There was talk of Chris Paul going back, and there's still there's still talks of Chris Paul's finding somehow to end his way back up in Phoenix because the Wizards probably aren't gonna hold on some if they don't trade.
It, if they have to cut them, then he might just end up back there.
And so it's like everybody's taking vet minimums and feels comfortable and like we made enough money. We just want to try to win championships. You don't see that as much in the NFL, but you see it a lot more in the NBA. So I think that Draymond could end his way back. So does that take away from a guy like Jase or somebody else coming in defensively? Possibly, But if not, I think he would be a good fit and a good not not saying replacement, but just somebody to help. Add to that of the ball.
Another couple teammates too are I don't know what the difference is between them. I personally like Kobe Buffkin more than I like Jet Howard. I think he'll get taken before Jet Howard. What do you think the biggest difference is between them instead? Except for the size, right Like Jet Howard I think is six seven six' Eight Kobe bufkins five or six' five.
SIXTY six I Think kobe buffkin has the, higher Floor But Jet hired howard has the. Higher ceiling howard could very well be one of the top players in the draft when it's all said, and, done really but it's in, TERMS yes i, think so just in terms, of, scoring playmaking all this. Other stuff he very. Well could but it depends on one development development fit. Like that that's so. Many things and that's the THING where i KIND of i really hate when teams just go best available because
it's like best available might not be good. For you like that's the whole on that Debate that charlotte is having. Right now are we going best Available With scoot henderson or are we taking the best Fit With? Brandon miller is the gap large? Between them, Absolutely Not But brandon miller is clearly a better fit for Them with LaMelo handling, the Ball But scoot henderson could. Be GENERATIONAL and I ultimately i think that they make the wrong mistake and
they Go with scoop Instead. Of MILLER while i do, THINK again I think scoot is the, better player but is he a better Player for charlotte may not BE question i have for.
You though following up on, that is If, you're charlotte what can you Get for LaMelo right now in the.
Open, market oh you could Get The House, moon stars whatever.
You want you can't for the third overall or for the second. Overall pick so what you could do is Just take scoot and then You. Trade LaMelo you haven't, played together and then when you, need to You move LaMelo for four first, round picks.
Especially if you Don't think LaMelo is going. TO resign i think that's like the conversation that teams, are having and that was the conversation when they first, Drafted, him Like is LaMelo is this just the one rookie contract Pony and LaMelo dips off to a larger market like, Possibly so and that's ULTIMATELY what i think kind, OF see i think it is a situation and we're talking, long term like there's some dynasty basketball players that that,
are listening, and, Like oh i'm loving it IS because i would love To see LaMelo move on to a bigger market of a. Different team, BUT like i think that's ultimately The conversation charlotte is having what's our chances Of? Retaining melo because while we do get the incentives of max supermats contracts for staying with your team, original team but if he is on, the move school is a very good replacement for when we don't. Have him one
What is? LaMelo's, availability again best ability is availability and he may not, be There so scoot could be that for them. As well or do you just buy in all In on LaMelo Being A. Charlotte hornet if you're buying all in, on that You Go. BRANDON miller i know we kind of got on our tangent and talking about, these two but like that is just the it JUST there's i don't remember the last time that such a big decision has. Been made It too normally it's just plug,
and play go. With It john, morant easy like you're gonna You're Taking, John moran you're NOT. Questioning Rj BARD like i it's not one of. Those situations you really got to think. Through This is LaMelo a hornet for? Long term, if no you're. Going scoop, if so You're Going.
Brandon miller, All right so outside of players outside of the, top three and who do, you think well outside of the who do you think is the biggest riser in this Draft Besides?
Nick Smith besides, I'm sorry i'm, all soome so we're gonna take.
Him off who do you think is the biggest surprise fall and rise Outside Of?
Nick smith the BIGGEST fall i THINK is i think It's Potentially, grady dick JUST because I don't i don't know teams are one hundred percent bought into making it work instead of just like they like there's so many teams that just want to kind of plug. AND play i don't think he's a plug. AND play i think it's something that you have to make it work and understand he probably is gonna come off the bench for you for a. Few years the biggest RISE or i don't KNOW if i want to Go with LIVELY because
i don't KNOW if. I can BUT if i think you're towards the back end of the LOTTERY and i can, see you Like if orlando sat here and took him, AT six i would not.
Be, SURPRISED really.
I wouldn't and it's just, BECAUSE like i Think That rudy gobert just put a bad taste in people's mouth about the shot Blocking big but that is so paramount when you just think about what happened In The boston series where everybody was getting to the room and it. Didn't matter when you look at now You, have jokic who you need somebody to, guard him and at least at the, very least You have lively who can actually get a hand in, his face unlike everybody else who kind of just puts a hand Up in.
Yoki, is, LIKE yeah i can't. See HIM oh i.
Didn't know somebody was. Guarding me that's what it looked like IN the. Nba five AND so I think jokic is and we talk about people that owe. People checks lively probably is going To owe yo kitcha check BECAUSE That nba finals is fresh and, for me a lot of this stuff is less about basketball and more. About narratives and so if there's, a TEAM and i do think It's A golden state is, a contender but there's
a number of contenders that can use. Rem. Protection you memphis is a team nobody's talking about right now that, they've, drafted really really well in. THE draft i don't think it's out of the possibility that, they say, all right we're moving up this year to go get Somebody Because steven adams wasn't available when we, needed them and, you know we need, more defense and we saw that that was really the reason why, we.
Lost yeahs a couple. Of players and now that you have.
So much good young talent that it's. Perfectly fine they drafted so Well that memphis is a ten deep team that people don't realize like. They have AND even i MEAN Their g league team won the Championship, with lofton AND so i think That a memphis is a team that Contender like lively just, gives me you know what everybody wanted wise men to be on the, defensive end not,
the offensive but the. Defensive end and if you're sitting here telling ME that i have somebody that can potentially either now or maybe in the next year or even the next year, after that Neutralize A, joe embiid Neutralize, a yihnis Neutralize a yokice that. Is invaluable AND so I can i Can see lively rising as far as, AS six i think truly as far, AS six i can see him getting, up THERE but i can also
see him falling to the twelve. Thirteen range so it's, just like will these teams Decide that i'm going to trade for a shot blocking big and that would not be a surprise to me.
At all last question before we let. You Run is zion a member Of The New orleans Pelicans? On? Friday, yes really he's still There.
On friday does he finish? The season that is something to, talk ABOUT but i think at the very least we get him to. The season he gets there to, the season and then as the season, goes on they may, be like, all right we're done, With this we're not doing this. Experiment anymore But, on friday he's still.
A Publican That's, treel furman hosts OF the nba AND W Nba Sports gambling podcast On The Sports Gambling. Podcast network give him a Follow. On twitter his picks on W N b a are some of the Best that i've. Ever SEEN and i mean this in a year where everyone is getting just, straight murdered it is just lovely. For you you can find him at At Really real Underscore on twitter and to underscore at really rel r E L one.
Underscore it doesn't sweet, at all and so if you, follow him you're gonna be very.
VERY mistaken a lot of clips, up there a lot of takes. Up there definitely follow, this podcast thanks so much for, coming on and.
THANK you i. Appreciate it with super insightful