On this episode of This League, we are deconstructing one of my favorite drafts in the NBA in a long, long time. Lots of movement all around the draft, Lots of movement in terms of getting contributors right now, uh, surprises, trades, lots of mistakes, some interesting reaches. Uh yeah, we look at the Russell Westbrook to La trade. And we also have some news about the podcast itself. So go ahead, Marty and drop that Mickey Mouse ass beat.
Take care and said, you'll be waiting plan of a ghost, the grandne go let me go. When we reach the gay.
And everybody knows, all right, let's uh, let's get care of some some housekeeping. There has been comments about the podcast and some of the changes are right. People are confused, Hey, is this podcast five minutes now? Is it three minutes now? What is going on? Why is the Spotify feed this way? Why is the Apple feed this way? So it's time to just update you about what's happening with season two. There is now a change in our episodes in our
podcast feed. We're about to enter season two of this League and we are excited to announce that there are changes. There are people, of course that want real episodes. They want their meat, they want their potatoes, they want their greens, they want all of it. And then there are other people who are like, fuck the greens, I just want the dessert. I want your fucking takes. And the show is for sure about all of it, but it's about
the takes, it's about opinions. So we're shortening the length of the full episodes that are dropping Monday and Friday. They're gonna be much more digestible on the big lead, the big story of what's going on in the NBA, or it could be something that's more evergreen, more deep dive. For example, we talked about why the tod Jazz we're the best team in sports gambling, maybe the episode would have been about that, right, So we're on like a
singular topic or maybe like this NBA Draft show. It might be a mishmash, but it's probably not gonna be. And then we're gonna have more flexibility to drop takes. We're gonna drop bite size three to five. Well, we'll call it two to seven minute short episodes throughout the week on a singular topic, mostly driven by opinion or hypotheticals or answering questions from fans, so we're gonna be giving you more content. There's more flexibility in what we
can do. There's also more flexibility in me living my goddamn life, so I can do this from other places and I'm not stuck in New York City in the middle of the fucking summer when i want to go to a Ruba, Antigua, or wherever the fuck I want to go. Uh. But that means that every day Monday through Friday, you will get something on the feed. So that's fucking dope in my opinion. You don't have to
wait for breaking news till Friday. If it drops on Tuesday, I might just come in and just drop it that day, which means you get fresher content, more content, better content. So please keep checking the Apple and Spotify feed, depending
on which one you like. Also, in the comment section of Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, wherever you watch us YouTube or listen to us, answer what else type of content that you want in these little takes, hypotheticals, questions, whatever, and we'll continue to answer them so that we can give you more of what you want. All right, So now that that little piece of housekeeping is done, let's talk about the draft winners losers. I think that's probably the
most interesting way in breaking that down. Do you agree, Marty?
Oh yeah, definitely.
All right, first takeaways. First of all, we need to talk about Russell Westbrook trade. So the trade details. Let me start there. I saw Westbrook trade to the to the Lakers first. That happened before the draft even took place. That was first glance for you, Marty, was what when you saw that trade? What did you think a.
Little bit of surprise? I mean, like Westbrook wasn't someone that I was thinking about, you know, being in the mix with the contender like I think a lot of other people. But the more I thought about it, I mean, they're offloading Kuzmus sucks KCP who is what he is? I kind of weirdly like it, Like I mean, I don't think, like, come playoff time, like that's gonna be you know, a guy that they're going to look to to like a late right and really make a difference
like in games. But I think it takes like a big load off of Lebron, like especially in the regular season. And I don't know, it could be a great move and it could be kind of a man move. That's kind of how I feel about it.
To me, I would tend to agree. And ways one, let's start. Let's start with positivity because I normally lead with negativity because that's where my brain immediately goes. But we're gonna start with positivity. I really think Russell Westbrook adds a level of defensive intensity, incredible outlet passing, the ability to rebound, be athletic, another defensive piece to two
other guys who are also athletic fucking freaks. Right, like you said, it gives Lebron James the ability to play eighty two games and not have to bring the ball up. Is he a true point guard? He is not. He is not. But I think you really do add a level of dynamic playmaking. I saw some highlights of Russell Westbrook throwing these fucking insane quarterback like lobs to these dunks, and I can see Braun Rim running or ad Rim
running and Russell just passing dimes. Also, if you are a mid tier shooter, middle of the road shooter, you are going to become a great shooter because you're gonna get so many fucking open looks it's gonna be absurd. They don't even need anyone to pay that. They don't need to pay anyone of note because if you can shoot open threes in the corner, that's what you're gonna get a lot of. Yeah, because otherwise they're just going to destroy you in the paint.
I think they're gonna make a lot of other moves in free agency, Like I think the roster is gonna look, you know, just completely different they all.
I mean, they only have four contrac players right for.
Sure, obviously, but I mean I think right now, like you would slot like Horton Tucker in the starting line, he won't be there starting to So yeah, no, I think it'll be interesting to see who they surround these guys with for sure.
To me, it's interesting because Genie Buss is like, I don't care about how much I have to pay the Lakers. Three guys are making one hundred and thirteen million dollars right now. That puts those three guys alone, put them over the cap. Right, So every player that they decide to add to this roster, we'll put them into a luxury tax situation. Right, So they're gonna need to get
a bunch of cheap guys. They got twelve more guys and they're probably gonna make like two three million dollars of each of them, right, So I don't I don't know how much flexibility they have to go out and get someone like DeMar Rosen.
Now, I mean he would have to take a serious ontown discount, which he might, but like probably not.
Like maybe he decides I'll make eight million, but that's really like thirty million now that there's a luxury tax situation. So okay, So those are all the positives that I have for this trade. Now the negatives are this, did Rob Polinka need to do that trade? On Draft night? Was anyone checking for Russell Westbrook who makes forty million dollars a year? Did anyone is anyone going after and targeting Russell Westbrook and saying we need him for our team? No?
Is there a place that we know Russell Westbrook wants to go, which is his hometown? Yes? Did you need to give up the twenty second overall pick to get him? My guess is no. My guess is probably not. Is that meaningful? Probably not right? But what it says to me is that Rob Polinka doesn't really care about the fit as much as he cares about being first. He wanted to make a big splash on draft night. He wanted everyone to which we are. It's the top of the fucking show, is it not?
Oh yeah, no, I'm he at the top of.
The fucking show. Everyone's talking about the Lakers. Everyone's talking about Rob Polinka and this move that he pulled off, and like the move you got rid of Kuzma and KCP congratulations and Harrol and Harrol which like, okay, yeah, I.
Mean Harold wasn't even get minutes. As much as I like him and.
Still try to opt into that though, right, no, no.
No, I know that, But as much as I still think he's has a fairly bright future in the league, I really don't think they gave up really anything to get a guy that I think really changes the dynamic of their team. So I don't I don't think it was a bad deal by Polinka.
I don't think it's a bad deal. I think the timing is strange, and I think if you could get Damar instead of Russell Westbrook and then still possibly end up getting a playmaker like a Rubio or I know Rubio got shipped out, but like a playmaker who is cheaper or like a Dinwitty who might have wanted to go there. Maybe you've got Dinwitty and Damar. Now you have forty million dollars locked up into one guy who
cannot shoot. So that's a negative in my opinion. I think Rob Plink is just not that great at his job, and he really does care more about pr than anything else, which is a very Laker glitz and glam kind of a thing. But they're gonna be fucking exciting. All of that to say it's gonna be fun, it's gonna be electric. You've got triple double machine. Russell Westbrook has not been fully healthy last year. If he has the time to rehab and get completely healthy, I think it's gonna be
I think they're right back in. It isn't enough. We'll have to see what kind of shooters they get, because that's gonna be important, So we'll see. Apparently. The good news, though, is that Bleacher Report is putting out that a lot of veterans are willing to take almost no money to play for the Lakers on a discount because they want to win with Lebron. So congratulations to La. Continue to
doing La things. Fuck you, all right? So now the real draft winners, winners I've got I'm gonna should I just say them and then we'll just go over them. Let's do this. Yeah, let's go. I'm gonna say, I'm gonn'll go over why I've got. My winners are Detroit, Charlotte, Atlanta, Houston, Brooklyn, Wizards, Pacers, Orlando, and an asterisk around Oklahoma City for a joke. Who are your winners?
Uh, that's kind of I didn't prepare a list, but yeah, no, like Atlanta, definitely, Detroit with what they did, Charlotte at Charlotte huge. Yeah, no, you probably covered all of mine that I would have put on my list.
Let's talk about Detroit first. I mean, god, damn, Troy Weaver. He is good. He is good at his job. Oh, Troy Weaver is gonna be an Executive of the Year very soon. I think Kate Cunningham that was an obvious pick, but the way that he did it, he kept us all waiting. He didn't do it like New Orleans did with Zion and with ad where it was like we've decided, it's already chosen, there is no other thing. He was leaving the door open for other deals to come in
a lot of suspense. All theys were on Detroit, because once Detroit decides who they're gonna take, then the world moves on. We're still deciding, waiting what is Detroit gonna do? All right, So then he took the person he wanted the whole time, right, And then in the second round JT. Thor at thirty seven, I widely thought to be a first round talent. Then my favorite. We talked about this the other day, Isaiah Livers at forty two snaked Portland.
Portland moved into the second round, just like I thought they would trying to get Isaiah Livers at forty three, and they fucking snaked him at forty two, another first round talent, talent if he wouldn't have broken his foot, right, and then the top and off. People are sleeping on this, And now I don't think he would have ever been like, he's not a go to guy and he's not like an immediate like contributor contributed. But Luca Gar's at fifty two, I fucking love too. I like that.
At fifty two, sure, yeah, I mean I don't think he's gonna be anything in the league. But at fifty two, yeah, sure, Nate Smith Award winner College Player of.
The Year, like who knows, who knows? So they got the number one consensus overall, two consensus first rounders before the college season started in the NCAA Player of the Year in one draft and coming off of a twenty twenty draft that everyone gave it an a plus where they got Killian Hey, Isaiah Stewart, Sidike Bay and nine of their twenty wins last year were against playoff teams.
Yeah, they were the only team that had two players on all rookie teams.
Just wild.
Yeah.
I think my periction time, prediction time, I think Detroit ends up making the play tournament next year. I think they could pull out like an easily a nine or a ten seed like what Indiana did last year. They'll come in who knows, Maybe they'll be rocky, Maybe they'll be like Charlotte was last year, where they just all all of a sudden kind of rise. At the end they're popping around six seven, they fall, and now they're sneaking into the play on play in What do you think?
I mean? I think it all comes down to Caid, Like if Caid has that Rookie of the Year level, year that we all know he's capable of. And I mean, if I had to pick right now, who's going to be Rookie of the Year, that's what I'm taking. Then Yeah, then they're gonna.
Be right there, all right, Charlotte, Oh my lord. They just keep they just keep getting players they shouldn't get. LaMelo should not have been there last year. Should not have been there. Book Night should not have been there.
Yeah, I mean that was the weirdest fall of the draft to me, Like that that just kept saying like, okay, passing, Like especially the Sacramento passing on him and taking Mitchell, that was that was very bizarre.
Bizarre. Yeah, two guys that should have been Warriors are now Hornets, and the Warriors passed on Booknight to get a guy that's going to contribute like in twenty thirty. I mean, like it's just it's just gross. The Hornets have an embarrassment of riches at multiple positions. They've got way too many guards. And like, we've got Devonte Graham, who's a restricted free agent they could sign and trade
him for something. Yeah, You've got Malik Monkhu's a restricted free agent who you could sign up and trade him for something.
I think they'll bring him back, but yeah, you think so.
I think just because Matt Michael Jordan wants to keep his own guys. Yeah, Okay. Then they get Mason Plumbley to add depth to the front court from Detroit, and they get Kai Jones by trading back into the first round. Like this is absurd. Levels you do not think of this when you think of the Charlotte Hornets.
No you don't. And like Ki for them to be able to get book Night and kai Jones, I mean kai Jones was mocked to them like at eleven. Yeah, like you like, like a shit tone of jail. Like if they'd just if they'd have taken I mean, with book Night on the board, it would have been different. But like say book Knight was off the board and they just take Kay Jones. There, no one's calling that
a bad pick. No, and they're able to get both of them, like okay, And like I really think, like with LaMelo, a guy like kai Jones is super valuable, like guys that can run, run, catch and dunk like and he could. Yeah, Like I I love their draft. I love their draft.
I love their draft. All of that to say the world myself included, should be discussing how good Mitch Cupcheck is yea, not only at evaluating talent, going and getting talent, but the most impressive thing of all is finaggling Genie Buss to do what he wants to fucking do and not what she wants to fucking do, and Michael Jordan to do what he wants to do instead of what Michael Jordan wants to do, because we know that owner's instincts are bad mostly and Mitch Kupchick just continues to
grind and make moves. And by the way, his trades have been amazing too.
Yeah. We haven't even talked about Miles Bridges.
No, yeah, and he's I mean, this team has a bright, bright future. I cannot say enough about the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Horns being like my league past teams of the year again. Yeah, Charlotte, it's gonna be so funny, so fun Atlanta, How the fuck did Atlanta have a good draft. It's crazy he managed to get a playoff team so loaded. He's been great too. That team is
so loaded. They have to get rid of Cam Reddish because they just don't have enough money to pay enough guys, right, so they're shopping him because they have Herder and Collins and I mean so many young guys. And then they get Jalen Johnson at twenty, a guy a lot of people had going higher. Supposedly red flags turn him from a lottery pick to a steal at twenty. I don't know what those red flags swore, but I trust Travis Lake Schlank said this about Jalen Johnson. We had him
ranked much higher than forty eight. We got pretty excited when we saw him there late. Just a really good playmaker, good with the ball in his hands, very good passer, push, his tempo, has the ability to get to the foul line. He's an extremely talented player, great size, great raw skills, rebounds, defense, Obviously had some issues at Duke in high school as well.
Shooting.
Shooting, Yeah, shooting, And then they end up getting Sharif Cooper at forty eight. Yeah, ESPN number four guard in the draft went to forty eight. A wild final season at Auburn. I guess he had recruiting questions and an ankle injury, but he's a steal. I like him a lot.
Yeah, I mean he averages like twenty and eight Like people don't average eight assistant college very often. Like there's yeah, there's something that I think he's a great spell for Trey I mean, I mean, even if that's all they drafted him for, which I mean he was the second round pick, so that probably is what they drafted him with that in mind.
Think about that Trey Young ankle injury, and then you think Sharif Cooper comes in instead of lou Williams because low wims. Who knows what's happening with Lou Williams right, if he retires, if he does it, who knows. And now you have Sharif Cooper to come in off the bench and step in if Trey Young gets hurt or if he needs a breather.
Yeah, and he's from that area too. I don't know exactly where he's from, but I mean Auburn's like right by it. I know, like he's he's he's going to be comfortable. Yeah. No, that's probably my favorite second round pick by a wide margin.
How does a team like Atlanta who made the Eastern Conference finals actually get better in the draft. I just I just don't know. I just don't know. Uh, Houston, I don't like this organization. I just don't I don't think uh that Tillman fur Tit is a very good owner, but he is getting out of the way. They had a stellar draft. They got the no brainer Jalen Green, who pretty much number everybody wanted at number two.
Yep.
Then they go and trade up for Alpera and Shngon at number sixteen, and I think that was a brilliant move because he's going to be able to develop for three to five years before anyone even wonders what he's up to.
Right, Yeah, I mean, I mean they've got bigs like that. He's not going to be asked to do too much too quickly.
Yeah. Yeah. And then he was at one point point ranked as high as number one in the draft by ESPN Plus, which is wild. And then Uzman Garuba fell into their lap at twenty three, ten spots below where some people thought he would land. Gruba may never score in the NBA, and then it just may not even matter again. Another guy who's not going to be expected to do shit like Houston's not going to win probably
anytime soon, and that's okay. Ralphaelstone called Uzman Garuba the best defender in the world outside the NBA, and he's only nineteen, so is he like a he has a more eager coachable international version because we're not gonna call Ben Simmons an international player, Like I don't care, I'm not gonna call him that. The more he's a more eager, coachable version of Ben Simmons, just a defender. He doesn't need to shoot, he knows his role, he's not trying
to play point guard. And then they get Josh Christopher at twenty four, who I didn't know a ton about, but his tape looks good.
Yeah, I mean McDonald's all American, ASU.
Yeah, as you puts out great guards. So still you overall have to say a team that was absolute hot trash vomit got four of the top twenty four picks in this draft and three players rated in the top twenty, and that's pretty fucking good.
And they're all guys that have at least a thin veil of excitement surrounding them, Like you could get a guy at like twenty two to twenty three that like, eh, that you're kind of luke warm on. I don't think any of those guys like if you're a Rocketstan, I don't think you're luke warm on any of these four guys. I think you're excited, like.
Like they could be stars, Like they all of them have legit potential, and they're all like, Wow, I like their upside. I like their upside. A sneaky pick, a sneaky team that won is like you get rid of Brooklyn, Brooklyn gets rid of Landry Schaman on Draft night to Phoenix, which you've got to be excited about.
Oh, I love it.
I love it.
I mean, I'm It's actually kind of funny because James Jones, he always gets ripped, ripped for his draft picks, even the ones that pan out, like Cam Johnson, Like everyone hated that, and he was just like, Okay, how about we just like see not make a draft pick. But yeah, no, I mean swapping twenty nine, which we all know doesn't have a whole lot of value. Javon Carter, who I like, I really like that. I'm gonna miss him in Phoenix,
but he wasn't getting minutes in the playoffs. And you get a guy that has like six seventh man potential, like come off the like the bench spell, you know our guards.
Who knows what happens with campaign if campaign's going to be out the door. So if he leaves, then you have somebody to come in and get some reasonable minutes right away. He has playoff experience. I really like Landry Shimant. He can fucking fill it up from three. Yeah.
Yeah, another great trade for James Show.
So then okay, Brooklyn gets rid of Landry Schamet and you're like, all right, well, the backcourt had some issues with injuries. We're not really sure where Joe Sai stands on Kyrie Irving. I'm sure he'll stick around, but who knows. They have to pay all these guys soon, and they get at twenty seven. Cam Thomas, my guy, Cam Thomas
is gonna get some burn. He is going to be a quote unquote rising player in the middle of next year where you're gonna be like Cam Thomas is ballin' balling off the bench.
Yeah. No, he's gonna have a chance to, you know, sneak into one of the all rookie teams for sure. I mean, he has an argument for being the best ISO player in the entire draft. And he gets to go practice with bunch Kevin Durant and James Harden like every single day. I love it.
And you know what, sometimes people get not what they want, but what they need. Like cam Thomas thought he was going to be a top fifteen guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, cam Thomas was fucking pissed last night. Yeah.
During the season, he was definitely thought of as a lottery guy. He slipped in the pre draft.
Process for sure, And I'm not sure why he fell so far so fast. It might have just been about like need and fit, Like, not everybody's as dumb as Sacramento, right, Not everybody's taking guards when they don't need them. Care I think meta.
I think it was an interview thing and people were worried, like, oh, he doesn't below the rim guy guy, guys that don't play defense. I think you just generally have like a worry about them, like, oh, do they really care about this? And then if a guy like that then goes and doesn't perform well in interviews, then you really start thinking that. And I think that's probably what he ran into.
And you know, the Brooklyn Nets don't give a fuck about guys that play defense. Yeah, they don't need to it, don't need to. Their philosophy is exactly what your philosophy, Marty would be a viewers GM. We just score thousands of points more than you, and that is what they're gonna get in Cam Thomas, and he's gonna now get to be in one of the best situations for him to grow and develop his game as a fucking bucket. I love this for him. He's not gonna get paid
as much, but who cares. You're gonna go and play with Kyrie k D and James Harden. They're gonna turn you into a little monster and then they're gonna ship you out just like they did Landry Schimidt. You're gonna have a real opportunity to get some fuck star player minutes. Cam Thomas, you should be excited. You're going to Brooklyn and you're probably gonna get a ring in your first
or second year Wizards. So counterintuitive, but Tommy Sheppard to me, made it easier for the Wizards to actually, how would I put this look themselves in the mirror by not trading Bradley Beal. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. Once Scotti Brooks got fired, you knew that Russell Westbrook was going because this is the deal. Russell Westbrook came back from a quad injury that he really shouldn't have come back from like, he should not have gritted through that.
He should not have done that, and he decided that he was going to try to do It's actually commendable what he did. I Am going to do everything that I can to get this team into the playoffs and save my favorite coach's job. And once he was not able to do that because we thought, like, oh well, Russell Westbrook's timeline on his contract will play out exactly with the extension of Scottie Brooks, and then Russell Westbrook will be a free agent and will and cut ties
with Scotti Brooks. And Russell Westbrook was and still is Bradley Beial's favorite teammate he's ever had. So Okay, Russell Westbrook does get them into the playoffs, they lose, and they don't save Scotty Brooks's job, and you at that point have to know it's a rap.
Yeah, I mean it felt that way.
Yep. All right, so you're gonna get rid of him anyway, and now you get back the number twenty two pick Montrez Harrow, who I like, who's a young guy who can still do things. He hasn't been utilized to the best of his ability. He's only making ten million dollars a year. He ops in. You get Kuzman KCP, who aren't great, We'll say, but you can flip them. They're already looking to flip them again. And you get the number twenty two pick. Who they end up getting, Uh,
who do they pick at twenty two? They got Isaiah Jackson, Yeah at that at that spot, Isaiah Todd at thirty one because they traded the number twenty two pick to Indiana for Aaron Holliday. Yeah, that's right, And they end up getting Aaron Holliday to be in the back court with Bradley Beal. Yeah.
They did a bad job on the draft like broadcast by the way of explaining these shits super bad.
They did like enough where I'm like, okay, I've got to now research this on my own.
You got to be on Twitter, like in order to really understand what's going on. The NFL does the draft way better?
They do? And then at fifteen they get Corey Kispert, who we know is going to fill in for Davis Bertons, right, Like you know that means Davias Bertons is getting moved, right, that's what you thought, right, I mean yeah, yeah, Like that's I love the draft because in if you're plugged all the way in, like there's such funny shade, like you can interpret like what that means. Like I saw the Toronto Raptors take Scottie Barnes and I'm like, whelpla Pascal Siakam.
Yeah, I mean we're gonna talk about that, Matt for sure, for sure.
So Corey Kisperta Joe Harris kind of guy four years again, Zaga can fill it up. He's gonna be able to get so many open threes that Davias Breton's just decided not to make. And Davas Breton's is fucking gone send him to Dallas where they want him anyway, great hair, Corey Kispert. It's a win. It's a win. So then you got Holiday Beale Kispert. I just like it. I like it. You went from a complete rebuild to like, I don't know, like.
Something, yeah, something you got You've got players that you can be excited about.
Yeah, I like that. I like that. Plus you've got Ruey Hutchimura. Ruey Chmur is gonna get tougher with Montrez Harrel. You know that Montres Harol will eat Ruey Hachimura for breakfast. If he doesn't get tough, like he will literally devour him. So yeah, they're gonna trade Kuzma. And now the interesting thing is that Spencer Dinwoodie wants to play with Bradley Beal. He has said, Okay, I'm willing to come here, so Aaron Holliday will be off the bench. Spencer didn he
will be with Biale. And he also said, hey, I'm also gonna recruit some guys to this team. DC's a fun city district whatever. I've lived there. It's awesome if they can find some guys to come. Who knows, maybe they don't even need to trade Bradley Beal. That's an optimist point of view Pacers. I think Pacers won. I think they won just based around taking d'Arte. It was a no brainer. Warriors wanted that pick so bad. Yeah, they snaked the Warriors. The Warriors are now still trying
to get Doorte from the Pacers. Like that's what the new news is. We'll talk about it in the loser section. They got Isaiah Jackson at twenty two, which I love because Miles Turner. That means Miles Turner's out, Like we saw that, and you're like, oh, a little more athletic than Miles turn Okay, I see what's happening. I see what's happening. Carlisle's like, get these motherfuckers out. Aaron Holliday's gone. So I like that. Uh did you like what the Pacers did getting him?
I thought they were gonna take Moody.
Guess not? Yeah, guess not.
I like Darte is just I mean he's I mean, he's what, he's like twenty four years old, right, I like him at I like him too. That that that that's not me saying like I don't think he'll be good or he can't be good. I just thought Moody was the more upside player, but a lot of people were passing on him too, so they're for sure it must be something going on.
First, I think there's something he went to pick right after, right, Yeah he did. He went to the Warriors. But now the Warriors are trying to ship Moody out too, and no one's taking him. So something's up with Moody, Something's up with Kaminga, something's up with them all right, Orlando getting sugs into their laps and them. Not all you have to do is just not fuck that up. A lot of people were scared because like you have Cole Anthony, you have Michael Carter Williams, You've got Mark mark el
Foltz coming off of injury, You've got Terrence Ross. You've got a plethora of guards. And if you were a dumb person or dumb organization, which they are, you would just not take them. You would take somebody of need. And they just, oh man, I'm loving that. I love that they could have taken Fronds. I mean, who knows.
Yeah, I mean, if you're picking top five, I think it's stupid to pick based on need, because if you're in the top five, you suck, so like you should unless it's like a trade, so like you you shouldn't be thinking about need. You should be thinking about who's the best player I can take that's gonna make the biggest impact. And then for a guy that I mean
everyone's talking about. The biggest thing about this draft was like we knew who the top four guys were, Like, we knew who the top four guys were, and they're picking five. They're like the ones like like creeping out the window, like oh oh, that stinks. We like just missed out and then one of them just falls right in your lap. You gotta take sugs.
Is gonna be right in the middle of the conversation for rookie the year it's gonna be him and paid back and forth. He's gonna get shit. I think, so shitload of minutes. And now Orlando's able to trade guys that they thought that they needed. Oh man, it's gonna be great. It changes the free agent market too, because now they get to trade guys and because there's so many point guards that are going to be available, because they have like six point guards, six guards that they
can get rid of. And then they take Franz Wagner at eight, which I think is kind of gross. Uh, But there was a lot of guys there that you could have grabbed it eight you could have gotten you could have gotten Ah, what's that kid's name? Book Night at eight. I would have loved that, which was supposed to be who they were gonna take it five. So you take book Night, that would have been. You could have taken shanegon on a flyer, you could have taken I mean, there's a lot of options.
Wagner is the guy who I just have the least amount of excitement like maybe in the entire draft, and like maybe it's because his brother. For sure, it's just like the Euro thing that like my brain is still just like programmed to think that those guys are going to be terrible. I just I don't know. I think he'll be.
He'll be met. Yeah, he'll be met. Maybe maybe he'll be something. Maybe he'll turn into Vouch. They did. They did get Vuch, so they do know something. He's not big, Like he's not like Vucha. I'm not into it. I'm not into it. Listen, I'm trying to convince myself and I'm not into it. Oklahoma City this is why. This is why they're winners, because Oklahoma City was not intending on getting better, Like they don't want to win anytime soon. So they take Josh Giddy and then they punt. That's
what you do. You take more picks. You just accumulate picks as much as you can. Them taking on Derek Favors for a future first round pick was like, okay, I know what they are now from the number one seed in the NBA this year correct, They're like, yeah, let's do this. This is what they are. They're two kinds of there's two analogies that I think of the mess. One they are the recycling scrapyard where they say, Okay,
you've got a car. You got a luxury car that's just a little too a little too expensive, a money suck. Pay us to take that car, and we're either gonna fix that car up or we're gonna sell it off for parts and get picks in return for it. Oh, you got a two thousand and eight LR two cost me a little bit too much to maintain. We'll take it off your hands. Just give us six thousand dollars and we'll turn that baby around for another six thousand dollars.
Or Another analogy that I have is that they're like the guy who has no interest in actually going on any dates, don't want to pay for any dates, but they just want phone numbers. They just want to put like a whole sticky notes on their wall of all the phone numbers that they accumulate, girls that they could have, like girls that they if they wanted, they could date, and then they sell those phone numbers to other people for more phone numbers, like they don't actually want. They
don't actually want to date anyone ever. They never want to get married. They just want numbers and the potential for more numbers. That's them. Do you get what I'm saying.
I get what you said. Yeah, I mean they just keep At some.
Point, they've got to like want.
To win, right, I mean, they're playing they're playing a super long game. They're doing exactly what the like Sixers did and what kind of Phoenix did, but they're doing it to like a way bigger extent, just accumulating assets and uh yeah, and they're talking about trading Shay too.
Like yes, by the way, Shae was another one of the the Mitch cup Check drafts. By the way, he picked him up. That was a Charlotte Hornet draft pick. Yes, sir, Yeah, I was traded to a place that was traded to La Clippers and then to and then to Yeah, gotcha. Anyway, Yeah, they just don't ever want to be good. They don't they have to. They're gonna trade Shaye because they don't
want to be good. So I mean they're gonna be good in like twenty thirty five, they changed the NBA changed the rules because they were literally like, give us your twenty forty five first Router, Like they're like, dude, we don't even know if the if the planet will be available then, like we're not even sure global warming and dinosaurs and like COVID, we're gonna get like the COVID zebra variant by the time Oklahoma City's any good. It's crazy. It is crazy. But that's them winning. That's
them being winners. Let's talk about losers. Man, the calves, So let's just go through them. I've got calves, kings, raptors, sixers, warriors. Do you agree, uh, calves?
Maybe, I'm not like, I'll tell you what. Ok, all right, let's hear it. Raptors one percent.
That's one of the worst picks that I can imagine remembering. Yeah, I mean that was like Massi massaia, is MASSI leaving? I'm like, is MASSI trying to fuck the raptors? Like?
Since, that's the worst I felt about a top five pick since back, I'm pretty sure.
Yeah. I was like, Wow, I guess they're keeping lowry. That's all I could think of, is like, you have to be keeping loud. Who else are you going to get? Has to be what it is. It's like a six Like I don't know so, okay, Calves. This is the reason that it's bad. The Calves took Mobili, which everyone knew was like part of that top four, right, Yeah, and everyone thought that they would do it. But here's
the problem. As Chris Fiedor said, there was some incorrect chatter about the Calves meeting with and working out Evan Mobley prior to the draft. Kobe Altman said that this was a unique process and they never had the opportunity to talk to Evan Mobley or work him out at all during the pre draft process. They never spoke with
or met with their first round pick. I would say that's not great, especially given the fact that the Warriors were willing to give you the seven and the fourteen, and probably Wiseman, who's we know what he is compared to Mobile. We know at least he has gotten some NBA minutes and probably Wiggins for that pick and some things, right, and you've got Jared Allen, who you love, that's gonna ask for the tune of one hundred and ten million dollars. So the fit's not there. The love's not there, Like
I mean not, I'm talking about vin Well. That's not even a pun. Like the love be. He didn't even want to fucking meet with you. He didn't want to work out for you, he didn't want to meet with you, and you just picked him anyway because you're like, because you fucking have to come here.
Well, yeah, I mean I think that's silly to pass on guys because they didn't work out there.
Try to trade for it. Try to try to trade that pick if he doesn't want to meet with you, and there's a lot of value. People are saying that Evan Mobley could be one of the blah blah blah blah blah blah blahs. You know what I mean, that's the I mean, that's the Sacramento mentality. That's why they took badly because he's the only one that worked out with him and wanted to meet with him. That's why they took him over Luca. I don't necessarily agree with
you that that's a reason to not take a guy. Yeah, we'll see, But I think needs there as well, Like what do you do now with Jared Allen? I think Mobley's ceiling is much higher than Jared Allen's. As much as I liked here, so does Jared Allen now get traded sign and trade.
I mean probably not. You're probably gonna see what you have with both of them. Yeah, I mean, I'm not trying to win this year.
No they're not. Yeah, they're not trying to win. They're like a word. I mean, they're a worse version of Oklahoma City. They have no ability to like accumulate picks except for the lottery that they're in. But I mean, I just don't trust anything that they do.
No, no, no, no no. Of course this isn't me saying like, oh, they were like really strategic and like shrewd during this draft. But I think taking Mobley at three was the right call.
I think if you could get but seven and seven and fourteen or t Sugs and trade fucking Colin Sexton's little bull ass and move out. I like Sugs more than I like Mobile. If you have Jared Allen, but I know you've said that he's more upside, but like if you all have, if you only have YouTube on this guy, he's not even willing to answer his phone. I just don't know. Cleveland, Cleveland, Cleveland, King's King's doing King's things consistently. Kings, Kings, you are trash. You are
so bad. You are so bad at everything that you do. Everything you do. Just when you pull me in and I think maybe you're changing, you do the thing that you're known to do. You got Tyreee Taliburt. And I'm like, okay, yes, you're telling me you're getting rid of Marvin Bagley. And I'm like, okay, you're saying, hey, we want to get rid of Luke Walton, but we just can't right now. Okay, You're gonna movedy buddy heel because he's making too much money. Okay,
You like, Where'shawn Holmes? You got out bid? You got out bid. You like Rareshaun Holmes best roller in the league. Okay. And then you take Davion Mitchell, who is six feet tall at the very most, when you have Fox and Halliburton and Healed and Harrison Barns and you don't need them.
No, And then like that's not even a guy that you could call like a combo guard that could play. But he's he's a point guard. He can't defend anyone other than the shortest guy on the team. Like he's he's a one, and he.
Is a one. Yeah, and you already have another couple of ones like Tyree's Halliburton is a.
One like your two biggest Yeah yeah, your two biggest pieces are like ones that could like maybe passes combo guards. But like this, you draft someone that's like locked into that position.
And so what are you planning on doing? Are you planning on starting or or playing dag On Mitchell off the bench? When you had you had book Night right there, you.
Had right like if you wanted to go guard, you like fucked up until like.
Yeah this guard right take Zire Williams maybe take. I mean, I just don't understand. It just does not unless you're fucking getting rid of Fox and we don't even know about it. Then that's I don't understand. Why would you get rid of Fox? I don't know they yet what you're doing. It like what you're doing.
Yeah, no, I mean they're just they're absolutely morons. They just say they don't know what they're doing. That's the most maybe in all of sports, just the most run down franchise.
It just doesn't. I mean, you're just like make it make sense. Apparently also earlier in that day they turned down or earlier earlier in the week, excuse me, they turned down getting rid of Bagley for fucking Yonas Valentunis. They could have just given up that nine pick, which let's say they already did. They punted on nine by
taking Davion Mitchell. But you could have had Jonas Valentinis and left Marvin Bagley by the wayside, which you know he doesn't even want to be there, and they passed up on that.
Yeah, I didn't hear about Tom and.
You would had seventeen and Yonis Valentunis, and you probably would have gotten the same exact guy. Davian Mitchell might have been there at seventeen. What are you fucking doing, Raptors, What are you doing? Raptors, what are you doing? Why would you pass on Suggs? What the fuck are you doing? I was so shocked. I know that that was chatter about them liking long athletic versatil guys that could switch everything.
I know that's a thing in Toronto. But like Suggs is the guy you lucked your way into four by having a tremendously awful year in Tampa Bay in a COVID year, and the ping pong balls rewarded you for all of those Tampa Bay fans booing you at your home games and you take Scotty fucking Barnes. Scotty Barnes, who is the second coming of Ben Simmons.
I mean, like they'd be lucky if he turns into that. It's just uh yeah, I mean, you've got Sugs right there, who's as polished as a nineteen year old could be. You're gonna get Really, I meant, like A said, I've already said, it's the most shocked I've been for a top five pick since Badley, Like, you've got the guy that you never thought was gonna be there. Well, I mean, I mean, you've got the guy that's right there that
everyone was slotted that like you shouldn't. It was just so obvious who to pick, and they just blew it.
Like to me, that means that there's an issue between Nick Nurse and MASSI, because I don't think Nick Nurse wants a guy that can't shoot. Nick Nurse has written an entire book about shooting. He's not gonna want this project.
Yeah, I mean, it just it doesn't make sense from a basketball standpoint, It doesn't make sense from a roster construction standpoint. It just I would love to hear whoever had final call, really defend it and just see what they say.
Tell me what you say?
Yeah, I don't know.
And at that point, like you must really hate Pascal Siakam. There must really be something with him in the locker room and Nick Nurse because he must have to go. I don't think they play together. People on Twitter were like, Tristy, you're a fucking idiot. They can play together? Can they play together? I don't know? Can they? You have? You have a point guard problem? Kyle Lowry? Are they Are they gonna keep Kyle? I don't know. Are they gonna
keep Kyle Lowry? Thirty seven years old? He's gonna get thirty million? Are they just gonna give him like a thank you for your service thirty million, three three year deal for ninety five million?
This free agency is gonna be so juicy, so juicy.
Also, if they do keep Kyle Lowry, Pelicans, what are you up to? What are you gonna do now? I can't wait. You're gonna end up with Josh Hard again and Lonzo Ball and be back in the same spot Sixers. You couldn't trade Ben Simmons and for that you have failed. Yeah, and for that you have failed. I promise you the Raptors love Scottie Barnes. That means they probably love That means they probably love Ben Simmons. What do you do then, Like you probably could have gotten that number four pick.
Yeah.
Maybe if they're taking Scottie Barnes right at four and you say, hey, do you think Scotty Barnes has a better upside than Ben Simmons, They're gonna say no, he's an all star right now, okay, and we'll give you a Kyle Lowry for on a signage, Like maybe you give him the rights. I know you can't trade Kyle Lowry right now because it's like rules. But maybe you trade Passcal Siakam for Ben Simmons and the number four pick. And now you've got a guy who can shoot in
Suggs and you got Passcal Siakam. That would be a hell of a deal. If you're this, if you're Darryl Moray, you do that deal? Do you not? Yeah?
Probably? I mean I mean I did. I think they're talking to just about everybody. And if you know, if the deal's not there, the deal's not there. It's such a it's such a weird thing. I have no problem with them being in the losers because it just doesn't seem like they really know what to do with them.
I don't know what to do with Ben. And they also didn't really do much to get a guard. I like, it's okay, but like they need someone that's a bucket now. Yeah, and everybody's going after Lowry and it's like, who there's a lot of people who aren't gonna get them. You can only play for one team, right uh? Colden State fam all of the news, all of the news pre draft was Draymond, Draymond, Steph and Clay all got together and they said, hey, please don't take any guys in
this draft. Please get us someone who can contribute right away. We need some help. We don't need guys who are eighteen, nineteen years old. We are in our thirties, we have already won championships. We are not in the mood. We're not in the mood to develop anyone new. We need to win now. And instead of trading those picks, they take some suspect ask guys Kaminga at seven and Moses Moodya at fourteen. And now they're lying to us. Now
they're lying. Now they're lying to us this is the Warriors are still saying that they're The Warriors are still this reporting says that they're still actively trying to acquire Chris Dwarte, according to J. Michael from the Indie Star League, sources tell Indie Sports that the Warriors are trying to get the Pacers to part ways with Dwarte offering Moody plus other assets. They're not budging right now. D'warte was the pick that they wanted to top of their board,
and the Warriors are saying that wasn't true. We didn't want him, we didn't want Dowarte. The fact that he wasn't there, Moses Moody, even if Doortay was there, we were have taken Moses Moody no matter what. And it's like that's a lie. That is a lie. And then in the middle of the draft there were talks that they were trying, first of all, all the way down to like the end of the clock, Golden State was trying, you could tell, trying to move number seven, trying to
move number seven, trying to move number fourteen. It's like thirty seconds left in the clock. That take kaminga because they think, in my opinion, they think Kaminga has value as a trade piece like two days from now. Yeah, I mean definitely the biggest trade value there just because of his upside. Right, So then they try to move them midway through the draft with fourteen and with blah blah blah to maybe somebody at eight or nine to slide in, and they can't do that, then they try
to move Moses Moody. Nobody's taken a like the Warriors are I think for who they are, Like Sacramento is a big loser, but they're always a loser. Like we think that the Warriors should be back into contention and maybe Kaminga. Everybody online is mad to all the Golden State Warriors beat reporters. This is fucking free Steph. He's
fucking in prison. They just want step to be Batman all the time and do all these heroics and then be in the eight seed playing in the play and tournament again, Like this is fucked, This is fucked.
Yeah, I mean you have to imagine they're moving one or more of these guys. I mean, I mean there's no way that they're gonna have Moody, Kaminga, and Wiseman all getting minutes next year.
That.
I mean, I guess they may, but that that just does not seem like something that they shouldn't keep doing.
Your mood is exactly like Miami. I mean, yeah, could add book Night, didn't draft him, could have had have reached for Dwarte, didn't. Bob Myers said this after the draft, Well, obviously we have to also add through free agency. We're gonna have to also get some older guys. I mean, you fucking think Bob Myers leagues ahead, leagues ahead the world the world is. I said this on Twitter today.
Yesterday is maybe the day where we all step back and say, I think we need to reevaluate how good Bob Myers is.
I mean, I've always thought that. I knew when he said that that was the most obnoxious and stupid quote of all time when he said, Oh, as a front office, we're leagues ahead. Okay, yeah, you got lucky because the cap was weird one year, you were able to sign the best player in the league to add to two time, then one two. But like a team that had been to the finals two straight years, and yeah, okay, yeah, your leagues ahead. You just figured it out, you shifted everything.
Just no fuck off, like you signed Kevin Durant, which, let's be honest, that's a Jerry West thing. You didn't move Klay Thompson even though you wanted to. Joe lacub and you wanted to move Klay Thompson, and Jerry West was like, hold on them, don't do that. Don't do we don't want Kevin Love. Don't do that. Yeah, no, no, So what have you done since he's left? Not much, not a fucking thing. Yeah.
I have a tweet going back the day Ryan McDonald was fired. I tweet. I haven't seen it a long time, but I tweeted if Bob Myers wanted the GM job right now, I wouldn't give it to him.
Absolutely not. Yep. Twenty eighteen eighteen surprises Josh Primo at twelve. We talked about him having a huge upside, but also I would say not that much upside, not twelve.
That twelve twelve is high. I mean, that's that's a Cam Johnson level reach, which I mean that panned out, but so this one, yeah, I mean, I'm not saying it won't, but that, Yeah, that shocked me.
Shocked me. That was just about as shocking as as the Raptors not taking Jalen sucks. It was like very close. It was like the next shot most shocking thing.
Yeah, where I was like, what with less implications, But yeah, no, I was. I was shocked.
But at the same time, like the Spurs do things that I have no idea about, and then they work out like they got to Jonte Murray at what like twenty seven and twenty eight, they got Derek White was late. They know how to draft, they do and at the end of the day, like, I'm not as good as RC Buford and I'm just gonna punt, Like whereas the Sacramento Kings don't get any grace, right, San Antonio Spurs get a lot of grace.
Yeah.
Jared Butler to the Jazz at forty also huge surprise. Jazz might have gotten the steal in the draft.
Yeah, I mean that's a guy that that there had to be something going around and it was pre drafts.
So basically he has a heart condition, right, has a heart condition, but he got cleared. And then once he got cleared, but he had that heart condition, there was additional medical testing that needed to happen as a part of that whole thing. And then through that medical testing that it was revealed that there were some knee issues, so he ended up falling significantly. But I think this might be one of the best spots for him to go. Jazz needs some guard play. They have some issues with
the cap. They're going to move some players out. He's going to get some playing time. He's going to get into the Jordan Clarkson style role and be able to develop without any pressure. Number one team in the NBA last year, and now he gets to be on that squad that has good culture. So I like that. We talked about Cam Thomas already. Iowed de soon moved to the Bulls at thirty eight. Another guy that fell like twenty twelve to fifteen spots lower than I think he
wanted and what anyone thought. He has a lot of upside. We talked about that. I like that a guy from you in the University of Illinois playing for Chicago from Chicago. I love that, huh. Where Like Kobe White is probably out another four to six months with the torn labram, the Bulls are going to use him right away. I think it's a great spot for him.
You agree, Yeah, No, yeah, I definitely like it, especially with Kobe White. Yeah, his I don't want to say his future in jeopardy, but his season a little we called his future.
I think his future is in jeopardy. I don't think the Chicago Bulls particularly like Kobe White. They didn't really. They benched him earlier in the season, like he turns the ball over, he's an erratic decision maker. I don't think Chicago particularly likes him. I think that if iod De soon MoU ends up being a better player than Kobe White's gonna find himself in trouble. I think he's going to find himself in real trade risk certainly.
Yeah, no, I like the pit.
Let's get into some news around the league. Man, this is how you know the team USA. The powers that be are the most crotchety, stick up their ass old school fuckers. I mean, we're way worse than Europe, way worse. They love themselves some fundamental basketball boy. Remember this. Remember when Trey Young tweeted that thing out. It was the Isaiah Thomas Gift or meet whatever video where it was like I met the criteria to be selected, but I wasn't.
When basically Bradley Beal got COVID and then had to be off a Team USA and they chose someone to step in and also Kevin Love left, so they picked JaVale McGee and Kelden Johnson, and Trey Young's like, Yo, where is my Team USA invite? Yeah? Unreal move. So they asked Jerry Colangelo about this and guess what, Marty, what do you think? He said, I'm sorry with a bad move.
No, I don't know.
Doubled fucking down. He said, I'm happy that Trey wants to play for USA basketball. We had him in one of our camps. We know him in USA basketball. He's done really well in the NBA, but predicated on what we felt we needed, he just didn't fit the bill this time around. He's a young player, has a future with Team USA Basketball. But it was the opinion of our staff, by the way, Staph, Steve Kerr, Lloyd Pierce, we'll get back to that that he wasn't a fit
for now. It's for others to make the declare the declaration that you made a mistake. Man. Wow. Okay, So remember Steve Kerr earlier this year said what Trey Young does is not basketball? Remember that? Yeah, they played I think Steve Nash said it too. They played there, was like a lot of chatter about Trey Young initiating contact and getting a lot of bullshit.
Calls, which is the only thing that they're talking about, because it pisses them off that he stops short and gets all those foul calls. They're just mad about it.
They're just like mad. It's like literally your salty. The Tray Young is so little and continues to fucking cook you no matter what you do. He remors, he throws, loves, throws floaters. You can't stop them, step backs. He's too little. There's nothing you can do. And you're like, fuck Tray Young, he's not gonna be on our team. Take your own ball, go home. That is shitty. That is shitty to Tray Young. It's obvious. So then Colangelo said more things. Uh, he
was not done, not by a long shot. He took the opportunity to also bust toss Kevin Love's ball handling skills. He was asked if Love was a mistake to add to Team USA roster, and oh boy, he did not hold back. He said, I didn't think Kevin Love was gonna play. I wasn't even sure he had much left to play. He reached out to us, and he said he was in shape and he felt he owed us. And on the basis of that, well, you know, being like a twelfth man on the roster. Well it didn't
work out. He wasn't in shape and he was way behind, as it turns out. So you move on. You call it a mistake, call it giving someone an opportunity, someone who had existing equity with us. Guys who play for us get a little plus. So fat ask Kevin Love was apparently a mistake in Jerry Clangelow's mind. And now an untradable asset just gets kicked in the mouth again. But Trey Young, Trey Young doesn't deserve a shot, just Kevin Love does. Ugh, Ugh Gross Gross. Finally, someone in
authority has given us some information on Kawhi. Clipper's president Lawrence Frank just came out and gave a fairly dire account of Kuhi's injury. He said, this, Kawhi Leonard's recovery is going to take a great deal of time. Right now. Our focus is on his health. He had major surgery, he tore his acl It's going to require a great deal of time and even more support. Major surgery. Not this was a partial ACL taar, but it wasn't a
partial ACL tear, if that makes sense. Like some partial ACL tears require surgery and some Don'tawi is gonna be out for a long time. This was full ACL construction. Lawrence Frank also reiterated that the team wants the relationship to last a very long time. I don't know, Marty, I don't know. I don't know. I think he'll probably come in and opt that. Do you opt in?
You could do a lot. I mean yeah, I mean I think if you're.
Smart person, you opted. He might finesse the Clippers into giving him like a five year deal, or he's gonna bounce in free agency or something. I don't know. Kawhi Leonard has way more power than he deserves. In my opinion, I agree, way way more. He's good, but not diva good. Only so many players are diva good. Almost none, almost none. Yeah. That's all the time that we have for this lead podcast. Please like, please subscribe, Please rate and review on Apple
and Spotify. We will be back Monday afternoon. The United States has a massive game coming up this Saturday morning at eight am. They played Czech Republic. If they lose that game, they are fucking out out. They are all the way out, and you know what, as someone who wants a fucking vacation, fingers crossed, baby, fingers crossed. All right, Marty, that's all the time we got. Let's uh, let's end this thing.