Speaker 1: So free agency has come and basically gone, and it
Speaker 1: was it wasn't It wasn't great. Let's be real, like
Speaker 1: it was a little underwhelming.
Speaker 2: All of the Dame news kind of dominated the trade
Speaker 2: deadline or the free agency moratorium. We all remember twenty
Speaker 2: nineteen only the glory days. Seven All Stars in twenty
Speaker 2: nineteen changed teams via free agency. Many of them changed
Speaker 2: teams in the middle of summer league this year just
Speaker 2: won a fringe All Star in Fred van Fleet, who
Speaker 2: got an egregious.
Speaker 1: Amount of money in Houston.
Speaker 2: I want everyone to get overpaid, but boy, oh boy,
Speaker 2: is forty something million dollars a year for Fred van
Speaker 2: Fleet a lot of money. No less than eight teams
Speaker 2: had max or near max money to spend. Three others
Speaker 2: could have made up and got into a max money
Speaker 2: to spend by not resigning their players. A full third
Speaker 2: of the league had MAX money available for free agents.
Speaker 1: And you know what they did. They did absolutely nothing nothing.
Speaker 1: What's going on.
Speaker 2: Free agency is dead, long lived trade season, long live tampering.
Speaker 1: That's what's going on. The athletics. John Hollinger, who I
Speaker 1: really like a lot.
Speaker 2: He's brilliant. He wrote an equally brilliant article that summed
Speaker 2: up pretty much my thoughts on the death of free agency.
Speaker 2: He pointed out that everyone is pointing out the new
Speaker 2: CBA as a reason that there aren't flashy free agent.
Speaker 1: Moves like there once was, and.
Speaker 2: In fact, though it was the last CBA that we
Speaker 2: are reaping the terrible benefits from CBA loosen restrictions on
Speaker 2: expiring contracts and brought us into the era of the
Speaker 2: Supermax extension, and as a result, no one wants to
Speaker 2: leave because the extension is too big, which is why
Speaker 2: going back, I don't give a fuck how they treat
Speaker 2: the Damian Lillard trade, because if we have two hundred
Speaker 2: and ninety million dollars to pay over five years to Shaden,
Speaker 2: it'll probably be like three hundred and eighty million dollars
Speaker 2: by the time he's a free agent. You're like, well,
Speaker 2: it's either three eighty or one twenty. I guess I'll stay.
Speaker 2: I'll guess I stay. So that was how that CBA works,
Speaker 2: is that you get the Supermax extension only from the
Speaker 2: team that drafts you, and they can't trade you for
Speaker 2: another full twelve months, and as a result, no superstars
Speaker 2: even reach free agency anymore.
Speaker 1: They say, well, you know what I'll do, I'll just
Speaker 1: sign the Supermax and then and a.
Speaker 2: Year I'll ask out, look at Dame sixty million a
Speaker 2: year asks out literally one year later.
Speaker 1: Twenty nineteen was the last gasp of the old free
Speaker 1: agent world. This season, the only teams to.
Speaker 2: Not adjust to the new reality were Houston, who signed
Speaker 2: Van Fleet and Dylan Brooks to big contracts but listen,
Speaker 2: they're desperate, and Toronto, who bizarrely acts like losing free
Speaker 2: agency for nothing is like what they're supposed to do.
Speaker 1: That's like, well, that's what it is.
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is like we just don't trade them when
Speaker 2: they're on an expiring and then they leave for nothing.
Speaker 1: That's like, that's it, that's how it goes.
Speaker 2: Instead, though, we got teams like Indiana who used a
Speaker 2: ton of cap space to buy and purchase or sign
Speaker 2: Bruce Brown, the bello of the ball, and everybody was like,
Speaker 2: why why is Bruce Brown getting over twenty million dollars
Speaker 2: per year from the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 1: But here's where it gets really interesting.
Speaker 2: Cap space rules and the new CBA is how we
Speaker 2: got to that signing. Got to give a little love
Speaker 2: to Chad Buchanan GM for the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 1: Very smart guy makes very shrewd moves.
Speaker 2: So he signs Bruce Brown on a two year deal,
Speaker 2: but get this team option in the second year, Babe,
Speaker 2: which means that Bruce Brown is only on a one year,
Speaker 2: which means he's on an expiring which means what he's
Speaker 2: a trade chip.
Speaker 1: He's a twenty million dollar trade.
Speaker 2: Chip, which gets you either multiple pieces back, or it
Speaker 2: gets you another valuable piece that you actually.
Speaker 1: Think is worth twenty million in return.
Speaker 2: Maybe you send him to a contender at the deadline
Speaker 2: and thinks that Bruce Brown's the final piece.
Speaker 1: For them to win a chip.
Speaker 2: Orlando did a similar thing with Joe ingles very smart,
Speaker 2: very enticing moves. They're basically just racking up and using
Speaker 2: their cap space to create a little war chest. Hollinger
Speaker 2: said it best. Cap space isn't cool anymore. The dream
Speaker 2: of an all star free agent signing is impossible if
Speaker 2: none of them ever become free agents in the first place.
Speaker 2: As a result, teams will need to think a lot
Speaker 2: more strategically about what max type cap room even means anymore,
Speaker 2: and what options are truly viable for franchises in that position.
Speaker 2: Many of them got fifty cents on their cap room
Speaker 2: dollar this year, and with so few genuine stars hitting
Speaker 2: free agency, I'm not sure the ROI is even gonna
Speaker 2: improve in coming seasons. I agree that being said, this
Speaker 2: new free agency was kind of fun, nonetheless, because.
Speaker 1: It's a lot more strategic.
Speaker 2: When you got guys signing Bruce Brown a twenty million dollars,
Speaker 2: you're like, who are they targeting? Like, who do you
Speaker 2: want that's getting paid twenty million dollars? Do you want
Speaker 2: a traded player exception for.
Speaker 1: Next off season? What are you up to? Because you're
Speaker 1: up to something.
Speaker 2: When it was just free agents getting paid max money
Speaker 2: and you knew that they wanted them and then they
Speaker 2: sign them, that's kind of boring.
Speaker 1: This is like Game of Thrones.
Speaker 2: That being said, I think that's gonna make parody and
Speaker 2: strategy and brilliance even.
Speaker 1: More paramount moving forward.
Speaker 2: So what I want to do is go over to
Speaker 2: who I think make good moves, who I think made
Speaker 2: moves that I'm not so sure are good, but they
Speaker 2: were moves, and then strange.
Speaker 1: Moves that I think are pretty bad.
Speaker 2: I think they're pretty bad moves, but I could be wrong,
Speaker 2: and then like can't judge it moves, Let's start with
Speaker 2: the good moves. We gave a little shine to him.
Speaker 2: The Indiana Pacers, they lead the list.
Speaker 1: I don't know how my guy buck chab you can
Speaker 1: and keeps flying under the radar.
Speaker 2: But what he's doing in Indiana is really, really interesting.
Speaker 2: I'll do a full segment on the full ways that
Speaker 2: he's revamped this roster with just a few different trades
Speaker 2: and in the draft. But Pacers won free agency and
Speaker 2: the draft in a huge way for starters. They give
Speaker 2: Tyrese Haliburt in the absolute bag five years, fun max
Speaker 2: two hundred and nine million. I think he deserves every cent.
Speaker 2: He might be the best passing point guard in the NBA.
Speaker 2: He is electric. He's the kind of superstar that you
Speaker 2: want to build your franchise around. A loyal one cough cough,
Speaker 2: alert to dame. Love him for this team. Seems like
Speaker 2: he loves the Midwest, and I think you building around
Speaker 2: a true point guard who, even though his shot is
Speaker 2: a little funny to look at, it's still pure and
Speaker 2: he can make his teammates better. That's very rare these days.
Speaker 2: But the Pacers were not done. They signed Bruce Brown
Speaker 2: two years, forty five million dollars. I explained why they
Speaker 2: did this second year is a team option. This is
Speaker 2: super strategic. It's a hell of a payday for a
Speaker 2: guy who was just making six million, but they are
Speaker 2: up to something Bruce Brown as a as a whole,
Speaker 2: and also on top of that, the Pacers needed to
Speaker 2: sign someone for that amount because of the luck, because
Speaker 2: of the cap floor. Otherwise than you end up losing money.
Speaker 2: Back to Bruce Brown that he can shoot, he can rebound,
Speaker 2: he can pass. It's not uncommon for him for him
Speaker 2: to have nine rebounds and ten assists or eighteen points,
Speaker 2: seven rebounds, seven assists.
Speaker 1: He can do a little bit of everything.
Speaker 2: He can play one through five, he can defend one
Speaker 2: through five.
Speaker 1: Legit six' four, guy the guy that played small.
Speaker 2: Five that's What brooklyn did with, them played him in
Speaker 2: the playoffs as a small ball five or as a.
Speaker 1: Four just one of the Best swiss army knives in the.
Speaker 1: LEAGUE i really like.
Speaker 2: Him and then The pacers go out and get another athletic,
Speaker 2: Guy Obi. Toppin oh B toppin' a no Stopping Obi.
Speaker 2: Toppin so they end up getting him for two second
Speaker 2: round picks from The. Knicks by the, Way Obi topen
Speaker 2: was a lottery. Player he can hit, threes athletic as,
Speaker 2: Hell he's versatile on offense and on, defense and he.
Speaker 1: Never really got a real role In New. York we
Speaker 1: don't even know what he can.
Speaker 2: Do we have no, idea and now he has a
Speaker 2: shot to be in the rotation in a major. Way
Speaker 2: he gets to play Alongside Miles turner in the front,
Speaker 2: court which helps him a, lot helps his ability to
Speaker 2: get to the rim while also helping Out Obi toppin's defensive.
Speaker 2: Deficiencies The pacers are gonna be a. Problem The pacers
Speaker 2: will be this. Year Sacramento. Kings i'm not saying they're
Speaker 2: gonna be the third team in The, east so pump your.
Speaker 2: Brakes BUT i think they're a playoff, team AND i
Speaker 2: think in the first round they make things difficult for
Speaker 2: whoever they, play and they're fun and they're, young and
Speaker 2: they're building something. Real and next year they're gonna even
Speaker 2: have more cap, space so maybe.
Speaker 1: They'll sign.
Speaker 2: Some other role player for two years and forty five million.
Speaker 2: DOLLARS i think the draft picks With Shepard Jeris walker
Speaker 2: on top Of Ben matherin And Andrew nemhard from last.
Speaker 2: Year is gonna be a fun ass watch this team's
Speaker 2: super Young hallagu's twenty, Three mattherin's twenty, One nemhar twenty,
Speaker 2: three top and twenty, Five Jeris walker, Nineteen Jordan noara twenty,
Speaker 2: four Aaron Ne smith twenty, Three Jalen smith twenty, Three
Speaker 2: Isaiah jackson twenty.
Speaker 1: ONE i, mean they only have a.
Speaker 2: Couple of guys with any age on the, roster and
Speaker 2: they're just kind of. CHILLING tj, McConnell Buddy, healed And Daniel.
Speaker 2: Thics we know what they. Are don't worry about. Them
Speaker 2: they're gonna be gone at some point. SOON i need
Speaker 2: to think about just just trade. Pieces trade, pieces some
Speaker 2: kind of expensive ones. Too you Package Daniel, TICE tj
Speaker 2: McConnell And Bruce brown and all of a, sudden you
Speaker 2: got yourself forty million in a.
Speaker 1: Trade see What i'm. Saying, anyway let's move forward With.
Speaker 2: SACRAMENTO i think they had one of the best free
Speaker 2: agent seasons as. WELL i know that a lot of
Speaker 2: fans that are very sad that this team did not
Speaker 2: Get Kyle. Kuzma do not Trip Harrison barnes at eighteen
Speaker 2: million is a. Steal you Give Dea sabonis two hundred
Speaker 2: and seventeen million dollar, extension and now you know you've
Speaker 2: locked down your center for the. Future you've made him,
Speaker 2: Happy you've kept him. Comfortable and speaking of keeping him,
Speaker 2: comfortable you do a deal with The Indiana pacers to
Speaker 2: bring his homie, In Chris, warte one of the guys
Speaker 2: who SHOT i think forty percent on catching shoot threes
Speaker 2: From Demona.
Speaker 1: Sabonis that is.
Speaker 2: A ton of. Stability that is a ton of respect
Speaker 2: for your star. Player on top of, that there are
Speaker 2: people who are, saying, well you didn't need to Pay
Speaker 2: sabonis that much.
Speaker 1: Money you. Didn't you can't even to take. It it,
Speaker 1: like get out of. Here this Is.
Speaker 2: Sacramento don't you understand how small markets. Are you must
Speaker 2: overpay your. Superstars that's how it. Is, then on top of,
Speaker 2: that the big free agent Signing Sasha. Vzenkov he signs
Speaker 2: a three, year twenty million dollar deal to bring him
Speaker 2: over From, europe where he was the Reigning EuroLeague, mvp
Speaker 2: the Raining European player of The year this past season
Speaker 2: eighteen seven and two forty percent from Three that doesn't
Speaker 2: that make your whistle wet?
Speaker 1: Pause six' nine? Forward?
Speaker 2: Pause nice he's only, twenty eight he's in the prime of.
Speaker 1: His career adds depth to a team that could.
Speaker 2: Use it, they ALSO like, i Said Get harrison, Barnes
Speaker 2: Back trey, Lyles back alex lenn, comes back gives them
Speaker 2: dempth at the center position they Move Or sean holmes
Speaker 2: so that they can do the Deal, for SABONUS which
Speaker 2: i like.
Speaker 1: AS well i like the draft picks that.
Speaker 2: They've add this has just been, very exciting, very exciting,
Speaker 2: very INTRIGUING and I think minni McNair's. NOT done i
Speaker 2: think there's even more.
Speaker 1: To do you just have to. Stay tuned HE'S the
Speaker 1: gm Of the year for.
Speaker 2: A reason up next Is The. MEMPHIS grizzlies i think
Speaker 2: they Also did.
Speaker 1: Tremenda's job it's not easy.
Speaker 2: When you've got issues in the clubhouse to try to,
Speaker 2: make moves but they Bring In marcus smart first and
Speaker 2: foremost before free agency even.
Speaker 1: Really begins in, the trade.
Speaker 2: Which is to bring veteran leadership, and tough gritty persona
Speaker 2: to really be the, big dog big Og To. John
Speaker 2: moran They Signed desmond bane to a five year two
Speaker 2: hundred and seven million, dollar EXTENSION which i. Absolutely like
Speaker 2: if you Don't Like, desmond bane you Don't. KNOW hoops
Speaker 2: i do not care about his negative wingspand he is
Speaker 2: a very. Tough defender he shoots from he shoots well
Speaker 2: from three.
Speaker 1: Pull ups he can do a little bit.
Speaker 2: Of everything he, can slash he, Can rebound he's a pretty,
Speaker 2: good playmaker and he's. The backbone he's a very very good.
Speaker 2: Culture guy they also.
Speaker 1: Add another veteran voice in the locker Room In. Derek Rose.
Speaker 2: Derreck rose is not the player that he once was after,
Speaker 2: the surgery but he can still give you ten to
Speaker 2: fifteen minutes of. Decent play he's a good presence for
Speaker 2: the team that has. Lacked leadership rose returning home is a,
Speaker 2: great story a good symmetry. FOR him i think it's
Speaker 2: a very underrated signing during the free. Agency period and
Speaker 2: they Also Add josh christopher in a deal that was
Speaker 2: part Of the chucker brigade that was In. H town
Speaker 2: I Like josh christopher coming off. The bench he's a
Speaker 2: buck getter and he's also a Friend Of. John morant's
Speaker 2: but the TEAM that i think made wine out of
Speaker 2: water really like more like wine out of urine Is The.
Speaker 2: PHOENIX suns i did not know how it was gonna
Speaker 2: be possible for them to fill this, roster out but.
Speaker 1: They did this is a team that add absolutely no.
Speaker 2: Wiggle room it was just vet minimum after, vet minimum
Speaker 2: AND so i, was like who are you really gonna?
Speaker 1: Get though what are you? Gonna?
Speaker 2: Do okay and what do? They do they put their
Speaker 2: hard hats on and they got. To Work matt ishbia
Speaker 2: put the team over the second apron with only six guys,
Speaker 2: under contract and they needed to figure, it.
Speaker 1: Out how do we pull the rabbit out of?
Speaker 2: Our Hat And james jones absolutely found. A way They
Speaker 2: Add Utah, Watton Nabe, Chimezi Metu, Kita Bates Dop drew
Speaker 2: Eubegs and Eric.
Speaker 1: Fucking gordon.
Speaker 2: Four of those five guys tall, as hell, have upsides,
Speaker 2: aren't pricey all can shoot and space. The Floor eric
Speaker 2: gordon is a three. POINT sniper i love the fact
Speaker 2: that they. Did This Utah watt nabe would have gotten
Speaker 2: so much more money if he didn't love Playing With.
Speaker 1: Kevin durant he is six'.
Speaker 2: Eight versatile wing he led the league last year in
Speaker 2: three point percentage and affective. Field goal percentage.
Speaker 1: Katie loves him. He loves kd he can play.
Speaker 2: Defense on and. Off the ball, he can rebound he
Speaker 2: can do all. The little things one. Out of player
Speaker 2: he's a. Good ass dude. People love him he comes
Speaker 2: to the team on a vetmin. On a vetmin do
Speaker 2: You Think Anyone utah watt nabi Included comes to portland
Speaker 2: on A Vetmin.
Speaker 1: For, damian lillard no the. Answer is no Speaking, Of
Speaker 1: The blazers drew.
Speaker 2: EUBANKS dips out i think he saw the, plane crash
Speaker 2: coming ended up getting his little parachute And. Flying to,
Speaker 2: phoenix six', ten another undervalue. Player legit backup center he can.
Speaker 2: Start center if, needed he can. Score he can rebound,
Speaker 2: he's very. Fucking tough very gritty he can. Shoot for
Speaker 2: a center he can shoot thirty. Eight percent from three.
Speaker 2: He's an intense dude he's gonna bring. Fire to the
Speaker 2: team he's gonna. Show up every Day Maybe he'll muscle
Speaker 2: DeAndre ayton a. Little bit in practice he was on
Speaker 2: multiple ten days and got a legit spot on The.
Speaker 2: Rotation For The blazers even eric gordon is a great
Speaker 2: veteran to. Lead the second unit he's gonna probably get
Speaker 2: some closing. Minutes in the playoff he's gonna be the
Speaker 2: guy that can get you a bunch of. Threes in
Speaker 2: the corner. That's what he Does, He's big shot Bob.
Speaker 1: He's big.
Speaker 2: SHOT gordon that's him i don't even know, why they
Speaker 2: did it.
Speaker 1: But they did it