The Mismatch - NBA Draft Takeaways, Steals, and Zach Edey

Episode Date: June 28, 2024

Verno and KOC recap the 2024 NBA draft, as they discuss picks they liked, picks they disliked, surprises, and more! They start off by discussing Zach Edey’s fit with the Grizzlies, the one big difference maker for Ron Holland’s development with the Pistons, and the importance of situation, fit, and opportunity for younger players entering the league (01:12). Next, they discuss why the Hornets taking Tidjane Salaun at no. 6 led to the Spurs trading away Rob Dillingham, Dalton Knecht’s surprising fall to the Lakers at no. 17, why Buck fans should be pissed, and the increasing value of international prospects (25:05). Also, which second-round picks have the best chance to succeed, as well as the best-case scenario for Bronny James, who was selected by the Lakers and is now teammates with his dad (50:30). Got a question for Verno and KOC? Send them an email at [e-mail]! Or you can send the guys a tweet @ChrisVernonShow and @KevinOConnorNBA! The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Producer: Jessie Lopez Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Bill Simmons. I am thrilled to announce our newest YouTube channel. It's called Ringer Movies. If you're a fan of our movie coverage here at The Ringer, then you're in luck. Because every episode of The Rwatchables and The Big Picture, now on YouTube. Like Bill said, Ringer movies will feature full episodes of my show, The Big Picture, the Rewatchables, as well as special live episodes, deep dives into movie history, and a bunch of other fun stuff featuring other movie-loving Ringer personalities.

Search Ringer Movies on YouTube and Experience the Joy, Chris Ryan impersonating Wayne Jenkins on camera. Welcome to the mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and join him as he does every Thursday night from the ringer.com. It's Kevin O'Connor, A.Kee, Kevin O'Connor, Kevin O'Colner, Kevin O'Connor, Kevin O'Clyn, Kevin O'Brien, Kevin O'Brien, Kevin O'Brien. To the Grizzlies, I'm surprised to see you, Chris. I thought you weren't going to show up. I thought you were done and I never see you again.

Welcome to the show. You know, I've been going through it for the last 24 hours. Kevin, after you posted so rudely a video of me saying that I would disappear if Zach Edie were drafted by the Grizzlies 9th overall, I was inundated with people that were happy that I was going to disappear and that you very well may be able to get a new co-host. and it has hurt me to my core that instead of saying no no please whatever you do Verno

don't leave us it's all going to be okay it's just a bump in the road instead I was met by rude trolls telling me good riddance, thank goodness, you better live up to your word, and many other

horrible, horrible things that were said to me. Now, I want to be abundantly clear about that video that this turncoat, Kevin O. Turncoat, put up. The thesis of that, why? wildly out of context video. Oh, wow. Out of context. Is that what you're supposed to say? Wow, look at you. You're really inspired by the debates tonight.

That's what I'm supposed to say. That fake news that Kevin O. Turncoat had put up was the reason I was going to disappear was not because I hated Zach Eadie as much as I hated the idea. of me and Kevin O'Connor being on the same side and him getting his way. That's why I said I could never see Kevin O'Connor again, was because that would mean he was right about Zach Eadie, and in fact, he was getting drafted higher than anyone, anyone, including Kevin O'Connor, projected. Now, actually, I had him seventh on my final big board,

but not in the mock draft. The mock draft was lower, yes. So this is what was written today. Winner, Zach Eadie and the Grizzlies. On June 3rd, Chris Vernon and I recorded an episode of the mismatch. Some poor soul is going to take him high, Verno said. If he goes nine to Memphis, you'll never see me again. Verno, of course, is talking about Zach Edie,

who is Memphis Grizzlies selected with the ninth pick. God, I love this podcast. Well, that makes one of us. And by the way, Verno will fall in love soon. So will all Grizzlies fans. Edie is going from Braden Smith to John Moran as his point guard. Morant will create easier shots for him than he's ever had before. And he's going to be supported by a defense with some stout perimeter defenders and former defensive player of the year in Jaron Jackson, Jr.

There wasn't a better fit for Edie in the entire draft that Memphis. I wasn't sure it was going to happen. The Grizzlies want to play fast and they will. But it turns out they also want to be able to slow it down. and now with Eadie, they will be able to play any way they want to and both dictate the matchups and respond to the matchups in a playoff setting. And so there you were, after ruining my evening last night, there you were with this bright spot of an article this morning. And look, you know me for a long time now and you know there is nothing more that I would love than the guy being awesome. That would be the greatest.

It does me no good if he's not good. So I am hoping, against hope, that you are right and that the deficiencies that I have pointed out, that the track record of veteran big men in college and going to the NBA, which John Hollinger wrote drafting these guys is like lighting your money on fire. I'm hoping that all of those are foolhardy and that this is the exception and that this is a guy that's going to be a monster, be able to stay on the court and is going to be an outstanding center in the league. I was absolutely shocked.

And with the way that last night played out, tell me if you think this is right. So there's a lot of smoke about them possibly trying to trade up to get Donovan Klingin. They went way out of their way today to try to make it clear, oh, we're so happy. We always wanted this guy or whatever else because you never want a guy to think that you wanted somebody else, right? It got to six, and that's where everybody thought it was going to take place. I believe Jake Fisher even reported that it was going to take place. Yeah, he did not.

Okay. Doesn't it feel like once the draft got to six that if you are trading down, that you still want to be able to get your guy and that the French guy Salon went six and that that's who San Antonio was targeting and that's why they got off of eight with Dillingham because that's not who they had their sights set on and so they just went ahead and punted on that eighth pick

but that if they if they didn't think if Charlotte would have thought Salon was going to be there at nine, maybe that deal gets done. But they were convinced that eight, which was right ahead of Memphis, that he'd be off the board. And now we don't want to trade down because we want this guy. And so that feels like if you just see the way the draft played out, a possibility.

But I do believe Memphis, when they say, we wanted Zach Eady. That doesn't mean that they didn't want Donovan Klingin as well, right? But not for the price that was being demanded. Correct. And I wish they would have phrased it as, look, these guys were very high. Both of them were very high on their board.

And we didn't know if we'd have a chance to get either of them, but we're thrilled with what we did get. We do like the way this guy fits with our team and whatever else. You've been there the whole time. time, like, this is not, like, we get to do this as an honest podcast. No matter who would have drafted him, you liked Zach Edie. And so then when Memphis is the one that takes him last night, you loved the pick. Yeah, I mean, honestly, I think the Grizzlies are one of the winners of the draft because

Edie at the ninth pick, they get their center. And then in the second round, getting Jalen Wells and Cam Spencer. Spencer just won championships with Yukon and Jalen Wells. he's a great story D2 transfer goes to Washington State D1 guy both of them are 40 plus percent shooters from three so the Grizzlies add

shooting for spacing for John Morant and then they add a big I think with Eadie look I mean I understand why a lot of people have questions about Eadie I understand why you've had questions about Eadie I do I get it like he in the past has not been a productive defensive

player but I thought Zach Kleinman the way he talked about it his presser afterwards, Climman is the Grizzly's GM for listeners. Climman said how he thinks it's been kind of misunderstood with the way he was in college. Plymouth mentioned how Purdue told him not to fall out. They didn't want him in foul trouble. They told him not to contest shots just to be in the right positioning. And that's what he did he did.

And he did it well. Like he's just so massive and he deterred people. But I think with Memphis, he's going to be able to play aggressive for really the first time ever. And he's improved defensively. His agility improved over the course of time. And so I think you factor in, you know, what he could be with John Morant in the half court as a lob guy, as a finisher, as a rebounder, as a screener for all those shooters off ball. He's the best screener in the draft for Wells come off of screens for Desmond Bain picking rolls and handoffs. Like to me, Eadie's going to be a major cog for this Grizzly's team.

And I look at that Memphis roster now when you project Jogget and better and Jaron Jackson, Bill. on his improvements last season. To me, if I'm a Grizzlies fan, I'm really excited about the shape this team is taking and what they can be in the coming two, three years. I think it's going to be super interesting to watch it unfold, especially with what you were talking about in the half court,

because one of my concerns was, and this is what the video portends, is that they fly up and down the court. Now, the other side of that, which is fair, which is, yes, they do fly up and down the court. Yes, they do try to get out in open space. Yes, they do have the fastest point guard in the world. But they are a pitiful half court offense,

and especially when it comes to playoff time, they have struggled in the half court and that this guy is an absolute half court cheat coat. And so you have to find a way to improve your half court offense. The defense thing is going to be interesting. And, you know, I mean, obviously with all, you know how I feel about all the drop bigs, right? Yeah. They can, if you're not an athlete, you're played off the court.

Or you're at least can be deficient because a team that can go five out against you. Guys like that are not coming all the way out to the perimeter. So now you're just giving up open threes in a league that takes open threes all the time. And that's why I've always fancied the athletic types. That being said, I will say. He is easily the most polarizing player in the draft. I read your article that absolutely loves it. I read, you know, Hollinger and Vassini, which are kind of like middle of the road,

Hollinger lower on it than Vassini is. I read Seth Davis, who did not like it at all. Kristen Piquit, Yahoo, hated it as well. Hated it. And so it's polarizing. Everybody has an opinion on it, which to me makes it. the most intriguing of the fits because

look, it's going to be fun to watch it play out because maybe it is just falls in the gray area or maybe he's terrible or maybe he's awesome, but everybody's got an opinion on it. Unlike most every draft pick that we have.

There are stronger convictions about him than virtually anybody else. Anybody. It's like Eadie and Brani are the guys people talking about the most of this drafts. The ninth pick and the 55th pick. Yeah, you know, I was watching that today.

You know, of course, it was on at the same time as like what Judge Judy or something would be on on TV at the afternoon. And I really thought they messed up that. Judge Judy's still on? Yeah, I think so. But that two-hour Bronny James special, I thought they interrupted it too much with other players getting drafted, you know. Because I just wanted more talk about Brani.

They should have just called it the Brony James special. Probably would have gotten even bigger ratings, too. You're probably right, actually. Four people sitting around lecturing us all about Brony James getting drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. They should have brought Brony James in the title of the TV episode. That's what they should have. You probably would have gotten Gangbusters ratings. A highest rate of draft ever, and it's only the second round.

Let's go back in time. All right. So obviously, we had to address the Edie situation right off the bat. Can't wait to see you in Memphis in your Ediot jersey. Oh, I love one. If the Grizzly want to send me an Edie jersey, I'll hang it right up there next to Rudy Gobert. I'm like right up there in place of Ingram. I just got a text saying he's wearing number 14.

So if you want to go ahead. Oh, wow. Yeah, right there. Brisley's PR is listening. Right in place of Ingram. We'll get you an Edie jersey. And here's the other thing is, we don't know the answer to it yet. So he did not come in town today.

So eventually I will have him in my studio. But are you going to tell him? Are you going to say, hey, I was, I questioned you. Because I know you did that with past draft prospects. I have, you know, it's such a huge moment for these guys. And obviously, when I was young, I regretted doing that. You know, I think I could be honest with him and say I was torn on you as a prospect, I never said the guy's going to be terrible.

No, no, no, you didn't. You just didn't want him from Memphis. No. I mean, okay, Kareen, John, Bernal. Huh? No, I never said he's going to be terrible. I didn't say it was going to be terrible. Find the clip.

Find the clip. Find the clip. If it does exist, please burn it. John Morin can run off and down the court seven times. Well, that is true. None of that is untrue, by the way. And you will see it. In fact, John Marie will dunk on him in a game and he's on the same team.

Somehow that's going to happen. Maybe just vault right over on the top of him. So anyways, look, I am a little, we're going to fight out. So he's evidently supposed to be on this training camp roster for Team Canada. I don't know if he's going to play Summer League. Oh, yeah, yeah, that's true. Because Canada's supposed to play USA like that same weekend. Right. So I don't know if he's going to be part of the Traindicap roster and all that stuff for Canada and that then rules him out for being able to play Summer League. But here's hoping that he plays in Summer League.

And one question about the Grizzles, I know policemen are like, move on from the Grizzlies. Yeah. But I will say, I will say this is a fair one because do you know what on the scroll on the bottom on ESPN today? The first thing was Zachary Riesuchet goes number one to the Atlanta Hawks. second thing they mentioned, this is college fame. Yes. And how big a deal it is. The second thing they mentioned was two-time Naismith player of the year. Zach Edie gets drafted ninth by the Memphis Grizzlies. Like, he's famous, famous.

It also kind of shows the benefits of going to school for four years, like his improvement on the court, but also just the name recognition. Like, you can hear it in the crowd when he was announced, both in Memphis for your local show, the party that was had, but then also at the draft itself. Like that got a louder response than basically anybody on the first night. Yes, huge. So, I mean, I think that is worth mentioning. Anyway, what else do we want to talk about, Chris?

Okay, so let's go back in time. We thought the draft was starting at three with Houston. It did not. It started at five, right? Because everything kind of went according to most of the mock drafts. Rises Shea, Sarr, Shepard, Castle. If Castle was like one of the guys for the, Spurs. One of the guys, right? And then a player that you and I have talked about quite a bit,

I tried to go see him in person this year. And one of my great regrets was not being able to, because he had already had the thumb injury for the G League Ignite. When I saw Bozellus, I really was going initially to see Holland. And then he was, you know, he had been ruled out of the game. So I did not get to see him in person. But I've talked to you a lot about these high school players and the fact that this guy was considered the best of his peers for a very long time. He did not go and have an okay season with the G League Ignite. He averaged almost 20 points a game in a league of guys scratching and clawing trying to achieve their NBA dreams or their two ways or their grown men who were once veterans in the NBA.

I would encourage anybody like look at G League rosters every once in a while. you will be amazed at who all is in the G league now. And so it's impressive to me for a kid to come out of high school and be able to do what he did. And I thought that there's somebody that's going to overlook that he was kind of out of sight, out of mind, at least on a fame level. And that this guy was supposed to always be good. And we have a conviction about him. It turned out the Detroit Pistons were that team. and I thought it was super fascinating what you wrote today

because I think some people have busted them up over this pick you thought because of, and we always talk about situation and fit, that this could be the best thing for Ron Holland because of a recent hire they had made. Yes, so the Pistons, they don't have a head coach right now, but they hired Fred Vinson, an assistant coach that was previously in New Orleans.

And with New Orleans, Vincent was integral in making Herb Jones into a reliable shooter. I talked with Herb Jones for like a story we ended up not being able to run, but maybe working out in the future. And he like raved about the work Fred Vincent did with him. Years ago, I talked with Lonzo Ball for a thing we did on the ringer about, you know, shooting improvements. And he raved about Fred Vincent changing his mechanics. Remember how Lonzo used to have that slingshot jumper?

And then he became a good looking shooter. That was Fred Vincent's work. with Lonzo Ball. And so Vincent has been one of the best shooting coaches in the world for quite some time now. So the Pistons hire him. They got Osar Thompson there. You know, even Cade needs to extend his range. They have other guys in that team that need help with shooters. Well, then you take Ron Holland with the fifth pick who was below 30% from three this past season, a 73% guy from the free throw line. I don't think he's without hope as a shooter. So for Fred Vincent to now be paired with him, this is an ideal opportunity. in situation to learn from one of the best shooting coaches in the world for Ron Holland. And I am, as somebody who had him, you know, in the mid-teen, I had him like eight, nine,

or ten of my board, the final board that I had, I'd move Holland up my post-draft board purely because of the coach that he's going to be able to work with to improve his biggest weakness on the offensive end of the floor. So I'm even more bullish on Holland as a prospect moving forward only because of that. It's really that simple because this stuff matters, Chris. It's like you said, situation, environment, opportunity is huge. All of those things that you were just mentioning about an article that you previously put together, this could be an unbelievable article that you could post at some point in the season if it takes,

because I do think that it is totally fair. Because the guy would be an absolute miracle worker, because I think it's fair when people say, hold on now, you don't have anybody who could shoot on that team. Ivy can shoot a little, but your spacing is nil, and you don't have guys, but we have always liked the collection of talent, right? We like Ivy, we like Cade, we like Holland, we liked Asur Thompson, but it's like we do understand that they've got a spacing issue because they don't have guys that could just space out the floor. What if this guy can work a miracle? and the group of players that we look at and we say, yeah, it's a cool collection of talent,

but you still are going to have to have some space. You've got to have somebody that's honored past the three point line or multiple guys that are honored past the three point line. If that guy can pull that off, then he will be an even bigger name. Amongst basketball circles, there are two names that everybody knows regarding, shooting and they are Chip England and they are Fred

Vincent, right? Yeah. But the average NBA fan would become well versed in Fred Vincent if he's able to turn these Detroit kids who are very talented, but all have that kind of as a deficiency.

Beak could turn them into good shooters and that changes that franchise, honestly. For sure. I mean, you mentioned Chip England with OKC. He was with the Spurs for many years. OKC hired him away a couple years ago. Interesting thing with them as well, they draft Topich, a point guard who's probably going to be out of Serbia for the torn A.C. Elvis entire season with the 12th pick on the draft,

and then they traded in late in the first round to get Dylan Jones. Both of those guys are different types of players, but they have one thing in common. Topich is a guy who shot below 30% from three. Dylan Jones shot below 30% from three. But guess what? They both shot above 80% from the free throw line. they've both shown touch from the line from kind of that floater range at the rim. So for Chip England, it's similar to what we just talked about with Ron Holland. This is a great situation for those two rookies coming in to work with a renowned shooting coach. And maybe they end up maximizing their potential. Because again, opportunity, situation, all of that, like it plays such an integral role in the success and failure of young players.

And I think if you're looking at all of those guys, if you're their agents, If you're the players themselves, I'm feeling really good about where I ended up. Okay, so Holland, obviously, we were all stunned by. Were you surprised by six, seven, or eight? Because we already covered Eady right off the bat. But six was Salon, seven was clinging, and then eight was the trade where San Antonio went out. So if we're just dealing with these top ten picks right off the bat, of six, seven, eight, did all of them surprise you the way that played out?

Well, Six didn't as much because Kristen Peake over at Yahoo Sports, she reported earlier in the day that the Horn, it's really like Salon. And then I looked into that after seeing her initial report and like it confirmed a lot of it that Salon is in high consideration for the Hornets at six. There's questions about are they just saying this because they want to force the Spurs to trade up? Is it like just, you know, a smokescreen or do they actually want him? my understanding was that they did want him and obviously they get them clinging at seven i you know posted on social about how i think this makes aiton and and robert williams expendable right away i i think i'd take take a step back there after thinking about it more last night after the draft after the first round to me like aton's improvement is a mid-range shooter

if he can extend to three next season it's worth trying with like two bigs we're going to see that across the league, whether it's, you know, Eadie and Jaron Jackson Jr. or, you know, I think a lot of teams are trying to do two bigs now like Boston has had, like Minnesota. And so I think Portland will try it. And if Aiton can't shoot, then you flip them. But ultimately, the biggest surprise of those six, seven, eight points was definitely the Spurs trading the eighth pick Rob Dillingham to Minnesota for picks that aren't coming for six years from now. And I was, I was shrewd, I was shrewd, shocked by it because I thought the Spurs for sure were going to come away with two rookies in the lottery. There are so many good fits next to Victor Wenayama and to not get a

pick a swap until 2030. You're not going to get that until then and then you don't get a first until 2031. I have some real questions about why the Spurs decided to go this route, though I'm understanding that they're just punting on a young guy now for flexibility later on when Victor will be in his second contract and picks become valuable to move within a draft or they're betting on the wolves maybe imploding or becoming worse and those picks have high value in the future. I understand that. But at the same time, I think there are a lot of guys that that made sense today as you begin building around Webben, Yamah. Do you think it was that Salon was not available there? Yeah, it feels that way, doesn't it? Yeah, I think that had a lot

to do with it because it does seem like the Spurs really like Salon and you know, they've been friends a long time. Wembe and Salon, they share an agent as well. They both have similar mindsets with their hard nose, tough, aggressive, you know, constantly running motor, try hard attitudes. Like they got that in common. So I think with the Spurs, maybe the Spurs were thinking, we want to take a big swing at eight.

The big swing is either Salon or distant future picks that, you know, maybe they work out, maybe they didn't. I like the Dillingham thing in Minnesota. That's another guy that can make a play off the bounce, and they desperately needed, you know, they had one guy that could really take you off the dribble on a regular basis in Anthony Edwards.

And you could even tell when, in the games during the playoffs, when Mike Conley was out, it's like, man, they didn't another guy that could just dribble, you know, and like get a defense in motion. Because here's that,

if nothing else, you know that Rob Dillingham's going to be able to get an opposing defense in motion. He's beating guys off. the dribble. End of story. And so I actually think that that was a really good get for Minnesota to be able to snag that. Lord knows, you're never expecting them to getting the eighth pick in the draft. But there they were. And it's one of those things where at least, especially if you're a fan, it's like, I do, I'm a fan right now. And I'm a fan for next year. And this feels like a championship

window for us. Like, who gives a shit about 2030? Like, okay. Like, that's a middle schooler right now. Like they are you literally traded rob Dillingham for two middle schoolers. A hundred percent. I mean, I think for Minnesota, the window is open now. And with so few other future picks, Tim Conley saw this is his avenue to take a big swing. And to me, like, I think it's a genius move, Rob Dillingham. Like, you look at the weaknesses. Again, opportunity fit.

Dillingham is 164 pounds. He's only six foot one. He's got to be targeted on defense. That's a fact. It's going to happen. Vurdigo Bear is behind you. Jayne McDaniels is flanking you on the wing. Anthony Edwards is flying around.

Carl Anthony Towns is out there. There's so much size and versatility. It almost doesn't matter as much that if Dillingham is your lone weak link on defense, especially when you consider what he can do offensively. Chris, you're 100% right. They just need more playmaking, more creation,

more ball handlers. And so you take Dillingham, who's the best shot creator in the draft class, he's a knockdown shooter from any range from three from Fuller Range, pull up, stepbacks, it doesn't matter. And you pair him with a great screener and Gobert or a great pick and pop guy with Cat. And by the way, I talked to you about this about Minnesota when they were facing Dallas,

all the lobs that lively God and Gafford were getting. Gobert, like, it is not a lob thrower. Conley is. Conley's good at that. Dillingham, he improved a lot as a playmaker his freshman year at Kentucky. If you go back and watch all of his assists, he's a great lob thrower. He's really good at throwing lobs.

He found Justin Edwards a lot. He found there big there a lot. He's very good at kind of, he has flair. Like he plays with that style, and that, like the lob pass kind of reflects that with him. And so I think Dillingham,

Gobert could become a very good pairing in the years to come. And by the way, like it's just going to be straight up fun. Like Aunt Edward and Dillingham and a back court together, that's going to be sick. The other thing is it gives them one more guys,

we talk about they can beat you off the dribble, but most importantly, it's like they need more guys that you could say, go get me a bucket. Like everything's bogged down or ain't got two guys on him. Go give me a bucket, man, because Towns is an outstanding offensive player. He is also a guy that is generally created for, right? I'm not saying he can't. You can't throw him the ball and him get you a bucket, but he's not bringing the ball. The ball's not in his hands immediately, right? got to get to his hands. And so it's another guy that can have the ball in his hands and say, hey, we need a bucket. Go get me a bucket, right?

Get open and create your own shot and a good shot. Yeah, that's a fun one for Minnesota. All right. Looking at the draft, when's the next time that passed Eady that something really got a rise out of you? I mean, I think you could say Buzellas to the Bulls at 11. But you knew at some point he's going off the board. Yeah, that's what I mean. So I don't think it would be that pick.

I don't think it'd be 11 with Buzellas because like you said, inevitably he'd have to go. I think it honestly would have to be 15, 16, 17. Let's just set that up. 15, the heat take Kelle Ware, which I like a lot. Talked about that on the draft show with Tate and Kyle. I think the fit there where at spacing, room protection with BAM out of bio, it's intriguing. That wasn't unexpected, though. McCain to the Sixers, not unexpected.

Like, he makes sense there, working with Maxie in the back court, and with Joel and B. But all of these picks meant Dalton Connect fell to the Lakers at 17. That's the next time I was like, when is Connect going to actually go? and the fact he went to the Lakers with J.J. Redick as the coach, one of the greatest shooters ever, and he's being paired with Dalton Connect and kind of this offense that he wants to reshape with AD facilitating more DHOs and whatnot. I'm just fascinated by how Connect fell.

And the fact he fell to the Lakers, which I think is a perfect fit for him, like to me, that could be one of the steals of the whole draft. And for the Lakers, they really lucked out that he ended up falling there, opinion. You know, I thought it was interesting. Even Gvoni on the broadcast is saying, I'm getting these texts from GMs and they're going, what is going on here, right? Is it med red flags? Is it what? And then he brought up a couple of things. He was on, like, you know, he's old. He's 23 or whatever. And so how many times do we come on here every year and say, how many times are draft mistakes because somebody was ageist when it came to the draft, right? That so many times. The answer is to the question, yeah, but he's 23. And what is this guy going to look like when he's 23? And unfortunately, so many times the answer is not as good as him.

You know what I mean? Right. Like, I mean, what do you want him to be? These guy, is this guy going to be the kind of guy that? And so, you know, in a world of projections and you're obviously, you know, so many times trying to catch lightning at a bottle. He goes down to a team that he can come in and play. He was one of the prospects in the draft that you say,

hey, you're comfortable, and especially when you look at this draft, there ain't that many. There ain't that many guys that you just say, he could start for me on day one, or he could play for me immediately. Like, Don't connect and play for them immediately. It's a man, you know. Yeah.

And so he's going to be able to go. 23 years old right now. He's going to be. in the Laker rotation next year, and you wonder how many of the guys, of the 16 guys ahead of him, how many of those guys are actually going to get rotation minutes for their teams? Yeah, it's a lot of young guys. Like, I mean, like, Topitch will probably be a red shirt for OKC. Carrington, like, he's going to be losing games every night with the Wizards.

I mean, as was Saar. Yeah, Saar, like a lot of these guys. So I think with Connect, fall into 17, somebody had the, fall and you know bozellus fell to 11 carter fell to 13 to the kings which is a good pick for them um and connect fell to 17 but ultimately like when it comes to the topic of age i understand like historically younger players or who end up being the best players in the league that that's because usually like the highest performers or high performers when they're 18 19 but development is never linear and dalton connect you know just three years ago was playing a jean

junior college. Two years ago, he was averaging 8.9 points per game for northern Colorado in the Big Sky Conference. And it wasn't until this last year, his fifth year of eligibility in college, he transfers to Tennessee. And he becomes a star dropping 35 points many times over the course of the season, improving within the season as a defensive player with that system there that requires good defense. He got better over the course of the year. So I think with Connect, like he wasn't, He wasn't even on the draft radar just two, three years ago because everybody's story is different. And for him, he's a late bloomer. And just because he's 23 on draft night, I don't think that necessarily means that he's anywhere near his ceiling as a player.

He's just a little late to get in there. And so for the Lakers, that's pretty exciting. So he also falls, and we've talked about this many years in a row. He falls in that range of guys. How many guys have we talked about Kev? over the last couple of years, over the last eight years, for that matter, including some of the best players in the world, the Anasanta Ticcumpos, the, the, the, the Kauai letter, on and on,

that are in that like 12 to 18 range. And so many times we look at the end of even their rookie year or a couple years in, and we're like, oh, my gosh, and that guy went. So how about this? If I just list off 12 through 18 from a year ago, you know, who 12 was, Derek Lively. Wow. 13, Grady Dick.

We don't know yet. Jordan Hawkins was 14. Look good in short spots for the Pelicans. Kobe Buffkin don't know yet. Kiante George was in there, though. Hame Haikas was in there. And Podzimski. I mean, it's like, it's almost every year that we get into this range.

And there's at least a couple last year. It's kind of. And then even Cam Whitmore was 20. to the Rockets. And like Hood Schafino was in their same pick last year, 17 to the Lakers. We'll see with him. He's one of those will see guys because he was really good in the G League, but he sucked for the big league Laker team.

Maybe this year he gets more opportunity. He ends up pretty good. Like there's those seeing weight guys, and then there's those guys who are good right away. So, you know, Lake. Hey, how about this? You ready? The year before?

Jalen Williams? Jalen Duren? Mark Williams, Tari, Eason. I mean. Yeah. It's crazy, but it happens like over and over. There's kind of like that range, like end of lottery to the next, like before we get to 20, and there's always some dudes in there, always.

Trey Murphy was in that same range for the Pelicans, I think a year or two before that. I mean, like every single year. Every year. And I think people have pegged, and it might be one of the others. It might look back and we might say it's Khalil where. You might look back and he say it's don't connect. But, I mean, I think a lot of people initially, because he was supposed to go higher, according to everybody's mock drafts, immediately turned to what is going on. Just old. That's it. Just old. Right?

Maybe that's it. Just old. All right. Is there any pick you hate it? 23. The buck's selecting E.J. Johnson. I don't understand that. I don't understand the buck. taking Tyler Smith at 33 in the second round either. Look, the bucks, aren't they supposed to be contending for the finals? Isn't that supposed to be what they're trying to do? And yet they take AJ Johnson, who averaged 2.9 points per game in Australia last year, who weighs 170 pounds. He's no more close.

You know what's so funny? I keep seeing, and I know he's an American kid, but I do keep seeing it, but he played, you mentioned like his points per game or whatever. And I kept saw there's a common refrain last night in the, this morning. And it was like, hey, American kids, you better wake up because every time they put one of these bastards on TV, they're averaging seven and four playing in some league. And you're worried about, you know, getting 30 points or whatever. It's like, what is going on? These guys are coming from all over the world and they don't have stats. Like, you better

learn, you know, footwork, how to play team basketball. It is, it was certainly a storyline last night. I think anybody, it's a real wake-up call when you look at the draft and you're like, hold on now. There's guys that were really fantastic college basketball players that are signing either two-way contracts or they're trying to get on, you know, for a summer league team or whatever else. And then you're inundated with seeing so-and-so, so-and-so from, you know, Bulgaria averaged eight points and four rebounds. Right?

It's like, wait, what is going on? And it's a real wake up call of the, you know, as if every year isn't. But I mean, you're seeing it on draft night.

You know, your favorite, your favorite college basketball player is still on the board. But there's guys that have no stats. Yeah. I call the DA and the guys like that. Yeah.

They're just not putting up big numbers at all. But they're getting selected. This guy just went and played in Australia. And Evers, what, what did you say? Two points a game? Oh, I mean, how about even the number two pick? Alex Saar is coming off the bench in Australia and not putting up numbers and he's drafted number two.

Risa Shea is the fourth option out there for his team and he's drafted number one. Right. Right. But ultimately, though, for certain teams, it makes sense to take those guys. Sure. But the bucks, I'm just, do you, what, like, what do you think? think the bucks are up to something, Chris, because, you know, I reported a couple weeks ago how the bucks maybe want to change their defensive scheme that raises questions about Brooke

Lopez. In the week since, there's been reports that they have indeed explored, you know, Brooke Lopez trades. Others have reported that, and I believe that to be true. So the Brooke stuff is out there. Then they draft two really raw, unready prospects in the 2024 draft in a draft that is filled with, I think, higher, older prospects that seem ready for opportunity and ready for minutes. Do you think the bucks are up to something here? Like, why are they so future focused right now? I really have no idea. And it, look, first thing is always money. Right? And it's like, all right, are we, you know, are we cost effective? You know, one of the lessons of like when you watch the Celtics win the title, okay?

Then the Celtics win the title and they could say, yeah, we are spending an absolute fortune and we're way over the luxury tax. And if we have to, you know, dance around this apron, second apron and then get under it after a little while, but we got a championship window right now and we're getting banged for our buck. Kev, you go look at the salary cap right now. Like you look at the teams, the high. you spending teams last year, there ain't a lot of them getting bang for their buck.

Now, some of them, like the bucks, can say, well, we would have, but we got injured. But I don't know if they really believed that. I don't know if they really believed that if they didn't get injured, that they would have been there because they were in the middle of, you know, they fired a coach in the middle of the season. They were roughly 500 under Doc Rivers, you know, even before Janus went out. And so I do think that finances always play. apart in this and they go, all right, are we right now, what we're spending, what we have allocated

this money for, are we getting enough? And then the other thing is on the AJ Johnson, it's like, I think that you're probably, for whatever reason, they love the prospect, okay? And I think a lot of these places are trying to, you know, serve two masters, which is having cheap guys that they can develop on the end of the bench so that they do have a future, right? That you're looking and you're going, yeah, but in three or four years, we're still going to have to have basketball players. And so for whatever reason, they really like this guy. But it's certainly not a win now thing.

And they might just say, look, you could tell us to take a win now guy, but that guy's not getting on the court. We could hardly get the kid from Yukon on the court last year. And I know you think you should have played more. But it's like who that we're drafted in the 20s is playing for us next year. I mean, it's a hard answer because there's not a lot of, there's not a lot of minutes to go around. Especially because Doc Rivers. And rookies don't play. Yeah.

Exactly. Especially Doc Rivers doesn't play rookies. He didn't even play a guy that should have played last year. But at the same time, I still, if I'm a, if I'm a Bucks fans, I'm really pissed off right now. I'm really annoyed with what they did at 23 and 33. I don't feel like these two guys can help Janus win a title when he's healthy. You hope. Especially when Marquette's own Tyler Colick was right there for you, Kevin.

Yeah. Just take the Marquette kid, right? I'd be really pissed off of our bucks fan, honestly. I mean, unless there's something like a second move that we don't know about, were they taking AJ Johnson because another team was in love with him and they have a trade coming or something like that. To me, I don't, I don't think any of these guys really help round out that rotation. And they needed help in that rotation.

Like they needed an upgrade over a Pat Connance. They needed somebody who's better than an AJ Green for that matter, who was okay off the bench last year. I just, I'm confused by what they did. All right. Outside of Connect, who are you most surprised fell as much as they did? I mentioned Colick, who I think you and I both love that pick for New York. and the fit that he will have with Tibbs. I was a Colic fan.

You were a Colic fan. You had him high on your board. But like he fell, um, furphy. Furphy. The kid from, uh, Kansas. He fell pretty far. The kid from Kentucky didn't even get drafted, right? Yep.

Justin Edwards was undrafted and signed by the Sixers. Crazy. Yep. Yep. Um, so I mean, I think, I think, I mean, like on the draft show, I talked a lot about Ryan Dunn to the sons at 28, but just going to mention him again now. I think Dunn, he was a guy who got, there was some noise in the week or two leading up to the draft

after he was destroying workouts that he could go in the mid-teens, like even as high as 14. Obviously, he falls all the way to 28 to the Sons. I think that's a major, major positive acquisition for them. I really like what the Sons did in this draft. They got in the second round in Pick 40.

Also Iigado, another Marquette player. like both of those guys that they make sense as bigs in that rotation for the suns Dunn might be the best defensive prospect at the wing forward spot we've seen in many years so I like what the suns did there I'm surprised

Dun fell but I think I think the guy that surprised me most though and like I don't know if you want to call it falling but he could have went late 20s was a Dem Bona going to the Sixers at number 41 because Bona did get some hype in the

And he slips the 41. Sixers nailed it with the McCain pick in the first round. I think they nailed it here. So I think Bona's hustle and attitude and toughness. And I mean, he's still on the younger side. I thought he might have went a little bit higher than in the 40s. Because he was a like a late riser on my board too, where I was like in my stage of reassessing the order of guys.

And I'm like, why do I have him so low? Like, why do I have a guy so good, so low, and I moved him up to 32? He's 21 years old, 6-8, 7-4 wingspan, can play any defensive scheme, and you're never going to question his heart or hustle or leadership. He's a great kid. To me, he's going to be the best backup big than Embed's ever had. And got good fast. They were saying on the draft coverage tonight, did not pick up a basketball until he turned 13. I think he was a McDonald's All-American.

and you and I talked about him in our last episode because I told you I needed to be forgiven because I can't remember who posted it but that he was the guy that had the most workouts of any of the players. He was the, I want to prove myself any court, anytime, anywhere. If I got to drive to get there,

I'll drive to get there. And I'm like, you know what, man, I don't know much about this dude, but I love that. I love that. that that is, I am willing to compete against my peers. Sign me up. I'm there for it. And then evidently, all of his teammates loved him. Oh, he's beloved at UCLA. Yeah, so that might have been a hit, right? And Daryl's been great. Yeah. And second round picks over the years.

He has had some ones that he has absolutely nailed, not the least of which are Chandler Parsons, Montres Harold, DeAnthony Melton. Like, he's been very good at this. He's been very good at finding Chuck Hayes, Carl Landry. Like, Mori is good at this when it comes to, like, finding guys in the second round of drafts, because I'm inevitably going to leave off, like,

some really good ones, but those are just off the top of my head, ones that I can remember from the Rockets days. And one little thing to just to think about with a bona as well is freshman year at UCLA, he shot 57% from the free throw line. Sophomore year, he shot 70% from the free throw line. As a freshman at UCLA, he was 0 for 5 on jump shots.

As a sophomore at UCLA from mid-range, he was 6 of 12. So 50%, low sample size, still not the greatest of numbers. But what I'm saying is like he has good touch on those hook shots and those like tough layups. like there's some people you talk to around the lady they're like i think someday he's going to be able to shoot so like you talk about him being late to basketball a guy that like he's improved every single year of his career playing with ucla and now goes to the NBA where this is a full-time gig for him maybe there's something there on top of the foundation everything else that we have

let's talk about some other second rounders because for sure every year we talk about guys that it's like, oh, wow, why was, you know, and they got him in the second round. And it, and it sometimes it's Jalen Brunson, sometimes it's Malcolm Brogden, sometimes it's Andrew Nemhard, who's recently come along and looked absolutely awesome in his opportunities in the playoffs once Halliburton went out. And it happens all the time. Sometimes it is these veteran point guard that kind of fall down. I mentioned Colick earlier, KJ Simpson, the kid I mentioned to you from Colorado. He went there in the second round.

Who else? Charlotte for KJ Simpson, correct? Jamal Shed Raptors. Yep, Jamal Shed Raptors. They're going to team him up with Davion Mitchell and the league's going big, so we're going to go miniature. I guess, I don't know. These little pit bulls that they can throw out there.

All right, who is the guy, if we're trying to figure out, Who's the guy that was drafted in the second round that we're going to look up and be like, oh, of course this guy is good and in an NBA rotation. Why? Because all those guys, the three that I just mentioned, Shed Simpson and Kolic, were all awesome in college, all of them, right? Like some people would argue Simpson should have won Pact 12 player of the year. The kid from Arizona, Caleb Love, I think, won it.

And then Kolic has crazy stats. while he was at Marquette as a point guard, and then we know about shed. If it's not for injury, his team, he might have very well led a team to the national title this year, or at the very least, if they would have gotten beat by Yukon,

you know, then they get beat by Yukon, but they would have been there in that final game. I loved Shed when he was in college. So who are we going to look up and say that about? And is the obvious answer just right there in front of, of us with the Marquette kid. I mean, I think Colick's one of them for sure.

I'll give you a few others since we talked a little bit about Colick earlier. Jonathan Mobo, San Francisco, top of the second round, 31st pick. Mobo is just like a fascinating player, 6-6-7-2 wingspan, just one of those guys who just never stops hustling. He's an amazing rebounder. Average 14 rebounds per game last season. He's super active on defense. You know, he left high school, no D-1 scholarship, goes to community college, then

goes to Northern Eastern Oklahoma A&M College before finding his way to San Francisco, and he becomes the 31st pick in the draft. So I think Mobo is one of those guys that's like defensive versatility, passing ability, rebounding, checks all every box on the court except for shooting. But in the right situation, maybe that can work out. I'd say for kind of an upside swing guy, Bobby Clinton to the Pistons, 37th pick, Clintman's big 610 can do a little bit of everything on the floor just very raw inconsistent but he's got like the he's one of those guys I'm like why do I have him ranked in the 20s why do I not

have him in the team so maybe eventually the pittons are like can't believe we got him at 37 and you shouted him out as a great interview right oh he was a great interview I love bobby clitman he was he was really fun to talk to good kid seems like he works very hard so I think those are kind of two of the you know upside swing types and then for certainty to We talked about some of them with Bono already. I think one of them could be Pella Larson out of Arizona. He goes to the heat with a 44th pick. Larson is like just a good 3-and-D style guy,

knockdown shooter who can handle the ball a little bit too, tough, hard nose just feels like a quintessential heat culture guy. Oh, my God. I can totally, that feels so right that we're going to look and go, who the hell is Pelle Larson? and he's going to have 10 and 6 on some Tuesday night game that I'm at. I've done it with like Orlando Robinson and like who was the guy last year? Oh, Haywood, High Smith.

It's like creative players. Pelle Larson. He's a good one. Who else in the second round? I think, I mean, how about Antonio Reeves to the Pelicans? I'm intrigued. he's he's got shooting potential uh he's got an amazing floater he took 98 floaters last year at kentucky and he made 52 of them and like he'll take floaters from the elbow like some of the

floters he takes a conlucky guards have been the safest bet in the world yes exactly so i think reeves is one of them as well and then harrison ingram to the spurs uh i'd like the spurs taking him at number 48 i've loved ingram for years since he was at stanford i've just been waiting for things to click with him. It did this past year at North Carolina. He can do everything on offense. He ran pick and roll at Stanford. He was basically their point forward.

At North Carolina, he is more of their like DHO, post hub. So you can plug and play him in different spaces on the floor. He's versatile defensively. And as long as the shot keeps falling like it did at Carolina this past year, I think he's got a chance to be a really good player for a long time. So I'd say those are some of the names that stand out on my end. anybody for you?

You know, I told you I was going to be so aware of KJ Simpson and wherever he went. And then they announced in the second round that they had like traded for like Reggie Jackson. And I was like, oh, God. I know. I felt the same. I was like, what? You're just taking minutes from him. You're a young team.

You just got this guy. And now I know that any coach is going to play Reggie Jackson. Right? Hopefully they find a way to not. I mean, unless I guess. you know, they cut Reggie Jackson. He's, he's got a, I mean, he's got a player option for next season. But if you're Reggie Jackson, you're going to be 34, 35 years old next season.

I don't want to be in Charlotte. Yeah, I want to be somewhere else. So maybe it becomes mutual that, because they got three seconds in the deal. Denver gave up three second round picks in order to get rid of Reggie Jackson's contract. So maybe that's what ends up happening. And by the way, like Denver giving up three first to move up from 28 to 22. to take De Ron Holmes, which I like that pick. I think Holmes makes a lot of sense for their roster.

That's a smart pick. It's one of the guys I mentioned to you, right? On Thursday, I mentioned Furphy, Holmes, Simpson, and Shed. Those are the four. Yeah, but it's tough. Like, they effectively gave up six second round picks just to have, you know, Thomas Bryant for a couple months and, you know, get rid of Reggie Jackson. Yeah, it's a little odd, right?

to have hopefully hopefully KJ Simpson is able to play look we've got to talk about the whole broadcast was centered around Brownie James and then they said

you know Bob Myers is going to have something to give us about Brony James and then he came on the air and he said basically that Rich Paul is calling every team and saying don't trap Barney James. If you draft Brunny James, he's going to Australia. Very reminiscent of, you know, one of my dear friends is Sonny Vicaro, who is the

shoe executive. And, you know, obviously I've heard the story many, many times about him and Jerry West and Arndtellman, the rest, all going around during the draft, including to John Caliperi, who was the coach of the Nets at that time. And so, saying do not draft Kobe Bryant if you draft Kobe's going to Italy. That's where he's going, right? Because they were going to bully their way into getting him to L.A. That's where they wanted to get him to for shoe purposes, for marketing purposes, for competition purposes, and to be there with Jerry West.

And Jerry West obviously coveted Kobe Bryant. But there's the famous stories about that night going up and saying, because John Calpary was one of those guys that had fallen in love with Kobe and wanted Kobe and there said John, do not take him. If you take him, you're going to napalm your career because

he's not going to go there. He's not going to show up. And so they ended up taking Kerry Kittles in that draft. And so there I am. And it's like all these years later and I'm listening to Bob Myers. And it's like, oh my God, this is going to be the famous Brondy J story. Like, I don't even know if Rich Paul

had it. I don't want to take anything away from the kid, okay? And I also don't want to take anything away from the moment, which is as a father, the story is amazing. It's awesome. Like truly amazing and a dream come true. I didn't need it to be totally lectured about nepotism and everything else.

It felt like a sciop. And the other thing is, it was all so bizarre how we're being lectured the whole time, yet they are explaining to us how the agent is trying to bully, you know, all the teams into not taking him. But in the craziest scenario, they could never broach when they're saying, don't take him, he won't show up, don't take him, he won't show up. It's never the idea that they're taking him because he's the best player available.

and they really want him as a player. It's all like this play with the dad. And then you're going to sit there and yell at me about don't even bring up nepotism or whatever. Like, bro, you're playing. Like, you're not telling me that they are intentionally telling teams not to draft a more talented player than the one they are selecting because he won't show up. you are telling me they are saying don't draft this guy because you think you might get his dad and then you're like you spent the whole show talking about this literally the entire second round is about this and then i've got to sit there and listen for 30 minutes about how you know

the unrefined and the unsophisticated are going to say this is you know and then i got to hear woe saying nepotism goes on all the time in the NBA, which it does. We're all fine with that. I don't sit around bitching about DeAnseus onto Tacompo being on a roster. Or Robin Lopez getting a gig for the bucks. Sure. It does happen. And it happens in front offices and coaching staffs everywhere.

Friendships. You know what I'm saying? It happens in friendship. Like you think, like, I'll give you an example, right? And I'm not saying he wasn't the best available player or that you didn't really want him. But you better believe that Xavier Tillman having Jared Jackson Jr. As his best man in his wedding played a part in Xavier Tilman getting drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies. Of course it did.

Right? And that's not they're not blood related, but of course, right? Like you're sitting there and going, you want your stars to be happy. Jonathan Mobo. Jonathan Mobo and Scotty Barnes have known each other for years. And you want them to want to be in your city. You want them to be comfortable. You want them with their friends. Or in this case, you want them with your family.

That's fine. But this whole bit about how, you know, this idea that he would be getting drafted, but no one ever said he'd be getting drafted because he's the best player available. No one ever broached that subject. And then they want to make us feel bad for talking about it some kind of way. Like, the story would theoretically be all those little scrolls at the bottom say best player available, Bronny James.

And it's like, well, but they can't take them and they can't take them and they can't take them. Almost like the Eli Manning situation or something, right? Where it's like they said, bro, he ain't going to San Diego, right, all those years ago. It's like, well, okay. But he was like the best player available. Like he was going to be the number one pick. He was the number one pick of the draft. And it's like, it was all so strange, also strange to simultaneously be talking about all this and simultaneously telling us that Rich Paul is calling every team saying don't draft him as if every team would have him on the top of their board.

I don't care that he's getting a gig. All right, Rich. Okay, okay. See you. Nice talking to you. Have a good night. Or then you take Pella Larson and the Celtics take Watson with 54. They're like, no, no, no, we weren't thinking about doing the funniest thing ever.

We weren't thinking about taking him hostage like Bill Simmons wants us to. If we were a serious for that. If 54, the Celtics would have done that? I wish they did. I wish they did. Just for the laughs. Oh, it would have been hysterical. It would have been the funniest thing.

It would have been an all-time great moment. How would the broadcast have reacted if that happened? It also unloaded, like, all the things that people talk about but are like, everybody knows the way it operates. It was like this moment where ESPN's just got to talk about how everything operates. And so they're basically like, you know, and the other thing is you got to consider this is a really big agency. It's got a lot of other clients. Like national TV saying he's threatening all of these other teams.

If you don't let the Lakers, if you don't let this guy get to the Lakers, just to understand your dealings with our agency might not be as fond as you want them to be. And they're like basically having to explain on national TV that this is the way things work, which we all know behind the scenes. This is the way things work, but it's not something that's. Bronny James brought it all to the forefront on national television, no less. It was all so wild. You think he's going to play for them?

You think Jay Reddick's going to play him? No. I think he'll be spending a lot of time with the South Bay Lakers, and that's what he should be doing, is playing with the South Bay Lakers because he's not ready yet. He needs to work on his jumper above everything else. That's the key skill for Brony that he needs to develop moving forward. when you're a six two guard, like he's gritty on defense,

he's got feel as a passer. Like those are the things Bronny has. But when you're a six foot two, you can't be shooting 19.6% on catch and shoot threes. You can't be shooting 67% from the free throw line. You can't be shooting 30%

on two point pull-up jumpers. You can't be shooting 27% on dribble jumper threes. The shot needs to improve in his size or else, it's just not gonna work. He's not gonna be in a, NBA player. If the shot does improve and if he becomes a

knockdown guy at some point, then I think he can have a career. But I mean, he's not going to be a star level player even then because he's still only 6-2. He's not necessarily a stopper on defense because of his size limitations. He's not yet a lead ball handler. He barely gets to the rim. When he does get to the rim, he's not a great finisher. So he is going to be like at best a very good role player. But at worst, he is what he appears to be tonight, and that is a guy getting drafted because he's the son of LeBron James. And I'm rooting for Bronteen to become a success because I grew up watching King

Griffey Jr. and, you know, seeing the stuff with King Griffey Sr. and they're hearing stories about them hitting back-to-back home runs and all that stuff. Like, it's the best. Like, it is the coolest thing. A father's son combination playing on the court at the same time is awesome. Like, I love it so much. It's amazing. I hope they get to play on the court at the same time at some point. And honestly, I don't even care how we got there. If they would have used a first round pick, I don't even care, right? LeBron James is second greatest player of all time, in my opinion.

And I don't, I've been around NBA front offices and teams for 20 something years. Yes, I know the way this works. I know that people, it's all who you know. And sometimes it's who you're related to and everything else. And so it was just funny to have to have them unload all of it. how agency works, how nepotism works and everything on national TV as to combat what they know is inevitably going to be said in some quarters. But like, I think most of us sit back and be like, I don't care how you got there. Bro, the idea of you getting to play with your dad is amazing.

Amazing. And there's going to be, for sure, that moment where they're both. on an NBA court together. And I don't care how we got there. I want to see it. I'd want to see it with anybody, but much less one of the greatest players ever and his son. Whether or not his son is, you know, particularly deserving or not.

It doesn't matter. And that does not matter to me, honestly. I don't give a shit that Danassas onto the Cumo stinks. I mean, no offense to him. He's a great podcaster. But, I mean, he wouldn't be in the NBA if his brother wasn't Yon. honest and everybody accepts that you know if your team traded for him that you'd be like what why why or you would just sit there and hope it's because you thought you were getting yonness

right it's the way it works yeah so what i mean don't lecture me about it enough already i know i know i thought it was very silly and i'm rooting for brawny i want to see it work out for all the emotional reasons we're talking about i think it'd be a great story if he's in the NBA and 10 years and but like I said the shot is like the shot looks good but it doesn't go in

and so it needs to start going in or else it's just not going to work for him in the NBA post LeBron Zach Eadie is a Memphis grisly Kevin O'Connor puts a big smile on my face every time I know I know I know you sat down by your bed

and prayed every night yeah this would happen and sure it up it has happened and so it's going to make for I'm happy. It's going to make for a fun season for sure. And I hope I tell you. We're going to do another live show in Memphis and we're going to get Ead on stage.

That's what we get to do. Oh, for sure. And this is maybe the first time in eight years I've said this. I have never hoped you are right more than this. I usually want you to be wrong. This time, I want you to be wrong. be right about this. I hope he's good.

And I hope he can stay on the court and I hope he can run up and down it. And I hope he's Mr. Dominant. I mean, we'll have, we'll have laughs about that if he becomes a star for many years to come. Because otherwise, he's going in your big man trash bin.

Yes. With Mobile foot and Poku and all these big bums you love. And then. freaks me out too. You love him so much freaks me out. If I'm being fair, if you hated him, I'd love him. That's why it's the mismatch. Instead, now we've got to be aligned.

Oh, man, it's going to be tough. I mean, it's got to be tough. I'm excited, man. Look, I'd be very excited. And I think the Grizzlies, they came out of this better. I'd be feeling good if I were Memphis Grizzles fan right now. I mean it. I think you guys took big steps forward.

I'll say this. It's going to be one of the highest selling jerseys ever because when you, a big guy like that, either way, no matter what happens with it, it's funny. Either he's awesome and it's funny to have the jersey of a seven foot four guy. Or he's horrible and it becomes like one of those that you wear to music fest. Yeah, yeah. Right? either way.

So cool. I can't wait until you have a studio. I'm going to have to watch the live stream that day. So I'm hopeful that he gets in tomorrow in time. I'm unsure it might be, it might end up having to be like Monday. I don't know. But.

And you know what? It might be the first time in 20 years that they avoid putting a draft pick on with me. No, look, hell or high water, he'll be on, whether it's, you know, in the next couple of days or vans or whatever. You're going to get all three of the rookies, all three of them? I think so. Usually, that's the way it goes down. Usually we end up talking to all of them. And I don't know those other two at all.

The kid from Washington State and, oh, I know Kill a Cam, the one from Yukon. I think Kim Spencer, yeah, he'll be a really fun interview. He'll, like, he's a badass on the court. You'll like talking to him. And he's got a great, like, backstory. Like, he's fought through some injuries. and, you know, for him to win in the end with the Yukon's pretty cool. Yeah, they got two shooters, right?

That's what they said. Two shoots. All right, look, this was, it was a fun draft. It was. We were greatly anticipating this draft and the way it would play out. And then it turned out to be more fun than I think we even expected it to be. I had a lot of fun. It was a good time.

Yeah. All right. Thanks to everybody for listening. Sorry I came back to the show. Sorry to disappoint. some of you. I would miss you very much, Chris. I'm happy to see you. I'm happy you to stand by your word that you're here. I did not stand by my word after a lot of consultation. I decided to show up. And now me and me and me and Kevin are both idiots. Idiots. Idiots. It's such a good nickname.

Idiot. We are the idiots. All right. In unison. All right. Thank you for. Jason Lopes, as always at Kevin, I'll talk to you on Monday. Have a great weekend, man. Must be 21 plus in present select states or 18 plus in D.C. Fandul is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with the Kansas Star Casino LLC. Gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler or visit fandul.com slash RG. In Colorado, D.C., Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and Vermont. In Arizona, call 1-800 next step or text next step to 533342.

In Connecticut, call 1-88-78-9-77-or-or-vis 777 or visit CCPpG.org In Indiana, call 1-8009 with it. In Kansas, call 1-800-522-4700 or visit KSgamblinghelp.com. In Louisiana, call 1-877-770. Stop. In Maryland, visit MD gamblinghelp.org. Virginia, visit 1800 gambler.net. In Wyoming, call 1-800-5224,700. In Massachusetts, visit gambling helpline, MA.org, or call 1-800-327-50 for 24-7 support. And in New York, call 1-8778, Hope

New York, or text, Hope, New York.