The Mismatch - NBA Trade Deadline Breakdown: KD to Suns, Big Lakers Moves, and Every Other Deal

Episode Date: February 10, 2023

Verno and KOC react to all the trades made during what was a wild deadline, beginning with last night’s blockbuster that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns (02:07). The Lakers finally traded away Russell Westbrook and are set to reunite with D'Angelo Russell; the guys discuss how the Lakers were able to land DLo as well as a handful of other young promising rotation players (23:36). Also, they talk about how the trade will affect the Timberwolves going forward (27:20). Finally they move on to the rest of the transactions made today, including Gary Payton back to the Warriors, Luke Kennard to the Grizzlies, Jae Crowder to the Bucks, and so much more (33:58). *The ‘Ringer NBA’ squad is coming to Salt Lake City for NBA All-Star Weekend! Get your tickets here!* Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Producer: Jessie Lopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's popping, everybody? This is Logan Murdoch from Real On I have some big news to share. On Saturday, February 18th, the Ringer NBA show will be hitting the road for All-Star weekend for a live show in Salt Lake City. You heard that right. We are taping the pod in front of a live audience in Salt Lake next month and we want you to join us. Pull up on us at the stateroom in the heart of downtown Salt Lake. You can grab your tickets now at thestateroom.com. That's the stateroom.com. Doors open at 9 o'clock. Show is at 10. It's going to be a 21 and up event. Come hang with the gang and chat, mid-season updates, draft preview, and even have a Q&A with us. Space is limited, so grab your tickets while they last at the stateroom.com or click the link in the description of this show. Hope to see y'all in there.

Welcome to The Mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me this Thursday, trade deadline day from the ringer.com is Kevin O'Connor, A.K.K.E. Kevin O. O. Concer. Kevin O. Kevin O. O. Concer. Kevin O. Kevin O. Kahneman. Kevin O. Burdo! No Obama for me with them going to the Lakers? No Obama for you. Characters took the last spot today because of your epic 7,000 word tweet that happened on the trade deadline. It was 700 characters. It was like the length of two and a half tweets.

How do you even do that? Yeah, it's with Twitter blue. You can do over two. 240 characters now or whatever 280 characters you can do more than that you became kevin o columnist on twitter the reaction was so funny on twitter to that tweet i thought i thought it was a great use of it the new feature but that's just me well backtrack to what took place last night but this morning i woke up to the kevin durant news were you still awake last night when it took place yes i was still awake my mind was blown

this is the benefit of the West Coast is that you were still awake. You know, I was awake. The last time I can remember having the same type of reaction was when the Kauai, Paul George stuff went down, but I was in Vegas for Summerlee. So I actually, because it's Vegas,

I was still awake when that all happened and it felt like it was in the middle of the night, everywhere else. But this morning, when I woke up, you know, I had some text on my phone, and then I immediately went to Twitter to try to find out what was what had happened. And that, I'd say probably since Kauai and Paul George, that's the most stunned I've been by something taking place. And simply because when they made them. the Kyrie deal, which you and I talked about earlier in this week, that was very clearly a let's build out around KD deal. That was not a deal that they were making for future assets.

That felt like a let's try to cobble together. If we're losing Kyrie, let's try to cobble together the best return we can that can play with KD now. And so, I guess I had just kind of resigned myself to Kevin Durant will probably be there the rest of the year. There was the news out that they were going after the guys maybe in Toronto and they were, they're not done yet. I remember you saying on the show on Tuesday. Let's not grade this until they're done on Thursday because we were under the impression that John Marks is trying to build out around Durant. And then we'll see what happens and then they'll get to the offseason and it'll probably ask out at that point, but at least for the rest of this year, they're high in the

standing still. And so that they would use this trade deadline to improve themselves around Durant. And so I guess that's why it was most shocking to me. Tell me what went through your mind when you first heard it. Shocking in the sense that, you know, we just watched one of the greatest players of all time actually get moved here. I mean, granted, like since last summer, there's always a chance of KD being moved like we talked about, right? Like the Nets wanted to win with KD. They wanted to continue. They did try to make moves.

You know, it's been reported. They tried to go after Zach Levine with a three-way expansion. Of course, they had interest in the Toronto guys, Seacum and O.G. I think what happened is that Katie just determined, you know what? I can't win a championship here in Brooklyn. And the report earlier today, I believe it was from Shams. Correct me if I'm wrong, Chris, but he said how last summer when he made the trade demand, him in the front office and ownership agreed, if you just, if things go sour during the season,

we'll work with you to send you to where you want. And he wanted to go to Phoenix and the return they ended up getting, I think, you know, considering the circumstances, getting four first round draft picks, one first round pick swap, McKell Bridges, one of the best young players, 26 years old, three and D. He's averaged 23 points per game this past month with the highest use. of his career, Cam Johnson, one of the best shooters in basketball, a good defender, getting all of that for Kevin Durant. It sets the Nets up pretty nicely to continue being a tough, competitive team, since they

don't have their own first-round draft picks, there's no reason to bottom out. I think they're in a good position, and if I'm a Nets fan, I'm happy with the return. I'm just disappointed the fact that the KD. Kyrie thing never worked out the way it could Well, and also you didn't get any stars back. No. You moved both of those guys. Yeah, I don't think you would get a star back. No, I don't think you would get a star back.

Really? You usually don't. For Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving? I mean, there's so few star-for-star trades. It's just not something that happens all that often. You don't think you, do you think they could have gotten Aiton and didn't want him? I mean, I'm just talking about things with like real value. I mean, Backel Bridges.

his real value. He has value, but not like... I'd rather McElchard's than DeAndre 8 in 100 out of 100 times. Michael Bridges is an elite defender. He's a good shooter. And this past month, now that Monty Williams, with guys out, Booker and CP at certain points, they put the ball in his hands more off.

And he ran picker rolls more than he ever has. And he was a mid-range assassin. Like, he was really good this past month. He was getting into the basket. He was distributing. He averaged 23 points on 17 shots. per game and he had a higher usage as a playmaker as well. I thought

Bridges, I mean, look, you and I have talked about O'GN and Obie for a month, two months now, I've hit with him as a trade target for the Raptors. I tweeted out this morning, if the Nets were to make McKell Bridges available, I'd be offering more for Bridges than I would be for O'GN and Oby. I think the

Nets would have to demand more on a deal like that. But ultimately, if I'm the Nets, Bridges is a guy that I'd want to hang on to. I think with him, you know, I'm not saying he'll be like some top 20, 25, 30, or even top 30 player. I'm not sure he's going to be that. But we already know what Bridges can be in a winning context as a 3ND player who can do a

little bit off the dribble. What we haven't seen is him with like a lot of responsibility over an extended period of time. But I'm encouraged by what I saw from him this past month. He's shown more on offense than OGN and it'll be ever has throughout his entire career. So I think for the Nets here, yeah, they didn't get a star, but they got a really, really good player in Bridges and another good one in Cam Johnson. plus four picks and a swap,

that's a good return. It's a good return. It just sucks that you lose Kevin Durant. There is no such thing as a good return for Kevin Durant. I know, but if you're going to lose the guy, if he's going to push his way out, that's good.

It's a good return. I mean, what did you expect them to get, Chris? Like, you know, like, would you rather they get nine first round picks from the Pelicans? I mean, I would certainly think. You'd really rather DeAndre Aiton? that they already have Nick Claxton. Claxton's better than eight.

No, I'm talking about like either I'm getting things that are of great value, or you don't think you could have shopped around with Kevin Durant and got guys that you think might become a big star? I don't know. I'm not sure. That's exactly the kind of guy that people would. I'm honestly not sure. And because he could just demand to trade again this summer.

Like, if you're the Pelicans and let's say you trade nine first round draft picks and some other pieces to get Kevin Durant. Let's just say you did that. This summer, Kevin Durand might be like, why did you guys trade for me? I don't want to be here. Trade me. I want out. And so these other teams might not end up giving more.

The Pelicans or whoever, the Grizzlies, whoever it might have been, theoretically. But if you move Brandon Ingram, say. Yeah, but I don't think Ingram wasn't on the table last summer for Durantz. And he probably wasn't on the table at this deadline. It's a theoretical. They got like one of the 40 or 50 best players in basketball on bridges, a great 3&D guy in Cam Johnson, and four future picks from a team that is relying on old Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, who ruptured his Achilles a couple years ago, and they

have like no depth. The sun, those sons picks could be pretty good and they're all unprotected. I don't understand like how the nets could have done a lot better here. Well, and we have seen a lot of those. The giving up the picks usually has not worked out very well. because there was one that we looked at a lot, which was that Houston one. And now in retrospect, all those picks, all those picks swaps that were given up in order to,

you know, that they received in order to move, uh, in order to move off of Hardin. Now those nets picks that the rockets have look infinitely better than they once did. Yeah, they look better for sure. swaps from the nets.

You know what I mean? Yeah. You're sitting there at the time. But Chris, that's what I mean. Like for Brooklyn now, you get those Phoenix picks. Of course, you can say, oh, yeah, maybe they'll be winning and being picks in the 20s for the next seven years, not necessarily. They could flame out in three years.

And those picks could end up being, you know, lottery picks each year. You just don't know how it's going to work out. Like, same for the Boston Brooklyn deal years ago. Like, they end up getting all these great young players from it when the Nets thought they were getting Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. That's the way things work out sometimes. And I think the real criticism of Brooklyn here is you got Carrie Irving at his press conference saying he's happy just to be out of there.

He wanted out there for a long time. You got Kevin Durant asking out again the first chance he gets a year after James Harden wanted out. Like what's actually gone wrong there in Brooklyn for three superstar players in a matter of a year to be traded? This is unheard of. Like nothing like this has ever happened. with this amount of star players or any type level of player, for that matter,

asking out of a franchise? Seems like there's a big target on Joe Si right now. You know, it always goes back to the owner. And word gets around and players listen to other players. And so this could be very damaging for Brooklyn, right? I think if it was just one of them, then you could say, I'm now content, right? but once it's all three of them, I mean, why do these great players not want to be there?

And maybe it's just extenuating circumstances, and they are, you know, they were malcontents. Like, they just weren't going to be happy in the situation. Kyrie, we know, you know, his history, he flamed out of Cleveland. He didn't talk to his teammates for weeks. He said he was going to resign in Boston and bashed his teammates publicly.

Well, let's be fair. Kevin was in an amazing basketball situation of which he was not at. Yeah, for sure. So I think for the Nets, I mean, like this isn't, you know, to defend the Nets necessarily, but they built something really, you know, appealing up to Kevin Durant for him to want to go there and bring Kari Irving and the Adre Jordan. The mistake they made was probably just making that decision to appease him completely and say, okay, we'll also take Kari despite the risk. We'll also sign DJ and bury Jared Allen on the bench despite the risk.

despite the risk by handing the keys of the franchise off to the star players and letting them run the show. That was the mistake. But prior to that, they did a great job building it up with a ton of young talent that now has spread throughout the league contributing to different rosters. And now the Nets have this team where, you know, Cam Thomas, you know, we talked about him on Tuesday.

He's now at three games in a row scoring over 40 points. They are loaded with wings. You know, Mikkel Burgess, Doreen, Phineas Smith, Royce O'Neill, Cam Johnson, and so on and so on. forth. Nick Clackson, one of the best switchable defenders in basketball, they have a lot of young talent on their team right now to build with. They have one of those templates again where they suddenly are just lacking that superstar. And so I think for the Nets, they're an appealing position. And on the Phoenix side of things, like it made total sense to give up everything. You're in a position where the West is open. You get an opportunity to win a title. Like, why would you not go get Kevin Durant, no matter what it takes. And now they have. And now they have. have, you know, one of the five best players of basketball, you know, one of the 10 or 15 best in Devin Booker and maybe Chris Paul with, you know, those guys supporting him can, can level up even more than he already has this season. The sons are right back there at the top of the

West again, in my opinion, in terms of finals contenders. They've certainly surpassed your Grizzlies. What was very surprising, A, slow down. B, what was very surprising was Matt Isfia, who just took over to the Phoenix Suns, and according to Wojee's reporting, the owners were the ones that made this happen. The owners made this happen. Matt Eshvia and Joe Saab. We will see what kind of owner Matt Ishpia is. But generally, when the owners are that involved and they're the ones that are on the phone that are like hashing things out, that is it's generally not a function of the most healthy franchises. Let's just say that.

Generally, the most healthy franchises are the ones that allow their basketball people to be their basketball people and are not, certainly not involved to the point where they're doing the calls. Well, I mean, owners are always involved with deals of this magnitude, though. Of course they are. That's the standard for... Of course they are, but they're not on the phone with each other, hashing out the deal. Yeah, like, I know Woe said they once. What was the terminology wojus?

They cobbled together. Yeah. You know, the final pieces of the deal. Yeah. I mean, at some point, I mean, I think about Sean Marks or James Jones, I'll be like, well, what do I do? You know what I mean? Like, this is the biggest deal in relation to both franchises.

I mean, so, like, it made sense for Phoenix to do, though, right? I'm saying with the owners on the phone is much bizarre. But I'm saying, like, from a basketball standpoint, like, it made sense for the sons to do this, right? Do you agree? If you can get Kevin Durant, you get Kevin Durant, you get. Kevin Durant. Where do you think they stack up in the West right now? Are they the best team in the West?

I think that certainly when you have Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, you have to be taken very, very seriously. Chris has been better recently, but we know that Chris has had a very difficult time making it through the entire playoffs. He's had a difficult time make it through the entire playoffs. Virtually every year. And so, and this even goes back to the Clippers.

You know, I mean, there's a lot of years. You know, listen to Doc Rivers. Doc Rivers will tell you he stunk in the playoffs because Chris got banged up. It happened in Houston. It happened, you know, in Phoenix already. And so you got to have those three because as you mentioned a little bit earlier,

the depth is lacking, severely lacking. Once you move off of bridges, once you move off of Cam Johnson, you got to have those three healthy. If you told me those three are completely healthy, I think they're right up there amongst all the best teams in the West, but do I think that they're far in a way better than their competitive? editors in the West. Like, who's the number one right now?

Denver? You put them in a seven-game series against Denver. Do I look at it now and say, oh, they'd beat Denver? I don't know. I don't know. You got whatever, 20-something games for it to come together. And then you're getting into the playoffs with, you know, a guy, a couple of guys that have had one guy, Booker, who's just coming back from an injury and two other guys

that have had to miss a significant amount of time over the course of the last couple of years. If they're all healthy, they're a very formidable team that could easily be in that, would not surprise me they're in the West finals. If one of them is down, though, they're not, no.

They're nowhere close to a favorite. And I guess if we always do the, just assume health, I think it's still wide open. I still think the West, conference is wide open after the events of today. I agree. I do agree that the West is still open. I mean, it's not like there's some juggernaut favorite, you know, where their head and shoulders above everybody else in the West. They are beatable. I do think when you look at their depth,

like Katie, Booker, CP3, Aiton, that's their top four. After that, it's like Torrey Craig, Lee, T.J. Warren, who they also got in that net steel. Then you're at seven guys right there. They get Darius Basley from Oklahoma City. They got a Kogi coming off the bench. I mean, they have some options on the back end there. It's just like it's pretty shallow. It's like you feel good about your top four. You feel great about your top four.

And then after that, I guess Warren, and you get four, five, six, seven guys that you feel good about. But playoff rotations, a lot of times it's eight or nine. And they don't have that depth necessarily. Yeah, they need to keep those guys healthy. And I know you could say, well, everybody needs to keep their best players healthy. But some of the teams have been, could withstand it. Some of the teams can withstand, you know, having a guy even miss a series, possibly, and still be able to get a win.

They're going to be very, very dependent on those guys. And they're going to have to be incredible. Because, look, let's say Durant average is 30. And let's say Booker averages 30, Kevin. There's 50 more points at minimum. at minimum, you got to get everywhere else. You got to get to 110

the way the NBA is being played right now. And that's where it gets a little bit more tricky. Those two are brilliant, absolutely broken. And I don't know how the hell people are going to be able to defend them, but we've seen it. And it doesn't have a long time to come together.

It doesn't. Yeah, I think those guys can pick it up, though, and produce together. It took Chris and Booker a while. Yeah, it did. You know? It did. And then they really hit their strike.

And they might also be a buyout team, too. Like, think about somebody like Danny Green, who the Grizzlies moved to get Luke Kennard. So somebody like a Danny Green, a Patrick Beverly, you know. Do you see him? Have you seen, you probably didn't see any of the three games that Danny Green played in. I've covered two guys like this, Vince Carter and then Chandler Parsons. it's potato sack race. I love Danny.

It's probably over. Yeah. I love Danny, but he's having a tough time getting up and down the port. I know. It's probably over. Coming back.

But I'm just saying, like that's, what that's all I'm saying is that like they're probably not done making moves. They're going to look into the buyout market and try to add somebody. They will be a buyout team for sure.

Kevin Love if he gets bought out, right? Yeah. There's another one. I mean, yes, they'll probably add a couple of guys. I would imagine. But man,

did that shake? things up. And imagine this. You know, you think about how long me and you have been doing this show, the trajectory of this freaking franchise since we've been on. They had the radiest of rat teams ever. We joke so much about the future sons. Yeah.

The Dragon Gender sons. Not joke. I was so serious. To when they become awesome to then, oh man, the window is already shut. The bleak future sons. To now, oh my God, they've got Kevin Durant. Like, you figure it out. What a trajectory.

Not to mention through that process, you know, changing out GMs and, most importantly, changing out owners. What a splash for that guy. You know, I joked in my first tweet, I said, you know, the guy got the sons and then immediately gets Kevin Durant. And the tweet I laughed The most at was this guy That responded to me And he said You know if I was an owner

That's what I'd do I just buy a team And then just go get Kevin Durant It does seem like it was too easy It does seem it right The guy got the damn job And walked in and tried You know who we should get

We should get Kevin Durant And then he just did it No wonder this guy's He has enough money to buy a frigging team and he's not even like 40 years old. What a genius, huh? You guys amazing. It's not that hard. And he negotiated the whole thing all by himself, no help.

Yo, I laughed so hard. You know, evidently him and Gilbert like hate each other so much. Yeah, they do. They really hate each other. Did you see that story that said that he was voted 29 to 1? Yeah. Well, no, 29 to nothing because Gilbert didn't vote at all. Oh, he didn't vote.

Yeah, so it's 29 to 9. Nothing. He refused to vote. Yeah. They really hate each other, man. Yeah. Legitimately hate each other. That's incredible.

All right, Kevin, let's backtrack because as the trade deadline got started, well, a lot of the news got started with the Kyrie's stuff and their deals trickling in here and there. But the big news yesterday was the Lakers, Timberwolves, and Jazz making a three-team trade involving Russell Westbrook, DeAngelo, Russell, and Mike Conley. The Lakers got DeAngelo, Russell, Malik Beasley, Jared Vanderbilt in the deal. Utah got Russell Westbrook, Juan T. and Damian Jones, along with a first-round pick from the Lakers. It's top four protected. Minnesota got Mike Conley, Nikiel Alexander Walker, and then three second-round picks. My first reaction to this is I could not believe the Lakers did this good on a one.

Westbrook deal, honestly. Like, I think that is amazing return, considering the circumstances. It's incredible. It's absolutely incredible, Chris. I mean, they basically, like, if you factor in the Rui Hachamura deal, and today they get Mo Bamba, my guy, and the Magic finally free from Orlando.

They essentially gave up one first round pick protected top four, like you said, in 2027, and one second round pick to go from Russell Westbrook to DeAngelo Russell, Patrick Beverly to Malik Beasley, Juan Tisano Anderson to Rui Hachamora, Damian Jones to Jared Vanderbilt, and Thomas Bryant to Mo Baba. Those are upgrades across the board for the Lakers. They now have better shooting, better defensive versatility, better playmaking, better fits next to Anthony Davis and LeBron James, better lineup flexibility with the, Now they can play with Jared Vanderbilt as a small ball five.

They can space the floor with Bamba coming off the bench behind AED. They are in such a better position. They did it all giving up just two picks, essentially, because they got three seconds. They gave up four seconds. And they retained two future first round draft picks still. They're 2029 and their 2023. Their pick or the Pelicans pick will be available to be traded this summer. So what, like, we could not have predicted them to do this well.

After everything this whole year, whiffed on Turner and healed, not getting Carrie Irving, I think they ended up with what could go down as the best case scenario, giving up what they did for this return. Do you think that LeBron James should do a sit-down interview with Michael Wilbon tomorrow, apologizing to Rob Polinka? I think he should do it with us. call in and say, I'm sorry, Rob. You did actually know what you were doing. Yeah.

Yes. This is better than the Kyrie deal. It is. And he went on TV saying he was disappointed. This is better. In terms of team depth and what you need, I mean, that's three nine-man rotation guys. Unbelievable.

It really is unbelievable. Utah got Russell, Westbrook, Juan T, Damien Jones, and they got that first round pick. So they'll buy out Westbrook and they got a first round pick. Pretty good return. I mean, I know a lot of people were saying how for Utah they're surprised they didn't get way more. Like they're getting a future first round draft pick for old Mike Conley. You know, Beasley's very good.

But he's not like some star player. And Jared Vanderbilt, for whatever reason, the demand people at talked to around the league. A lot of people thought Utah would end up getting just like second round picks for Vanderbilt. The demand was not high for him at all from my conversations around the league. Interesting.

Yeah. It really surprised me, Chris. What do you think about the Minnesota side of this? Because they get Mike Conley, Nikolaj, Tender Walker, and then they get like these second round picks. You know I love Mike Conley.

Mike Connolly's not the same. as he was by any means. Steeding presence, for sure. Lead by example guy. I do think one that could, you know, kind of just get them in their offense. And if you're looking for a guy that's not going to take too many shots and that you're going to let, especially when you get Towns back,

like Edwards and Towns and Gobert, for that matter, they're going to decide these games much more so than Mike Conley is. And I think that was the concern, right? that you could get into a game. And DeAngelo Russell might take 19 shots. And, you know, I know that he is kind of stepped aside for Edwards recently. But then what would happen if you get Towns back, you know? And next thing you know, DeAngelo Russell's taking 19 shots and Towns has taken 12.

You know, you just, you've got kind of the start. Like, Mike Connolly is going to be a role-playing point guard. One thing that does concern me, though, is that, hey, Russell, has been really good over the course of the last, you know, six weeks. And so I think his value might have been a little greater. The other thing is that I hope that the Gobert thing was not too big of a factor in this, because I heard a lot of that. It was and it should be. Because Conley and Gober are one of the most potent pick and roll combinations of Utah. And Russell never clicked with them. And our guy,

we mentioned them all the time. John Grisinski had a great article about that, how Russell had no patience with Gobert, clashed with Ryan Saunders, you know, in the past. I don't know. It just feels like for Minnesota, they were also far apart in negotiation talks, according to

John. I think Mike Conley can elevate Ant and Gobert in ways that Delo couldn't. Even though Dilo individually was producing very well last six, seven weeks, Conley is a much better fit for this team. Okay, I just look, to me, I look at it. I remember Steve Marriucci was on the NFL network years ago,

and he talked about how they drafted Joey Harrington in Detroit, and then you remember they went through a bunch of years where it was like Carlos Rogers, Mike Williams. They drafted receivers every time. They were terrible, then they get the top pick, and then they drafted a receiver. And it was all because they were trying to make up for the Joey Harrington pick. and it was like they were going to just prove that they were right about that.

And so I don't, if the Gobert deal is a mistake, making moves to try to write that rather than what is the best fit around an Anthony Edwards focal point team, which again, Conley may very well be the best thing for records too. Just keep the ball moving. Yeah, but Chris, you're stuck with Gobert, though. The mistake was made if you're the Wolfe's view. by trying to improve the Gobert situation, you are therefore trying to improve the Ant situation too.

Like they go hand in hand. You can't do one without the other. No, are you compounding, is the question. No, I don't think you're compounding. And I think you're finding the type of point guard that you need to have next to Ant and next to Gobert. You're stuck with it. Like, there's no moving on.

There's not going back in time with the Gober mistake. You gave up too much. And all right, now you're in this position where you have still a very good rim protector, a good rim runner, a good finisher, a great rebounder. So what do you do to make the best of Ant and Gobert and fulfill the vision that you had? To me, it's trading Carl Anthony Towns this summer.

That's what I think you should be doing. You re-sign Nas Reed and you get rid of towns. Keep on making all of your moves based upon Gobert. It's not based upon Gobert. It's based upon Anthony Edwards, which was the point of the trade in the first place. And Anthony Edwards and Towns were a great fit together. because Towns can play center and opens up the gate for Edwards to be able to cook.

I mean, they were a good match. Yeah, but they weren't a champion. He's in his second year in the NBA and they went to the playoffs and the guy is like averaging like, hit like 30 point playoff games. You cannot win a championship with Carl Anthony Towns enforcing your defense. You can't win a second round playoff series with Rudy Gober. What are you talking about? I think you can.

I think you can. I think those Utah teams... You can't beat the Clippers without Quay Leonard. You can't beat the Mavs without Luca Donchich. Yeah, for sure. I mean, look, those Utah... Like, what are we doing? Yeah, but it's not all Gobert's fault.

It's like if you want to talk about, yes, Gobert is part of the reason why they lost games. But those Utah teams did not have the requisite pieces necessary around Gober on defense to make up for when he's pulled out of the paint. that's not all his fault there. All right. Not enough size. I would prefer guys that can't be played off the court. Okay. That's what I'm prefer.

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long. Thinking about things that are only worth it if you enjoy it. This trade deadline has been pretty fun, Kevin. I mean, if we're thinking about things that are enjoyable, I'd say that this trade deadline, we've got to put it in that class. It was maximum level of enjoyment, Chris. We certainly got the, we got a KD deal. We got other teams that improved. I mean, whether it's just today, yeah, Moamba. Momba. Shout out, Colanda. Look, much like Mickelope Ultra, this trade deadline is enjoyable, and it's worth it if you can enjoy it. Mickelope Ultra, the perfect balance of taste and refreshment, only 2.6 carbs and 95 calories. Head to michelope Ultra.com slash Instacart now where you can order ice cold Michelob Ultra delivered right to you.

It's only worth it if you enjoy it. You must be 21 years of age. Enjoy responsibly. The Knicks got Josh Hart from Portland. So they got him for Cam Reddish, Ryan Archie Deaconos, Fee McCalloch, and they got a first rampant, which is Lottery Protected. I didn't really get what Portland did and the other did. They got Cam Reddish, Kevin Knox, like, were these all guys that, like,

they were high on once upon a time or something? Like, I just, I couldn't tell what Portland was doing. I know that they said they're not moving Lillard. They're going to try to build around Lillard. They're obviously trying to. win, they move off of Josh Hart and then, like, I mean, I like the pick and getting a first round pick is great. But, like, in terms of the acquisitions of, like, Knox and Reddish and, like, these kind of guys, like these draft disappointments who have now been on multiple teams in the first

couple of years, man, Tibbs is going to love Josh Hart. And I do think the Knicks will love Josh Hart. And it gives them another guy that, you know, they're probably, they're just going to put the fear of God into somebody in the playoffs. I don't know if they'll win, you know, first round series. But they've certainly got, you know, seven or eight they can roll with. And Lord knows Tibbs will run all of his best players straight into the ground. They get Mitchell Robinson back.

You know, they're going to be a tough team to play against at least. So I kind of like the heart acquisition. Can't believe you're hard on for Josh Hart. I love him. Dude can't shoot. Stops the ball. He can shoot. I don't know what's happening.

I don't know what's going on this year either. But he was up to like 40% as a three-point shooter at one point. I think of the Portland side of things, it is in part them getting some guys that they were previously high on in the draft. Because, you know, as you said that, I searched for some old Mike Schmidt's tweets. They liked Reddish and Knox. Well, yeah, well, Knox. I mean, you get this one from Mike Schmidt's Summer League, 28. he's still not overly efficient but Kevin Knox continues to show off his versatile skill set at 6, 9, 18 years old.

Major mismatch at the small ball 4 with his ability to shoot off the catch and tack and closeout and even play some 4 or 5 pick and roll. So like granted Knox still isn't some, you know, great player. He wasn't this year for the Pistons. He's been a little bit better, you know, in limited minutes off the bench. He's been shooting the ball better, scoring at the rim better. So if you're the Blazers and Schmitz, you're like, Yeah, why not? Give it a ride.

I liked him. Yeah, he's still only 23 years old. Oh, you know, me and you, that's where it would kill us. Like, if people would be all for us, Frank Neillikina, Marvin Bagley, all these guys, we've got, yeah, you know what? I'm done with Frankie Smokes. You are? Yeah, way done. Are you done with Killian?

Hell no. No? Killian's still trending up. What? Where? Have you not watched the Pistons at all this year? I wouldn't surprise me if it didn't. Come on.

up he has like one of the worst effective field goal percentages in the world because he because he got off to one of those dismal starts ever well it all counts yeah i know it all counts but since like november 12th or whatever he's been much better unlike your guy marvin bagley who's now got his missed by by james wise man he's hard by james wiseman jayland durrant kate cuttingham jade navi what the hell are they doing. What do you mean? What are they doing? I know, but like you got Jalen Durenne who's one of the best young bigs in the league right now as a teenager. He looks so impressive and you had James Wiseman. Those guys are never going to be able to play together. Why not? They win. They're losing 60 games

anyway. Let them run out there together. Sure. And just and see what you like. They didn't give up anything. Five second round picks and Sadiq Bay was the deal there. Oh my God. Warriors flipped the five seconds for Gary Peyton. So they essentially treated James Weiser for Gary Peyton. Yes. Isn't that something? Oh, it's something.

Also, Bay, we have to make clear. Sadieq Bay went to Atlanta. So when I was saying the thing about Portland, the hell they signed Gary Payton for it? I can't even play this season. He, like, just came back, and now he's already trading him. Well, getting five seconds is pretty good.

But why did they sign him? It's a question. I think they viewed him as a, potential versatile wing for their rotation. Okay. They wanted to have the smallest team possible. And now they're enamored with the six, nine wings. So they want to go get Cam Reddish and Kevin Knox or whatever.

I just didn't, I don't know. I didn't get it. It didn't seem like a method to the madness. From the Portland side of things? Yeah. I just don't understand why you, like, you knew you had Damien Lillard and Anthony Simons. I know that, you know, Peyton just recently came back, been out. Five second round picks.

is pretty good for a team that feels confidence in their drafting ability. Yeah, I'm fine, but you didn't get him because you thought he was an asset that could bring you back, maybe the likes of five seconds. You signed up because you thought he'd make you better. Yeah, but sometimes you do things and then situations change. Yeah, well, he helps the warriors. New opportunities become available. He helps the Warriors for sure.

Yeah, he does. He does. He helps the Warriors. And the Wiseman thing is the crazy one. I know it saved him $130 million. He was also the number two. pick in the draft. It's unfathomable.

And look, I covered a number two pick in the draft that was unfathomably bad in Hashim Thabit. Shit, he, they got more in return for him from Darry, no less. You got more for The Beep than what you ended up getting returned for James Wiseman. Wild. Super wild. I mean, good Lord. That is just shocking, to say the least. And so, Gary Payton, I do think helps.

I don't really know what Portland was doing, but I do like, I think Tibbs is going to love Josh Hart. And, you know, you make Brunton really happy. That was a cool video going around about to being at that. No, wait a minute. You didn't get more for, for to beat. I'm looking at some now you traded the beat with Damare Carroll in a 2013 first round pick to the Rockets.

for Shane Batti and Ish Smith. Yeah. That was the deal. You got Shane Badiere for like three months. Shane Badiere helped you make the Western win your first playoff series ever. Yeah, but you also gave up a first round pick.

He literally hit the shot. Rudy Gay got hurt. Yeah, but the Warriors didn't give up a first round pick in the deal. You had to have a three. Shane Badiere was an awesome role player. Awesome. Yeah.

for three months. The beat was awful. Yeah. He couldn't play at all. Yeah, but you gave up a first round pick. The Warriors gave up. And you got one of the best role players. You got one of the best role players in the NBA that filled in on a team that was ready to win.

And you knocked off the number one-seated spurs. Because Shane Batier hit the game-winning three in game one. I hope you enjoy that first-round victory. like that's about all you're going to get this year with your Grizzlies too. You don't think Shane Batier is better in his prime is a better return than five second round picks? No, but it really wasn't five seconds.

They got Gary Payton. That was the deal. They got Gary Payton. No, they didn't get Gary Payton. That's a separate deal. Not really. Not really. No.

You want me to say De Anthony Milton was traded. It was not a separate deal. It was a combined deal where it was a four way. That's how it worked financially for it to work. was they forwarded Knox from Detroit. The deal is going to go down in the books as Wiseman for Peyton. It is? It is?

It's going to go down for the warrior side of things, yeah. And regardless of whatever the technicality is, they effectively traded Wiseman for Peyton. And then Portland rerouted? They didn't have to give up a first round pick for him. Why wouldn't Portland just take Wiseman? Maybe they'd rather have Kevin Knox on five-second round drafts? picks.

F out of here, dude. You'd rather have Kevin Knox at five second rounders than James Wiseman? That's insanity. Maybe if you're poor. Come on. It doesn't make any sense. They might.

Then they should all be fired. Everyone should be fired, if that's true. If you would rather have Kevin Knox at five second round picks. You get a second round pick every draft. Every draft. Hell, you can get late first.

in drafts, much less getting seconds. That's preposterous thing. Yaka Portal got traded to Toronto going back. The Spurs received one of your old favorites, Ken Birch, along with Toronto first round pick in 2024, a second round pick in 2023, and the second round pick of 2025. So I work with Kelsey Wright Johnson, who used to cover the Raptors, and so she knows everybody there.

And in fact, they were in town last week. And so when this deal went down, I started to wonder like, well, hold on now. Are they trying to win right now? Because if you're going to get Yaka Porto, you figure they're trying to win right now, right? And she said, I don't think that necessarily means they won't move Van Vleet or O.G or whoever. Because everybody's kind of, and Gary Trent, they're all kind of not happy right now. But she told me something that I did not know, which is Yaka Portal. You know who his best friend in the world is?

Pascal Siaka, they are best friends. And they go back to like that 905 Raptors team that won the G League championship years and years ago. They're coming up together. And they're like, Dick is these, their best friends. She's like, so in part, and that made sense to me, right? Kind of like throwing a bone like, hey, if we're going to change things over, whatever. And we still want to have Pascal here. We're going to build around him.

Now we bring in a guy that he is super tight with that he, we know he can play next to. And so it didn't necessarily dictate everything else. Now, the reporting that has followed with this was that they made this deal and they were thinking, Hey, let's just go ahead and stand pat because after the Durant deal, both them and Chicago thought that the East is more wide open. And I don't understand that, Kevin, at all. Boston is still in the East and Milwaukee is still in the East and Philly is still in the East. still in the east, right? So it ain't open

for Chicago and Toronto. Not this year, but if you're Toronto, if you're Toronto, maybe what you're thinking, it's more open next year. And like you keep your foundation alive and you've retained flexibility to make a bigger move this summer. I think that could be what Toronto's thinking.

Yeah, we'll hang on to our guys for a few more months and then figure it out in June and July. But the idea that, at least some of the reporting, is that they're trying to win this year. Like they want to get in the mix and get there. Well, I mean, they can want that. It doesn't mean they're going to get it.

Yeah. I think ultimately for them, they just desperately needed a center. So getting Pertil makes sense in that regard. But at the same time, like you added another non-shooter to a core that already doesn't have a bunch of knockdown guys. It's a funky fit. And I still think they have to make moves this coming off season. They have to figure out that Barnes, O.G., C. Acum situation there. and with Van Bleet with having the flexibility

to become a free agent this offseason as well they might have to figure out their back court too Gary Trent can be a free agent there's a lot that will change in Toronto it just seems like you know from my understanding everything I heard in recent days is that there were multiple teams offering two first round picks for OG and and Obie the Raptors wanted three

and I'm not so sure that any team met that demand from the Toronto side which is They're in line with me then. Yeah, they are. And so now Toronto's got OGN and Obie still on their roster, and congrats. I don't get it. I don't get it.

But maybe the deals get better in the offseason. You did get Luke Kinnard. I did. Hey, who'd the Pelicans get? Nobody. I think the Pelicans are. Oh, wow. Hey, night, night.

Night night. I mean, Zion's out. We always knew that was the fear. Oh, no way. He is? Yeah. that's crazy well for the memphis the memphis side of things

it's you know luke canard i hope luke darnard finally gets consistent opportunity because i still think back to his final year in detroit when he was like a a 16 and five guy and he's just never worked out with ty loo with the la clippers and maybe now in

Memphis he can do a lot of the same stuff that desmond bain does in a similar role just coming off the bench it makes a lot of sense to me i like the fit on paper here's a little here's a quick step for you. A, Luke Conard shooting 52% on corner threes. Memphis shoots a million of those

of which they hit none. So that's great. Second thing is, since the 21-22 season, 99 players in the NBA have shot over 5003-pointers. Number one in percentage, Luke Conard, 45%.

Number two, Desmond Bain, 44%. So that's good. Yeah, it's pretty good. I mean, you can't defend you, but. Yeah, he can defend me. He's like six foot four. Maybe you. Yeah, he can defend me.

He could definitely defend you too. But here's a problem. Kevin, you might be playing against Kevin Durant and LeBron James and, I mean, all manner of guys, right? Where do the,

where do they rank, like, of Western Conference teams, where do they rank in the finals race right now? Like, consider the Sons and Lakers got better. The Warriors added Gary Payton. Dallas, Minnesota.

So where do they rank? Are they probably got better right? Are they like seventh or eighth Memphis right now in the finals? I think they are a solid second round team because you're right, they're a solid second round team who, I mean, would be very dependent upon the matchup. Okay.

So let's go team by team then. Grizzlies are sons? I mean, I got to see the sons, but I mean, you would certainly say the team with Kevin Durant and the most veterans. I mean, the Grizzlies have the third youngest team in the NBA, Kevin. Grizzlies are Lakers. I mean, they're 13th, so Grizzlies. Grizzlies are Warriors. No Curry?

No Curry? Playoff series. No, they're the ones that I would pick against. They're the ones that I would say, I'm not betting against Curry, Clay, and Draymond until they lose. So you would put Warriors number one, right? right now then. Like in the West. I'm saying to the prism of the Grizzlies.

Yeah, okay. All right. Through the prism of the Grizzlies, you'd fear the warriors the most. That would be the team that I would, I think you have to get past. Nuggets? I think it's wider.

All right. I mean, especially if they have home court advantage, which we'll see. Grizzlies are kings. Come on. Well, that's serious,

yeah, it is a serious question. It's unserious. Why is it unsurious? Come, let them win. Let them just get to the playoffs. Okay. Come on.

Why is it unsurious? I mean, I'm just asking the question, why is it unsurious? I mean, come on. They haven't won one game in like three weeks and they're still the second scene. I don't know why you talk about them like they're hanging on to eight. The Kings? Memphis.

Oh, Memphis. You talk about them like they're like eighth place. No, I don't talk about them. literally haven't won in two weeks and they're still in second. Yeah, I'm not worried about where they are today. Let's talk about where the Pelicans are. Where are the Pelicans rank? I'm not worried about where any of these teams are today.

No, let's talk about them. I'm asking about finals. I'm talking about final chances, Chris. I don't care where the Lakers are 13 right now. I'm saying if you're stacking these teams up. I think Memphis can make the West finals. Okay. can. They're in the mix with everybody else.

There's none of those teams that are unbeatable. Come on, you know that. There's none of those teams that are unbeatable. Are you at all surprised Memphis or New Orleans? You know, one of these teams didn't go out and try to get another wing? I think, yes, yes. Number one, yes. Number two, do I understand?

And also, yes. I think there's a lot less dummies now, man, in the NBA. And I think all these guys want to win deals. That's why, you know, some of these deals you're hearing about the owner getting on the phone. You know, I think all these GMs want to win. They all want to win deals. And this was going to be a weird trade market where you had like, you know, you had to, I think, and they're better GMs now,

but it could be more frustrating because they're more patient. They're more patient, you know. They are, and I would say much, most importantly, much more secure in their job. You think around the league, Kev, and you think about, I covered the NBA where there are a lot of guys that it felt like they need to make a move. to save their job.

There's a lot less of those job-saving moves that need to be made. If we went through all of the league and wrote down like, who's their GM? And do we think they're in danger? That, all of that stuff, organizational culture and whatever has gotten so much better in the NBA.

We don't see a lot of coaching firings anymore. You don't see near as many coach firings and you don't see near as much front-off office upheaval as you did once upon a time. And so I think that it makes for better teams, but I also think it makes it makes it harder to make deals, unless they're truly mutually beneficial because I think there's a lot of guys that are just trying to win deals.

That's what I'd say. But the short answer on, am I surprised they didn't go get a wing? Especially after the Durant thing, yes. Yes. But I've just got to imagine that it wasn't that they didn't try or felt fine with what they had, but more so that the asking price for what was out there was tremendous. Yeah. And if you're in Memphis also, there is benefit in waiting.

You are still young. Yeah. Like you said, third youngest team in basketball. And you just saw Kevin Duranco for four unprotected picks and one swap in McElbriggs and Cam Johnson. Maybe a year from now or two years from now, you're the team and saying, okay, we'll give you four first round draft picks, a pick swap, and, you know, whoever for the next star who's available. That could always be a thing that happens. Well, here, so I'm going to flip it on you.

Do you think there is a real favorite in the Western Conference? Not a clear favorite. I think the sons are the best on paper because getting Kevin Durant, a top five guy. But I don't think it's, I still think it's wide open. I still think there are like seven or eight teams that have a chance to make the NBA final. in the West. That hasn't changed for me. Suns, you know, warriors, nuggets, Lakers,

Mavs, gris, kings, clippers, I mean, get kings a little bit more on the on the outside there. Pelicans with Zion, big if. I mean, it's maybe like six or seven teams you feel like have a shot in the West. Well, let's just say this. The Western

Conference playoffs are going to be unbelievable. Oh, they're going to be awesome. Oh, my God. The star power? Yeah. Star Power involved in that is just going to be off the charts. Absolutely off the charts. Even with the young teams, right? Let's say Minnesota ends up, you know, right there in the mix.

Yeah, first time exit. But then you got Edwards in the mix. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? He's in the mix, just like he was last year. How about, how about, like, the fact Denver could face the Warriors in round one and then, like, Kevin Durant round two? Or the Lakers.

Yeah. I mean, look at what the playant could look like. I know. Yeah, the plan, like today, the playing has Pelicans, wolves, warriors, blazers. Oh. Let's assume the Lakers take one of those spots from, I don't know, Portland or New Orleans if Zion doesn't come back. Well, hold on. The Tremblayers just got Kevin Knox, dude. And Camerich. You just going to act like that didn't happen? And Camerreras. And Camerettis. Yeah.

Give us your bones. Just not James Wiseman. No, not him, evidently. Is there a low on him? I wonder, I'll be curious to see, like, if there's any reporting on this or if I hear anything. But I wonder if Portland not doing Wiseman, did that have to do with more that the Warriors not wanting to keep Wiseman in the West? Or did it have to do more with the Blazers saying, you know what? We'd rather the five-second home picks than Kevin Knox.

I don't know, dude. Doesn't make any sense to me. But, hey, how about that? How about, did you see? a man Omari Sankofa, who covers the pistons, he put out that tweet talking about them acquiring Wiseman and said that he was number one on their board.

Yeah, I saw that. Well, you can't be putting that out there. I know. Yeah, that's worse than me having killing you number one. But why are you... Why are you telling anybody that? I mean, he probably... I mean, I'm sure that's something he heard around draft time.

I get it, but nobody gives a shit. You gave up serious. Sadeek Bay. You don't have to you don't have to pump this one up. What do you think they had Killian ranked? Killing it went seven to them. I wonder if a lot of teams had

Killingen top four, top five. So it wouldn't surprise me if they had Wiseman won, Killing, like, number three or something like that. Yeah. I doubt. Yeah. I wish I had ranked Killing in three.

That was the mistake I made. I would have still had a high. Well, no, I'm just saying, like if I could go back and redo it In my heart, I knew I knew entering draft day that he probably should have been three behind Lamello and Ant. But I just didn't make the move. It was too late. But that's not going to be too late ever again.

I'm not going to wait anymore. You tweeted about the Milwaukee Bucks getting Jay Crowder. You like that. I like it too. It's very reminiscent of the PJ Tucker thing to me. Yep. Just getting a solid role player. It's got a million playoff games under his belt.

has been a part of a lot of winning and, you know, they didn't give up any, they didn't have to sacrifice really anything that helps them greatly. Jordan Noir, George Hill, Sir Tobacca, you know, second round picks. A whole bunch of, a whole bunch.

It's a lot. It's a lot to get crowded. But nothing that matters. Yeah, because you're going for a championship right now. Right. The thing with Crowder is he hasn't been the same level defender as he was in his primers. And his shot has always been so streaky.

So you would hope the version of Jay Crowder you get is a well-rested, you know, completely energized and motivating. He'd damn well better be, dude, right? You hope you get a well-rested. But hey, what do you think he'd be tired? He had the shit for six months. But he might be out of basketball shape. So if you get a version of Jay Crowder that is playing the best he has in a couple of years on defense, and if you just get him on one of those streaks where he's hitting 40% of his threes rather than 25%,

you're in great shape. You said might be out of shape. Sounds like someone doesn't check in on Bossman 99. Yeah. He posts videos of himself. He ain't out of shape, brother. Basketball shapes a whole other thing, though. Hey, that Joker tweeted all caps, all.

And all his captions are all caps. Did you see his tweet today saying, cut off my finger to save my hand, 99 back again? Is it all caps? Yeah, all caps. I know it's an expression, but I was thinking to myself, like, what if that was true when he just showed up, like with one less finger.

He might shoot, he might shoot worse than John Collins. Oh, Lord. They can't move him. Yeah, I know. They can't move John Collins. John Collins. It's possible.

They said they were going to trade him two years ago. I know. He's going to be his Hawk for Life. Yeah. John Collins and the Hawk for life. John Collins in Toronto get the huge booze. Because you guys created all kinds of talk for like two months leading up to this trade deadline. and didn't do nothing.

Nothing. Just pump faking. The Lakers did make a move where they moved a guy out. They moved out Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets. Good backup edition for Denver. Yeah, I got second round picks. I thought it was funny when they said that Thomas Bryant, not particularly enamored with his role

after a turn of Anthony Davis. And I'm like, Thomas Bryant's role Is he like Do you know And I thought And then of course I thought it was super funny

That he got traded to Denver Who like Has to have Yokets out on the court At all times To win games or else It like the plus minus He's always They just kind of try to hold it together

Until they could get Yokich back in I'm not sure how many minutes Thomas Bryant's going to be playing And I saw NBA University he tweeted out that team score 70% at the rim when Thomas Bryant's on the court. He's not much of a room protector. Well, that was a flash in a pan. He was hot for a minute, Thomas Bryant.

I mean, that's why it's an upgrade for the Lakers to be getting Bamba, who at least offers some semblance of room protection despite, you know, I know Magic fans are kind of fed up with Mo Bamba over the years with inconsistent effort and all that, but it's an upgrade for the Lakers to get him and they, rotation instead. And for Denver, though, like, it is an upgrade for Denver to get Thomas Bryant on their bench, which just speaks to, I mean, like, I like Najee, he's just undersized for the position, and Bryant is better than DJ. So it works mutually, it's mutually beneficial for both teams there, but they didn't make as good of a backup center addition as the Clippers did,

though, with Mason Plumley. Yeah, that's for sure. Let me ask you about the 76ers, Hornets, Trailblazers, what do you think about Diablo going? You don't want to talk Clippers at all? No Clippers talk? I mean. You don't want to talk about them getting... How much you want me to talk about Mason Plumley? Eric Gordon?

Oh, I thought you wanted me to talk about Mason Plumley. What about Bones Highlands? What about Bones Highlands? And Eric Gordon? The Bones Island for nothing make no sense to me. You couldn't get nothing for him? That just didn't make any sense. Yeah, there wasn't a lot of interest. I know he don't, him and Malone, don't jive.

But, I mean, he's got more value than that. To me, That's just, I don't know. He's still so young. You know, across my mind with that return for Bones was Amani Bates. Abani Bates, Eastern Michigan, he's scoring like crazy, but not doing a lot else. I mean, Jay Kyle Mann and I talked about, you know, I think Kyle Mann mentioned, could Amati Bates be a bigger Bones Island in the NBA?

If you're Bones Highland and all the success you've had, the fact you're only 22 years old in the second year of career and you only go for, you know, a couple seconds from a rival team in the Western Conference if you're Bones Highland you're going to be looking in the mirror and saying what am I doing wrong

to be not be valued more and if you're a young player like Amani Bates where your whole game is scoring you're going to look in the mirror and say to yourself what are the things that I need to do to be more valued

by NBA teams right now because you're right Chris Bones has shown flashes but he needs to do more than just be a bucket okay so I thought very good acquisition Mason Plumley, I don't care about.

Yeah, plumly, but yeah, but fine. Yeah, I know, but like, they needed to give Zubots a breather. Zubbox is worn down. But, I mean, I just don't think that moves the needle. I know, I don't know, but like, by getting Plumly, you help Zubots. You increase Zubots as value. It's kind of like Utah. Yes, you lose these guys, but you increase the value of your most valued asset,

which is your own first round draft pick. By getting worse, your overall state of the franchise gets better. For the Clippers adding a better backup center worthy of backup minutes, you increase the value of your starting center, Zubots. You know what I mean? All right. That's the way I look at it at least. I can buy it.

And then Eric Gordon, I mean, it's fine. You think Eric Gore, I mean, I get it. This is, they did a lot of, it's a lot of coaching weirdness. You and I were just talking about Kylo for whatever reason. And many of the numbers supported playing Kinnard Moore. He did it. obviously didn't take to Kinnard. Do you think Eric Gordon's better than Kinnard?

No, but he might be better than the eyes of Tailu, so that could lead, that could lead doing it. I know, but I mean, just so. He's at least on paper better than, better on defense. Okay. I mean, even though he, that was a bad foul call, but. Yeah. His last, his last play in a rocket's uniform is that foul on D.

Aaron Fox that ends up losing them the game. Oh, I mean, that's a great play. from a tanking perspective, though. Great play, I guess, on a tanking perspective, Stephen Silas did not feel that way, obviously. What was with Steven Silas's rehearsed lines that he had the other night? You saw that? No.

Rehears lines? Like, he sounded like he was rehearsing lines when he was at a press conference and he was just like, we need, he was like looking down at notes, we need to play harder. We need to do a better job. He sounded like a trained actor. Oh, well, maybe somebody that,

Maybe what's a guy, the author of Shut the Hell Up, their owner, gave him something to read at the press conference. Yeah. Isn't that is, what's the name of the book? I can never remember. Isn't they shut the hell up? Shut up and listen. Shut up and listen. The Tim and Fertita story.

Yeah, shut up and listen. Hard business truths that will help you succeed. Yeah. It's got 4.5 stars on Amazon. Is that right? Yeah. Really. Wow.

Sounds great. I can't wait to not read it. Are you a reader, Chris? I mean, yes, I can. You're asking me like, yeah. Oh, you meant do I read, yeah. You read tweets, you read, you skim articles. No, I read.

I read books. I read a lot of articles. If I'm being totally honest, I've read, a hundred pages of a hundred books easy I there's not a ton

that I completely finish I'm bad about finishing the books so it just doesn't hold your attention you like watching sports I move on to something else and yeah yeah

I move on to something else but yeah I mean I've read a lot of books I mean some people they visualize they see a movie on the pages and all that good for them I don't have that that skill

so yeah I would not say I wish I don't have like a study that I sit there with a pipe and read a book yeah yeah yeah I wish I could be immersed in the same way like of a Mallory Rubin you know I wish I wish I could do that yeah that's fair I can read though I can't read that we do have that skill Chris we do have that Matisse Thuyble to the Blazers boy the Blazers just racked up yeah I mean title team around Dane what did you think of Philly giving up on Thibel they get what Jalen McDaniels, I think, in the deal?

I love the deal for Philly. They save on luxury tax. They get multiple second round draft picks increasing their flexibility for further moves. And McDaniels, I tweeted this out and some Sixers fans got pissed off at me. I said him and Thibel are in the same stratosphere on defense. Bible is better than McDaniels on defense. That's obvious. Thibble is one of the better defenders of basketball, but McDaniels is very good.

he's long, he's versatile, he gets the flexions, he can turn defense into offense. That's why they're in the same stratosphere, and he's better on offense than thibble. So Doc Rivers, you know, was not a big Matisse fan. He's getting a guy in McDaniels that I think is better position for their rotation, offering something consistently. And like I said, Lux tax savings and the second round picks are also a benefit to Philadelphia as well. So I like the deal there, and it makes sense also for, for poor. to get Matisse to.

Did you sense if Philly fans are upset about this deal? I didn't. I couldn't get it. I thought they were just upset about me saying McDaniels and Theible are the same stratosphere. Doesn't stratosphere, isn't that pretty big? That's a big range. I think it is.

Yeah. Isn't that a big range? I read a book one time about it. Yeah. Isn't that like a guy could be like, you know, not close. They're not like equivalents, but same stratosphere means,

yeah, they're, they're, I think a stratosphere is big. Yeah, big. Yeah, but I think then you're casting a really wide net because, like, I don't know. Is this another? It could be like Devonty Graham and Pat Bebber in the same stratosphere defensive. This is like our building block thing a couple weeks ago. Right?

It's like the building block. It's all semantics. Okay. Remember when we got into it about building blocks? Yeah, I think we did. Yeah, building. Who was that player that we were talking about? Nick Spire.

Emmanuel quickly. It was quickly. We said he's not a building block, but he's a good player. Jalen Brunson is a building block, but it's all about your own individual definitions. Fair enough.

Hey, Chris, is Matisse Thiable a building block? No. He's a brick. Obama. What are you? you guys scheduled to go out to dinner? Maybe tomorrow. Tomorrow?

Yeah. Have you invited to live at your place? And maybe tomorrow. We'll find out. You know, it's funny when you say that is I, um, I already reached out to somebody. I'm like, hey, man. See if Danny just wants to move that house. Danny Green bought a house here, like just recently.

Wow. He just bought a house. I'm like, man, I'll buy this. I'm going to go buy Danny Green. See if he needs to really get off it quick Like you're moving Hey you're moving I know you just bought it

But I mean you want flip it you got money He's gonna rent it out It's gonna make some money from Airbnb Probably kid Usually they He'll probably get Luke Canard to buy it No lie They do that all the time

You know I met this guy one night At my kid's school And the guy's like Hey he's like I'm not really Grizzly's fan He's like but my son is a huge is his thing. And he's like, and he's mad. This is a year ago. He's like, but he's really mad at the team.

And I was like, oh, is that right? He's like, yeah, he's, he's mad. I was like, why? And he's like, we live next door to Jonas Valentunus. And he's like, so he's absolutely heartbroken that they traded Jonas Valenatunis. Like he's literally our next door neighbor. And he goes, but I got to tell you this great story. He goes, so a couple of mornings ago, he runs into my office at home. He goes, Dad, Dad, Dad, come here. And he says, so I walk out there. And there's a guy walking down the driveway, completely shirtless, tatted up all over, huge, dragging his garbage cans to the end of the street.

And it's Stephen Adams. And I was like, no way. So when they got traded for each other, and I guess it stands to reason, right? Probably be equipped for a gigantic man. You would figure he probably augmented the house. So he just, Stephen Hatterton's his house. That's crazy or what? And so the kid ended up being happy because it still ended up, a player lived right next door to it.

That's incredible. Unbelievable. But I don't think your place is equipped for Mo Baba. No, Baba can't stay here now. Yeah, he can't even take a crap at your house. Pat Bev and two second rounders, which then leads to Pat Bev, this dude has the worst luck when it comes to emotional tweet. Because, you know, remember when he got traded to Memphis and he was like, grit and grind, baby? And then he got moved immediately to Minnesota.

Well, you saw the one last night. together again and it's him and Delo. And then he always gets straight. Every time he gets excited about something that's taken place, the team immediately trades him. I thought it was funny also that I saw somebody else put this tweet out there.

He said how like Woj has been in the gym, you know, he's being Shams of stories. But then Shams was the one who reported the Patrick Beverly deal first. It's so good. Oh, that is hilarious. So where was the story? Was it hearsay this whole, he may not be in Orlando.

He might end up back in Minnesota or something. Yeah, he might get bought out. Yes. Okay. So that is a thing. Yes. Okay. And then they would have Conley and Beverly back there, bring him that voice back to.

Yeah, it would make sense for them. It really would. I mean, that's a scene of where he was ripping his shirt off, humping the scorers table after they won the play in. It's a legend there. They've got a statue of him humping the scorers table outside that arena. You didn't know that? I did not know that. Playing pet.

Play in Pat. Your Pelicans got Josh Richardson. That was super exciting. Yeah, they did. Yeah. For Devante Graham and four second round picks. You know what that feels like to me? And I've seen this happen a lot.

I actually saw it with Grayson Allen a couple years ago. So Grayson Allen got traded to Milwaukee for like, like Sam Merrill and, nothing. And I was like, what? Why are you? And it's because if Grayson Island's on the team, the coach is going to start it or play them a lot. If you want to make way from Desmond Bain and the Anthony Melton, you got to get rid of this thing. I think that this is one of those not as much, hey, Josh Richardson can really help us as much as we got to get Devante Graham out of here so Willie won't play it. Don't you feel like, wait, that's what that deal felt like to me.

Yeah. It's too tempting. It's too tempting. It's too tempting. It's too tempting. for him to play him. And it's like, bro, he's unplayable. Unless, Chris, Josh Richardson starts taking minutes from like a Dyson Daniels, then it becomes a problem again. Yeah. I can't imagine. I mean, they got a bunch of, in between Ingram and Herb and, and, uh, and Dyson Daniels and

Trey, I can't imagine there's Josh Richardson, like, real minutes. that kind of feels like, you know, veteran for break glass in case of emergency, but more so just we got to get Devante out of here. I saw it happen. Another guy was Shelvin Mack. They just had to deal him or else J.B. Bickerstaff was going to play his ass every night. Coaches love those vet guys like that, right? I think we're pretty well covered it.

Is there any deal that we didn't talk about? I don't know. I think we got to all of them. I'm trying to scroll through and make sure we didn't miss anything. I don't think so. Bruno Fernando and Garrison Madden. Oh, Jesus. For Justin Holliday, Frank the Tank, and two second rounders.

That was a huge one. We didn't analyze that at all. Yeah, a big one. We should have led the show with it, actually. You know, I've always thought Justin Holliday is, like, pretty good. The guy gets traded every damn day. He's okay. What was her favorite move?

the Durant deal What? It's not even close Bombas of the Lakers Oh stop it That's gross Oh hey Kinnard What am I talking about

Danny Green And what was it Second Round picks For Kinnard I mean just another Unbelievable Memphis move In a series Of unbelievable moves

I don't know You see Bill Simmons Tweet out us about Mo Bamba No, what he said? Oh, about you hosted a show with them? It's kind of bullshit, whatever. Go ahead. Go ahead.

That's pretty funny. I almost. Bill tweeted, welcome to the seven feet deep podcast of KOC and Mo Baba. My name is Kevin O'Connor. This pod is no longer called the mismatch. And Chris Vernon no longer works here. Yeah. Cool story, Bill.

Why don't you pay attention to the NBA and realize you can't employ Mo Bamba? You already employ Austin Rivers, dumbass. Yeah. Why don't you have them do a show together? Oh, that'd be cool. Hey, let's have a company party with Mo and Austin. It's going to be trouble there. You're going to get rid of me?

Really? Go ahead. Guys going to be employed Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba? Unbelievable. Just not thinking it through. Not thinking it through, Bill. Unbelievable. I'm cool with it still.

Yeah, go ahead. I'll get rid of Austin Rivers to get MoMA. That podcast would suck. Seven. Nobody listen to that. Seven feet deep. Nobody wants to listen to that. All right.

It's going to do it for today's show. Yes, it is. Great trade deadline for sure. Oh, so fun. It was. It was fun and a lot of surprises. A lot of surprises. And the league is going to look a lot different when everybody gets these guys on their

rosters and the Western Conference playoffs are just going to be absolutely unbelievable. Oh, yeah. I'm fired up already. Oh, think about those matchups. You know what I mean? Like there's going to be series with like Luca and Kyrie up against, you know, maybe a Booker and Duran or a Clay and Steff or a Morant and Bain or a Burramp. and Yokic or

Fox and Subon. I mean, there's just good grief. And that's not even mentioned if the Lakers get in the playoffs. Yeah. Which, dude, if they don't get in the playoffs now. I'd be surprised if they don't. Me too.

Yeah. They got a good roster now. I mean, listen, like getting into the plan doesn't guarantee the playoffs. I'd be surprised if they don't get into the plan, but they are only, you know, they're three, they're two backers. right now of the 10 seed at a playing spot.

And they're three and a half back from the seven seed, four and a half back from the six. But it speaks to the strength. Like if you're Denver, you might catch the Warriors or the Lakers in the first round. Or Phoenix. Who knows? Yeah, Phoenix slides down a little bit. You never know. It could happen.

You don't know. It could happen. No, you're an ankle twist away. Yeah, for sure. From them staying around 500 for a while. But if it's the Warriors or the Lakers in the first round, oh, my God. You might have the best record in the West by like four games and then end up with them in the first round. Brutal.

Yeah. Really tough. All right. It's going to do it for the show. Thanks to everybody for listening. Thanks to our executive producer Jesse Lopez, as always. Kevin, I will talk to you next week. Have a good weekend.