The Mismatch - Paul George to Philly, Klay to Dallas, Tatum's Extension, and NBA Free Agency Transactions

Episode Date: July 2, 2024

Now that the free agency period has started, Verno and KOC react to all the free agent signings, extensions, and more, starting with Jayson Tatum’s record-breaking contract extension with the Celtics, as well as Paul George’s impact with the Sixers and where the Clippers go from here (01:26). They then move on to discuss the contracts of Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, and debate why the Nuggets wouldn’t match the contract that the Magic gave to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (20:27). Next, they discuss Klay Thompson’s departure from the Warriors as he leaves to join the Mavs (38:56). Also, the impact that Chris Paul will make on Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and the rest of the young Spurs, as well as the latest rumors on Lauri Markkanen (46:47). 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

Hey, football fans, we know that the NFL offseason can seem long and dark, but the Ringer NFL show is here to shine a light on all the big training camp developments and front office news around the league. Join me, Shield Capadia, and a rotating cast of Ringer favorites that includes Noura Preciati, Stephen Ruiz, Austin, Gail, and Lindsay Jones throughout the summer months, and stay up to date on what your favorite team is cooking up for the 2024 season. subscribe to the Ringer NFL show on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast and follow Ringer NFL on Instagram and TikTok and at Ringer NFL on X and YouTube. Welcome to The Mishmatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me as he does every Monday night from the ringer.com is Kevin O'Connor, A.K.A. Kevin O'Bomberner, A.K.K.A. Kevin O'Bomberner, A. Kevin O'Bomberner, A. Kevin O'Bomberner, A. Kevin O'Bomber. How are you doing today?

I'm great. We have had a ton of NBA news since we have last spoken. Of course, the beginning of free agency came right after. We just talked about the NBA draft late last week. And there has been a lot going on. We have a ton to cover. So what I have done, Kevin, is I have pulled up the list of the free agents that have signed. And we're just going to start with the top dollars. And we're going to go down from there. And at any point, if you want to bounce. to another one we can or if you want to stop me we can. Of course, before, when I was getting ready for the podcast, the biggest number on the board for an extension that had been signed was the New York Knicks of OG and Obie for roughly $212 million. That has been surpassed by $100 million since I wrote that down because Jason Tatum got 315 with his extension with the Boston Celtics that now has gone as we expected between Tatum and Brown. It's going to be over $600 million in salaries.

And I tweeted earlier today, Kev. I was covering free agency in 2016 when Mike Conley in Memphis signed at that point the richest deal in NBA. history because the cap had gone up. And it was five years and 150 million. And I said at that time, I'm like, wow, NBA players, there's going to be an NBA player that makes $30 million a year. How crazy is that? And then today, same amount of time, five-year deal, 315, 100% inflation in the amount

that the biggest extension is. this off season. I mean, the Tatum thing, it was a, you know, whatever the number is, the number is, right? Yeah, and then Derek White gets $125 million, also resign with Boston, and that was four years. So if you extrapolate that out to five years, it'd be more than Conley for Derek White. And, you know, I think for, you know, that does put into perspective the change in salaries when you consider Mike Conley was, you know, All-Star caliber. And, you know, And Derek White kind of is in his own way, but doesn't have the same status if you're stacking up all the point guards in the league.

So for Boston, I think you see all the news today for the Celtics. They re-sign Tatum, they re-sign White. They bring back all their role players as well. And then there was the news that Wick Grosbeck, the team owner for 22 years now, is selling the team. Perfect time, right? I'm not paying the bill. Sell high.

But their statement would say he'll be the team owner until 2028. So that will see them through these big expensive salaries for their championship run the next handful of years until he's actually not the owner anymore. But just definitely an up and down kind of crazy day of Celtics news for everybody dealing with it there. OG and Anobi got the $212 million. Again, this one was not surprising to us. We figured once they made the deal with Toronto in the season, that it was set up, you know, you always reach out to know the same way Indiana did with Siakum. So we figured this was just pen to paper. I know that he got hurt at the end of last year, which maybe could have muddled it a little bit.

But I think that one was about what we expected, that it was in the cards that he, they wanted him. They wanted him going forward as a major piece of the team. I think maybe we, you know, there was some sentiment that would the bridges thing change anything with that? But I'd imagine that there was a wink, wink, hey, we're making this trade, want to make sure you want to be here with us going forward. And there was an understanding that this is the kind of deal that OG and Ninobe would be getting in the offseason from the Knicks, right? Yeah, I mean, I think there was kind of an obvious one that that would be happening for the NICS. and then they get McKell Bridges, and, you know, great, great for them to have those two wings

and to bring those guys in. But it is a bummer for the Knicks, and they lose Hartinstein, though. Yes. I mean, he was so critical to the Knicks last season and him going to Oklahoma City on the three-year, $87 million contract. I think with Oklahoma City, you know,

the Knicks are winners of the off-season, too, but the Thunder, getting Caruso for Giddy, like we talked about on last week's show. You get Caruso, he's an upgrade over Giddy, 3 and D. You know, I know you and I disagree on this point, but I think it's going to unlock Chet, more Kays and Wallace. Those guys are going to get more touches. So you do all that, but then you also get Isaiah Hartinstein, who solves the rebounding issues. He adds some screening and creation, playmaking, and facilitating as a center. And the toughness he brings in the front core next to

Chet, all the flexibility you have to run Chet and Hartenstein, or just one of those guys out there. I think Dagnol's going to have a lot of fun with different lineups he can use. But the one thing with Hartinstein that I don't think the Knicks needed to get out of him or tried to get out of him is some of the perimeter stuff we've seen him do over the years throughout his career. He's never been a great shooter, but he's been 31% from three in his career. He had some really hot stretches in the G League and overseas before he entered the NBA. I wonder if OKC, a team that everybody's been talking about, do they want to retain their five-out identity? I wonder if OKC is going to, with Chip England as their shooting coach,

get Hartinstein shooting threes at the top of the key, corner threes, and with O'KC on defense, Hartinstein has switched on defense more often than he did this past season with the Knicks. I wonder if maybe we'll see some of that perimeter stuff from Hartinstein with OKC moving forward because I think you pay a guy $87 million over three years. you're expecting him to be more than 25, 26 minutes per game player. I think the OKC is going to be able to get more out of him than any other team ever has in their past, especially with the way the rest of their roster is.

Yeah, and I think that if you are, well, it's a bummer if you're a Knicks fan, because he was a fan favorite, and I love Hartenstein. He's clutch. I think for anybody, I think for anybody that looks around, that number was so big that it was, it's perfect for Oklahoma City because they've got, you know, you mentioned Wallace, you mentioned Chet, you mentioned Jalen Williams, it's the luxury of having three of your top six or seven guys on rookie contracts at the time. And his contract will then be coming off right when it's about, you know, when it's Chet time. Like their pinch will be later down the road, but they have that

money available now to be able to spend on a player like Hartenstein. And so you can go and target a guy that you think will help you and will fill a need. And if you pay a little more to make sure that you get him, then you pay a little more to make sure you get him because you're getting such incredible value out of three, at least three of your top six guys. They are wildly outperforming their contracts. And so that was obviously a great signing.

Going back up to the top, we got to talk about the Paul George one. I know you love the fit in Philadelphia. This is just, it is so strange to me. And I heard our buddy Zach Lowe talking about this because I don't know why the Clippers put a statement out about this. And then talk so much about the second apron. Because the reporting on this was that they were willing to go three years, but not a fourth year. Well, what does that have to do with the second apron, right?

The reason you're losing Paul George is not the second apron, right? Like you were willing to do it. I almost think it would be better if you just said nothing about this. Or if you just said, look, we want to go a different direction. We think it's a better direction for the Los Angeles Clippers. And if you did in your meetings decide. Look, we've tried this and we've given it a good run. It's been five years that we gave this a run.

And we got three playoff series wins to show for it. We haven't won a playoff series since 2021. So what are we doing here? Why are we spending a fortune every year on this team? We don't get the results. I don't get my money's worth on this version of the clippers. And we need to pivot. And we need to go a different direction.

But this whole like we didn't keep him because of this big bad second apron and everything else is just a little strange to me because of the reporting on it. That it was an impasse was the years that they were going to be able to do. And so I don't know what the clippers are doing. I don't know why they gave James Harden $35 million a year. Who else was doing that? Who else was giving James Harden $35 million to play? And so we'll get back to the Clippers. Philly.

Wait a minute, no, no, no, no. Okay, good. I mean, the Clipper, like, what are they going to say? We, we, we. Nothing. I know. They didn't have to say anything, but, like, if they're going to release a statement, what are they going to say?

We didn't want to pay Paul George more than Kauai Leonard. We told Kauai that Kauai would be the highest paid player. I mean, they're not going to admit the truth. No, I know. I was very clear. My opinion is to not release a, statement. But don't release a statement saying, making it sound like you're scared of the second apron and trying to blame the NBA for these rules that are going to make it impossible to

manage your team when you were willing to be in that, clearly. Yeah, but I think, I think that's fair what they said, because the length of the contract would impact your ability to have flexibility moving forward. If it's a three year instead of a four year and he's one year older on the back end of that contract, it would make it even more difficult for you to move off him if necessary. So I think there's some truth of that, where if you become even more locked in with that fourth year, it's not just about the annual value. It is about the length of the contracts.

We're seeing that with some of these other highly paid players that are hard to deal. The Bulls can't find somebody for Levine. I think the length of a deal does matter, not on top of just the annual value. But they were willing to be in that apron. even with three years. The fourth year doesn't affect that. Yeah, but they didn't say that. They said in the statement,

they're like under the constraints of the new CBA. Right, they blamed the CBA. And that's not the reason. I mean, I think that's part of the reason. If they didn't want to give them a fourth year, they don't have to give them a fourth year. Yeah, that is part of the reason. Because of the constraints of the CBA,

if you're locked into an old team with these lengthy contracts, a three-year deal is far more manageable to get out of than a four-year deal. I think the clippers have done a okay job with what they did. They declined some of these sign and trade or opt-in-and-trade scenarios with the Warriors and all that that would have kept them in a similar position with some other big contracts or longer-term deals. And I mean, I'm not saying Batum and Chris Dunn are going to be game changers for them necessarily, but I think they did come out of this so far in a spot where you look at

the clippers and you're like, okay, I kind of understand. the mindset here with wanting to retain some flexibility moving forward. But overall, like, regardless of what they've done, like, anytime a guy walks for free, it's a big Al. I mean, it's a lot. And that whole, whole Kauai Leonard Paul George experiment is a massive L. And that's why ultimately, like, part of me wonders if this was the plan all along that they just didn't want Paul George. The Kauai Leonard doesn't want Paul George anymore because why would you have those conversations with Kauai before ever talking to Paul George. I forget who reported it.

Somebody said it might have been Windhorst who said, Paul George was rubbed the wrong way about how they signed Kauai to that length of a deal. That's not something he ever agreed to. Part of me just wonders if the clippers every step of the way and Kauai knew this would offend Paul George and knew that he could possibly leave and knew that they were going to go down this path because they're not necessarily done yet. They can still try to work something out for DeMard de Rose. And I said months ago, or weeks ago, rather on this show, I think to you, when I reported the stuff about the Sixers, that's a Rosen could be the backup plan with the Clippers.

And he has yet to sign as I'm recording. We'll see what happens there. Sounds like he's not going to be staying with the Bulls. So the picture is still incomplete for the Clippers as I'm recording. But, you know, obviously it sucks anytime a guy ends up leaving for absolutely nothing. Well, I know when everybody's over the moon about the fit and about the acquisition of the player. that is Paul George. That being said,

the guy does not play basketball very much. You know, you look at those five years. George, or both of them. Go look at his games played until it was a contract year. I mean, he played 74 last year. Go look at the four years before that while he was in L.A.

He did not play 60 in any of them, Kevin. he didn't play 60 games. Hey, he's injured a lot. I mean, so. So that's why it's understandable why the clippers didn't want to take him. We just gave this guy a billion dollars to not play. You want us to do it for four more years? Enough.

You know. I just think clearly the clippers are operating with a two-year plan hair. They give Hardin give two years. Kauai gets three. Yep. I think this team is looking at two years with Kauai and Hardin, with some flexibility. as the years go by, maybe next summer

picks become available to trade. They try to make a move to maximize that final year. Who knows what ends up happening? Maybe they pull the plug on all of it, and they trade Kauai, and they trade hard, and then they go to a full rebuild in the middle of next season or next summer. So, but I understand the viewpoint of wanting to retain flexibility,

because that's a hell of a lot of money for Paul George. This is a risk for the Sixers to give them that money, but it's the best choice that Philly had to make. This was their plan A. It makes all the sense in the world for them to go to Paul George. He's a 40 plus percent guy from three. He's a versatile defender. He's a connective passer.

He can be, you know, a high-end role player on some nights next to Maxie and Joel Embed. And then other nights that he's feeling it, he can be that guy who drops 25, 30 plus points. It's a perfect situation for Paul George. It's a perfect fit with the Sixers. And I think, you know, like it still comes down to Embed's health. It still comes down to George being able to stay on the floor.

There's still risk here for the Sixers, but this was their best choice in order to pursue a championship with Jewel and Beat as their best player. They had to do this, whereas the Clippers, I think, they didn't need to commit to that. And so this makes sense for Philadelphia to do. Yeah. And we always talk about the best ability as availability,

and Paul George has not proven to be available and great when it matters most over the course of his Clippers career. that's what he's going to be judged upon. And it's going to be a lot harder in Philly than it has been in the other stops because he's played in Indiana. He's played in Oklahoma City and he's played with the Clippers. And you know that fan base in Philadelphia. And so there is going to be a different level of expectation and microscope on him in a way that he probably hasn't had in his career in the same.

way, I'm talking on a local level. Of course, when you're that level of star, on a national level, you get a big microscope, but on a local level, like that fan base is so passionate that they're going to be on his ass if he's not playing and on his ass if he's not performing. And so you can kind of just do whatever when you're playing for the clippers. You can kind of just skate. And I do think they set a standard there, which I don't want to bust them up too bad, but when your best player and your franchise guy and Kauai Leonard treats the season the way that he has treated the season?

I mean, I was at a game, Kevin, where Kauai Leonard literally did not come back out after halftime. He had a great first half. It was a tie game and didn't come back out. And there was no, there was no memo from the PR department. Ty Lou was visibly frustrated and didn't even know what to say after the game. And none of his teammates covered for him. They asked Russell Westbrook, where was, where was Kauai Leonard? And he was like, I have no idea.

Like he literally, not only did he not come out for the second half. He didn't communicate why he wasn't coming out for the second half. The guy just did literally whatever he wanted to do all the time. So you may see a very different Paul George because that just becomes, you know, the way things are. there. And so you might see a very different one, especially when Mbid's willing to get out there hobbling around to play in basketball games. So it might be the best thing for Paul George to be around, you know, some competitors like Mbid and Maxie. I respect the decision that George made because he could have resigned with the clippers and just taken, you know, less money, but instead he chose a really challenging route. Like the pressure will be on him in Philadelphia more than it ever really has been in his entire career. I mean, Indiana, had some playoff runs. But Philly is a whole different monster with their local media, with the fan base there, so passionate, one of the most passionate fan bases in the league,

one of the craziest. And that's what makes it fun. Like, that's what's going to make it rewarding if slash when the Sixers someday do win a championship, that that fan base is thirsty. They're incredibly thirsty for a title. So, I mean, I think for Paul George, it could be incredibly rewarding to go there if they're able to get up over the mountain. But, uh, yeah, if they don't and you're part of the reason why they don't. And good luck, buddy. Yeah, as Tobias, as he's counting his $52 million today.

Good for him. All right, next up for the highest paid guys that have signed extensions. Five years, 200 and almost $4 million for Tyrese, you and I both love Maxi. I'd have given him whatever he's available to get, honestly. Yeah, I mean, he's worth it after the improvement he made this past season. I mean, I feel like he's the type of guy You can't bet on him to

I mean, you would bet on him to continue with sending as well I mean, he became 25 point per game last season I think has hit a playmaking leap that he experienced From the year prior with Hardin as a teammate to last year It wouldn't surprise me if that's the next step he takes More diverse ability as a playmaker out of pick and rolls Because the scoring ability is already there And so now you're pairing with Paul George

Sharing the ball with him And Bede maybe he takes another step As he has every year of his career Yeah, Tyrese is the guy I'd want to bet on regardless of the dollar amount. And the other thing is the only good thing that came out of M.B.'s injury was Maxie probably would have made all NBA. He was on track to be able to make all NBA at the time. He was certainly in that conversation, maybe in the end. But, I mean, M.B doesn't get hurt.

They are a top, you know, three seed or something like that. he probably gets that over Halliburton yeah he might yeah right yeah and then they would have been on the hook for even more um we already covered the Siakum one emmanuel quickly five years 175 million dollars okay so my instant reaction was what the hell not that i do not like Emmanuel quickly. It's just the number was so startling because it was after Malik Monk signed for, what was it, $77 million or something like that, I do not view them in a different class. I think quickly is way better. You do.

Way better. Better shooter, better ball handler, better at everything. He was 42% of it. 42% from the field in his games in Toronto. Yeah, I mean, but quickly, he's also like a 40% guy from three, you know, a higher volume shooter. Monk is not an elite shooter. He had like one year, really, where he was an elite shooter of 40 plus percent from three.

And other than that, he's been pretty average. So I think quickly we consider the age as well, you know, he's a year or two younger than Monk. Not that much? Yeah, not that much, but I mean, he's a better. You think he's a hundred million dollars different than Malik's? He's a better creator, a better passer. Is he $100 million better? No, but I think he's better than Malik Monk.

You think he's a starting high-level point guard in the NBA? I like his role in New York. Not necessarily. I mean, I think, I mean, he's a way better defender than Malik Monk, too. Way better defender. So yes, he's better than Monk. But, I mean, I think for the Raptors, signing Scottie Barnes, signing quickly, in some ways, It's like what choice did you really have here?

I'm not saying he's not better than Malik. What I'm saying is I view them in the same hemisphere. Like they're kind of in the same class of player to me. They're kind of in the same class of player. I think Quickly's much better. They do different things. I think Quigley's way better as a player than Monk. Monk is a bucket, man.

Yeah. You know? I don't know if Quickly does anything as well as Malik Monk scores. I think Quickly is a better score. a better defender, better passer, better everything. All right, we break ways on this. I think that's crazy to give him 100. I get it that, you know, the cap's going to go up.

It's not going to be that huge percentage of your cap. This could end up looking like the Mike Conley thing many years ago, right? It could where it's like, all right, that's not that bad. But I just don't know if he's a high level starting point guard in the NBA. That would be my question. Roll. Nick Claxton got four years, $100 million. playing Brooklyn.

I mean, I think what we found out is these bigs, they got paid. There weren't that many available, but like they got real money. Hartnstein got real money. Claxton got real money. I don't know what the hell that Valenatunist deal in Washington is. That just,

I mean, I'm glad that he got 30 more million dollars, but that just made no sense to me. But, you know, of the big guys that were out there, you're a Claxton fan, right? Big Claxton fan.

Yeah. Elite switch defender. Good lob finisher. Can pass a little bit. 25 million seem reasonable to you? Oh, super reasonable. Okay. Where are you at on Patrick Williams?

Five years, 90 million. I'd love to know. I'd love to know. I mean, I think this is a fair bet for the Bulls. 90 million over five years. He's still only 22 years old. He'll turn 23 next season. I mean, he's a big switchable defense.

who's improved a little bit offensively over the years. I think this makes sense. Dollar-wise, very much so for the Bulls in the same way that Kobe White became a discounted contract. So if Williams continues improving year by year, then this could become a major discount deal. Now, will he pop in the way that White has? Probably not.

I don't think he's got that fire in him that White does as a bucket-getter. But this is worth it for the Bulls. I think it could end up a bargain contract and if not, it's a very tradable number. So I actually like this deal for the Bulls. You do like this deal? Yeah, I do.

I was surprised by that one. 18 million annually? That's not that bad, right? 18 million annually? I mean, I mean, I get it. But he's a guy. Maybe he improves greatly. I mean, it's a bet on him.

So I guess it just depends on what you think he's going to become, right? Yeah, I mean, I think, but even if he doesn't improve that, much. Let's just say he doesn't. He stays pretty close to what he is now. 10, 12 point per game guy, you know, it's an overpay, but at 6-8, 6-7, 40% shooter from three, versatile defender, I think you can do worse at $18 million annually. And maybe he continues to get better and better. Maybe he gets better. And we look up and he's a much better player in three years. But to me, he would have to be a much better player in three years for this to make sense. That's what I'd say. And that's the bets that

teams make, right? When they're signing these extensions. You pay, sometimes you pay for proven production and sometimes you pay for a few future potential. That's right. Hardinstein, Monk, Hardin, we covered all those. Do you think there's anybody else that would have given James Hardin $35 million? No. I don't either. I don't. Who, what were you bidding against on that? The next one on the list, And this is a big one for the Western Conference. Catavius called Well Pope.

$66 million went to Orlando. I'm a big fan of this for Orlando. And I like his fit there. This makes absolutely no sense to me for Denver, honestly. No sense whatsoever. I don't know. Your boy Calvin Booth, he's thrown me for a loop on this one, Kevin. Why?

I was looking at this chart the other day, taking on the toughest assignments. It's a thing that came out from sports radar, and it was percentage of players on-ball defensive time spent matched up with the opponent's scoring ball handler. So the number one on that list was Derek Jones, Jr. It would not surprise you, right? He was the only perimeter defender on that Dallas team. Number two, Lou Dort. No surprise. Right. No surprise. Number three, OG and an OB. No surprise. But very, very, and you'd expect all those names.

Number four, Contavius Caldwell, both. And that's why almost just as much as the scoring, the three-point shooting with KCP, the defense will be a loss. Now, KCP, I had him second team all defense on my ballot. He ended up not making it, but he was on my ballot. I voted for him. he did get destroyed by Anthony Edwards in the Nuggets Wolf series. So last year against the Sons, he did not do great against Evan Booker. And this isn't to dismiss his defensive ability, but it is merely to say, I'm sure, in the eyes of the nuggets, they feel like Christian Brown can step into his role and do at least similar to what he's done. Then what do you do behind Brown now? Like, that's the question here. Like, if you lose KCP, yes, you have Christian Brown, but then you're relying on Julian

Straother to step up, who was not great last year in the NBA. He did not shoot the ball well at all. He shot the hell out of the ball as a junior at Gonzaga, but he was pretty inconsistent prior to that. Maybe he's just one of those streaky shooters. Maybe you can't rely on him. You get Jalen Pickett, who we both loved in the draft last year. It's Watson, right?

But he barely played. But then, well, Peyton Watson's already part of the rotation. and Peyton Watson was more of the Bruce Brown replacement. So Watson was kind of like in the Brown lane. And you got Brown, Christian Brown, and the KCP lane. Well, who's filling the gaps behind those guys? That's the concern for Denver right now where they haven't signed anybody yet. So you lose KCP's defense.

You lose one of your best shooters. He's a 40% guy from three in his two years of Denver. He can shoot above the break. He can shoot from the corners. He can shoot those one or two side dribbles. when a closeout comes. Christian Brown in the playoffs has hit like less than a quarter of his shots in the postseason from three. Brown had success last season during the regular season from three,

but he still stunk again in the postseason as a shooter. So you're a team that was 30th in the NBA and three-point attempts, 25th in the league and three-point makes. You're already feeling like you need shooting. And now all the reports are that you're going for Russell Westbrook? I mean, I think there's something strange going on here. And I just don't get winning a title and then getting worse and then getting worse again. You know, I mean, like they lost Brown and Green last off season.

They lost Paul Colwell Pope this. Like, what are we doing? What do you got the best player in the world? Well, and those are two of Booth's best acquisitions. He takes over for Tim Conley. He gets Brown. He gets KCP. He drafts Christian Brown.

And then you lose Brown. then you lose Green, then you lose KCP, and your bet is on your rookies. Your bet is on your draft picks. It's a mistake. And you're not going to get every draft pick right, no matter how great of a general manager you are. And also, not to mention, as I wrote about after Denver got eliminated, your head coach doesn't see things the same way.

Malone didn't invest in those rookies during this regular season. He played two-way guys more than the rookies that you selected in the draft, more than Hunter Tyson, more than Jalen Pickett, he pulled the plug on Strauth, who struggled and actually received opportunities. So I think, you know, all the minutes and playing time that maybe could have went to those guys this season, they got none of it. And that hurts them entering year, too. So I think Denver's a team where there's clearly a lack of organizational alignment and maybe things got better after the season. Maybe this coming year Malone will play those younger guys and maybe Hunter Tyson ends up really good. Maybe Pickett ends up really good. But I mean, The fact is, is that it's hard to replace KCP, especially when you were after losing Bruce Brown. We saw how tough it was to replace Bruce Brown. And it's undeniable that the Nuggets are a worst team today than they would have been with KCP,

and this hurts their finals chances in pretty profound ways, considering how vital he's been. You mentioned all the tough players, the good opponents, he defends, the shooting he provides. Denver's in a tough spot all of a sudden, and this is a massive bet on their young guys taking a leap. like Brown's going to be, Christian Brown's going to be way better. Peyton Watson's going to be better as a shooter.

And if you do end up signing Russell Westbrook, and it seems like they're going to, I mean, Harrison Wend, a very reliable reporter over at DNVR. He was the first report that Yokic wants Russell Westbrook on the team that he's pushing for it. If you sign Ross, and I know you and I see differently on Russ, but I'm sure you and I can at least agree on the strange fit. In Denver, if you're adding Russ, a guy who shoots 25% from three, you can't play him with Aaron Gordon. They already sag off of Aaron Gordon and forcing to shoot. You can't play those guys together.

I just think it's going to be a complete disaster fit. And then also it takes minutes away from some of those young guys that you need to work out. Yeah, and say whatever you want, but I mean, Reggie Jackson played for him. Right? I mean, they moved off of him too. Like, I just don't get it, man. this should be a team that's like going for titles right now. It's like there's a window where this guy is the best player in the world.

And you got to surround it with a team that and KCP's number is not that high. 22 million annually. It's a reasonable. Well, yes. You don't mean, I get it. If somebody like massively overpaid like everybody looked at the Bruce Brown thing and went, yo man, go get your bag. Yes.

Right. But KCP, this is reasonable. Very reasonable. Nobody's going to be like, wow. But like if you've got a small four or, you know, a shooting guards slash a wing that defends the best player on the other team every night and hits 40% of his threes, $22 million is super reasonable for that. Very reasonable.

And so that's why, like I think with Denver, they're the team right now where you look at and say that's cheap ownership. Like you got Boston right now who just paid their fifth player. over $30 million annually. They're fifth. They're fifth. And then Nuggets can't dip into the second apron for the first year with giving KCP 20 million. I mean, that's a failure to support your megastar, In Yokic, your future Hall of Fame or your all-time great, your three-time MVP. That's on ownership and it is on front office as well in the sense that they didn't have to sign Zik Naji.

if they didn't give Ziegnaji the money last year, then they wouldn't be in this position where they'd have to move off of him where they couldn't be in a spot where they'd go over the second apron. So I think for Denver here, I look forward to seeing if they got any other moves coming. I think Russ would be a major mistake.

It would be one of the worst mistakes if Yokic's career to end up pushing for him. He would learn the same thing that LeBron James learned. I wish they had signed the Law and Wright, who went to the Bucks for the minute, To me, that would have made a hell of a lot more sense. There's other guys in free agency I'd rather go for. I'd rather go for like Tyos Jones.

Maybe you could work some trade for him with that Zignaji salary number. Or go grab Malcolm Brogden from, you know, Washington or, yeah, whatever. There's just other paths I'd rather go here. And then the other side of it, though, to Chris is, I forget who reported it, forgive me. But somebody said, I think it was Sam Anick with the athletic. And that crew said that the Nuggets made an offer for Paul George, including Michael Porter Jr., of which the Clippers declined like they did all of these other sign and trade or opt-in-trade scenarios. So that is at least an indicator that the Nuggets are open to moving Michael Porter Jr. And that's the big salary number.

You look at their team, a $35 million guy, Conley gave that deal, not Booth. That was before Booth took over. But that MPJ number is massive for a guy who doesn't do a lot. off the dribble. He is largely just a shooter and he's an okay defender. That's the salary that you look at in the Nuggets and I'm like how do you split this into multiple

role players or a better, you know, a higher paid player than MPJ. That's the piece that they need to flip somewhere along these lines in order to, I think, optimize the roster around Yokic. Next one on the list, Obie Topping got four years

60 million from Indiana. Man, he made ins of a lot of money. last year, didn't he? Good for him, man. He's turned himself into a really good role player. Good shooter. Still a lob guy. Good defender.

I love Obie Topper. Did a bit of between the legs, don't get the playoffs. That's worth $60 million. Oh, yeah. Tobias airs two years, $52 million. Good for him, man.

You've made over $300 million in your career. Congrats. Why would Detroit do this? I don't know. They need shooting. Because he fits the timeline of their young team. I don't know. They need to find some.

spend, right? They got to find shooting somewhere. They have to. Yeah. Well, they did it with Joe Harris back in the day. Remember that? Yeah, that sure worked out. Yeah.

We never heard from Joe Harris again. I know, whatever happened to him. We literally never heard of him. Again, I never heard his name. Joe Harris is his most significant thing he has done for me. No lie. It's the last time me and my son ever played 2K. I think it was five years ago.

Oh, yeah. And it was going to destroy our relationship. Oh, I mean, I probably had 56 with Joe Harris. That Joker was auto from three. Green, green, green. This is when he was on the Nets. And it was like that fun Nets team. And I picked him one night.

And I lit his ass up with Joe Harris so bad that he got so mad at me and left. And then I was, of course, running my mouth about it. And I don't think we've, I don't think we, you run your mouth? Yeah, I don't think, yeah. You're a trash talker? I didn't teach him young. I didn't teach him young. He hate, I think he hates Joe Harris still to this day.

And it's all because of the 2K game. But congrats to Dubai serious. All right, let's get to Clay Thompson. Three years, 50 million bucks from the Dallas Mavericks. There's a sign and trade, as we know. I like this for Dallas a lot. Me too. I think he could just set up and knock down threes.

That's the role. It is Heat Ray Allen, right? And I think he's probably, he can do more than Heat Ray Allen could at the time. Chip on his shoulder, big chip on a shoulder. Chip on his shoulder. He wants to prove something. And I think he, at a minimum, he has a big upgrade over Tim Hardaway, Jr. Well, Luca generates a ton of open threes.

You just got to make them. And if there's one thing, that Joker is one of those dudes that 80 years old, Clay Thompson is going to be able to walk out on a court and hit threes. Yeah. And I think you have some Warriors fans. Like I responded to the report by Woj saying this is a big upgrade for Clay Thompson and a bunch of Warriors fans. Understandably so, like a legend leaves. You're feeling emotional about it. But they're like, he's not a sniper anymore.

He's not the same shooter he was in the past. And I'm like, that's true. He is not a 45% guy from three. He is not an otherworldly shooter anymore. But he still is a guy who hit almost 40% of his threes on a very high volume. He is still an elite shooter, even though he's not as elite as he once was in his prime year's pre-injury. And for the Mavericks, a team that like Derek Jones Jr. is airballing open. and threes and Tim Hardaway.

It's so streaky and can't do anything out there when he's off. You go to Clay Thompson as an upgrade over Hardaway. That's an automatic upgrade, in my opinion, for the Mavericks roster. Then you factor in that they also got Najee Marshall, who replaces Derek Jones. Jones, very good player in his own right, good defender. Najee Marshall, I think, checks the boxes that they needed a little bit more with size. He brings more bulk as a defender, and he was a more consistent shooter, at least this past, season. And then you get Quentin Grimes, who, you know, he was riddled with injuries this past

season, and he replaces Josh Green, who had to go to Charlotte and the deal to get Clay. But you get Quentin Grimes is kind of that young wing. Grimes has had some really great stretches on defense, and he's had far higher highs as an offensive player as a score or bucket getter than Josh Green ever has. So I think for the Mavericks, all three of those moves, you know, Clay over Hardaway, and Marshall over Jones and Grimes over Green. They don't feel significant independently, but collectively the three of those, I think could be quite significant for the Mavericks.

Well, and I just think, Kevin, that championship pedigree, he'll be good in the locker room. He's a good team basketball player. You hope, you hope. You hope he'll be good in locker room because he wasn't the last two years with the Warriors. Well, no.

Crying and complaining and taking bad shots. I think that was part of it, yes. You know, and he's an elder. state's been there and also he's the role they needed him to be a lot better score than even he was right like i mean with the way their team was set up and the amount of money they had like you look around you go who's getting me 20 tonight yes you know curry curry and then who once wiggins sucked it was like it then became like frigging comminga i feel like clay is being judged still as a $40 million player.

He is now a $16 million player. He is now the third or fourth, sometimes the fifth best player on your team, not the guy who's second best or third best, making $40-plus million. He also needs to be the third or fourth leading shot taker, not the second shot taker. Exactly.

And so for Dallas, I'm very excited to see what Jason Kidd does with him. I hope, I mean, I think if they put him in the Tim Hardaway Jr. role alone, that's going to lead to a greater production. But if they install a little bit more motion, a little bit more movement with Clay to do some of the stuff that he's been so successful with in the past,

that could add a new ingredient to the Mavericks' half-court offense that makes him even harder to defend because, you know, shooting makes everything, shooting has an amplifying effect, right? So if Clay is out there beyond the arc, that makes driving lanes more open for Luca that creates a more efficient shot for Luca in the mid-reaching. range area at the rim, more kickout passes to other guys, cutting lanes, lob opportunities.

Clay, I think, helps everybody on that team, and he makes all the sense in the world for the Mavericks. Say whatever you want about him. He still has to be honored 30 feet from the basket. Somebody is occupying him. They're not leaving him. And so that's what you're talking about. One thing I will say, Chris, we're talking a lot of offense.

They still have defensive questions. For sure. Because that's where Clay's decline is most apparent. Like, he is nowhere near the guy he was on defense. Well, and nowhere. The numbers that I gave you earlier, Derek Jones Jr. is at the very top of the list. Yes. Because they didn't have anybody else to do it.

Yes. Marshall will need to step up in a big way. Quentin Grimes is going to have to get back on track and stay healthy. Or you might just have to average 130. Yeah, maybe. And then Luca needs to be better defensively, too. He could take another leap. Luca could get better.

He's still so young. The next two guys on the list are actually both Oklahoma City guys. These are great contract. I mean, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. They got them both on great deals. By the way, interestingly enough, you know, Lou Dort was at the very top of that list of most times spent on the other team's perimeter score. Aaron Wiggins is also on that list.

A majority of the, in fact, I'll give you the number here. When Aaron Wiggins was on the floor, uh, I believe I take that back he is not on this list so forgive me on that Caruso is on this list

I'm sorry that was the other Oklahoma City guy No surprise to Caruso Yeah no surprise of Caruso I mean these names are all the names you would think When I told you it's Derek Jones Jr. Lou Doort O. G. Ninobe Caldwell Pope Jalen Suggs Jaden McDaniels

McHill Bridges Caruso Tarning Prince is on there Sohan Andrew Wiggins, Golden State, Iu Dissu, Mew, Herb Jones. Like, it's all the, it's all who you expect, right?

The guys that are guarding the best player on the other team or the perimeter score on the other team. But Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, I mean, you're getting to keep young players as a group together on that team and got one of them at 48 million, one of them at 47 million, and both on four-year deals.

And they're both guys that can play for you, play real minutes, you know. I mean, OKC is one of the big winners of the summer, man. You get Caruso, Hart and Steen as we talked about earlier, and then you get two of your high-end role players back on very, very, very fair contracts. Yeah, OKC, if they're not the favorites, they're right up there as one of the favorites in the West right now. Do you think they're number one at the moment? Would you put them as the favorite in the West? Yes.

I think so, too. As I go down this list, any of these you want to talk about stuff. me. Royce O'Neill, Max Christie, Jonas Valenchunis, Derek Jones Jr., Najee Marshall, Jailud Smith, Goga, Badazzi, Kelly Ubre, Gary Harris, D. Anthony Melton. Any of those names stand out to you? Let's skip to the next one. Chris Paul. Chris Paul to the Spurs. Isn't this beautiful? You get a Hall of Famer at the end of his career going to join Victor Wenbanyama, who's still at the beginning. and he solved so many of the issues we talked about last year with the Spurs. He's a better point card, clearly, than Trey Jones.

I like it. And I'm kidding when I say that. He's definitely a point of guns better. Yeah, yes, and I say that jokingly because he's definitely a better point guard than Jeremy Sohan. So he slots everybody into the right roles and he's going to create easier shots than, Victor has ever had in his entire life playing the sport of basketball. Here's the other thing. His presence and his being at practice every day and his professionalism

and him, that veteran presence of a guy that's that accomplished is going to have a profound effect on them. It did. You saw what it did in Phoenix, especially now. Wait, look, bro, as we've said, Monty Williams need to give him his coach of the year. because you look back at that and it's even we've seen him do it in New Orleans we saw him do it in L.A.

Oklahoma City, Chris. Oklahoma City. They spent one year together and to this day SGA. No, no, no, no. They were together in L.A too, right? No, no, no, just okay C. Oh, just okay C?

Just okay C yeah. But like SGA says to this day that Chris Paul is like a brother to him. Oh, I know. And the things he learned from him about like how to see the game taking angles in the pick and roll, like all of that stuff. Like, it's only one year, but it has an effect for years.

And so Victor, Victor Webbenyama, like, he's going to help Victor Webbenyama with how to set the right screens, how to rescreen, when to roll and all that, but also more than anything, Stefan Castle. The Spurs take Castle with the fourth pick in the draft. And Castle getting a year, at least, with Chris Paul. I mean, oh, my God, you're Stefan Castle. You choose to go to Yukon.

And he told me, when I interviewed him, he chose U. Kong because he wanted to be coached hard. He didn't want anything to be easy. Hurley's vision for him was like, you're going to do everything it takes to win. He wanted to do that. So he didn't run a traditional role. And now he goes to the Spurs.

He gets paired up with Victor Webbanyama. You're the chosen point guard of all the options that could have had. And then you get Chris Paul as a mentor. Like you are winning so hard, man, if you're Stefan Castle. You know, and he has not said anything about this, as far as I know, I would not be surprised if this is also part of I want to be a coach afterwards.

And going and spending this year in San Antonio would be extremely worthwhile for said quest. Well, I'm not sure about that, Chris, because I wrote, I'm in the process of like writing out my article for the ringer on Tuesday where I like react to free agent stuff. And I was thinking, hmm, same thing as you. Could this be like a stepping stone towards Chris Ball being a coach, or even the coach of the Spurs as a pop replacement? Paul did say in an interview two years ago that he doesn't want to coach, that he doesn't want to deal with the travel schedule. Now, maybe things have changed since then. Maybe he feels more of the itch. But as of, you know, a couple years ago when he was interviewed about this and he said he doesn't want to coach, that's the last thing we have.

So maybe at his introductory press conference, he'll get asked about it, hopefully, by somebody with local Spurs media. Because I'm intrigued. He's got the mind for it. He's a competitor. He plays like a coach. Yes, he's got all the qualities of somebody who I think could be an unbelievable coach in the future. And so I think the Spurs, you look at their front office, all the video of them on the draft, the draft, right? Gorgie Jeng is in there. Gorgi Jeng is in their front office.

He spent his final year of his career with the Spurs. That was kind of a final year with San Antonio. Then he jumps into the front office. So the path is there for Chris Paul if he wants to take. it. Now, I mean, we'll see if he ends up changing his mind because I'd love to see Chris Ball coach. I really would, but we'll see. And, and, you know, going back to even your interview with Wimbanyama, he is so eager to learn from anybody. Yes, he's a sponge. That I do think it's, I think it's great for him. I don't know what kind of impact he'll have. I don't know how many

games he'll play, minutes he'll play, whatever, but I do know him being around with those young guys and being a team leader, that team needs direction beyond just what the coach is going to give them. For sure. Because there was nobody that's like, Doug McDermott ain't wrangling them and saying, hey, this is not how we're supposed to do this. Hey, guys, listen. People look at you.

Come on. Come on. Go on, Doug. Go back to the bench. But I think with Chris Paul, Chris Haynes said in his report, he was the one who had this first, if I remember correctly. He said, Paul is eager to prove he's still an elite point card in this league. Now,

you're 39 years old. What if he has an unbelievable season? That would be crazy. And that's the funny thing here. So with Chris Paul, the last time people talked about him, it's like, oh, Chris Paul's done. Was his last year in Houston? You're right. Now, that year, Chris Paul, if you

looked at the on-off numbers, Chris Paul with James Hardin, he's standing in the corner not doing anything. Without James Hardin, Chris Paul put up great numbers. I interviewed Dan Tony before that season. He's like, I don't know why everybody's talking about Chris Paul being done. He was great when he was on the floor without

James this year. He was still the same old self. And then he goes to Phoenix. He goes to Oklahoma City. I'm sorry. He changes his career. Then he goes to Phoenix. And he goes to a finals. And he extends it. Like he's still a good player. And Oklahoma City thing was one of the most

unbelievable runs. Because they were like, he had them at like a five seed. And it was not supposed to be good. It was just like this mix match of Kim and Gallinari and whatever. And it's like they damn near beat the Rockets in that series the next year. And it was like, and you know he didn't want to go there. Like he got traded there and could not have been more professional and just drug that team to being good.

That was a fun team and a fun year. And so now he goes to San Antonio, it's five years after that all happened. You're 39 at this point. You're not elite anymore. But could Chris Paul in this situation prove enough that he makes himself appealing to another contender come February that a contending team says, we need Chris Paul on an $11 million salary to help put us over the top to go win a title. So for Paul, I think it's a win-win. You're part of the Spurs.

Maybe you're good enough that they want to keep you moving forward as one of your guards in the rotation when the spurs do like go pedal to the medal and try to go contend, or maybe you become appealing to another team for your 40s and you you kick the can forward for another two, three years and you play a little deeper into your career. So I think for Chris Paul, this is a win-win in so many different ways. And I'm excited to see what else the spurs have cooking because we still haven't talked about Laurie marketing who's out there. A lot of reports about him being available, you know, the warriors like him, the spurs.

like him, other teams have had conversations for Lowry Marketing. I'm not so sure. What about Minnesota getting thrown in that mess? I mean, I wonder if that says something about cat? It has to. Do you think? If that's so. Right?

Has to, I would think. You're not acquiring marketing unless you're giving up cat. I don't think so either. So I wonder if that's what it could be there. Because marketing, I mean, on paper, like that does make a lot more sense for Minnesota. I mean, I like Towns what he did last year with Minnesota, but Markan is a better defender. He is more versatile. Like, Markinen played the three with the Cavs, right?

Like, Marketing can play the three sometimes. It would provide more positional versatility. And he's a more consistent, you know, presence. He's a better mover without the ball, better cutter. He's equally potent as a shooter, if not better than Kat is. So I'm intrigued by that, but I don't see how they would have the best offer among, you know, San Antonio. or Golden State, which can offer distant future first,

like post-Stef Kari. I don't see how Minnesota would have the best offer, but it is intriguing that they were one of the teams. It does make you wonder on the Golden State front, and maybe that's why, because on the surface, that report from Chris Haines to me didn't make much sense that they,

you know, they ended up waving Chris Paul, but that Levine for Paul and Wiggins, like that's the kind of deal I would actually do for Levine. Like, I want to get off me, you know what I mean? like it's Paul and Wiggins. Yeah, maybe they, maybe they knew they get the marketing opportunity coming.

They've got to have something else that they are. Because you cannot let Clay walk not do a deal for Levine, you know, for, uh, with, you know, if that's so,

um, obviously they were throwing everything at that deal for Paul George, you know, Moody, a comminga and all that, you know, throwing that deal out. out there. And so they're clearly trying to do, you know, they, again, how many, how many more

amazing stuff years do we have? They've got to, they got to try to build around him. And so maybe that's, maybe that's where that marketing thing kind of makes a little more sense. And they would, if Utah's just keeps on, you know, getting these young guys, I don't know. I mean, would you, would you want a package that's got their, their young guys? The Cominga and booty and that that whole group i'd want picks too yeah i'm picks if i'm the joys yeah yeah you never know with trader danny and the one thing with him though is you don't lose many trades no he doesn't so well mark mark man's gonna get paid next summer too right so he goes from like you know sexy 18 million dollar contract to you know 35 40 so you're getting big difference

And you're getting young players in value for right now. Right. So maybe that makes a little more sense on the surface. Yeah, I think we pretty much covered. We missed one. We missed the big one. It came out while we were recording. Mo Bamba, going to the Clippers, baby.

Stop. Coming to, coming to L.A. I'm kicking you off the pod and I'm doing a podcast of Mo Bamba. Every Tuesday and Friday. Kevin O'Connor and Mo Bamba, the mismatch. Hey, oh, I see it here, two years, five bucks. You dick. What an overpay.

Did he really sign while we were on the air? He did. I looked at the notification. I saw it pop up, Woj had it. Free Agent Center, Moamba, has agreed on a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers sources tell Wojbaum. that's incredible wow

well now I've got to totally reevaluate where I have the clippers in the standings I know I can't put them much lower oh bring Tilly over here too

or not not Tilly a Killing Hey Tilly yeah I was thinking forgot his name already the other Killion yeah

Killian A see if we can find a place for him all right yeah sure I hope Bamba plays I mean they got they got Daniel Tice on the roster I mean they got Daniel Tice in the way well I guess Daniel Tice is a free agent too right

so that might mean Daniel Tice is gone wow that's great so I mean Bama could be right behind Zubats oh you guys are going to have so much fun going to eat Korean barbecue together and wherever you go I know I'm going to go get clipper season tickets on the

the Intuit Dome? Yeah, I'm going to be there front row of the wall. The wall of sound or whatever. Yes. All right. We're about to wrap this up, but I've got to ask you. I made it through an entire podcast without asking you. Are you wearing a Nicole Kidman shirt?

Yeah, I am. Big Nicole Kidman fan. It's the AMC. You ever go to an AMC movie? No. She's got like a cool AMC intro. What is an AMC movie? Are you talking about the movie theater?

The movie theater? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, oh, no, no. It's like the commercial they play before the movies. Oh, no, I don't know that. We don't have AMC theaters. You got to watch it. It's funny.

I'll pull it up on YouTube or something. So you became a fan of hers because of a commercial she does? Well, I mean, it's just, the commercial is just funny. It's like, we come to this place for magic. We come to AMC theaters to cry, to laugh, to care. And it's just like this epically shot video of Nicole Kimman talking about the beauty of movies on a huge silver screen, dazzling images, sound you can feel and all that. Is she trying to be funny? No, it's serious.

Like the looks at the camera, you know, it's somehow heartbreak feels good in a place like this. Just some of the lines are so memorable. And it's just the way she looks at the camera during them. It's great. Have you been to the theaters recently? No, I don't remember the last time I was at the movies. Not sure. I have.

When was the last time I went? Was it a Dune? Dune 2? Was it the last movie I saw in theaters? I think it was. I went like a week ago. What did you see most recently? Inside Out 2.

Oh, yeah. How was it? That's a kids movie, right? But it's like an adult movie that, you know, it's a kid's movie that adults can like too, right? It's great. It's great. Nice. Yeah. Inside out too. I saw it. I also saw the other one that's kind of four kids. If the John Cresensky movie, it's got Ryan Reynolds in it. I liked it too. I liked it as well. I just, I'm looking up my, I've been to the movies twice in the last like month. Wow. Interestingly enough. Well, once summer break hits, you know, you're trying to find stuff to do for fun.

it so I haven't seen adult movies but I went to those kids movies with the kids. Yeah, I most recently at the theater was for Dune 2 and at home I watched the movie Hitman with Glenn Powell. Oh yeah, I saw that. It's supposed to be awesome. Yeah, Hitman was great. I really liked a lot. I just saw that it got great reviews.

Yeah, the girl in there is super hot. I mean, I don't even know her name, but. It's not Sidney Sweeney. No, but beautiful and like good, well-acted movie. story. Glenn Powell's great. Like, you know, in his role, like, it's like a cool Glenn Powell movie. He has like so many different characters in it.

And then, yeah, but then he was good in anyone but you as well, which is like not a great movie, but it's a fun movie. That's what I knew. That's why I asked you. Yeah, that's the one. Yeah. Yeah, it's a fun. I'd never heard of the guy before that movie.

Wasn't he in Top Gun? Right. Oh, you're right. Was he Top Gun? But I didn't know that's who he was. Am I thinking of, Am I thinking of somebody else? No, you're right.

He was. He was top gun. Yeah. Well, no. I mean. Well, he wasn't top gun, but he was in Top Gun. I'm saying. He was in it.

Yeah. Yeah. Top Gun's great, man. Are they doing another Top Gun? I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so.

I'm pretty sure they are. Yeah. Right. That was announced, right? Top Gun 3. Let me, let me confirm this real quick. Top Gun 3. Top Gun 3, 2025.

I'm with it. Yeah. Hell yeah. Okay. That's great. More Tom Cruise, the better. The Tom Cruise ever, is he going to do, remember that announcement years ago that he was doing a movie in space?

Like, SpaceX was going to be doing a movie with Tom Cruise where he'd be filming in space, like the first movie filmed in space? Is that still happening? Well, I mean, except for the moon landing, right? They say Stan the Kubrick filmed that, right? They're going to fake that. Imagine for the movie. Imagine if they actually.

filmed Tom Cruise on the moon as part of the movie. They'd do another moon landing. It'd be the first time in a long time. Yeah, there's no, there's no untitled Tom Cruise SpaceX project. There's still no release date for it. There's a director, Doug Lehman, Lehman, something like that. But nothing. He did Edge of Tomorrow.

You know Edge of Tomorrow? That's a classic. That's a true rewatchable. Have you seen it? No. Oh, my God. You got to watch Edge of Tomorrow. That might be Tom Cruise's best movie. like Jeremy McGuire. Yeah, that's a good one.

All right. Well, we are going to be off for July 4th unless something groundbreaking happens. I mean, we have to, you know, do some emergency. Well, it has to happen. LeBron goes somewhere else. LeBron doesn't go back to the Lakers despite hiring his podcast co-hosts and drafting his son. I think that would apply. Other than that, I'm not really sure.

How about KD being traded? Would that, that would qualify, right? Probably. It's got to be. massive, massive news. But we hope everybody enjoys their fourth. How about Joss suspended again? How dare you?

How dare you? I'm thinking, thank God. Thank God stupid Mo Bamba signed tonight, so we didn't have to do an emergency podcast on that for you. How about him? How about Killian Hay signs with an NBA team? That might apply. How about Killian to China?

We could do one for that. He didn't even make the French team. Oh, Jesus. That pissed me off. All right. Thank you to our executive producer, Jesse Lopez, as always. Kevin, I'll talk to you next week. I'm looking forward to it. 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.

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