The Mismatch - Where in the World Will KD Go, and Recapping the Early Free Agency Moves

Episode Date: July 1, 2022

Kevin Durant ruined all of free agency, so Verno and KOC open up the show by going through the potential teams that can put together the historical package for KD that the Nets are asking for (00:54). Despite KD putting the league on hold, the guys go over some of the deals that were completed yesterday (21:08). The guys debate the Thunder’s decision to give Lu Dort close to a $90 million contract (36:11). They last go through some of the under-the-radar signings before discussing the situation with Miles Bridges (43:28). Hosts: Chris Vernon and Kevin O’Connor Producer: Jessie Lopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yo, Rob Harvilla from 60 Songs That Explain the 90s here to inform you that we are back with 30 more songs because the 90s were super long and had a ton of rad music. Please join us every Wednesday for more 60 songs that explain the 90s only on Spotify. Welcome to The mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me as he does every Friday from the ringer.com is Kevin O'Connor, A.K. Kevin O'Bombermer, Kevin O'Chammer, Kevin O'Cannibus. Kevin O'Hon. Burdow, Tyish Jones, back to the Grizzlies. That was the big free agent news. Yeah, that's it.

Let's go. Let's talk about it. The big free agent news. Look, Kevin Durant, like, ruined everything yesterday. He did. I did have three-hour Spotify live. Yeah.

I listened to it. I listened to it. I had it queued up. I listened to it. Jay Kyle, man, checking in. Yeah. Big Waz checked in.

Sirit was there. Logan was there. It was such a long show. I was eating a burrito bowl at one point, and just needed it. Waz was eating a literal burrito. It's kind of crazy because we're all amped up, ready to go for free agency.

Maybe Kevin Durant was just tired of Jalen Brunson getting every headline. And so he decided, you know what? Let's shake things up a little bit. And what's so crazy is we were only two days removed from doing a show talking about Kyrie Irving opting in to his contract in Brooklyn. So it was like, hey, you know what? Maybe they're just going to do this for a year. Run it back. See if it works.

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons now. And then you'll get the parts to go around them. And then within two days time, we have this news. about Kevin Durant. There's a million different stories that come out of it. There's the blame game that goes on. There's the cautionary tale

of throwing together a team like this. There's the whole player empowerment debate that goes on. But what I am left with that is most startling to me is something I heard Rob Mahoney say when he was on with Bill Simmons when I was driving in this morning.

Kevin, for all the talk, for all of the debate that was had about that Brooklyn Nets team, he said something that was so shocking to me, I couldn't even fathom this. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving played 44 games together. That is insane to me. It's wild. How is that even possible? for the amount of air time, for the amount of ink,

keyboard pecking, if you will, that was done about that team and about... A lot of voice to text. Amazing. Unbelievable. 44? I would...

There's no telling how many games I would have missed that by, but let me just tell you, I would not have been close to 44. And to say it goes down as one of the all-tenths, disasters is quite the understatement. Were you surprised when you saw the tweet come across, Kevin Durant has requested a trait?

No, not after everything else that we've heard about with Kevin Durant. I think for Brooklyn here, I'm excited to see how they go about this, because all indications are they're going to be trying to continue to win games. That that seems to be the demand. Jake Fisher yesterday reported that the sons that are offering McElbridges and DeAndre Aiton and Picks and a sign and trade scenario that would send Aiton to Brooklyn. But the Brooklyn Nets want Devin Booker. That's where their demand starts.

Of course, that's where it's going to begin with negotiations. And then you meet somewhere in the middle. However, demanding Devin Booker makes a little bit of sense if you consider what other teams could potentially offer. I mean, like, it's possible. There's teams that have better picks than Phoenix. There's teams like Boston that could offer Jalen Brown if they really wanted to. There's teams like the Pelicans that could offer Brandon Ingram if they really wanted to do it. So there's a lot of teams that could outbid a Phoenix Suns or Miami Heat,

the two favored teams on Kevin Durant's apparent list. So for Brooklyn Hare, what was the phrase, wojews, historic hall. that is exactly what the Nets are going to be going for here with trading Kevin Durant still an unbelievable talent. That's what makes this so fascinating because they have to, Kevin. You know, it was printed everywhere what they're giving up to Houston. They can't. Yeah, they can't be bad.

Yeah, I mean, they have a pick swap next year. So theoretically, if Houston has the number two pick and Brooklyn has the number four picked, Brooklyn would still get to keep the number four. But that's just one year. And it's only a pick swap. And the odds, you're not trying to lose anyway. You're trying to win. Yeah.

I mean, well, and just seeing the amount of picks, it's like first rounder pick swap. First rounder pick swap. First rounder pick swap. Every year. I mean, not only can you not be bad next year? You can't be bad in four years. Like, you don't have the greatest asset towards a rebuild,

which is your own pick if you suck. and so it does you absolutely no good. So sometimes we do see these teams and they make these trades for assets and they say, you know what, we're losing our big gun, we're just going to have to start over. Or at least get such a crazy return for it.

I mean, we just saw it. In fact, this is why this happened with Houston. They just decided, all right, we're moving on from the James Hardin thing. We're losing James Hardin. We're getting every pick you have because that's going to be our mode of operation for the next three, four years. It's going to rebuild. You can't do it if you're Brooklyn. Can't rebuild.

You have no choice. And so the question is, what is the best return they can get? And I mean that from the point of the other team. Like, who is the best player that someone would feasibly give up to get Kevin Durant? And that's where it becomes fascinated. So I think it's worth going through the teams to try to figure out or try to at least, you know, trim down the list of possibilities. Because I think there's some teams that don't have enough, the Bucks being one of them, clippers, even if the clippers were to give

Kauai Leonard or Paul George, they can only trade one future first. They don't have enough. Hawks, I don't think have enough. Mavs don't. Nuggets don't. Even if they were to give up Murray and Porter Jr., they can't deal enough future picks. Sixers, same thing. I don't think they have enough picks

to give with a maxi. Nix, not happening. They're not trading him to the Knicks. I can't see a warrior's marriage happening. So those teams, you can rule them out. Probably too young to be making a move for Kevin Durant, Pistons, Rockets, Spurs, Thunder? Any disagreements there, Chris, with that group of teams?

None. How about these teams? These ones, I'm unsure about Cavs. The Thunder would have the most assets. Yes, but too young of a team for Katie, and he might not want to go back there either. Kevin Aron demands a trade, but he might say, you know what, I'll stay in Brooklyn, if the only team offering is, OK, C. Well, he doesn't have a choice in the matter.

Well, he doesn't have a choice in the matter. But Brooklyn, if he says I'd rather stay, Brooklyn might say, okay. Can we admit that would be the funniest scenario ever? It would be hilarious. If Sam Presti gave back, if all of this since that time, and he's got 700,000 picks and Gildes Alexander and Chad, and he's got all these young guys, and then he uses it to get Kevin the ramp back. It would be hilarious.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. All right, so some other teams, tell me what you think about these ones. Cavs? I don't think they would. No. I know. I think they now are in that mode where it's like you've got Garland, you got Mowbly, and you're building it out. I agree.

Wouldn't you agree? I'm with you. I agree. So no for the cats. Cornets. I mean, what, Lamello? Yeah, I just don't. I, same thing. Kings, he can be the savior there, but probably not. I just don't see the Kings trading for Kevin Durant. Magic's too young. I don't see it despite Paulo Bencaro's Instagram posts with him and Kevin and Rant, Photoshopped into magic jerseys. Pacers, I don't see it either. Jazz, that's confusing because they made the Royce O'Neill deal yesterday,

where the Nets sent a 20, 23 first to get Royce O'Neill to Utah. I mean, we'll see what happens with Mitchell and Gobert. I think they're more likely to be a team that trades them away and goes into a rebuild mode rather than it becomes a team that's trading for Kevin Durant. Well, hey, but here's the thing. But they could. It is Trader Danny.

And it makes you feel, it makes you feel differently about the Utah situation than we would have maybe a year ago. And with Utah, could they give Mitchell to get Kevin Durant? Could they do that? Wouldn't you think it's more likely they give Gobert? Maybe they give Gobert. But either way. Either way. So you think the Jazz are a team that we should put in the list.

We should consider the Jazz. We can't rule out the Jazz. Only because of who's running the show there. is a reason that I think in any of these, he deserves a level of respect towards. He's gotten involved in so much crap before. You know, say what you want, but they tried a bunch of different iterations

before it hit with this Boston thing. They went through the Gordon Hayward thing. They went through the Kimball Walker thing. They went through the Kyrie thing. He's made trades and attained guys. And every stop. And he did it once upon a time, obviously, with the KG Rayall, I think. So I think that Trader Danny getting in the mix on something, whether it's this or something else,

I mean, Kevin Durandah Jazz Uniform would be just bananas, but that's neither here and not there. I mean, you would talk about something I would never have foreseen in a billion years. That's it. We whittled it down. We got Blazers, Bulls, sales. Celtics, Grizzlies, Heat, Jazz, Lakers, Pelicans, Raptors, Suns, Wizards. Those are the 11 teams that I think you could argue are the best position to trade for Kevin Durant with the Picks player combination they can offer and have the most reason to trade for Kevin Durant, whether it's a team that's already been in the finals,

the Celtics or the Suns, a team that has finals hopes like the Bulls, the Grizzlies, Heat, again, or whether it's the team, like the Blazers that are trying to get back into it, the Pelicans, upside move, upgrade over Ingram and picks. Would Katie want to play there? I don't know,

but he'd be the savior. Do you imagine Kevin Durant going to New Orleans and help him lead that team? He'd be like the sun's getting Chris Ball, except he's Kevin Durant. The Raptors, O.G. N and Obie, Gary Trent,

a bunch of future picks. I don't see them giving Scotty Barnes in a deal like that. A lot of good offers. out there, Chris. A lot of good options. The one where it would, I guess there's a couple of them

where I think it'd be his team. You know? Chicago is one that you mentioned. That's his. There's nobody that has like a deep connection to that city and that Bulls fans would run in front of a car for like they would in some of those other situations.

And I forgot one. I forgot one. Timberwolves. Timberwolves. So we have 12, 12 teams. Well, and obviously that would be a Levine thing in Chicago, right? Like a sign and trade? Yes.

Yeah. Where you end up with Zach Levine and he ends up there. Levine sign and trade there. Because then he's the guy. I know they've got DeMarre, but then DeMarre becomes like the second fiddle and he's the guy there. Yeah, exactly. A Levine for the Bulls, a Jalen Brown for Boston. Would you give up Jalen Brown and picks for Kevin Durant?

I'd be scared to. Only two years left for Jalen Brown's contract, though. Yeah, I know. but it's just been, I just think it's been out there so long, so often, you know, with Jalen Brown. His name's just always out there, has been. Yeah, but this is KV. No, no, no, no, no. I'm saying to your point about his only got two years, right?

Maybe it will just be, I love the Celtics, Celtics for life. But, I mean, at some point, it's like every, every time we talk about trades with the Celtics, his is the name that comes up. And by the way, he's the one that she's the one that she's. showed up more than the other guy in the finals. That happened. You're right. When the lights got the brightest, Jalen Brown's the one that showed up more than Tatum.

Yeah, I don't think every Celtics fan would be saying, yes, the trading Jalen Brown for Kevin Durant. The thing is, like, I think with Jalen, he, I saw someone post the other day, he liked a tweet saying Jalen Brown is so disrespected by Celtics fans. so he's got a little animosity. As you said, he's always the guy involved in trade talks. Always. Always the guy mentioned in the trade talks.

That's annoying. My only point is if you're Boston, you're trading a guy that has two years left on his deal for four years left on his deal. And granted Kevin Durant is proving right now that doesn't matter. He can still demand a trade. He can demand a trade today with four years left with his deal. Next year, if he doesn't like his new team,

he can do it again. to a team with three years left if he really wants to. Well, Durant would be the guy there. He just would. He would be the guy. He would be the guy. And, you know, we talked about this at the finals. By the answer is yes. I would. I would 100% trade Jayla Brown for Kevin Durant.

100%. It's not even a question. I want to think twice about it. Grizzlies trading JJJ. He's got broken foot now. I know he does. That hurts his value. Maybe Desmered a man instead. They're saying sometime between like Halloween and Christmas.

So it's not going to be, it's not like a 60 game loss or something, right? And he's still 22 years old or 23. Yeah, I mean, they got a bunch of young assets, right? The one they always get asked about in Memphis, every time a star's name comes up, is Bain. That's the one they always, that's your teams. He might have the best contract in the entire NBA. He was second in the NBA in three-point shooting.

He shot 44% from 3 and average 18.5 points, and he gets paid a million dollars. I mean, that is, that might be the best contract in the NBA, seriously. For a guy that averages those kind of numbers and shoots like that. And so that's the asset that's, I think, most desirable. But certainly Memphis got a bunch of guys at a bunch of contracts, whether it's still approach, whether it's Brandon Clark, whether it's Sharon Jackson, Desmond Bank, obviously, John Morant is 100% untouchable.

And I think they're more likely to just not mortgage the future. I think it's different when you're talking about a Chicago who's not really building towards something, you know, they got a bunch of older guys that are kind of thrown together rather than a slow buildup. It's different with Boston. They've already done their slow buildup, right? Like they have.

And those guys have now been in the league, and they've got big contracts now. And so it's a little different. I think that there, I think there's a real cautionary tale in the selling your soul. Too early for Memphis then. Too early, you think for Kevin Durant. I just think that, I think it's a different. Look, if you can get Kevin Durant, everybody's going to be over the moon that you're getting Kevin Durant. And you got a chance to win a title.

But I do think that. what we have seen happen with this stuff is a team that's like kind of building up, growing together, doing really well. Like those teams have ended up whether it was, we just saw it in the finals. Just saw the Warriors playing the Celtics, both of which were the same. It's the year before we saw it with Milwaukee, right? It's like the ones that have sold out and just said, go for it. you know, you're talking, it's hilarious to me now,

because now the great player goes to that team and then blows the whole damn thing up, and then what does he want? I saw Frank I saw a tweet about this. The great player goes to the team that has something really good going, then they tear it apart, and then they want out to go to what?

somebody that's got a good thing going. Yeah. Right? How funny is it to me that you say the Pelicans? That's the one of the teams you mentioned. Yep. And they had a guy lead. And it's like, wait, what?

And they did it. Yeah. And they just sold. You know what I mean? And they are representative of like growing up and build it out because of this deal that they did with the Lakers where they took on their young guys. Yep. and then started building up for there.

It's just kind of wild the way it all plays out. Pelicans, you're iffy about trading for Kevin Durant, too. Yeah. Again, like, what is the, but that team, that team already made the playoffs, went to, you know, had a good first round. They have a great roster, a lot of depth. They have a veteran in C.J. McCollum.

It's not like it's all young guys. It's not all. No, it just depends on what's your trajectory. When are you trying to win? Are you looking at it in the long game or the short term? and maybe it's all, maybe everybody just has to look short term all the time. But I think that these teams, especially with a guy like Zion,

especially with someone like him. I don't know. We had some pretty cautionary tales of looking short term, haven't we? You wake up one morning and you got every clutch client on your team. The Lakers had a big day. And before, forth, I have the Lakers on this list.

I can't totally imagine that, let's say the Lakers offer for Kevin Durant and, and Kyrie Irving. You're giving up Rosson some type of deal for the salary. You're also giving up Anthony Davis.

And you're giving up your 2027 first and your 2029 first. First of all, that would be, if you get LeBron James and Kevin Durant on the same team, that would be like

Hulk Hogan joining NW. Right? Like that would be amazing. There'd be something out of wrestling. It would be great theater, great drama, especially if they got Kyrie as part of that deal too.

I just, I don't see that being the best offer. though. I just don't see AD 27 and 29 being the best offer for Kevin Durant. I think they can get a haul of draft picks rather than just two future picks. And Anthony Davis is great, except he wasn't as great last year. And I just don't see that for Brooklyn. So we can keep the Lakers on the list. But I'm iffyer on them just like in the same way that you're iffy on the Grizzlies as a team that should trade for Katie or can trade for Katie. Yeah. All right. Let's get to free agency. Enough about this, KD, who sabotaged free agency. The point is that there's some great teams. Some great teams could make some strong offers. Every year we do this show, I don't like a lot of the free agent signings, and you love all of them. So here we go. Jalen Brunson signed his deal with the New York Knicks. I do need to mention this. you saw yesterday an outpouring of players throughout the league

talking about how they thought Jalen Brunson is underrated and that they were happy and thought that Jailen Brunson is well deserving of his contract. They read my article. They read my article. You saw that with two of the young, two of the young grizzlies, Desmond Bain and Jamborant. I saw a clip of Davion Mitchell saying that he thought he was the hardest guy to guard that he had played throughout the year, which is mega impressive.

And I always talk about this. Talk to the players about who they think is good. Talk to those guys. Who do they think is good? And they clearly, across the league, have a higher opinion of Jaylen Brunson than many people do. and so that to me would make me feel great if I am a Knicks fan. I'm not going to go to every free agent signing,

but I am going to go to the ones that stood out to me. Gary Payton the second signed with Port. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Brunson real quick. Well, go ahead. Real quick on Brunson. I think it's cool that a lot of those players stepped up and said that, and they're right.

Jaylonlon Brunson's a good player. This, this dude, it can make. your teammates better. He's going to help someone like RJ Barrett get easier shots. Jalen Brunson is going to make the Knicks look more like a basketball team. They haven't had a point guard anywhere as good as he is for at least 10 years. I mean, like they have the Jeremy Lynn moment in 2012. There's some flashes over the years by some guys like Pablo Prijioni.

What? What? As a Knicks man. Are you doing, you did that on purpose? I'm not Some flashes Like Popolo Prigioni? I'm saying like some good moments.

What? What? What Pablo Prigioni moment do you remember? Please. I'm only here. The way he jumped passing lines. Oh my God. He was a nuisance.

He was a past. Holy mackerel. You got you got the great hope of Frank Millekina. Oh. The current day, Derek Rose passes prime, but still pretty solid. Pre-Mello Raymond Felton, it's been horrible for the Knicks with point guards. Yeah. It's been terrible.

Since Mark Jackson. Pretty much. I mean, Chris Childs and Charlie Wars, they had some moments. I mean, for real. They're really not winning teams. For real, like the Knicks have had terrible point guard play. And so, Jaylenin-Bronson is a good point guard. He's a real point guard.

And so for the Knicks, so this is a great addition. and just like he's going to be like the 15th highest paid point card. Point cards make a hell of a lot of money. 15th highest pay is not that bad. No, no. And I thought he was four years under four million. I think the default thing is always like the Knicks are stupid. Knicks don't know what they're doing.

The Knicks are incompetent. But I don't think this one applies. No, I agree. Gary Payton the second, I was a little surprised at this. You know the Warriors wanted to keep him. But the only reason I was surprised is not, the three years, 28 million, which I think is a good deal for Gary Payton. I'm surprised it was Portland.

After the Simons signing had come out, and you know your best player is Damian Lillard. I know they traded for Jeremy Grant, but I'm just, I'm interested in how that all fits together, you know, with Peyton and Simons and Lillard. because they're paying a fortune to Damian Lillard and every Simon's got a big contract, really big contract. I love that as a signing is a backup point card, Gary Payton's second, and a guy that can get you by if you need them to.

What do you think? In terms of how that kind of works, you're sinking a lot of money into guys that kind of all play the same position naturally. And I know we talk about positionless basketball, but none of these are, they're all diminutive guards, all three of them. What do you think?

I absolutely love what the Blazers are doing. Really? Jeremy Grant's, Gary Payton, they're going to bring back Nurkich. They're going to be able to have a more switchable team around Damien Lillard. with Peyton and Grant, those are exactly the type of guys that this team has needed for years. Josh Hart, your beloved. I love it.

Very good player. And to see her little made progress last year, they have more defense around Dame, more switchable players, different lineup combinations you can use with Jeremy Grant as a small five. It's exciting, I think, for Blazers fans to look at this roster right now. The only question now is you got Dame posting on his Instagram, Photoshop's of Kevin Durant, how all in should the Blazers now be on going for Kevin Durant with an offer of Josh Hart, Eric Bledso, and future picks. And 1977 Bill Walton? What else they're putting in the deal?

You're wrong with you, bro? No, what is. I'm not done with the pig situation, Chris. The what situation? The pick situation. Oh, my God. The pig situation. Eric, what's the way?

What are you? Dude. Listen, listen, let me get to the pigs. Let me get to the pigs. Don't. I don't even. I don't even hear them. Wait a minute.

Okay, wait. This is a scenario here. Well, I'm not saying they have the best offer, Chris. They clearly don't. If they're giving. Josh Hart. You had to find a way for me to not like Josh Hart. And that's how you've done it.

Where he's the best player in a KD train. Okay, fine. My love has limits. All right now, I'm working for the, let's pretend I'm working for the Blazers front office. You might be. The argument for the Blazers is that their picks are better. Because if you're the Nets and you're trading away Kevin Durant

and you're getting four first round draft picks, and three pick swaps, if that's what you're getting, which team do you want to bet against? Betting against the Blazers who have Dame in his mid-30s coming off a major surgery, and Kevin Durant, who's supposed to kille's surgery,

maybe that's a team you'd rather bet against rather than some of the other rosters out there that can't offer as many high-value picks. And Blazers, by the way, could offer five first-rounders with three pick swaps if they really, really wanted to go to their limits. The team I would bet against is the one that Kyrie Irving is going to.

So just tell me which one that is. Well, that would be the Lakers, but then you're only getting two first. Unless 80 was flipped to a third team. As I said, we're not going to go through every free agent signing. But I am curious though, Chris. That deal sucks. But should Portland at least offer it? Should they go all in on KD?

It might not get accepted, but should they go for it? I would be embarrassed to pick up the phone and say Eric Bledso. Well, it's about the picks. And maybe, and you're giving Shaden Sharp, too, possibly in a deal like that? That deal gets trumped in two seconds. It's a waste of my time. By Jalen Brown? By Jalen Brown for Boston?

You just said, you would trade Jalen Brown. I know, but like, what if the Selvics don't offer Jalen Brown? What if that deal's not there? What if the Ellicons don't give Brandon English? I can still do better. You're pitching me a rebrand. build deal and I can't do it. I'm trying to be good.

I'm trying to be good. Yeah, but maybe you will still be good, but not great. No. With Derek Bledsoe and Josh Hart and I think the Blazers. I think the Blazers are the team that they can't offer the key player, but they can offer five first rounders, three pick swaps, shade and sharp.

They can offer the young player package. And maybe that isn't what they would want to do. Maybe they want to keep building young. Maybe they want to. But the Nets, that's something to at least think about in terms of what type of package is preferred here. The best player, best picks, or maybe it's just going to be best of everything. As I'm watching them all come across the wire yesterday, as I mentioned, we're not going to talk about every pre-agent signing. These are ones that I loved, okay?

These are ones that I loved. That I saw them and I was like, oh, that's really good. Kyle Anderson to the Timberwolves is, I've been around Kyle now for whatever, four or five years. I love Kyle Anderson. Kyle Anderson can play on any single team. And to put him in the mix surrounded by a bunch of guys that can shoot the ball, he will be fantastic for Minnesota. He will. He'll be fantastic for Minnesota.

And that is a very, very good signing at, and I am surprised at the price that they were able to get. Kyle Anderson at. Another one that stood out to me when I saw it come across was, you know, I love Jay Sean Tate. I thought that was incredibly reasonable. Like I'm talking about

all of these role guys that got signed. The role player guys, Kyle Anderson, Jay Sean Tate, I loved that deal for him. I'm a big Jayhont Tate fan and I thought they got him at a very reasonable deal. The one I saw this morning with Bruce Brown, that deal is great.

That is a great deal for a guy that can be a legitimate rotation player for you, who is one of the only guys that showed up for that rat Brooklyn team in the playoffs. So I really liked that deal. Jay Chonte stood out to me. Kyle Anderson stood out to me as a really good one. who else did I think that I was surprised oh Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown to the Nuggets oh my goodness him and Nicole Eiloch together I love it oh that's going to be a glorious combination of watch I'm excited and I thought they got him cheap really impressed with the bucks

you know the Ingalls thing he can certainly be a guy that can place a minutes for you coming back. I don't think he's completely done, and that may be a good spot for him. Great locker room guy, great teammate, everybody loves him. And so if you're trying to get vets on nothing deals,

I would certainly take a flyer on that. Bring him back Bobby Portis at the price they got him at, I thought was fantastic. They got Conitton opted in for like what, five million? so that was great. Brought back Javon Carter, who I love. I thought the Bucks did really good.

It's hard to get to keep some guys in the fold, especially when you're operating how they operate, but not only, I think that just speaks to what an advantage it is to be a place that is good where guys obviously love being. Because those guys, could all have gotten better contracts. They could have.

But they like it. They like their job. They like being on the team with Janice and Chris and those guys. They like, you know, those guys could have hit the market and gotten real money. So Buck's thing stands out.

The Kyle Anderson thing stands out. I really like the Jay Sean Tate thing. Bruce Brown. I love that deal. So those are ones that I really liked. Is there any that I did not mention that you really, really like? And I'm not talking about like the highest level ones.

Just guys that I thought were really reasonable to good deals. Mo Bamba back to the magic. I'm two years of 21 million. Don't have badger. Best deal of free agents. That was a really good one. What a steal. I quite enjoy the Daryl Morey bringing back his rocket skies.

He signs PJ Tucker. Daniel House. Oh, my God. I just find humor in it. What do you think about PJ Tucker, 37 years old, getting a three-year contracts? I think it speaks to what a winner he has been. You know what I mean?

And what's crazy is, like, unbelievably durable in his time in the league. And so, I think there's real value to guys like that. And I'm unsurprised. I'm unsurprised.

Isaiah Hartenstein going to the Knicks, two years, $16 million. I like that contract for the Knicks. He's a good player, man. But why did they do that and Mitchell Robinson? Maybe they plan on trading Randall. Okay. You're still playing those two guys together? No, I don't think so.

I think Hart and Dean can be your backup. That's awful lot of money to spend on the center position. Is this 1988? That's not. How much money is that? Mitchell Robinson got a big contract. Yeah, 15 annually. That's pennies nowadays.

Not for a center? That's not that much money. Not for... What did Robert Williams get? What is he making? 16, 17 annually? Okay. That guy ain't Robert Williams.

No, he's not. I mean, I don't know. It's a lot of money to spend on the center position in my estimation, but it's neither another there. He's fine. It doesn't move the needle for me. And I would have just rather sunk my money into the starting center. How about, um, how about Lou Dort? Five years, $87.5 million he saves him a thunder. It is outrageous. That is outrageous. That is an outrageous contract. Why? Because he's not that good. What do you mean?

Like, he's a great defensive player. It's a little overstated. It's a little overstated. Okay. Are we leaning too much on the hardened stuff with him matching up against him from a couple years ago? Yeah.

I mean, it's just a little overstated. I like Lou Dort. I'm happy that he got his money. But I don't think that if you bring back Lou Dort and he plays it out, you're going to live with infinite regret on what he gets in the open market. I disagree. What?

I think 17 annually is a fair number for Lou Dord. He's a great defensive player. I thought he got 80-something million. Yeah, annually, I said. It's around 17 annually. But he's making five years 87.5 million. So it's an average annual value of 17.5. I just don't think that's that bad for Lou D'O'Rour.

a great defensive player who averaged 17 points last year. You could average 17 points. I watched that team get beat by 73. I cannot. I cannot average 17 points in the NBA. Oh, Chris. Let me just letting you know. I can't.

Okay, maybe not yet. He's improved every year of his career, too. So what? But he hasn't played in a meaningful basketball game ever. Yeah, whose fault is that? It's not his fault. No, but I mean, I'm not spending $87 million on it. I like Ludeau and I think you I think you I like I like

Lou Dord too but I don't like Lude Dord for 87 million dollars I mean but 17.5 billion annually is that so bad do you think Lood Dord is that much better that that that contract by the end of it year three year four year five of that contract 17 million is going to look like panties the mid the mid level exception is going to be at 15 mil.

Okay, but is that what it, that's what it tops out at? No, I don't know the numbers for a year. I might start at 16 and end it, end at 19, but I'm just saying it's 17.5 annually. Ludo's an amazing defensive player. He can pass the ball a little bit. He can create his own shot. He's improved as a spot-up shooter. I'm a big fan of that deal.

I hear all the defense stuff all time, right? I just heard it all with Dejante Murray. which is unbelievable. They talked about DeJante Murray like used damn the glove, Gary Payton the first. I watch that guy get 52 hung on his ass and throw the ball at the referee to get kicked out of the game. I watched the team.

This Spurs team had DeJante Murray, who everybody just told me is the best defensive player in the world. And Yacca Portal, who 538 told me, was the new incarnation of Bill Russell. So you tell me how the F, every player in the NBA had a career high against their ass. How? Lonnie Walker isn't that good? Keldon Johnson, that's his fault, Devin Vassel.

If you have the best, this unbelievable lockdown point guard defender and the 2020 version of Bill Russell, how in the F did Carl Towns have? and John Moran at 52 and Jason Tatum have 100 and everybody, they were the San Antonio career highs. Something is awry with the way we talk about these defensive guys. I'll tell you why, Chris. It's all Doug McDermott's fault. It's Doug McDermott's fault?

He doesn't even play enough. I mean, I don't get it, man. I don't get it. So Lou Doard, unbelievable defender who they got a hundred, whatever, it doesn't matter. He's fine, he's fine.

But what is the difference? Let's just talk about some of those guys that I love. All right? Lou Geord is not that much better than Jay Chantate. He's just not. He's not that much better than Jay Chantate. He's like 10 points for game better. He's a way better offensive player.

I'm telling you those two guys, if you put Jayshon Tate on Oklahoma City, I bet he's averaging that too. It's not like he played on some good team. Well, no. I mean, it depends. You don't get it passed on that much to you there. Nobody passes the ball there.

So that's a tough one to get some points at. I just don't think he's that much better than the Jayshon Tate's and the Bruce Browns and the guys I talked about. And I think he's that level of guy. He's a role player. And again, he didn't get a max deal. I just thought it was a little high. How about Javelle McGee?

Three years, 20.1 million going to Dallas to be their starting center next to Christian Wood. Absolutely no problem with it. Yeah, good deal. I like it. That's exactly the kind of rim-running guy that you want with Luca. You know, you're trying to reinvent the Tyson Chandler thing. You had so many years ago with Dirk, right?

Yeah. You've kept searching for that. The Collie Stein thing didn't really hit. The Brandon Wright thing didn't really hit. I mean, they've got this kind of guide that they've gotten over the years. And so I think he played really well for Phoenix. And I think that that was probably instructive of how he could play with Luca. Just dive to the basket and finish five, six of them a game.

You know, play some competent defense. They needed a center. it showed up, you know, when it got to the highest level. The Cleaver thing, you know, it finally, you know, turned into a pumpkin. And so they needed, they needed socks. I like that deal, actually. I like that better than, uh, some others for sure. There weren't that many big guys, honestly, that got deals yesterday.

I mean, I like it better than DeAndre Jordan. Why is somebody paying him to play basketball? No offense, but. What are we doing? I mean, just give me the money. Just give me the money, he says. I mean, I'll talk good about you at least. The Lakers.

It is kind of interesting when you think about it. DJ, after how things ended for DJ in Philly and L.A. and Brooklyn and New York and Dallas. It's a little surprising. Look, the best free agent day was the Lakers. Damian Jones, Juan Tiscano Anderson, Troy Brown Jr., Lonnie Walker.

All clutch. Yeah, got them all. All of them. Got them all. And what a haul. Oh, my goodness. Wait, hold on now. I just looked down to my phone.

Sham Sharania. The Lakers have signed singer Adele? Oh, my God. Singer Adele, where's he from? Well, what country? No, no, the singer Adele. I'm kidding. I was a joke.

I was just correcting you, the singer Adele. Wow. A little assigning. Sounds like an international player, singer Adele. Oh. That's what I'm saying. You're going to be honest with me? Singer Adele.

I want real honesty from you. Yeah. You ready? Yeah, sure. Did you know who Trevelyn Queen was? No. Not the top of my head now. Okay, good.

That came out of nowhere. When that was reported, I was like, all right. Are we into the making up names portion? Yeah. I thought it was like fake wodge or whatever. It said the Philadelphia 76ers signed Trevelyn Queen. And I was like, okay. I do this for a living.

Who is that? Who is that? Then I looked it up and everybody Googled it. I think he won G League MVP. Yeah. He had a big ear in the G-Ling. league. I should have paid more attention.

I tell you this, that means something to me. That G league has gotten so much better. The level of play in that league is tenfold greater than it was three years ago, truly. Because, I mean, I'm not that far from where they play, and I watch them on ESPN Plus, because my producer calls the Memphis Hustle Games. And so I watch those games. It's tenfold better. Three years ago.

No, I was supposed to say, three years ago? It's way better. Not nearly the product it is now. So it actually, you know, while people could roll there, that means something to me if you were the G League MVP. There's no way you're not good. There's no way. Yeah, you're a good player, but like you can be a G League MVP and still only get $3.3 million over two years. That's right.

Which is wild when you really think about it. I know. No. But you got two years to prove yourself. right as a player and so thank i was going to be so depressed if you really do that any of the extensions or re-signs we already covered dort we covered portis talked about bagley um i'm just going to list these off and you tell me which one you want to talk about boucher Gary harris we talked about jayshont tape uh we've no surprise on batum we talked about bomba

Nick Claxton, Thaddeus Young, Patty Mills, Ola Depot, Deadman, Javon Carter, we talk about Devon Reed, West Matthews, any of those particularly stand out to you on re-signs? Wesley Matthews going back to the Bucks, very important for them. I like what they've done this off-season. Who else?

Javon Carter, you mentioned in there. How about You like Claxton? Yeah, Claxton, I like him going back to Brooklyn, though the picture's incomplete. We'll see what they end up doing. We haven't mentioned the Max guys, right?

Beale going back to Washington, Levine going back to Chicago. Yeah, the extensions were Yokic got the Supermax, Carl Towns got an extension, Booker got an extension. Andy was named the cover athlete of 2K23

Morant got an extension Anthony Simons got an extension so those were those were big numbers I mean all of those were super high except the Simons one which was still great deal

for Simon's four years 100 million that's what he got 25 a year so yeah none of those none of those all that surprising

By the way, Queen, let me just mention this, G-Leaks stats, 25 points a game, 6.7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and a block. 48% from the field, 34% from 3, 80% from the free throw line. Good grief. He dominated. This is not like good stats. That's three steals and a block, a game? Sheesh. All right, Trevelling Queen.

Rio Grande. Yeah. Rio Grande Valley Vipers, huh? Big improvement from his year the year prior as well. Is that right? Where do you go to college? I don't remember when I looked it up. It was New Mexico State is where he went.

Oh, really? Yeah. Huh. Sure not. It won the championship last year, too. Watch him be the biggest free agent signing. of the summer. That would be such a cool story.

It would be so great for the G League, wouldn't it? Yeah. Yeah. That would be fantastic for that if he ended up making it. Yeah, he started, okay, he started at a community college, actually. Then went to New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. Unbelievable. It was a Juko kid.

And then he went and played for New Mexico State. What a path. Good for him. Yeah, I know. It's pretty cool. Good for him. Unbelievable. All right.

So now, is there anybody that is out there that intrigues you the most? Obviously, we started the show with the Duran thing.

Is there anybody, like free, what were going to be available free agent? Aiton. Okay. Because of how it ties to KD. Yep.

Sexton. Yeah, I think he's going back to Cleveland, but we'll see. I'm not 100% certain about that. All indications were that he is, that they tend to bring him back. They signed Rubio, of course. Right. But we'll see about that.

T.J. Warren, he remains unsigned. Very intrigued to see where he goes. I like T.J. Warren a lot. We haven't seen him. Since a bubble. Yeah, I think those are two come to mind. Well, and then we do have to mention this. And this is the worst story of the day by a wide.

margin. The Miles Bridges thing is unlike anything I can remember, Kevin. He had a rough summer where it was, you know, the pitcher gets posted and where people think he's drinking lean and smoking weed and whatever. And to me, especially when you rap on the site, you could get around that, you could say, look, we're just screwing right. You know, people take pictures in front of Lamborghinis and whatever. I wasn't really, I wasn't really doing that.

And yes, it was stupid, but it was a goof. And then you could convince somebody, right? I'm not a bad guy. I do it. And then it comes out two nights ago that he is arrested for felony assault. Okay? Domestic violence. And when I first heard about this, it's one of those things that is super scary.

and we know precedent that has been set within other leagues, and we know the way public has reacted to things over the years. And if there is, it is sad that it is so, but we do know that if there are photos, if there are videos, if there are these type of things to corroborate what the story is, it becomes much more real to people, right? Like for all the outrage that has gone on regarding, let's just say the Deshaun Watson case,

if someone had secretly videoed him and a video came out of him doing what he is alleged to do, people would view that in a way that he'd never play, ever. There'd be no question, ever, right? Because at some point it becomes very real to people when there becomes evidence. I don't know if you know this, but his wife, had a long Instagram post this morning and said she was doing this for other victims and that this cannot be her anymore.

And it is pictures of her injuries. And then I'm getting chills. You know as a father, the video at the end of that thing is the most heartbreaking, for those that don't know. The little boy talking. There's a little boy talking about daddy choking mommy and,

that becomes very real to people because they they start to think about the profound effect that that could have on a child witnessing that, right? Because they say she'd been choked until she was unconscious, she has all these injuries, she has, and this went from, you know, a couple weeks ago, people like, man, Miles Bridges really fumble in the bag

with all these pictures on the internet and whatever else to extremely real to everyone. And honestly, I cannot fathom a team signing him. Like this has gone from not making $100 million to, I would be shocked. I would be, I would be shocked. Because what his wife posted on Instagram,

it's horrifying. It's too, and that is, it's not just a headline. Now you see, We went through this as a world. You know, the Ray Rice thing crystallized it for so many people, right? For many years, you would see so-and-so is accused or arrested of domestic violence, right?

And then you don't know the whole story, and in many cases the whole story never comes out. And it's like, oh, you remember that? And it just kind of goes away. But when there are photos and there are videos, it's kind of like the pop star. will ever see Chris Brown without thinking about the Rihanna photos. It's just the way it is, right? No one will ever see Ray Rice without thinking about that. And for the Miles Bridges thing, I sincerely hope he gets the help he desperately needs because I'll tell you this, man, as a parent, that was absolutely positively heartbreaking to see that kid.

The video of the kid, even the way he kind of spoke about it, it seemed normal in a way. He doesn't understand. He's like, oh yeah, through the phone out the window. He's like eating a popsicle while talking about it. And then like you watch the video and you read the post by Michelle Johnson and she says, I can't be silent. I've allowed him to destroy my home, abuse me in every way, traumatize our kids for life.

I mean, it's, it's terrifying. Shocked. To see those photos. Yeah. It's horrible. I sincerely hope he gets the help. I cannot, you know, we talk about basketball on this spot, not about, but sometimes things like this come up and it does have a basketball impact, which is so much less than it's

going to have in real life impact. But just on the basketball level, this is one of the biggest free agents out there. And I think this very, very quickly went from. I mean, literally three days ago, Mitch Cupcheck says, we are keeping miles. I cannot imagine he or anybody else in the league feels the same. I agree with you. That feels, you know, that's a guy that really, really needs help for sure. No doubt about it.

I've been a, as a basketball player, I've been a fan of his, and it sucks. It sucks. It's going to be a bunch more that happens over the course of the weekend. within a week's time, we're going to be watching basketball again as NBA Summer League is going to be wall-to-wall on television, and both of us are going to be out there in Vegas starting next week. I was going through all the Summer League rosters. I was excited.

Next Friday. Next Friday we'll be recording in person. That's right. Face to face. In the flesh. Who will be there? In the flesh. Yep.

In Las Vegas. And so it should be a really fun time out there. And it didn't take long. I mean, look, it doesn't feel like the finals have been over that long. And now we're going to be watching a lot of basketball in Summer League within a week's time. And I'm so excited to see all these young players and these guys that just got drafted playing for the first time in NBA uniforms. This should be a really, really good summer league because the league is flush with awesome young talents, truly. So this would be good.

And I'm sure we're going to have big news over the weekend. Maybe Kevin Durant will be on another team by the next time we talk. Very well could be. He could be. Maybe by the time this podcast posts, you never know. Maybe. Yeah, right. Oh, yeah.

If this is dated, you don't have to tell us. We know. Yeah. We know craps happen since we recorded this. I still enjoyed the exercise going through all those teams. Why not? Yeah. And look, I'm getting you a Lou Dork, Jersey.

Thank you. Thank you to our executive producer, Jesse Lopez, as always. Kevin, I'll talk to you next week. Have a good one, everybody.