The Zach Lowe Show - NBA Free Agency Primer: The Main Characters of the Offseason!

Episode Date: June 29, 2026

Zach is joined by Michael Pina to break down everything ahead of the official start of NBA free agency. They cover the moves that have already happened and discuss who the main character of the offseason will be. Finally, they share their thoughts on the Suns acquiring Miles Bridges. (0:00) Welcome to The Zach Lowe Show! (1:14) Michael Pina joins the show! (1:46) Most intriguing move we already know of (4:56) Main character no. 1 - Kawhi Leonard (13:06) Main character no. 2 - Jaylen Brown (17:24) Zach’s thoughts on analytics-gate (22:42) Teams that might actually be in on a Brown trade (25:17) Can the Celtics just bring him back? (28:55) Main character no. 3 - The Denver Nuggets (36:05) Main character no. 4 - LeBron James (37:15) Is a Warriors Big Four looming? (46:07) Main character no. 5 - The Detroit Pistons (48:00) Suns acquire Miles Bridges Host: Zach Lowe Guest: Michael Pina Producers: Jonathan Frias, Billy Gil, and Mike Wargon Social: Keith Fujimoto and Michael Szokoli The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit https://fanduel.com/playwithaplan to learn more about the resources and helplines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the Zach Lowe show, NBA Free Agency officially kicks off in about 35 hours or something like that. Michael Pina from the ringer.com is here to get into all of the biggest stories. Who are the main characters of NBA free agency slash the transaction period that is really already underway? Kauai Leonard, will he be traded by the time this podcast drops? Jalen Brown, what about him? LeBron James, huh? What teams he going to be on? Related.

What are the Warriors going to do? the Pistons. We get into just the very broad strokes, main characters, and some news that's already happened with the Knicks, the Thunder, James Hardin, Fred Van Vleet, all of that stuff, and a bit on the Charlotte Hornets making two big trades. We did Lamello last week. Over the weekend, it was Miles Bridges to Phoenix with some stuff coming back to Charlotte, including a juicy Phoenix 23, unprotected pick. We get into all that. Quick setup for free agency with Michael Pina. That's all coming up on this edition of the Zach Lowe show. Welcome to the Zach Lowe show.

It's Monday morning. NBA free agency starts in like 35 hours. It's been going on for a while. Trades are happening. Signings are happening. Rumors are swirling. Michael Pina, how are you doing, sir? I'm doing great, Zach.

How are you, man? I'm good. I'm ready. I've been ready. I've really never stopped being ready. Things just keep happening. And from Janus, until now it's been a whirlwind.

We're going to get into the main characters of the next week in the NBA. and it's going to be a week. It's going to be fast and furious like it always is. Before we get to that, some news that I don't think is all that surprising, but I want to hear if you have any takes on any of these things, okay? We have Isaiah Hartnstein, three years, $75 million with the thunder thereabouts, a slight pay cut on his annual salary for some security.

Like that deal, it's a good deal. I think it's indicative that, yes, he is essential to our attack against Victor Wimbunyama and the young guys that we have may not be ready yet. the Knicks re-signed Diawara, three years 15, and Jose Alvarado about the same. I like both. It brings into question Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet as the Knicks are perilously close to the second apron. And both of those guys, particularly Mitchell Robinson, I have a lot of interest around

the league. And just this morning, Fred Van Vleet opts in to $25 million, now an expiring contract with the Houston Rockets after a lost season last season when the Rockets really missed them. and James Hardin, not surprisingly, opts out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. And according to Shams Trania, they are, as we all have been saying, discussing a new multi-year deal that I'm going to guess is probably three years, 80, 90s, 100, something in that range. Is any of that interesting to you? Or should we just move on?

You know, I think the Nick situation is interesting just in terms of the deals that they got done were smart. the fact that they are so hamstrung with regards to the second apron somewhat curiously is really interesting to me and we'll see like you said with shamit with Mitchell Robinson if they'll be able to retain one both neither who knows that's that's something to keep an eye on for sure the Hartnstein deal real quick I'm glad that he's staying because losing him would be kind of borderline catastrophic for the Oklahoma City Thunder I think he's so integral to how they play and defeating the San Antonio Spurs next year. He's a huge part of that.

So it's good to see him get locked up there. Yeah. I mean, look, the off season is not even close to over, but I was asked a bunch of times in the last week or so by NBA people, you know, if you had to pick one team right now, if when you go to Las Vegas to bet on who's going to win the championship next year, right now before all the moves. I said, I think I would pick Oklahoma City.

I wouldn't feel great about it, but they would be my pick. But obviously there's a lot to be done. I misspoke on Mohamed D. O'Warets two years. 10, not three years 15. I think that's a good bet for the Knicks. Alvarado is a no-brainer. Gives them a little deuce McBride insurance. He's an unrestricted free agent after next season.

I like all the things the Knicks have done. I get the hesitancy with the second apron. It really is restrictive. And the thing with the Knicks is if they're in it next year, there's really no sign of them ever getting out of it in the near future with this team. Brunson's deal will, Brunson will sign his new big deal eventually and other guys are essential. It's not like you can just ditch Josh Hart or McHale Bridges or something.

And then your pick gets moved down and all that. But you know what? It's a special team. Who knows how much money the Knicks just made? Mitchell Robinson in a Wemba and Yama world is that archetype of player is essential. So let's run it back. I say it's not my money though. Okay.

Michael Pina, are you ready? The main characters of the rest of the NBA offseason in no particular order. Are you ready to go? Let's do it. main character number one, and I'm accelerating him to the top of the list. Kauai Leonard, the centerpiece of one of the most audacious, crippling, risky, whatever mega transactions in NBA history that continues to this day to cost the clippers in the last draft and the aspiration scandal is still ongoing and all of that.

There is interest, and there is interest specifically from the Toronto Raptors. These talks are very real. they are real enough that I would not surprise me at all if Kauai Leonard is traded to the Raptors like shortly after this podcast is released. It also would not surprise me at all if it takes a couple of days or if it never happens because my read is the Clippers are asked,

there's a gap between what the Clippers want to move on from Kauai Leonard and sort of honestly begin a rebuild and what the Toronto Raptors are willing to give up. They're not going to give up Scotty Barnes. They're not going to go to Colombury Boyles. They're not going to give up the Swain, did know who did they just draft.

I can't remember the guy they just drafted in the first round. I'm not giving him up. So it's just like, do you want Brandon Ingram plus Grady Dick, plus a lightly protected first round pick that conveys now? If so, I think there's a deal. If not, I think there's further negotiations. This is super interesting because I just was never sure the Clippers would reach this point with Kauai when they would honestly look themselves in the mirror and say,

it's time. It's time. They've indicated that they've been very honest about their place in the league. Like they never, I don't think, seriously entertain trading the number five pick. They realized what, what a gift this was to them, having given up so much to get Kauai Lender. What a rare chance to get a blue chip prospect and they get Keaton Wogler. But I still, I just assumed they'll ride it out forever with Kauai. And here we are. What do you think of this?

And I think this is very real. I don't think the Dallas rumors are real. That could change, but I don't think that's real. I don't know if there's any other team, but Toronto is definitely interested in pairing Scotty Barnes and Kauai Leonard and really kind of going for it in the east where a lot of teams are kind of going for it. This is an interesting one for a lot of reasons. It took me by surprise the fact that the Clippers, you know,

Sean's reported that the Clippers made, quote, no long-term commitment to him this off-season. So the extension talks are stalled. And that's surprising to me a little bit, given everything that they've said and hinted at and signaled for months. The thing about this to me, like, if I was the Clippers, I don't, this package, Ingram, Dick, a pick, whatever. I'm just making that up. I'm not sure. Maybe you squeeze a second pick, but I don't think. I don't think like it's going to be, you know, could it be Barrett instead of Ingram?

I'm not sure how much that changes your life. If you're the clippers, even if you maybe prefer Barrett. Like it's not, it's not going to be any of the blue chip guys. And it's not going to be like four first and three swaps. Like that's not happening. Right. I think, well, first of all, if something like that were to happen and he were to just end up on the Raptors, I'll just say that Scotty Barnes, Kauai Leonard and CMB, like that front court,

that's my league pass team. I'm watching every second of the Toronto Raptors next season. But I think fundamentally for me, if Leonard is truly on the market, the Clippers don't want him, they don't want to extend him. I don't see why another team wouldn't do what Toronto did in 2019

and take a one-year flyer with the caveat here that Leonard doesn't have the same amount of leverage that he once did. You know, like he, in 2019, obviously, that the risk was that he was, everyone knew he was going to go to Los Angeles. Well, that's off the table now.

And how many teams would even be willing to give him the extension that he covets? So I think that the market should be a little broader. Maybe I'm misreading something here. But I feel like even though he has, I've seen the Raptors, I've seen the Spurs as another team that he would reportedly be interested in signing an extension with. I just think like the market there should be a little, a little wider and more teams should be interested in getting Leonard if they want the one-year

flyer and then kind of we'll see what happens. Give me a team. Well, I know we're going to talk about this later, so I don't want to step on it too much, but the Boston Celtics. Your problem for my problem? Yeah. I mean, if the Celtics, I don't we're going to talk about this a little bit, but if the Celtics are gone home about trading Jalen Brown, I would want a player who would make me a,

better team on paper or a better player than Jalen Brown. I think Kauai Leonard is a better player. I think he would get you closer to a championship in 2017, 2007. So that's interesting to me. And then they could also save some money or they could get another player in like Isaiah Jackson or Chris Dunn maybe. So that's like an interesting one. But there's just other teams out there, like the other teams that we're going to probably be talking about in a few minutes. So that's kind of What do you think about that? Just like opening up the negotiation if you're the clippers and you're seriously not wanting Kauai Leonard, which is kind of a groundswell throughout the league, I feel like.

Well, it's interesting because like obviously the idea that he would extend with Toronto reportedly is giving the Raptors some leverage. Like to your point, like Kauai is 35 and has a fairly long and well documented injury history. I'm not sure I mind depending on the price just getting him and. saying we'll figure it out later. The Celtics, that was on my list of like, so who's going to trade for Jalen Brown, who's another main character, I just think I could see the two teams arguing over who and how much should send draft compensation, right?

Who should, who should compensate the other and how much? That one gets a little complicated. His age is a little complicated. Look, there's a ticking clock on this thing with Toronto. Like Toronto is going to move on to other business, just like other teams are going to move on. Like there will be Jalen Brown potential trades that fall apart. part because teams move on to other business. So, you know, we'll see.

I mean, the funniest one would be Paul George to the Clippers with one of their first round picks at the Sixers own in exchange for Kauai Leonard. That would be the funniest one. And by the way, the Clippers don't control their pick for the next three drafts, even though the Oklahoma City nightmare trade is over for them. And that factors into it too. And I think they still want to be somewhat relevant, right? they don't want to bottom out even though the relegation zone is not going to affect them since they

don't control their picks. So that's why I got like Ingram. I think that's why Toronto would pitch that idea. Look, Kauai went healthy last year was one of the eight best players in the NBA. At worst, probably, when healthy, like the last 55 games of the season, he was that good. You put him with Toronto. I've already had a couple people from Eastern Conference contenders text me like, we would really not like that to happen.

Like that team gets pretty scary, pretty fast. So yeah, I just think it's interesting. We'll see what happens. I don't really buy the Dallas stuff. I don't really buy the San Antonio one either. Like I don't really know how that's working and what the price is and all that. Devin Vassell would have to be involved, I think? I don't know.

That's just that's too much, I think. It's too messy. It ended worse with San Antonio than it did with Toronto by like orders of magnitude between Kauai and the team. And I just feel like you just made the finals. like, I don't, that just feels like a bridge too far. I'm trying to think if there's anything else we need to hit on this. Nope, that's it. Kauai, like, we'll see.

I think there's real legs for this thing in Toronto, but I agree with you. Like, there are a bunch of teams that could talk to themselves into it. Like, you could build Denver deals. You could do all sorts of things. Okay, main character number two, Jalen Brown. We're here with Jalen Brown. Bill and I talked about it a lot last night. I don't know who the Jalen Brown team is.

I am beginning to wonder if the Celtics overthought the Yannis thing and just should have just been like, we've gone this far. We know that it's going to be hard to put the toothpaste back in the two with jail and if we keep him. We know it's going to be pretty hard to trade him

for a return that our fans find palatable. Maybe Hugo isn't this essential or Shireman or both isn't this essential. And we should just go all in and rip the bandaid off and get it over with throw our depth out the window. Like I'm not sure that's a great answer either. But now they're in this situation where I just don't know who the team is. That's like that they're deep in the weeds with on any Jail and Brown trade. And I said this with Bill last night. I compared it to the Minnesota Timberwolves trading cat in the sense that I just think,

given his salary, as great as Jalen Brown was last season and has been for his entire career. And he will tell you he's won more games in the NBA over the last next amount of years than anyone in the league. I think they are stuck in a place where their choices are right now, hold on to Jalen Brown and try to salvage this relationship and figure it out. And it may be too far gone. I don't know. I mean, I'm looking at a tweet this morning that I think everything is fake in AI. I think Kendrick Perkins threatened to fight Jalen Brown's dad on Twitter. I think that's like a place that we are right now. Like that's NBA media. Okay.

So reconciliation or take a package that is just not going to excite your fans, your talk radio hosts, maybe even your owner. It might be like a smart package that you could be like, oh, okay, we reorganize our finances. We get a couple of young players, a couple picks. but like the headliner or the present day value is going to make your team materially worse this coming season than having Jail and Brown would be. I think that's where they're stuck. And I don't really know like what the team even is right now.

I don't know. I don't know where they what who they're at the 20 yard line or 30 yard line with. Do you have any thoughts? My thoughts on this are I'm I texted you this last night. I'm still surprised that we got to this point. Jaylen has three years on his contract, Supermax. I just, it's interesting to me that a team that wants to win the championship that aspires to win it all. Like, you don't trade a guy who just finished sixth an MVP made was about to make first team all NBA,

finished with the sixth most votes for first team all NBA was a finals MVP two years ago. He's about to turn 30, but still kind of getting better in a lot of different ways. You don't do that because his, you don't trade him because his feelings are hurt because it was revealed that he was in an offer for Janice on Tentacumpo, who's like one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. And if I'm the Celtics, like, I'm not making a trade unless, like, I clearly win the trade. Like, I would feel like the Celtics are negotiating from a position of strength. Like, that's the kind of the point of selling high. like if I make no trade from Boston, I keep Jalen Brown and I come back next season

with a roster that won 56 games and had a better offense, defense, and net rating in the regular season than the Knicks. And Jason Tatum only played 16 regular season games. Like I feel like that's a pretty good consolation. We have all this data that Tatum and Brown are fantastic together. We have all this data.

I know that, the analytics conversation is kind of going way too far in one direction that it's like silly. When Jalen Brown is on the court, the Celtics are good, like, every year. Like, whether Tatum is on the court or not, they're a very good basketball team. I have some thoughts on analytics gate. Can I just share my thoughts on analytics skate? Please, please. So this has reminded me of my biggest pet peeve in NBA media for 25 years was when

an SI when it was a real publication, like a actual print publication and a real website, used to put out anonymous NBA scouts preview the season. And it was just a column of like anonymous NBA scouts. And a lot of it would be like really mean pot shots at players, like stuff that you would not say if your name were attached to it. Not like this guy needs to work on his jump shot or whatever. But like this guy is just a loser. And you'd be like, really?

And you don't know who the scout is. It could be like scout number 12 in the depth chart. Right. And I think like I love Bobby Marks. He's very close to me. Like we're a great relationship. We're both Mets fans, all of it. I just think like just gatekeep that one. Like random analytics guy saying something that you know is objectively crazy is just like you don't have to share that one. Number two, even if he shares it and he did, I promise you everyone from Jalen Brown to Green Runs Deep to Joe Celtics fan, you don't have to care. You don't have to get mad about it. is possible to just dismiss it as the one opinion of a stupid analytic stapper whose name we don't know, whose team we don't know, whose experience we don't know, and just move on with your life. You don't need to make it a new cycle for 48 hours. You can just go outside, ride a bike, go to the beach, take a swim, read a book, cook a meal, like you don't have to make it a thing. And nor do it nor does anyone in the media. And this is the end.

of me making it a thing. Please move on. No more talk about it. Right. I agree with everything you just said. But again, like the whole the toothpaste back in the tube thing, it's like, if you didn't want to be in trade rumors, then you should have negotiated a no trade in your contract. This is kind of like not to be, you know, Don Draper. This is what this is what the money is for. The Celtics gave Jalen Brown a supermax extension right after they lost. to the eight seed Miami Heat. And in a game seven where Tatum got hurt on like the first play. And then Jalen Brown was proceeded to get outplayed by Caleb Martin.

So obviously, you know, the Celtics have belief in Jalen Brown. They have, they understand his value. They gave him $285 million on that deal. They gave him, they've given him over $400 million in his career. So the feelings hurt thing is just like, I'm not taking a, some of the fake trades that I've seen, I just, I would just not do that if I was Boston. I think there are significant step back, step backs from championship contention, which is not what you want to do when you have Jason Tatum.

I think that's their only choice is a trade that is, even if it can be spun as like, hey, this is a smart trade with these long-term assets and this financial flexibility and clearing up the hierarchy, it will be a step back in 27, 26, 27, and maybe 27, 28. And that's your going to be your, I don't think there's the, barring this fake Kauai trade that I don't think has any traction. I don't know that there's a trade that's not a step back that exists. I have a fake one for you. Tell me how realistic you think this is.

Sacramento Kings, Sabonis, DeRosen, who's got a non-guaranteed, 10 million guaranteed, and three firsts for Jalen, Brown. I don't think the Kings are doing that with that, with that level of draft equity involves. So bonus is a good name, though, for a team that really needs, like, a proven NBA center. I mean, Nimikato is now proven as a regular season starter.

And then after that, I got a little dicey. That's a good, that's a good. In fact, the Kings are on my list of just so, like, let's just real quickly. Here are teams about whom there's been noise with Jalen Brown or reported connection. or fake trade connections that I think are now either out or mostly out. Brooklyn, Detroit, Clippers, Houston. I don't think Houston's ever been in. What are some other names that have been like bandied about that I should,

that I should hit? Because I'm going to then go to the teams that make, oh, Portland. Portland. Maybe Portland is in. I don't know. I'm not convinced that they're in. They could be in. I'm not crossing that one off.

If all those teams are out, then I'm looking for like, well, who's in that would surprise me, right? Do you have a team? You're looking at the teams? Did you say the Pelicans? Pelicans, I have no clue. No clue.

I mean, you could build any number of trades. It could be a Zion trade, a trade, a herb plus trade trade, or herb plus Zion trade, and no Zion trade. There's like a million possibilities. And Jean-Termere, they don't really need. So I'll keep them in the insubes.

circle. Denver, I think, has to be monitored and we'll get to them in a second as one of the main characters of the offseason. And then I'm like, is there a team that's off my radar that I need to look deeper at? Sacramento was one. Now, I didn't think of Subonis. What I thought of was Keegan Murray, DeAndre Hunter, and some draft assets that are obviously not ACA.

Maybe I get Caraband as a win now player or something like that. Eh, again, like, it's eh. I thought, like, do we need to keep an eye on Atlanta again? Who's just sort of like, like, but I don't know what the money is in that one. Like does Dyson Daniels plus comminga plus some future? And what's the blue chip young player? Because obviously it's not going to be Kingston Fleming. Like what's, what's the, is it Dyson Daniels?

Is that that exciting to me as the Celtics? Or do I get Nikiel Alexander Walker somehow thrown in there? I just don't see a great deal for either side. obviously J Allen is from Atlanta. I thought about Dallas because they were, they've been rumored everywhere, and I'm not sure any of those rumors are true. You just have to pile up a ton of players. And again, I don't know who's like PJ Washington plus Najee Marshall plus Clay Thompson.

Like that's not, I need something younger and more exciting than that. And by the way, notable report from Christian Clark at the athletic over the weekend, Derek lively is out of his walking boot, but still hasn't progressed to running or jumping. as he works his way back from multiple right foot surgeries. Okay. Like, my ears went up with that in terms of like, I don't know. I mean, Orlando, for one of the star players on Orlando, that just feels like a two seismic change for everybody involved.

So I don't really like even know what other teams to really be paying attention to right now. And I think they might be stuck between a rock and a hard place here for a bit. So let me just ask you. Like what is wrong with bringing him back? Like I understand the money. understand like how expensive he is. I know how difficult it is to build around two guys who will earn 70% of your cap for the next three years.

Like I totally, I get all that. Um, but the Celtics are like really good. And if you bring, if you, if you, if you,

uh, you know, shift things around the margins here and don't have vuch as your, your, your, your backup center. I, I just think like,

you're still a very good team that can, win the Eastern Conference. Like, am I, am I crazy? Let's take a quick break and then I will answer that question. This episode is brought to you by Activia. You might already be eating yogurt, but not all yogurts are created equal. Activia contains over one billion probiotics per serving to survive and reach the gut alive. When it comes to gut health, Activia is the number one family doctor recommended probiotic yogurt brand. Choose Activia. Feel good from the inside out. Visit for more details.

I don't think anything is wrong with bringing Jalen Brown back. I think a couple of things, though, have changed. He seems legitimately mad about the Celtics putting him in trade talks. And like, I understand it's too easy for us to say, hey, man, it's Janus. Janus is better than you. Janus is a top 25 all-time player, multiple MVP, finals MVP just like you. if I'm Jalen Brown, like, these are just like, I'm not wired that way. I'm 29.

I play every game. I just saved in my mind. This is how I would think if I were Jailen Brown. I just saved our season when everyone thought we were going to suck. And I carried the team. And I'm a finals MVP, an East Finals MVP. Like, I don't want to be in trade. How about I'm not in trade talks for anybody?

How about that? How about we get to that point? That's just how he would think. And the other thing that's materially changed is he got a taste of running his own team. And I think that, and they won 56 games. And I think that really matters. And Tatum, the Tatum integration went pretty smoothly, I thought for the most part. There were definitely segments, particularly in the playoffs where it's like, oh, there's a lot of Tatum going on right now and not as much Jalen Brown going on.

And like, but that's also okay. There will be segments where there's a lot of Jalen Brown going on and not as much Jason Tatum going on. That's just part of this imperfect yet wildly fruitful partnership. But I do think things have shifted a little bit. And the other thing is, you know, you said the words sell high. I do think there's probably some worry within the Celtics of, yes, there's only three years left on this mega contract. Does his value rise or fall as his contract gets closer to expiration or as he becomes

closer to he's eligible for an extension now that I would be shocked if he got? So I think those are all factors. I don't, I feel like they're going to trade them. I just feel like this has gotten too far and too much has happened. And too many teams have been involved and contacted and all that. But I don't disagree that if, if there's no palatable trade, I don't say any problem bringing it back. I think Missoula is really good at mending fences and getting everyone on the same page. But, you know, TBD on that.

Did we forget any teams? I don't think so. I think you hit them all. Atlanta was the one that, I mean, Charlotte, but not. No, Charlotte's another one. I'm glad you mentioned. I don't think Charlotte's interested. I mean, every team could be interested, right?

Like, I don't think anyone ever with a player of this quality just like out, out, out. It just depends what the prices. That's the thing with the Rockets and the Hornets. I just don't think those teams have really jumped in in a way that would suggest to me that they're actually interested in Gillen Brown. Portland is the wild card for me that I just can't really read their, their intention. Speaking of the Kings, by the way, you're going to be shocked by this, Michael. Sit down. If you have a seatbelt on your on your desk chair, buckle it.

Zach Levine opted in to his $49 million deal for this coming season. I know you expected him to opt out and test unrestricted free agency. He has opted in with the Kings. By the way, a guy I would keep an eye on as the heat go bargain hunting to try to fill out this roster. If DeMard de Rosen gets bought out at any point, I would think he could make some sense for the heat, along with Buddy Heald and Tim Hardway Jr. And Mike Connolly and all these sort of just like grab bag of guys as the heat tried to cobble together a team.

Okay, I think I'm out of thoughts on Jalen Brown. Let's move on. Main character number three, the Denver Nuggets, who this morning tendered qualifying offers to Peyton Watson, and Spencer Jones. And I just think ended the season

with Yoketch playing maybe the worst playoff series of his career against the Timberwolves and Rudy Gobert's defense. Ended the season with Aaron Gordon injured yet again.

And I think ended the season both their own season and watching the Spurs and the Thunder and their seasons understanding like, ooh, this has gotten pretty dicey for us

really fast. Mark Stein, and Jake Fisher broke the news over the weekend that Yokic may delay signing his extension, which he's delayed last season for reasons that made financial sense and no longer really apply now. I think that story is mostly nothing, but not 100% nothing. I don't think he's ever going to leave Denver. I don't think he wants to leave Denver. But, and I don't think there's going to ever be like you've got to do these five moves

or I'm leaving Denver. I just think it's like, it's been noted. It's been noted within the nuggets that he's not signed yet. And maybe he signs in two weeks and it's all moot. I think that's all going to be fine. But I think this team has reached a crossroads where it's like, something about us is growing a little bit stale and is not good enough to beat these two teams ahead of us.

And we have a guy who has been the best player in the world or maybe number two or number three now for the last seven years, six years, five years. We've got to act. And even if the act is changed for the sake of change, we've got to try something. And that's why when Bill brought up his, I think it was Jalen Brown and Sam Houser for Jamal Murray and was it Aaron Gordon. No, it wasn't Aaron Gordon.

It was Jam. Cam Johnson. That's a really interesting trade. And I do think Denver has kicked the tires on Jalen Brown. What do you think of that trade and what Denver is already like at the first apron? before you even put a dollar in for Watson and Spencer Jones. Like, what's realistic here? From Boston's perspective, I think that if you're going to trade Jalen Brown,

getting a very, very good all-MBA level player, who's where Jamal Murray is, would make some sense. I don't know, well, Jalen Brown's probably a little bit better, but I love Jamal Murray. and obviously Cam Johnson, great three-point shooter, had a up and down season, but very good player.

I feel like it's a watch there with Hauser. If I'm the Denver Nuggets, I just, I have a, obviously in recognizing and acknowledging how they went out last year was really tough. I have a hard time conceiving the Denver Nuggets

without the Yogich-Murray tandem, which I just think is still, very special in a lot of ways. And, you know, when those two shared the floor last year, their offensive rating was 130, which was led the NBA among all two-man tandums that played at least a thousand minutes. They're still exceptional altogether. And I just think that Jalen Brown is a totally different type of player. And I'm not saying it can't work on the court. And obviously, he adds athleticism and power and force and defense, for sure. on ball defense.

I just, I don't know if that makes you that much better if you're the Denver Nuggets. And so that's like, that's kind of a tricky one. And I just real quick, touching on the extension news with Yokic kind of delaying it, I agree with you that it's probably nothing, but it is also like a smidge of him putting his finger on the scale. I feel like.

If he wanted to sign the extension, he could just sign the, I mean, he can do it any day between now and I think next June. So it's fine, but the fact that he hasn't already is just, it's interesting. And I want to see, you know, they traded their first round pick, obviously,

and a cost-cutting move, which was tough to see. But more shoes are left to drop here with regards to Peyton Watson and how much they're willing to spend and are they going to be in the second apron? on this and that. So it's going to be really interesting to see what happens. But that trade is, it also feels like a your problem, my problem type of trade that I don't, I don't think that, I don't think that Denver gets necessarily closer to winning a title with it. I think that's a,

it's an interesting concept to me because it fits my, we just need a different look. And part of what we need is more size. And the words you use, athleticism, power. I wrote, um, Like they're just with Aaron Gordon increasingly just like I just have to plan my team around the idea that he's just not going to be able to stay healthy for the whole playoffs. And without him, they just don't have enough power and size and oomph and physicality. It's why to me Peyton Watson is a must. I have to bring Peyton Watson back if I'm Denver. What he showed when Yokatch and half the team was injured, he's not going to be able to play like that for Denver. you're not getting 25 pick and rolls a game and all of this.

But just and in terms of power, he's better defending guards than he is defending fours and big guys. But he's very versatile defensively. And just the athleticism and speed and size. I think he's an absolute must. He's going to have suitors in Chicago, Los Angeles, the Lakers maybe might show some interest in him. I think you've got to bring him back if you're the nuggets. But that's why that trade of like, all right, we're just not going to have any guards.

on the team, but we're going to have all like super powerful wings and then we'll figure out the guards later is conceptually interesting to me. But to me, like, I've got to bring Peyton Watson back if I'm the nuggets, almost no matter what I do. And then I've got to make some choices of like, I'm either going over the second apron or I'm salary dumping somebody somewhere and am I, do I have enough to pay for the salary dumping of someone somewhere? I don't know. By the way, another just aside that I forgot that I should have mentioned about Dallas and Jaylen Brown and Kauai and all that. Like Dallas is out a lot of picks like going forward.

They don't have a ton of picks to trade. They have the Lakers pick one year, courtesy of some trade. I can't remember how they got a Lakers pick. It boggles my, I don't remember it. But that's neither here nor there. So I'm just fascinated by Denver because they feel like a team that should be ready to take a stylistic gamble. And I don't know what that is, but I'm very interested to see what that is.

And that Boston deal is just fascinating to be. By the way, that bill is just making that up. I don't think that's been discussed. That's just the Picasso of the trade machine deal. But I think it's very interesting. And now, timely, main character number four, Michael Pina, unless you have any other Denver thought you want to get off the chest. No, we're good.

We're good. We can move on. Main character number four is LeBron James, who is an unrestricted free agent, who doesn't appear as of right now to have been, tendered a real offer by the Lakers for his services. The Lakers are staring at a scenario where they could have like $45-ish million of cap room to use, but they'd have to renounce all their outgoing free agents, including LeBron and Rui Hachamara. Rui Hachamara, I would bet on not being a Laker

next year, but I wouldn't bet heavily on it. That's just my educated intel. Or they could stay over the cap and basically bring back most of the same gang. In related news, Shams Stranaire reports that Draymond Green has declined his $27 million player option for next season. This move, according to Shams, gives the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James and Free Agency and Anthony Davis via trade to form a big four. Now, I'm assuming the big four in that scenario are Steph, Draymond, LeBron, and Anthony Davis and that Jimmy Butler, who's recovering from a Toran ACL, is moved in a theoretical

Anthony Davis trade. I was told last week that if Draymond indeed opted out of $27 million, it would not be to leave the Warriors or not likely be to leave the Warriors. It would likely be to sign a longer deal at lesser money, particularly in this year, to give them the flexibility to upgrade the roster. I'm not, this is the expendables fantasy scenario that Bill is like three months into outlining and patenting. And I keep seeing people steal the expendables from him. No, it's his thing.

I don't know that that big four is good enough to beat the Thunder or the Spurs in a playoff series. It's very old and injury prone. And those are bad things to be when you're facing young, deep, rising teams. But it would sure be a hell of a lot of fun. It would make the Warriors must watch. The Steph LeBron thing is a proven thing like they go beautifully together. And Anthony Davis, I mean, I have no earthly clue what the Wizards actually want to do with Anthony Davis. Longtime wizard Anthony Davis.

He makes $58 million this year. He's extension eligible. I know that I would say as far away from an Anthony Davis contract extension as I possibly could, no matter what team I was. And then he has a $63 million player option for next year. He's still a very good player. He just doesn't play basketball very much. And he's old. Like, he's older.

Unlike a guy like La Mello Ball, who at least has age on his side. Anthony Davis has the injury plus age nexus is now kind of working against him. Hello. I'm looking at right now. What is he 31, 32? He is 33, actually. So, I mean, AD would be, he still has a lot of good basketball in him. And he obviously, like, gives the Warriors a defensive back.

line presence like they have not had in a long, long time and a lob threat and all of that stuff. It would just be interesting to watch him and Draymond, you know, how does that all fit together. But that's, those are luxury problems for the words who have a lot of draft picks to trade. As for the Wizards, I have just no earthly clue what they want to do with longtime Wizard Anthony Davis. There was tons of buzz over the weekend that they were going to be open to moving him. And then I heard the exact opposite when I started checking around like, no, that's all inaccurate. Anthony Davis on the team. I would assume if the Warriors made a palatable offer,

why wouldn't the Wizards at least entertain it? I think the Trey Young extension, which was bizarrely expensive and I already talked about it, to me indicates that Anthony Davis is not long for Washington either way. I just don't see any universe in which three years from now, two years from now the Wizards are paying those guys $110 million combined or whatever it would be. So I would assume if I had to cut through the noise the best I could,

I would assume Warriors offer something realistic. They could probably get in the conversation. And as for LeBron, look, I have no one has any idea. I have no idea. The best I can do is like cross teams off. I kind of crossed the clippers off already last week when I said like, yeah, they can open cap space. I've just been told over and over again that he doesn't want to play for the clippers.

Maybe that changes if the clippers change their roster on. I don't know. It seems like this Warriors thing has more and more. momentum than the Cavs thing and maybe even then the Lakers thing, the Lakers return, although I thought he clearly settled into like a winning third banana rule before everybody else got hurt, Reeves and Leeds and Luca around him. I find this fascinating. I mean, I just don't know what it really amounts to in terms of chasing an NBA championship,

but I know that Steph plus LeBron plus AD plus Draymond is absolute must watch television. and at the very least, like, interesting. I can't wrap my brain around what, like, what's the over under on that team? I have absolutely no idea. They're ancient and injury prone in AD's case. But it's clearly better than what the Warriors are now. It's interesting. It's entertaining.

I think depths could obviously be an issue. Health would be an issue. Athleticism. You know, they brought back Al Horford. on a deal. I don't know what Moses Moody's status is, but... It can be out for a while. It can be out if not for a while. I don't know. I mean, I'm just penciling in, like, out for the season, but we'll see.

Right. So, I mean, it's top heavy for sure. All the players that we're talking about are in some kind of decline. They're also super special and when healthy play at a pretty high level. So can they beat them? the Spurs? Can they beat the thunder? Could they beat the healthy nuggets? I don't know. It's an interesting one. I would want to see it for sure. And I think that it's just a lot to think about with regard. I mean, we've seen LeBron and Steph on Team USA. I thought that that was like really symbiotic in a lot of ways. And there's some, you know, versatile things that you can do

offensively with all that intelligence. But yeah, it's an interesting one. I don't know if they can win the title, though. I just, I can't conceptualize the team. Like, to Steph LeBron two-man game is obviously like, that's a dream come true for everybody to get to see that on the biggest stage. We saw it in the Olympics. Where's Anthony Davis when that's going on?

Where's Draymond Greenwood that's going on? Does his team have depth? Does it have defense? Where is that Horford? I have no clue. Like D'Anthony Melton has a player option. Is he coming back? Is he not coming back?

Pajemski is still around. Like, it's a good team. It's a fun team. If they're down to one in the second round to San Antonio, it's going to be unbelievable wherever the game is, if it's in Golden State. And it's just, it would be fun theater. And I talked about this with Bill,

who pitched the Spurs as a, as a LeBron destination. And he asked me, would you consider him a ring chaser? Would people consider him a, quote, ring chaser? in that scenario going glomming onto a team like the spurs who just made the finals. And I said two things. Number one, I think DeSpers is a good franchise to pick out because I don't, and this goes

back to the Clippers with apologies to the Clippers and their fans. I don't think he's going to a franchise that doesn't have some level of gravitas to it. And the Spurs have gravitas. I also said the dude is 41 years old. It's a miracle that he's still in the NBA. It's a triple miracle that he's still one of the 25. best players in the NBA. Do whatever the hell you want at that point. No one is being like, oh, LeBron chasing rings at age 42. No, it's going to be like LeBron's having fun at age 42.

And all these guys coming together would be fun. And this would not, I mean, I don't, I think this is not even a ring chase. I mean, they can talk themselves into it. I can't see four playoff series wins out of a team this old. But it's definitely a basketball near Vana chase. It's like, I want to end my career playing with a bunch of other basketball geniuses and a teammate that I've had in Anthony Davis before and I like and I'm fond of. Let's have some fucking fun and see how this works. I don't think that anything LeBron does should be considered a ring chase at this point. And I frankly would love for him to be in a situation where he can win another ring.

I mean, that way I think that one of the cool things about how last season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers and him finding this role that was very new to him but best for the team was that they were a team that was able to maximize all the parts with him not, you know, having the highest usage or being the first scoring option or whatever

and winning. They were winning down the stretch and they were very good until Luca got hurt against the Oklahoma City Thunder. So it's fun when LeBron is in the hunt and I would love to him go to any situation where that were the case. And he was still functioning in a large meaningful role as he was last year with the Lakers. Buckle up, baby. The warriors are doing warriors things. And just nothing is more warriors than chasing like this kind of thing, which is super fun. Let's wrap up real quickly because I want to get this up as soon as possible

as things are happening. Other quick thoughts. Another main character, I think, is going to be the Pistons who opened up some space by dumping Isaiah Stewart and then used some of it on a great acquisition of Isaiah Joe that immediately made me think, huh, Duncan Robinson's contract is like very little guaranteed for next season. They could open up even more space again by doing something with him. And then if they do that, where does Duncan Robinson go? I think Detroit's up to something. I don't know what it is. Any quick thoughts on that? This is the Trey Murphy team for me, this is the Ron Holland, Karras Levert, and four picks

for Trey Murphy. Four picks? Let him be the Desmond Bain of your team. Let him be the McHale Bridges. I feel like if you're the Detroit Pistons, this is our team. You know, it's going to get very expensive, but Cade, Assar Thompson,

Jalen Duren, whenever he resigns, Trey Murphy, Isaiah Joe, all the other pieces on the team. Like, it's just, we were the best team the Eastern Conference last year. We're clearly understanding things about ourselves and we made an identity shift in a lot of ways by trading,

essentially trading Isaiah Stewart for Isaiah Joe. Oh, a double Isaiah. Yeah. I just realized it was coming out of my mouth. But yeah, that can win the title. So what are we like that's, and it's not just like a one year thing with, Trey Murphy is not 30 years old. He makes sense with Cade and he makes sense with that young core. So yeah, I would do a, whatever it takes, honestly, to get trade.

I think he's a perfect fit for what they do, how they play, fits on both sides of the ball, and why not? Do it. I think four picks would get it done immediately. Just a couple other quick thoughts before we go here. Hornets, two big trades, obviously, Lamello, and then Miles Bridges, and they got Royce O'Neill and Grayson Allen and a 23-un-un-protected pick. with the 29 pick going to Phoenix.

I covered that with Bill yesterday. The only thing I will say, I loved that trade for Charlotte. I did not like it for Phoenix. It raises some interesting roster questions for Phoenix. I like everything else Phoenix has done so far this summer. I think Jalen Green now becomes one of the biggest wild cards in the league over the next 18 months with his player option for $36 million for the 27, 28 season.

We'll see if he's part of their long-term plans, particularly if they extend Dylan Brooks, that almost feels like either or financially for. them. The only thing I'll say about Charlotte that I haven't said is I think I wonder if the new lottery rules emboldened them even more to get off of Lamello because I think they're willing to take a small step back next season. I think the lottery rules just make a lot of teams in Charles position rethink like hey, feel good season, 44 wins, played at like a 55 win pace in the last half plus of the season, we could go all in or semi all in or half of another foot in for next

season and chase every win. And if we don't do that, the other option might be taking a small step back. And like in the East, actually missing the playoffs if things go wrong, if you have an injury or whatever, if the lamello void is worse than you think. And I think they looked at and we're like, well, what's the worst thing that happens? We missed the playoffs. We have a bunch of draft assets. If our own pick is in the lottery and Dallas's pick is in the lottery, we just, you know, the new lottery helps us. It's not bad to be 13 in the lottery anymore. So I thought that was an interesting, smart little thought by them.

And then the Bulls had a great draft. Everybody loves the Bulls draft. It does have to be frustrating for Bulls fans to watch these teams clamor, to pay pretty fair contracts to Iodosum Nu and Kobe White when you just gave them away for nothing. And that's all I really want to say, because we got a big week coming up, and it's already starting.

I'm glad all this stuff happened while we were on this podcast. The Warriors, man, I just, Steve Kerr is coming back and it's like, let's have a party, let's go. And maybe they'll make it happen. And I wonder, honestly, if like, I wonder if the Lakers would almost be relieved to, not to like, not that they want to not have LeBron on their team, but just the clarity of, okay, now we can operate as a Capspace team. Now we can really start turning over the team to make it look like Luca, how, how, how

Luca wants it to look. And by the way, they have a lot of work to do to get it to look like what they do wants it to look with him on the clock. But that's it for this morning. Michael Pina, what do we got coming up from you? You wrote, what did you, you wrote something. You wrote about something over the weekend. I can't remember what it was. So much has been happening. Janus, you were about Janus, I think, right? Yeah, when that trade. I wrote about Janus when the trade happened. Did a little offseason preview, had a bunch of questions. Oh, that's what it was. Yeah. Jalen.

and I think I proposed that Trey Murphy, million picks for Trey Murphy thing that the Detroit Piston should do. Hopefully that happens. Yeah, just going to be covering the summer, covering the off season. It's going to be very busy free agency starting tomorrow, so can't wait.

I got a time of swim meet tomorrow, and I'm going to be timing and have my phone in one. I'm going to be like Joe Dumars, except with a stopwatch on a phone. I might accidentally answer a call with the stopwatch tomorrow and mess up with my timing. Michael Pina, the best. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Zach. All right, that's it for today's edition of the Zach Lowe

show. Buckle up. Transactions are coming. It's that time of year. Summer League is right around the corner. I'll be in Vegas in a little over a week. I can't believe we're already there. Thank you to Michael Pina for his time and expertise. Thanks, as always to Mike, Jonathan, and Billy on production. Thanks to you all for listening to and or watching the Zach Lowe Show. We'll be back later this week, either Wednesday or Thursday as news trickles in ahead of your holiday weekend. I'm Ohervatska. and we will be back soon. Thanks, everybody. 21 or over and President Select States for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino

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