Month: June 2019

Show Recap: June 28, 2019 (Insiders Only)

Jump Insiders only.JPG

Opening Tip
Reports: Kings to offer Harrison Barnes 4-year/$90M deal (Via Carmichael Dave/KHTK Sports 1140)

Panel:

Panel (Insiders Only).JPG

First Half

Monologue: Playing the free agent waiting game

Musical chairs.JPG
NBA free agency is sometimes compared to a game of musical chairs. But it’s not nearly that simple
Eye Wear.JPG
It’s more like playing musical chairs except also you’re wearing a blindfold and also sometimes one of the chairs gets pulled for a few days before coming back into the circle and also sometimes you get pulled out of the circle and have to stand in the corner while the music keeps going
Notifications.JPG
And sometimes one of the other teams secretly has some of its own chairs texting some of the original chairs to push themselves off to the side and out of the game entirely
Chips.JPG
It’s hard and unpredictable and at some point over the next few days, several teams are going to have to just flat-out gamble. They’ll be in the right place when the music stops

For example:

Ballmer and Rivers.JPG
The Clippers have at least planned for that scenario
Tobias Harris.JPG
They’re heavy on guards anyway, but it’s exactly that type of situation that prompted them to trade Tobias Harris in February even though he was their leading scorer at the time. They knew Tobias would be looking for a max deal as soon as free agency opened, they also knew they would be holding the space for Kawhi or Kawhi+1 and they didn’t want to lose Tobias for nothing if the timing just didn’t work out

Who is most impacted by Kawhi’s timeline?

Friedell: Toronto
“If they can’t sign Kawhi, that’s it. If you can’t bring him back and the superstar qualities that he provided for them over and over again throughout the season, you’re just stuck”

Shelburne: Lakers and Clippers
“These are two teams in LA that have had reasonable expectation that he wants to be with them and play with them so they have to wait. By waiting, you might miss out on the second tier guys. For the Lakers, my understanding is they’ll spend that $32M on a max player if it is Kawhi Leonard or Kyrie Irving. If it’s not one of those two players, things get a little bit more complicated”

Youngmisuk: Lakers
“They have to know pretty soon what Kawhi is going to do”

Scenarios for the Lakers in free agency:

Replay
June 28, 2007 – Kevin Durant selected 2nd overall by the then Seattle Supersonics (Now the Oklahoma City Thunder)!

Make or Miss League Kawhi

Miss (Bravery).JPG
Would you watch an Embiid travel show?

Make (Motion).JPG
Think PG can have an even better season than 2018-19

“It’s going to be tough for him to have a better year than he had last year because he was awesome. The hardest part for him is to replicate what he did when he was healthy last season because when he did, he was close to MVP” – Friedell

Miss (Baritones).JPG
Who’s having more fun in China: Mo Bamba or Dennis Smith Jr.?

Shelburne: Mo Bamba | Youngmisuk: Mo Bamba

Make (Desperation).JPG
Will this billboard bring D’Angelo to Phoenix?

“They don’t have enough money to get him” – Shelburne

Moving on…

Woj: Warriors will offer Klay 5-yr/$190M deal upon start of free agency

Shelburne:

“Joe Lacob’s favorite player is Klay Thompson. They all love him. He was always going to be a Warrior” – Friedell

“This is what separates the Warriors from so many teams is they’re willing to take care of their players like this. They got tickets to see at their new arena” – Youngmisuk

Keeping Warriors together worth $375M payroll?
Click here to read more about this topic by Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst

Second Half

Run it Back

Top 6.JPG

6) 2012: Jumps over John Lucas34kzn2.gif

5) 2013: Soars over Paul Millsap34kzs8.gif

4) 2013: Dunks all over the Lakers on Christmas day34kzwx.gif

3) 2014: Buries the Warriors in Oracle34l01l.gif

2) 2013: Meets Splitter at the rim34l04s.gif

1) 2013: Grounds the Jet
34l07i.gif

Significance of LeBron gifting No. 23 to Davis?

“LeBron is acquiescing to Anthony Davis in a big way. I like this move. Perhaps he’s willing to kind of take a step back and let Kawhi [if he comes] and Anthony Davis be the guys ” – Youngmisuk

“It’s a show of support. This is a great move as a teammate, but also as an optics play” – Shelburne

“As far as optics go and public perception, this is what he feels like he has to do” – Friedell

Would LeBron adjust his game to bring Kawhi to Lakers?

“Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis are the Lakers future, if Kawhi comes and LeBron knows that” – Shelburne

“It would be a lot easier for LeBron to play off the ball if he has those two guys” – Youngmisuk

“The hardest part would be the adjustment Kawhi would have to make not maybe in a basketball sense but in trying to go from being the guy and the guy who just lead a team to a title to a guy who’s on LeBron’s side and a 2nd or 3rd option in the public perception game” – Friedell

Nichols:

Recommends
Four big trades NBA Experts want to see (E+)

Free Agency Edition of:

Jump Ball Regular

More likely for Kawhi Leonard: Raptors or the field?

Youngmisuk: The field (Clippers)

Friedell: The field (Clippers)

Shelburne: The field (Clippers)

More likely for KD: California or New York?

View this post on Instagram

A L L S M I L E S O V E R H E R E

A post shared by Tony Durant (@tdurant) on

Friedell: New York (right now)

Youngmisuk: California

Shelburne: California

Better long-term fit for Kyrie Irving: Nets or Lakers?

Shelburne: Lakers
“Him and LeBron are the modern day Kobe and Shaq”

Friedell: Nets
“He wants to be the guy and wants to show that he can be the guy on a team that can contend and do it”

Youngmisuk: Nets
“The key word for me is long-term fit. If he were to come to LA, it might be a 2 year deal. I do think the Hollywood aspect, perhaps ‘Uncle Drew 2’ matters to him”

Best chance to win for Jimmy Butler: Philly, Rockets or Lakers?

Youngmisuk: Lakers
“He would fit in very well as far as just like being that swing guy who can play defense, be able to score, but I don’t know about personality wise with those three”

Friedell: Lakers
“If Jimmy is accepting of being the third guy, which is a HUGE if, it makes the most sense. He is in the third option chair that so many in the league think he fits best in on a title team”

Shelburne: Philly
“We didn’t get to see that team. They just got together and he was great in the playoffs for them. Let’s see what that is when you have a whole year”

crunchtime

Reunion
Would LeBron take back JR Smith?
The Cavs have until June 30 to make up their minds on Smith. His $15M contract becomes fully guaranteed on that date

Greek Summer
Should Bucks be excited or worried about Giannis playing in World Cup?
He has not played for his home country since 2016

Flag on the play
Like idea of “Coach’s Challenge” at summer league? (Via Zach Lowe)

“It’s good for everyone involved. This needed to happen for a long time” – Shelburne

“This is the time to do it. This is a breeding ground for anything the NBA wants to test out for the season” – Friedell

“I’m all for it because I want to see Gregg Popovich throw it” – Youngmisuk

How soon until we see a woman head coach in NBA?

“5 or 10 years. They all have to prove themselves and grow the game” – Shelburne

“Adam Silver wants this. This is a legacy play for him. I think we’re closer than that” – Youngmisuk

“It’s only a matter of time” – Friedell