The Drop | Masai Ujiri Leaves Raptors, 2025 NBA Draft Day 2, Jonathan Kuminga To Heat Or Blazers?

Summary

No Dunks: Episode Summary – "The Drop | Masai Ujiri Leaves Raptors, 2025 NBA Draft Day 2, Jonathan Kuminga To Heat Or Blazers?"

Release Date: June 27, 2025

Hosts: Tas Melis, Trey Kirby, JD
Network: The Athletic Podcast Network

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Introduction

In this episode of No Dunks, the original basketball podcasters delve into significant NBA developments, including the surprising departure of Masai Ujiri from the Toronto Raptors, key moves from NBA Draft Day 2, and the future of Jonathan Kuminga in the league. Hosted by Tas Melis, Trey Kirby, and JD, the conversation is rich with insights, analysis, and engaging banter, making it an essential listen for NBA enthusiasts.

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Masai Ujiri Leaves the Toronto Raptors

Timestamp: [02:51]

The episode kicks off with shocking news: Masai Ujiri, the revered Vice Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors, is departing from his role after 12 impactful years. Hosts express disbelief and discuss the implications of his exit.

Tas Melis shares:

"It's unbelievable. I just can't believe it has come out of my mouth."

Trey Kirby adds:

"It's been 12 years since he got to Toronto. I just think he has other ideas that he wants to do in life."

The hosts reflect on Ujiri's legacy, highlighting his pivotal role in elevating the Raptors' status in the NBA, including the strategic acquisition of Kawhi Leonard and nurturing talents like Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet.

Tas Melis emphasizes Ujiri's influence:

"He has been there for 12 years. He will forever be remembered as a God with the Toronto Raptors."

They also speculate on potential successors, mentioning Bobby Webster as a possible heir to Ujiri’s mantle, and discuss whether Ujiri's departure is voluntary or a decision imposed by ownership citing cost-cutting measures.

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NBA Draft Day 2 Highlights

Timestamp: [10:03]

The discussion transitions to NBA Draft Day 2, where notable trades and selections have reshaped team rosters.

Key Highlights:

• Phoenix Suns traded six second-round picks to secure stronger positions, selecting Rasheer Fleming (31st pick) and others to bolster their wing positions.

  Trey Kirby notes:

  "He is what the Phoenix Suns need. As you said, he's 22 years old... he plays hard. That's what they need."

• Orlando Magic traded four second-round picks for Noah Penda, a defensive-minded center, aiming to strengthen their interior presence.

• Los Angeles Lakers maneuvered to the 36th pick, selecting Adu Tiero, a versatile wing player known for his athleticism and defensive capabilities.

Tas Melis reflects on the Suns' strategy:

"They traded six second-round picks for one draft pick. Like the Orlando Magic gave up four second-round picks for Noah Penda."

Trey Kirby adds insight into the draft dynamics:

"There's no way we need two days of the NBA Draft. It's becoming more of a big thing at the Barkley Center."

The hosts analyze the potential impact of these picks on their respective teams, assessing how players like Ryan Kalkbrenner (Hornets) and Elijah Martin (Raptors) can fit into their new squads.

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NBA Summer League Update

Timestamp: [22:32]

Shifting focus to the NBA Summer League, the hosts discuss the expanded schedule now including Thursday nights for showcase games in Las Vegas.

Key Matchups:

• Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Expected to feature standout performances from players like Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe.

• San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers: Spotlight on Dylan Harper vs. BJ Edgecombe, promising intriguing defensive showdowns.

Trey Kirby comments on the scheduling change:

"The NBA Summer League has expanded to Thursday nights, which has added more excitement to the event."

The hosts anticipate these games will provide valuable insights into player development and team chemistry ahead of the regular season.

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Dallas Mavericks' Contract Moves: Kyrie Irving and D'Angelo Russell

Timestamp: [25:26]

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the Dallas Mavericks' recent transactions, particularly focusing on Kyrie Irving's contract extension and the potential acquisition of D'Angelo Russell.

Kyrie Irving's Extension:

Irving has declined his player option for $43 million, opting instead for a three-year deal detailed as:

• Annual Average Value: Approximately $40 million

Tas Melis discusses the move:

"It's a decent chunk of change, but I agree with you. I suspect Kyrie will come back and he'll be entirely fine."

Trey Kirby adds:

"If Kyrie’s losing quickness, he can make up for it with savvy and his well-developed shot."

Potential Pursuit of D'Angelo Russell:

With the Mavericks seeking to solidify their point guard position, D'Angelo Russell emerges as a leading candidate alongside options like Malcolm Brogdon and veteran Chris Paul.

Tas Melis expresses support for Russell:

"I'm choosing D'Angelo Russell. I know it seems a little far-fetched, but Malcolm Brogdon has had injuries, and Chris Paul is pitching for a long career."

Trey Kirby weighs the options:

"I probably would go with Chris Paul. He can help tutor Cooper for a little bit and bring a wealth of experience."

The hosts debate the best fit for the Mavericks, considering their current roster dynamics and future aspirations, ultimately positioning Dallas as a strong contender in the Western Conference if they maintain health and strategic acquisitions.

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Austin Reaves Declines Lakers Extension

Timestamp: [38:35]

Austin Reaves, a promising guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, has declined a four-year, $89.2 million extension, opting instead to explore free agency after his current two-year deal.

Tas Melis explains the rationale:

"Four years is a nice contract, but Reaves is a younger player. It makes sense for him to turn this one down and bet on himself."

Trey Kirby concurs:

"He wants to stay in LA because of the weather and lifestyle, but he's got to look ahead and capitalize on his performance."

The decision underscores Reaves' confidence in his abilities and his desire to secure a potentially larger contract in the future, despite concerns about his fit within the Lakers' defensive scheme alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

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Fred VanVleet Agrees to Rockets Contract

Timestamp: [35:43]

Fred VanVleet has agreed to a one-year guarantee at $25 million with the Houston Rockets, followed by a $25 million player option, moving from the team's initial offer of $44.9 million.

Trey Kirby assesses the deal:

"It's a pretty good deal for everybody. Slightly more money for Fred and a lower cap number for the Rockets."

Tas Melis adds:

"At 25 million in today's NBA, it feels inexpensive and fair for his role and veteran leadership."

The contract arrangement provides VanVleet flexibility while allowing the Rockets to maintain financial flexibility in managing their roster and future contracts.

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John Collins’ Decision with Utah Jazz

Timestamp: [42:02]

John Collins, currently with the Utah Jazz, has exercised his $26.5 million player option for the upcoming season, remaining with the team amid speculation of potential trades.

Tas Melis highlights Collins' value:

"He can shoot threes, defend the rim, and has the experience to be a solid rotation piece."

Trey Kirby suggests possible trade scenarios:

"Teams like the Detroit Pistons or Milwaukee Bucks could benefit from his versatility and scoring ability."

Collins' decision to stay with Utah sets the stage for the Jazz to leverage his skills as they build their roster around emerging talents like Walker Kessler.

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Jonathan Kuminga's Future: Heat or Blazers?

Timestamp: [46:18]

The hosts turn their attention to Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent with the Golden State Warriors, whom the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly interested in acquiring. Kuminga has been actively showcasing his skills, hinting at a desire to take on a more prominent role.

Trey Kirby opines:

"He could be a really effective scorer in the right situation."

Tas Melis discusses Kuminga's potential fit:

"Heat could utilize his scoring ability and youth, making him a valuable addition."

The possibility of Kuminga moving to a new team raises questions about how his offensive skills and defensive capabilities will be harnessed to complement existing rosters.

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Rapid Fire Fun Segment

Timestamp: [51:03] - [63:48]

The episode transitions into a light-hearted "Rapid Fire" segment where the hosts answer spontaneous questions, sharing personal anecdotes and humorous interactions. Highlights include:

• Trey Kirby considers making a special trip to Buc-ee's when his family is out of town.
• JD humorously imagines turning around his car to avoid serving Anne Hathaway at McDonald's.
• Tas Melis shares his strategy for securing parking spots and his experiences with gym towels.

This segment provides a glimpse into the hosts' personalities, fostering a closer connection with the audience through relatable and amusing exchanges.

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Conclusion

Timestamp: [64:48] - End

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reiterate upcoming events, including their Las Vegas Live Show on July 11 at the Mandalay Bay sportsbook, inviting listeners to join for free. They also tease topics for future episodes, maintaining an engaging and enthusiastic tone.

Tas Melis concludes:

"Have a great weekend, everybody. Sam, Foreign."

The episode ends on a high note, blending in-depth NBA analysis with the hosts' signature camaraderie and humor.

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Notable Quotes:

• Tas Melis on Ujiri's Departure:

  "He will forever be remembered as a God with the Toronto Raptors." ([04:43])

• Trey Kirby on Kyrie Irving's Contract:

  "If Kyrie's losing quickness, he can make up for it with savvy and his well-developed shot." ([28:18])

• Tas Melis on John Collins:

  "He can be a good rotation piece for somebody." ([43:27])

---

This episode of No Dunks offers a comprehensive examination of pivotal NBA movements, blending expert analysis with the hosts' engaging dialogue. Whether you're a die-hard basketball fan or a casual follower, this episode provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the NBA.

Transcript

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[Tas Melis]

You heading out? What? You heading out?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Okay. Don't go goof off.

[Marc Maron]

Go what?

[Tas Melis]

Don't go goof off. I'm not going to goof off.

[Trey Kirby]

All right.

[Tas Melis]

If I catch you goofing off, I'm all right. Have fun. Jesus. Hey, Siri. Play silly music, dude.

[Trey Kirby]

Yo, what did I just say?

[Tas Melis]

Just don't film it. Welcome to no Dunks here on the Athletic Podcast Network. Happiest of Fridays to you, I'm Tas Melis. With me, it's the man in the middle, Trey Kirby.

[Cam Jordan]

Hey, hey, yo.

[Tas Melis]

And the man making magic happen, as always, it's jd.

[JD]

Hello.

[Tas Melis]

What's up, jd?

[Trey Kirby]

Hello.

[Tas Melis]

Hello. Hello.

[Trey Kirby]

Hello.

[Tas Melis]

Hello. Got some news. First, a little housekeeping for everybody.

[Trey Kirby]

Housekeeping?

[Tas Melis]

We've got a show in Las Vegas coming on up very, very soon. Friday, July 11, right before summer league gets going. Well, I guess it has already started at that point. Anyways, 4pm Friday, July 11, at the sportsbook in Mandalay Bay. It's free, it's fun and oh yeah, we will be there. Herman SK will be back. Course we'll be having some fun there.

[Trey Kirby]

It's only two weeks from now.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Woo. Wow.

[JD]

Two weeks today.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, exactly right.

[Tas Melis]

Holy.

[Trey Kirby]

See you there, Lawrence.

[Tas Melis]

Yes, as I said, we got some news. Let me just break down what we're going to get into. We're going to get into a lot of NBA transactions. Kyrie re signs in Dallas, but are they going after d' Angelo Russell? Austin Reeves declines an extension with the Lakers. Jonathan Kamingus reportedly wanted by a couple teams out there, the Kings and the Heat. But first, just before we got on, Messiah Ujiri is gone from the Toronto Raptors. Sham Sharan, your first reporting. Messiah's done. It's unbelievable. I just can't believe it as it comes out of my mouth out. As vice chairman and president of the Toronto Raptors, Shams added Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and Messiah Jiri have decided to part ways as Ujiri was entering the final year of his contract. Trey, how do you feel about this?

[Trey Kirby]

I mean, we got to hear mostly from you and you're actually a Raptors fan. For me, I was just shocked that it happened. The timing of it. Good for us, making a show coming in like half an hour before we're getting ready to record.

[Tas Melis]

No doubt.

[Trey Kirby]

Thank you to the Raptors. But the fact that the draft happened the last two nights, Assumedly Masai was involved in the decisions made to take Colin Murray Boyles and forget the name of their second round pick from last night. Nonetheless, very strange that he would be involved at all in deciding the new guys that are going to be coming into Toronto only to be let go a couple of days later, you know, a few hours if we're being quite honest, from the second round. So yeah, this was a shock. You know, there have always been rumors that Masai was desired by other teams throughout the league. There is the expire, he's on an expiring contract and MLSE apparently didn't want to pay him. But I always thought whenever Masai leaves the Raptors, it would be him choosing to go somewhere else to start fresh somewhere, never them saying goodbye to him.

[Tas Melis]

Yes, I'm totally with you on that. And that's why I included that second part where Sham's notes, they have parted ways. Usually when you hear that about a coach or anybody in the NBA world, they just fired him. In this case, I sure do think Messiah Jir is just ready to Move on in life. He's been there for 12 years. He will forever be remembered as a God with the Toronto Raptors. I mean if Kawhi gets a statue, I don't mind putting a statue of Masai Ugiri right beside it. That deal to get Kawhi Leonard took a lot of guts to deal DeMar DeRozan, who was, if we're using the term God, yes I am, was a God to Toronto Raptors fans, they loved him, they adored him. They moved on. Messiah was that guy in front of all those fans saying I'm going to swear two days in a row here Brooklyn, I bleed it, I'll bleep it. You know he did the whole thing for Paul Pierce too. We don't give a shit about it. Yeah, bleeping myself. Yeah. No, Messiah, Messiah would never bleep himself. But I, I do think here we are again. It's 12 years later since he got to Toronto. I just think he has other ideas that he wants to do in life. I, I, I would believe that. I, I do think he sort of passed the baton on to Bobby Webster to kind of run the show. I don't think this has anything to do with Colin Murray Bos and, and making that decision. Hey, the Colin Murray Boyles videos that are being reeled out now after he was picked, he worked out for them. He said I love being here anyway.

[Trey Kirby]

He wore a shirt as a young boy. I saw he had a raptor shirt like I don't know, 10 years old or something like that. It is good that they have a ready made replacement like Bobby Webster is the guy in waiting for a few years at this point and it kind of seemed like maybe a team would poach Bobby Webster before Messiah ever actually left Toronto. That's how his standing has increased amongst NBA circles. Masai really helped get the Raptors relevant in the NBA. I think Josh Lewenberg is mentioning the Raptors when Messiah took over, had a five year playoff drought and had won one playoff series in their existence with Masai there, eight playoff appearances. They won 57% of their games, which is the fifth best since Masai took over. And then of course won the championship in 2019. Making the incredible move to bring in Kawhi Leonard and sending away a franchise mainstay in derosen. But all the moves prior to that as well really worked out. You know, getting a baka, getting Marcus all, finding Fred Van Vliet, making Pascal Siakam into an all star. It was just like hit after hit after hit after hit.

[Tas Melis]

Moving on from Dwayne Casey.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, he was super smart about it, built the team up. And then similar to Joe Dumar's tenure in Detroit, things have been a little rockier after winning the championship. You know, I think it's been four straight seasons that the Raptors traded a first round pick for a veteran who was going to be entering free agency. We're talking about Thad Young, Jakob Pertle, Kelly Olenek and then Brandon Ingram. This past trade deadline, those were very weird moves. But because it was Messiah making him, it was like, trust in Messiah. But Zambia, what have you done for me lately? The Raptors are saying you haven't done enough for us lately. You brought in a lot of six foot nine guys and we keep ending near the play in tournament with the contract up for negotiation. They said it's not worth it for us. It's just crazy.

[Tas Melis]

So you think it's more the ownership saying we don't want to pay Messiah to be running our show, period? Yeah, yeah, I do.

[Trey Kirby]

I think they have cheap ownership.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, I think it's a 50, 50. That is. Yes, it's potentially part of it. I do think Messiah is ready to move on and other franchises may be willing to pay him more. I can't disagree with that. But I don't even know if he stays in the NBA. I'm not totally sold on that. Maybe he moves on to an endeavor with Africa, slash the NBA if they move on there. I don't know if he moves on to the Toronto tempo in some way, shape or form where Theresa Rush has taken over, who was the VP of the Toronto Raptors with Messiah for a while. So, you know, I named those couple things. I think maybe he'll be like a freelancer, you know, not like an employee of 100% of the time. I don't know what he wants to do. He can obviously go get a job in the NBA if he wants, but I'm not sure. And maybe he demands too much money. I don't know. I don't see it. I don't see the Washington Wizards connection that used to be there or the Knicks connection that used to be there. But maybe there is one that I'm just missing. I don't have one jumping out to me.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I don't know off the top of my head either because yeah, like Leon Rose seems pretty entrenched in New York. That was always an opportunity for Masai. The Wizards just changed over their front office, so they're probably not going to make a move. Maybe he Just sits out for a couple of seasons and then whether or not a team decides to wow him with a big time contract to lure him back. Maybe. Or like you're saying he's got a lot of off court interests as well with NBA Africa, Basketball Without Borders, that kind of stuff.

[Tas Melis]

Yes. So Messiah leaving the Toronto Raptors the end of an era as you went through the playoff series victories. Yes, it was a different world pre Maasai. It was a bad, bad run. But Messiah changed things.

[Trey Kirby]

So we'll see what Bobby Webster's got. Like, does he have the same opinions as Messiah? I assume they have some sort of overlap, but maybe he likes guys that are seven feet tall. Maybe it's not just six foot nine guys. He could like get people of any height.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. I do wonder, even yesterday or two days ago now when they drafted Colin Murray Boyles, was it Bobby or was it Messiah? So because I, I think him being there that long kind of already was saying it's, it's your turn, Bobby. Because Bobby was doing a lot of the work, doing a lot of the media work. So TBD on the future of the Toronto Raptors. But it was a great 12 years, that is for sure. I'm moving on to the NBA draft day number two. We had some action going on. We had a lot of trades going on. Yes, big ones. So just to recap quickly, the Phoenix Suns basically trade six second round picks to get two good second round picks in this draft. There was another great one for the Phoenix Suns, I think anyways. Or the Orlando Magic traded four second round picks for one as well. We had the Lakers moving way up, traded twice to get to their number 36 pick. I like the Raptors pick Elijah Martin. I had forgotten for a second when you said Elijah with an A. You don't see that very often. Anyways, do you want to start with those transactions or do you want to start with, you know, NBA Draft Day 2 is here. In general, the whole production thing, it went from the afternoon last year to the evening this year became more of a big thing in the Barkley Center.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, well, I mean, I'll start by saying we don't need two days of the NBA. There's no way we do. Last year they started doing it basically so Bronnie James could have his draft party. There's not a Bronnie James in this draft. And in fact it's going the opposite way where players who would be good gets in the second round. A lot of them are going back to college because they can make money in the nil and then maybe be a second round pick in the draft the next season. So there was a ton of trades for, for teams trying to get into like the first five or six picks of the second round because those are the most desirable players. And then everything after that was kind of like stash guys. You even had Tim Connolly saying, we thought it was going to be fun having the 31st pick of the draft, the first pick of the second round. It wasn't that fun because there was like 20 deals already done between these teams that are just waiting for the guys to drop. So it's kind of weird, I think. I don't know if it's like the toothpaste is out of the tube. We'll never go back to a one day draft. But two days is completely superfluous, I think at this point.

[Tas Melis]

Okay. All right. I'm glad I asked.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. I mean, I don't know. It's hard to get excited about the second round. Lee was there. Spike Lee was in the building for the second round of the draft. I thought that was pretty funny.

[Tas Melis]

Showed up, baby.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. You never know when you're gonna catch Spike Lee. You expect him to be courtside at basketball games, but he was at like Cole Anthony's draft party once upon a time. And now he's here just watching the second round of the draft, getting excited when the Knicks take Kobe Sanders, but then getting sad when the Knicks trade Kobe Sanders to the Clippers. Funny stuff.

[Tas Melis]

It isn't easy to get super excited about second round picks and the players and who they are and what they're going to do for teams because we don't know who they are. For example, like Bob Myers was getting mad on the broadcast saying Nika Jokic was drafted in the second round. He was basically mad that we didn't have the warriors. As in we. When I use the word we. I'm Bob Myers and the warriors didn't get Nika Jokic. I get that. That was the fun part for me. But one of these 30 guys taken yesterday, 29, 29, 29.

[Trey Kirby]

It only went to pick 59 last night.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Good call. It is funny. Is going to be good. So I don't know if it is the number 31 because he was waiting there. Rasheer Fleming at 31 was.

[Trey Kirby]

It's a guy people like.

[Tas Melis]

People liked even in the first round as a first round selection. So I don't know if the Suns did well. But what was your take just on the picks in general Well, I think.

[Trey Kirby]

The Suns probably did well just because that's a position they don't really have. Because right now the Suns are like all shooting guards and all centers. So getting a guy who can help on the wing similar to Ryan Dunn I think is good. We'll see exactly what Fleming turns into. But the picks that I really liked, I thought the Hornets did a good job. Scion James at 33 and then most importantly to me, Ryan Kalkbrenner at 34. We talked about the Hornets not looking like much of a defensive team going into the season this year after drafting Con caniple in the first round. I guess Liam McNeely probably helps, but they needed a center. Yusuf Nurkic, the only real center on the roster. Musa Diabatte is around as well, but Kalkbrenner is just like a huge dude. Four time defensive player of the year in the Big east contract conference. He's getting compared to like Luke Cornett, you know, not a super high ceiling guy but a guy who can play a long time in the NBA and they just need somebody who's going to give an effort defensively. I don't know. I assume Nurkic will be the starter but you know, Cal Brenner maybe is going to get some run there because he's got a useful skill set for that team.

[Tas Melis]

That guy blocks shots, that's for sure. Yeah, him, he could definitely be a part of the rotation. Nurkic, Diabate as well. I do like the comparison to Luke Cornett. That's how the second round has evolved, I guess. You know, you don't have to compare him to a super but to a role player.

[Trey Kirby]

Oh yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Let's just quickly mention what the Suns did. I mean again, traded six round picks. Second six second round picks, if I can say that. For the 31 and 41. And the 31 has Rasheer Fleming. Yeah, he's a wing. He's. The numbers are really, really good. He's not just a 3 and D guy. Ton of dunks, ton of great cuts. And I liked his interview. He said quote, even when I'm having a bad night, you know, missing shots, I doubt that'll happen but I will contribute. So he is what the Phoenix Suns need. As you said, he's 22 year old next month. So he's older. He's not this kid. Six, nine seven five wingspan. He plays hard. That's what they need. That being said, they're 41 pick. The defense ain't good on, on Kobe Bray. He can shoot of course, but as John Hollinger wrote he can't play defense. And as Doug Holler wrote, defense will be a challenge. So everybody who's, you know, taking the, the noble position of basically saying like when you're about, when you're a writer, you kind of say things like in a gentle way, but if you see it multiple ways, it's like me bleeping myself out. If you say, if you see it multiple times, said this way he's not going to play defense. But Anyway, he's a 41, number 41 pick. And maybe he'll fit in with the Suns because he won't play defense because they struggled with that last year. And also again, it was wild to see how many picks were given up for one draft pick. Like the Orlando Magic gave up four seconds. Cause they wanted number 32 so bad. They got Noah Penda.

[Trey Kirby]

Great name, very great name.

[Tas Melis]

The French. He's six, seven and a half, huge wingspan and an east exec on no appenda. He said he's almost like a Draymond. Not Draymond's attitude, but the mentality that from David Aldrich's draft credential. So he. They got him. They got Chase Richardson. The Orlando Magic in general seem to have done what they wanted to do here in two days of the draft.

[Trey Kirby]

Definitely. I think they've had, I mean, we've had one week of the off season. It seems like it's been a lot more. But bringing in Bane, I liked Jace Richardson. He was my steel of the first round. And then this guy, no appenda, seems like he will at least be a deep rotation piece for him. So I think Orlando's cooking a little bit right now. I also liked the lakers pick, number 36, Adu Tiero. Watching his highlights, reading his draft profiles, seems like a Tas Melis guy to me. Super athlete, good defender, play finisher, some awesome dunks. I'm like the new Jared Vanderbilt, just dropped for la, so I assume we'll be hearing some task talk come the season about this guy because he's an awesome athlete. Like Sam Vesini at the Athletic is comparing him and putting him just like a tick below the Thompson Twins. And those guys are ridiculous athletes. So we'll see what he turns out to be. I liked a video I saw of his on Reddit today where he's like talking to the camera. I'm sure it was on Instagram or maybe TikTok since he's a young dude. He said, if you don't got a girl to kiss, just Give the rim a kiss like this. And then he just goes up and smooches the rim. No dunk. He was just showing off. I can jump kiss the rim, so I like the tude.

[Tas Melis]

Yes, absolutely. That's exciting stuff. I think he could be part of the Lakers rotation immediately because he's a wing who plays defense. They kind of need that. Yeah, it's kind of up in the air what they're going to do with their old guys on the wing. But a dude, Theo, I think he's a Theo. I think they pronounce it that way and I could be wrong, but he's got this.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I'll have to wait until they're official NBA players to know a hundred percent. Yeah, I'm just going Vicini Mode. Anything Sam Vicini says, I take his.

[Tas Melis]

Gospel and yeah, I'll add to that gospel. Johnny Holly. John Hollinger said he had Theo rated as a top 25 player earlier in the season. So I mean, he creates turnovers. He's got this straight line athleticism, which is what you need as a Los Angeles Lakers. So he could, he could be a part of it. Anybody else stand out to you?

[Trey Kirby]

The last guy that stood out to me is Rocco Sikarski, the Timberwolves draft pick. At number 45, 18 years old, 7 foot 3. And I love the photo that the athletic used of him for their analysis. He's like stanced up at some Hungry Jacks event. I mean, this guy's 7ft 3, wearing a gigantic grayish coat with a wide legged power stance. I thought this is such a cool look. Interesting draft for the Timberwolves. They also took a center in the first round, Johan Beringer. Don't call me Joan Behringer. 18 years old as well, also a center. Like I said, he's a little bit smaller than Sikarsky here. Like they're both 18 years old at the time of the draft. They'll be 19 during their rookie season. They're not replacing Rudy Gobert right now, but Gobert is going to get older than age out of being effective in Minnesota. And maybe one of these two guys develops in some sort of way that they can eventually be a Rudy Go Bear replacement or at least like a rotation guy for the Timberwolves at some point. But 7 foot 3 at 18 years old, it's worth just bringing them over and seeing what you got.

[Tas Melis]

Rocco, it was hilarious. If you're watching on YouTube, you'd see Rocco hanging out there in front of the Hungry Jack logos. As an 18 year old. I mean, I can't help but compare him to Jock Landale because he's from Australia and he kind of tiny bit look, looks the same. But as you said, just take a chance on a big guy, which some teams are doing and they took a couple shots so we'll see if it works out for them. I think the, the Raptors, they also took a shot with a particular type of guy in Elijah Martin. He is 6:2, but he is super wide. I mean he plays tough defensively. Watching those highlights last night, I thought of Marcus Smart and he's a five year college player, Florida Atlantic and then the Gators winning the championship. He needs to shoot more threes, that's for sure. But he's an old, as I said, five year guy, so he's 23. We'll see him beside Jamal Shed. Like they've got a lot of guys who can play defense in terms of the backcourt, that's for sure. But they need to shoot a little bit better so we'll see what that happens with that. Also, just a note on Janai Broom, selected by the 76ers. Sharp look. I thought, sorry I didn't grab a screen grab, but he had the clear framed glasses. Looking good. No, and it's an insult to do what I'm going to do, but he's balding a little bit. You know, I wonder. I had a flashback to Carlos Boozer.

[Trey Kirby]

Okay.

[Tas Melis]

I don't know if he's gonna spray that hair, but he looks slick so I wouldn't put it past him. He'd probably figure it out.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, he's a man, you know, like The Sixers did BJ Edgecomb with their first pick. Maxi is early in his career. Jared McCain will only be in year two and there's some potential spots on, you know, I guess he's kind of like a big guy, right? Like Janai Broom. He's gonna play on the interior, but.

[Tas Melis]

He'S 69 but helpful. Yeah. But yeah, he.

[Trey Kirby]

I don't think he's got much outside game. He's. He was definitely a post dude in college, but a bucket in and a hard worker and just seems to know the right things to do. Philadelphia needs some younger guys, so I think that's good for them.

[Tas Melis]

And last note from me, as teams go even further than just drafting in the second round because they're doing so with the G League here, this came out that the Mavericks are signing Gonzaga's Ryan Nemhard, Andrew's bro, to a two way deal. He led the college in in assists period. He led college basketball in assists so you know that could work out. They're looking for guards that will will get to in a little bit.

[Trey Kirby]

Yep, good stuff. I the Pacers also who they get. They got a Cam Jones I think from Marquette. Maybe he helps as a third point guard. I think that's kind of interesting. With Halliburton out, they'll have Andrew Nemhardt running things. TJ McConnell doing his thing as well. But there's probably minutes for one more guy and we'll see if Cam Jones turns into anything.

[Cam Jordan]

When pro defensive end Cam Jordan isn't running after quarterbacks, he's running his own businesses. He sat down with Microsoft's Jessica Hawk to learn how AI can help being.

[Jessica Hawke]

Innovative with how to have success and how to formulate that success. That synergy between AI and a business coming together. It's like coaches game plan as well as the player. AI is creating a perfect plan and it's the business like hey, we have this imperfect solution. Let's meld them together and see what happens.

[Cam Jordan]

Ready to raise your AI game? Find your winning edge at Microsoft.com challengers as we head into the playoffs, it's safe to assume there will be a few calls made by the refs that will be hard to accept. But you know what isn't hard to accept? Discover. Believe it or not, Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. You heard that right, 99%. So make a good call for your wallet and get Discover. Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. Learn more at discover.com credit card hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Trey Kirby]

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[Cam Jordan]

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[Trey Kirby]

Offer for first three months only speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy taxes and fees extra.

[Cam Jordan]

See mint mobile.com.

[Tas Melis]

All right, moving on to the NBA Summer League and how they've expanded the beginning of it to the Thursday night. It used to always start on a Friday night, but they're making the Thursday night the thing come to Vegas for even longer I guess is is the thinking. And on that Thursday they're the showcase games we're getting Mavs, Lakers. So you're expecting Flag versus Bronnie James. And in the second game that night, it'll be a Spurs 76 or so. Dylan Harper and VJ Edge. Come on Thursday, July 10th, and we'll have plenty to talk about at our live show the day after.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, we'll definitely be talking these guys up. Should be fun. The NBA is so devious. Putting Mavs versus Lakers that game. You know, Bronnie James still getting the big Vegas push, still a big name at summer league, which I thought was kind of funny, but that should be interesting. But I actually kind of think the second game, Sixers versus Spurs, is a little bit more interesting just because you can see Dylan Harper and BJ Edgecombe guarding each other and that. And that'll be cool to see. Usually like to go one versus two. I don't think Cooper and Dylan Harper would be matching up at all. But we do have a potential two versus three actually going head to head with each other, which would be fun to watch.

[Tas Melis]

Absolutely. Yeah. We'll see how Vijay Edgecombe can play D. We'll see it with Cooper, Flag. I don't know if he will be matched up or who he'll be matched up with. If it's. If it's.

[Trey Kirby]

Maybe I'll do Tierro or I do Thero.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, whichever.

[Trey Kirby]

This guy we'll know July 10th. We'll know for sure.

[Tas Melis]

We will. All right, moving on. Yeah. A note here about the the Dallas Mavericks. As we get to the NBA transactions, there was plenty over the last few days that we haven't talked about. It starts with Kyrie Irving, who's agreed to an extension with the Dallas Mavericks. Now he's declined his player option for 43mil and said I'll sign a 3 year deal instead, which will become official in days to come. I guess it's July 6th when everything officially becomes official, but he's taking a three year deal instead of for 119 mil. What do you think of that, Trey?

[Trey Kirby]

I think if, if I was going thumbs up or thumbs down, I would be like, you know, 75% thumbs up here. I like that. It lines up perfectly with the AD contract. Both of them will have a player option for the 2728 season average. Annual value just a little bit under $40 million. Which is awesome for a Kyrie Irving type player. Cause I assume he's going to come back just fine from his ACL injury. 25 and 5 for the Mavs last season. He's just so skilled and has such a good outside shot that if there's any sort of loss of quickness, I think that Kyrie can make up for it with savvy and just know how, you know, he's so far into his career and has always been able to get a shot off. I don't think that changes. So I think this can be a good deal for the Mavericks. However. Oh, it could be spending $120 million to get like 100 total games from Kyrie Irving. He probably won't play much next season and then as he gets older he'll be what, like 36 to 36, 36 to 38 on this contract. It gets a little bit more dicey once you or I think maybe he'll 37 at the end of the contract. Whatever it is, things will get a little more dicey towards the end. And if Kyrie's missing half of the season, that's a problem because if you're paying $1 million per game, not ideal, but assuming health, I like it for the Mavs.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, I guess he will be 36 when it's all said and done because he's turned 33 and it's just three more years. But he's likely not playing in 2026. He'll be back in the middle of the season and that's how much we rely on Madison to say that. You know, you just tore your ACL in March, but we're giving you a three year deal. Decent chunk of change, but I agree with you. I suspect he'll be back to normal when he does come back. There is some financial benefits there. By signing for less than 43 million, Irving allows the Mavericks to duck under the second apron. Important stuff. But I do believe yeah, Kyrie will come back and he's entirely and be entirely fine. But they do have holes when it comes to the guard spot.

[Trey Kirby]

So yeah, mainly the starting point guard spot. But that's why it's good because getting under the second apron allows them access to the taxpayer mid level exception, which is how they're going to get their point guard. Which brings us to our second topic. Mark Stein is reporting that the Mavericks will be a leading suitor for the Nets point guard d' Angelo Russell. And I was doing some research into this. I don't think Mavs fans are happy with this development. A long time blog Their headline is here's hoping Shams is Wrong Smoking Cuban. Another Mavs blog their headline was Mavericks on brink of Costly Frame Free Agency Disaster Hours after Signing Kyrie Irving.

[Tas Melis]

Wow.

[Trey Kirby]

The People who follow the Mavs closely do not want d' Angelo Russell as the point guard. Kind of a funny match if Nico Harrison has been spouting off the defense wins championships to bring in d' Angelo Russell to be the head of the snake in front of all of their great front court players. But the other options for the Mavericks at this point are basically Malcolm Brogdon and Chris Paul. All three of those guys have their own flaws. So I don't know who you're choosing between Brogdon, CP3 and D' Angelo Russell.

[Tas Melis]

I'm choosing D' Angelo Russell. I know it seems a little far fetched, I guess, but Malcolm Brogdon, we don't know if he'll be able to stay on the floor. Used to be a huge Malcolm Brogdon fan, but unfortunately injuries have gotten to him. And Chris Paul is what was very good in his early 40s here.

[Trey Kirby]

But 82 games for the spurs, that is impressive.

[Tas Melis]

Very, very impressive. That being said, when you're committing to d' Angelo Russell, it is just that one spot where you're going to be bad defensively because they're so good. Because he will be playing beside Max Christie and Whoever plays the three. I guess Clay will be there, but P.J. washington and then the monsters and Anthony Davis. Oh yeah, yeah. How about Cooper Flag will be playing the three. I mean those are incredible, incredible defensive players. So I don't see a huge problem with it. As you mentioned, they have the mid level exception. So maybe d' Angelo Russell could sign for the cheap. You know, maybe I'm, I'm reaching a little bit, but at this point of his career, I'm not sure how much someone will offer dangerous Russell. So I, I don't, I didn't see a problem, you know, with again the lineup defensively beside him. It's stacked, it really is. And that was the whole point of the Nico Harrison maneuver, apparently. But really it is because Max Christie again, so, so good as the, as the other guy. D' Angelo Russell won't have to guard the other team's point guard or better perimeter defender if Max Christie can. And there's, there's so many options there on the map. So I have no problem with it.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I mean Brogdon, Chris Paul and d' Angelo Russell, none of them are defenders. I probably would go with Chris Paul, if I'm being honest. Would it complete the triumph, rid of him playing for every Texas team? Yes, of course it would be exciting. But I also think as we saw with Shake El just Alexander Good guy to learn from Chris Paul. So maybe get him in, he can help tutor Cooper for a little bit. They don't play the same position but the know how would be important for him. So my next question for you. They're going to get one of these stopgap point guards, whether it be Russell Brogdon or Chris Paul. Kyrie Irving, maybe he comes back later in the season. March has a month to get ready for the playoffs, kind of get back in the swing of things. How do you see the Mavs as a team that has like question marks at point guard? I think Max Christie is a pretty solid player and then a really good frontcourt. Do you rate them highly in the Western Conference or are they just kind of like a play in team waiting to happen? Because that's where they ended up last year after the LUCA trademark.

[Tas Melis]

I do rate them highly. Am I, am I looking at this through rose colored glasses? Maybe. But I expect all those guys to be on the floor. And yes, I think when you're backbone of your defense is Anthony Davis and you have perimeter defenders like we mentioned, Cooper Flag and Max Christie and you've got incredible ball handlers and Kyrie Irving mainly. But you can rely on Cooper and you can rely on Anthony Davis. I think they have enough if they're healthy. That's the whole thing of course. But I would rate them high. How would you put them in the Western Conference?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, for sure. I would have okc, Houston, Denver, Minnesota ahead of Dallas and then it's Clippers, Lakers, Warriors, Mavericks. I think that's the next four teams. They're all kind of in the same tier for me and they all have a lot of injury concerns for all those teams. The Cliffords obviously with Kawhi is a big question mark. The Lakers, if they have LeBron go down or Luka if either of them misses time, they're a pretty top heavy team at this point. Golden State is aged just like the Lakers are, so who knows what happens with them. But I did like what I saw from Dallas in those two and a half quarters.

[Tas Melis]

Absolutely.

[Trey Kirby]

You can at least see Nico Harrison's vision if you completely ignore the way they got to it, the team he built. It does make sense as a team. And hitting on the Cooper Flag lottery, it's going to be great to see just what he can contribute in his rookie year. And if he's as good as people are thinking he's going to be, the Mavericks at least have a shot I think to be a top six team in the West.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, I'm putting them a little bit higher than you. I'm putting them in that second tier with the Rockets, the Nuggets. I'm missing somebody but Denver. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Minnesota.

[Tas Melis]

Minnesota.

[Trey Kirby]

Minnesota is an easy one to forget because it's like they had an up and down regular season but back to back conference finals and they're running their team back for the third straight year, which is important.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Again, still would be worried about the Mavs and their injuries, but you're adding Cooper Flag, you are adding a ball handler, you're adding some talented guys, but you'd have to still work on just the ball handlers in terms of the point guard in the backcourt period. So Chris Paul at 82 games, maybe that's the smart move just to have somebody who is playing and then could be your backup point guard when Kyrie is back. All right, moving on to, to another transaction. The Fred Van Vliet. Interesting that he declined or had his team option declined by the Houston rockets. It was 44.9 mil but rock But Fred Van Vliet is reportedly agreeing to a one year guarantee at 25 mil and then a 25 million player option. So two years. What do you think about 25 plus 25 for Fred declining that 44.9. The team declining that 44.9.

[Trey Kirby]

I should say I think this is a pretty good deal for everybody. Slightly more money for Fred. You know, he's making what, five and a half more million dollars. Plus he has the opportunity if things go well for the Rockets and for him next season to go into free agency summer 2026 when maybe there's some more cap space, maybe there's a more attractive team if there's a somewhere else he wants to go. It's a lower cap number for the Rockets. They're a team that's going to have to start paying some of these rookie guys eventually. And if it's all goes well, Fred Van Blake and still pick up his option for the next season and they can keep the team going and keep Fred Van Vliet around long enough until Reed shepherd is theoretically ready to take over as the starting point guard, which probably is the vision for the Rockets a few couple, a couple of seasons down the line. I think Fred Van Vliet's going to be good for the Rockets once again. They're going to need his defense more. With Dylan Brooks being shipped out of town, they're going to need his late game scoring a little bit less. I think now that Kevin Durant is around and they're going to need his facilitating and his playmaking, which Fred Van Blade is also pretty good at. He is like the veteran leader now that Dylan Brooks is gone. You know, KD is a veteran, certainly, but I think Stephen Adams also has a voice there. So I like keeping Fred Van Vliet around. This guy's just been betting on himself for the entirety of his NBA career. And they keep coming up Fred.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, through his first 10 seasons, he'll now have made 190.7 million.

[Trey Kirby]

Wow.

[Tas Melis]

A record for undrafted players.

[Trey Kirby]

That's awesome.

[Tas Melis]

According to a man, Eric Karine. And how could that be wrong? Yes, that is a ton. Because he did bet on Fred. Came up Fred every time he bet on himself. The Rockets signed him two years ago and when they signed him, I just thought it appeared long at three years guaranteed. But it ended up being two plus a team option. And now they get out of that team option. So now they've paid him 41, 43 and now 25. In his first three seasons with the team. You know, he kind of struggled a little bit shooting the three ball because there was a lot on him during the regular season. But he came through in the postseason and as you said, he is the vet. He now he has to be even less of that. He has to be even less of a score with Kevin Durant. You got to keep him around, simple as that. At 25 mil in today's NBA, I think it's, it's inexpensive. It feels like maybe Fred is aging faster than he than a 31 year old would in the NBA. But he is.

[Trey Kirby]

He plays hard minutes.

[Tas Melis]

He does, he does, but he's coming through and he's led that team. You can't get rid of him. He's a part of that team. Moving on. Austin Reeves. Interesting that he declined a four year, $89.2 million extension from the Los Angeles Lakers. He has two years left on the deal. They said, just tear it up, we'll sign you to four years. He said, nah, I think that I could make more money becoming an unrestricted free agent next year. What do you think about that, Trey?

[Trey Kirby]

I think he will make more money in free agency next year. I mean, four years, 89 million average annual value. It's a little bit less than Fred Van Vliet. And Reeves is a younger player, so it makes sense for him to turn this one down. Yeah, go Van Vliet mode. Bet on himself and get into free agency next summer. He had a down playoff series, you know, didn't really get to the line at all. And kind of looked lost in the Lakers offense with Luka and LeBron there. I do have some defensive concerns with playing Luka, Lebron and then Austin Reeves if that's your three best players. Only one of those guys plays defense and it's not a guarantee that LeBron's giving an effort defensively. So I do think there are question marks with, with Reeves sticking with the Lakers. But he said he wants to stay there his entire career because he loves the basketball and also playing golf out in la. So I'm sure he's a big fan of the weather. I thought that was a hilarious quote from him. It was like he got the basketball last on the list of, of things. He's like, I want to stay out here. That's a great place. I love being here, love playing golf and the basketball is awesome. But yeah, this makes sense for Reeves to turn down a little bit of stability here. Four years is a nice contract to sign to know you're going to be getting paid and not having to worry about the injury risk. But he's usually stayed healthy throughout his career. So play out this season, have a good year and then do it all again next summer.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, you can opt out of that contract next summer, become that unless unrestricted free agent and sign a monster where you can, I don't know if you can build your own golf course with all that, all those dollars. That's a lot of dollars. I just didn't know he was a golf player at all. I just didn't see it, didn't see that as part of Austin Reeves flow. But I'm sure he's a great, a great golf player and he will be a good player on this team. As you said, the three of them as their, you know, three year perimeter defenders, it's, you know, you know, not ideal. That being said, if he signs a long term deal and LeBron is gone by the second, third, fourth year of it, you gotta, you gotta build around.

[Trey Kirby]

That he will retire someday.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, right. I think so. If it's a dude Thero playing better beside him or others playing beside him, they would like the Mavs did with Luka Doncic. You kind of have to build around, build around him with defenders. Really. That's what it comes down to. And Austin, yes, he was not that, but I think he did improve a little bit. And so they're going to have to just get better.

[Trey Kirby]

They're going to have to get better in other places.

[Tas Melis]

Yes, exactly.

[Trey Kirby]

But you're right. LeBron won't be there forever. So right now Reeves is the number three guy, but he's a solid number two guy as well, which who knows what kind of contract will sign and if it'll be with the Lakers next summer. But it'll probably be at least four years long and it could very well be with the Lakers. So further on down the line when he steps into the number two role, it's good to have guys that can make plays for themselves and for others. So I'm a Reeves fan in general, so I assume he'll have a good year and things will look nice in the Lakers.

[Tas Melis]

Well, speaking of your second option, John Collins was a second option for the Atlanta Hawks back when he started getting paid by them. They went to the conference finals and he's got a five year deal that now he's going into the final year of it. It's a player option. He's now at the Utah Jazz if you didn't know and he's exercising his $26.5 million player option with Utah. What do you think about this John?

[Trey Kirby]

John? He's going to be a guy that I can't believe. He's as young as he is only going to be 28 at the start of next season. I guess he's only been in the NBA for eight years but it feels like he's been in the NBA for 18 years at this point. I wasn't into pay or to making a trade for John Collins at this past trade deadline when you would have had to pay the end of his contract going into this season for 26 and a half million dollars. But now I think is a good time team should be looking to trade for John Collins. It probably isn't going to cost you a first round pick. Maybe two to three seconds gets Collins since he will be an expiring contract. I haven't looked into the finances but I think he could help a team like the Pistons or the warriors or the Bucks depending on how competitive they're trying to be during the season this year. So Collins is a guy that'll be helpful. He can shoot threes. He's not quite the leaper that he was when he was jumping over planes here in Atlanta, but I think he knows how to play. I wasn't super impressed with John Collins playoff exploits when he was in Atlanta. His greatest playoff run was during that 2021 conference finals and it was because he suddenly became like a defensive stopper for the team. He wasn't looking to score hardly at all, but he was Given a great effort on the other side of the ball. So if he's able to figure out the defense that needs to be played in playoff settings and knock down shots and look to be a little bit aggressive, he can be a good rotation piece for somebody.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, you brought up some good teams where he could be, whether it's a three point shooter, you know, he shoots enough and a really good defender. He brought up the Detroit Pistons who drafted Chaz Lanier because he is a great shooter. They have, they have good shooters on Detroit and John just has to do what he does. He shoots 3.7 per game this past season. That's kind of the average he's had for, for a long time here in the NBA. And he shot a really good percentage at 40%. So he can drop into the corner. You know, he's a tad undersized for a big being, you know, six, nine. So he's probably six, eight. But he does, he does play hard, as you said. And the age, as you said off the top there, I mean, he's entering his prime. Like this would be good. John Collins, years to have. If you're a good team, why not have John on there? Well, Utah is an interesting scenario because they've got now Ace Bailey if he shows up, plus, you know, the Larry Markkin in right in front of him. Walker Kessler as a big. They've got a lot of big. So he's not going to be there forever.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, he's the guy that should be traded, as is Clarkson, as is Sexton. Like those are the vets, I think, that are most likely to be moved for the Jazz to some team. As we get into free agency here, marking is a little bit more of a question mark. He signed his deal last year, like the day after the deadline. That would have allowed him to be traded at any time last season. Then he went out and didn't have his best year for the Jazz, which I think probably tanked his value around the league a little bit. But he's a guy that is helpful to other teams. Defending the rim, shooting threes. He scores easily without the ball. He'll cost a lot more to get than John Collins, but I wonder if some team will roll the dice on a market and trade.

[Tas Melis]

Very, very interesting.

[Cam Jordan]

When pro defensive end Cam Jordan isn't running after quarterbacks, he's running his own businesses. He sat down with Microsoft's Jessica Hawk to learn how AI can help being.

[Jessica Hawke]

Innovative with how to have success and how to formulate that success. That synergy between AI and a business coming together. It's like coaches game plan as well as the player. AI is creating a perfect plan and it's the business like hey we have this imperfect solution. Let's meld them together and see what happens.

[Cam Jordan]

Ready to raise your AI game? Find your winning edge at Microsoft.com challengers as we head into the playoffs, it's safe to assume there will be a few calls made by the refs that will be hard to accept. But you you know what isn't hard to accept? Discover. Believe it or not, Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. You heard that right, 99%. So make a good call for your wallet and get Discover. Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. Learn more at discover.com credit card and.

[Trey Kirby]

Now a few words from finance. Marketing just gave me their campaign report and they are obsessed with likes. Generating likes, counting likes. I mean don't get me wrong, I like being liked. But you can't pay employees with likes or follows. I've never seen either of those on a P and L report. The point is we have to get our customers to buy stuff and like visit to stores. Ground Truth, the advertising platform for when you need real business results. Visit [e-mail].

[Tas Melis]

Interesting. All right, before we get to some rapid firefund, one other guy who's always comes up as where he's going to be, what he's going to do. Is he going to stay with the Golden State Warriors? Jonathan Kaminga, restricted free agent the videos are popping around of him working out these last couple of weeks. Very, very interesting. Now the warriors can match any deal but the Heat and Kings are reportedly interested. Are these audition tapes that he's doing right now?

[Trey Kirby]

It kind of feels like it's an audition. And the piece Anthony Slater dropped from for the Athletic where he's going through and saying I want to be a go to guy, I want to be a multiple time all star. I want to be a 20 point per game scorer. I've been working on the pick and roll. I've been working on making these reads that just reads to me like you are not going to be a Golden State Warrior. They barely run pick and roll and they're not going to start doing it for Kuminga.

[Tas Melis]

That's a good point.

[Trey Kirby]

So teams are going to be interested because he's a young player, still got a lot of upside, had a pretty good playoff run. They needed him to score when Steph Curry went down and he was able to do it putting up 20 point, 30 point games in the playoffs against a good playoff defense in the Rockets. It's tough for the Kings to make this kind of a trade happen. It'd be a sign and trade sort of deal. But of course they're interested. They're like, oh, you can score. We're interested in having you on our team. I think the Heat make a little bit more sense. They need some youth, they need some additional creation. I would be a little concerned putting him into the Heat system. They don't play exactly like the warriors, but they are more system based rather than just straight up pick and roll based, I think. But Kaminga makes more sense to me, the Heat that rather than the Kings. But if he's really wanting to be the man and take a million shots, Brooklyn is the place. Absolutely. Or he's definitely been rumored to be a Chicago Bulls target as well. So we shall see. You can run and gun with Josh. Josh and Matt. Matt. Buzz Ellis.

[Tas Melis]

Matt Bus. Are they calling him Matt?

[Trey Kirby]

No.

[Tas Melis]

Oh no.

[Trey Kirby]

I'm just trying to get it going. Matt.

[Tas Melis]

Matty B. Matty B. He is a guy that by watching these, you know, audition tapes, I don't know what to call them these last couple weeks where he's going through the pick and rolls. Yeah. And making those cross court passes. It looks like the guy that wants to be. Yes. As you said, more of the number one guy. So the Brooklyn Nets fits even better a situation where you wouldn't have to do a sign and trade really with Brooklyn. They got the money to give him a monster deal. Now that's a lot to be asking for here for Jonathan Kaminga. I mean he never really has. Has had to be the guy at all.

[Trey Kirby]

Right.

[Tas Melis]

So for the Brooklyn Nets that would be a big, big risk. It feels like more like a sign and trade type of thing. But it's not going to be a huge deal. Like it's not going to be anywhere close to the max, I don't think. I mean it would be 30ish, I guess, which is still big.

[Trey Kirby]

Just a minimum $30 million deal. Yeah, you're right. He hasn't earned a max contract yet, but he's earned a decent deal from somebody and his youth, his style of play. A team will take a chance for sure on Kaminga and you know, in the right situation, I do think he can be a really effective scorer. Oh, he's just not necessarily the greatest team player at all times, I don't think.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, and he was their defective scorer against the Rockets. He was awesome. When Steph went down, it was the Wolves, actually, I should say he went. He was clicked. He was so good. When he is the guy, he seems like he just fits so well off the bench. And then again, watching all of these clips where there's nobody on a basketball floor, it's like. It's like a guy who's sort of in front of him and he's able to make the perfect ball handler passes to get an offense going. He looks like a different player. We'll see who wants to do it, who wants to take that chance. But with the Heat, as you said, or the Sacramento Kings, it's a side and trade. And so the warriors also have to take something back. Right. And so again, it would be funny for them to trade to the Miami Heat. Again, they just got Jimmy for him.

[Trey Kirby]

So the return of Andrew Wiggins.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, imagine that. Yeah, they'd probably ask for that.

[Trey Kirby]

Wiggins looks good on the Warriors.

[Tas Melis]

That's his best ball, man. Him and Dan D. Anthony Melton. Man, those were the days.

[Trey Kirby]

Those were the days.

[Tas Melis]

All right, let's get to some rapid fire fun. I'll ask some fun, fun questions for all of us as we go into the weekend here. First one, Alex Crusoe won a championship, and days later he won. Was serving customers fast food at Raising Canes. Yeah, we got the photo for you here on YouTube. So many people showed up to get some chicken fingers from Alex Caruso. Man, there's a lot of people. That's a lot of people. What's something you would go out of your way to do, Trey?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, my family is out of town for like two weeks right now, so I've got more free time than I usually do.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, yeah? Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

And I'm considering driving to Buc EE's.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Cause it's like an hour away.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. It's not super, but then, like, you.

[Trey Kirby]

Know, we usually only ever go to BUC EE's on a road trip, but if I were to just drive the hour, I could just spend as much time as I want there looking around. Because usually we're in a bit of a hurry, Right. It's like, go to the bathroom, get your brisket sandwich, get your gas, we're out of here. But man, they got so much stuff there, like bucket hats, jackets, beef jerky. Like, I would like to really explore and see what's going down in Buc EE's. Make a whole day of it.

[Tas Melis]

Dude, it's great. I went there a few weeks ago. It was a Saturday, and so the road was Nice and clean.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

It wasn't too long. It was under an hour. And we left. And then I realized I didn't buy anything from my wife. Should probably go get something. So I went back a second time. It was even better the second time. Excellent. There's so much to look at, as you said.

[JD]

Wait, Danielle's gonna be mad if you don't pick her.

[Tas Melis]

No, no.

[Trey Kirby]

How dare you?

[Tas Melis]

No. The kids were like, we gotta got our sound.

[JD]

There's. Fair enough.

[Tas Melis]

It's more about her, actually. I didn't really love what we got, I gotta be honest, because I tried to. It was a honey jalapeno jerky. Yeah, they're jerky that's on the wall. The beef jerky wall. It's tough. It's a lot of work to chew through.

[Trey Kirby]

You think it's not tender enough is what.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, it's. Yeah, that's all I'm saying.

[Trey Kirby]

Did you go to the jerky counter? I've never actually, actually got from the jerky counter. I've only got bag on the wall as well.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, they have a huge counter. Should have done that. Yeah.

[JD]

Yeah, you got to go to the counter, keep it fresh. Yeah, for sure.

[Trey Kirby]

I'm mostly looking for a pool noodle. I love those big pool noodles.

[Tas Melis]

J.D. something you would go out of your way to do.

[JD]

Well, something along the lines of, you know, Caruso serving up some raising canes. If I found out that Anne Hathaway was working at McDonald's, I would turn the car around and I would, like, make a special trip.

[Trey Kirby]

Okay.

[JD]

You know, pick up a Diet Coke. I'd be too embarrassed to order food from her.

[Trey Kirby]

You know, like, what's the coolest thing you could order to impress Anne Hathaway?

[JD]

It's just a straight up Diet Coke, you know? Yeah, just give me a. Just give me a Coke. And this guy's disciplined. Big fan. Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I like that.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, yeah. So much to talk about. All you'd have to do is press that one button and it just fills up. How's that?

[JD]

She's literally just giving me a cup.

[Trey Kirby]

Fill it yourself.

[JD]

Yeah, but still, it would be nice to meet Ed.

[Tas Melis]

You never know where.

[JD]

She's a huge fan.

[Tas Melis]

You never. Yeah, obviously, if you're turning the car around, you never know which McDonald's you go into. Sometimes the fountains are all behind the counter.

[JD]

You're right. You're right.

[Tas Melis]

You know, the older ones for sure. Yeah. Okay. I myself, I would go out of my way to get my back waxed, which. Trey, you and Matty O did that a few times during.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, exactly. I'm hairier than I ever have been. Matt's been gone for six years. I haven't been back once. Hit up. Sweet peach, if you're interested because you.

[Tas Melis]

Only go with a companion.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. The two times I've went have been me and Matt going together at the start of the summer to get our backs wax together.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Now that you mentioned that, maybe I am going because I'm like you and I'm just getting hairier. But I had. Danielle just gave me a quick. She's given me a couple back waxes in my life. She gave me a quick neck wax a little while ago.

[JD]

Sure.

[Tas Melis]

But it's time to get a back wax. I mean, it's just nice for the summer just because there's a lot of hair back there, man.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah.

[JD]

Just went through the pool holding you back. Yeah, that's right.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. All right, next one here. Yannick. Conan Niederhauser. What a name. Didn't know if he was going to get picked, so he sat in an upper level of the Barclays center for the draft. And when Adam Silver announced he was the final pick of the night at number 30, he sprinted down to the stage. He was a hustler. What's something you would have no problem running forward like you were Needenhauser. Trey.

[Trey Kirby]

One of the most regular times I sprint for no reason is when the ball is bouncing down my slanted driveway and going into the road because I had a scary moment where, you know, I missed it. It bounces off all crazy and it's rolling. But a pickup truck with, like, a giant trailer full of, like, landscaping equipment was driving by at the same time. And I'm just watching the ball roll down the hill at the perfect timing of the truck driving by. And it went underneath the truck and somehow didn't hit any.

[Tas Melis]

Wow.

[Trey Kirby]

The wheels or anything like that. And I was like, like, what. What happens if a truck runs over a basketball while it's driving along? I can't imagine it's a good result.

[JD]

So not for the ball.

[Trey Kirby]

No. Yeah. Like, best case scenario, the ball explodes.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Worst case scenario, the truck explodes. So, like, I didn't want to risk it. So now I'll sprint for every rebound.

[JD]

Imagine if it flipped the truck with all of the, you know.

[Trey Kirby]

Right.

[JD]

Hits the ball and. I don't think that would happen.

[Trey Kirby]

I don't either. But I did consider. Consider it. Like, would it be, like a fast and furious, like, explosion of things? It could be bad so that's my sprints.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Worst case scenario, I guess it could take something out from the bottom of the truck. Right. Like a carburetor.

[JD]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

You're gone. Your Cadillac converter.

[Trey Kirby]

Yep.

[Tas Melis]

You're gone. J.D.

[JD]

Cat. Cat.

[Tas Melis]

Cat. Cat. What's it called?

[Trey Kirby]

Catalytic catalytic converter.

[JD]

Catalytic Cadillac is a type of car.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Yeah. Familiar, but. Yeah. I thought it was a cattle catalact.

[JD]

It's a catalytic.

[Tas Melis]

Catalytic. Sure. Okay.

[JD]

They're all the rage, that's for sure.

[Trey Kirby]

Valuable.

[Tas Melis]

Very valuable, apparently why people are stealing them. Yeah. Oh. Didn't realize that.

[JD]

Yeah. You got to keep an eye on your catalytic converter.

[Trey Kirby]

You might not even have one.

[Tas Melis]

No, I don't.

[Trey Kirby]

No way.

[Tas Melis]

No way.

[Trey Kirby]

You're living in 20, 25.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, man. I guess my wife has one, though. I guess. Anyway, not anymore. Not anymore. J.D. something you have no problem running for.

[JD]

Yeah. I would sprint for an upgrade on a plane if they were calling, paging me, Mr. Doyle, come to the counter. You know, I would sprint through the airport, you know.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD]

Just for that upgrade. Although I have been offered an upgrade before, but it was just, like, Comfort plus, middle seat. I declined it.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD]

Like, no, thank you. I want to sit on the aisle. Let's sit in the middle. That's not an upgrade.

[Tas Melis]

Not much of an upgrade.

[JD]

Comfort Plus. No way.

[Tas Melis]

I mean, even if it was an aisle for an aisle in the Comfort Plus.

[JD]

Not that I would take that. I would take that.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

But what is it?

[Tas Melis]

What is the Comfort plus is a.

[JD]

Little cushion, free drinks and snacks. They have that basket of snacks where you go, ooh, you get to, you know, waggle your fingers and then select a bag of chips rather than. Than the, you know, the one.

[Tas Melis]

But you get free snacks and.

[JD]

Yeah, you get free snacks, but it's a different array.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Better snacks.

[JD]

Yeah. And you get to be closer.

[Trey Kirby]

Bill Reynolds upgrade. We want the good snacks.

[Tas Melis]

Bill Reynolds. Yeah. Skeets reminded us of Bill Reynolds when we had Dwight Howard talking about his. Yeah, yeah. His superstition. Well, I'm running. When I'm in someone's car and we're driving in a parking lot and we pass by a spot that we realize, like, someone's coming out of a spot when we're looking for a parking spot, I will get out of the car and I will hustle to that parking spot and just stand there.

[JD]

Wow. You're that guy.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, I'm that guy. Wow. I don't care.

[JD]

Cool.

[Trey Kirby]

You'll stand in a spot.

[Tas Melis]

I'll stand in a spot. We do that down here, I don't give a brat. We do it. It's fun.

[JD]

You need to. At like Bucky's parking lot, for example, on a Saturday afternoon. It's busy.

[Tas Melis]

Is. It's busy. Beyond busy. It's crazy.

[JD]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Almost had a child die there. No, I'm kidding. My children were fine, but I started, I started videotaping them as they're walking through the Buc EE's parking lot for no real reason. I just. Bucky's. I was just, I was just high on BUC EE's. I was like, I gotta film this. It's just so much fun. But then I'm like, oh, maybe I should, you know, put my phone in my pocket because I got a five year old child just running around in a parking lot. Anyway, next one here. After New Orleans traded CJ McCollum for Jordan Pool, NOLA.com ran this headline. The Pelicans have traded CJ McCollum for a former NBA champion guard. That's all they had to say about. That's all they had to say about Jordan Poole. Are they trying to avoid mentioning Jordan Pool? Like, is it because he's not a popular search and champion guard is better? Or does draymond worked for nola.com Anyway, what's something you've done recently to avoid a situation?

[Trey Kirby]

If I happen to be home when a delivery has taken place, I try not to be seen in the house. Like, I'll peek around the door.

[JD]

Okay.

[Trey Kirby]

Okay. They've dropped off our toilet paper. Excellent. Or like, if I happen to be caught on the couch and they come by, lay straight down so I can't be seen. Why? No reason. Like, what are they going to be? Oh, that person lives here. But I like to keep it mysterious.

[JD]

I suppose they want to see the guy who ordered this much toilet paper.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Why does this guy need 48 rolls to himself? Just watch.

[JD]

Very funny, JD taking my mandatory training for work. I just been putting it off and putting it off and I, yeah, I will put it off beyond the deadline. Like, I will have to have my manager email me to tell me to do it and I'll probably still put it on.

[Trey Kirby]

What kind of training do you owe all.

[JD]

Whatever's on the docket, I owe it. Right now. We got a bunch. There's some DEI stuff, I think there's security training, there's, you know. Yeah, the usual yearly stuff.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD]

It's just, you know, not that I have anything wrong with, you know, doing it. I just. It's just a time Suck. You know what I mean?

[Tas Melis]

Oh, yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

And they're getting, like. The programs are so much more knowledgeable about tracking if you're paying attention.

[Tas Melis]

Right?

[JD]

Yeah, exactly. So you have to sort of lock.

[Trey Kirby]

In, which you got to pay attention.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Got you now.

[JD]

Yeah, exactly. I want to fail that quiz. That's embarrassing.

[Trey Kirby]

Totally. I feel like such an idiot if I get one of them. Them wrong. Yeah, yeah. You weren't paying attention, were you?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, I. Oh, I've been there last week. Lots of questions wrong. But then you really got to pay attention.

[Trey Kirby]

They put you in remedial training.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. For me, recently, I had a workout and I showered at the gym, and I realized I don't have a shirt other than the one I just worked out. And. And I ain't putting it back on.

[JD]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

So I put a towel around my shoulders and I walked out of the gym, walked past the front desk and said, see you later. I'm stealing your towel. I don't care. I left. Yep. Yep.

[Trey Kirby]

That's not the only guy, I'm sure.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

That's what they're there for.

[Tas Melis]

That's. Yeah, they have a lot of towels.

[JD]

What are they gonna say? Excuse me, sir.

[Trey Kirby]

Let's see those.

[JD]

That's our towel.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Some gyms, I guess. Oh, wood.

[JD]

God. Of course. I've been to gyms where they have, like, the electronic. Like the strip. The strip. So that if you walk out with a towel in your bag, it'll set off an alarm. It's like, crazy.

[Tas Melis]

That is crazy. Excuse me, my throat is.

[JD]

So you have no intention of returning it.

[Trey Kirby]

You'll never take it back.

[Tas Melis]

It's in the car now. I now use it for. If I leave the gym without showering as my seat for my seat. So I don't sweat on my car seat and sweat on the towel.

[JD]

That's just smart.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Yeah. Will I return it? I don't know. You know, you hate when sometimes you have one of those towels from the gym and there's a little teeny, tiny hair in it.

[JD]

Yeah, that's the end of that towel.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, that's the end of the towel.

[Tas Melis]

What do you mean it's the end of the towel? I just put it back.

[JD]

You don't put it in the laundry.

[Tas Melis]

You put it back in the laundry.

[Trey Kirby]

Oh, okay.

[JD]

Yeah, that's what I mean. I'm like. I'm not.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, but they're coming out of the wash with a hair in it.

[JD]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, that hair is going back in the laundry.

[Tas Melis]

Yes, it is. Yeah. Yeah. So nasty. But yeah, I'm like, I'm using it to work out and I literally, you know, you get hit with a little hair on your mouth or whatever, it's nasty. But I understand washing machines aren't.

[JD]

That's why you have to wax your back. Yeah, we should all be waxing our back so there's no hair is going on those towels.

[Trey Kirby]

So true.

[Tas Melis]

They should be checking everybody that walks in the gym that their skin is hairless.

[JD]

100.

[Trey Kirby]

That guy's too hairy. You can't be a member here. Can't use our towels.

[Tas Melis]

All right, we're all done. Rapid fire was pretty, pretty fun. Never that rapid, but always a great time. Just a reminder before we go, our Vegas Live show happening Friday, July 11, 4pm, the sportsbook at Mandalay Bay. Come on by, say hello. It is free. It's in Vegas, baby. So come hang with us.

[JD]

Yeah, come hang. We spared no expense on this graphic, so please join us.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, we got all the information you need right here. If you're watching on YouTube or any of our social medias.

[Trey Kirby]

Is anybody bringing Tabasco sauce?

[JD]

You know it.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, but I always carry it with me.

[Tas Melis]

Now, does anybody have those green visors we had last year at our Las Vegas show?

[Trey Kirby]

No way. No way. I still have mine.

[Tas Melis]

I do not.

[Trey Kirby]

But I'd love to have one.

[Tas Melis]

I'd love to have one. It's a good spot for it. And a sports book room is the spot for it. And as far as our schedule goes, otherwise, we're back Monday. We're gonna come in, do our show late in the afternoon rather than the morning because the afternoon evening is when each NBA team may begin negotiating with all other upcoming free agents. Right. It starts at 6pm but we'll start a little earlier in that 5:30 Eastern, about 2:30 Pacific.

[Trey Kirby]

You know, 3:30 Vegas time. I only think Vegas time right now.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 4:30 Central. Whatever you got to do. But we will be live. Yeah. 5:30 Eastern for as long as we need to go. So make sure you can get that wherever you are, whether it's live or afterwards, wherever you pod. But for now, Clipper Bros. You heard it here first.

[Trey Kirby]

Have a great time.

[Marc Maron]

Turn up.

[Trey Kirby]

Love you guys. Awesome. Thanks for joining us. And remember, an aisle for an aisle leaves everyone comfortable.

[Tas Melis]

The best. The best. Have a great weekend, everybody. Sam, Foreign.

[Unknown]

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[Trey Kirby]

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