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A
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B
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C
all right guys, let's talk about Father's Day because apparently hot dads use nanitics. Look, it's a cheeky little line from them, but honestly, they're not wrong. Dads today are wired completely differently. They're way more hands on, more in tune and truly co parenting. In fact, this generation of dads spends four times more time with their kids than dads did in the past. And honestly, knowing when your baby went down or how many bottles they've had, that is generally one of the most attractive quite qualities a man can have. And that's exactly where the Nanit Smart Baby Monitor system comes in. It's the ultimate monitor every new dad needs. It automatically tracks sleep with zero manual logging required, and it keeps you updated in real time right from your phone or its dedicated 8 inch touchscreen display. Long gone are the days when moms had to be the sole keeper of the baby monitor. Nanit offers centralized shared app access, so both parents are completely in the know sharing the load together. You can check in from absolutely anywhere, whether you're downstairs or traveling for work, so you never miss bedtime routines or big milestones. Plus, Wirecutter actually found Nanit to be the most stringent with security of all WI fi monitors tested crowning it best WI FI video monitor in 2026. If you're expect, this is the number one item you're going to want to put on your baby registry. But if you need it right now or you want to give it to dad for the ultimate father's day gift, do not wait. Nanit has two big sales happening this month. Head to nanit.com that's N-A-N-I-T.com
D
Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily for June 26, 2026. I'm Dave DeFore here with John Krasinski. Coming up, Lamelo ball got traded for Nas Reed. We're going hit every angle on the deal. Good morning, everybody. Good morning. John who I'm pretty sure you're just running on adrenaline at this point. You, you filed a story with Sam Amick at 1113 Pacific. I might have been the first person to read it because I think I read it three minutes later as we were all waiting for the Lamelo deal to happen. You know, I had a, a pod in the bank with Esperani and I just knew as soon as we recorded about it, I was like, oh, he's definitely getting dealt in the morning. In case you guys are, are listening and you haven't caught the news. Lamelo ball traded from the Charlotte Hornets for Nas Reed and a first round pick is really what the, the trade boils down to. John, first, like, what do you think about the deal? This is like a huge swing by the Timberwolves. I'm really curious to see how you feel about it.
E
Yeah, it is like it really does define the Tim Connolly era in Minnesota and that is one of always, always making big swings to try to be competitive in the Western Conference. They had just come off of a disappointing second round exit against San Antonio, taking a little step back after two straight Western Conference finals appearances. And there was a real belief that this team had to do something. They had to change things up. They had kind of went as far as that current construction could take them. And man, when you add Lamelo ball to the mix, he is exactly what they need from a point guard, playmaker standpoint. Take some pressure off of Anthony Edwards, hit some shots, stretch the floor. Like all of those things makes perfect sense. Of course, there are real questions about Lamelo Ball's maturity on and off the court. Is he really ready to be a winning player on a team deep in the playoffs? He has not played a playoff game yet, so he has some questions to answer. But the Wolves really do believe that bringing him into this environment with Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, like veteran guys who have won a lot of games lately, they think that they can bring another level out of LaMelo Ball as well. And so I understand it, but mostly I just respect that a team is taking a big swing and trying to go after it, even when San Antonio and Oklahoma City seem to be a clear cut above everyone else in the Western Conference.
D
Yeah, especially since the criticism of the new ownership group has been that they're not willing to spend money. You know, the Carl Anthony Towns trade, obviously, now that he won a title, that has really come back as a. As a talking point. You know, it looked like they were dumping salary, dumping Julius Randall just to get him off the books, and now they've swung this deal, and it does. It changes this team completely, you know, in a. In a lot of ways. And some of them, I. I'm a little bit just not sold on, you know, number one, I. I want to start with lamelo Ball's health. This guy has. He's got a chronic ankle issue that it seems like it flares up quite often for him. Last year was his healthiest season maybe of his career and also his best. So, you know, that is, they do go together. You know, being on the court does matter. But when you're a team that now doesn't have depth, if Lamelo goes through one of these stretches, like if he only plays 45, 50 games, that is a complete disaster for the Wolves because they don't have anyone to be able to eat those innings like Julius Randle did.
E
Yeah, I mean, I think, like, they're certainly their. Their whole roster construction is completely different now. They went from a team that was ultra big. Nasri, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert in the front court. Before that, it was Kat and Nas and Rudy Gobert. And they use size to overwhelm. Now they are sort of downshifting to a sleeker, faster team with LaMelo Ball, and they're a little lighter up front. And so I do. I still like Dave, their backcourt depth. And I think they will add a little bit more where you have. You have not, or you have lamelo ball, you have Ant, you have IO Dasun Mu, and as three really kind of good backcourt dudes. And then they drafted Isaiah Evans. We. We'll see what he does. But I do think they'll add another shooter or something like that in. In free agency, and so they'll have a Few more kind of things that they're supposedly have Terence Shannon Jr. Who can play there as well. So I'm not as concerned about that part of it. Except for whenever a player has missed as many games as Lamelo has, you have to factor that in. The Timberwolves just their, their medical training staff just won medical training staff of the year. They're very good at taking care of players and helping them recover from injuries. And so I think it's a vote of confidence in them as well that, that they can keep Lamelo healthy and out there and playing. But what this deal has done and with the draft capital that they did give up, it's saying this is our core going forward. It's Anthony Edwards, lamelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, and going forward for the next several years, we don't have another big move to make. And so that does put pressure on them to make this work and to keep Lamelo Ball healthy. Because if they don't, they don't have really any other avenues to pivot. And so it's a, it's a risk that way, for sure.
D
I like the idea of Anthony Edwards being able to play more off the ball. I mean, he's a fantastic catch and shoot guy. And then also he's going to draw so much of the defense's attention that I think Lamelo Ball and Rudy Gobert pick and rolls are going to be a thing. I, you know, I don't know if you caught, if you caught Andrew and S on the pod, the emergency pod, but they, they kind of had this, this joke that it's an alley oop combo that's never going to connect. I think that that's completely wrong. I think Lamelo is going to probably figure out how to play with Rudy pretty quick. And, and Rudy, like the one thing he is good at is finishing a lob. And I think that Lamelo is an offensive threat with Ant on the outside. I do think that the lane is going to open up quite a bit. And I mean, Rudy Gobert stands to benefit quite a lot.
E
Enormously. Dave and I, look, there is not. Rudy Gobert has been in Minnesota for four seasons. He has not had one player. You could say Mike Conley, but he got old kind of quickly. He has not had one player who can throw him a lob on this team. Like, they just cannot do it. And if you cannot throw Rudy Gobert lobby, that takes any kind of rim pressure away from him and what he brings there. We know he's limited offensively, but the Wolves have done a poor job of being able to maximize his offense because they have not been able to throw him. That Lobass ant can't throw it. Jaden could a little bit, Julius a little bit. But everyone was really reluctant. Lamelo Ball is a top shelf lob thrower. And so when you think about Rudy getting a little older now, how do you find ways to get the most out of him as he ages? And I think it is putting him with players that know how to accentuate his positives.
F
Right.
E
And the other part about it is it's a two way street. Rudy Gobert is going to help Lamelo Ball immensely from a defensive standpoint and from setting screens to get him open and get him good looks. And so it can be very mutually beneficial for those two if they all, if they do get on the same page. And they're both really smart players. And so I think they will.
D
How do you feel about the defense? Because Lamelo, that's. That's the big question mark with him. I mean, there's some consistency issues, but the talent is there. Like, but defensively there's a lack of effort. There's. You know, he can't be off the ball because he really just falls asleep. And I know Rudy can clean up some of that, but he can't clean up everything. And this is a playoff team. So I think about defense quite a bit because Lamelo is going to be on the court in the most important moments of their season and he's going to be a target for a lot of teams. Do you feel like he can be passable with them?
E
So here's my thought. I think he can be, but that is the challenge that the Timberwolves have in front of them because he's got great size. He is a really good defensive rebounder. So that is helpful. Here's the thing. The bet that the Wolves are making is that he played that way in Charlotte on a team that generally lost a lot of games. And he was also, without question, that the man there from start to finish. So now he's coming to a team that has won at a high level that expects more out of you. And I think that he is. Well, he's clearly number two here now. Anthony Edwards runs the show. And so I think that there is an opportunity for players in that locker room to hold Lamello Ball accountable in a way that maybe Charlotte Hornets players were not sort of able to do. You have Anthony Edwards, you have Jaden McDaniels, you have Rudy Gobert. They've all been here a long time. They've all won a lot of games. They've all played great defense. And so I don't expect Lamelo to turn into, you know, Gary Payton, but I do think that the Wolves expect they can exert some influence on him in a way that will bring more out of him and more consistency out of him. I think it's a huge key to the deal. If it doesn't happen, that's going to be a problem. But they are leaning on their culture and their sort of environment to have Lamelo assimilate to versus them assimilating to him.
D
Yeah. They probably also need to get him into like a winter carpool because I don't know if you've seen those driving videos. I don't know if he should be driving in Minnesota during the winter.
E
Someone pick him up, just, you know, give him a condo right across the street and just walk over. Okay. Like, that's. That's all we need.
D
So after the Wolves, you know, they. They didn't land Giannis that we started seeing reporting all right, Anthony Edwards not necessarily happy. They. They go out, they make this deal. Does this mean the clock is sort of started on Anthony Edwards watch? And I'm not saying that he's going to ever ask out, because winning does solve a lot of that stuff, you know, and if they win with this team, I'm. I'm sure it'll clear up any issues. But, you know, this is a. A marquee player. You know, he's a top 10 guy in the NBA. Like, one of the big issues is he. He draws too much attention because he hadn't had help. Lamelo clearly going to help with that. But if they don't win, I mean, is there a chance that we're. We're doing Anthony Edwards trade watch for a couple seasons?
C
Yeah.
E
I mean, I wrote it the other day. But now that Giannis is traded, the me. The. The machine of NBA discourse has to find another new toy to, To. To get out of a Midwestern market. And Ant was clearly in those crosshairs prior to this deal. What I would say is talking to people around him, he has never put any pressure on the Wolves to make a move. He had never said, hey, my clock is ticking. But when you have a player of his caliber, your organization is always on the clock. It is every single year doing what you can to surround that player with enough talent to be competitive and to believe that he is in a place where he will constantly have a chance. And so in making this Trade. It is very much geared toward Anthony Edwards. When Ant walked out of that San Antonio series, there was real frustration because the spurs met him at half court with two and sometimes even three guys because they were not worried about Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert hurting them on the back end. And this way, this is one guy who can come in and take so much of that pressure off of Anthony Edwards. He is not a perfect player. It is not, you know, a panacea where you can say for sure this is a championship team or anything like that, but what Lamelo Ball can do is make Anthony Edwards life easier by a significant degree. And if that happens and you win games and go forward, then Ant looks around and says, you know what? I've already been to two conference finals. I've been. I'm one of the very few players who has been to three straight second rounds that is, that is active right now. And, and my general manager is every single day trying to make big trades and big moves to help me. And so I think that's all that the Timberwolves can do to try and keep him happy and keep him here for a long, long time.
D
They're obviously not done. They've got some holes to figure out. I, I think that they need a four man, at least one, maybe, maybe two. You know, I don't. You don't want to go into the season starting Kyle Anderson at the 4. Right.
E
Right.
D
He's great off the bench, but you don't want to start him. I don't think Yoan Bar is, is ready to play huge minutes, although I think that this is a bit of a vote of confidence in him. Give me some names, John. Like who, who should they kick the tires on? Who are they kicking the tires on? I mean, I know free agency, not officially open, but, you know, so here,
E
like there they have two, essentially two roads to go that they can go down. First is they can go try and find a starting power forward. Maybe you use Josh Green salary to help to, to flip for another piece that's a more traditional four and comes in and starts for you right there. The other thing they could do, Dave, is they could say, you know what, we're actually going to go a little smaller. Jaden McDaniels is going to be our four. Then you have Anthony Edwards, Lamelo Ball, and Iodesunmu as our starters and go that way. A little risky there in terms of rebounding and, and, and, and, and defensive size and things like that, but it's a possibility if they go that way. It's kind of easier to think about a precious Achua, you know, some kind of an active back, you know, big to. To come and just come off the bench and give you 15, 18 minutes
D
and you can lean into that transition game with those guys. Like, I totally. This is where he's so elite at leaking out and getting out. And LaMelo obviously is. Is pretty good. I don't know. I don't hate that. I do. I do think, though, that it goes against the way the league is moving right now. You know, like, teams are getting bigger. Utah is massive. They bring back Walker Kessler. They're going to start three guys that are like six, nine and above. I mean, it just, I think that this is. It's a slippery slope there because you got to play, you got to play so fast for 82 games to be able to, you know, you're going to need to win 50, 55 games in the West. I don't know.
E
Yeah. So they would counter with that, with saying like, that's true, but LaMelo Ball is a big point guard, Ant is a big two and Jaden is a big three. Or, you know, I, I always not. He's. He's more pro duplicized, but Jaden can, can look any four in the eye, so. Right. But yeah, if you look at starting caliber power forwards, I don't know, would, Would Dallas move PJ Washington? Like, would, you know, you know, that's kind of a. Just that kind of name makes sense to me. I don't, I don't. I have no, that's no reporting. That's just kind of speculation.
D
Right.
E
But a player like that would, would make a lot of sense. You know, someone that could come in that has size, that is rugged, that will beat you up and, and that can shoot a little bit as well.
D
Right.
E
You know, I, I
D
come off the bench, maybe this.
A
Yeah, yeah.
E
Kendrick Williams, that, that would make sense too. Yeah. Someone like that who's been in big games, played on a really good team, you know, Harrison Barnes type guys, you know, stuff like that. I think there will be options. And I do know Dave, like, they are going to make a move like, that's. They know they're not done yet. They're going to be pursuing other options to try and, you know, kind of completely round out this roster. They are so happy to have Lamelo ball, but they know that if they can add a little more size, that all of a sudden they go from an interesting team to maybe even a dangerous one.
D
Yeah.
A
All right.
D
We're going to take a quick break and then when we come back, going to look at this from the other side for the Charlotte Hornets.
C
All right guys, let's talk about Father's Day because apparently hot dads use Nanit. Look, it's a cheeky little line from them, but honestly, they're not wrong. Dads today are wired completely differently. They're way more hands on, more in tune and truly co parenting. In fact, this generation of dads spends four times more time with their kids than dads did in the past. And honestly, knowing when your baby went down or how many bottles they've had, that is generally one of the most attractive qualities of a man can have. And that's exactly where the Nanit Smart Baby Monitor system comes in. It's the ultimate monitor every new dad needs. It automatically tracks sleep with zero manual logging required, and it keeps you updated in real time right from your phone or its dedicated 8 inch touchscreen display. Long gone are the days when moms had to be the sole keeper of the baby monitor. Nanit offers centralized shared app access, so both parents are completely in the know, sharing the load together. You can check in from absolutely anywhere, whether you're downstairs or traveling for work, so you never miss bedtime routines or big milestones. Plus, Wirecutter actually found Nanit to be the most stringent with security of all WI FI monitors tested, crowning it Best WI FI video monitor in 2020. If you're expecting, this is the number one item you're going to want to put on your baby registry. But if you need it right now or you want to give it to dad for the ultimate Father's Day gift, do not wait. Nanit has two big sales happening this month. Head to nanit.com that's n a n I t.com
G
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D
They just had this successful season. They, they kind of took the league by storm. Came out of nowhere. They, you know, they make the play and run and we're all thinking, oh, finally though, here, here come the Hornets. Next season, maybe they can be in the top six. This obviously changes things for them. I'm not sure if it's a step back or not at this point because they did add something they needed. Nas Reed is exactly what they needed. He's. He's got size, he can shoot, he can rebound. And they really lacked those things. I think you saw that come out, you know, in, in their play in matchups. How's he gonna fit with what they're doing, you know, in the Hornets as far as Con Caneppel and Brandon Miller and I now Kobe White because they did sign him for three years. 75 million. How does he fit there? Is his defense going to be able to help them out enough in that four spot?
E
Yeah, I mean, I think Nasrid's superpower is he's so adaptable. Like at various times in his time here in Minnesota, he played center, he played power forward, he played Small forward, just depending. He acclimated to whatever lineups the Timberwolves needed to throw out there. And yes, he gives up a little bit defensively on occasion, but he is so dynamic offensively, and he brings so much to the table in terms of ball handling, in terms of shooting, in terms of getting to the basket, in terms of making quick decisions. So I think he's going to fit in great with that group. I know that he's going to really enjoy being a starter for the first time in his career. It's a little unfortunate. He was slated to be a starter when they traded Julius Randle, and he was going to finally get that opportunity here. He's not going to get that, but he's going to get it in Charlotte. And so he's been a six man his whole life, and now he gets a chance to be in that group and really affect things and, you know, for a very young team. Nas is going into his eighth season. He's been through the battles. He's a really good dude to have in the locker room, and I think he's a perfect addition to help Con caniple. Brandon Miller. You know, Kobe White, A lot of those guys kind of continue to grow up and continue to figure this thing out. And so he goes from being a good supporting cast member here in Minnesota to like a real locker room leader, pillar, veteran guy. And, you know, I think the Hornets did really well to. To get him in this deal.
D
What do you think about the way Charlotte's set up for the future? I mean, obviously Con Canopy just had this great rookie year. Brandon Miller, I think injuries have. Have just bugged him for the first couple seasons of his career, but he was fantastic last year. We know Kobe White is a pretty good player, but he's not. This is not their point guard of the future. I do like their draft. The German guys that they drafted, especially Christian Anderson, could be a. A starter for them maybe down the road. How do you see this all shaken out with the Hornets? Are they going to be in the same kind of realm of fighting for the play in this coming season, or do you feel like they can maybe be a little bit better than they were last year with the added consistency out of Nas Reed?
E
Yeah, I mean, it'll be interesting to watch. Like, one thing I really respect about what the Hornets are doing here. There can be a. An urge when a team that has lost for a long time.
D
Yeah.
E
Finally gets a little glimmer of competitive Kings, man. Exactly. And. And then maybe they make a. A risky or irresponsible trade.
D
Yeah.
E
And they go all in and. And, and it's too soon, and then it flames out. And to the credit of the Hornets, they are not doing that here because they are actually looking and saying, we're actually looking ahead a few more years. We are going to know we're going to sign Brandon Miller and conanipple to max deals, and we're not going to be able to pay all three of those guys. So we're going to move Lamello ball out for real value, and we're going to get a guy who's a real connector who can come in and help. So from a winning standpoint, right now, maybe they take a small step back or at least tread water.
D
Yeah.
E
But I think that they set themselves up for the long run here to be really flexible. They've got a million draft picks, so maybe you play out this season and then a superstar player gets disgruntled again and. And you go and get that guy and, you know, whether he's a point guard or a two or whatever, and, and. And he's the missing piece, and then you take off, you know, two years from now or a year from now. So they're doing the really smart and patient thing by making this move, but they could still be really competitive because Nasrid's a really good player and the east is, you know, is what it is. And so it wouldn't shock me at all if they were in line for playing or eight seed, seven seed somewhere in there. But I also know that they're going into the season not needing to do that and put a lot of pressure on it. So you can kind of let these young guys continue to grow organically. I think it's a really good developmental path.
B
Yeah.
D
And listen, they got. So they got a 20, 33 unprotected first, and then they got swaps in 28, 29, and 30.
E
Right.
D
And that if. If the Wolves thing falls apart.
E
Sure.
F
Those.
D
Those picks are super valuable. And, you know, we've talked about this a little bit, but we're expecting more draft lottery reform in a couple of years. Those 20, 30 and up picks are extremely valuable right now because they're a mystery box. And so to get an unprotected first that it feels so. It feels so far out. Right. Six years from now.
E
It's a lifetime.
D
It is. But that being said, this is how teams stay sustainable. If you look at what Oklahoma City has done, Sam Presty has this treasure chest that stretches out for years, and they're able to cycle through talent. You know that there was talk that they might have traded up in this past draft and I think Charlotte has set themselves up exactly like you said. They get to hop in on the next star who, who is looking for a landing spot. I mean, they could hop in on Anthony Edwards potentially, you know, if the Lamelo thing doesn't shake out because they have this ready built team that's just missing that one number one guy. You know, I think Brandon Miller is going to wind up being a very good number two Khan. I mean his shooting, like he's already such a high level player. They're missing a number one guy and now they get to go hunting a little bit. So yeah, I, I like it quite a bit for them. I think that they got a good deal and then Nas is, he's a really good player, which I think, you know, that's the guy that the Timberwolves, he's really going to be missed there when they're trying to fill those gaps in the fourth spot. Like where did we find that extra offense from? So I'm really curious to see how that, how that shakes out. And while I got you here, I gotta ask you about Mike Annori.
E
Yeah.
D
Okay, so Mike Annori, he signs a deal with the Portland Trailblazers. He's going to be their new head coach. It's overdue. I mean, for years Mike Anori's been interviewing and he's been one of the best assistants in the NBA. He's 52 years old, but the deal that he takes is very unique. I've never seen this sort of deal in, in US Sports, period. This is much more like. This is like the European coaching offers that you get. Hey, yeah, we, we want to sign you to this 10 month deal and it's an option every year because we don't want to pay you over the summer. And you know, a lot of jokes have been made already about Tom Dundon and his, you know, cheapskate sort of mentality when it comes to running this basketball team. But to sign a coach to a one year deal with two subsequent team options is unprecedented in the NBA. How do you feel about, about this deal?
E
Yeah, I mean like that first and foremost I'm just happy for Micah to get the opportunity. It is a good team, they have a good roster. So I think he can win some games and, and, and have success there. And so I know he's been trying for a long time and for him to get it, it's great. Now it's a bad Deal. There's no doubt about it. I'm sure that other coaches are upset about taking it and setting a precedent and doing all of those things. The one thing I'll say on Micah's behalf is that he was in a very tough position because he's 52 years old. So he no longer is the hot young assistant.
D
Right.
E
He has also not had head coaching experience. So he's not the guy who has this deep background resume. And those are usually the two buckets that teams are going to when they hire a head coach these days. And so I do think it was getting close to a point where Micah was going to get to a spot where he was just too old and like he was not going to get a first time head coaching job anywhere soon. And so he had to take it because there's only 30 of these and it is a good opportunity with a good roster and, and he had a, an owner who held his feet to the fire and did it. But I think he's going to do a really good job there. I think there's a really good chance that he's there for a long time. And even if he is only there for three years, let's say that puts him into the cycle of getting another chance some other time to come around. So he had to do it. He was in a tough spot for it. I wish that the Portland ownership group to, you know, showed more faith and, and treated him better with that way. But he's going to go into it with the right attitude and I think he's going to do a really good job and we'll probably look back three or four years from now and say it all worked out.
D
Yeah, I mean, listen, the NBA coaching market, there's only 30 jobs and some of them just are never going to be available. Like no one's ever taken the Miami job from, from spo. And you're right about the, the young hot assistant thing. I mean, look, Sean Sweeney gets the job in Orlando. Nobody's talking about him last year, right. He has this great run in San Antonio and, and with. I thought Mike Annori was going to wind up with the Bulls, right? Like he had been linked to them for maybe a couple seasons and Billy Donovan finally leaves and Thiago Splitter is a really good hire for them. I actually think he was great in Portland. I'm curious to see what, what Micah can do with that group because I just think his offensive philosophy is a little bit more NBA ready than what Thiago had him running last year. But yeah, it is such a weird deal. I mean, anytime you're having to talk about a coach's contract is kind of strange, right? Usually it's wow, this guy's finally getting a chance. And instead it really is, wow. He had to take what he could get because even being a college head coach, like there is an age component to this where you are just too old to get the shot, you know, like, what is he going to do? Go take over Michigan after not coaching in college, not having that sort of network or I don't know. It's a tricky business, as you know. I, that's why I talk in front of a microphone. Because, you know, I haven't been fired here yet.
G
That's right.
D
Don't anybody get any ideas. John, I really appreciate you, man. I know you've had a long couple days and free agency is going to be a lot of fun for you. Everybody go and read John over at the Athletic. He covers Minnesota timberwolves. Really? He's Mr. Minnesota? I mean, just the John Krasinski Show. If you ever need to know what's going on in Minnesota sports, he's got you covered. Thanks man, for hanging out with us. For John Krasinski, I'm Dave Deford. This has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us. Thanks for listening. Make sure you hit the subscribe or follow button so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed it, drop a like leave a rating or let us know in the comments. Thank you guys for waking up with us.
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Date: June 26, 2026
Host: Dave DuFour (D), with guest Jon Krawczynski (E)
Main Topic: In-depth reaction and analysis of the blockbuster trade sending LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and a first-round pick, examining both team’s outlooks and implications for the NBA landscape.
This episode centers on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ bold acquisition of LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets—sending Naz Reid and a major draft asset in return. Host Dave DuFour is joined by Jon Krawczynski, veteran Timberwolves reporter, for rapid-fire, thoughtful analysis of the deal’s impact on Minnesota’s title ambitions, Charlotte’s rebuild, concerns about roster construction, player roles, and ripple effects throughout the NBA.
A Major Shift for the Timberwolves
Questions about Fit and Risk
With Nas Reid and Julius Randle gone, the Wolves transition from a “big” team to a sleeker, faster one, emphasizing the backcourt.
Concerns about depth, especially if LaMelo misses significant time, due to his injury record.
The medical staff’s reputation for player health is part of the Wolves’ calculus for keeping LaMelo on the floor.
The new core: Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert.
Anthony Edwards Off-Ball Potential
LaMelo’s Passing & Gobert’s Upside
Mutual Defensive Benefits
Rudy’s presence may help mask LaMelo’s deficiencies, while screen-setting can benefit LaMelo’s offensive game.
Major concern: LaMelo’s inconsistent defense, effort, and tendency to lose focus off-ball—especially critical in the playoffs.
“He can’t be off the ball because he really just falls asleep. … Rudy can clean up some of that, but he can’t clean up everything.” – Dave DuFour (10:59)
Locker Room Culture and Accountability
The trade partly responds to rumors and pressure around keeping Ant happy/committed.
The hope: LaMelo absorbs defensive focus and allows Ant to flourish, potentially securing Edwards’ loyalty.
Short-term: may tread water or regress slightly, but filled critical needs—size, shooting, experience—with Nas Reid.
Long-term: Reset financial flexibility (pre-empting ballooning payroll for Ball, Miller, Con Caneppel), loaded up on draft picks—primes them for a “flexible, patient” rebuild and gives them assets to jump on the next disgruntled superstar.
Major picks: 2033 unprotected first, swap rights in 2028, 2029, 2030—potential “super valuable” assets if the Wolves fall off (29:12–29:46).
On Taking Big Swings:
“I just respect that a team is taking a big swing and trying to go after it, even when San Antonio and Oklahoma City seem to be a clear cut above everyone else in the Western Conference.” – Jon Krawczynski (04:24)
On LaMelo’s Defensive Fit:
“I don't expect Lamelo to turn into, you know, Gary Payton, but I do think that the Wolves expect they can exert some influence on him … Culture and environment to have Lamelo assimilate to versus them assimilating to him.” – Jon Krawczynski (11:31)
On Wolves’ Team-Building and Edwards:
“It is very much geared toward Anthony Edwards. … This is one guy who can come in and take so much of that pressure off of Anthony Edwards … to try and keep him happy and keep him here for a long, long time.” – Jon Krawczynski (14:07)
On Charlotte’s Patience:
“From a winning standpoint right now, maybe they take a small step back or at least tread water, but I think they set themselves up for the long run here to be really flexible.” – Jon Krawczynski (28:14)
On Portland’s Coaching Contract:
“It’s a bad Deal. There's no doubt about it. I'm sure that other coaches are upset about taking it and setting a precedent.” – Jon Krawczynski (31:50)
“He had to take it because there’s only 30 of these and it is a good opportunity with a good roster.” – Jon Krawczynski (32:27)
The episode is conversational, insightful, sometimes playful, but always deeply knowledgeable—mixing immediate emotional reactions to the big move with long-term context, strategic outlooks, and nuts-and-bolts discussion about NBA team-building.
For NBA fans, this episode offers a fast, smart, and comprehensive snapshot of one of the summer’s biggest moves—ideal for those wanting both instant takeaways and thoughtful, long-term perspective.