NBA EXPANSION DRAFT | Morning Shoot Around

Summary

The Athletic NBA Daily — Morning Shoot Around

Episode Title: NBA EXPANSION DRAFT | Morning Shoot Around
Airdate: March 18, 2026
Hosts: Andrew Schlecht, Dave DuFour, S (producer/moderator, presumed to be Zena Keita or Esfandiar Baraheni)
Theme: Mock NBA Expansion Draft – Las Vegas Strips & Seattle SuperSonics

---

Episode Overview

This episode features a spirited, in-depth mock NBA Expansion Draft, simulating how the upcoming Seattle SuperSonics and Las Vegas Strips would build their inaugural rosters. The hosts discuss philosophies behind building an expansion team, analyze player options, debate team-building strategies, and deliver plenty of laughs and NBA fan nostalgia. Listeners get a real-time, pick-by-pick experience as the teams are drafted, with sharp insights into the challenges and incentives facing real NBA expansion franchises.

---

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Expansion Scene

• (04:05) S brings up the strategic dilemma for expansion teams:
  • Should they try to compete immediately, or tank and build for the future?
• Consensus: It’s nearly impossible to build a playoff team from the expansion pool, so “tanking”—or at least accepting losing early in return for long-term assets—is the logical route.

Notable Quote

"I think you have to tank. I think you have to come in… if you ever want to be good because we're going to see the talent pool."
— Andrew (05:31)

---

2. Expansion Draft Strategies

• (05:00–09:00) The hosts discuss:
  • Acquiring unprotected, undesirable contracts from other teams in exchange for draft picks
  • Targeting young, buried talent (Gerald Wallace/Bobcats analogy)
  • Whether teams can negotiate trades/picks for protection or exposure (confirmed: they can)

Notable Quote

"I'm gonna try to straddle the line of: We're going for a playoff spot this year and we're gonna try and get some picks for your bad players."
— Dave (07:50)

Notable Moment

• “You want to come watch the Seattle SuperSonics and remember some guys? I got you.”
• All hosts joke about building off “vibes.”

---

3. The Draft Begins

• (10:04) Teams and GMs are set:
  • S: Seattle SuperSonics
  • Andrew: Las Vegas Strips
  • Dave: Moderating, providing feedback, and often acting as other 30 GMs during negotiations

3.1. Top of the Draft

• Seattle (S): Takes DeMar DeRozan, looking for leadership, scoring, and trade value (11:35)
  • “We got DeMar DeRozan, one of the greatest scorers of his generation, on the roster.” — Dave (11:52)
• Vegas (Andrew): Prioritizes upside, selects Nikola Topić despite injuries — “selling hope, not wins.” (13:00)
  • “Topić will be the beginning of that…you need characters within your rebuild. And he is a character.” — Andrew (14:27)
• Vegas: Doubles down on upside/youth with Young Hansen, emphasizing potential and fan intrigue (16:19)

3.2. Drafting Philosophies Diverge

• Seattle pursues a blend — immediate respectability and asset accumulation
• Vegas goes all-in on future potential and intentional losing for lottery odds
• Seattle consistently asks for picks to take on big contracts (e.g., Yaka Poeltl, Andrew Wiggins) but negotiations are tough

---

4. Roster Building Tactics

• (21:01–30:00) Hosts dig into the balance between needing to hit the salary floor and maximizing long-term assets:
  • Some value “selling hope” (super-young, high-potential signings), others “selling tickets” (recognizable vets)
  • Free agency also looms as an option for reaching the cap floor

Notable Quote

“You could just draft a bunch of young guys and then potentially just sign some guys to, like, bloated deals.”
— Andrew (26:10)

---

5. Player-by-Player Analysis & Expansion Archetypes

• Throughout, hosts weigh risk/reward, especially with players like:
  • Ty Jerome, Ben Sheppard, Jordan Walsh (underappreciated, developmental upside)
  • Cody Williams, Johnny Furphy, Naquan Tomlin (young, project wings)
  • Day’Ron Sharpe, Paul Reed, Yves Missi (classic expansion bigs)
  • Julian Champagnie, Corey Kispert (low-salary shooting “glue guys”)
• Frequent callbacks to expansion archetypes (e.g., Chris Dunn: “the perfect expansion draft guard” — S, 49:46)
• References to previous expansion drafts and historical context (Charlotte Bobcats, 2004) (43:10+)

---

6. Negotiation With Fictional GMs

• Realistic “calls” are made to presumed GMs for salary dumps, pick sweeteners, and reluctance to move contracts (Patrick Williams, Yakob Poeltl, etc.)

---

7. Roster Recap & Starting Fives

(58:25) After 10–12 rounds, hosts recap their starting fives and depth for each franchise:

Seattle SuperSonics (S’s Draft)

• Starting Five:
  • C: Yves Missi
  • PF: Andrew Wiggins
  • SF: Julian Champagnie
  • SG: DeMar DeRozan
  • PG: Ty Jerome
• Bench Depth:
  • Chris Dunn, D’Anthony Melton, Jamal Shedd, Rasheer Fleming, Clay Thompson, Jace Richardson, Naquan Tomlin, Jonas Valanciunas, Jalen Clark, Clint Capela (rotational mainstays & vets)
• Philosophy: Strive for early competitiveness and culture/identity; possible “play-in” candidate

Las Vegas Strips (Andrew’s Draft)

• Starting Five:
  • PG: Nikola Topić
  • SG: Young Han Sen
  • SF: Corey Kispert
  • SF: Jordan Walsh
  • PF: Mode Diwara (or as needed)
• Bench/Rotation:
  • Cody Williams, Ben Shepard, Marcus Sasser, Trey Mann, Johnny Furphy, Justin Champagnie, Leonard Miller, Cameron Payne, Torian Prince, Kobe Bufkin, Day’Ron Sharpe, others (mostly youth & upside)
• Philosophy: Sell hope, maximize lottery odds (“avoid 40 wins like the plague!”), prioritize character and future trade value

Notable Exchange

“I would be shocked if the Strips end up winning more than 10 games.”
— Dave (60:51)
“Yeah, but that’s the goal, right?”
— Andrew (60:58)

---

8. Expansion Rules, NBA History & Free Agency

• Discussion about historical expansion rules, current speculation (e.g., protected/unprotected lists, cap floor)
• Allusions to new expansion team strategies and “what real teams should do, not what fans hope for.”
• Shoutout to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov and Dan Woike for breaking down expansion logistics

---

9. Fun Sidebars & NBA Culture

• “Remember this guy?” segments when referencing past expansions (Lonny Baxter, Zaza Pachulia, Marcus Fizer, etc.)
• Banter about team vibes, expansion logos, future 2K simulations (“someone make that NBA sim!”)
• Who would look cool in a Sonics jersey? Who would sign in free agency?

---

Memorable Quotes & Moments With Timestamps

• On unwinnable expansion talent:

  "We’re going to lose games. But listen, again, selling hope, selling characters."
  — Andrew (17:22)

• On expansion center archetypes:

  "If I was doing an expansion draft, B-ball Paul might be high up. I mean, doesn’t he feel like an expansion center?"
  — S (24:22)

• On building the team:

  "I think we can scrounge together a 40–42 season, you know, in the West."
  — Dave (59:16)

• On the Vegas strategy:

  “We need not to be able to fall further than five in this next draft. We need top-five picks over the next three years. That’s what we need.”
  — Andrew (61:07)

---

Key Timestamps

• 03:35: Announcing the start of the expansion draft episode
• 04:05: Strategic table-setting for expansion teams
• 10:04: Official start of the mock draft and team selection
• 11:35: DeMar DeRozan goes no. 1 overall to Seattle
• 13:00: Nikola Topić to Las Vegas with the justification
• 16:19: Young Han Sen pick—emphasis on maximizing rebuild potential
• 21:01 – 30:00: Salary floor challenges, expansion pick negotiations
• 43:10: Historical flashbacks to 2004 Bobcats expansion
• 58:25: Hosts reveal starting fives for each expansion team
• 60:58: Vegas' “win as little as possible” strategy confirmed
• End: Shoutouts, calls for listener feedback on team strategies

---

Overall Tone & Style

• Fast-paced, witty, lightly irreverent — hosts riff on NBA culture, team building, and current events with the familiar camaraderie typical of NBA Twitter and The Athletic's writing.
• Blend of sharp analysis (player fit, salary cap, upside) with classic “NBA sicko” fan inside jokes and OG expansion history.
• Encouragement of listener feedback to gauge what real fans expect or desire from the upcoming NBA expansion process.

---

Suggested For:

• NBA fans interested in the business and roster construction side of the league
• Listeners who want to understand what an NBA expansion draft might really look like
• Fans of “what-if?” scenarios and team-building strategy debates

---

Transcript

[Andrew]

Men's Wearhouse helps you love the way you look. No matter if it's a formal occasion or a more casual thing, job interview, tea time, high school reunion, wedding, courtside seats, or just a neighborhood party where you want people to say man, he looks impressive. If you're a man with something, anything on the books, Men's Wearhouse has the clothes, shoes and accessories that make you look and feel good. Their in store experts will help you find the right look while their on site tailors will ensure you've got the right fit. Men's Wearhouse love the way you look. This episode is brought to you by Bill the intelligent finance platform that helps leaders scale with proven results in basketball, hype doesn't win championships, execution does. The same is true for your finances. If you run a business or manage a financial back office, you don't have time for tools that promise the world but break under pressure. You need financial infrastructure that you can actually trust. That's why the big players use Bill. Bill isn't just moving money, they're simplifying financial operations for nearly half a million customers. From AI powered accounts payable to seamless syncing with your accounting software. When it comes to scale, the numbers speak for themselves. Bill has securely processed over a trillion dollars in real transactions and is trusted by over 90 of the top 100 US accounting firms. Stop the guesswork and start scaling with the proven choice. Ready to talk to an expert? Visit bill.comproven to get started and grab a $250 gift card as a thank you. That's bill.comproven terms and conditions apply. See Offer page for details. It's that time. GNC Semi Annual Live well Sale is here with buy one get one 50% off savings on almost everything. It's the perfect time to stock up on all your favorites, try something new or build the perfect stack and save a ton. Buy one get one 50% off almost everything, including hundreds of new products and the latest innovations from top brands. Plus, the Live well sale is full of huge daily deals launching all month long like $1 snacks and drinks, 40% off top brands and everyone's favorite Brie stuff. So get a jump on crushing your spring goals, stay on track or just stop in for a great deal right now at your local GNC or [e-mail] foreign. Welcome to the morning shoot around here on the athletic NBA Dailies YouTube stream. You can hang out with us every Wednesday. You're in the Pacific time zone still the morning if you're in the Central or East coast you know what? Enjoy your lunch with us. All right.

[Dave]

That's right.

[Andrew]

Not that hard.

[S]

I'm still looking for a cold brew sponsorship.

[Andrew]

I mean, that would be.

[S]

Just throwing that out there.

[Andrew]

That'd be amazing to get a cold brew sponsorship. Let us know out there. Cold brew people. I won't say a brand, but listen, we'll say one.

[S]

I will say one. That's right.

[Andrew]

Yeah, we'll say it. Okay.

[Dave]

No awkward hot mics. Shout out to Lawrence.

[Andrew]

Thank you. Lawrence Field knows what's up.

[S]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

So today we are finally going to do the expansion draft that we have long been awaiting. Okay. So we waited several weeks, and now. You know what? We were just waiting for the news.

[S]

That's right.

[Dave]

That's right. Yeah.

[Andrew]

Of the official perfect timing.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

Anything that we want to use to set the table first before we get started with drafting the new Seattle SuperSonics and the Las Vegas strips.

[S]

Yeah, I actually. I want to start with just strategy. All right. I. I want to just think about, like, when this happens, because it does feel like it's going to happen. They're going to vote next week.

[Dave]

It.

[S]

It feels like 20, 28 is the target.

[Andrew]

Yep.

[Dave]

Yep.

[S]

What would your strategy be if you guys were. Were the GM like, let's say, Andrew, you're. You're in Seattle, actually, Andrew, you're in Vegas. You know, you do the little road trip from OKC s. You're in Seattle. It's close enough to the border.

[Dave]

That's right.

[S]

Get your poutine, Tim Hortons.

[Dave]

All that poutine's overrated.

[S]

So you think about this. Hey, you're a brand new team, right? You have this, the draft of. From the pool of players. And these are not. You're not getting a star out of this draft. Right. The expansion draft. You do get to draft in. In the lottery in the. In the first year. Is there. Is there an incentive to just come in and tank right away? So until you get a franchise superstar, or do you want to come out and say, hey, look, we're trying to make the playoffs year one one.

[Andrew]

I don't think it's possible to do the second thing you're talking about, Dave.

[S]

It'd be very difficult, I think, in the NBA. Yeah, you can make the play in because most teams don't want to be in the player.

[Dave]

Right.

[S]

Like, let's say you could compete for the 10 seed just based on the expansion draft.

[Andrew]

I think you have to tank. I think you have to come in. I think that they both have to.

[Dave]

I think you're just tank brained, man.

[Andrew]

I think you have to, if you ever want to be good because we're

[Dave]

going to see the talent pool.

[S]

The talent pool is, is, is too shallow.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

There's like, you're not going to get like really good players.

[Andrew]

There's nobody that is going to deliver for you night in, night out. That's in this draft. There's just not. I mean, the guys that are the most talented guys are on one of the worst teams in the league. You know, then they leave. They leave them unprotected because they're like, please save us from these giant salaries. You know, like that's, that's a position that these teams are in. And so, yeah, I don't think that there's a lot there. I mean, maybe a guy that isn't playing a ton, that's a young guy, just pops. Like Gerald Wallace was a guy that was on the Sacramento Kings. He was buried on the bench for the Kings. The Bobcats took him in the expansion draft and he became an all star. Did it. It didn't happen overnight.

[Dave]

The Bobcats won a championship in 2000,

[Andrew]

and then the Bobcats went on to have the best, best team in the history of the league. No, I mean it. That, that was like the success story though, from that expansion draft. And so that's what we're talking about where it's like, you know, Sacramento may not know exactly what they have in this guy. So. And they also just had such a deep team back then, which, sorry, Kings fans, like, it's.

[S]

You know, we're, we're like Keon Ellis.

[Dave]

Right. I mean, look, maybe OKC ends up dealing with that this time around. You never know.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Yes. It'll. There could be a Thunder player that gets selected. Like if Jay Will is selected in this draft, which is possible, then it's like, is he. I don't know that he's like an all star level player, but could he start for the Las Vegas strips? Yes.

[S]

Is. Are we going to see the Thunder bump the way that we used to see the spurs bump? Remember? Like Gary Neil got that big contract and then it was just turned back into a pumpkin.

[Dave]

We'll see. That's funny.

[Andrew]

We'll. We'll see this summer.

[Dave]

I don't know, man. Usman. Jang Balling.

[Andrew]

You know, Shout out to us. Shout out.

[S]

Okay, you guys want to do this draft? I want to, you know, just kind of moderate and, and really like pick on you guys as you're.

[Dave]

I'm gonna try to straddle the Line of. We're going for a playoff spot this year and. And we're gonna try and get some picks for your bad players.

[S]

There we go. I. I think that that's. See, this is why I wanted to set the table this way because, like, I want to judge the draft based on what your goals are, not on who got the better players. Because I think that that's. There's going to be two different ways to go. Like, s. Like, I assume you're looking like demarta Rosen is probably high up on your list. Right.

[Dave]

If the Kings want to give me a pick in order to take them, I'm glad. I'm glad to do that. No problem. You know, like, that's where I think that's where my head is. I can be. I can be competitive while also preparing for the future, you know, So I can.

[Andrew]

I don't know.

[Dave]

Like, for example, Toronto with the Yaka Portal situation. Solid, decent starting center there. Okay, Toronto. Give me a first round pick in order to take that guy off of your plate. That's like the way that I would try to approach it if I was an expansion team, you know, And I think that's. Correct me if I'm wrong. That's within the guidelines. We're allowed to do that in an expansion draft. Right. An expansion team can say, hey, we will take this contract from you, but you have to give us a pick in order to do that.

[S]

Right.

[Dave]

That makes sense.

[S]

Yeah. I mean, it. See, it seems like, Andrew, you were saying that. That teams can negotiate on this with.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

Within each other.

[Andrew]

Yeah, you can negotiate. I mean, you can. I mean, teams can ask them to take other players. Like you can give picks for other players. I think you can get picks in Luo players.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

Those things are possible and they're on the table for. For this. So, yeah, I'll.

[S]

I'll. Maybe I'll be the other 30gms for you guys and we can see how this works. I will tell you, kind of a harsh negotiator and I'm gonna love the one you're with kind of guys. So like demarc and come play for the Kings. Not trying to win next year anyway.

[Dave]

Yeah, yeah, that's fair.

[S]

So. Yeah. Yeah. Good luck. Do you want to be a.

[Dave]

Do you want to be a second Apron Team Sacramento? Do you want to.

[S]

No, definitely not.

[Dave]

So let me. Let me take.

[S]

We need those draft picks. We were bad, so. Yeah, let's do this.

[Dave]

Okay.

[S]

Okay. S. Your. Your Seattle. We'll give you the number one pick.

[Dave]

Thank you.

[S]

The frozen envelope.

[Dave]

Okay. I feel like, let me, let me sort out OKC here. Let me see who they have on the table here. That's basically.

[S]

I love that. That's a great way to do it.

[Dave]

You know, obviously OKC has Lou Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins that they didn't protect. Some really good names here, truthfully. Let's go to San Antonio real quick. Only Julian Champagne. Not really a lot I can work with here.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Detroit, Nothing. Boston, Nothing really. Maybe Indiana. No, not really. Okay.

[Andrew]

All right.

[Dave]

I'm gonna, I'm gonna go back here and go to all teams and see what we can do. So I'm gonna go ahead and I'm gonna start my franchise the first pick in the draft. And I feel like I'm, I'm missing out here. There's probably someone I'm. I'm missing out desperately on. I don't want to be stupid before I take this pick. So I'm going to take one last look at our team here and the options that we have.

[S]

I really love the idea of, you know, 37 year old Klay Thompson bombing away for the Seattle.

[Andrew]

So sad. That feels so sad.

[S]

That would be my starting four if.

[Dave]

That'd be awesome.

[S]

I would just be my team.

[Dave]

You would draft off vibes.

[S]

It would be vibes.

[Dave]

Of course.

[S]

Who do guys want to see? You want to come watch the Seattle SuperSonics and remember some guys. I got you. Yeah.

[Dave]

You know what, man? I'm taking demar derozan.

[S]

I love it. Why not?

[Dave]

I'll take tomorrow. I think I can trade him later down the road.

[S]

Also though, he's got all these career scoring milestones coming up.

[Andrew]

Yeah, the Kings are just celebrating right now.

[Dave]

The Kings are really happy and I think the Sonics are super happy too. We got DeMar DeRozan, one of the greatest scorers of his generation, you know, on the roster.

[S]

Leadership day one.

[Dave]

And also some star power. You know, I think people would be relatively interested in going to watch Demar. Let's do it. Locking it in. I just, by the way, to the point of okc, like, I, I felt weird starting my franchise with Aaron Wiggins. I don't know, it just felt weird to be like, yeah, my first pick is first pick. Yeah.

[S]

In Seattle. Supersonics new history. Wow.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

This is off to a shocking start for us here in Vegas.

[S]

I love this so much.

[Andrew]

We ecstatic. We are jumping around in our war room right now. High fiving.

[S]

We are

[Andrew]

just, just bewildered and excited. Okay, we're going to Take Nikola topic number one.

[S]

Wow. Bold.

[Dave]

I feel like that's kind of crazy, man.

[Andrew]

Okay, here, listen. Just listen for just a second. Here's the. Here's the thought one. We want to be bad. We understand. It's the. We're in the Western Conference. You think we're going to compete for something in the Western Conference? No. You know what you need, though? Hope. You have to sell hope. Okay?

[S]

You know what rhymes with. Rhymes with hope?

[Andrew]

Nikola Tope.

[S]

Tope.

[Andrew]

Nikola Tope. That's right.

[S]

That's right.

[Andrew]

And listen, Topich was a guy that. He's obviously had a lot of bad luck with the knee injury. Then he had testicular cancer and he's. It's been a long road for him. Yeah. But of anybody that's on this list, I mean, he was a lottery pick. He was a guy that can be like a true creator, and he's somebody that at least like your sicko basketball fans can be like, you know what? That's a guy that we can actually get excited about. That can be a part of our future. Because, listen, I'm going to be preaching patience to the people of Las Vegas, which is not. It's not a Vegas thing, but we're going to make it a Vegas thing because we're going to preach patience to the. To the Las Vegas audience. And Nikola Topic will be the beginning of that also. He's just kind of a. Like a fun, funny looking dude. You know what? And you need those kind of guys for your rebuild, okay? You need characters.

[Dave]

You need a funny Mark Madsen. You need.

[Andrew]

You need characters within your rebuild. And he is. He is a character. Okay. And so I feel. I've just. We're ecstatic where our war room is just going crazy, going crazy for it. I like it.

[Dave]

I love it.

[Andrew]

I like it.

[S]

It's a good pick. I mean, hey, you need a point guard, especially, you know, if you want to be bad, you need a young one.

[Andrew]

That's right.

[Dave]

Yeah, that's right, man. There. I have a lot of options in ways that I could attack the rest of this draft and just like, be fun, you know? I think I'm going to go ahead and take Ty Jerome here.

[Andrew]

Ty Jerome, Yes.

[Dave]

Again, we're. We're building a decent team. Okay. I think Ty Jerome, with extra opportunity can. Can score the ball flat out, get some opportunity here to like, really stretch his wings. Seattle supersonics guard, also funny looking player, you know, if we're going off that vibe. So I. I now have a backcourt, if you will. Of ty Jerome and DeMar DeRozan.

[S]

There you go. I mean, those are NBA starters. They are.

[Andrew]

Yeah, they are.

[Dave]

They are officially starters. I'm really curious where.

[S]

Toward your goal.

[Dave]

Oh, my God. I know what the Los are gonna do now.

[S]

Can you make a team? Can you make a team that's better than, you know, the warriors without Steph? Right.

[Andrew]

Like, oh, yeah. Yourself could trick yourself into it. Absolutely. Just like S is about to do. You can trick yourself into it. Sure.

[Dave]

I haven't even started calling the general manager here for the pick situation that I'm cooking up in a little bit, but we'll, we'll talk.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[Dave]

All right.

[Andrew]

My second pick. And this is again, we're, we're high fiving. We're, we're getting not only a recent pick, but we're getting another character that sells hope.

[Dave]

Oh, my God.

[Andrew]

We're drafting Young Han Sen.

[Dave]

I knew it, man. Okay.

[Andrew]

We are going all feel, we are going all potential. And listen, we just, I mean, we just wrapped the Chinese market into Vegas.

[Dave]

Vegas.

[Andrew]

And we're going to start these two and it's going to be, there's, there's going to be stuff happening.

[S]

There is.

[Andrew]

We don't know what that's going to be.

[S]

They are going to be doing some

[Andrew]

stuff, but there's, we're going to happen in and we're going to be like, listen, we're going to give you just whatever you want to just try, Just try stuff. Okay. Topich and Young Han Sen, figure out who you are.

[Dave]

This team is gonna win five games.

[S]

Yeah, no, listen, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, as Clay Thompson's agent too. I'm gonna be selling. You got to get Clay out there with those guys.

[Andrew]

Oh, okay.

[S]

Oh, man. I, I, I mean, listen, if you, if your goal is to lose games, those two, I believe, would do it.

[Andrew]

We're going to lose games. But listen, again, selling hope, selling characters.

[S]

Now, you know there is a salary floor. I just want to throw that out there. You got it?

[Andrew]

You know what? We're not concerned. We're not concerned.

[Dave]

Not a problem. All right. Okay, look, continuing on this path, I'm going to just call the general manager here and say if they would be willing to give me a future first round pick, the Miami Heat. I'm calling Pat Riley saying if they're willing to give me a future first round pick to take on Andrew Wiggins's contract.

[S]

Oh, how many years does he have left?

[Dave]

He has two years left on his contract. One of them is a player Option,

[S]

I believe, you know, no, because like Andrew Wiggins, still a good player and we are trying to compete every year. Right. Like, we're not, we're not gonna bottom out. We've got a lot of cruise ship money. So, you know, we're fine hanging in the middle.

[Dave]

Okay. That's not a problem. So I'm going to go ahead and take Richard Fleming of the Phoenix Suns. Oh, he's been awesome. Yeah, he is part of my developmental program. By the way, I accidentally put Andrew Wiggins on there. I don't know if you can take him out, Andrew. Sorry about that. That's my mistake. But yes, I'm going to go ahead and add Rasheer Fleming because I think he's been awesome for Phoenix. Awesome, like wing defender, crazy long. If you've had a chance to watch him recently. I'm very intrigued by how he looks defensively and we'll need that if we're trying to have a group of Demar Derosan.

[S]

Okay.

[Dave]

Jerome, you know, bit of a pivot from. It's, it's, it's.

[S]

We're trying to play it. Oh, you're trying to ask two timelines here.

[Dave]

Not necessarily two timelines, but this is

[Andrew]

a guy who I think on this

[Dave]

look, this is a guy who I think can help now and is actually helping the Phoenix Suns right now too. I'm prioritizing picking a guy who is young but also has upside and can play right now. I believe Fleming, big fan. Go with it.

[Andrew]

I like, that's my choice. I like the Richard Fleming pick. I think that's a good one. Thank you. That's the first one that, that makes

[Dave]

sense in the strips organization and the strips.

[Andrew]

We're, we're a little bit. Oh man. We're a little bit bummed about that one. Okay.

[S]

Shouldn't have posted that whiteboard.

[Dave]

That's right.

[Andrew]

That's right. Someone took a picture. No, stop. Okay, so we do need a high salary player at some point. Right. But I don't like any of these guys, so I won't do it now. Okay. I would consider tricky Trey. Trey, man, I think that he's a really fun player that will help us lose games. Cody Williams also, who's balling out on a big fat loser in Utah right now. He's at least still interesting and he has a very good famous brother

[Dave]

in like Oklahoma City, you know. So

[Andrew]

Jordan Walsh is also interesting to me just as like a tough nosed player just to have on your team. Furfy is interesting. I just want to make sure Modi Awara. I don't know if Modi Awar should actually be on this.

[S]

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, we have to decide.

[Dave]

We have to decide between him and Alvarado for the people. Yeah, yeah, that was the debate there.

[Andrew]

Dior is very interesting to me.

[Dave]

Okay.

[Andrew]

But he's kind of a wild card. I don't, I don't know. Okay, so I will wait.

[S]

I'm sorry though. You could be the Las Vegas wild cards, to be honest with you.

[Andrew]

Oh, that's true.

[S]

First two draft picks that you've got.

[Andrew]

I actually like that.

[Dave]

That's a good point.

[S]

Topic. Hanson, come on. I mean, Diawara. I mean it.

[Dave]

We're all.

[S]

I, I don't know. It seems like you're rolling the dice.

[Andrew]

Yeah, we're doing really good.

[S]

So you guys know how insufferable.

[Dave]

Oh, man.

[S]

Broadcasts are going to be if we get a Vegas team?

[Andrew]

Oh, it's going to be crazy. I'll take, I'll take Jordan Walsh third for my team.

[S]

That's a nice pick. Hey, and you know this Joe Missoula to talk about him just for a second. The development that Jordan Walsh has had this year. I don't know. I don't know if he gets that. Number one, he doesn't get it if Tatum is not injured. And number two, I don't know if he gets the opportunity on a different team. I. They really carved a niche that was specifically for him to like grow in. Impressive.

[Andrew]

Also a character, by the way.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Oh, yeah, he's got a character.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Dave]

That's for sure. Okay, calling again to the general manager's office.

[S]

Okay.

[Dave]

You know, Yaka Purdle, I'm willing to do it if you give me two first round picks. Future first round picks.

[S]

This is crazy.

[Dave]

Again, his contracts is atrocious.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

You know, but we like what he, what he brings to the table. Meaning now that he's healthy and he had this big game the other day, you know, and we're trying to think,

[Dave]

oh, yeah, just one game.

[S]

Just one. Hey, that's all I need to see for some hope. And you know, we're still trying to compete, but we're not good enough to be trading future firsts. You know, I, I'll tell you, I would be willing to attach seconds for you to do that. Let's say, let's say seconds the next two years. You know, that's fine with us.

[Dave]

If you, if you give me a first, I'll do it, but no, no, no way I'm doing it. For seconds?

[S]

No, I just don't think. Just don't think we can do that.

[Dave]

Okay, you know what?

[Andrew]

I'll tell you.

[S]

How about a. How about a. How about a first round swap? Absolutely.

[Dave]

I have, I have. I have the intentions of to. Not necessarily. We're gonna compete, but not compete too much. Okay.

[S]

I tried. I tried.

[Andrew]

I thought s. What would you do as the Raptors though, in that spot? Like, what. What's your thought process there?

[Dave]

I don't think I would do it either if it was two first. I mean, that's probably what it was here at the deadline and they said no. And to Dave's point, to be fair to him, he is playing better and he's actually healthy now. So I don't know how long that's for and you know, we'll see. But it's. It's at least promising that he's been able to string together like four weeks of healthy, good basketball.

[S]

Is he the best center that's unprotected? I guess Valentunas is up there, but not really.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I mean, he's like the most talented one.

[Dave]

Definitely the best center there.

[Andrew]

He's like the best guy that. If he's healthy as a starting center because like is. I mean, I guess the other like Brooke Lopez is here.

[S]

I'll tell you, if I was doing an expansion draft, if I was drafted, I'm trying to be decent man. B ball. Paul might be high up. I mean, doesn't he feel like an expansion center?

[Andrew]

We actually.

[Dave]

Well, I. I have two expansion centers here ready to roll, actually. So I have. I have some backup plans here for myself. I'm going to go ahead and take Yves. Me see of the New Orleans Pelicans.

[S]

I thought about screen assist guy Green assist guy.

[Dave]

Him and Mar will work well together. Very athletic center. Also young. So dips into our young bag a little bit. We can also pivot here, folks. We can decide we're not too invested into this. This winning team or. And tank. So I'm gonna take yeah. Eves as one of my picks here.

[Andrew]

That's one of the cheat codes to tanking is like if you just have bad defensive centers.

[Dave]

Yep, exactly. And also like Demar's contract right now, especially for my team. It's not like it's. It's killing me. You know, I need to. Again, I need to get onto the cap floor to your point. And he's gonna score points for me, so. Yeah, I'll take it. Yeah.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that's true. I'm considering Johnny Furfy here.

[Dave]

Okay.

[Andrew]

I think it's just kind of a fun player.

[S]

I'd be curious what. What free agents would sign with these teams.

[Dave]

With Vegas.

[S]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Andrew]

That's the thing. It's like, you can't take the free agent, like, the unrestricted or restricted free agents, but you can offer them in the summer, and it's like, you could get to the salary floor that way, too.

[S]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

So, like, you could just draft a bunch of young guys and then potentially just sign some guys to, like, bloated deals. Like, that's where I think, like, in like, the actual draft of its 20. The. The 2028 summer, like, the. Like, Jerry McCain could be a guy that.

[S]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

If the Thunder don't extend him, could be understood. Or a restricted free agent. And so, like, if he ends up, you know, blowing up. Also, AJ Mitchell could be an unrestricted free agent Right. That summer. It's like, if the Thunder aren't able to get deals done with either one of those guys, you know, they could be. I mean, the Las Vegas strips could be like, hey, we'll give AJ Mitchell four years at 30 mil a pop, you know.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

Where the Thunder couldn't match it.

[S]

Yeah. And they don't get the full salary cap the first two seasons, you know. And again, shout out to Mike Vorkanoff over at the Athletic, who kind of has laid out all of this stuff. Because I didn't know this top ahead, I had to, you know, I had to read about it like everybody else.

[Dave]

Andrew, we got a question. Everyone needs a smile says, would you trade. Would OKC trade a pick to keep topic?

[Andrew]

Maybe He. I mean, Topich is very much loved and appreciated by the front office, I would say, in okc. And it's. He's a player that. They've clearly wanted a player like this on the team. They drafted Josh Giddey. They asked Josh to come off the bench. When he decided that he wouldn't, they traded him. And then they immediately drafted Nikola Topic and that same summer. And so, like, this archetypal player is clearly something that the front office values.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

And so, like, they want. They want to try this. Like, they're desperate to try it. Even though they don't really have any other guys like him or, like, Giddy on the roster, they want to try it. And so that is certainly possible. If it were me making the decision, I would. I would keep the picks and allow. If. If a team is willing to take a guy who's not part of the rotation from the Thunder, I would Say, okay, gotta live with it. But I'm also. I also don't have. I've watch very limited time with topic, and I just don't know exactly how he fits just with the defensive concerns and some of the outside shooting concerns. And so you can. You can find people that love topics. You can find people that question what he'll be. So I don't know. I kind of. I kind of probably lean more to kind of questioning how he fits with okc.

[Dave]

Yeah, that's fair.

[Andrew]

So I've stalled enough here, guys.

[Dave]

Yeah, yeah. You got to make a pick.

[Andrew]

I've got to make a pick. You know who I like. You need. You do need shooting just to function as a team. And so I'm going to take Corey Kispert as my first, like, high salaried player. I don't think he helps us win very many games, but he at least gives us some structure, you know?

[Dave]

Yeah, it does help you shoot. That's true. That is absolutely true.

[Andrew]

Good movement, shooter, guy that can come in and just make shots. I'll take Corey Kispert.

[Dave]

I like it a lot. I like it a lot. Speaking of shooting, I'm going to take a cheaper option on the shooting front. I'm going to take Julian Champagne, the San Antonio.

[Andrew]

Great pick. Yeah, I like Champagne.

[Dave]

He's been helping them win, and I think ultimately that's like something he can do for us over at the Seattle SuperSonics as well. And I'm not saying this is my starting five. I don't think so. I think I'm probably going to get some more.

[S]

But it's not bad, though. Good start?

[Dave]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[S]

I mean, I actually even like when Champagne has been playing the four. When Harrison Barnes was out.

[Dave]

Sure.

[S]

I thought that that made the Spurs a little bit more dangerous, which is funny because, like, him and Barnes, they're not too dissimilar, especially the way that they play on offense. But just. He's just such a reliable shooter, man.

[Dave]

Yep.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Good shooter.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Not liking the shots.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

I like that team so far also. Really? That's a team to be competitive in the East.

[Dave]

It would be competitive, I know, if the Sonics were. Somehow.

[S]

That's how I'm judging you, to be honest with you. It's like if you build a team that could be like, oh, that's a playoff team in the East, I think that you've kind of accomplished your goal.

[Dave]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm. I'm only just trying to be better than, like, this year's Blazers team.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

And the warriors without Steph. You know, like, that's my goal here.

[Andrew]

That's my goal.

[S]

It's fun. It's fun.

[Andrew]

That's a weird goal. Man, oh, man, that's truly a strange goal. Champagne is also, like, a really good character guy as well. So. Yeah, I think, like, as many.

[Dave]

We believe in our. Our drafting process, we feel like we can get someone really good at 12 and 13.

[S]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, listen, there's. They're good players just sitting here that, you know, at least. Interesting.

[Dave]

Yeah, yeah, there's a bunch.

[S]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

I'm going to take another young player that I just think is like a good, modern NBA player. That's Ben Shepard from the Pacers.

[Dave]

Nice.

[Andrew]

I just like him as a. As a shooter, a guy that can kind of. He's probably undersized as a wing, but can kind of play out there off of a creation guard and shoot it. So I'll take Ben Shepard, who he's labeled a small forward, but that's crazy. He's a very, very small forward, I would say.

[S]

Yeah, yeah, he is. But he guards, so physically he makes up for the size. You know, it's one of these things where effort, you know, like, people talk about how you can't, you know, effort is the, you know, defense is 90 effort or something like that. It's not quite true, but it does help if you try hard.

[Andrew]

Yeah. You have to have it, right.

[S]

Yeah, it, like, has to. It's a part of playing defense.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Dave]

100%.

[S]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dave]

DeAndre A. Knows that, you know, he.

[S]

He figured out DeAndre Aiden.

[Andrew]

Hey, he figured it out.

[S]

He did, yeah.

[Dave]

Hopefully he figures it out for longer.

[S]

Shout out to Dan Wike. If you guys haven't read that piece over at the Athletics. Very good interview with a God.

[Andrew]

That would be like me being, like, in the room with Stephen A. Smith and it taking me, like, hours to realize that I'm not the guy. You know,

[S]

be like, I'm not sure that you are the guy. I would pick you as the guy. You're the guy.

[Andrew]

You are the people that deandre Aiden's been hanging out with. Like, you. You know, you are the guy. Still like. No.

[S]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

I'm not.

[Dave]

I. I bet it does a lot to you to, like, be told for your entire life that you were the

[S]

guy and then you see it all the time. Yeah. Actually, there's a. There's a scientific study on what having yes. People around you does to you, you know, unsurprisingly, warps your Worldview.

[Andrew]

Yeah, yeah. Not good.

[S]

Yeah, but it also, I mean he's. Remember DeAndre? Aiden's been the most talented guy on his team for like until he got to the NBA.

[Dave]

Yeah, exactly.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

I'm gonna take a, a. A very, very good locker room dude who has been impressive for the Toronto Raptors. Part of their little bench mob here. They love him here. I think they will love him in Seattle. Jamal Shed.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

Solid.

[Dave]

Good. Backup point guard. Solid. We'll do a little bit of everything. We need turnover. Good. Defard tries hard to your point.

[S]

Tries hard. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I like that. I like.

[Dave]

I know, I know. Sonics are doing well.

[S]

By the way. Shout out to the chat. I told these guys I. I started a Fallout New Vegas replay recently. Nice as my wind down game. Yeah. I don't know if I'm gonna go the yes man route.

[Andrew]

I.

[S]

You guys have ever played Fallout New Vegas? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know if I'm gonna go the yes man route on this one.

[Dave]

Have you watched the movie Jim Carrey movie? Yes man.

[S]

Oh yeah, very funny.

[Dave]

Yeah. Good movie.

[Andrew]

Yeah, it is good. I'm trying to see who all is left.

[Dave]

Who is available.

[Andrew]

Who is all available.

[S]

I mean if I could, if I could just highlight a few names. Stand out to me.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

What about Day Ron Sharp, you know?

[Dave]

Yeah, I thought about it. Yeah.

[S]

I like good young player.

[Andrew]

Yeah, he can play again.

[S]

Paul Reed, but Paul Reed, I think for your purposes, Andrew, probably too good. But come on man, to that point. What about Cam Whitmore?

[Andrew]

You know, you know what? Like I don't want any of that.

[S]

Okay. Okay. I mean I'm just.

[Andrew]

I want to lose, but I.

[S]

How bad do you want to be?

[Andrew]

I want to lose, but I want to, I want to have like some semblance of like an offense.

[Dave]

Right.

[S]

Okay, sure.

[Andrew]

It's like let's, let's actually. Let's put. Let's put an offense in place. This is why like I'm taking guys like Kispert and Ben Shepard that can just like you can. You will someday be a good player. Not, not them but somebody in your place will be good that will play like you.

[S]

I agree. I, I like Noah Penda a lot.

[Dave]

I like him too.

[Andrew]

Okay. Something like about Noah Penda because I've seen him play like twice in the last like several weeks and I just don't get it. So help me.

[Dave]

He's huge.

[S]

He's huge and massive and I do believe like he, I do believe he's going to be A shooter.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[S]

It's. The volume is not there.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

In, in the NBA at all. No, but I think he can play. He's big. He's got crazy. He's really good athlete. But he looks bigger than, than he's listed.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

When you see him next to Powell, like, he looks like he's about the same size.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I've seen him up close. I just, like, I, I, he was,

[S]

he just hasn't had an opportunity. I mean, there's a log jam I know in Orlando at his position.

[Andrew]

He just was lost against.

[S]

Well, yeah, I mean it's, it's tough. Right. Number one, you don't know how to play yet. Right. You're a baby in the NBA and you're playing the Thunder.

[Dave]

I'm actually really starting to like my team. I'm admiring my team.

[S]

Is there a minimum number of players expansion teams must draft? This is from M. Wesley in the chat. You know, that's a good question.

[Dave]

It is a good question.

[S]

It's a good question. I will try to find the answer while we're here because I haven't seen that anywhere. I assume that there's, there's got to

[Andrew]

be at least like, I don't, I don't know that.

[S]

I don't know they do 12 rounds.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I don't know if there is or not because like, I know you can walk away with just draft picks instead of like a, a sure. And so.

[S]

But teams can't lose more than one player as of right now. Yeah, that may change. But as of right now, teams can't lose more than one player and you can only protect eight. So I mean, realistically, I don't know that they would do 12 rounds, but at least 10. Let me, you know, let me find out. I'll look at what the last one was.

[Andrew]

Okay. I will take Cody Williams just as a wing. I don't know if he's any good.

[Dave]

Cool.

[Andrew]

But just like another like swing on a former lottery pick that has a famous brother.

[Dave]

Prime one day deliveries fast.

[Elise Hu]

How fast we talking?

[Andrew]

We're talking tissues and hot tea fast.

[Dave]

Feel better meds fast.

[Andrew]

Relief is your door.

[Dave]

Fast. So you can. So you can actually breathe out of both nostrils.

[Elise Hu]

Fast.

[Andrew]

Like I just ordered and it's already here.

[Elise Hu]

Fast.

[Andrew]

Fast. One day delivery to feel better sooner. It's on.

[Dave]

Prime.

[Andrew]

This episode is brought to you by Pura. Spring is a feeling. More light, more movement. A little more possibility. With Pur Spring collection you can layer the scents inspired by places you love. Fresh air, florals in Bloom sun warmed citrus right at home. For a limited time. Get a free Pura plus diffuser when you subscribe to.2 cents for 12 months. Designed for larger spaces, designed to transform how they feel. Shop the Spring Collection now at Pura. What if sports were traded like markets? Now you can put your sports IQ to work in real time with Robinhood Prediction Markets. It's not you against the house. It's you participating in a live market. You can buy or sell your positions live all game long. Use your sports knowledge in the moments that matter. Robinhood Prediction Markets changes the game. It's people moving the action, so when momentum shifts, you can move with it. I always knew the game, but I never had a dynamic way to apply the knowledge. Now I can actually take part live in a market powered by people. You're no longer just a spectator. Play by play, you decide. Trade every player. Play with Robin Hood. Now available across the U.S. download the Robin Hood app now to begin future and cleared swaps. Trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Events contracts are offered by Robin Hood Derivatives llc, a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm.

[Dave]

I like it. I like it a lot.

[Andrew]

Okay, pick seven for the Sonics. The Supersonics. Also, we have to consider, like, who would look cool in a Seattle Supersonic.

[Dave]

I was. I have been thinking about that. Honestly, truthfully, I can't lie to you. Green and yellow. I'm thinking about who would look cool.

[Andrew]

Actually look pretty cool.

[S]

KD is going to be on this team, right? Like 20, 28, 29.

[Dave]

Yeah. We're doing the free agency pitch for sure. Yeah. You know, Todd Jerome looking like Luke Ridnauer in the.

[Andrew]

Yeah, Yellow and green.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Little. Little pull. Okay. Keep going with my vibes of athleticism and fun stuff and let's just keep cooking. I'm gonna take Naquan Tomlin. Oh, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

[S]

Love it.

[Dave]

Again. Effort, intensity, let's run, let's play fast. A lot of these guys that I have on the roster kind of lean to that. So Naquan Tomlin, we like him.

[S]

We want him athletic. Athletic.

[Dave]

Yep.

[S]

Upside, you know, lots of potential. I like it. Yeah.

[Dave]

He's also one of those guys that, like, on an expansion team is, you know, hey, 30 years ago, when the Sonics expanded, Naquan Tomlin was the seventh pick. You know, like, that's the type of guy he'll be. Yeah, I like it.

[Andrew]

Anyways, Naquan, very good. Yeah, I don't mind that.

[S]

I still gonna say s that there are. There are players that could Contribute more.

[Dave]

I agree.

[Andrew]

I agree.

[Dave]

I know.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

No, I know.

[S]

You're. You're doing two timelines. I'm not.

[Andrew]

It's true. Yes.

[Dave]

Look, I, I will say, like, there are clearly players that can help more. No question. I just want them to be the right players. And I see some of the names

[S]

play the right way.

[Dave]

Yeah. I'm just, I'm. I'm listing out the names. Like, I'm not gonna take Miles Bridges. I'm just gonna let you guys know, like, not.

[S]

Yeah, yeah, of course. I don't think anyone is, you know,

[Dave]

Jonathan Isaac, not gonna help my team. Terence Mann, I don't think will help my team. Truthfully. Like, I just. Some of these, like, higher salary players, not enticing to me, you know?

[Andrew]

Yeah, same. Yeah. I don't really like any of those guys. I will take Daron Sharp. I think everyone is like at least a backup center in the league. And I got. He's got really good size. He's got. He's also a guy that can pass it a little bit too. So.

[Dave]

Sure.

[Andrew]

I do like Dayron. I'll take Daron.

[Dave]

I like, I like the strips team. This is a fun team. I'm looking at it right now. That's interesting. I'm going to go ahead and take D. Anthony Melton.

[Andrew]

Oh, we're. We're going back to the first timeline.

[Dave]

Well, he's on a small salary. You know, he's on a small salary again. I think he can fill in the rotation spot. Not getting paid that much. Undervalued again. I think he can work well in our system of playing fast and playing good defense. And he shoots the ball well, taking the anthem out.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[S]

Hey, so I looked at the. The 2004 expansion draft.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

The Bobcats took 19 players.

[Andrew]

Wow.

[S]

But they were the only team.

[Andrew]

They were the only team. So maybe they read, maybe they get.

[S]

Right. So you take 19 and then you what, cut the roster down?

[Dave]

Yeah. 100.

[Andrew]

Yeah. I mean, it's like, you know, like you do in the off season where you can get up to 22 guys and then you have to trim it down by a certain date.

[Dave]

The.

[S]

Some of the names, I mean, you guys want to remember some guys, man. Lonnie Baxter.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

Wow. Yeah. Marcus Pfizer.

[Andrew]

Oh, Marcus Pfizer.

[S]

Jason Capono. Zaza. Yep.

[Dave]

Wow. Zaza was an expansion guy.

[S]

Yeah. White. Lauren Woods. I mean, this is. It's Lauren. Bobcats.

[Andrew]

Man.

[S]

That's fun.

[Dave]

I mean, so that team was trying to tank though, right? I don't know. I don't know who was available back in 2004. I don't remember. But, like, given the roster they were trying to put together, who was the

[Andrew]

GM of that team?

[S]

Oh, man. Was it.

[Dave]

No, it wasn't Jordan, right?

[S]

No, not then. Gosh, that'd be so hard to. How do I find this out?

[Andrew]

I mean, it's probably a guy that

[S]

we don't even remember for sure.

[Andrew]

Bernie Bickerstaff was it.

[S]

Wow. He was okay.

[Andrew]

Head coach. He did both.

[Dave]

And he.

[S]

And if you look, though, I mean, this is like. And then they drafted. Let's see, the. Let's see. They got a Mecca Okafor. Okay. In. In the 04 draft. And then the next year, they got Raymond Felton and Sean May, both North Carolina.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I remember.

[S]

Oh, yes. They were tanking, but with their draft picks, actually.

[Dave]

Yeah, of course.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dave]

All right.

[Andrew]

Remember Jared Wallace?

[Dave]

Wasn't Jared Wallace.

[Andrew]

Was he the number one pick, though,

[S]

in the 04 draft?

[Dave]

Like the expansion draft?

[Andrew]

In the expansion draft.

[S]

Oh, you know what? I don't. I don't think it had the order.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I haven't found anything that has the order.

[S]

Yeah, almost. I wonder if they just submitted a list, sending in an email.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Which, you know, so they didn't participate in the draft lottery. They were given the fourth pick.

[S]

Right. Or the second pick.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

A Mecca Okafor was the second pick in 04.

[Andrew]

He was. They were given the fourth pick, I think that they traded.

[S]

Oh, they did. That's right. Okay. Yeah. With the Clippers. Okay.

[Andrew]

Oh, yeah.

[Dave]

They traded four. And third Sean Livingston for the second pick. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Andrew]

You know, turns out, didn't make a big difference at all for anybody.

[Dave]

No. Although a Mecca Okafor, fun player, undeniably, sure was a big part of, you know, like, that organization for like, what, seven, eight years? Something like that. Right.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Before Al Jefferson came around. What's your pick?

[Andrew]

I need a wing. I need another wing, as everybody does.

[Dave]

You do need to hit the salary floor.

[Andrew]

I'm gonna do that in free agency.

[S]

Don't worry.

[Dave]

Okay.

[Andrew]

I'm not worried about that. I'll take another champagne, brother. Good character, guys. Justin, champagne. I'll take Justin.

[Dave]

Okay. Nice.

[Andrew]

He can be my Kenrich Williams.

[Dave]

I. I need a center. I need. I need another center to back up Eve's me. See, I'm gonna go ahead and take Jay Huff from the end.

[S]

Jay Huff.

[Andrew]

I already took Ben Shepard. You can't take. You can't take.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

So I can't.

[S]

You've already Lost the player.

[Andrew]

He's gone.

[Dave]

Oh, I see. I see, I see. So I can't do it. Okay, that's fair enough. That makes sense. It's all good with me. Not a problem. And me taking Jamal Shed means that you can't take anybody from the Raptors. That's interesting. So, yeah, Portal is now off the board.

[S]

Correct.

[Dave]

Okay.

[S]

He's too good to Tank, though.

[Dave]

He is too good to Tank. Yeah. You know what? I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna take Andrew Wiggins.

[Andrew]

Okay. I thought about doing that.

[Dave]

Great. Because I think. I think he's a good player. I. I think he can score for you. Him and Demar will at the very least get you, like, some offense on any given night. And then I think I've. I've surrounded them with a decent level of shooting and ball handling and defense, so.

[S]

And the Miami Heat just won that fake trade that you tried to do.

[Dave]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, they do.

[Andrew]

Let me call the Bulls real quick.

[S]

Oh, if you do what I think you're gonna do, this is the ultimate Tank move.

[Andrew]

Will you give me a pick to take Patrick Williams?

[Dave]

A single pick.

[Andrew]

An unprotected.

[Dave]

You wouldn't give me a pick for Yaka.

[S]

No, I'm not. But, man, he would be the perfect choice for you if you're trying to put out a team that looks like it's doing okay, but then just. Is actually awful.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that's why we need a pick to do it. We're not going to. We're not just going to take him off here.

[S]

Every time Patrick Williams shoots, it is a loss for the Bulls offense. Every single shot.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that's. That's. Well, we're. We're into that idea, but we need a pick to take him.

[S]

Well, we're probably just going to continue to be bad.

[Andrew]

Our ownership group just doesn't. Doesn't want to take on his. His. The rest of his contract. So unless we can understand it for it. Okay, I'll take Trey, man. Sweetheart, step back. He's got it all.

[S]

Good vibes.

[Andrew]

Great vibes.

[Dave]

Yeah, great vibes.

[S]

Big shorts.

[Andrew]

Big shorts. Yeah.

[S]

Honestly, Trey Mann has a. Like, has a style to him.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

And. And it's funny because there's. I don't think a lot of NBA players like that. You can just add a glance like, you know who it is, like, based on how they're dressed.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

You know, like, on the court. Trey, man, immediately it's like, yeah. Wow, he got everything. Is like two sizes too large. Throwback,

[Dave]

man, this is so funny to me, looking at my roster now, because I'm like, what do I. What do I do with this roster? Let's go for the playing, man.

[S]

I mean, you. You kind of. I. I mean, I'm gonna.

[Dave]

I'm gonna take Chris Dunn from the Clippers.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[S]

If there was ever an expansion draft, guard Chris Dunn is it. Yeah. Perfect guy.

[Dave]

Yeah, why not?

[S]

Okay, again, I thought, man, I thought Chris Dunn was going to be amazing.

[Andrew]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dave]

And he's a. He's still a very good defender.

[S]

I thought he was gonna score like crazy.

[Dave]

Yeah, yeah, I get it.

[Andrew]

I'm gonna take Marcus Sasser from the Pistons. I just like Sasser.

[S]

I mean, that's a. That's a good pickup. If he, like, every time he plays, I always find myself thinking, man, wow, he should play some more high effort.

[Dave]

I agree.

[Andrew]

He's a guy that'll stick around for a long time just because of the high effort. Mm.

[Dave]

I'm gonna grab another big here.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[Dave]

Jonas Valentunas.

[Andrew]

Okay, talk to me.

[Dave]

Why backup big again? A guy who can fill some minutes here as a score for me. More steady, perhaps, option than use me. See, on some nights when eves might not have it.

[Andrew]

Sure.

[Dave]

And look, I'm trying to win games. I'm trying to scrounge games where I can win against the. The Wizards and the. The whoever, the kings of the world. I truthfully feel like I have built a better roster than this current Sacramento Kings team. Team.

[Andrew]

You know what?

[S]

I don't disagree with that, actually.

[Andrew]

That's. I mean, maybe. Maybe that's true.

[S]

No, I think so.

[Andrew]

It's also the lowest bar possible.

[Dave]

It is a low bar. I agree.

[S]

We need like, a good basketball simulator where all these trade machine. We've got all these trade machine sites. We've got all, like an expansion draft site. We've got Tankathon. What if. What if we had a place where I could drop in my fake team against other fake teams and run a simulation? Someone make that NBA 2K. No, no, but I feel like there's, like, there's probably a basketball GM simulator that I don't know of. 2K that could do this. I know, but like. Like a real1. If 2k was sponsored the show, I'd be glad to say that they're the. They've got this great sim engine.

[Andrew]

Yeah. I'm taking mode. Di Awara. We're just getting. Okay.

[S]

I think he's good.

[Andrew]

Yeah, he's fun. Now we're actually paring this down like we're. We're down to it now.

[Dave]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's what, maybe 20, 30 players left on this list now.

[S]

I mean, there's a Hall of Famer sitting there.

[Andrew]

There is. I have 73 million in cap space right now.

[S]

Oh, bring them home. Actually, there's no. Lake Mead's too far away to put Clay there.

[Andrew]

It's. Yeah, it's kind of mean. At this point,

[Dave]

I'm gonna take Jace Richardson at the Orlando Magic.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

I don't mind that he's fun character again.

[Dave]

Fun player. Needs some more guards. I think the combination of him and Jamal Shed could do some fun stuff with the backcourt. Yeah, why not? Let's do it. Jace Richardson.

[Andrew]

Chase Richardson.

[S]

Okay.

[Dave]

I wonder how much.

[S]

I can't believe you're trying to win games and you haven't taken campaign yet.

[Andrew]

Totally.

[Dave]

I don't want to win a championship.

[S]

Okay. All right. That's fair.

[Andrew]

That's fair. If I was going with my heart, I would take Kobe Buffkin, you know, But I just, I, I think that ship has sailed, and I have been made fun of for my love of Kobe Buffkin enough probably. So I should probably release that into

[Dave]

the, The Lakers started winning once Kobe Buffkin was signed.

[Andrew]

That's true. He does have, he does have some, some good vibes. There's no question. I will take a guy that I just believed in in the draft process was Leonard Miller. Like, you can't, you can't teach the, the size and can't teach. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. We're not trying.

[S]

I also, I like Leonard Miller a lot. I'm surprised he hasn't become, you know, a rotation guy.

[Dave]

Yeah, he got, he got zero opportunity. I'm shocked. He's got no opportunity in Minnesota. Like.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

And now he's in Chicago, and I. Yeah, I don't know.

[Andrew]

Yeah, it's a tough spot. Not, not for the strips. Those strips are going to play him.

[Dave]

That's right. Strips might start him.

[S]

We'll turn him into Dennis Rodman.

[Dave]

Afterwards. I'd love for you to scout out who you're starting from.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[S]

Well, yeah, that's what I want to know. I, I, as I'm looking at your team, I'm trying to figure out who your four man is.

[Dave]

Listen, is it Demar.

[S]

Is it Wiggins?

[Dave]

It might be Wiggins. Yeah, it might be.

[S]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Yeah. Let's see. I do need some, A little bit more size up front. Like, I have some centers, but I would like a little bit more assurance in that.

[Andrew]

Yeah, we got so Many options. You can go Janai Broom. You can go Jericho Sims. You Clint Capella.

[S]

Clint Capella. Yeah.

[Dave]

Yeah. Capella is a good. Let me tank this thing out type of, you know, situation.

[S]

Yeah, I'll take Capella.

[Dave]

Why not? I'll take Capella.

[S]

Capella's gonna be starting games for you. Yeah. He is over Yves, me over Eve's Misi and Jonas Valentunas. Yes, absolutely. You just.

[Andrew]

Yeah. You just selected your best center. Good job.

[S]

You did.

[Dave]

Come on, use me. See, Is starting for me.

[Andrew]

We're. We're or. Yeah.

[S]

Okay, so it is two timelines, maybe. Okay.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[S]

Because the defense could be bad.

[Andrew]

Yeah, yeah. It is continuing with vibes and characters. Give me Cameron Payne. Listen, we just need a guy.

[S]

That's it.

[Andrew]

That's gonna dance.

[S]

He's gonna be your starting point guard, though.

[Andrew]

He definitely not. But he and he and Trey, man are going to be best friends. Okay?

[S]

Oh, yeah. For sure. I love that campaign. Hadn't played all year and then just came out. Just throwing. Throwing fire.

[Andrew]

That's how he does throwing darts.

[Dave]

Yeah, man. This is fascinating. I'm gonna take Jalen Clark of the Minnesota Tim rules.

[Andrew]

Okay. Jalen Clark.

[Dave]

I like defense too much. I feel like I'm. I'm over indexing on defense maybe a little bit, but. But it's all right.

[S]

You have DeMar DeRozan and.

[Dave]

I know. And Ty Jerome. Yeah, I know. I know. I just. I'm thinking of, like.

[S]

You have some good defenders, though.

[Dave]

You could.

[S]

The thing about it is you do have some. Some lineup flexibility. Like you could have done Melton Wiggins. Yep.

[Dave]

Capella defender, too, at his position.

[S]

There's no offense, but. Yeah. Yeah.

[Dave]

Well, we'll need a good head coach. I will say we will need a good head coach.

[S]

Oh, yeah. I want to know. That's. That's something else I want to hear. Who are you hiring as your head coach?

[Dave]

Like, can you imagine if Andrew's my head.

[S]

There's this guy. He coaches high school basketball right now. Yep. And he's willing to come in. He's going to coach for six years in the G League.

[Andrew]

That's right.

[S]

And then he's willing to come be an assistant for two for us. That's our guy.

[Andrew]

Yep.

[S]

The tank will be done in year eight.

[Andrew]

Yep.

[Dave]

I'm spending $45 million on Tom Thibodeau. You know, like, wow.

[S]

I mean, hey, if you want to. I'm telling you, if you want to get the best out of your players. I think Tom Thibodeau might Be the guy. It's. It's him. JB Biggerstaff seems to be a guy who can wring a little extra out of players. Yep.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I need somebody. Plenty of more, but I need somebody to teach young Hansen how to rebound. So I'm going to bring in Torian Prince. Nice.

[S]

I like it. I like it. Just to. Just to actually explain the physical process of rebounds.

[Andrew]

Yeah. I just need somebody to talk to him, not to show him. To talk to him about rebounding.

[Dave]

Are we just gonna finish out this list and draft?

[Andrew]

Might as well, right? There's.

[S]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

There's just two teams left. You take one, I'll take one.

[Dave]

Okay. I'll take Clay. Get on the supersonics. Why not?

[Andrew]

Let's do.

[S]

Is your four. I knew all of a sudden bombing away, man.

[Andrew]

And like, I have to do it. I said I wouldn't do it, and now I have to do it. I have to take Kobe Buffkin. Yeah. For my final pick. I just have to. That would just. I mean, it would be. I wouldn't be me without doing it. Okay. So we have these two expansion teams, the Seattle SuperSonics, Las Vegas Strips. Who. Who is your starting five here s.

[Dave]

So my starting center is going to be. Use me. See, I'm going to lean in on developing him as much as possible.

[Andrew]

Okay.

[Dave]

My starting four is Andrew Wiggins. Starting small forward is Julian Champagne. Starting shooting guard is DeMar DeRozan. And my starting point guard is tied.

[S]

Jerome.

[Andrew]

Wow.

[S]

Wow. That's. That's a team.

[Andrew]

That's a. That's a team.

[S]

That's a team. Listen, the depth chart on this is wild.

[Dave]

I will say my. My depth is actually my best quality in 100 because I have. Off the bench, I have Chris Dunn, I have DE Anthony Melton.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Jamal Shad, Rasheer Fleming, Tomlin Clay.

[S]

Also nine or ten NBA players.

[Dave]

Yeah, absolutely. Like, I think we can scrounge together a 40 and 42 season, you know, in the West.

[Andrew]

Wow. That is.

[S]

How do you guys feel?

[Andrew]

We are, like, avoiding that like the plague here in Vegas.

[Dave]

Look, the Portland Trailblazers right now, this season. And the Golden State warriors, they both have 33 wins. Okay. I feel like I can be better than that.

[Andrew]

Wow.

[Dave]

Yeah. Maybe get into the plan. See what we can do.

[Andrew]

We.

[Dave]

We still have a draft pick that's going to be coming. Right. We're obviously this summer that we're expanding. I'm going to have like the fifth or sixth pick or something like that.

[Andrew]

Right.

[Dave]

And draft. And I also still have, you know, the mid level exception in terms of space that I can add someone in free agency if I need something else. I like my roster.

[S]

The 2028 draft. How good. How good is the sophomore high school class right now?

[Dave]

No clue. Let us know, folks. Let us know.

[Andrew]

Let us know in the comments. We're starting Topish and Young Han Sen for sure. Those are our two guys. And you know what? We're pretty flexible from there. We'll probably start with Kispert on the wing. We'll probably go Jordan Walsh out there with him on the wing. And then.

[S]

I think I. I mean if I'm looking at your team, I'm leaning Diawara.

[Andrew]

I was actually thinking about Diawara. Yeah. Diora. Why not? We just need shooting around those guys. Right?

[S]

That's it.

[Andrew]

Just like I think.

[Dave]

I think.

[S]

And rebounding.

[Dave]

I would be shocked.

[S]

I think he's gonna be a good rebounder.

[Dave]

I'd be shocked if the strips end up winning more than 10 games.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that's. Yeah, but that's the goal, right?

[Dave]

Like you want to lose.

[S]

Yeah. Did you not just hear that? Celebrate a celebratory noise that came. Yeah, man. Like.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

The best odds. We need to not be able to fall further than five in this next draft. We need top five picks over the next three years. That's what we need. We'll start to build back up.

[Dave]

Yeah, you're getting them.

[Andrew]

We'll start to build back up. Let us know what you think about our teams. Okay. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the strategy and the.

[S]

The strategy for sure is I'm so curious to see what people. What do people want the expansion teams to do versus what they expect.

[Andrew]

Right? Yeah. True, true. Yeah, it'll be fascinating. Thanks so much for listening to this edition of the morning shoot around. Hope everybody is doing great and we'll talk to you guys again tomorrow.

[Dave]

Over 90 of the top 100 US accounting firms trust Bill to handle bill pay processes. Why? Because our tools are built on over a trillion dollars of secure payments. We're not just moving money. We're powering financial workflows for half a million customers. That's a level of expertise you just can't fake. Ready to talk with an expert? Visit bill.comproven to get started and grab a $250 gift card as a thank you. Terms and conditions apply. See offer page for details.

[Andrew]

Shipping, billing, admin, payroll, marketing. You're managing all the things, so why waste time sending important documents the old fashioned way? Mail and ship when you want. How you want with stamps.com print postage on demand 247 and schedule pickups from your offer office or home. Save up to 90% with automated rate shopping. That's why over 1 million small businesses

[Elise Hu]

trust stamps.com go to stamps.com and use

[Andrew]

code podcast to try stamps.com risk free for 60 days.

[Elise Hu]

Hey, it's Elise Hu from the podcast Forever 35 where every week we talk about how we best take care of ourselves and the different ways self care can look for everyone. But taking care of yourself is key, no matter who you are. So if you are struggling with hot flashes, noticing brain fog or increased fatigue, dealing with some restless nights, maybe know that it's not just you and it's not just aging. It could be hormonal. And that's why Alloy exists to make sure you get the care you actually need from menopause expert doctors wherever you are. No waiting rooms, no pharmacy lines, just real menopause solutions delivered straight to you. 95% of women feel better in just two weeks. Visit myalloy.com that's m y-a l l o y.com and don't forget to use code forever35. That's forever35 for dollar. Your first order alloy is here to help you feel like yourself again.