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- [00:00]
Sam Bassini
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Alex Spears
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Sam Bassini
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Andrew
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Sam Bassini
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Sam Bassini
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Sam Bassini
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Sam Bassini
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Andrew
hp.com need expert advice, call HP Business Technology Advisors at 1-800-761-8417. Welcome to the Saturday Slammin Jam here on the Athletic NBA Daily. On today's show, we're talking to Sam Bassini about the NBA draft and we're gonna do some trivia today. I've got my friend Al Baby Cakes, Alex Spears with us. Al, what's up?
- [02:12]
Alex Spears
Thanks for having me back, Andrew.
- [02:13]
Andrew
So glad to have you back every single week. And join us to talk about the upcoming NBA draft. We're days away from the draft. We've got Sam Vasini here, our expert here at the Athletic and from the Game Theory podcast. If you're not listening to it, then you probably know a lot less about the draft. Sam, welcome back.
- [02:33]
Sam Bassini
How are you guys doing? It's good to see your faces. It's good to hear your dulcet tones. I'm just glad to be here with you. Thank you for having me back.
- [02:45]
Alex Spears
Can I ask you. I've been thinking about this draft cycle. I feel like this has been a really fun one between how good the top prospects are, all these guards. As you look back over your drafting career, do you feel, Are you feeling that with this draft cycle? Is this a particularly fun one? Do you remember more fun draft cycles that you enjoyed for whatever reason?
- [03:10]
Sam Bassini
It's a good question. Yeah, I think this has been a really fun one. It's been really fun to talk about all these prospects because they're all exceptionally gifted and yet they all do have some flaws that, you know, you have to try and work through and parse and kind of determine. Okay, how big of a problem is it that Mikel Brown, like, has never really been effective finishing at the rim or from really inside of like 12ft. Right. How big of a problem is it that A.J. devons's defense is, doesn't process. He doesn't process the defensive end of the court particularly well. How big of a problem is it that Darren Peterson may have had a creatine allergy of some sort? Like, you know, like, maybe we don't really know that. And like, some NBA teams are like, what. What are you talking about? Like, what do you mean? So, yeah, like, in that vein, all the players being really good has been really helpful toward, like, really enjoying this process this year. I. I'm somewhat worried because I'm starting the 2027, like, mock, like top 30 that I typically do right after the draft. Like right now. I got some worries, boys. I'm gonna be honest with you. I got some worries, boys. About 2028, like, the next two have a chance to be some, some really questionable talent at the high end. Guys will emerge, guys will get better and they'll figure it out. But like, right now, the way it's trending, there are some questions. So, like, I'm kind of savoring this one as a. Hey, like, this is really cool. Let's, like, really. Let's really enjoy getting a chance to talk about these guys.
- [04:54]
Alex Spears
The last hurrah, it sounds like.
- [04:59]
Andrew
Well, let's, let's stay talking about this class. Okay? Let's talk about the top of the draft where there doesn't seem to be much of a debate about which players will go in the top four. But you've been pretty consistent with saying that the top three isn't as clear cut as people may get out to be. But you've been consistent with AJ And Peterson as the top Two. In your mock drafts, what have you heard regarding Cam Boozer's chances of being drafted in the top two?
- [05:27]
Sam Bassini
Yeah, I mean, look like the Jazz are absolutely doing their due diligence on all three of these guys, and I'm sure the Wizards on some level are as well. But it does feel like those. It'll be one of those two guys in DeBance and Peterson at number one. But the Jazz genuinely are doing their due diligence on all three of those players, and I do still believe that the most likely outcome is that they will take whichever of AJ debons or Darren Peterson falls to number two. It certainly feels like Cam Boozer is in the mix and that they are crossing every T and dotting every I and making sure that they undertake, like, a real process here and determining, okay, like, is this the best guy for us? Are we sure that it's not Cam Boozer? And I'm sure they did that on some level with Caleb Wilson as well.
- [06:22]
Alex Spears
I guess the thing I just keep coming back to, I was reading your mock draft. You're talking about how the Wizards front office was talking about how important leadership was, and then I'm thinking about how a lot of that front office came from Oklahoma City. And I see Cam Boozer as like this very thundery player. And I guess I'm just a little confused why he hasn't gotten a little bit more buzz in that situation when he seems to have all these qualities that they theoretically would like.
- [06:48]
Sam Bassini
I am also a little bit confused about that. For what it's worth, I am a little bit surprised because again, as somebody who really, like I did my top 20 prospects of the last 11 years that I've been doing this, and I had AJ6, CAM7, Darren8. Like, I have them razor thin in terms of the difference, have them all in the same tier to the point where I really genuinely think, A, there is not a wrong answer to how you rank these guys. There's not a wrong answer to how you evaluate these players, and B, I am a little bit surprised that Boozer seems to not have come up quite as much in the conversation. I do wonder how much of that has to do with the fact that they just traded for Anthony Davis and also have Alex Saar who matters to them organizationally, and they feel like they getting a wing who can, you know, either knock down shots or really create rim pressure or whatever they want to do at number one is the quickest pathway towards success for them. I, you know, because these guys are so close, like I am 100% in favor of drafting best player available, number one, assuming that there's like a difference between the players in this case. Like, I don't see a massive difference between these three. Obviously they're incredibly different from a skill set perspective and everything like that, but.
- [08:21]
Andrew
Right.
- [08:22]
Sam Bassini
I really genuinely believe, like, all three of these guys have real, all NBA upside. I don't quite think any of them reaches the level of like, what I thought Cooper was last year, what I certainly thought Victor Wembanyama was the year before or two years before. Two years before what I thought, you know, even Kate Cunningham was like, I really had a high grade on Cade. Right. Like, I have a better grade on him than anybody else. I thought Zion was probably a better prospect than all these guys too, to be frank with you. He was just so utterly dominant at Duke, if you remember that. But I do believe that these guys are all awesome basketball players. And I, I am a little. To answer your question, Alex, like, I know that I kind of just went in a circle, but like, I, I'm a little bit surprised. I'm sure that they went through it and like, I'm sure that they've kind of discussed all of those, all of the options in every way, shape and form based off of what I know. Like, I would be very surprised if. I would be like totally stunned if it was Kambuzer. Like, it would be beyond the Apollo Banchero surprise that happened the day of the draft just because, like, we all thought that there was like some weird stuff going on with Orlando where, like, we didn't know. Orlando's front office is very secretive in general. Not to say that Washington's isn't. Washington's is also quite secretive, but like, just the way it was handled in Orlando was like a little bit strange. And then on top of it, like, yeah, yeah, I, I would be surprised beyond that draft.
- [10:00]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [10:01]
Sam Bassini
Than if Cam Boozer was to go number one this time.
- [10:05]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [10:05]
Sam Bassini
That would be a bigger surprise, I think.
- [10:08]
Alex Spears
So. We've all seen these reports about Darren Peterson not working out for Utah. You discussed the agency angle to this, which is that both Peterson and Keonte George have the same representation group. Maybe they trying to maximize both players situations by avoiding this direct competition. In your opinion though, is this approach actually in Peterson's best interest? Like, would Utah not be an incredible landing spot for him and his specific skill?
- [10:31]
Sam Bassini
It, I, I don't think it matters any, like, any way that you parse it, to be honest, like, I think this is all so like Juvenile on some level, frankly, like Utah's proven that they're not going to play the games of these agents that like don't want to send their guys to Utah. They just took Ace Bailey last year on top of this, like Utah's organization and I think rightfully so feels quite confident that once guys get to Utah, like they like being in Utah, like they like, you know, being in that organization. They've signed long term extensions recently with Lowry Market with, you know, going back five years. They got Donovan Mitchell to sign a long term extension, they got Rudy Gobert to sign multiple extensions. Like they got Mike Conley to resign there on an extension, right? Like they have had real, they have had a real track record of success of not losing guys once they get there. And Ace Bailey seems pretty happy there right now. So I think all of this is just really stupid, to be honest. Like if you don't want him to go, if you don't want to send him to Utah or if like, honestly if Darren is just like, I don't really want to go anywhere, fine, whatever, I don't really care.
- [11:50]
Alex Spears
I want to go anywhere. I don't want to be drafted.
- [11:53]
Sam Bassini
Well, if he just doesn't want to work out anywhere, like teams are going to take him, they have the medicals, they have the tape, like they have everything they need, right? This isn't like 5 years ago where you didn't get access to the medical reports in the new cba, right? All the top, you know, group of teams have access to Darren Peterson's medical. So you're not hiding anything by not sending him there. So I struggle with it. Like I think you can easily connect the dots, that this is like a weirdo power play where it's like, hey, you know, Keate George is extension eligible. Maybe we don't want Darren Peterson there if they're not going to sign him to an extension right now. Right, because we're worried about it, you know, hitting Keonte George or you know, maybe we use this as a lever to get Utah to try to do the extension for Keonte George now as opposed to later, right? Hey, yeah, well, you have Darren Peterson in, you know, you just got to do an extension right now. So I don't know, like here's the other thing too. That can be the plan right now. On Monday we could wake up and you know, the team has changed their mind. The team formerly Wasserman and Darren Peterson goes to Utah for like a quick visit or something like.
- [13:11]
Andrew
Sure.
- [13:11]
Sam Bassini
These things have just been known to change so aggressively and so quickly that I, I don't. Again, I don't think much of this strategy. I don't think it means anything. I don't, you know, Washington is going to make its own decision at number one. I don't think they promised Darren Peterson at number one by any stretch. I think he's definitely in the mix. They could take him number one. Wouldn't surprise me at all. But Utah's going to run its own race. They're going to do its due diligence or their due diligence and they're going to take the guy that they think is best. All these guys are going to report there's too much money on the table at this point. Sorry.
- [13:50]
Andrew
Yeah. What's your, what's your feel for all of just, I mean, outside looking in. Everything that's happened with Darren Peterson this year has been very strange. You know, this is supposed to be one of the best players in the draft. He had a very strange year at Kansas. Now you're hearing stories like this about him not wanting to go to Utah. Like, what do, what do I see teams make of this?
- [14:12]
Sam Bassini
This is what annoys me a little bit about their strategy on this. Right. Because in part of this, I do think for what it's worth, is Darren, Darren, from everything I know from him, talked to a lot of people around him. He's just a quieter dude. And like, he'll say that publicly. That, like, he's like not the most social human being. Like, he can be a bit of an introvert. Right. NBA teams, like, don't really care that much. Like in Washington's case, like, that could be a difference maker for sure if they are really prioritizing, like leadership from a franchise player at number one overall. I don't know that Darren Peterson is going to be that guy where he's like, hey, I'm, you know, the vocal leader of a team. I am, you know, doing this, that and the other thing. I'm out there in the media all the time. Don't get it twisted. Like, Darren Peterson is a killer. Like, he wants to destroy you on the court. And he is a hard worker. He is like a ridiculously hard worker. From what I understand. He cares immensely about basketball. He cares immensely about his future. He is highly professional in terms of the way he goes about his craft. There is no, like, concern or question about him in that respect. Now what I will occasionally get about Darren Peterson is. Okay, do we know for sure if he's going to play through injuries and by play through injuries. I mean, like, if he gets like a little nick or something, is he going to consistently play through it? Because he didn't do it a ton in high school. He obviously, this year, you know, whatever was going on, didn't really do it this year. 82 game season in the NBA, you're going to have to fight through some things from time to time. Right. And is he going to do that regularly? That's really the only concern that I will hear on. Like, you know, all of the nonsense that has occurred around Peterson this year. Beyond that, like, what annoys me about the way they've handled it is I think that they have painted him with a different brush than who he is or seems to be. At least kind of Every NBA team I've talked to is like, no, this dude's like an absolute killer. Like, we have no, no worries about when he's on the court. Like, he's going to try and rip your heart out and he's going to work for it and he really wants it. He's just kind of a quieter dude. He's like a quiet assassin who's going to go out there and take care of business.
- [16:54]
Andrew
Yeah, I mean, that's. That's good to hear because it does just seem. Seem quite strange. So let's talk Caleb Wilson. You have Caleb Wilson going forward to the Bulls, and that's been pretty unanimous amongst, like, many mock drafts, including yours. What type of frontcourt partner do you think Chicago should be trying to put next to Wilson to maximize his skill set long term?
- [17:19]
Sam Bassini
Would love a floor spacer. Would love somebody who can step away and shoot. It's that, like, I actually kind of like the Jalen Smith pairing there potentially, if they were to start Jalen Smith next to Caleb Wilson like, early in his career or at least play them like real minutes together. Obviously, though, Jalen Smith only has one year left on that contract. If I'm Chicago, I'm kind of looking at Jalen Smith as like an interesting mechanism to kind of go get maybe some real draft capital. Like, I threw this out there on the. The. What was it? It was the off season preview I did for the Chicago Bulls where, like, if you're Denver and you're trying to cut money and you desperately need like a backup center because it feels like the Jonas Valencunist thing is not going to go right. He wanted to go to Europe last year. Right. Would you do Cam Johnson in 26 for Jalen Wilson and 38? Or Jalen Smith, rather, in 38?
- [18:22]
Andrew
Yeah, I think that's very interesting.
- [18:24]
Sam Bassini
Chicago gets a better player, gets a better pick. Denver solves its backup center problem and cuts like $16 million from its books to resign Peyton Watson. No added like long term salary going either way.
- [18:39]
Alex Spears
Yeah, I much prefer it to the ideas where they just dump Cam Johnson.
- [18:44]
Sam Bassini
Yeah, like that's back. See, that's the thing, like you're getting something back. You're not like completely exiting the draft. Yeah, that feels like an interesting, you know, hey, we're like middling this a little bit. We're not just like completely dumping somebody. And if I'm Chicago, I'm like, I get a better player and I get like a better pick into a better tier of draft, I'm definitely doing that. And like you, that's a good use of my cap space. But I say that to say that, like, I like the idea of a spacing big next to Caleb Wilson, and I do like the idea of somebody like Jalen Smith there. If I could, you know, find another one, I, I would be probably trying to find another spacing big. Honestly. If they got 26, maybe you can pair them again with Henri Vasar. Right. Like there, there are options there that you can do, but I think spacing big is going to be the one. He's a very downhill transition attacking playmaker that you want to be able to clear the lane for in a real way.
- [19:47]
Alex Spears
So the, the Clippers at number five. It's the official. This is where the draft starts pick this year, your number five overall player, Darius Acuff Jr. Who you have going to the Kings at pick seven in your latest mock, what went into your decision to rank him at the top of this group of guards in this range, which is like Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr. And Kingston Flemings?
- [20:08]
Sam Bassini
Yeah. So I have him and Keaton particularly like neck and neck. I have them. Okay, look like we could do the old Seth Greenberg tier rankings of, you know, 5A, 5B, right? Like, if we wanted to. I really think Keaton and Darius are very close. The reason I ended up giving the nod to Darius is like, I think on some level he's just like totally scheme agnostic in terms of being an awesome basketball player. I think with Keaton, you're gonna need him to play in like a very well spaced ecosystem to get the most out of him as a ball screen playmaker and decision maker. As we saw this year with Illinois. I think Darius, like, that dude's just such a force of personality and such a force is as a scorer and playmaker and, you know, domineering point guard, that he's just going to be fine wherever you put him. At the end of the day, if I was on the team side, I would probably have a different. Like, there's a chance I would have a different ranking. Right. But, you know, doing what I do publicly, I just look at Darius Acuff and I'm like, yep, I could put that guy in Sacramento. That. That's the test, right? Could I put this guy in Sacramento? And it's going to be successful. 100. I think if you. I think if you put him in Sacramento, it's going to be 100 successful. If I put him in New Orleans, is it going to be successful? Absolutely. It's going to be totally fine. He's just. That's who he is. He's going to be successful. If I put Keaton Wagler in one of those spots, I think he'd be successful. Like, I'm. I'm pretty sure I don't have the same degree of certainty that I do with Acuff, though.
- [21:41]
Alex Spears
I like that.
- [21:43]
Andrew
Yeah, I like that, too. With that said, like, I don't think Chicago's going to do anything weird. I think that they should just take Caleb Wilson. Is there, like, any chance that they. That they get a little. Little strange there in Chicago and freak their fan base out?
- [22:00]
Sam Bassini
I be. I would be more stunned by that. If Caleb Wilson is sitting there at 4, I would be more stunned by that than I would be Cam Boozer going one.
- [22:13]
Andrew
Okay. Okay. Yeah, that. That makes sense. That makes sense.
- [22:16]
Sam Bassini
Yeah.
- [22:18]
Andrew
So when discussing what the Clipper should do, a potential fit with Garland is often brought up. In your opinion, how much should Garland's presence influence their decision? And how would you rank like the top guards in the class in terms of ability to excel off the ball?
- [22:34]
Sam Bassini
Okay, so how much do I think it should versus how much does it seem like it is? Is probably like a. Because, look, I probably wouldn't have traded for Darius Garland in the first place because, like, I. And he played great for them down the stretch and, like, looks like, you know, now that his toe is a little bit healthier and everything, and he's back from the jaw injury, like, back to where he was, like, pretty close to, like, his peak in Cleveland. Right. Or at least he did down the stretch. I don't love small guards in general, and, like, I know that I have Darius Acuff at number five, but Darius Acuff is, you know, six foot two and a half with a six, seven wingspan. And 200 pounds and could be like 200 plus pounds probably by the time he's, you know, 25. Right. Like he's a big physical dude. You know what I, what I would do is probably different than what the Clippers would do given that the Clippers traded for Darius Akoff or for Darius Garland rather. If you're keeping Darius Garland and you are 100 sold on keeping Darius Garland, which I shouldn't say I think they're 100 sold, but it feels like they're pretty sold on it. I don't think you can take Darius Acuff because I don't think you can field anything resembling a coherent perimeter defense with that duo out there. Darius Acuff is not good enough defensively off of the ball. He ball watches constantly and is, it's a real issue. Garland is a real target on the ball. Like it just creates too many problems in terms of covering the court and everything. Keaton Wagler knows where he's supposed to be on defense. He's bigger. I think he's going to end up being bigger than these guys. I know that, you know, he came in at 168 to Illinois, 168 pounds. And then at the combine he weighed 188 pounds already. And that's a credit to Adam Fletcher at Illinois, one of the best strength and conditioning programs in all of college basketball due to his presence. And then also he's done good work in the pre draft process of continuing to put on weight. I've been told he's up over 190 now. Right. So I think he's going to end up being a little bit bigger. I think that he has better defensive instincts. He's just like generally. I don't mean this as a slight at Acuff. I think he's a smarter basketball player than Darius Acuff. Just he moves the ball quicker, he makes quicker decisions than Acuff does. He's better at rotating around the ball defensively than what Acuff is. I would, I would go Keaton Wagler there if I was the Clippers. Like I feel pretty good about that. But in terms of like ranking these guys as off ball players among like the high level guards and we'll remove Braden buries from this conversation who is an off ball guard.
- [25:23]
Andrew
Right.
- [25:23]
Sam Bassini
Mostly can play some combo but like more off ball than these guys, I would rank them Wagler 1. A cuff to Mikel Brown 3. Kingston Fleming's four of like how successful they can be off of the ball. And that's largely because, look, Acuff, like, ran a ton of off ball stuff this year in Arkansas. Like, they were very comfortable getting him off the ball, running him off of actions, running him off of, you know, zoom actions to get him loose, running him off of, you know, double pin downs across from the corner, like coming up to the wing or to the top of the key. Like, they were very, very comfortable running him off of off ball actions. He's very good at it. You know, we'll see where it goes. Right? Like, we'll see if that continues to be the case. But if you're going to do that in the NBA because of how poor he is on defense right now, you're going to need a bigger guard. You're going to need, like, a bigger playmaking guard next to him to be able to weaponize that and actualize that skill set, I think.
- [26:23]
Alex Spears
So in discussing the Brooklyn Nets, you wrote in your mock draft quote, the Nets continue to befuddle the league. I love that word. That's such a good word. Partly because the Nets have engendered a belief league wide that they evaluate draft prospects differently than many other teams. Now, Sam, what does that mean? What are the Nets doing that?
- [26:45]
Sam Bassini
Like, they don't. I don't mean it as a shot necessarily. It's just like NBA teams think they could go a whole number of different directions. Right.
- [26:55]
Alex Spears
Like, so people just can't read them. Like, you know, we talk about teams where you kind of, like, know what kind of process.
- [27:02]
Sam Bassini
I know what kind of prospect for you guys. Right. Like, I know what Oklahoma City likes in players. Right?
- [27:08]
Alex Spears
Yeah.
- [27:08]
Sam Bassini
I have a pretty good feel for what the Memphis Grizzlies like because they tend to take guys over and over again that fit into a similar box.
- [27:16]
Andrew
Right, right, right.
- [27:18]
Sam Bassini
I have, like, a pretty good feel for what the Utah Jazz tend to value. Right. Like, they really value guys who can shoot, who can move off the ball. I think they're valuing defensive ability now a little bit more just because of the roster that they had previously. But, you know, they in the past have not valued quite as much in terms of, like, ball handling and being able to, like, you know, playmake because they think that their offensive scheme under Will Hardy, rightfully so, because I think Will Hardy is one of the absolute best offensive coaches in the NBA, is going to be able to figure it out. Right, Right. The Boston Celtics, they want guys that can play fast. They want, like, 0.5 decision makers. Right. You know, the same can be said in terms of, like, 0.5 decision makers on some level for, you know, the Oklahoma City Thunder too, right? Like, they want dribble, pass, shoot, defend. Think with positional size in Brooklyn's case, you tell me, like what do you, what do you think they like? I think they like guys who can in theory like dribble, pass and shoot or have potential to be dribble, pass, shoot guys. I think they generally talk like they want positional size within that equation. But like they took Nolan Traore last year and Ben Saroth is not particularly big either, right. So like I think they want guys who can dribble past shoot and they talk about like positional size and things like that, but they don't really like stick to that. Right. I think a big thing in the NBA draft, I swear to like again, and this is where my board, if I worked for a team would probably look a little bit different than what my board looks like publicly. Because for 30, I'm ranking for 30 teams on some level publicly. Right. A big thing to me in the NBA draft is having a philosophy and just sticking to it at the end of the day. Like make sure that you feel like you know what your coaching staff wants. Like you have top down synergy from, you know, ownership on some level, to your head of basketball operations, to your assistant GM level, to your executive level, to your scouting department, to your coaching staff, down to the players all being on that same level and all being on that, like rowing the same boat, right. What the most successful organizations have done in the NBA over the course of the last 10 years, realistically, Oklahoma City being the prime example. But you could look at San Antonio, you could look at Denver, you could look at Boston. Like you could look at any number of these organizations and they all look at it the same way from a top down perspective and just having real organizational synergy in terms of what you care about. So that's when people say like, oh, well, you can't draft for fit. You have to just draft the best talent available. Not all of these guys would be the same level players in the same situations because all of these organizations value different things at the end of the day.
- [30:19]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [30:19]
Sam Bassini
So it's, yeah, like with Brooklyn, I don't know what that is. Is where I would like just kind of tell you, like, I, I don't know where that is. When I ask people around the league that question, they don't really know what it is. And on some level I think that can be okay if you're like genuinely great at identifying talent. But you know this organization, like, hasn't really shown that, all due respect to them, right. This front office has been around for a while at this point, and, you know, it's just hard. It's. It's a tricky conversation to have because, again, like, when I write that, I don't, I don't mean to take shots at them by any stretch of the imagination. It just is genuinely that I think that the league, and I'm sure that Brooklyn looks at this as an advantage, right, because, you know, they could really do anything on draft night. And it's a, you know, it. It creates mystery, it gives them leverage in certain trade talks. Like, it's a, it's not a bad thing for them on draft night necessarily. It's just that, you know, you have to make the right or wrong pick, and hopefully they make the right pick here.
- [31:34]
Andrew
So there's been a lot of talk about teams in this 5 to 9 range that may be willing to trade down. Are there any, like, player, team combos where if a specific player is selected before a certain spot, that the chances of that team trending down significantly increases?
- [31:57]
Sam Bassini
I don't think so, to be honest. I think it's really going to come down to. Look, I think the name that people want to try to jump those teams, at the end of the day, you have to try to figure out, like, okay, there's a floor for a certain player somewhere. We have to try to jump that floor in order to potentially get the player. Right. It feels like to me when I ask people around the league that Mahrez Johnson is exceptionally popular in that, like, let's even call it 8 to 14 range, but particularly like the 12 to 14 range. If you told me Atlanta takes him at 8, I will not be surprised by that. Like, okay, that won't blow my mind. I think they've done like, a little bit more due diligence seemingly recently on the guards, it feels like. But if you told me that we, you know, we're on draft night and Mirage Johnson goes number eight to Atlanta, won't. Won't stun me is what I would say. But if he was to get into that, like, 9, 10, 11 range and teams feel like, okay, there's no way he's getting past 12, 13, 14, 15, like all of those teams have a ton of interest, will one of those teams try to spike up to number 10 to number 9, like to try to go get him? Right? I think that's entirely possible because, like, he's. He's the guy that when I kind of talk to teams in that group of teams. Right. He has the most people that are excited about him, I would say, outside of those guards right now.
- [33:48]
Andrew
Okay, what's The Salamarez Johnson Jr. For? For people that don't know his game well.
- [33:53]
Sam Bassini
So first and foremost, like elite level, like character, elite level work ethic. Like you talk to the Michigan staff, they will just be like, he was our barometer every day in practice. He was the guy that brought the energy. He was the guy that, you know, if we didn't have it, we could look at him and he would get us going. Right? So that's a piece of it. Like if you meet with him, you're just going to be like, this guy's amazing. He's awesome. He brings the energy. He is a genuine switch defender. Like I would say, realistically two through five. If you told me he becomes like one of the few players league wide who can genuinely switch 1 through 5, I won't be stunned by that, is what I would say. He has like some BAM at a bio in regard to that skill alone. I think BAM was more skilled in general entering the NBA than what Johnson is. But defensively with that switching, I think he can do that. He's an elite level rebounder. He can genuinely play the five at six foot nine without shoes. He has a seven foot three wingspan. He's a massive human. He is physical, he is tough. He's like the exact kind of guy you want on a winning basketball team to me. So like if I'm Oklahoma City and I'm looking for a partner with Chad Holmgren, I'm like, that's my guy. That's what I want. If I'm, you know, if I have any concerns about resigning Isaiah Hartenstein or if I'm, you know, even wanting a third big is an option because I'm worried that I might not be able to keep. Keep Jalen Williams, Arkansas Jalen Williams because of, you know, the immense salary pressure that I'm going to be feeling coming up here. Do the extensions of Chet Holmgren and J Dub kicking in, that's my guy. If I'm, you know, Charlotte and I need a degree of toughness and physicality on the interior, that's my guy. Like I, I am a big, big, big Merez Johnson fan.
- [35:59]
Alex Spears
Semi related to this conversation about trading down, do you have any sense for how the changes in the lottery have altered the way future picks are being discussed in Potential?
- [36:08]
Sam Bassini
Everyone, everyone in the league is trying to figure that out right now. It does to Me feel like there is a degree of hesitancy
- [36:23]
Andrew
on
- [36:26]
Sam Bassini
moving very future picks right now, is what I would say, because teams are, this is a realistically, this is like a three year experiment they're doing with the lottery because it will be collectively bargained again when the new agreement comes up. Right. So I think teams are like very cautious right now about moving extremely out into the future picks. Like you better be getting a star, star level player to be doing that. The other thing that's been kind of raised to me is teams aren't really sure if other teams are going to be willing to give away like swap rights quite as liberally as what they have in the past.
- [37:12]
Andrew
Right?
- [37:12]
Alex Spears
Yeah.
- [37:13]
Sam Bassini
Because of the potential for that to go like very poorly. But also in that vein, swap rights could be seen as being more valuable assets on the trade market too. Now that could like in theory replace like end of first round picks potentially in terms of value. Right. So it's an interesting dynamic that I think everyone league wide is still kind of reckoning with is the way to put it. But the thing I do feel like pretty substantially is that like everyone is like really hesitant on trading those picks that are like way out into the future right now. Like the, the 2030 through 2033 picks feel pretty, pretty difficult to get your hands on right now.
- [38:04]
Alex Spears
So outside of Caleb Wilson to the Bulls at 4, one of the other more consistent mocks has been Nate Amen to the Bucks at 10. Amen is one of the more polarizing prospects in the draft community. And in your mock you bring up the similarities between Amen's profile and Pre draft Jaden McDaniels, who's clearly a valuable player and an archetype that all teams would want. How common is that view of Amen among teams? Like are there teams who are thinking about him as this big three and D wing and valuing him specifically in that role as opposed to this do it all wing that has this superstar potential.
- [38:39]
Sam Bassini
I would say that all of the smart organizations I talk to when they envision how Nate Amen could get on the court early in his career, envision him in that ideal of a role. Right.
- [38:51]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [38:52]
Sam Bassini
Now like I say this more as a compliment to Jaden McDaniels versus a criticism toward Nate Amen. But like, I don't think Nate Amen is quite as tough as Jaden McDaniels was entering the NBA where he's just his motor runs, man. Like it like he goes and he was willing to, like he plays with an attitude. You Know what I mean? Nate doesn't really play with that kind of attitude right now that typically players in that three and D mold do. He is remarked to be like an awesome human being. He's really smart. He is like someone that you want to really believe in and buy into. So I'm hopeful that he would be able to make that adjustment in his head. You know what I mean? Like, that his. His pathway to success early on is not, I have the ball in my hands and I'm creating like I did at Tennessee, and that I'm Kevin Durant. He's not Kevin Durant. Like, anybody that makes that comparison is stupid, frankly. He's never been Kevin Durant. I get it when Rick Barnes says it, because Rick Barnes is his coach and he's trying to motivate him. Right?
- [40:06]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [40:07]
Sam Bassini
Like, Rick Barnes can say that. Like, it's fine. And he's trying to, like, push him to be what he can be. Right. But, like, he's not that. He's nowhere near as long he's nowhere near the shooter. He doesn't have, like, the balance that Kevin Durant did. It's not a criticism to say somebody isn't Kevin Durant. You know what I mean? It's more that. In Nate's case, the best way for him to, like, get the reps that he needs is to take the, you know, hey, let. Let's go watch as much Jaden McDaniels tape as we can and go be that guy. And that'll get us on the court and we'll get the reps. And then like we saw with Jaden McDaniels in the playoffs this year.
- [40:51]
Alex Spears
Yeah.
- [40:52]
Sam Bassini
Once you get that experience and once you start to really knock down shots and once you start to get that respect from the defense. Right. Things open up for you at the end of the day and things. You can continue to grow your game. Jaden McDaniel is, like, 25 now. He's got a long career ahead of him where, like, he might be the second or third option at some point on a really great Minnesota Timberwolves team because he's. That he grew up with those ball skills. But, you know, I'm based off of what we've seen from Nate. Amen. To this point, I am a little bit skeptical that we're going to get that early on for a minute. I am hopeful that, like, the. The people around him start to, like, really lock in on that whenever he gets drafted to a specific situation. Right. Like, even if he gets drafted to the Milwaukee Bucks and he, you know, is on a team without Giannis and Tetokounmpo. If he gets traded and theoretically, like, you could be like, oh, yeah, like, this is this. This could be my team in the future. I hope that he goes in looking at it as, like, hey, Ryan Rollins is a better creator than I am right now. I need to just do my job and be a great defensive player, be a great teammate, knock down shots, create opportunities off the balance when they come. Like, I. I would hope that that's the way that he kind of enters the league, but we'll see.
- [42:21]
Andrew
Am I wrong to think that he and Usman Jang are kind of like the Spider man meme?
- [42:29]
Sam Bassini
God damn it, Andrew. Like a little bit.
- [42:31]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [42:31]
Sam Bassini
There's.
- [42:32]
Andrew
Okay.
- [42:32]
Sam Bassini
There's like a little.
- [42:33]
Andrew
Just asking a question.
- [42:37]
Sam Bassini
I don't know. Like, I never really got the Usman thing. I think there's a better chance of Nate embracing that, like, three and D role than I ever thought that Usman would.
- [42:48]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [42:48]
Sam Bassini
Is how I would answer that question.
- [42:50]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [42:50]
Sam Bassini
And I think Nate has, like, a better track record of shooting at lower levels than Usman ever did, so I think there's a chance he could become a shooter at some point.
- [42:58]
Andrew
Okay. Let's talk about a Daimara who you have mocked to the warriors at 11. In your notes, you mentioned how sources are bringing up his conditioning more regularly, which is something we also heard about Donovan Clingan during the draft cycle. How would you compare and contrast those two as prospects?
- [43:19]
Sam Bassini
Similar, I think totally fair to say similar, to be honest with you. Cling in was not as good of a finisher around the rim. I think Mara just being bigger and having like, the longer standing reach and everything is a little bit more capable of just like, finishing above the rim and getting easier buckets around the rim. I think Klingon is a bit more of a fluid mover on the perimeter in ball screen situations where his short area quickness I think, is a little bit better. I think you can maybe do, like, a little bit more versatile stuff where you play him at the level sometimes and recover back where you're never going to like, switch Donovan Klingen, but he can just be like a slightly more versatile chess piece there. Mars probably a slightly better passer than what Clingan was, but clinging could really pass as well at Connecticut, but like, similar style players. The. The conditioning is a factor with Mara. Like, Michigan played him for short stints for a reason. You could really see Mara start to labor if he started to get into like, six Straight minutes on the court, right. Where like coming up and down the court like he might take like an extra second to like get up and down the court, right. And those advantages in the NBA really get hammered in a way that they often don't in college where if you get odd man breaks in the NBA, it's just done, you know, like it's over. So I would say that like the NBA team that drafts Mara like should probably go in rookie season. Assuming he's like a 20 minute per game guy, try to expand him up to 25. Hope at some point he can continue to expand, expand, expand, get up to like 30 minutes a game. But like I said like most of the, most of the teams I talk to see him as more of like a highly, highly, highly impactful like 25 minute per game guy. If you know that makes sense.
- [45:15]
Alex Spears
One of the more surprising spots in your mock for me was Christian Anderson Jr. Who, who you mocked to the heat at 13. Of all the guards likely to be taken the first round, Anderson measured the shortest at the combine, standing 6:1 without shoes. What has led to Anderson potentially rising up draft boards despite his smaller size?
- [45:35]
Sam Bassini
Really serious individual, you know, somebody that will, that has performed well in pre draft interviews. Someone that has performed well in pre draft workouts due to the shooting. Awesome decision maker, really reactive on the court. Really smart. Yeah, I mean look like I have Christian Anderson like 817 or 18 on my board and I am exceptionally difficult on small cards. As I've explained earlier in the show, I think he's the best shooter in the draft class. Like I feel pretty confident he's the best shooter in the draft class and he can make real ball screen decisions. I hope he gets stronger. If he doesn't, it's going to be really tough on defense. But he works really hard. I'm hope, I'm hopeful that he can figure it out. But you know when I talk to teams they're, they're a little bit higher on him than what I am. But look, all of Those guards from 13 to 25, let's call it so, right. You know you look at just pulling up my board, right? Christian Anderson, Ibuko, Corey LeBaron, Phylon, Bennett, Sturts, you know, those are really the main ones. Those guys could kind of go in a lot of different orders on draft night.
- [46:56]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [46:57]
Sam Bassini
It's just going to be really context dependent. I have the beholder. I try to predict, you know, based off the information I have like who's doing a little bit better in Workouts and who's doing worse but God, guys, you know, like it, it takes one crazy workout that a team keeps like super silent and quiet. And Lebaron Phylon goes 10th overall to the Bucks. Right. Like, you know, you never know. You know the way that this stuff works out. But by and large I would say that, you know, I've gotten really good feedback on Christian Anderson and workouts in through the pre draft process. I've gotten really good feedback on Bennett Certs in the pre draft process as well.
- [47:37]
Andrew
Yaxel Lindeborg falls to 15 in your latest mock draft and your notes mentioned that his workouts have not gone particularly well for much of this draft cycle. Yaxel's been talked about as one of the highest floor prospects with many expecting him to be able to contribute immediately as a 24 year old rookie. For a player that appears so NBA ready, what is the downside case for Yaxel?
- [48:05]
Sam Bassini
Okay, so I, I say this as somebody who has him at 9. I am a huge. Yeah, like I, I think Axel is going to be a really good NBA player. Like a really, really good NBA player. He, he is like a very, he's like an acquired taste on some level. It's like a very specific personality type where like he has a ton of energy. People around him, like, you know, we'll say like there's not really a whole lot of filter there. He just kind of says what's on his mind. You see it in press conferences like this isn't new information necessarily, but he's like that in kind of every walk of life. Like it's not just a press conference thing. Right. And he is, you know, just like he was pretty open throughout the year and with teams that he didn't really know how to work when he first got to Michigan this year. And it's really funny, like you talk to teams that had him in last year for, because he declared for the draft last year obviously and decided to go to Michigan like a day or like the day of the withdrawal date. They'll tell you like his interviews were not great last year. Let's go with. But this year, like he's so much more ready. He's like he, he gets it in a way like so much better than what he did then. Despite being, you know, 22 at the time. He's 23 now, will be 24 before he plays an NBA game. He just is an acquired thing. When you're going through like this pre draft process is the easiest way to put it in terms of you know, how it could not work in the NBA. He can be a very streaky shooter. Like he made 37 of his threes this year, but he can go through down spurts, right? And if he's not shooting, the question is okay, he can go out and transition and like really play in transition and be really valuable offensively in that way. And then defensively, like I love him on defense. Like he's really switchable on defense. He guarded like point of attack players this year regularly for Michigan. He's also got a nine foot standing reach so you can put him down like at the four very easily and he can rotate and block shots and contest at the rim. I am a. The defense is mostly why I'm a huge Yaxel fan. But if it doesn't work, my guess would be that he ends up not being quite the shooter that he was this year at Michigan. And you know, teams he just doesn't get drafted by the right team that like embraces him for he is like his teammates liked him this year. The Michigan staff like you know, figured it out with him after those like initial, you know, hey, like didn't really know how to work moments whenever he first got there in the summer last year. But it's. You might have to have like a little bit more patience, I think with him at the end of the day, despite the fact that he's 23 years old. And that's again for me that's not a bad thing. Like I think he's so gifted and athletic and skilled that I'm all for it. But yeah, that's, that's kind of why there's like a bit of volatility. He could go anywhere from I would say like 11 to. I think I'd be surprised if he went in the top 10 at this point. But like he could go anywhere from like 11 to, you know, I don't know, 17ish, somewhere in that ballpark. And it's going to be fine. He's going to be a mid first round pick.
- [51:30]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [51:31]
Alex Spears
Yeah. You have Dale and Swain mocked to the thunder at 17. The main knocks on Swain seem to be his questionable shot and his defensive drop off at Texas. I understand the shot questions, but I am a little confused about the defensive concerns because by all accounts he was a good defender. Xavier and his defense falling off at Texas coincided with the significant jump in offensive responsibility. So why is it even brought up as a concern? Like, hasn't he shown enough defensively to project him on that end in what will likely be a lower usage role.
- [52:01]
Sam Bassini
So what I would say about the defense at Xavier is like, yes, it was much better from an energy perspective. And it was much better like, at on the ball. Like, you would really fight through screens and was like, awesome at that stuff, right? The flaws were there at Xavier. Like, he's never been great at, like, the help defense, helping the helper, being active and like, engaged when he's off of the ball. He played with so much energy defensively at Xavier that he made it work. But like, the flaws were there at Xavier too, is the thing. Like, he, he was a better defender at Xavier for sure, but the flaws were there. They got accentuated this year at Texas because of the offensive role. But like, here's kind of my thing, right? Like, I don't know, you're a top 20 pick. Like, why can't you do both at the same time? You know what I mean? Like, fair, you know, I'm not fair. I don't think I'm asking a lot. I guess, like, LeBaron file on this year too. Like, LeBaron filon was actually pretty good on defense his freshman year. I actually quite liked him on defense his freshman year next to Mark Sears. Took on tough defensive assignments. He was God awful this year at Alabama. Swain was better defensively this year than Violon was defensively. I, I would, I would like to understand why that. It could just be energy, like, you're taking on more offensive usage and everything. But, okay, if we're doing that, then we're downgrading the offense on some level, right? Like, we're, we're saying, like, okay, if he can't provide the energy on both ends and he's incapable of doing things at the same time on both ends, then if we need them to guard and we need to be needed to be a better defensive player, then we're probably getting a bit of a diminished offensive game, right? Like, that seems pretty reasonable to me.
- [54:03]
Andrew
Yeah, I feel like we do see that sometimes in the league, though. Like, AJ Mitchell is like, a really interesting one to me because he got to the league and I don't know that many people had many expectations for him as a defender. Maybe you can correct me if I'm wrong about that. But, like, I've asked a lot of guys, like, around the team, like, okay, like, how did he become such, like, a good defender for you guys? Like, well, he was good when he got here. I don't know what you're talking about. It's kind of like the response that I've gotten from, like, his teammates. So I don't know. It's. And it's. And it's funny because it's like, certainly not something that you can, like, rely on, you know, like, oh, because they had such, you know, such a. A big responsibility offensively, then they're going to be better defensively in the league. Like, it's just. It just seems to be like one of those things that's just like almost impossible to predict.
- [54:52]
Sam Bassini
Yeah. Like with A.J. right. What my notes were defensively in the draft guide were like, defensively, he did his job. Wasn't overly impactful on that end, but knew where he was supposed to be rotationally, stayed in front of his man, didn't break down often. Right. You know, and then in the weaknesses, it was like, okay, like, sometimes he makes like anticipatory help rotations for steals, but like, you know, that was like at the Big west level. Like, how is that gonna work? Didn't love him fighting through screens was one thing that I picked up on it. Santa Barbara. Yeah. And like, I didn't think he was going to be, like, wildly disruptive based on the tape.
- [55:34]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [55:34]
Sam Bassini
But, you know, he's. He's figured it out. Next level. I agree with you that, like, this stuff can happen. Like, for sure it absolutely can happen. It just tends to be from guys that I think have like, really high feel for the game, intend to, you know, figure it out when they get to the NBA that they just have to play with more effort on that end or they're not pushed on that end too. Like, like Oklahoma City, like, really pushes you defensively.
- [56:00]
Andrew
Yeah. You have to. You have to give. Give a certain amount of effort to make it onto the court for the Thunder. Yeah. So the Sixers and Daryl Morey were widely panned for their trade deadline move of Jared McCain, but they did get the 22nd pick in this year's draft. With this range of the draft feeling so fluid, what do you think would be the best case scenario for the Sixers in terms of good fit that could potentially fall to 22?
- [56:30]
Sam Bassini
I just want them to get like, more physical on the interior is kind of the easiest way I would explain it. Like, I have co opied there. Co opied's physical on the interior. He's strong. Like, I think it'd be an amazing fit with Joel Embiid because Joel plays such a perimeter based game now that, you know, you just have Koa running baseline to baseline. And then if you want to post Joel Koa Runs a ball screen, flashes to the high post. You get like a high, low kind of action going there, right on top of it. Like, I think CO is just like a really smart basketball player who can guard and can be physical. So, like that. That's why I have him there. But in reality, it's just like we gotta get a little bit stronger and more physical. Like, the other guy I love there is Joshua Jefferson. Like, if you go get Joshua Jefferson, who's just big and strong and makes great decisions and has potential to shoot it like, that totally works for me. Somebody like him would work there. Like, the idea of what people want Chris Cenac to be would be an interesting idea because he's a really good rebounder. It's just he is not all that good at like high level, elite basketball yet because he just. Things move a little bit slow for him right now. He doesn't have that, like, feel that he can rely on, like possession after possession. Right. In terms of reactivity. So I would understand that one. I would understand Zubie Edgia four for them. I would kind of understand Alan Graves for them a little bit. Like that kind of four. Like that kind of player is what I would want.
- [58:09]
Andrew
So.
- [58:09]
Alex Spears
Last question about your mock. The lakers are selecting 25th in this year's draft. We've already heard reports about Luca asking the team to seek out an A list center. Now, that's likely going to be accomplished in free agency or trade. But are there any bigs in this range of the draft that you think would be an especially good fit with Luka?
- [58:27]
Sam Bassini
No.
- [58:28]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [58:31]
Sam Bassini
A lot of them are like. A lot of them are more like below the rim guys or like their Vasar where they're picking pop guys. Right.
- [58:38]
Andrew
Okay.
- [58:39]
Sam Bassini
It's. Yeah, yeah. Like, Luca loves like a lob threat. Like, that's why Jackson Hayes is now a Slovenian national team member. In all likelihood. And you know, we'll be on the Lakers for a little while would be my guess.
- [58:51]
Alex Spears
Okay, who is there? Who's the big in this draft? If they could move up. Is. Is there. Is there a big, like within a reachable range that you think would make sense?
- [59:00]
Sam Bassini
Look, I think Mrez can do some of that stuff. I think Mara can do some of that stuff just as a pure lob threat. Right? Yeah, but like, they don't have the assets to move up to do this unless they're gonna mortgage more of their, like, future picks. So, like, it doesn't really work for me.
- [59:16]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [59:17]
Andrew
Yeah. Okay. We're gonna take a quick break. We come back. We're going to do a couple pre draft awards and then we'll do some trivia. We'll be right back. 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 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, 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 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.
- [61:29]
Alex Spears
Hey, Pablo Torre here.
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Sam Bassini
As a sports journalist, I've covered global
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Andrew
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Sam Bassini
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Sam Bassini
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Andrew
McDonald's at the FIFA World Cup 2026. We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature. Whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the
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Sam Bassini
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Andrew
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Sam Bassini
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Andrew
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Sam Bassini
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Andrew
the most of your summer with Alltrails. And we're back after that quick break. Okay, we're going to do some pre draft awards. The first award is the false ceiling award. This award goes to a player whose potential upside you feel is being undersold by most people.
- [63:04]
Sam Bassini
So I think that the answer everyone couldn't like reasonably like should give is Cam Boozer. I think Camboozer has a chance to be like one of the 10 best players in the league at some point. So false ceiling. But if let's like have a more interesting answer than that. I kind of wonder if the two guys for me are two guys we've kind of talked about a little bit earlier in Merez Johnson and Braden Buries. Braden Burry is just really complete. He is a real like dribble pass shoot guard. I know he's not massive, but he's quite strong. He can really defend. He's really useful on that end. Like if we looked up and he ends up having a like Derek White style career where he's probably not that good on defense but you know, really quite excellent overall as a player and has that kind of impact that wouldn't blow my mind. And then if Merez Johnson can like just figure out what his offensive role is, I think he has like real all defense characteristics that could really play up in the NBA. The offensive role will be interesting. He'll need to learn how to either shoot or really make high level passing reads. But if one of those two things happen he can really, really really become a high end player. I guess I would also note Stein Han Steinbach here. Hans Steinbach is so skilled guys like I think people really underestimate how gifted he is. He catches everything in his area. He has great touch on the interior. He can really shoot from three or like has potential to really shoot from three. He was like a 34% three point shooter this year at Washington taking to a game if you told me we looked up and he's like a 20 and 10 guy in the NBA by the time he's like 24, 25. That wouldn't blow my mind if we looked up and he's. He was like an all star, you know, offensive caliber, big man.
- [65:05]
Andrew
Is it just his archetype that has people, like, kind of turned off the
- [65:10]
Sam Bassini
defense was hit or miss this year, is what I would say. And, like, I'm somebody who feels quite strongly about defense from Biggs.
- [65:18]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [65:19]
Sam Bassini
You know, he is a. Like, he played 382 minutes at center this season, and Washington allowed 114.2 points per 100. Opponents shot 68.6% at the rim when Steinbach was at center. Now, Washington's defense on the perimeter and their guard play in general was a catastrophe this year, guys. But, like, compare that to when there was a center on the court. They were just drastically, drastically better on defense, which is why he ended up playing a little bit more of the four. So it's. Is he quick enough to guard the fours and like the perimeter fours in the NBA? Is he, you know, a good enough room protector to consistently play the five? He'll have to prove that he can do that. I think it's going to be the five for him. I think more than the four.
- [66:08]
Andrew
Yeah. On the other side of that, the false floor award, this goes to the player whose potential downside you do not feel people are acknowledging enough.
- [66:25]
Sam Bassini
Right now. So, look, Yaxel is an answer to this. I think on some level, because I think everyone thinks that Yaxel just going to come in and be awesome in the NBA. I think there are floor. There are outcomes where he's, like, not awesome in the NBA if the shot really does not translate. But I'm. I'm a fan of Yaxel and I think the defense is going to be quite good. So if the shot doesn't translate there. There are outcomes for Yaxel where it's not great. I would answer to this question. I don't know, like, do you guys feel like Mike. Mikel Brown's like, getting really gassed up right now? I think it's the answer to this. Or is like.
- [67:05]
Andrew
I don't think it's an insane answer. I just feel like I read and see wildly different things about him. Yeah.
- [67:14]
Sam Bassini
Yeah. I'm, like, trying to think of a. Of like, a better also.
- [67:21]
Alex Spears
Like, each of those guards have gotten, like, two days of reports about them, like, being considered at, like, five.
- [67:28]
Sam Bassini
Yeah, right.
- [67:29]
Andrew
Yeah, sure.
- [67:31]
Sam Bassini
I'll give you. I'll give you Caleb Wilson here on some level where, like, if the flaws don't improve, right. And he doesn't become a good defender. He was pretty bad defensively this year at unc. We talked about that on this show before. Go back in time if you want my opinion on Caleb Wilson defensively. We did a slam and jam episode where we talked about for probably 10 minutes, something like that.
- [67:55]
Andrew
Yeah,
- [67:58]
Sam Bassini
if he doesn't get better on defense and the passing ability ends up being more like standstill passing ability like it was at UNC versus like really being able to pass on them, move and the shot never totally comes along. Like, is there some like John Collins kind of outcomes? And John Collins averaged 20 and 10 one season in the NBA and like, was really good and has been a starter in the NBA for what, like half. Over half a decade now? Well over half a decade now. So like, even then it's not a catastrophe. But I think people would be very disappointed if Caleb Olson ends up being right. Yeah, you know, more of a perimeter oriented like John Collins style. Big right.
- [68:48]
Alex Spears
Yeah, yeah, I think, I think that's a good answer. That is actually the name that I was thinking of when I wrote that award. Okay.
- [68:59]
Andrew
Poor Bulls fans. I was just talking to a Bulls fan earlier today and he was like, they can't scream screw this up, can they?
- [69:04]
Sam Bassini
Well, I think, yeah, part of it.
- [69:06]
Alex Spears
He's so locked into Chicago that no one's really discuss. It's just kind of assumed, like, yeah, he's the fourth guy. That's just who you take. And I just haven't heard enough about like, what if he doesn't shoot and what if he isn't good at defense? What does that mean? Who is that player?
- [69:21]
Sam Bassini
Well, I'll say this too. I don't think that's gonna happen.
- [69:25]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [69:25]
Sam Bassini
Caleb Wilson is like another one of those, like, sneaky, underrated. This guy's a dog. Like, he, he wants to compete and wants to get after it every single night and like, wants to improve and like, I, I think that that is not going to happen. But I am just going to say, like, there are, there are some weird outcomes there for him in terms of like, impacting winning basketball consistently if. If it doesn't go well.
- [69:54]
Alex Spears
All right, next award, the official Samvasini My Guy award. This award goes to the player who Sam is most high on compared to consensus. Before you answer, I went to the rookiescale.com consensus big board and actually looked at where you had players ranked in comparison to the consensus big board. I'm going to give you four names. These are all players that you were at least eight spots higher on Than consensus. And from those four names, I'd like you to pick the one that you think both exemplifies this draft cycle for you in terms of like your guy. So the names are.
- [70:26]
Sam Bassini
Can I guess these?
- [70:28]
Alex Spears
Yes, go ahead.
- [70:29]
Sam Bassini
I would guess I'm higher on co opete than most.
- [70:32]
Alex Spears
Yes. Plus nine.
- [70:34]
Sam Bassini
I would guess I'm higher on Joshua Jefferson than most.
- [70:37]
Alex Spears
Yes. Plus 10.
- [70:41]
Sam Bassini
So it only, only positive here, right?
- [70:44]
Alex Spears
Yes. And Sam, if you get all four, I'm gonna give you a point in Andrew versus the beat.
- [70:50]
Andrew
Whoa.
- [70:50]
Sam Bassini
I'm gonna guess Richie Saunders is one of these names.
- [70:54]
Alex Spears
Plus 11. Can you get the last name?
- [70:57]
Sam Bassini
I'm gonna guess a man. Are we only doing first rounders?
- [71:01]
Alex Spears
I went to like 38ish on the
- [71:04]
Sam Bassini
consensus board or my board?
- [71:06]
Alex Spears
Yeah, on the consensus board.
- [71:08]
Sam Bassini
Okay. I don't think Emmanuel Sharp is in the top 38 on the consensus board, but I have him at 33, so that would have been my other answer.
- [71:16]
Alex Spears
Unfortunately, Sam, that is incorrect. You do not get the point. The other name is Dalen Swain.
- [71:22]
Sam Bassini
Interesting.
- [71:23]
Alex Spears
Okay, plus eight. Yeah.
- [71:26]
Sam Bassini
Honestly, which of those four do you
- [71:28]
Alex Spears
feel like is the most Sambasini? My guy.
- [71:32]
Andrew
My guy.
- [71:33]
Alex Spears
My guy.
- [71:37]
Sam Bassini
It's probably either Joshua Jefferson or Richie Saunders. Like I just think Richie Saunders is really good at basketball. He's coming off the ACL injury, so it's like a little bit unfair where I'm just like willing to bet on him at a high level coming off of that injury. I know he's 25 years old, but like he's way better defensively than what people think. He shoots the ever loving out of the ball. He is awesome at moving without the ball. It's just like kind of an easy fit in the NBA to become a good role player again. Like part of this though is that there's some real uncertainty with the knee, I think. Yeah.
- [72:15]
Andrew
And when did he have the injury again?
- [72:17]
Sam Bassini
In February, if memory serves. That's not to say like it's worse, like the medical is worse than what people expected. It's not. It's just like he's 25 years old with an ACL and he's never played in the NBA before. Right. And then Joshua Jefferson is just my kind of guy. Like dribble, pass, shoot, defend. Think you know, is does all of those things at a pretty reasonable level except shoot right now. And the shot got way better this year. I think there's nothing like totally broken mechanically with the shot. So. Yeah, like just, you know, one of my guys that can really think out There and makes high level passing reads for his teammates. So I, I, those two guys probably tick the box for me.
- [72:57]
Alex Spears
Yeah, I like that one. Joshua Jefferson, man, he can pass.
- [73:02]
Andrew
I like him a lot.
- [73:04]
Sam Bassini
Awesome passer, like extremely thunder coded. I don't know if I could even take him at 17, but like very thunder coated if they trade it down.
- [73:13]
Alex Spears
Last award, the official San Versini not my guy award. This award goes to the player who Sam is most low on compared to consensus. And I will tell you, Sam, one guy ran away with it. I don't even need to give you a list. You know who it is?
- [73:25]
Andrew
Lopez?
- [73:27]
Alex Spears
No, but actually he's number two.
- [73:29]
Sam Bassini
Yeah. Is it Sanak then?
- [73:32]
Alex Spears
No.
- [73:34]
Sam Bassini
Okay.
- [73:35]
Alex Spears
It's someone you mocked in the, in the late teens.
- [73:38]
Sam Bassini
But you said, oh, it's Alan Grace. It's Alan Grace.
- [73:42]
Andrew
Yeah. And you also mocked him.
- [73:44]
Alex Spears
Yeah, that's right.
- [73:45]
Sam Bassini
I don't mocked him. And mocked him first and foremost. Yeah, just like, not like. My issue with Graves is that I think that people are way over indexing the analytics side. When the analytics were drastically worse against quad one and quad two teams this year, you know, effective field Goal percentage of 65.3 in quad three and four games versus 50.4% in quad one and two games. Offensive rebounding rate dropped from 16% to 11% in quad one and two games. Block rate fell from 6% to 3.9%. Two point percentage from 62.9% to 50%. Three point percentage from 46.8% to 34%. You know, in quad one and two competition, he shot just 54.3 at the rim. On top of that, like basically played the center this year. He played 160 minutes this year at the 4 per CBB analytics. And Santa Clara, despite normally winning their possessions by 14 points per 100 possessions, actually lost those minutes where Graves was at the fourth this year. So everyone's just assuming that he's going to be able to Translate to the 4. And I'm like, I'm not quite as sold on that as some people are.
- [75:13]
Andrew
Yeah, we consistently see like mocks that have him over Joshua Jefferson. Can you like, can you help me understand that?
- [75:22]
Sam Bassini
Well, I think that the case for it would be that Alan Graves is like kind of a teenage version of Joshua Jefferson.
- [75:28]
Andrew
Right.
- [75:28]
Sam Bassini
Like Graves is ahead of where Joshua Jefferson was when Joshua Jefferson played in the same league in the wcc. Right. So I do totally understand that. I think that at the end of the day, I tend to put a little bit more value on rookie scale contract value than what some other people do. Like if. If you were making me. Because look, at the end of the day, the rookie scale value is what determines whether or not the team that drafts you is going to get value out of you on some level. I think Alan Graves is probably going to be like a good NBA player by the time he's 25. And if I was just making a board based on the guys who are the best players in the draft, like, or have the best careers in the draft, I would probably have Alan Graves a little bit higher.
- [76:17]
Andrew
Okay?
- [76:17]
Sam Bassini
But that's not how I make my board. My board is, you're drafting this guy as an organization. What value as this organization are you going to get out of this player? And that can be via trade, it can be via production. It can be whatever it has to be. It's just that what value is that organization that selects you? Getting from selecting you is the easiest way to explain my board, and I think that. But I have some concerns on whether or not Graves is going to be able to make an impact early in his career.
- [76:59]
Alex Spears
All right, Sam, thank you for answering our draft questions, but it's now time to play Andrew versus the be. Now, last time you were here, Sam, I did a fun little thing that was actually very hard, which is, is that each question corresponded to a draft slot and you had to talk. And the question about players who were
- [77:19]
Sam Bassini
drafted honestly, like an unfairly difficult.
- [77:23]
Alex Spears
It was. It was. Okay, fair enough. Fair enough. This one is easier. So each question is going to. Or each number is going to refer to the draft history of the team that is drafting in that slot. And it's going to be recent draft history. So if you choose number one one, it's going to be a question about the wizard's recent draft history. Okay?
- [77:43]
Andrew
Okay.
- [77:44]
Alex Spears
And I do want to shout out Reddit user reasonable underscore add 1500. He's been doing these. Here. She's been doing these draft history posts on R. Billsimmons where he's just. Just going through who the
- [78:00]
Sam Bassini
Bill Simmons?
- [78:01]
Alex Spears
No, I googled this because you know why? This is my one pet peeve with basketball reference. When you go to draft history, it lists the players that they didn't acquire. You know, like OKC will have Alperin, Shin Goon. I don't care about that. Why is he on there? I want to see Usman Jang. I want to see Poku.
- [78:19]
Andrew
You don't want to see Rodrigue Beaubois on that.
- [78:21]
Alex Spears
I don't want to see Rodrigue Beaubois and it's really actually hard to find a list of the players that were actually taken by team. So shout out to this Reddit user who has made these posts. It made it much easier to come up with these questions.
- [78:34]
Sam Bassini
Okay, I'm just laughing that Al went like full Baltimore when he was like, I want to see Poku.
- [78:40]
Alex Spears
I don't want to say Poku.
- [78:44]
Sam Bassini
I went too Southern on it. Like, I can't do the Baltimore accent, but like, it was just very, very Baltimore coded.
- [78:52]
Alex Spears
I always want to see Poco.
- [78:55]
Andrew
Don't we all?
- [78:56]
Alex Spears
Okay, Sam, so pick a number. 1 through 8 corresponds to the teams in those slots.
- [79:01]
Sam Bassini
Let's go with number one. Let's go with the Wizards, baby.
- [79:04]
Alex Spears
All right, the Wizards. Since drafting Bradley BEAL in the 2012 draft, only one Wizards draft pick played 300 plus games for Washington.
- [79:15]
Andrew
Wow.
- [79:16]
Alex Spears
Who is it?
- [79:18]
Andrew
What?
- [79:21]
Sam Bassini
Okay, so. No, I mean, he was before. Okay, let's try to think through some of these Wizards teams they've had in
- [79:39]
Alex Spears
300 games around four seasons.
- [79:43]
Sam Bassini
Yeah, like four full seasons. Probably get there in five seasons. That's a really good number because it means that you probably ended up signing a second contract there in some respect.
- [79:57]
Alex Spears
Probably.
- [80:03]
Sam Bassini
Oh, boy. Okay. I'm like, really? The problem is I'm like trying to run through, like, the Tommy Shepard era now in my head, because I think that the Winger era, they haven't played enough games yet.
- [80:21]
Alex Spears
Man, Tommy Shepard, it's a fun era.
- [80:25]
Sam Bassini
I mean, like, it's a fun hair out. Like, shout out Isaiah Todd, baby.
- [80:31]
Alex Spears
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
- [80:34]
Andrew
What was the number? How many games?
- [80:37]
Sam Bassini
Three.
- [80:37]
Alex Spears
300 plus. It's not Johnny Davis.
- [80:42]
Sam Bassini
It is most certainly not Johnny. Man, this is an ugly question, Al, because this team has not had a lot of success in the recent draft history.
- [80:57]
Alex Spears
But things are turning around.
- [80:59]
Sam Bassini
Things are turning around. I think they are turned around. For what it's worth, Like, I think that they're going to be quite good moving forward.
- [81:10]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [81:10]
Sam Bassini
I mean, the problem is that, like, all the names I'm thinking of are like your Andre blatches, your JaVale McGee's, your.
- [81:20]
Alex Spears
I'm saying since 2012.
- [81:21]
Sam Bassini
No, I know. That's what I'm saying. Like, I can't. All of my names are before this.
- [81:26]
Alex Spears
You can only think of the old fun Wizards teams.
- [81:29]
Sam Bassini
Is it. Oh, man, this guy might have gone early. Is it Tomas Saransky?
- [81:37]
Alex Spears
It is not Tomas Satoransky. Andrew.
- [81:42]
Andrew
What do I think Kissbert Kispert is?
- [81:45]
Sam Bassini
That's a good answer. It's Kissbert.
- [81:47]
Alex Spears
It was Kissbert. It was Kispert Andrew.
- [81:53]
Andrew
Let's go number two, Utah.
- [81:56]
Alex Spears
The last time Utah picked in the top three was the 2011 draft when they selected Ennis Cantor. Now Ennis Freedom with the third overall pick. If you added Ennis's career high in points with his career high in rebounds, what number would you get? Now you get to choose who answers first. You can make Sam answer. You go higher or lower. Or you can answer go higher. Lower. So career high at points.
- [82:20]
Andrew
Career high.
- [82:22]
Alex Spears
Career high and rebounds for the record.
- [82:25]
Sam Bassini
Just want to note Saronsky. I just looked this up.
- [82:28]
Alex Spears
Yes.
- [82:29]
Sam Bassini
232 games with the Wizards.
- [82:31]
Alex Spears
Oh, that's pretty good.
- [82:33]
Sam Bassini
Was not that bad.
- [82:34]
Alex Spears
He might have been third because I think Kelly Oubre Jr. Was second. He was like 250 something.
- [82:39]
Sam Bassini
I thought about u and I thought Uber got moved too quickly. So I was right. But like they.
- [82:45]
Alex Spears
They moved on too quickly. Should have kept Tsunami Poppy. He should have.
- [82:49]
Andrew
If he had stayed there.
- [82:50]
Alex Spears
You probably have a statue by the time he retires. Tsunami Poppy instead they moved on Tsunami Puppy.
- [83:00]
Andrew
Okay. Career high in points and rebounds added together.
- [83:04]
Alex Spears
Added together.
- [83:06]
Andrew
Does this count the the weirdo like post trade deadline thunder that he was just like crushing as I count that
- [83:16]
Alex Spears
it's his whole career.
- [83:18]
Andrew
Okay.
- [83:19]
Alex Spears
Best points game and his pest. Best rebounds game added together.
- [83:23]
Andrew
Okay, I'll say 30.
- [83:30]
Alex Spears
Sam, higher, lower.
- [83:33]
Sam Bassini
Over on that 30.
- [83:35]
Alex Spears
Andrew, what are you talking about?
- [83:38]
Andrew
What am I talking about?
- [83:39]
Alex Spears
His career high in rebounds was 30.
- [83:42]
Sam Bassini
Who's gonna say some like monster.
- [83:45]
Alex Spears
His points was 33. It's 63.
- [83:48]
Andrew
Wait, what. What am I, what am I? Oh, I don't know.
- [83:52]
Alex Spears
I don't know what you just did.
- [83:53]
Andrew
I'm thinking of average. I'm thinking of average points, average numbers together. I don't know, Al.
- [84:00]
Alex Spears
It's mid a 30 rebound game. He set the franchise record for the Portland Trailblazer.
- [84:05]
Andrew
Oh, goodness. I don't know what I was. I don't know what I was thinking about, but I was not thinking about what you were asking.
- [84:13]
Alex Spears
Wow.
- [84:14]
Andrew
At all.
- [84:17]
Alex Spears
I've always said he's not a good listener. Doesn't listen to me. Doesn't listen to my ideas or my questions.
- [84:22]
Andrew
Okay, Sam, My brain did not go to the right place.
- [84:26]
Sam Bassini
Oh, my God. We'll go to number three with the Grizzlies.
- [84:30]
Alex Spears
The Grizzlies. Who was the last Grizzlies first round pick that did not last at least four seasons in the NBA?
- [84:40]
Sam Bassini
Oh,
- [84:42]
Alex Spears
it's kind of a nice trivia question. I'm being nice to The Grizzlies, because they've drafted so many guys. It's a hard question.
- [84:54]
Sam Bassini
The guy obviously, I think lasted literally
- [84:57]
Alex Spears
four years and obviously not including, like Zach, Edie, or recent draft picks who had a chance to play four seasons.
- [85:06]
Sam Bassini
And these are all second. Second rounders, too, or just first rounders?
- [85:10]
Alex Spears
Just first rounders.
- [85:11]
Sam Bassini
Oh, just first rounders. Oh, yeah, just first rounders, man. I have a name, but I think he did. Last four is the problem.
- [85:21]
Alex Spears
Can you give me the initials?
- [85:22]
Sam Bassini
I can't share it because.
- [85:24]
Andrew
Can you give me the initials?
- [85:26]
Sam Bassini
Could you give me his first name? So now I have to, like, dig a little bit farther.
- [85:33]
Alex Spears
It could be right. Sam.
- [85:35]
Sam Bassini
I want to, like, really stop and think through this for a second. Hold on.
- [85:40]
Alex Spears
That's fine. But a lot of times when people get things wrong, it's because they didn't go with their gut.
- [85:46]
Sam Bassini
Yeah.
- [85:46]
Alex Spears
Now if you do say that name
- [85:47]
Sam Bassini
and get it wrong, I feel pretty good that this guy got to his fourth year.
- [85:53]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [85:59]
Sam Bassini
Huh? Okay. I might. I might just have to go with it.
- [86:05]
Alex Spears
But I think you should trust your gut. Trust your gut. You got a great gut.
- [86:17]
Andrew
You got a healthy gut.
- [86:23]
Sam Bassini
So. Okay, I'll just give the answer. My. My answer was David Roddy, but I think he got to his fourth year is my problem.
- [86:29]
Andrew
Big body.
- [86:30]
Alex Spears
Damn it, Rowdy. He got to his fourth year. Yeah, he's playing last year.
- [86:38]
Andrew
He was. Was it Wade Baldwin?
- [86:44]
Sam Bassini
That's the answer.
- [86:45]
Alex Spears
I think it's Wade Baldwin.
- [86:47]
Andrew
Yes. Dude, I thought Wade Baldwin was going to be the truth, and he was not.
- [86:52]
Sam Bassini
I thought, you know what?
- [86:53]
Alex Spears
Adams was going to be the truth, who they are.
- [86:56]
Andrew
Oh, Wade got that name is very
- [87:00]
Sam Bassini
good right now overseas. Honestly, like, is he playing Wade Baldwin? Like, probably could be like in the NBA right now, to be honest with you. It's like very. He'd be like on the borderline. Like he plays for Fenerbahce in Turkey. But he's been one of the best players, you know, in Euroleague for quite a while. Like, he's made Euro League, second, all Euro League second team three the last four years.
- [87:26]
Andrew
So he could still be the truth. Very good.
- [87:30]
Alex Spears
He could change this question, go back in time and take away that point from you, Andrew.
- [87:36]
Andrew
Wow.
- [87:37]
Alex Spears
Andrew. Question number four. Chicago. Patrick Williams. Patrick Williams. Pat Will. What's his nickname?
- [87:54]
Andrew
The Paw.
- [87:55]
Alex Spears
Something.
- [87:55]
Andrew
Something about the Paw. That's what it is. The paw. Yeah.
- [87:58]
Alex Spears
Drafted fourth overall by the Bulls in the 2020 draft, he's now the longest tenured member of the Bulls with six seasons played for Chicago oh, no. Among active NBA players. So guys who played in the NBA last season, there are only three players who played more than six consecutive seasons with the Bulls in their careers. How many can you name? And you get one point per correct answer. So these are guys, they're now playing for other teams, but at some point in their career, they played more than six consecutive seasons with Chicago.
- [88:32]
Andrew
More than six consecutive seasons with Chicago.
- [88:37]
Sam Bassini
And you said there are four of them?
- [88:39]
Alex Spears
There's three.
- [88:40]
Sam Bassini
Three, Three.
- [88:43]
Andrew
Wow, that is tricky. Kobe White.
- [88:49]
Alex Spears
Kobe White is one. He played six and a half, made it to his seventh season and was traded. You get a point for that.
- [89:03]
Andrew
6 season still in the league. Do we. Do we count? Todd Gibson is still in the league.
- [89:11]
Alex Spears
This is why I asked this question, because I didn't think you would think. I didn't think you would remember that Taj Gibson played 10 games for the Grizzlies last year.
- [89:19]
Andrew
Yeah, I remember. He's. He's. It was shocking to see him appear as a player still in the NBA.
- [89:30]
Alex Spears
Yes, that's correct.
- [89:34]
Andrew
Goodness.
- [89:34]
Alex Spears
He started a game last year.
- [89:38]
Andrew
Shout out to the Grizz, man. Shout out to the Grizz. Glad. Glad that they got the third pick because it'd be quite painful to be starting Todd Gibson.
- [89:46]
Sam Bassini
And I think they played 37 guys last year or something. It was crazy.
- [89:52]
Andrew
Poor, poor Keith Parrish, man. Bobby Fortis.
- [89:58]
Alex Spears
No, Sam, you can steal a point.
- [90:02]
Sam Bassini
So I was down to Portis and this guy, but my problem is I think he might have got traded after five. Okay, a little bit worried about that. Who could it be? I'm going to say that Lowry. Markkanen was there for six years.
- [90:19]
Alex Spears
He may have been there for six, but he wasn't there for more than six.
- [90:22]
Sam Bassini
Oh, it's more than six.
- [90:24]
Alex Spears
It's more than six. This player played eight consecutive seasons with the Bulls. His name is Zach Levine.
- [90:33]
Andrew
Oh, wow.
- [90:35]
Alex Spears
Zach Lovey.
- [90:37]
Andrew
That's crazy that it was that long.
- [90:39]
Sam Bassini
Did Markkanen play six? I'm gonna be.
- [90:41]
Alex Spears
I know time flies. I do think it was six. I think it was six because also Vuch was six.
- [90:47]
Sam Bassini
No, it was only four. He was there because he got traded to Cleveland that year, too. That's right.
- [90:52]
Andrew
V played six seasons there. Is that true?
- [90:56]
Alex Spears
Is true.
- [90:57]
Andrew
That's crazy.
- [90:58]
Alex Spears
Sam. Board of Shorts.
- [91:00]
Sam Bassini
Let's go with. Let's see here. So. Oh, man. Recent. Recent draft history for the Clippers.
- [91:24]
Alex Spears
Yeah.
- [91:25]
Sam Bassini
Oh, boy.
- [91:26]
Andrew
Question.
- [91:26]
Sam Bassini
Let's lock it in.
- [91:27]
Alex Spears
Let's do it.
- [91:29]
Andrew
Yes.
- [91:30]
Sam Bassini
I was thinking. I was like, man, this could be this could be a bit tough.
- [91:34]
Alex Spears
Okay. Since drafting Blake Griffin Number one overall in the 2009 draft, there have been 11 players drafted by the Clippers in the first round of the NBA draft. And we're going to name them all now to qualify. These are players who were either drafted by the Clippers or traded to the Clippers on draft night. So we are not counting. Landry Shammit, who was traded during his rookie season, did play as a rookie as a Clipper, but was not with the Clippers on draft night. So these are players who were either drafted by them or traded to the Clippers on draft night. There's 11 names we're going to go back and forth to. One of you stumbles. So, Sam, you're going to start us out. And this is since drafting Blake Griffin in the 2009 draft.
- [92:17]
Sam Bassini
Yeah. I mean, I'll start with Nerhauser last year.
- [92:20]
Alex Spears
Yannick Nerhauser. That is correct.
- [92:23]
Andrew
Andrew Nerhauser. Sh. Gil was. Alexander. Shay.
- [92:28]
Alex Spears
Gil Alexander. That's right. Back to Sam.
- [92:32]
Sam Bassini
Real really not great by them. Okay. Did not go in the first round. In the first round. My God, Alex. These are some late picks, too.
- [92:49]
Alex Spears
Yeah, there's a lot of late picks. There's a couple good names. There's a couple of names.
- [92:55]
Andrew
There's a couple of go get names.
- [92:57]
Sam Bassini
Okay, so let's think through here. Too early. Let me think through this. Oh, man.
- [93:16]
Alex Spears
You knew this question was going to be like this and you still went for it.
- [93:21]
Sam Bassini
I did. It was an error in judgment, Al. And honestly, like, this is probably as easy as the question was going to get.
- [93:31]
Andrew
That's true.
- [93:31]
Sam Bassini
Problem. Okay, so first rounders for the Clippers. Man, I'm like really trying to dig through because it's been a little while before meter hazard, I believe.
- [93:51]
Alex Spears
Yeah, it had been a minute.
- [93:53]
Sam Bassini
Yeah, I'm like, try. I'm like literally going through in my head like all of the. The drafts that I can think through. Now. I'm like, just gonna have to go through teams, I guess. He was not drafted in the first round. That's annoying.
- [94:14]
Andrew
Alex is just giggling at the torment that's happening right now.
- [94:19]
Sam Bassini
Yeah, because like, literally now I'm gonna
- [94:22]
Alex Spears
have to go through every ride. Here we go. Name number.
- [94:25]
Sam Bassini
Yeah, like, literally, like I've written down like three guys that went in the second round. Four now. And I can't think of the guys that went in the first round because I feel like they did not go particularly well.
- [94:42]
Alex Spears
That's impressive. You got four second round Clippers Picks, though.
- [94:47]
Sam Bassini
I do. That's something.
- [94:49]
Alex Spears
Not for this show.
- [94:51]
Sam Bassini
Not for this.
- [94:51]
Alex Spears
Maybe another trivia game. You get some points.
- [94:55]
Sam Bassini
Okay. I'm like, really trying to think through those teams even. No, he was not drafted there. Who got traded.
- [95:05]
Andrew
No.
- [95:08]
Sam Bassini
Well, I was like thinking, like, okay, Tobias Harris was there. Like, how did they acquire twice Harris. They acquired twice Harris, like, through X player.
- [95:16]
Alex Spears
Yeah,
- [95:23]
Sam Bassini
I don't think he was one.
- [95:25]
Andrew
Is.
- [95:27]
Sam Bassini
I don't think he was one either. Now I'm like digging through.
- [95:33]
Alex Spears
Was on one of my favorite teams of all time. 2011, 2012 Milwaukee Bucks. While you're thinking, Sam, let me just name off some names. EPE Yudo. Larry Sanders. Luke Emba Amute. Sean Livingston. Brandon Jennings. Stephen Jackson. Urson Ilya Silva. Tobias Harris. Drew Gooden. Monte Ellis, Mike Dunleavy. Andrew Bogut, Carlos Delfino. There's so many names on that team. I love that team.
- [96:03]
Andrew
I feel like they just. I mean, that's just like a level. Like they acquired. Like, let's get the same level of player throughout the entire roster. It feels like. Yes, I like that.
- [96:15]
Alex Spears
I think I had two of those guys on my fantasy team and I watched so many Bucks games.
- [96:20]
Sam Bassini
Eric Gordon would be one.
- [96:22]
Alex Spears
Eric Gordon. Incorrect.
- [96:26]
Sam Bassini
Really?
- [96:28]
Alex Spears
I believe he was selected. Oh, you know what?
- [96:31]
Andrew
I think he was the year before.
- [96:32]
Sam Bassini
I think he might have been the year before. Now that I say this.
- [96:35]
Alex Spears
Yeah, he was. 2008.
- [96:38]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [96:39]
Alex Spears
2008.
- [96:40]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [96:41]
Sam Bassini
That's a nightmare.
- [96:42]
Andrew
Sorry, I thought you were gonna say Eric Bledsoe.
- [96:45]
Alex Spears
Who is an answer.
- [96:47]
Sam Bassini
That's an answer.
- [96:49]
Alex Spears
Also. You could have gone with who did they take? They had back to back picks with sga.
- [96:53]
Andrew
Jerome Robinson.
- [96:54]
Sam Bassini
Took Jerome Robinson. Yeah.
- [96:56]
Alex Spears
Yeah. Player with nickname Chief.
- [97:02]
Andrew
Alfred Camino.
- [97:03]
Alex Spears
Now FRU Camino.
- [97:05]
Sam Bassini
Yeah. I wouldn't have gotten there. I would have thought before Blake Griffin. Reggie Bullock was gettable.
- [97:11]
Alex Spears
C.J. wilcox. Not gettable. Bryce Johnson.
- [97:16]
Andrew
Bryce Johnson.
- [97:18]
Sam Bassini
Fionu Cabin. Oh, I probably could have gotten there on that.
- [97:25]
Alex Spears
Keon Johnson
- [97:28]
Sam Bassini
forgot all. I would have thought he went to
- [97:29]
Alex Spears
the and Kobe Blazers.
- [97:31]
Andrew
Maybe Kobe Brown.
- [97:34]
Sam Bassini
Oh, Kobe Brown was gettable. That's my fault. The second rounders I had were Deandre Jordan, Musa Diabate, Jordan Miller, Kobe Sanders. Yeah, that's why I was like, yeah, I just keep writing down second rounders and I'm really.
- [97:47]
Alex Spears
No diamond stone.
- [97:48]
Sam Bassini
Down second rounders.
- [97:50]
Andrew
No diamonds.
- [97:51]
Sam Bassini
Didn't get the diamond stone. No Disappointing.
- [97:55]
Alex Spears
Andrew, board is yours.
- [97:58]
Andrew
Number six, the Brooklyn Nets.
- [98:02]
Alex Spears
The Nets famously drafted five players in the first round of the 2025 draft. Two questions, one point per correct answer, which of those five rookies played the most minutes last season? And then which of those five rookies took the most shot attempts last season?
- [98:19]
Andrew
Oh, my gosh. Okay, so that is a funny question
- [98:24]
Alex Spears
for both most minutes among Nets rookies and most field goal attempts among most minutes rookies.
- [98:31]
Andrew
Okay.
- [98:33]
Alex Spears
Isn't that a fun question?
- [98:36]
Andrew
Yeah, Yeah, I guess.
- [98:41]
Alex Spears
Isn't that a fun one? So just answer one first, because if you get it wrong, you'll be done.
- [98:48]
Andrew
Yeah, I think. I think Traore might have taken the most shots.
- [98:55]
Alex Spears
That is correct for one point.
- [98:57]
Sam Bassini
My guess.
- [98:59]
Andrew
What about minutes.
- [99:00]
Alex Spears
Minutes played?
- [99:02]
Andrew
Was it Jaegor?
- [99:04]
Alex Spears
It was not. Sam, you have a chance to steal a point.
- [99:10]
Sam Bassini
I'm gonna guess the Wolf man is
- [99:14]
Alex Spears
not the Wolf Man. Keep going.
- [99:17]
Andrew
Go. Keep going. Wait, is it Drake?
- [99:22]
Alex Spears
It was Drake Powell.
- [99:23]
Sam Bassini
Really?
- [99:24]
Andrew
Whoa.
- [99:24]
Sam Bassini
Okay.
- [99:26]
Alex Spears
They were all, like, really close to, like, within 200 minutes of each other.
- [99:30]
Andrew
Okay.
- [99:32]
Alex Spears
Okay. Sam, would you like seven or eight?
- [99:35]
Sam Bassini
Let's go with. Go with number.
- [99:46]
Andrew
Kings.
- [99:47]
Sam Bassini
Let's go number eight. Just for funsies, we'll switch up the order now.
- [99:51]
Alex Spears
We'll see. Okay. Who was the last number one overall pick to score fewer points than Zachary Recesse through their first two seasons in the league? And as a reference point, the number of points scored was 1583.
- [100:13]
Andrew
Wow.
- [100:14]
Alex Spears
The last number one overall pick through their first two seasons score fewer than that.
- [100:21]
Sam Bassini
Okay, so I have a name immediately that comes to mind.
- [100:25]
Alex Spears
Okay.
- [100:25]
Sam Bassini
I'm just trying to run through to make sure, like, of injury more than anything. Like, did someone miss time? Like, Cade missed most of his second season.
- [100:43]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [100:46]
Sam Bassini
Which now has me, like, a little bit thrown. So the number is what, 1539.
- [100:56]
Alex Spears
Did you say 1583?
- [100:59]
Sam Bassini
1583. So,
- [101:07]
Alex Spears
Sam, you're a big movie guy. You going to see Toy Story 5?
- [101:10]
Sam Bassini
I won't. I will go see Disclosure Day this weekend, though, at some point.
- [101:15]
Alex Spears
Interesting. You're not interested to see what happens when. Because, you know, Woody was a lost Toy. Toy Story 4, and he's. He's coming back. You don't want to know how that happened.
- [101:25]
Sam Bassini
I'm curious.
- [101:27]
Alex Spears
Found Bonnie's room again.
- [101:29]
Andrew
We just watched Toy Story 1 tonight. We're gonna go through all of them before we go.
- [101:33]
Alex Spears
Oh, my gosh. That movie is so good.
- [101:37]
Andrew
It's so good. It's better than you remember.
- [101:40]
Alex Spears
It's.
- [101:40]
Andrew
If you haven't seen it in a while, it's better than you remember.
- [101:42]
Alex Spears
All right, so here's my official Toy Story ranking.
- [101:45]
Andrew
Okay.
- [101:46]
Alex Spears
I go 132 4.
- [101:49]
Andrew
1 3, 2 4.
- [101:53]
Alex Spears
I think they're all very, very good.
- [101:56]
Sam Bassini
I think that's probably where I'm at, too. For what it's worth.
- [102:00]
Andrew
Three was good. Three was good.
- [102:03]
Alex Spears
Now who. Who do you all think is the worst villain?
- [102:07]
Sam Bassini
The.
- [102:09]
Andrew
Bob's, Al's Toy Barn.
- [102:11]
Sam Bassini
Toy House. Al's Toy Barn. Yeah, whatever it is from Toy Story 2.
- [102:15]
Andrew
It's.
- [102:15]
Alex Spears
It's. It's that. It's that that damn bear from. That bear was evil. That bear was so.
- [102:24]
Andrew
He really was.
- [102:26]
Alex Spears
Just because he couldn't have a nice thing, he wanted to ruin it for everyone else.
- [102:31]
Andrew
You know, Andy disguised himself as a good person, which is the ultimate. That's the ultimate bad guy thing to do.
- [102:39]
Sam Bassini
Okay, so I have an answer. I am going to say, what are we talking about?
- [102:43]
Alex Spears
It is. You figured me out.
- [102:47]
Sam Bassini
Literally. I didn't know math was going to be required, but you did the math, man.
- [102:53]
Andrew
That's. That's good. I was not going to go there. I was going to be like, is, was this Markel Fultz or Anthony Bennett? But that's too obvious. Those are too obvious.
- [103:01]
Alex Spears
I guess Fultz would have been the correct choice had K not only played 12 games in a second season. Okay, Andrew, final question. In 2016, the Kings traded the eighth overall pick to the Phoenix Suns. Who drafted Marquis? Chris. Bit of trivia. It's not really trivia. It's just a memory. Do you remember in that draft that was seen as like a really big tear break? It was like a big, like, wow, the Sun's traded up to eighth. They're going to get the last good player in this draft.
- [103:33]
Sam Bassini
I remember that.
- [103:34]
Alex Spears
I remember that. Okay, so they trade for me.
- [103:38]
Sam Bassini
For what it's worth, I think I had Chris a little bit lower than that.
- [103:41]
Alex Spears
You were doing drafts all the way back then 2016.
- [103:44]
Sam Bassini
I think it was 2016. For CBS Sports. Yeah. What you must.
- [103:47]
Alex Spears
What are you, like 15 back then?
- [103:51]
Sam Bassini
20. What, what is it, 10 years ago? 25 or 26. Oh, wow.
- [103:57]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [103:58]
Sam Bassini
So I gave that pick. I gave that pick a B minus. I was not a huge. Not a huge fan, but was fine, but solid value.
- [104:08]
Alex Spears
The return for Sacramento, two first round picks, a future second, and the draft rights to a player who was drafted in 2014. Name two of the four players the Kings ended up acquiring in that trade. You get one point per correct answer. So they used all the picks and then they acquired this player who was drafted in 2014. Name two.
- [104:36]
Andrew
So I can name the player from 2014?
- [104:39]
Alex Spears
Sure, if you want to.
- [104:41]
Andrew
I mean, that's bogged on Bogdan. Yeah.
- [104:44]
Alex Spears
It is accurate.
- [104:47]
Sam Bassini
The. I believe I know who the 13th pick is, and it's incredible.
- [104:53]
Andrew
Know.
- [104:53]
Alex Spears
Don't say 13. That's gonna give it away.
- [105:00]
Andrew
The 13th pick.
- [105:03]
Sam Bassini
Is it 13? 14, something like that? I think it was 13.
- [105:06]
Alex Spears
This is definitely 13.
- [105:07]
Andrew
It's.
- [105:08]
Sam Bassini
It's a. It's a memorable. What are. What are you doing?
- [105:12]
Andrew
Oh. Oh. Papag. Yeah.
- [105:18]
Sam Bassini
Yeah.
- [105:19]
Alex Spears
And then some other names. Scale, Labisier.
- [105:22]
Andrew
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
- [105:24]
Alex Spears
And then the second round pick ended up becoming the best. Well, not. Not better than Bogdanovich, but Xavier till.
- [105:31]
Sam Bassini
Hold on. Yeah. Okay.
- [105:32]
Andrew
Okay.
- [105:32]
Sam Bassini
I didn't know that.
- [105:33]
Alex Spears
What was the second round pick? Wow. Andrew, you have one. I'm just checking the score again. Make sure.
- [105:41]
Sam Bassini
Yes, Andrew, believe. It's like seven to two, eight to three. Even three.
- [105:49]
Alex Spears
I'll take three, eight to three.
- [105:54]
Andrew
Okay. Go listen to the game theory podcast with Sam Bassini and Bryce Simon. It's a great show. It'll help you get ready for the draft just as we have today. Sam is going to join us again next week to do our annual draft awards. So two consecutive weeks of San Besini on slam and jam. It's very fun. Go read mock drafts. I. I love the piece where you went back and ranked, like, was it the past 10 years of prospects? That was so fun. Like, it's. And it's really good context for, like, how good some of these guys are in this draft, both good and bad. I don't know how you want to take it, but I think it's. It's really good context. So go read that. Anything else, Sam, before we get out of here?
- [106:45]
Sam Bassini
Go to the athletic, read the draft guide. That's all I got. We're doing.
- [106:48]
Andrew
Oh, the draft guide. Yes.
- [106:50]
Sam Bassini
What will that be? It'll be a Tuesday Slam and jam next week. Because the draft is Tuesday.
- [106:55]
Alex Spears
Yeah.
- [106:55]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [106:56]
Alex Spears
Should we do trivia again?
- [106:58]
Sam Bassini
I'm open to it.
- [107:02]
Alex Spears
But, like, we do Toy Story trivia.
- [107:04]
Andrew
Ooh.
- [107:06]
Sam Bassini
I mean, there. I probably won't do well in Toy Story trivia, especially if Andrew's watching them with his family this weekend.
- [107:11]
Alex Spears
Yeah, I'm giving you time. You don't relax any more podcasts.
- [107:16]
Sam Bassini
It's not like I have any worse right now.
- [107:19]
Andrew
I will say the draft guide, which I've always read and I've always enjoyed, is very cool looking this year. Yeah, I. I really, really just like, enjoy the. The layout. Like the old school cards that they've got up for each player. Like, it's.
- [107:36]
Alex Spears
Yeah, I was gonna say accessibility. Through the roof. I feel like.
- [107:41]
Andrew
Yes.
- [107:41]
Alex Spears
So much more fun to navigate.
- [107:44]
Andrew
Totally.
- [107:44]
Alex Spears
You know.
- [107:45]
Andrew
Yeah.
- [107:46]
Sam Bassini
I like it 100 and look like I had absolutely nothing to do with the design. That's all the design team shout out to those guys. They did an amazing, amazing job with it. So. Yeah.
- [107:59]
Andrew
Which is great. Whenever you work on something that hard and then you see other people working hard on it on another side is always just very nice. It feels great. It feels great.
- [108:08]
Sam Bassini
Yeah.
- [108:08]
Andrew
Yes. Yeah.
- [108:09]
Sam Bassini
I was very appreciative.
- [108:10]
Andrew
Yeah. That's amazing. Go check it out. Go read it and then after you see who your team takes, you can go reference the draft guide. You can learn not only like how they played, but you get to learn kind of their background and stuff about like there's a lot of stuff about like people's families and stuff in there that are like nice little nuggets. So go read it. Go check it out. Sam, thanks so much for coming on. Please leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts. We would appreciate that. Hope everybody's having a great weekend and we'll talk to you guys again next week.
- [108:55]
Sam Bassini
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- [109:21]
Alex Spears
Depending on eligibility, you can get up to a $250 cash advance. Terms and conditions apply. Still waiting in line Again,
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Andrew
that's time
- [109:32]
Alex Spears
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- [109:33]
Sam Bassini
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- [109:56]
Alex Spears
Investing with Schwab is like spending a
- [109:59]
Sam Bassini
Saturday at a great farmer's market. You can fill your reusable tote with
- [110:03]
Alex Spears
a bit of everything. Maybe you go for some free range
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Sam Bassini
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- [110:07]
Alex Spears
up a few farm fresh trades while you peruse.
- [110:10]
Sam Bassini
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- [110:15]
Alex Spears
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- [110:18]
Sam Bassini
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- [110:26]
Alex Spears
Visit schwab.com to learn more.