10 Biggest Questions For The 2027 NBA Offseason

Hello, welcome to the Who Collective Podcast.

We talk about the NBA, which we are doing at a time on not gonna reveal. How about that? [LAUGH] Joining us from Maple's Florida, where it's football season. Thank God is our front office man, Bobby Marx.

Gentlemen, it sure is, a little night practice, three days, three or four days in. And we'll steam you in the afternoon, and five, thirty seven, five, thirty nine o'clock at night for night practices down here. Love it. Joining us from someplace in the Western Hemisphere is Bammic Man. Howdy, partner, has actually been this afternoon, just floating down the truck you river.

Tough day, you know, then went into the beach. You sunscreen, I hope? I did, although I don't think I did a real well in the knees. I've got really red knees right now, so.

“Did you actually go into the truck you river, or did you stay successfully on the float?”

No, I hopped in there, I mean, you know, got in the water and, you know, and then up onto the beach and hopped in the lake. You know, if you get in there, it's not bad. It's, you know, if you kind of halfway, I think it's pretty chilly. I see, is that glacier fed?

I once went whitewater rafting on a glacier fed river in British Columbia, and the middle of summer, and you had to wear a wet suit. Oh, wow. They didn't tell me that when we signed up for it. They sort of sprung that on me.

No wet suit necessary. I'm not be honest with you. I couldn't tell you if it's glacier fed or not. I just know the water is. I'm sure it's not.

If it was, you'd know, let's put it that way. Okay. Okay. Anyway, well, I'm glad you have a good time. Okay, so Bob, you have a piece out today.

We're, we're not quite at the, if there was like a status bar for the 2006 off season. 2000, 20, six off season.

“We would probably be in the 90% range, right, Bobby?”

I mean, there's some, we just got a couple of questions. A couple of free agents trickling out there, right? We're still still waiting on aspiration. I was going to say a couple of, you know, some of the three agents. Just a little, uh, gasification that's holding up a blockbuster trade, you know,

just a little bit of unfinished business. For sure. All right, well, um, Bobby, you have a, speaking of, 2026 trying to a close or sort of, so we think, um, you have your annual piece that you have, uh, in August, which is a look at the next year.

That's right. You really start planning for next Christmas. And so you have a piece out about looking at the 2027 off season. The 10 biggest questions, um, uh, for 2027. And um, right out of the gate, you give us an update on cap space,

because that's always the big barometer.

And why don't you do it for us here and now? You know, it's, uh, a year ago, we wrote the same article.

“I think I wrote, there was a third of a teams that were projected at cap space and guess”

how many teams at cap space. Three. We go through the process. So fluid extensions like Portland could have been team in a extended Camaro and Shane Sharpe, um, Utah and then the wizards go and get

tray young and AD and Jared Jackson stuff. But yeah, I mean, we're kind of in the same boat. We were a year ago. There's still, there's nine to ten teams, um, that are sitting in, in a position, to have money to go out and spend, uh, Brooklyn, of course,

Chicago teams that were in there, right, already. I mean, there's some wild cards. The Hawks are one of those teams that have, uh, flexibility. And they don't have extendable guys.

Basically, CJ is on expiring.

But of course, the, the big one's going to be gold state. I mean, golden state when we're looking at marquee level. I know makers for this year, marquee level teams to go out and have spending power. It's going to be gold in the state, um, out there. Uh, and a lot of it's going to be dependent on what happens with curry.

You know, the curry, hey, listen, if curry extends for that number, which is a waper, I think it's like two for one thirty five one thirty six something like that. That, that's going to take away, like, you know, they're not going to be, they're not going to have as much as they potentially could, uh, even with Butler Green coming off the book. So nine to ten teams right now.

But of course, golden state is that is going to be the team we're going to circle here. Well, I think it's instructive that this summer, you know, and I know it's not quite apples apples, but this summer, you know, the warriors came to dream on green and said, hey, why don't you opt that well, I don't know who came to who. Let me, let me, let me not say that.

But at some point there was an understanding between Dreyman Green and the warriors. Hey, opt out of this contract just to give us some optionality, you know, with LeBron and whatever else. And, you know, they ended up not getting anybody and they re-signed Dreyman right into the contract that he was already in. I know it's not the same because, um, you know, one is signed right away and one is a year from now.

So I do think, you know, look, Steph is earned the right. Obviously, to ask for the 135 on August 29th, I think that's the day when he can stand. Yep. I think these two years is the max he can extend because of his age. Yeah, the over 38 will.

Yep. And over 38, Steph Curry's over 38. You know, like you say, you say, if the, if the warriors and Steph can't trust each other, who can. Dreyman's been there at all for a long time too. Those are the two longest tenure players with their current teams and Dreyman obviously worked with them.

They worked with each other to sort a kind of after the fact opt into the last year of his contract.

You know, he declined it then basically opt in.

But, interesting little tip bit from Slater, where Dreyman waived what would have been an implicit no trade clause because it was in one year deal, you know, staying with the same team.

“But would receive a 15% trade kick or so I guess Dreyman's base is saying, hey, if you want to move me,”

that's fine, given the 15% kicker because for him, what's the use of holding up a trade? If they're looking to get off them and he's going to be expiring anyway. Right, he could have, he could have gotten a, not even an implied trade, no trade. He could have gotten an actual no trade in there. The big one, you know, how many no trades we have out there in the league, right?

We have one, Dame, yeah. Dame is, Dame's the last man standing, yeah, we, we had one time we had Biel, we know how that went. And, you know, starting to try to get rid of, trade him in Phoenix and that was hard. Biel, LeBron, Dame, yeah, Dame eventually, but there's, they don't exist anymore. Teams don't give them more, give those out.

You know, watch you real quick, why are you? They're not, they don't, because you can't have them in an extension. You can only have them in a real, and whom gets to free anything anymore, right? Yeah, so the rules for a no trade clause, or you have to have at least eight years experience in the league. And you have to have at least four with the team that you're signing with.

But they don't have to be consecutive.

“So like when LeBron went back to the, actually, he didn't, did he get a no trade one?”

When he's back to Cleveland, I can't remember if he did or not. I think he did. To your point, he could have gone one if you went to Cleveland or Miami, but not going. Billy. That's right. And, Dame, you know, signed with the Blazers, obviously had been gone for a couple of years,

but because he had those two first two, check marks he was able to get it. Yeah, he did not get a no relocation clause though. What kind of, he would have. Yeah, well, that would be interesting. Brad Biel didn't get a no relocation clause either.

He was relocated several times. All right, so let's take a look at, well, before we get into that, if Steph Curry is willing not to extend Bobby. And if the warriors don't, he do a new deal for Brandon Pajemski. And look, I'm not saying either makes sense.

I mean, if Steph wants to extend, you're going to give it to him. And maybe you'd rather sign Pajemski now as opposed to next year. But if those two things happen, which are reasonable. And you've got Jimmy Butler on the last year of his contract. You'd have Steph on the last year of his contract.

Chris Epispozyngus is only guaranteed three million next year of the 20 that he signed for.

He has a player option, but just three million guaranteed. Al Horford has a player option. I'm not sure if how much of that's guaranteed. Seven, one. All right. All things guaranteed? Yeah. Okay.

Drainman last year, his deal. Right. Drainman last year, his deal. What are we, what are we talking about in possible cap space for the warriors? Well, I mean, you've got 30, 39 million in salary, capsat 174, you know, I mean, you, you've got to,

yeah, I mean, look at it. It could be, it could be monster. Yeah, it could be, it could be, it could be monster number. I mean, it really can be. Uh, especially if you take poor zingas off, I mean, as you said, so yeah,

obviously they want to keep something to fill out the roster. Who are the other teams cap-wise that, um, work, you and I? So clips are going to be up there. Again, uh, they've got a bunch of expiring, especially if they, uh,

even with ingrown, if they, that trade eventually comes through. You're looking at Atlanta, Brooklyn Chicago, Golden State clips, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Sacramento, not really marquee teams out there, but the Golden State is the

clips will be interesting and clippers will be, you know, because that was always

their big thing with the clippers.

“That's why they structured some of those contracts where they were basically”

going to try to get two swings at it in 26 this summer, which they did in, uh, because of the quiet things still in limbo and then 27 when, I mean, uh, we'll talk about a minute, like 27 free aging class. And a lot of it's based on who extends 27 free aging classes, like,

That's okay. Let's do it right now. So it's only worth 100, 100 millions only worth having unless you can use it on somebody. So let's look at the guys who, as we're recording this, can be free agents. So we'll say,

“Janice is one, but the likelihood is you extends in Miami, right?”

So we could probably take it. Can't do that until the fall, but yes. Yep. So you got Curry, Yokech. Well, I'll be just good on your list. So you have, you have Janice, likely extension in Miami.

Coi Leonard, last year of a $50 million deal,

the crafters, if they get him, I believe, considering what they're giving up, multiple first round picks, plus branded ingrown. They intend to extend his contract. I'm, yeah, the plan is for him to go to Toronto and be extended, but it might not be up to Coi.

We'll, we'll, we'll see. Janice is off the board. Coi, we just, generally, don't know.

“I would suspect he eventually gets to Toronto and eventually extends, but he hasn't yet.”

More who, collective podcast after this. Alright, Nikola Yokech, now Bobby, this is a, this is a complicated one. Explain the, what Yokech is doing. Yeah, so he's basically, this is the second summer row he's done it. He was eligible last year for three years.

He decided not to do it and he said he, he, he, he wanted to wait until the summer of 26 because he can get a, a fourth, he can get a fourth year.

Basically, he next year, $78 million.

We get to this summer now and he's, he's saying while I want to wait until the summer of 27 because now I can get a, do a five year deal where $360 million or so it's an extra $80 million. That's a, it's a big number. The, the, and I, listen, I trust when he's talks and he says this is where he wants to be. But man, you go, this, this could be a rocky year in Denver, just based on where they are right now.

They didn't do really do much in the offseason ad, Peyton Watson's kind of, you know, still, you know, out there and everything, but, but I would not, if I was in that ownership group, I would not want that over my head. Well, the concept here real quick. So he's, he's going to be 31 this year, okay.

So the idea is that if he doesn't sign now when he signs when he's 32, that he can sign all the way out to his 37, right, or 36, 37. And so the idea is why not guarantee yourself, whatever 70, whatever a million in age 36, why not do that. And if you're a nuggets fan, your sand sounds good, I'm going to go to sleep and sleep well. But if that's the case, he's got a player option for next year.

So why not just pick up the player option and sign at age 33 till you're 39, or 38, or whatever,

“whatever it is. I mean, like if, if we're to, first off, do we honestly believe that the,”

that the nuggets wouldn't sign the oakage to a contract that he wanted number one, number two, if that's truly the, if that's truly what he's doing, and he's waiting to make sure he gets paid the maximum amount of money when he's in his late 30s. If that is the case, and he did that last summer and he's doing it again this summer. Ergo, what do you do it again next year? He's got a player option.

I'm not expecting you guys to have the answer. I'm just letting him just putting it out there. I'm impressed by the use of Ergo in a sentence. Look, it's, it's not a coincidence that the nuggets are diving deep deep deep deep deeper than they ever

have into the luxury tax right now that they basically just paid what was it Bobby, like 38 million

dollars this year to 38 million dollars to keep Spencer Jones, you know, six million dollars. I know all that right now. Yeah, yeah, for now. Millions of all in all that tax, they are at least bluffing that they're not going to be looking to dump Cam Johnson or Christian Brown, which the widespread belief is that they would in order to be positioned to keep paid in Watson. And look, Nicole Yokech, a no-brainer Hall of Famer, if he never played

another second-of-basque wall, a champion, you know, multi-time MVP. He's obviously earning right to sign the largest contract in the NBA history and not have anybody question it one bit. But he is doing the exact opposite of what Jayden Brunson did and the opposite of what Victor Wimanyamada, not in the years, but at least in the money, where those guys Brunson signed his earlier taken significantly less money because his max extension at a time wasn't nearly as much

because his sad one nearly as much in order to give him the flexibility to build out the roster. Wimby just took the, you know, he reinvented in the fun max, Wendy. I know, right after I buried it. The fun max come back because he wants to make sure they've got the flexibility to build out that roster and Joker's got a championship ring. He's not prioritizing flexibility and being able to build out the roster. And I'm not saying that to criticize, I'm just staying to play in fact.

And get people in Denver saying to me, I know this guy as well as anybody, he ain't going anywhere.

And I'm not saying he is. I'm just saying, I don't know how you can sleep well. I would say the lower the two lower stress superstars. We can debate modern era. But Tim Duncan and Dr. Vetsky, you know, both, they're modern era. Okay. So their lower stress, both no drama, one franchise, legends. Duncan was the foundation of a dying seat. Dirk was part of a team or franchise. He won 50 straight and 50 games and 11

straight years and won a championship. And when they're at this point in their career where Joker is, they were taking drastic hometown discounts. So that's a lot lower stress than the guy who's

taken every penny he can get. And there's a whole lot of pennies. Fair point. All right. Speaking of

the fun, Max Carl Towns is a possible free agent next to you as well. He has a player option, extension eligible this summer. Haven't heard a peep about that. There was just a very long Q&A in the New York Times slash athletic with Carl Towns covered many many topics. The word contract was, I don't know, several thousand words. I searched it. The word contract did not appear. So, you know, it's imperative for the next to keep them. But the next have apron

issues, Bobby. And, you know, I don't know where this is going to land. I would bet the towns

“eventually signs. But he has not yet. I agree. I mean, I think it's, it's, and it's really the,”

so he's got another year with a player option around 60. It's the year after. That's the, that's the one, the circle. Because you've got Bronson, I think they're going to discount. Hell no. I mean, he already did it. It's not the question. So, you got that. You've got OG, you've got Bridges Hart, Josh Hart's extension is eligible to. He's got a team option next year. Yeah. I mean, that's the, you, as you said, Brian's like, you know, the hard thing is win it,

and then the hard, the hard part is to keep it together. And that's, that's it. You know, you basically are going to have to have guys continually to take up, to take the sacrifice here. But he's one of them, you know, AD in, in Washington, you know, same thing. It's got player out.

Yeah. So there's another one. So Anthony Davis. So Anthony Davis has two years in 120 million left.

58th this year. 62 in change next year can opt out of next year. I don't know how likely it is. He's opting out of 62. I could see him opting out of 62 and getting a new deal that lowered that number, question is, is that going to be in Washington or is that going to be elsewhere? So, I mean, the wizards right now don't intend to trade up. See, all the wizards moves are a team that is very serious about trying to make the playoff this year.

In fact, Shams caused me to stutter a couple of days ago when he reported the wizards were knocking on, to Mar de Rosen's door, just to check in there. I don't know how likely that

“is their roster is full. But, you know, I think AD has been knocking on the Mar de Rosen's door trying to”

I mean, I just, again, how many guys do you want to have on your roster who need the ball in their hands? Well, I think the point I like in a more overall pick to be able to touch it every once in a while. Well, that's fine. I mean, you can analyze that. I'm just saying it's more, you know, they, they put on trader for DeAndre 8 and they went out in sign Chris Middleton paid, you know, significantly more than the minimum to get Chris Middleton and I don't know how much he's going to contribute, but they just

want him there as an option. Like, you know, what I'm there because he's a great presence around the young players on the wall. I agree, but I mean, I'm just saying, like, Washington, you know, I've received recent trade, you know, I don't know if you heard. They, they are not, they are not easing into this, this AJ debons area, era. So, okay, a couple of guys on this list, Jimmy Butler, he's eligible in February. We talked about the Warriors potentially wanting flexibility. It's kind

of hard to extend the guy coming off in ACLs in his mid 30s. But he's out there. A couple of situations in Phoenix. Miles Bridges was traded to Phoenix in the off season, has not extended, and it's my understanding he's not going to extend immediately that that may be something they look at over medium term. So, we'll see and then Dylan Brooks, who was the, you know, he's been

“such an optimal for a while, right, Bobby? He was extension eligible, I believe, a year ago, and then”

he can, once the season started, he couldn't, and he's been, yes, since the season, since the finals

interested in keeping Bridges long term when they traded for him. And then, you know, Dylan had such

a great year, a great influence on them last year. I'm sure it's interest there. But the rest of the guys, you know, I guess, I guess, I guess, also when this list would be Lou Dort, the thunder,

“we're not going to extend them. I never say never, I think the Hawks are intending to play that”

one out a little bit. Oh, as Bobby mentioned, the Hawks are in position to have a, you know, be front of line in terms of shoppers and, you know, a lot of, you can talk about Golden State, but I would say of the teams that you listed, tell me if you guys feel otherwise, but I think the Hawks are the best position teams among the potential caps, based teams to put together a potential container right away. They're in position. They're in position. Yeah. One more interesting

name, Tyler Hero, on the last year of a $33 million a year deal, or a $33 million this year,

going back home to Milwaukee, Tyler is a good player has been an all star, not sure, you know, this is one of those situations where you may want to watch a play out a little bit, but he could extend into the season, right, Bobby? Yeah. He's got, you know, he's eligible now and he can go up to June 30th. Not making your list was Kyle Kuzma, also an eligible Milwaukee, just point out out. My students last week, it's, or two weeks ago, it's sports business classroom told me that they believe.

I don't want to, I don't want to cast judgment on people that the Kuzma, um, what, what, the memo is he's been sending out our AI generate. I don't, I don't want to say the, I'm most, he's been, he's been, he meant, memos as a lot of different things, a lot of different things, cap-related, of course, right? Uh, there's been some things out there, so he's not on my list. I question the eye part of it. A couple of the other guys who can be free ages next summer,

I'm not including for right now the rookies who will likely extend or have a chance to extend, we'll just like, you know, the amen and a sore, a sore, a sore Thompson's of the world, um, brand that Miller, let's just wait on that a little bit, but some other names out there who have options to become free agents or contracts are up, uh, my reported junior, um, keeping an eye on that one in Brooklyn, uh, Julius Randall has a player option, uh, Fred Van Vleet, is it going to be a

“free agent? Would he go bear? Has a player option? Uh, RJ Barrett will be a free agent?”

You forgot that former Brooklyn teammates. Kyrie and Durant. Those are big names. I missed that line. Yes. Um, that would be fascinating. Um, Kyrie Irving is this sort of like, he's like this big giant unknown, like, you know, how that's all going to play out in Dallas. He's been laying under the radar and the Mavericks don't have any interest in trading him at this point. Kyrie does not have any interest in being traded at this point. Um, you know, I just think that's a situation

that teams will monitor, um, as the as the season goes and kind of transaction cycle, transaction cycle. Yeah. So, all right, that's sort of the, the, the broad top landscape. Um, one of the things that you try tracking here, Bobby, is the players who can, um, make all NBA or a win MVP or defensive player beer this upcoming year and become super max eligible. One of those guys that I thought was going to be on the list was Victor Rambignama,

but he has passed on the super max. So, when we will still care about this 65 game limit, although there's no financial incentive. He'll still care about awards. I can promise you that. Well, Bobby, here's who are some of the guys who could have a big year this year and knock themselves into position to really get giant, giant pay days. Tires, Maxi. Oh, oh. What happens that I'm Philadelphia, right? A little bit different now with the, the bra and now there you go, Tim.

“And, uh, and Jim Brown on that roster, uh, he's certainly won four for three. Oh, one, I believe,”

would be the number for him. Oh, no. Yeah. How about that? These numbers. We are not far away from 100 million a year for somebody. I mean, the Eaukesh numbers, you know, if Eaukesh does that deal, he'll be, he'll make $730 million in his career. Yeah. Well, yeah, well, I'm not far away from

the first billion dollar player, like career. Well, it's just going to be Luca. I thought it was going

to be Luca. I didn't do it. I just saw that Macklin Celebrini, who is Rick Celebrini the long time, I don't know what his exact title is, but he's the head medical guy for the, uh, four years. His son Macklin just signed a deal with the San Jose's sharks that made him the highest paid player in the NHL, and the average annual salary is 19 million a year. Wow. One of my, you know,

so when he, so talk about something, I'm not doing this summer. Level out. When they say that,

“the annual average is 19 million, that's important because that's how they calculate it for”

cap purposes. So they don't take, like, so they get paid this guy, and he's really good. I mean,

they get paid in 30 million in the first year, and you can pay him, like, 7 million in the second

year, but as long as with the averages, that's what counts against the casting. Yeah. Well, my point is that, you know, the NBA guys, you know, are sniffing 80 million a year on some of the back end of some of these deals. And, um, and the, and the NHL, it's, uh, the highest annual AAV is, is 19, who else Bobby besides Macksey? And, and, and words, he would have been eligible. He would have been eligible this season, or he would have been eligible next year, he would have met the criteria

to sign in next year because he would earn all NBA back years, but he didn't hit that 65 game, claws and arbitration went, you know, hey, wire. And I mean, do the wolves want him to get that or not, because this is, this is specifically designed. They do because the move that made it go get the Meleball was to kind of tell the bultures go somewhere else, but the bultures can you turn real quick, and they don't want bultures circle around Ann Edwards, and one way to prevent that is to be able

to pay him significantly more than anybody else. So, uh, see another one here, Tyreys Halleburden, would, would require a pretty big bounce back year, but, you know, it could happen.

It could. I mean, we went through, this is the first summer we haven't had any.

“We went, I think we went three years in a row. I think we went, uh,”

Jalen, Tatum, and then Shay, right? 3 24 25 23 24 25 right? Yeah, we had, we had no, we had no, no super max, this year. Um, yeah, you know, I mean, Jane McDaniels, if somehow you're in all NBA, I mean, defense player the year somehow, I don't see that happening, but he will be on the list, dial on, have that Zion, imagine that. Oh, he could Zion on there. Hey, listen, what do I know? Maybe Zion have a great year, but I, even if he does, I can't see them giving him super max.

Well, it's probably considered next year's non-darrant to eat. Okay, let's know. You know, all right, so you also have on here the list of first round picks and what's moved around. Yeah. This has got to be the most confusing batch of picks ever. I just want to read, blatantly like really deciphered down the road and stuff like that. I want to read you, McMahon. I have no hope of understanding this. I'm just going to read the words as Bobby has

them written. Okay. Okay. This is for Utah. This is Utah's first, I've never seen anything more complicated.

Okay. And just so we see this, there's potentially two or three first year, Bobby. I can't even tell. I think it's just, they have the second most favorite of the world. I don't know, let me read it. No, let me read it. No, let me read it. I'm just going to read the words as Bobby has them written. Okay. Utah has the second most favorable of their own Cleveland or Minnesota semi colon, most favorable to Memphis and least favorable to Phoenix. Okay. You followed that nickname.

And that most favorable one can't be in the top five because they finished because it

“did a new lottery rule. That's right. And that's why Memphis voted. No, he gets the rules. My god. So,”

honestly, you know, there's capologist worth a point. We need swapologists. You're not kidding. Some of these swaps are like, we read them. And I just, I'm like, oh my gosh, somebody please put this on a chart and like have the arrows explaining things to me. Just tell me the draft order after the lottery. And all of these are. And the dynamics of the swap that's filling negotiated with Boston is part of the, um, yeah, that's a lot for that's next year.

I mean, that is a lot per and itself. These for offices are getting more and more and more creative with the language on the traded picks or, you know, that one is it is just a traded pick. Is it a swap that depends on where it falls and yeah, well, let me read you Oklahoma City because you know Oklahoma City's got multiple first. Oh my goodness. Oklahoma City has the two most favorable to hear that. The two most favorable of their own Denver's, but only if it falls outside

the top five and the clippers semi colon and San and I'm not my fifth finger and San Antonio's if it falls between 17 and 30. Did you hear all that? Pretty good bet at will now. And by the way, just touching back on the nuggets, the thunder have the nuggets pick next year and assume when it

New Orleans and they ended up getting the eighth pick in this year's draft, which they're draft

“of Kingston Flomings. So they have another interesting, they, they, they owe their pick to San Antonio,”

but they have another interesting situation in this draft, okay? They have the least favorable of Milwaukee and New Orleans. I mean, I still got a chance to be a print, you see. But only if it's five to 30. So if they're both top five, it doesn't get hosed or top four. Yeah, top four. Yeah. So basically they protected it a little bit on that's from the disjointed murder trade. This is also interesting. After offloading their, if you remember a couple of years ago, Brooklyn made the move to re-acquire

control of their, of their pick, both in 25 and 26. And now, and they, they, Houston had control of those two years and Houston pushed it back. So Houston now has the nets and a vice going forward.

So they have swap rights with the nets this year. And that was the big, on terms with always

defend the nets, I always said it was crazy to me that the nets gave up what they did.

“They gave up Dallas's 29 in that. And the sun's, was it three picks Bobby? I think it was”

a swap on two picks. It's almost like it took out like a home equity loan Brooklyn did, like they basically like, Houston loaned them the money. And now that it's time to pay up based on, you know, that the trade, the conditions of that trade would have been restarted meta ready. But it's yeah, the swap and this, that's upcoming year. And then there's two other futures that night. There's a Dallas one, there's a Phoenix one, there's like some other things.

I think it might be two things is left, but regardless, based what they did was they gave the nets permission to bottom out for two years, permission to do logical permission to do the, the

bridges trade, where they got the Hall of First Round picks. But the nets didn't, you know, the, the

ping pong balls didn't bounce their way in those drafts. They didn't get, you know, they didn't get AJ debons or, you know, or, or Cooper flag or, you know, one of those type of players in these last couple years. And now they're sitting there staring at a season when it's going to be tough for them to be real competitive. And they're going to swap picks with the rockets. As far as the 2021 draft itself, the players, Jeremy Wu had gave a little assessment for us. Several of the

big names in this draft are big names in college, you know, new players to college in 27, 26, 27, our guys who have to play two years because the age limit, guys who, we talked about this

“a few weeks ago. Marcus, Junior and the serving kid is going to UCLA. Yeah, I think there's three of”

them. Boom, boom, shake, boom, shake, boom, shake, yes. Boom, shake, boom, shake. Boom, shake, boom, shake. Wu has, uh, Taran Stokes who's at Kansas has his projected number number one over all pick, but, but, and, you know, you, it's full school to try to project the draft way out, but it's, it's just not quite the same excitement as the class of 26. So, um, and then the lottery is going to be all wonky. I have no, I have no idea how that's going to go. It's going to be live right in front

of everyone. I don't know how Lee, I don't know how Malika's going to do it because it's already hard. I know, well, Malika goes through like, well, let's just make this story time presented by so if I get your money right. More who collect it podcast after this? I was at the lottery this year,

and it's the first time I'd actually physically spent the lottery in 20 years, and I was there

in the afternoon, and Malika was running through practices, like she was, you know, she was basically in the, I mean, there was a few, there was a dozen people or so in the room, but she was running through the lottery over and over and over, so that she could, you know, there were certain things that happened, so she could practice them. So if this happened, that happened, and you know, she did a great job with it, but yeah, maybe she should just hand that one off. There's some tennis event

that she needs to write. French, what is a French? We don't have the French. We don't have the French. Oh, we don't. That's right. We have the other three. We got three out of the other four, right? Yeah. I don't know. Do we cover all 10 of your questions, Bobby? I can't, I don't know. Well, the apron, you know, listen, the apron's going to give you, you know, the apron's coming back. We don't. Thank God, I was going anywhere. I was going away. Let me ask this, Bobby, how much do you

Yeah, because I, you know, I think, for example, I think there's a team like, like Memphis,

that there's a cap space team. You know, maybe not ever going to be a primary free agency destination. I mean, they did manage to pull off, sign and chain the parsons to a max deal, but if a team's in a bind and they can throw significantly more money than a team wants to,

“or can't feel like they can afford to pay to keep a player, I think it's going to be an”

interesting strategy that we see emerging over the next few years. I mean, it's like, what happens? Like, if Oklahoma's sitting in case and lost, I'll get it deal done, right? Like, would you just go in there and pop down and, you know, something on him, you know, the Thompson twins in Detroit and Houston? I mean, they're both those teams are pretty decent shape financially. We'll see what happens with jam and dirt, but, yeah, I mean, I think that's, that's going to

be a strategy. It's almost like a bigger version of what, which it's funny, because okay,

he wasn't a second apron team, then he got under and then he'd go basically to the Spencer Jones

offers sheet, right? Like, say, hey, you know, it was a, it was a smaller number, but hey, you know, hey, if you're going to do, if you're going to match it, you're going to go, you can go right into the, uh, in pay penalty. It's clear. I know Sam Prestey's got it on the record with the, the Oklahoma and said the moves that may now are made, uh, to create the financial flexibility to, to keep this roster intact, but if they're giving case walls, a big raise,

if they're given a gym, initial, uh, a big raise, you know, who might be available from their roster. I mean, they traded three quality role players this summer, but there could there be more opportunities like that for teams. We will be talking about, um, at great length over the next 10 months. I like the story that our colleague Zach Graham came out with a couple of days ago, taken a look at what players may be improving their position to be on the 28 Olympic team in LA.

This is an interesting time, because typically the U.S. would have to go through the qualifying cycle in a 27-world cup, which in that sort of like the the stick and carrot, you tell some young players who maybe haven't had a chance to make the big team yet, come play in the world cup. You play well enough. You want to qualify. This is what happened with Anne Edwards, for example. He played in 2023 in the world cup. What's the best part of the team? He's on the 24 Olympic

team, same with Tyreys Hall of Burton. Um, and so crams looking at that, but the U.S. does not have to qualify for the World Cup in 2007, because the U.S. is hosting. Um, the World Cup in 27 is actually supposed to take place in Doha. Um, you know, the NBA was, um, was planning on having games in Doha,

“this fall. I believe the wizards and nets were planning on going there and possibly even the”

calves and the calves and um, the calves and heat were looking at going to Abu Dhabi and then I think

going to Doha. Um, but the wizards and nets were going to Doha. Those were, they never were

they never were announced. And a few days ago, the NBA decided to just move on from that, obviously, because of the situation in the Middle East. Um, I have, I hope that we're not at war any longer a year from now, but if the World Cup is still in Qatar, I don't know how attractive it's going to be for players to go try to play there when, um, the U.S. doesn't have to qualify. But, um, he named some players to keep an eye on and a couple of them I thought were very interesting. One Scotty Barnes,

McMahon, absolutely. Two way player, great size. Can it the outside shot? Defends. Definitely a guy.

“I think we'll get invited to the World Cup team. I agree with everything you said except for”

the outside shot part, but he can play one through five, um, phenomenal athlete. And, you know, a playmaker, a finisher, an elite defensive player. Yeah, he would make a lot of sense. Another guy, uh, Jaden McDaniels. Now, the big problem and not, I'm not, again, I don't care as much about the World Cup in 27. I mean, it's a, it's a good event that you learn a lot at. I, I care, I've covered three World Cup. Trust me, I care, but like, I don't care so much about the U.S. is performance.

But when you look at the 28 Olympics, you're looking at the French who have played the U.S.

and how you're going to handle that? Well, Jaden McDaniels had some moments against Victor and the playoffs this year. Crab mentioned seven. I think he's a candidate too, Bobby. Well, I think he's a candidate too, because I think he's, he's going to be spotlighted probably more this year with no, with no Julius and no Nas Reed and Minnesota. I think you saw offensively, he could, you know, carry a little bit there and add that Denver series. Certainly when they had all those injuries,

close out, they might get this, you know, yeah, I mean, and they're in a private plan at the

four, right? I think we promised some of them on the other, I think he's probably never choice.

I don't think they have a choice, but no, he's a, he's an interesting guy. You know, you see him and maybe next summer and Billy didn't maybe try to get a get one of those final spots.

“Well, and you also, you have to have guys who are capable, willing, and proven role players,”

you know, like you can't have everybody who thinks they're going to score 28 points again. That's why Derek White, there was a lot of, you know, there was, you know, there was, obviously, people had things that they thought about, Derek Wright was one of the last guys picked.

Well, Derek White has no problem being a role player. Right. And that was part of the reason

why he was on that roster and in Paris. Cram has con-caniple on here, and obviously a guy who can shoot like that is valuable in any league in the world. Yes, commitment or another stock falling. Yeah, he doesn't have Cooper Flag who, absolutely, I think will be he was tremendous on the select team. They have a team that goes to camp that stood out at a play against the senior team. Flag was headed into his freshman year at Duke, his only year at Duke, and he was one of the

best players on the court. Everybody walked away, just blown away and pressed not that they didn't

know already, but that was like the highest level competition to ever see him play against.

And in this story, he's got a handful of guys who stock has rise in a handful of guys who stock

“is falling. It's not necessarily a roster projection. Right. Right. I think everybody would be pretty”

shocked if Cooper Flag's not on the 28 Olympic roster for team years. He has Jalen Brunson on here, as well as a stock rising. And of course, Jalen Brunson, Brunson played on the 2023 World Cup team, and was not particularly effective. Players that are undersized and defensively challenged are not something Team USA typically looks to. Having said that, he's undersized and defensively challenged in the NBA and just won the finals MVP. So it's going 45 in the vote game. I seem to remember

that performance of him managing Victor quite well in that situation. But also, you know, Chris Paul was that way to increase Paul won multiple gold medals. So it's not an ironclad rule. I would agree that if Jalen Brunson wants to play, that that'll be the case. So obviously, there's some legacy

“guys. If if the Brun wants to play, he'll get a roster spot. Now that wants to interest him,”

because the Brun has said, you know, he's got the cool in here. The Brun has said, in November on his podcast, don't even ask. I'll be watching it from cop-o. But he just made it very clear. He plans to play at least two years for Philly. And if he's going to have his career in with the 2728 NBA season, why not go out with the fifth Olympics. He's got a place in LA. He doesn't even have to stay in a hotel. You know, it's quite a place in LA. I've heard. Durant is not on X list here,

but if Durant wants the Durant is the greatest US Olympian in basketball ever. I would think Durant, if he wants to play in the next Olympics, would have a chance to be the flag bearer, quite frankly. Yeah. So unless it's the Brun. The Brun's already done it in the driving rain on the sun in Paris. So hey, we check out the X article. It's got a lot of good stuff in it. Thank you so much to our producers. Thank you to Jackson for leaping through some technical difficulties on this one.

Thank you to Bobby and McMahon. Thank you for listening and watching the hoop collective. We'll talk to you next couple. Thanks. Harios, Mingus.