00:00There was the breaking news.
00:01There's the Harden contract.
00:02Cavaliers clear a little space,
00:04and James Harden re-signs with the Cavaliers.
00:07Two years plus a player option for a third year.
00:12Player option for a third year.
00:14So the Cavaliers make the big trade yesterday,
00:18big five-team deal.
00:19Key in that is they end up getting Peyton Watson,
00:23the wing guy who they wanted a wing guy,
00:26so they got a ring guy, and that's a good thing.
00:28Wing guy, ring guy.
00:30If a wing guy can turn into a ring guy,
00:33you've really got something there, Dan.
00:35And now James Harden returns to the team.
00:40I wonder about the James Harden contract.
00:43James is still a very good NBA player,
00:45but that's a lot of money for an older guy who,
00:51though I like him better as a fit for this team
00:54than I like Darius Garland,
00:57I still wonder, okay,
00:58you've got two ball dominant guards in the backcourt.
01:00What are you going to do?
01:04This is the cost.
01:06This is the cost of the trade you made for Darius Garland.
01:08This is the cost you decided to go with.
01:11Would I have done this move?
01:12No, no way.
01:14But this is the cost.
01:15Three years, $97 million.
01:18Player option on the third year.
01:22This is the cost.
01:24I mean, I hate to put it that way
01:26because the problems that I've always had with James Harden
01:29are the fact that, A, James Harden plays James Harden ball
01:32at James Harden pace.
01:33And I hope that Kenny Atkinson can get through to him
01:36that if this team is going to go where James Harden wants this team to go,
01:41which is to win a title,
01:42so then that way he doesn't have to listen to that for the rest of his career.
01:45He wants to win a title.
01:46The Cavs want to win a title.
01:47The problem is Kenny Atkinson is going to need to get through to James Harden
01:51that we can't just live life playing high screen and roll basketball
01:55until the end of time with you playing with the ball in your hand
01:58going pound, pound, pound, pound, pound,
02:00then kicking it to Donovan Mitchell to go pound, pound, pound, pound, pound.
02:03Like that's the part of this that I hope has been explained to James Harden,
02:07that if you want to win a title, you need to evolve.
02:11Just over $32 million a year on average if he picks up his third-year option.
02:17You ready for this?
02:19This is according to Sham Sharania.
02:21Harden's career earnings now reach $511 million,
02:26making him the fourth player in NFL history to eclipse $500 million.
02:33NBA.
02:34In the NBA.
02:34Joining the 76ers, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry.
02:43Well, that's a nice how-do-you-do.
02:45Yeah, it's good work if you have the skill.
02:48It's good work to – they always said the best part about basketball
02:52is that you can get better by yourself because all you need is a ball and a hoop.
02:56And you can.
02:57And you can.
02:58And good for him.
02:59Good for him.
03:00Good for him to be able to do it.
03:03Jeff, where do you think this puts the Cavaliers?
03:05Do you like this move?
03:07Honestly, Dano, I thought when they made the Garland trade, for some reason,
03:12it just immediately struck me that, okay, they're clearing Darius' money off the books.
03:19Harden's deal is up.
03:20He will leave, and they'll have that money to use on somebody else.
03:25I did not envision James Harden becoming a part of this long-term.
03:30And by long-term, I mean during this run with Donovan Mitchell.
03:36To me, it's all in focus now.
03:38Donovan signs his contract extension.
03:39What was his?
03:40Four years?
03:42$290-some-odd million or whatever.
03:44$260, I think it was.
03:46Something like that.
03:47And he's under contract through 2031.
03:51They've given up control, basically, of all of their draft choices in the first round.
03:56I think they have one of them.
03:57I think they have the 2030 pick.
03:59But they traded the 2031.
04:01So you're not really going to – and you do have another first-round pick that you traded the best
04:10pick of the two with Utah.
04:12And so you would assume that if the Cavs do what they're supposed to do, they'd keep their own pick
04:17that year.
04:18But I believe there's still – so now three more first-round picks that are off the board.
04:23Okay.
04:24As long as you have an owner who's willing to spend money like crazy, you can fill out a team.
04:29And that's okay.
04:30I get that.
04:31And a first-round pick means you only get one a year.
04:33Well, what happens if you get to 2030 and that pick, you know, Donovan, something happens to Donovan and blah,
04:40blah, blah, blah, blah.
04:41And all of a sudden, your team is sitting in the top seven, you know?
04:46And that's the painful part.
04:47But, again, you can go out and you can sign free agents.
04:51And Kobe Altman's not afraid to make trades in big trades.
04:54And he's made good trades.
04:55But I think tying yourself to a player at James' age is tough.
05:04His style of play can be tough.
05:08I think it's up to Kenny Atkinson to make it work.
05:11But he's got to make it work.
05:16James has to play.
05:17And James got paid.
05:20So I would think that James would be willing to do whatever it took to make this team as powerful
05:27and successful as it possibly can be.
05:29And he's done that before in his career.
05:31So I'm anxious to see what they come up with, with additions to the team.
05:37And, again, Peyton Watson's not going to be your first option.
05:40He's not your second option.
05:41He's not your third option.
05:42He might not even be the fourth option in the offense.
05:46And I'm real anxious to see what other young guys come along because I think they're a little light in
05:51the backcourt now.
05:53But with plenty of options in the backcourt.
05:56And that means just somebody has to step up and be really good.
05:59And hopefully somebody can to help out Mitchell and Harden.
06:03And I think they have that level of talent to do it.
06:05Like, anytime I've watched Craig Porter, I've always found myself wanting to see more.
06:09Yeah, I like Craig.
06:10I think he's done a nice job.
06:11I've always.
06:12And it's about time.
06:14Yeah.
06:14You know, they signed him to a contract.
06:16When they brought in Schroeder, I kind of thought, well, you signed Porter.
06:21You don't like Craig enough yet?
06:23Maybe now they do.
06:24Maybe they love Malik Thomas.
06:26Maybe they think Malik's going to be a backup point guard.
06:28You were screaming for toughness.
06:30I mean, everybody was screaming for toughness.
06:31Dennis Schroeder brings toughness.
06:33That's the one thing he brings.
06:34On top of the fact that he's another guy that every time he steps on the floor, he believes he's
06:37the best player out there.
06:38Which I loved.
06:39Oh, yeah.
06:40Oh, yeah.
06:41But you can see why that.
06:43Schroeder's tough, man.
06:44Absolutely.
06:45But you can see how that philosophy would rub teams the wrong way.
06:49We'll say that.
06:51Well, he's been on, what, 12 of them?
06:53Exactly.
06:53Something like that.
06:56But I knew from the beginning when they made the trade that there was no way that this was just
07:01going to be a half season and done.
07:03Especially when you start hearing things like waving trade kickers and whatever else would come with it.
07:09You're like, okay, you're signing up for this.
07:11And this is it, folks.
07:12This is the all-in move.
07:13Your chips are in the middle of the table.
07:15Your team going into this Eastern Conference is going to be Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, Jared Allen, Peyton
07:23Watson, Sam Merrill, and Jalen Tyson.
07:27Jalen Tyson.
07:28Mario Hazonia.
07:29Hazonia.
07:30And whoever else is out there.
07:32This is going to be, this is it.
07:34Because all of the major assets that you could have moved around have now been allocated for.
07:41And so this is the team.
07:43And I am fascinated to see if this team is going to be able to conquer the seven games against
07:51the Raptors that they had last year.
07:53And be able to turn that, I don't know, into a five-game series.
07:57Will this group be able to not have the Detroit series turn into seven games and turn that into a
08:02five-game series?
08:03So then that way, if you find your way to the Eastern Conference Finals again, we're not all looking at
08:08each other going, well, they're clearly just out of gas.
08:09Do they have enough depth?
08:12In the backcourt, and I'm going to put Jalen Tyson in the backcourt for now.
08:16Jalen Tyson, Craig Porter, young guy, though he's played okay, still unproven in a bigger role.
08:23Malik Thomas, 19, 20-year-old rookie who looked great in the summer league, but good for him.
08:29Hopefully he can be a player.
08:31I like Sam Merrill.
08:32Is Tyrese Proctor going to be anything?
08:35I mean, like, is he going to be a rotation guy?
08:37Who can handle the ball?
08:38Well, I think they could use a little depth in the backcourt.
08:43But I wonder if they have it, and it's not yet quite developed.
08:48For instance, Jalen Tyson and Malik Thomas certainly could become that guy.
08:54But remember, Malik Thomas was a second-round pick.
08:57I hate to pin that on draft position.
09:01But draft position in the NBA, even if you're a later pick, it usually means, okay, he will need time
09:09to develop.
09:10Not always.
09:11It's not always the case.
09:13For instance, everybody's giddy about Peyton Watson, right?
09:15Getting the Cavs, getting him in the trade.
09:18And I understand.
09:19I like the move.
09:21He was the 30th pick in the draft.
09:23And so he was the last guy taken in the first round of a draft.
09:27Took him some time.
09:28Four years in, he had a good year, and he cashed in.
09:31You know, how can he build on that?
09:33Do the Cavs have enough in the backcourt?
09:35I wonder that a little bit.
09:37Do they have enough depth at forward?
09:39You got rid of Max Strews, who can play guard.
09:42Max could play a little small forward for you.
09:44But you signed Hazonia.
09:47You have Cam Whitmore right now.
09:50But if you're going to waive him and stretch out that salary,
09:55does that mean you're still going to go out and try and bring in Jonathan Kaminga?
10:01I don't know if you can under the cap, though.
10:05If he accepted a veteran minimum, you could.
10:08Ooh.
10:09Yeah, I know.
10:10That's an oh-how-the-mighty-a-fallen type of move, though.
10:12Right.
10:12That's not what he wants.
10:14DeMar DeRozan.
10:15So I guess the Nuggets are interested in bringing him in after making the trade.
10:18I would understand that.
10:19So would I.
10:20Except if I were them, I would also be talking to Kaminga, too.
10:22But if you're the Cavs, I mean, you okay with your depth in the frontcourt being Hazonia,
10:28Cam Whitmore, who might not be here because you're going to waive him?
10:32Naquan Tomlin.
10:34Thomas Bryant.
10:35Ernest Uday.
10:38It seems a little light, doesn't it?
10:41Especially.
10:42All right.
10:43So one of my favorite things to do when I'm evaluating a roster is the great line of 15
10:48players get you there, eight win you the thing, win you the title.
10:52Yeah.
10:52Right.
10:53That's always kind of the thought coaches have had.
10:5515 guys get you there.
10:56Who are your eight that win you this title?
10:57All right.
10:57So I'm at seven.
10:58You're starting five.
11:00Harden, Mitchell, Allen, Mobley, Watson.
11:02Okay.
11:02So that's the five.
11:03Yes, you're starting five.
11:04You're locked in there.
11:04I trust Merrill.
11:06I trust Tyson.
11:09That's seven.
11:10And I don't know who the eighth is.
11:12That's correct.
11:13Do you agree?
11:14Yep.
11:14Okay.
11:15Yep.
11:15So that's why I say I think there might be a little light.
11:18So during this season of 82, you need to figure out who your eighth is.
11:25And probably one and probably ninth and 10, because you can't bank on everybody staying
11:30healthy.
11:30Good point.
11:31Thanks.
11:33So you're going to need to figure those out.
11:35And the problem with doing this is that none of those guys that are in that eight are
11:41in the back, are in the front court.
11:44Yeah.
11:44That their front court seems a little light.
11:46I think that's the concern.
11:47I can live through Porter jr.
11:49Backup point guard.
11:50I could try to make it worth proctor.
11:52I could try to make it work with whomever else there.
11:54They need one more.
11:55I want to see what Malik Thomas can bring me.
11:56I want to see Malik Thomas too.
11:58They need one more back.
11:59I think that's where I would look next.
12:00The problem is, is I don't know who you're going to go get.
12:03And if you get rid of cam Whitmore, which, you know, I understand financially, maybe that's
12:08something they think they have to do, or they do have to do.
12:11I, I, I would think he would be in my top eight.
12:14Yeah.
12:15If, if he was healthy and here, but apparently he's not going to be.
12:19And that guy that I'm looking for is not a top tier, awesome guy coming off of
12:23the bench either.
12:24That's going to be there.
12:25I mean, I just, for lack of better terminology, and maybe this is too far into the weeds.
12:30Find me Bismack by Ambo.
12:32Like if you can get me someone who can just grab boards and block shots, done.
12:37Of course.
12:38Sign me up.
12:38That would be perfect.
12:39That's exactly who needs to be here.
12:41Now, I don't know who that guy is in the modern NBA right now.
12:44Who's still floating out there who could fill the Bismack by Ambo role of just run around
12:49block shots, grab boards.
12:50Let's go.
12:51That would be phenomenal, but that's exactly what they need.
12:54The way that come on Looney used to always do that for the Warriors back in the day.
12:58Yep, yep.
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