All Wizards Talk
The latest Washington Wizards news, analysis and more. Part of the All Sports Talk Network.
All Wizards Talk
You're a Wizard Trae!
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
America leads the world in medicine development. It matters. We get new medicines first, nearly three years faster. Five million Americans go to work because we make medicines here at home. And not relying on other countries keeps us safe. But China is racing to overtake us. Will we let them? Or will we choose to stay ahead? When America leads, America cures. Let's tell Washington to keep us in the lead.
SPEAKER_00Learn how at americacures.com. Pay for it by Pharma.
SPEAKER_04Welcome back to All Wizards Stock Podcast on the All Sports Talk Network. I'm Bryce Naken is joined alongside as always by Henry Brown. And ladies and gentlemen, if you've been keeping up with NBA Twitter, you would know that there is a certain player that is heavily linked to the Washington Wizards, which when I look at it, it makes a lot of sense why he is linked. With what I know, it makes a lot of sense. And we're talking about Trey Young of the Atlanta Hawks. Remember, he was a guy traded for Luka Doncic on draft night. He's uh that's where I know his name from.
SPEAKER_03Got it. All right.
SPEAKER_04Oh, that's where you know him. Uh he was traded for you know a little guy named Luka Doncic out in LA right now, who he's doing all right, isn't he, Henry? He's he's doing just doing solid.
SPEAKER_03Your boy Reese is doing pretty well next to him, usually, so is LeBron. Yeah. Uh Trey Young, um, Maverick's legend. And it's gonna be really funny to see how the Wizards somehow get themselves tied in with the legendary Trey Young Luka Doncic trade fiasco because now that's part of his.
SPEAKER_04Well, hey, look, the thing is, this is not the Trey Young Luka Doncic fiasco. This is still reaping the benefits of a Bradley Beal trade, if you think about it. Yes, take a few. Everything that's been linked a little bit, because let me pull up the tweet by Mark Steel.
SPEAKER_03We don't need the tweet. We don't need the tweet. We we we know it, all right? We know this team. So they didn't give up a major pick, but they went from Beale to Chris Paul for six days. Jordan Poole's now to CJ McCollum.
SPEAKER_04Now this is when I was bringing up the Mark Stein thing, where he said the Wizards have emerged as a legitimate potential trade destination for Atlantis Trey Young. The Stein line has learned in a deal construction centered around CJ McCollum's expiring contract. That's where it kind of ties all in with the original Bradley Beal trade, where you got you know Chris Paul, then Jordan Poole, then now you got CJ McCollum, and now it's potentially turning into Trey Young. And the crazy thing about all of this is Trey Young's value is so low that the Hawks have to package picks with them.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and it's so crazy because Mark Stein had to actually edit what he said. Um, he said, uh, it remains to be seen whether the Hawks would also have to spend the Wizards' draft capital as a measure to convince them to absorb Young's contract, or if Washington would be making a direct play for Young. So you don't absorb a good contract, you take that with assets, which is what the Wizards have done the last few years. They take these crap contracts and they get picks with them. That's the deal.
SPEAKER_04Because Trey Trey Young's contract is not good whatsoever. Not good. He's making 45 million this year, almost 46, and then the player option, if he picks it up, is 49 million. Like that's that's not great for an undersized guard like him that can't play defense. He's he's a great offensive talent. We know this.
SPEAKER_03Hold on. That's the thing, because he's made it's so weird. He's made all-star games in the three of the last four seasons, but then you look at his stats, and they're just really this year.
SPEAKER_04It's it's a down year for sure.
SPEAKER_03This year it's a down year. Every year's like a down year by how he's talked about. Like, he was talked about Curry out of the draft. We know it's been eight years since the draft, we know he's not that, but like last four years, 33.3 33.5% from three, then 37. That's pretty good. Last year, 34. This year, 30.5. 30 percent, yeah. Shooting is nasty, he's um dominant on the ball and um just not very helpful in the offense. Both Jalen Johnson. I will say Morzing is in better than him.
SPEAKER_04Think about the possibility of Trey Young Alex start picking rolls.
SPEAKER_03That is like the only we're gonna talk about this later. That's like the only thing about a Trey Young fit that actually really intrigues me because man, he needs a pick and roll partner.
SPEAKER_04So the reason I am giving a you know, chance that Trey Young goes to Washington before the trade deadline, 95% chance it happens. That's what I'm giving it. I think this is practically a, you know, I don't want to say done deal, but it is in the talks and figuring out what exactly the deal itself is, also including, you know, picks because, like we said, you can't just straight up take on Trey Young because his value is so low, where him and CJ almost have the same amount of value, which is crazy to kind of say. That's actually really who has more value? Like that that's that's a crazy thing to say is like they almost have the same exact amount of value, and then you package other players that you have to package onto this deal if you want to make it work financially, which then means you have to get capital in return.
SPEAKER_03Depending on the picks that come with Trey Young in a potential trade, you could argue that CJ has more value because like well they have they have two first-round picks this year. Who knows? We do, Atlanta. Atlanta, okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_04We have I think we have more with like they have the chance to swap with Milwaukee or New Orleans, whoever has the higher pick.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_04And then another swap with either San Antonio, Cleveland, Minnesota, or Utah. And so Utah. Yeah, it's it's really and I don't think that's one you want to do because then it turns into kind of a crapshoot because Utah's pick is top, you know, top eight protected. Of course. You don't want I don't think you want to run that risk. And being honest, Minnesota, Cleveland, and San Antonio, they're all gonna be bottom of the draft when it comes to like their selection. Yeah, they're gonna be all around like 24 to 30.
SPEAKER_03We'll get Cleveland will be very lucky to be that high.
SPEAKER_04Uh, but I know you're, but even then, yeah.
SPEAKER_03You've definitely drawn up some trade proposals for us. What kind of uh picks are centered in those kind of things that you got?
SPEAKER_04So here's the trades that I have right now. I'm gonna I'm gonna start with the two that I deem the most likely that would happen. All right. This one, I am not as you know, sold. I say sold on it. Of course, I'm gonna be sold on it because I get it 100%, but because of who it includes and what I know and how much the team and organization really values him, includes Corey Kispert, which it makes sense when you look at financial and getting picks in return. It makes sense. And if this is the package that gets proposed, you say yes. I'm not saying you don't say no to this because it's Corey Kispert. Yeah, I'm just saying because of how much I know the team values him, yeah, and you know how much they don't want to trade him. Of course, that if you get these picks in this package in return, then you have to take it. But the Hawks would get CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert, the Wizards would get Trey Young, the 2026 first round uh swap with Milwaukee or New Orleans, and then the 2030 first round draft pick.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Is that a money thing? Is it money thing?
SPEAKER_04Money thing, and also you know, make sure you get the draft capital as well.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_04Because the draft the draft capital is the most important part of this trade. You want you want that Minnesota uh that Milwaukee or New Orleans swap pick. Is that a first round or a second round? First round. Okay. You want that because you want to try to secure you get a top three pick no matter what.
SPEAKER_03What year is this for? This year. But New Orleans doesn't have a pick this year. So it's Atlanta's. Oh, duh! That's what I'm saying. Atlanta owns the right swap with it. Oh, yeah. This is the Derek Queen thing. Oh, okay, okay, okay, okay.
SPEAKER_04That's what I'm saying. This is the top priority that should be for the Wizards, not necessarily getting Trey Young, but try as hard as you can to get that swap rights with New Orleans. Well, this is like one of the three most valuable like single assets in the league. Okay, that's really interesting. Right? Okay, because as we know, New Orleans is just terrible. They're they're terrible. They're they're not great. They're like, it reminds me of when I was there with you guys, first game Memphis. We're with Valdez, and he turns to us and goes, dude, and we're talking about Memphis.
SPEAKER_03Like, they're just a bad team. They're just bad.
SPEAKER_04That's what it reminds me of. New Orleans, they're just bad. Like, that's what it is. Sure, they got young talent, they got guys around, but are they going are they gonna finish outside like you know, top eight of the draft? No, they're probably gonna finish, you know, like odds are with in, you know, as we know, odds. All right, they're not great. We've seen it with the wizards, odds never really play in your favor, especially with the new lottery system. But right now, I think they have the second worst record. They'll probably at high end, I think they finish with the sixth worst record. Still good odds that pick moves up.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I love DQ, but uh, I'd love that Pelicans pick.
SPEAKER_04I'm that's what I'm saying. Like, this is the number one priority. Get that Pelican swap if you can. Absolutely do everything you can to get this swap.
SPEAKER_03Okay, that's door number one.
SPEAKER_04That that's number one, door number one right there for you guys. If this is proposed, even though I want the team to keep Kispert and they really do value him, this trade also shows you how much the team actually does value Kispert. And they're like, hey, we need a good amount of draft capital in return. Um, but that's door number one, trade number one. Trade number two, which I think this is more likely going to happen because when you look at different scenarios that are kind of playing around with the Wizards right now, Wizards get Trey Young and that New Orleans swap right again. Hawks get CJ McCollum, Malachi Branham because you got to fill in salary and he's making nearly five million.
SPEAKER_03That was Bryson's personal choice, by the way.
SPEAKER_04Well, like it just it just a lot of trades when you do. It makes sense to include Branham because it's last year he's making five mil. Yeah, like it just makes sense, and it's not like you're going to trade, you know, Bub Carrington who's almost making the same amount over Branham. You're gonna try to keep Bub over Branham. Let's be let's be real about this.
SPEAKER_03Oh no, yeah, please.
SPEAKER_04And then this is why I included him. Have you noticed who's been getting a lot more minutes lately over some other guys? The AJ Johnson. AJ Johnson's part of this, and I think because when you because it goes back to how Milwaukee traded him, he never played for him, but all of a sudden, he started getting more run with Milwaukee. Then a few days later, he gets traded to Washington because they needed a way to, you know, Phil's salary to go get Kyle Kuzma. And they're like, let's see what AJ Johnson can do, let's see if he can increase his value a little bit and be part of this trade. He does. Wizards like what they saw, and they traded for him. And AJ Johnson, it's not like he's been bad in the run he's been getting.
SPEAKER_03That's the thing, also curiously brought up from the the the the depths, the uh the dregs of the rotation to replace Branham's minutes in the last two games, two or three games.
SPEAKER_04And like uh it was all of a sudden, and it's not like he was a guy that was playing already. If he played, it was just in garbage time where he only got a minute. Yeah, he would play a little bit in the G League, but it's not like one of those things where it's like he was getting a ton of run whatsoever, but all of a sudden he started jumping up in minutes, it didn't really make a lot of sense. But now when I look at this, it's the same thing Milwaukee does, so it kind of makes sense a little bit. Yeah, it's Kuzma's way of continuing to help DC, giving us a it kind of is, it kind of is, but like I'm pulling up his game log right now, so we can actually talk about that a little bit and see you know his minutes. He went from literally getting one minute in the loss against the Suns to all of a sudden 16 minutes against Milwaukee, 14 against Brooklyn, 13 against Minnesota.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's the brandy special from nothing to everything, really quickly.
SPEAKER_04When like the the most amount of minutes he played was in a blowout loss against Cleveland, where he played almost the entirety of the fourth quarter, nine minutes, and he only played that because it was a blowout by the start of the fourth quarter. If it was a close game, and then all of a sudden they're down by like 20 with two minutes left, then he only plays two minutes. Yeah, like that that's what it is. Where it's like he's only been playing garbage time or when it's been a clear blowout when he gets extended minutes, and all of a sudden, like I said, going from in the month of December, two minutes, four minutes, two minutes, three minutes, one minute to all of a sudden 16 to end the year. It makes it makes a lot of sense because it's the same thing Milwaukee did. The same exact thing. I could actually pull up his game log from that season before he got traded. Please. Let's see here. He went from literally, this is all he was doing. Okay. Uh he played one he played a few games in November. He played three games, started off with one minute, then two minutes, then three minutes. One game in November, two minutes. Two games in December, two minutes, two minutes. Uh two games or a game in January, four minutes. And all of a sudden in February, when trade talks start to you know go up a little bit, 29 minutes. Nice. Twenty-nine. And then all of a sudden, nine minutes against Cleveland, and then he gets traded to Washington. As you can see, it was just an influx of minutes where it's like it makes no sense why he got all those minutes, and now all of a sudden, same thing's happening in Washington, where it looks like he might be this guy that's kind of filler to get traded over for Trey Young, and also to try to help get you a pick and return.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, there's just a glut of young guys right now. He's not getting a ton of minutes. This this would be more valuable than anything he could probably provide.
SPEAKER_04And so that's why I look at it like that. Like, man, like this, this actually it makes a lot of sense why AJ Johnson's been getting more minutes now when you have a guy like Trey Young now on the market. You're trying to find this contract filler and you know, a player that's going to get you a pick and return. AJ Johnson's shown the potential he can be a solid player in the NBA and be a good role player off the bench. He's shown that potential in games.
SPEAKER_03So he's involved in the second. I lost track. What's the second trade uh proposal? CJ, AJ. It's CJ, Malachi, AJ for Trey Young and that 2026 swap. The Pelicans. Okay. Pelicans and who? Who's in the swap with? It's Pelicans and Milwaukee.
SPEAKER_04And so you just you take the better, you get the better of you. Like it what happens is you either keep your pick because it's the best, or you swap with Milwaukee because it's best, or you swap with New Orleans because it's the best. You just you take whichever one's the best pick out of the three teams.
SPEAKER_03So between one and two, the only difference I'm hearing is that we're either you're either losing Kispert or the two young guys. And I'd rather keep Kispert than uh Ace.
SPEAKER_04I'd rather keep Kispert. The thing with Kispert is you get one more first-round draft pick, but that's all the way in 2030. Oh, I forgot about the first round. I thought it was the second pick.
SPEAKER_03Yes, okay, that does change things. Okay, yeah, sorry. Okay, continue.
SPEAKER_04And so that's why I'm saying it's like, you know, if Kispert's involved, I think you're getting two picks. I think you're getting two firsts because it's not like he's a bad player. Kispert is one of the better role players and bench players in the NBA, I feel like. He's on a team-friendly deal as well for a long time. It helps you out with the you know, Hawks that are trying to kind of, you know, they like they think they're windows now. At least they think they're windows now, and it's coming up with Jalen Johnson, Nikhil Alexander Walker, great deal that they got for him. And so they're trying to get that done. So it's really interesting to look at. But like I said, AJ Johnson, there's not really a lot of rhyme and reason for why he's getting more playing time, besides maybe there's a trading coming. Because that's it, like I said, it's the same thing Milwaukee did.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Uh I think Dawkins would have to do some sweet talking to make sure you get two firsts out of uh Kisbert and TJ, because two first isn't nothing. Um, but I I can see a world where that he pulls that off.
SPEAKER_04I just think that's because of how low Trey Young's value is now. It's in the toilet.
SPEAKER_03Because it's point guards who have nowhere to go.
SPEAKER_04We'll talk. Who has higher trade value out of these three guys? Trey Young, Ja Morant, or Lamella Ball.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, those are the three.
SPEAKER_04I it's kind of hard to justify. I would say Ja. Like, I might say Lamello because he's got size. You're you're starting to see a decline of really value or need for these undersized guards a little bit.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean it's it's crazy because unlike the other two, Trey actually plays games and his value is in the same tier as these guys.
SPEAKER_04It's like it's just like yeah. Anyways, now on to the final deal, which I give like this is a very slim chance of happening, but as we know, the Mavericks want to trade A D to Atlanta. All right, okay, but they don't really want to take on Trey Young. They they they really wanted that swap, but they also mainly just want to get rid of AD. Well, this trade, they don't get a pick. The like this trade, you still get Trey Young and that 2026 swap to the Wizards. Okay, all right, but three-team deal where the Hawks get Anthony Davis, CJ McCollum, and Corey Kispert, and then the Mavericks get Chris Stopps and then Zachary Riesasher. Poor Zingis back to the back to the Mavs. All right. But that's also because he's on a one-year deal, so the Mavs are gonna get immediate cap space with that. Okay. And it's not like Chris Dops plays a ton, anyways. It's not like he could sit out the season in Dallas. I'm sure Dallas wouldn't mind and tank it out.
SPEAKER_03Like Porzengis. Uh that's that's that would be the most complicated of the bunch. That's that's for sure.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's really complicated. I don't see it happening. But if Dallas really wants to ship off AD and get him to Atlanta, then this happened. Like you you could see something kind of similar to that happen. Like I said, do I think do I think it's happening? No, god, god no. I think I give this like a 5% chance of happening.
SPEAKER_03So between one or two, though, which do you like more? Which you think is likelier?
SPEAKER_04Uh, I like two more, and I think it's likelier when you do like just to justify why AJ Johnson all of a sudden has started getting more run. I think, like looking at it. And so I also like it because you keep Kisper, and like I said, you know, I don't really want to see him go by any means. I like what he's doing. I think he's a great leader for this team. I think he's a great veteran presence. I think he's kind of you know someone that you need. I'm not calling him face of the franchise, but he clearly, you know, he clearly does stuff, and I think fans like him for the most part.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, we all like him. And I I also think um there it's also I think it's just also the more realistic straight up of the second one because I mean someone when from another front ops could could go up to us and tell us there's a real chance like neither CJ nor Kispert on their own are worth a first round pick, so it'd be surprising if they're worth two firsts together. Um so the the the second one also just seems more realistic to me. And I also I I think I think we'd live if we lost Malachi and AJ AJ Johnson.
SPEAKER_04We live, we live with that. Corey Kispert, the one is more so like securing the tank and getting as much draft capital as you can. Yeah, I think that's I think that's the Kispert thing right there. But from how the front office and coaching staff has talked about Kispert, I don't think they want him gone. It literally has to be like a godfather we can't refuse a steal type of trade if they send it off Kispert this season, which Atlanta could make that kind of trade. They could.
SPEAKER_03Atlanta has good assets.
SPEAKER_01Um I just no one goes to Hank's for a spreadsheet. They go for a darn good pizza. Lately, though, the shop's been quiet. So Hank decides to bring back the$1 slice. He asks Copilot in Microsoft Excel to look at his sales and costs and help him see if he can afford it. Copilot shows Hank where the money's going and which little extras make the dollar slice work. Now Hank's has a line out the door. Hank makes the pizza. Copilot handles the spreadsheet. Learn more at M365copilot.com slash work.
SPEAKER_03I lost my train of thought. Sorry about that. That's okay.
SPEAKER_04It's okay.
SPEAKER_03But like I said, sorry, go ahead. Um I um I lost it again. Okay, continue, continue. We'll come back to me later.
SPEAKER_04I'm gonna start talking and you're gonna begin here. I was gonna cut you off.
SPEAKER_03This is all one long bit.
SPEAKER_04But AJ Johnson, like I said, it doesn't make a lot of sense why all of a sudden started getting 10 plus minutes in the rotation over guys like Branham who got 20 minutes in one game and all of a sudden did not play the next. It didn't really make a whole lot of sense. But with with this, you know, trade rumors coming out, and I really do think Washington is going to go get Trey Young. They're gonna do everything they can, and not just necessarily get Trey Young, but get draft capital as well, makes sense. It does because Malchi Branham played against Phoenix 20 minutes, and then all of a sudden he did not play against Milwaukee, and I don't think he was injured. He would trade a minute with AJ Johnson.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, like they're there, it went from like he was like the 10th man, and then Keith used it all bench lineup he likes, and he did the same one with the he played seven minutes against Minnesota, but that wasn't really until blowout time. Yeah, that game was useless.
SPEAKER_04And so, but like it's crazy because Brandon has gotten decent rotation minutes throughout the entire season. 17 minutes against the Celtics, 10 minutes against the Mavericks in a loss, um, 11 minutes against Philly in a loss, 14 minutes against Atlanta in a loss, 16 against San Antonio, 11 and a win against Memphis just the other day, 20 minutes in that loss against Phoenix, and all of a sudden it just he disappeared. Yeah. It doesn't make sense. And it's not like as as much as you know, like I have my feelings about the guy, there's nothing against him as like you know, a person, but as uh as a basketball player, I don't I I just don't see the value in him. But in those 11 and 20 minutes, I will say he didn't look bad. He looked decent, didn't look didn't look good, didn't look bad. He just he looked average.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he's he's functional. I can see him being thrown into a trade. However, and this is this is what I I kept forgetting. Um, I'd really want to see how how the Wizards would value uh that Pelicans pick because I consider like a I don't know what the direct term for this is, but I think of like free assets as these awesome picks that are just floating on the league. Like a few years ago when the Suns traded their picks um and they ended up in like Memphis' hands or something like that, and it was like this is just awesome assets just cash. That's sort of uh what this New Orleans pick is gonna become with it starts becoming this hot potato thing, especially because a Trey Young trade to DC to me signals like that management isn't confident they're gonna get like a ton of guard depth in this draft because like otherwise you'd you'd wait it out and knowing whatever pick you get would be good enough to get that kind of facilitator in there. And if we get another pick in the top, on top of the other pick we're also gonna have in the top of the lottery. I'd want to see how they get what they think is best for the vision using those newfound assets because that just signals that it's harder to find than they think it is.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I just think, and from what I've heard, the the front office wants the first overall pick. They do. Like, let's let's be clear, they do. I think everyone can realize that from what I've heard from people I've talked with. They they want that first overall pick no matter what it takes. New Orleans has a good chance of getting that first overall pick. At this point, get top three, and you've secured a first option kind of player on your team and Peterson, Boozer, or Debonsa. You have you got a good setup there, and so that's why I'm saying, like, you want to try to get that Norwich swap because either the Wizards pick jumps up into the top three or first overall, and you're like, great, we just keep that one, or Norland or New Orleans is just higher than yours. You're like, well, we're gonna take the higher pick, of course. It's a second chance, yeah. I think that's what it is. It's like it's kind of like what the Thunder did in 2022, if you think about it. And they had they had swap rights with the Clippers in that draft, and the Clippers were a lottery team, and they had their own pick, which had the second best odds at first overall. And I think that ultimately gave them, I think, like a 40% chance to be in the top three. They ended up being in the top three, and like I said, you know, they got the Clippers pick because, you know, like they just straight up had it, and it's like, great, like, you know, we just got an extra lottery pick out of it, but we're just trying to secure our chance to have as high of a pick as possible. That's what it is, and that's what I'm trying to see with the Wizards right here to go get that New Orleans pick is like we're just trying to secure we get a really good draft pick this year, where it's one of those things where like top three, you literally can't miss.
SPEAKER_03This isn't important, but do you remember why the uh Clippers pick was a lottery pick that year? No, they got bounced in the play-in because Paul George got COVID during the pandemic P. Yeah, he came back. He came back. No love loss for that Clippers team. That's the one that came back from like down 35 against the Wizards. Um, if I had to ask you though, Trey Young on the Wizards, um, your your gut instinct, do you like or dislike that sort of thing, assuming he's on the team for a year and a half, like we're all projecting.
SPEAKER_04So, yeah, that's the thing we gotta look at is I think too many fans see him and are thinking he's a guy that's gonna be on this team for the next five, six years. No. Let's be honest, what's going to happen is Will will trade for him. Dockus will go ahead, trade for him, get him, bring him over here, and this hamstring injury is just gonna linger on and on. He'll play like 10 games with the Wizards. Tank will still be on, we'll get a good draft pick, and then we'll really see what he can do with the Wizards and the next season where he is a starter, presumably. Like I'm assuming Trey Young is a starter on the Wizards next season, even with Darren Peterson. I feel like he still starts. You just move Peterson to the two because if your first round draft pick's more than likely gonna start. All right. Big guard. And so, yeah, you just you just see what it's like. Maybe, maybe it works out, maybe it's a genius trait. Maybe it's truly one of those things where it's like Trey Young, it was just a matter of you know, putting some good pieces around him. Like I said, Trey Young, Alex Sarr pick and rolls, I feel like would feed families. They will, but imagine Cam Boozer as well. Imagine getting Cam Boozer for the pick and roll. That'd also be good. Having a cutter like AJ DeBonsa to kind of rely off of your Trey Young, even Keyshawn George, guys off the bench when he has to play with that bench a little bit as well. He's got shooters off the bench, he's got a shooter and Trey Johnson he can rely on, a little bit of a splash bro situation with Trey and Trey now, you know, turning like Clay and Steph kind of thing. Like the options are there, it's just a matter of seeing does it actually work? Because in theory, it sounds like it could work. But then again, if it doesn't work, like I said, you just try to get his value as high as possible and trade him for more picks down the line because that's what it is.
SPEAKER_03Can't help but feel for Star though, because he only ended up in DC because he spurned the Hawks because he didn't Trade Ball and now he'd end up with him anyway. That would be that would be pretty tough for him. Even if even the pick and rolls would be pretty cool.
SPEAKER_04I think I think at the time when you're looking at Trey Ball, though, it was one of those things where Trey was legit kind of like a borderline top 15 player. I think he was coming off an all-star year that that season. He he was, he was, and I think that was the thing. Alex Sarr wouldn't go to a team where like he was gonna be like you know, the guy, cornerstone, and Atlanta, you're not gonna be that because like I said, Trey Young was still really hot then.
SPEAKER_03My worry is like over this season, he's he's actually below 30% usage, which is like sort of an anomaly for him. I feel like he'd walk in expecting like 50%, something insane, and we're just getting somewhere by getting the ball to Bub and Trey and these other guards. And it's can't help but feel like this would cause a regression with the rest of the team-wide development, with all the other young guys, besides you know, Sar and I think Bilal would both really benefit from someone to get them the ball in easier spots. Can't help but feel like this would really sap um uh uh the ancillary guys from their potential impact by getting this really dominant on ball guy who also doesn't really defend or shoot that well.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's really interesting. It's like I said, could you know could could it work? In theory, it sounds like you know, parts of it could work. And like I said, you don't know until you try it. Uh, the good thing is it's one of those things where you can take on that salary next season. You can like just being honest, you can take on that kind of salary if you're the wizards, because it's not like this coming off season you desperately need all this cap space. It's not like you're here, you have to re-sign anyone this offseason besides like Marvin Bagley if you want to keep him around. And I think the Wizards would like to keep him around. Or you're gonna re-sign him again, or you train him again for another pick and then re-sign him again. Yeah, a never-ending cycle with him. I love the infinite pick, which yeah, but like I said, I just look at it, and like I said, you don't know what's going to happen until you try it. The good thing with Trey Young is like I said, A, you can take on that salary next season. It's not like you have to use it to go sign anyone, like it's not like we got a hundred. It's not like there's a premier guy in that trade market that the Wizards desperately want, and that everyone's gonna be bidding on.
SPEAKER_03And agencies already just sort of dead for finding guys where they're filling that much space on themselves. Exactly.
SPEAKER_04You know, B, you know, uh realistically, this is a short-term thing where you have him for a little bit, you got trade value out of him. Now you get more trade value, you know, out of him when you trade him next season to get another pick or two. That's what you know, trade, you know, ultimately what it's looking like it'll be. Or C, maybe you have him playing there, and you know, in his first 30 games, you're like, oh my goodness, we're we're 18 and 12 with them on the team. We're actually playing really good. Everyone's elevated a little bit. Like, this is insane. No one really thought this would actually happen. And so, like, it's you know, it's those, it's those kind of two things is okay, it's just you know, you can take on the salary, just train him again next season, or B, it's oh my goodness, like it's actually working really well. This was a shot in the dark and it worked.
SPEAKER_03In a vacuum, I think the version of the wizards that he would be theoretically rejoining at the start of next season are actually built a lot like how the Hawks were envisioned a few years back, where it's lob catchers, big defenders, a lot of with John Collins pot up guys, huh?
SPEAKER_04Because with John Collins, because that was a good pair of the colour.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Collins Capella, like these big guys who can just run and dunk, and Sarah's more than that. Um it was kind of a mini lob city. Yeah, mini lob city, but I just I stepping away from from the business side of things, which of course it makes a lot more sense uh there if you look at the numbers and the and the asset valuation. Um man, I feel like it would just really sting to watch how that would influence the rebuild if I could speak so candidly. That's right.
SPEAKER_04Speak speaking, uh just on trade, another update came out just like 10 minutes ago as well. Um, the Wizards are the only team strongly linked to the to trade. Is this Mark Stein?
SPEAKER_03They're the only team. What is this Mark Stein? Where's that source? Jake Weinbach. Okay, I don't actually who's Jake Weinbach.
SPEAKER_04Uh he was formerly like he he was, you know, formerly ESPN. Whatever. It's not a name I know not to listen to, so I'm I'm intrigued. Like he he's someone that you can listen to. Like he's someone that will be in the new a little bit. Yeah, I um that like he said there have been whispers of the Bucks and Heats as potential landing spots, but nothing substantial about that.
SPEAKER_03I don't care if Bucks anyone hear this because Heat never trade for anyone and Bucks just involved because of the Giannis.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, because of Giannis. But like I said, you know, the Wizards are the only team strongly linked to Trey Young. I feel like they're the only team that can truly get a deal done that helps out both sides.
SPEAKER_03Oh man, I'm hearing a lot of really sudden Shams is using that language that he uses, um, where it's talking about like he he he talks things up like they're not as far along as they actually are. He says like things are strongly moving forward. Oh, you're talking about Shams? Yeah, yeah, and that kind of thing.
SPEAKER_04Like that's the thing. Like the thing, like the fact that he tweeted like the report of like they're working on a trade together, like just moments after Mark Stein, kind of shows me that there is something in the works. Yeah, like it's just it like it it it feels like it is happening. Like, I and as much as some of you guys may might love it or hate it or just be neutral about it, because I know I talked with uh Matt Materno earlier about it, and he was like, I hate it, I'm out on it. Nope. I don't want to, I don't want anything to do with it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, the watching the games. The last message he sent me was hard pass. Yeah, watching the games will really make you not want to do that, whether it's Wizards games or Hawk games. I I can't help but feel for him on this one, yeah.
SPEAKER_04And so, but I I do think I I give this a 95% chance of happening, though straight down line. The five percent is the fact that like maybe they can't agree on the exact players because maybe they want balal, and we're not trading balal. The team's not gonna trade balal.
SPEAKER_03That's the thing. The fan base all at least everyone understands the Hawks fans. Might not yet. I haven't I haven't totally certainly for this sort of thing, but the wizard fans all know no key prospects are going out in this kind of deal. No, so at least there's that. Like it's this is an AJ Malachi.
SPEAKER_04No, no key prospects, but like bub, balal, those kinds of guys off the table. You're not getting one of them if you're the Hawks. You're not all right. And if you do want to get one of them, you gotta offer up a ton of draft capital. Yeah, that's when it kind of turns into like you get three firsts and two seconds, that kind of deal. That like, and if you do offer up Balal, which, like I said, I don't think is happening with how he's been playing lately and how much they've put into a developmental plan for him.
SPEAKER_03They really have. I just don't know how much trust Wizards buzz because like this the front office is pretty good about not letting this sort of their deals get out. So I always wonder where the where the sources are coming from.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's you know, it's it's it's definitely interesting to hear, and it's probably more than likely coming from the Hawks camp, if we're being honest. Because if you remember, the Mavs camp leaked out the fact that they aren't really necessarily you know interested in Trey Young, they just wanted that pick swap. And I think that really frustrated the Hawks.
SPEAKER_03And also they have no leverage, they're sellers in this situation, and they're the ones trying to get rid of the guy.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, they like they have no leverage, and so like it's one of those things like look at it, it's like, man, like you just released this information without us wanting to know it, and maybe the Hawks were like, fine, we'll tell you go, we'll go in and tell you who's actually interested in Trey Young, who we're you know, we're likely probably gonna trade him to the Washington Wizards.
SPEAKER_03Take take that, you know, Patrick Dumont. Yeah, and then it had that that that picture of the guy on the couch, like pointing himself like us uh wizards, we're involved in this, dude.
SPEAKER_04There's a guy that you you brought that up. There's a guy that committed to uh Oklahoma State to play football out of the transit portal not too long ago, and his last name is Aikens, and it's you know spelled the same, and that's all that I saw on Twitter. Akins committed to Oklahoma State and I tweeted him. I was like, congrats, but I thought I was going for a second.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, like you're a tight end, not a long snapper or whatever he is.
SPEAKER_04That's what he is. He's a little oh my god, really?
SPEAKER_03It's like the 20th most relevant team on the position on the team. That's crazy. Got any uh got any commingo trades for the audience? I know you're always cooking up something there.
SPEAKER_04Um, I mean, like I could try to cook something up real quick right now. Like I I got fanspo pulled up. Also, just sponsor us. I love you guys. I love Fanspo. I I love them.
SPEAKER_03Um have you real quick, have you lost any? Do you still want him as much as you did at the start of the season? More or less?
SPEAKER_04Uh kind of middle ground where it's like if we don't get him, no big deal. But if we get them, I like it because it's like it's just a short little rental to see if it works. Yeah. And so honestly, like, you know, this is I'm trying to think of something that makes sense to do.
SPEAKER_03The thing that frightens me while you're doing that, I'll just talk while you're doing that. The thing that frightens me about the Trey thing, one last thought, is I saw the kings are not at all interested, and I was like, shoot, like, if the kings are out and we're in, like, like, are we dumb? I can't help but think that. Like, I feel like those guys are in on anything. Anything that moves, like Kaminga. Like, why are the ones on Trey Young?
SPEAKER_04I get what you mean, yeah. It's uh I think it's like part of the reason that they're talking about is like this is not the kings of the past where like jingle something. We're not gonna jingle something in Keegan Murray. Yeah, well, like it's not the kings of the past where like you can jingle a key in front of them and be like, ooh, here you go. Yeah, ooh, you want it. Yeah, I know you want it. Here's Damar Rose, here's Damar DeRozan. Who? Zek Levine. Oh, take it. You want it, you want it. Don't style and shoot us. Ooh, you know how you you love the name, you want him. Oh yeah, you want him. It'll make you the 11th seed in the West. Ooh.
SPEAKER_03If that they actually have a worse record than the Wizards right now. Can you believe that?
SPEAKER_04Oh man. Um so the only thing that I can kind of think because the Warriors, they they uh it's kind of weird. They need shooting a little bit because I feel like some of their shooters that they've brought in haven't been living up to the hype like Buddy Field.
SPEAKER_03They can't shoot. Pods can't consistently shoot. Moses Moody can't really do anything.
SPEAKER_04Um, the streakiest guy in the league. This is where you send CJ McCollum over to them. All right.
SPEAKER_03One of those old West Coast teams, you're right.
SPEAKER_04Yep. Bring you send CJ McCollum over to them, and what else do they kind of need? They need a big man.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I was trying to think of that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's just Draymond and Post. That's what they need to do. Send over send over Marvin Bagley, and in return, you get Kuminga, Buddy Healed, who's on a really cheap deal, and old man Al Horford, who's about to retire. No picks then. No picks. I don't think you can get a pick for that, and I don't even know what kind of picks they have really. Let's be honest.
SPEAKER_03I mean, I feel like they don't really do remember they didn't do a single transaction through the offseason forever? I feel like they have most of their own picks.
SPEAKER_04Like, what if they uh they they have most, they like they pretty much have all of their owns besides like second-round picks. And I just don't know if you can get a first in that kind of deal. Unless they really want to move on from Jonathan Kaminga, then maybe you try to be like, give us your first round this year. Come on.
SPEAKER_03That's what I'm trying to gauge because I feel like they really want to move on from really, really, or at least Steve Kerr really, really does. So it's just trying to gauge how desperate they're gonna get in the next few weeks. Jesus, Thunder got blown out by the Hornets tonight. Oklahoma City Thunder? Yeah. What's going on? Is this is this all J Dub's fault? What is this? What is this? 2021? What is this? No way. Thunder Hornets. 119 and 92. Wow. What did Shay do? What is this, 2022? Come on now. Come on. Shay didn't really do much. Darn it. Not good for my fantasy stock. Whatever. Um, we will watch with baited breath uh to see what happens.
SPEAKER_04We will. And like another thing here, like Troy, you know, friend of the pod, uh the other day, or I say the other day, today, said, if I'm Trey Young's camp, I definitely am not trying to go to Washington. He'll be getting salary dumped again in another year, which, like we said, probably the likely thing to happen there.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_04The Wizards are clearly into asset flipping. I'm not sure if Trey has the bandwidth to be getting passed around and still act like a professional. And then, you know, Sam Clinton, he he he then said it is like, what other option does he have? There's not exactly a robust market out there for him. He could go, he'd go there for a year, have the ball a lot, and audition for the rest of the league before he becomes a free agent. Better than languishing on a team that outright doesn't want him. That's what I'm thinking about.
SPEAKER_03There's been a lot of these trades in the last uh few years that have involved these guys who I feel like the fans really wouldn't like when when um they had Kelly Olinick for like three weeks, and I was like, How the hell is that gonna go with Wizards fans? Um, I feel like Trey Young would not be the most popular dude based on again how he'd influence the rebuild and the younger guys.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Which I mean, like like I said, I think it's more of like a kind of like let's see if we can increase his value and train him. If not, he's just gonna be off the team anyway, so it's not a big deal. Yeah, well, true. And so who knows? Maybe he knows his value's low and he restructures to a better deal.
SPEAKER_03Maybe I don't know. This guy four all-star games, letting Easter Conference finals run. I don't know. Yeah, still easily 20 27.
SPEAKER_04It's really weird, like it's just a really weird situation, but then again, it also feels like a very likely situation from everything that we know.
SPEAKER_03As you said, it looks acid flipping.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and so it's it's interesting. Something to something to keep an eye on. It's like I said, I I seriously, I seriously think this is you know going to happen. 95% chance happens, like I said earlier, 5% chance it doesn't, you know, it's because they can't sort of agree on the player they really want balal, and I know Dawkins is not gonna give up balal that easily.
SPEAKER_03Surprise things are things are moving at this perceived pace this early as well. It's still a long way to go before real. This is this is the first trade.
SPEAKER_04Well, it doesn't, it doesn't really surprise me because in 10 days, finally, you're gonna get a lot of players that can be traded. That's true. That's true. So teams are probably already hashing out details, and we'll we'll probably see a trade on January 15th.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, we'll probably trade that actually has legs, like the Giana stuff wasn't ever real. The Kaminga thing, nothing was really ever concrete, just that Golden State didn't really want it. This feels like things are actually happening.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and so it's it's interesting. So we'll see what happens. Of course, that's what I got. But that's an episode. We did it, that's what we know. Very little, like I said, and what very little. Actually, I feel like we know a lot. I I I feel like we actually know a lot, and you know, and of course, there's stuff I cannot say because it's all off the record. And so, but I will say with confidence, with what I know is this is gonna happen, guys. I I seriously think Trey Young to Washington is not a smoke screen, it's happening.
SPEAKER_03That'll be something. That'll be something.
SPEAKER_04I'll I'll stay by the phone. Stay by the phone, stay ready, and like I said, it would honestly would not surprise me if it happened in the next few days. Oh my gosh. So we'll see. That'll be something. We'll see. Well, that's an episode. We did it. Any anything you want to get off your chest?
SPEAKER_03No, I'm just I mean, I feel like I already said uh man, I I Ranke's gonna have a lot in his hands because that's completely changing the offense. Um, these are slowing things down recently because Trey Young likes a slower offense.
SPEAKER_04Well, does it does it change the entire offense? Because, like I said, this yeah, this hamstring injury could last for quite some time. He only plays like 10 games in a wizard's uniform this season. Um it really opens up time for Trey Johnson and other guys because you gotta keep the tank alive.
SPEAKER_03I mean, Trey is is not a versatile player, though. Like, you have to do things his way. That's why like all the past iterations failed. Like, they tried putting DeJounte Murray in there, he had the ball, and that resulted in Diddley. And I feel like this is gonna be the same thing where there's gonna be a weird balance.
SPEAKER_04So like Will I trust these guys. He won't. And if Trey acts like that, then he'll just be shipped off again over the summer. Or he tells him, like, look, decline your player option, I'm not playing you.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I guess we don't know anything yet, so I get we'll have to see how they handle that sort of thing. But that that's all I got. Just mindset. Because that's the thing.
SPEAKER_04Trey could do like because that's something we didn't mention. This is what I'll end it on. Trey has a player option. If he doesn't want to be in Washington, he can just decline it. He has the power to leave.
SPEAKER_03All true. All true. He's rolling the dice.
SPEAKER_04And so we'll see what happens. But that's an episode. Thank you guys for listening as always. See you guys in the next one. Peace.