•23:22 Givony: If anything but Risacher happens at one, that'd be a big surprise around the NBA •38:25 Lowe: Not heard that Brooklyn has changed their stance regarding Bridges in trade talks. •39:00 Givony: Most of the league thinks that if Houston keeps their pick, it's Reed Sheppard. If they trade the pick, someone is moving up for Clingan. Who wants to trade up and what can they get? You talked about Bridges, you hear names like Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram. Is there a smaller trade like #9 and Smart to move up to 3? Smart and Brooks, how much does that make sense teams are asking. What are the options when actually on the clock? I know the Nets say they're not trading Bridges but the way his contract is structured, his number is too low for a max extension. What is his extension number? Lowe: $23.3M now, $24.9M then UFA. I believe the number would be 140% of his current salary, which as you said I don't believe would be high enough to get what he wants. Givony: If I'm the Nets, I'm wondering when do we need to move on if we can't retain him? Can we get our picks back? If you're thinking about rebuilding, those picks are valuable. Is there a trade there with one or multiple of those picks and one of the young guys. Maybe not Jalen Green but Amen Thompson or Cam Whitmore. That has to be super attractive to the Nets. What is the Rockets appetite for making that offer and what does Brooklyn say if that offer is made when they're on the clock? There is a price for everything in the NBA. •42:48 Givony (on Sheppard): Every NBA team is looking for shooting, feel, guys who can play with other good players, competitiveness and youth. He showed intriguing flashes last year out of PnR, dissecting defenses, making smart reads, not at a prolific rate (18% usg rate), with his shooting, IQ, way he competes, that's an easy guy to fit into any roster in the NBA. •45:13 Givony: I like Rob Dillingham for ( the Spurs). He has the most star power of any player in this draft. Unbelievable ball handler, outstanding off the dribble shooter, made 45% from three, lightning in a bottle, gets anywhere he wants on the court, full of energy and excitement. I love him as a potential partner for Wembanyama. Probably more with the 8th pick. We have Castle going 4th. I worry about the shooting. I went to UConn games and got there 2 hours early and watched him go through warm-up routines. I'm filming thinking I'll get 3-4 consecutive makes from Castle and it would take 30/40 minutes to get 2 consecutive makes. I'm like "Man, this is alarming!"
Contrary to all the East Coast bias, we're not tripping over ourselves to GIVE BKN a bunch of assets for Bridges. Again, let them take the lot of mid to late firsts they were always going to get ...from another team.
Reed already undersized in a league that continues to get bigger. We already have a point forward & point center. Are we going to waste a #3 on a undersized spot up shooter I just don’t like Clingan. I think he’ll be a disappointment I’d rather just put my balls on the table and trade up for Sarr
Just registering this: I don’t think they will trade down to late lottery (for reasons I’ve described elsewhere), but IF they do I have a sneaking suspicion that they could be targeting Nikola Topic as the pick, in addition to the future draft asset they’d get back. From a certain perspective it would make sense: - No immediate rotation spot needed - High risk / high reward prospect - Some analytical models rate him very strongly, still 18yo - It would explain them trading down into a range where they have worked out zero prospects… Topic can’t work out right now anyway He could even conceivably stay another year in Europe an la Ricky Rubio after his injury recovery as a high level stash and we’d outsource his development reps. In that case, his 4 year rookie contract wouldn’t even start until 2026 when he’s 20. Basically let him recover and develop on loan in Euroleague before starting the rookie contract clock. I’d bet they’d love to do this with an American prospect, but it’s only possible with Europeans. Maybe unlikely, and not my preferred path, but it’s the type of galaxy brain move this FO likes.
No way it makes any sense for Topic to stay overseas, right? Especially because he's going to be rehabbing an injury, if I'm investing a lottery pick, I want the guy to be recovering under the direction of the Houston medical team. Also, as far as I can tell he doesn't have any major buyout issues that will cost him significant out-of-pocket costs like Rubio did, and NBA rookie salaries have grown far faster than any other competing leagues. Even being drafted at #9 overall would get him to a first year salary of $5.75M+, far higher than he'd ever touch in the Euroleague, and puts him one accrued season closer to free agency.
those are the two I want: Sarr or Sheppard. Neither is getting past #4. I will be disappointed if we draft Clingan at #3, but I’ll live with it if our scouts think he could be special. I could also live with Castle but the shooting puts a real ceiling on him. It’s gotta be Sarr or Sheppard if we are keeping the pick.
I have read, though unconfirmed, that he does have a significant buyout after he signed his big pro contract with Red Star last year. Topic has the same agent as Dario Saric, who was picked 12th in 2014 and who the Sixers who had stay in Europe for two years before coming over in 2016. Other than the ACL, seems like a pretty close precedent. Agree with you on the medical stuff adding uncertainty, but I could see arguments both ways -- the team wanting him to rehab in the US vs. him wanting to rehab with the doctors he's already working with and staying home until he's ready to actually join an NBA team. Unlikely and I wouldn't do this path... but there is some galaxy brain logic to it. Especially for a team that is consistently putting out doubts about its desire to bring in another prospect right away, even a top 3 caliber one.
While Sarr is prob gonna be a good player, I dont see how he is better than Sengun or jabari. While I also think Sheppard is too undersized he will provide a lot more value to this team than either Sarr or Clingan. Rockets have 3 amazing creators in Sengun, Amen and Jalen we need a shooter in the back court to complement that whether thats Sheppard, Devin Carter, Knecht or Risacher.
