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00:00NBA free agency officially begins this evening on Monday, June 30th, the final day of this month at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
00:09And a huge domino in the free agency market DRS yesterday, of course, one of the largest dominoes perhaps in the history of the NBA.
00:19LeBron James has opted into the final year of his deal with the L.A. Lakers, $52.6 million.
00:26LeBron James opting in to the final year of a contract is news for him, entering the 23rd season of his NBA career.
00:35LeBron is 40. He turns 41 in December. That would be midway through his 23rd NBA season.
00:43Nobody has played more. Vince Carter played 22 years. LeBron just finished year 22.
00:50When he steps on the floor for year 23, it will be the most in NBA history.
00:56The question, though, DRS, based on some of the wording of this report from Sham Sharania yesterday,
01:02in the statement that LeBron's agent and best friend Rich Paul released to ESPN about LeBron's desire to still compete for a championship,
01:11nearing the tail end of his career, and trying to apply some pressure on the Lakers to form a championship caliber roster,
01:19the question is, will he be playing in the purple and gold next season?
01:24Might a trade already be in the works?
01:28And finally, DRS, is the 23rd year of LeBron's NBA career the 23rd and final?
01:34I don't think it's the 23rd and final. He's going to keep playing as long as he's healthy, trying to chase rings.
01:39And if you're averaging 20-plus points a season, why would you hang it up at this point here?
01:42But also understand this. I don't think anybody ever thought that LeBron was opting out of Los Angeles to become a complete free agent here.
01:48He opts back in, gets the big salary, but can still hold their feet to the fire.
01:52And, hey, you know what? If things aren't going well by the trade deadline, I'm not under contract next year.
01:56I'm not going to sign with you. You might as well get something for me.
01:59But also understand this, too. It's like if LeBron James was smart and said to myself, you know what?
02:03Money's no object anymore. I'm a billionaire at this point.
02:06I'm going to opt out of my contract.
02:07I'm going to go to a team here and sign the veteran minimum, like that mid-level exception, for like $5 million.
02:13Then we can party, because the one thing that would allow you to do is that typically doesn't hit against the salary caps.
02:18You can go to a team like, theoretically, right, Ben?
02:21Let's just say if the Celtics had that mid-level exception, you can join them and have no salary cap ramifications.
02:26But it's not going to do that. It's just not smart business practices.
02:28But also understand this. Like, if I'm going to opt in and get traded out, the team you go to, you're going to have to give up unbelievable amount of assets.
02:35It's always like that Carmelo Anthony effect for Denver.
02:37Hey, just wait six months. You'll be in New York in a free agent.
02:40No, I want to go now, and gutted the New York franchise while he joined them, because he was selfish, wanted his money,
02:45which is definitely your opinion to have if you want to make as much money as you can.
02:50But for LeBron James, it didn't surprise me.
02:51Hey, breaking news, he's back with L.A.
02:54He was always going to be back with L.A.
02:55It's the biggest stage you could possibly be on here.
02:58He just wants them to spend around him and try to build.
03:00He doesn't want to uproot his family.
03:02He's living a great life in Los Angeles with a good basketball organization, making a ton of money.
03:06He just wants to rebuild there instead.
03:09It's a really good point, DRS.
03:11It's applying pressure and using the leverage that LeBron James will always have, even if he is nearing 41 years old and entering the 23rd NBA season of his career.
03:22Is he even the best player on his own roster now for the first time ever in his NBA career?
03:28You could argue that, of course, with Luka Doncic now being that centerfold for L.A.
03:34to build around for the future of continuing to contend for NBA championships.
03:40It's Rich Paul.
03:41It's LeBron James applying that pressure on Rob Palenka in the Lakers front office because it was incredibly apparent, DRS,
03:48at the end of last year in the opening round playoff series against the Timberwolves, losing in a gentleman's sweep in only five games.
03:56LeBron's still good.
03:57Luka's still very good.
03:59Maybe he needs to get into some better shape, but still very good.
04:02Everybody else, maybe not truly a championship caliber roster to contend with the likes of OKC, Minnesota, Denver, among the best in the Western Conference.
04:12And now, of course, we have to throw the Houston Rockets with Kevin Durant in to that fold.
04:18To me, DRS, year number 23 for LeBron is in Los Angeles.
04:22There is no doubt.
04:23I don't believe the trade speculation will continue.
04:27What I think was fascinating about LeBron James opting in, you said nobody really expected him to opt out.
04:34But the reason that you opt out and rework a smaller two-year deal to get your money is to still kind of have that conversation about the future.
04:42When might retirement come for a guy that is 40, but in his 22nd NBA season still played 70 games, and in his 21st NBA campaign still played 71 games?
04:54You see the numbers there for a guy that is 40 years old, still an all-star, averaging more than 24 points, eight times in nearly eight boards per game.
05:05I think the decision to opt in, DRS, is a sign that if it's not this year, maybe it's the next year for LeBron James to end out his NBA career.
05:15Frankly, for me, I do believe that 2025-26 is going to be his 23rd and final NBA season.
05:22Hey, I do think he's going to play on.
05:24But you know what I do like about this, too?
05:26Where Aaron Rodgers, hey, is this your last season?
05:28Pretty much.
05:29LeBron's like, hey, this is going to be year to year at this point right now.
05:31I'm just letting you know that up front.
05:33I love the refreshing honesty because if LeBron goes out next year and is injured and the Lakers are bad, oh, he doesn't have to play another year because he can't afford his bills.
05:40Like, he's playing at this point right now for legacy, adding numbers, and adding championships.
05:44And also, how would it look for him?
05:46Because people will always say, like, well, the ring chasing here.
05:48He's got to get Jordan 6.
05:50Whenever LeBron James is like, you know what?
05:51I'm going to do an unselfish act.
05:52I'm going to opt out of my Lakers contract and go play for $5 million in Oklahoma City and win two more championships here.
05:58People will be furious at that.
05:59But then he goes, man, I really respect it.
06:01Like, this guy is all about ring culture and chasing rings.
06:03If he is, that's his ultimate goal and figures he can help another team do that and get over the hump, which would be fantastic.
06:08He'd catch a lot of backlash for that.
06:10But he's in Los Angeles, and he doesn't want to go there.
06:12Like, the move, I honestly believe, like, from Cleveland over to L.A. was like, you know what?
06:16This is my final destination here.
06:18We have unlimited funds.
06:19If we can build this and win it.
06:20And they did get one championship.
06:22I'm just looking for one more to cement my legacy in Los Angeles.
06:26He's not going to move.
06:27Los Angeles will be his final destination.
06:29It's just a matter of how long he's going to play.
06:31It's not going to be a Shaquille O'Neal.
06:32I'm going to wind up in five different cities that nobody ever remembers here on my way out the door.
06:38Completely agree, DRS.
06:39Again, the reason we are even asking what could be next beyond the idea of retirement looming for LeBron James is this quote from his agent, Rich Paul.
06:48We, quote, understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future.
06:54We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.
06:59Is that open-ended?
07:01Really, it's a leverage game.
07:03LeBron's best chance of winning a championship is with Luka Doncic, a top five player in the NBA, and building out the roster around them in Los Angeles.
07:12Although, the Eastern Conference is a little bit more up in the air.
07:17Plenty more news around the association next.
07:21Today officially marks the beginning of NBA free agency.
07:24Tonight, 6 p.m. Eastern time.
07:26Here on the final day of June, we get some free agency conversation.
07:31There was a time, DRS, where the summer around the association, in the start of free agency, in the hours leading up to it, even the days leading up to it, it was Kawhi Leonard watch.
07:43It was Kevin Durant watch.
07:44There were so many things that we were waiting for in NBA free agency.
07:49Not necessarily the case right now because one of the bigger free agents on the market is Malik Beasley.
07:56But he is in the news already because there is now a federal investigation into Malik Beasley in a federal gambling probe, as you see there.
08:07One of the top free agents on the market, Malik Beasley, who played last season in Detroit with the Pistons, was in serious talks already with that Pistons organization on a new three-year, $42 million contract.
08:20But those conversations from one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, that being Malik Beasley, have now been put on hold.
08:29It is important to note, an investigation is not a charge.
08:33Malik Beasley has not been charged with anything as his attorney.
08:36Steve Haney was quick to remind ESPN and Sham Sharania yesterday.
08:40But DRS, a gambling probe into Beasley, based on one prominent sportsbook, noticing some irregular trends in his account back in 2024.
08:51Now, was this his account they noticed on, like his personal account, or was it just they flagged the actual numbers on that?
08:58Because that does change the issue here.
09:00But the funny part about this is, is I'm reading some of the details on it, right?
09:04The over two and a half rebounds, which priced at an under of a plus 118.
09:09And you're like, okay, if that number is changing a lot, because it finished up at minus 256, but then he goes way over the total.
09:15Like the flags for me would be like, all right, let's put two and two together, right?
09:18Like, okay, Malik Beasley's rebounds are two and a half.
09:20And in the first quarter, mysteriously leaves the game because he said his ankle hurt, or he had cramping in his calf and never came back into the game.
09:27And it won that way.
09:28The interesting part is like that two and a half, he skied over that number.
09:32So that odd line movement got smoked here and was a loser.
09:36But here's the good part as well, which you'll flip it over.
09:38Because most people will look at this and say, this is why we can't have gambling, because players get involved in gambling.
09:44No, that's not correct.
09:45This is why we have legalized gambling, so we can track these things and flag them immediately and then serve up justice and say, you know what?
09:52Do this again to anybody else?
09:54You will also be caught at this, so it's not viable.
09:56If we didn't have legalized sports betting and you could do this offshore, nobody would care at that point, nor there would be an investigation.
10:02Because it's illegal sports gambling, and let's just say it would be offshore.
10:06So taking a look at this, it makes sense with just the way they found them.
10:09Like, right, Ben?
10:09If they would have said, like, hey, Malik had one rebound and it won, you're like, now hold on.
10:13Like, that doesn't make any sense.
10:15But the fact it got smoked with that big line movement in the opposite direction, it's kind of funny.
10:19It's almost like, hey, you know what?
10:21I hate these guys I hang out with.
10:23I'm going to tell them to bet this under, and I'm going to go over to show them a lesson.
10:26Like, that's what it feels like happened in this scenario.
10:29Yeah, so let me clarify that.
10:32Not necessarily his own account, DRS, but one prominent U.S. sportsbook detected unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley's stats beginning around January 2024.
10:44They noted that in a game between the Bucs and the Blazers on January 31st, 2024, the odds on Beasley recording fewer than two and a half rebounds moved significantly at sportsbooks before the game, shortening from around plus 120 to the under to minus 250.
11:01And then he finished with six boards, and the bets that were deemed unusual ended up on the losing side.
11:08Again, he has not been charged with anything, but he is the subject now to a federal investigation by the same U.S. district court, by the way, that was involved in the Jonte Porter case now probably over or close to a year ago.
11:23The Eastern District of New York inside the U.S. attorney's office, just to note.
11:28Beasley, 28 years old, has played nearly a decade DRS in the NBA last season in Detroit, made 319 threes, the most in Pistons franchise history in a single season.
11:42And again, one of the bigger free agents in the market right now who was close, it appeared, to re-signing a deal with Detroit.
11:50Those conversations have been put on pause.
11:53Yeah, it's incredible, too, because most of the time you hear about this, right?
11:56Remember the Boston College scandal, you know, with the mob and gambling?
11:59What was that, the early 1980s, late 1970s at that point?
12:02So you say to yourself, like, these kids aren't making any money, and the chance to get, like, an extra $500 in their pocket might sway some of these guys.
12:08Like, I'm never going pro, and I'm starving out here.
12:10Yeah, nobody will ever know and find out at this point.
12:12But the fact that it's like, hey, I'm making tens of millions of dollars, but I want to pick up, like, an extra $3,000 on a Tuesday night.
12:20It's kind of wild some of the decisions that actually get made when you already make a ton of money.
12:26Yes, there will be some conversations about the dangers of robust prop markets, and it's enticing to NBA players.
12:33No, it's not.
12:34They know the rules.
12:35Everybody knows the rules by now.
12:37Enough of that.
12:38Notable NBA moves over the weekend.
12:40Next.
12:41Today is the start of NBA free agency, but over the weekend, a flurry of moves as we anticipated.
12:48DRS, a lot of focus, of course, in Los Angeles on the purple and gold of the Lakers, and LeBron James opting in to the final year of his deal.
12:57The other L.A. team now playing in the Intuit Dome in front of the wall.
13:02What colors exactly are the Clippers now?
13:04Black, red, blue, and white.
13:06Super weird color scheme.
13:07Either way, not the point James Harden opted out of the final year of his contract to re-sign a new deal, a two-year, $81.5 million deal to remain with the Clippers.
13:21Last year, James Harden was an all-star, averaging nearly 22 points and nine dimes per game, the 11th all-star nod of his career.
13:29He turns 36 in August.
13:31He is back with the L.A. Clippers in 2025-26 on a new two-year contract.
13:37Yeah, we're used to these high numbers now at this point, and guys playing well into their careers.
13:41And James Harden thought maybe a little bit washed two to three years ago, had a very good season.
13:45When you have good seasons as a perennial all-star, you get big-ticket items here.
13:49I still remember when that last CBA kicked in.
13:51It was like, you know, these average guys getting monster deals, like, get used to it.
13:54So these numbers don't even shock us anymore.
13:56Like, hey, two years, $81 million for a guy that's going to be in his mid to late 30s at this point.
14:01Never would have thought that would happen 10 to 15 years ago.
14:03But here we are in the NBA.
14:04But I got to say, it's deserved.
14:06If the money, if the pay scale is going higher, you're going to pay the top players on your team.
14:10And Steve Ballmer also, being the owner of the Clippers, isn't worried about hitting a lower tax threshold or apron here.
14:16Hey, that's a superstar in my city here playing good basketball.
14:19We're going to pay him here.
14:20It's a two-year deal.
14:20It's not as if he signed seven years.
14:22He's going to go to his 43 years old.
14:24Like, sometimes these baseball contracts, hey, Pauls, you're 32.
14:27Sign a 13-year deal.
14:28It's like, whoa, what's that going to be at the end of it?
14:30Well, if he is washed, it's only two years.
14:32You're all right.
14:35DRS, five teams in the Western Conference a season ago won at least 50 games.
14:39The Clippers won of those five.
14:41They finished because of tiebreakers as the number five seed in the Western Conference.
14:46Of course, not a great first-round experience.
14:49But they did take the Denver Nuggets to seven games before being ousted.
14:54There are some serious conversations, of course, around James Harden and Kawhi Leonard and what is the ceiling of this Clippers team in the Western Conference.
15:03They finished as the five seed last year in the Western Conference standings.
15:07Currently, they have the sixth best price to win the Western Conference entering this year at 13-1.
15:15Of course, everybody chasing the Oklahoma City Thunder are reigning NBA champs, plus 130 price for OKC.
15:22Any price we mention around the Western Conference, the Thunder will be taken with a grain of salt.
15:28But the team that was ousted by Oklahoma City in five games in the Western Conference Finals for a second consecutive year,
15:36at least reaching the WCF, that being the Minnesota Timberwolves,
15:40who had a couple of potential free agent questions on the roster.
15:45If they did not re-sign some significant contributors to big deals, the Timberwolves answering those questions yesterday.
15:54Three-year, $100 million deal for Julius Randle.
15:57Five-year, $125 million deal for Nas Reed.
16:01Those consistent and significant contributors for Minnesota back for the T-Wolves.
16:07The RS tied for the third best price, that being Minnesota, to win the Western Conference crown next year
16:12alongside the LA Lakers at an 8-1 number.
16:16Minnesota hoping not just to get to the Western Conference Finals, but the first ever NBA Finals in franchise history.
16:23They'll have a chance next year for sure.
16:24It's funny when you see those big deals like, ooh, monster deals.
16:27When you break it down, like we just talked about like James Harden getting over $40 million a year.
16:31Randle getting less than that.
16:32Nas Reed getting less than that.
16:33And still being key contributors here to work into that team concept.
16:37But we bring up again, that is a high payroll team that over the next year to two years
16:41had better get it done at this point.
16:42But it's good to see that the new ownership group coming in isn't cutting bait immediately right off the bat.
16:47Now, it'll be one of those things where you could see, Ben, midway through the season,
16:51if things aren't working out, those decisions get a lot easier being made,
16:55just like we see with the Celtics.
16:56It's like, boy, if we didn't get an injury here from Jason Tatum,
16:59our fan base would never let us blow up this roster
17:01because you probably would have made a run to the NBA Finals, even if you lost to the Knicks or not.
17:05It's like, we're healthy.
17:05We have to run this back.
17:07At least you're getting that right now from the Minnesota Timberwolves,
17:09where they are running it back in the short term.
17:11But as I just said, also, they're pretty team-friendly deals
17:14that those two starting caliber players got compared to what we typically see in the NBA.
17:19No doubt about it.
17:20Minnesota should be excited and optimistic about the offseason ahead.
17:24They need to figure out a couple other things around Anthony Edwards.
17:27But Julius Randle, great in his first year with the T-Wolves.
17:30And Nas Reed has been great off the bench,
17:32kind of in that role as a reserve for Chris Finch and company for many years now.
17:38A trade over the weekend in the NBA.
17:40You don't often see straight up for straight up, player for player in the association,
17:46but Lonzo Ball traded by the Bulls to the Cleveland Cavaliers
17:49in exchange for Isaac Okoro making his way back to the Windy City.
17:54BRS, this was kind of flagged by many in the association.
17:58Not because like, oh, Isaac Okoro is such a better player than Lonzo or vice versa.
18:04The fact that Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach Levine
18:09were all dealt by the Bulls' front office without a single first-round pick
18:14that are given out like candy to a baby to NBA teams in trades.
18:19None of those four guys even garnered a first-rounder.
18:23Yeah, exactly.
18:24Probably should have kept the team together.
18:25Like, hey, we're actually a decent team.
18:27Can compete and make some playoff spots.
18:28But we're looking forward to the future,
18:30but not actually rebuilding for the future at that point here.
18:33So some people are asking, like,
18:34why are we rearranging chairs on the Titanic in Chicago
18:37and not helping ourselves out?
18:39Well, we'll see what happens next year,
18:40but it's not an exciting future for the Bulls.
18:42I think we can say that.
18:44No, it is not.
18:46A lot of young talent that kind of made a run to the plan.
18:48We'll talk about some of those potential free agents in Chicago next,
18:52including a restricted free agent in Josh Giddey
18:55and a restricted free agent in Golden State.
18:58The Warriors tender a qualifying offer to Jonathan Kaminga,
19:01who, if he does hit the open market,
19:03or at least does hit the market and gets a big payday,
19:07could be one to note, of course,
19:08the IRS throughout the free agency that begins at 6 p.m. Eastern.
19:12Yeah, it seems like he's the future in Golden State right now.
19:15They want to keep him around,
19:16so at least that'll keep tabs on him to see
19:18what his market price actually is.
19:20And teams that we're very interested in now
19:22sort of have to take that step back
19:23because the qualifying offer, you've got to put it out there,
19:25then you've got to wait some time.
19:27It's sort of a pain in the neck,
19:28but it's designed for the NBA to keep players in town in their home here
19:31and gives the home team just a chance to say,
19:33hey, I don't know if you're worth this,
19:34but if you are, we'll pay you.
19:36If not, see you later.
19:38Without Steph, of course, in that lineup
19:40in their second-round series against Minnesota,
19:43it was Jonathan Kaminga off the bench
19:45that really provided that scoring spark.
19:47It's been an interesting tenure for a guy
19:49that I believe was the seventh overall pick
19:51now a few summers ago by the Dubs.
19:54He has kind of been relegated to the bench at times
19:56by Steve Kerr,
19:57but of course has showed that promise and talent as well.
20:00DRS, I know you and Joe Ranieri
20:02spent a decent amount of time on Friday morning
20:04breaking this down,
20:06but I guess the Ace Bailey saga,
20:08at least for now,
20:09comes to a close on Saturday
20:11as Ace Bailey reported to the Jazz in Salt Lake
20:14and said he was, quote,
20:16just blessed to be in the position that he is.
20:20So Ace Bailey there
20:21as the Jazz will get ready for Summer League
20:24and the training camp that involves
20:26that kind of shutting down some of the drama,
20:28perhaps, in Salt Lake City.
20:30Yeah, we wanted a couple more days.
20:32Like, Ace should have just held that
20:33at least one more day on a Monday
20:34where that deadline was supposedly there,
20:35whether or not he wanted to be there.
20:37But I do love the fact that he's like,
20:38my group basically told Utah,
20:41Pounce Hand, we don't want to be there,
20:42so now he's blessed to be there,
20:43so would he have been blessed
20:44with more money in Philadelphia and Charlotte?
20:46Now he's just not as blessed,
20:47but in Utah, a place where you can't go out at night,
20:49and good luck on your future, kid.
20:52Yeah, Ace Bailey seems very focused on basketball,
20:55maybe putting an end to this traumatic saga
20:58pre-draft, during the draft,
21:00and maybe a few hours after the draft or so.
21:03We thought the Jazz might be a little bit active
21:05this offseason, though,
21:06after trading, or I should say selecting,
21:09surprisingly, Ace Bailey.
21:10So they trade Colin Sexton and a 20-32nd rounder
21:15to the Charlotte Hornets, Yusuf Nurkic.
21:17The big man makes his way back to the Jazz.
21:20Some other news to note,
21:21DeAndre Ayton bought out by the Trailblazers
21:23in the final year of his deal.
21:25He is now going to be a free agent.
21:28The Houston Rockets,
21:29who already made the blockbuster deal
21:31last Sunday for Kevin Durant,
21:33re-signed Jabari Smith,
21:35or I should say extend Jabari Smith,
21:37the third overall pick,
21:39now three summers, four summers ago in 2022,
21:42to a five-year, $122 million extension.
21:46Yeah, by the way,
21:47I just, like, a 2030 second-round pick,
21:50like, you know what?
21:52You can't trade any picks into the next year.
21:54Like, you have one year to do it.
21:55Enough with this.
21:57That's why the Bulls didn't even get
21:58a first-rounder from 2037.
22:01Free agency begins around the association
22:04tonight at 6 p.m. Eastern time,
22:06so we'll have plenty of conversations
22:08around these odds, DRS,
22:11starting tonight and the remainder of the summer.
22:14So let's note those NBA title odds
22:16working in conference prices as well,
22:19right here, right now,
22:21before we officially get to free agency
22:23a little bit later on tonight.
22:26Now, is there a player available in the market
22:29that is drastically going to swing
22:31one of these prices by multiple dollars,
22:34by five bucks?
22:36No.
22:36So are these going to drastically change?
22:40No.
22:40Could a blockbuster deal, a trade, happen
22:43at some point this NBA summer offseason
22:46that would?
22:47Sure.
22:48Free agency, probably not as much.
22:50And of course, DRS,
22:51the main theme that we have already discussed
22:53since the Oklahoma City,
22:55Thunder, eight days ago,
22:57won their first NBA championship
22:59in OKC in 17 seasons
23:02and celebrated the parade on Tuesday.
23:05Everybody's looking up at the Thunder,
23:07plus 230,
23:08the drastically short price
23:10on a team that just won an NBA championship
23:13to go back to back.
23:15There has been a little bit of movement
23:17on the Cleveland Cavaliers
23:18moving up in this market,
23:20a six to one price,
23:21and now a clear distinction
23:23in front of both New York and Houston
23:25for that second pass price.
23:26And of course,
23:27the shortest among those
23:28Eastern Conference contenders.
23:30But Donnie, the main story
23:32in the NBA championship odds
23:33here at the end of June
23:34that will carry over to July
23:37and October when the season begins
23:39and probably December around Christmas
23:42and March and April
23:43when the NBA season is ending
23:45is that the Thunder are going to be
23:47a short favorite,
23:48expected and anticipated
23:50to go back to back as an NBA champ.
23:53It's interesting too.
23:54You look at the top five
23:55in the odds market here at FanDuel,
23:56it's kind of like the Thunder.
23:57They're not perennial championship contenders.
23:59They just won one last year.
24:00I understand that,
24:01but the first in their history,
24:02the Cavaliers here
24:03outside of LeBron James,
24:04like, well, what have you done for me?
24:06They're number two.
24:07The New York Knicks
24:07haven't won anything for 50 years.
24:09They don't even have a head coach
24:10as they're sitting there
24:11in that third spot,
24:12followed by the Rockets
24:13who've been a long time
24:14since they were viable in the NBA.
24:16And then you see the Orlando Magic
24:17who haven't been viable
24:18since Penny and Jack.
24:19It feels like 25 to 30 years ago
24:21at this point also.
24:22So it's a fun part of the NBA,
24:24but then you see the other side.
24:25It's right, the Lakers,
24:26the Nuggets,
24:27the Celtics, the Clippers,
24:28and, you know,
24:28the T will certainly come on strong.
24:30It's a wide open field
24:31in the NBA outside of OKC.
24:33And I do agree
24:34with some of those price points here.
24:35But yes, one of your questions was,
24:37what's going to happen
24:38in some of the free agents
24:39slash trade markets?
24:39That's not going to change anything.
24:41Like, obviously,
24:41if the Lakers lose LeBron James,
24:43but then they would get
24:43probably some really good pieces back,
24:45which would damage the other team
24:46and where does he actually go?
24:48So I think these odds
24:49are pretty much set up
24:50for the remaining parts of the summer,
24:51unless you see crazy circumstances,
24:54devastating injuries,
24:54or some ridiculousness,
24:56which we're not really anticipating
24:57in the free agent market
24:58that's going to start.
24:59And I guess the biggest watch is now
25:01not what free agent is going,
25:02but who the Knicks actually bring in
25:04as their head coach at this point.
25:06...serves to be the favorite
25:08in the up-in-the-air
25:09and uncertain Eastern Conference.
25:12The Cavaliers now a full dollar
25:13in front of the New York Knicks
25:15at plus 210.
25:16The Knicks at plus 320.
25:18And it is rather shocking,
25:20perhaps surprising,
25:21to see the Orlando Magic there
25:23at a plus 450 price.
25:25For me, DRS,
25:26that's Desmond Bain.
25:27I love what they did
25:28with the 25th pick
25:29on Wednesday night
25:30in selecting Jace Richardson,
25:32who should provide
25:33an offensive spark
25:34for a team
25:35that desperately needs offense.
25:37Enter Bain.
25:38Enter Richardson
25:39alongside Paolo Banqueiro
25:40and Franz Wagner.
25:43Part of that is optimism
25:44in Orlando,
25:45but of course,
25:46part of that is the idea
25:47that there is no clear-cut frontrunner
25:48in the Eastern Conference as well.
25:51I'd call it 50-50,
25:52and I would not bet
25:53the Magic at such a short price.
25:56The Celtics have that
25:57fourth-best number
25:58around the Eastern Conference
25:59at 6-1,
26:01and that's the fourth
26:02and final team from the East
26:04in the NBA title odds.
26:06Of course, DRS,
26:07the biggest mover
26:07in the Western Conference
26:09when everybody is looking up
26:10at Oklahoma City
26:11is the Houston Rockets.
26:13In the acquisition
26:14and the blockbuster deal
26:15to acquire Kevin Durant,
26:17a Sunday ago,
26:18they re-sign
26:19and extend Jabari Smith,
26:21who they believe in
26:22in H-Town yesterday.
26:23Five-year,
26:24$122 million deal.
26:26There is Alper and Shingun there.
26:28They have brought back players
26:29like Fred Van Vliet as well.
26:32The Rockets are seen
26:33as that team
26:34not just behind OKC
26:36because there is such a large gap
26:38in the Western Conference
26:39as we have shared,
26:41plus 130 for OKC
26:42to win the conference ground,
26:445-1 on Houston,
26:45and you see even a larger gap
26:47in terms of those
26:48NBA championship prizes.
26:50But Houston is right there,
26:52followed by the T-Wolves
26:53and the Lakers,
26:54both at 14-1.
26:56Yeah, and Houston's price
26:56would be higher
26:57if they were in the
26:58Eastern Conference, right?
26:59Because it's like,
26:59OK, well,
26:59they'll probably have a clearer path
27:01to get to the NBA championship,
27:02which is why
27:02they're a little bit lower.
27:03And I've told many,
27:04I don't agree with the move
27:05that Houston made.
27:06But if you're just looking
27:07from a fan base here,
27:08you are excited
27:09to get a superstar in town
27:10to see how it works out.
27:11But I look at other teams
27:12after, like San Antonio,
27:14like sort of building
27:15the right way,
27:15if you will.
27:16You take a look
27:16at Oklahoma City,
27:17building the right way
27:18through young talent here.
27:19You sort of hit that escape
27:20patch here for the Rockets.
27:21It goes, OK,
27:22we built up a little bit here.
27:23Let's add that championship
27:24caliber player
27:25and let's just see
27:26in the next one to two years
27:27if we can do that.
27:28And having Coach on the talk
27:29with us over the past few weeks,
27:30like, hey, you know what?
27:31He believes that they can win
27:32now and later,
27:33regardless if Kevin Durant
27:34comes up with a championship
27:36or not.
27:36So we'll have to see
27:37how that one falls out.
27:38But intriguing teams as well
27:40that we really haven't talked about
27:41in the past couple of years
27:42now showing up
27:43in the top of the standings
27:44here, at least in the odds market,
27:45does make some pretty good chatter
27:47here in the offseason, Ben.
27:49And again,
27:50there is always a conversation
27:52around a team like OKC.
27:54We'll have it with the Dodgers
27:56around Major League Baseball
27:57as we have passed
27:58the midway point
27:59of this MLB campaign.
28:01Anytime Scotty Scheffler
28:02walks onto a golf course,
28:04when you have a player
28:05or in the case of golf,
28:07an individual
28:08booked as such a short favorite
28:10in comparison
28:11to the rest of the crowd,
28:12the rest of the field,
28:14does that just present value
28:16on anybody else
28:17to even get to a stage
28:19where they would take on
28:20that short favorite?
28:22And you would have to say,
28:23DRS,
28:24with the Thunder being
28:25plus 230
28:26to win a second consecutive
28:27Larry O'Brien trophy,
28:29that yes,
28:30there is value.
28:31It is deserved
28:31for the Thunder
28:33even to be a short
28:34and strong favorite.
28:35But from a betting
28:36and handicapping perspective,
28:38it does provide
28:39some value from the odds.
28:41Yes,
28:42it certainly does.
28:42And that's the good part
28:43about it,
28:43where you're looking
28:44and saying,
28:44OK, OKC clearly
28:45is the best team.
28:46But boy,
28:46you're getting some good
28:47teams behind them.
28:48If you can hit the right spot,
28:49maybe at the point
28:50of the season,
28:50like maybe you don't like
28:51the Knicks at 9-1.
28:52Maybe they start off
28:53a little bit slow,
28:5412-1,
28:5413-1,
28:5514-1,
28:55then jump back in.
28:56But there are teams
28:57that like the Boston Celtics
28:59that still have
28:59a championship pedigree
29:00and still have
29:01a great organization.
29:02What moves are they going
29:03to make outside
29:03of shedding talent here?
29:05We'll see.
29:06But again,
29:06a lot of that stuff
29:07will be determined
29:07over the next one
29:08to two months.
29:09And before you know it,
29:10training camp's already
29:11here in the NBA as well.
29:13Notable free agents next.
29:17Live right here
29:18on this Monday morning
29:19on the Early Line
29:20on Sports Grid.
29:21A new week begins today
29:23and free agency begins
29:24later tonight,
29:266 p.m. Eastern time
29:27around the association.
29:29DRS,
29:30we're going to highlight
29:31some notable free agents
29:32that could go one way
29:34or another
29:35later this evening.
29:36Again,
29:37free agency
29:37in that negotiating window
29:39officially starting today
29:40at 6 p.m. Eastern.
29:42You can officially sign
29:43your deal
29:44on July 6th.
29:46All right, DRS,
29:47some notable free agents.
29:49Again,
29:49not a ton of players
29:51that are significantly
29:52going to move a market,
29:53but of course,
29:54some very familiar names
29:56and faces.
29:57Starting with
29:58a guy that just played
29:59in the NBA Finals,
30:00that would be
30:01Miles Turner.
30:02For the Indiana Pacers.
30:04Really interesting situation
30:05around Turner.
30:06The 11th pick
30:07of the 2015 NBA draft
30:09made by Indiana.
30:11He has spent
30:12all the decade
30:13of his NBA career
30:14in Indianapolis.
30:16He's one of the cornerstones,
30:17DRS,
30:17of the current scope
30:18of this franchise.
30:20And Rick Carlisle
30:21had said back
30:22during their playoff run
30:24that as they try
30:25to get back
30:25to the Eastern Conference
30:26Finals
30:27for a third straight year,
30:28number one offseason priority,
30:30re-signing Miles Turner,
30:31who of course
30:32is going to garner
30:33a good amount of money,
30:34maybe putting the Pacers
30:35into the luxury tax component
30:37for the first time
30:38in nearly 20 years
30:40in Indy.
30:42But it's kind of
30:42taking a turn
30:43with Tyrese Halliburton
30:44more than likely
30:45out for the entirety
30:46of 2025-26.
30:49Are the Pacers
30:49willing to spend
30:50the big bucks
30:51and be in the luxury tax
30:53for a team
30:54that now is not
30:55the clear-cut frontrunner
30:56or maybe one of the
30:57four or five best sides
30:58in the Eastern Conference?
31:00Do you spend
31:01on Miles Turner
31:01basically for two years
31:03from now
31:04when they might not
31:05be a true conference
31:06contender next season
31:07given the injury
31:08to Tyrese Halliburton?
31:10Nope.
31:10Sounds like he's probably
31:11as good as going
31:12at that point.
31:12That's all some
31:13ownership groups need here
31:14because they understand
31:15the right business move
31:16is to not sign this guy
31:17because if your thought
31:18process is we had
31:19a great run,
31:19it didn't work out
31:20and got a devastating injury,
31:21we don't anticipate
31:22possibly making a run.
31:23They're never going
31:24to admit that.
31:24You're not going to tell
31:25your faith.
31:25By the way,
31:25season ticket holders,
31:26you saw what we saw.
31:27We're not competing this year.
31:28I still expect a 5% increase
31:30in your season tickets.
31:31Welcome back to the club
31:31but we're not paying
31:32these athletes here
31:33for at least another year
31:34until we can reassess
31:35what we actually have
31:36like the Boston Celtics
31:37are doing with Jason Tatum.
31:38Hey, you understand
31:39what's going to happen here?
31:40Our top player is down.
31:41We're way over the cap.
31:42We probably won't compete
31:43next year if we're being honest
31:44but get ready.
31:45We'll reshuffle some things
31:46here in a couple years.
31:47We'll try to reload.
31:48From a business standpoint,
31:49I don't think you can
31:50sign Miles Turner.
31:50You can't just say,
31:51hey, let's get the band
31:52back together without
31:53the lead singer,
31:54if you will, right?
31:55Yeah, I hear the point, DRS.
31:58Still interesting to me
31:59for this Indiana team
32:01that based on pedigree,
32:02I still would not be shocked
32:05if they made a deeper run
32:06into the Eastern Conference
32:07postseason.
32:0817-1 that price
32:10on the Pacers.
32:11Sixth best.
32:12They also have to figure out
32:13what they want to do
32:14with Benedict Matherin
32:15who came up big
32:16in the absence of Tyrese Halliburton
32:18at times.
32:19What exactly the plan is?
32:21Of course, the Pacers
32:21were probably not expecting
32:22to be in this spot,
32:24and that is the tragedy
32:25of Tyrese Halliburton's injury.
32:28As we shared, DRS,
32:29with the qualifying offer
32:31for Jonathan Kaminga
32:32by the Golden State Warriors
32:33a few days ago,
32:34the Bulls offered up
32:35that qualifying offer
32:36for Josh Giddey,
32:37who they traded for
32:39with OKC last summer
32:40in that Alex Caruso deal.
32:43Spent his first year in Chicago,
32:45basically averaged
32:46a triple-double
32:47for the Bulls.
32:48Qualifying offer there,
32:49but a restricted free agent
32:51who might garner
32:51some more money
32:52in the market
32:53starting later this evening.
32:55Yeah, we'll see what happens
32:56in the free agent market.
32:57By the way, man,
32:58it feels like the longest hour
32:59right now
33:00in the early line.
33:02I know, man.
33:03Like, the big free agent.
33:04You're doing great.
33:05Like, I'm looking at this
33:06going like, man,
33:07like, you're right,
33:07we're used to LeBron James
33:08and Kevin Durant
33:09and where's this gonna go?
33:10Massive swing deal.
33:11It's like, where's Josh Giddey
33:12ended up?
33:13And most people in the NBA
33:13are like, who cares
33:14when this guy actually
33:15winds up at this point?
33:16So, Chicago or no Chicago,
33:18they're gonna stink next year.
33:19How about that for analysis?
33:20Yeah, that's good stuff.
33:23Chris Paul, Al Horford,
33:25some very familiar veteran names
33:27who probably aren't
33:28moving the needle
33:29all that much
33:30are free agents.
33:31Chris Paul often
33:32is brought in
33:33to stabilize young cores.
33:36Probably did not do that
33:37in San Antonio,
33:38maybe later on.
33:39And the final guy
33:40on that list,
33:41Ty Jerome,
33:41who was a finalist
33:43for sixth man of the year
33:44in the association,
33:46deserves his accolades
33:48and deserves some money,
33:49but really only made this list
33:50because he went to high school
33:52with our producer
33:52extraordinaire, Joe Friesen.
33:54That's pretty true.
33:55And by the way,
33:56you know what is tough
33:57for players?
33:57Like, you have a chance
33:59to like seize a moment.
34:00Like, you know,
34:01you're a good NBA player.
34:02You're gonna sign regardless.
34:03But if two or three games
34:04go your way,
34:05like your agent
34:06can really use that leverage
34:08and really jack up the price
34:09and Ty Jerome
34:10sort of fizzled out
34:11a little bit,
34:12which costs him
34:12millions of dollars.
34:13Like, it's a high stakes game
34:15in the NBA
34:15that you're playing
34:15on a day-to-day basis.
34:17But boy,
34:17what happens if you
34:17would have finished the season
34:18like, hey,
34:19I went six for six
34:20from three,
34:20the last three games here.
34:22I deserve to be paying.
34:22Like, you know what?
34:23He probably does.
34:24But the fact that you
34:24don't perform,
34:25it's like,
34:25oh, let's take a step back
34:26from this for a moment.
34:27Some of these things,
34:28it's really cutthroat, man.
34:30You could really see him
34:31like a backup quarterback
34:32getting paid
34:33after his start
34:34in the playoffs.
34:35Yeah.
34:35Maybe not the finish.
34:36Hour number two, next.
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