🔥 On GET UP, Bobby Marks dives into the Bucks’ stunned decision to waive Damian Lillard, detailing the financial stretch provision to sign Myles Turner and discussing the likelihood of a Blazers reunion for Lillard.
Marks labels the move as a “strategic cap-clearing”, calling it “severe implications” for Milwaukee’s financial flexibility
With Lillard entering free agency while rehabbing his torn Achilles, Portland could offer the familiar fit and support structure he needs—possibly his top landing spot
Tune in for Marks’ expert take on the cap impact, Lillard’s next decision, and why a Blazers return makes both financial and emotional sense.
00:00Taking over. He was one and done at Duke, but his first game in the NBA is back at a collegiate arena.
00:05It's the Thomas and Mac Center. It's actually multi-purpose, multi-use.
00:08And so, too, is the 6-foot-9-inch first overall pick playing in front of Mark Cuban,
00:14playing in front of new teammate Kyrie Irving.
00:16Cooper, flag, four and a half minutes to go in the first.
00:19Yeah, Dallas will take more of that.
00:21Flag said he was a little nervous, but a little excited to be making his league debut,
00:27summer league or not, doesn't matter. Then flag from the baseline.
00:30Got that. Kyrie loving what he's seeing. Bucket hat.
00:33Okay. Three minutes to go in the first. It's flag again.
00:36The hoop, the arm. He already has six points in the first quarter,
00:39and he's going to the charity strike. Let's get to the second frame.
00:41And this moment almost, almost brought the house down at a packed Thomas and Mac Center.
00:50Do you ever see a replay on a miss? Here's Bronny James on defending the rook.
00:54You know, he's just a quick, powerful big, so, you know, we got to do everything we can to, you know,
01:02stop him and slow him down. But he's a great player. He's going to get his at some time.
01:06So, you know, just got to do a great job and stop him down.
01:096'9", 205 with room to spare because he's only, what, 18, 19 years young.
01:15And then it's flag working baseline on Bronny, and Bronny gets the best of that matchup.
01:20But the very next play, very next possession, it's flag turnaround in your face.
01:26Flag getting going. 40 seconds left in the first half, and that's where he did all of his damage.
01:31Just get some friendly bounce. 10 points in the first half, and that's where it would stop.
01:34You might be thinking to yourself, did this guy play every second of the game?
01:37Well, 32 minutes, and that block right there was impressive.
01:42Flag actually only was 5 of 21 from the field as he kicks it out to new teammate Ryan Nembhard,
01:47played his college hoops at Gonzaga, went undrafted, but he led all scorers with 21 points.
01:54Final seconds of the fourth, Bronny with a chance to win.
01:58Just a little too much weight room on that triple.
02:01Flag, 10 points, six boards, Mavs win.
02:04Here's your number one overall pick postgame.
02:07The coaches, they had a lot of confidence in me.
02:09They've been telling me they want me to experiment, try some new things.
02:13I was trying to be aggressive. That's new for me, too.
02:17I would say that might be one of the worst games of my life.
02:19I'm not necessarily worried, but I'm obviously just not happy with how it went.
02:22But at the end of the day, we did get the win.
02:25Just 18, already saying that's the worst game he's ever played.
02:29It was his first game in the league.
02:31Let's give him some grace.
02:32Cooper Flag finishing his Mavs debut, 10 points, 5 of 21 shooting the game.
02:36Up and down performance for the Duke star with all of his points coming in the first half.
02:41He was 0 for from the field in the second, 0 for 6 on attempts in that second half.
02:48Mavericks got the win, and so too did the Mavericks really as a franchise after Flag's debut.
02:53As promised, NBA front office insider Bobby Marks joins us from Vegas.
02:57Bobby, what impressed you about Flag's Game 1?
03:02Well, I think the willingness to kind of get out of his comfort level.
03:06I mean, you heard Cooper say that, you know, experiment, and that's what the beauty of Summer League is.
03:10We saw him right from the beginning, and that was the big question I had.
03:13Is he going to play point guard primarily most of this game?
03:16And we saw that first possession.
03:18He had played point guard.
03:20And Jason Kidd said Los Angeles sent two guys right at him here.
03:24And I think the one play at the end of this game, the ability to make a big-time block, as you see here, and then get into transition and then set up his teammate.
03:34I just think he makes winning plays for – he'll make winning plays for Dallas.
03:39And, yeah, he shot 5 for 21, but Summer League isn't about statistics here.
03:43It's not about how much points you score.
03:45It's about how much you get better in trying some of the things that you maybe didn't do at Duke.
03:50Yeah, you were talking about him running the point.
03:52What's also impressive, too, only one turnover in a position and an environment that he's not used to.
03:58You can see more of Flag in Summer League action, ESPN tomorrow, 4 p.m. Eastern, against the Spurs, possibly against number two overall pick in Dylan Harper.
04:05Hey, the Thunder extension spree for that big three.
04:08It's SGA, it's Chet, now it's J-Dub, all locked up through the 2030-31 campaign, a combined $822 million in new money.
04:17Is this Thunder roster, Bobby, sustainable for the foreseeable future at this point?
04:22Yes, with a capital Y.
04:24And here's why.
04:25Because I look at the one thing – we get caught up in the money and we live in this world of the apron and everything,
04:29and can this roster be broken up?
04:31I just look at three players, 26 years and younger, that are under contract through the 2030-31 season here.
04:37The beauty with Oklahoma City and how they've built out this roster, 13 first-round picks in the next seven years,
04:45including in next June.
04:47This is sustainable as far as how their – the ability to add around Chet, Jalen, and Shea as far as how they do it going forward.
04:55The other thing, too, is all their contracts are staggered.
04:58Chet and Jalen start next year.
05:00Shea starts in 2027-28.
05:03So there is some flexibility as far as when some of this cost is going to start here.
05:07Just good money management.
05:08SGA and J-Dub combining for over 1,100 points this past postseason, fourth most by a duo in a single postseason in league history.
05:16Got one more for you, Bobby.
05:17Dame Lillard's still available after being waived by the Bucs.
05:20They're stretching his contract.
05:22So where is the best landing spot for him?
05:25Well, Gary, I'm going to give you a spot, and it's a reunion spot.
05:28It's a homecoming, let's say.
05:30How about the Portland Trailblazers?
05:31Okay.
05:31I think that would make the most perfect spot for Dame Lillard, and here's why.
05:36First of all, he's doing all his rehab in Portland right now.
05:39The likelihood is that we're not going to see him probably for a good stretch of next season,
05:43and even probably maybe most all of next season here.
05:46And I just think how this Portland Trailblazers roster is built, when you've already added Drew Holiday,
05:51and you certainly have young players in Scoot Henderson in your guard position,
05:54to add a player like Damian Lillard.
05:56Remember, as you said, he's already owed $113 million, so it's not like you've got to go out and break the bank,
06:01but I just look at Portland as the most ideal spot for him.
06:05Yeah, they would welcome him with open arms.
06:06Lillard played 11 seasons in Portland, France, Las Vegas.
06:10Tim, you were courtside last night for the big debut.
06:14What was your biggest takeaway?
06:18Howdy, Dan.
06:18It was far from flawless, but it was fun.
06:21I mean, Cooper Flagg said it might have been one of the worst games he's ever played.
06:24Obviously, he's thinking about that shooting line.
06:26Didn't shoot the ball well at all, but he did a lot of other things.
06:30You saw the athleticism, 6'8", 220, athletic, aggressive, pushing the ball in transition.
06:37I mean, zooming past cars on the highway for the dunk, making the right plays,
06:41and he made the biggest play of the game.
06:45It came down to a last-minute one-possession game, swoops in, swats away the layup,
06:50boom, he's out in transition, doesn't force it, makes a great read,
06:55hits Ryan Nembhard for a wide-open three,
06:58and that's what Cooper Flagg does.
07:00He finds a way to win.
07:02He impacts the game in a lot of different ways,
07:04and certainly that's what he did in the summer league opener.
07:08No doubt that's what we got used to seeing from him at Duke.
07:10Whatever they needed on that night was what he did.
07:13Five for 21 shooting, though, that's not outstanding.
07:16You attribute that to, what, opening night jitters?
07:22Well, also, they're asking him to do a lot of different things.
07:25They're asking him to bring the ball up the floor a lot, to initiate the offense.
07:29They said, hey, be aggressive, spread your wings.
07:32He was uncomfortable taking 21 shots.
07:34You know, he felt like there were some that he forced, but they, again,
07:36they are challenging him there.
07:38And you can look at the five of 21, and you can get concerned.
07:43You can also remember Victor Wimbanyama was 2 of 13 in his summer league debut.
07:47Trust me, a summer league shooting night does not a career make.
07:52And, you know, again, this is a guy, he wasn't a no-brainer number one pick
07:57because he's such a brilliant scorer.
07:59It's because he's such a well-rounded package.
08:01The biggest question is, can he be a primary scorer?
08:04But he's a guy who impacts the game in so many different ways,
08:09finds ways to win, and that's what we saw in Vegas last night.
08:12Yeah, fun start, obviously, for Cooper Flagg.
08:15We'll obviously keep an eye on that.
08:15We have much more NBA with Tim later in the...
