Third Apron

I go over the Warriors reported interest in Zach LaVine, address the Myles Turner rumors, discuss the Walker Kessler speculation, and what the Hawks do next after losing Jalen Johnson for the season. Clutchpoints article on Myles Turner: https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-trade-target-is-myles-turner-actually-available KSL Sports article on Walker Kessler: https://kslsports.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-mai...

I touch on De’Aaron Fox potentially getting traded and some frameworks to teams he's been linked to. I also go over the Heat reportedly lowering asking price on Jimmy Butler, and Jusuf Nurkic trades the Suns could turn to with it looking less likely that they'll get Butler. Please subscribe and share if you enjoyed this. You can follow me on: Third Apron: https://thirdapron.com Twitter/X:...

I look at Cameron Johnson's market and come up with trades sending him to teams he's been linked to. 0:00 Intro 1:00 Cam Johnson's contract and what Nets are seeking 5:45 Indiana Pacers 10:43 Philadelphia 76ers 15:49 Oklahoma City Thunder 21:17 Cleveland Cavaliers 28:19 Memphis Grizzlies 31:47 Orlando Magic 34:44 Sacramento Kings Please subscribe and share if you enjoyed this. You can...

I go over the Suns-Jazz picks swap and try to construct complicated Jimmy Butler to Suns trade scenarios. 0:00 Intro 0:42 Suns-Jazz pick swap details and why I love it for Utah 4:31 Why it feels like a precursor to a Jimmy Butler to Phoenix trade 6:21 What the Suns, Heat, and Bucks are looking to accomplish to make the trade work 9:54 One 5 team framework that could satisfy everyone 13:10 Second 5...

I break down the Nick Richards for Josh Okogie trade for both the Suns and Hornets. Jusuf Nurkic was not involved, so I also present the type of trade I could see them getting for him if traded by the deadline. I did this live, so it wasn't 100% perfect but I think it went well. 0:00 Intro 2:49 Suns savings from the trade 7:35 Suns $500 million payroll projection for next season 10:08 Type of...

The Pelicans are headed to the lottery for the fourth time in six seasons of the post-Anthony Davis era. Injuries have been the primary culprit, and they hit them the hardest this season. This time things will probably end differently. The unavailability has been too much, especially with Zion Williamson. His contract structure gives them an easy out, but moving on from him won't be that simple. T...

Last night, it seemed like Dorian Finney-Smith was headed to Memphis. Instead, he's headed to the Lakers for three second-round picks. The Lakers have done a decent job at replenishing their wing depth since 2021 and have their most depth there in a while. I think they certainly upgraded their top lineup, but not sure if its enough to put them over the top in the West. Meanwhile, the Nets continue...

The Kings got a taste of success by making the playoffs in 2023 and the pressure has been on to build on that. They just fired Mike Brown in a move that was poorly received around the league. It seems like they're going to do something at the trade deadline if things don't improve. I'm just not sure there's a move that can help them. I think this team is too fundamentally flawed, and I'm not sure...

Last night, The Athletic reported that the Nuggets have significant interest in acquiring Zach LaVine. I remember reading a report 3 or 4 years ago about the Nuggets having interest in him then, but they didn't want to part with Michael Porter Jr. at the time. Now it appears that their stance has changed and they could be open to making this swap happen. I go over multiple frameworks of what a tra...

It is the eve of trade season and we already have two trades set to go down on December 15. The first significant domino to fall is the Nets agreeing to trade Dennis Schroder and a second-round pick to the Warriors for De'Anthony Melton and three second-round picks. That's on par with what they got for Royce O'Neale, and I'd expect a similar return for Dorian Finney-Smith. They now have 13 second-...

I wasn't totally sold on the Jimmy Butler trade rumors from over the last summer. He was seeking a one-year extension and the Heat weren't budging on it. Now several different reports are indicating that he may truly be available. If the Heat still doesn't want to give him an extension now, perhaps he has a better chance of securing one if traded. I go over the three main teams he's been linked to...

When it was reported that James Harden wanted out and that the Sixers weren't going to extend Tyrese Maxey last summer, it became obvious that they were going to pivot to cap space in 2024. They were limited in ways to significantly improve the roster with their payroll tied to their big signings back in 2019. It made a lot of sense to plan for 2024 cap space, especially with a lot of big money co...

Klay Thompson's time in Golden State was inevitably coming to an end after they tried bringing him off the bench. Understandably so, it's tough to make that transition after all the success he had with the Warriors. He needed a fresh start and will now get to reinvent himself as a great role player with the Mavericks. There may not be a better place for him to thrive than in Dallas playing with Lu...

After years of accumulating draft assets in exchange for their best players, the Thunder finally made their big moves. They have a superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two potential co-stars in Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and a ton of defensive talent all around the roster. They went ahead and elevated their defense to elite status with the additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. T...

Wow. I don't know what's more shocking. That the Nets traded Mikal Bridges, or that they sent him to the Knicks. They finally were able to capitalize on their assets to acquire a big name. The Villanova Knicks are complete! Meanwhile, the Nets now have a massive surplus of first-round picks, and can comfortably rebuild now that they're getting some of their picks back from Houston in a separate de...

I was really high on the Pistons heading into last season. If you think another coaching change will make me just as bullish on them this year then you're damn right. And it's not just because of their cap space to go after players who can help them win now -- I feel they have the young talent alone to make a push toward the Play-In Tournament. But most importantly, they finally are in the directi...

Things have only gone up for the Grizzlies since 2019 and the 2023 playoffs was a brutal reality check for them. And after just going through a gap year filled with injuries, it feels like the league has forgotten about them. They should be back in the playoff picture for the West just by being healthy. However, they do have some moves to make, particularly at center. They should be able to acquir...

Here it is. Over an hour of an in-depth dive on every single team and the top free agents. I look at each team and see just how much they can spend, how they could use their resources, and list any restrictions they may be subjected to. I then go over my top 40 free agents and rank them into tiers based on how much I could see them getting annually on their next contract. 0:00 Intro 0:56 Cap Space...

What a run. I was very critical of their trade deadline. I thought they gave up too many assets in the past year for what seemed like floor-raising moves at best. But after seeing them have one of the best post-trade deadline records, I had a feeling that they could have a deep run if the seeding breaks right for them. I felt the only team that could stand in their way were the Denver Nuggets, and...

The Warriors as we know them may be gone, but at least they're finally about to have some financial relief. That's because they're finally in a position to avoid the luxury tax after spending nearly $700 million in penalties over the last 9 seasons. It seems like they'll part ways with Chris Paul and Kevon Looney to generate all these savings. They'll be looking to run things back with Stephen Cur...

The post-Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era has not been kind to the Nets. For what it's worth, I think they made out really nicely in their respective trades. They now have a surplus of draft equity that could be enough to acquire an All-Star. But will one become available to them? And what kind would they need to really elevate this roster to title contention? I'm skeptical they'll be able to tra...

Is it crazy to think that the Rockets are close to being a contender? They made a huge step forward last season after bringing in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks and hiring Ime Udoka. They also saw breakthrough seasons from players like Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green, both of whom are eligible for contract extensions this summer. But they have the draft equity and young players to make an aggressi...

After getting a taste of the playoffs in 2023, last year's Kings could not repeat the same magic. They only lost two more games and suffered several injuries down the stretch that left them shorthanded. However, the rest of the Western Conference also got much stronger, and the Kings probably weren't any closer to getting out of the first round. The Kings will look to aggressively improve the rost...

The Pelicans FINALLY had a (mostly) healthy season and gave this group its fair shot. And they did well maintaining a top 6 seed throughout most of the season. However, they dropped all the way down to the 8 seed and were completely outclassed by the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. Now that the organization understands the roster and its personnel more, they can identify who to move an...

This is going to be an extremely consequential offseason for the Sixers. With James Harden not working out, the 76ers pivoted to maximizing their cap space this summer to reshape the roster around Joel Embiid. The only other player guaranteed to return is Tyrese Maxey, who is set to sign a maximum contract with them this summer. Because of his upcoming raise, the Sixers have this summer as their o...