It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you coast to coast. on the Infiniti Sports Network. There's so much going on in the NBA. Every day is like a new trade, a new signing, a new guy who doesn't want to play or stay in a place. We just got a guy who got a new contract.
We got a team like the Knicks who just signed. uh their new coach or next victim, to talk about everything going on. In the NBA is someone who knows the league very closely. You can catch them on NBA TV as host. Shout outs to my main man joining us right now, Chris Miles.
Chris, how are you, man? I like how you were like, maybe their next victim. That's a good one, man. That's somebody that knows what's going on in this world. Hey, look, Chris, I think that's the reality of things, man.
Well, what are your thoughts on the New York Knicks now officially hiring Mike Brown? You know, I look at his last stop in Sacramento. And I think about where that team was and what he had him doing offensively, and how he was able to incorporate both DeAaron Fox and Tyrese Halliburton. And I look at the Kings now that they don't have either one of those two guys, you know, having the best offensive rating in the NBA his last season when he won coach of the year. And I'm like, okay, maybe this ball could move with the Knicks.
He also had a looser rotation than Tom Thibodeau. As we know, that was the biggest knock on him.
So I look at those two things and I'm like, maybe we'll see other guys, maybe we'll see. Know balance minutes and all of those things that people were opining for with the Knicks. And, you know, maybe he's a good hire, but I just thought Jason Kidd was the reason they were moving on from Tom Thibodeau, and obviously he didn't come to New York. Yeah, it seemed like the New York Knicks started just kind of shooting their shots all over the place and seeing And where it was going to land. Let's see what happens now with Mike Brown.
Chris Miles is joining us here from NBA TV. When you think about another team in the East, we learned today that Paula Boncaro is signed as rookie extension because of all his accolades already at 22. He's eligible for making almost $287 million over the next five years. The Orlando Magic have now added Desmond Bain. Do you see them taking another step this upcoming season?
Well, I thought this year was the year they were supposed to, right? But Jalen Suggs, Paulo Van Carroll, and Franz Wagner only played six games together.
So we talked to those guys a lot during the season. And at first, it was Paulo Van Carroll. Then he was hurt at the end of October. I believe it was an oblique injury. And it was like a weird amount of time.
I'm like, man, when is he coming back? Then it was Wagner, who was playing at an all-star level, and then Suggs with the knee injury, who really like carried the offense at times. I was like, I didn't know he had that much of an offensive game.
So I think they got their core four. The question is: Can Anthony Black take a leap, right? Apollo Bancaro started to look like a guy who is, you know, arguing for one of the top. Five to six spots in the Eastern Conference. This is the year they got to do it.
They need to be a top four seed in the East. And guys are finally getting paid, whether you look at Bain's contract, Bancaro's contract, Wagner coming up.
So it is their time now to really show and prove that. And when you think about showing and proving earlier today, we also learned about this three-team trade. I feel like everything is. Coming through in little drips and drabs. The Clippers are adding John Collins, who's on an expiring deal.
The Jazz are freeing up space to see guys like Ace Bailey run around. And the Miami Heat add 22 points a game and Norman Powell. What is your take on this for specifically the Clippers and the Heat?
Well Brother, he, I look at their starting five now and I'm like, hmm. That's way more interesting in the East, right? You got Tyler Hero. Norman Powell. Andrew Wiggins, Bam Autobio, and Khalil Ware had a really good rookie season.
The nuance with him, I had, you know, in studio, some of the guys pointed out some of his rookie mistakes in the playoffs and or in the, you know, the play-in, and that's why he was kind of like benched later half of games. But I think if he could kind of understand defensive assignments more, he could really be a force in the Eastern Conference. And Davion Mitchell looked good for them.
So I'm like, oh. I don't look at them as a championship caliber team, but man, I didn't look at the Pacers as being that. And they were in game seven of the NBA finals.
So every time the Heat had made it to the finals, I'm like, really? That's not the team I had coming out of the East.
So I look at them five, six, seven deep now, and I'm like, man, that changes how I view them as a team. I mean, Norman Powell. Should have been an all-star in the West last year. In the Eastern Conference, he most likely will be an all-star. When you think about the Clippers, I feel like they add veterans and older guys, and now they've added Brooke Lopez, Harden's not getting younger, and same thing.
Uh you can take a look with obviously Kawhi and Leonard. I feel like they're just filling seats in the arena at this point. Do you see them really being a competitive team out west?
Well, I mean, they were pretty good this year, right? But to me, moving on from Norman Powell tells me that Kawhi Leonard is healthier than he was the past couple of years because Norman Powell. Truly took a leap forward with Kawhi out. And when Kawhi came back, he took that step back again. And Norman Powell's at that age and that stage in his career where he's like, Look, I'm trying to get another contract.
That'll be my last contract, most likely. I can't be taking a step back. And I think Miami is going to give it an opportunity to showcase his skills more and to maybe get another contract. Um Like you said, John Collins, an expiring deal, but I think he had a good season in Utah last year. Obviously, that's lost in the sauce with how bad that team was, but I think playing.
With James Harden being a lob thread, getting up and down the floor, I think it could be a really good season for him. And maybe he does find a home with the Clippers. And if not, they now have flexibility going forward. I mean, they signed James Harden to a two-year, $84 million extension. Don't forget that part: $42 a year for a guy who will be approaching 40 years old.
Like, that surprised me a little bit.
So I think they're trying to win now. And I think John Collins. Builds that other forward spot where they kind of went with a mishmash of guys, whether it was Derek Jones, Nick Patoon.
Now you put John Collins in there, you're like, yeah, that's a starting four. Yeah, we know he can go out there and fly up and down the court. Chris Miles is joining us courtesy of NBA Television. When you think about some of these other teams out west, obviously the Rockets have now added Durant. What's the deal with Jonas Valentunis?
Obviously, he has interest in going back and playing in Greece. He's under contract to the Denver Nuggets right now. Is there any leverage point that he has outside of just being a jerk? You know, it's so weird because I think, like, I look at his career, I'm like, why didn't you do this when the Wizards signed you? Like, why would you do it with a team that went to game seven in the Western Conference playoffs against the eventual champs?
And if Aaron Gordon doesn't have that hamstring injury, they probably are the champs, right? Yeah, so you turned out a spot to essentially be one of the favorites to win a ring with you on the team. What do you like? I don't understand that, and most guys are trying to hang on to an NBA career and trying to get long-term contracts. I'm like, hold on, everyone is going to watch you, and you'll have an opportunity to sign like.
Another NBA contract after this year, playing behind Nikola Jokic. I'm shocked that that's the decision he's making, and I think it's not the best decision.
Well, damn it, maybe he doesn't like America, Chris. Maybe he's sick of being here, maybe, right? That doesn't know. I mean, everybody likes money, right? And these players, like, this is your career.
Like, man, I mean, play one year in Denver, win a championship potentially, and then go bank out somewhere else because, you know, they're bringing Biggs back. They're bringing Big Sexy back, man. I mean, you look around the league, even the Thunder, like, oh, we won a championship because we went got Isaiah Hardenstein, who plays big inside, right? And Alex Trusso actually defends Biggs well inside. Like, I just think.
there's money to be made for bigs around this league and he just tossed it out. Chris, we know that there's money to be made for everybody. I mean, we know that Bradley Beal is in the process of probably working out a buyout with the Suns. He didn't want to leave in the middle of the season.
Now he's willing to play ball. Where do you think he ultimately will play ball next season? What team would be a good fit? You know what's uh ironic and I don't know how they can do it with a cap and that sort of thing. But before the Norman Powell deal, it was like, oh, Miami.
But Miami backed away from that deal from him when he was available before. Yeah. I think the Milwaukee Bucks. Wow. Um Giannis is on his last leg there.
To me, if the Bucks can financially maneuver that, I'm like, Bradley Beal wants to go out and score. It's different if it's Giannis, Miles Turner, and a rejuvenated Bradley Deal. Right? Than what they have now. Like, do I think they win a championship?
No. Do I like that team as being more competitive than the East? Absolutely. Like, I think Bradley Beal has always been a guy who should be like your second to third best player. And in that situation, it puts him in a spot where he gets to shoot enough.
He gets to kind of be the man in spots, but that's Giannis' team, right? And there's not too many guys. See, in Phoenix, the problem was it was KD, Booker. Than him, right? I mean, that was too much for him.
But I think Milwaukee is probably the best. overall situation for them. I don't see him wanting to move there. And that's another thing to him. He's made enough money.
He's about to get $110 million thrown at him, right? Like he might not want to move to Milwaukee.
Now, let's see where he ends up. As we start to wrap things up, Chris, we know what Bradley Beal is, we know what he does. And we're getting ready to watch a whole bunch of rookies over the weekend. We obviously saw Edgecombe. We saw Bailey out there.
We're going to see Cooper flag. Maybe he only plays one game. What are you looking forward to the most here as we really get into the meat of Summer League?
Well, you have to understand this particular group of kids, I call their games for the league. There's the EYBL Scholastic, it's called the Stars of Tomorrow Today, right?
So, I've watched him for a few years now, and I've been telling people about VJ Edgecombe, and they're like, Chris, you sound like a crazy person. I don't feel like I do now. I've told people like Cooper Flag is very talented. I'm not sure he's the best player in this draft or next year's draft. There are a couple of guys that I think could end up being better basketball players.
And I've been trying to tell people about Vijay Ashcombe for a few years. I do think that he has that capability of being a better NBA player than Cooper Flatt. That's one part. The second part is a guy that's kind of flown under the radar because he was injured last season, Nikola Topich. Yes.
This kid, he's exactly what the Thunder missed. Like the Thunder had two flaws in the NBA Finals. uh they they couldn't get enough assist They couldn't move the ball well. And here you are, just you got this guy coming in, and he's played two summer league games, including one tonight. And I'm like, he looks like he doesn't belong.
He looks like he's too good to be there. He's an excellent passer. He makes great decisions. He's looking to pass first. And I'm like, can you make a way to get him on the court?
So I'm excited for people to see more of Trey Johnson for the Wizards, more of Nikola Topich for the Thunder, and certainly more of Vijay Ashcombe because what you saw, those 28 points and 10 rebounds in his summer league debut, that's just a harbinger. Like, that's what the kid can do.
Well, we know that the Philadelphia 76ers, they are a stacked team if everybody is actually healthy. How is this going to affect how he fits in when we know who's going to get the ball in Philly? There's a big pecking order there.
Now, that's another thing that I would say that really impressed me about him.
So, on his high school team, right, they played against, like, you know, they played in the EYBL Scholastic.
So, Trey Johnson, Jeremiah Fears, Vijay Edgecombe, they played against each other and they played with each other. Jasper Johnson, who's going to Kentucky this year, I watched him, you know, like defend those guys and have to share with Kyan Anthony, who was on his team at Luhigh. And you kind of go, oh. Here's a kid that, like, if you need him to take 27 shots to win, he'll do that. But if you need him to take eight shots, defend.
run the floor He'll do that happily as well.
So I think he and Maxie create this like speed demon defensive backcourt that I'm like, do you play Maxie, McCain, and Edge Cohn together? Or do you bring one off the bench? But Edgecombe won't be coming off the bench very long. They're going to have to figure that thing out with those three guys. But to me, Edgecombe is more blue chip than those other two guys.
It's going to be fun to see what takes place with that team. Hopefully, they're healthy. I think they'll be a good watch to Six as well. Last question for you, Chris. When you think about the rest of this offseason, Any other moves that we should pay attention to?
We got Kaminga. Like, is there anything else? Man, that's the craziest thing about the NBA. added on my frontal lobe earlier. I don't feel like I should say this.
Look, man. I don't think Giannis is staying in Milwaukee. Wow. I just, you know. Working on, I don't want to give out too much information, but at the trade deadline at Free Agent Fever, when we're hosting these, when we're doing these four-hour shows, bouncing around the NBA, and I hear phone calls and that sort of thing, I'm like.
I'm surprised he's still there. Yeah. And I just don't think a I don't think Milwaukee wants to play ball. And I don't think he wants to ask out. But unless they get a miracle deal to improve that team, I think Giannis is the next guy gone.
Okay. It's said from Chris Miles. I'm giving it to February. I'm surprised he's still there. As well.
Well, listen, Chris, I appreciate the time. I got to catch you right down the block. I got to catch up with you soon, man. Tell everybody where they can find, watch, and listen to you. Yeah, well, coming up, I'm calling 10 Summer League games over the next couple of days in Vegas.
So if you want to catch tomorrow's stars today at the Summer League, one of the games I'm looking forward to, I got the Utah Jazz versus San Antonio Spurs.
So that'll be Dylan Harper versus Ace Banley on Monday. That's one I'm very excited about. But yeah, catch some Summer League action. And then after that, we'll be in studio still covering the WNBA. You know, it doesn't stop at NBA TV.
Doesn't stop. Chris, thank you for the time, man. Safe travels. I'll catch you soon, okay? I appreciate it.
