One Move to Fix Every Playoff Team Before the Trade Deadline

(upbeat music) - Welcome to the Rinner WNBA show. I'm Seret Sohee as always. We are going to talk trade deadline in a second with Stephen Ruiz, but I wanted to record a tower on this Sohee Cunningham situation. Guys, we had five normal minutes in the WNBA. Remember the All Star break? Remember Obama? Remember Obama and Caitlin Clark? Remember Obama telling pagebeckers that he's glad she's shooting more? Same, same girl. Remember Dominique Malonga with her first All Star dunk? That was cool. Remember EZFUD winning the three point contest? - I really honestly, it's so funny. I have to sign, I have to hand it to the WNBA because this was clearly one of the best All Star presentations that the league has put on and for a league that does struggle with advertising what makes it great. That is a huge win and they deserve kudos. They had, they brought back the shooting stars competition, shout out to Elena Dela Don and Gigi Banks, unstoppable duo. Honestly, all of that was so, so, so fun. It was fun and it was a great showcase for the league. You had stud buds live stream 2.0, always a good time. Always gets a little bit risky at the same time, but you know, they're just, they've got that ineffable quality. They are very difficult to take your eyes off of. But you know, another player who also has that ineffable quality is Sophie Cunningham. And I was actually impressed. I was actually impressed that, not impressed. That implies a moral judgment on this. So I would say I was surprised that the WNBA somehow managed to get through the weekend without it becoming about Sophie Cunningham. Now, if you follow this podcast, you probably know this, but just in case. Last week, Sophie Cunningham sat down for a long-ranging profile with ESPN where she talked about a number of things, but the headline was in a quote where, you know, she's making the case that she's not really a political person, but she's lobbing political opinions in it. You know what, that is her right. My intention is not to silence Sophie Cunningham. Don't also, also don't really think that's a very effective tool. Really, but she spoke out on the topic of transgender girls and women playing in women sports. She said, I want to protect young girls in a locker room or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men. I was almost certain that this was going to turn into a thing where like a whole bunch of players, a commissioner thought asked about it. I wasn't there, but for some reason, it just wasn't a topic that came up. Sophie was asked about it again. She essentially reiterated her position and the internet argued about it for a long time as the internet does, but it kind of didn't overshadow also weekend, which I was super shocked by, just giving the way that things go in this league. However, I think that this story is going to, well, it already is. The story is already back in the news again because the Indian of fever taking on the Seattle storm at Climate Pledge Arena. And there is a rally that is now being planned in support of Sophie Cunningham. It is called the with love is truth fan rally. It is organized by a number of different organizations and they're essentially they are, what they said is the rally will show public support for Cunningham who has faced a wave of criticism since age of July 22 ESPN profile in which she expressed support for female only sports and locker rooms. I assume. Cool, cool here, this is where we're at. Look, I think the rally elevates us now to a place where it stops being online. Fever players will be asked about it. Storm players will be asked about it. Probably Caitlin Clark will be asked about it. I'm imagining team security is all of that stuff is probably in the works right now too. It seems like there are also a lot of Seattle storm fans because it's Seattle. This is kind of insane city to do this in. Are also potentially planning a counter protest. I my only major feeling on that is I truly hope that everybody stays safe throughout that. It is part and parcel of the league just becoming a discourse hurricane. Like the league has hosted proxy wars for basically every modern American anxiety at this point. It's only a matter of time. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised it took this long for the gender wars to enter the fray, especially for a league that has had a historically fraught relationship with this topic. I mean, with its players having expansive expressions of their gender roles. Obviously, the trans topic is there's a nuance there. There's a little bit of a difference there, but I think that in general look, the league is very supportive of all LGBTQ identities. This is a league that has been a safe space for the trans community. It's a place where they can enjoy sports as spectators. And it is one of the temples that makes the league special and beautiful and stuff like this happening, I think it just makes me sad because it risks that. And it is ultimately part of what I think is the goal of the conservative movement when they get involved in the issue of transgender athletes in sports. There will never be more passionate about women in sports. And I know that you guys have all heard that argument, but I do think that I think it would be interesting to think about the history of that sort of alliance and what it has wrought for women's sports in general and what it could mean next. Like it's sort of a Trojan horse in my opinion. Like I'll be flat out. Like I disagree with Sophie Cunningham. I mean, I disagree with a great deal of what she says and believes. Like she has a right to say it. She has a right to voice her opinion. Like anybody else, but I think she's wrong. I think she's wrong in a lot of different ways. Like I ultimately, like I believe in my bones that trans kids should have a right to access team sports. I believe that legislators in schools have a moral imperative to find as much of a middle ground as they possibly can between inclusivity and fairness and safety for everybody involved. And I think that the blanket bans on transgender participation in sports among women and girls, like K-12 in 27 states, there are states in which this is from K-12, where there is no consideration of the age of transition, of hormone therapy, of any of the things that I think should be relevant. And I think that that's unimaginative. I think it's limiting. I think it's cruel. I think it's had horrible consequences for trans kids who are already isolated, who are already seeking community and in a need of community. And look, like I grew up playing sports. Like I played sports like basketball for can save my life, man. Like I just, it's just something I feel very strongly about. And I just think that this is one of the, like we're at a point with this too, where every major sporting body has instituted blanket bans like the IOC, the NCAA, the WTA. So part of me, when I see this rally and when I see Sophie talking about this stuff right now, like, look, she's a female athlete. She has a right to her opinion on this. This is something that like a lot of female athletes feel strongly about. And I don't necessarily want to be the ones to tell them that they can't talk about it or that they shouldn't talk about it. But I also am like, I just wonder what this is for at this point, you know? Like you already won, you already won. So what are you even galvanizing momentum for at this point? You know? And that's where I think this, this fraught relationship between the right and like female stars, female, women, women who are in sports who have worked for major sporting bodies who have been former athletes. A lot of the men are the ones that are at like the forefront of this movement. I think that's for a number of reasons. Katie Barnes, who we've had on the podcast before, lays it all out incredibly well in their book Fair Play. It's an incredible read, but there's a chapter where they talk about this heartbreaking rift within what was once a community that paddled in the same direction, you know, against the headwids of this patriarchal structure that always doubted the financial, the cultural, the entertainment potential of women's sports. And when these debates really started popping up within these communities, there were obviously disagreements like there were factions that sought total exclusion and there are factions that sought total inclusion, but there were also a lot of people that were looking to find like a policy and science driven middle ground where fairness and inclusion could coexist. But I think for a number of reasons, like that coalition sort of fell apart. Like they struggled to communicate their disagreements to each other. I think there was mistrust. There was alienation. There was just a struggle to just have an open honest dialogue and just have like conversations for people who were entering this topic for the first time and we're entering with dealt. And I think that there was just fear on both sides. And I think that dynamic kind of played out throughout the country. Like I think it was an environment in which I think pro-trans advocates had valid fears that they're uncertainty, that any uncertainty around this would be weaponized against trans kids. But there were also people who had just like good faith questions and concerns. But they were often lumped in with people who didn't. And I think fear just just kept both of those sides apart, you know. And I think that's where the modern conservative project stepped in. And this is not a movement that has ever been interested in protecting women's sports. But all of the sudden it's very interested in saving women's sports. A lot of these acts, these legislative acts are kind of, they're called saving women's sports, fairness in women's sports. That's the sort of framing. And I think that a lot of activists and women's sports, I think they traded legislative power for lending their legitimacy to this movement. And I think that the consequences of that are things that we are starting to see now. So obviously there's a bands that have been instituted throughout the entire country. And I think that this is like, this is a place where if you're Sophie Cunningham, I think, look, you have a right to believe what you believe you have a right to say what you say, but I think you really have to think about who you are getting into bed with and just look over the shoulder, like look around you at who is giving you praise right now and try to really understand what their intentions are, right? Like, Sophie has said she doesn't hate trans people. She has recently retweeted the support of Riley Gaines, who has admitted to the New York Times that she sees the rolling back of transgender rights and sports as the start of the whole gender ideology movement crumbling. She has called it a house of cards and she sees sports as a tool to make it all crumble, right? Like that is not something like that is somebody who has an agenda way wider than the scope of finding appropriate policies and sports to find a solution to this, right? Like there's a US Department of Education, they quote tweeted an altered photo of Cunningham wearing a crown while pointing with the caption common sense prevails. I am the first person in my bloodline to ever say those words out loud, by the way, but this is a US Department of Education that has spent way more time investigating compliance on transgender participation bands and using that to basically try to defund schools that have different political viewpoints than them, than they have investigating cases of sexual assault or harassment. So where is the protecting women and girls in that or frankly anybody who has been a victim of sexual assault or harassment? There's also the fact that a lot of this legislation is very invasive, like it allows for invasive sex verification methods. On the very people whose bodies these laws are reported to protect, like the laws themselves are wide-ranging and they are a Trojan horse in and of themselves, but there's also like it's worth considering what this movement is up to next. So the Heritage Foundation, which by the way, the Heritage Foundation just comes up way too much in my writing about the WNBA. That is just a thing, I guess, that's just a thing that's happening. But look, so B Cunningham has said when she talked about this again, she has said that one of the big reasons that she's supportive of this is because she is a proponent of Title IX. And if we didn't have Title IX, we wouldn't have women's sports to talk about in the first place. This is true. Title IX was groundbreaking legislation. It has changed the shape of women's sports in this country, hopefully irrevocably, but for a lot of the people who have been at the forefront of this movement, they hope it's somewhat revocable. So the Heritage Foundation, which is the same Republican policy writing apparatus that created Project 2025 and used Title IX as legal justification for anti-transports legislation, is now writing papers littered with gender war falsehoods designed to scale back its influence. This paper specifically targets women's basketball scholarship, which the writer who is like, "I won't even say his name." He is infamous for doing just insane shit. He is made up fake accounts to target LGBT people at the school that he taught at. He has said things he has complained about women having careers, essentially. He is a gender essentialist to the, he's a gender essentialist to the point that somebody like even Sophie Cunningham would not fit in the definition of what he hopes that gender roles look like going forward and he wants to use Title IX as a tool to do that. So he sees Title IX as a form of social engineering designed to incentivize aggression in girls and he cites what he sees as a preponderance of scholarships in basketball. Now, here's the thing. I don't know Sophie Cunningham personally, but I would imagine that it didn't take a lot of social engineering to coax aggressiveness out of a Taekwondo black belt, who when she was a kid was playing with boys older than her and the parents of those boys were complaining that she was too rough. I don't think like I don't think the liberal agenda made her aggressive. I think she is aggressive and she has this avenue in basketball to express that aggression. Dare I say that aggression is a big part of the reason that she is famous that people have have become drawn to her. And that is a different conversation in and of itself. But this is a movement that wants to take away the very thing that drew people to her in the first place. And look, a lot of that stuff goes beyond that. I think it's a paper worth reading if you're really interested in it. It's called Title IX failed experiment. Why accommodating sex differences beats engineered gender parity or engineered parity. It also says that colleges should take cues from the Girl Scouts model and you know focus more emphasis on exercise that isn't as rigorous because because and I'm going to you know I'm going to dust off the old 20th century propaganda here because too much exertion is an infertility risk. That's in the big 2026 guys. The big 26 this paper was published three weeks ago. Three weeks ago by a think tank that basically writes the Republican legislative agenda. This is not some opinion piece that has no correlation with what is going on in our country. These are the people running our country. And they want to use people like Sophie Cunningham to trojan horse their way into women's sports and convince people that they actually care about it. What they want to do is dismantle whatever power especially league like the WNBA has because of So the WNBA is basically the most powerful institution, the most powerful league in women's sports domestically right now, it is obviously popping off, it is very popular, it is getting more and more popular, viewership records continue to be broken. I think the conservative movement understands how dangerous that is to their ultimate mission. And that is a big part of what this is about. And I'm not saying that to dismiss any genuine concerns that people might have. Again, I disagree with that, but people have a right to ask questions. But that's not what this is about, that's not what this is about for a lot of people. So at this point, look, if it's a WNBA, they're in a top spot right now, I think that touching anything with Sophie right now, trying to like stop her, stop this, like I think ultimately there's a Streisand effect there, it only makes it bigger. And like she has the right, she has the right as long as it's safe, she has the right. Like I think I think these movements are also very careful to use language that is not overtly hateful as well. So like that's just an aspect of it. And then for Sophie, like, I'm just like, like who do you want to align yourself with? And I think this is like one of the things that I think has made Sophie so popular is that yes, there's a chasm of left versus right in the WNBA and she is the vanguard of the right with that. I don't know exactly where she falls politically, you know, some hints for sure, but that's part of it. But it's also about like online versus offline. Like I think that's a big part of her appeal is like she is an offline person. She's a person you meet in the world. Like she's not focus group tested. She's honest in a lot of ways. Like, I mean, she speaks her mind regardless of what consequences there might be granted. I think the consequence, like the incentives have been pretty skewed in this instance to, you know, garnered popularity and endorsements and things like that for her. But I think that she generally speaks her mind. And I think that regardless of what it is, people do appreciate that. She has a very successful podcast because it's like a pretty reliable source of straight talk fever radio essentially. And you know, in the world of sports, where I think personas are very manufactured, she is dare I say relatable. And obviously there's a skin color aspect of that when your skin color is, you know, the demographic majority that certainly helps, but I think that there's just, there's something beyond that too. Like people have always been drawn to her. Like she has, she's just one of those people like, you can just tell is like meant to be famous in a way. And people like her within the WNBA, I don't think I think a lot of listeners won't like me saying that. But ultimately my job is to observe and give you my take on what I see and what I hear. And people like Sophie, they like her because she's a loyal teammate because she does her job because she's generally nice to be around. Like I think that she's sort of like it kind of goes back to like the step white shopping cart thing, right? Like I, and I think that's kind of where the average American falls. Like I think people generally are more likely to judge your moral character through what your actions are, whether you return your shopping cart than your political beliefs, especially in an era where like so many celebrities have cynically peddled progressive values by being anything but that in private. I think that there is just like a sort of exhaustion with that. It almost like I was thinking about this watching Wes Wilson, her, her, her, her summer house co-star, um, come out and disagreement with her like I can't think of anybody more than Wes Wilson, who needs a PR win. That is also like why, like why is he in a bad PR situation because he broke the heart and was like incredibly careless with like a black woman, like, so like there's, there's, there's this person, like it's just kind of like this contrast of his person who is in his actual private life, like seems, seems like he's looks, but it has progressive politics and I think people have like tired of, of that sort of thing. So I think that Sophie, um, is refreshing in, in that way, um, and look, people on the WNBA, like people who work with their teammates, staffers, media, like everybody likes her. Um, I've never heard anything bad about her and I'm, and I'm saying that to say like even Brittany Griner, right? Like days after the story, she's like Brittany Griner is doing, um, the viral pointing me with Sophie, right? Like that's, that's a player who is like faced more transphobic slurs than pretty much anybody else in the history of the WNBA, but she's, she rocks with Sophie. And I say that because it's like that, like there's a person in there. There's a person in there that has the ability to be more than a grifter, you know? I think there's a person in there who can like hold her opinions, but then also realize, like learn to navigate a fame and the responsibility that comes with it, understand that if you see yourself as kind, that your words do have consequences for other people. And just understand who you are associating yourself with. I'm very curious how she'll move when it comes to rally and just like general other quote and quote opportunities that are going to come out of this. I think we're going to find like, I think, I mean, for a lot of fans, like, you know, they've decided who Sophie is. And I think that's fine. Like, you know, everybody has a right to kind of make that judgment. Just based on things that I've heard of, I'm, I'm almost like not necessarily like the most wait and see because like, I think that there are so many incentives for her to, you know, go in a very particular direction, um, we'll see, we'll see. And you know, look, this is, this is a league that is in this spot all the time. Like I, I am just endlessly not surprised at this point, you know, like just doing this for three years, I just think that this is never going away. And it's like, it's just, you know, you want somebody to blame, right? Like, I've, I've held Kathy Engelberg's speech to the fire plenty of times. I think the league has mismanaged a lot around how it has been weaponized in the culture wars. And then at the same time, it's just like things like this happen right on the heels of all-star and I'm just thinking like, is there anything that anybody could have done about this because I just feel like the WNBA has the strangest alliance of fans in sports, like you have gambling addicts that are twitching every time, the point spread updates. You've got fathers of daughters who are like watching in and out dribbles and, you know, dreaming about their daughter's future workouts. You've got elderqueers who are just like watching this league that became like one of the first mainstream institutions that made them feel seen and watching it grow. You've got like the gently sort of bicurious bisexual, like younger, queer, page-beckers, AZ Fudstands who are like watching these games, like for material for their next tick-tock reels. You've got like the real Caitlyn Clark fans are watching for like the logo threes. Like you've got the culture warriors who are just watching for slides against Caitlyn Clark, like you've got transvestigators, you've got the people zooming in on shoulder measurements and looking for Adam Zapples, like you've got you've got Dave Fortnoy, he's in there somewhere, like you got like the total hoop sickos. You love the hoop sickos by the way, but you've got everybody, like the WNBA has everybody. And nobody is watching the same thing. Like I look at the league and I'm just like this is not, this is, I wasn't gonna say it's like a Billy Joel song, but it's like, it's, it's the Star Spangled Banner. It's America, it's, it's the anthem playing and half the people are kneeling with their backs turned and a few people are standing with a heart on their head. Like that's, that's America's music. Obviously, this is the most American league that we have and look like Americans have always, always use sports to argue about things that aren't about sports. We do this with everything, we're doing with this, it's with the Odyssey like all week. And then there are also the people who are like, I just want to watch good movies and good basketball, right? But there's like always a side conversation with the things that become bigger. And I think the WNBA is just that thing. It isn't that thing that America uses to argue with itself right now. And I don't know that there is anything that the league can do about it at this point. Like I think that this is just this is just where the leagues are right now. I don't know. I don't know. That's all. I say it's I don't even know how long. Yeah, that's all. Steven Rees is coming on next. We had a great conversation about the trade deadline. We basically we went through all of the playoff teams and chose one trade to fix their problems. So we went through their flaws and basically what they could do to fix them. Maybe a little bit of a little bit of trade deadline therapy. We also we started with the Mystics and gave them like a bunch of trades because Rees is a Mystics fan and the Mystics are one of the most fascinating teams in WNBA transaction world right now. So yeah, that's next. Total tone shift after the break. All right, we are back. I'm very excited to welcome to the show. Steven Ruiz a three time guest now. You know him from the ringer. He does our NFL coverage, but he's also a WNBA super fan and it's also a fan of the Mystics who we will be talking about a lot today because with the trade deadline coming up, we are going to basically go through every team's biggest fly. Recontenders biggest flaw and come up with one move that can fix them. I think we're also just speed running into a very exciting time in the WNBA right now. Trade deadlines coming up. We have our first Caitlin Clark Olivia Miles showdown on Sunday as well. Just got oh my god, my Sunday calendar. It's just I don't know. I'm just so excited. It's going to be a lot of fun. Steve, how are you feeling? Post all star? I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good. I feel good about the Mystics. I feel good about the second half. I do think this is going to be a action-packed trade deadline. I know we don't always get those in the WNBA, but I think there are a lot of teams that need to make some moves and I think teams like the Liberty, for instance, are going to be desperate going into this. So we'll see what happens. Yeah, dude. Honestly, I think that I am I am just wondering if our takes are going to be hotter than how hot it is in L.A. right now. My spender to sweating. It is so humid. I like just am in like in a constant state of perpetual sweat. Right now I am glistening. I'm glowing and it's not. It's not for good reason. It's not because I feel, yeah, I know it's not because I feel healthy. I've given myself heat exhaustion twice in the last week because I don't have a good sense of when I should stop as well. I also just decided to rebel against the heat warnings because I just needed some sun. So it's been an interesting time here. But welcome to Byworld by the way. I live in a swamp. I live in a swamp in DC. So every time I step out, it's I'm sweating instantly. Yeah, I thought they were supposed to drain that. No, no, they actually filled it back up. All right, so let's start in DC. Let's start with the mystics. So I had the mystics and I'm going to enjoy pitching mystics trades to you. I'm very, very curious what you what you make of them. But I think that this is a team that is in a fascinating no lose spot. There are plenty of reasons to make a deal. There are plenty of reasons not to. They're the youngest team in the WNBA. They are poised to make the playoffs. Here are some of the reasons that they could make a deal. Right now they have 12 players on the roster, which is the max. They have 11 signed through 2027. They have Chicago's pick in this year's draft, which is projected as a top three pick in a generational draft, which will surely net them the creation guard that they are looking for. Whether it's a Madison Booker type, dare I say dare I say a juju walkins type. You could get into this of the semi-ownicles business, the Michaela Williams business, wherever they land in the draft, they are going to have their pick of guards who can create and shoot off the dribble. And that will solve some of what is one of their biggest laws, which is shooting and point guard creation. Essentially they have a lot of finishers. They have a lot of quasi-creators. They have Sonia Citron, who's kind of gone from one of the best play finishes in the league to a play creator. But maybe not necessarily her ideal. Well, so they're going to be really well situated. However, they are also going to have $1.2 million left over in cap space. That's enough for max contract, which would put them at 13, which is over the limit. So why not get ahead of that and look for a two-for-one deal instead of just having to wave somebody in free agency. The other thing, too, is that because of the epic provision, which is the new provision in the CBA, where basically if a player on a rookie contract wins all WNBA or MVP, they are max eligible in their fourth year. That would kick in for Kiki or Sonia, both of which are in contention to make an all WNBA team this year. You have like this is just a year where like Nekka, AT, Fee, all out of the running, Kiki, I think just has a great shot. Sonia is, I think, perpetually, just in this race. All of us just to say that next year is really their best option to try to stack the table, take advantage of all these rookie contracts, and go for a title. Like, I really think that it should be next year. So then you kind of want to maybe accelerate your timeline a little bit. You really want to make sure you make the playoffs so your gun players get some experience before trying to go on a run like that. So maybe there's somebody out there that kind of solidifies a playoff run for you. Where are you at on my theorizing so far? I like it. I think I have the same vision for the timeline and I think the team does. I know Cindy Johnson obviously took over the front office this offseason. I think what's been reported is there was kind of some tension about whether they accelerate the timeline this past offseason or kick the can down the road a little bit. But you can even see it in Cindy Johnson's coaching and his rotations that he is prioritized, I think, development over when now. But I think now that you've gotten to the all-star break, you have this three and a half game cushion on ninth place, I'm with you. I think now is time to press the button, time to hit fast forward and try to get these guys some playoff experience because I think that's the key thing you've got to come away with from the season is playoff experience. No, completely, completely. All right, let me hit you with some fake trades. Okay. And, you know, I think a conversation about Washington trades also just be gets like a conversation about where some of the players are in their developmental arc. So I'll start with Georgia Amor. So my first fake trade is Georgia Amor for Tahina Pau Pau and Ali and I. This does not solve the two-for-one problem, but I think then if you get those guys maybe, like maybe you send somebody over as well to Atlanta, like Rory Harmon, Angela Dugelich, Cast Prosper. You could also drop somebody from a developmental roster spot and Cast Prosper is the one I'm not trading. Okay. You're not putting here in any deals. No, she's very young, she's the most athletic player on the team. She's already guarding the best, the team, the opponent's best player in crunch time in the second half. She's got some crunch time minutes recently. So she's the one that I think that I think Cindy Johnson is playing her for a reason. I think they see the long-term vision for her. I think she's only 20 years old and she has so much athletic potential. And she can already knock down a three every once in a while. So I think you can, it's very easy to envision the three and D role with her, like an elite role player down the line. But everyone else, yeah, for sale. You're going to, you're going to hate some of my next trades, then. Okay. Okay. But you don't, let's, let's, let's, let's, let's, let's, let's sign the first one for now. So Tihina Pau Pau, Leah and I just both players that aren't getting a lot of minutes in the Atlanta rotation. I think with Brie Jones back, Tihina Pau Pau definitely gets more of a look because she's more of like one of those players that plays really well off of a big. But for Georgia Amor, I think this is an opportunity to develop behind Jordan Canada in a system that takes some of the pressure off of you. So Georgia Amor, six player on taken in the 2025 draft out of Kentucky. I loved her. You loved her. I think we all loved her. Still love her. I think she is one of the most intelligent players that we have in basketball. She's also a great locker room presence. However, she is undersized and she is just struggling with the angles. Like I think you can see it almost on a nightly basis. She sees where she wants to go. She just can't quite get there yet. And what I think about Georgia Amor, the player I think about the most really is Kelsey Plum. So she goes to the Plum.camp, which Kelsey Plum, who was a number one pick in 2019 after breaking the all-time scoring record. She comes into the WNBA and she struggles so much out of the gate. First three years of her career, she's averaging like eight and a half points, like low percentages. Then she tears her Achilles. Then she is coached by Becky Hammond, who kind of like gives her a new lease on life. And that's finally in her in her in her fifth year for the number one pick. That's finally when she starts to come along. She becomes like the sixth one there. And now, you know, incrementally, incrementally, she has become all WNBA Olympian MVP candidate type of player. They have a very similar profile. Um, and you know, part of the reason that Kelsey started the dog camp is because of how much it like young younger guards tend to struggle, especially small regards, tend to struggle coming out of the gate. So this is not like me giving up on Georgia anymore. I think that like if you look at their averages in the first three years, they're actually like very similar, their rookie averages are incredibly similar. Um, and like I've seen like I've also seen videos of them working out together like not to get like YouTube, YouTube build too much, but I think that like some of the moves that Kelsey put like does like. Like to allow herself to like get to the ring, like just one that's like amazing. It's so fun where it's like she kind of like just like pauses at the end of her. The diesel diesel into the layup is such a unique twist on on what isn't isn't a travel, which is like my favorite form of basketball creativity. Um, and like I think that's there for her, but I think in this Washington team, like the timeline is has accelerated to a point where I don't know that they can wait for Georgia to hit. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's like we've seen some more improvement. I think with her, like you hit the nail in the head. It's a confidence issue with her because she has the ball handling to get around people to get in the paint. She does that. Like I think they call it like a Nashville where you kind of like survey the baseline and come out the other side. She does that at least five times a game where she has a chance to finish on the front side and she just doesn't go up with it. So we'll say this to her credit for the last couple of games were probably her best games from a confidence standpoint. And which is big against those teams, like especially against the Valkyries in their defensive backboard and all that and then going up against the ACE is a championship team. And taking those shots finally, I think she here was joking like I'm going to charge her, I told her I would charge her $100 if she didn't take an open three or whatever. And you're starting to see that kind of come out of her. You're starting to see shades of like the Virginia Tech Kentucky Georgia come out the last couple games, but I agree with you. I think we're so deep into the season right now. And I think they've exceeded expectations to the point where you should be thinking about positioning yourself for the playoffs and like how to maximize that opportunity. And then you have to be thinking about the draft and that Chicago pick and what you're going to be in line to take and what your holes are on the roster, like it just makes too much sense for me. So I would not be mad if they like I'm not ready to give up on Georgia. I would kind of be bummed out if she went just from like a fan perspective, but from like a functional standpoint, it would make a lot of sense for me. And I think pal, pal, just the three point shooting, it would make yeah, that would just fill an immediate need right now. And then I think for Georgia, like you said, playing behind Jordan Canada, I think that's what Atlanta honestly needs is another ball handler off the bench. They're not just crying. You know, they're starting lineup for 35 minutes a night. So I think that would make sense from both sides. Yeah, when you think about the long term trajectory in Atlanta, as far as like pairing a point guard who can set the like set the Ryan Howard's also Kentucky connection. So the Ryan Howard's of the world up, Alicia Gray and then like run the pick and roll with with Angel Reese eventually what you want is a Georgia any more type like with her like playmaking versatility, they don't really have that like Jordan Canada, more of a downhill driver. They're three Jones opens up their playmaking more and Isabelle more lays is just kind of, I mean, we'll see like it's like that's definitely a player that can that can continue to develop as well. But yeah, that's okay. So my second one, which you're going to hate, but I wanted to find to run I wanted to find some trades with Toronto and Washington because you have the worst defense in the league in Toronto at a top three defense in Washington. So worst offense in the league, it just feels like they could find some deals that makes sense. So Julie Alamond who for Toronto becomes a lot less necessary once Kiki Rice comes back is one of the best. Just table setters and floor razors in the WNBA exactly the type of playmaker they need as far as like a low maintenance player who will just make high IQ plays and run the offense well for cast prosper. And Rory Harman. See, you got me back with the Rory Harman. I'm not, I'm not a big fan of Rory Harman, like as a person, I think she's wonderful and like she tries really hard, but I don't think she's a WNBA player right now and the fans just every game they cheer for her like to come up for Sydney to put her in. No, like that would just I don't know that would solve that problem for me, but I know Alamond is exactly what they need right now because the biggest problem for them even like it affects their defense is the turnovers, like they commit so many damn turnovers. And when they are giving up stuff on defense, it's in transition and they are not a good transition team. So if you speed them up like on offense, they're not a good transition team. And they're not like going to be shooting threes. They're not going to take advantage of that. Your defense being scattered with an open three. So I think having Alamond one you cut that on the turnovers to I think you improve the shooting. And then three, like Georgia's obvious her obvious weaknesses defense at this point is because she's on their size. I think she does try hard on defense, just like you can see. You know, it doesn't have the height to deal with some of these point guards. And I think there's an improvement there, even if that's not like Alamond's like calling card. So it would make a lot of sense. It would make the team a lot better. I am hesitant to trade away cast prosper and I think the team like thinks highly of her. But in the meantime, in like this, this year, it would seem like a lot of side of trade for Washington, just to see what she would do for that team Alamond. It brings a brings cast prosper back to Canada as well. It does my agenda right there. Right. I'm surprised that I'm two for two right now. I didn't think that you would accept both trades. I'm trading everybody. Last one. And I'm not like I think I think Lauren beds and Shakira Austin are finding ways to fit together. So I'm not necessarily in a rush to break up that duo as much as I would have been earlier in the season. I just sink Lauren. Her ability to space the floor and the high low passing has really opened up that duo. However, she does need some more minutes and she is number four pick in this year's draft. Just want to title with UC LA and she's showing she's showing some stuff. So how about if you really want to accelerate this timeline Lauren bits Georgia A more Kelsey plumb. I think I would I would reject it, but part of me wants to it would just be so much fun, but next year's rotation Kelsey plumb a Madison Booker type Citron Keke and Shakira Austin. Yeah, I think it still works defensively because like I said, like our point guard hasn't been like a great defender anyway. So that's the one thing you're worried about with plumb. I think plums a bit of an underrated defender too. Yeah, yeah, I would agree with that. I think just because our offense is so good people nitpick the other part of her game, which isn't obviously isn't that strong. Like if you if you propose this a month ago, I drive Lauren to the airport. Okay, even if it was dull, which is like two hours away, I'll drive her there. But the last couple weeks, man, she has been coming on. I think she leads the league in like fugal percentage in the restricted area right now. It's like 78%. She's finishing over Asia Wilson. She's making Asia Wilson looks small. Like she makes a lot of good interior defenders look small. And I think she's gaining that confidence. I wish you would pull the trigger a little quicker too. Like I think she's hesitant still. And then the defense is coming along to you. She's not getting scored on around the rim as much. She's affecting shots. So I'm kind of hesitant to do that just like I do feel like you're almost blowing your wad and you're like going all in next year. Whereas I think there's a way to kind of have the best of both worlds, especially if they hit on this. Like say second overall, even first overall. I think they can put together a championship level roster without making a drastic move. Look at you manifesting. Look at you. Yeah, no, I actually I feel you actually wouldn't make this trade if I was Washington in. Is there a world in which it works if you get some sweetener? Like what if like like Ray or Braille, for example, restricted for the agent next year, obviously they're going to want to keep her. I don't know. I just I think they I don't I don't see a trade with the sparks that would. Because I just think we have enough on the wings right now where I think they believe in a lot of their young wing players and they're playing them a lot. No, I don't think yeah, I don't think I would do it no matter what. It's very wise. It's very wise. It's very expedient. I'm going to be patient as you should as you should this team can be patient. Okay. Who do you want to go with first? You want to do the Liberty? Sure. Let's do the Liberty. That's a team that actually needs a lot of me. Yeah, that's actually what I had here. I did a three team trade and I picked the Valkyries in here. Not a lot of three team deals in the W, but I hope we get one. But with the Liberty to make their financials work, you kind of got to get created like. My they're biggest issue for me is obviously the perimeter defense. I think that's why we're seeing them play so much zone to stop penetration. I think there's like stewie is such a load bearing player for them because of her room protection and because of how they want to play and they can't really stop penetration. And you're not gonna solve the perimeter defense because you're not gonna stop playing sad. You're not gonna stop playing Astia. You're not gonna stop playing Johannes. So I went the other way and I was like, let's get another rim protector in there. Another person who can block shots. So and they don't have a lot of money to throw around. So I had to like kind of go bargain based on shopping. So I did a three team trade with the Mercury and the Valkyries. And I was trying to solve the Valkyries issue too, which I think they just need someone that can finish around the rim. I think there's like second from last in terms of restricted field goal percentage. So I have the Liberty getting Latisha and me here. I got the Valkyries getting Natasha Mack. And then I got the Mercury getting Tiffany Hayes, but Agileini Hamilton in a first round pick from Golden State. - Okay. - And those two contracts are expiring. Tiffany Hayes and Lani Hamilton. I don't think like the Mercury are gonna build around those players. - Right. - I do think they are in need of a hard reset. And I think this kind of helps them get that started. - Yeah, absolutely. I have Phoenix as a team that I've been thinking about a lot. Does this solve every Liberty issue? - No, are you gonna solve their issues? Like you said, they need a lot of you. I don't, I, I just don't think you're gonna solve the perimeter defense issue. And so I think you lean into a strength, get more room protection. Kind of just lean into this zone defense they've been playing. And I think she will help that in some way. I think her block percentage right now is 6.6%, which would be tied for second or second in the lead right now. - She's probably a permanent leader of like defensive player of the year. Like if she played more minutes, she'd probably win that. - Yeah, right, right. And then for the Valkyries, I just think Natasha Mack, like she could finish around the rim. And we see that with her. When they can't finish around the rim and the three points shots aren't following, it's hard to watch their offense at times. And I think they put so much on Gabby Williams and in burden just to create and be able to make tough shots, tough mid rating shots too, which you can't rely on. I don't think they want to rely on that either. I think they're very smart about their shot diet. - Yeah, all right. Do you have any other Liberty trades? - I had another one. I couldn't make it work financially. I was trying to get Brittany Griner to the Liberty. - Okay, all right. - I could not make that work financially just because she makes so much money. But that's what I'm thinking. I think that I just don't see how they solve their defensive issues. And I think that you just got to outscore teams. And I think when they get fully healthy and they get sought to back, we'll see them in their final form. And maybe we'll care less about their issues that are playing in them right now and then holding them back from being consistent. But I just, if they can get another shop blocker out there 'cause John Cole Jones, like obviously is taking off offensively even this year. But they need more on the inside. - Absolutely. Yeah, I think that thing that's interesting about them too is that they do go to these big lineups a lot. Like I think she can slot in, like whether it's Griner or Stokes, like slot into like some of those huge lineups that they play with JJ and Hanju on the floor at the same time. And this is also just a team that we've seen. Like if they do not have an Isolani Hamilton who Chris Marcos just basically decided like whether it's for health or just preference that he's just not really into playing her. That could be somewhat matchup dependent. He like has changed his rotation a lot as of late. So it could be that. But essentially, it feels like Benazzy just doesn't really feel like she's part of her plans right now. But that those two, like the defense in general, like it just falls off a cliff. It becomes like Stewie or nothing. So yeah, like having just another, like you said, like just someone else. So you're not in this perpetual, like they play more zone than anybody else in the league. And teams have also started to solve it pretty easily. I might add, so it's, yeah, I think that's, that's definitely the direction in which they need to be thinking right now. Yeah. - I don't know what you would do with that backboard differently. Like what, I mean, you could change around the rotation. You could change the minutes, but there are no obvious solutions on their roster right now and their salary cap is in a spot where they're not very flexible. - Yeah, I think you honestly just have to hope for more internal improvement. Like Sab coming back from injuries is just having a bad defensive season, like more than you would expect from her. I do think ASEA has improved her defense a little bit as well. And then sometimes it's hard to see just given the coverages that they use and the lack of help. And it's sort of, I mean, it's one of those things where team defense sort of just like reinforces itself. If you have good defenders on your team, you're gonna look good and if you don't, you won't. So there's that. And Kia Stokes makes everybody in Golden State look good. So it makes sense. Griner, I don't think would sell their problems. I just don't think that she like can move like that anymore. So it's probably a good thing that trade would work. I also think that like she's a Houston native. So I think part of her being in Connecticut is just doing like the one year there, being part of that bridge generation and then going to Houston after. So I just don't see her getting traded. But Stokes be awesome there. And frankly, it's like someone underutilized in Golden State. So I'll do Golden State next, I'd Golden State. And to me, yes, there's the rim finishing issues, you know, just in general three point lines. That to me dub tails with some rebounding issues, defensive rebounding issues, and finishing games, not finishing shots, finishing games, like clutch time. I think crunch time, you solve that problem internally. I've said it again and again. She also needs to have the ball in her hands at the end of games. She's one of the best tough shot makers in the league. She can get to any shot she wants to. She is fearless, she's balanced. She's got that Luca-esque like you're not gonna get me off of my spot thing. She's just very strong. She's a high release point. There's no reason that she is not your closer. And you know what, in fairness, they're finishing more games with her and putting the ball in her hands more. So I think that problem is on its way to being solved. The finishing problem, though. So they're in a pretty good spot for like just your general future, right? They'll have almost two and a half million in cap next year. They're gonna want to resign Chen, maybe Chechi. But I do wonder, especially given what they might want to do in free agency, what are their plans for Kayla Thornton? Kayla Thornton has been coming back from a devastating injury. She's, I mean, look, she's a fan favorite. She was their first inaugural All-Star. Somebody who went from a sixth woman with the New York Liberty to be becoming an All-Star under Natalie Nacasi. There's obviously an emotional component with her. However, I just do think that in free agency, there are gonna be some players at her position that they go after. They will probably go after Nafisa Collier, although it's gonna be harder to pry her out of Minnesota now that Olivia Miles is there. Neco-Gumake Stanford Roots is going to be an option there as well. Those are probably the top two, but there's a pretty solid list. And I think that there's a world in which Thornton just like isn't in their future plans. So my trade is, and let's teach Amy here too. I don't, like let's teach Amy here. I just think defensively it's like somebody, but it's just not gonna be on a Natalie Nacasi team. Like I just, you can kind of see her falling out of the rotation. They use her situationally to kind of solve that finishing problem, but you can just tell that there isn't like really a lack of, there's a lack of trust there from Natalie's part. So Kayla Thornton and let's teach Amy here for Monique Billings and a first round pick. - Yeah, yeah, I'm into this. - I think a first round pick might be a little bit rich, but the Indiana fever suck at drafting anyways. So don't know what that matters. They crushed it with Leanne Taylor and which were obvious, but not the best history after that. So the reason I like this is Monique Billings was really great in Nacasi system last year, and she was a great finisher last year. Alongside Alia Boston this year, A, I think that she's just struggling to keep up with the pace of play that is required to be a big next to Caitlin Clark. I also think at this point, Alia, even as she stretched out her game, is just supposed to be the five. Like I don't think that you are getting the most out of Alia Boston elbows. Like, come on, she's physical. Like you can put her in the post, you're not gonna get the most out of her when she's playing next to another player who is more of that low post threat. And there have been moments with the fever too, where I think playing mode just doesn't necessarily lead to the most efficient shock. Like they'll go like five, like they'll get these situations where they're four on three because of Caitlin or Kelsey. And the ball funnels its way to Moe and Moe ends up with like a short jumper or something like that. The Golden State system is very different. They don't run a lot of pick and roll. They're way more isolation heavy. Like I think it'll allow her to be in the dunker spot a little bit more. Like actually kind of situate her for layups. They obviously have great three point spacing as well. She was an incredible finisher from them. Last year it just hasn't worked out. And I think it's fine if everybody just cuts their losses. And on the other end of it, Kayla Thornton, I think is a great big to put next to Alia. She's coming back from that injury. Like she's starting to look like herself. She's a good three point shooter. She's a floor spacer. She's a versatile defender. I think Steph White can do some interesting things with her similar to what they did with Natasha Howard. Last year like this kind of like, as much as everybody talks about like, It was a mistake not bringing Natasha Howard back. Well, Natasha and Alia didn't necessarily work. I think Kayla Thornton gives you the parts of Natasha that worked defensively without like the offensive usage and the fact that they both are gonna wanna be closer to the rim as well. So she's also, and like there's, she's a great culture fit as well. And with Latisha, they just need bodies. They just need bodies at the front court. And she went to South Carolina. So, you know, the lover. (laughs) No, I think that's what, I think that would benefit the fever a lot. Obviously having that floor spacing would make Alia Boston even harder to guard down low. And I agree with you. And I think sometimes the way they space the floor, like maybe this is, I don't know if it's a function of that, but like sometimes they'll go away from Alia Boston even though she's like having a strong game and they nobody can guard her down low. And I think clearing that space out would make it a lot easier to get her the ball, making it a lot harder for teams to funnel shots towards players that you don't necessarily, that your fourth fifth option on the court. And I'm with you with, I'm with you with the balconies too. Do you think Billings would be able to capture that magic that she had when she was there before? And do you think like she's kind of into client at this point? No, I don't think she's into client. She just looks so uncomfortable. Yeah, it just doesn't look like a fit at all. Yeah, yeah. Which is surprising, you know, we saw it work in Team USA, so it's not, I don't want to blame it. I don't want to blame anybody. It's just for whatever reason to have it worked. Yeah, I got a finger trade. Yeah, okay. With another California team. I was kind of swinging for the fences here to fix the problem. I think it solves some of the issues that you're talking about, but maybe the different way. All right, I'm giving the fever, giving a KK-Tempsom. I threw Dottis in there just as a salary dump 'cause they to make it work. And a first round pick, I might throw in a second first round pick, the 2028 pick. 'Cause like you said, I don't think they're, the final office isn't going to let you trade Dottis by the way. I'm going to try anyway. But I'm sending that package to the Sparks and asking for a can break. Yo. I think she fits in perfectly for what they need. I think she can keep up with their pace of play. I think she can space the floor. And then the rim protection is, I think that's the number one problem they have to solve. And once they solve that, I think it makes, like you said earlier, it makes the perimeter defense better, look better at least if you have rim protection. Yes. Okay, wow. Wow. Is that enough? That's what I was saying. You might have to throw in a second first round pick. And I don't know, but I'm just banking on the fact that maybe the Sparks are like, all right, we tried this. What is a year three, even though she, I don't think they've given her a real fair shake. And I don't, I think a lot of the impatient fans haven't given her a real fair shake. But I think if she goes to this team, man, I think she just blossoms her running the court with Caitlin Clark, finding her on those outlet passes. I think she'll get a lot of open threes and she could shoot the ball. I think it's just, I think it would be the perfect trade for them. Also, she fits the demographic they like. Four, four leches. Yeah. Hey, Stanford. We're bringing a fourth. Stanford reunion for Lexi Hall as well. Cam Brink is such an interesting player. I think at her best, when she gets a lot of minutes, when she's in the rotation, when she's not failing, she's one of the best room protectors that we've seen. She has one of the best block rates that we've seen historically in the WNBA. She's obviously dealt with the injuries. And she has been in this L.A. team where she has been asked to level up her development to fit a timeline that was once geared towards contention. The sparks are the biggest TBD and the deadline right now. Like they fired Regan Peably. They have two interim GMs who are heading things up right now. Two guys that I think are really smart and Agnolton and Nate Nielsen, I guess that's not from my own experience, but from just what I've heard around the league. So I don't necessarily want to say that they're in bad hands by any means. However, it's just not what you want going into the trade deadline. And you do have the question of will they blow it up or will they try to get better? This is a deal that is interesting because it doesn't necessarily-- like it leans into the youth movement, but gives up on their biggest young asset in Cam Brink. Who, honestly, I think could use an opportunity to try to blossom somewhere else. And I think Indiana makes a lot of sense. But I do think that if you open the market for Cam Brink, I just don't know-- I don't know that the fever would be able to compete. Because I just think that there are other teams that will look at what she brings even despite the risk and say, we want that. What teams would you put on that list? I'm trying to think of something like that. That's to put you on the spot. No, no, for sure. I mean, I'll just go through every team right now. Toronto tempo, absolutely, would make perfect sense there. They have a ton of assets they can give. Just said that they were the worst defense in the league. And that one makes a lot of sense. I think Portland Fire makes a lot of sense. She's from Portland. I think her in CLA with their youth development timeline, she also fits the demographic as well. That one makes a lot of sense. Don't think the dream makes sense. The wings make a lot of sense. Yeah, yeah, that's-- And they have that Las Vegas pick as well. They also have Maddie Seagrist. Her and a walkie-queer would be fascinating together. I have Dallas. Dallas is a team that is very interesting. What else? I mean, the Aces, no. Valkyries, probably not. I mean, who wouldn't want to have cambring? But don't know that they break the bank for her. Connecticut son would love to have her. Seattle stormer, they already have-- Yeah, yeah. --be fascinating. It'd be fascinating. I think the Liberty would love to have her. Don't have a lot to give unless they-- well, hey, maybe you want to get in the polling last year, trade business, or if you want to try to maybe-- yeah, no, it's not in the Liberty's world right now. I don't think Mercury don't have the picks. Not in the spot. Away. I think the links to where the team I was thinking. I don't know if they have necessarily the assets to give up, to get hurt, and make it work salary-cap wise. But that would be interesting. I think that's the place where she would blossom best. But second on the list would be Indiana. Yeah. And I think Indiana is the one team where it's a necessity rather than, like, you know, not a luxury, but like, oh, that would be nice to have her. Dallas needs it. Dallas does. Honestly, actually, now that I think about it, so do you want-- move on to Dallas and continue the same thing? Yeah, it's going to Dallas. So Dallas, I was playing around with some Lauren that's Dallas deals as well. And we can get into those. But Cam Brink, kind of a similar player, fits a similar need. Here, Dallas horrible rim protection. But they want to be able to maintain spacing because they want to run this offense with Jessica Sheppard, Paige Becker's, AZ-5, a lot of thoughts on Dallas. I will get into in general. However, this Cam Brink situation, I think, could solve that rim protection issue. And if you put her in a deal with LAN, you could force Dallas to give you a lot back and try to add a player that fills your need as far as rim protection that is actually ready to do that for a title contending team. So LAN is on maybe the worst contract. The LAN is probably on the worst contract in the league right now. She's had a really tough start to the season. But she was a co-defensive player of the year last season. You would be selling really, really low on her if you're Dallas. Getting a player who fits your timeline, LA fans would be heartbroken because I think they always dreamed of Cam Brink, Paige Becker's duo. And there's a notion of it happening in Dallas would, I think, be very tough for Sabrina Merchant, who is probably crying listening to this at some point. So the reason I think LA could do something that framework and granted they would need a lot back is because they are impatient. And they don't make good trades. They want to see that trade. Well, see if that changes with the Reagan-Piebly administration gone. But I could see them doing it if you could have a framework. And you'd have to send some stuff back as well. Like you'd have to just make the salaries work. But is there a world in which there is a Maddie Segris? Dallas has the Las Vegas pick this year, just probably like in that six to nine range. They have their own pick, which is probably in that four range. I don't know if I give up this-- I don't give up that pick for Cam Brink, to be honest, but there is next year. And they have their 29. They have some second rounders, I believe, from the Cam Brink. deal it was. They've got some stuff and they've got some interesting young players as well. They have as I had James, they have JJ Quinn early. They just have players that they're not playing. Yeah. Oh. And I don't have the deal. But and I think you you you are selling low on a lot of smith, but I think and bring to your getting you're selling low to get Cameron Brink. Yeah, you're getting what you expected right? You're getting a rim protector defensive player that you're candidate ideally. And then someone who can hit a three. Yeah. I think it changes the dynamic of the offense in the way that you wanted to change it when you made those signings in the office. Yeah. And maybe you I wonder if they're going to want to you know put the foot down on the accelerator right now. It's page only pages second year first year of AZ. I do wonder like I think a team like the fever are desperate to win. Yeah. Obviously. No, I don't think they are. So I think I think Dallas's biggest issue is can they try to fix their cap situation so that they can keep both a lot queer and Maddie Segrist because they overpaid land. Um Jeff ship ship is well paid but deserves all the money that she's making. She makes a million dollars. Oh, and that's a lot in your front court. Um Rike is the one that's also making a ton of money as well. So you just got some some lopsided contracts that make it hard to build out the future of your team. So I think that for the sake of the future and for the time when the time comes around for the other young players to get their extensions. Can you just get off one of those deals potentially? Yeah. And I don't think they're ready to get off a rike yet either because just because I think like they need that second score who's going. Yeah. Especially like I don't think this has been much of a problem this year. Maybe earlier in the year is like the passive page problem when you have a rike that's a nice like break glass case of emergency. But I do think you need a second you know creator anyway. Yeah. And a rike has actually been playing really really well as a play as well. So like that would you know it might not might not make the most sense. But I think so Dallas is a very interesting team but they also just have a lot of structural issues. Some of those are fixable. But I mean like I think that they obviously need to get more room protection. I also just think that they long term need a big wing that makes easy life easier. They need better perimeter preference. And right now easy foot is being put in the position of having to guard the best flight player on the other team on a nightly basis while also just like running more miles than anybody else on the court trying to get open for threes and then also not necessarily you know getting the ball when she is wide open for three. Like I do like there's there's a level at which easy is just not getting like she's not getting enough shots. She's not being maximized right now. We just watch her win the three point contest. She becomes a first rookie to win the three point contest. All of these shots are cash. Yeah. That jump shot is so efficient too. Like no wasted movement whatsoever. Nothing and she's so strong. It's just never it like she never gets tired. It never looks different. She just is one of the best pure shooters that I've ever seen. Maybe the best shooter in the universe outside of anybody not named Caleb McBride. Like out of everybody though like I looked at this after the three point contest. Out of everybody that was in the contest. Bridgette Carlton, Ryan Howard, Janelle Sloan, Marina, Maverine, Tisha, Hyde, and all of those players in the top 30 in three pointers per 36 minutes. Three of them were top 15. Easy is 56. This is somebody who was drafted for their three point shooting. Why why like she she's taking less three three three thirty thirty six than Caleb's Wharton, Sika Coney, Crescent Ball. That's crazy. Like your girl, Georgia, Amor. Yeah, no. Like some just just gnarly gnarly stuff like really really under utilizing what she is capable of doing. So for doing like more high stress stuff too. And then you have the factor in that she like she just can't there's no break obviously between the college season of the WNBA season. She made her run to the national championship game. Like she played a lot of basketball and she's going to be playing a lot of basketball. Reducing her the the load is just I think paramount for them. And I would imagine I don't know I would imagine that shooting three pointers isn't as hard as guarding the most difficult assignment on the other side every night. Yeah. Like look I know the you know the lifting videos are what they are but she's got to be tired man. Like oh my god. Um yeah so like I think you know they need to get her some help. Um but I also think there's another structural issue in Dallas. So what's that? Well just ship revealed how they should play right. Like she's become this sort of like all-encompassing Dremon Green-esque power point forward playmaker for them. She's not first time all star this season. It is a great formula for how they how they should play. She like you know you got pages of midi like captain like closer she is going to get a shot anywhere on the floor that she wanted. Jess puts incredible pressure on the rim and then A. Z is your three-point shader. Like that is a great formwork. The problem if you can't get a rim protector is that Jess does not play even a little bit of defense. Like to a degree that you have to worry about when you think about the long-term vision of this team. So who's the one player in the WNBA who is basically Jess Shep but she plays defense? Who am I thinking about? I don't know. Melissa Thomas. Oh oh oh oh. So Phoenix not doing a thing this year. No. So I recital with a Thomas through a three-year deal. Melissa Thomas still in search of a ring. That would be interesting. How would you see that? How would you see that working line-up wise? Oh like those two play together? Oh I'm trading Jess. Oh you're trading Jess in this. Yeah I'm trading Jess. You can't you can't play them together. I'm just I'm just swapping them out. And Dallas sends a aces pick. Couple of second rounders. They send a lanus myth as well. And they also get this solves this solves a Monique issue. I mean this solves a defense issue that get Monique or Komokani in return. and Dallas also sends Maddie Seagrist and Isaiah James. That's a big trade. That's a huge trade. I got a process to sit my mind. Do you trade Jess? Functionally yes it makes sense on paper. Do you trade her after making her first all-star game? Like a week later? Hey it's a dark dog world man. Yeah it would be so cold blooded. Like thanks for everything. Get the hell out of here. We have Alyssa Thomas now. I think that makes them a better team in the playoffs. I would trust that team a lot more. I don't know where are you in your trust level with the wings right now. If nothing happens between now and the playoffs. It's low. It's really low. They just have structure. They have like everything I laid out. I feel like they could just get bullied down low too. Like I like a walk queer but I don't think she's there yet like in terms of like I don't know. It just seems like in their losses especially against the contenders they can get bullied. I mean I'm thinking of like I don't even know what game I'm saying. But the ACEs bully them and the ACEs bully them. The pick and roll defense against the links is always just brutal. It's part of the reason that Olivia is three and oh against Paige. There are about to have two games against the Mystics. I think next week back to back and I really want to see how they hold up against that front line. They're going to get wrecked. I've actually had those two like skirt circled on my calendar for reasons. I'll tell you after the game. But every after we record that. Yeah that's who do you have next? Let's do the link. Let's talk about the ACEs. I spent like three hours on the ACEs on like the the trade machine they have on Spotrack and I could not get anything to work. I was trying to get them as I James. I was trying to get them someone who could just give them anything off the bench and one their last place in cap space. They have seven core players already on the rosters. You can't add another one. Any trade I try to do they were still 300,000 over the cap. So like I gave up. I have no I have nothing. And I think the Yamamoto signing is an acknowledgment of that. Like they got rid of Kennedy Carter and I think they were like oh shit. What are we going to do now. And that's what they went with it. And Beckham was like you remember that player on Japan that scored 25 points on us in the preseason. I just you know what's the sign. That's a degree of their international scouting. But like I could not figure out what to do for them. Like anybody that makes sense. Like you could say like I don't know if they would trade like even like Skyler like you they just don't have the money or the roster space to do anything. And I don't know if they need it. Like I still trust this team. I still trust this team no matter what. I mean they could do they could do like Steph Talbot. Yeah that's who they would have to give up. They would have to give up Talbot. But yeah. Beckham loves her. She plays her a lot because she's the only person that can play defense on the print. Exactly. I don't think she's giving that up. And then like I don't think anyone would take the Jewel Lloyd contract. I don't know if they would 800,000 for the next three years. That's like yeah. Well they're in a kind of they're in a similar boat to the fever. Actually in a worse spot because they've had to pay their entire big three, whereas the fever haven't had to pay Caitlyn yet, but they don't draft internationally. I mean, they don't scout internationally. They don't crush the draft. And they also, outside of their big three, have some contracts like Jewel Lloyd, where you're like, oof, like that's tough. It just makes it hard. I think that it's going to be like Dana Evans recently came back. So maybe she can provide something as well. And like, honestly, it's time to learn Justine Passat, buddy. That's that's kind of where they're at. Yeah, I don't know. But yeah, I really tried for like two hours. I couldn't cover with anything. But I do think they need someone that can play defense and they need someone who can give them any type of scoring off the bench. Because when Asia goes out of the game, it's just like they go from a championship contender to like a fringe playoff contender. It's rude. I mean, they're very top heavy. I think that the only recourse that they have to that is that they have the best player of all time. So sometimes it just doesn't matter. They're like, Asia, you have. Did you see that preview from the inside the W series? And Asia talking about her game winner? No, I didn't see that. It was so sick. OK, you got to watch it. But it's basically like Becky Hammond. She like on the clipboard, she draws up the play. And it's like, there's obviously nothing really going on in the play. It's Asia catch catching the ball and doing something. So the clipboard is basically, you know, she like draws Asia at like the mid post of the key and just an in a line of her to the basket, like just one straight line. And then she races a clipboard. And she's like, that's what we're doing. And Asia is like, what? Like, excuse me, what? That's my favorite type of play in crunch time. Yeah. That's what they should have done against the Mystics this last game. But they it ends up with a Chelsea grade three instead when they're down by one point. But I mean, that's a they're putting a lot on Asia Wilson's plate. I think at a certain point, I mean, they basically wrote her to a championship last year at a certain point. You have to help out somehow. But obviously, they're sealing in so high. So it sounds weird that we're talking about them. Like, you know, they're desperate. There's nothing they can do about it. Yeah. I'll do my I'll do my team that I just don't want to have make any deals. Even though I did have them in a different deal for the Mystics, but Atlanta, I just don't think they need to do anything. Especially now that Brie Jones is back. Brie Jones before she came back. Yeah, this was a team that looked good on paper, but it didn't really connect. Brie has fixed their playmaking issues. She puts Angel Reese back at the four, which is her more natural position. Naz Hillman who is much more of a natural six woman than your type of player is now back to doing that. Alicia Gray is now coming off these handoffs. Tahina Palka was going to be coming off these handoffs. Jordan Canada hits a game winner off of a Brie Jones handoff. She opens up everything. Like they just have their offensive hub back. And it looks really, really fun. And they have, like they have defense. They have size. They have scoring. They have shooting. They have versatility. They have rebounding. They have balance. They have some fun young players that can like develop within the concept. Like they can keep Pau Pau. Medina is really good. She gives you a very different look also than what you get from like a Hillman or a Reese or a Cica Cone as well. And like, man, their cat management is just awesome. Like they, not only did they bring everybody back, last year going and going into next year. But like they're just in a great spot as well. Like they'll have 11 players on the roster next year with just enough space to integrate their first round pick. Like they don't have to do anything to maintain their roster next year. Unless, unless Angel Reese makes an all WNB 18. And she's eligible for the epic provision. So we'll have to keep an eye on that. In that case, like they will have to do something. But a lot of the young players that they have or players that other teams would want as well. Like the only contract that I look at, and I'm like, oh, like she might be hard to trade, is not as Hillman because she's having a bit of a down year as well. But like Aliyah Nigh, Tahina Pau Pau, Medina O'Cott, Isabel Borles, like these are not going to be players that like if you have to move one of them or just get off some salary or a Jordan Canada, even as well, you just can. It just won't be hard. They're just really well-situated. And I feel like now that breathes back, just see where you're at. And there's no reason to try to accelerate the timeline. It's not like they're going to get old in a year or two. Yeah, I'm with you. They're my by-low team. They're the team that obviously they had a rough stretch a couple weeks ago. But they have everything you would want to play off team, especially now that they're fully healthy. And I think we're going to see the best of Hillman going forward rather than that first half where she struggled. So yeah, I don't think they need to make a move at all. And like I would put the-- honestly, I'd put the mystics in that category for a different reason just because I think like they don't have to accelerate the timeline if they don't want you and kind of do it in the off season. Whereas I think Atlanta, I think their problems are going to solve themselves in the second half. And I think you just want to see this court together because we haven't seen it yet. And that was like the vision in the off season. So I'm excited to see what happens over the next couple weeks. Yeah. Do you have another one? Do we do everybody? Yeah, I got the links, which is hard for a different reason from the ACEs because it's like-- I mean, they're probably going to win the championship. The one concern that I have-- and I'm obviously picking Knitzer here-- is finishing defensive possessions, not letting teams just get put backs on you. I think that's where you see them struggle against the liberty and the liberty loss. Liberty shot 18 for 20 inside the restricted area in that game. The Mystics scored like 36 points in the restricted area. And it's a lot off of put backs. So I just think like a defensive rebounder. And I was trying to think of a player, a young player who can rebound, who's maybe needs to change his scenery. And I went with Anissa Mora. Oh. Yeah. And I'm giving up. Yeah, I'm giving up a first round pick and Dorka U-Haas for-- You know, I don't even think you have to give up a first round pick for her. I probably don't. I just think that-- and it's not because of her, I just think that where she is with Atlanta right now, I just think that situation with the coaching staff and her is just kind of at a position where they just don't. It's not going to take her first round, or just isn't. Yeah. And I think you go with Cheryl Reeves. And I think you're getting the best development patch forward, going forward. And then I think she just gives them toughness around the rim that I don't even have-- Even the last year. Yeah, yeah. But they had this problem. Last year, you remember like last year, they were struggling with the sky for some reason. They were like the only good thing that struggled with the sky. And it was because they were getting fully underneath and giving up putbacks. I think that's the only way they lose in the playoffs. If they run into a team that can take advantage of that. And then I would like to have-- I mean, I don't think you need to make her like a fixture in your rotation necessarily yet. But that's a good break glass in case of a emergency option if you are having problems keeping teams off the glass. I really like that. I also just think Anita Moro, like I think she could do the Olivia Miles thing of, oh, I am now being coached by show or even so. Now I am playing the defense. And I think that once she does that, I think that she can just be a very interesting player. Like I think she can unlock some very cool lineups for you just because she is like someone who can play on offense in a lot of different positions. And she's like under size. But she's also like one of the gnarliest rebounders you've ever seen. That's really interesting. I would just love a change of scenery for her. She needs one. Connecticut's kind of my change of scenery team. I've been trying to-- The team is literally getting a change of scenery. They are, they are. That's our advantage of scenery. Yeah, so it's either now or in a couple of months. I've been trying to find ways to get Sonaya Rivers to LA. I think that she helps them now and later. And it could just be nice for them to get some youth on that team as well. Olivia Nelson and Dota is another player. I think that would be good in Minnesota or LA or Dallas, Indiana. She's just a player to potentially watch. They've got some interesting young pieces that are being heavily underutilized there. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Any parting thoughts? Is there anything that you're hitting the second half of the season, things are going to start to get real. There's a lot of now we find out who you really are, especially after the deadline. What are you most excited for? Did you see the ESPN graphic with like the chances to win the finals and the fever were number one? Like whatever their BPI model is? It's so weird. The weirdest thing I've ever seen. So weird, yeah. What is, what do you think they're selling it? No, yeah, for sure. But I think the losing of the first round too. That's the thing. Like they're sealing is very high. But to have them statistically be the favorites in a universe where the Minnesota links exist just doesn't really make a lot of sense to me. Look, you have Caitlin Clark, Alia Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell. Yeah. Do you count 10 players maybe? Yeah. Exactly. Of course. Of course. Do they have a spate of other issues that I find myself concerned with? Yes. But they are also eight and two going into the second half of the season. And they're finally going to get some truly healthy games underneath them as well. Like hopefully we get a good stretch of no load management. Like, Caitlin and Alia, Kelsey play together. Not too many of those Alias off tonight. Caitlin's off the other night, sort of games as well. They win them, but it doesn't help you figure out who you are. This is still very much a fever team that is without an identity. If they have an identity, it's sort of digging themselves out of polls. I think that they are very resilient. [BLANK_AUDIO] are good at like just winning games and getting out of the mud. I think I think Steph White is so interesting because she, she almost has like a, like a Tom Thibidot thing where when you give her nothing, when you take away all of the, the players that like she's normally used to having in her disposal, she like goes into the lab and like comes out with some incredibly creative defensive scheme and the first play coming out of the gate is like some shot to get, you know, Kelsey Mitchell wide open on it, on a cut and you're like, oh shit, like she's cooking right now, like she's cooking right now. And then when you give the, give her the fever and like their, their full capacity, I don't know, it's just like, like that, it's like, it's like, she just, like they haven't made able to like combine the, the creativity that she has when it is like necessary for it to come out with when they are stacked and when they do look terrifying on paper, it's interesting. Yeah, they're, they're like football coaches that I feel like this about where they have like this sick fetish where they like want to play with a stack deck against them just so they can get creative. And I think she definitely fits that bill. Yeah, it's like I took that personally. Yeah, yeah. And the other thing that I'm looking at, I'm almost ready to retract all my Sydney Johnson Slater that I've dropped on this podcast in the past because he's, he's starting to win me over. I still have some disagreements with some stuff, especially rotation wise, but those last two games, the aces of the game, amazing. He outcoach Natalie Nicasi, who's very hard to outcoach. It only took him six tries. It only took me six tries. He's a rookie head coach. It's not. She's like Natalie is going to be one of the best. Like, sit is up there, man. Like, you know, I'm not going that far. Okay, I'm not going to be hurt, but they went. He went, okay, we're not doing the zone. Not fourth quarter. They take out Georgia for Cody. They switch everything. They get incredibly physical. They just start getting all of these stuff. The switches were, that was smart. Yeah. It's just a great adjust. I think he needs to do that more often. Go a little bit bigger in the back court. We've seen it work in crunch time multiple times. And I, that's why I say I think he's not. He's prioritizing development over trying to win as many games as possible, which I can respect in one, in one moment, but like when I'm watching the games, I, you know, as a fan, Sony on the ball. Yeah, I get that as a fan. Like you want what you want. I get that like, yeah, yeah, you're like, give me the goods. Come on. Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. Steve, thank you so much for making the time. I'm sure, you know, we'll have another opportunity to, to yap it up pretty soon here. I'm so excited for this next stretch of games. We have just so many marquee star matchups coming up as well. We're going to have Caitlin versus Olivia is coming up. We got Caitlin versus Paige is I think is happening twice this month. You've got Paige Angel, Caitlin Angel, Paige Sony, Paige Sony, Paige Sony, don't forget about Sony. Don't forget about Kiki. Kiki's going to destroy the Dallas wings front court. By the way, she's going to absolutely wreck them. Um, yeah, ask me fun. It's going to be a really fun month. It's going to be good. Yeah. Okay. All right. Well, thank you again for hopping on. Thank you to Isaiah Blakely for producing. And we will be back in any competition. [Music]