Stephen A. believes Ant-Man and LaMelo will be a SCARY duo in Minnesota 😤 | First Take

So back to our breaking news from this morning, the Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves for Nas Reed in a series of draft picks, sources tell our Shams Sharania.After being in the hunt for big stars such as KD and Giannis, the Timberwolves Got a co -star to pair with their franchise star and Anthony Edwards.And so Brian Wynhorst and Vincent Goodwill are back here with us.How scary is the duo of Lamello and Antman in the West?

Yeah, well, this is getting Ant the type of running mate that he's really been missing since Carl Towns left.And I know they're very different players, but the point here is Ant was struggling under the weight of not having a lethal shooter on the court with him.And It was just making it too easy to guard him.It was limiting his explosion.It was limiting what he can do offensively.And the Wolves have made a lot of good decisions.

And it wasn't like their last two seasons have been disasters, to be very clear.They made the conference finals last year.They made the second round this year.But when you saw the way the season ended with Ant very clearly not thrilled with where the progression was, it was a red alert.And the Timberwolves approached it that way.They tried to get Giannis.

They kicked the tires on Jalen Brown.They're able to get LaMelo Ball.And here's the thing about LaMelo.His style is not a perfect fit for everybody.He's going to hoist a lot of threes.He's going to sometimes commit, you know, turnovers.

Defensively, a challenge, although Minnesota is set up to protect him on that.The man can play at high speed.The man has unlimited range.He can hit volume three -point shots, and he is a great passer setting guys up.It is a very, very good fit next to Ann Edwards.They're taking a little bit of a gamble here because he has an injury history.

And I would not be surprised to see if they hold back on giving him a contract extension, even though he's eligible for one.He's got multiple years left on his deal.There is really big upside to Fit Next to Ant with this trade.

When the Timberwolves traded Julius Randle for nothing, people say, well, what does this mean?I'm like, let's see what Tim Connolly does.That's a $33 million cap hole.They still have the $15 million non -taxpayer mid -level exception.I know that's a basketball jargon, but they got rid of two power forwards in the span of, what, 48 hours, and that stresses Rudy Gobert, who's already naturally stressed anyway, okay?So, you put LaMelo Ball, one of the streakiest shooters in the league, on a team with Anthony Edwards, who's one of the best playmakers.

He's one of the guys who draws the most attention around the league.The question for me is, in the Western Conference, where the ante is being upped by Oklahoma City and San Antonio, Denver still lurking, who knows what happens with Houston.We're going to talk about the Lakers because we always talk about the Lakers.Is this enough?to keep pace.Is this enough?

Because Anthony Edwards will be 25 in August.That's right around the time that we start putting pressure on people.When we say Anthony Edwards, you've been to the conference finals twice in the last three years.What you going to do now?And now you give him Lamello ball and you're going to ask them, hey, that's a reality show.Ant and Lamello, reality show, somebody put it together, right?

Maybe it's us.Maybe it's ESPN.Maybe we'll put a camera down there in Minnesota and just hang out with them.But they have to figure out a way defensively, because you lost a lot of size in those two guys.And you also have to make sure that LaMelo Ball has his head on straight, that he's healthy, and that he can make decisions to take stress off of Anthony Edwards.

I have no question that he'll have his head on straight, and he'll be ready to ball playing with Ant -Man.It's a privilege to be in the backcourt with Ant -Man, if you are a point guard.Imagine feeding that brother the ball.and how good Vinny and Wendy Ant -Man can make you look.First of all, he can do it on his own.He can create his own shot.

All you gotta do is make sure that you're enough of a threat where you can't easily, you know,think about doubling him, because they've got to pay attention to you.But you add to that.that Lamellos his own threat.He can shoot the ball.He can handle the Rock.

He certainly is an elite passer and then it becomes even more interesting and compelling.So I don't disagree with anything that y 'all are saying.I don't think this makes them bigger.It obviously makes them smaller and with OKC and San Antonio in the West.I don't know if that's a really really good thing.I get that part, but let me throw something out at both of y 'all.

Wendy Vinny that y 'all haven't brought up Rui Hachimura.Isn't he a free agent, Wendy?

Yes.

What's his status with the Lakers?Because let me tell you something.I'm wondering, again, what if you get him?To pair with Lamello and Ant -Man, why you still got Rudy Gobert?Why you still got Jaden Daniels?I mean, think about that for a second.

I'm just asking.Because they're not bigger.We get that.But in the same breath, Rudy doesn't need the ball the way Julius Randle needed the ball.Ant -Man is clearly going to be unleashed because you got to pay attention to Lamello.So if you can't get bigger to help fend off OKC San Antonio, at least catch up to them rather.

Then the next best thing you have to do is unleash Ant -Man.One could argue that's easily what you should have done.Now you're getting somebody who's a big enough body, because you're talking about somebody like Rui, because my godson was talking to me about that.He brought him up.I said, damn it, that's a good point.I got to give my godson Nicholas a lot of credit right there.

Nicholas Brown, that's his name.That's my godson, right?Brother's brilliant at sports.And he's sitting there talking to me, the young whooping snapper that he is.And he brought up Rui.And I was like, damn, I didn't think about that.

Wait a minute here.I got to give credit where credit is due.That might be something you want to think about.Legit 6 '8", got an NBA body, can make perimeter shots, but doesn't needthe ball the way a Julius Randle needs the ball.And if not him, somebody like that, I think Minnesota should think about adding, if indeed you can't get another big body to replace a 6 '10 dude like Nasri.

It's an interesting concept.I don't think they're going to have the money for it.I got to see all of this.I don't think so either.I got to see all this accounting falls into it.I do think Rui, while the Lakers are looking for other options, could be, you know, if the Lakers better have that figured out because he hits free agency, he's going to have multiple offers.

I don't quite think they're going to have the money for it.But a player like that is an interesting idea.

They have holes, like they're more dynamic, right?One of their strengths over the past couple of years was we have more size than you.We are tougher than you up front.And then we have Anthony, it was the most dynamic wing player, shooting guard in the league.And think of all the players that Anne has taken down over the past couple years, Stephen A. He's taken out Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.He's taken out LeBron and Luka Doncic.

He's taken out Nikola Jokic.He's taken out the top of the top players.And now you add on a player that's going to hopefully de -stress him.LaMelo Ball is a guy who can go on a night, hit seven or eight threes.He's also in the guy that can go on a night and have five or six turnovers.Will he be able to harness all of that talent?

He is one of the most talented point guards in the league.And remember, Tim Connelly has been on the hunt for a co -star for Anthony Edwards for a long time.That's what you heard about John Moran.John Moran is not quite a fit from a skill standpoint, or even a health standpoint.Not saying that Lamello Ball is because Lamello has his own health questions.But you have to ask yourself, are those two guys going to be enough?

I don't want to match size for size with Oklahoma City and San Antonio.You're not going to be able to out Victor, Victor.Be dynamic.Be what the New York Knicks were.Try to stress out these other teams.as opposed to trying to be better at what they are the best at.

I think this is at least a good strategy on paper.You just got to find a body to play for.

They needed shooting last year, and now they have it.Now they have shooting.And also, remember this week, they just went and signed Io DeSumo to lock him up.So it feels like everything is falling into place now.

Well, you need guys that can't take pressure off of Ant -Man being doubled.That's what you need.

Trailblazers hiring new head coach Micah Norrie that's now drawn attention around the league because of the unique contract structure.Norrie's deal guarantees only the first year, includes team options for years two and three, and carries a below market base salary.National Basketball Coaches Association President J .B.Bickerstaff criticized the arrangement, calling it quote, a slap in the face to our value, end quote.A sentiment reportedly shared by several other coaches.

So Wendy, I ask you, is this Norrie deal, is it fair or foul?

I'm sure it's hated by all the coaches.I think so.OK, so Tom Dundon, the new owner of the Trailblazers, he's going to just do business different.And he came out.He's given several interviews, all of which have been somewhat fascinating.That's very kind.

And quite enlightening.He said that he's the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes who just won the Stanley Cup.The way he has governed that team clearly has emboldened that the way he does business is a winning way to do business.We have to understand that.He has come out and said that expenses for the Blazers are roughly $100 million more than his Carolina Hurricanes per year.So you can see why he's looking at areas where he got to cut costs.

Now, I want to be clear before I go on here.I don't think this is a way to have success in the NBA because one of the most important things you have to do as a head coach is have credibility with your players.And if your players know that your organization doesn't feel that they can even give you a multi -year contract.that's going to be a credibility challenge.Especially for a coach like Mike Inouye, he's a first -time head coach, he wasn't a player in the league, even though he's highly respected as an assistant.I don't necessarily believe that.

However, if you're Tom Dundon, and you're looking at this, and you're saying, I've got a hundred million dollars more for my hockey team than my hockey team, where do I cut?And he's looking at Mitch Johnson.He was essentially on a one -year contract.You know, he was an interim head coach.led the Spurs to the finals.Looking at Joe Mizzoula, Joe Mizzoula didn't get a gigantic competitive contract as a first -time head coach, led the team to a championship.

He's looking at Mark Diagonal, came out of the G League.You think he got a five -year guaranteed contract?He didn't have a one -year.These coaches didn't have a one -year.Shay, I'm not arguing with you.I'm just telling you the way he's seeing it, OK?

He's saying, why don't, you know, and by the way, he personally interviewed like 30 or 40 candidates.He interviewed them.Not his GM introduced me to the finalists.He interviewed them, okay?So he's trying to take business a different direction.The coaches don't like it.

I'm not convinced it's going to work, but I understand why he sees this and wants to try it.I see.

You know, Wendy is so kind.It's like, I have a saying when people talk about the devil being the devil's advocate, the devil don't need one.The devil doesn't need an advocate here, Wendy.You brought up Joe Mazzulla.and Mitch Johnson, coaches who were thrust into situations due to adverse circumstances, Greg Popovich's stroke, Emei Udoka's situation.Those coaches were in the building, and they took over.

He had a coach in the building who took over in the wake of everything that happened with Chauncey Billups, Tiago Splitter.And he led them to a playoff spot that nobody anticipated that they would get to.Tiago Splitter is now coaching in Chicago.That is a great coup for the Chicago Bulls, for your torturers.Bulls franchise.

Tortured is strong.

I'm sorry, it is.The fact that you let that coach out of the building, Micah Norrie has been knocking on the door for a head coaching job for a number of years.From the day that he took over Chris Finch, I think in the 24 playoffs, when Chris Finch tore up his knee and Micah Norrie was thrust into a spot of being the guy out front.People saw, oh, this guy knows what he's doing.He's highly regarded, highly thought of.You only take this job.

If you don't believe that there is an opportunity.There isn't an opportunity somewhere else and that you're hoping to make the best of this.The problem is I don't know if he can coach himself into a better situation because Tom Dundon is going to take years for him with NBA owners.It takes them four or five years to get into like the way assimilate themselves.Every every new owner comes in with the grand idea that they're going to change the league with how their business practices change to the NBA.And then the sooner or later reality hits.

How long is it going to take for reality to hit?And then in the meantime, Michael Norrie is going to wind up being an unfortunate sort of circumstance of this.I don't think he's going to be in a position to succeed.In 12 months, we're going to be having the same conversation about some other poor soul.

Oh, Stephen A. I'll take it a different level.I'll take it a different level.I don't think he should have taken the job.I don't think any coach should take that job.And I think that the players themselves, with their union, the coaches, with their union, and even the league should step in.And if the league doesn't step in, I think it should raise a red flag for all of us.

Is this going to be what you try to do to the players next?Put them on one -year deals?How are you going to go to a coach and ask him to take over a program?This is not an interim coach.This is not a coach that you let go and then you bring in an interim to finish the rest of the season for them.You went out and hired a new coach.

gives him a one -year deal with a team option for year two and three.Even Tiago Splitter's getting $7 million a year from the Chicago Bulls.I mean, come on now.Now, if you want to lowball him financially, then that's different.So if guys are getting paid $7 million, but you only want to pay three and a half, OK, that's fine.But you still give them.

a two to three year deal as a head coach.To bring him in on a one year deal is bad business.Especially in a league where you got players making 250, 300, 400 million dollars.It's bad business as far as I'm concerned.And I think that If you are the players, yeah, this doesn't have anything to do with you in your mind, but I applaud J .B.

Bickerstaff for speaking up, not just as the head of the Coaches Association, but with what he said.It is a slap in the face.It's a disgrace.And that owner should be ashamed of himself.Go back and stay in hockey.What the hell you owning an NBA team for?

Nobody's asking you to go out there and pay $12, $15, $17 million for a head coach.But when you let Tiago Splitter walk out the building after the job he did, and then you couple that up by bringing in a coach coach on a one -year deal, you ain't trying to win.You're trying to curb cost.And even though it's not illegal to do so, there's a culture that exists in the NBA that the NBA should be interested in protecting.And you want leadership?You want somebody that's building a franchise, that's building a program, that's making sure that they're doing things the right way?

You don't bring somebody in on a one -year deal to lead your franchise.You don't do that.This owner is trying to bring NHL stuff to the NBA.$100 million.That's how much more it costs the NBA.Well, the NHL ain't the NBA.

NHL is very popular.Gary Bettman has done a phenomenal job.The players in the National Hockey League have done a phenomenal job.NHL is big time.I get it.It ain't the NBA.

It ain't the NBA.So it's going to cost you a little bit more.No doubt about that.We understand that.You don't like it?Own something else.

But to bring a coach in on a one -year deal, You're undermining a culture that has existed, what it takes to win and build something in the league, and you are putting those coaches in a very untenable situation because there's no way that you're in a position to really, really coach and tell a player what to do when they know you want a one -year deal with team options for year two and three.You can have coach.You can have players getting you fired because you encouraged them to eat lunch.I mean, come on, man.You can't do that.That's not good at all.

That's a bad, bad precedent to set.As far as I'm concerned, this owner is showing me he doesn't belong in the NBA.Get somebody else to own the damn franchise.

What he's saying, and again, I'm not agreeing with him, nor am I defending him.What I am telling you what he's thinking is that there's a long line of coaches I have.I have a whole giant list of coaches I can get.And if I don't like one, I'll just go get another one that they're replaceable.Superstar players are not replaceable.He'll pay the superstar player.

He thinks the coach is replaceable.He's also come out and said, there's $600 million renovations that are needed for the arena there in point, because I ain't paying any of it.And they're like, wait a minute, the Paul Allen, the previous owner, he built the, he's like, I don't care.He's like, if we leave, what are you going to do?We, he has leverage.This is how he's going to operate.

You can be mad at it.You can criticize it, but this is how he's seeing it.He's seeing that he has the leverage and he's going to, and he's the ways it's the way, but why, but why are you talking like we're refuting that?

We understand that.We know you're right.What we're saying is it's jacked up.It's a horrible, horrible way to run an NBA franchise.