WEBVTT - Warriors Drama, Ja Morant Returning, SGA and Thunder Rolling

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome into NBA Pulster production of iHeartRadio in the NBA.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Sarahustak, NBA analyst for the s Networking Today is Monday,

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<v Speaker 1>December eighteenth, from our terrific core group of NBA journalists.

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<v Speaker 1>We're joined now by NBA dot Com Senior writer Sean

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<v Speaker 1>Powell and Sean. How you doing.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm doing great, doing great. We're going to the holiday season. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>on Christmas Day. You have to feel great this time

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<v Speaker 2>of years.

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<v Speaker 1>We got good stuff going on and a lot to

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<v Speaker 1>get into. And I would like to begin with the

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<v Speaker 1>Golden State Warriors and what things look like for them.

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<v Speaker 1>I got a chance to see them up close and

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<v Speaker 1>personal on Saturday night as they had defeated the Brooklyn Nets.

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<v Speaker 1>They've won two straight games here in the absence of

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<v Speaker 1>Draymond Green indefinitely suspended, beating the Portland Trailblazers by four

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<v Speaker 1>last night. They if one two, but they had lost

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<v Speaker 1>their previous three games, four of their prior five, and

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<v Speaker 1>of course there's a lot of questions surrounding this team.

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<v Speaker 1>You look though at last night's game against a Trailblazer's

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<v Speaker 1>steph which is seven points. It was the first time

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<v Speaker 1>in gosh, as long as we can remember, he didn't

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<v Speaker 1>hit a three point shot, struggled from the field to

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<v Speaker 1>a twelve o eight, but he was blistering and helping

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<v Speaker 1>the Warriors win on Saturday night. Though Clay has started

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<v Speaker 1>to put together a couple solid games, the efficiency you've

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<v Speaker 1>seen from him. Play again another three play with the

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<v Speaker 1>shot clock at five.

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<v Speaker 2>He checked it, returned, fade.

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<v Speaker 1>Fire, and hit it in a tough loss to the Clippers.

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<v Speaker 1>The wins over the Nets and the Trailblazers. Andrew Wiggins

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<v Speaker 1>with a nice night last night with twenty five points.

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<v Speaker 1>And you've got some role players that have stepped in

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<v Speaker 1>and taken on added responsibility, Brandon Pajemski being one of

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<v Speaker 1>those individuals. But when you look at this team, look

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<v Speaker 1>at where they said currently I think right around eleventh

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<v Speaker 1>there in the Western Conference, Sean, what do you see

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<v Speaker 1>for the future in some of the uncertainties that sits

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<v Speaker 1>with where this team and what the roster looks like

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<v Speaker 1>right now, Given the situation of Draymond Green.

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<v Speaker 2>I think the hardest team, in the hardest situation for

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<v Speaker 2>any dynasty is the breakup period, because then you have

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<v Speaker 2>to ask yourself some very hard questions with some very

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<v Speaker 2>key players who are responsible for you winning those championships,

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<v Speaker 2>and the organization has to make a decision do you

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<v Speaker 2>elevate players over the team. It's hard. I mean, take Steve,

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<v Speaker 2>Steve Kerr is going to go down with his guys.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, those guys have made Steve Kerr rich. Those

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<v Speaker 2>guys have put rings, more rings. I guess Steve Kurrs

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<v Speaker 2>are already had rings coming to the Warriors, but put

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<v Speaker 2>more rings on his finger. And those guys are going

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<v Speaker 2>to put Steve Kerr into the Hall of Fame. So

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<v Speaker 2>there's a sense of loyalty there. There's a sense of

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<v Speaker 2>loyalty with Klay Thompson. There's a sense of loyalty with

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<v Speaker 2>Draymond Green, a sense of Lord tib with Steph Curry,

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<v Speaker 2>and in a sense with Draymond Green, maybe you don't

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<v Speaker 2>scold him or get on him like you would a

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<v Speaker 2>player who wasn't responsible for doing all that for you,

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<v Speaker 2>Sampany McClay Thompson. You know, would Clay Thompson during his

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<v Speaker 2>struggles would he still start if he hadn't helped you

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<v Speaker 2>do all those things? So I can unders stand it

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<v Speaker 2>and I can even admire it. To an extent. But

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<v Speaker 2>the bottom line is, you know, the organization has to

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<v Speaker 2>make a decision on some of these players and it's

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<v Speaker 2>not easy. And I think that's where the Warriors are

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<v Speaker 2>right now. I mean, you know, think about the last

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<v Speaker 2>couple of days, I mean a couple of games. When

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<v Speaker 2>did the Warriors start celebrating wins over teams at the

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<v Speaker 2>bottom of the Western Conference. That shows you the sense

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<v Speaker 2>of desperation, as shows you the sense of where they

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<v Speaker 2>are and where they are right now, Sarah is you

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<v Speaker 2>know Bill Parcells, the former great football coach, said something

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<v Speaker 2>that always stuck with me. You are what your record

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<v Speaker 2>says you are. And the Roys right now are twelve

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<v Speaker 2>and fourteen. The Warriors were sitting outside of the play

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<v Speaker 2>and said, now, I know we haven't even gotten the

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<v Speaker 2>Christmas yet, So I get that, so let's keep it

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<v Speaker 2>all in the context. But the bottom line is this

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<v Speaker 2>is going to be a struggle for the wars particularly

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<v Speaker 2>they don't have Draymond Green. And I know you have

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<v Speaker 2>Trace Jackson Davis, who you know, young kids going to

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<v Speaker 2>play well, but you're stepping You're asking him to step

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<v Speaker 2>in and make some big decisions. Andrew Wiggins, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>is he going to break his way out of his funk?

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<v Speaker 2>Had the Warriors given up on him by having him

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<v Speaker 2>come off the bench. Uh, and then Klay Thomas, I

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<v Speaker 2>know it was last three games thirty points, twenty four points,

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<v Speaker 2>twenty eight points, seventeen may threes.

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<v Speaker 1>Lay Thompson has been the lifeline play an open corner three.

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<v Speaker 2>Jot, but that should not mask what we've seen inconsistency

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<v Speaker 2>we've seen from him off season. But I think the

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<v Speaker 2>best thing to come out of that last game against

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<v Speaker 2>the Blazers is, you know, Step for the first time

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<v Speaker 2>in two and sixty eight games doesn't hit a three

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<v Speaker 2>point shot, but his teammates picked him up, and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>and he's going to need that sort of uh, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>rallying the troops and help to compensate for the Draymond

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<v Speaker 2>Green loss and inconsistent inconsistency with Klay Thompson. That's the

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<v Speaker 2>only way the war is going to get this done

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<v Speaker 2>and elevate further up in the standings in the West.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. And I think when just watching and seeing them,

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<v Speaker 1>you mentioned Clay Thompson. I do think it's important to

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<v Speaker 1>remember that not only I think we so often talk

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<v Speaker 1>about age here he is in his eleventh season in

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<v Speaker 1>the league, but also coming off those two devastating injuries,

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<v Speaker 1>in the fact that you're you know, tearing your knee,

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<v Speaker 1>tearing your achilles. How he's been able to come back

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<v Speaker 1>and respond and I think, you know, whether it's you

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<v Speaker 1>look at Clay, I think to me, the bigger question

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<v Speaker 1>marks with Wiggins and you mentioned it to move off

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<v Speaker 1>the bench. Can he get back to any level of

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<v Speaker 1>play that you would see out of him in their

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<v Speaker 1>title run and how important and critical he was to that.

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<v Speaker 1>Jonathan kaminga, Moses Moody, those in the preseason were you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the the players coming in that are the X factors

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<v Speaker 1>of okay here in their third season, can they make

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<v Speaker 1>a jump? And they've looked nice and they've been good,

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<v Speaker 1>but the level of play that I think you've needed

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<v Speaker 1>from them has not been there. And so I think,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, is the season progresses to your point, a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of tough questions to make and we'll be interesting

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<v Speaker 1>to see. Steve Kerr had said that, you know, between

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<v Speaker 1>the organization, Draymond Green, everyone committed to supporting him, but

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<v Speaker 1>what that looks like, I think that's where a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of a lot of the answers will come here as

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<v Speaker 1>you move further into the season to see the trajectory

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<v Speaker 1>of where they go. Another team looking to answer some

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<v Speaker 1>questions will be the Memphis Grizzlies. They play tonight at

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<v Speaker 1>Oklahoma City, but all eyes will be on the Tuesday

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<v Speaker 1>matchup on TNT when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans.

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<v Speaker 1>You get Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and the return of

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<v Speaker 1>Jah Morant. Sean. When you look at where the Grizzlies

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<v Speaker 1>are at, how they've been trying to keep things afloat

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<v Speaker 1>here without job but currently thirteenth in the Western Conference

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<v Speaker 1>six and eighteen, what do you think what impact do

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<v Speaker 1>you think that will have having Job back, both on

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<v Speaker 1>the court and in just the feel around the team

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<v Speaker 1>and in the organization.

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<v Speaker 2>I can only think it can have a positive impact,

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<v Speaker 2>because you can't get more negative right now for the Grizzlies.

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<v Speaker 2>They're desperate for savior. You know, if your John Moran,

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<v Speaker 2>this is you know, as crazy as it sounds, if

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<v Speaker 2>your Ja Morant, this is a perfect situation for you

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<v Speaker 2>to walk into. You know your team needs you. It's

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<v Speaker 2>not like you know, they were bawling really well without you,

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<v Speaker 2>and they're like, oh, okay, whatever. But this is a

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<v Speaker 2>perfect situation for a Jamran to come in and show everybody,

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<v Speaker 2>or remind everybody. I guess I should say the player

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<v Speaker 2>that you are and how you, despite your size, can elevate,

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<v Speaker 2>get to the rim, dunk over people, help your team win,

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<v Speaker 2>all those things that he's done in the past. This

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<v Speaker 2>is the perfect stage for him to come in and

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<v Speaker 2>just really instill some good not only within the organization,

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<v Speaker 2>but outside of the organization. Now, obviously, Sarah, he hasn't

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<v Speaker 2>played competitive basketball since what you know, early last May.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, you don't have those NBA reps behind you. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>you can practice and everything, but it's quite different, as

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<v Speaker 2>you know, playing in an actual game versus practicing. So

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<v Speaker 2>you wonder there's going to be some rust. But you know,

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<v Speaker 2>if you look at this Grizzlies team, and obviously the

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<v Speaker 2>big question is can they salvage what's left of the season.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, they've got to play, you know, they've got

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<v Speaker 2>to win, and this is a guess of the mind,

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<v Speaker 2>something like six or seven out of every ten games

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<v Speaker 2>they play from from here on just to put themselves

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<v Speaker 2>in position, you know, to play in or even make

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<v Speaker 2>the NBA playoffs. That's a lot to ask of a

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<v Speaker 2>team that doesn't have Stepen Adams. Remember Steven Adams up

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<v Speaker 2>for the season. You know, he's hurt. You know, Marcus

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<v Speaker 2>Smart has only played eleven games. Jaron Jackson Jr. Has

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<v Speaker 2>been very inconsistent. You know, he hasn't been a dominant

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<v Speaker 2>force that he was, particularly defensively as he was last season.

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<v Speaker 2>They did have this Desmond Vane. I think by the

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<v Speaker 2>way the guy's absence, you know, like twenty five points

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<v Speaker 2>a game. He would if it wasn't for where his

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<v Speaker 2>team is right now, he would be in the conversation

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<v Speaker 2>for a potential All Star spot in the West. But everybody,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, he's buried because of that. So John Moran

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<v Speaker 2>coming in coincidentally playing against you know, Zion Williamson. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>of course they went one to two in the draft.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I just think actually both players, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>Zion and Job have to do some things you know,

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<v Speaker 2>this season to sort of you know, I think, make

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<v Speaker 2>themselves right. You know, we saw what Job, I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>what Zion think to do in Las Vegas when he

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<v Speaker 2>played against the Lakers in that semifinal game. That brought

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<v Speaker 2>up all the old questions about you know, his conditioning

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<v Speaker 2>and his commitment and things like that. So this will

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<v Speaker 2>be a very good game, very interesting game. I think

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<v Speaker 2>John Moran is really schomping at the bit to come

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<v Speaker 2>back and remind people what he can do. And we

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<v Speaker 2>get to sit back, stare and watch and see.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and I do think that's fascinating both those points. One,

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<v Speaker 1>there was stretches when Joh had missed time with injury

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<v Speaker 1>when the Grizzly We're still playing fantastic and you'd hear

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<v Speaker 1>little chatter of oh are they better without Joh, which

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<v Speaker 1>was not the case, but just given how well they

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<v Speaker 1>were able to still collectively play without him, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>is something there now seven games back of the Phoenix

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<v Speaker 1>Suns for that tenth spot. So I guess my question

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<v Speaker 1>to you, Sean, do you think they still have enough

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<v Speaker 1>runway time and the personnel if they get John Morant

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<v Speaker 1>back the way we have seen him play in the

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<v Speaker 1>past to make the play in.

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<v Speaker 2>I think John mort would have to be one of

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<v Speaker 2>the top ten player. You know, again, given that the

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<v Speaker 2>Grizzlies have looked disheveled without him, and also consider that

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<v Speaker 2>in the West, you know, there's some steep competition, you

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<v Speaker 2>know for playoff spots. You know, you're looking at a

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<v Speaker 2>conference where Golden State is not guarantee the playoffs, where

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<v Speaker 2>you can even say the Lakers are not getting nobody

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<v Speaker 2>is really guaranteed other than maybe, I mean the way

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<v Speaker 2>we look at it, Denver's probably going to be there,

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<v Speaker 2>even the Nuggets are not, you know, ruling the West

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<v Speaker 2>right now. You wonder if the timber Wolves can keep

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<v Speaker 2>this up, you know, just you can go on and on.

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<v Speaker 2>So the bottom line there is a competition is thick

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<v Speaker 2>in the West. And again John Morett is going to

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<v Speaker 2>have to be pretty much close to Superman and a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of things will have to go right for the

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<v Speaker 2>Memphis Grizzlies to put this team where it was last year,

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<v Speaker 2>which was right near the Attica. First of all, I

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<v Speaker 2>think getting in the top two or three spots wests

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<v Speaker 2>out of the question. You just want to put yourself

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<v Speaker 2>in a play in situation and then maybe you're rolling

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<v Speaker 2>by then and then maybe you get in the playoffs.

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<v Speaker 1>It's going to be interesting to watch the Western Conference.

0:12:08.880 --> 0:12:11.800
<v Speaker 1>You said it is thick, and especially when you look

0:12:11.840 --> 0:12:13.840
<v Speaker 1>where things are in the middle of it and towards

0:12:13.880 --> 0:12:16.120
<v Speaker 1>those bottom spots, a lot of teams that looking not

0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:18.440
<v Speaker 1>only to get right, but get healthy and how that

0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:21.000
<v Speaker 1>could change things. Sewan, we are going to take a

0:12:21.080 --> 0:12:25.080
<v Speaker 1>quick break and then preview a story that you've got

0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:28.559
<v Speaker 1>coming up Thursday. A trade that was made five years ago.

0:12:34.559 --> 0:12:36.880
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to NBA. Paul Sahara Kustak, joined by Sean

0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:40.200
<v Speaker 1>Poll and Sean, You've got a story coming out Thursday

0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:44.079
<v Speaker 1>as the Los Angeles Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder.

0:12:44.320 --> 0:12:48.640
<v Speaker 1>A key trade that was made between those two teams,

0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:52.400
<v Speaker 1>Shay Gildas, Alexander and Paul George. Of of course, all

0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:56.360
<v Speaker 1>of that came together as Kawhi Leonard had signed in

0:12:56.400 --> 0:12:59.120
<v Speaker 1>free agency with the Los Angeles Clippers. And let you

0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:02.040
<v Speaker 1>go through the the different mechanics of all of it,

0:13:02.559 --> 0:13:04.520
<v Speaker 1>but just how things look. You got a Los Angeles

0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:08.160
<v Speaker 1>Clippers team that, quite frankly, since that happened, has not

0:13:08.320 --> 0:13:11.640
<v Speaker 1>been able to to really perform the way you would

0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:14.280
<v Speaker 1>expect them or see them attempt attempt to do that

0:13:14.400 --> 0:13:17.160
<v Speaker 1>because of a lot of injuries to those those big

0:13:17.240 --> 0:13:20.520
<v Speaker 1>names of Kawhi and Paul George. Currently sitting sixth in

0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:24.040
<v Speaker 1>the Western Conference and second place though is the Oklahoma

0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:28.520
<v Speaker 1>City Thunder, a young team, tremendous cores, and Shay Gildess

0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:32.080
<v Speaker 1>Alexander is at the front of it, leading everything. He

0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:34.880
<v Speaker 1>has been tremendous. He's been tremendous throughout his career. But

0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:38.480
<v Speaker 1>I think now the attention has even elevated to another

0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:41.720
<v Speaker 1>level because the Thunder are sitting there in that second

0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:45.320
<v Speaker 1>spot in the conference. Give us a little breakdown of

0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:48.080
<v Speaker 1>what what do you anticipate to see in what that

0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:49.640
<v Speaker 1>looks like now five years later.

0:13:50.360 --> 0:13:53.079
<v Speaker 2>Well, first of all, let's let's apply some context. At

0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:55.960
<v Speaker 2>the time the trade was made, the Clippers had no superstars.

0:13:56.200 --> 0:14:00.440
<v Speaker 2>I mean, this was a team that just really looking

0:14:00.480 --> 0:14:03.760
<v Speaker 2>for I mean, Chris Paul gone, Blake Griffin heard. I

0:14:03.760 --> 0:14:08.160
<v Speaker 2>mean that Lob City was over, and I think you

0:14:08.200 --> 0:14:11.360
<v Speaker 2>had a new owner, Steve Bomber, who you know, Look,

0:14:11.760 --> 0:14:13.920
<v Speaker 2>Steve Bomber has a little bit of cash in as well.

0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:16.640
<v Speaker 2>And I don't know if you've heard Sarah, and he said,

0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:18.840
<v Speaker 2>you know, we want to you know, money is no object.

0:14:18.920 --> 0:14:21.760
<v Speaker 2>I won a winning team in a very competitive market

0:14:21.840 --> 0:14:25.560
<v Speaker 2>like Los Angeles. Also understand that Shakes Alexander at that

0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:27.960
<v Speaker 2>point was just a young player. He was not what

0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:30.640
<v Speaker 2>we see right now. I mean, I don't know if

0:14:30.640 --> 0:14:33.400
<v Speaker 2>people saw that coming in him. I mean he is

0:14:33.640 --> 0:14:36.880
<v Speaker 2>right now, he's top five guard the NBA, top or

0:14:37.080 --> 0:14:39.040
<v Speaker 2>you know, top ten player in the NBA whatever. But

0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:39.840
<v Speaker 2>you didn't see that.

0:14:39.960 --> 0:14:43.640
<v Speaker 1>Back then, shot Clock is on Arte using a time

0:14:43.720 --> 0:14:50.040
<v Speaker 1>out scab. He's expinding Gang for the lead. SGA cks

0:14:50.080 --> 0:14:50.600
<v Speaker 1>it down.

0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:56.280
<v Speaker 2>We're just under a second to go. The thunder finally

0:14:56.360 --> 0:14:59.360
<v Speaker 2>get the defensive stuff and SGA puts him in front,

0:15:00.200 --> 0:15:07.520
<v Speaker 2>said I got this, folks. Yes, I think we have

0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:10.560
<v Speaker 2>to keep that in that context with the Clippers. Make

0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:13.240
<v Speaker 2>that trade today. Well, I don't know. I think you

0:15:13.280 --> 0:15:16.080
<v Speaker 2>have to ask one person. That one person is Kawhi Leonard.

0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:19.680
<v Speaker 2>Because Kawhi Leonard was not coming to the Clippers unless

0:15:19.720 --> 0:15:23.040
<v Speaker 2>he had a co star. He needed someone to write Shotgun,

0:15:23.320 --> 0:15:25.400
<v Speaker 2>and Kawhi let that be known to the Clippers when

0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:28.440
<v Speaker 2>he met with Jerry West, who then was an advisor, Uh,

0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:30.960
<v Speaker 2>Steve Balmer and Doc Rivers who was in the coach

0:15:31.360 --> 0:15:33.560
<v Speaker 2>I need a co star. You get me a co star,

0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:36.200
<v Speaker 2>then I'm going to sign with the Clippers. Otherwise I'm

0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:37.880
<v Speaker 2>going to sign with the Lakers. And by the way,

0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:40.360
<v Speaker 2>Sarah and I know the Lakers won a championship. Since then,

0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:43.520
<v Speaker 2>can you imagine the Lakers with you know, Anthony Davis,

0:15:43.600 --> 0:15:46.400
<v Speaker 2>Lebron James and Kawhi Leonard, Oh my goodness. Uh. The

0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:49.000
<v Speaker 2>other thing, the other thing we have to keep in

0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:51.840
<v Speaker 2>context with this trade since then is that Kawhi has

0:15:51.880 --> 0:15:54.320
<v Speaker 2>been hurt. Paul George, who they got in the trade

0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:57.880
<v Speaker 2>from Oklasumi, he's been hurt. Imagine if those guys were healthy,

0:15:58.080 --> 0:16:00.640
<v Speaker 2>we would not even be having this debate about this trade.

0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:02.680
<v Speaker 2>I would think the Clippers would have gotten at least

0:16:02.720 --> 0:16:06.400
<v Speaker 2>one championship since then. But be that asn't made, they

0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:08.520
<v Speaker 2>don't have any of the show for it. And ever

0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:11.520
<v Speaker 2>since they've made this trade, they've had to try to

0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:14.960
<v Speaker 2>mortgage more of their future to try to you know,

0:16:15.080 --> 0:16:17.400
<v Speaker 2>patch this thing together. You know, look at you know,

0:16:17.440 --> 0:16:20.840
<v Speaker 2>getting James Harden, you know, getting Russell Westbrook, just trying

0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:24.520
<v Speaker 2>to really maximize this trade for the shelf life that

0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:26.640
<v Speaker 2>it has left. Now, let's go back and look at

0:16:26.680 --> 0:16:29.600
<v Speaker 2>Oklahoma City. You know, they've got three they had three

0:16:29.680 --> 0:16:32.320
<v Speaker 2>number one picks from the Clippers. Clippers also tossing two

0:16:32.400 --> 0:16:35.320
<v Speaker 2>number one picks from the Miami Heat. And there's like

0:16:35.440 --> 0:16:39.280
<v Speaker 2>there's three number one pick swaps from the Clippers, so

0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:43.280
<v Speaker 2>Oklahoma City, just to sum it up, Oklahoma City has

0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:47.120
<v Speaker 2>Shay Gillis Ath Alexander, a batch of very good young players,

0:16:47.600 --> 0:16:51.040
<v Speaker 2>more players coming in the future, and Sarah just sitting

0:16:51.040 --> 0:16:54.560
<v Speaker 2>at number two in the Western Conference right now. I

0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:57.440
<v Speaker 2>would say, you know, if the Clippers don't win a championship,

0:16:57.560 --> 0:17:00.680
<v Speaker 2>Oklahoma City has won this trade and they last slide.

0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:03.800
<v Speaker 1>You said it for for a lot of different reasons,

0:17:03.840 --> 0:17:07.040
<v Speaker 1>both the now and the future. But let's talk about

0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:10.520
<v Speaker 1>the now. Sean this season second in the Western Conference.

0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:12.639
<v Speaker 1>As you'd mentioned, there are three games back of Minnesota.

0:17:13.400 --> 0:17:15.320
<v Speaker 1>Some of the teams kind of around there, up in

0:17:15.359 --> 0:17:20.359
<v Speaker 1>the top four, Dallas Denver. How good do you think

0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:24.479
<v Speaker 1>the Thunder can be this season? And the potential that

0:17:24.520 --> 0:17:26.320
<v Speaker 1>they have for the playoffs?

0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:28.800
<v Speaker 2>They kind of remind me a little bit of last

0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:33.480
<v Speaker 2>year's Sacramento Kings, a young team that you know, came

0:17:33.600 --> 0:17:37.439
<v Speaker 2>up finally hit that you know, hit their stride, you know,

0:17:37.560 --> 0:17:41.320
<v Speaker 2>finished high in the West, led by a dynamic point guard,

0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:44.840
<v Speaker 2>you know, Darren Fox, you know, had a good you know,

0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:50.360
<v Speaker 2>big man, you know. So I think I can see

0:17:50.680 --> 0:17:56.439
<v Speaker 2>where the parallels are you know with Sabonis and you

0:17:56.480 --> 0:18:00.520
<v Speaker 2>know and check, you know with Shay Gills, Alexander and

0:18:00.560 --> 0:18:04.280
<v Speaker 2>dearon Fox and all the young pieces are around them,

0:18:04.359 --> 0:18:08.240
<v Speaker 2>you know, Javin Williams, Josh Giddy, a young coach who's

0:18:08.280 --> 0:18:11.480
<v Speaker 2>who's hitting all the right uh, you know, making all

0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:14.719
<v Speaker 2>the right calls, hitting all the right buttons. And you know,

0:18:15.080 --> 0:18:17.520
<v Speaker 2>again they have to have the staying power. Do you

0:18:17.560 --> 0:18:20.000
<v Speaker 2>wonder how some of these teams like Phoenix will be

0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:22.280
<v Speaker 2>if they were healthy, When they get healthy, will they

0:18:22.280 --> 0:18:24.800
<v Speaker 2>come up? You know, all those things are in consideration.

0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:28.480
<v Speaker 2>But right here and now, Oklahoma City is taking advantage

0:18:28.480 --> 0:18:32.160
<v Speaker 2>of number one good health right number one and number

0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:36.359
<v Speaker 2>two young players starting to reach their potential. I'm not

0:18:36.359 --> 0:18:38.520
<v Speaker 2>even going to say they even hit their potential, which

0:18:38.560 --> 0:18:41.919
<v Speaker 2>is a scary thought. By the way. You think Shay's

0:18:41.960 --> 0:18:45.240
<v Speaker 2>probably got another level to go. Chet certainly you know,

0:18:45.320 --> 0:18:46.840
<v Speaker 2>has another a few levels ago.

0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:47.600
<v Speaker 1>Uh.

0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:50.480
<v Speaker 2>This is a good situation for a team. And the

0:18:50.800 --> 0:18:55.000
<v Speaker 2>other good thing about Oklahoma City is that they have

0:18:55.280 --> 0:18:58.639
<v Speaker 2>assets to trade if they want to next year, even

0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:00.760
<v Speaker 2>about the trade deadline. If they want to deals, they

0:19:00.760 --> 0:19:03.000
<v Speaker 2>can make deals. They've got number one picks, they've got

0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:05.800
<v Speaker 2>young players, to throw in. I just think this is

0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:09.680
<v Speaker 2>a good situation for an NBA team, And I would

0:19:09.680 --> 0:19:13.359
<v Speaker 2>even venture to say this, Sarah, if you said, what

0:19:13.600 --> 0:19:16.359
<v Speaker 2>team is in the best shape and I'm not just

0:19:16.400 --> 0:19:18.560
<v Speaker 2>not talking about winning right now, but just in the

0:19:18.680 --> 0:19:22.240
<v Speaker 2>best shape all around, Oklahoma City would have to be

0:19:22.280 --> 0:19:25.600
<v Speaker 2>top five because you have young players, you're winning right now,

0:19:26.000 --> 0:19:28.880
<v Speaker 2>and you have a batchup number one picks to either

0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:32.440
<v Speaker 2>use for yourself or to trade. Tell me how many

0:19:32.440 --> 0:19:37.440
<v Speaker 2>teams are in better shape overall shape right now than Oklahoma.

0:19:37.040 --> 0:19:40.440
<v Speaker 1>City, Mike Drop, Sean Paul. We can't wait for your

0:19:40.480 --> 0:19:43.480
<v Speaker 1>story to come out on Thursday, and continue reading and

0:19:43.520 --> 0:19:46.959
<v Speaker 1>watching all your stuff on NBATV and NBA dot Com.

0:19:47.160 --> 0:19:48.359
<v Speaker 2>Appreciate you, Sarah.

0:19:48.600 --> 0:19:51.760
<v Speaker 1>NBA post with Sarahustacks replection of the NBA and iHeartRadio.

0:19:51.800 --> 0:19:54.240
<v Speaker 1>Please rate, review, and subscribe on the iHeart Radio app

0:19:54.280 --> 0:19:58.040
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