1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Hey what mom, Doug gotli Ben. This is all ball, man, 2 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: You're gonna love this one. Uh, it's a it's a 3 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: pretty complete basketball preview. Eric Pinkis writes for Bleach Report, 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: used to write for Basketball Times. We'll talk about what's 5 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: kind of next for him. We'll go through all the 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: many of the topics that you are interested in in 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 1: the n B. A I want to make sure to 8 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: tell you that, uh, the Gottlieb Show is daily three 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: to Eastern, twelve to three Pacific and the I Heart 10 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: Radio app Fox Sports Radio. You can um mols listened 11 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: on Serious XM uh to seventeen and two oh three 12 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: to seventeen Serious and uh x M two oh three. 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: I believe those are the two channels, same one that 14 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: plays Dan Patrick. You can listen to the show. Thanks 15 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: so much for spending some time with us. This is 16 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: all ball. We got great interviews and guests and Eric 17 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: is just one of them. Let's get after us. Let's 18 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: let's catch up with a guy who has covered the 19 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: NBA for over a decade and really has a different 20 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: perspective and different way of looking at teams and starts 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: from kind of the structure of salaries on the way 22 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: out his names Erk Pikes, help me welcome him to 23 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: the All Ball Podcast. Okay, Um, I want to go 24 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: through like, I think you're amazing at what you do 25 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 1: and how throw you on. Um. But you know, I 26 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: saw you made an announcement last week. I want people 27 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: to know, if possible, what what's next or what's new 28 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: for you? Well, I appreciate that. Um. Well, I've been writing, 29 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 1: uh for Basketball Insiders for almost a decade, and I 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: still write for Bleacher Report, but I am moving on 31 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: from Basketball Insiders to uh make that transition to the 32 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: team side or work with the player agency. My expertise 33 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: is in the salary cap, in the strategy of the NBA, 34 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: in player contracts and team building, all that kind of 35 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: strategy I've been using on the media side, and I've 36 00:01:57,520 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: been using it as a consultant. But I think it's 37 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: time for me to take that next step. So that's 38 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: really what I'm I'm looking to do now. It's it's fasting. 39 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: Where is it? Where does that background come from? Like? 40 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: How did you how did you become this guy? I'm faster? Uh, 41 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: that's a good question, um. In the most simple way 42 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: of putting it, covering in l a. I was covering 43 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers and Clippers, and still do. But in my 44 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: early days, I realized, if you're going to write about 45 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 1: a team and the fan base wants to know how 46 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: that team is going to get better, how are you 47 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: going to get from um, if you're the Clippers the 48 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: lottery to the championship. If you're the Lakers and you're 49 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: winning championships, how do you stay there? How do you 50 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: go from where they were to where they fell apart 51 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: and Kobe retired all that too, back to the top 52 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: where they are now. And to learn how to do that, 53 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: you can't just Okay, well, let's go sign the best players, 54 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: let's go trade. You have to understand how the rules were, 55 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: if you have to understand the lance gape of the 56 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: other twenty nine teams. And so over time I started 57 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: to study that. I learned. I met Larry Coon, who 58 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: is uh the publisher of something called c b A 59 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: F a Q which has been on the internet for 60 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 1: a long time, which breaks down how they click to 61 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: bargeting Agreement works, which is the rules between the players 62 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: union in the league. And then I actually got the 63 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: c B A myself and read it over and just 64 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: over time well, I mean yes, but not in one 65 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: sitting and not like from cover to cover. Um, I 66 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: mean I've read through it many, many, many times. But 67 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: what you really if you want I do tutor, I 68 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: tutor agents or people who are going to take the 69 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: agents exam, you can't just start at page one and 70 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: read it through. It's it's it'll make you crazy. But 71 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: you look up certain areas, over certain questions, and gradually 72 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: you understand how the document works. And I don't recommend 73 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: it for the casual fan. It's it's like it's just 74 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: not realistic. Uh, but start, if you are interested, to 75 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: look at Larry's f a q c b A f 76 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: a q and you'll learn a lot from that. And uh, 77 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: I'm I'm happy to teach. And um, I do teach, 78 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: and I teach some classes. But it's just it's learnable. 79 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: It's just daunting when you first start. It's overwhelming a bit. No, 80 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: I honestly, I mean, this is this is not kissing 81 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: up to you, this is reality. I don't have that ability. Two. 82 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: I can assimilate information if you tell me something, if 83 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: I read it once, it's in there, it's never going away. 84 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: But the tediousness of details like, that's just not I 85 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: can't do it, and so I pair it off of 86 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: what I read and what I hear from people like 87 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: you that work really really hard at it, and I 88 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: love it. So let's let's dig in for a second year. Um. 89 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: You mentioned the Lakers, you mentioned the Clippers, you mentioned 90 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: your knowledge and love for the details of the c 91 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: B A and specifically the sound A recap. Um, there's 92 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,239 Speaker 1: a bunch of different things I want to get first. UM, 93 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: I can't tell you how many contracts I have heard 94 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: that are untradeable contracts. Joe Johnson had two, I believe, right, 95 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: and he was moved. Both of them were moved, the 96 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: other one Atlanta and then the other one in New 97 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: York and they were both. You can't trade Joe Johnson 98 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: with that contract, Okay. Um, Now we have John wall 99 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: it's ninety two million guaranteed or so over two years. 100 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: You're not amnesty and that bad boy. But this is 101 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,799 Speaker 1: a really hard one, right because he's with a team 102 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 1: that's rebuilding, but they don't want him. And you know, 103 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: I don't that contract. I don't think a playoff team. 104 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: But then teams that are bad want to be bad, 105 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: and that don't necessarily want him. They have their own 106 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: lead guards. If there's a bringing him home, it's the Charlotte. 107 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: He's a Raleigh. Git get. They have too many guys 108 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: that handle the basketball that won't work and actually they 109 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: want to be what happened. That's a good question. It's 110 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: a tough one. And it's not that his contract is 111 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: so awful anymore. It's not great. I'm not gonna, you know, 112 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: pretend it's a good contract. But at this point it's 113 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: only two years. I mean, if I've been doing this 114 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: long enough to remember when contracts were like six seven years, 115 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: so uh, you know, they've they've the league and the 116 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: union have kind of changed. Like the league has always 117 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: pushed for shorter contracts and then and the the union 118 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: would fight and want longer and longer. But at some 119 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: point the players under they got a better sense that 120 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: they had more power if they also took shorter contracts. 121 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,559 Speaker 1: But John Waller is sort of outside of that box 122 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: where he had a really long deal that basically ran. 123 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: He got like a five year extension, however many years 124 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: it ended up he was on the books for like 125 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 1: six years. Uh and and just couldn't he had a 126 00:06:55,839 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: four year extension years left exactly to the game, a 127 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: six year deal, right exactly. And so you said you 128 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: you've got the details. I don't know. You're you're downplaying 129 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: your own your own I guess you're saying you you 130 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: you can remember all these things. It's just understanding it 131 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: from like a textbook point of view. It just doesn't correct. 132 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: It's the it's the minutia. It's the minutia of it, right, 133 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: Like I'm a I'm a the apple thing comes up 134 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: to sign to approve whatever, and I I look, I 135 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: get I get through the first three three different things, 136 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: and I'm like, I'm good, good, Well you know the details, 137 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: you know. And again I read all your I read 138 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: your stuff, I read some other guys stuff, and that's right. 139 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: I take snippets of it and I collected and then 140 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: I used it to sound like I know what I'm 141 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: talking about, gotcha? Gotcha? Well, I mean, you're right, that's 142 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: exactly what happened with Wall. And then of course he 143 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: had injury and another injury, and you know it's and 144 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: it's not that he's a a maulcontent. I mean, this 145 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: is a a positive situation as far as as positive 146 00:07:57,760 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: a separation can be between a team and a player. 147 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: Usually you get something closer to like a Ben Simmons 148 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: or something like that. Right now, this is the team 149 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: working with the player. But the problem really is that 150 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: he makes forty four point three million dollars and you 151 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: have to match salaries on some level, typically within at 152 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: that range, within a so you need to send out like, 153 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: well over thirty million. That's the harder part. It's not 154 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: as much as like would a team take John Wall 155 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: as much as it can a team take John Wall, 156 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: and then how many players do they have to send 157 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,719 Speaker 1: to get to that number in the thirties. You know, 158 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: let's say it's thirty I'm not looking at it, but 159 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: let's say it's like thirty four million or so, how 160 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: do you get to thirty four? If you're sending out 161 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:44,079 Speaker 1: three or four guys, that means the Rockets needs they 162 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: need to have the space on their roster to take 163 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: in three or four more guys and you'd be subtracting one, 164 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: so two or three. But the challenge there is that 165 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: in the offseason you can go to twenty players, but 166 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: in season you can only go to fifteen. And they 167 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: have two players, they have players they like and they 168 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: do have some that aren't guaranteed, but like Jay shn Ta, 169 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 1: that's a guy they like. Uh, they have some other 170 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 1: guys that they could probably cut or include in trades 171 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: as well. So it just gets complicated. And then finding 172 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: a team that has three or four guys to three 173 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: guys to send out, that's tricky as well. He could 174 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 1: be a part of a Ben Simmons solution. Uh, but 175 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: like where does John Wall end up? And does just 176 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:32,719 Speaker 1: John end up in Philadelphia? Which I mean you can 177 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: argue it. He can't be the main reason why the 178 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: Sixers trade Ben Simmons, Right, He's not the main piece. 179 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: He might be the main salary piece, but the problem 180 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 1: there is that Simmons doesn't make enough either to get Walls. 181 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: So now the Sixers need to send out Simmons and 182 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 1: somebody and it doesn't need to be someone expensive, but 183 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: they need to send out at least one more guy. 184 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: And then so it gets really complicated really quickly. Well okay, 185 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: but but just from now we get to the Okay, 186 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: it gets complicated, but can be done. Um, it would 187 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: be interesting, right a guy who can't shoot but knows 188 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: it and won't shoot for a guy that can't shoot 189 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: but doesn't know it. Right, that's John Walls, right, He's 190 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: the worst kind of bad shooter is the one that 191 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: doesn't know he's a bad shoot. Um. Anyway, it's it's 192 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: the Russell Westbrook Russell Westbrook deal I got. I got 193 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: a question from a couple of friends, um about Ben 194 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 1: Simmons and about the reality of where he could land, Like, 195 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: what's realistic? The Lakers are not realistic, right, they're not. 196 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: They just got Russell Westbrook, so that deal is too big. 197 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,319 Speaker 1: They got their Big three. There is no there's no 198 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 1: financial way to squeeze that thing in, is there no? No? 199 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: That The only contracts they have that are sizeable enough 200 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: our A D Lebron and Westbrook, and the Lakers are 201 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: committed to Westbrook. They're not gonna do Westbrook for Simmons. 202 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: So that's that. It's it's a it's a it's a 203 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: non starter for the Lakers right now. Clippers, is there 204 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: any is there any landing spot there? Well, the Clippers 205 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: have I mean, if you if you start by saying 206 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: Kawai and Paul George are not on the table. One 207 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: contract they have that's quite favorable is Eric Bledsoe, who 208 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 1: makes eighteen million. Next year he makes nineteen million, but 209 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,599 Speaker 1: only I believe four million of it is let me 210 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: pull it up, is yeah, three point nine is guaranteed. 211 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: So he's actually a very favorable contract. But that's not enough. 212 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: But you could do another player, one other player that 213 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: might get you close with me Luke Nard. Uh. So 214 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: you add a shooter to Philly, you add a point 215 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: guard who's not a great point guard. But now you 216 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: get to the value part of it for the Sixers. 217 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: So yeah, we got there, Like we're not quite there, 218 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: but we're close to their Eric bledsoe uh Luke Nard. 219 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: And let's say you throw in Terrence Mann, who's the 220 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,959 Speaker 1: best young player that they have. They have some other 221 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: young pieces. Jaden scrub B, j Boston, Jason Preston, Keian Johnson. 222 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: I don't know how much value prospects have. That's a 223 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: very relative thing. You know. It's either the Sixers value 224 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: them as prospects, believing that they're good prospects, uh, or 225 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: they just look at them as like whatever they're you know, 226 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: they like their own prospects more. I don't know. But 227 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: the bigger issue is the picks. And uh, if you 228 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: go back to the a d trade that the Lakers made. Uh, 229 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: they included a ton of draft picks, and if you 230 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: go before then, teams that were trading for superstars for 231 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: the most part warrant including a lot of picks. I 232 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: think at that time, the Warriors were dominating the league, 233 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: and I don't think anyone else felt like they were 234 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: at the threshold of winning. Maybe the Rockets at the 235 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: time were close. But uh so we saw guys like 236 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: like when Paul George went to India from Indiana, Uh, 237 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,599 Speaker 1: he didn't Okay, see, they didn't get a bunch of 238 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: picks when DeMarcus Cousins was traded some years back, guys 239 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: who were all star level weren't getting a ton of picks. 240 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: But when the Lakers made that move, uh, they went 241 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,199 Speaker 1: all in with the picks. And since then that kind 242 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: of changed the market. So now when James Harden goes 243 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 1: to Brooklyn or when Paul George goes to the Clippers 244 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: from Okay, see, you're seeing not just a pick, but 245 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: you're seeing like two, three, four picks. You're seeing pick swaps. 246 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: The problem is that the Clippers did all that already. 247 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: That's how they got Paul George. So they don't have 248 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: this long list to pick. So yeah, they could send 249 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,959 Speaker 1: a first but they can't send a whole bunch of stuff. 250 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: They could send some swaps, but swaps are only basically 251 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: if your team is better or worse. Let's say that 252 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 1: the Clippers end up and the Sixers are seven. What's 253 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: the real value of a swap? Well, okay, the Sixers 254 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: are twenty seven. They don't even swap to and they're 255 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: both in the low twenties, so there's no real value. 256 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: And it's really like a with the hope that in 257 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: a few years the other team stinks it up. So uh, 258 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: the main point is I don't see the Clippers having 259 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: the picks to do it unless those prospects, like unless 260 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,199 Speaker 1: Darryl Moria just loves Terence man uh and Luke Kenard. 261 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 1: That feels like a stretch Golden State, doesn't. That can't act. No, 262 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: no matter what you think of this this stage of 263 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: Draymond's career, I don't think you can move one. You 264 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: can't bring in Ben Simmons and have Draymond Green right there, 265 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: then then uh, you know, then then you're going back 266 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: to okay see k D days. But there's no space 267 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: to do anything right, that's not happening. And additionally, just 268 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: the emotions of like he's one of their guys. They're 269 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: not moving on for that's the they're gonna win. They're 270 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: gonna win with him on the team and not not 271 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: Ben simpon Um. Do you see anyway in which Golden 272 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: State would would bring in a sim Well. I mean 273 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: the first question is is you look at the math 274 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: and how do you get there? And so a big 275 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: starting point would be Andrew Wiggins, So they can get 276 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: there with that sal re Uh. And they do have 277 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: some prospects. I mean, they've got guys like, uh, they 278 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: just drafted Kuminga. Uh, they drafted James Wiseman last year. 279 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 1: Those are high level prospects, uh, Moses Moody as well. 280 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: And then you've got guys like Jordan Pool or Damien 281 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: Lee or Michael Molder or I'm leaving out a couple, 282 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: but they've got a bunch of young, youngish players. And 283 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: so as far as picks, they don't have a ton, 284 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: but they have some. You know, they have some of 285 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: their own a little bit more than than the Clippers. 286 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: But really they're not that pick rich, but they could 287 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: get to two first uh, but then you get to 288 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: like what Joe Lacob got fine fifty dollars for, which 289 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: is kind of echoing your sentiment where he talked about 290 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: why Simmons wasn't a great fit and you can't talk 291 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: about another team's player and so they got fined. Tampering 292 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: isn't just about oh we'd like to get that player, 293 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: you just as as an owner of leadership. Yeah, so, uh, 294 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: I will tell you this and this, and I don't 295 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: know if if anybody's mentioned it. Um, it's a brilliant 296 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: thing to do for kill like because if he says 297 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: nothing and says, hey, I can't talk about another player 298 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: and you know, you can't mention the guy by name, 299 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: you could you could be smart and say, hey, you 300 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: know so much of this is about fit. But by 301 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: being specific about it, I think queshtion and it made 302 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: it because otherwise whether or not there was any sort 303 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: of reality to it, Um, and they had and I'm 304 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: I'm sure they discussed it right, like you're not doing 305 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: your due diligence unless you have a legit discussed like, hey, 306 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: we love Drymond, he's been great. We got a chance 307 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: to get Ben Simmons. What do you think so if 308 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: there was a report, Hey, the Golden State Warriors have 309 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: discussed it's actually accurate. But but think about how their 310 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: media day, how their preseason would be if he hadn't 311 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: said that, because out there's a specific quote. He took 312 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 1: on a fine. But maybe part of that fine is 313 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: I don't want to have a whole preseason where people 314 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: were talking about us acquiring Ben Simmons because Draymond Green's 315 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:16,119 Speaker 1: piste off at all of us. It ruins the entire preseason. 316 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: And there's a guy that can nate bomb an entire 317 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 1: organization because it's his personality so big. So I actually 318 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: think there was a substantial amount of thought in what 319 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: Joe Lacob said and why he said it. Yeah, I 320 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: mean I don't I don't know if that's true or not, 321 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: but it's a good theory. And fifty dollars is in 322 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: the in the scheme of things, nothing you know, obviously 323 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: for for you and I uh is not nothing, but 324 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: for a franchise that's making the kind of money that 325 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: they are, and Joe Lacob, who for where he is, 326 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: if if that brought a level of harmony and remove distraction, 327 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 1: they have enough distraction dealing with this Andrew Wiggins thing, 328 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 1: you know, the whole vaccination. He can't play for the team, 329 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: and in San Francisco, which is an issue, that's a 330 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: big issue. They have enough to deal with their But yeah, 331 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: I think I think that's a good theory. I generally 332 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: treat things as theories, uh like that, and then I 333 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: do my research and see if I can get some 334 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: sort of confirmation. That to me, feels like a pretty 335 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: legit theory. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk 336 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at 337 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart 338 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: Radio app search f s R to listen live. So 339 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: what do you think happens with Simmons? That's it's it's 340 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: a it's a quandary. It's a tough one. And the 341 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: reason it's tough is because of how Ben Simmons is 342 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: handling it. How whether it's men or Rich Paul, his 343 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: agent through Clutch Sports. I've heard it's a little more 344 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: complex that there are other factors even beyond the agent, 345 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 1: that this is coming a little bit more from Ben. 346 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: But how they're handling it there there stonewalling. I mean, 347 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: they're basically playing the villain. If Damian Lillard wanted out 348 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 1: of Portland's this is how he needs to do it. 349 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: You have to play the villain card. This is how 350 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:04,879 Speaker 1: James Harden got out of his situation. You have to 351 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: play hardball. And I'm I mean, from from a a 352 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: point of view, it's impressive what Simmons is doing. You're 353 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: right or wrong. You could hate what he's doing, but 354 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: he's committed, you know, I mean, he's gone hard at this, 355 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: and so you have to at least respect that. And 356 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 1: I will say that, like teams trade players, whether those 357 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:26,159 Speaker 1: players want to be traded or not. So uh. And 358 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: I know fans tend to take the side of the 359 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: team because they're fans of the team before the player, 360 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: and I get that, But when it comes to Simmons, 361 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 1: like you have the starting point of the money, which 362 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: is not easy to do because he's he's earning a lot. 363 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: I mean, he's at almost one fifty over the next 364 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: four years a little bit less than that. I mean, 365 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: thirty three million for this season is probably about ten 366 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: more than he should make. I mean, I talked to 367 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 1: a bunch of different executives who basically said he's kind 368 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 1: of in the Lonzo all the Draymond Green range where 369 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: they're valuable players who can do a lot for you, 370 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: but none of neither, none of those three players are 371 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: reliable scorers. And it's hard to fit in a guy 372 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: who won't shoot, can't shoot, etcetera. But he's also you know, 373 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: elite defender, uh, tremendous playmaker, really young player, etcetera, etcetera. 374 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,159 Speaker 1: So uh, when it comes to the money, the challenges 375 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: finding someone who can match that. But then also who's 376 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 1: going to give the Sixers picks, who's going to give 377 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: them prospects or ready made veterans who can help them 378 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: right away? And it gets really tricky because you know, 379 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: I thought, you know, Gerson Rosas in uh in Minnesota, 380 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,920 Speaker 1: he has a relationship with Darryl Moray, comes from the 381 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: Houston Rockets. I thought that relationship would give the the 382 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: the Wolves heads up, you know, like a an advantage. 383 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 1: But he's gone. Ross has gone, and from what I 384 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: could tell, the Wolves weren't trading Karl Anthony Towns, D'Angel Russell, 385 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: or Anthony Edwards, which means you're building a package around 386 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 1: like Malik Beasley and Jaden McDaniels and some draft picks. 387 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: So we're not talking about like this overwhelming package, and 388 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: even then you probably have to include like either Patrick 389 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: Beverley a Torrean Prince just to get the money to work. 390 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: But uh, we're not talking about a deal that that. 391 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: I think Sixers fans are gonna be gaga over um 392 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 1: what you look around and it's like, who's really interested 393 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: if we take the Sixers off of that. I mean, 394 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: there's been some speculation that san Antonio could make a play, 395 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 1: and they have some really interesting players like the John Day, Murray, 396 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 1: Derek White, They have Thaddy us Young, uh, and then 397 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 1: h Alfred Gamino is kind of filler salary. But they 398 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: have a bunch of prospects like you know, Devin Vassel 399 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: and you know they just drafted Primo and Keldon Johnson 400 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: and you're like, you get on the list. They've got 401 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: a lot of young guys. They have some picks, Uh, 402 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: they have all their own picks. They don't really have 403 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: much else. They do have one from Chicago in the 404 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 1: future that's not a great pick, but it's a pick 405 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: so san Antonio can get there. Again, is this like, 406 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 1: if you're the Sixers, it's not Damian Lillard, And I 407 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: think that's really where if you're Philadelphia fans, you're probably 408 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:28,959 Speaker 1: thinking you're gonna Maury's gonna Darryl's gonna hold out, the 409 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 1: Blazers are gonna stink it up for the first week 410 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: or two or a month of this season, and then 411 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: they're gonna cave and trade Damian Lillard. And I think 412 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 1: that's possible, but I don't think it's likely. And I think, 413 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: if anything, unless Damian Lillard is willing to do what 414 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: Ben Simmons is doing now, we're not going to get there. 415 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: And so, um, maybe you should hold out if you're 416 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 1: Philly to see what happens in Portland. Maybe there's like 417 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: a way to get either c J mc column or 418 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: or Damian Lillard. I think right now the answer is 419 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: no way, you're not. It's not gonna happen. But that 420 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that those those fans who think that maybe 421 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: the Blazers are are going to struggle a month or 422 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 1: two in and maybe they'll all come tohead. Maybe you 423 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: wait for something like that. It's good, be smart. Nobody 424 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: has nobody has patience for stuff like that. They just don't. Um. Okay, 425 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 1: let's let me ask you. Let's let's get to the Lakers. 426 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: What do you think of the composition of their roster 427 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: as of the starting sta Well, I think the Lakers 428 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 1: are the best team in the West right now. Uh. 429 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: We don't know where the Denver Nuggets are. With Tamal Murray, 430 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: they're really maybe the second best team. UH Utah is 431 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: really good, but I don't know if they're uh and 432 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: they have to prove it to me in the playoffs. 433 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: Like I feel like they're going to be a great 434 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: regular season team, I don't know if what they do 435 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: does will succeed long term, uh in the playoffs and 436 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: then the Clippers dealing without you know, Kauai's hurt. I 437 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 1: don't know Clay's status. I don't know whether so you 438 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,199 Speaker 1: just start going on the list and I know, basically 439 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,440 Speaker 1: like like like this is a very reasonable to look 440 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: at the Lakers, believe it or not, with all of 441 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: that age and all of the all of the injuries, 442 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: are really a pretty well uh comprised team. But they 443 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: don't have the one question that all of those other 444 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: Like we don't know what Jamal Murray like looks like 445 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: I'm back from the h L. We don't know what 446 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 1: Kauai looks like. We don't know what play looks like. 447 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 1: If they are, if they can do what KD was 448 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: able to do. Granted the time span is much shorter. 449 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: You know, he basically took a season and a half off. 450 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: Then maybe that changes. Okay, um, but in terms of 451 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 1: the roster, like do you think the pieces fit together? 452 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,959 Speaker 1: That's the question, and and can they stay healthy and 453 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 1: can the stoff because there's you mentioned the nuggets. Nuggets 454 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: are fascinating offensively Holy shit, right Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. 455 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 1: Yokich and again on paid for Jamal Murray, Like, wow, 456 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 1: that's a hand. They have the versatility to throw by 457 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: these at Lebron Michael Bord. You've done guard anybody but Garden. 458 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: The bron is very different than he used to be. Uh, 459 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: you know Gordon is not a great defender, but again 460 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 1: he's a big enough. You just gotta have a versatility 461 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: of bodies that you know, they didn't have. They didn't 462 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: have last year now now you or they didn't have 463 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: before the Gordon trade now they do. But let's let's 464 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 1: just go with with with the lake, like do the 465 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: pieces fit together? Right? So if you look at if 466 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 1: you actually look back at when the Lakers won with 467 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 1: Rondo a couple of years back, and Rondo he was 468 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: hurt to start in the playoffs. He wasn't great regular season, 469 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 1: but there was a stretch in the playoffs where he 470 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: was like their third most important player after a D 471 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: and Lebron, Lebron and a D. And the reason for 472 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: that was teams will load up three or four or 473 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: five defenders against Lebron and basically of one guy on 474 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: a D, preventing the pass, a direct pass and making 475 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: sure that if le Bron's gonna drive, he's got to 476 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 1: go through three or four guys and it's not pretty. 477 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: That's what the Sons did once they had the injuries. 478 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: It was like Lebron. They would freeze frame and you'd 479 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,199 Speaker 1: see like Lebron trying to drive and four guys in 480 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,879 Speaker 1: the paint. That's really hard. So you go back to 481 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: the playoffs and you had Rondo, and the Lakers would 482 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 1: take Lebron off the ball and they'd have Lebron. Rondo 483 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 1: initiates something with a D or whatever, and you'd have 484 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: Lebron off and then the ball. You know that you 485 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 1: have to respond to that action. You have to guard 486 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 1: a D. You have to guard Rondo, and then the 487 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 1: ball swings to Lebron and now he's he can be 488 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 1: himself without a load of defense. Now Rondo is near 489 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: the end of his career, and while Westbrook isn't the 490 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: same guy who was maybe eight years ago, six years ago, 491 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: five years ago. However, whatever, he's still a superpowered Rondo 492 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: in the sense of he's not a great shooter, he's 493 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: a very uh skilled attacking guard. Now they're different in style. 494 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:58,880 Speaker 1: I think Rondo is more of a true point uh 495 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: and Westbrook you could say, well, he's average triple doubles, etcetera, etcetera. 496 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 1: But I think Rondo is like legit, I want my 497 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: teammates to score before me, whereas Westbrook is kind of 498 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: like chaotic. I don't know if you're not a fan 499 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: chaotic evil, if you're a fan chaotic good, right, he's 500 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: he's he's a force on the court, but you have 501 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: to deal with that force. You have to deal with 502 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, and then you have to deal with Lebron. 503 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 1: And so if Lebron and I think he's gonna get 504 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,679 Speaker 1: this because he's you listen to Lebron talk after a 505 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: game and he'll site like nine plays in a row 506 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: and describe exactly what happened without looking at film. It's 507 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 1: his mind is is really what's probably the most special 508 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:39,479 Speaker 1: aspect of his game. He understands the game, and so 509 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,119 Speaker 1: I think he's gonna willingly give up the ball. The 510 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook played more power forward, play some more true 511 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:48,160 Speaker 1: small forward instead of the point guard role, and let 512 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: Westbrook attack and then you surround them with as many 513 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: shooters as you can. And the Lakers shooting has improved that. 514 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: People ask me, like, you know, Howard the Lakers gonna 515 00:27:58,040 --> 00:27:59,880 Speaker 1: they don't have any shooting I'm like, well, last year 516 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: they had like their best shooters were like, I don't know. 517 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: I guess k CP was technically like but if you 518 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: just look at someone's shooting percentage, you're not really gauging. 519 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:13,679 Speaker 1: I mean KCP would shoot for like ten games like 520 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: fifty something percent, and then he would shoot for another 521 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: ten games like so it was like, yeah, that's but 522 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 1: it wasn't as reliable. Kuzmo wasn't a very good shooter. 523 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: Crusoe was relatively low volume. Now you've got guys like 524 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 1: Wayne Ellington, League Monk Mellow Bays more like they've got 525 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: shooters none and so. UM. But you know they do 526 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: take a step back, arguably defensively, because if you're going 527 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: with Monk, I don't know how good of a defender 528 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: he's going to be. Uh none, At least he comes 529 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 1: from Miami and and that system. You have to play 530 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: defense to win their uh, to just get on the 531 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: court base. Moore has been a good defender over the 532 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: course of his career. I don't know if he's an 533 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 1: elite defender. A reason has been an elite defender, but 534 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: he's I don't I don't know if he hasn't left. 535 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: Um he says he does. The other day he says 536 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: he feels great that people say anything. It doesn't you know, 537 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: we need to see it. So uh, that's really the question. Uh. 538 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: And does their improved offense offset the fact that they 539 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 1: do have lesson I mean, they were number one last 540 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: year in the league in defense. They won't be number 541 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: one in my opinion this year. But if they are 542 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 1: number six, that's gonna be plenty. If they are number twelve, fifteen, eighteen, 543 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: we made more of an issue. But if they're top 544 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: ten with the offense they have, they'll be fine. Okay, 545 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: two more teams, Um, what do you do if you're 546 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 1: Brooklyn with the Kyrie thing? Like today it came out 547 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: where the league said he won't be paid if you 548 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: voluntarily miss a game because you refuse to get vaccinated. 549 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: It's brillily intimate league like, Hey, you don't have to 550 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: be vaccinated, but in order to play in Brooklyn and 551 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: San Francisco and a couple of these other cities, you 552 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 1: gotta be um And it's not But if choose to 553 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 1: do that, that's fine, but we don't have to You 554 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 1: don't have to be paid. Um. Kyrie doesn't strike me 555 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: as somebody has been motivated at this point by money. 556 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: I'm not really sure what he's motivated by. Sometimes I 557 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: think he just tries to do things to make a point, 558 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: even if there isn't really any point. What how does 559 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: Brooklyn handle Kyrie? Well, it's a it's a stickier situation 560 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 1: than Ben Simmons, to be honest, because like it, Ben 561 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: Simmons is pretty black and white, like he doesn't want 562 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: to be there. They want to get value for him, 563 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: and they may have to be They may have to 564 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: go through some ugliness to get the value they want. 565 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: In the case of Kyrie, you've got Kevin Durant, who 566 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: is arguably, you know, it depends on what your point 567 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: of view, is arguably the best player in the league. 568 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: Certainly top three. Uh, if someone says top ten, I 569 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: think they're they're probably wrong. Like he's that you know, 570 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 1: he's an incredible player, and he's very fond and has 571 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: that relationship with Kyrie. They're the ones who decided together 572 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: to join up with Brooklyn, and so that relationship, making 573 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: sure k D is at peace with things is just 574 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 1: as important, as as more important than who Kyrie is. 575 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 1: So you need to You can't just say, okay, well 576 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: we'll move Kyrie for Ben Simmons, which you can argue 577 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: they should, but it goes to your point. If they 578 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: do something like that, Kyrie might say, you know what, 579 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 1: I'm done playing in the n b A. I'm not 580 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: gonna go to to Philadelphia. I'm not gonna go anywhere. 581 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go do something else, and like I would 582 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: believe him, you know what I mean, Like most players 583 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: who are motivated, most players are motivated by money first. Um, 584 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 1: maybe the you know, the opportunity to win. Location. There 585 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: are certain things, but there it's like a small list 586 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 1: of things that motivates players by and large. But then 587 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 1: like Darren Collinson, like he left to pursue um spiritual faith, 588 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: you know, things that were very personal to him. So 589 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: he stopped playing in the n B A And that's 590 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 1: a different motivation. You can't say, oh, well, just paying 591 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: more money, that's not the motivation. Once you take away 592 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: those main motivations, now it's like, if Kyrie doesn't want 593 00:31:59,880 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: to do this, he's not going to do this. And um, 594 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: you know he's I respect some of what he does. 595 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: I don't agree with a lot of what he says. 596 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: I I respect that he is his own man, and 597 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 1: he is he's following motivations beyond what others. I don't 598 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: think that's inherently bad. I do think some of what 599 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: he says. I don't know. I'm generally more political or 600 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: you know, I'm I try to be understanding. I try 601 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: not to call out players. I'm trying to be understanding here. Um. 602 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: But in the case of Kyrie, like it, I thought 603 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: the way that they handled the Wiggins thing the NBA, 604 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: they were pretty clear. They're like, we can't give you 605 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: an exemption because it's not even us, it's the city, 606 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 1: like our our NBA rules don't supersede the laws of 607 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 1: your city. So it's the similar kind of issue with Kyrie. 608 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 1: And if he can't legally play based on the rules 609 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: of Brooklyn, et cetera, then uh, they're not going to 610 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:58,719 Speaker 1: find him for not getting vaccinated, but they are going 611 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: to say, like, we have to be the laws of 612 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: the land. And by the way, if you're not going 613 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 1: to games and not playing, and this is a decision 614 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: you're making that's not required, you're not gonna get paid. 615 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 1: So it's it's a way of basically, you know, the 616 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 1: union won't set the players. Union won't sign off on 617 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 1: everyone has to be vaccinated. Michelle Roberts, who runs the union, 618 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: believes that all the players should be vaccinated, but she's 619 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 1: her job is to empower the players and their voices 620 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: and let them fight for what they believe in, and 621 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:27,480 Speaker 1: so she has to support those who don't believe in that. 622 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 1: Even if she believes in vaccination, she has to support 623 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: Kyrie not doing it. They will never sign off on 624 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: not getting paid. But based on the way things are 625 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: and the way that the NBA has caged it, that's 626 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: where we're at. And so it's a brilliant loophole that 627 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 1: there that the NBA is able to kind of slide 628 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:47,720 Speaker 1: this thing in, you know, letting state, letting cities do 629 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,479 Speaker 1: their dirty work forum, which is frankly brilliant business. And 630 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 1: and oh yeah, by the way, it makes sense to 631 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: all parties, right the cities they have to have this revenue, 632 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 1: they have to have those facilities open. They're just dying. Also, 633 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: you have all the people who work, you know, as 634 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: vendors at all of these different events, and this is 635 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 1: a way in which it shows the cities and leagues 636 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 1: need to take up for each other. We're kind of 637 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 1: handing in. It's it's a really interesting it's a really 638 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: interesting element to it. Okay, So end of the day, 639 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 1: and again I know, getting inside the mind of Kyrie 640 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 1: and trying to determine what and how he's gonna do, 641 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,239 Speaker 1: what and how he does think he played for the 642 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: Nets this year. I don't want to break with Kyrie 643 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: Irving's gonna do. That's like a fool's errand but I 644 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: do think that, um, I mean, you know, the basic 645 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:47,960 Speaker 1: logic will be he'll show up and there'll be some fines. 646 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 1: There'll be some not not fines, but loss of income 647 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 1: to him, and he'll have to make a decision on 648 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 1: what he wants to do. I don't know. He's so stubborn, 649 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: you know, and that's not even a negative, like, but 650 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:02,320 Speaker 1: you know, that's who he is. He's he's He reminds 651 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 1: me a little bit of Kanye West, um, who I 652 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: grew up listening to. And and there's some albums that 653 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: I listened to still that are like, you know, this 654 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,320 Speaker 1: is still brilliant, and I'm still moved by the emotion 655 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 1: of some of his albums. Right, but some of the 656 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,600 Speaker 1: things he does and says now are like it's hard 657 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 1: to understand, and it's hard for me to Like, I'm 658 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 1: not it's harder for me to follow. And it was like, 659 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:28,439 Speaker 1: you're losing me here, Like I get it. Yeah, And 660 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 1: Kyrie is a brilliant basketball player. Championship with Lebron. He's 661 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:38,319 Speaker 1: fun to watch. Uh, he does magical things on the court. Um. 662 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 1: I like I said, I do respect. Um. You know 663 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 1: that he has a voice that not everyone is brave 664 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:47,720 Speaker 1: enough to have, which you know you could say about Kanye, 665 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 1: But right now, I don't follow some of what his 666 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:53,040 Speaker 1: you know, what his voice is saying. But I don't 667 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 1: know if you watch our Bleacher reported Game of Zones, 668 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: which was, you know, a parody of of you know, 669 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: a basketball parody of a game of owns and ultimately, 670 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: I mean spoiler Alerty's um. But like Kyrie basically is 671 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,239 Speaker 1: like burning the Kingdom to the ground and there's just 672 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 1: like if it just feels like he's just like the 673 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:15,160 Speaker 1: Kyrie from Game Zones was spot on, and that's just 674 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:18,799 Speaker 1: where Kyrie is at. He's he's gonna do. I do 675 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:23,839 Speaker 1: think like Kevin Durant messaging has been brilliant this whole thing, 676 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,279 Speaker 1: which is like, hey man, you know I respect him. 677 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 1: He's gonna do what he's got to do. And you 678 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:31,600 Speaker 1: know you can't. You got a massage everything with Terry 679 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 1: because if you come even if you're completely right in 680 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: what you're saying, he's, like you said, he's a contrarian 681 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,319 Speaker 1: by nature. He's going to push back against it and 682 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,360 Speaker 1: in his in his kind of own unique sort of 683 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: sort of way. Um okay, last team, I want to 684 00:36:46,239 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 1: ask about Miami Heat in the finals, like the Lakers 685 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,920 Speaker 1: two years ago, and you take a flyer on Oladipot. 686 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:59,239 Speaker 1: You've got some really interesting pieces, um, but last year 687 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:01,799 Speaker 1: they were very just a point right, that's there's just 688 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: no other way around it. I didn't think Bam had 689 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: a great summer with USA basketball. I I know it's 690 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:10,880 Speaker 1: a very different style, but all of a suddenly he 691 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:13,719 Speaker 1: couldn't catch a cold. I mean, it was crazy, how 692 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 1: how how much this offensive game just did not translate 693 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:21,600 Speaker 1: into what they were trying to do. And so they 694 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 1: basically kind of played around the fact that he was 695 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 1: Draymond like in that he couldn't really depend on him 696 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:30,400 Speaker 1: to score. But there is a lot there. There is 697 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:32,640 Speaker 1: a good culture for there. What do you think of 698 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:36,760 Speaker 1: the Miami Heat in the landscape of the East. So 699 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,120 Speaker 1: I don't think it's a coincidence that the two teams 700 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:42,320 Speaker 1: that went to the finals in the Bubble were knocked 701 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 1: out in the first round, and with the Lakers it 702 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:48,319 Speaker 1: was more pronounced and that Anthony Davis got hurt and 703 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 1: so we were able to visually see, Okay, that's why 704 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:52,920 Speaker 1: they lost. They had the sons on the ropes that 705 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:54,879 Speaker 1: looked like for a minute and then eight he gets 706 00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 1: hurt and now they're done. Right. In the case of 707 00:37:57,239 --> 00:37:58,920 Speaker 1: the Heat, I just think it was more of a 708 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: prolonged They just didn't have the legs they didn't have it. 709 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:06,359 Speaker 1: Jimmy Butler wasn't the same guy. Bam wasn't the same guy. 710 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: And I think the rush schedule was it was too 711 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 1: much physically, but almost too much more mentally, like you know, 712 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 1: like the bubble, because I have I have friends who 713 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:18,600 Speaker 1: were in the bubble, and then I have friends who 714 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:20,280 Speaker 1: were in like the G League version of the bubble, 715 00:38:20,600 --> 00:38:22,400 Speaker 1: which was shorter, but it was like ninety days or 716 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 1: something like that, but it was it was a lot, 717 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:29,480 Speaker 1: and it was mentally grueling what they had to go through. 718 00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 1: And and and I want a cage that like what 719 00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 1: we're talking about, you know, in the NBA, very wealthy 720 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:39,280 Speaker 1: athletes who are living a very you know, privileged life 721 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 1: that they've earned. So I want to you know, I 722 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 1: don't want to try to um you know, you know, 723 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: you're not minimizing it right, Like people are doing way 724 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 1: worse than the correct right. This is not what everybody 725 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 1: else is going through or people in the third world country. 726 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:56,920 Speaker 1: And I understand we're talking from the perspective of an 727 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:00,279 Speaker 1: NBA athlete. Usually the world is their oyster. You go 728 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:02,919 Speaker 1: from being locked down in your own town to being 729 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 1: locked down in Orlando in a hotel where you getting 730 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,880 Speaker 1: like an hour outside every day, and you're eating the 731 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:10,320 Speaker 1: same food over and over again, and it just gets 732 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 1: really really stale, and and you're there for longer than 733 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:17,359 Speaker 1: you thought, and the rest of the world's opening up, 734 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:19,359 Speaker 1: and and then you turn around in a month out 735 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 1: you're back in to playing in the NBA. I know, 736 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:26,759 Speaker 1: I get it. I complete and well, the players what 737 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:30,040 Speaker 1: they agreed to, Like the players themselves agreed to starting 738 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 1: back up around uh MLK Day Martin Luther King Day 739 00:39:33,239 --> 00:39:36,719 Speaker 1: in January and and there would be no All Star Game. 740 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:42,160 Speaker 1: And then later the Union basically they recognize what the 741 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:45,759 Speaker 1: league recognized, which is like income had taken a massive hit. 742 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 1: Fans weren't in the seats the NBA and had to 743 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:52,280 Speaker 1: basically to a degree, cow tow to their media partners. 744 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:55,520 Speaker 1: But it's also understandable because where's all the money coming from. 745 00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:59,160 Speaker 1: And so they rushed the season up for Christmas. Uh 746 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:02,719 Speaker 1: they had an All Star our Game, and so by 747 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:06,200 Speaker 1: the time you get to the finals, Lebron and and 748 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:08,839 Speaker 1: Jimmy and all that, they weren't even in the conversation 749 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:11,479 Speaker 1: because they were out in the first round. And so 750 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:14,760 Speaker 1: I'm kind of throwing out what happened. I think they've 751 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 1: both both squads got longer periods of rest. Uh, it's 752 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:20,960 Speaker 1: still you know, it's still a strange world were in. 753 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:25,279 Speaker 1: But they added Kyle Lowry, who, um, yeah, like Kyle 754 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:27,880 Speaker 1: Lowry is older, so he shouldn't be carrying a team 755 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 1: as the best player on the team. But he doesn't 756 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:33,200 Speaker 1: have to because you do have Jimmy. And then you've 757 00:40:33,239 --> 00:40:36,839 Speaker 1: got like a shooter and Robinson. You've got Bam who 758 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: like you know, like you said, he hasn't looked great, 759 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:43,800 Speaker 1: uh since the bubble, like he hasn't been quite himself, 760 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:45,560 Speaker 1: but I think over time he's going to get back 761 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 1: to that. Uh. And then you've got you bringing p J. Tucker, 762 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 1: who if their biggest rival is you know, if you 763 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:54,359 Speaker 1: say the Bucks, I mean we don't know what's coming 764 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:56,839 Speaker 1: with the nets. They may be the story. But if 765 00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:58,560 Speaker 1: if if you go say the Bucks of the team 766 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:00,560 Speaker 1: that you have to worry about because they just want well, 767 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:03,319 Speaker 1: they took one of the more important pieces, obviously not 768 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:06,600 Speaker 1: the honest piece in p J. Tucker. You need glue 769 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:08,960 Speaker 1: guys who do a bit of everything, and p J. 770 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,439 Speaker 1: Tuckers is close to I mean defensively like a Dreymond Green. 771 00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:17,160 Speaker 1: He's not offensively the playmaker, but um really really a 772 00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:20,080 Speaker 1: great get and and they're just like Oladipo's back and 773 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:25,160 Speaker 1: he's he wasn't healthy last year. He's on a minimum contract. Uh. 774 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:27,960 Speaker 1: He there's upside there where if he can get himself 775 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 1: back halfway through the season. Now you're adding a guy 776 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 1: who's all star level guard. Uh. And if Jimmy's Jimmy, 777 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,319 Speaker 1: then this team should be in the top three in 778 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:39,920 Speaker 1: the East. I mean there's the Nets and the Bucks 779 00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:44,399 Speaker 1: and after that, I don't know really who's like the 780 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:46,319 Speaker 1: next best team. There are good teams. I'm not saying 781 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 1: they aren't good teams. There's a lot of good teams. Needs. 782 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:50,600 Speaker 1: I just don't know who's the third best team. I 783 00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:52,560 Speaker 1: don't know if it's Bucks or Nets or Nets or Bucks. 784 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:55,000 Speaker 1: We'll we'll give it to the Bucks because they want 785 00:41:55,600 --> 00:41:58,719 Speaker 1: uh and they're the champ. But after that it could 786 00:41:58,719 --> 00:42:01,200 Speaker 1: be the Heat as the third best team. You know, defensively, 787 00:42:01,719 --> 00:42:05,240 Speaker 1: Spoilster is a really good defensive coach. They've got the pieces, 788 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:07,720 Speaker 1: They've got everything they need. They just need that health 789 00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:10,640 Speaker 1: um and they need they need to they do need 790 00:42:10,719 --> 00:42:12,920 Speaker 1: Bam to be that kind of special player he was 791 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:16,440 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago. I guess has been great man, Um, 792 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:19,480 Speaker 1: I love reading work in Bleach Report, and I am 793 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:24,160 Speaker 1: always excited to follow what's next and the thoroughness and 794 00:42:24,200 --> 00:42:28,319 Speaker 1: then the the intense amount of knowledge which I speak 795 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 1: for people who have have followed your work, they go like, man, 796 00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:33,480 Speaker 1: that's sure helped me from looking it up and help 797 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:37,120 Speaker 1: me kind of understanding it all. I really really appreciate 798 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:38,600 Speaker 1: you join me here on the pot. I don't know, 799 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:44,120 Speaker 1: of course, happy to do it anytime, seriously, anytime. All right, 800 00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:48,240 Speaker 1: that was great, wasn't it super informative? And I cannot 801 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:51,960 Speaker 1: I may be a salary geek, but I so much 802 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:54,200 Speaker 1: of it. When you talk to people, you realize, like 803 00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:56,680 Speaker 1: all of this stuff is related in terms of how 804 00:42:56,719 --> 00:42:58,120 Speaker 1: do you get off the costs and how do you 805 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:00,719 Speaker 1: get above the floor for salary apps and below the 806 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:06,400 Speaker 1: ceiling and you know, stay out of the taxpayer. Um, 807 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:08,560 Speaker 1: all of those different things are interested in me. My 808 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:10,640 Speaker 1: thanks to Eric for joining me. Can't wait to hear 809 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:13,000 Speaker 1: what he has next outside of Bleacher Report, and will 810 00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:16,000 Speaker 1: always read his stuff meantime. To reminder, the Doug Gollip 811 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:18,880 Speaker 1: shows daily three to six Eastern twelve to three Pacific, 812 00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:22,000 Speaker 1: and of course make sure you tell your friends to download, subscribe, rate, 813 00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:24,840 Speaker 1: write a review for the All Ball podcast. I'm Doug Gollip. 814 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:25,879 Speaker 1: This is All Ball.