WEBVTT - Season Ends for Knicks & Lakers 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:16.520 Come home, Come Home, Come Home, Come Home. 0:00:17.200 --> 0:00:20.520 On this episode of the Heat Check, we discussed well, 0:00:20.600 --> 0:00:22.280 I mean, I throw a little dirt on the coffin 0:00:22.840 --> 0:00:26.040 that is the twenty twenty two LA Lakers. It feels 0:00:26.079 --> 0:00:28.280 like I already had this take because I predicted it 0:00:28.320 --> 0:00:30.040 a mere twenty four hours before it happened. 0:00:30.080 --> 0:00:31.080 But who gives a fuck. 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:35.120 I'm going to officially say good night and good luck 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:37.960 to my least favorite team in the NBA. 0:00:38.479 --> 0:00:42.159 We also break down why the Knicks not only. 0:00:41.960 --> 0:00:45.720 Are approaching roster building in an entirely wrong way, but 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:49.800 also perhaps the NBA at large, with their approach of 0:00:49.880 --> 0:00:53.560 super teams, might be as well. And finally, just a 0:00:53.560 --> 0:00:55.440 little cleanup around the league. I fill you in on 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:59.240 the one team ready to surprise the most in the playoffs, 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:02.680 the Toronto Raptors final week of the regular season. 0:01:02.720 --> 0:01:06.479 As upon us. So go ahead, Brock and drop that motherfucker. 0:01:06.040 --> 0:01:16.480 Be perfect Ray. 0:01:20.160 --> 0:01:25.240 The big news, as everyone already knows, is it the Lakers. 0:01:26.000 --> 0:01:28.360 The loss Angeles. 0:01:27.760 --> 0:01:34.000 Lakers with Anthony Davis, top five center in the league, 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:36.560 they say, Lebron James. 0:01:36.720 --> 0:01:38.440 Lebron James one. 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:40.720 Of the best players, if not the best players of 0:01:40.760 --> 0:01:41.520 a generation. 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:43.280 Still playing in the prime of his. 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:49.440 Career, and former MVP Russell Westbrook. All three of them 0:01:49.440 --> 0:01:52.960 together as a duo, as a trio, as a team 0:01:54.760 --> 0:01:58.480 have missed the playoffs, and that is now the second 0:01:58.520 --> 0:02:03.440 time in lebron four years as a Los Angeles Lakers. 0:02:03.840 --> 0:02:05.920 Laker h just things you hate to see. 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:12.320 Honestly, just fifty percent missing the playoffs is not great, 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:16.040 I would say. And for me, you could think of 0:02:16.120 --> 0:02:18.600 me as Elmo engulfed in flames. 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:21.960 Just give me the chaos. I can't wait. I've already 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:24.040 predicted what's gonna happen, what I think is gonna happen. 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:26.720 Now we're getting news that Rob Plank is gonna stay 0:02:26.720 --> 0:02:29.040 on one more year, which I think is totally bullshit. 0:02:29.280 --> 0:02:33.320 And I know you're tired of hearing about the Lakers. Truthfully, 0:02:33.320 --> 0:02:39.200 I'm tired of explaining how right I was. Truthfully, I'm 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:43.959 tired about just completely saying this. I just feel like 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.760 I've been saying the same thing all year. But as 0:02:46.800 --> 0:02:49.880 we go on and the facts continue to come to 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:52.760 the surface, and I have another way of just running 0:02:52.840 --> 0:02:55.400 up the score and taking another lap, I'm gonna do that. 0:02:55.520 --> 0:03:00.360 You can't not discuss them Before we get started, let's 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:05.120 do a little trivia. Since preseason title favorites first became 0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:09.560 a thing in nineteen eighty four, how many of the 0:03:09.600 --> 0:03:15.359 two top teams failed to make the playoffs. 0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:18.480 The answer is just. 0:03:18.520 --> 0:03:22.399 One, the two than and twenty one twenty twenty two 0:03:22.680 --> 0:03:23.400 LA Lakers. 0:03:23.720 --> 0:03:24.440 And that is. 0:03:24.440 --> 0:03:27.400 Including the fact that they could have gotten in as 0:03:27.440 --> 0:03:31.639 a ten seed, which is absolutely absurd as it is. Remember, 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:34.560 Lebron James said he hated the play in tournament and 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:37.560 then decided on the night that he could have kept 0:03:37.560 --> 0:03:40.440 the play in hopes alive, that he wouldn't even play. 0:03:40.520 --> 0:03:44.400 He would be Lebron Street closed James, he would leave 0:03:44.480 --> 0:03:45.080 the game. 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:46.640 We'll get to that. 0:03:47.120 --> 0:03:52.160 Yes, historically bad year in LA, and the season isn't 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:57.600 even quite over. The fingers already being pointed. The fingers 0:03:57.600 --> 0:03:58.800 were pointed since week one. 0:03:59.000 --> 0:04:01.400 But we got we got. 0:04:01.160 --> 0:04:05.320 Some new stuff, some new juju happening here. Frank Vogel 0:04:05.840 --> 0:04:09.560 reportedly going to be fired. He won't discuss that really. 0:04:09.920 --> 0:04:12.320 He says that, you know, kind of like Russell Westbrook, 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:15.440 you can't ever predict the future kind of stuff like that, 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:19.680 like whether he deserves to be fired or not. Considering 0:04:19.720 --> 0:04:23.920 this roster construction is another question, since it was Frank 0:04:24.000 --> 0:04:27.080 Vogel who desperately wanted to move Russ at the deadline 0:04:27.320 --> 0:04:28.440 but was veto by. 0:04:28.360 --> 0:04:30.440 Polinka and of course the Rambuses. 0:04:31.560 --> 0:04:35.520 It's certain he hasn't coached well, it's certain, it's certain 0:04:35.560 --> 0:04:39.080 that he's not really that good. But ask yourself this, 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:42.840 and we've had this conversation before. Who could have made 0:04:42.839 --> 0:04:43.760 this shit show work? 0:04:44.560 --> 0:04:47.240 Who? The next news? 0:04:47.400 --> 0:04:50.640 But and now you got Frank Vogel going out talking 0:04:50.680 --> 0:04:54.919 to the athletic saying, I knew that this would be 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:59.760 bad and not work before a regular season game even 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:02.719 got folks, we went zero in six in the preseason. 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:06.760 We were getting waxed. I know that the preseason is meaningless, 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:08.240 but that means something. 0:05:08.560 --> 0:05:09.800 We were getting waxed. 0:05:10.640 --> 0:05:14.479 The next news reportedly Rob Plinka has another year to 0:05:14.560 --> 0:05:18.760 figure out and right the ship. Considering that this is 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:23.200 his completely his mess and his mess alone, why why 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:27.440 would you give him another shot around the sun, like. 0:05:27.560 --> 0:05:28.760 Kick his ass to the moon. 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:32.159 It's not possible to fix this. To me, this is 0:05:32.240 --> 0:05:34.839 just like another year of borrowed time. And if we're 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:37.240 being honest with ourselves, which I think, this is a 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:40.839 place to be honest, the only reason he has this 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:44.680 much slack is because Genie Buss finds Kobe Bryant to 0:05:44.720 --> 0:05:48.719 be like another sibling. And Rob Polinka was hired simply 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:52.159 because Kobe told her to hire him so it would 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:56.279 be like, I don't know, what's that call when it's 0:05:56.320 --> 0:06:00.320 like just sacrilegious to the dead, like something bad, like 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:03.679 bad juju to someone who is like a living legend, 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:06.680 and now you know a dead legend. You know he 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:11.960 is the only last connection to Kobe is Rob Polinka's agent, 0:06:12.200 --> 0:06:16.360 slick ass, making stupid move after stupid move. 0:06:16.720 --> 0:06:19.280 Ad and Lebron James. 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:24.279 Make too much damn money and don't play nearly enough 0:06:24.680 --> 0:06:27.159 and don't play nearly well enough when they do play 0:06:27.960 --> 0:06:31.919 enough for this thing to work. I mean, that's just 0:06:32.080 --> 0:06:35.040 the case. Even if it was just them, that bubble 0:06:35.080 --> 0:06:39.679 title we know, we know now it was on shaky ground. 0:06:40.040 --> 0:06:40.680 We know that. 0:06:40.920 --> 0:06:44.040 The big question now is what to do with Russ 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:48.599 and his forty seven million dollars. The options are limited, folks. 0:06:49.040 --> 0:06:52.440 A lot of chatter from Ad and Russ together about 0:06:52.520 --> 0:06:55.320 running it back next year, but that, folks, should not happen, 0:06:55.360 --> 0:06:57.520 and I do not believe it will happen. There are 0:06:57.520 --> 0:07:03.279 two options, trade him to who or waive him. 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:06.320 On one hand, there are a limited amount. 0:07:06.040 --> 0:07:09.240 Of teams that would even consider taking on Russ's contract. 0:07:09.480 --> 0:07:12.600 One of them apparently is Charlotte, who's stuck with their 0:07:12.640 --> 0:07:16.400 own albatrosh contract in Gordon Hayward, who has owed sixty 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:19.280 million over two years, played forty nine games this year. 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:23.960 That is around the same amount as Street close Anthony Davis. 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:26.840 There's also John Wall, who has opted into his own 0:07:26.920 --> 0:07:29.640 forty seven million dollar contract next year with the Rockets. 0:07:30.120 --> 0:07:32.880 Seems incomprehensible that they would trade one for the other. 0:07:33.680 --> 0:07:37.840 So maybe though, we'll be willing to drop their demand 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:40.840 for a first rounder for John Wall. And of course 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:43.080 the Thunder the place where broken players go to heel, 0:07:43.160 --> 0:07:45.360 the place where you just send players because they've got 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:48.160 a plethora of cap space to just take on your 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:51.520 gross oversized inflated players. 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:53.440 They have thirty one million. 0:07:53.120 --> 0:07:55.320 In cast space right now and would only need to 0:07:55.320 --> 0:07:57.840 send back Derek Favors and a salary filler to take 0:07:57.920 --> 0:07:58.160 him on. 0:07:58.440 --> 0:08:00.760 So there are some possible abilities. 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:05.480 But the other option, but also about Charlotte really quickly, 0:08:05.520 --> 0:08:07.400 a little note I saw on Twitter someone says, what 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:09.640 is Russ going to play center for the Hornets? 0:08:09.840 --> 0:08:13.200 How is that gonna work? You got Oubray and LaMelo. 0:08:13.320 --> 0:08:16.000 I mean, you can't have another person with the ball 0:08:16.240 --> 0:08:18.000 then needs to have the ball in his hand. 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:19.960 Terry Rosier, scary, Terry. 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:22.640 It's scary hours if Russell Westbrook is there, And I 0:08:22.640 --> 0:08:25.000 don't mean a good way. The other option, which mark 0:08:25.040 --> 0:08:29.280 Stein says is also being considered, is for the Lakers 0:08:29.280 --> 0:08:35.000 to stretch wave Russ. Waving forty seven million seems like 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:38.760 an incomprehensible decision, but the stretch provision allows them to 0:08:38.760 --> 0:08:43.080 pay them. That's some pay him that some over several years, 0:08:43.240 --> 0:08:44.720 which would lighten the cap. 0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:45.040 Hit a bit. 0:08:45.600 --> 0:08:50.120 Only having fifteen million dollars each year hit the cap. 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:54.679 To me, I don't think Russ goes a goddamn place. 0:08:55.080 --> 0:08:57.520 I think they wave Russ, and Russ waves off into 0:08:57.520 --> 0:09:01.160 the sunset, like I think he goes home to his 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:03.720 family in La and he has an amazing life. He 0:09:03.800 --> 0:09:06.400 works on his brand, he works on his philanthropy. Because 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:08.280 I think that this is not the business for him. 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:12.440 I don't think that this business of basketball. I don't 0:09:12.480 --> 0:09:13.640 think he's ready for all that. 0:09:13.760 --> 0:09:17.000 I definitely don't think he's willing to hang out without 0:09:17.000 --> 0:09:18.600 his family in Charlotte. 0:09:19.800 --> 0:09:23.520 No fucking chance. Russell Westbrook all year long. 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:29.520 Is getting degraded and like criticized and disparaged, and you 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:31.640 ask him about it over and over and he goes, listen, 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:33.960 I'm just blessed. I get to go home and see 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:36.360 my wife. I get to go home and see my 0:09:36.480 --> 0:09:38.560 kids on the weekend, and we don't have games, I 0:09:38.600 --> 0:09:43.520 see my friends. You think he's going to Charlotte, No chance. 0:09:44.320 --> 0:09:48.520 I think retirement, That's my guess. And with all of this, 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:51.600 Poppin the architect of it all, Lebron ditched the team, 0:09:52.600 --> 0:09:58.320 ditched them left the building in the third quarter against Phoenix, 0:09:58.360 --> 0:10:00.280 the same team, the Anthony David. 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:01.959 Which is just sweet justice. 0:10:02.280 --> 0:10:04.600 The Anthony Davis said that they would have been able 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:07.520 to beat in the first round if it wasn't for injuries. 0:10:08.480 --> 0:10:09.160 What's that saying. 0:10:09.200 --> 0:10:12.760 I always say, you can't really judge this Lakers roster 0:10:12.960 --> 0:10:21.120 quite yet until my man Kendrick Nunn gets healthy. And 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:23.440 of course Braun's getting murdered in the press. He hasn't 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:28.280 said a goddamn thing. Lebron James hasn't said a goddamn 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:30.320 thing to the media about the fact that they're not 0:10:30.480 --> 0:10:33.480 even eligible to go to the postseason any longer. 0:10:34.240 --> 0:10:36.760 He told us to keep that same narrative energy and 0:10:36.920 --> 0:10:39.720 I have, I have. 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.360 And now Eric Pinkus is reporting that internally, fingers are 0:10:44.400 --> 0:10:47.760 pointing at Lebron as well for pressuring the front office 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:53.160 to trade Russ all of that to say, things are 0:10:53.200 --> 0:10:54.040 in disarray. 0:10:54.480 --> 0:10:55.760 So how did Lebron. 0:10:55.480 --> 0:11:00.760 Respond to all of this chatter by dropping his the 0:11:00.800 --> 0:11:03.000 shop and saying how much he liked to play with 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:07.880 Steph Curry and Luka Doncic. Yep, he's not thinking about 0:11:07.960 --> 0:11:10.600 making Imagine if you had problems with your wife for 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:13.600 a second and like, we want to know what's up 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:16.240 with you and her, and then the way you respond 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:21.800 to that, the little you know issues and cooperation. 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:22.800 And what's happening with this marriage? 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:26.160 You say, you know, halle Berry is fine as hell, 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:30.640 Like I love some halle Berry, Like Jada Pinkett, God 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:33.600 did you see her at the Oscars? Holy shit, I'd 0:11:33.679 --> 0:11:35.920 like to date her. I'd like to be her. August 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:37.080 Alcina like. 0:11:37.080 --> 0:11:41.120 What excuse me? You have a team Anthony Davis is 0:11:41.160 --> 0:11:41.679 your teammate. 0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:43.520 How are you gonna play with Steph. Why are you 0:11:43.559 --> 0:11:48.000 even saying this right now? Goodness gracious. The funniest thing 0:11:48.280 --> 0:11:52.360 this was Steph's response. Steph said, well, he got his wish, 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:54.280 he was the captain, and he's picked me for the 0:11:54.360 --> 0:11:56.199 last two All Star Games. So I don't know if 0:11:56.200 --> 0:12:01.000 that suffices, but I'm good right now. Whenever you get 0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:03.880 the interest or curiosity of what it would like to 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:06.559 play with arguably the MVP kind of caliber dude, that 0:12:06.600 --> 0:12:08.120 he is one of the greatest of all time. 0:12:08.200 --> 0:12:13.400 Cool, that's amazing. We can all live in that fantasy world. 0:12:14.720 --> 0:12:17.200 I mean, just so shady. And on top of that, 0:12:18.000 --> 0:12:20.080 they've had a rivalry for so long. So the fact 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:22.520 that Lebron's come around to the dark side and been like, 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:25.680 you know what, I'd actually love to play with Steph, 0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:26.400 and I love it. 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:30.320 Steph's like he got his wish dot dot dot. I'm good. 0:12:30.800 --> 0:12:33.960 We can all live in that fantasy world. 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:37.199 Safe to say, Steph has watched all of the teams 0:12:37.240 --> 0:12:39.360 that have been surrounding Lebron and been like, yeah, I'm 0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:42.600 fucking out of that mess. And on the top it off, 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:45.280 starting on August fourth, Lebron James will be eligible for 0:12:45.320 --> 0:12:47.880 a two year, ninety seven million dollar extension that would 0:12:47.960 --> 0:12:50.320 keep him a Laker through twenty twenty four to twenty 0:12:50.480 --> 0:12:53.679 twenty five. Is there a chance that either the Lakers 0:12:53.720 --> 0:12:57.400 do not out offer him that contract. 0:12:56.960 --> 0:13:00.760 Doubtful or lebron chooses not to sign doubtful. 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:02.800 He can signed during the season next year, so I'm 0:13:02.840 --> 0:13:07.000 not sure how that roster shakes out before deciding what 0:13:07.080 --> 0:13:12.600 Thanks for sure, never ever past put it past him 0:13:12.760 --> 0:13:17.680 to bolt if a better opportunity comes his way. He's 0:13:17.679 --> 0:13:21.400 happened multiple times before, especially with the statements about the 0:13:21.480 --> 0:13:25.240 door not being closed on Cleveland and Lebronny James. Like 0:13:25.320 --> 0:13:27.680 I said, I'm sick and tired about talking about the Lakers, 0:13:28.000 --> 0:13:31.160 but damn they sure have so much drama that it 0:13:31.200 --> 0:13:31.960 makes a tough time. 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:35.080 Fitty, best honey, best fucking man. 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:38.920 Let's just not even discussing. Man. OMG, I ain't tripping. 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:41.360 I'm gonna let him sleep, I ain't tripping. Let him 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:43.520 bless some peace. I can tell you how it happened. 0:13:44.520 --> 0:13:48.439 I could say you safe house night. It all started back. 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:56.120 To this, this philosophy that all you need is money 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:58.640 and acquiring stars are the way to win. 0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:03.960 That's that's the issue here, folks. There's now news. 0:14:04.160 --> 0:14:06.679 There's now news that has come out with the Knicks 0:14:06.880 --> 0:14:10.319 that if Tom Thibodeau, the head coach of the Knicks, goes, 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:17.040 that Leon Rose, the president of the Knicks, I believe 0:14:17.040 --> 0:14:20.200 that's his job. There's a bunch of guys upstairs in charge, 0:14:20.280 --> 0:14:22.200 like you can't really tell what their title is versus 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:24.560 what the fuck they do. But Leon Rose, we know 0:14:25.240 --> 0:14:28.480 uh has been with CIA, He's a former agent and 0:14:28.680 --> 0:14:31.480 hand selected TIBs. So that if now the news comes 0:14:31.480 --> 0:14:34.600 out on s n Y, the number one, you know, 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:39.720 Nick's alert place to find things is that if Tibbs goes, 0:14:40.120 --> 0:14:44.960 then the guillotine is on Leon Rose's neck as well. 0:14:45.000 --> 0:14:48.440 And then the second piece was, well, okay, if that's 0:14:48.480 --> 0:14:51.680 the case, do the Knicks have this is where I 0:14:51.760 --> 0:14:53.840 got it, kind of got this thought. Do the Knicks 0:14:53.920 --> 0:14:58.920 have the proper people in place to land a star? 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:02.080 Think about that? Think about that? 0:15:02.160 --> 0:15:05.800 Do the Knicks have the right people in place to 0:15:06.200 --> 0:15:13.600 land a star? I question the premise in general. I 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:16.440 think the real question is whether the Knicks have the 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:20.440 right people and the proper people in place to find 0:15:21.560 --> 0:15:23.360 potential stars. 0:15:24.360 --> 0:15:27.560 In the draft and develop. 0:15:27.320 --> 0:15:31.520 Potential stars into stars before you have to pay them 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:36.160 like stars. There's definitely smoking here. It's definitely something hazy 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:42.840 in here. Because my thought is this acquiring superstar players 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:46.480 through free agency or through trade, it rarely works like 0:15:46.520 --> 0:15:49.120 that is I don't think that that's something that we 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:52.400 can do any longer. I don't think that that's as 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:58.040 a whole a strategy that is proven to be successful. 0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:01.600 It usually costs you a quite a bit in terms 0:16:01.640 --> 0:16:05.200 of cat space and a ton in draft capital to 0:16:05.240 --> 0:16:07.920 make it all work. You can't just say, all right, 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:12.640 we'll give you some scrubs and we'll get back Kevin Durant. 0:16:13.320 --> 0:16:13.800 No way. 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:16.200 Like if I have Kevin Durant, you're gonna need to 0:16:16.200 --> 0:16:19.200 sweeten things up for me. Of course the money needs 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:21.480 to match, But what like, what do I. 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:22.040 Get out of it? 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:26.200 I need your entire future mortgaged? Right, So the whole 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:29.160 plan is you have to win now, the win now mode, 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:32.360 fuck them picks less sneed mode. But you can't do 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:37.280 it unless you're one piece away. And even then, mortgaging 0:16:37.320 --> 0:16:40.720 the future is a bit dicey. You could end up 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:44.760 with the player making forty million dollars a year had 0:16:44.760 --> 0:16:47.400 to mortgage your future for him with your picks. No 0:16:47.600 --> 0:16:50.440 telling if he's even interested in staying with your team 0:16:50.480 --> 0:16:54.600 long term, no telling if he's healthy and interested for 0:16:54.640 --> 0:16:57.720 the duration of his contract, No telling if he's even 0:16:57.760 --> 0:17:02.760 a right fit. Right, I think about the example, we 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:08.639 would call him the Golden Goose for the Knicks, Damian Lillard. 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:12.119 I would if I was running the Knicks. This is 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:15.119 gonna sound like a hot take. If I was running 0:17:15.160 --> 0:17:17.960 the Knicks and I am a huge Dame fan, there 0:17:18.200 --> 0:17:22.840 is no chance I trade for Dame under any circumstance. 0:17:23.160 --> 0:17:23.880 At this point. 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:28.320 He's probably about to sign another extension this offseason that 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:30.080 would put him and he just signed one like two 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:31.680 years ago, so that was a five year deal, and 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:33.480 then I'll sign another five year deal so that I'll 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:33.920 lock him. 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:35.960 Up until he's in his late thirties. 0:17:36.760 --> 0:17:39.919 No one knows at this point whether he's actually truly healthy. 0:17:40.160 --> 0:17:43.880 He's been dealing with an abdominal issue for years, where 0:17:43.960 --> 0:17:47.680 just simple sitting and standing and laying down all hurt. Right, 0:17:47.960 --> 0:17:53.520 that ab issue is real. He's undersized, he doesn't play defense, 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:57.720 he's not a particularly great playmaker on like. 0:17:57.680 --> 0:17:58.679 An elite level. 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:02.199 Where does that leave you if you were to do 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:05.000 that and you had dame time, that would be electric. 0:18:05.040 --> 0:18:08.879 But where does that leave you? In cap hell for 0:18:08.920 --> 0:18:11.679 the next seven years? No ability to fix it if 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:14.600 it goes wrong with younger, cheaper players because you gave 0:18:14.680 --> 0:18:17.479 four first rounds up to get him. Because that's what 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:21.400 it's gonna cost for that player. He's now no longer viable. 0:18:21.560 --> 0:18:24.320 You've gotta bench him. He's taking up the cap room 0:18:24.440 --> 0:18:26.880 and what the fuck are you going to do? See 0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:29.080 how that strategy for a long ass time. Now you 0:18:29.119 --> 0:18:31.359 gotta figure out a way to move him, and then 0:18:31.400 --> 0:18:34.480 you gotta pay also to move him because everybody knows 0:18:34.480 --> 0:18:35.120 he's broken. 0:18:35.720 --> 0:18:38.119 Do you sound like that? You see what I'm saying? 0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:42.600 How this might not be the best thoughts, but this 0:18:42.640 --> 0:18:46.120 is what teams do. This is fucking crazy. I don't 0:18:46.119 --> 0:18:48.320 know why I had this revelation, but this is maybe 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:50.520 the most insane strategy to build a roster. 0:18:51.280 --> 0:18:52.880 And this is what agents do. 0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:57.360 This is what agents do, fucking idiots because they don't 0:18:57.359 --> 0:18:58.320 know how to develop stars. 0:18:58.359 --> 0:19:01.520 They only see stars when they are already are them? 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:06.960 Teams consistently focused on just entrenched and entranced on this 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:08.600 idea of. 0:19:08.680 --> 0:19:10.560 Landing a big star. 0:19:11.320 --> 0:19:15.159 Why because it wins headlines. Agents love to win the headlines, 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:19.240 asked Rob Polenka. It sells tickets to the fan base. 0:19:19.320 --> 0:19:22.199 You get to put Dame on your tickets, get to 0:19:22.200 --> 0:19:26.400 put Dame on your billboards. Dame time coming to MSG 0:19:26.640 --> 0:19:30.160 this October. You get to tell a fan base you're 0:19:30.160 --> 0:19:34.080 in and win now mode. Everybody thinks that they're coming 0:19:34.119 --> 0:19:38.800 to watch winning basketball. Outside a few players in the NBA, 0:19:38.880 --> 0:19:42.399 and I mean a few, like literally maybe three or five. 0:19:44.200 --> 0:19:48.800 One player on a shitty roster added will never put 0:19:48.840 --> 0:19:50.080 you in win now mode. 0:19:50.119 --> 0:19:54.080 It can put you in lose forever mode. Like look 0:19:54.080 --> 0:19:56.800 at the Calves. Look at the Calves with Kyrie Irving. 0:19:56.840 --> 0:19:58.919 And Kyrie Irving is one of the best players in 0:19:58.960 --> 0:20:02.360 the league, especially his prime when it was just him 0:20:02.359 --> 0:20:02.959 on the Calves. 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:06.639 That team fucking sucked. That team was trash. It was 0:20:06.680 --> 0:20:07.760 gonna stay trash. 0:20:08.359 --> 0:20:12.600 They needed to add healthy pieces to actually compete. And 0:20:12.640 --> 0:20:14.520 of course they got Braun and they got a ring. 0:20:14.560 --> 0:20:17.439 But what do they needed to do? Every time Lebron 0:20:17.520 --> 0:20:20.760 asked him to sell those picks away and then they 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:23.560 couldn't get their own first rounders until they told Lebron 0:20:23.640 --> 0:20:24.560 know and he bounced. 0:20:25.240 --> 0:20:30.520 But it looks good. Buying stars looks good. It's sexy. 0:20:30.920 --> 0:20:33.439 It's sexier than the way that the Suns decided to 0:20:33.440 --> 0:20:36.080 do it. It's sexier than the way that the Grizzlies 0:20:36.119 --> 0:20:37.000 decided to do it. 0:20:37.200 --> 0:20:41.400 And unfortunately for the Knicks, that's a hit for them. Unfortunately, 0:20:41.520 --> 0:20:46.879 that's it. Unfortunately, this is what they do time and time. 0:20:47.160 --> 0:20:50.560 It's like they just keep making the same decisions over 0:20:50.640 --> 0:20:57.760 and over, Like, can I get an amen? Carmelo, Amari Stefon, 0:20:58.359 --> 0:21:04.400 Phil Jackson, jo Keem Noah, that shit didn't work. Robin 0:21:04.560 --> 0:21:10.840 Lopez twenty million a year in the nineties, Latrelle, Alan 0:21:11.000 --> 0:21:13.640 Houston one of the first players they ever ever gave 0:21:13.680 --> 0:21:15.000 one hundred million dollars too. 0:21:15.680 --> 0:21:19.000 That shit did not work. 0:21:19.320 --> 0:21:23.920 And now they're talking Zion, they're talking Donovan Mitchell, they're 0:21:23.960 --> 0:21:24.680 talking Dame. 0:21:25.160 --> 0:21:28.960 Get the fuck out of here, folks. That's not how 0:21:29.000 --> 0:21:33.200 this shit works. So save me from this headline. 0:21:33.320 --> 0:21:35.879 Sn wy, do the Knicks have the right pieces and 0:21:35.960 --> 0:21:39.520 people in place to land the next star? 0:21:40.320 --> 0:21:43.320 The blueprint? The blueprint should have been as follows. 0:21:43.400 --> 0:21:45.520 As soon as you knew you were not contending, which 0:21:45.640 --> 0:21:49.000 was when Trey Young gave you the burth and shook 0:21:49.000 --> 0:21:51.480 you off at Madison Square Garden and still until then. 0:21:51.600 --> 0:21:53.840 Right then, you know, okay, folks, we gotta go into 0:21:53.920 --> 0:21:57.159 damage control mode and tell the world pr wise, we 0:21:57.320 --> 0:22:01.400 are not going to Can ten like they think we are. 0:22:01.760 --> 0:22:03.800 We went to the four seed, but that was a fluke. 0:22:04.960 --> 0:22:08.720 Let's play the youngsters. We know we have youngsters that 0:22:08.840 --> 0:22:12.120 can develop. Look what happened when they started giving those 0:22:12.160 --> 0:22:17.240 youngsters minutes. Obi is now getting a no stop man. 0:22:17.400 --> 0:22:21.720 Obi Topping is getting twenty a game now. The front 0:22:21.800 --> 0:22:26.200 office also has not been smart about their free agent moves. Yes, 0:22:26.240 --> 0:22:28.200 you need them get free agents, but they can't be 0:22:28.320 --> 0:22:29.160 Evan Fournier. 0:22:29.840 --> 0:22:31.320 They can't be Kemba Walker. 0:22:32.400 --> 0:22:35.679 Also, yes, you've made good moves in the draft, but 0:22:36.000 --> 0:22:38.440