1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to this week Uncut in the world of twenty 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: four NBA news. This Chris Hanes works time. It's some time. 3 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: This Liguncut is underway in that fire. This should be 4 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: a good one. Everyone, Welcome to another edition of this 5 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: League Uncut. Mark Stein here with Chris Haynes, coming to 6 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 1: you one day later than we anticipated. Some scheduling curveballs 7 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:41,279 Speaker 1: fired at us. We're working on a really, really tasty 8 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,919 Speaker 1: surprise that I don't want to spoil, I don't want 9 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: to jinx, but as we're getting that situated, that caused 10 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,959 Speaker 1: us to kind of move some things around. But I 11 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: think I think it's okay that we're going on a 12 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: Tuesday instead of the usual Monday. Tons of stuff happening 13 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: in the league. As usual, there were no games Monday, 14 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: as the NBA gave the floor to the men's championship 15 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: game in the college ranks. But look, lots of news, 16 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: and I think I think we're gonna focus on news. 17 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: There's obviously, you know, we're entering the last week of 18 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: the regular season, so there's a lot of talk about 19 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: playoff positioning, but that stuff seems to change by the night. 20 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: So I think we're gonna both Chris and I posted 21 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: Newsy stories on Monday, so you know what, let's let's 22 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,119 Speaker 1: dig in to some of those things. The first thing 23 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: I think, Chris, and this is obviously maybe it's not 24 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: the most entertaining podcast topic, but I do think it 25 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: is the most important thing that has happened in the 26 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: NBA in twenty twenty three. They have a labor deal. 27 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: It happened in the wee hours of Saturday, April Fool's Day. 28 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: They missed their midnight deadline, and that was after pushing 29 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: that deadline back twice. But at around three am on 30 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: Saturday morning, the league and the union jointly announced that 31 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: they have a tentative deal. There's a lot of details 32 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: that have not been written in permanent inc We don't 33 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: have a term sheet to look at yet, but just 34 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: the most important thing, there will be labor piece in 35 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: the NBA through at least twenty eight twenty nine. You 36 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: will be seeing Chris Haynes in his beautiful custom suits 37 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: through at least the twenty eight twenty nine season. No 38 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: work stoppage, because look the way this season started back 39 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 1: in October, when the NBA was pushing for a hardcap. 40 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: You know, I wrote a long story about how they 41 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: wanted an upper spending limit, which was basically their way 42 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: of trying to introduce a hardcap without calling it a hardcap. 43 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: But in twenty twenty three, pretty much once the NBA 44 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: backed off that push, I think behind the scenes there's 45 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: kind of been this belief that they would get a 46 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: deal done and it took lawnger maybe than they anticipated. Again, 47 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: they had to move that deadline back twice, but they 48 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: did get the deal done in the end, and we 49 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: will learn much more about it in coming weeks and months. 50 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: But that, you know, the big thing is there is 51 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: there is labor peace in the NBA, and that you 52 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: can't understand how huge that is. Yeah, I you know, 53 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: you can say, you know, they they extended the deadline. 54 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: I think people might have assumed that this was going 55 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 1: to be a contentious set of negotiations, and from what 56 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: I heard, it didn't really get to a boiling point 57 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: where there was a lot of frustration. You know, we've 58 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: we've covered a lot of we cover a lot of 59 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: these situations where things got bad. You know, So you 60 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: got to give Tamika the Players Association give her credit. 61 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: You got to give Adam Silver credit for coming, you know, 62 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: coming to terms and getting something done out the way. 63 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: Now they can kind of move forward toward looking towards 64 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: the future. And that's going to be on the NBA side, 65 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: the TV landscape and stide. That's going to determine if 66 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: I'm still wearing some suits not on TV, you're gonna 67 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: be fine. Bold predictions, You're going to be just because 68 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: that's the thing this. And look, the NBA and the 69 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: Players Association. No league gets along with its union better 70 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: than the NBA. It is a very close relationship. I 71 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: think some might even say too close, you know, in 72 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: certain situations and among certain personalities. But really, since the 73 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 1: bubble and how closely the league in the union had 74 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: to work together to get the twenty nineteen twenty season 75 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: back on track after four months off and to make 76 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: the bubble happen, and just kind of what came out 77 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: of that season and being able to salvage it and 78 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 1: crown a champion. There is just a stronger relationship between 79 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: these twoes than we see in the other sports leagues. 80 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: But you would also have to say the NBA has 81 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: rebounded from the bubble and is an overall such a 82 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 1: good place a work stoppage would have been the dumbest 83 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: in league history and maybe any league's history, because there 84 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 1: is a massive new media rights deal looming in twenty 85 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: twenty five twenty six. We just saw the Phoenix Suns 86 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: sell for four billion dollars expansion. We know that the 87 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: league will start thinking about expansion after finalizing this labor 88 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: agreement and after getting that TV deal done, so after 89 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five twenty six, expansion becomes a real thing. 90 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: And now we're talking about more billions pouring into this 91 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: league if it grows from thirty teams to thirty two. 92 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: So there is so much money. Last season, the NBA 93 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: recorded its first ever ten billion dollars season and revenue. 94 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: If I'm citing the figure correctly, if I'm not, apologies 95 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: to Tim Reynolds, who he's the one who always points 96 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: that out. I'm pretty sure it was the first ten 97 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: million in revenue season last year. I will try to 98 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: double check that as we go here. But that's there's 99 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: so much money that is pouring in. It would just 100 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: it would have if there was even a day in July, 101 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: a one day lockout, it would have been foolish and disastrous. 102 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: So to get this deal done now and ensure free 103 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: agency will start on time, Summer League with mister wembon 104 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: Yama will start on time. Like that's these are you know, 105 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: it's important, it's important just for the for the overall 106 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 1: health of the league. And I echo what you said initially, 107 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: you have to start in the pot is that I 108 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 1: want to wait until I see all the details of 109 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 1: the term sheet before we go into who got the 110 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: best of who. I've seen some reaction. I've seen some 111 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: reaction from some players off of the you know, the 112 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: little details that's out there already. So I want to 113 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: hold judgment as of right now full of grass. What 114 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: exactly was agreed to before I wigh in. You know, yeah, 115 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: I think you have to I think, well, you don't 116 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: have to be I think you don't have to style 117 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: because most people don't. No, you're right, but I think 118 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: it is the let me rephrase that. I think it's 119 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: the wise move because there we're just getting this stuff piecemeal. 120 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: We don't like, you know, a key element of this 121 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: that that And I didn't do a great job of 122 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: discussing of kind of explaining this in my Monday piece, 123 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: even though I preach caution and said let's wait until 124 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: these deals are all written in final and we can 125 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: really dig into them. But not just that they're going 126 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: to be phased in. All these changes will not go 127 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: immediately into this offseason because you know, they've they've made 128 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: a provision, you know, reportedly they've made a provision, for example, 129 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: for smoothing it anticipation of the new TV deal that 130 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: hasn't happened yet. Smoothing, of course, didn't happen the last 131 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: time there was a huge TV deal and it led 132 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: to the huge cap spike in the summer of twenty 133 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: sixteen that you know, made salaries crazy for that one 134 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: summer and basically enabled Golden State to have enough cap 135 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: space to sign Kevin Durant. So we've heard that there's 136 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: going to be some form of smoothing in this new CBA, 137 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: but the specifics of how that's going to work, we 138 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: don't know them yet. So I think there are still 139 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: many many details to learn and digest wise words, wise words, 140 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: and we gotta stick with that. Now. With that being 141 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: say it, stun, you have some news today, I asked, 142 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: let's jump into the Yeah, I wanted to get that. 143 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: I wanted your news is I wanted to well, if 144 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: my first question is how many MAVs beat writers do 145 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: we have on this podcast? At this point, You're putting 146 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: out a notebook today and you got you have like 147 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: two MAVs items in there. Like now, I feel like 148 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: my next piece I got to come back with some 149 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 1: Dame news because I gotta. I don't know how I'm 150 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: gonna get it, but I need to come up with 151 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: something to to counter you. I get mass nuggets twice 152 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: a year. Sty do you getting on me about that? Star? 153 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: Let me get Let me get my two times a year. 154 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: Come on, stun, don't don't haul the mask all season long. Man, 155 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: Be careful, Just be careful. You never know when I'm 156 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: gonna drop a Dame Lillard exclusive on you. So you 157 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,319 Speaker 1: you reported in your piece today you had around the 158 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: league notebook, and I did as well. But let's let's 159 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: we're gonna start with yours, because I think you had 160 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: some some really good stuff in there. You wrote that 161 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving intends to he does intend to go all 162 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: the way to free agency. He will be eligible for 163 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: an extension with the Mavericks. He is eligible today for 164 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 1: an extension with the Mavericks all the way up till 165 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: the end of June. But you reported he does want 166 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: to actually go to free agency, and I think that's 167 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: not a huge surprise because he can get a larger 168 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: deal by waiting until the summer. But um, you know, obviously, 169 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: even just a suggestion, and you didn't even suggest it, 170 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: you wrote it very factually, but even the suggestion that 171 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving might be going somewhere else naturally gets fans 172 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 1: in Dallas pretty nervous. And they're already living on the 173 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: edge because the Mavericks, as we talked about last week, 174 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: are if not mathematically done, they are they know they're done. 175 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: You said they were done? Was it last week? I 176 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: did last Monday and got to this point, and they 177 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: have with their last week they were one in three 178 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: on a four game trip East. So their chances to 179 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: make me look stupid are dwindling. I mean they are. 180 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: They are one in seven since the Max, since the 181 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: Moxi Kleiba three pointer at the buzzer that beat the 182 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: Lakers one and seven. Not exactly a playoff drive. But Kyrie, 183 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: I mean, what you know, he you know, Kyrie has 184 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: said please don't ask me about my future. I don't 185 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: you know? That was his message on the day he 186 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: was introduced to the local media in Dallas that he 187 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: doesn't want to talk about his contract, but something tells 188 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 1: me that at some point this week it's going to 189 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: be getting contract questions because again, the season in Dallas 190 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: is nearly over. What get out your crystal ball. What 191 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: do you think happens? Well, I do think the Dallas Mavericks, 192 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 1: we'll for sure. I know that they they want to 193 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: resign him. I don't know what that would look like, though, 194 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,679 Speaker 1: and that is the questionable part. That's where things can 195 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: kind of go sour because we've seen what happened in 196 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: Brooklyn when Kyrie wanted to get an extension done and 197 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: how Brooklyn came back with terms that were not guaranteed 198 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: and they were heavily laced with incentives. And then we 199 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 1: know that was a straw that broke the Chemil's back 200 00:11:57,800 --> 00:11:59,839 Speaker 1: as far as Kyrie was concerned, and that's what led 201 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,079 Speaker 1: him him to request the trade. So you know he's 202 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: going to go into free ac too. For the point 203 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: that you mentioned as well, he can get more, he can, 204 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: He's he's elgible for more if he goes that route. 205 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: So I just think the Mavericks. You know, and this 206 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: is a better question for you, Stein, because you know 207 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: the DNA of this team, the history and the track 208 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: record you have with that franchise. Is that the question 209 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 1: I have. Yes, there's interests, Yes they want to resign him. 210 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: But Stein, considering how things ended with Jalen Brunson losing 211 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: him for nothing, then what they gave away to get Kyrie, 212 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: or do you feel like they're in a position where 213 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: they just cannot lose Kyrie or do you feel like no, 214 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: there there still should be boundaries. There should be still 215 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: should be a limit on what you're willing to offer 216 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,319 Speaker 1: this guy in order to keep him a part of 217 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,599 Speaker 1: the club and franchise. And that's what I wanted to 218 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: ask you about. I think the truth is they want 219 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: it all like Kyrie Irving's eligible for a five year 220 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: deal with the Dallas Mavericks. The Dallas Mavericks, I would 221 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: be stunned if they're going to be presenting Kyrie with 222 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: the five year offer now. But because of what you said, 223 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 1: they lost Jalen Brunson for nothing, and all Jalen Brunson 224 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: has done is gone to New York and improved as 225 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: a player for the fifth successive season and didn't get 226 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: an All Star. Berth might not get an All NBA spot, 227 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: but has a case for both. He has been absolutely fantastic. 228 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: He has gone to a new level in New York. 229 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: Under the supposed pressure of playing in the Gotham spotlight, 230 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: it hasn't bothered him a bit. So yeah, I mean, 231 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: on one hand, the Mavericks absolutely positively cannot lose Kyrie 232 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: Irving after losing Jalen Brunson without compensation. But the Mavericks 233 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: also can't give him a five year deal or I 234 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: don't even know if it's me, I've said it. You know, 235 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: if it's me, I would want to offer one plus one, 236 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: and I'm sure Kyrie Irving has zero interest in that 237 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: kind of deal. But from the Mavericks perspective, I'm sure 238 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: they want to make They want to do a deal, 239 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: you know, as as team friendly as they can. Kyrie's 240 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: aiming for a deal that's as close to the five 241 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: year max as he can get. The question will be 242 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: what leverage can he generate? Will Coo out there wants 243 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: to bid on Kyrie in free agency, And to this 244 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: point in my searching, I have not been able to 245 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: find a team that's interested. I wrote this two weeks ago. 246 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: I think it was when I did a piece on 247 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: Kyrie's first six weeks as a Maverick. The Lakers and 248 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: the Suns are the teams that are most frequently mentioned 249 00:14:54,920 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: in league circles as potential Kyrie suitors, but we have 250 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: no tangible indications that I know of from either team 251 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: that they planned to act on that and actually make 252 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: a bid for Kyrie. Erie. Maybe there is a team 253 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: or two out there that is planning to make a 254 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: free agent run at Kyrie that we don't know about, 255 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: but to this point, I haven't been able to pinpoint one. 256 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: I don't know where his external interest is coming, and 257 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: so he's going to have to generate that to get 258 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: the offer he wants. And I think it's a little 259 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: bit too early to tell as of right now what 260 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: is for him. You know, we've heard the teams that 261 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: the teams that were he was tied to in previous seasons, 262 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: the Lakers, Phoenix, Suns. I just don't know how feasible 263 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: that is from a cap situation, going into free agent 264 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: and trying to pursue Kyrie Irving. But one thing I 265 00:15:54,120 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: will say Stein, you mentioned the one in one. My 266 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: fear is that you're you're really asking for problems. If 267 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: a one and one that is presented to Kyrie, that 268 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: is my fear. And I think we're back at okay. 269 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: Where does Kyrie go from here? And I will say this, 270 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: I remember when Brooklyn let me see was it last? 271 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: Was it last offseason? Had to be last offseason? There 272 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: was a threat that Kyrie will opt out of his 273 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: player option. It was before the off season started, a 274 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: threat that he will opt out of his player option 275 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: and potentially sign with the Lakers or some team for 276 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: the minimum, the veteran minimum or something like that. And 277 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: I think it was a bluff, But I will say, 278 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: if there is a player that would I don't know 279 00:16:57,920 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: that he has to go down this road, but if 280 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: there's a player that would think about, Okay, hey, I'm 281 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: not getting the offer that I feel I deserve from 282 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: my home team. You know what, if I'm gonna do 283 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: a one in one or do a one year deal, 284 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go do it somewhere where I want to 285 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: play at and build up my market value for the 286 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: next summer. If it's somebody that I would do that, 287 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: Kyrie would do that. I don't know that he will 288 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 1: have to. But I just think that if if an 289 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: offer is presented that he feels is a low ball pitch, 290 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: I wouldn't discount. Well, excuse me, I wouldn't be surprised 291 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: if he were to take that type of approach. Now, 292 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: just to be clear, though, the one plus one idea, 293 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: that is what mark Stein would do if he was 294 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: in charge. I'm not in charge. So you will start 295 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: a whole summer frenzy of Kyrie watch because you made 296 00:17:55,359 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 1: him that offer and and star and star. Let's get okay, 297 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: one and one is one thing, But what are you 298 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: offering or is he getting his max doing that one 299 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: and one? Yeah, I would offer him. I would offer 300 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: him max at least. But again, this is just what 301 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 1: I would do. If you're asking me what I think 302 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: the Mavericks will do. I think the Mavericks will make 303 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: a multi year offer. It will be better than the 304 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: offer that I would be presenting. I don't know the 305 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: specifics yet. I don't know how many years, but my 306 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: instinct is my early read, and again it's still way 307 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: too early. I that would be my expectation of some 308 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: sort of multi year deal. Is it going to be 309 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: long enough and rich enough to make Kyrie happy. I 310 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: can't answer that question. I genuinely don't know, but I guess. 311 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: You know, I also wrote in that piece, and you know, 312 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: Bobby Marks was the first one at ESPN who I 313 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: kind of heard say this, and I've adopted the same 314 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: of approach Kyrie. Talent wise, the dude is still a wizard. 315 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: He just turned thirty one, same birthday as his coach, 316 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 1: Jason Kidd, who turned fifty. I mean, Kyrie in Atlanta, 317 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: second out of a back to back incredible Sunday. I mean, 318 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 1: the guy can still score like few on this planet can. 319 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: But you know, Bobby kind of threw out there that 320 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,400 Speaker 1: he's a MAX player one year at a time. If 321 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: you can get that approach, and that again, that is 322 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, that is a that is a what's the 323 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: word I'm looking for? It's a It's an approach that 324 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: I have basically copied and swiped and agree with. But again, 325 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: that's just me. I don't speak for the team. I 326 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: don't know exactly what kind of contract they're going to 327 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: offer Kyrie, but I suspect it will be longer than 328 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: I'm suggesting. Yeah, I can pretty much know what to 329 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:04,119 Speaker 1: expect that if that type of offer is presented. But 330 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: that's fine, get clarity. Let's make sure for the aggregators 331 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 1: out there, this is Stine, not the Mavericks. This is Stine. 332 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 1: Like Jake Fisher would say, please don't aggregate this, but 333 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 1: I'm sure it won't work. Um. Yeah, So that so, 334 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: look that those these are the two variables missing that 335 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: we do not know what kind of offer exactly. We 336 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: know the Mavericks want to keep Kyrie Irving. You had 337 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: that in your piece today. What type of offer will 338 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 1: it be? How long will the offer be? And then 339 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 1: what kind of market can Kyrie generate? Can he get 340 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: interest from elsewhere that forces the Mavericks to make an 341 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: offer closer to what he wants. I mean, we'll see, 342 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: we'll see what kind of market there is for Kyrie. 343 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 1: Because you know, again at this point it's you know, 344 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: we've we've just clicked into April free agency is still 345 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 1: nearly three months away. But you know, may attacks to 346 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: pinpoint what the Kyrie Irving market would will be not 347 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: super successful to this point. Also, in your piece today 348 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: you had Stephan Curry. You convinced Stephan Curry to share 349 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: with you his mythical MVP vote. Steph does not have 350 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: a ballot. He is not voting, but he said if 351 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 1: he were a voter, he would be voting for Joel embiid. 352 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: Were you surprised by that selection? I was surprised that 353 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: it didn't take any pulling of the teeth for me 354 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: to get that out of Steph. That's what I was 355 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:42,400 Speaker 1: surprised about. You know, Steph is real calculated, real calculated. 356 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: If there's something he's not sure of, if there's a 357 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,719 Speaker 1: question he's not sure of answering, he will kind of pause, 358 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: go into space, think about it for a minute before 359 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: he responds, or even if he responds. It didn't take that. 360 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: He went straight to Joel. He was with Joel, and 361 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: he went on to talk about the lead that he 362 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,120 Speaker 1: feels Joel had this year and how he's pretty much 363 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: carrying his team, And you know, I was surprised. I 364 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: was surprised he had that. I was surprised he had 365 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:20,360 Speaker 1: that take. But I think it rings volumes because steps 366 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: a two time MVP, no know what it takes to 367 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: win that award. He's the only player in NBA history 368 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 1: who's won that award unanimously. So I think from from 369 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 1: what he sees and how he judges it and bases 370 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: his MVP off of I think his I think that 371 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: speaks volumes. But you know, I do look at occasionally 372 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: look through skim through social media and see what fans 373 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: are saying. You know, I like to get a pulse. 374 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: Not all the time, but I like to get a pulse. 375 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: And I started seeing there was a there was a 376 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: little trend, a little minor trend of people saying, hey, 377 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: what do you expect Steph to say? Him? And him 378 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: and Joel Embi share the same Uh, they're both with 379 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 1: under armor. And I forgot about that. I don't know 380 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: that I know Steph pretty well. I don't know. I 381 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 1: don't know that that played a part. You know, he's 382 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: really he's going to keep it real. I do genuinely 383 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 1: that's his choice for MVP. UM, But I wouldn't you know, 384 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:22,679 Speaker 1: I was. I was surprised that it didn't take It 385 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,679 Speaker 1: didn't take really anything at all to get the answer 386 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 1: out of him. Are you surprised by his answer? Stein? 387 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: Um Na not. You know, I think I think a 388 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: lot of people feel the same that you know, Joe 389 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: is and look, he's come in second two years in 390 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: a row, and a lot of people around the league, 391 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: not just Steph, feel as though he's due that he 392 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 1: should have one, you know, but that shouldn't decide Stein 393 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: like I don't. I don't like that premise of Okay, 394 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,159 Speaker 1: he was robbed before, he should get it this year. No, 395 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 1: it's a year of the Year award. Now, if you 396 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: ask me personally who I think I will vote for, 397 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: I think I will go for Joel. And let me 398 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: just announce this real quick, because I told you I 399 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 1: didn't I haven't told the public on this podcast. I'm 400 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: actually I actually would not have a ballot of postseason 401 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: ballot this year. I declined to vote last season for 402 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:27,159 Speaker 1: a reason and they forgot to take me off the 403 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:32,840 Speaker 1: non voting list. So I'm not I won't have a ballot, 404 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: but as a right now, like I think I'm leaning 405 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: towards MB, but I just don't agree on the premise 406 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: of voters fatigue. I don't leave in the premise of 407 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,120 Speaker 1: all he shouldn't have got last year, So let's reward 408 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: Joel now, like I'm going by year to year and 409 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: so that I just wanted to interrupt and say that, well, 410 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 1: that makes two of us because I haven't voted since 411 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen, so that means this league, uncut, will be 412 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 1: casting zero official ballots when it comes to year end awards. 413 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 1: And I was thinking, do we need to do We 414 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,199 Speaker 1: might need to do a pod? Where should we do 415 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,160 Speaker 1: a pod next week where after the regular season's over 416 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:11,479 Speaker 1: we go through our mythical choices and say who we 417 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: would have voted for in every category. I don't know 418 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: if no problem, I don't know if people would be 419 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: interested in that. I am still leaning Yokich and I'm 420 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,120 Speaker 1: with you. I came into the season. I don't want 421 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,239 Speaker 1: to hear about voter fatigue. I don't want to hear 422 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: about But now he'll have three in a row and 423 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: only Bill Russell and Will and Larry Birder at three 424 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: in a row, and we can't put Yoki on the 425 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 1: three in a row list. I'm with you. It is 426 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 1: a season two season award. The way that I've always 427 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: voted has been who has the best season? Every season? 428 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: Is a story unto itself. I think the combination of 429 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: Denver leading the West wire to wire with only one 430 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 1: All Star, and then all the numbers that Yoki has 431 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 1: stacked up along the way. That's why I think he 432 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:04,879 Speaker 1: has a slight edge. But I have to say, you know, 433 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,199 Speaker 1: and Beat is right there, and I continue to be marvel. 434 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: I continue to marvel at how little mentioned Yannis is 435 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: getting because the Bucks are going to have the best 436 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,439 Speaker 1: record in the league. Chris Middleton will not be playing 437 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 1: even forty games this season due to all the injury 438 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 1: woe he's had. Yes, he's still as Drew Holiday as 439 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:30,159 Speaker 1: a teammate. Yes, Broke Lopez is born again. The Bucks 440 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: have a lot of good vets who know what they're doing. 441 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 1: But Jannis has had another MVP caliber season that we 442 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 1: really don't discuss. So I think you could make a 443 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: case for any of the three that is and it 444 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: is the correct one. They all have a real strong case. 445 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: You know. If I were voting, I would wait till, 446 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: you know, the season end Sunday. Ballots are not due 447 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:00,679 Speaker 1: back to the league office till Monday. I would not 448 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: turn my ballot in until Monday, because the choice is 449 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: that hard and that important. But like I don't as 450 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: long as your choice is Yoki or Joe or Janie, 451 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: you know, do you As long as it's one of 452 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 1: those three, I'm fine with it. You can make a 453 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 1: case for any of the three. So okay, you can 454 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: say that, but you know good and Wales Stein, there's 455 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 1: gonna be somebody out there who gets a first place. 456 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: There's my dog again. Oh boy, your dog's name is Prince. Correct, 457 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,199 Speaker 1: my dog's name is Prince. So does Prince. Do you 458 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: think that's because he doesn't like our performance or he 459 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: just wants to be known. I can tell you exactly 460 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 1: what it is. Our neighbors just got a dog two 461 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:53,440 Speaker 1: weeks ago, a male dog, and so every time they come, 462 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:56,679 Speaker 1: oh man, it's it's brutal. It's I told you the 463 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: origin of Prince. How we how we got him? No, 464 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:01,199 Speaker 1: I don't if you did, I've already forgotten, which is 465 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:03,919 Speaker 1: no surprise because my memory sucks. I don't think you have. 466 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 1: I don't remember that. So boy, I'm dreading. I'm sorry. 467 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,680 Speaker 1: I'm sorry everybody. If I'm saying that, yes, this this 468 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: is not my pet, it's my daughter's pet, I should 469 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:18,640 Speaker 1: say that this is their dog. So when I got 470 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: called to go into the bubble, it was three days before. 471 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:24,959 Speaker 1: It was three days before they wanted me to go. 472 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: So they wanted me to go in the bubble for 473 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: spending spend, spend three and a half months in the bubble. 474 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 1: Leave Monday, but they informed me on Friday and I 475 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: had to make the choice within two days. So my kids, 476 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: my two my two youngest daughters, who were like ten 477 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: to eleven at the time, I told them, Hey, I 478 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: gotta go in the bubble. I gotta be going for 479 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: three and a half months. And they just broke down, cry, 480 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: broke down, crying, and I knew they wanted a dog. 481 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 1: So I said, baby, so just to just to make 482 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 1: this a peaceful transition for me leaving the house all 483 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: that time, I said, girls, girls, don't cry, I be 484 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 1: a dog. I'll give you a dog. And they just 485 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: tears dried up. What okay? So I was happy, happy. 486 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: It was a peaceful transition me going into the bubble. 487 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: And then I didn't have to deal with the dog 488 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: for three and a half months because I was in 489 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: the bubble. And then when I got here, oh boy, 490 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: it's it's another it's another. It feel like another human 491 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: I'm taking care of. And so I get the dog, 492 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: get the dog barks. They they're asking me to walk 493 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: the dog, and I'm like, no, this is your dog. 494 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 1: You should walk the dog. So there's there's a lot. 495 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 1: I love the dog, really good. Dog barks a whole 496 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: lot because there's other dogs around. That's the origin of 497 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:44,800 Speaker 1: how we became a dog family. You one bazillion percent 498 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 1: did not tell me that story before, because I would remember. 499 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: I remember, I would have remembered if it. I mean, 500 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: it's it's an NBA story. It's it's I mean the bubble. Man, 501 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: I was there fifty three days, and you were there 502 00:29:58,000 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: twice as long as me. I mean like you were 503 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 1: there over you were there more than one hundred days, 504 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: and like I'm a born traveler, but that number still 505 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 1: staggers me because after fifty three days, I was ready 506 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: to be done, and I can't believe that you had 507 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: to basically go another fifty plus days. I believe it 508 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: was in nine I believe. I believe it's one hundred 509 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: and nine days and there. I mean, yeah, I really 510 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: don't know how you did it. I mean, it was 511 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: it was a you know, it was it was hard, 512 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: it was real. I'll tell you right now, Stu, I 513 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: feel like going back in that bubble right hearing this 514 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: dog bark right here right beside me. Man, I will 515 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: say this like I'm so glad I went, Like, I 516 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 1: love that I can say that I was there for that, 517 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,719 Speaker 1: Like that was. Yeah. I mean I think we'll always 518 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: remember being you know, I mean living living on planet NBA. 519 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: I mean it was. It's just so crazy to think about. 520 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: Like I still, like I actually was going through my 521 00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: phone there day. I found some old pictures and like, 522 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: I loved the beginning when there were twenty two teams 523 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:08,479 Speaker 1: in the Bubble and literally, um there were some teams 524 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 1: that nobody was paying attention to, including at the time, 525 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: the Phoenix Suns. I mean, you know, Phoenix went there 526 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 1: with the longest odds of anybody to try to get 527 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: into the playoffs, and that was kind of the start 528 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: of Phoenix's success Undermany Williams, and and you know they 529 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: went I think they went eight no the Bubble. Yeah, 530 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 1: they missed by like a half game. But I remember 531 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 1: going to the Sun's practices and being the only reporter there, 532 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 1: like nobody was paying attention to them. Same thing. I 533 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: remember going to a Washington Wizard's practice and Scotty Brooks 534 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:43,920 Speaker 1: was so happy to see me. I thought he was 535 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: gonna let me jump in the layup lines because like 536 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 1: they they were so happy that somebody was paying attention. 537 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 1: I mean it was an incredible I mean, once in 538 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 1: a lifetime experience for sure. But yeah, you doing you. 539 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: I was happy with my feet three days, one hundred 540 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: and nine, Man, one hundred and nine, you had Stein, 541 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: That's that's that was a time where you you got 542 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 1: to know your colleague is on a different level and 543 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 1: a more personal level. And me and you always been tight. 544 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 1: But just just seeing how you move was always common. 545 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 1: I mean, just just to see like Stein would actually 546 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: you know Stein, you know, he's a weird guy. Hold on, 547 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 1: what's what's one? Hold on? Where do you think I'm 548 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: going my writing habits? Yes, you're right, so Stein. You know, 549 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: common folks, regular people. We tend to go on our 550 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 1: laptops and write our stories that way, you know, the 551 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 1: traditional way you go gather quotes, get your information. Then 552 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: you go sit at a desk, sit at a desk, 553 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: you know, go to your room. You know, common folks stuff. 554 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: So I would say this though, my time working with 555 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 1: working at ESPN and working alongside Stein, that was when 556 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: so I got to ESPN. What year was that, probably seventeen, yeah, 557 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: sixteen seventeen, So that year working with you. I started 558 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: because I saw you. I started writing on my phone 559 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: and so I would probably I'm being honest, probably seventy 560 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 1: eight of the stories are right, or the reports that 561 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: I that I report on. I write strictly from my phone, 562 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 1: and that's from Stein. I just got better at it, 563 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: and it's a habit. But Stein takes it to another level. 564 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 1: So Stein writes his stories from his BlackBerry for the 565 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 1: most most of the time. But not just that. Stein 566 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:57,880 Speaker 1: would walk in a circle for hour, maybe even longer 567 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 1: than hour, just walk in a not a big circle, 568 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:05,800 Speaker 1: just walk in a circle. And he's writing and I'm like, 569 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: what are you doing? And he was like, well, writing 570 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: the story and I'm like, no, this walking around the 571 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 1: circle we're doing. Oh, I'm just getting my steps in 572 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 1: just just exercise. It's my way of getting my steps. 573 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:18,759 Speaker 1: I'm like, you are so weird, Like go sit down, 574 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:20,840 Speaker 1: I go see Like I get right in on the 575 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 1: phone now because I do it. No, he will pace, 576 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 1: pace around, just walk in a circle writing. He can 577 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 1: do that, Like I'm I would be afraid that I'm 578 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: gonna run into something. Stein That's how he gets down. 579 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:37,799 Speaker 1: So it's that that was just just seeing how you roll, 580 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: just seeing how you get down with your job. That 581 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: was pretty cool to see. You know, there's a couple 582 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: of things. See what happened. The reason it was is 583 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:49,399 Speaker 1: because in kind of our wing of the bubble, the 584 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: the you know what was that what was it called Disney. 585 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: We were Coronado Springs. We were in the Coronado Springs 586 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:01,920 Speaker 1: Hotel in the bubble, and in our building where all 587 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,719 Speaker 1: the journalists were, and there were about twenty of us 588 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: at one time. We're all basically in the same building. 589 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:10,720 Speaker 1: There was a courtyard, a circular courtyard, so I would 590 00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:13,960 Speaker 1: just walk in that courtyard and right on my phone. 591 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. In that Orlando humidity. You combine 592 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 1: that Orlando humidity with the fact that we were I 593 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:27,840 Speaker 1: was eating less than I ever have because I could 594 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 1: not stomach the food that was provided for. I basically 595 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 1: only ate once a day because there was a very 596 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:38,879 Speaker 1: There was like a window from like four to ten 597 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 1: where you could order delivery, so I would only eat 598 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:47,600 Speaker 1: basically once a day. You combine my lessoned eating with 599 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 1: writing in the heat, and I came back from the 600 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: bubble and I was down about twenty pounds. Is the 601 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 1: best the best physical shape I've been in in ages, 602 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:01,000 Speaker 1: and unfortunately it didn't last. So that right was actually good. Man, 603 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:04,040 Speaker 1: It was like it was like an exercise course. Stein. 604 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:08,440 Speaker 1: Remember I got reprimanded in the bubble for coming over 605 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: to your to your coming over to your hotel road 606 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:21,919 Speaker 1: while you were in quarantine. Oh my goodness, that's that's 607 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: knocked on. You knocked on my door. And like the 608 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: security guards were interviewing us, like, what did you what happened? 609 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:34,080 Speaker 1: They hear me up in THEIA ladd the bubble. Multiple 610 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: security guards hit me up. I went through it. They investigated. 611 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,400 Speaker 1: Chris Haynes and Malika Andrews got to go to the 612 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 1: bubble like ten plus days before the rest of us. 613 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 1: So you two were already through protocol able to go 614 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 1: out into the world and report everybody else who got there. 615 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 1: The first thing you had to do was quarantine for 616 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:57,919 Speaker 1: seven to ten days. I can't remember it was seven 617 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: or ten seven seven days. First seven days, you're just behind. 618 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: You're in your room, you can't leave, and I'm in 619 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:07,480 Speaker 1: there for fifteen minutes and Chris Hayes is trying to 620 00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:12,720 Speaker 1: break in, and man, I went not I took video 621 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: of it. I don't know why I did that. I 622 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:20,600 Speaker 1: took video. I went to Stye because it's the quarantine area. 623 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:24,840 Speaker 1: So again Start is in his room. So I'm like, okay, 624 00:37:24,840 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go over there. I'm a knocking is doing run. 625 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:29,960 Speaker 1: I just wanted to see his star pokes his head out, 626 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 1: so I go over there. I recorded it. So I 627 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,239 Speaker 1: go to his room, knocking is doing it. I run, 628 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:36,640 Speaker 1: So I run and hide around a quarter. I am 629 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 1: about fifteen feet away, and I see stein head piece's 630 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:42,719 Speaker 1: head out. He's like, what are you doing? What are 631 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:46,880 Speaker 1: you doing? And from that point though NBA got a 632 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 1: hold of the video, saw it, investigated me, interrogated me, 633 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 1: talk to you star. Can you imagine if I had 634 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 1: been kicked out of the bubble, if I had to 635 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 1: I was at the New York Times. That if I 636 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 1: had to call the New York Times and say, I've 637 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 1: been here for an hour and I've already been forced 638 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,760 Speaker 1: I've been asked to leave because Chris Haynes, not Chris 639 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:11,360 Speaker 1: Haynes had the temerity to knock on my door. Unbelievable. 640 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:16,640 Speaker 1: We you know, we've gone so long with bubble stories. 641 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:19,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna next. I'm gonna figure out when to tell 642 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:21,520 Speaker 1: a bubble story about you. But we're not gonna do 643 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:23,080 Speaker 1: that now because we've gone too long. We need to 644 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:26,440 Speaker 1: get back to the NBA news. Let's let's let's do 645 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 1: a little coaching before we go. The Nick Nurse situation 646 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:41,080 Speaker 1: in Toronto is fascinating. There have been rumblings about Nick 647 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:45,600 Speaker 1: Nurse and Toronto parting ways at season season's end. It's 648 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:48,920 Speaker 1: kind of been percolating. I think I heard it for 649 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:51,799 Speaker 1: the first time in February, but I didn't write it, 650 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:54,879 Speaker 1: and frankly, I wasn't sure how much credence to give 651 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: it because the Raptors got off to that terrible start. 652 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:01,279 Speaker 1: They were twenty three and thirty. But since then they're 653 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:05,400 Speaker 1: sixteen and nine. They've you know, basically been you know, 654 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:08,640 Speaker 1: a much better team here since the trade deadline, and 655 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:10,680 Speaker 1: you know, all their main guys have been in trade 656 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:13,680 Speaker 1: rumors all season long. But the other night before a 657 00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 1: game in Philly, you know, Nick Nurse was asked kind 658 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:19,359 Speaker 1: of where his head's at about the future, and Nick, 659 00:39:20,239 --> 00:39:26,440 Speaker 1: with his quotes basically gave gave some life to the 660 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,920 Speaker 1: idea that you know, yeah, you know, Nick said, I've 661 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 1: basically Nick and I'm paraphrasing here, but Nick basically said, 662 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:35,399 Speaker 1: I've been with this team for ten years, five five 663 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:37,279 Speaker 1: as in assistant, five as the head coach, and at 664 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:40,479 Speaker 1: season's end, we're all going to step away and kind 665 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:43,840 Speaker 1: of evaluate things. And you know, the quotes have just 666 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:46,799 Speaker 1: kind of given life now to this storyline, and I, 667 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 1: you know, I I tend to think we're going to 668 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:51,680 Speaker 1: be hearing a lot more about it between now and 669 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:54,600 Speaker 1: the end of the season, even though the Raptors, you know, 670 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:57,160 Speaker 1: have picked up their play and you know they're they're 671 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:58,799 Speaker 1: not going to get in the top six, but they're 672 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:02,320 Speaker 1: certainly in the mix for seven or eight and needing 673 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:06,640 Speaker 1: only one plan when to get to the playoffs. So, 674 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:11,320 Speaker 1: I mean, kind of what was your reaction hearing hearing 675 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:15,440 Speaker 1: where Nick Nick took the conversation the other day, Not 676 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:19,840 Speaker 1: really that surprise, because yes, I've heard those rumblings myself. 677 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:25,400 Speaker 1: It reminded me of a similar quote or comments that 678 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:30,280 Speaker 1: Nate McMillan had before he was let go from the Hawks. 679 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,720 Speaker 1: He said that he would take time after the season 680 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:38,880 Speaker 1: to decide his fate, and usually that's that's interesting to 681 00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:41,919 Speaker 1: hear that when when a coach still has years left 682 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 1: on his contract. You know, when the coach starts talking about, hey, 683 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:49,719 Speaker 1: i'll evaluate you know where I'm at. You know, when 684 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:51,759 Speaker 1: you when a coach has a year or two left, 685 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:56,040 Speaker 1: I'll let you know there's some trouble brewing behind the scenes. 686 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:01,279 Speaker 1: So with Nick Nurse situation, you know, we've been hearing 687 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:05,560 Speaker 1: this for a while. Toronto Raptors had a disappointing season, 688 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:09,560 Speaker 1: definitely for their standards, and you know, we've been hearing 689 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 1: about players being disgruntled with their roles. Um, you know, 690 00:41:19,239 --> 00:41:22,720 Speaker 1: there's other things behind the scenes that have happened that 691 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:28,000 Speaker 1: that hadn't seen the light yet. But I think, um, 692 00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:30,920 Speaker 1: I think Nick's Nurse. I think Nick Nurse is a 693 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:32,839 Speaker 1: really good coach. You know, I used to talk to 694 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:34,959 Speaker 1: him a lot when he was a G League coach, 695 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: when he was on the when he was just on 696 00:41:37,239 --> 00:41:40,920 Speaker 1: the on the up, and you knew, you knew he 697 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:44,920 Speaker 1: would find his way. And so even if this is 698 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:48,600 Speaker 1: the last season with the Raptors, I it would be 699 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:51,160 Speaker 1: hard to imagine that he will not be a head 700 00:41:51,160 --> 00:41:56,279 Speaker 1: coaching this league somewhere next season. So I'm trying to 701 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:00,480 Speaker 1: I'm trying to up segue that, you know what I mean, 702 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:04,759 Speaker 1: Try to lead people in the right direction here, but 703 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:07,080 Speaker 1: Nick Nurse is going to be Yeah, I mean, the 704 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:10,080 Speaker 1: reality is the talk has already started about Nick potentially 705 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:12,840 Speaker 1: surfacing in Houston. And then the other layer of this 706 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,960 Speaker 1: that I didn't mention. Uh, you know, Steve Bullpet and 707 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:20,160 Speaker 1: Doug Smith have both written this before I'm saying it. 708 00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:23,520 Speaker 1: You know that that Emay Udoka's name is coming up 709 00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:25,759 Speaker 1: in Toronto because I think it's pretty well known that 710 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:30,400 Speaker 1: Massiau Jerry is an Emay Udoka fan, and Emay was 711 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:34,480 Speaker 1: considered in Toronto's search previously when Nick Nurse got the 712 00:42:34,560 --> 00:42:39,319 Speaker 1: job to replace Dwayne Casey. So it's it's it's just 713 00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:44,279 Speaker 1: interesting that this Toronto talk has already started and it's 714 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:47,520 Speaker 1: really picked up here in the last week plus, when 715 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:51,040 Speaker 1: you know, Toronto's season is still very much alive again. 716 00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:54,240 Speaker 1: They're in the play in. Whether they finished eighth, ninth, 717 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:56,600 Speaker 1: tenth in the East is still to be determined, but 718 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:00,279 Speaker 1: you know, Toronto is going to be in the play 719 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:03,560 Speaker 1: in and could very well emerge from the plan with 720 00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 1: a playoff spot. So, I mean, their season is not 721 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:08,480 Speaker 1: necessarily even close to being over, and this stuff is 722 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:11,880 Speaker 1: already bubbling, So that that's the surprise, and then you know, 723 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:18,840 Speaker 1: Greg Popovich is another situation where Greg Popovich. Look, I 724 00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:20,680 Speaker 1: don't want to sit here and act like I know 725 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:23,120 Speaker 1: what he's going to do, but if you ask me 726 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:27,080 Speaker 1: to look in my crystal ball, I tend to believe 727 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:30,319 Speaker 1: that Pop will be back next season, even though he 728 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:35,120 Speaker 1: just turned seventy four in January. And I think even 729 00:43:35,239 --> 00:43:38,800 Speaker 1: I can say with even greater confidence, you know, he's 730 00:43:38,840 --> 00:43:42,000 Speaker 1: not just gonna walk away before the draft lottery. The 731 00:43:42,080 --> 00:43:44,880 Speaker 1: draft lottery is May sixteenth. What if San Antonio wins 732 00:43:44,920 --> 00:43:49,080 Speaker 1: the lottery and wins the right to draft Victor wemban Yama. 733 00:43:49,120 --> 00:43:51,480 Speaker 1: I would imagine that Pop would want at least one 734 00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:56,560 Speaker 1: year coaching Monsieur Wemby, So you know, I don't you know, 735 00:43:56,880 --> 00:44:01,000 Speaker 1: maybe Pop will decide that this is it, but I 736 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:05,000 Speaker 1: don't imagine that that's something that he would declare before 737 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:08,879 Speaker 1: the draft lottery. But just like Nick Nurse, Pop's own 738 00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:12,360 Speaker 1: words here have kind of put some doubt into the mix. 739 00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:15,919 Speaker 1: Because Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News had 740 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:18,920 Speaker 1: a piece last week and there's the quote in there 741 00:44:18,920 --> 00:44:22,600 Speaker 1: from Pop where Pop himself says their quote, there are 742 00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:25,160 Speaker 1: those nights when I say, what the hell am I 743 00:44:25,239 --> 00:44:29,160 Speaker 1: doing here? Do I need to do this? So when 744 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:35,080 Speaker 1: a coach says that publicly, it naturally makes muckrakers like you, 745 00:44:35,160 --> 00:44:37,800 Speaker 1: and I wonder if he's trying to tell us something. 746 00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:40,719 Speaker 1: And you know, again, I don't think we have a 747 00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:43,879 Speaker 1: definitive steer one way or the other. You know, if 748 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:47,520 Speaker 1: I was forced to forecast, I still tend to think 749 00:44:47,560 --> 00:44:49,759 Speaker 1: he comes back for one more. But let's see, let's 750 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:54,600 Speaker 1: see what's Let's see where that goes. Yeah, I understand 751 00:44:54,600 --> 00:44:56,520 Speaker 1: why he would say something like that with the current 752 00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:59,240 Speaker 1: team that he has. He doesn't have Victor on that roster. 753 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:02,359 Speaker 1: I think his team would change a little bit if 754 00:45:02,400 --> 00:45:06,000 Speaker 1: they were to get that guy. He does not the Spurs. 755 00:45:06,440 --> 00:45:09,239 Speaker 1: I'm actually assembling. We're taping this on a Monday night. 756 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,600 Speaker 1: I'm assembling my last power rankings of the season. The 757 00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:16,799 Speaker 1: Spurs have eight losses by thirty five points or more 758 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:20,480 Speaker 1: this season. That is a league single season record. Have 759 00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:22,400 Speaker 1: you had any Spurs games this season? If they've been 760 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:25,279 Speaker 1: on national TV? Have you had any Have you had 761 00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:29,680 Speaker 1: any sideline interactions with Pop lately? No? The last Spurs 762 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:35,960 Speaker 1: game idea was for TNT. That was my last game 763 00:45:36,520 --> 00:45:41,160 Speaker 1: when the NBA postponed the season when they stopped playing, 764 00:45:42,440 --> 00:45:45,680 Speaker 1: I was, I was it was a Santonio Spurs. I 765 00:45:45,800 --> 00:45:49,040 Speaker 1: forget who they were playing, but I was in San Antonio, 766 00:45:49,360 --> 00:45:51,200 Speaker 1: so it was it was a Spurs game. And that's 767 00:45:51,239 --> 00:45:55,279 Speaker 1: when it was Actually it was funny because they were 768 00:45:55,440 --> 00:45:59,840 Speaker 1: NBA was trying to implement a you know that the 769 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,040 Speaker 1: distance or where you should stand back. So that was 770 00:46:03,040 --> 00:46:05,200 Speaker 1: like the first game they were trying to implement some 771 00:46:05,239 --> 00:46:09,560 Speaker 1: type of protocol. And then right after that game that 772 00:46:09,640 --> 00:46:12,040 Speaker 1: was it. NBA, NBA stop. So I was in San 773 00:46:12,080 --> 00:46:14,960 Speaker 1: Antonio when all that happened. That's the last time. So 774 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:19,719 Speaker 1: that's twenty twenty three years. Dan. Wasn't that your very 775 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:24,000 Speaker 1: first game or I'm not not that my first sideline 776 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:27,719 Speaker 1: assignment my first So yeah, my first sideline assignment was 777 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:32,719 Speaker 1: Lakers Spurs in LA. Yeah. But yeah, so I haven't 778 00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:34,799 Speaker 1: had yet. So I haven't had a Spurs game since 779 00:46:34,840 --> 00:46:38,520 Speaker 1: my first year UM as a sideline porter for TNT 780 00:46:38,840 --> 00:46:42,719 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty. All right, I think we're gonna put 781 00:46:42,719 --> 00:46:45,200 Speaker 1: a on this one before that, well on before that, 782 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:47,560 Speaker 1: let me let me throw this just please tell me 783 00:46:47,600 --> 00:46:50,200 Speaker 1: this is not another story about one of my bad habits. No, No, 784 00:46:50,360 --> 00:46:53,000 Speaker 1: we'll say that we got more time. We'll say that, hey, 785 00:46:53,040 --> 00:46:56,879 Speaker 1: I got another I had another mask, little minor masks, nugget, 786 00:46:57,000 --> 00:46:59,000 Speaker 1: Let me rub it in your face, Stine an little 787 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:03,719 Speaker 1: little another man, as nugget, Jared Dudley's sources told me, 788 00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:08,440 Speaker 1: will be coaching the Maverick Summer League team on his 789 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:14,240 Speaker 1: quest to game more experienced, to be coming a top 790 00:47:14,280 --> 00:47:19,480 Speaker 1: flight head coach candidate, head coaching candidate in NBA. How 791 00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:21,320 Speaker 1: you feel about that? Start? As soon as we finished 792 00:47:21,360 --> 00:47:23,840 Speaker 1: recording this, I'm gonna call everyone I know in Portland 793 00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:32,280 Speaker 1: to see what I can come up with. A congress 794 00:47:32,320 --> 00:47:37,719 Speaker 1: to Jared Dudley, I'm done. Start, I'm done, No, Jared Dudley. 795 00:47:38,160 --> 00:47:41,279 Speaker 1: Jared Dudley was, as you noted. You also wrote in 796 00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:44,160 Speaker 1: your piece about how Kenny Atkinson wanted to bring him 797 00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:48,400 Speaker 1: to Charlotte, had Kenny Atkinson taking the job that he 798 00:47:48,440 --> 00:47:51,239 Speaker 1: initially accepted. Of course, he decided not to take that 799 00:47:51,320 --> 00:47:53,520 Speaker 1: Charlotte job in the end, But yes, I you know 800 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:57,560 Speaker 1: Jared Dudley is He's had a very strong impact in 801 00:47:57,600 --> 00:48:00,319 Speaker 1: his short time as an assistant coach in Dallas, and 802 00:48:03,000 --> 00:48:04,600 Speaker 1: I do think I do think we're going to see 803 00:48:04,680 --> 00:48:06,799 Speaker 1: him someday as an NBA head coach. I agree with you, 804 00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:11,480 Speaker 1: that would be cool. That'd be really cool. Stun Just 805 00:48:11,520 --> 00:48:15,160 Speaker 1: stay off my beat, though, I will. I'll look out 806 00:48:15,160 --> 00:48:19,160 Speaker 1: for you next. I'm like I said, I'm hit. I'm 807 00:48:19,239 --> 00:48:21,719 Speaker 1: hitting the phones as soon as we're done, seeing how 808 00:48:21,719 --> 00:48:23,960 Speaker 1: many five or three numbers I can find in my phone. 809 00:48:24,440 --> 00:48:27,920 Speaker 1: That does it for another edition of This League Uncut. 810 00:48:28,600 --> 00:48:31,520 Speaker 1: Chris and I will be back in a matter of 811 00:48:31,600 --> 00:48:35,360 Speaker 1: days with another episode. This week, we are still working 812 00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:37,960 Speaker 1: on the aforementioned surprise. That's all I can tell you 813 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:40,880 Speaker 1: for now, but I promise everyone is going to like it. 814 00:48:41,480 --> 00:48:46,480 Speaker 1: Everyone enjoy the final week of the NBA's seventy seventh 815 00:48:46,560 --> 00:48:52,040 Speaker 1: regular season. And this is very important. Please rate, review, 816 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:57,279 Speaker 1: subscribe to This League Uncut, Stay with us. We'll be 817 00:48:57,280 --> 00:49:04,640 Speaker 1: back with another episode of Careboy and that'll do it 818 00:49:04,680 --> 00:49:08,680 Speaker 1: for us. See you next time. This League Uncut is 819 00:49:08,719 --> 00:49:15,719 Speaker 1: an I Heart Radio production bosucka Loca Chris Hanes and 820 00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:16,520 Speaker 1: Mark Steyn