WEBVTT - LeBron James PREDICTION, Lamar Jackson's MASSIVE Top 100 slide, Kevin Durant TAKES SHOT at Nick 0:00:02.000 --> 0:00:04.920 Welcome in What Driving Think Right episode for eighty. This 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:07.240 episode of What Driving Thick Right is presented to you 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:10.840 by Boost Mobile. A reminder to you, guys subscribe to 0:00:10.880 --> 0:00:14.200 the pod that way, you know, when these Bonus Friday 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:17.239 pods come out, we have a great We had a 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:19.720 great mail bag pod ready for you guys with some 0:00:19.760 --> 0:00:22.040 great long form questions. You guys are really doing a 0:00:22.079 --> 0:00:27.520 good job doing sending long, thoughtful emails to What's Rightmailbag 0:00:27.560 --> 0:00:30.040 at gmail dot com. But we are pushing that to 0:00:30.280 --> 0:00:33.320 next week because I did so much on the World 0:00:33.400 --> 0:00:35.880 Cup on Thursday that there are these non World Cup 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:39.160 stories that I figured we could just get to right 0:00:39.240 --> 0:00:42.360 here in this There were too many other stories that 0:00:42.400 --> 0:00:44.800 we weren't able to get to. Adam Silver's press conference, 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:51.160 Kawhi's trade non trade, everything happening there, these NFL lists. 0:00:51.280 --> 0:00:56.440 Lebron's future now, there is some belief in some circles 0:00:56.440 --> 0:01:00.520 we are recording this Thursday afternoon, that Thursday evening, Lebron's 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:03.000 gonna announce where he's going. I don't I'm not one 0:01:03.000 --> 0:01:06.280 of the people that believes that if he does, then 0:01:06.319 --> 0:01:09.760 our Lebron portion of this will be useless. And you 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:11.479 can fast forward through. But I don't think he's gonna 0:01:11.440 --> 0:01:15.440 announce it before you guys hear this. But again, if 0:01:15.440 --> 0:01:17.640 you want to participate in the mailbag, What's Right mailbag 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:21.360 at gmail dot com. Demons's doing a little overtime today 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:25.720 because Lamar Jay. The bunch of lists have come out 0:01:26.200 --> 0:01:32.440 and Lamar is not being respected on them. I'll let 0:01:32.520 --> 0:01:33.479 you take it from there. 0:01:33.840 --> 0:01:36.319 Yeah, so my goy, Lamar has been getting crucified over 0:01:36.360 --> 0:01:39.240 the course of the last few days. Sixty ninth in 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:42.279 the NFL Top one hundred. People are ranking him. 0:01:42.200 --> 0:01:46.000 After being second last year. His number two the NFL 0:01:46.040 --> 0:01:49.600 Top one hundred is voted by players. He was second 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:52.880 last year, sixty ninth this year, go ahead. 0:01:52.600 --> 0:01:56.040 Right drops the sixty ninth amongst his peers. He's outside 0:01:56.040 --> 0:02:00.640 of the top ten in multiple quarterback lists. What's going on? 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:04.000 Has everybody forgotten about Lafara Jackson? 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:08.040 So I want to get your take on it in 0:02:08.080 --> 0:02:14.720 a second. But first, here's here's why this is not 0:02:14.720 --> 0:02:20.280 nothing to me, and it's at least somewhat notable. It 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:27.359 says to me, Demanse that there is some level of 0:02:27.600 --> 0:02:33.480 concern amongst you know. So it's because it's a it's 0:02:33.520 --> 0:02:37.280 a diverse array of lists, right, So Colin had his list, 0:02:37.320 --> 0:02:41.720 he's out of the top ten the Scouts, Coaches Executives list. 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:45.200 He's out of the top ten the Player's ranking, which 0:02:45.320 --> 0:02:49.239 is kind of a fuzzy list. He's going sixty nine. 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:52.560 Is weird because it's like him versus every position. But 0:02:53.040 --> 0:02:55.840 there are certainly going to be at least ten more 0:02:55.919 --> 0:02:59.920 quarterbacks on the list, So he's out of that top ten, right. 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:06.640 So it's a players people that work for teams media 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:11.480 with a level of Lamar's skepticism, and I think that 0:03:11.600 --> 0:03:16.840 speaks to the fact that people are wondering two things. 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:24.120 One does is he still a dynamic runner? Like last 0:03:24.200 --> 0:03:27.600 year he basically lost as many yards in sacks as 0:03:27.639 --> 0:03:31.440 he gained running the ball, Like is that as an 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:35.560 all of a sudden a middle aged quarterback. Is that 0:03:36.760 --> 0:03:40.440 out of his game? And how will that impact the 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:42.400 rest of his game? And the other thing I think 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:47.640 people are concerned about is has he now entered the 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:55.000 injury prone category for quarterbacks? The problem with the injury 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:57.880 prone thing hurting his ranking is it's sure as hell 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:01.480 doesn't seem to be hurting Joe Burrows and Joe Burrow's, 0:04:01.640 --> 0:04:06.280 you know, injured the same amount as Lamar. Like Joe 0:04:06.280 --> 0:04:08.120 Burrow and Lamar have actually over the last five years, 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:10.440 like played almost the identical amount of games, so you 0:04:10.480 --> 0:04:14.640 can say they are equal injury concerns, even though I 0:04:14.640 --> 0:04:17.680 think some people probably think Burrow's far more, that's not 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:20.120 really the case. But it's not hurting Burrow. So those 0:04:20.120 --> 0:04:22.640 are the things that jump out to me. You know, 0:04:22.800 --> 0:04:27.719 you really believe in Lamar and really like Lamar your 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:29.920 thought on all thoughts on all of this. 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:34.800 I think it's just a little recency bias, Like it's 0:04:34.839 --> 0:04:37.200 a year he was banged up. I understand that, but 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:39.120 I just look at where a lot of people were 0:04:39.680 --> 0:04:42.400 a year ago before last season. I just think that, 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:45.520 and he also has like a lot of proof of concept. 0:04:45.560 --> 0:04:48.400 I don't know how he could have dropped this far down, 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:53.320 but I will say it's this is the type of year, 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:55.480 like he's got a new coach. It seems like everything's 0:04:55.520 --> 0:05:00.320 kind of in place where if he doesn't if he 0:05:00.320 --> 0:05:03.440 doesn't perform, that's just on him. And if he gets 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:06.200 injured again, then I do think it's fair for you 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:08.920 to be like he is an injury risk. But I 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:11.480 just think it's a big year for him, But I 0:05:11.520 --> 0:05:13.960 also think that he's being disrespected at this point. 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:18.279 So listen, I think both of those things are objectively true. 0:05:18.600 --> 0:05:20.720 I think it is a big year for him, and 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:25.720 I also think he is there is. He is one 0:05:25.880 --> 0:05:31.599 year removed from back to back first team All Pro seasons, 0:05:32.400 --> 0:05:37.320 and there is a lot like listen, he has not 0:05:37.480 --> 0:05:38.800 been We've talked about it, you know, I have to 0:05:38.800 --> 0:05:42.320 talk about it more here good in the playoffs, but 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.000 he's been better than Justin Herbert in the playoffs, and 0:05:45.080 --> 0:05:47.520 Herbert is high on all these lists. You know what 0:05:47.560 --> 0:05:52.400 I mean. He is injuries are a concern, but injuries 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:55.119 are a concern for Joe Burrow, and Burrow is high 0:05:55.160 --> 0:05:58.680 on all these lists. So here is demand's a what 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:06.360 I my gut feeling is about why he has had 0:06:06.400 --> 0:06:11.640 this type of fall, And this is, you know, I guess, 0:06:11.800 --> 0:06:16.000 somewhat controversial opinion for some people. I don't think it 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:22.800 should be. But whatever, despite the fact that Lamar has 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:26.719 one of a top three all time league passer rating, 0:06:27.400 --> 0:06:30.440 and despite the fact that last year, even in an 0:06:30.520 --> 0:06:34.320 awful year, he had a crazy good touchdown interception ratio 0:06:34.440 --> 0:06:37.279 and a you know, a pretty good passer rating in 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:43.360 a bad year. I think there is still a belief 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:47.240 around the league in some circles, and by the way, 0:06:47.360 --> 0:06:53.120 this is a belief that I share, that part of 0:06:54.440 --> 0:06:59.080 what has allowed Lamar to thrive as much as he 0:06:59.279 --> 0:07:05.280 has as as a passer is the threat of him running, 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:11.760 and that teams don't necessarily defend Baltimore's passing attack the 0:07:11.840 --> 0:07:16.320 way they defend the passing attack of some of the 0:07:16.360 --> 0:07:23.440 other elite quarterbacks, and that if Lamar is on a 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:30.120 significant downward trajectory as far as running frequency and effectiveness, 0:07:30.800 --> 0:07:38.560 and if teams finally start to treat him defend him 0:07:38.600 --> 0:07:42.960 with less fear of his running, that that will drastically 0:07:43.040 --> 0:07:49.800 impact his passing efficiency. That's what I think what these 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:54.960 lists are saying is they think the part of Lamar's 0:07:55.000 --> 0:07:59.960 game that has made him the most special is deteriorating, 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:05.320 and that even though the numbers don't suggest it, his 0:08:05.600 --> 0:08:08.760 passing game, pure passing game has not. 0:08:11.120 --> 0:08:15.160 You know, gone ability has gone down, You're. 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:18.360 Right, has not. It has not evolved. It certainly has 0:08:18.400 --> 0:08:23.360 a vault, but has not evolved enough to offset what 0:08:23.400 --> 0:08:27.600 they're going to lose from the running threat. And that 0:08:27.760 --> 0:08:31.840 he is going to be defended a little differently if 0:08:31.880 --> 0:08:33.800 he's less of a running threat. And the sacks last 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:36.200 year were bad. It was a lot of sacks for 0:08:36.280 --> 0:08:40.080 a lot of yards, and that also speaks to a 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:43.959 lack of escapability. So I think all those things are 0:08:45.600 --> 0:08:49.559 fair questions. But it does seem to me, and I'll 0:08:49.600 --> 0:08:51.080 let you respond to this for it to move on. 0:08:52.720 --> 0:08:55.559 I never thought he should have been rated, even coming 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:59.200 off the MVPs, the best quarterback in football, but he 0:08:59.240 --> 0:09:03.120 has been on this US multiple times. That felt too extreme. 0:09:04.720 --> 0:09:09.000 This all these folks saying he's not a top ten quarterback, 0:09:09.720 --> 0:09:16.480 that also feels far too extreme. I I am very 0:09:16.760 --> 0:09:20.120 interested in how he's going to jive with first time, 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:23.560 with the new head coach, this new offensive coordinator, all 0:09:23.600 --> 0:09:30.440 of that. Do you like what let me ask you 0:09:30.480 --> 0:09:34.120 this before you before we go or before we move on. 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:41.200 What do you think is more likely this season another 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:48.400 eight year where he is a top an MVP finalist, 0:09:48.920 --> 0:09:54.120 top three MVP finish, or a year where a downward 0:09:54.240 --> 0:09:55.559 trajectory continues. 0:09:55.720 --> 0:09:59.320 The first one. I believe him. The first I think 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:02.440 that he'll have a good season over having a bad one, 0:10:02.640 --> 0:10:06.200 and I just believe in him. And I think everything 0:10:06.320 --> 0:10:09.240 is in place for him, and if you don't, if 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:11.960 it doesn't work out this year, then I do think 0:10:12.000 --> 0:10:16.160 there are like serious discussions or ways you need to 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:20.480 start looking at it. Yeah, exactly. But I think that 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:22.800 if he had this season that he had last year 0:10:22.840 --> 0:10:25.120 again this next season, then it would have been fair 0:10:25.760 --> 0:10:28.959 where everybody's ranking him. But I just there wasn't enough. 0:10:29.559 --> 0:10:31.280 It wasn't like last year was this guy? 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:35.000 It was one year? Right, Yeah, And I'm curious based 0:10:35.080 --> 0:10:39.199 on this where the players are gonna have Mahomes well, 0:10:39.240 --> 0:10:41.160 you know what I mean. Mahomes got hurt, Mames didn't 0:10:41.200 --> 0:10:44.560 have a good year. So here is here's what else. 0:10:44.920 --> 0:10:47.840 I think the most likely outcome for Lamar next year 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.960 is a solid year where he's like the sixth or 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:53.199 seventh best quarterback in football. That's what I think is 0:10:53.240 --> 0:10:58.800 the most likely. But if you're telling me he's either 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:01.640 going to have a bad year an MVP year, I 0:11:01.679 --> 0:11:05.000 think bad is more likely than MVP. I think that 0:11:05.120 --> 0:11:08.200 it is the injuries and the lack of running and 0:11:08.240 --> 0:11:10.600 that stuff. I think it's more likely that that is 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:17.040 catching up to him than we see another unstoppable season. Now, again, 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:19.920 the most likely is neither of those and somewhere in 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:24.120 the middle. But I am I'm not quite as bullish 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:27.160 as you are, all right. 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In Arizona, Ohio, Virginia, 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:40.200 call one eight hundred my reset gambling problem called one 0:13:40.240 --> 0:13:44.360 eight hundred gambler. When you guys hear this, I guess 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:48.600 it's possible Lebron will have made his decision. I think 0:13:48.640 --> 0:13:53.920 it is highly unlike. I think it's unlikely that he 0:13:54.080 --> 0:13:56.880 decides on Thursday. We're recording this on Thursday. You guys 0:13:56.880 --> 0:14:01.600 are gonna hear this on Friday. Understand that you know, 0:14:01.640 --> 0:14:04.920 you guys this All the sixers have reached out to Bron. 0:14:05.440 --> 0:14:08.360 Draymond and Bron are super tight. Steve Kerr, I think 0:14:08.480 --> 0:14:13.480 jokingly told some fans we got him. Here is how 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:20.000 I would handicap it. At the moment, I think Cleveland 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:30.960 is the clear favorite. I think Philly is more possible 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:35.600 than people are really giving it credit. And I think 0:14:35.640 --> 0:14:40.120 the Warriors are the dark horse, and I think that 0:14:40.320 --> 0:14:44.480 is the full list. I don't think it's Miami. I 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:48.480 never ever thought it was Minnesota. And while there was 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:51.480 a little buzz around Denver, I don't think that's likely. 0:14:53.360 --> 0:15:01.200 I think that Philly makes a lot of sense, except 0:15:01.320 --> 0:15:06.680 for it just would feel the weirdest of the three. 0:15:06.920 --> 0:15:12.120 Golden State I don't believe has enough, and they haven't 0:15:12.200 --> 0:15:18.479 seemed able to acquire Anthony Davis. And I think Cleveland 0:15:19.800 --> 0:15:23.560 makes more sense basketball wise than some folks are giving 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:29.720 it credit. I think Harden is probably more movable than 0:15:30.240 --> 0:15:33.280 people recognize if they were to need to do that. 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:38.920 And I'm going to add one little bonus thought that 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:45.240 I said to Colin, and this is again just reading 0:15:45.280 --> 0:15:47.440 Tea leaves because they are keeping this close to the 0:15:47.520 --> 0:15:55.360 vest I am not certain. I'm not certain that in 0:15:55.480 --> 0:15:58.320 order to play with Draymond, Lebron has to go to 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:04.560 Golden State. I'm not saying I'm saying. In fact, that's 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:08.200 exactly what I'm saying that I am just not certain 0:16:08.840 --> 0:16:11.200 the only way he can play with Draymond is go 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:15.920 to Golden State. Draymond obviously also opted out of his deal, 0:16:17.080 --> 0:16:24.320 and I just think there is that in order to 0:16:24.360 --> 0:16:27.440 play with Steph, he obviously has to go to Golden State. 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:30.360 In order to play with Draymond, he probably has to 0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:33.320 go to Golden State. I don't know that he definitely 0:16:33.760 --> 0:16:35.560 has to go to Golden State to play with Draymond. 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:41.840 What I will say is and where I disagree with 0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:46.240 my pal Bill Simmons vehemently, and I kind of agree 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:49.680 more with Zach Lowe on this one. If he were 0:16:49.720 --> 0:16:55.160 to sign with Cleveland or Philly, that team absolutely can 0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:57.720 make the finals. And if you could make the finals, 0:16:57.720 --> 0:17:04.000 you can win the championship. Like the last team to 0:17:04.160 --> 0:17:07.359 make the to be draw truly drawing dead in the 0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:12.440 finals was probably the heat against Lebron and ads Lakers. 0:17:12.960 --> 0:17:16.760 Like we have seen underdogs win finals over the last 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:22.639 decade and certainly come really close it, particularly in the 0:17:22.680 --> 0:17:29.400 Pacers case. So I I think there is a better chance. 0:17:31.000 --> 0:17:34.480 I think if Lebron goes out east and picks Philly 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:38.200 or Cleveland, that team can absolutely get to the finals. 0:17:38.280 --> 0:17:40.560 You can get to the finals, you can win the championship. 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:44.000 And I think he Mike right now, if you were 0:17:44.040 --> 0:17:46.000 to offer me an even money bet, my bet would 0:17:46.000 --> 0:17:49.719 be Cleveland. I don't think Philly is out of it, 0:17:49.760 --> 0:17:52.920 as weird as that would be potentially, and I think 0:17:52.960 --> 0:18:00.439 Golden State right now, barring a significant transaction, is pretty 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:03.159 clearly in third place. How I read it? 0:18:06.720 --> 0:18:07.040 All right? 0:18:07.080 --> 0:18:09.399 I want to remind you guys, boost Mobile is proving 0:18:09.440 --> 0:18:11.800 you don't have to overpay for great wireless Unlock the 0:18:11.800 --> 0:18:14.440 savings with the twenty five dollars a month Forever Unlimited plan. 0:18:14.680 --> 0:18:18.000 It's a permanent price with no contracts and no price hikes. 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:20.560 You can keep your phone and your number, but you 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:23.720 save up to six hundred dollars a year compared to 0:18:23.760 --> 0:18:26.840 the major carriers. Stop overpaying and switch to a fair 0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:31.120 price at boostmobile dot com today based on average annual 0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:33.520 single line payment of AT and T, Verizon and T 0:18:33.680 --> 0:18:37.080 Mobile customers compared to twelve months on the boost Mobile 0:18:37.160 --> 0:18:40.640 Unlimited plan as of January twenty twenty six. For full 0:18:40.680 --> 0:18:44.359 offer details, visit boost mobile dot com. All right, so 0:18:44.520 --> 0:18:46.960 Adam Silver had his press conference. We'll get to the 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:51.639 QUI thing in a minute, but he said this about 0:18:51.640 --> 0:18:54.920 the second apron. The purpose of this system is ultimately 0:18:55.000 --> 0:18:58.719 to create competition throughout the league, and from that standpoint, 0:18:58.760 --> 0:19:02.000 I think the system is work working incredibly well. He 0:19:02.080 --> 0:19:04.720 went on to say, the goal isn't necessarily to have 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:07.680 a different champion every year, but we have had eight 0:19:07.720 --> 0:19:13.440 different champions over the last eight years. So here's and 0:19:13.480 --> 0:19:17.960 this is these are not ute opinions unique to just me, 0:19:18.680 --> 0:19:21.080 but I do think it Warren's mentioning. So here's what 0:19:21.160 --> 0:19:26.960 I Here's where I think people are confused about the 0:19:27.000 --> 0:19:36.679 way NBA salary works. The players get the same share 0:19:37.480 --> 0:19:44.280 no matter what. It just changes who gets what. So 0:19:44.400 --> 0:19:49.720 here's what I mean. The way the salary gap is 0:19:49.760 --> 0:19:52.359 said is the players get I think it's forty nine percent, 0:19:52.400 --> 0:19:54.640 but we're just gonna call it half. They get half 0:19:54.680 --> 0:19:58.359 of basketball related income and then the owners get the 0:19:58.400 --> 0:20:00.760 other half to do, you know, run the teams, do whatever, 0:20:01.400 --> 0:20:07.440 make a profit if and Windy did a good job 0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:10.639 explaining this, and I've explained it before as well, but 0:20:10.720 --> 0:20:14.840 it warn't repeating because I think people don't understand this 0:20:14.960 --> 0:20:21.720 piece of it. That number down to the dollar is 0:20:22.600 --> 0:20:28.359 the players percentage is the same every year under this 0:20:28.520 --> 0:20:34.920 CBA and it and that all the aprons and max 0:20:35.119 --> 0:20:38.680 salaries and winby not taking you know, the full max 0:20:38.720 --> 0:20:41.560 and all those things do is it shuffles that money 0:20:41.640 --> 0:20:48.080 to other players. And so if if guys, if there's 0:20:48.080 --> 0:20:51.560 a bunch of teams going over the apron using bird 0:20:51.640 --> 0:20:54.720 rights to re sign players and all, you know, all 0:20:54.800 --> 0:20:57.280 of and all of a sudden that your holy shit, 0:20:58.119 --> 0:21:04.080 players instead of getting their fifty percent again I think 0:21:04.080 --> 0:21:06.639 it's forty eight percent, but I mean they're fifty percent 0:21:06.680 --> 0:21:09.840 of the pie, the players as a whole got fifty 0:21:09.920 --> 0:21:14.359 two percent of the pie. Then the players as a 0:21:14.359 --> 0:21:18.280 whole have money clawed back and it goes to the owners. 0:21:19.440 --> 0:21:21.439 And if at the end of the year, because guys 0:21:21.480 --> 0:21:25.800 took discounts or some teams didn't spend enough, the players 0:21:26.240 --> 0:21:29.840 didn't get their full piece of the pie, then the 0:21:29.840 --> 0:21:32.720 owners at the end of the year write a check 0:21:33.080 --> 0:21:37.399 to the players. And so the amount of money that 0:21:37.560 --> 0:21:45.320 is going to the players is going to be to 0:21:45.520 --> 0:21:48.240 the dollar at the end of the year the same, 0:21:51.000 --> 0:21:56.480 no matter what players take discounts, what players sign for 0:21:56.520 --> 0:21:58.840 the max, what teams are afraid of the apron, what 0:21:58.880 --> 0:22:03.879 teams aren't. So it really it's it's not so much 0:22:04.520 --> 0:22:08.360 that this is saving the owner's money as much as 0:22:08.359 --> 0:22:12.320 it is is distributing the talent across the league, which 0:22:12.440 --> 0:22:15.240 is what the league wanted. Now you can argue that's 0:22:15.359 --> 0:22:19.080 not good, that that is, that that's been a failure 0:22:19.119 --> 0:22:23.359 by the league, that they shouldn't want that, But I do. 0:22:23.520 --> 0:22:28.280 I will defend, so to speak, Adam silver In that 0:22:29.440 --> 0:22:32.920 it was their goal and it has achieved. That they 0:22:32.960 --> 0:22:36.760 don't want super teams. They want player that they they 0:22:36.840 --> 0:22:40.280 want you to have to have tough team building decisions. Now, again, 0:22:40.840 --> 0:22:43.800 I don't know if that's what they should want. Should 0:22:43.880 --> 0:22:48.480 they want teams to develop home draft and develop homegrown 0:22:48.520 --> 0:22:52.480 stars that they want to keep but cannot because of 0:22:52.520 --> 0:22:56.800 the financial penalties of it. I don't know that they 0:22:56.840 --> 0:22:59.320 should want that. What I do know is I think 0:22:59.359 --> 0:23:03.159 there has been a little confusion on how much the 0:23:03.160 --> 0:23:06.040 players are getting screwed by the apron like hold on 0:23:06.480 --> 0:23:10.720 NBA CBA BRI four players. I think it's forty eight percent. 0:23:14.440 --> 0:23:18.639 So let me I just I want to read this correctly. 0:23:21.560 --> 0:23:29.800 The so this is just reading from Sportico. The NBA 0:23:29.920 --> 0:23:33.359 released the final accounting of last season, revealing basketball related 0:23:33.400 --> 0:23:36.200 income was eleven point six to eight billion, up from 0:23:36.240 --> 0:23:40.359 ten point twenty five billion. The BRI means players and 0:23:40.400 --> 0:23:43.840 owners will split an escrow of five hundred and eighty 0:23:43.880 --> 0:23:46.199 million set aside to make the math work and the 0:23:46.240 --> 0:23:49.320 shared revenue system laid out in the CBA. So the 0:23:49.359 --> 0:23:52.639 CBA calls for players to receive fifty one percent of 0:23:52.720 --> 0:23:56.639 BRI basketball related income in the form of salaries and benefits. 0:23:57.080 --> 0:23:59.680 The NBA with holds this is the part I'm talking 0:23:59.680 --> 0:24:03.919 about ten percent of player salaries each year to ensure 0:24:03.920 --> 0:24:09.160 the revenue split is achieved. Then it talks about why 0:24:09.320 --> 0:24:12.840 the revenue was heard a bit, okay, So this is 0:24:12.880 --> 0:24:16.199 what I'm trying to get to. Total salaries and benefits 0:24:16.240 --> 0:24:19.639 of the twenty twenty five twenty six season were six 0:24:19.680 --> 0:24:24.399 point twenty seven billion above the fifty one percent threshold. 0:24:24.840 --> 0:24:28.920 The ESCRO account was divided, so fifty four point eight 0:24:29.000 --> 0:24:31.840 percent went to the owners and forty five point two 0:24:31.920 --> 0:24:35.440 percent to the players to reach the fifty one percent mark. 0:24:35.920 --> 0:24:39.680 Last season, more than ninety percent of the amount in 0:24:39.920 --> 0:24:45.600 ESCRO went back to owners. So what that is saying 0:24:45.720 --> 0:24:49.440 is they're supposed to basically have like a fifty to 0:24:49.520 --> 0:24:59.719 fifty split, okay, but certain years given the way that 0:24:59.800 --> 0:25:02.919 it's not a hard cap like the NFL, and I 0:25:02.920 --> 0:25:04.800 hope this isn't too boring, but I want people to 0:25:04.840 --> 0:25:09.000 understand it that you're not always going to actually get 0:25:09.359 --> 0:25:11.760 If you were to just be like, hey, whatever contract 0:25:11.760 --> 0:25:14.800 players have, they get paid out is you know, it 0:25:14.840 --> 0:25:16.919 is what it is. You wouldn't truly get the fifty 0:25:16.960 --> 0:25:19.600 one to forty nine split, but they have to get 0:25:19.640 --> 0:25:22.440 the fifty one to forty nine split. So because of that, 0:25:23.119 --> 0:25:27.320 everybody's salary, ten percent of it gets held. And some 0:25:27.600 --> 0:25:30.880 years when the league underspins, if you will, guys get 0:25:31.200 --> 0:25:35.200 a bump or a bonus, and some years guys take 0:25:35.200 --> 0:25:39.560 a haircut. So Steph again from Sportico, let me just 0:25:39.600 --> 0:25:42.600 read more from the article of the ten percent salaries 0:25:42.640 --> 0:25:46.639 in ESCRO players received just under half back. For practical purposes, 0:25:46.960 --> 0:25:50.440 it means each player for the twenty five to twenty 0:25:50.480 --> 0:25:53.680 six season took a five and a half percent haircut 0:25:53.720 --> 0:25:57.679 on their negotiated salary. A twenty million dollars player actually 0:25:57.720 --> 0:26:01.520 earned eighteen point nine million. Zeph Curry got dinged the most. 0:26:01.800 --> 0:26:04.880 His salary is fifty nine point eight, so he loses 0:26:04.920 --> 0:26:10.000 three point three. So it's all in proportion. And so 0:26:11.560 --> 0:26:15.720 if there were a year where the league didn't spend enough, 0:26:16.440 --> 0:26:19.360 then that twenty million player would actually get twenty one 0:26:19.440 --> 0:26:21.959 million like they would get the bump back. But the 0:26:22.000 --> 0:26:26.440 reason I'm laying this out is the amount of money 0:26:26.480 --> 0:26:32.399 paid out to the players doesn't is not affected by aprons. 0:26:32.480 --> 0:26:36.360 It's just not. They get their fifty one percent no 0:26:36.400 --> 0:26:39.679 matter what, no more, no less so what it is. 0:26:39.680 --> 0:26:42.320 So it's not that it's saving the owner's money, it's 0:26:42.359 --> 0:26:45.600 that it really is the owners think this is best 0:26:45.600 --> 0:26:48.680 for competitive balance. I just don't know that I agree 0:26:48.920 --> 0:26:51.359 that this is the type of competitive balance they should 0:26:51.359 --> 0:26:55.760 be going after. The thing I think we all agree 0:26:55.840 --> 0:27:02.439