WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: The In-Season Tournament and De'Aaron Fox's future 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:07.320 We have our in season tournament semifinal matchups Pacers and Bucks, 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:12.200 Pelicans and Lakers. We're gonna get into all the ins 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:17.320 and outs about knockout round week in the IST. We're 0:00:17.360 --> 0:00:22.200 also gonna find out why Chris is texting Adam Silver 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:25.319 and all the latest with de Aaron Fox and his 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:29.080 future in Sacramento. All that next here on this League Uncut. 0:00:29.200 --> 0:00:33.720 Welcome to this League Uncut rule of twenty four hour 0:00:33.840 --> 0:00:34.520 NBA news. 0:00:34.720 --> 0:00:35.879 This you'll. 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:46.280 Chris Hans, it's time, Mark Stein, It's so time. This 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:50.960 League Uncut is underway and on fire. This should be 0:00:50.960 --> 0:00:53.000 a good one. Everyone. 0:00:53.400 --> 0:00:58.320 Welcome in to the latest edition of this League Uncut. 0:00:58.600 --> 0:01:02.600 Mark Stein here with Chris. It is the first full 0:01:02.640 --> 0:01:08.880 week of December. It is the in season tournament takeover 0:01:09.319 --> 0:01:13.679 of the NBA. This week, Chris Haynes and I we 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:17.800 are doing this podcast and watching the last of the 0:01:17.840 --> 0:01:23.319 four quarterfinals as we speak. It's sixty three All Suns 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:27.800 Lakers in LA. We already know the other three teams 0:01:27.840 --> 0:01:32.600 that will be in Las Vegas. The Indiana Pacers will 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:36.840 play the Milwaukee Bucks for the East's birth in the 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:41.840 IST championship game. It'll either be Pelicans Sons or Pelican's 0:01:41.920 --> 0:01:46.080 Lakers for the West Birth in the nd season Tournament. 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:49.880 Chris Haynes will soon be on his way to Vegas. 0:01:50.000 --> 0:01:54.240 I will be watching from afar. I could not make 0:01:55.520 --> 0:02:01.720 the entrepreneurial equations work to get myself to Vegas, so I, 0:02:01.840 --> 0:02:05.880 like many of you, will be living vicariously through Chris 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:11.519 Haynes as he is this League Uncuts official and loan 0:02:12.680 --> 0:02:17.560 Ist representative. Chris Haynes, are you ready for your return 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:20.200 to the Desert, this time without me? So no live 0:02:20.280 --> 0:02:22.400 show like we did in July. It's just gonna be 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:25.480 you holding it down for both of us. 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:28.200 You know, it will not be the same. I'll say 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:31.000 that Stne because usually we are we do go to 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:33.360 Vegas this time of year, but it's for the G 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:38.040 League Showcase. And this is probably the one time on 0:02:38.120 --> 0:02:40.720 a few occasions that I really get to run into you. 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:42.799 You know, You're really hard to catch throughout the season, 0:02:42.880 --> 0:02:45.320 unless I end up in Dallas, which I will be 0:02:45.400 --> 0:02:46.400 in Dallas next week. 0:02:46.440 --> 0:02:49.600 That's right, December twelfth. It is written in Penn in 0:02:49.639 --> 0:02:50.640 my calendar. 0:02:50.440 --> 0:02:53.120 Sorright, so I'll see you there, so that would be cool. 0:02:53.160 --> 0:02:56.680 But yeah, no, I'm looking forward to this. I actually 0:02:56.720 --> 0:03:01.440 text Adam Silver today and I told him, I said, 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:04.400 I got to give you your props. This is season 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:09.320 tournament good idea, because I was actually excited for the 0:03:09.360 --> 0:03:12.040 pair of games today, like and And that's why I 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:15.040 told him. I'm like, I haven't. I don't think I've 0:03:15.040 --> 0:03:20.680 been excited to watch a game like that in December 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:23.880 or late November in a long time, probably since I 0:03:24.040 --> 0:03:27.360 was just probably a fan before I was covering the league. 0:03:27.440 --> 0:03:30.040 So you know, I just think a lot of people 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:35.040 feel that way about what they're watching right now. And 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:36.480 I had to give him as props. 0:03:36.560 --> 0:03:36.720 Man. 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:41.160 He hit me back, he say, appreciate that, Chris, But 0:03:41.480 --> 0:03:43.480 I think every I think a lot of people like Stein, 0:03:44.760 --> 0:03:47.520 we didn't know going in. We had no clue, and 0:03:47.600 --> 0:03:52.400 I'm somebody who doesn't. You know. I don't like change often, 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:54.400 you know. I like to stick to my routines, and 0:03:54.440 --> 0:03:57.680 so I'm not always the best person to ask about 0:03:57.680 --> 0:04:00.839 if something should work or not. But this this show 0:04:00.960 --> 0:04:02.800 looks like it's going to work. And just to give 0:04:02.880 --> 0:04:06.000 people a little background on how this thing is going 0:04:06.080 --> 0:04:09.200 to play out, once once this once all four teams 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:12.880 are confirmed for Vegas, so December seventh will be the 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:16.360 semi finals, so will be the four teams playing East 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:20.040 and West, and then once they both gets down to two, 0:04:20.720 --> 0:04:25.080 there will be media Day n Season Tournament Championship Media 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:28.400 Day on the eighth and it will feature the final 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:31.400 two teams. So just like during the NBA Finals we 0:04:31.440 --> 0:04:34.799 have media Day, it's gonna have media day on December 0:04:34.839 --> 0:04:39.520 to eighth Friday. At the end December ninth is the 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:43.520 championship game. So I'm looking forward to it. Sten, So 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:45.920 I wish you were going, Buddy, I really do. 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:48.800 No and I do too, and listen. As critical as 0:04:48.839 --> 0:04:52.719 I've been, I am certainly not yet sending any congratulatory 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:57.200 texts or messages or emails to the commissioner. But even 0:04:57.800 --> 0:05:01.280 as critical as I've been about the group stages and 0:05:01.400 --> 0:05:05.560 the various issues that I've voiced, I too was looking 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:11.359 really I was looking forward to the knockout round because 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:16.360 I was fascinated to see how the teams would treat it. 0:05:16.839 --> 0:05:20.000 I never had that. Once we get to Vegas, once 0:05:20.040 --> 0:05:23.080 there are four teams in Vegas, I have no doubt 0:05:23.400 --> 0:05:26.360 that people are going to be psyched about that neutral site. 0:05:26.960 --> 0:05:30.240 Four teams, two single elimination games, and even in these 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:36.120 quarterfinal games which are not at neutral sites. The crowd 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:41.120 in Indiana on Monday night was so hyped. That was 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:43.320 as big a game as the Pacers have played in 0:05:43.400 --> 0:05:47.560 a long long time. Tyrese Halliburton has talked about how 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:52.440 he has never even been on TNT until that game, 0:05:52.560 --> 0:05:54.039 and now this week we're going to get to see 0:05:54.080 --> 0:05:58.039 him on national TV multiple times. Halliburton rose to the 0:05:58.080 --> 0:06:01.680 occasion first career triple double play, saying, while sick, you know, 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:04.680 for New Orleans two, same thing. Zion Williamson has never 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:08.640 played in an NBA playoff game, So for some of 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:12.839 these teams this is a huge deal. And it's, like 0:06:12.880 --> 0:06:16.520 I said, as critical as I've been about so much 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:19.640 of this, to me has not felt like a tournament. 0:06:19.839 --> 0:06:25.000 This week, it's finally starting to feel like a tournament. 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:28.239 And when the Vegas portion starts, I'm sure it's gonna 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:30.800 feel like a tournament. And again, along with all the 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:33.920 criticisms that I've levied, when the league does good things, 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:36.520 I'm gonna give them their props. And I have to 0:06:36.560 --> 0:06:39.920 say a couple things that I've really liked this week. 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:47.760 The scheduling has been smart to make sure that Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 0:06:47.960 --> 0:06:51.400 the only games being played on those days will be 0:06:51.480 --> 0:06:54.479 in season tournament games. You have the two quarterfinals Monday night, 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:59.040 we have two quarterfinals Tonight, Thursday's the two semis, Saturday's 0:06:59.080 --> 0:07:01.720 the championship. If you want to watch NBA games this 0:07:01.800 --> 0:07:04.800 week on those days, the only thing you can see 0:07:05.320 --> 0:07:08.680 is the is team. And that's really smart and to 0:07:08.760 --> 0:07:12.600 go with, you know, to at least somewhat slightly offset 0:07:12.720 --> 0:07:16.400 my many many complaints that this thing, this tournament hasn't 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:19.280 been soccer like enough for me. But one thing the 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:22.239 league has done that is very soccer like. This week 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:26.240 they announced they sent out pictures in a long release. 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:29.720 You've got the NBA Cup that the championship team will win. 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:33.240 They have a trophy for the tournament MVP. But they've 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:38.040 also got winners medals. Every player on the championship team 0:07:38.120 --> 0:07:41.880 will collect a championship medal. And that is very soccer 0:07:42.040 --> 0:07:46.560 like and something that this soccer nerd definitely appreciates. 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:50.000 If we're talking about you know, I think everybody has 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:52.760 an opinion and half suggestions about how we can make 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:55.600 things better. I think a couple of them. You know. 0:07:55.640 --> 0:07:59.800 The point differential is kind of debatable. If you talk 0:07:59.840 --> 0:08:05.160 to coaches around the league, and I've talked to probably 0:08:05.200 --> 0:08:11.960 a dozen, and they're it varies, you know, it varies. 0:08:12.160 --> 0:08:14.440 You know, some are for it, some are against it. 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:20.280 Some talk about implementing a you know, a quarter system 0:08:20.320 --> 0:08:27.360 where the team who's won the team who's won more 0:08:27.520 --> 0:08:32.800 quarters are prioritized in the standings. But stein, what do 0:08:32.840 --> 0:08:37.720 you think about this, because I think largely this is 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:42.720 probably confused a lot of spectators. Is the group play? 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:45.120 And when I mean the group play is that you 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:48.560 know when these games, you know, they're they're spread out. 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:51.600 The n C tournament, they're they're they're spread out, like 0:08:51.679 --> 0:08:55.160 so they'll play n season tournament group game, then they'll 0:08:55.160 --> 0:08:57.640 play another one next week or a week and a 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:02.000 half later, and people forget, like the what the record 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:04.800 is during the season, I mean during you know, during 0:09:04.800 --> 0:09:07.360 the course of the regular season that early on. What 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:11.240 is the problem with just doing the nd season tournament? 0:09:11.480 --> 0:09:15.040 Just just take carving out two and a half weeks. 0:09:15.520 --> 0:09:18.160 Yeah, I hope that that's what I would like to see. 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:22.679 That's I mean to me because if you know, again, 0:09:22.760 --> 0:09:25.199 and I'm a soccer nerd, so I look at this 0:09:25.320 --> 0:09:29.600 often through a soccer fans perspective, and if you really 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:33.439 want to make it like the FA Cup in England 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:36.560 or the League Cup in England, the games in the 0:09:36.600 --> 0:09:40.080 tournament would be separate from the regular season schedule. I 0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:42.880 totally understand why the NBA didn't want to do that, 0:09:43.120 --> 0:09:47.120 especially in year one, because on top of all the 0:09:47.200 --> 0:09:51.560 logistical challenges, they were worried that teams might not play 0:09:51.600 --> 0:09:55.800 their main guys if the games are separate. They wanted 0:09:55.800 --> 0:09:58.800 them to be regular season games that counted twice to 0:09:59.200 --> 0:10:02.000 incentivize teams to make sure they use their best players 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:05.040 because if you lose those games, it can hurt you 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:07.720 in the standings as well. But yes, down the road, 0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:09.720 and I don't know how soon it will be, but 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:13.800 I'm hopeful. I would love. I think the whole thing 0:10:13.840 --> 0:10:16.200 should be in Vegas, and I think they could do 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:18.840 it in less than two weeks realistically, And I think 0:10:18.840 --> 0:10:23.520 it should be completely single elimination, because that's what would 0:10:23.600 --> 0:10:28.120 really make it different, unique and inject some novelty into 0:10:28.160 --> 0:10:28.560 this thing. 0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:32.560 Oh so you said, so you're saying screw to group play, 0:10:32.800 --> 0:10:33.640 like screwed. 0:10:33.480 --> 0:10:36.240 Totally if it was up to If it was up. 0:10:36.240 --> 0:10:38.840 To me, there would be no group play because the 0:10:38.880 --> 0:10:42.760 group play, it's it's just it's not real group play. 0:10:42.920 --> 0:10:47.240 It's just these four regular season games are gonna count twice. 0:10:47.360 --> 0:10:50.320 I just to me, it's it's not it's you know, 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:54.520 it's not a separate group. When college basketball teams play 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:57.840 in tournaments before league play, they go to the Maui 0:10:57.960 --> 0:11:01.000 Classic or wherever it is, and they play games that 0:11:01.640 --> 0:11:04.760 do not count in their conference schedule. But you know, 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:07.600 the NBA again, and like I said, I understand why 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:10.080 the NBA doesn't want to do that, but I think 0:11:10.080 --> 0:11:13.920 if they if they went the route I'm saying, if 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:15.719 they just said, you know what, the whole league is 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:17.839 going to go to Vegas for a week and a 0:11:17.880 --> 0:11:21.400 half to two weeks. You know, we'll give the top 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:24.560 we'll give the buys to the top four seeds. The 0:11:24.559 --> 0:11:27.400 other twenty eight teams go into a hat. Let's just 0:11:27.440 --> 0:11:29.760 pick it, pick it out of a hat, mix up 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:32.880 East and West, and let's really get crazy and play 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:38.240 a real tournament. I think we will get more of 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:41.600 the excitement that we've seen this week because single elimination. 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:45.200 To me, that's where the juice is. That's why people 0:11:45.280 --> 0:11:48.960 are loving this this week because it truly is win 0:11:49.080 --> 0:11:52.320 or go home in one game, and that's something the 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:55.880 NBA is not used to. It's new, and to me, 0:11:56.120 --> 0:11:59.800 that's where that novelty factor comes in. 0:12:00.440 --> 0:12:03.160 Yeah, I wouldn't be opposed to that. I actually like that. 0:12:03.600 --> 0:12:07.120 I just think that, like, even if they do keep 0:12:07.160 --> 0:12:11.800 the group play, I just think, like, just carve out 0:12:11.880 --> 0:12:14.960 two weeks, go ahead and go through your group play 0:12:15.040 --> 0:12:19.280 schedule and then from there get to your knockout rounds. Like, 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:22.280 just just keep it focused on the N Season tournament 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:24.840 for two weeks. Give the N Season Tournament two weeks. 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:29.280 Don't put other regular season games in between, because people forget, 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:32.319 you know, like the broadcast crew, we have to continue 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:37.559 to remind people, Hey, I know, like a team might 0:12:37.559 --> 0:12:41.160 have lost, a team might have lost three in a row, right, 0:12:41.559 --> 0:12:43.360 but we have to remind them, hey, but they're two 0:12:43.400 --> 0:12:45.839 and zero in N Season tournament games, you know what 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:49.480 I mean. Like, so it's like, let's just go into 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:53.280 ND season tournament mode. Stay there for how from beginning 0:12:53.320 --> 0:12:56.920 to end, so everybody can focus and concentrate on that, 0:12:57.000 --> 0:12:58.520 and then you give it all the attention you need. 0:12:58.600 --> 0:13:01.439 But I'm definitely not a p go to you saying 0:13:01.600 --> 0:13:05.040 just go straight to knockout rounds, inviting all the you know, 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:08.640 inviting all the NBA teams into it. It would definitely 0:13:08.640 --> 0:13:11.840 be much more pilling. But you know, those are those 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:12.720 small suggestions. 0:13:13.200 --> 0:13:15.880 Yeah. And one of the things I'm looking forward to 0:13:15.960 --> 0:13:18.360 this week when you go to Vegas and this is, 0:13:18.559 --> 0:13:21.439 you know, I will you know, I was joking before, 0:13:21.480 --> 0:13:24.160 but I really will be living through you in this respect. 0:13:24.200 --> 0:13:27.400 I mean, I'm really hopeful that you being on the ground, 0:13:27.520 --> 0:13:29.480 and you know, I'm sure there's gonna be some sort 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:33.880 of availability with Adam Silver, and I hope something that 0:13:33.960 --> 0:13:36.400 happens this week is that we get some kind of 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:40.120 glimpse of what the league thinks worked well, what the 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:44.760 league thinks didn't work so well. Will they reveal in 0:13:44.840 --> 0:13:49.320 Vegas any of the changes in tweaks that they're likely 0:13:49.360 --> 0:13:52.000 to implement next season, because I look, you know, they 0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:54.080 haven't made any kind of formal announcement, but I think 0:13:54.160 --> 0:13:58.079 we can all say it's been enough intrigue just this 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:01.240 week has been spark that they're going to try this 0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:03.199 again next season. I certainly don't think it's going to 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:05.240 be a one and done. I'm sure, they're gonna want 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:07.160 to bring it back and see if they can make 0:14:07.200 --> 0:14:10.480 it better and see if they can keep building this thing, 0:14:10.480 --> 0:14:13.480 because ultimately we know they would love to be able 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:16.679 to sell the n Season Tournament as a separate TV property, 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:19.160 and you got to do it for more than one 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:20.280 year if that's the case. 0:14:24.440 --> 0:14:27.480 Yeah. I spoke with CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans. 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:31.400 He's also the president of the Players Association. I had 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:34.320 their game for TNT, the Kings Pelicans, and we saw 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:37.640 that the Pelicans they advanced it beat the sacrament of 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:42.280 Kings in Sacramento for that. But CJ said they've already 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:46.920 started the process of offering suggestions to the league on 0:14:47.040 --> 0:14:51.040 how to improve this theme. But he said the players 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:54.440 are definitely on board with continuing this on. Pretty Much 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:57.720 everybody you know think this is a great idea. In 0:14:57.800 --> 0:15:00.080 New Orleans, they were, They took care of business, but 0:15:00.120 --> 0:15:02.920 they were ready. You know, they got to Vegas Wednesday, 0:15:03.040 --> 0:15:07.080 excuse me, Tuesday morning. So they played Monday night and 0:15:07.160 --> 0:15:09.640 they left first thing in the morning for Vegas, like 0:15:09.720 --> 0:15:12.720 they they were prepared. I was in Stein. I was 0:15:13.080 --> 0:15:17.080 during the there was a huddle, there was a time 0:15:17.160 --> 0:15:20.720 out in that game, and it was the second half. 0:15:20.760 --> 0:15:22.480 I can't remember if it was the third quarter or 0:15:22.480 --> 0:15:25.680 fourth quarter, but New Orleans had a pretty nice lead 0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:31.120 and Alvarado is talking, you know, pumping his teammates up 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:34.440 and motivating everybody, and he was like, come on, we're 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:38.720 this much closer to to get on that bus for Vegas. So, uh, 0:15:38.800 --> 0:15:41.560 you know, it's just like, guys, are you know this? 0:15:41.760 --> 0:15:45.160 They're motivated about this, and you know, Las Vegas is 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:50.080 definitely an attraction that appeals to a large mass of individuals, 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:53.440 including NBA players, So you know, it's it's so far, 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:53.960 so good. 0:15:55.040 --> 0:15:56.960 Yeah, So let's talk a little bit more about that, because, 0:15:57.000 --> 0:16:00.240 as you said, you had Monday night's game, New Orleans 0:15:59.920 --> 0:16:03.240 go into Sacramento and beats the Kings for the third 0:16:03.320 --> 0:16:08.000 time this season, Pels three to zero against Sacramento, and 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:11.000 I mean that was a big opportunity for both teams 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:14.600 because we all remember last season was Sacramento finished third 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:16.400 in the West, but that was their first trip to 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:21.640 the playoffs in seventeen years, after a league record and 0:16:21.880 --> 0:16:26.440 unwanted league record sixteen consecutive seasons out of the playoffs. 0:16:26.880 --> 0:16:31.080 So the Pelicans Zion Williamson has yet to play in 0:16:31.120 --> 0:16:35.120 a playoff game. The Kings have no recent playoff success 0:16:35.200 --> 0:16:36.960 to speak of, so there was a lot on the 0:16:36.960 --> 0:16:41.320 line for both teams. And also in the middle of 0:16:41.360 --> 0:16:43.560 all that, I saw you on TV reporting about the 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:47.800 dieron Fox contract situation. So maybe you can expound for 0:16:47.920 --> 0:16:51.800 us now and give us a little gives give us 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:53.960 a little on TV. You have to kind of rush 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:55.720 through it in a minute or two. Maybe you can 0:16:55.840 --> 0:16:58.080 take a little more time here and walk us through 0:16:58.120 --> 0:17:01.760 what's going on with deer Fox and the King's attempts 0:17:01.800 --> 0:17:02.600 to resign him. 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:06.840 Yeah, so I reported during the game, and this was 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:11.200 never reported before, but uh, you know, sources have told 0:17:11.240 --> 0:17:16.000 me that Dearn Fox was presented with an extension prior 0:17:16.080 --> 0:17:19.200 to this season started starting. And we all know he's 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:23.000 represented by Rich Paul, the CEO of Clutch Sports, but 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.720 they were presented a two year, one hundred and five 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:33.879 million dollar extension that Fox and Rich turned down. And 0:17:36.560 --> 0:17:38.240 let me just say this, I remember this was a 0:17:38.240 --> 0:17:43.400 few years ago. I remember when when Rich Paul signed Deerren. 0:17:45.560 --> 0:17:48.800 Deerren had let go of his longtime agent and hired 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:57.920 Rich the I think the the immediate response. I would say, 0:17:57.960 --> 0:18:01.040 I think a lot of people thought that this is 0:18:01.080 --> 0:18:05.840 another Anthony David situation, hiring Rich Paul to try to 0:18:05.880 --> 0:18:09.359 get the Aaron out of Sacramento. And this was before again, 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:12.359 this was before Sacramento took off, probably a year before 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:15.480 Sacramento took off, and have you know, have become the 0:18:15.480 --> 0:18:18.840 team that they are now. And so now you see 0:18:18.880 --> 0:18:22.800 it's a situation where Dearn like really loves it in Sacramento, 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:26.000 really really really loves it. And you know, Sacramento, I 0:18:26.000 --> 0:18:29.720 think they were kind of still trying to figure out 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:33.480 what Dearn ceiling was in this league. And then you 0:18:33.520 --> 0:18:35.919 see what Daren he did last season. You see that 0:18:35.960 --> 0:18:38.840 he's stepped it up this year, averaging thirty a game. 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:46.280 And Sacramento Kings are still clicking, and so they want 0:18:46.400 --> 0:18:50.359 this to be a long term partnership, Sacramento Kings and Fox. 0:18:50.440 --> 0:18:53.720 So they're in agreement on that. And I wanted to stein, 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:58.000 you're so accurate on you know, on TV you say 0:18:58.080 --> 0:19:00.399 one or two minutes, no more like thirty second. You 0:19:00.440 --> 0:19:03.640 got about thirty thirty forty seconds to try to make 0:19:03.720 --> 0:19:07.120 your point, and you know, sometimes you leave stuff out 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:09.639 you're like, dangn, damn, I want to tuck, you know, 0:19:09.720 --> 0:19:12.520 I want to There's more context I could have added, 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:16.800 but I wanted to clarify on air that that that 0:19:16.960 --> 0:19:20.520 was the most that the Kings could extend deer was 0:19:20.560 --> 0:19:24.400 a two year, one hundred and five million, And from 0:19:24.400 --> 0:19:26.959 what I was told, the Kings offered that because you know, 0:19:27.280 --> 0:19:31.160 that's all they could, but they understood that Deeron likely 0:19:31.240 --> 0:19:36.440 wouldn't accept that, and that was fine. And so Dearon 0:19:36.560 --> 0:19:40.200 is holding out for the chance that he can become 0:19:40.240 --> 0:19:44.040 eligible for a Supermax. And from what I was told, 0:19:44.200 --> 0:19:50.480 his supermax, you know, these numbers are ballpark as of 0:19:50.600 --> 0:19:53.920 right now. There's still some things we have to they 0:19:53.920 --> 0:19:57.879 have to clear, but he can command around a four year, 0:19:57.920 --> 0:20:02.959 two hundred and forty five million dollar supermax extension. So, uh, 0:20:04.040 --> 0:20:09.000 the Kings understand Fox wants to be in Sacramento long term. 0:20:09.280 --> 0:20:12.480 They want him their long term. But that was just 0:20:12.480 --> 0:20:14.800 just think about that steing guys. You know, this is 0:20:14.880 --> 0:20:18.119 just a different league. Now, the money is different. You 0:20:18.200 --> 0:20:21.320 think about guys turning down two years, one hundred and 0:20:21.320 --> 0:20:23.639 five million, that's what fifty two to fifty three million 0:20:23.840 --> 0:20:27.600 a season. Man that's crazy money right there. But you know, 0:20:27.640 --> 0:20:29.480 you got to think about the long term plan and 0:20:30.880 --> 0:20:33.760 what you can have for you know, double the years 0:20:33.800 --> 0:20:34.119 if so. 0:20:34.400 --> 0:20:37.080 And you can understand why the Aaron Fox would take 0:20:37.119 --> 0:20:39.680 this position because, as you said, the Kings, the most 0:20:39.720 --> 0:20:43.439 they can offer as we speak, two years in the 0:20:43.440 --> 0:20:45.520 ballpark of one hundred million. Maybe it's a little bit 0:20:45.560 --> 0:20:47.480 north of one hundred million, maybe it's a little bit south, 0:20:47.520 --> 0:20:50.840 but basically it's just two years. One hundred ish million 0:20:51.359 --> 0:20:54.440 is the most Sacramento can offer now. If the Aaron 0:20:54.560 --> 0:20:58.479 Fox makes another All NBA team after this season, and 0:20:58.520 --> 0:21:02.760 remember he made and All NBA team last season, if 0:21:02.800 --> 0:21:06.960 Dearon Fox can do that again, now he becomes eligible 0:21:07.000 --> 0:21:10.200 for that four year megadeal you were describing that's worth 0:21:10.240 --> 0:21:14.280 almost two hundred and fifty million. So it's the sensible 0:21:14.320 --> 0:21:18.280 move for the Kings to make that offer now, and 0:21:18.520 --> 0:21:21.840 also the sensible move for Fox to hold off on it. 0:21:22.600 --> 0:21:27.359 And you know, maybe All NBA is not his only 0:21:27.400 --> 0:21:30.320 aim because your guy Mike Brown, Man, how many press 0:21:30.359 --> 0:21:34.480 conferences already have we heard Mike Brown campaigning for Dearen 0:21:34.800 --> 0:21:42.720 already to win MVP honors, already winning MVP honors, or 0:21:42.800 --> 0:21:46.120 Defensive Player of the Year would also get it done 0:21:46.200 --> 0:21:49.120 for Dearon Fox. But I think the more realistic aim 0:21:49.560 --> 0:21:52.320 would certainly be making an All NBA team for the 0:21:52.359 --> 0:21:55.120 second straight season. That would do it. And I think 0:21:55.359 --> 0:21:57.800 you what did come across in your report on TV 0:21:57.880 --> 0:22:01.119 You made it clear both the CA and de Aaron 0:22:01.200 --> 0:22:04.840 Fox they wanted they want a long term relationship together. 0:22:05.600 --> 0:22:08.320 Yes, And the earliest if he is able to get 0:22:08.359 --> 0:22:11.960 All NBA or MVP or Defense Player of the Year, 0:22:12.880 --> 0:22:16.080 the earliest he will be able to sign his super 0:22:16.119 --> 0:22:19.960 Max extension will be July eighth of twenty twenty four. 0:22:20.720 --> 0:22:24.000 So that's the long play. That's the long game right there. 0:22:24.600 --> 0:22:30.560 And again, Sacramento, they're balling. Darren Fox is balling. I 0:22:30.600 --> 0:22:32.800 don't see if they if they have, if they continue 0:22:33.359 --> 0:22:36.399 as he is right now, continue on this trajectory, Darreon 0:22:36.440 --> 0:22:38.160 Fox will definitely make All NBA again. 0:22:39.000 --> 0:22:40.960 He's not gonna win Defensive Player of the Year. I'm 0:22:40.960 --> 0:22:42.440 gonna go out on a limb right now and say 0:22:42.480 --> 0:22:43.159 that ain't happening. 0:22:43.240 --> 0:22:45.399 What about MVP Star All NBA. 0:22:45.880 --> 0:22:50.640 He's got a great chance and about uh, Sacramento's gonna 0:22:50.680 --> 0:22:52.720 have to win fifty plus games, I think for him 0:22:52.720 --> 0:22:55.879 to get in that conversation. But like I said, Mike Brown, 0:22:56.560 --> 0:23:01.280 Mike Brown is he puts that in the ether every week, 0:23:02.000 --> 0:23:05.520 so he is. He is a very loud campaign manager 0:23:05.600 --> 0:23:14.520 for the years. Yeah, so back to the present again, 0:23:14.560 --> 0:23:17.240 as we said, we're taping this in the midst of 0:23:17.920 --> 0:23:20.720 Lakers Suns fourth quarter. 0:23:20.800 --> 0:23:21.040 There. 0:23:21.320 --> 0:23:24.640 That's been a tight game all night to see who 0:23:24.680 --> 0:23:28.679 claims this last in season tournament birth. But you know, 0:23:30.320 --> 0:23:32.280 I will be jealous of you in Vegas because there 0:23:32.320 --> 0:23:37.879 is gonna be a lot going on Indiana Milwaukee. That's 0:23:37.920 --> 0:23:41.800 one of Thursday's games. Now, Milwaukee beats the Knicks. Milwaukee 0:23:41.800 --> 0:23:45.240 scores one hundred and forty six on the Knicks. The 0:23:45.320 --> 0:23:47.920 Knicks came into that game with a fifth ranked defense, 0:23:48.200 --> 0:23:52.560 very impressive showing. But the cynic, the skeptic within me 0:23:52.800 --> 0:23:56.200 is gonna ask what kind of crowd are we gonna 0:23:56.200 --> 0:24:00.919 get in Vegas for Pacers Bucks? Had that been paid Nicks? 0:24:01.800 --> 0:24:04.679 I mean, there are Vegas is a Laker town, but 0:24:04.720 --> 0:24:07.720 there are a lot of Knicks fans in Vegas as well. 0:24:07.760 --> 0:24:11.720