WEBVTT - EPISODE 25: The NBA playoffs are (almost) here 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:04.320 Welcome to this Week Uncut in the world of twenty 0:00:04.360 --> 0:00:17.119 four NBA news. Chris Hans works time. It's time. This 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:21.800 ligun cut is underway in the fire. It should be 0:00:21.880 --> 0:00:27.640 a good one. Playoff time is almost here, friends, and 0:00:27.880 --> 0:00:31.320 Mark Stein is here with Chris Haynes. Back with you 0:00:31.440 --> 0:00:35.760 again on another edition of this League Uncut. A very 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:41.720 eventful play in week already we are getting together. We're 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:45.720 recording this late on a Thursday night, after Chris Haynes 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:50.360 had his own cross country playoff travel to get in 0:00:50.479 --> 0:00:56.320 position for the Chicago versus Miami play in game the 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.160 decider Friday night to see who ends up in the 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:05.120 number eight seed. We obviously have OKAC against Minnesota in 0:01:05.240 --> 0:01:08.000 the West battle for the A seed. My first question, 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.600 mister Haynes, for you is, besides the pleasant trees, about 0:01:10.959 --> 0:01:13.959 how your trip was from far away Sacramento to South Beach. 0:01:14.760 --> 0:01:17.560 So on your last last time you left home you 0:01:17.640 --> 0:01:19.639 got a one on one with Janice. I'm just curious, 0:01:19.680 --> 0:01:23.440 who is Who's next? You're you got heat heat bulls, 0:01:23.480 --> 0:01:28.640 so Jimmy Butler, zach Levine DeMar de Rosen's daughter, Who 0:01:28.840 --> 0:01:30.760 who is the who is the who is the next? 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:34.400 Who is the next heart to heart convo with Well. 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:37.319 Sources relate to me that DeMar de Rosen's daughter will 0:01:37.400 --> 0:01:40.520 not travel to Miami. She's going back to school. Yeah, 0:01:40.760 --> 0:01:44.480 so that's the case that counsels out her. You are 0:01:44.520 --> 0:01:48.240 working on it. You are working on it. Though I 0:01:48.280 --> 0:01:50.000 would at least say hello to the child. I was 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:53.880 at least done that, But stunt, I think, um, first 0:01:53.880 --> 0:01:56.320 of all, this playing game, I'm excited to do it, 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:01.960 single elimination. Whoever loses is out. So this is going 0:02:02.040 --> 0:02:04.560 to be like, I don't I don't think the playing 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.320 is considered the postseason. No, I mean, yeah, you know, 0:02:07.400 --> 0:02:10.799 it's loosely it is the postseason, but it is. You 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:13.040 are not in the playoffs. If you make the play 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:17.480 in you are not a playoff team unless you secure 0:02:18.040 --> 0:02:20.200 the seventh and eighth season. I'm glad you're reminded me. 0:02:20.280 --> 0:02:23.519 I actually did check again with the league office this week, 0:02:24.120 --> 0:02:28.280 and I am still being told that statistics in the 0:02:28.440 --> 0:02:32.440 play in games will continue to float in this nebulous 0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:36.560 zone where they really don't go into the record books. 0:02:36.639 --> 0:02:39.600 They don't get added to your regular season stats, but 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:44.120 they're also not playoff stats. So you know, Jimmy Butler 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:49.120 could go for whatever, or Zach Lavine on the Chicago side, 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:51.600 or you know, we could see some crazy stat line 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:54.680 in one of these two games, and it still really 0:02:54.800 --> 0:02:59.200 kind of doesn't count. So what you're saying for ten 0:02:59.320 --> 0:03:01.880 years later, there's going to be a player that's going 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:04.960 to be heralded as the all time play in score, 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:08.720 which really shit me much because it means your team 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:12.280 is always between a seventh intention. I don't know that 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:16.000 it should mean much, but I guess didn't um if 0:03:16.080 --> 0:03:19.200 my memory's right, was it Tatum who had a fifty 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:22.359 point playing now? Because Boston's always up, somebody had a 0:03:22.440 --> 0:03:25.160 fifty point playing game? Maybe producer Ryan can look that 0:03:25.280 --> 0:03:28.440 up for us, because of course, when when it's crunch time, 0:03:28.520 --> 0:03:31.760 my trash memory doesn't remember somebody had a fifty point 0:03:32.480 --> 0:03:38.000 playing game, and like, but that doesn't count, you know, 0:03:38.160 --> 0:03:41.160 So if somebody scores fifty tomorrow, they're gonna want it 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:45.280 to count, and it doesn't really go anywhere. It's just weird. 0:03:45.480 --> 0:03:47.560 I know, we're I know we're going way off, But 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:51.200 is that that in season tournament that they're going to implement, 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:54.640 is that going to count for regular season? That see 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:57.400 that see that. Now, man, you you're right, this was 0:03:57.480 --> 0:04:01.400 not But now you got me. Now you got me 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:02.960 riled up because this is one of my This is 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:05.160 one This is one of the things that I am 0:04:05.360 --> 0:04:10.560 so down about this in season tournament because it's not 0:04:11.200 --> 0:04:16.000 separate games. They're gonna be regular season games that are 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:22.600 designated for playing in season tournament standings. So they're gonna 0:04:22.720 --> 0:04:25.160 count double, they're gonna count in the regular season. They're 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:28.880 gonna count in your regular season stats. I don't you know. 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:33.480 I guess someone will keep in season tournament stats, but like, 0:04:33.680 --> 0:04:36.400 these are regular season games that are being used for 0:04:36.480 --> 0:04:39.280 two purposes. It's one of the things that I really 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:43.920 really don't like about this. So yeah, I don't know, 0:04:44.040 --> 0:04:45.840 I don't know where we're gonna see who's going to 0:04:45.920 --> 0:04:49.040 really keep the in season tournament stats. But yeah, they're regular, 0:04:49.400 --> 0:04:51.800 they're regular. The only games that will be extra will 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:54.800 be when they, you know, go to this final four, 0:04:54.960 --> 0:04:57.440 presumably in Vegas, and then they're gonna have to add 0:04:57.480 --> 0:05:00.160 they're gonna have to add an eighty third game for 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:04.720 the two teams that make the finals. So it's do 0:05:04.880 --> 0:05:06.960 not get me going on the in season tournament. Yeah, 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:10.120 I see, we went totally off the rails to like 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:13.040 we always do. We we make our plan, we've I 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:15.479 even write it down and then and then we end 0:05:15.560 --> 0:05:18.240 up we don't execute. We do we got to execute. 0:05:18.240 --> 0:05:21.159 We are not winning the execution Championship this season. Yeah, 0:05:21.200 --> 0:05:23.920 but I'm looking forward to tomorrow's play in, which will 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:29.440 be tonight's play in for technically being m accurate the 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:32.320 what the loser, the season will be over. Yeah, And 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:34.920 I'm with you because it's the play in games have 0:05:35.160 --> 0:05:39.080 all been very good. This regular we spend so much 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:45.120 time talking about the problems this league has with load management, 0:05:45.839 --> 0:05:49.400 and the regular season doesn't have enough stakes, and that's 0:05:49.400 --> 0:05:50.880 why they're that's why they want to do it in 0:05:50.960 --> 0:05:53.200 season tournament because they're looking for ways to try to 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:56.520 juice the regular season and make it more meaningful. The 0:05:56.640 --> 0:06:00.719 play in tournament has helped hugely. And the playing games 0:06:00.800 --> 0:06:04.240 they've all, they've all been really tight so far. Obviously 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:07.800 Lakers Wolves was not a classic in terms of the 0:06:07.880 --> 0:06:10.480 actual basketball being played, but I mean these have all 0:06:10.560 --> 0:06:14.360 been you know, close games, and you know, you know, 0:06:14.760 --> 0:06:17.040 on Wednesday night we saw or you know, we've the 0:06:17.200 --> 0:06:19.440 number ten seed had never won a playing game, and 0:06:19.560 --> 0:06:24.240 we saw both Chicago and Oklahoma City get through and 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:26.800 and and record a win for number ten. So yeah, 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:29.000 I mean it's it's been good. And I mean you 0:06:29.320 --> 0:06:31.040 you know it's it's you know, it's going to be 0:06:31.120 --> 0:06:33.559 a great scene in Miami because the heat, the heat. 0:06:34.360 --> 0:06:36.760 Everybody thought they were going to beat the Hawks, you 0:06:36.839 --> 0:06:40.200 know that, And and I thought that. Yeah, I thought 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:42.320 I was here to Atlanta, Stu. I thought I was 0:06:42.400 --> 0:06:45.920 here to Atlanta. I mean, I didn't mind that Atlanta 0:06:46.600 --> 0:06:49.480 pulled up, pulled off the upset. You find myself in 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:54.440 Miami breaking news? You like Miami? You like being in Miami? 0:06:54.600 --> 0:06:57.560 Is that? Is that? Is that breaking news for anybody? Stu? Well, 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:01.600 I'm just checking, just making sure. So my Ami, where 0:07:01.640 --> 0:07:04.159 does Miami rank on your list of favorite NBA cities? 0:07:05.480 --> 0:07:11.640 One one one, number one, number one, number two in 0:07:11.680 --> 0:07:17.240 New York. Wow, I like Miami. It's not my number one. 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:19.720 I mean, look, I I spent a lot of mons. 0:07:19.760 --> 0:07:21.640 I grew up in southern California, So when I get 0:07:21.680 --> 0:07:24.680 to go to La obviously, that's like going home. And 0:07:25.440 --> 0:07:29.480 I really love Toronto, like Toronto is the best of 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:33.000 I do, you know, I do? But I love Toronto 0:07:33.560 --> 0:07:37.480 in certain portions of the season. And I love Toronto 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:40.559 when I'm there, I don't love the process of getting 0:07:40.640 --> 0:07:43.160 to Toronto. Well, the twenty sixteen All Star Game in 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:46.040 Toronto was as cold as it humanly could be, and 0:07:46.160 --> 0:07:49.320 I still absolutely loved it. I mean, for me, Toronto 0:07:49.440 --> 0:07:53.720 has always combined the best of the US and island 0:07:53.760 --> 0:07:56.160 by yourself. I love it. Man, You're on an island 0:07:56.240 --> 0:07:59.000 by yourself. With that Miami that was the worst All 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:02.560 Star weekend. So okay, so you're happy you're in, Like 0:08:03.320 --> 0:08:06.280 you're not gonna be there long, but you'll you'll. I 0:08:06.360 --> 0:08:10.400 suppose you will make the most of your Friday pregame show, 0:08:10.480 --> 0:08:15.680 meet breakfast, meeting on the patio, breakfast meeting. Actually, I'm 0:08:15.680 --> 0:08:18.440 going to shoot around. I might miss breakfast tomorrow, going 0:08:18.520 --> 0:08:21.720 to shoot around bullshoot around tomorrow, check them out and 0:08:22.080 --> 0:08:24.880 right after so I leave here, and I know I'm 0:08:24.920 --> 0:08:28.520 going way ahead, but Steyn, once I leave Miami here Saturday, 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:31.760 I'm going straight to Phoenix. I got the first two 0:08:31.920 --> 0:08:36.040 games of that Sun's Clippers series, so that's gonna be. 0:08:36.080 --> 0:08:38.000 That's that's another series. I'm looking forward, right, Well, we 0:08:38.040 --> 0:08:40.000 will go ahead. Let's get back on we will get 0:08:40.040 --> 0:08:42.920 to that not because and look, the reality is there. 0:08:43.640 --> 0:08:46.760 The playoffs are just starting, and we know six of 0:08:46.880 --> 0:08:49.959 the series already. You know, we still are awaiting who's 0:08:49.960 --> 0:08:51.600 going to be the eighth seed in the East, who's 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:52.920 going to be the eighth seed in the West. The 0:08:53.000 --> 0:08:58.000 matchups that we know Celtics, Hawks, Sixers, Nets, Cavaliers, Nicks. 0:08:58.040 --> 0:09:00.360 Which is the standout matchup in the first round for 0:09:00.480 --> 0:09:04.240 me with Donovan Mitchell, it's the Donovan Mitchell Bowl with 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:06.360 the team that didn't get him playing the team that 0:09:06.480 --> 0:09:11.119 did trade for Donovan Mitchell. In the West, we have Lakers, Grizzlies, 0:09:12.200 --> 0:09:18.960 we have Kings, Warriors, the Viveka Bowl, the Northern California Championship, 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:23.760 and then Sons Clippers your series. And it's interesting Draymond Green, 0:09:23.840 --> 0:09:27.679 who again a hearty thank you to Draymond Green for 0:09:28.120 --> 0:09:35.560 an absolutely detailed, insightful, candid, ultra candid convo with us 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:38.400 that we turned into a two part or. Draymond is 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:42.240 already on record as saying the Warriors will beat the Kings, 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:45.520 the Lakers will beat the Grizzlies, and are Round two 0:09:45.640 --> 0:09:49.959 will be will be Lakers against Warriors, which would just 0:09:50.160 --> 0:09:53.720 be monster ratings if if that happens, and your series 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:57.400 is packed with storylines obviously because Kevin Durant having only 0:09:57.480 --> 0:10:00.920 played eight games as a son, but the Suns are 0:10:00.960 --> 0:10:03.000 a lot of people's favorites. But look, with all this, 0:10:03.480 --> 0:10:05.640 I mean, we're gonna be talking about all these series 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:10.000 because they're just getting going. I think this week, really, 0:10:11.679 --> 0:10:14.079 you know, it's teams out of the playoffs or teams 0:10:14.120 --> 0:10:18.040 that were just eliminated, where really all the news focus 0:10:18.120 --> 0:10:21.559 has been. You know, we in Portland, Damian Lillard just 0:10:21.720 --> 0:10:24.880 joined Stephen A. Smith and made some comments that have 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:28.079 a lot of people rebbed up New Orleans losing its 0:10:28.160 --> 0:10:32.000 playing game to number ten Oklahoma City. Obviously, Zion Williamson 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:34.360 doesn't play. I mean, that's a major story where I 0:10:34.520 --> 0:10:38.360 live in Dallas, the Mavericks are still generating a lot 0:10:38.440 --> 0:10:41.199 of coverage even though their series is completely over. The 0:10:41.360 --> 0:10:44.240 Raptors just went out to Chicago, and so now we 0:10:44.440 --> 0:10:48.240 laser in on the Nick Nurse situation. Will Nick Nurse 0:10:48.559 --> 0:10:51.680 stay in Toronto as the Raptors coach? Is he headed 0:10:51.720 --> 0:10:56.520 to Houston or elsewhere after? As Nick himself volunteered recently 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:59.520 ten years with the Raptors, five of his five as 0:10:59.520 --> 0:11:02.360 an assistant to Dwayne Casey five as the head coach. 0:11:02.520 --> 0:11:06.800 So we got all these storylines that deal with teams 0:11:06.840 --> 0:11:08.679 that are either out or on the brink. And then 0:11:08.920 --> 0:11:12.680 you know Minnesota Friday Night has to beat Oklahoma City 0:11:13.120 --> 0:11:16.880 just to get the eighth seed and Rudy Gobert suspended 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:20.160 from the playing game in Los Angeles. The Wolves still 0:11:20.240 --> 0:11:24.040 had an incredible opportunity to beat the Lakers without their 0:11:24.120 --> 0:11:26.800 best to defensive players, and they couldn't do it. So 0:11:27.559 --> 0:11:30.480 there's a zillion different directions we can go, but I 0:11:30.559 --> 0:11:33.880 think we should start with Damian Lillard because let's face it, 0:11:34.000 --> 0:11:38.760 you are the world's foremost damologist. You know him better 0:11:38.840 --> 0:11:43.080 than anybody who follows this league. So let's let's let's 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:45.319 first take a listen to what he said to stephen A. 0:11:45.559 --> 0:11:47.880 They know how important it is to just you know, 0:11:48.080 --> 0:11:50.400 be on a competitive team on the level where we 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:53.360 can you know, make a run in the playoffs, and uh, 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:55.439 you know that just that just has to happen to me. 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:59.040 I think is that your way of saying the Portland 0:11:59.080 --> 0:12:01.599 Trailblazers on clock, they got to show a level of 0:12:01.760 --> 0:12:04.199 urgency or else, I mean, I ain't go I'm not 0:12:04.320 --> 0:12:06.240 even gonna it ain't a threat. I'm not you know, 0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:07.800 I ain't gonna say I'm putting them on the clock. 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:10.360 I'm just saying, you know, if those things can't be done, 0:12:10.880 --> 0:12:14.000 you know, we can't do something significant like that, then 0:12:14.160 --> 0:12:17.079 you know we won't we won't have a chance to to, 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:19.880 you know, compete on that level. And then not only 0:12:19.920 --> 0:12:22.040 will I have a decision to make, but I think 0:12:22.080 --> 0:12:24.439 the organization will too, because at that point it's like, 0:12:25.320 --> 0:12:26.920 are you going to go young or are we going 0:12:26.960 --> 0:12:28.679 to get something done. I think we just kind of 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:33.000 been on the with, you know, fully committing to either one. 0:12:33.200 --> 0:12:35.600 And I just think, you know, we had that down 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:39.240 where everybody, everybody wants to win, you know, they believe 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:42.920 that I deserve that opportunity. This has been portrayed, is 0:12:42.960 --> 0:12:47.960 this like Dame has finally issued an ultimatum to the Blazers, 0:12:48.000 --> 0:12:52.240 And that's not the way I heard it. But you know, again, 0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:55.079 you are the Dame expert. Tell me what did you 0:12:55.240 --> 0:13:00.440 make of the comments. I didn't think he said much 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:03.360 like it wasn't a surprise to me. I didn't think 0:13:03.400 --> 0:13:08.520 he said much of anything that was different from his 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:11.439 previous stance over the last couple of years, and I 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:14.920 think people were making this out to be like you said, 0:13:15.040 --> 0:13:19.319 like this is the first time that he's issuing an ultimatum. Well, no, 0:13:19.559 --> 0:13:22.920 the first time he really this is the first time 0:13:23.000 --> 0:13:28.560 he really put the organization to task was two summers ago. 0:13:29.200 --> 0:13:31.680 This was when they lost in the first round to Denver, 0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:36.680 when Portland was when Portland was favored. Excuse me, they 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:38.840 were the higher seed. I believe what did the higher 0:13:38.920 --> 0:13:42.560 seed over Denver? I believe they were. I believe they 0:13:42.760 --> 0:13:45.240 was fighting a lot of us. Yeah, firing a lot 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:47.680 of questions at Ryan to look up because I don't 0:13:47.679 --> 0:13:51.839 remember I believe either, But look, I mean they it was. 0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:54.320 But no, no, they weren't. No, they weren't. They weren't. 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:57.480 They were not a higher seed. But Denver was missing 0:13:57.640 --> 0:14:01.679 Jamal Murray and they were missing my port Jr. And 0:14:01.840 --> 0:14:04.280 so they were. They were a wounded Denver Nuggets squad. 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:07.559 Portland went into that playoffs healthy, So I believe the 0:14:07.640 --> 0:14:11.160 Portland should have been favorite in the odds and they lost. 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:16.400 That was the year Dame was really contemplating if he 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:20.640 was going to stay or think about going elsewhere. So 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:23.000 that was it was. It was more of a serious 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:27.560 point then than it is now. Now. This can elevate 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:31.120 to be in a serious situation depending on how the 0:14:31.200 --> 0:14:36.400 Blazers handle this offseason with the with the the draft 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:40.680 coming up, free agency, and so I talked to Dame. 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:43.800 So I talked to Dame a little bit before we 0:14:44.000 --> 0:14:46.360 started this Podcat I told him, look, we're gonna talk 0:14:46.400 --> 0:14:50.680 about the comments you made with Stephen a. Um, give 0:14:50.760 --> 0:14:53.520 me your you know, just give me your take on 0:14:54.400 --> 0:14:56.960 what's going on or what you what you meant to say. 0:14:57.560 --> 0:15:00.800 He said, look, just say this, he said, I want 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:03.960 to win right now. The Blazers tell me that they 0:15:04.080 --> 0:15:06.760 want to win right now. He said, So for right now, 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:10.280 I'm going in trusting that we're all on the same 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:12.600 page and that they're going to do things to improve 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:15.520 this roster, to put this roster in position to be 0:15:15.600 --> 0:15:19.840 a championship contending team. And he said, now if they don't, 0:15:20.280 --> 0:15:24.280 if things fall short, then he and the team have 0:15:24.360 --> 0:15:27.040 a decision to make from there. But he's let it 0:15:27.120 --> 0:15:29.320 be known it's not a secret to the Blazers because 0:15:29.320 --> 0:15:31.920 he's already talked to Joe Cronin, the general manager of 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:33.880 the Blazers. He had an exit interview with him a 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:36.760 couple of days ago. He's already informed him like he 0:15:36.840 --> 0:15:40.000 doesn't want to go down a road of kind of 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:44.920 being a middle tier team just you know, in no 0:15:45.120 --> 0:15:47.160 man's land, and he doesn't want to be on a 0:15:47.720 --> 0:15:52.080 rebuilding team. So the organization already knows dame stance. They 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:55.160 know that if they if they aren't able to come 0:15:55.240 --> 0:16:00.320 through with their promises putting together a comparable roster, they 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:03.840 pretty much know the next step. That next step is 0:16:03.880 --> 0:16:08.000 a step that we haven't seen in Dame's time of 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:12.640 being a professional basketball player. And I think right now 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:18.600 everything is cool because there's promises being made, but this 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:21.440 is a small window to come through on those promises 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:24.400 in these next couple of months. If that doesn't happen, 0:16:25.040 --> 0:16:27.680 then that's when I think this situation could be elevated, 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:30.320 and it would be a worse situation, more worse situation 0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:33.680 than it was two years ago when Dane finally came 0:16:33.720 --> 0:16:36.280 out and expressed the desire to have a better team 0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:40.520 around him. Yeah, because look he I mean, the underlying 0:16:40.600 --> 0:16:42.840 thing is he continue he wants it to be there. 0:16:43.080 --> 0:16:47.680 I think that he keeps trying to express that, and 0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:50.360 I'm not sure people really want to hear it. But 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:55.360 I also understand the reality of the NBA. And I'm 0:16:55.440 --> 0:16:58.760 not saying all twenty nine teams would be in the 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:02.680 hunt for Dame mean Lillard if he ever did become available, 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:06.719 but teams there are. You know, certainly there are teams 0:17:06.760 --> 0:17:09.879 around the league who saw this interview with Stephen A 0:17:10.480 --> 0:17:14.160 and they start plotting, is this are opening to try 0:17:14.600 --> 0:17:17.920 to get Damian Lillard. I'm sure you know, I don't 0:17:18.000 --> 0:17:19.879 have tangible proof of it, but I'm just going to 0:17:19.920 --> 0:17:23.600 go out on a limited guess that the Blazers. Maybe 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:26.000 they're not getting calls today, but they will get calls 0:17:26.080 --> 0:17:30.120 because teams are gonna want to try to steal him away. 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:34.400 I mean, they're just they will test the Blazers resolve 0:17:35.280 --> 0:17:39.720 no matter what Dame is saying for public consumption. So 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:43.920 it's interesting, It would be really interesting if we had, 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:48.800 you know, some sort of accurate pressure meters, like who's 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:52.679 under more pressure right now? Is it Portland? Is it Dallas? 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:55.000 For a lot of the same reasons. You know, Luca 0:17:55.200 --> 0:17:58.160 is only in year one of a five year deal. 0:17:58.240 --> 0:18:01.280 But look, the MAVs. The MAVs let the world know 0:18:01.480 --> 0:18:05.240 how much pressure they're feeling when they traded for Kyrie 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:09.639 Irving in February. That whole thing was to try to 0:18:10.880 --> 0:18:15.240 put a team together that could win now just because 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:18.879 they want to, you know, diffuse this pressure that they 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:23.560 are feeling about building a winning team around Luca Dante. 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:31.400 What's the pressure meter in New Orleans right now? Where 0:18:31.400 --> 0:18:33.639 at least you know, the Pelicans, you know, they lose 0:18:33.880 --> 0:18:38.240 very disappointingly to Okay, see the Pelicans, though, would seemingly 0:18:38.320 --> 0:18:41.720 have the easiest fix. I mean, the Pelicans, their their 0:18:41.800 --> 0:18:44.560 issue is getting Zion on the court. I mean, like, 0:18:44.720 --> 0:18:47.760 if they can get Zion on the court, they that's 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:51.399 the fix. They've got the supporting cast. I mean, we 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:54.359 were we were talking were a lot of people thought 0:18:54.400 --> 0:18:57.200 that this was the deepest team in the league when 0:18:58.240 --> 0:19:01.560 in December, when they were when they were climbing towards 0:19:02.119 --> 0:19:04.920 the top of the West End. Look, it's man, this 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:09.320 Zion situation, like the situations aren't exactly comparable. But I 0:19:09.520 --> 0:19:14.280 found this interesting that just numbers wise, you know, Zion 0:19:14.359 --> 0:19:17.160 has played one hundred and fourteen games in four seasons, 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:23.119 only one hundred and fourteen. But Joel Embiid because of 0:19:23.200 --> 0:19:26.840 the injuries that cost him two seasons. At the start, 0:19:27.560 --> 0:19:32.120 Joel Embiid had only played ninety four games through four seasons. 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:34.959 So it just does tell you that Joel Embiid, who 0:19:35.080 --> 0:19:39.119 is now an MVP favorite for the third successive season, 0:19:39.240 --> 0:19:44.320 like Ken Zion, bounce back the way Joel Embiid has. 0:19:44.560 --> 0:19:49.720 Will Zion take the necessary steps this offseason to set 0:19:49.840 --> 0:19:53.400 himself up to bounce back like Joel Embiid did from 0:19:53.480 --> 0:19:56.280 the injuries that tortured him at the start of his career. 0:19:56.359 --> 0:19:59.359 I mean, what like when you look at New Orleans 0:19:59.480 --> 0:20:01.639 kind of how have you been processing the way? And 0:20:01.960 --> 0:20:04.080 that was that was actually that all I promise I 0:20:04.119 --> 0:20:06.240 didn't I didn't know I was going to say processing 0:20:06.280 --> 0:20:08.920 after a Joel Embiid sentence, how are you? What do 0:20:08.960 --> 0:20:11.680 you like? What do what do you see in New Orleans? Well, look, 0:20:11.840 --> 0:20:16.280 you talk about disparity of games misks to games played 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:19.480 for Zion, and definitely it's alarming. We all knew that. 0:20:19.600 --> 0:20:23.159 We knew that for the last couple of years. I 0:20:23.359 --> 0:20:28.680 think what's making for Pelicans fans, I'll speak to them. 0:20:28.960 --> 0:20:31.680 I think it's making the way this season ended for 0:20:31.800 --> 0:20:38.400 them so frustrating is Zion Williams's last interview he gave 0:20:38.520 --> 0:20:44.760 to the Scrub, basically stating that he is clear, but 0:20:44.920 --> 0:20:47.760 from here on out it's a mental hurdle, and he 0:20:47.880 --> 0:20:50.720 doesn't want to get out there and be second guests 0:20:50.800 --> 0:20:54.520 in and put himself from himself from harm's way, and 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:58.640 then he feels like he wouldn't be a good enough 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:01.680 contribution for the team if he's out there a second 0:21:01.720 --> 0:21:08.520 guest himself. Now, I just didn't think I get him, 0:21:08.560 --> 0:21:10.400 first of all, I get him stign let's just talk 0:21:10.400 --> 0:21:13.479 about that. I've always thought that if they were depending 0:21:13.560 --> 0:21:17.120 on Zion to come back for the playoffs, I think 0:21:17.200 --> 0:21:20.680 that's that's a tough ass because he's been out since January, 0:21:21.160 --> 0:21:24.639 and now all of a sudden he steps into playing 0:21:24.720 --> 0:21:28.359 in when the games really matter, when everybody is in 0:21:28.480 --> 0:21:31.760 tip top shape, and he's trying to work himself in 0:21:31.920 --> 0:21:35.280 shape amongst that type of environment. That's gonna be tough. 0:21:35.359 --> 0:21:38.080 So I already thought that was a tall order. But 0:21:38.680 --> 0:21:44.080 I just think his words didn't do him any favors. 0:21:45.440 --> 0:21:47.720 Like I would rather, if you're gonna talk at all, 0:21:47.800 --> 0:21:51.960 I would rather say you're not ready, Like because he 0:21:52.119 --> 0:21:55.639 was asked, well, what can't What can't you do? He said, no, 0:21:55.720 --> 0:21:57.520 I can do everything. I can go out there and 0:21:57.600 --> 0:21:59.800 do everything. But it's a it's a mental thing, which is, 0:22:00.359 --> 0:22:02.920 you know, if you had a serious injury, it takes 0:22:02.960 --> 0:22:05.280 a while. Jamal Murray went through that with Denver where 0:22:05.320 --> 0:22:07.359 he was clear for a minute, but it's still that 0:22:07.480 --> 0:22:10.920 mental hurdle that you have to overcome. But the problem, 0:22:11.000 --> 0:22:14.159 the thing, the difference between Jamal murray situation Zions is 0:22:14.280 --> 0:22:18.520 Zion keeps going through this, this is a cycle. People 0:22:18.560 --> 0:22:21.960 are getting tired of it. And Jamal Murray you're given 0:22:22.000 --> 0:22:23.680 a benefit of the doubt because the first time he's 0:22:23.680 --> 0:22:28.200 going through something like this, And so the Zion, everybody's questioning, 0:22:28.640 --> 0:22:31.840 is he really doing everything necessary on the physical standpoint 0:22:32.600 --> 0:22:36.639 to be ready in tiptop shape, to be able to 0:22:36.720 --> 0:22:41.159 play close to seventy games a year. And I don't know. 0:22:41.280 --> 0:22:43.800 I don't know the answer to that. I don't I know. CJ. 0:22:43.960 --> 0:22:47.880 McCullum has some very pointed remarks after that lost saying, 0:22:48.760 --> 0:22:51.600 we need guys to be ready in physical shape, we 0:22:51.720 --> 0:22:56.040 need guys to take their dietary. The nutrition stepped that up. 0:22:56.800 --> 0:22:59.560 You know, he was kind of he was direct, without 0:22:59.640 --> 0:23:02.800 naming it, naming any names. He was pretty direct and 0:23:03.160 --> 0:23:06.320 uh so, at least to your point, Styn when you 0:23:06.359 --> 0:23:09.080 said they're different with the Pelicans. They just got to 0:23:09.119 --> 0:23:11.520 be healthy. They got the talent, just the talent, they're 0:23:11.600 --> 0:23:15.240 they're always dressed in street clothes. Somehow, some way things 0:23:15.320 --> 0:23:17.960 have to change. I mean, I guess we'll see if 0:23:18.000 --> 0:23:23.000 there's a different approach taken this offseason to preparation and 0:23:23.520 --> 0:23:26.640 everything that he's doing off the court on the court, 0:23:26.680 --> 0:23:30.679 because I mean, the talent, the talent is absolutely tantalizing, 0:23:30.760 --> 0:23:33.160 but I mean, one hundred and fourteen games in four years, 0:23:33.280 --> 0:23:36.560 I mean, it's it's uh, it's rough, and I'm sure 0:23:37.320 --> 0:23:41.320 that there's a lot of frustration probably among I mean, 0:23:41.520 --> 0:23:43.800 you know, I haven't been to New Orleans lately, but 0:23:43.840 --> 0:23:45.880 I would imagine that there's a fair bit of fan 0:23:46.000 --> 0:23:50.920 frustration there, not terribly unlike the city where I live, 0:23:51.160 --> 0:23:54.960 and not terribly unlike Portland, because you know, all of 0:23:55.040 --> 0:24:01.880