WEBVTT - Second round interview medley! 0:00:10.119 --> 0:00:13.960 On this episode of the Heat Check, the second round continues, folks, 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:16.680 we'll get you all caught up on what's popping. We 0:00:16.800 --> 0:00:19.360 also are gonna have some news from around the league. 0:00:19.400 --> 0:00:22.640 We also have a bunch of interviews, including Jovan Buha 0:00:22.680 --> 0:00:24.439 to give us the latest on what the fuck is 0:00:24.440 --> 0:00:27.920 happening with the LA Lakers, Grant Asset, who covers the 0:00:27.960 --> 0:00:30.800 Mavericks telling us what's going on with Luka Doncic, and 0:00:30.800 --> 0:00:34.000 then Zach Bye from Denver. As you can tell, we 0:00:34.159 --> 0:00:38.000 found some people who cover the teams that are just 0:00:38.080 --> 0:00:39.920 downright puzzling and disappointing. 0:00:40.000 --> 0:00:42.519 So much to get to time to get on at Anthony. 0:00:42.800 --> 0:00:45.200 Let's drop that motherfucker beat should beat Rihanna? 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:01.840 All right? Moving on breaking news. 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:03.120 In a wild day in the NBA. First of all, 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:06.280 the Sons did it. They did the unthinkable, They did 0:01:06.319 --> 0:01:09.680 the unimaginable. They did the irrational, which is Karate chopped 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:12.200 Frank Vogel all the way out of Phoenix. That's right, 0:01:13.000 --> 0:01:16.520 Frank Vogel caught astray, caught the blame for the Suns 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.280 getting swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. Also, 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:25.880 like considering that Minnesota's up to zero on the defending champs. 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:28.959 Maybe the timing not so great. 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:33.160 Like if if this was a Minnesota Timberwolve team that 0:01:33.240 --> 0:01:39.000 was largely fraudulent, then maybe Frank Vogel could get the hiya. 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:41.199 But like, this team might win it all. 0:01:41.440 --> 0:01:44.560 This this Minnesota Timberwolves team might win it all, and 0:01:44.600 --> 0:01:47.760 you're disappointed with that guy who actually is gonna be 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:51.320 in the exact same spot as Michael Malone. I don't 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:53.640 know what coach can fix this team. Also, they don't 0:01:53.640 --> 0:01:54.880 have a point guard, they don't have a center. 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:56.680 Sheesh. 0:01:56.720 --> 0:01:58.680 Anyway, I had this random thought when I was doing 0:01:58.720 --> 0:02:01.400 some tiktoks on Frank Vogel that I thought I would 0:02:01.440 --> 0:02:03.320 point out here on the pod in case you don't 0:02:03.360 --> 0:02:07.680 follow me. Disappointing if you don't on Instagram or on TikTok. 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:15.200 Kevin Durant has had seven bosses, seven bosses in the 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:20.280 past five years. Yes, since twenty nineteen, he's been under 0:02:20.880 --> 0:02:24.080 seven different coaches. 0:02:25.360 --> 0:02:27.519 And multiple regimes. 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:32.240 You had Steve Kerr, Kenny Atkinson fired, Steve Nash fired, 0:02:32.720 --> 0:02:36.680 Joq Vaughn fired three fucking three coaches on one team. 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:39.320 Mammi Williams fired Frank. 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.400 Vogel fired and then whoever the fuck comes next that 0:02:42.440 --> 0:02:45.320 he probably is going to be Mike Budenholzer. The rumor 0:02:45.360 --> 0:02:48.960 is that but already has the job. Get Rond kad 0:02:49.240 --> 0:02:53.840 get Rond not sure how Budenholzer can fix this team, 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:58.000 considering that the salary cap has rules and they work 0:02:58.040 --> 0:03:01.200 against this Sun's team. But it's certainly gonna be different 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:06.600 no matter what, absolutely different. And other news, the Hornets 0:03:06.600 --> 0:03:09.840 have finally hired their head coach. They have tabbed Charles Lee, 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:14.760 another Milwaukee Bucks disciple, an assistant for the Boston Celtics. 0:03:14.760 --> 0:03:16.640 Now, he's been a man in great demand. 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:21.000 He's young, he's smart, He hopefully will be there to 0:03:21.080 --> 0:03:22.799 change the losing culture in Charlotte. 0:03:22.880 --> 0:03:23.680 More on this soon. 0:03:24.080 --> 0:03:25.799 So much popping off the court, but we got to 0:03:25.800 --> 0:03:27.320 get back to these second round games. 0:03:27.639 --> 0:03:28.360 Here's what we know. 0:03:29.720 --> 0:03:32.520 We know that the OKC thunder are a problem. 0:03:33.000 --> 0:03:35.600 They took the MAVs behind the woodshed a couple of 0:03:35.680 --> 0:03:39.440 nights ago one, seventeen ninety five in a game that 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:42.920 was pretty close until Mark Dagno said no more of this, 0:03:43.080 --> 0:03:45.600 Josh Giddy, He's got to get up out of here, 0:03:45.800 --> 0:03:48.720 benched him for Aaron Wiggins, after which the Thunder out 0:03:48.720 --> 0:03:51.240 scored the MAVs by twenty five points. I think also 0:03:51.240 --> 0:03:53.520 we got a little Case and Wallace in the mix 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:59.480 as well. Anyway, Luca is hobbled, Kyrie is getting blitzed, 0:04:00.040 --> 0:04:02.120 Dallas is left trying to figure out how they're going 0:04:02.200 --> 0:04:04.720 to score on a very athletic, okay see team when 0:04:04.720 --> 0:04:08.280 they don't have that many healthy creators or players that 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:12.080 you can really trust. Daniel Gafford had double digit points 0:04:12.120 --> 0:04:14.400 and double digit rebounds, and I think that's kind of like, 0:04:14.560 --> 0:04:19.800 just based on getting Rundom out east, the Celtics did 0:04:19.839 --> 0:04:23.320 what everybody expected them to do. They decided to take 0:04:23.320 --> 0:04:27.280 the Cavaliers and pound them like a tenpenny nail. It 0:04:27.360 --> 0:04:30.760 was a twenty five point win in Game one, and honestly, 0:04:31.120 --> 0:04:34.080 it didn't feel even close to that. And I think 0:04:34.160 --> 0:04:36.520 if you're talking about how the Boston Celtics actually played 0:04:36.920 --> 0:04:39.240 probably like a six. 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:41.280 Out of ten of their potential, the. 0:04:41.279 --> 0:04:45.240 Cavs, just without Jared Allen and Darius Garland, who has 0:04:45.279 --> 0:04:49.640 been booboo, have not been able to handle this Celtics offense. 0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:53.760 Even missing Porzingis has not changed this team at all. 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:58.080 I would be shocked. I would be shocked if the 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:00.839 Calves take even a game from Boston. I would be 0:05:00.880 --> 0:05:03.600 shocked if the Calves take a half of a game 0:05:03.720 --> 0:05:07.080 from Houstin all this to say, the second round series 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:08.799 might be very short, and they might be very dumb 0:05:08.880 --> 0:05:12.680 and very uninspiring and not entertaining. The Wolves take on 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:16.200 the Nuggets Friday night, up to zero and a win 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:19.720 there maybe a sweep. New York took game two from 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:22.080 Indy to put them up to zero. They may be 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:27.159 getting out the brooms. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle got ram 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:30.400 with about ten seconds left. He gets ejected. Said in 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:34.680 his presser that the officials have missed seventy eight calls 0:05:34.839 --> 0:05:36.000 in the first two games. 0:05:36.320 --> 0:05:37.000 Seventy eight. 0:05:37.080 --> 0:05:39.280 Hey, you guys suck. 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:43.760 Like twenty percent of the time. Twenty percent of what 0:05:43.839 --> 0:05:47.000 you decided to call out there is wrong. The series 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:49.960 now heads back to Indy. Must win situation for the Pacers. 0:05:50.480 --> 0:05:54.440 Miles Turner needs to show up like now. Pascal situations, 0:05:54.520 --> 0:05:59.919 Pascal situation, Pascal Siakam needs to step up right now. 0:06:00.600 --> 0:06:02.120 We need more TJ McConnell. 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:04.200 We need more Obi top and ain't no stop in 0:06:04.240 --> 0:06:07.880 Obi topping because the Knicks can't stop him. And also 0:06:09.320 --> 0:06:12.000 we got some injury news with ogn and Obi hurt 0:06:12.000 --> 0:06:15.919 his hamstring, Jalen Brunson hurt his foot. What's gonna happen 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:18.560 moving forward with their health, injury and status. I don't know, 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:20.640 but we might be looking at four sweeps in the 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:21.200 second round. 0:06:21.520 --> 0:06:22.560 What is that? 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:23.359 Unreal? 0:06:23.560 --> 0:06:25.520 We'll get more into this on Monday, but for now, 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:28.440 let's get into some long overdue news from around the league. 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:30.080 We talked last time. 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:32.720 About Miami Heat and they're woes and all kinds of 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:36.760 issues and rumors about what happens next. But another team 0:06:37.360 --> 0:06:39.279 in swimming in a pool of sadness is the New 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:40.240 Orleans Pelicans. 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:41.320 We talked about Griffin. 0:06:41.600 --> 0:06:44.640 David Griffin, the executive VP of operations, and right now, 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:47.320 after the Pelicans were swept into oblivion after four years 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:50.039 of zion that he is no longer willing to be 0:06:50.160 --> 0:06:53.920 patient and run it back, and now we know. 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:55.440 What that looks like. 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:58.920 According to reports, New Orleans will not be offering Brandon 0:06:59.000 --> 0:07:03.760 Ingram a contract extist this offseason, which is not surprising 0:07:03.800 --> 0:07:06.640 considering that Trey Murphy is also eligible for a Rockie 0:07:06.640 --> 0:07:09.480 Scale extension around twenty five million dollars a year, and 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:11.680 that is very clear that he is a part of 0:07:11.720 --> 0:07:14.960 their long term plans and maybe Brandon Ingram is not. Remember, 0:07:15.000 --> 0:07:16.880 by the way, this is a team that's never been 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:19.720 in the luxury tax. Never in the history of their 0:07:19.720 --> 0:07:23.760 team have they ever paid the luxury tax cheap. And 0:07:23.800 --> 0:07:26.760 once Trey Murphy is signed, they can then use Ingram's 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:29.640 thirty six million dollars in salary to entice another star 0:07:29.760 --> 0:07:33.320 player Paul George, Donovan Mitchell, etc. Donovan Mitchell, there would 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:37.320 be actually low key amazing into jumping ship. Brandon Ingram, 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:40.680 I think could be a valuable player somewhere a place 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:42.440 that already has a defined. 0:07:42.120 --> 0:07:45.000 Culture aka like the Heat, But. 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:46.760 He never really fit with Zion, and I think that 0:07:46.840 --> 0:07:50.280 he and the Palace believe that a fresh start probably probably. 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:51.720 Benefits both teams, both sides. 0:07:56.320 --> 0:08:00.240 Orlando moving on, made it to a game seven, they 0:08:00.280 --> 0:08:03.080 blew that twenty point lead, they get sent get sacked, 0:08:03.320 --> 0:08:07.120 get sent packing. That's hard to say by Donovan Mitchell. 0:08:07.280 --> 0:08:09.160 And a major reason that they're in Cancun is that 0:08:09.200 --> 0:08:12.800 Franz Wagner I don't know where he went for some reason. 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:16.680 His jumper is broken, although he averaged nineteen a game. 0:08:16.720 --> 0:08:19.040 In the Cleveland series, he only shot forty one percent 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:21.640 from the field and twenty seven percent from three and 0:08:21.680 --> 0:08:24.480 only five attempts per game, which is disgusting. He also 0:08:24.640 --> 0:08:29.920 saved his worst performance for last. In Game seven, Franz 0:08:30.000 --> 0:08:36.040 Wagner went went six, six and one, shooting one for 0:08:36.200 --> 0:08:39.200 fifteen in thirty five minutes. 0:08:40.080 --> 0:08:42.040 What a What a game seven? 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:46.080 Probably as bad as almost any star player has played. 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:49.160 After the game, Paolo Bencaro, who went off for thirty 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:50.959 eight by the way, in game seven, had this to 0:08:51.000 --> 0:08:52.199 say about Franz Wagner. 0:08:52.360 --> 0:08:55.000 He said, Yo, we're not even here without Franz. 0:08:55.600 --> 0:08:57.640 He holds himself to a high standard and he expects 0:08:57.640 --> 0:08:59.080 a lot out of himself as a player. I've been 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:01.000 in that position as well, where you feel like you 0:09:01.000 --> 0:09:02.600 could have done a lot more on a losing effort, 0:09:02.600 --> 0:09:06.960 but that doesn't define him. Also, excuse me, that's not true, Paolo, 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:10.040 You've never gone one for fifteen in a closed out game. 0:09:10.080 --> 0:09:12.760 But also do you know what that is from Paalo? 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:13.720 That is leadership. 0:09:14.000 --> 0:09:19.120 We're seeing remarkable maturity from these young stars, stars that, 0:09:19.200 --> 0:09:22.839 by the way, fifteen years ago would not be saying 0:09:22.880 --> 0:09:25.679 these things. We're getting more out of our young players 0:09:25.960 --> 0:09:30.080 mentally than we've ever had before. Aunt Edwards, shake yelges 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:34.800 Alexander Paolo this is a great example. You lift up 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:38.920 a teammate who shit the bed instead of am Kobe 0:09:38.960 --> 0:09:44.120 bryanting him and just tossing them under the bus or 0:09:44.160 --> 0:09:48.200 the train ready to get smatted, splatted. 0:09:47.640 --> 0:09:49.200 All over for everyone to see. 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:52.160 The truth is, though, that Wagner's shooting issues are just 0:09:52.240 --> 0:09:54.600 not really new at all. They're just not Over the 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:57.880 past two months of the season, he was incredibly bad 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:01.000 from three nineteen percent over the lef twenty seven games. 0:10:01.480 --> 0:10:03.840 That is less than half. 0:10:03.600 --> 0:10:05.679 Of the NBA league average, which is thirty six percent 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:08.840 from deep and at the bottom for high volume shooters 0:10:09.280 --> 0:10:09.880 in the league. 0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:10.679 That is crazy. 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:13.360 Also considering that he was awesome and feeble play, his 0:10:13.440 --> 0:10:17.400 twenty eight percent from the season is fifth worst in 0:10:17.480 --> 0:10:19.560 the NBA, which is also one of the reasons that 0:10:20.280 --> 0:10:26.360 the Magic are reportedly looking at pursuing Wooing courting Klay 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:30.160 Thompson want to see how this goes. Fascinating fascinating stuff. 0:10:30.360 --> 0:10:36.080 Also out in Clipperland, LA is apparently for the umpteenth year, 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:39.080 trying to run it back next year. 0:10:39.920 --> 0:10:41.280 Don't think they have much of a choice. 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.079 But to be honest, there is one funny thing happening 0:10:44.480 --> 0:10:49.679 apparently that the Clips have been making multiple contract offers 0:10:49.760 --> 0:10:54.319 quote unquote below the max to Paul George, which he 0:10:54.360 --> 0:10:57.800 has told him that he is not accepting as he 0:10:57.880 --> 0:10:59.440 wants max money. 0:11:00.559 --> 0:11:01.920 It's funny, like they just keep. 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:02.560 Going up a dollar. 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:06.800 They're like, they're like, yo, you won't accept this amount, 0:11:06.840 --> 0:11:10.280 but will you accept five million dollars more over the 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:11.200 course of five years? 0:11:11.320 --> 0:11:12.400 No, bro, I. 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:14.560 Want max money, max money. 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:15.559 It's so funny. 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:19.640 He's like treating PG three Steve Bomer like an eBay auction, 0:11:20.040 --> 0:11:23.480 just increasing the bid until he gets the very lowest 0:11:23.480 --> 0:11:26.120 point that he thinks that PG will sign up, while 0:11:26.120 --> 0:11:29.200 there's like a buy it now available for max money, Okay, 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:32.760 buy now. Friends of show law Murray reported that Lawrence 0:11:32.760 --> 0:11:37.080 Frank intends to retain the core intends to which is 0:11:37.080 --> 0:11:39.280 fascinating in considering that they don't want to max OUTPG. 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:40.920 And I think there's gonna be some other teams that 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:44.160 want to max OUTPG. But it doesn't mean that they 0:11:44.200 --> 0:11:46.440 want to bring out But that does mean that they 0:11:46.440 --> 0:11:49.719 do want to bring back Harden. It depends though, on 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:53.079 how much cash they offer him. Lawrence Frank says, quote, 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:56.080 we always want to treat players well, pay fairly. We've 0:11:56.080 --> 0:11:58.160 had good conversations so over the course of the year. 0:11:58.640 --> 0:12:01.400 Kind of glass half empty, class full situation if you're 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:05.080 a Clippers fan. On one hand, this team, when fully healthy, 0:12:05.160 --> 0:12:07.360 we've never seen what they look like, and they looked 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:09.880 pretty damn good in the regular season when they. 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:12.360 All were pretty healthy. Look like a title favorite. 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:16.080 On the other hand, they've never been healthy, never for 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:17.280 any stretch of time. 0:12:17.360 --> 0:12:18.240 During the postseason. 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:22.319 Six weeks ago, this Clippers team seemed unstoppable, and now 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:25.920 Kawhi is injured, they can't get out of the first round. 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:30.040 But considering that they've locked Kawhi in for the foreseeable future, 0:12:30.320 --> 0:12:33.760 you may as well just continue to gamble, doubling and 0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:36.640 tripling down until oblivion, all the while with a new 0:12:36.640 --> 0:12:39.920 arena and a hopefully packed house full of fans that 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:41.280 will inevitably. 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:43.680 Be disappointed because you can't stay fucking healthy. 0:12:43.720 --> 0:12:44.560 All right, we move on. 0:12:45.080 --> 0:12:47.440 Finally, we end in Philly, where Darryl Moury is doing 0:12:47.440 --> 0:12:51.920 his own little dissection of the season, own little dissection 0:12:52.000 --> 0:12:56.160 of the team like a dead a dead pig, just 0:12:56.240 --> 0:12:58.560 trying to figure it away. And what was his takeaway? 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:02.280 He said, Buddy Healed sucked. Yeah, don't know why we 0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:05.360 traded for him, he said. This no fault to Buddy. 0:13:06.160 --> 0:13:08.520 I think the fit was less good than I thought. 0:13:09.040 --> 0:13:11.240 Most of his time was without Joel, But I thought 0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:14.000 when when Joel was back his impact and his shooting, 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:16.720 that he'd get more open shots. He just didn't. That's 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:18.679 on me, and it didn't work out as well as 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:20.840 we hope. I think that Nick correctly saw based on 0:13:20.880 --> 0:13:22.400 how they were guarding us that it was hard for 0:13:22.480 --> 0:13:25.840 him to impact the game. Buddy didn't quite work out 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:29.520 as well as we hoped. All we know what Buddy 0:13:29.559 --> 0:13:33.600 does is two things, shoot threes and shoot more threes. 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:37.800 And if he's not doing that, well, he's a liability. 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:40.360 But he is very well liked in the locker room. 0:13:40.480 --> 0:13:43.880 Remember it was Healed who helped carry Haliburton off the 0:13:43.880 --> 0:13:45.880 floor when he heard himself rid of this year. And 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:48.679 it was also Buddy who gave the pep talk that 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:50.840 set Tyrese Maxey off in the fourth quarter of that 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:53.560 epic Game five that I was at in the first round. 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:54.920 So there's always room. 0:13:54.760 --> 0:13:56.280 For him on a roster somewhere, even if he is 0:13:56.559 --> 0:13:59.400 kind of a bad decision maker and sometimes forgets that 0:13:59.440 --> 0:14:01.200 all he's good for is shooting threes. 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:03.920 Probably though not going to be in Philadelphia. And now 0:14:03.960 --> 0:14:04.959 it's interview time. 0:14:05.480 --> 0:14:08.000 All three of my guests appeared on my other show, 0:14:08.040 --> 0:14:10.600 BENHAMGM Tonight, which aired seven to eleven Eastern on the 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:13.880 radio in most major markets on the Honesty app also 0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:15.760 on video live on Twitch and YouTube. 0:14:16.040 --> 0:14:18.160 First up is Jovon Booja. 0:14:18.400 --> 0:14:20.360 When you read his name, it's hard not to say 0:14:20.400 --> 0:14:24.480 the Jay Jovon Booha Lakers fame. Who's here to give 0:14:24.560 --> 0:14:27.320 us on the latest on what was a very disappointing 0:14:27.440 --> 0:14:29.680 end to the season in LA. You can find Yovan 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:33.280 all of his work on the Athletic obviously that ended 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:34.440 with the firing of Darbn Ham. 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:36.440 Great stuff. Let's get into it. 0:14:40.960 --> 0:14:43.960 Let's talk a little Lakers right now here on VETMGM Tonight, 0:14:44.040 --> 0:14:47.960 Ryan Horbat, Trista crick and what a crazy offseason already 0:14:48.240 --> 0:14:50.800 and to do that we welcome on now. Jovann Booja 0:14:50.920 --> 0:14:52.920 joins us right now to talk a little Lakers. Thanks 0:14:52.960 --> 0:14:56.080 so much, man. Let's start with that series against Denver, 0:14:56.120 --> 0:14:59.320 a really competitive series Lakers kind of the same result 0:14:59.320 --> 0:15:02.200 as last year. Though, what do you think we see 0:15:02.200 --> 0:15:05.080 this offseason with this team? Do you think they run 0:15:05.080 --> 0:15:07.040 it back with the current roster? Do you think that 0:15:07.080 --> 0:15:09.360 there are some changes. I keep joking that maybe they'll 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.120 find a way to trade for Kevin Durant. It's not 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.680 going to happen. What do you think this offseason looks 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:14.440 like for the Lakers? 0:15:14.960 --> 0:15:16.880 I think there are gonna be some changes. I think 0:15:16.960 --> 0:15:22.480 anytime that you lose in the same manner to the 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:26.560 same team and back to back seasons with basically not 0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:30.920 the exact same roster, but a similar roster. You gave 0:15:31.000 --> 0:15:35.080 Benson in place of Dennis Schroeder and no Jared Vanderbilt 0:15:35.160 --> 0:15:37.720 in this series versus last year, but a lot of 0:15:37.720 --> 0:15:41.000 the same principle guys obviously Lebron and Ad but Austin Reeves, 0:15:41.040 --> 0:15:45.560 D'Angel Russell, Rujachimura. Looking at that Core, I just don't 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:48.560 think that Core is good enough to beat the Denver Nuggets. 0:15:49.000 --> 0:15:51.440 And speaking of the Denver Nuggets, they're now down to 0:15:51.680 --> 0:15:55.720 zero to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference semifinals, so 0:15:56.280 --> 0:15:58.600 you still have to worry about the Timberwolves and the 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:02.320 Oklahoma City Thunder and the Boston Celtics, to say nothing 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:05.280 of some of these other up and coming teams around 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:08.160 the league. So for the Lakers, I think they need 0:16:08.200 --> 0:16:13.920 to somehow get younger while also getting more athletic and 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:18.480 better defensively and maybe adding another shooter somewhere in there. 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:20.640 So I think the list of things that they need 0:16:20.680 --> 0:16:24.680 to add is relatively long. Like, on the one hand, 0:16:24.720 --> 0:16:27.280 they are close. On the other hand, some of it, 0:16:27.360 --> 0:16:29.800 like Lebron's gonna be turning forty, it's gonna be year 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:32.920 twenty two. Anthony Davis is going to be turning thirty two, 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:36.360 it's gonna be year thirteen. So those guys, you're gonna 0:16:36.360 --> 0:16:38.200 have to figure out a way to take off some 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:41.560 of the load with them in terms of offense and defense. 0:16:42.240 --> 0:16:45.560 So I think, looking at it, can you flip Ruhachimora, 0:16:45.680 --> 0:16:48.480 can you flip D'Angel Russell? You're gonna have three first 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:51.520 round picks? Maybe gave Vincent Like, there are different ways 0:16:51.520 --> 0:16:54.040 they can go about it, but I would be surprised 0:16:54.080 --> 0:16:56.600 if they end up running it back with this group. 0:16:56.800 --> 0:16:59.120 I think got a minimum a couple of those guys 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:02.000 will be gone on if not potentially a larger move 0:17:02.080 --> 0:17:05.160 to bring in a third star and then trying to 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:08.480 fill in the pieces, you know, with minimum guys. But 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:10.840 I think whether it's a like medium size move in 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:14.280 terms of shuffling two or three guys, or a larger 0:17:14.359 --> 0:17:17.920 move where you're pretty much you're stripping down the supporting 0:17:17.960 --> 0:17:21.520 cast and going with a third guy. Either way, like, 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:23.439 I think that's more likely than them just running it back, 0:17:23.440 --> 0:17:26.040 because running it back is you're probably losing the first round. 0:17:26.040 --> 0:17:29.040 Again, who do you think that that third player would be, 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:30.720 because there's a lot of rumors that it could be 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:33.080 Tree Young, with that does not help this team at all. 0:17:33.119 --> 0:17:35.560 He's just a smaller version of D'Angelo Russell. 0:17:36.320 --> 0:17:39.600 Yeah, and he also just left Clutch Sports for CAA, 0:17:39.680 --> 0:17:41.960 which I don't think is a great sign for the 0:17:42.040 --> 0:17:44.919 Lakers in terms of landing him. Like, one of the 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:47.960 things that I think potentially would have helped them land 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:52.080 Tree Young would be his relationship with Clutch Sports and 0:17:52.560 --> 0:17:56.720 Clutch Sports also representing Lebron in ad of course. So 0:17:56.880 --> 0:18:00.280 the three names I've consistently heard over the past few 0:18:00.320 --> 0:18:04.040 months and that I've reported on are Trey Young, Kyrie 0:18:04.080 --> 0:18:07.800 Irving and Donovan Mitchell and Kyrie Irving. There's a bit 0:18:07.840 --> 0:18:10.080 of a caveat there, just that it would have had 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:13.800 to have been Dallas flaming out and really just giving 0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:17.919 up on the Kyrie Luca pairing. And I think, you know, 0:18:17.960 --> 0:18:20.280 they won around they beat the Clippers. Now we'll see 0:18:20.320 --> 0:18:23.000 what happens with Okay. See, I think that is very unlikely, 0:18:23.080 --> 0:18:25.760 if not just off the table entirely at this point. 0:18:26.200 --> 0:18:28.719 So I would look at Trey Young and Donovan Mitchell 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:32.760 as theoretically the two best players that are likely to 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:36.199 be available this summer, but there are always names that 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:39.240 pop up. I look at Miami and like, what's going 0:18:39.280 --> 0:18:41.639 on with Jimmy Butler in that whole situation, Now that 0:18:42.200 --> 0:18:45.400 some of the comments that pat Riley had, like could 0:18:45.400 --> 0:18:48.520 he become available or could they be you know, a 0:18:48.560 --> 0:18:50.399 third team in a trade or something, so like, there 0:18:50.400 --> 0:18:52.920 are different ways it can go. I do think at 0:18:52.920 --> 0:18:55.919 this point a more marginal move for the Lakers is 0:18:55.960 --> 0:18:59.480 more likely than going the three star path. But they 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:03.040 have a history of chasing stars and they had done 0:19:03.080 --> 0:19:06.080 it multiple years in a row. They ultimately landed on 0:19:06.240 --> 0:19:09.840 Russell Westbrook and then tried to pivot and turn him 0:19:09.880 --> 0:19:12.480 into Kyrie, and that didn't happen. Then they went after 0:19:12.560 --> 0:19:14.920 Kyrie again, so like, and then they went after the 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:17.720 jon Te Murray at this pass trade deadline. So you know, 0:19:17.760 --> 0:19:20.080 maybe he's a name that pops up and he's maybe 0:19:20.480 --> 0:19:22.840 costs a little bit less than a Trey Young. So like, 0:19:23.200 --> 0:19:26.080 I think that they have a history of chasing third stars. 0:19:26.640 --> 0:19:29.439 Now they did, you pick up some scars from that 0:19:29.520 --> 0:19:33.480 Russell Westbrook trade, which you know, ultimately I think cost 0:19:33.560 --> 0:19:36.320 them several years there in terms of losing KCP Kyle 0:19:36.400 --> 0:19:41.080 Kuzma and partly leading to them losing Alex Caruso. So 0:19:41.240 --> 0:19:43.760 it's it's kind of a path A or path B 0:19:43.920 --> 0:19:46.600 for the Lakers this summer. I think the new coach, 0:19:46.640 --> 0:19:48.600 whoever that ends up being, will have some say in 0:19:48.680 --> 0:19:52.320 that Lebron ad. There'll be several parties who have a 0:19:52.359 --> 0:19:55.280 say in it. But in terms of names, I've heard 0:19:55.760 --> 0:19:58.439 Trey Young and Donovan Mitchell continue to be the two 0:19:58.520 --> 0:19:59.440 that pop up the most. 0:20:00.200 --> 0:20:03.560 There is a report today Yovonne that Lebron hasn't been 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:11.040 involved or even near coaching negotiations or coaching decisions. 0:20:10.440 --> 0:20:11.680 For this Lakers team. 0:20:11.840 --> 0:20:15.040 Feels a little illogical that he would just not be 0:20:15.280 --> 0:20:19.760 involved in any way. What is that coach that you 0:20:19.880 --> 0:20:22.120 think is the most likely to be the head coach 0:20:22.160 --> 0:20:24.359 of this team? Obviously there was a lot of rumors 0:20:24.400 --> 0:20:28.240 about Phil Handy he has now been let go, But 0:20:28.720 --> 0:20:30.879 now there was like rumors about tylu and he just 0:20:30.920 --> 0:20:33.680 got an extension, Jason Kidd, he just got an extension. 0:20:33.680 --> 0:20:35.520 Who is that? In your opinion? 0:20:36.040 --> 0:20:38.720 Yeah, so you know, if you asked me this a 0:20:38.800 --> 0:20:41.119 couple of days ago, I would have said Tyleru in 0:20:41.200 --> 0:20:43.800 terms of the Lakers preference and the guy at the 0:20:43.800 --> 0:20:47.840 top of their list. But looking at like, I have 0:20:47.960 --> 0:20:52.879 not heard yet a favorite within this coaching group. You know, 0:20:53.240 --> 0:20:57.520