[SPEAKER_00]: Now, playing open floor.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is open floor.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sports Illustrated's Chris Manix back at an LIA podcast with Sports Illustrated Senior Writer.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's time that the world gets to know.

[SPEAKER_00]: My guy, Chris Manix.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think your opinion's shared by everyone.

[SPEAKER_00]: And now it begins.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now it begins.

[SPEAKER_00]: Art Rachel, this is of course a basketball podcast.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've heard that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Butts.

[SPEAKER_00]: I gotta at least touch on at the top the biggest story in sports right now, and that is Lane Kiffin's exit from Ole Miss LSU.

[SPEAKER_00]: I cannot get enough of this story.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was texting my NBA editor over the weekend.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I just said to her, I'm like, inject this story into my veins.

[SPEAKER_00]: I can't read enough about Lane Kiffin and his will here won't he go to LSU.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like he is one of the great villains in our time.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, he's sort of playing it master.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's sort of played it masterfully, though, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: And don't know if you are desired to be close to the story, are you going to try to play sports illustrated off against someone for like a link, Kiffin-esque departure?

[SPEAKER_00]: I am not.

[SPEAKER_00]: I am not going to do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I can make an NBA comparison.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, link-up is like a souped-up version of Pat Riley.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like when Pat Riley in the 90s, like coach in the nicks, yes.

[SPEAKER_00]: Facts as in his resignation, heads to Miami and rival in your division to run basketball operations out there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Kicks off a rivalry for that lasted more than a decade.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe he still rather.

[SPEAKER_02]: It was just a little chippy there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Still lingering to this day, because Riles is still down there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like Lane Kiffin is such a villain.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's such a villain.

[SPEAKER_00]: And like you got the media involved with ludicrous lines, you know, in podcasts.

[SPEAKER_00]: I can't get enough of this story.

[SPEAKER_00]: I hope it never ends.

[SPEAKER_02]: Wasn't it Bill Baalchak who does his resignation was, I'd resign his HC of the NYJ and then boom to the Patriots?

[SPEAKER_00]: Straight to knowing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Straight to knowing.

[SPEAKER_00]: So it's a similar type of villainry.

[SPEAKER_00]: But given the Kevin has done this at a few different places.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: But the media loves him and he makes jokes about his daughter and the lineman, she's dating or the whoever he, please do not write into me about what position player she's dating.

[SPEAKER_00]: But you know what I mean.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he's like 50 years, well, he's going to do it again.

[SPEAKER_02]: he's gonna do it again like this is the NFL might be calling next keeps getting away with it um it's funny you were can you know totally assumed by this story i am consumed by because i'm from dc i love sort of the politics of dc in the political media of dc [SPEAKER_02]: and the Ryan Lizzah Olivia and New York story.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can inject that by vanishing.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's pretty amazing.

[SPEAKER_02]: And if you're not.

[SPEAKER_00]: I may or may not have let a tele-subscriber.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, if you're not reading the actual dispassages from the dispatches from Lizzah, I suggest the ringer, our friends over there.

[SPEAKER_02]: There's a great story.

[SPEAKER_02]: I believe it is Brian Phillips.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you want to know what I'm talking about, if you don't know what I'm talking about, just look up Olivia, Ryan, Brian Phillips, ringer.

[SPEAKER_02]: You'll find it.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is like the brangelina of media breakups.

[SPEAKER_02]: It is incredible.

[SPEAKER_02]: And there are new words.

[SPEAKER_02]: I didn't know, which I thought as sophisticated human, there's sexual positions.

[SPEAKER_02]: I didn't know about there's all kinds of things I did.

[SPEAKER_00]: Nobody's going to go there.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm just saying I am apparently an innocent lamb, which I did not realize.

[SPEAKER_00]: The NorthK is not.

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, damn straight.

[SPEAKER_02]: In many ways he is not an innocent lamb, but certainly also in that one.

[SPEAKER_02]: So there you go.

[SPEAKER_02]: We're all obsessed with our off court stories, but there's a way going on in this court.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, and there's no proper segue.

[SPEAKER_00]: No, but we're gonna try [SPEAKER_00]: And we got to start this show talking about the Los Angeles Clippers who are in a bit of a free fall.

[SPEAKER_00]: 5 and 15 as we record this coming off to brutal home losses over the weekend.

[SPEAKER_00]: They go up against Memphis on Friday.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Grizzlies, no job, Marant.

[SPEAKER_00]: Clippers have a 16 point lead in the fourth quarter.

[SPEAKER_00]: Blow it, lose that game to the Grizzlies.

[SPEAKER_00]: Got worse.

[SPEAKER_00]: on Saturday.

[SPEAKER_00]: They played the zombie Dallas Mavericks, a team that was out Kyrie without Kyrie, without AD, without Dirk Live, without Daniel Gaffard.

[SPEAKER_00]: PJ Washington gets hurt during warm-up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[SPEAKER_00]: And they lose that game to the Dallas Mavericks things not looking good right now with the Clippers.

[SPEAKER_00]: Where do you start with the Clippers?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because they are [SPEAKER_00]: Unquestionably the biggest disappointment.

[SPEAKER_00]: This was a playoff team last year, a team that some people thought made the right moves in the off season to bolster their weaknesses.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're a bottom five team in terms of defense.

[SPEAKER_00]: Their offense is predictable.

[SPEAKER_00]: What's the most disappointing aspect to you about all this?

[SPEAKER_02]: I just think that the front office and it is made up of people, I genuinely really like and I think genuinely no basketball and that's what's hard about having these conversations because I don't take any of this lately, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: You're never rooting for someone to lose their jobs and these are people I like and I think are good smart basketball people.

[SPEAKER_02]: Also, they have made a bunch of choices over the last three to four years that have been gambles that weren't dumb gambles, I want to make that clear.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is not like Nico Harris in trading Luca kind of decisions.

[SPEAKER_02]: These are decisions that, as you said, we all in the offices and you and I talked about the clippers.

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, this could work.

[SPEAKER_02]: This could work that kind of thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: But from the gamble of resigning QY, [SPEAKER_02]: to and look the smart gamble of letting PG go right so there's there's gambles all the way around to the gambles of oh these older players we're going to give them one one more we're going to we're going to keep going with this group and we're going to try to supplement the gamble of getting rid of norm Powell and saying oh it's going to work to bring in Bradley Beale and the John Collins combo that sort of thing all made sense on paper [SPEAKER_02]: That's my point.

[SPEAKER_02]: My point is that none of these are dumb decisions, but the truth is there are a bunch of gambles in there.

[SPEAKER_02]: A bunch of them.

[SPEAKER_02]: And when this many gambles go poorly, at some point you have to start looking at, do we need to clean the decks and start again?

[SPEAKER_02]: And I asked you when this whole aspiration thing came up over the summer was, was there really that much competition for Kauai Leonard?

[SPEAKER_02]: Because even in the moment, not a aspiration, [SPEAKER_02]: And by the way, I sat at those playoff games where they played really well without him, where when he played he was magnificent for the clippers.

[SPEAKER_02]: But there's a point where you just say we're doubling down on this guy that is hurt all of the time and is only getting more hurt.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the biggest concern, even when they made the deal, the initial deal, the San Jada, Shada, okay, see it to bring MPG and Qy.

[SPEAKER_02]: You and I were at that finals with the Raptors and Golden State Warriors.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the thing that I walked out of the Toronto Airport sort of feeling was, man, Kwan Leonard is load managing within the game.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've never seen that before.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've never seen someone who [SPEAKER_02]: during the game.

[SPEAKER_02]: You could tell was sort of purposely taking it easy for an injury purpose until the fourth quarter and then putting it on the line in the fourth quarter.

[SPEAKER_02]: And by the way, God bless him.

[SPEAKER_02]: They won Toronto.

[SPEAKER_02]: Amazing, amazing, amazing series for them and for the city.

[SPEAKER_02]: However, when you then go so far out of your way and give up so much to acquire that player, [SPEAKER_02]: You are taking a gamble that he is not going to get more hurt that would happen in San Antonio where he was load managing in Toronto that it wasn't going to get worse.

[SPEAKER_02]: That is a gamble and it was a huge gamble.

[SPEAKER_02]: A gamble has turned out with an MVP player that they gave away plus picks that are hunting them to this day and we're going to talk about that in a minute.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, do you think that the circumstances of that draft capital played a role in doubling down on Kuwait?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because it kind of had to because it's like with this year, there's no point to bottoming out.

[SPEAKER_00]: You bottom out and Oklahoma City walks away with a third overall pick.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it is human nature to want to double down on a decision and say, no, no, I don't want to acknowledge this was a disaster or this is wrong or maybe it wasn't even a disaster.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's just not working or it's not going to continue to work or doubling down as bad.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's the reason why you and I sat here weeks and weeks ago and I said, Dallas has to get rid of Nico because Nico's best interests are no longer the Maverick's best interests.

[SPEAKER_02]: Nico's best interest were, this trade was the right thing to do.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to prove it to you, and that wasn't what was in the Maverick's best interest.

[SPEAKER_02]: The Maverick's best interest is trading Anthony Davis as quickly as possible.

[SPEAKER_02]: And frankly, it should have been last season after Kyrie got hurt.

[SPEAKER_02]: I am not sure that resigning Kauai was in the Clippers' best interest.

[SPEAKER_02]: However, the front office, again, in a totally human way, [SPEAKER_02]: was saying, okay, we gave up all this.

[SPEAKER_02]: We can't give up now.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's sort of thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: And they were already giving up on Paul George to a degree.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just, I think that doubling down on a player as your centerpiece whose health has been in decline for five years.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that longer, like doubling down with players who, man, it's amazing that they have gotten what they got last season with that level of defense out of these older players and saying, no, no, we think they can do it when they're even older.

[SPEAKER_02]: Bringing in Chris Paul, who is older, bringing in Bradley Beale, who hadn't worked in frankly the last two places that he had been.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a bunch of gambles, and none of them have paid off, and there may have been a point earlier along the way here, where you could make a pretty strong argument, hey man, you're gambling enough times, and none of them are terrible, but you can't keep gambling.

[SPEAKER_02]: You have to just start over, and I just, I think it's tough now, because they clearly have to start over now.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think what all the things I just you said, I agree with, it was a role to dice to think that Bradley Beale and John Collins going to replace what Norman Powell brought, because I think Norman Powell, it's played out this way, has brought more [SPEAKER_00]: brings more to the table than just on the court, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: He is a leader.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you know, it goes back to what he said, training camp of the previous year when Paul George was gone, he's like, we're going to be fine.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like he brought some swagger to that locker room.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think they're lacking that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like being around that team on Saturday and watching them over the last couple of weeks, the body language is just bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you watch the way they play, they're just a step slow.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're not as aggressively going after 50, 50 balls like they used to.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this is not just me observing this.

[SPEAKER_00]: You go into the locker room and you hear players talk about every energy they're saying, effort and energy every time.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if you're not getting the requisite effort and energy to beat teams like Memphis and Dallas, two teams down in their luck, down in the dumps, down in the bottom of the playoffs, [SPEAKER_00]: How are you going to get up for some of these other teams across the league?

[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's that's a real problem and look.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think there's a deal to be made out there for them.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think there's a deal that can make them better.

[SPEAKER_00]: I wonder at this point, does Steve Balmer make or move within his leadership?

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, Steve Balmer is a loyal guy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's not looking to do something unless he has to, but when you're losing this way, it's not just losing, if they were a hyper companionship, who went and for what?

[SPEAKER_00]: It starts with the head coach like that that's where it begins it look I would not [SPEAKER_00]: I would not fire Tyloo for many reasons, not the least of which is that this team in addition to trying to win now has twenty twenty seven on its mind like they want to be a free agent destination twenty twenty seven and Tyloo is can be part of that like can you know Tyloo's a draw Tyloo is a player's coach, Tyloo is an elite coach in my mind to top five coach in the NBA, even with this nonsense.

[SPEAKER_00]: But if he's not getting through to these guys and they're not responding to him, what do you do?

[SPEAKER_00]: Do you do?

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we're, we just, but do you think that's the problem?

[SPEAKER_02]: Do you think that it's man, the coach should really be giving them raw raw speeches?

[SPEAKER_02]: Players know, there are situations where yeah, coaches lose a locker room, no matter how good they are, they should probably go and find some other job, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: And, [SPEAKER_02]: There's an argument, by the way, that Tyloo wouldn't be mad at being let go and finding another team with another roster, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: And Cleveland got us to go up there, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Different circumstances.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, obviously.

[SPEAKER_02]: And by the way, as I said, I agree with you.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think he's a top five coach and there's an argument for him in his career that he'd be better off somewhere else.

[SPEAKER_02]: That being said, I don't think you can blame the coach when everyone in the locker room knows the roster isn't going to get it done.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think the frustration you've seen from James Harden in his postgame preferences, he's played phenomenal this year.

[SPEAKER_02]: And unfortunately, in the last two, three games has had ton of turnovers when he hadn't previously.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think he is just sort of like, okay, I'm supposed to be the one who cares.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm supposed to be the one out here like killing myself and clearly like there's not a team around me.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know how much of that in the locker room, too.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, Saturday.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's what I mean.

[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody was asking him, but the roster at the end.

[SPEAKER_02]: No, I'm not.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not guessing at his mindset.

[SPEAKER_02]: I am repeating his mindset, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: And the Thai Lou, again, I have not had this conversation with him and he has not said this in his post-game comments, but if I'm him, [SPEAKER_02]: How many rubber species am I giving to this group?

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I don't know.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think he's the problem.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think changing him to some other coach is going to fix this.

[SPEAKER_02]: I do think there probably needs to be a trade and an acknowledgement.

[SPEAKER_02]: They're not going to be able to draft their draft pick.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, I get it.

[SPEAKER_02]: They're going to have, quote, clear books for 27.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's two years from now, man.

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, well.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I don't see it in a half a way.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think with an arena that I look.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, the owner can sustain losses.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, nobody could buy a ticket for any of those games until 2027, and he'd be just fine.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I, I don't know.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think you are really in danger of losing so much of the fan base you do have.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you're a Clippers fan, you are a loyal human.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the thing I have heard from Clippers fans, you know, you and I live in LA, occasionally you'll hear, you know, Collins on the radio or during games or things like that, and Clippers fans will tell you over and over that they feel worse now than they have at any other point.

[SPEAKER_02]: in their fandom and these are fans who've been fans through the Donald Sterling nonsense who've been fans through you know the other lows that this team has had and I think there's been some stats about how this team is performing worse than they have since the pre-blake Griffin era and I just I mean they've the eighth worst record in the league like I just think I don't know if you can hold this for the next year and a half and move deck shares around or have you sit to say great does anyone want coiliner because regardless of what goes on with [SPEAKER_02]: like the new franchise isn't getting tagged with that and quite later by the way, I don't think can be penalized.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, understanding of how these penalties could be penalized.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think the, you know, one scenario is the contract.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's avoided, but I don't think that's on the table at the moment.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not sure anybody would be sad about that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who complains about that?

[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, maybe there's value for him there, you know, James Harden is clearly showing right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: He can still play.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, you're not going to get for him what you would have at different points in his career.

[SPEAKER_00]: I just wonder if- But in that scenario, do you just acknowledge that Oklahoma City's going to get a great traffic?

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, as opposed to now.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, I don't have an answer here because look, I think Lawrence rank and his staff are excellent.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think Tyler is my point.

[SPEAKER_00]: These are good people like I and look in hindsight, it looks awful to give up the potential two time MVP and eight draft picks.

[SPEAKER_00]: for a quiet letter but going back in time everybody would have done it to get quiet coming off the 2019 season.

[SPEAKER_02]: You don't think so I think I think it was I don't think it's an everyone would have done it.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's a short thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of teams would have done it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think a lot of teams would have done it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it was a gamble.

[SPEAKER_02]: It doesn't mean it was a dumb gamble.

[SPEAKER_02]: It was a gamble and if you gamble and gamble and gamble and gamble, you know Chris, you spent time in Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_02]: You were going [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's funny.

[SPEAKER_02]: I would like to just take this moment since you brought it up.

[SPEAKER_02]: Can we go over the Oklahoma City Thunder's potential fix in the next draft?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's going to make some people around the NBA Shiver.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's four potential first round picks.

[SPEAKER_02]: Is that right?

[SPEAKER_00]: For potential first, I think the Utah one may wind up being in Utah's pocket.

[SPEAKER_02]: Because it's what top eight protected.

[SPEAKER_02]: So, right.

[SPEAKER_02]: So, three in what's considered one of the greatest drafts in 20 years.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.

[SPEAKER_02]: And, right.

[SPEAKER_02]: So, it's funny.

[SPEAKER_02]: As we talk around the league and other teams in the West, and it's like, oh, should we go for it right now, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: Should the Lakers, we're going to talk about the Lakers, the Lakers, try to make a move right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: There is an argument that as unlikely as it seems, this is your best chance.

[SPEAKER_02]: This year and the West is your best chance because that Oklahoma City team is poised to become a dynasty on the level we haven't seen since the Golden State.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, there's not a solution right now other than these guys getting it like a clicking and look I think their roster deficiencies are real, but I think more than anything the effort and energy It's not there you've got to match the effort every single I think I look I think Ty Luke could do some things offensively to mix things up like after the game against Dallas like there they're there when I was looking up their offense [SPEAKER_00]: Like, their isolation frequency is really high.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, they are an isolation heavy team.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, only them in the rockets are above 10% of their plays, being run in isolation.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you can have great isolation players, and they do, hardens one of the best, and why I can still get it done.

[SPEAKER_00]: But if you run isolation over and over again, teams are going to figure it out, and that's where the turnovers come in, and they don't get back.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, they come in and turn over.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's an automatic bucket on the other end of the floor, a live ball turn over in Los Angeles, is an automatic bucket the other way.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is some of the tie talks about all the time.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a big problem the way they, I think the way they function offensively.

[SPEAKER_02]: So if you were the coach, if they fire tie and they bring you in, at your suggestion, I would not suggest me for that to be that for sure.

[SPEAKER_00]: What would you say to these guys with this talent who are not blind and can look around like I think I'm coming around to your idea of like just making some trades and and keep tie around and figuring it out like see what's out there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not sure what the market is for James Hard at this point because I mean there wasn't really a market for him and for the agency, you know, if we're real about it.

[SPEAKER_02]: there wasn't a market at the salary that he wanted and the clippers at that point were aiming towards something where they thought they needed him and so they were willing to pay him significant money where other teams weren't and that's the market.

[SPEAKER_02]: Obviously the market changes if the goals change or the kind of team he's joining changes.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's a very specific team guy like you got to put him on a team that's he's not really a plug and play kind of guy.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's not, but I mean, he's, I mean, he's, he's very good here on Los Angeles and he's been very good, not only on the court, but off the court, and I am not excusing past behavior in other cities by any extent, but people change as they get older and he has stuck it out and keeps plugging in a situation where a lot of people would off the court start pounding.

[SPEAKER_02]: And maybe it's worth a gamble for another team.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not trying to break up the clippers, but I'm not sure what's worth salvaging here right now with the way things have gone.

[SPEAKER_02]: And you and I know that even though whatever they come up with is not going to be a title contender.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe there is some combination of just scrappy enough.

[SPEAKER_02]: Just new enough, just new roster put together a new locker room enough.

[SPEAKER_02]: And Tyloo, I think, is an excellent, not just players coach, but Exano coach.

[SPEAKER_02]: And with some new tools in his tool about, I just, at least a team that fans want to come see and don't feel bad about.

[SPEAKER_02]: Because you and I talk all the time on this podcast that to me, the fan experience, [SPEAKER_02]: is just as important as are we going to win the title this year because one team is going to win the title this year and if your fans can feel good about being fans of your basketball team this is an entertainment league that is literally the ball game and it's great if you can win but how many teams do you think are you in contention to win one maybe three?

[SPEAKER_00]: three, four at most, you know, I was talking to somebody recently about the Clippers and this person compared what how they're playing this year to what we saw in Phoenix last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you can see kind of the cops, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Where you've got an older team, a lot of guys used to playing individual basketball, a head coach, an experienced head coach, to try to hold a bunch of different things, but nothing's really working to get them together, uh, didn't in well in Phoenix and I think it's going to end well with the Clippers.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's, I think, that this good front office, which I think they are, needs to end this good coach need to have a different roster and that it's not going to be a better roster necessarily in terms of a more titled contending roster, but I do think it could provide a better scrap of your team.

[SPEAKER_02]: that is willing to listen, that makes Clippers fans feel like it's worth buying a ticket to the game, or even being given a free ticket to the game and going, which some people don't feel like an L.A.

is worth it right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that's better.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's better than what's happening now.

[SPEAKER_02]: Eighth Worst Record in the League.

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[SPEAKER_00]: bad vibes and anglewood good vibes baby and downtown LA where the makers are rolling right now 15 and four as we record this before the game against Phoenix on Monday.

[SPEAKER_00]: Look at Donchitch is leading the league in scoring Austin Reeves is an all star contender LeBron James the other night.

[SPEAKER_00]: Look did his best.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm a great third option impression.

[SPEAKER_00]: How sure.

[SPEAKER_00]: Had like what 13 points and on the corner made some [SPEAKER_00]: Nice, easy day at the office for LeBron James.

[SPEAKER_00]: I guess my question for you, Rachel is, Clippers Wright or Lakers right now sitting the top three in the Western Conference standings, how seriously should we take them as a championship contender?

[SPEAKER_02]: I took them seriously before the season started.

[SPEAKER_02]: You and I sat here and I said they're going to be the three or four seed in the West.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I know most people, it's not like nobody thought they'd be good, but there was a lot of, oh, they'll be in the sixth and seven and them in the Clippers and blah, blah, blah.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is a team with Luca Donchich on it.

[SPEAKER_02]: And by the way, LeBron James, who is not a bad player, no matter how old he is, and also Austin Reeves, who I didn't see coming, I did think they would be a top three or four team.

[SPEAKER_02]: I did not see Austin Reeves being this good.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the way he is risen to the moment and the chemistry between him and Luca is so exceptional, I am taking them extremely seriously.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think there is good as Oklahoma City, because no one is as good as Oklahoma City right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I'd be interested.

[SPEAKER_02]: I would be interested to see those two play playoffs series against each other.

[SPEAKER_02]: Luca has historically and not every game.

[SPEAKER_02]: I know they're okc fans who write into me, but he didn't look at him play well against those this time.

[SPEAKER_02]: I get it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then they get boat-raced in Oklahoma City or in the middle of the last month.

[SPEAKER_02]: They did, but [SPEAKER_02]: Luka has historically not been afraid to play in Oklahoma City.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has had some very games there.

[SPEAKER_02]: And now he has Austin Reeves, who is racking up 30-point games like they're nothing.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has LeBron James, who can rise to the occasion.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it's one of those Toby, you know, I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's going to be good in the playoffs, especially if he's, you know, [SPEAKER_02]: Um, the third option.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm the player.

[SPEAKER_02]: I might not his chances.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, and I talked about this also one of the news first broke about his saatica.

[SPEAKER_02]: I said great.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is the end of his all NBA 21 year streak because I don't see him missing all the time.

[SPEAKER_02]: He was going to miss with this.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then they're not going to play him on every back to back.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is going to have other times this season.

[SPEAKER_02]: He rests.

[SPEAKER_02]: If he's not trying to hit those 65 games, he's going to come into the playoffs fresh.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think this will be a very dangerous team.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think Luca is a contender for MVP.

[SPEAKER_02]: I, it's fun watching this basketball team and I know they're fluctuating between 15th and 17th defensively.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right?

[SPEAKER_00]: That's, so that's, that's not that I want to get into the game.

[SPEAKER_02]: But this is the trade thing that I'm going to ask you about.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you're LA and the offense is going as well as it's going and Luca is playing decently defensively.

[SPEAKER_02]: We talk last week about his multiple steel games and all things like that, would you, if you're Rob Polinka, who has assets, [SPEAKER_02]: You know what, it's all going really well.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if the bronjames is gonna be around next year.

[SPEAKER_02]: You got LeBron, Luca, Austin Reeves, Austin's gonna need more money next year, et cetera, et cetera.

[SPEAKER_02]: Do I bring in someone who's a real defensive presence and go for it?

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you have to, if you want to be a real threat to win the Western Conference.

[SPEAKER_00]: What are you waiting for?

[SPEAKER_00]: Probably nothing.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you've seen enough, at this point, to make you believe that offensively you're there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, Luca, [SPEAKER_00]: top three in MVP right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Reeve stuff is incredible.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mentioned Reeves as an all-star candidate.

[SPEAKER_00]: We got to start talking with him as all NBA.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I was making the list of guys that are all NBA guards.

[SPEAKER_00]: Luca, Shay, Anthony Edwards, daughter of the Mitchell, Kate Cunningham, Steph Curry.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like that's sick.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you got to eclipse one of those guys after that.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's Maxi Brunson, Jalen Brown in that mix.

[SPEAKER_02]: Which Austin is definitely playing a cut-up of.

[SPEAKER_00]: Agreed.

[SPEAKER_00]: Agreed.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's in that in between that group right there.

[SPEAKER_00]: But, you know, if one of those guys goes down with an injury of some kind of miss of the 65 games, Austin Reeves is right there.

[SPEAKER_00]: They have, I think statistically, the best half-court offense in the league.

[UNKNOWN]: Yes.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the NBA is all about half-court offense in the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like they can get a bucket against anybody in the half-court.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's because Lucas Great, Reeves is great, and to your point, LeBronman gets the playoffs is going to be great.

[SPEAKER_00]: Defensively, though, they do have issues.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like their middle-to-pack defensive team, and that might be their ceiling.

[SPEAKER_00]: with this current group.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like DeAndre Hayden's having a nice statistical year, but he's not a rim protector, not on the level that you need going into the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jared Vanderbilt can't find a minute in this rotation.

[SPEAKER_00]: I get it.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're not a three-point shooting team.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're bottom three in the league in terms of three pointers made.

[SPEAKER_00]: They need as much floor spacing as you can get.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Jared Vanderbilt is, you plan four and five was out there on the floor.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you need to get [SPEAKER_00]: some kind of defender.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if I'm looking at the lakers, I'm just looking at that back line because if you get to the playoffs, Luke is going to play 35 minutes.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sure.

[SPEAKER_00]: Reeves is going to play 35 minutes.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[SPEAKER_00]: LeBron is going to play 35 minutes.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you're you're not creating probably you're not creating a lot of wiggle room for guys to play in on the wing position.

[SPEAKER_00]: Backline though, there are some guys out there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like [SPEAKER_00]: What is Dallas really need Daniel Gaffard for like does Dallas really right now Dallas is trying to lose baby.

[SPEAKER_00]: They are although they'll tell you otherwise they'll tell you that they're sure They're also telling you they're not treating a deal.

[SPEAKER_02]: Let's check back and they're six months Telling you a lot of different things.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's true [SPEAKER_00]: Daniel Gaffins a guy that would make sense because, you know, a lot of people have debated who made the deal for Daniel Gaffer, who was the driving force, wasn't Nico Harrison, it was a Dennis Lindsay, who was there at the time.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm here to tell you it was Luca Donchich.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, Julian Dallas told me it was Luca Donchich, that was after Daniel Gaffer.

[SPEAKER_00]: So he likes that guy, has had success with that guy, there's a man in the evening.

[SPEAKER_00]: No, bring him in, he's catching Lobbs the way he didn't Dallas.

[SPEAKER_00]: He can just be a backline defender.

[SPEAKER_00]: It doesn't make you a great defense to get you like to 11th or 12th.

[SPEAKER_00]: You don't need to be a great defense.

[SPEAKER_00]: You don't, you, you, you, you, that good offensively.

[SPEAKER_00]: You just gotta be better than what you are or the defensive end of the floor.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think the Lakers are a prime candidate for a trade.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe Robert Williams, the third, up in Portland.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe he's someone.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe time lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: Go get time lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: Plug him in there.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has been part of a finals team.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, he makes sense there, but somebody, I think they're one move away from me really looking at them as a serious chapter of contender.

[SPEAKER_02]: And again, what are you waiting for?

[SPEAKER_02]: Because I will stress to everyone in that building, your window is now.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know what's happening with LeBron next year.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know what's happening.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, down during eight and has been so up and down throughout his career in terms of how he's being played, where his head is at, all of the things.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is in it right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is 100% on board.

[SPEAKER_02]: The chemistry is working, it's working with all these guys, take advantage of that while you're getting it because it might not last forever.

[SPEAKER_02]: You have the chemistry between Austin and Luca is so sensational, it is just a nightly comedy show to be around those guys, they love each other, it's phenomenal.

[SPEAKER_02]: Everything is going right with this team.

[SPEAKER_02]: And let me reiterate, Oklahoma City has three or four first round picks in this draft that is going to be one of the deepest drafts we've seen, and Sam Prestey, I don't know, knows how to draft.

[SPEAKER_02]: So, it is not going to get easier.

[SPEAKER_02]: There is not going to be a point with Oklahoma City where it is going to get easier to beat them for a title.

[SPEAKER_02]: It is only going to get harder every year that passes by.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not saying they're going to be unbeatable, but we have seen Dynasties, the bulls, the warriors, et cetera, et cetera, I can go back to your Celtics, whatever.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, this is a dynasty.

[SPEAKER_02]: don't make any mistakes about it.

[SPEAKER_02]: And if you have right now something really good going on and assets and they haven't made all those draft picks yet and then develop them for the next year, et cetera, et cetera.

[SPEAKER_02]: Do it now.

[SPEAKER_02]: I would do it now, 100% and twice on Sundays.

[SPEAKER_00]: And even if they didn't have those picks, the organic growth loan from the young guys there, are gonna make the more dangerous every single year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Chet Hongren keeps getting better.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jalen Williams keeps getting better.

[SPEAKER_00]: AJ Mitchell, they're two first round draft picks and the last two drafts have not played a minute.

[SPEAKER_00]: Nicole Atopich, Thomas Sorber, they have not played a damn minute.

[SPEAKER_00]: And both of those guys probably would have been higher draft picks that up at injured.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, our lead's injury prone coming into the draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: I just, I agree with you, they are going to be a dangerous team.

[SPEAKER_00]: So if you're looking at it, an opportunity to beat them now would probably be the time to ultimately do it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I do want to have one more Oklahoma City note.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm trying to find the exact number.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I don't mess it up.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think they're not going to worry about like the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, [SPEAKER_02]: aprons yet like they have so many guys on team options this is not worrying about the aprons this is what I was going to say So they have to worry about the aprons less now because Jalen Williams is not that likely to make all NBA with the time that he's missed again See our episode is that it is your yeah, okay See our episode last week for my tirade on the 65 game role in awards, et cetera, et cetera But be here it is because of that [SPEAKER_02]: So his contract, like all of the contracts of this type, he would be getting what is it $48 million for making all NBA extra because he is not going to get that $48 million.

[SPEAKER_02]: Again, see my tirade on why tying this to the 65-game role is so unfair for these guys.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's hurt.

[SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, okay.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to stop.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, my point is 48 million.

[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_02]: She doesn't have to spend.

[SPEAKER_02]: That takes them under the second apron.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's it.

[SPEAKER_02]: Right there.

[SPEAKER_02]: Just that.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's good to be Oklahoma City.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's good to be Oklahoma City.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's good to be Atlanta right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Atlanta Hawks playing some good basketball.

[SPEAKER_00]: One of the more impressive runs that they have been on of late, mostly because Trey Young's been out of the lineup for the last, what three or four weeks with an injury.

[SPEAKER_00]: With Trey Young out of the lot of, yes.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's, that is our conversation.

[SPEAKER_00]: Is it because of or with?

[SPEAKER_00]: The hawks have re-invented themselves as a team with a more robust defensive identity.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that happens when you take a six foot one point guard to line up and replace them with a six foot four, six foot five.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Keele Alexander Walker, who is a high level defensive player, Jalen Johnson, has stepped into the playmaker role.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has been fantastic, dice and Daniels, Alexander Walker, Zach Riesha-Shay, like they've got a whole bunch of guys that have levelled up.

[SPEAKER_00]: during this stretch.

[SPEAKER_00]: So what do you make of the hawks?

[SPEAKER_00]: Are they for real?

[SPEAKER_00]: What we're seeing here?

[SPEAKER_00]: And are they a better team, Rachel, without Trey young in the lineup?

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not ready to go there yet.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not ready to go that they're a better team.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think Trey young is just a tremendous offensive talent.

[SPEAKER_02]: He just is.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, he is literally a fire starter on the pick and roll.

[SPEAKER_02]: His passing is so much more elite than people give him credit for.

[SPEAKER_02]: I know everyone thinks that he thinks that the world revolves around him in a basketball court, but the numbers in the way he's played the last two seasons just haven't shown that.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has had a more sort of diverse, offensive vision for this team just like his coach has.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I don't think that [SPEAKER_02]: They need to get rid of trey young.

[SPEAKER_02]: I guess part of it depends a little bit on what happens with that pelicans draft pick this year Right, I certainly wouldn't get rid of trey young now if you end up with a number two pick in the draft right because the pelicans decided [SPEAKER_02]: Here, have our first draft pick for reasons we still don't understand.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe you start to see you draft an offensive talent to go with Jalen Johnson and you can see your way toward two years from now, giving up on Tray Young.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I wouldn't do it now.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I just think that you need to keep trying to find a way to bring some of the defensive power [SPEAKER_02]: that you've brought in with having Nikhil Alexander Walker playing as much as he has with some of the other changes you've made.

[SPEAKER_02]: And maybe it's less minutes.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe it's different minutes.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe it's a different time.

[SPEAKER_02]: Things like that.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just, I don't think they are offensively ready to just say great.

[SPEAKER_02]: We're done with Tray Young.

[SPEAKER_02]: Although, look, even though that is my opinion, that doesn't take away from the fact that this team has been great over the, I think they've [SPEAKER_02]: Walker has had 30 point games in three of his last six games, it's not just defensively.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's a great signing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Great signing for them.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thought Jalen Johnson was on his way to being a star last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was there.

[SPEAKER_00]: The injury took him out.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[SPEAKER_00]: No second half.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has picked up right where he left off and in the absence of Tray Young, [SPEAKER_00]: He has assumed a bigger role as a playmaker, and he has thrived in that role.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think it would go away when Trey Young comes back.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think it's mutually exclusive where you have to have Jalen Johnson playing alone that he can't play with Trey Young.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think they're proven over stretches that they can play together.

[SPEAKER_00]: I just think when he comes back, you got to find the balance.

[SPEAKER_00]: You've got to keep the ball in the hands of Jalen Johnson a lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: You got to play these big lineups a lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, they're medicing out there in the perimeter when they've got Daniels and Alexander Walker in that mix.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jail Johnson too, he's another guy that's athletic on the perimeter.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I think you've got to tweak who you are when tray young comes back and can't be just plug tray back in and go back to playing the way you were.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's got to be a blend of that.

[SPEAKER_00]: But look, this is why it was smart.

[SPEAKER_00]: for the hawks, not to go all in on Tray Young.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, Tray.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like by not going all in, you've given yourself some options.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like you and I are both in agreement.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're not at a point where you talk about trading a Tray Young.

[SPEAKER_00]: But at least you're not tied to a four or five-year contract over the long term that's borderline on Tray to borderline.

[SPEAKER_00]: If it is Tray to Bull, it's a difficult one to deal.

[SPEAKER_00]: They've given themselves flexibility here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Where if they think that Tray coming back, maybe they can go all in, maybe they can get a player, like Anthony Davis in Atlanta, [SPEAKER_00]: Kind of interesting.

[SPEAKER_00]: You got an expiring contract with Pursingists.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just saying, like you got some money that you can potentially deal.

[SPEAKER_02]: You can go back into gamble territory.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know, but David's only has like one year left in his contract or something.

[SPEAKER_00]: How much is he playing?

[SPEAKER_00]: Not a lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just saying.

[SPEAKER_00]: But like.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, poor zingas isn't there for the long term.

[SPEAKER_00]: Correct.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, so if it was poor zingas and like a pick, not the one from New Orleans, but it was poor zingas at a pick.

[SPEAKER_02]: But AD wouldn't be there for the long term either, unless you are willing to resign him.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just saying you can, if you think that when trade comes back, [SPEAKER_00]: given the way you play with him out, that, and again, this goes back to like a Desmond Bane Conversation.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you feel like you're one guy away in the Eastern Conference from making it to the finals, Anthony Davis gets kind of interesting for Atlanta.

[SPEAKER_00]: If he's, if the price is right, or about there, if it's forcing his draft capital, salary filler to make it work, to me it's kind of interesting for the Hawks.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or you can go the other way.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or you can say, you know what?

[SPEAKER_00]: We're a young team, we got a young center with the number one pick a couple of years ago.

[SPEAKER_00]: We would be.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just saying they because it all goes back to the point about truth.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm like giving away draft capital capital to exchange Anthony Davis.

[SPEAKER_00]: But what if we still have that pelican spectacle like you don't touch that like you hold on to that.

[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: And what if you got some other like you know what we can deal a future first and still have the pelican spectacle get a due to bands or campos or somebody else at the top of the draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know your hesitant.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think the East is like, it's so open.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, it's like Detroit's playing great basketball right now, but I wonder what Detroit did.

[SPEAKER_00]: They have enough three-point shooting to win the Eastern Conference.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Nixon been great, but let's see how that plays out over a full season.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to talk about the cabs and I'm on what they've been mediocre.

[SPEAKER_00]: It gets interesting if you're Atlanta.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: It gets interesting.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe not.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe I'm alone.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm alone in the island of this one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Many games.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think if Anthony Davis went to the Chicago Bulls that was great story for everyone and I think that the bulls could get more out of that trade than just what they get on the basketball I agree and I think Anthony Davis would probably more likely to resign there I think he has more value to the bulls than he does to the hox is my point and so therefore if you're Dallas you can get more for him from the bulls than you could from the hox [SPEAKER_00]: I don't agree with that.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is it?

[SPEAKER_02]: You know.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's finish with the Cavaliers, who are not good.

[SPEAKER_00]: But they're not bad, they're not bad, but they're not like 64 win team last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: The 12 and 9 as we record this loss of the Celtics, that was on a back-to-back for Boston a road back-to-back.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's where Minnesota the night before the cabs had the day off before they gave me.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it had only played like one previous game in like four or five six days.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was a tough one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I know.

[SPEAKER_00]: Injuries have been a problem in Cleveland, Jared Allen is out.

[SPEAKER_00]: Max Druce is out, two other guys been in awe of the lineup.

[SPEAKER_00]: But offensively, they had been bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're in the middle of the pack offensive team.

[SPEAKER_00]: Darius Garland is not able to recapture that magic he had last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Level of concern for Cleveland right now?

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's hard.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think you just, with Cleveland's roster, you have to decide how much do you believe in ever-mobly?

[SPEAKER_02]: And...

[SPEAKER_02]: You can believe in him a lot, but not quite as much as many of the people in Cleveland believe in him.

[SPEAKER_02]: I was listening to some Cleveland podcast or something, something related to the calves or where the calves were, where someone from the calves broadcast team was involved in the podcast or something.

[SPEAKER_02]: And they were saying, well, this may show us that maybe they can just get to the finals instead of win the title this year.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I was just thinking as I listened to my car, I think that is a very optimistic look.

[SPEAKER_02]: At this roaster, I think they are good.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think they are very good.

[SPEAKER_02]: Don't have a Mitchell has been playing phenomenally.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has been playing some of the best basketball I have ever seen him play, and this team is not keeping up with him, and I don't think it's a bad roster, and I don't think I've been mobilized a bad player, and they have had a ton of injuries.

[SPEAKER_02]: But they had the better team against Boston.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think they were done by 21 point in that game.

[SPEAKER_02]: I know they came close toward the end, but I just, I, [SPEAKER_02]: That team has never made me, that roster in that team, other outside of down of the Mitchell has made me feel like, oh man, I put all my money on them.

[SPEAKER_02]: And you have to feel like that at one point, if you're gonna say this team can get to the finals.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thought that last year, Daria's Garland did a lot to dispel the notion that they can't win with the small back court, because he was outstanding during the regular season.

[SPEAKER_00]: really good numbers during the regular season.

[SPEAKER_00]: It won 64 games during the regular season.

[SPEAKER_00]: And they bowed out in the playoffs in part, because Darius Garland was hurt.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, he had the toe injury, you know, throughout the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I thought that was evidence that this team doesn't need to do a Garland trade that they can nibble on the fringes a little bit.

[SPEAKER_00]: Exactly what they did.

[SPEAKER_00]: And bring the core of this team back and still be right back where they were last season, maybe Garland's healthy, and they can make a run.

[SPEAKER_00]: This season has offered more of the evidence of the other argument that it's not, you're not able to win with this small-ish back court of two guys like Mitchell and Garland.

[SPEAKER_00]: The offensive numbers are Garland and are not great.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't have him right in front of me, but they're not, he's not put up the kind of numbers from last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: And defensively, that Boston game, Peyton Pritchard, went off.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yep, in that game.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's on Darius Garland right there.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's, that's, you know, that's part of it.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, it makes me wonder, like, do they need to aggressively explore a deal there before the deadline?

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, that was interesting.

[SPEAKER_02]: You've heard a couple guys say at different times this year talking about effort and who was it last night.

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, Jalen Tyson, this is a great quote.

[SPEAKER_02]: quote, we're not hungry enough.

[SPEAKER_02]: What happened to us last year?

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a similar thing that's happening this year.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a common theme, ultimately.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's on us to fix it.

[SPEAKER_02]: The young guys, the role players, it shouldn't be us having to bring energy every time, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: Everyone has to bring energy.

[SPEAKER_02]: Everyone has to pour it into this thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's pretty interesting.

[SPEAKER_02]: First of all, that's a, it's not good to hear about your team.

[SPEAKER_02]: I actually admired him for saying, and I think that's a leadership style quote, but it is notable.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it does make you wonder, again, I voted for him openly for Defend to play over the year.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think he's very, very good.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think Dary's Garland showed us some real stuff last year.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think Donna my Mitchell is just stellar.

[SPEAKER_02]: just the sum of the parts are not, they don't move you.

[SPEAKER_02]: Does this as the team moved you?

[SPEAKER_02]: Have you picked them for what have you picked them for?

[SPEAKER_00]: Before the season?

[SPEAKER_02]: Just in general.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, last couple years.

[SPEAKER_02]: Last two years.

[SPEAKER_02]: This year I thought they'd get the finals.

[SPEAKER_00]: You did.

[SPEAKER_00]: I did.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, look, they were a 64-win team.

[SPEAKER_00]: But again, I'm basing a lot of, I based a lot of my preseason prediction on what I saw last year, which was a team that was really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: That got beaten the playoffs by hey.

[SPEAKER_00]: destined for greatness in the anti team that wasn't going to be denied in the postseason didn't have Garland for long stretches during the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that I felt they brought that group back.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe I underestimated some of the losses that they had.

[SPEAKER_00]: Max Drew's being out maybe under us to make some of that.

[SPEAKER_00]: They have another injury too.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm blanking out of the losses.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, thank you.

[SPEAKER_00]: They have a bunch of injuries.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I thought they'd be really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: They have undereachieved this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, even with the injuries.

[SPEAKER_00]: Garland's not been what I thought.

[SPEAKER_00]: Mobileys, like, I think the problem mobileys, like people expect him to become a super duper star.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like they expect him to get to that very next level.

[SPEAKER_00]: His numbers are kind of the same, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Like his, he's right around 20 points per game.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's a little bit less sufficient, but still not inefficient by any stretch.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's close to 40% from three point range.

[SPEAKER_00]: So he's not bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's not bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's just not bad.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's just not bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has not been the alpha that they expect to be at this stretch of injuries that they've had.

[SPEAKER_00]: It probably should have been an opportunity for Evan Mobley to be that guy, to step into that bigger role.

[SPEAKER_00]: He hasn't done.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's just continued to be that solid, reliable, fringy, all-star number two guy.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he hasn't been able to take that step forward.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think they've needed him to take that step forward.

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, I believe they play the Pacers tonight as you and I sit here.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that's a team that's, it's not in their own best interest to win.

[SPEAKER_02]: So maybe it'll turn around.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe.

[SPEAKER_00]: The energy questions are a very clippers vibe right there.

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, it's funny that you say about the booklippers.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm that part of that podcast.

[SPEAKER_02]: Someone was talking about this and saying, oh, was the Boston Celtics game rock bottom and rock bottom for the calves is what?

[SPEAKER_02]: 12 and 9.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think they are forever.

[SPEAKER_02]: Whatever.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then also similarly, I heard from plenty on the clippers.

[SPEAKER_02]: Is this rock bottom for the clippers or 5 and 15?

[SPEAKER_02]: So two very different rock bottoms.

[SPEAKER_02]: One click is a short one.

[SPEAKER_02]: One click is a short one.

[SPEAKER_02]: One's the Marianne a trench, but like.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's good, uh, geographical references.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good.

[SPEAKER_00]: A quantum references.

[SPEAKER_00]: I can appreciate that.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: There you go.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, are you about to wrap up?

[SPEAKER_02]: Because I have something.

[SPEAKER_00]: You've got something.

[SPEAKER_02]: You Chris Manix.

[SPEAKER_02]: Are a pro basketball writers award winner?

[SPEAKER_02]: I believe first place.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've done backwards.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, yes.

[SPEAKER_02]: Can you tell us about that?

[SPEAKER_00]: uh...

it was the cover story from the NBA preview of twenty twenty four victim women yama okay who as you know as a writer that it's more about the material than it is the writing honestly like this not i'm i'd pat myself on the back all the time but this was more of i mean if you're a woman yama i said down a victim woman uh...

at the spurs facility and he just let her rip he just let her rip on i remember that story how his [SPEAKER_00]: how he's able to blend lessons learned in books like The Witcher, to his basketball game, and how he sits down with former astronauts and sits down with fiction writers and learns from them.

[SPEAKER_00]: This guy, as talented as Victor Wembanyama is, and you weren't the...

[SPEAKER_00]: I am the pioneer of the Victor Wembanyama fan club.

[SPEAKER_00]: You are running it right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: I am away from San Antonio.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yep.

[SPEAKER_00]: His mind is equally...

[SPEAKER_00]: I agree.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's part of why I'm so high on his long term success.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now he's got it in the floor.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that could be.

[SPEAKER_02]: What do you think?

[SPEAKER_02]: Do you think next week?

[SPEAKER_00]: I think before Christmas is probably the most likely.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know.

[SPEAKER_00]: Does he get back in?

[SPEAKER_00]: I think.

[SPEAKER_00]: And be a cup.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, they play the lakers here.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think next Wednesday Thursday.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that might be optimistic.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I haven't checked in with too many people down there on this.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not recently anyway.

[SPEAKER_00]: But [SPEAKER_02]: Okay, you gotta be careful.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's given a stretch.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm with you.

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, give it a stretch.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey.

[SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, congratulations.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Read the story.