[SPEAKER_01]: Now, playing, open, floor.

[SPEAKER_04]: This is open floor.

[SPEAKER_04]: Sports Illustrated's Chris Manix back at.

[SPEAKER_04]: An NBA podcast with Sports Illustrated Senior Writer.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think it's time that the world gets to know.

[SPEAKER_04]: My guy, Chris Manix.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think your opinion's shared by everyone.

[SPEAKER_04]: And now it begins.

[SPEAKER_04]: Now it begins.

[SPEAKER_04]: All right, we are back and back at full strength.

[SPEAKER_04]: I am back from the shortest paternity leave.

[SPEAKER_04]: I can think of Rachel Nichols.

[SPEAKER_04]: I was only gone for about a week.

[SPEAKER_04]: I appreciate you and Evan Turner taking the reigns of the show last week, excellent job as usual.

[SPEAKER_04]: But I am back and I am a proud father as we record this.

[SPEAKER_04]: the learning has begun.

[SPEAKER_02]: I was going to say that you were so blessed.

[SPEAKER_02]: Evident I talked about this.

[SPEAKER_02]: The first pod you missed.

[SPEAKER_02]: I said, I've never seen someone more blazing going into the birth of their child.

[SPEAKER_02]: I was like, Chris, it's your whole life's going to change things.

[SPEAKER_02]: They're going to be different.

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, my God, are you ready?

[SPEAKER_02]: You're having a son and you were just like, yeah, it'll be fine.

[SPEAKER_02]: Whatever.

[SPEAKER_02]: And you're like my wife's amazing.

[SPEAKER_02]: She's got amazing family.

[SPEAKER_02]: They'll take care of it.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's great And then you and I get on the line here a few minutes ago, and I'm like, oh my god How is it?

[SPEAKER_02]: And you're like, yeah, it's good.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, dude, emotions.

[SPEAKER_02]: Feel them.

[SPEAKER_02]: You have a son now.

[SPEAKER_04]: I feel them.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's definitely a [SPEAKER_04]: a unique feeling, right?

[SPEAKER_04]: And the responsibility is enormous.

[SPEAKER_04]: I was relaying you before we came on the air like this afternoon or this morning, I guess, my wife went out for a couple of hours.

[SPEAKER_04]: And my whole mindset was just not to let my son die, like just don't die.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like he slept for the first 20 minutes, then he got up.

[SPEAKER_04]: He was hungry, then he took two big dumps.

[SPEAKER_04]: I had to clean them both up.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like she came back two hours later.

[SPEAKER_04]: I swear to God, I felt like eight [SPEAKER_04]: like how long she was got him.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like he just he's a great kid.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's tall, long, big hands, bathe.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's a son of a boxer and a journalist.

[SPEAKER_02]: Come on.

[SPEAKER_02]: I want to want that.

[SPEAKER_04]: He was small like weight size around six pounds.

[SPEAKER_04]: So on smaller side, but he's long.

[SPEAKER_04]: He was like 20, 21 inches at Berkeley.

[SPEAKER_04]: And he's got he's got big old mitts at big old feet and [SPEAKER_04]: he's the best he's the best he's he's he's he's he's already in my mind either going to win a siong award or become like the all-time assist leader in the NBM not sure which one I'm sorry or you know or you know pilot pilot a pilot a ship to Mars like one of those things so one of them clearly It's gonna do one of those things, but it's great.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's great.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's a [SPEAKER_02]: And the first public thing you will have uttered about him in a time when, by the time our kids are older, every public thing every ever uttered about them will be recorded in Cadillac somewhere is that he took two big dumps.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm glad that the future astronaut, Hall of Famer, et cetera, et cetera, we know how this story began.

[SPEAKER_04]: just shoots right through them.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm going to die.

[SPEAKER_04]: Just shoots right through them.

[SPEAKER_04]: There's no doubt about it.

[SPEAKER_04]: All right, we get a lot to get into on the show.

[SPEAKER_04]: You are in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup Final, which take place on Tuesday night.

[SPEAKER_04]: We're going to talk about the two teams that are in the final.

[SPEAKER_04]: San Antonio Spurs, who you have been high on from the very beginning.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'll give you credit for that.

[SPEAKER_04]: should we start talking about San Antonio as a legit title contender the nicks they're probably saying the same thing after the run they've been on as of late jail in Bronson playing at NMVP level I think Mike Brown's done an outstanding coaching job and as we tape it is the official start of trade season in the NBA December 15 contract signed in the office season.

[SPEAKER_04]: they can be moved now and there's one team in particular that I want to get into.

[SPEAKER_04]: We'll do more trade talk as the the weeks go by but there's one team in particular that is struggling that is a tradable star that I want to get into and we'll dive into that before we start the rage so I do want to say something real quick about I got to press release early today from the Boston Celtics about and you know who to send the press release to.

[SPEAKER_04]: Well, yes, at the start, they're a long time trainer, yes.

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, I guess I'm thrilled that you're talking about those.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, he was diagnosed with a form of leukemia.

[SPEAKER_04]: It is something he's getting treated for over the next couple of days.

[SPEAKER_04]: The Celtics were taping this on Monday on Monday night.

[SPEAKER_04]: They're going to wear special shooting shirts in honor of Edless cert.

[SPEAKER_04]: They're going to have drives at the on the concourse over a couple of games this season.

[SPEAKER_04]: for, you know, to check your, to check people for potential stem cell donations.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's the kind of treatment edlessert is going to get ed was a trainer for the Celtics for 30 years.

[SPEAKER_04]: Long time I knew Ed back when I was a ball boy with the team a fixture with that team 1998 to 2018.

[SPEAKER_04]: He was also the trainer.

[SPEAKER_04]: I forgot about this till the press for the trainer for USA basketball.

[SPEAKER_04]: The dream team.

[SPEAKER_04]: He was a trainer.

[SPEAKER_04]: for that train or one of the trainers, that was there.

[SPEAKER_04]: So have a good thought for Edlessert.

[SPEAKER_04]: And if you want to learn more about it, Celtics.com, they have a lot of...

Celtic.com slash 20 seconds, I believe, is the link.

[SPEAKER_04]: Let me double check that.

[SPEAKER_04]: But Celtic.com is where you can find information about this particular form of leukemia and what you can do to help.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know if you have ever crossed paths with Ed over the years, but he was an institution in Boston.

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, yeah, no, Eddie, he's just been a huge part of that franchise for so long.

[SPEAKER_02]: Always the friendly face, you know, when I was starting out in this business, there weren't that many female faces around, and you got a varying degree of welcome, especially from, you know, training staff, locker room staff, things like that people who considered it their domain, and he was always great to me, just from the very beginning.

[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, the kind of unfortunate situation he's in, a lot of people in this country are in finding out if you can be a stem cell donor, finding out if you can be a donor, [SPEAKER_02]: is a great thing to do put yourself in the national registry because there's all kinds of people whose lives you can save.

[SPEAKER_02]: They take a withdrawal from you.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a little bit painful and the injection site apparently.

[SPEAKER_04]: I've not done it because I haven't matched with anyone, but I don't think I don't think what they're just just to be clear like on this.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like what they're saying and I'm reading them for the press release.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is the secret.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, even if you're pit, I'm telling you what a small deal this is if you're pit.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you're pit, it's not like you're giving up a kidney.

[SPEAKER_02]: My point is that even just getting on the registry means they take, you know, they, they withdraw something from a needle and then you go on your way and then you save someone's life.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's really, it's really a cool thing to participate in.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I'm not going to be in Boston when they're doing these cheek swapping stations.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's December 19th and the 22nd Miami India, those games respectively.

[SPEAKER_04]: But I am going to find some place to do a cheek swap next time I'm at my doctor for physical or some of that air and encourage everybody else to do it as well.

[SPEAKER_04]: So our best thoughts to Edlessert as he battles this.

[SPEAKER_04]: Hopefully he comes out right on the the other side of it.

[SPEAKER_04]: All right.

[SPEAKER_04]: We're beginning the show.

[SPEAKER_04]: I guess we should start basically talking about the NBA Cup in general because It is the third season now of the NBA Cup Rachel.

[SPEAKER_04]: We'll crown a third champion a third banner We'll be raised in somebody's rafters I know I know one thing about like I do think the banner and we're gonna there's a lot of positive with the NBA Cup But the banner stuff's a little bit goofy and like if somehow and we're recording this Monday night, but if somehow the next win [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know if I'd want to raise that banner in New York.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_04]: You got to get tidal batter up first.

[SPEAKER_04]: Don't you?

[SPEAKER_04]: You got to get.

[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, we got to get a real box somewhere.

[SPEAKER_02]: Who says it's got to be a banner in the rafters?

[SPEAKER_02]: Absolutely.

[SPEAKER_02]: Mark the occasion.

[SPEAKER_02]: Put a plaques somewhere.

[SPEAKER_02]: Put some up on the jumpa trun celebrating with a nice little video.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, but yeah, put a plaque up.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, but I would not absolutely not be raising a banner at all.

[SPEAKER_02]: Whether I'm either too, frankly, if I'm this first and I win this, I've got plenty of other banners.

[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you very much.

[SPEAKER_02]: I would not cheapen my rafters with with this kind of banner.

[SPEAKER_02]: I would make, you know, have a piece on thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: Put a plaque up somewhere.

[SPEAKER_02]: Do something like that.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's not a championship.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's kind of how I felt when the Lakers won that first year and I was out there quote banner right in LA That was that was that was tough, but um, you know, look it's it's a good accomplishment for these teams and look the NBA Cup [SPEAKER_04]: I think has been a pretty big success.

[SPEAKER_04]: On the NBA, we'll happily provide you with as much positive data as they can for the sport.

[SPEAKER_04]: More than 40 million people in the U.S.

Watch the NBA Cup, the 2025 group stage is up 90 percent from last year.

[SPEAKER_04]: Most watch group stage in the events three history.

[SPEAKER_04]: It should be noted that these were televised on Amazon, which gives it a different kind of reach.

[SPEAKER_04]: So you have to take [SPEAKER_04]: all these numbers into context.

[SPEAKER_04]: The NBC coast to coast telecast on Tuesday, which featured the magic sixers, Clippers Lakers most watched NBA Cup group play ever 2.7 million average viewers up 122% year over year.

[SPEAKER_02]: Again, Ron J.

Brock has to over the air network, which I do.

[SPEAKER_02]: Correct.

[SPEAKER_02]: Do you have to ever.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, [SPEAKER_02]: I think the NBA sometimes can do a disservice by putting out these rating numbers because what they have done is they have taken the absolute best matchups in the first third of the regular season and made them NBA cup next.

[SPEAKER_02]: So yes, they do well in the ratings.

[SPEAKER_02]: And yes, the more broad network you put it on, like say a broadcast network like NBC instead of last year on ESPN and TNT, the more people they're going to reach.

[SPEAKER_02]: But yes, people want to watch good basketball games.

[SPEAKER_02]: So whether it is a, you know, [SPEAKER_02]: A Celtic's next game or whatever some of these rivalry games are, yes, they're going to get good ratings.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's not how I would measure the NBA Cup.

[SPEAKER_02]: I would measure the NBA Cup by saying it has become a presence and a talker in basketball circles, something for not only basketball fans and like diehars to talk about, but you're getting a little bit more general interest, which is fun from general interest sports fans, and the players are engaged.

[SPEAKER_02]: And frankly, I think that is something worth talking about even more than the ratings.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, players are engaged.

[SPEAKER_04]: I've seen some of the quotes of players talking about how it is a bit of a different vibe.

[SPEAKER_04]: Now, some of that is because, hey, you want to win an NBA Cup, it's cool.

[SPEAKER_04]: Some of that's also like, hey, I want a little bit extra cash.

[SPEAKER_04]: You know, the multiple players talk about the cash.

[SPEAKER_02]: I have a question for you on this.

[SPEAKER_02]: So Kelden Johnson from the spurs says that he wants to buy a llama, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: With his winnings, because he has a farm and he's in the middle of stocking with farm animals.

[SPEAKER_02]: Now, they won, they're in the final, which means he could buy several llamas.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I looked up, because I am a journalist, Chris, I looked up how much a llama cost.

[SPEAKER_02]: Do you know how much a llama cost?

[SPEAKER_04]: Oh, I'm going to say this is just a guess because llamas, I'm guessing are not indigenous to the United States.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to guess they're definitely llama firms in the United States.

[SPEAKER_01]: Are there really llamas are born in the United States?

[SPEAKER_01]: Are you trying to decid us in llamas?

[SPEAKER_01]: Is that where we've got?

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know, deported all llamas.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know, $10,000.

[SPEAKER_01]: So a workhorse llama apparently can go for just a near calzone dollars, whereas a show llama, a show llama can go up to 50 grand either way, if he gets, you know, first managed to win this and they get what half a million bucks a pop, he can get so many llamas.

[SPEAKER_02]: And even now, by reaching the final, I think they get 200 something thousand dollars.

[SPEAKER_02]: And again, the llamas can just, I mean, it could be a llama stampede for there now.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's actually, I'm actually surprised Lama's are the U.S.

Annable.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know why.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think it's something else.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, everything.

[SPEAKER_04]: I haven't run across them, Rachel's all I'm saying, I'm like, I haven't run across them.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm analyzing Lomas, because I'm not getting into an immigration debate with you on Mom's.

[SPEAKER_04]: Just don't we think Lomas don't you think like, I don't know, Egypt or something.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know.

[SPEAKER_01]: There are rich and old to the United States.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm just saying there are plenty of Loma farms in the United States where Lomas are born that you do not have to import a Loma from another country.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you are Keldon Johnson, trying to stock your farm, which apparently has a lovely pond.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm telling you, [SPEAKER_02]: He could really go to town here via the NBA Cup and I do think like like all jokes aside Whether it's money for a car, whether it's money to give.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've definitely heard younger players say This is kind of a little bit of life-changing money for me because I haven't gotten paid a lot in the NBA yet I've heard players say, you know, I have enough money to kind of live pretty well as a young NBA player But I haven't paid off my parents house yet or something like that.

[SPEAKER_02]: It retired my mother They can do that if they win here.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's cool having we've talked about one of the big battles the NBA has faced in recent years [SPEAKER_02]: has having players care as much about regular season games as fans do, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: That's like the crux of it.

[SPEAKER_02]: And by the way, we can again have a conversation about the 65 game role in how now.

[SPEAKER_02]: Apparently in the NBA, if you get a calf strain, you have to stay out for anywhere from a week.

[SPEAKER_02]: two months if you have a calf strength, because everyone's so worried you're going to tear your Achilles.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that by the way, is decimating the NBA award class because we have this 65 game role.

[SPEAKER_02]: So again, anything that gets NBA players engaged and excited and wanting to play NBA regular season games where you don't have to threaten them and take in a way their awards or their money, I'm all for.

[SPEAKER_04]: I agree, and the money's cool, especially for these younger guys that don't make quite as much.

[SPEAKER_04]: Somebody, over the last couple of days, asked Victor Webbidjama, if, you know, it would be good to get the money because you're on a rookie contract, like, I mean, come on.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think he's doing okay outside of his rookie deal, which is also considerable.

[SPEAKER_04]: The number one pick makes one eight figures.

[SPEAKER_04]: So I think he's doing just fine, and then be a contract.

[SPEAKER_04]: Some of these two, wait guys, like, half a million bucks.

[SPEAKER_02]: What about Victor Webbidjama's llama?

[SPEAKER_04]: Look, maybe llamas are becoming in vote.

[SPEAKER_04]: Maybe they're going to become like the male version of the, what is a little puppy that Paris silt used to carry around?

[SPEAKER_04]: What do I call those dogs?

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know.

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, dogs now, right?

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know, whatever they are.

[SPEAKER_04]: Maybe everybody's going to get themselves a llama.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know.

[SPEAKER_02]: No, I just like to run in there.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's all.

[SPEAKER_02]: You're a new father.

[SPEAKER_02]: You're going to hear read.

[SPEAKER_02]: There's little llama books.

[SPEAKER_02]: You're going to end up reading.

[SPEAKER_02]: Ah, I can't wait.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is the world of gift giving open up to you.

[SPEAKER_04]: I love it.

[SPEAKER_04]: A lot of llama books.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like, what are things that's come up, though, during the, [SPEAKER_04]: You know, look, they're in a trial and error period with this NBA cup, they're trying to figure some things out.

[SPEAKER_04]: One of the things that has come up and will happen, which we both are in the understanding is that they're going to next year, we're not going to get the semi-finals in Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_04]: The semi-finals are going to take place on the home court of the better team of the two teams.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's going to be home court advantage in that particular game, which I think makes a lot of sense.

[SPEAKER_04]: Um, I don't think there's a need to have neutral site semi finals.

[SPEAKER_04]: This is not the best college basketball final for you're not going to get as many fans to travel for, you know, a semi final game between two teams.

[SPEAKER_04]: They're just as likely to see a couple of weeks down the road.

[SPEAKER_04]: The question though is, [SPEAKER_04]: will they move the final as well to a neutral site?

[SPEAKER_04]: Um, I've seen that floated in the media, I friend Tim Bonth-Temps.

[SPEAKER_04]: I saw him reporting on that on ESPN, uh, early day on Monday.

[SPEAKER_04]: Oh, what do you think?

[SPEAKER_02]: Is it a neutral plate?

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's not a neutral site now on Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_02]: Right.

[SPEAKER_04]: A different neutral site, right?

[SPEAKER_04]: Like, I guess the question, the question is, is it should the final also be in the home teams market and the better seeds market, or should it remain at a neutral site in Vegas or otherwise?

[SPEAKER_02]: I would be a little bit of a contrarian here and say that while I understand the logistical benefit of just having the semis at one of the home arenas, you know, ready-made ticket sales you can do with fans, you know, fans are going to come to see those games, it's a lot easier from a production standpoint, all of that.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if the spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals of the NBA Cup if they're in Oklahoma City.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if giving the higher seed in these NBA Cup games is too much of a home court advantage.

[SPEAKER_02]: The fact that they get these semifinals at home, especially in tough places to play like Oklahoma City, is it good for the league?

[SPEAKER_02]: Is it good for the NBA Cup that teams that aren't the most dominant teams in the NBA that because they will have that higher home court advantage.

[SPEAKER_02]: Therefore, they would have that semifinal game at home.

[SPEAKER_02]: that they get even more of an advantage in the NBA Cup.

[SPEAKER_02]: Or is it better to the NBA that there's some neutral game sites and not just the last one.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.

[SPEAKER_02]: You were Mr.

Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_02]: Does it worry you they could take it out of Las Vegas?

[SPEAKER_04]: Not the semi finals.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think the semi finals are fine because that's a long time to plant a couple of the biggest.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like you get there as presumably on Friday, you're not.

[SPEAKER_02]: They gave them an extra [SPEAKER_04]: I guess, but you don't leave until Tuesday at the latest and look, you were at the Cup semi final games.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like was the atmosphere in a good for those games?

[SPEAKER_02]: They're selling tickets, but it's been improving every year.

[SPEAKER_02]: But obviously, it's not as raucous as it would have been, say, in Oklahoma City or in New York or, you know, one of those kinds of environments.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you had had, you know, the semi game at the garden, semi game, you know, at OKC, would you have gotten a more raucous environment?

[SPEAKER_02]: Absolutely.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, is that too much of an advantage for the home [SPEAKER_04]: I think that part of this narrative is that the NBA is getting a little bit leery about its future in Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_04]: The NBA has been inching towards a Las Vegas franchise for like 20 years now.

[SPEAKER_04]: I mean, they had the all-star game back in the late Ots.

[SPEAKER_04]: They've had summer league there for like 20 some odd years They they're gonna be last there if they're a professional franchise since every other major ProSport is already there but over the last few months Some of the messaging I've been getting from NBA officials is that look there a little worried about the economic downturn and Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm there a lot you're there now It's not what it used to be you don't get the kind of foot traffic that used to have you don't get the kind of [SPEAKER_04]: just energy that Las Vegas used to have tourism is down.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's partly due to the political climate, but tourism is the lifeblood of Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_04]: So I look, I think the NBA's crossed its fingers and hoping that Vegas turns around in the next year to 18 months, but [SPEAKER_04]: part of the reason they're moving the semifinals out of Las Vegas is Las Vegas and part of the reason part of the reason that they're, you know, a little shaky right now about the future of Las of the NBA Las Vegas is concerns about the economic viability of Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's fair.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I was here with two of my producers trying to get dinner at 945 at night on a Thursday night in Las Vegas, which should not be hard, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: We were in the casino area, we were, we could have gone to, we were, you know, one of these huge giant crazy hotels with 15 restaurants, we could not get food at 945 at night on a Thursday night.

[SPEAKER_02]: Everything was either closed for some reason, or they had stopped serving, or go to this place.

[SPEAKER_02]: They're open till 10, but the time we get there, they're closed like that.

[SPEAKER_02]: it's not the same.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's not the same as it was five ten years ago.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, so it'll be worth watching over the next couple of years because I know the NBA Look, they want to get a team in Seattle for sure and they would like to get it done.

[SPEAKER_04]: I believe by the 2,930 season so [SPEAKER_04]: You know, what happens with Vegas?

[SPEAKER_04]: They have to look at other potential sites.

[SPEAKER_04]: We know they're out there.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, there's your, you're back on an expansion conversation where I still think of one of these Western conference teams that has an arena issue and either I'm not trying to get the team out of New Orleans or Memphis, but we both know that they have some arena issues and both those franchises declining ticket sales and both of those franchises, I think it is more likely especially if Las Vegas is a little [SPEAKER_02]: little bit on the back burner right now and it is maybe only one team moves instead of expanding where you'd have to do two.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe you see it's one of those teams moved to Seattle before you see an actual expansion that might involve Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think that's fair, and that would solve the problem of not having to introduce two teams into the mix.

[SPEAKER_04]: Whenever they expand, it's not going to be by one team.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's going to be by two teams to create a balance.

[SPEAKER_04]: But yeah, the financial climate of Vegas is a concern.

[SPEAKER_04]: There's no doubt about that.

[SPEAKER_04]: Alright, let's talk about the San Antonio spurs.

[SPEAKER_04]: Get ready to play in the cup final, very excited San Antonio is about to.

[SPEAKER_04]: being in this cup final.

[SPEAKER_04]: They should be like the spurs 18 and seven right now as they had into Tuesday night's game.

[SPEAKER_04]: They're eighth in the NBA in offensive efficiency.

[SPEAKER_04]: They are 13th and defensive efficiency.

[SPEAKER_04]: That number, of course, would be considerably higher if Victor went beyond what didn't miss 12 games because of an injury.

[SPEAKER_04]: That spurs were nine and three though during that stretch.

[SPEAKER_04]: They proved they could win at least regular season games.

[SPEAKER_04]: without Victor Whitman now, but they're coming off a massive win over Oklahoma City that showed a lot to me about where the spurs are overall as a team.

[SPEAKER_04]: You've been high on the spurs for quite some time now, Rachel.

[SPEAKER_04]: You've been a believer.

[SPEAKER_04]: Spurs true for quite some time.

[SPEAKER_04]: Does this start make you believe that we're looking at San Antonio maybe more as more than just a team that could make the playoffs have a fun first round than get clobbered in the second round or is it too soon to be getting that bowl of San Antonio.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm happy to be that bullish.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think on the broadcast, you know, on Saturday night, Stan Bengundi said you can make them a contender for the title right now, some version of that.

[SPEAKER_02]: That might be going too far.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I asked Aaron Fox that specifically today.

[SPEAKER_02]: I said, you tell me, I said, what do you think are the steps a team has to go through to get to be someone that could really actually win a title in terms of winning playoff series or having had that experience before that kind of thing?

[SPEAKER_02]: and he looked at me after you exactly what I was asking about and he was like look he's like I think you've got to have been there at least once before sort of in a playoff round he's like I don't even remember a team that you know didn't make the playoffs that you're performing them one-the-hole thing and then of course you know we reminded him that the 2020 the 22 warriors were in that position to his point he's like that's not really what we're talking about which we all agreed that's not what we're talking about stuff had a little bit of playoff experience at that point and [SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, the 20 Lakers, and again, you could say, yes, they weren't in the playoffs that you're before and then they won the whole thing, but again, you're dealing with a different level experience on this team.

[SPEAKER_02]: His point was he didn't expect them necessarily to be favored or talked about his contenders this year, but he does think that they are going ahead of schedule, and I think so too.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the idea that they could sort of be a nice story where they went in the first round, and that's it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I do think that you have to, there's a room in between actual [SPEAKER_02]: nice right first round story and I think they are silently in the middle of that.

[SPEAKER_02]: Victor Webiniyama is so good already defensively that if he is healthy he just changes everything you can do and we saw that against Oklahoma City the other night when he was on the court this is a guy who didn't start who [SPEAKER_02]: Clearly didn't totally have his legs under him.

[SPEAKER_02]: This was his first game back.

[SPEAKER_02]: You could tell he was winded it a couple times.

[SPEAKER_02]: He was a little floppy around a couple of times, just sort of finding his place on the court.

[SPEAKER_02]: And yet, when he was playing, Oklahoma City offensive rating was in the low 80s.

[SPEAKER_02]: And when Victor was off the court, Oklahoma City's offensive rating was around 13.

[SPEAKER_02]: That is such a seismic difference.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it's where their shots were coming from, too.

[SPEAKER_02]: When Victor was on the court, they were only scoring 10%.

[SPEAKER_02]: 10% right close to the basket whereas when he was off the court it was 30%.

[SPEAKER_02]: So you are talking about someone who the same way we talked about staff changing the geometry of the court offensively already right now so changes but an opponent can do when he is on the court defensively then you add in the offense I just this is not a nice little first round story this team I think that [SPEAKER_02]: can they win a title without ever winning anything?

[SPEAKER_02]: Anyone on that team?

[SPEAKER_02]: No, but are they legit?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think there are real threat in this year's playoffs.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I remember a coach telling me last year that in their scouting report on San Antonio, they tell their guys, if you're driving the paint and when Binyama's in the game, turn around, like don't even bother.

[SPEAKER_04]: There's no upside to going up.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's not going to follow you.

[SPEAKER_04]: You're not getting your shot over him.

[SPEAKER_04]: He is that big of a difference maker.

[SPEAKER_04]: And to win a game like that against Oklahoma City, [SPEAKER_04]: with Wembaniyama only playing 21 minutes is a real feather in the cap of this team and look that was the first real loss for Oklahoma City like you can point to the Portland game but that Portland game like they had just played one of those late NBC starts the night before in Los Angeles they flew in to Portland overnight got in at four o'clock in the morning like that that to me was a schedule loss [SPEAKER_04]: more than this one.

[SPEAKER_04]: Well, this was a real loss that the founder took to San Antonio.

[SPEAKER_04]: I was really impressed with what I saw now individually.

[SPEAKER_04]: Beyond Wembinyama, you mentioned the Aaron Fox.

[SPEAKER_04]: He has been outstanding since he came back.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's shooting 49% from the floor, 39% from three.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think he can keep those types of numbers up.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeesh, like that guy's gonna be really tough.

[SPEAKER_04]: Stephen Castles averaging like seven assists per game.

[SPEAKER_04]: He is really growing into this playmaker role.

[SPEAKER_04]: Keldon Johnson to Mitch Johnson the coach cannot stop praising, like for good reason, like shooting 57% from the floor.

[SPEAKER_04]: 57% for for a win.

[SPEAKER_04]: Good, a lot of love us.

[SPEAKER_04]: Mid 30, some three point range.

[SPEAKER_04]: He is playing winning basketball right now in San Antonio.

[SPEAKER_04]: And when we be beyond the numbers, I love the swagger that this guy is showing.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like I watched that ESPN interview.

[SPEAKER_04]: We kind of took a dig at Shadow Omgron.

[SPEAKER_04]: Do you see that?

[SPEAKER_04]: Where he's kind of like saying like, it's easy to play when you got the MVP or something like that effect.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's on your side of the floor.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's barking at Alex Caruso late in the game against the thunder.

[SPEAKER_04]: I kind of liked the moxie.

[SPEAKER_04]: that start to grow inside with victim women young.

[SPEAKER_04]: He started to have the kind of confidence that what was eventually going to get there with his talent.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's starting to already get there.

[SPEAKER_04]: What what's going to come down to with San Antonio is how replicable.

[SPEAKER_04]: is what they did down the stretch against Oklahoma City the playoffs because that was execution like they executed against the thunder they out executed the defending champs and that's not something you expect from from a young team I was asking some coaches about what they saw in that game and one of them told me he was like look [SPEAKER_04]: they made defensive changes in the final three minutes.

[SPEAKER_04]: They were mixing things up.

[SPEAKER_04]: They went from zone to man.

[SPEAKER_04]: They were defending Chet Homewood, who likes to play off of shade guilt to Sally Xander and Jalen Williams when they run a pick and roll.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like they were playing highly intelligent basketball, which is a credit to Mitch Johnson and his coaching staff.

[SPEAKER_04]: but also a credit to the players to being able to execute that type of game plan in a clutch situation like that.

[SPEAKER_04]: They have their record in close games.

[SPEAKER_04]: They're 12 and 3 now in close games this season.

[SPEAKER_04]: These are the kind of numbers that you expect to see from veteran laden teams.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like the Lakers have a good record in close games.

[SPEAKER_04]: The Thunder have a great record in close games.

[SPEAKER_04]: The Spurs, they've got one of those great records.

[SPEAKER_04]: If they can take this kind of maturity and this kind of execution into the playoffs, [SPEAKER_04]: I'm going to agree with Stan Van Gundy.

[SPEAKER_04]: They are a title thread.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know if they can do it because the playoffs are a different animal and outside of Fox has only got a handful of post-seizing games.

[SPEAKER_04]: There really aren't a lot of guys really anybody.

[SPEAKER_02]: I guess Luke Cornett is not so hard in 1922.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's not.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's tough to project whether or not they're going to have that kind of poise, that kind of maturity.

[SPEAKER_04]: But right now 25 games in, they're shown it.

[SPEAKER_04]: And if they've got that in the playoffs, they are going to be very difficult to beat.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, look, the execution a it is a bit what we would expect from a spur system right a spurs organization.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is something they stressed from the minute those guys come under that organization's wing in training camps in some reliefs and things like that.

[SPEAKER_02]: So it doesn't surprise me that organizationally this is a team that has young players that can execute.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm curious.

[SPEAKER_02]: I actually don't know to the answer to this.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm taking a flyer.

[SPEAKER_02]: How many of these guys have played together prior to the NBA before?

[SPEAKER_02]: Like on an French national team or other teams like that, I think that for a young team, you have guys who have played together and at least some camps and things who maybe know each other a little bit better than a young team.

[SPEAKER_02]: But overall, I just think that you have the right guys there with the right coach, with the right friend guys.

[SPEAKER_02]: And as you say, it's not a flu what happened on Saturday night is that they are in close games playing the right way.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, Victor, you talked about the trash talk, Blake Griffin is here for Amazon.

[SPEAKER_02]: He said, first of all, he'd never seen Victor webinar I'm a play in person before, which is just fun.

[SPEAKER_02]: Because you and I have now seen him play, we're lucky enough to say we've seen him play in person quite a bit, but for people who are still discovering what it's like to see Victor in person, Blake Griffin said it, I keep saying it.

[SPEAKER_02]: If he is playing at an arena near you, make the one hour drive by the tickets do the thing because it is worth seeing he is an experience and also it's not just the skill that he has it's not just the height and the wingspan it is what Blake was talking about he said I was most impressed seeing him up close for the first time with the fire he had with the fight he had with the trash talk all that stuff you were talking about.

[SPEAKER_02]: And he's doing it in the post game press conference, too.

[SPEAKER_02]: You talk about the style they're playing at the end of the game.

[SPEAKER_02]: What weren't the quote he had post games Saturday night?

[SPEAKER_02]: He was talking about ethical basketball.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it was seen as a little bit of a dick, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: At the Oklahoma City, are they foul merchanting?

[SPEAKER_02]: Are we the spurs playing ethical basketball?

[SPEAKER_02]: He was asked to expound on that today here in Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_02]: you know, he knows exactly what he's doing.

[SPEAKER_01]: He answered the question both in English and French with a little smirk on his face, both times, and he said, I think a diversity basically in the way you approach the game, that's what ethical basketball is and that our approach to the game is, you know, sort of showing a diversity of how do we attack and what we can give you as an offense, what we can give you as a basketball team.

[SPEAKER_01]: So he knows exactly what he's doing exactly what he's saying, and he's just a joy, both to watch.

[SPEAKER_01]: play the hour talk execute all of it.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just so much fun.

[SPEAKER_04]: I do love it because you're looking at a spurs team that is led by a bunch of early 20 somethings and Oklahoma City team that's led by early admit 20 somethings.

[SPEAKER_04]: These two teams [SPEAKER_04]: I'll just say they're likely to be the dominant teams in the NBA for the next five years.

[SPEAKER_04]: They are Celtic's Lakers Esk, like they haven't given you that kind of rivalry, bulls, pistons, nicks bulls, like they can create that kind of interconference rivalry and match-ups.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like I tell you, I love the chat dig, I love it, I love it, I love it, I want to see, I want to see these two guys, like nose to [SPEAKER_04]: whatever, however high check can get on.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm nose to shatter whatever it is, right there.

[SPEAKER_04]: I want to see these guys mix in it up in these matchups over the rest of the regular season.

[SPEAKER_04]: I love it.

[SPEAKER_04]: I disagree strongly that shade guiltous Alexander's a free throw merchant.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'd never bought into that.

[SPEAKER_04]: He isn't complaining to referees.

[SPEAKER_04]: He doesn't flop all that often.

[SPEAKER_04]: He is just very efficient from every spot in the floor.

[SPEAKER_04]: And you got a guard him, close from every spot in the floor.

[SPEAKER_04]: But I like that he said it because now we get a little bit of it talking point.

[SPEAKER_04]: We're we're talking about it once again more spice in the NBA.

[SPEAKER_04]: I love that I guarantee you out.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm silver Love that as well.

[SPEAKER_04]: We'll see, but I get to me.

[SPEAKER_04]: It comes down to the execution.

[SPEAKER_04]: Can they do they have the poise That most young teams lack in the playoffs Oklahoma City didn't have it a couple of years ago when they lost in the conference semifinals They got it.

[SPEAKER_04]: They learned they got better is it going to take a trip through the postseason for San Antonio to learn it We're gonna find out [SPEAKER_04]: Um, a team that's had their ups and downs over the last few years has been tested a few times, come up a little bit short of the New York Nicks, but right now, the Nicks also playing great basketball.

[SPEAKER_04]: Also, I think that what 18 and seven as we go into this game on Tuesday night, Jalen Brunson, any list of MVP.

[SPEAKER_04]: Jalen Brunson's got to be on it better include right now four straight games of 30 plus scoring at 40 points in that game against Orlando.

[SPEAKER_04]: This Mike Brown offense where, you know, Brunson's playing a little more off the ball seems to be working.

[SPEAKER_04]: The case catch and shoot numbers are way up from what they were.

[SPEAKER_04]: Last season overall, the three point numbers in New York are way up.

[SPEAKER_04]: You know, you mentioned Stan van Gundy.

[SPEAKER_04]: He said something in an interview recently that I read that, you know, he praised Mike Brown for not reinventing the New York next.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's not coming in and saying everything you did last year was trash.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like because he knows it.

[SPEAKER_04]: He knows it wasn't trash.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like the next were a conference finalist last year.

[SPEAKER_04]: They had a top five offense last year.

[SPEAKER_04]: They were a couple of games away from beating the team.

[SPEAKER_04]: That was an injury away from beating Oklahoma City.

[SPEAKER_04]: So, they've been going to correctly, I think, gave Mike Brown praise for not throwing out and throwing everything out and trying to reinvent the wheel.

[SPEAKER_04]: this team is up there with a top five offensive rating.

[SPEAKER_04]: They are inching towards a top 10 defense last month.

[SPEAKER_04]: They were 11th overall the last two weeks.

[SPEAKER_04]: They have been inside the top 10.

[SPEAKER_04]: Are you seeing, you know, enough from the nicks to make you believe that they are, we know they're a contender.

[SPEAKER_04]: But right now, would you make them the favorite to come out of the eastern conference?

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, like they were my favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference before we started the season.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I don't think I'm ready to just throw that out.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, they've obviously, you know, a little bit of growing pains at the start of the season.

[SPEAKER_02]: We knew that was going to happen.

[SPEAKER_02]: I completely agree with Stan about my brown and it speaks to my brown, uh, not just quality as a coach, but as a person.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is not a high ego coach.

[SPEAKER_02]: You and I have been around high ego coaches.

[SPEAKER_02]: We've been around mid ego coaches.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think you can be a low ego person in coach in the NBA, but he is definitely not a high ego guy.

[SPEAKER_02]: He knows that he is there to make this team [SPEAKER_02]: And I think he has been able to do that in all the ways that Nick leadership hoped that he would.

[SPEAKER_02]: Now he was told the mandate when they fired Tom Tibbito was this needs to be a championship winning team.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's still going to be hard.

[SPEAKER_02]: Even if he's great, even if the next play better, even if they reach the finals this year, I think it is going to be hard against the Western Conference.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm very interested to see how they stack up in this NBA Cup final.

[SPEAKER_02]: because even though they will not be playing against the presumptive, defending champion favorites, Oklahoma City, they're playing against the team, the beat Oklahoma City, and someone that is definitely going to be a challenge for them.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm very curious how they look next to a Western conference team.

[SPEAKER_02]: I asked J.

Limbransson that a version today of just sort of how he thinks all the talk going into the season about all of the East is so weak compared to the West and the difference in competitiveness, how he thinks that's actually panned out.

[SPEAKER_02]: And he was a little [SPEAKER_02]: You know, he stood up for himself and the team and the conference.

[SPEAKER_02]: He said, I think, you know, I think the East is a lot better than people think.

[SPEAKER_02]: And he goes, and I don't like it when people say that the East is wide open.

[SPEAKER_02]: He goes, I don't think that's true at all.

[SPEAKER_02]: And he's obviously talking about the fact that he thinks the East is not wide open because they're in it.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that he thinks that they are the favorites.

[SPEAKER_02]: And obviously, we've seen them and Detroit a couple of the teams really separate themselves.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm interested to see what kind of competition they provide in this cut final.

[SPEAKER_02]: is spectacular as Bronson is because of his size.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, we will say that we will ask this question until he, if he wins an MBA title, can someone like that win an MBA title, ball dominant, that size guard, if the team is constructed as it is or do they need to change the construction of the team a little bit.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the longer young sense of the combo doesn't get traded.

[SPEAKER_02]: And therefore the more say he has over where he goes because if it takes until the summer, he will have a lot more say because we'll only have a year left on his contract.

[SPEAKER_04]: what do we see from the next this season and will they get more seriously sort of in the honest papesteaks because that is the only city that we have heard so far that Janice has said he wants to go to you know I wasn't planning on going there with this but you know to get Janice presumably the next would have to trade towns like he would have to be the contractually he would have to be the centerpiece of that deal.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think you can make a decent [SPEAKER_04]: that over the next three years and maybe even in the short shorter term, the nicks are better off with towns than they are with yons.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't know if that's a hot take, like is that like a hot take because yonness as great as he is, is not of shooter.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like he has abandoned the three points shot.

[SPEAKER_04]: I can't even kind of credit for that.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's still one of the best players in the game despite deciding like five years ago that he's not going to become a shooter.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's going to be you know, bold and trying to shop, go to the basket and just will you.

[SPEAKER_04]: to success that way.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like, Brunson relies on spacing.

[SPEAKER_04]: Brunson needs some of that floor.

[SPEAKER_04]: And Carl Anthony Towns is arguably the greatest shooting big man of all time, like a highly efficient three-point shooter.

[SPEAKER_04]: Are they better off?

[SPEAKER_04]: Like, I think that's a real question.

[SPEAKER_04]: Nick's brass is going to have to answer when it comes down to those talks.

[SPEAKER_02]: But that's when these games are important, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: How do you do in the NBA Cup final?

[SPEAKER_02]: In a championship style, as we said, you know, there's no banner here that's worth what a championship banner is.

[SPEAKER_02]: We're not quitting it to an NBA finals.

[SPEAKER_02]: But it is a high pressure situation.

[SPEAKER_02]: In front of a neutral crowd, you know, against a team from the other conference that's very, very good.

[SPEAKER_02]: How do you do?

[SPEAKER_02]: What do you look like?

[SPEAKER_02]: How do they do in the playoffs?

[SPEAKER_02]: this season in this postseason.

[SPEAKER_02]: How do they make it through?

[SPEAKER_02]: If they make it to the finals, what do they look like?

[SPEAKER_02]: The longer sort of the Janis question lingers, the more information the next will have to answer whether it's in their best interest to try to go after Janis.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the more control Janis will have over his situation and whether his decision at the end of this past summer of on New York's, really, the only other place I'm interested in, if that will still hold next summer, if you want to leave a walk at that point.

[SPEAKER_02]: We'll say, [SPEAKER_04]: like for the next yonis would scare me because the cost is going to be high not just towns but draft capital maybe there's a young player sweetener that grow thrown into the mix yonis just turned 31 years old he is still a top three player in the NBA but it makes a lot more sense to me if like [SPEAKER_04]: Houston, what after, like Houston trading, Alprince and Goon for Yadis, like yeah, that hurts.

[SPEAKER_04]: But you've got shooters out there, reach Shepherd, Kevin Durant, among others.

[SPEAKER_04]: That deal makes more sense to me than the nicks.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like Yadis, like Yadis and I'm bringing Yadis into this is because that is the one franchise.

[SPEAKER_02]: He was, you know, the reporting that he's talked about.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I just think that because [SPEAKER_02]: The nicks have this chance, whether it's in the cup final, whether it's through the rest of the season, whether it's in the playoffs, they will have this chance to see is the team we have now with Carl Anthony Towns, the best version of this team with the guard like Jalen Bronson, who is a meteor on the court.

[SPEAKER_02]: I am such a big Jalen Bronson fan, but you do have to construct the right team around him.

[SPEAKER_02]: Is this the right version?

[SPEAKER_02]: Or is it team and a franchise that you know [SPEAKER_02]: You know going to still try to make a run at him if and when he is available to them and I think games like we're going to see Tuesday night We'll help them figure that kind of thing out.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that's cool.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm going to put you on the spot then Swap out Janice for Carl Towns our next better right now Yeah, I mean well, Janice's hurt.

[SPEAKER_02]: So no, huh?

[SPEAKER_04]: Well, no, okay.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's how you can't put like that Healthy Janice.

[SPEAKER_04]: I healthy Carl.

[SPEAKER_04]: That was that are the next better [SPEAKER_02]: Um, look, I, I think sometimes you even have to think about it, it's, it's, well, no, no, no, here's what I was, what I was going to say is this, I want to be a little careful because I like this version of the next and I'd like to see how they play before I start breaking up their team.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's important for us as commentators not to get too far down those roads, but I do think of this.

[SPEAKER_02]: as commentators as media as people at home who sit on their trade machine and fans and people weren't even in our business.

[SPEAKER_02]: We get a little hung up sometime of like, is this a fit?

[SPEAKER_02]: Does this guy need space?

[SPEAKER_02]: And yes, not every mega team you can't just throw superstars together and hope they work.

[SPEAKER_02]: We've seen teams crash out and fail that way.

[SPEAKER_02]: More often than not, it doesn't work.

[SPEAKER_02]: None of this still a number, you know, top three player in the league.

[SPEAKER_02]: Let's not get too far into the weeds and say that most franchises in the NBA would not be better if they had Yannis on their team than they are right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's just a fact.

[SPEAKER_02]: So yes, there are some teams that are better fits for him.

[SPEAKER_02]: We can see how things play out with the next.

[SPEAKER_02]: Frankly, if Yannis wants to get traded in the next month, I don't think the next or even going to be in the conversation because I don't think Yannis will be able to steer the ship very much.

[SPEAKER_02]: If he wants to get traded that soon, [SPEAKER_02]: And therefore, I don't think the next are going to be able to put together an office.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's a hard midseason deal to make.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I think we're really only talking about a situation in the summer.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the only reason I bring it up is because I think what's cool about that is that this next team as it's constructed right now, which I think is a very fun exciting team gets to show what it can do.

[SPEAKER_02]: It can get to show what it can do Tuesday night against very high level western conference competition.

[SPEAKER_02]: And they get to show what they can do not just through the regular season, [SPEAKER_02]: we'll get to find out is this team a better version and can this next team led by Jalen Bronson media that he is win with this construction around him or do they need to think of yet another construction they've they're already on their what second or third version um you know do they need to think of another construction around him because he is such a talent such an asset [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I'm just saying like in this moment, like if the nicks could swap out towns for what do you think?

[SPEAKER_04]: No, I wouldn't do it.

[SPEAKER_04]: Look for the majority of teams in the league, 25 to 27, whatever it may be.

[SPEAKER_04]: You do anything you can to get your hands on Janus.

[SPEAKER_04]: But the nicks have built the team.

[SPEAKER_04]: that in part functions because of the offensive versatility of Carl Anthony Towns Mike Brown came in and said we're getting our three pointers above 40 we're going to be at three point shooting team.

[SPEAKER_04]: You can't do that.

[SPEAKER_04]: You know, yeah, this is shooting 43% from three of the season.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's great.

[SPEAKER_04]: problem is he shouldn't just over one per game.

[SPEAKER_04]: So he's not going to be putting up three pointers at any time of this course.

[SPEAKER_02]: If they made it to an MBA finals and make it a series, I'm with you.

[SPEAKER_02]: It has to work though.

[SPEAKER_02]: So yeah, it's just but it's yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: As it's constructed right now, I want to see I'm going to just keep saying it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I want to see them this version.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't want to put you on this on this team right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: I want to see this version go.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I am not so convinced that this version is a championship team, no matter what, that I'm not going to be open to the fact that this might not be the best version of the next led by Jalen Bronson.

[SPEAKER_02]: We're just going to have to see.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's what makes it fun, her networks.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's why we play the games.

[SPEAKER_03]: That's why we play the games, the playoff games.

[SPEAKER_03]: And that's a new virtual legend.

[SPEAKER_03]: New York legend, legend, a lot of places, uh, her networks.

[SPEAKER_04]: All right, Rachel, let's finish with a little trade chatter in the NBA.

[SPEAKER_04]: And I want to focus on one team in particular.

[SPEAKER_04]: And that is the Golden State Warriors, who I think are right now, the leader in the clubhouse for the most interesting team, head into the trade deadline.

[SPEAKER_04]: Maybe the one generating the most chatter about a potential trade.

[SPEAKER_04]: The Warriors 13 and 14 after Sunday's loss to Portland.

[SPEAKER_04]: The defense overall has been, [SPEAKER_04]: pretty good, they're bottom third though in the NBA in offense, which I found out not totally unusual, like they were 17th in offensive efficiency when they wanted championship in 2022, so even with a line up with like stuff in clay and they still...

[SPEAKER_04]: have proven to be not the most efficient offensive teams up they have not been good in clutch games this season five and nine overall in clutch games They played 15 different starting line-ups this season which is a pretty high number Jimmy Butler has not been bad But he has not been the guy that we saw after the acquired him before the trade deadline last year so the nothing I we saw [SPEAKER_04]: and the first round of the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_04]: And most notably, the Jonathan Kominga experiment appears to have taken another sideways turn.

[SPEAKER_04]: First seven games of the season, Rachel Jonathan Kominga was great.

[SPEAKER_04]: 17.7 rebounds looked like he was [SPEAKER_04]: Turn a corner was going to live up to the expectations that Kominga had for all those years and all the hype that was behind him last three games as we record this on Monday He is scored seven or three games.

[SPEAKER_04]: He played in December.

[SPEAKER_04]: I should say he scored seven points or average seven points He has been DNP CD over the last three games guys like Pat Spencer D Santos D Anthony Melton.

[SPEAKER_04]: They have gotten minutes over Jonathan Kominga [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know what you do here if you're golden state like they to me look like kind of like where they were last year where you they looked at them and say hey this team doesn't have it this team needs to take a big swing they did it last year trade in Andrew Wiggins and some stuff to get to be butler do they need to do it again this year uh...

you know john the commingat cannot be traded before January 15th per his contract but once he is eligible i would expect the warriors to be pretty aggressive in trying to move him in the weeks before the [SPEAKER_02]: and move him for what?

[SPEAKER_02]: Like what do you see sort of as the ideal situation here?

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, what could they realistically get for him from where that would make a significant difference?

[SPEAKER_04]: Well, I would start with the warrants.

[SPEAKER_04]: Like the pelicans are going nowhere.

[SPEAKER_04]: They're building around a young core, Derek Queen, Jeremiah Thiers, who knows what happens with Zion, down the line.

[SPEAKER_04]: The pelicans have a couple of guys that would be very interesting to me, if I was.

[SPEAKER_04]: the worries.

[SPEAKER_04]: That would be Tray Murphy, the third, great shooter, good wing player, and her jones, versatile all around player, excellent defender.

[SPEAKER_04]: Among the weaknesses that I've seen out of Golden State this year, one is wing defense.

[SPEAKER_04]: They just don't have that kind of wing stopper there.

[SPEAKER_04]: They also don't have room protection, so I guess you could look at other direction.

[SPEAKER_04]: I mean, let's play it out, say the the box, say you know what screw it, it's not going to work, we're putting y'all on us on the block.

[SPEAKER_04]: Well, maybe then you trade Miles Turner, like it if I'm [SPEAKER_04]: Golden State I'm probably looking at Turner and going that guy could really help me and maybe I could piece together some contracts to to get a deal like that done and again Come in go look.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think coming is a good player.

[SPEAKER_04]: I think he's not gonna be a good player in Golden State Like it just doesn't seem to be working there.

[SPEAKER_04]: He doesn't blend with the stars.

[SPEAKER_04]: They have there He and Steve Curse seem like they're just on the wrong page.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't think it's [SPEAKER_04]: It's not a toxic dynamic between the two, but Steve Kerr clearly doesn't trust him and Jonathan Kominga didn't seem like it wants to play for him anymore.

[SPEAKER_04]: So, those are the two teams like off the jump that I would look at in terms of Kominga.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, look, it's fair, it's a little hard because the bar is so high for the warriors of what successes, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: Success is just one another title, getting stuff another title, that's what success is.

[SPEAKER_02]: So that is unlikely to happen in this Western conference.

[SPEAKER_02]: Then the question is, okay, is it winning a few rounds of the playoffs?

[SPEAKER_02]: Is that kind of what we're going for?

[SPEAKER_02]: Is it making sure Steph goes out in an competitive environment?

[SPEAKER_02]: They are not going to luck into the situation that LeBron is finishing up his career with a Luka, just showing up on that team.

[SPEAKER_02]: So the question is, what are you going for?

[SPEAKER_02]: A couple of seasons ago, those guys were like, you know, the dream on and stuff and we're sort of saying, you know, don't trade the future away just to give us one more shot.

[SPEAKER_02]: We think the health of the franchise long-term is more important.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just have some questions about what that team is going for.

[SPEAKER_02]: where they think ultimately is even the best case scenario of how they can end up and then you know one of the things you've heard from their players over and over is we don't want to get ourselves in the same situation we were in recent playoffs where we had to try so hard in the final third of the season scrap for play up positioning.

[SPEAKER_02]: we want to try to keep ourselves out of that plan this year so we can have that little break after the season.

[SPEAKER_02]: The problem is they have players who perform particularly well in the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_02]: And a guy like Jimmy Butler you're saying is numbers weren't as good as they were toward the end of last season and in the playoffs that's because basically the end of last season for the wars was a playoff environment and then the playoffs with the playoffs and you know what you get with Jimmy Butler on the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_02]: As you know, I don't think you do expect him to be as [SPEAKER_02]: I have a lot of questions for Golden State of where they think they can get to realistically in this western conference and therefore what you try to get out of a coming a train.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I tell you, I think they can still compete in the conference.

[SPEAKER_04]: You know, I go ahead.

[SPEAKER_02]: They're just not winning.

[SPEAKER_04]: I don't think.

[SPEAKER_04]: Well, I mean, look, if you can compete in the conference and get to the five, it was probably with a title, right?

[SPEAKER_04]: I think they're.

[SPEAKER_04]: If they get to the finals, they're going to be better than whoever comes out of these turn conference.

[SPEAKER_04]: The commingist stuff, the commingist stuff, the commingist stuff, the commingist stuff was obviously toxic.

[SPEAKER_04]: But it just it just seems to be a drag on the team like and it's not just like a week-slong drag It's a years-long drag like like Kominga's not fit with what they're trying to do like his you know We was numbers playing with some of these stars aren't very good And clearly Steve Kurt doesn't have faith in playing him in any situation [SPEAKER_04]: at this point, he's quote, actually let me play, I want to play something that Steve Curse said recently, played it last week about where things stand, which Jonathan can make a take a list.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just right now, it's where things are, I mean, you saw a geek come in there for six minutes and we lit up the crowd with his energy and the ball movement that was maybe the best stretch of the game for our offense just with the flow and with Pat [SPEAKER_00]: It's just where it is right now, but it can change very quickly as you all know.

[SPEAKER_04]: See, it just seems like we're at an impasse with comming a where it's it's just there's no way to look at it and assume it's going to be any better.

[SPEAKER_04]: Now, like a guy like tray Murphy or herb Jones, they're not the difference maker that Jimmy Butler is and or the kind of postseason performer that Jimmy Butler is, but I think the combination of [SPEAKER_04]: Just cutting the tie with Kaminka which every nose is coming like that contract was signed to be traded It was negotiated in the offseason to get for the wars to make the most favorable trade terms And it is an easy contract by NBA standards to move it's like 23 24 million dollars this year 24 million on a team option next year like by NBA standards That's a chup change for doing a deal.

[SPEAKER_04]: So like you can move it and just [SPEAKER_04]: Slice in that cord like cut the cord on Jonathan Koming and bring it to guy like if you bring in Murphy you got a three-point shooter Three-point shooters play really well in Golden State you bring in herb Jones.

[SPEAKER_04]: You got a wing defended Like Jimmy Butler and her I help the herb Jones.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's a pretty good wing defend defender combination We got to remember like last year.

[SPEAKER_04]: They won their first round series [SPEAKER_04]: They probably would have won the second round.

[SPEAKER_04]: That's definitely not hurt.

[SPEAKER_04]: I agree, the way I won that.

[SPEAKER_04]: Then who knows what would have happened against Oklahoma City.

[SPEAKER_04]: But a team that experienced with that many times, type of playoff performers, if they can just change the culture a little bit.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm not saying this to Bash Kominga, because I don't think Kominga is a bad culture guy.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'd say he doesn't fit anymore in Golden State.

[SPEAKER_04]: So I think he got to try something quickly, as soon as you possibly can, January 15th or shortly thereafter, to change things up and try to get some momentum going the other way.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't disagree with you.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think they do need to try to do a deal.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think they've been trying to do a deal on and off for a long time now Yes, sure if they can call the pelicans and make the kinds of trade you're talking about great.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm not sure it's going to be that easy And I just think I'm going to roll it doesn't it like doesn't it like look at New Orleans like they They could use a young 22 23 year old whatever coming is and [SPEAKER_02]: they could.

[SPEAKER_02]: If I'm New Orleans, I'm also, you know, this is a conversation you and I had a couple weeks ago.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm also taking a bigger look, though, at what I'm doing with that team overall, and I would be looking to trade Zion.

[SPEAKER_02]: So that would be my first priority in terms of what my assets are, who I move around, what I give up, what I send out.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think the next step for that franchise is to trade Zion, Williamson.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so if I was running that front office, I would be focused a little bit on that as opposed to sending out some of the assets that people might want.

[SPEAKER_02]: in one of those trades.

[SPEAKER_02]: That being said, they absolutely could do that, doing coming a deal.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I can see the benefits on both sides.

[SPEAKER_02]: My question to you is just simply, where can the warriors, if they trade coming a, where can they max out in terms of position?

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think you make, you know, your answers are good answers, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: Is it on the wing?

[SPEAKER_02]: Is it defending?

[SPEAKER_02]: Is it, is it, you know, upfront?

[SPEAKER_02]: Where can they max out?

[SPEAKER_02]: Because this roster, despite the fact that they still have one of the best players on the planet.

[SPEAKER_02]: is probably not just pound for pound in the same position as other teams in the conference when you look at Oklahoma City.

[SPEAKER_02]: When you look at Denver, when you look at, you know, we're talking about the spurs.

[SPEAKER_02]: Are they a contender or not when you look at what Houston has?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, they should have, you know, we look at that match up last year against Houston.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is going to be a different Houston team this year, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: So I just think that the warriors are not one piece away from being title contenders.

[SPEAKER_02]: Again, in this western conference, [SPEAKER_02]: And so, since it's not just treating him for one kind of peace, I think they really need to be smart about this trade.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's kind of the point I was making about what position, where can they maximize things to get as far as they can in this kind of very competitive western conference?

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, even if Jimmy Butler Play will come around at the right time of year, the way it does every year.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I agree with that.

[SPEAKER_04]: Even if it doesn't get them to a championship level, to gather something with Jamaica, you can't go the rest of this season with a guy that you're not playing, [SPEAKER_04]: doesn't fit with your group on the court.

[SPEAKER_04]: You've got to do something and pull the shoot and end this job and make an experiment once it's for all.

[SPEAKER_04]: All right, Rachel, enjoy your last couple of days in Vegas.

[SPEAKER_04]: If you're looking for a restaurant, Hell's Kitchen by Seasers, excellent.

[SPEAKER_04]: Excellent.

[SPEAKER_04]: I plan to go to Hell's Kitchen twice in January.

[SPEAKER_04]: I'm going to make two rows of age that Hell's Kitchen.

[SPEAKER_04]: That is my spot in Las Vegas.

[SPEAKER_02]: your adapted hometown misses you congratulations on the new baby boy are you sharing your son's name or just that he poop twice.

[SPEAKER_04]: Yes, my son's name is miles.

[SPEAKER_04]: It's a good looking kid again.

[SPEAKER_04]: He's either.

[SPEAKER_02]: I love it.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is a great name.

[SPEAKER_02]: There's a fantastic name.

[SPEAKER_04]: It is the name of either a future sai young winner, future NBA champion or future astronaut.

[SPEAKER_04]: I haven't decided yet which is going to go.