All right, everybody, what's cracking?
It's the Rich Eisen Show Basketball Podcast. We're back. It's Wednesday. It's June 29th. The NBA season is over.
Draft went down the last week. I can't even say his name. Paolo is number one.
Shocking everyone. Boncaro. What is it? How do you say Paolo what? Boncaro? Boncaro. Boncaro? It's like one of these foreign tennis players.
I just can't pronounce any of their names. Well, you better get familiar. All right. It's going to be around for a while. He's going to be filthy, right? Adam and TJ, the guys are here. What's up, fellas?
Good to be back. On Wednesdays, we wear pink. You know the routine. I know, but I don't wear pink on Wednesdays. Well, I mean, you're kind of anti-fun. I'm actually, I'm definitely not anti-fun. I've never actually seen Mean Girls, to be honest. OK, well.
Is it worth watching? I think you can get through your life without it. All right. That's good to know. OK, so we're here. There's a lot going on, really, for the being kind of the end of the year. Free agency starts in a couple of days. So the all kinds of rumors and and all of that news is kind of going on where guys might sign potential trade situations. The NBA salary cap is going up about 11 million dollars.
It's going to hit nearly 124 million. We'll see how that affects things. We got John Wall, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving news.
We got media beefs with young players and the old old heads. Like, where do you guys want to start today? You know, just before you start, Adam, it was just like I'm sitting there thinking, man, we got nothing to talk about before the show. And then you said all that. I'm like, holy crap, there is a lot to talk about. We do have a lot.
Go ahead. It's great how the NBA has kind of turned into the NFL in that regard, where the news just kind of just continues and cycles through the off season. The nonplaying season, you know, summer league is coming up in a couple of weeks.
It'll be great to see these rookies out there and some of these second year players, guys trying to make teams. Where do you want to start, Adam? What do you think? Huh? Let's let's talk about the media. You want to talk?
Yeah. What's beef, TJ? What's beef? Beef is when you need two guys to go to sleep. Beef is when your mom's ain't safe up in the street. Beef is when I see you guaranteed to be an ICU. Rest in peace, Biggie Smalls. I kind of get us flagged on YouTube.
I wouldn't think so. I am so, like, confused by all of this. Why? What do you mean? What's confusing?
Well, first of all, Adam, you got to tell the people. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
What's going on? Okay. So there have been a couple of beefs on social media between one Kyrie Irving and Stephen A. Smith, right? And then another between Russell Westbrook and Skip Drip Bayless. And then Kevin Duran just beefs with everybody. Yeah. And Kevin Duran just beefs with the guy that has five followers in his basement. That's what that's who Kevin Duran piece with.
Okay. So what is the Kyrie thing? Because I saw that Stephen A. wrote this super long response or something, and I think I missed the original comment. What was it that Stephen A. said that kind of pissed off Kyrie? Yeah, well, Stephen A. essentially was calling out Kyrie for at the end of the day, Kyrie, of course, took the money. He did the sign in with the Nets and essentially summarizing it. But he was essentially saying that Kyrie was trying to be Mr. Tough Guy and find a sign and trade and threatening the Nets. But at the end of the day, of course, he was going to take the money. Oh, so it was all just kind of for act like, oh, I'm going to go to the Lakers or the Clippers or whoever, Miami, Philly. And then it was no, no, obviously I was going to take the 37 million and just run it back. Right.
Yeah. And he was also saying that that Kyrie, at the end of the day, Kyrie needs to come to work to earn his money. He needs to come to work. He can't be so privileged to think he can't show up on the job.
He needs to, to play next year. And he called him out on that. And Kyrie essentially snapped back at him saying that guys, he doesn't know guys in his fifties that talk like that, like Stephen A, I didn't really understand fully what he was trying to say, but then Stephen A clap back at him and, and, and he said like, you can't tell, you know, essentially tell me what to do.
I don't care what you were or your dad thinks. I respect your uncle rod Strickland. Oh, right. And then he invited him on to, to a debate on one of Stephen a shows. So it's, it's kind of fascinating now how you have the Stephen A's and the skip Bayless is these guys are huge personalities in sports. And because of social media, now they're bigger than ever. You know, when we were growing up in the eighties and nineties, obviously there were big sports writers and personalities, but nothing like now where they can have the impact. And so I think players really takes off personal now and get offended and think that their legacy could be ruined by, by a media figure. And it's, it's, to me, it's interesting to see that now TJ, when we were growing up, it was like sports center anchors guys on the sports reporters, which is early Sunday morning and ESI writers and an S I writers. And the thing is like, unless, unless these guys wrote for sports illustrated or appeared on one of these shows that didn't really exist. I mean, sports reporters was literally like the only one that was national like that. Yeah.
You had no idea who these people were because unless you lived in that city, then you maybe read them in the newspaper, but you just had no exposure to these guys. And now kind of social media and everyone's got their own platform. And they're also, look, I mean, I do it here from time to time too. You're also kind of doing the thing like you're doing, you're doing the TV, you're kind of making TV. You're kind of just like, you don't really believe what you're saying. You're just trying to kind of get people to call in or get some comments on YouTube or whatever. And also maybe just like get through a 12 minute radio segment and television segment.
And so I totally understand that. And maybe, you know, maybe these players don't really get it, but I don't understand how they, how could they not get it? Like, how does a guy like Kevin Duran or even Kyrie Irving, who thinks they're so smart? Like, how do they not understand what these guys are doing? Like, why do they get so mad, TJ?
That's a great question, man. It's just like some people don't like people talking to them or thinking that they can talk to them any way that they want to. Like, I'm kind of like that person. I don't really go around and trash talk people like, you know, if you know anything about me and my history and the people I'm friends with, like I just, I'm just the type of person who like anyone will tell you, I'm pretty easy to go along with. And I mean, we work together, so you might have a different perception because obviously people have different work selves than outside of work selves.
I try to kind of stay the same in both areas, but obviously a little different work than you are maybe out with your friends. And a lot of times, you know, you find these people who want to get online and just talk crazy about you. And some people have the ability, like you, I think sometimes you have the ability to either not even look or not care what someone says. I have the ability sometimes to, the majority of time, to laugh it off and then bringing up, bring it up to a point where like you and Rich will sometimes think I have a problem with it. It's like, no, sometimes people want attention.
I'm going to give you the attention you want. And I do it because one, I'm pretty good at trash talking. And two, it's like, if I can make you look dumb after the things you said to me, then it's just something that I like to do.
Right. But I think with Durant, I understand why he does it because I think he's like that type of personality too. It's just like you're Kevin Durant, bro. Like you don't have to say anything to anybody, but I'm saying he's Kevin Durant.
And if you know anything about basketball, I don't care what anyone like tries to slight you. That dude is easily top 20 of all time. Yeah. In my opinion. Right.
So it must be, he must look at it sometimes like, how are you going to try to disrespect my game? And he can't like let that slide. And I get it. Like you, you want to say, oh, you weren't the bus driver or, oh, you joined Golden State. But the fact of the matter is he was the best player on those two teams on either side of the ball. Right.
So in a way, I guess I kind of get it like, who are you to talk to me like that? And I'm just saying maybe that's what Kevin thinks. But in the big scheme of things, he should probably take the LeBron route.
Right. Everyone's got an opinion on LeBron, you know, and people try to disrespect and they always talk about the LeBron stands while never really acknowledging like the LeBron haters. Now, talking about Skip, you know, he's got this thing going on with Russ, which I think Adam, you're probably going to get to this. And then he tells Westbrook, well, if you don't like what I said, come on my show and debate me. Like, who is that going to benefit? That's not going to benefit Russell.
Even if Russell Westbrook goes on there and flames Skip Bayless, all that's going to do is get Skip's social numbers up and his show numbers up. So he's going to be doing him a favor. Exactly.
So maybe these guys should look at these situations like LeBron and be like, I am so above all this. Why would I? And Kevin likes to call himself the guide and say, why would the guide like, yeah, treat yourself as such and don't like that. And that's what I was totally going to say.
We saw it earlier with. And I'm sorry, I think maybe I took a long way around. It's totally fine because I was going to say the same thing, Adam. Like these players fall into these guys is trapped that they set for them.
Skip Bayless, Nick Wright, Stephen A. Hey, I'm going to say some shit about you. And then you're going to respond, which validates the B.S. that I just said about you.
And then when you make fun of me, I'm going to be like, well, you're open to come on my show and debate me any time platforms always there. Why would they do that? It's stupid. Yeah, it's stupid.
It's their ego getting the best of them and maybe in a subtle way that they also want attention in a weird way. Maybe Westbrook wants the attention. It doesn't make sense to me. But yeah, I'm looking at the tweet from, from, from skip Bayless. He said he'll fit. He was talking about the Lakers second round pick.
He'll sit. He said he'll fit right in with LeBron and Westbrook. People have called Russell Westbrook Westbrook this entire year. That's been a thing. It was happening at games and a thing. He got pissed about it at a game. It's the off season or also like, why would you even respond to that?
Like you guys both just said the attention of that suite. I guarantee skip Bayless got so many more new followers from just from doing that sweet and Westbrook retweeting him and so much more attention because it is like you guys said, it's just a trap. And these players are stupid for responding to these guys. It's just a stupid move from them.
They can't win. And it's just bad news. And these guys will continue to do this until the players stop responding.
That will just be a thing. Well, I always call these guys out again. I'm not going to say it's stupid because I think I kind of just explained to you like some people just it's the way you grow up. Like you can't talk to me any way that you think you can talk to me. And yeah, it might be beneficial to the other guy.
But the fact of the matter is like it's just you're not going to change people. But if Russell Westbrook cared that much, he went posted on Twitter. He would actually call Skip Bayless or talk to him face to face. Because I think Russ doesn't really care about Skip.
But like Russ just got 47 million. He's singing Beyonce songs in his car and just living life like I don't think he's enough. He cares enough to respond to that tweet. But how long did that take? It's not about the time out of his day.
And then Russ is off doing Russell Westbrook thing. But it's but TJ, it's we talked about that last week. It's not really thinking about it. It's not about the time. It's not a time commitment. It's a mindset. It's why. Why would you even respond to this knowing what's going to happen with this?
Everyone's built differently and not everybody responds. I'm sure people talk trash to Tom Brady and he's out there just posting dumb underwear. You know what I mean? Yeah. Everyone takes has a different attitude toward trash social media and trash.
I'm not going to say it's stupid. I'm just saying try to maybe LeBron has the right idea. LeBron doesn't respond. He does his tweets, he says, and he'll like, you know, feel like, oh, hey, the haters to say that the king is washed and he'll like kind of let you know. But he's never going to like give you that spotlight to be like, hey, Chris Brockman, I saw what you specifically said.
He's just not going to do that. You know, but, um, you know, a lot of it, it's just, you know, we also have this argument going on with new media against old media with NBA players. And we've talked about this before, how it seems like football and baseball, the old school guys don't normally get into it as much with the younger cats, the way basketball players is.
And we is basketball players do. And we can't, for whatever reason, understand why this is a basketball thing because you don't see like Joe Montana's like our era of NFL better, like George Brett, our era of baseball is better. Would it be better, though, if Joe Montana finally said, yeah, you give Tom Brady all this hype.
But, you know, if I would have had actually there's nothing really Joe. Tom had to Joe did, you know, like NFL free agency the way it is now. It was it was actually easier during those guys's times to kind of have a dynasty because free agency and moving didn't exist. It was like you got drafted and you stay with that team.
But it was easier to resign your own players, whatever, whatever. But you're right. It's weird. Football players don't do it. Baseball players rarely do it. It's a basketball thing. And maybe because in general basketball is more of an individual sport, like I'm just theorizing here, maybe that that could be it. Or because because the game is evolved so much, maybe that I feel like football, obviously football is definitely evolved since the 80s, for example, it's definitely evolved. But I feel like basketball has evolved even way more since the 80s. So maybe it's the distinct difference in style of play could make a difference. I don't really know. I don't think there's any debate to like today's NBA players are more athletic, better conditioned, like they're just. But are they better basketball players? I don't know about that.
Of course, they should be more. I don't know. It's like evolution happens. I'm not saying I believe in evolution, but like to some of the men like I've said this before, Wilt Chamberlain, if in the 60s, Wilt Chamberlain was seven one to 80, you just have to imagine that if Wilt Chamberlain was in his prime right now, he'd probably be Boban.
So he'd probably 73 like 290. And, you know, just like guys would just be bigger. And I don't know, man, it's just it's very weird, man. It's just weird.
Weird. I actually think a lot of it has to do and this is a generalization, but I think a lot of it has to do with the old guy. The guys from the 90s. Are just weirdly jealous of how much money these guys are making, and it's kind of understandable. We talk about that last week.
I think it was last week we definitely touched on it, but we touched on we played the salary game with a few guys. But when you got a guy like look, just like the fourth best player on a team making twenty five plus million, that's more than some of these guys from the 80s made in their whole career. But you could say the same for football also, though. You could say the same for football. Most definitely for football.
Most definitely. But also, I guess the counter to that is whatever, however low it is, because it is a low number that the guys back in the day made, they were still at the top of that financial chart, so to speak. You know what I mean? Like whenever they were making it seems small compared to what today's guys are going to be.
They were still number one when it turns of their contract. It's just that those numbers were so low compared to what we're looking at right now. Is it jealousy?
I don't know, man. There's definitely something. There's definitely a disconnect when you got guys like right now. You know, the big thing is we had Shannon Sharpe and Richard Jefferson getting into it. That was a little cross league back and forth that went on.
Looked to be squashed pretty quick. I don't know if you saw that Shannon basically said Richard was lazy in his job because Shannon had to know a little bit. Basically, Shannon essentially equated himself to being a jack of all trades, but a master of none. Like I have to know a little bit about this, this, this, this, this and this as a daily sports show horse. Whereas he was saying Richard only really has to know basketball because that's all he talks about, which he has a point. He does have a point, but to call him lazy was wrong and Shannon acknowledged it, that he was wrong and he apologized and I think so that beef squash. But you've got this whole draymond and Perkins thing going on now. And this man, what was that?
This is getting like, this is getting out of hand to delete a video. I'm not really familiar with it. Well, basically, you know, I have, I've never looked at Draymond Green's podcast and know it's wildly successful. He was doing it after, after the games during the playoffs. But apparently, you know, he and Draymond had some back and forth going on, but it got really personal lately where, you know, Draymond is talking about guys like perk who like should know better than to say the things they say. And he called him something which I don't want to get into. So I didn't have to really like break this down, but he called him something that definitely one brother should not be calling another brother. And especially one who I don't really think is doing the things that perk is accused of doing. He's a guy who, like, sometimes, like, I think overall, we like Perkins, right?
Sure. There are definitely times he says stuff and I'll come in and like, what is talking about? But overall, I see where perks hard is that and the guy does have the he does have that ring and that gives you kind of privilege to speak.
So I don't know. He and Draymond had this thing going on and it got personal and Perkins kind of, you know, he let some F words fly and it was probably something that, uh, you know, Mickey Mouse was like, no, no, no. And that's probably why the video got taken down. He was dropping a lot of F bombs. He was just kind of being big perk from, you know, if we're just hanging out the block, you know, but yeah, man, it's really weird how this happens. Just I have no explanation. It doesn't really make any sense because like in the end, shouldn't these guys all the only thing they should really care about right is promoting the league and kind of pushing the league forward and what's good for the NBA like you would think so.
But now it's all about personal brand and kind of helping set up their post career stuff like Draymond Green is obviously going to be on the TNT set, right? For sure. And so it just doesn't. But is he like, what are you going to add? Another guy to it is for it. No, no. Barkley will retire. Chuck said he's retired. Yeah, replace Charles.
Let me tell you what won't happen, though. He won't replace Charles. There is no dream on the there is no replacement.
You are a big dream. There is no replacement for Charles. And that show was not if that is the case and Berkeley's gone, you put Drake.
It's going to become way more confrontational. And I mean, obviously, because right now, Draymond still in his playing career. I'm sure he'll settle down once he's retired. I can tell you he ain't Charles Barkley, though, man. He just that that type of personality.
I don't see that from Draymond. Yeah, I mean, he's a once in a generation type personality. Did we know Barkley was going to be good? Bro, yeah. While he was playing, do you remember Charles?
I'm not a role model. All you had to do is just look at some of Charles. But isn't that kind of Draymond?
Yes. No, because I think nobody knew that Charles was going to be what he is today in terms of being an incredible announcer, an incredible personality. He always obviously had a person, an incredible announcer. He's a personality. And he always had that. But he can also he also is maybe the only person in sports media who can just say whatever he wants without repercussion. Yeah, he kind of gets away. But yeah, Barkley, if you remember any of it, anytime he got interviewed, any of his sound bites from his playing career, you always knew.
And then his Nike commercials, like you could tell like, yeah, this guy's going to his playing career or his career after playing this. I don't know. I don't remember it that way. I just don't remember thinking that it was a lock, that it was going to work. Maybe it's because I'm a Sixers fan and Charles Barkley was my favorite player. So I knew everything about Charles Barkley.
Maybe I'm speaking for myself and not anyone else. Back then, it just kind of felt like, man, this guy's really rough around the edges. Like, how is that going to work? And cookie cutter, corporate America, that's just so here, you know, he changed that really willing to take risks. And Draymond has a leg up because Draymond has all his experience right now. And his career is not even close to being over. So Draymond could play another four or five years.
He'll have another four or five years of doing these podcasts. And that matters when, when you get into that role. Also, Charles definitely had a likability, which I think Draymond lacks.
And so we'll see if that translates. Barkley spit on guys and threw guys through windows. And guess what? People still loved him, man. I'm telling you, I'm the biggest, I was the biggest Charles Barkley fan out there. He was rough around the edges.
You're right. And he was a guy who like, if Charles doesn't have social media, but Charles Barkley would have been Kevin Durant, like Charles responding to everyone. I think he would have, like you said, he threw a guy through a window, but because a guy came up and tried to and talk trash to him, you don't, Charles threatens people from the TNT set. Like if you come out to the court where I'm out there now, he's big and harmless.
He's big and harmless, but guess what? He meant it. I just, I know Adam, you, you love Draymond. Chris and I are like, I respect Draymond for the player. And I'm sure he'll have a, he is kind of the 2022 Charles Barkley though. I don't think there's really, he's not an MVP of the league or anything, but in terms of who he is on the court, that's kind of, okay.
It's going to be a hall of Famer. Yeah. But like you say that now in a year ago, you weren't saying that a hall of Famer. Yeah. I remember we had this conversation once and you're like, you think Draymond's a hall of Famer? We're not on the show. It's just me and you BS on one day. Yeah.
I mean, I'm a little stricter for all. I know that's, that's, I mean, I don't think there's anything I know. Yeah. He's definitely, he's definitely something that Charles, I mean, Charles, that Draymond did actually say, um, before we get to a little free agency talk and, and kind of wrap this up, Draymond was on a JJ Reddick's podcast, another one of these new media guys, and said that the warriors are going to win three of the next four titles.
What do you guys think about that? I mean, it's crazy. Steven A. Smith said that they were going to win two of the next three before the final started and everyone on his show kind of like went on him. Like, why are you picking two of the next three? Like they might not even win this one, blah, blah, blah. I don't know, man. It's going to be tough to beat these guys, bro.
It really is. If people stay healthy, that's the only thing that they got going against them, right? Both of their, their two best players, both have some health issues, injury history will be 35 and three out of four is, is incredibly difficult. Three out of four is insane, but I mean, I guess maybe they could win another, well, three out of four. Is he including this one? He's probably including this one.
I would think so. Two out of the next three. I don't know that that's out of the realm of possibility though. Are you going to tell me right now that you bet money that they couldn't win two out of the next three games or championships? I don't know what right now. Uh, no, I'm not. I would not bet again.
I was sorry guys. I was Draymond wanted to know if you could call us to know what's up. I don't think I would.
I wouldn't bet against that. Adam, would you listen? I've, I've liked the warriors since the start of the year. I predicted them to win. You did. I did. Yeah.
TJ. I did. I will take credit because all my other pigs were horrible. So I can take credit for that. Rich Eisen picking that beginning of the year. I don't know, but I did though.
Okay. I picked the worries to win. So did I, um, I'll say it. I didn't, but so when another two, I wouldn't be completely shocked, but if I had to put my money on it, I would bet against that. Because like you guys say, they're, they're guys are getting older. You have the Milwaukee bucks who, to me, they would have won the East if Chris Middleton wasn't injured in the wind. Two, two more just seems, it just, it's just so difficult to win even one, but to win another two at that age, at the age that Steph's going to be like, he'd be like 36, 37 at this, at the end of the second one, I would bet against it. I just don't think that will happen. Could it?
Absolutely. But I don't think that'll happen. You just got to think like all their young guys are going to be that much better. Like Wiseman will be back. Kaminga is obviously has a lot of talent, Mooney and looney and all the unis that they have on their team.
Clay, I have to think he definitely showed flashes that he could be the player of old, but he's going to be a whole year now back, he'll be improved. They have to be the favorite going into next year. Right? I think I saw they are the betting favorite. That is just crazy. And I'm, we mentioned it all the time, but I just can't stop thinking about TJ. You just being like, get it while you can.
Had to win. This team is back there back crazy, but what about free agency though? Are they going to go into the luxury tax? It's going to be, it seems like their owners don't care. They're already 50 million over the tax.
Are they going to lose though? Is somebody going to just go nuts and pay pool? Just an astronaut. I will tell you this. I wouldn't doubt if somebody pays looney right now, looney, looney.
I wouldn't be surprised if someone pays looney and gets him out, but then you got wise men there. So that's maybe a loss that they can incur that won't really throw them off too much. Um, pull maybe like, here's the deal, right? You play for two things. I think as an athlete guys and tell me if you think I'm wrong. Either you play for money first and foremost, you place, you can set yourself up your family up, but then you also play for championships, right? You played to be a winner. Now athletes do one of two things.
They either get the money first if they're not fortunate enough to win a title and then after they get the money, now they can maybe put themselves in the position maybe to take less money, go to a better situation where they could win a championship or you get a guy who's young, wins a title early and now it's like, yo, let's go get the bag. Maybe that's where pool might be. You got the championship. I don't know. I think he's still around. I think, I think he's there for another two years. I think you said he's max eligible right now, right now.
Okay. They could re up him now or wait till we're waiting. So yeah, so it just depends. I mean, you got these young guys who all got a ring now. It's like, do you want to collect more rings or you want to get a bigger house?
I think. And it just, and then Wiggins is due for a massive contracts I believe after next year. So that's a lot of luxury tax. I know that we've talked about how these owners, they say they don't care, but when you're going probably over a hundred million dollars over the luxury tax, that's, that's tough. Well, like I said, they already went 50, they won a championship and the owner didn't seem to be sweating when he was getting that trophy after the game six, he didn't seem to be sweating the fact that they were 50 million over that, that tax thing. So I don't know, man, here's the deal though.
Wouldn't it be nice to not have to worry about money like that? Like, sure. Go ahead. Give them an extra 10 million just for playing ball.
All right. So let's, let's talk some LA hoops. Westbrook obviously, uh, ops in $47 million player option.
We knew that was going to happen. Um, but the Clippers made an interesting move, TJ. So they have Paul George coming back full strength. And now it seems like they'll be adding John Wall to the mix for next year for about 6 million bucks as the rockets pick up his 40 plus million. How do you feel about John Wall added to the mix?
Oh man, I love this. And here's why we haven't seen him play basketball in like eight years. But you've seen, well, first of all, it hasn't been eight years.
It's been really like a year and a half about four. Um, but you've seen John Wall play basketball. I have, you know, John Wall is nice. John Wall is okay. The thing is throughout this year, there was a lot of talk that the Clippers might trade or, you know, various players on their team to get John Wall this season.
They stood pat and now they didn't lose any of those players and they still got John Wall. So one that's a win to the rockets picked up what $40 million of his contract about 85%. So that's when number one a and the fact that we got him without giving anyone else up. That's when number maybe wouldn't be.
I wouldn't even put that at two. That's a that's a big deal. So now you got a guy John Wall career 20 point a game score who's going to come in and play with Kawhi Paul George, you know, Reggie Jackson, hopefully Nicholas Petune who's staying. Um, now you got a John Wall who and you know, I love to put things in movie kind of terms who doesn't have to be number one on the call sheet. Now you got a John Wall who's your third or your fourth on the call.
Yeah. I mean, I think I didn't get a start. I was gonna say is probably because I would rather have Reggie John Wall kind of earned it. He's earned it. But I'm saying if you if you have John Wall and Reggie Jackson, all things considered, you probably start John Wall.
If John Wall is back healthy. But even if he's not like, even if you're not going to get, you know, two thousand and fourteen, John, well, two thousand sixteen, two thousand sixteen. Well, I mean, sixteen was sixteen. He was twenty three.
Twenty eleven. Yeah. So even if you're not going to get that, you're still going to get a pretty good John Wall. And I'm not going to sit here and go if he gets fifteen or I don't know what he's going to get. But I know John Wall has had a year off of basketball where they basically just stashed them.
Right. The Rockets could have played him last year and play, sat out, sat out, literal line and probe in his basketball reference page says did not play, sat out. So he's got a whole year and all those injuries you talked about, like think about clay. Think of clay had an extra year to just get his body right now.
Clay's an outlier because they still won the title anyway. But you got John Wall who sat out, gave his body a chance to heal. I'm sure he's coming back with a chip on his shoulder.
He wanted to come to L.A., obviously he wanted to come to the Clippers specifically. I'm very excited. I don't see a downside. There is literally no downside to this deal.
I don't think the games are well. And I feel like. Even though I just said the words are going to be hard to beat if and all guys, obviously this is a huge if. But if they can stay healthy, you've got to imagine the Clippers are going to be right there looking at. I mean, they're one of the they're what, seven to one or something to win the title.
Adam, I was thinking about this this morning. If John Wall just playing with the second unit, if he comes in and gives you fifteen and seven, a steal or two a night, I think that is best case scenario. And it gives you guys Clippers such an awesome second unit leader. And then maybe if he if there's an injury or something, you put him in the starting lineup and he can get you twenty eight a night. I think you mean you say worst case scenario there. I think fifteen is like a worst case scenario. I think I think John Wall can get to fifteen just by.
Yeah, I mean, I would hope so. But we haven't seen him play like he's played 40 games in three years. So I mean, in all honesty, we don't know what John Wall is going to look like.
But if you throw him with the second unit, fifteen and seven, eight, something like that. I mean, the guy's a nine assist career for his career. I just think it's a huge win for. And you don't have to deal with Kyrie Irving and the headaches at all that surrounds you. You know, if you go in that direction.
Yeah. The thing with with John Wall is he can be the leader of that second unit. And I could see this guy winning six man of the year. Yeah, I could I could see him leading that second unit. But then also have a stranglehold on the sixth man of the year or two.
So you might not be far off there. That could be his new role. And then besides being the sixth man, the Clippers can do a death lineup in the fourth quarter where he plays in the fourth quarter. Him, Reggie Jackson, Paul, George Kawhi. And maybe if they want to go small, like like Batoum is their biggest guy. All those guys can shoot from three. That could be the death lineup that kills teams at the end of those those close games. So I think Wall was a tremendous sign.
I'm excited about this, guys. You're right. No, no drama with Kyrie.
Obviously, Kyrie is the better player. Yeah. But you have a future excuse me, a pass all star pass superstar. And you're getting him for cheap for nothing. Yeah, basically nothing. I mean, for basically nothing, especially when you can't count bombers dollars. That's basically count to 10 bombers made six million dollars. Yeah. In 10 seconds.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10. Bomber just made six man. Let's be nice.
Richer than all of us. And so, yeah, Zubach is back. We signed zoo and basically in a very nice deal. Three years.
Thirty three. You know, I like Terrence man coming off the bench. Also, I think man, I think, is gonna find himself starting, though. Oh, yeah, you're probably right. But it pro too much talent. That's a I'd much rather have an overabundance, obviously, of talent.
And it's a good, it's a great problem to happen. But I hate to be Debbie Downer, but I have been a Clippers fan. Hardcore season ticket holder is gonna go wrong since 1999.
And something tells me and Chris, you know, when I first started on the show two years ago, I gave you guys a breakdown every year. What went wrong in the playoffs with these guys, the freak injuries. So as a Clipper fan, I'm kind of like I'm kind of like a beaten dog a little bit, like I'm nervous and I don't want to get my expectations up too high. But it's exciting. And I'm looking forward to I mean, the season just ended and I'm already like, I can't wait for the season to start.
Before we get out of here, Adam, what do you want the bulls to do in free agency? The rumors today about Mo Bamba. And that's our favorite song we play before every podcast. Let you guys know real quick. I played it. We play check West Mo Bamba every time before the show starts.
And as right before we get to like the five, four, three, two, one countdown, we'll stop it. But Mo Bamba's are unofficially. I mean, that's pretty much the reason I want the bulls to get him so I could play that song nonstop. Every Bulls game, I'll play that song before. But, but it all, honestly, I legitimately do want the bulls to get him. The bulls need a better front court defense.
That guy is perfect for, for that fit right there. He's great at blocking shots. And so, and Mo Bamba's sneakily good at shooting threes.
I think he shot like 38% last year. Like he's a sneaky, good three point shooter him with picking roles with, with either a DeRozan or Zach, who apparently the bulls will be signing to a max contract. Apparently that's the report. Yeah. Yeah.
The bulls have told him that they will sign him once free agency starts, which I'm happy about. Yeah. That could mean that's 25, 24 a game and walking the bucket, right?
Yeah. Hopefully the obvious concern with Zach is the, the injuries he's dealt with injuries his whole career, but at this point he's still young. He still has a 25 point a game score and there's really no other better option for the bulls. So it makes sense to sign him to a max deal.
I'm happy about it. And so, yeah, if we got Mo Bamba, the original thing was, was trading for Gobert and the bulls were supposed to trade Vucevich in a pig and then possibly Patrick Williams. And I did not want the bulls to trade Patrick Williams. I love Patrick Williams.
I might be biased because he's on my team, but I just see the potential for him. And the comparison is Kawhi. Who knows if he'll ever get to that level.
That's very hard. That is hard for him to live up to that, but that's the, the player that I see with Patrick Williams. He's still a kid. He's like 20, 21 years old plays great defense. He just needs to be more aggressive. He's so passive last year in the, in his rookie year, he needs to understand that he can be a great player. And so he needs to be more assertive next year.
And I love Patrick Williams. So I did not want the bulls to give up him for Gobert. Gobert is a great player, but I believe that Mo Bamba can be a similar type guy where maybe he won't be as good as Rudy Gobert, but he can fill that role for the bulls.
And so, yeah, I'd love to get Mo Bamba. TJ, what do you think of these PJ Tucker Philly rumors are they rumors now? I thought he officially, he didn't officially sign yet. It's not, it's not, well, nobody can really sign yet. Oh yeah, that's true.
What am I talking about? You know, MB wants him. It seems like he wants to come there.
And from what I saw, it was like a three year deal for about 33 million was what they're offering. So look, 10 million to get a guy who's won the ring, who's a dog who, you know, like I've always said to you, Chris, you know, we bring up the Patrick Beverly thing and I kind of explained to you like who Patrick Beverly is. Like if Kevin Garnett wasn't seven one and had the perfect basketball body and a little less talent, he'd be Patrick Beverly. You know, just you need like dogs like that, like guys who are just going to like lay it all, put it all on the line. And PJ Tucker is proven one of those to be one of those guys. Look, he's not the guy who's going to get you 10 points a game like just not, but they'll get you rebounds and they'll play defense. And those are the things that are kind of necessary to win championships, you know. So, yeah, I'm happy for that.
Yeah, yeah. Celtics, too. I love the roster. Obviously, they're, you know, very close to an NBA championship.
Maybe just add maybe one more kind of big wing. You can shoot threes. I'd see their link to Galanari and maybe T.J. Warren, who's kind of been battling injuries the last couple of years.
And that's a shame. I do like him as a player. T.J. was so never bubble. T.J. Warren. I know he was nice. It was great.
And then he was nice. Yeah. But it's but somebody like that who can defend and then maybe knock down some threes, you know, give you 15 minutes a night, maybe pour in a couple of buckets, maybe 10 points. That's kind of what I would love to see.
Look, I don't want to see other than that. So let's get it better. Let's get Robert Williams healthy. Let's get everybody healthy and well-rested. I don't want I don't want to see the Celtics get better. Take some time off.
Get his body for you. Guy played 2700 playoff minutes in the last five years. Yeah. And he was in the Olympics. The Olympics was it last year? Yeah. Last summer. So he did.
Well, I was on my last five years in the playoffs. But yes, in the last year, he's been playing basketball for 11 straight months. So I would like him to take some time on one of those LeBron tours.
Right. I would like him to really just take some time off. Let that body. So you're OK with him not shooting a basketball for two months to pick up a basket full. Anthony Davis did not pick up a ball for two months. Totally fine. Jalen Brown, on the other hand, he better be doing eight hours of dribbling drills. Bob Coos.
He needs to get the coups out there and run around and do some drills. All right. All right, everybody. So we're going to wrap this up. We are off next week. We're taking a week off for the fourth. We will back there after to catch you guys up on everything that went down during NBA free agency, any big deals. And then we'll head into the summer and do some fun things. And good luck to all the young men who got drafted. Yes.
Yes. I know we didn't talk much about that, but it's just how I'll go in. Number one was definitely a shock. So good luck to those guys in summer league. Oklahoma City getting to Jalen Williams, you know, so they could do the Spider-Man meme together.
That's great. But it's just it's just one of those things. Just like the NFL draft, you see these guys, you see the emotion, you realize that you're watching people whose lives are about to change.
And it's just I don't know for me. And I think you guys agree, it's just kind of beautiful to get to sit and watch that stuff. It's really cool. Chet Holmgren had that giant dice chain. It was pretty cool.
Apollo. I mean, they all were rocking. You know, hopefully he's eating a cheeseburger right now. Be better. Everybody enjoy the beginning of the summer and before and we'll see you in a couple of weeks. Happy Fourth. Peace out. Later.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-02-04 22:59:18 / 2023-02-04 23:17:56 / 19
