Robert Horry, Seven-Time NBA Champion

Robert, appreciate you doing this.

Hopefully we have a better connection now. Victor, what are the expectations for you this year? Because there's all this talk about him. We're all trying to figure out how great he could be in year one. For me, I just think we need to sit back and just watch. Sometimes we put too much on players to do this and do that.

And then if they don't don't live up to expectations, we label them with a certain label. I just think we need to sit back and enjoy it because we're still a female. And after watching him play in a couple of these preseason games, he's doing things that you haven't seen LeBron, Kobe, MJ, Magic, all these guys doing their very first games out.

So let's just sit back and wait to see what he can do and just enjoy it because he is a female. But one team, we don't have to sit back and wait to see what happens is the Lakers. Is it just as simple as they got to be healthy and they have a chance to win a championship? Or are there limitations at this stage for LeBron and Anthony Davis with that duo together out in LA? You think about it, the odds to win it all is nine to one.

I'll take those odds, especially if the agents can stay healthy. We know LeBron is going to come through, but I think with the additions they had in Prince and the way AR has got the experience from playing in Seba, I think they're ready, ready for the grind. If it's going to be, if they can stay healthy, that's always the question when it comes to AD and we know LeBron 21 years in, can he stay healthy?

Can he keep that same energy? So I think the Lakers have a golden opportunity to knock off Denver and we go see what they can do tonight. Talking to Robert Horry right now, that Denver team, I asked us the Magic Johnson a few weeks ago. He didn't have an answer and that's Magic Johnson who guarded everybody. But I asked him how he would try to slow down Nicole Jokic. I think that's the greatest question right now in the sport, because even if you limit his scoring, he just dominates on the glass and then dishing out assists.

Yeah. I think if you have someone that's athletic, athletic, and who can go at him and make him play a little defense, that's what your best bet, because if you go back to the last game he played, if Bam was going at him, Bam had 18 points in that first hat, he was killing Jokic and they were winning. All of a sudden the second half rolls around.

He decided not to be aggressive. He only scores two points and they get, they come back to get the lead and win the game. So you have to make your play on the defense of this. We know what he can do. And if he decides to bring the ball up, attack and make him move, make him move because we all know he's in great shape, but he's not the guy who's just going to complain 48 minutes and be that impact for those total 40 minutes, like a LeBron, like an AD and like a Jamal Murray who's on that team.

Robert Orie here with us. You look at Golden State, they acquired CP3, the Suns acquired Bradley Beal as well, even though he won't play tonight. How do you think those two players will fit in on their two teams that are already loaded with talent?

I think with CP3, he's just a baller. I think he can fit in wherever he goes. The question is how will Steve Kerr play them? Will he go small? Will he go big? You know, if I'm Steve Kerr, I'm bringing Wiggins off the bench and tell him he's going to be sixth man of the year and you start Clooney and Draymond so you can get a little size.

You know, as far as Phoenix, I think the biggest key is to see how they're going to fit in. Is, is Booker willing to share the ball with not one, but two players because you know, with AD, I mean with Katie, it's a different, but now you add Bradley Beal, who's, who's been a superstar for the last five years and test him. Can he adjust and play with two other guys that you got to share the ball with? And, but at the end of the day, they got to play defense and those two, that team right there is not known for playing defense at the D'Antoni agents.

Robert Horry here with us. So Giannis got a new teammate this off season, Damian Lillard. A lot of people thought he was going to wind up in Miami. So now Giannis signs the extension the other day with Milwaukee. How about what the Bucks have built? Because the win one championship in Milwaukee is special, but then to get Giannis to stay and add Damian Lillard, man, I can't wait to see what the Bucks do this year. Cause they're my favorite in the East. Oh, you know, the East is going to be tough.

You know, my favorite is the Celtics, but I think with Dame and Giannis together, that gives you a strong punch. And if Lopez is able to knock down some threes and Bobby coming out of that bitch can be aggressive. But I think at the end of the day, still, you need to be able to play some defense, which they got a great defensive team, but they lost a lot of that with Drew and Drew was over there with the Celtics and he can, you know, this is the thing about when you play a guy who's been in your system to help you win a championship. Now he's on the other team. He knows all of your plays. He knows what your weaknesses are.

So it's going to be a little bit different with that. That's why I'm thinking, picking Boston, because I think Drew is going to be able to pick a part that, that bucks these outfits and let everybody know what their weaknesses are. If you were in that Miami locker room, cause we were all convinced that I think Jimmy Butler was convinced that Damian Lillard was going to wind up there.

Now he's not with him going to Milwaukee. What would your message be as a veteran in that heat locker room where, Hey, they've been to two NBA finals, but they needed that extra guy to get them over the hump. In my opinion, to go win a championship. Oh, they definitely need some scoring power with that.

I'm just saying, you know, stay afloat, play hard and you never know. You know, we all, we keep talking about this situation and silly with James Harden, you know, James Harden, you know, that's what Miami needs. They need some scoring punch. They need someone that can get hot. You know, of course we got a hero who can do that. We got Jimmy buckets, but you still need someone else like that.

It's just a known bucket. Get it. And I think if you look around, do some good James, but they don't need some, some file power because I think defensively, they'll be okay.

But file positive. They need most stuff. But here's the thing though, is James a fit into heat culture? Cause it seems like James creates his own schedule and let's be real. Robert Orie, those strip clubs scene in Miami could be a problem there for James Harden, but you know, here's the thing. Every, every guy, there's someone that everybody respects and that's Pat. Right. I think if Pat Riley has a sit down with James and gets him on the page and say, Hey, this is what we're going to do.

And this is what we're able to do. Who knows, man, because there's, there's always some body out there. I remember Pat, the field came, he makes Shaq get in shape. Shaq got his shape. He went, he wins MVP.

You never know. It might be that voice that can turn, make you turn that, that, that corner and make you become a different player. Last thing I'll ask you, Joel Embiid in Philadelphia. I know he's had his own playoff shortcomings. The guy has won a league MVP though.

He's been a dominant player in the sport with all that being said though, they haven't been able to find him the Robin. If he is Batman, there's a report that like the Knicks are interested in maybe trading for him. Leon Rose, the president of the Knicks was once Joel Embiid's agent. If you're Embiid, do you kind of sit back and go, man, I got to get out of Philly eventually, or just stay there. Well, you just have to do what a guy up the street did under the kung fu to say, Hey, I need this and make them go out and get you something because it's, you know, let's, you know, let's, let's wait for them, wait for the season because we know how good Tyrese Maxson can be.

He's really good. You know, they got Kelly Oubre now, but my whole thing is to me, this whole team is going to depend on how to buy Terrace plays for them. You know, Tobias at one point said he was an all-star and the dude was making $40 million a year. And that's superstar status money. He needs to step up to the plate, become that guy they need and just be a leader and not talk about it, but be about it because me, when you watch him play, he had so much talent, but he had to put it on the court.

You had to put it on display. He's Robert or he's here courtesy of bed online, check out bed online for updated NBA title conference division and awards odds, plus updated wind totals and player stats. Robert, appreciate you doing this. Sorry for some of the connection issues. We appreciate the time, man. My pleasure. There you go. Robert or joining us right here on CBS sports radio.