Welcome in everyone. It's Clips and Dip episode one fifty one. I'm Adam
Oslin. We got Will Updike, Chuck Mockler and a special guest and Kelly
Johnson joining us from Fox eleven and Good Day La coming up here on the
show. We're gonna talk about what dropped earlier. I think it was Chris
Haynes who had it, and then Sham Sharania kind of corrected it. But
CP three could becoming available and we'll talk about the Clippers one. And we
did a poll at Clippers podcast right now at Clippers Pod. At Clippers Podcast
is where you can hear not getting us and watch us on YouTube. We
appreciate you guys for hopping in here. Kelly, how are you? Thanks
for doing this today. I'm good. How are you? And thank you
so much for having me. I'm so excited. We're good. So we
were reading your bio or I was earlier a little bit doing a little bit
of background research. Oh boy, Arizona State. There's no conflict right when
the Clippers are taken on the Suns in the playoffs or anything like that,
because yes, you know, I was thinking I figured this might come up,
and the interesting thing about Peeniggs is that a lot of people from Arizona,
like who live in Arizona, they're actually from somewhere else. If you
go to like a Diamondbacks game when they play the Dodgers, it feels like
a Dodgers home game. And growing up a lot of the people I went
to school with, they were Laker fans. So even though you're from Arizona
doesn't necessarily mean it's like the protocol to follow Arizona sports team. So I
mean, yes, I went to Asue on my Proud Sun Devil. My
dream school was USC so I've always had this desire to live in California.
R I p Pat Tillman one of my favorites ever, Oh for sure,
Yes, much respect. All Right, Adam got the first nickname change.
If you're watching on YouTube, because I read the background on Kelly Johnson our
guests, Yes you did a damn professional all right. Adam doesn't read the
breakdowns for the show, but he will look into your background if you are
a guest, so that I love it. That's good research. And Kelly,
you put out a great video for Clips fans this year. You had
people for those of you didn't see it Clippers fans center in pictures. There's
a great Russ quote kind of over the whole thing is a montage. You
also put out an article that the Clippers are the eighth smartest fans in the
league. I would like to take a quick poll of the those who host
this podcast, Adam, do you believe the clip? Do you believe Clippers
fans are the eight smartest fans in the league. No, they're number one,
just like the Sacramento Kings fans were voted that back when I was up
in Norcow growing up. Because when you are a long suffering fan base,
you have to know about everything because sometimes your team may not have that many
star players. We're lucky to Steve Baumber bought the franchise and they have the
two one three connection now, But there were many suffering years for Clippers fans
where they kind of had to go to games and watch the opposition and see
how the stars were going to perform on the other side because they didn't have
the big name players. So it makes you a little bit more educated of
a fan. That's where I'm okay, will Clippers fans top ten smartists in
the league? I will say this like how many other how many other like
the majority of their fan base, how many other franchises? Could you say,
can name a prominent athletic trainer that's been with the organization for over a
decade, So that's got to count for something. But I agree with Adam,
like I think that there are a lot of well informed Clippers fans.
I do think a lot of it has come out of a weird necessity we're
in, Like it's like, we got to get to the bottom of this,
Like what the hell can we do? Where do we go? Yeah?
How can we get out of this? So I do think I do
think that there are some educated Clippers folks out there, But unfortunately it hasn't
always been like for fun. It's I think it's been out of pain.
I was gonna say many Clipper fans are like honorary like physical therapists, like
knowing so much about injuries. It's like, oh, yeah, I know
what it is. We can probably walk into a doctor's dogs know all about
knees and certain ligaments. Yeah, that was just from the Sean Livingston injury.
Actually, so many went unfortunately. Yeah, there's waves of injury,
just clips of injuries going over my brain right now, you got us number
one, right, I think i'd probably go one. I liked your logic
of like teams who aren't good like their fans having to really I'll go one.
I'll go one, and then I go Sacramento Kings two. I'm not
gonna I can't go one just because I feel like Clippers fans, we get
to disregard the entirety of the draft because we're just not good at it.
So I feel like, you know, you know, like there's so many
other fan bases, like if you're a Pistons fan or a Rockets fan,
like you know so much more about the draft. This is not true.
The Clippers have to know about second round picks because they've been there consistently,
all right, it's so unpredictable though it doesn't count. Sometimes the Clippers don't
even know how tall the guy they're drafting is out Daniel true and law Marie
for putting that in print, so we know that it's actually true, Kelly.
On the list it said number one was Toronto, right, the rap
number one Nadiens. Yeah, they're smarter than us, that's the criteria.
Our education system is that a slight. This is going to turn into like
crossfire with Adam and guests for right right and Phoenix was like number four,
which is interesting because Arizona is usually like in the bottom of like education down
there with Mississippi, so that, but I think it's the a issue effect
or something, you know what I mean. It's like the colleagues. But
I mean in four God not that smart. He was physical, he could
throw hands, but come on, he did market that. He somehow was
like signing basketballs and selling them on his Instagram as like sons and four guy,
which you know, I got a DM about that guy. Somebody I
know allegedly went to kindergarten with him and he was a bully in kindergarten,
and I do not I do not think we need to praise bully culture.
So it thinks like this guy has not learned his lesson. And that's another
reason I am not a sens fan. I'm like, we cannot praise this
guy and we're still coming about him. Yeah, yeah, how a d
M about it. It was weird how the team like embraced it, like
they're like Devin Booker was like, I want to give you some tickets,
and it's like Okay, man, I don't, and then there's a bunch
of fights at their stadium. So we talked. We haven't talked about the
last season as a whole quite a bit, but we've had some people from
the media on here. We've talked about it kind of off air before.
A lot of people mentioned, and you covered the team and are a fan
of the team, that this was one of, if not the hardest years
to kind of be a Clippers fan for various reasons. Why do you think
last year was so difficult? Hey? Do you think last year was so
difficult? And why do we think it was so difficult, particularly last season
with the clips. So I think I'm one of the rare positive fans,
but not overly positive, if that makes sense. So I having a different
person, It's like, I'm not like we're you know, you hope that
you know we're going to the finals, but when you see, especially after
the All Star break, Hey, we're not really beating teams with records over
five hundred, and you know we're celebrating when we beat you know, Houston,
that's not necessarily a good sign. So I think, you know,
it's like one thing that I always go back to and from what you know
I've seen on Twitter is that like lou Will, Pat Bev Treas that like
culture, we don't necessarily have that anymore. That's kind of missing, and
I think, you know, the chemistry was off. It was the lack
of effort, being so close to winning games and having those meltdowns in the
fourth quarter give no Quarter. I don't think anyone ever wants to or that.
Again, there's no way they tested that. There's no way they did
any like focus groups or anything with give no Quarter. Yeah, absolutely not.
And I think it was just frustrating knowing how much potential we have is
you know, the comeback clips that we got to see last season was so
it's you know, we had Luke Kennard and we had you know, Reggie
Jackson and those guys. You know, once they left, we didn't just
we didn't have that anymore. Just felt like the players didn't want to be
there. The fans. You know, we went into the season and we
were projected to go to the finals. Yeah that was the thing, and
I was like, maybe that's a curse. There were too many eyes on
us, and it's just you know, frustrating. I went to Seattle for
that preseason game. We looked so good and just saying things, just not
connecting players just I don't want to say it didn't seem like they didn't,
you know, want to be there. But it was just something different in
the air, and that did change when Russell Westbrook came, a completely different
atmosphere in the arena. But I think it's just being disappointed. It's like
having you know, pardon me, I've been watching my niece and nephews,
so you know, it's just like having a room full of AP students who
are failing tests. It's like, what's going on you guys? You know
what I mean? All this potential and we're not rising to the occasion.
So you're telling me you don't think something was born out of those wins,
Like Adam was talking about after every single win on the right, that's called
culture or something more. I love that metaphor of a bunch of AP kids
like failing the test, like they're all really smart kids just for some reason
can't really get it, and the optimism, like it did make sense going
into the season to have open right, we were the on paper favorites.
Everything was set up. We were going to get wingsop all this stuff,
Adam, what do you think kind of made it so difficult? I think
a little bit. It was kind of more of the same. It felt
like almost a breaking point for everyone's limit to how much apathy towards the regular
season, how much unexpected kind of medical absences they were willing to deal with,
and stuff like that. It felt like it was kind of just like
it was just all too much after the year, like you said, the
year before, regging and all that stuff. Yeah, And I think a
lot of people felt like there would be carryover from the twenty twenty one playoff
run into this season. They were missing Kawhi all of last year and that
was just going to continue with bringing him back in. But then he goes
out with a knee injury, and there was something that kind of flew unto
the radar. Early early on the year, the media was asking Paul George
in the locker room about the twenty twenty one Clippers and that playoff run,
and he said, it's a new year, we have to start something new.
And I don't think he's wrong for saying that. I don't think you
could just show up with the same team and expect the same results and pick
up where you left off and win the championship, this time with Kawhi Leonard.
There's new players on the team, there's new philosophies. Things are going
to change, And unfortunately, I think a lot of the expectations were set
at such a high level. And I think that's a good thing, don't
get me wrong, but it leaves you prone to disappointment. It leaves you
a little bit open to disappointment because when it's championship or bust, and as
you mentioned, the same thing start to humulate with injuries going on them not
having that continuity on the court. It just felt like, yes, more
of the same from this Clippers team when we thought, Okay, this is
the year. This is definitely going to be our year. But I was
wondering, Kelly, I don't know if we got this from you, what
was the first Clippers team to disappoint you? What was the first team that
you wrote that was a great question. What was the impetus of you being
a Clippers fan? You know, that's a really good question, and I'm
pretty new I'll be you know perfectly honest. I came in the two and
three year when I moved to LA. That's when Kawai and Paul George joined
as well, so we all came together so I can deal. Yeah,
people say it was a trade just for Kawai. I don't know that.
We got Kelly and PG in that whole deal. Yeah exactly. Yeah,
we're all paggage deal. And I grew up always an NBA fan, and
I'm not going to well, I have kind of switched teams. I mean,
my favorite team growing up was that early two thousand Pistons and who the
team was in like twenty nineteen. They reminded me so much of them that
just that like that fight, that grit. I was like, oh,
I like them, and like, I love Kawhi Leonard. I love how
he shook things up in Toronto, hoping to see him do that again in
LA. And that's you know, one of those things do you like you
see spurts of it, right, but you don't see it consistently, and
that's part of the disappointment. But Kwhi Leonard's probably my all time favorite player,
so that's how I became a fan. So he recruited me. I'm
one of the new guys. We need all the positivity we can get.
We need all the rational positivity we can get, so we'll definitely take it.
But I'm not switching teams again. Don't worry, I've got in the
past. I will admit that this this is here to stay a Clipper nation.
Just really good fan base, really sweeten. Kind of going back to
what you're talking about earlier, like, oh, you know, being the
eighth smartest fans in the NBA. I think I remember before the groundbreaking at
the you know, into a dome and you know, just zooming with different
fans, everybody was on time. Everyone just had so much knowledge about the
game and had a passion for this team. And I think that's so admirable.
Yes, it's admirable, especially for when you talk to me, who've
been the fan of the team since you know, the LA sports are in
the days, You're like you really you really stuck around? Yeah, Will,
what made this well? First of all, Will, did you have
a difficult year watching this team? Absolutely? So, it wasn't difficult.
I mean, like, there's a few things I think overall, like the
apathy of the approach to the regular season was was one of those things that
I think i'd kind of I'd put behind me in previous years with both Kawai
and Paul George healthy, Um, I think this year it was just especially
more present because the team didn't even look all that good when both of them
were playing together. Um, you know, there were there were submitted like
there were some limited stretches where I was like, Okay, I could see
what this could become. But I mean we talked about this all throughout the
season. You know, they struggled to put together you know, multiple convincing
wins even in a sequence, you know what I mean, Like there was
never a stretch of games where you were like, okay, like I'm seeing
this Clippers team really start to hit its stride. And it's it's so funny
because, like we talk about, I feel like everything always comes back to
that eighteen nineteen season, like the year before Kawai and Paul George came here,
and like we thought that we had like such a clear idea of what
this team was, like the you know, the impetus of it, and
we were adding these two players that seemed to really kind of fit that mold.
And I think we've learned anything in this era. It's just that they
not even just Kawai and PG. It seems like the team as a whole
is really unsure of their direction. And I think that that was just like
blatantly obvious this year. How many times did we talk about, you know,
like what is the Clippers culture? Is their Clippers culture? Like is
you know, did they figure something out from this? I mean I joked
about ad I'm talking about something being born, But like every single time we
were hoping like, Okay, has this team finally figured it out? Like
do they know who they are? Now? Do they know what they are?
That? Like? Do they know how they want to play? And
I think that like bled over into some things where I think a big thing
that was, you know, helping us to see this clever team as contenders
was was this depth right Like we saw this and it was like, Okay,
even you know, let's say we only get forty games out of Kawai
and Paul George, you know, we have all this depth that you would
think would be able to kind of lead you through the regular season. But
I think which just the lack of direction for where this team is headed that
wasn't even utilized correctly. And I think that that showed a lot of redundancy
in those positions, and I think that got really difficult to see. Two
is like these players that I was excited about kind of either being misused or
you know, in some cases like Robert Covington, not really used at all,
And that was just really frustrating. It's really frustrating to watch a team
still like chasing its tail in year four. I just don't know how after
that many seasons you can't at least figure out what is the brand of basketball
it is that you play. You know, I understand Kawai and Paul George
not being here, and that obviously does affect that it does make roles he
fluid, but it just feels like there's not an overall direction and I think
that was just on full display this year. Kelly. You kind of raised
an eyebrow there when you brought up Robert Covington. Was that one of these
sore spots for you this season? Not seeing him on the listen, Yes,
and when you see him doing the T shirt contest and action he's get
eat. It is so frustrating. And you know, I found that,
you know, when he scored like forty one points last season. I mean,
it's just I want to know what you know, what's going on.
Obviously there's something that we don't know. I wish I could get to the
bottom of it. And you know, I just feel like, if we're
not going to utilize him, go ahead and trade him. But it's like,
you know, when we talk about what direction was this team going in,
and I heard you guys talk about this in a previous podcast, it
seems like there was no voice in the locker room. We know that tylu
he had a lot of personal stuff going on, but he still had to
show up to work because he felt like he had to be there. And
it's you know, it's like, you we have to accept the fact that
Paul George Quilin those they're they're introverts. These are not going to be vocal
leaders in the locker room. So it seems like that was very much missing.
And just talking about misusing players. I mean Terrence Man, like,
what is his role on this team? You know, we're still trying to
figure that out. Love him, would like to see more of him,
but it's you know, it's someone who is underutilized this past season. Do
we think that Paul George would be a more vocal leader if we set up
a fake podcast studio and he could address all the all the team as if
he were on a podcast. Maybe maybe they need to mate set up a
studio before the game because it's like all this personality and he's got jokes and
it's very interesting. But maybe it's that more relaxed environment. I can relate
to that as an instant introvert. But yeah, podcast pe shout out to
him, But well they're I mean, to be fair, there are extroverts
that that aren't necessarily like leaders. You know. Yeah, I do think
that leading a team is such a specific thing, right, and you know,
I do really at the end of the day, I really feel like
there's only a few players that can really command an entire locker room, and
sometimes it's not always the guys you would expect. I mean, you would
you would love for it to be your lead player or your star player,
because it's kind of hard for one of those guys to pull rank. But
another thing that was kind of disappointing in this, like you know, this
Clipper season is I feel like we've had that leader in the locker room before
at times, and then I don't know what happens with that role, like
like Nick Batoum this year. I don't know if it was because of you
know, he was battling hell stuff and his minutes were kind of up and
down. They were clearly trying to save him. It seemed like for the
for the playoffs or something. But it feels like guys don't really feel empowered
in that locker room and if you're not going to get it from your stars,
you gotta find it somewhere else. And ultimately, you know, I
think that that was the biggest benefit of the rust of the entire rustling,
which I was super critical of, but I mean, like that was what
they needed. Yeah, Russ brought a lot, which I think speaks to
how this team felt about themselves. They talked about how Russ brought this belief
and stuff like that, and it was like, so it wasn't here pre
Russ, like you guys didn't fully it wasn't. No, I know,
but that's what makes it so tough. Adam, you look like you have
some rebuttals you maybe want to say about this team spirit. No. I
think also the sleuth might need to figure out what's going on with Rocco.
You gotta earn the nickname. Get to the bottom of it. That that
secret hallway between locker rooms. I'm just posted up there the rest of the
summer. It was so weird, wasn't it. Roco played and then he
went into health and safety, and then he just he did a interview where
he was like, I'm looking forward to playing more. He just did he
even get time on Hbcunite. Did they give him like six minutes or something.
He's the only player who went to an HBCU and I think they like
gave him like a pity seven minutes or something. Yeah on HBC unit which
is like, dude, yeah, that kind of underscores and just epitomizes the
entire season. Roco's minutes, Terrence Man's minutes. That says it all.
And it goes back to those expectations we thought, okay Man's gonna take that
next step. He's gonna play more minutes Rocco, after the way he performed
when they brought him in last season, the forty one point performance that Kelly
brought up, He's going to be even more involved. We're going to throw
out wingstop all the time. He's getting eleven threes every game and none of
it came to fruition, and it's just shocking and bizarre that so many things
that we anticipated happening going into this season and we couldn't check off many of
them at all by the end of it. Now very very weird season.
We're gonna take a break, and then we're gonna talk about all of the
weird stuff that apparently might happen in between last year's weird season and what might
turn out to be a very weird next season. We have ads coming up.
If they've been too loud for which they have for some people, go
ahead and turn it down. We got ads coming up. Then we're talking
Chris Paul me to come after the Clippers, and just a whole bunch of
the randomness ads coming up in three two one, all right, we are
back, Episode one fifty one of Clips and Dip Joint by Kelly Johnson.
A bunch of weird stuff happened today involving Chris Paul. For those who listening,
if you didn't know, Chris Paul used to play for the Clippers,
very important part of this team's run. At some point some people are new
they might not know the Sons are doing something with Chris Paul. Chris Haynes
first tweeted out that he was just gonna be waived, which everyone was like,
this is a big this is a lot. Then Sham's tweeted out that
they're exploring multiple options, including a trade, stretching his contractor waiving him,
or releasing him in free agency, which is every possibility possible. And then
Woes came in and kind of said that he might want to return to the
Suns, but they also might be looking at trade ideas ahead of when his
contract is fully guaranteed on June twenty eighth of this month, So it truly
seems like they're exploring all options. We ask Clippers Trier, we'll get to
that in a second, if they'd want Chris Paul back, because it's not
an impossibility, but we have to ask the power quad here. We'll start
with the sleuth. Would you want Chris Paul back on this Clippers basketball team
for the twenty two what years? At twenty two twenty three season, he
just turned thirty eight. But we talked about this three or four episodes ago,
and I was the one guy on this show that said, in the
right role, I would take CP three back coming off the bench, playing
fifteen to twenty five minutes a night. He still was getting an efficient fourteen
and nine assists last season. It's really more about your feelings and what vibes
he brings to the locker room, which comes to CP three because he does
evoke strong emotions from Clipper fans, because when teammates he's kind of a he's
kind of a prick. He's polarizing. There's no doubt about it. I
still think he offers so much and maybe some of what the Clippers need when
he's right. And that's another issue. You bring in another older guy that's
injury prone, that missed the last four games of the playoffs or the Phoenix
Suns with a groin injury, I don't know if you can rely on him
obviously for eighty two games. We're talking about some of them. Somebody that
might play fifty games, and that's still with Linton minutes in there. I
don't think he can be necessarily your starting point guard or something like that every
night. Slot him in and say, Okay, the Clippers finally found their
guy. It's nothing like that. If you brought him in, it would
have to be knowing his role and just having him in a limited role with
this Clippers team. Kelly, how are you feeling about it? Well,
I don't know if you guys listen to this interview. It just came out.
He was on a podcast race and he was saying that his daughter is
getting bullied that you know, she's old enough where you know the kids are
going up to her making fun. You know, not that this is related
at all, but it just happened to come out pretty much within hours of
one another. UM, I am going to keep it pretty short here,
and my answer is, you know, the Clippers already have the oldest roster
in the NBA. We really need to get younger, not older. Pass
for me, thank you, it's absolutely no part of it. Oh that's
wonderful. Will your thoughts? So far we have one yes from Adam and
then one definite and the right role for the right prize. All right,
No, it's an O for me. I don't really see any reason to
sort of like retread that ground. And I think that I think so.
I do really think one of the difficulties of like this locker room having a
voice too has been finding the right personality right because I do think and you
know, I don't. I don't have on this. I do think that
there was friction between the Stars and Patrick Beverley that contributed to him not coming
back and then not making a move to go ahead and sign him. How
many times last year did we did we and everyone else say Pat bev would
be great on this team after what was happening in Chicago? I mean,
you know, it just makes sense. I do think though, that there
is like a question of personalities, and like that was always one of my
hugest criticisms of Doc was that he's not a manager of personalities, which is
something you have to do in a locker room. And I don't think that
he's the right guy. I don't think at this stage of his career he's
the right guy to have that voice in the locker room to pull rank as
I kind of alluded to earlier, and just I mean, I agree with
Kelly, like I I any move that's getting this that's somehow getting this team,
even older way older, like I just I do not see it.
I do not see the end game. I'm also, like I had to
be honest, like, while the Rustling did end up working out, I'm
still flummixed by this idea of like how fixated they are on a point guard,
Like why are we still doing this? Like I just we keep running
through the same like Frondo John, We've had like the most point guard of
point guard. There's just you look at the roster, it's insane. There's
just there's some pretty severe restrictions on what this team can do cap wise with
the two stars. They want to handle the ball less by all you know,
but by all accounts, they don't want to be responsible for, you
know, facilitating and getting the offense going one hundred percent of the time.
But with what what you have available to spend, Like the market out there
is not exactly like a game changing candidate. And I don't think like latching
onto Chris Paul just because it's like a a name, is really the right
move for this team. I just I'm not seeing it. It's it's a
no for me. Chuck. What if the situation is they can't resign Russell
Westbrook, would it make you any more interested in the Absolutely not both.
Someone said you should try and get both, and I wanted to jump into
the road. It's what I wanted to do. Well. Clippers fans are
also very torn on this, we ask Clippers Twitter. We got exactly two
hundred votes. Made it easy. Do you want Chris Paul back on the
Clippers? Forty six percent said yes, Fifty four percent said no, So
we're not. Like I'm surprised it's that close. I don't know if there's
like I don't know if there's like a legacy thing or something kind of tying
into that, because like looking at where Chris Paul is right now, and
like I said, just like just considering like the people in the locker room,
Like do you think Paul George is going to respond really well to getting
yelled at by Chris Paul in practice? Like I just don't. I don't
see it. Absence makes the hardcrow fonder. Okay, he's been gone for
so long, guys. This was the first Clippers team that Kelly routed four
in the two one three era. A lot of people still have love for
CB three. All right, don't bring Kelly into this, so law murder.
He had a great tweet about this. He said when Russell Westbrook was
going through his Lakers tribulations, the support he had from Clippers locker room was
quite widespread, both before and during his Utah Jazz Purgatory. Let's just say
the same locker room doesn't speak on Chris Paul the same way. For what
it's worth, I think I think it makes so much sense to not bring
Chris Paul to this Clippers team because A I think the forty six percent of
people who voted yes, once you looked at the roster sheet and you saw
like, so, first of all, if Tyler was coaching, Chris Paul
is taking Terence Man's minutes, right, like, yeah, it doesn't seem
available, right, Yeah, when Chris Paul is available, he's probably taken
Terence's minutes. I think the people who want Chris Paul and the team would
be very bummed out once they saw like the starting five, because I don't
think Kris Paul's taken eventu role. I just he was. I just don't
think it's going to happen. And him starting and we still have this weird
logjam of youth with like Bones and Terrence and these guys who can play guard,
I think people would be pretty frustrated, especially because Bones could really turn
into a fan favored I think with this team what Kelly was talking about with
having more of an influx of youth. They certainly need more youth, they
need more athleticism, they need the coach to trust those guys. It looked
like he had a lot of trushold Bones Highland. They brought him in late
in the season and he was getting run in the playoffs, and I think
that surprised some people with the way he's gone about using Terrence Man, of
course, and that's also shocking because he closed games in the playoffs in twenty
twenty one Terrence Man, and it looked like he had the nod from Coach
Lou that he was going to be one of his guys, one of his
soldiers moving forward. It's another one of those things like Rocco that coming into
this season, we're looking for another big step from him. It didn't happen,
but having him and Bones Highland, and if you don't have a veteran,
if Westbrook's not able to return, if they don't bring in someone like
CP three or an older guy like Mike cost Well, I think for a
lot of people they would prefer to just say ride with the young guys at
the point guard position. You have man in Bones Highland in one way to
maybe force Coach Flew to have to do. Some of that would be,
you know, structuring the lineup in a way where they're just not an option
other than goal with a young guy, like they did at the trade deadline
when they took all the point guards away. Just also a little brief ast
side, we talked about like how frustrating parts of this season? Where can
you imagine this season? Plus you have to watch Chris Paul play offense for
fifty games? Y. Yeah, I was gonna say, this is who
is available, you know, in demand? So okay, other than Russell
Westbrook and Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, Fred Randleet and DeAngelo Russell, I
think we're gonna preferably ride with who we have. That that's who I mean.
If for some reason we can't work out getting rust back, I think
we'd to work with who we have. Yeah, who would you prefer kind
of that? Young? Do you want? Terrence? Are you in the
start Terrence camp? Are you in the give Bones? Because Bones is really
fun to watch the basketball. I think it's very good. Bones is a
little more fun to watch. I think we can have both. I mean,
Bones really brings a different type of energy that we need. You plug
him in and it's a completely different game. It's a faster faced game,
and he has that confidence. We need that that get up and go.
I think him and Mason Plumley had some really good chemistry. We don't know
what's going to happen with him, but would love to see him back as
well. But you know, I feel like we have to figure out a
way to make both of them work. And I know that we were hearing
some rumblings. I think at the end of the playoffs like Team A,
Team B like Okay with a healthy Koie Lenard and Paul George and healthy.
So I think we're potentially looking at two different rosters anyway. Oh, that's
a good call with the two different rosters thing. Speaking of Kawai and Paul
George, the Athletic, in an effort to seemingly drum up agement on Twitter,
offered a little blurb for the PG for Scoot Henderson trade. Have you
seen this rumor that it is really just something people made up because it works
financially. I didn't know Scoot was already drafted. That's right, Kelly,
you've seen this. I'm sure where it's I have. Where are you at
on the trade Paul George for what's called the number three pick and then whatever
what is it? Nerk and Simon's right, I will say, as a
new fan, I have learned it's just best not to speculate and just wait
until things actually happened. You're too rational, you're too radical tweet. I
just you know, it's like we were hearing stuff about Joel Empde and like
I have her like potential trades with Portland, and it's just like nothing has
happened. It's been a literal desert you guys, like you know, ever
since our season ended. So, I mean, you know, it's it's
fun to talk about, but I've learned it's just like, oh no,
we lost Kelly. I just got lost. She's bad. I'm sorry about
that. You got Maybe that was the universe. Maybe the universe. I'm
so sorry that happened. So it does come to the Clippers. Now,
was this the moment that the un on YouTube? Anyway? Sorry, Kelly,
continue that was I think that was the end for me. I think
I'm gonna take you know, that side from the universe to send it there.
So we're keeping and your eyes you're saying no to the PG for scoot
or the three pick, because who knows what they would do with the three
pick, right, I mean, let's just wait and see. You know,
I need to hear more. I need I need to see at least
a little bit of woome loss, you know, I need. I need
a little bit well, I mean it did come from him, but I
just need need a little bit more rationale. Here, that's legit and now
kind of the most important thing we're gonna We're gonna close out with this one.
This is the last non option year for Paul, George and Kauhai before
they can opt out and sign Wonder Max. I don't know what the level
of Supermax they can sign is beta, so I don't know if it's super
beta Max. I think, yeah, super Sigma max. So how would
how would will we'll go to you? How would you feel if so PG
will be thirty four quib thirty two? How would you feel giving PG the
second Max contract through what age? Thirty nine? Thirty eight? Wait is
the other one? Is it still five years? I believe So that's what
Kyrie is Oh my god, mulling over. Yeah, Kai, I don't
know what Kyrie's doing, but yes, one of the things he's theoretically doing
is mulling over his contract, and that's five years, two seventy two.
I think that he has available, and we would be able to offer Kawai
and PG. I think somewhere in the five three something range. God,
that's so much money. Well, so, I guess here's my thing is
if things continue the way that they are, I think that you're there's no
way that you know, if we have another injury riddled season, if we
have another postseason that doesn't have both of these guys real quick. Yeah,
I mean I think that you roll the dice and and you let them,
You let the market determine what their value is, and you don't. You
don't preemptively, you know, lock into the Supermax um. That's a good
point because I just Max, like, yeah, Max Worthy at thirty four.
I just don't know why you would. And I think, you know,
obviously, with all that you've already committed to this setup and with a
new arena opening, which I you know, we've talked about it on here
before, but I think has to be a factor. You can't. I
just don't see a way in which you're already the Little Brother franchise in a
city that you can open a new arena without at least two superstars in it.
Like, I just don't you know that this can't be like the We
Believe Warriors even or something like it just it just can't. It can't be
like there's just not a big enough draw. So I think that, like
we're we're headed in a direction where it's the most likely of scenarios, because
if you're in that position, really, what else do you do unless you
you know, unless you do pull you know, the trigger on one of
these like speculative trades and then you make that supermax someone else's problem and someone
else's decision. I think that, barring you know, some more injury stuff,
it's got to be the most likely of scenarios. I just don't really
see another outcome. Kelly, Are you giving out six hundred million dollars combined
to these two guys when they're thirty four and thirty two? Again? You
know that is so much Yeah, so much money? And you know what
I think I really think about. You know, we've got into a Doham
opening next season and well, you know, I guess two seasons from now
next fall, and you know, if I'm Steve Bohmer, you're thinking,
I need big names to get butts in the seats, regardless of what's happening
at both Kawai and PG. They're local guys. They want to be in
LA. They've proven that they want to be here. So I feel like
we may not have a choice, and you know, hopefully the injury gods
are kind to us moving forward. It's unlikely, but let's just you know,
stay optimistic and hope. So but again with that, I think business
wise, I think we need some big names for that new arena. Kelly
is not speculating at this point per her name, which if you watched on
YouTube slash Clippers podcast you'd see. Adam, I have a feeling you're going
to say we should sign both of them a ten year contracts for five hundred
million dollars. Well, the sleuth brought out as magnifying glass, and he
wants to magnify the contracts as well. He wants a Magic Johnson like twenty
year lifetime comes. So I think what you guys are saying is completely accurate.
It's more likely than not, especially after what Lawrence Frank said the postseason
interview where he said we're committed to these guys long term, and I believe
correct me if I'm wrong, Chuck. But they're extension eligible this summer,
so it could be something that we're not waiting for after this year. But
it could be some news that drop within the next couple of months that they
have signed a three year or a four year extension or something like that.
Three I would love give me the three year extension all day. The one
thing I will say, no thank you. Someone brought this up regarding Paul
George and the Blazers and his trade value right now. I think it's higher
than people realize because the lack of free agents that are available this summer,
he actually would be the biggest name out there. It would be a trade
but still being dangled out there. If if that's the scenario with Portland,
So I don't know if it's as crazy that a trade could go down.
Is maybe even I thought, you know, three weeks ago or a month
ago when we first talked about this, because to me, it's still you're
better with Paul George. You have a better chance to win a championship.
What does the number three pick do for you with trying to win this year?
But if you're saying, Okay, we want to move on from the
two one three era, you know that that could change things. So I
don't know, I think teams maybe calling or asking uh and inquiring what the
Clippers more than we realize that's a good call. I also got to say
too, Like I mean, I as a person in pretty reactionary, and
I've been like pretty I've been like a little bit over the two one three
era for a while, Like, um, it's just watching Denver this year,
right, I think that while it's different, and obviously they're they're a
much younger team, I still think that they're you can retool around the same
core if there's like a definitive direction and like things fall your way and all
of a sudden, you know, the conference is wide open, and you
know, I mean obviously they're tied up right now, but like a title
is within view, and I do think that there is something to While it's
a little hard to stomach, you know, thinking about the into those contracts,
two more good seasons, I mean just two more better even than what
we've had. And you know, you're like a couple, you're just a
couple of things falling the right way away from getting one championship, and that's
really all you need. If Steve Bamber can open this new arena with one
championship, he can blow the whole thing up. It doesn't matter at that
point. They could trade for they could trade for picks and completely rebuild.
At that plane, it completely changes the entire franchise. So like, I
don't love the idea despite it being the most likely scenario, but I will
say that there is something too. If you can stick with something and figure
it out and things eventually fall your way, like, it could still be
a different outcome because you've brought up the finals. Does anyone here feel like
the Clippers and the seven game series fully healthy couldn't beat the Miami Heat.
When I see the Miami Heat beat Denver in Denver the other night, it
makes me think they're not this crazy Golden State Warriors from twenty seventeen team with
Kevin Durant. The Clippers I still think would have had a chance healthy against
the Denver Nuggets. And if you get past them, look you get an
AC that meets you in the NBA Finals. You know, I don't think
it's that crazy to run it back and hope for better luck is Kelly was
talking about early with injuries. Yeah, I think the hoping for better luck
thing is where people are just tired, which the other side of that is
just hoping to make the playoffs in a rebuild. Yeah, that's what you
want. The grass is always greener. I mean that's the issue. Yeah,
I do want that because the grass is always greener. And in my
head, that scenario would go perfectly and we'd be the eighth seed. And
I don't know, I think, I don't know if the clip I think
the Clippers versus Heat team. Part of me thinks the Heat would demoralize them
by kind of doing all the things the Clippers like kind of say they're about
and like the hustle and stuff like that. But this Heat team has a
hustle and determination that feels that's greater than any point we saw on the Clippers
last My favorite hustle trait is just absurd three point shooting that's like the best.
I would love that. Yeah, it doesn't happen to us. They
willed it. I'm sorry, but I've seen Kawhi Leonard beat a much better
Philadelphia seventy six ers team with Jimmy Butler, and he has wrecked him in
his career. I think the Clippers would win that series, they still would
have to get there. They have to get by Denver. That's the real
issue. I'm just saying. Would you see the Miami Heat being able to
beat Denver in Denver? I think that was their first home loss of the
playoffs. I don't think there's that insurmountable of an opponent to overcome in the
West right now, It's still has a window that's open for the Clippers to
try to find a way to crash through, like Chris Varley Kelly. Next
year is Clippers versus eight seed. We'll see what happens. But you know,
it's like we're talking about Denver, but let's not forget how great Sacramento
is. We don't know what Golden State's gonna do. It's like the West
is always wide open. So even you know, whatever moves we do,
other teams they're doing moves as well. So I think that's something to keep
in mind. And you know, we see how young Sacramento is. I
think they're only going to get better. They've got a chip on their shoulder
now. They have a lot to prove, so it's not just done for
you guys, So we'll see what happens. But that's why the regular season
is going to be that much more important. Yeah, we need people who
care on the regular season. It's funny too, because wide open. I
think when people hear the phrase, oh, the conference is wide open,
there's an idea that it's not as good as it usually is. Where the
West is wide open in the sense that there's just twelve really good teams,
so like anyone could be the tip. It's not like there's like, oh,
it's wide open, it's kind of messy. It's wide open in the
sense that everyone is really good for the most part. Man, I know
it's only June seventh, but I just want basketball to come back so we
can actually dry. I'm ready for October. I'm like you know, other
people they're ready for Halloween. I'm just ready for I'm ready for the season.
You know, it's always that withdrawal you kind of go through. It's
like, I'm miss Clippers basketball, but I been watching highlight reels at the
gym, and you know, the Clippers just posted one today season season highlights
with everybody, and it's you know, a walkdown memory lane hopefully. You
know, they even has some Don Wall plays in there. It's like,
oh man, what could have been? You know, but we have it.
We have it. I think, you know, when you talk about
you know, Miami, the one thing you can tell that these guys are
brothers. They genuinely love to play with each other. And I think that's
a big thing that we're missing and that's something that we need to give back.
Chemistry is so important. Get me wrong when I talk about the heat.
Their chemistry and culture and the way they're peaking right now is off the
charts. They're great. They could end up somehow winning this series. They
win tonight, they're up two games to one, and they already have home
court advantage back in their favor. I just feel like still a lot of
it comes down to talent, and that's why the Clippers would come into that
first game with Kawhi, Leonard and Phoenix and just punch them in the mouth
like that. They are that good. If they're fully healthy, there's certainly
more talented team. They have to gain some of that other experience and culture
and fostered, you know, just a little bit more of a direction.
As we talked about earlier that this franchise needs to go in and maybe find
the right guys for the locker room to help with leadership. But I don't
think there is as far away as some people believe they are. I guess
where I'm coming from. I think we need the sleuth and not speculating to
go give the team a pep talk in the off season. That's what I
genuinely think. Um, they're not listening to that. That about wraps everything
up. Kelly, Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for
the work you do as a Clippers fan at Good Day LA. We need
more Clippers representation. You know, I really try. That is my mission.
You talk to anyone in that news or rust me. I'm trying to
fight the good fight. Of course, you know, in my role,
I have to be as fair as I can. Got to cover the Lakers
too. It is Los Angeles. But yes, I am trying, you
guys, I'm doing my best. That is wonderful. Where can these wonderful
people find your work where they can where they can see you pushing the agenda
for the Clippers? You know, so usually you know I'm a tweet I
have been quiet on social media because there is the sadness. I'm taking a
break. You know, NBA Twitter a bad idea. Twitter was pretty toxic
this last season. I don't know. Oh my god is mostly will I
had to take a step back, you know when when the flans were final.
I can't you guys. But anyway, So yeah at Twitter, Um,
you can find me at Kelly Johnson TV Kelly with an Eye and on
Instagram you can follow my fitness journey at just Kelly Johnson. And yeah,
you can read my work on fox LA dot com. There we go.
Well, thank you so much for coming on. The show was wonderful to
have you. We are going to be back next week with Law Murray Slate.
We've got a bunch of wonderful guests. I should probably text him back
and let him know that little reminder. Hey, Law, we already Seezy
out in the last episode. You better come on and no embarrass me and
the scheduling. Her record has made it appearance in like every single video I've
posted. If you see a red tape recorder, that is his. He's
a good guy. That'll yes, Law Rules. Please support all the writers,
report everyone who are support everyone who works for the Clippers. So you
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You absolutely are. Adam anything to send these wonderful fans off from the middle
of their week two. No, I just want to correct myself from earlier
and say it one more time at Clippers podcast on Twitter, at clippers pod
on YouTube, opposite opposite, you got it wrong again. Damn it Clippers
Pod on Twitter, Clippers podcast on YouTube with the slash. Sure