WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:02.720 Testing, testing, one, two three. I believe we have a 2 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:05.719 Clippers Talk live going on just now. Welcome in. I'm 3 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:08.599 Adam Ausland. Yeah, I got one of the new hats on. 4 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:12.400 It's beautiful because it's got the little rope here because 5 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:17.359 sailboat or clipper ship and there's rope. Yeah, it's cool, 6 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.760 it's attached to the hat. I love it. This is 7 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:26.640 not an emergency live and impromptu live. I wasn't planning 8 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:29.519 on doing this, almost at a meltdown a second ago, 9 00:00:29.559 --> 00:00:32.320 trying to get Google to work for me. But I 10 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:36.520 said yesterday the show with Justin Russo was going to 11 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:40.280 be the last Clippers Talk show of the week and 12 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:43.840 if anybody can let me know, ooh, j Bo's eighty 13 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:47.439 four already does. Thank you. Jay bos He says we're 14 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:49.280 live and he can hear me, and we're good to go. 15 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:53.479 So something popped up a little bit earlier today, and 16 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:55.039 just to give you a little bit of the rundown 17 00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:58.600 of the show and why I'm doing this well, I 18 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:02.520 had a comment on the YouTube side earlier. It was 19 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:06.799 under the Justin Russo show from yesterday at fly by 20 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:09.840 Night is where you find Justin Russo and he is 21 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:13.599 someone that I look up to when it comes to 22 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:18.599 and look to guidance with his reporting. He's fabulous at it. 23 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:22.000 You need to be a part of his substack or 24 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:25.159 whatever Patreon, I don't know, but it's a subscription based 25 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:27.359 thing and it's more than worth it because he gives 26 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:31.640 out amazing information. I thought that would be the last 27 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:35.719 show of the week. I thought for sure that would 28 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:38.439 be it. But I got a comment in that show 29 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:42.719 that I saw earlier today that kind of puts some 30 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:45.959 wind in my sales a little bit. As I started 31 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:49.400 this YouTube channel well just about I don't know, a 32 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.359 month and a half ago, and it was a very 33 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:55.640 nice comment that got me excited and inspired and maybe 34 00:01:55.719 --> 00:01:57.920 want to do a show tonight. It said it was 35 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:04.319 from the dang Aliko or DeAngelo whatever. It's one of 36 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.400 the last comments in there from three hours ago. It says, Adam, 37 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:10.840 thank you for finally bringing us Clippers fans the radio 38 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:13.719 show we've always dreamed of having. I don't ever listen 39 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:17.159 to AM five to seventy anymore now. Some of that 40 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:18.639 at the end, there was a bit of a slight. 41 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:22.120 I worked for AM five to seventy and I told him, well, 42 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:24.840 I at least hope you listen when Clippers games are 43 00:02:24.840 --> 00:02:27.599 on there and Petro some money and Rogan and Rod 44 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:30.439 and you have been working for they're my guys. It's 45 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:37.240 the Dodger Station. But it made me think about how 46 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:39.319 if I was doing a Clipper show today and it 47 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:41.360 was during the off season for AM five to seventy, 48 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:44.080 what type of show would that be, what we talk about, 49 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:47.439 what would be the subject at hand. It's the off season. 50 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:53.800 There isn't as much to discuss right now. Well, something 51 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:56.560 occurred earlier today. I'm going to share this screen with 52 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:00.800 you all right here, right now because I want to 53 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:03.599 put a topic to rest. But also it was a 54 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:07.639 good jumping off point for just talking about the status 55 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:12.759 of Kawhi Leonard and my true thoughts about how I 56 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:16.719 feel going into this season given his track record and 57 00:03:16.759 --> 00:03:19.560 how injury prone he has been. And I haven't really 58 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:22.800 done an episode on that yet. I have not necessarily 59 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:26.439 hinted around it. I've touched upon it in pretty much 60 00:03:26.520 --> 00:03:30.719 every single episode I have done so far on Clippers 61 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:34.599 Talk in these off season editions now on the YouTube side, 62 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:37.360 and by the way, yes, the Ralph Lawler interview is 63 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:41.439 coming very soon. Here. I promise Part one. It was 64 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:44.039 about an hour and a half long interview. Gonna split 65 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.599 it into two parts. I was up in ben Organ 66 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:51.240 last weekend and I'm proud of the interview and was 67 00:03:51.319 --> 00:03:53.599 just proud to get to hang out with our friend 68 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:55.960 Ralph Lawler again and had been too long and to 69 00:03:56.039 --> 00:03:57.800 catch up. And I think you guys are really going 70 00:03:57.840 --> 00:03:59.560 to enjoy this, and it's also going to get you 71 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:02.240 a little bit more excited for this season. And it's 72 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:05.439 just a good time to reflect. And Ralph has been 73 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:10.639 what gone for five years now since he was the 74 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:13.000 voice of the Clippers, and I know for many of 75 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:15.960 you he is forever voice of the Clippers, but he 76 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:18.000 stepped down at the end of the twenty eighteen twenty 77 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:21.279 nineteen season. We're lucky to have Brian Seaman. Now I'm 78 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:24.759 lucky to have Carlo Jimenez on the radio side. He'll 79 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:27.959 be coming on with me on Monday, coming on in 80 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.279 this show in just a little bit. Here is my 81 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.680 voice cracks like it's pre pubescent. Zach Morrison saved by 82 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:36.079 the bell because I just woke up from a nap. Honestly, 83 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:40.720 we're gonna have hopefully Chuck Mockler will be here. We 84 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:44.439 will have Grant Bona from the Sporting Tribune. But I 85 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:46.160 wanted to do this in a different sort of way 86 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:49.079 here where I started things off with an opening monologue 87 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:50.759 as I would if this was an A five to 88 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:53.120 seventies show, because I go back to that comment I 89 00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:56.160 got on the YouTube side a little bit earlier today 90 00:04:57.560 --> 00:05:01.839 speaking of woke up to this as I'm sharing my 91 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:09.199 screen with you and what's up William Blast. But this 92 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.839 guy who follows me on x and follows many Clipper 93 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:18.120 fans reporters and is a part of Clipernation, it looks 94 00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:23.079 like LT sent me something that obviously I couldn't read 95 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:28.279 it first had to translate it. He translated in the tweet, saying, 96 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:33.240 this is something from something called China Weebo, which I 97 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:37.800 guess I had to look this up. Is a micro 98 00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:42.000 blogging website, so I don't know if it's their version 99 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:47.160 of Twitter, a social media website in China. He translated 100 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:51.240 it as this quote, there might be some bad news, 101 00:05:52.199 --> 00:05:53.959 so let me give you a heads up. We'll have 102 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:56.439 to wait and see what happens during the Clippers media day. 103 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:02.120 He claims this is coming from Kawhi, Chinese agent Obviously, 104 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:08.040 players go over to China during the offseason. Typically James 105 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:12.240 Harden has been there frequently, and they have a large 106 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:16.160 market there. And I didn't know what to make of 107 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:20.800 this at all. And I said, uh, what underneath it? 108 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:26.959 He said, China fans were talking about this, and she's 109 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:31.920 Kawhai's Chinese agent, allegedly. I said, what is the point 110 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:34.040 of this? He said, China fans are now guessing whether 111 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:36.519 Kawhi is heard or not based upon this cryptic and 112 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:40.839 vague social media post. I said, Cool, I was not 113 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.279 in the mood when this came out earlier today. Obviously, 114 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:47.519 LT responded, given that she is Leonard's Chinese agent, it's 115 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:50.199 natural to make such a guess. First of all, I'm 116 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:53.120 assuming that's even true. For the sake of argument, we 117 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:56.839 will assume that I said, I'm not into the fear porn. 118 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:59.920 I'm gonna enjoy my day since either way, there's no 119 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.480 nothing I can do. Even if there was something to this, 120 00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:06.720 LT said, still appreciate your reply, man, have a nice day. Cool. 121 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:09.920 This is not somebody that's out there trolling, to my knowledge, 122 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:13.199 or trying to raise alarm bells or say the sky 123 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:16.519 is falling. He's following up on something that he saw 124 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:22.519 and he won input on it. No issue with that whatsoever. 125 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:29.639 Whether or not this is accurate, who can know at 126 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:36.800 this point, because La Murray of the Athletic did react 127 00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:40.120 to this, which makes me think it got even more traffic. 128 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:47.040 And I'm trying to quote him accurately here. I just 129 00:07:47.079 --> 00:07:49.560 want to make sure I get this right from La 130 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:52.720 Murray and he said this, and I will share the 131 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:57.240 screen so you know, I'm giving you the facts here 132 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:02.160 and not just making anything up, La Murray said. Source 133 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:05.639 close to Kawai says Kawhi is fine also at seventy 134 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:08.800 six and mostly cloudy in La today. Check back next week. 135 00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:17.480 And that put a lot of people's fears aside. It 136 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:22.079 did for me too, Why because I trust La Murray, 137 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:26.639 I trust our local reporters for the Clippers. I trust 138 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:30.199 that that's the information we have to this point, and 139 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:35.080 that's all we can go off of. And considering I've 140 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:37.720 never gotten a tweet from that Chinese website before, and 141 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:41.759 I never knew about his Chinese agent, I just don't 142 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:46.320 want to put too much credence into it. It's not 143 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:49.360 that I go into the season or go into any 144 00:08:49.480 --> 00:08:53.039 day feeling totally secure when it comes to Kawai's health 145 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:55.799 given what has happened over the last four seasons. Hi 146 00:08:55.879 --> 00:08:58.679 Todd Tate says, good evening, Adam all the way from 147 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:05.360 Spring Texas. Appreciate everybody getting in here. It's not that 148 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:10.960 I haven't told you a million times before on this show, 149 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:16.360 in pretty much every episode this offseason, that I have 150 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:19.559 real concerns about Kawhi Leonard I do. I just don't 151 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:23.480 know if this is it all truly related or if 152 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:27.120 it's a real report, and until it's substantiated by a 153 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:31.639 real Clippers reporter and somebody that there was my alarm 154 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.279 to wake up from that map actually has a connection 155 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:40.480 and credibility to the Clippers, to Kawhi, I'm not gonna 156 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:46.120 put too much into it. Oh, Tomara Zarli's backup, says 157 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:50.519 Hi Adam, longtime listener, big fan Tomarya. If the real 158 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:52.440 te mayor wants to hit me up and send me 159 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.080 a text and wants to jump on as well, in 160 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:57.039 a little bit here we can have a panel, we 161 00:09:57.080 --> 00:10:00.759 can have a discussion. Already know Grant Mona is gonna 162 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:04.519 be on. He already responded, and here he's watching right now. 163 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:06.879 I just want to lay this out in a certain 164 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:09.720 format where a block, Yeah, I'm gonna ranch a little bit, 165 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:11.879 I'm gonna have an opening monologue, and the I'm gonna 166 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:13.600 have guests on, just like if it was a real 167 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:19.399 radio show. Right now, other people are saying this messed 168 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:23.480 up their day, They're about to crash out, they were panicking, 169 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:28.679 I feel, and I don't think this is what the 170 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:33.080 initial tweeter was saying, or it wasn't his aim at 171 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:36.240 least to get people riled up in a panic. He 172 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:39.440 seemed genuine that he was looking for understanding about this 173 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:43.240 message on a China social media site that may or 174 00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:50.080 may not be from Kawhi's Chinese agent over there. Some though, 175 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:55.399 will use this to aggregate, We'll use this to gain 176 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.519 more of a following. I'm now using this this is 177 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:00.720 a topic to talk about tonight, when and when I 178 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:03.240 wasn't going to do a show to begin with, just 179 00:11:03.320 --> 00:11:07.759 because it does offer a springboard into a conversation about 180 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:11.399 Kawhi Leonard and how I feel overall about his health 181 00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:13.240 and how I feel the Clippers should manage it this 182 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:19.799 upcoming season, because there's a lot to this subject matter 183 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:25.039 and I haven't touched upon it in a real focused, 184 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:28.519 narrow focused way, laser focused way. So far this summer. 185 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:32.240 We have media Day coming up, by the way, in 186 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:40.559 ten days Monday, September thirtieth, So very soon we're going 187 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:46.639 to find out a lot about this team, roles, expectations 188 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.600 from coach lou when the players up there on the podium. 189 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:52.399 I'll be there and into a dome for media Day. 190 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:59.879 I want to start with this though, because I have 191 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:03.639 been preaching this all summer long and before that. If 192 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:07.679 you guys follow me, you know that I never bought 193 00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:13.080 into the narrative of oh Kawhi's fine, going back to 194 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:17.679 March and April when he originally missed that first game. 195 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:21.080 After the game in Charlotte, He's out against the Sacramento Kings, 196 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:25.840 and everybody got concerned because I think it started off 197 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:33.919 being labeled soreness in his right knee. I waited a 198 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:39.919 few games. He still wasn't back. Then I saw the 199 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:43.879 Clippers were taking on the Denver Nuggets. There were standings, ramifications, 200 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:47.120 there was a lot on the line in that game, 201 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:52.679 and he still wasn't back, and people were still trying 202 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:56.320 to tell me that no, they're just saving him for 203 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:00.240 the playoffs. He played sixty eight games, most he had 204 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:02.759 played since the I want to say twenty sixteen twenty 205 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:09.279 seventeen season with San Antonio, and therefore they had a 206 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:11.840 strong enough CD and they were just going to make 207 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:15.159 sure that he was okay for a long playoff run. 208 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:20.279 And that's all. It was load management, getting Kawai as 209 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:23.879 fresh as possible for the playoffs. I wish that's what 210 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:27.840 it was. I never bought it, and it wasn't that. Obviously, 211 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:30.720 now we all know. There was a lot of wishful thinking, 212 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:34.200 I think from Clipper nation. I understand it. But when 213 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:36.559 he misses a game as consequential as that game was 214 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:39.679 against the Denver Nuggets, the Clippers won't it. Anyways, I 215 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:43.080 knew something was up. I knew it was more than 216 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:53.080 just managing Kawai's body and resting. To Marrizzari says, to 217 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:58.440 be fair, that's the message they were delivering. I didn't 218 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:04.480 get that. I didn't see that. I just saw he 219 00:14:04.600 --> 00:14:09.519 continued to show up on the injury report. So if 220 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:11.399 you can cite something for me, tell Mayor and I 221 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:14.679 can bring it up here. I never heard a Clipper 222 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:17.919 or spokesman say we're just resting him for the playoffs. 223 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:22.440 I didn't pick up on that. When did that happen? 224 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:27.600 How did I miss this? Again? Tell Mary, if you 225 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:31.200 want to come on, I can shoot you the link here. 226 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:39.639 Grandmother was coming on hopefully, Chuck Mockler now whether or 227 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:42.559 not we knew the significance of it, because eventually it 228 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:47.960 went from soreness to swelling, That's when I started to 229 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:56.559 become concerned. Then we had the reports, and this was 230 00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:58.600 a lot of speculation that Kawhi's going to go in 231 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:01.759 game one, and it was more wishful thinking, He's good, 232 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:05.080 He's going in game one. I think actually La Murray 233 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:08.679 had that, and then as the evidence changed, he changed 234 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:15.080 his mind. New information came to light. He wasn't going 235 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.559 in game one. Once he missed Game one with that 236 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:21.919 swelling in his right knee, people started to take it seriously. 237 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:26.080 The one thing I kept stressing the entire time, if 238 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:29.480 you listen to me, was I'm not worried about Kawhi 239 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:31.399 giving it a shot to play in this series. I 240 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:34.039 know he wants to play. I know he wanted to play, 241 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:37.360 and maybe did play that Game two against Phoenix on 242 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:40.159 a torm meniscus and there have been other times where 243 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:43.840 Kawhi wants to play and the medical staff prudently. So 244 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:47.679 I think you gotta protect players from themselves. They were 245 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:52.279 the ones holding him back. Players want to play. Kawhi 246 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:56.559 is a dog. He wants to play. He is a 247 00:15:56.600 --> 00:16:00.480 tough dude, and nobody is more frustrated than he Clipper 248 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:04.919 Nation because he's been going through this. If you read 249 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:09.600 that article earlier this summer with some quotes coming out 250 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:12.399 from Team USA before he was sent home, talking about 251 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:18.000 his journey and how being injury prone is unfortunately part 252 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:21.679 of his NBA story. He also tried to look for 253 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:24.840 the silver lining, saying, you know, there's players who have 254 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:27.879 had it worse than me. There have been players who 255 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:30.639 have been through injuries and have never been the same Kawhi. 256 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:32.360 You could at least say, and I have been saying 257 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:37.720 for years, is up until this point, so far he 258 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:42.679 has always come back stronger and stronger and better and 259 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:50.600 more efficient offensively. Til Marrizzarli did send me this tweet, 260 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:55.559 he asked coach Lou going back to April twenty fourth, 261 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:59.879 so this is already, but Kawhi had the April eleventh. 262 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:03.279 Excuse me, you're twenty twenty four, quiet already missed a 263 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:05.720 bunch of time. Till Mayor izzarrely asked coach Low, is 264 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:08.640 there any concern Kawhis Leonard his absence could bleed into 265 00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:12.480 the playoffs at all? No, not as of right now. 266 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:17.960 You know, it's how do you want to interpret that? 267 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:25.839 I think a lot of people were skeptical then, not 268 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:30.839 as of right now, because apparently they thought they could 269 00:17:31.160 --> 00:17:34.960 get a handle on the swelling because they dealt with 270 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:37.319 that before with players or with Kawhi Leonard, and it 271 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:41.640 eventually subsided. I don't know, but I don't think it 272 00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:45.319 was a clear direct message. I will say my guy, 273 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:50.319 Till Mayor, as most teams are not, people think this 274 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:52.640 is unique to Kawhi Leonard when it comes to not 275 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:57.079 being as forthright with information. Ask Laker fans how they 276 00:17:57.079 --> 00:18:01.640 have felt in the past with Anthony Davis. Most organizations 277 00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:06.160 with their superstars are any player, you're not getting everything. 278 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:11.359 That's the way it is. It's not going to be 279 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:20.680 a crystal clear message. Partly because well, as it turns out, 280 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:23.920 doctors in this case were perplexed by what was going 281 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:27.559 on with Kawhi Leonard because what we found out the 282 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:31.960 swelling wasn't going down. And in going back to what 283 00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:37.359 I said initially, it's not so much about whether or 284 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:39.720 not Kawhi Leonard plays in the series. He did, and 285 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.519 he played in Game two. The question I had was 286 00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:48.559 how does he respond after playing a five on five game, 287 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:54.160 after playing an NBA game and not just practicing. He 288 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:57.200 didn't respond well. It was my concern the entire time 289 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:04.319 because while he looked okay in Game two, Game three 290 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:07.880 wasn't even close to looking like himself, and I thought 291 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:09.839 he probably should have been pulled after the first stint, 292 00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:13.440 just because his basketball powers weren't there. He obviously wasn't healthy. 293 00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:16.119 And then postgames talked about it and said, yea, it 294 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:19.119 didn't respond the way we wanted it to. After Game two. 295 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:24.279 Some people that are just coming into the chat here 296 00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:31.759 are wondering what is happening and what context. It's simply 297 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:35.880 from a report that hasn't been verified from China on 298 00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:39.079 a social media platform earlier today regarding Kawhi Leonard that 299 00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:43.440 has everybody in a panic and it hasn't been substantiated. 300 00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:50.400 We have no idea the validity to this. I'm simply 301 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:55.599 reviewing Kawhi's injury history now. And giving you my thoughts 302 00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:58.279 on this season and how the Clippers should manage him 303 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:04.240 and what to expect moving fowar baby, because here's the thing. 304 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:08.720 There's two things, and I talked about it with Om 305 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:17.440 Young Masuk on Monday that have me concerned. Kawhi said 306 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:22.440 when he first showed up for Team USA that he 307 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:25.680 I don't have the exact quote, but it was something 308 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:28.000 of a turning point. Two weeks before showing up for 309 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.559 training camp for Team USA, he had a turning point, 310 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:36.839 meaning it had been almost three months before that turning point. 311 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.559 So my question was always, well, how long was the 312 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:46.000 swelling going on? Nobody's going to have an answer for that. 313 00:20:47.319 --> 00:20:51.640 We know it was at least a month from his 314 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:57.200 last game in the regular season to that entire series 315 00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:00.400 against Dallas. That's about a month and a half spent time. 316 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:07.640 And when I hear something like that and they couldn't 317 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:11.519 get it under control, I worry about it. Everybody does. 318 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:15.359 It's Kauwhi. It's his right knee, it's the acl me, 319 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:19.160 it's the moniscus knee, it's the tendinopathy in his right leg. 320 00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:27.359 It's all is stemmed from that. So not a doctor 321 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:31.839 not going to pretend to be. But when I hear that, 322 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:35.359 they couldn't get it under control for a while. And 323 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:40.440 it's Kawhi, and now he has missed or missed sections 324 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:43.079 or most of the last four years in the playoffs 325 00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:49.160 and hasn't been able to stay healthy. You're going to 326 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:54.480 have a higher level of concern. It is completely fair. Yes, 327 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:57.799 you miss something, Rewind, I can't go over it just 328 00:21:57.839 --> 00:22:00.880 because you showed up, Donnie out of your element or 329 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:05.759 NBA talks here. I can't start the show over my 330 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:15.000 friend going into this season now. And by all accounts 331 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:19.599 before we heard this rumor earlier today which does not 332 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:21.799 have quite the weight of I don't know, Coach Lou 333 00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:25.799 saying he'll be ready for training camp and Mobaba saying 334 00:22:25.880 --> 00:22:29.640 he'd been working out with Kawhi in San Diego and 335 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:32.960 the workouts were rigorous. We learned that from Kelly Johnson. 336 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.839 She taught to him opening night into it. Though for 337 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:41.359 the Bruno Mars concert, Kawhi wasn't there, but Mobamba was, 338 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:43.559 and that's a guy I guess Kawhi has been a 339 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:45.599 fan of for a while. They finally brought him over. 340 00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:49.599 I learned from Joseph Rya Award that that's somebody the 341 00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:52.640 Clippers were looking to bring in for a time now, 342 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:54.839 and I think it's because Kauhi is a fan of Mobamba, 343 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:57.160 so that's a cool connection. But the fact that they 344 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:01.160 were working out and its sounded like tough workout. So Kawhi, 345 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:05.519 we're hoping is healthy and ready to go, and there's 346 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:09.799 nothing more to this report. I'm gonna lean on the 347 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:15.480 side of Lotmori, of Tomayr of far Brought Senshari, of 348 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:20.480 Joey Lynn, of Andrew Grive hoping he's back on the 349 00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:25.720 beat this year, and people like Adrian Motrowski, Okay, we 350 00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:29.240 can't lean on him anymore, Chris Haynes and Shamshrania. If 351 00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:31.839 it's not coming from them, I'm not that worried about 352 00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:36.200 it yet. I'm just not. I'm worried in general when 353 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:39.559 it comes to Kawhi's health. I don't think he should 354 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:43.519 be playing back to backs this year. I'm open to 355 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:46.160 a lot of suggestions guys when it comes to Kawhi, 356 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:52.680 because they've pretty much tried everything, and even after playing 357 00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:54.559 the most games he had played in almost a ten 358 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:58.079 year period, he wasn't able to go yes when it 359 00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:02.119 mattered most. Nobody's more frustrated than him, as frustrated as 360 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:06.319 you are. Kawhi is a bad mother effort, and we 361 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:09.079 know what he's capable of when he's healthy in the playoffs, 362 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:12.680 even if he's limping around like he was at times 363 00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:15.200 with the Toronto Raptors in twenty nineteen, we know what 364 00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:21.240 he can do. We're desperate to have a full playoff 365 00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:25.519 run with Kawhi Leonard and he wants desperately to give 366 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:30.559 it to cliber Nation. Believe me on that. I just 367 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:34.160 the talk from Stephen A. Smith and the false narratives 368 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:38.400 that have been out there have obscured reality a little 369 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:42.880 bit when it comes to Kawhi and who he is 370 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:49.799 and what his passions are. Guys, he loves basketball. This 371 00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:52.680 is what he loves to do. You talk about Kawhi 372 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:58.480 being monotone or robotic, or he's not on social media. 373 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:04.039 Maybe he's a boy guy because of that. Well, his 374 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:13.480 love and his hobby seems to be basketball. So that's 375 00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:15.839 what he's going to give you, not all these other 376 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:22.240 ancillary things. I just want him to be healthy to 377 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:26.240 do that. There's sixteen back to backs. He can't play 378 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:30.119 one side of those. I don't think less something changes, 379 00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:32.440 But I don't know why do you risk it at 380 00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:35.160 this point if anybody should be getting a pass for 381 00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:40.480 being quote unquote load managed because they've tried not to 382 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:45.599 and it hasn't worked. They've tried too and it hasn't worked. 383 00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:48.400 But we know if he's not playing, there's less of 384 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:50.839 a chance of being injured. So if he needs to 385 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:53.680 rest one half of the back to back good. I 386 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:56.240 don't want to hear anything from Steven A. Smith. I 387 00:25:56.279 --> 00:26:00.039 don't want to hear anything from people chirping about I 388 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:01.559 don't know if they're going to try to call him 389 00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:04.200 street clothes like they do Anthony Davis, which I don't like. 390 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:11.319 It's warranted. When it comes to Kawhi Leonard, it is. 391 00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:15.640 It's completely fair. How could you not understand him missing 392 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:18.839 a game here and there with what has occurred the 393 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:23.119 last four years. His body hasn't been able to hold off. 394 00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:28.400 He has tried, Jennifer, he is trying. See Jim McCollum 395 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:33.440 would say he wants to play. They're gonna have to 396 00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:39.119 save them from himself. It's not his decision ultimately. If 397 00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:43.440 it was, he probably would have kept playing in that 398 00:26:43.559 --> 00:26:46.160 series against Dallas and looked like a fraction of himself, 399 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:50.680 which I didn't want to see. And I'm glad they 400 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:54.480 made the right decision of shutting him down. He was 401 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:58.240