WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.080 To a Clippers Talk Live. I want to say the 2 00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:04.960 fifth edition of these we have done. I'm Adam Moslin. 3 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:07.919 If you missed the show. Yesterday we had Carl tart On, 4 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:12.439 new member of the SNL writing staff, and then on 5 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:16.760 Monday we had om Young Masuuk from ESPN on. So 6 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:18.480 it's been a great week and we're going to close 7 00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:21.039 things out with a great guest. It's our friend Justin 8 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:27.120 Rousseau Russo that fly by Night kN Ite is where 9 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:29.760 you find him on x He's one of my favorite reporters. 10 00:00:29.800 --> 00:00:32.600 We talked with Til Marizar the last Thursday. He mentioned 11 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:38.000 Justin a certain situation that occurred last year. 12 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:39.479 Because I messed up. I messed up. 13 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:41.079 I tried to book both of them to see who 14 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:43.840 would respond first, because I don't know. Both guys are 15 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:45.880 hard to get ahold of sometimes, so I just figure 16 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:48.719 i'd live out of text see who responded. Whoever was 17 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:51.840 first came on with Clippers pregame show with me, but Justin, 18 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.799 thanks for putting up with me. Thanks for doing this 19 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.479 here on Clippers Talk on the live YouTube side. 20 00:00:57.039 --> 00:00:59.039 No problem, man, I'm glad to be here, glad to 21 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:01.039 see you. It's been a know a couple of weeks 22 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:02.719 since I saw you on Clips and Dead, but you know, 23 00:01:02.759 --> 00:01:03.719 it's always good to see you. 24 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:06.680 It's good to catch up. This is a new format 25 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:08.439 I got going on. If you're listening to this on 26 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:12.280 the podcast side, check out the new YouTube. I've had 27 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:13.959 it up for about I don't know, a month and 28 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:16.439 a half, not even two months yet, and I think 29 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:19.000 we're about two k followers, so I'm happy about that, 30 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:21.239 and people are starting to come into the chat and 31 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:23.840 confirm we are live and good. On the YouTube side, 32 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:28.159 Alan n G says love Russo's work. We all do 33 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:32.640 very much, especially if Marcus Morris truthers out there. 34 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:34.280 They've had his back. 35 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:36.200 Forever umer those days. 36 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.040 Before we get into some of that talk I told 37 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:42.959 you earlier, I told Justin in a text message. 38 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:44.000 Something I wanted to focus on. 39 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:47.599 Has been one of the themes here this offseason is just 40 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:50.200 the two man game, the one two punch or twenty 41 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:53.040 one blackjack, whatever you want to say for the new 42 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:56.959 two man combination between Kawhi Leonard and James Harden being 43 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:00.200 the focal points on offense now no Paul George and 44 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:02.400 just how they have worked together in the past and 45 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:06.359 what we can expect from them this season. So James 46 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:09.199 Harden and I did look this up over the past week. 47 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:13.840 Justin out of his last twelve seasons, twelve years in 48 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:16.719 the NBA, since he became a number one option with 49 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:19.840 the Houston Rockets, he has never been on a team 50 00:02:19.879 --> 00:02:24.479 that's had worse than a twelfth ranked offensive rating, which 51 00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:27.360 is pretty damn impressive. In fact, on average their fifth. 52 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:29.800 So he has a lot of times in there. He's 53 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:32.599 had the number one overall offense I think twice in Houston, 54 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:35.039 then once with the Brooklyn Nets, even though he was 55 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.319 only there for a little bit. So some of what 56 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:42.199 people have wondered is, how do they without a lot 57 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:44.840 of shock creaders on this Clippers team, how do they 58 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.159 make up for the loss of Paul George and still 59 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:52.039 be maybe a top ten offense somehow? Give us some hope, 60 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:55.120 if you have any, Just give us the realism here, 61 00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:57.240 I guess, or the realistic view of how this Clippers 62 00:02:57.280 --> 00:02:59.120 team could look with the one two punch of Kawhi 63 00:02:59.159 --> 00:02:59.840 and James Harden. 64 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:04.840 Now, so the optimistic outlook is Kawhi Leonard and James 65 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:09.599 Harden were both very good last season. They actually each 66 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:14.479 had pretty low touches or at least Kawi did touch 67 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:18.879 us P thirty six minutes. It was the lowest for 68 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:22.520 Kawhi since twenty fourteen to fifteen. This is for last season, 69 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:25.400 so it was the fewest for him in about ten years. 70 00:03:26.439 --> 00:03:30.439 For James, it was the fewest touches for him, just 71 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:35.000 like Kawhi since twenty fourteen to fifteen. So the optimistic 72 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:37.439 outlook is both of them were very good offensively last 73 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:39.479 year and the ball will be in their hands a 74 00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:43.360 lot more this year, assuming obviously health, which I mean 75 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:47.560 no one can predict health going forward. So the optimistic 76 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:49.360 outlook is the ball will be in their hands more. 77 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:51.800 They were very good and efficient last season when it 78 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:54.719 was in their hands, and that could lead to even 79 00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:58.039 better things potentially this season than some people might have thought. 80 00:03:58.360 --> 00:03:59.520 With losing pg. 81 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:03.199 AM, I wrong in saying I believe they were the 82 00:04:03.319 --> 00:04:07.319 two best guys when it cames to isolation points per 83 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:10.520 shot attempt or points per possession. They were the most 84 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:13.199 efficient guys in isolation scoring last year. 85 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:16.319 Yeah, I've seen it floated around. I think Kawhi was 86 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:19.120 number one. I want to say James was number two. Yeah, 87 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:21.839 So I mean, you know, look if you have two 88 00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:24.240 great isolation scorers, odds are you're gonna have a really 89 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:27.720 good offense just because if defenses kind of limit you 90 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:29.199 to the shots that they want to limit you to, 91 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:31.839 you need isolation. Guys who can pretty much get whatever 92 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:34.079 they want now they get it in different ways. Obviously, 93 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:37.160 Kawhi's isolations for the most part, rely on him at 94 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:38.639 the elbows or in the mid post or in the 95 00:04:38.680 --> 00:04:42.040 midrange in general. For James, his isolations usually just lead 96 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:45.439 to step back threes, and it kind of tells you 97 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:48.879 that there's no one way to be efficient in isolation. 98 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:51.519 You can be an efficient jump shooter in the midlerange 99 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:54.879 and you can be a hyper efficient jump shooter on threes. 100 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:57.639 Both worked to a large degree, and for each of 101 00:04:57.639 --> 00:04:58.959 them worked very well last year. 102 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:04.240 So is there a chance that they could actually compliment 103 00:05:04.279 --> 00:05:06.639 each other better? And it's not like it was bad 104 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:09.319 between Kawhi and Paul George when they were both available, 105 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:11.879 they won at about a seven hundred win percentage clip. 106 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:14.120 They were very good when you could get both of 107 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:18.199 them out there. But do these guys complete each other a. 108 00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:18.800 Little bit more? 109 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:21.439 Jerry Maguire's style when it comes to James hard and 110 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:25.839 Kawhi Leonard with maybe just doing more of the playmaking, 111 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:29.680 which isn't necessarily Kawhi Leonard's strength, although he can because 112 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:32.639 James Harden is so adept in that area, they might 113 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:35.680 actually be a better tandem somehow. 114 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:38.959 With the Clippers, it's possible. I could actually see it. 115 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:41.360 I wrote about it a couple months ago, where I 116 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:44.519 think the streamlines their offense a lot more than it 117 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:47.720 was this past season when the three of them were together, 118 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:50.480 because there were times last year, even during the twenty 119 00:05:50.519 --> 00:05:53.199 six and five stretch towards the end of twenty twenty 120 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:55.920 three going into twenty twenty four, where at times it 121 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:58.040 did look a little bit clunky and like, all right, 122 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:00.639 your turn, my turn. We're trying to figure this out, 123 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:03.560 which was very natural considering when the trade happened, there 124 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.160 was no training camp, James was poor was therefore, so 125 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:09.360 it took time. But at times you also got to 126 00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:11.519 see how good their offense could be when everything was 127 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:15.680 flowing along. But for the Clippers specifically, it seemed and 128 00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:17.759 I haven't looked at the data specifically for this, but 129 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:20.199 it seemed like if two of the three were on 130 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:25.160 the floor, things did function better. Things seemed a lot 131 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:29.879 more streamlined and simple and not overthought. So there is that, 132 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:33.199 you know, thought of. There's only two of them. Now, 133 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:37.399 perhaps this leads to maybe not better offensive numbers and 134 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:41.399 offensive rating, but in what could be seen as better 135 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:46.959 offensive structure and fluidity. 136 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:49.319 Because guys aren't stepping into each other's spaces as much. 137 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:51.839 Where Paul George and Kawhi Leonard you could see that 138 00:06:51.959 --> 00:06:56.319 happening sometimes, James Harden and Kawhi are so much different. 139 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.600 It just seems like, I don't know, they're not taking 140 00:06:59.639 --> 00:07:02.160 away from each other as much on the offensive end. 141 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:04.319 And I want to be clear, I don't think they're 142 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:06.399 going to have a better offensive rating than last season, 143 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:08.800 which ended up being fourth and was first throughout a 144 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.079 lot of the season when they clicked in for that 145 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:13.639 twenty six and five run over thirty one games. But 146 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:17.319 I'm looking for can they still be a top ten offense? 147 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:19.600 That's kind of what I'm trying to dig into here. 148 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:23.519 Miles Johnson wants to ask you this justin big ups 149 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:26.519 Adam and Justin and any chance Harden makes the All 150 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:28.720 Star team this upcoming year. 151 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:32.680 It's possible. The West is always tough for All Stars 152 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:35.120 because it always feels like at least one or two 153 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:41.240 guys get left out. If the Clippers are exceeding expectations 154 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:44.079 in the first part of the year, then their a 155 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:47.639 distinct possibility will be that it's because of James and 156 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:50.120 how good he looks with the ball in his hands 157 00:07:50.120 --> 00:07:52.720 more both as a scorer and a passer, And it 158 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:54.720 wouldn't shock me to see him make an All Star team. 159 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:57.519 The one thing I've kind of grown to learn about 160 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:00.240 All Star selections is it's not really what you do 161 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:03.680 like throughout the whole course before the All Star break. 162 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:06.600 It's really primarily what you do the first month of 163 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.240 the season, and then like that narrative takes hold and 164 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.879 you kind of get carried to the All Star breaks. 165 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:14.600 So I think James could do it, especially if he 166 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:15.720 comes out really well. 167 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:19.519 Do you think he could average an efficient twenty and 168 00:08:19.720 --> 00:08:22.560 nine assists this season and his minutes might go up 169 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:24.199 a little bit, because I think he was at one 170 00:08:24.199 --> 00:08:26.319 of his career lows at thirty four minutes as a 171 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:29.360 Clipper last season, even though it still felt like it 172 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:31.399 was taxing, and there was about a month and a 173 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:33.559 half stretch where he kind of had to rejuvenate and 174 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:36.559 wasn't playing as fast and didn't have the burst until 175 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:39.840 the playoffs started and he looked much better. Do you think, though, 176 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:44.799 that's realistic production from James Harden twenty plus points, nine 177 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:46.159 or more assists Pro Bowl game. 178 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:50.000 So basically it's like, can he replicate his last year 179 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:50.799 in Philadelphia? 180 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:51.080 Right? 181 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.559 I think he can. I think it's there. That year 182 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:57.600 in Philly he averaged twenty one points on almost eleven assists, 183 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:00.480 shot forty four percent from the field, but also took 184 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:03.600 seven threes a game, made nearly thirty nine percent of them. 185 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:06.519 So it's like, can if dat James Harden shows up 186 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.080 on I'm not gonna say a nightly basis, because that 187 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:10.919 guy doesn't show up on a nightly basis pretty much 188 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:13.200 for any player in the league. But if that guy 189 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:17.120 shows up on the average, I do think, you know 190 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.320 there is there is positives to be gained from that. 191 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:22.600 I do think that would allow not just him, but 192 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.440 the team to reach success that I know a lot 193 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:27.720 of outsiders don't think is there for them this year. 194 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:31.559 Jonathan Ing asks how do you feel the Clippers will 195 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:33.799 be in the situations where Harden has to sit or 196 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:37.039 load manages the Clippers do not have another dynamic ball 197 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:41.120 handler on the team unless it is Bones justin. 198 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:46.679 It's gonna be tough. It was always gonna be tough 199 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:48.720 even if it was just one of the like even 200 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:50.840 when PG was here, if it was just one of 201 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:52.919 the three who was playing, it was always gonna be tough. 202 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:56.879 But specifically without James, I do think it will be 203 00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:58.759 a lot tougher. I think they're gonna have to get 204 00:09:58.759 --> 00:10:01.759 by on just defense in that structure and in those 205 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:05.720 situations where all right, Chris Dunn, can you can you 206 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:09.000 at least replicate some of what James can do? Not 207 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:11.039 all of it obviously that Chris Dune's not that guy, 208 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:14.279 but then give us the defensive side of the floor 209 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.360 where there's value there from Chris Dunn. And offensively, can 210 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:21.559 you just make simple plays and make a couple of 211 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:25.039 layups a night? Can Bones of Bones plays? Can Bones 212 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:29.759 hit a three or two in a game? Can Kevin 213 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:33.480 Porter Junior, depending on his situation in the minutes that 214 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:36.000 he gets this year? Can you like the thing? And 215 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:37.480 I kind of equate this to a little bit like 216 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:40.840 with the PG situation, you're trying to fill things not 217 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:44.240 like for like, but recreate it as in the movie 218 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:46.799 Moneyball said in the aggregate like you're trying to create 219 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:49.960 parts of things and just hope that it works. And 220 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:52.919 I do think the Clippers have certain guys who can 221 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.600 do certain things of a James or of a PG 222 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:58.879 when obviously Pg's gone. But if James is out, I 223 00:10:58.919 --> 00:11:01.679 think they're could be enough. But they're gonna have to 224 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:04.320 buckle down on the defensive end and it won't be 225 00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:07.320 pretty offensively. I'll just say that it won't be pretty offensively. 226 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:11.600 He mentioned Kevin Porter Junior there. Correct me if I'm wrong, 227 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:15.440 but I was thinking that if he is available, depending 228 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.200 on the investigation by the NBA, he could be suspended 229 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:20.519 to start the season. Well, let's say at some point 230 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:22.559 he's available with the Clippers and he is getting some 231 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:26.039 minutes out there and he's playing next to Chris Dunn 232 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:31.000 or Norman Powell. To me, because of Norman Palell's inability 233 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:33.600 to really be a passer, he can't be the one 234 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:34.519 in that situation. 235 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:36.440 And I actually think. 236 00:11:36.440 --> 00:11:38.879 Kevin Porter Junior would be a better number one with 237 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:41.879 the ball in his hands playmaker also than Chris Dunn. 238 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:44.759 And I'm am I wrong about that aspect of kpg's game. 239 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:47.559 No, I don't think you're wrong. I think of the three, 240 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:51.919 KPg is probably the more natural passer. I think you 241 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:55.519 look at a guy like Chris Dunn. He's an off ball, 242 00:11:55.639 --> 00:12:00.320 second side attacker and creator against the against the swinging defense, 243 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:05.639 and for Norm, normous value of a passer comes when 244 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:10.200 he gets downhill and when he's able to maybe not 245 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.720 just specifically dump off, but make little dump offs or 246 00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:15.840 even just make the simple like strong side kickout to 247 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.759 the corner. Those talks like you're not gonna see rap arounds, 248 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:22.360 You're not gonna see like James Harden level passes out 249 00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:25.039 of Norm or out of Chris Dunn or even KPJ. 250 00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:28.759 But I think KPJ comes closest to what you would 251 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:31.759 look for in terms of a number one creator. There. 252 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:35.799 What's KPJ's ceiling in your mind? 253 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:36.960 Who is he as a player. 254 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:39.120 It's not someone who's played a game in the NBA 255 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:42.440 since twenty twenty three April twenty twenty three, and there 256 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:44.360 are a lot of unknowns because he was even a 257 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:47.240 young player. Then we know he had a fifty point game. 258 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:50.120 People say it was against Drew Holliday. I went back 259 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:52.799 and watched that game. He hit ten three pointers, A 260 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:55.000 lot of them were not against Drew Holliday. The defense 261 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:57.240 by the Bucks in that game was pretty atrocious. I'm 262 00:12:57.240 --> 00:12:59.559 not trying to take anything away. KPJ has a lot 263 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:03.039 of a big but people reference that and probably over 264 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:06.919 exaggerate just how much you know he was hitting difficult 265 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:09.360 shots against the Milwaukee Bucks in that game. 266 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:11.919 But who do you think he can be? 267 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:15.440 What's the I don't know archetype or the comp for 268 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:17.440 someone like KPg in your mind. 269 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:20.240 I think a very reasonable thing to say here is 270 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:22.919 I don't know, and I don't think anybody knows, just 271 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.639 because you said he's been out of the league for 272 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:27.960 a year. He went to play in Greece, but I 273 00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:31.200 believe he only played five or six games. There wasn't 274 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:34.960 much to go on there. We don't know what he 275 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:37.960 looks like. You know, I know he's done open runs 276 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:40.159 and stuff like that, but you know that those are 277 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:44.399 open runs and in a game setting, who knows. We 278 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:46.960 don't even know if he's going to be able to 279 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:49.480 practice with the team following the investigation for at least 280 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:53.639 a little while. I don't know. I mean the guy 281 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:56.960 that he was before all of this happened, and when 282 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:02.440 he was in Houston was a shot taker, a good passer, 283 00:14:04.279 --> 00:14:07.759 not a great decision maker for a lot of stretches, 284 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:10.080 Like there were a lot of not great things that 285 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:11.759 he did with the ball in his hands, but there 286 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:13.120 are a lot of really good things that he did 287 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.399 with the ball in his hands. He and Jalen Green 288 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:18.000 were not a great fit alongside one another. One of 289 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:23.480 them had to go. Obviously, you don't want anyone going 290 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:26.279 the way that KPJ did because of the situation. What 291 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:31.320 happened never great. We don't know though, Like we just 292 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:35.000 don't know. I think he can be a solid you know, 293 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:37.399 maybe he's a ten point guy with three or four 294 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:40.799 assists a game off the bench, and that's a valuable guy. 295 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.480 A lot of teams would kill to have a guy 296 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:46.519 like that off their bench. But it's not just number 297 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:49.639 based with him. A lot of it is between the lines, 298 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:52.559 like is he doing the proper things defensively with rotations? 299 00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:55.840 Is he competing defensively in general? Is he in the 300 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:58.639 right spots offensively if he doesn't have the ball in 301 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:00.840 his hands? Is he sagging two far off the line 302 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:03.720 to where teams just don't even guard him because they 303 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:06.559 know he's not getting the ball from there, Like, there 304 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:08.519 are certain things that he has to answer beyond the 305 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.600 stat sheet. So from that aspect, it's gonna be rather 306 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:14.080 interesting for me to watch for other people to watch it. 307 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.159 I just don't know the type of player that they're getting, 308 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:18.039 and I kind of think the deal that they gave 309 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:21.440 him shows no one knows what to expect out of him. 310 00:15:21.960 --> 00:15:23.559 Yeah, there's just so many variables. 311 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:26.519 With the teams that he played on, the Rockets weren't 312 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:30.279 playing defense at all. Then he has the wingspan, he 313 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.559 has the ability to dig his heels in, I think 314 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:35.200 on that end, but you know, it's happened a few 315 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:39.519 times in spurts. But overall, Yeah, the book is out. 316 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:39.960 We're waiting. 317 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:42.720 We're gonna wait and see with KPJ and if he's 318 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:45.399 available for the Clippers to start the season. Jonathan Ing 319 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:49.080 asks this, given that Kawhi and Harden like playing a 320 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:51.919 more half court, methodical offensive style, how is the team 321 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:54.360 going to mess more fluidly between a more up tempo 322 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:56.080 game versus half court style? 323 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:59.080 Justin so, I think they're going to utilize what they 324 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:01.120 tried to utilize last season, which is a lot of 325 00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:04.559 hit aheads when they can, like Russell Westbrook did help 326 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:06.679 them in transition at times when he would get a 327 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:09.759 hit ahead, pass, push the tempo, and even if he missed, 328 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.159 there was usually someone else there to clean up, or 329 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:13.879 you know, he'd make a layup or he gets to 330 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:16.080 the line or something like that. And it wasn't just him. 331 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:19.039 Norman Powell did it. PG did it at times, Kawhi 332 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:22.320 would do it at times. A Mere Coffee was really 333 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:24.080 good at it, Terrence was good at it. It's a 334 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:27.320 collective effort where guys have to realize, look, we're probably 335 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:29.360 not going to be a good or I shouldn't say good. 336 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.080 You probably not gonna be a great offensive team. You're 337 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.480 probably not gonna be top five offense. So there's gonna 338 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:36.639 be nights where you have to manufacture offense in ways 339 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:40.120 that are not conventional, where it's hit aheads from James, 340 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:43.039 where he gets the ball early on rebounds, boom balls 341 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.320 up the floor. He did that quite a bit last season. 342 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:47.919 He likes to find guys over the top, especially in 343 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:50.000 the mid and low posts. That's been like a pet 344 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:53.120 path for him over the last years of his career. 345 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:57.279 So they're gonna have to find ways and KPJ can 346 00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:00.960 help here pushing the temple early in transition. When they 347 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:04.440 do get stops, they can't just walk it up the 348 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:08.200 floor unless the defense is already set on the other end, 349 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:11.160 you know, like a long three defense is already tracking 350 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:13.680 back in transition. You don't have to push in that 351 00:17:13.720 --> 00:17:16.160 in so you have to be smart and calculated. The Clippers, 352 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.799 if I remembera correctly, were actually I think an above 353 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:23.200 average transition team last year based on cleaning the glass. 354 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:25.079 But I haven't looked at those numbers in like a month, 355 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:28.160 so don't quote me specifically on that, but I thought 356 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:29.880 they were pretty I think they were top ten if 357 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:33.240 I remember correctly, So they were a solid transition team. 358 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:36.240 They just didn't run a lot. They just as they 359 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:38.799 kept saying many times last year, they're old, they don't 360 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:42.440 run a lot. They're gonna have to, you know, rely 361 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:44.599 on these young guys to get out and transit Derek 362 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:48.960 Jones Junior. If Derek Jones Junior averages let's say two 363 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:51.920 fast break buckets a game, I think the Clippers will 364 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:53.400 be very happy. 365 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:57.839 And those long outlet quick strike strike passes we saw 366 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:00.680 last season, that was an emphasis coming out camp that 367 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:04.240 did carry over into the regular season. Justin Rousseau is 368 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.799 our guest here at fly by Night. K and Ie 369 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:11.000 is where you find him on X My Guy. JMI 370 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:14.359 thirteen twenty four asks do you think the Clippers need 371 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:17.279 another score? I've seen a mock trade where you guys 372 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:19.839 get Jordan Clarkson for PJ. Tucker and Mira Coffee in 373 00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:20.680 two seconds. 374 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:26.960 Just I think they need another score, but I wouldn't 375 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:33.000 say it's something where they need to go out before 376 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:38.480 the season to find I think teams are are more 377 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:42.440 liable to deal a guy like Jordan Clarkson during the 378 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.480 season than they are before the season. I think you can 379 00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:46.960 get a pretty good deal on a guy like Jordan 380 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:49.839 Clarkson the season. Now, I try not to do the 381 00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:52.640 mock trades anymore because you never know what a front 382 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:55.359 office is gonna do. For instance, I don't think anyone 383 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:59.400 had ever even thought that the Clippers could trade what 384 00:18:59.400 --> 00:19:02.160 they did for Covington and Norman Powell. I don't think 385 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:04.640 anyone thought that was a realistic possibility to happen. We 386 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:07.359 never know what teams are looking for, so especially in 387 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:10.319 this new CBA where teams are looking to get under 388 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:12.519 the second apron. Teams are looking even to get under 389 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:15.759 the first apron, So all of that needs to be 390 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:19.559 taken into some context. I do wonder if you get 391 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:23.400 to November, like middle of November, and they think that 392 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:26.119 they do need another scoring punch, if they might actually 393 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:28.559 do something like that and pivot to get one. But 394 00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:33.400 I also know they are hell bent, for lack of 395 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:36.480 a better phrase, on being a defensive team. They want 396 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:40.519 a defensive first team. Jordan Clarkson's not a great defender. Obviously, 397 00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:44.119 you can score the ball pretty well. It comes down 398 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.759 to like what the cost benefit analysis of that would be, like, 399 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:50.599 are you taking away a positive to get a positive 400 00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:52.480 but it's not as big of a positive as you're 401 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.599 giving away. It depends how they see that. 402 00:19:54.759 --> 00:19:56.480 Is it a net positive overall? 403 00:19:56.599 --> 00:19:58.000 Considering his defense? 404 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:03.480 That ties into this one here outside of the obvious. 405 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:07.440 This comes from Miles Johnson justin where would they upgrade 406 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:09.920 the offense or where would they upgrade the roster? 407 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:13.000 I should say if possible, So the easy answer. 408 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:15.640 And it's kind of funny because I have an article 409 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:17.000 coming down in the next couple of days. It's like 410 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:18.960 the five questions for the Clippers. This season that they 411 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:24.119 have to answer, and one of them for me is like, 412 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:28.200 what's the overall plan for them? Not just not just general, 413 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.319 but like in terms of the roster of where they 414 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.400 need to fix things because this is not a complete roster. 415 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:35.319 I think we can all just say that right now, 416 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:37.839 this is not a complete roster. It's the roster now. 417 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:40.319 It might not be the roster on December first or 418 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:43.960 January first, or by the trade deadline. I think they 419 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:46.599 need to find a little bit more shooting. But the 420 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:50.079 shooter that they get can't be a negative defensively, because 421 00:20:50.119 --> 00:20:53.240 then you're, as we said, is it a net positive. 422 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:56.480 So they could use a little bit more floor spacing. 423 00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:59.920 It doesn't really matter the position. It'd be greatly benefit 424 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:03.079 show if it was a backup center. Maybe they feel 425 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:05.279 that guy's on the roster in Mobamba. I don't know, 426 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:11.240 but they do need shooting, I do think, especially because 427 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:14.880 of how much of the floor might be tilted towards 428 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.160 James and Kawai specifically, a lot of guys are gonna 429 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:20.480 get open shots, you know, whether it's Terrence, and Terrence 430 00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:22.400 has to be willing to take them. This year, I've 431 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:24.200 seen him working out, you know, the videos of him 432 00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:26.480 working out. He's he's drilling it down pretty good. But 433 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:28.440 he's got to take him when he's open. You know, 434 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:30.640 Norm has to take him when he's open. Norman usually does, 435 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:32.519 but you still got to say he's got to take 436 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:34.920 him when he's open. Amir has to keep taking him. 437 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:37.759 The biggest question from a three point shooting standpoint for 438 00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:41.319 them is Derek is what Derek Jones showed in the playoffs? 439 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:42.799 Who he really is? 440 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:44.559 Yeah? 441 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.359 Yeah, like that's that is their biggest question for shooting. 442 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:50.000 If that is who he is, a lot of their 443 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.519 shooting was not all of them, but a lot of 444 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:55.079 their shooting woes kind of fall by the wayside. If 445 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:57.839 that's not they need to find a shooter. Not saying 446 00:21:57.880 --> 00:21:59.799 like Derek Jones Junior can't play, but like they just 447 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:03.039 need to find a supplementary shooter, and maybe that guy 448 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:05.640 can be KPJ, especially off the dribble. I don't know, 449 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:08.640 but they are a little light on shooting. Originally I 450 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:12.200 had thought, you know, maybe back like a more steadfast 451 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:16.039 backup center. But also I'm not certain how much actual 452 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:19.480 backup centers will play. The only reason I say that 453 00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:22.440 I do think we see Nico a lot of time 454 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:25.519 at the five. He will see time obviously at the four, 455 00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:27.160 but I think we will see Nico quite a bit 456 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:27.640 at the five. 457 00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:32.039 I think Kawhi could get some run there also, So yeah, 458 00:22:32.119 --> 00:22:34.279 I think it's a good point, depending on how Mobamba 459 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:34.960 looks out there. 460 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:39.920 What doesn't help them is they did obviously lose PG, 461 00:22:40.039 --> 00:22:42.759 who for stretches of the season was a center for 462 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:45.799 them defensively. He was a center for them at times 463 00:22:45.799 --> 00:22:49.559 in small ball lineup, so they maybe Nico. Maybe that's 464 00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:50.319 the Nico John. 465 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:52.880 I haven't heard this one before. 466 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:57.119 This comes from Luis Lemmis. I've heard rumors of Kawhi 467 00:22:57.160 --> 00:23:00.680 getting traded to Golden State for Kamenka and picks, so 468 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:03.200 what they would do cominga for Paul George, But they're 469 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:07.640 gonna do it for Kawhi. I'd I understand the contract 470 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:10.119 situation with Kaminga and they don't want to give him 471 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:13.240 the max. He's a restricted free agent after this year, 472 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:15.599 I believe, so they can wait it out and just 473 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:18.640 match whatever team does make a run at him. 474 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:19.839 How do you feel about this one? 475 00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:24.599 Justin they're not trading Kminga. Kminga was never even on 476 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:28.640 the table for the Clippers, I can say that, and 477 00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:30.920 if they're not, I do find it kind of puzzling though, 478 00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:33.640 if he wasn't on the table in trade talks and 479 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:35.759 you're not going to give him the max contract, which 480 00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:38.400 to be fair, I don't think Kminga deserves a MAX 481 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:40.599 contract either, But if you're not going to give him 482 00:23:40.599 --> 00:23:43.400 the max contract and you're not gonna trade him, I 483 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:46.359 kind of don't know what they're what Golden State's pivot 484 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:49.359 to that is. But that's also not the Clippers problem, 485 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:50.839 so they don't have to worry about that. 486 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:53.279 Wait it out and see if another team tries to 487 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:54.920 give him the max. If they don't, then they could 488 00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:57.079 just offer him something less exactly. 489 00:23:57.079 --> 00:23:58.680 I mean, he will be a restricted free agent, so 490 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:02.359 they get to find out. I wouldn't trade Kawai for 491 00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:04.839 Cominga and picks. I don't even think it would matter 492 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:10.680 what the picks are. The trade packages are so light 493 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:17.319 these days because teams don't want to trade picks like 494 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:20.359 they used to because they are so valuable now. Yeah, 495 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:24.839 So I just I can't see that happening, And personally 496 00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:28.519 I don't think the Clippers, well, it sounds weird to 497 00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:30.559 say like they wouldn't trade them to Golden State. I 498 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:32.400 don't think they trade them to Golden State for kamina 499 00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:36.200 and picks either way, I just don't think that's something 500 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:38.960 they would do. It makes them worse and that's just 501 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.279 too big of a hill to climb. 502 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:44.519 I don't think even with his his injury history and 503 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:46.960 how frustrating it's been not having him in the playoffs 504 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:50.400 the last four seasons, overall, for the most part, I 505 00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:53.400 think Kauhai is a legacy player to the point where 506 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:57.160 he represents them becoming a destination franchise for the first time, 507 00:24:57.240 --> 00:25:00.240 regardless of how things went in the two and three era. 508 00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:03.400 Justin this is someone that is a symbol of how 509 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:06.759 far the Clippers have come, and to me, it makes 510 00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:10.200 any trade talks around him almost a non starter. Is 511 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:12.079 that crazy or you're shaking your head? 512 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:12.680 Do you agree with that? 513 00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:20.559 I wrote before free agency that the relationship between Kawhi 514 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:25.279 and the Clippers organization front office is very much like 515 00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:27.039 on the best terms that they can be at this 516 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:31.599 point from what I've heard, so they're basically in lockstuff together. 517 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:34.599 We saw that in January obviously when he signs the 518 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:39.440 extension what he did, you know they are in LOCKSTUFP 519 00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:42.799 with each other. I don't think decisions get made without 520 00:25:42.839 --> 00:25:46.640 them telling Kawhi. Now that doesn't mean that they wouldn't 521 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:49.640 just make the decision even with telling him. I just 522 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:51.839 think like they would like you do with every superstar. 523 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:53.920 You wrote him in on it, like, hey, this is 524 00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:57.559 what's gonna happen. I think you're right. I think Kawhi 525 00:25:57.640 --> 00:25:59.240 is a legacy player at this point. I think he 526 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:03.640 does represent, you know, their greatest free agent signing in history. 527 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:07.160 You know how many teams in history have ever said 528 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:12.279 that the reigning finals MVP sign with their team in 529 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:14.640 free agency right right then and there, and they get 530 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:17.839 to say that, and whether or not it works out 531 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:21.599 in the end, it remains to be seen. But he's 532 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:25.160 their guy. He likes it there. I don't see that changing. 533 00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:30.440 I understand people are gonna see what Yeah, I understand 534 00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:33.559 people saying, but what about Blake Griffin. Well, I think 535 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:36.920 it was a different situation because he was drafted by 536 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:40.160 the Clippers, and I don't think they could have that 537 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:43.279 happen again in a similar fashion and then be able 538 00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:45.720 to convince the next crop of free agents to come 539 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:48.400 play here. So there's even less of a chance that 540 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:51.519 they would ever try that again. And at the time, look, 541 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:54.319 they he still got paid more because he re signed 542 00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:56.599 with the Clippers, they could pay him more than anyone 543 00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:59.200 else did Blake Griffin at that time and still got 544 00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:02.680 all that money. And unfortunately the Clippers saw early on 545 00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:04.920 in that first season on the new contract that he 546 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:07.680 wasn't going to be able to last, and his health 547 00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:10.519 deteriorated quickly. We got a lot of questions coming in here, guys. 548 00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:13.039 For Justin Russau, I love this. Thanks to everybody for. 549 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:13.799 Getting in here. 550 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:16.880 Here's an interesting CBA one because you touched upon this 551 00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:20.200 a second ago. Justin Jonathan Ing says, outlook on the league, 552 00:27:20.200 --> 00:27:22.839 how hard is the new CBA to do trades even 553 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:26.480 if the Clippers are under the second apron when targets 554 00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:29.279 or what targets they may want to pursue happen to 555 00:27:29.319 --> 00:27:32.039 be on a second apron team as an example? 556 00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:34.119 Does that make sense to you? By the way they're 557 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:35.119 under the first apron? 558 00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:38.920 It does make sense. Basically. I believe he can correct 559 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:41.200 me if I'm wrong. I believe he's asking how does 560 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:42.680 it like? How hard is it for the Clippers to 561 00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:47.039 do trades right now? With teams who are basically a 562 00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:49.839 second apron team For the Clippers specifically, it's not that hard. 563 00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:52.599 They can pretty much take back whatever they need to 564 00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:56.839 take back money wise, based on what they send out. 565 00:27:57.160 --> 00:27:59.440 It's just I think teams are finding it very hard 566 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:03.480 to do deal and you won't see large deals at 567 00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:07.079 least for a little while, just because teams are trying 568 00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:09.119 to navigate the apron. But they also have a while 569 00:28:09.160 --> 00:28:11.200 to get under where they need to get to. Any 570 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:14.000 trades that I think happen will happen closer to the 571 00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:16.720 trade deadline, just because by then teams will have like 572 00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:20.599 an idea of where they are standing wise and money wise. 573 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:25.519 It is a rather fascinating subplot to like, not just 574 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:28.079 the Clippers, but the NBA in general, that I think 575 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:30.079 teams want to make a lot of moves, but a 576 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:32.799 lot of moves are being held up because teams just 577 00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:35.279 do not want to be over the second apron. Like 578 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:36.720 I said, a lot of teams don't even want to 579 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:39.799 be over the first apron, so you know, it's kind 580 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:43.480 of a you hat a wait and see approach. The Clippers, 581 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:47.319 I can say they while they are into the luxury 582 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:52.400 tax I've been told to some degree that then getting 583 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:55.240 under the luxury tax isn't like an end goal for them, 584 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:58.240 Like they're not worried about that. It's pretty much just 585 00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:02.720 an apron thing for them, specifically from a roster building standpoint. 586 00:29:02.839 --> 00:29:07.279 So any move that the Clippers make, I think they're 587 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:09.000 going to do it to where they don't go over 588 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:12.160 an apron, even the first apron, they'll try to just 589 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:15.039 keep it to where if we're in the luxury tax, fine, 590 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:17.759 If we're over an apron, that's not fine. 591 00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:21.400 Justin Rousseau is our guest here on Clippers Talk. We 592 00:29:21.480 --> 00:29:23.440 got a live for you as I sort through some 593 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:25.599 of these questions. Oh, the guy who asks about that 594 00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:28.559 trade to Golden State says it hasn't worked in five years. Bro, 595 00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:33.400 cool story, Bro. What's the solution for the Kawhi Leonard 596 00:29:33.559 --> 00:29:37.119 issue with the injury stuff? To even think a team's 597 00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:39.799 going to offer multiple first round picks for him right now, 598 00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:43.720 I think is unrealistic. I've never heard that Golden State report. 599 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:47.119 I don't buy it. The Coamingus stuff isn't happening at 600 00:29:47.160 --> 00:29:50.440 this point. So it's one thing to just complain and 601 00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:52.720 be upset and be frustrated. And I understand it to 602 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:56.240 a degree, but you also have to be solutions based 603 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:59.480 and be a solution driven of what you can actually do. 604 00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:02.000 That's with in the realm of possibility. In my opinion, 605 00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:03.400 to be fair. 606 00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:05.079 I understand why a lot of fans are frustrated. I 607 00:30:05.079 --> 00:30:08.599 get it, Yeah, I really do. Like I'm not gonna 608 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:10.400 I'm not gonna say like they were sold a false 609 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:14.279 bill of goods or whatever, but like, I think it 610 00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:18.599 was mentally torturing too for the fan base to get 611 00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:22.000 their hopes up, especially that bubble season that was like 612 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:25.960 I think that was the first step, and then twenty 613 00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:28.720 twenty one Conference finals around when Kawhi goes down, it's 614 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:31.960 just like how much more can we take? And then 615 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:35.720 it was a lost season, then basically another lost season 616 00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:38.759 because Pg's out, and then Kawhi gets hurt, and then 617 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:42.400 this past season it's like, you know, it's a lot, 618 00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:45.559 it's it's it's a lot of mental anguish and kind 619 00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:47.920 of getting over it, and a lot of people can't 620 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:50.160 do it. I don't blame them. I don't blame people 621 00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:53.599 who are just very frustrated because I think for fans, 622 00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:56.279 you are allowed to be frustrated, be. 623 00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:58.599 As frustrated as you want, fan, however you want. 624 00:30:58.839 --> 00:31:02.000 All I'm saying is, at the end of the day, 625 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:04.920 I don't think they're trading why. He's a legacy player, 626 00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:06.759 and I don't know what you would get from him 627 00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:09.839 at this point on that contract given his injury history. 628 00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:13.079 So I understand sometimes it's a good time to vent 629 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:16.839 and Clipper Nation has been through a ton. But I'm 630 00:31:16.920 --> 00:31:20.240 looking for some answers here and not just lashing out. 631 00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:24.000 We'll take all your questions here with Justin Russ. 632 00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:26.359 I see a good one that's actually interesting for me. 633 00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:29.440 Which one do you want from old dirty Dasher? How 634 00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:33.240 does the loads retirement impact NBA Twitter and NBA journalism. 635 00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:35.240 I actually really do find this to be an interesting question. 636 00:31:35.559 --> 00:31:39.000 Get it cause someone actually did ask me this yesterday. 637 00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:41.759 A friend of mine text me and basically was like, Hey, 638 00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:43.720 did you see the Los news. I'm like, yeah, like 639 00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:49.240 it was. It was crazy, like it's speaking on it, 640 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:53.200 Like I never thought I would see that, to be 641 00:31:53.240 --> 00:31:56.440 perfectly honest, like I never thought you would see the 642 00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:59.640 not just the top newsbreaker, but a guy at the 643 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:05.440 level of what Woj was like that is essentially the 644 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:10.240 King Kong of NBA. You know, reporters, journalists, you name 645 00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:10.880 it like. 646 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:13.960 You ain't got nothing on wog didn't have it. 647 00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:17.400 For a while. But also I kind of respect the 648 00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:19.559 fact that he, you know, if the report is true, 649 00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:22.160 my friend told me that he turned down like twenty 650 00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:25.599 million dollars over three years, and if that's true, all 651 00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:28.400 respect to him for that. If you go walk away, 652 00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:30.200 if you go walk away from that to find peace 653 00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:33.799 of mind, amazing. But for the question, I think it 654 00:32:33.880 --> 00:32:39.359 impacts it greatly, I really do. I think it takes 655 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:42.319 a lot away, it leaves. It leaves a void obviously 656 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:45.279 that I think people are going to try to fill. 657 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:50.119 Obviously the top two or Shams and Chris Haynes, but 658 00:32:50.519 --> 00:32:52.000 I do think that people are going to try to 659 00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:58.920 fill the void, and I could see it going poorly. 660 00:32:59.160 --> 00:33:02.359 But my one whole is that I hope a lot 661 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:07.519 of the the news breaking responsibility falls back to beat 662 00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:11.160 writers in general, because they are with the teams the 663 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:13.839 most of anybody, and I would like to see beat 664 00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:18.839 writers just across the NBA sphere get more stories to report, 665 00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:22.240 like more news to break, because they are they do 666 00:33:22.359 --> 00:33:24.640 know the teams, and they know the personnel, and they 667 00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:27.440 have the human interactions. Not to say that you know, 668 00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:30.759 Shams and Haynes and Woes don't or didn't, but like, 669 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:33.079 you know, like I would like to see that be 670 00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:35.759 the end result. Now, will that happen? Probably not, because 671 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:36.920 you know. 672 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:41.640 It takes teams cooperating with their beat writers. That's it 673 00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:43.400 have to be working in unison. 674 00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:46.160 It does, and we'll see. 675 00:33:46.359 --> 00:33:48.920 I think Shams is going to be able to fill 676 00:33:48.920 --> 00:33:52.519 the void and he'll get the bag. But I think 677 00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:55.799 it's real that WoDES turned down a huge amount of 678 00:33:55.799 --> 00:33:59.799 money because as good as Shams has been and there's 679 00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:04.119 been competition there overall, WOJ is still the clear cut goat. 680 00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:07.160 He's been doing this longer, he has been just as 681 00:34:07.160 --> 00:34:09.599 good as ever. He never lost a step. He's in 682 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:12.480 his prime currently. I think it's the coolest thing in 683 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:15.800 the world that he's doing something for himself because the 684 00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:19.559 breaking news game is one of the more difficult games 685 00:34:19.639 --> 00:34:24.519 out there and often a thankless profession because you really 686 00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:26.519 only get you know, I get, I know, there's Wilje 687 00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:29.440 bombs and stuff like that, but you get anything wrong 688 00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:31.920 or get beat by the other guy to a story, 689 00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:35.440 and you never hear the end of it. So congratulations 690 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:38.639 Adrian ro Trowski following his dreams out there. 691 00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:41.239 Uh see, I see shark in the box that Chris 692 00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:43.119 Haynes is a show, a show for the players. That's 693 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:46.599 what I'll say. Everyone in the news breaking game, like 694 00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:48.079 the top of the line news breaking game, is a 695 00:34:48.119 --> 00:34:51.760 show for somebody. I'm like, I've done it. Other beat 696 00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:53.960 writers are don't like not to say shilling like a 697 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:56.599 negative context, Like you are getting it from somewhere. Someone 698 00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:58.719 has to give you the story and you report it. 699 00:34:59.320 --> 00:35:02.360 And as the saying goes, there's always three sides to 700 00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:06.360 the story. Their side, my side, and what's real. And 701 00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:10.800 so you know you getting it from somebody. Haynes if 702 00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:13.039 he does get it from players, which you know sometimes 703 00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:15.760 he does. Shams gets it from agents or players or 704 00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:19.360 front office. WOJ gets it from front office or players 705 00:35:19.400 --> 00:35:21.920 or agent. Like everyone gets it from somebody. Everyone who's 706 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:25.280 giving you something has their own spin on it. Everyone 707 00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:27.320 has their own point of view on everything. 708 00:35:28.440 --> 00:35:32.400 They get this information due to their relationships with a team, 709 00:35:32.719 --> 00:35:36.159 with the player. There's always an angle to it. People 710 00:35:36.199 --> 00:35:37.960 said a lot of the time, Okay, Chris Haynes is 711 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:40.880 connected to Damian Lillard, so take it with a grain 712 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:43.840 of salt if he's saying something that sounds like it's 713 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:47.159 negative towards the Portland Trailblazers after the deal went down 714 00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:50.159 with him going to Milwaukee, Well, as kind of a 715 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:52.719 buyer beware thing, you have to be informed on that 716 00:35:52.920 --> 00:35:54.920 and you can read the tea leaves from there. It's 717 00:35:54.960 --> 00:35:58.239 not up to Chris Haynes every time to say, yes, 718 00:35:58.360 --> 00:36:01.320 I have a personal relationship with Damian Lillard. If you've 719 00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:04.400 watched the interviews, you know what it is. So it's 720 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:06.079 kind to be fair, and. 721 00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:08.000 To be fair, there's no one I trust more on 722 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:11.159 Damian Lillard anything. Yeah, Chris, that's also the other side 723 00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:13.039 of it, So I think that's great. 724 00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:17.679 I think all these guys are exceptional at what they do. 725 00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:22.800 And there's this misconception that they have microphones inside team 726 00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:25.119 offices and that's how they're breaking this news. 727 00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:26.639 No, they're getting information. 728 00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:30.880 So then you have to kind of delineate what's important 729 00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:33.880 there and read through it a little bit yourself. Uh, 730 00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:37.280 there's another Jonathan Ing says Haines just doesn't have the 731 00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:39.400 track record that Wo Woje or Shams have. 732 00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:40.920 No, he doesn't. 733 00:36:41.199 --> 00:36:43.719 But with Wolves out of the game, teams are going 734 00:36:43.760 --> 00:36:46.440 to be looking for a new guy to give information to, 735 00:36:46.679 --> 00:36:49.760 and it could end up being Haynes if it's not 736 00:36:50.199 --> 00:36:54.480 sham Sharania. We did have a comment in here I 737 00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:59.559 wanted to address which one was it. Oh, this is interesting. 738 00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:04.079 J Bows eighty four said, I'm all in on bringing 739 00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:07.639 SGA back when he's a free agent, as if you 740 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:10.320 were the one, my friend. Everyone here agrees that if 741 00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:13.480 they could do that, they would great. Just stay competitive 742 00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:18.440 and flexible until then. The problem is in twenty twenty six, Okase, 743 00:37:18.480 --> 00:37:21.519 he's still gonna have a lot of picks and flexibility themselves, 744 00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:24.159 and they may have won a championship by then. Now 745 00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:26.719 I'm under the belief justin that if they do win 746 00:37:26.760 --> 00:37:29.880 a championship, it actually gives the Clippers a better chance 747 00:37:29.880 --> 00:37:32.639 of getting SGA back, because then he would have fulfilled 748 00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:34.719 his part of the bargain when they trade for him 749 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:38.199 in the first place. Just like Lebron and Cleveland, he 750 00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:40.679 could leave after they brought him a championship and not 751 00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:43.119 be ridiculed, and whenever he comes back they give him 752 00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:43.760 a standing ovation. 753 00:37:43.880 --> 00:37:45.119 There's nothing to complain about. 754 00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:47.199 I think it would be the same way with SGA, 755 00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:49.199 like he would have all the freedom he wanted if 756 00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:51.199 they win a championship in the next two years, which 757 00:37:51.239 --> 00:37:52.400 is very possible. 758 00:37:53.199 --> 00:37:56.719 Yeah, I look, every team with Caspace in twenty twenty 759 00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:58.840 six is gonna be looking at SGA. Every team with 760 00:37:58.880 --> 00:38:01.199 Caspace in twenty twenty six gonna be looking at Luka Doncic. 761 00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:04.639 Just how it goes, the Clippers will, other teams will 762 00:38:04.840 --> 00:38:08.400 just depends on you know, what deals they may or 763 00:38:08.440 --> 00:38:14.440 may not sign leading up to that. I Clipper related, 764 00:38:14.639 --> 00:38:18.400 I think that is not maybe their number one target, 765 00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:22.119 but I think it is like on the list of 766 00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:25.880 maybe number two or maybe number three, which is all 767 00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:28.599 in at twenty twenty six free agency. Just get someone 768 00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:32.400 and just kind of keep it going, because I think 769 00:38:32.440 --> 00:38:36.960 we have to realize and rationalize that the Clippers are 770 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:39.119 not a like as where as it sounds, the Clippers 771 00:38:39.119 --> 00:38:42.519 are not a losing organization. For the last thirteen years. 772 00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:46.320 Thirteen years, yeah, it sounds about right. Thirteen Yeah, they've 773 00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:49.760 had winning seasons and while yes, that hasn't led to 774 00:38:49.800 --> 00:38:52.679 a title, they're still a winning organization at this point. 775 00:38:52.679 --> 00:38:55.000 They put in the infrastructure to be a winning organization. 776 00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:58.519 They're hiring people that have that come from winning organizations 777 00:38:58.840 --> 00:39:02.599 or have one thing in their career. They have an 778 00:39:02.599 --> 00:39:06.159 owner who will spend money, obviously to a certain degree 779 00:39:06.440 --> 00:39:08.519 based on the luxury tax penalties, which is why they 780 00:39:08.679 --> 00:39:11.800 worked a little bit to get under a certain threshold there. 781 00:39:12.280 --> 00:39:14.599 But you know, you get to look at it as 782 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:18.159 they want to be in the market for great players, 783 00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:23.159 and I think Shay obviously fits that. He was very 784 00:39:23.159 --> 00:39:26.679 good his one season with the Clippers. They did not 785 00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:31.239 want to trade him, obviously, but you got to give 786 00:39:31.280 --> 00:39:32.199 something to get something. 787 00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:35.360 And when I look at twenty twenty six and the 788 00:39:35.400 --> 00:39:37.159 guys who are available justin. 789 00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:40.519 It makes me think. 790 00:39:41.800 --> 00:39:44.719 How perfectly things lined up for the Clippers to even 791 00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:48.519 have that opportunity to bring in Kawhi and Paul George 792 00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:50.920 at the same time, and just how rare something like 793 00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:54.639 that comes about, because twenty twenty six doesn't. 794 00:39:54.280 --> 00:39:57.679 Seem that likely at this point. It could change, but. 795 00:39:57.719 --> 00:40:00.920 Right now you mentioned every team's gonna be going, including 796 00:40:01.000 --> 00:40:04.800 two good organizations. They're already with retaining them. They could 797 00:40:04.800 --> 00:40:10.039 sign extensions before that even but what happened in twenty 798 00:40:10.119 --> 00:40:14.559 nineteen rarely comes along, and you kind of had to 799 00:40:14.639 --> 00:40:17.320 do that looking back, like, how do you how could 800 00:40:17.360 --> 00:40:20.360 you not do that at that time when you look 801 00:40:20.400 --> 00:40:23.880 ahead at the opportunities or lack thereof that are down 802 00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:25.000 the pike. 803 00:40:25.159 --> 00:40:27.880 Like, it's just it's so rare and the Clippers had 804 00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:31.519 to strike. So it didn't work out. It sucks, it's frustrating, 805 00:40:31.559 --> 00:40:32.760 But I. 806 00:40:32.639 --> 00:40:34.800 Think it was good process, is what I'm saying. 807 00:40:35.199 --> 00:40:35.599 Very good. 808 00:40:36.400 --> 00:40:39.920 I think the process was good. Everything after that. Obviously 809 00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:42.719 it just didn't work out, but the process was fine, 810 00:40:44.400 --> 00:40:48.440 and they shouldn't get crap for that. Essentially, like, if 811 00:40:48.440 --> 00:40:52.079 you asked thirty NBA teams, all thirty NBA teams, would 812 00:40:52.119 --> 00:40:54.079 you sign Kawhi Leonard in free agency and trade for 813 00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:57.480 Paul Georgian twenty nineteen, I'm pretty sure thirty NBA teams 814 00:40:57.519 --> 00:40:59.880 would have said yes. If given the option, they would 815 00:40:59.880 --> 00:41:04.639 have done it. The other thing I will say, and 816 00:41:05.320 --> 00:41:07.199 I want to shout out Keith Smith. So people who've 817 00:41:07.199 --> 00:41:09.480 followed Keith Smith and know who Keith Smith is. Keith 818 00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:12.159 Smith has a very funny meme that he always posts 819 00:41:12.719 --> 00:41:14.840 whenever he posts about because he's a cap guy for 820 00:41:14.960 --> 00:41:19.159 spow track, Whenever he posts about how much cap space 821 00:41:19.239 --> 00:41:21.800 each team in the NBA has, he always posts a 822 00:41:21.800 --> 00:41:25.360 meme that said, as a reminder, cap space is not 823 00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:29.119 just for signing free agents. It's also for trading for players. 824 00:41:29.679 --> 00:41:31.400 So I would keep that in mind as well for 825 00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:33.320 the Clippers that if there is a star or a 826 00:41:33.360 --> 00:41:36.920 star level type player who wants out of their current situation, 827 00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:40.199 twenty twenty six, the Clippers, based on projections, would have 828 00:41:40.239 --> 00:41:43.159 seventy eight million dollars in cap space, or maybe it's 829 00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:47.159 like seventy five million accounting for cap holds or roster charges. 830 00:41:47.199 --> 00:41:51.320 Excuse me that they could just give to free agents 831 00:41:51.440 --> 00:41:55.559 or take players and trades. So there's always the possibility 832 00:41:55.559 --> 00:41:58.559 of that, and this gives them two years to identify, 833 00:41:59.679 --> 00:42:03.920 as aug thing says, discruntled stars or even just players 834 00:42:03.920 --> 00:42:06.880 that are just looking for, you know, a change of venue, 835 00:42:06.960 --> 00:42:11.599 whether it's role player level guys or anyone among that. Ilk. 836 00:42:12.239 --> 00:42:15.199 When you talk about the Clippers having a winning season 837 00:42:15.280 --> 00:42:18.639 for thirteen straight years, longest current streak in the NBA, 838 00:42:18.679 --> 00:42:21.199 San Antonio had it over twenty for a while before 839 00:42:21.239 --> 00:42:23.599 they missed the playoffs and now losing record a few 840 00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:26.920 years back. To me, what I see this organization in 841 00:42:26.960 --> 00:42:30.880 front off as doing is stay competitive, stay competitive, refine, 842 00:42:30.960 --> 00:42:34.360 refine the roster and be opportunistic, and it's a hard 843 00:42:34.360 --> 00:42:37.239 thing to balance, but that, to me is what it is, 844 00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:41.159 staying competitive while having flexibility. It's not easy to do, 845 00:42:41.360 --> 00:42:44.119 but right now they do have some of that when 846 00:42:44.119 --> 00:42:46.639 it comes to the biggest croper free agents in twenty 847 00:42:46.679 --> 00:42:48.920 twenty six and how things line up for the Clippers, 848 00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:51.440 so there's something to be encouraged by. Here's a question 849 00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:54.960 for you, justin Andy eighty one twenty nine to three asks, 850 00:42:55.119 --> 00:42:58.239 is Jimmy Butler someone you could see being targeted? A 851 00:42:58.280 --> 00:43:01.280 playoff performer who isn't happy with this current situation. I'd 852 00:43:01.280 --> 00:43:03.760 take a year or two of Jimmy until we get 853 00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:05.360 to the twenty twenty six offseason. 854 00:43:06.199 --> 00:43:10.719 Who wouldn't I could see them being interested. The only 855 00:43:10.960 --> 00:43:15.400 problem with Jimmy is not this coming season, but next season. 856 00:43:15.400 --> 00:43:18.119 He has a player option for just over fifty two million, 857 00:43:18.119 --> 00:43:22.039 I believe, so that could be a thing. However, I 858 00:43:22.039 --> 00:43:25.039 will also say this, the Clippers don't want money on 859 00:43:25.039 --> 00:43:29.000 the books beyond three years from now, so he fits 860 00:43:29.239 --> 00:43:32.280 in from that standpoint, but also boils down to what 861 00:43:32.280 --> 00:43:34.679 would you trade to get him and what would Miami 862 00:43:34.760 --> 00:43:38.119 accept in exchange for him. There's no way of knowing 863 00:43:39.800 --> 00:43:41.599 Miami would have to be convinced that he's going to 864 00:43:41.639 --> 00:43:44.559 turn down fifty two million dollars when he's so I 865 00:43:44.599 --> 00:43:47.639 want to say, like thirty five, thirty six going to 866 00:43:47.679 --> 00:43:50.360 that year, So they would have to be convinced he's 867 00:43:50.360 --> 00:43:53.119 turned down fifty two million dollars in leaving. Maybe he does. 868 00:43:53.480 --> 00:43:57.559 We've seen crazier stuff in the world happen, so maybe 869 00:43:57.639 --> 00:43:59.320 maybe that's what his decision is gonna end up being. 870 00:43:59.360 --> 00:44:00.960 They decide to trade him at the All Star break 871 00:44:01.000 --> 00:44:05.000 if things aren't going well, but who knows. I wouldn't 872 00:44:05.199 --> 00:44:09.039 write off Jimmy Butler being someone they could target if 873 00:44:09.039 --> 00:44:11.920 the price is within a range that they're willing to 874 00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:14.599 accept where they don't have to give up anything too 875 00:44:14.639 --> 00:44:19.480 far down the line or too much player wise or 876 00:44:19.800 --> 00:44:22.719 what have you. So and I will say that Jimmy 877 00:44:22.760 --> 00:44:26.440 Butler was a top their list that twenty nineteen summer, 878 00:44:26.559 --> 00:44:29.480 So it is that's what you got to go off of. 879 00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:33.840 Yeah, it seemed like kaw I likes him and. 880 00:44:33.800 --> 00:44:38.000 Go there was a and Andy also asked another question earlier. 881 00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:40.360 He said, are the Clippers holding up the Terrence Man 882 00:44:40.400 --> 00:44:41.199 extension talks? 883 00:44:41.360 --> 00:44:41.840 I got it. 884 00:44:41.960 --> 00:44:44.880 Yeah, in case the need to include him in a 885 00:44:44.920 --> 00:44:48.000 trade scenario, or do you think it's strictly a contract issue. 886 00:44:48.079 --> 00:44:52.280 So last season, at media Day literally a year ago, 887 00:44:53.239 --> 00:44:58.320 I actually asked Terrence publicly if he because he was 888 00:44:58.360 --> 00:45:01.079 extension eligible, then if he and the team have had 889 00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:05.360 any extension negotiations. He said no. I said, you know, 890 00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:08.559 is an extension something that you would look to sign? 891 00:45:08.599 --> 00:45:12.400 He said yeah, he said, I like it here they 892 00:45:12.400 --> 00:45:15.000 did not have talks during last season. I know that 893 00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:16.760 for I know that I can report that they did 894 00:45:16.800 --> 00:45:20.360 not have talks that season. Both sides decided not to 895 00:45:20.920 --> 00:45:25.079 because Terrence could kind of end up seeing what the 896 00:45:25.119 --> 00:45:28.760 market would be a year down the line, both extension wise, 897 00:45:28.760 --> 00:45:30.920 and obviously a new CBA came into effect as well, 898 00:45:31.199 --> 00:45:34.199 So you gotta judge that from there, the Clippers didn't 899 00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:37.159 want to take you know, they didn't want to end 900 00:45:37.199 --> 00:45:40.599 up paying someone that they then couldn't trade if they 901 00:45:40.599 --> 00:45:45.360 didn't need to. But basically, I think the two sides 902 00:45:45.440 --> 00:45:49.039 right now are most likely trying to figure out what 903 00:45:49.119 --> 00:45:52.079 the price point is. Zeus price point essentially came out 904 00:45:52.079 --> 00:45:55.159 at twenty million dollars a year or thereabouts. I believe 905 00:45:55.239 --> 00:45:56.920 right it was like it was like three sixty or 906 00:45:56.960 --> 00:46:00.320 something like that, or too sit, whatever it was. Terrence 907 00:46:00.360 --> 00:46:04.400 will probably get around that so and it wouldn't shock me. 908 00:46:04.440 --> 00:46:07.400 I think people also need to I'm not saying anyone 909 00:46:07.440 --> 00:46:12.719 here hasn't, but I like the NBA consuming public needs 910 00:46:12.760 --> 00:46:16.760 to alter how they view contracts now. I don't think 911 00:46:16.800 --> 00:46:18.599 we can look at money anymore. I think we have 912 00:46:18.639 --> 00:46:23.159 to look at percentages. So like the Zoo extension I 913 00:46:23.159 --> 00:46:26.960 think was like eleven percent of the cap for each 914 00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:32.039 season going forward, which now twenty million dollars for a center. 915 00:46:32.639 --> 00:46:34.840 It's it's our eye, it's not bad. But then like 916 00:46:34.880 --> 00:46:36.519 if you look at it, like eleven percent of the 917 00:46:36.519 --> 00:46:39.920 cap for your starting center more than acceptable, you'll you'll 918 00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:42.800 gladly do that. And I think in Terrence's case, if 919 00:46:42.840 --> 00:46:46.039 Terrence got eleven percent of the cap, I kind of 920 00:46:46.039 --> 00:46:49.039 think the Clippers are okay with that because he is 921 00:46:49.079 --> 00:46:51.440 a good role player. He does embody what they like 922 00:46:51.480 --> 00:46:54.000 in players. He's a tough guy, he's been there from 923 00:46:54.079 --> 00:46:58.079 day one. He is the second longest tenured Clipper behind Zoo. 924 00:46:58.559 --> 00:47:01.000 Then it's a mere coffee, which hilarious to think about 925 00:47:01.000 --> 00:47:04.440 that those are the three longest tenure Clippers, so they 926 00:47:04.599 --> 00:47:07.039 like him, he likes it. There remains to be seen, 927 00:47:07.119 --> 00:47:08.880 but I wouldn't rule anything out. 928 00:47:08.880 --> 00:47:09.199 I don't. 929 00:47:09.239 --> 00:47:11.599 I don't think it's crazy to think that he doesn't 930 00:47:11.599 --> 00:47:15.119 have an extension for simply they haven't come to an 931 00:47:15.119 --> 00:47:16.559 agreement on a number, simple as that. 932 00:47:17.079 --> 00:47:19.960 And he could be betting on himself this season that 933 00:47:20.360 --> 00:47:24.320 he outplays whatever contract maybe floating from the Clipper's side 934 00:47:24.360 --> 00:47:27.039 right now, and they have to offer him more, which 935 00:47:27.079 --> 00:47:29.280 big ups to Terence Man if he pulls it off. 936 00:47:29.360 --> 00:47:32.119 Greg said, I saw people asking about certain players on 937 00:47:32.119 --> 00:47:34.760 the Toimerazarly stream. I'm wondering if a guy like Kyle 938 00:47:34.880 --> 00:47:37.360 Kuzma would be a good fit, which ties into a 939 00:47:37.440 --> 00:47:39.800 question somebody else asked about Kyle Kuzma, how do you 940 00:47:39.800 --> 00:47:44.559 feel about him and playing still with the Washington and 941 00:47:44.559 --> 00:47:47.039 our old friend Michael Winger now the president of basketball 942 00:47:47.079 --> 00:47:47.920 operations there. 943 00:47:48.639 --> 00:47:51.599 So the positives to Kuzma are He's been in the 944 00:47:51.679 --> 00:47:53.400 NBA for a while, so he knows the grind, he 945 00:47:53.440 --> 00:47:54.760 knows what it takes, he knows what it takes to 946 00:47:54.800 --> 00:47:59.440 win a title. Done that, his deal also runs through 947 00:47:59.480 --> 00:48:02.920 when Kawai deal would run through, So timeline wise, that 948 00:48:02.960 --> 00:48:07.440 fits I don't know if he's what they're looking for, 949 00:48:07.480 --> 00:48:09.880 though I know he's a really good rebounder Amarashins. I 950 00:48:09.960 --> 00:48:13.280 know he is a very good rebounder, solid shot maker, 951 00:48:13.880 --> 00:48:17.320 good off the good, get into the rim. But I 952 00:48:17.360 --> 00:48:19.639 don't know if he fits kind of the mold of 953 00:48:19.679 --> 00:48:26.159 what they're looking for. But that's just me saying now. 954 00:48:26.400 --> 00:48:28.960 They might think he's that type of guy, but I 955 00:48:29.000 --> 00:48:31.960 also don't know kind of how they feel. In general. 956 00:48:32.000 --> 00:48:33.320 I just don't think he's the type of guy they 957 00:48:33.360 --> 00:48:35.599 would look at. But that doesn't mean he's not someone 958 00:48:35.599 --> 00:48:39.000 that could, you know, get on a I won't say 959 00:48:39.039 --> 00:48:41.840 relatively cheap deal because his contract is what it is, 960 00:48:41.880 --> 00:48:44.800 but they might not have to trade too much for 961 00:48:44.880 --> 00:48:45.519 him as. 962 00:48:45.400 --> 00:48:49.599 That wise, Yeah, for a team that is in a 963 00:48:49.679 --> 00:48:53.159 perpetual rebuild right now, but it's relatively in a new 964 00:48:53.239 --> 00:48:56.159 era under a new front office administration. 965 00:48:56.280 --> 00:48:56.800 You could say. 966 00:48:56.880 --> 00:49:00.360 Kyle Kuzma is still twenty eight years old, he's just 967 00:49:00.519 --> 00:49:01.519 entering his prime. 968 00:49:01.840 --> 00:49:02.639 I like him. 969 00:49:02.960 --> 00:49:05.559 He still is only a thirty three percent career three 970 00:49:05.599 --> 00:49:09.840 point shooter, but he's somebody that could very easily average 971 00:49:09.880 --> 00:49:12.400 twenty points per game, and he does have a very 972 00:49:12.480 --> 00:49:17.119 high two point percentage. So defensively, I always thought, actually 973 00:49:17.199 --> 00:49:19.559 he was one of the lakers better defenders against Kawhi 974 00:49:19.639 --> 00:49:21.920 Leonard when they used to match up with the with 975 00:49:22.000 --> 00:49:24.159 the Lakers, and he has. 976 00:49:23.639 --> 00:49:26.400 A lot better defending as a fours, that's the thing 977 00:49:26.440 --> 00:49:26.800 for him. 978 00:49:27.079 --> 00:49:29.400 Yeah, he has a lot more ability, I think on 979 00:49:29.400 --> 00:49:32.159 that end, and a lot of people would realize Kyle 980 00:49:32.239 --> 00:49:35.159 Kus has probably become on the underrated side. 981 00:49:35.280 --> 00:49:37.760 Honestly at this point. 982 00:49:37.840 --> 00:49:39.679 I would say that too. I think, you know, it's funny. 983 00:49:39.679 --> 00:49:41.440 I think that happens to a lot of players who 984 00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:47.480 get traded Washington. Well, yeah, but get traded kind of 985 00:49:47.480 --> 00:49:50.119 fade away to anonymity somewhere in the league and you 986 00:49:50.119 --> 00:49:53.199 don't see them a lot on national TV or what 987 00:49:53.360 --> 00:49:55.400 have you. I kind of think we just as a 988 00:49:55.440 --> 00:49:59.559 basketball public, just like we take them for granted and 989 00:49:59.639 --> 00:50:02.360 kind of don't pay enough attention to those guys, which 990 00:50:02.440 --> 00:50:04.559 is fair considering the TV deal and who comes on 991 00:50:04.639 --> 00:50:05.199 that to the TV. 992 00:50:05.760 --> 00:50:08.599 No, but that's how you can find some value though, too, 993 00:50:08.639 --> 00:50:10.719 where you can find some steals and go. 994 00:50:10.679 --> 00:50:11.800 Oh, I forgot how good. 995 00:50:12.000 --> 00:50:15.280 Drew Holliday had that to an extent in New Orleans. 996 00:50:15.320 --> 00:50:17.880 He goes to Milwaukee. He's on a bigger stage, He's 997 00:50:17.920 --> 00:50:20.440 in the NBA Finals, and people start to realize he's 998 00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:23.039 one of the most valuable role players in the NBA 999 00:50:23.119 --> 00:50:25.800 and one of the best defenders in the NBA. Jonathan 1000 00:50:25.880 --> 00:50:28.360 Ing wants to know under the old CBA, how much 1001 00:50:28.400 --> 00:50:29.840 do you think t Man would have gotten in the 1002 00:50:29.880 --> 00:50:32.440 open market. The new CBA shafted the middle class of 1003 00:50:32.480 --> 00:50:34.360 players by capy their contract ceiling. 1004 00:50:35.880 --> 00:50:39.000 That's a good question. I don't know the exact I 1005 00:50:39.000 --> 00:50:41.239 wouldn't be able to pinpoint like a dollar amount, but 1006 00:50:42.440 --> 00:50:47.079 I think for a guy like Terrence, I don't know 1007 00:50:47.079 --> 00:50:49.400 how affected he will have been from this new CBA. 1008 00:50:50.280 --> 00:50:55.079 I don't know. It's really tough to say. I do 1009 00:50:55.480 --> 00:50:59.679 to a degree agree that the middle class did get 1010 00:50:59.719 --> 00:51:03.320 shafted to this one. I I just think it's it's 1011 00:51:03.320 --> 00:51:07.599 tough for a lot of guys, and yeah, maybe he 1012 00:51:07.679 --> 00:51:09.440 did get shafted a little bit. I just don't know 1013 00:51:09.519 --> 00:51:11.440 to the degree. And I don't know what he would 1014 00:51:11.440 --> 00:51:13.800 have gotten the last CBA. Maybe he gets the same 1015 00:51:13.880 --> 00:51:17.000 percentage wise as he as he will end up getting 1016 00:51:18.360 --> 00:51:21.320 this year. What's interesting is the guy that I will 1017 00:51:21.320 --> 00:51:26.119 say I think got shafted to a large degree based 1018 00:51:26.119 --> 00:51:30.119 on the CBA turnover was Denny Obdia. I think Denny 1019 00:51:30.159 --> 00:51:32.679 got a little bit kind of shafted because he was 1020 00:51:32.719 --> 00:51:35.519 good two years ago and then he signed that extension 1021 00:51:36.320 --> 00:51:39.079 and then the new CBA came. I think if he 1022 00:51:39.280 --> 00:51:41.719 I believe that was the timeline, I think he would 1023 00:51:41.719 --> 00:51:45.280 have been able to kind of cash in a little 1024 00:51:45.280 --> 00:51:49.440 bit more than he did with Washington before he got traded. 1025 00:51:50.360 --> 00:51:51.679 Hey, you no bird in the hand? 1026 00:51:52.320 --> 00:51:55.960 Frankie boy nine wants to know justin why are almost 1027 00:51:56.000 --> 00:51:59.119 all the sports news outlets thinking Paul George will be 1028 00:51:59.119 --> 00:52:02.719 better in Philadela if Joelle is injury prone too. 1029 00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:05.599 That's interestingly phrased. 1030 00:52:06.039 --> 00:52:09.000 They're saying that situation could go better than the Clippers 1031 00:52:09.039 --> 00:52:11.119 even though they have another star next to him that's 1032 00:52:11.159 --> 00:52:12.719 also injury prone, like Kawhi's. 1033 00:52:12.760 --> 00:52:13.840 I think how you interpret it? 1034 00:52:14.639 --> 00:52:17.039 Yeah, so I'll use an analogy, and this is not 1035 00:52:17.159 --> 00:52:19.880 meant to slight the Sixers or Drawling Bead or Paul 1036 00:52:19.920 --> 00:52:23.840 George or anyone there. My dog gets a bark box 1037 00:52:23.880 --> 00:52:26.920 every month, and my dog has a million toys. He 1038 00:52:27.000 --> 00:52:29.559 loves his toys. But when a new toy comes in 1039 00:52:29.599 --> 00:52:32.000 a bark box, he loves that toy more. I don't 1040 00:52:32.039 --> 00:52:34.840 know why because it's new. And that's kind of the 1041 00:52:35.599 --> 00:52:37.840 standpoint I have on this is everyone loves the new 1042 00:52:37.880 --> 00:52:42.119 thing because it's the new thing. That's not to say 1043 00:52:42.119 --> 00:52:44.079 I won't work out in Philadelphia for Paul George or 1044 00:52:44.119 --> 00:52:46.239 the Sixers are drawing bead. I just think it's the 1045 00:52:46.280 --> 00:52:50.079 new toy thing that's taken hold, where it's a new 1046 00:52:50.119 --> 00:52:52.320 situation and everyone loves the new situation. 1047 00:52:53.639 --> 00:52:57.519 The new shiny object in the room tends to take 1048 00:52:57.840 --> 00:52:59.079 It's like the it was. 1049 00:52:59.079 --> 00:53:01.920 A family guy right the boat. The boat's a boat, 1050 00:53:01.960 --> 00:53:04.159 but the mystery box could be anything, even a boat. 1051 00:53:06.480 --> 00:53:09.880 Our h wants to know. This is a question that 1052 00:53:09.920 --> 00:53:11.800 has been answered many times on here. 1053 00:53:12.280 --> 00:53:14.079 What do you think about zach Lavine as an option 1054 00:53:14.119 --> 00:53:17.639 for the team also get get him for cheap and 1055 00:53:17.679 --> 00:53:21.880 not give up top assets. There was a rumor earlier 1056 00:53:21.960 --> 00:53:25.119 this summer that the Chicago Bulls were offering a first 1057 00:53:25.199 --> 00:53:28.360 round pick with zach Lavine just to get rid of him. 1058 00:53:28.519 --> 00:53:35.079 Justin and in that very fine state or under that context, 1059 00:53:35.159 --> 00:53:37.840 I would I would look into it. I would because 1060 00:53:37.840 --> 00:53:40.159 the Clippers don't have any first round picks. Depending on 1061 00:53:40.239 --> 00:53:42.840 if it's top ten protected or whatever it is. And 1062 00:53:42.880 --> 00:53:45.639 I'm higher on zach Lavine the most. But I think 1063 00:53:45.719 --> 00:53:49.559 the issue here is, and you elaborate on this, his 1064 00:53:49.679 --> 00:53:52.519 contract could run past the twenty twenty sixth summer. 1065 00:53:53.920 --> 00:53:58.760 Yeah, so I'm like you. I'm I like zach Lavine. 1066 00:53:59.000 --> 00:54:01.960 I think Zach Lavine is very good offensive player, and 1067 00:54:02.000 --> 00:54:03.960 I think that does matter in the NBA. I think 1068 00:54:04.559 --> 00:54:08.000 I think at times we have slanted too far defensively 1069 00:54:08.079 --> 00:54:10.480 at times, not all the time, but at times, and 1070 00:54:10.519 --> 00:54:12.760 I think what Levine has done throughout his career kind 1071 00:54:12.760 --> 00:54:15.000 of gets lost in the ship. Maybe one of the 1072 00:54:15.079 --> 00:54:18.960 underappreciated guys that we were just talking about. But yes, 1073 00:54:19.000 --> 00:54:22.920 his contract not great for a guy who missed a 1074 00:54:23.000 --> 00:54:26.079 large chunk of last season. But I wrote about Levine 1075 00:54:26.159 --> 00:54:29.039 last summer and I said, I do think there is 1076 00:54:30.280 --> 00:54:32.679 like a false sense of him being an injury prone 1077 00:54:32.760 --> 00:54:38.760 player when before this past season he had he had 1078 00:54:38.800 --> 00:54:42.880 played like eighty five percent of the games over since 1079 00:54:42.920 --> 00:54:45.440 he came back from his ACL injury. That's over like 1080 00:54:45.480 --> 00:54:48.440 five or six years, So eighty five percent of games 1081 00:54:48.440 --> 00:54:50.880 played would have been massive for a team like the 1082 00:54:50.880 --> 00:54:55.400 Clippers to get. But there's no guarantee you're getting that guy. Uh, 1083 00:54:55.559 --> 00:54:58.480 even with how great he is offensively at times, his 1084 00:54:58.559 --> 00:55:01.079 contract isn't great. But if Chicago's giving you a first 1085 00:55:01.119 --> 00:55:03.920 round pick, maybe you do it. But I will say 1086 00:55:06.000 --> 00:55:10.800 it's not something that Clippers look heavily into, mainly because 1087 00:55:10.840 --> 00:55:14.199 of the second Apron stuff. It wasn't just like Zach 1088 00:55:14.280 --> 00:55:16.360 Levine's not a guy we like. It was more or 1089 00:55:16.480 --> 00:55:19.920 less we like Zach, we don't like what it would 1090 00:55:19.920 --> 00:55:23.559 do to us if we got him. Financially. It's kind 1091 00:55:23.559 --> 00:55:26.400 of like the aspect and you know, along those lines. 1092 00:55:26.480 --> 00:55:28.519 Not to say they were going to trade for Zach 1093 00:55:28.599 --> 00:55:31.039 Levine if they if they had to, That's all I'm saying. 1094 00:55:31.079 --> 00:55:34.719 I'm just saying there were ramifications at play that kind 1095 00:55:34.800 --> 00:55:37.679 of never really made it a realistic thing for them. 1096 00:55:39.000 --> 00:55:43.000 Let's go to old Dirty Dasher worst case scenario before 1097 00:55:43.039 --> 00:55:45.480 the trade deadline, Clippers are out of the playoffs by then, 1098 00:55:45.719 --> 00:55:47.719 Is a fire Saiale possible? 1099 00:55:48.400 --> 00:55:52.440 Yes? I will say that, Yes. Is Kawhi included, Yes, 1100 00:55:52.599 --> 00:55:56.000 I just I don't think I think they would be 1101 00:55:56.119 --> 00:55:59.920 foolish if everything wasn't on the table. I don't think 1102 00:56:00.039 --> 00:56:03.880 you can go into a situation worst case scenario. They're bad, 1103 00:56:04.679 --> 00:56:07.599 they're injured, or they're just bad in general. However you 1104 00:56:07.679 --> 00:56:12.960 want to phrase bad. I don't think they can go 1105 00:56:13.119 --> 00:56:15.320 into that at the trade that and go well, we're 1106 00:56:15.320 --> 00:56:17.239 not gonna trade this guy, and we're not gonna trade 1107 00:56:17.239 --> 00:56:19.920 that guy, and we're not gonna trade that guy. Everything 1108 00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:22.239 has to be on the table, or else you're not 1109 00:56:22.639 --> 00:56:26.400 doing your due diligence to make the team better down 1110 00:56:26.440 --> 00:56:26.960 the line. 1111 00:56:28.519 --> 00:56:29.360 I think that's fair. 1112 00:56:29.840 --> 00:56:33.440 Uh, even you know James Harden, he can opt out 1113 00:56:33.480 --> 00:56:35.679 after this year anyway, so if you could get something 1114 00:56:35.679 --> 00:56:37.880 for him before that happens. Let's say his numbers are 1115 00:56:37.880 --> 00:56:40.239 really good and he has stayed healthy, but the team 1116 00:56:40.280 --> 00:56:42.400 overall doesn't have a good record, or it looks to 1117 00:56:42.400 --> 00:56:45.440 be close to contention or even a piece away, then 1118 00:56:45.480 --> 00:56:48.440 then yeah, I think you do have to make that move. 1119 00:56:48.719 --> 00:56:50.800 What about I want to say what I will say. 1120 00:56:51.239 --> 00:56:53.360 The only player guaranteed to be on the Clipper is 1121 00:56:53.360 --> 00:56:56.840 going into next summer is a bas the only guy. 1122 00:56:57.079 --> 00:56:58.599 So out of all the players you look at on 1123 00:56:58.639 --> 00:57:02.320 the roster worrying about trades and stuff, he can't be traded. 1124 00:57:02.440 --> 00:57:05.360 So don't even look there, Sorry, Zoo haters. He's got 1125 00:57:05.360 --> 00:57:08.960 the Lori marknen Like sealed deal contract. Andy eighty one 1126 00:57:09.079 --> 00:57:11.800 twenty nine to three wants to know if Lonzo Ball 1127 00:57:11.920 --> 00:57:14.079 or Ben Simmons get bought out of the last year 1128 00:57:14.079 --> 00:57:17.320 of their contract, who do you rather take a gamble on? 1129 00:57:20.039 --> 00:57:24.000 So so, LaVar has said he wants his kids playing 1130 00:57:24.000 --> 00:57:26.360 for the Cliffers. I was to stir if that was 1131 00:57:26.440 --> 00:57:29.079 ai at first, but it seems to be confirmed at 1132 00:57:29.079 --> 00:57:29.480 this point. 1133 00:57:29.920 --> 00:57:31.639 LaVar says a lot of things. I think we could 1134 00:57:31.639 --> 00:57:33.559 all agree on that. That's actually in a weird way. 1135 00:57:34.480 --> 00:57:36.360 I kind of like it, just to a certain. 1136 00:57:36.159 --> 00:57:40.159 Degree, because he's never wrong or never lost right. 1137 00:57:43.079 --> 00:57:45.719 It's rather interesting. It's an interesting question. It's because it 1138 00:57:45.760 --> 00:57:49.400 isn't either or I will go on record. I like 1139 00:57:49.440 --> 00:57:51.960 Ben Simmons. I think Ben Simmons is a really good player. 1140 00:57:52.000 --> 00:57:54.239 I think Ben Simmons has taken a lot of for 1141 00:57:54.320 --> 00:57:56.239 lack of a better phrase, a lot of shit over 1142 00:57:56.239 --> 00:57:58.960 the last couple of years, fair fair foul. I just 1143 00:57:59.280 --> 00:58:00.760 I just think he has I think he's a really 1144 00:58:00.800 --> 00:58:03.840 good player. At his peak, he was very good. I 1145 00:58:03.840 --> 00:58:07.280 think we do forget that that this was a very 1146 00:58:07.320 --> 00:58:13.840 good player. All defensive team Guy Spearhead for their offense, 1147 00:58:14.400 --> 00:58:18.079 getting joeled the ball, all sorts of good steps. Obviously, 1148 00:58:18.360 --> 00:58:21.440 back issues and what have you after that took its toll. 1149 00:58:22.440 --> 00:58:28.199 Lonzo's the interesting one. He did show good things in Chicago, 1150 00:58:28.519 --> 00:58:32.079 he really did. But I'm very wary of knee issues, 1151 00:58:32.079 --> 00:58:34.559 and I'm like with Ben, I'm wary of back issues. 1152 00:58:36.079 --> 00:58:37.559 If you're asking me to pick, I think I might 1153 00:58:37.599 --> 00:58:39.880 actually go a Lonzo because I do think there's a 1154 00:58:39.920 --> 00:58:42.639 track record of guys getting over knee injuries better than 1155 00:58:42.639 --> 00:58:43.360 back injuries. 1156 00:58:44.400 --> 00:58:45.760 That's not bad both. 1157 00:58:47.920 --> 00:58:50.559 And I guess I should mention he can shoot now, 1158 00:58:50.639 --> 00:58:53.639 so you take that. I guess he's a really good 1159 00:58:53.639 --> 00:58:55.920 defensive I can't. I can't craft Alonzo. Lonzo is a 1160 00:58:55.960 --> 00:58:58.599 very good player when he's healthy. He's just not healthy. 1161 00:58:58.639 --> 00:59:01.880 It's such a weird thing for both of them. I 1162 00:59:01.880 --> 00:59:04.199 feel like they're just lost in the stains of NBA time. 1163 00:59:04.800 --> 00:59:07.880 I miss watching both of them play, especially Lonzo ball 1164 00:59:07.960 --> 00:59:10.159 because of that passing ability. I mean, Ben Simmons was 1165 00:59:10.199 --> 00:59:12.280 a good passer too, but I saw Lonzo more here 1166 00:59:12.280 --> 00:59:15.840 at UCLA and then with the Lakers, and I was intrigued, 1167 00:59:15.960 --> 00:59:19.559 especially after he fixed his shot. That is not easy 1168 00:59:19.599 --> 00:59:19.800 to do. 1169 00:59:19.880 --> 00:59:21.000 And I kind of. I don't know. 1170 00:59:21.039 --> 00:59:27.199 I have sympathy for Levar's suns in some ways because 1171 00:59:27.199 --> 00:59:30.000 he puts such a spotlight on them, and look, he's 1172 00:59:30.039 --> 00:59:32.679 a good dad. He loves his sons. They got into 1173 00:59:32.679 --> 00:59:35.760 the NBA and all that. But there was so much 1174 00:59:36.440 --> 00:59:39.000 hype coming in because of him, and then Pat Bed 1175 00:59:39.119 --> 00:59:43.639 picks up Lonzo ninety four feet his first game. But overall, 1176 00:59:44.039 --> 00:59:47.440 outside of the injuries, I would say he turned into 1177 00:59:47.480 --> 00:59:49.480 the type of player that could be a role player 1178 00:59:49.480 --> 00:59:52.599 on a championship team that you need. So I hope 1179 00:59:52.639 --> 00:59:54.360 he comes back at some point. 1180 00:59:54.719 --> 00:59:57.760 He reminds me, like it's very he's the Alex Caruso 1181 00:59:57.920 --> 01:00:02.880 type where team because he's a connector and he doesn't 1182 01:00:03.400 --> 01:00:05.000 do bad things on the floor. 1183 01:00:06.519 --> 01:00:10.440 Yeah, he he makes positive basketball winning plays out there, 1184 01:00:10.480 --> 01:00:12.280 which is something you need. 1185 01:00:12.639 --> 01:00:14.800 Uh. By the way, Caruso to Okay see is such 1186 01:00:14.800 --> 01:00:17.880 an insanely good move and I hated it. 1187 01:00:17.880 --> 01:00:20.159 It's insane that they didn't get a first round pick 1188 01:00:20.199 --> 01:00:22.679 from the team with the most of them either of Chicago, 1189 01:00:23.199 --> 01:00:26.280 which makes me think that first round pick with Lonzo 1190 01:00:26.639 --> 01:00:28.440 might be real because I don't know what their front 1191 01:00:28.480 --> 01:00:29.119 office is up to. 1192 01:00:29.519 --> 01:00:31.360 Jordan's have you seen. 1193 01:00:31.239 --> 01:00:33.119 The White Sox. It's not going well there. 1194 01:00:33.719 --> 01:00:38.079 I heard over the last year calendar year, the city 1195 01:00:38.119 --> 01:00:42.760 of Chicago sports wise has the lowest win percentage of 1196 01:00:42.840 --> 01:00:46.159 their big three sports teams when you include baseball, football, 1197 01:00:46.159 --> 01:00:49.559 and basketball, and obviously they have a couple of baseball teams. 1198 01:00:50.119 --> 01:00:53.679 Out of anyone in the history of sports, the city 1199 01:00:53.719 --> 01:00:57.559 of Chicago has the lowest win percentage combined win percentage 1200 01:00:57.599 --> 01:01:00.639 of all their sports teams the Big Ones, out of 1201 01:01:00.719 --> 01:01:03.960 any team in the history of sports, which. 1202 01:01:03.800 --> 01:01:06.719 Is almost like, who could be with? I thought of Charlotte, 1203 01:01:06.800 --> 01:01:08.760 but Charlotte doesn't have a baseball team. 1204 01:01:08.960 --> 01:01:12.519 Yeah, and the Panthers are really bad once in a while, 1205 01:01:12.599 --> 01:01:13.800 and they certainly are this year. 1206 01:01:13.880 --> 01:01:16.159 But the Hornets were bad. 1207 01:01:16.519 --> 01:01:17.559 It might be of. 1208 01:01:17.599 --> 01:01:21.639 Cities that have a baseball, a basketball, and a football 1209 01:01:21.679 --> 01:01:24.719 team and hockey, to be honest, because and hockey, the 1210 01:01:24.760 --> 01:01:25.880 Black Tops were really bad. 1211 01:01:25.960 --> 01:01:29.280 You're right, yeah, yeah. 1212 01:01:29.559 --> 01:01:33.440 Jordan says. This will ruffle your feathers definitely. But I'm 1213 01:01:33.480 --> 01:01:36.360 thinking Ben Simmons Nets are in a rebuild and can 1214 01:01:36.400 --> 01:01:38.920 get rid of these players that don't fit the timeline. 1215 01:01:39.000 --> 01:01:41.559 He is six ' ten and a versatile defender. The 1216 01:01:41.599 --> 01:01:44.000 only reason this would ruffle my feathers is because you 1217 01:01:44.119 --> 01:01:46.920 thought it would. We know they're in a rebuild, we 1218 01:01:47.000 --> 01:01:52.320 know they're trying to get Cooper flag. So yeah, obviously, Jordan, 1219 01:01:53.159 --> 01:01:54.519 I think it's all on the table. 1220 01:01:54.639 --> 01:01:55.760 They will have a selloff. 1221 01:01:56.440 --> 01:01:57.960 Can I just say what a great job by the 1222 01:01:57.960 --> 01:02:00.159 Brooklyn Nets, And I mean that in all seriousness to 1223 01:02:00.239 --> 01:02:02.320 getting all their picks back and reminded me of that 1224 01:02:02.360 --> 01:02:06.360 movie Draft Day where he just getting all picks back 1225 01:02:06.400 --> 01:02:08.480 for nothing. I mean, not the same to Calibridge as 1226 01:02:08.719 --> 01:02:11.199 is nothing, But do you understand, I mean like it's 1227 01:02:11.239 --> 01:02:12.920 kind of wild. They just ended up with other picks 1228 01:02:12.920 --> 01:02:13.800 back out of nowhere. 1229 01:02:14.800 --> 01:02:17.960 Okay, there's been a question that has been posed multiple times. 1230 01:02:18.000 --> 01:02:19.480 I want to get to it here, and I'm sorry 1231 01:02:19.519 --> 01:02:21.840 it's a very good question, but we went outside the 1232 01:02:21.880 --> 01:02:24.400 Clippers for so long. We kind of have to circle 1233 01:02:24.440 --> 01:02:26.639 back to what we were originally talking about with Kawhi 1234 01:02:26.679 --> 01:02:31.760 and James Harden being the two man tandem. Bashian Schwinsteger 1235 01:02:32.360 --> 01:02:34.320 I think Swinestager. 1236 01:02:34.599 --> 01:02:36.199 So is he in Germany right now? 1237 01:02:36.840 --> 01:02:39.800 Maybe Bastian Swinstager was a famous soccer player. 1238 01:02:40.119 --> 01:02:42.480 Oh so, I'm just a casual when it comes to football. 1239 01:02:42.760 --> 01:02:46.480 Should the Clippers look at dallas His finals run as 1240 01:02:46.480 --> 01:02:49.320 a blueprint for their ceiling as a team this season. 1241 01:02:49.800 --> 01:02:54.480 Two stars playing surgically half court isolation offense supplemented with 1242 01:02:54.920 --> 01:02:56.800 athletic wing defenders. 1243 01:02:57.360 --> 01:03:03.199 Justin, Yes, to a degree, Yeah, it's not bad, that's. 1244 01:03:03.039 --> 01:03:06.920 Uh, especially with Derek Jones now, especially with Derek Jones junior. 1245 01:03:08.960 --> 01:03:13.480 Yeah, to a degree. I think that's a viable way 1246 01:03:13.519 --> 01:03:16.119 to look at it. I not whether or not they 1247 01:03:16.119 --> 01:03:19.679 can deliver to that degree is obviously remains to be seen, 1248 01:03:20.239 --> 01:03:23.960 But I think there is something there. They have the 1249 01:03:24.000 --> 01:03:29.199 defensive center anchor and pick and roll threat. Uh. And 1250 01:03:29.239 --> 01:03:31.760 it beats the Zubats who can supplement some of the offensive, 1251 01:03:34.280 --> 01:03:36.760 like the necessary offensive baskets around the hoop that they 1252 01:03:36.880 --> 01:03:40.079 might need. Because the Clippers do get jumped, they won't 1253 01:03:40.119 --> 01:03:42.559 be a jump shot heavy with PG gone. I don't know. 1254 01:03:42.639 --> 01:03:45.159 I think they still will because Kawhi takes a lot 1255 01:03:45.199 --> 01:03:49.480 of jumpers and James's basically I don't I haven't look 1256 01:03:49.480 --> 01:03:50.880 at the numbers. I want to say, like, James probably 1257 01:03:50.880 --> 01:03:53.119 took eighty percent shots of the jumpers last year, if 1258 01:03:53.159 --> 01:03:55.280 I had to guess, and I'm probably only wrong. It 1259 01:03:55.320 --> 01:03:57.000 just felt like eighty percent of the time he was 1260 01:03:57.000 --> 01:04:00.559 shooting the jumper. But yeah, I do think there are 1261 01:04:00.599 --> 01:04:03.639 things you can take from Dallas in that scenario, where 1262 01:04:04.440 --> 01:04:09.840 as he said to isolation heavy players athletic wings by 1263 01:04:09.599 --> 01:04:14.039 athletic wings around them, who can see. That's the thing 1264 01:04:14.079 --> 01:04:18.840 that's actually interesting from this. Defensive wings who take pressure 1265 01:04:18.880 --> 01:04:24.000 off Kawhi specifically are very valuable. Kawhi wasn't guarding on 1266 01:04:24.039 --> 01:04:25.599 the ball as much last year as he had in 1267 01:04:25.639 --> 01:04:28.280 the past, and I think that also allowed him to 1268 01:04:28.320 --> 01:04:31.960 save his legs while he didn't play, you know, while 1269 01:04:32.000 --> 01:04:33.519 the playoff thing happened. Whatever. 1270 01:04:34.719 --> 01:04:36.800 Sixty eight games, the most he had played since what 1271 01:04:36.840 --> 01:04:39.519 the twenty sixteen to twenty seventeen season with San Antonio. 1272 01:04:39.800 --> 01:04:42.440 Yeah, so like and he was that was the best 1273 01:04:42.440 --> 01:04:45.679 I've seen him offensively. Like, his legs were saved to 1274 01:04:45.719 --> 01:04:49.000 a large degree. They did everything to save him. I 1275 01:04:49.039 --> 01:04:52.360 think that's the way forward. So I do think that 1276 01:04:52.440 --> 01:04:55.960 can be the blueprint. It just depends on everyone played 1277 01:04:55.960 --> 01:04:59.039 in the same direction and whether to some degree, whether 1278 01:04:59.119 --> 01:05:00.880 or not Derek Jones is still you know, like a 1279 01:05:00.920 --> 01:05:03.000 thirty six thirty seven three point shooter. 1280 01:05:03.599 --> 01:05:04.199 That's the thing. 1281 01:05:04.400 --> 01:05:07.760 I'm very skeptical about it, only because body will work wise, 1282 01:05:07.840 --> 01:05:09.960 I think in his career he's shooting about thirty one 1283 01:05:09.960 --> 01:05:13.480 percent from three Last year, during the regular season with Dallas, 1284 01:05:13.559 --> 01:05:15.639 he was at thirty four percent, then in the playoffs 1285 01:05:15.679 --> 01:05:18.480 at thirty seven percent, which was actually much higher. Before 1286 01:05:18.519 --> 01:05:21.239 the NBA Finals it was over forty percent, and then 1287 01:05:21.280 --> 01:05:23.719 he had a really bad series against Boston. 1288 01:05:24.519 --> 01:05:27.519 But he's twenty seven. He's improving. 1289 01:05:28.239 --> 01:05:31.719 This is his first big contract, non minimum type of contract, 1290 01:05:32.360 --> 01:05:35.760 and I'm hopeful that he's still getting better and still 1291 01:05:37.159 --> 01:05:38.719 just developing his ball game. 1292 01:05:39.119 --> 01:05:40.000 Who do we have here? 1293 01:05:40.039 --> 01:05:43.320 Oh, Grant Mona had this earlier. He was very curious 1294 01:05:43.320 --> 01:05:49.920 about closing lineups. Harden norm team man DJJ kauwaizu Uh, 1295 01:05:50.039 --> 01:05:53.440 I'm looking for a new Palell Rangers lineup without Paul George. 1296 01:05:53.440 --> 01:05:55.280 That's what I've been thinking about a lot, justin. 1297 01:05:55.840 --> 01:05:58.079 Yeah, you know what. The closing lineup stuff is actually 1298 01:05:58.159 --> 01:06:01.719 rather interesting. I think it'll be obviously Kawhi and James 1299 01:06:01.719 --> 01:06:04.639 will be there regardless. I think the other three spots 1300 01:06:04.679 --> 01:06:09.960 are entirely up to just fit that night. I I 1301 01:06:10.000 --> 01:06:14.840 think there's enough guys to wear look if on for instance, 1302 01:06:14.920 --> 01:06:17.559 let's just say a team that they're playing on a 1303 01:06:17.599 --> 01:06:20.599 given night has Let's say they're playing the Dallas Mavericks 1304 01:06:20.599 --> 01:06:25.440 for instance, right, uh luka, doncis Kyrie Irving? Maybe you 1305 01:06:25.519 --> 01:06:29.920 play Derek Jones done to at least have two point 1306 01:06:29.920 --> 01:06:33.559 of attack defenders against those two guys, to where James 1307 01:06:33.599 --> 01:06:36.239 doesn't have to do it, Kawhi doesn't have to do it, 1308 01:06:36.320 --> 01:06:38.440 and the fifth guy can be whoever you want. Now, 1309 01:06:38.480 --> 01:06:41.280 Dallas plays small, so Batoom likely plays the five to 1310 01:06:41.280 --> 01:06:44.840 close that out. I do think Manny says he thinks 1311 01:06:44.840 --> 01:06:47.320 Batom will close I do think Batoom will be a 1312 01:06:47.360 --> 01:06:49.559 closing lineup guy for a large stretch of the season 1313 01:06:50.079 --> 01:06:52.719 if he if he's healthy, if he's playing, et cetera. 1314 01:06:52.880 --> 01:06:57.079 Like he's too smart not to be. I think that's 1315 01:06:57.079 --> 01:07:01.000 what they value. They need. They need the the smarts, 1316 01:07:01.119 --> 01:07:04.440 especially going small, But closing line up is is gonna 1317 01:07:04.480 --> 01:07:07.800 be a very big question for them going into the year, 1318 01:07:08.079 --> 01:07:10.280 and they're gonna have to stumble upon some things as well. 1319 01:07:11.079 --> 01:07:13.559 I wonder if I thought about this the other day, 1320 01:07:14.480 --> 01:07:18.760 From closing to starting lineups, it's all but assumed. We 1321 01:07:18.920 --> 01:07:23.159 hope that we see James Harden next to Terrence man 1322 01:07:23.239 --> 01:07:26.280 next to Derek Jones Junior, next to Kawhi, next to 1323 01:07:26.400 --> 01:07:29.760 of eacha zubats. Do you think there's at all a 1324 01:07:29.880 --> 01:07:33.880 chance that actually we see but toombs start the four, 1325 01:07:34.039 --> 01:07:37.760 to slide Kawhi down to the three, then Derek Jones Junior, 1326 01:07:37.880 --> 01:07:40.360 then James Harden meeting Terrence Man is the one coming 1327 01:07:40.400 --> 01:07:41.639 off the bench. No. 1328 01:07:42.360 --> 01:07:44.280 And the reason I say that is because Kau is 1329 01:07:44.320 --> 01:07:44.599 a four. 1330 01:07:46.679 --> 01:07:50.559 But he said last season, until we get a real one. 1331 01:07:50.920 --> 01:07:54.559 He said that verbatim. I'll play it until we get 1332 01:07:54.599 --> 01:07:55.199 a real one. 1333 01:07:56.519 --> 01:07:59.480 I'm gonna be perfectly honest. Four. 1334 01:08:00.480 --> 01:08:03.800 He's the four, is the real four in the room 1335 01:08:03.800 --> 01:08:04.199 with us. 1336 01:08:05.199 --> 01:08:07.800 He's the four. Defensively, he will be the four. Most 1337 01:08:07.800 --> 01:08:11.639 physicians are designated now based on defense, so I think 1338 01:08:11.639 --> 01:08:12.960 he will be the four. I think he's going to 1339 01:08:13.000 --> 01:08:17.000 be the low man helps who suffocates passing lanes at 1340 01:08:17.000 --> 01:08:19.239 the nail or you know, on the weak side. I 1341 01:08:19.800 --> 01:08:22.479 think he's just the four and Derek's going to be 1342 01:08:22.520 --> 01:08:25.439 the three. Now. Offensively, Derek will be the four where 1343 01:08:25.479 --> 01:08:29.319 he's just parked in a corner most likely. But defensively, 1344 01:08:29.439 --> 01:08:32.039 Kawi is the four. Kawhi is not guarding on the perimeter, 1345 01:08:32.039 --> 01:08:35.399 as much as he used to. I hope that Kawai 1346 01:08:35.520 --> 01:08:37.840 just accepts, not excepted, but I think he understands that 1347 01:08:37.920 --> 01:08:40.159 he is going to be the four. That doesn't mean 1348 01:08:40.239 --> 01:08:43.199 that you're not going to see Kawhi Nico Zoo out 1349 01:08:43.199 --> 01:08:46.279 there together, but in that instance, Niko's probably the three. 1350 01:08:46.279 --> 01:08:50.239 He's going to be guarding on the ball, and Kawhi 1351 01:08:50.319 --> 01:08:52.560 is still going to be off the ball defensively. So 1352 01:08:53.279 --> 01:08:57.640 I wrote the four last season, and uh, I want 1353 01:08:57.640 --> 01:09:01.840 to say exit interviews last year. I say last season 1354 01:09:02.000 --> 01:09:07.560 meaning twenty twenty three, that the best way forward for 1355 01:09:07.560 --> 01:09:09.840 the Clippers was to understand that PG was the three 1356 01:09:10.279 --> 01:09:12.960 and Kawhi was the four, rather than trying to keep 1357 01:09:12.960 --> 01:09:15.479 playing them at the two and the three. They and 1358 01:09:15.520 --> 01:09:17.760 it was really good, Like that's when there's a lot 1359 01:09:17.760 --> 01:09:21.760 of their success happened last season obviously. So I think 1360 01:09:21.840 --> 01:09:26.079 they understand that that Kawi is the four, But I mean, 1361 01:09:26.119 --> 01:09:28.439 if there's a I just don't think that that's just 1362 01:09:28.520 --> 01:09:31.359 what he is now. His knees are not great enough 1363 01:09:31.399 --> 01:09:34.520 to play the three, like you think. 1364 01:09:34.399 --> 01:09:36.600 It's more taxing to have to be on the perimeter 1365 01:09:36.680 --> 01:09:39.520 and chase guys around rather than being bodies on the interior. 1366 01:09:40.039 --> 01:09:42.319 Well this is this is the other thing for me. 1367 01:09:42.840 --> 01:09:45.640 What fours are out there that he has to go 1368 01:09:45.800 --> 01:09:48.439 up against that are physically darking for him. 1369 01:09:48.640 --> 01:09:53.399 It's not c web kg and Tim Duncan anymore like 1370 01:09:53.880 --> 01:09:54.760 Julius Randall. 1371 01:09:54.880 --> 01:09:57.880 Yes, but you see him twice a year and he still. 1372 01:09:57.640 --> 01:09:59.640 Takes a lot of shots around the perimeter. 1373 01:10:00.119 --> 01:10:04.399 Right, So I it's tough that the game's changed. The 1374 01:10:04.399 --> 01:10:07.960 fours are different now, you know, Like, for instance, you 1375 01:10:08.000 --> 01:10:11.199 looked at Denver. Denver's four was Aaron Gordon who did 1376 01:10:11.239 --> 01:10:12.840 hang out on the perimeter a lot. Sure, he went 1377 01:10:12.880 --> 01:10:16.039 around the basket for duns and you know, cut layups 1378 01:10:16.039 --> 01:10:17.600 and stuff like that, but he was on the perimeter 1379 01:10:17.680 --> 01:10:21.239 a lot, you know. So I just don't think there's 1380 01:10:21.279 --> 01:10:23.880 a lot of fours that are physically going to be 1381 01:10:23.960 --> 01:10:25.319 taxing for him. 1382 01:10:25.600 --> 01:10:26.000 I don't know. 1383 01:10:26.159 --> 01:10:29.119 Jordan says, you're wrong. Kawhi at the four is awful 1384 01:10:29.159 --> 01:10:31.279 for his health, even though he just played sixty eight 1385 01:10:31.319 --> 01:10:33.479 games starting at the flour, which most he's played in 1386 01:10:33.479 --> 01:10:34.399 almost a decade. 1387 01:10:34.600 --> 01:10:36.319 It could be bad for him in the long run, 1388 01:10:36.359 --> 01:10:38.479 But I don't think the Clippers have the benefit of 1389 01:10:38.680 --> 01:10:41.359 long run here. I think it's a day to day, 1390 01:10:41.399 --> 01:10:44.159 week to week, game by game assessment. I think at 1391 01:10:44.159 --> 01:10:47.039 the four they have a better chance of not just 1392 01:10:47.079 --> 01:10:50.399 surviving in the endium, but you know, succeeding. 1393 01:10:51.600 --> 01:10:53.520 Jordan's kind of been out to lunch here the past 1394 01:10:53.560 --> 01:10:56.359 couple of lives. He was talking about Kai Jones starting over. 1395 01:10:56.560 --> 01:10:59.960 Vitza zoobots kpj is gonna be the starting shooting guard. 1396 01:11:00.600 --> 01:11:02.880 He doesn't understand why Batoom would be in in the 1397 01:11:02.880 --> 01:11:05.800 fourth quarter. Why would you be yelling why the f Batwo? 1398 01:11:05.920 --> 01:11:06.199 Men? 1399 01:11:06.520 --> 01:11:10.279 You want Nicholas batuh min late in games? Have you 1400 01:11:10.439 --> 01:11:14.520 watched Niko BATOUM My god? All right, Jordan, you're cool still? 1401 01:11:14.880 --> 01:11:17.520 Uh Let me ask you this well. I like this question. 1402 01:11:17.560 --> 01:11:20.079 I think this is interesting. How would you feel if 1403 01:11:20.119 --> 01:11:23.279 the Clippers move Norman Tucker for Tobias Harris at the 1404 01:11:23.279 --> 01:11:25.680 deadline that comes from Andy eighty one to twenty nine 1405 01:11:25.720 --> 01:11:30.079 to three. His contract's up summer of twenty twenty six. 1406 01:11:30.520 --> 01:11:33.960 He's got two years left on his deal, no player option. 1407 01:11:34.520 --> 01:11:36.760 He'll be an unrestricted free agent Tobias Harris in the 1408 01:11:36.800 --> 01:11:38.880 summer of twenty twenty six. Which does line up with 1409 01:11:38.920 --> 01:11:39.800 the Clippers plan. 1410 01:11:40.600 --> 01:11:42.560 Is that when Normos deal is also off the table. 1411 01:11:42.960 --> 01:11:44.760 Yeah, he's got two more years too. 1412 01:11:48.159 --> 01:11:51.960 It's it's tough, It's uh. 1413 01:11:52.560 --> 01:11:54.960 Is it more of a position of need because Tobias 1414 01:11:55.039 --> 01:11:57.359 could play some four here and there and a three 1415 01:11:57.399 --> 01:11:57.720 and four? 1416 01:11:57.760 --> 01:12:06.039 Obviously it depends, like it depends what they what they 1417 01:12:06.319 --> 01:12:09.359 deem a position of needs. I think there's been a 1418 01:12:09.359 --> 01:12:13.439 lot of Tobias Harris hate when Tobias has been a 1419 01:12:13.439 --> 01:12:17.039 good NBA player for a long time. But also the 1420 01:12:17.680 --> 01:12:19.520 question here is that would you trade those two for 1421 01:12:19.560 --> 01:12:23.000 Tobias Harris? And I don't mean to disparage PJ. Tucker here, 1422 01:12:23.239 --> 01:12:26.560 that's would you trade Norman Powell for Tobias Harris? Straight up? 1423 01:12:28.119 --> 01:12:31.520 And I don't know would Detroit do that? That's the 1424 01:12:31.520 --> 01:12:36.439 other question. Detroit knows Tobias Harris very well, So I don't. 1425 01:12:36.239 --> 01:12:40.720 Know, we know Tobias. I like Tobias. 1426 01:12:40.960 --> 01:12:44.800 I know he was paid fifty million almost in Philadelphia 1427 01:12:44.840 --> 01:12:47.439 and that wasn't going to go well because Jimmy Butler they. 1428 01:12:47.399 --> 01:12:47.960 Let him go. 1429 01:12:48.319 --> 01:12:52.880 Yeah, that's tell Elton Brands what we love. But that's 1430 01:12:52.920 --> 01:12:53.960 the guy who made. 1431 01:12:54.319 --> 01:12:57.199 Tobias Harrison walking and make them give him fifty million dollars. 1432 01:12:57.359 --> 01:12:59.880 Ya, he's supposed to turn that down. I don't know 1433 01:13:00.039 --> 01:13:02.199 understand what you want from these guys? 1434 01:13:03.319 --> 01:13:03.439 Uh? 1435 01:13:04.560 --> 01:13:05.479 Do you think. 1436 01:13:07.319 --> 01:13:08.800 I have to ask you this? I even had it 1437 01:13:08.800 --> 01:13:13.000 in my notes. Old Dirty Dasher asks why are they 1438 01:13:13.039 --> 01:13:13.720 bringing PJ? 1439 01:13:13.920 --> 01:13:14.359 To camp? 1440 01:13:14.439 --> 01:13:19.000 And I'm wondering if maybe Justin Russo has some advanced 1441 01:13:19.039 --> 01:13:22.720 numbers that prove PJ. Tucker's worth on the floor, like 1442 01:13:22.760 --> 01:13:25.560 maybe there's a higher rebounding percentage when he's out there, 1443 01:13:26.039 --> 01:13:28.760 even though he's not the one doing it, because that's 1444 01:13:28.760 --> 01:13:29.079 how it. 1445 01:13:29.079 --> 01:13:32.800 Was Remarcus right, I ain't got that. Do you got anything? 1446 01:13:33.439 --> 01:13:35.920 Is there any benefit to PJ Tucker at this stage 1447 01:13:35.920 --> 01:13:38.520 of his career outside of a couple of minutes against 1448 01:13:38.560 --> 01:13:41.119 zion a couple of minutes against jokicch and I mean 1449 01:13:41.199 --> 01:13:44.239 a couple literally, But I do like him as kind 1450 01:13:44.239 --> 01:13:46.880 of a change of pays against some big bodies. 1451 01:13:48.720 --> 01:13:51.039 So to answer the question, why are they bring him 1452 01:13:51.039 --> 01:13:54.199 to camp? Because he's under contract. That's that's why. 1453 01:13:54.279 --> 01:13:56.520 Because he opted into eleven million. 1454 01:13:56.760 --> 01:13:58.720 Which I think he should. 1455 01:13:58.439 --> 01:14:01.560 Have of course, But if he says, you know, I 1456 01:14:01.600 --> 01:14:04.720 didn't sign up for this this time after he opted 1457 01:14:04.800 --> 01:14:06.479 in when he could have been a free agent, I 1458 01:14:06.479 --> 01:14:08.560 don't I don't want to hear that stuff. 1459 01:14:08.680 --> 01:14:15.560 I'm sorry, boy, It's a really interesting situation, ain't it. 1460 01:14:16.680 --> 01:14:19.159 I've asked everybody on here that has come on recently. 1461 01:14:19.279 --> 01:14:20.960 Are he and Bones coming to training camp? 1462 01:14:23.039 --> 01:14:25.239 I would be camp. 1463 01:14:25.640 --> 01:14:26.319 I would be two. 1464 01:14:26.920 --> 01:14:30.680 But okay, I'm gonna say I wouldn't be shocked shocked 1465 01:14:30.800 --> 01:14:34.000 they were sent home last season at one point. They 1466 01:14:34.039 --> 01:14:36.600 do want bigger rules. Lawrence Frank talked about that the 1467 01:14:36.640 --> 01:14:39.560 presser for Team USA with Kawhi Leonard that they're searching 1468 01:14:39.680 --> 01:14:42.039 for trade and if they could find one, I'm sure 1469 01:14:42.039 --> 01:14:42.960 it would be done by now. 1470 01:14:43.199 --> 01:14:45.239 I was sitting across the table when that part happened. 1471 01:14:46.520 --> 01:14:49.680 So really, nobody's offered them enough yet for these two 1472 01:14:49.720 --> 01:14:53.279 guys and I it hurts my heart because I want Bones. 1473 01:14:53.640 --> 01:14:56.279 I would love for Bones to get a real opportunity 1474 01:14:56.319 --> 01:14:58.359 like we saw early before they brought in James Harden 1475 01:14:58.439 --> 01:15:00.640 last season. Even though I want James and all that, 1476 01:15:00.880 --> 01:15:03.119 it's just it made it funky with Russell Westbrook. 1477 01:15:03.920 --> 01:15:06.560 So what I will say is I stand with the 1478 01:15:06.560 --> 01:15:09.000 players on this who want a larger role. I think 1479 01:15:09.000 --> 01:15:10.880 every player should want a larger role. I think it's 1480 01:15:10.920 --> 01:15:14.600 weird when players don't want a larger role. However, what 1481 01:15:14.680 --> 01:15:18.319 I will also say, I don't know what the roles 1482 01:15:18.439 --> 01:15:20.279 that they're looking for. I don't know if the roles 1483 01:15:20.279 --> 01:15:22.159 that they're looking for on this team actually even exists. 1484 01:15:22.399 --> 01:15:25.399 I think a role could exist for Bones, but the 1485 01:15:25.479 --> 01:15:30.000 roles the role for Bones only exists if KPJ wasn't here, right, 1486 01:15:30.640 --> 01:15:34.800 The role for PJ possibly exists if Nico's not here. 1487 01:15:36.399 --> 01:15:42.239 But yeah, Bones is behind KPJ and Chris done now 1488 01:15:42.359 --> 01:15:46.880 and James Harden like there's a norm, there's no there's 1489 01:15:46.960 --> 01:15:50.000 no clear path. And he was the best guy they 1490 01:15:50.039 --> 01:15:52.920 said in training camp last year, the most impressive guy. 1491 01:15:53.199 --> 01:15:54.199 Year two. He was good. 1492 01:15:54.319 --> 01:15:57.279 Progress he made He was averaging what fifteen points per 1493 01:15:57.279 --> 01:15:58.960 game his first five games of the season. 1494 01:15:59.000 --> 01:16:02.840 He looked great. He was dude, I think people he started. 1495 01:16:03.319 --> 01:16:07.800 I know a couple of games, I said. 1496 01:16:07.560 --> 01:16:10.880 I'm I'm holding the skeleton key. I attached. 1497 01:16:11.159 --> 01:16:15.359 The game in Chicago he bowled out. I thought it 1498 01:16:15.399 --> 01:16:19.079 was it was all gonna happen. And then he had 1499 01:16:19.159 --> 01:16:21.920 thirty nine towards at the end of the year. In 1500 01:16:21.920 --> 01:16:24.680 that game, who was it against Phoenix, he had a 1501 01:16:24.800 --> 01:16:25.680 huge yes. 1502 01:16:25.720 --> 01:16:28.119 Where they started Triple TV dam at the very end 1503 01:16:28.159 --> 01:16:29.359 and not let him get to forty. 1504 01:16:30.000 --> 01:16:31.760 Bones is a bucket. 1505 01:16:32.479 --> 01:16:37.439 So I think Bones has a I think there's a 1506 01:16:37.439 --> 01:16:41.199 better case for Bones having a place than PJ. I 1507 01:16:41.239 --> 01:16:46.920 think Pj's situation's just tougher. Eleven million dollars finding a 1508 01:16:46.920 --> 01:16:49.239 team that will take eleven million dollars in this cap 1509 01:16:49.279 --> 01:16:54.880 climate is basically an impossibility. They're not going to wave 1510 01:16:54.880 --> 01:16:57.880 and stretch him. It would get them under the luxury 1511 01:16:57.920 --> 01:16:59.359 tax if they waved in stretch them. They're not gonna 1512 01:16:59.399 --> 01:17:03.319 wave and stretch them. They could wave him. They could 1513 01:17:03.359 --> 01:17:06.279 wave him the closer they get to the trade deadline, 1514 01:17:06.359 --> 01:17:09.000 or even right after the trade deadline, if no one 1515 01:17:09.039 --> 01:17:12.359 comes and gets him, they could just outright wave him 1516 01:17:12.920 --> 01:17:15.319 and basically just be done with this contract at that point, 1517 01:17:15.560 --> 01:17:17.640 because if they wave and stretch him, his contract goes 1518 01:17:17.680 --> 01:17:20.840 over three years, which the benefit of that is you 1519 01:17:20.880 --> 01:17:24.960 get under the luxury tax. But why would you want 1520 01:17:24.960 --> 01:17:26.479 to keep that on your books for three years when 1521 01:17:26.520 --> 01:17:30.760 you can just be done with it in one. So Yeah, 1522 01:17:30.960 --> 01:17:33.359 if they get to the trade deadline and there's no 1523 01:17:33.920 --> 01:17:37.760 trade possibility, I could see them waving him after the deadline. 1524 01:17:37.960 --> 01:17:41.279 So they a team lack of Miami or a Milwaukee 1525 01:17:41.600 --> 01:17:43.880 can go out there and just sign him so that 1526 01:17:43.920 --> 01:17:50.880 he's still eligible for the postseason. But look, I don't 1527 01:17:50.880 --> 01:17:52.840 see the harm as weird as I don't see the 1528 01:17:52.840 --> 01:17:54.880 harm in bringing him to camp and seeing what he has. 1529 01:17:55.159 --> 01:17:59.079 I really don't because of the one or two percent 1530 01:17:59.159 --> 01:18:03.359 possibility that that he really does like show out and 1531 01:18:03.399 --> 01:18:09.880 show you that he deserves a spot for both of them. Actually, 1532 01:18:10.199 --> 01:18:10.640 I don't. 1533 01:18:10.439 --> 01:18:11.880 Think it's crazy for me, and I think we know 1534 01:18:11.920 --> 01:18:13.239 what they have with PJ. Tucker. 1535 01:18:13.399 --> 01:18:17.119 The harm would be his attitude. If his attitude isn't right, 1536 01:18:17.600 --> 01:18:22.279 like there's only like a downside because I think we 1537 01:18:22.319 --> 01:18:24.119 know who he is as a player at this point 1538 01:18:24.199 --> 01:18:25.760 and it doesn't look like he's going to be playing 1539 01:18:25.840 --> 01:18:28.399 on this team. 1540 01:18:28.439 --> 01:18:32.199 What I will say to that? And people can take 1541 01:18:32.199 --> 01:18:35.319 this however they want a lot of the attitude issues 1542 01:18:35.359 --> 01:18:41.359 with the team have left, and I don't think PJ, 1543 01:18:41.560 --> 01:18:45.039 while he can be surly at times, while he can't 1544 01:18:45.079 --> 01:18:50.039 be surly at times, is going to I don't think PJ. 1545 01:18:50.199 --> 01:18:54.840 Tucker's attitude is going to scuttle the Clipper season. 1546 01:18:56.000 --> 01:19:00.119 I can't believe that Stray just hit Mason Plumbing like that. 1547 01:19:00.199 --> 01:19:03.359 I can't believe you're saying he was the gratitude problem 1548 01:19:03.399 --> 01:19:03.680 of the. 1549 01:19:03.840 --> 01:19:05.640 Mean Look, people could take it forever. Play they were. 1550 01:19:05.720 --> 01:19:09.239 I'm not saying name. A lot of the attitude problems 1551 01:19:09.239 --> 01:19:09.840 are gone. 1552 01:19:10.079 --> 01:19:13.760 Okay. Andy eighty one twenty nine to three wants to know. 1553 01:19:15.279 --> 01:19:17.159 Well, I guess he's making more of a statement, but 1554 01:19:17.239 --> 01:19:20.119 he likes the idea of them trading bones, PJ and 1555 01:19:20.199 --> 01:19:23.760 second rounders to the nets for Dorian Finney Smith. He'd 1556 01:19:23.760 --> 01:19:25.520 be great next to Kawhi. Yeah, I think they can 1557 01:19:25.520 --> 01:19:28.039 get more than that. Sorry, bro, unless they. 1558 01:19:27.920 --> 01:19:31.359 Really value bones. I think they might be able to 1559 01:19:31.359 --> 01:19:33.319 get a first from somebody for Dorian Finney Smith. 1560 01:19:33.840 --> 01:19:37.000 I also don't know what Dorian Phinney Smith is. I 1561 01:19:37.000 --> 01:19:39.840 think I think we like Dorian Phinny Smith. I like him, 1562 01:19:39.840 --> 01:19:42.720 but I also feel like we've reached the standpoint Dorian 1563 01:19:42.760 --> 01:19:44.640 Phinny Smith where I think we all like the idea 1564 01:19:44.680 --> 01:19:45.680 better than what he is. 1565 01:19:46.359 --> 01:19:50.319 Okay, that's that's a fair statement. I'm trying to pull 1566 01:19:50.359 --> 01:19:51.920 up his numbers from last season. So he was an 1567 01:19:51.960 --> 01:19:54.239 eight and a half points per game. He only shot 1568 01:19:54.279 --> 01:19:56.920 thirty five percent from the outside. It was one of 1569 01:19:56.920 --> 01:19:59.720 his lower seasons there he's. 1570 01:19:59.520 --> 01:20:02.640 I mean Dallas. He left Dallas and kind of forgot 1571 01:20:02.680 --> 01:20:03.520 how to shoot. 1572 01:20:04.640 --> 01:20:07.279 Yeah, that's fair because in Dallas he was shooting like 1573 01:20:07.319 --> 01:20:11.159 thirty nine percent back to back years. 1574 01:20:10.560 --> 01:20:12.560 And even had thirty five and a half the half 1575 01:20:12.560 --> 01:20:15.159 season he was there before he got traded. But like, 1576 01:20:15.800 --> 01:20:19.079 I don't know, maybe he's just bummed about being in Brooklyn. 1577 01:20:19.239 --> 01:20:22.279 I mean, it wasn't a great situation. Who knows. 1578 01:20:23.279 --> 01:20:26.520 So I'm not the one following up here justin, but 1579 01:20:26.920 --> 01:20:30.520 our smart listeners here wants to know. Who was that 1580 01:20:30.600 --> 01:20:35.760 player that you had that cryptic comment about jam. 1581 01:20:34.399 --> 01:20:38.960 It wasn't a player, it was plural, I think, I 1582 01:20:39.000 --> 01:20:43.640 think not. I think there were several players who just 1583 01:20:43.680 --> 01:20:47.720 weren't happy, and I think when when that happens, which 1584 01:20:47.760 --> 01:20:49.520 is a fair feeling for a lot of people to have. 1585 01:20:49.560 --> 01:20:51.399 I'm not sitting here and saying they were wrong. Okay, 1586 01:20:52.000 --> 01:20:54.279 like you can. People can feel how they want to feel. 1587 01:20:54.920 --> 01:20:57.640 But were these players maybe friends that played on a 1588 01:20:57.680 --> 01:20:58.680 team together before the. 1589 01:20:58.600 --> 01:21:02.960 Clippers or I'm just Ji wants to know. 1590 01:21:03.079 --> 01:21:08.359 Okay, sorry, I think it cam bleed bleed into the 1591 01:21:08.399 --> 01:21:13.039 team and sap it a little bit. I just don't 1592 01:21:13.079 --> 01:21:16.399 think Pj's attitude is going to be an issue on 1593 01:21:16.479 --> 01:21:22.079 a team where he clearly is not a I wouldn't 1594 01:21:22.079 --> 01:21:24.920 even just say, I'm just gonna say top eight rotation guy, 1595 01:21:25.279 --> 01:21:28.439 because from there on you could gripe about hey is 1596 01:21:28.439 --> 01:21:30.319 either tenth or eleventh or twelfth or two, like we 1597 01:21:30.359 --> 01:21:32.760 can gripe all day. But he's just not a top 1598 01:21:32.800 --> 01:21:36.640 eight or nine rotation guy. I don't think that guy 1599 01:21:36.680 --> 01:21:39.640 is gonna cause problems, and if he does, if that 1600 01:21:39.720 --> 01:21:42.520 guy causes problems, it's a it's a more fragile team 1601 01:21:42.520 --> 01:21:47.680 than they would care to admit. At that point, you're 1602 01:21:47.680 --> 01:21:48.680 getting rid right now? 1603 01:21:48.880 --> 01:21:52.640 Did Otani just did he get to Oh my god, 1604 01:21:52.720 --> 01:21:55.680 he's at fifty one to fifty one? Now he started 1605 01:21:55.680 --> 01:21:58.720 this game at forty nine steals and forty eight home 1606 01:21:58.840 --> 01:22:01.600 runs and now he's fifty one fifty one. 1607 01:22:02.359 --> 01:22:06.159 By god, goat Tani is at it again. 1608 01:22:06.880 --> 01:22:10.079 So he was on my team. I'm an Angels fan. 1609 01:22:10.119 --> 01:22:11.560 He was on my team for many years. 1610 01:22:11.760 --> 01:22:13.079 So sorry, it's all right. 1611 01:22:13.319 --> 01:22:17.760 I'm actually happy for him. But what my Showwi story is. 1612 01:22:18.560 --> 01:22:20.359 I saw him in high school in Japan when he 1613 01:22:20.359 --> 01:22:23.600 was eighteen, and I was blown away because, like I'd 1614 01:22:23.640 --> 01:22:26.840 read scouting reports on him from like Baseball America and 1615 01:22:26.960 --> 01:22:30.000 like the really like in depth, like scouting analysis of 1616 01:22:30.079 --> 01:22:32.000 him from the guys who do it like year round. 1617 01:22:32.319 --> 01:22:34.840 So I saw a video of him at eighteen. I 1618 01:22:34.960 --> 01:22:37.479 want to say, this was what twenty twelve at the time, 1619 01:22:37.520 --> 01:22:41.479 I believe, and he was incredible and I fell in 1620 01:22:41.520 --> 01:22:43.960 love right there. And then the Angel signed him and 1621 01:22:44.000 --> 01:22:46.479 I was so happy, and I'm happy for him now 1622 01:22:46.520 --> 01:22:52.640 because he's he's crushing dude. Ever. Ever, he's Baby. 1623 01:22:52.399 --> 01:22:54.119 Ruth played during segregation. 1624 01:22:54.279 --> 01:22:56.159 I don't want to hear about Babe Ruth compared to 1625 01:22:56.199 --> 01:22:57.880 Altani in today's day age. 1626 01:22:58.079 --> 01:23:02.039 He's the greatest talent I've ever seen in baseball. I 1627 01:23:02.079 --> 01:23:04.319 still think Barry Bond is probably the greatest baseball player 1628 01:23:04.319 --> 01:23:06.560 of all time, but Otani, to me, is the greatest 1629 01:23:06.560 --> 01:23:08.960 talent I've ever seen in baseball. 1630 01:23:09.359 --> 01:23:13.000 I'm a Giants fan, and I've taken Otani because I 1631 01:23:13.079 --> 01:23:15.039 know Barry Bonds never. 1632 01:23:14.920 --> 01:23:17.119 Hit fifty home runs before Royd's. 1633 01:23:17.479 --> 01:23:21.159 I mean, I've read Game of Shadows. 1634 01:23:22.319 --> 01:23:26.600 Allegedly, nothing read Game of Shadows. No, we don't. 1635 01:23:27.239 --> 01:23:32.039 It's a fact they have the receipts. Victor Consei and 1636 01:23:32.079 --> 01:23:33.439 the guys have the receipts. 1637 01:23:33.720 --> 01:23:36.199 How much you love receipts, So this is up your. 1638 01:23:36.079 --> 01:23:39.960 Alley on the receipt master. All right, Jordan's over here. 1639 01:23:40.880 --> 01:23:42.800 Am I gonna have to keep receipts on this wild 1640 01:23:42.840 --> 01:23:43.600 trade package? 1641 01:23:43.800 --> 01:23:46.760 Jordan says, I think packaging Norman Palell, Bones, Tilan Chris 1642 01:23:46.880 --> 01:23:48.399 done for Ben Simmons would be good. 1643 01:23:49.000 --> 01:23:51.319 No, yeah, like you just want to take a flyer 1644 01:23:51.880 --> 01:23:54.920 like obviously Trady for Ben Simmons requires a lot of money, 1645 01:23:54.920 --> 01:23:56.680 because I think he makes like forty million dollars. But 1646 01:23:56.880 --> 01:23:58.840 I just don't think. I don't think that at that 1647 01:23:58.840 --> 01:24:03.119 point the Clippers would trade a guy like Norm unless 1648 01:24:03.159 --> 01:24:06.159 they're trying to get cap space now for next summer. 1649 01:24:06.319 --> 01:24:08.640 That's the only that's the only upside. 1650 01:24:08.840 --> 01:24:13.720 Ben Simmons has played less than sixty games combined his 1651 01:24:13.840 --> 01:24:17.760 last two seasons. Guys, but yeah, let's bring in an 1652 01:24:17.760 --> 01:24:22.479 injury prone guy to the Clippers. Uh okay, Bastian our 1653 01:24:22.560 --> 01:24:26.319 German friend says, Norman pj for John Collins of the deadline, 1654 01:24:26.560 --> 01:24:29.119 I never heard this name, John Collins. Jazz get off 1655 01:24:29.119 --> 01:24:32.159 of Collins before his twenty six million dollar player option 1656 01:24:32.279 --> 01:24:34.920 the twenty twenty five to twenty six season. They also 1657 01:24:34.960 --> 01:24:37.439 take on PJ as they have no directions or franchise 1658 01:24:37.439 --> 01:24:39.560 at the moment. The problem to me with this is 1659 01:24:40.119 --> 01:24:43.279 norm is under contract for two more years, so why 1660 01:24:43.279 --> 01:24:44.199 would they do that. 1661 01:24:46.880 --> 01:24:51.199 I'm I'm just not a John Collins guy. That's a 1662 01:24:51.239 --> 01:24:52.840 me thing. I know a lot of people who are 1663 01:24:52.920 --> 01:24:55.399 John's like John Collins, I'm just not a John Collins guy. 1664 01:24:55.760 --> 01:24:59.760 Seeing him up close, seeing the way people have described 1665 01:24:59.840 --> 01:25:04.399 him defensively specifically, I'm just not a John Collins guy. 1666 01:25:05.840 --> 01:25:07.560 I like the idea of John Collins. I'm just not 1667 01:25:07.600 --> 01:25:10.680 a John Collins guy. And as far as Utah's direction, 1668 01:25:10.800 --> 01:25:12.640 Utah's direction is just to be where they're at right 1669 01:25:12.680 --> 01:25:15.680 now and to keep taking as many swings at the 1670 01:25:15.760 --> 01:25:20.239 fence as as they can, to keep improving because because 1671 01:25:20.399 --> 01:25:22.800 I'll tell you this right now, if they get Cooper flag, 1672 01:25:23.720 --> 01:25:26.680 they're sent. And you can't convince me otherwise. 1673 01:25:27.760 --> 01:25:30.720 I agree Danny Ames, he's working it there. 1674 01:25:32.560 --> 01:25:36.600 John Collins did average fifteen to nine while shooting thirty 1675 01:25:36.640 --> 01:25:39.000 seven percent from three last season, is still only I 1676 01:25:39.000 --> 01:25:42.840 think twenty six or twenty seven, So I'm intrigued. I also, though, 1677 01:25:42.880 --> 01:25:45.039 wonder maybe you can speak to this more. I didn't 1678 01:25:45.079 --> 01:25:47.800 watch him a ton last season. Is he still the 1679 01:25:47.880 --> 01:25:50.560 ridiculous athlete he was with Atlanta? When he can put 1680 01:25:50.560 --> 01:25:52.159 his head on the rim like he used to. I 1681 01:25:52.159 --> 01:25:53.600 think that dunk on embiid. 1682 01:25:54.680 --> 01:25:59.760 So he is, but not to the same degree. It's dwindled. 1683 01:25:59.800 --> 01:26:01.720 But I want people to think like, oh, he's not 1684 01:26:01.760 --> 01:26:05.279 as athletic, Like it's just like a notch below where 1685 01:26:05.319 --> 01:26:08.039 he was. Okay, and that's just natural because of age. 1686 01:26:09.279 --> 01:26:10.720 Yeah. 1687 01:26:11.079 --> 01:26:13.880 JM thirteen twenty four wants to say, Jam, I why 1688 01:26:13.920 --> 01:26:16.119 is sports culture When a player leaves from a situation, 1689 01:26:16.199 --> 01:26:18.399 they get blamed for everything that's happened, regardless of the 1690 01:26:18.399 --> 01:26:19.720 good moments they had. 1691 01:26:20.760 --> 01:26:24.000 Because example, well, I think he's talking about like PG 1692 01:26:24.119 --> 01:26:28.720 to a degree, Here's how I'll say it, Because I 1693 01:26:28.760 --> 01:26:31.800 think sports fans to a large degree have a hard 1694 01:26:31.840 --> 01:26:35.920 time separating the good from the bad when it comes 1695 01:26:35.920 --> 01:26:38.800 to emotions. I think that like when a player leaves, 1696 01:26:38.840 --> 01:26:44.640 we we I say we, the sports fan contingency genuinely 1697 01:26:44.920 --> 01:26:49.079 generally think that if things were good, the player would stay, 1698 01:26:49.840 --> 01:26:52.199 and like the fact that they're leaving means that they 1699 01:26:52.279 --> 01:26:54.920 just weren't good enough to deal with this. So we 1700 01:26:55.039 --> 01:26:58.239 kind of like pie along with them. I don't agree 1701 01:26:58.279 --> 01:27:00.720 that players should get blamed when they side to leave. 1702 01:27:01.399 --> 01:27:05.399 I just heg is getting blamed because he took shots 1703 01:27:05.439 --> 01:27:07.960 at the organization on his way out, shots that are 1704 01:27:08.000 --> 01:27:10.039 directed at the fans in some way when you talk 1705 01:27:10.039 --> 01:27:11.880 about the B team and then his dad saying we 1706 01:27:11.920 --> 01:27:13.960 felt like we got stabbed in the back. 1707 01:27:14.199 --> 01:27:16.800 Oh, he said, I'm speaking in general, not PG, So 1708 01:27:16.920 --> 01:27:17.840 in general. 1709 01:27:17.600 --> 01:27:22.479 Term, Well that I'm speaking specifically about PG, because in 1710 01:27:22.520 --> 01:27:25.039 general it's a case by case basis. For me, always 1711 01:27:25.079 --> 01:27:26.680 tell me the player, and I'll tell you how it 1712 01:27:26.680 --> 01:27:27.399 should be viewed. 1713 01:27:28.279 --> 01:27:31.479 Yeah, I I don't know. The older I've gotten the 1714 01:27:31.560 --> 01:27:35.840 kind of less I've understood why why fans kind of 1715 01:27:35.840 --> 01:27:41.359 pylon players to a large degree, because their job's tough. 1716 01:27:41.399 --> 01:27:43.520 Like whether or not you say like they make x 1717 01:27:43.520 --> 01:27:45.840 amount of money, their job's still tough. It's not like 1718 01:27:45.960 --> 01:27:49.079 it's a great job, but it's still tough, like it's 1719 01:27:49.399 --> 01:27:51.680 you know, they're all going up to ridic good. 1720 01:27:51.840 --> 01:27:55.239 Fans are still smart enough today. We brought it up earlier. 1721 01:27:55.640 --> 01:27:58.159 Do you think Philly fans are mad at Jimmy Butler 1722 01:27:58.199 --> 01:28:00.600 for leaving or do you think they're mad that they 1723 01:28:00.600 --> 01:28:03.720 made the decision? To keep Tobias Harris over him and mad. 1724 01:28:03.560 --> 01:28:05.880 At the front office. They're pointing at the front office. 1725 01:28:05.920 --> 01:28:09.079 They're not mad at Jimmy. If I know, Philly fans 1726 01:28:09.079 --> 01:28:10.079 are just mad at everything. 1727 01:28:10.560 --> 01:28:11.239 Well that's fair. 1728 01:28:13.560 --> 01:28:17.159 They wake up mad, okay, like it's just in their 1729 01:28:17.399 --> 01:28:18.079 in their spirit. 1730 01:28:18.680 --> 01:28:21.399 I want to put a smile on everyone's face as 1731 01:28:21.439 --> 01:28:23.920 I get this question asked from Frankie boy nine. When 1732 01:28:24.000 --> 01:28:27.960 is the Ralph Lawler interview coming soon? Probably the next 1733 01:28:27.960 --> 01:28:31.439 couple of days. I would say, at worst on Monday. 1734 01:28:31.840 --> 01:28:33.680 I don't want to put too much pressure on my editor, 1735 01:28:34.000 --> 01:28:36.960 but the Ralph Lawler sitting down one on one, two 1736 01:28:36.960 --> 01:28:38.039 part interview. 1737 01:28:37.720 --> 01:28:41.000 Is coming up within the next four or five days. 1738 01:28:41.119 --> 01:28:42.520 Data Man asks. 1739 01:28:42.279 --> 01:28:44.600 What should be our expectations if the Clippers coming out 1740 01:28:44.640 --> 01:28:47.520 of camp should be rolling like they did in January. 1741 01:28:47.920 --> 01:28:49.880 They're not going twenty six and five again, guys, or 1742 01:28:49.920 --> 01:28:52.680 a slow build up expected NBA Cup champs. 1743 01:28:52.760 --> 01:28:53.159 Let's go. 1744 01:28:55.159 --> 01:28:56.399 What are the expectations, Justine? 1745 01:28:56.439 --> 01:28:57.520 What to expect? 1746 01:28:58.399 --> 01:28:59.640 It would be a good way to end things. 1747 01:29:00.279 --> 01:29:04.680 Yeah, uh, you know what, I think they'll be fine. 1748 01:29:04.960 --> 01:29:06.479 I don't when I say fine out, I mean like 1749 01:29:06.479 --> 01:29:10.319 they're gonna win fifty five games, but I do think 1750 01:29:10.399 --> 01:29:14.319 they'll generally be fine. I think it could be a 1751 01:29:14.359 --> 01:29:18.000 slow ramp up, uh to where like they come out 1752 01:29:18.039 --> 01:29:21.439 playing Phoenix. That's gonna be an interesting matchup right off 1753 01:29:21.479 --> 01:29:24.520 the bat because Phoenix has a lot to prove themselves 1754 01:29:25.119 --> 01:29:28.520 and it's the Clippers New Arena home opener, and they're 1755 01:29:28.520 --> 01:29:30.439 gonna be fired up, the fans are gonna be fired up. 1756 01:29:31.039 --> 01:29:35.560 So I would in terms of the expectations early in 1757 01:29:35.600 --> 01:29:38.560 the season, I think it could be a slow ramp 1758 01:29:38.640 --> 01:29:40.800 up with an early season, Like, I think they'll start 1759 01:29:40.800 --> 01:29:44.039 out good, probably dip just a little bit, and then 1760 01:29:44.119 --> 01:29:46.640 kind of have like a steady trajectory after that. So 1761 01:29:48.079 --> 01:29:51.359 you know, it's it's hard to say, but I'm kind 1762 01:29:51.359 --> 01:29:54.319 of expecting them to be good and fine. I think overall, 1763 01:29:54.399 --> 01:29:57.920 I think, uh, what would I play them for a 1764 01:29:57.920 --> 01:30:00.880 win total this year? What do you we'll give. 1765 01:30:00.800 --> 01:30:01.439 Me the seeding? 1766 01:30:02.119 --> 01:30:04.640 I have them at best being the sixth in the 1767 01:30:04.680 --> 01:30:07.359 sixth spot in the West at best. If things really 1768 01:30:07.399 --> 01:30:11.319 break their way, if they upgrade, you know, it's an 1769 01:30:11.359 --> 01:30:16.720 evolving roster, then I'll recalibrate my expectations in my prediction. 1770 01:30:16.960 --> 01:30:20.000 But I think anywhere from six to ten honestly, tell 1771 01:30:20.039 --> 01:30:21.960 me how many games Kawhi is playing, and I'll tell 1772 01:30:22.000 --> 01:30:23.920 you what the record could be, because right now, I mean, 1773 01:30:24.239 --> 01:30:27.039 I think he's going to be at best playing sixty six, 1774 01:30:27.119 --> 01:30:28.319 because sixty six. 1775 01:30:28.159 --> 01:30:29.439 Is where you'd be if. 1776 01:30:29.279 --> 01:30:31.920 You take away one half of the back to backs, 1777 01:30:32.079 --> 01:30:35.039 because they're playing sixteen of those a two mins sixteen 1778 01:30:35.079 --> 01:30:38.600 he gets sixty six, and you know that's that's being 1779 01:30:38.640 --> 01:30:41.079 hopeful that he's only missing the front end or the 1780 01:30:41.079 --> 01:30:43.640 back end of a back to back. I have real 1781 01:30:43.680 --> 01:30:47.319 concerns about the swelling when I when I see there 1782 01:30:47.399 --> 01:30:52.239 was no necessarily tweak to the knee. Not a doctor 1783 01:30:52.439 --> 01:30:54.520 never even played one, wants to do a once did 1784 01:30:54.520 --> 01:30:57.279 a show with the UCLA Doctor on A five seventy. 1785 01:30:57.279 --> 01:31:00.640 But last season was different because it wasn't a step. 1786 01:31:01.319 --> 01:31:04.920 It was just wear and tear over a season that 1787 01:31:05.039 --> 01:31:08.520 eventually led to recurring swelling that they couldn't get down 1788 01:31:08.600 --> 01:31:10.520 for justin We don't even know. It could have been 1789 01:31:10.560 --> 01:31:13.680 two months. We don't know how long it took for 1790 01:31:13.720 --> 01:31:14.800 the swelling to go down. 1791 01:31:15.359 --> 01:31:16.439 That's my concern. 1792 01:31:17.279 --> 01:31:20.239 That was one of the weirdest sagas of the season. 1793 01:31:20.279 --> 01:31:24.239 So I was up and I flew to Sacramento to 1794 01:31:24.359 --> 01:31:27.399 cover that game and that shoot around, we're going to 1795 01:31:27.560 --> 01:31:31.279 pull the side and told you're gonna have a Kuhi update. 1796 01:31:32.159 --> 01:31:38.640 He's not playing. He flew back home. Yadiada YadA. We're 1797 01:31:38.680 --> 01:31:42.239 not that concerned, yadi da YadA. And then you fast 1798 01:31:42.319 --> 01:31:47.560 forward and yeah. 1799 01:31:45.840 --> 01:31:48.600 Uh, they couldn't control the swelling. That's what it was. 1800 01:31:49.079 --> 01:31:51.760 And he said, and Om brought this up on my 1801 01:31:51.840 --> 01:31:55.560 Monday show on Ome Young Masu from ESPN that you 1802 01:31:55.680 --> 01:31:59.399 listen to his own words during training camp a Team USA, 1803 01:32:00.079 --> 01:32:03.119 he said he reached a turning point two weeks before 1804 01:32:03.159 --> 01:32:07.439 showing up at training camp with TSA. That means it 1805 01:32:07.479 --> 01:32:09.960 could have been I don't know, two and a half 1806 01:32:10.000 --> 01:32:12.000 to maybe three months where they. 1807 01:32:11.960 --> 01:32:13.000 Were trying to figure this out. 1808 01:32:14.319 --> 01:32:16.560 Almost Alm and I sat next to each other when 1809 01:32:16.640 --> 01:32:21.000 Kawai said that at Tmusa and we and we doesn't 1810 01:32:21.000 --> 01:32:22.880 mind me saying that, we both walked away and had 1811 01:32:22.920 --> 01:32:27.920 like a ten minute conversation about what it even meant, 1812 01:32:28.079 --> 01:32:30.279 because he made a comment after that that was like 1813 01:32:32.399 --> 01:32:36.000 my knee was is like I can't remember, I can't 1814 01:32:36.000 --> 01:32:37.199 remember the exact point. I said. 1815 01:32:37.239 --> 01:32:40.239 It was in a neutral state. That's what day before 1816 01:32:40.359 --> 01:32:41.199 they sent him home. 1817 01:32:41.760 --> 01:32:46.840 Yeah, a neutral state, that's what it was. And I 1818 01:32:46.840 --> 01:32:49.000 don't know what the hell that means. Does that mean 1819 01:32:49.039 --> 01:32:51.159 it's fine, doesn't mean it's I just took it to 1820 01:32:51.199 --> 01:32:53.079 mean stable, but I don't. 1821 01:32:53.319 --> 01:32:57.000 To me, it means it hasn't flared up, it hasn't 1822 01:32:57.119 --> 01:32:59.159 swelled up, even though he was doing. 1823 01:32:59.000 --> 01:32:59.760 Five on five. 1824 01:33:00.520 --> 01:33:03.560 Yeah, that's my guess. So what I will say from 1825 01:33:03.640 --> 01:33:05.720 Team USA is the parts of practice we were able 1826 01:33:05.760 --> 01:33:09.560 to see. He was always wearing uh sweat sweatpants, so 1827 01:33:09.600 --> 01:33:11.560 we never actually got to see anything in terms of 1828 01:33:11.640 --> 01:33:13.680 like if he was wearing anything on his knee, on 1829 01:33:13.720 --> 01:33:16.159 his leg at all. It was all in sweatpants. From 1830 01:33:16.159 --> 01:33:18.039 what I from what I can recollect from a couple 1831 01:33:18.079 --> 01:33:23.319 of months ago, I don't know. I mean all I 1832 01:33:23.359 --> 01:33:25.720 all we can go after was what he said, what 1833 01:33:25.840 --> 01:33:27.640 Team usay, what Grant Hill said, And I asked a 1834 01:33:27.720 --> 01:33:31.640 question to Grant Hill before the game against Canada the 1835 01:33:31.680 --> 01:33:34.760 next night, which was the day that Kawi got sent home. 1836 01:33:35.279 --> 01:33:41.159 And then when we talked to Lawrence Frank at Summer 1837 01:33:41.239 --> 01:33:44.239 League in Vegas. Those are the only those are the 1838 01:33:44.239 --> 01:33:47.199 only people who talked Aboutkawai's status on the record at 1839 01:33:47.199 --> 01:33:53.000 the time and everything. Whatever answer you got from anybody 1840 01:33:53.039 --> 01:33:55.079 was different from somebody else, and it was the weirdest 1841 01:33:55.079 --> 01:33:58.359 thing I've ever experienced. On the record, we don't know. 1842 01:33:59.159 --> 01:34:00.760 We don't know when the swelling went down. We don't 1843 01:34:00.800 --> 01:34:04.399 know what precautions they took, We don't know things that 1844 01:34:04.439 --> 01:34:08.159 they did to minimize the issues. When he was asked 1845 01:34:08.319 --> 01:34:11.560 whether or not he had a procedure done, Lawrence Frank 1846 01:34:11.600 --> 01:34:16.359 wouldn't on the record, wouldn't specify whether or not he did. 1847 01:34:16.960 --> 01:34:20.960 He did say, though, if it was something significant, they would. 1848 01:34:20.960 --> 01:34:24.560 Yes, which reading between the lines for me, meant they 1849 01:34:24.600 --> 01:34:27.000 went in and cleaned cleaned up some stuff. Now that 1850 01:34:27.039 --> 01:34:29.359 doesn't mean that is what happened. That's how I took 1851 01:34:29.439 --> 01:34:32.199 it and interpret it. But that's not what he said. 1852 01:34:32.439 --> 01:34:34.199 It's just how I read between the lines. 1853 01:34:35.319 --> 01:34:36.079 What else can we do? 1854 01:34:37.560 --> 01:34:41.239 I feel like I'm over here playing detective and I'm not. 1855 01:34:42.479 --> 01:34:46.239 I'm not in a state to do that. But you know, 1856 01:34:46.359 --> 01:34:48.800 I mean, look, everything I heard was that Kauhi looked 1857 01:34:48.800 --> 01:34:51.840 fine in tem Usa camp. That's what I heard, is 1858 01:34:51.840 --> 01:34:52.720 that he looked fine. 1859 01:34:53.319 --> 01:34:56.039 Did you see him work out? Did you see some 1860 01:34:56.119 --> 01:34:58.319 of the five on five run outside of the video 1861 01:34:58.319 --> 01:35:00.239 were you there watching some of the practices. 1862 01:35:01.359 --> 01:35:03.840 Anything that's on videos is all we got to see. 1863 01:35:04.119 --> 01:35:08.920 We were everything that was filmed in terms of like 1864 01:35:09.000 --> 01:35:12.000 anything that made its way to the public sphere was 1865 01:35:12.039 --> 01:35:14.640 all we got to see. We were only let in 1866 01:35:14.960 --> 01:35:18.800 for I'm trying to remember now, because it was four 1867 01:35:18.880 --> 01:35:21.399 days of practice, and I think in each of the 1868 01:35:21.520 --> 01:35:24.520 days except for the last day, the first three days 1869 01:35:24.520 --> 01:35:26.319 we only came in for like a ten minute session, 1870 01:35:26.640 --> 01:35:29.880 and I don't really remember Kawhi. I remember Kauhi for 1871 01:35:29.960 --> 01:35:32.680 one of them. I don't remember him for two of them, 1872 01:35:33.000 --> 01:35:34.640 but that doesn't mean he wasn't there on my member. 1873 01:35:34.680 --> 01:35:37.279 It could just be hazy for the other one, though 1874 01:35:37.319 --> 01:35:40.319 he didn't play at all on the court. For the 1875 01:35:40.399 --> 01:35:42.199 last one, I don't remember him see being on the 1876 01:35:42.199 --> 01:35:46.600 court at all. But everything we'd heard was that he 1877 01:35:46.680 --> 01:35:50.760 looks fine, he looks good. He got people asked questions 1878 01:35:50.800 --> 01:35:55.920 about him to Steve Kerr and other players, and they 1879 01:35:56.359 --> 01:35:59.840 they all talked about Kawhi and glowing terms. And then 1880 01:35:59.880 --> 01:36:02.279 I woke up in the hotel room that day of 1881 01:36:02.319 --> 01:36:06.119 the game, found out that was gone, and was like, 1882 01:36:06.159 --> 01:36:08.600 what the hell just happened? And it was it was 1883 01:36:08.680 --> 01:36:12.079 a Great Vegas trip, and so yeah. 1884 01:36:11.439 --> 01:36:12.319 There was something else. 1885 01:36:12.399 --> 01:36:16.479 Lawrence Frank said that I'm also reading into and trying 1886 01:36:16.520 --> 01:36:19.439 to decipher what happened here, and it was something to 1887 01:36:19.479 --> 01:36:22.720 the extent of the degree of we know how Kawai 1888 01:36:23.239 --> 01:36:25.920 looks in practice, we know how he should look. So 1889 01:36:26.079 --> 01:36:29.319 I wondered if Team usay saw, okay, he's not giving 1890 01:36:29.359 --> 01:36:33.840 maximum effort, which Kawhi we know has levels to him. 1891 01:36:33.960 --> 01:36:38.439 Regular season Kawhi versus playoff Kawhi players never admit to 1892 01:36:38.479 --> 01:36:40.880 this stuff. I think it's just instinctual. Well, it just happens. 1893 01:36:40.880 --> 01:36:43.800 It's just subconscious that they start playing harder and show 1894 01:36:44.279 --> 01:36:47.880 a different motor out there. But he probably was in 1895 01:36:48.199 --> 01:36:51.079 slowed down version of himself, and maybe they thought that's 1896 01:36:51.119 --> 01:36:54.319 related to the knee, and maybe that gave them pause 1897 01:36:54.439 --> 01:36:56.079 for wondering if he's going to be able to make 1898 01:36:56.119 --> 01:37:00.640 it through the entire run. With Team USA and Kawhi 1899 01:37:00.720 --> 01:37:03.439 feeling good and making that comment still about his knee 1900 01:37:03.479 --> 01:37:05.840 being in a neutral state, and then saying two weeks 1901 01:37:05.880 --> 01:37:08.960 before he had a turning point, it probably just made 1902 01:37:09.000 --> 01:37:11.159 them feel like, uh, well, we don't know if we're 1903 01:37:11.159 --> 01:37:13.039 going to be able to rely on him over the 1904 01:37:13.079 --> 01:37:16.359 next month, so maybe we should go in a different direction. 1905 01:37:16.520 --> 01:37:16.680 Now. 1906 01:37:16.720 --> 01:37:19.960 I don't like it because he's Kawhi Leonard and Kevin 1907 01:37:20.039 --> 01:37:22.439 Durant wasn't playing at all. But we know Kevin Durant 1908 01:37:22.439 --> 01:37:24.640 had a scoring title on the line for Team USA, 1909 01:37:24.800 --> 01:37:26.520 so they weren't going to send him home even though 1910 01:37:26.560 --> 01:37:28.800 he was hurt and didn't play at all during the 1911 01:37:28.960 --> 01:37:33.600 Uh was it not the knockout round but the exhibition 1912 01:37:34.319 --> 01:37:37.960 course of a Team USA. I That's all I can 1913 01:37:38.279 --> 01:37:39.079 I can see. 1914 01:37:39.760 --> 01:37:44.520 I just I that's such a weird situation because I 1915 01:37:44.560 --> 01:37:46.520 do think that there is some truth to like the 1916 01:37:46.560 --> 01:37:49.439 Clippers know how he recovers and how he looks in 1917 01:37:49.479 --> 01:37:51.199 practice compared to what Team USA. 1918 01:37:51.319 --> 01:37:55.199 And coach loves there. And Lawrence Frank was there for 1919 01:37:55.239 --> 01:37:55.640 some event. 1920 01:37:56.359 --> 01:38:00.720 Yeah, uh, Lawrence Frank was there for a couple of 1921 01:38:00.760 --> 01:38:04.159 the days, I believe two of the days. So yeah, 1922 01:38:04.239 --> 01:38:06.640 I they don't. 1923 01:38:06.399 --> 01:38:10.159 Come out and have that press conference if Kawhi didn't 1924 01:38:10.199 --> 01:38:13.079 feel like he was ready, right, they're speaking on behalf 1925 01:38:13.119 --> 01:38:16.279 of him because he was so disappointed. I'm sure which 1926 01:38:16.439 --> 01:38:21.279 which one the Lawrence Frank press conference regarding Kawhi Does 1927 01:38:21.319 --> 01:38:21.920 that happen? 1928 01:38:22.720 --> 01:38:25.479 The Lord I believe that press conference would probably still 1929 01:38:25.520 --> 01:38:28.800 happen only because Lawrence just didn't get asked about Kaui 1930 01:38:28.800 --> 01:38:30.880 at that press conference. He got asked about everything. He 1931 01:38:30.920 --> 01:38:34.159 got asked about PG you got to ask about, uh, 1932 01:38:34.239 --> 01:38:36.800 the rough situation, he got asked about, PJ, he got 1933 01:38:36.800 --> 01:38:38.640 asked about, He got to asked about everything. 1934 01:38:38.399 --> 01:38:40.319 Right, But he was there to make a statement about 1935 01:38:40.399 --> 01:38:41.359 Kawhi off the top. 1936 01:38:41.960 --> 01:38:45.319 He was, But that's not just what that conversation was for. 1937 01:38:45.960 --> 01:38:49.319 That was an all encompassing interview that was set up 1938 01:38:49.359 --> 01:38:52.239 for several of us to on the beat to talk 1939 01:38:52.279 --> 01:38:56.079 to Lawrence about everything off season relationship. Now, what was 1940 01:38:56.239 --> 01:38:59.119 what let off? It was the Kawhi thing because at 1941 01:38:59.119 --> 01:39:03.560 the time that was the biggest story because just what 1942 01:39:03.640 --> 01:39:07.319 two days before, two days before, three like four days before, 1943 01:39:07.399 --> 01:39:11.239 Kawhi had just left. So it was like, oh, that's 1944 01:39:11.279 --> 01:39:13.880 a little interesting, So we kind of need to we 1945 01:39:13.920 --> 01:39:18.000 need to ask about this this topic. There's something else 1946 01:39:18.039 --> 01:39:20.600 I was gonna Oh the other interesting caveat in all 1947 01:39:20.680 --> 01:39:24.319 this is Clinton parks Kawhi. Leonards trainer has been very 1948 01:39:24.399 --> 01:39:29.720 vocal on Twitter that this wasn't a Kawhi Leonard Clipper's decision. 1949 01:39:29.760 --> 01:39:32.000 This was Team USA's call. 1950 01:39:32.479 --> 01:39:35.880 I saw from what Lawrence Frank said. He mentioned they 1951 01:39:35.880 --> 01:39:40.079 were very disappointed not once but twice with Team USA's decision. 1952 01:39:40.640 --> 01:39:41.920 Of course, it wasn't their. 1953 01:39:41.760 --> 01:39:42.279 Call, right. 1954 01:39:44.119 --> 01:39:46.479 What I will say is that when I asked Grant 1955 01:39:46.520 --> 01:39:49.000 Hill on the record in the press conference ahead of 1956 01:39:49.039 --> 01:39:54.039 the game against Canada, when they knew that they would 1957 01:39:54.079 --> 01:39:58.239 send like when they knew that they basically couldn't have 1958 01:39:58.359 --> 01:40:01.680 Kawhi Leonard need to send him home, he kind of 1959 01:40:01.720 --> 01:40:06.079 just didn't answer it like it was like generalization speak, 1960 01:40:06.520 --> 01:40:09.319 which is fine, but it was a very like political 1961 01:40:09.399 --> 01:40:13.159 answer of just you know, it happened and kind of 1962 01:40:13.199 --> 01:40:18.039 stuff like that. So they I don't know. I look, 1963 01:40:18.640 --> 01:40:20.279 it goes back to what we said a long time ago. 1964 01:40:20.479 --> 01:40:24.680 There's three signs to every story, and the truth probably 1965 01:40:24.760 --> 01:40:28.760 lies somewhere in the middle. I don't know. Maybe one 1966 01:40:28.840 --> 01:40:31.000 day it will come to light and we'll just kind 1967 01:40:31.000 --> 01:40:33.399 of wonder why it took so long. 1968 01:40:34.279 --> 01:40:36.800 My opinion it lies with the Clippers. But that's cool. 1969 01:40:36.840 --> 01:40:37.279 That's cool. 1970 01:40:37.319 --> 01:40:39.479 We got Justin who so on with us, and we're 1971 01:40:39.479 --> 01:40:42.079 gonna close things out here because we're almost reaching the 1972 01:40:42.119 --> 01:40:44.119 two hour marker. 1973 01:40:43.920 --> 01:40:45.840 And just I apologize, I'm a talker. 1974 01:40:45.920 --> 01:40:47.560 You know, no, no, this has been great. 1975 01:40:47.720 --> 01:40:50.399 I'm the one that's always worried about keeping somebody too 1976 01:40:50.439 --> 01:40:54.479 long here. But Justin is at fly by Night K 1977 01:40:54.600 --> 01:40:57.880 and I t e on X on Twitter Justin, where 1978 01:40:57.960 --> 01:40:59.119 can everybody find you? 1979 01:40:59.159 --> 01:41:00.359 For your wonderful work? 1980 01:41:00.640 --> 01:41:03.159 And I encourage everybody to subscribe. I don't do it 1981 01:41:03.159 --> 01:41:06.159 with everyone, but I do it with Justin. I am 1982 01:41:06.199 --> 01:41:08.239 a reader of his and. 1983 01:41:08.399 --> 01:41:11.600 It is very informative. 1984 01:41:12.600 --> 01:41:16.000 Pieces that he gets done for you that are illuminating, 1985 01:41:16.119 --> 01:41:17.680 as you've sensed here on the pod. 1986 01:41:18.279 --> 01:41:22.960 Thank you. Uh it's Justin Arusso dot substack dot com. 1987 01:41:23.039 --> 01:41:25.520 I will tell people that's starting in October because the 1988 01:41:25.560 --> 01:41:29.239 season is starting. I am turning subscriptions on. It'll be 1989 01:41:29.600 --> 01:41:31.079 five dollars a month, I think is what it is 1990 01:41:31.119 --> 01:41:33.000 for substacks. I'm just letting people know ahead of time 1991 01:41:33.359 --> 01:41:36.039 that you know, if you do subscribe, I appreciate it. 1992 01:41:37.199 --> 01:41:40.079 It will be behind a paywall. It's just the nature 1993 01:41:40.119 --> 01:41:41.880 of the business now. And I apologize ahead of time, 1994 01:41:41.920 --> 01:41:46.079 but it is what it is. I things ain't cheap 1995 01:41:46.159 --> 01:41:49.159 no more for folks, and man, when the when the 1996 01:41:49.159 --> 01:41:52.680 double cheezburger a McDonald's, they ate two dollars anymore. I 1997 01:41:52.680 --> 01:41:53.720 thought they're bringing. 1998 01:41:53.439 --> 01:41:55.239 Back a five dollars value meal somewhere. 1999 01:41:55.279 --> 01:41:56.439 Aren't they doing that somewhere? 2000 01:41:57.359 --> 01:41:57.600 Look? 2001 01:41:58.880 --> 01:42:03.640 Guy, you get, yeah, the top half of then. 2002 01:42:03.840 --> 01:42:05.920 You get enough soda in the straw, and that's it. 2003 01:42:06.039 --> 01:42:10.319 You know, it's just all you need. But no, I'm 2004 01:42:10.439 --> 01:42:12.399 kind of interested to see how the season goes. I'm 2005 01:42:12.439 --> 01:42:15.439 actually excited to a large degree. I don't know if 2006 01:42:15.479 --> 01:42:18.920 it's because things are different or just because the closes 2007 01:42:19.000 --> 01:42:21.640 we've gotten. I'm kind of feeling it again, like, oh great, 2008 01:42:21.680 --> 01:42:23.880 I actually get to go now. You know, I saw 2009 01:42:23.960 --> 01:42:26.960 someone a long time ago in the chat ask how 2010 01:42:27.000 --> 01:42:29.720 excited are like the beat to go to the new 2011 01:42:29.760 --> 01:42:33.880 arena for media Day. I'm I'm actually intrigued to see 2012 01:42:33.920 --> 01:42:37.000 how they set it up. Because the old media day 2013 01:42:37.079 --> 01:42:39.800 was at the old training facility, obviously, and everything was 2014 01:42:39.960 --> 01:42:42.079 as you saw Adam those everything was on the two 2015 01:42:42.119 --> 01:42:44.760 courts and split into like little sections and stuff. I'm 2016 01:42:44.760 --> 01:42:46.199 curious to see what they do for this one. Is 2017 01:42:46.199 --> 01:42:48.159 it gonna be the main court, is it going to 2018 01:42:48.199 --> 01:42:51.279 be the practice facility? Are they gonna have stations in between? 2019 01:42:51.760 --> 01:42:53.560 Like how do they do? I'm kind of I'm actually 2020 01:42:53.560 --> 01:42:57.319 fascinated to see what they do. And yeah, so that'd 2021 01:42:57.319 --> 01:42:59.319 be the last time I see them for at least 2022 01:42:59.319 --> 01:43:01.000 a week or so because I'm not going to Hawaii 2023 01:43:01.039 --> 01:43:03.800 for training camp. I did it last year. It was great. 2024 01:43:03.880 --> 01:43:05.760 It was my first time ever in Hawaii, and I 2025 01:43:05.760 --> 01:43:07.920 wish I could live there because it was so incredible. 2026 01:43:07.960 --> 01:43:11.000 But I won't be in Hawaii this year, so but 2027 01:43:11.680 --> 01:43:13.680 I am looking forward to media Day. I'm looking forward 2028 01:43:13.680 --> 01:43:15.640 to see the arena all the way done. I was 2029 01:43:15.680 --> 01:43:17.800 there for the Halo board thing and that was pretty cool. 2030 01:43:18.039 --> 01:43:25.159 So Media Day, September thirtieth, we are looking forward to that. 2031 01:43:25.239 --> 01:43:28.000 One cannot wait for that. Monday morning, four or five 2032 01:43:28.079 --> 01:43:28.880 traffing baby. 2033 01:43:29.079 --> 01:43:31.800 Oh yeah, I'm gonna have start leaving an hour earlier 2034 01:43:31.800 --> 01:43:36.159 than I I used to Burbank, probably an hour earlier 2035 01:43:36.199 --> 01:43:38.479 than I used to go to Crypto, which is fine. 2036 01:43:38.920 --> 01:43:40.479 I am happy to go to into it. 2037 01:43:41.079 --> 01:43:43.720 I'm happy to get there as early as possible because 2038 01:43:44.319 --> 01:43:47.399 it is a dream arena. 2039 01:43:47.720 --> 01:43:51.159 Living it right now, yeah, it's uh, you know what's interesting. 2040 01:43:51.600 --> 01:43:53.720 So you've obviously been into it. You've parked in the 2041 01:43:53.720 --> 01:43:57.159 parking structure, right, yeah, have you taken have you taken 2042 01:43:57.199 --> 01:43:59.159 like the. 2043 01:43:58.239 --> 01:44:01.039 The over overhead walkway, I did, and we went under. 2044 01:44:01.720 --> 01:44:03.600 Oh you did, okay, So also you just walked across 2045 01:44:03.600 --> 01:44:03.960 the street. 2046 01:44:04.119 --> 01:44:06.039 Yeah, we hit the crosswalk, okay. 2047 01:44:06.079 --> 01:44:08.199 So on the overhead park like, if you take the 2048 01:44:08.199 --> 01:44:11.239 the well, I don't want to keep saying overhead walking, 2049 01:44:11.279 --> 01:44:12.720 that's not what it's called bridge. 2050 01:44:12.760 --> 01:44:13.399 I don't know what it's going. 2051 01:44:13.800 --> 01:44:16.640 The other bridge, the overpass, I guess, yeah, you take 2052 01:44:16.680 --> 01:44:20.680 that from the parking structure, you walk in straight eye 2053 01:44:20.800 --> 01:44:26.359 level to the gigantic outdoor like TV board. So it's 2054 01:44:26.359 --> 01:44:29.000 actually kind of a really cool thing to walk directly 2055 01:44:29.000 --> 01:44:30.119 and just see that right in front of you the 2056 01:44:30.119 --> 01:44:30.520 whole way. 2057 01:44:31.479 --> 01:44:34.199 It's surreal. I was talking about it with Paul sheer 2058 01:44:34.319 --> 01:44:37.760 on here. It feels like augmented reality, like we're wearing 2059 01:44:37.760 --> 01:44:39.840 a lens, or like you're wearing a lens and you've 2060 01:44:39.880 --> 01:44:42.159 got the Google glasses on or whatever they were supposed 2061 01:44:42.199 --> 01:44:46.199 to be. It feels like virtual reality. Being at this place. 2062 01:44:46.319 --> 01:44:48.159 Everything is just so high tech. 2063 01:44:48.640 --> 01:44:51.479 It's it's such it just hits you in the face. 2064 01:44:52.239 --> 01:44:54.720 It's like like there is like a culture shock type 2065 01:44:54.840 --> 01:44:57.720 deal to it, or like your brain has to adjust 2066 01:44:58.199 --> 01:44:59.720 to kind of how it is, and it takes. It 2067 01:44:59.760 --> 01:45:01.640 does take a minute, So I will tell I will 2068 01:45:01.640 --> 01:45:04.439 tell baby, like when you walk in, take your time, 2069 01:45:04.640 --> 01:45:06.880 get used to, get used to what you see. 2070 01:45:07.520 --> 01:45:10.399 Get comfortable, Flipper Nation, You're finally home. 2071 01:45:10.920 --> 01:45:13.199 And for a fatty like me, those seats are very 2072 01:45:13.199 --> 01:45:14.880 wide and I enjoy them very much. 2073 01:45:17.039 --> 01:45:20.399 Listen, well, look the food. They're scriptures. They have to 2074 01:45:20.439 --> 01:45:21.159 account for that. 2075 01:45:21.640 --> 01:45:25.000 Listen. I'm a I'm a sucker for a great seat, 2076 01:45:25.319 --> 01:45:26.680 and those are some good seats. 2077 01:45:27.800 --> 01:45:29.079 I'd say the best seats. 2078 01:45:29.399 --> 01:45:32.800 The top level seats are closer to the floor than 2079 01:45:32.800 --> 01:45:33.239 I think. 2080 01:45:33.119 --> 01:45:35.000 Any arena in existence. 2081 01:45:35.479 --> 01:45:38.000 Yes, and what's more important than being closer to the action? 2082 01:45:38.119 --> 01:45:40.319 They got that right, and your. 2083 01:45:40.159 --> 01:45:43.319 Eye level with the most gigantic board anyone ever thought 2084 01:45:43.319 --> 01:45:46.000 to build, because that's what I also need in my life. 2085 01:45:46.239 --> 01:45:48.119 You know what's funny is I did have a Clippers 2086 01:45:48.159 --> 01:45:51.840 person tell me at the Halo board unveiling that they 2087 01:45:51.840 --> 01:45:55.159 were excited to hear my thoughts on it because they 2088 01:45:55.279 --> 01:45:57.159 know how much of the data stuff I love to 2089 01:45:57.199 --> 01:46:00.239 see and every piece of data that came out, Like, 2090 01:46:01.359 --> 01:46:03.640 I know you didn't build this for me. This feels 2091 01:46:03.640 --> 01:46:04.760 like a little bit for me though. 2092 01:46:05.159 --> 01:46:07.399 Hey, it's justin russau Ga. It's kind of a nerd. 2093 01:46:07.439 --> 01:46:09.279 What do you think about this stat we're putting up 2094 01:46:09.279 --> 01:46:09.680 here on the. 2095 01:46:09.600 --> 01:46:14.119 Halo exactly exactly. We make room for your wrapping and 2096 01:46:15.000 --> 01:46:17.159 last comment here Manny says he can't wait for the 2097 01:46:17.159 --> 01:46:22.119 sushi dogs. Yeah, you give me one of those. I'm 2098 01:46:22.119 --> 01:46:22.680 there every. 2099 01:46:22.600 --> 01:46:27.039 Day, sushi dogs, not with mustard, with with sabi. Oh, 2100 01:46:28.119 --> 01:46:30.239 I'll be there every day. 2101 01:46:31.119 --> 01:46:33.479 Maybe not for the traffic, but I'll enjoy the experience. 2102 01:46:34.359 --> 01:46:37.239 I got a run because we got to clips and 2103 01:46:37.279 --> 01:46:40.000 dip coming up in just a little bit. That's coming 2104 01:46:40.079 --> 01:46:42.800 up a little bit later tonight with myself check Mockler 2105 01:46:42.880 --> 01:46:46.600 will up Nike programming. Note there, this will be the 2106 01:46:46.720 --> 01:46:50.800 last Clippers Talk of the week unless the Ralph Waller 2107 01:46:50.960 --> 01:46:53.439 interview drops later tonight or tomorrow. 2108 01:46:53.560 --> 01:46:56.880 It could happen or Saturday or Sunday. Be on the 2109 01:46:56.920 --> 01:46:57.479 lookout for that. 2110 01:46:57.960 --> 01:47:02.840 Follow me hat follow out of May at Clippers Talk 2111 01:47:03.119 --> 01:47:06.439 is the YouTube And by the way, that Ralph Lahler 2112 01:47:06.560 --> 01:47:09.720 interview will be a YouTube exclusive. I'm not uploading it 2113 01:47:09.760 --> 01:47:12.399 to the podcast. It's a visual. We're doing it kind 2114 01:47:12.399 --> 01:47:15.039 of documentary style. We're including a lot of clips, a 2115 01:47:15.039 --> 01:47:17.960 lot of plays, a lot of great pictures with his 2116 01:47:18.079 --> 01:47:21.960 best friend, the Goat, Bill Walton, who passed away earlier 2117 01:47:22.000 --> 01:47:23.800 this season. That was one of the reasons I wanted 2118 01:47:23.800 --> 01:47:26.920 to talk with Ralph and celebrate Bill Walton. So please 2119 01:47:27.359 --> 01:47:30.439 subscribe to the YouTube side because that's the only place 2120 01:47:30.479 --> 01:47:32.520 you're going to get this Ralph Lawler interview that I'm 2121 01:47:32.560 --> 01:47:34.640 actually I don't say this very often, but I'm proud 2122 01:47:34.640 --> 01:47:36.760 of something that I've done for once and it was 2123 01:47:36.800 --> 01:47:38.640 mostly just because I got to hang out with Ralph 2124 01:47:38.680 --> 01:47:43.199 and he's so amazing. So for Justin Rousseau, I'm Adam Mosland. 2125 01:47:43.720 --> 01:47:46.199 We'll talk to you later later tonight on 2126 01:47:46.319 --> 01:47:47.039 Clips and Dip.