WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:05.320 But there we go. 2 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:08.919 Fred Rogan or Rodney Peach on five seventy LA Sports, 3 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:12.080 a one hour program for us today because the Dodgers 4 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:14.880 are back at it in Washington, and of course we 5 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:17.800 will have the game for you first pitch around three 6 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:21.719 forty five before we get to the Dodgers, before we 7 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:24.320 talk about what's going on with the Dodgers. Rodney, I 8 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:26.320 think we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about what 9 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:30.559 happened in Denver today. The Nuggets fired their coach, Michael Malone. 10 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:33.479 I couldn't believe that. I couldn't believe it either. 11 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:37.320 Here we are on the edge of the playoffs and 12 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:42.159 they fire their coach and general manager. I just don't 13 00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:46.000 understand that. You know, Fredd, it when things like this happen. 14 00:00:47.159 --> 00:00:49.320 First of all, you wonder what's going on up top, 15 00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:51.159 But then you got to believe that there had to 16 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:53.600 be a serious blow up for something like this to 17 00:00:53.640 --> 00:00:58.240 go down at this point in the season. There has 18 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:03.039 to be something more that we're not privy to. Would 19 00:01:03.079 --> 00:01:06.920 you agree, yeah, one hundred percent. I mean I thought 20 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:10.879 it was odd when the Grizzlies fired their coach, Taylor Jenkins, 21 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.319 and the thought was they would get rid of him 22 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:15.760 after the season anyway, but that close to the playoffs 23 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:19.239 and you're thinking that doesn't make any sense. I mean, 24 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.599 Adam is producing today and Adam is our NBA guy, Adam, 25 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:27.760 I don't understand what happened here. Do you have any 26 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:30.000 insight into what may have happened? 27 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:33.920 Guys, If the Luka Donciz trade is the most shocking 28 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.159 trade in NBA history, this is probably the most shocking 29 00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:41.239 firing given the timing. We're talking about a guy who 30 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:43.959 is less than two years removed from leading them to 31 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.680 a championship in twenty twenty three. I know he can 32 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:50.159 be prickly, he can be salty, he can be tough 33 00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:53.120 to deal with. But to do this with three games 34 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:57.200 left in the regular season for the Denver Nuggets, this 35 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:01.840 is bizarre. Now, something else is going on behind the scenes, 36 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:06.280 but this screams we need a complete makeover. We've lost 37 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:08.560 four games in a row. They've lost to some good teams. 38 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:10.719 They had that bad loss in double overtime to the 39 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:15.080 Minnesota Timberwolves. Guys where Russell Westbrook smoked that layup and 40 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:18.080 then fouled a three point shooter to lose that game. 41 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:20.479 It's like, how much of this is just hinging off 42 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:23.199 that one loss, like did that was that the straw 43 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:27.039 that broke the camel's back. Mike Malone, though he must 44 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.639 have lost the locker room to be fired like this. 45 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:31.960 I don't see how you don't talk to the guys 46 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:34.840 in the locker room, talk with your superstar Nikola Jokics 47 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:36.080 before you make a move like this. 48 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:41.759 Yeah, and then what about the DM booth right they 49 00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:42.360 fired him? 50 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:44.479 Did him and Malone not get along? 51 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:45.960 They didn't get along. 52 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:50.840 But also this is a situation where ownership wasn't willing 53 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:55.319 to pay guys. Where they let Bruce Brown go, they 54 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:59.560 let Contavious Caldwell Pope go, guys who were integral to 55 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:01.840 them winning that championship in twenty twenty three. 56 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:04.719 They were kind of eroding. They were chipping away at 57 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:05.719 their own foundation. 58 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:08.919 Losing these guys, they try to replace them. Christian Brown 59 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:11.719 has been good this season for them, but they are 60 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:15.280 twentieth defensively and Mike Malone is a defensive head coach 61 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:18.360 and they haven't been able to fix that part of it. 62 00:03:18.520 --> 00:03:20.159 And now Jamal Murray's been hurt. 63 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:22.639 He may not be available in the playoffs. 64 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:23.719 They're reeling. 65 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:26.520 They're sliding, they could fall into the play in But 66 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.879 having said all that, to do it with three games left, 67 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:33.080 when there's six days left in the NBA regular season, 68 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:36.280 this is incredible. This is I've never seen anything like it. 69 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.439 And they and you said, you said they're sliding, but 70 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:41.759 right now, like whether they the fourth season, I know 71 00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:45.319 there's a lockdawn right there with the four through eight, 72 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:49.280 but they're in the four seed, Adam, with like you said, 73 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:52.240 three games left. Nobody does this unless there is a 74 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:54.879 tremendous problem behind closed doors. 75 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:55.199 Man. 76 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:57.280 From some of the stuff we've heard from Mike Malone 77 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:00.560 recently postgame, he's made it sound like guys have tuned 78 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:04.120 him out. They aren't watching film, they aren't responding to 79 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:06.479 his tough love that has been there for. 80 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:08.879 A long time. That's who he is. Rodney, maybe you 81 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:09.479 can speak to this. 82 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:13.400 But when you have coaches that wear on you, it's 83 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:16.279 all good when you're winning, but things can turn very 84 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:19.959 quickly when those guys start to lose and that message 85 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:21.240 is no longer being received. 86 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:26.519 Oh yeah, definitely. It wears on you. Guys rub you 87 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:28.519 the wrong way, and it's all rosy when you win, 88 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:32.920 and you typically love coaches that are like even killed 89 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:35.399 right same way when you win, you lose. They're constructive 90 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:37.600 when you lose, but also constructive and you win. But 91 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:40.160 if you go to the extremes on both sides, or 92 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:42.360 you go to the extreme when you lose and you're 93 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:44.879 kind of whole hum when you win, then guys see 94 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.439 that as well. But like you said, two years removed 95 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:51.879 from winning a championship, sometimes that trumps a lot of things. 96 00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:53.639 If you're a coach that won it two years ago, 97 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:56.600 that buys you, It should buy you a lot of 98 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:58.319 real estate. And in this case, it didn't. 99 00:04:58.399 --> 00:04:59.199 And this is Denver. 100 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:03.399 It's it's not La it's not the Lakers, where the 101 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.120 standard is crazy high all the time, and you're in 102 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:08.199 the pressure cooker right away because. 103 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:08.639 Of the history. 104 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:12.680 The history is Mike Malone winning them a championship there 105 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:15.839 in Denver's that's the highest they've ever reached. 106 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:17.519 That is the top of the mountain for them for 107 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:18.160 the first time. 108 00:05:18.279 --> 00:05:21.360 Like that is an unbelievable move at this time of 109 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:23.800 the season. I've never seen anything like it. I guess 110 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:26.360 Hubi Brown was let go in the early eighties with 111 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:28.759 the same amount of games remaining. That's the only thing 112 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.160 you can compare it to. But I thought the Taylor 113 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.759 Jenkins move, like Fred brought up, that was bizarre, that 114 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:35.560 was wild. 115 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:37.639 This this is extreme. 116 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:41.079 Yeah, but look at it like this. So they getting 117 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:44.519 rid of Malone is shocking, but they cleaned everybody out. 118 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:46.800 They took the GM out as well, So you start 119 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:49.439 to think was there a power play going on here 120 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:52.879 and they both lost? Was Booth gonna support Malone no 121 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:55.319 matter what? In other words, they went and said get 122 00:05:55.399 --> 00:05:57.800 rid of them, and he said no. Well here's the thing, hey, 123 00:05:57.800 --> 00:05:58.319 you'll go. 124 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:03.279 To Reportedly, Booth and Mike Malone don't get along. They 125 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:04.199 don't like each other. 126 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:09.120 So maybe it was to your point, they can't connect, 127 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:12.439 they don't have great chemistry. We're just gonna start over 128 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.240 without choosing one of these guys. We're gonna go clean slate. 129 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.639 Here, Adam. 130 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.759 I heard one report because, as we all know here 131 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:22.560 in LA, the Denver Nuggets are owned by Stan Kronki, 132 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.680 who also owns the Rams, And there was a report 133 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:29.560 that because of the harmony that the Rams have and 134 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:32.319 the success that the Rams have had in their front office, 135 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:35.279 being that Sean McVay and Less need all get along. 136 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:38.680 Kevin Dimoff, it's really harmonious, and Fred can speak to that, 137 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:41.959 but they all seem to be all on the same page. 138 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:45.199 And maybe you know after time that this came from 139 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:48.000 the top going I can't have you guys button head, 140 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:49.959 as you just mentioned, they didn't get along, Booth and 141 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:53.560 Malone didn't get along, and then going down from there. 142 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:57.600 Who knows how that building was, But could it be 143 00:06:57.639 --> 00:06:59.839 a thing where Stan Cronkie just got fed up and said, 144 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:03.120 but I can't have this infighting and I just want 145 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:05.639 some harmony here and you're both gone. 146 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:08.879 Yeah, the instability, those guys not being on the same 147 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:11.920 page when things go bad, when they go poorly. 148 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:13.319 They have lost four in a row. 149 00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:16.000 They look like over the last week we've been talking 150 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.439 about them, like, guys, they're probably gonna fall into the 151 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:22.480 play it. They very well could. Even with Nikola Jokic 152 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:25.519 who had to give him what fifty five minutes in 153 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:28.639 a sixty point triple double to still lose that game 154 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:31.839 of double overtime to Minnesota. He can't save him right 155 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:35.120 now because they don't have Jamal Murray. So they're probably 156 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:38.279 just thinking like, if we can just light a fire 157 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:40.360 at the very end of this season. But I could 158 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.839 only think of two examples where you switched out the 159 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:46.680 head coach and it wasn't this late in the season, 160 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:49.199 and those teams went on to win the championship. 161 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:50.560 I'm talking about ty. 162 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.639 Luin twenty sixteen with the Cleveland Cavaliers when David Blatt 163 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:55.879 was let go, and then in two thousand and six, 164 00:07:56.199 --> 00:07:57.600 stan Van Gundhi was let go. 165 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:00.639 Pat Riley came in led the Mammy Heat to which championship. 166 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.519 But that was much earlier in the season, not like this. 167 00:08:04.519 --> 00:08:05.519 This is unbelievable. 168 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:08.560 Yeah, it sounds to me, you know, as we just 169 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:12.079 kind of work it out here, kind of workshop it. 170 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.759 Both of them alone had a problem. They couldn't get along. 171 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:20.920 It could have either been there both complaining to Daddy. Right, 172 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:26.720 they're both airing their grievances and they didn't want to 173 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:27.519 pick one or the other. 174 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:30.199 It's enough, it's enough with both of you. 175 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:35.000 Also, though, and Rodney, because you played, you make a 176 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:38.759 move like this right now now, I know because as 177 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:41.559 a sports fan, every season matters. 178 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:45.080 As an owner, you want to win every season. 179 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:48.879 But it's a business, and it says to me that 180 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:53.360 whatever was going on was so awful. And by the way, 181 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:57.360 you mentioned Kevin Demoff. You know he's got some skin 182 00:08:57.440 --> 00:08:58.399 in the game with the Nuggets. 183 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:01.440 Now you got some skin in the game with the Nuggets. 184 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:04.960 Now, Yeah, he's been promoted, he's got a little skin 185 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:08.000 in the game with everything now. And it seems to 186 00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:11.679 me they say they're saying behind closed doors, yeah, we 187 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:15.000 want to Salva just we wanna win again, but if 188 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:19.159 we don't, it's better to clean this mess up right 189 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:22.120 now and start again than have to live with us 190 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:27.000 another day. By doing this, I think they're saying, you know, 191 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:29.200 we'd like to win, but if we don't, there you go. 192 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:30.080 Yeah. 193 00:09:30.120 --> 00:09:32.279 But to Adam's point, that sends a message to the 194 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:34.759 players as well. So now, all of a sudden, this 195 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:38.679 year where you've played what they've played, seventy nine games, 196 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:42.639 seventy nine games getting ready and putting themselves in a 197 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:44.799 position to go to the playoffs and make a playoff run. 198 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:46.600 And they all know how to do it. They all 199 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:48.360 know what it takes to win a championship because they 200 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:52.240 did it two years ago. You're telling those players, well, 201 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:54.440 you know, this season is washed now, we don't care 202 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:56.960 what you did for those seventy nine games, and if 203 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:58.840 you win it, you win it. You don't, you don't, 204 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:01.759 We're gonna move in a homele different directions. What that does, 205 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:06.080 oftentimes is when that next guy comes up for a contract, 206 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:09.279 he's looking to get out, or somebody's looking to get traded. 207 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:11.360 It's like, I don't want to be a part of 208 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:14.720 this mess. They could fire and I will say, like, 209 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:19.440 as prickly as as Mike Malone probably was, and it 210 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:21.320 might be a case if he lost the locker room, 211 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:24.360 but I think the guys respected him to the point 212 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:27.039 where I don't think I would. I would bet that 213 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:31.399 ninety percent of the guys thought this was a BS 214 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.240 move to fire him at this point, regardless of how 215 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:37.279 prickly he may have been. And so when guys come 216 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:39.559 up for contracts or they say, well, we want you 217 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:41.039 to be a Nugget for life, or we want you 218 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:43.519 to be here for multiple years as a player, you're 219 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:45.120 going to take Paul, Do I really want. 220 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:46.320 To be a part of this organization? 221 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:49.120 You think the players are not pleased with this decision? 222 00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:53.399 I think I think it may be split. Look, I'm 223 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:56.240 not in there, but I think when you get to 224 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:59.399 this point in the season, no player wants a change 225 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.440 like this. At this point, now midseason is a different 226 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:05.480 things at all. Start break, if there's all that kind 227 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:07.320 of stuff, that's when you make a move. But at 228 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:10.279 this point, the players, your mindset is, Okay, we got 229 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:11.919 to win this first series. We got to get into 230 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:13.960 who we play and all that kind of stuff. Let's 231 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:15.879 just grind it out and we'll deal with it in 232 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:18.480 the offseason. Nobody wants to deal with this right now 233 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:19.879 as he entered the playoffs. 234 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:22.000 Well, like you think, this can't be a distraction to 235 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.840 Rodney's point, for the players to have to answer this now, Yeah, 236 00:11:25.879 --> 00:11:28.639 there's three games left. What's funny is their next game 237 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:32.600 is in Sacramento. Ten years ago, Mike Malone got fired 238 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:35.360 by the Kings, which turned out to look like a 239 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.399 very bad move. They haven't been able to figure it 240 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:40.159 out since they lost him. And he got fired because 241 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:43.399 DeMarcus Cousins got meningitis and after a hot start of 242 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:45.399 the season, they went into a tailspin because he didn't 243 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:48.000 have his best player. Well, Mike Brown got fired from 244 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:49.759 the Sacramento Kings earlier this season. 245 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:50.759 You know what Mike. 246 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:54.799 Malone said about that that organization has no balls, no class. 247 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:58.679 See that's what he went right after them and now 248 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:03.440 because of the wild and craziness to that firing and 249 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:06.080 making it look like there's such instability there. Well, now 250 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:09.279 he gets fired with three games left in the regular season. 251 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:11.480 I mean, Mike, Mike Brown was fired early in the 252 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:16.320 season by Sacramento. This is much more shocking. This is incredible. 253 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:18.879 It must have been so toxic. 254 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:22.559 There like nothing we have ever seen between ownership, the 255 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:24.519 GM and Mike Malone. 256 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:26.399 Nothing must have been working. 257 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.240 They didn't even pick the GM in all of this. 258 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:29.360 That's the point. 259 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:32.200 They didn't even say, Okay, we know this is bad 260 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:35.440 and we really don't want to do it, but Mike, 261 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:37.919 you're done and you're still the GM. 262 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:40.399 They got rid of both of them. I mean, they 263 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:40.600 are in. 264 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:44.519 Essens, starting fresh. They're starting over in the structure of 265 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.840 their management and with it. Now, let me throw this 266 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:50.480 into the mix. Do you think as they look at it, 267 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:56.279 they believe that window of opportunity for them, including this year. 268 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:59.039 I'm talking about the management now, not the team the players. 269 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:01.519 Do you think they looked at an analytic when he said, 270 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:04.039 we think the windows closing, you've got to go in 271 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:04.799 a different direction. 272 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:08.000 Now, could that be a possibility with Jo being in 273 00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:13.200 his prime. I know they're seeing the windows closing. 274 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:15.799 Well, the window may be closed now because of what 275 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:18.440 they did, but I don't know if that's the case. 276 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:23.720 And and again the option of the players revolting and 277 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:26.000 said we can't take any more could be. I mean, 278 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:29.320 that's definitely a possibility. I don't know what three games left, 279 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:31.759 the players have a player's only meetings, then let's get 280 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.399 rid of the coach. It may happen, like Adam said, 281 00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:37.679 mid season, and it might be a guy on the 282 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:40.080 bench that they love, like when they brought tylu in, 283 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:42.919 but that was way before the end of the season 284 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:45.200 and they like him. And I guess what, Adamman is 285 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:50.320 going to take over the team, right, Yeah. 286 00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:50.039 Yeah, it's going to take over the team. 287 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:52.679 And you know, maybe he is a well liked assistant 288 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:55.559 to coach that they you know, they'll they'll rally behind. 289 00:13:55.799 --> 00:13:59.759 But it's still late in the season, and I don't 290 00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:02.559 know if you're throwing a towel when you've got the 291 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:07.080 jokers still there in his prime saying the windows closing. 292 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:12.679 Guys, Nikoljokicic is still the best player in the NBA. 293 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:16.200 SGA is probably gonna win the MVP. His team has 294 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:19.320 won twelve to fifteen more games. But you look at 295 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:22.000 the numbers when Jokic is off the floor for the 296 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:25.440 Denver Nuggets, they're like a bottom five team in the NBA. 297 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:29.639 They're that bad without him. He completely carries them. And 298 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:33.840 so the head coach of the best player in the 299 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:37.720 NBA was let go three games before the playoffs, where 300 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:40.120 you still feel like, look, I know Denver is in 301 00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:43.759 a bad spot currently, but nobody wants to play them 302 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:46.120 still because Nikola Joki is going to average forty two 303 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:48.720 minutes per game in the playoffs, He's going to be 304 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:51.399 a problem. You might be able to beat them, but 305 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.039 it's going to take everything. The only thing I could 306 00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:56.559 see is if they believe Jamal Murray has done for 307 00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:59.399 the year and he's had a hamstring issue, and Mike 308 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:02.759 Malone did just talk about that, saying he's hopeful he'll 309 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:04.840 be able to start the playoffs. But they were hopeful 310 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:06.720 a couple of weeks ago two with him. This has 311 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:10.200 been an ongoing issue. If they think he's done, maybe 312 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:13.000 that's where they go. What Fred was saying this season 313 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.080 is a rap. Anyways, let's just rip the band aid off. 314 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:20.559 But now. 315 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:24.960 Now, oh you doing I'm saying it makes sense. 316 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:28.480 I'm just trying to follow some line of logic here, Fred, 317 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:29.480 that's all, No. 318 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:29.879 I hear you. 319 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:33.600 Well, look, I would say this, and maybe it's the 320 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:36.480 incorrect thing to say. I think his chances of winning 321 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:41.440 just were reduced greatly. I think they've actually reduced their 322 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.320 chances of winning. Now not okay, guys, adaman's here, let's 323 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:47.200 go get him. And by the way, who's in the 324 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:51.200 front office, who cares he's done anyway? Don't listen to him. 325 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:54.279 I'll get you through this, guys, and let's just get 326 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:57.399 out there and give it our best shot. It's really strange, 327 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:02.320 But as part of it is given that we know 328 00:16:02.440 --> 00:16:05.120 Kevin Demoff is now got a seat at the table. 329 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:08.960 He's got a seat at the table. This is not 330 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:12.879 how he operates, This is not how he does things. 331 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.279 He wouldn't do that. 332 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:21.960 This is completely reflexive and impulsive. It's it borderline to 333 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:24.240 most people from the outside. I'm sure Michael Ola would 334 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:26.360 say this right now, since he's stuck up for Mike Brown. 335 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.919 He'd be like, well, this is unprofessional. How could you 336 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:31.639 do this with three games left? I mean, what does 337 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:34.720 this mean for Niko Jokic's future because whoever comes in 338 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:36.360 as the new head coach and the new GM are 339 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:38.519 gonna have to sell him on the fact that, hey, 340 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:42.159 we have a direction, don't worry, stay with us, don't 341 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:43.519 demand a trade request. 342 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:44.440 We got you. 343 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:49.200 This could turn into something much worse this offseason if 344 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.440 Jokic now wants out. 345 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:54.960 Yeah, and you hope you better hope that Jokic and 346 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:58.440 Malone didn't have a tight relationship, because if they did, 347 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:01.080 this becomes a real problem. To Adam's point, it's like, 348 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:03.399 you're gonna now you got to go try to sell him. 349 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:06.359 And if they were tight, regardless of you know who 350 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:08.400 he might not have been tight with in that locker 351 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:09.119 room as well. 352 00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:11.160 If he and and the. 353 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:15.000 Joker had a great relationship, that's a tough sell for 354 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:17.079 him to say, this is what you did to my guy, 355 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:19.559 and you want me to be loyal to this franchise. 356 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:20.559 You kidding me? 357 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:23.519 I want to get out and that and you and 358 00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:25.839 you're gonna start maybe hearing you would hear that like 359 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:29.839 in the room, Oh, there's reports that the Joker wants 360 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:34.440 he traded the reports and there you know, if something 361 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.519 wants if something is leaked, that somebody wanted it to 362 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:38.720 get leaked, and that's what could happen. 363 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:41.359 So you know, it's a dangerous game that they're playing. 364 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:42.559 I don't want to call it a game, but it's 365 00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:45.000 a dangerous situation that the Nuggets are playing right now. 366 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:47.400 Since we're talking about the Nuggets, we might as well 367 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:51.200 stay in the NBA. And the Lakers tonight in Oklahoma City, well, 368 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:52.720 I don't know if they are the real Lakers. A 369 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:55.039 lot of guys that had him on the injury list tonight. 370 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:55.640 Yeah, just a little bit. 371 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:59.799 Everybody is questionable pretty much. Mario Hachimora is already out. 372 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:03.839 Now we've seen this before, and then Lebron and then 373 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:08.200 Luca are magically available right before tip off. But I 374 00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:12.599 think the Lakers are planning it like this. Guys that 375 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:15.920 game against Okay see, they just won. We're cool with that. 376 00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:19.079 We prove to ourselves we can beat Oklahoma City, and 377 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:22.079 it's probably unlikely we beat them for a second time 378 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:25.640 in okac in three days. So why don't we actually 379 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:29.480 rest and go full force at the Dallas Mavericks in 380 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:31.119 Luca's return tomorrow night. 381 00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:32.279 That's the issue. 382 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:34.000 It's the front end of a back to back tonight 383 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.279 where they're going to Dallas tomorrow. 384 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:35.960 That makes sense. 385 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.920 And also, you beat Okac and again, do you want 386 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.839 you want to give them the revenge of beating you 387 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:46.920 again if you've got all your guys out there since 388 00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:49.319 you've beat them, say okay, we're gonna rest our guys. 389 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:51.519 We don't give them a chance to beat Lebron and 390 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:55.400 Luca and us at full strength and say, oh, you 391 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:58.720 know that was a fluke or whatever. We came back 392 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:01.480 and blew you out the next night. They're not going 393 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:03.400 to give him that opportunity. And I think you're right. 394 00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:06.200 This is a opportunity for Luca to go back to 395 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:11.039 Dallas and them wanting to be at least at full 396 00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:14.000 strength as they possibly can for that game and call it, 397 00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:16.440 which you will and say it's another game. And I 398 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:19.440 know Anthony Davis is trying to play downplay and say, oh, 399 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:22.480 it doesn't mean much and no big deal, just another game. 400 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:26.759 But for both him and Luca, this is a big deal. 401 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:30.279