WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:07.320 Dan McMahon. Van McMahon added old Land. 2 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:15.039 Texas flood as tickets, mud He's and main Ban McMahon. 3 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:28.359 Van McMahon, the man you DoD. 4 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:33.520 Jaz are off tonight welcomed in the Sacramento Kings last 5 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:37.320 night they lost for Walker was really good Minnesota. Rigobert 6 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:39.719 old Buddy back in town tomorrow night, speaking of our 7 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:43.759 old buddy signed out for NBA Daily Assist. Thursday afternoon, 8 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:47.000 I got Van McMahon, Tim McMahon, Tim happy Thursday, Sir, How. 9 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:49.799 Are you pretty, partner? How you doing? 10 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:50.479 I'm well. 11 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:53.240 I have to say, uh, I thought about you today 12 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:56.920 when news broke that Ian Rappaport and Jordan Schultz had 13 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:58.479 a heated exchange. 14 00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:59.880 At a Starbucks. I've got it. 15 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:02.640 I've got to note, Tim, at some point you got 16 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:05.640 a little fire in you. Dan McMahon, have you ever 17 00:01:05.719 --> 00:01:09.519 had a intense back and forth with a fellow reporter 18 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:10.400 throughout your career? 19 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:14.359 Oh, I've had. I've had a handful, to say the 20 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:19.239 least I had. There's one, and i'll protect I won't 21 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:22.239 say the name to protecting not so innocent. But there's 22 00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:26.439 one particular gentleman who we got into a confrontation that 23 00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:32.200 termed mildly physical, but just mildly and uh, things blew 24 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:34.719 over until he got a rough performance review, and he 25 00:01:34.760 --> 00:01:36.799 brought it up in his performance review and his boss 26 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:40.400 called my boss, and so that won't get a little 27 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:42.879 bit sticky. But it's been a while. I like to 28 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:44.359 think I've grown in matured. 29 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:45.079 You have calmed. 30 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:47.599 You're even kind of nice to me. Not entirely nice 31 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:49.040 to me, but kind of nice to me. Wait, this 32 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:52.000 actually got a little like are we talking pushing, pushing 33 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:52.519 and shoving? 34 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:57.680 Uh, you know, a little pin against the wall type 35 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:02.040 of thing against the type of thing you know, No, no, 36 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:05.239 no harm, no foul, Probably a foul, but I think 37 00:02:05.239 --> 00:02:06.959 it was not the flavor one. 38 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:11.719 Okay, all right, fair enough, So Tim, you know, the 39 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:14.319 jazz stuff has been tough all year, as we talked about, 40 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:16.919 but when cool things happened, let's talked about cool things. 41 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:20.439 And you know, Walker last night was he was special. 42 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:23.319 It was historic. I mean, two players in the history 43 00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:25.520 of pro basketball put up the stat line have put 44 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:28.199 up the stat line Walker put up last night, and 45 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:31.319 it was against a really good big and Demos the bonus, 46 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:34.280 who's just eaten the jazz launch over the past few years. 47 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.680 Walker ten of ten from the floor, twenty five points, 48 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:41.719 fourteen boards, five assists, two steals. Only Nikola Jokic and 49 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.360 Wilt Chamberlain have done that in an NBA game. So 50 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.280 again they lost, we know the deal, but a really 51 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:49.599 cool night as it pertains to Walker Kessler. 52 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:53.680 Yeah, and honestly, I think Walker Kesso has been the 53 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:56.879 best thing about the Jazz season this year. You know, 54 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:00.439 you can say it's damningum with fame praise, but you know, 55 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:04.520 great rookie year. Last year I think, you know, he 56 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:09.039 was even qualified as disappointing, and then you know, this 57 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:14.520 year has been able to re establish himself as he's 58 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:18.960 a quality starting dig and know, you for a team 59 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:23.159 that is searching for long term foundation pieces, long term 60 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:26.479 core pieces, I think he's the one guy from the 61 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:29.599 last three drafts that you can say, hey, he absolutely 62 00:03:30.599 --> 00:03:33.560 fits that bill. There's no question that Walker Tesler can 63 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:38.159 be a quality started big man in the NBA for 64 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:41.639 you know, a decade or so to come. So this 65 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:46.120 was a highlight of what's really been a very good 66 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:49.479 season for him individually. You know, despite the fact that 67 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:52.599 obviously overall is a team they have not won much 68 00:03:52.599 --> 00:03:54.680 and are not trying to win that much. 69 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.520 And I don't know Tim that they're going to try 70 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:00.719 to win even next year. So your guy John Than Gavoni, 71 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:03.639 Jeremy Woo as well. Piece today really good in depth, 72 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:05.319 Well it wasn't today, but a couple of days ago, 73 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:09.719 really an in depth piece about the class next year. 74 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:14.120 Nate Emmett, Cameron Boozer, AJ, Deban Sa, Darren Peterson. AJ 75 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:16.519 is going to be playing his college ball here, But 76 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.319 after reading what cavoni had to write about, like he 77 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:23.240 thinks Peterson's the number one prospect in AJ's two, then 78 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:25.360 it's the Boozer board Camp will be three, and then 79 00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:28.800 Nate amm at four. But based off of what Caavoni's 80 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:32.600 saying about these top four players, I don't know if 81 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:35.360 this fan base will see a serious approach next year. 82 00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:38.040 And who knows what will you know the off season 83 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:40.839 will bring. But it feels to me, Tim that we're 84 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:42.879 in for another year of what we just experienced. 85 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:44.319 Is that kind of what your gut's telling you. 86 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:47.839 I mean, I think the best way to put it 87 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:51.920 is the Jazz are early and rebuild, and that's typically 88 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:56.199 not like a you know, picky type of process. We'll 89 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:59.000 see what kind of lottery luck they have, you know, 90 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:01.720 We'll see if they are able to get a guy 91 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:04.000 like you know, let's say they win water, they get 92 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.759 Cooper Flag. You know, does Coop of Flag come in 93 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:11.000 and drive winning immediately. I think the fasking an awful 94 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:13.120 lot of a guy who, you know, if he didn't 95 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:15.040 skip a great, if he didn't reclassify, would be a 96 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.399 senior in high school right now. So I think it's 97 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:21.600 just kind of part of the natural process. But yeah, 98 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:24.560 I if I'm a Jazz Dan, I'm not expecting like 99 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:26.920 some jump and wins next year for sure. 100 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:30.360 All Right, so let's move let's move off it, and 101 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:32.879 let's talk about the things that are a little bit 102 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:36.839 more exciting and a little more pertinent to the world 103 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:40.360 of pro basketball. First of all, from a macro standpoint, Tim, 104 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:43.120 don't look now, but the past week I've watched NBA 105 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:45.879 games and I'm seeing NBA players playing really, really hard. 106 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:48.199 And maybe that's just this time of year. It is 107 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:50.360 a reminder of how great this game is when the 108 00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:53.920 best players take it seriously. I think the narrative of 109 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:57.680 you know, lackadaisical play is starting to go away here 110 00:05:57.759 --> 00:05:59.800 with some pretty intense high level basketball. 111 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:00.800 It's the All Star Break. 112 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:04.040 Yet well yeah, then look those teams like you don't 113 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:06.920 have to worry about whether the Detroit Pistons are playing hard. 114 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:10.439 You know that that's a franchise and a bunch of guys, 115 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:12.480 young guys on the roster who have a bunch to 116 00:06:12.600 --> 00:06:16.480 prove and you know, it's a pretty cool story. The 117 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:19.399 Detroit Testons have one more game so far the season 118 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:22.439 than they did the last two years combined. The Detroit 119 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:27.000 Pistons woke up a year ago today with eight wins 120 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:29.079 on the season. They are on an eight game winning 121 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:32.839 streak right now. So and look, you know, if you're 122 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:36.360 again you're in Salt Lake City, it's a it's a rebuild. 123 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:38.879 You know, there's obviously pain that comes along with that. 124 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:43.000 This is a team that's been through the pain and 125 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:47.240 has been able to make that jump this season. You've 126 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:49.439 got to find the guy to build around, and they've 127 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:52.639 got that with Cad Cunningham, and then it's about surrounding 128 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:57.120 him with the right pieces. So, you know, they got 129 00:06:57.160 --> 00:06:59.319 to a point where they had a guy they wanted 130 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:02.120 to build around. They brought in some vets to fit 131 00:07:02.199 --> 00:07:06.399 and gave him just some room to breathe, and you know, 132 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:08.399 the piss is like, I don't know if they're gonna 133 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:10.000 win a playoff series this year, but the fact that 134 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.360 they're going to be in one and that they're going 135 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:16.000 to be a tough matchup for somebody is pretty amazing 136 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:19.879 progress considering they won fourteen games last year and set 137 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:21.839 it in being record for the longest losing. 138 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:25.000 Street former Jazz GM Dennis Lindsay helping out over there, 139 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:25.959 which is pretty cool. 140 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:27.560 Happy for him. 141 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:30.920 And you know, when we always try to draw parallels 142 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:35.519 between teams that are further along in advanced rebuilds, I 143 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:37.680 try to bring it topically as far as what the 144 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:40.920 Jazz are doing here, But you referenced it right, like 145 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:44.720 they have Kate and Orlando has Ben Kara, Like it 146 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:47.240 is just the one thing that somehow, some way the 147 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:49.920 Jazz need to find. As good as Lowry is, I 148 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.319 just don't know that he is the guy to build 149 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:56.360 around when it comes to eventually being back into contention. 150 00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:59.199 It is the one outlier that all of these advanced 151 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:02.040 rebuilt team seem to have that the Jazz just right 152 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:03.279 now have not been able to find. 153 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.839 And that's why you tank to be honest with you, 154 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:10.839 because where picked right, where it was Kid Cunningham picked right. 155 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:16.680 The easiest way to get that level of talent is 156 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:19.120 to pick very very early in the draft. You know, 157 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:22.040 it's hard to do. It's hard to trade for those 158 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:26.319 kind of guys as a rebuilding team, especially, And let's 159 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:29.319 just be blunt, like in a market like Salt Lake 160 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:31.959 City where you're in a rebuild, it's impossible to sign 161 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:33.240 that kind of guy in free agency. 162 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:35.399 Yeah, that's the bottom line. All right. 163 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:39.279 We were all gathered around our television sets on Tuesday night, 164 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.639 and obviously is the guy that wrote the book on Luca, 165 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:44.360 You're the guy to talk about this, and uh, I 166 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:47.960 feel like, at least through the television tim it felt 167 00:08:47.960 --> 00:08:50.080 like there was a lot of buzs in that arena. 168 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:52.399 Of course, with Luca taking on the mass for the 169 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.440 first time, I wasn't sure if Nico was going to 170 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:54.759 show up. 171 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:55.799 You did. Uh. 172 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:57.960 The over under I said on the show for Luca 173 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:58.840 points was forty. 174 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:01.120 He didn't touch that. He did get a triple double. 175 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.440 I'm really curious is to see what it looks like 176 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:05.399 when they go down to Dallas. But what was it 177 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:07.480 like to be in the building, And what was your 178 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:10.480 takeaway as we saw Luca play his former team for 179 00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:11.080 the first time. 180 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:15.080 Yeah, and you know, I thought Luca played well, with 181 00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:17.360 the exception of shooting the ball. I thought he played 182 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:22.480 a very kind of poised and focused game. The Mavericks 183 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:25.360 were determined not to let him go off. You know, 184 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:27.879 they're they're obviously trapping and doubling him a lot to 185 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:31.039 you know, to make sure he didn't had that forty 186 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:34.159 point type of performance. And he doesn't have his legs 187 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:37.480 right now, and he had He's had one good offensive performance, 188 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:40.879 one good scoring performance, I should say for the Lakers. 189 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:45.000 You know, since the trade. You know he doesn't have 190 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:47.679 his legs. You can tell when when you know, when 191 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:51.960 he's not making threes. The thing that I think surprised 192 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:55.279 me was I thought this would be a full Luca 193 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:59.159 Rage type of performance, and he saw a little glimpse 194 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:01.559 of that. Like mid through the fourth quarter, he knocksent 195 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:03.200 that three of the time out. He looks at the 196 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:05.840 mass bench, he's glaring, he's yelling all that kind of stuff. 197 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:08.919 But there wasn't a whole lot of back and forth. 198 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:12.320 You know, he made a point like he pretended, Oh 199 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:15.120 I didn't know, I didn't see me go okay, Like 200 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:17.039 he made a point not to have any level of 201 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:21.000 interaction with Niko Harrison or with Jason Kidd, which tells 202 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:23.639 you that, you know, Luca did him quite by because 203 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.440 j Kid wasn't aware of anything until they loved dour stuff, 204 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:31.279 and that would put myself in that same boat. But 205 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:35.840 the prevailing emotion from Luca in terms of the Matticks, 206 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:38.200 I don't think his anger right now. I think it's 207 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:42.360 more sadness. And you know, he's I think he will 208 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.720 find joy with the Lakers. I think he's he's he's 209 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:48.759 searching for it right now. And it's not like, look, 210 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:51.600 they're gonna win games. He's got a good relationship with 211 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:55.759 JJ Reddick, you know, looked up to Lebron his entire childhood, 212 00:10:56.600 --> 00:10:59.039 loves join Finney Smith and timmdy had Dallas. Like I 213 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:01.399 think Luke is going to be just fine, is gonna 214 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.159 you know, have a great run here with the Lakers. Well, 215 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:08.960 he's still getting over basically getting dumped publicly and shamed 216 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:09.879 out his way up the door. 217 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:13.960 You referenced the Jason Kidd element here, the Jason kidds 218 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:17.840 side of this, and look, you know, far more about 219 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:20.399 this situation than probably any medium member, let alone me. 220 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:24.200 I just thought, as a head coach, it would be 221 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:26.919 really hard to see a player like that traded away 222 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:28.919 because if you have Luca, you got a shot, and 223 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:31.600 these guys are wired to win. And Jason Kidd, once 224 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:33.639 upon a time was as fierce a competitor as a 225 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:36.200 player as anybody as you know. So now that a 226 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:38.519 few weeks have passed, have you been able to kind 227 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:42.159 of uncover exactly what he knew when he knew it 228 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:44.399 in the hand he played in this decision, if any 229 00:11:44.440 --> 00:11:44.720 at all. 230 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:48.000 I can't tell you what he knew in terms of 231 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:50.039 like the trade discussions and all that. I can just 232 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:54.000 tell you he was absolutely as frustrated with Luca as 233 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:57.080 Nico Harrison was in terms of the diet, the conditioning that, 234 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:59.960 you know, all the stuff that I've talked about out report. 235 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:03.399 It has been recorded by other people. Nico was not 236 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:06.360 on an island with that. Jay Kidd was right there 237 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:08.960 with him on that. And I can also tell you 238 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.960 that Jason Kidd was right there with Nico in terms 239 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:17.080 of his fondness for Anthony Davis. Nico obviously had a 240 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.759 you know, decade long relationship with a D. You know, 241 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:24.200 from Nico's time at Nike, aside from Kobe Bryant, he 242 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:26.559 was probably closer to a D than any other player 243 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:29.279 that he worked with there. But Jason Kidd also has 244 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:32.200 a really good relationship with Ad. Remember j Kidd, It's 245 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:34.120 been a couple of years as an assistant coach in 246 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:37.240 LA before getting hired as the head coach in Dallas. 247 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:40.919 And one of those years they won a championship in 248 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:45.799 the Bubble. You know, Ad was his guy. So again, 249 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:51.399 I don't I'll put it like this. I don't think 250 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:54.679 Jason Kidd was disappointed by this trade. I'm very confident 251 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:55.320 in saying that. 252 00:12:55.799 --> 00:13:00.480 So you know, I always hesitate to, you know, bring 253 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:03.000 things on the Internet into real life because I don't 254 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:05.039 know how real it is. It just seems like there 255 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:07.440 is a bit of a smear campaign going on from 256 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:10.679 the Mavericks because every time I fire up NBA Twitter, 257 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:13.960 it's smoking a hookah and drinking beers, and then there's 258 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:16.240 pictures of Luca and you know a lot of people 259 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:20.120 are It's a different era in a lot of different ways, 260 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:23.440 not just in basketball, but society. Like you know, we 261 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:26.440 could talk about back in the day, the party habits 262 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:29.039 of a Michael Jordan, the party and habits of a 263 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:31.159 lot of players back then. Certainly I saw it, you know, 264 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.399 I was around a lot of it. And the younger 265 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:36.399 generation just doesn't seem to They seem to have a 266 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:39.960 different relationship and the fundamental understanding of the dangers of 267 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:42.279 maybe alcohol and drug use and such. So maybe it's 268 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:46.919 a different mindset just overall. But is this Dallas behind 269 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:49.399 the scenes trying to because I don't look, I'm just 270 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:50.799 of the opinion you can't spin this. 271 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:52.600 It's a bad trade. You don't make no matter what. 272 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:55.639 But is this Dallas behind the scenes trying to spin 273 00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:57.960 it to help people understand that maybe this is something 274 00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:58.759 they needed to do. 275 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:01.519 You know, I don't know if it's so. Mu's even 276 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:03.840 trying to spin it, but just like what that? What 277 00:14:04.039 --> 00:14:06.440 were you thinking? Well, this is why they made the trade. 278 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:10.039 And look, it is not breaking news that Luka Doncics 279 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:13.360 likes to have a Bruce ki or two scheme, right, Like, 280 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:15.519 did you know that before he was traded? 281 00:14:15.639 --> 00:14:16.240 I was aware, of. 282 00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:19.879 Course, you knew that before he is traded. It is 283 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:22.960 not breaking news that the man's got a voracious appetite 284 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:25.960 and sometimes can get pretty pudgy. Like you knew that. 285 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:29.200 You've watched him throughout his career. You know you've seen 286 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:33.240 him like I reported going back to Jay Kids first year, 287 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:36.639 Rick Carlisle's last year, Luca was tipping the scales over 288 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:40.279 two sixty back then, and in both of those seasons. 289 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:44.240 This has been something that's been, you know, a constant issue. 290 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:48.840 It's just for all those concerns, you say, well, okay, 291 00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:53.480 he also made five straight first team All NBA squads. 292 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:56.960 He also led the league in scoring last year, almost 293 00:14:57.000 --> 00:15:00.600 averaged a triple double, and you know, took your team 294 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:04.240 to the finals. So I don't necessarily think I don't 295 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:06.240 think it's like a whole lot of hey, here's new stuff, 296 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:09.279 here's new stuff, because dude, the hookah stuff. The hookah. 297 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:12.080 At first, I honestly, the hookah thing I don't think 298 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:17.039 was a big concern, like did he have hook on vacation, Sure, okay, whatever. 299 00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:20.440 The beer drinking and all that stuff, that's much more 300 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:22.960 of a concern simply because it gets to the weight 301 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:26.519 and it gets to you know, all those all those uh, 302 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:31.120 the concerns about his body breaking down. But it's not 303 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:34.240 like people just realize that that Luca likes to drink 304 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:34.639 a beer. 305 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:38.559 Do you feel like it's weird? Because I guess there's 306 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:40.559 no way of fully knowing. I mean, I can tell 307 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:45.919 you that I saw firsthand myself the past iteration of 308 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:48.159 the jazz with Donovan and some of those guys. They 309 00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:50.600 like to have a good time in certain areas here 310 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:53.120 in Salt Lake City and certain places where Donovan lived, 311 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.840 there were a lot of parties that were being thrown. 312 00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:58.600 But is there a different approach with the younger generation 313 00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:02.000 juxtapost kind of the old guard. Look, I know, nobody's 314 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:04.799 smoking heaters at halftime like lott I was, But is 315 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:09.399 there right, is there like a different like cultural approach 316 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:12.799 in pro basketball to taking care of their bodies in 317 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:14.840 a way that maybe it wasn't a thing back in 318 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:15.159 the day. 319 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:19.759 I mean, there's obviously a lot more science involved in it, 320 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:23.240 and you know, I think it's a much higher priority 321 00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:28.279 for teams, so it becomes a higher priority for players. 322 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:31.279 But like, if you think Luke is the only guy 323 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:35.320 in the lead that enjoys having a drinker six, then 324 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.559 I don't know what to tell you, you know, And like, 325 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:42.639 you know, there's this big wine culture in the NBA. Like, Okay, 326 00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:46.879 I don't know, man, I just again, I get like 327 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.279 the fact that he gained weight during the season last 328 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:52.200 year while leading the league and usage rate and playing 329 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.519 thirty eight minutes per game, is you know, with a 330 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:56.879 full time quote unquote body team. Like, I get it. 331 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:04.079 That's pretty alarming. But I just, you know, I don't. 332 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:06.519 I don't think the guy's like waking up and pouring 333 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:10.279 beard his cheerios or anything. Okay, Like, I you know, 334 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:16.119 I'm like, I understand the concerns with the beer drinking 335 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:20.079 because it's it becomes a conditioning thing. I I would 336 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:24.839 be cautious on portraying this guy as having like a 337 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:30.240 serious alcohol problem. I just I just think that Luca's 338 00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:33.000 postgame routine is very similar to. 339 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:39.119 Mine, right, And I've experienced that routine. It's a fun routine, yeah, you. 340 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:42.119 Know, and and unfortunately a lot of times I think 341 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:46.799 it's all season routinea simber to mind too, certainly the 342 00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:48.759 all Star break routine at times. 343 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:50.680 For sure. And there's nothing wrong with it. You know, 344 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:52.839 you work hard, you should enjoy life. 345 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:55.440 You know. I'm not a live to work guy. I'm 346 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.480 a work to live guy. And I think people should 347 00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:58.920 approach you that way. Nothing wrong with it at all, 348 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:01.039 especially when he went to the finals a year ago, 349 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:02.960 Like it couldn't be that big of a deal. So 350 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:05.559 Dallas obviously tim right now with her grip of injury 351 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:09.000 issues with their bigs. You know what's interesting, Kyrie is 352 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:11.000 kind of coming out on the other side of this 353 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:14.240 is like this hero right for Dallas fans. And this 354 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.839 is a guy that was a lightning rod for criticism 355 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.559 not that long ago. A lot of people didn't even 356 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:20.119 want to touch him, someone as far as to say 357 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:21.880 he shouldn't play pro basketball anymore. 358 00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:24.119 But what do you make of like the Kyrie side 359 00:18:24.119 --> 00:18:26.279 of this? And whenever he locks. 360 00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:27.960 In the way he did against the Lakers, I'm reminded 361 00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:30.160 that once upon a time I did enjoy watching him, 362 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:32.240 maybe as much, if not more than any player in 363 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:34.720 the league. But you cover the team, what do you 364 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:36.599 make of like the Kyrie kind of coming out looking 365 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:38.519 like maybe a hero for Dallas and this whole thing. 366 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:42.279 Well, I don't think that is something that's a sudden development. 367 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:44.640 I think that was the case last year too. Now 368 00:18:44.680 --> 00:18:48.799 for sure, you know, he's he's like it's kind of 369 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:52.640 his team now, right, And He's the guy who's probably 370 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:57.400 handled this the best in terms of like empathetic towards Luca, 371 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:01.319 and you know, like, you know, they still have a relationship, 372 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:05.559 they still got a brotherhood. But and hey, like you 373 00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:08.680 can whine in private, Luke's not coming back. Kyrie's got 374 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:11.279 a team to lead, he's got games to try to win, 375 00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:15.160 and you know, he's been handling his business as far 376 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:17.960 as that goes. But you know, I don't think there's 377 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:20.680 been a sudden shift in the Kyrie storyline. I think 378 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:23.920 he kind of earned his way into the hearts of 379 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:28.519 the Mavericks fans, certainly last year and especially during the 380 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:31.440 playoff run, but even before that. And you know, the 381 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:35.000 simple fact is Kyrie has been the leader of this team. 382 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:37.359 He wasn't their best player last year, but he was 383 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:41.039 absolutely the leader. He was the primary voice in the 384 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:43.920 locker room. And you know, despite his track record of 385 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:47.960 chaos and his previous stops, he has been a constant 386 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:52.200 source of like home for the Mavericks and that's something 387 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:57.359 they obviously really really needed after the NBA much sus 388 00:19:57.400 --> 00:20:00.240 the franchise was was rocked by this shocking trade. 389 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:04.319 Well, my take remains, do not make that trade. 390 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:07.640 There actually is a lot to like about the Mavericks 391 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:11.279 roster if they can get right Lively, Gaffer and obviously 392 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:11.599 a D. 393 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:13.640 So where we at with those three? 394 00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:16.000 Do you think they can get back in time to 395 00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:18.720 be in shape for the playoffs? And if so, what's 396 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:20.720 the ceiling for this Mavericks team this year? 397 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:25.519 You know, talking to my people with the Mavericks, the 398 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:27.319 hope is that they're going to get two or three 399 00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:30.039 weeks of Ad and Lively together at the end of 400 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:33.480 the regular season. You know, how much rhythm and rapport 401 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.839