WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:04.719 Drive Time on a Friday afternoon ESPN seven hundred, Porter 2 00:00:04.839 --> 00:00:07.440 Larson Tony Parks filling in for Spence. Check it's here 3 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:10.759 a little bit of a football Friday, as of course 4 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:14.759 super Bowl fifty nine awaits us on Sunday, but we'll 5 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:17.600 take a little bit of a break from the football 6 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.559 conversation talk a little poops with our guy, Howard Beck 7 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:25.640 of The Ringer and Howard, I know that Spence tries 8 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:28.199 to always get hip with you, I think is what 9 00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:34.200 he calls it. I'm not the guy for that. He 10 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:36.159 always comes to me to ask like what the young 11 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:40.359 people are saying, and I tell you, I just I don't. 12 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:43.920 I don't have it for some reason, there's a disconnect there. 13 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:47.679 Any idea, any any idea of the song we brought 14 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:49.679 you in with you? Do you have any do you 15 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:51.920 do you have any feelings on that one? 16 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:55.359 So a little embarrassing on my part because I know 17 00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:58.000 the song which A signs, but the one that I'm 18 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:00.240 most familiar with, of course, with the one because in 19 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:05.120 the eighties by Sacramento rock band Tesla Let's Go, and 20 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:08.560 I don't know the original artist, which I should know, 21 00:01:08.680 --> 00:01:09.400 so shame on me. 22 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:12.920 You should not be embarrassed by that answer because Number one, 23 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:16.719 this has been a topic on this show quite often 24 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:21.480 because Tesla was my late father's favorite band. Like wow, 25 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:25.000 Like there are autographs, there are pictures, there are I've 26 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.239 been to don't even have account. I've been to twenty 27 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:29.280 plus Tesla shows. 28 00:01:29.400 --> 00:01:29.920 Howard Beck. 29 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:35.439 Wow, there's a piece of trivia or just factoi that 30 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:40.040 I just did not anticipate in a million years. I 31 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:43.079 never saw Tesla. They broke out when I was still 32 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:45.879 living in Davis, not far from Sacramento. When I went 33 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:49.159 to UC Davis, that was their time, that was their heyday, 34 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:51.680 but I never saw them. They had some bangers. I 35 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:52.120 liked them. 36 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:56.120 The Five Man Electrical Band is the original, but yes 37 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:59.040 Signs by Tesla's is the one. They actually got a 38 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:02.640 little more, little more run and Spence always gives me 39 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:05.599 a little grief because it's it's kind of uh, I 40 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:08.199 would say guilty pleasure because I think Tesla put out 41 00:02:08.199 --> 00:02:12.240 some really really good songs. But it's the only band 42 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:16.800 that I would in any circumstance associate myself with. It's 43 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:20.479 like the hair metal type of type of out there. 44 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:22.039 So there you go. 45 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:26.879 Yeah, I've seen Tesla live in windover in Sturgis, uh 46 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:30.520 In Vegas. Uh as the designated driver for several of these, 47 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:32.759 but yeah, there you go Spence. 48 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:34.919 Spence would then say some like man just should check 49 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:37.280 these guys out, fire rabbits, You're gonna love them. 50 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:41.919 I'm like, who some Northeast saw them coffee shop? You 51 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:43.560 never heard him? Who are we talking? 52 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:45.960 All the All their songs are twelve minutes long. They 53 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:47.520 sound like Dave Matthews trying to. 54 00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:51.919 Yeah, I can't. I can't handle that either. 55 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:57.319 All right, Howard Beck, Now that we've got seven minutes 56 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:00.400 on Tesla out of the way, my my other is 57 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:02.639 looking down in uh In in pleasure. 58 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:02.919 There. 59 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:05.520 I got to ask, super Bowl, how much does it 60 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:07.159 move to the radar. I know you're not a football guy, 61 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:09.479 but this is as much a pop culture events as 62 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:10.319 it is a football game. 63 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:15.319 Yeah, I don't care. I don't even know if I'll watch. 64 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:18.919 The NFL was my favorite sport of a kid, but 65 00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:22.319 I did my in adulthood. I just it's dropped off 66 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:26.919 the radar for me. So yeah, I might just uh, 67 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:30.080 I might just you know, binge something on Netflix on Sunday. 68 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:30.560 Who knows. 69 00:03:30.599 --> 00:03:32.280 Despite that, I'm still gonna make you give us a 70 00:03:32.280 --> 00:03:36.680 final score. Everyone's doing it not happening. 71 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:43.960 Three zero, three zero? Which way Philly City, let's say 72 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:44.560 Kansas City? 73 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:44.840 Why not? 74 00:03:44.919 --> 00:03:45.520 Three zero? 75 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:46.360 Chiefs. I love it. 76 00:03:46.439 --> 00:03:46.919 I love it. 77 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:51.240 Go go Taylor Swift team. That's what there's there's that's 78 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:51.960 my contribution. 79 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:55.120 Go go enter that with your bookie three zero and 80 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.319 telling Howard Beck sent you. All right, Howard, we'll get 81 00:03:57.319 --> 00:04:00.000 to the the NBA draft or the NBA trades stuff, 82 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.240 the latest on the hoop side, and we got to 83 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:05.080 start with the big news of the week. We haven't 84 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:08.840 spoken to you since Luka Doncic was traded to the 85 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:13.439 Los Angeles Lakers, a kind of a franchise resetting move 86 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:17.360 and NBA market resetting move and the talk of the 87 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:21.079 league for this week and probably the focus of a 88 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.480 lot of the league going forward. For now. I want 89 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:26.879 to get your read on what you thought when you 90 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:30.839 saw that notification or I guess when you started hearing 91 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:34.000 whispers of it. Luka Doncic to LA for Anthony Davis. 92 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.519 And of course we'll get to the Jazz involvement and 93 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:37.959 the pieces around it as well. 94 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:42.399 I mean, like everybody else, just absolutely shocked and frankly 95 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:45.279 it's been almost a week. I'm still shocked. I still 96 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:47.839 I mean people around the league are still kind of 97 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:50.079 in this same state too, where it's like, did that 98 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:53.959 really happen? How is this possible? You know, why did 99 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:56.560 the Mavericks make what seems like such a rash move, 100 00:04:57.000 --> 00:04:58.879 not only to trade him at all, which is just 101 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:01.279 unprecedented for a player of his caliber at that age, 102 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:03.040 but the trade him for as little as they got 103 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:08.759 in return. And you know, sometimes your opinions soften on 104 00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:12.959 a really shocking move and unexpected move. It might soften 105 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:15.160 over time you get a little more context, you get 106 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:18.480 a little bit more you know, explanation, You kind of 107 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:21.759 take a step back, and you know, take a deep 108 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.560 breath and you say, well, maybe, but that's not the 109 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:27.160 case this time. Like, there's no matter how many different 110 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:28.879 ways you look at this, how many times you try 111 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:31.560 to reassess or give them the benefit of the doubt. 112 00:05:31.560 --> 00:05:35.120 In Dallas, it still doesn't make any sense. And when 113 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:38.839 it happened, my thought was, you know, look, we there's 114 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:42.319 nothing that we've heard in the wake of this that 115 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:45.680 we didn't already know around the league in terms of 116 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:49.120 Luca being kind of a diva Luca being kind of 117 00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:51.600 a pain in the butt, Luca having bad work habits, 118 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:54.959 Luca being difficult to play with for some some players. 119 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:57.560 All of those things were true. But he's still one 120 00:05:57.600 --> 00:05:59.560 of the best players on Earth and took you to 121 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:02.279 the Final just you know, less than a year ago. 122 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:04.639 So none of this is new, and none of those 123 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:08.720 things I think justify deciding to trade him at age 124 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:12.560 twenty five, And none of it justifies trading him without 125 00:06:12.600 --> 00:06:17.319 having at least try to test the market and see 126 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:19.959 what more you could get, because they just didn't get enough. Frankly, 127 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.560 they didn't even get enough from the team they traded 128 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:26.639 him to from the Lakers. Because Anthony Davis Waller great player, 129 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:29.920 it cannot single handedly carry a team the way that 130 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:33.439 Luka Doncins can. And you know, they didn't get the 131 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:37.879 Lakers' twenty thirty one pick, they didn't get swaps, they 132 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:40.720 didn't get you know, Dalton connector Austin Reeves, Like, they 133 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:44.399 should have gotten everything everything. When you're trading an MVP 134 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:48.519 candidate who's twenty five years old, you should get everything, 135 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:53.639 and they got far short of that. So yeah, it's 136 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:56.560 still it's still shocking, and it sets up the Lakers 137 00:06:56.600 --> 00:06:59.279 really nicely for their post Lebron years, that's for sure. 138 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.720 Yeah, turn is what shocks me the most. Right if 139 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:04.600 you want to explain to me that you don't want 140 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:07.800 to invest the super max into a player you're not 141 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:12.040 sure is serious about the length of his career, and listen, 142 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:15.199 I think some of that is maybe unwarranted on Luca 143 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:17.399 because at the end of the day, while he does 144 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:20.120 come into camp overweight, he does have some of those 145 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:25.360 issues by springtime. Howard, by NBA finals time, he's right there. 146 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:28.800 By Western Conference finals time, he's right there performing and 147 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:32.519 being productive. And this is a results oriented business. So 148 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:37.279 I kind of scoff it. It's some of those excuses 149 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:39.600 for why he was moved on. I want to ask you, though, 150 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:43.240 of all the conspiracies, of all the reasoning, of all 151 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:46.040 the blaming of Nico Harrison and the talk of it, 152 00:07:46.519 --> 00:07:49.879 why have we heard almost nothing about the head coach 153 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:53.199 Jason Kidd, a guy who, from what I hear in 154 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:56.120 circles around the league very much likes to have his 155 00:07:56.120 --> 00:08:01.560 fingerprints on basketball operations more than he publicly puts out. 156 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:05.639 He definitely had his fingerprints on this one. It may 157 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:08.120 not be evident, but you know. The word around the 158 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:11.319 league that I heard was that you know. And it's 159 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:13.839 interesting because the press conference, the way Nico said it 160 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:15.319 was like, no, I didn't bring him in, but I 161 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.480 know what Jason wants in terms of didn't bring him 162 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:22.240 in on the decision making on the trade itself, I 163 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:23.879 have I have no doubt in my mind that Jason 164 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:27.279 Kidd also had his concerns with with Luca, like whatever 165 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:29.639 the concerns of the front office were. I think we're 166 00:08:29.639 --> 00:08:33.720 shared on the bench and you know, but that's that's 167 00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:35.799 the way you're supposed to operate in the front office, right, Like, 168 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:37.879 don't don't put your coach in the midst of all this. 169 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:40.360 You know, you know, it's your decision, you you take it. 170 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:42.240 I don't know that Jason is the one who pushed 171 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:46.120 for this, but I have no doubt that he approved 172 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:48.480 of it. I'm gonna pop inside, guys and just throw 173 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:51.840 my bag down real quick and then give me thirty 174 00:08:51.879 --> 00:08:54.399 seconds to get through security of your right back. 175 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:54.639 Yep. 176 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:56.720 Thirty second time out? 177 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:01.600 Yeah, can you that's that's the I forget the official term, 178 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:04.320 just on the shoulders, right, thirty second time out doesn't 179 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:04.600 go to. 180 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:10.240 The media, though, media, just stay here, how would be 181 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:10.679 back here? 182 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:13.279 I'm with you, every bit is surprised about the fact 183 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.399 that they didn't get as much back. 184 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:15.960 Clearly there's something under. 185 00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:18.000 The hood there where the Mavericks felt like this is 186 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.200 going to get worse before it ever gets better. Last 187 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:22.399 year was the best it can get. It was not happy, 188 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:24.720 it was not great, although the results were good. Now 189 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.360 the results are good and there's some difficulty going on here, 190 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:30.919 So to move on like the Jazz did with say 191 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:32.759 Donovan and Rudy, Look what they. 192 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:34.639 Got for that. I mean that they got in the 193 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:35.000 same way. 194 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:36.639 If you don't think you could have been able to 195 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:39.639 get something like that in exchange for Luca, I mean, 196 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:40.200 that's nuts. 197 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:41.759 That's where a shocker. 198 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:44.200 That's where I feel like there's there's gotta be more 199 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:46.639 that we're going to learn about that was under the hood, right, 200 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:49.399 More we learn about, maybe of Luca, of what's going 201 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:53.519 on behind the scenes, because although there are whispers there 202 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:56.840 have been stuff, you know about the way he approaches 203 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:00.279 the game, nothing to the level of trading him not 204 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:04.120 opening it up for bidding. That is that's a crazy 205 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:09.559 one to me. Howard Jimmy Butler, the move finally materialized 206 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:12.799 and he is now in in Golden State. You look 207 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:18.200 across the across the continent, and the Heat now have 208 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:21.480 three all Stars under the age of thirty. So pat 209 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:25.559 Riley in some ways gets what he wanted. There, give 210 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:28.840 us your your latest on what the Heat made happen. 211 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:33.120 And Jimmy Butler finally getting out of Miami, but not 212 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.919 to not to Phoenix as he was rumoredly trying to force. 213 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:43.080 Yeah, I mean the Butler one is fascinating just because 214 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.759 of the way that we got there, right and also 215 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:48.320 not for nothing. But I'm standing in the battles of 216 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:50.759 Barkley Center where the Heat are arriving any second now. 217 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:55.320 Maybe maybe I'll just hand the phone to pat Riley 218 00:10:55.320 --> 00:10:55.720 in a minute. 219 00:10:55.799 --> 00:10:57.240 Yeah, can you can you get him on the show? 220 00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:58.679 For us is that. 221 00:10:59.799 --> 00:11:04.639 I'll effort, We'll see what we can do. So listen, 222 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:07.120 I might be in the minority in this one. I 223 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.519 love the move for the Warriors to get Jimmy Butler. 224 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:15.440 There's not much lifespan left in the Curry era, so 225 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.559 whatever time is left of him being able to still 226 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:21.080 play at a really high level, which he is, you 227 00:11:21.159 --> 00:11:23.519 got to get him whatever help you can and you know, 228 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:25.480 Jimmy Butler's a winner. He might be a pain in 229 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.639 the butt. He might cause a lot of ruckus when 230 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:30.159 things aren't going well, and especially when he has contractual 231 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:34.639 beefs with the organization. But the Warriors gave him his 232 00:11:34.679 --> 00:11:38.559 two year extension, so the contract is not an issue, 233 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:41.559 and the guy's a winner. The guy plays his butt 234 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.279 off and at both ends. And the Warriors badly needed 235 00:11:44.360 --> 00:11:46.799 somebody else who can initiate the offense and get in 236 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.080 the teeth of the opposing defense. And you know, Jimmy 237 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:52.759 Butler's gonna draw fouls, He's gonna he's gonna, you know, 238 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:55.360 get in the lane. He's going to distribute. He's a 239 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:58.960 great passer. He's going to take a lot of the 240 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:01.759 pressure I think off of Steph Curry. I love the 241 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:03.679 move for the Warriors and for the heat. You know, 242 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:07.080 look like the obviously things had run their course. They 243 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:10.600 didn't get a ton back, but the real point of 244 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.559 the exercise for them at a certain point was just 245 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:17.519 to alleviate the headache and move on. And you know 246 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:18.519 they were able to do that. 247 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:21.960 How surprised were you that the Sons were not able 248 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:23.080 to move Bradley Beal. 249 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:29.639 Not at all. There's nobody around the league who thought 250 00:12:29.639 --> 00:12:32.000 that that Bradley Beal was getting moved. Nobody around the 251 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:33.759 league thought that somebody was going to be willing to 252 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:36.480 take on his contract, especially with the no trade clause 253 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:41.159 in it. And yeah, look, the Sons, you know, starting 254 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:43.159 with the Wizards, the Wizards made a very very very 255 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:46.000 bad contract, you know when they you know, first gave 256 00:12:46.039 --> 00:12:48.799 Bradley Beal the contract with the no trade and the 257 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:52.440 Sons made a very very bad deal in deciding to 258 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:57.559 take on that contract and to not insist on taking 259 00:12:57.559 --> 00:12:59.879 the no trade clause out as part of the deal 260 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:03.759 of acquiring him. So they're stuck with it, and there's 261 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:06.799 nobody in the league who's going to want to acquire 262 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:09.720 that contract. So the Sons have really screwed themselves. 263 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:13.240 The Cleveland Cavaliers, I don't think made this splash of 264 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:16.519 a move that turned as many heads, but to get there, Hunter, 265 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.000 at least, it is something that I think does move 266 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:22.519 them a positive step in the direction that they want 267 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.080 to well, still trying to build their championship roster. What 268 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:28.120 were your thoughts about kind of the move and what 269 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:30.639 they were able to receive as they're on that mission 270 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:32.679 to be the best in the league. Yeah. 271 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:36.080 I mean, listen, if you're weighing everything or assessing everything 272 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:37.879 that went on in the last week, clearly like the 273 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:39.960 Lakers are the winners of the trade deadline by getting 274 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:43.600 Luca and then even by adding Mark Williams at center 275 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:47.639 on top of that. I think, you know, people will 276 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:50.000 disagree on the Warriors thing, but I think they're up there. 277 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:52.360 I know, the Spurs getting deer In Fox, But the 278 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.720 next tier after those big splashy moves, I think is 279 00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:59.000 the Cavs getting DeAndre Hunter. I mean, they're you know, 280 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.639 the Cavaliers obviously best record in the East, already having 281 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:05.320 a great season. He's got size, he's having a career 282 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:09.480 best year shooting the three. And if you're the Cavaliers, 283 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:12.519 as much as you're probably very proud of and happy 284 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:16.120 with what your team's accomplished so far, everything is going 285 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.279 to be about can we beat the Celtics in the spring? 286 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:18.799 That's it. 287 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:21.039 Like, you know, all due respect to the Knicks, the 288 00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:24.200 Bucks and whoever else may emerge in the East as 289 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:27.159 an opponent, but it's really about what do you do 290 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:29.840 with Tatum and Brown? Can you beat the Celtics, and 291 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:32.440 they've been spanked a couple times pretty handily by Boston, 292 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:36.919 and you know, getting another big body out there and 293 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:38.960 who can also stretch the defense at the other end 294 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:42.759 is a plus. So nice move by the Cavaliers. I 295 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:44.559 think it does have some risk. It does come with 296 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:47.440 some risk, only in that you know, the vibes are 297 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:50.039 great there, right, Like chemistry is really important. These guys 298 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:54.679 obviously all love playing together, and you know Lavert was 299 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:57.960 was playing really well off the bench for them, and 300 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:00.000 so you change up the chemistry a little bit when 301 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.120 and you change up the personnel. So I don't think 302 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.120 it's completely without risk, but I like the move all. 303 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:08.360 Right, Howard, rapid fire if you have to. We'll get 304 00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:11.559 your thoughts on on some local ties here. First off, 305 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:15.600 the Jazz they get the Sun's twenty thirty one unprotected 306 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:19.320 first five total second round picks. They bring in kJ 307 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:23.480 Martin and they do all of that while helping facilitate 308 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:26.240 a few trades around the league and only really getting 309 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:28.919 off of a few contracts that they didn't have any 310 00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:32.279 intention of staying with anyway, your thoughts on on the 311 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:36.000 Jazz return, although minimal, and what it says for the 312 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:37.639 strategy going forward. 313 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:45.679 It's been interesting actually to watch this in terms of 314 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:47.559 the way the Laker fans are kind of portrays like 315 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:51.039 Laker fans are gleeful that they feel like Rob Polinka 316 00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:53.840 got over on Danny Ainge by making this deal for 317 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:57.720 Luca with the Jazz, and Danny Ainge noted Laker hater, 318 00:15:57.960 --> 00:16:01.759 noted hated former Celtics Right. I have a lot of 319 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:05.360 Laker fans in my life and they are all gleeful. 320 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.679 And social media has been as well about Danny Ainge 321 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:11.840 presumably unwittingly helping the Lakers get Luka Doncic. So I 322 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.440 don't know how that part's playing in Utah, but it's 323 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:19.960 playing very interestingly in La. I don't know that. You know, Look, 324 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:22.480 nothing the Jazz did, obviously was meant to move the needle. 325 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:24.759 You know that it's they're just continuing to kind of 326 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:28.279 mark the time and you know, keep their their heels 327 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:32.120 cooled and and you know, add assets as they can. 328 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:34.360 Am I surprised that they didn't move off of you know, 329 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:38.480 whoever Clarkson or Sexton or Walkerkest or whoever. Like I know, 330 00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:44.159 the entire rosters and trade rumors perpetually but there wasn't 331 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:46.639 really I didn't really pick up on anything around the 332 00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:49.679 league about anybody really aggressively going after any of those guys. So, 333 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:55.159 you know, all all attention turns to, I think the 334 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.559 lottery and the draft and what the Jazz do this 335 00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:59.799 offseason and are they keeping lowry marketing or are they 336 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:02.919 try to acquire somebody to play with him. He becomes 337 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:05.799 trade eligible again when the season ends, and who knows, 338 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:07.279 maybe they're moving off of him too. 339 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:09.039 But it's. 340 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:13.680 It's hard to get a gauge on what exactly the 341 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:19.359 plan is other than stockpile assets, keep tanking, hope to 342 00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:22.240 get Cooper Flag or somebody great in the draft, and 343 00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:23.799 then reassessed when July hits. 344 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:26.440 And yeah, worst case scenario, you bring in kJ Martin, 345 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.720 a guy who's proven he can play at the NBA level, 346 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:30.880 and he's I think he just turned twenty four, so 347 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:34.920 at least not that that's a needle mover, but it's something, 348 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:37.839 and you mentioned it. There is a lot of talk 349 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:40.720 around here about how that actually went down and if 350 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:44.839 Danny knew and how that really did play out. I'm 351 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:47.559 excited to learn a little bit more. If we do 352 00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:50.119 learn a little bit more about the inner workings of 353 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:54.480 the Luca Donta trade. All Right, Kyle Kuzma, the former ute, 354 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:56.960 Delon Wright, the former ute. Both of those guys played 355 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:59.599 in the Sweet sixteen here at the University of Utah. 356 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:03.400 They both got dealt on deadline day. Kuzma to Milwaukee, 357 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:07.839 Delon to the Knicks, both of those two teams contending 358 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:12.920 for the playoffs. Any movement, any needle moving with those 359 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:13.599 two local guns. 360 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:19.119 Yeah, I mean, look, Kuzma's hard to assess right now 361 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:22.440 because he hasn't been on a team that had any 362 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:25.880 hope of doing anything in so long. And I think 363 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:27.480 a lot of people are kind of down on him 364 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:30.519 or off of him just because he's become a guy 365 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.079 who looks like he's just going for his numbers and 366 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:36.319 not really doing much at the defensive end and all this. 367 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:39.920 I think people need to remember that. And granted it's 368 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:41.839 ardly has been five years, but it was five years 369 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:43.559 ago that Kuzma was a really key part of the 370 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:47.640 Lakers winning that championship in twenty twenty, and he was 371 00:18:47.640 --> 00:18:50.279 the guy who could score, who could shoot, who could rebound, 372 00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:52.720 and who could defend and defend multiple positions at his 373 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:56.680 size and you know, he's going to a team in 374 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:00.599 Milwaukee that is really trying to you know, get itself 375 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:03.839 back into contender status and has two superstars to play 376 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.720 off of, Like Kyle Kuzma can't just say I'm going 377 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:07.680 to get mine on a team like the Bucks the 378 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:09.839 way that he could in Washington, where there's nothing to 379 00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:14.240 play for other than yourself. So you know, I'm sure 380 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:15.720 the Bucks are hoping they're going to get the best 381 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:17.920 of him. He's still, you know, really talented player in 382 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:20.880 his prime. I like the move, and it you know, 383 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:23.839 it did cost them. Chris Middleton, who's a really talented player, 384 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:27.039 was a key part of the Bucks championship. But you know, 385 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:29.160 the word around the league is essentially that you know, 386 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:32.480 Middleton is is pretty well cooked that you know, you 387 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:35.200 know obviously he's had a ton of injuries and you 388 00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:38.319 know there's there's a lot going on there. I think 389 00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:40.440 the Bucks just kind of realized we've reached the end 390 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:43.480 of the road, and you know, they got a younger, 391 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:46.720 healthier player, so it's a good move and then DeLong 392 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:49.599 right with the next So like the Knicks have severe 393 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:53.920 depth issues, or at least did, and I think Thibodeau's 394 00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:57.160 been uh you know, riding his starters pretty hard. They 395 00:19:57.480 --> 00:20:01.640 could use another you know, uh, you know, spry, healthy 396 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:04.640 body there who's you know, uh, you know, been around 397 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:07.240 the league, knows how to win. I think it's a 398 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:08.160 good move for them. 399 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:10.319 Howard, we appreciate your time. I'll let you get to it. 400 00:20:10.359 --> 00:20:12.920 I know you're you're in the bowels of the Barclay 401 00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:15.720