May 6, 2024 • 51 mins
Chris Haynes and Marc Stein back together again for an all-new #thisleague UNCUT! They react to Donovan Mitchell’s impressive game 7 performance to advance the Cavaliers to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. They talk about the rise of Anthony Edwards after the Timberwolves took game 1 from the reigning champion Nuggets. Finally, finishing with an update on the latest rumblings from the NBA’s coaching carousel.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
The Anthony Edwards Donovan Mitchell playoff takeover, what's next for
the Sixers, what's next for the Bucks, what's next for
the Heat? And a spin on the NBA coaching carousel.
All that is next on a brand new edition of
This League Uncut.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Welcome to This League Uncut in the world.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Of twenty four hour NBA news.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
This's you, Lou Chris Haynes. It's so time, Mark Stein,
it's some time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire.
This should be a good one.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hey, everyone, Welcome into the latest edition of This League Uncut.
Mark Stein and Chris Haynes back together. It is the
waning hours of Cinco de Mayo. By the time this
podcast drops, it will be Monday, May sixth, the first
round of the NBA Playoffs finally complete. We are fully
(01:12):
onto the second round. Chris Haynes. After some arduous Sinko
Demayo travel, he is safely ensconced in New York, getting
ready to cover the start of the Knicks Pacers series.
Game one of the Nixon Pacers, renewing nineteen nineties hostilities.
(01:35):
That is Monday night. I will be covering at least
some of the Dallas Oklahoma City series that starts Tuesday
night in OKC. We'll get to the second round matchups,
but man, this weekend was absolutely dominated by two NBA
figures in the West. Anthony Edwards, who star just keeps
(02:01):
rising and staking Minnesota to a one oh series lead
with his Game one heroics Saturday night in Denver. Man
the Minnesota Timberwolves five and oh in these playoffs. In
the thirty four seasons of Timberwolves basketball before this season,
(02:23):
the Wolves as a franchise were only twenty one and
forty two all time in the playoffs. They're off to
this five and oh start, and then Donovan Mitchell with
the Cavaliers under huge pressure, they go down eighteen in
Game seven at home to Cleveland, end up coming all
the way back. Donovan Mitchell eighty nine points in Game
(02:47):
six and a loss and Game seven a win, but
eighty nine points in the final two games of the series,
saving Cleveland season and delaying the inevitable speculation about Donovan
Mitchell's future and frankly JB. Bickerstaff's future. So Chris Haynes,
first of all, great to be back with you. Producer
(03:10):
Ryan is always getting on me that I talked too
long at the beginning. I don't get I don't toss
it to Chris Haynes fast enough, so I've already I'm
already off to a bad start. But maybe I too
will rally like the Cleveland Cavaliers did.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Earlier, Producer Rye. But he's he's showing his true colors.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Of yeah, he's you don't know. He sends me notes
like will you just get to Haynes already? Shut up?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Damn, Producer Ryan got all right, Uh no, it was
it was. That was a pretty That was a pretty
good performance by Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland Calves Game seven. I watched,
try to watch some of it. I have to go
back and watch it the rest of it later in
(03:56):
the morning, maybe even later tonight. I'm up now.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
But the Wi Fi on your two flights did not cooperate.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Not at all, not at all, And and my head
starts hurting when it starts when the picture starts pausing,
and then the audio doesn't match what's actually being played.
So yeah, those were my difficulties. But I saw a
lot of the highlights. I saw a pretty good, decent amount.
I still want to watch some. But no, that was
a big, big game. Strus came through as well. Uh,
(04:26):
you know he could have definitely Miami could have used
him on the team that in this in this postseason.
But a good good win. So we get to see
the Cleveland and in Boston. I saw the fans in
Cleveland chanton, we want Boston, we want Boston. I'm not
I'm not so sure about that. I am not not
(04:48):
at all.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well, let's be honest. They obviously want Boston more than
a first round exit, which the way that game starts.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Well just say they just say we want the second
round as catchy.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
That's not as catchy a chant.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Come telling you I have Boston for most of that
first round. They are serious, They're legit.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah. Look the Calves, their season has been an absolute
roller coaster, and of course the league at large, there
is great curiosity about giannas Antetokumpo. How does he respond
to Milwaukee's early exit, Jimmy Butler in the Miami Heat?
What happens there? How did the Heat respond to a
(05:33):
first round exit and not having Jimmy Butler on the
court and Jimmy Butler being eligible for a two year
extension worth an excess of one hundred million dollars as
of July seventh. How will the Heat react? How will
that impact Jimmy Butler's future? But Donovan Mitchell might be
at the top of the list for players who have
rival front offices wondering about his future. And had the
(05:57):
Calves lost a Game seven at home, surely JB. Bickerstaff,
who has been under various levels of pressure all season,
he would have absorbed the immediate brunt of a second
straight first round exit for the Calves. But Donovan Mitchell
is eligible for an extension this summer. The belief has
(06:19):
been out there that if the Calves can't get him
to agree to an extension, that they're going to have
to trade him. The Calves, of course resist that thinking
and have brushed aside any notion that they're even thinking
about trading Donovan Mitchell, and they turned away all in
(06:40):
season trade interest in Donovan Mitchell. All of Monday's NBA
programming would have been talking heavily about Donovan Mitchell's future.
But with thirty nine points in Game seven to follow
the fifty ball he had in a losing effort in
(07:01):
Game six, where if he just had gotten a little
bit of help from somewhere. The Cavs probably finished that
series in Orlando, but Donovan Mitchell has put all that
to bed, at least for the short term. And man,
he just the aggression he was playing with just kept
getting to the rim. He was in such a fierce
(07:22):
attack mode against an Orlando team that look, we all
know about Orlando's offensive shortcomings. We saw them play out
as painfully as possible. Here the Magic are. It's the
only game seven in the first round. It's an ABC Sunday,
it's a rare national TV showcase for both of these teams.
(07:43):
And man Franz Wagner goes one for fifteen from the field,
just a nightmare. But Donovan Mitchell. The one thing we
know the Magic can do is defend. And Donovan Mitchell
just put on an offensive masterclass in the last two
games of this series and put it in my face
(08:04):
and others who question, you know, what's his health like?
Is he really? If my memory and math are correct,
Mitchell was only healthy enough to play six of Cleveland's
last twenty one regular season games, so there were legit
questions coming into these playoffs about what he would look like.
(08:24):
But the Cavs did it. No Jared Allen at the
end of the season. But they find a way, they
get to the second round. They will now play the Celtics.
But honestly, as great as Mitchell was in Game six
and Game seven, I'd say the weekend still belonged to
Anthony Edwards. This is such a weird time in the
(08:46):
NBA because you hear this now, you hear people covering
the game and they say Anthony Edwards is the best
American player, And it's just crazy that we even have
to say that. But because of what Jokic and Embiid
and Doncic and SGA and all these players who hold
(09:08):
other passports are doing, this has become a thing. But man,
Anthony Edwards, what a statement with the way he played
in Game one and Chris Haines, I'll just ask you,
I mean, can the Minnesota Timberwolves actually win this series?
Are they going to knock the defending champs out? That's
the first Game one loss for Jokic in five years,
(09:30):
going all the way back to twenty nineteen.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yeah, they got a shot. They're the truth. They are
absolutely the truth, and they can do it on both
ends of the floor. So that's what makes them scary.
Anthony Edwards is just on a his confidence of sky
high right now. Man, you can't you can't guard him
one on one. And this season he stepped up his
ability to make plays for other people. So he's a
(09:55):
much more well rounded player into your you know. But
you know, as you started talking about this series, you mentioned,
you know, is Carl excuse me, you mentioned as Anthony Edwards?
Is he the best United States born player? Might might be.
(10:17):
I mean he might be. I mean it's still tough to.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I mean, he just I'm not ready to walk away
from the thirty your curries, your durrance, your.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Obviously he just swept. Yeah, he just swept the durrant. Yeah,
Booker Bradley Beal. I mean god, I mean, look, I'm
not I wouldn't place him like if I'm saying if
I'm given a top ten, if I had to give
a top ten player, the United States player in the league,
I don't know that I put him over KD yet
(10:50):
or maybe a few other guys. But he's definitely on
the verge. I mean, think about style. I wants jump
jump ahead to a couple of months down the road. Oh,
but you know who's going to be the go to
player for the Olympic team. You know, God, he's playing.
He's bawling out right now.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You know, since Jason Tatum texted you, I don't know,
maybe we should ask him, like, Jason Tatum, what do
you what should the rank?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I don't think Jason Tatum would give up. Yeah, I
don't think he would. He will put after that wards
above him right now. You know, you know, it's but
it's it's fun to watch. It's fun to watch. This
is really we are witnessing the changing of the guard.
You know, not just United States player but s g
(11:41):
A and Okay, see you know what those what he's doing,
what those youngsters are doing over there, We're we're we're
we're witnessing a change right now.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
It doesn't bother me, though, How do you feel like,
Like I'm like, I'm not sitting here throwing things at
my TV because some of these more marquee teams are
now home for the summer. Like I like seeing new
stuff in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, I mean, that's that's what happens. You know, at
a certain point, there's a changing of the guard, and
that's what happens. And I think right now We're just
seeing a plethora of the guys who used to be
the face of the league. Lebron, Lebron, James, Stephen Curry,
and I'm saying it used to be because they still
pretty much are still. Uh, face of the league doesn't
(12:32):
necessarily mean the best player, but it means probably the
most marketable.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I cannot that face of the league.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, I mean it's still it's still hard. Like I
get I get you people struggle with that, but but Steph, Lebron, Katie,
those guys still have it. It doesn't mean that they're
the best in the league anymore, but those guys still
have the cachet to hold that.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
And look, I talked about this when the Solo pod
on Friday. It is crazy to look at it and
say that Golden State, the Suns, the Heat, the Sixers,
the Bucks and both LA teams. It's crazy that they're
all out. They're all done. Like I don't know what
kind of odds you could have gotten in Vegas for
(13:20):
such a thing, but that none of those teams could
get past round one is really wild. I can't even
do it justice. I just think about the Celtics. They
have a chance to get back to the NBA Finals
without facing Philly, without facing Milwaukee. And yes, they played
(13:41):
the Miami Heat in Round one, but the Miami Heat
without Jimmy Butler, it's just not the same. So things
have really opened up for the Celtics to get back
to the finals. And of course they likely won't have
Christaps Porzingis until the conference finals at the earliest, and
maybe not until the NBA Finals, so they will take
the easier path if that's indeed the way it plays out.
(14:03):
But like I said, I'm not sitting here just depressed
because all these marquee teams are on the sideline already.
I think we have four really good second round matchups.
Your series is going to be really interesting with the
emerging Pacers and the Knicks and the whole Madison Square
(14:23):
Garden factor and the history between those teams that had
such a good playoff rivalry in the nineties and Jalen
Brunson against Rick Carlile. I cannot wait for the Chris
Haynes sideline report about Jalen Brunson, remembering how he only
got ten minutes in a Game seven the last time
(14:44):
he played for Rick Carlile, and now he gets to
go up against Rick Carlile. There will be fireworks there.
You know my series Dallas, Okay, see, that'll be a
good one. Boston, Cleveland will see how much the Cavs
have left after all the energy they expended just to
get to Round two. And then Denver Minnesota is just
(15:04):
a whopper of a second round series.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
And stein for the series that I'm doing, as you
mentioned New York Indiana, you know, it's a lot of
nostalgia attached to those two teams playing together, had some
big playoff bouts back in the day. I don't think
this is a secret.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I hope it's a secret and you're revealing a secret.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, yeah, well I'm gonna reveal it slightly. I don't
think it's a secret. But just in case it's a secret,
you want to pay attention to our broadcast coming up
where we might have somebody that was that had a
(15:53):
lot of history with that series back in the day,
with those playoff big playoffs bounce back in the day
between the Knicks and the Pacers. So you should know
what I'm talking about. But if you don't, you just
have to wait and see.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Well, I would like to think Reggie Miller is somehow
involved in this.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Oh, it's been interesting. Okay, that would be cool.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Are you how much of that series are you doing?
Do you know how many games you're doing in that
series already?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I'm doing I'm doing the whole series. So I'm doing
the whole series. Of the games that are tn T.
So Game one and Game two are tn T games.
Game three and four ESPN and ABC. Game five is
tn T as well. If there is a game five, six,
and seven is not. They haven't revealed that yet as
(17:00):
far as the game so.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
But but you're gonna stay on that series even if
the games aren't on TNT. That is your series in
the second round.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
No, actually going home for three and four?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Okay, yeah, but you're not switching to some others.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
No, I'm not, No, I'm not. I'm just I'm staying
on that sitting in it was not just locking it
on the series. I'm locking it on New York because
the games that I'm assa signed that TNT has are
all the games that are in New York, which Stein
I have no problem with whatsoever. TNT has been treating
the brother really good this season, really good. Traveling is
(17:35):
the traveling my schedule Oh, it's been impeccable. Thank you everybody.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
No more Miami games, but New York ain't a bad fallback.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
New York is my favorite, my favorite city.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Miami's your favorite. What do you mean New York?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Miami's my second. Miami is my second. You know that
New York.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
I thought Miami was your favorite.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
New York number one, Miami number two.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I love Indy. I'm sad for you that you're not
getting to go to Indianapolis. I had a great time
at the All Star Game, especially Friday when it was
freezing cold. I loved it.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
I'm not surprised. Don not surprised one bit.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Hey when I sent you to Saint Elmos? Did it deliver?
Did you like Saint Elmos?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
At least it did? It was great. I mean, I'm
not visiting Indiana just for Saint Elmos though, but it
was pretty great.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Producer Ryan, can you believe this guy like if it's
not Miami or New York, he just he'd rather be.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
I'm still a little in shock that New York took
the top spot. Now, I think this bears a little
bit more discussion. Are we talking New York's number one
based off of the time of year, because I have
questions if New York is your favorite place in January
and February as opposed to Miami.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I also would love I don't. I know you can't
do this at the touch of a button, but I
do think we need to go back into the archives
of this league uncut, because I don't. I don't remember
Chris as ever saying Miami is my se favorite city
in the league. I remember those sentences.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
I have.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
I have an explanation I have to explain to dude,
you know, this is this league un cut. The listeners here.
I consider you guys family. You know. I pour out
a lot of my personal life to you guys and
gals and and hope that it will help you all out.
So if you did go back into archives, Stein and Ryan,
(19:27):
you might have heard me say Miami was number one.
But I'm gonna tell you I got a questions about
Miami being my number one about two weeks ago. And
the question came from my wife, and she's like, you
talk about Miami a lot. Why are you always raving
about it? Why are you always talking about you love
(19:50):
the scenery? She said, I know what you be talking about.
I know what you're talking about.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I know, the scenery you're talking aboutte Haynes.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Is hon Yes, she said, I don't think that's appropriate
it for you to be saying it like that. I said, Babe,
that's not though I like it. I like it for
the weather. I like the weather. You know, the weather
is beautiful, and every it's a it's a vibe. The
city is a vibe. Yeah, but I ain't. She was like,
that ain't what you're putting out there. People ain't thinking
you talking about just the weather of the vibe. They
think you talking about the scenery. And so uh. I
(20:20):
tried to thank you Steyn and Ryan because I tried
to like sneak in a new number one and then
like create a new narrative. But you guys stop me
in my tracks. So thank you for that. But New
York is always been. It was like New York in Miami.
So I'm not totally fibbing. I'm just.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Narrative was brought on, perhaps by a walk home from
KFC one night after a certain.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
No Po Pope popa, yes, Popeyes, Papa, get it right right,
get it right? Yeah. So uh yeah, y'all know how
I feel about Miami. But I had to have a
little I had to change, I had to move some
things around. But New York that I love New York.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
I love it so to this day, there is no
place I would rather watch a game than Madison Square Garden.
I am old school. This will surprise you guys, zero percent.
I like an arena that features an old school organist.
And the soundtrack at MSG is poetic. It is magical.
(21:32):
Just I love hearing it. And when the knicks are
playing well and that building is rocking, it's just the
whole soundtrack. There is electric even on television when you're
not in the building. So I'll be jealous because working
sideline means you're on the floor. We've talked about this before.
In the glory days of MSG, when I started out
(21:56):
as a beat writer, I mean, we used to get
incredible seats on the baseline and there was no real estate.
The baseline table was just stuffed right into the fan
area and there's like so little room to move around.
But just being at floor level at Madison Square Garden
(22:16):
is one of the truly special experiences in our profession.
And so for you to know that your next three
sideline gigs are there on that floor in that building.
You are a lucky, lucky.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Man, Stei. The Knicks feel the same way about me
being lucky because every game that I've covered in New York,
they've won. Jeremy Watkins, the head PR guy over there,
over both the business side and basketball side, he always
asked me, when am I coming to New York? We
need we need some good luck. We need some good luck.
(22:52):
So he's definitely ecstatic that I that I touched down
over here. Now I can't you know, you can't put
it all on me. It has nothing to do with me,
even though Patune Patuone feels the opposite. He says, I'm
a black cat. Yeah, he hates having me around because
they do tend to lose whatever. When he was the
Clippers and then over there with the Sixers. So depends
(23:15):
on who you talking.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
But how many games did you do in this series?
He can't blame you for this series? Right you didn't?
You did one game in that series?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah, but it was that game too where they were up,
they were up, like.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
No, I already forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
You did the game too, Yes, I was on that game.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh, Mike, did you talk to Batom after.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
He just looked at me and hurry up and walked away.
Man I said, I'm sorry, brother.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
He might have a point. He might be.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Of all games that one.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Yes, he's not going to come back on to give
us the breakdown because.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Man he yeah, he finished, he finished the year strong.
I'm happy for him. Man, I remember what was that
five years ago? It looked like he was out of
the league when he was with Charlotte, they weren't playing
them at all. And so he's he's been able to
find a find an extra life show with the Clippers
(24:17):
in finishing games strong for Philly, So kudos and Nicholas Patoon.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Well, you know we're gonna use that to segue. We
will get to the coaching carousel in a minute. Again.
We have this list of marquee teams who now are
going to face really difficult off seasons. But I think
Philly's actually, you know, they're in the strongest position, probably
out of all the teams we could list, because they're
(24:43):
going to have more than fifty million in cap space,
maybe closer to sixty million, so they'll be able to
chase Paul George. Everybody knows that Paul George is at
the top of the Sixers list. If that doesn't work out, though,
they can try I do trade for a star player
to fit into that cap space, and then after using
(25:05):
that cap space, they can resign tyresee MAXI to a
max deal. And I know I've told you guys this
story before, but when I type MAXI on my key
to L. E. BlackBerry that I still use spellcheck often
changes MAXI to max. I think they're right, and I
think they know because he is getting a Max deal.
(25:28):
And so the Sixers, you know that it's a real
interesting one that's starting to circulate. Would they try to
trade for Jimmy Butler if the Heat and Butler cannot
come to terms on a contract extension, And again, Jimmy
Butler can't get a contract extension from the Heat before
July seventh. But let's just say that the Heat decide
(25:52):
to prioritize financial flexibility over giving Jimmy Butler two more years.
When Jimmy Butler is nearing birthday number thirty five, would
Philly try to pursue him in a trade and undo
one of the worst mistakes in franchise history When the
Sixers prioritize keeping both Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris. They
(26:17):
signed and traded Jimmy Butler to the Heat, who had
almost no cap space, and Jimmy Butler has ended up
leading Miami to two NBA Finals and was one shot
away from a third NBA Finals in the space of
five seasons. Would the Sixers try to undo that very
costly decision by trading for Jimmy Butler, And honestly, I can.
(26:40):
I think I can talk myself into the idea that
Butler might be an even better fit than a Paul
George because he and Embiid already have such a great relationship,
and they already know that they can play together. And
I remember Darryl Moury saying that they really want to
make sure that whoever comes in is that third star
(27:03):
really does have some playmaking ability. I don't know. I mean,
Paul George is obviously a very talented, very versatile player.
But I am intrigued by the idea of Philly trying
to make a trade run at Jimmy Butler again. The
Heat might turn around and say, no, we're not interested,
(27:24):
We're extending Jimmy. We're gonna find a way to extend
Jimmy Butler. And try to add to the core. But
that's one we got to keep an eye on. And
you know again, there are so many fascinating situations with
I mean, these are when you look at it with
the starting with the play in tournament, these twelve teams
(27:45):
have all begun their off seasons. The Warriors, the Kings,
the Bulls, the Hawks in the West, Pelicans, Lakers, Suns,
Clippers in the East, Heat six Bucks, Magic, I mean again,
Golden State, Lakers, Sons, Clippers, Heat Sixers, Bucks. These are
(28:08):
all marquee teams. These are teams that Vegas loves to
tell us had title possibilities. And I think, you know again,
Philly has the financial flexibility to really make some moves
in the offseason. For several of those other teams I named,
it's gonna be a lot tougher. And let me use
(28:34):
that as a way to now pitch the ball back
to you, Chris Haynes. You know the Milwaukee Bucks as
well as anyone. What happens in Milwaukee. How does Jannis
Antetokumpo respond to a first round exit? Man, your guy,
I was terrified for your guy, Dame Lillard playing in
(28:55):
that game six. I am just Honestly, I'm just I'm
glad Yiannis did try to play, and I'm just really
glad that nothing happened to Dane.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Yeah, that was that was scary. He still, I mean
watched the game. He was nowhere close to eighty five percent,
nowhere close to that, and he was a better decoy
than he was, you know, initially after he sustained that
(29:26):
that flare up in that Achilles. But he wanted to go.
He wanted to he wanted to buy you know, he
wanted some you know, more time bought, you know, so
him and Giannis can return together. That was always the plan.
But uh, you know, Gianni's calf just just didn't cooperate
(29:48):
with him. I do think if there was a Game seven,
I think Gianna's plays I think he was trended in
that direction. But luckily for Dame, he got out unscathed
as far as not damaging that achilles injury any further.
So right now, he's going to take some time to rest,
get it back, get it back healthy, and then go
(30:10):
into the off season. He's I'm telling you right now.
You know, obviously I spoke with him, but he's very
he's feeling very good. About this summer of having an
off season to just know where he's headed. Could remember
when he requested the trade in July, he didn't know
where he was going to be at, didn't know what
type of system. And so now he knows the team's
(30:32):
going to be on, he knows the coach, he knows
what he needs to work on, and I know him
and Giannis. They have plans to get together to train
in the off season. Giannis will go to Portland train
with Dame a few times. Dame has a Dame bought.
Dame had a house. He had a mansion built in
Portland that he hasn't really been able to live in
(30:53):
because the house finished. I want to say the house
finished around a month before he was traded, and this
this home stign Dame would send me like update videos
just how things are coming along in the house. He
has this full court basketball gym in there that is
(31:16):
just immaculate with murals all over the walls. And I
haven't gotten a chance to get out there yet, but
Gianni's a Dame. They would get together with dames trainer,
who who was Dame's assistant coach at Weaver State, Phil Beckner,
who's trained a dozen NBA players since Dame it has
(31:39):
been in the league. Michel Bridges to be one of them.
So they're they're looking forward to, they're looking forward to.
I remember before Dame and Giannis got together, Yannis does
not train with anybody. He doesn't train with, He doesn't
train with with players that are not on his team.
He doesn't do it. But him and Dame were very
(32:00):
hose to getting together last off season to train. This
is before the trade request or anything. This before they
even know that it was on the radar, and uh,
it did never happen. But you know, so Jiannis always
wanted this to happen, and Phil Beckman was going to
be the instructor during that training session. So they're looking good,
(32:21):
they're they're they're feeling good about themselves, and you know,
I think they got they got another year to figure
this out, a year with Doc.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
I do think there are a lot of rival teams
out there that are crossing their fingers, crossing their toes
that Giannis is going to get fed up and somehow
try to push his way out. Sure doesn't sound like
it if he's lining up off season workout plans with mister.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Lillard yeah, but I don't know about the rest of
the Bucks roster. That's that's the unknown right there. Obviously
some changes need to be made, some additions need to
be made. Now the Bucks have a better idea of
what they need to surround, what type of talent they
(33:05):
need to surround Damn and Giannis with.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
We should say, one of the few silver linings, Chris Middleton,
had a great series. After all the injuries he dealt
with this season, Middleton was fantastic.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
He was lights out in the playoffs. They definitely needed
him definitely. So you know, it's remains to be seen.
What's what's going to happen from from on that standpoint,
you know, Pat Bev is will he be back? I
don't know about that. I don't know about that.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I'm I would say after the week Pat Bev had
far less than a lock that he will be asked
to return to Brewt Town. But I guess we shall see.
I'm just gonna throw this out there, probably too ambitious
of a request, but when Giannis goes out to Portland,
(34:01):
I think you should just tell those guys, hey, this
league uncut would be happy to make a road trip
to the Pacific Northwest and do a do a four
man pod sit down with those guys. We would be
happy to do that.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
I'll throw it. I'll throw it out there.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Or three if you just got to delete me. If
they only want to do it with you, I'll I'll
step aside and let you.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
That wouldn't that wouldn't you You're you're not you would
not be the one that would ruin that interview from happening.
I'll produce Ryan, probably produce a Ryan, producer Ryan, because
he has demands. Now he's he's calling shots. Now, he's
telling you Stein you have a when you talk, you
got a minute on the clock. You got exactly sixty seconds,
(34:48):
get in and out. So I see prod.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
The thing is, he's actually right. I just can't help
myself from abbing.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Hey, hey, dame, thanks so much for taking the time. Now,
I want you to keep it tight because we need
more Haynes here.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Hey, you know what's you know what's funny, like producer Ride,
you probably can relate to. It's like, so when I
do my br live sessions, we'll have you know, we'll
have the NBA player come on and you know, ideally,
when you're doing a video you guys tell Ideally you
want them on the laptop, but when you get these
(35:25):
players come on, they're gonna be on their phones. They're
gonna be You saw even coach Jason Kidd, he was
in a car when he did mine, So you know
you and so then you have Okay, so the player
is there now, and so it's the producer's job to
tell them, Hey, all right, excuse me. Can you can
you center your mic? Keep it right there?
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Can you move? Can you not? Can you turn your
phone up? Can you turn it on airplane mode? Can
you know? You're giving all these instructions so you can
see the players Sometimes they're getting a little agitated with
all these requests and they don't even know you, Like,
who are you? You should be lucky I'm even doing
this and now you asked. You know. Hey, that's why
the producers get paid the big bucks many got is
(36:11):
that they gotta make it.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Hey, the truth is this league uncut was at least
at least forty to fifty producer Ryan's idea. I mean,
that is the truth.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
He knew about this happening before we did.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
No, he just he's the one who who said we
need to do a show and you.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Know is that right? Yeah, that's news to me.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
I didn't know anyone at iHeart until I got an
email one day out of the blue from Ryan Music
of iHeart Industries that that is the truth.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Well, start, I could tell you what else is the truth.
I can guarantee you he were fully regret sending that email. Now,
after dealing with us, especially our traveling hiccups and everything
that he has to deal with our editing process. I
could guarantee you he goes to bed at night thinking
why did I send that email?
Speaker 4 (37:14):
It all goes back to that email.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
What did I do?
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Listen?
Speaker 3 (37:18):
What did I get myself into it?
Speaker 4 (37:20):
It's more than paid for itself by learning the most
sage advice I've ever received in my life.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Tis and Ryan's Ryan's Ryan's conversation for this podcast is
the life coaching he gets from you.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Yeah, ties and losses, that's true. Take that wherever you go, people.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
It's all about ties and losses, underdog putting that on
a T shirt? All right? You know what, Let's talk
some coaching carousel before we go, because obviously the Lakers
have dismissed Darvin Ham. That news came down Friday. There
are still questions about Frank Vogel's job status in Phoenix
(38:01):
and then with the Clippers. Basically they were in Dallas Friday.
Friday was a weird one. It was Tylo's forty seventh birthday.
The Clippers season ended on Friday night when they lost
Game six here in Dallas. But the Clippers went to
great lengths to let it be known that they want
to sign Tylo to an extension because they know both
(38:24):
the Lakers and the Suns would have massive interest in
trying to hire ty Lou if he made it to
the coaching market. Both teams have tried in the past.
The Lakers, of course, offered their coaching job to Tylu
before hiring Frank Vogel, and then Tylu and the Lakers,
of course, in that instance could not come to terms.
(38:47):
Tylu ended up joining Doc Rivers' staff with the Clippers
and then ended up succeeding Doc Rivers as the Clippers coach.
Took them to the Western Conference Finals in his first
season as Clippers coach, and now the expectation is that
he will secure a contract extension from the Clippers like
Kawhi Leonard has, and so the Lakers will not have
(39:10):
a chance to go after him again and the Suns.
The Sons wanted Tyleru last offseason after firing Manni Williams,
but at that point Tylu had two seasons left on
his deal. There was no way that the Clippers were
going to let him out of that deal. But all
of that is a lot of long winded background to
(39:32):
say that Tylu will not be on the market. And
the reality with the Lakers is the two most natural
candidates for this job would be Tylu and Jason Kidd.
And I don't think the Lakers are going to have
a shot at Jason Kidd either, because there is the
strong expectation here in Dallas that Jason Kidd is going
(39:53):
to get an extension as well. So the question then
becomes who can the Lakers high Who are the Lakers
actually going to hire.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
You made a great point about those are the two
natural candidates. You're definitely right. You know, I saw somebody
throw out Charles Lee, and he's definitely earned the right
to have a head coaching spot. Charles Lee is now
the assistant coach over there with the Boston Celtics, but
you know, he spent time with Milwaukee under Bootenholzer. I
(40:36):
don't know, like, I don't know that the Lakers want
another Bootenholzer disciple. You know, they just just left from
They just excuse me, they just departed with Darvin Ham.
And you know, just think about guys that don't do
not have a job. One is Bootenholzer. You know, maybe
(40:57):
if Doc didn't take the Bucks job, didn't leave after
the Boots, maybe he would have been a viable option.
There's just not a lot of names that make sense
for a team like the Lakers, who are trying to
win now, you would think they would want a proven god. Again, Stan,
I've been out of the loop for like the last
(41:17):
few days. I had a funeral to deal with for
a couple of days, and so the Ham news actually
broke while I was at my ancies funeral, and so
I saw and again I don't know who's reporting whatever
because I haven't been able to really get into it.
But was JJ Reddick's name really thrown out there?
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Yeah? See, And that's I was actually just gonna say. Look,
JJ Reddick has a legitimate, already existing working relationship with
Lebron James because the podcast they've started, and that is
meaningful in this case, because the Lakers, if they're going
to proceed with Lebron James as a centerpiece player for
(41:57):
the next season or maybe even two more, they're going
to have to find a coach who vibes with Lebron
and Anthony Davis and JJ Reddick. He does check that box.
But on the flip side, JJ Reddick has no coaching experience,
and as you just said, the Lakers after hiring a
(42:18):
first time coach in Darvin Ham. Of course, Darvin Ham
had been an assistant for many, many many years. Darvin
Ham interviewed for numerous head coaching spots before he finally
got the Laker job, so he was a very seasoned
assistant coach even though it was his first head coaching job.
JJ Reddick doesn't have any NBA bench experience, and the
(42:41):
Lakers coaching job is as scrutinized a coaching position as
there is in professional sports anywhere. Do you really want
to put a first time coach in that position? But
it's been stressed to me that the JJ Reddick candidacy
is real again because tylu and Jason Kidd, who are
(43:05):
two natural targets for the Lakers to go after. My
sense is the Lakers do not expect either one of
those guys. They don't expect to have a chance to
go after either one. Both are expected to get contract
extensions here in the near future from the Clippers and
the Mavericks, respectively. So what direction do the Lakers go?
(43:30):
Is it a first time coach who would have player
support like JJ Reddick If they are looking for a
coach with championship experience, The list right now really is
Mike Budenholzer, and that's as far as it goes. Budenholzer
is the most experienced and decorated coach available, and Kenny
(43:51):
Atkinson obviously serving as Steve Kerrz lead assistant in Golden
State since leaving his head coaching post with the Nets.
But that's where we are right now, and the Lakers
don't have the ability as things stand, to just draft
up a list of five or six sensible candidates without
(44:15):
access to Tron lou or Jason Kidd and Stein.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
Another thing that I think the Lakers have to think
about when you think about JJ Reddick, no doubt, you know,
I think he's a brilliant mind basketball mind. You know,
if he wants to coach at some point he's going
to become a head coach in the NBA. But it's
not easy coming over and coaching one of your peers
(44:40):
that you've played with for a long time, and on
top of that, coaching somebody that you have a podcast with.
You know, that's that's another dynamic, Rightyan.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Could you imagine me trying to coach Chris Haynes.
Speaker 4 (44:57):
Well, Hey, one thing we know about it is he's
getting this shots. No matter what coach says.
Speaker 1 (45:03):
That the players league, he'd probably win that battle.
Speaker 3 (45:05):
As long as long as the coach knows that understands
that we'll get together.
Speaker 1 (45:10):
You know, in his league, he's coach GM and number
one shot taker. Somehow he does it all.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
You know, that's just gonna be tough. You know, when
everything's going well, maybe it works, but you know that
that will that would be a strange dynamic. I don't
know that that will be the right situation for JJ
and Lebron. I would I just if they go that,
(45:41):
If they go that route, that means they are they
think very highly of JJ. Reddick's potential star prowess as
a head coach.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
It's just putting him in an incredibly difficult position. What
is basically the first thing we heard from Darvinham when
the season ended. One of the first things he said
in that press conference was basically, the two years I've
spent in this seat, It's been a hell of a
(46:13):
two years. He knew what was coming, and just I
don't even like to say these two words together in
a sentence, but I'm gonna have to. It's very much
like managing Manchester United in England. The level of scrutiny, pressure, expectation,
demands criticism. Coaching the Los Angeles Lakers. It's unlike sitting
(46:39):
you know, maybe the Yankees, maybe man United. Like there's
just a very short list Dallas Cowboys. You'd probably throw
into that sentence like, there are certain coaching jobs that
are just you're under the microscope to a degree that
other coaches don't have to face. And so does JJ
(47:02):
Reddick really want to be thrown into that situation to
start his coaching career? The difficult difficult ask?
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Yeah, it just be. It would be it's to be
a tall task. That would be a tall task, and
it would be a strange, unprecedented dynamic.
Speaker 1 (47:24):
And then Phoenix, We're gonna have to wait and see,
it's not one hundred percent certain that the Suns would
opt to make a coaching change. There were certainly reports
in the immediate aftermath of Phoenix getting swept by Minnesota
that Frank Vogel's job is in peril. But I have
heard that one option that the Sons have considered is
(47:45):
just completely redo the staff around him. Maybe there is
a former player who can come in to be on
his staff. Obviously, with Kevin Young going to BYU, that
certainly opens up the lead assistant slot. So there will
be changes on the Sun's bench. Whether it extends all
(48:06):
the way to the head coach remains to be seen,
but it's the same thing. There just aren't with Doc Rivers,
as you said, taking the Milwaukee job mid season. You know,
you only really have Budenholzer out there in terms of
readily available recent championship coaches, And so the Suns might say,
(48:28):
you know what, We're gonna give Frank Vogel another season.
They haven't made that decision yet. That was another crazy
thing that happened last week, and I got into it
in the Solo pod on Friday, that what are we
worried about the Suns? For Matt Ishbia says it's an
easy fix and that twenty six of twenty nine other
(48:50):
gms would trade their whole situation with the Suns right now.
So what are we worried about Phoenix? For all right?
I think that's going to do it for this edition
of this League uncut. Chris and I we'll get together
again in a few days time if I can pull
(49:11):
him away from all the fun he's having in his
undisputed number one favorite NBA city. There never was another choice.
There is no second place, New York. And there you go.
Speaker 3 (49:28):
This is a business decision.
Speaker 1 (49:30):
New York. You should go. You should fly home in
an iHeart New York T shirt that's easily found at
any local shop near your hotel. Oh, and maybe brings
Charlotte and I Love New York coffee cup home. That
a good That'd be a good gift. Show contributor Charlotte Haynes.
Speaker 3 (49:53):
Just try to be transparent with the with the listeners, y'all.
I hope y'all appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (49:57):
All right? Everyone, you know what to do? Follow us.
Please rate the show. Review the show. We would love
a five star rating if you see fit to bestow
that upon us and Like I said, Chris Haynes, producer
Ryan and me, the babbling Mark Stein, we will be
(50:22):
back together with you again very very soon. Thanks everyone
for listening and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 2 (50:30):
See you next time.
Speaker 1 (50:33):
This league uncut it is and iHeartRadio production.
Speaker 2 (50:40):
Chris Haynes and Mark Stein
The Anthony Edwards Donovan Mitchell playoff takeover, what's next for
the Sixers, what's next for the Bucks, what's next for
the Heat? And a spin on the NBA coaching carousel.
All that is next on a brand new edition of
This League Uncut.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Welcome to This League Uncut in the world.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Of twenty four hour NBA news.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
This's you, Lou Chris Haynes. It's so time, Mark Stein,
it's some time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire.
This should be a good one.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Hey, everyone, Welcome into the latest edition of This League Uncut.
Mark Stein and Chris Haynes back together. It is the
waning hours of Cinco de Mayo. By the time this
podcast drops, it will be Monday, May sixth, the first
round of the NBA Playoffs finally complete. We are fully
(01:12):
onto the second round. Chris Haynes. After some arduous Sinko
Demayo travel, he is safely ensconced in New York, getting
ready to cover the start of the Knicks Pacers series.
Game one of the Nixon Pacers, renewing nineteen nineties hostilities.
(01:35):
That is Monday night. I will be covering at least
some of the Dallas Oklahoma City series that starts Tuesday
night in OKC. We'll get to the second round matchups,
but man, this weekend was absolutely dominated by two NBA
figures in the West. Anthony Edwards, who star just keeps
(02:01):
rising and staking Minnesota to a one oh series lead
with his Game one heroics Saturday night in Denver. Man
the Minnesota Timberwolves five and oh in these playoffs. In
the thirty four seasons of Timberwolves basketball before this season,
(02:23):
the Wolves as a franchise were only twenty one and
forty two all time in the playoffs. They're off to
this five and oh start, and then Donovan Mitchell with
the Cavaliers under huge pressure, they go down eighteen in
Game seven at home to Cleveland, end up coming all
the way back. Donovan Mitchell eighty nine points in Game
(02:47):
six and a loss and Game seven a win, but
eighty nine points in the final two games of the series,
saving Cleveland season and delaying the inevitable speculation about Donovan
Mitchell's future and frankly JB. Bickerstaff's future. So Chris Haynes,
first of all, great to be back with you. Producer
(03:10):
Ryan is always getting on me that I talked too
long at the beginning. I don't get I don't toss
it to Chris Haynes fast enough, so I've already I'm
already off to a bad start. But maybe I too
will rally like the Cleveland Cavaliers did.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Earlier, Producer Rye. But he's he's showing his true colors.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Of yeah, he's you don't know. He sends me notes
like will you just get to Haynes already? Shut up?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Damn, Producer Ryan got all right, Uh no, it was
it was. That was a pretty That was a pretty
good performance by Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland Calves Game seven. I watched,
try to watch some of it. I have to go
back and watch it the rest of it later in
(03:56):
the morning, maybe even later tonight. I'm up now.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
But the Wi Fi on your two flights did not cooperate.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Not at all, not at all, And and my head
starts hurting when it starts when the picture starts pausing,
and then the audio doesn't match what's actually being played.
So yeah, those were my difficulties. But I saw a
lot of the highlights. I saw a pretty good, decent amount.
I still want to watch some. But no, that was
a big, big game. Strus came through as well. Uh,
(04:26):
you know he could have definitely Miami could have used
him on the team that in this in this postseason.
But a good good win. So we get to see
the Cleveland and in Boston. I saw the fans in
Cleveland chanton, we want Boston, we want Boston. I'm not
I'm not so sure about that. I am not not
(04:48):
at all.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well, let's be honest. They obviously want Boston more than
a first round exit, which the way that game starts.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Well just say they just say we want the second
round as catchy.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
That's not as catchy a chant.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Come telling you I have Boston for most of that
first round. They are serious, They're legit.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah. Look the Calves, their season has been an absolute
roller coaster, and of course the league at large, there
is great curiosity about giannas Antetokumpo. How does he respond
to Milwaukee's early exit, Jimmy Butler in the Miami Heat?
What happens there? How did the Heat respond to a
(05:33):
first round exit and not having Jimmy Butler on the
court and Jimmy Butler being eligible for a two year
extension worth an excess of one hundred million dollars as
of July seventh. How will the Heat react? How will
that impact Jimmy Butler's future? But Donovan Mitchell might be
at the top of the list for players who have
rival front offices wondering about his future. And had the
(05:57):
Calves lost a Game seven at home, surely JB. Bickerstaff,
who has been under various levels of pressure all season,
he would have absorbed the immediate brunt of a second
straight first round exit for the Calves. But Donovan Mitchell
is eligible for an extension this summer. The belief has
(06:19):
been out there that if the Calves can't get him
to agree to an extension, that they're going to have
to trade him. The Calves, of course resist that thinking
and have brushed aside any notion that they're even thinking
about trading Donovan Mitchell, and they turned away all in
(06:40):
season trade interest in Donovan Mitchell. All of Monday's NBA
programming would have been talking heavily about Donovan Mitchell's future.
But with thirty nine points in Game seven to follow
the fifty ball he had in a losing effort in
(07:01):
Game six, where if he just had gotten a little
bit of help from somewhere. The Cavs probably finished that
series in Orlando, but Donovan Mitchell has put all that
to bed, at least for the short term. And man,
he just the aggression he was playing with just kept
getting to the rim. He was in such a fierce
(07:22):
attack mode against an Orlando team that look, we all
know about Orlando's offensive shortcomings. We saw them play out
as painfully as possible. Here the Magic are. It's the
only game seven in the first round. It's an ABC Sunday,
it's a rare national TV showcase for both of these teams.
(07:43):
And man Franz Wagner goes one for fifteen from the field,
just a nightmare. But Donovan Mitchell. The one thing we
know the Magic can do is defend. And Donovan Mitchell
just put on an offensive masterclass in the last two
games of this series and put it in my face
(08:04):
and others who question, you know, what's his health like?
Is he really? If my memory and math are correct,
Mitchell was only healthy enough to play six of Cleveland's
last twenty one regular season games, so there were legit
questions coming into these playoffs about what he would look like.
(08:24):
But the Cavs did it. No Jared Allen at the
end of the season. But they find a way, they
get to the second round. They will now play the Celtics.
But honestly, as great as Mitchell was in Game six
and Game seven, I'd say the weekend still belonged to
Anthony Edwards. This is such a weird time in the
(08:46):
NBA because you hear this now, you hear people covering
the game and they say Anthony Edwards is the best
American player, And it's just crazy that we even have
to say that. But because of what Jokic and Embiid
and Doncic and SGA and all these players who hold
(09:08):
other passports are doing, this has become a thing. But man,
Anthony Edwards, what a statement with the way he played
in Game one and Chris Haines, I'll just ask you,
I mean, can the Minnesota Timberwolves actually win this series?
Are they going to knock the defending champs out? That's
the first Game one loss for Jokic in five years,
(09:30):
going all the way back to twenty nineteen.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yeah, they got a shot. They're the truth. They are
absolutely the truth, and they can do it on both
ends of the floor. So that's what makes them scary.
Anthony Edwards is just on a his confidence of sky
high right now. Man, you can't you can't guard him
one on one. And this season he stepped up his
ability to make plays for other people. So he's a
(09:55):
much more well rounded player into your you know. But
you know, as you started talking about this series, you mentioned,
you know, is Carl excuse me, you mentioned as Anthony Edwards?
Is he the best United States born player? Might might be.
(10:17):
I mean he might be. I mean it's still tough to.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I mean, he just I'm not ready to walk away
from the thirty your curries, your durrance, your.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Obviously he just swept. Yeah, he just swept the durrant. Yeah,
Booker Bradley Beal. I mean god, I mean, look, I'm
not I wouldn't place him like if I'm saying if
I'm given a top ten, if I had to give
a top ten player, the United States player in the league,
I don't know that I put him over KD yet
(10:50):
or maybe a few other guys. But he's definitely on
the verge. I mean, think about style. I wants jump
jump ahead to a couple of months down the road. Oh,
but you know who's going to be the go to
player for the Olympic team. You know, God, he's playing.
He's bawling out right now.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You know, since Jason Tatum texted you, I don't know,
maybe we should ask him, like, Jason Tatum, what do
you what should the rank?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I don't think Jason Tatum would give up. Yeah, I
don't think he would. He will put after that wards
above him right now. You know, you know, it's but
it's it's fun to watch. It's fun to watch. This
is really we are witnessing the changing of the guard.
You know, not just United States player but s g
(11:41):
A and Okay, see you know what those what he's doing,
what those youngsters are doing over there, We're we're we're
we're witnessing a change right now.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
It doesn't bother me, though, How do you feel like,
Like I'm like, I'm not sitting here throwing things at
my TV because some of these more marquee teams are
now home for the summer. Like I like seeing new
stuff in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, I mean, that's that's what happens. You know, at
a certain point, there's a changing of the guard, and
that's what happens. And I think right now We're just
seeing a plethora of the guys who used to be
the face of the league. Lebron, Lebron, James, Stephen Curry,
and I'm saying it used to be because they still
pretty much are still. Uh, face of the league doesn't
(12:32):
necessarily mean the best player, but it means probably the
most marketable.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I cannot that face of the league.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, I mean it's still it's still hard. Like I
get I get you people struggle with that, but but Steph, Lebron, Katie,
those guys still have it. It doesn't mean that they're
the best in the league anymore, but those guys still
have the cachet to hold that.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
And look, I talked about this when the Solo pod
on Friday. It is crazy to look at it and
say that Golden State, the Suns, the Heat, the Sixers,
the Bucks and both LA teams. It's crazy that they're
all out. They're all done. Like I don't know what
kind of odds you could have gotten in Vegas for
(13:20):
such a thing, but that none of those teams could
get past round one is really wild. I can't even
do it justice. I just think about the Celtics. They
have a chance to get back to the NBA Finals
without facing Philly, without facing Milwaukee. And yes, they played
(13:41):
the Miami Heat in Round one, but the Miami Heat
without Jimmy Butler, it's just not the same. So things
have really opened up for the Celtics to get back
to the finals. And of course they likely won't have
Christaps Porzingis until the conference finals at the earliest, and
maybe not until the NBA Finals, so they will take
the easier path if that's indeed the way it plays out.
(14:03):
But like I said, I'm not sitting here just depressed
because all these marquee teams are on the sideline already.
I think we have four really good second round matchups.
Your series is going to be really interesting with the
emerging Pacers and the Knicks and the whole Madison Square
(14:23):
Garden factor and the history between those teams that had
such a good playoff rivalry in the nineties and Jalen
Brunson against Rick Carlile. I cannot wait for the Chris
Haynes sideline report about Jalen Brunson, remembering how he only
got ten minutes in a Game seven the last time
(14:44):
he played for Rick Carlile, and now he gets to
go up against Rick Carlile. There will be fireworks there.
You know my series Dallas, Okay, see, that'll be a
good one. Boston, Cleveland will see how much the Cavs
have left after all the energy they expended just to
get to Round two. And then Denver Minnesota is just
(15:04):
a whopper of a second round series.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
And stein for the series that I'm doing, as you
mentioned New York Indiana, you know, it's a lot of
nostalgia attached to those two teams playing together, had some
big playoff bouts back in the day. I don't think
this is a secret.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I hope it's a secret and you're revealing a secret.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, yeah, well I'm gonna reveal it slightly. I don't
think it's a secret. But just in case it's a secret,
you want to pay attention to our broadcast coming up
where we might have somebody that was that had a
(15:53):
lot of history with that series back in the day,
with those playoff big playoffs bounce back in the day
between the Knicks and the Pacers. So you should know
what I'm talking about. But if you don't, you just
have to wait and see.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Well, I would like to think Reggie Miller is somehow
involved in this.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Oh, it's been interesting. Okay, that would be cool.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Are you how much of that series are you doing?
Do you know how many games you're doing in that
series already?
Speaker 3 (16:36):
I'm doing I'm doing the whole series. So I'm doing
the whole series. Of the games that are tn T.
So Game one and Game two are tn T games.
Game three and four ESPN and ABC. Game five is
tn T as well. If there is a game five, six,
and seven is not. They haven't revealed that yet as
(17:00):
far as the game so.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
But but you're gonna stay on that series even if
the games aren't on TNT. That is your series in
the second round.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
No, actually going home for three and four?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Okay, yeah, but you're not switching to some others.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
No, I'm not, No, I'm not. I'm just I'm staying
on that sitting in it was not just locking it
on the series. I'm locking it on New York because
the games that I'm assa signed that TNT has are
all the games that are in New York, which Stein
I have no problem with whatsoever. TNT has been treating
the brother really good this season, really good. Traveling is
(17:35):
the traveling my schedule Oh, it's been impeccable. Thank you everybody.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
No more Miami games, but New York ain't a bad fallback.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
New York is my favorite, my favorite city.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Miami's your favorite. What do you mean New York?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Miami's my second. Miami is my second. You know that
New York.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
I thought Miami was your favorite.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
New York number one, Miami number two.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I love Indy. I'm sad for you that you're not
getting to go to Indianapolis. I had a great time
at the All Star Game, especially Friday when it was
freezing cold. I loved it.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
I'm not surprised. Don not surprised one bit.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Hey when I sent you to Saint Elmos? Did it deliver?
Did you like Saint Elmos?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
At least it did? It was great. I mean, I'm
not visiting Indiana just for Saint Elmos though, but it
was pretty great.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Producer Ryan, can you believe this guy like if it's
not Miami or New York, he just he'd rather be.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
I'm still a little in shock that New York took
the top spot. Now, I think this bears a little
bit more discussion. Are we talking New York's number one
based off of the time of year, because I have
questions if New York is your favorite place in January
and February as opposed to Miami.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I also would love I don't. I know you can't
do this at the touch of a button, but I
do think we need to go back into the archives
of this league uncut, because I don't. I don't remember
Chris as ever saying Miami is my se favorite city
in the league. I remember those sentences.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
I have.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
I have an explanation I have to explain to dude,
you know, this is this league un cut. The listeners here.
I consider you guys family. You know. I pour out
a lot of my personal life to you guys and
gals and and hope that it will help you all out.
So if you did go back into archives, Stein and Ryan,
(19:27):
you might have heard me say Miami was number one.
But I'm gonna tell you I got a questions about
Miami being my number one about two weeks ago. And
the question came from my wife, and she's like, you
talk about Miami a lot. Why are you always raving
about it? Why are you always talking about you love
(19:50):
the scenery? She said, I know what you be talking about.
I know what you're talking about.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I know, the scenery you're talking aboutte Haynes.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Is hon Yes, she said, I don't think that's appropriate
it for you to be saying it like that. I said, Babe,
that's not though I like it. I like it for
the weather. I like the weather. You know, the weather
is beautiful, and every it's a it's a vibe. The
city is a vibe. Yeah, but I ain't. She was like,
that ain't what you're putting out there. People ain't thinking
you talking about just the weather of the vibe. They
think you talking about the scenery. And so uh. I
(20:20):
tried to thank you Steyn and Ryan because I tried
to like sneak in a new number one and then
like create a new narrative. But you guys stop me
in my tracks. So thank you for that. But New
York is always been. It was like New York in Miami.
So I'm not totally fibbing. I'm just.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Narrative was brought on, perhaps by a walk home from
KFC one night after a certain.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
No Po Pope popa, yes, Popeyes, Papa, get it right right,
get it right? Yeah. So uh yeah, y'all know how
I feel about Miami. But I had to have a
little I had to change, I had to move some
things around. But New York that I love New York.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
I love it so to this day, there is no
place I would rather watch a game than Madison Square Garden.
I am old school. This will surprise you guys, zero percent.
I like an arena that features an old school organist.
And the soundtrack at MSG is poetic. It is magical.
(21:32):
Just I love hearing it. And when the knicks are
playing well and that building is rocking, it's just the
whole soundtrack. There is electric even on television when you're
not in the building. So I'll be jealous because working
sideline means you're on the floor. We've talked about this before.
In the glory days of MSG, when I started out
(21:56):
as a beat writer, I mean, we used to get
incredible seats on the baseline and there was no real estate.
The baseline table was just stuffed right into the fan
area and there's like so little room to move around.
But just being at floor level at Madison Square Garden
(22:16):
is one of the truly special experiences in our profession.
And so for you to know that your next three
sideline gigs are there on that floor in that building.
You are a lucky, lucky.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Man, Stei. The Knicks feel the same way about me
being lucky because every game that I've covered in New York,
they've won. Jeremy Watkins, the head PR guy over there,
over both the business side and basketball side, he always
asked me, when am I coming to New York? We
need we need some good luck. We need some good luck.
(22:52):
So he's definitely ecstatic that I that I touched down
over here. Now I can't you know, you can't put
it all on me. It has nothing to do with me,
even though Patune Patuone feels the opposite. He says, I'm
a black cat. Yeah, he hates having me around because
they do tend to lose whatever. When he was the
Clippers and then over there with the Sixers. So depends
(23:15):
on who you talking.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
But how many games did you do in this series?
He can't blame you for this series? Right you didn't?
You did one game in that series?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah, but it was that game too where they were up,
they were up, like.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
No, I already forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
You did the game too, Yes, I was on that game.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh, Mike, did you talk to Batom after.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
He just looked at me and hurry up and walked away.
Man I said, I'm sorry, brother.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
He might have a point. He might be.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Of all games that one.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Yes, he's not going to come back on to give
us the breakdown because.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Man he yeah, he finished, he finished the year strong.
I'm happy for him. Man, I remember what was that
five years ago? It looked like he was out of
the league when he was with Charlotte, they weren't playing
them at all. And so he's he's been able to
find a find an extra life show with the Clippers
(24:17):
in finishing games strong for Philly, So kudos and Nicholas Patoon.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Well, you know we're gonna use that to segue. We
will get to the coaching carousel in a minute. Again.
We have this list of marquee teams who now are
going to face really difficult off seasons. But I think
Philly's actually, you know, they're in the strongest position, probably
out of all the teams we could list, because they're
(24:43):
going to have more than fifty million in cap space,
maybe closer to sixty million, so they'll be able to
chase Paul George. Everybody knows that Paul George is at
the top of the Sixers list. If that doesn't work out, though,
they can try I do trade for a star player
to fit into that cap space, and then after using
(25:05):
that cap space, they can resign tyresee MAXI to a
max deal. And I know I've told you guys this
story before, but when I type MAXI on my key
to L. E. BlackBerry that I still use spellcheck often
changes MAXI to max. I think they're right, and I
think they know because he is getting a Max deal.
(25:28):
And so the Sixers, you know that it's a real
interesting one that's starting to circulate. Would they try to
trade for Jimmy Butler if the Heat and Butler cannot
come to terms on a contract extension, And again, Jimmy
Butler can't get a contract extension from the Heat before
July seventh. But let's just say that the Heat decide
(25:52):
to prioritize financial flexibility over giving Jimmy Butler two more years.
When Jimmy Butler is nearing birthday number thirty five, would
Philly try to pursue him in a trade and undo
one of the worst mistakes in franchise history When the
Sixers prioritize keeping both Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris. They
(26:17):
signed and traded Jimmy Butler to the Heat, who had
almost no cap space, and Jimmy Butler has ended up
leading Miami to two NBA Finals and was one shot
away from a third NBA Finals in the space of
five seasons. Would the Sixers try to undo that very
costly decision by trading for Jimmy Butler, And honestly, I can.
(26:40):
I think I can talk myself into the idea that
Butler might be an even better fit than a Paul
George because he and Embiid already have such a great relationship,
and they already know that they can play together. And
I remember Darryl Moury saying that they really want to
make sure that whoever comes in is that third star
(27:03):
really does have some playmaking ability. I don't know. I mean,
Paul George is obviously a very talented, very versatile player.
But I am intrigued by the idea of Philly trying
to make a trade run at Jimmy Butler again. The
Heat might turn around and say, no, we're not interested,
(27:24):
We're extending Jimmy. We're gonna find a way to extend
Jimmy Butler. And try to add to the core. But
that's one we got to keep an eye on. And
you know again, there are so many fascinating situations with
I mean, these are when you look at it with
the starting with the play in tournament, these twelve teams
(27:45):
have all begun their off seasons. The Warriors, the Kings,
the Bulls, the Hawks in the West, Pelicans, Lakers, Suns,
Clippers in the East, Heat six Bucks, Magic, I mean again,
Golden State, Lakers, Sons, Clippers, Heat Sixers, Bucks. These are
(28:08):
all marquee teams. These are teams that Vegas loves to
tell us had title possibilities. And I think, you know again,
Philly has the financial flexibility to really make some moves
in the offseason. For several of those other teams I named,
it's gonna be a lot tougher. And let me use
(28:34):
that as a way to now pitch the ball back
to you, Chris Haynes. You know the Milwaukee Bucks as
well as anyone. What happens in Milwaukee. How does Jannis
Antetokumpo respond to a first round exit? Man, your guy,
I was terrified for your guy, Dame Lillard playing in
(28:55):
that game six. I am just Honestly, I'm just I'm
glad Yiannis did try to play, and I'm just really
glad that nothing happened to Dane.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Yeah, that was that was scary. He still, I mean
watched the game. He was nowhere close to eighty five percent,
nowhere close to that, and he was a better decoy
than he was, you know, initially after he sustained that
(29:26):
that flare up in that Achilles. But he wanted to go.
He wanted to he wanted to buy you know, he
wanted some you know, more time bought, you know, so
him and Giannis can return together. That was always the plan.
But uh, you know, Gianni's calf just just didn't cooperate
(29:48):
with him. I do think if there was a Game seven,
I think Gianna's plays I think he was trended in
that direction. But luckily for Dame, he got out unscathed
as far as not damaging that achilles injury any further.
So right now, he's going to take some time to rest,
get it back, get it back healthy, and then go
(30:10):
into the off season. He's I'm telling you right now.
You know, obviously I spoke with him, but he's very
he's feeling very good. About this summer of having an
off season to just know where he's headed. Could remember
when he requested the trade in July, he didn't know
where he was going to be at, didn't know what
type of system. And so now he knows the team's
(30:32):
going to be on, he knows the coach, he knows
what he needs to work on, and I know him
and Giannis. They have plans to get together to train
in the off season. Giannis will go to Portland train
with Dame a few times. Dame has a Dame bought.
Dame had a house. He had a mansion built in
Portland that he hasn't really been able to live in
(30:53):
because the house finished. I want to say the house
finished around a month before he was traded, and this
this home stign Dame would send me like update videos
just how things are coming along in the house. He
has this full court basketball gym in there that is
(31:16):
just immaculate with murals all over the walls. And I
haven't gotten a chance to get out there yet, but
Gianni's a Dame. They would get together with dames trainer,
who who was Dame's assistant coach at Weaver State, Phil Beckner,
who's trained a dozen NBA players since Dame it has
(31:39):
been in the league. Michel Bridges to be one of them.
So they're they're looking forward to, they're looking forward to.
I remember before Dame and Giannis got together, Yannis does
not train with anybody. He doesn't train with, He doesn't
train with with players that are not on his team.
He doesn't do it. But him and Dame were very
(32:00):
hose to getting together last off season to train. This
is before the trade request or anything. This before they
even know that it was on the radar, and uh,
it did never happen. But you know, so Jiannis always
wanted this to happen, and Phil Beckman was going to
be the instructor during that training session. So they're looking good,
(32:21):
they're they're they're feeling good about themselves, and you know,
I think they got they got another year to figure
this out, a year with Doc.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
I do think there are a lot of rival teams
out there that are crossing their fingers, crossing their toes
that Giannis is going to get fed up and somehow
try to push his way out. Sure doesn't sound like
it if he's lining up off season workout plans with mister.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Lillard yeah, but I don't know about the rest of
the Bucks roster. That's that's the unknown right there. Obviously
some changes need to be made, some additions need to
be made. Now the Bucks have a better idea of
what they need to surround, what type of talent they
(33:05):
need to surround Damn and Giannis with.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
We should say, one of the few silver linings, Chris Middleton,
had a great series. After all the injuries he dealt
with this season, Middleton was fantastic.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
He was lights out in the playoffs. They definitely needed
him definitely. So you know, it's remains to be seen.
What's what's going to happen from from on that standpoint,
you know, Pat Bev is will he be back? I
don't know about that. I don't know about that.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I'm I would say after the week Pat Bev had
far less than a lock that he will be asked
to return to Brewt Town. But I guess we shall see.
I'm just gonna throw this out there, probably too ambitious
of a request, but when Giannis goes out to Portland,
(34:01):
I think you should just tell those guys, hey, this
league uncut would be happy to make a road trip
to the Pacific Northwest and do a do a four
man pod sit down with those guys. We would be
happy to do that.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
I'll throw it. I'll throw it out there.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Or three if you just got to delete me. If
they only want to do it with you, I'll I'll
step aside and let you.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
That wouldn't that wouldn't you You're you're not you would
not be the one that would ruin that interview from happening.
I'll produce Ryan, probably produce a Ryan, producer Ryan, because
he has demands. Now he's he's calling shots. Now, he's
telling you Stein you have a when you talk, you
got a minute on the clock. You got exactly sixty seconds,
(34:48):
get in and out. So I see prod.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
The thing is, he's actually right. I just can't help
myself from abbing.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Hey, hey, dame, thanks so much for taking the time. Now,
I want you to keep it tight because we need
more Haynes here.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Hey, you know what's you know what's funny, like producer Ride,
you probably can relate to. It's like, so when I
do my br live sessions, we'll have you know, we'll
have the NBA player come on and you know, ideally,
when you're doing a video you guys tell Ideally you
want them on the laptop, but when you get these
(35:25):
players come on, they're gonna be on their phones. They're
gonna be You saw even coach Jason Kidd, he was
in a car when he did mine, So you know
you and so then you have Okay, so the player
is there now, and so it's the producer's job to
tell them, Hey, all right, excuse me. Can you can
you center your mic? Keep it right there?
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Can you move? Can you not? Can you turn your
phone up? Can you turn it on airplane mode? Can
you know? You're giving all these instructions so you can
see the players Sometimes they're getting a little agitated with
all these requests and they don't even know you, Like,
who are you? You should be lucky I'm even doing
this and now you asked. You know. Hey, that's why
the producers get paid the big bucks many got is
(36:11):
that they gotta make it.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Hey, the truth is this league uncut was at least
at least forty to fifty producer Ryan's idea. I mean,
that is the truth.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
He knew about this happening before we did.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
No, he just he's the one who who said we
need to do a show and you.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Know is that right? Yeah, that's news to me.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
I didn't know anyone at iHeart until I got an
email one day out of the blue from Ryan Music
of iHeart Industries that that is the truth.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Well, start, I could tell you what else is the truth.
I can guarantee you he were fully regret sending that email. Now,
after dealing with us, especially our traveling hiccups and everything
that he has to deal with our editing process. I
could guarantee you he goes to bed at night thinking
why did I send that email?
Speaker 4 (37:14):
It all goes back to that email.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
What did I do?
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Listen?
Speaker 3 (37:18):
What did I get myself into it?
Speaker 4 (37:20):
It's more than paid for itself by learning the most
sage advice I've ever received in my life.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Tis and Ryan's Ryan's Ryan's conversation for this podcast is
the life coaching he gets from you.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Yeah, ties and losses, that's true. Take that wherever you go, people.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
It's all about ties and losses, underdog putting that on
a T shirt? All right? You know what, Let's talk
some coaching carousel before we go, because obviously the Lakers
have dismissed Darvin Ham. That news came down Friday. There
are still questions about Frank Vogel's job status in Phoenix
(38:01):
and then with the Clippers. Basically they were in Dallas Friday.
Friday was a weird one. It was Tylo's forty seventh birthday.
The Clippers season ended on Friday night when they lost
Game six here in Dallas. But the Clippers went to
great lengths to let it be known that they want
to sign Tylo to an extension because they know both
(38:24):
the Lakers and the Suns would have massive interest in
trying to hire ty Lou if he made it to
the coaching market. Both teams have tried in the past.
The Lakers, of course, offered their coaching job to Tylu
before hiring Frank Vogel, and then Tylu and the Lakers,
of course, in that instance could not come to terms.
(38:47):
Tylu ended up joining Doc Rivers' staff with the Clippers
and then ended up succeeding Doc Rivers as the Clippers coach.
Took them to the Western Conference Finals in his first
season as Clippers coach, and now the expectation is that
he will secure a contract extension from the Clippers like
Kawhi Leonard has, and so the Lakers will not have
(39:10):
a chance to go after him again and the Suns.
The Sons wanted Tyleru last offseason after firing Manni Williams,
but at that point Tylu had two seasons left on
his deal. There was no way that the Clippers were
going to let him out of that deal. But all
of that is a lot of long winded background to
(39:32):
say that Tylu will not be on the market. And
the reality with the Lakers is the two most natural
candidates for this job would be Tylu and Jason Kidd.
And I don't think the Lakers are going to have
a shot at Jason Kidd either, because there is the
strong expectation here in Dallas that Jason Kidd is going
(39:53):
to get an extension as well. So the question then
becomes who can the Lakers high Who are the Lakers
actually going to hire.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
You made a great point about those are the two
natural candidates. You're definitely right. You know, I saw somebody
throw out Charles Lee, and he's definitely earned the right
to have a head coaching spot. Charles Lee is now
the assistant coach over there with the Boston Celtics, but
you know, he spent time with Milwaukee under Bootenholzer. I
(40:36):
don't know, like, I don't know that the Lakers want
another Bootenholzer disciple. You know, they just just left from
They just excuse me, they just departed with Darvin Ham.
And you know, just think about guys that don't do
not have a job. One is Bootenholzer. You know, maybe
(40:57):
if Doc didn't take the Bucks job, didn't leave after
the Boots, maybe he would have been a viable option.
There's just not a lot of names that make sense
for a team like the Lakers, who are trying to
win now, you would think they would want a proven god. Again, Stan,
I've been out of the loop for like the last
(41:17):
few days. I had a funeral to deal with for
a couple of days, and so the Ham news actually
broke while I was at my ancies funeral, and so
I saw and again I don't know who's reporting whatever
because I haven't been able to really get into it.
But was JJ Reddick's name really thrown out there?
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Yeah? See, And that's I was actually just gonna say. Look,
JJ Reddick has a legitimate, already existing working relationship with
Lebron James because the podcast they've started, and that is
meaningful in this case, because the Lakers, if they're going
to proceed with Lebron James as a centerpiece player for
(41:57):
the next season or maybe even two more, they're going
to have to find a coach who vibes with Lebron
and Anthony Davis and JJ Reddick. He does check that box.
But on the flip side, JJ Reddick has no coaching experience,
and as you just said, the Lakers after hiring a
(42:18):
first time coach in Darvin Ham. Of course, Darvin Ham
had been an assistant for many, many many years. Darvin
Ham interviewed for numerous head coaching spots before he finally
got the Laker job, so he was a very seasoned
assistant coach even though it was his first head coaching job.
JJ Reddick doesn't have any NBA bench experience, and the
(42:41):
Lakers coaching job is as scrutinized a coaching position as
there is in professional sports anywhere. Do you really want
to put a first time coach in that position? But
it's been stressed to me that the JJ Reddick candidacy
is real again because tylu and Jason Kidd, who are
(43:05):
two natural targets for the Lakers to go after. My
sense is the Lakers do not expect either one of
those guys. They don't expect to have a chance to
go after either one. Both are expected to get contract
extensions here in the near future from the Clippers and
the Mavericks, respectively. So what direction do the Lakers go?
(43:30):
Is it a first time coach who would have player
support like JJ Reddick If they are looking for a
coach with championship experience, The list right now really is
Mike Budenholzer, and that's as far as it goes. Budenholzer
is the most experienced and decorated coach available, and Kenny
(43:51):
Atkinson obviously serving as Steve Kerrz lead assistant in Golden
State since leaving his head coaching post with the Nets.
But that's where we are right now, and the Lakers
don't have the ability as things stand, to just draft
up a list of five or six sensible candidates without
(44:15):
access to Tron lou or Jason Kidd and Stein.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
Another thing that I think the Lakers have to think
about when you think about JJ Reddick, no doubt, you know,
I think he's a brilliant mind basketball mind. You know,
if he wants to coach at some point he's going
to become a head coach in the NBA. But it's
not easy coming over and coaching one of your peers
(44:40):
that you've played with for a long time, and on
top of that, coaching somebody that you have a podcast with.
You know, that's that's another dynamic, Rightyan.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Could you imagine me trying to coach Chris Haynes.
Speaker 4 (44:57):
Well, Hey, one thing we know about it is he's
getting this shots. No matter what coach says.
Speaker 1 (45:03):
That the players league, he'd probably win that battle.
Speaker 3 (45:05):
As long as long as the coach knows that understands
that we'll get together.
Speaker 1 (45:10):
You know, in his league, he's coach GM and number
one shot taker. Somehow he does it all.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
You know, that's just gonna be tough. You know, when
everything's going well, maybe it works, but you know that
that will that would be a strange dynamic. I don't
know that that will be the right situation for JJ
and Lebron. I would I just if they go that,
(45:41):
If they go that route, that means they are they
think very highly of JJ. Reddick's potential star prowess as
a head coach.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
It's just putting him in an incredibly difficult position. What
is basically the first thing we heard from Darvinham when
the season ended. One of the first things he said
in that press conference was basically, the two years I've
spent in this seat, It's been a hell of a
(46:13):
two years. He knew what was coming, and just I
don't even like to say these two words together in
a sentence, but I'm gonna have to. It's very much
like managing Manchester United in England. The level of scrutiny, pressure, expectation,
demands criticism. Coaching the Los Angeles Lakers. It's unlike sitting
(46:39):
you know, maybe the Yankees, maybe man United. Like there's
just a very short list Dallas Cowboys. You'd probably throw
into that sentence like, there are certain coaching jobs that
are just you're under the microscope to a degree that
other coaches don't have to face. And so does JJ
(47:02):
Reddick really want to be thrown into that situation to
start his coaching career? The difficult difficult ask?
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Yeah, it just be. It would be it's to be
a tall task. That would be a tall task, and
it would be a strange, unprecedented dynamic.
Speaker 1 (47:24):
And then Phoenix, We're gonna have to wait and see,
it's not one hundred percent certain that the Suns would
opt to make a coaching change. There were certainly reports
in the immediate aftermath of Phoenix getting swept by Minnesota
that Frank Vogel's job is in peril. But I have
heard that one option that the Sons have considered is
(47:45):
just completely redo the staff around him. Maybe there is
a former player who can come in to be on
his staff. Obviously, with Kevin Young going to BYU, that
certainly opens up the lead assistant slot. So there will
be changes on the Sun's bench. Whether it extends all
(48:06):
the way to the head coach remains to be seen,
but it's the same thing. There just aren't with Doc Rivers,
as you said, taking the Milwaukee job mid season. You know,
you only really have Budenholzer out there in terms of
readily available recent championship coaches, And so the Suns might say,
(48:28):
you know what, We're gonna give Frank Vogel another season.
They haven't made that decision yet. That was another crazy
thing that happened last week, and I got into it
in the Solo pod on Friday, that what are we
worried about the Suns? For Matt Ishbia says it's an
easy fix and that twenty six of twenty nine other
(48:50):
gms would trade their whole situation with the Suns right now.
So what are we worried about Phoenix? For all right?
I think that's going to do it for this edition
of this League uncut. Chris and I we'll get together
again in a few days time if I can pull
(49:11):
him away from all the fun he's having in his
undisputed number one favorite NBA city. There never was another choice.
There is no second place, New York. And there you go.
Speaker 3 (49:28):
This is a business decision.
Speaker 1 (49:30):
New York. You should go. You should fly home in
an iHeart New York T shirt that's easily found at
any local shop near your hotel. Oh, and maybe brings
Charlotte and I Love New York coffee cup home. That
a good That'd be a good gift. Show contributor Charlotte Haynes.
Speaker 3 (49:53):
Just try to be transparent with the with the listeners, y'all.
I hope y'all appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (49:57):
All right? Everyone, you know what to do? Follow us.
Please rate the show. Review the show. We would love
a five star rating if you see fit to bestow
that upon us and Like I said, Chris Haynes, producer
Ryan and me, the babbling Mark Stein, we will be
(50:22):
back together with you again very very soon. Thanks everyone
for listening and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 2 (50:30):
See you next time.
Speaker 1 (50:33):
This league uncut it is and iHeartRadio production.
Speaker 2 (50:40):
Chris Haynes and Mark Stein
Fox Sports Radio News
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