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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. What up? Good Morning, Tien,
The Dan Patrick Show here on Fox Sports Radio live
from Cool Calm, Los Angeles. Where what of two weeks
it's been? Or week? Really it's been in the NBA

(00:21):
last Friday literally a tectonic shift followed by a seismic
shift in the NBA where Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
end up with the LA Clippers, which of course set
set a chain of events which led to Houston trading

(00:41):
for Russell Westbrook, bringing back to Oklahoma City for the
time being Chris Paul, who once upon a time played
in Oklahoma City with the then Hornets of New Orleans
slash Oklahoma City Rob Parker. Of course, you can hear
Rob daily on The Odd Couple here on Fox Sports
Radio seven to ten Eastern Time, four to se Pacific
Team on Fox Sports One and all the the the

(01:03):
TV shows. Let's just start with it when you when
you heard the trade, and essentially it's four first round
picks of some of some order to are relatively protect.
There's some protected, there's some unprotected, there's some switching of picks.
It's a bunch of first round a gaggle of first
round picks are possible changing of picks, and Chris Paul's

(01:27):
putrid contract for Russell Rustbrook. What do you think? Well,
you know what, Good morning, Doug. There was a couple
of things that went through my head. First, the whole
idea that you always hear, Oh, you can't give it
to that contract, any contract that signed can be somebody
else will take it. I've seen it in every sport.

(01:47):
Oh no, you'll never move him. Nobody will ever take him.
And we just we just saw it happen, right, I mean,
that's the first thing I thought was wild. They moved
that con Joe Johnson had what people thought was a
terrible contract. He was traded twice to different contracts. Karma
Anthony's was traded to Atlanta. They paid and bought him out.
But yes, you're right. Either Thore was one of those
contracts were seen as immovable contracts, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook,

(02:11):
and they were both moved for each other. There was
the Prince Field to trade in Detroit where you had
the big contract, and the Texas Rangers took him. You know,
so I've just seen this over and over. So I
thought about that. I thought about My first reaction was
did either team really get better? I looked at it
as trading disgruntled people for bad contracts for each other.

(02:35):
That's what I thought. Houston Rockets got got better. I
personally loved Chris Paul. I love his game. I don't
think it fitted in Houston, and I don't know how
well Russell Westbrook fits in Houston, which with how I said, yeah,
But but Russell Westbrook at thirty years old, even with
four knee surgeries, is a is a better, more impactful player.

(02:56):
And frankly, the way that Houston plays, spacing the floor
with the lane wide open. I mean, the big issue
with Oklahoma City was they just did not have enough
shooting around Russell, around Paul George. And you know, to
Russell's fault, he didn't shoot the ball well at all
this year and doesn't take good shots. But look, Houston

(03:16):
is better. Houston is a is a competent competitor for
a championship going forward to next year as is. And
this is the dismantling of a power in Oklahoma City
and the potential retooling of a team that's going to
start relatively from scratch. And that was the other part
was if you woke, if you you know, are Oklahoma

(03:38):
City fan, you had to be devastated, to be honest,
because the organization through the towel in and you could
get all the pics you want unless they really turn
into something and you get fortunate in the draft and
get somebody. They just had three great players that were
drafted with that organization, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harror.

(04:00):
And now you look up, all those guys are still
playing and none of them are in Oklahoma City. Sure,
and you know are they are they refunding? Can I
get a refund if I had season tickets for next year,
because I definitely would want one, and I would tell
Oklahoma City, let me know when you're back in the NBA,

(04:23):
and then I'll be interested in doing this again. That's
why I never thought Westbrook was going to be traded,
because of the business of basketball. It's a it's a
it's a really interesting point. And I do think that
if there's a concern there, and I would I would
tell you, like, you know, look, Oklahoma City drawing they
have because they've been so good and because it's been

(04:43):
such a great atmosphere it's really hurt everything else in Oklahoma,
even some of the football ticket sales. You know, early
in the year you're choosing basketball. But definitely college basketball
has died because people because you used to go to
Oklahoma State game. You used to go to Oklahoma game,
and now every but he goes the Thunder game. But
there's there's a question about the longevity of that franchise.

(05:04):
If they have a couple of bad years, what do
the stands look like? Then you know they've been It's
been one of the best, if not the best home
court advantage in the sport since they moved from Seattle,
and early on it is because they were new, and
then since then it's because they're good. I think it's
a great fan base. But you're really a great fan
base if you show up your product's crummy, right, and

(05:25):
their product's not going to be good. Um, look, I
mean I I they kind of had to do it.
I mean once, once Russell Westbrook's name was mentioned in
the Raptors trade, it was over right. It's it's once
you go to the once you go to the divorce attorney,
and good luck going No, no, honey, Well let's let's

(05:45):
try and work this thing out. Well, people try to
work things out. And my only thing is I didn't
think he would be traded, just because it's a total
upheaval of the organization and basically what you just said,
you want to start from scratch, and I don't. I
don't know. In this man's NBA there is dog no
five year plan. No you can sit around and talk about. Oh,

(06:06):
but I think they have the road. I think they
have a good plan. I mean I personally think they
have a good plan. Well, I'll tell you that five years,
ten years from now, they still won't win the NBA championship.
I could say that very common their team, right, like
it's like it's one of them. I just haven't seen
five years ago. She said the same thing about the
LA Clippers, and they actually had good players. No, give
me now, you're now you're picking them now, you now
you're gonna pick them to win the championship. But the

(06:27):
only different the whole league has changed in two weeks,
and you're gonna particut what happens in five years. But
this is where the league is. The league is because
I'm not about developing players that are gonna be there.
It's about getting stars to come to your team. That's
what I'm saying. They're never rated a wast star. They're
never coming to Oklahoma's why not, because that's the that's
the reality of the sports change. And I was going

(06:49):
to they're not going to the Lakers and then not
going to just went to the Lakers. No, they didn't.
That was a trade. No free agents went to the Lakers.
James the Lakers last year. Bron Lebron came here to
for a movie talk. You just had five great free
agents and nobody was interested in coming to with Lebron James.
It's not true. But again you can you can say it,

(07:11):
and you can yell it, and you can tell me
I'm wrong, but it's just not true. First of all,
Lebron James came. There's no bigger free agent than him.
Whatever his reasons for coming, he came to the Lakers.
So they got the biggest free agent that there has
been in the last five to play with Kobe hold On. Second,
he's not Kobe Bryant. Okay. And by the way, Dwight
Howard came to play with Kobe and Kobe and he
left thirty million dollars on a table to leave because

(07:31):
I don't want to. But you didn't. You said you
said they weren't coming. They did come. Okay, by the way,
Anthony Davis forced that trade because he wanted to play this.
You can say it didn't happen, but it did happen.
There's two Those are two of the top five players
in the NBA that wanted to be with the LA Lakers.
So that's the first thing. The second thing is, look,
the reality of the sport is in New Orleans knows this,

(07:51):
and Oklahoma City knows this, and frankly, you know Indiana
knows it. They all know that they can't get and
this is a This is gonna be a big problem
for Adams over who's been so pro player that this
movement has been. It's going to be celebrated, but the
problem is you're gonna have half the franchise in the
league that don't believe they compete unless they get eighteen
year olds in the NBA Draft and developed them and

(08:14):
hope that in the next collective Martin agreement. They basically
have a franchise tag. So you can't let a player out.
There's a problem. Oklahoma City's known this for a decade,
they've known they couldn't get a They've known they couldn't
get a free agent. That's why they've had to trade
for Victor Oladipo. That's why they had to trade. I mean, really,
they had to choose. They believed they had to choose
between keeping James Harden and keeping Sir Jebaca. Like, if

(08:37):
you people want to be critical, and it's fair that
they trade away James Harden. One, James Harden wasn't James Harden. Secondly,
back when they chose Serjebaca, they had to have two
big guys to beat the Lakers, who are the best
team in the league, and to beat the Spurs. It's
a different league now. They chose the wrong guy, but
they chose it for the right ideas at the time. Yeah.

(08:58):
I just when you talk about UH draft picks, I
remember Danny Ainge head, what did you have ten eleven
UH picks and all his trades that he did when
he made the big trade with the Brooklyn Nets and
all that. He's still looking and still figuring out that
I have to go out and get players. Uh sorry,
he's in Boston. He's able to get free agent, but

(09:19):
he hasn't been able. But by the way, like where
people want to be critical of the Boston Celtics, they've
been damn good. They've been one of the elite teams.
They just haven't been able to get to the finals.
It's really hard. It's hard. There's only been one Lebron James,
and he dominated the East and then the West. It's
hard because you got the Golden State War. I just
I just saw Toronto with no uh uh first round

(09:42):
lottery picks just win a championship. All they did is
they did basketball the old fashioned way. They added a
couple of pieces to a team, but there was nothing special.
Traded for the best player in the game. But they
gave up their best player one like they didn't they
got him for nothing trade and then and then they
wanted fashion weigh is all I'm saying to you, what
old fashioned one they may trade, that's what they did.

(10:04):
They didn't put together a collection of it was different.
They also benefited from the fact that Lebron left the East.
They benefited from the fact that the Celtics had chemistry problems.
And look, they don't win the championship. If Kevin Durant
what they want, you could sit here all day. I
get that, you could say, and if Lebron no water

(10:25):
down the East, he wouldn't have gone to the finals
eight years in a row. I get it. You're you're,
you're right there, okay. But the point is that if
if the Toronto model is the model, and I think
it probably is for the smaller markets, and I know
Toronto is not a small market, but it really is
essentially the model there, which is you draft a bunch

(10:46):
of dudes, you throw a bunch of stuff out there,
and then maybe if you can trade for an elite
level player knowing he's going to leave, that's what you know.
Look what New Orleans he is trying to do. You know,
they lucked into Zion. They hope the Zion loses weight
and becomes what people think he can be and maybe,
just maybe, if they're good enough in three or four years,
they can use all of that draft equity and some

(11:07):
cap space and trade for a guy that puts them
over the time. Less. Of course, Zion doesn't want to
be there, right And you're just you're you're pointing out
my My point is a problem is that all those
small markets and you throw in you know, Charlotte into
the mix with Indie, with New Orleans, with Oklahoma City
and look what's happened to San Antonio? Um, And you say,

(11:31):
how do how do we compete? But to me, the
bigger story is, man, I gotta I gotta give it
to Darryl Moore in Houston Rockets. Um. I look, I
don't love watching Russell Westbrook play. I don't like watching
James Harden play. But I will tell you both of
them can really really play. They and they don't think
they're really closer to winning a championship. How could you

(11:54):
not say that? I just don't, Okay, And I'm not
saying I'm not a Chris Paul. I think Chris Paul
was a problem there, I really do. And I's and
to him and Harden apparently didn't get get along. And
there was a point I guess this year and we're
going to talk to Vince Goodwill from Yahoo Sports where
I think he demanded a trade Chris Paul. It's a

(12:14):
him or me or kind of situation. And I guess
they said it was you. Well, look, I mean Chris
Chris Paul. They Houston believes they did right by him
by giving him the contract that they promised to give
him when they traded for him, right, which is all amazing,
Like all of these kind of chain of events, right
from Oklahoma City trading James Harden to the Clippers trading

(12:37):
Chris Paul, which is what created the cap space eventually,
and some of the player movement that ended up landing
them Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, which landed Chris Paul
back in Oklahoma City. Like it is all kind of
incestuous and interrelated. But look, we're all gonna sit here
and kill Russell Westbrook because he had a terrible year
shooting the ball from the free to the line. He

(12:58):
didn't shoot it well from three, and he has had
four knee surgeries, and I'm not convinced that he's nearly
as good as his stats would tell you. But he
has dred's a triple double the last three years, something
we haven't seen since Oscar Robertson played. You do have
the most dominant offensive player statistically in the league over

(13:20):
the past five years in James Harden, and then you
do have shooters, and like, look, they almost won a
title two years ago. I don't know if they're as good,
but I don't know, you know, like we're all assuming
that the Clippers everything is perfect, that Paul George stays healthy.
We're all assuming that the Lakers. I think Houston got better.
I think they're right there in the conversation. Probably maybe

(13:41):
slightly behind those other two, but not that far behind.
And when you have oft injured pieces like Paul George
and Kawhi Leonard, and you have an older piece like
Lebron James, it's not crazy to think if any of
them get hurt, the Houston Rockets could win a title
because they are that good. And they are that you
still have Eric Gordon, Steph Clint Capella and stuff, PJ. Tucker.
They kept all their pieces, and they added Russell Westbrook.

(14:04):
They're better, They're a championship caliber team, and they still
have the same coach who can't get them over the
hump and and that style. I don't know if you're
ever really gonna win a championship. I mean, he's been
He's had great teams. How many great teams did he
have in Phoenix. All I'm saying is I'm not convinced
that they're any closer. Are they still in the realm
or they're in the conversation. Are they in the mix? Doug, Absolutely,

(14:25):
they're in that, but I don't I don't know if
it wasn't like I thought, why they got put over
the top. Wow, the Clippers aren't the overwhelming favorites to me,
while the Lakers are gonna be the ninth eighth seed.
I didn't feel like that after the deal. That's all
I'm saying. It didn't move me either way. Are they
in the mix, Sure, they're in the mix, but they
were in the mix before the trade. I'll give you

(14:45):
some thoughts on why I'm not as I like. I mean,
I like what the Clippers have done, but I am
not willing to hand them the trophy. We'll get to
that upcoming a little bit later. We got a little
bit Melvin Gordon conversation. Start running back for the team
that actually the best record, tie for the best record
in the AFC last year, wants a new contract, said
as of yesterday he ain't showing up training camp to

(15:07):
play this year unless he gets one. I can give
you specific details as to how far off they are
in uh in Coasta, Mesa, where the where the charges
are located. But come up next to Chris Paul is
headed to Oklahoma City, but that doesn't mean he'll be
there for long. We'll get into that next. I'm Doug Gotlim,
He's Rob Parker. You're listening to The Dan Patrick Show.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Doug gott

(15:29):
Leap Show weekdays at noon Eastern three pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Good morning to here,
Doug Gottlieb Rob Parker in for Dan and the Danettes.
They are back Monday. That's a wow. Right. Since they've
been gone, the Thunder have traded away both Russell Westbrook

(15:56):
and Paul George. I like, look, you magic is I
follow those guys on social media right, and you're like,
you know, you're out of the country and obviously thank
goodness for your cell phone now, but imagine if you
didn't have a cellf and you're like, I'm just gonna
I'm gonna travel without the cell phone. I'm gonna turn
it off. I'm not gonna pay attention to it. You
come back and the couch. It's like, I've been gone

(16:16):
for a week. What I miss? Well? Kawhi Leonard is
a clipper. The Thunder traded Paul George they do what
they trade Paul George and then they traded Russell Westbrook, right,
they excuse me? And then you you do wonder if
what I think anyone who has ever played basketball would

(16:36):
deem a questionable or bad shot from Damian Lillard, If
that that's the straw that brokes the camel's back. If
Oklahoma City wins that game and they go back to
Oklahoma City No. Four? What was that game? Six? How
does history change itself because of one jump shot? You crazy?

(16:58):
Is Chris Boussard and Tonio Daniels both during when the
playoffs were going on, both picked them to go to
the Western Conference Finals. They thought that they had the
easiest path and all that, And I was like, really,
I don't see it. I did bet both of them
chicken wings in one, both bets. But my point was

(17:18):
that's where they were just this past season. To make
your point that people thought that what they had was
good enough to get to the Western Conference finals and
now it's totally undone. Yeah, yeah, well not totally undone.
They got to get part ways with Dennis Shrewders contract,
probably part ways with Steven Adams contract. They get rid
of those two contracts, then it's completely it. But but

(17:39):
first you gotta figure out what you're gonna do with
Chris Paul. So this the story goes, his agent reached
out to the Thunder and said, hey, you know, you know,
you know, I mean, do you want my basketball? Well?
I think you know. I mean like NBA teams is
zero market? Oh my god, I have to have Chris

(18:00):
Paul or has he played hisself out of that? But
we already know, Doug, there's the other issues with players.
He feels like he acts like he's a GM and
a coach. A lot of guys don't like him, uh
from that standpoint. But but is he like a missing
piece to some team that you see out there where
you go, Let's get Chris Paul and we're in the mix.

(18:21):
We're going to the final. Well, okay, here, this is
a very important point to make. Okay, this is this
to me is my best point that I will make
to you. All Right, already this is too early, No,
this is I can I can make it again the
way we can way we do things in Okay, if
you say something once, you didn't actually say it, Okay,
here you're ready for then you do the other three
shows on television. You know what I mean? Right? This

(18:41):
is this is okay. I say this to the makeup
people every place I've ever been where he SP, CBS,
now Fox, They listen, you did great because I did
not give you a blank canvas. Right, I got you.
So I use that because would I want Chris Paul
above any other point guard in the NBA? No? Um,

(19:03):
Chris Paul in his prime, probably the best pure point
guard of this generation in the NBA. I think he's great.
And yeah, if if the if the story is he
didn't like James Harden dribbling the ball to death and
not playing defense, then get in line, because we're all
wait here, Chris Paul. Maybe sometimes the way in which
he expresses himself is not revered in in certain circles.

(19:25):
So do I think though, Chris Paul at thirty four
years old, with the two years remaining on a on
a contract with a couple of years remaining on it.
But I think three years, three years a lot of money?
A lot Do I think that's a great contract that
people run in the league are like, dude, we could
get Chris Paul today. How does that look at thirty five,
thirty six and thirty seven years old. Right, it doesn't

(19:47):
look great, and he's and I think the last years
like forty three million or so. I mean, it's a lot,
it's a lot of money. Um So, do I think
everybody wants him? No? But I think somebody like Miami,
who's sitting there going all right, we got Jimmy Butler, like,
what are we gonna do here? We got a point
guard with expiring contract. Chris Paul is better than him.

(20:09):
And look, I still think Chris Paul, though he didn't
look good in several of those games with the Golden
State Warriors, part of why he was unhappy was he
wasn't being used the right way. I understand, like, look,
Chris Paul is a ball screen point guard, but people
thought that before they even added him. I got it.
I got people weren't like, this doesn't fit. And yet

(20:32):
it was like Daryl Moorey was about the the the
names the stars. No. I think I think he made
the same mistake that the Lakers made with Steve Nash Grant.
Steve Nash was hurt, so he never really you never
really got any of it. But the mistake was, Hey,
Steve Nash is a great shooter, and yeah, he's a
great passer. Why can't a great shooter play off the

(20:53):
ball with Kobe Bryant Like, look, dude, I I you
obviously haven't played basketball before because guys that played with
the ball in their hands, they can't without the ball.
When once you get to thirty end, you're like, Okay,
now I'm gonna play there. Like you've done radio shows
with another person, right, right, But there are a lot
of guys that they've done a radio show solo and

(21:13):
now I'll say, you're like, hey, let's put a partner
with him, Like, yeah, that doesn't really like Colin is
Colin Cowherd is incredible. It's incredible to has Joy Taylor
there to do the news, but it is not a
co host show to show, right, you're not gonna put
me or you with him, Like why don't you guys
co host because that's not what he does. So he
don't do that with with Chris Paul. So I still
think there is some juice left in that orange do.

(21:35):
I think that the whole league is sitting there going like, dude,
we can go get him, let's do whatever. No um,
And I think Oklahoma City frankly did a solid and
all right, we'll take your bad contract. Just give us
some first round picks and we'll figure out what to
do with it. And they'll probably get, you know, far
less in return than they want and maybe have to
take on an expiring contractor too in order to get there. Now,
I don't know about the money and how it would

(21:57):
have to work and whatever. But if he's gets a
buy out, if you're the Lakers, are you interested in
him to play? Yes, they don't have a point They
don't have any point guard at his repute because they said,
and I'm not bart and Lebron James is the point
guard as they said that he was going to play
point guard. Yeah, he's always played point guard, right, But
I'm saying the position of point guard. I agree, he

(22:18):
has the ball and he passes, but what is he
initiates the offense, He brings the ball up, he sets
the offense, he runs the posid. Okay, So my point is,
but then when the story came out that he was
going to be the point guard, he was already point guard.
But the way he played, so I didn't think that
was a big story to where he handled the ball well,
I mean, he just means. It just means that they
don't have they don't have the expectation. Quinn Cook's down

(22:41):
a starting point guard in this league. He's kind of whatever.
I don't really the Rondo one. I don't really know
why they signed him. He did shoot above thirty from three,
but he can't Rondo can't guard anybody anymore. He just
he can't really play anymore. Alex Carusoe is the one
guy in that roster that could be a starting point guard.
They love him, and you know what, he played well,
liked he played really really well. I was impressed. He
played really well. Those guys all like him. He can

(23:04):
defend and he's gotten to where he can make a shot.
But I mean, if you tell me I can get
Chris Paul, like, yeah, you'd have to. You'd have to
get rid of some of the contracts that they just signed.
It has to work dollar for dollars. So it is
it worth that if there's a buyout? Yeah? Are you kidding?
They're not. I don't think Oklahoma City's buying him out.
They're gonna move. They're gonna move him because if there's

(23:25):
some interest from Houston, they'll find a way to move
into Houston and maybe take back a bad and expiring
bad contractor too, so that that would be well, that's
also kind of what's been reported, right, I do think
they could find I also don't don't think it would
be crazy to think there is the outside chance that

(23:46):
that Michael Jordan comes in and throws a Jordan's Jordan
Brand um CP three's Jordan Brand. He's from North Carolina.
It wouldn't be a terrible way to end his career.
And they're kind of stuck in no man's land, right
and they need and they need to start up. Dude,
Well they just they just signed Terry Rogier to way

(24:07):
too much money. So I don't know how that would
all work. But it's the only one that kind of
popped him out out that we haven't heard of. That
totally makes sense because because those things do work in
the league. Being from somewhere, you know what I mean,
a little star marquee, but you're right here. They just
made a deal. Yeah, it's the whole thing is gonna
be fascinating me. You know. The one part of the

(24:27):
Clippers love fest that we have not yet gotten that
that no one can provide any sort of data is Look,
I get that the Clippers on paper look like a
perfect team. Right, you got Lou Williams coming off the bench,
so you got you got buckets coming off the bench.
Patrick Beverley is not really a point guard, so he

(24:50):
doesn't have to be really a point guard. When you
have Paul George, you can handle it, and you have
Kawhi Leonard who can handle it, and then he can
play on the ball. He can play off the ball,
and he's tremendous defense. Baily. You know whatever they do
with Montres Harold and some of the big guys, but
name me a guy outside of Kawai who has done
it in the playoffs, right, Like, if there's a knock

(25:12):
against Paul George, two things. One it's that he can't
stay healthy, right, he had both soldiers operated on, he
had his knee scope the year before. He obviously broke
his leg going back with Team USA, so he can't
stay healthy. And end too, he hasn't performed nearly to
his his normal level in the playoffs most years, and

(25:33):
especially in Oklahoma City, and but then even late in
the run with the Indiana Pacers. So you look at
you know, like everybody loves Patrick Beverley. I love Patrick Beverley,
but unlike he was killing the Golden State Warriors there
when Kevin Durant decided he had enough, that was enough. Well,
what I like about that team is basically, you know
what they were able to do last year, win forty

(25:54):
eight games. You remember after they traded Tobias Harrow. They tried,
they tried to they tried to go like, hey we're okay,
well it to lottery and still and even though they
got rid of Tobias Harris, they they they voted up
and had a great run. They had a great run
and then I love to they'd beat Kevin Durant in
the Wars twice in Oakland, a healthy Kevin Durant. I mean,

(26:15):
I know, I know that it was the first round
and they still lost a series, but they showed me
a little something without any stars. And now they have
to no question, and they have a championship county that
they have the only friend to think of these teams, right,
I mean we're not talking about Golden State. Who else
has a coach who's actually want a champon right before
and they actually had that and they did a great
job last year too. He really did with that. People

(26:36):
try to run him out of town. Let's get to
Vince Goodwell, right for a Yahoo Sports he joins us
and on the Dan Patrick Show alongside Rob Parker. I'm
Doug Gottlie. Vince, Um, do you feel vindicated today? Vindicated? No?
I mean vindicated. That wouldn't imply a level of investment
into the actual physical trade. Uh. Once, once you put

(26:59):
your pot out there, put your report out there, and
you stand on it. Okay. So so for people who
don't know, Vince was the one who had the report
that not only was there a rift between Chris Paul
and James Harden, but at some point it came to
level of was it Harden? It says it well, the
report said that Chris Paul requested the trading, that James

(27:21):
Harden had said him or me, But it was basically
kind of both sides admitting that this that that on
floor maybe you know, in personality relationship didn't work, and
basically that they had a good run at it through
those two seasons and you know they wanted the separation.
So and then from what I everything that I've heard

(27:41):
over the past, you know, twelve hours or so was
that James Harden was the guy who was a strong force,
you know, in the trade. Actually, has someone tell me
James Harden made this trade? Now? You know, Grant, of
course it's Daryl Morey and Tillman Fertito who's desperate for
a championship and everything else. But I think it says
a lot that you take out someone that Chris, that

(28:04):
James Harden doesn't necessarily get along with, and you bring
in someone that he sort of grew up with, you know,
dating back to their days in LA. So you know,
you're basically not handing it over to him. You've already
handed it over to James Harden, but you're trying to
make all the factors you know, as in James Harden's
favor as possible. Vinny, Vinny, where are you when you

(28:24):
when you look at where OKC is now? You know
this summer and what's going on? Uh. Some people were
predicting him to go to the Western Conference finals last year.
They thought that the easiest path to be able to
make it there. That didn't happen, and now they've scrapped
everything in an r starting all over. What's your take
on where Okac's going life comes at you fast man day.

(28:48):
I think I think this NBA this past two months.
I think starting from Kevin Durant's injury, you've seen that
your fortune, your future can change in the blink of
an eye. And what you think, maybe a four gone
conclusion may not be. I mean, think about what we thought,
what we knew, what's going to happen. We knew Golden

(29:10):
State was going to win a third straight title. We
knew that the New Orleans Pelicans were not going to
deal Anthony Davis to the Lakers because of that mess.
And we knew that Kevin Durant was also going to
the New York Knicks. None of those things have happened,
let alone this situation where you where you swap out
Chris Paul for Russell Westbrook. You don't know what the

(29:32):
future is going to hold, even for the Rockets, Like,
what does this do for the Rockets. I'm not exactly
sure that this places them in a championship conversation. I
know that that's their hope, but I don't know what
this does for them. I'm like, I'm sure that Mike
dan Tony probably woke up at the cold sweat trying
to have to figure out how these two guys are

(29:52):
going to work together and then in a five man unit,
two ball dominant guys. When you already heard James Hart,
who was the ball dominant guy already. You know it's
interesting about that is when James Harden was in Oklahoma City.
Yes he came off the bench, but he was their
point guard in the fourth quarter, and they felt like
that was when Russell was at his best. And the
truth is a lot of the moves that they've tried

(30:13):
to make over the years to make Russell better has
been to get somebody else in there who could take
the ball out of his hands and so that that
he wouldn't pound it, so that the defense wouldn't set
against him, so that he could be more of a
He's an unbelievable cutter and finisher, and that's what he
was early in his career with the Thunder. I do
think it makes them pronounced the better. I just do.

(30:34):
I think he's just got more gas in the tank.
I He's also he's also a guy who has Himan.
He plays with that constant chip on his shoulder. So
does Chris Paul. Okay, but you know, I I gotta
tell you, I don't. I don't love their team, but
I like him a little bit more today. I like
him actually a lot more today because, as you pointed out, Vince,

(30:57):
like that wasn't that dog wouldn't hunt right, Chris Paul
ain't playing without the ball in his hands, and he
wasn't doing Jay. He didn't grow up in the Church
of James Harden watching him dribble the ball to death.
That wasn't his jam at all, and he didn't feel
like that was a way to win basketball games. And
he's probably right, but Russell Westbrook has a completely different Now.
Do I think that D'Antoni loves playing that way, No,

(31:19):
But I also know that Mike D'Antoni will evolve as
he has evolved, because this wasn't really his style coming
into Houston. He was mister pick and roll, mister spread
shooted seven seconds or less. And I do think that
he shown more of the ability to evolve than a
Chris Paul would. And I give it a chance to succeed,
especially because there are questions about the Lakers overall roster,

(31:40):
about the Clippers ability to win in the postseason of
Utah's for real, Denver just kind of ran it back,
you know, like I think it's kind of really it's
just a fascinating Look. Here's my big question, Vince, Well,
what are these small markets going to do in the
next five years. I mean, they're just loading up on
draft picks them Orleans, right like Memphis. This is what

(32:03):
it's gonna be. They're just gonna be a theater system
for the bigger teams. I mean, if you if you're
looking at Oklahoma City and think and feeling like, oh,
poor Oklahoma City. They never do any stars. They drafted
three in a row and played it too away, Like,
I don't look at this as some small market. They're
only going to become, you know, the minor League, the

(32:24):
Triple A system for the New York Yankees or whatever.
I felt like some of the small market teams have
had plenty of opportunity to get and obtain and keep
their stars. They traded James harden Way on their own volition.
They had opportunities. They had an entire decade as a

(32:45):
biting the apple of an NBA title, and they didn't
get it done. There's nothing that says because you're a
small market, you're entitled to keep your stars. And if
even if you're a big market, you're not entitled to
keep your stars. Like Kevin Durrant lived in the Bay Area,
which is anything unlike Oklahoma City, and it wasn't enough
for him. Like what happens is you're not going to

(33:05):
stop these guys from doing what they want to do.
You can win a championship or not. You can present
a contender around them or not. These guys are going
to do whatever they want to do. And the thing
is that the league has changed shape dramatically, basically over
the last two months. For the next two or three years,
and the next two or three years there's going to

(33:25):
be another sea change. So what you have to do
is put yourself in the best possible position with drad
picks and young players, to make yourself as attractive as possible.
Go ask the New York Knicks about what it's like
to be a big market team, and all the stars
want to come to you. So I don't agree with
that theory into what you said about you know, Houston
and the roster looking better. Yes, they play wound together

(33:48):
in Oklahoma City when they were a much younger man,
when their bodies were in completely different places. You have
to tell me how a Russell Westbrook's game and his
body is going to age when he's already had three
major knee surgery and he's approaching the age of any
right at thirty right now, and think he's better physically
at the age of thirty. And when you're asking Russell

(34:10):
Westbrook to take a step back for James Harden, now,
not that James Harden came up the bench in Oklahoma City,
but the James Harden who was in the MVP last
year and in the conversation this year, I'm very curious
to see how Russell Westbrook's game and his savvy or
potential savvy sort of meshes with all of that. I
have a lot more questions than I have certain No, listen, hey,

(34:31):
you brought up a lot of really really good points.
But again, we're not comparing it to a blank slate.
We're comparing it to what they look like with Chris
Paul and as Chris Paul played into his mid thirties,
as opposed to Russell Westbrook playing at thirty. So, like
I'm with you, the back end of all of these
contracts look really ugly. And Russell Westbrook when he loses
a step, woar two in a couple of years. It

(34:52):
could be bad. I do think they're better today. It's
the Dan Patrick Show, Fox Sports Radio, Doug Gottlie, Rob
Parker sitting in for Dan and Vince Goodwill from Yahoo Sports.
He's there, a senior NBA writer. He's joining us and Vinny.
The other part is where will Chris Paul wind up?
Are they gonna hold on to him, They're gonna trade him?
Will they buy him out? Will they wind up with

(35:13):
the Lakers? What are you hearing so far? Now? You know,
we just talked about small markets in Oklahoma City. I
have a hard time believing that small market Oklahoma's buy
out Chris Paul when he's old one hundred and fortyes,
not the million dollars or whatever it is, just to
make him go away. I think that they're either goings

(35:34):
who look at moving him and they can move him now.
He was a one for one trade, you know, with
Dash fixing Wall, so they can move him, you know immediately. Now,
whether it's to a team like the Miami Heat, who
wanted Westbrook up until yesterday, a pertudable and they feel
like they're in position to make a run in the
Eastern Conference. Maybe they can't absorb Chris Paul and hopefully,

(35:55):
you know, get him healthy. He is close with the
Wayne Wade who just retired, so maybe the can explore that.
Or if he's if he stays in Oklahoma City and
that's where it's going to be, then this could be
a low management year for Chris Paul almost all season
because what is he playing for. And also the Oaklomacy
Thunder they just acquire Shaye Guilt, just as from the

(36:18):
LA Clippers, who plays the same position, who was younger,
who's cheaper, who they believe will be the point guard.
So I see once again, when you're an older point
guard in a point guards league, you know you don't
have the same power more or that's because there's so
many good point guards. Either you're coming up or you're
staying there. But if you're aging, you don't have to

(36:39):
make way for younger, faster, better because it's so many.
So I'm very curious to see what happens to Chris
Paul because he's an historic basketball player. He said some
bad luck, and I'm wondering if they're going to try
to maximize the remaining best years of his career. Great
stuff is always Hey, congratulation, the vindication. I know you

(36:59):
don't have to take your victory at you gotta feel
pretty good about everybody say, you don't know what he
don't know what he's talking about, right, don't you remember
Chris Paul tweeted out, that's news to me, news to me. Rude. Right,
Thanks so much, Vince, Vinnie, thank you appreciate a guy
read his work at Yahoo Sports. You don't even know
that's my ex nephew, idea vinny nephew related by marriage,

(37:22):
So he becomes your ex nephew. That's what I call him.
Even it's actually my ex wife's cousin, Vitty cousin, But
that's what I call him, your cousin who's been removed. Yeah,
I call him my ex is your cousin, Vinnie cousin,
Vinny is his sports clock is ticking? Uh? All right?
Coming up next, we'll turn to a little football. Robert

(37:43):
wants to see Dak Prescott get as much as possible,
just don't expect the Dallas Cowboys to give it to him.
We'll discuss that up coming next. In for Dan the Danettes,
I'm Doug Gottlieve, he's Rob Parker. This is The Dan
Patrick Show. Be sure to catch live editions of the
Couple with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven

(38:03):
pm Eastern, four pm Pacific. Then Patrick's shows brought you
by True Car Shopping can be confusing in terms like
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(38:26):
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John Mittelcoff will join us next hour, former NFL scout
and host a three and out podcast. We'll get his
thoughts on the following NFL topics Rob park alongside I'm

(38:46):
Doug Gottlieb. So Rob, we continue to not hear anything
out of Dallas of substance In terms of a contract
for Dak Prescott. He wants top quarterback money. I'm sure
they want to give him. They want him to take
a hometown discount. Where are you on Dak Prescott and
what his value should be? I think players should always

(39:07):
try to get as much as they possibly can get.
I believe in your worth, what someone's willing to pay you,
So I don't have an issue with Dak saying I'm
not taking a hometown discount. I don't care if I
was drafted in the fourth round. Was it the fourth round.
I don't care if I was drafted in the fourth round.
I've performed, we're winning games. We won the division two
out of three years. I want to get paid top

(39:29):
dollar like everybody else. Okay, I just wouldn't pay him that.
I don't believe he's that guy and everything needs to
be perfect for him, and I get it. I'm not
knocking him compared to other people. Sure it's great to
have good defense and a running back and all those
other things. But I just look at it and go,
I'm still not convinced. With all the success the Cowboys

(39:50):
have had and with what he's been able to do,
I'm not convinced he's that guy that's going to can
win me a game when everything is not going right.
All Right, they call a tractor or a trailer um
in the NFL, like are you attracted? You're pulling everybody
else along and you're not along for the ride, And
he seems to be more of a trailer That's what
I think. But but he does have a he does
have a leadership quotient that that players like him, and

(40:12):
they seem to dudes like him. Dudes like him that
that's a big part of it. On the other hand,
you know, he wasn't have a good year and then
they adam Ary Cooper. He's much better. Uh last year
the year before. As soon as they lost Zeke Elliott,
the team collapsed. They looked bad and he looked bad. Right, So, um,
but I heard you on your show say that you know,

(40:33):
Melvin Gordon should get top draw. This is no different
than the Melvin Gordon thing, right, Like, he can want,
he can want top dollar. But running backs even more so,
their their their value has diminished. And the only two
contracts to point to would be Todd Gurley. That's a
bad deal that the Rams would love to get out
of it. Yeah, it was a bad deal. They got
to the super Bowl and they didn't and they didn't

(40:55):
utilize him and they lost. They scored. We can't stay healthy. Well,
what you're gonna blame the guy hurt who was hurt? Well,
that's what it's Melvin Gordon has been hurt three the
last four years. He's only had one thousand yard rushing season.
Morley point is that the way that they use up
running back and don't pay them is the only way
you're ever gonna get paid is sometimes you have to
you have to force their hand, and because you do,

(41:18):
won't get paid. I understand, but people want to compare
to Leveon Bell. One, Leveon Bell's contracts so bad they
fired the GM that signed the deal. Secondly, Leveon Bell
was at the end of his contract and has had
far so I said, the GM did it and the
owner had no idea what he was doing. Is that
that's why you got fired because of that. The coach
Adam Gas, She's like, what do you do? What are
we doing? Why are we spending all this time? Adam Gase?
What has he done? What has he done? In Miami?

(41:38):
That he's the knower of all and he's he's the
one who comes in and said, oh, look, what was
this thought? The entire league has moved away from one
high price running back and that's working against Melvin Gordon.
He was offered a new contract, it just wasn't as
much as he wants and now he's running the risk
of not playing. And unlike Leveon Bell. He'll only get
fined this year. All right? Come up next? Who won?

(42:01):
Who lost? Chris Paul is now a member the Thunder
and Westbrook in Houston. Next The Nan Patrick Show, What Up?
Good Morning to You? Dan Patrick Show Live from Los
Angeles alongside Rob Parker, Odd Couple is daily seven to
ten Eastern time, four to seven Pacific, right here on
Fox Sports Radio. My show The Doug Gotlip Show three
to six Eastern time, twelve to three Pacific, Also on

(42:25):
Fox Sports Radio, the iHeart Radio app. And really stay
on serious, exam. You don't have a change channel from
my show. Mine is actually I think yours is as
well on the Dan Patrick Show channel on Sirius XMN. Nice.
How are you doing this morning, Dog? I'm good, I'm great. Actually,
I mean I'm fascinated. I'm like, what next? Like, what

(42:45):
is it other than Chris Paul winding up somewhere? I
don't know what else can be? Because forty percent of
the league players were free agents, so there was so
much crazy movement, and we saw Kawhi hold the NBA
hostage for a while until he finally made a pick
with the Clippers. So that was a little shocking, and uh,
we just had vity goodwill from h Yahoo Sports and

(43:08):
he was right. I mean, there was talk about a
certain couple of things that we thought were gonna happen
that wind up not happening. Like the New York Knicks.
Everybody thought at one point, Doug a few weeks ago
Vegas had them twelve to one odds to win the
NBA Championship because everybody thought they were going a good
zion with the number one pick and all of rumors
and all the talk was about k D and uh

(43:29):
uh Kyrie going to the Knicks, and of course none
of that happened. Well, I mean, like, look, let's let's
not bury the lead. Kevin Durant tearing his achilles tendon
changed changed the course of history. You know, he just
did it. Made it a completely different calculus for the
Knicks and their pursuit of him. Um for you know,

(43:50):
did he did he truly want to hook up. I
mean the reports are the quiet Leonard pick of the
phone and called KD first and said, I hey, dude,
let's go. Let's let's go and play for with the Clippers,
and he's like, nah, I want to play in New
York apparently he wanted to play with the Knicks, so
he just couldn't get anybody else to play with the Knicks,
and the Knicks weren't his jazzed about Kde and I

(44:10):
think rightfully so, like I love Kevin Wren. I thought
he's the best player on earth the last two and
a half years, three years. But you're in your thirties,
you've had multiple injuries night Terry Achilles ten, and you
tell me the guy that came back as good as
ever once they tore their Achilles ten and they just
don't exist. So so that was that was really what
set chaos and r But I'll tell you what's interesting

(44:32):
about it is so oftentimes when sports were told, this
is the off season, this is the one, it's gonna
be crazy. And we've had some Lebron to Miami, Lebron
back to Cleveland, Lebron to LA We've had some movement,
we've had some interesting last year, Kawhi getting traded to
San Antonio. But we were told twenty nineteen would be

(44:52):
the year, and damn it, they were right. Twenty nineteen
was and it was like the Farmers Almanac. Farmers Almanac
can go in the grocery store and look and it's
like hey, and you can pick it up and he'll say,
like on December, the third week in December, there's gonna
be a bunch of snow in the eastern seaboard. There's
gonna be a Northeastern like no way, and sure enough

(45:12):
there's a northeaster. That's basically what happened. We were told
twenty nineteen would be the year, and it has been
the year of the free agent, no doubt. I mean,
there were just so many big names available, so you
knew there was gonna be news almost every day. How
about Paul George, he just signed a contract like the
inc is doesn't feel like it's even dry. I'm a

(45:33):
surprise right where he requested the trade and say, hey,
I want to go back to California and I want
to play for the Clippers. That was another one, the
Paul George thing. And Lebron that's like twice now. He
had a chance to come back and play with the
Lakers two years ago before he wind up staying with
Okay Seed and decided not to do that. One yeah

(45:54):
year ago, Yeah, and now he still he wanted to
come and play with not that he was on the
table with Lebron again. But I'm just saying that he
wound up coming out like, I don't think Lebron knew one.
Don't think Lebron knew he was available? And too, what
do you mean just two years ago? No, last this
this year, I don't think anybody. I don't think anybody
knew he was available. That was That was all Kawhi
Leonard thing, picking up the phone and making it happen.

(46:16):
But yeah, by the way, the Clippers had the assets
to bake, it happened. Lakers had no more. Lakers would love,
Lakers would have loved to trade for another guy, but
they spent all of their resources getting Anthony Davis. They
got rid of the almost all their young players set
for Kuzma, and they got rid of almost all their
draft picks. Kuzma gonna be a starter off the bench?
Where did you see him? I'm just curious. I think
he'll probably come out the bench. He's always been better

(46:38):
off the bench. But I mean he's like, Look, you're
walking in the building with the Lakers. Was seventy five
points between Anthony Davis, Lebron James, and Kyle Kuzman. You're
starting that that's seventy five points. And Kyle Kuzma is
going to get better, not just because he's playing with
Anthony Davis and Lebron James. So he's going to if
he's on the court with those three guys, he'll probably
get the third third best defender. But he's going to

(47:00):
get better because this was really the first year where
he was shooting three point shot. He wasn't. He wasn't
shooting three point shots in college. Like he's just as
a learned skill that he's he still has not mastered.
And once he becomes a better shooter, that's a twenty
five a game, uh, twenty five a game guy. Easy.
So I think the Lakers are kind of good. I

(47:21):
just I do. I don't I don't love I don't
love the fact that they only really have one guy
who maybe Anthony Davis, who creates shots for others. They
don't have any kind of downhill point guards. Maybe Carusoe
becomes he's a very good passer, very good athlete, But man,
they can if Lebron is probably if their starting lineup

(47:41):
is Lebron James, m Avery Bradley, Danny green Um, Anthony Davis,
and if it was, it would probably be DeMarcus Cousin.
But if it was JaVale McGee, Like Lebron is the
fourth best defender on that that's a really, really good
defensive team. And and Danny Green didn't play well in

(48:03):
the playoffs shot forty five from three in the regular season.
Anthony Davis continues to improve as a regular. Stare all
those guys shoot over thirty from three, like, it's a
pretty good team. The only problem I have is Lebron
as an agent star year seventeen and even a d
has missed fourteen or more games and five of his
seven seasons in the NBA, so he has an issue
of staying healthy as well. Totally fair. We only we

(48:27):
we have a tendency when we like a team to
only look at the positives. But people do that with
the Clippers now, right Like Kawai has been hurt all
the time, Paul George has been hurt all the time.
And tell me the other Clipper who has come through
late in the playoffs. It just doesn't exist. No, But
they have the guys now that I think. I like
their team. I like what they've done, I really do.
I'm out there, I'm all the way in on the Clippers.

(48:50):
I just was so impressed Doug last year with what
they did. Chris and I Chris Broussard, and I argued
to the high heavens because Chris said that they had
thrown into town when they got rid of Tobias Harris.
They did. And I said, I remember watching the game
that they came back against the Celtics, right right when
they came back what was it twenty five points or
something like that, and in Boston or down twenty eight points,

(49:12):
And I said, that's a team that's tanking to hold
onto their first round pick. You're down twenty eight on
the road in Boston and you come back to winning
that game. That's when I was convinced that that wasn't
going to be the case, because that was a game
they easily could have just laid rolled over and given up.
And they didn't do it. And what were they down
to the they were down thirty one to the Warriors.

(49:32):
Look we wanted another one against Detroit. They came back
on the road twenty down twenty five. Yeah. No, Look,
I love the chemistry, the grit, uh, you know, they
every part of that that organization. Lawrence frank Um. You
know a winger who's the who was in Oklahoma City
pulled off that deal. He's there their GM, and he
could have left this this offseason. Trent Reddon, who's assistant GM.

(49:56):
You have obviously Jerry West too. I think Jerry West
probably getting more credit than he deserves. What he's always
a part of something that seems to work and workouts
and makes it like it's there's enough things that happened
right during Jerry West's career to which even if he
wasn't intricately involved, we give him the benefit of the
doubt because whether it's what things seems to happen right

(50:17):
because and here's the other place, dudes, the Clippers. The
one thing that I like is the way that they
go about their business, Doug, is that when they traded
Blake Griffin, nobody even it just came out of nowhere
right when they made this like they don't have the
leaks like the Lakers, like an open book. Well, that's
that's magic, Johnson, Right, Everything everything that goes on, you
know what's happening with them right that that that's that's

(50:39):
where magic and that's where magic likely screwed up this deal.
With with with Kawhi Leonard because Kawaie Leonard probably wasn't
going to be a Laker because at the Clippers are like, ah,
we just don't have we can't get another superstar. We
couldn't get one to come here. And then he's like,
what about Paul George And the asking price was so high,
but they were willing to, I mean do that. That
is a herschel Walker. Well, but you know they gave

(51:01):
up I mean shake Gildas. Alexander is going to be
a stud in this league. Everybody thinks it. Gallanari who's
kind of getting brushed aside, like he averaged twenty and six.
He's a player, he's a good player. And then they
gave away essentially every pick they have for the next millennium,
Like they don't I don't have a problem with it.
If you're trying to win your you have never won
an NBA championship problem. You've been a laughing stock most

(51:24):
of your existence in the NBA, and here's your chance.
These guys, especially like a Kawhi Leonard, they don't come available,
and you have a real chance, and you're gonna sit
there and go, well, I'm not gonna make the trade
because I'm worried about draft picks who I don't know
gonna be h five years or four years from now.
I think that they did what they were supposed to do,

(51:45):
which was to go for it. And if they get
a championship, it's almost like the Toronto thing. Oh I
wouldn't make that trade. He might not stick around. Did
Toronto get a championship out of it? I'm good, he's
on his way, he came, he won, and you still
feel like the organization did the right thing. Yeah, I guess.
I mean, like I'm about winning. I get it. I mean,
but you know, if if Kawhi Leonard misses the fade

(52:07):
away in the corner and it goes to overtime, didn't
and if Golden State doesn't have just a litany of injuries,
well do you know what Golden State won a championship
with with Cavaliers. So they won one and and and
they wind up going down the way that they and
you know how it is, dug. The more you play,
the longer you play, all those games, injuries are gonna

(52:27):
catch up to you. And I'm not it just happens.
You've seen a lot of great players wind up ending
their careers all on injuries. Yes, I mean that that
injuries generally decide who wins championships as much as who's
actually the better team. Rob Parker Doug Gottlieb in for
dan the Danettes. The big story of the day is
Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook traded places. And for people

(52:51):
who have forgotten, Chris Paul once a bunt of time
did play in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City became an
NBA town when after Hurricane Katrina, the the Hornets needed
a place to play. They played in the then Ford Center,
and he was a star early in his career. But
it doesn't appear like he's destined to play in Oklahoma
City this year, as they're going to try and find

(53:13):
another home for him. But Russell Westbrook takes his place
in Houston. So now you have two former MVPs, two
former teammates playing together in Houston. Do you think it works.
I'm not that convinced that it works. I mean, obviously,
you see a dynamic player like Westbrook, you say wow,
especially since Chris Paul and Harden weren't really getting along

(53:37):
and it really wasn't working out even though they were
on the cusp. It was just a year ago that
they you know, when Chris Paul got hurt, that they
were a game away from getting to the NBA Finals.
So it's not like they were that far removed. But
I'm still not convinced that Westbrook puts them any closer.
I feel today, Yes, you look at it, the name dynamic,

(54:00):
say this guy's average a triple double played with Harden before.
It looks good, But I'm not convinced they're any closer
to getting there to a championship. And I think there
are other teams just in the way, um and maybe
they don't have the name recognition or pedigrees. I like
these guys have like Utah, like Utah, but Utah's guta team.

(54:20):
Denver's a year older would experience they had. They had
a good year. I mean, yeah, yeah, I mean, no
one's gonna go crazy over them, but they were away
from the Western Conference final, and Yokich is such a
unique player, their style of play where their center becomes
kind of their point guard, and they're real tough to
win to beat in Denver, of course, so they got
a lot of things going for them. And I look

(54:41):
at some other type I would. I'm gonna meet you halfway.
Gonna meet you halfway. I agree if you told me
they're not the favorite, I'm okay with that. But I
would disagree to anybody who says they're not a better team,
because I look, Chris Paul does not have as much
in the tank as Russell Westbrook, and you have these
wet equity having those two having played together, grown up together,

(55:03):
both in southern California. There's a relationship there, and you know, look,
I think I would hope for Russell Westbrook's sake because
usually late in your career you shoot the ball better,
and he just didn't shoot the ball well last year.
He was really bad. Yeah, some of it had to
be coming off of you know, we missed some time
with offseason surgery, and so he wasn't the same in

(55:24):
terms of his reps and his offseason workouts. And some
of it is just I think he had the yips
of the free throw line and that that changed. But
what the big issue that Paul George had, that Russell
Westbrook had, that Kevin Durant had. They didn't have any
problem playing in Oklahoma City for that organization. It was

(55:46):
the personnel was such that there just wasn't enough shooting.
Now that that was the sale for the Golden State
Warriors and how they landed Kevin Durant, that was like, hey,
when we played against you, we had two guys in
his zone. Whoever was Garden Andre Robertson and whoever's every Garden,
Steven Adams. They didn't move out of the lane except
for when you drove, so there was always two guys

(56:08):
on you. And unlike the Houston Rockets, where there was
perfect spacing because outside of Capella, everybody can shoot three
is a cappella, is a role guy, right, so you
have you have great spacing. And that was really what
was missing from Oklahoma City was a bad shooting team,
a bad shooting roster, and they made it worse going
to getting Dennis Shrewder, who needed the ball and wasn't
a particularly good shooter and took bad shots. They just

(56:29):
they didn't didn't have enough shooting so that those two
guys could beat their man and make place. And then
you factor in Russell didn't shoot the ball well all year,
and he probably dribbles it and shoots it all altogether
too much. He will have the shooting around him in Houston.
Will will he be able to take a step back
to Harden? I mean, I don't think he has to
take a step back. I mean, like, look, Paul George

(56:51):
was the MVP of the league last year, right, Paul
George the MVP of the league until he hurt his shoulder.
And so this idea that Russell can't play with anybody else,
I didn't say he's easy to play with. On the
other hand, it ain't like it's impossible. He showed last
year that he's willing to let somebody else score a
bunch of points and get playing. We did see that,

(57:13):
You're right, Yeah, and Paul George benefited from it, and
then Paul George got hurt and it was never the
same and Russell tried to do it himself because he
didn't trust other guys. So I'm gonna meet you halfway.
Do I think they're better they're that much better that
they're the favorite? Probably not, But you know, you got
two dudes that can just go. And we talked about
the Lakers. You got seventy five points walking in the gym.

(57:35):
That's sixty between the two of them, and twenty assists
between the two of them, and they have, and you
still have air Cord, you still have Clinton Capella, you
still have PJ. Tucker, and you have a franchise that,
unlike the Clippers, has been deep in the playoffs kind of,
they are actually more like the Toronto Raptors in that
they've been there, They've been close, and maybe this pushes

(57:56):
them over the hump with Golden State kind of off
the off the pedestal. All right, Coming up next, we
Rob park I'm Doug Gottlieb. Melvin Gordon is a very
good running back for a very good team, and I
believe he's getting some terrible advice. We'll discuss it next
on The Dan Patrick Show. Be sure to catch live
editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob

(58:17):
Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on
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(58:38):
you missed any of the Dan Patrick Shows celebrity interviews
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The Danets are back on Monday, Like, Hey, Dan Kawi

(58:59):
is a Clipper, and so is Paul George, and Chris
Paul is a member of the Thunder and Russell Westbrook
is on the Rockets. Although maybe by Monday, Chris Paul
maybe elsewhere elsewhere not a ton right now in the
nash Football League. Most of these guys are in fact
on vacation, like most of the front office guys are

(59:21):
on vacation. But there was a relatively large story yesterday
that broke Rob and I know you have your own show.
It's called The Odd Couple. It's every day seven to
ten Eastern time on Fox Sport Trade of Chris Brussard
is the co host with with Rob Parker. My show's
The Doug Gottlieb Show. It's daily three to six Eastern time,
twelve to three Pacific, also on Fox Sports Tradio. And

(59:43):
you're listening to Dan Patrick's show on on Serious XM.
You don't have to change the channel for either of
either of our shows. So the story goes something like this,
Chargers Melvin Gordon, who's their star running back and is
coming off a Pro Bowl season, wants a new contract,
or he won't show up at training camp, or he

(01:00:05):
won't show up to play it all this season. Now
he has to play six games to a crew a year.
But unlike Levion Bell, he is not a free agent.
Remember Levion Bell didn't want to play a second year
under the franchise tag. But if you don't sign the
franchise tag, you're not under contract. The difference from Melvin
Gordon is once they get the training camp he doesn't
show up. They can find him for every day and

(01:00:28):
you know he doesn't a crew a year until he
actually shows up. When you hear Melvin Gordon wants a
new contract, he wants to be paid as one of
the highest paid running backs in the Nation Football League,
what do you think I'm okay with it from the
standpoint of you know about the dollars in the amount,
we could see there all day and determine whether or

(01:00:48):
not you want to pay him whatever he wants. I
just think that as a running back in the way
the league has devalued running backs and overworked running backs
until they're no longer any good or they're at a
point where you go, well, I can't give you that contract. Look,
you got these miles on. You're not averaging four yards
a carry anymore? Actually average five yards you carry last year? Okay,

(01:01:10):
So so did the rest of the backs in the backfield. Okay.
By they were one of the best teams in nationale,
no doubt about it. And until they went to New England,
I thought they were going to get to the Super Bowl.
I really thought they were that good. But anyway, so
for running back, we saw Emmett Smith have to sit
out a couple of games in order to get paid.
In Dallas. You remember that the Emmett Smith missed the

(01:01:31):
first two games of that season. The Cowboys went oh
and two, and Jerry Jones pulled out a check book
and wrote a check. And if I remember correctly, Doug,
they won the Super Bowl that year, even though they
started owing two and it didn't play. They did so.
For running backs, unfortunately, this is the only way it
seems as if you can get paid is that you
have to make a threat, you have to decide you're

(01:01:55):
not gonna play because they haven't really been taken care of,
not everybody. Some guys have got paid, but not everybody.
Most running backs don't get paid. And by the time
that they're available to make some real money, they've been
beat up. Their production is on the way down because
the shelf life is such a small u, such a exactly,

(01:02:17):
so I understand what Melvin if he really believes that
what they're offering him is not good enough and he
wants to get paid before he starts to go the
other way, and before they'll have a real case on
why they shouldn't pay him and and show him improved
to him with all the numbers. As you just said,
he's averaging five yards to carry and all the backs are,

(01:02:38):
but he is, he's their main guy, and he should
just try to get as much as he can and
put in the effort and believe in himself. What do
they call betting on yourself. I'm gonna bet on myself. Okay, Um,
I'm gonna tell you it's a mistake. First of all,
he's he's playing. Well you met at work. It's a mistake. Yeah,
he's Um, he's I only know like who men at

(01:03:00):
work songs, and that's not one of them. It's a mistake.
It's a great song. Okay, you want to sing it
to me during a break, because I don't really, I don't.
I don't recall it. And nobody, nobody knows that song
come on by men at work. It's a mistake. No.
And by the way, black guy in the history of radio,
that's quoting men at work. I love men and work.
I'm a guy from the eighties. I went to college
in the eighties. I understand. I just I'm just pointing out.

(01:03:23):
I said that, I cannot believe that came out of
your mouth, right that. And I'm going on the Golden
Girls cruise coming up in February. I also something that
wouldn't brag about. I wouldn't wouldn't brag about. Um. Look,
here's the deal. It ain't gonna get any better than
way he's got with the Chargers. It's just not you know,
he plays for his head coach is a former running

(01:03:44):
back and a former running back coach. And then the
big difference in you know, in all the three big
contracts for running backs in the Nation Football leaguer Todd Gurley,
Levon Bell, and David Johnson. And what are they have
in common. They all have rookie quarterbacks on rookie deal,
so they can spend a little bit more on running backs,
spend a little bit more elsewhere. Like, look, he's been hurt,

(01:04:06):
dinged up three of the last four years. He has
one thousand yards season, he does find the end zone,
thirty eight touchdowns. He's a good player. They like him.
They're willing to overpay him, probably about I don't know,
nine or ten million dollars a year, and he wants
thirteen that those other guys are making. And like, here's
the deal he has basically has two choice. He does

(01:04:27):
not have any leverage here. He can show up and
make five million dollars, or he can take the contract
offer they gave him, which probably tops out at about
ten million dollars a year, mostly frontloaded next couple of years.
Or he can play out this year and then they
can decide do we want a franchise tag him, which
would be about thirteen million dollars, So the combined would

(01:04:48):
be potentially eighteen nineteen million dollars. If he bets on
himself and the Chargers decide let's franchise tag him next year,
or he goes out in the market. And I gotta
tell you, on the market, it's not gonna be great.
Running Backs are in fact replaceable. They are they not diminished,
you said Emmett Smith. Dude, that's twenty years ago when

(01:05:10):
I grew up. You talking about the eighties. When I
grew up, like named the team, that team was represented
by the running back, right. Eric Dickerson was the Rams guy,
and Marcus Allen was with the Laurie Sanders was the
Lions guy in and even the Niners that were known
for their passing, and they had Roger Craigan. The Chicago
Bears had Walter Payton. Dude, those days are over, bro.

(01:05:32):
Now you're being replaced by two or three guys that
don't cost you anything. So would your second you hit
your second contract, good luck, But bym him. I would
run back to coast to Mason, say, hey, is that
ten milliondars offer still available? Good? But he's getting he
got people in his ear. They're like, yo, man, you're
just as good as those guys. The Todd Gurley contract
is a bad one, the Rams one out of it,

(01:05:55):
The Jets contract with Leveon Bell is a bad one
because they paid a button there was no other market.
And it wasn't just that it was overpaying a running back,
which nobody likes. It was overpaying a running back that
didn't have other options, like what are you doing? He
didn't have other shooters. They didn't drive up any sort
of value. Well, but but the idea what you're talking
about with a running back, Zekiel Elli is a perfect example.

(01:06:17):
Cowboys aren't even close to where they would be if
they didn't have that guy. Now, I think Zeke's great.
I think he's the best running back in the league.
I'm just saying so I agree even last year as
much as people No, I'm not saying that, but but
but I'm just saying the same way that people make
the case, uh last year about James Connor in Pittsburgh, Oh,

(01:06:39):
they didn't miss levey on Bell. James Connor played, he
put up some decent numbers. They didn't make the playoffs.
I guarantee you, Doug, if uh Leveyon Bell played for
that team, they would have been in the playoffs, not
out of the playoffs. Right, So it does matter. But
having certain players, no, listen, I'm not gonna. It would
help if Antonio Brown would showed to practice week seventeen.
All right, then I got I got it. I'm like,

(01:07:01):
I'm not I actually agree with you there. People do
diminish Levion Bell and how he's good here and he's
better than James conn Yes, better than James Conner's good better,
no doubt. Okay, So, but the Chargers don't think they're
not They don't want to get out of the Melvin
Gordon business. They just don't want to overpay Melvin Gordon
when he's been hurt three the last four years. He

(01:07:21):
got one thousand yards season. He's a good player. But
they're not gonna. They're not gonna break the bank when
they didn't break the bank for Melvin Ingram, who they
signed has been awesome, and Joey Bosa and all of
they got they got dudes. I mean, Derwin James is
an unbelievable player that eventually they'll try and sign. But
they're not gonna break the bank for anybody. Because this

(01:07:41):
is how they're constructing their rosters. They can be successful
for long term. Let's let's bring in job Middlecoff. He's
he's work in front offices, in a scout and Nation
Football League. He's got a great podcast called three and
Out and Middlecoff. Before you go off on Chris Paul,
because I know you're Chris Paul Hayter. He's not a
He's just Chris Paul critic. Gonna be a hater. I'm

(01:08:03):
a hater. I was trying to count you for you
a little bit job. Let me let me just ask
you this. If if I told if I told you
the Chargers were willing to go to ten million a
year for the first couple of years guaranteed, should Melvin
Gordon sign that? Uh see, I'm not as big in
the average per year. I gotta know what the guarantee is.

(01:08:24):
It's it's in the I think it's in the twenties. Yeah,
I mean, is he signing because to me, he's gonna
want closer to the girly money he want he wants.
He wants girly money. He ain't getting really money from
the Chargers. Here's my and I'm with you, Doug, like
he's a good player. They should want to stay in
the business. Ever since they got h Remember that first year,

(01:08:46):
everyone was like, oh my gosh, this guy a bus
clearly he's not Wisconsin was wiscin other Wisconsin. It was
Ron Daane Part two right, Wisconsin running back. He had
a rough, you know, rookie season and no one was
no one was holding out then, you know. But then
they brought in J. J. Watts brother and the running
game has been really good since. But he's finished sixteen

(01:09:06):
games one time. And I think that Todd Gurley it's
a little different. I mean, because Gurley had the knee
surgery in college, we all knew about it. This one
has spend injuries here and there. But I just I
don't see how the Chargers get anywhere close to that
number and to meet the Levon Bell number. Actually, like

(01:09:27):
I would do twenty five thirty million for him right now,
just because he is a key piece to what they're doing.
He also catches the ball really well. But it is
a complicated situation. It's not just a it's not a
black and white thing. I mean, I you know, for
as much as he has no leverage, and that's where
I would kind of lean, he also has some in
the sense the same with Clowney is the teams, like

(01:09:49):
the Chargers and the Texans, they're trying to win a
super Bowl this year. You know, they think they have
a super Bowl team this year. And you know, say
what you want about running backs and like most people,
I think there are they're probably never had less value
running the ball, though catching it they're a big deal.
They need this guy if they're going to try to
win a Super Bowl. And John, that's that's the point

(01:10:09):
why you have small windows, right. That team, the Chargers
last year was really good, went to New England and
laid an Egg. But they feel like if they come
back and they have all that pieces in place, they're
gonna at least be able to compete in the AFC.
That's why he does, I agree, have some leverage because
once you take away a big piece and I brought
it up to Doug before you came on, everybody said,

(01:10:32):
oh Lebon and Steelers didn't didn't miss him, James Connell,
they didn't make the playoffs. I want you guys to
understand something. There's a there's a couple of distinct differences
between Leveon Bell's situation and Melvin gordon situation. Leveon Bell
was not a first round pick, so that was this
is actually his third contract, right, So Leveon had the
money to sit out, and Levion wasn't under contract. For

(01:10:56):
this is where Melvin Gordon has no leverage. He has
to play this year otherwise otherwise he violates. He's under
contract for five billion dollars. It's not he's not a
free agent that has to sign. But everybody, every Bell
had to come back. And then there was a loophole. Correct, no, no, no, no,
but Levion Bell who did not sign the franchise tender. Okay,

(01:11:17):
this guy is under his fifth year option of his
rookie contract because he was a first round pick. It
actually worked out better for Levion that he wasn't a
first round pick and Levion had saved up money to
where he tried to make a point of it. It
didn't actually work for Levion. He didn't make nearly what
he thought. But there's John. You understand, there's two differences. One,
he has deeper pockets, so he didn't have to play

(01:11:39):
here I'm talking about Leviyon Bell. And two, he was
actually not under contract as opposed to the fines that
could be accrued by Melvin Gordon if he doesn't play. True. True,
But the one thing I would say about Melvin Gordon
and definitely Clowney too, who I think we expectually a
big holdout too. Clowney was a number one overall pick,
so he got a lot of money. Melvin, it's not
like Melvin Gordon with a third picky. I think he

(01:12:00):
was a fifteenth pick in the draft. So I looked
at it yesterday. I think he's made sixteen million dollars
heading into this season, so it's not like he's been
making seven hundred k for the last four years. I
ultimately he wants to probably double his money. I don't.
We all do. But it's not like he's in the
poorhouse either, So I you know, I don't know. I'm

(01:12:21):
with you. I would, I would give him a little buff,
but I don't know if he's just necessarily looking for
Remember a couple of years ago, it's probably like five
or six now, Jamal Charles was holding out and then
Kansas City just gave him, you know, like twelve million
dollars guaranteed, basically just like a kicker, and he got
him back into camp. Could they do something like that?
I think the hard part here is this guy's looking
for a long term deal, because when you just look

(01:12:44):
at his game logs, and he knows this better than
anyway he can't say on the field. So it's just
the risk of you know, Levion Bell, like you said,
it had the one franchise tag year, so he had banked,
you know, twelve thirteen million dollars just in that one season.
I think this guy's terrified. He comes to plays and
in October tears an ACL and then he never gets
any money and it's just over which I understand. And

(01:13:08):
I think that's always kind of the thing you're fighting
as a running backs. You're one injury away. And I
know Colin talked about this yesterday. It kind of is
the one position, especially in an offense, where you get
hit every play. You know, the absolutely decked it at all.
So I do feel for the running back is my
personal favorite position. It encompasses everything. You gotta run the ball,

(01:13:29):
you gotta block, you gotta catch the ball. Like the
best running backs are the ultimate football players because they
literally do everything. What about the Dak Prescott, obviously he said, hey,
I deserve what I get. I'm not looking to give
anybody Dallas a hometown discount. Would you pay Dak from
what you've seen so far? Is he is? He worthy

(01:13:50):
of being one of the highest paid or highest paid
quarterbacks based on what the Cowboys won two division titles
in three years unto him, Well, I would. I heard
just the snippet of Dak saying that. And the one
thing I don't quite understand, like, I think Jerry would
have no problem taking care of them. Obviously, they don't

(01:14:10):
want to pay them like Russell Wilson money, but pay
them a lot of money. Think how much money you
just make as a Dallas Cowboy quarterback. And it's pretty
clear in that organization they're not pinching pennies. They will
do it. I mean, they have a loaded roster. So
if he took you know, quote unquote a discount, I
hate saying that when a guy's gonna make twenty five
thirty million dollars a year. But let's say you said,
you know what I'll play, I'll sign a contract extension,

(01:14:33):
pay me twenty three million dollars a year, and that
extra little buffer would help them keep Byron Jones, Annamari Cooper,
a z Ke Elliott, you know, and just keep the
whole squad together because their roster on papers pretty exceptional.
I mean, I think it's probably a top five, top
to bottom roster on paper, you know in the NFL.
But when you pay that quarterback enormous money usually especially

(01:14:55):
with them that they have premium, blue chip guys that
make a lot of money, you're gonna lose a couple
and it's gonna hurt Dack Like Dak, are you prepared
to be Aaron Rodgers, you know, and just carry this
team on your back. You're not. You're just not good enough.
So you need a better team, which you you already have.
And and I think he's thinking, Russell Wilson. Will, Russell
Wilson just started making all this money. They lost guys

(01:15:16):
they never you know, skipped a beat. Well, you're not
Russell Wilson, right, Russell rust Wilson's been to two Super Bowls,
one one I mean and blew the other one completely different,
completely different calculus. H John millcops our guests Three and
Out is the podcast. He's former former scout in the
Nashal Football League. He joins us Rob Parker, Doug gott
Leevin for Dan the Danas. This is a Dan Patrick show.

(01:15:37):
You mentioned Jadeveon Clowney, who wasn't number one overall pick,
had had some injuries early on, was thought to possibly
be a bust, and then all of a sudden it
starting to live up to his you know, ridiculous physical
attributes with his play on the field, and he got
this weird situation in Houston where they're gonna like, ah,
let's just go without a GM. Everybody's kind of got

(01:15:58):
their area and nobody's and apparently the assistant GM and
the head coach can't agree on whether or not they
want to pay him, and so they're not gonna pay him,
and now he's gonna hold out. How does this work
in Houston without a GM. I don't know if you
guys had a chance, but Chris Ballard filled in for
Peter King the GM for the Indianapolis Colts, and you

(01:16:20):
just read that and you go, whoa. The Colts kind
of got it going on right now. And that's by
far the Houston Texans, you know, biggest rival, given they're
in their division. You got to go through them, you know,
they just beat him in the playoffs and the and
the Houston Texans, now, like you said, just basically punted
onto the GM, which I'll be the first day a
head coach is more important than a GM. In the NFL.

(01:16:40):
But a GM is very important, especially during the season
when little things happen, and like you don't when a
guy gets injured, just you know, to bring in the
next practice squad guide and get streamlined. Bill O'Brien doesn't
have the time. He's a play caller. Well, what's up
with Bill O'Brian not being able to get along with anyone.
I've always been a Bill O'Brien defender. When I worked

(01:17:01):
for the Eagles, I just went to Penn State one
weekend to watch him conduct a practice and was like, whoa,
this guy is big time. And then obviously he went
on to have a bunch of success he's been in
the NFL, and he's actually had success in the NFL.
It makes the playoffs every year, but he just can't
get along with gms. And now the Clowney situation, and
I would probably lean with Bill O'Brien with Clowney, like

(01:17:21):
I'm not paying you Khalil mac or Aaron Donald money.
But Clowney is a really, really good player. And now
it's already out in the media that Bill O'Brien doesn't
really like him, but the GM liked him. It's not
an ideal situation, especially like at least a Charger situation.
It's just kind of normal business. A running back wants
to get paid. We all know they like him. It's

(01:17:43):
not really that weird. This one's already kind of weird.
Like does Bill O'Brian not even like Davion Clowney at
all in the perfect world where he just get rid
of them because it was pretty clear that he was
on the trade block. Just no one was going to
trade them a premium pick and then also pay, you know,
eighty million dollars guaranteed, like they had no problem doing
for Khalil mac because he's not that good of a player.

(01:18:04):
I'm just guys, I'm born one not out on their
team because I do think their team is talented, But
there's just something missing with the Texans, and it kind
of starts with the head coach. I just something's weird
about that situation. I mean, this whole GM debacle. He's
on a second GM in like a year and a half.
How's that even possible? I'm not sure. There were some
things done by the previous GM which did make you

(01:18:25):
scratch your head to begin with. All right, last thing,
why do you hate Chris Paul so much it just
bothers me, you know, just the flopping. I remember going
to a playoff game Mark Jackson's last year when Chris
was still really good, and just watching him smother Steph.
You know, he looked like Durrell Reeves and his prime
just I mean, Steph couldn't get away from him. And

(01:18:47):
then he just became this cremudgeon angry. He just not
a very joyful player to watch, you know, and he's
gotten he's gotten worse the last couple of years. The flopping.
I mean, even if you appreciate no, no, no, I'm like,
I'm with you. Control. Yeah, And there's that, and there's
that that thing that older NBA players do that guys

(01:19:09):
that pick up all do where when they can't play,
they want to fight you, and he kind of does.
He started to get to that, which you're like, come on, man,
the only why can't why can't Chris get a you
know a little like Bill O'Briant. Can Chris get along
with anybody you know over a long period of time.
I don't, I don't know, And I'm sure that's one
of the reasons that he's in Oklahoma City or in
flux instead of Houston make We make fun and where

(01:19:32):
I live in the Bay of Chris and Russ. But
I will say for Russ again, very flawed player. At
least people they don't love playing with them, but at
least they like him personally. Like it feels like these
guys don't really even like Chris the person. I don't know.
I mean, I've been out a boat dudes do. But yes,
I do think Russ is a really good dude. But
I Russ plays with some of that same anger, and

(01:19:53):
you know, does some of the exact same some of
the exact same stuff. All Right, we gotta run. The
podcast is three and ounce really good for even more entertainment.
Follow him on Facebook when he just goes off on
certain NFL teams, he's John Middleoff middlecof great stopped. Thanks
all right. Rob Parker has a new nickname for Paul George.
I'm told find out what that is. I'm coming next

(01:20:13):
to The Dan Patrick's Show. Be sure to catch live
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(01:20:38):
you go, Doug. This is for you, Rob Parker and
Doug gott Leaban for Dan and Danetts. This is men
at work, Men at work. This is the song you
tell us it's a mistake. This is what you said.
Melbe No, you've never heard this song. It's a great song,
and I do have a great memory. I would nope,

(01:21:00):
here we go. Here's it's a mistake. By here, it's
kind of it's a mustake. It's a mustake. I'm sorry,
I can singing into an open microphone radio is a mistake.

(01:21:24):
I have a nickname for Paul George. Yes, he's a
king killer because I said when he didn't come to
five heartbeats, yeah, um uh. Because he's basically derailed Lebron
twice in Lebron's year plus in LA by not coming.

(01:21:46):
I believe that when he didn't come to LA the
first time, that he really derailed where what the Lakers
were trying to do because he was a free agent,
they had h space to be able to get him,
and eventually they could have kept their younger guys, but
instead they would have to give up in order to
be able to get somebody. And then the second part
was Lebron was sitting pretty looked like he was on

(01:22:08):
his way to have his Big Three of the Ages
if Kawhi Leonard came and if that wasn't possible, obviously
Paul George could have said, I don't want to go anywhere.
I'm good and okay see and I want to stay
in Instead he said, no, I want to go to
the Clippers, I want to come to LA I want
to play with Kawhi, and again winds up being in

(01:22:28):
the way of Lebron having what he wants. So that's
why I call him the King Killer. Even though it's
not about winning playoff games or anything against Lebron James
who who annihilated Paul George anytime they faced off again.
That's fine. Off the court, Paul George has had the
I think, I honestly think that Paul George saying he
wanted out of Oklahoma City to take from your song

(01:22:50):
is admitting that resigning in Oklahoma City was a mistake.
It's a mistake, and it was absolutely a mistake. Otherwise,
why would you want out because it come out because
he wanted to come back to Los Angeles, which is
what he's doing. He's going to play in the building
that he was going to play with the Lakers, but
he doesn't have to deal with the toxic atmosphere that

(01:23:11):
comes around being in the Lebron James situation. That's what
it is. I get it. But look, first of all,
he didn't even take a meeting. He was he got
recruited by Oklahoma City. He got he was in with
Russell Westbrook there boys, and he thought before Doug, he
talked about coming back to La I'm telling you, I'm
telling he told the Lakers. He told the Lakers three

(01:23:31):
months before he's a free agent or through other people,
I'm coming. Don't worry about it. He got recruited and
then he admitted he's a mistake. But he couldn't go
back to the Lakers because they didn't have anything to trade,
and Kawhi Leonard got the trade done. Kawhi leards a
genius in this thing. He saw Mark, he saw a
guy he respect he could play. He knew the Clippers
had the assets and the Lakers didn't, and he got
it done all right. Speaking of the new NBA, Roy

(01:23:54):
would make of Houston out they have Russell Westbrook. That's excellent,
Dan Patrick Show, What up? Give it to you? Dan
Patrick Show rolls on hour three. You're on Fox Sports Radio.
So you are roughly two days and twenty two hours
from hearing Dan's take on the complete turnover in the NBA.

(01:24:18):
A what a week he missed, right, because their last
show was last Friday, last Friday night, last Friday night,
So we're not even a week a week removed from
the earth shaking news that Kawhi Leonard was gonna be
a Clipper and that he got Paul George to ask
for a trade. And then the big story in that
trade was like, hey, did you know Oklahoma City actually

(01:24:42):
talked to the Raptors about would you take Paul George
and Russell Westbrook? To me, that was the stunning part
of this, which gets least discussed, is like, wait, they
could have both of them, and they said no because
of Pascal Siakam. Okay, But Houston ends up pulling off
the blockbuster trade they lay Russell Westbrook. They sent back
essentially four first round draft picks, two or swaps. We'll

(01:25:05):
see if Houston has to swap those in order to
get Russell Westbrook, who has four years remaining on a
Supermax deal as opposed to Chris Paul who has three
years remaining on his supermax contract. And so that Rob Parker,
I guess the big question is what was your immediate
reaction when you heard the news of the trade. I

(01:25:28):
was shocked. I did not think that were you shocked
by what you saw? I was shocked because I didn't
think that Westbrook would be traded. I just didn't know
that that, okayc was out of the basketball business and
that they were closing down the shop and folding up
to ten and said well, we'll check back in in

(01:25:48):
the NBA in five years, because that's what it was
to me. It was like they just said, Okay, we're out,
we can't win, We're going to trade. It's still a business.
So even though they traded Paul George and that was surprising,
as wife thought they would do the next thing and
just and just fight for the middle and build around
one stuff exactly. That's what I thought they would do
the next did for years, right, no matter who they had, right,

(01:26:09):
they wouldn't trade away, they wouldn't get they wouldn't give
up that guy because they still have to sell tickets
and it's still a business going on, and okay, see
decided that they weren't going to do it. I'm not
surprised that that Chris Paul was dealt because the stuff
was out there. Many goodwill who we had on earlier
in the show, dug from Yahoo Sports. He had put

(01:26:30):
out a story that Chris Paul pooh pooed, basically that
he wanted a trade and him and Harden couldn't get
along and they each wanted to separate from each other.
So that was out there, So it wasn't that shocking
that Chris Paul was the guy who wound up getting dealt.
But I was surprised by the trade. I was. I
was surprised by the trade. Obviously we'd heard Miami. We

(01:26:52):
knew that Houston wanted to do something. They wanted to
move one of those three what they viewed as actually
two tracks. They didn't love Clint Cappella, which is a
more reasonable one and he's younger, but Capella they felt
I can't play at the end of in small ball games,
right or Chris Paul who it's because a fit and
because thirty five years old, thirty four, thirty five years old.

(01:27:15):
So look, I actually command Oklahoma City. I don't know
if I could. You're not you're not a fan. No, no,
I didn't know when you say that. When I hear that,
I don't buy into it. From the standpoint, hold on,
let me, let me, let me finish. Okay, I wouldn't
have traded Paul George like I wouldn't have done that.

(01:27:35):
I wouldn't have gone like, oh, you want to go
to La, Well cool, let's make that happen. And I
kind of think I kind of think that they were like, well,
we'll trade him if we can get everything we want
back in return. But I commend Oclhoma City from this spindpoint,
once they made the decision to trade Paul George. And
I'm guessing that part of the Paul George discussion was

(01:27:56):
when Paul signed, they probably said like, hey, man, look,
you're ever unhappy, come tell us, just come to us.
And I think Sam Press is like, look, he didn't
he thought it wouldn't work. He wanted to get back
to LA. He said, you know, after a year, I'm
spending two years there playing his tailoff, playing an MVP
caliber for about half the season, he decided he wanted
to go back and we could make it work. Like, look,

(01:28:17):
Oklahoma City understands there's no use in keeping Russell Westbrook
at the end of his prime just so he can
put up a bunch of hollow numbers. Right. That ain't fun.
A lot of teams to do it. But they're like, look,
let's move him. Let's get it. Gives them a year.
Even if they don't move Chris Paul, they're likely move
it gets them out of that forty seven million dollars

(01:28:41):
for the last year of Russell Westbrooks deal. Right. But
but as I'm asking you as an Oklahoma City fan,
I actually think, Look, Oklahoma City fans are into into
Chris Paul because he played there and he was a
stud there. But he's not that guy anymore. No guy
was he was a he's a guy, but he's not
watched it was dumped, that's what he was, Yes, but
he's not washed up. He's not a guy who's your

(01:29:03):
tickets today. If you if you were on the fence
or you were you you have, I'm the wrong person.
I'm the wrong person to ask because I would never
buy season tickets. All right, well you're the wrong person.
I'm telling you most I would not send them money,
and it'll give them a credit card today if that's
what the option I got. They they've they sold every
seat in that building for the last time. Well those

(01:29:23):
days are over. Okay, we'll see, we'll see. It's an
unbelievable fan base. It ta'll take you there. What are
you barbecue? What else is going on? There's other stuff
to do? That tell me. There's there's plenty of other
things to do. You can a great place to play golf.
There's college sports galore. There's there's other stuff. There's minor
league baseball. Like, have you been to Oklahoma City? No? Okay,

(01:29:45):
I'm just asking. Okay, you spend time in Detroit, Like,
I'd rather live in Oklahoma City to live in Detroit, really,
although the outskirts of Detroit are really nice. But the
outskirts are everywhere, like, look, if you have money, everywhere's
kind of nice to live. There's a nice place. Detroit
is great. Sub Burmingham, suburban I've been a suburban Detroit.
Where's where's the arena? The new arenas? Downtown? No? Thanks, well,

(01:30:05):
you're not interested in that. It is beautiful downtown. I
don't know. I spent some time in downtown. No, downtown
is different. You haven't been in a long time. I
know I've been there a long time. So you know,
the first time me and you were ever on the radio,
we talked about it. You brought up the burning of
cars in Detroit. Do you remember this? I don't remember.
What I do remember, I said the dog, I said,
what are you ripping the people of Detroit? They were
just trying to stay warm. This is my this is

(01:30:27):
my Detroit story. Okay. I was playing in Israel, okay,
for a team called maccaby Ranana, and they started getting
funny with the money. Really, what were you doing? Short
changing you? Yes, but they would do it and like
that when a way they thought was clever. So because
I was in Israeli, I was technically playing inst in Israeli,

(01:30:50):
they would pay me in shekels. Right then, if you're
an American, they pay you in dollars. So I would
get shekels put into my account. And then we were
transferred to my American account, and all of a sudden,
I noticed, like once we got to like December, like
December first, it wasn't in on December first, to like
to December fifth, Wait a minute, that's four days, right,

(01:31:10):
And then I and then and I would notice that
it wasn't quite I don't remember what I was making
a month, like, you know, I was making like seven
or eight a month, grand a month, you know, and um,
and I remember, like, wait a second, there's it's like
it's said, let's say it was eight thousand dollars a month.
It's like seven thousand, eight hundred and fifty dollars. And

(01:31:31):
I was like whoa who was like not that like
one hundred dollars like that to the next set me
get to the next month, and it's kind of the
same thing, only like a different dollar figure, and it
went in on a different day. Let me get to February.
And I was like doing it. And so I had
I had my accountant you let it go that far,

(01:31:53):
because I would have been up in arms if it's
a quarter off, So I said, I asked my account
was like, you know what they're doing. They're waiting until
the exchange rate is more favorable, even if it says
him one hundred and fifty bucks and then that's what
it was. Yes, they're waiting until the exchange rate was
more favorable, and then they'd put the money in your account,
so would save them a little bit of money. So

(01:32:16):
uh so I so I go to the guy and
I was who was the president of the team, and
I was like, hey, look, and I was as in Israeli,
I would have had to stay through June. Even if
we're done like in May, like the playoffs, we lose
the first round, you're like done in May staying, I
would had to stay all the way. It was a
ten month contract. And because I was in Israeli and
I just you know, I just got dual citizenship, I

(01:32:38):
would have had to do like a little basic training.
And I don't know if this is actually a little
side to the story, but I couldn't. I didn't sign
with the team because we haggled over money and bonuses.
And so I was in unbelievable shape before the first games,
and I was playing like scrimmages and practicing twice day.
I was in best shaped my life. And they said,
you good, lip, you have to go to your roosterlim

(01:32:59):
for test with doctor. So I was like, I thought
I was taking like a physical physical. So they do
all the physical tests and then they put me on
like a treadmill and I'm like, I'm like, well, i
don't get a workout for the day, so I'm just
gonna and I was like sprinting the whole way. And
then they put me on a bike and I'm pedaling
away in a bike and I'm killing it. And then
we do put me in a StairMaster and I'm killing it.

(01:33:20):
So we're like again, this is like February. They're short
changing me a little bit on the money. And I
get this Hebrew letter in the mail and I bring
it into the locker room. I was like, what's this
the good lead? They send you, Tobron, they send you
to the front. I was like, what what They're like?
I got selected to be like because I qualify the
top one percent of one percent of I was actually

(01:33:41):
taking a military physical and didn't know and didn't know
what you didn't know, and I was killing it and
I had like four percent body fat and they're like,
let's get this dude in the IDF. And so my
teammates are messing with me. They're like, they're going to
put you at the front. You're going to be idf
with the thing in your ear. You'll be okay, They'll
probably with the good guns. So I was like, so
I go to them and I said, hey, look if

(01:34:02):
you will pay me, if I if I guaranteed that
when I get eight thousand dollars and when I get
a five thousand dollars, like that's what I get right,
I go want my money. I will stay, I will play.
You won't hear a word from me. And the owner
of the team president team was like, we will do
is the best we can. It's like no, no, no, no,
not the best. I was like, look like you don't
have to sign a document. Just man a man me

(01:34:24):
and you just pay me what you said. You promise
you will pay me. We will do is the best
we can. I was like, I'm out. So I literally
caught a flight. I played a game unlike March first
or something. So I made sure I got paid and
I flew out of Ben Gurion that night and I
flew to Detroit. And we're a friend of my mass
Track who's a longtime NBA assistant. He was the head

(01:34:44):
coach of the Phoenix team in the ABA. ABA was
the G League was just the D League was starting
and the ABA actually had all the players and we
played the Detroit Dogs. So I land? Was that Dawgs?
Detroit Dogs? Yeah? So I Land. And the two most
poignant memories I had here we go. One is Todd Bergen,

(01:35:06):
who played at Syracuse. Member to remember. Okay, So Todd Bergan,
We're in lamps Yo, DG. What's up? Man? How are
you doing? Like? I was like, toy, what have you
been playing? He's like, man played Lebanon? Lebanon? Is that safe?
Oh yeah? Man? Beautiful women, good weed? Like, yeah, all
the weed you want. I was like really, I was
like all right, man, see at the end of the game.
And then we had a day at the hotel and

(01:35:28):
they gave you, seriously, twenty five dollars a day per
dam okay, and I was like, man, twenty five dollars,
am gonna I'm gonna go to McDonald's. I'm starved. Right,
So I had to walk like a mile downtown Detroit.
What year was this? This is two thousand and two, okay,
two thousand and two. I felt less safe on that
mile walk mile walk back in Detroit Jefferson Avenue about

(01:35:52):
and I did at any point in time in Israel.
Now what's crazy is like I was like, man, take
me back to the West Bank. But that's but that's
what I lived. I lived right in that building. You know,
there's a Jeffersonian across the street from the McDonald's, and
I lived in the river House right behind it. It
was that bad that nobody bothered me whatever. I mean,

(01:36:13):
there were some dude strong out. There was definitely some
shady looking characters. But I was like, I was a
white guy, would like a shaved head and some basketball
sweat signs from good sneaks. I thought, somebody's gonna come
up with jack me from my jacking from my snakes.
That Rob Parker, Doug gott Lag in for Dan and
the dead Ats here on the Dan Patrick Show. All right,
So are the Rockets championship legit championship contenters? Do we

(01:36:40):
put them in the upper echelon? In the upper echelon?
And Ken two two friends Westbrook and Harden, two guys
who grew up in LA two guys who used to
play together. Can they co exist on a basketball floor.
We'll get to that up coming next on the Dan
Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has
the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all

(01:37:02):
of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and
within the iHeartRadio app. Search f SR to listen live
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play the day because we're not plays yesterday. Actually there's
Summer League. Rob Parker, Doug Gottlieb in for day. Are

(01:37:24):
you watching all the Summer League or you went into
Summer League or not all of it? But I watched
some of it. I'm not I'm not into the Summer League.
I like the NBA. Yeah, but it's still a great
sense of you know, is what guys look like on Yeah,
it's hard. I mean, look, you have Lonzo Ball was
the MVP. It's rookie year at the summer I think
Lonzo Ball's gonna be pretty good. What does that mean?

(01:37:45):
Tell me exactly what do you mean by that good?
How is he going to be All Stars? Is he
going to be a franchise, a needle mover or what
what is he going to do because I'm not I'm not.
I don't know where you I don't think he'll be
an All Star, but I don't know. Like he hasn't
had an NBA offseason. This is first time he'll have
a chance to really refine his game. And he's like

(01:38:05):
twenty one years old, is he is? He too laid back,
Doug like, he's just he is. He does have a
tendency to be passive and to what you call hot
potato the book guy right, like get rid of it
too quickly. But um, there's worse things in the world
than having a guy. I mean that that whole group.
I think Zion, who didn't look great in his his
lone summer league extend I think Zion Drew Holliday is

(01:38:27):
a great passer. For a two guard, you have guys
that like to pass, and you have guys that like
to play defense, and I think he'll be outstanding. He'll
he's outstanding defensively. Um, I think he'd be arguably the
best defensive point guard in the league. He could be
that good. You know, the question becomes can he shoot
and and can he read and make plays off screen role,

(01:38:47):
something he didn't ever do until he got the NBA.
And unless you can shoot, it makes a problematic. I
think it be a really good, solid starting point guard
with a chance, with a chance to be an All
Star if he if he can give, if he actually
before shooting, he has to be a better, better finisher
on the basket. And that's something that an off season
or two can fix. And one last thing. Yeah, well,
a guard who shoots that poorly from the free throw?

(01:39:11):
What is that? Mental? Could you I had that? You
had the same thing, right? Yeah, I was a very
good free throw shooter and I got to college and
I couldn't make a free throw And it took took
a couple of years after college in order to shake it. Yeah,
it's it's the yips man. It's really hard. And and
he hasn't I don't think he's gonna change his shot
because he was forty, but I mean really bad. Look,

(01:39:34):
what's interesting. Here's what's interesting about Russell Westbrook, who's really
more of the topic of the day, right, is that
Russell Westbrook had that This year he shot mid sixties
from the free throw line, and he used to be
an eighty percent free throw shooter. Yeah, that was something
that was weird. And and then you have a team
that values efficiency from the three point line, bringing in
the uh the least efficient, high volume three point shooter

(01:39:59):
ever in the NBA, like Russell Westbrook. It's not for
lack of trying. He's just not a good three point shooter.
And now he's going to the Houston Rockets. That seems
like such. It seems like such a departure from who
they are, right, So let's bring in Dante Jones, of course,
played in the league. Fox Sports Radio NBA analyst, one
NBA Championship, playing alongside Lebron. I love the idea of

(01:40:21):
getting younger. I do know they have a good relationship,
having played together, having grown up near each other. But
just in terms of X and os, how does this
two ball dominant guys and a guy who's been so
inefficient shooting the basketball of late Russell Westbrook and James
Harden playing together Dante, Well, it worked before, but you

(01:40:42):
had a guy named Kad next to him as well. However,
the first step, as you said, is the relationship and
guys who really enjoy each other and enjoy playing with
each other, and I think after that you can find
to make it work. Inefficiency of Russell Westbrook. Don't they
coming to play as much because Mike D'Antoni wants threes

(01:41:02):
and lay ups, and Russell does a great job attack
in the basket. He draws a lot of attention. He
could also probably help get James some easy buckets. So
I think they can find a way to play together.
I think the hardest thing in this day and age
to get guys that want to play with each other
and enjoy each other, and you can have a bond
like those two have already, then you can figure it

(01:41:23):
out on the court. Dante. Have they moved up at all?
I mean we could take a look and say, obviously
Houston's going to be in the mix in the Western Conference,
But did that trade move them anywhere or they still
kind of just in the mix with everybody else. I
think they're still just in the mix now and maybe
up a little one position. But teams got better in

(01:41:46):
the West. The Clippers got better, Lakers got better, you
talk got better. So they are right where they were
because of the teams. The teams that were under them
got a lot better, and I mean a lot better.
So the Lakers put a really good roster out there.
The Clippers have a really really good roster, so it's
gonna be tough for them. Um. They'll still have their

(01:42:08):
game plan, but they have another thirty point score to
go along with James, so they get they get more firepower.
They get a guy that can go downhill at will. UM,
but they got to figure out how how they're going
to match up against those other powerhouses UM in the West,
and they have wing scores and they have bigs now,
so it's gonna be tough. What do you think. I

(01:42:31):
like it a lot. I think it was the best
thing for them. I think shooting for Kauai would have
put them out a disadvantage UM going to trying to
find value guys. But now that they didn't get Kawhi,
they got to fill their roster around and really put
out a product that it's going to be able to
win and support the two stars that they have. Avery
Bradley was a very good pick up as their last

(01:42:52):
pick up. A guy who can defend multiple positions but
also can shoot corner threes and and and make them
happening on the offensive end, and he wants to prove
something as well. So um Ray, gion Rondo and Quinn
Cook as your guard, as your league guards. Those guys
are bring a lot of different things to the table,
and they're different from each other, and they all have
winning I think what separates them from the Clippers is

(01:43:14):
the fact that they have like six rings over there.
They've got to have been in the NBA Championship. They've
got to one NBA championship. This is exactly one guy. Yeah,
this is exactly what I was telling Rob before. It's like,
look on paper, I get that all those guys, that
roster looks complete, but none of those guys have done it.
When it matters how many in Toronto I won a championship?
Project they two? They had two. But the reason why

(01:43:38):
Toronto was dangerous Number one, they had two guys that
have been to a championship before and one championships. And
they had a third guy that have been to a
conference finals. And they had a defensive player of the year. Yeah,
and I mean people under I think people the Mars.
The Marcus Saul pickup was a huge pickup, huge pickup
for them in a couple of different series and an

(01:43:58):
experience he'd been in the Western Conference like I think
they've been the Western Conference finals once with the Grizzlies
are been deep in the playoffs like I just there's
an experienced disadvantage there. I would say, also have a
coach in Doc Rivers who's won a championship, totally fan
and that's a guy I want to be on the
bench who's been there and done that. Can I ask
you one, Christonal Rod. While I love Doc Rivers as

(01:44:18):
much as you do, but what has Doc Rivers done
except half kg and Paul and Paul Pierson really together?
Last year was probably one of his best coping jobs.
That was the one year and Doc he had it
before that, he had he had a year like that
in Orlando as well, where where I understand that the
point The point is he has actually has done sometimes

(01:44:39):
his best jobs when he's had his least talent as
well as he did a great job. Well, I'm saying
my point was on that one was is that Doc
Rivers had ten years ago in Orlando. More than that,
it was like it was like more like fifteen seventeen
years ago, Yes, fifteen fifteen seventeen years ago in Orlando.
And last year was a very good clipper. Yes, and

(01:45:00):
he did a great job with that where I thought
he should have been in the in the Coach of
the Year running. But Frank Vogel with Roy Hibbert, David
West and a young Paul George. Yeah, but then the
two conference finals, Yeah, we can play that. It's that
uneven on the coaching stop because Frank really never had players. Yeah, no, listen,
it's it's gonna be Dante Jones joining us uh NBA

(01:45:20):
from NBA champion and an analyst here on Fox Sports
Trade alongside Rob Parker. I'm Doug got this is the
Dan Patrick Show. Um, what do you think of Oklahoma
City's decision to go like, oh, oh oh you want
Paul George? You want to go back home? Oh cool, Well,
well we'll get you back home. Like do you think
they just they saw that like in two years everybody

(01:45:41):
said in two years they were going to be in
capell and it was going to be ugly. Did they
just speed up the inevitable or did they give up
too early? Um? What I do know this is a
part of the plan for Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
When Russell Westbrook signs this extension, it was you know what,
give us two three years. If it doesn't work, will
send you where you want to go. And Paul George

(01:46:02):
as well. If we can't find a way to make
this work and we can't see it a lot at
the end of the tunnel, we will send you guys
to where you want to go. For for giving us
a chance. And all they wanted was a chance. And
when they saw that this thing does not look like
they can get better, faster and compete, they a lot
Paul saw and Paul asked for that opportunity that that

(01:46:23):
they that they had spoke about, and they felt like
it was the right time. And I think they done
a great job of getting assets to be able to
rebuild this thing because they didn't have a team that
could actually compete in the spot that they were in
is probably the worst spot in basketball at seventy te
that can't really win that that well, I'm sorry, a
team that can't get passed the first round, that's not

(01:46:43):
getting a great draft pick, that really is not going
to win a championship. They had to find a way
to get out of that rut Dante, Where does Chris
Paul go from here? I mean, you expect them to
stay there is they're a buy out in the works,
even though it's a lot of money. Does you wind
up with the Lakers? What do you? What do you she?
Or it is Chris Paul? I don't know. Do people
want him around anymore? I think that. I think just

(01:47:07):
just like it's it's the right situation that's going to
be right for Chris Paul. He's not a you plug
him into any situation that works anymore at the end
of his career. Um, do I think he doesn't stay
in Oklahoma City? Oklahoma City is on rebuild mode now,
So maybe they stretch him, Maybe they buy him out
US one hundred forty seven million. Dude, they're not stretching

(01:47:31):
him by him. It's a lot of money, but Miami
is still desperate for a point guard and trying to
compete in the in the East. Um, New York may
get a little it's it's it's a tough spot to
be in. They may let him just rock out and
be a leader for his team. I know he wants
to to get to LA and play with this guy Lebron.

(01:47:52):
I don't see a reunion with the Clippers, even though
they need a backup point guard. But um, it's it's
a tough spot because he has so much guaranteed money
on the table, and like do they want to eat it?
What do they have to find me? Created them try
to move it? Because eating it will put them in
a tough spot. There's not that much catch up in
the world. I don't think that they could eat that. Yeah,

(01:48:15):
you never you never know. I would, I would, I
would guess that would not They would rather at least
play him for a year and and then try and
then huh over five years is a bad thing. It's
one hundred and forty seven million dollars. But then you
don't have to be in a position where like Memphis
and and teams are grabbing caps. Yeah, I think they'll

(01:48:38):
take on somebody else's bad contract that's a year shorter
or two years, two years short money to to to
save money. Like that's probably what happened. Like Dragitch is
in his last year in Miami, right, so they take
on that and something else that Miami doesn't want in
an effort to to move that along. Um, we didn't
ask you about No one's asked about Boston. Is there

(01:49:01):
any chance that Boston is better? Even if they have
inferior talent from last year, with Kemba being a better
fit and Jason Tatum and and and Jaylen Brown taking
taking a bigger step. Um. I think that they are
they are better than last year, but that's not enough
to compeace for a championship. You understand what I'm saying.
Because I think that the roles will be more defined.

(01:49:23):
I think guys um will be motivated, more motivated to
play with the leader like Kimba Walker. I think they
got they got an upgraded leadership. They have the same
amount of talent, they're in a scoring perspective, but he's
a he's a better he's a better leader than Kyrie
at this point in time in his life. And he
has a and he will be able to fit in
Brad Stevenson and Brad Stevenson's offensive schemes and make him

(01:49:45):
better a little bit. But they lost a big part
of what their identity was even before Kyrie got there.
And that's Al Horford. He's a guy that doesn't get
enough credit. He defends, he's all he's consistent, he's always there.
He just provides them with them surety to be in
a winning type of environment. And how do you, how
do you play in with himbid late, Um, it's you

(01:50:09):
just be bigger than everybody else. You outrebound everybody's. You
bully people. And I think he can guard fours. If
he can guard fours and five, that's that's never been
his problem. But he constructed floor in the corners, and
being constructed floor in the corners, you can find a
way to for them to play together. But it's looking
like that's an alternate play to if embiad still stays
hard enough the year to move in bed. I don't

(01:50:30):
know if you guys see that, m I don't know
it being so talented, but yes, so in but if
you're not, but if you're not healthy, right and you're
not always out there? Yeah, But he's just a he's
a he's a generational talent. And it's a scary thing
that if you if you give up on him and
an he winds up shaking the injury bug and being
a star and you look bad. But but team the

(01:50:50):
championship teams of lately having had dominant big so no,
I got it. I'm with you. But he's he's a
freak though, right, I mean, like I never see anything
like that when that guy's right and they're see anything
like it. But but you gotta put that whin. He's
right and he hasn't been right, so that they know
as it's like your children, they know, we know you
know more about jilling child than the rest of the world.

(01:51:10):
Do you know his deficiencies? And they know what he's
going through and what his mindset is. And they got
a guy that if we move and get some assets
and somebody that what to take a gamble, then we
got another guy that could come in and plug and
do then and put us in the still in a
winning situation. It's a it's a great point you made, Dante.
Great stuff, man, Thank you, John really appreciate it. Thank

(01:51:31):
you guys. All right, it's Dante Jones joining us NBA champion.
He owes me chicken wings too. Who do you who
do you bet him? We had some bet. You know
how many guys are beating You can't say like he
owes me because I want to bet what bet? It
was a fine NBA finals, rob g You know right,
the NBA Finals last last year, not this year. We
had a bet on that. Oh he took he took

(01:51:52):
the caps Well, I think it was a. I think
it was one. No is when I think I had
that they were going to get swept. It was a sweep.
Nobody believed that. I bet like twenty guys that would
be a sweet Remember Leron heard his thumb, Oh yeah,
when he showed up in the press compon, you know,
oh my dumb dog. Don't come in with that. Put

(01:52:13):
that on after the press conference. Don't come in with
like some built in excuse where you gotta prop put
this on so I could come in and the first
thing reporter gonna say, what happened to you over thumb?
Your Why? No big deal? I just had to get
a set. Oh yeah, I just they had to, you know,
put it back in places just you know, I can't.
You know, the thumb was so bad. I couldn't tie

(01:52:35):
my shoes or make a veal in pepper sandwich. That's
how bad the thumb was. Uh all right, Coming up next,
we'll call it as Russell Westbrook and James Harden work
the rust to James Harden work, and and uh why
why Melvin Gordon? Why Melvin Gordon is taking some really

(01:52:55):
terrible advice. That's upcoming next. But first, becoming a success
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zoom where life meets legal legal zoom dot Com. Doug

(01:53:56):
Gotleibro Parker in for Dan and the Danettes on The
Dan Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio. You can check
me out later twelve to three Pacific, three to six
Eastern time to Gotlieb Show every day on FSR. And
of course, uh, my man, my man, Rob Parker has
the Odd Couple here and Chris Brussard seven o'clock Eastern time,

(01:54:16):
four o'clock Pacific time. So so we're working double duty today,
double duty, two duties, that's the word. That's of course
Chris Brussard. Didn't you work with Chris? And of course
he took off the Odd Couple last night? So did
this deal come down during the Odd Couple? It did?
Or it did came down during the Odd Couple? Oh yeah,

(01:54:37):
Me and Jonas Knocks got to dive into it. It
was good. You know. What's what's interesting to me is
I like Russell Westbrook, but the triple double thing is
so over overdone, overdiscussed, frankly overrated because is it overrated
when nobody else could do it for forty years in
the least sports completely changed, it's changed. Yeah, but how
many other guys are doing it? If it's so easy

(01:54:59):
to do, it would be more than just Russell Westbrook.
You don't think that if if Lebron wanted average trouble
double No, No, I don't think Lebron if he wanted to,
Lebron could go out every night, but he wasn't getting them.
So I gotta give Russell. I think it's easy to
pooh poo it and say anybody could do it. I
don't think anybody can do it. Well, if here's the thing,
a lot of people don't Actually, I'm not accusing you

(01:55:20):
of it. A lot of people don't watch NBA games, right,
And the difference between eight rebounds ten rebounds, I mean, honestly,
like Carmelo, Anthony used to do this all the time,
where he would call off other guys so he could
get a rebound, and he would he would give guys
the stink guy if they would, you know, on a
dead ball rebound, they would go grab it. And he
was in the area. That's my board to get in

(01:55:42):
order to get his numbers the points and assists. Look,
we're playing at a historic pace, right, You're paying a
playing at a faster pace. You're gonna have more possessions. Additionally,
if you're the ball dominant guy on the team, you're
gonna have more opportunities to make plays. But this is
the only we're all put The only thing is really
the rebounds, and the rebounds come from the fact that

(01:56:03):
he was switching so that he could be around the
basket to get rebounds. It but he doesn't need to
be his record. The team's record was really good when
he got the triple double, so it wasn't empty numbers
where he was just grabbing numbers. They will had a
much better winning percentage when he average a triple double.
That's why I can't just discount him or act like

(01:56:23):
he's just filling a statue. Okay, is that fair, I guess,
But if they're winning game, the proof will be in
the proof will be in the pudding. It's it's it's
not any different than James Harden statistically like he should
win the MVP look at it or you know. I mean,
what happens is we realize there's another side of the
floor and that if you're Russell Westbrook hasn't played defensively

(01:56:43):
with the same energy and effort that he gets credit
for in the playoffs. He doesn't do it on a
daily basis. He just doesn't. He takes place off as
anybody does, but he takes more oft than he's given credit.
He would switch on the big guys, so he could
get rebounds. But like it looks statistically on paper, these
two should put up usually yeah one two guys that
can really score. Russell Westbrooks led the league in scoring twice.

(01:57:05):
Right led the league in scoring twice. James Harden's led
the league in scoring. They should put up huge numbers.
But that's not actually the way it works in the
basketball game. Because there's only one ball. It's only one ball.
So is this gonna work or not? You like it?
You say I like it just because, but because you're
convinced no, But because what happens is we accuse the

(01:57:26):
wrong teams of playing ISO ball or whatever. They don't
play pick and roll ball, they play iso ball. They
just try and set the screen and get a mismatch
and go. And I think they'll try and do the
same thing for Russell. Statistically, I think it'll be good.
I think they'll be a good regular season team. But
I mean, a team that had committed themselves to analytics
and three point shooting now has brought in the highest volume, lowest,

(01:57:48):
least efficient three point shooter in the NBA. Like, does that?
Does that make sense? With the analytics and Daryl Morey
supposed to be in this analytics gool rule. Yes, but
he wouldn't have brought in Chris Paul if he was
complete analytics. Right, So there's something there, Yes, there's He's
not an idiot, right, it's not all analytics. But this
is an anti analytics move. Um. I think considering the

(01:58:10):
fact that Tillman fur Tina, their owner, wanted something done, like,
he's like, look, well I were I want some butts, right,
that's what he wanted. He wanted he was embarrassed by
the fact they now only lost at home, but they
lost at home for the fourth straight year. Their last
loss was at home, and they did so to the
Golden State Warriors, who didn't have Kevin Durant. And don't
forget Charles Barkley went on after Durant got hurt and

(01:58:31):
said that there was no way that the Warriors would
be able to beat the Rock. But he didn't steal
your line, right, He didn't say no way, no how, No,
he didn't steal that. He didn't go no way, thank you. Okay.
I just want to make sure that Charles Barkley didn't
owe you, like some wings or some sort of payment exactly.
You know, I got T shirts now at get rob
dot com. If you want to get rob dot com,

(01:58:52):
get rob. Get r O b b E has some
numbers on the number of sales that get robb dot com.
We're gonna help get robbed on what's the best item
you can get? Get robbed? You can get a no
Way No how t shirty the gray or white for
twenty bucks that has include shipping in handlet is it
soft shipping in him? That includes it sometimes the justlude

(01:59:12):
shipping but not handling. You include both both. That's the
rest deal you can make. Is it really soft cotton?
If it's a very nice it's a very nice show.
I only wear soft gut, Could you know what I mean?
There's something that are real stiff and when you wash them, yes,
they don't they don't come. Yes. So does it work? Yeah?
I mean I think they're still really competitive. I actually

(01:59:34):
think it creates some space for Russell Westbrook. But I mean,
how many times do we have to see him struggle
in big situations where he goes to hell with it,
I'm gonna do it myself, which is what he's done
the past two years in the playoffs. You know, he's
the old maverick from a top gun, his his uh
his egos right what right? And checks his butt can't cash?

(01:59:56):
Is that what it was? So I I don't I
think it works ending up in a championship, but I
do think they're better. I think the problem is the
rest of the West has collectively, outside of Golden State
gotten better. I think that's the problem is that it's
where's the slot to move? And you're right, well, Golden
State and you take Golden State, all right, board right,
but they're not going to miss the playoffs? Right? Possibly

(02:00:18):
you got them out of the playoffs. No, I don't
have anybody anything. I mean, like, the only team I
have out of the playoffs that made it a year
ago was okay see and the Lakers weren't in the playoffs.
So those are my would be okay seas out and
the Lakers are in. The Spurs make the playoffs, yeah,
because it first to be better with with the Jean
ta Bury back at you see what I'm saying, So
that that would be my only move, I don't. I
don't know what the Pelican's gonna move. Bump somebody out

(02:00:39):
of the Pelican's gonna make the playoffs? I don't know.
You got Minnesota. Minnesota should be Sacramento had a good
year until the last month of the season, right they
were in the hunt? Yeah? Are they? Are they any better? Um?
They bring Harrison Barnes back, the Aaron Fox a year older. Yeah.
I think they're really good. Yeah. I mean, I think
you run the risk of gold to The thing I

(02:00:59):
like about Dangel Russell is otherwise it was going to
be stuff against the world. Do I think D'Angel Russell
fits with them long term? I don't know. He's a
pick and roll guy and they don't run. They run
the fewest amount of pick and rolls in the league.
It's not it's a complete departure from styles. But they're
gonna have to find themselves, find their two point zero,
their beta, if you will. And I think that as
long as they don't wear Steff out and he doesn't

(02:01:20):
get beat up. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised he
misses some games for load management and still puts up
huge numbers when he plays, So wouldn't wouldn't stun me
if Golden State comes close to her misses the plaffs
because it's not they're not that bad. But remember, everybody's
gonna make them pay for all the years of pain
that they inflicted on There's no doubt it'll be like, Okay,
we can, we can have them. We can, we can

(02:01:42):
get them. But I still I still have them. In
the playoffs, I think Portland got better with with the
moves they made. Um. I think obviously the Lakers and
the Clippers are better. Utah is better. No doubt. Denver
is still really good. Um I'd like Denver, you know
I do. They were a game seven win away from

(02:02:02):
going to the Western Conference Finals. I actually think Phoenix
is Phoenix is super super talented, super talented, and with
Ricky Rubiel, they should be pronouncedly better. They have to
have it. They had no point guard and all those
other guys. Now he's a guy who has requires no maintenance,
no ego, just trying to feed the ball to make
other feel better. Yeah, I think they'll be pretty good.
But Ricky Rubio never did he ever pan out to

(02:02:23):
He was the talk of what right he was drafted
ahead of staff? Right he was? He didn't come out
for two years. He also tore his ACL But no,
he's never developed into a good enough shooter and it's
become a shooters league. But in that with that particular team,
he will work. I mean, you got a guy who
can give you thirty a night. Um, yeah, I think
they'll be pretty good. So that's what's working against Golden State,

(02:02:45):
That's what's gonna work against Frankly, against Houston is Man.
There's just just the West is just unbelievable. Dallas is
gonna be good, Dallas should be good. We'll see what
Perzingis looks like when he's back, if he's back fully healthy.
Name between the Sons, the Sons, Dallas. Then those are
three teams that are out on the outside, and Sacrament

(02:03:07):
has four of them and they pretty good. Yes, yes,
it's the league. The West is ridiculous. The West was
not ridiculous last year, but with the Lakers being back
and with the Clippers being legit adding to a playoff
team to two stars one superstar unbelievable. All right, So
so where does Chris Paul end up? I think I

(02:03:29):
think I'm with you. I think the money's too big,
there's no buy out and he plays at least one
year in Okay. See, I think they moved. I think
I thought that last night. I was like, you know,
people love Milkloma City is a drawing card, but once
his aging gets involved. The problem with the Miami thing
is one of the prize possessions they got in one
of the trades is Miami's unprotected pick and I think

(02:03:52):
twenty twenty one. So how much do they want to
help Miami be good when they benefit from Miami bad?
I understand, so they would probably have to be a
third team involved to get them some more picks. But
I do think that there's enough smoke. Miami's a possibility.
What about the Knicks? If I was the Knicks but

(02:04:15):
he did, you know what he would fit from this damnpoint?
The Knicks are always a day late and a dollar short.
It's always like a kind of players. It's right, It
would be a classic Knick move. I was talking about
this with a friend of mine. My dad was my
late father was was a Met fan from there, and
ben people know about the history of the Mets, they
always got somebody after the fact. Well not just that,

(02:04:35):
but when they first started, the Mets were blue because
the Brooklyn Dodgers moved away, and then they were black
because the Giants right there, and they kept signing early
on when they were bad. They kept signing former Brooklyn
Dodgers and former San Francisco Giants who were who are
past their prime. It would be a typical Knicks move.
I don't think it would be terrible because I do

(02:04:56):
think that Chris Paul plays hard, and hell if if
you decide you don't like him two years in, you
can buy him out of that last year. But I
don't think that's the path they're going down. I think
they're handing the ball over to R. J. Barrett and
going to see what he's got. So I there's limited
places you can go for it. Yeah, and how about
the Lakers. I like the Lakers more than you do. Yeah,

(02:05:16):
what don't you like? I don't like Lebron James and
year seventeen. I saw him last year defensively, he doesn't.
He doesn't. He doesn't give it to you every night.
He's down twenty five pounds. Okay, But I just and
I don't know Anthony Davis. Will he wind up being
standing out at the perimeter like uh likes and Kevin Love?

(02:05:37):
Am I right? Is that where he's going? That's definitely
a fear. I think that's one of the reasons they
signed cousins and JaVale mcghida say, hey, dude, that's not
what we want you to do, and we want you
being And I think there's only one other guy, Lebron
being the guy who creates shots within that offense. So
I like him more than other people. I think they
have good depth. Rondo be the only guy might not

(02:05:57):
have signed just because he's well passed, but but him
and Cousins have a relationship. Him well him and Lebron.
Lebron likes him and Cousins does as well. So and
you got to have somebody to control Cousins if he
goes batty on you. Rob, you got the odd couple
Later today, that's all right, and you have to do
God leave show and you can download with your baseball podcast.
It is Inside the Parker on the Herd Podcast Network.

(02:06:19):
And who's this week's Yes, And this week we just
had CC Sabathia and Joel Sherman from the New York Post.
All right, My All Ball podcast will drop tomorrow, will
discuss this trade as well as the basketball tournament which
upcomes comes up next weekend. I'm Doug Golub, He's Rob Parker,
Dan Patrick and the boys are back Monday, yes, Russell
Westbrook is a rocket. This is dan Patrick Show

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