On today’s episode, Jason discusses the Indiana Pacers’ incredible comeback win over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and where Tyrese Haliburton’s game-tying jumper in regulation ranks in the pantheon of the greatest shots in NBA Playoffs history. Later, ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin swings by to discuss what adjustments Minnesota can make to even their series with Oklahoma City, the ‘free throw merchant’ moniker that seems to follow newly-minted NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, that idea that the Thunder are a super team, the Los Angeles Lakers offseason plans to re-tool their roster around LeBron James and Luka Doncic, what big names could potentially be on the move this summer across the League, and much more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
What is up Straight Fire prying? It's me Jason McIntyre,
Straight boyer for Thursday, May twenty second. Recording this at midnight,
and I would say about an hour ago, I was
so fired up for this podcast. I was like, Oh,
we got a phenomenal guest. My main man, Dave McManamon
(00:31):
ESPN NBA reporter covers the Lakers, talked to him earlier
on Wednesday, great stuff. Lakers fans mandatory listening, talked a
little Wolves thunder game two tonight, and then I watched
my Knicks grab a sixteen point lead in the fourth quarter,
Jalen Brunzi goes out and they go on a fourteen
nothing round. I'm I'm so excited. This is how excited
(00:54):
I got. So my daughter had a thing on Wednesday
night and I ask her earlier. I was like, oh,
so if we get food from here, what do you want?
And so she tells me, and then I don't like
tell her we're getting it. I just said, I just
put that out there, so I like surprise her with
the food. But of course, you know it's ninety four
ninety two Nicks in the fourth and I'm like, oh,
(01:16):
I can't leave, it's too close. And Brunson gets his
fifth and I'm like Brunson, come on, dog, and then
fourteen nothing run happens.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
It was a great run.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It was like og Ananobi instantly went for five, and
then the Pacers did some dumb things, you know, fouling
three point shooters, and then Cat scored and og scored
and it's all of a sudden it's up sixteen. Like, okay,
I can watch it in the car on my phone.
You guys know, if you have cable, you can get
the app for that cable company and you can easily
watch it. So I'm driving and I get a call,
(01:46):
so I can't watch for like two minutes, and I'm like, yeah,
I go to.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Pick up food. Blah lah lah, I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I go back on the game as I pull it
into the parking lot for the food place, and I
see the nixer up by forum. I'm sorry, and I'm
like wait what, And quickly I slide back the bar
on how this happened, and aaron Ne Smith goes nuclear
and I'm like, oh my gosh, all right, well we're
not gonna melt. You know, it's fine, they melted, and
(02:13):
Tyrese Haliburton hit what I think is one of the
ten greatest shots in the NBA playoff history, forcing overtime.
I thought the Knicks lost. So as I walk in
the door, you know, I'm in the car, sitting in
the driveway with the food like sweating bullets, and I'm like, okay, fine,
there's a time out. So I walk in the house
and of course, you know, the TV was like seconds ahead,
(02:34):
so they're about to inbound or og and I know
he's about to shoot the free throws and then Haliburton
comes down and I'm holding the food in one hand.
The family's in the kitchen family room, and Halliburton puts
the shot up and all I say is whew as
the ball bounces up, and then no, just screamed, and
(02:59):
our dog, the Golden Retriever, runs over to me and
as wagon to tell what's going on, what's up?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
What's up?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
And I'm freaking out, and I was like, it's over.
We lost. And then I was like, no, toe on
the line. They're like, all right, Nick's got it, folks.
I'm just at a loss for what just happened. And
I kind of like doing these right after as opposed
to the morning after, because right now I'm just like
my heart still racing. The shirt that I was wearing
(03:24):
has like sweat stains in the armpits, like I get
into these games. Yes, I did have the Knicks, though
I felt great about the bet. By the way, lost
on both game ones. I'm done. It's official. I'm done
for this round of the playoffs. Maybe I'll get back
in for the finals. No player props, none of that crap.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I'm done. It's over. I won.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I had a great NFL season, very good college football.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I'm gonna catch. I'm done.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
I'm just so pissed that they blew it. And what
can you say about Tybreez Haliburton. Guys, how clutch is
this guy? This is insane. As a Knicks fan, I
should automatically hate their opponents. I really like Jason Tatum,
and I really like Tyrese Haliburton, and I start reading
about Tyree's you know, I get into these rabbit holes
(04:07):
anytime someone does something incredible, whether it's in the NCAA Tournament, NFL, NBA,
I just dive deep and just start reading about these
people because I'm consumed and like Tyrese, Haliburton's story was amazing.
He's like a great, great high school player in nowhere, Wisconsin.
None of the schools in the area wanted him at all,
(04:28):
but he was a really good high school player. He
had the funky looking shot. You know, he's super skinny,
and you know he cooks at Iowa State, stays in school,
gets drafted, but not super high. He's in no man's
land in Sacramento and the Pacers in what was just
a genius move, they get off Sibonus and they get Haliburton.
At the time, it was considered like, Okay, that's good,
(04:49):
but I'm always got to take the guard and you can,
you know, dig up my old tweets. I was like, Wow,
PACER's got a good one in Haliburton, and folks, this
guy is a star in the league. I don't see
how you can't consider Haliburton one of the best point
guards in the league.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
And you remember in the first round it was like,
oh yeah, John Moran can't do anything.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Boy, this Haliburton guys really freaking good. Again Haliburton, I
would take him over John Morant and people are like,
are you crazy? I don't even think that's close to
a debate anymore.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I mean, this is.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Back to back seasons, folks. He's got the Pacers in
the conference finals and he's just all he's doing is delivering.
Just watch the play where he tied it. He cooks
mckel Bridges at the three point line. I mean, he
just and Bridges are really good defender just embarrasses him
with an inside outside dribble, gets into the lane where
Mitchell Robinson's looking. Halliburton decides, no, I'm not not going
(05:42):
to do a float or anything or try to get
to Fellin. I'm dribbling it out. And if you watch
when he comes out to the perimeter, he takes a
peek at the other basket where he could see the clock,
and he knows he has to go quick fires it
and it's just an incredible everything. And then of course
to throw up the choke sign and point at Reggie Miller,
who's the game. Guys, that's just listen. That's the stuff
(06:04):
dreams are made of. If you're a Pacers fan, if
you're a young NBA fan, if you're like basketball, you
live for those moments. I mean, I still I don't
know if I've talked about on this pod, I've really own.
I think I basically hit the two of my most
memorable shots I've ever hit as a basketball player. One
(06:26):
was like fifth grade, but it wasn't even a game winner.
It was a halftime half court heave for three, right,
and it was like everybody celebrated like it was amazing
and it was awesome. I don't even remember if we
won the game. I just had a half court shot
and like, you know, my family was there, people freaking.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
It was awesome.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And then in the New York City League, we were
down at I think it's Chelsea Peers, and half the
guys on the team I didn't really know. I only
knew like two of them threw a friend, but I
was like, you know, playing with them, and obviously, you know,
I'm not sayingbviously I was one of the best guys,
but I was good. So they had me on the
court at the end and I think we were down
(07:06):
one and I take this like thirty foot three that
bangs home and the one guy who I knew, I
don't sadly I don't remember his name, but he like
charges me and picks me up at the other guys,
and like literally, I was carried off the court. It
was an awesome feeling and a great win. Tyrese Haliburt's
doing this on the regular. I mean, this is just
(07:26):
what he does, and the way his teammates mobbed him
obviously at this point, I got to give a shout
out to Aaron Ne Smith, who hit it looks like
eight of nine threes. He had twenty points in the
fourth quarter. He is the one who carried the Pacers
back as the Knicks play drop coverage on him, which
I guess is kind of sort of understandable, but after
he makes two or three, it's like, guys, can we
(07:50):
lock him up? The Pacers hit six straight threes in
the fourth, the Knicks were up. Oh, it's just as
painful of a loss as I've suffered a as a
Jets fan. There was the Dan Marino fake spike when
the Jets had a really good season and the Jets
are beating the Dolphins, but the Dolphins are driving at
the end of the game. Aaron Glenn, I bet he
(08:11):
remembers it. I'm sure they'll ask go about it at
some point this season, probably leading up to.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
A Miami game.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Dan Marino driving inside the ten. You can see he's
calling for the fake spike, but he does some signal
that the Jets didn't pick up, and instead of spiking it,
he throws. The Jets are dumbfounded touchdown. It was a
backbreaking loss, and I'm fairly certain off the top of
my head that the Jets went on to miss the playoffs.
I think they've been like seven to four, and that
(08:37):
sent them into a downward spiral and it was a disaster. Obviously,
there's so many positive takeaways from this gaming for the
Knicks that you you don't feel like they're in trouble
in this series. But when you piss away a sixteen
point lead with seven to twenty left and then you
blow a fourteen point lead in the final two four,
(09:01):
I mean, I saw stat the Pacers scored twenty three
points in the final three minutes and fourteen seconds of regulation.
That is the most in a playoff game in the
play by play era in that span.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I mean, it's it's insane. How did the Knicks lose
this game?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I'm still attle loss, folks. If I tell you, hey,
Brunson scores forty three, Kat scores thirty five, So they
combined for seventy eight points.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Are the k next winning or losing? You would one
hundred percent say winning.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
By the way, for all the SGA lovers, Brunson forty
three points on twenty five shots. That's what I like
to call efficient.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
He was fifteen or twenty five.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
He was unstoppable, driving only one of six from three,
which hurt. The miss free throws are what really killed
the Knicks. They missed twelve free throws in the game.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
It's sung Man.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Bruns Of miss two heart, missed one, Og, miss two, McHale, bridges,
missed two bridges. I mean, every Knicks play look like
almost every Nick starter except for Og shot over fifty percent.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
From the field.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
They didn't shoot it great from three, and obviously it
was the Nie Smith had thirty points. Just unbelievable. I mean,
that game was crazy, and I got to give Obi
top and a shoutout former Nick. He had an impressive
dunk back and he had two dunks there in overtime
that were impressive, and it was just listen, folks, I'm
sure you saw the rating for thunder Minnesota and again,
(10:29):
and NBA ratings they don't really matter, you do the
ratings leading up to the TV deal. They got the
TV deal. Okay, a crap rating now doesn't mean anything.
All it does is hurt the people who have the
TV deal. It doesn't impact the deal three years from now,
because nobody's gonna look back and say, hey, three years ago,
you guys stunk.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
No, what have you done for me lately?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Trust me, I'm in the negotiation with Fox now and
they're not saying, hey, hey, three years ago, you guys
were crushing it. Now you stink that. Obviously that's not happening,
Like I would.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Have no leg to stand on.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
The Knicks and the Pacers are good, that's gonna have
a monster rating off last night, OKC Minnesota was down
I think twenty four percent or something from Dallas, Minnesota
last year. And I'm sorry, I don't love watching SGA
go to the free throw line and had nausea. I
know people will say, well, Brunson went to the line
fourteen times.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
He did.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Brunson also smaller than SGA, and there aren't any there weren't,
at least that I recall.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
And now I am a Knicks fan, Andy.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Well, that looks like a questionable call. I thought the
reps a lot to play. It looked like a very
physical game on both ends, and I just thought it
was tremendous.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Theater Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Team is crazy. I'm still sticking by the Knicks winning
the series, but geez, that that's stung. All right, let's
get to Dave mc benaman. He's covering Wolves, Thunder, he's
at ESPN, he covers the Lakers. We talk a lot
about the offseason. Enjoy it and make sure you wait
for the very end.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
David plays a lot of hoops. I have not played
with him yet, but I asked for his NBA comp
and so just as a point of reference for my
men's league team, the thirty five and up, we added
a you know, we got a lot of guys who
didn't really know each other, so I had to play
the NBA comp game. And it's fun. I'm able to say,
(12:23):
you know, I usually go try to get a little
obscure within something within the last twenty years. I'm not
gonna say like Terry Cummings, you know like that. That's
come on, No, no, not many hardcore people know Terry Cummings,
like nineteen eighties Milwaukee Bucks guy. But it's fun and
I did.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It with David Benaman. You guys will enjoy it. Here's
the interview.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live. Jason likes to think he knows everything when
it comes to sports.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I know what sports Fance wants, but.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
For everything he doesn't, he knows a guy who does.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Let's just say I know a guy who knows a
guy who knows another guy.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
All right, let's welcome back to straight Fire. One of
the better NBA reporters out there. ESPN NBA reporter Dave
mcmanagan currently covering the Snoozer OKC Minnesota Series. I'm sure
he wishes the Lakers were in the Western Conference Finals, Dave,
what's up?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Man?
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (13:28):
I feel like we did miss out a little bit
on the Steph Lebron late stage second round matchup that
would have led to a conference finals birth and possibly
for the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
But I do find this Wolves team pretty compelling.
Speaker 5 (13:44):
I've covered in the last two postseasons after the Lakers
were knocked out, and I hope they meet the challenge
and give us a memorable series and not anything like
what we saw in the second half of Game one.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, listen, we'll obviously get to the Lakers, but let's
start with the second half. I don't know to boil
it down into an easy package here, it felt like
Minnesota hit threes in the first half, specifically Julius Randall,
and then they just kept shooting threes and didn't adjust
at all, and they I think that I think it
was your reporting that they shot like fifty one threes,
which was a record in the conference finals, and of
(14:19):
course they went cold and OKAC kind of hammered them.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Yeah, a franchise record for actually a three is in
a playoff game fifteen for fifty.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
One they end up with.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
They shot lower than thirty percent on why open looks,
which is not going to get it done, And you know,
some of it was I think the Oka See defense
certainly crowding them, and they're known for being a really
good perimeter defensive team. I think the open looks they're
not truly open. If all the sudden, you find yourself
(14:50):
like a pressure release valve and it's like pressure, pressure, pressure,
no pressure. That does been feel open. So I think
you got to give some credit to Okay, see there.
You know, I think you saw guys like Nikhil, Alexander Walker,
doctor Devincenzo.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
The moment seemed a little big for them.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
It doesn't mean that they can't absorb that moment and
better prepare themselves to perform as the series goes on.
I just didn't think those guys were ready to step
up in the way the team needed them in Game one.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, I mean, nas Reed could not throw in the ocean.
Here's what I struggle with rectifying. How does Dante DiVincenzo
come off the bench and take more shots than Anthony Edwards.
You've covered a lot of Lebron, you know how he
would kind of feel out a game, feel out a series,
get everyone else involved. Is that what was happening last
night with Edwards a little bit?
Speaker 5 (15:39):
I mean, certainly he turned his ankle until he missed
half the second quarter with that, and that affected things,
he said. I asked him straight up, did it affect
your shooting? He didn't admit to it, he said no,
but I think he is a human. Some of it
was certainly the defense that he saw. He said, whenever
he turned the cory, he saw four or five guys
pack in the paint. He only took was thirteen shot attempts,
(16:01):
only one of them was in the paint. And you know,
he says the approach will be to get off the ball.
I think probably he looks at those three point numbers
and says, well, if we're going to be shooting from
the outside and we're not gonna get anything inside, why
not have Mike Conley probe a little bit and toss
it back out to me. I hid more threes than
anybody else in the NBA this season. I'd rather go
(16:22):
down shooting fifteen three, since that's going to be the case.
So I asked Chris Finch about whether he was just
being emotional and saying that would be his tactic moving forward,
intension not Actually, I think that there could be some
benefits to us having him play off the ball and
move around a little bit more and catch the ball
on the move.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
So, but you trust Conley as a playmaker at this age?
Or can Randall, who I mean is now a triple
double guy. I guess, can he unlock some more playmaking
like he did against the Lakers?
Speaker 4 (16:50):
And yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
I mean Conley, I gin guess my point being, if
there's no real probing to be had because they're packing
the paint, you can certainly.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
Try to probe a little bit and just kick out.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
I think Randall proved himself to be a really good
playmaker in both the last two rounds, and they needed
him to score last night, and he was really the
only guy doing it. He ended up nine to thirteen
twenty points in the first half, eight and second half.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
I don't think they even had sniffed that.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
Game for the first two and a half quarters unless
Randall was the score. But certainly that's an adjustment they
can make. Randall's capable of reading that team and finding
the open guys where they like it.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
How about the zone? We know Denver had a lot
of success with zone Minnesota did against them in the
regular season. I didn't recall much, if any zone in
Game one. Do you expect a lot more in game two?
Speaker 4 (17:45):
I didn't see a lot of it.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
Finch was asked about it earlier in the playoffs, and
he says, you're probably maxing out at about fifteen possessions
of zone a game before the team either.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
Regresses to the mean or excuse me, progresses to the mean.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I should say where they start their shots start to fall,
or they're just anticipating it and they have counters built in.
So I do think you'll see that. I think it's
part of their defensive diet. Maybe that's, you know, you
don't want to throw everything out there in game one
when you're already looking at like a loss. They had
that seventy to seventeen to two run from like the
(18:25):
six minute mark of the third till the one minute mark,
and the thing felt like it was over, and so
at that point, I don't think you want to be
going too deep in the playbook to try to use
stuff that can help you as the series goes on.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Definitely, we're recording this right after Shaye Gilders. Alexander was
announced as the MVP. Not a huge surprise. A.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Do you have a vote? B? Did you vote for him?
And see?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
What do you think of the nickname free throw Merchant? A?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Yes, B, yes, we see somewhat accurate but okay. However, however,
I mean.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
He should be celebrated as a great play. Three straight seasons,
thirty plus points per game, He's only twenty six years old,
sixty eight wins, only sevent teams in NBA regal season
history have won that many. So those are two huge
parts of his resume. Top five and steals a culture
center for that organization. All those reasons are why I
(19:27):
voted for him. Now, when I watched Game one last
night and he had seven free throw attempts in the
first five minutes of the game, woo. Do I feel
like this is a Brandon basketball that I love and respect?
Not necessarily when he draws thirteen thousand in the game,
the most he's ever drawn in a playoff game in
his career. Again, don't love it, especially when we think
(19:48):
that basically since the middle of the twenty three to
twenty four season, when anecdotally the league wasn't happy the
way the fans were unhappy with the loaded scoring numbers,
and they kind of told Reffs' start swallowing the whistle whistle.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
A little bit.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
It's seemingly that only becomes more of the marching orders
in the playoffs, so most of the guys are out
there not getting calls and playing through it. It's actually
pretty compelling. It sticks out even more when someone like
Shay continues to get the calls that he gets. So listen,
I think it is crafty. I don't think it's cheating
(20:26):
or anything like that. I don't think it's it's a
form of being competitive to find every advantage you can.
I just don't think it's as aesthetically appealing. He's a
better player than just to be known for that, right, Like.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
You play a lot of pick up ball. I haven't
been invited to one of your games. But whatever the road,
how annoying are How annoyed are you when some guy
drives and just calls a foul every time? That's what
it kind of feels like.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
Date it's the worst.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yeah, it's terrible. So one other thing you said, Sga
was like, I think top five and steals. Didn't Curry
lead the league in steels one year.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
I'm pretty sure step.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Career, Yeah, he may have.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Like again, I know Sga is always such a great
two way player. I mean, listen, he's got lou dort
chet holmgrind protecting them like he's.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
Got he was considered a great player. Sure, I'm just
saying it is there is not like he's a.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Sie No, definitely, He's not like Luca in the playoffs
this year. This year, he wasn't that bad last year.
We'll get the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Well one more.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I don't know why, but Dave, and again I'm not
singling on anybody, but it feels like a lot of
the stat guys absolutely love this OKC team. Oh, they're
historically great. Look at the point differential. This is one
of the great defenses ever, and I just watching them,
I don't feel like this is an all time great
team or even close. I picked the Wolves to win
this series. I'll stand by it. Am I missing something
(21:51):
or maybe it's just I'm clouded by picking against OKAC
all season and thinking they're overrated. I don't see like
an all time great team or even anything close to
do you.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
I had an NBA player tell me this this year,
and I won't say his name. He didn't expecially say
it was off the record, but you know I wasn't recording,
so it wasn't clear that was on the record, But
he said, Okay, see, he's the best college team.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
In the NBA.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
And his point for saying that it was basically outside
of Shane. He certainly was not trying to throw shade
at Shay. He just didn't think their talent is all
that great. He thinks they're a bunch of really good
role players.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
But in the.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Playoffs, traditionally we're used to seeing a team get put
in a situation where the shot clock gets ground down
to four or five and then you need somebody to
go make a play for you. And I don't think
in the reason I agree with this player in some senses.
Jerleen Wollen isn't quite there yet, Check Holmer isn't quite
there yet. Certainly, you know, I think Isie Hartsteen is
(22:54):
a perfect role player in what he plays. Caruso perfect
role player and what he plays. But in terms of
the star beyond Shay, I don't know if you say
you know that they have it the way that say
Julius Randall and Anthony Edwards are for this Wolves team
right now.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Yeah, it's weird, this, this whole Jay Dubb being a
number two.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I don't see that at all.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Somebody tried to tell me he could be an All
NBA guy this season. Dave, tell me you didn't vote
for him All NBA.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Now I haven't voted.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
It was about six weeks ago, So I don't want
to misquote myself.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
I do not believe I did.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Come on, but I want you wrot chance.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I don't want to quote myself six.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Best forwards or fifteen best players, and there's just no way.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
I mean, listen, he's he's a nice player, and it
certainly give credit to the okay see Fronk office as
someone that they brought into the program, But yeah, I
don't he's not elevated to star status. And generally, when
you start talking about a team that you know is
going to be the darling for everyone, I think part
(23:59):
of the reason why that that player shared that to
me too, is that they play hard every night, and
veteran teams who are pacing themselves for something bigger don't
necessarily always do that in the regular season, and some
of that is a problem for the NBA product.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
It's not something you can necessarily brag about, you know.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
I think it's I would love to be a fan
and watch a team where I feel like every single
night they are giving their.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
All like that.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
It's not realistic, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
It's not unless you have a group where everyone's twenty
five years are younger.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
So I'm looking at the contracts. Maybe it's not updated,
but according to Hoopside, Jalen Williams is making four point
seven million dollars this year, Is that right?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Yeah, it's so roughy scale.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Hartenstein's making thirty so yeah. So here's my guess is
they will be looking to move off Jalen Williams in
some kind of deal this offseason because he's not a
number two. If he's a three, that's fine, but like
I would rather have Austin Reeves is a three than
Jayalen Williams. And I know you're people a gonna call
you a Lakers, but I know you'd agree with me.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
I think often there is a wonderful player.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
I don't know if I'm going to go, you know,
apples apples with jam Williams and gentlemen certainly has more size.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
Gentle Williams I believe is a hair younger. Yeah, Austin.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
Austin's certainly more skilled on ball, but he has times
where he gets picked on defensively, So I listen.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
I think they won't.
Speaker 5 (25:26):
Be in a rush to move off of John Williams though,
even if like this thing blows up and he is
clearly not the number two that they thought he would
be because he is still young and he is on
a cost control contract, Like, what are you going to
how are you going to replace him with a guy
making that type of money, that with that much production.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Like just so happens. They got case on Wallace, But.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
I think the guy that they could move on from,
you know, a guy like.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Lou Dort, I think that his number would be they'd
be more likely to move there. And certainly every team
is looking for a three and D guy around the
league and that he could add more value.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup
in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR
to listen live.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Let's use that to pivot to the Lakers. We did
several post mortems on them. I think I'm in the minority.
I don't think they're that far away, Dave from going
to the finals again. You had Luca for half a
season coming off missing like thirty games due to injury,
no center really on the roster, Like, oh, this is
(26:38):
a team to finish third in the West. Like, I
just don't understand the overreactions. It's probably just the dislike
of Lebron, you know. But I am curious in your
post mortem, do you feel the Lakers are close in
the West, like a player away. I know this is
too many questions, but I think they match up great
if they were facing Oka, see, I think they would
they win the series. They're a good matchup forro Case,
(27:00):
as we saw, as evidenced by their like seventy point
winning Okay, yeah.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
Well they couldn't miss that game, so I think that
we have to take that into account, like sometimes that
just happens, and any team that hits twenty four three
is is going to look like But even.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
The game after that, which I think was back to
back or something before the bullshit ejection.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Yet, yeah, that was that was a bad objection. I'll
give you that.
Speaker 5 (27:21):
Let's start with the first question. Are they a player away?
If that player is a vertical lob threat center that
can be durable and be smart enough to not have
Lebron and Luca tune him out because he messes stuff out.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Because that was that was basically the problem of Jackson.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
Hey, hey, is a loob threat, good athlete, good.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Guy, But we don't know about that part.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
But continue, good locker room guy.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
Let me let me say that, let me let me
put the caveat and that's a fair challenge.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
You present it back, good locker room guy.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
But whether it was foul trouble or whether it was
just not being on the same page in terms of
what they're trying to run quickly, was lacking trust from
the coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
From from the stars.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
It when mattered in the playoffs, and so they didn't
play him. Now that is still you don't point the
finger at Jackson Hayes. You point the finger at the
front office and say why didn't you get this team
as center that they could rely on. Then the front
office is, okay, we tried Mark Williams failed the physical Okay, fine,
but it can't be hollow words this offseason like it
(28:34):
is fully on the front office too. Now back their
bet by training for Luka Doncic to give him a
chance to win his first championship and win Lebron's fifth.
You got to have a complete roster or you know,
you're just trying to use the hype of Celticts, and so.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
That is the top priority.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
I think it will come down to matchups, obviously, but
I still believe that.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
There is is no world beater in the league right now,
especially with Tatum going down. I'm going to miss a year.
I think Boston was the best team by a pretty
wide degree when they were right.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
But they're not going to be right and they're never
going to look the same again, and so the Lakers
should feel emboldened to use They have an expiring contract
for Gabe Vincent, they have Ruy Hachimura and Jared Vanderbilt
at a good numbers that you can attach a first
round pick to or attach adult and connect and get
(29:34):
some nibbles around the league. There there there are things
they can do, and I think there is a big
Austin Reeves question. But Austin Reeves, in my opinion, will
only be moved if someone like gas Tokupos says I
want to play in l A and LA only, and
then then the Lakers of course got to figure something out,
(29:55):
and then they need pieces in order to make that
happen interesting.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
So you don't I think they would consider moving Reeves
for Kevin Durant, not that Durant's even interested in the Lakers,
and I doubt you'd want to play with Lebron. But
essentially it's like, yeah, Giannis wants to come to the Lakers,
sure will trade Austin Reeves. Otherwise he's not going anywhere.
Speaker 5 (30:12):
I would say, based on the players that we know
are potentially going to be on the market. You know,
I am still very curious to see what Jaylen Brown does.
Does he want to be a part of what seems
to be kind of a rebuild on the fly in
Boston or will he say?
Speaker 4 (30:29):
You know what, I don't. I don't know if this
is something that's for me.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
And then if Jalen Brown becomes a name that's available,
then I think, yeah, that's sacking icy.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
I don't think I've heard that at all. Let me
call up his contract here, But I don't think Brown
can just walk You think, Boston.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
No, no, no, no, yeah, trade him?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Right?
Speaker 5 (30:47):
But if they're already trying to avoid this five hundred
million dollar luxury tax bill for next season, and Christope
Pozingis is expiring widely considered be moving him.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Jew Holliday is a couple of years left on his deal.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
So then Jalen Brown says, Okay, you just got rid
of Porzingis, you got rid of Drew Holliday, and Tatums
aren't going to play for a year. Do I want
to just waste a year of my prime waiting for
this or to look better?
Speaker 4 (31:18):
Or do I want to go somewhere. I mean, I'm
not reporting he's going to know.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
I'm just saying that's the type of name though that
would certainly interest the Lakers in parting with someone like.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
What about Trey Young?
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Trey Young?
Speaker 5 (31:33):
They talked about him to Atlanta two years in a row,
and they did not include Austin Reeves when those discussions.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
And Rawson's only gotten better since then, so I would agree.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
I think Trey Young's stock is way down. I had
someone tell me that the San Antonio Spurs initially we're
interested in Trey Young, and Wimbin Yama's people were like,
we don't want anything to do with I guess the
work ethic, the lack of defense. The word is out
on Tree Young like he had a great early career,
but he's kind of plateaued. And they went dear on
(32:05):
Fox and said, I can't find another guy that I
would even consider really moving. Let me just go this
is a little crazy.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
LaMelo ball.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
What does he do for you as a player?
Speaker 4 (32:19):
The talent is unreal.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
He hasn't played in one he hasn't stayed healthy, and
two he hasn't played in like a month of basketball.
That's mattered yet in his career, let alone barely a week, right, like,
because they've been so far down the standings whenever he's
on the court. So, I mean, I can't imagine with
this iteration with Lebron James it being a fit.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Not no, his brother if his brother, like Lebron liked.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
Playing with Lonzo, Lonzo just got hurt midway through that season. Yeah,
but I don't think LaMelo is a guy for this group.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Do you what's your and this is a tough one.
Do you think the Lakers are more likely to go
to Luca or to Lebron? And ask about saying I
don't know, Hey, the six Ers are looking on Paul
George any interest? Or do they go to both of them?
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Luca?
Speaker 5 (33:08):
And I mean I reported around the time of the
trade deadline that Rob Plinka had a meeting with Luka
Doncic shortly after they acquired him, and in that meeting,
Rob presented a list of names they could potentially pursue
with the trade deadline approaching of three or four days
after that meeting, and Luca identified Mark Williams to someone
(33:29):
that he would like to play with, and Rob went
out and put together a deal to show that he
had urgency to make Luca feel like this is the
place for him to be long term. And Lebron's camp,
and I've already reported this on ESPN, Lebron's camp, they
kind of raised an eyebrow like, hey, like, you know
(33:52):
what about like Lebron's what of some improvements on this
roster and it seemed to ruffle some bathers.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
Well, Lebron wanted improvements on this roster.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
So yeah, So I think that in that vacuum, it
felt like there was a shift in the team's priorities
to put the pecking order of Lucca first and Lebron's second. However,
I think that would be pretty silly one considering Lebron
(34:25):
is Lucas Idol. He's been clear about that, and so
if he sees and perceives that the franchisees in any
way not treating Lebron James the right way after he's
won them a championship and decided to come to that team,
after they'd missed the playoffs for seven straight years and
got them back on the map in terms of being
(34:47):
the most relevant NBA franchise day in day out, would
that affect Luca's decision making come August second, when there's
going to be a contract extension on his plate. And
so if if I'm the Lakers, I am very much
making sure that I am getting input from both those
players and keeping those players lockstep as a partnership, because
(35:13):
that's the only way we make this chapter look as
good as it can be.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Totally agree, But I will say this and Dave again,
it's just speculative and you're watching the game and a
million things. But as that series started to go sideways
at the end against Minnesota, I just would I don't
want to be body language expert guy, but it didn't
look like Lebron and Luca were on the same page.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
Now.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I don't know if there was film review and Luca
was getting lit up and Lebron was unhappy because Lebron,
we know he's given us all chase down blocks and everything.
I'm not saying that there's like a break or anything
between these two or they're now on the same page,
but it just didn't appear as unified as it felt
during the regular season. Did you feel or see any
of that stuff.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I didn't.
Speaker 5 (35:58):
I can't speak to the body language stuff, and certainly
can speak to the health stuff, like Lebron wasn't right.
You know, he had come back from the groin injury
that you know, cost him whatever it was two and
a half weeks or something like that, and he reaggrevated
against Houston.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
Again. He didn't look physically right.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
Luca wasn't physically right, Like Luca was a shell of
himself in well, in essence, looking back, it was like
a must win Game three and he can't keep food
down for twenty four hours. So and then you know,
Game four, it was like, you know, so Game three,
Lebron takes over the offense because Luca has no energy.
(36:41):
Game four, Lebron gives all of his effort to defense,
and you know, ultimately there's a foul. It should have
been called. The league admitted it. Luca was tripped, doesn't
go to the foul line. If he goes to the
foul line, he probably makes free throws. We're talking about
a two two series and maybe the Lakers, you know,
it's a totally different narrative. At the same time, Lebron
throws a bad and bounced past two and it just
(37:04):
it didn't sync up. I do not believe the reason
they lost the series was Lebron and Luca not be
on the same page though. I think the reason they
lost the series is they had an incomplete roster, and
the roster that they did have probably only had in
the neighborhood of.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
A half dozen practices in the time they were together.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Yeah, that's not ideal.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
A couple more, I think Miles Turner is the perfect
fit for this Lakers team. Obviously, he's having a banger
of a postseason.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
He's going to be in high demand.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Any chance that Lebron and Luca put the full court
press on saying, bro, take a little less, we could
make up for the marketing, whould they land Miles Turner
in free agency.
Speaker 4 (37:44):
See. I don't see him as a perfect fit. I
don't see him really as a lob threat.
Speaker 5 (37:48):
Yeah, he's a or spacing yeah yeah, and certainly defensively
he can take up space.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
He makes a lot of money.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
I think you can get a proximate version of him.
So I just disagree there. So I don't think so.
And you know, the Lakers went down that road a
couple of years ago, and they could have gotten Miles
Turner and Buddy Healed in a deal right before the
start of training camp of twenty two to twenty three.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
They would have you know, would have involved moving Russell Westbrook.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
They ultimately decided that that's not the best deal we
can get, and they waited. And then obviously that patience
was good because not only did that restructured team make
the Western Conference Finals, but they got to Angela Russell.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
They turned into Dorian Finney Smith.
Speaker 5 (38:35):
And I think Dory Infinny Smith will be a major
contributor on this year's Lakers team. I think he did
not come in healthy, uh, and it took him some
time to get some rhythm. But with him having the
comfort factor and the health factor on his side, like
I mean, I think he'll be right there with the yeah,
(38:55):
being considered the third best player right along with Austin Reeves.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Oh that's spicy. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
I like DFS al right, last one.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
So everybody's speculating the same names Capella, Nick Claxton, blah
blah blah blah. What do you make of a Kungu?
I like him a lot. He's an LA kid. Have
you heard any buzz on Okungu is a potential target?
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Right?
Speaker 5 (39:13):
I have before the Bark Williams trade, and I can't
tell you all the names on that list, but I
actually assume he was one of the names on that
list that Robert Linka presented to Luca, because I do
know that the Lakers made a call to the Hawks
around the trade that line about Okongou. So I think
(39:35):
lop threat athleticism absolutely in terms of being a perfect fit,
maybe not. They might not get a perfect fit though. Yeah,
I think Clinton Capella of.
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Seventeen eighteen probably was a perfect fit.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
But we're twenty five to twenty six now, so that
that's kind of the spot they're going to be. And
I am of the opinion to not go all in
on someone like a Claxton, etcetera making twenty to thirty million.
Speaker 4 (40:07):
Well, I mean, but he's already under contract.
Speaker 5 (40:09):
So they're going to have the taxpayers mid level available
to them. And I go out, try to get a
guy at that level, and if he doesn't prove to
be the best fit, make sure you're holding on to
one of your picks, and then you can try to
pursue something come February, because.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
That position you need to have it.
Speaker 5 (40:32):
I don't know if that position you absolutely need to
have it start of training camp, you could get a
player to fit that role if he is the right
guy in February and be ready and rare to go
come April.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
All right.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Dave mc benhaman ESPN NBA reporter, David, When I start
text chains for my men's league teams, I always introduce
guys as here's my NBA comp for this guy. Need
your NBA comp for your your pick up oops game.
Speaker 5 (41:00):
I played pretty well today. I mean not great, but
I played pretty well today. So I will feel confident
in saying this. I am a shorter Steve Novack catch
and shoot all day, Steve bros.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
More than they signed the baseline wing to wing, catch
and shoot, catch and shoot.
Speaker 5 (41:19):
I don't break out the belt, but you know I
feel that way. I feel that confidence when I get
it going.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
I couldn't up to Ryan Anderson.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
No, I think Steve's better catch and shoot.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
By the way, Ryan Anderson lives here in the South Bay.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
And Richard Jeffersons neighborhood.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Right.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Indeed, by the way, you know that Richard Jefferson was
on our men's league team, right, I think I lost
him the championship and you see him ask hey, what
happened with the j mac Men's lea. It was one
of the biggest upsets ever. Led the whole way and
then collapse at the end. They had to twenty five
year olds who were really good.
Speaker 4 (41:53):
Wait did he show up to the championship?
Speaker 2 (41:55):
And he showed up to the championship. Yeah, wow, he
played a couple of games and they too, no different.
Liner's on the current team thirty five and up. Uh
but uh Liners, Liner's got that that deep stroke.
Speaker 4 (42:07):
Man. I've I've seen some clips.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
We're gonna play, We're gonna we'll put on our priority list.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
I'll get you on the list. Sorry, Buddy good talking.
Speaker 4 (42:16):
Good to see it.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Thanks Dave, see it all right.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
Take care, Ja,
This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
What is up Straight Fire prying? It's me Jason McIntyre,
Straight boyer for Thursday, May twenty second. Recording this at midnight,
and I would say about an hour ago, I was
so fired up for this podcast. I was like, Oh,
we got a phenomenal guest. My main man, Dave McManamon
(00:31):
ESPN NBA reporter covers the Lakers, talked to him earlier
on Wednesday, great stuff. Lakers fans mandatory listening, talked a
little Wolves thunder game two tonight, and then I watched
my Knicks grab a sixteen point lead in the fourth quarter,
Jalen Brunzi goes out and they go on a fourteen
nothing round. I'm I'm so excited. This is how excited
(00:54):
I got. So my daughter had a thing on Wednesday
night and I ask her earlier. I was like, oh,
so if we get food from here, what do you want?
And so she tells me, and then I don't like
tell her we're getting it. I just said, I just
put that out there, so I like surprise her with
the food. But of course, you know it's ninety four
ninety two Nicks in the fourth and I'm like, oh,
(01:16):
I can't leave, it's too close. And Brunson gets his
fifth and I'm like Brunson, come on, dog, and then
fourteen nothing run happens.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
It was a great run.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It was like og Ananobi instantly went for five, and
then the Pacers did some dumb things, you know, fouling
three point shooters, and then Cat scored and og scored
and it's all of a sudden it's up sixteen. Like, okay,
I can watch it in the car on my phone.
You guys know, if you have cable, you can get
the app for that cable company and you can easily
watch it. So I'm driving and I get a call,
(01:46):
so I can't watch for like two minutes, and I'm like, yeah,
I go to.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Pick up food. Blah lah lah, I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I go back on the game as I pull it
into the parking lot for the food place, and I
see the nixer up by forum. I'm sorry, and I'm
like wait what, And quickly I slide back the bar
on how this happened, and aaron Ne Smith goes nuclear
and I'm like, oh my gosh, all right, well we're
not gonna melt. You know, it's fine, they melted, and
(02:13):
Tyrese Haliburton hit what I think is one of the
ten greatest shots in the NBA playoff history, forcing overtime.
I thought the Knicks lost. So as I walk in
the door, you know, I'm in the car, sitting in
the driveway with the food like sweating bullets, and I'm like, okay, fine,
there's a time out. So I walk in the house
and of course, you know, the TV was like seconds ahead,
(02:34):
so they're about to inbound or og and I know
he's about to shoot the free throws and then Haliburton
comes down and I'm holding the food in one hand.
The family's in the kitchen family room, and Halliburton puts
the shot up and all I say is whew as
the ball bounces up, and then no, just screamed, and
(02:59):
our dog, the Golden Retriever, runs over to me and
as wagon to tell what's going on, what's up?
Speaker 4 (03:03):
What's up?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
And I'm freaking out, and I was like, it's over.
We lost. And then I was like, no, toe on
the line. They're like, all right, Nick's got it, folks.
I'm just at a loss for what just happened. And
I kind of like doing these right after as opposed
to the morning after, because right now I'm just like
my heart still racing. The shirt that I was wearing
(03:24):
has like sweat stains in the armpits, like I get
into these games. Yes, I did have the Knicks, though
I felt great about the bet. By the way, lost
on both game ones. I'm done. It's official. I'm done
for this round of the playoffs. Maybe I'll get back
in for the finals. No player props, none of that crap.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I'm done. It's over. I won.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I had a great NFL season, very good college football.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I'm gonna catch. I'm done.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
I'm just so pissed that they blew it. And what
can you say about Tybreez Haliburton. Guys, how clutch is
this guy? This is insane. As a Knicks fan, I
should automatically hate their opponents. I really like Jason Tatum,
and I really like Tyrese Haliburton, and I start reading
about Tyree's you know, I get into these rabbit holes
(04:07):
anytime someone does something incredible, whether it's in the NCAA Tournament, NFL, NBA,
I just dive deep and just start reading about these
people because I'm consumed and like Tyrese, Haliburton's story was amazing.
He's like a great, great high school player in nowhere, Wisconsin.
None of the schools in the area wanted him at all,
(04:28):
but he was a really good high school player. He
had the funky looking shot. You know, he's super skinny,
and you know he cooks at Iowa State, stays in school,
gets drafted, but not super high. He's in no man's
land in Sacramento and the Pacers in what was just
a genius move, they get off Sibonus and they get Haliburton.
At the time, it was considered like, Okay, that's good,
(04:49):
but I'm always got to take the guard and you can,
you know, dig up my old tweets. I was like, Wow,
PACER's got a good one in Haliburton, and folks, this
guy is a star in the league. I don't see
how you can't consider Haliburton one of the best point
guards in the league.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
And you remember in the first round it was like,
oh yeah, John Moran can't do anything.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Boy, this Haliburton guys really freaking good. Again Haliburton, I
would take him over John Morant and people are like,
are you crazy? I don't even think that's close to
a debate anymore.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I mean, this is.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Back to back seasons, folks. He's got the Pacers in
the conference finals and he's just all he's doing is delivering.
Just watch the play where he tied it. He cooks
mckel Bridges at the three point line. I mean, he
just and Bridges are really good defender just embarrasses him
with an inside outside dribble, gets into the lane where
Mitchell Robinson's looking. Halliburton decides, no, I'm not not going
(05:42):
to do a float or anything or try to get
to Fellin. I'm dribbling it out. And if you watch
when he comes out to the perimeter, he takes a
peek at the other basket where he could see the clock,
and he knows he has to go quick fires it
and it's just an incredible everything. And then of course
to throw up the choke sign and point at Reggie Miller,
who's the game. Guys, that's just listen. That's the stuff
(06:04):
dreams are made of. If you're a Pacers fan, if
you're a young NBA fan, if you're like basketball, you
live for those moments. I mean, I still I don't
know if I've talked about on this pod, I've really own.
I think I basically hit the two of my most
memorable shots I've ever hit as a basketball player. One
(06:26):
was like fifth grade, but it wasn't even a game winner.
It was a halftime half court heave for three, right,
and it was like everybody celebrated like it was amazing
and it was awesome. I don't even remember if we
won the game. I just had a half court shot
and like, you know, my family was there, people freaking.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
It was awesome.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And then in the New York City League, we were
down at I think it's Chelsea Peers, and half the
guys on the team I didn't really know. I only
knew like two of them threw a friend, but I
was like, you know, playing with them, and obviously, you know,
I'm not sayingbviously I was one of the best guys,
but I was good. So they had me on the
court at the end and I think we were down
(07:06):
one and I take this like thirty foot three that
bangs home and the one guy who I knew, I
don't sadly I don't remember his name, but he like
charges me and picks me up at the other guys,
and like literally, I was carried off the court. It
was an awesome feeling and a great win. Tyrese Haliburt's
doing this on the regular. I mean, this is just
(07:26):
what he does, and the way his teammates mobbed him
obviously at this point, I got to give a shout
out to Aaron Ne Smith, who hit it looks like
eight of nine threes. He had twenty points in the
fourth quarter. He is the one who carried the Pacers
back as the Knicks play drop coverage on him, which
I guess is kind of sort of understandable, but after
he makes two or three, it's like, guys, can we
(07:50):
lock him up? The Pacers hit six straight threes in
the fourth, the Knicks were up. Oh, it's just as
painful of a loss as I've suffered a as a
Jets fan. There was the Dan Marino fake spike when
the Jets had a really good season and the Jets
are beating the Dolphins, but the Dolphins are driving at
the end of the game. Aaron Glenn, I bet he
(08:11):
remembers it. I'm sure they'll ask go about it at
some point this season, probably leading up to.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
A Miami game.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Dan Marino driving inside the ten. You can see he's
calling for the fake spike, but he does some signal
that the Jets didn't pick up, and instead of spiking it,
he throws. The Jets are dumbfounded touchdown. It was a
backbreaking loss, and I'm fairly certain off the top of
my head that the Jets went on to miss the playoffs.
I think they've been like seven to four, and that
(08:37):
sent them into a downward spiral and it was a disaster. Obviously,
there's so many positive takeaways from this gaming for the
Knicks that you you don't feel like they're in trouble
in this series. But when you piss away a sixteen
point lead with seven to twenty left and then you
blow a fourteen point lead in the final two four,
(09:01):
I mean, I saw stat the Pacers scored twenty three
points in the final three minutes and fourteen seconds of regulation.
That is the most in a playoff game in the
play by play era in that span.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I mean, it's it's insane. How did the Knicks lose
this game?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I'm still attle loss, folks. If I tell you, hey,
Brunson scores forty three, Kat scores thirty five, So they
combined for seventy eight points.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Are the k next winning or losing? You would one
hundred percent say winning.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
By the way, for all the SGA lovers, Brunson forty
three points on twenty five shots. That's what I like
to call efficient.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
He was fifteen or twenty five.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
He was unstoppable, driving only one of six from three,
which hurt. The miss free throws are what really killed
the Knicks. They missed twelve free throws in the game.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
It's sung Man.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Bruns Of miss two heart, missed one, Og, miss two, McHale, bridges,
missed two bridges. I mean, every Knicks play look like
almost every Nick starter except for Og shot over fifty percent.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
From the field.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
They didn't shoot it great from three, and obviously it
was the Nie Smith had thirty points. Just unbelievable. I mean,
that game was crazy, and I got to give Obi
top and a shoutout former Nick. He had an impressive
dunk back and he had two dunks there in overtime
that were impressive, and it was just listen, folks, I'm
sure you saw the rating for thunder Minnesota and again,
(10:29):
and NBA ratings they don't really matter, you do the
ratings leading up to the TV deal. They got the
TV deal. Okay, a crap rating now doesn't mean anything.
All it does is hurt the people who have the
TV deal. It doesn't impact the deal three years from now,
because nobody's gonna look back and say, hey, three years ago,
you guys stunk.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
No, what have you done for me lately?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Trust me, I'm in the negotiation with Fox now and
they're not saying, hey, hey, three years ago, you guys
were crushing it. Now you stink that. Obviously that's not happening,
Like I would.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Have no leg to stand on.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
The Knicks and the Pacers are good, that's gonna have
a monster rating off last night, OKC Minnesota was down
I think twenty four percent or something from Dallas, Minnesota
last year. And I'm sorry, I don't love watching SGA
go to the free throw line and had nausea. I
know people will say, well, Brunson went to the line
fourteen times.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
He did.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Brunson also smaller than SGA, and there aren't any there weren't,
at least that I recall.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
And now I am a Knicks fan, Andy.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Well, that looks like a questionable call. I thought the
reps a lot to play. It looked like a very
physical game on both ends, and I just thought it
was tremendous.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Theater Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Team is crazy. I'm still sticking by the Knicks winning
the series, but geez, that that's stung. All right, let's
get to Dave mc benaman. He's covering Wolves, Thunder, he's
at ESPN, he covers the Lakers. We talk a lot
about the offseason. Enjoy it and make sure you wait
for the very end.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
David plays a lot of hoops. I have not played
with him yet, but I asked for his NBA comp
and so just as a point of reference for my
men's league team, the thirty five and up, we added
a you know, we got a lot of guys who
didn't really know each other, so I had to play
the NBA comp game. And it's fun. I'm able to say,
(12:23):
you know, I usually go try to get a little
obscure within something within the last twenty years. I'm not
gonna say like Terry Cummings, you know like that. That's
come on, No, no, not many hardcore people know Terry Cummings,
like nineteen eighties Milwaukee Bucks guy. But it's fun and
I did.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It with David Benaman. You guys will enjoy it. Here's
the interview.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live. Jason likes to think he knows everything when
it comes to sports.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I know what sports Fance wants, but.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
For everything he doesn't, he knows a guy who does.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Let's just say I know a guy who knows a
guy who knows another guy.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
All right, let's welcome back to straight Fire. One of
the better NBA reporters out there. ESPN NBA reporter Dave
mcmanagan currently covering the Snoozer OKC Minnesota Series. I'm sure
he wishes the Lakers were in the Western Conference Finals, Dave,
what's up?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Man?
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (13:28):
I feel like we did miss out a little bit
on the Steph Lebron late stage second round matchup that
would have led to a conference finals birth and possibly
for the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
But I do find this Wolves team pretty compelling.
Speaker 5 (13:44):
I've covered in the last two postseasons after the Lakers
were knocked out, and I hope they meet the challenge
and give us a memorable series and not anything like
what we saw in the second half of Game one.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, listen, we'll obviously get to the Lakers, but let's
start with the second half. I don't know to boil
it down into an easy package here, it felt like
Minnesota hit threes in the first half, specifically Julius Randall,
and then they just kept shooting threes and didn't adjust
at all, and they I think that I think it
was your reporting that they shot like fifty one threes,
which was a record in the conference finals, and of
(14:19):
course they went cold and OKAC kind of hammered them.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Yeah, a franchise record for actually a three is in
a playoff game fifteen for fifty.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
One they end up with.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
They shot lower than thirty percent on why open looks,
which is not going to get it done, And you know,
some of it was I think the Oka See defense
certainly crowding them, and they're known for being a really
good perimeter defensive team. I think the open looks they're
not truly open. If all the sudden, you find yourself
(14:50):
like a pressure release valve and it's like pressure, pressure, pressure,
no pressure. That does been feel open. So I think
you got to give some credit to Okay, see there.
You know, I think you saw guys like Nikhil, Alexander Walker,
doctor Devincenzo.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
The moment seemed a little big for them.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
It doesn't mean that they can't absorb that moment and
better prepare themselves to perform as the series goes on.
I just didn't think those guys were ready to step
up in the way the team needed them in Game one.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, I mean, nas Reed could not throw in the ocean.
Here's what I struggle with rectifying. How does Dante DiVincenzo
come off the bench and take more shots than Anthony Edwards.
You've covered a lot of Lebron, you know how he
would kind of feel out a game, feel out a series,
get everyone else involved. Is that what was happening last
night with Edwards a little bit?
Speaker 5 (15:39):
I mean, certainly he turned his ankle until he missed
half the second quarter with that, and that affected things,
he said. I asked him straight up, did it affect
your shooting? He didn't admit to it, he said no,
but I think he is a human. Some of it
was certainly the defense that he saw. He said, whenever
he turned the cory, he saw four or five guys
pack in the paint. He only took was thirteen shot attempts,
(16:01):
only one of them was in the paint. And you know,
he says the approach will be to get off the ball.
I think probably he looks at those three point numbers
and says, well, if we're going to be shooting from
the outside and we're not gonna get anything inside, why
not have Mike Conley probe a little bit and toss
it back out to me. I hid more threes than
anybody else in the NBA this season. I'd rather go
(16:22):
down shooting fifteen three, since that's going to be the case.
So I asked Chris Finch about whether he was just
being emotional and saying that would be his tactic moving forward,
intension not Actually, I think that there could be some
benefits to us having him play off the ball and
move around a little bit more and catch the ball
on the move.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
So, but you trust Conley as a playmaker at this age?
Or can Randall, who I mean is now a triple
double guy. I guess, can he unlock some more playmaking
like he did against the Lakers?
Speaker 4 (16:50):
And yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
I mean Conley, I gin guess my point being, if
there's no real probing to be had because they're packing
the paint, you can certainly.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
Try to probe a little bit and just kick out.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
I think Randall proved himself to be a really good
playmaker in both the last two rounds, and they needed
him to score last night, and he was really the
only guy doing it. He ended up nine to thirteen
twenty points in the first half, eight and second half.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
I don't think they even had sniffed that.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
Game for the first two and a half quarters unless
Randall was the score. But certainly that's an adjustment they
can make. Randall's capable of reading that team and finding
the open guys where they like it.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
How about the zone? We know Denver had a lot
of success with zone Minnesota did against them in the
regular season. I didn't recall much, if any zone in
Game one. Do you expect a lot more in game two?
Speaker 4 (17:45):
I didn't see a lot of it.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
Finch was asked about it earlier in the playoffs, and
he says, you're probably maxing out at about fifteen possessions
of zone a game before the team either.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
Regresses to the mean or excuse me, progresses to the mean.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I should say where they start their shots start to fall,
or they're just anticipating it and they have counters built in.
So I do think you'll see that. I think it's
part of their defensive diet. Maybe that's, you know, you
don't want to throw everything out there in game one
when you're already looking at like a loss. They had
that seventy to seventeen to two run from like the
(18:25):
six minute mark of the third till the one minute mark,
and the thing felt like it was over, and so
at that point, I don't think you want to be
going too deep in the playbook to try to use
stuff that can help you as the series goes on.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Definitely, we're recording this right after Shaye Gilders. Alexander was
announced as the MVP. Not a huge surprise. A.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Do you have a vote? B? Did you vote for him?
And see?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
What do you think of the nickname free throw Merchant? A?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Yes, B, yes, we see somewhat accurate but okay. However, however,
I mean.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
He should be celebrated as a great play. Three straight seasons,
thirty plus points per game, He's only twenty six years old,
sixty eight wins, only sevent teams in NBA regal season
history have won that many. So those are two huge
parts of his resume. Top five and steals a culture
center for that organization. All those reasons are why I
(19:27):
voted for him. Now, when I watched Game one last
night and he had seven free throw attempts in the
first five minutes of the game, woo. Do I feel
like this is a Brandon basketball that I love and respect?
Not necessarily when he draws thirteen thousand in the game,
the most he's ever drawn in a playoff game in
his career. Again, don't love it, especially when we think
(19:48):
that basically since the middle of the twenty three to
twenty four season, when anecdotally the league wasn't happy the
way the fans were unhappy with the loaded scoring numbers,
and they kind of told Reffs' start swallowing the whistle whistle.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
A little bit.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
It's seemingly that only becomes more of the marching orders
in the playoffs, so most of the guys are out
there not getting calls and playing through it. It's actually
pretty compelling. It sticks out even more when someone like
Shay continues to get the calls that he gets. So listen,
I think it is crafty. I don't think it's cheating
(20:26):
or anything like that. I don't think it's it's a
form of being competitive to find every advantage you can.
I just don't think it's as aesthetically appealing. He's a
better player than just to be known for that, right, Like.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
You play a lot of pick up ball. I haven't
been invited to one of your games. But whatever the road,
how annoying are How annoyed are you when some guy
drives and just calls a foul every time? That's what
it kind of feels like.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
Date it's the worst.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yeah, it's terrible. So one other thing you said, Sga
was like, I think top five and steals. Didn't Curry
lead the league in steels one year.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
I'm pretty sure step.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Career, Yeah, he may have.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Like again, I know Sga is always such a great
two way player. I mean, listen, he's got lou dort
chet holmgrind protecting them like he's.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
Got he was considered a great player. Sure, I'm just
saying it is there is not like he's a.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Sie No, definitely, He's not like Luca in the playoffs
this year. This year, he wasn't that bad last year.
We'll get the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Well one more.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I don't know why, but Dave, and again I'm not
singling on anybody, but it feels like a lot of
the stat guys absolutely love this OKC team. Oh, they're
historically great. Look at the point differential. This is one
of the great defenses ever, and I just watching them,
I don't feel like this is an all time great
team or even close. I picked the Wolves to win
this series. I'll stand by it. Am I missing something
(21:51):
or maybe it's just I'm clouded by picking against OKAC
all season and thinking they're overrated. I don't see like
an all time great team or even anything close to
do you.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
I had an NBA player tell me this this year,
and I won't say his name. He didn't expecially say
it was off the record, but you know I wasn't recording,
so it wasn't clear that was on the record, But
he said, Okay, see, he's the best college team.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
In the NBA.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
And his point for saying that it was basically outside
of Shane. He certainly was not trying to throw shade
at Shay. He just didn't think their talent is all
that great. He thinks they're a bunch of really good
role players.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
But in the.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Playoffs, traditionally we're used to seeing a team get put
in a situation where the shot clock gets ground down
to four or five and then you need somebody to
go make a play for you. And I don't think
in the reason I agree with this player in some senses.
Jerleen Wollen isn't quite there yet, Check Holmer isn't quite
there yet. Certainly, you know, I think Isie Hartsteen is
(22:54):
a perfect role player in what he plays. Caruso perfect
role player and what he plays. But in terms of
the star beyond Shay, I don't know if you say
you know that they have it the way that say
Julius Randall and Anthony Edwards are for this Wolves team
right now.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Yeah, it's weird, this, this whole Jay Dubb being a
number two.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I don't see that at all.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Somebody tried to tell me he could be an All
NBA guy this season. Dave, tell me you didn't vote
for him All NBA.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Now I haven't voted.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
It was about six weeks ago, So I don't want
to misquote myself.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
I do not believe I did.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Come on, but I want you wrot chance.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
I don't want to quote myself six.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Best forwards or fifteen best players, and there's just no way.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
I mean, listen, he's he's a nice player, and it
certainly give credit to the okay see Fronk office as
someone that they brought into the program, But yeah, I
don't he's not elevated to star status. And generally, when
you start talking about a team that you know is
going to be the darling for everyone, I think part
(23:59):
of the reason why that that player shared that to
me too, is that they play hard every night, and
veteran teams who are pacing themselves for something bigger don't
necessarily always do that in the regular season, and some
of that is a problem for the NBA product.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
It's not something you can necessarily brag about, you know.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
I think it's I would love to be a fan
and watch a team where I feel like every single
night they are giving their.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
All like that.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
It's not realistic, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
It's not unless you have a group where everyone's twenty
five years are younger.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
So I'm looking at the contracts. Maybe it's not updated,
but according to Hoopside, Jalen Williams is making four point
seven million dollars this year, Is that right?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Yeah, it's so roughy scale.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Hartenstein's making thirty so yeah. So here's my guess is
they will be looking to move off Jalen Williams in
some kind of deal this offseason because he's not a
number two. If he's a three, that's fine, but like
I would rather have Austin Reeves is a three than
Jayalen Williams. And I know you're people a gonna call
you a Lakers, but I know you'd agree with me.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
I think often there is a wonderful player.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
I don't know if I'm going to go, you know,
apples apples with jam Williams and gentlemen certainly has more size.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
Gentle Williams I believe is a hair younger. Yeah, Austin.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
Austin's certainly more skilled on ball, but he has times
where he gets picked on defensively, So I listen.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
I think they won't.
Speaker 5 (25:26):
Be in a rush to move off of John Williams though,
even if like this thing blows up and he is
clearly not the number two that they thought he would
be because he is still young and he is on
a cost control contract, Like, what are you going to
how are you going to replace him with a guy
making that type of money, that with that much production.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Like just so happens. They got case on Wallace, But.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
I think the guy that they could move on from,
you know, a guy like.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Lou Dort, I think that his number would be they'd
be more likely to move there. And certainly every team
is looking for a three and D guy around the
league and that he could add more value.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup
in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR
to listen live.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Let's use that to pivot to the Lakers. We did
several post mortems on them. I think I'm in the minority.
I don't think they're that far away, Dave from going
to the finals again. You had Luca for half a
season coming off missing like thirty games due to injury,
no center really on the roster, Like, oh, this is
(26:38):
a team to finish third in the West. Like, I
just don't understand the overreactions. It's probably just the dislike
of Lebron, you know. But I am curious in your
post mortem, do you feel the Lakers are close in
the West, like a player away. I know this is
too many questions, but I think they match up great
if they were facing Oka, see, I think they would
they win the series. They're a good matchup forro Case,
(27:00):
as we saw, as evidenced by their like seventy point
winning Okay, yeah.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
Well they couldn't miss that game, so I think that
we have to take that into account, like sometimes that
just happens, and any team that hits twenty four three
is is going to look like But even.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
The game after that, which I think was back to
back or something before the bullshit ejection.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Yet, yeah, that was that was a bad objection. I'll
give you that.
Speaker 5 (27:21):
Let's start with the first question. Are they a player away?
If that player is a vertical lob threat center that
can be durable and be smart enough to not have
Lebron and Luca tune him out because he messes stuff out.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Because that was that was basically the problem of Jackson.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
Hey, hey, is a loob threat, good athlete, good.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Guy, But we don't know about that part.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
But continue, good locker room guy.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
Let me let me say that, let me let me
put the caveat and that's a fair challenge.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
You present it back, good locker room guy.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
But whether it was foul trouble or whether it was
just not being on the same page in terms of
what they're trying to run quickly, was lacking trust from
the coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
From from the stars.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
It when mattered in the playoffs, and so they didn't
play him. Now that is still you don't point the
finger at Jackson Hayes. You point the finger at the
front office and say why didn't you get this team
as center that they could rely on. Then the front
office is, okay, we tried Mark Williams failed the physical Okay, fine,
but it can't be hollow words this offseason like it
(28:34):
is fully on the front office too. Now back their
bet by training for Luka Doncic to give him a
chance to win his first championship and win Lebron's fifth.
You got to have a complete roster or you know,
you're just trying to use the hype of Celticts, and so.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
That is the top priority.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
I think it will come down to matchups, obviously, but
I still believe that.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
There is is no world beater in the league right now,
especially with Tatum going down. I'm going to miss a year.
I think Boston was the best team by a pretty
wide degree when they were right.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
But they're not going to be right and they're never
going to look the same again, and so the Lakers
should feel emboldened to use They have an expiring contract
for Gabe Vincent, they have Ruy Hachimura and Jared Vanderbilt
at a good numbers that you can attach a first
round pick to or attach adult and connect and get
(29:34):
some nibbles around the league. There there there are things
they can do, and I think there is a big
Austin Reeves question. But Austin Reeves, in my opinion, will
only be moved if someone like gas Tokupos says I
want to play in l A and LA only, and
then then the Lakers of course got to figure something out,
(29:55):
and then they need pieces in order to make that
happen interesting.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
So you don't I think they would consider moving Reeves
for Kevin Durant, not that Durant's even interested in the Lakers,
and I doubt you'd want to play with Lebron. But
essentially it's like, yeah, Giannis wants to come to the Lakers,
sure will trade Austin Reeves. Otherwise he's not going anywhere.
Speaker 5 (30:12):
I would say, based on the players that we know
are potentially going to be on the market. You know,
I am still very curious to see what Jaylen Brown does.
Does he want to be a part of what seems
to be kind of a rebuild on the fly in
Boston or will he say?
Speaker 4 (30:29):
You know what, I don't. I don't know if this
is something that's for me.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
And then if Jalen Brown becomes a name that's available,
then I think, yeah, that's sacking icy.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
I don't think I've heard that at all. Let me
call up his contract here, But I don't think Brown
can just walk You think, Boston.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
No, no, no, no, yeah, trade him?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Right?
Speaker 5 (30:47):
But if they're already trying to avoid this five hundred
million dollar luxury tax bill for next season, and Christope
Pozingis is expiring widely considered be moving him.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Jew Holliday is a couple of years left on his deal.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
So then Jalen Brown says, Okay, you just got rid
of Porzingis, you got rid of Drew Holliday, and Tatums
aren't going to play for a year. Do I want
to just waste a year of my prime waiting for
this or to look better?
Speaker 4 (31:18):
Or do I want to go somewhere. I mean, I'm
not reporting he's going to know.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
I'm just saying that's the type of name though that
would certainly interest the Lakers in parting with someone like.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
What about Trey Young?
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Trey Young?
Speaker 5 (31:33):
They talked about him to Atlanta two years in a row,
and they did not include Austin Reeves when those discussions.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
And Rawson's only gotten better since then, so I would agree.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
I think Trey Young's stock is way down. I had
someone tell me that the San Antonio Spurs initially we're
interested in Trey Young, and Wimbin Yama's people were like,
we don't want anything to do with I guess the
work ethic, the lack of defense. The word is out
on Tree Young like he had a great early career,
but he's kind of plateaued. And they went dear on
(32:05):
Fox and said, I can't find another guy that I
would even consider really moving. Let me just go this
is a little crazy.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
LaMelo ball.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
What does he do for you as a player?
Speaker 4 (32:19):
The talent is unreal.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
He hasn't played in one he hasn't stayed healthy, and
two he hasn't played in like a month of basketball.
That's mattered yet in his career, let alone barely a week, right, like,
because they've been so far down the standings whenever he's
on the court. So, I mean, I can't imagine with
this iteration with Lebron James it being a fit.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Not no, his brother if his brother, like Lebron liked.
Speaker 5 (32:46):
Playing with Lonzo, Lonzo just got hurt midway through that season. Yeah,
but I don't think LaMelo is a guy for this group.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Do you what's your and this is a tough one.
Do you think the Lakers are more likely to go
to Luca or to Lebron? And ask about saying I
don't know, Hey, the six Ers are looking on Paul
George any interest? Or do they go to both of them?
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Luca?
Speaker 5 (33:08):
And I mean I reported around the time of the
trade deadline that Rob Plinka had a meeting with Luka
Doncic shortly after they acquired him, and in that meeting,
Rob presented a list of names they could potentially pursue
with the trade deadline approaching of three or four days
after that meeting, and Luca identified Mark Williams to someone
(33:29):
that he would like to play with, and Rob went
out and put together a deal to show that he
had urgency to make Luca feel like this is the
place for him to be long term. And Lebron's camp,
and I've already reported this on ESPN, Lebron's camp, they
kind of raised an eyebrow like, hey, like, you know
(33:52):
what about like Lebron's what of some improvements on this
roster and it seemed to ruffle some bathers.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
Well, Lebron wanted improvements on this roster.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
So yeah, So I think that in that vacuum, it
felt like there was a shift in the team's priorities
to put the pecking order of Lucca first and Lebron's second. However,
I think that would be pretty silly one considering Lebron
(34:25):
is Lucas Idol. He's been clear about that, and so
if he sees and perceives that the franchisees in any
way not treating Lebron James the right way after he's
won them a championship and decided to come to that team,
after they'd missed the playoffs for seven straight years and
got them back on the map in terms of being
(34:47):
the most relevant NBA franchise day in day out, would
that affect Luca's decision making come August second, when there's
going to be a contract extension on his plate. And
so if if I'm the Lakers, I am very much
making sure that I am getting input from both those
players and keeping those players lockstep as a partnership, because
(35:13):
that's the only way we make this chapter look as
good as it can be.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Totally agree, But I will say this and Dave again,
it's just speculative and you're watching the game and a
million things. But as that series started to go sideways
at the end against Minnesota, I just would I don't
want to be body language expert guy, but it didn't
look like Lebron and Luca were on the same page.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
Now.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I don't know if there was film review and Luca
was getting lit up and Lebron was unhappy because Lebron,
we know he's given us all chase down blocks and everything.
I'm not saying that there's like a break or anything
between these two or they're now on the same page,
but it just didn't appear as unified as it felt
during the regular season. Did you feel or see any
of that stuff.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I didn't.
Speaker 5 (35:58):
I can't speak to the body language stuff, and certainly
can speak to the health stuff, like Lebron wasn't right.
You know, he had come back from the groin injury
that you know, cost him whatever it was two and
a half weeks or something like that, and he reaggrevated
against Houston.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
Again. He didn't look physically right.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
Luca wasn't physically right, Like Luca was a shell of
himself in well, in essence, looking back, it was like
a must win Game three and he can't keep food
down for twenty four hours. So and then you know,
Game four, it was like, you know, so Game three,
Lebron takes over the offense because Luca has no energy.
(36:41):
Game four, Lebron gives all of his effort to defense,
and you know, ultimately there's a foul. It should have
been called. The league admitted it. Luca was tripped, doesn't
go to the foul line. If he goes to the
foul line, he probably makes free throws. We're talking about
a two two series and maybe the Lakers, you know,
it's a totally different narrative. At the same time, Lebron
throws a bad and bounced past two and it just
(37:04):
it didn't sync up. I do not believe the reason
they lost the series was Lebron and Luca not be
on the same page though. I think the reason they
lost the series is they had an incomplete roster, and
the roster that they did have probably only had in
the neighborhood of.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
A half dozen practices in the time they were together.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Yeah, that's not ideal.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
A couple more, I think Miles Turner is the perfect
fit for this Lakers team. Obviously, he's having a banger
of a postseason.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
He's going to be in high demand.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Any chance that Lebron and Luca put the full court
press on saying, bro, take a little less, we could
make up for the marketing, whould they land Miles Turner
in free agency.
Speaker 4 (37:44):
See. I don't see him as a perfect fit. I
don't see him really as a lob threat.
Speaker 5 (37:48):
Yeah, he's a or spacing yeah yeah, and certainly defensively
he can take up space.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
He makes a lot of money.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
I think you can get a proximate version of him.
So I just disagree there. So I don't think so.
And you know, the Lakers went down that road a
couple of years ago, and they could have gotten Miles
Turner and Buddy Healed in a deal right before the
start of training camp of twenty two to twenty three.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
They would have you know, would have involved moving Russell Westbrook.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
They ultimately decided that that's not the best deal we
can get, and they waited. And then obviously that patience
was good because not only did that restructured team make
the Western Conference Finals, but they got to Angela Russell.
Speaker 4 (38:34):
They turned into Dorian Finney Smith.
Speaker 5 (38:35):
And I think Dory Infinny Smith will be a major
contributor on this year's Lakers team. I think he did
not come in healthy, uh, and it took him some
time to get some rhythm. But with him having the
comfort factor and the health factor on his side, like
I mean, I think he'll be right there with the yeah,
(38:55):
being considered the third best player right along with Austin Reeves.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Oh that's spicy. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
I like DFS al right, last one.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
So everybody's speculating the same names Capella, Nick Claxton, blah
blah blah blah. What do you make of a Kungu?
I like him a lot. He's an LA kid. Have
you heard any buzz on Okungu is a potential target?
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Right?
Speaker 5 (39:13):
I have before the Bark Williams trade, and I can't
tell you all the names on that list, but I
actually assume he was one of the names on that
list that Robert Linka presented to Luca, because I do
know that the Lakers made a call to the Hawks
around the trade that line about Okongou. So I think
(39:35):
lop threat athleticism absolutely in terms of being a perfect fit,
maybe not. They might not get a perfect fit though. Yeah,
I think Clinton Capella of.
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Seventeen eighteen probably was a perfect fit.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
But we're twenty five to twenty six now, so that
that's kind of the spot they're going to be. And
I am of the opinion to not go all in
on someone like a Claxton, etcetera making twenty to thirty million.
Speaker 4 (40:07):
Well, I mean, but he's already under contract.
Speaker 5 (40:09):
So they're going to have the taxpayers mid level available
to them. And I go out, try to get a
guy at that level, and if he doesn't prove to
be the best fit, make sure you're holding on to
one of your picks, and then you can try to
pursue something come February, because.
Speaker 4 (40:28):
That position you need to have it.
Speaker 5 (40:32):
I don't know if that position you absolutely need to
have it start of training camp, you could get a
player to fit that role if he is the right
guy in February and be ready and rare to go
come April.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
All right.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
Dave mc benhaman ESPN NBA reporter, David, When I start
text chains for my men's league teams, I always introduce
guys as here's my NBA comp for this guy. Need
your NBA comp for your your pick up oops game.
Speaker 5 (41:00):
I played pretty well today. I mean not great, but
I played pretty well today. So I will feel confident
in saying this. I am a shorter Steve Novack catch
and shoot all day, Steve bros.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
More than they signed the baseline wing to wing, catch
and shoot, catch and shoot.
Speaker 5 (41:19):
I don't break out the belt, but you know I
feel that way. I feel that confidence when I get
it going.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
I couldn't up to Ryan Anderson.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
No, I think Steve's better catch and shoot.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
By the way, Ryan Anderson lives here in the South Bay.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
And Richard Jeffersons neighborhood.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Right.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Indeed, by the way, you know that Richard Jefferson was
on our men's league team, right, I think I lost
him the championship and you see him ask hey, what
happened with the j mac Men's lea. It was one
of the biggest upsets ever. Led the whole way and
then collapse at the end. They had to twenty five
year olds who were really good.
Speaker 4 (41:53):
Wait did he show up to the championship?
Speaker 2 (41:55):
And he showed up to the championship. Yeah, wow, he
played a couple of games and they too, no different.
Liner's on the current team thirty five and up. Uh
but uh Liners, Liner's got that that deep stroke.
Speaker 4 (42:07):
Man. I've I've seen some clips.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
We're gonna play, We're gonna we'll put on our priority list.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
I'll get you on the list. Sorry, Buddy good talking.
Speaker 4 (42:16):
Good to see it.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Thanks Dave, see it all right.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
Take care, Ja,
Host
Jason McIntyre
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