July 1, 2025 • 45 mins
DP reacts to the beginning of NBA free agency. Hall of Fame head coach, Bill Cowher delves into the Steelers' evolving identity and reflects on painful playoff losses. NBA insider Bobby Marks breaks down the Bucks parting ways with Dame Lillard and gives an explanation of the NBA salary structure with the second apron.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to July and the Dan Patrick Show. Gangs al
here the Minister of Humor, Seaton, Marv Pauliers, truly in
the back room, guys, Former Steeler head coach Hall of
Famer Bill Kauer. A little bit later on, we'll check
in with the ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks. He'll
join us a little bit later on as well. NBA
free agency. Now, there wasn't a big deal, A major
(00:28):
deal that you know sometimes will overshadow the smaller deals.
What happened yesterday was kind of the Hall of Good.
Now that could be h a L L or h
a U L the Hall of Good depending on beyond
Thank you, Seaton, Hall of Good. Todd you with us today,
Just don't be afraid to acknowledge.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Ninety seconds into the show.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I'm not sure what I was supposed to say at
the first ninety What am I missing?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Like a courtesy laugh or bloop or a long way
to go?
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Got two hours and fifty minutes.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Of hjul the Hall of Good? Okay, Wow, it's gonna
be like that.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Huh.
Speaker 6 (01:10):
I'll let you know when I hear something that floats
my boat.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Stat of the Day brought to you by Pinnini America,
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Twitter handle at DP show, Good morning. If you're watching
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(01:35):
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pull question play the Day, stat of the Day, all
of that forthcoming. So a lot of moves, but nothing
(01:55):
that's probably headline worthy, you know. Michael Porter Junior the
third leaves the nugget. He goes to the nets, and
while they get a little older, they do free up
some money. Cam Johnson comes from the nets. Similar stats,
but Johnson makes I think about seventeen million less than
Michael Porter Junior the third. So this is the start
(02:18):
of I think another move for the Denver Nuggets. They
bring back Bruce Brown, who was one of the instrumental
players on that championship team. A couple of years ago.
The MAVs added di'angelo Russell. This is basically a rental
for a year a half a year with Kyrie Irving
being out Clippers Ad Brook Lopez. Now, you gotta be
(02:40):
careful when you say, oh, they got a big man.
He's a tall man. I don't know if he plays
necessarily like a big man. He became a very very
good three point shooter, and he does block shots on
the defensive end. He does as opposed to blocking shots
on the offensive end. Dan, You're right, you got me there.
The Hawks are The Hawks are sneaky man. Hawks are
(03:03):
getting deeper and I my Hawks are playing you know
they're they're playing for keeps.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
The East is wide open. I mean, if you're the Hawks,
go all in.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Now.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
There's injuries there, so let's see maybe you can get
back to the Eastern Conference finals. The Rockets. The Rockets
are all in as well. Big loss for the Lakers.
Dorian Finney Smith. They get him more more depth there.
I like what they're doing. I like what they're doing
(03:35):
so we'll talk a little bit more about that. With
free agency coming up eight seven to seven, three DP Show,
we'll settle on a pole question and once again we'll
have our play of the day coming up as well.
Seatan what's pole question? We're going to go with first
hour of the program, Best day yesterday.
Speaker 7 (03:54):
Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, others, Stealers, Rockets, Hawks, others.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I'd say the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It feels like, I mean, I don't like giving up
Mika Fitzpatrick. Jalen Ramsey's thirty four, John new Smith, he
had a really good year last year.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
But you already have a tight end. Can you have
enough tight ends? How old is Jalen Ramsey, Paul, he
will be thirty one when this thirty one?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Okay, So he's thirty one, Okay, He's gonna be going
against the Bengals T. Higgins and Jamar Chase twice during
the year. Okay, this already was the secondary that wasn't
very good. I think they were like twenty fifth in
past defense. Then you got what the TJ. Watt situation
(05:01):
as well. That's kind of just hanging there. At what
point do you say we're at an impasse and we
won't be able to do anything here. At what point
do you say, do we want to give him forty
million dollars a year? He's got one more year left
and then he becomes an unrestricted free agent? What can
you get for him? Would you dare trade TJ Watt?
(05:27):
What if you now won't happen. But I was just
wondering this. How about the Bengals and Steelers make a
trade that Steelers get Trey Hendrickson and then their first
round pick Stuart who I think is still unsigned. So
now I got two edge rushers. Maybe Hendrickson cost me
thirty million a year, and then I get my first
(05:47):
round pick in Now I got a couple of edge
rushers there, and the Bengals then pay for TJ. Watt
They give him forty million dollars. I'll hang up and listen.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Yes, Pony, that does fix everything. But the Bengals and
Steelers aren't going to make him.
Speaker 8 (06:04):
But if you both win a trade, you can trade
in the division.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yes, I guess ish, I don't know, but I would
you know.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
We'll ask Bill Kauer about this.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
At you know, at what point do you say, can
you just have him play out this year and then
you're going to lose him or risk losing him. You're
all in on this year, this trade bringing Ramsey in,
Smith in, you got you know, Aaron Rodgers obviously, and
DK metcap the movie like this is in but is it?
(06:37):
You're all in if you don't have TJ.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Watt in.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So I would say the Steelers did pretty well yesterday
because when the when the trade was announced, it was
Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Steelers. Then all of
a sudden, Chefty filled in you know the other stuff,
and that is making Fitzpatrick gonna go to the Dolphins,
and then you're also getting another weapon for Aaron Rodgers.
And John new Smith felt like that was a win,
(07:06):
at least a temporary win for the Steelers. What other
players anything else? And you got teams in there, players
in there, any other poll questions there.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, Nikola Jokic had a pretty good day yesterday too.
Actually yeah, I think so, Sneaky Seki good day.
Speaker 7 (07:20):
Maybe not as good as those other teams, but the
Nuggets did a couple of things that.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Felt like they wanted to get rid of Michael Porter Junior.
They did, Yeah, they did.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Look like it.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
By the way, the best odds according to DraftKings MVP
Joker plus two hundred, SGA plus two fifty, then it's
Gianni's plus seven hundred, and then it's my pick Luca
plus eight hundred than Anthony Edwards, and then Victor win.
Binyana SGA is going to have a hard time going
back to back. There'll be a little voter fatigue there.
(07:52):
Maybe you'll see something different from Joker, although it be
tough to ask him to be better than he was
last year, which was statistically the best season of his career.
Yis you know, Yannis put up unbelievable numbers last year,
but he just kind of graduated to that. Yeah, I know,
like the yeah, I know, Hey, I averaged you know,
(08:14):
thirty twelve and you know, three blocks.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
But I think Luca, this is this is Luca's year,
and I think because he'll come back, he'll be in
better shape. And I think it opens the door that
Joker's already won his MVPs. SGA just won it. Jannis
has a couple now it feels like this is Luca's
year to win it. Then after that they're going to
(08:41):
be like, you know, what's wrong. You're ever gonna win
an MVP. You know, you win the MVP, then they
want to know when you're gonna win a title. He
already went to the NBA Finals, hasn't won an MVP,
But I do think it's his year. If I'm looking
at the odds here plus eight hundred for Luca, I'd
probably put a dollar on that. But yeah, honest, could
be a comeback story of sorts for a team that
(09:04):
will probably be trying to become an overachiever.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Here.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Maybe puts up even crazier numbers there. Wemby's gonna put
up great numbers. I don't think they're ready for him yet.
Anthony Edwards, Yeah, good numbers. I don't think MVP numbers. Yes,
Marvin is Luca the Josh Allen of the NBA. Yeah,
(09:29):
I think you could look at him and say, when
are you going to graduate? And then Josh Allen finally
won the MV pick. Josh Allen hasn't been in a
Super Bowl. Luca's at least gone to the NBA Finals.
But yeah, you could say that, and there's no reason
why he can't win the MV pick. But it's still
tricky with the whole Lebron situation of and their odds
(09:50):
improved by the way, the Lakers odds got better.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I think it was.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Let me see, I have it here. They're title odds
moved to plus thirteen hundred. It was plus fifteen hundred,
so you know, maybe it's around the same, although they
no let me let me read it correctly. Lakers' title
(10:17):
odds move from plus thirteen to plus fifteen hundred, so
they got worse.
Speaker 8 (10:22):
Huh okay, Dorian Finnie effect.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yes, apparently, well are you going to get a big
man here? And we're looking at what everybody else is doing,
certainly what Houston is doing, and they were the number
two seed Denver making a couple of moves here, they're
teams making moves and the Lakers aren't one of them.
Your move is okay, we just lost Dorian Finney Smith
(10:47):
and then Luca got in shape.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
We don't have a big man yet. Did we improve
right now?
Speaker 7 (10:57):
No?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
But I don't know what move you're going to make.
And it felt like there was more speculation yesterday after
the show. Could they trade Lebron? Could they you know, well,
Lebron's got a no trade. And the thing I keep
coming back to and I don't think they're trading Lebron.
It felt like it was just, hey, let's speculate on
(11:19):
what if Lebron goes to Cleveland. Okay, if I'm Lebron,
I've already said I'm not about chasing titles. It's not
about titles. You know, you don't have to win. You know,
the guy who has the most title. I'm paraphrasing him,
but it's basically it's not necessarily about titles. Well it is,
but he's not going to catch Michael. But let's say
(11:39):
he would say, trade me to Cleveland. Okay, what's Cleveland
have to give up to get him? If you're Lebron,
don't you if you wanted to do something, you leave,
You don't opt back in because you're going to take
away players from the team you're going to. He's he's
not going to Cleveland for a year. Can't see it
(12:01):
happening now next year. Maybe let's see what happens this
year when he gets a healthy dose of this is
Luca's team. Now I have to compliment him and see
how that plays out.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
But I can't see him being traded. Somebody suggested to
me yesterday. Now, this is.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Somebody who works with the team said, could you see
Lebron on the Knicks? And I go, what year is this?
They can't even find a coach yet could you see him?
And what if he led them to a title? I go, Okay,
is he at the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut?
Ready to make the decision? Okay? Not now, he's not.
(12:47):
He's not up, he's not moving. He's got his son,
He's not moving.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
This is it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Just can't imagine he's going to go. You know, I'm
gonna leave and I'm going to now. Granted the East
is open, wide open for at least a year, but
I can't see that happening once again late June, early July.
It's really dangerous in this business. We're like, what are
we talking about today? How about DA's legacy? How shoor
(13:18):
Sanders driving?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Yeah? Fully, I went back and looked at the stats.
Last year, Luca averaged.
Speaker 8 (13:24):
Twenty eight points, eight rebounds, seven and a half assists,
And you're talking about taking Giannis for granted, Giannis averaged
thirty one points, twelve rebounds, seven assists, and a block
and a half. Those are incredible numbers. His numbers are
haven't dipped in any way. His scoring numbers have steadily
gone up since twenty nineteen. He doesn't shoot threes anymore.
(13:46):
He's shooting threes at his lowest rate of his entire career.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
For a guy who can't shoot, I mean, he's the
ultimate score. He's done a good shooter. And I kept thinking,
if he ever gets that fifteen foot jump shot, he'll
average whatever he wants to average, because to me, you know,
he's he's Wemby Before Wemby, I mean he came along
and you're like, oh my gosh, we haven't seen anybody
(14:10):
like that. I thought Anthony Davis would be more like Yannis,
and that's never going to materialize. But you look at
what Yannis does and how he does it, not on
a good team. You know what he's going to do then,
to have too many signature moves there, Yes, Martin, So.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Was Wemby the super freak? Oh okay, he could be.
He could be Todd super freak. He's a very kinky
ker call you don't bring him to Manda Hiz show started. Yeah,
oh delay, I just pressed the the button. Marvin knows
(14:51):
what I have to deal with.
Speaker 8 (14:52):
Here's how it's going to be today, Yes, Paul, Wow,
real quick before we break Luca, I'm sorry, Yannis. The
past three seasons thirty plus points, eleven plus rebounds, three
years in a row. Do you think anyone else has
ever done that in the modern era? Eighties on not
the Kareem.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Days gone thirty and eleven, eleven eleven, eleven, thirty and eleven,
three years in a row.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
We're checking.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
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Speaker 2 (16:03):
Let's bring in a guy who's a Hall of Famer.
He wins awards, he won a Super Bowl. He's Bill Coward,
the Hall of Fame coach, back on the program. Where
is your Super Bowl trophy?
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Uh? Well, right, actually, right right behind me, there's a
replic of it as you can see. Oh, okay, so
the actual one is, yeah, it's it's basically there.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Okay, but you know earlier, Really the.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Actual trophy is in the hut at Pittsburgh. Okay, in
the facility.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Your Hall of Fame jacket is it always close by?
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Yes, we got new jackets this past year, so I
kind of refit. You know, when the Hall of Famers
you first go in there, sometimes after a few years
there's a thing called added weight, so you have to
kind of refit, kind of refit the jacket. So not
for myself, but we do have new jackets.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Of course.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Of course, Now do you get to keep the old
jacket as well?
Speaker 9 (16:57):
I do.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I do. I still have the old jackets. I got
two versions of it. I don't wear it very often.
I go back every year for the Hall of Fame
weekend to see the guys that are going in for
two nights. And I put it on then and that's
the only time I put it on, but it's pretty special.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
And then super Bowl ring or Hall of Fame ring?
Which one do you wear?
Speaker 4 (17:17):
I don't wear either. The only time I wear the
Super Bowl ring is usually when we do the championship
game on site at CBS, we travel there. The Hall
of Fame ring I have it. I probably should start
putting it on when I go to the Hall of
Fame that weekend, So I could thank you for reminding
me about that.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
All right.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
The role head coach plays, let's say the TJ Watch situation, Like,
what role would you be playing if you were the
head coach in his negotiations, Just.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
To be a voice of reason, to be able to
be there for him if he has any questions. I think, again,
these things have a way of you can't take it personally.
It's that time of year. There's no real deadline at
this point. He's gone through this before. We saw him
almost hold up right to the first game and still
have a stellar year. But it's kind of right where
it's at. I mean, this is unfortunately the part of
(18:07):
it that you just have to be patient. I think
the one thing that Mike Is, Tomlin and Omar and
Art have done if they've exhibited great patience. They did
that with Aaron Rodgers to see where he's at right now.
I think the same approach is gonna be taken with TJ.
Speaker 7 (18:20):
Watt.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
But the NFL doesn't like to pay you in what
they think you'll do that or you know, it's not
like I'm going to pay you for what you just did. Hey,
you're great, you're a future Hall of Famer. That doesn't
mean they go, here's forty million dollars a year. It
just in other sports, you know NBA will pay you
for what you've accomplished, where it doesn't feel like that
with the NFL.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Well, I think they do.
Speaker 8 (18:44):
Dan.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
I think when you think alone, you look at the metrics,
and you look at the that that go with where
he's at at his age of thirty, and you know,
certainly his production is theoretically when you look at analytics
will say that the production is going to go down.
But I think I also would have to say the
presence on a team of a player of that impact,
you have to put a value on what he brings
to the locker room, what he brings to the practice field,
(19:06):
what he brings on game day in terms of mentoring
the guys that he has behind him. He's got some
great young players behind him, so I think he brings
more to him what you can sit there and statistically
look at and what he may bring from a stat
sacks standpoint, this guy is a rex Havoc on the field.
I like to see him moving around a little bit
more personally to try to get in some one on
(19:27):
one situations because if they know he's always on that
left side, he's going to see constant double teams. But again,
when you talk look at his approach to the game,
the impact he has not just on games, but on
that football team. That's why I think when it comes
Week one, he will be sitting there on the left side,
lined up in the Steeler defense.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
What did you think of the move or moves the
Steelers made yesterday?
Speaker 4 (19:47):
I thought they were great. I think what you saw
getting jon Os Smith, I mean he had eighty eight
catches last year. Led to Miami Dolphins to put him
with Pat Bromouth. I think with Aaron Rodgers right now,
I would go back to run the football. You young
offensive line. They got to get some cohesiveness. That takes time.
So I think I can evolve with that offense in
terms of the passing game, but come out with the
(20:08):
mindset early with run play action. I think those two
guys you start getting that. Now you get DK Metcalf
on the outside. If you start getting single high. So
I kind of like what they did and what they're doing.
And on the defensive side of the ball, Listen, you
got to be able to win in your division, and
you sit there, you look at hig T Higgins, you
look at Jamar Chase, and you look at Bateman. They
got DeAndre Hopkins and Zay Flowers in Baltimore, so they
(20:31):
win and got depth at the corner position with two
guys and Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey. Now there have
been all pros. And again in terms of development of
Joey Porter Jr. To be able to be in that
room with him, it allows him to understand how O
pros work, how they prepare, and so I think it
helps him also take his next step in terms of
his development. So I like the depth they have there.
(20:54):
Losing make it, he will be lost. He was a
great ambassador, He was a great leader in that locker room.
He loved the game of football, and but I think Thornhill,
I think is a guy that can step in. He
played for Kansas City. I know he's hurt the last
couple of years in Cleveland, but I think that he's
a guy has been a starter, and Deshaun Elliott has
been very, very solid.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Talking to Hall of Fame coach Bill Kauer, how would
you use Aaron Rodgers. What's your offense going to look like?
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I think it's what Aaron I think again about him,
Him and Arthur Smith will sit down and talk about
what Aaron's comfortable with. I think that's the most important thing.
Where he's at right now in his career and what
he's been able to do throughout the course of his career.
I think it's going to be a little bit of
run play action. They will open it up. I think
us a lot. Utilizing the inside part of the numbers
with those two tight ends, I think was a big
part of why they went out and gone on John Neusmith,
(21:42):
Pat from He's still got DK Metcalf. The whole receiving
room is different woods that I think they're hoping for
Roman Wilson to come in there. With Calvin Austin. So
I think that whole group of if you look at
the running back room, the wide receiver room, the tight
end room, it's different. And you've got an offensive line
that's young. So I think I go back to the
(22:04):
same thing. I would go back to running the football
early with play action evolve in the passing game as
you get more comfortable with who you have around you.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Would you give Rogers maybe not total autonomy, but you
know what, would it be similar to what you gave
to Ben Roethlisberger, like go out there and run it.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Absolutely. I don't think there's that question about it. And
I think Aaron's at a point where he knows that
you know, you want to be, you know, throwing the
ball forty times a game. I don't think you at
this point. You want Aaron Rodgers to be healthy going
into the playoffs and hopefully you get to the playoffs.
And I think in the meantime, you've created a balance
on your football team and not just relying on his
arm throughout the course of four quarters. Listen, you can
(22:46):
turn the ball over to him in the end of
a half, the end of a game, and you know
he's been there before, and I think that he will
operate that very, very efficiently. Again, I think it's going
to be a matter of getting comfortable within this system
with the players he has around him.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
At least to me on the outside, is this isn't
what Pittsburgh normally does. This was totally against what their
whole framework. Like that feels like urgency, And I don't
know if that's a fair enough word to use, but
for me, it feels like we got to change. We
got to get into the playoffs. We got to win
a playoff game. At least your thoughts eight.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Eight years no playoff wins. There is a degree of
urgency in that building, no question about it. It's with
Omar's art, it's with Mike. They understand it. That's part
of it, and part of that's going to be happening
to make sure you win your division. We look at
the Cincinnati Bengals with what they've done. I think their
biggest demise has been the month of September. They've gone
off to these slow starts and it's cost them later
in the season. The Baltimore Ravens have been knocking on
(23:44):
the AFC championship door the last couple of years, So
in that division alone is the most important thing. You
want to win your division first, and I think that's
the first and foremost is what they've done in terms
of what the choices they've made, bringing in depth of
corner sitting there and making sure that you sure up
the running game with Aaron Rodgers and bringing him in
and going back with Arthur Smith, and doing some of
(24:04):
the things that can situate some of your strengths, which
has been on the defensive side of the ball. Getting
a harmon in the first round to help that defensive line.
I think they've done a lot of good things. They
think the biggest thing right now is going out there
and trying to bring this whole thing together. A lot
of a lot of change in terms of the faces
on this team. That doesn't happen overnight. It takes time.
Communication has to take place. You know, you have to
(24:25):
create some kind of continuity and with what you're trying
to do on both sides of the ball. So again,
going in there with an idea, but also with the
flexibility that you can be able to adjust and adapt
as the season goes along.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
What were you like at home after a loss.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Looking on to the next week. Honestly, I never took it.
I think, what did you learn from it? What do
we need to do better? What was the things that
the reason why we lost? Sometimes and even in a loss,
it's not a bad loss, we actually probably played better.
So I think the biggest thing when you look at
a season, you know you have to be trending in
the right way, staying within touch, staying to understand where
(25:04):
you are with the chance to make that playoffs, and
playing your best football at the end of the season.
So it's a journey. Dan, you sit there and look
at the season. I always said, it's like it's three parts.
The first part is you're trying to find out what
your identity is as a football team, and in course
of doing that, your identity can change. Every year. All
of a sudden, somebody starts to play better than you
thought they were. Somebody's not playing as well as you
(25:24):
thought they were. What's your strengths, what's your weaknesses? You
accentuate your strengths, you're trying to mask your flaws. And
so the middle part of the season, I said, it's
kind of the men navigating the murky waters injuries schedule,
just being able to not you know, make sure if
you lose a game, it doesn't become a trend like Okay,
you bounce back and the last part of the season,
you are who you are with who you have. This
(25:46):
is your team. So at that point, your identity is
what it is. You try to scentuate that and get
your guys to a sense of confidence, a sense of freedom,
playing fast, playing confident, and going out there with a
sense of purpose. And so that's that's kind of how
we segmented season and tried to get to that point.
And I think, again, every year is a different year.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
But if I came to your house after a loss,
would I be able to tell you lost again?
Speaker 4 (26:10):
No? No, I mean I never took work home and
I never brought home the word no. I mean. I
think one of the biggest things for me, and just
raising three daughters who played basketball or an athletics. My
late wife was an athlete, is you know, it's what
you do, it's not who you are. And I always
believe that that's that's a big part of who I am.
I was when I came home. I was a husband
(26:31):
and a father, and you know, it just so happens
when I had a bad day at work. Everybody knew,
you know, so we all have that. And you know,
I says to say, you know, you drive up to
a stomp sign. A lawyer just lost a case where
the client maybe lost his life earnings. A doctor pulls
up that stomp sign and he may have just lost
a patient on the operating table. And I'm gonna pull
(26:54):
up the soft sign and I just lost a game
and they're all gonna look over me and say it's
all right, coach, You'll be okay. And I'm thinking, because
they can compartmentalize it. No one really knows what they
went through, but everybody knows you have a bad day
at work, so you know, I think the ability to
compartmentalize that is very very important in terms of your
everyday lifestyle. And I think that's how you can have
sustained career because you can't. You know, it bothers you. Yeah,
(27:17):
but you do what you have to do. You prepare
for it, You let them, let the dice roll how
they roll, and you go from there and you move
on weekend, week out.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
What's the game that keeps up wakes up at night?
Is there one that's always going to be there?
Speaker 4 (27:38):
Probably I don't know. I guess I think about I
think about the two thousand and four AFC Championship game.
That's a football team. We were fifteen and one, sixteen
and one, and we're coming down and it was Ben's
rookie year, and we're coming down to the end of
the second half in the second quarter, and the Rodney
(27:58):
Harrison pick because I think we had we actually had
it over the top. It was kind of a you know,
and Ben kind of locked in on Heath Miller. So
but you know, that was probably one because it was
like it was like the fourth AFC Championship loss. The
championship losses, I can remember every one of them. The
last play against the San Diego Chargers in nineteen ninety four,
(28:19):
we try to throw it to Barry Foster in the
end zone with Neil o'donald incomplete Dennis Gibson. We lose
the game. Ninety seven, we play against the Denver Broncos
and Cordell throws a couple of interceptions in the end zone.
We're getting so we moved the ball. We had a
chance in that game. In l way, it's Shannon Sharp
with a big third down pass and Lee Flowers is
(28:42):
getting ready to hitch on l way in the back.
Two thousand and one, Probably the one I think about
the most is we get a block field goal for
a touchdown, a putt return for a touchdown. We knocked
Brady out, bletso comes in, we hold him for two
hundred and forty yards. We were third, going up and
down the field. We just can't score touchdown. So that
one was bad. Then to lose back to them again
(29:04):
in two thousand and four, the one I just talked
about to you about, So pick any one of them.
I remember every one of them. So why we're going
done this?
Speaker 3 (29:11):
I don't know this misery?
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Wayne, Like, yes, the big ways you want to all
the losses? Okay, I'm sorry, all right, that's right, Dan,
That's okay.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
I just dawned on me. I'm like, oh my god,
what am I doing?
Speaker 4 (29:24):
You know?
Speaker 3 (29:25):
And then I'm going to say, have a great rest
of the day.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
There, nice memory, way, And that was great.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
So you know what, put your.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
Put your Hall of Fame jacket on and walk around
the blotchers.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
But the truth of the matter is, I think if
you look at any coach, they remember the losses. They
more than you remember the wins. And I think that's
a very very fair point. And so you look at
every one of those things. What could you have done differently,
a different play in ninety ninety four? Uh, you know,
maybe if in ninety seven, if I run the ball
livey a little bit more and not try to throw
it as much as I did two thousand and one,
(30:01):
I mean, my gosh, if we're just like a part
return and a block field goal for touchdowns and special
teams was like I was a special team's coach. It's
nothing bothered the war that SAT would probably worse now
I think about it. Probably Sat it would be worse
than any of them. It's two thousand and one. So
in two thousand and four, listen, it was a great year,
and you know, and Tom did. They did a great job.
(30:23):
They beat us in that game, we beat him in
the regular season, they beat us in the playoffs, and
we got our redemption in two thousand and five. But
you know what, honestly, two thousand and one probably because
that was a really good team and that was a
bad loss, just just two returns for touchdowns and a
kicking game. Come on, I can we can we move
on from that?
Speaker 1 (30:44):
I'm out of time.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
I can't talk about all the great wins. Coach. I
got to come back.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
I came on this morning. Thank you for making my day, Rosie.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Enjoy the rest of your day, coach.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Yeah, thanks, thanks.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
That's that's Bill Kuer, Hall of Fame coach.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan
Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Bobby Marks espn NBA Front Office Insider, regular contributor to
NBA Today. NBA Free Agency tipped off last night on
the Mothership. This evening a three hour NBA Today Free
Agency special that'll start at seven eastern. All right, Bobby,
let me start with that surprise that Miles Turner is
going to the Bucks, and then what they did with
(31:33):
Dame Lillard.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
Yeah, I was surprised.
Speaker 6 (31:35):
I thought, listen, Indiana gets to an NBA finals and
certainly Turner is a priority. I think things changed a
little bit with the Halbert injury. As far as where
Indiana is going next year with their roster.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
I think the.
Speaker 6 (31:49):
Interesting thing, Dan, they've they haven't paid the luxury tax
in twenty years. They had signed Turner, this would have
put them into tax for the first time, and they
basically let him walk to a division rival that's trying
to keep their franchise level player on their roster.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
So yeah, it is. It is surprising the Lizard one.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
I think the Lillard one is probably more surprising for me.
I know, he's out with that injury and he's owed
one hundred and thirteen million dollars and they stretched that
money over five years.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
It's the biggest stretch ever.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
Twenty two point nine million that he's going to be owed.
And I think when Damien does get returned from that injury,
he'll have a high demand. Whenever that is, you know,
it might be a year from now here, but it
will be interesting how this Bucks roster with they lose
Brook Lopez, but they get Miles Turner to join Giannis.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
More likely or less likely that Jannis will be on
the move anytime soon.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
I thought it was.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
I think it's less likely that he'll be on the move,
And I said that this morning when we were doing TV,
just based on some of the moves they had made
with Bobby Porters, and they bring back Gary Trent Junior
and Kevin Porter some of their role players. They still
got to go get a point guard, though, I mean,
I think that's gonna be the most important thing. I think.
I think the one name to keep an eye on
(33:07):
is Chris Paul. I would keep an eye on Chris Paul.
I don't know if it fits what Chris is trying
to do this at this tale of his career, certainly
being in Milwaukee, not close to home, I know that
is a priority for him. But he's the best available
free agent point guard in the market. He played eighty
two games last year and he still got a lot left.
So I would think that would if I'm Milwaukee, that's
(33:28):
the priority for me as far as going out and
trying to get a player like that.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
But what about the Pacers in lieu of Tyrese Halliburton?
What do you do?
Speaker 2 (33:37):
We saw what Dallas did with Kyrie out and get
D'Angelo Russell's what's Indiana's mindset here?
Speaker 6 (33:43):
Well, the market of free agent centers, and this is
kind of the timing of it is not good for
Indiana because we had a rash of centers come.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Off the board yesterday. You had Brook Lopez, you had
you had Clint Capella.
Speaker 6 (33:56):
There was a number of players here really that they
have this, we call it the non tax fourteen million
dollars to go out and spend. DeAndre Ayton is the
best available out there. I would think the market for
DeAndre Ayton gets a little bit better.
Speaker 5 (34:09):
It had cooled off a little bit.
Speaker 6 (34:11):
We thought maybe the Lakers were linked to him, and
we'll see if that plays out. But I think if
Eighton wants to go to Indiana, that would probably be.
Speaker 5 (34:16):
A better fit for him.
Speaker 6 (34:18):
But it is a tough blow for Indiana because now
you lose two out of your five starters for next year.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
But are you bringing in somebody as a temporary replacement
for Halibert.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
Well, they've got TJ.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
McConnell, and they have Andrew Nemhard and they drafted. They
they went through the draft and picked up picked up
a guard there. So I I think the interesting thing
Dan is the move they made before the draft when
Haliburton right in the NBA Finals, when they were getting
able to get their first round pick back, they traded
their own pick this year to New Orleans and got
(34:54):
their pick back in twenty twenty six. So now that
gives them the flexibility like they're almost kind of we're
like Boston is where you're almost I don't want to
say gap year, but you're, you know, you're kind of
you can kind of pull back a little bit here
and reset that roster and still get a pretty good
draft pick.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
Would you move Jalen Brown if you're the Celtics.
Speaker 6 (35:14):
I wouldn't because I keep on coming back to this
notion that eventually Jason Tatum's coming back. I mean, like,
and you're going to have if the goal is to
try to win, you need Jalen Brown and Derek White
around him. And it's so hard getting a player like
Brown who's a top twenty player, and you know, White
does it, you know, do everything type guy to add
(35:35):
to your roster and trades and free agency. I wouldn't
unless it's you know, the mothership of packages and everything
like that.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
I wouldn't move off off Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Bobby Marks, ESPN, NBA Front Office Insider, and NBA Today
Free Agency Special. It's three hours starting at seven Eastern tonight.
Can you help me understand or translate what Rich Paul
was saying to us? And I guess the Lakers about
Lebron almost be grudgingly opting in, but hey, remember it's
(36:07):
about winning now, not the future.
Speaker 6 (36:10):
Well, when I saw that, Dan, I had to send
it to my wife that I had said, can you
interpret this for me? Because I don't understand anything on here.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
It's interesting.
Speaker 6 (36:18):
It's like, well, we're going to opt into fifty three
million dollars, but we want the roster to be better
and I want to win. It has to be a
championship roster. Well, if you wanted to do that, why
don't you just decline your option? You had to pick
a team's I mean that would have been essentially the
easiest thing to do here. Now he's opted in there,
(36:38):
Listen there, there's an incomplete for the Lakers as far
as their off season so far. I mean, they went
out and got Jake Lauravia, but they've got We've been
talking since February about getting a center. I mean, they
need to get a center, and there's no market for
them outside of eighton right now. And it's going to
be interesting the collateral damage or the impact if they
don't make significance improvements here because you've got Luca on
(37:02):
one end, who is your future, and then you have
Lebron here on the last year of a contract. Here
you're basically kind of working on two different timelines.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Yeah, I'm trying to understand.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
And they lose Dorian Finney Smith to the Rockets, and
I start to wonder, Okay, they're going to bring back
Austin Reeves. You think he turned down uh that extension,
but they're going to bring him back. I'm guessing. But
I just wonder what exactly is Lebron saying? And I
agree with you.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
I said the same thing.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
If you don't like what it looks like in LA,
then go to Cleveland and win another title there. If that,
if you're not happy with this, you're not part of
the future, then you can win a championship in Cleveland
with the East wide open.
Speaker 6 (37:47):
Yeah, I mean, I think it would have worked maybe
five years ago. I mean, but now, as I said,
like where the Lakers are when you went out and
get you acquire Luca like he's the face of the franchise,
Like he's the face of the franchise. They're not going
to go out and make a short term move to
satisfy Lebron. Like they're not going out and giving up
(38:08):
all their draft equity for a short, short term move
for a player that likely won't be on their roster.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
But aren't the Lakers trying to win now?
Speaker 6 (38:16):
Bobby, Well, that's what they're trying to kind of thread
the needle, like you're trying to thread the needle of
winning now saving your flexibility for next year. That is
it's hard to do in the Western Conference, trying to
do that the Western Conference we went through yesterday. Dallas
got better because they got D'Angel Russell as a temporary
replacement for Kyrie. Of course, Cooper fly. You go through
(38:38):
the list, Denver, Cam Johnson, Houston of course as far
as where they're Okay, c brings back everything like if
you tell me right now, is the Lakers a top
five or six team in the in the what? I
don't think they are? And we had this debate this morning.
I would say the Dallas and Nico Harrison got criticized.
He got crucified, right like, and that's rightfully so based
(39:02):
on the trade and what happened.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
But you could make the argument that Dallas is in
a better.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
Position right now than the Los Angeles Lakers as far
as where they are. And I know they got lucky
with Cooper flag, but with Cooper flag, and if they
get Kyrie back in the debt they have with that roster.
If they of course, if they stay healthy, that they're
in a better position.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
I don't want to hear Nico Harrison tell me about
the vision that he had, because the vision was, Hey,
I traded away Luca. People hated me. We had injuries.
If we win one more game, we're not even in
the lottery. There's no vision here. He lucked into Cooper Flag.
That's all we needed to say. Hey, I still believe
(39:43):
in defense. When we're healthy, we're going to be very competitive.
We lucked into the lottery and I got Cooper Flag.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
That's it. But don't tell me, hey, you see the
vision that I had. What exactly is that vision?
Speaker 4 (39:55):
You know?
Speaker 6 (39:56):
It would have been refreshing if he just went up
there and goes, man, we got lucky. Yeah, I mean
like humanize it, like humanize it, right.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
We would all been like, yeah, you know what, you did,
get lucky.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
What do you expect to out of Cooper Flag? First year?
Speaker 9 (40:08):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (40:09):
Man, I tell you I've probably told this story too
many times, but I mean I living out in Southwest Florida,
and I saw Cooper play when he was at Mount
Verd at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers.
This is when Cooper was sixteen. This was his senior
year in high school. And this is with Derrick Queen
and Lee McNeely and Ason Newell that team. And I
was sitting with a scout and I said that a scout, I'm.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
Not making this up.
Speaker 6 (40:32):
I go he could play in the NBA right now sixteen.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
The beauty of Cooper.
Speaker 6 (40:37):
Flag is not him scoring twenty two, twenty three points
a game. The beauty of Cooper Flag is defense. I
mean his defense, as far as his length, his IQ.
That's what's going to keep him in these games down
the stretch here. And I think he's he's all business.
(40:58):
I had an opportunity to sit down with them high level.
Speaker 5 (41:00):
But I love I love the fact.
Speaker 6 (41:02):
That he can come in right now and make an
impact defensively.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
But I also wonder how do you ease him in
to a lineup? That's do you start him?
Speaker 5 (41:13):
You start him, then you have PJ.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
Washington come off. That's the That's the thing with Dallas.
They got so much depth they have, you know, whether
it be PJ. Washington or Nagie Marshall or Caleb Martin.
I mean you go, Kyrie, Clay Cooper, ad Derek Lively,
Daniel Gafford. I mean that's kind of what you're you're
looking at here. But I do think you, I do
think I mean, Jason's talking to my kid is all
about playing my point a little bit here too, which
(41:36):
is going to be interesting here. But I do think
you kind of it's like baptism by fire.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Yeah, I don't know, maybe I have him come in
off the bench.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
He's playing against their second unit, but then you do
kind of want him surrounded a little bit there. I mean,
he's he's really got the luxury of he can defer
and nobody's going to complain if he defers. Whether if
he went to the Wizards, went to Brooklyn, I mean,
all eyes would be on him, like, all right, let
(42:04):
me see what you can do with Dallas. He can
attempt to blend in a little bit there.
Speaker 6 (42:10):
Yeah, it's almost like a quarterback getting drafted with the
first pick and like basically throwing him into like on
an expansion team, like we sort of I think Derek
Carr right with the Texans and you know where Cooper,
He's not going to Utah or Washington or Brooklyn. One
of these teams at rebuilding. You basically have all these
veterans around him that you can he's in more into
(42:30):
the situation.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
Any big moves you're expecting.
Speaker 6 (42:36):
You know, we have all these restricted free agents out there.
Jonathan KAMINGA Josh Giddy. There's a group and the problem
is there's no money out there in free agency for
a team to come in and give an offer sheet.
Speaker 9 (42:48):
Here.
Speaker 6 (42:49):
You know, we'll we'll see what happens on the on
the trade front free agency. You know, we had a
lot come off the board on Monday. Here, we might
be done by the end of the week. Free agency wise,
it's it's the the downside of the ability to negotiate
with your own players at once the finals ends.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
If you were going to let's say one of your children,
you're going to show and tell, bringing in my dad,
he's going to explain the NBA aprons. So it's career day,
but you were going to explain it to let's say
fifth graders. Yeah, treat me like a fifth grader and
my audience and explain the famous NBA aprons.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
That second apron here.
Speaker 6 (43:29):
Yeah, I know, I wish we would come up with
a different name, right it's a it's a punitive restriction
that once you exceed it, Okay, once you exceed this level,
you're all right, let's let's all right. I'm gonna talk
like a fifth grader. You have a toy box of toys. Okay,
you have twenty twenty of your best toys. Okay, once
(43:51):
you exceed this restriction, this level, I'm going to go
in the toy box, Dan, and I'm going to take
fifteen out of those away. But I'm still gonna give
you five of your best toys okay, but I'm taking
those other fifteen away.
Speaker 5 (44:06):
Here.
Speaker 6 (44:06):
Now you have less toys to play with, but they're
still pretty good. But you won't be able to add
any more toys to that here. And that's what the
league is saying. We're going to allow you to keep
your best, but we're not going to allow you to
go to Golden State or to Clippers and grab their
best player.
Speaker 5 (44:24):
And what it does is it makes you draft well,
it makes.
Speaker 6 (44:30):
You prioritize keeping your own players. If you don't like Phoenix,
who's been a second Apron team and had three high
level players and they don't have they have three shiny toys,
but not really anything else good to that roster. It
really hurts you, like Oklahoma City's is going to be.
If they're a team that can defeat the second apron
(44:53):
as we.
Speaker 5 (44:53):
Call it, they're the ones that can do it.
Speaker 6 (44:56):
Because if Shay chet Jalen Williams four first round picks
next year, all these young players, when player, when lou
Dort gets expensive, Cason Wallace, Mike will probably replace himhen
Isaiah Hartenstein replaces him. Thomas Sorber, who they drafted, replaces him.
So you can keep on turning the wheel.
Speaker 3 (45:13):
There no thank you. Thank you for treating us as I've.
Speaker 5 (45:18):
Never used that. I've never used that in now. I
just made that one up.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
Maybe you could do it to Greenee, you know, because
I Greene doesn't understand the second aprin So maybe you
just treat him like a fifth grader.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Have fun tonight, Bobby, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Thanks to that. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
Bobby Marks
You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to July and the Dan Patrick Show. Gangs al
here the Minister of Humor, Seaton, Marv Pauliers, truly in
the back room, guys, Former Steeler head coach Hall of
Famer Bill Kauer. A little bit later on, we'll check
in with the ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks. He'll
join us a little bit later on as well. NBA
free agency. Now, there wasn't a big deal, A major
(00:28):
deal that you know sometimes will overshadow the smaller deals.
What happened yesterday was kind of the Hall of Good.
Now that could be h a L L or h
a U L the Hall of Good depending on beyond
Thank you, Seaton, Hall of Good. Todd you with us today,
Just don't be afraid to acknowledge.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Ninety seconds into the show.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I'm not sure what I was supposed to say at
the first ninety What am I missing?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Like a courtesy laugh or bloop or a long way
to go?
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Got two hours and fifty minutes.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Of hjul the Hall of Good? Okay, Wow, it's gonna
be like that.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Huh.
Speaker 6 (01:10):
I'll let you know when I hear something that floats
my boat.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Stat of the Day brought to you by Pinnini America,
the official trading cards of this godforsaken program h eight
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pull question play the Day, stat of the Day, all
of that forthcoming. So a lot of moves, but nothing
(01:55):
that's probably headline worthy, you know. Michael Porter Junior the
third leaves the nugget. He goes to the nets, and
while they get a little older, they do free up
some money. Cam Johnson comes from the nets. Similar stats,
but Johnson makes I think about seventeen million less than
Michael Porter Junior the third. So this is the start
(02:18):
of I think another move for the Denver Nuggets. They
bring back Bruce Brown, who was one of the instrumental
players on that championship team. A couple of years ago.
The MAVs added di'angelo Russell. This is basically a rental
for a year a half a year with Kyrie Irving
being out Clippers Ad Brook Lopez. Now, you gotta be
(02:40):
careful when you say, oh, they got a big man.
He's a tall man. I don't know if he plays
necessarily like a big man. He became a very very
good three point shooter, and he does block shots on
the defensive end. He does as opposed to blocking shots
on the offensive end. Dan, You're right, you got me there.
The Hawks are The Hawks are sneaky man. Hawks are
(03:03):
getting deeper and I my Hawks are playing you know
they're they're playing for keeps.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
The East is wide open. I mean, if you're the Hawks,
go all in.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Now.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
There's injuries there, so let's see maybe you can get
back to the Eastern Conference finals. The Rockets. The Rockets
are all in as well. Big loss for the Lakers.
Dorian Finney Smith. They get him more more depth there.
I like what they're doing. I like what they're doing
(03:35):
so we'll talk a little bit more about that. With
free agency coming up eight seven to seven, three DP Show,
we'll settle on a pole question and once again we'll
have our play of the day coming up as well.
Seatan what's pole question? We're going to go with first
hour of the program, Best day yesterday.
Speaker 7 (03:54):
Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, others, Stealers, Rockets, Hawks, others.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I'd say the Steelers.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It feels like, I mean, I don't like giving up
Mika Fitzpatrick. Jalen Ramsey's thirty four, John new Smith, he
had a really good year last year.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
But you already have a tight end. Can you have
enough tight ends? How old is Jalen Ramsey, Paul, he
will be thirty one when this thirty one?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Okay, So he's thirty one, Okay, He's gonna be going
against the Bengals T. Higgins and Jamar Chase twice during
the year. Okay, this already was the secondary that wasn't
very good. I think they were like twenty fifth in
past defense. Then you got what the TJ. Watt situation
(05:01):
as well. That's kind of just hanging there. At what
point do you say we're at an impasse and we
won't be able to do anything here. At what point
do you say, do we want to give him forty
million dollars a year? He's got one more year left
and then he becomes an unrestricted free agent? What can
you get for him? Would you dare trade TJ Watt?
(05:27):
What if you now won't happen. But I was just
wondering this. How about the Bengals and Steelers make a
trade that Steelers get Trey Hendrickson and then their first
round pick Stuart who I think is still unsigned. So
now I got two edge rushers. Maybe Hendrickson cost me
thirty million a year, and then I get my first
(05:47):
round pick in Now I got a couple of edge
rushers there, and the Bengals then pay for TJ. Watt
They give him forty million dollars. I'll hang up and listen.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Yes, Pony, that does fix everything. But the Bengals and
Steelers aren't going to make him.
Speaker 8 (06:04):
But if you both win a trade, you can trade
in the division.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yes, I guess ish, I don't know, but I would
you know.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
We'll ask Bill Kauer about this.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
At you know, at what point do you say, can
you just have him play out this year and then
you're going to lose him or risk losing him. You're
all in on this year, this trade bringing Ramsey in,
Smith in, you got you know, Aaron Rodgers obviously, and
DK metcap the movie like this is in but is it?
(06:37):
You're all in if you don't have TJ.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Watt in.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So I would say the Steelers did pretty well yesterday
because when the when the trade was announced, it was
Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Steelers. Then all of
a sudden, Chefty filled in you know the other stuff,
and that is making Fitzpatrick gonna go to the Dolphins,
and then you're also getting another weapon for Aaron Rodgers.
And John new Smith felt like that was a win,
(07:06):
at least a temporary win for the Steelers. What other
players anything else? And you got teams in there, players
in there, any other poll questions there.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, Nikola Jokic had a pretty good day yesterday too.
Actually yeah, I think so, Sneaky Seki good day.
Speaker 7 (07:20):
Maybe not as good as those other teams, but the
Nuggets did a couple of things that.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Felt like they wanted to get rid of Michael Porter Junior.
They did, Yeah, they did.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Look like it.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
By the way, the best odds according to DraftKings MVP
Joker plus two hundred, SGA plus two fifty, then it's
Gianni's plus seven hundred, and then it's my pick Luca
plus eight hundred than Anthony Edwards, and then Victor win.
Binyana SGA is going to have a hard time going
back to back. There'll be a little voter fatigue there.
(07:52):
Maybe you'll see something different from Joker, although it be
tough to ask him to be better than he was
last year, which was statistically the best season of his career.
Yis you know, Yannis put up unbelievable numbers last year,
but he just kind of graduated to that. Yeah, I know,
like the yeah, I know, Hey, I averaged you know,
(08:14):
thirty twelve and you know, three blocks.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
But I think Luca, this is this is Luca's year,
and I think because he'll come back, he'll be in
better shape. And I think it opens the door that
Joker's already won his MVPs. SGA just won it. Jannis
has a couple now it feels like this is Luca's
year to win it. Then after that they're going to
(08:41):
be like, you know, what's wrong. You're ever gonna win
an MVP. You know, you win the MVP, then they
want to know when you're gonna win a title. He
already went to the NBA Finals, hasn't won an MVP,
But I do think it's his year. If I'm looking
at the odds here plus eight hundred for Luca, I'd
probably put a dollar on that. But yeah, honest, could
be a comeback story of sorts for a team that
(09:04):
will probably be trying to become an overachiever.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Here.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Maybe puts up even crazier numbers there. Wemby's gonna put
up great numbers. I don't think they're ready for him yet.
Anthony Edwards, Yeah, good numbers. I don't think MVP numbers. Yes,
Marvin is Luca the Josh Allen of the NBA. Yeah,
(09:29):
I think you could look at him and say, when
are you going to graduate? And then Josh Allen finally
won the MV pick. Josh Allen hasn't been in a
Super Bowl. Luca's at least gone to the NBA Finals.
But yeah, you could say that, and there's no reason
why he can't win the MV pick. But it's still
tricky with the whole Lebron situation of and their odds
(09:50):
improved by the way, the Lakers odds got better.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I think it was.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Let me see, I have it here. They're title odds
moved to plus thirteen hundred. It was plus fifteen hundred,
so you know, maybe it's around the same, although they
no let me let me read it correctly. Lakers' title
(10:17):
odds move from plus thirteen to plus fifteen hundred, so
they got worse.
Speaker 8 (10:22):
Huh okay, Dorian Finnie effect.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yes, apparently, well are you going to get a big
man here? And we're looking at what everybody else is doing,
certainly what Houston is doing, and they were the number
two seed Denver making a couple of moves here, they're
teams making moves and the Lakers aren't one of them.
Your move is okay, we just lost Dorian Finney Smith
(10:47):
and then Luca got in shape.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
We don't have a big man yet. Did we improve
right now?
Speaker 7 (10:57):
No?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
But I don't know what move you're going to make.
And it felt like there was more speculation yesterday after
the show. Could they trade Lebron? Could they you know, well,
Lebron's got a no trade. And the thing I keep
coming back to and I don't think they're trading Lebron.
It felt like it was just, hey, let's speculate on
(11:19):
what if Lebron goes to Cleveland. Okay, if I'm Lebron,
I've already said I'm not about chasing titles. It's not
about titles. You know, you don't have to win. You know,
the guy who has the most title. I'm paraphrasing him,
but it's basically it's not necessarily about titles. Well it is,
but he's not going to catch Michael. But let's say
(11:39):
he would say, trade me to Cleveland. Okay, what's Cleveland
have to give up to get him? If you're Lebron,
don't you if you wanted to do something, you leave,
You don't opt back in because you're going to take
away players from the team you're going to. He's he's
not going to Cleveland for a year. Can't see it
(12:01):
happening now next year. Maybe let's see what happens this
year when he gets a healthy dose of this is
Luca's team. Now I have to compliment him and see
how that plays out.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
But I can't see him being traded. Somebody suggested to
me yesterday. Now, this is.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Somebody who works with the team said, could you see
Lebron on the Knicks? And I go, what year is this?
They can't even find a coach yet could you see him?
And what if he led them to a title? I go, Okay,
is he at the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut?
Ready to make the decision? Okay? Not now, he's not.
(12:47):
He's not up, he's not moving. He's got his son,
He's not moving.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
This is it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Just can't imagine he's going to go. You know, I'm
gonna leave and I'm going to now. Granted the East
is open, wide open for at least a year, but
I can't see that happening once again late June, early July.
It's really dangerous in this business. We're like, what are
we talking about today? How about DA's legacy? How shoor
(13:18):
Sanders driving?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Yeah? Fully, I went back and looked at the stats.
Last year, Luca averaged.
Speaker 8 (13:24):
Twenty eight points, eight rebounds, seven and a half assists,
And you're talking about taking Giannis for granted, Giannis averaged
thirty one points, twelve rebounds, seven assists, and a block
and a half. Those are incredible numbers. His numbers are
haven't dipped in any way. His scoring numbers have steadily
gone up since twenty nineteen. He doesn't shoot threes anymore.
(13:46):
He's shooting threes at his lowest rate of his entire career.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
For a guy who can't shoot, I mean, he's the
ultimate score. He's done a good shooter. And I kept thinking,
if he ever gets that fifteen foot jump shot, he'll
average whatever he wants to average, because to me, you know,
he's he's Wemby Before Wemby, I mean he came along
and you're like, oh my gosh, we haven't seen anybody
(14:10):
like that. I thought Anthony Davis would be more like Yannis,
and that's never going to materialize. But you look at
what Yannis does and how he does it, not on
a good team. You know what he's going to do then,
to have too many signature moves there, Yes, Martin, So.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Was Wemby the super freak? Oh okay, he could be.
He could be Todd super freak. He's a very kinky
ker call you don't bring him to Manda Hiz show started. Yeah,
oh delay, I just pressed the the button. Marvin knows
(14:51):
what I have to deal with.
Speaker 8 (14:52):
Here's how it's going to be today, Yes, Paul, Wow,
real quick before we break Luca, I'm sorry, Yannis. The
past three seasons thirty plus points, eleven plus rebounds, three
years in a row. Do you think anyone else has
ever done that in the modern era? Eighties on not
the Kareem.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Days gone thirty and eleven, eleven eleven, eleven, thirty and eleven,
three years in a row.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
We're checking.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Speaker 9 (15:33):
Hey, it's Ben, host of the Fifth Hour with Ben Maller.
Would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name
is the Fifth Hour. I'll tell you it's a spin
off of that Ben Maler show, a cult hit overnights
on FSR.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 9 (15:49):
Picture if you will, a world where we chat with
captains of industry in media, sports, and more every week,
explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen
to the Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the iHeart
Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Let's bring in a guy who's a Hall of Famer.
He wins awards, he won a Super Bowl. He's Bill Coward,
the Hall of Fame coach, back on the program. Where
is your Super Bowl trophy?
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Uh? Well, right, actually, right right behind me, there's a
replic of it as you can see. Oh, okay, so
the actual one is, yeah, it's it's basically there.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Okay, but you know earlier, Really the.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Actual trophy is in the hut at Pittsburgh. Okay, in
the facility.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Your Hall of Fame jacket is it always close by?
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Yes, we got new jackets this past year, so I
kind of refit. You know, when the Hall of Famers
you first go in there, sometimes after a few years
there's a thing called added weight, so you have to
kind of refit, kind of refit the jacket. So not
for myself, but we do have new jackets.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Of course.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Of course, Now do you get to keep the old
jacket as well?
Speaker 9 (16:57):
I do.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I do. I still have the old jackets. I got
two versions of it. I don't wear it very often.
I go back every year for the Hall of Fame
weekend to see the guys that are going in for
two nights. And I put it on then and that's
the only time I put it on, but it's pretty special.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
And then super Bowl ring or Hall of Fame ring?
Which one do you wear?
Speaker 4 (17:17):
I don't wear either. The only time I wear the
Super Bowl ring is usually when we do the championship
game on site at CBS, we travel there. The Hall
of Fame ring I have it. I probably should start
putting it on when I go to the Hall of
Fame that weekend, So I could thank you for reminding
me about that.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
All right.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
The role head coach plays, let's say the TJ Watch situation, Like,
what role would you be playing if you were the
head coach in his negotiations, Just.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
To be a voice of reason, to be able to
be there for him if he has any questions. I think, again,
these things have a way of you can't take it personally.
It's that time of year. There's no real deadline at
this point. He's gone through this before. We saw him
almost hold up right to the first game and still
have a stellar year. But it's kind of right where
it's at. I mean, this is unfortunately the part of
(18:07):
it that you just have to be patient. I think
the one thing that Mike Is, Tomlin and Omar and
Art have done if they've exhibited great patience. They did
that with Aaron Rodgers to see where he's at right now.
I think the same approach is gonna be taken with TJ.
Speaker 7 (18:20):
Watt.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
But the NFL doesn't like to pay you in what
they think you'll do that or you know, it's not
like I'm going to pay you for what you just did. Hey,
you're great, you're a future Hall of Famer. That doesn't
mean they go, here's forty million dollars a year. It
just in other sports, you know NBA will pay you
for what you've accomplished, where it doesn't feel like that
with the NFL.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Well, I think they do.
Speaker 8 (18:44):
Dan.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
I think when you think alone, you look at the metrics,
and you look at the that that go with where
he's at at his age of thirty, and you know,
certainly his production is theoretically when you look at analytics
will say that the production is going to go down.
But I think I also would have to say the
presence on a team of a player of that impact,
you have to put a value on what he brings
to the locker room, what he brings to the practice field,
(19:06):
what he brings on game day in terms of mentoring
the guys that he has behind him. He's got some
great young players behind him, so I think he brings
more to him what you can sit there and statistically
look at and what he may bring from a stat
sacks standpoint, this guy is a rex Havoc on the field.
I like to see him moving around a little bit
more personally to try to get in some one on
(19:27):
one situations because if they know he's always on that
left side, he's going to see constant double teams. But again,
when you talk look at his approach to the game,
the impact he has not just on games, but on
that football team. That's why I think when it comes
Week one, he will be sitting there on the left side,
lined up in the Steeler defense.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
What did you think of the move or moves the
Steelers made yesterday?
Speaker 4 (19:47):
I thought they were great. I think what you saw
getting jon Os Smith, I mean he had eighty eight
catches last year. Led to Miami Dolphins to put him
with Pat Bromouth. I think with Aaron Rodgers right now,
I would go back to run the football. You young
offensive line. They got to get some cohesiveness. That takes time.
So I think I can evolve with that offense in
terms of the passing game, but come out with the
(20:08):
mindset early with run play action. I think those two
guys you start getting that. Now you get DK Metcalf
on the outside. If you start getting single high. So
I kind of like what they did and what they're doing.
And on the defensive side of the ball, Listen, you
got to be able to win in your division, and
you sit there, you look at hig T Higgins, you
look at Jamar Chase, and you look at Bateman. They
got DeAndre Hopkins and Zay Flowers in Baltimore, so they
(20:31):
win and got depth at the corner position with two
guys and Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey. Now there have
been all pros. And again in terms of development of
Joey Porter Jr. To be able to be in that
room with him, it allows him to understand how O
pros work, how they prepare, and so I think it
helps him also take his next step in terms of
his development. So I like the depth they have there.
(20:54):
Losing make it, he will be lost. He was a
great ambassador, He was a great leader in that locker room.
He loved the game of football, and but I think Thornhill,
I think is a guy that can step in. He
played for Kansas City. I know he's hurt the last
couple of years in Cleveland, but I think that he's
a guy has been a starter, and Deshaun Elliott has
been very, very solid.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Talking to Hall of Fame coach Bill Kauer, how would
you use Aaron Rodgers. What's your offense going to look like?
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I think it's what Aaron I think again about him,
Him and Arthur Smith will sit down and talk about
what Aaron's comfortable with. I think that's the most important thing.
Where he's at right now in his career and what
he's been able to do throughout the course of his career.
I think it's going to be a little bit of
run play action. They will open it up. I think
us a lot. Utilizing the inside part of the numbers
with those two tight ends, I think was a big
part of why they went out and gone on John Neusmith,
(21:42):
Pat from He's still got DK Metcalf. The whole receiving
room is different woods that I think they're hoping for
Roman Wilson to come in there. With Calvin Austin. So
I think that whole group of if you look at
the running back room, the wide receiver room, the tight
end room, it's different. And you've got an offensive line
that's young. So I think I go back to the
(22:04):
same thing. I would go back to running the football
early with play action evolve in the passing game as
you get more comfortable with who you have around you.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Would you give Rogers maybe not total autonomy, but you
know what, would it be similar to what you gave
to Ben Roethlisberger, like go out there and run it.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Absolutely. I don't think there's that question about it. And
I think Aaron's at a point where he knows that
you know, you want to be, you know, throwing the
ball forty times a game. I don't think you at
this point. You want Aaron Rodgers to be healthy going
into the playoffs and hopefully you get to the playoffs.
And I think in the meantime, you've created a balance
on your football team and not just relying on his
arm throughout the course of four quarters. Listen, you can
(22:46):
turn the ball over to him in the end of
a half, the end of a game, and you know
he's been there before, and I think that he will
operate that very, very efficiently. Again, I think it's going
to be a matter of getting comfortable within this system
with the players he has around him.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
At least to me on the outside, is this isn't
what Pittsburgh normally does. This was totally against what their
whole framework. Like that feels like urgency, And I don't
know if that's a fair enough word to use, but
for me, it feels like we got to change. We
got to get into the playoffs. We got to win
a playoff game. At least your thoughts eight.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Eight years no playoff wins. There is a degree of
urgency in that building, no question about it. It's with
Omar's art, it's with Mike. They understand it. That's part
of it, and part of that's going to be happening
to make sure you win your division. We look at
the Cincinnati Bengals with what they've done. I think their
biggest demise has been the month of September. They've gone
off to these slow starts and it's cost them later
in the season. The Baltimore Ravens have been knocking on
(23:44):
the AFC championship door the last couple of years, So
in that division alone is the most important thing. You
want to win your division first, and I think that's
the first and foremost is what they've done in terms
of what the choices they've made, bringing in depth of
corner sitting there and making sure that you sure up
the running game with Aaron Rodgers and bringing him in
and going back with Arthur Smith, and doing some of
(24:04):
the things that can situate some of your strengths, which
has been on the defensive side of the ball. Getting
a harmon in the first round to help that defensive line.
I think they've done a lot of good things. They
think the biggest thing right now is going out there
and trying to bring this whole thing together. A lot
of a lot of change in terms of the faces
on this team. That doesn't happen overnight. It takes time.
Communication has to take place. You know, you have to
(24:25):
create some kind of continuity and with what you're trying
to do on both sides of the ball. So again,
going in there with an idea, but also with the
flexibility that you can be able to adjust and adapt
as the season goes along.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
What were you like at home after a loss.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Looking on to the next week. Honestly, I never took it.
I think, what did you learn from it? What do
we need to do better? What was the things that
the reason why we lost? Sometimes and even in a loss,
it's not a bad loss, we actually probably played better.
So I think the biggest thing when you look at
a season, you know you have to be trending in
the right way, staying within touch, staying to understand where
(25:04):
you are with the chance to make that playoffs, and
playing your best football at the end of the season.
So it's a journey. Dan, you sit there and look
at the season. I always said, it's like it's three parts.
The first part is you're trying to find out what
your identity is as a football team, and in course
of doing that, your identity can change. Every year. All
of a sudden, somebody starts to play better than you
thought they were. Somebody's not playing as well as you
(25:24):
thought they were. What's your strengths, what's your weaknesses? You
accentuate your strengths, you're trying to mask your flaws. And
so the middle part of the season, I said, it's
kind of the men navigating the murky waters injuries schedule,
just being able to not you know, make sure if
you lose a game, it doesn't become a trend like Okay,
you bounce back and the last part of the season,
you are who you are with who you have. This
(25:46):
is your team. So at that point, your identity is
what it is. You try to scentuate that and get
your guys to a sense of confidence, a sense of freedom,
playing fast, playing confident, and going out there with a
sense of purpose. And so that's that's kind of how
we segmented season and tried to get to that point.
And I think, again, every year is a different year.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
But if I came to your house after a loss,
would I be able to tell you lost again?
Speaker 4 (26:10):
No? No, I mean I never took work home and
I never brought home the word no. I mean. I
think one of the biggest things for me, and just
raising three daughters who played basketball or an athletics. My
late wife was an athlete, is you know, it's what
you do, it's not who you are. And I always
believe that that's that's a big part of who I am.
I was when I came home. I was a husband
(26:31):
and a father, and you know, it just so happens
when I had a bad day at work. Everybody knew,
you know, so we all have that. And you know,
I says to say, you know, you drive up to
a stomp sign. A lawyer just lost a case where
the client maybe lost his life earnings. A doctor pulls
up that stomp sign and he may have just lost
a patient on the operating table. And I'm gonna pull
(26:54):
up the soft sign and I just lost a game
and they're all gonna look over me and say it's
all right, coach, You'll be okay. And I'm thinking, because
they can compartmentalize it. No one really knows what they
went through, but everybody knows you have a bad day
at work, so you know, I think the ability to
compartmentalize that is very very important in terms of your
everyday lifestyle. And I think that's how you can have
sustained career because you can't. You know, it bothers you. Yeah,
(27:17):
but you do what you have to do. You prepare
for it, You let them, let the dice roll how
they roll, and you go from there and you move
on weekend, week out.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
What's the game that keeps up wakes up at night?
Is there one that's always going to be there?
Speaker 4 (27:38):
Probably I don't know. I guess I think about I
think about the two thousand and four AFC Championship game.
That's a football team. We were fifteen and one, sixteen
and one, and we're coming down and it was Ben's
rookie year, and we're coming down to the end of
the second half in the second quarter, and the Rodney
(27:58):
Harrison pick because I think we had we actually had
it over the top. It was kind of a you know,
and Ben kind of locked in on Heath Miller. So
but you know, that was probably one because it was
like it was like the fourth AFC Championship loss. The
championship losses, I can remember every one of them. The
last play against the San Diego Chargers in nineteen ninety four,
(28:19):
we try to throw it to Barry Foster in the
end zone with Neil o'donald incomplete Dennis Gibson. We lose
the game. Ninety seven, we play against the Denver Broncos
and Cordell throws a couple of interceptions in the end zone.
We're getting so we moved the ball. We had a
chance in that game. In l way, it's Shannon Sharp
with a big third down pass and Lee Flowers is
(28:42):
getting ready to hitch on l way in the back.
Two thousand and one, Probably the one I think about
the most is we get a block field goal for
a touchdown, a putt return for a touchdown. We knocked
Brady out, bletso comes in, we hold him for two
hundred and forty yards. We were third, going up and
down the field. We just can't score touchdown. So that
one was bad. Then to lose back to them again
(29:04):
in two thousand and four, the one I just talked
about to you about, So pick any one of them.
I remember every one of them. So why we're going
done this?
Speaker 3 (29:11):
I don't know this misery?
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Wayne, Like, yes, the big ways you want to all
the losses? Okay, I'm sorry, all right, that's right, Dan,
That's okay.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
I just dawned on me. I'm like, oh my god,
what am I doing?
Speaker 4 (29:24):
You know?
Speaker 3 (29:25):
And then I'm going to say, have a great rest
of the day.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
There, nice memory, way, And that was great.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
So you know what, put your.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
Put your Hall of Fame jacket on and walk around
the blotchers.
Speaker 4 (29:38):
But the truth of the matter is, I think if
you look at any coach, they remember the losses. They
more than you remember the wins. And I think that's
a very very fair point. And so you look at
every one of those things. What could you have done differently,
a different play in ninety ninety four? Uh, you know,
maybe if in ninety seven, if I run the ball
livey a little bit more and not try to throw
it as much as I did two thousand and one,
(30:01):
I mean, my gosh, if we're just like a part
return and a block field goal for touchdowns and special
teams was like I was a special team's coach. It's
nothing bothered the war that SAT would probably worse now
I think about it. Probably Sat it would be worse
than any of them. It's two thousand and one. So
in two thousand and four, listen, it was a great year,
and you know, and Tom did. They did a great job.
(30:23):
They beat us in that game, we beat him in
the regular season, they beat us in the playoffs, and
we got our redemption in two thousand and five. But
you know what, honestly, two thousand and one probably because
that was a really good team and that was a
bad loss, just just two returns for touchdowns and a
kicking game. Come on, I can we can we move
on from that?
Speaker 1 (30:44):
I'm out of time.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
I can't talk about all the great wins. Coach. I
got to come back.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
I came on this morning. Thank you for making my day, Rosie.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Enjoy the rest of your day, coach.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Yeah, thanks, thanks.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
That's that's Bill Kuer, Hall of Fame coach.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan
Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Bobby Marks espn NBA Front Office Insider, regular contributor to
NBA Today. NBA Free Agency tipped off last night on
the Mothership. This evening a three hour NBA Today Free
Agency special that'll start at seven eastern. All right, Bobby,
let me start with that surprise that Miles Turner is
going to the Bucks, and then what they did with
(31:33):
Dame Lillard.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
Yeah, I was surprised.
Speaker 6 (31:35):
I thought, listen, Indiana gets to an NBA finals and
certainly Turner is a priority. I think things changed a
little bit with the Halbert injury. As far as where
Indiana is going next year with their roster.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
I think the.
Speaker 6 (31:49):
Interesting thing, Dan, they've they haven't paid the luxury tax
in twenty years. They had signed Turner, this would have
put them into tax for the first time, and they
basically let him walk to a division rival that's trying
to keep their franchise level player on their roster.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
So yeah, it is. It is surprising the Lizard one.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
I think the Lillard one is probably more surprising for me.
I know, he's out with that injury and he's owed
one hundred and thirteen million dollars and they stretched that
money over five years.
Speaker 5 (32:21):
It's the biggest stretch ever.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
Twenty two point nine million that he's going to be owed.
And I think when Damien does get returned from that injury,
he'll have a high demand. Whenever that is, you know,
it might be a year from now here, but it
will be interesting how this Bucks roster with they lose
Brook Lopez, but they get Miles Turner to join Giannis.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
More likely or less likely that Jannis will be on
the move anytime soon.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
I thought it was.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
I think it's less likely that he'll be on the move,
And I said that this morning when we were doing TV,
just based on some of the moves they had made
with Bobby Porters, and they bring back Gary Trent Junior
and Kevin Porter some of their role players. They still
got to go get a point guard, though, I mean,
I think that's gonna be the most important thing. I think.
I think the one name to keep an eye on
(33:07):
is Chris Paul. I would keep an eye on Chris Paul.
I don't know if it fits what Chris is trying
to do this at this tale of his career, certainly
being in Milwaukee, not close to home, I know that
is a priority for him. But he's the best available
free agent point guard in the market. He played eighty
two games last year and he still got a lot left.
So I would think that would if I'm Milwaukee, that's
(33:28):
the priority for me as far as going out and
trying to get a player like that.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
But what about the Pacers in lieu of Tyrese Halliburton?
What do you do?
Speaker 2 (33:37):
We saw what Dallas did with Kyrie out and get
D'Angelo Russell's what's Indiana's mindset here?
Speaker 6 (33:43):
Well, the market of free agent centers, and this is
kind of the timing of it is not good for
Indiana because we had a rash of centers come.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Off the board yesterday. You had Brook Lopez, you had
you had Clint Capella.
Speaker 6 (33:56):
There was a number of players here really that they
have this, we call it the non tax fourteen million
dollars to go out and spend. DeAndre Ayton is the
best available out there. I would think the market for
DeAndre Ayton gets a little bit better.
Speaker 5 (34:09):
It had cooled off a little bit.
Speaker 6 (34:11):
We thought maybe the Lakers were linked to him, and
we'll see if that plays out. But I think if
Eighton wants to go to Indiana, that would probably be.
Speaker 5 (34:16):
A better fit for him.
Speaker 6 (34:18):
But it is a tough blow for Indiana because now
you lose two out of your five starters for next year.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
But are you bringing in somebody as a temporary replacement
for Halibert.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
Well, they've got TJ.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
McConnell, and they have Andrew Nemhard and they drafted. They
they went through the draft and picked up picked up
a guard there. So I I think the interesting thing
Dan is the move they made before the draft when
Haliburton right in the NBA Finals, when they were getting
able to get their first round pick back, they traded
their own pick this year to New Orleans and got
(34:54):
their pick back in twenty twenty six. So now that
gives them the flexibility like they're almost kind of we're
like Boston is where you're almost I don't want to
say gap year, but you're, you know, you're kind of
you can kind of pull back a little bit here
and reset that roster and still get a pretty good
draft pick.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
Would you move Jalen Brown if you're the Celtics.
Speaker 6 (35:14):
I wouldn't because I keep on coming back to this
notion that eventually Jason Tatum's coming back. I mean, like,
and you're going to have if the goal is to
try to win, you need Jalen Brown and Derek White
around him. And it's so hard getting a player like
Brown who's a top twenty player, and you know, White
does it, you know, do everything type guy to add
(35:35):
to your roster and trades and free agency. I wouldn't
unless it's you know, the mothership of packages and everything
like that.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
I wouldn't move off off Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Bobby Marks, ESPN, NBA Front Office Insider, and NBA Today
Free Agency Special. It's three hours starting at seven Eastern tonight.
Can you help me understand or translate what Rich Paul
was saying to us? And I guess the Lakers about
Lebron almost be grudgingly opting in, but hey, remember it's
(36:07):
about winning now, not the future.
Speaker 6 (36:10):
Well, when I saw that, Dan, I had to send
it to my wife that I had said, can you
interpret this for me? Because I don't understand anything on here.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
It's interesting.
Speaker 6 (36:18):
It's like, well, we're going to opt into fifty three
million dollars, but we want the roster to be better
and I want to win. It has to be a
championship roster. Well, if you wanted to do that, why
don't you just decline your option? You had to pick
a team's I mean that would have been essentially the
easiest thing to do here. Now he's opted in there,
(36:38):
Listen there, there's an incomplete for the Lakers as far
as their off season so far. I mean, they went
out and got Jake Lauravia, but they've got We've been
talking since February about getting a center. I mean, they
need to get a center, and there's no market for
them outside of eighton right now. And it's going to
be interesting the collateral damage or the impact if they
don't make significance improvements here because you've got Luca on
(37:02):
one end, who is your future, and then you have
Lebron here on the last year of a contract. Here
you're basically kind of working on two different timelines.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Yeah, I'm trying to understand.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
And they lose Dorian Finney Smith to the Rockets, and
I start to wonder, Okay, they're going to bring back
Austin Reeves. You think he turned down uh that extension,
but they're going to bring him back. I'm guessing. But
I just wonder what exactly is Lebron saying? And I
agree with you.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
I said the same thing.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
If you don't like what it looks like in LA,
then go to Cleveland and win another title there. If that,
if you're not happy with this, you're not part of
the future, then you can win a championship in Cleveland
with the East wide open.
Speaker 6 (37:47):
Yeah, I mean, I think it would have worked maybe
five years ago. I mean, but now, as I said,
like where the Lakers are when you went out and
get you acquire Luca like he's the face of the franchise,
Like he's the face of the franchise. They're not going
to go out and make a short term move to
satisfy Lebron. Like they're not going out and giving up
(38:08):
all their draft equity for a short, short term move
for a player that likely won't be on their roster.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
But aren't the Lakers trying to win now?
Speaker 6 (38:16):
Bobby, Well, that's what they're trying to kind of thread
the needle, like you're trying to thread the needle of
winning now saving your flexibility for next year. That is
it's hard to do in the Western Conference, trying to
do that the Western Conference we went through yesterday. Dallas
got better because they got D'Angel Russell as a temporary
replacement for Kyrie. Of course, Cooper fly. You go through
(38:38):
the list, Denver, Cam Johnson, Houston of course as far
as where they're Okay, c brings back everything like if
you tell me right now, is the Lakers a top
five or six team in the in the what? I
don't think they are? And we had this debate this morning.
I would say the Dallas and Nico Harrison got criticized.
He got crucified, right like, and that's rightfully so based
(39:02):
on the trade and what happened.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
But you could make the argument that Dallas is in
a better.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
Position right now than the Los Angeles Lakers as far
as where they are. And I know they got lucky
with Cooper flag, but with Cooper flag, and if they
get Kyrie back in the debt they have with that roster.
If they of course, if they stay healthy, that they're
in a better position.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
I don't want to hear Nico Harrison tell me about
the vision that he had, because the vision was, Hey,
I traded away Luca. People hated me. We had injuries.
If we win one more game, we're not even in
the lottery. There's no vision here. He lucked into Cooper Flag.
That's all we needed to say. Hey, I still believe
(39:43):
in defense. When we're healthy, we're going to be very competitive.
We lucked into the lottery and I got Cooper Flag.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
That's it. But don't tell me, hey, you see the
vision that I had. What exactly is that vision?
Speaker 4 (39:55):
You know?
Speaker 6 (39:56):
It would have been refreshing if he just went up
there and goes, man, we got lucky. Yeah, I mean
like humanize it, like humanize it, right.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
We would all been like, yeah, you know what, you did,
get lucky.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
What do you expect to out of Cooper Flag? First year?
Speaker 9 (40:08):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (40:09):
Man, I tell you I've probably told this story too
many times, but I mean I living out in Southwest Florida,
and I saw Cooper play when he was at Mount
Verd at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers.
This is when Cooper was sixteen. This was his senior
year in high school. And this is with Derrick Queen
and Lee McNeely and Ason Newell that team. And I
was sitting with a scout and I said that a scout, I'm.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
Not making this up.
Speaker 6 (40:32):
I go he could play in the NBA right now sixteen.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
The beauty of Cooper.
Speaker 6 (40:37):
Flag is not him scoring twenty two, twenty three points
a game. The beauty of Cooper Flag is defense. I
mean his defense, as far as his length, his IQ.
That's what's going to keep him in these games down
the stretch here. And I think he's he's all business.
(40:58):
I had an opportunity to sit down with them high level.
Speaker 5 (41:00):
But I love I love the fact.
Speaker 6 (41:02):
That he can come in right now and make an
impact defensively.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
But I also wonder how do you ease him in
to a lineup? That's do you start him?
Speaker 5 (41:13):
You start him, then you have PJ.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
Washington come off. That's the That's the thing with Dallas.
They got so much depth they have, you know, whether
it be PJ. Washington or Nagie Marshall or Caleb Martin.
I mean you go, Kyrie, Clay Cooper, ad Derek Lively,
Daniel Gafford. I mean that's kind of what you're you're
looking at here. But I do think you, I do
think I mean, Jason's talking to my kid is all
about playing my point a little bit here too, which
(41:36):
is going to be interesting here. But I do think
you kind of it's like baptism by fire.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Yeah, I don't know, maybe I have him come in
off the bench.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
He's playing against their second unit, but then you do
kind of want him surrounded a little bit there. I mean,
he's he's really got the luxury of he can defer
and nobody's going to complain if he defers. Whether if
he went to the Wizards, went to Brooklyn, I mean,
all eyes would be on him, like, all right, let
(42:04):
me see what you can do with Dallas. He can
attempt to blend in a little bit there.
Speaker 6 (42:10):
Yeah, it's almost like a quarterback getting drafted with the
first pick and like basically throwing him into like on
an expansion team, like we sort of I think Derek
Carr right with the Texans and you know where Cooper,
He's not going to Utah or Washington or Brooklyn. One
of these teams at rebuilding. You basically have all these
veterans around him that you can he's in more into
(42:30):
the situation.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
Any big moves you're expecting.
Speaker 6 (42:36):
You know, we have all these restricted free agents out there.
Jonathan KAMINGA Josh Giddy. There's a group and the problem
is there's no money out there in free agency for
a team to come in and give an offer sheet.
Speaker 9 (42:48):
Here.
Speaker 6 (42:49):
You know, we'll we'll see what happens on the on
the trade front free agency. You know, we had a
lot come off the board on Monday. Here, we might
be done by the end of the week. Free agency wise,
it's it's the the downside of the ability to negotiate
with your own players at once the finals ends.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
If you were going to let's say one of your children,
you're going to show and tell, bringing in my dad,
he's going to explain the NBA aprons. So it's career day,
but you were going to explain it to let's say
fifth graders. Yeah, treat me like a fifth grader and
my audience and explain the famous NBA aprons.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
That second apron here.
Speaker 6 (43:29):
Yeah, I know, I wish we would come up with
a different name, right it's a it's a punitive restriction
that once you exceed it, Okay, once you exceed this level,
you're all right, let's let's all right. I'm gonna talk
like a fifth grader. You have a toy box of toys. Okay,
you have twenty twenty of your best toys. Okay, once
(43:51):
you exceed this restriction, this level, I'm going to go
in the toy box, Dan, and I'm going to take
fifteen out of those away. But I'm still gonna give
you five of your best toys okay, but I'm taking
those other fifteen away.
Speaker 5 (44:06):
Here.
Speaker 6 (44:06):
Now you have less toys to play with, but they're
still pretty good. But you won't be able to add
any more toys to that here. And that's what the
league is saying. We're going to allow you to keep
your best, but we're not going to allow you to
go to Golden State or to Clippers and grab their
best player.
Speaker 5 (44:24):
And what it does is it makes you draft well,
it makes.
Speaker 6 (44:30):
You prioritize keeping your own players. If you don't like Phoenix,
who's been a second Apron team and had three high
level players and they don't have they have three shiny toys,
but not really anything else good to that roster. It
really hurts you, like Oklahoma City's is going to be.
If they're a team that can defeat the second apron
(44:53):
as we.
Speaker 5 (44:53):
Call it, they're the ones that can do it.
Speaker 6 (44:56):
Because if Shay chet Jalen Williams four first round picks
next year, all these young players, when player, when lou
Dort gets expensive, Cason Wallace, Mike will probably replace himhen
Isaiah Hartenstein replaces him. Thomas Sorber, who they drafted, replaces him.
So you can keep on turning the wheel.
Speaker 3 (45:13):
There no thank you. Thank you for treating us as I've.
Speaker 5 (45:18):
Never used that. I've never used that in now. I
just made that one up.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
Maybe you could do it to Greenee, you know, because
I Greene doesn't understand the second aprin So maybe you
just treat him like a fifth grader.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Have fun tonight, Bobby, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Thanks to that. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
Bobby Marks
Hosts And Creators
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Dan Patrick
Patrick "Seton" O'Connor
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