June 3, 2024 • 55 mins
Unforeseen circumstances kept Chris Haynes and Marc Stein apart for much of the week, but they're back together at last to break down the Dallas/Boston matchup in the NBA Finals and decode all the latest with the Lakers' coaching search, LeBron James' free agency plans and the sudden contract extension Mike Brown landed Friday night in Sacramento.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This's you, Chris Hanes. It's time,
Mark Stein. It's so time. This League Uncut is underway
and on fire.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
This should be a good one. Everyone. Welcome in to
a brand new and overdue, brand new edition of this
League Uncut. Mark Stein here with his old friend Chris Haynes.
It was not by design, but we got separated for
(00:42):
a week and change, Chris says, I'm sure you guys
are all aware by now. He was in Atlanta for
the whole Western Conference finals doing an alt cast for
TNT with Adam Lefko and Vince Carter and Bomani Jones
and man, we don't go this long without talking. But
we didn't connect really for I don't know, six seven, eight,
(01:02):
nine days because I was in London. It's a long story.
I don't even know, Chris Haynes. If you know the
whole story, I can run you through it if you
want all of the background. But it's good to be
with you again, my friend.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
But yeah, I mean, I think you owe it to
me and you owe it to the listeners to run
it back.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So here's what happened. Okay, I have two sons, as
you know, one is out of high school and one
is nearing the end of high school. And my younger son,
like me, a die hard Manchester City fan. So we
had the opportunity to sneak over to England to see
the FA Cup Final and All Manchester FA Cup Final.
(01:42):
The less I say about the actual game will probably
be the healthier for me to help me get through
the rest of this podcast. But the point was, Okay,
this opportunity arises in the midst of the Western Conference
Finals that feature the team in the city where I live,
(02:03):
in Dallas, But there was no way I was gonna
pass up the chance to go to London for a
few days with my son Aaron see this game. We
actually got to go to Wembley Stadium two days in
a row because we saw the All Manchester FA Cup
Final and the Lead Southampton Championship playoff final to decide
(02:24):
which of those two teams goes up to the Premier
League and which has to return to the Championship for
another whole grueling season in the second division of English soccer.
So my thinking was, Mavericks Wolves, this thing is going
at least six, very well could go seven. We're gonna
(02:45):
sneak to England. We're gonna watch these two soccer games.
We're gonna have a few more days in London after
that incredible father and son trip, but we'll be back.
I'll get back on the night of game five. I'll
cover Game six in game seven if necessary, in person,
and I won't miss all that much. And I was
still here when Game one happened. I did not go
(03:06):
to Minneapolis, but I covered Game one from home. Dallas
wins Game one in Minneapolis, land in London, MAVs go
up two oh, hold on a second, and then the
MAVs go up three to oh, and I'm just like,
this is unbelievable. How are the MAVs gonna sweep this thing?
(03:26):
We actually did look into should we abort the rest
of the trip and come back. We explored it, and
then I was like, no, you know what, No, the
MAVs are up three to zero if they sweep this thing. Okay,
I'm gonna miss the sweep, but they're gonna be in
the finals. I'm gonna see the whole finals. We're not changing.
And it ended up going five, not six. We got
(03:48):
back in the country just a few hours before Game five.
Thought I was going to be covering a Game six
in Dallas. There was no Game six in Dallas. All right.
Now you have the very long winded and complicated and
probably TMI explanation why it was so hard to get
(04:09):
a hold of me for a few days. But I
know you were busy, man, that Atlanta thing. You looked
like you had a lot going on. Shooting contest with
Vince Carter, interviews with Rich Paul, and all kinds of
NBA luminaries and guests. It looked like you were busy.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
We had fun.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
How was your Western Conference Finals in Atlanta?
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, we had fun. It was a nice you know,
change of pace of an assignment for me. I would
have been that. You know, they moved me from what
they asked if I wanted to if I was interested
in doing this atcast for the Western Conference Finals and
I was on the Eastern Conference Finals, I was going
to cover that for the for the company, and so yeah,
(04:53):
I agreed to do it. And then you know, they
asked if I bring some guests on as well, So
you know, Dame was my first guess for Game one,
which Paul was Game two. I had Jordi Fernandez, the
new NETS coach, for Game three, and I had Desmond
Bane for Game three as well. Game four. Who did
(05:18):
I have Game four? Excuse me? I had Jordy Fernande's
Game four. I had desim Band game three, and then
I had Nicholas Patun for Game five and that was it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
STN.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
That's a good run. Did any of those NBA heavyweights
say they would come on this league? Uncut?
Speaker 3 (05:39):
We've had all them on except now.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
We had Batomb for sure.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
But was on Wetune. We had Dame games come on.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
But Tom came on last year to do the Victor women,
y'am in a preview. But we have not had Desmond Bane.
We have not had we have not had Jordi Fernandez.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, okay, well Jordi, Yeah, that was probably Jeordie's first,
you know National TV in the interview right there. So
you can't count hill.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
We have not had Rich Paul on this podcast. You
gotta make we got to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Okay, I think I would have remembered if Rich Paul
was on this podcast.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Okay, I thought we had Rich and you're right with
with debt with des I've had DEAs on my pod,
the pod before this one that I had before, four
different times.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
So that's I see. I got posting up posted posting
up with Yes, you don't have a post up game.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Posting a post up game. Impeccable footwork in the post. Yeah,
that pod is posted down now. So yeah, but no,
it was fun. It was fun.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I had I had a posting up with three point
gunner Chris Haynes.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Had a really good time. Man, it was funny staring.
So you know, all of us, most of us except
for Bomani, we're all salaried employees. So bo was the
only one that was getting paid by the game. So
he was hoping that the series extend, you know, extended.
(07:08):
And I've been there for two weeks because I got
there like four days before the cast because my daughter graduated.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, the last two pods we did were in Atlanta
before I left.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
So I've been there for a while, and so I
was trying to get home as soon as possible before
the final start. If I get home late, like say,
this series ends early this week, then I come home.
I'm home for about a day or two before the finals.
You married people. You people that's in in long healthy relationships. Y'all,
(07:43):
y'all know your significant other is not going to tolerate that,
or at least you're going to hear about just coming
in and out. You've already been going for two weeks,
then you come home for a little bit, and then
you back out. So I was hoping to get back
kind of early. And plus, my wife's birthday was Saturday,
which is yesterday, and Stein, we'll get an NBA talk. Stein.
(08:05):
She pulled a fast one on us this year. She
pulled a fast one on us. And what I mean
by that is for her birthday present, which was yesterday.
For her birthday present, she wanted everybody in the house
to clean the house. So she assigned cleaning assignments for
(08:27):
everybody in the house. I had the closet, I had
to wash the clothes, I had to fold the clothes.
I had to fix some electrical issues in the house.
And there's nothing about me that's electric, that's electrical or electrician.
That's just not me.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
And how many of your four daughters were home?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Everybody's home, everybody's own, Stein, I would very much rather
to spend a ton of money on gifts a big
birthday bash than to be at home cleaning up and
doing chores. Oh, it was the worst birthday experience ever.
She pulled a fast woman. Oh, but I'm done. That's
(09:07):
what I've been doing over these last few weeks. I'm
pretty sure people want to hear basketball now, Star.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
I think the reason we can get away with that
off the court extended intro is because if things go
to plan, this will be just the first of multiple
preview pods to get you set for the twenty twenty
four NBA Finals, a matchup that I don't think many
predicted coming into the season, and even at the start
(09:35):
of the playoffs to suggest that the Dallas Mavericks would
come through the gauntlet that is the Western Conference. Not
a lot of people, I know we're touting the Mavericks
as finals material, but here we are. It's the Mavericks.
They have dispatched the fifty one win LA Clippers, the
(09:57):
fifty seven win Oklahoma City Thunder, the fifty six win
Minnesota Timberwolves. The Mavericks beat all those teams, didn't need
to go seven in any of the first three rounds.
But now they've got to deal with the mighty Boston
Celtics sixty four and eighteen the team of the regular season.
(10:20):
The Celtics really did assemble one of the most impressive
regular season resumes we've ever seen. But as I'm sure
you guys talked about on that ALT cast, I didn't
see any of the ALT cast, but I'm guessing this
had to have come up once twice three times for Boston.
(10:42):
It's all riding on the finals. How they will be
judged this season will depend on what happens in this series.
So look, I think Vegas has the Celtics as pretty
clear favorites. I think the NBA consensus would have the
Celtics going into this series's favorites. But I want to
(11:04):
hear it from Chris Haynes. I picked Mavericks and six
in an upset. What does the Chris Haynes Crystal ball say,
who is going to win the twenty twenty three to
twenty four NBA Championship.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
If you would have asked me this question a week ago,
a few weeks ago, I'm definitely leaning towards the Boston Seltis.
It's not even leaning towards I'm picking the Boston Celtics,
probably picking them in five, six, not seven. But you
(11:40):
asked me today and my answer is I just don't know,
Stein I don't know, But that just shows how much
Dallas has convinced me over this past week. Again, remember,
look at what, look at what and Kyrie had to
(12:00):
go up against leading up to getting to the NBA Finals.
They had to deal with some tough DEFENSI of US
defensive matchups, Lou Dork, physical guys, somebody who's strong, who's
not going to just allow you to get to where
you want. Luca Kai still got with it where they wanted.
Minnesota Anthony Edwards, Jade mcdaims no problem. And then their
(12:28):
role players are stepping up, and it's strange. It's weird
to see Tim hardaway out of the rotation.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Completely out of the rotation.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Completely out of it, and yet they still got guys
coming in stepping up. Darrin Jones Junior is hitting those
corner threes. PJ. Washington. Then they got the live threat.
I can't call it, I really can't. I don't want.
I don't mean this kind of sliver out of answering
your question. But that's just how impressed I've come away
with with the Dallas matters of this last week and
(13:01):
a half.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, because that had to be, like you said, a
new experience for you that you were not. You know,
first and second round, you're always on the road. You're
in these arenas, you're having your gourmet burgers, your clandestine
gourmet burgers at MSG. But in the conference finals you're
in Atlanta. You didn't go to Minnesota or Dallas even once.
(13:24):
But you're also watching these games with three colleagues. You know,
you're probably dialed into the games in some ways. You
can watch the games more closely, just taking it in
that way as opposed to being in the arena and
having reporting duties and worried about where you need to
be for a live shot or where you've got to
(13:46):
go to get some intel for your notebook. You could
really just sit back and watch these games. So sitting
there with Vince Carter to watch that whole Wolves MAVs series,
like it sounds like you have a new appreciation for
these MAVs. Who I have to say, I've been saying it.
I've been saying it for weeks now, but like what
(14:08):
the Mavericks have done since the trade deadline to change
their identity completely, this statement will only hold up if
they actually go on to win it all. But we've
never seen a second half surge like this what this
team has done after making two trades on deadline day.
(14:30):
The MAVs were only twenty eight and twenty three on
the morning of the trade deadline, and they make these
moves and they've transformed themselves into a completely different team
that to support Luka and Kyrie, who your friend stan
Van Gundi continues to label the most talented offensive backcourt
(14:52):
that this game has ever seen. In support of that,
Dallas now has this elite defense and for much of
the year they had a bottom ten d and now
since the deadline, they have an elite defense. And you
just don't often see in the NBA. You don't see
it come together this quickly after a trade. It's very rare.
(15:12):
So take me back to the altcast and like, what
is Vince Carter telling you when he's watching this team?
The way the mas are flying around and it's crazy.
The Wolves won three times in Denver, which was insane,
and then the Mavericks turn around and they win three
times in Minneapolis in the space of nine days. Craziness.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Craziness, Yeah, I mean, it was cool, you know, just
being able to talk the game with the Hall of famer.
Who's going to be ducked into the Hall of Fame
this summer shot off to Vince Carter. Vince will be
joining us pretty soon at some point too, Styn.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
So yeah, I was going to say, we need that
we have not had Vince on this show.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
He'll be coming on. So you know, it was really cool.
I mean, one thing, I think Hilmy, including everybody on
the panel, and not just everybody on our panel, but
I think probably the basketball masses of fans, well, you know,
just frustrated with Karl Anthony Towns is up and down.
Play just was never consistent. It was it was almost
(16:16):
as if he didn't understand what was the best way
to attack, because he kind of went about attacking in
different ways in different games. And you know, sort of
like when you're when you're a go to score or
you're a primary scorer, you know, you have the nuts
(16:36):
and bolts of how you're able to produce and be
productive scoring the basketball. It just seemed like he was
just all over the place and she could never find
any consistency, and so you know, there was frustration with
him and his play, which made it tough. It started
before I finished my thought, before I want to add this,
I forgot Game two. Also, a guest that I brought
(16:59):
on an all cast is Grant Williams, and so he
has some you know, he has his ties to the
Boston Celtics and has his ties with the Dallas Mavericks.
He came on and he was he was basically saying
the Mavericks are going to to win the series and
get to the championship. He had nothing but glowing remarks
for the Dallas Mavericks. And you know, he even talked
(17:22):
a little bit about you know how people say he
talks too much. He said, well, I'm a competitive That's
what I do, you know, alluding to the reports out
there that that kind of him talking all the time
kind of drove him out of Dallas. And you know,
but he had nothing but growing remarks but Luca and
especially Kyrie. He had so many, so many good things
(17:43):
to say about Kyrie, and he said it was a
great trade. He was able to go back home, Dallas
was able to get what they wanted. And he said
he's pulling for him. It's kind of a tough situation
for him being that he was on both of those teams,
and now both of those teams are in the NBA Finals,
so he was on But Minnesota, I think, you know,
(18:03):
you can look at it, producer Tim. He's a die
hard Minnesota Timberwalls fan, so you I think most of
their fans are looking at it like, hey, we got
to this point, we should be happy now that it's
something you can we can build upon. I get all that,
I understand all that, but I don't necessarily like that
(18:24):
train of thought, you know, because there's clearly things that
need to be worked on with that team, and Kat
has to he has to improve, he has to step
up and be a force, a consistent force. I like
the fact that they came together, you know, the report
that they came together and refused to do a the
(18:47):
TNT postgame interview with Inside the NBA because Draymond Green
was critical of Rudy Goberle and Cat. But you got
to produce him a court at the end of the day.
That's that's what really mean.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
So because you had Grant Williams on that early in
the series, again, I couldn't see any of this from
far away London, I guess it was too soon at
that point to put the question to him, who would
he pick in a series Dallas versus Boston or did
you guys? Did you guys?
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Actually, we couldn't do that. We couldn't do that because
I think I picked Minnesota. Matter of fact, I did
pick Minnesota win the series. That's not even going to
be a question. That's just that's even in my mind
because I'm still even though Dallas was the first game,
I'm still like, Okay, then Saul's going to figure this
thing out. So though, that wasn't even a question in
(19:39):
my mind. But yeah, yeah, I would have been curious
the way he was talking so glorially of Dallas. I
think he would have said, Dallas, well.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Look, the MAVs really do have so many things going
for them. Derek Jones Junior has become I mean, he
was basically the last guy signed, wasn't signed until August fifteenth,
man on the ross. He's become an incredible defender. Derek Lively.
Everybody remembers the way the MAVs tanked at the end
of last season, when it became apparent that the best
(20:10):
they could do was the playing tournament. Lost the last
two games, fell into the lottery, made a Draft night
trade with Oklahoma City. And remember first, you know, the
MAVs have benefited from a lot of moves that didn't
come to fruition in recent years, and among them, they
had very serious talks going into the draft a year ago.
(20:34):
They wanted Atlanta's Clint Capella. The teams were very deep
in discussions. The talks ultimately broke down because Atlanta wanted
to send number fifteen and Capella to Dallas, but they
wanted not only the number ten pick, they wanted Josh
Green as well. The MAVs thought that was too much
to give up for Capella, so the MAVs did a
(20:57):
deal instead with Oklahoma City, where the Thunder took on
the contract of Davis Berton's. The teams traded the number
ten and number twelve pick. Cason Wallace ends up with
the Thunder, but Derek Lively ends up a Maverick, and
(21:19):
then at the trade deadline, the Thunder helped the Mavericks. Again,
it was costly for Dallas. We can't forget that it
was costly. Dallas had to surrender swap rights to its
twenty twenty eight first rounder. Oklahoma City now controls the
mavericks twenty twenty eight first rounder, but that deal gave
(21:41):
Dallas an extra first round pick in this June's draft.
Dallas used that to acquire Daniel Gafford from Washington, the
only other tradable first round pick that the Mavericks had.
They use that to get PJ. Washington in the Grant
Williams trade that you've referred to. Grant Williams, Yes, gets
to go home to Charlotte, but PJ. Washington, who had
(22:03):
never played in a playoff game, he goes to Dallas
and is now a cult hero because of the pos
he struck standing and facing the Clippers bench with his
arms folded. He's had some major moments in these playoffs.
So it's Lively, it's Gafford, it's Derek Jones Junior, it's
(22:24):
PJ Washington. Maxi Kleba was out for almost two full
rounds after a really hard fall in the clinching game
of the Clippers series. But now he's back, and so
the Mavericks have all these defensive minded players who are
making incredible contributions on that end in support of Luca
(22:47):
and Kyrie, who their first few months together as teammates.
Everybody remembers it did not go well only five and
eleven with both of those guys in uniforms, and sixteen
eighteen months later, you've got stan Van Gundy and Reggie
Miller talking about how much offensive damage these two can
(23:10):
reak as a doubles team. So, yeah, the MAVs have
tons and tons and tons going for them now. But
this again, this Boston team, this Boston team has really
been the team of the season. I know you've spent
a fair bit of time around them. Jason Tatum's going
to be texting you when he hears something on this pod.
(23:32):
He doesn't like talk to me about the Celtics. I've
gone on and on and on about the MAVs. We
shouldn't slight them because they they obviously have a lot
going for them too.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Yeah, Championship of bus that's the only result. Anything else
will be considered a failure.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
And how's that pressure? What will that pressure do to them?
Because I guess I can't put all my trust in
this team yet. Something is holding me back.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
With Jalen Brown a few weeks ago about that, and
he said for us to still have doubts or for
people to still be skeptical on if we can win
the whole thing. He said, that's a valid reaction. He said,
we haven't done it yet, and the only thing on
people's minds are how they've come up short or how
(24:24):
they've lost games, whether it be turnovers, bad shots, selection. So,
he said he understands that way of thinking when people
are talking about if the selfish can win the whole
damn thing. He said, but this is a new team,
completely different team. He said. He believes they're a better team.
And he said, so only time will tell. But they
(24:47):
really do feel like this is it start. They feel
like this is it. They're well prepared, they're well equipped.
They've been to the they've been to the mountaintop. They
haven't got over the hunt, but they've been there. They
haven't won the whole thing. So they feel like they're
prime for this opportunity. So that's what they're sayding up
(25:08):
in the locker room like they already. But I will
tell you right now, it's going to come. There's more
pressure on the Boston Celtics than the Dallas matters.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Yeah, and that's the thing. How will they actually handle
that on this stage? Because the Celtics have been under
the microscope throughout these Eastern Conference playoffs. They went twelve
and two, but the two times they lost to Miami
and Indiana. And the Miami loss, I mean, the heat
shooting that night was from another galaxy. They were so
(25:39):
scalding hot that night. But you know they also lost
a game to the Calves, and you know the Calves
were not at full strength in that series. But the
way this is gone when the Celtics win, it's the
East is too easy. The teams they're playing are too
banged up. They're not being tested and that's going to
(26:02):
hurt them in the finals, when undoubtedly they will be tested.
But then on the two occasions that the Celtics lost
in the playoffs, it unleashes all the criticism. I told
you so, I told you these guys weren't ready. I
told you that they're going to falter at the final hurdle.
And they're getting Porzingis back. I think that's pretty clear.
(26:24):
So they're going to be pretty close to full strength.
Porzingis is obviously going to have to work through some rest,
but we'll see. Well, I mean, they are unlike the Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves had the best defense in the league all season,
and I don't think there was any dispute about that statistically,
(26:44):
but when it came to matching up with the Mavericks,
the Wolves did not have the kind of options on
the perimeter that Boston has. The Celtics will be able
to throw Drew Holliday and Derek White for starters, and
then Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum will also be I'm
sure getting turns on Luca and Kyrie, So the Celtics
(27:05):
would appear to have many more perimeter defensive options to
counter the two great Dallas guards. I mean it should be.
I mean this should be. It should be a fantastic finals, honestly.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, the Clippers felt that way as well. They felt
they had a lot of defensive players on the perimeter.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yeah, you're right to.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Slow them down. It hasn't happened, so I don't envision
it happening. I think for the Mavericks, if they are
to win, it's going to take a collective It's gonna
take guys stepping up doing what they've been doing to
get to this point. But I'm very, very excited. I
don't know how a Celtics MAVs matchup. I don't know.
(27:48):
You think this is going to be a ratings like Blockbuster.
How do you think is gonna be?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
I do, but I do, And the reason why is
I think obviously there is huge interest in the Luca
and Kyrie duo. I mean, these are two undeniable marquee
stars and that is obviously one of the advantages the
MAVs are going to have in the series. With apologies
to mister Tatum, to mister Brown and the resurgent Kyrie irving,
(28:16):
Luka Doncic is the best player in this series. He's
a global superstar, and I think Luca alone is a draw.
And then the Celtics, as one of the marquee franchises
in the league from a massive Eastern Conference market chasing
the elusive eighteenth championship. The Celtics have such a huge
(28:41):
following that I do think, yes, the ratings because of
those combining factors are going to be pretty damn strong.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I'm looking forward to it, but.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
If I have my facts right, it looks like I
will not be in person in attendance for one or
two in Boss and you're the same, right, like we
will both be in person in the flesh picking up
these finals with Game three in Dallas. You and I
together again first time? Is that the first time we'll
(29:12):
be in the same arena since.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
The All Star YEP, Since All Star YEP. I always
like coming to Dallas, seeing how you control your territory,
and the territory that is American Airlines Arena. You know
every cracking cranny in that building, you know where everybody leaves,
you know where bodies are buried in that place.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
So that's all true. It is all true, except the
finals is a different beast. I mean there are literally
literally thousands of reporters in the building. I mean it is,
It's a whole different ballgame.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Do you still get those damn near court side seats
for finals?
Speaker 2 (29:55):
That is a great question. I'm a little bit afraid
to ask because I have been undoubtedly spoiled from the
moment the American Airline Center opened. The mavericks first season
in that building was two thousand and one, two thousand
and two. I have basically had the same seat for
(30:21):
twenty two to twenty three years, and in both the
two thousand and six and twenty eleven finals, the NBA
allowed me to keep that seat for Mavericks home games
in the finals, which meant a great deal to me.
But in both of those finals, I was still working
(30:42):
for ESPN, So you know, I missed Game three and
Game four in the Western Conference Finals because of my
little six day soccer getaway with my son. And my
sources say that at longtime NBA communications are Tim Frank
(31:06):
took my seat for those two games. So will I
Will I be able to reclaim that seat for a
Game three, four, and six of these NBA Finals. It's
definitely definitely what I'm thinking about every night when I
try to put the head down and get a few
(31:27):
hours of sleep. Am I going to be able to
hang on to that seat?
Speaker 3 (31:32):
It's up in the air. But I will say, you know,
you might have been with ESPN before it just kind
of helped you keep that seat. But since then you've
become a Hall of Famer, So I think that comes
with some pretty cool perks, and I think one of
those perks should be you keeping your courtside seats. So
(31:54):
hopefully that works out for you.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
You are a beautiful friend, and I hope, I hope
you prove correct. But I have to say. Brian McIntyre,
NBA pr Legend He was the one, I think in
six who decreed that I get to stay there for
the MAVs home games, and I think it was Tim
Frank's call in twenty eleven when the MAVs and Heat
(32:16):
hooked up again. You know, this is new territory for
the MAVs. The only two times that the MAVs have
been in the Finals, they opposed Miami. So this is
this is new ground to take on the storied Celtics.
We shall see. You'll be a rare turn of events.
If in Games three and four, like I'm sitting courtside
(32:38):
and Chris Haynes is farther away from the floor than me,
that would be an unexpected turn.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I'll send you a picture from my seat from there'll
be a picture of the roof of your head. I'm
pretty sure that'll be my banners point.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Something tells me you'll end up on the floor somehow.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
After the game.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
No pre game, pregame predayes. I don't want to do
all of our Mavericks Celtics discussion in this Sunday night
(33:22):
to publish Monday taping because we hope to have some
special guests before Thursday night's game one that we can
continue to preview these finals with So we will come back,
certainly to MAVs Celtics, which we'll be talking about, let's
face it, for the next week plus, we'll be talking
about that series a ton. I do want to take
(33:44):
it back to Atlanta. So again, I was on the
other side of the Atlantic and couldn't really keep up
with you. You will not be surprised to learn that
the altcast was not available on British television. So when
you had Rich Paul on any he surprises, any disclosures
anything interesting there? Did he tell you who the Lakers
(34:05):
next coach would be? Who's drafting Bronny? Where's Lebron going
in free agency?
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Yeah, well that's one thing he did touch on. He
said Lebron is a free agent. And so when he
said that, Stott, there's a clip, you know, people can
find a clip of him saying that. He said it
like in passing, and he just continued on talking as
if that wasn't news. And so I'm tripping Stein. So
when he said he said, you know, Lebron's a free agent,
(34:35):
you know he's going to blah blah blah blah blah.
So as he continues on talking. You can see I
look down and I'm on my phone and I'm thinking,
I'm looking start. I'm like, did I miss Over the
last few days Lebron said he was opting out and
becoming a free Like, did I miss that part? So
I'm googling, like did I miss anything?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
No?
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I didn't, So I wait till Rich Finch's talking. Then
I interject say, hey, Rich, hold on, I'm just I
want to make clarify. I heard you say Lebron's a
free agent. So are you saying that he's going to
decline his player option? You know? Rich came back. You know, Chris,
you know, I don't negotiate on TV. Lebron will make
(35:17):
a decision when he's ready, blah blah blah. So he
kind of, you know, seemed like he kind of revealed
what they plan to do. It's basically, you know, we
knew he was going to pretty much opt out of
his contract and become a free agent from everything that
we all know. The belief is that Lebron James is
going to be signed on a multi year deal, so
it's not a but at the same time, becoming a
(35:38):
free agent does come with scare tactics. Does come with
some concerns, possibly especially when you got Brownie James out
there with his draft draft status unknown. Uh uh. You know,
Rich Paul came and he elaborated on because I did
an interview with Rich Paul. It was that the day
of I put a story out of my interview with
(36:00):
Rich Paul the morning of that same morning, and then
Rich Paul came on our All Cast that night. But
in the story, Rich Paul said he will not allow
Bronnie James to sign a two way contract, and so
that that part kind of blew up. Aggregators and whatever.
(36:21):
That kind of blew up, and people started taking it
taking taking it to mean that Rich Paul won't will
not allow Bronnie to play in the G League because
we all knowing two way contracts, you kind of play
half half your time in the NBA and the other
half of the G League. And so Rich Paul came
on our All Cast and elaborated on that, explaining, no,
(36:44):
he has nothing against Bronnie playing or spending time in
the G League, but rather his client be drafted, be
drafted or you know, you can even do a sign
an undrafted free agent contract, get three or four years
Gearant team, and that way that a team is invested
in the player, they're invested in seeing the player improve
(37:08):
over a year to year basis opposed to a two
way deal that can be that can be as early
as a one year deal. Then you cut your tie.
So that's what he's trying to do. He's trying to
get an investment from a team in Bronnie James. So
he touched on that, he touched on, he touched on
Lebron said, Lebron is going le Bron is not influenced.
(37:28):
He said, Lebron's not influencing the coaching the coaching process
of the Lakers, and he said Lebron's not involved when
it comes to JJ Reddick. Uh. He said, Lebron will
come to camp with whoever coach the Lakers shoes higher.
So in a nutshell, those are some of the things
(37:50):
he talked about on the Doll cast.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Well, since you mentioned the existence of a clip from
this exchange with Rich Paul, you know what, let's go
ahead and take a listen to that clip right now.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
And you know, look, Lebron's a free agent. You have
to decide, and I got to focus on his business
and who should be focused on his business and let
the Lakers hire whoever they want to hire. And he's
always he's always showed up and played for whatever coach
is there. Hold Baba is gonna come hold, hold, hold
on real quick. You said something rich. You said, Lebron's
(38:23):
a free agent. So I take it Lebron's going to
decline that player option because you know, doing my business over,
I don't know what he's gonna do. It's gonna do
what we do every year. We're gonna we're gonna evaluate
the situation and we're gonna make the best decision.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
I think when we listen to that, though, we're both
arriving at the same conclusion. Lebron declining his player option
to become a free agent sounds like that is the
likely option, but it's a decline to resign kind of situation.
We still both expect him to stay with the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
Yes, yeah, I'll be surprised if he's not the Lakers
next season.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
I did catch just as I was getting back into
the country, you appeared on the Dan Patrick Show, and
I think you said the same.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
And what I just said that that just now I
thought to myself, hold on, this is how you got
yourself in trouble last week.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
That's what you said.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
What was the quote it was? It was privately say
exact same way. I would be very surprised if JJ
Reddick is not the Lakers, sayd coach.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
I still you're not alone there, man, you're not.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
I still believe that. I'm not reporting they're hiring them
tomorrow or anything like that. They're still going through their process.
I believe that they're meeting with the candidate. Met with
the candidates face to face last week in La. So yeah,
but that's that's what I believe to be on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
And look, I think again, only the Lakers know their
precise plan. But around the league, we've been saying it
almost from the start. If you had to pinpoint a
favorite for the job, it would almost universally come back
as JJ Reddick. I do think Pelicans associate head coach
(40:29):
James Barrego is the other top candidate here. But as
I reported more than a week ago now, there's been
chattering coaching circles about what the assistant coaching lineup might
look like if JJ Reddick indeed gets the job, and
I don't know that they would be successful in finding
(40:52):
a way to hire James Barrego away from the Pelicans.
But I'm sure that if JJ Reddick is indeed the
Lakers choice to replace Darvin Ham, I'm sure they would
try to get James Brego on the staff, essentially as
his offensive coordinator. I wrote about a week ago that
(41:18):
Sam Cassell, currently a Boston Celtics assistant, also a candidate
who was interviewed for this Lakers opening. He's another assistant
who would interest LA if Reddick is indeed the choice.
Ditto for Jared Dudley, who's a prominent assistant coach with
the Mavericks. Our friend Dan Woiki of the La Times
(41:42):
says Scott Brooks, of course, formerly a head coach with
the Thunder and the Wizards and most recently a member
of Portland's coaching staff, that Scott Brooks would be another
name who would interest the Lakers. So it's interesting that
names for potential assistance to JJ Reddick have already been
(42:04):
circulating for more than a week now, and as we've
been talking on this podcast now for really throughout the
month of May since the Lakers job opened up. You know,
one of the interesting variables here with JJ Reddick if
he is indeed the choice. ESBN needs JJ Reddick to
(42:25):
complete the NBA Finals. This is year one post Jeff
Van Gundy and Mark Jackson next to the Hall of
Famer Mike Breen and Doc Rivers was hired to be
on the A team with Mike Breen and Doris Burke.
ESBN lost Doc Rivers to the Milwaukee Bucks in late January.
(42:49):
They promoted JJ Reddick to replace Doc Rivers, and they
need jj Reddick to complete the finals. It would be
major egg on ESPN's face to lose another member of
its A team before the finals are complete, but that
doesn't mean Look, the Lakers could still hire JJ Reddick
(43:13):
before the end of the Finals. We saw this in
twenty eleven. If you remember in twenty eleven, the Golden
State Warriors hired Mark Jackson during the NBA Finals, Mark
Jackson it was confirmed and announced that he was the Warriors'
choice to become their new head coach. That happened about
(43:33):
halfway through the twenty eleven Finals, in which Dallas defeated Miami,
and Mark Jackson still went on to announce games four, five,
and six, even though the world knew he would be
joining the Warriors after the finals, so I don't think
the Lakers have to wait until the finals are over.
(43:54):
But even if they did announce that JJ Reddick was
the choice, I think we will see. I think it
is pretty safe to assume that we will see JJ
Reddick announce these NBA finals from start to finish before
actually taking that job. If again, he is indeed the choice,
(44:15):
as so many people around the NBA, not just Chrispy Haynes, expect.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
Thank you Star. Since we're on coaches, let's give a
shout out to Mike Brown. Got his extension worked out,
kind of went through a chaotic negotiating period.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
And overdue extension for Mike Brown, the most successful coach
in King's history not named Rick Adaman. Mike Brown has
been there two years, They've won ninety games. Go look
up what's happened between Rick Adelman's tenure and Mike Brown's
tenure and ask yourself, should he or should he not
(44:57):
have been extended. He obviously deserved the deal he got.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
For sure. I know there's not a lot out there
on what happened or what was going on behind the
scenes to where they negotiations were had and then they
were stalled and picked back up last minute. You remember,
so Mike Brown, he was on a four year deal
(45:22):
and the contract that he was on, it was a
contract that was less. He was being paid less than
Luke Walton, the previous coach, So you know there's a
problem there. But whatever, Mike Brown came in he accepted
that contract. Now, the fourth year of that contract, the
fourth year was a mutual option, which means the team
(45:46):
and the coach has to agree to pick up that
fourth year option. And so that was part of the contract.
And so as they were trying to negotiate and get
things done, it looked like it wasn't going to happen.
It looked like a deal was not going to transpire.
(46:10):
I was actually told that Mike Brown himself declined that
fourth year mutual option. So just by him doing it
himself meant that the twenty twenty four to twenty five
season was going to be his last because he declined
(46:30):
that fourth year option. And so now you have the situation. Okay,
Now a coach with the pedigree and the success of
Mike Brown was going to go into a season of
one year under his belt. That's not the ideal situation
for a franchise, you know, same with players. You know,
when you got to star players, not the ideal situation.
(46:52):
So whatever happened outside of that picked the negotiations back
up and they got a deal done about three years,
about three years close to ten million a season, so extension.
So I'm happy if Mike Brown glad it all worked
out and he's actually getting compensated for what he has
done for the city of Sacramento and the King's Organization.
Speaker 2 (47:17):
And it's so amazing to think about what has happened
in the last year on the coaching carousel. Literally one year.
You and I are recording this on Sunday night. It
is June second, one year ago today, Mannie Williams was
officially named coach of the Detroit Pistons. And remember he
(47:42):
was ousted in Phoenix. He said no. Mannie Williams said
no to the Pistons more than once. The Pistons had
to make multiple runs to ultimately convince him to take
that job, and the Pistons gave Monnie Williams the six
year deal worth nearly eighty million. Revolutionary contract change the
(48:06):
coaching market, completely change the entire salary scale for NBA coaches,
and since then, I'm going to put Greg Popovich in
his deal aside, because Greg Popovich he operates on rules
that are he's on a planet unto himself when it
comes to coaches. Pop is going to coach the Spurs
until he decides he no longer wants to. But just
(48:29):
think about all the things that have happened in the
league coaching wise, since Mani Williams deal, Eric Spolster in Miami,
Steve Kerr and Golden State, they get mega deals. Jason
Kidd in Dallas got a sizeable raise and a two
year contract extension through twenty twenty six twenty seven, immediately
after the Mavericks won their first round series against the Clippers,
(48:52):
because the Lakers would have gone after Jason Kidd if
there was no extension in place. Then the Suns they
hire Mike bo Sudenholzer to a five year deal in
the ten million a season range. And that's after firing
Frank Vogel. Frank was just one year into his own
five year deal that was paying about six million annually.
(49:14):
So the Suns and their new owner Matt Ishpia, He's
going to be paying coaches with an s sixteen million
per season for the foreseeable future. Then this week, early
in the week, ty Lou finally gets his new deal
with the Clippers, five years, a reported seventy million. Mike
Brown he finally gets his deal in Sacramento on Friday night,
(49:38):
and Tom Thibodeau in New York. Everyone I talked to
says he will be next and that he's getting an
extension that will likely land in the ten million per
season range. So you've seen all these huge contracts signed
(49:58):
by coaches around the league since the Mani Williams deal
in Detroit. But here we are a year later, it
is not yet guaranteed that Mani Williams will be back
next season. Trajan Langdon is the Pistons new president of
basketball Operations. He officially took charge of the Pistons basketball
(50:24):
department on Friday. The Pistons immediately parted ways with GM
Troy Weaver. But now Langdon, I'm told he immediately will
begin an evaluation phase, and that includes assessing whether Mani
Williams will continue as coach. And remember again, Mani Williams
(50:46):
is only he only just completed year one of a
six year deal worth nearly eighty million, So it's crazy
that Mani Williams sparked this whole coaching salaries revolution. But
now we await official word to see if he will
be back on the sideline with the Pistons next season.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Stein on another episode, I would like to dive not today,
but I would like to dive into the reputation of
head coaches in the modern NBA, because you remember stin
If you are a head coach eighties, nineties, early two thousand,
if you got one championship, just one, you were regarded
(51:30):
very highly in the coaching profession, very highly. You know,
look at somebody like Rick Carla who got you know,
got a champion one championship in Dallas. I know he
was successful tenure with the Indiana Pacers as well, went
deep into the playoffs. But if you get a championship,
you're in a rare company and you you you can
(51:52):
pretty much have job security for an extended time. Now
we're seeing coaches get a championship fire the next season,
or a coach that has a championship only get one
season and there fired Botenholzer, Frank Vogel. It's like a
(52:13):
championship doesn't mean much anymore when it comes to head
coaches like I want to one episode, I want to
kind of break down when did the shift of this happen?
Or is this is this something that needs to continue
happening because I think you know, you know, we get
into it letter, but I just think the shift has changed.
Speaker 2 (52:47):
We've been apart so long, we got so rusty, we
kind of lost track of the clock and went a
little bit too long here. So we will we will
get back into that, and I think you know we did.
We did touch on some of that with Van Gundy
when Stan joined us recently, and we talked about how
the blame factor that coaches have to deal with, you know,
(53:07):
that's like factored into where salaries have gone now that
coaches know more than ever that they will be the first, second,
and third ones to take the blame. I think you
aptly described it as the scapegoat clause, and we're definitely
seeing it. All right. That is going to do it
for this edition of this League uncut. As always, please
(53:32):
follow the show, rate the show, review the show. We
would love to get a five star review from you
if you see fit. That would be wonderful. And like
I said, Chris and I, we're both going to be
working the phones trying to bring in a guest or
two for another special episode or two before Thursday night's
(53:56):
Game one of the NBA Finals, Dallas at Boston. The
Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals for the third time,
seeking championship number two in franchise history. The Boston Celtics
going for championship number eighteen. Can they finally win one?
(54:17):
Stunning that since Larry Bird's retirement in nineteen ninety two,
the Celtics have only one at once at title in
two thousand and eight. Can they finally get number eighteen?
Can Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown win one together at last?
We will continue to preview the Finals all week leading
(54:39):
up to Thursday's series opener, and it won't be long.
Like we said before, Haynes and Stein are even in
the same building for Game three. Everyone, thanks so much
for listening. We'll be back with you very very soon,
and that'll do it for us. See you next time.
(55:01):
This league uncutters an iHeartRadio production
Speaker 1 (55:08):
Chris Hanes and Mark Stein
Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This's you, Chris Hanes. It's time,
Mark Stein. It's so time. This League Uncut is underway
and on fire.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
This should be a good one. Everyone. Welcome in to
a brand new and overdue, brand new edition of this
League Uncut. Mark Stein here with his old friend Chris Haynes.
It was not by design, but we got separated for
(00:42):
a week and change, Chris says, I'm sure you guys
are all aware by now. He was in Atlanta for
the whole Western Conference finals doing an alt cast for
TNT with Adam Lefko and Vince Carter and Bomani Jones
and man, we don't go this long without talking. But
we didn't connect really for I don't know, six seven, eight,
(01:02):
nine days because I was in London. It's a long story.
I don't even know, Chris Haynes. If you know the
whole story, I can run you through it if you
want all of the background. But it's good to be
with you again, my friend.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
But yeah, I mean, I think you owe it to
me and you owe it to the listeners to run
it back.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So here's what happened. Okay, I have two sons, as
you know, one is out of high school and one
is nearing the end of high school. And my younger son,
like me, a die hard Manchester City fan. So we
had the opportunity to sneak over to England to see
the FA Cup Final and All Manchester FA Cup Final.
(01:42):
The less I say about the actual game will probably
be the healthier for me to help me get through
the rest of this podcast. But the point was, Okay,
this opportunity arises in the midst of the Western Conference
Finals that feature the team in the city where I live,
(02:03):
in Dallas, But there was no way I was gonna
pass up the chance to go to London for a
few days with my son Aaron see this game. We
actually got to go to Wembley Stadium two days in
a row because we saw the All Manchester FA Cup
Final and the Lead Southampton Championship playoff final to decide
(02:24):
which of those two teams goes up to the Premier
League and which has to return to the Championship for
another whole grueling season in the second division of English soccer.
So my thinking was, Mavericks Wolves, this thing is going
at least six, very well could go seven. We're gonna
(02:45):
sneak to England. We're gonna watch these two soccer games.
We're gonna have a few more days in London after
that incredible father and son trip, but we'll be back.
I'll get back on the night of game five. I'll
cover Game six in game seven if necessary, in person,
and I won't miss all that much. And I was
still here when Game one happened. I did not go
(03:06):
to Minneapolis, but I covered Game one from home. Dallas
wins Game one in Minneapolis, land in London, MAVs go
up two oh, hold on a second, and then the
MAVs go up three to oh, and I'm just like,
this is unbelievable. How are the MAVs gonna sweep this thing?
(03:26):
We actually did look into should we abort the rest
of the trip and come back. We explored it, and
then I was like, no, you know what, No, the
MAVs are up three to zero if they sweep this thing. Okay,
I'm gonna miss the sweep, but they're gonna be in
the finals. I'm gonna see the whole finals. We're not changing.
And it ended up going five, not six. We got
(03:48):
back in the country just a few hours before Game five.
Thought I was going to be covering a Game six
in Dallas. There was no Game six in Dallas. All right.
Now you have the very long winded and complicated and
probably TMI explanation why it was so hard to get
(04:09):
a hold of me for a few days. But I
know you were busy, man, that Atlanta thing. You looked
like you had a lot going on. Shooting contest with
Vince Carter, interviews with Rich Paul, and all kinds of
NBA luminaries and guests. It looked like you were busy.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
We had fun.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
How was your Western Conference Finals in Atlanta?
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, we had fun. It was a nice you know,
change of pace of an assignment for me. I would
have been that. You know, they moved me from what
they asked if I wanted to if I was interested
in doing this atcast for the Western Conference Finals and
I was on the Eastern Conference Finals, I was going
to cover that for the for the company, and so yeah,
(04:53):
I agreed to do it. And then you know, they
asked if I bring some guests on as well, So
you know, Dame was my first guess for Game one,
which Paul was Game two. I had Jordi Fernandez, the
new NETS coach, for Game three, and I had Desmond
Bane for Game three as well. Game four. Who did
(05:18):
I have Game four? Excuse me? I had Jordy Fernande's
Game four. I had desim Band game three, and then
I had Nicholas Patun for Game five and that was it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
STN.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
That's a good run. Did any of those NBA heavyweights
say they would come on this league? Uncut?
Speaker 3 (05:39):
We've had all them on except now.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
We had Batomb for sure.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
But was on Wetune. We had Dame games come on.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
But Tom came on last year to do the Victor women,
y'am in a preview. But we have not had Desmond Bane.
We have not had we have not had Jordi Fernandez.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, okay, well Jordi, Yeah, that was probably Jeordie's first,
you know National TV in the interview right there. So
you can't count hill.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
We have not had Rich Paul on this podcast. You
gotta make we got to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Okay, I think I would have remembered if Rich Paul
was on this podcast.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Okay, I thought we had Rich and you're right with
with debt with des I've had DEAs on my pod,
the pod before this one that I had before, four
different times.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
So that's I see. I got posting up posted posting
up with Yes, you don't have a post up game.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Posting a post up game. Impeccable footwork in the post. Yeah,
that pod is posted down now. So yeah, but no,
it was fun. It was fun.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I had I had a posting up with three point
gunner Chris Haynes.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Had a really good time. Man, it was funny staring.
So you know, all of us, most of us except
for Bomani, we're all salaried employees. So bo was the
only one that was getting paid by the game. So
he was hoping that the series extend, you know, extended.
(07:08):
And I've been there for two weeks because I got
there like four days before the cast because my daughter graduated.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, the last two pods we did were in Atlanta
before I left.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
So I've been there for a while, and so I
was trying to get home as soon as possible before
the final start. If I get home late, like say,
this series ends early this week, then I come home.
I'm home for about a day or two before the finals.
You married people. You people that's in in long healthy relationships. Y'all,
(07:43):
y'all know your significant other is not going to tolerate that,
or at least you're going to hear about just coming
in and out. You've already been going for two weeks,
then you come home for a little bit, and then
you back out. So I was hoping to get back
kind of early. And plus, my wife's birthday was Saturday,
which is yesterday, and Stein, we'll get an NBA talk. Stein.
(08:05):
She pulled a fast one on us this year. She
pulled a fast one on us. And what I mean
by that is for her birthday present, which was yesterday.
For her birthday present, she wanted everybody in the house
to clean the house. So she assigned cleaning assignments for
(08:27):
everybody in the house. I had the closet, I had
to wash the clothes, I had to fold the clothes.
I had to fix some electrical issues in the house.
And there's nothing about me that's electric, that's electrical or electrician.
That's just not me.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
And how many of your four daughters were home?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Everybody's home, everybody's own, Stein, I would very much rather
to spend a ton of money on gifts a big
birthday bash than to be at home cleaning up and
doing chores. Oh, it was the worst birthday experience ever.
She pulled a fast woman. Oh, but I'm done. That's
(09:07):
what I've been doing over these last few weeks. I'm
pretty sure people want to hear basketball now, Star.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
I think the reason we can get away with that
off the court extended intro is because if things go
to plan, this will be just the first of multiple
preview pods to get you set for the twenty twenty
four NBA Finals, a matchup that I don't think many
predicted coming into the season, and even at the start
(09:35):
of the playoffs to suggest that the Dallas Mavericks would
come through the gauntlet that is the Western Conference. Not
a lot of people, I know we're touting the Mavericks
as finals material, but here we are. It's the Mavericks.
They have dispatched the fifty one win LA Clippers, the
(09:57):
fifty seven win Oklahoma City Thunder, the fifty six win
Minnesota Timberwolves. The Mavericks beat all those teams, didn't need
to go seven in any of the first three rounds.
But now they've got to deal with the mighty Boston
Celtics sixty four and eighteen the team of the regular season.
(10:20):
The Celtics really did assemble one of the most impressive
regular season resumes we've ever seen. But as I'm sure
you guys talked about on that ALT cast, I didn't
see any of the ALT cast, but I'm guessing this
had to have come up once twice three times for Boston.
(10:42):
It's all riding on the finals. How they will be
judged this season will depend on what happens in this series.
So look, I think Vegas has the Celtics as pretty
clear favorites. I think the NBA consensus would have the
Celtics going into this series's favorites. But I want to
(11:04):
hear it from Chris Haynes. I picked Mavericks and six
in an upset. What does the Chris Haynes Crystal ball say,
who is going to win the twenty twenty three to
twenty four NBA Championship.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
If you would have asked me this question a week ago,
a few weeks ago, I'm definitely leaning towards the Boston Seltis.
It's not even leaning towards I'm picking the Boston Celtics,
probably picking them in five, six, not seven. But you
(11:40):
asked me today and my answer is I just don't know,
Stein I don't know, But that just shows how much
Dallas has convinced me over this past week. Again, remember,
look at what, look at what and Kyrie had to
(12:00):
go up against leading up to getting to the NBA Finals.
They had to deal with some tough DEFENSI of US
defensive matchups, Lou Dork, physical guys, somebody who's strong, who's
not going to just allow you to get to where
you want. Luca Kai still got with it where they wanted.
Minnesota Anthony Edwards, Jade mcdaims no problem. And then their
(12:28):
role players are stepping up, and it's strange. It's weird
to see Tim hardaway out of the rotation.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Completely out of the rotation.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Completely out of it, and yet they still got guys
coming in stepping up. Darrin Jones Junior is hitting those
corner threes. PJ. Washington. Then they got the live threat.
I can't call it, I really can't. I don't want.
I don't mean this kind of sliver out of answering
your question. But that's just how impressed I've come away
with with the Dallas matters of this last week and
(13:01):
a half.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, because that had to be, like you said, a
new experience for you that you were not. You know,
first and second round, you're always on the road. You're
in these arenas, you're having your gourmet burgers, your clandestine
gourmet burgers at MSG. But in the conference finals you're
in Atlanta. You didn't go to Minnesota or Dallas even once.
(13:24):
But you're also watching these games with three colleagues. You know,
you're probably dialed into the games in some ways. You
can watch the games more closely, just taking it in
that way as opposed to being in the arena and
having reporting duties and worried about where you need to
be for a live shot or where you've got to
(13:46):
go to get some intel for your notebook. You could
really just sit back and watch these games. So sitting
there with Vince Carter to watch that whole Wolves MAVs series,
like it sounds like you have a new appreciation for
these MAVs. Who I have to say, I've been saying it.
I've been saying it for weeks now, but like what
(14:08):
the Mavericks have done since the trade deadline to change
their identity completely, this statement will only hold up if
they actually go on to win it all. But we've
never seen a second half surge like this what this
team has done after making two trades on deadline day.
(14:30):
The MAVs were only twenty eight and twenty three on
the morning of the trade deadline, and they make these
moves and they've transformed themselves into a completely different team
that to support Luka and Kyrie, who your friend stan
Van Gundi continues to label the most talented offensive backcourt
(14:52):
that this game has ever seen. In support of that,
Dallas now has this elite defense and for much of
the year they had a bottom ten d and now
since the deadline, they have an elite defense. And you
just don't often see in the NBA. You don't see
it come together this quickly after a trade. It's very rare.
(15:12):
So take me back to the altcast and like, what
is Vince Carter telling you when he's watching this team?
The way the mas are flying around and it's crazy.
The Wolves won three times in Denver, which was insane,
and then the Mavericks turn around and they win three
times in Minneapolis in the space of nine days. Craziness.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Craziness, Yeah, I mean, it was cool, you know, just
being able to talk the game with the Hall of famer.
Who's going to be ducked into the Hall of Fame
this summer shot off to Vince Carter. Vince will be
joining us pretty soon at some point too, Styn.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
So yeah, I was going to say, we need that
we have not had Vince on this show.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
He'll be coming on. So you know, it was really cool.
I mean, one thing, I think Hilmy, including everybody on
the panel, and not just everybody on our panel, but
I think probably the basketball masses of fans, well, you know,
just frustrated with Karl Anthony Towns is up and down.
Play just was never consistent. It was it was almost
(16:16):
as if he didn't understand what was the best way
to attack, because he kind of went about attacking in
different ways in different games. And you know, sort of
like when you're when you're a go to score or
you're a primary scorer, you know, you have the nuts
(16:36):
and bolts of how you're able to produce and be
productive scoring the basketball. It just seemed like he was
just all over the place and she could never find
any consistency, and so you know, there was frustration with
him and his play, which made it tough. It started
before I finished my thought, before I want to add this,
I forgot Game two. Also, a guest that I brought
(16:59):
on an all cast is Grant Williams, and so he
has some you know, he has his ties to the
Boston Celtics and has his ties with the Dallas Mavericks.
He came on and he was he was basically saying
the Mavericks are going to to win the series and
get to the championship. He had nothing but glowing remarks
for the Dallas Mavericks. And you know, he even talked
(17:22):
a little bit about you know how people say he
talks too much. He said, well, I'm a competitive That's
what I do, you know, alluding to the reports out
there that that kind of him talking all the time
kind of drove him out of Dallas. And you know,
but he had nothing but growing remarks but Luca and
especially Kyrie. He had so many, so many good things
(17:43):
to say about Kyrie, and he said it was a
great trade. He was able to go back home, Dallas
was able to get what they wanted. And he said
he's pulling for him. It's kind of a tough situation
for him being that he was on both of those teams,
and now both of those teams are in the NBA Finals,
so he was on But Minnesota, I think, you know,
(18:03):
you can look at it, producer Tim. He's a die
hard Minnesota Timberwalls fan, so you I think most of
their fans are looking at it like, hey, we got
to this point, we should be happy now that it's
something you can we can build upon. I get all that,
I understand all that, but I don't necessarily like that
(18:24):
train of thought, you know, because there's clearly things that
need to be worked on with that team, and Kat
has to he has to improve, he has to step
up and be a force, a consistent force. I like
the fact that they came together, you know, the report
that they came together and refused to do a the
(18:47):
TNT postgame interview with Inside the NBA because Draymond Green
was critical of Rudy Goberle and Cat. But you got
to produce him a court at the end of the day.
That's that's what really mean.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
So because you had Grant Williams on that early in
the series, again, I couldn't see any of this from
far away London, I guess it was too soon at
that point to put the question to him, who would
he pick in a series Dallas versus Boston or did
you guys? Did you guys?
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Actually, we couldn't do that. We couldn't do that because
I think I picked Minnesota. Matter of fact, I did
pick Minnesota win the series. That's not even going to
be a question. That's just that's even in my mind
because I'm still even though Dallas was the first game,
I'm still like, Okay, then Saul's going to figure this
thing out. So though, that wasn't even a question in
(19:39):
my mind. But yeah, yeah, I would have been curious
the way he was talking so glorially of Dallas. I
think he would have said, Dallas, well.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Look, the MAVs really do have so many things going
for them. Derek Jones Junior has become I mean, he
was basically the last guy signed, wasn't signed until August fifteenth,
man on the ross. He's become an incredible defender. Derek Lively.
Everybody remembers the way the MAVs tanked at the end
of last season, when it became apparent that the best
(20:10):
they could do was the playing tournament. Lost the last
two games, fell into the lottery, made a Draft night
trade with Oklahoma City. And remember first, you know, the
MAVs have benefited from a lot of moves that didn't
come to fruition in recent years, and among them, they
had very serious talks going into the draft a year ago.
(20:34):
They wanted Atlanta's Clint Capella. The teams were very deep
in discussions. The talks ultimately broke down because Atlanta wanted
to send number fifteen and Capella to Dallas, but they
wanted not only the number ten pick, they wanted Josh
Green as well. The MAVs thought that was too much
to give up for Capella, so the MAVs did a
(20:57):
deal instead with Oklahoma City, where the Thunder took on
the contract of Davis Berton's. The teams traded the number
ten and number twelve pick. Cason Wallace ends up with
the Thunder, but Derek Lively ends up a Maverick, and
(21:19):
then at the trade deadline, the Thunder helped the Mavericks. Again,
it was costly for Dallas. We can't forget that it
was costly. Dallas had to surrender swap rights to its
twenty twenty eight first rounder. Oklahoma City now controls the
mavericks twenty twenty eight first rounder, but that deal gave
(21:41):
Dallas an extra first round pick in this June's draft.
Dallas used that to acquire Daniel Gafford from Washington, the
only other tradable first round pick that the Mavericks had.
They use that to get PJ. Washington in the Grant
Williams trade that you've referred to. Grant Williams, Yes, gets
to go home to Charlotte, but PJ. Washington, who had
(22:03):
never played in a playoff game, he goes to Dallas
and is now a cult hero because of the pos
he struck standing and facing the Clippers bench with his
arms folded. He's had some major moments in these playoffs.
So it's Lively, it's Gafford, it's Derek Jones Junior, it's
(22:24):
PJ Washington. Maxi Kleba was out for almost two full
rounds after a really hard fall in the clinching game
of the Clippers series. But now he's back, and so
the Mavericks have all these defensive minded players who are
making incredible contributions on that end in support of Luca
(22:47):
and Kyrie, who their first few months together as teammates.
Everybody remembers it did not go well only five and
eleven with both of those guys in uniforms, and sixteen
eighteen months later, you've got stan Van Gundy and Reggie
Miller talking about how much offensive damage these two can
(23:10):
reak as a doubles team. So, yeah, the MAVs have
tons and tons and tons going for them now. But
this again, this Boston team, this Boston team has really
been the team of the season. I know you've spent
a fair bit of time around them. Jason Tatum's going
to be texting you when he hears something on this pod.
(23:32):
He doesn't like talk to me about the Celtics. I've
gone on and on and on about the MAVs. We
shouldn't slight them because they they obviously have a lot
going for them too.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Yeah, Championship of bus that's the only result. Anything else
will be considered a failure.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
And how's that pressure? What will that pressure do to them?
Because I guess I can't put all my trust in
this team yet. Something is holding me back.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
With Jalen Brown a few weeks ago about that, and
he said for us to still have doubts or for
people to still be skeptical on if we can win
the whole thing. He said, that's a valid reaction. He said,
we haven't done it yet, and the only thing on
people's minds are how they've come up short or how
(24:24):
they've lost games, whether it be turnovers, bad shots, selection. So,
he said he understands that way of thinking when people
are talking about if the selfish can win the whole
damn thing. He said, but this is a new team,
completely different team. He said. He believes they're a better team.
And he said, so only time will tell. But they
(24:47):
really do feel like this is it start. They feel
like this is it. They're well prepared, they're well equipped.
They've been to the they've been to the mountaintop. They
haven't got over the hunt, but they've been there. They
haven't won the whole thing. So they feel like they're
prime for this opportunity. So that's what they're sayding up
(25:08):
in the locker room like they already. But I will
tell you right now, it's going to come. There's more
pressure on the Boston Celtics than the Dallas matters.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Yeah, and that's the thing. How will they actually handle
that on this stage? Because the Celtics have been under
the microscope throughout these Eastern Conference playoffs. They went twelve
and two, but the two times they lost to Miami
and Indiana. And the Miami loss, I mean, the heat
shooting that night was from another galaxy. They were so
(25:39):
scalding hot that night. But you know they also lost
a game to the Calves, and you know the Calves
were not at full strength in that series. But the
way this is gone when the Celtics win, it's the
East is too easy. The teams they're playing are too
banged up. They're not being tested and that's going to
(26:02):
hurt them in the finals, when undoubtedly they will be tested.
But then on the two occasions that the Celtics lost
in the playoffs, it unleashes all the criticism. I told
you so, I told you these guys weren't ready. I
told you that they're going to falter at the final hurdle.
And they're getting Porzingis back. I think that's pretty clear.
(26:24):
So they're going to be pretty close to full strength.
Porzingis is obviously going to have to work through some rest,
but we'll see. Well, I mean, they are unlike the Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves had the best defense in the league all season,
and I don't think there was any dispute about that statistically,
(26:44):
but when it came to matching up with the Mavericks,
the Wolves did not have the kind of options on
the perimeter that Boston has. The Celtics will be able
to throw Drew Holliday and Derek White for starters, and
then Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum will also be I'm
sure getting turns on Luca and Kyrie, So the Celtics
(27:05):
would appear to have many more perimeter defensive options to
counter the two great Dallas guards. I mean it should be.
I mean this should be. It should be a fantastic finals, honestly.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, the Clippers felt that way as well. They felt
they had a lot of defensive players on the perimeter.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yeah, you're right to.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Slow them down. It hasn't happened, so I don't envision
it happening. I think for the Mavericks, if they are
to win, it's going to take a collective It's gonna
take guys stepping up doing what they've been doing to
get to this point. But I'm very, very excited. I
don't know how a Celtics MAVs matchup. I don't know.
(27:48):
You think this is going to be a ratings like Blockbuster.
How do you think is gonna be?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
I do, but I do, And the reason why is
I think obviously there is huge interest in the Luca
and Kyrie duo. I mean, these are two undeniable marquee
stars and that is obviously one of the advantages the
MAVs are going to have in the series. With apologies
to mister Tatum, to mister Brown and the resurgent Kyrie irving,
(28:16):
Luka Doncic is the best player in this series. He's
a global superstar, and I think Luca alone is a draw.
And then the Celtics, as one of the marquee franchises
in the league from a massive Eastern Conference market chasing
the elusive eighteenth championship. The Celtics have such a huge
(28:41):
following that I do think, yes, the ratings because of
those combining factors are going to be pretty damn strong.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I'm looking forward to it, but.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
If I have my facts right, it looks like I
will not be in person in attendance for one or
two in Boss and you're the same, right, like we
will both be in person in the flesh picking up
these finals with Game three in Dallas. You and I
together again first time? Is that the first time we'll
(29:12):
be in the same arena since.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
The All Star YEP, Since All Star YEP. I always
like coming to Dallas, seeing how you control your territory,
and the territory that is American Airlines Arena. You know
every cracking cranny in that building, you know where everybody leaves,
you know where bodies are buried in that place.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
So that's all true. It is all true, except the
finals is a different beast. I mean there are literally
literally thousands of reporters in the building. I mean it is,
It's a whole different ballgame.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Do you still get those damn near court side seats
for finals?
Speaker 2 (29:55):
That is a great question. I'm a little bit afraid
to ask because I have been undoubtedly spoiled from the
moment the American Airline Center opened. The mavericks first season
in that building was two thousand and one, two thousand
and two. I have basically had the same seat for
(30:21):
twenty two to twenty three years, and in both the
two thousand and six and twenty eleven finals, the NBA
allowed me to keep that seat for Mavericks home games
in the finals, which meant a great deal to me.
But in both of those finals, I was still working
(30:42):
for ESPN, So you know, I missed Game three and
Game four in the Western Conference Finals because of my
little six day soccer getaway with my son. And my
sources say that at longtime NBA communications are Tim Frank
(31:06):
took my seat for those two games. So will I
Will I be able to reclaim that seat for a
Game three, four, and six of these NBA Finals. It's
definitely definitely what I'm thinking about every night when I
try to put the head down and get a few
(31:27):
hours of sleep. Am I going to be able to
hang on to that seat?
Speaker 3 (31:32):
It's up in the air. But I will say, you know,
you might have been with ESPN before it just kind
of helped you keep that seat. But since then you've
become a Hall of Famer, So I think that comes
with some pretty cool perks, and I think one of
those perks should be you keeping your courtside seats. So
(31:54):
hopefully that works out for you.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
You are a beautiful friend, and I hope, I hope
you prove correct. But I have to say. Brian McIntyre,
NBA pr Legend He was the one, I think in
six who decreed that I get to stay there for
the MAVs home games, and I think it was Tim
Frank's call in twenty eleven when the MAVs and Heat
(32:16):
hooked up again. You know, this is new territory for
the MAVs. The only two times that the MAVs have
been in the Finals, they opposed Miami. So this is
this is new ground to take on the storied Celtics.
We shall see. You'll be a rare turn of events.
If in Games three and four, like I'm sitting courtside
(32:38):
and Chris Haynes is farther away from the floor than me,
that would be an unexpected turn.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I'll send you a picture from my seat from there'll
be a picture of the roof of your head. I'm
pretty sure that'll be my banners point.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Something tells me you'll end up on the floor somehow.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
After the game.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
No pre game, pregame predayes. I don't want to do
all of our Mavericks Celtics discussion in this Sunday night
(33:22):
to publish Monday taping because we hope to have some
special guests before Thursday night's game one that we can
continue to preview these finals with So we will come back,
certainly to MAVs Celtics, which we'll be talking about, let's
face it, for the next week plus, we'll be talking
about that series a ton. I do want to take
(33:44):
it back to Atlanta. So again, I was on the
other side of the Atlantic and couldn't really keep up
with you. You will not be surprised to learn that
the altcast was not available on British television. So when
you had Rich Paul on any he surprises, any disclosures
anything interesting there? Did he tell you who the Lakers
(34:05):
next coach would be? Who's drafting Bronny? Where's Lebron going
in free agency?
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Yeah, well that's one thing he did touch on. He
said Lebron is a free agent. And so when he
said that, Stott, there's a clip, you know, people can
find a clip of him saying that. He said it
like in passing, and he just continued on talking as
if that wasn't news. And so I'm tripping Stein. So
when he said he said, you know, Lebron's a free agent,
(34:35):
you know he's going to blah blah blah blah blah.
So as he continues on talking. You can see I
look down and I'm on my phone and I'm thinking,
I'm looking start. I'm like, did I miss Over the
last few days Lebron said he was opting out and
becoming a free Like, did I miss that part? So
I'm googling, like did I miss anything?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
No?
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I didn't, So I wait till Rich Finch's talking. Then
I interject say, hey, Rich, hold on, I'm just I
want to make clarify. I heard you say Lebron's a
free agent. So are you saying that he's going to
decline his player option? You know? Rich came back. You know, Chris,
you know, I don't negotiate on TV. Lebron will make
(35:17):
a decision when he's ready, blah blah blah. So he
kind of, you know, seemed like he kind of revealed
what they plan to do. It's basically, you know, we
knew he was going to pretty much opt out of
his contract and become a free agent from everything that
we all know. The belief is that Lebron James is
going to be signed on a multi year deal, so
it's not a but at the same time, becoming a
(35:38):
free agent does come with scare tactics. Does come with
some concerns, possibly especially when you got Brownie James out
there with his draft draft status unknown. Uh uh. You know,
Rich Paul came and he elaborated on because I did
an interview with Rich Paul. It was that the day
of I put a story out of my interview with
(36:00):
Rich Paul the morning of that same morning, and then
Rich Paul came on our All Cast that night. But
in the story, Rich Paul said he will not allow
Bronnie James to sign a two way contract, and so
that that part kind of blew up. Aggregators and whatever.
(36:21):
That kind of blew up, and people started taking it
taking taking it to mean that Rich Paul won't will
not allow Bronnie to play in the G League because
we all knowing two way contracts, you kind of play
half half your time in the NBA and the other
half of the G League. And so Rich Paul came
on our All Cast and elaborated on that, explaining, no,
(36:44):
he has nothing against Bronnie playing or spending time in
the G League, but rather his client be drafted, be
drafted or you know, you can even do a sign
an undrafted free agent contract, get three or four years
Gearant team, and that way that a team is invested
in the player, they're invested in seeing the player improve
(37:08):
over a year to year basis opposed to a two
way deal that can be that can be as early
as a one year deal. Then you cut your tie.
So that's what he's trying to do. He's trying to
get an investment from a team in Bronnie James. So
he touched on that, he touched on, he touched on
Lebron said, Lebron is going le Bron is not influenced.
(37:28):
He said, Lebron's not influencing the coaching the coaching process
of the Lakers, and he said Lebron's not involved when
it comes to JJ Reddick. Uh. He said, Lebron will
come to camp with whoever coach the Lakers shoes higher.
So in a nutshell, those are some of the things
(37:50):
he talked about on the Doll cast.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Well, since you mentioned the existence of a clip from
this exchange with Rich Paul, you know what, let's go
ahead and take a listen to that clip right now.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
And you know, look, Lebron's a free agent. You have
to decide, and I got to focus on his business
and who should be focused on his business and let
the Lakers hire whoever they want to hire. And he's
always he's always showed up and played for whatever coach
is there. Hold Baba is gonna come hold, hold, hold
on real quick. You said something rich. You said, Lebron's
(38:23):
a free agent. So I take it Lebron's going to
decline that player option because you know, doing my business over,
I don't know what he's gonna do. It's gonna do
what we do every year. We're gonna we're gonna evaluate
the situation and we're gonna make the best decision.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
I think when we listen to that, though, we're both
arriving at the same conclusion. Lebron declining his player option
to become a free agent sounds like that is the
likely option, but it's a decline to resign kind of situation.
We still both expect him to stay with the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
Yes, yeah, I'll be surprised if he's not the Lakers
next season.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
I did catch just as I was getting back into
the country, you appeared on the Dan Patrick Show, and
I think you said the same.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
And what I just said that that just now I
thought to myself, hold on, this is how you got
yourself in trouble last week.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
That's what you said.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
What was the quote it was? It was privately say
exact same way. I would be very surprised if JJ
Reddick is not the Lakers, sayd coach.
Speaker 2 (39:39):
I still you're not alone there, man, you're not.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
I still believe that. I'm not reporting they're hiring them
tomorrow or anything like that. They're still going through their process.
I believe that they're meeting with the candidate. Met with
the candidates face to face last week in La. So yeah,
but that's that's what I believe to be on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
And look, I think again, only the Lakers know their
precise plan. But around the league, we've been saying it
almost from the start. If you had to pinpoint a
favorite for the job, it would almost universally come back
as JJ Reddick. I do think Pelicans associate head coach
(40:29):
James Barrego is the other top candidate here. But as
I reported more than a week ago now, there's been
chattering coaching circles about what the assistant coaching lineup might
look like if JJ Reddick indeed gets the job, and
I don't know that they would be successful in finding
(40:52):
a way to hire James Barrego away from the Pelicans.
But I'm sure that if JJ Reddick is indeed the
Lakers choice to replace Darvin Ham, I'm sure they would
try to get James Brego on the staff, essentially as
his offensive coordinator. I wrote about a week ago that
(41:18):
Sam Cassell, currently a Boston Celtics assistant, also a candidate
who was interviewed for this Lakers opening. He's another assistant
who would interest LA if Reddick is indeed the choice.
Ditto for Jared Dudley, who's a prominent assistant coach with
the Mavericks. Our friend Dan Woiki of the La Times
(41:42):
says Scott Brooks, of course, formerly a head coach with
the Thunder and the Wizards and most recently a member
of Portland's coaching staff, that Scott Brooks would be another
name who would interest the Lakers. So it's interesting that
names for potential assistance to JJ Reddick have already been
(42:04):
circulating for more than a week now, and as we've
been talking on this podcast now for really throughout the
month of May since the Lakers job opened up. You know,
one of the interesting variables here with JJ Reddick if
he is indeed the choice. ESBN needs JJ Reddick to
(42:25):
complete the NBA Finals. This is year one post Jeff
Van Gundy and Mark Jackson next to the Hall of
Famer Mike Breen and Doc Rivers was hired to be
on the A team with Mike Breen and Doris Burke.
ESBN lost Doc Rivers to the Milwaukee Bucks in late January.
(42:49):
They promoted JJ Reddick to replace Doc Rivers, and they
need jj Reddick to complete the finals. It would be
major egg on ESPN's face to lose another member of
its A team before the finals are complete, but that
doesn't mean Look, the Lakers could still hire JJ Reddick
(43:13):
before the end of the Finals. We saw this in
twenty eleven. If you remember in twenty eleven, the Golden
State Warriors hired Mark Jackson during the NBA Finals, Mark
Jackson it was confirmed and announced that he was the Warriors'
choice to become their new head coach. That happened about
(43:33):
halfway through the twenty eleven Finals, in which Dallas defeated Miami,
and Mark Jackson still went on to announce games four, five,
and six, even though the world knew he would be
joining the Warriors after the finals, so I don't think
the Lakers have to wait until the finals are over.
(43:54):
But even if they did announce that JJ Reddick was
the choice, I think we will see. I think it
is pretty safe to assume that we will see JJ
Reddick announce these NBA finals from start to finish before
actually taking that job. If again, he is indeed the choice,
(44:15):
as so many people around the NBA, not just Chrispy Haynes, expect.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
Thank you Star. Since we're on coaches, let's give a
shout out to Mike Brown. Got his extension worked out,
kind of went through a chaotic negotiating period.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
And overdue extension for Mike Brown, the most successful coach
in King's history not named Rick Adaman. Mike Brown has
been there two years, They've won ninety games. Go look
up what's happened between Rick Adelman's tenure and Mike Brown's
tenure and ask yourself, should he or should he not
(44:57):
have been extended. He obviously deserved the deal he got.
Speaker 3 (45:01):
For sure. I know there's not a lot out there
on what happened or what was going on behind the
scenes to where they negotiations were had and then they
were stalled and picked back up last minute. You remember,
so Mike Brown, he was on a four year deal
(45:22):
and the contract that he was on, it was a
contract that was less. He was being paid less than
Luke Walton, the previous coach, So you know there's a
problem there. But whatever, Mike Brown came in he accepted
that contract. Now, the fourth year of that contract, the
fourth year was a mutual option, which means the team
(45:46):
and the coach has to agree to pick up that
fourth year option. And so that was part of the contract.
And so as they were trying to negotiate and get
things done, it looked like it wasn't going to happen.
It looked like a deal was not going to transpire.
(46:10):
I was actually told that Mike Brown himself declined that
fourth year mutual option. So just by him doing it
himself meant that the twenty twenty four to twenty five
season was going to be his last because he declined
(46:30):
that fourth year option. And so now you have the situation. Okay,
Now a coach with the pedigree and the success of
Mike Brown was going to go into a season of
one year under his belt. That's not the ideal situation
for a franchise, you know, same with players. You know,
when you got to star players, not the ideal situation.
(46:52):
So whatever happened outside of that picked the negotiations back
up and they got a deal done about three years,
about three years close to ten million a season, so extension.
So I'm happy if Mike Brown glad it all worked
out and he's actually getting compensated for what he has
done for the city of Sacramento and the King's Organization.
Speaker 2 (47:17):
And it's so amazing to think about what has happened
in the last year on the coaching carousel. Literally one year.
You and I are recording this on Sunday night. It
is June second, one year ago today, Mannie Williams was
officially named coach of the Detroit Pistons. And remember he
(47:42):
was ousted in Phoenix. He said no. Mannie Williams said
no to the Pistons more than once. The Pistons had
to make multiple runs to ultimately convince him to take
that job, and the Pistons gave Monnie Williams the six
year deal worth nearly eighty million. Revolutionary contract change the
(48:06):
coaching market, completely change the entire salary scale for NBA coaches,
and since then, I'm going to put Greg Popovich in
his deal aside, because Greg Popovich he operates on rules
that are he's on a planet unto himself when it
comes to coaches. Pop is going to coach the Spurs
until he decides he no longer wants to. But just
(48:29):
think about all the things that have happened in the
league coaching wise, since Mani Williams deal, Eric Spolster in Miami,
Steve Kerr and Golden State, they get mega deals. Jason
Kidd in Dallas got a sizeable raise and a two
year contract extension through twenty twenty six twenty seven, immediately
after the Mavericks won their first round series against the Clippers,
(48:52):
because the Lakers would have gone after Jason Kidd if
there was no extension in place. Then the Suns they
hire Mike bo Sudenholzer to a five year deal in
the ten million a season range. And that's after firing
Frank Vogel. Frank was just one year into his own
five year deal that was paying about six million annually.
(49:14):
So the Suns and their new owner Matt Ishpia, He's
going to be paying coaches with an s sixteen million
per season for the foreseeable future. Then this week, early
in the week, ty Lou finally gets his new deal
with the Clippers, five years, a reported seventy million. Mike
Brown he finally gets his deal in Sacramento on Friday night,
(49:38):
and Tom Thibodeau in New York. Everyone I talked to
says he will be next and that he's getting an
extension that will likely land in the ten million per
season range. So you've seen all these huge contracts signed
(49:58):
by coaches around the league since the Mani Williams deal
in Detroit. But here we are a year later, it
is not yet guaranteed that Mani Williams will be back
next season. Trajan Langdon is the Pistons new president of
basketball Operations. He officially took charge of the Pistons basketball
(50:24):
department on Friday. The Pistons immediately parted ways with GM
Troy Weaver. But now Langdon, I'm told he immediately will
begin an evaluation phase, and that includes assessing whether Mani
Williams will continue as coach. And remember again, Mani Williams
(50:46):
is only he only just completed year one of a
six year deal worth nearly eighty million, So it's crazy
that Mani Williams sparked this whole coaching salaries revolution. But
now we await official word to see if he will
be back on the sideline with the Pistons next season.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Stein on another episode, I would like to dive not today,
but I would like to dive into the reputation of
head coaches in the modern NBA, because you remember stin
If you are a head coach eighties, nineties, early two thousand,
if you got one championship, just one, you were regarded
(51:30):
very highly in the coaching profession, very highly. You know,
look at somebody like Rick Carla who got you know,
got a champion one championship in Dallas. I know he
was successful tenure with the Indiana Pacers as well, went
deep into the playoffs. But if you get a championship,
you're in a rare company and you you you can
(51:52):
pretty much have job security for an extended time. Now
we're seeing coaches get a championship fire the next season,
or a coach that has a championship only get one
season and there fired Botenholzer, Frank Vogel. It's like a
(52:13):
championship doesn't mean much anymore when it comes to head
coaches like I want to one episode, I want to
kind of break down when did the shift of this happen?
Or is this is this something that needs to continue
happening because I think you know, you know, we get
into it letter, but I just think the shift has changed.
Speaker 2 (52:47):
We've been apart so long, we got so rusty, we
kind of lost track of the clock and went a
little bit too long here. So we will we will
get back into that, and I think you know we did.
We did touch on some of that with Van Gundy
when Stan joined us recently, and we talked about how
the blame factor that coaches have to deal with, you know,
(53:07):
that's like factored into where salaries have gone now that
coaches know more than ever that they will be the first, second,
and third ones to take the blame. I think you
aptly described it as the scapegoat clause, and we're definitely
seeing it. All right. That is going to do it
for this edition of this League uncut. As always, please
(53:32):
follow the show, rate the show, review the show. We
would love to get a five star review from you
if you see fit. That would be wonderful. And like
I said, Chris and I, we're both going to be
working the phones trying to bring in a guest or
two for another special episode or two before Thursday night's
(53:56):
Game one of the NBA Finals, Dallas at Boston. The
Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals for the third time,
seeking championship number two in franchise history. The Boston Celtics
going for championship number eighteen. Can they finally win one?
(54:17):
Stunning that since Larry Bird's retirement in nineteen ninety two,
the Celtics have only one at once at title in
two thousand and eight. Can they finally get number eighteen?
Can Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown win one together at last?
We will continue to preview the Finals all week leading
(54:39):
up to Thursday's series opener, and it won't be long.
Like we said before, Haynes and Stein are even in
the same building for Game three. Everyone, thanks so much
for listening. We'll be back with you very very soon,
and that'll do it for us. See you next time.
(55:01):
This league uncutters an iHeartRadio production
Speaker 1 (55:08):
Chris Hanes and Mark Stein
Hosts And Creators
Chris Haynes
Marc Stein
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