A Jabari, DFS & JG Holliday For The Rockets, Pena Put On The IL!

With AC out, Wex and Cole Thompson dicuss a 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies...but at the cost of Jeremy Pena hitting the IL. Plus, one of the weirdest trades happened in the NFL after Jabari Smith Jr. and Dorrian Finney-Smith inked deals with the Houston Rockets

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adham, raised.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
By Earl.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Nolan, molded by the magnificent roller coaster ride that is
Houston Sports. Chill lage down for the only homegrown afternoon
team is talking your teams?

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the A team A.

Speaker 4 (00:38):
A two inside that head.

Speaker 5 (00:42):
That was an off speed pitch got Paia somewhere on
the left side.

Speaker 6 (00:46):
It appeared okay, but two strikes to certainly unintentional.

Speaker 7 (00:52):
Unintentional are not.

Speaker 8 (00:55):
That was Friday night, Astros first of two wins against
the Chicago Cubs, fourth of five wins on their six
game home stand, and the last game for Jeremy Pania
for quite some time. So we had started here on
the A Team. Welcome back from the weekend edition. Pushing
towards the halfway point of our calendar. We get into

(01:18):
July tomorrow. We've got the July fourth holiday coming up
this weekend and Astros baseball on the road, which will,
as we found out earlier today, be played without Jeremy Panya.
We's here with you, Cole Thompson as well, VAKA for
Adam Clinton this week. Last week, Cole took his next
week I'll take mine, and there is no shortage of

(01:41):
things to discuss. But as the Astros mentioned earlier today,
Jeremy Pania was hit in that game on Friday night,
went down to first base, played a couple of innings
of defense without having a field. The ball even went
up to bat an additional time, swung twice, grounded out
on the second of those swings, and then ultimately when
it's came up do in the order a third time

(02:02):
ratio Dubon Pinch hit for him. He did not play
any of the games yesterday. Initial imaging indicated there was
no fracture and he was day to day, but like
the smart thing to do was well, get more imaging
and if the feeling has not changed even though it's
been a short period of time since Friday, they did,
and additional imaging yesterday revealed a small fracture in the

(02:26):
rib on the left side of the Astros' best player.
He is on the ten day IL. It is retroactive
to the last date of inactivity, which is Saturday. Don't
think it's relative to when he's returning, though interesting that
Read more about what the Astros have said about it.

(02:47):
Not a whole lot today being an off day today
as they get ready for their series beginning on the
West Coast, first in Colorado and then in LA with
the Dodgers. There's no corresponding move announced yet. I would
imagine that they already know what their plan is and
not playably more than I have more than enough time
to get there and be a part of things, considering
this information was known to them on Sunday when the

(03:10):
results came back, and Jeremy Payne is on the trip
with the team, as indicated by the release, continuing to
get rehab and maybe there's an opportunity for this not
to be your typical Well, he's got a fractured ribs,
So we'll see you in four to six, see you
in six to eight. We'll find out as the days
go by and as maybe some pain tolerance situations arise

(03:30):
for Jeremy Paynia. But nonetheless, the most impressive offensive season,
without question, on this baseball team has been turned in
by Jeremy Pannia. He's been spectacular defensively. He is the
best leadoff hitter in the American League since he became
a leadoff hitter in the American League, hitting better than

(03:51):
three to fifty cents and ops a better nine hundred
cents and a huge part of why the Astros continue
to set the pace in the American League over the
last month. They don't have any more games this month.
They were the best team in baseball this month nineteen games, won,
seven games lost. They played twenty six times, they won
nineteen of those games. They've still not lost the series

(04:11):
at home since way back on the opening home stand
of this season, when they were swept by the Giants
and opened the season two and four after beating the Mets,
losing three straits of the Giants were not faring well
at that point in time against National League teams, but
since then, well, the tide has definitely turned. Two more
National League teams came into town this past weekend, both

(04:32):
of them in first place upon arrival, and both of
them sent out of town with a series l a
sweep of the Phillies with absolutely insane pitching. Much more
of the same Friday and Sunday for the Astros. Obviously,
the Saturday game deserves some discussion considering how the Astros
continue to try to get the other starts in place

(04:52):
from ber Valdez starts, Well, they're awesome ten starts, ten
wins over his last ten appearances four Hunter Brown all
almost the same ten starts, eight wins, and both of
them over that ten start span, which is more than
half this season. Sport a better era than odds on
favorite an overwhelming popular favorite Tark Schooble in the American

(05:16):
League for the Cy Young Award. So yeah, on the field,
in terms of how the team is playing, it's been awesome.
It continued to be this weekend. Hopes that it would
continue this upcoming road trip, and no reason that even
with this player out it won't. But Payna adds his
name to the list of position players, many of whom
were on the opening day rosters start the year, and
certainly otherwise who've been contributors as others have gone down.

(05:39):
But they're all down. Payna is down, Alvarez is down,
McCormick's down, Brendon Rodgers is down, Zach Decenzo is down.
These are all players that have been with the team
throughout the season as part of the major league club,
and for one reason or another time continues to be missed,
pushing past fifty games missed for Jordon Alvarez. However, another
plane right for Jordon place to Florida, so they're complex

(06:03):
in West Palm Beach, get some swings in against some
live pitching, the little live BP for him. Likely, as
Dana Brown said yesterday right here on Astros Radio on
Sports Talk seven ninety, likely against some of his future
teammates this season, with Christianavier and Luis Garcia among those
continuing to work their way back and participating on the

(06:24):
mound in those live BP sessions, So it certainly could
be against them, and he would not even rule out
the possibility talking about Dana Brown of Jordan joining this
team for game action against the Dodgers. Oh, I'm not
too sure that that's exactly the Pacson wouldn't rule out
a rehab stint, but certainly didn't say it was mandatory

(06:45):
as things have continued for Jordon. That's just part of
a very very full weekend of things to get you
caught up on, and certainly a lot of focus on
where do the Astros go from here? And they do
have a couple of options on how they want to
outfit the infield up the middle, with the their second
base constantly in flux, clearly shortstop now they need somebody
else out there.

Speaker 7 (07:05):
Every day.

Speaker 8 (07:06):
The Houston Rockets continue to do things that I do
think are surprising a lot of people around the rest
of the NBA, not necessarily inside their walls over at
Toyota Center or their headquarters their new training complex, but
reportedly at any point between Tuesday, when technically the opportunity
to sign your own free agents begins, and anytime in

(07:28):
mid July when that date is finished, well they're going
to agree to terms or get the dotted line signed
by Jabari Smith Junior on a five year, one hundred
and twenty two million dollar extension, the first of his
group from draft that draft class to take care of
business on that front, certainly could push it further into
the future. Could have waited, He could have waited. They

(07:50):
could have waited knowing that the trade for Kevin Durant
was already made. His upcoming season, there's a lot to
be determined about what it all turns into, what his
role turns out to be. Likely as of today, he's
a part of their starting lineup, how much activity he
has this year versus last year being a part of
starting lineup that don't no longer includes Jalen Green, but
certainly now does include Kevin Durant, certainly he and the

(08:15):
team reaching this accord knowing that an awesome season or
striking while the iron is hottest could have been a
lot more money for Jabari Smith Junior. The flexibility the
Rockets maintain after signing Steven Adams to a three year deal,
after signing Fred Van Vliet to a two year extension
last year being a player option, after reaching an agreement

(08:38):
on an extension with Jabari Smith Junior, the flexibility remains
on all fronts. They want to swing a massive deal
for an even bigger, younger fish than Kevin Durant in
the near future or immediately. The opportunity to do that
would remain, the opportunity to get help for it next
year's team.

Speaker 7 (08:57):
Immediately with some veterans.

Speaker 8 (08:59):
And we're at to dive headfirst into that conversation here.
So I think we've already mentioned most of the names,
and as five o'clock reaches today Central time, a little
less than three hours away, you're gonna start hearing a
lot more concrete information about reaching meetings, reaching an agreement.
Deals won't be signed yet. This is that period of
time where you reach an agreement and you hope that

(09:22):
everything is fine, and you hope as the agent, you
hope as the GM that nothing else comes up. Last ditch,
I know I already had an agreement, but now I
have a new agreement with somebody else. Sorry, it doesn't
happen often, but it can happen. And that's what this
night and the next many hours after that brings. But
some options for the Rockets moving forward with Jabari Smith, Junior,

(09:43):
Fred van Vliet, Steven Adams, concrete figures for each of
them for next year, potentially the year after and in
Smith and Adams case, the year after that as they
start putting together a team or repositioning their team to
try to compete again compete for the regular season, best
possible spot is ahead in the playoffs and obviously much

(10:05):
more postseason success than anybody on this group, with this
group has had. They didn't have postseason success last year.
They did not win their opening series. Bunch of other
deals again reportedly agreed to between Western Conference teams and
their best players. Minnesota was busy, The Clippers were busy,
and one rumor surrounding the LA Clippers and who they

(10:27):
might pair in the back court to Rockets is wild.
Definitely want to get into that. And also the NFL's
never left out a huge deal in the AFC made
earlier today and made official just a little while ago
by the Pittsburgh Steelers, a bunch of big names involved
the quality of their play. We will discuss moving forward.

(10:49):
Does this push the Steelers in one direction or the
other as it relates to TJ. Watt considering the money
involved in this deal. All a part of the discussions today.
You're a part of the discussions today. You always know
where to find us on social media at Adam Jay
Wexler and at mister Cole Thompson and of course via
the phone lines seven one three two one two five

(11:09):
seven ninety. Astros possibly making changes and now have to
make changes because of the Jeremy Payne injury. We begin
on that and who should the Rockets be looking at
with their exception in free agency? Those two topics frontline
items when we return here on the eighteen.

Speaker 1 (11:29):
The Age on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (11:44):
Back at it here on a Monday edition of the
eighteen wex and Cole here with you, vacationing Adam Clanton.
The Astros is announced earlier today they will be without
Jeremy Panya for an undetermined amount of time. We can
guess on how long we think this will last from
an injury stamp, but a fractured rip is the reason
for him going on the IL missed the last two

(12:06):
games of their series against the Chicago Cubs, and it
almost certainly means one thing obvious. Mauricio Dubon is going
to be playing shortstop on an everyday basis until Jeremy
Payne your returns.

Speaker 7 (12:18):
Occasionally if needed.

Speaker 8 (12:20):
I'm sure they could put Luis ki Orme over there,
if Luis is even on the team. But does this
finally open the door for an additional option on a
trade front? If this is a super extended period of time,
and it shouldn't be short, but I can't tell you
for sure exactly how long it will be. Whoever comes

(12:40):
in certainly is not considered a long term plan for
the Astros. Their long term plan at second basis on
the team or on the forty man roster. Their long
term plan at shortstop is on the team, and some
of them were looking to extend. So I don't know
that there's some player out there they're looking for long
term help from. But yeah, short term, you might consider it.

(13:01):
I think more than likely the ideas of what this
team needed prior to the trade deadline, if anything, really
hasn't changed a whole lot. You know, Dana Brown had
said on multiple occasions, a left handed bat is certainly
something they not only are searching for now, but have
been searching for for the entire season after they made
some of their decisions following spring training and clearly what
they were obviously going to lack and not having the

(13:23):
two best, arguably the two best left handed hitters in
the American League against left handed batting, Kyle Tucker and
yord On Alvarez both have been so good, not only
because clearly their overall numbers are great. When we have
lefties who can hit lefties as well as they have
shown them the last couple of years, it's an incredible asset.
They took one of those away, sent them to Chicago.

(13:43):
That was part of this weekend, by the way, and
I only think it takes a whole lot to expect
the fans to do the right thing. I only mentioned
it briefly on Friday because I never had any doubt
that they would, and they did. I also think the
team did the right thing and I say that in
response to Kyle Tuk Tucker, and Ryan Presley's arrival in
Cubs uniforms for this series this past weekend. Presley was

(14:05):
able to pitch in two of the games Saturday Sunday.
Kyle Tucker obviously played in all three games, crushed them
in the middle game. Had a nice little weekend here.
We knew they would have a tribute video for both
of them, which was just outrageously good. We had talked
about how many different things we know we would see
from them in a video, how many the memories we
had from their time here, and that Presley's time here,

(14:28):
just one after the other of great postseason appearance, great
put away, great strikeout, obviously the pitch that ended the
twenty twenty two World Series, And for Kyle Tucker, much
more of the you drafted him out of high school,
made his debut, burst on the scene, player that you
felt you could build around, did great things. He was
on the receiving end of that final out catching that

(14:50):
ball in foul Territory. Had some unbelievable moments, most of
which occurred in the regular season, but one video both
of them intertwined in there brilliantly the Strow's production team
and the fans responded accordingly, not only then, with rousing
ovations for both who were watching the video. At the
top step of the Cubs dugout, came out of the
dugout to acknowledge the crowd. Kyle Tucker, of course, bats

(15:12):
there in the first inning as the number two hole
hitter for the Cubs and gets a huge ovation, steps
out of the box, doffs his cap to them. The
umpire builds a little bit of extra time by wiping
off the plate. That's one batter, dirty, But yeah, they
did it all right. Ryan Presley comes into the game,
like I mentioned on Saturday, gets an additional acknowledgment from.

Speaker 7 (15:32):
The crowd, a little bit of one.

Speaker 8 (15:34):
Also on Sunday, and the Astros played Johnny Cash when
Ryan Presley rolled onto the mound and came out of
the Cubs bullpen slightly shorter journey from the Cubs bullpen
to the mound obviously pitches for the other team.

Speaker 7 (15:50):
The entire.

Speaker 8 (15:53):
Production no the song, that's it. They played his song
like a walk up song for a player. Not many
bullpen guys have a quote unquote walk up song, but
he did. And when you're the closer for the Astros,
just like Josh Hater now and last year. Yeah, it's
a big deal. They didn't go through all that. They
didn't do much more than that. They played his song

(16:13):
He Walked onto the Mountain, and then the song stopped playing.
I think it was handled simply and correctly, and then
you move on. I don't know if if anybody has
much of an issue with that, but I know there's
a little bit of social media consideration for they're here.

Speaker 7 (16:29):
The game hasn't started.

Speaker 8 (16:31):
Clap clap, clap, clap, clap, ovation, ovation, ovation now, the
game started. Boo them, root against them, No more clapping
for them. That's it, and that's all.

Speaker 7 (16:40):
Keep in mind.

Speaker 8 (16:41):
Ryan Presley was coming into a very lopsided game, not
in favor of the Astros the first time. And I
don't think people were begging for Kyle Tucker to have
a four hit game on Saturday, or to continue to
hit balls out of the ballpark or throw runners out
at home plate. There were plenty of fans in the crowd,
this particular team Chicago, even after all these years of
not being in the National League, even after all these

(17:03):
years of not having the exclusivity as a Superstation team
on cable that's long since past. They do have fans here,
much more than most teams do, certainly much more than
other National League teams do. So there's fans in the sands,
especially when Presley came into the game of a lopsided
game where yeah, most, not most, but a lot of
the fans were Cubs fans. So I'm here not to chastise,

(17:26):
but rather to pat everybody on the back if necessary.

Speaker 7 (17:28):
You guys don't need it, you know it.

Speaker 8 (17:30):
Certainly don't need applause for me, But I thought it
went well handled well. You took care of business two
out of the three days. There's not a whole lot
I don't think the rest of the team can do.
When the Cubs put together an inning like they did
in that fourth inning against Lance McCullers Junior.

Speaker 7 (17:44):
But by then we didn't know what we now know.

Speaker 8 (17:46):
No Jeremy Pann on Saturday and Sunday, expecting maybe sometime
on this road trip he'd be able to return, But
now that's not going to be the case. Some news
today from Major League Baseball for one of the options
for the Astros, Bryce Matthews, select to participate in the
American League side of the All Star Futures Game coming
up in Atlanta. One of their Double A pitchers also going.

Speaker 7 (18:08):
To be there. We'll call him Santa Claus.

Speaker 8 (18:10):
But Bryce Matthews has he done what's necessary to earn
playing time on an everyday basis. They said this about
Descenzo and Cam Smith when they made the roster out
of opening day. Are out of spring training only if
they're playing every day. We want them to play every day.
And that's a totally normal vantage point viewpoint perspective for

(18:33):
a general manager and all his lieutenants to believe about
a player that they.

Speaker 7 (18:37):
Want him playing every day.

Speaker 8 (18:38):
They don't just want him to come up to get
the occasional start to be a late inning replacement as
a base runner. They want them to play. They're not
fully developed yet. Their development has to come while on
the field. In Cam Smith's case, his development has come
while on the field, just at the major league level,
not normal. In Descenzo's case, he had almost earned nearly

(18:59):
every day playing time and then his injury certainly slows
those things down. In Bryce matthews case, he's an everyday
player for the Space Cowboys. Most of the time he's
going to be at second base. He had tremendous offensive
numbers provided he was not here in Houston or Sugarland,
I should say hitting the baseball. His numbers in sugar
Land at Constellation Field were well below average.

Speaker 7 (19:19):
His numbers and all the.

Speaker 8 (19:20):
Hitter friendly, crazy ballpark flight ballparks of the PCL, well,
they were awesome. They've kind of come a little bit
better with their last home stand. They were back on
the road this past week in Opasso, but the last
time they were at Constellation Field a little bit more
home success and a much more normal offensive ballpark of
Constellation Field. They know he's their future now. They don't

(19:43):
know he's going to be a great player in the future.
They don't know he's going to hold down second base
from twenty twenty six to twenty thirty five, but they
do know he is likely the guy that's going to
win the second base job starting next year. Has this
elevated escalated the situation because second base has been open
from day one this year. Nobody has claimed that spot,

(20:04):
and obviously wasn't Brendan Rodgers. It's definitely not going to
be Jose Altuve and Mauricio Dubon is not the everyday
player because his offense has matched pretty much his offense
ever since he came to Houston, Perfectly capable of spelling guys,
perfectly capable of catching a hot streak and finding his
way into the lineup nearly every day. Mauricio joined us
last week as our guest, and we were anticipating him

(20:28):
being in the lineup for the eighth or ninth straight game.
And that's how he had performed, and that's how he's
continuing to perform. Well, he just became an everyday player
because Payin is out and he's gonna be playing shortstop.
And I don't really don't think they should be investigating
many other options, and I don't think they will be,
but second base remains the same.

Speaker 7 (20:44):
Now you just have one fewer player in the mix.

Speaker 8 (20:46):
Rogers is hurt, Dubon's playing short peretis played at the
designated hitter spot yesterday, so the Astros.

Speaker 7 (20:53):
Like they always do when given the opportunity.

Speaker 8 (20:56):
For those that wonder why yesterday's lineup was like it
was a Frober Valdez art with Jose al Tuve playing
second base. That was about forty eight hours after I
said quite loudly here on this show, Jose al Tuove
shouldn't play second base very often for this team, and
he should never play second base when from ber Valdez
is starting pitcher. I don't even know if I added

(21:16):
at the time, and especially not at home when you
have the treat of that left field out there to
hide him. And while that play in yesterday's game was
deemed after it was initially ruled a hit or initially
ruled an error then deemed a hit, it doesn't change
the fact that you don't really want him at second base.
Circumstances dictated that, and the Astros clearly have data. I've
said this time and time again. They have data that

(21:38):
suggests giving a player one day off versus two days
off actually matters to them. They believe there is an
additional benefit and extended benefit to giving the player two
days off. So if you can go Petis dh into
today's off day into their games in Colorado and he
is still trying to get closer to one hundred percent
with his hamstring injury, then they're going to do it.

(22:00):
And that's why all Twove played second base on a
day where fromber Valdez was your starting pitcher and you
had somebody else out in left field. Again, obviously not
your on Alvarez who's not healthy. It's not gonna happen
very often. And I hope these next few turns through
the rotation for Fromber, when Payna is on the il,
that they aren't forced to put Jose al Tuove at
second base. They might they might not. He's also played

(22:23):
more innings in the last twenty four hours at second
base than Bryce Matthews ever has at the major league level,
so there can be that concern as well. There's almost
always available utility players around Major League Baseball. Jonah Bride
has just been dfaed by the Twins if that's something
they're interested in, not so he can replace Sasar Salazar

(22:43):
as their position player pitching, which he's already done twice
this year, but if there's an opportunity to see, well,
maybe he gets back to a couple of years ago,
or just bottom line, we need somebody, a veteran player
to be over there more often than not. Maybe they
don't feel it's time for a Bryce Matthews. We can't
be on Sugarland Space Cowboys lineup watch Like every other
team in minor league baseball, they don't play on Monday,

(23:05):
so there is no lineup for Mickey's story to fill out,
but that is Those are among the options they have
moving forward, beginning with the game in Colorado tomorrow. Colton
Gordon will get The Astros started on this road trip
their homestand that ended with six games as they went
back to the five man rotation. Meant you started it
with from Bervaldez against the Phillies, no runs, and you

(23:26):
ended it with fron Bervaldez against the Cubs, again no runs.
He threw thirteen innings on the homestand he did not
allow a run. They've won each of his last ten starts.
He's won that nine of those starts personally, and the Astros,
while maybe losing one All Star in Jeremy Pania, probably
have solidified those two starting pitcher All Stars in Fromber

(23:46):
and Hunter Brown. We will get to the best of
X that will shift us into some NBA conversation with
a hint of Rockets involvement in something nobody wants to
be involved in anymore.

Speaker 7 (24:00):
I'll get to that next.

Speaker 1 (24:02):
The age on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 7 (24:07):
Did you all see this?

Speaker 5 (24:08):
We should be putting out between five and fifteen.

Speaker 8 (24:11):
Posts a day, four hundred people were arrested for things
that they said on social media. History repeats itself type bang,
you'll succeed.

Speaker 7 (24:21):
Never doubt that you're the one who Plus we go
on building lead. You're the best of it X.

Speaker 8 (24:28):
Nothing's gonna ever top you know, you're the best of
X post an every single day and you're.

Speaker 4 (24:35):
The best of X.

Speaker 7 (24:38):
Breaking the entire internet.

Speaker 8 (24:44):
Always many different directions available to us when we hit
best of X here each and every weekday afternoon between
two and three two thirty. In the opening segment best
of social Media, whether it's uh the Snapper, Pretty rarely
do we find anything on Pinterest, because it's pretty rare
that anybody that's, you know, a realistic adult here listening
to the show is on Pinterest.

Speaker 7 (25:05):
You spend your afternoons on pincherss.

Speaker 8 (25:06):
But next time will be the first time snapface, Instagram.
You know, all the usual suspects. We are on the
X platform for this and sports is great on Twitter
now X and this is among the reasons why every
now and then you'll get a you know, I'm never
leaving this app, or this is why the app is
the greatest since usually because someone has come up with

(25:28):
some your ridiculous storyline and you just can't even believe it,
But it's always there for you. Now in this instance,
I'm not necessarily looking for the replies and the comments.
This is not some online social media beef. In sports.
You'll get these stories and it'll make you think, and
it'll make you do some research. It'll make you wonder

(25:48):
if you can recollect where they what are they talking about?
What could be an instance of what I find in
this story? And then you just say, why should I
bother thinking or even researching it myself.

Speaker 7 (26:00):
That's what the X platform is for.

Speaker 8 (26:02):
It will be there moments from now, if not already,
and in triplicate, are ten times over by the time
I really want to look for the information. And the
story I'm talking about is the one that broke over
the weekend from the NBA that does have something to
do with free agency and does have something to do
potentially with the Houston Rockets in that sharp shooting guard

(26:26):
and free agent Malik Beasley is probably not going to
be signed by anybody anytime soon, including the Rockets, who
I thought post Kevin Durant trade, there might be some
sense made for bringing in a two that can also
play one, plays both guard spots, shoots the ball particularly well.
Couldn't be very happy with how his season ended from

(26:48):
his standpoint, and that he turned the ball over on
the last play of his season, having the ball go
through his fingertips on what could have been the potential
for a really, really important shot to be launched, and
he just dropped the basketball. Pistons were interested in signing him, apparently,
and reportedly interested in signing him to the tune of

(27:09):
fourteen million dollars a season on average three years, forty
two million, but that was before authorities are investigating Pistons
guard Malik Beasley on allegations of gambling gambling related to
NBA games and prop bets. We have heard about this
before on more than one occasion for players over the

(27:30):
last couple of years, for games played in the last
couple of years. Quite obviously, the advent of more accessibility
to gambling outlets daily fantasy front more and more states
saying yeah, bring it on, let's do it.

Speaker 7 (27:44):
Not this one, but Malik Beasley.

Speaker 8 (27:48):
And Jontay Porter and Terry Rosier three NBA names who've
been through this to varying degrees porter on one end,
Bye bye, You're never playing in the NBA again. He
also wasn't playing a large role in the NBA, wasn't
likely to in the future, but an investigation turned up
enough that, yep, you go ahead and get yourself a
lifetime ban. Always can be appealed down the road, but

(28:10):
that's not going to happen. And in Terry Rozier's case,
he's more on right where we are with Malik Beasley,
never charged but involved in an investigation. He just went
about his season playing awful basketball for the Miami Heat.
They got a whole lot better when he wasn't on
the court somehow, and he'll move forward with his NBA career.
It looks like in Beasley's case, this is what the

(28:34):
X platform and social media in general is so good at. Oh,
you're telling me, ex user, random basement dweller NBA fan
that an NBA player potentially was involved in prop bets
in gambling recently. All right, let me fire up some
game action. Let me see what I can find. It

(28:55):
did not take long. There's multiple posts out there. I'm
not sure which is everybody else's favorite, but I think
the one that reads ah yes, he's finished. I think
that's the one I like the most because it shows
him in a defensive stance. But I wouldn't go so
far to say as he's playing defense. He's out front

(29:16):
defending a player late in the game, and as the
player points to his right normally indicating, oh, there's a
screen coming, I'm gonna I'm gonna let my you know,
somebody know. Here's why I want you to set the screen.
Beasley never looks over, also doesn't move his feet. I
think he was auditioning for a role in Sopranos, and
his role was person who gets thrown into the ocean.

Speaker 7 (29:36):
With cement blocks on his feet.

Speaker 8 (29:38):
Because he didn't move an inch, he didn't even attempt
to prevent the player from driving right by him. There's
another play where we know what the spread is and
there's a ten point margin in the game, and we're
in the final ten seconds and the spread's eight and
a half, and he gets his hands on the ball
as a member of the losing team and he goes

(29:58):
coast to coast for a layup, thus flipping the game
from a well it went over eight and a half
to now it just slid under. But again the likelihood
as they've now in some of the latest stories, pinpointed
some game activities and the gambling activities that went along
with it as to why they've launched an investigation looking

(30:19):
back at a game in or January of twenty twenty four,
and again this is from the twenty the season just
gone by twenty twenty four or twenty twenty three twenty
four season when he was a member of the Bucks,
and both of those I guess highlights I mentioned are
from that activity. They were talking specifically about a rebound,

(30:42):
you know, more or less minus two and a half
rebounds where the line was shortened a great deal due
to a surge of action.

Speaker 7 (30:50):
He finished with six rebounds.

Speaker 8 (30:51):
I did my part here as a co host here
on the eighteen Malik Beasley, a starter that night for
the Milwaukee Bucks, on the court for the six minutes
and fifty nine seconds of the first quarter, but he
only grabbed one rebound, went back out there for roughly
the same amount of time in the second quarter, another
seven minutes and eleven seconds. He played himself fourteen minutes
of basketball when they got to halftime, and he had

(31:13):
recorded three rebounds. That's that's that's a done deal. Minus
two and a half rebounds. Well, I don't know if
you call it success or fail, but that's an over.

Speaker 7 (31:24):
That's a more.

Speaker 8 (31:25):
He's hit three. Whatever else that happened in the second half, Well,
it's already been. It's already come to play a little
bit difficult on that particular play on an NBA side.
I gotta make sure I get over this number. It's
a lot easier to make sure you get under the number. Oh,
he just it's a fifty to fifty ball.

Speaker 7 (31:42):
He beat me. Oh, I forgot to box out.

Speaker 8 (31:44):
I'm gonna get ripped apart in a film study after
this one, maybe even at halftime for this one. But
making sure you grab all those boards, especially if for
teammates aren't on board. Man, what if you're stuck at
five rebounds, the numbers five and a half and you're
out there and at the end of the game a
meaningless it's a fifteen point margin, and you know teammate
Pat Conan grabs a meaningless rebound when you would have

(32:06):
gotten it and gone over.

Speaker 7 (32:08):
That's what sometimes is at play.

Speaker 8 (32:10):
But I appreciate and applaud and give it the best
of X treatment. To know that if you've given us
the game, if you've given us the player, they're going
to find some instances, just like they did with Porter
and saying yeah that I could see it here.

Speaker 7 (32:26):
This is the old yeah two plus two. It doesn't
always equal.

Speaker 8 (32:28):
For I could probably look at a bunch of different
players say man, where's the effort there without having them
involved in a gambling scandal. It happens all the time,
but it is again noteworthy, and props to you guys
out there for getting Beasley here. He's had a couple
of other instances where he's kind of run a foul
of either the law or the law, and the NBA
has faced to suspension previously for threats of violence. Don't

(32:52):
know that they're in any way related here. You never
know if what was taking place here. But I've said
this before with gambling and professionals, especially on this end
of it. This is a player who's already made many millions,
is in a year where he could be set to
make many more millions. I just gave you forty two
as a figure over the next three years. And on

(33:13):
the NBA side, provided they're all player options or non
team options, and that money's all guaranteed essentially, so you're
gonna you're going to risk what on a wager. You're
gonna get your buddies set up with what on a wager?
You're gonna get yourself out of trouble with what on
a wager? And I know desperation and gambling sometimes can

(33:33):
go together, but to tune of risking the next forty
two million dollars of your earnings, I don't know that
that's the play or the way to go.

Speaker 7 (33:42):
Rockets interest in Malik Beeley Beasley.

Speaker 8 (33:45):
I'll put more or less at zero, and you can
only take zero, and it's not even gonna be on
the board because it is zero. And I think that
will be shared by nearly every NBA team until we
reach a conclusion on this investigation. And maybe it doesn't
change after we reach a conclusion, not yet at a
conclusion about the astro situation at first base or what

(34:08):
particular left handed bat they should go after, well me either.

Speaker 7 (34:12):
We'll discuss it.

Speaker 4 (34:13):
Next the A team on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (34:23):
Day.

Speaker 7 (34:25):
It is Monday.

Speaker 8 (34:26):
Hopefully you guys are ready for what should be a
shorter week for everybody. A lot of rain over the
weekend roof over at the ballpark. Nice to have Astro's
not concerned about not getting games and.

Speaker 7 (34:39):
Other places not the same story.

Speaker 8 (34:41):
Astro's off today on their way to Colorado and LA
for the next six staying in the National League.

Speaker 7 (34:47):
It's like their National League team these last two weeks, a.

Speaker 8 (34:50):
Series victory sweep over the Phillies, a series victory over
the Cubs two out of three, and now two more
series against teams in the American League West, one of
whom Milsey twice. That's the Colorado Rockies. Nice little benefit
for them to have that. While they're off today, everybody
but the Angels inside the Astros Division is playing. It's

(35:12):
usually not that noteworthy that the A's are playing, but
it is in that they are at Tampa, Georgia m
Steinbrenner Field, home of the Yankees, to play the Rays.
Of course, at Exhibition Stadium, raised ten games over five hundred,
ended up exiting the weekend a game and a half
back of the Yankees had a chance to pass them

(35:32):
over the weekend, but we're unable to do so. Rangers
are home for the Orioles. Orioles have played better baseball,
but still should not have any change of heart in
terms of are we buyers or are we sellers? I
suspect they should remain sellers, and that has something to
do with the Astros and the Mariners are back home
for a series beginning with the Royals. They just finished

(35:54):
up three games over the weekend in Arlington against the Rangers,
three very close games, very exciting series, a lot of
extra innings, and exactly what we figured would happen. Neither
team would sweep and if the Astros kept winning, they
would advance their lead in the division, which essentially is
what they did. Mariners didn't win two out of three,
so over the weekend, technically the Astros didn't move any

(36:16):
further past them, but they're six and a half games
ahead of the Mariners. They're one of two fifty win
teams in the American League, one of three fifty win
teams in Major League Baseball, the Astros, the Dodgers, and
the Tigers, AJ Hinch's team, the biggest spending team in Houston.
Those are the teams with fifty wins or more, six

(36:37):
and a half games better of the Mariners, who, by
virtue of winning that series, are a whole three games
over five hundred. The Angels are still ahead of the
Rangers in the division. They're a game under and the
Rangers are two games under eighty four games into the
season with one of the best pitching staffs in all
of baseball. The Rangers are two games under five hundred

(36:57):
at forty one and forty three, nine games back of
the Houston Astros, and again in action today, just like
those that aren't, the Angels and the Astros know about
Jeremy Paniel. Tell you a little bit more about that here,
as Dana Brown quoted by Brian McTaggart in his article
updating the situation earlier today, the Astros announced that there

(37:19):
wasn't yet a corresponding move. But Jeremy Pane is going
to the aisle with that fractured rib, Dana Brown saying,
from talking to doctors, there's some NFL players that play
with this, But it's a pain tolerance thing. If it
feels like he's fine after a week, we'll start some
baseball activity. You can give him some things to do
and he might be able to play through it as
he heals. This isn't one of those things where you
have to be sidelined the whole time.

Speaker 7 (37:42):
Huh, Doctor Brown.

Speaker 8 (37:45):
Just that sounds a little a little aggressive considering the
bigger prize I think you're playing for. I feel similarly
about Jordan Alvarez. I certainly wouldn't call it what's the
with Alvarez? When Dana Brown over the weekend said maybe
he could be a part of their series against the Dodgers.

(38:06):
I mean, I don't consider anything at this point rushing
yord On Alvarez. It only feels that way because he
spent three, four or five weeks not realizing he was
going to be out two months because he broke a
bone in his hand. He got a fracture, and this
was going to take time to heal from. Once he's healed,
and he's healed, I mean, I'm not concerned. If it
happens again, that means he's got weak bones.

Speaker 9 (38:27):
I think, well he gets on the spot, then who
do you think comes back first?

Speaker 7 (38:30):
Alvarez comes back first, no question about it.

Speaker 8 (38:33):
If the Astros are doing it right, that's the no
question about it that I say. But I mean that
it's okay man. If this rib is fractured, I don't
want him playing through the pain. And I know the
idea that well, the doctors have said he can't hurt
it anymore. Well, how well is he gonna play when
it hurts to swing, or it hurts to throw, or
he twists trying to chase down a ball in center

(38:54):
field that Mauricio can't get to, that Jake Myers can't
get to. And remember it was only a couple weeks
ago when he did just that, and it was on
a play where he was way behind second base and
had to twist and contort his torso to make the
throw on over to first base, and you could see
him reaching for his ribcage. I do know, at least
in this instance, that was a reach for his right side.

(39:17):
This is a fracture on his left side. But the
point being, there's gonna be plays you're gonna want to
make that you're not gonna be thinking about the injury
because you're playing, and then because you didn't, it hurts,
and maybe because you did it hurts even more, or
you couldn't make the play. When the imaging suggests he
should be back out there, then he can go ahead
and come back out there, and the imaging situation, which

(39:38):
will continue to be a storyline until well it's not.
They did do imaging Friday night after he was hit
by the pitch in Friday night's game, and it did
not show anything, did not reveal this injury thought to
be day to day at that point in time. The
smart and prudent thing to do when you're a little
bit further removed from the injury and not yet ready

(39:59):
to put him back out there. Well, another MRI and
CT scan performed Sunday and it showed the fracture. I'm
not believing the Astros did something wrong on Friday. He
was hurt and he was in pain, and he didn't
play Saturday. And he was hurt and he was in pain,
and he didn't play Sunday. So they went and checked

(40:20):
him again, and now they saw it. I don't think
they need to clean the screen on their MRI machine
or get somebody who knows how to read it a
little bit better. I just think it wasn't seen, and
so they did it again very soon after they did
it the first time, and thus no additional damage done
il PAINA more on that and what's going on over
first base for the Astros and what's going on in

(40:41):
free agency for the Rockets. Now two hours out from
tonight's open for business We'll do that when we get
to the three o'clock hour.

Speaker 1 (40:48):
Next the Age on Sports Talk seven ninety two. Lifelong
Houston sports guys. Dadam talking your team.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the A Team Day.

Speaker 7 (41:12):
It is three o'clock, it is Monday. This is the
A Team vacation a Adam Clinton.

Speaker 8 (41:17):
So wex and Cole here with you this afternoon all
the way up until six o'clock. Have a nightcap for
you with the Astros off today, evening games Tuesday and
Wednesday from Colorado, and afternoon affair on Thursday, getaway day
from Colorado, which will essentially boot us off the air
that day. Huh two day holiday. We'll be off on
Friday as well. For July fourth, they get to LA

(41:39):
to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Speaker 7 (41:41):
The Astros and Dodgers.

Speaker 8 (41:42):
Two of the only teams two of the only three
teams in Major League Baseball with fifty wins or more.
Eighty four games into the season, the Astros won fifty times.
They're sixteen games over five hundred. They continue to play
tremendous baseball at dyk In Park, taking five of their
six games on this most recent homestand haven't lost a
home series since the second series of the season, but

(42:03):
they did lose Jeremy Payanna for the immediate future, and
Dana Brown not even sure that it will be an
extended period of time, but we shall see. The hit
by pitch Payna suffered on Friday night in his second
at bat had him out for the last two games.
He actually stayed in that game on Friday for several

(42:23):
innings before being pinch hit for Initial scans didn't show
a fracture. More revealing scans apparently on Sunday did, and
so he was sent to the il retro to Saturday
minimum ten days stint, But it does seem likely it
would take a little bit more than that, But the
Astro stiller Dana Brown to Brian McTaggart, saying, we will
see if it in fact takes that long. Yard On

(42:43):
Alvarez and others hopefully getting a little bit closer to
the roads of recovery. Both Dana and Jospota explaining the
situation with yard On Alvarez where he'll now spend his
immediate future at the Astros Complex in Flora, getting in
some live abs, some live BP again some of their
other rehabbing pitchers in potentially seeing some time in the

(43:05):
box against Luis Garcia and or Christian Javier, among others.

Speaker 7 (43:09):
And then maybe there's.

Speaker 8 (43:10):
An outside chance that the healed bones for Jordon Alvarez
that allow him to swing the bat freely won't be
painful for him anymore. I won't be holding him back,
and maybe the woeful offense they got from him for
about a month this year will be just that that
was the past and this is the future. They continue
to do things that do not suggest should be happening

(43:32):
with the roster that they have. It's the same thing
they did a year ago when Kyle Tucker wasn't a
part of things, and what they've continued to do with
the Jordon Alvarez sidelined. While only Jeremy Panna is having
an unbelievable year, Estak Paritis is having a very very
good offensive year. I wouldn't call it unbelievable for the
production he had during his best times in Tampa. I
wouldn't call Jake Myers production unbelievable. It seems unbelievable for Jake,

(43:58):
but I do have to at least note that while
he was very, very good each month this year, and
he continues to be among the better hitters on the
road batting average wise, and among the better hitters on
this team, and even overall batting average wise. It is
a single fest. It is station two station baseball. There

(44:19):
are a lot of numbers that I actually looked at
and I don't have to share with you about players
with certain number of IT bats this year and who
has the fewest RBIs. I don't have to mention those
numbers to you, so I won't, but you can kind
of see where this is. He just finished his most
recent month, because the Astros June is already complete. He
hit three thirty three, had thirty hits in ninety at bats.

(44:43):
He's an everyday player and has earned the right to
be that, and it's good to have him in the lineup,
and it's helpful to have him in the lineup, and
he's been among their most consistent hitters almost the entire season.
Everyday baseball for Jake Myers now at all different spots
in the lineup, couple of days batting right near the
top of the lineup, right behind their obvious leadoff hitter

(45:04):
Esak Perettis, and he's your obvious two hitter Jake Myers.
His month worth of production, thirty hits, twenty six of
them were singles, none of them were homers.

Speaker 7 (45:16):
He had four RBI.

Speaker 8 (45:18):
It's hard to do that for an entire month and
have that many hits and drive in that few runs.
He only struck out sixteen times and even walk eight times,
and as a very good ops of seven sixty eight,
He's the last guy should be complaining about.

Speaker 7 (45:34):
So I'll stop there. Got a few other things to
get to mentioned.

Speaker 8 (45:38):
I wanted to talk a little bit about the astros
at first base, and I do so before we get
to the rockets tremendous work this offseason and the expected
work they're about to do in free agency. Not only
are there obvious available players, but players who are linked
to the Rockets and multiple reports and that this is
their plan as they head into this Evening's free agency

(45:59):
chat pier. You can open up a chat with a
free agent. You can even go so far as to
sign off that chat with an agreement verbalized and in place.
You just can't sign him yet, just can't make it official,
can't make any announcement, can't crak out any obvious social
media posts. But We'll get to that momentarily, so the
Astros over at first base. This has been the same

(46:19):
conversation essentially all season long. In spring training, Christian Walker
had an oblique injury and there were hopes that he
would be back for opening Day, and he was, and
he went out and took care of business as only
Christian Walker can do so far this season as an
astro first first month, When is he going to turn
the corner? Are these two days of hitting? Is this
one line drive over the fence big moment? Is that

(46:42):
what's gonna get him turned around? Is this walk off
gonna Is that what you see as his turning point
to the season. This has been said in April, it
was said in May, and it was said once again
here in June, and throughout most of it. I've said, no,
I don't see any difference. I don't think anything's changed.
All I see is, unfortunately, without a t T answer
in sight or a change to be made in sight,

(47:03):
it's the same Christian Walker that's been an Astro for
all three months, and the numbers certainly back that up. Unfortunately,
he's a strikeout machine, twenty seven or more in every
month of the year. It's batting average, which, oh my god,
he's definitely not going to be this bad anymore.

Speaker 7 (47:17):
He hit one ninety six in April.

Speaker 8 (47:18):
In March, well, he just followed that up with two
twenty three in May and two twenty one in June.

Speaker 7 (47:25):
That's the same.

Speaker 8 (47:26):
He had an ops of six thirty two in the
opening months, it dipped in May and then rose all
the way to six forty six this last month.

Speaker 7 (47:34):
That's the same.

Speaker 8 (47:36):
He strikes out too much when he makes contact, he
hits an egregious number of pop ups, and yet he's
still helping the team over at first base. He made
a couple of spectacular plays at first base both Saturday
and Sunday, behind Lance mccullors first, and then behind from Ravaldez.
So I'm not here to suggest he shouldn't play, because
I do know what the alternatives are, and you can

(47:57):
hand a few games to Caratini. You could take a
chance on John Singleton again. He's already back and part
of the organization and playing on a relatively speaking, everyday basis.
He's been there less than a week with the Sugarland
Space Cowboys.

Speaker 7 (48:11):
But that would never be permanent.

Speaker 8 (48:12):
You didn't sign and in b and year one with
Christian Walker to just give up on it at this
point in time, but I will say I am glad
the Astros aren't doing nothing about it.

Speaker 7 (48:25):
Battingham is long in.

Speaker 8 (48:26):
The fourth spot was a little bit tough to stomach
for me, and I brought it up constantly, then finally
to the five spot, then finally to the sixth spot.
And as I mentioned to somebody last week, he is
a bottom of the order hitter. That's where he belongs currently,
and now that's where he is regularly. Thank goodness. I'm
sure he's going to come up in some important situations.
It happens to everybody, but he's going to get fewer

(48:48):
at bats batting seventh. Better hitters who've come through more
often this year are going to get more at bats.
And I know one of those guys is Jiner Diaz
and his season is not very different from Christian Walkers.
But this has had to happen, and I'm just glad
that Joe Spata and everybody else making those decisions, which

(49:09):
is really him and his coaching staff, have finally decided
maybe this helps him as much as it helps us.
It can be a two way street, but the bottom line,
it should definitely help the Astros because he'll be hitting less,
he'll be up fewer times, and just inevitably, it's the
whole idea of what's happened in Major League Baseball. Batting
Shoho Tani first, heck, batting George Springer first, like aj

(49:33):
Hinch diad years ago, batting East Soak Perettis first, with
the opening at leadoff spot the last couple of games
with Jeremy paying you down. Not only can that help you,
the guy said, an Astros record in the last twenty
years for seeing thirty seven pitches and four it bats. Nonetheless,
we know it is the weakness of this team and

(49:53):
it's not all on the shoulders of Christian Walker, and
Christian Walker coming out of this, hopefully in the last
three months of the season isn't necessarily going to change
their fortunes. But I'm always glad to point out when
teams aren't oblivious and just say, oh, he'll get out
of it, but rather do something about it, which to
this point I think is about all they can do,

(50:13):
considering the other injuries and lack of options Descendzos a
first base option, well, not if he's on the il.
So this is something I don't have to give him
full credit. I don't have to go running down the
streets and ask if we can set aside some streets
in downtown Houston to throw a parade. But it's okay
to say, hey, good job. Wait it put some thought

(50:34):
into the lineup. You're trotting out there every day.

Speaker 9 (50:36):
I mean, only took you three months to finally get
to this point. But at least you finally did get
to this point.

Speaker 7 (50:40):
When you have a track record, you want that runway
to be lengthy. He's earned that.

Speaker 8 (50:45):
A bro who played an entire season with this runway,
And as I pointed out Friday, his numbers are better.
He had better numbers than what Christian Walker is producing
this year for his first season. That's how bad offensively
things have gotten for Walker. Not expected, not trends that
they should have seen from last year.

Speaker 7 (51:02):
No, nothing like that at all. I'm not saying he
was coming off some.

Speaker 8 (51:06):
Unbelievable season and he isn't getting older and they could
have expected some regression. Yes, I thought that in year three,
at the end of this contract, it would be a
little worrisome. I thought in year two, expecting him to
clean things up from the four holes. Probably not something
I would want to do, but this year it seemed
like it made perfect sense to sign him, slot him
into the four spot, give some protection to Jordan Alvarez,

(51:27):
and go see a guy that's gonna hit you twenty
five to thirty five homers driving eighty five to one
hundred runs, probably hit two forty or two fifty, but
carry an OPS in the low eight hundreds. That's perfectly fine,
even for a twenty million dollar player. He's just isn't
that this year?

Speaker 9 (51:44):
The problem is that he's too good defensively to take
him out of the lineup, and so when you have
that issue, that leads to where you have to move
him down into the pecking order of the batting rotation
because of If not, you're kind of screwed at first
base because Krotine doesn't offer you that same defensive prowess
and you don't.

Speaker 8 (51:58):
Have Decenzo right now. Yep, it is unfortunate. It's not
again the end of the world. They're in first place,
they lead by six and a half games. They're doing
it while going through a poor spot for him, a
poor spot overall. This is a you could probably call
this team an average offense. I know it doesn't seem
like that, but the numbers are all there to suggest it. Yeah,

(52:19):
they're way high in terms of Major League Baseball in
terms of batting average, but because they're a bunch of
Jake Myers, they don't slug. They're way down and slug
and thus they're way down in the much more important
category of runs scored. They need to score more runs.
They need to take advantage of more things. It's awesome
and all that. They got a swing in yesterday's game and.

Speaker 7 (52:38):
It won them the game.

Speaker 8 (52:39):
They hit them all over the fence. They scored two
runs on that play and they got a win out
of it. That is tremendous. That's playing with fire, the
Astros and Jeremy Panya. We gave you that information. NBA
wants a little love, We're gonna give it to them.

Speaker 7 (52:52):
Next. What is next for your Houston Rockets.

Speaker 1 (52:54):
That's next, the ad on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (53:05):
As expected, a very busy weekend in the NBA, even
though official signings not that many of them have even
taken place. Bit agreements, especially with players that you are
trying to prevent from reaching free agency.

Speaker 7 (53:20):
Hillos deals getting done.

Speaker 8 (53:21):
Fred van Vliet and Steven Adams over the last couple
of weeks now put pen to paper. They intend the
Rockets due, according to many reports, bring back Jeff Green,
bring back Aaron Holliday, the declining of his option merely
part of that, and bring back Jay. Shawn Tait reports
that Javaris Smith Junior is going to be here and

(53:44):
under contract for the next six seasons, the last year
of the deal he's already under into next year, and
then the five years that follow under a five year,
one hundred and twenty two million dollar extension. Reportedly is
what he and the team have agreed to. One hundred
and twin twenty two million over five seasons. Obviously, that's
a little bit less than twenty five million per don't

(54:05):
know the exact breakdowns season to season, but very easy
to work around those numbers, especially as his figures are
locked in and the salary cap figures are not and
they're not going down, they're going up, so the percentage
of the cap that he will consume himself certainly seems

(54:25):
very easy to work with. I think the same is
actually true for Alpera and shangoun Is. His extension kicks
in this year would have been the same for Jalen
Green is his extension kicks in, but on July sixth,
that will kick in for the Phoenix Suns. And obviously
this is all to point out what is next for
this team. Got to take a look at the rest
of the league first, and what all took place over

(54:46):
the weekend. I don't think that anybody with any power
or brain inside the Rockets management team thought hmm, well,
if James Harden is available and an option has declined,
well maybe we should get in on that. I don't
think that was ever reality. Far less of a reality
than when Emmy Udoka initially came aboard and they thought, well,

(55:07):
this doesn't make any sense. Well it makes even less
sense now for the kind of money that he wants
and got from the La Clippers.

Speaker 7 (55:15):
That was always the play.

Speaker 8 (55:16):
Was always going to happen that way because the Clippers
were interested and so was he. So he declines his
player option and gets his raises over the next two years,
and now he's the continued point guard for a team
you were slightly better than a year ago and hope
to remain better than moving forward. Their best players all
got older and were already old, and we'll see if
that changes.

Speaker 7 (55:36):
Little credit to Eviats.

Speaker 8 (55:37):
The Zubats not nearly as old as Kawhi or nearly
as worn down. I guess they should say as Kawhi
Leonard or James Harden, but they'll probably be very much
like they were a year ago, and we'll see if
they can make any other changes to enhance their chances.
The Minnesota Timberwolves absolutely in play for Kevin Durant until
he told him, I don't think so, I don't want
to play there, so instead they have re upped with

(55:58):
nas Reed a very similar contract to Jabari Smith Junior,
likely to be five years, one hundred and twenty five million.
Re Upped with Julius Randall to the tune of a
deal very similar to Jalen Greens a year ago, around
one hundred million dollars over the next three seasons. This
is what they're going to look like moving forward, very
little changes with their core. One other player though in

(56:21):
the mix, certainly as we get back to what Mike
the Rockets do next, is in play there and was
reported earlier, although I think all these names were known,
but Kelly Eco attaching all of them to the likelihood,
as the Rockets will be looking to set up meetings immediately.
There were reports out of LA with one of these
three particular players not only being linked to Houston, but

(56:43):
likely landing in Houston after the Lakers bungled the possibility
of keeping him there. That player's Dorian Finney Smith, the
player that is most recently attached to the Minnesota Timberwolves
and their spot in the Conference finals, Nikhil Alexander Walker,
and Memphis Grizzlies shooter Luke Canard. There are others, and

(57:04):
I think you've probably have seen some of those names
also that might make some sense for the Houston Rockets
and probably are among those they should consider. You always
want to a fall back option. You want a third
or fourth or fifth option. Cleveland, I think is maneuvering
so they won't lose ty Jerome, But I think other
teams are maneuvering, like, yeah, you will, look how much
we're going to give him. But that's a name certainly

(57:26):
to remember. Probably those four would be at or near
the top of most people's list, and do appear to
be at the top of the Rockets list.

Speaker 7 (57:33):
Who would well.

Speaker 8 (57:34):
I made it very simple for the listeners and you'll
obviously have first crack at it because you're already here
seven one three two one two five seven ninety And
set you up with a very simple poll question, that
very question that Cole just asked right there on my
social media just before the show began.

Speaker 7 (57:49):
What would you if this was a.

Speaker 8 (57:51):
Straight up signing, not a sign in trade? And obviously
I don't know what money it would cost, but the
assumption of this is some portion, if not all, of
the mle that the Rockets have now managed their way
into having with how their money is being doled out.
If it's just a straight up free agent signing, what
would you prefer the Rockets do sign Finney Smith, sign

(58:13):
Alexander Walker, sign Luke Kennard, or I did offer the
none of the above option, Cole, what would you do?

Speaker 9 (58:22):
I'd go Finny Smith. I think that's probably the safe spending.
He offers you the most value in terms of what
he will provide offensively and defensively.

Speaker 8 (58:29):
So defensively, Finney Smith is tremendously versatile. He can if asked,
and the Rockets are so versatile defensively. If they had
another series like The Warriors where they wanted to do this,
he would be a huge asset. He's like a Men
Thompson in that if you need him to guard a
bigger player, go for it. If you need him to

(58:50):
somebody smaller and quicker on the perimeter, no problem.

Speaker 7 (58:52):
He's absolutely up for it. It can do it.

Speaker 8 (58:54):
And they already have a Men Thompson. They already have
Tari Easan and to a certain degree, they have Jabari
Smith Junior. They actually have the players still even without
Dylan Brooks and even without Jalen Green, where they're able
to do those things. I don't think that there as
many teams that they're going to need to do that against.
And I don't even think that they played the Warriors
in this year's upcoming postseason, they would maybe go that
route again.

Speaker 7 (59:13):
But yeah, I absolutely think he fits that mold.

Speaker 8 (59:16):
He's also I think an even better three point shooter
than most people think. When you just go strictly by well,
I'm just gonna look at the numbers. Think they should
tell me a pretty good story. Now they do, I'll
grant you that. Which numbers would you like? His career
three point shooting numbers? Well, he's a thirty six point
two percent career three point shooter. Okay, he's been in
the league since age twenty three, back in twenty sixteens,

(59:37):
thirty two year old player when whomever gets their hands
on him, because the Lakers season was already over when
he may fourth hit and that's when he turned thirty two. Okay,
thirty six point two. That's not bad, or do you
want the better numbers that he spent the twenty four
to twenty five season, this most recent season shooting forty
one point one percent, half with the Brooklyn Nets, third

(01:00:00):
with the Brooklyn Nets, and two thirds with the Los
Angeles Lakers. I can even tell you that at the
beginning of his career he sucked thirty point three percent
from behind the arc, as in, I don't know if
we want you spreading the floor being a floor spacer
out there shooting at thirty point three percent, because that's terrible.

(01:00:21):
Well over the last six years, we're talking about a
thirty eight percent shooter. If you have a six year
stretch and you're heading into the year seven of it
at that rate, I'm gonna look at that rate. If
the Rockets or whomever else signs Dorian Finney Smith, you're
getting a thirty eight percent three point shooter with tremendous
defensive flexibility. And he's to me, he's just your typical

(01:00:42):
this is what we call it, and this is the
picture and the definition in the dictionary for it. He's
a three and D guy. He's Trevor Ariza type player.
And I think that makes perfect sense. Okay, that was
choice one.

Speaker 7 (01:00:53):
Who's choice two?

Speaker 9 (01:00:54):
I'd go Lukenard, And honestly, I think that it's not
that close because when you look at his numbers, he's
coming off a great year forty seven percent from the field,
forty three from three point range. He only had eleven starts.
But he's a what you see is what you get
type of dude. He's going to be a bench player.
He's going to offer you some valuable minutes. He's gonna
shoot the corner three and he's going to give you

(01:01:14):
I think a little bit more consistency from behind the arc,
which was an area you were drastically missing last season,
specifically down the stretch and definitely in the playoffs.

Speaker 8 (01:01:21):
Fifty four percent from the corner, that's what Luke Canard
shot last year, and twenty four percent of his attempts,
the second highest total of his career came from the corners.
Memphis used him smartly. You mentioned he came off the bench.
You mentioned the number of starts which were limited. The
same would be true here. They just added Kevin Durant, who,

(01:01:44):
by the way, even at age nine, six hundred and
seventy two, is one of the league's best three point shooters.

Speaker 7 (01:01:49):
He's averaging forty three percent last year. He's tremendous.

Speaker 8 (01:01:53):
It was, in my opinion, a down year for Luke
Canard at forty three point three percent. The year before
forty five percent the year before that forty nine point
four each of the two years before that forty five percent.
He is elite. You could sit here and say it
and I wouldn't argue with you. He's the best three

(01:02:14):
point shooter in the entire league. And now, like he
did in Memphis, he's being asked to do what shoot
open shots when Jahn Morant and everybody else who we
have is hurt and can't handle the ball. Well, you
can handle the ball a little bit, You can take
some other shots. Every once in a while, you can
drift inside the line and maybe shoot a layup. I mean,
we're not asking you to, but if it happens. I mean,

(01:02:37):
we're not going to immediately send you to the bench.
Less than eight percent of his shots came from inside
three feet, sixty one percent of his shots came behind
the three point line, and that wasn't even a high
for him in his career, not even close. If all
you're looking for is shooting, and you can deal with
maybe some defensive deficiencies, which he certainly has, which is

(01:02:59):
why when he signed somewhere other than Memphis, he'll be
playing for his fourth team in eight years. It's fine.
He's going to kill it at the three point line
for whatever team, including this team, if that's what you
think makes the most sense. If all you're after is
adding a second elite shooter to the team you had
last year, Duramt being number one, then by all means,

(01:03:21):
Luke Canard, we'll investigate and share our thoughts. You can
do as well on Nikhil, Alexander Walker, and the none
of the above the Monte Brewster option. When we continue the.

Speaker 1 (01:03:34):
Eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (01:03:43):
Eight team continues three thirty midway through our number two
here on a Monday edition of the program, Wex and
Cole Thompson here with you this afternoon ac on AKA
throughout the week. I'll do the same next week. We
were talking about the Rockets will continue. We are going
to hear from Astro's radio analyst and for Major League pitcher,
Steve Sparks made his weekly visit to the Sean Salisbury

(01:04:06):
Show with his usual eight o'clock drop this morning. We
will get you caught up on what he had to
say at four o'clock this after You'll give you a
little taste of what that conversation sounded like with Steve
initially telling you about the guy who said there was
no bad blood between he and the Cubs, and I'm
sure there isn't.

Speaker 7 (01:04:26):
Heck, he was there for three months, but.

Speaker 8 (01:04:28):
He did homer in each of the first two games
of the series talking about Cam Smith. So some thoughts
about the season he continues to have, and at that
time I'll mention it to you what the Wexler research
team was up to as it relates to the American
League Rookie of the Year race. But more discussion on
Rockets intentions as NBA free agency essentially opens up the

(01:04:51):
opportunity to speak to.

Speaker 7 (01:04:52):
Free agents comes your way.

Speaker 8 (01:04:53):
In about ninety minutes, meetings can be set up and
take place, and honestly, we'll see agreements almost meet. There
is reported strong mutual interest between player X and Team Y.
It's expected that players Z and Team J will reach
an agreement. Sometimes it's going to happen. It's how it's
supposed to be, and there's nothing wrong with it. It's

(01:05:16):
just the way the NBA decides to operate, much like
when they have players put on hats for their teams
that they're never going to play for because the deal
has already happened. It's funny watching some of the releases
this week. Teams are playing multiple summer leagues. The Rockets
will play in one. They'll play in the Vegas Summer League.
That's the tenth through the twentieth of this month. The
California Classic begins on Saturday in at Chase Center, and

(01:05:40):
there are a bunch of teams playing there. The Warriors,
that's their home. They're one of the teams hat tipped
to a couple of Cougars that are playing for them.
Javier Francis and l J. Cryer are both expected to
participate both there and again when they get to Vegas.
Everybody will play in Vegas. But that's in just a
couple of days. And so there are players on teams
summer league rosters that they have to put an asterisk

(01:06:04):
next to will be here, expected to be acquired, soon
to be added to roster because none of these things
for certain reasons, whether it was the poison Pill contract
and Jalen Green's extension that's the Rockets reasoning, or other
deals you're trading draft right tech, I was looking at
somebody breakdown the Rocket's salary structure for this upcoming year,
and the money attached to the tenth pick in the draft, well,

(01:06:27):
that is currently accurate. But of course the tenth pick
in the draft is being sent to Phoenix, and Phoenix
is already drafted the player that allowed them to say,
we're gonna go ahead and make some other moves here
with our front line. Quite a few moves already made
that have some people scratching their heads.

Speaker 7 (01:06:42):
How it affects the Rockets. We'll get to.

Speaker 8 (01:06:44):
But continuing on this, if the choice is yours and
you do believe the Rockets need to do something, although
I give you the none of the above option if
they're just a straight free agent signing among these three
players or none?

Speaker 7 (01:06:57):
What would you choose?

Speaker 8 (01:06:58):
Dorian Finney Smith and Nakuilan, Alexander Walker and Luke Canard.
We addressed Finney Smith last segment and placed them number
one on the list. I didn't disagree because you didn't
hear me disagreeing Luke Canard at number two. I didn't
weigh in on whether I agreed or not. I just
told you about why he might make sense, and before
I agree or disagree, I'll give you an opportunity to

(01:07:18):
share your thoughts on the third player to kill Alexander Walker.

Speaker 7 (01:07:22):
And a little background for those that are unaware.

Speaker 8 (01:07:25):
His time the last two years has been very Jalen
Green esque. All eighty two games played in back to
back seasons. Twenty six year old player throughout all of
last season. He'll be a twenty seven year old player
for all of the upcoming season. You probably caught wind
of this in the Western Conference finals. Yes, related to

(01:07:47):
Gilgus Alexander. They are cousins and they obviously played against
one another both of these two Minnesota teams that reached
the conference finals. He was on both of those teams,
participated in both of those series, played for the Pels
and Jazz before that, and as a three and D player,
very very very much like the role that Dorian Finney

(01:08:07):
Smith has played everywhere he's been in his career. That's
how Nikhil Alexander Walker has been deployed by those three
teams previously. And I'm sure you can just go back
to Rockets Timberwolves games this year. Nobody was lengthier and
more athletic at the wings defensively than this team, and
he was a big reason why, big on deflections, big

(01:08:29):
on Challenge League shots. On offense the last two years,
he's a thirty nine or thirty eight and a half
percent three point shooter on about four and a half
attempts per game. Very very similar bio stat line, body
of work, in a slightly more slender frame than Dorian
Phinney Smith, so a little less defensive flexibility. It's pretty

(01:08:51):
unlikely you would slot him into a post position defensively
if it can be avoided, and considering he'll be playing
on a team this year with Steven Adams and Alprin
Shangoon Jabari Smith Junior, I think they'll be able to
avoid that as often as possible, But otherwise the role
would be very similar your thoughts on adding I hate
to do this on a day that Ac is not here.

(01:09:12):
I don't want to do this, and I will do
it when he returns. What are your thoughts about Popsicle?
As he's nicknamed. According to Basketball Reference.

Speaker 9 (01:09:22):
He's a popsicle, which means I think he can melt
pretty fast.

Speaker 7 (01:09:25):
So is he thin?

Speaker 3 (01:09:26):
Yeah?

Speaker 7 (01:09:26):
I mean that what they're saying, that's what I would
to go with. Here's my thing.

Speaker 9 (01:09:30):
I think that Luke Canard is a better three point shooter,
which means he offers more value to your team coming
off the bench than what you would get in NAW.

Speaker 7 (01:09:39):
I think that's also listed. Yep, yep. Also listen, I.

Speaker 9 (01:09:42):
Think that Dorian Finney Smith is a better defensive player
than what you're gonna get in NAW. So is the
asking price really gonna be the determining factor? If I
can get a cheaper version with Luke Carnard who is
going to be a three point shooter and not offer
monch defensively, or I'm gonna get Dorianfinnie's Smith at a
cheaper version who is going to be a really solid

(01:10:03):
defensive player and give me a couple of baskets. I
would take both of them over Nikhil Alexander Walker.

Speaker 7 (01:10:11):
Doesn't mean I don't like the.

Speaker 9 (01:10:12):
Move, but for the money that you're probably going to
pay to bring him on in I feel like Canard
and Dorian Phinney Smith offer more value to this team immediately.

Speaker 8 (01:10:21):
Per the listeners or those on social media with the
pole question alive and available to continue to be voting on.
You see right there on my social reposted via Sports
Talk seven ninety and keep it open all the way
through until tomorrow, Dorian Finney Smith and Nikila Alexander Walker
each getting the exact same percentage of the vote at
thirty one percent, Canard at fifteen, and none of the

(01:10:44):
above at twenty three percent. And I do understand that
went back and forth with somebody recently on social media
about this. If you moved on from Jalen Green and
Dylan Brooks brought in just one rotation player and Kevin
Durant obviously and intend on having Cam's whitmore and read
Shepherd a bigger part of this year's team, and read

(01:11:07):
Shepherd's case, I think it's almost a given that are
going to give him that opportunity. I don't know if
that same will be afforded to Cam, although in my opinion,
it should be well if you add this other player
via the exception or however they decide to acquire them,
unless you're doing it and sign and trade to send
one of those players out. And they certainly aren't going
to do that with Reid, and I hope they don't

(01:11:28):
do that with Cam, Nor is it necessary if you
want them, just sign them send anybody out. I understand
the none of the above answer, because where are the minutes?
I have an answer for that. Where are the minutes
for this new player? Where are the minutes? If you
want Cam whitmore and read Shepherd to earn more minutes,
there is an opportunity for more minutes for a new player,

(01:11:51):
for a free agent acquisition, for a sign and trade
if they feel compelled to. I guess hook the other
team and player up by going that route, and again
I hope they don't. I will address that.

Speaker 1 (01:12:00):
Next The Age on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (01:12:13):
A nice little weekend of reminiscing about Craig Bigio several
years ago. This past weekend, he came up with hit
number three thousand, dragged Jeff Bagwell out of the dugout
to celebrate in front of the fans with him at
Minute Made Park. All while Jose Altuve is getting closer
and closer to moving up the franchise list himself. He

(01:12:38):
piles up hit after hit after hit, looking for a
hit number two thousand, three hundred and fourteen in order
to rise up another spot that's where Jeff Bagwell sits.

Speaker 7 (01:12:51):
JOSEL. Tuvin needs one to tie. I think he'll get it.
He needs two to pass.

Speaker 8 (01:12:56):
I think he'll get that too, maybe even tomorrow when
he is in the lineup up against the Colorado Rockies,
and a little over seven hundred more hits after that
to pass Craig Bigio. Of course, he's the only player
in Houston Astros history to amass more than three thousand
hits three thousand and sixty to be exact, He and
Jeff Bagwell members of the Hall of Fame. Jose al

(01:13:17):
Tuve will definitely join them, and there might be other
players during this golden era of Astros baseball to join them.
Jordan Alvarez certainly starting to put together the front side
of a resume, needs to stay healthy to try to
put the other parts of it together. Kyle Tucker, Carlos Correa.

(01:13:37):
You never know what might happen in the future. Maybe
Korea adds some rock hard gold gloves to his mantle.
Maybe for the first time in forever, the Minnesota Twins
have postseasons becaus success and he's a big part of it.
He's also not having a very good season this year. Offensively,
they're finally getting the season they've hoped from Byron Buxton

(01:13:58):
this season.

Speaker 7 (01:13:58):
Yeah, because he stayed healthy.

Speaker 8 (01:14:00):
It's more than that, like he's been healthy enough to
have produced something close to this, But he's just been
unbelievable in the last couple of weeks. There was a time,
probably mid late May, where I was saying, I think
there's a chance with the weak American League outfield that
Byron Buxton could make it. Now he's basically the best
outfielder in the American League, even with what Aaron Judge

(01:14:22):
is doing in Buxton right there at the top, and
he is an All Star and will be he should be.

Speaker 9 (01:14:29):
And the thing is that you remember back in twenty twelve,
the way they we're talking about him, five tool player,
can be a goal Glover, can be a Silver Slugger,
an MVP candidate. He's doing all that it's just he's
finally healthy enough.

Speaker 7 (01:14:40):
To do those things.

Speaker 8 (01:14:42):
Yeah, he only has a couple of seasons where he's
even flirted with being healthy. This season, if he can
manage to play in thirty three more games, be the
third season of his career that he's played one hundred games.
And he's did the league for what now almost a decade.
More than a DECA made his debut at age twenty one.

(01:15:03):
He is now thirty one. He's played more than one
hundred and two games. These are one hundred and sixty
two game seasons. Unless COVID hits. He's played more than
one oh two once one time. He's been a full
time major leaguer since twenty sixteen at age twenty two.

Speaker 9 (01:15:19):
But good for him for being awesome. What's the deal
with the Twins with injury luck? Because remember they also
have the guy Royce Lewis who a few years ago
the way that they were talking about him, Gold Glove,
All caliber, five tool third baseman.

Speaker 7 (01:15:33):
He also can't stay healthy. He's he's the team. Yeah.

Speaker 8 (01:15:36):
I don't know if I want to say he's even worse,
because I kind of feel like he's even worse. He
plays five days and then he gets hurt for a month,
and he plays for a week, and then he gets
hurt for the rest of the year. But he looks
awesome in those five years, is a slugging machine.

Speaker 7 (01:15:48):
Now this year he's terrible.

Speaker 8 (01:15:51):
He's played thirty games and he thinks Christian Walker is
awesome offensively. That's how bad he's been. But other than
this go around, I mean, the guy hit thirty one
homers in one hundred and forty games over a span
of two seasons while playing on a limited basis. In
just those number of games, he had less than five hundred.
He didn't even he had barely five hundred bats and

(01:16:12):
hit thirty one homers. But that's why Minnesota is who
they are. Oh my god, we got a great team.
We made at the playoffs. What do you mean it's
already over. What do you mean we already got bounced?
What do you mean we didn't even win a game
in this series. Well, it happens from time to time,
like every time for them. It's good for the Astros,
and it's good that they are doing what they're doing,
and just in the same place they've always been, right

(01:16:33):
near the top of the league, sitting on top of
this division and enjoying a nice, well earned day off
as much of the rest of the American League is
in action today, especially in their division. Everybody but the Angel,
Let's get you an update on where things stand in
a little bit. Wanted to kind of close the door
on that last conversation though. My thoughts on these editions

(01:16:53):
and how they fit in for the Rockets if one
is to be made, and there's consistent reporting for multiple
different sources that any Kate Dorian Phinney Smith's probably at
the top of their list, with Luke Canard and Nikhil
Alexander Walker not far from it. Maybe in a manner
that they go after the guy that they want the
most to put a deal together that gets it done immediately,
or they are prepared to make the best deal for

(01:17:15):
them with any one of the three of them. It's
a little bit more dangerous that way, and that they
also have other suitors and you might put the second
best deal in front of each of them, and you
might not land any of them because they all take
the best deal put in front of them. The opportunity
to play is all part of it, And how do
they find time for these players if We just watched
the Rockets go to the postseason and basically get zero
minutes out of Reed Shepherd or Cam Whitmore last year.

(01:17:38):
If there's not a sign and trade deal where say
Cam is involved in this, and I've said it before
last segment, I hope he's not. If it costs you
sending out Cam Whitmore, so you can sign Dorian Finney
Smith for any number of years at any amount of money.
I don't want to do that at all. I don't
like that deal one bit. And maybe I could be
swayed that one of the other two players and that
they do something different, or are you younger? Maybe I

(01:18:01):
could be swayed a little bit because there's concrete we
know what this player is going to do for us.
You don't know that with Cam Whitmore. But that's not
much of a vote of confidence for saying yes, moving
like getting rid of him for Kevin Durant, Including him
and part of the deal for Kevin Durant, that's different.

Speaker 7 (01:18:19):
That's very, very different.

Speaker 8 (01:18:20):
I don't I don't really, I'm not inclined to include
him in a deal for any of these players. If
it's a sign and trade or something of the like
or really for much of anything else that's available.

Speaker 9 (01:18:29):
Cam Whitmore and Jabari Smith were like those two players
that this offseason, whenever there were conversations about trades going on,
I didn't want to listen to it.

Speaker 7 (01:18:36):
Jabari was that way for Kadi.

Speaker 9 (01:18:38):
Any deal moving Cam Whitmore at this point, I'm completely
out on Yeah.

Speaker 8 (01:18:42):
I wouldn't say it quite so strongly because I don't
know what's coming back in return, but I am pretty
high on what Cam Smith. Cam Whitmore can do a
lot I know, and I knew it would happen what
Cam Whitmore can do in the NBA for any team,
including this team.

Speaker 7 (01:18:57):
But this team has to be.

Speaker 8 (01:18:58):
At their best at the right time, and they were
pretty close this year. They probably were all the way there.
You had a minor injury for Jack Landell and an
injury that kept Jay Shawn Tait out for the postseason.
Everybody else, all your rotation players available and ready to go,
and that's what they want next year now that Kevin
Durant's on the team, and however, they need to do
their best to attempt to get them there with no

(01:19:19):
guarantees that it will. I'm sure they will employ. If
Kevin Durant plays seventy five games for the Rockets next
year in the regular season, I would be floored. I
would be shocked. I would almost be dismayed. I don't
want any part of that. It's not necessary. I don't
need to see it. I wanted to play eighty five
or ninety games for the season, with fifteen to twenty
of those being postseason games, and the ability to play

(01:19:40):
essentially every other day in the postseason. Watch this last postseason.
It hit young and old. Aaron Gordon got hurt, Michael
Porter Junior got hurt, Tyrese Haliburton got hurt, all the
different stages of the playoffs and all different variations of injuries.

Speaker 7 (01:19:57):
Zero well, not those three players.

Speaker 8 (01:19:59):
I didn't to Jason Tatum and Dame Lillard, and there's
plenty of other injuries, and you can't there's no This
equals that, there's no foolproof way to do it. But
you're going to want to ease up on some players
on your team, including Fred van Vliet, including Steven Adams,
between the beginning of the season in October and the
end of the regular season in April, so you might

(01:20:20):
be able to lean on them even harder than ever
before when it gets to the important games of the playoffs.
That's why there will be minutes for an additional player
should they be active tonight in free agency.

Speaker 1 (01:20:35):
The A Team on Sports Talk seven ninety two lifelong
Houston sports guys named Adam Talking Your Team's Adam Clinton
and Adam Weckler are the eighteen.

Speaker 8 (01:20:55):
Reached halftime of the A Team on a Monday to
in two to go and a night cap to follow.
Wexton Cole here with you on a Monday afternoon, following
a rather successful home stand for the Houston Astros, claiming
five victories and six opportunities against first place teams from
the National League, to out of three against the Cubs
Friday through Sunday, and of course, the three game sweep

(01:21:18):
of the Philadelphia Phillies. There's six first place teams in
Major League Baseball. The Astros obviously are one of them.
They can't play themselves. They can play the Tigers, they
can't play the Yankees. They can play the Dodgers, they
can play the Cubs, they can play the Phillies. Well,
they haven't played the Dodgers or Yankees yet. They will

(01:21:38):
play the Dodgers this weekend in LA, they've played the
other three first place teams. How do you think they've
fared against those other first place teams. If you don't
know how they're fared against the nationallygue ones, then where
were you thirty seconds ago? The Astros just took five
out of six from those two teams. Their previous series
earlier this year against the only team in the American

(01:21:59):
League League with more wins than them, the Detroit Tigers,
also a series victory. If the Astros are playing one
of the current first place teams, pretty much put it
in the w column. They've won seven of those nine
games against the Cubs, the Phillies, and the Tigers. Dodgers
a couple more wins in the Astros overall this season.

Speaker 7 (01:22:20):
We'll see what it looks like when they finally get together.

Speaker 8 (01:22:22):
Wrapped up the month of June at nineteen and seven,
allowed just eighty runs in those twenty six games. They
led Major League Baseball pretty much across the board in pitching.
I know there is another game to play for the
other teams. Only team in baseball an era under three
had that best strikeout per nine inning numbers both in
the month and continued for the season, led Major League

(01:22:43):
Baseball in whip, led Major League Baseball in batting average against,
and it was on display almost the entire series. They
ended up giving up four runs in the opener in
a win some late runs scoring. They did not give
up any runs in the finale yesterday, and they only
gave up one run against the Phillies.

Speaker 7 (01:23:02):
Saturday was a little different quite obviously.

Speaker 8 (01:23:05):
That's why they just won five out of six this
weekend and outscored their opponents by zero runs in those
six games. So gave up a twelve spot on Saturday,
lost that game twelve four. Got a second home run
in the series from Isak Peretis got a second home
run in the series from Cam Smith. Got a less
than desirable starting pitching performance from Lance mccullors Junior. Started

(01:23:28):
very badly in the first inning, but avoided disaster despite
walking three consecutive batters, including walking in a run. Got
through the next two innings no issue, and then the
fourth inning he was unable to complete because seven consecutive
batters knocked the ball all over the yard a couple
of homers. Triple ended up with eight runs on his line.
The second start this season where it has been a

(01:23:50):
blow up start. Good news is Ryan Gusto was prepared
to pitch that day anyway, and they had a day
off today. The bullpen was far from taxed in that
Saturday game. They were available. Yesterday. You got Brian a
Bray blowing cheese by everybody or off speed pitches, got
nine swings and misses and just two innings coming in

(01:24:11):
in the seventh inning, and amidst a tiny bit of trouble,
two shut outings from him and then another save to
open up the season from Josh Hater. Nothing but if
he's out there to save the game, he has completed
the save.

Speaker 7 (01:24:23):
Steve Sparks, of course, in the radio booth.

Speaker 8 (01:24:25):
This past weekend and online with the Sean Salisbury Show
this morning. Each and every Monday morning is weekly visit
to the Sean Salisbury Show. Many things were discussed, good
stories were told. They always are and you can catch
that interview in full right there at sports Talk seven
ninety dot.

Speaker 7 (01:24:42):
Com or via the iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 8 (01:24:44):
You know you can always make Sports Talk seven ninety
You're number one pre set on the extremely easy to
use right there on the palm of your hand iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 7 (01:24:52):
A portion of the conversation for you.

Speaker 8 (01:24:54):
Here Steve sparks his initial thoughts on how high is it?

Speaker 7 (01:24:58):
Where exactly is Cam Smith's ceiling.

Speaker 2 (01:25:01):
I really don't want to.

Speaker 6 (01:25:02):
Put a ceiling on it. I think you're seeing the
floor though. Sean in the forest pretty good right rights.
You know, he's on the like right now, he's already
one of the best outfielders when you look at the
metrics you know, in baseball, and he's going to continue
to get better in that regard. And as a hitter,
he's going to get better better as he gets stronger
and recognize the pitches that he can really you know, maybe.

Speaker 2 (01:25:24):
Take a shot at. I think he's got really good
home run potential last year, you know, he even when
he's signed.

Speaker 6 (01:25:29):
With Chicago, when he was in the minor leagues, I
think it was six games in a row at one.

Speaker 2 (01:25:33):
Point where he had a home run.

Speaker 6 (01:25:34):
So you could see that he could probably you know,
start to carry a team every once a while like
great players do.

Speaker 2 (01:25:40):
And I think he's in that hole.

Speaker 5 (01:25:41):
Do you believe this team needs another pitcher before the
All Star break is over or the trading deadline? Should
I say is done?

Speaker 2 (01:25:47):
Well, I don't know where that would come from.

Speaker 6 (01:25:49):
So, yeah, they need they need more pitching, but that
might come from Florida.

Speaker 2 (01:25:53):
Because there's four guys pitching there right now that the
Astros envision, you know, being a part of what's going
on with Eric Getty, Louis see Kristin Haavier or somebody
o JP France.

Speaker 6 (01:26:02):
So there's four guys right there that you should have
confidence in. But you know, getting them healthy and to
the point where they can get these guys to where
they want to go that may be another matter.

Speaker 2 (01:26:11):
So do they need more pishing? Let me tell you
something that I heard here in the last week or so.
Major League Baseball have used more and.

Speaker 6 (01:26:19):
More pitchers every year, right, and we've noticed that, but
we don't know to what degree.

Speaker 2 (01:26:23):
And now we're to.

Speaker 6 (01:26:24):
The point, the twenty twenty five halfway point, basically right now,
where major League Baseball has used as many pitchers this
year already that they employed the entire twenty fourteen season.

Speaker 2 (01:26:36):
That's how bad it's gotten.

Speaker 5 (01:26:38):
Half the season in. You've used more than a full
season in twenty fourteen.

Speaker 2 (01:26:42):
Yeah, exactly, So do the Astros need more pitching?

Speaker 5 (01:26:46):
Everybody's say all of them do, right, Steve So with that, Steve,
you mentioned that in the building, meaning you know, inside
the organization, with those studs down there, if they're healthy,
and with the hoddy you're pumping it at ninety five,
You're like, well how long? They may not be far away,
So let me talk about help outside. If I Dan
had asked me earlier about you know, we were talking
about a bat or a pitching and mention some names.

(01:27:09):
Forget the names. But if I put your feet to
the to the fire and I said, Steve, you'd only
get one judging from the ross. Now, let's say even
your duns in the lineup healthy and you got one
or two a starting pitcher or a pitcher that you
need it's versatile, or a left handed bat.

Speaker 7 (01:27:25):
What are you doing?

Speaker 4 (01:27:26):
You can only have one the left handed bat.

Speaker 2 (01:27:28):
You know, And I watch it and I see right
handed pictures with the cutters.

Speaker 6 (01:27:32):
With sty started to get in the group with his
cutter yesterday and he had the Ashers battle.

Speaker 2 (01:27:38):
I just think that they need more balance in their lineup.

Speaker 6 (01:27:41):
And the only reason I say that too is you know,
you can never have enough.

Speaker 2 (01:27:44):
But they do have.

Speaker 6 (01:27:46):
They have some surfplus as far as pitching goes, and
they develop pictures better than they do bats.

Speaker 2 (01:27:51):
That's just a fact.

Speaker 6 (01:27:52):
So I think right now the need more balance in
their lineup, and I think the left handed bats should
be the target.

Speaker 5 (01:27:58):
Steve, I'm going to make you John Grew. You know
when he does that film study with players for a second,
and I know your affinity for the guy I'm about
to mention because you've talked about it, but I also
know that there's some things that need fixed. And you've
seen so much baseball. Walk me through it. You're sitting
in a room and I'm giving you an hour on
tape and on video however we're doing it, and to
talk and give insight to Lance mccullors. You can judging

(01:28:20):
you know Saturday, maybe the aberration, But tell me what
you'd talk to him about, weather, mechanics, is games, any
of those things. You got an hour with him and
we're all watching it on TV. What are you guys
talking about about his game?

Speaker 6 (01:28:31):
I would just probably try to get him to throw
more fastballs. I think that would make all of his
offspeed stuff more effective. And we've talked about this even
before the long layoff. He's really good at making adjustments
and even when he had a plunker earlier this season.
I think you were out about four games where he
had a crazy amount of strikeouts and was very effective.
So he knows how to make adjustment. But just for

(01:28:54):
me and assessed to what I see from time to time,
I think he gets await from his fastball when he
gets in try and I think it's a good pitch
even it's even if the velocity is at where it
was five years ago, still always going to be effective
to pitch inside to open things up for everything else.
And I think it's even more imperative the slower you
throw to pitch inside to open things up, because you

(01:29:16):
won't get away with very many mistakes. If guys are
diving across the place, so that that would be my
big take.

Speaker 5 (01:29:22):
And do you think that's going to happen.

Speaker 2 (01:29:25):
I don't know. I'm not saying I'm right.

Speaker 6 (01:29:27):
You're asking me what I would say, So if they
feel that that's the case.

Speaker 2 (01:29:32):
I'm not sure. I think I think there's a.

Speaker 6 (01:29:35):
Lot of validity to that, though I asked enough baseball
to know that, Like, if guys are sitting stopped, then
anything you know marginally over the white part of the
play is much easier to hit it that fastball at
some point, So I think.

Speaker 5 (01:29:50):
That would help you, all right, Steve, judging from the
your trip through the American League right now and not
just specific, just kind of overall broad spectrum. Look, every
team has weaknesses or stuff that they need work on.
Obvious Gods both focused on the good teams here, But
of the good teams that are that we think are
contenders to find themselves playing in a World series. Of
those teams are what are the astros rankings the weakness part?

(01:30:15):
Do they have a more glaring weakness than somebody else
or are they more sound all the way around? I
guess where do they fit in in the pecking order
of the overall team. But also if you're pointing to
one major weakness, is there's a little less weak or
somebody else's that are contenders?

Speaker 6 (01:30:31):
I think they're very very much less week they're nineteen
and seven month John.

Speaker 2 (01:30:35):
You know, there's not a lot.

Speaker 6 (01:30:36):
Of witnesses when you watch what they're doing in the
teams that they're playing.

Speaker 2 (01:30:40):
You know they've won series to get cuts now. But
Phillies met the Padres, the Blue.

Speaker 6 (01:30:45):
Jays and Murders all good teams and they've done it
in pretty handy fashion, and they've done it with mostly pitching,
some timely getting and.

Speaker 2 (01:30:54):
They're good at comebacks and you like that trade.

Speaker 6 (01:30:56):
But it's been mostly pitching, and so I don't I
think they have the least amount of playering weaknesses of anybody.

Speaker 7 (01:31:04):
Pretty good way to put it.

Speaker 8 (01:31:05):
And if that turns out to be the case, or
if you just simply agree with Steve's assessment, then they're
in a great position. He mentioned it, we've mentioned it,
Dana's mentioned it. Left handed bat, is that possibly where
this team can improve themselves? And again I'll point out
you're going to want a left handed bat all you want,
and yes, technically for a very very short period of time.
You have a hole shortstop too. With Jeremy Pangea landing

(01:31:27):
on the IL today retro to Saturday with the fractured rib.
There's only so many places you can put this new
offensive acquisition, presumably that you want to play a lot,
because unless you're adding a first basement because you were
done with Christian Walker, or you're benching one of your
everyday outfielders for this new somehow available left handed hitting outfielder,

(01:31:53):
I'm not sure where you plan on playing this player.
There aren't that many left handed hitting second basement, but
there are a few, and that's your open space. One
player in particular, again today throughout the tenth time this
last month, is drawing a lot of attention to people
who are paying attention to Houston Astros baseball for a
possible they've got their eye on this player. We'll address

(01:32:14):
that particular American League outfielder and some others that might
actually make some sense left handed bat for your Houston
Astros when we come.

Speaker 4 (01:32:22):
Back the Aeed on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (01:32:31):
Yep, Adam and Adam here on Sports Talk seven ninety
most days all throughout the year. Today not one of
them with him on vacation. Cole Thompson here as per usual,
plenty of us to discuss. We'll get to our signature
segment at four thirty, that is on a Monday, The Good,
the bad, and the ugly. Definitely one story we'll be
talking about later in the show could be considered ugly baseball.

(01:32:54):
Here the Astros and the need for a left handed
bat might have a left handed back back in the
line up before too long with Jordon Alvarez and hopefully
the Jordon Alvarez that's played all of his major league
career prior to twenty twenty five, because the who knows
how long hurt version of him this year just was
very productive, one of their least productive hitters, and depending

(01:33:15):
on how everybody else that is healthy continues to perform,
when he's in the lineup for the very first time
in the next week to ten days, if it works
out like that, he might actually have the lowest ops
of anybody out there. That's how little he was able
to do while he was playing through this for a
certain amount of time and obviously did not get off
to a good start, but overall, balancing the lineup that
boasts very little from the left side, Kyle Tucker and

(01:33:37):
Yordon Alvarez kind of carried it all the last several years.
Victor Carrottin he's gotten a ton of work with Jordon
out to help with that. A lot of days the
past couple of weeks has just been well, do we
want Diz catching or Kartini catching and then the others
the DH and that's how we get that other left
handed bat or currently only left handed bat in the lineup.

(01:33:58):
Taylor Tremmell spent a little bit of time out there
Guper Hummel being a switch hitter. That's not really an
answer to we need a left handed bat. An answer
is we need to add somebody from outside the organization
that bats left handed. And that's why a Major League
Baseball columnist and president of the Baseball Writers Association of
the America of America and Hall of Fame voter, Bob Nightingale,

(01:34:23):
who rarely gets mentioned on this show, brought this up
earlier today that the Astros are and I'm gonna not
quote him, but describe his comments. In hot pursuit of
Cedric Mullins thought to be very interested in Orioles outfielder
Cedric Mullins could be leading the charge to land Orioles

(01:34:48):
outfielder Cedric Mullins. A couple of years ago, this was
brought up a lot of teams thought, well, before the
Orioles get really really good, or if they find other
even younger players to take over, maybe Cedric Mullins as
a player, they'd be looking to unload a little bit
of salary, not something outrageous, but somebody that they're not
going to reach a long term agreement with, So maybe

(01:35:08):
he could be at a very much undersized but very
productive lefty lefty. The rows are left, bats left, and
his man's center field. For most of the last several
years for the Orioles, however, he's been pretty average for now.
Running on four consecutive years, his OPS plus is one
oh one one oh four ninety eight. It's right around

(01:35:31):
there each year over the last four years. He busted
out of the gates this year tremendous in March. In
April hit two seventy eight, drove in twenty runs ops
of nine to twenty seven, fifty total bases in twenty
eight games.

Speaker 7 (01:35:47):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (01:35:48):
That was the March in April portion of his season.
Tomorrow is July first. Fifty total bases in April and March.
If he gets another total base this season, he'll match
that fifty. Since then, less than fifty total bases in
May and June combined, he's hitting about one sixty one.

(01:36:11):
He's got an OPS in the five fifties, and he's
definitely not faster now as a stolen base threat or
chase a ball down in center field player. As he
approaches age thirty one, he's in the last year of
his contract, and even the astros I think could swing it.

(01:36:31):
There might be a player on the roster going out
in order to help with that, say Chas McCormick, but
he's definitely not going to be an astro after this year.
And remember I said the same thing last year after
they acquired You say Kakuchi not good or bad to it.
But if you're adding this particular player Kokuchi last year
and Mullins this year, they are definition of a rental.

(01:36:54):
I can't envision any scenario where Kokuchi returns and he
was awesome. The Zach scenario that says there's no way
he's returning. He says, you're not shelling out the kind
of money he just earned by playing. That same thing
would be true for Mullins even at an elevated age,
and he'd have to be incredible and get playing time
to do so for him to price himself out. But

(01:37:15):
they're just not in the business this offseason, this coming
off season of filling their outfield with someone who makes
a bunch of money. They've got Cam Smith locking down
right field as we speak. He doesn't make any money.
They've got Jake Myers, who should be an everyday player
for them for years to come if this is what
we have in Jake Myers, power or not, and he
doesn't make any money, and then you got a twenty

(01:37:36):
five million dollar left fielder in Jose al Tuve and
the soon to be twenty six million dollar designated hitter
in yard On Alvarez. Remember the contract he signed a
couple of years ago. The extension finally reaches, you're paying
him a good chunk of money, although still team friendly. Finally,
as we get there, they're not paying Cedric Mallins to
play bench outfield for them. They're not paying him as

(01:37:58):
a reserve, and I'm again having trouble finding where they're
playing him. Currently, you only have two spots available pretty
much for Jose al Tuve and Jordan Alvarez. Unless you're
telling me we're adding an outfielder. Jordon's gonna dh This
new outfielder's playing every day and Jose al Tuve is
two at second base. That is the only way this

(01:38:23):
team can add an everyday outfielder, that left handed back.
If you want to tell me Ryan O'Hearn, his teammate
is coming here and he can play some first base
and outfield, maybe that's a little bit more helpful. If
you really find maybe the best way to get Christian
Walker going for this team, to help this team is
have him out of the lineup.

Speaker 7 (01:38:40):
Maybe you could do that. O'haran can play first base.

Speaker 8 (01:38:42):
It's not gonna be a great first baseman, but he's
having a very very good offensive season.

Speaker 7 (01:38:46):
He's worse defensively, but he's better offensive.

Speaker 8 (01:38:48):
Oh well, almost every first basement is worse defensively.

Speaker 7 (01:38:51):
But it's not his natural position.

Speaker 8 (01:38:53):
So you're asking a player who's been told well, in
order to get you on the line up more often,
we're gonna have you play first base from time to time,
and that's what he's done for several years, so there's
an option there.

Speaker 9 (01:39:02):
I think it's also better to have him than a
guy like why am I planking Decenzo who played first base?

Speaker 7 (01:39:08):
For sure?

Speaker 8 (01:39:08):
He's also an established major league hitter and having a
good season. Okay, so now what is it costing you
beyond the financials of it? What are you giving up?

Speaker 7 (01:39:17):
What do you have?

Speaker 8 (01:39:19):
Because there might not be a bidding war for Cedric
Mullins with how he's played recently and this season and
where he is, I'm sure some they could get something
good from somebody, but they're definitely a bidding war for
Ryan o' hearn.

Speaker 9 (01:39:31):
There are two players right now who are in a
bidding war just for their bat alone. It's Enja Haano Suarez,
who the Astros don't need because if you got your
third basement and it's Ryan o' hearn and they're going
to cost you a pretty penny for a rental.

Speaker 8 (01:39:43):
Yeah, Suarez. Because it looks like and it was a
good weekend to cement this idea. It looks like the
Arizona Diamondbacks are going to have the most popular trade
deadline roster. They they signed players and put together a
roster to continue to be in the playoffs. They're in
the World Series a couple of years ago. They have

(01:40:04):
the talent who have gotten back there, even in this
extremely talented division with the Giants, Padres, and Dodgers all
ahead of them. But they're starting to look more like
we're kidding ourselves if we truly think we're contending, Could
we may maybe sneak into the playoffs via the last
wild card? It's possible, or should we take this small
downturn and flip it into We're right back where we

(01:40:26):
were at the start of twenty twenty five now at
the start of twenty six, by moving on from some
players who may or may not be in our long
term future. Suarez has been everything the Mariners never thought
he would be and gave up on him because he
struck out too much. Both of their starting pitchers at
times at the front of their rotation that are healthy,
Kelly and Gallen. They're definitely gonna generate interests.

Speaker 7 (01:40:48):
I don't care.

Speaker 8 (01:40:48):
I almost don't care how bad Zach Gallan's numbers are
this year because he's been so good in the past.
I feel like a team's gonna believe that for what
he can give us, I'm willing to do it. I
don't know that you're gonna t raide Kelly also, but
you certainly could. And unfortunately for them, they're One negative
about twenty twenty six is Corbyn Burns isn't gonna be
back yet.

Speaker 7 (01:41:09):
Maybe he's back late.

Speaker 8 (01:41:10):
In the season, but that top of the rotation was
supposed to be Kelly, Gallon and Burns for many years
to come and definitely competitive. So I think they're going
to be catching a ton of phone calls and have
a lot of ammunition to move out veteran players and
move forward with some of their younger talent. But again,
as it relates to Houston, we know they don't have
the what's considered the most elite farm system. They managed

(01:41:32):
to send out for a outfielder in Joey Lo Perfito,
who doesn't play for the Blue Jays yet this season.
Will Wagner similar players started the year with Jays, now
a minor leaguer, and Jake Bloss who was rapidly assent
through the Astros system only because it was the Astros
system and now unfortunately has arm issues. It sounded like

(01:41:52):
a lot at the time, but that's the type of
deal they could put together again for a comparable talent.
End of his comment track, Like Kokuchi, they have those players,
they don't have elite players in their system. Well, I
wouldn't want to move them anyway for any of these guys.

Speaker 9 (01:42:09):
You'd have to do it for a Ryan O hearn.
I wouldn't do it for Cedric Bullins. That's the problem
is that you giving up on a Ryan Gusto or
something along those lines. In another outfielder, probably not Jacob Melton,
but definitely Taylor Tremmel or Pedro Leon if he was healthy,
that would be the move you'd get for a Ryan O'Hearn.

Speaker 7 (01:42:24):
I'm not doing that for Cedric mullins.

Speaker 8 (01:42:26):
I don't think those players do anything for Michaelias, even
though he knows them.

Speaker 7 (01:42:30):
But I don't think they have the talent to do it.

Speaker 8 (01:42:32):
O'Hearn is working on his best season this year, his
third consecutive season of an with an OPS plus a
better than one to twenty and an OPS overall these
last three years of better than eight hundred.

Speaker 7 (01:42:42):
He is a catch.

Speaker 8 (01:42:43):
He is the one of the desired players in as
we approach this deadline. The good, the bad, the ugly
here on the A Team is.

Speaker 4 (01:42:52):
Mixt the A team on Sports Talk seven ninety Now
the good, oh good, the bad that's not good. The
ugly don't make me good. With the A Team, we're
showing you the good.

Speaker 7 (01:43:11):
It is signature segment time.

Speaker 8 (01:43:13):
Wex and Cole here with you today will take care
of things for you here. Signature segment time on a
Monday four thirty means the good, the bad, the ugly.
Ran through a boatload of things that took place this
weekend when we started the show at three reset things
earlier at our start of the show at two and
reset things earlier at four o'clock. And I still think
there are a lot of things we haven't even gotten into.

(01:43:34):
But one of the biggest topics of the day, of course,
was what the Astros did over the weekend and really
during the homestand and really during their home schedule this
entire season. That the best home team in baseball, and
that certainly bodes well when you ascend towards the postseason,
but specifically about this particular weekend, your run of the
Mill weekend. You don't normally have two key components off

(01:43:57):
of your World Series championship team come back to town together
for the first time, but you did with Ryan Presley
and with Kyle Tucker. In the case of Kyle Tucker,
unlike Presley, it's just a different type of scenario. Presley
huge part of everything, arguably the best reliever in the
postseason of this generation, and in Tucker was one of

(01:44:18):
your homegrown guys. But similarities between both of them in
this way they were both sent away. You traded Ryan
Presley for a minor league pitcher. You traded Kyle Tucker
for your starting third baseman, a pitcher who was in
the starting rotation to start the season has since been
hurt and your everyday right fielder, Cam Smith. Of course,
Cam Smith talked to the legions of Chicago reporters that

(01:44:41):
came to town for this series, all the people he
barely got to know it all, if at all. Last
year when he was drafted by the Cubs in the summer,
played a few games in their minor league system, hit
a few home runs on consecutive days. You heard Steve
Sparks mention that earlier, and then this offseason was sent
to Houston as the key, the big figure, the aircraft

(01:45:02):
carrier in the deal for Kyle Tucker, and surprisingly he
made the Astros opening day roster, and as his season
has continued, he's become the everyday right feelers in the lineup.
Every day he bats clean up in the current version
of the healthy Astros lineup, and before the game talked
about great feelings for the series, feeling very comfortable, said

(01:45:23):
hello to handful of the younger players in the organization
that are here, that he knows well, no bad blood
and I totally believe him, no bad blood. Do you
think he liked it when he went over the fence?
Not once but twice.

Speaker 7 (01:45:37):
One out men on first and second, Horton checks the runner.
Here's the first pitch, breaking ball.

Speaker 8 (01:45:43):
Hit high Eddy at for She's gone.

Speaker 7 (01:45:54):
I would say he probably enjoyed that a little bit.
Jack fuck a.

Speaker 8 (01:45:57):
Three run homer, a second three run homer that helped
the Astros cruise to victory. Cam Smith, you heard that
first pitch, absolutely annihilated it. Yeah, hit two home runs
against the Cubs this weekend, right two to.

Speaker 7 (01:46:13):
Camp Smith, break it pitch, what good on? That's Ro's
lead and the fireworks go off.

Speaker 8 (01:46:27):
That one put them in front briefly Saturday afternoon, one
nothing lead turned into a two to one, or one
nothing definite turned into a two to one lead. We
actually had discussions about the Rookie of the Year award
late last week and where Cam Smith maybe fit into things,
and I said, pretty clearly he's in the top five
in the American League. After this weekend, I would say he's,

(01:46:50):
in my opinion, quite clearly in the top three. I
was about to ask you that it's Jacob Wilson, it's
Nick Kurtz, and it's Cam Smith. Jake Mangham can say
something about it. If he's continue to play at a pretty
good level for the Rays the rest of the year.
He just had a little bit later call up. Same
as true actually of Kurtz. I don't think a catcher

(01:47:10):
is going to end up being in the mix, although
I think Carlos Narvaiaz has been awesome. I do also
think Chandler Simpson should never play another inning of minor
league baseball for the Rays. But that's just me too
much of a weapon to have wasted in the minor
leagues any moment. The rest of the year, a walk
is a triple for him, very good defensively, and he's

(01:47:33):
only going to get better by hitting every day. But
I do think it's a three team race. Put the
Waxler research team on it and knew that it would
probably play out this way. It's a little bit of perception,
kind of like Trek Scoobile started the year as the
favorite because of what he did last year. This is
what people know and he has not done anything to
change people's minds. So it's harder for a Hunter Brown

(01:47:54):
or Max Fried or Garrett Crochet to catch him. If
you look at what the thoughts were about any of
these rookies before the year started. No way Jacob Wilson
would have been expected to do this, No way camp
Smith would have been expected to do this. But right
out of the gate, that's exactly what happened for one
of them.

Speaker 7 (01:48:13):
Do you remember who was a betting favorite at the
beginning of the year. I don't. I'd have to look
it up.

Speaker 9 (01:48:16):
I can just tell you it's the guy that currently
is sent down to the minors after signing a.

Speaker 8 (01:48:21):
Six year Christian Campbell Christian Campbell. So Jacob Wilson is
the trek schoobl of this race. But for what he
did immediately in April, he hit three thirty in April.

Speaker 7 (01:48:32):
He hit thirty two hits in April.

Speaker 8 (01:48:34):
This is just some rookie playing shortstop for the Sacramento Athletics.
And then he hit three sixty eight in May and
had a nine to seventy five ohps, arguably one of
the five or six best offensive players in the entire
league for the month of May. And he's only slowed
down slightly here this month. But camp Smith hit two
twenty four in April, and then he hit three oh

(01:48:57):
seven in May, and now he's hitting three eighteen mean
this month, very similar numbers, arguably better numbers and definitely
better power numbers than Jacob Wilson. Kurtz basically didn't play
in April because he wasn't part of the team yet.
Then he had a minor injury, and then he has
destroyed baseballs ever since, he's been great. But right now

(01:49:17):
as we sit here, you got Wilson with nine homers
and forty RBIs. You got Kurtz with twelve homers and
thirty one, and you got Cam Smith with seven homers
and thirty three rbiys, all with varying differences in how
much they've played. Wilson the most, Kurts the least, Ops
all within seventy points of one another eight fifty six,
eight forty three, and seven eighty nine from Wilson to

(01:49:37):
Kurtz to Smith. And I know there's Ppi at stake,
a very important additional draft pick.

Speaker 7 (01:49:45):
If he should win the Rookie of the Year.

Speaker 8 (01:49:47):
He's trending in the right direction, the very very right direction,
and maybe the others too, other two won't quite be there.

Speaker 7 (01:49:54):
That would be very very good for the Houston Astros.
I think it's a two team r I think it's
a two person race.

Speaker 9 (01:49:59):
It's Wilson camp Smith at this point, and that's something
against Nick Kurtz. I think he's been great, but the
consistency at the plate for what you getting to Jacob
Wilson and finally you're seeing the power come with camp Smith.
These two have separated themselves from everybody else. I actually
think Carlos Norbienstir is a little bit a little bit
more love than he's gotten so far me.

Speaker 8 (01:50:19):
Personally, probably true, probably fourth of the top four, but
several bits of consideration for what he's doing. I'll make
it quick on the bad because it obviously comes from
the same place their series this weekend and unfortunately a
second start where Lance mccollos just stopped being able to
get anybody out. It happened to him out of the
gate against Cincinnati earlier this year, and now it happened

(01:50:40):
to him in the fourth inning of this game on
Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. And as this team tries
to play its way through injuries, it's very difficult to
make it. Now Ryan Gusto is ready to pitch, and
it really is of a major consequence for what happened
this particular time. And I know there's a lot of
so if you throw those two games out.

Speaker 7 (01:51:02):
I can't do that. I have a hard time doing that.

Speaker 9 (01:51:05):
You could do it with one, you can't do it now.
That's the second time around.

Speaker 8 (01:51:07):
There are only eight starts, that's twenty five percent of them,
and the other starts.

Speaker 7 (01:51:12):
Aren't, oh my god, overwhelmingly great.

Speaker 9 (01:51:15):
He has one incredible start, a lot of yeah, Idigan,
it's a touch concerning that eight starts into his return,
as the area is six sixty one, and twice he
was left in too long because they're like, well, certainly
he's gonna get somebody out, and it just didn't happen.

Speaker 7 (01:51:29):
He said, well, I guess I'm the NL Central. They're
my daddy.

Speaker 8 (01:51:34):
Well, he did pitch against another team in the Central
and fared fairly well against the Pirates. That best start
you mentioned, so not quite on point, but that's the bad.

Speaker 7 (01:51:42):
If that's the bad, what's the ugly? We'll find out next.

Speaker 1 (01:51:47):
The A team on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (01:51:54):
Put a wrap on the four o'clock hour with what
was already slotted in here to be discussed this moment
in time and definitely can wrap up our signature segment
calling this the ugly What has happened with Jake Rhetz
Laugh BYU, their football team and his exit, which is
now almost certain. Last handful of days weeks suit charges filed,

(01:52:20):
a complaint made alleging things that now in this civil lawsuit,
which he did have to respond to, which is why
additional information and the result of this has come about.
But charges or this lawsuit, I should say, dropped. So
Jake rhetz Laugh played quarterback for BYU last year, played

(01:52:41):
very well.

Speaker 7 (01:52:42):
BYU was one.

Speaker 8 (01:52:42):
Of four teams of the Big Twelve to finish in first,
a four way tie, winning seven of their nine conference games,
certainly in a comparable position this year to do similarly,
although Cole, as we mentioned on Friday, I don't have
any idea where these teams are going to finish next
year because nobody's going to tell me via preseason Big
twelve media poll.

Speaker 7 (01:53:01):
So dumb.

Speaker 8 (01:53:02):
It's it's did they really coward two? We were so
bad at it last year we have to give it
up completely. Yeah, basically, I'm still gonna make one.

Speaker 9 (01:53:09):
I'm gonna have my own poll for the Big twelve,
and that is gonna be the preseason poll that everyone
can fall along with. Right here at sports Suck seven
ninety shameless plug follow me on Twitter at mister Cole Thompson.

Speaker 7 (01:53:18):
That will be the one we will utilize next year. Yeah,
one hundred percent. Why not.

Speaker 8 (01:53:22):
Hopefully if teams pick to finish at the top won't
finish dead last like they did last year or vice versa.
Arizona State picked to fix last. They not only were
one of the four teams tied, they ended up advancing
from the Big Twelve and into the postseason.

Speaker 7 (01:53:37):
And we're impressive.

Speaker 8 (01:53:38):
And of course Utah and Oklahoma State among those picked
at the top. Utah, credit to them, they did win
two of their nine games. Oklahoma State, no credit for you,
you lost them all.

Speaker 9 (01:53:49):
They also didn't have a quarterback for most of the year,
where the other team just didn't decide to do anything.

Speaker 8 (01:53:53):
Because no respect for eighteenth year senior Alan Bowman.

Speaker 9 (01:53:56):
No God, no, why would I respect him? So no,
I respec two rehets laugh.

Speaker 8 (01:54:02):
I mentioned he had to respond to the civil lawsuit,
which he did this past weekend on Friday, and within
that response and the lawsuit was alleging rape, strangling and
bid her a woman filed a civil lawsuit that in
November twenty twenty three, rehets laugh, rape, strangled, and bid her.

(01:54:22):
So the response he denied those allegations. He also acknowledged
that he had consensual sex with the woman, and many
other details from his response matched the details in the
suit in terms of how they were together at his
place with plenty of other people, and then the night
turned to this and then how they reacted to one

(01:54:43):
another via text friendly over the next several months, and
then ultimately to this point, which his side is essentially saying.
And then when it became more clear that he would
be advancing in his football career or more money would
be there either via an IL money or an NFL
career than the lawsuit came about those charges that civil
laws that I mentioned dropped. But in the response to

(01:55:05):
the lawsuit, as I just told you, he acknowledged having
sex with her which is in this case pre marital
sex which in this case, and that he is a
student athlete at bringing me on a university that has
a violation of these schools honor code, which has carried
different levels of punishment over the years, with other athletes

(01:55:26):
of varying talents and skill level have been punished with for.

Speaker 9 (01:55:30):
Different things, though not just for pre marital sexual relations,
from drinking alcohol to spending the ninety inside of a
females dormitory. Little things like that have all been a
factor in the honor code at BYU. Yeah, specific to
the premoral sex, there have been a couple of players,
a basketball player who was dismissed from the team, a
football player who left and ultimately ended up re enrolling

(01:55:53):
in the university.

Speaker 8 (01:55:53):
And in the case of Ret's Laugh, it was believed
and he believed he would be facing a seven game
suspense men for the upcoming season from BYU. Instead suspension,
he will likely face a zero.

Speaker 7 (01:56:08):
Game suspension as he answers the.

Speaker 9 (01:56:10):
Transfer portal, which he probably will not be able to
play until twenty twenty six because of the ruling of
the transfer portal.

Speaker 7 (01:56:17):
Right now, yeah, you have to have.

Speaker 9 (01:56:19):
An eligibility waiver sign of the NCAA for him to
transfer before week one of twenty twenty five.

Speaker 8 (01:56:25):
Just so people are aware, it's June thirtieth. Teams will
be on the field in a little over a month
sixty days in August to prepare for their upcoming seasons,
BYU included. I do think Jack retz Laugh is a
pretty good player and I know there's universities that would
want him and would even nil him just for his talent.

(01:56:46):
But I also was there watching him play, and like
everybody else, watched him play on television quite a bit,
and I think he's very average at best. From an
NFL standpoint, no, from a college standpoint, He's just a guy.
You should have better quarterbacks on your roster. If you're
looking at him, you should have better players.

Speaker 9 (01:57:07):
Top ten passer rating last year. Did a good job
of being a game manager.

Speaker 7 (01:57:12):
Here's my thing.

Speaker 9 (01:57:13):
I was not high on BYU going into this year,
whether or not it was with j Kratz laugh. I
thought that they were an eight and four team, maybe
in a seven to five, because they lost a lot defensively.
They lost a lot on the offensive side with Keelan
Martin going to Miami this year. They do have Chase Roberts,
who is a very good wide receiver, but you do
have questions when it comes to your offensive line because

(01:57:35):
several players went to the NFL. So it's not like
this team was going to be the favorites in the
Big twelve. I think that Baylor is better prepared for them.
I think that Arizona State feels better. I think Colorado
is probably still in that same vicinity even.

Speaker 8 (01:57:49):
Without him those three teams specifically, and Colorado would be
on the outside of these three. Isn't it just simple
if you want to make it as simple as possible?
The Wexler preseason media poll for the Big Twelve. Yeah,
just remind me who the best quarterbacks are. Yeah, Baylor's
quarterback Sir Robertson is definitely one of the best, if
not the best. And Sam Levitt at Arizona State.

Speaker 9 (01:58:09):
And then I think you would throw in Avery Johnson
at Kansas State.

Speaker 8 (01:58:12):
Don't be your top baby. And then what is Colorado
going to have at quarterback this year? How good do
you feel about their their quarterback situation?

Speaker 9 (01:58:18):
Cayden Salter's fine, but Juju Lewis is the long term
and the question is how quickly is Juju Lewis starting?

Speaker 7 (01:58:24):
And is Caiden Salter? What version are we getting?

Speaker 9 (01:58:26):
We get the one from Liberty that led his team
to an undefeated season and then proceeded to get molly
wopped by Oregon out in the Fiesta Bowl, Or are
we getting the one that was embarrassing last year at
Liberty that got benched in Jamie Chadwell how to make
a change.

Speaker 8 (01:58:38):
We'll go back to Jake Reetzla for a moment. Sure
he will start zero additional full seasons at quarterback in
college football, believe it or not.

Speaker 9 (01:58:48):
I think you will play one full season if I
were to be a betting man right now. He goes
to an ACC school in twenty twenty six. He does
not play it all in twenty twenty five. Not a
state school that makes up the PAC twelve. Oh you
mean you mean the pack state because literally that's what
it should be called. And I have a bone to
pick with the fact that all of these conferences refuse
to change their names despite the Big twelve having sixteen teams.

Speaker 8 (01:59:12):
Because they would change the names every season when they
change the number that's in their conference.

Speaker 7 (01:59:17):
Why is it so done? The Big ten has eighteen schools.
They no longer have eight.

Speaker 9 (01:59:21):
The PAC twelve is an eighteen conference in football, all
state schools.

Speaker 8 (01:59:25):
Let may help you out here specific to two of
the conferences. The SEC is not number specific. Now what
does SEC stand for? Just means more in letter form
Southeastern Conference. The PAC twelve is number specific, and it's
inaccurate and has been inaccurate for many many years. What

(01:59:46):
does PAC stand for Pacific?

Speaker 4 (01:59:50):
I don't know.

Speaker 8 (01:59:50):
Southern Conference? Can't you just drop the number entirely? But
why would you drop the number?

Speaker 7 (01:59:56):
You have talked to PAC the SEC. We don't need
a number.

Speaker 9 (01:59:59):
But if you have Texas State in the pack state
at this point, which is what I'm calling it from
here on altum, you could also change its moniker to
not be number specific and something a little bit more
clever than the p A.

Speaker 7 (02:00:12):
C three INN three to go. Football at five is next.

Speaker 4 (02:00:19):
The eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (02:00:25):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the eighteen.

Speaker 8 (02:00:38):
Normally here on Sports Talk seven ninety at this point
in time, five o'clock brings us football at five. I
can tell you Wednesday football at five will be a
conversation with Chandler. Roam of the Athletic will bump him
up from Friday instead of having him here on July fourth,
when we aren't, we'll have him on on Wednesday and
today calling an audible Now, I will talk a little

(02:00:59):
bit of football here because it's not every day that
two teams in the AFC look their nine and eight
rosters and think, hey, man, if we pull off this deal,
I think we can get to nine and eight with
the Dolphins and the Steelers pulling off the deal earlier today. However,
five o'clock on June thirtieth, twenty twenty five on the
NBA calendar, is the opening of chatter for NBA free agents.

Speaker 7 (02:01:22):
It's time to talk. It's time to have.

Speaker 8 (02:01:24):
Our meetings, you know those ones where we couldn't talk
to you before now, but all of a sudden, we're
sitting in the same place at the same time talking
about your future, which will be agreed upon in just
a few minutes. How impactful will the next handful of
hours be around the Western Conference as it relates to
the Houston Rockets. I haven't talked a lot about some
of the players that became available over the last couple

(02:01:46):
of days and how they might help other teams. The
Lakers are actually in the middle of all of this,
and I want to get into all those things. But
I also want to welcome people into the conversation seven
one three, two, one two five seven ninety So a
split path here football at five, we'll definitely talk about
free agency here and your Houston Rockets. We'll get started

(02:02:07):
on that conversation right now, heading out to the Humble
area and getting Mark in on this afternoon's talk. Hey, Mark,
welcome in and what do you have for us today?

Speaker 10 (02:02:16):
All right, hey guy, I'm going to know what's your
opinion of the Kevin Durant trade. I really think he's
he would be my all time number one player in
the NBA right now, especially if it's five years younger.
But what do you think the loss of Jalen Green
and Dylan Brooks will? Will it slow us down or

(02:02:43):
we would be more of a half court tame now.

Speaker 8 (02:02:45):
Or I'll tell you all right, I appreciate it, and
I do believe Kevin Durant is hading a lot of
people's list.

Speaker 7 (02:02:52):
Number one all time fan perspective.

Speaker 8 (02:02:54):
That's awesome, number one all time legitimate basketball career.

Speaker 7 (02:02:57):
Probably not.

Speaker 8 (02:02:59):
The answer to the second question is more about what
happens in the next few days and in the next
week or two. Have the Rockets taken the Dylan Brooks
portion of that trade, obviously losing Dylan Brooks and made
a replacement type of acquisition specific to what they're losing
with Dylan Brooks. Are they able to find some from
a non character, culture, leadership quality, because I don't want

(02:03:24):
to dismiss how much Dylan Brooks meant to this team
beyond made thirty nine point seven percent of his threes,
played tough defense. But strictly to those two points, can
you add somebody who does similar things? And we've mentioned
two names specifically, nik Alexander Walker and Dorian Finney Smith,
who I do think can do some things similarly. Each
of these three players have slightly different attributes. Slightly better at,

(02:03:46):
you know, defending on the perimeter, slightly stronger, slightly more
capable of chasing guys. If it's more of a Steph
Curry type of defense you're looking at. But if that's added,
and whatever the cost, it's not really relevant to how
does it change the team or where does it make
him better or worse or what are they You're basically

(02:04:06):
trading Jalen Green and Dylan Brooks for Kevin Durant and
one of those two players. I don't know how you'd
think you're not missing anything big picture. You're missing things
very very specific. What you're missing from Jalen Green that
you're probably gonna not get quite the same in return
from Kevin Durant is fast break finishes uh the up tempo,

(02:04:27):
He's able to bring that. Durant's not gonna lead the
fast break very often. Jalen Green certainly could. Kevin Durant
will finish the break on occasion, but probably far less
than Jalen or with his current teammates, less than you know,
Tarry Easten or a Men Thompson. It's gonna be a
little bit less of finishing so easily and just being
flat out in front of the defense, poking the ball

(02:04:48):
away and there's Jalen up front and you just throw
it down. And that does matter, especially for a team
that's gonna create those opportunities. They're gonna play great defense.
They're gonna play great perimeter defense. They're gonna get a
lot of deflections, they're gonna force a lot of turnovers turnovers.
This is a top five defense from a year ago,
and I do believe they can repeat. But you're gonna
miss some of those opportunities. There were a top five
team in fast break points a year ago. That is

(02:05:10):
that matters for a team that was so poor in
the half court offense relative to everybody else. I'm not
saying they're a terrible half court offense team, half court
offensive team. But they definitely need to improve, and that's
the other side of it. They're gonna be they they
almost can't help but be more efficient with the one
player that they've added and the two players going out.

(02:05:30):
Nothing against Brooks and it's not really directed to him,
but as efficiency goes, they weren't getting that from the
two guard spot. With Jalen got plenty of twenty plus
point games, got thirteen thirty plus point games, they only
lost one. I think they had I take it back,
fourteen games of thirty points or more losing just one
of them. Clearly, you were one to oher and he
did that the postseason and you won easily, and there
are a lot of games you won easily because of that.

(02:05:51):
I think those are replaceable because you're gonna win a
lot of easy games. When Kevin Durant goes off on
somebody and he has a twenty point first half and
instead of being up by six, by twenty and you
can go from there. I think it still matters what
else they do. I don't want them to make a
move at the expense of either Cam Whitmore or Reach
Shepherd might be able to convince me otherwise when I

(02:06:12):
see the money and who it is, But it doesn't
seem like at this point I would be looking to
do that. And we mentioned those names specifically because many
have mentioned them with their reporting. Kelly Eco among them
of the Athletic tying the Rockets pursuit of very certain players,
Dorian Finney Smith late of the Lakers, Nikhil Alexander Walker
late of the Wolves, and also Luke Canard three points specialists,

(02:06:35):
which would be late of the Memphis Grizzlies. Had a
long discussion about that earlier today and kind of weighed
in on one of the fits. I think all three
makes sense until I see what ends up on the
out portion of that, and I hope nothing other than money.
By the way, the NBA announced their salary cap, fourteen

(02:06:55):
point one four one zero four million is what the
MLE will be for teams that are non tax payers,
and with the moves the Rockets have made, that's the
category they should be falling into, and thus they would
have that at their disposal if they wanted to go
to that level to sign any one of these players
or those players felt like they get that elsewhere. That's
the number We're looking at an increase which was comparable

(02:07:17):
to what NBA teams thought it would be last year
or this year. So I don't think a tremendous amount
of difference comes from it. But I think the Rockets
are as active today as any other team. I still
can't help but bring this up nothing to do with
free agency other than the obvious. The Knicks are entering
free agency just like every other team in the NBA,
but there is one major difference. They don't have a

(02:07:38):
head coach. They still don't have a head coach. A
couple of reports have noted that Mike Brown is in
for a second interview, and likely because of that, is
almost assuredly their choice, perfectly fine choice.

Speaker 7 (02:07:52):
I think he's a perfectly good coach.

Speaker 8 (02:07:54):
I don't think anybody, even the Knicks players, the Knick media,
or the Nix or those that are the.

Speaker 7 (02:08:01):
Opposite of that.

Speaker 8 (02:08:02):
I think Mike Brown is a better coach with a
higher chance to succeed with this group than Tom Thibodeau.
And I'm not trying to talk down to Mike Brown,
Who's done a lot of winning. He won with Cleveland
all the way to the NBA Finals at Lebron for
much of that time, went to the Lakers and lasted

(02:08:23):
five games in his second season, went back to Cleveland,
lasted one season, and then just after winning Coach of
the Year with Sacramento in twenty two to twenty three,
lasted thirty one games two years later, so be his
fourth fifth excuse me, different time to be hired as
head coach, and he's won almost sixty percent of their games.
But I don't think he's better than Tom Thibodau. I

(02:08:46):
don't know why they've made this move that this is
the result Taylor Jenkins, who's done less than Mike Brown.

Speaker 7 (02:08:52):
I actually thought made more sense.

Speaker 8 (02:08:54):
But to be fair to the Knicks, hiring Jason Kidd,
I think would have made the least since at least
that looks like at this point that is not the
move that they're going to make. Lakers are almost assuredly
going to have a center, the center they thought they
were gonna have last year. At the deadline, Mark Williams
was finally officially traded away from Charlotte to Phoenix. They
made that announcement earlier today. Clint Capella is a free agent.

(02:09:17):
DeAndre Aight and got bought out by the Blazers. They
paid him an additional twenty five million dollars so they
wouldn't have to have him on their team this year
via a buyout. Definitely a very high likelihood in my opinion,
that one of those two players is now the lob
threat for Lebron and Luca. Lebron signed a contract He's

(02:09:38):
gonna make fifty two million dollars this year. They didn't
have an option for next year, and so everyone looked
at this and said, huh, Lebron's possibility. Could he get
moved this year? He understands the Lakers' position. They are
trying to build for the future, but they also want
to respect Lebron and give him his last chance to
win a title here with us, and the speculation went,

(02:10:02):
I think way more than it should be, because I
can't imagine Lebron getting traded unless he says I don't
want to be here, and I don't really think they're
looking at a season where that's what's gonna happen, barring
some catastrophic string of injuries or at least one to
Luka Doncic. But then, what what is Lebron James worth
in trade? Considering all the things that he will do

(02:10:24):
for your franchise, even if it's just for two months,
because he's not under a contract for the twenty six
to twenty seven season yet, what would Lebron even net
in a trade in January or February for the final
couple of months of the season if he's playing the
same way he's playing right now.

Speaker 7 (02:10:42):
I don't even know where to start.

Speaker 8 (02:10:44):
I don't even know what teams would think about it,
and I can only imagine the caliber of team he
would be joining. It would be a team that already
thought they were gonna win a championship.

Speaker 7 (02:10:53):
It would be a.

Speaker 8 (02:10:54):
Team that thinks I never even considered the possibility that
he could come here when we put together a team,
we think it's gonna at all already. But he's now available.
Do we have enough young talent and future assets we're
willing to part with where we can keep this awesome
team together and just add Lebron to it, Because otherwise,
what's the point for Lebron. He's not going to go
to a team where he has to make them a

(02:11:16):
title contender. He has to go to a team that
is a title contender. I don't forecast that being here,
by the way, under any circumstances, although the assets I
just mentioned might be necessary to get him, the Rockets
still have. The Rockets can be in conversations to add
pretty much anybody in the NBA should they become available,

(02:11:38):
if they're willing to part with the future first round
pick assets that they have, and or they're willing to
part with some of the young talent they still have
in their young core, all of which remains after the
Kevin Durant trade other than Jalen Green, not forecasting it,
not saying Giannis is on his way or any of
the others, but they can if they so choose. I

(02:11:58):
do think they'll be discuss that. But I also think
the move they've already made makes them very very very
very good this upcoming season.

Speaker 1 (02:12:07):
The Aged one Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (02:12:15):
As you would expect on the old social media platforms
known as X, people just aren't having it with the
NBA free agency period opening up. All right, it's been
seven minutes already, now seventeen. I'm out of here. Josh
Hart of the Coach List Nicks, Hey man, it's five
oh one. I'd seen one deal. What happened to the game?

Speaker 7 (02:12:35):
I love.

Speaker 8 (02:12:36):
I think teams are a little cognizant of the well,
how did you already put a deal together in eight seconds?
You must have tampered. We're going to take a second
round pickback from you, and that's avoiding that. Now, a
couple of reports are out there, and we'll start with
one major report just coming in during the break. The
Memphis Grizzlies aren't selling everybody off. They did trade Desmond

(02:12:58):
Bane away, but they're not trading Jaron Jackson away. In fact,
they're giving him two hundred and forty million dollars five years,
two hundred and forty million dollars maximum contract extension for him.
He is one of the better defensive players in the league,
went healthy along with John Morant. They clearly have had

(02:13:19):
a talented team, and I'm not sure what it's going
to look like this year. Also, I think their head coach,
like the Knick situation, went backwards moving on as they
did late this year. But nonetheless, this keeps them in
the mix in the West. Just remember where they were
last year the end of the postseason. They were eight
play in tournament their way into the eighth seed, and

(02:13:41):
they didn't win any playoff games. John Morant did get hurt,
but that was later in the series. They didn't win
any games against the eventual NBA champions, but five years,
two hundred and forty million four Jared Jackson Junior to
remain there. Kelly Eco has also indicated the expected signings
for the Rockets of Jeff Green and Aaron Holliday will
come at the veteran's minimum, So yet another group of

(02:14:05):
Rockets signing deals that will allow them as much flexibility
as possible, and both players, just like last year, will
play roles for this team. Aaron Holliday played a bigger
role down the stretch last year, probably should have played
some of a role in the postseason, but didn't shot
three point shot very well again last year. And Jeff Green,

(02:14:25):
when he's needed pretty much always comes through, always provides
something to get excited about for his teammates. When he
gets up off the bench, it throws one down or
just simply goes out there in place. And now he's
also reunited with Kevin Durant in that he has signed
a new deal, and Kevin Durant is going to be
introduced as a new Rocket. I said it before and

(02:14:46):
I'll say it until they make it happen, they have
to go back up on the Rockets stage and hold
up their jerseys again, just like they did in Seattle.
The Seattle Sonics haven't played an NBA basketball game in forever,
and these two players were teammates together on the Sonics

(02:15:06):
when they were drafted. The thunder just won the title,
the second in franchise history. Sonics won the title previously
a few years ago, back in seventy eight seventy nine.
The last game the Sonics played was at the end
of the two thousand and eight season. They were a
twenty win team. They'd been in Oklahoma City for all
the seasons that have followed, and these two guys were

(02:15:29):
teammates in Oklahoma City. That is very, very hard to believe.
Now I know we have in case you missed it,
but this is going to kind of get that started here.
I alluded to it earlier. Major trade in the NFL.
Quality talent moving along now at different stages of respective careers.

(02:15:49):
But the wildest off season for the Pittsburgh Steelers in
recent memory continues, and it still doesn't include the most
obvious move, but they did concoct and execute a trade.
It's already official, sending Mika Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins
and in return receiving Jalen Ramsey, John hus Smith, a
seventh round pick goes out, a fifth round pick comes

(02:16:09):
in col and I agreed. Micka Fitzpatrick currently time of
this deal twenty twenty five season, he's the best player
of the three. Jalen Ramsey got a little bit of
a bump in salary, and maybe there's a bigger future
long term bump in his future. Was the first of
the highest pig cornerbacks in league history and only recently

(02:16:31):
was passed by j. C. Horn and then again by
Derek Stingley Junior. And Patrick's certain all in the mix
for that. He's not at their level anymore, but he's
still pretty good, but he's probably continuing to tail off.

Speaker 9 (02:16:42):
Where would you rank him right now top ten still
or would you have him on the outside.

Speaker 8 (02:16:47):
I would have to really put some thought into who
the other players, because there's players like, like, what do
you do with jay r Alexander?

Speaker 9 (02:16:53):
Healthy, he's a top fifteen corner. Unhealthy he's a top
twenty five corner.

Speaker 8 (02:16:57):
I mean, I think I could probably fairly easily rattle
off six, seven or eight corners, I'd say are better
than you for sure, and then I think if a
little thought, I could probably get four to five more.
I don't think he's a bad player by any means,
and I think he makes their defense better. And I
think with the youth they already have there with Joey Porter, that.

Speaker 7 (02:17:15):
This is a very very good defense.

Speaker 9 (02:17:17):
They also had an Endarius Slight this offseason. Yeah, so
that's another one.

Speaker 8 (02:17:19):
I wonder if what he'll be like there, although I
think he's still very good. I think a player like
that could could have a rapid drop off, but I
think he's still very good. In Philadelphia's they're a different
animal because they shouldn't be able to just let guys
roll out the door the way they do with Gardner
Johnson and Slay and others over the last several years
and just not ever miss a beat. But Howie Roseman's
been incredible and they're not even paying a lot of

(02:17:41):
money for their defense. But having said all that, knowing
that they had a dk Metcalf, knowing that Aaron Rodgers
is going to throw the rock for them this year,
and they gave more money to Jalen Ramsey to come aboard.

Speaker 7 (02:17:55):
When are they gonna give more money to TJ. Watt? Yeah?
Is there some option they have?

Speaker 9 (02:18:01):
No?

Speaker 7 (02:18:01):
Are they good enough? Are they so good?

Speaker 8 (02:18:03):
Their defensive line aside from him, I will acknowledge, is
very good, and I think it could be very good
if Harmon is the player that they think he is,
and I think that was the correct player even for
them to draft at the time. I would agree with that.
But are you really considering this? Is this really a
possibility that TJ. Watt's next game is being played for
somebody else?

Speaker 9 (02:18:23):
No, you suck it up if you're TJ. Watt because
that they're not trading you. And I'm not saying that
he should be sucking it up because of he, for
my money, is the second best overall pass rusher when
you combine in his run defense and.

Speaker 7 (02:18:34):
His pass defense.

Speaker 9 (02:18:36):
But if he's not gonna get paid, Pittsburgh's just not
going to trade him.

Speaker 8 (02:18:41):
It's clear that they're going all in. But also, here's Roger,
Here's where my brain goes in. But here's where my
brain goes you just traded. Because we were talking about this.

Speaker 9 (02:18:53):
I can name seven or eight cornerbacks who are better
right now than Jalen Ramsey.

Speaker 7 (02:18:57):
I can't name five safeties who are better than make
if it's Patrick. So are you all in at this point?

Speaker 9 (02:19:02):
Or is this another team that is, Hey, we're eleven
and six, we're gonna start off really hot. We're gonna
be nine to one and then proceed to lose six
of our last seven games, make it as the seventh seed,
and get obliterated by Baltimore, Houston Kansas City first round?

Speaker 8 (02:19:21):
Is there any concern for TJ if he played the
other card? All Right, I'm going into the last year
in my contract. I'm playing at a super high level,
and you're not going to pay me what I deserve
and you're not gonna trade me. Okay, Well, then when
I do play my next game for somebody else, it's

(02:19:41):
gonna be in twenty twenty six, at age thirty two,
and sit out the season.

Speaker 7 (02:19:46):
I don't think so.

Speaker 9 (02:19:47):
I there's something about just players sitting out that sours
I think their overall market value. Now, does that mean
he'll play Week one? Completely different scenario? Does that mean
he will play by week nine when you're reportedly having
to show up? That's where I think the conversation begins.
How long is that hold out before he actually takes
the field.

Speaker 8 (02:20:07):
Yeah, on this day, June thirtieth, twenty twenty six, there's
a one hundred percent chance TJ. Watt has signed an
incredibly lucrative long term contract extension one year from today.
He will have done that sometime in the next twelve months.
But how he gets there is a pretty interesting question
because it doesn't happen with the Steelers, then that means

(02:20:28):
he has to go out there again at thirty one
in a contract year and play up to the level
that most likely somebody else at age thirty two is
going to give him that big money deal, because I
would assume at this point if he plays this year
without a long term contract, then he's not playing for
the Steelers after this.

Speaker 9 (02:20:46):
I would say, so he he is getting a contract
by Pittsburgh.

Speaker 7 (02:20:48):
This is his last year with the Steelers. One hundred
percent agree with that.

Speaker 8 (02:20:51):
And at that stage of his career, is there I mean,
is there a major concern that he's then missed out
on that huge contract, one hundred and twelve million dollars
deal that he's now going into the last year. I'm
not saying he's missed out on money completely but he
could still Like, look where Daniel Hunter is and the
kind of money he's making. I don't know if they're
comparable to where they are in their careers, but it

(02:21:13):
seems pretty similar.

Speaker 9 (02:21:14):
Okay, humor me on this. Does he take less? Does
he take a lesser deal to make more money? So
a two year contract where he's getting paid thirty three
million dollars versus a five year contract where there's more
guaranteed money, but it's only going to be a twenty
nine million dollar salary. Like, that's where I think the
brain goes when you look at the TJ. Watson arrow,

(02:21:34):
And keep in mind, he's gonna have great advice because
his brother did this a few years ago when he
went to Arizona, took more money on a shorter term deal.

Speaker 8 (02:21:42):
Well, when I brought up Hunter, don't you think that's
actually what you really described?

Speaker 7 (02:21:46):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (02:21:46):
You know this coming year is age thirty one season
for Hunter. He's now under contract for his age thirty
two season after signing a short term two year deal
to leave Minnesota and come to Houston for his age
thirty season. Like he's now a year past that. But
Hunter just signed this offseason another two year he's got
a two year deal now, extending it from the one
year deal. That's kind of what you're suggesting for TJ.

(02:22:09):
I don't see that happening in Pittsburgh. I don't think
he's done with him and I think he wants to
be a one team career player, and I can't believe
he might not be.

Speaker 9 (02:22:20):
And Miles Garrett will be. Yeah, Miles Garrett right now.
And I've said this before and I'll say it again.
Miles Garrett's contract by the time that he is done playing,
because if he will probably spend his entire career with Cleveland,
will be one of the most team friendly contracts I've
ever seen because of the loyalty and the numbers and
the accolades he's gonna put up for that city.

Speaker 8 (02:22:39):
He's only due to make thirty eight million dollars in
twenty twenty nine, when he's thirty four. Thirty eight million
dollars for that dude, that's just his base. That just
chumved Shane to that point. Unbelievable. So a lot of
money there in the old NFL. The Astros most recent
team that they faced, the Chicago Cubs. An update on
another player that makes Apparent's on the show for the

(02:23:01):
second time today. All coming up in a case you
missed it.

Speaker 1 (02:23:05):
The a team on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (02:23:18):
Just when you thought there wasn't a whole lot of
activity in an NBA free agency which opened to thirty
three minutes ago. Agreements can be made, contracts not yet signed,
and they report from your Houston Rockets. Report on your
Houston Rockets from Sean Sharania is that, in fact, as expected,
free age of four, Dori and Phinney Smith and the

(02:23:40):
Houston Rockets have come to an agreement on a four
year deal, fifty three million dollar deal, a little bit
less than the fourteen point one million dollar MLE but
just slightly late. Of the Lakers has moved to the
Lakers after some time with Brooklyn. We've talked about him
at length today, but now lit more costly overall for

(02:24:01):
Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney Smith. But your rotation has
gone from Jalen Green and Dylan Brooks to Kevin Durant
and Dorian Finney Smith. That's essentially what you can look
at as a result of this deal, the openings you have,
maybe it are slightly different spots. The number of players
in your rotation from the end of the year last

(02:24:22):
year to the beginning of right now has not changed
at all. How reached Shepherd and Cam Whitmore fit in
or their availability to be used in another way, reportedly
veteran's minimum for Jeff Green and Aaron Holliday and three
million for Jay Shawn Tate.

Speaker 7 (02:24:39):
That's how the Rockets were able to do this.

Speaker 8 (02:24:41):
Among the things we discussed earlier on Dorian Finney Smith,
who was set to become a Houston Rocket. According to
the report, look at his ten year career this way.
First three years couldn't shoot the three, shot it at
thirty point three percent. Then as he got into the
role he was going to play in the NBA, a

(02:25:02):
little bit higher percentage or a little bit higher frequency.

Speaker 7 (02:25:05):
I should say, this is what we need you to do.

Speaker 8 (02:25:07):
He shot thirty seven point seven percent on threes for
his last seven seasons, and last year he shot forty
one percent. Kevin Durant shot better than forty three percent,
Dorian Finney Smith shot better.

Speaker 7 (02:25:19):
Than forty one percent.

Speaker 8 (02:25:20):
Dylan Brooks was very very good last year offensively and
certainly shooting the three. Probably his best season at thirty
nine point seven percent. I don't know how either Durant
or Smith will shoot this year, but I do know
they both shot a little bit higher percentage than that
last year, playing alongside Phoenix teammates for Kadi and Laker

(02:25:41):
teammates for Finny. Smith acquired very very specifically to play
around that superstar led team with Luca and Lebron and also,
by the way, in the corner, Dorian Finney Smith cranked
it out at forty five percent last year. Forty five
percent of his corner threes and about thirty eight percent

(02:26:02):
of them were corner threes, and that's very much his norm.
He shot it at forty five percent overall with the Lakers,
who's actually a forty seven percent, But overall for his career,
he's basically a forty percent three point shooter in the corner.
And it's even higher than that when you again split
his career up into the first three years when he
was terrible at it, and then he put work in
and all of a sudden, he's been very regularly, very

(02:26:24):
very good at it. Dorian Finney Smith four year deal
reportedly with the Rockets for fifty three million dollars. He
will play next regular season at age thirty two. He
will play most of next postseason should they advance, at
age thirty three. He turned thirty two the same day
the Rockets were in a Game six with the Golden

(02:26:46):
State Warriors.

Speaker 7 (02:26:48):
You liking it? It's not a bad deal. How we feeling?

Speaker 8 (02:26:51):
We asked you this earlier via social media. If the
Rockets were to add a player in a straight up signing,
just adding a free agent, how would you rate these players?

Speaker 7 (02:27:03):
Voting on them?

Speaker 8 (02:27:04):
Who would be best, who would be worst? None of
the above? Versus Luken Arden, Keel, Alexander Walker, and Dorian
Finney Smith. Congratulations, fans, you must kind of like it,
thirty one percent of you, said Dorian Finney Smith. He
offers you the most value Defensively, he's been the most
improved player when it comes to three, and I think
that he's the most balanced player. Yes, I think it's

(02:27:26):
a very smart deal for what his role is going
to be. And then when you look at the contract,
in a four year contract, it's not a bad signing.
He offers you more than Luke Canard, he offers you
more than really anybody else out there, and you know
what he is going to provide for you when it
comes to the consistency as a role player offensively, and
then you throw in his defensive prowess. It's a good

(02:27:48):
overall signing and it's another step in the right direction
for Emoo Dukas squad.

Speaker 7 (02:27:54):
Yeah, most of the team is being brought back.

Speaker 8 (02:27:57):
You've sent two players out, at least as we sit
here today, sent two players out in the rotation in
the Kevin Durant deal, and Dylan and Jalen obviously they
were both starters too, and now you've replaced them with
two regular rotation players for their respective teams, Durant as
a starter in Finnish Smith and a variety of roles
for the last couple of teams. And you still have

(02:28:18):
everybody else. You did trade this year's first round pick
away number ten overall, and you essentially still have everything
else that matters of value in your kitty, in your
asset pool to still be able to do something else.
And because of all these deals that have happened so
far this off season. Thirty nine million four Steven Adams

(02:28:39):
over three years, biggest number of those three years expected
to be this year, in the neighborhood of fourteen million. Currently,
Kevin Durant hitting them with the same number he was
already under contract for it better than fifty plus for
next year, roughly the same amount of money as Jalen
Green and Dylan Brooks were set to make a little
bit less combined. Don't know what its essential beif to

(02:29:00):
this upcoming season. Fred van Vliet instead of picking up
that option at forty four point nine million, the team
he will make neighborhood of twenty five. Don't know the
exact split of the two seasons. He signed a two year,
fifty million dollar extension. The second year is a player option,
so that twenty five ish figure is what he's on

(02:29:21):
the books for in year one. Jeff Green and Aaron
Holliday Holiday's figure on the cap for this upcoming season
went down dramatically because they declined the option and he
instead signed a veteran's minimum. The player makes plenty of
money off that, but the whole figure there's some cap
savings on it for how the league does it, and
the same thing for Jeff Green, far far less money

(02:29:43):
than a different deal, but he signs for the veteran minimum.
Jay Sean Taates figure compared to last year also goes
down by a third two three million, if I'm not mistaken,
So they could add a player that makes fifty plus
million and now at a second player with where they
are ver versus the first and second apron they have
at their disposal, non taxpayer mle roughly fourteen point one

(02:30:07):
million dollars to sign Dorian Phinney Smith.

Speaker 7 (02:30:11):
Good deal, by the way.

Speaker 9 (02:30:13):
Terry Rozier, I don't think you have to worry about
him signing with the Rockets, but there have been conversations
because of his involvement with everything that has happened over
the last forty eight seventy two hours.

Speaker 7 (02:30:25):
Is he going to play again? I think that Chams
gives you the.

Speaker 9 (02:30:29):
Best overall outlook if you are trying to add Rosier
to your roster. This upcoming fault Barry Rozier as of
right now, is it has been clear.

Speaker 4 (02:30:37):
I mean, he finished the season with Miami.

Speaker 8 (02:30:39):
There's really nothing really active as of.

Speaker 2 (02:30:41):
Right now with him the NBA did.

Speaker 4 (02:30:45):
NBA spokesman Mike baz.

Speaker 7 (02:30:47):
Did give a statement to me yesterday.

Speaker 8 (02:30:49):
He said that the league is cooperating with the federal prosecutors.
So the league, essentially, I mean, this is a federal
matter now like.

Speaker 4 (02:30:58):
This is this is in the hands of the court,
so it's all.

Speaker 9 (02:31:00):
In the hands of the court, has nothing to do
with any of the NBA. So the suspension really is
going to be dictated based off of what the federal
court findings this side of proceed with.

Speaker 8 (02:31:10):
All right, Terry Rozier, appreciate you joining the show twice
today and now probably never again.

Speaker 7 (02:31:15):
Last thought, unless you're.

Speaker 8 (02:31:17):
Worried about age, the defense that you just added, the
offense you just added, the shooting you just added. Having
a hard time saying I don't like what the Rockets
are doing this offseason a lot.

Speaker 7 (02:31:29):
I can't imagine too many people in the NBA feel.

Speaker 8 (02:31:32):
Otherwise as they try to get even better than the
fifty two win team they were a year ago.

Speaker 1 (02:31:41):
The a team on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 8 (02:31:51):
So Dorian Phinney Smith said to be a Houston Rocket
well with Kevin Durant, maybe they'll both be introduced a
week from today. Getting these deals will it gets signed
free agents moving spots get finalized a little bit later,
but this is the opening of discussion period and there
are a few other minor deals continuing to move forward.
Jake Larevia apparently going to be replacing Dorian Finney Smith

(02:32:15):
in Los Angeles, signing a two year deal there, according
to Sham Shrania, but I gotta say, I do think
I see some vision and it's all pointing in the
same direction for the Houston Rockets. This is not a
young player they're adding. Kevin Durant is not a young
player they're adding. And this could be a contract in
the final stages of year three or four, two years

(02:32:36):
from now, where it's not that awesome of a deal.
I don't think this player falls off the you know
that badly, that quickly at age thirty one or thirty two.
But they're trying to win the twenty twenty five twenty
twenty six NBA Championship, and each opportunity under Kevin Durant's contract,
which will likely be for three years, likely sign an

(02:32:58):
extension here, likely retire as a Houston Rocket following that
third season, And I do think they'll have a contract
extension place very very soon. I think there's a sequencing
to everything that they're doing, who they're adding and why,
when those deals will get an ounce to become finalized,
and how they fit all the pieces together. And Kevin
Durant's figures are probably very very well known internally about

(02:33:22):
what that two year contract extension will be. He could
wait and sign a two year extension a little bit
later and actually make an additional three to four million dollars.
He could sign it immediately for the max of just
over one twenty, where he could take less. I don't
think he's gonna play this season without a contract extension
for the Rockets. I think that's likely a zero percent chance.
But what he is gonna do, I think, like everybody
else here, especially the largest of the contracts they've signed,

(02:33:48):
Fred van Vliet, Steven Adams soon, Kevin Durant soon, Dorian
Finney Smith, all older veteran players taking deals that help
the team put all the pieces together in what will
likely be all of their last opportunities to win a championship.
Fredsdal is so short term. He might end up in

(02:34:10):
a situation where he could play very well and be
a big part of it another team, but it's unlikely
that's gonna happen else where. It's still most likely that
that happens here, and each of the other players signed
at least a three in Adam's case, four year in
Smith's case, and we don't know yet but likely three years.
In Kevin Durant's case, there's no other team in the

(02:34:31):
West as of today, day one, not even a full
hour in to free agency discussions. Nobody else has helped
their their situation more. And that's again just one person's opinion.
That's just my opinion. I believe there's probably people out
there that hate what they've done. They took a younger
Dylan Brooks and got an older Dorian Finney Smith. They

(02:34:52):
took a younger Jalen Green and got an older Kevin Durant.
I can see others the other side of it. I
just don't think that they get better more quickly this year,
and more definitively, because there's clearly questions about Jalen's future
as a basketball talent. The only questions about Kevin Durant's

(02:35:12):
basketball future are health, not all of a sudden gonna
stop making shots. When he retires, it will be because
he's not down for playing anymore, not because he can't
make shots. At age fifty, Kevin Durant, on any given day,
I think, would be able to make shots in a
pickup game better than just about any other forty forty
two year old player post NBA career galliber players.

Speaker 9 (02:35:36):
The only question you have left when it comes to
Kevin Durant is how much longer is he playing the game?

Speaker 7 (02:35:40):
That's it. He's playing three years. Yeah, Well, I'm saying.

Speaker 9 (02:35:43):
Is is that if let's say he wanted to play
a fourth year, Okay, cool, He's probably going to play
three years.

Speaker 8 (02:35:48):
That's the only question you have loved about it. I
wonder if he wants to play a fourth year. Is
that because he likes the three championships he already has
and he wants a sixth for himself and a fourth
year in Houston, Or they've not gotten it done and
they've gotten close enough that Okay, I have enough in
the tank to help this team, because he's not going
to come back if he's not the same player, because

(02:36:08):
he's not helping the team in that situation. I like
the idea of talking this far down the road. He
hasn't even played a game, hadn't even put on his jersey,
hasn't even dribbled the ball and passed it to Reed
Shepherd for a three pointer, gotten his first assist as
a rocket in the second quarter of his first game.

Speaker 9 (02:36:25):
You do have to like the all that we can
have these conversations. Gotta love that we can have these conversations. Denver, Minnesota,
Houston closest to unseating Oklahoma City when the season ended.

Speaker 7 (02:36:39):
In my opinion.

Speaker 8 (02:36:40):
Granted, I know other teams might have advanced, and you
could argue Clippers, you could argue Warriors.

Speaker 7 (02:36:45):
Clippers are old, dude, Lakers are old.

Speaker 8 (02:36:47):
They're not gonna I respect all that, but I do
think the Clippers nearly shut down the second best team
in the West, nearly said nugget season, it's over. I
also should mention that the reports today suggests that Chris
Paul Chris Haynes is reporting. Chris Paul's suitors will include

(02:37:09):
the Phoenix Suns, who I believe he's already played for,
well played well for, and the Los Angeles Clippers, who
I believe he's already played for.

Speaker 7 (02:37:19):
And he's just pretty much known for that.

Speaker 8 (02:37:21):
And to go into the same backcourt again with James Harden,
get out of here.

Speaker 7 (02:37:30):
Yeah, but it's not the same. This isn't circ twenty fifteen.
I don't know.

Speaker 8 (02:37:34):
I mean, this is he I know that even hearing
those names, they actually make sense. From a family standpoint, sure,
it's pretty well known that Chris Paul would very much
like to play closer to home. You can't get any
closer to home than LA And obviously Phoenix, where he
was once before, was something he appreciated much more than
when he came from Oklahoma City or then when he

(02:37:54):
went out to San Antonio. So yes, I can see
it from a personal standpoint. I don't what sense that
makes from a basketball standpoint in either place, but great,
just go there and play out the string.

Speaker 9 (02:38:08):
Well, it's like the tweet I saw earlier today about
the Steelers trading for Jalen Ramsey and signing Aaron Rodgers.
This is twenty nineteen, guys, you're all in on winning
it this year. That's twenty twenty five. That's where I'm
out when it comes to a deal like this getting
done for Chris Paul.

Speaker 7 (02:38:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (02:38:22):
Again, to recap the early stages of NBA free agency,
the Rockets have come to an agreement with Dorian Finney Smith.
According to Shampsherania four years, fifty three million, three and
d I added a note that Scham's added himself defensively
about how good he is as a primary defender. In
the half court in defending elite players, all star players.

(02:38:44):
So check that out on my social as well through
some of the three point numbers. As a three and
D guy, Rockets clear plan in place. That also means
while they might have been tied to other players, this
is what they wanted. This is the player they've targeted,
and you know, to believe in everything they do, you
don't have to just automatically say, hey man, they did
it right, they won. This is definitely the player they wanted,

(02:39:07):
which is why he was one of the first players
to move teams unofficially an NBA free agency. We got
a night cap coming your way, No Astros baseball today,
two evening games Tomorrow night and Wednesday night, and then
the day game to wrap up the series in Colorado.
If they took care of business against two first place
teams at home in the Phillies and the Cubs, do

(02:39:29):
you think maybe they could go ahead and take care
of the Colorado Rockies?

Speaker 7 (02:39:32):
What non first place team? I know, it's baseball.

Speaker 8 (02:39:35):
Luckily my baseball partner here isn't here to cry about
what might happen? Do you want to mention they will
be playing without Jeremy Peyna of this road trip and
maybe longer, at least ten days, but nonetheless, hope we've
set the table for you on a very exciting week
ahead of everything on tap one signing, two signings, a

(02:39:56):
signing trade. Who knows what might be in the Rockets future,
but I had to get things started on a Monday
here on the

Speaker 4 (02:40:01):
Eighteen, the eighteen, on Sports Talk seven ninety