July 1, 2024 • 46 mins
Dan Beyer and Aaron Torres in for Covino & Rich as they discuss the news that Klay Thompson has signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
The guys welcome FSR NBA Insider Ric Bucher on to talk about all of the up-to-date NBA Free Agent movement.
Dan, Aaron and the crew talk about the latest with Caitlin Clark coming off of her team's win over Diana Taurasi's team.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, thanks for listening to the best of Cabino and
Rich podcast. Be sure to catch us live every day
from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for Cavino
and Rich at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
All right, happy Monday. All right, Height and everybody is here. Look,
I was Sam hanging out with us today out of Monday.
It's like our Citio Hall show. Jason Stewart's our executive producer. Hello, everybody,
there's no spot, but there is a Manci Belagios here
with us today. What's going on, Manzi? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, just really annoyed with this Paul George stuff. Oh
I'm just reading more into it. His like podcast partner
is like tweeting deleting stuff and it's just like, bro, just.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Be quiet, unrelated. When are you going to get some
yeah merch? Yeah that needs to be a thing.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
It's another one. She's been soft launching for a while.
Which one I don't know. It's it's it's as.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well, that's my mom saying yes because she has an accent.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Jeez, have you seen.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Sorry, I said, Jess woman, there's three conversations going on
at the same time.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Here, same exact time. You know, the boss is got
to be great. We could all see each other while
we're working. That's what happened.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Cut.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
It's like Thanksgiving dinner, everybody talking over everybody else.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Seem this is not how radio should go. The in turn,
do not take anything from this. You know and Rich
who are in for Dan Patrick earlier today, so we
are taking their spot this afternoon. Manti's mad about Paul George.
But now as the day has gone on, I I
I look back and I sit back, and if you
(01:54):
don't know my thoughts on Paul George, I just I
feel you had an opportunity to be the guy at
one point, and instead he's just gone to spots where
he isn't the guy. And now he's going to a
spot where he's not the guy. And I don't think
he's the second guy. So he's the third guy. But
he's still getting paid even with all of that. Aaron,
there's something about Clay Thompson going to the Dallas Mavericks
(02:16):
that to me is just the one that grabs it
the most. I don't know if it was because maybe
we expected Paul George. I think it's maybe more of
just that the Warriors dynasty as we know it in
that form is over. But this Klay Thompson signing with
the Dallas Mavericks, for me, has overtaken the Paul George signing.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Even so, the only thing I'd say about Clay I
still think, in my opinion, the bigger story is about
the Los Angeles Lakers side of things. I think Clay
the player is probably a little bit overvalued at this point,
but he does still have value, certainly for the Dallas
Mavericks as a as a spacing piece three point shooting.
But you know, the Lakers, you know, we got all
(02:57):
this good karma this weekend about Lebron is ready to
take a pay cut and blah blah, blah blah, and
you expect this guy to be a primary focus of
their free agency moves. He's and everybody knows it, but
he's from LA. His father played for the Lakers, So
I just look at it from the Lakers as I
don't say free agencies over. But there's a lot of
(03:19):
big names off the board, and the only major move
that has been made is he had adult connect to
BROWNI last week. So I just, I don't know how
much Clay fundamentally changes, if he changes at all, Dallas,
but I do think it's kind of another kick in that,
you know what, for the Lakers this office.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So just and I think it's an interesting take because
we focus on the Warriors and we focus on the Mavericks.
But there are reports that Clay met with both the
Lakers and Mavericks in person last night and ultimately chose
to sign with Dallas on a contract that was three years,
fifty million dollars and they're trying to work out a
(03:57):
three team sign and trade to make this work. That
hasn't been finalized as of yet, but by all.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Accounts in the tweet from WOJ was the state.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Tax played a little bit of a role, but also
the fact that Clay maybe could have gotten more money
elsewhere and then chose to go to Dallas. Do you
think it's a Lebron thing, I mean, because maybe it's
always a Lebron thing, but or do you think it's
the decisions that they made to appease Lebron that Clay
(04:31):
wouldn't want to come to LA Because I felt that
that was the likely scenario because of all Clay's connections,
why do you think he spurned the Purple and Gold?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Then, Yeah, I'm not going to pin everything on Lebron.
I think to me, it's just more of a bigger picture.
The Lakers, you know, the opposite of Denny Green. They
aren't who we thought they were. Like you and I
live in La Manzie, Jaysue, we all live in La
so we deal with this every day. But I still
(05:00):
go back to the Dan Hurley thing of you know, Dan,
the report comes out that that he's gonna interview, and
all I hear is, well, you don't go, You don't
turn down the Lakers. And I just remember saying at
the time, like, is it nineteen eighty four? Is magic
on the team? Is Byron Scott and Ac Green on
the you know? And so I just think there's something
(05:21):
about this organization from the top down, and I don't listen.
I don't think it helps that your superstar is forty
years old high maintenan. It's a lot to deal with.
But I also don't think you can blame Lebron for
everything either, because this organization was in a complete free
fall before he got here, and so I just think
it speaks to me that, you know, I don't know, like, like,
(05:45):
what is the great thing that Genie Buss has done
as an owner and Rob Polinka has done as a
GM since they've gotten the job. Lebron was coming here.
Lebron obviously essentially facilitated the Anthony Davis trade with Rich
Paul And it's like those little chess piece moves that
have to be made to re elevate a program. Maybe,
(06:08):
you know, Rob Polinka deserves a little bit of credit
at the deadline two seasons ago they were able to
get rid of Westbrook and bring in some nice Peaches
pieces excuse me, the ruy hot chimoors, Etcas. But it's
just I don't think it's a Lebron thing. I just
think it is a Lakers are not who we think
they are thing from.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Top to bottom. I think it's a great observation. I
think that it does go back to Lebron because I'm
trying to put myself in Klay Thompson's choose. If you're
Klay Thompson and you're not wanted by the Warriors, what's
the team that would probably pain Warriors fans to, you know,
the uniform to see you in and they may not
(06:49):
have the true sense of the word of the rivalry
that it is. But the Lakers would Sting and the
Lakers again where his dad played, he grew up in La,
he grew up around the team. There was ample reason
for nostalgia to go back to the Lakers. And the
reason why I think this goes all the way to
Lebron is because if you're coming from an organization where
(07:10):
Clay watched how they built their championship teams, saw how
Steve Coerr operated, how their assistants operated, and now you
go to a team that is drafting a second rounder
because to your point, your forty year old star player
happens to be his son. You're hiring the head coach
for as great as JJ Reddick may be, for all
(07:33):
intents and purposes, we feel because Lebron had a connection
to them where they wouldn't give Dan Hurley the money.
I mean, you talk about turning it down. If they
actually would have given them a real legitimate contract offer
and made it a much more difficult decision, then you
would have maybe had more of a reason to take
the job if you're Dan Hurley. But that doesn't happen.
(07:54):
So you find out that you lowball your head coach,
you'd have to wonder where you think that organization is going.
Even with them being competitive to Denver, which was something
that that I mentioned earlier, that maybe they aren't as
far off as some people think. But I still just
think that there's a huge gap for how good the
West is and for the Lakers to be a true
title contender. I just I don't think that they they
(08:17):
are there at this point, and Clay could have helped that,
but I don't know if it would have been enough
to bring them to a title championship team, but all
of that has gone by the wayside because of maybe
what the Lakers presented and represented in Clay's eyes.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Yeah, I'm trying to think of what the Lakers are.
And I know this is just supposed to be a
Clay Thompson segment. He's not with the Lakers, but like
they kind of you know, what they almost remind me
of is they're like Colorado football, Like no, and I
know we got you know, intern Dean who goes to
see you, but it's like at some point, like Colorado
(08:51):
kind of just ceased existing in the rest of the
college football space, like it was his own thing, where
people who care about Colorado football don't necessarily care about
college football, but most college football fans kind of stop
caring about them after week two, week three, And that's
kind of what I feel like the Lakers are at
this point. They're certainly not irrelevant because they have Lebron.
(09:14):
They're maybe going to be the most talked about team
because of Lebron bronni jj reddick, you love him, you
hate him, he's swearing at his introductory press conference, But
they're not really a contender. Like it's just I don't
I can't think of a lot of teams in sports
where we know that they're not a contender, but they're like,
legitimately maybe the most interesting team to talk about.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
You know, it's funny you mentioned Colorado because I would say,
up until maybe last year's run, isn't that Texas? I mean, yeah,
we talk about the brand of because I do think
that the Lakers brand is the biggest in the NBA.
I've talked about it recently on the show. The star
power who they've brought in. There is still something to it,
but the brand maybe doesn't match the results or the
(09:58):
actions going on within those programs, whether it be the
Lakers or Texas Football. For what we're talking about, I
think that those things could equate, Like Texas is always
a part of the conversation, but it's not always for
the right reasons. So in terms of winning and winning
titles again taking out last year for their with their
(10:20):
run to the College Football Playoff, but I think that
would be a fair.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
That's probably the better analogy. I just find it very
interesting because I don't think anybody that's a real NBA
fan legitimately thinks that they're a threat. But I also
don't I think we all understand in our business that
we're gonna be talking about them a lot next year.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Well here's let me ask you this question, because I
think that there's two different ways that it can go,
and it's about JJ Reddick. If you're Klay Thompson. So
Klay Thompson essentially has chosen Jason Kidd over JJ Reddick,
has chosen Luka Doncic over Lebron James has chosen Kyrie
Irving Anthony Davis, and has chosen to go to a
(11:02):
city that he hasn't lived in as opposed to his
hometown and where he grew up and where he is from.
That's what Clay Thompson chose. Do you think the JJ
Reddick conversation for people coming in or someone like Klay
Thompson is I don't think JJ Reddick can do this,
(11:23):
or because JJ Reddick was Lebron's guy, that is not
a good sign to me on how things are likely
to be run.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So it's really interesting. It seems as though, because of
his work in the podcast that he clearly has respect
of the current players, Like at some point he sat
down with all those guys, they clearly like him. I
think if he was a coach somewhere else he might
get the benefit of the doubt. But I think that
last point is so interesting because he's Lebron's guy, because
(11:53):
they did a podcast together. I don't even think it's
free agency. I think there's guys in that building that
are probably like, am I gonna get a fair shake?
Or is it gonna be you know, coaches, pet, teachers pet.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Basically, it's it's as Lebron says, and and that I
think that's actually a really interesting point that I hadn't
factored in. I think we all think of like, do
you want to play with Lebron? He overshadows everything when
he when they When you win, he gets all the credit.
When you lose, he gets none of the blame. I
don't think I factored in enough. If I was a
player looking at that situation from the outside, I do.
(12:26):
I do think I'd look at it kind of side
side eye. And then the other thing that you have
to factor in. I hate to say it because this
was my hate it from our love it or Hate
It segment on the Doug Gottlieb Show. Is I think
Bronnie fair or not? That has to be a factor too, right,
because is he gonna make one appearance so there's a
photo op. Is he gonna be with the team every day?
(12:49):
Is he gonna be expect Is he gonna be playing
every game?
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Like?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
I do think those are like if you're Klay Thompson, like,
are we really about winning? Or are we about doing
it kind of winning? You know, under the circumstances that
Lebron is allowing us to You know what I'm saying,
I don't know if this all makes sense. Yeah, no
it does, But I think that has to be part
of it because what you're saying is we are bending
over backwards to appease Lebron.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
But are we doing it because Lebron's goal is to
win championships or are we doing it because Lebron just
wants his way because he feels he's owed that for
what he has brought to the league. That's that's the question.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Yeah, Ronaldo missed a big penalty kick. That was why
Manzi I.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Thought, actually I thought she was reacting to my take
like it was so great. I had the match back
to me and she's raising her hand and she's like,
oh my gosh, and I'm like, thank you very much.
That was a heck of a take. But an extra
time Ronaldo ends up making. The thing is is we're
in a radio studio where you think everything is quiet,
but we're on raised floors, so where the wiring is underneath,
(13:53):
sometimes sound does come through the walls. And that's why
you could hear Manzi, even with us having headphones on.
I know the lister couldn't hear that, but well.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
You had a view of that, and I had a
view of that, and as soon as you pause, I
knew exactly I knew there was there was to quote
Jersey Shore, there was a situation, let's you know.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yeah, that's okay, let's just get back on track for
the Lakers portion of it. If you are also looking
at Lebron willing to take a pay cut there, listen,
I think it's I do not want to criticize him
for that, yep, because I feel that that is a
gesture to show, hey, I'm willing to take this, and
(14:31):
he's done it before they were able to make it
work in Miami with how they did it, and I
think that is something that NFL quarterbacks should should maybe
learn to do. Lebron is doing it for the reasons
that he wants, but there's also this catch twenty two
or the other edge of this, you know, you want
to say double edged sword is if Lebron is taking
(14:53):
a twenty percent pay cut, then things better be going
Lebron's way fair, you know in that in that case,
because some have pointed out you hired Lebron's coach, you
drafted his son in turn, is he doing this to
help the Lakers out like he would he take a
pay cut? Is he doing this like, hey, thanks thanks
(15:13):
for doing that. I'll take a pay cut for you
guys for doing me a solid and and we'll make
this thing work. And I don't look at it like
that as all at all is now in his career.
It's more of, well, if I'm taking a pay cut,
we're gonna do it my way. Yeah, you know if
I And that would be also something where you think,
(15:35):
on the surface, it is appealing for someone like, oh, good,
they're gonna make room or money for me, But maybe
for someone like Clay Thompson it isn't as much because
of how much you know, equity he's got in the game,
and at this point in his career, maybe he doesn't
want to He's not gonna overtake Lebron for minutes and
scoring in any of that. But just in the culture
of your locker room and team, maybe he doesn't want
(15:57):
to deal with us.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, And I think also, is he going to be
holding it against you if that money is spent in
a place that you know, if I can't think of
a hypothetical player that they would spend that money on.
But I just bring it up because like, is he
gonna is that? And we know some of the things
that he's wanted in the past he didn't get. He
didn't get Kyrie when he wanted him. He didn't get
(16:19):
John Wall when he wanted him, and so if he
does take less money again, is that kind of a
you scratch my back, eye scratch yours, you get my coach,
you get my son. Whatever. But then I do think
the counter is are you going to be hearing about
it in February if you're in seventh place? Are there
going to be those subtle things said in the media
(16:40):
about well, you know, I mean I wanted things a
little bit different, but you know, front office said this
because we know that that's how he uses and manipulates
the media. I think that's something EF factor in as well.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Do you think it's more likely than Mavericks take a
step back or take a step forward next season?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I think from a seating perspective, it's possible that they
take a step forward, But the only step forward that
they can take from a literal perspective is to win
the championship, and I don't think Klay Thompson puts them
over the top.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
That is exactly why I asked the question. For everything
that you just laid out, it's very difficult. It is
very very difficult to get back to where they are
and to do what they did, and they have the
road that they did the you know, they they weren't
competitive in the NBA finals, and maybe they use it
as a lesson learned, like when they got to the
(17:32):
Western Conference finals, there would be that natural progression for
them to that point. But yeah, I think it's difficult
and that in that west Woldes reporting that because the
Mavericks were within three victories of an NBA championship, Let's
be real, they were down three to zero. Okay, it
makes it sound like they were, you know, a lot
(17:54):
closer than maybe they were, at least within that series.
And then he brought up the financial savings for Texas
in California.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Tax Guy on Twitter is among the most annoying of
all the Twitter personalities. Well, when you break down the
tax brackets, it's like, yeah, okay, buddy, wet it.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
If that was the case, wouldn't he have just gone
where he could have gotten the most money because I
don't think he's getting the most money from the Dallas
Mavericks totally fair. So there is a bit of a
balancing act. But I think your point about how this
represents the Lakers and not to inorganically make it a
Lakers topic, but they were a finalist, his dad played
for him, He's from here, and he still chose to
(18:30):
go somewhere else. I think that's a pretty big deal.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Well, and I think you could make the case that
I wouldn't say that his role or his impact would
be bigger, but that the decision itself for all the
reasons that you said, plus kind of stick it to
the Warriors. There was a lot of things working in
the Lakers favor here. Let's put it that way. Obviously,
the Mavericks right now are further along, but he chooses
to be and he chooses to be a Maverick, and.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
With some of the bricks that the MAVs are throwing up,
his shooting could be welcome in Dallas. Yes, Aaron Torres,
I'm Dan Pyer in for Cavino and Rich here on
Fox Sports Radio. The Portugal Slovenia match in extra time
right now. You can see it on Fox. Winner gets
France in the quarterfinals coming up on Friday. But Ronaldo
missed the penalty kick a PK in this.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Swistit time, I mean Manzi. He looked like he was
in tears because they finished the first overtime period went
to the second one, it looked like.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
He was in tears, and it was at like minute
one oh four, like literally, it was just about ten.
He also seemed like he was in tears because right
at the end of regulation he had an opportunity to
score and the goalie stopped it. It was a great kick,
but the goalie had an even better stop, so he
that was the second opportunity in the game to be
the hero.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
He's the reverse lebron When things go right, he doesn't
get enough credit. And when things go wrong, the whole country.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
You know, yeah, iowa Sam Ronaldo more like Renald thank you,
but he's the best in the business people, the best.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I admit. I thought Manzi is just dumbfounded with my
Lakers take that I didn't realize was so groundbreaking when
I was saying it. And then you go, Ronaldo just
missed a penalty kick, and I thought Manzi was raising
her hand like she wanted to in on this conversation.
That is not the case, all right. He's eron Torres.
(20:17):
I'm Dan byer in for Givino and Rich here on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot Com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
It's Cavino and Rich here on Fox Sports Radio Live
frothetirerec dot com studios. He's erin Torres. I'm Dan Byer.
We are in for Cavino and Rich, who are in
for Dan Patrick. Moncey Belanos is going to join us
for the latest of what's happening not only in euro
twenty twenty four, but what is a crazy crazy time
(20:55):
in the NBA. Clay Thompson on his way to the Mavericks,
Paul George's seventy six er, And we're getting some numbers
on Jason Tatum's Supermax extension. Three hundred and fourteen million dollars?
Was that the official number? Manci?
Speaker 1 (21:11):
I mean, it.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Depends who you're gonna follow.
Speaker 6 (21:13):
Are you following ESPN or Chris Haynes who reports for
nbyon TNT and Bleacher Report, But it's either three hundred
and fourteen or three hundred and fifteen.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
It's one of those two. Basically mucho di netro for
Jason Tatum. But you know, you win a title, you
get a Supermax contract. The biggest one in NBA history.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Can I just say really quick today? Of course, is
Bobby Bonilla day, Yes it is? Well, no, because I
remember when he signed the contract, so I'm looking it
up right now. Five years, twenty nine million dollars and
people are like, oh, it's the end a baseball player.
He's gonna make almost six million a year. Society as
we know it is over. Yeah, No, it's been over. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
This this graphic that Bobby Marks put up, he's from ESPN.
Has Tatum ready for this? Making seventy one point four
million dollars in the twenty twenty nine twenty thirty season,
That's what I'm saying. Crazy.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
It makes me want to cry.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
And Bobby Bonio was like, oh my god, thirty million
over five years. What are we doing? No, that's that's
just crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
And Rick Bucher, o NBA insider, Fox Sports one NBA
analyst joins us, you know there are a lot of
basketball questions, but I know that Buker has a soccer background.
Where are you on VAR and video replay in the
sport of soccer? Rick Buker, is this? Is it too dangerous?
Do you have an opinion on VAR? It was a
(22:41):
topic of a discussion earlier here on Communo and Rich
on Fox Sports Radio. Are you a fan of how
they use video replay in that sport.
Speaker 7 (22:49):
When something is the goal or not a goal? I
love the var Let's let's get that right. The off sides?
Come on? What are we doing?
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yes?
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Yeah, his his left ear lobe was offside. Come on,
but I mean, let's there. There has to be a
little bit of flexibility when it comes to that, and
we're just seeing too many goals that eyes on the
field are saying that it wasn't There wasn't an obvious
advantage game the goal is good to like, Uh, nope,
(23:24):
you know what. Technically his the left the islet of
his shoe was passed, so he was off side. It's
gone too far.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Let's just scar is the best poll? No, No, let
me ask you this. So Y, we were talking earlier
about the Klay Thompson signing and we I swear we
weren't trying to make it into a Lakers segment, but
we kind of made it into a Lakers.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
Look luck with that with anything?
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Well, I mean, is it sort of an indictment on
them that the hometown kid whose dad played for the Lakers,
that he chose Dallas, or is just Dallas obviously coming
off of finals run, just obviously in better position to
win at a higher level.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
I'd say it's all of all of that. I don't
indictments are really strong accusation in terms of it's an
indictment that they aren't that good. Well, they aren't that
good and they're a bit cap strapped as a result
of that or in combination with that, and so yeah,
(24:29):
he's going to a team that in Dallas, that is
obviously a much much better team, and I would say
it's a better suited team for him. And I don't
really understand why the Lakers would want Clay Thompson at
this stage of his career. There were five guys on
the Lakers, Spencer, Dinwiddie, Tarian Prince being among them, Ruy Hatchimura,
(24:51):
Lebron James, D'Angelo Russell. Those are the five. All of
them shot a higher percentage three point wise than Klay
Thompson did this season. And I know that Klay Thompson
has all of that playoff experience and championship pedigree and
all of that. The fact of the matter is in
the playing game he went, he went oh for ten
(25:11):
from three point range. He's not the Klay Thompson that
we have in our mind's eye that was winning championships.
And he really hasn't been that Klay Thompson since he
came back from the two devastating injuries. The fact that
he came back at all and that he contributed to
a championship team again is remarkable. But if I'm looking
(25:32):
at Coentavious Caldwell Pope getting a three year, sixty six
million dollars deal, and not because Clay turned down Orlando,
but because they see KCP as being a better two way,
three and D type guy. And I look at what
the Lakers need in terms of they need a three
and D type guy with probably the emphasis on B
(25:52):
more than three. And that's just not who Clay is now.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
He was.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
He was the worst defender in the regular rotation for
the Warriors this past year, and it wasn't because they
had all star defenders. So I just I think the
market has told us to who Klay Thompson is at
this stage in his career, and I just never understood
(26:16):
how he would make sense for the Lakers from the start. Sentimentally,
playing in the same uniform as his dad, and the
whole father son element with le Bron, Lebron and Bronni there, okay,
but what that last. That lasts is the press conference
and then you actually have to play. And I just
don't know that Clay would have made the Lakers measurably
(26:39):
better or solved any of their problems.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Rick Buker joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. He's
erin Torres. I'm Dan Byer in for Cavino and Rich.
I know Lebron.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Sometimes the situation is, Dan, if you do, damned if
you don't.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
But Aaron and I were talking about did the most
of the Lakers make Obviously they sure felt Lebron centric,
But would that turn anybody off from joining the Lakers because.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Of how much power Lebron has? Could that be any
factor in anything?
Speaker 7 (27:07):
It's been a factor for years. I mean, look at
the number of guys who had the opportunity to go
join the Lakers and ultimately opted to go in a
different direction. Kawhi, Leonard, Paul George and those guys come
(27:29):
off the top of my head. There's there's certainly certainly
others and the guys that have gone there are generally
guys that are looking to they're not in a great place,
they're not in demand, and they're like, well, maybe I
can go win something with Lebron and restore my restore
my reputation. And it's not really I don't put it
(27:53):
on Lebron necessarily, but I probably put it more on
the media that covers Lebron, which is he just he
sucks all the oxygen out of the room. So if
you're a great or a notable player of your own
and you go play with Lebron, if you win, Lebron
is going to get the credit and if you lose,
(28:15):
you are going to get to blame. And so they're
just not a whole lot of guys that are looking
to sign up for that because that has been the narrative.
I'm not just making that up like that's been the
narrative for un teen years now. And if guys have
equal or better choices, then they're going to take them,
(28:36):
And especially now where we look at all you know,
the last three four years, where you know, you might
even put up with that if you thought I'm going
to get a championship ring out of it, but there's
no guarantee that you're going to get that or get
anything close to it now. So it's like, well, rather
than be the ape goat, I will let me let's
(28:59):
go someplace, Nelson see if I can. Whatever happens, I'm
going to get credit for whatever we do, more so
than I if I was playing with Lebron.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Paul George to the seventy six ers. Does that, in
your opinion move Obviously Boston is the favorite in the
East going forward, we get that. Does this change the
hierarchy at all in your opinion? Beyond them? Or is
Philly so Joelle Joelle mb dependent especially staying healthy? Is
that after there?
Speaker 7 (29:29):
I I it's this fair question, and certainly Philadelphia had
to make this move in order to even be in
the conversation for keeping pace. But I'm going to put
the New York Knicks as the next best team in
the Eastern Conference, particularly when it comes to matching up
with Boston. I believe I'm not sure that the Big
(29:49):
three models ever really did work or was as definitive
about winning championships as it was made out to be.
I mean, if you even if you look at the
Miami Heat and and when they put those three together,
it wasn't until they added a couple of key additional pieces,
(30:09):
Mike Miller being one that comes to mind.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I agree with you, by the way, even Boston like
when it when we kind of thought it started with
Alan Pierce and Garnett, Yeah, you know, when you had
Posey Rondo Eddie House Like, yeah, no, I completely agree
with you.
Speaker 7 (30:27):
So so my feeling is that what if you didn't
believe it, then you should believe it now because if
you look at any of the most recent championship teams,
going all the way back to the Toronto Raptors, you
can't name a big three. We named big threes after
the fact after they win a championship. Now, Chris Middleton,
Drew Holiday and Janna Fantaskomporo big three, when we never
(30:51):
looked at those players in that in that vein before
they came together and won a ring. So and again,
it's as much Brook Lopez and and Googly Eyes, Bobby
Fortis and any number of supporting cast players that that
makes for championship teams. And I think the Boston Celtics
(31:11):
have taken that to the n's degree. I think the
New York Knicks are in that vein and on the
flip side, and my speak cohorts got mad at me
today when I made this comparison, but I'm going to
stay with it. I said, the Philaelpia seventy six ers
are more like the Phoenix Suns. They're top heavy, and
(31:31):
can you win? Can you compete for championships when you
are top heavy? I don't believe in this day of
load management and the pace of the game and everything else,
I think depth and versatility is the key. So for
all of those reasons, I like the Philadelphia did what
they did because it keeps them in the mix and
(31:52):
it makes them interesting. But not only is Joel Embiid
a health risk, but so is Paul George. This was
the first year in a long time that he played
anything close to a full season. And so if you're
a betting man and he's thirty three, now, like, what
are you expecting from him for the next couple of years.
(32:13):
It wouldn't be to average seventy to seventy five games
a season. Not for me.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Rick Buker joining us here on Fox Sports Radio, last
one for me, I'm really intrigued by this Chris Paul
san Antonio deal. What are your thoughts on the one
year deal that CP three signed to play with one.
Speaker 7 (32:32):
I love it. I just you know, in a day
and age where we define everything by championship rings, I
don't know that. You know, it's pretty evident Chris Paul
is probably not going to wind up with a ring.
But what he has carved out for himself as being
a mentor in a lot of different places. And look
at Shay Gilds, Alexander, Chris Paul had a big influence
(32:55):
on who he ultimately became. And there's any number I
give you a list if I thought for a minute
in terms of guys that he's gone in and he's
had an impact on by by mentoring. And I feel
as if if this is going to be his last
(33:15):
year or the last year or two, like going in
and playing with Victor winban Yama and being a mentor
just to fond Castle, and he fits the he fits
the Spurs, DNA and their approach to business. Victor can
protect him on on on the floor defensively and he's
(33:35):
going to make sure that the ball goes where it's
going to go. So I love it. I just I
think it's a great fit. It's it's low cost, low risk,
high reward for the San Antonio Spurs and uh and
I give kudos to Chris Paul where he said I'm
going to go and I'm gonna I'm gonna make an
(33:57):
impact in in a in a tangible way that's going
to leave him a mark in the league. And rather
than go ring Chase and see if I can just
add some some hardware to my show.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
He's Rick Buker FS one NBA analyst Ironsetter here on
Fox Sports Radio. Rick, Happy Monday, Happy July things. So
much of the time we're talked against you man.
Speaker 7 (34:19):
Thanks, you got it, guys.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Scavino and Rich Here on Fox Sports Radio, I'm Dan Byer.
He is Aaron Torres Monsal. Keep us updated on this
Portugal Slovenia match again, an extra time scoreless winner gets
France coming up on Friday. Ronaldo missing a penalty kick
A little while earlier.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
I will tell you one of the coolest things in
my sports life two thousand and eight, I was in German.
I was in Europe and I happen to be in
Germany for the final of the Euros. It was Germany Italy.
I think Germany won those streets, those streets that night
were they were lives. They were alive.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Yeahs, Sam Aaron Tarres became a man that Enny.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
I feel like there's a Schnitzel joke to make, maybe.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
But the man in Germany there again, Montial have an updates.
She also may want to weigh in on this Kitlan
Clark conversation because I feel that a majority of this group,
this is not unanimous, but a majority of this group
appreciated and enjoyed the welcoming to the court that Caitlyn
(35:42):
Clark got from Diana Tarassi and Britney Grinder of the
Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA yesterday. I felt it was
a great moment in a moment that many other WNBA
stars could have done but did not do. I thought
it was a great Olive brandch for Tarassi, for Griner,
(36:03):
and really as a represent you know, representatives of this
WNBA star culture, these veterans who we feel have attacked
Caitlin Clark to show the respect that they did and
to do it at the opening tip and they have
Britney Griner give her an extended message. I thought it
(36:23):
was a really really great look in the WNBA. I
say majority, because it's not unanimous. The person to my left,
I think, feels a little different about this.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
I thought it was a great moment.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Tell us you hate dogs too, while are at.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
It love dogs and I love listen. I'm gonna do
the cliche. No one loves what basketball more than me
and I grew up in Connecticut, so I actually did
watch it, you know, throughout my life. The only point
I would make if instead of giving a handshake, you
and I have been on in Monsey and Jason, We've
all been here through the Doug Gottlieb Show, So this
(36:58):
is not we didn't just get on air five Eastern time.
I bring it up because if instead of a handshake
to start the game, it was a Britney Britney Griner
forearm where she's going for the ball but slaps Kaitlyn
Clark's face and she crumbles to the ground, We're not
waiting two and a half hours to talk about it.
(37:20):
So the only point I'm trying to make is that
as the as the what's the right word, the drama,
the whatever descriptive word you want to use to describe
how other players have treated Kaitlyn Clark as that as
the vitriot whatever it is. As that goes down, I
also think the interest overall in the WNBA goes down.
(37:43):
I just do you.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Think that the the back and forth of the hatred
and the inks towards Kaitlyn Clark is the reason we
have so much interest.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
I think any friction creates interest, right, Like, yeah, you know, uh,
Brady and Manning was more intense than Mahomes and Lamar.
I think there was a genuine dislike between Brady and
Manning for a long time. I don't think there's a
dislike between Mahomes and whoever and so so Yeah, No,
I I just I don't think like, I'm not like
(38:11):
mad that I'm not like, oh, uh, you know what
competitor shakes Caitlin Clark's I'm not saying that. All I'm
saying is that I don't I hate to be a jerk,
but I'm just gonna say how I really feel. I
don't think anyone either, I don't think anyone was ever
that interested even three four weeks ago in the product
(38:35):
on the court of the WNBA. Maybe not. There are
some people, maybe in this studio that were, but the
vast majority of the consuming public wasn't nearly as interested
in the product on the court as much as the drama.
And now that the drama has gone down, I also
feel in addition, the interest has gone down as well.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Okay, interesting points. I know we've got some some some points.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
And I just gonna quick it.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
So it sounds Aaron like you wanted to be stay
a little bit roller derby ish little elbow here, a
little uh stink eye there.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
It's not that I want anything, I think I think
it makes it inherently less interesting when everybody's getting along. Yes,
but it can't.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
It can't be though Caton Clark versus the w NBA forever.
I mean, they're gonna have to.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
I'm glad it isn't because it got pretty dark there.
And I'll be honest, like, so, you know, I missed
a lot of this. I was on vacation during the
Olympic controversy and the the the flagrant foul with the
other Chicago sky player, not Angel Reese. It got pretty carter. Yeah,
Kennedy Carter. It got pretty dark. So I'm glad that
(39:42):
to your guys, all all of your guys points that
that the Vets are you know that it was kind
of a moment of like, hey, you're part of the club,
we respect your game. We're gonna compete our butts off
when we play. But I do think it does make
it inherently less interesting. I'm happy for Caitlyn Clark because,
like I said, I thought it got dark there for
a minute, but I think it makes the product lisson.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
This is what I would say. The Pistons were the
bad boys of the NBA, and they were disliked in
the late eighties early nineties. They won titles. There was
the difference between them and the Lakers, them and the Bulls.
I would not have wanted an entire NBA of Detroit
Pistons teams. I agree, It's not what I would have wanted.
(40:22):
And I felt that Caitlyn Clark on Sunday finally got one,
like one went her way like otherwise it was everything
was against her, absolutely everything. And it's not that that
Caitlyn Clark is completely innocent. I just don't think most
of this was brought on by her, and here's an
instance where guess what, it kind of shifted in her
(40:44):
favor for once, which we hadn't seen in the first
almost two months of the season. And I actually thought
that that was a good moment.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
And to be clear, I'm happy for her. I'm just
saying the product becomes less interesting, like you know, the
height of Lakers or Lebron versus Golden State, Like there
was a moment where you could tell that Lebron didn't
really like all the attention that Steph was getting. And
(41:13):
I think a lot of the Warriors guys didn't really
love Lebron. Remember there was that weird what was it?
There was like a Halloween thing where Draymond dressed up
as Lebron or did something and you could tell they
didn't really like each other, and that inherently made it
more interesting than when it's just everybody's best friends. And
so but I'm happy because to your point, it's like
(41:34):
it just felt like everybody was against Kaitlyn Clark for
a minute, and it doesn't. The last two or three weeks,
it hasn't felt that way.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Monseus, So I agree with Aaron that people are tuning
in for the drama, but I disagree with you that
the drama's going away. Nobody wanted drama between Diana Tarassi
and Kaitlyn Clark. That's not the drama that people were
looking for. And so I think that moment was just
kind of like one. It felt organic after Diana Tarassio
week ago was asked, how do you feel about playing
(42:03):
Caitlin Clark and the Fever. Oh, it's gonna be fun,
and that's all she said and like looked away from
the camera. So I just I thought it was a
right moment because the drama wasn't there that people want.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
The drama is elsewhere, and I think that.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Drama is gonna continue because we're women so and we
like to find.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
I think it's fine to have a rivalry between the
Fever and.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
That's what I was gonna say. Do you think it'll
come back when they play Chicago?
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (42:25):
Yeah, because even Angel Reese the last game, when Angel
Reese had that great game and she was basically almost
in tears in the post game, it felt like that
was a moment where it was only about basketball, and
which is great, but it was less interesting than a
week before when Angel Reese and I don't think it
was intentional, but had that really hard follow that created
a whole discord.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
Of course, there's gonna be more interests with them too,
but I do think Angel Reese has her own fan base,
so I you may be less interested, but I really
don't think that that's happening across I think right now
who's interested is like tuning in not you know what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (43:00):
Yeah, sorry, Jason Stewart. The people want to weigh in.
Speaker 8 (43:03):
Yeah, okay, So I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you my
personal journey with this, and I'm gonna say this because
I think a lot of people are in my shoes.
I thought, or hoped that Caitlin Clark was going to
be this transcendent figure that was in college on the
WNBA level. I thought she was going to be torching
logo threes and averaging thirty five and putting it in
people's faces. I tuned in for that, and then when
(43:25):
I found out this she's like a mid range to
maybe decent WNBA player, that that isn't interesting to me.
But what filled that void was all the cultural war
stuff and all the hater raid stuff. That's what did
make it interesting. So I agree with Aaron completely. Her
being liked and her being an average player isn't interesting. Yeah,
and I would jump in on that, and I'll just again,
(43:47):
this is only me. I can't speak for anybody else,
certainly in the studio, let alone listening. But the first
Sky game in which they you know, the hard file,
that was one where I saw that it was on
TV and I was like, oh, I should check this out,
and then the file happened whatever, then them playing a
week later.
Speaker 1 (44:05):
I will admit, maybe it makes me a bad sports
talk radio host. It was the first time I actively
sought out a WNBA game, and I felt like that
was like the fever pitch of like, is something gonna happen?
Nothing happened, great game, back and forth, whatever. And I
don't feel like even the interest in Kaitlyn Clark has
been the same since then. But maybe it's because the
schedule was so frontloaded whatever, But I just don't feel
(44:27):
like since it just became about basketball, I don't feel
like the interest has been quite the same.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
I think that the drama that has gone on in
the WNBA, and I mentioned it earlier on how long
the season's gone. We're not even two months into the season,
but the drama has made it feel like it was
about four months or five months. And with with what
you guys were saying, what kept you interested was the drama.
The only thing that I would say to that is
(44:54):
that can only last so long. Like at some point
Caitlyn Clark is gonna have to be the mad bomber
and develop into that player. And I think that she
could be. I think that, and we've started to see
flashes of that. It just didn't necessarily immediately happen. But this,
this tension throughout the league was just not sustainable. Just
(45:15):
like maybe her picking up from college right where she
left off in the NBA maybe wasn't realistic. It would
just it would be too tiring for me to even
watch the w NBA if this was just constantly what
was going on and here she was getting you know,
I don't want to say picked on because it sounds
like such a schoolyard thing kind of it. Just like
(45:35):
after a while, you're just like even when the Sky
beat them, like a little more than a week ago,
like Angel Reese and Cheryl Swoops have this big hug,
and Cheryl Swoops has been in the news because of
what she said last year about Caitlyn Clark and trying
to diminish her scoring record, like that's gonna end up
being a rivalry. But just after a while, it just
becomes tiring with everything, and it was just it was
(45:57):
nice to see Caitlin Clark actually win one. I don't
think she's been winning a lot, and people may have
a different opinion of that.
Speaker 5 (46:04):
But winning personally or winning on the court because they
have won a lot, I'm not I'm not talking you're
talking about like you're talking about her brand, winning and
her life. Yeah, but very very can I can I
just add one thing. I think that if we're upset
or worried about, uh, the Caitlin Clark drama and the
interest level going into a lull right now, it's about
to hit a real big lull when they go into
(46:25):
the Olympic breaks, her name's going to drop off the
out of people's mouths.
Speaker 4 (46:30):
You know.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Sure.
Speaker 4 (46:31):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Hey, thanks for listening to the best of Cabino and
Rich podcast. Be sure to catch us live every day
from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
All right, happy Monday. All right, Height and everybody is here. Look,
I was Sam hanging out with us today out of Monday.
It's like our Citio Hall show. Jason Stewart's our executive producer. Hello, everybody,
there's no spot, but there is a Manci Belagios here
with us today. What's going on, Manzi? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, just really annoyed with this Paul George stuff. Oh
I'm just reading more into it. His like podcast partner
is like tweeting deleting stuff and it's just like, bro, just.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Be quiet, unrelated. When are you going to get some
yeah merch? Yeah that needs to be a thing.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
It's another one. She's been soft launching for a while.
Which one I don't know. It's it's it's as.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well, that's my mom saying yes because she has an accent.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Jeez, have you seen.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Sorry, I said, Jess woman, there's three conversations going on
at the same time.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Here, same exact time. You know, the boss is got
to be great. We could all see each other while
we're working. That's what happened.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Cut.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
It's like Thanksgiving dinner, everybody talking over everybody else.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Seem this is not how radio should go. The in turn,
do not take anything from this. You know and Rich
who are in for Dan Patrick earlier today, so we
are taking their spot this afternoon. Manti's mad about Paul George.
But now as the day has gone on, I I
I look back and I sit back, and if you
(01:54):
don't know my thoughts on Paul George, I just I
feel you had an opportunity to be the guy at
one point, and instead he's just gone to spots where
he isn't the guy. And now he's going to a
spot where he's not the guy. And I don't think
he's the second guy. So he's the third guy. But
he's still getting paid even with all of that. Aaron,
there's something about Clay Thompson going to the Dallas Mavericks
(02:16):
that to me is just the one that grabs it
the most. I don't know if it was because maybe
we expected Paul George. I think it's maybe more of
just that the Warriors dynasty as we know it in
that form is over. But this Klay Thompson signing with
the Dallas Mavericks, for me, has overtaken the Paul George signing.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Even so, the only thing I'd say about Clay I
still think, in my opinion, the bigger story is about
the Los Angeles Lakers side of things. I think Clay
the player is probably a little bit overvalued at this point,
but he does still have value, certainly for the Dallas
Mavericks as a as a spacing piece three point shooting.
But you know, the Lakers, you know, we got all
(02:57):
this good karma this weekend about Lebron is ready to
take a pay cut and blah blah, blah blah, and
you expect this guy to be a primary focus of
their free agency moves. He's and everybody knows it, but
he's from LA. His father played for the Lakers, So
I just look at it from the Lakers as I
don't say free agencies over. But there's a lot of
(03:19):
big names off the board, and the only major move
that has been made is he had adult connect to
BROWNI last week. So I just, I don't know how
much Clay fundamentally changes, if he changes at all, Dallas,
but I do think it's kind of another kick in that,
you know what, for the Lakers this office.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So just and I think it's an interesting take because
we focus on the Warriors and we focus on the Mavericks.
But there are reports that Clay met with both the
Lakers and Mavericks in person last night and ultimately chose
to sign with Dallas on a contract that was three years,
fifty million dollars and they're trying to work out a
(03:57):
three team sign and trade to make this work. That
hasn't been finalized as of yet, but by all.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Accounts in the tweet from WOJ was the state.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Tax played a little bit of a role, but also
the fact that Clay maybe could have gotten more money
elsewhere and then chose to go to Dallas. Do you
think it's a Lebron thing, I mean, because maybe it's
always a Lebron thing, but or do you think it's
the decisions that they made to appease Lebron that Clay
(04:31):
wouldn't want to come to LA Because I felt that
that was the likely scenario because of all Clay's connections,
why do you think he spurned the Purple and Gold?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Then, Yeah, I'm not going to pin everything on Lebron.
I think to me, it's just more of a bigger picture.
The Lakers, you know, the opposite of Denny Green. They
aren't who we thought they were. Like you and I
live in La Manzie, Jaysue, we all live in La
so we deal with this every day. But I still
(05:00):
go back to the Dan Hurley thing of you know, Dan,
the report comes out that that he's gonna interview, and
all I hear is, well, you don't go, You don't
turn down the Lakers. And I just remember saying at
the time, like, is it nineteen eighty four? Is magic
on the team? Is Byron Scott and Ac Green on
the you know? And so I just think there's something
(05:21):
about this organization from the top down, and I don't listen.
I don't think it helps that your superstar is forty
years old high maintenan. It's a lot to deal with.
But I also don't think you can blame Lebron for
everything either, because this organization was in a complete free
fall before he got here, and so I just think
it speaks to me that, you know, I don't know, like, like,
(05:45):
what is the great thing that Genie Buss has done
as an owner and Rob Polinka has done as a
GM since they've gotten the job. Lebron was coming here.
Lebron obviously essentially facilitated the Anthony Davis trade with Rich
Paul And it's like those little chess piece moves that
have to be made to re elevate a program. Maybe,
(06:08):
you know, Rob Polinka deserves a little bit of credit
at the deadline two seasons ago they were able to
get rid of Westbrook and bring in some nice Peaches
pieces excuse me, the ruy hot chimoors, Etcas. But it's
just I don't think it's a Lebron thing. I just
think it is a Lakers are not who we think
they are thing from.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Top to bottom. I think it's a great observation. I
think that it does go back to Lebron because I'm
trying to put myself in Klay Thompson's choose. If you're
Klay Thompson and you're not wanted by the Warriors, what's
the team that would probably pain Warriors fans to, you know,
the uniform to see you in and they may not
(06:49):
have the true sense of the word of the rivalry
that it is. But the Lakers would Sting and the
Lakers again where his dad played, he grew up in La,
he grew up around the team. There was ample reason
for nostalgia to go back to the Lakers. And the
reason why I think this goes all the way to
Lebron is because if you're coming from an organization where
(07:10):
Clay watched how they built their championship teams, saw how
Steve Coerr operated, how their assistants operated, and now you
go to a team that is drafting a second rounder
because to your point, your forty year old star player
happens to be his son. You're hiring the head coach
for as great as JJ Reddick may be, for all
(07:33):
intents and purposes, we feel because Lebron had a connection
to them where they wouldn't give Dan Hurley the money.
I mean, you talk about turning it down. If they
actually would have given them a real legitimate contract offer
and made it a much more difficult decision, then you
would have maybe had more of a reason to take
the job if you're Dan Hurley. But that doesn't happen.
(07:54):
So you find out that you lowball your head coach,
you'd have to wonder where you think that organization is going.
Even with them being competitive to Denver, which was something
that that I mentioned earlier, that maybe they aren't as
far off as some people think. But I still just
think that there's a huge gap for how good the
West is and for the Lakers to be a true
title contender. I just I don't think that they they
(08:17):
are there at this point, and Clay could have helped that,
but I don't know if it would have been enough
to bring them to a title championship team, but all
of that has gone by the wayside because of maybe
what the Lakers presented and represented in Clay's eyes.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Yeah, I'm trying to think of what the Lakers are.
And I know this is just supposed to be a
Clay Thompson segment. He's not with the Lakers, but like
they kind of you know, what they almost remind me
of is they're like Colorado football, Like no, and I
know we got you know, intern Dean who goes to
see you, but it's like at some point, like Colorado
(08:51):
kind of just ceased existing in the rest of the
college football space, like it was his own thing, where
people who care about Colorado football don't necessarily care about
college football, but most college football fans kind of stop
caring about them after week two, week three, And that's
kind of what I feel like the Lakers are at
this point. They're certainly not irrelevant because they have Lebron.
(09:14):
They're maybe going to be the most talked about team
because of Lebron bronni jj reddick, you love him, you
hate him, he's swearing at his introductory press conference, But
they're not really a contender. Like it's just I don't
I can't think of a lot of teams in sports
where we know that they're not a contender, but they're like,
legitimately maybe the most interesting team to talk about.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
You know, it's funny you mentioned Colorado because I would say,
up until maybe last year's run, isn't that Texas? I mean, yeah,
we talk about the brand of because I do think
that the Lakers brand is the biggest in the NBA.
I've talked about it recently on the show. The star
power who they've brought in. There is still something to it,
but the brand maybe doesn't match the results or the
(09:58):
actions going on within those programs, whether it be the
Lakers or Texas Football. For what we're talking about, I
think that those things could equate, Like Texas is always
a part of the conversation, but it's not always for
the right reasons. So in terms of winning and winning
titles again taking out last year for their with their
(10:20):
run to the College Football Playoff, but I think that
would be a fair.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
That's probably the better analogy. I just find it very
interesting because I don't think anybody that's a real NBA
fan legitimately thinks that they're a threat. But I also
don't I think we all understand in our business that
we're gonna be talking about them a lot next year.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Well here's let me ask you this question, because I
think that there's two different ways that it can go,
and it's about JJ Reddick. If you're Klay Thompson. So
Klay Thompson essentially has chosen Jason Kidd over JJ Reddick,
has chosen Luka Doncic over Lebron James has chosen Kyrie
Irving Anthony Davis, and has chosen to go to a
(11:02):
city that he hasn't lived in as opposed to his
hometown and where he grew up and where he is from.
That's what Clay Thompson chose. Do you think the JJ
Reddick conversation for people coming in or someone like Klay
Thompson is I don't think JJ Reddick can do this,
(11:23):
or because JJ Reddick was Lebron's guy, that is not
a good sign to me on how things are likely
to be run.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So it's really interesting. It seems as though, because of
his work in the podcast that he clearly has respect
of the current players, Like at some point he sat
down with all those guys, they clearly like him. I
think if he was a coach somewhere else he might
get the benefit of the doubt. But I think that
last point is so interesting because he's Lebron's guy, because
(11:53):
they did a podcast together. I don't even think it's
free agency. I think there's guys in that building that
are probably like, am I gonna get a fair shake?
Or is it gonna be you know, coaches, pet, teachers pet.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Basically, it's it's as Lebron says, and and that I
think that's actually a really interesting point that I hadn't
factored in. I think we all think of like, do
you want to play with Lebron? He overshadows everything when
he when they When you win, he gets all the credit.
When you lose, he gets none of the blame. I
don't think I factored in enough. If I was a
player looking at that situation from the outside, I do.
(12:26):
I do think I'd look at it kind of side
side eye. And then the other thing that you have
to factor in. I hate to say it because this
was my hate it from our love it or Hate
It segment on the Doug Gottlieb Show. Is I think
Bronnie fair or not? That has to be a factor too, right,
because is he gonna make one appearance so there's a
photo op. Is he gonna be with the team every day?
(12:49):
Is he gonna be expect Is he gonna be playing
every game?
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Like?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
I do think those are like if you're Klay Thompson, like,
are we really about winning? Or are we about doing
it kind of winning? You know, under the circumstances that
Lebron is allowing us to You know what I'm saying,
I don't know if this all makes sense. Yeah, no
it does, But I think that has to be part
of it because what you're saying is we are bending
over backwards to appease Lebron.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
But are we doing it because Lebron's goal is to
win championships or are we doing it because Lebron just
wants his way because he feels he's owed that for
what he has brought to the league. That's that's the question.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Yeah, Ronaldo missed a big penalty kick. That was why
Manzi I.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Thought, actually I thought she was reacting to my take
like it was so great. I had the match back
to me and she's raising her hand and she's like,
oh my gosh, and I'm like, thank you very much.
That was a heck of a take. But an extra
time Ronaldo ends up making. The thing is is we're
in a radio studio where you think everything is quiet,
but we're on raised floors, so where the wiring is underneath,
(13:53):
sometimes sound does come through the walls. And that's why
you could hear Manzi, even with us having headphones on.
I know the lister couldn't hear that, but well.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
You had a view of that, and I had a
view of that, and as soon as you pause, I
knew exactly I knew there was there was to quote
Jersey Shore, there was a situation, let's you know.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yeah, that's okay, let's just get back on track for
the Lakers portion of it. If you are also looking
at Lebron willing to take a pay cut there, listen,
I think it's I do not want to criticize him
for that, yep, because I feel that that is a
gesture to show, hey, I'm willing to take this, and
(14:31):
he's done it before they were able to make it
work in Miami with how they did it, and I
think that is something that NFL quarterbacks should should maybe
learn to do. Lebron is doing it for the reasons
that he wants, but there's also this catch twenty two
or the other edge of this, you know, you want
to say double edged sword is if Lebron is taking
(14:53):
a twenty percent pay cut, then things better be going
Lebron's way fair, you know in that in that case,
because some have pointed out you hired Lebron's coach, you
drafted his son in turn, is he doing this to
help the Lakers out like he would he take a
pay cut? Is he doing this like, hey, thanks thanks
(15:13):
for doing that. I'll take a pay cut for you
guys for doing me a solid and and we'll make
this thing work. And I don't look at it like
that as all at all is now in his career.
It's more of, well, if I'm taking a pay cut,
we're gonna do it my way. Yeah, you know if
I And that would be also something where you think,
(15:35):
on the surface, it is appealing for someone like, oh, good,
they're gonna make room or money for me, But maybe
for someone like Clay Thompson it isn't as much because
of how much you know, equity he's got in the game,
and at this point in his career, maybe he doesn't
want to He's not gonna overtake Lebron for minutes and
scoring in any of that. But just in the culture
of your locker room and team, maybe he doesn't want
(15:57):
to deal with us.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, And I think also, is he going to be
holding it against you if that money is spent in
a place that you know, if I can't think of
a hypothetical player that they would spend that money on.
But I just bring it up because like, is he
gonna is that? And we know some of the things
that he's wanted in the past he didn't get. He
didn't get Kyrie when he wanted him. He didn't get
(16:19):
John Wall when he wanted him, and so if he
does take less money again, is that kind of a
you scratch my back, eye scratch yours, you get my coach,
you get my son. Whatever. But then I do think
the counter is are you going to be hearing about
it in February if you're in seventh place? Are there
going to be those subtle things said in the media
(16:40):
about well, you know, I mean I wanted things a
little bit different, but you know, front office said this
because we know that that's how he uses and manipulates
the media. I think that's something EF factor in as well.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Do you think it's more likely than Mavericks take a
step back or take a step forward next season?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I think from a seating perspective, it's possible that they
take a step forward, But the only step forward that
they can take from a literal perspective is to win
the championship, and I don't think Klay Thompson puts them
over the top.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
That is exactly why I asked the question. For everything
that you just laid out, it's very difficult. It is
very very difficult to get back to where they are
and to do what they did, and they have the
road that they did the you know, they they weren't
competitive in the NBA finals, and maybe they use it
as a lesson learned, like when they got to the
(17:32):
Western Conference finals, there would be that natural progression for
them to that point. But yeah, I think it's difficult
and that in that west Woldes reporting that because the
Mavericks were within three victories of an NBA championship, Let's
be real, they were down three to zero. Okay, it
makes it sound like they were, you know, a lot
(17:54):
closer than maybe they were, at least within that series.
And then he brought up the financial savings for Texas
in California.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Tax Guy on Twitter is among the most annoying of
all the Twitter personalities. Well, when you break down the
tax brackets, it's like, yeah, okay, buddy, wet it.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
If that was the case, wouldn't he have just gone
where he could have gotten the most money because I
don't think he's getting the most money from the Dallas
Mavericks totally fair. So there is a bit of a
balancing act. But I think your point about how this
represents the Lakers and not to inorganically make it a
Lakers topic, but they were a finalist, his dad played
for him, He's from here, and he still chose to
(18:30):
go somewhere else. I think that's a pretty big deal.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Well, and I think you could make the case that
I wouldn't say that his role or his impact would
be bigger, but that the decision itself for all the
reasons that you said, plus kind of stick it to
the Warriors. There was a lot of things working in
the Lakers favor here. Let's put it that way. Obviously,
the Mavericks right now are further along, but he chooses
to be and he chooses to be a Maverick, and.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
With some of the bricks that the MAVs are throwing up,
his shooting could be welcome in Dallas. Yes, Aaron Torres,
I'm Dan Pyer in for Cavino and Rich here on
Fox Sports Radio. The Portugal Slovenia match in extra time
right now. You can see it on Fox. Winner gets
France in the quarterfinals coming up on Friday. But Ronaldo
missed the penalty kick a PK in this.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Swistit time, I mean Manzi. He looked like he was
in tears because they finished the first overtime period went
to the second one, it looked like.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
He was in tears, and it was at like minute
one oh four, like literally, it was just about ten.
He also seemed like he was in tears because right
at the end of regulation he had an opportunity to
score and the goalie stopped it. It was a great kick,
but the goalie had an even better stop, so he
that was the second opportunity in the game to be
the hero.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
He's the reverse lebron When things go right, he doesn't
get enough credit. And when things go wrong, the whole country.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
You know, yeah, iowa Sam Ronaldo more like Renald thank you,
but he's the best in the business people, the best.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I admit. I thought Manzi is just dumbfounded with my
Lakers take that I didn't realize was so groundbreaking when
I was saying it. And then you go, Ronaldo just
missed a penalty kick, and I thought Manzi was raising
her hand like she wanted to in on this conversation.
That is not the case, all right. He's eron Torres.
(20:17):
I'm Dan byer in for Givino and Rich here on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot Com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
It's Cavino and Rich here on Fox Sports Radio Live
frothetirerec dot com studios. He's erin Torres. I'm Dan Byer.
We are in for Cavino and Rich, who are in
for Dan Patrick. Moncey Belanos is going to join us
for the latest of what's happening not only in euro
twenty twenty four, but what is a crazy crazy time
(20:55):
in the NBA. Clay Thompson on his way to the Mavericks,
Paul George's seventy six er, And we're getting some numbers
on Jason Tatum's Supermax extension. Three hundred and fourteen million dollars?
Was that the official number? Manci?
Speaker 1 (21:11):
I mean, it.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Depends who you're gonna follow.
Speaker 6 (21:13):
Are you following ESPN or Chris Haynes who reports for
nbyon TNT and Bleacher Report, But it's either three hundred
and fourteen or three hundred and fifteen.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
It's one of those two. Basically mucho di netro for
Jason Tatum. But you know, you win a title, you
get a Supermax contract. The biggest one in NBA history.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Can I just say really quick today? Of course, is
Bobby Bonilla day, Yes it is? Well, no, because I
remember when he signed the contract, so I'm looking it
up right now. Five years, twenty nine million dollars and
people are like, oh, it's the end a baseball player.
He's gonna make almost six million a year. Society as
we know it is over. Yeah, No, it's been over. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
This this graphic that Bobby Marks put up, he's from ESPN.
Has Tatum ready for this? Making seventy one point four
million dollars in the twenty twenty nine twenty thirty season,
That's what I'm saying. Crazy.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
It makes me want to cry.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
And Bobby Bonio was like, oh my god, thirty million
over five years. What are we doing? No, that's that's
just crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
And Rick Bucher, o NBA insider, Fox Sports one NBA
analyst joins us, you know there are a lot of
basketball questions, but I know that Buker has a soccer background.
Where are you on VAR and video replay in the
sport of soccer? Rick Buker, is this? Is it too dangerous?
Do you have an opinion on VAR? It was a
(22:41):
topic of a discussion earlier here on Communo and Rich
on Fox Sports Radio. Are you a fan of how
they use video replay in that sport.
Speaker 7 (22:49):
When something is the goal or not a goal? I
love the var Let's let's get that right. The off sides?
Come on? What are we doing?
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yes?
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Yeah, his his left ear lobe was offside. Come on,
but I mean, let's there. There has to be a
little bit of flexibility when it comes to that, and
we're just seeing too many goals that eyes on the
field are saying that it wasn't There wasn't an obvious
advantage game the goal is good to like, Uh, nope,
(23:24):
you know what. Technically his the left the islet of
his shoe was passed, so he was off side. It's
gone too far.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Let's just scar is the best poll? No, No, let
me ask you this. So Y, we were talking earlier
about the Klay Thompson signing and we I swear we
weren't trying to make it into a Lakers segment, but
we kind of made it into a Lakers.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
Look luck with that with anything?
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Well, I mean, is it sort of an indictment on
them that the hometown kid whose dad played for the Lakers,
that he chose Dallas, or is just Dallas obviously coming
off of finals run, just obviously in better position to
win at a higher level.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
I'd say it's all of all of that. I don't
indictments are really strong accusation in terms of it's an
indictment that they aren't that good. Well, they aren't that
good and they're a bit cap strapped as a result
of that or in combination with that, and so yeah,
(24:29):
he's going to a team that in Dallas, that is
obviously a much much better team, and I would say
it's a better suited team for him. And I don't
really understand why the Lakers would want Clay Thompson at
this stage of his career. There were five guys on
the Lakers, Spencer, Dinwiddie, Tarian Prince being among them, Ruy Hatchimura,
(24:51):
Lebron James, D'Angelo Russell. Those are the five. All of
them shot a higher percentage three point wise than Klay
Thompson did this season. And I know that Klay Thompson
has all of that playoff experience and championship pedigree and
all of that. The fact of the matter is in
the playing game he went, he went oh for ten
(25:11):
from three point range. He's not the Klay Thompson that
we have in our mind's eye that was winning championships.
And he really hasn't been that Klay Thompson since he
came back from the two devastating injuries. The fact that
he came back at all and that he contributed to
a championship team again is remarkable. But if I'm looking
(25:32):
at Coentavious Caldwell Pope getting a three year, sixty six
million dollars deal, and not because Clay turned down Orlando,
but because they see KCP as being a better two way,
three and D type guy. And I look at what
the Lakers need in terms of they need a three
and D type guy with probably the emphasis on B
(25:52):
more than three. And that's just not who Clay is now.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
He was.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
He was the worst defender in the regular rotation for
the Warriors this past year, and it wasn't because they
had all star defenders. So I just I think the
market has told us to who Klay Thompson is at
this stage in his career, and I just never understood
(26:16):
how he would make sense for the Lakers from the start. Sentimentally,
playing in the same uniform as his dad, and the
whole father son element with le Bron, Lebron and Bronni there, okay,
but what that last. That lasts is the press conference
and then you actually have to play. And I just
don't know that Clay would have made the Lakers measurably
(26:39):
better or solved any of their problems.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Rick Buker joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. He's
erin Torres. I'm Dan Byer in for Cavino and Rich.
I know Lebron.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Sometimes the situation is, Dan, if you do, damned if
you don't.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
But Aaron and I were talking about did the most
of the Lakers make Obviously they sure felt Lebron centric,
But would that turn anybody off from joining the Lakers because.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Of how much power Lebron has? Could that be any
factor in anything?
Speaker 7 (27:07):
It's been a factor for years. I mean, look at
the number of guys who had the opportunity to go
join the Lakers and ultimately opted to go in a
different direction. Kawhi, Leonard, Paul George and those guys come
(27:29):
off the top of my head. There's there's certainly certainly
others and the guys that have gone there are generally
guys that are looking to they're not in a great place,
they're not in demand, and they're like, well, maybe I
can go win something with Lebron and restore my restore
my reputation. And it's not really I don't put it
(27:53):
on Lebron necessarily, but I probably put it more on
the media that covers Lebron, which is he just he
sucks all the oxygen out of the room. So if
you're a great or a notable player of your own
and you go play with Lebron, if you win, Lebron
is going to get the credit and if you lose,
(28:15):
you are going to get to blame. And so they're
just not a whole lot of guys that are looking
to sign up for that because that has been the narrative.
I'm not just making that up like that's been the
narrative for un teen years now. And if guys have
equal or better choices, then they're going to take them,
(28:36):
And especially now where we look at all you know,
the last three four years, where you know, you might
even put up with that if you thought I'm going
to get a championship ring out of it, but there's
no guarantee that you're going to get that or get
anything close to it now. So it's like, well, rather
than be the ape goat, I will let me let's
(28:59):
go someplace, Nelson see if I can. Whatever happens, I'm
going to get credit for whatever we do, more so
than I if I was playing with Lebron.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Paul George to the seventy six ers. Does that, in
your opinion move Obviously Boston is the favorite in the
East going forward, we get that. Does this change the
hierarchy at all in your opinion? Beyond them? Or is
Philly so Joelle Joelle mb dependent especially staying healthy? Is
that after there?
Speaker 7 (29:29):
I I it's this fair question, and certainly Philadelphia had
to make this move in order to even be in
the conversation for keeping pace. But I'm going to put
the New York Knicks as the next best team in
the Eastern Conference, particularly when it comes to matching up
with Boston. I believe I'm not sure that the Big
(29:49):
three models ever really did work or was as definitive
about winning championships as it was made out to be.
I mean, if you even if you look at the
Miami Heat and and when they put those three together,
it wasn't until they added a couple of key additional pieces,
(30:09):
Mike Miller being one that comes to mind.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I agree with you, by the way, even Boston like
when it when we kind of thought it started with
Alan Pierce and Garnett, Yeah, you know, when you had
Posey Rondo Eddie House Like, yeah, no, I completely agree
with you.
Speaker 7 (30:27):
So so my feeling is that what if you didn't
believe it, then you should believe it now because if
you look at any of the most recent championship teams,
going all the way back to the Toronto Raptors, you
can't name a big three. We named big threes after
the fact after they win a championship. Now, Chris Middleton,
Drew Holiday and Janna Fantaskomporo big three, when we never
(30:51):
looked at those players in that in that vein before
they came together and won a ring. So and again,
it's as much Brook Lopez and and Googly Eyes, Bobby
Fortis and any number of supporting cast players that that
makes for championship teams. And I think the Boston Celtics
(31:11):
have taken that to the n's degree. I think the
New York Knicks are in that vein and on the
flip side, and my speak cohorts got mad at me
today when I made this comparison, but I'm going to
stay with it. I said, the Philaelpia seventy six ers
are more like the Phoenix Suns. They're top heavy, and
(31:31):
can you win? Can you compete for championships when you
are top heavy? I don't believe in this day of
load management and the pace of the game and everything else,
I think depth and versatility is the key. So for
all of those reasons, I like the Philadelphia did what
they did because it keeps them in the mix and
(31:52):
it makes them interesting. But not only is Joel Embiid
a health risk, but so is Paul George. This was
the first year in a long time that he played
anything close to a full season. And so if you're
a betting man and he's thirty three, now, like, what
are you expecting from him for the next couple of years.
(32:13):
It wouldn't be to average seventy to seventy five games
a season. Not for me.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Rick Buker joining us here on Fox Sports Radio, last
one for me, I'm really intrigued by this Chris Paul
san Antonio deal. What are your thoughts on the one
year deal that CP three signed to play with one.
Speaker 7 (32:32):
I love it. I just you know, in a day
and age where we define everything by championship rings, I
don't know that. You know, it's pretty evident Chris Paul
is probably not going to wind up with a ring.
But what he has carved out for himself as being
a mentor in a lot of different places. And look
at Shay Gilds, Alexander, Chris Paul had a big influence
(32:55):
on who he ultimately became. And there's any number I
give you a list if I thought for a minute
in terms of guys that he's gone in and he's
had an impact on by by mentoring. And I feel
as if if this is going to be his last
(33:15):
year or the last year or two, like going in
and playing with Victor winban Yama and being a mentor
just to fond Castle, and he fits the he fits
the Spurs, DNA and their approach to business. Victor can
protect him on on on the floor defensively and he's
(33:35):
going to make sure that the ball goes where it's
going to go. So I love it. I just I
think it's a great fit. It's it's low cost, low risk,
high reward for the San Antonio Spurs and uh and
I give kudos to Chris Paul where he said I'm
going to go and I'm gonna I'm gonna make an
(33:57):
impact in in a in a tangible way that's going
to leave him a mark in the league. And rather
than go ring Chase and see if I can just
add some some hardware to my show.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
He's Rick Buker FS one NBA analyst Ironsetter here on
Fox Sports Radio. Rick, Happy Monday, Happy July things. So
much of the time we're talked against you man.
Speaker 7 (34:19):
Thanks, you got it, guys.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Scavino and Rich Here on Fox Sports Radio, I'm Dan Byer.
He is Aaron Torres Monsal. Keep us updated on this
Portugal Slovenia match again, an extra time scoreless winner gets
France coming up on Friday. Ronaldo missing a penalty kick
A little while earlier.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
I will tell you one of the coolest things in
my sports life two thousand and eight, I was in German.
I was in Europe and I happen to be in
Germany for the final of the Euros. It was Germany Italy.
I think Germany won those streets, those streets that night
were they were lives. They were alive.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Yeahs, Sam Aaron Tarres became a man that Enny.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
I feel like there's a Schnitzel joke to make, maybe.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
But the man in Germany there again, Montial have an updates.
She also may want to weigh in on this Kitlan
Clark conversation because I feel that a majority of this group,
this is not unanimous, but a majority of this group
appreciated and enjoyed the welcoming to the court that Caitlyn
(35:42):
Clark got from Diana Tarassi and Britney Grinder of the
Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA yesterday. I felt it was
a great moment in a moment that many other WNBA
stars could have done but did not do. I thought
it was a great Olive brandch for Tarassi, for Griner,
(36:03):
and really as a represent you know, representatives of this
WNBA star culture, these veterans who we feel have attacked
Caitlin Clark to show the respect that they did and
to do it at the opening tip and they have
Britney Griner give her an extended message. I thought it
(36:23):
was a really really great look in the WNBA. I
say majority, because it's not unanimous. The person to my left,
I think, feels a little different about this.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
I thought it was a great moment.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Tell us you hate dogs too, while are at.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
It love dogs and I love listen. I'm gonna do
the cliche. No one loves what basketball more than me
and I grew up in Connecticut, so I actually did
watch it, you know, throughout my life. The only point
I would make if instead of giving a handshake, you
and I have been on in Monsey and Jason, We've
all been here through the Doug Gottlieb Show, So this
(36:58):
is not we didn't just get on air five Eastern time.
I bring it up because if instead of a handshake
to start the game, it was a Britney Britney Griner
forearm where she's going for the ball but slaps Kaitlyn
Clark's face and she crumbles to the ground, We're not
waiting two and a half hours to talk about it.
(37:20):
So the only point I'm trying to make is that
as the as the what's the right word, the drama,
the whatever descriptive word you want to use to describe
how other players have treated Kaitlyn Clark as that as
the vitriot whatever it is. As that goes down, I
also think the interest overall in the WNBA goes down.
(37:43):
I just do you.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Think that the the back and forth of the hatred
and the inks towards Kaitlyn Clark is the reason we
have so much interest.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
I think any friction creates interest, right, Like, yeah, you know, uh,
Brady and Manning was more intense than Mahomes and Lamar.
I think there was a genuine dislike between Brady and
Manning for a long time. I don't think there's a
dislike between Mahomes and whoever and so so Yeah, No,
I I just I don't think like, I'm not like
(38:11):
mad that I'm not like, oh, uh, you know what
competitor shakes Caitlin Clark's I'm not saying that. All I'm
saying is that I don't I hate to be a jerk,
but I'm just gonna say how I really feel. I
don't think anyone either, I don't think anyone was ever
that interested even three four weeks ago in the product
(38:35):
on the court of the WNBA. Maybe not. There are
some people, maybe in this studio that were, but the
vast majority of the consuming public wasn't nearly as interested
in the product on the court as much as the drama.
And now that the drama has gone down, I also
feel in addition, the interest has gone down as well.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Okay, interesting points. I know we've got some some some points.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
And I just gonna quick it.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
So it sounds Aaron like you wanted to be stay
a little bit roller derby ish little elbow here, a
little uh stink eye there.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
It's not that I want anything, I think I think
it makes it inherently less interesting when everybody's getting along. Yes,
but it can't.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
It can't be though Caton Clark versus the w NBA forever.
I mean, they're gonna have to.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
I'm glad it isn't because it got pretty dark there.
And I'll be honest, like, so, you know, I missed
a lot of this. I was on vacation during the
Olympic controversy and the the the flagrant foul with the
other Chicago sky player, not Angel Reese. It got pretty carter. Yeah,
Kennedy Carter. It got pretty dark. So I'm glad that
(39:42):
to your guys, all all of your guys points that
that the Vets are you know that it was kind
of a moment of like, hey, you're part of the club,
we respect your game. We're gonna compete our butts off
when we play. But I do think it does make
it inherently less interesting. I'm happy for Caitlyn Clark because,
like I said, I thought it got dark there for
a minute, but I think it makes the product lisson.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
This is what I would say. The Pistons were the
bad boys of the NBA, and they were disliked in
the late eighties early nineties. They won titles. There was
the difference between them and the Lakers, them and the Bulls.
I would not have wanted an entire NBA of Detroit
Pistons teams. I agree, It's not what I would have wanted.
(40:22):
And I felt that Caitlyn Clark on Sunday finally got one,
like one went her way like otherwise it was everything
was against her, absolutely everything. And it's not that that
Caitlyn Clark is completely innocent. I just don't think most
of this was brought on by her, and here's an
instance where guess what, it kind of shifted in her
(40:44):
favor for once, which we hadn't seen in the first
almost two months of the season. And I actually thought
that that was a good moment.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
And to be clear, I'm happy for her. I'm just
saying the product becomes less interesting, like you know, the
height of Lakers or Lebron versus Golden State, Like there
was a moment where you could tell that Lebron didn't
really like all the attention that Steph was getting. And
(41:13):
I think a lot of the Warriors guys didn't really
love Lebron. Remember there was that weird what was it?
There was like a Halloween thing where Draymond dressed up
as Lebron or did something and you could tell they
didn't really like each other, and that inherently made it
more interesting than when it's just everybody's best friends. And
so but I'm happy because to your point, it's like
(41:34):
it just felt like everybody was against Kaitlyn Clark for
a minute, and it doesn't. The last two or three weeks,
it hasn't felt that way.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Monseus, So I agree with Aaron that people are tuning
in for the drama, but I disagree with you that
the drama's going away. Nobody wanted drama between Diana Tarassi
and Kaitlyn Clark. That's not the drama that people were
looking for. And so I think that moment was just
kind of like one. It felt organic after Diana Tarassio
week ago was asked, how do you feel about playing
(42:03):
Caitlin Clark and the Fever. Oh, it's gonna be fun,
and that's all she said and like looked away from
the camera. So I just I thought it was a
right moment because the drama wasn't there that people want.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
The drama is elsewhere, and I think that.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Drama is gonna continue because we're women so and we
like to find.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
I think it's fine to have a rivalry between the
Fever and.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
That's what I was gonna say. Do you think it'll
come back when they play Chicago?
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (42:25):
Yeah, because even Angel Reese the last game, when Angel
Reese had that great game and she was basically almost
in tears in the post game, it felt like that
was a moment where it was only about basketball, and
which is great, but it was less interesting than a
week before when Angel Reese and I don't think it
was intentional, but had that really hard follow that created
a whole discord.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
Of course, there's gonna be more interests with them too,
but I do think Angel Reese has her own fan base,
so I you may be less interested, but I really
don't think that that's happening across I think right now
who's interested is like tuning in not you know what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (43:00):
Yeah, sorry, Jason Stewart. The people want to weigh in.
Speaker 8 (43:03):
Yeah, okay, So I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you my
personal journey with this, and I'm gonna say this because
I think a lot of people are in my shoes.
I thought, or hoped that Caitlin Clark was going to
be this transcendent figure that was in college on the
WNBA level. I thought she was going to be torching
logo threes and averaging thirty five and putting it in
people's faces. I tuned in for that, and then when
(43:25):
I found out this she's like a mid range to
maybe decent WNBA player, that that isn't interesting to me.
But what filled that void was all the cultural war
stuff and all the hater raid stuff. That's what did
make it interesting. So I agree with Aaron completely. Her
being liked and her being an average player isn't interesting. Yeah,
and I would jump in on that, and I'll just again,
(43:47):
this is only me. I can't speak for anybody else,
certainly in the studio, let alone listening. But the first
Sky game in which they you know, the hard file,
that was one where I saw that it was on
TV and I was like, oh, I should check this out,
and then the file happened whatever, then them playing a
week later.
Speaker 1 (44:05):
I will admit, maybe it makes me a bad sports
talk radio host. It was the first time I actively
sought out a WNBA game, and I felt like that
was like the fever pitch of like, is something gonna happen?
Nothing happened, great game, back and forth, whatever. And I
don't feel like even the interest in Kaitlyn Clark has
been the same since then. But maybe it's because the
schedule was so frontloaded whatever, But I just don't feel
(44:27):
like since it just became about basketball, I don't feel
like the interest has been quite the same.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
I think that the drama that has gone on in
the WNBA, and I mentioned it earlier on how long
the season's gone. We're not even two months into the season,
but the drama has made it feel like it was
about four months or five months. And with with what
you guys were saying, what kept you interested was the drama.
The only thing that I would say to that is
(44:54):
that can only last so long. Like at some point
Caitlyn Clark is gonna have to be the mad bomber
and develop into that player. And I think that she
could be. I think that, and we've started to see
flashes of that. It just didn't necessarily immediately happen. But this,
this tension throughout the league was just not sustainable. Just
(45:15):
like maybe her picking up from college right where she
left off in the NBA maybe wasn't realistic. It would
just it would be too tiring for me to even
watch the w NBA if this was just constantly what
was going on and here she was getting you know,
I don't want to say picked on because it sounds
like such a schoolyard thing kind of it. Just like
(45:35):
after a while, you're just like even when the Sky
beat them, like a little more than a week ago,
like Angel Reese and Cheryl Swoops have this big hug,
and Cheryl Swoops has been in the news because of
what she said last year about Caitlyn Clark and trying
to diminish her scoring record, like that's gonna end up
being a rivalry. But just after a while, it just
becomes tiring with everything, and it was just it was
(45:57):
nice to see Caitlin Clark actually win one. I don't
think she's been winning a lot, and people may have
a different opinion of that.
Speaker 5 (46:04):
But winning personally or winning on the court because they
have won a lot, I'm not I'm not talking you're
talking about like you're talking about her brand, winning and
her life. Yeah, but very very can I can I
just add one thing. I think that if we're upset
or worried about, uh, the Caitlin Clark drama and the
interest level going into a lull right now, it's about
to hit a real big lull when they go into
(46:25):
the Olympic breaks, her name's going to drop off the
out of people's mouths.
Speaker 4 (46:30):
You know.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Sure.
Speaker 4 (46:31):
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