June 23, 2025 • 33 mins
Sam Oshtry joins Sean Brace in Hour 2 of the Daily Ticket talking:
- Thunder defeated the Pacers in Game 7 to win the championship
- Tyrese Haliburton Achilles injury
- Ratings for Game 7 way up despite lackluster ratings heading into it
- Kevin Durant traded to the Houston Rockets
- NBA Draft this week (what!?
- Will VJ Edgecombe be the Sixers' pick!?
- And more!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Number one on your car radio preset hand. The new
and improved iheard radio WA and WD two seven three
D Philadelphia is Fox Sports Radio The Gambler. All right,
(00:22):
welcome back to stick with you here on a hot, hot,
hot Monday. Now, if you're like me, and I don't
want to put this out there because it's almost like
knock on wood, but we've been flirting with disaster at
the home. Our AC unit heating and cooling unit is
original and it's been around for a long time as
(00:45):
far as my house is concerned. Knocking on wood heavy there.
But here's the deal. I know if there's any issues
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right here, right now. With this heat wave that we're
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(01:06):
to be helping us out over the next few days
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I was just up at their new showroom what two
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(01:26):
course get Gearhart's Appliances dot Com is where you can
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to break when we have to use them. Of course,
(01:48):
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(02:11):
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Garardspliants dot com. Speaking of hot right now, I see
Sam Austrey. I'm sure he was at the beach. Well
(02:33):
you can, Sam, You're hot. You're good looking too. Nike,
you were at the beach. I would imagine you're a
big shore guy during the summertime.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Sure was, I sure was at the beach. Beautiful. Finally,
first time all summer, I got a beach stay in
on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
So first time the weather been all. I'm gonna be
the guy that complains about the weather real quick. He
goes some freezing cold terraining for the last six weeks, yep,
and now it is hot as hell out there Vegas
in July, weather one hundred degrees came step outside. Yeah,
and the guy complains about the weather. Weather, But like Jesus, it's.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Hot out Yeah, it's brittle, it's it's definitely warm. Let's
put it that way. All right, Let's talk about the
NBA Finals. Let's talk about Kevin Durant. Let's talk about
the NFL Draft. A couple quick items though, if you
wouldn't mind. First of all, Rick Carlisle pregame love this I.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Just saw a video that's probably gonna go viral of
some buses open top buses presumably for their parade, that
are already painted with.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Them as champions. So that's all I'm thinking about right now.
That's all he was thinking about. That's all that was
on Rick's mind. Well, there was a big game too
as well.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Thunder fans feel this moment the uncommon young team proves
to be unstoppable. It's over at pick Com Center Final
in game seven, the Thunder one O three.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
The pace is ninety one, but dream realize the Storybooks
season is complete. The final drop for Reids the Oklahoma
City were other twenty twenty five NBA teppians.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, and a big reason. Why was the man himself?
A hell of a year at Western Conference Final MVP
and NBA Finals MVP SGA.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Oh, A lot of hard work, a lot of hours
in the gym.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
This isn't just a win for me. This is a
win for my family, win for my friends. This is
the Winnfield everybody that was in my twenty growing up.
This is a win for the fans, the best fans.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
In the world.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, great team for my money, Sam Austreet, I'm pretty
sure you're being in agreement with me on this one. Again.
We're talking about a team that won eighty four games
all season long, they were sixteen to seven in playoffs,
fourth team in NBA history to win eighty four plus games,
and SGA just a hell of a year. Your big
takeaway after a Game seven last night was what.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
A little bit of disappointing Game seven because of the
circumstances that happened in the first quarter where Tyr Salidburn
Tears's achilles just brutal. I was texting you guys before
the game, how excited I was?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You're amped?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I was amped. I mean the introductions, the starting lineups,
the national anthem, all of it, Like it really felt
like a Super Bowl. The finally the NBA put on
an event, a true event for a Game seven, first
since twenty sixteen. And then, of course Tyres Alburn has
his great start drills three threes and Pops's achilles and
(05:26):
everyone knew it the second happened. He knew it. The
second happened. So disappointing end to an improvable and inspiring
Pacers run. But the team that won the championship was
the team that deserved to win the championship, and that
was the Oklahoma City Thunder, who'd been the best team
all season. Sixty eight wins, second best net rating in
NBA history only to the ninety five ninety six Chicago Bulls,
(05:47):
historically great defense, MVP of the league, scoring title and
now Finals MVP, first time in twenty five years to
do that, first time even just to win the Finals
MP and regularly MVP since Lebron in twenty thirteen. Team. So,
I thought it was an awesome NBA season and the
right team won because they were the best in the
league all season. And this team isn't slowing down. We're
gonna see this Thunder team around for a long time
(06:09):
in these big stages because they haven't even hit their
peak as a core yet.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
And that's why they're plus two forty title favorites for
next year. No surprise there. And again everybody, a lot
of people did have OKAC getting the job done preseason
this year. A lot of people did have them in
the NBA Finals. I knew that they would be competing.
I didn't have put my harder money on Oka see,
but I am a believer now, that's for damn sure.
And again for the people that want to talk about
comparing this team versus other teams and other champions, and
(06:35):
now we've had seven straight different champions and I think
that's pretty cool. I don't mind it. I'm all for it.
You know, it is fun when you do have those
teams that you generate hatred for and somewhat dislike my hatred,
Like I disliked Lebron when he was with the Heat.
I wanted to see somebody beat Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, like,
(06:57):
you know, if you're not gonna give me that, I
want to be entertained. And I was watching Oklahoma City
throughout the course of this year and the NBA Finals.
And one other note on that, as far as the
greatness with this team, besides the stats that you just
threw out there, which should tell you everything you need
to know when you compare this team to the other teams,
I'm telling you, yeah, we're gonna see this team win
another championship. And if you win multiple championships, aren't you
(07:20):
a step ahead of these other teams that were only
able to get one done. If we're going to compare
and contrast versus champions of previous years, and that's fair
to do. That's what we do. But like, look at
the future for this Oklahoma City team. They are dominant
in every single category. They have a ton of capital
as far as the draft is concerned, friendly team contracts,
(07:42):
great players. You could sit there and say that they're
missing their dominant second score. I thought Williams was pretty
damn good. He had a bad game that he followed
up his forty point performance, but pretty darn good player there.
I just think the future is so bright for this
okay See team. So the people that are saying that, oh,
well they're not a great team, well gonna be saying
something different next year when they probably win another championship.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Everyone's saying how improbable this Pacers run was, and it
was based on their underdog profile on all that. You
don't see teams this young win the NBA title like
the thunder just hid. You just don't. It doesn't happen
that inexperienced that youth. Usually it prevents you from winning
an NBA title and making even a super deep playoff runt.
Jalen Williams is in his third season in the NBA.
(08:24):
He's the second best player, second league scorer on that
thunder team. Chet Holmgren is in his second season in
the NBA, who was a defensive menace last night and
really all season and throughout the postseason. You don't see
a team second and third best player in their second
and third years in the NBA. It just doesn't happen.
Shay is even young. He's turned about to turn twenty
seven in a few weeks coming up. These guys are
(08:46):
so young and have such such youthfulness and inexperience, but
that's not how they carry themselves. They still carry themselves
with such a maturity, and that that's what's so impressive.
Like this is the youngest champion from an NBA team
in over forty years. It's such an unprecedented journey and
they haven't even hit their peak yet. As a court
The thing about shake Gil Alexander, he's not even twenty
(09:07):
seven yet. Jill Williams has improved so much in just
as three years in the league, but he is so
much more to go. He could be a legitimate store
on his own team one day. Chet Holmgren, as an
offensive player as a shooting really struggled in the postseason
taking guys off the dribble. He has so much room
to grow, and that's the core of this team. Then
you factor him all of their draft picks. Yes, Chet
(09:28):
Holmgren and Jayalen Williams are due for an extension the summer.
They well, they deserve the extension. They earned every dime
that's coming to them, so they're going to get their extensions.
But every guy on this team, pretty much every player
that impacted the impacted winning, is gonna be on the
roster next season because they're still under contract. So they're
about to go in the next couple of years once
those extensions hit in, they're about to go into the
(09:50):
tax and into those aprons. The thing is, though, they
can move some of those pieces where they don't have
to sacrifice his depth because they also have draft picks.
So yeah, the alescrew Russos and Lou Dortz and Cason
Wallace Is and Aaron Wiggins of the world. Some of
those guys might not be there, but they have such
great draft capital where they can bring good guys in
on on decent contracts that aren't going to be expensive
(10:13):
at all, so they won't have to be in the
second apron. It won't be a team that necessarily sacrifices
all their depth. And the thing is they've drafted so well,
Like Jillen Willims was the twelfth pick in the draft,
won an absolute steal Chet home Rooms obviously the second
pick in the draft, but still you think about Aaron
Wiggins was the second round or fifty fifth pick in
the draft. They've drafted so well, and there's such a
top notch organization and identifying talent at building a culture,
(10:35):
and this culture isn't going anywhere. So yeah, I think
this is the first champion that we've seen in a
long long time that I can confidently say we'll have
multiple championships by the end of the decade.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
What would have happened if Tyrus Haliburton doesn't get hurt?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, Sean asked me that question. Bernard asked me that
question this morning. I don't know, like, like what am
I supposed to sit here and say that the Pacers
would have won the game? Like it's a half, They're up.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
I want it.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
They were. I mean, look, honestly, the injury affected the thunder.
It felt like more than the Pacers. And it's old
the it's the old Doc Rivers theory. Something I tweeted
where Doc Rivers has always said that he'd rather play
a team at full strength than them missing their best
player because the mentality in the sun.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
There's some dock stuff right there.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Man, it is a docking but but I actually think
such a Doc quote, but there is some truth to
that theory, like the psychic mentality of a team complete shifts.
And yeah it's Game seven the NBA Finals, so maybe
it's not as legitimate in that setting, but still the
mentality shifts and the psyche shifts, and I think you
saw that with the thunder where they were like, oh,
maybe we have this game in the bag, like just everything.
(11:38):
It was weird playing after that that moment and that
injury happened, and the Pacers were a little more amped
and and rejuvenated playing for Tyree Saliburn. So I don't
know exactly how the game would have gone. It definitely
would have been more competitive. I can tell you that
just based on how this series went, it would have
been a blowout, which essentially became late in that third quarter.
So I think it would have been a competitive game.
I'm not going to sit here and say the Pacers
(11:59):
would have won. I don't know. Tyrs Alimer got off
to a great start, hit three threes. Thunder would have
changed up some defensive coverages, applied more pressure. He would
not have been raining in threes all night. So I
think the Thunder still would have won because I predicted
them to win, but it would have been a much
more competitive game, and we were robbed of it. And
you just got to feel. You gotta feel for Tyrus
Aliburrn because it's not just this year, it's next year.
The paces or Pacers are done.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, that's the tough pill to swallow there that that's
the worst part about all these injuries right now is
that these guys are going to miss a lot of
time next year, and that that's the part that really stinks.
Talking to Sam Austry read them over at the score.
Of course, hear them with me every Thursday, and you're
gonna hear them coming up at five o'clock with Sean Benard.
They were axing poetic about all things NBA recap and
finals came seven. Of course, the big Durant trade, which
(12:42):
we're gonna get into right now in a big week
for these seventy six yers and everybody in the NBA.
As far as the NBA draft is concerned. I did
see ratings just came out. Game seven not bad.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
You know, it was sixteen million.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Sixteen million, which when you compare it to the other
Game seven's, you know, it is a significant drive.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, well, it's never gonna live up to the Curry
Lebron No. But it was actually the highest rated Finals
game in five years, I believe good.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
And and that's that's something that that I give a
thumbs up on because it's just so frustrating because I I,
you know, first Game five, first five games in the
NBA Finals, nobody watched like it was like nine million.
It was very low, one of the lowest of all
time since they've been rating. And we don't really care
about that. You remember I opened up Game one saying
should we care about the casual? Right? I was like,
why do we care about the casual's opinion? If they
(13:30):
don't want to watch, so be it. You don't want
to you don't to watch these two teams. Where are
de clearing the best teams right now? So be it.
But there is, after it's all said and done, something
that you need to get into from the commissioner's standpoint.
And and of course it's a fun conversation from time
to time to get into. So I just like if
people always say we never get into it, and we always.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Earlier with Luke with Luke too, it's like we always
say we're never getting into and then we get into
it because I love it. Like I say, I don't
think it matters as that much, but like I think
it's interesting how much attention a league and a sport
really care about is getting.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
But it only comes down to does it only come
down to like a team from you know, a bigger market,
like is that what the only issue was here is
that people did not want to tune in for an
Oklahoma City team versus Indiana. Like if you took these
same players and put them on Boston in LA, if
(14:23):
you took these same players and put them on Chicago
and Miami, would ratings have been doubled.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
To me, it's more about the marketability of the superstars
and the players in the game. And part of that
is market Like, if you're in a bigger market like
LA or something, you're gonna be marketed better as a
superstar than if you're in Indiana Oklahoma City. So part
of it is the marketability of those guys and as
good as Shake Gildas Alexander is as a player, He's
unquestionably a top three player in the NBA, a superstar
(14:52):
in this league. On the basketball court, you could argue
he's not really a superstar in terms of his persona
personality away from the court, and when you look at
some of the superstars, the great ones that have blessed
the game, like the Kobe's, the Lebron's, the mgs, those
guys evoked emotion out of a lot of different people
throughout throughout NBA history, fans who loved them and fans
(15:14):
who hated him. And with Shay, it's like number one,
a lot of people don't know him. A lot of
people probably heard him speak and heard his voice for
the first time that this playoff run, because the Thunder
really just recently came onto the scene. They just made
their first playoff appearance last year. So only actual basketball
fans knew him and casuals didn't. So he's not as
marketable even though he's such a great player and a
(15:36):
superstar basketball player. But you don't love or hate Shaye Like,
there's nothing to hate about him. He's just a good dude.
Handles his business, puts his head down, works hard. That
the superstars are the guys like Anthony Edwards who say
a lot of crazy stuff and that picks up traction
and you have some of the off court stuff that
makes headlines on social media and that so those guys
are more marketable for better or worse, because yeah, people
(15:57):
love him or had people hate them, but you're gonna
get some emotion out of those type of people. But
I had casuals tuned in yesterday were texting me and
texted me all about the NBA all season that I
saw that they were. They were telling me they were
tuned in, and I was like, Okay, I think I
think kind of the underdog story with the Pacers called
some people's attention and everyone America loves an underdog, and
then the Pacers were that, so I think that was
part of it. And Tyre's Halliburn's clutch performance. But you
(16:20):
have a Game seven on Sunday night. What else is
on TV you're gonna have if you're a sports fan,
for forget if you love the NBA, hate basketball, whatever.
If you're a sports fan, you're watching a game seven
on a Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Yeah, except for Sheffield shuffler who told me that on Friday.
He's like, no, I'm not going to watch it because
it was Matt's Phil's well he just exactly, yeah, that's
the only exception. But he was just like, I like baseball,
Like all right, cool, yeah, I'm with you. And in
the NBA Finals, like starting in there, I'm tuning in
no matter what. And I don't know, I hate hockey.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
I hate hockey, but I think that was it a
Game seven last time.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I mean I felt that geez, what do you have
a good hockey? What did hockey do to you?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
I just I just it's just not an entertaining sport
to watch. It's just brutal to watch. But I think
there was a Game seven last last year recently at
some point.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Last year correct stand the cup? Right, yes?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
And I was tuned in for that, Like I tuned in.
It was like, okay, this is a Game seven of
sporting event. I'm gonna tune in there you go. I
love sports, even though my least favorite sport.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
We're gonna have hockey talk with Sam Ostrie moving forward.
That's gonna be a segment, all right, great insight, Yeah exactly,
all right, let's keep it moving. And you know, one
of the things that kind of hit me a little
bit was, of course the big trade for Kevin Durant,
which we knew was gonna come down the pipeline, and
it did yesterday. I know, Roy came in and Roy
had his take. People definitely were like, wait a minute,
(17:40):
that shouldn't be happening on the day of Game seven.
I don't have a big issue with it. I think
those things, you know, you do them on purpose. He
was at fanatics fest. I think that there was pretty
much a reason there. But at the end of the day,
teams are gonna do what they want to do. But
here we are now, Durant to Houston odds improved from
twelve to one up into what he's eight to one,
(18:00):
seven to one, whatever it is as far as Houston
is concerned. Right now, I'll pull up DraftKings and they're
not done. Sam. There are people out there floating the
possibility that they could potentially be in play for Yanni's
as well. Now we're talking bring me Yannis Durant and
that young Houston Rockets team. Now they're gonna have to
(18:21):
give a lot to get up Yannis. But man, that
would be really entertaining a lot of people be tuning
in for those games. Durant, though, fifteen time All Star,
still playing at a high, high level, to the point
that I saw that this morning on Get Up, and
this was surprising, still in his prime. Kevin Durant three
straight seasons with twenty five points per game, fifty percent
(18:42):
field goal percentage, forty percent three point field goal percentage
as well. It's the longest streak in NBA history. So
for the people out there going, that's Kevin Durant, no
big deal. Yeah, I know he's onto another team here again,
but Kevin Durant is still a baller Houston. As far
as that trade is concerned, did they win the trade?
And your outlook right now for Durant and the Rockets.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Yeah, they fleeced them. They fleeced them. And look, the
son's sons had no leverage in these trade talks because
Kevin Durant wanted to move on from them, and they
should have wanted to move on from Kevin Durant too,
because that partnership just was was ended up being a disaster.
I mean, you go back and look at that Kevin
Durant trade. It was they got Kevin Durant and they
gave up Mchal Bridges Cam Johnson four first round picks,
(19:25):
and they got three playoff runs out of Kevin Durant
and one postseason series win. So just a disastrous experiment
with Kevin Durant and the Bradley Beal situation couple that
in it's just it was. It was an awful run,
then an awful experiment with Kevin Durant in Phoenix. So
it was bound for both sides to just depart. So
Sons really had no leverage because teams knew that that
(19:46):
it was like, Okay, Kevin Durant wants to leave, you
want you want to get rid of him because it's
best for your team. So they had no leverage. So
the Rockets were able to take advantage of the Sons
having zero leverage, and they offered Dylan Brooks, a good
player contributed to them the last few years, a really
good like three and d archetype guy. A lot of
the Rockets we one of the best defenses, and a
lot of that reason was because of Dylan Brooks. But
(20:08):
he's not a guy that you wanted to hold on to.
You get rid of Jalen Green, one of the most inefficient,
inconsistent good scores in the NBA and was awful in
the playoffs average thirteen points per game on thirty seven
percent shooting against the Warriors. Just really bad in the playoffs.
And not a guy that I think the Rockets wanted
to keep around long term. And it's not about who
you and you give him the tenth pick too, but
(20:29):
that guy wouldn't have even played on this roster because
this team is so deep, this Rockets team, even the
number three pick, Reed Shepherd last year didn't barely got
any minute for the Rockets. And that's it's really about
who the Rockets kept. They kept Jabari Smith, they kept
them in Thompson, kept Tarry Easton, Reached Shepherd, cam Whitmore.
Of course Al Branston, Goon all those guys. So now
they kept their core intact or most of the guys
(20:52):
they wanted to to keep around. And they added one
of the most efficient scorers over the last thirty years
the NBA has seen. And even he's more, he's become
more efficient as a scorer in his thirties post his
Achilles stare, which is interesting and something to note note.
Something to note for Tyree Saliburn and Jason Tatum and
some of these guys coming off Achilles injuries. But that's
(21:12):
what's so impressive. The Rockets got the guy they wanted
to help them as a go to score, a guy,
a guy who was a clutch scorer. And the Rockets
really struggled offensively in the clutch late in games. They
didn't have a go to option, and now they do,
and they didn't have to give up much. So I
think this was an absolutely great trade for the Rockets.
And the last point is, I'm not sure you gonna
become available this summer, but if he eventually does, the
(21:35):
Rockets have enough to offer a great package for Gianni's
probably still better than any team in the league. So
the Rockets executed this perfectly.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Yeah who's the do you know? I never asked a question.
You don't know the answer? General Mander in Houston.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
His Yeah, Raphael Stone. Wow, he's done an awesome job. Yeah,
he's you know who he replaced. He's done a much
better job than that guy Moury. He replaced Mari was
he Moury's guy? I don't believe, So I could be
wrong about that, but I feel like he came from
somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Interesting how that works? All right? Now you are seeing
the Rockets. They moved to plus seven fifty on DraftKings only,
trailing the thunder Calves and Nicks. How about that? Sports fans,
can I interest you in? Kevin Durant MVP next year?
Eighty to one, ah MVP.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I don't know if Katie's ever gonna win MVP again,
just because thirty six kind of sickened on him based
on how he has an impacted winning. And it's not
all his fault what happened with the Suns. They just
put a really poor roster together. It's bad roster construction.
But people kind of blame him for not impacting winning enough.
So I don't think voters will ever reward him again
with an MV pit.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Durant has now been traded three times, Warriors, Nets, Sons, Rockets.
You ready for the collective return?
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah, let's here it.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Mikeel Bridges, Dylan Brooks, Jay Crowder, Trevan Trayvon Graham. That
doesn't ring a bell to me. Jalen Green, Cam Johnson,
Shabaz Napier, The Angelo. So five first round picks, five
second round picks in one pick swap. That's according to
Yahoo's Sports.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Nice work there, Yeah, that's that's on three teams in
two and a half seasons. Like that. The guy just
jumps around and he seems seemingly never happy. But as
we know, NBA players are usually happy in Houston. So
if he can't be happy in Houston, then that guy
just needs to start seeing a better therapist, because you
should be happy in Houston.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
He had a good hit with Kay Adams live from
Fanatics Fest, and.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Adams always does good hits with him.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, she's she's good. Kay Adams has proven her worth
every single day, that's for sure. Again, very talented.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
He almost recruited Michael Parsons to the commanders on that
on that.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
See that, Yeah, Parsons. He can't help himself. He's he's
an idiot on a microphone. He just can't help himself.
All right, NBA draft, I'll get you hed her out
of here on this one again. You're coming up next
hour with Seaman ar Fantastic Lizard picks a roll coming
your way. NBA. What are we hearing? What's real? What's now?
(24:03):
What is going on with Ace Bailey? Have we got
any news there? Do you think that the seventy six
Ers could potentially still pick him at three.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I don't think so. I think the Ace Bailey ship
has sailed. I honestly don't think the six were ever
that interested in Ace Bailey. They did a lot of
scouting on him throughout the year, pretty close by Rutgers More,
he went to some games. They I don't think they
were ever that high on ast Bailey because of the
raw talent. I think it was consideration they had to
when you get the number three pick, But I think
it was always more on the VJ. Edgecombe track. And
(24:33):
I still think that'll be the guy. I think there
could be some late Trey Johnson stuff, but that could
be smoke screeny too. I think VJ. Edgecomb is gonna
be the guy and it's not Ace Bailey. And at
this point it's like, where does Ace Bailey go? We
might be looking at a free fall from him because
his camp has handled this really poorly. He canceled his
visit and his workout with the Sixers last week, but
he hasn't visit. He hasn't worked out with any team
(24:54):
in the entire NBA. So he's trying to like pinpoint
his destination. But the reality is there obvious and glaring
flaws in his game why teams are skeptical to take
a chance on them. So I don't understand why his
camp thinks that he's good enough where they can just
dictate his destination. So when you look at how the
draft shakes up, if the Sixers don't take him at three,
(25:15):
then you're going to the Hornets at four, who don't
have a need for a S Bailey. With Miles Bridges
and Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, they just don't need
a Spalley a guy who needs the ball, an on
ball guy. They just don't need an a Speley in
that role. Then you go to the Utah and if
they want nothing to do with Utah, meaning Bailey in
his camp, then why would Utah draft this guy. Maybe
they take a chance on him because of the star potential,
(25:36):
but I just don't I don't think that it would
be wise for Utah to take a chance on a
guy who doesn't want to be there, and Bailey's can't
maybe trying to nix that completely. And then you go
all the way to Washington at six, and I think
there's a good chance Bailey falls to Washington at six,
and I think at that point the Wizards are looking
for a star, and if Bailey falls for you, there
are serious concerns. But based on the raw talent, I
(25:58):
think you just take a swing on a guy like
like Bailey if you're the Wizards, because what do you
have to lose? If you're the Washington Wizards, you know
you're not you don't have a star. You're trying to rebuild,
and you wanted a top pick and obviously you got
six was disappointing. But if Bailey's there, I think you
take them. So I think we could be looking at
a situation when Bailey completely falls out of the top five,
partly on him, but partly because of the market is
(26:19):
just soured on him.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Yeah, it's crazy what's going on right now, and I'm
still wondering what the hell is the overall game plan.
I know that people are saying, hey, he's got somebody,
you know, bad in his ear, and that could be
potentially correct, But what I would say is that like man,
these guys you look at a cross seas, you look
at soccer players. Man in Europe, they come up and
they're making unbelievable decisions at the age of seventeen, eighteen
(26:43):
years old, Like you can miss me with that excuse it.
Things have changed so much here in America, especially the
way that these college kids are getting paid. And the
rumor is Ace Bailey is making ten plus million dollars
last year at Rutgers do with everything, nil sponsorship, so
on and so forth. A Herd Reuben had a stake
in that. And I know it wasn't reported, but we
we did have some people that were extremely connected. So
(27:06):
this dude's making a ton of money, and you know,
it just doesn't seem like the the the reason is
making sense at this point in time. Also, I do
want to put this out there whether you think a
destination is a bad fit currently, who the hell plays
their whole NBA career for one team?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Who? Who?
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Who does that? Nobody? You? You, you get drafted, you
play your team, you play out like if things work out, great,
if they don't, you move on if you're a good player, Like,
what is going on with that whole thought process? I
know people are hot on the trail and saying that
he wants to play for the Lakers, he wants to
go to LA Like is that really what we're doing here.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I don't think it's that. But the only thing I
don't think the Lakers have a first round pick, correct,
The only the only thing I would say to that
is it you don't you want to set yourself up
for a great second contract when you're a rookie. So yeah,
he probably won't be at the same destination by a
second contract, but you want to set yourself up for
(28:05):
a great second contract, and that means you have to
be in a good landing spot to prove yourself in
your first contract. But look, if you're a great player,
you will fit in wherever. It doesn't matter. If you're
that good, you can go to Philadelphia on a championship
contending team and fit in. If you're that good, you
can go excel with the Jazz or the Wizards or
whoever it is. So, if you're really that talented and
not much confidence in yourself as a player and as
(28:28):
a prospect, this isn't like the NFL, where where a
quarterback could go to a really bad situation. If you're
that great of a player, you should be able to
have confidence in yourself that you can excel in any situation.
And Bailey's camp is saying that they want to be
the guys. He wants to be the guy somewhere because
they see him a superstar. But he also does want
to go all the way out to Utah. He wants
to be too guy for the close to the Northeast.
It's it's like, what are we doing here? This is
(28:49):
not how the NBA works, and you're not good enough.
If this was Cooper Flagg, A Cooper of Flag's camp
and his parents would never would never instruct him do that.
But if this was Cooper Flagg, maybe I would understand
it because that type of for that type of prospect,
you can understand him dictating his own terms. Ace Billy
is not that good. The all town is there. There
are serious question works in his game that I would
(29:10):
be really concerned about. So I don't think that this
is justifiable. His his actions, his camps actions, and we'll
see how far he falls on on on Wednesday night. Yeah,
Wednesday night, baby pretty full. It's gonna be pretty cool,
all right. Need to move the draft back, Move the
season up, move the draft back. The draft should not
(29:30):
be two three days after a Game seven of the
NBA Finals. Let's make it up more key spectacle in events.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
I'll tell you why there's too much.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
There's not enough time to discuss one from the other.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
The gambler gang is uh. If we feature a bunch
of future commissioners, I'll tell you that right now. We
got Blue Garcane, he's already fixing everything. I got Sam
Og he's gonna fix the NBA. Bernard's you know, he's
got his takes as well. Mark Henry Jr. He's got
his takes. Everybody's fixing these leagues. We need to have
a commissioner style show. I got to think about that
(30:01):
and put that together, all right, while I have you
get you out of here on this one, Sam, your
thoughts on the latest deal as far as VJ. Edgecomb
is concerned. And I just put this out here. This
is from an ESPN article. I know that this wasn't
put out by Harrison grim but I did see him
quote tweet it and it made me go, like, what
what's going on right now? Quote. While sources say Edgecomb
(30:22):
appeared nervous during his private workout in Philadelphia and did
not shoot the ball particularly well in an unnatural one
on one setting, he made a strong impression in interviews
and meetings, something the front office values more highly. Smoke,
there's fire as this, you know, throwing the kid a
bone here on the way.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Just two days before the draft. You hear reports like these.
I mean, come on, I mean, we know the Hornets
are really really into VJ. Edgecomb and they would like
him and if they if he somehow slips to them
at four, he will be the guy for the Charlotte Hornets.
So maybe it's coming from their people, even though I
don't know. It's like, it's ESPN and it's Jeremy wu
(31:00):
who put that report out, and he is good intel usually,
so it's kind of questionable. Nervous the guy played. The
guy played college basketball at the highest level. Like, I
don't think he was nervous going into an NBA workout. Yeah,
I could believe that he didnt shoot the ball well
because there are question marks about his shot and that's
something he's gonna have to develops as he goes in.
But shooting the ball poorly and being nervous aren't necessarily
(31:22):
the same thing. So I think VGG comes the guy
his athleticism. He's the best athlete in this draft. His defense,
he can play as a spot in spot up roles
which the Sixers need him attacking closeouts. He can shoot
a little bit. He has to develop that shot to
be more consistent and more efficient from out there. But
I think Vgedge comes the guy that that report is
not concerned.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
All right, So one's flag, two's Harper, three is edge
comb lock it in?
Speaker 2 (31:46):
I think yeah, I think fours Canipple right now.
Speaker 6 (31:48):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
If I'm the Hornets, I think they might take a
flyer on Canipple.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I mean he should just start tweeting these picks up
before they go like, well, I'm working on some picks
right now and some props.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
We'll be up tomorrow morning.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Who's going to the jazz at five?
Speaker 2 (32:01):
I think if ca Nipple falls there, I think they
would take Canipple. If not, I could you've been taking
a Trey Johnson. Yeah, probably Trey Johnson, maybe Jeremiah Fears,
but more likely Trey Johnson.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
All right, Sam Austrien, great stuff as always, starting it
up on the timeline, you gotta love it. Read them
over at the score does a bang up job. Be
sure to follow him at S O, S H, T
R Y and oh, by the way, coming up on
the other side picks a roll with Sean Bnard. Sam
greatly appreciate it. Awesome job this year. As far as
NBA Playoffs, NBA regular season, NBA Finals, we're not done yet.
(32:34):
We got NBA Draft and free agency, which I don't
know if we're gonna be big time players in that,
but I know moves will be made as far as
the Sixers. Third concern, but great job across the board.
Fantastic having you on this show and look forward to
more men always a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you. First season with the
Gambler Gang, first season with you, and it was awesome.
Was a lot of fun. But the season really starts
in the off season for a lot of people. So
if we're gonna keep breaking it down, I appreciate. I'll
talk to you soon, my man.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
There is Sam Ostrion the Gambler Stream coming your way
as well at five o'clock, so don't touch that dial.
I got some other odds and ends I gotta get
to before we get out of here. Of course, Major
League Baseball doesn't stop just because the Phillies aren't in action.
I got two plays.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
I'll give it to you. On the other side, your
boy was hot this weekend. How about that Nick Castiano something.
Let me tell you about that story Friday night. I'll
give you that breakdown from what took place to cash
that ticket.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
It was hysterical and uh, you know, a true chambre story.
I'll give you that on the other side, more day
ticket back into this
Number one on your car radio preset hand. The new
and improved iheard radio WA and WD two seven three
D Philadelphia is Fox Sports Radio The Gambler. All right,
(00:22):
welcome back to stick with you here on a hot, hot,
hot Monday. Now, if you're like me, and I don't
want to put this out there because it's almost like
knock on wood, but we've been flirting with disaster at
the home. Our AC unit heating and cooling unit is
original and it's been around for a long time as
(00:45):
far as my house is concerned. Knocking on wood heavy there.
But here's the deal. I know if there's any issues
now or in the future, I know exactly where I'll
be going Gerhart's Appliances, and that's where you should go
as well, folks. If you need a new ACU, it
right here, right now. With this heat wave that we're
currently in, and it doesn't seem like anything is going
(01:06):
to be helping us out over the next few days
as far as that's concerned. Maybe a sprinkle here and
there over the evening hours tell you what Gearhart's Appliances.
I was just up at their new showroom what two
weeks ago now up in Phoenixville gorgeous. They want a
King of Prussia that's huge as well, that just opened
up on Henderson Road. Check them both out and of
(01:26):
course get Gearhart's Appliances dot Com is where you can
find them online to see everything they have going on
right now. We've got plenty of deals for Fourth of
July on the horizon, but again keeping it right here
right now, knowing what's happening and everything. How things tend
to break when we have to use them. Of course,
(01:48):
it's never a good time for that to happen. But
bottom line is Garhart's Appliance dot Com is where you
need to shop if you need a new heating or
cooling units in your life right now again Fourth of
July sales coming up. Visit their showrooms for the best
experience around. They've been in business in Philadelphia supporting US
for the past eighty five years, and they have the
(02:11):
best prices too. I found out how they get their prices.
Every fifteen minutes. They get sent numbers from all across
the country from the big stores out there, and they
are going to give you the best price. I found
that out firsthand when we were up there in Phoenixville.
Why not shopp at Garharts. What's the matter with you?
Garardspliants dot com. Speaking of hot right now, I see
Sam Austrey. I'm sure he was at the beach. Well
(02:33):
you can, Sam, You're hot. You're good looking too. Nike,
you were at the beach. I would imagine you're a
big shore guy during the summertime.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Sure was, I sure was at the beach. Beautiful. Finally,
first time all summer, I got a beach stay in
on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
So first time the weather been all. I'm gonna be
the guy that complains about the weather real quick. He
goes some freezing cold terraining for the last six weeks, yep,
and now it is hot as hell out there Vegas
in July, weather one hundred degrees came step outside. Yeah,
and the guy complains about the weather. Weather, But like Jesus, it's.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Hot out Yeah, it's brittle, it's it's definitely warm. Let's
put it that way. All right, Let's talk about the
NBA Finals. Let's talk about Kevin Durant. Let's talk about
the NFL Draft. A couple quick items though, if you
wouldn't mind. First of all, Rick Carlisle pregame love this I.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Just saw a video that's probably gonna go viral of
some buses open top buses presumably for their parade, that
are already painted with.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Them as champions. So that's all I'm thinking about right now.
That's all he was thinking about. That's all that was
on Rick's mind. Well, there was a big game too
as well.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Thunder fans feel this moment the uncommon young team proves
to be unstoppable. It's over at pick Com Center Final
in game seven, the Thunder one O three.
Speaker 5 (03:52):
The pace is ninety one, but dream realize the Storybooks
season is complete. The final drop for Reids the Oklahoma
City were other twenty twenty five NBA teppians.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, and a big reason. Why was the man himself?
A hell of a year at Western Conference Final MVP
and NBA Finals MVP SGA.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Oh, A lot of hard work, a lot of hours
in the gym.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
This isn't just a win for me. This is a
win for my family, win for my friends. This is
the Winnfield everybody that was in my twenty growing up.
This is a win for the fans, the best fans.
Speaker 5 (04:25):
In the world.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, great team for my money, Sam Austreet, I'm pretty
sure you're being in agreement with me on this one. Again.
We're talking about a team that won eighty four games
all season long, they were sixteen to seven in playoffs,
fourth team in NBA history to win eighty four plus games,
and SGA just a hell of a year. Your big
takeaway after a Game seven last night was what.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
A little bit of disappointing Game seven because of the
circumstances that happened in the first quarter where Tyr Salidburn
Tears's achilles just brutal. I was texting you guys before
the game, how excited I was?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You're amped?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I was amped. I mean the introductions, the starting lineups,
the national anthem, all of it, Like it really felt
like a Super Bowl. The finally the NBA put on
an event, a true event for a Game seven, first
since twenty sixteen. And then, of course Tyres Alburn has
his great start drills three threes and Pops's achilles and
(05:26):
everyone knew it the second happened. He knew it. The
second happened. So disappointing end to an improvable and inspiring
Pacers run. But the team that won the championship was
the team that deserved to win the championship, and that
was the Oklahoma City Thunder, who'd been the best team
all season. Sixty eight wins, second best net rating in
NBA history only to the ninety five ninety six Chicago Bulls,
(05:47):
historically great defense, MVP of the league, scoring title and
now Finals MVP, first time in twenty five years to
do that, first time even just to win the Finals
MP and regularly MVP since Lebron in twenty thirteen. Team. So,
I thought it was an awesome NBA season and the
right team won because they were the best in the
league all season. And this team isn't slowing down. We're
gonna see this Thunder team around for a long time
(06:09):
in these big stages because they haven't even hit their
peak as a core yet.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
And that's why they're plus two forty title favorites for
next year. No surprise there. And again everybody, a lot
of people did have OKAC getting the job done preseason
this year. A lot of people did have them in
the NBA Finals. I knew that they would be competing.
I didn't have put my harder money on Oka see,
but I am a believer now, that's for damn sure.
And again for the people that want to talk about
comparing this team versus other teams and other champions, and
(06:35):
now we've had seven straight different champions and I think
that's pretty cool. I don't mind it. I'm all for it.
You know, it is fun when you do have those
teams that you generate hatred for and somewhat dislike my hatred,
Like I disliked Lebron when he was with the Heat.
I wanted to see somebody beat Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, like,
(06:57):
you know, if you're not gonna give me that, I
want to be entertained. And I was watching Oklahoma City
throughout the course of this year and the NBA Finals.
And one other note on that, as far as the
greatness with this team, besides the stats that you just
threw out there, which should tell you everything you need
to know when you compare this team to the other teams,
I'm telling you, yeah, we're gonna see this team win
another championship. And if you win multiple championships, aren't you
(07:20):
a step ahead of these other teams that were only
able to get one done. If we're going to compare
and contrast versus champions of previous years, and that's fair
to do. That's what we do. But like, look at
the future for this Oklahoma City team. They are dominant
in every single category. They have a ton of capital
as far as the draft is concerned, friendly team contracts,
(07:42):
great players. You could sit there and say that they're
missing their dominant second score. I thought Williams was pretty
damn good. He had a bad game that he followed
up his forty point performance, but pretty darn good player there.
I just think the future is so bright for this
okay See team. So the people that are saying that, oh,
well they're not a great team, well gonna be saying
something different next year when they probably win another championship.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Everyone's saying how improbable this Pacers run was, and it
was based on their underdog profile on all that. You
don't see teams this young win the NBA title like
the thunder just hid. You just don't. It doesn't happen
that inexperienced that youth. Usually it prevents you from winning
an NBA title and making even a super deep playoff runt.
Jalen Williams is in his third season in the NBA.
(08:24):
He's the second best player, second league scorer on that
thunder team. Chet Holmgren is in his second season in
the NBA, who was a defensive menace last night and
really all season and throughout the postseason. You don't see
a team second and third best player in their second
and third years in the NBA. It just doesn't happen.
Shay is even young. He's turned about to turn twenty
seven in a few weeks coming up. These guys are
(08:46):
so young and have such such youthfulness and inexperience, but
that's not how they carry themselves. They still carry themselves
with such a maturity, and that that's what's so impressive.
Like this is the youngest champion from an NBA team
in over forty years. It's such an unprecedented journey and
they haven't even hit their peak yet. As a court
The thing about shake Gil Alexander, he's not even twenty
(09:07):
seven yet. Jill Williams has improved so much in just
as three years in the league, but he is so
much more to go. He could be a legitimate store
on his own team one day. Chet Holmgren, as an
offensive player as a shooting really struggled in the postseason
taking guys off the dribble. He has so much room
to grow, and that's the core of this team. Then
you factor him all of their draft picks. Yes, Chet
(09:28):
Holmgren and Jayalen Williams are due for an extension the summer.
They well, they deserve the extension. They earned every dime
that's coming to them, so they're going to get their extensions.
But every guy on this team, pretty much every player
that impacted the impacted winning, is gonna be on the
roster next season because they're still under contract. So they're
about to go in the next couple of years once
those extensions hit in, they're about to go into the
(09:50):
tax and into those aprons. The thing is, though, they
can move some of those pieces where they don't have
to sacrifice his depth because they also have draft picks.
So yeah, the alescrew Russos and Lou Dortz and Cason
Wallace Is and Aaron Wiggins of the world. Some of
those guys might not be there, but they have such
great draft capital where they can bring good guys in
on on decent contracts that aren't going to be expensive
(10:13):
at all, so they won't have to be in the
second apron. It won't be a team that necessarily sacrifices
all their depth. And the thing is they've drafted so well,
Like Jillen Willims was the twelfth pick in the draft,
won an absolute steal Chet home Rooms obviously the second
pick in the draft, but still you think about Aaron
Wiggins was the second round or fifty fifth pick in
the draft. They've drafted so well, and there's such a
top notch organization and identifying talent at building a culture,
(10:35):
and this culture isn't going anywhere. So yeah, I think
this is the first champion that we've seen in a
long long time that I can confidently say we'll have
multiple championships by the end of the decade.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
What would have happened if Tyrus Haliburton doesn't get hurt?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, Sean asked me that question. Bernard asked me that
question this morning. I don't know, like, like what am
I supposed to sit here and say that the Pacers
would have won the game? Like it's a half, They're up.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
I want it.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
They were. I mean, look, honestly, the injury affected the thunder.
It felt like more than the Pacers. And it's old
the it's the old Doc Rivers theory. Something I tweeted
where Doc Rivers has always said that he'd rather play
a team at full strength than them missing their best
player because the mentality in the sun.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
There's some dock stuff right there.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Man, it is a docking but but I actually think
such a Doc quote, but there is some truth to
that theory, like the psychic mentality of a team complete shifts.
And yeah it's Game seven the NBA Finals, so maybe
it's not as legitimate in that setting, but still the
mentality shifts and the psyche shifts, and I think you
saw that with the thunder where they were like, oh,
maybe we have this game in the bag, like just everything.
(11:38):
It was weird playing after that that moment and that
injury happened, and the Pacers were a little more amped
and and rejuvenated playing for Tyree Saliburn. So I don't
know exactly how the game would have gone. It definitely
would have been more competitive. I can tell you that
just based on how this series went, it would have
been a blowout, which essentially became late in that third quarter.
So I think it would have been a competitive game.
I'm not going to sit here and say the Pacers
(11:59):
would have won. I don't know. Tyrs Alimer got off
to a great start, hit three threes. Thunder would have
changed up some defensive coverages, applied more pressure. He would
not have been raining in threes all night. So I
think the Thunder still would have won because I predicted
them to win, but it would have been a much
more competitive game, and we were robbed of it. And
you just got to feel. You gotta feel for Tyrus
Aliburrn because it's not just this year, it's next year.
The paces or Pacers are done.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, that's the tough pill to swallow there that that's
the worst part about all these injuries right now is
that these guys are going to miss a lot of
time next year, and that that's the part that really stinks.
Talking to Sam Austry read them over at the score.
Of course, hear them with me every Thursday, and you're
gonna hear them coming up at five o'clock with Sean Benard.
They were axing poetic about all things NBA recap and
finals came seven. Of course, the big Durant trade, which
(12:42):
we're gonna get into right now in a big week
for these seventy six yers and everybody in the NBA.
As far as the NBA draft is concerned. I did
see ratings just came out. Game seven not bad.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
You know, it was sixteen million.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Sixteen million, which when you compare it to the other
Game seven's, you know, it is a significant drive.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, well, it's never gonna live up to the Curry
Lebron No. But it was actually the highest rated Finals
game in five years, I believe good.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
And and that's that's something that that I give a
thumbs up on because it's just so frustrating because I I,
you know, first Game five, first five games in the
NBA Finals, nobody watched like it was like nine million.
It was very low, one of the lowest of all
time since they've been rating. And we don't really care
about that. You remember I opened up Game one saying
should we care about the casual? Right? I was like,
why do we care about the casual's opinion? If they
(13:30):
don't want to watch, so be it. You don't want
to you don't to watch these two teams. Where are
de clearing the best teams right now? So be it.
But there is, after it's all said and done, something
that you need to get into from the commissioner's standpoint.
And and of course it's a fun conversation from time
to time to get into. So I just like if
people always say we never get into it, and we always.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Earlier with Luke with Luke too, it's like we always
say we're never getting into and then we get into
it because I love it. Like I say, I don't
think it matters as that much, but like I think
it's interesting how much attention a league and a sport
really care about is getting.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
But it only comes down to does it only come
down to like a team from you know, a bigger market,
like is that what the only issue was here is
that people did not want to tune in for an
Oklahoma City team versus Indiana. Like if you took these
same players and put them on Boston in LA, if
(14:23):
you took these same players and put them on Chicago
and Miami, would ratings have been doubled.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
To me, it's more about the marketability of the superstars
and the players in the game. And part of that
is market Like, if you're in a bigger market like
LA or something, you're gonna be marketed better as a
superstar than if you're in Indiana Oklahoma City. So part
of it is the marketability of those guys and as
good as Shake Gildas Alexander is as a player, He's
unquestionably a top three player in the NBA, a superstar
(14:52):
in this league. On the basketball court, you could argue
he's not really a superstar in terms of his persona
personality away from the court, and when you look at
some of the superstars, the great ones that have blessed
the game, like the Kobe's, the Lebron's, the mgs, those
guys evoked emotion out of a lot of different people
throughout throughout NBA history, fans who loved them and fans
(15:14):
who hated him. And with Shay, it's like number one,
a lot of people don't know him. A lot of
people probably heard him speak and heard his voice for
the first time that this playoff run, because the Thunder
really just recently came onto the scene. They just made
their first playoff appearance last year. So only actual basketball
fans knew him and casuals didn't. So he's not as
marketable even though he's such a great player and a
(15:36):
superstar basketball player. But you don't love or hate Shaye Like,
there's nothing to hate about him. He's just a good dude.
Handles his business, puts his head down, works hard. That
the superstars are the guys like Anthony Edwards who say
a lot of crazy stuff and that picks up traction
and you have some of the off court stuff that
makes headlines on social media and that so those guys
are more marketable for better or worse, because yeah, people
(15:57):
love him or had people hate them, but you're gonna
get some emotion out of those type of people. But
I had casuals tuned in yesterday were texting me and
texted me all about the NBA all season that I
saw that they were. They were telling me they were
tuned in, and I was like, Okay, I think I
think kind of the underdog story with the Pacers called
some people's attention and everyone America loves an underdog, and
then the Pacers were that, so I think that was
part of it. And Tyre's Halliburn's clutch performance. But you
(16:20):
have a Game seven on Sunday night. What else is
on TV you're gonna have if you're a sports fan,
for forget if you love the NBA, hate basketball, whatever.
If you're a sports fan, you're watching a game seven
on a Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Yeah, except for Sheffield shuffler who told me that on Friday.
He's like, no, I'm not going to watch it because
it was Matt's Phil's well he just exactly, yeah, that's
the only exception. But he was just like, I like baseball,
Like all right, cool, yeah, I'm with you. And in
the NBA Finals, like starting in there, I'm tuning in
no matter what. And I don't know, I hate hockey.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
I hate hockey, but I think that was it a
Game seven last time.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I mean I felt that geez, what do you have
a good hockey? What did hockey do to you?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
I just I just it's just not an entertaining sport
to watch. It's just brutal to watch. But I think
there was a Game seven last last year recently at
some point.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Last year correct stand the cup? Right, yes?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
And I was tuned in for that, Like I tuned in.
It was like, okay, this is a Game seven of
sporting event. I'm gonna tune in there you go. I
love sports, even though my least favorite sport.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
We're gonna have hockey talk with Sam Ostrie moving forward.
That's gonna be a segment, all right, great insight, Yeah exactly,
all right, let's keep it moving. And you know, one
of the things that kind of hit me a little
bit was, of course the big trade for Kevin Durant,
which we knew was gonna come down the pipeline, and
it did yesterday. I know, Roy came in and Roy
had his take. People definitely were like, wait a minute,
(17:40):
that shouldn't be happening on the day of Game seven.
I don't have a big issue with it. I think
those things, you know, you do them on purpose. He
was at fanatics fest. I think that there was pretty
much a reason there. But at the end of the day,
teams are gonna do what they want to do. But
here we are now, Durant to Houston odds improved from
twelve to one up into what he's eight to one,
(18:00):
seven to one, whatever it is as far as Houston
is concerned. Right now, I'll pull up DraftKings and they're
not done. Sam. There are people out there floating the
possibility that they could potentially be in play for Yanni's
as well. Now we're talking bring me Yannis Durant and
that young Houston Rockets team. Now they're gonna have to
(18:21):
give a lot to get up Yannis. But man, that
would be really entertaining a lot of people be tuning
in for those games. Durant, though, fifteen time All Star,
still playing at a high, high level, to the point
that I saw that this morning on Get Up, and
this was surprising, still in his prime. Kevin Durant three
straight seasons with twenty five points per game, fifty percent
(18:42):
field goal percentage, forty percent three point field goal percentage
as well. It's the longest streak in NBA history. So
for the people out there going, that's Kevin Durant, no
big deal. Yeah, I know he's onto another team here again,
but Kevin Durant is still a baller Houston. As far
as that trade is concerned, did they win the trade?
And your outlook right now for Durant and the Rockets.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Yeah, they fleeced them. They fleeced them. And look, the
son's sons had no leverage in these trade talks because
Kevin Durant wanted to move on from them, and they
should have wanted to move on from Kevin Durant too,
because that partnership just was was ended up being a disaster.
I mean, you go back and look at that Kevin
Durant trade. It was they got Kevin Durant and they
gave up Mchal Bridges Cam Johnson four first round picks,
(19:25):
and they got three playoff runs out of Kevin Durant
and one postseason series win. So just a disastrous experiment
with Kevin Durant and the Bradley Beal situation couple that
in it's just it was. It was an awful run,
then an awful experiment with Kevin Durant in Phoenix. So
it was bound for both sides to just depart. So
Sons really had no leverage because teams knew that that
(19:46):
it was like, Okay, Kevin Durant wants to leave, you
want you want to get rid of him because it's
best for your team. So they had no leverage. So
the Rockets were able to take advantage of the Sons
having zero leverage, and they offered Dylan Brooks, a good
player contributed to them the last few years, a really
good like three and d archetype guy. A lot of
the Rockets we one of the best defenses, and a
lot of that reason was because of Dylan Brooks. But
(20:08):
he's not a guy that you wanted to hold on to.
You get rid of Jalen Green, one of the most inefficient,
inconsistent good scores in the NBA and was awful in
the playoffs average thirteen points per game on thirty seven
percent shooting against the Warriors. Just really bad in the playoffs.
And not a guy that I think the Rockets wanted
to keep around long term. And it's not about who
you and you give him the tenth pick too, but
(20:29):
that guy wouldn't have even played on this roster because
this team is so deep, this Rockets team, even the
number three pick, Reed Shepherd last year didn't barely got
any minute for the Rockets. And that's it's really about
who the Rockets kept. They kept Jabari Smith, they kept
them in Thompson, kept Tarry Easton, Reached Shepherd, cam Whitmore.
Of course Al Branston, Goon all those guys. So now
they kept their core intact or most of the guys
(20:52):
they wanted to to keep around. And they added one
of the most efficient scorers over the last thirty years
the NBA has seen. And even he's more, he's become
more efficient as a scorer in his thirties post his
Achilles stare, which is interesting and something to note note.
Something to note for Tyree Saliburn and Jason Tatum and
some of these guys coming off Achilles injuries. But that's
(21:12):
what's so impressive. The Rockets got the guy they wanted
to help them as a go to score, a guy,
a guy who was a clutch scorer. And the Rockets
really struggled offensively in the clutch late in games. They
didn't have a go to option, and now they do,
and they didn't have to give up much. So I
think this was an absolutely great trade for the Rockets.
And the last point is, I'm not sure you gonna
become available this summer, but if he eventually does, the
(21:35):
Rockets have enough to offer a great package for Gianni's
probably still better than any team in the league. So
the Rockets executed this perfectly.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Yeah who's the do you know? I never asked a question.
You don't know the answer? General Mander in Houston.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
His Yeah, Raphael Stone. Wow, he's done an awesome job. Yeah,
he's you know who he replaced. He's done a much
better job than that guy Moury. He replaced Mari was
he Moury's guy? I don't believe, So I could be
wrong about that, but I feel like he came from
somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Interesting how that works? All right? Now you are seeing
the Rockets. They moved to plus seven fifty on DraftKings only,
trailing the thunder Calves and Nicks. How about that? Sports fans,
can I interest you in? Kevin Durant MVP next year?
Eighty to one, ah MVP.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I don't know if Katie's ever gonna win MVP again,
just because thirty six kind of sickened on him based
on how he has an impacted winning. And it's not
all his fault what happened with the Suns. They just
put a really poor roster together. It's bad roster construction.
But people kind of blame him for not impacting winning enough.
So I don't think voters will ever reward him again
with an MV pit.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Durant has now been traded three times, Warriors, Nets, Sons, Rockets.
You ready for the collective return?
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah, let's here it.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Mikeel Bridges, Dylan Brooks, Jay Crowder, Trevan Trayvon Graham. That
doesn't ring a bell to me. Jalen Green, Cam Johnson,
Shabaz Napier, The Angelo. So five first round picks, five
second round picks in one pick swap. That's according to
Yahoo's Sports.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Nice work there, Yeah, that's that's on three teams in
two and a half seasons. Like that. The guy just
jumps around and he seems seemingly never happy. But as
we know, NBA players are usually happy in Houston. So
if he can't be happy in Houston, then that guy
just needs to start seeing a better therapist, because you
should be happy in Houston.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
He had a good hit with Kay Adams live from
Fanatics Fest, and.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Adams always does good hits with him.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, she's she's good. Kay Adams has proven her worth
every single day, that's for sure. Again, very talented.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
He almost recruited Michael Parsons to the commanders on that
on that.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
See that, Yeah, Parsons. He can't help himself. He's he's
an idiot on a microphone. He just can't help himself.
All right, NBA draft, I'll get you hed her out
of here on this one again. You're coming up next
hour with Seaman ar Fantastic Lizard picks a roll coming
your way. NBA. What are we hearing? What's real? What's now?
(24:03):
What is going on with Ace Bailey? Have we got
any news there? Do you think that the seventy six
Ers could potentially still pick him at three.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
I don't think so. I think the Ace Bailey ship
has sailed. I honestly don't think the six were ever
that interested in Ace Bailey. They did a lot of
scouting on him throughout the year, pretty close by Rutgers More,
he went to some games. They I don't think they
were ever that high on ast Bailey because of the
raw talent. I think it was consideration they had to
when you get the number three pick, But I think
it was always more on the VJ. Edgecombe track. And
(24:33):
I still think that'll be the guy. I think there
could be some late Trey Johnson stuff, but that could
be smoke screeny too. I think VJ. Edgecomb is gonna
be the guy and it's not Ace Bailey. And at
this point it's like, where does Ace Bailey go? We
might be looking at a free fall from him because
his camp has handled this really poorly. He canceled his
visit and his workout with the Sixers last week, but
he hasn't visit. He hasn't worked out with any team
(24:54):
in the entire NBA. So he's trying to like pinpoint
his destination. But the reality is there obvious and glaring
flaws in his game why teams are skeptical to take
a chance on them. So I don't understand why his
camp thinks that he's good enough where they can just
dictate his destination. So when you look at how the
draft shakes up, if the Sixers don't take him at three,
(25:15):
then you're going to the Hornets at four, who don't
have a need for a S Bailey. With Miles Bridges
and Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, they just don't need
a Spalley a guy who needs the ball, an on
ball guy. They just don't need an a Speley in
that role. Then you go to the Utah and if
they want nothing to do with Utah, meaning Bailey in
his camp, then why would Utah draft this guy. Maybe
they take a chance on him because of the star potential,
(25:36):
but I just don't I don't think that it would
be wise for Utah to take a chance on a
guy who doesn't want to be there, and Bailey's can't
maybe trying to nix that completely. And then you go
all the way to Washington at six, and I think
there's a good chance Bailey falls to Washington at six,
and I think at that point the Wizards are looking
for a star, and if Bailey falls for you, there
are serious concerns. But based on the raw talent, I
(25:58):
think you just take a swing on a guy like
like Bailey if you're the Wizards, because what do you
have to lose? If you're the Washington Wizards, you know
you're not you don't have a star. You're trying to rebuild,
and you wanted a top pick and obviously you got
six was disappointing. But if Bailey's there, I think you
take them. So I think we could be looking at
a situation when Bailey completely falls out of the top five,
partly on him, but partly because of the market is
(26:19):
just soured on him.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Yeah, it's crazy what's going on right now, and I'm
still wondering what the hell is the overall game plan.
I know that people are saying, hey, he's got somebody,
you know, bad in his ear, and that could be
potentially correct, But what I would say is that like man,
these guys you look at a cross seas, you look
at soccer players. Man in Europe, they come up and
they're making unbelievable decisions at the age of seventeen, eighteen
(26:43):
years old, Like you can miss me with that excuse it.
Things have changed so much here in America, especially the
way that these college kids are getting paid. And the
rumor is Ace Bailey is making ten plus million dollars
last year at Rutgers do with everything, nil sponsorship, so
on and so forth. A Herd Reuben had a stake
in that. And I know it wasn't reported, but we
we did have some people that were extremely connected. So
(27:06):
this dude's making a ton of money, and you know,
it just doesn't seem like the the the reason is
making sense at this point in time. Also, I do
want to put this out there whether you think a
destination is a bad fit currently, who the hell plays
their whole NBA career for one team?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Who? Who?
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Who does that? Nobody? You? You, you get drafted, you
play your team, you play out like if things work out, great,
if they don't, you move on if you're a good player, Like,
what is going on with that whole thought process? I
know people are hot on the trail and saying that
he wants to play for the Lakers, he wants to
go to LA Like is that really what we're doing here.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I don't think it's that. But the only thing I
don't think the Lakers have a first round pick, correct,
The only the only thing I would say to that
is it you don't you want to set yourself up
for a great second contract when you're a rookie. So yeah,
he probably won't be at the same destination by a
second contract, but you want to set yourself up for
(28:05):
a great second contract, and that means you have to
be in a good landing spot to prove yourself in
your first contract. But look, if you're a great player,
you will fit in wherever. It doesn't matter. If you're
that good, you can go to Philadelphia on a championship
contending team and fit in. If you're that good, you
can go excel with the Jazz or the Wizards or
whoever it is. So, if you're really that talented and
not much confidence in yourself as a player and as
(28:28):
a prospect, this isn't like the NFL, where where a
quarterback could go to a really bad situation. If you're
that great of a player, you should be able to
have confidence in yourself that you can excel in any situation.
And Bailey's camp is saying that they want to be
the guys. He wants to be the guy somewhere because
they see him a superstar. But he also does want
to go all the way out to Utah. He wants
to be too guy for the close to the Northeast.
It's it's like, what are we doing here? This is
(28:49):
not how the NBA works, and you're not good enough.
If this was Cooper Flagg, A Cooper of Flag's camp
and his parents would never would never instruct him do that.
But if this was Cooper Flagg, maybe I would understand
it because that type of for that type of prospect,
you can understand him dictating his own terms. Ace Billy
is not that good. The all town is there. There
are serious question works in his game that I would
(29:10):
be really concerned about. So I don't think that this
is justifiable. His his actions, his camps actions, and we'll
see how far he falls on on on Wednesday night. Yeah,
Wednesday night, baby pretty full. It's gonna be pretty cool,
all right. Need to move the draft back, Move the
season up, move the draft back. The draft should not
(29:30):
be two three days after a Game seven of the
NBA Finals. Let's make it up more key spectacle in events.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
I'll tell you why there's too much.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
There's not enough time to discuss one from the other.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
The gambler gang is uh. If we feature a bunch
of future commissioners, I'll tell you that right now. We
got Blue Garcane, he's already fixing everything. I got Sam
Og he's gonna fix the NBA. Bernard's you know, he's
got his takes as well. Mark Henry Jr. He's got
his takes. Everybody's fixing these leagues. We need to have
a commissioner style show. I got to think about that
(30:01):
and put that together, all right, while I have you
get you out of here on this one, Sam, your
thoughts on the latest deal as far as VJ. Edgecomb
is concerned. And I just put this out here. This
is from an ESPN article. I know that this wasn't
put out by Harrison grim but I did see him
quote tweet it and it made me go, like, what
what's going on right now? Quote. While sources say Edgecomb
(30:22):
appeared nervous during his private workout in Philadelphia and did
not shoot the ball particularly well in an unnatural one
on one setting, he made a strong impression in interviews
and meetings, something the front office values more highly. Smoke,
there's fire as this, you know, throwing the kid a
bone here on the way.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Just two days before the draft. You hear reports like these.
I mean, come on, I mean, we know the Hornets
are really really into VJ. Edgecomb and they would like
him and if they if he somehow slips to them
at four, he will be the guy for the Charlotte Hornets.
So maybe it's coming from their people, even though I
don't know. It's like, it's ESPN and it's Jeremy wu
(31:00):
who put that report out, and he is good intel usually,
so it's kind of questionable. Nervous the guy played. The
guy played college basketball at the highest level. Like, I
don't think he was nervous going into an NBA workout. Yeah,
I could believe that he didnt shoot the ball well
because there are question marks about his shot and that's
something he's gonna have to develops as he goes in.
But shooting the ball poorly and being nervous aren't necessarily
(31:22):
the same thing. So I think VGG comes the guy
his athleticism. He's the best athlete in this draft. His defense,
he can play as a spot in spot up roles
which the Sixers need him attacking closeouts. He can shoot
a little bit. He has to develop that shot to
be more consistent and more efficient from out there. But
I think Vgedge comes the guy that that report is
not concerned.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
All right, So one's flag, two's Harper, three is edge
comb lock it in?
Speaker 2 (31:46):
I think yeah, I think fours Canipple right now.
Speaker 6 (31:48):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
If I'm the Hornets, I think they might take a
flyer on Canipple.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I mean he should just start tweeting these picks up
before they go like, well, I'm working on some picks
right now and some props.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
We'll be up tomorrow morning.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Who's going to the jazz at five?
Speaker 2 (32:01):
I think if ca Nipple falls there, I think they
would take Canipple. If not, I could you've been taking
a Trey Johnson. Yeah, probably Trey Johnson, maybe Jeremiah Fears,
but more likely Trey Johnson.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
All right, Sam Austrien, great stuff as always, starting it
up on the timeline, you gotta love it. Read them
over at the score does a bang up job. Be
sure to follow him at S O, S H, T
R Y and oh, by the way, coming up on
the other side picks a roll with Sean Bnard. Sam
greatly appreciate it. Awesome job this year. As far as
NBA Playoffs, NBA regular season, NBA Finals, we're not done yet.
(32:34):
We got NBA Draft and free agency, which I don't
know if we're gonna be big time players in that,
but I know moves will be made as far as
the Sixers. Third concern, but great job across the board.
Fantastic having you on this show and look forward to
more men always a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you. First season with the
Gambler Gang, first season with you, and it was awesome.
Was a lot of fun. But the season really starts
in the off season for a lot of people. So
if we're gonna keep breaking it down, I appreciate. I'll
talk to you soon, my man.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
There is Sam Ostrion the Gambler Stream coming your way
as well at five o'clock, so don't touch that dial.
I got some other odds and ends I gotta get
to before we get out of here. Of course, Major
League Baseball doesn't stop just because the Phillies aren't in action.
I got two plays.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
I'll give it to you. On the other side, your
boy was hot this weekend. How about that Nick Castiano something.
Let me tell you about that story Friday night. I'll
give you that breakdown from what took place to cash
that ticket.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
It was hysterical and uh, you know, a true chambre story.
I'll give you that on the other side, more day
ticket back into this
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