May 29, 2024 • 40 mins
Colin discusses developing quarterbacks in the NFL and the QBs General Managers would never think of trading
The Clippers need to do whatever they can to keep Paul George
Guest: Jim Paxson
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
All right, here we go. It's out WUR two live
in Los Angeles. It's The Herd. Wherever you may be
and however you may be listening. Thanks so much for
making us part of your day. Jim Paxson, who by
the way, knows Bill Walton very the late Bill Walton,
very very well. He's going to join us in a
couple of minutes. He was GM for the Cavaliers, work
(00:46):
for Crow personnel for the Chicago Bulls, and I am
now a season ticket holder, a suitetholder, wardream, a Steams
sweeth holder. So I was I saw this before we
get to him. Jim Elliott Wolf is now the official
sort of GM of the New England Patriots, and he
said playing rookie quarterback Drake may will be a collaborative decision.
(01:11):
They'll all talk about it and you know I was
thinking about this. It is considering how much time, effort,
focus and revenue the world, the football world puts in
the quarterbacks. It's very very interesting right now, how few
(01:31):
I always put quarterbacks into sort of two camps. The
first camp is if they're your quarterback because of their
expertise or something you have seen pretty consistently, you would
not pick up the phone if somebody called and was interested.
And there's only ten of these Mahomes Alan Burrow, Stafford,
(01:54):
Herbert Lamar, Trevor CJ. Stroud I think was so good
as a Row he entered it. Goff just got paid
in Jordan Love Packers aren't taking a phone call. Texans
aren't taking a phone call. Now Anthony Richardson could be there,
but he's not yet. So the first group is you're
a general manager, you're not picking up the phone. The
(02:16):
second group is you're not going to make the call,
but you would pick up the phone and listen. There
may be something that sort of irks you or disappoints you.
Dak Kirk, Cousins, Kyler, Jalen Hurtzbrock, perty Russell, Wilson, Tua Baker, Mayfield,
Deshaun and yes, Aaron Rodgers. If somebody offered you a
couple of first round picks at the trade deadline and
(02:36):
you're four and four, they would take the call. And
then everybody else is in the next category where basically
you're the GM and you're making calls for your quarterback.
Now again, there's a lot of young guys. Anthony Richardson's
fascinating to me, but I don't know. I don't think
he's in either camp right now. So it's you're not
making calls or taking calls. You'd take calls, but you
(02:57):
don't necessarily make him. But it's interesting because it used
to be in my life that you got three full
seasons Eli Manning. You know you can you can mess up.
You could throw a lot of interceptions, you could have flaws.
I believe by your second Thanksgiving, teams privately make a decision.
(03:18):
So I think Will Levis and Bryce Young when Carolina
plays December first Tampa Bay Buccaneers, that will be the
day people in Carolina make the decision on Bryce Young
his second Thanksgiving. It used to be third or beyond
Will Levis with all those receivers offensive coach, they'll know
(03:40):
by Thanksgiving. In Nashville. Are we keeping or moving off?
They're not going to go public with it, but they'll
but they'll know. And with that, Jim Paxson, Bulls Cams
eleven years, two time All Star, is now joining us
live many playoff appearances, and I want to I want
to get right to it. First of all, Jim, thanks
(04:01):
for taking time. I want to ask you about Bill Walton.
So I you know, you played for the Blazers and
the Celtics, and I covered the Blazers for years, and
I thought Bill was almost perfect for Portland. He was
a little bit quirky, a little bit grainy, a little
bit ethereal loved his basketball, but he fit. If they
(04:25):
could have ever had a star, it's Bill Walton in Portland.
And when you think of the late Bill Walton in
his prime and the videos and the discussion at his best,
how good was he?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
He has to be one of the best all time
centers ever. Obviously his injuries cut him short from having
that legacy be even more. But for our paths actually crossed.
My rookie year was the year he went to San
Diego and there was compensation in Kermit Washington game. Yeah,
to the Blazers. But then that when I was traded
(05:04):
to Boston, he was still practicing and I still remember
one time making a back door cut and I didn't
even see the ball and it just hit me in
my hands. And he just had a gift division, you know,
Jokic before his time. You know, he just was a
great player. And I watched him before getting there because
(05:25):
Johnny Davis was on that championship team who played at
Dayton and that I played with. So Bill was a
He was just a great player, but also a generous
kind man.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
You lived with them for a summer after retirement, did
you not.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
It was actually before retirement, and because I had gotten
to know him, my kids were living down in San
Diego with their mom, and I spent the summer there
and it was just a great experience. I remember one
time my kids spent the night. His kids were there
and they all ended up sleeping in the tepee that
he had in his backyard, and he just opened his
(06:04):
house up to me. How Bill showed himself in the
media later on in his career, That's how he was
every day. He was just so open and just a
generous man.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You know, Jim, It's interesting that Bill was such a
unique personality and because he was great. If a player
is great, you can just accept their quirks. But Bill
saw the world differently. You know, he was anti war,
very political, and I wonder if it's revisionist history. Did
(06:38):
he ever get pushback from players or did everybody always
just initially accept Bill.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
My experience was they accepted him, I know in Portland,
and he actually, when he came back to Portland in
two thousand and nine twenty ten, apologized for how he
handled himself back then. But the injuries, and when you're
young player, injuries can impact how you view the world.
And I think as he went through his life he
(07:06):
viewed the world differently and from a different perspective and
was a lot more grateful. But as far as my
relationship and playing against him and being around him, players
always accepted Bill and loved having him around.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah, you had so many notable teammates, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale,
Ange I was talking earlier, I said, Jason Tatum is
in year seven, but he's played one hundred and eight
playoff games, so those are hard minutes. So he's played
eight seasons and he plays every night, and he plays
hard on both ends. So this is not a guy
that rests on the defensive end or does load management.
(07:41):
And Boston's a pressure cooker. And I said it's unfair,
but there is a standard with the Yankees, with the Lakers,
I was saying this earlier, Jim, the Lakers best starting
five all time, Shaq and Wilt would come off the bench.
I mean that's the Lakers standard. And the Celtics similarly,
Russell Casey Jones, I mean Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Bob Coosey,
(08:06):
I mean just John havelcheck people forget and I don't
criticize Tatum, but I have said over and over the
standards different in Boston. You do have to win rings
in Boston. Jeter is the standard in New York. And
do you think how do you view Tatum as a player,
a pressure player, a big stage player, and a player overall.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I look at Jason is that he has all the tools.
He does, he guards, he's able to score with the ball,
he helps his teammates. But you said it, Colin, he
needs to win some championships to really put his stamp
on it. But he's a top five to six player
in the League today and sometimes like their whole team,
(08:50):
does they rely a lot on the three point shot, Yes,
but when he's aggressive and gets to the foul line,
gets to the basket, their team's better for it. What
he's done without winning a championship at his age is incredible,
and I think he will win some championships with this
current Celtic team that they put together.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
So do I you know, Jimmt's fascinating. So I saw
footage Jokic goes in the second round. I saw European
footage of Luca, and I will admit, I'm like, he's
kind of plump, He's not really vertical. I'm like, Okay,
I guess he'll be great. Most of the great players
(09:32):
that I watched growing up seventies, eighties, nineties, there was
a dynamic athleticism, there was a vertical nature with many
of the European I could argue the two best players
in the world now are Jokic and Luca, and they're different.
They come in very skilled, almost more mature and focused.
So when you scout, you've worked pro personnel for the
(09:54):
Bulls for years, have you altered the way you view players?
As the lead has become more European, How has it
been challenging for you?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Well, what you mentioned was the first tape I saw
on Luca, I saw some of the same things. But
the first game I watched him in the NBA, he
just jumped out with his ability and that he's kind
of been able to do it even better now is
he kind of controls the game from the beginning to
the end. He knows where he's going to pass the ball.
(10:28):
But I heard a story his rookie year in training camp.
He came down the first or second day and took
a long three and missed, and coach Carlisle said to him,
you may have been able to do that in euro League,
you can't do that now. And he came down the
next time, took the same shot and made it. And
that's just his makeup. He just has that it factor
(10:49):
and he sees the play like Jokic two passes ahead,
and I do consider them the two best players in
the NBA right now. So to your question about how
you evaluate, you know, when you really see players early
in their career, players that have great vision, great feel,
and have ability to manage the game with the ball
(11:10):
the way those two do can dominate and give yourself
a chance to win championships.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
The Aunt Edwards is really fun to watch, and I
do think I said about him two months ago, I said,
I think Wemby an Aunt could be the face of
the league after the trade deadline next year. They both
need some growth. Wemby needs a better teammate or two
and Ant just has to refine his game. So Ant,
like most domestic players, plays like a year of college
(11:38):
comes in. He's raw. You're watching him develop. He's super athletic.
When you watch Ant, what do you like and what
does he have to work on? Jim?
Speaker 3 (11:50):
What I like about is his energy and effort that
he brings every night. That's real, and when he has
his game going, when it rubs off on all his teammates,
I think. And last night where he evolved was when
they were coming at him in double teams. He got
rid of the ball a little bit quicker yep. Sometimes
(12:10):
he tries to do too much with the ball, and
I thought when he did get to the rim, he'll
learn to get more fouls. He should be a ten
plus free throw a game player based on his physical tools.
But he's just learning how to play Colin. He's just
scratching the surface and it'll be a lot of fun
(12:31):
to watch him develop. And he's not afraid and that's
a key ingredient to reach in that franchise level player.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
The quality of play, I believe is the best it's
ever been in the NBA. Are there challenges as a
personnel guy on mixing the domestic player who has very
often needs has athleticism but needs skill and the European
player that comes in highly skilled. Does it make your
(13:00):
job easier more difficult? It feels like you're literally having
two basketball worlds Jim and the NBA is the meeting
place and they're melting into each other. Is that good?
Is it harder? Is it easier? How did it affect
personnel for you?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
I think it's good for the league, But I think
in today's game, it's just hard to build championship type teams.
There's so many factors that go into it. So the
blend of American players and foreign players that's going to
continue to happen, and how you put teams together. But
I think you need a mix, but it's just hard
(13:41):
to build championship teams today under the financial constraints. I
live in Phoenix, I go to a lot of Suns games.
They've got five players under contract for next year combined
are going to make two hundred and nine million dollars,
And how do you build and make that team better?
So there's challenges every day. So it's not just about
(14:01):
the international impact and putting them with current American players,
but it's just how do you build a team that
can sustain and go for championships year in and year out?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Is it hard? Sometimes? In a market like a Boston
or a Chicago, Philadelphia. These are loud markets, talk radio columns.
People want to win now, Like the West Coast. LA
is a big city, but it's a little chill compared
to Philly, Boston, Chicago, Detroit when you're building the big
market team. So Phoenix is a smaller market, not a
(14:36):
lot of Fortune five hundred companies, A lot of people
are from other parts of the country, so you can
kind of slow build if you want. Are there Sometimes
Philadelphia's got cap space mb loud media. Did that ever
affect you? Also there's the shadow of MJ having been
there and built the great teams of all time?
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Is it harder?
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Sometimes? Does market size matter? Not only for players but executives.
Do you feel rushed sometimes in these big loud sports meccas.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Definitely, I think you can feel rushed. And you know
Boston this year, they've made the finals, but if they
don't win it this year, there's going to be a
lot of talk about that. And in Chicago, I think,
you know, we're at a place right now where everything's
on the table to kind of see what we can
do to get out of the play in scenario and
(15:28):
move up in the East. But it's going to be challenging,
so there's definitely more pressure. I would say though in La,
based on the Lakers history, is that even though it's
more chill, there's pressure, especially with Lebron being a free
agent this summer, is you know, Lebron's in it now
to win, and so there's pressure on the Laker ownership
(15:49):
and management to put a team around him that can
go win.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Jim Paxon, what an absolute pleasure. I love going down
memory Lane with the Bill Walton and your kids staying
with his and the teepee in the backyard in San Diego.
That is so fitting and so perfect. A pleasure to
finally talk to you and thanks for coming on the Herd.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Enjoy to Colin, thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Jim Paxson now spends his time in Arizona, his career
with the Bulls of professionally winding down, so maybe he
can latch onto some consulting stuff with the Suns. Phoenix
is a fascinating team for me because the beal thing
doesn't appear to work. Grayson Allen was but got hurt.
You could get a ton for Booker, maybe not as
(16:31):
much for KD, but you probably have to keep those two.
So that's Phoenix is a really interesting team. I don't
love doubling down when something doesn't feel like it's right.
It's like the Giants and Daniel Jones. What are you
doubling down for? I don't know if I double down
if I was Phoenix, but they've oh. In my lifetime,
Phoenix has been good a lot, a lot now. I
(16:53):
grew up with Westball, Alvin Adams, Gar Hurd and you
got the kJ Barkley teams, Dan Marley, Phoenix has had
Phoenix more times than I can remember. Has been this close,
but it unravels, it doesn't quite deliver. They end up
facing a dynasty, but they have been so close.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
But so you would consider moving one of the big
stars even after I don't think you're and Durant just
got basically one year together.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Games wise, I think, I don't think the Beal thing works,
and I'm surprised he's more injury prone than I thought.
Grayson Allen works. Booker needs help around him. When it
pre Chris Paul, they were bad with Booker. I don't
think Booker's all one. I think he's a great two
(17:40):
and I think Kevin Durant I think always now they
may look desperate. Now that's why all the signals and
all the talk publicly is, hey, we're not moving KD.
But if somebody called on KD, I'd move. But if
I could get Booker.
Speaker 5 (17:53):
You think you don't think Booker could be a one
on a champion? No, no, no, I mean they went
to the finals. Chris Paul was like the leader, but
Booker was the best player.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Yeah, I don't think you can win with kid Tatum?
Speaker 4 (18:03):
Can you win a final with Tatum is your number one?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I do think so if he has the right pieces
around him, I think Boston should be favored in the finals.
I think Tatum is a better player than Booker. He's
a first of all, he's a longer player. He is
a better defensive player. Tatum is a better player than Booker.
They're both great, but I mean Tatum is. Tatum's a
better That's not even disputable.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Because remember, like a month ago, we said, Anthony Edwards is,
you know, obviously clear and better than Booker.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
No, O, that's yes. But but ant ceiling is higher
to me than Tatum. But right now, Tatum's more consistently
delivering the goods.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Well, what I would like to see from Booker is
what I saw from Aunt second half. Ant was distributing,
he was basically the point guard. Conley was off the
ball and had I think nine assist last night. Yeah,
I want to see more of that from Everybody's trying
to be right on Ant, folks.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
He's going to be great. Stop weighing in on Ant
after every game. He's gonna be fine. He's not a
refined player. These guys don't come into the NBA with
four years of college.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Can you imagine what people said about Jordan when he
was getting swept like his first two or three years
in the league, like swept in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Oh, it's really good, but I don't know. I think
it'd be that one.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
You know, I think you know what was interesting about
that is that when Jordan was getting knocked around, he
was still beloved. He had this great Nike campaign. It's
the coolest campaign ever. Michael's game was we'd never seen it.
And nobody liked the Pistons. And not that many people
out of Boston like Boston. They were like physical, tackling you.
People like the Lakers and magic people of the Bulls
(19:31):
all over the country, not that many people like the Pistons.
They were seen as like under talented, over aggressive. Nobody like,
nobody liked that. Nobody liked that team. And the Boston
was they were feisty, they were really good. I did
not like Boston, Yeah, I mean I always said, like
the Celtics were dunkin Donuts. The further away you get
(19:52):
from Boston, the less popular. The Lakers are. Like Starbucks.
Wait a minute, they're from They're from the West Coast.
But you could go to Beijing, you could go to Boise,
you could go to Baltimore. Everybody kind of likes Starbuck.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Wait, so you don't like dunkin Donuts.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I think when I lived out East, I drank it,
but I'm saying it's if you prime example, when I
lived out East, you see Red Sox hats everywhere now
and then you'd go a couple of states away and
you'd occasionally see a Red Sox hat. You see a
Yankee hat everywhere in the You see it in London.
I saw one in Italy. I see him in Seattle.
You see a Yankee hat everywhere. Dunkin Donuts in the
(20:29):
Red Sox, the Celtics. Now, the Celtics are the biggest brand,
but but I do think Boston is really big in
like Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the further away you get,
where's the Laker brand feels up there? It's all pat Also,
the Laker brand's cooler, of course it's it's it feels
(20:50):
bigger and broad time show time.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Like they show Celtics, Like who's in the front row.
It's like one of the Wohlberg brothers, and it's not
Mark Wohlberg. It's like one of the other guys.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Who nobody really know whatever.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
No, but come on, Lakers games. You got like real celebrities,
Lake Knicks games.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Celtic games. A blogger could end up being like here,
Bill Simmons, right a blogger. Well, he's not. He's what
is he? Well, he's very podcast start sorry, podcast, let's
not you know, I'm not taking shots. That seems like
you guys are boys. I don't see Bill. He doesn't call,
he doesn't text.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
He well, he listens to the show and then text.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Very busy running a big empire. Serious success is more
than everything's a shot with you. I I have to
literally get my wet blanket ready to cool down your
shots and takes. Success is more than death. Bill's a blogger. Really,
you've reduced him to that.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week. Within the iHeartRadio app, Search Herd
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Speaker 1 (21:48):
Luxury SUV is now coming with a Luxury of Choice.
Mercedes Benz has gas electric plug in hybrid offerings. Go
to nbusa dot com slash special offers. J Mack with the.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
News, No no turns. This is the herdline news.
Speaker 5 (22:04):
All right, let's go back to that Timberwolves thrilling. What
O five one hundred game four victory? After the game,
check this video out. Anthony Edwards met up with Micah
Parsons of the Cowboys and uh asked afterwards. The media
asked him, Hey, what was said between you and Michael Parsons.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
It's also about I always see him for game six?
Speaker 5 (22:23):
What where's that cop?
Speaker 6 (22:26):
What am I supposed to say? I'm supposed to say
we're gonna lose Game five. No, I'm not gonna never
say that. Michael Parsies. You know, he was rocking the
A one and I told him he wears I was fourteen.
I bring it back some nice shoes for game six.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
That's what I told him.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
There you go.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
It's pretty cool Anthony Edwards. He just seems like a
cool guy. He's funny, he's confident. If you go back
to that video Colin Michael Parsons is considered one of
the biggest, baddest, scariest dudes in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Anthony Edwards is as big as him.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
So what Austin Rivers says, NBA guys can jump into
the NFL, I'm sorry, I think Anthony Edwards could just
be plugged into.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
The blue door. Anthony Edwards. I do think there are
a handful of guys that Lebron in his prime could have.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
I mean, I know Michaeh.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
Parsons is a monster in the NFL. Anthony Edwards is
looking him in the eye.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Now.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
I know parsons arms are way bigger because he's you know,
doing the weights and stuff. But Anthony Edwards is a
big dude, and he actually played kind of good defense
on Luca.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Last night.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
They switched the matchups. Jaden McDaniel's on to Kyrie. It
impacted Kyrie. He was six of eighteen and Ant forced
Luca into seven or twenty one. Luca did not have
a great game, So a nice move by your guy,
Chris Finch putting superstar Anthony Edwards on Luca.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
I don't know how long that will last.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
Luca only shot five for fifteen with Aunt defending him.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Um, I'm a little nerves I'm a little nervous for Dallas.
I'm sorry, Colin Well.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I think Aunt on Luca Kyrie is just a tattoo
quick for everybody in the world. Yeah, whereas you don't
get that it's more of a size and physicality against Lucas.
So maybe they found their magic.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Possibly, but there's also the you know, like, hey man,
when you watch them on sitting, they don't Carl anthonk
Towns Edwards. They have no fear, they don't care they're
down three, They're like playing fearless. It's I don't know
about the house money analogy.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Hey, you know we'd beat Denver. We knocked them off.
Speaker 5 (24:22):
Like they don't seem to be scared or even realize
how big this moment is. And I just something tells
me that the series is It's gonna have a few
more games. I'm not feeling great about Dallas. Next up,
some breaking news here. The paper Clips have secured Tie
lou to a multi year extension and they will make
(24:42):
him one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA.
So one of the Lakers targets officially off the table,
Tylus staying with the Clippers. Now, a couple of layers here,
Number one, do you what do you think this does
for Paul George?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Do you think he's more or less likely to go back?
This doesn't matter at all, considered a really good.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
I don't know how you could let Paul George go.
Kawhi is available half the time. I'm not banking on
long term Westbrook or Harden. I think gimme Terrence Man,
gimme Paul George Kawhi when he's available, I'd move off
everybody else. I mean, I think they got little size.
That's okay, Tylu. I mean to me, the fundamental key
(25:24):
is the owner's good, the front office good. I like
Paul George, Terrence Man, one of their bigs, Tylu like that.
That's their core. These older guards i'd move off of.
I think Kawhi, you just hang on for dear life
for the rest of his contract. But he's available half
the time and less than that in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
So the other angle.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Last week there was a report that Lebron's pie in
the sky was Tyleru and Kyrie Irving. That's who he
had wanted. Tyleru is now off the table. Kyrie Irving
is one went away from the finals. He ain't gonna
be going anywhere. What does this mean for the Lakers,
their crosstown rival.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
I don't think I'm anything there. We're never going to
get Tylu, and I don't think they're going to get
Paul George. Steve Palmer is not gonna let the rival
Lakers steal Paul George. They're not going to give him.
They're not going to give him. Terrence Man Paul, George TYLERU,
those three, Lawrence Frank in the front office. They're not
you don't get those guys.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
So we're still you're still pretty confidence JJ Reddick is
the guy for the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
I'm I don't know, but I think I'm not confident.
I think he'd be fine. I think that's the most
interesting coach, and you and I are in the interesting business.
Whether or not it's the best coach, I don't know.
I think JJ Reddick would be fascinating, and I think
it's it would be. I don't think he would turn
that job down.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
But long this goes with no Lakers announcement, Reddick announcing
the NBA Finals.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
It feels like it's.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
A lot final story. Now, this one is super spicy Colin.
The Vikings obviously took JJ McCarthy with the twelfth overall
pick in the draft, but according to We's Out of Minnesota,
the Vikings tried to trade up to the fifth pick
to select Maleik Neighbors. The Vikings wanted Molik Neighbors, the
LSU receiver. The Chargers flirted with trading their pick, but
(27:12):
they instead it take Joe Alt, the offensive lineman. The
report indicates that if the Vikings were able to get neighbors,
they would have traded Justin Jefferson.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
He is angling for a big, fat new contract.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Yeah, I'll let you take this one. If I'm Justin
Jefferson and I'm reading this, listen, there's clearly smoke to this.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
We talked about it before the draft.
Speaker 5 (27:36):
Could you get a massive haul for Justin Jefferson, a
herschel Walker type deal where you get a bunch of picks.
Jefferson still does not have his contract. Vikings have a
quarterback now on the rookie deal.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I go back to the Vikings draft. Do they pick
a receiver anywhere in that draft? I don't have that up.
I don't have it in front of me. Listen. I
think with Jeffers Justin you're gonna get some ego, You're
gonna get expense, you're gonna get touchdowns. I think he's
really an all timer. But you know it does tell
me it's just like Brandon. I you forty nine ers.
(28:11):
Why hasn't he signed? Justin Jefferson. Why isn't he signed?
It's it's there's I think there's a little bit of
a wide receiver bubble.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
It's a little frothy, and they did not take a receiver.
By the way, they did not.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Draft a receiver. All right, Well they've got they've got
a couple.
Speaker 4 (28:25):
I like they got Jordan Adison last year.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
It was really good.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Yeah, he's really good.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I know everybody loves Jefferson.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
He's the top jersey seller in the Vikings, one of
the best, top than the league Clent.
Speaker 4 (28:37):
He's gonna want more than aj Brown got.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
And I know the Vikings have their guy on a
rookie deal, and Addison's on a rookie deal too. I
don't know that it's a winning formula to pay a
receiver thirty two plus million dollars.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
I think, well, you and I think you and I
have talked about this. There's there's five things you got
to get right to win a Super Bowl. To me,
you gotta get the coach right, got to get the
quarterback right, got to get the left tackle right, got
to get a pass rusher right, and got to get
one good weapon. That's kind of it to me. I
don't think cornerback is as vital as everybody says. I
think center could be six, not corner They're underrated. But
(29:09):
so there's five things to me, you got to have
I mean you go back to that Ram Super Bowl.
They had the coach, they had the weapon, Cooper Cup,
they had Stafford, Andrew Whitworth and Aaron Donald. They had
the five things. They didn't have great linebackers all banged
up at safety, weren't spectacular at running back. Like you
look at Kansas City. They got the quarterback, they got
(29:30):
the weapon, they got Chris Jones, the pass rusher. I
mean they moved off Tyreek Hill because they thought Travis
Kelsey was a good enough weapon. They've got the coach
and Andy Reid for them. It's like left tackles kind
of the a little bit of an eyesore right now.
But I don't think in the NFL. I have a theory.
You can't be terrible anywhere because the coaching's too good.
You can be mediocre in multiple places, can't be terrible anywhere,
(29:54):
but you almost have to be elite at five spots. Coach, quarterback,
left tackle, weapon, edge rusher, or pass rusher. And so
I think I think I would pay for Justin Jefferson.
I think if you were the king, you would. I
think I would because I'm not paying the quarterbacks. And
I think they have a great left tackle. Great left tackle.
J Jefferson's the weapon. I love their head coach. So
(30:17):
you start looking at what you know, they're edge rushers.
If not great, they upgraded that, so they're pretty good there.
They may have to, you know, go back and look
at their draft. I think their space on a rookie
contract to get your guys.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
So the Raiders traded for DeVante Adams. He was at
the time the highest maid receiver.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
They didn't have a quarterback. It didn't matter. Devontae Adams
is not taking.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
You anyone now.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
I'm sorry Vikings fans, Justin Jefferson is not taking you
anywhere for the next couple of years with this massive inflation.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
That doesn't mean he can't become the player that takes
you over the top. If JJ McCarthy develops, doesn't mean
he won't be that. I think i'd pay him, but
I again, you swallow hard on this stuff. Receivers at
thirty five million, I'd front loaded. I'd do what I could.
It would worry me. I have no problem paying a
(31:06):
left tackle and a quarterback and an edge rusher. That
wide receiver I've come to terms forever I called wide
receivers icing not the cake. I've come to terms with.
They're a little icing and part of the cake because
the rule changes. I was never a big believer in
receivers won Super Bowls. Just have rotating quality guys. But
I have to be honest if I'm almost preaching look
forward not backward. Look look winshield, not rear view mirror.
(31:29):
The receiver position has changed due to rules, so they
are really really valuable. Rams don't win that thing without
Cooper cut That's fair.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
He also wasn't a first round pick. I don't think
he's heard round pick sir. Yeah, he wasn't ever like
the highest paid receiver.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I don't believe.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Maybe for like us a hot minute, but I'll even
you look back at the Bengals team that got there
with Jamar Chase, like, I don't know that they're paying
Chase is now Higgins and Burrow, Like, well, why wouldn't
you start to wonder?
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Let Bills move off Diggs. People are moving off the end.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
But Jamar Chase is better than Diggs. Is Okay, Justin
Jefferson and is better. There's like four guys in the
league you have to pay to me. Justin's one of them,
and then there's another four or five guys. I want
to pay if I can get it right. But these
are hard decisions.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
Everybody's viewsed it that way. Oh you got to have
a star receiver.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
I'm gonna go a little opposite and I'm gonna say no,
I would rather, you know, rolled the dike.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Give me more draft picks, give me more, let me
try more.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Tank me down.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You can just have a good receiver like Garrett Wilson
of the Jets.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Gary Wilson is in that next year for you, dude,
Come geez, take a jet.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Herd line on this day of strong takes, no hot ones.
I will discuss a player and now underrated he is.
I will go to bat for this player again.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Coming up, be sure to catch live editions of The
Herd weekdays and noone Easter nine am Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Two NBA Insiders podcasting twice a week to plug you
right into the end a great.
Speaker 7 (33:00):
Fight, all happening in only one place, this league Uncut.
The New NBA Podcast with Me Chris Haynes and me
Mark Stein join us as we team up to expound
on everything we're covering Hearing and Chason.
Speaker 5 (33:15):
Listen to This League Uncut with Chris Haynes and Mark Stein.
Speaker 7 (33:19):
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (33:25):
The United Football League continues this weekend on Fox in
a regular season finale on Saturday. In a playoff Breathing You,
the San Antonio Bramos take on this Saint Louis BattleHawks
at four Eastern, and on Sunday, the Houston Roughnecks battle
of the Memphis Showboats at seventh. It all kicks off
on Fox and the Fox Sports App.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I was at the beach bar in Rhode Island this
past weekend. UFL was on TV. Not the Red Sox,
not the Celtics, UFL Rhode Island. You ever been there?
Speaker 3 (33:58):
No?
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Am I missing disparage at like Chicago.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
I did date a girl in college who said that
there was a town in Rhode Island that was so
cool and everybody wanted to like go there and live there.
Do you know what the town I'm talking about, I'm
spacing on it, but Newport, Newport, That's it is it amazing.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Bellevue Avenue is one of America's most fascinating streets. It's
where the richest people in the world lived one hundred
and some years ago, the Rockefellers one hundred and fifty
years ago.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Whatever.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
Newport, Rhode Island.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Newport, Rhode Island beautiful, one of America's most beautiful areas
of the country.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
So you want to gas up the private jet and
take me there one time.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
I don't have a private jet. It's about a forty
minute drive from my place. I love Rhode Island. I
love it. I like not where I like to go.
It's the Haversham Tavern in Charlestown. That's good.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
Look West Virginia. Oh, Charlestown, Rhode Islandod Island.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Oh wow, that's party time. Put bands in the back
of that place.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
A lot of Boston accents.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
Oh god, Red Sox hats, Patriot hats everyone. I tell you,
I go East, I put on Patriots. I am one
of them. Est Sam Adams, it's so much fun. How
to get out of your little bubble. So you know,
for years I've been saying that I love Paul George,
(35:20):
and people bang on Paul George and I'm like, there's
a rumor this morning that if he left the Clippers,
I'd never let him go. I mean, you can't depend
on Harden and Kawhi is never available. The two things
I'm keeping are Tyleru, Paul George, and I like Terrence
Man as a player. But there's a lot of rumors
that DeMar DeRozan would be a Clipper if Paul George left.
(35:44):
So Paul George in his playoff careers averaged twenty one,
seven and a half and four and a plus defender.
So here is averages. Paul George playoff averages. A lot
of those games against that excellent defensive team in Miami
with Lebrond, Wade, Bosh, all those guys. So let's play
blind resume J Mack blind. We do this in football
(36:08):
all the time with quarterbacks. Blind resume. This in Paul's
played in the international era, more skill than ever, harder
to defend, players than ever, can't use the hand check,
Biggs can shoot and hit threes. You guys want to
play the blind resume game, here we go. Paul George
twenty one point seven and a half rebounds, four assists.
(36:29):
On the other side, is somebody who's just slightly higher
in points per game, lower and rebounds. Who is this player?
Doctor J? Doctor J didn't have to face biggs that
could hit a three, or international players had some rules
where you could grab players no foul called very interesting.
(36:52):
Let's go to another iteration of Paul George. Now this
player is little higher in the cysts, but lower on
the points and rebounds playoff career numbers. Who would that be?
Blind resume Clyde Drexler, all time great. And by the way,
(37:13):
Clyde wasn't playing defense like Paul George. You know want
playing Paul George defense. All this Paul George Slanders stops
right here. So let's go to the next player for
our radio audience. This player averages one more point a game,
but fewer rebounds, slightly more assists, very much aligned Paul
(37:35):
George playoff career. And this is the great John Havelcheck. Now, now,
in fairness, Paul gets to hit a three. John didn't.
John I think is historically viewed as the greater player
and should be because he played on those Dynasty teams.
Havelcheck I think he was an Ohio State Buckeye if
I'm correct, But that's an all time one. Here's another player.
(37:59):
So the beverage is the same. Paul's a better rebounder
by almost a rebound and a half. The assists are
pretty even. Who is this player? Jimmy Butler? Playoff Jimmy Butler?
Both excellent defenders, both excellent. Kind of funny, isn't it
(38:21):
one the last one? So this player? The averages are
the same, the rebounds are the same, but Paul's the
better passer. Here's one more to all the shade throwing
Paul George peeps Kawhi and Paul actually shows up to
play on a more consistent basis. Isn't that intro? Doctor
(38:44):
j Drexler, Jimmy Butler Paul George equal or better?
Speaker 5 (38:49):
I gotta give you a yellow card in soccer. This
is a caution for the Kawhi comparison. He's been the
Finals MVP twice.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Come on, You've done a great job in the space
on this show, but if you were not available on
Thursday and Tuesday, I'd be like, we gotta make calls.
You gotta be available. I don't want to hear about
Kawhi yet. And also, Paul's a better leader than Kawhi.
Kawhi is like nonverbal and then kind of interesting though
(39:18):
when you're blind in resume, when I hear about Paul George,
if he leaves, I like Damar DeRozan. He's not Paul George. Yeah,
you're not Paul George.
Speaker 5 (39:25):
You can see a little more than just points, rebounds, assists,
either shooting percentage just kind of matter you.
Speaker 1 (39:30):
We want some exit velocity now, I'll say this, Paul George.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
Early Paul Pacers, Paul George. He was unbelievable and I
still think he's.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Very very I think the Clippers drag him down even
though he's been very good for the Clippers.
Speaker 5 (39:44):
Dude, does he want to take a pay cut or
does he want to get a max salary from the
seventy six ers.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
Clippers are not paying him more than Kawhi Leonard.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
They're not.
Speaker 4 (39:53):
They said, we're giving Kawhi less than the max.
Speaker 5 (39:55):
He's gonna take it, are you?
Speaker 1 (39:59):
This whole segment was just to illustrate the most underrated
player in the league. I have been on this for
a decade. I've been on this. I think I was
on this just about the time I came to FS one,
so about eight years. I don't understand when you I
watch Paul George, I'm like versatile defender, excellent wing defender.
(40:22):
You can put them on different people. Can hit a jay,
can hit a three, can score at the rim, scores
in transition, pull up and hit a jumper. I don't
know what you guys don't like and like a nice guy,
Like everybody likes Paul George, like a nice guy.
Speaker 4 (40:34):
He is supposed to be.
Speaker 5 (40:35):
Maybe maybe nice guy's finished last and he needs more
dog in him.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
I don't know, He's got plenty of dogs.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
If you're the Sixers, would you go after Paul George
or Carl Anthony Towns?
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Paul George, okay, yeah, plus defender, more consistent, thirty four,
a little less scorely. Cat's good though, all right, Another
hour still left. Bringing the heat today
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
All right, here we go. It's out WUR two live
in Los Angeles. It's The Herd. Wherever you may be
and however you may be listening. Thanks so much for
making us part of your day. Jim Paxson, who by
the way, knows Bill Walton very the late Bill Walton,
very very well. He's going to join us in a
couple of minutes. He was GM for the Cavaliers, work
(00:46):
for Crow personnel for the Chicago Bulls, and I am
now a season ticket holder, a suitetholder, wardream, a Steams
sweeth holder. So I was I saw this before we
get to him. Jim Elliott Wolf is now the official
sort of GM of the New England Patriots, and he
said playing rookie quarterback Drake may will be a collaborative decision.
(01:11):
They'll all talk about it and you know I was
thinking about this. It is considering how much time, effort,
focus and revenue the world, the football world puts in
the quarterbacks. It's very very interesting right now, how few
(01:31):
I always put quarterbacks into sort of two camps. The
first camp is if they're your quarterback because of their
expertise or something you have seen pretty consistently, you would
not pick up the phone if somebody called and was interested.
And there's only ten of these Mahomes Alan Burrow, Stafford,
(01:54):
Herbert Lamar, Trevor CJ. Stroud I think was so good
as a Row he entered it. Goff just got paid
in Jordan Love Packers aren't taking a phone call. Texans
aren't taking a phone call. Now Anthony Richardson could be there,
but he's not yet. So the first group is you're
a general manager, you're not picking up the phone. The
(02:16):
second group is you're not going to make the call,
but you would pick up the phone and listen. There
may be something that sort of irks you or disappoints you.
Dak Kirk, Cousins, Kyler, Jalen Hurtzbrock, perty Russell, Wilson, Tua Baker, Mayfield,
Deshaun and yes, Aaron Rodgers. If somebody offered you a
couple of first round picks at the trade deadline and
(02:36):
you're four and four, they would take the call. And
then everybody else is in the next category where basically
you're the GM and you're making calls for your quarterback.
Now again, there's a lot of young guys. Anthony Richardson's
fascinating to me, but I don't know. I don't think
he's in either camp right now. So it's you're not
making calls or taking calls. You'd take calls, but you
(02:57):
don't necessarily make him. But it's interesting because it used
to be in my life that you got three full
seasons Eli Manning. You know you can you can mess up.
You could throw a lot of interceptions, you could have flaws.
I believe by your second Thanksgiving, teams privately make a decision.
(03:18):
So I think Will Levis and Bryce Young when Carolina
plays December first Tampa Bay Buccaneers, that will be the
day people in Carolina make the decision on Bryce Young
his second Thanksgiving. It used to be third or beyond
Will Levis with all those receivers offensive coach, they'll know
(03:40):
by Thanksgiving. In Nashville. Are we keeping or moving off?
They're not going to go public with it, but they'll
but they'll know. And with that, Jim Paxson, Bulls Cams
eleven years, two time All Star, is now joining us
live many playoff appearances, and I want to I want
to get right to it. First of all, Jim, thanks
(04:01):
for taking time. I want to ask you about Bill Walton.
So I you know, you played for the Blazers and
the Celtics, and I covered the Blazers for years, and
I thought Bill was almost perfect for Portland. He was
a little bit quirky, a little bit grainy, a little
bit ethereal loved his basketball, but he fit. If they
(04:25):
could have ever had a star, it's Bill Walton in Portland.
And when you think of the late Bill Walton in
his prime and the videos and the discussion at his best,
how good was he?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
He has to be one of the best all time
centers ever. Obviously his injuries cut him short from having
that legacy be even more. But for our paths actually crossed.
My rookie year was the year he went to San
Diego and there was compensation in Kermit Washington game. Yeah,
to the Blazers. But then that when I was traded
(05:04):
to Boston, he was still practicing and I still remember
one time making a back door cut and I didn't
even see the ball and it just hit me in
my hands. And he just had a gift division, you know,
Jokic before his time. You know, he just was a
great player. And I watched him before getting there because
(05:25):
Johnny Davis was on that championship team who played at
Dayton and that I played with. So Bill was a
He was just a great player, but also a generous
kind man.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
You lived with them for a summer after retirement, did
you not.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
It was actually before retirement, and because I had gotten
to know him, my kids were living down in San
Diego with their mom, and I spent the summer there
and it was just a great experience. I remember one
time my kids spent the night. His kids were there
and they all ended up sleeping in the tepee that
he had in his backyard, and he just opened his
(06:04):
house up to me. How Bill showed himself in the
media later on in his career, That's how he was
every day. He was just so open and just a
generous man.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You know, Jim, It's interesting that Bill was such a
unique personality and because he was great. If a player
is great, you can just accept their quirks. But Bill
saw the world differently. You know, he was anti war,
very political, and I wonder if it's revisionist history. Did
(06:38):
he ever get pushback from players or did everybody always
just initially accept Bill.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
My experience was they accepted him, I know in Portland,
and he actually, when he came back to Portland in
two thousand and nine twenty ten, apologized for how he
handled himself back then. But the injuries, and when you're
young player, injuries can impact how you view the world.
And I think as he went through his life he
(07:06):
viewed the world differently and from a different perspective and
was a lot more grateful. But as far as my
relationship and playing against him and being around him, players
always accepted Bill and loved having him around.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah, you had so many notable teammates, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale,
Ange I was talking earlier, I said, Jason Tatum is
in year seven, but he's played one hundred and eight
playoff games, so those are hard minutes. So he's played
eight seasons and he plays every night, and he plays
hard on both ends. So this is not a guy
that rests on the defensive end or does load management.
(07:41):
And Boston's a pressure cooker. And I said it's unfair,
but there is a standard with the Yankees, with the Lakers,
I was saying this earlier, Jim, the Lakers best starting
five all time, Shaq and Wilt would come off the bench.
I mean that's the Lakers standard. And the Celtics similarly,
Russell Casey Jones, I mean Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Bob Coosey,
(08:06):
I mean just John havelcheck people forget and I don't
criticize Tatum, but I have said over and over the
standards different in Boston. You do have to win rings
in Boston. Jeter is the standard in New York. And
do you think how do you view Tatum as a player,
a pressure player, a big stage player, and a player overall.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I look at Jason is that he has all the tools.
He does, he guards, he's able to score with the ball,
he helps his teammates. But you said it, Colin, he
needs to win some championships to really put his stamp
on it. But he's a top five to six player
in the League today and sometimes like their whole team,
(08:50):
does they rely a lot on the three point shot, Yes,
but when he's aggressive and gets to the foul line,
gets to the basket, their team's better for it. What
he's done without winning a championship at his age is incredible,
and I think he will win some championships with this
current Celtic team that they put together.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
So do I you know, Jimmt's fascinating. So I saw
footage Jokic goes in the second round. I saw European
footage of Luca, and I will admit, I'm like, he's
kind of plump, He's not really vertical. I'm like, Okay,
I guess he'll be great. Most of the great players
(09:32):
that I watched growing up seventies, eighties, nineties, there was
a dynamic athleticism, there was a vertical nature with many
of the European I could argue the two best players
in the world now are Jokic and Luca, and they're different.
They come in very skilled, almost more mature and focused.
So when you scout, you've worked pro personnel for the
(09:54):
Bulls for years, have you altered the way you view players?
As the lead has become more European, How has it
been challenging for you?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Well, what you mentioned was the first tape I saw
on Luca, I saw some of the same things. But
the first game I watched him in the NBA, he
just jumped out with his ability and that he's kind
of been able to do it even better now is
he kind of controls the game from the beginning to
the end. He knows where he's going to pass the ball.
(10:28):
But I heard a story his rookie year in training camp.
He came down the first or second day and took
a long three and missed, and coach Carlisle said to him,
you may have been able to do that in euro League,
you can't do that now. And he came down the
next time, took the same shot and made it. And
that's just his makeup. He just has that it factor
(10:49):
and he sees the play like Jokic two passes ahead,
and I do consider them the two best players in
the NBA right now. So to your question about how
you evaluate, you know, when you really see players early
in their career, players that have great vision, great feel,
and have ability to manage the game with the ball
(11:10):
the way those two do can dominate and give yourself
a chance to win championships.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
The Aunt Edwards is really fun to watch, and I
do think I said about him two months ago, I said,
I think Wemby an Aunt could be the face of
the league after the trade deadline next year. They both
need some growth. Wemby needs a better teammate or two
and Ant just has to refine his game. So Ant,
like most domestic players, plays like a year of college
(11:38):
comes in. He's raw. You're watching him develop. He's super athletic.
When you watch Ant, what do you like and what
does he have to work on? Jim?
Speaker 3 (11:50):
What I like about is his energy and effort that
he brings every night. That's real, and when he has
his game going, when it rubs off on all his teammates,
I think. And last night where he evolved was when
they were coming at him in double teams. He got
rid of the ball a little bit quicker yep. Sometimes
(12:10):
he tries to do too much with the ball, and
I thought when he did get to the rim, he'll
learn to get more fouls. He should be a ten
plus free throw a game player based on his physical tools.
But he's just learning how to play Colin. He's just
scratching the surface and it'll be a lot of fun
(12:31):
to watch him develop. And he's not afraid and that's
a key ingredient to reach in that franchise level player.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
The quality of play, I believe is the best it's
ever been in the NBA. Are there challenges as a
personnel guy on mixing the domestic player who has very
often needs has athleticism but needs skill and the European
player that comes in highly skilled. Does it make your
(13:00):
job easier more difficult? It feels like you're literally having
two basketball worlds Jim and the NBA is the meeting
place and they're melting into each other. Is that good?
Is it harder? Is it easier? How did it affect
personnel for you?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
I think it's good for the league, But I think
in today's game, it's just hard to build championship type teams.
There's so many factors that go into it. So the
blend of American players and foreign players that's going to
continue to happen, and how you put teams together. But
I think you need a mix, but it's just hard
(13:41):
to build championship teams today under the financial constraints. I
live in Phoenix, I go to a lot of Suns games.
They've got five players under contract for next year combined
are going to make two hundred and nine million dollars,
And how do you build and make that team better?
So there's challenges every day. So it's not just about
(14:01):
the international impact and putting them with current American players,
but it's just how do you build a team that
can sustain and go for championships year in and year out?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Is it hard? Sometimes? In a market like a Boston
or a Chicago, Philadelphia. These are loud markets, talk radio columns.
People want to win now, Like the West Coast. LA
is a big city, but it's a little chill compared
to Philly, Boston, Chicago, Detroit when you're building the big
market team. So Phoenix is a smaller market, not a
(14:36):
lot of Fortune five hundred companies, A lot of people
are from other parts of the country, so you can
kind of slow build if you want. Are there Sometimes
Philadelphia's got cap space mb loud media. Did that ever
affect you? Also there's the shadow of MJ having been
there and built the great teams of all time?
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Is it harder?
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Sometimes? Does market size matter? Not only for players but executives.
Do you feel rushed sometimes in these big loud sports meccas.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Definitely, I think you can feel rushed. And you know
Boston this year, they've made the finals, but if they
don't win it this year, there's going to be a
lot of talk about that. And in Chicago, I think,
you know, we're at a place right now where everything's
on the table to kind of see what we can
do to get out of the play in scenario and
(15:28):
move up in the East. But it's going to be challenging,
so there's definitely more pressure. I would say though in La,
based on the Lakers history, is that even though it's
more chill, there's pressure, especially with Lebron being a free
agent this summer, is you know, Lebron's in it now
to win, and so there's pressure on the Laker ownership
(15:49):
and management to put a team around him that can
go win.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Jim Paxon, what an absolute pleasure. I love going down
memory Lane with the Bill Walton and your kids staying
with his and the teepee in the backyard in San Diego.
That is so fitting and so perfect. A pleasure to
finally talk to you and thanks for coming on the Herd.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Enjoy to Colin, thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Jim Paxson now spends his time in Arizona, his career
with the Bulls of professionally winding down, so maybe he
can latch onto some consulting stuff with the Suns. Phoenix
is a fascinating team for me because the beal thing
doesn't appear to work. Grayson Allen was but got hurt.
You could get a ton for Booker, maybe not as
(16:31):
much for KD, but you probably have to keep those two.
So that's Phoenix is a really interesting team. I don't
love doubling down when something doesn't feel like it's right.
It's like the Giants and Daniel Jones. What are you
doubling down for? I don't know if I double down
if I was Phoenix, but they've oh. In my lifetime,
Phoenix has been good a lot, a lot now. I
(16:53):
grew up with Westball, Alvin Adams, Gar Hurd and you
got the kJ Barkley teams, Dan Marley, Phoenix has had
Phoenix more times than I can remember. Has been this close,
but it unravels, it doesn't quite deliver. They end up
facing a dynasty, but they have been so close.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
But so you would consider moving one of the big
stars even after I don't think you're and Durant just
got basically one year together.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Games wise, I think, I don't think the Beal thing works,
and I'm surprised he's more injury prone than I thought.
Grayson Allen works. Booker needs help around him. When it
pre Chris Paul, they were bad with Booker. I don't
think Booker's all one. I think he's a great two
(17:40):
and I think Kevin Durant I think always now they
may look desperate. Now that's why all the signals and
all the talk publicly is, hey, we're not moving KD.
But if somebody called on KD, I'd move. But if
I could get Booker.
Speaker 5 (17:53):
You think you don't think Booker could be a one
on a champion? No, no, no, I mean they went
to the finals. Chris Paul was like the leader, but
Booker was the best player.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Yeah, I don't think you can win with kid Tatum?
Speaker 4 (18:03):
Can you win a final with Tatum is your number one?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I do think so if he has the right pieces
around him, I think Boston should be favored in the finals.
I think Tatum is a better player than Booker. He's
a first of all, he's a longer player. He is
a better defensive player. Tatum is a better player than Booker.
They're both great, but I mean Tatum is. Tatum's a
better That's not even disputable.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Because remember, like a month ago, we said, Anthony Edwards is,
you know, obviously clear and better than Booker.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
No, O, that's yes. But but ant ceiling is higher
to me than Tatum. But right now, Tatum's more consistently
delivering the goods.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Well, what I would like to see from Booker is
what I saw from Aunt second half. Ant was distributing,
he was basically the point guard. Conley was off the
ball and had I think nine assist last night. Yeah,
I want to see more of that from Everybody's trying
to be right on Ant, folks.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
He's going to be great. Stop weighing in on Ant
after every game. He's gonna be fine. He's not a
refined player. These guys don't come into the NBA with
four years of college.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Can you imagine what people said about Jordan when he
was getting swept like his first two or three years
in the league, like swept in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Oh, it's really good, but I don't know. I think
it'd be that one.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
You know, I think you know what was interesting about
that is that when Jordan was getting knocked around, he
was still beloved. He had this great Nike campaign. It's
the coolest campaign ever. Michael's game was we'd never seen it.
And nobody liked the Pistons. And not that many people
out of Boston like Boston. They were like physical, tackling you.
People like the Lakers and magic people of the Bulls
(19:31):
all over the country, not that many people like the Pistons.
They were seen as like under talented, over aggressive. Nobody like,
nobody liked that. Nobody liked that team. And the Boston
was they were feisty, they were really good. I did
not like Boston, Yeah, I mean I always said, like
the Celtics were dunkin Donuts. The further away you get
(19:52):
from Boston, the less popular. The Lakers are. Like Starbucks.
Wait a minute, they're from They're from the West Coast.
But you could go to Beijing, you could go to Boise,
you could go to Baltimore. Everybody kind of likes Starbuck.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Wait, so you don't like dunkin Donuts.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I think when I lived out East, I drank it,
but I'm saying it's if you prime example, when I
lived out East, you see Red Sox hats everywhere now
and then you'd go a couple of states away and
you'd occasionally see a Red Sox hat. You see a
Yankee hat everywhere in the You see it in London.
I saw one in Italy. I see him in Seattle.
You see a Yankee hat everywhere. Dunkin Donuts in the
(20:29):
Red Sox, the Celtics. Now, the Celtics are the biggest brand,
but but I do think Boston is really big in
like Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the further away you get,
where's the Laker brand feels up there? It's all pat Also,
the Laker brand's cooler, of course it's it's it feels
(20:50):
bigger and broad time show time.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Like they show Celtics, Like who's in the front row.
It's like one of the Wohlberg brothers, and it's not
Mark Wohlberg. It's like one of the other guys.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Who nobody really know whatever.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
No, but come on, Lakers games. You got like real celebrities,
Lake Knicks games.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Celtic games. A blogger could end up being like here,
Bill Simmons, right a blogger. Well, he's not. He's what
is he? Well, he's very podcast start sorry, podcast, let's
not you know, I'm not taking shots. That seems like
you guys are boys. I don't see Bill. He doesn't call,
he doesn't text.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
He well, he listens to the show and then text.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Very busy running a big empire. Serious success is more
than everything's a shot with you. I I have to
literally get my wet blanket ready to cool down your
shots and takes. Success is more than death. Bill's a blogger. Really,
you've reduced him to that.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week. Within the iHeartRadio app, Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Luxury SUV is now coming with a Luxury of Choice.
Mercedes Benz has gas electric plug in hybrid offerings. Go
to nbusa dot com slash special offers. J Mack with the.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
News, No no turns. This is the herdline news.
Speaker 5 (22:04):
All right, let's go back to that Timberwolves thrilling. What
O five one hundred game four victory? After the game,
check this video out. Anthony Edwards met up with Micah
Parsons of the Cowboys and uh asked afterwards. The media
asked him, Hey, what was said between you and Michael Parsons.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
It's also about I always see him for game six?
Speaker 5 (22:23):
What where's that cop?
Speaker 6 (22:26):
What am I supposed to say? I'm supposed to say
we're gonna lose Game five. No, I'm not gonna never
say that. Michael Parsies. You know, he was rocking the
A one and I told him he wears I was fourteen.
I bring it back some nice shoes for game six.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
That's what I told him.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
There you go.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
It's pretty cool Anthony Edwards. He just seems like a
cool guy. He's funny, he's confident. If you go back
to that video Colin Michael Parsons is considered one of
the biggest, baddest, scariest dudes in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Anthony Edwards is as big as him.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
So what Austin Rivers says, NBA guys can jump into
the NFL, I'm sorry, I think Anthony Edwards could just
be plugged into.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
The blue door. Anthony Edwards. I do think there are
a handful of guys that Lebron in his prime could have.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
I mean, I know Michaeh.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
Parsons is a monster in the NFL. Anthony Edwards is
looking him in the eye.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Now.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
I know parsons arms are way bigger because he's you know,
doing the weights and stuff. But Anthony Edwards is a
big dude, and he actually played kind of good defense
on Luca.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Last night.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
They switched the matchups. Jaden McDaniel's on to Kyrie. It
impacted Kyrie. He was six of eighteen and Ant forced
Luca into seven or twenty one. Luca did not have
a great game, So a nice move by your guy,
Chris Finch putting superstar Anthony Edwards on Luca.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
I don't know how long that will last.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
Luca only shot five for fifteen with Aunt defending him.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Um, I'm a little nerves I'm a little nervous for Dallas.
I'm sorry, Colin Well.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I think Aunt on Luca Kyrie is just a tattoo
quick for everybody in the world. Yeah, whereas you don't
get that it's more of a size and physicality against Lucas.
So maybe they found their magic.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Possibly, but there's also the you know, like, hey man,
when you watch them on sitting, they don't Carl anthonk
Towns Edwards. They have no fear, they don't care they're
down three, They're like playing fearless. It's I don't know
about the house money analogy.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Hey, you know we'd beat Denver. We knocked them off.
Speaker 5 (24:22):
Like they don't seem to be scared or even realize
how big this moment is. And I just something tells
me that the series is It's gonna have a few
more games. I'm not feeling great about Dallas. Next up,
some breaking news here. The paper Clips have secured Tie
lou to a multi year extension and they will make
(24:42):
him one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA.
So one of the Lakers targets officially off the table,
Tylus staying with the Clippers. Now, a couple of layers here,
Number one, do you what do you think this does
for Paul George?
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Do you think he's more or less likely to go back?
This doesn't matter at all, considered a really good.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
I don't know how you could let Paul George go.
Kawhi is available half the time. I'm not banking on
long term Westbrook or Harden. I think gimme Terrence Man,
gimme Paul George Kawhi when he's available, I'd move off
everybody else. I mean, I think they got little size.
That's okay, Tylu. I mean to me, the fundamental key
(25:24):
is the owner's good, the front office good. I like
Paul George, Terrence Man, one of their bigs, Tylu like that.
That's their core. These older guards i'd move off of.
I think Kawhi, you just hang on for dear life
for the rest of his contract. But he's available half
the time and less than that in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
So the other angle.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Last week there was a report that Lebron's pie in
the sky was Tyleru and Kyrie Irving. That's who he
had wanted. Tyleru is now off the table. Kyrie Irving
is one went away from the finals. He ain't gonna
be going anywhere. What does this mean for the Lakers,
their crosstown rival.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
I don't think I'm anything there. We're never going to
get Tylu, and I don't think they're going to get
Paul George. Steve Palmer is not gonna let the rival
Lakers steal Paul George. They're not going to give him.
They're not going to give him. Terrence Man Paul, George TYLERU,
those three, Lawrence Frank in the front office. They're not
you don't get those guys.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
So we're still you're still pretty confidence JJ Reddick is
the guy for the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
I'm I don't know, but I think I'm not confident.
I think he'd be fine. I think that's the most
interesting coach, and you and I are in the interesting business.
Whether or not it's the best coach, I don't know.
I think JJ Reddick would be fascinating, and I think
it's it would be. I don't think he would turn
that job down.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
But long this goes with no Lakers announcement, Reddick announcing
the NBA Finals.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
It feels like it's.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
A lot final story. Now, this one is super spicy Colin.
The Vikings obviously took JJ McCarthy with the twelfth overall
pick in the draft, but according to We's Out of Minnesota,
the Vikings tried to trade up to the fifth pick
to select Maleik Neighbors. The Vikings wanted Molik Neighbors, the
LSU receiver. The Chargers flirted with trading their pick, but
(27:12):
they instead it take Joe Alt, the offensive lineman. The
report indicates that if the Vikings were able to get neighbors,
they would have traded Justin Jefferson.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
He is angling for a big, fat new contract.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Yeah, I'll let you take this one. If I'm Justin
Jefferson and I'm reading this, listen, there's clearly smoke to this.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
We talked about it before the draft.
Speaker 5 (27:36):
Could you get a massive haul for Justin Jefferson, a
herschel Walker type deal where you get a bunch of picks.
Jefferson still does not have his contract. Vikings have a
quarterback now on the rookie deal.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I go back to the Vikings draft. Do they pick
a receiver anywhere in that draft? I don't have that up.
I don't have it in front of me. Listen. I
think with Jeffers Justin you're gonna get some ego, You're
gonna get expense, you're gonna get touchdowns. I think he's
really an all timer. But you know it does tell
me it's just like Brandon. I you forty nine ers.
(28:11):
Why hasn't he signed? Justin Jefferson. Why isn't he signed?
It's it's there's I think there's a little bit of
a wide receiver bubble.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
It's a little frothy, and they did not take a receiver.
By the way, they did not.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Draft a receiver. All right, Well they've got they've got
a couple.
Speaker 4 (28:25):
I like they got Jordan Adison last year.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
It was really good.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Yeah, he's really good.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I know everybody loves Jefferson.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
He's the top jersey seller in the Vikings, one of
the best, top than the league Clent.
Speaker 4 (28:37):
He's gonna want more than aj Brown got.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
And I know the Vikings have their guy on a
rookie deal, and Addison's on a rookie deal too. I
don't know that it's a winning formula to pay a
receiver thirty two plus million dollars.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
I think, well, you and I think you and I
have talked about this. There's there's five things you got
to get right to win a Super Bowl. To me,
you gotta get the coach right, got to get the
quarterback right, got to get the left tackle right, got
to get a pass rusher right, and got to get
one good weapon. That's kind of it to me. I
don't think cornerback is as vital as everybody says. I
think center could be six, not corner They're underrated. But
(29:09):
so there's five things to me, you got to have
I mean you go back to that Ram Super Bowl.
They had the coach, they had the weapon, Cooper Cup,
they had Stafford, Andrew Whitworth and Aaron Donald. They had
the five things. They didn't have great linebackers all banged
up at safety, weren't spectacular at running back. Like you
look at Kansas City. They got the quarterback, they got
(29:30):
the weapon, they got Chris Jones, the pass rusher. I
mean they moved off Tyreek Hill because they thought Travis
Kelsey was a good enough weapon. They've got the coach
and Andy Reid for them. It's like left tackles kind
of the a little bit of an eyesore right now.
But I don't think in the NFL. I have a theory.
You can't be terrible anywhere because the coaching's too good.
You can be mediocre in multiple places, can't be terrible anywhere,
(29:54):
but you almost have to be elite at five spots. Coach, quarterback,
left tackle, weapon, edge rusher, or pass rusher. And so
I think I think I would pay for Justin Jefferson.
I think if you were the king, you would. I
think I would because I'm not paying the quarterbacks. And
I think they have a great left tackle. Great left tackle.
J Jefferson's the weapon. I love their head coach. So
(30:17):
you start looking at what you know, they're edge rushers.
If not great, they upgraded that, so they're pretty good there.
They may have to, you know, go back and look
at their draft. I think their space on a rookie
contract to get your guys.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
So the Raiders traded for DeVante Adams. He was at
the time the highest maid receiver.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
They didn't have a quarterback. It didn't matter. Devontae Adams
is not taking.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
You anyone now.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
I'm sorry Vikings fans, Justin Jefferson is not taking you
anywhere for the next couple of years with this massive inflation.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
That doesn't mean he can't become the player that takes
you over the top. If JJ McCarthy develops, doesn't mean
he won't be that. I think i'd pay him, but
I again, you swallow hard on this stuff. Receivers at
thirty five million, I'd front loaded. I'd do what I could.
It would worry me. I have no problem paying a
(31:06):
left tackle and a quarterback and an edge rusher. That
wide receiver I've come to terms forever I called wide
receivers icing not the cake. I've come to terms with.
They're a little icing and part of the cake because
the rule changes. I was never a big believer in
receivers won Super Bowls. Just have rotating quality guys. But
I have to be honest if I'm almost preaching look
forward not backward. Look look winshield, not rear view mirror.
(31:29):
The receiver position has changed due to rules, so they
are really really valuable. Rams don't win that thing without
Cooper cut That's fair.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
He also wasn't a first round pick. I don't think
he's heard round pick sir. Yeah, he wasn't ever like
the highest paid receiver.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I don't believe.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
Maybe for like us a hot minute, but I'll even
you look back at the Bengals team that got there
with Jamar Chase, like, I don't know that they're paying
Chase is now Higgins and Burrow, Like, well, why wouldn't
you start to wonder?
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Let Bills move off Diggs. People are moving off the end.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
But Jamar Chase is better than Diggs. Is Okay, Justin
Jefferson and is better. There's like four guys in the
league you have to pay to me. Justin's one of them,
and then there's another four or five guys. I want
to pay if I can get it right. But these
are hard decisions.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
Everybody's viewsed it that way. Oh you got to have
a star receiver.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
I'm gonna go a little opposite and I'm gonna say no,
I would rather, you know, rolled the dike.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Give me more draft picks, give me more, let me
try more.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Tank me down.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You can just have a good receiver like Garrett Wilson
of the Jets.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Gary Wilson is in that next year for you, dude,
Come geez, take a jet.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Herd line on this day of strong takes, no hot ones.
I will discuss a player and now underrated he is.
I will go to bat for this player again.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Coming up, be sure to catch live editions of The
Herd weekdays and noone Easter nine am Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Two NBA Insiders podcasting twice a week to plug you
right into the end a great.
Speaker 7 (33:00):
Fight, all happening in only one place, this league Uncut.
The New NBA Podcast with Me Chris Haynes and me
Mark Stein join us as we team up to expound
on everything we're covering Hearing and Chason.
Speaker 5 (33:15):
Listen to This League Uncut with Chris Haynes and Mark Stein.
Speaker 7 (33:19):
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (33:25):
The United Football League continues this weekend on Fox in
a regular season finale on Saturday. In a playoff Breathing You,
the San Antonio Bramos take on this Saint Louis BattleHawks
at four Eastern, and on Sunday, the Houston Roughnecks battle
of the Memphis Showboats at seventh. It all kicks off
on Fox and the Fox Sports App.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I was at the beach bar in Rhode Island this
past weekend. UFL was on TV. Not the Red Sox,
not the Celtics, UFL Rhode Island. You ever been there?
Speaker 3 (33:58):
No?
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Am I missing disparage at like Chicago.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
I did date a girl in college who said that
there was a town in Rhode Island that was so
cool and everybody wanted to like go there and live there.
Do you know what the town I'm talking about, I'm
spacing on it, but Newport, Newport, That's it is it amazing.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Bellevue Avenue is one of America's most fascinating streets. It's
where the richest people in the world lived one hundred
and some years ago, the Rockefellers one hundred and fifty
years ago.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Whatever.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
Newport, Rhode Island.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Newport, Rhode Island beautiful, one of America's most beautiful areas
of the country.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
So you want to gas up the private jet and
take me there one time.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
I don't have a private jet. It's about a forty
minute drive from my place. I love Rhode Island. I
love it. I like not where I like to go.
It's the Haversham Tavern in Charlestown. That's good.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
Look West Virginia. Oh, Charlestown, Rhode Islandod Island.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Oh wow, that's party time. Put bands in the back
of that place.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
A lot of Boston accents.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
Oh god, Red Sox hats, Patriot hats everyone. I tell you,
I go East, I put on Patriots. I am one
of them. Est Sam Adams, it's so much fun. How
to get out of your little bubble. So you know,
for years I've been saying that I love Paul George,
(35:20):
and people bang on Paul George and I'm like, there's
a rumor this morning that if he left the Clippers,
I'd never let him go. I mean, you can't depend
on Harden and Kawhi is never available. The two things
I'm keeping are Tyleru, Paul George, and I like Terrence
Man as a player. But there's a lot of rumors
that DeMar DeRozan would be a Clipper if Paul George left.
(35:44):
So Paul George in his playoff careers averaged twenty one,
seven and a half and four and a plus defender.
So here is averages. Paul George playoff averages. A lot
of those games against that excellent defensive team in Miami
with Lebrond, Wade, Bosh, all those guys. So let's play
blind resume J Mack blind. We do this in football
(36:08):
all the time with quarterbacks. Blind resume. This in Paul's
played in the international era, more skill than ever, harder
to defend, players than ever, can't use the hand check,
Biggs can shoot and hit threes. You guys want to
play the blind resume game, here we go. Paul George
twenty one point seven and a half rebounds, four assists.
(36:29):
On the other side, is somebody who's just slightly higher
in points per game, lower and rebounds. Who is this player?
Doctor J? Doctor J didn't have to face biggs that
could hit a three, or international players had some rules
where you could grab players no foul called very interesting.
(36:52):
Let's go to another iteration of Paul George. Now this
player is little higher in the cysts, but lower on
the points and rebounds playoff career numbers. Who would that be?
Blind resume Clyde Drexler, all time great. And by the way,
(37:13):
Clyde wasn't playing defense like Paul George. You know want
playing Paul George defense. All this Paul George Slanders stops
right here. So let's go to the next player for
our radio audience. This player averages one more point a game,
but fewer rebounds, slightly more assists, very much aligned Paul
(37:35):
George playoff career. And this is the great John Havelcheck. Now, now,
in fairness, Paul gets to hit a three. John didn't.
John I think is historically viewed as the greater player
and should be because he played on those Dynasty teams.
Havelcheck I think he was an Ohio State Buckeye if
I'm correct, But that's an all time one. Here's another player.
(37:59):
So the beverage is the same. Paul's a better rebounder
by almost a rebound and a half. The assists are
pretty even. Who is this player? Jimmy Butler? Playoff Jimmy Butler?
Both excellent defenders, both excellent. Kind of funny, isn't it
(38:21):
one the last one? So this player? The averages are
the same, the rebounds are the same, but Paul's the
better passer. Here's one more to all the shade throwing
Paul George peeps Kawhi and Paul actually shows up to
play on a more consistent basis. Isn't that intro? Doctor
(38:44):
j Drexler, Jimmy Butler Paul George equal or better?
Speaker 5 (38:49):
I gotta give you a yellow card in soccer. This
is a caution for the Kawhi comparison. He's been the
Finals MVP twice.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Come on, You've done a great job in the space
on this show, but if you were not available on
Thursday and Tuesday, I'd be like, we gotta make calls.
You gotta be available. I don't want to hear about
Kawhi yet. And also, Paul's a better leader than Kawhi.
Kawhi is like nonverbal and then kind of interesting though
(39:18):
when you're blind in resume, when I hear about Paul George,
if he leaves, I like Damar DeRozan. He's not Paul George. Yeah,
you're not Paul George.
Speaker 5 (39:25):
You can see a little more than just points, rebounds, assists,
either shooting percentage just kind of matter you.
Speaker 1 (39:30):
We want some exit velocity now, I'll say this, Paul George.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
Early Paul Pacers, Paul George. He was unbelievable and I
still think he's.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Very very I think the Clippers drag him down even
though he's been very good for the Clippers.
Speaker 5 (39:44):
Dude, does he want to take a pay cut or
does he want to get a max salary from the
seventy six ers.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
Clippers are not paying him more than Kawhi Leonard.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
They're not.
Speaker 4 (39:53):
They said, we're giving Kawhi less than the max.
Speaker 5 (39:55):
He's gonna take it, are you?
Speaker 1 (39:59):
This whole segment was just to illustrate the most underrated
player in the league. I have been on this for
a decade. I've been on this. I think I was
on this just about the time I came to FS one,
so about eight years. I don't understand when you I
watch Paul George, I'm like versatile defender, excellent wing defender.
(40:22):
You can put them on different people. Can hit a jay,
can hit a three, can score at the rim, scores
in transition, pull up and hit a jumper. I don't
know what you guys don't like and like a nice guy,
Like everybody likes Paul George, like a nice guy.
Speaker 4 (40:34):
He is supposed to be.
Speaker 5 (40:35):
Maybe maybe nice guy's finished last and he needs more
dog in him.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
I don't know, He's got plenty of dogs.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
If you're the Sixers, would you go after Paul George
or Carl Anthony Towns?
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Paul George, okay, yeah, plus defender, more consistent, thirty four,
a little less scorely. Cat's good though, all right, Another
hour still left. Bringing the heat today
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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