July 1, 2025 • 41 mins
Colin discusses the passive approach to free agency by the Lakers and the message the new ownership group is sending to LeBron James and Luka Doncic
The Steelers claim to be all in after trading for Jalen Ramsey and dragging out contract negotiations with TJ Watt
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
It is a Tuesday, NBA Free agency in full swing.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
We are live. It is the Herd.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Wherever you may be and however you may be watching
or listening. Thanks for making us part of your day.
Tyler Adams, US men's national team, Urban Meyer, Albert rereerstop
by today, Jmac. It was a if you're a Laker fan,
it was a disheartening day. But they got new owners
and new owners have come. You know, you ever drive
(00:56):
by that restaurant, it says under new management and they're
going to change the entire menu. They're not going to tweak.
So I think I want to read everybody, Jamack the
headlines that are circulating about the Lakers, who are the
biggest brand in the NBA, the Yankees of Major League Baseball.
These are the headlines this morning. Lakers reportedly preserving cap
space for next season. Dorian Finney Smith exits disaster. Lakers
(01:24):
gave up three draft picks for less than fifty games
of Dorian Phinney Smith. Jim rob Palinka facing mounting pressure
to keep the Lakers job, and I like this one.
Lebron James has no influence on free agency moves, says
an NBA front office insider. The Lakers are excluding him,
(01:44):
they should. He's forty one. So the bus family for
years has talked themselves into believing, I get it, this
is their life. They talk themselves into believing we were
just a rotational player away. And the new owners of
this restaurant are saying, no, no, no, no no, it's
just not a little better chicken parm recipe. We're changing
(02:08):
the kitchen staff, We're changing the entire menu. This is
not about a better chicken parm. It's a forty one
year old star, another star in Luca where it's notable
that he's really working out this offseason, and they have
absolutely no size and the real value they have is
Austin Reeves. But another headline today they are not even
(02:32):
taking calls or gauging interest on Austin Reeves. So the
new owners, they know what success is all about. They
own the Dodgers, And I've argued this before. I think
the Dodgers, Mark Walters, I think it's the best run
sports franchise in North America perhaps ever. These people know
(02:52):
what they're doing. They let stars go if they see
problems around the corner. And so this morning it appears
they're going big game hunting next year. They do not
think this is a championship team. They're not going to
lose any sleep over Lebron being bummed out. They're going
to upgrade scouting and my guests, they are eventually going
(03:13):
to find their wizard, their guru, their GM. So the
Lakers need two centers. Like yesterday, the good ones are
off the market. Clint Capella, he's back to the Rockets,
Luke Cornett Celtics now he's the Spurs, and Brook Lopez
to the Clippers. So let's not forget this. Put the
palm palms down. The Lakers got throttled in the first round.
(03:37):
They lost convincingly in the first round, and they are
worse today without Dorian Finney Smith, they are worse today.
You know who's not worse, Houston Houston is better. You
know who's not worse Denver. You know who's getting better fast,
san Antonio. So the ownership group knows what success looks like.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
The new owners are antique experts, and they're telling Laker
fans this roster is a knockoff.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I know what Grandma told you. It's not a van Go.
This isn't it.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
The new Laker owners are telling you we know what
titles looks like. And an aging Lebron and a finally
working out in the offseason. Luca is not o Tawni
Betts and Freddie Freeman. I know it's painful, and I
understand the bus family for years. This is their baby,
this is their child, and they always believe, just like
(04:34):
we all do as parents, our kid's gonna be president
of the United States. Okay, maybe president of a company. Okay,
hopefully president of a frat. Okay, maybe a vice president
of something. You gotta be honest, you have to be
able to self evaluate. This is not a championship team.
Look what Denver's done in the last twenty four hours.
(04:57):
They finally got Yoki, shooters, multiple and a backup. Big
san Antonio is getting better by the hour. With all
their youth. Houston added more pieces. Oklahoma City, I've not
even mentioned them, and the brain trust in Golden State.
They already got their sidekick, the staff, Jimmy Butler last year.
(05:17):
So it's just you gotta be honest about this stuff.
People in Los Angeles. You know what well run looks like.
You know what championships looks like. It's called the Dodgers,
usc the Lakers, the Chargers a little bit until Harbaugh. Yeah,
they're selling you on that, and that's not what it is.
So the Rams brilliantly run, the Dodgers immaculately run, the
(05:39):
Lakers mom and pop shop. It's all changing big game
hunting next year. Not including Lebron in the discussions. He's
had a great career. He should not be dictating any
terms at this point, not saying you trade him. We're
gonna do the new guys say we're gonna do what
we're gonna do because we know what winning looks like.
(06:01):
It's Otanian Bett, not forty one year old Lebron and
perpetually out of shape or an average shape.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Luca. Okay, here's another one. This is interesting. This headline.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
The Steelers are officially all in. I heard that a
lot yesterday because they got Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf,
and tight end John Husmith. Well, if they're all in,
that's a pair of eights. Okay, that ain't pocket Ace's folks.
So if that's all in, but it's I always. I
(06:35):
was asking somebody about three weeks ago, three or four
weeks ago about all the Steelers moves, and he said,
some gms just make moves to make moves. But do
they have a plan. And this is a prime example.
So they get rid of a safety who's a little
past his prime, and they add a corner who's more
expensive Jalen Ramsey who's past his prime. They get rid
(06:56):
of a very high maintenance wide receiver in George Pickens,
and then they inherit a wide receiver who can be
high maintenance, DK Metcalf, you're just making moves to make moves.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
There is no plan.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
If you would have moved off George Pickens and acquired
Terry mcclaurin, the adult in the room, can that's a
move I'd get.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So you're letting go of.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
A guy passed his prime in the secondary and getting
a more expensive guy passed his prime in the secondary.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
That's just a move to make a move.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Well, we're getting rid of a high maintenance receiver and
getting another receiver who's a bit high maintenance. You're just
making moves to make moves. You lost your left tackle
nagieras George Pickens, Miga Fitzpatrick, and I saw who you've added.
I would argue you're slightly less talented today. So this
goes there's no pattern with it. And this is what
I've said about the Steelers is that they're on the
(07:48):
wrong side of the ball. All their money now is
tied up in defense. They got more expensive moving off
Menca for Jalen Ramsey. Wrong, just move off Minca. Stop there.
And these are not moves that make any sense. They're
basically the Steelers of the kid who pays off his
student debt and puts it on a credit card.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Yeah, I got rid of that debt.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
No, it's still debt, bro, you still got debt at
a higher interest rate. That may make you feel better.
And remember this is an organization that has not signed TJ.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Watt yet. So when TJ.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Watt signs, at least for probably a period maybe six months,
maybe less, than that, he'll be the highest paid defensive
player in NFL history. So we're not even talking about
that yet, and you got to get that done.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
TJ.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Watt.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
I mean, there's jerseys are all over the stadium. That's
going to be a terribly sensitive thing. All these moves.
What do they mean. Well, Matt Hasselback yesterday said here's
what he thinks.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
The Jalen Ramsey move means.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
They do not care about the rest of the league.
They don't care about what anybody else does. They say, Hey,
we're the Steelers. This is how we operate. So I
don't think that's going to change. But I do think
this it looks like they're building a team to stop
the Cincinnati Bengals. It's almost like they have confidence in
what they have, like what we have can take care
of the Baltimore Ravens, like we're good. But like, man,
(09:14):
I don't know how we're going to stop the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like I do believe that there's a fear there of
like personnel wise, we don't match up well.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Well, a lot of teams matched up okay with Cincinnati
because the Bengals didn't even make the playoffs. So if
that's your concern. I go back to being concerned about
Baltimore because the Ravens have separated over the last several
years from the Steelers since he didn't even make the playoffs. Okay,
j Mac, let me bring in here. The Austin Reeves
thing is interesting because obviously that's the piece, that is,
(09:45):
he's one of the few underpaid players in the NBA,
scoring about nineteen twenty a game. The Lakers are saying
now they're not going to gauge interest, but I do
think it's interesting the two things that jump out to
me Lebron's not being included at all. I do think
the Bus family felt like because of the COVID title
and the merchandise sales, they sort of owed Lebron something
(10:08):
a heads up that's done. And the other thing is
we're gonna go big game, honey next year. They've been
very I mean that that's a pretty clear signal that Lebron,
we know you want championships, but getting rid of Dori
and Finney Smith, not getting rid of him, him leaving
and then inheriting some small guard who's on, you know,
a young kid, but on like his third team. What's
(10:29):
the message to Lebron, it's bro, We're not We're not
a championship team. That's what the ownership is saying to me.
We are gonna figure out scouting upstairs, executives roster.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Next year is the big year.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Yeah, and next year it sounds like the Bucks are
gonna keep Giannest and make it. Try to make it
go this year, well next summer maybe be honest is like, hey,
I'm done, it's over.
Speaker 6 (10:51):
And then Luca and Jannis.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Joined forces in La But let me ask you, if
you're Lebron and you're reading the tea leaves Colin, are you.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
Like, you know what, guys, just get me to the East.
Just trade me Lakers.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
We're not winning anything. I can't We're not a top
five team in the West.
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Send me to the East.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
I could get to the finals. Does he Do you
think Lebron would actually do that?
Speaker 1 (11:13):
No, I think Lebron's business and it's a fair question.
I think Lebron has to look at it like this.
He knew his first couple of years in the league.
He's a smart guy. He knew the first couple of
years in Cleveland out of high school. They were not
a championship team in fact, getting to the finals against
the Spurs, despite the fact they were swept, they were
ahead of schedule. Oh wait, From about that year on
(11:33):
until this past year, Lebron has felt like the team
he has is a championship level team. But at some
point you have to acknowledge Michael Jordan did when he
went to the Wizards. You know, Shaq was bouncing around
the league. He knew the last three or four years
he was not a championship team. I think Lebron is
smart enough to know. This is the first year in
maybe fifteen years, Lebron. You have to go back to
(11:55):
that getting swept by the Spurs, and I'm sure going
into that finals, Lebron thought he had a chance the
first time in a long time. That Lebron sort of
being told without being directly told, dude, it's not about
a championship. The organization is first, second, and third. You've
had a great run, but we're not gonna include you
as we build going forward.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
I get that, McCullen.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Let me just remind you, Lebron was an All NBA
player last year average like twenty five, seven and seven,
and he's paired with Luka Doncic, So you have two
of the ten best players in the league. I don't
think you're out.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
Of it, but I definitely think there's an uphill climb
in the West.
Speaker 5 (12:29):
Like listen, wacky things happen in the East, Jason Tatum
and Aliburton. They look like they were gonna be in
the conference finals again next year. They're both out next season.
The East and wide open like things can happen. Let's
not write the Lakers off just yet.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Well, remember things do happen, especially to forty one year
olds in their twenty third year.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Also that you think.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Lebron's gonna play eighty games and forty two minutes, Lebron
has to pace himself. You know who doesn't, Lou dort
Sga Chet Holmgren, Jay Dubb. I mean those guys op
O Hooma City can play nine guys a night. The
Lakers now have no center, very little depth, and you
know how it works, Jason. That means, hey, Lebron, we
(13:10):
need forty one minutes tonight and we need twenty nine points.
So it'd be one thing if this was the OKC
San Antonio Houston roster, like Kevin Durant's a great example.
So they Houston extends Jabari Smith, who, like Kevin Durant,
can shoot. He's got length. Kevin Durant, you could literally
tell him before the season starts, we're gonna play sixty
(13:31):
four games. We got Jabari Smith behind you. We want
you ready for the playoffs. Because of the depth, the youth,
the legs, and the athleticism Houston has. Lakers can't do that.
They just lost Orian Phinney Smith, that's one of their
better defenders. So what's gonna happen is Lebron's gonna have
to play thirty eight minutes and score twenty seven points
for this to be in the wet Maybe not in
the East, but in the West. So the great advantage
(13:54):
KD saw that with Houston. Don't I don't shen Goon
can drop twenty eight on any night. A men Thompson's
coming up. Jabari plays my position right behind me. So
Lebron is going to be once again and we don't
you know, you cross your fingers on Lucas's health. He's
in good shape reportedly, but Lucas a guy that misses games,
(14:14):
that gets banged up.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
There are gonna be nights.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
So that's Lebron and Austin Reeves having to both drop
twenty eight for them to beat at best compete with Oka.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
See listen, It's not over.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
I'm not writing them off and anything can happen here
in the next three four days.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Let's go out and get.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
Some guys and get the Lakers back in contention where
Lebron needs to be.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
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Speaker 1 (15:16):
So the ultimate sign of respect was paid to Nikota
Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, who is the most layered, productive,
essential player in the NBA. There's a lot of good players,
Sga Jannis and the aging kd Luka Lebron, but there's
one Jokic. He's the best shooting big man ever. He's
the best passing big man ever, rebounding outlets, ball handling,
(15:40):
it's just nothing like It may not be pretty, but
there's nothing like it in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I don't think ever.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
And so yesterday is a great example. Michael Porter's really talented.
They moved off him and just brought in a couple
of shooters, and suddenly the odds now have Denver as
the second best odds to win the title. That's like Adele,
give me a microphone in a stage, get out of
the way. I'll show you greatness. I mean, Michael Porter's
(16:07):
very talented, inconsistent, some injuries, but really talented. They just
got this guy, Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown. Brown won't
even start rotational guy, second, third guy after bench. Cam
Johnson always like can hit threes, but they just got
him a couple of shooters. All of a sudden, the
odds go above Houston. It's okay, see it's Denver, and
I don't disagree that Jokics does not need KD. He
(16:29):
doesn't need Jannis, he doesn't need a big trade. Denver
can't shoot. Let's get Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown they can.
I mean, these are like the fifth best starter or
the second guy off a bench. And look at the odds,
and I think the odds are right. And that's really
what it is is that Jokicic today is on a
roster that does not have another All Star. Even after
(16:53):
the trade, they do not have another All Star. And
yet in the loaded West they are odds on favorite.
It's today because of getting Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown
to meet OKC in the Western Conference finals. So again,
it just this guy doesn't need much. I think my
take is if I had to flip a coin today
(17:15):
and say who wins the NBA Championship next season, I
would say Denver. I mean, this is a team, this
is a team with no bench. Was completely overwhelmingly because
Michael Porter was so inconsistent and they couldn't shoot threes.
They were basically it was Jokic Gordon against OKC, and
they took them seven, and they took them seven, So
(17:37):
I love what they did. I think you know, listen,
I like Malone, he runs hot. They moved off him,
but I think this makes Denver really good. It's exactly
what they needed. And this is a guy that doesn't
need much. Give me a stage, give me a microphone.
I'll get you open hit. Threes were good. Jmack with
the news.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
QUI no, no, the news.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
This is the herd line news, John, This busy morning
of NBA chaos continues. Obviously, Damian Lillard has been cut, waved, dropped,
like a bad habit, whatever you want to say. ATAM Milwaukee,
he's done there. They are stretching a provision that allows
them to stretch the remaining one hundred and thirteen million
dollars on his contract so they don't take the entire
(18:25):
hit this year, and that enables them to go get
Miles Turner, a bit of a shocker. They steal him
from the Pacers. They're giving him one hundred and seven
million dollars. They lost Brook Lopez their center yesterday, so
they had to do something. But obviously these moves are
secondary to what does Yannis think?
Speaker 6 (18:42):
And Colin, we know what Yannis thinks.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
He put out something on social media essentially saying I
don't know what to think right now. Here's his little meme,
I don't know what's going on right now of.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
Him celebrating when they won the championship.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
And then you have a report that Yannis is unhappy.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
With decision to move off Dame.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
That comes from Chris Haynes, the NBA insider who's like
type with Damian Lillard. So very clearly Milwaukee thought they
had a great plan here, and Giannis's first reaction appears
to be.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
What the hell's going on here?
Speaker 3 (19:14):
What are we doing? Well?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Okay, but again we can blame everybody except Giannis. But
three years ago, almost everybody I trust in the NBA
was saying the same thing. They don't match up with Boston.
They're getting really old, really fast. Okay, So at some
point move on because what you're paying Yiannis Now, Miles Turner,
(19:37):
I like Myles Turneral lot, so I think you know,
with Brook Lopez going to the Clippers, I think you
had to make that. Movie's probably an upgrade. They can
both hit a three, they can both defend the rim.
So but this is not a championship team, so not
even close. And by the way, I would say in
(19:57):
the weaker East.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
It's not close.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Meaning if you put this team in the West, what
are they have? Six seed a seventh seed? Are they
a playing team? So I mean again, I think it's
Yannis is the ten million dollar chandelier in a pretty
empty mansion. So I just I don't see a lot here.
But this is on at some point, Yannis, You're the
one that you wanted a move. So the organization kind
(20:21):
of backed into a corner, went and got Dame, and
we said it when Dame came, he'll make them better offensively,
they'll be worse defensively.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
And that's kind of what happens.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
So you can complain about stuff or be actionable and
say listen, I want out. And this is what I
said two weeks ago. With you, j Mac, you could
get five unprotected first rounds. You could get I would
have gone to Houston with Shen Goon, maybe a Jabari
Smith and you know, a bunch of picks. But if
you're gonna have this idea that Jannis is confused by
(20:49):
it all, bro, everybody in the world knows you're not
a title team, and they knew it three years ago,
it's on you now.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Does it feel like the bucks here you know, like
if a marriage is bailing, you're like, oh, well we
could buy a new house where let's have a new kid,
Let's have a baby, you know.
Speaker 6 (21:04):
To like try to fix things. Miles Turner's not gonna fix.
Speaker 5 (21:07):
Anything in Milwaukee, like just because he's a rim protector
and a good player. Their backcourt is like not a
top ten back court in the East College.
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Orlando's better, the Atlanta Hawks are better. I know you're
not gonna want to hear this.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Embiid Sixers right now. They're a bit of a sleeper
in these they're better than the Bucks. So I just
don't like this at all. I will throw a Hail
Mary at you. Okay, I did present it to you
a few months ago. Is there a world where Lebron says, Lakers.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
This ain't happening.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
I'd love to play with Steph Curry, And there's a
three way deal with the Warriors, Lakers, and Bucks where
Lebron goes to the Warriors to play with Curry, Jannis
goes to the Lakers to play with Luca, and the
Bucks get everything else all the picks. The pick swaps
Jimmy Butler, who's only got two years left, is there
a war where the Bucks entertained something like that. Because
(21:59):
you're gonna need to read pretty soon.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
Come yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
I mean, but my take is is Lebron at forty one,
with maybe a year or two left.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
I just keep Jimmy Butler.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
I mean, I get I think Lebron's consistently better than Jimmy.
Jimmy's the better defender. I don't think that's the answer.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I don't. I think.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I thought the answer for Milwaukee was sheng Goon, a
bunch of picks and a couple of rotational young guys
that didn't make a move on it. So listen, I
Milwaukee twice in my life in mid seventies, and a
few years ago they got a title out of their
all time historic great Big And there's nothing wrong with that.
There's a lot of organizations like Sacramento Kings had great
(22:41):
teams for years and didn't get anything. The Baltimore Ravens,
the Buffalo Bills, these teams have been unbelievable for five years.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
They don't have anything.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
If you can get Denver got one, Denver may never
get another one.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
The world we live.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
At in the NBA now, Jmac is you can win
one championship, but the CBA does not allow Wow a dynasty.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
I don't want that.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
So I think they not not Sam.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Milwaukee got greedy, but they got a bit self enamored
and a bit delusional. I think they should have moved
off Giannis two years ago. I think after next year.
He I mean, I'm saying what guys are going for now?
Could you get six first round picks for Jannis if
he stays healthy this year and is again very productive?
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Yeah, I mean, anything possible. Let's go to the next
stricon in the NBA. SGA kind of lost in the
shuffle this morning. The league MVP and Finals MVP. He
just signed an extension four years wait for it, two
hundred and eighty five million dollars Colin. It is the
He will be the highest paid annual salary player in NBA.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
History and in any US major sport.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
SGA is gonna make seventy one million dollars.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Yeah a year, Yeah, I don't. I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Again, he provided a championship, a finals MVP.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
He's the NBA leading scorer. He's a grown up.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
He's an absolute adult, refined offensive game. That's the market.
I don't have a problem and none of those guys.
To be honest, Joe l MBI is the one I
struggle with, and Dak even Anthony Davis. I don't have
a problem. He's the best defensive guy in the league.
Most of these guys making that money. I don't have
any problem. It's a lot of money, but that's what
(24:22):
the supermax everybody agreed to owners, GMS, players agents. I
don't have a problem. But he's a total grown up.
You know he's going to be committed. He'll be in
the he's priority back in the gym. I got no
problem with it.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
So can we get that on the screen again?
Speaker 5 (24:36):
The list of the highest paid US athletes in team
sports remove Otani because they don't have a salary cap
in baseball. Tell me which one of those teams is
contending in their respective sport. The answer is none of them.
Once you start paying guys sixty five plus million dollars, Colin,
you can't build a team. That's very clear. The Celtics
(24:57):
are disbanding essentially right now, falling apart. Joel Embiid no shot.
Maybe they're a good playoff team this year. Anthony Davis
in the MAVs, I don't see it because of injuries
to Kyrie Irving.
Speaker 6 (25:09):
So like, once you pay these guys and I get.
Speaker 5 (25:11):
It, they're worth it, but it's tough to build around them. Colin,
and I see this.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
It is in the NBA, and it is in the NFL.
It's not in baseball. I listen, SGA just got bank.
They'll be contending their favorites now to win it again.
I don't know if they will. I just don't. I
don't think they're that special offensively to be. You know,
it's an offensive league more than defense. I think their
defensive story is amazing and historic, but I don't think Okay,
(25:37):
C's gonna win it again, Cody, I'll tell you, I
take Denver. I would take Denver right now to win
it after those two moves. Cam Johnson is a long,
excellent shooter. That's all Denver. Denver did everything else fine.
They didn't have enough three points shooting. They got two
guys that can hit them with Yokich with occasionally Jamal Murray.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
This morning, I like Denver.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
I'll go to Houston, but we got a full summer.
Left finals three, Colin, how about your Mavericks?
Speaker 6 (26:01):
You love them?
Speaker 5 (26:02):
And honey, mammas you like D'Angelo Russell years thirteen million
dollars for the guy.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
I like to call me Angelo.
Speaker 5 (26:09):
Russell because he's all about himself. He'll basically take Kyrie's
spot at point guard. Listen, man, the guy's a scorer,
he's a pro, he's been around for a while. Ultimately, though,
the MAVs roster is looking quite good. When you get
back Cooper Flag if they ever get healthy this year,
that's a dangerous team either way.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
I don't think, first of all, I love the Mavericks.
I'm not a huge d Lo fan. They're doing this
until Kyrie Irving's healthy, and then it's only a two
year deal, so they just they just need a lead
dog who can score with Cooper. I don't like having
Di'angelo Russell around Cooper Flag. That's not what I would
want as a mentor. But I but I will say this,
(26:50):
I think Dallas excellent. I think Houston's excellent. I think
okay See's excellent. I think Denver's excellent. So all you
like your fans out there, those teams are all better, deeper,
and more assets going forward. So the truth that this
feel you know what the West feels like. J mckett
feels like the SEC for about that fifteen year run
(27:11):
where Ohio State could compete with the SEC, and that
was about it. There are not many teams in the
East with Tatum and Halliburton out. I don't think there's
anybody in the East that can can beat those top
three or four teams in the West. People are just
forgetting how good the Dallas roster is. With a d
returning and Kyrie just signed an extension, Dallas roster is
(27:35):
Cooper flag is going to be nineteen to twenty a
game as a rookie. Dallas is a really if you
put Dallas in the East, I would take Dallas without
Tatum or Halliburton to win the East.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Yeah, I would.
Speaker 6 (27:48):
I mean, we'll see regular season.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
You know the Cads, there are some tryhards and they're gonna
probably win sixty games. But I don't know the MAVs
can win like sixty without Kyrie for most of the season.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
But that's what well you can tell. You can tell
why they brought d low one and a two year deal.
It's just we need offense until Kyrie is ready to go. Yet.
Jmack with the News, well that's the news and thanks
for stopping by the.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
So the Knicks talk to Hall of Famer Don Staley,
the women's coach at South Carolina, about the coaching job.
So Knicks are weird. So they just had their best
year since two thousand, so a quarter of a century.
They had their best year. So let's try something that's
never been done in the history of the sport, man
or woman. College basketball coaches generally do not flourish in
(28:41):
the NBA. They are two different sports. It's like film
and TV. Well, they both have actors, they both have writers,
they both have scripts, they're both on a screen. TV
and film are completely different industries. Let me tell you
college basketball is about coaching. It's methodical, it's possession. It's
very fundamental. Coaches run the show. The NBA is fast
(29:05):
and dynamic, it is up tempo, and the point guard
and the best players run the show. Head coaches rarely
call out plays, so even during timeouts you listen to
a Spolstra or a Steve Kerr and one like they
were diagramming plays. It's not the eighties. So the intensity.
And this is nothing against Dawn Staley because she's a woman.
(29:26):
When Dan Hurley was up for the Lakers job. I'm like,
I think he's a college coach. The intensity, the barking,
that's not going to play in the NBA. So I mean,
JJ Reddick got the job partly because he was friends
with Lebron. They knew it would work with Lebron. So
that's how it works in the NBA. So in the NBA,
the coach is the fifth highest compensated person on the
(29:48):
team plane and probably somewhere between the fourth and the
eighth most important. Even even a Rick Carlisle, an excellent coach,
acknowledges it's the chemistry.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
It's Halliburton.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
You get the very infrequent during a time out, this
is what we're going to do offensively. So in what's
troubling if you're a Knicks fan, the East is wide open.
Jason Tatum's out for the Celtics, Halliburton out for the Pacers.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
It is wide open.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
It's like, and you just had your best season, and
you guys can criticize Tibbs all you want, but the
Knicks were something Tibbs created a culture. It's like Dan
Campbell with the Detroit Lions. Is he the best schematic
guy in the league. No, but I acknowledged I was
wrong on Dan Campbell. He is a culture creator. That's
(30:37):
what Tibbs did. And for the record, all the critics
of Tibbs said, well, he's not really creative. It is
hard to be creative offensively when Jalen Brunts's game and
I like Jalen Brunson a lot, his game is ball dominant.
It's hard to create things off Jalen Brunson. He's a
great finisher, maybe the best finisher right now. He and
(30:58):
Kyrie Irving for their size and the league. But he
is pounding the ball. It's hard to create a lot
of stuff. If you get the ball for the Knicks,
there's often six seconds left on the shot clock. So
this idea that Tibbs wasn't creative enough. It's not easy
to be creative when a James Harden or you know
(31:18):
Luca Dantage. Now there's another guy that wants the ball
in his hands, wants to operate. Halliburton's different. Halliburton's pays
a play, Halliburton gets the ball up court. He's different.
But this whole thing, well, he wasn't creative enough. All
I know is TIBs created a culture, tough, physical Villanova
pro style.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Now they're looking at college. That's not the answer.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter not a Empacific.
Speaker 5 (31:49):
The Road to twentyty six continues tomorrow on FS one
with the Gold Cup semifinal as the US men's national
team takes on Guatemala.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
No Easy Pass, No Second Chances.
Speaker 5 (32:02):
Coverage begins tomorrow at six Eastern on FS one.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
We have Tyler Adams on the show today.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
He'll be a World Cup guy, Tyler Adams, He'll be
favorite over Guatemala.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
So I think you know I've said this before.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
If I didn't do this for a living, my dream
job would be a general manager of an NFL team.
And I just I love the draft. I like building stuff.
And it's been like that since I was a kid.
I just like building stuff. And I think my best
sources in the league I was talking to one last
night are NFL execs, and I loved the sport and
I always.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Thought, what a cool job.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
And so it's I like the idea of when you
get into these situations these executives on would you take
an old star or an emerging young star.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
That's one of the hard ones.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
So everybody loves Luca, right, Luca Luca, But I've made
the argument for years he's a better version of Carmelo Anthony,
and Carmelo is a Hall of Famer two. But it's
very interesting, Avery Johnson saying right now he would take
Cooper flag going forward over Luca.
Speaker 8 (33:06):
Man, give me Cooper flag. Really, Cooper flag in this team? Yeah,
give me Cooper flag. Man.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
You're talking about a team when they're healthy.
Speaker 8 (33:16):
Got three future Hall of famerus with Kyrie ad and
Klay Thompson. So this is really exciting the Mavericks. Their
future is bright, but they have a window when they're
healthy if the next two to three.
Speaker 6 (33:31):
Years with this rostass currently constructed.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
So I just want you to think about this. So
Luca has been in the NBA for seven seasons. That's
a grind, and he's been attacked for seven years, right,
he's a score, so people.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Are throwing bodies at him.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
He also played three years in Europe against older players,
so he has been grinding against men for ten years.
And we all know that athletes age differently based on
how good a shape they're in. Well mellow for Anton's
Mike komp for Luca peaked at twenty eight. By twenty
nine years old, his scoring dropped noticeably, was never again
(34:10):
top ten MVP Mellow aged fast Lebron at thirty eight,
ten years older than Mellow's peak. I mean he treats
his body like a Temple twenty nine a game, fifty
percent from the field, All Star Western Conference Finals. Okay,
Tom Brady at forty five was better than Aaron Rodgers
at thirty eight, thirty nine or Big Bennett thirty seven.
(34:33):
So Luca, to me, he is an old soul. Now
he's about twenty six years old. Now he's an old
twenty six and I'm sure he has four more peak years.
And Hayes working out this offseason, Cooper Flag may have
twelve peak years. And Cooper Flag day one in the
NBA will be a better defender than Luca. That's not disputable.
(34:59):
Cooper Flag will be a better defender first week in
the league. So to me, if Cooper Flag is seventy
five to eighty five percent, Luca the offensive player eventually
and I get four years of the rookie deal. Absolutely,
And here's the thing about Luca. Here's the thing about Luca.
Twenty five dunks in his rookie season one dunk last year.
(35:24):
We saw that, so you are the data is clear.
Dude is aging. We saw this with James Harden. His
dunk numbers kept going back down and down and down,
and then James Harden is still good, but he's a
limited offensive player on what he can perform right now. Luca,
this is all he is at twenty six. He's a
step back guy. He's not a playdown hill, attack the rim,
(35:46):
dunkover guys. That's not what he does at twenty six.
Athletes age differently. I would argue Luca is an old
twenty six Cooper Flag is a young NBA rookie.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Jason Kidd.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Remember the introductory press conference what Jason Kidd said. Here's
Jason Kidd.
Speaker 9 (36:08):
Just sitting here listening to him. Is it incredible. I mean,
we're talking about eighteen year old who has all the
right answers and it's talking about working out after this.
But you know, when you talk about his gift, he's
a basketball player and he's a winner.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Also, Luca still plays frequently for Slovenia, so you know
he came into the NBA with three international seasons against
older physical players seven years in the NBA, being a
lead scorer, score bodies being thrown at him isn't in
great shape. Mellow is a Hall of Famer, But at
(36:51):
twenty eight peaked and that was just one year of college.
He played just one year of college at Syracuse, won
a title, it went.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
To the NBA.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
Twenty eight peaked quite the same player an age fast.
Remember that time when he laughed about being a bench
guy for Okac. That's what he was and so, and
then all of a sudden, Mellow had to go, yeah,
this is what I am. Luca didn't dunk anymore, he
didn't play as down hill as he used to. And
I can like Luca. I like Luca a lot. I
think he's really good. But I think Laker fans remember
(37:19):
the day the Luca trade was made, The sense was
who Lakers are headed to the finals?
Speaker 3 (37:28):
They housed Dallas.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
And then you're like, well, Max, Chris, he's not bad
in eighties, really good when he's healthy.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
And I look at Dallas today.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
If Luca is as good as you told me, I
look at Dallas today, I look at the Lakers today,
next five.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Years, who would you rather be?
Speaker 1 (37:46):
I would rather be Dallas best front line in the
NBA Hall of Famer, and Ad still plays on a
nightly basis as an elite score and defender, and here
comes Cooper Flag.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
So it just there.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
There are certain players, the closer you get to them,
you know, I always say this in baseball, nobody knows
that team's bullpen better than the fans of that team.
How do you feel when your team goes to the
setup guy? As a baseball fan in Atlanta, You're like, yeah,
I don't love this because baseball is such a long season.
(38:20):
The die hard baseball fans in a city know they're
bullpen better than any member of the media. They're covering it,
they're seeing it every night. How do you feel when
your team goes to the pen and the seventh inning?
And I feel that with Luca, the closer you are
to Luca, it's not just highlights. You get all the warts.
You see that he can't defend, You see that he
can be ball centric and he's gifted. I'm not denying it.
(38:42):
He's great, and I think he's got four years left.
But Cooper Flag, I think you're going to figure out
by the All Star Game. You're like, Oh, it looks
pretty good and Cooper flag comes in. He does not
have to be a dominant scorer. Now with Dlo there
is he ad didn't have to be a dominant score
(39:02):
eighteen play defense Gonna do just fine in Dallas now.
Jmack loves Luca. J Mack loves Luca. He likes guys
that shoot. So just saying he's twenty six, he's an
old twenty six.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
Colin Collin, my friend, I had to take some notes
as you were dritting this down. Obviously tomorrow's a big
day here on the show, so I'm taking some extra notes.
Did you really just say Luca's basically a step back guy?
Speaker 8 (39:28):
Now?
Speaker 6 (39:29):
Did you say that that's kind.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Of what he is?
Speaker 6 (39:31):
He sick?
Speaker 3 (39:33):
No more dumbs Doesn'teen.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
Months ago, he put the Mavericks on his back and
took them to the finals.
Speaker 6 (39:40):
Okay, then he played in the Olympics in the summer.
Then he got hurt.
Speaker 5 (39:42):
He barely played the list. He played fifty games due
to the injury. Like, I can't believe you just called
he's been hurt.
Speaker 6 (39:49):
He's guy.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
He has been hurt twice since the Olympics. That's what
happens when you're not in great well they.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
Made him run to the finals, and he was running
everything on that offense. Then he played in the Olympics
like that's a lot of mat.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
And then he got hurt and then they got hurt again.
Speaker 6 (40:03):
He's working out.
Speaker 5 (40:04):
Let me just ask you, if Cooper Flag you would
take over Luca. Who is there anybody you're not taking
over Cooper Flag?
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean if you yeah, absolutely,
there's there's I mean, yoh, honest, I mean there's First
of all, Cooper Flag's the best, the best domestic draft
pick since Lebron.
Speaker 6 (40:27):
Okay, are you taking Wemby or Cooper Flag right now?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (40:30):
You take Wemby because he's such a dominant, game altering defensive,
But you take Wega or Cooper Flag right now? Going forward,
I'd probably take Cooper Flag.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
I would too, And I know that people are gonna
hate that because Sga is amazing, But yeah, so I
would put Cooper Flag in that like he's gonna be
pretty soon a top ten guy in the league, probably
within the next five years.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
Is that safe to say?
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Oh? I yes, absolutely, And I'm just saying my whole
point is Avery Johnson's give me Cooper Flag, and my
take is that's what I think, and that's not a
knock on Luca Lucas still a top twelve player in
the league, top ten player depending on the night, depending
on his health. All Right, Hour two coming up, Urban Meyer,
Albert Brewan more so
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. Here we go.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
It is a Tuesday, NBA Free agency in full swing.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
We are live. It is the Herd.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Wherever you may be and however you may be watching
or listening. Thanks for making us part of your day.
Tyler Adams, US men's national team, Urban Meyer, Albert rereerstop
by today, Jmac. It was a if you're a Laker fan,
it was a disheartening day. But they got new owners
and new owners have come. You know, you ever drive
(00:56):
by that restaurant, it says under new management and they're
going to change the entire menu. They're not going to tweak.
So I think I want to read everybody, Jamack the
headlines that are circulating about the Lakers, who are the
biggest brand in the NBA, the Yankees of Major League Baseball.
These are the headlines this morning. Lakers reportedly preserving cap
space for next season. Dorian Finney Smith exits disaster. Lakers
(01:24):
gave up three draft picks for less than fifty games
of Dorian Phinney Smith. Jim rob Palinka facing mounting pressure
to keep the Lakers job, and I like this one.
Lebron James has no influence on free agency moves, says
an NBA front office insider. The Lakers are excluding him,
(01:44):
they should. He's forty one. So the bus family for
years has talked themselves into believing, I get it, this
is their life. They talk themselves into believing we were
just a rotational player away. And the new owners of
this restaurant are saying, no, no, no, no no, it's
just not a little better chicken parm recipe. We're changing
(02:08):
the kitchen staff, We're changing the entire menu. This is
not about a better chicken parm. It's a forty one
year old star, another star in Luca where it's notable
that he's really working out this offseason, and they have
absolutely no size and the real value they have is
Austin Reeves. But another headline today they are not even
(02:32):
taking calls or gauging interest on Austin Reeves. So the
new owners, they know what success is all about. They
own the Dodgers, And I've argued this before. I think
the Dodgers, Mark Walters, I think it's the best run
sports franchise in North America perhaps ever. These people know
(02:52):
what they're doing. They let stars go if they see
problems around the corner. And so this morning it appears
they're going big game hunting next year. They do not
think this is a championship team. They're not going to
lose any sleep over Lebron being bummed out. They're going
to upgrade scouting and my guests, they are eventually going
(03:13):
to find their wizard, their guru, their GM. So the
Lakers need two centers. Like yesterday, the good ones are
off the market. Clint Capella, he's back to the Rockets,
Luke Cornett Celtics now he's the Spurs, and Brook Lopez
to the Clippers. So let's not forget this. Put the
palm palms down. The Lakers got throttled in the first round.
(03:37):
They lost convincingly in the first round, and they are
worse today without Dorian Finney Smith, they are worse today.
You know who's not worse, Houston Houston is better. You
know who's not worse Denver. You know who's getting better fast,
san Antonio. So the ownership group knows what success looks like.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
The new owners are antique experts, and they're telling Laker
fans this roster is a knockoff.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I know what Grandma told you. It's not a van Go.
This isn't it.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
The new Laker owners are telling you we know what
titles looks like. And an aging Lebron and a finally
working out in the offseason. Luca is not o Tawni
Betts and Freddie Freeman. I know it's painful, and I
understand the bus family for years. This is their baby,
this is their child, and they always believe, just like
(04:34):
we all do as parents, our kid's gonna be president
of the United States. Okay, maybe president of a company. Okay,
hopefully president of a frat. Okay, maybe a vice president
of something. You gotta be honest, you have to be
able to self evaluate. This is not a championship team.
Look what Denver's done in the last twenty four hours.
(04:57):
They finally got Yoki, shooters, multiple and a backup. Big
san Antonio is getting better by the hour. With all
their youth. Houston added more pieces. Oklahoma City, I've not
even mentioned them, and the brain trust in Golden State.
They already got their sidekick, the staff, Jimmy Butler last year.
(05:17):
So it's just you gotta be honest about this stuff.
People in Los Angeles. You know what well run looks like.
You know what championships looks like. It's called the Dodgers,
usc the Lakers, the Chargers a little bit until Harbaugh. Yeah,
they're selling you on that, and that's not what it is.
So the Rams brilliantly run, the Dodgers immaculately run, the
(05:39):
Lakers mom and pop shop. It's all changing big game
hunting next year. Not including Lebron in the discussions. He's
had a great career. He should not be dictating any
terms at this point, not saying you trade him. We're
gonna do the new guys say we're gonna do what
we're gonna do because we know what winning looks like.
(06:01):
It's Otanian Bett, not forty one year old Lebron and
perpetually out of shape or an average shape.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Luca. Okay, here's another one. This is interesting. This headline.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
The Steelers are officially all in. I heard that a
lot yesterday because they got Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf,
and tight end John Husmith. Well, if they're all in,
that's a pair of eights. Okay, that ain't pocket Ace's folks.
So if that's all in, but it's I always. I
(06:35):
was asking somebody about three weeks ago, three or four
weeks ago about all the Steelers moves, and he said,
some gms just make moves to make moves. But do
they have a plan. And this is a prime example.
So they get rid of a safety who's a little
past his prime, and they add a corner who's more
expensive Jalen Ramsey who's past his prime. They get rid
(06:56):
of a very high maintenance wide receiver in George Pickens,
and then they inherit a wide receiver who can be
high maintenance, DK Metcalf, you're just making moves to make moves.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
There is no plan.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
If you would have moved off George Pickens and acquired
Terry mcclaurin, the adult in the room, can that's a
move I'd get.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So you're letting go of.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
A guy passed his prime in the secondary and getting
a more expensive guy passed his prime in the secondary.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
That's just a move to make a move.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Well, we're getting rid of a high maintenance receiver and
getting another receiver who's a bit high maintenance. You're just
making moves to make moves. You lost your left tackle
nagieras George Pickens, Miga Fitzpatrick, and I saw who you've added.
I would argue you're slightly less talented today. So this
goes there's no pattern with it. And this is what
I've said about the Steelers is that they're on the
(07:48):
wrong side of the ball. All their money now is
tied up in defense. They got more expensive moving off
Menca for Jalen Ramsey. Wrong, just move off Minca. Stop there.
And these are not moves that make any sense. They're
basically the Steelers of the kid who pays off his
student debt and puts it on a credit card.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Yeah, I got rid of that debt.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
No, it's still debt, bro, you still got debt at
a higher interest rate. That may make you feel better.
And remember this is an organization that has not signed TJ.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Watt yet. So when TJ.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Watt signs, at least for probably a period maybe six months,
maybe less, than that, he'll be the highest paid defensive
player in NFL history. So we're not even talking about
that yet, and you got to get that done.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
TJ.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Watt.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
I mean, there's jerseys are all over the stadium. That's
going to be a terribly sensitive thing. All these moves.
What do they mean. Well, Matt Hasselback yesterday said here's
what he thinks.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
The Jalen Ramsey move means.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
They do not care about the rest of the league.
They don't care about what anybody else does. They say, Hey,
we're the Steelers. This is how we operate. So I
don't think that's going to change. But I do think
this it looks like they're building a team to stop
the Cincinnati Bengals. It's almost like they have confidence in
what they have, like what we have can take care
of the Baltimore Ravens, like we're good. But like, man,
(09:14):
I don't know how we're going to stop the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like I do believe that there's a fear there of
like personnel wise, we don't match up well.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Well, a lot of teams matched up okay with Cincinnati
because the Bengals didn't even make the playoffs. So if
that's your concern. I go back to being concerned about
Baltimore because the Ravens have separated over the last several
years from the Steelers since he didn't even make the playoffs. Okay,
j Mac, let me bring in here. The Austin Reeves
thing is interesting because obviously that's the piece, that is,
(09:45):
he's one of the few underpaid players in the NBA,
scoring about nineteen twenty a game. The Lakers are saying
now they're not going to gauge interest, but I do
think it's interesting the two things that jump out to
me Lebron's not being included at all. I do think
the Bus family felt like because of the COVID title
and the merchandise sales, they sort of owed Lebron something
(10:08):
a heads up that's done. And the other thing is
we're gonna go big game, honey next year. They've been
very I mean that that's a pretty clear signal that Lebron,
we know you want championships, but getting rid of Dori
and Finney Smith, not getting rid of him, him leaving
and then inheriting some small guard who's on, you know,
a young kid, but on like his third team. What's
(10:29):
the message to Lebron, it's bro, We're not We're not
a championship team. That's what the ownership is saying to me.
We are gonna figure out scouting upstairs, executives roster.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Next year is the big year.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Yeah, and next year it sounds like the Bucks are
gonna keep Giannest and make it. Try to make it
go this year, well next summer maybe be honest is like, hey,
I'm done, it's over.
Speaker 6 (10:51):
And then Luca and Jannis.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Joined forces in La But let me ask you, if
you're Lebron and you're reading the tea leaves Colin, are you.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
Like, you know what, guys, just get me to the East.
Just trade me Lakers.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
We're not winning anything. I can't We're not a top
five team in the West.
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Send me to the East.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
I could get to the finals. Does he Do you
think Lebron would actually do that?
Speaker 1 (11:13):
No, I think Lebron's business and it's a fair question.
I think Lebron has to look at it like this.
He knew his first couple of years in the league.
He's a smart guy. He knew the first couple of
years in Cleveland out of high school. They were not
a championship team in fact, getting to the finals against
the Spurs, despite the fact they were swept, they were
ahead of schedule. Oh wait, From about that year on
(11:33):
until this past year, Lebron has felt like the team
he has is a championship level team. But at some
point you have to acknowledge Michael Jordan did when he
went to the Wizards. You know, Shaq was bouncing around
the league. He knew the last three or four years
he was not a championship team. I think Lebron is
smart enough to know. This is the first year in
maybe fifteen years, Lebron. You have to go back to
(11:55):
that getting swept by the Spurs, and I'm sure going
into that finals, Lebron thought he had a chance the
first time in a long time. That Lebron sort of
being told without being directly told, dude, it's not about
a championship. The organization is first, second, and third. You've
had a great run, but we're not gonna include you
as we build going forward.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
I get that, McCullen.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Let me just remind you, Lebron was an All NBA
player last year average like twenty five, seven and seven,
and he's paired with Luka Doncic, So you have two
of the ten best players in the league. I don't
think you're out.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
Of it, but I definitely think there's an uphill climb
in the West.
Speaker 5 (12:29):
Like listen, wacky things happen in the East, Jason Tatum
and Aliburton. They look like they were gonna be in
the conference finals again next year. They're both out next season.
The East and wide open like things can happen. Let's
not write the Lakers off just yet.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Well, remember things do happen, especially to forty one year
olds in their twenty third year.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Also that you think.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Lebron's gonna play eighty games and forty two minutes, Lebron
has to pace himself. You know who doesn't, Lou dort
Sga Chet Holmgren, Jay Dubb. I mean those guys op
O Hooma City can play nine guys a night. The
Lakers now have no center, very little depth, and you
know how it works, Jason. That means, hey, Lebron, we
(13:10):
need forty one minutes tonight and we need twenty nine points.
So it'd be one thing if this was the OKC
San Antonio Houston roster, like Kevin Durant's a great example.
So they Houston extends Jabari Smith, who, like Kevin Durant,
can shoot. He's got length. Kevin Durant, you could literally
tell him before the season starts, we're gonna play sixty
(13:31):
four games. We got Jabari Smith behind you. We want
you ready for the playoffs. Because of the depth, the youth,
the legs, and the athleticism Houston has. Lakers can't do that.
They just lost Orian Phinney Smith, that's one of their
better defenders. So what's gonna happen is Lebron's gonna have
to play thirty eight minutes and score twenty seven points
for this to be in the wet Maybe not in
the East, but in the West. So the great advantage
(13:54):
KD saw that with Houston. Don't I don't shen Goon
can drop twenty eight on any night. A men Thompson's
coming up. Jabari plays my position right behind me. So
Lebron is going to be once again and we don't
you know, you cross your fingers on Lucas's health. He's
in good shape reportedly, but Lucas a guy that misses games,
(14:14):
that gets banged up.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
There are gonna be nights.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
So that's Lebron and Austin Reeves having to both drop
twenty eight for them to beat at best compete with Oka.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
See listen, It's not over.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
I'm not writing them off and anything can happen here
in the next three four days.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Let's go out and get.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
Some guys and get the Lakers back in contention where
Lebron needs to be.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (14:43):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben
Maller with me and a lot to have you join
us on our weekly auditory journey. You ask, what in
God's name is the Fifth Hour, I'll tell you it's
a spin off of it. Ben Maler show, a cult
hit overnights on FSR.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 7 (14:59):
Picture if you will World, where we chat with captains
of industry in media, sports, and war every week explore
some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to
The Fifth Hour with Ben Mather on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
So the ultimate sign of respect was paid to Nikota
Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, who is the most layered, productive,
essential player in the NBA. There's a lot of good players,
Sga Jannis and the aging kd Luka Lebron, but there's
one Jokic. He's the best shooting big man ever. He's
the best passing big man ever, rebounding outlets, ball handling,
(15:40):
it's just nothing like It may not be pretty, but
there's nothing like it in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I don't think ever.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
And so yesterday is a great example. Michael Porter's really talented.
They moved off him and just brought in a couple
of shooters, and suddenly the odds now have Denver as
the second best odds to win the title. That's like Adele,
give me a microphone in a stage, get out of
the way. I'll show you greatness. I mean, Michael Porter's
(16:07):
very talented, inconsistent, some injuries, but really talented. They just
got this guy, Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown. Brown won't
even start rotational guy, second, third guy after bench. Cam
Johnson always like can hit threes, but they just got
him a couple of shooters. All of a sudden, the
odds go above Houston. It's okay, see it's Denver, and
I don't disagree that Jokics does not need KD. He
(16:29):
doesn't need Jannis, he doesn't need a big trade. Denver
can't shoot. Let's get Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown they can.
I mean, these are like the fifth best starter or
the second guy off a bench. And look at the odds,
and I think the odds are right. And that's really
what it is is that Jokicic today is on a
roster that does not have another All Star. Even after
(16:53):
the trade, they do not have another All Star. And
yet in the loaded West they are odds on favorite.
It's today because of getting Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown
to meet OKC in the Western Conference finals. So again,
it just this guy doesn't need much. I think my
take is if I had to flip a coin today
(17:15):
and say who wins the NBA Championship next season, I
would say Denver. I mean, this is a team, this
is a team with no bench. Was completely overwhelmingly because
Michael Porter was so inconsistent and they couldn't shoot threes.
They were basically it was Jokic Gordon against OKC, and
they took them seven, and they took them seven, So
(17:37):
I love what they did. I think you know, listen,
I like Malone, he runs hot. They moved off him,
but I think this makes Denver really good. It's exactly
what they needed. And this is a guy that doesn't
need much. Give me a stage, give me a microphone.
I'll get you open hit. Threes were good. Jmack with
the news.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
QUI no, no, the news.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
This is the herd line news, John, This busy morning
of NBA chaos continues. Obviously, Damian Lillard has been cut, waved, dropped,
like a bad habit, whatever you want to say. ATAM Milwaukee,
he's done there. They are stretching a provision that allows
them to stretch the remaining one hundred and thirteen million
dollars on his contract so they don't take the entire
(18:25):
hit this year, and that enables them to go get
Miles Turner, a bit of a shocker. They steal him
from the Pacers. They're giving him one hundred and seven
million dollars. They lost Brook Lopez their center yesterday, so
they had to do something. But obviously these moves are
secondary to what does Yannis think?
Speaker 6 (18:42):
And Colin, we know what Yannis thinks.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
He put out something on social media essentially saying I
don't know what to think right now. Here's his little meme,
I don't know what's going on right now of.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
Him celebrating when they won the championship.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
And then you have a report that Yannis is unhappy.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
With decision to move off Dame.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
That comes from Chris Haynes, the NBA insider who's like
type with Damian Lillard. So very clearly Milwaukee thought they
had a great plan here, and Giannis's first reaction appears
to be.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
What the hell's going on here?
Speaker 3 (19:14):
What are we doing? Well?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Okay, but again we can blame everybody except Giannis. But
three years ago, almost everybody I trust in the NBA
was saying the same thing. They don't match up with Boston.
They're getting really old, really fast. Okay, So at some
point move on because what you're paying Yiannis Now, Miles Turner,
(19:37):
I like Myles Turneral lot, so I think you know,
with Brook Lopez going to the Clippers, I think you
had to make that. Movie's probably an upgrade. They can
both hit a three, they can both defend the rim.
So but this is not a championship team, so not
even close. And by the way, I would say in
(19:57):
the weaker East.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
It's not close.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Meaning if you put this team in the West, what
are they have? Six seed a seventh seed? Are they
a playing team? So I mean again, I think it's
Yannis is the ten million dollar chandelier in a pretty
empty mansion. So I just I don't see a lot here.
But this is on at some point, Yannis, You're the
one that you wanted a move. So the organization kind
(20:21):
of backed into a corner, went and got Dame, and
we said it when Dame came, he'll make them better offensively,
they'll be worse defensively.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
And that's kind of what happens.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
So you can complain about stuff or be actionable and
say listen, I want out. And this is what I
said two weeks ago. With you, j Mac, you could
get five unprotected first rounds. You could get I would
have gone to Houston with Shen Goon, maybe a Jabari
Smith and you know, a bunch of picks. But if
you're gonna have this idea that Jannis is confused by
(20:49):
it all, bro, everybody in the world knows you're not
a title team, and they knew it three years ago,
it's on you now.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Does it feel like the bucks here you know, like
if a marriage is bailing, you're like, oh, well we
could buy a new house where let's have a new kid,
Let's have a baby, you know.
Speaker 6 (21:04):
To like try to fix things. Miles Turner's not gonna fix.
Speaker 5 (21:07):
Anything in Milwaukee, like just because he's a rim protector
and a good player. Their backcourt is like not a
top ten back court in the East College.
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Orlando's better, the Atlanta Hawks are better. I know you're
not gonna want to hear this.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Embiid Sixers right now. They're a bit of a sleeper
in these they're better than the Bucks. So I just
don't like this at all. I will throw a Hail
Mary at you. Okay, I did present it to you
a few months ago. Is there a world where Lebron says, Lakers.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
This ain't happening.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
I'd love to play with Steph Curry, And there's a
three way deal with the Warriors, Lakers, and Bucks where
Lebron goes to the Warriors to play with Curry, Jannis
goes to the Lakers to play with Luca, and the
Bucks get everything else all the picks. The pick swaps
Jimmy Butler, who's only got two years left, is there
a war where the Bucks entertained something like that. Because
(21:59):
you're gonna need to read pretty soon.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
Come yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
I mean, but my take is is Lebron at forty one,
with maybe a year or two left.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
I just keep Jimmy Butler.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
I mean, I get I think Lebron's consistently better than Jimmy.
Jimmy's the better defender. I don't think that's the answer.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I don't. I think.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I thought the answer for Milwaukee was sheng Goon, a
bunch of picks and a couple of rotational young guys
that didn't make a move on it. So listen, I
Milwaukee twice in my life in mid seventies, and a
few years ago they got a title out of their
all time historic great Big And there's nothing wrong with that.
There's a lot of organizations like Sacramento Kings had great
(22:41):
teams for years and didn't get anything. The Baltimore Ravens,
the Buffalo Bills, these teams have been unbelievable for five years.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
They don't have anything.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
If you can get Denver got one, Denver may never
get another one.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
The world we live.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
At in the NBA now, Jmac is you can win
one championship, but the CBA does not allow Wow a dynasty.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
I don't want that.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
So I think they not not Sam.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Milwaukee got greedy, but they got a bit self enamored
and a bit delusional. I think they should have moved
off Giannis two years ago. I think after next year.
He I mean, I'm saying what guys are going for now?
Could you get six first round picks for Jannis if
he stays healthy this year and is again very productive?
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Yeah, I mean, anything possible. Let's go to the next
stricon in the NBA. SGA kind of lost in the
shuffle this morning. The league MVP and Finals MVP. He
just signed an extension four years wait for it, two
hundred and eighty five million dollars Colin. It is the
He will be the highest paid annual salary player in NBA.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
History and in any US major sport.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
SGA is gonna make seventy one million dollars.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Yeah a year, Yeah, I don't. I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Again, he provided a championship, a finals MVP.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
He's the NBA leading scorer. He's a grown up.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
He's an absolute adult, refined offensive game. That's the market.
I don't have a problem and none of those guys.
To be honest, Joe l MBI is the one I
struggle with, and Dak even Anthony Davis. I don't have
a problem. He's the best defensive guy in the league.
Most of these guys making that money. I don't have
any problem. It's a lot of money, but that's what
(24:22):
the supermax everybody agreed to owners, GMS, players agents. I
don't have a problem. But he's a total grown up.
You know he's going to be committed. He'll be in
the he's priority back in the gym. I got no
problem with it.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
So can we get that on the screen again?
Speaker 5 (24:36):
The list of the highest paid US athletes in team
sports remove Otani because they don't have a salary cap
in baseball. Tell me which one of those teams is
contending in their respective sport. The answer is none of them.
Once you start paying guys sixty five plus million dollars, Colin,
you can't build a team. That's very clear. The Celtics
(24:57):
are disbanding essentially right now, falling apart. Joel Embiid no shot.
Maybe they're a good playoff team this year. Anthony Davis
in the MAVs, I don't see it because of injuries
to Kyrie Irving.
Speaker 6 (25:09):
So like, once you pay these guys and I get.
Speaker 5 (25:11):
It, they're worth it, but it's tough to build around them. Colin,
and I see this.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
It is in the NBA, and it is in the NFL.
It's not in baseball. I listen, SGA just got bank.
They'll be contending their favorites now to win it again.
I don't know if they will. I just don't. I
don't think they're that special offensively to be. You know,
it's an offensive league more than defense. I think their
defensive story is amazing and historic, but I don't think Okay,
(25:37):
C's gonna win it again, Cody, I'll tell you, I
take Denver. I would take Denver right now to win
it after those two moves. Cam Johnson is a long,
excellent shooter. That's all Denver. Denver did everything else fine.
They didn't have enough three points shooting. They got two
guys that can hit them with Yokich with occasionally Jamal Murray.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
This morning, I like Denver.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
I'll go to Houston, but we got a full summer.
Left finals three, Colin, how about your Mavericks?
Speaker 6 (26:01):
You love them?
Speaker 5 (26:02):
And honey, mammas you like D'Angelo Russell years thirteen million
dollars for the guy.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
I like to call me Angelo.
Speaker 5 (26:09):
Russell because he's all about himself. He'll basically take Kyrie's
spot at point guard. Listen, man, the guy's a scorer,
he's a pro, he's been around for a while. Ultimately, though,
the MAVs roster is looking quite good. When you get
back Cooper Flag if they ever get healthy this year,
that's a dangerous team either way.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
I don't think, first of all, I love the Mavericks.
I'm not a huge d Lo fan. They're doing this
until Kyrie Irving's healthy, and then it's only a two
year deal, so they just they just need a lead
dog who can score with Cooper. I don't like having
Di'angelo Russell around Cooper Flag. That's not what I would
want as a mentor. But I but I will say this,
(26:50):
I think Dallas excellent. I think Houston's excellent. I think
okay See's excellent. I think Denver's excellent. So all you
like your fans out there, those teams are all better, deeper,
and more assets going forward. So the truth that this
feel you know what the West feels like. J mckett
feels like the SEC for about that fifteen year run
(27:11):
where Ohio State could compete with the SEC, and that
was about it. There are not many teams in the
East with Tatum and Halliburton out. I don't think there's
anybody in the East that can can beat those top
three or four teams in the West. People are just
forgetting how good the Dallas roster is. With a d
returning and Kyrie just signed an extension, Dallas roster is
(27:35):
Cooper flag is going to be nineteen to twenty a
game as a rookie. Dallas is a really if you
put Dallas in the East, I would take Dallas without
Tatum or Halliburton to win the East.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Yeah, I would.
Speaker 6 (27:48):
I mean, we'll see regular season.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
You know the Cads, there are some tryhards and they're gonna
probably win sixty games. But I don't know the MAVs
can win like sixty without Kyrie for most of the season.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
But that's what well you can tell. You can tell
why they brought d low one and a two year deal.
It's just we need offense until Kyrie is ready to go. Yet.
Jmack with the News, well that's the news and thanks
for stopping by the.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
So the Knicks talk to Hall of Famer Don Staley,
the women's coach at South Carolina, about the coaching job.
So Knicks are weird. So they just had their best
year since two thousand, so a quarter of a century.
They had their best year. So let's try something that's
never been done in the history of the sport, man
or woman. College basketball coaches generally do not flourish in
(28:41):
the NBA. They are two different sports. It's like film
and TV. Well, they both have actors, they both have writers,
they both have scripts, they're both on a screen. TV
and film are completely different industries. Let me tell you
college basketball is about coaching. It's methodical, it's possession. It's
very fundamental. Coaches run the show. The NBA is fast
(29:05):
and dynamic, it is up tempo, and the point guard
and the best players run the show. Head coaches rarely
call out plays, so even during timeouts you listen to
a Spolstra or a Steve Kerr and one like they
were diagramming plays. It's not the eighties. So the intensity.
And this is nothing against Dawn Staley because she's a woman.
(29:26):
When Dan Hurley was up for the Lakers job. I'm like,
I think he's a college coach. The intensity, the barking,
that's not going to play in the NBA. So I mean,
JJ Reddick got the job partly because he was friends
with Lebron. They knew it would work with Lebron. So
that's how it works in the NBA. So in the NBA,
the coach is the fifth highest compensated person on the
(29:48):
team plane and probably somewhere between the fourth and the
eighth most important. Even even a Rick Carlisle, an excellent coach,
acknowledges it's the chemistry.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
It's Halliburton.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
You get the very infrequent during a time out, this
is what we're going to do offensively. So in what's
troubling if you're a Knicks fan, the East is wide open.
Jason Tatum's out for the Celtics, Halliburton out for the Pacers.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
It is wide open.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
It's like, and you just had your best season, and
you guys can criticize Tibbs all you want, but the
Knicks were something Tibbs created a culture. It's like Dan
Campbell with the Detroit Lions. Is he the best schematic
guy in the league. No, but I acknowledged I was
wrong on Dan Campbell. He is a culture creator. That's
(30:37):
what Tibbs did. And for the record, all the critics
of Tibbs said, well, he's not really creative. It is
hard to be creative offensively when Jalen Brunts's game and
I like Jalen Brunson a lot, his game is ball dominant.
It's hard to create things off Jalen Brunson. He's a
great finisher, maybe the best finisher right now. He and
(30:58):
Kyrie Irving for their size and the league. But he
is pounding the ball. It's hard to create a lot
of stuff. If you get the ball for the Knicks,
there's often six seconds left on the shot clock. So
this idea that Tibbs wasn't creative enough. It's not easy
to be creative when a James Harden or you know
(31:18):
Luca Dantage. Now there's another guy that wants the ball
in his hands, wants to operate. Halliburton's different. Halliburton's pays
a play, Halliburton gets the ball up court. He's different.
But this whole thing, well, he wasn't creative enough. All
I know is TIBs created a culture, tough, physical Villanova
pro style.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Now they're looking at college. That's not the answer.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter not a Empacific.
Speaker 5 (31:49):
The Road to twentyty six continues tomorrow on FS one
with the Gold Cup semifinal as the US men's national
team takes on Guatemala.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
No Easy Pass, No Second Chances.
Speaker 5 (32:02):
Coverage begins tomorrow at six Eastern on FS one.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
We have Tyler Adams on the show today.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
He'll be a World Cup guy, Tyler Adams, He'll be
favorite over Guatemala.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
So I think you know I've said this before.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
If I didn't do this for a living, my dream
job would be a general manager of an NFL team.
And I just I love the draft. I like building stuff.
And it's been like that since I was a kid.
I just like building stuff. And I think my best
sources in the league I was talking to one last
night are NFL execs, and I loved the sport and
I always.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Thought, what a cool job.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
And so it's I like the idea of when you
get into these situations these executives on would you take
an old star or an emerging young star.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
That's one of the hard ones.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
So everybody loves Luca, right, Luca Luca, But I've made
the argument for years he's a better version of Carmelo Anthony,
and Carmelo is a Hall of Famer two. But it's
very interesting, Avery Johnson saying right now he would take
Cooper flag going forward over Luca.
Speaker 8 (33:06):
Man, give me Cooper flag. Really, Cooper flag in this team? Yeah,
give me Cooper flag. Man.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
You're talking about a team when they're healthy.
Speaker 8 (33:16):
Got three future Hall of famerus with Kyrie ad and
Klay Thompson. So this is really exciting the Mavericks. Their
future is bright, but they have a window when they're
healthy if the next two to three.
Speaker 6 (33:31):
Years with this rostass currently constructed.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
So I just want you to think about this. So
Luca has been in the NBA for seven seasons. That's
a grind, and he's been attacked for seven years, right,
he's a score, so people.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Are throwing bodies at him.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
He also played three years in Europe against older players,
so he has been grinding against men for ten years.
And we all know that athletes age differently based on
how good a shape they're in. Well mellow for Anton's
Mike komp for Luca peaked at twenty eight. By twenty
nine years old, his scoring dropped noticeably, was never again
(34:10):
top ten MVP Mellow aged fast Lebron at thirty eight,
ten years older than Mellow's peak. I mean he treats
his body like a Temple twenty nine a game, fifty
percent from the field, All Star Western Conference Finals. Okay,
Tom Brady at forty five was better than Aaron Rodgers
at thirty eight, thirty nine or Big Bennett thirty seven.
(34:33):
So Luca, to me, he is an old soul. Now
he's about twenty six years old. Now he's an old
twenty six and I'm sure he has four more peak years.
And Hayes working out this offseason, Cooper Flag may have
twelve peak years. And Cooper Flag day one in the
NBA will be a better defender than Luca. That's not disputable.
(34:59):
Cooper Flag will be a better defender first week in
the league. So to me, if Cooper Flag is seventy
five to eighty five percent, Luca the offensive player eventually
and I get four years of the rookie deal. Absolutely,
And here's the thing about Luca. Here's the thing about Luca.
Twenty five dunks in his rookie season one dunk last year.
(35:24):
We saw that, so you are the data is clear.
Dude is aging. We saw this with James Harden. His
dunk numbers kept going back down and down and down,
and then James Harden is still good, but he's a
limited offensive player on what he can perform right now. Luca,
this is all he is at twenty six. He's a
step back guy. He's not a playdown hill, attack the rim,
(35:46):
dunkover guys. That's not what he does at twenty six.
Athletes age differently. I would argue Luca is an old
twenty six Cooper Flag is a young NBA rookie.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Jason Kidd.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Remember the introductory press conference what Jason Kidd said. Here's
Jason Kidd.
Speaker 9 (36:08):
Just sitting here listening to him. Is it incredible. I mean,
we're talking about eighteen year old who has all the
right answers and it's talking about working out after this.
But you know, when you talk about his gift, he's
a basketball player and he's a winner.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Also, Luca still plays frequently for Slovenia, so you know
he came into the NBA with three international seasons against
older physical players seven years in the NBA, being a
lead scorer, score bodies being thrown at him isn't in
great shape. Mellow is a Hall of Famer, But at
(36:51):
twenty eight peaked and that was just one year of college.
He played just one year of college at Syracuse, won
a title, it went.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
To the NBA.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
Twenty eight peaked quite the same player an age fast.
Remember that time when he laughed about being a bench
guy for Okac. That's what he was and so, and
then all of a sudden, Mellow had to go, yeah,
this is what I am. Luca didn't dunk anymore, he
didn't play as down hill as he used to. And
I can like Luca. I like Luca a lot. I
think he's really good. But I think Laker fans remember
(37:19):
the day the Luca trade was made, The sense was
who Lakers are headed to the finals?
Speaker 3 (37:28):
They housed Dallas.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
And then you're like, well, Max, Chris, he's not bad
in eighties, really good when he's healthy.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
And I look at Dallas today.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
If Luca is as good as you told me, I
look at Dallas today, I look at the Lakers today,
next five.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Years, who would you rather be?
Speaker 1 (37:46):
I would rather be Dallas best front line in the
NBA Hall of Famer, and Ad still plays on a
nightly basis as an elite score and defender, and here
comes Cooper Flag.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
So it just there.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
There are certain players, the closer you get to them,
you know, I always say this in baseball, nobody knows
that team's bullpen better than the fans of that team.
How do you feel when your team goes to the
setup guy? As a baseball fan in Atlanta, You're like, yeah,
I don't love this because baseball is such a long season.
(38:20):
The die hard baseball fans in a city know they're
bullpen better than any member of the media. They're covering it,
they're seeing it every night. How do you feel when
your team goes to the pen and the seventh inning?
And I feel that with Luca, the closer you are
to Luca, it's not just highlights. You get all the warts.
You see that he can't defend, You see that he
can be ball centric and he's gifted. I'm not denying it.
(38:42):
He's great, and I think he's got four years left.
But Cooper Flag, I think you're going to figure out
by the All Star Game. You're like, Oh, it looks
pretty good and Cooper flag comes in. He does not
have to be a dominant scorer. Now with Dlo there
is he ad didn't have to be a dominant score
(39:02):
eighteen play defense Gonna do just fine in Dallas now.
Jmack loves Luca. J Mack loves Luca. He likes guys
that shoot. So just saying he's twenty six, he's an
old twenty six.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
Colin Collin, my friend, I had to take some notes
as you were dritting this down. Obviously tomorrow's a big
day here on the show, so I'm taking some extra notes.
Did you really just say Luca's basically a step back guy?
Speaker 8 (39:28):
Now?
Speaker 6 (39:29):
Did you say that that's kind.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Of what he is?
Speaker 6 (39:31):
He sick?
Speaker 3 (39:33):
No more dumbs Doesn'teen.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
Months ago, he put the Mavericks on his back and
took them to the finals.
Speaker 6 (39:40):
Okay, then he played in the Olympics in the summer.
Then he got hurt.
Speaker 5 (39:42):
He barely played the list. He played fifty games due
to the injury. Like, I can't believe you just called
he's been hurt.
Speaker 6 (39:49):
He's guy.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
He has been hurt twice since the Olympics. That's what
happens when you're not in great well they.
Speaker 5 (39:54):
Made him run to the finals, and he was running
everything on that offense. Then he played in the Olympics
like that's a lot of mat.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
And then he got hurt and then they got hurt again.
Speaker 6 (40:03):
He's working out.
Speaker 5 (40:04):
Let me just ask you, if Cooper Flag you would
take over Luca. Who is there anybody you're not taking
over Cooper Flag?
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean if you yeah, absolutely,
there's there's I mean, yoh, honest, I mean there's First
of all, Cooper Flag's the best, the best domestic draft
pick since Lebron.
Speaker 6 (40:27):
Okay, are you taking Wemby or Cooper Flag right now?
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (40:30):
You take Wemby because he's such a dominant, game altering defensive,
But you take Wega or Cooper Flag right now? Going forward,
I'd probably take Cooper Flag.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
I would too, And I know that people are gonna
hate that because Sga is amazing, But yeah, so I
would put Cooper Flag in that like he's gonna be
pretty soon a top ten guy in the league, probably
within the next five years.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
Is that safe to say?
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Oh? I yes, absolutely, And I'm just saying my whole
point is Avery Johnson's give me Cooper Flag, and my
take is that's what I think, and that's not a
knock on Luca Lucas still a top twelve player in
the league, top ten player depending on the night, depending
on his health. All Right, Hour two coming up, Urban Meyer,
Albert Brewan more so
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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