October 24, 2023 • 44 mins
Chris Haynes and Marc Stein thought they were going to be focused on Terry Stotts' sudden departure from the Bucks' coaching staff on this edition of #thisleague UNCUT. Instead they found themselves breaking down an unexpected Giannis Antetokounmpo contract extension months earlier than Giannis himself said he was going to sign one. The guys went deep on what this Giannis decision means, worked their way to the sudden Stotts exit and discussed the latest on James Harden and Victor Wembanyama, too.
Follow, rate and review #thisleague UNCUT with Chris Haynes & Marc Stein here!
https://link.chtbl.com/thisleagueuncut
#fsr #2pros
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA news. This's you'll, Chris Hanes.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
It's go time, work's.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Time, it's so time. This League Uncut is underway and
on fire. This should be a good one. Friends, Welcome
in to the eve of the NBA season, the NBA
(00:32):
seventy eighth season. It starts tomorrow night. Chris Haynes and
I are recording this edition of This League Uncut late
Monday night, a very newsy Monday in the NBA. Some
of the news we expected. It was extension deadline day
(00:52):
for the Class of twenty twenty first round picks. I
think we ended up with fourteen contract extensions, a new record.
But all of that was upended and overshadowed sometime after
the six PM buzzer for the Class of twenty twenty,
(01:13):
when Yanis on Tetokumpo himself announced to the world that
he has extended his contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. And
as luck would have it, my good friend Chris Haynes
was traveling to Milwaukee today. He is now safely in Milwaukee.
He'll be covering Thursday nights Bucks season opener against the Drama.
(01:37):
Leaden Philadelphia seventy six ers. Mister Haynes, how's Milwaukee treating
you so far? Not as well as it's treating Yannis.
But you are there in the heart of the NBA
news cauldron.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Milwaukee. It looks it is fall falls in the air,
beautiful scenery.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
St You've always got to take it back to weather.
Whenever I bring up Milwaukee, the first thing, the first
thing you give me is the weather report.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I mean Stein. That is important, that is very important.
But it is beautiful. The weather is beautiful Stein. You know,
I went walking walking downtown. It's afternoon, a little bit
of rain, a little bit of rain, but not too cold.
I did not bring a jacket. That was a mistake
(02:27):
by me. I have a sweater.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Do you have a shirt for Do you have a
shirt for your TV?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I do have a you know what. So part of
me going walking downtown, I actually stopped at a store
and picked up a shirt to do to do the
interview that I have scheduled tomorrow Stein. So, but the
weather is okay, it's not it's not horrible like they
said it might be. It's doable, and so for that
(02:52):
I am grateful.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
So this is actually a two suit trip for you
because you have an assignment before the game. Assignment that
is correct.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Do you know what my assignment is? Tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I have a guest, but I don't know if you're
Are you allowed to discuss it or is it top secret?
Or I don't want to get you in. I don't
want to. I don't want to get you in trouble.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh you don't? Uh? Okay, Well, am I gonna get
my own self in trouble? Well? I mean it's probably
going to get out tomorrow anyway. So tomorrow, which will
be Tuesday, October twenty fourth, I have a TNT sit
down interview with both Giannis and Dame that will air
(03:34):
on TNT on Game Night Thursday. Uh, in advance of
six Ers Bucks game. And I will be doing the
sidelines for that game.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
And you got plenty to talk about because Gianna Santetokumpo
he has been saying that he was not going to
do his contract extension until after the season because it
made the most financial sense. First, he was very vocal
about saying he wanted to be sure that the Bucks
would continue to be a team competing for championships and
(04:08):
doing whatever it takes to compete for championships. The Bucks
responded to those interviews by trading for Damian Lillard and
now Gianni Santetokumpo, after telling us that he was going
to most likely wait until after the season. Surprise surprise,
he announced today that he's done his extension the max
that he was eligible for. To do it by the
(04:30):
Monday night deadline. He was facing three years a shade
under one hundred and ninety million player option in twenty
twenty seven, twenty eight. But man, what what a win
for the Bucks. I did my power rankings on Monday,
my annual preseason rankings, and I've been doing this for
more than twenty years. The Denver Nuggets have to be
(04:53):
number one because they're the defending champs. That's just kind
of a rule that I have adopted as the Committee
of won That's the I always do it. Unless something
crazy happens to the defending champions, some sort of roster
or injury chaos, I always bestow that honor upon the
defending champs. I think that the Denver Nuggets deserves to
(05:13):
start the season as the new number one. But the
Milwaukee Bucks trading for Damian Lillard and then getting Yanis
onto Tecumpo to sign a contract extension a year before
he said he would, when a month ago there was
all this perceived pressure on the Bucks that they better
do something to keep Giannus happy. Absolutely stunning turnaround. Yes,
(05:38):
it costs the Bucks Drew Holliday, but what an offseason
they've had to trade for Dame and get Giannis resigned.
I mean, no matter what happens this season, the trade
is a win. Trading for Damian Lillard convinced clearly convince
Jiannis to do this now, I mean that's incredibleitible incredible
(06:01):
month here for the for the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, I think it'll be intriguing to hear from Gianni's
on what went into him, you know, changing his mind
and going that route. And definitely, I mean if you
look at, you know, from the outside looking in, if
you look at what the Bucks have been doing, especially
since John Horse took over a general manager, I mean,
they've shown not only honest, but they've shown the fan base,
(06:24):
fan base that they're committed to trying to produce a
championship team. And they've done that and they're trying to
sustain that. So I have to give props to John
Horse ownership grew, uh, you know, going out and trading
for Dame. You know, we're still you know, I'm still
very interested in seeing how that's going to look in
(06:46):
the regular season, you know, when those when this team
gets a gets a decent amount of games under their belt,
where Giannis and Dan could play with each other a
ton more, just to see what they can produce. But
the Bucks, again, they did everything that they could do
to try to convince Giannis that they're committed, that he
(07:08):
doesn't have to go anywhere else. And still, you know,
Yalla still get gives himself out getting that player option
at the end, just to you know, see what these
next couple of years are going to be like. But
definitely a win win for the Bucks and a win
win for Giannis. You know, Jannis, he did he did
say he wasn't going to do anything until after next season.
(07:30):
But before that he said money is not important. A
lot of fucking money is important. Now those are his
exact words right there, and so I think, what is
about sixty something million a year? I think this will
qualify as a lot of fucking money.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
But when he said that, he was basically implying that
this extension wasn't big enough, and that he wanted to
wait till the summer so it could attack on a
year and make it even more lucrative. But look, I mean,
the reason that you take your hat off to the
Bucks is because these moves do not guarantee them a championship.
They don't even guarantee that they get out of the East.
(08:13):
Because of what Boston's done, I personally feel like the
Bucks have the higher ceiling. But as I've kind of
been digesting everyone's preseason prognostication, all our colleagues around the league,
I kind of feel like I'm in the minority. I
feel like more people are picking Boston to win the East.
(08:34):
And even though the Celtics have sacrificed depth by swapping
out a quartette of familiar faces including Marcus Smart and
Grant Williams, time Lord Malcolm Brogden, they turn those four
guys into Christops Porzingis and Drew Holliday. But like I said,
(08:55):
when I listen to the punditry, it seems like a
lot of people think, Okay, Boston has the best top
six in the league, if that is such a thing,
and that there is a sense that the Celtics are
going to just be absolutely locked down on the defensive end,
even though there will be concerns about can Porzingis stay healthy,
(09:17):
Can Hal Horford at thirty seven, continue to play at
the level he's played. Are they big enough to handle
what the Bucks can throw at them, what maybe Philadelphia
can throw at them with Joe El Embiid. But you know, again,
I kind of feel like the Celtics are a bit
trendy or a pick, a bit more popular, a pick
(09:41):
to get out of the East than the Bucks are.
I personally, yes, there's no question the Bucks have sacrificed
a lot by giving up jew Holiday, and you know,
their team is getting a little bit older, and there
are concerns can they be as good defensively as they've
been in the past without Holiday at the point of
(10:01):
attack and with brook Lopez advancing in age, they can
they still be dominant defensively. But my belief is that
the offensive ceiling they now have would Dame's. It was
a trade they had to make offense half court offense specifically,
that's been the issue for the Bucks in the playoffs
(10:22):
when things haven't gone that well. But look, to me,
there's a long winded way of saying. My reaction is
really just what it was the last time. Honus extended.
It's the closest thing to winning a championship that the
Bucks can experience. They now have Giannis and Game on
similar contractual tracks. These guys are going to be together now,
(10:44):
locked in for the next two to three seasons. And
I mean the Bucks can't really ask for more.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
And that's why, you know, I get your point. I'm not.
I guess I'm seeing it. You know, I see a
going by ways. I see pundits going the Milwaukee route,
picking Milwaukee over Boston. I never looked at it like that.
Who has the like who's more? I guess essentially you're
(11:13):
saying top heavy? Who is the the most top heavy team,
Boston or Milwaukee? And I still think, you know, hey,
like you know, Bobby Porters is arguably the the best
six man out there. He would you know, he would
be in that top six for Milwaukee. But it's it's
back and forth. I don't know, it's it's tough, but yeah,
(11:35):
I have my I have my concerns with both teams.
When it comes to Boston, it's the depth, it's the size.
When it comes to when it comes to Milwaukee. How
long would it take for Dame and to jail, you know,
(11:55):
to mix with this group. You know, Adrian Griffin new
you know, new head coach, and then you know something
we're gonna talk about before he'll losing the top assistant.
So I got concerns on both sides, But definitely, you know,
Milwaukee and Boston already right now, I think those are
two teams that we feel that they are at the
top of the East.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Yeah, I mean one of my big questions going in
the season, how big is the gap between Milwaukee and
Boston and the rest of the East. If Philly had
an engaged James Harden, you'd throw them in that same tier.
But they don't. And not only do they not haven't
engaged James Harden, the Sixers have nothing but uncertainty about
(12:37):
is he going to play? Are they gonna be able
to find a palatable trade? Is anybody else gonna get
in that trade mix besides the Clippers? How is embiid
gonna handle the uncertainty? And how long before he gets
really frustrated? So a lot of questions about the Sixers too,
But I think, yes, the Bucks and the Celtics. Despite
whatever question marks you want to raise in either case,
(12:59):
those two teams have clearly separated themselves from the rest
of the East Pack, and the man sit down with
Jannis and Dame not bad. Let's go to what we
thought we were going to be focusing on. Terry Stotts's
abrupt departure has raised a lot of eyebrows around the league.
(13:21):
Adrian Griffin is a first time head coach. You see
this with any team that brings in a first time
head coach, they always want at least one of the
assistants to be a former NBA head coach. There was
so much talk last season with Boston that Joe Mizzoula
suffered from not having enough experience around him on his
bench after he abruptly replaced Ema Udoka. So the fact
(13:45):
that the Bucks would want a Terry Statts, a former
head coach, to be on Adrian Griffin's staff, that's a
natural move. The way it's unraveled so quickly, Terry Stotts
electing to walk away from the job less than a
week before the season starts, how big a deal. Well,
first of all, let's tell us what you know as
far as what happened here, and how big a deal
(14:08):
is this.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I think it's a pretty big deal because you don't
see a departure like this days before, well a week
before the regular season comes about. The offense they were
running is a Terry Stotts offense. It's everything that Damian
Lillard is all too familiar with, to a point where
Dame was kind of instructing guy. I think I touched
(14:33):
on this last part he was instructing. This is the
last part we were talking about this, but you know,
this is before Stotts resign and we were talking about
just how comfortable Dame was and how he was instructing
guys where to be. You know, he was just on
top of that so much. So it's very surprising. It's
I think it's very significant. I do. But let's let's
(14:56):
kind of you know, I've seen the reports out there,
and for the most part, yeah, everything that's been reported
about what happened the day before he resigned at shoot
around in Oklahoma City. You know, there there was a
point that shoot around after shoot around when when there
(15:18):
was a huddle, there was a huddle to end shoot around,
and you know, they do the huddle and they break
and then Terry Stotts afterwards he walked away, was walking
away to watch film with Dame an Giannis and Griffin
had already said before the break, before they broke out, coaches,
(15:41):
let's meet on the court afterwards. And so this that
kind of aggravated Griffin because every other coach came and
got it around him except Stott. Stotts went and went away,
and then Stotts, I mean, excuse me, Griffin called for Stotts,
and Stotts was like the way I was told Stotts
was like it was a hand signal, like give me
(16:02):
a minute, give me a minute. And then Griffin kind
of you know, went off from there and uh, you know,
he got loud and this caught the attention of the
whole team. But one thing I want to say to
kind of shed a little bit light on it a
little bit. So I was told Stott's approach Dame and
(16:24):
Giannis before shoot around and told them, hey, after shoot around,
come watch film with me. Let's watch film on my
laptop and let's go over some pick and roll coverages.
And so Dami Giannis knew to go to starts after
shooting around. But the issue was that as soon as
(16:45):
you know, as soon as the shoot around was over,
excuse me, shooting around was about to be over as
Griffin gatthered the team to break, to break their huddle
so they could end the practice. Right before the huddle break,
Griffin told the coaches, Hey, after we break, everybody, let's
meet all the coaches, let's meet on the court. And
(17:09):
so that's what that's why Damiannis, they went towards Stotts,
and that's why Stotts left to go to the bench
to watch film pick and roll film with Giannis and
Dame uh So that that that was never relayed to Griffin,
that he he had already told those two that he
(17:31):
was going to watch film. Now, just because it wasn't
relayed to him beforehand, it still doesn't justify stots leaving
and not coming to you know, coming to center court
like Griffin instructed all his coaches to do. So there's
there was still a there's still a role that stops
(17:53):
Hadden and and kind of elevating that whole thing to
the point where it was just a distraction that caught
the attention of everybody. And so, uh, you know, I
think you I think our guy Peter VESSI, uh, you
sent me that tweet. Stein, you think about Stotts's role,
(18:14):
Peter VESSI was, I mean, excuse me, coach Stotts was
hired by John Horst, the general manager, and you know,
you start to think about what Stots really comfortable. Was
he comfortable? Was he comfortable being an assistant to a
rookie head coach? So another another another background too, Stein.
(18:38):
I mean, I don't know if this has anything to
do with it, but let's go back almost a decade ago,
a little bit over a decade. I was covering the
Blazers when uh, they hired Stotts. But before they hired Stotts,
they had four finalists and the fourth finalists I know,
(18:58):
I remember three for sure, but it was Stott's, Steve
Clifford and Adrian Griffin. Those were three of the four finalists.
I want to say maybe Elston Turner was the fourth.
But you know this goes all the way back back then,
(19:21):
and you know Stott's got the job right there. So
I don't know how comfortable I reached out to Stots.
You know, he'd you know, he didn't want to talk
about it, and so I don't know if Stotts just
wasn't really feeling it the way. The way it was
explained to me, it was that it was just a
bad fit. That's the way it was explained to me
by somebody real deep into the situation. It really has
(19:41):
to say so in the situation. So it just leads
me to believe that maybe both sides just wasn't ready
for that type of relationship.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
And again, you know, and I think we're I think
really within in the last five years especially, more and
more or teams are kind of choosing assistance they'll hire
and they'll hire a new head coach. But teams have
much more say in choosing assistants for a new head
coach than they used to over the last five, maybe
(20:15):
even five to ten seasons. You just see that, So,
you know, you know, you mentioned that Peter VESSI our
good friend. You know, he tweeted out how you know,
based on his information that Terry Stotts was appointed to
the staff by John Horst rather than being directly chosen
by Adrian Griffin. But again, that is not unusual. And
(20:37):
because Adrian Griffin is a first time coach, I think
any team that would be hiring him would want him
to have a former head coach on the staff. And
you remember, it was just a couple of weeks ago.
I was saying, like, the Bucks coaching staff fascinated me
because Terry Stotts was a former Bucks head coach. Joe
Prunty is a former Bucks interim head coach, and I
(20:58):
was all jacked up for you, you too, on your
first TNT assignment of the year, to put the put
the full court press on your research department to find
out has that ever happened? Because I can't remember it,
I haven't been able to confirm it. Has an NBA
coaching staff ever had two former head coaches in that
franchise on the bench as assistants. Later and now, of
(21:23):
course that question no longer applies, it's no longer valid.
But this there's no way this story is over. As
euphoric as the Bucks must be as we speak, to
know that Giannis has committed to a contract extension and
that they've pulled off this trade for Damian Lillard, you know,
there's there's questions that need to be answered. Are they
going to stick with Terry Statts's offense even though he's
(21:45):
not there? Are they going to try to find a
replacement for Terry Stotts. Are they going to try to
find another former head coach to step in? And you
know Terry Stotts, as you mentioned, having coached I mean,
what was with Dane eight season, nine seasons together in Portland.
Obviously that was you know, that was the comfort factor
(22:07):
that Dame had going to a new team, a new conference,
a new city, and now that's taken away. So how
much will that factor? How how much will that affect
Dame's adjustment to this completely new situation. So a lot
of questions this story again, we is we don't turn
(22:27):
the page on this one, not quickly.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
No, you can't. And as of right now, I want
to say this that the Bucks are still trying to
figure out if they're going to replace thats you know,
by adding another uh, you know, replace his position, bringing
on another coaching staff. So that is still up in
the air.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Let's shift to Philly and Harden the other team you
will see Thursday night in Milwaukee. The Sixers really seem
to be approaching this in true day to day fashion.
We're getting basically a daily update, you know, daily confirmations
that no, Harden is still not with the team. I mean,
what are you expecting. I mean, it doesn't it as
(23:10):
little as the Sixers saw Harden during training camp, I
guess at this point, I really don't think anyone was
expecting to see him swoop in to join the team
for opening night in Milwaukee. And let's be honest, I mean,
he hasn't had the practice time anyway. I doubt even
if he did all of a sudden join the team,
he's not ready to play.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Yeah, I don't see that happening at all, him being
ready for that Thursday game against the Bucks. Don't see
it happening. You know, You're right. The day to day
That's that's what we're kind of left with. The day
to day updates or non updates, I should say, on
James Harden. He's been away from the team for it's
(23:54):
been over a week now, So again, like get I
get Houston, excuse me, Houston, I get Philadelphia's I get
what they're dealing with here. I just don't know how
long you want to continue to keep this up. James
Harden has made it clear he does not want to
(24:17):
play for the Sixers. He's making it clear he does not,
and I you know, you're putting the coat. You put
Nick Nurse and the players into a situation that every
day they have to answer about James Harden and they
have no answers, and you know, they're handling, they're handling
things the best that they can, but it's not fair
(24:41):
to them. It's really not and poor, you know, Tyrese
Maxi Stein. I don't know if you caught Tyresee he
said something. It was last week he said he believed
No he said on the pod and I can't remember
the pod. It might have been No. I think it
was JJ Reddick's pod last week. JJ asked Tyrese about
(25:01):
just how he's handling, you know, the James Harden debacle.
You know, is it you know, is it tough for
him and the team to have to go through this?
And Tyree says something that was pretty sad, but he
was like, I'm used to this, Like I dealt with
this with Ben Simmons. And I think he mentioned somebody
(25:24):
else before that I can remember, but he was like,
I'm just used to this. He's like, so this is
like the norm for me. And uh he was like,
so you know, if you if you compare to us,
you know, other situations I guess it's not as worse,
but you know this, this is the norm to me,
and that's pretty sad for a player to to say
something like that. I think it just shows you, Ah,
(25:47):
it shows you what the the Sixers have been through
over the last few years. It's so I don't know,
like I know, the Sixers have a hard stance on
what they're trying to get. What's the latest time? What
from what you're hearing it, what is it that the
Sixers want in return for James Harden.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Well, basically what I keep hearing is, you know, the
Clippers are not going to put Terrence Mann in this deal.
And my instinct is that the Sixers will be more
patient and put up with more of this uncertainty. They
will show more patients than just about any team in
(26:26):
the league would in this position. That's Darryl Morey's mo o.
He's not going to rush into a trade. You know,
the Sixers went a very respectable fifteen to nine last
season when they didn't have James Harden, and a lot
of it is because of the guy you just mentioned,
Tyrese MAXI. You know he is you know, is this
(26:46):
the year? You know, he's a most improved Player contender.
He's an All Star contender, and so I think the Sixers,
I think Darryl Moury is prepared to wait as long
as it takes for a better trade offer to come along.
I think Nick Nurse you will hear Nick Nurse. I
promise you will hear this. Since you're at this game.
(27:07):
Nick Nurse will reference his past coaching in England and
in the minor leagues and all the crazy curveballs that
he was always fielding at those levels, and you know
that prepared him to kind of deal with whatever happens
now and he'll coach whoever's there. I'm sure that's what
Nick will say publicly. I mean, based on my latest information,
(27:32):
the Clippers, you know, they will give up Norman Powell,
Marcus Morris, maybe Brandon Boston, and then you know they've
got to sort out the pick compensation. But that's to
my knowledge. As far as the offer goes from the Clippers,
they continue to say they are not going to trade
Terrence Man. Philly wants Terrence Man because the Sixers believe
(27:54):
that they can flip Terrence Man into compensation that helps
their down the road picture. And you know, it's just
a matter of who is going to blink first? You know,
does a slow start in Clipperland change the Clippers' stance?
I mean, really the variable, you know, the variable that
(28:17):
really could change things here, it's Joel emb At this point,
the feeling is that Joel Embiid is going to go
into this season with an open mind and a belief
that the Sixers can continue to be competitive even without
James Harden. But how long that lasts? Joel Embiid has
(28:39):
dealt with tons of turmoil, He's got he's got his
MVP Award, but the pressure is on him now to
win a championship? Is he Is he the one who's
going to run out of patients? And if he does,
how will that impact Philly's management stance? Can Darryl Morey
convince Joe well Embiid, big fella, hang tight, stick with us.
(29:03):
We are going to get a resolution here that benefits
you and the franchise above all. How long can Darryl
Moorey keep selling that position?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
That is really the question, that's the that's the million
dollar questions. Now you hit the nail on the head
right there is the whereas Joelnbie's patient level with this
This is something he's dealt with for many years, many years,
same story, different characters. You know, pressure, you talk about pray. Yeah,
(29:34):
definitely does pressure because he wants to win it. He
wants to win a championship. He's an MVP player, He's
that caliber of a talent. But I kind of think
he has an out. I think he has an out
because he's dealt with so much that's beyond his control
with management, with personnel. I don't know that the pressure
(29:58):
is on him like the like pressure is maybe on
somebody like Kevin Durant in Phoenix, you know, but definitely
pressure because he's one of those top guys. But I
just think that he's dealt with so much with that organization.
You know, guys just there's just been too many distractions
that I beat Ryan. Dangn I listen, I messed up,
(30:21):
So Stein, I have a joke. I had have messed
up and did something. So, you know, I just sometimes
I'm just competitive with the wrong thing. So you know,
our great super producer Ryan, he'll always every five minutes
he'll text us an update. And so the last couple
of episodes, Stein I try to beat him in texting,
(30:41):
like every five minutes. So I'm looking at the time
as we're talking, and I try to beat him to
a text to us every five minutes. So the last
text he told us was it was we were twenty
five minutes in, and so I'm monitoring this. I'm like,
I got this text ready, I'm about to put thirty
minutes after five minutes his so five minutes come, I
(31:03):
heard up and text it. But I text forty minutes
instead of thirty minutes, and so it technically I was wrong,
And uh, I guess I shouldn't be doing it. I
shouldn't be doing two things at once. But I'm just
competitive like that. Stile. I'm sorry, my apologies.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Man, I think you need some new hobbies.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
You know. It's like it's like breakless scoop, like break
the story.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
You know, let produce a Ryan music produce, let him,
let him have his domain. I mean, here's the thing
I am. I'm glad that you actually got to town
so early because you can spend all your Tuesday with
Giannis and Dame and ask them all these questions. Why
did he sign the contract? Now? Why did Janis and
(31:49):
Todokoumpo sign his max deal? Now? When we initially got
to signaled it from him that he was going to
wait until after the season. Why did he do the extension?
Now get to ask Amian Lillard what is the impact
of Terry Stotts leaving and what kind of offense are
the Buck's gonna run without Terry Stotts. You get to
deal with all these questions on Tuesday, and that means
(32:12):
that Thursday you can put your full focus on getting
getting with the Sixers because I want I wish I was.
I mean, look, I'm going. I am on my way
to San Antonio for the Victor Webman Yama Davis. I
am super excited about that, but I'm not gonna lie
to you Thursday, and I would love to walk into
(32:33):
Sixers shoot around in Milwaukee and see what that scene
is like in one of my favorite cities on the
NBA map, and you you will get to go and
do that for all of us.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
I'm looking forward to it. It's a definitely, definitely going
to It's gonna be a lot of work because you know,
Stan I was supposed to I was assigned to be
on the U for both games. I was assigned to
be to do Tuesdays war your Son's game, and then
I was gonna come out here for the Bucks six
(33:05):
Ers Thursday, but this interview timing kind of took me
out of that took me off of that assignment in
Golden State. So but I'm happy. I'm happy to be here, man,
I'm happy to get the NBA season to get it started.
You know, I'm ready, like I'm a player starn I'm ready, man.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
I gotta be honest, you know, Warriors Sons, I mean,
that's gonna be a great night cap to the Tuesday
night doubleheader which starts starts with the Denver Nuggets playing
host of the Lakers and Ring Knight, and the Nuggets
and Lakers have been trading all this trash talk for
months now, so great opening night doubleheader and then Warrior Sons.
(33:47):
Obviously Chris Paul against his old team, Kevin Durant against
his old team, our first look at the new Sun
super team trio of Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal. So
I mean, that was have been that would have been
a great gig. But I gotta be honest with you.
There is so much news and so much going on
with the Milwaukee Bucks and the visiting sixers that it is.
(34:11):
It ain't the worst thing for you to get in
Milwaukee early, get to get to brew Town early, get
your bearings, because there's there's gonna be a lot to
put in by the time we do this we do
by the time we meet up again for a podcast,
your notebook should be bursting with material.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, Stein, but I'm also
looking forward to where you're going to be.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
I can't wait. You know, I said this. I did
a did a whole bunch on my radio show Saturday
in Dallas because I have not seen Victor women Yam
in person, and the highlights, the clips that have been
circulating throughout the postseason have been dazzling. And so to
be able to go to San Antonio, a place I've
(34:59):
visited the bazillion times over the years. But you know,
I mean, that's obviously I've I've been in I've been
based in Dallas for pretty much the last quarter century.
But one of the you know, when I when I
first got to Dallas, the Mavericks were a laughing stock.
They were the worst franchise in the NBA, and they
you know, they were they were just they were only
(35:20):
a few years removed from back to back eleven and
thirteen win seasons. The Mavericks were still digging out of
that mess when I got to town. But the Dallas
Morning News was really a state newspaper at the time,
and if the Rockets were in the playoffs or the
Spurs were in the playoffs and the Mavericks weren't, if
you were the if you were part of the Dallas
(35:41):
Morning News NBA team, you got to go. So I
spent tons of time with you know, all of the
Spurs playoff runs, I've covered them. So I've gone to
San Antonio a bazillion times over the years. It is
one of my favorite cities. And you know, the very
first NBA Summer League I covered was David Robinson just
(36:02):
before he joined the Spurs. Was there for the whole
Tim duncan era. And now the chance to go there
Wednesday night and see the official start of the Victor
Woman Yama era, I'm glad I'm still here for all
this man us Old guys, it's nice to, it's nice to,
it's nice to stick around.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Well, yeah, I mean, you're a Hall of Famer, You're
a top notch talent, So I'm not surprised to see
that you've talied this this many years in the game, man,
and you have many more ahead. But you know that this,
this Wimby, this is you know, I thought he was
gonna be good, but like if you would have told me,
(36:42):
I think you know, we talked about this bleed last
part as well. You know, maybe a month ago, maybe
even three weeks ago, you asked me who's my rookie
of the year favorite, I'm probably telling you Scoot Henderson.
Now I'm thinking Wimby's probably going to be the best
in this class, but I'm thinking it's going to take
him a year or so to have like a real impact. Nah, Nah,
(37:05):
he's nah. This kid is ready. He's ready. Man, He's
gonna like god Lee. I mean that we never see anything,
you know, It's that true. You know they we throw
a unicorn around like it's nothing nowadays, Like you call
(37:25):
every you know, you call anybody a unicorn who's a
five star recruit. This kid, Wemby, is that that is
what unicorn looks like. This kid can do it all.
We've never seen anything like that.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
You just gave me, You just gave me a good idea.
We need to get I need to get with some
of our French speaking friends and get, you know, get
the equivalent word of of what you know. And maybe
maybe it is just unicorn in French, but maybe there
is a French word to describe that has the similar
effect of unicorn in English. I don't know. Maybe throw
a text at Batoum for me see what he says.
(38:02):
But I gotta check with some of my French speaking sources,
because yeah, I agree with you. I mean, this guy
is doing things already in the preseason. We have never
seen a player of his size do the way he moves,
the way he handles the shot blocking at the three
point line, the court coverage defensively, and I actually I'm
(38:27):
glad we got on this track to kind of end
things because I need to make a very very important
clarification on Victor Winmbinyama, because I have been making a mistake.
I've seen several of our colleagues making the same mistake. Yes,
in the NBA, there is a sixty five game rule
this season on major awards, but it is not applicable
(38:50):
to all individual awards, and Rookie of the Year is
not one of the awards that you have to play
sixty five games games to qualify. And you know that
was again a mistake that I've made. I was saying,
how you know a week ago I was saying, the
only reason you wouldn't you wouldn't say Wemby is the
(39:11):
Rookie of the Year favorite is if you don't think
he's going to play sixty five games. But I have
been corrected. He does not have to play sixty five games.
In the new CBA. There are only five awards that
you have to play the sixty five to be eligible,
and that's MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All Defensive Team,
(39:34):
Most Improved Player, and All NBA Rookie of the Year
and the All Rookie Team. Those are not subject to
the sixty five game minimum. So that makes it even
more likely that Victor weh Minyama is going to be
the Rookie of the Year because he does not have
to play sixty five games. And I do think the
(39:56):
Spurs are going to be very judicious with him. I
don't think they're making an all out charge to try
to make the playoffs in year one with Wemby, but
uh yeah, some something crazy would have to happen for
him not to win Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 2 (40:10):
Do you drive to San Antonio or you fly?
Speaker 1 (40:12):
Come on, now, you know me, Okay, what's your what's
your prediction? Do I drive or do I fly?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
You fly? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (40:22):
I can't. I cannot. I'm too much of a dive.
I cannot. I cannot stay off my phone for that
four hours on the road. It's better to just ride
to the airport be able to work on them. It's
a short you know, it's a it's a very short flight.
But yeah, I just I don't like long I don't
like four or five hour drives.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Just yeah, I'm happy for Santori. I'm happy for the
Spurs san Antonio. I'll actually that was actually one of
my I will say top I'll go top ten top
ten stops on the Beat when I was on the beat,
san Antonio very very underrated, very underrated. You know. I
(41:03):
know Chuck has its problem with san Antonio, but not me.
I actually am quite fond of San Antonio, so enjoy I.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
Will do not worry. San Antonio is one of the
stops on my very first NBA trip as a traveling
beat writer in the spring of ninety four, and I
fell in love with it instantly. I've always been treated
wonderfully there. I mean, people don't believe this. But the
best pizza that I found in the United States, I'm
(41:33):
gonna go that far. It's in San Antonio, in the
same place. Again, you would never think this in San Antonio,
the same restaurant, the Lovely Trade Tratoria in the San
Antonio Museum of Art, serves absolutely scrumptious trout. You would
(41:54):
never think this is not you know, San Antonio is
known for tex mex You would not think, Hey, I'm
gonna go to San Antonio and get amazing gourmet pizza
and trout. But there you go. Well, someday, someday, if
we're in the same city, if we're there together, I
will take you.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
And I'm gonna tell you right now, since you touched
on pizza, the best pizza that I've had in the
United States Flying Pie Pizza in Portland. Flying Pie for
the y'all people in Portland, y'all know what I'm talking about.
I love those people at Flying Pie. They always they
always greet me with, you know, so much admiration when
I come in man, Flying Pie Pizza Stein. So when
(42:35):
we go there to Portland, I don't know when that's
going to be, when we're going to be there together,
but we got to. We gotta get a stop over
there for sure. Okay, we're going to end it right there.
And usually Stein is the one that closes our podcast.
You know, I'd never like to take people's roles. I
like to allow them to do their job and I
(42:55):
want them to flourish and I want them to feel
supported whenever they do it. But I have to do
it this time because as we were going off about
our food ventures and our favorite pizza, and Stein was
talking about trout in San Antonio and pizza and San Antonio,
his audio just went out. So I can see Stein
on my end, and I see his lips moving, but
(43:17):
nothing's coming out, so he has no audio. So that's
why I'm stepping in and closing this bad boy out.
So I appreciate you guys listening to this League Uncut
with Stein and myself. I'm going to be here again.
I'm here in Milwaukee. I got Thursday night's game between
the Bucks and Sixers, and I would have sat down
(43:39):
with Beiannis and Dame for T and T. Stein is
off to San Antonio to see win Biyama to see
what the frenzy is about. And we'll be back with
you guys later this week. So appreciate you guys, have
a great week, and I'm saying it for Stein. Thank
you for listening. Appreciate you guys, subscribe all that stuff.
(44:01):
Thank you, bye bye.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
And that'll do it for us. See you next time.
This league and Cuttage, an iHeartRadio production.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Put a locker
Speaker 1 (44:18):
Chris Hanes and Mark Stein
Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA news. This's you'll, Chris Hanes.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
It's go time, work's.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Time, it's so time. This League Uncut is underway and
on fire. This should be a good one. Friends, Welcome
in to the eve of the NBA season, the NBA
(00:32):
seventy eighth season. It starts tomorrow night. Chris Haynes and
I are recording this edition of This League Uncut late
Monday night, a very newsy Monday in the NBA. Some
of the news we expected. It was extension deadline day
(00:52):
for the Class of twenty twenty first round picks. I
think we ended up with fourteen contract extensions, a new record.
But all of that was upended and overshadowed sometime after
the six PM buzzer for the Class of twenty twenty,
(01:13):
when Yanis on Tetokumpo himself announced to the world that
he has extended his contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. And
as luck would have it, my good friend Chris Haynes
was traveling to Milwaukee today. He is now safely in Milwaukee.
He'll be covering Thursday nights Bucks season opener against the Drama.
(01:37):
Leaden Philadelphia seventy six ers. Mister Haynes, how's Milwaukee treating
you so far? Not as well as it's treating Yannis.
But you are there in the heart of the NBA
news cauldron.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Milwaukee. It looks it is fall falls in the air,
beautiful scenery.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
St You've always got to take it back to weather.
Whenever I bring up Milwaukee, the first thing, the first
thing you give me is the weather report.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I mean Stein. That is important, that is very important.
But it is beautiful. The weather is beautiful Stein. You know,
I went walking walking downtown. It's afternoon, a little bit
of rain, a little bit of rain, but not too cold.
I did not bring a jacket. That was a mistake
(02:27):
by me. I have a sweater.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Do you have a shirt for Do you have a
shirt for your TV?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I do have a you know what. So part of
me going walking downtown, I actually stopped at a store
and picked up a shirt to do to do the
interview that I have scheduled tomorrow Stein. So, but the
weather is okay, it's not it's not horrible like they
said it might be. It's doable, and so for that
(02:52):
I am grateful.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
So this is actually a two suit trip for you
because you have an assignment before the game. Assignment that
is correct.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Do you know what my assignment is? Tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I have a guest, but I don't know if you're
Are you allowed to discuss it or is it top secret?
Or I don't want to get you in. I don't
want to. I don't want to get you in trouble.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Oh you don't? Uh? Okay, Well, am I gonna get
my own self in trouble? Well? I mean it's probably
going to get out tomorrow anyway. So tomorrow, which will
be Tuesday, October twenty fourth, I have a TNT sit
down interview with both Giannis and Dame that will air
(03:34):
on TNT on Game Night Thursday. Uh, in advance of
six Ers Bucks game. And I will be doing the
sidelines for that game.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
And you got plenty to talk about because Gianna Santetokumpo
he has been saying that he was not going to
do his contract extension until after the season because it
made the most financial sense. First, he was very vocal
about saying he wanted to be sure that the Bucks
would continue to be a team competing for championships and
(04:08):
doing whatever it takes to compete for championships. The Bucks
responded to those interviews by trading for Damian Lillard and
now Gianni Santetokumpo, after telling us that he was going
to most likely wait until after the season. Surprise surprise,
he announced today that he's done his extension the max
that he was eligible for. To do it by the
(04:30):
Monday night deadline. He was facing three years a shade
under one hundred and ninety million player option in twenty
twenty seven, twenty eight. But man, what what a win
for the Bucks. I did my power rankings on Monday,
my annual preseason rankings, and I've been doing this for
more than twenty years. The Denver Nuggets have to be
(04:53):
number one because they're the defending champs. That's just kind
of a rule that I have adopted as the Committee
of won That's the I always do it. Unless something
crazy happens to the defending champions, some sort of roster
or injury chaos, I always bestow that honor upon the
defending champs. I think that the Denver Nuggets deserves to
(05:13):
start the season as the new number one. But the
Milwaukee Bucks trading for Damian Lillard and then getting Yanis
onto Tecumpo to sign a contract extension a year before
he said he would, when a month ago there was
all this perceived pressure on the Bucks that they better
do something to keep Giannus happy. Absolutely stunning turnaround. Yes,
(05:38):
it costs the Bucks Drew Holliday, but what an offseason
they've had to trade for Dame and get Giannis resigned.
I mean, no matter what happens this season, the trade
is a win. Trading for Damian Lillard convinced clearly convince
Jiannis to do this now, I mean that's incredibleitible incredible
(06:01):
month here for the for the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, I think it'll be intriguing to hear from Gianni's
on what went into him, you know, changing his mind
and going that route. And definitely, I mean if you
look at, you know, from the outside looking in, if
you look at what the Bucks have been doing, especially
since John Horse took over a general manager, I mean,
they've shown not only honest, but they've shown the fan base,
(06:24):
fan base that they're committed to trying to produce a
championship team. And they've done that and they're trying to
sustain that. So I have to give props to John
Horse ownership grew, uh, you know, going out and trading
for Dame. You know, we're still you know, I'm still
very interested in seeing how that's going to look in
(06:46):
the regular season, you know, when those when this team
gets a gets a decent amount of games under their belt,
where Giannis and Dan could play with each other a
ton more, just to see what they can produce. But
the Bucks, again, they did everything that they could do
to try to convince Giannis that they're committed, that he
(07:08):
doesn't have to go anywhere else. And still, you know,
Yalla still get gives himself out getting that player option
at the end, just to you know, see what these
next couple of years are going to be like. But
definitely a win win for the Bucks and a win
win for Giannis. You know, Jannis, he did he did
say he wasn't going to do anything until after next season.
(07:30):
But before that he said money is not important. A
lot of fucking money is important. Now those are his
exact words right there, and so I think, what is
about sixty something million a year? I think this will
qualify as a lot of fucking money.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
But when he said that, he was basically implying that
this extension wasn't big enough, and that he wanted to
wait till the summer so it could attack on a
year and make it even more lucrative. But look, I mean,
the reason that you take your hat off to the
Bucks is because these moves do not guarantee them a championship.
They don't even guarantee that they get out of the East.
(08:13):
Because of what Boston's done, I personally feel like the
Bucks have the higher ceiling. But as I've kind of
been digesting everyone's preseason prognostication, all our colleagues around the league,
I kind of feel like I'm in the minority. I
feel like more people are picking Boston to win the East.
(08:34):
And even though the Celtics have sacrificed depth by swapping
out a quartette of familiar faces including Marcus Smart and
Grant Williams, time Lord Malcolm Brogden, they turn those four
guys into Christops Porzingis and Drew Holliday. But like I said,
(08:55):
when I listen to the punditry, it seems like a
lot of people think, Okay, Boston has the best top
six in the league, if that is such a thing,
and that there is a sense that the Celtics are
going to just be absolutely locked down on the defensive end,
even though there will be concerns about can Porzingis stay healthy,
(09:17):
Can Hal Horford at thirty seven, continue to play at
the level he's played. Are they big enough to handle
what the Bucks can throw at them, what maybe Philadelphia
can throw at them with Joe El Embiid. But you know, again,
I kind of feel like the Celtics are a bit
trendy or a pick, a bit more popular, a pick
(09:41):
to get out of the East than the Bucks are.
I personally, yes, there's no question the Bucks have sacrificed
a lot by giving up jew Holiday, and you know,
their team is getting a little bit older, and there
are concerns can they be as good defensively as they've
been in the past without Holiday at the point of
(10:01):
attack and with brook Lopez advancing in age, they can
they still be dominant defensively. But my belief is that
the offensive ceiling they now have would Dame's. It was
a trade they had to make offense half court offense specifically,
that's been the issue for the Bucks in the playoffs
(10:22):
when things haven't gone that well. But look, to me,
there's a long winded way of saying. My reaction is
really just what it was the last time. Honus extended.
It's the closest thing to winning a championship that the
Bucks can experience. They now have Giannis and Game on
similar contractual tracks. These guys are going to be together now,
(10:44):
locked in for the next two to three seasons. And
I mean the Bucks can't really ask for more.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
And that's why, you know, I get your point. I'm not.
I guess I'm seeing it. You know, I see a
going by ways. I see pundits going the Milwaukee route,
picking Milwaukee over Boston. I never looked at it like that.
Who has the like who's more? I guess essentially you're
(11:13):
saying top heavy? Who is the the most top heavy team,
Boston or Milwaukee? And I still think, you know, hey,
like you know, Bobby Porters is arguably the the best
six man out there. He would you know, he would
be in that top six for Milwaukee. But it's it's
back and forth. I don't know, it's it's tough, but yeah,
(11:35):
I have my I have my concerns with both teams.
When it comes to Boston, it's the depth, it's the size.
When it comes to when it comes to Milwaukee. How
long would it take for Dame and to jail, you know,
(11:55):
to mix with this group. You know, Adrian Griffin new
you know, new head coach, and then you know something
we're gonna talk about before he'll losing the top assistant.
So I got concerns on both sides, But definitely, you know,
Milwaukee and Boston already right now, I think those are
two teams that we feel that they are at the
top of the East.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Yeah, I mean one of my big questions going in
the season, how big is the gap between Milwaukee and
Boston and the rest of the East. If Philly had
an engaged James Harden, you'd throw them in that same tier.
But they don't. And not only do they not haven't
engaged James Harden, the Sixers have nothing but uncertainty about
(12:37):
is he going to play? Are they gonna be able
to find a palatable trade? Is anybody else gonna get
in that trade mix besides the Clippers? How is embiid
gonna handle the uncertainty? And how long before he gets
really frustrated? So a lot of questions about the Sixers too,
But I think, yes, the Bucks and the Celtics. Despite
whatever question marks you want to raise in either case,
(12:59):
those two teams have clearly separated themselves from the rest
of the East Pack, and the man sit down with
Jannis and Dame not bad. Let's go to what we
thought we were going to be focusing on. Terry Stotts's
abrupt departure has raised a lot of eyebrows around the league.
(13:21):
Adrian Griffin is a first time head coach. You see
this with any team that brings in a first time
head coach, they always want at least one of the
assistants to be a former NBA head coach. There was
so much talk last season with Boston that Joe Mizzoula
suffered from not having enough experience around him on his
bench after he abruptly replaced Ema Udoka. So the fact
(13:45):
that the Bucks would want a Terry Statts, a former
head coach, to be on Adrian Griffin's staff, that's a
natural move. The way it's unraveled so quickly, Terry Stotts
electing to walk away from the job less than a
week before the season starts, how big a deal. Well,
first of all, let's tell us what you know as
far as what happened here, and how big a deal
(14:08):
is this.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I think it's a pretty big deal because you don't
see a departure like this days before, well a week
before the regular season comes about. The offense they were
running is a Terry Stotts offense. It's everything that Damian
Lillard is all too familiar with, to a point where
Dame was kind of instructing guy. I think I touched
(14:33):
on this last part he was instructing. This is the
last part we were talking about this, but you know,
this is before Stotts resign and we were talking about
just how comfortable Dame was and how he was instructing
guys where to be. You know, he was just on
top of that so much. So it's very surprising. It's
I think it's very significant. I do. But let's let's
(14:56):
kind of you know, I've seen the reports out there,
and for the most part, yeah, everything that's been reported
about what happened the day before he resigned at shoot
around in Oklahoma City. You know, there there was a
point that shoot around after shoot around when when there
(15:18):
was a huddle, there was a huddle to end shoot around,
and you know, they do the huddle and they break
and then Terry Stotts afterwards he walked away, was walking
away to watch film with Dame an Giannis and Griffin
had already said before the break, before they broke out, coaches,
(15:41):
let's meet on the court afterwards. And so this that
kind of aggravated Griffin because every other coach came and
got it around him except Stott. Stotts went and went away,
and then Stotts, I mean, excuse me, Griffin called for Stotts,
and Stotts was like the way I was told Stotts
was like it was a hand signal, like give me
(16:02):
a minute, give me a minute. And then Griffin kind
of you know, went off from there and uh, you know,
he got loud and this caught the attention of the
whole team. But one thing I want to say to
kind of shed a little bit light on it a
little bit. So I was told Stott's approach Dame and
(16:24):
Giannis before shoot around and told them, hey, after shoot around,
come watch film with me. Let's watch film on my
laptop and let's go over some pick and roll coverages.
And so Dami Giannis knew to go to starts after
shooting around. But the issue was that as soon as
(16:45):
you know, as soon as the shoot around was over,
excuse me, shooting around was about to be over as
Griffin gatthered the team to break, to break their huddle
so they could end the practice. Right before the huddle break,
Griffin told the coaches, Hey, after we break, everybody, let's
meet all the coaches, let's meet on the court. And
(17:09):
so that's what that's why Damiannis, they went towards Stotts,
and that's why Stotts left to go to the bench
to watch film pick and roll film with Giannis and
Dame uh So that that that was never relayed to Griffin,
that he he had already told those two that he
(17:31):
was going to watch film. Now, just because it wasn't
relayed to him beforehand, it still doesn't justify stots leaving
and not coming to you know, coming to center court
like Griffin instructed all his coaches to do. So there's
there was still a there's still a role that stops
(17:53):
Hadden and and kind of elevating that whole thing to
the point where it was just a distraction that caught
the attention of everybody. And so, uh, you know, I
think you I think our guy Peter VESSI, uh, you
sent me that tweet. Stein, you think about Stotts's role,
(18:14):
Peter VESSI was, I mean, excuse me, coach Stotts was
hired by John Horst, the general manager, and you know,
you start to think about what Stots really comfortable. Was
he comfortable? Was he comfortable being an assistant to a
rookie head coach? So another another another background too, Stein.
(18:38):
I mean, I don't know if this has anything to
do with it, but let's go back almost a decade ago,
a little bit over a decade. I was covering the
Blazers when uh, they hired Stotts. But before they hired Stotts,
they had four finalists and the fourth finalists I know,
(18:58):
I remember three for sure, but it was Stott's, Steve
Clifford and Adrian Griffin. Those were three of the four finalists.
I want to say maybe Elston Turner was the fourth.
But you know this goes all the way back back then,
(19:21):
and you know Stott's got the job right there. So
I don't know how comfortable I reached out to Stots.
You know, he'd you know, he didn't want to talk
about it, and so I don't know if Stotts just
wasn't really feeling it the way. The way it was
explained to me, it was that it was just a
bad fit. That's the way it was explained to me
by somebody real deep into the situation. It really has
(19:41):
to say so in the situation. So it just leads
me to believe that maybe both sides just wasn't ready
for that type of relationship.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
And again, you know, and I think we're I think
really within in the last five years especially, more and
more or teams are kind of choosing assistance they'll hire
and they'll hire a new head coach. But teams have
much more say in choosing assistants for a new head
coach than they used to over the last five, maybe
(20:15):
even five to ten seasons. You just see that, So,
you know, you know, you mentioned that Peter VESSI our
good friend. You know, he tweeted out how you know,
based on his information that Terry Stotts was appointed to
the staff by John Horst rather than being directly chosen
by Adrian Griffin. But again, that is not unusual. And
(20:37):
because Adrian Griffin is a first time coach, I think
any team that would be hiring him would want him
to have a former head coach on the staff. And
you remember, it was just a couple of weeks ago.
I was saying, like, the Bucks coaching staff fascinated me
because Terry Stotts was a former Bucks head coach. Joe
Prunty is a former Bucks interim head coach, and I
(20:58):
was all jacked up for you, you too, on your
first TNT assignment of the year, to put the put
the full court press on your research department to find
out has that ever happened? Because I can't remember it,
I haven't been able to confirm it. Has an NBA
coaching staff ever had two former head coaches in that
franchise on the bench as assistants. Later and now, of
(21:23):
course that question no longer applies, it's no longer valid.
But this there's no way this story is over. As
euphoric as the Bucks must be as we speak, to
know that Giannis has committed to a contract extension and
that they've pulled off this trade for Damian Lillard, you know,
there's there's questions that need to be answered. Are they
going to stick with Terry Statts's offense even though he's
(21:45):
not there? Are they going to try to find a
replacement for Terry Stotts. Are they going to try to
find another former head coach to step in? And you
know Terry Stotts, as you mentioned, having coached I mean,
what was with Dane eight season, nine seasons together in Portland.
Obviously that was you know, that was the comfort factor
(22:07):
that Dame had going to a new team, a new conference,
a new city, and now that's taken away. So how
much will that factor? How how much will that affect
Dame's adjustment to this completely new situation. So a lot
of questions this story again, we is we don't turn
(22:27):
the page on this one, not quickly.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
No, you can't. And as of right now, I want
to say this that the Bucks are still trying to
figure out if they're going to replace thats you know,
by adding another uh, you know, replace his position, bringing
on another coaching staff. So that is still up in
the air.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Let's shift to Philly and Harden the other team you
will see Thursday night in Milwaukee. The Sixers really seem
to be approaching this in true day to day fashion.
We're getting basically a daily update, you know, daily confirmations
that no, Harden is still not with the team. I mean,
what are you expecting. I mean, it doesn't it as
(23:10):
little as the Sixers saw Harden during training camp, I
guess at this point, I really don't think anyone was
expecting to see him swoop in to join the team
for opening night in Milwaukee. And let's be honest, I mean,
he hasn't had the practice time anyway. I doubt even
if he did all of a sudden join the team,
he's not ready to play.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Yeah, I don't see that happening at all, him being
ready for that Thursday game against the Bucks. Don't see
it happening. You know, You're right. The day to day
That's that's what we're kind of left with. The day
to day updates or non updates, I should say, on
James Harden. He's been away from the team for it's
(23:54):
been over a week now, So again, like get I
get Houston, excuse me, Houston, I get Philadelphia's I get
what they're dealing with here. I just don't know how
long you want to continue to keep this up. James
Harden has made it clear he does not want to
(24:17):
play for the Sixers. He's making it clear he does not,
and I you know, you're putting the coat. You put
Nick Nurse and the players into a situation that every
day they have to answer about James Harden and they
have no answers, and you know, they're handling, they're handling
things the best that they can, but it's not fair
(24:41):
to them. It's really not and poor, you know, Tyrese
Maxi Stein. I don't know if you caught Tyresee he
said something. It was last week he said he believed
No he said on the pod and I can't remember
the pod. It might have been No. I think it
was JJ Reddick's pod last week. JJ asked Tyrese about
(25:01):
just how he's handling, you know, the James Harden debacle.
You know, is it you know, is it tough for
him and the team to have to go through this?
And Tyree says something that was pretty sad, but he
was like, I'm used to this, Like I dealt with
this with Ben Simmons. And I think he mentioned somebody
(25:24):
else before that I can remember, but he was like,
I'm just used to this. He's like, so this is
like the norm for me. And uh he was like,
so you know, if you if you compare to us,
you know, other situations I guess it's not as worse,
but you know this, this is the norm to me,
and that's pretty sad for a player to to say
something like that. I think it just shows you, Ah,
(25:47):
it shows you what the the Sixers have been through
over the last few years. It's so I don't know,
like I know, the Sixers have a hard stance on
what they're trying to get. What's the latest time? What
from what you're hearing it, what is it that the
Sixers want in return for James Harden.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Well, basically what I keep hearing is, you know, the
Clippers are not going to put Terrence Mann in this deal.
And my instinct is that the Sixers will be more
patient and put up with more of this uncertainty. They
will show more patients than just about any team in
(26:26):
the league would in this position. That's Darryl Morey's mo o.
He's not going to rush into a trade. You know,
the Sixers went a very respectable fifteen to nine last
season when they didn't have James Harden, and a lot
of it is because of the guy you just mentioned,
Tyrese MAXI. You know he is you know, is this
(26:46):
the year? You know, he's a most improved Player contender.
He's an All Star contender, and so I think the Sixers,
I think Darryl Moury is prepared to wait as long
as it takes for a better trade offer to come along.
I think Nick Nurse you will hear Nick Nurse. I
promise you will hear this. Since you're at this game.
(27:07):
Nick Nurse will reference his past coaching in England and
in the minor leagues and all the crazy curveballs that
he was always fielding at those levels, and you know
that prepared him to kind of deal with whatever happens
now and he'll coach whoever's there. I'm sure that's what
Nick will say publicly. I mean, based on my latest information,
(27:32):
the Clippers, you know, they will give up Norman Powell,
Marcus Morris, maybe Brandon Boston, and then you know they've
got to sort out the pick compensation. But that's to
my knowledge. As far as the offer goes from the Clippers,
they continue to say they are not going to trade
Terrence Man. Philly wants Terrence Man because the Sixers believe
(27:54):
that they can flip Terrence Man into compensation that helps
their down the road picture. And you know, it's just
a matter of who is going to blink first? You know,
does a slow start in Clipperland change the Clippers' stance?
I mean, really the variable, you know, the variable that
(28:17):
really could change things here, it's Joel emb At this point,
the feeling is that Joel Embiid is going to go
into this season with an open mind and a belief
that the Sixers can continue to be competitive even without
James Harden. But how long that lasts? Joel Embiid has
(28:39):
dealt with tons of turmoil, He's got he's got his
MVP Award, but the pressure is on him now to
win a championship? Is he Is he the one who's
going to run out of patients? And if he does,
how will that impact Philly's management stance? Can Darryl Morey
convince Joe well Embiid, big fella, hang tight, stick with us.
(29:03):
We are going to get a resolution here that benefits
you and the franchise above all. How long can Darryl
Moorey keep selling that position?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
That is really the question, that's the that's the million
dollar questions. Now you hit the nail on the head
right there is the whereas Joelnbie's patient level with this
This is something he's dealt with for many years, many years,
same story, different characters. You know, pressure, you talk about pray. Yeah,
(29:34):
definitely does pressure because he wants to win it. He
wants to win a championship. He's an MVP player, He's
that caliber of a talent. But I kind of think
he has an out. I think he has an out
because he's dealt with so much that's beyond his control
with management, with personnel. I don't know that the pressure
(29:58):
is on him like the like pressure is maybe on
somebody like Kevin Durant in Phoenix, you know, but definitely
pressure because he's one of those top guys. But I
just think that he's dealt with so much with that organization.
You know, guys just there's just been too many distractions
that I beat Ryan. Dangn I listen, I messed up,
(30:21):
So Stein, I have a joke. I had have messed
up and did something. So, you know, I just sometimes
I'm just competitive with the wrong thing. So you know,
our great super producer Ryan, he'll always every five minutes
he'll text us an update. And so the last couple
of episodes, Stein I try to beat him in texting,
(30:41):
like every five minutes. So I'm looking at the time
as we're talking, and I try to beat him to
a text to us every five minutes. So the last
text he told us was it was we were twenty
five minutes in, and so I'm monitoring this. I'm like,
I got this text ready, I'm about to put thirty
minutes after five minutes his so five minutes come, I
(31:03):
heard up and text it. But I text forty minutes
instead of thirty minutes, and so it technically I was wrong,
And uh, I guess I shouldn't be doing it. I
shouldn't be doing two things at once. But I'm just
competitive like that. Stile. I'm sorry, my apologies.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Man, I think you need some new hobbies.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
You know. It's like it's like breakless scoop, like break
the story.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
You know, let produce a Ryan music produce, let him,
let him have his domain. I mean, here's the thing
I am. I'm glad that you actually got to town
so early because you can spend all your Tuesday with
Giannis and Dame and ask them all these questions. Why
did he sign the contract? Now? Why did Janis and
(31:49):
Todokoumpo sign his max deal? Now? When we initially got
to signaled it from him that he was going to
wait until after the season. Why did he do the extension?
Now get to ask Amian Lillard what is the impact
of Terry Stotts leaving and what kind of offense are
the Buck's gonna run without Terry Stotts. You get to
deal with all these questions on Tuesday, and that means
(32:12):
that Thursday you can put your full focus on getting
getting with the Sixers because I want I wish I was.
I mean, look, I'm going. I am on my way
to San Antonio for the Victor Webman Yama Davis. I
am super excited about that, but I'm not gonna lie
to you Thursday, and I would love to walk into
(32:33):
Sixers shoot around in Milwaukee and see what that scene
is like in one of my favorite cities on the
NBA map, and you you will get to go and
do that for all of us.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
I'm looking forward to it. It's a definitely, definitely going
to It's gonna be a lot of work because you know,
Stan I was supposed to I was assigned to be
on the U for both games. I was assigned to
be to do Tuesdays war your Son's game, and then
I was gonna come out here for the Bucks six
(33:05):
Ers Thursday, but this interview timing kind of took me
out of that took me off of that assignment in
Golden State. So but I'm happy. I'm happy to be here, man,
I'm happy to get the NBA season to get it started.
You know, I'm ready, like I'm a player starn I'm ready, man.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
I gotta be honest, you know, Warriors Sons, I mean,
that's gonna be a great night cap to the Tuesday
night doubleheader which starts starts with the Denver Nuggets playing
host of the Lakers and Ring Knight, and the Nuggets
and Lakers have been trading all this trash talk for
months now, so great opening night doubleheader and then Warrior Sons.
(33:47):
Obviously Chris Paul against his old team, Kevin Durant against
his old team, our first look at the new Sun
super team trio of Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal. So
I mean, that was have been that would have been
a great gig. But I gotta be honest with you.
There is so much news and so much going on
with the Milwaukee Bucks and the visiting sixers that it is.
(34:11):
It ain't the worst thing for you to get in
Milwaukee early, get to get to brew Town early, get
your bearings, because there's there's gonna be a lot to
put in by the time we do this we do
by the time we meet up again for a podcast,
your notebook should be bursting with material.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, Stein, but I'm also
looking forward to where you're going to be.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
I can't wait. You know, I said this. I did
a did a whole bunch on my radio show Saturday
in Dallas because I have not seen Victor women Yam
in person, and the highlights, the clips that have been
circulating throughout the postseason have been dazzling. And so to
be able to go to San Antonio, a place I've
(34:59):
visited the bazillion times over the years. But you know,
I mean, that's obviously I've I've been in I've been
based in Dallas for pretty much the last quarter century.
But one of the you know, when I when I
first got to Dallas, the Mavericks were a laughing stock.
They were the worst franchise in the NBA, and they
you know, they were they were just they were only
(35:20):
a few years removed from back to back eleven and
thirteen win seasons. The Mavericks were still digging out of
that mess when I got to town. But the Dallas
Morning News was really a state newspaper at the time,
and if the Rockets were in the playoffs or the
Spurs were in the playoffs and the Mavericks weren't, if
you were the if you were part of the Dallas
(35:41):
Morning News NBA team, you got to go. So I
spent tons of time with you know, all of the
Spurs playoff runs, I've covered them. So I've gone to
San Antonio a bazillion times over the years. It is
one of my favorite cities. And you know, the very
first NBA Summer League I covered was David Robinson just
(36:02):
before he joined the Spurs. Was there for the whole
Tim duncan era. And now the chance to go there
Wednesday night and see the official start of the Victor
Woman Yama era, I'm glad I'm still here for all
this man us Old guys, it's nice to, it's nice to,
it's nice to stick around.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Well, yeah, I mean, you're a Hall of Famer, You're
a top notch talent, So I'm not surprised to see
that you've talied this this many years in the game, man,
and you have many more ahead. But you know that this,
this Wimby, this is you know, I thought he was
gonna be good, but like if you would have told me,
(36:42):
I think you know, we talked about this bleed last
part as well. You know, maybe a month ago, maybe
even three weeks ago, you asked me who's my rookie
of the year favorite, I'm probably telling you Scoot Henderson.
Now I'm thinking Wimby's probably going to be the best
in this class, but I'm thinking it's going to take
him a year or so to have like a real impact. Nah, Nah,
(37:05):
he's nah. This kid is ready. He's ready. Man, He's
gonna like god Lee. I mean that we never see anything,
you know, It's that true. You know they we throw
a unicorn around like it's nothing nowadays, Like you call
(37:25):
every you know, you call anybody a unicorn who's a
five star recruit. This kid, Wemby, is that that is
what unicorn looks like. This kid can do it all.
We've never seen anything like that.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
You just gave me, You just gave me a good idea.
We need to get I need to get with some
of our French speaking friends and get, you know, get
the equivalent word of of what you know. And maybe
maybe it is just unicorn in French, but maybe there
is a French word to describe that has the similar
effect of unicorn in English. I don't know. Maybe throw
a text at Batoum for me see what he says.
(38:02):
But I gotta check with some of my French speaking sources,
because yeah, I agree with you. I mean, this guy
is doing things already in the preseason. We have never
seen a player of his size do the way he moves,
the way he handles the shot blocking at the three
point line, the court coverage defensively, and I actually I'm
(38:27):
glad we got on this track to kind of end
things because I need to make a very very important
clarification on Victor Winmbinyama, because I have been making a mistake.
I've seen several of our colleagues making the same mistake. Yes,
in the NBA, there is a sixty five game rule
this season on major awards, but it is not applicable
(38:50):
to all individual awards, and Rookie of the Year is
not one of the awards that you have to play
sixty five games games to qualify. And you know that
was again a mistake that I've made. I was saying,
how you know a week ago I was saying, the
only reason you wouldn't you wouldn't say Wemby is the
(39:11):
Rookie of the Year favorite is if you don't think
he's going to play sixty five games. But I have
been corrected. He does not have to play sixty five games.
In the new CBA. There are only five awards that
you have to play the sixty five to be eligible,
and that's MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All Defensive Team,
(39:34):
Most Improved Player, and All NBA Rookie of the Year
and the All Rookie Team. Those are not subject to
the sixty five game minimum. So that makes it even
more likely that Victor weh Minyama is going to be
the Rookie of the Year because he does not have
to play sixty five games. And I do think the
(39:56):
Spurs are going to be very judicious with him. I
don't think they're making an all out charge to try
to make the playoffs in year one with Wemby, but
uh yeah, some something crazy would have to happen for
him not to win Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 2 (40:10):
Do you drive to San Antonio or you fly?
Speaker 1 (40:12):
Come on, now, you know me, Okay, what's your what's
your prediction? Do I drive or do I fly?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
You fly? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (40:22):
I can't. I cannot. I'm too much of a dive.
I cannot. I cannot stay off my phone for that
four hours on the road. It's better to just ride
to the airport be able to work on them. It's
a short you know, it's a it's a very short flight.
But yeah, I just I don't like long I don't
like four or five hour drives.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Just yeah, I'm happy for Santori. I'm happy for the
Spurs san Antonio. I'll actually that was actually one of
my I will say top I'll go top ten top
ten stops on the Beat when I was on the beat,
san Antonio very very underrated, very underrated. You know. I
(41:03):
know Chuck has its problem with san Antonio, but not me.
I actually am quite fond of San Antonio, so enjoy I.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
Will do not worry. San Antonio is one of the
stops on my very first NBA trip as a traveling
beat writer in the spring of ninety four, and I
fell in love with it instantly. I've always been treated
wonderfully there. I mean, people don't believe this. But the
best pizza that I found in the United States, I'm
(41:33):
gonna go that far. It's in San Antonio, in the
same place. Again, you would never think this in San Antonio,
the same restaurant, the Lovely Trade Tratoria in the San
Antonio Museum of Art, serves absolutely scrumptious trout. You would
(41:54):
never think this is not you know, San Antonio is
known for tex mex You would not think, Hey, I'm
gonna go to San Antonio and get amazing gourmet pizza
and trout. But there you go. Well, someday, someday, if
we're in the same city, if we're there together, I
will take you.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
And I'm gonna tell you right now, since you touched
on pizza, the best pizza that I've had in the
United States Flying Pie Pizza in Portland. Flying Pie for
the y'all people in Portland, y'all know what I'm talking about.
I love those people at Flying Pie. They always they
always greet me with, you know, so much admiration when
I come in man, Flying Pie Pizza Stein. So when
(42:35):
we go there to Portland, I don't know when that's
going to be, when we're going to be there together,
but we got to. We gotta get a stop over
there for sure. Okay, we're going to end it right there.
And usually Stein is the one that closes our podcast.
You know, I'd never like to take people's roles. I
like to allow them to do their job and I
(42:55):
want them to flourish and I want them to feel
supported whenever they do it. But I have to do
it this time because as we were going off about
our food ventures and our favorite pizza, and Stein was
talking about trout in San Antonio and pizza and San Antonio,
his audio just went out. So I can see Stein
on my end, and I see his lips moving, but
(43:17):
nothing's coming out, so he has no audio. So that's
why I'm stepping in and closing this bad boy out.
So I appreciate you guys listening to this League Uncut
with Stein and myself. I'm going to be here again.
I'm here in Milwaukee. I got Thursday night's game between
the Bucks and Sixers, and I would have sat down
(43:39):
with Beiannis and Dame for T and T. Stein is
off to San Antonio to see win Biyama to see
what the frenzy is about. And we'll be back with
you guys later this week. So appreciate you guys, have
a great week, and I'm saying it for Stein. Thank
you for listening. Appreciate you guys, subscribe all that stuff.
(44:01):
Thank you, bye bye.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
And that'll do it for us. See you next time.
This league and Cuttage, an iHeartRadio production.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Put a locker
Speaker 1 (44:18):
Chris Hanes and Mark Stein
Hosts And Creators
Brady Quinn
LaVar Arrington
Jonas Knox
Popular Podcasts
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.