July 18, 2025 • 46 mins
Dan Beyer and Kerry Rhodes, in for Doug Gottlieb, react to Damian Lillard returning to Portland, and Dan believes this leaves LeBron with no choice but to return to Cleveland when he hits free agency next season. The guys dive into the intriguing exposé on Joel Embiid this week. FSR NBA Correspondent Marc Stein drops by to dive into the latest from the NBA offseason.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Thanks for listening to the best of The Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific on Box Sports Radio.
Find your local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at
boxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching fs R.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
All Right, I wanted to avoid tutsies or whatever we're
talking about here, but at some point we're gonna have
to get to the drama that is the NFL Players
Association former executive director now former executive director. Uh huh,
You've got that to look forward to, plus so much more.
As we are in for Doug Gottlieb today, Carrie hanging out,
(00:41):
Isaac lohan Kron, who has the news, is at the
news desk. Ryan Berschinger is our executive producer, and Iowa
Sam is here as our technical producer. As we wrap
up the week, we'll get to all that drama, golf
wrapping up in Scotti Schuffler doing Scotti Scheffler things, and
baseball second half. While it's not split evenly in halves,
the second half is underway with the Red Sox and
(01:02):
Cubs playing day baseball. But everybody back in action tonight
in Major League Baseball. After the All Star break, we
start in the NBA. Oh yes, yes, your would you say?
And I I just am doing this because I know
that there's new listeners. Maybe they don't hear you and
I on Sundays during football season or you and Monty
(01:22):
and Sunday afternoons here on Fox Sports Radio, so they
may not may not hear hear you. But is is
your passion NBA even though you were a former NFL player?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Is that? Is that fair to say? Very accurate, Dan,
very accurate.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
I Yes, My real attention, my real love adoration goals
to the NBA, which is I know a little bit suspect.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Did you wish you were an NBA player? Are you
glad that I still wish? Now?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
You still? After the oh for all accolades? An eight
year career in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Do you know the story? I think I told you
the story.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
I'm not sure, but after my third year with the
that's I was seriously considering switching to basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I did not you did not know that, So yes
I was.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
I was secretly working on some some some workouts and
doing that stuff, and my agent was like, Harry, what
are you doing? Uh, that's trying to pay you. Are
you gonna Are you gonna be that guy?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
I'm like, Okay, you're right, You're right, You're right Todd.
So yes, I think I chose correctly. Always trust Todd.
That is that is the moral of the story. But
you stop playing football and basketball is is your love.
And we start in the NBA because Damian Lillard loves Portland.
Damian Lillard is back in Portland as a Trailblazer, shigning
(02:43):
the three year deal.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Even though he's gonna.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Miss all of next season, he's still getting paid by
the Bucks and now signs a three year deal with
the Portland Trail Blazers on on his latter part of
his career, safe to say, the final stretch. He goes
back home and can be with his kids. And that's
a big, big part of it. And yesterday the news
broke here on Fox Sports Radio in the afternoon that
(03:05):
he was going back and there really was. I didn't
have like a hot take. We always talk about a
hot take.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Thought.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
My initial reaction was good for Dane, don't go and
chase a ring don't go around the NBA and trying
to find where is the best fit. I think his
career is his career, and I think that there's something
with that and accepting that, and good on him. Good
on the Blazers who had played better basketball at the
(03:32):
end of last season. Good on them for welcoming him
back and realizing that maybe it wasn't the best move.
Maybe it was a better move for Portland at the time,
which is why I think that the split ended up happening.
But it just to me was a it was a
feel good move in the NBA when we have guys
chasing rings, guys chasing accolades, and Damian Lillard who's going
(03:53):
to miss all of next season, decides that being home
is the best fit for him.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
I mean, we've seen this so many times where guys
at the end of their careers or you know, on
the tail end of their careers, they go to chase
chase that ring and it just looks funky, Right. We
saw Karl Malone play with the Lakers like that's that's crazy.
We've seen other guys. We've seen Charles Barkley obviously lee
Philly and go to Houston, go to Phoenix, Houston on
the tail end, and Check and Chase. Phoenix was legitate,
(04:18):
Phoenix was legit, but Houston on the tail Land, you know,
like it just doesn't look right. We never really associate
those guys to those teams anyway. And so, like you said,
a feel good story, Dame is Portland. I mean, we've
seen guys come through Portland, you know, Bill Walton obviously
back in that day, and we talk about that, but
in the present it's been all about Damian Lillard and
so to see him go back there and you know
(04:39):
he's not gonna win it there, but go there and
be able to have like a Swan song in the
place that he loves and they love him, it's beautiful.
There's a different place that I want to go with this.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah, do you want to say the thing with Dame
as well? You went back to draft day when Dame
was drafted out of Weaver State and you said to him,
and you said to any player, Carrie, would you want
an NBA championship or would you want the city to
be yours that you go to. Now there's different levels.
(05:09):
New York City is obviously different than Portland and LA.
The same thing with maybe different than Charlotte. But if
you were to tell a player that you had a
career in the NBA that allowed you to be really
the face of that franchise and have it be your
city because of how much they loved you. And it's
(05:30):
not to disrespect any of the former Trailblazers because they're
still a part of that, but it's Dames City, and
his relationship with that city has been documented through and through.
I think you take the city portion of it. I
think it's easy to say, yeah, I want to be
an NBA champion. When you look back at Dame's legacy
of him being the star in Portland, it's probably going
(05:51):
to carry more weight and be way more important than
it would to ever win an NBA championship. Say elsewhere, gotcha?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:59):
I was about to say that part They elsewhere, right,
because if he wins it there, it doesn't stop. It's
really it's really his town, right, It's endless. But I
agree with you. I mean, I think for him, a
player that didn't come into the league, we didn't have
super high expectations for Dame Lillard. I mean we knew
he could shoot the ball. I mean he was a
short guard, So that really doesn't work in the NBA
too often. So the fact that he's at the career
(06:21):
that a very notable career, I mean, top seventy five
already has that accolade, MVPs, big moments, big shots in Portland.
I mean we always can go back to that big
shot against OKC, against Russell Westbrook and waving them by
by Those moments were huge, right, I mean lasting from
throughout I mean throughout the NBA in general. So for
him to go back there and have that reunion, like
(06:43):
I said, I'm all for it. Yeah, it'd be different
if you went to you know, if you went to
the Heat or he went to Golden. Golden said a
little different because it was you know where he's from.
But if you just went to another contender, you know,
you go to Boston or something like that and you win,
it's yeah, it's neat, but it's not like what it was.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Obviously, if you would have want a championship in Portland
would have also owned the city again. But still, for
what he's done, it's pretty amazing. This all leads to
Lebron James. It does no carry. I'm serious and I know,
please don't turn off the radio. Please don't turn off
the radio because I brought Lebron's name up. I am
telling you this. Don't get out of the app. Don't
(07:20):
search all the other iHeart stations. There's a reason I
bring this up is because, as I said, my initial
reaction was good for Damon. I haven't moved off at
any of that in the last twenty four hours. I
feel that Lebron's only play now is Cleveland. Yeah, like
it is when we talk about Lebron and free agency.
(07:42):
We obviously knew that there were only certain teams that
he could go to. Mavericks. Your Mavericks were one of
those teams that were talked about. The contacting. Yeah, the
contacting of Rich Paul, which again I said, is clear
tampering in the NBA. You got to talk to the teams.
You don't talk to the ancient and say we on
a trade for your guy. But the Mavericks were one
(08:03):
of those teams. Doesn't doesn't do anything for me if
you were to play for Crosstown Clippers, does nothing. To
go back to Cleveland was the story book story. But
now Damian Lillard has beat him to the punch. So
now if Lebron goes anywhere else. It adds more to
(08:26):
the greed aspect of how Lebron James is perceived. It
wouldn't be a how does man? How does Lebron do
it in Dallas?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
How is this? How's this gonna work out?
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Even if you would go back to the Heat, I
think that there would be a little bit of pushback,
a little bit of weirdness. I think Dame going back
to Portland his force. Lebron, if you want to have
this storybook ending, if you want to go to all
these arenas and be honored because your career is winding down,
you can only do it in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform.
And I've I felt like it was the coolest option
(09:00):
story wise. Now I think it's the only option because
of what Dame Lillard did.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I agree. I mean that's my sentiment as well. I
thought with all the teams, you know, the four teams
that people talked about him being a viable option for
I mean, I thought Cleveland would be the storybook one
as well. I thought they were the one that for
me personally, I would be on board with that and
want to see what that looks like. I mean, obviously,
if that was his last season as well. Just the drama,
(09:26):
the storybook type of ending. It could be because Cleveland's
a good team, they could have made it out of
the East, right and so that would have been cool.
Lebron for me, just needs to stay in LA, play
it out. If that's not the option in Cleveland, stay
in LA, play it out, and just actually fight for
something once in his career, like not leave the situation
(09:48):
for green or pasture in his mind, Like just actually
stick it out and see what happens and see if
you can will your team to a win, which I
don't know if that's really happened in his career yet.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
You don't think going back to Cleveland was fighting through No,
you don't.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
I don't know the first one. I think that was
something that he wanted to do. Legacy wise, it's just
a legacy thing. I don't think it was him going
to say we're going to go fight and make this happen.
That team was really good. I mean when he first
got there, with Kyrie and all the pieces they had,
I mean, they made another move, but on top of that,
they were a team that you look at and be like, Okay,
they won. They won Lebron away from being dominant in
(10:22):
the East, and I don't think that was him being
really valiant or like the way that it was portrayed.
I thought it was him being greedy and being in
Pheenis ego.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I thought that he fought through in Cleveland the first
time through all the way up until twenty ten and
when they then he ends up leaving after that, Yeah,
and up until that point, I felt it was it
was a climb early. Then he get to the finals
in seven, but I feel like eight, nine and twenty
ten were seasons that you're trying to fight out and
(10:53):
sort out. I didn't agree with the Miami deal, but
I do think going back to Cleveland because it was
just Kyrie, they had struck out on the uh well,
they had the Kevin Love deal, was the Andrew Wiggins
steel but they were only about a thirty win team
at that point.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
But Lebron is peaked.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Lebron basically at the points he's going to turn anybody
that he goes into as a contender, and I like
how he did right his wrong. I guess maybe I
don't know if it's semantics or it's just a way
of saying it, like I thought, like going back to Cleveland,
no matter where he was going to go, they were
going to be an NBA title contender. Request So you
may not look at it as a fight. I look
at it as a fight, even though he was the
best player in the game at the time. Yeah, I
(11:33):
just I think that if you want to take the
fight aspect, which is why the Lakers are the team,
the first team that's ever told him no, you know
like that, and then so now there's a bit of
friction there. I think he stays with the Lakers this season.
It's I haven't waivered off of that. I've wondered because
of all of his little things that he has done.
(11:53):
But I think that next year is the opportunity. But
when we look at next year, just think about what
free agency.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Will be like.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
And maybe we're past the Damian Lillard point at that
that time, maybe we're not looking back at it. But man,
it was cool when Dave Dame went back to Portland yesterday,
and I think that Lebron, who hasn't been loved in
LA during his time with the Lakers, probably need some
of that. And the only place that happens is Cleveland.
Look at what Dame got If Lebron does it, I
(12:22):
think the same happens with the cavaliers. That's why I
now think because the Dame, it's his only option.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
I mean, I have nothing else to say on that,
but I really do agree that that's the best move.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
If that's the If he does leave, he's carry roads.
I'm Dan Byer. We told you Isaac Low and Crannis
here as Ryan Berschinger and Iowa Sam. Isaac's gonna give
us an update on what's happening at the Open Championship.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
It's time for our tire rack play of the day.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Scottie Scheffler to get did on her the balls on
his way done.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
The sloopstairs really steady and he's dropped it.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
An Scheffler gets another birdy out here at number ten.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Got a pot, Dan, I wish I could do that job.
I was. I gon announce that quiet and be really
cool about it up.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
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rec Player of the Day, coming to us courtesy of
the Open Radio. Scottie Scheffler does have a lead now,
(13:20):
one shot lead over Matthew Fitzpatrick, who's at nine hunders
Scheffler at ten under playing his final hole of his
second round at Royal Port Rush.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Thanks for listening to The Doug Gotleb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five
Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your
local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
It's not a runaway, but it could be. It's not
a runaway, but it could be. Plus his one NBA
superstar done more damage to his career than we could
have thought. We're diving into that right now here on
Fox Sports Radio. He is Carrie Rhodes. I'm Dan Beyer.
(14:09):
Ryan Berschinger is our executive producer. I was Sam ar
technical producer, and he just heard Isaac Lohenkron at the
news desk. He told us that Scotti Scheffler as a
one shot lead after two rounds of play of the
Open Championship, and he's a shot better than Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Matt Fitzpatrick won the US Open in twenty twenty two
at Brookline. I remember that vividly. You want to know
(14:30):
why I got COVID. There was yes that weekend, Father's
Day weekend. I had to sit in a bedroom, in
a bedroom in our house, and for Father's Day I
just watched, well, I watched all four rounds of the
US Open, but that one stood out because I was
had to quarantine in twenty twenty two when I got sick.
(14:53):
Our son was just over a year at that point,
so it was important for me to stay away. Unfortunately
it was too late. He got COVID. Then my wife
got COVID. He kicked it faster than her I did.
Like he was like, it was like I don't even
think it was a day, Like he was back normal.
Second time he got it in another time and it was worse.
But the point being, in twenty twenty two, Matthew Fitzpatrick
(15:16):
won the US Open, and I just remember sitting in
a bedroom watching that. That's all irrelevant and I'm sorry
for rambling, but he's one shot back a Scotti Scheffler
and Brian Harmon, who won this event two years ago,
is two shots back at eight under par. But if
Scotti Scheffler continues to do Scotti Scheffler things like shoot
seven under par sixty four today, maybe we could have
a runaway at royal Port Rush and this would be
(15:37):
a runaway for the world's best player right now, and
it would be his fourth career major and then he
would be one major away. That would be a US
open from completing the career Grand Slam. But just focusing
on this, do you like to see greatness at its
ultimate height? And by what I mean is we could
(15:57):
be in store for a runaway. Maybe Scheffler just you know,
continues to put the pedal to the metal and runs away.
So you're watching the world number one take off and
separate himself and watching, you know, the world's best play
at the highest level. Do you enjoy watching that or
would you rather see Scottie Scheffler maybe struggle a little bit,
(16:19):
see these other guys be with it. So you have
a competitive Saturday and Sunday on the weekend.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
You know what, There's something about competitive greatness when it
shows up in the way that Scotty is showing up
right now. It's a special thing to see. It's one
of those things where all of those guys are super talented.
They're the best at what they do, and you can
take it to any sport or anything in life. Right,
when you're the best at what you do, like, I
want to see if that can be even exceeded, right,
(16:45):
So I want to see I do love to see greatness.
I do love the competitive balance as well. I think
there's a balance, but when somebody has a chance to
do it, I want to see that chance.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
This is because this is what I think that the
dilemma was. I don't even think it's a dilemma. It's
a dilemma with me. I feel when Tiger Woods was
at his greatest, and there are there are a bunch
of different events that you could talk about with Tiger
Woods and where he was his greatest, but the two
that stand out are the nineteen ninety seven Masters when
(17:15):
he won for the first time and blitz the field
at a slow start and then completely turned it on.
And then the two thousand US Open when he wins
by fifteen. It's against I mean, it was ridiculous, like
absolute domination by Tiger and Tiger just did not let up.
Those were the two most boring milchers for me because
(17:36):
of the lack of competition. So when I think of
Tiger and Tiger's greatness, like the highlights Tory Pines when
he makes the winning putt excuse me, the tying pot
on the seventy second hold then goes and beats Roco
Mediate the next day in a nineteen hole playoff like
that was that was exciting. Now I was there that day.
I was at Torri. There were so many people around
(17:58):
the green. We were down there covering the event. You
couldn't even you couldn't even see. Like I was following
Tiger as he was going through the back nine. On Sunday,
he and Lee Westwood were playing. But because everybody on
the grounds is following to see what Tiger Woods is doing,
you have this enormous log jammer on the eighteenth green
at Tory bins right. So he makes the putt and
(18:19):
it's the highlight, you know that I remember for being there,
But just even in other close calls. In two thousand
PGA Championship, he gets into a playoff with Bob May
That's another close one like there's Tiger Woods blitzing the field.
I think is great for history, but I didn't enjoy
it as a watch. I like the closeness. So for
as great as it is to see Scotty Scheffler play
(18:41):
at the level that he's playing, he's got a one
shot lead in a way, I hope he doesn't run
away with it because I think it makes it a
boring weekend on TV. And I just find it funny
because I think history looks back at those much more
fondly than when you're actually watching in the moment, not
knowing the outcome.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
And that's and to kind of piggyback what you're saying,
it's yes, I mean in that individual match, as far
as the runaway goes, I agree with you. I would
want to see a competitive one. But I mean in
competitive dominance in general, right, Like you get to see
this guy go on a stretch of winning a crazy
amount of majors, masters and do the whole thing and
(19:21):
look dominant doing That's what I mean, more than actually
in that one specific.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Sure you know match. So Scottis Scheffler takes two majors
you know this year out of the four yesh it's
impressive to watch, even if one may be a runaway
and one may not be a runaway. It's it's interesting
in golf as well, because I think that there's well,
while you are competing against others, you are like truly
(19:45):
competing against the course or his tennis. Like if you
have Roger Federer reeling off a bunch of Wimbledon wins, like, okay,
maybe you know, Nate dal can beat him, maybe Djokovic
can meet him. Ultimately they break through at some point, right,
But if Federer is just you know, shocking up win
after win after win, you're just like, all right, you
kind of start to cheer for the other person because
you want something different, And that's you know, it's a
(20:08):
little different in golf. But even gosh, when the Bills
went to all those Super Bowls and knowing now what
I knew then, I wouldn't have been so you know,
board of them making the Super Bowl for four straight years.
But I just like the difference of it. But so
Scotty Shuffler right now in the lead at the Open Championship,
is plays wrapping up at Royal Port Rush. There are
eight hours ahead of us on the West coast. Five
(20:31):
hours ahead on the East coast, so it's just after
nine o'clock local time there the second round wrapping up
third round play tomorrow morning. I'll have my cinnamon rolls
ready to go. Yeah, I can't wait to watch, all right.
Joel Embiid's in the news. Earlier this week, ESPN did
this profile on Embiid, revealing a lot of things he
doesn't James Harden doesn't talk to him anymore, doesn't necessarily
(20:54):
trust the front office, especially when you're talking about his injuries.
And then there's this, and this is the part that
I just can't get pasted. Joel Embiid was called out
in a player's only meeting. And I'm curious you, as
a former player, if you agree with what Joel Embiid
(21:14):
is saying. Tyree Smaxy called Joel Embiid out in that
meeting during the season, talking about his tardiness, not being
on time and out Joel Embiid needs to set an example.
So this happened earlier in the season, obviously, when Maxy
was healthy. Embiid, in talking with ESPN says, and I'm
quoting here, I know who leaked it, but I'm not
(21:35):
going to tell who it is the past is the past.
The one thing I'll say is it's hard being around
people that do those sorts of stuff. It goes back
to the trust thing. Once you cross that, you can't
expect me to be a part of a team meeting again.
That's just not going to happen. So Joel Embiid says,
I'm out on team meetings now because someone leaked that
he was called out within the team meeting. I understand code,
(21:58):
I understand teammates. I've been a part of teams, some great,
some not so great, nothing near the level that you played.
I have a tough time hearing what Joel Embiid is
saying and agreeing with him. I understand that there's a
certain amount of trust that you have to have, but
when you are the face of the organization, to the
face of the franchise, right, I think there's other responsibilities
(22:21):
that he's just not taking on. And I think that
they have a Joel Embiid problem, not that Joel Embiid
as a Philadelphia seventy six Ers problem.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
I think it is a Joel Embiid problem. There is
a code, obviously, you want to keep everything in house.
I think every coach that comes in, every GM that
comes in, will want to tell their players and trickle
down from top to bottom. We keep everything in house.
That's part of the code, right, And so when you
have these leagues happen, they happen all the time. They've
(22:50):
happened about me in certain situations in New York, and
I've seen it happen to other players, right, So I
know what that feeling is and what that feels like.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
It feels like betrayal.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
It feels like man to man, if you want to
come to me and you have a problem, let's do that,
Let's do it that way where that would be I'm
sure where Embid's coming from. He feels like he's been
the face of that franchise for a long time. He
feels slighted, and now he wants to show his dominance
as that number one guy. Right, That's not their approach
to take. I'm not saying Embid, it's right here, but
(23:21):
I understand where it's coming from now. But that being said, now, Embiid,
if you are really serious about being the leader of
any franchise, because I don't think it's going to be
Philly for much longer unless there's no other place he
can go, and I think that would be the only
only reason he's still there. But if you want to
mend that situation and be a leader of men, show up,
(23:42):
take your lumps. That's part of it as well, Like
you have to understand that it's even with the praise
that comes with being that guy, there's going to be
the other side of that as well, where people question you.
People are gonna make you or expect you to be
the guy that stands up all the time and at
least attempts to do the right thing, because we're not
going to do the right thing all the time, but
attempts to be that way. And if they can't trust you,
(24:04):
if your second best player is the one that's in
the team meet and telling people and specifically you you
need to be on time and be a certain way
in the meetings, that's a good that's a good problem
to have when it's in the house like that, because
if you can't question your top players and you're and
you don't feel like there's no a chain of communication there,
that team's not going anywhere. And I think that's what
(24:25):
we've seen with Philly because as good as they are,
and have been in the Flame Mouse We've seen outside
of the injuries, you can tell that Embiid has has
been child has been childlike at certain times with being
the leader of that team.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Your point about Maxi being the second best player and
calling out the best player, I'm trying to think of,
like how that dynamic works. I don't know how Tyres
Maxie could do it individually, you know, like he needs
the backing of the other teammates to be like to
get to that level, because if it's a one on one,
now you're one and two, maybe aren't seeing an eye
to eye because you have no no idea on how
(25:00):
the one is going to react and you don't, so
then you think you're doing the right thing, like Maxi is.
You have this meeting and he speaks up. I don't
think it's cowardly on his point, and I think that
some people would think like that, like, well, if you
felt that, why did you have to do it in
front of your teammates. I think it's because of the
power and what Joel Embiid carries. So I have no
(25:21):
idea how Tyres Maxi would be able to do that
in a different setting that didn't have the backing of
those players. But what I find interesting about this is
the leak on this seems to have Joel Embiid not
wanting to take responsibility, like he's more mad about the leak.
(25:43):
It was like when Draymond punched Jordan Poole with the Warriors.
The Warriors were way more worried with how the video
came out than the actual punching of one player to another. Again,
I haven't played at your level, but as I'm sitting here,
I get the lack of trust or how that came out.
(26:04):
There's a physical act and something to do with it.
But yet you just had your all NBA player punch
a possible future star of your team. Yes, that is
the problem. You could tell me all you want that
leaks and this and that or the problem, but it's not.
That is the problem. And that's the thing that I
feel with Joel Embiid here. He's using the leak as
(26:24):
an example to cover up why he was actually late
in doing all those things. And I think that's garbage.
And that's the part that I that I don't like
about it. It made me difficult. The bigger man would
have said, you know what, I was late I was
right for getting or they were right for calling me
out on that. I am the face of the franchise.
I gotta do better. That to me goes a lot farther.
(26:47):
Maybe maybe it wouldn't in Philly, I don't know, but
that goes a lot farther than anything that Joel Embiid
could have done, including this interview. Just admit it, you know,
if you're late or not. Yeah, you know, that's that's
all he had to do, and he couldn't even do that.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
I agree with you, but I don't. I don't think
that needed to be addressed because I think that's we all.
I mean, there's obviously truth to that, So him saying it,
I mean, I don't even We've never seen him do
anything like that, So I don't think that's part of
who he who he is. For him, he's always been
a little.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
I don't. I hate saying the word sensitive. I don't like.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
I don't like it, but to say it to prove
the point right now, he seems like those things would
hurt him, and so if he feels hurt, he's going
to react the way that he knows how, and he
hasn't been he hasn't had to be somebody that's responsible
or somebody that takes that blame. Ever, we haven't seen that.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Yeah, And that's that's the thing is if you you
take the blame for it, you also take control of
the narrative. Sure, like you take control of I am
guess what I Yeah, I was, I was late. Maybe
I got too big for my breeches. Again, something we've
never heard from an NBA or professional athlete I think
in history. However, that is a way that this could
be handled better. And I remember one time a well
(28:00):
known journalist told me that they wrote a piece that
was kind of calling out a player, and the head
coach of that team went up to the to the
to the writer and said, hey, I read I read
your piece about so and so.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Thank you. It's right on.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
We need to light, you know, a fire under like
it's it's absolutely what's going on.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
He's not getting the message.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
And by putting it out in public, they felt that
it was their only way to do so that may
have been the case, and I actually think that could
have been the case with Joel Embiid. But Joel Embiid
is so hung up on who leaked the story that
maybe This is a reason why the seventy six ers
just haven't been able to fulfill their maximum potential with
him there, aside from his injuries and other things like.
(28:49):
That's what's like ultimately at the core is he still
doesn't necessarily get it or isn't mature enough to accept
responsibility for his actions.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
It's immaturity for sure. And that part sucks because he's
been there long enough. Now he's he's married and got
kids like that, that energy should have shifted a while ago,
and so he's still stuck in whatever, whatever his feels
are with that team.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
He's carry Roads. I'm Dan Byer.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
This is the Doug Gottlieb Show here on Fox Sports Radio.
For over forty years, tyre X has been helping customers
find the right tires for how, what and where they drive.
Ship Fast and free back by free Road has a
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We're gonna talk some more hoops. NBA insider Mark Stein
joins us maybe he can weigh in on what's happening
(29:36):
with the Philadelphia seventy six ers. Summer League, wrapping up
in so much more. He's Carry Roads. I'm Dan Byer
in for Doug here on Fox. Thanks for listening to
The Doug Gotlieb Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from three
to five eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Find your local station for The Doug Gotlieb Show at
Foxsports Treaty dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. He's the all pro
Carry Rhoads. I'm Dan Bayer. You can hear Carry Sunday
he and Moncie Belanios five eastern, two Pacific. You're Carry
and I during the NFL season in our late window,
you guys will be joined by NFL insider Adam Kaplan
every as you are every Sunday. Adam is actually gonna
(30:21):
be with me this Sunday. Mike Harmon is off with
the the daughter off at a soccer tournament. So Adam
Kaplan's gonna sit in with me for two hours noon eastern,
nine Pacific.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Oh wow, yes, look at you guys.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Yes, skinning football, you know, getting that football fever as
we kind of start to transition from hoops into the
pig skin. But that's going on this Sunday. He's carry roads,
Fine the met carry twenty five roads. You can find
me at Dan Byer on Fox joining us now, longtime
NBA correspondent. You hear them weekly here on Fox Sports Radio.
(30:56):
Find him on X at the Steinline. Mark Stein joins us. Mark,
Great to talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
How are you, guys.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
I'm good. Football is good.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
There, We are doing well.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
And I Carrie and I were just having a conversation
about Joel Embiid and the piece that came out earlier
this week. I know the Sixers aren't on the forefront
of everyone's mind with Bradley Beal, deal and Lebron and whatnot,
but can you take a temperature of the seventy six
ers because I just it rubbed me the wrong way
(31:28):
and feeling or in reading that Joel Embiid's like this
leak in the meeting means I'm taking no more or
taking part in no more player meetings. James Harden doesn't
talk to me this and that. Where are we with
the Sixers and specifically with Joel Embiid right now?
Speaker 6 (31:46):
Well, let me first say, it was an incredible article,
really really good profile with just tons and tons of stuff,
So kudos to the author. It was fantastic, fantastic story.
But look, I think the Sixers have made it super
cool that you know they're going to they want to
give the Joe El Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxi trio
(32:11):
at least one more chance to try to achieve what
they thought that trio could achieve. I mean a year
ago at this time, all of us know it, alls
were saying that the Sixers won the off season. You know,
they Darryl Morey convinced Tyreese Maxi please hold off a
(32:33):
full season before signing an extension. Trust us, we're going
to use the space that that creates to go sign
a really good player. They signed Paul George away from
the Clippers. Paul George was the only All Star last
summer to change teams in free agency without a trade,
and everybody was praising the Sixers. And then this season obviously,
(32:58):
this season obviously was just completely completely you know, everything
that could go wrong did go wrong. And look, I
can understand if there is apprehension in Philadelphia because we
just learned this week that Paul George required another arthroscopic
(33:18):
surgery on his knee, So we don't even know if
we're going to see Paul George at the start of
training camp. We don't really know. As great as that
piece was, what kind of health the Sixers are going
to see from Joel Embiid this season. So even though
the Sixers got the third pick in the lottery, we're
able to draft Edgecomb like that was obviously a great
(33:42):
outcome for them, But there are so many unanswered questions
about this team, and it really does all start with Embiid.
I mean, they need d Embiid, who won the MVP.
If Philly's going to do anything, they have to get
him back to that level, and that obviously starts with
keeping him on the floor. So yeah, I think you're right.
(34:02):
People maybe aren't talking about the Sixers now, but when
the season starts in late September, I think a lot
of people will be talking about the Sixers.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
Mark.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
It's crazy because yes, you just hit on so much
with that team, But also, I mean, I don't know
what their deal is with Quinton Grimes and is he
still a free agent or I don't I don't know
if he's still a free agent or not, but that piece,
that scoring piece, I think he can actually fill in
for Paul George very very admirably. I don't And they
(34:29):
also getting Jared McCain back as well, so I think
they're loaded on the wing as far as potential replacements
for Paul George as well. I mean, not to that degree,
but to steady the ship. If Joel Embiid is him
is his regular self, I could see that still being successful.
But I want to talk about where they are right
now Embiid and you know, he came out and MAXI
(34:50):
challenged him and had the thing happened in the team meeting,
Like where is that relationship at right now?
Speaker 6 (34:56):
I really haven't sense that there's any lingering issues. I mean,
it's always been described to me that they have a
good working relationship and like each other, So I don't
really see that as an issue. I mean, you know,
Joel obviously in the piece voice that he's still you know,
his displeasure with the team meeting and how it all
(35:16):
leads out. I mean, he made that clear that he's
not ready to put that in the rear view mirror,
and so you know, that is something that the Sixers
have to manage. But I do think health and winning
can change a lot and fixed a lot, and again
it's got to start with health. Now you mentioned Grimes.
(35:37):
Quinton Grimes is a restricted free agent, and restricted free
agency is always tough on the players who have that status.
But this summer, especially kuminga hide in Chicago, Grimes, Cam Thomas,
and Brooklyn. I mean, there's just no cap space for
any of these guys. The expectation has been that Philly
(35:58):
is going to bring Grimes back. I don't think Philly
would have lost kershan Yabuselli in the manner they did
to the Knicks if they didn't think they were going
to be able to re sign Quentin Grime. So it's
moving slow, but I do think Rhymes will be back
of the Sixer.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Mark Stein joining us here on Fox Sports Radio talking NBA.
He's Carrier Roads. I'm Dan byer in for Doug. You
can get this Steinlein mark substack at Markstein dot substack
dot com. If you don't trust me, trust the over
forty four thousand subscribers that he has. The big news
yesterday was Damian Lillard back in Portland. How How long
has this been in the work since his buyout from
(36:36):
the Bucks and does this set does this set a precedent?
I don't know if there is one, but I said
Lebron James, now his only option is to go back
to Cleveland. But how long has this been going on,
these conversations between these these these two old partners in
Portland and Dame.
Speaker 6 (36:55):
I would say, I think Games probably had longing for
being back in Portland ever since he left, because the
Milwaukee move just didn't go to plan. And you know,
it was a brutal two seasons, two injury filled seasons
for the Bucks, and it just it just never came
(37:16):
close to working the way they hoped. And you know,
I said this yesterday, I am an incurable basketball romantic.
I love that Dame went back there. I love that
he has such strong feelings for Portland and that fan
base and that is his home. I mean, he's obviously
from Oakland and a Bay Area guy, but like he was,
(37:36):
he really really connected and embraced the Portland community and
that's why it was such a shock to the system
when he left. And look, he's realistically probably not going
to be able to play this coming season, but the
fact that he and the Blazers have put aside whatever
(37:57):
animis was going on that you know, led to the
trade request and led to the parting of the ways.
Know they've they've put that aside. And you know, when
when Dame Lillard plays his first game again in Portland
as a Blazer, that's going to be a pretty special night.
And they still love him, and I think a lot
(38:18):
of people in the Pacific Northwest are really glad he's back.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
And look, he could have gone to a lot of places,
I mean, Boston market, Dane becoming an unrestricted free agent,
like he had no shortage of options, So that tells
you just how strong.
Speaker 6 (38:35):
He feels about Portland and wanting to go back.
Speaker 4 (38:40):
I mean, I think that's pretty evident, Mark. I mean,
Portland's affinity for him must have been strong as well,
because they didn't have to pay him the number that
they paid him as well, So I think there's a
obviously no love loss in that situation. But I want
to move on from from one one superstar going back
home to Dan just said it. He mean, Lebron going
on back to Cleveland would be kind of poetic. I think,
(39:03):
from both of our opinions, but is there any realistic
option of him leaving LA this year at all?
Speaker 6 (39:12):
Not as we speak. I mean, I'm never gonna I'm
never gonna say never, because you know, we just saw
the Luca trade, which shocked everyone and nobody was ready
for it. And even the way free agency started, you know,
when free agency started at six pm Eastern on June thirtieth,
I think if you polled twenty seven twenty eight front offices,
(39:36):
let's make it twenty nine because I think the Pacers
would have been on that list too. I don't think
any of them would have said that they thought Miles
Turner was going to end up in Milwaukee, but that happened.
So this is the NBA. We do see surprises, we
do see we do see curveball. But the reality is
it's a trade. When you're making fifty three mil and
(39:59):
the Latekers don't want to take long term salary back
and Lebron James possesses a full note trade clause, there
are just so many things that complicate the prospect of
a trade. And then that is you know, people have
been thrown around buyout, buy out, buy out, like why
would the Lakers just buy Lebron out? And let him
(40:21):
walk to the team of his choosing on a minimum
after getting a pile of cash, and the Lakers get
nothing back for a guy who is still an All
NBA selection next season. That doesn't make sense for the Lakers.
The Lakers want to honor him and you know, treat
him well, and they are grateful for the role he
played in not only bringing a championship to LA. But
(40:44):
you know, people are going to quibble about it was
in the bubble, this is that, But the reality is
the six seven years before that title in the bubble
in October twenty twenty were the worst six or seven
years of the Lakers' existence in Los Angeles. It was
the worst period it in franchise history. So they are
grateful to Lebron James for what he's done. But I
(41:04):
would submit that having someone on a fifty three million
dollar last season contract isn't the worst way to show
that you're grateful. I mean, he is making a substantial salary,
and you know, it's it's there, but I just it's
really at this point, it is very difficult to see
(41:27):
how you know, it's very difficult to envision a scenario
where Lebron is not a Laker, But again I'm throwing
out the disclaimer that this league is a circus.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Mark Stein joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. Last
one for me. Adam Silver seems to be very slow
on what should I take that back? Adam Silver addressed
expansion this week, saying nothing's predetermined. I don't want to
say slow, but nothing was redetermined?
Speaker 3 (42:01):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 2 (42:02):
Are we all wrong that it's Vegas in Seattle? At
some point? Where are we on expansion? I've heard rumblings
at James Dolan trying to get other owners up against it,
but where are we on the league expanding from thirty teams?
Speaker 5 (42:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (42:18):
Look, I think I think you summed it up really well.
Nobody wants to believe it. But this is not like
gonna just happen next season. Like there there are voices
in the league who have reservations because again, you know,
you you bring in two teams and you have to
give away some you know, the NBA's this. We're entering
(42:40):
year one of the NBA's new TV deal eleven years,
seventy six billion, and so you have to work out
what kind of slice do these expansion teams get, and
so how high does the expansion see have to be
I mean Vegas and Seattle are going to be at
(43:00):
the forefront of the conversation. I mean, those are going
to be the two cities that everyone focuses on first.
But look, the league had, the league does have, you know,
I don't foresee. I think it would be really hard
for logistics re logistics reasons to have a team in
Mexico City. But that is something that the NBA has
(43:21):
kept on the table. It's a market that means a
great deal to the NBA, and if they can ever
figure out a way to put an NBA team there
that works, they would love to do it. That's the
question they have to explore is that feasible? So you know,
I think Adam Silver has repeatedly tried actually to say, guys,
(43:42):
you know this is we're just starting this process and
nobody wants to believe it. But it's it's not just
a matter of now. On the flip side, the reason
expansion would be attractive to the owners is typically expansioncyse
go to the owners that's not revenue shared with the players.
(44:04):
So that would be the case where they would want
to welcome in two teams paying a really high expansion Pee,
But I do think eventually it's going to happen, but
I think it's going to take a lot longer than
probably the general consensus would tell you.
Speaker 4 (44:21):
Mark, I got one more for you. We haven't even
got to this yet. And this is obviously I think
a big deal. But Bradley Bill go on to the Clippers.
I know we had a lot of people aren't talking
about it, but what do you what do you see
his role being with that team? Will it be like
the Norman Powell role, come off the bench or will
he be in the starting lineup? What do you think
that that fits going to look like?
Speaker 6 (44:41):
I have to say, I really like what the Clippers
are doing. I mean the last two you know, we
started this conversation by talking about Paul George. You know,
the Clippers made the decision to just let Paul George
go without compensation, and they did that because they wanted
future flexibility. And they decided that this last season, in
this season and they were going to sign players to
(45:01):
short term deals, they wanted to be as competitive as
they can in the short term, but maintain future flexibility
for their next big swing, most likely in the summer
of twenty seven. But again, you know, they have made
some really nice moves around the edges. You know, again,
Bradley Beal is an unrestricted free agent where he's no
longer carrying a massive contract. Ye there was a line
(45:24):
of teams out the door that wanted him. Lakers, Bumps, Warriors, Wolves,
they all wanted Bradley Beal. Clippers got him. They brought
him book Rook Lopez. They've replaced Norman. You know, they
didn't want to give Noran Powell an extension, but they
were able to turn that into John Collins's expiring contract.
Like they are going to be a tough out in
the West this coming season.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
I think he's Mark Stein.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
You hear him every week here on the Doug Gotlive
Show on Fox Sports Radio. Again, Mark Stein dot substack
dot com, get the Steinline all the inside information that
you need there. Mark appreciated. Have a great weekend. We'll
talk to you again soon.
Speaker 6 (45:58):
All the best guys, be good.
Thanks for listening to the best of The Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific on Box Sports Radio.
Find your local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at
boxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching fs R.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
All Right, I wanted to avoid tutsies or whatever we're
talking about here, but at some point we're gonna have
to get to the drama that is the NFL Players
Association former executive director now former executive director. Uh huh,
You've got that to look forward to, plus so much more.
As we are in for Doug Gottlieb today, Carrie hanging out,
(00:41):
Isaac lohan Kron, who has the news, is at the
news desk. Ryan Berschinger is our executive producer, and Iowa
Sam is here as our technical producer. As we wrap
up the week, we'll get to all that drama, golf
wrapping up in Scotti Schuffler doing Scotti Scheffler things, and
baseball second half. While it's not split evenly in halves,
the second half is underway with the Red Sox and
(01:02):
Cubs playing day baseball. But everybody back in action tonight
in Major League Baseball. After the All Star break, we
start in the NBA. Oh yes, yes, your would you say?
And I I just am doing this because I know
that there's new listeners. Maybe they don't hear you and
I on Sundays during football season or you and Monty
(01:22):
and Sunday afternoons here on Fox Sports Radio, so they
may not may not hear hear you. But is is
your passion NBA even though you were a former NFL player?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Is that? Is that fair to say? Very accurate, Dan,
very accurate.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
I Yes, My real attention, my real love adoration goals
to the NBA, which is I know a little bit suspect.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Did you wish you were an NBA player? Are you
glad that I still wish? Now?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
You still? After the oh for all accolades? An eight
year career in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Do you know the story? I think I told you
the story.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
I'm not sure, but after my third year with the
that's I was seriously considering switching to basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I did not you did not know that, So yes
I was.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
I was secretly working on some some some workouts and
doing that stuff, and my agent was like, Harry, what
are you doing? Uh, that's trying to pay you. Are
you gonna Are you gonna be that guy?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
I'm like, Okay, you're right, You're right, You're right Todd.
So yes, I think I chose correctly. Always trust Todd.
That is that is the moral of the story. But
you stop playing football and basketball is is your love.
And we start in the NBA because Damian Lillard loves Portland.
Damian Lillard is back in Portland as a Trailblazer, shigning
(02:43):
the three year deal.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Even though he's gonna.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Miss all of next season, he's still getting paid by
the Bucks and now signs a three year deal with
the Portland Trail Blazers on on his latter part of
his career, safe to say, the final stretch. He goes
back home and can be with his kids. And that's
a big, big part of it. And yesterday the news
broke here on Fox Sports Radio in the afternoon that
(03:05):
he was going back and there really was. I didn't
have like a hot take. We always talk about a
hot take.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Thought.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
My initial reaction was good for Dane, don't go and
chase a ring don't go around the NBA and trying
to find where is the best fit. I think his
career is his career, and I think that there's something
with that and accepting that, and good on him. Good
on the Blazers who had played better basketball at the
(03:32):
end of last season. Good on them for welcoming him
back and realizing that maybe it wasn't the best move.
Maybe it was a better move for Portland at the time,
which is why I think that the split ended up happening.
But it just to me was a it was a
feel good move in the NBA when we have guys
chasing rings, guys chasing accolades, and Damian Lillard who's going
(03:53):
to miss all of next season, decides that being home
is the best fit for him.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
I mean, we've seen this so many times where guys
at the end of their careers or you know, on
the tail end of their careers, they go to chase
chase that ring and it just looks funky, Right. We
saw Karl Malone play with the Lakers like that's that's crazy.
We've seen other guys. We've seen Charles Barkley obviously lee
Philly and go to Houston, go to Phoenix, Houston on
the tail end, and Check and Chase. Phoenix was legitate,
(04:18):
Phoenix was legit, but Houston on the tail Land, you know,
like it just doesn't look right. We never really associate
those guys to those teams anyway. And so, like you said,
a feel good story, Dame is Portland. I mean, we've
seen guys come through Portland, you know, Bill Walton obviously
back in that day, and we talk about that, but
in the present it's been all about Damian Lillard and
so to see him go back there and you know
(04:39):
he's not gonna win it there, but go there and
be able to have like a Swan song in the
place that he loves and they love him, it's beautiful.
There's a different place that I want to go with this.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah, do you want to say the thing with Dame
as well? You went back to draft day when Dame
was drafted out of Weaver State and you said to him,
and you said to any player, Carrie, would you want
an NBA championship or would you want the city to
be yours that you go to. Now there's different levels.
(05:09):
New York City is obviously different than Portland and LA.
The same thing with maybe different than Charlotte. But if
you were to tell a player that you had a
career in the NBA that allowed you to be really
the face of that franchise and have it be your
city because of how much they loved you. And it's
(05:30):
not to disrespect any of the former Trailblazers because they're
still a part of that, but it's Dames City, and
his relationship with that city has been documented through and through.
I think you take the city portion of it. I
think it's easy to say, yeah, I want to be
an NBA champion. When you look back at Dame's legacy
of him being the star in Portland, it's probably going
(05:51):
to carry more weight and be way more important than
it would to ever win an NBA championship. Say elsewhere, gotcha?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:59):
I was about to say that part They elsewhere, right,
because if he wins it there, it doesn't stop. It's
really it's really his town, right, It's endless. But I
agree with you. I mean, I think for him, a
player that didn't come into the league, we didn't have
super high expectations for Dame Lillard. I mean we knew
he could shoot the ball. I mean he was a
short guard, So that really doesn't work in the NBA
too often. So the fact that he's at the career
(06:21):
that a very notable career, I mean, top seventy five
already has that accolade, MVPs, big moments, big shots in Portland.
I mean we always can go back to that big
shot against OKC, against Russell Westbrook and waving them by
by Those moments were huge, right, I mean lasting from
throughout I mean throughout the NBA in general. So for
him to go back there and have that reunion, like
(06:43):
I said, I'm all for it. Yeah, it'd be different
if you went to you know, if you went to
the Heat or he went to Golden. Golden said a
little different because it was you know where he's from.
But if you just went to another contender, you know,
you go to Boston or something like that and you win,
it's yeah, it's neat, but it's not like what it was.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Obviously, if you would have want a championship in Portland
would have also owned the city again. But still, for
what he's done, it's pretty amazing. This all leads to
Lebron James. It does no carry. I'm serious and I know,
please don't turn off the radio. Please don't turn off
the radio because I brought Lebron's name up. I am
telling you this. Don't get out of the app. Don't
(07:20):
search all the other iHeart stations. There's a reason I
bring this up is because, as I said, my initial
reaction was good for Damon. I haven't moved off at
any of that in the last twenty four hours. I
feel that Lebron's only play now is Cleveland. Yeah, like
it is when we talk about Lebron and free agency.
(07:42):
We obviously knew that there were only certain teams that
he could go to. Mavericks. Your Mavericks were one of
those teams that were talked about. The contacting. Yeah, the
contacting of Rich Paul, which again I said, is clear
tampering in the NBA. You got to talk to the teams.
You don't talk to the ancient and say we on
a trade for your guy. But the Mavericks were one
(08:03):
of those teams. Doesn't doesn't do anything for me if
you were to play for Crosstown Clippers, does nothing. To
go back to Cleveland was the story book story. But
now Damian Lillard has beat him to the punch. So
now if Lebron goes anywhere else. It adds more to
(08:26):
the greed aspect of how Lebron James is perceived. It
wouldn't be a how does man? How does Lebron do
it in Dallas?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
How is this? How's this gonna work out?
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Even if you would go back to the Heat, I
think that there would be a little bit of pushback,
a little bit of weirdness. I think Dame going back
to Portland his force. Lebron, if you want to have
this storybook ending, if you want to go to all
these arenas and be honored because your career is winding down,
you can only do it in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform.
And I've I felt like it was the coolest option
(09:00):
story wise. Now I think it's the only option because
of what Dame Lillard did.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
I agree. I mean that's my sentiment as well. I
thought with all the teams, you know, the four teams
that people talked about him being a viable option for
I mean, I thought Cleveland would be the storybook one
as well. I thought they were the one that for
me personally, I would be on board with that and
want to see what that looks like. I mean, obviously,
if that was his last season as well. Just the drama,
(09:26):
the storybook type of ending. It could be because Cleveland's
a good team, they could have made it out of
the East, right and so that would have been cool.
Lebron for me, just needs to stay in LA, play
it out. If that's not the option in Cleveland, stay
in LA, play it out, and just actually fight for
something once in his career, like not leave the situation
(09:48):
for green or pasture in his mind, Like just actually
stick it out and see what happens and see if
you can will your team to a win, which I
don't know if that's really happened in his career yet.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
You don't think going back to Cleveland was fighting through No,
you don't.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
I don't know the first one. I think that was
something that he wanted to do. Legacy wise, it's just
a legacy thing. I don't think it was him going
to say we're going to go fight and make this happen.
That team was really good. I mean when he first
got there, with Kyrie and all the pieces they had,
I mean, they made another move, but on top of that,
they were a team that you look at and be like, Okay,
they won. They won Lebron away from being dominant in
(10:22):
the East, and I don't think that was him being
really valiant or like the way that it was portrayed.
I thought it was him being greedy and being in
Pheenis ego.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I thought that he fought through in Cleveland the first
time through all the way up until twenty ten and
when they then he ends up leaving after that, Yeah,
and up until that point, I felt it was it
was a climb early. Then he get to the finals
in seven, but I feel like eight, nine and twenty
ten were seasons that you're trying to fight out and
(10:53):
sort out. I didn't agree with the Miami deal, but
I do think going back to Cleveland because it was
just Kyrie, they had struck out on the uh well,
they had the Kevin Love deal, was the Andrew Wiggins
steel but they were only about a thirty win team
at that point.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
But Lebron is peaked.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Lebron basically at the points he's going to turn anybody
that he goes into as a contender, and I like
how he did right his wrong. I guess maybe I
don't know if it's semantics or it's just a way
of saying it, like I thought, like going back to Cleveland,
no matter where he was going to go, they were
going to be an NBA title contender. Request So you
may not look at it as a fight. I look
at it as a fight, even though he was the
best player in the game at the time. Yeah, I
(11:33):
just I think that if you want to take the
fight aspect, which is why the Lakers are the team,
the first team that's ever told him no, you know
like that, and then so now there's a bit of
friction there. I think he stays with the Lakers this season.
It's I haven't waivered off of that. I've wondered because
of all of his little things that he has done.
(11:53):
But I think that next year is the opportunity. But
when we look at next year, just think about what
free agency.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Will be like.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
And maybe we're past the Damian Lillard point at that
that time, maybe we're not looking back at it. But man,
it was cool when Dave Dame went back to Portland yesterday,
and I think that Lebron, who hasn't been loved in
LA during his time with the Lakers, probably need some
of that. And the only place that happens is Cleveland.
Look at what Dame got If Lebron does it, I
(12:22):
think the same happens with the cavaliers. That's why I
now think because the Dame, it's his only option.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
I mean, I have nothing else to say on that,
but I really do agree that that's the best move.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
If that's the If he does leave, he's carry roads.
I'm Dan Byer. We told you Isaac Low and Crannis
here as Ryan Berschinger and Iowa Sam. Isaac's gonna give
us an update on what's happening at the Open Championship.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
It's time for our tire rack play of the day.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Scottie Scheffler to get did on her the balls on
his way done.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
The sloopstairs really steady and he's dropped it.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
An Scheffler gets another birdy out here at number ten.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Got a pot, Dan, I wish I could do that job.
I was. I gon announce that quiet and be really
cool about it up.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
For over forty years, tyre Rek has been helping customers
find the right tires for how, what and where they drive.
Ship Fast and free back by free Road has a
protection with convenient installation options like mobile tire installation tirereq
dot Com. The way tire Buying should be today's tire
rec Player of the Day, coming to us courtesy of
the Open Radio. Scottie Scheffler does have a lead now,
(13:20):
one shot lead over Matthew Fitzpatrick, who's at nine hunders
Scheffler at ten under playing his final hole of his
second round at Royal Port Rush.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Thanks for listening to The Doug Gotleb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five
Eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your
local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
It's not a runaway, but it could be. It's not
a runaway, but it could be. Plus his one NBA
superstar done more damage to his career than we could
have thought. We're diving into that right now here on
Fox Sports Radio. He is Carrie Rhodes. I'm Dan Beyer.
(14:09):
Ryan Berschinger is our executive producer. I was Sam ar
technical producer, and he just heard Isaac Lohenkron at the
news desk. He told us that Scotti Scheffler as a
one shot lead after two rounds of play of the
Open Championship, and he's a shot better than Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Matt Fitzpatrick won the US Open in twenty twenty two
at Brookline. I remember that vividly. You want to know
(14:30):
why I got COVID. There was yes that weekend, Father's
Day weekend. I had to sit in a bedroom, in
a bedroom in our house, and for Father's Day I
just watched, well, I watched all four rounds of the
US Open, but that one stood out because I was
had to quarantine in twenty twenty two when I got sick.
(14:53):
Our son was just over a year at that point,
so it was important for me to stay away. Unfortunately
it was too late. He got COVID. Then my wife
got COVID. He kicked it faster than her I did.
Like he was like, it was like I don't even
think it was a day, Like he was back normal.
Second time he got it in another time and it was worse.
But the point being, in twenty twenty two, Matthew Fitzpatrick
(15:16):
won the US Open, and I just remember sitting in
a bedroom watching that. That's all irrelevant and I'm sorry
for rambling, but he's one shot back a Scotti Scheffler
and Brian Harmon, who won this event two years ago,
is two shots back at eight under par. But if
Scotti Scheffler continues to do Scotti Scheffler things like shoot
seven under par sixty four today, maybe we could have
a runaway at royal Port Rush and this would be
(15:37):
a runaway for the world's best player right now, and
it would be his fourth career major and then he
would be one major away. That would be a US
open from completing the career Grand Slam. But just focusing
on this, do you like to see greatness at its
ultimate height? And by what I mean is we could
(15:57):
be in store for a runaway. Maybe Scheffler just you know,
continues to put the pedal to the metal and runs away.
So you're watching the world number one take off and
separate himself and watching, you know, the world's best play
at the highest level. Do you enjoy watching that or
would you rather see Scottie Scheffler maybe struggle a little bit,
(16:19):
see these other guys be with it. So you have
a competitive Saturday and Sunday on the weekend.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
You know what, There's something about competitive greatness when it
shows up in the way that Scotty is showing up
right now. It's a special thing to see. It's one
of those things where all of those guys are super talented.
They're the best at what they do, and you can
take it to any sport or anything in life. Right,
when you're the best at what you do, like, I
want to see if that can be even exceeded, right,
(16:45):
So I want to see I do love to see greatness.
I do love the competitive balance as well. I think
there's a balance, but when somebody has a chance to
do it, I want to see that chance.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
This is because this is what I think that the
dilemma was. I don't even think it's a dilemma. It's
a dilemma with me. I feel when Tiger Woods was
at his greatest, and there are there are a bunch
of different events that you could talk about with Tiger
Woods and where he was his greatest, but the two
that stand out are the nineteen ninety seven Masters when
(17:15):
he won for the first time and blitz the field
at a slow start and then completely turned it on.
And then the two thousand US Open when he wins
by fifteen. It's against I mean, it was ridiculous, like
absolute domination by Tiger and Tiger just did not let up.
Those were the two most boring milchers for me because
(17:36):
of the lack of competition. So when I think of
Tiger and Tiger's greatness, like the highlights Tory Pines when
he makes the winning putt excuse me, the tying pot
on the seventy second hold then goes and beats Roco
Mediate the next day in a nineteen hole playoff like
that was that was exciting. Now I was there that day.
I was at Torri. There were so many people around
(17:58):
the green. We were down there covering the event. You
couldn't even you couldn't even see. Like I was following
Tiger as he was going through the back nine. On Sunday,
he and Lee Westwood were playing. But because everybody on
the grounds is following to see what Tiger Woods is doing,
you have this enormous log jammer on the eighteenth green
at Tory bins right. So he makes the putt and
(18:19):
it's the highlight, you know that I remember for being there,
But just even in other close calls. In two thousand
PGA Championship, he gets into a playoff with Bob May
That's another close one like there's Tiger Woods blitzing the field.
I think is great for history, but I didn't enjoy
it as a watch. I like the closeness. So for
as great as it is to see Scotty Scheffler play
(18:41):
at the level that he's playing, he's got a one
shot lead in a way, I hope he doesn't run
away with it because I think it makes it a
boring weekend on TV. And I just find it funny
because I think history looks back at those much more
fondly than when you're actually watching in the moment, not
knowing the outcome.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
And that's and to kind of piggyback what you're saying,
it's yes, I mean in that individual match, as far
as the runaway goes, I agree with you. I would
want to see a competitive one. But I mean in
competitive dominance in general, right, Like you get to see
this guy go on a stretch of winning a crazy
amount of majors, masters and do the whole thing and
(19:21):
look dominant doing That's what I mean, more than actually
in that one specific.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Sure you know match. So Scottis Scheffler takes two majors
you know this year out of the four yesh it's
impressive to watch, even if one may be a runaway
and one may not be a runaway. It's it's interesting
in golf as well, because I think that there's well,
while you are competing against others, you are like truly
(19:45):
competing against the course or his tennis. Like if you
have Roger Federer reeling off a bunch of Wimbledon wins, like, okay,
maybe you know, Nate dal can beat him, maybe Djokovic
can meet him. Ultimately they break through at some point, right,
But if Federer is just you know, shocking up win
after win after win, you're just like, all right, you
kind of start to cheer for the other person because
you want something different, And that's you know, it's a
(20:08):
little different in golf. But even gosh, when the Bills
went to all those Super Bowls and knowing now what
I knew then, I wouldn't have been so you know,
board of them making the Super Bowl for four straight years.
But I just like the difference of it. But so
Scotty Shuffler right now in the lead at the Open Championship,
is plays wrapping up at Royal Port Rush. There are
eight hours ahead of us on the West coast. Five
(20:31):
hours ahead on the East coast, so it's just after
nine o'clock local time there the second round wrapping up
third round play tomorrow morning. I'll have my cinnamon rolls
ready to go. Yeah, I can't wait to watch, all right.
Joel Embiid's in the news. Earlier this week, ESPN did
this profile on Embiid, revealing a lot of things he
doesn't James Harden doesn't talk to him anymore, doesn't necessarily
(20:54):
trust the front office, especially when you're talking about his injuries.
And then there's this, and this is the part that
I just can't get pasted. Joel Embiid was called out
in a player's only meeting. And I'm curious you, as
a former player, if you agree with what Joel Embiid
(21:14):
is saying. Tyree Smaxy called Joel Embiid out in that
meeting during the season, talking about his tardiness, not being
on time and out Joel Embiid needs to set an example.
So this happened earlier in the season, obviously, when Maxy
was healthy. Embiid, in talking with ESPN says, and I'm
quoting here, I know who leaked it, but I'm not
(21:35):
going to tell who it is the past is the past.
The one thing I'll say is it's hard being around
people that do those sorts of stuff. It goes back
to the trust thing. Once you cross that, you can't
expect me to be a part of a team meeting again.
That's just not going to happen. So Joel Embiid says,
I'm out on team meetings now because someone leaked that
he was called out within the team meeting. I understand code,
(21:58):
I understand teammates. I've been a part of teams, some great,
some not so great, nothing near the level that you played.
I have a tough time hearing what Joel Embiid is
saying and agreeing with him. I understand that there's a
certain amount of trust that you have to have, but
when you are the face of the organization, to the
face of the franchise, right, I think there's other responsibilities
(22:21):
that he's just not taking on. And I think that
they have a Joel Embiid problem, not that Joel Embiid
as a Philadelphia seventy six Ers problem.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
I think it is a Joel Embiid problem. There is
a code, obviously, you want to keep everything in house.
I think every coach that comes in, every GM that
comes in, will want to tell their players and trickle
down from top to bottom. We keep everything in house.
That's part of the code, right, And so when you
have these leagues happen, they happen all the time. They've
(22:50):
happened about me in certain situations in New York, and
I've seen it happen to other players, right, So I
know what that feeling is and what that feels like.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
It feels like betrayal.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
It feels like man to man, if you want to
come to me and you have a problem, let's do that,
Let's do it that way where that would be I'm
sure where Embid's coming from. He feels like he's been
the face of that franchise for a long time. He
feels slighted, and now he wants to show his dominance
as that number one guy. Right, That's not their approach
to take. I'm not saying Embid, it's right here, but
(23:21):
I understand where it's coming from now. But that being said, now, Embiid,
if you are really serious about being the leader of
any franchise, because I don't think it's going to be
Philly for much longer unless there's no other place he
can go, and I think that would be the only
only reason he's still there. But if you want to
mend that situation and be a leader of men, show up,
(23:42):
take your lumps. That's part of it as well, Like
you have to understand that it's even with the praise
that comes with being that guy, there's going to be
the other side of that as well, where people question you.
People are gonna make you or expect you to be
the guy that stands up all the time and at
least attempts to do the right thing, because we're not
going to do the right thing all the time, but
attempts to be that way. And if they can't trust you,
(24:04):
if your second best player is the one that's in
the team meet and telling people and specifically you you
need to be on time and be a certain way
in the meetings, that's a good that's a good problem
to have when it's in the house like that, because
if you can't question your top players and you're and
you don't feel like there's no a chain of communication there,
that team's not going anywhere. And I think that's what
(24:25):
we've seen with Philly because as good as they are,
and have been in the Flame Mouse We've seen outside
of the injuries, you can tell that Embiid has has
been child has been childlike at certain times with being
the leader of that team.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Your point about Maxi being the second best player and
calling out the best player, I'm trying to think of,
like how that dynamic works. I don't know how Tyres
Maxie could do it individually, you know, like he needs
the backing of the other teammates to be like to
get to that level, because if it's a one on one,
now you're one and two, maybe aren't seeing an eye
to eye because you have no no idea on how
(25:00):
the one is going to react and you don't, so
then you think you're doing the right thing, like Maxi is.
You have this meeting and he speaks up. I don't
think it's cowardly on his point, and I think that
some people would think like that, like, well, if you
felt that, why did you have to do it in
front of your teammates. I think it's because of the
power and what Joel Embiid carries. So I have no
(25:21):
idea how Tyres Maxi would be able to do that
in a different setting that didn't have the backing of
those players. But what I find interesting about this is
the leak on this seems to have Joel Embiid not
wanting to take responsibility, like he's more mad about the leak.
(25:43):
It was like when Draymond punched Jordan Poole with the Warriors.
The Warriors were way more worried with how the video
came out than the actual punching of one player to another. Again,
I haven't played at your level, but as I'm sitting here,
I get the lack of trust or how that came out.
(26:04):
There's a physical act and something to do with it.
But yet you just had your all NBA player punch
a possible future star of your team. Yes, that is
the problem. You could tell me all you want that
leaks and this and that or the problem, but it's not.
That is the problem. And that's the thing that I
feel with Joel Embiid here. He's using the leak as
(26:24):
an example to cover up why he was actually late
in doing all those things. And I think that's garbage.
And that's the part that I that I don't like
about it. It made me difficult. The bigger man would
have said, you know what, I was late I was
right for getting or they were right for calling me
out on that. I am the face of the franchise.
I gotta do better. That to me goes a lot farther.
(26:47):
Maybe maybe it wouldn't in Philly, I don't know, but
that goes a lot farther than anything that Joel Embiid
could have done, including this interview. Just admit it, you know,
if you're late or not. Yeah, you know, that's that's
all he had to do, and he couldn't even do that.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
I agree with you, but I don't. I don't think
that needed to be addressed because I think that's we all.
I mean, there's obviously truth to that, So him saying it,
I mean, I don't even We've never seen him do
anything like that, So I don't think that's part of
who he who he is. For him, he's always been
a little.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
I don't. I hate saying the word sensitive. I don't like.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
I don't like it, but to say it to prove
the point right now, he seems like those things would
hurt him, and so if he feels hurt, he's going
to react the way that he knows how, and he
hasn't been he hasn't had to be somebody that's responsible
or somebody that takes that blame. Ever, we haven't seen that.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Yeah, And that's that's the thing is if you you
take the blame for it, you also take control of
the narrative. Sure, like you take control of I am
guess what I Yeah, I was, I was late. Maybe
I got too big for my breeches. Again, something we've
never heard from an NBA or professional athlete I think
in history. However, that is a way that this could
be handled better. And I remember one time a well
(28:00):
known journalist told me that they wrote a piece that
was kind of calling out a player, and the head
coach of that team went up to the to the
to the writer and said, hey, I read I read
your piece about so and so.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Thank you. It's right on.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
We need to light, you know, a fire under like
it's it's absolutely what's going on.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
He's not getting the message.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
And by putting it out in public, they felt that
it was their only way to do so that may
have been the case, and I actually think that could
have been the case with Joel Embiid. But Joel Embiid
is so hung up on who leaked the story that
maybe This is a reason why the seventy six ers
just haven't been able to fulfill their maximum potential with
him there, aside from his injuries and other things like.
(28:49):
That's what's like ultimately at the core is he still
doesn't necessarily get it or isn't mature enough to accept
responsibility for his actions.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
It's immaturity for sure. And that part sucks because he's
been there long enough. Now he's he's married and got
kids like that, that energy should have shifted a while ago,
and so he's still stuck in whatever, whatever his feels
are with that team.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
He's carry Roads. I'm Dan Byer.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
This is the Doug Gottlieb Show here on Fox Sports Radio.
For over forty years, tyre X has been helping customers
find the right tires for how, what and where they drive.
Ship Fast and free back by free Road has a
protection wouldn't and with convenient installation options like mobile tire
installation tire ac dot com, the way tire buying should be.
We're gonna talk some more hoops. NBA insider Mark Stein
joins us maybe he can weigh in on what's happening
(29:36):
with the Philadelphia seventy six ers. Summer League, wrapping up
in so much more. He's Carry Roads. I'm Dan Byer
in for Doug here on Fox. Thanks for listening to
The Doug Gotlieb Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from three
to five eastern twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Find your local station for The Doug Gotlieb Show at
Foxsports Treaty dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. He's the all pro
Carry Rhoads. I'm Dan Bayer. You can hear Carry Sunday
he and Moncie Belanios five eastern, two Pacific. You're Carry
and I during the NFL season in our late window,
you guys will be joined by NFL insider Adam Kaplan
every as you are every Sunday. Adam is actually gonna
(30:21):
be with me this Sunday. Mike Harmon is off with
the the daughter off at a soccer tournament. So Adam
Kaplan's gonna sit in with me for two hours noon eastern,
nine Pacific.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Oh wow, yes, look at you guys.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
Yes, skinning football, you know, getting that football fever as
we kind of start to transition from hoops into the
pig skin. But that's going on this Sunday. He's carry roads,
Fine the met carry twenty five roads. You can find
me at Dan Byer on Fox joining us now, longtime
NBA correspondent. You hear them weekly here on Fox Sports Radio.
(30:56):
Find him on X at the Steinline. Mark Stein joins us. Mark,
Great to talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
How are you, guys.
Speaker 6 (31:04):
I'm good. Football is good.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
There, We are doing well.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
And I Carrie and I were just having a conversation
about Joel Embiid and the piece that came out earlier
this week. I know the Sixers aren't on the forefront
of everyone's mind with Bradley Beal, deal and Lebron and whatnot,
but can you take a temperature of the seventy six
ers because I just it rubbed me the wrong way
(31:28):
and feeling or in reading that Joel Embiid's like this
leak in the meeting means I'm taking no more or
taking part in no more player meetings. James Harden doesn't
talk to me this and that. Where are we with
the Sixers and specifically with Joel Embiid right now?
Speaker 6 (31:46):
Well, let me first say, it was an incredible article,
really really good profile with just tons and tons of stuff,
So kudos to the author. It was fantastic, fantastic story.
But look, I think the Sixers have made it super
cool that you know they're going to they want to
give the Joe El Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxi trio
(32:11):
at least one more chance to try to achieve what
they thought that trio could achieve. I mean a year
ago at this time, all of us know it, alls
were saying that the Sixers won the off season. You know,
they Darryl Morey convinced Tyreese Maxi please hold off a
(32:33):
full season before signing an extension. Trust us, we're going
to use the space that that creates to go sign
a really good player. They signed Paul George away from
the Clippers. Paul George was the only All Star last
summer to change teams in free agency without a trade,
and everybody was praising the Sixers. And then this season obviously,
(32:58):
this season obviously was just completely completely you know, everything
that could go wrong did go wrong. And look, I
can understand if there is apprehension in Philadelphia because we
just learned this week that Paul George required another arthroscopic
(33:18):
surgery on his knee, So we don't even know if
we're going to see Paul George at the start of
training camp. We don't really know. As great as that
piece was, what kind of health the Sixers are going
to see from Joel Embiid this season. So even though
the Sixers got the third pick in the lottery, we're
able to draft Edgecomb like that was obviously a great
(33:42):
outcome for them, But there are so many unanswered questions
about this team, and it really does all start with Embiid.
I mean, they need d Embiid, who won the MVP.
If Philly's going to do anything, they have to get
him back to that level, and that obviously starts with
keeping him on the floor. So yeah, I think you're right.
(34:02):
People maybe aren't talking about the Sixers now, but when
the season starts in late September, I think a lot
of people will be talking about the Sixers.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
Mark.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
It's crazy because yes, you just hit on so much
with that team, But also, I mean, I don't know
what their deal is with Quinton Grimes and is he
still a free agent or I don't I don't know
if he's still a free agent or not, but that piece,
that scoring piece, I think he can actually fill in
for Paul George very very admirably. I don't And they
(34:29):
also getting Jared McCain back as well, so I think
they're loaded on the wing as far as potential replacements
for Paul George as well. I mean, not to that degree,
but to steady the ship. If Joel Embiid is him
is his regular self, I could see that still being successful.
But I want to talk about where they are right
now Embiid and you know, he came out and MAXI
(34:50):
challenged him and had the thing happened in the team meeting,
Like where is that relationship at right now?
Speaker 6 (34:56):
I really haven't sense that there's any lingering issues. I mean,
it's always been described to me that they have a
good working relationship and like each other, So I don't
really see that as an issue. I mean, you know,
Joel obviously in the piece voice that he's still you know,
his displeasure with the team meeting and how it all
(35:16):
leads out. I mean, he made that clear that he's
not ready to put that in the rear view mirror,
and so you know, that is something that the Sixers
have to manage. But I do think health and winning
can change a lot and fixed a lot, and again
it's got to start with health. Now you mentioned Grimes.
(35:37):
Quinton Grimes is a restricted free agent, and restricted free
agency is always tough on the players who have that status.
But this summer, especially kuminga hide in Chicago, Grimes, Cam Thomas,
and Brooklyn. I mean, there's just no cap space for
any of these guys. The expectation has been that Philly
(35:58):
is going to bring Grimes back. I don't think Philly
would have lost kershan Yabuselli in the manner they did
to the Knicks if they didn't think they were going
to be able to re sign Quentin Grime. So it's
moving slow, but I do think Rhymes will be back
of the Sixer.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Mark Stein joining us here on Fox Sports Radio talking NBA.
He's Carrier Roads. I'm Dan byer in for Doug. You
can get this Steinlein mark substack at Markstein dot substack
dot com. If you don't trust me, trust the over
forty four thousand subscribers that he has. The big news
yesterday was Damian Lillard back in Portland. How How long
has this been in the work since his buyout from
(36:36):
the Bucks and does this set does this set a precedent?
I don't know if there is one, but I said
Lebron James, now his only option is to go back
to Cleveland. But how long has this been going on,
these conversations between these these these two old partners in
Portland and Dame.
Speaker 6 (36:55):
I would say, I think Games probably had longing for
being back in Portland ever since he left, because the
Milwaukee move just didn't go to plan. And you know,
it was a brutal two seasons, two injury filled seasons
for the Bucks, and it just it just never came
(37:16):
close to working the way they hoped. And you know,
I said this yesterday, I am an incurable basketball romantic.
I love that Dame went back there. I love that
he has such strong feelings for Portland and that fan
base and that is his home. I mean, he's obviously
from Oakland and a Bay Area guy, but like he was,
(37:36):
he really really connected and embraced the Portland community and
that's why it was such a shock to the system
when he left. And look, he's realistically probably not going
to be able to play this coming season, but the
fact that he and the Blazers have put aside whatever
(37:57):
animis was going on that you know, led to the
trade request and led to the parting of the ways.
Know they've they've put that aside. And you know, when
when Dame Lillard plays his first game again in Portland
as a Blazer, that's going to be a pretty special night.
And they still love him, and I think a lot
(38:18):
of people in the Pacific Northwest are really glad he's back.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
And look, he could have gone to a lot of places,
I mean, Boston market, Dane becoming an unrestricted free agent,
like he had no shortage of options, So that tells
you just how strong.
Speaker 6 (38:35):
He feels about Portland and wanting to go back.
Speaker 4 (38:40):
I mean, I think that's pretty evident, Mark. I mean,
Portland's affinity for him must have been strong as well,
because they didn't have to pay him the number that
they paid him as well, So I think there's a
obviously no love loss in that situation. But I want
to move on from from one one superstar going back
home to Dan just said it. He mean, Lebron going
on back to Cleveland would be kind of poetic. I think,
(39:03):
from both of our opinions, but is there any realistic
option of him leaving LA this year at all?
Speaker 6 (39:12):
Not as we speak. I mean, I'm never gonna I'm
never gonna say never, because you know, we just saw
the Luca trade, which shocked everyone and nobody was ready
for it. And even the way free agency started, you know,
when free agency started at six pm Eastern on June thirtieth,
I think if you polled twenty seven twenty eight front offices,
(39:36):
let's make it twenty nine because I think the Pacers
would have been on that list too. I don't think
any of them would have said that they thought Miles
Turner was going to end up in Milwaukee, but that happened.
So this is the NBA. We do see surprises, we
do see we do see curveball. But the reality is
it's a trade. When you're making fifty three mil and
(39:59):
the Latekers don't want to take long term salary back
and Lebron James possesses a full note trade clause, there
are just so many things that complicate the prospect of
a trade. And then that is you know, people have
been thrown around buyout, buy out, buy out, like why
would the Lakers just buy Lebron out? And let him
(40:21):
walk to the team of his choosing on a minimum
after getting a pile of cash, and the Lakers get
nothing back for a guy who is still an All
NBA selection next season. That doesn't make sense for the Lakers.
The Lakers want to honor him and you know, treat
him well, and they are grateful for the role he
played in not only bringing a championship to LA. But
(40:44):
you know, people are going to quibble about it was
in the bubble, this is that, But the reality is
the six seven years before that title in the bubble
in October twenty twenty were the worst six or seven
years of the Lakers' existence in Los Angeles. It was
the worst period it in franchise history. So they are
grateful to Lebron James for what he's done. But I
(41:04):
would submit that having someone on a fifty three million
dollar last season contract isn't the worst way to show
that you're grateful. I mean, he is making a substantial salary,
and you know, it's it's there, but I just it's
really at this point, it is very difficult to see
(41:27):
how you know, it's very difficult to envision a scenario
where Lebron is not a Laker, But again I'm throwing
out the disclaimer that this league is a circus.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Mark Stein joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. Last
one for me. Adam Silver seems to be very slow
on what should I take that back? Adam Silver addressed
expansion this week, saying nothing's predetermined. I don't want to
say slow, but nothing was redetermined?
Speaker 3 (42:01):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 2 (42:02):
Are we all wrong that it's Vegas in Seattle? At
some point? Where are we on expansion? I've heard rumblings
at James Dolan trying to get other owners up against it,
but where are we on the league expanding from thirty teams?
Speaker 5 (42:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (42:18):
Look, I think I think you summed it up really well.
Nobody wants to believe it. But this is not like
gonna just happen next season. Like there there are voices
in the league who have reservations because again, you know,
you you bring in two teams and you have to
give away some you know, the NBA's this. We're entering
(42:40):
year one of the NBA's new TV deal eleven years,
seventy six billion, and so you have to work out
what kind of slice do these expansion teams get, and
so how high does the expansion see have to be
I mean Vegas and Seattle are going to be at
(43:00):
the forefront of the conversation. I mean, those are going
to be the two cities that everyone focuses on first.
But look, the league had, the league does have, you know,
I don't foresee. I think it would be really hard
for logistics re logistics reasons to have a team in
Mexico City. But that is something that the NBA has
(43:21):
kept on the table. It's a market that means a
great deal to the NBA, and if they can ever
figure out a way to put an NBA team there
that works, they would love to do it. That's the
question they have to explore is that feasible? So you know,
I think Adam Silver has repeatedly tried actually to say, guys,
(43:42):
you know this is we're just starting this process and
nobody wants to believe it. But it's it's not just
a matter of now. On the flip side, the reason
expansion would be attractive to the owners is typically expansioncyse
go to the owners that's not revenue shared with the players.
(44:04):
So that would be the case where they would want
to welcome in two teams paying a really high expansion Pee,
But I do think eventually it's going to happen, but
I think it's going to take a lot longer than
probably the general consensus would tell you.
Speaker 4 (44:21):
Mark, I got one more for you. We haven't even
got to this yet. And this is obviously I think
a big deal. But Bradley Bill go on to the Clippers.
I know we had a lot of people aren't talking
about it, but what do you what do you see
his role being with that team? Will it be like
the Norman Powell role, come off the bench or will
he be in the starting lineup? What do you think
that that fits going to look like?
Speaker 6 (44:41):
I have to say, I really like what the Clippers
are doing. I mean the last two you know, we
started this conversation by talking about Paul George. You know,
the Clippers made the decision to just let Paul George
go without compensation, and they did that because they wanted
future flexibility. And they decided that this last season, in
this season and they were going to sign players to
(45:01):
short term deals, they wanted to be as competitive as
they can in the short term, but maintain future flexibility
for their next big swing, most likely in the summer
of twenty seven. But again, you know, they have made
some really nice moves around the edges. You know, again,
Bradley Beal is an unrestricted free agent where he's no
longer carrying a massive contract. Ye there was a line
(45:24):
of teams out the door that wanted him. Lakers, Bumps, Warriors, Wolves,
they all wanted Bradley Beal. Clippers got him. They brought
him book Rook Lopez. They've replaced Norman. You know, they
didn't want to give Noran Powell an extension, but they
were able to turn that into John Collins's expiring contract.
Like they are going to be a tough out in
the West this coming season.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
I think he's Mark Stein.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
You hear him every week here on the Doug Gotlive
Show on Fox Sports Radio. Again, Mark Stein dot substack
dot com, get the Steinline all the inside information that
you need there. Mark appreciated. Have a great weekend. We'll
talk to you again soon.
Speaker 6 (45:58):
All the best guys, be good.
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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