June 19, 2019 • 35 mins
Dan Beyer and Matt Barnes, filling in for Doug Gottlieb, talk about the transformation of NBA free agency over the past ten years and debate which team has the most pressure this off-season. The guys discuss the Lakers giving up on young talent and debut a new game, “MATTer of Fact!” Finally, former NBA Coach Earl Thomas shares his thoughts on the hottest topics of NBA free agency.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
from three to six pm Eastern Time, that's twelve to
three Pacific un Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Fox Sports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the I Heart
Radio app by searching fs R. This is the best
(00:21):
of the Doug got Leave Show on Fox Sports Radio.
Crazy crazy week continues in the association. You have. The
Draft is coming up on Thursday, but we're still a
week or two away from real free agency hitting a
big trade in the NBA today, and so much going
(00:43):
on in l A, Houston and Boston. Matt Barnes, this
is a crazy, crazy time of year for for so
many in the NBA, including teams, coaches, players, gms and
fans in it slow. This is really when the drama
starts to shake up, you know what I mean. You
you have different segments during the season, and then obviously
the finals hits and and all eyes are on that.
(01:04):
But free agency to me has become just as big
as the Finals. I mean, you can tell throughout the
season people are talking about who's going where, who's doing what.
So now that the season is finally uh you know, commenced.
Congratulations to the Raptors for winning their first ever championship.
Now the real fund starts. So it's gonna be something
you need a fastest seat before and enjoy. Okay, so
you come in the league fifteen or so years ago?
(01:24):
What was free agency like then? Like the of the
off season of I mean, how can you compare it
to what we've got? You can't compare it? Uh, you know.
Now that was more organization, driven, had more control. Now
it's in the players hands and I love it that
way because for so long it's been such a business.
You get cut, traded, whatever the situation may be from
(01:45):
a team, and it's the business, you know. So now
that the players are taking the power in their own hands,
now they're kind of frowned upon. But but it's just like,
you know, we've always been the commodity. Now we just
have more power and I'm all for it. And that's
the players and that's why you look at the the
fan bases, you look at the coaches and met there's
a common theme that we've got right now in the
NBA off season, and it's this, Okay, the pressure of
(02:10):
the NBA off season is immense, and I'm looking at
and listening to everything that's happening, whether it be Darryl
Morey trying to put out fires in Houston, maybe Chris
Paul is doing the same as well, whether it be
Rob Polinka trying to sort out which path the Lakers
are gonna go to. When I think of pressure, I
think that the person who is under the most pressure,
(02:32):
or the team that's under the most pressure, is actually
the Boston Celtics. And the reason is this is because
of what is now transpired with Danny Ainge in whats
going on in Boston. I I have said a bunch
on this this network of how Boston needed to cash
in their chips with the title and one of titles
in two thousand eight, and so now you're hearing stories.
(02:52):
We knew Kyrie kind of wanted to be gone, and
it seems that Boston is all right with that. But
then news broke yesterday that Al Horford may not be back,
that he wants a four year deal with that guaranteed
money that he would get on that deal as opposed
to maybe a three year deal. Staying in Boston. So
while Horford may go. Now there's a report that Brad
Stevens may have coddled Gordon Hayward that could have rubbed
(03:14):
other people the wrong way or other players the wrong way.
There's the insistence that Danny Ainge believes that Jason Tatum
is going to be his ultra superstar and not wanting
to deal li hum for Anthony Davis. I think with
this offseason, with everything that is going on, it's Danny Ainge,
the GM of the Boston Celtics that's facing the most pressure. Well,
I always said, you know throughout the season that if
(03:36):
it wasn't for the Lakers debacle, Boston would have been
the number one topic if Lebron hadn't come to the
Lakers last year because their dysfunction. You can read it
on the players face, you can read it on their
body language in the way they played at times. Um,
it's an interesting situation over there from a standpoint of
when Kyrie and Gordon Haywood got hurt, their young core
(03:57):
took the team to the Eastern Conference finals and possibly
if it wasn't for Lebron and the Calves would have
went to the finals fast forward. This year, Kyrie comes
back healthy, Gordon Heywards come back off a tough injury,
and people don't understand how long it takes to get
over an injury like that. So I almost gave him
a pass for this year. I expect him to be
a lot better next year. And they took a step back,
you know, with a lot of confusion with Jayson Tatum
(04:19):
having an off year, really struggling with who he was
and what his role was on that team. He was
the go to guy, you know, along with the you know,
Jaylen Brown and the other Terry Rozier and some of
the younger players, you know, So they take a step
back with Kyrie. They found out that Kyrie, Kyrie finds
out how hard it is to be an actual leader
for the first time. You know, he knocked Lebron for
(04:39):
his leadership and he wanted to get away and do
his own thing, and he realized that it's not as
easy as as Lebron made it look. Um. But I'm
I'm I'm with a firm belief that I'm okay with
losing Kyrie. Al Herford surprised me because he's kind of been,
you know, kind of the cornerstone as far as big
men for that team for the past few years, But
losing Kyrie I was okay with because I just think
(05:00):
that younger Core didn't mesh well with him. And if
that's the future you're building, if Tatum is your star,
let these guys develop him and be who they are.
The Horford stuff struck me for the ship effect of
what you said. He's the cornerstone and he's the veteran
and now he doesn't want to be there. Say what
you will about Kyrie, and Kyrie always talks to the press,
and whether it be saying that you know he reached
out to Lebron and did this, or now he understands
(05:23):
what it takes to win a championship. Al Horford always
seemed to be the flat line right the the the
steady hand in that cell very much. He just come
out and did his job every day at a very
high level. And like I said, he was that veteran
presence that that that that you look to when you
went to Boston. But I personally think the most pressures
on the Lakers. Um you know, they're all money in
(05:45):
from a standpoint, and they gave Lebron this for your situation.
The front office has been a mess. Um. They shocked
everyone where and was actually able to trade for Anthony Davis,
which I think now opens up. You know some other
free agents eyes like, okay, well if a d S
there too, with Lebron, we might have something. But I
just think, what are they gonna be able to do?
Are they're gonna be able to offer a mass contract?
(06:06):
Do they really want to get another max player? Do
they want to split the money they have up to
some solid role players and really feel the rest of
that roster. That's what That's the issue that I look
at right now. Is there there's if you're a free
agent or if you're a max guy with the Lakers
in trying to move into that spot, you're saying, all right,
I can get the max deal, and whether the player
is worth it or not is it doesn't matter if
(06:27):
they're willing to offer him, he's worth that money. The
question is now, are you okay with being the number three?
Are getting that bronze medal if you will? Well, Lebron
and Anthony Davis are the ones who have that gold
and silver. And you even have a d S representation
speaking out to Sports Illustrated and saying you know, once
(06:48):
Lebron leaves, then it's a d S turn to take
over that torch. So coming in, like, are you if
you are going to be that Max guy and wanting
to sign that you're coming in with the understanding of
being a third wheel. Well, that's what made the Warriors
so special was they had a handful of Max guys
and they put their ego to the side and they
were in and you see, they built one of the
(07:08):
greatest dynasties the basketball scene. And that's what really today's
atmosphere is about. Can people put their egos to the side.
What's more important? Is winning more important? Or you being
that number one or number two options more important? Was
it said you were on that Warrior's team that won
the titled? Was it? Was? It an unspoken thing, But
(07:30):
what's understood doesn't have to be explained with that team.
And I think that's what made us so dangerous. Any
given night, we had three guys and give you fifty.
Any given nights, Steph Claire Katie could have gave you fifty.
Draymond could give you a triple double. Everyone knew they did,
you know, come in and they were stars in their role.
And I think what the media or the outside they
tried to really pull that team apart and put them
(07:52):
on different islands. But in that locker room, they knew
what the situation was. Everyone knew they had to sacrifice
a little bit uh for a greater cause, and that's
what they did. So, if you're the Akers, is it Lebron?
Is it Rob Polinka? Is it just the whole Lakers
organization feeling this pressure? Because when I say Danny angel like,
I also think that Brad Stevens is feeling some pressure.
This is this is the first I think adversity that
(08:14):
they have dealt with where Brad Stevens was thought of
as one of the top three minds in the NBA
and and where they always had an advantage. And now
you're saying, now it's being pointed out, well, Brad Stevens,
because of his relationship with Gordon Heyward back to Butler,
maybe made more of an effort that didn't rub people
the right way. And I think that those things hurt
(08:35):
the Celtics as well with the Lakers wise, Is it
Rob Poblinka, is it Lebron? Where do you think the
pressure specifically fall? I think the pressure is on management.
I think lebron his job is to obviously try to
tract guys and get guys, but when he's out there
on the floor, he does what he does, you know
what I mean. His numbers were as amazing as they
they've always been. Um. Obviously, the injuries slowed them down,
but all the pressure that was on Rob or or
(08:57):
whoever is helping him make them calls, whether it be
the ram Basses or Genie. You know, you know, you
don't really know who's doing what, uh, you know, with
the whole Magic debacle. So I think the pressure is
on Rob. He hasn't had a good reputation from a
from a dealing business standpoint. Um. But to me, you can't,
now that we know he is the one calling the shots,
you can't. To me, you can't do You have to
(09:18):
judge on on what he does from here on out.
He was able to land a D not very much
flexibility in the cap space with being able to add
more people. But you know, let's let's give this guy's
shot and see what you can do. And it's going
to be an interesting summer for the Lakers. For as
much as the NBA has changed throughout the years, it
still goes back to being the NBA where the Lakers
and Celtics are grabbing the headlines, and they're in two
(09:39):
completely different situations. Where you've got one team where a
star is leaving and likely on his way out. You've
got another team where the stars seem to be coming in.
You have one team that was on the verge of
of maybe going through an NBA Finals and and and
having success in the playoffs to another team that now
hasn't seen it in six or seven years. So those
things are just I mean, it's the opposite, but it's
(10:00):
the NBA, and I mean there's drama going on in Houston.
There's you know, the Raptors are trying to figure out
if they can keep Kauai. The Clippers are hoping to
grab him. But it's the center of the NBA universe.
Seems always go back to the Celtics and Lake. I
just think basketball as a whole. You know, you throw
you throw Golden State in there. Now is one of
those historical franchise for what they've been able to do
over the last five years. But basketball is better when
(10:21):
the Lakers, Nick's and Celtics are relevant, you know what
I mean. That's what that that's what the the the
NBA is really built on. And you know those rivalries
and and the star players from those teams, so it
even carries forth to today. Um so, yeah, they're grabbing
the headlines in and it it's really all eyes on them.
This is the first time Brad Stevens has really ever
faced any adversity. He was loved at Butler. He was,
(10:42):
you know, a heralded coach, like you said, top three
minds in the game, was always praised and now we're
starting to kind of hear. I think Kyrie made have
kind of cracked that door, and really we see what
the dysfunction is from a standpoint, and I understand being
a player, is you know this team that this young
core does an amazing job. There's a connection between the
head coach and Gordon Haywood, who people forgot before got
(11:03):
hurt was one of the top ten fifteen players in
the game. Gordon Haywood can really play basketball, but I
think he probably babied him somewhat, allowing him to come
back and start messing up the rhythm, moving JAYL Brown
to the bench, and I'm sure there's some moves he
made obviously the rub players the wrong way, and that's
all it takes for a little bit of dysfunction or
really kind of start bowling over and you really start
to see the true colors up an organization. Be sure
(11:24):
to catch live editions, so the Doug Dot Leap Show
weekdays at noon Eastern three pm Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio and the I Heart Radio app. The question that
I have asked others and I'm going to ask you
about developing players. Does Kauai become the player he is
if he's on any team other than San Antonio. I
think it's very important. And with players where they're drafted,
(11:45):
in the situations they go to. You know, these high
picks are going to obviously unstable organizations. That's why they're
getting these high picks. Um, And I think it's very
important for players to very rarely can you see a
player thrown in the fire and succeed form the jump. Uh,
you know, not even Kobe did it. Lebron did it. Uh,
you know, Kevin Garnett did it to an extent. But um,
it takes time to develop. It takes time to learn
(12:08):
this man's game. You know, these are these are boys,
kids coming into a man's game, so it takes time.
So it's frustrating for me to see just the constant
giving up on young talent. But then at the same time,
it's a business. How long do you wait on this
young talent? Um? You see flashes here and there. Like
I said, you can use the Lakers as as a
perfect example. You know, with the' Angelo Russell being traded in,
(12:30):
leading Brooklyn to the playoffs and becoming an All Star,
Julius Randall having the best season of his career, opting
out he's gonna get paid this summer. I'm very high
on both Zoe and and Brandon ingram Um. Like I said,
just that they came into a dysfunctional organization and situation,
but at times you would see flashes and I think
both these guys will be future All Stars. But with
(12:50):
that said, you know, the Lakers are very impatient organization.
They're used to historically winning. You know, they have the
worst record in the NBA the last six years, not
making the playoffs. So it's all about now and what
can you do now? And you know you have to
be very careful. You know that they're they're putting up
the whole house to uh to build something here, you know,
with they're trying to get their last three guys under contract.
(13:14):
The only guys that would be on the team if
it gets done are Kuzma, so that they're expecting it
maybe in the Big three. I mean to me, do
you get another superstar or do you split that money
up and get some three and D guys and and
build your bench outs um and then wait for next
year to have more money and do something else. Well,
you know, And and it's funny because I asked the
(13:35):
Kauai question because it was going to lead into the Lakers,
and it was going to lead into D'Angelo Russell and
what they have done. I think that it's important for
for Alonzo specifically Alonzo in New New Orleans and brandon
Ingram at some point, is you because they have fresh
starts met there're no you don't have to look at
(13:56):
them as second overall picks. Now they're guys now they're
now they're NBA veterans, and it's the value that they
have changes immediately when their NBA career starts. And I
think specifically with Alonzo, and I know that there was injuries,
and there's the LaVar ball stuff and all with that,
but he was also the number two overall pick and
(14:17):
and brandon Ingram was as well. But I don't know
if Alonso was ever going to live up to the
number two overall pick stuff. And I think that the
longer that you hold onto that, the longer that you
aren't going to see what a Lonzo ball is worth
is in the NBA. Yeah, I mean, it just depends. Uh,
you know, numbers don't really mean much at the end
of the day because you've seen first round pick, our
first picks, b bus and second round picks be a
(14:37):
hall of famers. To me, like you said, it's just
about them being players. Now they get a fresh start.
If you can deal with the media and and all
the crazy stuff that happens in l A, you can
handle it anywhere. They're going to New Orleans where they're
gonna be loved and idolized, and it's you know, the
main show out there besides the Saints and just getting
a fresh start, and two guys are gonna be depended on,
you know there direct that their wins and busines are
(15:00):
gonna come directly from how they play, you know what
I mean. And it's gonna really gonna be a situation.
Now we're okay, we're rebuilding. We're most likely gonna have Zion.
What else can we grab? We grab a badly build.
What else can we do? And let's go out here
and show the world. You know, when you get traded
it you have a chip on your shoulder, you know,
and for all these guys to you know, come in
looking like Rondo said, and before Rondo came out and
(15:20):
said a few weeks ago, I said it early on
when the trade deadline happened, all these young players looked
up to Lebron, you know, like he was how I
looked at Jordan and Magic Johnson that that's who these
guys looked up to. So when you get there and
things start going rocky, and then you know, whether it's
Lebron or Magic or Rob they don't want you. You're
just like man, that's that's a tough pill of swallow.
And I can see instantly once that debacco happened that
(15:41):
this season was over because there was no trust, there
was no love, there was just no direction um there.
So now with the fresh start, um, you just it's
a breath of fresh air. You have a chip on
your should and you really want to go out here
and improve all these doubters wrong and either two very young,
talented kids that I think are gonna be able to
do that. Nothing has changed on the Laker side of things,
(16:02):
Like you're just gonna need to fill in vets around
these guys, right because because you know, realistically and I
know there's a difference, but for how they're going to operate,
there'd be no difference between Luke Walton and Frank Vogel, right.
To me, it's it's it's it's a similar situation to
what Golden State did. They built a hell of a
starting five and then this past year was probably one
of their weaker you know all they though they played
(16:23):
well when called upon, it was one of their weaker benches.
You know. So do you build a really amazing starting
five and and and pray for health throughout the season,
or do you strategically build Okay, we got a D,
we got Lebron, we have Kuzma. Let's let's put some
solid three and D guys around us, build our bench
up and then next next summer. You know, I think that,
like I said, there's just no patience here for anything.
(16:45):
They want everything now, and I think if you rush
into that looking at okay, we need to grab another superstar,
You're gonna miss the boat and not really be able
to fill out the rest of this roster. Like you
need to be sure to catch live editions. So the
Doug Got Leap Show week days at noon eastern three
pm Pacific. The games to is called matter of Facts.
I am going to give scenarios for our technical producer,
(17:07):
John Ramos, who wants Matt's championship ring from the Warriors.
And John, if you get them, all right, you get
the ring. No, I'm just kidding. You will have to
say factor fiction on whether these names I give you
were teammates of Matt's during his fifteen year NBA career.
A lot of different teammates, a lot of different teammates. Okay,
(17:27):
so you will have to say, for example, I would
say John was Gavin Kinsell a teammate of Matt Barnes.
You would say fact or fiction it is we're teammates
here at Fox Sports Radio, but not Gavin never suited
up for the Clippers at any point. All right, all right,
here we go matter of fact, and Matt, by the way,
(17:49):
is going to give us the answers to these. Was
Grant Hill a teammate of Matt Barnes during his NBA
career matter of fact? Fiction, Ah, he was one of
my favorite players going up and I played with him
twice in Phoenix. Fact, Johnny, you have lost the championship
(18:10):
ring on the first answer? All right? Factor? Fiction that
Robert Parrish was a teammate of Matt Barnes. Is that
factor fiction? Robert Parrish is sixt years old, So I
just I just wanted to make sure that that we
got this. John's got one right, Okay. What about Kobe
(18:31):
Bryant factor fiction that he was a teammateer Matt barn
fact absolutely handedly bring you back and bring you to
l We got into that little altercation. I guess it'll
live forever when I faked the ball in his face
in Orlando, and then that summer he called me up
and I became a lager that summer. Keep your friends close,
(18:51):
your enemy is closer there, it is, right right. What
about Kimala Juan factor fiction? Was he a teammate of
Matt Bond I think that would have been a great
teammate to have, But I'm gonna say that's fiction. Fiction. Yeah, literally,
you're retired in two thousand two, which was the year
that Matt ended up being drafted. So John is three
for four, all right, Shaquille O'Neill. Factor fiction. Was he
(19:14):
a teammate of Matt Barnes. I'm gonna say that's a
fact fact. We play together there. It is the shack
Phoenix era is not one that is is widely remembered.
I don't even remember at number three war in Cleveland.
It was like thirty six or something, was a lot
of there was a lot of naked shock, and they
loved a roam that locker room naked. He was thirty
(19:37):
three in Cleveland. Okay, I thought it was some odd
big cactus is what they called him. Factor fiction that
Coatino Mobili was a teammate of Matt Barnes. Cotino mobile
sat next to me yesterday. Factor fiction. I'm gonna say
that's a fact. True. We're playing together in there is
(19:57):
all right. We had Kobe Bryant's What about Kobe White?
Was Kobe White the teammates of Matt Barnes. Factor fiction fiction?
Who is Kobe White? He's the point guard from North
Carolina that's gonna be drafted tomorrow night so there you go,
John got it right. What about Ezra Brooks? Was he
a teammate of Matt Barnes factor fiction? That is a
(20:21):
tough one. You're right, Ezra Brooks. I'm gonna do the
gonna flip the corner and say he that is a fact.
Us Brooks is a whiskey m I threw that tough
one in there kind of a little bit. Oh man,
he got up his shots, that's for sure. Ezra Brooks
(20:44):
got a different What about Steph Curry factor fiction? I
guess this game one on too long since the music
ran out. Fact A matter of fact is the game
John Ramos trying to guess the teammates of Matt Barnes
step Curry factor fiction? Was he a teammate of Matt Barnes.
I'm gonna say that's that's a fact fact championship teammates there,
(21:06):
It is, alright, final one, John Ramos, Tony Roma a
teammates of Matt Barnes factor fiction. I would say that's
a fiction. That is. He's got some good rids there.
It is matter of facts. Johnny didn't get the championship rings.
(21:28):
Gonna go down the street two minutes. I'm gonna go
grab the ring. I'll follow you home. Matt, you want
a bottle of Ezra Brooks whiskey for getting that answer.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app
search f s R to listen live. I'm Dan Buyer.
(21:50):
He's NBA veteran Matt Barnes and joining us now is
Matt's former teammate at U C l A. And, as
I mentioned, former son's head coach and all around good
guy Earl Watson joining us here on Fox Sports Radio.
Hey Earl, how are you doing today? I'm well, thanks
for having me. Oh man, I'll tell you what Matt's
been itching to to pick your brain. But I'm gonna
start this out, okay, because we were talking about Brad
(22:13):
Stevens as an NBA head coach. All of a sudden,
now Brad Stevens is getting a little flak for trying
to to make Gordon Hayward be more comfortable in coming
back from his injury, maybe force feeding him the basketball
and trying to figure out ways where Gordon Hayward can't succeed.
Are we being fair to Brad Stevens and criticizing him
for these sort of things that maybe you've rubbed the
(22:35):
players the wrong way. Um I think, um, I think
throughout the season you heard Kyrie kind of allude to
um and the younger players as well as defining roles
like which role do guys have, Who's gonna take the
most shots? And as Matt knows and when you played,
and for me, for playing and coaching, you have to
define I learned some Hubie Brown. You have to define
(22:57):
rules and and the role plays for everyone on the
court and give them a signment, give them their their
character of the team, their the role of the team.
And a lot of guys won't like it. Who won't
get the most shots, so who won't be able to
do more? But guys respected, And I think that's where
they lacked. I don't not knowing Brad Stevens, is that
(23:17):
something he can do? Is that something like I said,
because we talked about it earlier, He's just always been praised.
He did a great job, you know, over overachieved at Butler,
you know, uh, playing in the championship game and then
you know, being touted as one of the bright young
minds of the NBA. And now they've they've they've stumbled
into some adversity. I said, with the great Celtics core
(23:37):
the year that Gordon Haywood and Kyrie Irvan went down,
you really got to see possibly some future stars and
and Tatum and Brown and Rosier Um and if it
wasn't for Lebron, they would have went to the finals
that year. And then fast forward with your your highly
paid superstars both coming back off an injury. Like you said,
there was no role. You saw Jason Tatum kind of
floated through the whole season. He didn't know in I
(23:59):
the one option and some nights and my two some
nights to my three, like what is my role? And
you hit it on the head. As a player, you
want to know what your role is. You know, tell
me my my role. Everything is off rhythm and rotation
in your role, And there was definitely no defined roles
there to me, I think, I think matt Um. As
a player, you expect that conversation to be easy. And
(24:19):
I remember when I took over for the Suns had
to do the same thing. But I was elevating Devin
Booker like an eighteen year old to be our leading score.
And I'd have said everyone in the theater in a movie,
in a film role, and tell them that Devin Booker
is gonna take fifteen to twenty plush shots the game
and he's gonna be our leading score. And if anyone
doesn't like it, raised their hand now so we can
(24:40):
kill all in amosity. No one raised their hands. And
then I went to the next player, and then I
told him how p J. Tucker is gonna be our
defender and corner three point shooter, and he's gonna get
the offensive rebounds. And I went to t J. Warren
to say he's gonna get mid range shots. He's gonna
be our second score, and he's gonna have fifteen, probably
the eighteen shots the game. And it was up to
me to hold everyone a accountable for that role. And
(25:01):
we also have Mark Keith Morris, who I had to
tell that in a week from now he's going to
get traded. Well, but while he was here, we need
him to be our leading scorer as well. So you
have three guys gonna take the most shots. And I
gave him averages like twenty uh. I told me me
to average twenty eight and five twenty points, ten rebounds,
five asist because he was capable, and it's gonna buy
(25:23):
time for Devin Booker to get comfortable to being that guy,
and that that's a hard conversation to have, but I
knew as a player I needed it and I wanted it.
But I knew also as a coach, players never hear that,
so I knew a player would respected. Because I was
reflecting on my days of wearing new jersey. Earl Watson
joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. He's Matt barnesime
Dan Buyer sitting in for Doug. Matt and I were
(25:45):
discussing the the trials and tribulations of trying develop to
develop players on a bad team, and I brought up
the point of I always felt that the lottery should
be every team as a chance, because it wouldn't be
a bad thing for a team that was ninth in
the West to get a superstar to be elevated. But
of course this discussion starts with the Lakers and why
guys didn't develop. How difficult is it to develop guys
(26:06):
on a bad basketball team or aura a team that
maybe he's just not gonna have much success. How difficult
of a job is that I've been very blessed to
play on my career with a young Hubie. While I
was young, Hubi Brown was our head coach and Jerry
West was our GM, and we had a young team
in Memphis was Parago souls in his second year. I
(26:27):
was in my second year. We had Shane Battier, we
had White Chocolate Jason Williams, we had soul Mouth Swift,
and we were young and we needed to be developed,
and he created an environment for us to develop under
coach Welsh, who was now one of the developed development
coaches with the Clippers. Then we did that again and okay,
see and I saw I had the data with even
(26:48):
younger players with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook while I
was there, and then I left there and went to
eventually a Portland's team who developed uh Damon, Damian Millard
and C. J. McCullum and um the young core they
have there. So it's very difficult. And what people don't
fans don't realize is the patient has the patients has
(27:11):
to start from the top, and as the patients start
from the top, that allows time for the GM and
then the coaching staff to put together a development plan. Now,
I would say this that I feel like just watching
and being involved as a player and coach, there was
ways where I feel like Lonzo Ball could have been
used and elevate it more and developed more, such as
(27:34):
teaching him how to, you know, be a great corner
three point shooter off of Lebron James, and how to
be very effective and scoring in the picking rolls. Just
simple things one summer at a time. So you have
all these different variables. Every organization is different. I think
you hit it on the head though it starts at
the top. There can't be any panic and you can't
start listening to the media and the fans and everything.
(27:56):
You have to go in there with the strong game plan.
And I think that's what we don't have any more.
War is there's no time for development. Every every team
is running out of patients. Every team is panicking. Every
team thinks they can make the trade and hit the jackpot.
You know, Laker fans side, Okay, well we got Lebron
last year, We're gonna win a championship. And not knowing
being a former player that there's so much more into
going that that gets good, that goes into winning than
(28:19):
than just picking up a player, you know what I mean.
So that was another thing too, with the development of
young players and then understanding if you're fortunate enough to
get a star player, the time it takes to get
him acclimated, to get chemistry down between he and his teammates,
and everything that goes along with winning, because names on
paper overs look good, but that that product has to
develop on the on end off the floor to become
a champion. I'm gonna say this, mat And and this
(28:42):
is like kind of speaking for Luke cool I actually
hosted on on his on his visit to U C.
L A. But I'm glad that we got you and
Stag because you know how close we are as brothers.
But in defense of Luke, Luke never felt safe when
they made the ship in the front office. You remember
when he had the young core of Randall and that
young corps of D'Angelo. They played at this dynamic energy
(29:06):
of the future. And then the front office shifted, and
then in came Magic and came the entire different front
office and in Polinka and things started to feel a
little bit rocky. And then came um Lebron James and
now these guys who he had to start over again
with with the Loonso and the Kuzma. You got to
(29:28):
start all the way over again. Was you lost the
Rando and you lost D'Angelo, you hat to start over.
It was like we have to win today, and it
doesn't work that way in the NBA, and and I
kind of lived that in Phoenix as well, Like we
won twenty one games when I was there. We developed
with a young corps who were mostly young twenty year olds,
and they haven't won more than twenty one games since.
But you get fired for you get fired for losing.
(29:49):
So it's always that uncomfortable relationship when it's always cultural
shifts when you get it passed because Robert Sarver is
the worst order in sports, so we don't hold that
against you. He's Matt Barnes, and trust me, I think
many people feel the same way. I'm Dan Buyer, Earl
Watson joining us here on the Doug Gottlieb Show. What
type of a teammate was Matt Barnes to play with?
(30:11):
Earl Watson? Matt, Matt was exceptional. He was always highly skilled.
I think when Matt first came to U c L,
I think I really felt like, as as his brother
and his teammate at U c l A, he was
torn between football and basketball. But the minute he decided
to play this basketball U c l A, his his
games just took up, took off to another level because
(30:32):
his commitment was a man, look at that. Yeah, I
appreciate that, Bro. Thank you because I feel like you
were touring. I remember you wanted to We talked. We
talked about this off air before, you know, because he
he's a football player as well, and he asked me
about football. It is just like I was really like
I wanted to go in and play both, and then
actually went back out after my sophomore year and did
(30:52):
spring ball and did really well. But then just you know,
completely locking into basketball. You know, I had to choose one,
and I think I chose the right one. But you know,
it was a last U c l A with some
of the best times of our life. Man, I wanted
to talk to you. Do we have time real quick?
I wanted to talk to you about the U c
l A coaching experience. I know you were kind of
a little bit on that roller coaster. You got an interview. Um,
(31:13):
I was highly critical of U from a standpoint of
you're chasing some of these top coaches down, and I understand,
you know, with the shadows of Wooden and the history
of u c l A, you needed to get someone
bigger than the bigger than the program. And they started
chasing the Caliperi's and some of these bigger, bigger coaches,
but then they would low ball them with offers, you know,
like U c l A was something you had to
(31:33):
be a part of and it doesn't hold true anymore.
And then they ended up hiring Uh, you know who's
there now. And I don't want to pass judgment until
we get to see what he's able to do. But
I was frustrated from a standpoint of I thought they
should definitely should have won a grassroots route, hiring someone
like you, who's played there, Who's Who's Who's was tutelage
under some some of the best minds and professional basketball.
(31:54):
Um was very well prepared to go on the college level,
but didn't really get a fair shake at the at
the job. But what were your thoughts during that process?
First off, I just feel like UH coach coach Mick
who got the job, actually texting him before they even
announced it and I wish them the best of luck
because we truly care about those four letters more than anything,
(32:14):
and growing up and playing there and being involved with
coach wouldn't actually being involved with coach writer and not
just reading books. We had that personal relationship. For me,
being a candidate, getting an interview was was also big
because I just finished I just graduated from school. I
just finished my last class a week ago. I think
I might be the first student ever to get an
(32:34):
interview for a head coaching job. But for me, I'm
a big Einstein fan, and Einstein always said if you
know your limitations, you go beyond them. So before I
even went to that interview, I had a commitment from
Larry Brown to be my top assistant for and he
told me I worked for free or all. I just
want to support you, and I just have love for
everything you do. So I was lucky to have him,
(32:55):
you know, potentially on my staff if I would have
gotten the job. Um. I think when people criticize players
who criticize their school, it's one thing fans have to realize,
is um. For me, personally speaking, I've I've had so
many injuries that U c l a from stitches, to
to cracked ribs, to tour my retina in the tournament.
(33:16):
I got surgery without anstigia and played a day and
a half later versus Iowa State. So we actually give
our blood, sweat tears for those four letters and those blood,
sweat and tears, and not to mention the basketball knowledge
we have is actually played the game at a high
level and beyond. Through the NBA allows us the platform
(33:37):
to say we want a better relationship with our university,
not just for potential jobs, not just for potential careers,
but we've committed our health and our life to that university,
our sacrifice, our bodies. We want the same thing in
return for as long as we live. And that's what
(33:58):
U c l A players are saying and got misconstrued
as if I had to get the job in order
for us to be happy, and that's false. We just
want a relationship and any nice and sometimes get some
T shirts in the matter, right because because we really
love our school and we really carry that flag, and
I know the shield that's bigger than sports. You talking
(34:20):
about academics, you talk, I actually have better relationships with
the professors than I do the athletic department, and that's
always stayed true. So for U c l A. We
want the best for our university. Whoever leads that we're
selfless in that, we want a relationship and we just
don't want to be you know, paraded when it's when
when we win championships on social media, or when it's
(34:41):
feels like it's you know, it's a reunion. We want
that constant relationship. So that's my take. When you said
you love it, it's your family, you just want to
make it better. Perfect way to wrap it up, Earl Watson,
We appreciate the time and yeah, I have a great summer.
Thanks appreciate you guys. Be sure to catch live editions
so the Doug Got Leaps Show we Dason noon eastern
three pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I
(35:04):
Heart Radio app
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
from three to six pm Eastern Time, that's twelve to
three Pacific un Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for The Doug Gottlieb Show at Fox Sports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the I Heart
Radio app by searching fs R. This is the best
(00:21):
of the Doug got Leave Show on Fox Sports Radio.
Crazy crazy week continues in the association. You have. The
Draft is coming up on Thursday, but we're still a
week or two away from real free agency hitting a
big trade in the NBA today, and so much going
(00:43):
on in l A, Houston and Boston. Matt Barnes, this
is a crazy, crazy time of year for for so
many in the NBA, including teams, coaches, players, gms and
fans in it slow. This is really when the drama
starts to shake up, you know what I mean. You
you have different segments during the season, and then obviously
the finals hits and and all eyes are on that.
(01:04):
But free agency to me has become just as big
as the Finals. I mean, you can tell throughout the
season people are talking about who's going where, who's doing what.
So now that the season is finally uh you know, commenced.
Congratulations to the Raptors for winning their first ever championship.
Now the real fund starts. So it's gonna be something
you need a fastest seat before and enjoy. Okay, so
you come in the league fifteen or so years ago?
(01:24):
What was free agency like then? Like the of the
off season of I mean, how can you compare it
to what we've got? You can't compare it? Uh, you know.
Now that was more organization, driven, had more control. Now
it's in the players hands and I love it that
way because for so long it's been such a business.
You get cut, traded, whatever the situation may be from
(01:45):
a team, and it's the business, you know. So now
that the players are taking the power in their own hands,
now they're kind of frowned upon. But but it's just like,
you know, we've always been the commodity. Now we just
have more power and I'm all for it. And that's
the players and that's why you look at the the
fan bases, you look at the coaches and met there's
a common theme that we've got right now in the
NBA off season, and it's this, Okay, the pressure of
(02:10):
the NBA off season is immense, and I'm looking at
and listening to everything that's happening, whether it be Darryl
Morey trying to put out fires in Houston, maybe Chris
Paul is doing the same as well, whether it be
Rob Polinka trying to sort out which path the Lakers
are gonna go to. When I think of pressure, I
think that the person who is under the most pressure,
(02:32):
or the team that's under the most pressure, is actually
the Boston Celtics. And the reason is this is because
of what is now transpired with Danny Ainge in whats
going on in Boston. I I have said a bunch
on this this network of how Boston needed to cash
in their chips with the title and one of titles
in two thousand eight, and so now you're hearing stories.
(02:52):
We knew Kyrie kind of wanted to be gone, and
it seems that Boston is all right with that. But
then news broke yesterday that Al Horford may not be back,
that he wants a four year deal with that guaranteed
money that he would get on that deal as opposed
to maybe a three year deal. Staying in Boston. So
while Horford may go. Now there's a report that Brad
Stevens may have coddled Gordon Hayward that could have rubbed
(03:14):
other people the wrong way or other players the wrong way.
There's the insistence that Danny Ainge believes that Jason Tatum
is going to be his ultra superstar and not wanting
to deal li hum for Anthony Davis. I think with
this offseason, with everything that is going on, it's Danny Ainge,
the GM of the Boston Celtics that's facing the most pressure. Well,
I always said, you know throughout the season that if
(03:36):
it wasn't for the Lakers debacle, Boston would have been
the number one topic if Lebron hadn't come to the
Lakers last year because their dysfunction. You can read it
on the players face, you can read it on their
body language in the way they played at times. Um,
it's an interesting situation over there from a standpoint of
when Kyrie and Gordon Haywood got hurt, their young core
(03:57):
took the team to the Eastern Conference finals and possibly
if it wasn't for Lebron and the Calves would have
went to the finals fast forward. This year, Kyrie comes
back healthy, Gordon Heywards come back off a tough injury,
and people don't understand how long it takes to get
over an injury like that. So I almost gave him
a pass for this year. I expect him to be
a lot better next year. And they took a step back,
you know, with a lot of confusion with Jayson Tatum
(04:19):
having an off year, really struggling with who he was
and what his role was on that team. He was
the go to guy, you know, along with the you know,
Jaylen Brown and the other Terry Rozier and some of
the younger players, you know, So they take a step
back with Kyrie. They found out that Kyrie, Kyrie finds
out how hard it is to be an actual leader
for the first time. You know, he knocked Lebron for
(04:39):
his leadership and he wanted to get away and do
his own thing, and he realized that it's not as
easy as as Lebron made it look. Um. But I'm
I'm I'm with a firm belief that I'm okay with
losing Kyrie. Al Herford surprised me because he's kind of been,
you know, kind of the cornerstone as far as big
men for that team for the past few years, But
losing Kyrie I was okay with because I just think
(05:00):
that younger Core didn't mesh well with him. And if
that's the future you're building, if Tatum is your star,
let these guys develop him and be who they are.
The Horford stuff struck me for the ship effect of
what you said. He's the cornerstone and he's the veteran
and now he doesn't want to be there. Say what
you will about Kyrie, and Kyrie always talks to the press,
and whether it be saying that you know he reached
out to Lebron and did this, or now he understands
(05:23):
what it takes to win a championship. Al Horford always
seemed to be the flat line right the the the
steady hand in that cell very much. He just come
out and did his job every day at a very
high level. And like I said, he was that veteran
presence that that that that you look to when you
went to Boston. But I personally think the most pressures
on the Lakers. Um you know, they're all money in
(05:45):
from a standpoint, and they gave Lebron this for your situation.
The front office has been a mess. Um. They shocked
everyone where and was actually able to trade for Anthony Davis,
which I think now opens up. You know some other
free agents eyes like, okay, well if a d S
there too, with Lebron, we might have something. But I
just think, what are they gonna be able to do?
Are they're gonna be able to offer a mass contract?
(06:06):
Do they really want to get another max player? Do
they want to split the money they have up to
some solid role players and really feel the rest of
that roster. That's what That's the issue that I look
at right now. Is there there's if you're a free
agent or if you're a max guy with the Lakers
in trying to move into that spot, you're saying, all right,
I can get the max deal, and whether the player
is worth it or not is it doesn't matter if
(06:27):
they're willing to offer him, he's worth that money. The
question is now, are you okay with being the number three?
Are getting that bronze medal if you will? Well, Lebron
and Anthony Davis are the ones who have that gold
and silver. And you even have a d S representation
speaking out to Sports Illustrated and saying you know, once
(06:48):
Lebron leaves, then it's a d S turn to take
over that torch. So coming in, like, are you if
you are going to be that Max guy and wanting
to sign that you're coming in with the understanding of
being a third wheel. Well, that's what made the Warriors
so special was they had a handful of Max guys
and they put their ego to the side and they
were in and you see, they built one of the
(07:08):
greatest dynasties the basketball scene. And that's what really today's
atmosphere is about. Can people put their egos to the side.
What's more important? Is winning more important? Or you being
that number one or number two options more important? Was
it said you were on that Warrior's team that won
the titled? Was it? Was? It an unspoken thing, But
(07:30):
what's understood doesn't have to be explained with that team.
And I think that's what made us so dangerous. Any
given night, we had three guys and give you fifty.
Any given nights, Steph Claire Katie could have gave you fifty.
Draymond could give you a triple double. Everyone knew they did,
you know, come in and they were stars in their role.
And I think what the media or the outside they
tried to really pull that team apart and put them
(07:52):
on different islands. But in that locker room, they knew
what the situation was. Everyone knew they had to sacrifice
a little bit uh for a greater cause, and that's
what they did. So, if you're the Akers, is it Lebron?
Is it Rob Polinka? Is it just the whole Lakers
organization feeling this pressure? Because when I say Danny angel like,
I also think that Brad Stevens is feeling some pressure.
This is this is the first I think adversity that
(08:14):
they have dealt with where Brad Stevens was thought of
as one of the top three minds in the NBA
and and where they always had an advantage. And now
you're saying, now it's being pointed out, well, Brad Stevens,
because of his relationship with Gordon Heyward back to Butler,
maybe made more of an effort that didn't rub people
the right way. And I think that those things hurt
(08:35):
the Celtics as well with the Lakers wise, Is it
Rob Poblinka, is it Lebron? Where do you think the
pressure specifically fall? I think the pressure is on management.
I think lebron his job is to obviously try to
tract guys and get guys, but when he's out there
on the floor, he does what he does, you know
what I mean. His numbers were as amazing as they
they've always been. Um. Obviously, the injuries slowed them down,
but all the pressure that was on Rob or or
(08:57):
whoever is helping him make them calls, whether it be
the ram Basses or Genie. You know, you know, you
don't really know who's doing what, uh, you know, with
the whole Magic debacle. So I think the pressure is
on Rob. He hasn't had a good reputation from a
from a dealing business standpoint. Um. But to me, you can't,
now that we know he is the one calling the shots,
you can't. To me, you can't do You have to
(09:18):
judge on on what he does from here on out.
He was able to land a D not very much
flexibility in the cap space with being able to add
more people. But you know, let's let's give this guy's
shot and see what you can do. And it's going
to be an interesting summer for the Lakers. For as
much as the NBA has changed throughout the years, it
still goes back to being the NBA where the Lakers
and Celtics are grabbing the headlines, and they're in two
(09:39):
completely different situations. Where you've got one team where a
star is leaving and likely on his way out. You've
got another team where the stars seem to be coming in.
You have one team that was on the verge of
of maybe going through an NBA Finals and and and
having success in the playoffs to another team that now
hasn't seen it in six or seven years. So those
things are just I mean, it's the opposite, but it's
(10:00):
the NBA, and I mean there's drama going on in Houston.
There's you know, the Raptors are trying to figure out
if they can keep Kauai. The Clippers are hoping to
grab him. But it's the center of the NBA universe.
Seems always go back to the Celtics and Lake. I
just think basketball as a whole. You know, you throw
you throw Golden State in there. Now is one of
those historical franchise for what they've been able to do
over the last five years. But basketball is better when
(10:21):
the Lakers, Nick's and Celtics are relevant, you know what
I mean. That's what that that's what the the the
NBA is really built on. And you know those rivalries
and and the star players from those teams, so it
even carries forth to today. Um so, yeah, they're grabbing
the headlines in and it it's really all eyes on them.
This is the first time Brad Stevens has really ever
faced any adversity. He was loved at Butler. He was,
(10:42):
you know, a heralded coach, like you said, top three
minds in the game, was always praised and now we're
starting to kind of hear. I think Kyrie made have
kind of cracked that door, and really we see what
the dysfunction is from a standpoint, and I understand being
a player, is you know this team that this young
core does an amazing job. There's a connection between the
head coach and Gordon Haywood, who people forgot before got
(11:03):
hurt was one of the top ten fifteen players in
the game. Gordon Haywood can really play basketball, but I
think he probably babied him somewhat, allowing him to come
back and start messing up the rhythm, moving JAYL Brown
to the bench, and I'm sure there's some moves he
made obviously the rub players the wrong way, and that's
all it takes for a little bit of dysfunction or
really kind of start bowling over and you really start
to see the true colors up an organization. Be sure
(11:24):
to catch live editions, so the Doug Dot Leap Show
weekdays at noon Eastern three pm Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio and the I Heart Radio app. The question that
I have asked others and I'm going to ask you
about developing players. Does Kauai become the player he is
if he's on any team other than San Antonio. I
think it's very important. And with players where they're drafted,
(11:45):
in the situations they go to. You know, these high
picks are going to obviously unstable organizations. That's why they're
getting these high picks. Um, And I think it's very
important for players to very rarely can you see a
player thrown in the fire and succeed form the jump. Uh,
you know, not even Kobe did it. Lebron did it. Uh,
you know, Kevin Garnett did it to an extent. But um,
it takes time to develop. It takes time to learn
(12:08):
this man's game. You know, these are these are boys,
kids coming into a man's game, so it takes time.
So it's frustrating for me to see just the constant
giving up on young talent. But then at the same time,
it's a business. How long do you wait on this
young talent? Um? You see flashes here and there. Like
I said, you can use the Lakers as as a
perfect example. You know, with the' Angelo Russell being traded in,
(12:30):
leading Brooklyn to the playoffs and becoming an All Star,
Julius Randall having the best season of his career, opting
out he's gonna get paid this summer. I'm very high
on both Zoe and and Brandon ingram Um. Like I said,
just that they came into a dysfunctional organization and situation,
but at times you would see flashes and I think
both these guys will be future All Stars. But with
(12:50):
that said, you know, the Lakers are very impatient organization.
They're used to historically winning. You know, they have the
worst record in the NBA the last six years, not
making the playoffs. So it's all about now and what
can you do now? And you know you have to
be very careful. You know that they're they're putting up
the whole house to uh to build something here, you know,
with they're trying to get their last three guys under contract.
(13:14):
The only guys that would be on the team if
it gets done are Kuzma, so that they're expecting it
maybe in the Big three. I mean to me, do
you get another superstar or do you split that money
up and get some three and D guys and and
build your bench outs um and then wait for next
year to have more money and do something else. Well,
you know, And and it's funny because I asked the
(13:35):
Kauai question because it was going to lead into the Lakers,
and it was going to lead into D'Angelo Russell and
what they have done. I think that it's important for
for Alonzo specifically Alonzo in New New Orleans and brandon
Ingram at some point, is you because they have fresh
starts met there're no you don't have to look at
(13:56):
them as second overall picks. Now they're guys now they're
now they're NBA veterans, and it's the value that they
have changes immediately when their NBA career starts. And I
think specifically with Alonzo, and I know that there was injuries,
and there's the LaVar ball stuff and all with that,
but he was also the number two overall pick and
(14:17):
and brandon Ingram was as well. But I don't know
if Alonso was ever going to live up to the
number two overall pick stuff. And I think that the
longer that you hold onto that, the longer that you
aren't going to see what a Lonzo ball is worth
is in the NBA. Yeah, I mean, it just depends. Uh,
you know, numbers don't really mean much at the end
of the day because you've seen first round pick, our
first picks, b bus and second round picks be a
(14:37):
hall of famers. To me, like you said, it's just
about them being players. Now they get a fresh start.
If you can deal with the media and and all
the crazy stuff that happens in l A, you can
handle it anywhere. They're going to New Orleans where they're
gonna be loved and idolized, and it's you know, the
main show out there besides the Saints and just getting
a fresh start, and two guys are gonna be depended on,
you know there direct that their wins and busines are
(15:00):
gonna come directly from how they play, you know what
I mean. And it's gonna really gonna be a situation.
Now we're okay, we're rebuilding. We're most likely gonna have Zion.
What else can we grab? We grab a badly build.
What else can we do? And let's go out here
and show the world. You know, when you get traded
it you have a chip on your shoulder, you know,
and for all these guys to you know, come in
looking like Rondo said, and before Rondo came out and
(15:20):
said a few weeks ago, I said it early on
when the trade deadline happened, all these young players looked
up to Lebron, you know, like he was how I
looked at Jordan and Magic Johnson that that's who these
guys looked up to. So when you get there and
things start going rocky, and then you know, whether it's
Lebron or Magic or Rob they don't want you. You're
just like man, that's that's a tough pill of swallow.
And I can see instantly once that debacco happened that
(15:41):
this season was over because there was no trust, there
was no love, there was just no direction um there.
So now with the fresh start, um, you just it's
a breath of fresh air. You have a chip on
your should and you really want to go out here
and improve all these doubters wrong and either two very young,
talented kids that I think are gonna be able to
do that. Nothing has changed on the Laker side of things,
(16:02):
Like you're just gonna need to fill in vets around
these guys, right because because you know, realistically and I
know there's a difference, but for how they're going to operate,
there'd be no difference between Luke Walton and Frank Vogel, right.
To me, it's it's it's it's a similar situation to
what Golden State did. They built a hell of a
starting five and then this past year was probably one
of their weaker you know all they though they played
(16:23):
well when called upon, it was one of their weaker benches.
You know. So do you build a really amazing starting
five and and and pray for health throughout the season,
or do you strategically build Okay, we got a D,
we got Lebron, we have Kuzma. Let's let's put some
solid three and D guys around us, build our bench
up and then next next summer. You know, I think that,
like I said, there's just no patience here for anything.
(16:45):
They want everything now, and I think if you rush
into that looking at okay, we need to grab another superstar,
You're gonna miss the boat and not really be able
to fill out the rest of this roster. Like you
need to be sure to catch live editions. So the
Doug Got Leap Show week days at noon eastern three
pm Pacific. The games to is called matter of Facts.
I am going to give scenarios for our technical producer,
(17:07):
John Ramos, who wants Matt's championship ring from the Warriors.
And John, if you get them, all right, you get
the ring. No, I'm just kidding. You will have to
say factor fiction on whether these names I give you
were teammates of Matt's during his fifteen year NBA career.
A lot of different teammates, a lot of different teammates. Okay,
(17:27):
so you will have to say, for example, I would
say John was Gavin Kinsell a teammate of Matt Barnes.
You would say fact or fiction it is we're teammates
here at Fox Sports Radio, but not Gavin never suited
up for the Clippers at any point. All right, all right,
here we go matter of fact, and Matt, by the way,
(17:49):
is going to give us the answers to these. Was
Grant Hill a teammate of Matt Barnes during his NBA
career matter of fact? Fiction, Ah, he was one of
my favorite players going up and I played with him
twice in Phoenix. Fact, Johnny, you have lost the championship
(18:10):
ring on the first answer? All right? Factor? Fiction that
Robert Parrish was a teammate of Matt Barnes. Is that
factor fiction? Robert Parrish is sixt years old, So I
just I just wanted to make sure that that we
got this. John's got one right, Okay. What about Kobe
(18:31):
Bryant factor fiction that he was a teammateer Matt barn
fact absolutely handedly bring you back and bring you to
l We got into that little altercation. I guess it'll
live forever when I faked the ball in his face
in Orlando, and then that summer he called me up
and I became a lager that summer. Keep your friends close,
(18:51):
your enemy is closer there, it is, right right. What
about Kimala Juan factor fiction? Was he a teammate of
Matt Bond I think that would have been a great
teammate to have, But I'm gonna say that's fiction. Fiction. Yeah, literally,
you're retired in two thousand two, which was the year
that Matt ended up being drafted. So John is three
for four, all right, Shaquille O'Neill. Factor fiction. Was he
(19:14):
a teammate of Matt Barnes. I'm gonna say that's a
fact fact. We play together there. It is the shack
Phoenix era is not one that is is widely remembered.
I don't even remember at number three war in Cleveland.
It was like thirty six or something, was a lot
of there was a lot of naked shock, and they
loved a roam that locker room naked. He was thirty
(19:37):
three in Cleveland. Okay, I thought it was some odd
big cactus is what they called him. Factor fiction that
Coatino Mobili was a teammate of Matt Barnes. Cotino mobile
sat next to me yesterday. Factor fiction. I'm gonna say
that's a fact. True. We're playing together in there is
(19:57):
all right. We had Kobe Bryant's What about Kobe White?
Was Kobe White the teammates of Matt Barnes. Factor fiction fiction?
Who is Kobe White? He's the point guard from North
Carolina that's gonna be drafted tomorrow night so there you go,
John got it right. What about Ezra Brooks? Was he
a teammate of Matt Barnes factor fiction? That is a
(20:21):
tough one. You're right, Ezra Brooks. I'm gonna do the
gonna flip the corner and say he that is a fact.
Us Brooks is a whiskey m I threw that tough
one in there kind of a little bit. Oh man,
he got up his shots, that's for sure. Ezra Brooks
(20:44):
got a different What about Steph Curry factor fiction? I
guess this game one on too long since the music
ran out. Fact A matter of fact is the game
John Ramos trying to guess the teammates of Matt Barnes
step Curry factor fiction? Was he a teammate of Matt Barnes.
I'm gonna say that's that's a fact fact championship teammates there,
(21:06):
It is, alright, final one, John Ramos, Tony Roma a
teammates of Matt Barnes factor fiction. I would say that's
a fiction. That is. He's got some good rids there.
It is matter of facts. Johnny didn't get the championship rings.
(21:28):
Gonna go down the street two minutes. I'm gonna go
grab the ring. I'll follow you home. Matt, you want
a bottle of Ezra Brooks whiskey for getting that answer.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app
search f s R to listen live. I'm Dan Buyer.
(21:50):
He's NBA veteran Matt Barnes and joining us now is
Matt's former teammate at U C l A. And, as
I mentioned, former son's head coach and all around good
guy Earl Watson joining us here on Fox Sports Radio.
Hey Earl, how are you doing today? I'm well, thanks
for having me. Oh man, I'll tell you what Matt's
been itching to to pick your brain. But I'm gonna
start this out, okay, because we were talking about Brad
(22:13):
Stevens as an NBA head coach. All of a sudden,
now Brad Stevens is getting a little flak for trying
to to make Gordon Hayward be more comfortable in coming
back from his injury, maybe force feeding him the basketball
and trying to figure out ways where Gordon Hayward can't succeed.
Are we being fair to Brad Stevens and criticizing him
for these sort of things that maybe you've rubbed the
(22:35):
players the wrong way. Um I think, um, I think
throughout the season you heard Kyrie kind of allude to
um and the younger players as well as defining roles
like which role do guys have, Who's gonna take the
most shots? And as Matt knows and when you played,
and for me, for playing and coaching, you have to
define I learned some Hubie Brown. You have to define
(22:57):
rules and and the role plays for everyone on the
court and give them a signment, give them their their
character of the team, their the role of the team.
And a lot of guys won't like it. Who won't
get the most shots, so who won't be able to
do more? But guys respected, And I think that's where
they lacked. I don't not knowing Brad Stevens, is that
(23:17):
something he can do? Is that something like I said,
because we talked about it earlier, He's just always been praised.
He did a great job, you know, over overachieved at Butler,
you know, uh, playing in the championship game and then
you know, being touted as one of the bright young
minds of the NBA. And now they've they've they've stumbled
into some adversity. I said, with the great Celtics core
(23:37):
the year that Gordon Haywood and Kyrie Irvan went down,
you really got to see possibly some future stars and
and Tatum and Brown and Rosier Um and if it
wasn't for Lebron, they would have went to the finals
that year. And then fast forward with your your highly
paid superstars both coming back off an injury. Like you said,
there was no role. You saw Jason Tatum kind of
floated through the whole season. He didn't know in I
(23:59):
the one option and some nights and my two some
nights to my three, like what is my role? And
you hit it on the head. As a player, you
want to know what your role is. You know, tell
me my my role. Everything is off rhythm and rotation
in your role, And there was definitely no defined roles
there to me, I think, I think matt Um. As
a player, you expect that conversation to be easy. And
(24:19):
I remember when I took over for the Suns had
to do the same thing. But I was elevating Devin
Booker like an eighteen year old to be our leading score.
And I'd have said everyone in the theater in a movie,
in a film role, and tell them that Devin Booker
is gonna take fifteen to twenty plush shots the game
and he's gonna be our leading score. And if anyone
doesn't like it, raised their hand now so we can
(24:40):
kill all in amosity. No one raised their hands. And
then I went to the next player, and then I
told him how p J. Tucker is gonna be our
defender and corner three point shooter, and he's gonna get
the offensive rebounds. And I went to t J. Warren
to say he's gonna get mid range shots. He's gonna
be our second score, and he's gonna have fifteen, probably
the eighteen shots the game. And it was up to
me to hold everyone a accountable for that role. And
(25:01):
we also have Mark Keith Morris, who I had to
tell that in a week from now he's going to
get traded. Well, but while he was here, we need
him to be our leading scorer as well. So you
have three guys gonna take the most shots. And I
gave him averages like twenty uh. I told me me
to average twenty eight and five twenty points, ten rebounds,
five asist because he was capable, and it's gonna buy
(25:23):
time for Devin Booker to get comfortable to being that guy,
and that that's a hard conversation to have, but I
knew as a player I needed it and I wanted it.
But I knew also as a coach, players never hear that,
so I knew a player would respected. Because I was
reflecting on my days of wearing new jersey. Earl Watson
joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. He's Matt barnesime
Dan Buyer sitting in for Doug. Matt and I were
(25:45):
discussing the the trials and tribulations of trying develop to
develop players on a bad team, and I brought up
the point of I always felt that the lottery should
be every team as a chance, because it wouldn't be
a bad thing for a team that was ninth in
the West to get a superstar to be elevated. But
of course this discussion starts with the Lakers and why
guys didn't develop. How difficult is it to develop guys
(26:06):
on a bad basketball team or aura a team that
maybe he's just not gonna have much success. How difficult
of a job is that I've been very blessed to
play on my career with a young Hubie. While I
was young, Hubi Brown was our head coach and Jerry
West was our GM, and we had a young team
in Memphis was Parago souls in his second year. I
(26:27):
was in my second year. We had Shane Battier, we
had White Chocolate Jason Williams, we had soul Mouth Swift,
and we were young and we needed to be developed,
and he created an environment for us to develop under
coach Welsh, who was now one of the developed development
coaches with the Clippers. Then we did that again and okay,
see and I saw I had the data with even
(26:48):
younger players with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook while I
was there, and then I left there and went to
eventually a Portland's team who developed uh Damon, Damian Millard
and C. J. McCullum and um the young core they
have there. So it's very difficult. And what people don't
fans don't realize is the patient has the patients has
(27:11):
to start from the top, and as the patients start
from the top, that allows time for the GM and
then the coaching staff to put together a development plan. Now,
I would say this that I feel like just watching
and being involved as a player and coach, there was
ways where I feel like Lonzo Ball could have been
used and elevate it more and developed more, such as
(27:34):
teaching him how to, you know, be a great corner
three point shooter off of Lebron James, and how to
be very effective and scoring in the picking rolls. Just
simple things one summer at a time. So you have
all these different variables. Every organization is different. I think
you hit it on the head though it starts at
the top. There can't be any panic and you can't
start listening to the media and the fans and everything.
(27:56):
You have to go in there with the strong game plan.
And I think that's what we don't have any more.
War is there's no time for development. Every every team
is running out of patients. Every team is panicking. Every
team thinks they can make the trade and hit the jackpot.
You know, Laker fans side, Okay, well we got Lebron
last year, We're gonna win a championship. And not knowing
being a former player that there's so much more into
going that that gets good, that goes into winning than
(28:19):
than just picking up a player, you know what I mean.
So that was another thing too, with the development of
young players and then understanding if you're fortunate enough to
get a star player, the time it takes to get
him acclimated, to get chemistry down between he and his teammates,
and everything that goes along with winning, because names on
paper overs look good, but that that product has to
develop on the on end off the floor to become
a champion. I'm gonna say this, mat And and this
(28:42):
is like kind of speaking for Luke cool I actually
hosted on on his on his visit to U C.
L A. But I'm glad that we got you and
Stag because you know how close we are as brothers.
But in defense of Luke, Luke never felt safe when
they made the ship in the front office. You remember
when he had the young core of Randall and that
young corps of D'Angelo. They played at this dynamic energy
(29:06):
of the future. And then the front office shifted, and
then in came Magic and came the entire different front
office and in Polinka and things started to feel a
little bit rocky. And then came um Lebron James and
now these guys who he had to start over again
with with the Loonso and the Kuzma. You got to
(29:28):
start all the way over again. Was you lost the
Rando and you lost D'Angelo, you hat to start over.
It was like we have to win today, and it
doesn't work that way in the NBA, and and I
kind of lived that in Phoenix as well, Like we
won twenty one games when I was there. We developed
with a young corps who were mostly young twenty year olds,
and they haven't won more than twenty one games since.
But you get fired for you get fired for losing.
(29:49):
So it's always that uncomfortable relationship when it's always cultural
shifts when you get it passed because Robert Sarver is
the worst order in sports, so we don't hold that
against you. He's Matt Barnes, and trust me, I think
many people feel the same way. I'm Dan Buyer, Earl
Watson joining us here on the Doug Gottlieb Show. What
type of a teammate was Matt Barnes to play with?
(30:11):
Earl Watson? Matt, Matt was exceptional. He was always highly skilled.
I think when Matt first came to U c L,
I think I really felt like, as as his brother
and his teammate at U c l A, he was
torn between football and basketball. But the minute he decided
to play this basketball U c l A, his his
games just took up, took off to another level because
(30:32):
his commitment was a man, look at that. Yeah, I
appreciate that, Bro. Thank you because I feel like you
were touring. I remember you wanted to We talked. We
talked about this off air before, you know, because he
he's a football player as well, and he asked me
about football. It is just like I was really like
I wanted to go in and play both, and then
actually went back out after my sophomore year and did
(30:52):
spring ball and did really well. But then just you know,
completely locking into basketball. You know, I had to choose one,
and I think I chose the right one. But you know,
it was a last U c l A with some
of the best times of our life. Man, I wanted
to talk to you. Do we have time real quick?
I wanted to talk to you about the U c
l A coaching experience. I know you were kind of
a little bit on that roller coaster. You got an interview. Um,
(31:13):
I was highly critical of U from a standpoint of
you're chasing some of these top coaches down, and I understand,
you know, with the shadows of Wooden and the history
of u c l A, you needed to get someone
bigger than the bigger than the program. And they started
chasing the Caliperi's and some of these bigger, bigger coaches,
but then they would low ball them with offers, you know,
like U c l A was something you had to
(31:33):
be a part of and it doesn't hold true anymore.
And then they ended up hiring Uh, you know who's
there now. And I don't want to pass judgment until
we get to see what he's able to do. But
I was frustrated from a standpoint of I thought they
should definitely should have won a grassroots route, hiring someone
like you, who's played there, Who's Who's Who's was tutelage
under some some of the best minds and professional basketball.
(31:54):
Um was very well prepared to go on the college level,
but didn't really get a fair shake at the at
the job. But what were your thoughts during that process?
First off, I just feel like UH coach coach Mick
who got the job, actually texting him before they even
announced it and I wish them the best of luck
because we truly care about those four letters more than anything,
(32:14):
and growing up and playing there and being involved with
coach wouldn't actually being involved with coach writer and not
just reading books. We had that personal relationship. For me,
being a candidate, getting an interview was was also big
because I just finished I just graduated from school. I
just finished my last class a week ago. I think
I might be the first student ever to get an
(32:34):
interview for a head coaching job. But for me, I'm
a big Einstein fan, and Einstein always said if you
know your limitations, you go beyond them. So before I
even went to that interview, I had a commitment from
Larry Brown to be my top assistant for and he
told me I worked for free or all. I just
want to support you, and I just have love for
everything you do. So I was lucky to have him,
(32:55):
you know, potentially on my staff if I would have
gotten the job. Um. I think when people criticize players
who criticize their school, it's one thing fans have to realize,
is um. For me, personally speaking, I've I've had so
many injuries that U c l a from stitches, to
to cracked ribs, to tour my retina in the tournament.
(33:16):
I got surgery without anstigia and played a day and
a half later versus Iowa State. So we actually give
our blood, sweat tears for those four letters and those blood,
sweat and tears, and not to mention the basketball knowledge
we have is actually played the game at a high
level and beyond. Through the NBA allows us the platform
(33:37):
to say we want a better relationship with our university,
not just for potential jobs, not just for potential careers,
but we've committed our health and our life to that university,
our sacrifice, our bodies. We want the same thing in
return for as long as we live. And that's what
(33:58):
U c l A players are saying and got misconstrued
as if I had to get the job in order
for us to be happy, and that's false. We just
want a relationship and any nice and sometimes get some
T shirts in the matter, right because because we really
love our school and we really carry that flag, and
I know the shield that's bigger than sports. You talking
(34:20):
about academics, you talk, I actually have better relationships with
the professors than I do the athletic department, and that's
always stayed true. So for U c l A. We
want the best for our university. Whoever leads that we're
selfless in that, we want a relationship and we just
don't want to be you know, paraded when it's when
when we win championships on social media, or when it's
(34:41):
feels like it's you know, it's a reunion. We want
that constant relationship. So that's my take. When you said
you love it, it's your family, you just want to
make it better. Perfect way to wrap it up, Earl Watson,
We appreciate the time and yeah, I have a great summer.
Thanks appreciate you guys. Be sure to catch live editions
so the Doug Got Leaps Show we Dason noon eastern
three pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I
(35:04):
Heart Radio app
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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