December 3, 2025 • 37 mins
We discuss a potential trade that would send former all-star outfielder, Brendan Donovan to the Dodgers. Chris Paul was sent home by the Clippers in the dead of night - so what actually happened!?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, here we go, Fred Rugan, Rodney Pete at a
five seventy LA Sports. It's a one hour show today, Rodney,
it's a sprint. So the question is are you prepared?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
No? Okay, well I didn't think it would be. I mean,
that's the last thing I thought you'd be prepared to do.
Do an hour show today. But while it, come on, man,
let's go. Let's go, Freddie. We got a print man.
Whether anybody likes it or not, we are doing the
one hour show and let's start with this. So Dodger talk.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Now, as we get closer to the winter meetings, things
heat up and there's a number of things that people
are kicking around. One of them, and we talked about this,
one of them is don't sign a free agent. Make
a deal, right, make a deal because then you don't
have to spend that amount of money. Here's the name
that's being kicked around. It was kicked around last year,
if you remember, Brendan Donovan from the Cardinals. Brendan Donovan
(00:55):
is the guy that people are kicking.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Around now, and it seems that the sense is to
get someone like Brendan Donovan, you'd have to do a
deal with rushing Robleski and the prospect ronan cop. That's
what it would take to get Brendan Donovan. So the
question becomes is that the guy. Is that the guy
(01:19):
you go out and get. Is he going to be
the difference maker? And honestly, did you just say is
he going to be the difference maker? I mean, come on,
the difference maker. We're talking about a team's correct me
if I'm wrong, Fred? Didn't this team just win back
to back titles? Yeah? Oh yeah, okay, So when you
(01:43):
say is he the difference maker, difference for what? And
what does that mean? Because I don't know if you
can do better than winning a World Series two years
in a row, what's going to make the difference? What
(02:04):
is a difference maker when you're a team that's won
back to back titles? What does that mean? Well, it
means his Oh they're looking for a guy, looking for
a player. Rundan Naaman. He's twenty eight years old, all right.
Last year he had two eighty seven to ten homers,
fifty runs, bad it in had one hundred and thirty
two hits. That's a good year. You hit too eighty
(02:26):
seven to today's MLB. Yeah, that's a very good year.
He can play multiple positions. That's a good thing as
well with the Dodgers love absolutely uh which the Dodgers love.
And he was an All Star and that doesn't hurt either.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
So he can play second base, he can play corner outfield,
he can play third base if he had to. He
can play some innings at shortstop in a pinch. So
then you say to yourself, all right, well, maybe if
they go out and get him, they don't need to
worry about Kyle Tucker or anybody like that.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Maybe you'll look at it like that. Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
If that's the case, then you have to consider what
the asking price may be. To me, the asking price
is a little steep.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Very steep. To me. It's it's it became steeper. Now
if you had asked me this before before our boy
Robeleski brought that dog out at him in the World
Series and and hit was it Clement? They hit? No?
(03:37):
He hit? Uh? I forget the cat that tried to
tried to throw his hand out there and get hit
by the baseball and then he ended up hitting him.
If he had asked me that before that happened, maybe,
But when I saw that and what he did in
the World Series and the confidence that he showed. I'm
not trying to give up Robeleski at any cost unless
(03:58):
it's something that you can't you can't refuse. Fred, I
want to keep that cat around. That's my man. He's
got that dog that I love. Yeah, I know, you
know what the problem is.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Here's a problem. Dodgers don't care about this. But here's
the problem. This is sort of like everybody wanted Harrison Baterer.
Remember that Harrison Bader. Oh, you got to get Harrison Bader.
Harrison Bater's available. Harrison Batter showed up in every story,
Harrison Bader, Harrison Bader. Dodgers didn't get Harrison Baterer.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It was good. Fine.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Brendan Donovan. That name has been kicked around as well. Well,
Brendan Donovan. You got to get Brendan Donovan. Here's the thing,
Dodger fans, it's not it's not playing the name game.
I promise you that, because that name ain't very sexy.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
You know, it's not like, all right, we got the guy.
We have Brendan Donovan. Brendan Donovan's not a sexy name.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Fred, That's not sexy that's not a Kyle Tucker. That's
not a Stephen Kwan. Oh, okay, say it again, say
it again. It's not at that's sexy, right, and baby,
you're playing the name game a little bit there, But
that's sexy because you know what that guy can do.
(05:16):
So then the question becomes, Okay, is Brendan Donovan, for
argument's sake Stephen Kwan but just doesn't have Stephen Kwan's name.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Those are the things that Dodgers try to figure out,
sexy names. Okay, yeah, those that's the dilemma, is what
you're saying. That's the Dodgers dilemma is the sexy name game. Right?
Is Brendan Donovan Cody Balinger? You see what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
That's why when you hear the name Brendan Donovan and
you go, oh, he's a nice player, like sound like
you know, a big time hockey star, right exactly?
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Doesn't it sound like a hockey star? Yeah? For some
reason that just that name is like associated with hockey.
To me, it sounds like a defenseman for the Ottawa
Senators exactly. Yes, yes, yes, that bruiser Brendan Donovan, but
the Ottawa Senators, Yes, yeah, so anyway, that is what
has been kicked around.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
But now let's look at Dalton Rushing by the way,
all right, so he was mentioned by this this report
as somebody that could possibly go.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Well, his name is thrown out there quite a bit
in this short already off season, not stove, whatever you
want to call it, but Dalton Rushing, he his name
has been out there quite a bit. Fred, don't you
think doesn't it feel like that? Yes?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And I'll tell you why. Because they don't know what
to do with them. They do not know what to
do with him. That's the problem. They have no idea
what they should do because he's not going to catch
for a while. Now, Will Smith, I think year, year
after year is going to catch fewer games because he
has to. Yeah, right, so Rushing is going to get
(07:12):
at bats. But if they believe that he is a
guy that can contribute, now they got to figure out
what to do with him.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And that's the dilemma here, do you change his position? Well,
they need to start working on that if they believe
he's going to deliver. And let's be fair, let's be honest.
It's a statement of fact. It's not being rude, it's
not like he ripped the cover off the ball last year.
So there's that. There's that now, yeah, and limited limited
(07:46):
time and and and let's say this did he he
still very very hot prospect coming up? There was big
talk about him, Dalton Rushing, Dalton Rushing, Dalton Rushing, and
that he's got some versatility to him too, Fred, So
let's not lose sight of that one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
So what do you do? You can do any one
of those things. You could trade them. But if you
trade them, then who's will Smith's backup? And then I
guess it leads to what does it matter? I mean,
you certainly have time to find the guy.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Well, you know, giving it being the Dodgers and the
way the Dodgers operate, there's a guy in the pipeline.
I'm sure that they've got their sights on that is
the next up and coming and probably pretty good that
we haven't heard about just yet. That's just the way
the Dodgers are. You know, there is somebody there and
(08:44):
waiting that is close to being ready to go. Otherwise
we wouldn't hear Dalton Rushing's name being thrown out there
quite a bit like it is for them. That for
that name to be out there and then trade and
all that kind of stuff. You've got to believe the
Dodgers have somebody within the system, or probably multiple guys
(09:07):
within the system that can get behind the plate and
perform well, or they've got their sights on. So that's
something to keep in mind.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Brendan Donovan and Dalton Rushing's name is mentioned as a
possibility in that deal. Let's talk about the Dodgers possible
pursuit of a closer. Let's get to that. Edwin Diaz
has been mentioned. He's going to cost. I'm of the
opinion I can be wrong. Do not Tanner Scott yourself again.
(09:38):
Do not Now you know, Tanner Scott may have just
had an off year and this year he could come
back and be the guy that they thought they signed.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
But do not do that again. Do not commit that
kind of money for that many years again to a closer,
because you saw what could happen. And remember, the closer
has one job to close the game. That's our only job.
Get in here and wrap the thing on. And if
the guy's not wrapping it up, then you've misspent your money.
(10:06):
And maybe it was an off year. Form I'm not
saying you know, he will believe Do you believe it
was an off year form you believe it was, you know,
the stakes got high. Putting on that Dodger blue is
just different than playing for some other team and it
was just a real off year for him. Or do
you believe that maybe they misjudged Tanner Scott and he's
(10:30):
not the guy that they thought he was.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Fair question, as I think back when he was with
the Marlins and then with the Padres, he was very effective.
So I am of the opinion that he just didn't
perform last year. Was that an indication of things to come?
(10:54):
Did he hit the wall?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Now?
Speaker 1 (10:56):
The Dodgers are very careful and they make decisions like
this analytically, and we've heard Andrew Friedman talk about it.
They they take a look at a number of things
before they commit money, and they had to be pretty
confident that he'd not hit the wall or his ceiling.
But I think that's got to be the concern now
(11:17):
during this offseason heading into spring training, is that it
is that the best have we seen the best of it?
And my feeling is, you know, it's a very good lesson.
It's a good lesson that if in fact we've seen
the best, do not commit that kind of money to
(11:37):
a closer. And more importantly, I think that even four
years four years, yeah, so they thought they'd be set
before the money. Are the years that you're ceriendo years?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
To me, it's always the years because to the Dodgers,
the money, it's funny money. They're running a business. But
they know how to they know what to do. It's
the years that you're stuck there that's the problem I have, Rodney.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, no, I mean I get it. And what do
you always say? You know, closers are like goalies and hockey. Yep,
you know it's it's it's all about confidence and it's
and it can go hot to cold and very quickly.
Uh so. And unless it's you know, Mariano Rivera, who
(12:29):
you know, has you know, does it year in a
year out that you can commit something like that. But
those are are rare guys that can sustain being a closer.
I mean, who who can you point to that in
recent years that is a sustained closer that has been
(12:50):
that consistent over a three to four year period? Is it?
Diaz is really the guy? Who? Else? Well, for argument's sake.
Let's say it is all right. If that's the case,
what does that mean. What does it mean? Does it
mean he's not out of ten in conversions? That's pretty good.
(13:12):
That's pretty good. And nobody's perfect.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Then again, if you're paid to close the game, you
should be nearly perfect because that's why you get paid.
It's your only job. Here's an example. So last year
there was talk that the Dodgers before well and I
think he was off the market first. So Devin Williams,
he was with Milwaukie, all right, So he signed with
the Yankees, and what a horrific.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Season he had. I mean it was awful.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Now going before to the contract he just signed, and
that's my point, and that's my point. So before you
know he fell apart, and before ten Or Scott was signed,
I was thinking, Devin Williams is the guy to go get.
He is the guy. If you get Devin Williams, then
you have solidified it because because that guy is lights out.
(14:01):
And I really felt that way Rodney all right, Yankees
get him. He goes there and he gets lit Merry Christmas.
He's a Christmas tree. They've lit him up. And it
was it was a year, much worse than Tanner Scott's.
I mean he wasn't even the closer, that's how bad
it was. Yeah, he was just awful. So then you
(14:24):
say to yourself, did Devin Williams lose it? Did he
hit the wall? Did he hit the ceiling? Is it
over for him? The Met's signed him for forty five million
dollars for three years. Yep, forty five million dollars for
a guy that got shelled, I mean just destroyed and
his control was bad.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
He's a guy, he's a guy.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
If he wasn't Devin Williams, they would have sent him
back to rookie ball, that's how bad he was. But
because he's Devin Williams, rolling the dice on him, three years,
forty five million bucks, I don't know. Does he turn
it around, does he come back? Is he the Devin
Williams of old? Because you're in the exact same scenario
(15:11):
with Tanner Scott. That's in your wheelhouse though, right, three
years or you'd only sign a closer.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
One year deals? No two year max? I mean three years,
that's that's kind of where you like it to be, right, Yeah,
I would do like five year deals. No, No, no closer,
but no, three years. It's fine.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
I'd go three. I'm with you one hundred percent. I
would go three. But I wouldn't go three for him.
I mean, if he has a good year with the
Yankees last year, then you go, Okay, well, now this
guy's worth three years and we'll give him fifteen million
a year. He was terrible and they did him fifteen
million a year, awful, worse than Tanner Scott and they
(15:56):
gave him that money. Yeah, But like you said, was
it just an off year, you know? Or are you
going to go on the body of work and how
talented he really is, or you're going off of hey,
based on last year, he's not the guy and that's
that's who we're going to see in the future. I mean,
that's the that's the unknown answer, right that nobody really
(16:20):
knows is whether it be Tanner Scott or Devin Williams Hey,
is is this it for him? Or is did he
did he reach his pinnacle and we're seeing a decline now?
Or was this just an an off year with a
new team and he will bounce back to being the
(16:41):
guy that we've that we signed. They obviously did their
homework on Tanner Scott h to sign him to that
kind of deal, you know, Fred and and he was
sought after not just by the Dodgers but by other
teams as well.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
And so I think you got to look at it
as you know, year by year and really taking account
the body of work and not just hey, he had
an off year, so he's not worth anything or not
worth any kind of money that that that he's getting right,
And that's why I make my point.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And this this speaks right to the point I've made,
and you guys disagree with me. You know what you're
paid for performance. So if you're Devin Williams and everybody
is on a max two year deal, I said a
year at a time, but nobody bought that, So we'll
go two years the maximum deal. Any MLB team can
(17:38):
give a players two years. It doesn't matter who you are.
The mac now, I'm not saying the money, but the
max length two year, three hundred million dollar deal, well
it has to be.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
That's right. You are paid on performance. God blessed Devin Williams.
Good deal.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
He made forty five million bucks. He's set for three years.
What happened last year? No, Tanner Scott the way he
played last year. No, no, so.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
You man, you would regulate him basically, is what I'm
saying is right. You get paid on performance. I think
one hundred and fifty millions a little much, you're right,
but a year, but you get paid on performance. So
in the closer situation, the Mets have now signed a
guy worse than Tanner Scott was. Both the Dodgers and
(18:30):
the Mets are gambling that their guys are able now
to return to their previous form. For the Dodgers, I
hope they do, and even for Devin Williams to be great.
You don't wish ill on anybody, but it's going to
be interesting to see well, pretty much everything right now.
I mean you are rolling the dice. I mean, it's
(18:52):
so volatile, especially when it comes to closers. Now, you
feel the same way about a starter, Fred in terms
of years, you wouldn't give a starter more than three
years either, huh. No more than five. No more than
five for a starter, Yep, that'd be it for me.
Even if he's a young, young starter in his mid twenties,
(19:16):
that is lights out. You wouldn't give him a Nope,
even more than that. No, I'm not talking about money.
I'm just talking about years. Yeah, I'm talking about money.
I'm talking about years too. So okay, so then you're
ready to have Yamamoto go on to the free agent market.
Then next year, no doubts. Better step up big time.
(19:42):
Better step up big time. I'll tell you that right now.
All right, only an hour four is today. Did you
hear about what happened to Chris Paul? Yeah, how about that.
Don't go to the Clipper training facility looking for him.
That's all I'll say. That's next. Yeah, it is our show,
(20:02):
Rodney Pete, fred Rogan. Let's get into it, Freddy.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
So you know, Chris Paul said this would be his
final year in the NBA. He signed with the Clippers,
came back home where he had a great deal of success,
part of the Lob City crew. That team imploded, never
really accomplished what they hoped it would, and when Chris
Paul was done, he was off elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Okay, so he.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Comes back one year, season starts, he says, this is
going to be my final year.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I'm on my retirement tour. And that tour came to an.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
End last night at midnight Pacific, when the Clipper said
he was no longer on the team, and they put
him on a plane to fly back from Atlanta and
that was the end of Chris Paul done over. What
in the world happened? How did it come to this?
A guy who had meant so much for the franchise?
(20:57):
Just he got Lane Kiffen, he got tim Act. Yeah,
he got term Act. That's what happened. Now, I didn't
get that bad well, and there you go. Chris Paul
had a number of disagreements with the way the club
was operating. And you know, the team is five and sixteen.
(21:19):
That's not what he signed up for. That's not what
anybody signed up for, and that's not what they expected.
And I think it's pretty safe to say Chris Paul
is very strong willed, would you agree, Rodney?
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, Chris is gonna speak his mind.
He's gonna let you know what he thinks. You know,
he's the veteran guy. I think he's what he's the
president of the players Union. Yeah, he's uh yeah, very outspoken.
And you know it's why people have always said he's
one of the best leaders that they've they've ever been
(21:52):
around when they play with him, So Yeah, very outspoken,
but just you know, again you just ran through you know,
him being a part of the Clippers, and you know
that that the run that they had, they didn't win
a title, but they were very entertaining for that period
of time. There were more people wanted to go see
(22:12):
them play than the Lakers during that time period. You
remember Lob City, they had the pulse of this city
and they were the exciting team in town for what
three or four years there and that in that stretch
and just couldn't get over that home. But I just
don't know how it why, or how it gets to
(22:37):
a point where the guy like that that it ends
up ending in this ugly fashion because it's ugly. It's
just it just doesn't feel right for a guy that's
been with this organization through ups and downs and and
really brought a lot of attention and a lot of
(22:58):
excitement for this organization over the years, for it to
end like that, it's just it's a little disturbing.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Well, they're paying him three point six million this year,
his final year, at least, that's what he said a
couple of weeks ago, and they did say they try
to trade him. But for you to send somebody home.
For you to send somebody home, that means the environment
has become toxic and there is no way around it,
(23:27):
and you can't work through it, and you can't put
up with it anymore. He didn't like the way things
were going, and he wasn't afraid to tell people. He
did tell Tyloo. He had conversations with him, and I
think he talked to Lawrence Frank. Lawrence Frank released a statement.
Let me give you some of the quotes. This decision
(23:47):
had nothing to do with one incident or one meeting
that did or did not happen. Some of our business, respectfully,
have to keep in house. But this didn't come down
to just one incident and one meeting. It just wasn't
the right fit. We had conversations with Chris throughout, even
before we started call it the onboarding process, and throughout,
so this isn't like an isolated, one conversation decision. Know,
(24:11):
these are fluid throughout. So let's just stop right there.
If you believe Lawrence Frank, and we have no reason
not to believe Lawrence Frank, this has been going on
for a while. It just didn't come down to one conversation,
and we know that Chris has been frustrated.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
I mean that's been reported.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
So this has been going on for a while and
finally just hit the breaking point. I had a ton
of conversations with Chris leading up to this. I am
very very direct and going through all the different plausible things.
Chris and I had had conversations throughout Well. That tells
me that they had been talking about it. That, Lawrence Frank,
(24:56):
if Chris Paul had a problem, he'd come in and
talk to him about.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
It, talking about sending him home. Is that what you're saying. No,
I don't think they we're talking about that, Okay.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
No, but I think maybe the direction of the club,
maybe the rotations, maybe who's playing. They're five and sixteen
and they're beat up and older. But this is not
what anybody signed up for. I'm sure Chris had other ideas,
different ways of doing things, trying things.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
He is a leader. It's acknowledged on every team he's
ever been on. People have confirmed that.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
So maybe they just didn't see eye to eye, Lawrence Frank.
So someone that you care about, someone that means a
great deal with the organization, is not going to be
a five minute moneyball meeting.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
There's a lot there.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
There's a lot of things to talk through and explain,
and there's a lot of emotion, and there's disagreements. Chris
sees it differently than how I see it, and you
talk through those things. You're not going to have to
agree in those things. But it's the relationships that you have.
Pretty much Selgia. They talked about things for whatever reason,
(26:07):
they didn't see eye to eye, and that's okay. That happens.
We all don't agree on everything. But at the end
of the day, you know someone's in charge. And someone
turned out not to be Chris Paul. It turned out
to be the Clippers and Lawrence Frank. And I'm not
saying Chris is wrong, but whatever he said, I'm not
(26:30):
suggesting that he could be one hundred percent right. But
if the people in charge look at it differently, it
doesn't matter if he's right, because everybody's got a boss.
It is humiliating to be sent home.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Oh yeah, nobody wants to be It's humiliating. Nobody wants
to to be humiliated like that. Especially you know a
guy that will probably go into the Hall of Fame,
(27:08):
and this is how he goes out and we don't
know if he's you know, if he plays again. You know,
he obviously said that this was going to be his
last year, and for it to get to that point
and them not allowing him, and again we don't know
what was said. We don't know the nature of their
their meetings or their talks or anything like that. But
(27:30):
for someone who announces they are retiring at the end
of the year, that has meant so much, not only
to the organization but for the league. To have this
be the way he goes out, it's just it's it's
a little mind boggling, and it's it's something serious had
(27:52):
to really happen for it to go down like this,
Something really bad had to have happened, because you don't
I don't care what organizations, you don't treat a guy
like that on his last year, a guy that is
going to go into the Hall of Fame, you don't
(28:14):
treat him like that. I just think you find a
way to work it out. And unless it got like
I said, it got way too personal, too deep to whatever.
For that to happen, it had to be really, really ugly.
The more I think about it, it had to be
something really ugly for them to part ways the way
(28:35):
they did, to send him home. Send him home. We're
not talking about the twelfth man on the bench who
played a couple of years and a journeyman from you
know that they played on eight teams in five years.
You know, we're talking you know, Chris Paul at one point,
you know, one of the top five players in the league.
(28:57):
And so I just it's strange and baffling and disrespectful
in so many ways. Again, I'm saying this not knowing
what the conversations were or what those meetings were like.
But man, it had to be ugly for that to happen,
for it to me, and we weren't there.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
And hopefully we'll get Adam on tomorrow because if Adam
doesn't know, he'll make it up. So it's fine, but
oh wow, But you know, to me, it's like ultimatum time.
That's what it kind of sounds like to me. There's
an ultimatum. Okay, we've had the talks, we've had the disagreements.
(29:41):
We both understand where we stand. Neither one of us
is budgeting, so are you in or out? Or it
could be from the other side. Okay, I've told you
what I think. I've told you how I feel. Are
we gonna do that or not?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
It sounds like it came to a head like that,
or I can't do this anymore. I'm not happy. Let's
just end it now. Let's just cut ties now.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
So okay, if that's how you feel, we'll just wrap
it up right now, We'll call it. Yeah, Laurence Frank,
I just want to emphasize, reemphasize for five and sixteen.
I completely own that I'm not putting that on Chris
Paul at all. This is not a situation where I'm
using Chris as a scapegoat for the job that I
have done. This is Laurence Frank, Chris's legacy where the stands.
(30:34):
The situation just didn't work out at this time. And again,
they can trade him, and they probably will try. Their's
talk that the Knicks might be interested. And last year
he was a valuable contributor in San Antonio. But there's
(30:58):
gonna be a sense of frustration.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Rod. It's an older team. He's always been the guy,
the quasi general on the floor, the guy that's helping everybody, right,
he has been. Yeah, and even as he.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Got older and the players were younger, and he might
not have been as effective, he was still that guy
because he knows as much basketball as any coach in
the NBA.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
I mean, he really does. He is a savant when
it comes to the rules and how the game operates.
He's a student of the game and he always has been.
As a point guard, He's operated everything. So we give
him that. But that coupled with the fact he's not
a starter. That coupled with the fact it's an older team.
(31:45):
That coupled with the fact that guys are getting hurt
and they're in no way, no way living up to expectations.
I mean, Adam was on guys they signed not performed.
It's like everybody hit the wall at once. Yeah. Yeah,
and I think you know, even Adam, you know, as
(32:06):
you mentioned said, you know, they they felt, you know,
Brook Lopez had a good year last year, you know,
felt that he was gonna be okay, uh Kawhi having
a full healthy off season, and it just has not
has not worked out. But again, I just hmhm for
(32:29):
for that to happen to a guy like that, for
Chris Paul, it's just uh, because that's what that's what
people are gonna talk about, fred this is what people
gonna you know, unless he comes back and they and
they find a way to trade him and he finishes
out the season somewhere else, or he decides I can't
go out like this. I'm gonna play one more year.
You don't want this to be the way you go out,
(32:53):
trust me, you do not. I know Chris does not
want this to be the way he goes out, because
this is this is not it. This is not it.
And the era and guys get you know, the do
the final tour, the road tour to the retirement tour,
and this is the way he goes out. Uh uh.
(33:13):
Something's going on and we're gonna get to the bottom
of it.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Yeah, there's more to come on this, without question, and
we're gonna be all over it just an hour for
so when we come back, we're gonna wrap it up.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Come on, Freddy, let's wrap this up on one hour
spread today on a hump day, Rodney Pete fred Rogan, Yeah, yeah, ready,
all right.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
A couple of things here real quick. First, should have
mentioned it earlier. Condolences to the family of Eldon Campbell
Lakers Center passed away. I think it was fifty seven. Yeah,
and that is heartbreaking that sad. Sad's sad fifty seven
years old. And back to the Clippers for a second.
(34:03):
I was sitting here thinking, and now there are reports
about what was said and what the final straw was.
We'll do that tomorrow because we don't have all that
confirmed yet. I was just thinking about the Clippers on
the break. Do you know something twice for them? This
is twice now, they missed their window. Lob City had
(34:25):
a chance to win a title. They imploded. Chris Paul's
on that team, by the way they imploded. They couldn't
win it. Then they go again, Paul, George Kawhi, great gamble,
made the trade. They lose SGA. That's okay. At the time,
it made sense. They gave up an.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
Awful lot, they got an awful lot. Both guys get hurt.
They don't win it again. They don't win it again.
They missed the window.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
The window on the Clippers, despite their best efforts, has
slam shut twice with nothing to show for it. And
you know now what's going to happen, truly, and yes
they have James Harden and they're gonna turn the whole
thing down.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
They gotta start again. Yeah, they have to. They have to.
And and here's what you wonder though, because this is
it's you know, and we, like I said, we're more
and more reports are coming out about the Chris Paul situation.
You just wonder how this is going to affect the
team going forward. I mean, they're only what are only
(35:33):
twenty two games in this season right now, and so
how is this going to affect the rest of the
team going forward. He's such a you know, a big personality,
big force, not only with the league but with certainly
on the team. And how are the other guys going
to respond, you know, especially if it's if it comes
(35:54):
out and it's and it's an ugly situation. Now, if
it's amicable and you know, Chris and Lawrence Frank, you know,
speak and they say the same thing that this was
a mutual situation and a mutual decision, then it goes
It'll be fine. But if it's not and there's animosity there,
does that carry over to the team for the rest
(36:16):
of the year. But I think you're right, this is
this is kind of this is tear down time. Yeah,
they missed, they went for it twice. Give them credit.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
That Lob City team had a great shot, but one
of the reasons that imploded back then was Chris Paul
now you get here and the Paul George Kawhi experiment
because both.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Guys got hurt didn't work. So then you're figuring, all right,
we got one final hurrah here. All right, we'll go
a little older. We've got veterans, guys that can play.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Kawhi is going to try to remain healthy, James Harden
is good, Zubots is still there.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
We've got enough guys. Let's make a run and the
whole thing goes to hell. And now you're five and sixteen.
It doesn't matter. I think they're done this year. I
think they're finished. Oh yeah. And if that's the case,
where do you go from here? I don't know. I
(37:10):
don't know. Yeah, you can't five and sixteen not And
it's not even a good five and sixteen. Oh they
were in there. It's ugly five and sixteen. Yeah, though,
I don't know where they go from here?
Speaker 1 (37:21):
All right, Ronnie, thanks for the hour. Kevin, back the
same to you and Rodney. We're back tomorrow, Yes, sir,
Okay, here we go, Fred Rugan, Rodney Pete at a
five seventy LA Sports. It's a one hour show today, Rodney,
it's a sprint. So the question is are you prepared?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
No? Okay, well I didn't think it would be. I mean,
that's the last thing I thought you'd be prepared to do.
Do an hour show today. But while it, come on, man,
let's go. Let's go, Freddie. We got a print man.
Whether anybody likes it or not, we are doing the
one hour show and let's start with this. So Dodger talk.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Now, as we get closer to the winter meetings, things
heat up and there's a number of things that people
are kicking around. One of them, and we talked about this,
one of them is don't sign a free agent. Make
a deal, right, make a deal because then you don't
have to spend that amount of money. Here's the name
that's being kicked around. It was kicked around last year,
if you remember, Brendan Donovan from the Cardinals. Brendan Donovan
(00:55):
is the guy that people are kicking.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Around now, and it seems that the sense is to
get someone like Brendan Donovan, you'd have to do a
deal with rushing Robleski and the prospect ronan cop. That's
what it would take to get Brendan Donovan. So the
question becomes is that the guy. Is that the guy
(01:19):
you go out and get. Is he going to be
the difference maker? And honestly, did you just say is
he going to be the difference maker? I mean, come on,
the difference maker. We're talking about a team's correct me
if I'm wrong, Fred? Didn't this team just win back
to back titles? Yeah? Oh yeah, okay, So when you
(01:43):
say is he the difference maker, difference for what? And
what does that mean? Because I don't know if you
can do better than winning a World Series two years
in a row, what's going to make the difference? What
(02:04):
is a difference maker when you're a team that's won
back to back titles? What does that mean? Well, it
means his Oh they're looking for a guy, looking for
a player. Rundan Naaman. He's twenty eight years old, all right.
Last year he had two eighty seven to ten homers,
fifty runs, bad it in had one hundred and thirty
two hits. That's a good year. You hit too eighty
(02:26):
seven to today's MLB. Yeah, that's a very good year.
He can play multiple positions. That's a good thing as
well with the Dodgers love absolutely uh which the Dodgers love.
And he was an All Star and that doesn't hurt either.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
So he can play second base, he can play corner outfield,
he can play third base if he had to. He
can play some innings at shortstop in a pinch. So
then you say to yourself, all right, well, maybe if
they go out and get him, they don't need to
worry about Kyle Tucker or anybody like that.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Maybe you'll look at it like that. Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
If that's the case, then you have to consider what
the asking price may be. To me, the asking price
is a little steep.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Very steep. To me. It's it's it became steeper. Now
if you had asked me this before before our boy
Robeleski brought that dog out at him in the World
Series and and hit was it Clement? They hit? No?
(03:37):
He hit? Uh? I forget the cat that tried to
tried to throw his hand out there and get hit
by the baseball and then he ended up hitting him.
If he had asked me that before that happened, maybe,
But when I saw that and what he did in
the World Series and the confidence that he showed. I'm
not trying to give up Robeleski at any cost unless
(03:58):
it's something that you can't you can't refuse. Fred, I
want to keep that cat around. That's my man. He's
got that dog that I love. Yeah, I know, you
know what the problem is.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Here's a problem. Dodgers don't care about this. But here's
the problem. This is sort of like everybody wanted Harrison Baterer.
Remember that Harrison Bader. Oh, you got to get Harrison Bader.
Harrison Bater's available. Harrison Batter showed up in every story,
Harrison Bader, Harrison Bader. Dodgers didn't get Harrison Baterer.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It was good. Fine.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Brendan Donovan. That name has been kicked around as well. Well,
Brendan Donovan. You got to get Brendan Donovan. Here's the thing,
Dodger fans, it's not it's not playing the name game.
I promise you that, because that name ain't very sexy.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
You know, it's not like, all right, we got the guy.
We have Brendan Donovan. Brendan Donovan's not a sexy name.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Fred, That's not sexy that's not a Kyle Tucker. That's
not a Stephen Kwan. Oh, okay, say it again, say
it again. It's not at that's sexy, right, and baby,
you're playing the name game a little bit there, But
that's sexy because you know what that guy can do.
(05:16):
So then the question becomes, Okay, is Brendan Donovan, for
argument's sake Stephen Kwan but just doesn't have Stephen Kwan's name.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Those are the things that Dodgers try to figure out,
sexy names. Okay, yeah, those that's the dilemma, is what
you're saying. That's the Dodgers dilemma is the sexy name game. Right?
Is Brendan Donovan Cody Balinger? You see what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
That's why when you hear the name Brendan Donovan and
you go, oh, he's a nice player, like sound like
you know, a big time hockey star, right exactly?
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Doesn't it sound like a hockey star? Yeah? For some
reason that just that name is like associated with hockey.
To me, it sounds like a defenseman for the Ottawa
Senators exactly. Yes, yes, yes, that bruiser Brendan Donovan, but
the Ottawa Senators, Yes, yeah, so anyway, that is what
has been kicked around.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
But now let's look at Dalton Rushing by the way,
all right, so he was mentioned by this this report
as somebody that could possibly go.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Well, his name is thrown out there quite a bit
in this short already off season, not stove, whatever you
want to call it, but Dalton Rushing, he his name
has been out there quite a bit. Fred, don't you
think doesn't it feel like that? Yes?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And I'll tell you why. Because they don't know what
to do with them. They do not know what to
do with him. That's the problem. They have no idea
what they should do because he's not going to catch
for a while. Now, Will Smith, I think year, year
after year is going to catch fewer games because he
has to. Yeah, right, so Rushing is going to get
(07:12):
at bats. But if they believe that he is a
guy that can contribute, now they got to figure out
what to do with him.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And that's the dilemma here, do you change his position? Well,
they need to start working on that if they believe
he's going to deliver. And let's be fair, let's be honest.
It's a statement of fact. It's not being rude, it's
not like he ripped the cover off the ball last year.
So there's that. There's that now, yeah, and limited limited
(07:46):
time and and and let's say this did he he
still very very hot prospect coming up? There was big
talk about him, Dalton Rushing, Dalton Rushing, Dalton Rushing, and
that he's got some versatility to him too, Fred, So
let's not lose sight of that one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
So what do you do? You can do any one
of those things. You could trade them. But if you
trade them, then who's will Smith's backup? And then I
guess it leads to what does it matter? I mean,
you certainly have time to find the guy.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Well, you know, giving it being the Dodgers and the
way the Dodgers operate, there's a guy in the pipeline.
I'm sure that they've got their sights on that is
the next up and coming and probably pretty good that
we haven't heard about just yet. That's just the way
the Dodgers are. You know, there is somebody there and
(08:44):
waiting that is close to being ready to go. Otherwise
we wouldn't hear Dalton Rushing's name being thrown out there
quite a bit like it is for them. That for
that name to be out there and then trade and
all that kind of stuff. You've got to believe the
Dodgers have somebody within the system, or probably multiple guys
(09:07):
within the system that can get behind the plate and
perform well, or they've got their sights on. So that's
something to keep in mind.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Brendan Donovan and Dalton Rushing's name is mentioned as a
possibility in that deal. Let's talk about the Dodgers possible
pursuit of a closer. Let's get to that. Edwin Diaz
has been mentioned. He's going to cost. I'm of the
opinion I can be wrong. Do not Tanner Scott yourself again.
(09:38):
Do not Now you know, Tanner Scott may have just
had an off year and this year he could come
back and be the guy that they thought they signed.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
But do not do that again. Do not commit that
kind of money for that many years again to a closer,
because you saw what could happen. And remember, the closer
has one job to close the game. That's our only job.
Get in here and wrap the thing on. And if
the guy's not wrapping it up, then you've misspent your money.
(10:06):
And maybe it was an off year. Form I'm not
saying you know, he will believe Do you believe it
was an off year form you believe it was, you know,
the stakes got high. Putting on that Dodger blue is
just different than playing for some other team and it
was just a real off year for him. Or do
you believe that maybe they misjudged Tanner Scott and he's
(10:30):
not the guy that they thought he was.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Fair question, as I think back when he was with
the Marlins and then with the Padres, he was very effective.
So I am of the opinion that he just didn't
perform last year. Was that an indication of things to come?
(10:54):
Did he hit the wall?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Now?
Speaker 1 (10:56):
The Dodgers are very careful and they make decisions like
this analytically, and we've heard Andrew Friedman talk about it.
They they take a look at a number of things
before they commit money, and they had to be pretty
confident that he'd not hit the wall or his ceiling.
But I think that's got to be the concern now
(11:17):
during this offseason heading into spring training, is that it
is that the best have we seen the best of it?
And my feeling is, you know, it's a very good lesson.
It's a good lesson that if in fact we've seen
the best, do not commit that kind of money to
(11:37):
a closer. And more importantly, I think that even four
years four years, yeah, so they thought they'd be set
before the money. Are the years that you're ceriendo years?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
To me, it's always the years because to the Dodgers,
the money, it's funny money. They're running a business. But
they know how to they know what to do. It's
the years that you're stuck there that's the problem I have, Rodney.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, no, I mean I get it. And what do
you always say? You know, closers are like goalies and hockey. Yep,
you know it's it's it's all about confidence and it's
and it can go hot to cold and very quickly.
Uh so. And unless it's you know, Mariano Rivera, who
(12:29):
you know, has you know, does it year in a
year out that you can commit something like that. But
those are are rare guys that can sustain being a closer.
I mean, who who can you point to that in
recent years that is a sustained closer that has been
(12:50):
that consistent over a three to four year period? Is it?
Diaz is really the guy? Who? Else? Well, for argument's sake.
Let's say it is all right. If that's the case,
what does that mean. What does it mean? Does it
mean he's not out of ten in conversions? That's pretty good.
(13:12):
That's pretty good. And nobody's perfect.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Then again, if you're paid to close the game, you
should be nearly perfect because that's why you get paid.
It's your only job. Here's an example. So last year
there was talk that the Dodgers before well and I
think he was off the market first. So Devin Williams,
he was with Milwaukie, all right, So he signed with
the Yankees, and what a horrific.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Season he had. I mean it was awful.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Now going before to the contract he just signed, and
that's my point, and that's my point. So before you
know he fell apart, and before ten Or Scott was signed,
I was thinking, Devin Williams is the guy to go get.
He is the guy. If you get Devin Williams, then
you have solidified it because because that guy is lights out.
(14:01):
And I really felt that way Rodney all right, Yankees
get him. He goes there and he gets lit Merry Christmas.
He's a Christmas tree. They've lit him up. And it
was it was a year, much worse than Tanner Scott's.
I mean he wasn't even the closer, that's how bad
it was. Yeah, he was just awful. So then you
(14:24):
say to yourself, did Devin Williams lose it? Did he
hit the wall? Did he hit the ceiling? Is it
over for him? The Met's signed him for forty five million
dollars for three years. Yep, forty five million dollars for
a guy that got shelled, I mean just destroyed and
his control was bad.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
He's a guy, he's a guy.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
If he wasn't Devin Williams, they would have sent him
back to rookie ball, that's how bad he was. But
because he's Devin Williams, rolling the dice on him, three years,
forty five million bucks, I don't know. Does he turn
it around, does he come back? Is he the Devin
Williams of old? Because you're in the exact same scenario
(15:11):
with Tanner Scott. That's in your wheelhouse though, right, three
years or you'd only sign a closer.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
One year deals? No two year max? I mean three years,
that's that's kind of where you like it to be, right, Yeah,
I would do like five year deals. No, No, no closer,
but no, three years. It's fine.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
I'd go three. I'm with you one hundred percent. I
would go three. But I wouldn't go three for him.
I mean, if he has a good year with the
Yankees last year, then you go, Okay, well, now this
guy's worth three years and we'll give him fifteen million
a year. He was terrible and they did him fifteen
million a year, awful, worse than Tanner Scott and they
(15:56):
gave him that money. Yeah, But like you said, was
it just an off year, you know? Or are you
going to go on the body of work and how
talented he really is, or you're going off of hey,
based on last year, he's not the guy and that's
that's who we're going to see in the future. I mean,
that's the that's the unknown answer, right that nobody really
(16:20):
knows is whether it be Tanner Scott or Devin Williams Hey,
is is this it for him? Or is did he
did he reach his pinnacle and we're seeing a decline now?
Or was this just an an off year with a
new team and he will bounce back to being the
(16:41):
guy that we've that we signed. They obviously did their
homework on Tanner Scott h to sign him to that
kind of deal, you know, Fred and and he was
sought after not just by the Dodgers but by other
teams as well.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
And so I think you got to look at it
as you know, year by year and really taking account
the body of work and not just hey, he had
an off year, so he's not worth anything or not
worth any kind of money that that that he's getting right,
And that's why I make my point.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And this this speaks right to the point I've made,
and you guys disagree with me. You know what you're
paid for performance. So if you're Devin Williams and everybody
is on a max two year deal, I said a
year at a time, but nobody bought that, So we'll
go two years the maximum deal. Any MLB team can
(17:38):
give a players two years. It doesn't matter who you are.
The mac now, I'm not saying the money, but the
max length two year, three hundred million dollar deal, well
it has to be.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
That's right. You are paid on performance. God blessed Devin Williams.
Good deal.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
He made forty five million bucks. He's set for three years.
What happened last year? No, Tanner Scott the way he
played last year. No, no, so.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
You man, you would regulate him basically, is what I'm
saying is right. You get paid on performance. I think
one hundred and fifty millions a little much, you're right,
but a year, but you get paid on performance. So
in the closer situation, the Mets have now signed a
guy worse than Tanner Scott was. Both the Dodgers and
(18:30):
the Mets are gambling that their guys are able now
to return to their previous form. For the Dodgers, I
hope they do, and even for Devin Williams to be great.
You don't wish ill on anybody, but it's going to
be interesting to see well, pretty much everything right now.
I mean you are rolling the dice. I mean, it's
(18:52):
so volatile, especially when it comes to closers. Now, you
feel the same way about a starter, Fred in terms
of years, you wouldn't give a starter more than three
years either, huh. No more than five. No more than
five for a starter, Yep, that'd be it for me.
Even if he's a young, young starter in his mid twenties,
(19:16):
that is lights out. You wouldn't give him a Nope,
even more than that. No, I'm not talking about money.
I'm just talking about years. Yeah, I'm talking about money.
I'm talking about years too. So okay, so then you're
ready to have Yamamoto go on to the free agent market.
Then next year, no doubts. Better step up big time.
(19:42):
Better step up big time. I'll tell you that right now.
All right, only an hour four is today. Did you
hear about what happened to Chris Paul? Yeah, how about that.
Don't go to the Clipper training facility looking for him.
That's all I'll say. That's next. Yeah, it is our show,
(20:02):
Rodney Pete, fred Rogan. Let's get into it, Freddy.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
So you know, Chris Paul said this would be his
final year in the NBA. He signed with the Clippers,
came back home where he had a great deal of success,
part of the Lob City crew. That team imploded, never
really accomplished what they hoped it would, and when Chris
Paul was done, he was off elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Okay, so he.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Comes back one year, season starts, he says, this is
going to be my final year.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I'm on my retirement tour. And that tour came to an.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
End last night at midnight Pacific, when the Clipper said
he was no longer on the team, and they put
him on a plane to fly back from Atlanta and
that was the end of Chris Paul done over. What
in the world happened? How did it come to this?
A guy who had meant so much for the franchise?
(20:57):
Just he got Lane Kiffen, he got tim Act. Yeah,
he got term Act. That's what happened. Now, I didn't
get that bad well, and there you go. Chris Paul
had a number of disagreements with the way the club
was operating. And you know, the team is five and sixteen.
(21:19):
That's not what he signed up for. That's not what
anybody signed up for, and that's not what they expected.
And I think it's pretty safe to say Chris Paul
is very strong willed, would you agree, Rodney?
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, Chris is gonna speak his mind.
He's gonna let you know what he thinks. You know,
he's the veteran guy. I think he's what he's the
president of the players Union. Yeah, he's uh yeah, very outspoken.
And you know it's why people have always said he's
one of the best leaders that they've they've ever been
(21:52):
around when they play with him, So Yeah, very outspoken,
but just you know, again you just ran through you know,
him being a part of the Clippers, and you know
that that the run that they had, they didn't win
a title, but they were very entertaining for that period
of time. There were more people wanted to go see
(22:12):
them play than the Lakers during that time period. You
remember Lob City, they had the pulse of this city
and they were the exciting team in town for what
three or four years there and that in that stretch
and just couldn't get over that home. But I just
don't know how it why, or how it gets to
(22:37):
a point where the guy like that that it ends
up ending in this ugly fashion because it's ugly. It's
just it just doesn't feel right for a guy that's
been with this organization through ups and downs and and
really brought a lot of attention and a lot of
(22:58):
excitement for this organization over the years, for it to
end like that, it's just it's a little disturbing.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Well, they're paying him three point six million this year,
his final year, at least, that's what he said a
couple of weeks ago, and they did say they try
to trade him. But for you to send somebody home.
For you to send somebody home, that means the environment
has become toxic and there is no way around it,
(23:27):
and you can't work through it, and you can't put
up with it anymore. He didn't like the way things
were going, and he wasn't afraid to tell people. He
did tell Tyloo. He had conversations with him, and I
think he talked to Lawrence Frank. Lawrence Frank released a statement.
Let me give you some of the quotes. This decision
(23:47):
had nothing to do with one incident or one meeting
that did or did not happen. Some of our business, respectfully,
have to keep in house. But this didn't come down
to just one incident and one meeting. It just wasn't
the right fit. We had conversations with Chris throughout, even
before we started call it the onboarding process, and throughout,
so this isn't like an isolated, one conversation decision. Know,
(24:11):
these are fluid throughout. So let's just stop right there.
If you believe Lawrence Frank, and we have no reason
not to believe Lawrence Frank, this has been going on
for a while. It just didn't come down to one conversation,
and we know that Chris has been frustrated.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
I mean that's been reported.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
So this has been going on for a while and
finally just hit the breaking point. I had a ton
of conversations with Chris leading up to this. I am
very very direct and going through all the different plausible things.
Chris and I had had conversations throughout Well. That tells
me that they had been talking about it. That, Lawrence Frank,
(24:56):
if Chris Paul had a problem, he'd come in and
talk to him about.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
It, talking about sending him home. Is that what you're saying. No,
I don't think they we're talking about that, Okay.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
No, but I think maybe the direction of the club,
maybe the rotations, maybe who's playing. They're five and sixteen
and they're beat up and older. But this is not
what anybody signed up for. I'm sure Chris had other ideas,
different ways of doing things, trying things.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
He is a leader. It's acknowledged on every team he's
ever been on. People have confirmed that.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
So maybe they just didn't see eye to eye, Lawrence Frank.
So someone that you care about, someone that means a
great deal with the organization, is not going to be
a five minute moneyball meeting.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
There's a lot there.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
There's a lot of things to talk through and explain,
and there's a lot of emotion, and there's disagreements. Chris
sees it differently than how I see it, and you
talk through those things. You're not going to have to
agree in those things. But it's the relationships that you have.
Pretty much Selgia. They talked about things for whatever reason,
(26:07):
they didn't see eye to eye, and that's okay. That happens.
We all don't agree on everything. But at the end
of the day, you know someone's in charge. And someone
turned out not to be Chris Paul. It turned out
to be the Clippers and Lawrence Frank. And I'm not
saying Chris is wrong, but whatever he said, I'm not
(26:30):
suggesting that he could be one hundred percent right. But
if the people in charge look at it differently, it
doesn't matter if he's right, because everybody's got a boss.
It is humiliating to be sent home.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Oh yeah, nobody wants to be It's humiliating. Nobody wants
to to be humiliated like that. Especially you know a
guy that will probably go into the Hall of Fame,
(27:08):
and this is how he goes out and we don't
know if he's you know, if he plays again. You know,
he obviously said that this was going to be his
last year, and for it to get to that point
and them not allowing him, and again we don't know
what was said. We don't know the nature of their
their meetings or their talks or anything like that. But
(27:30):
for someone who announces they are retiring at the end
of the year, that has meant so much, not only
to the organization but for the league. To have this
be the way he goes out, it's just it's it's
a little mind boggling, and it's it's something serious had
(27:52):
to really happen for it to go down like this,
Something really bad had to have happened, because you don't
I don't care what organizations, you don't treat a guy
like that on his last year, a guy that is
going to go into the Hall of Fame, you don't
(28:14):
treat him like that. I just think you find a
way to work it out. And unless it got like
I said, it got way too personal, too deep to whatever.
For that to happen, it had to be really, really ugly.
The more I think about it, it had to be
something really ugly for them to part ways the way
(28:35):
they did, to send him home. Send him home. We're
not talking about the twelfth man on the bench who
played a couple of years and a journeyman from you
know that they played on eight teams in five years.
You know, we're talking you know, Chris Paul at one point,
you know, one of the top five players in the league.
(28:57):
And so I just it's strange and baffling and disrespectful
in so many ways. Again, I'm saying this not knowing
what the conversations were or what those meetings were like.
But man, it had to be ugly for that to happen,
for it to me, and we weren't there.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
And hopefully we'll get Adam on tomorrow because if Adam
doesn't know, he'll make it up. So it's fine, but
oh wow, But you know, to me, it's like ultimatum time.
That's what it kind of sounds like to me. There's
an ultimatum. Okay, we've had the talks, we've had the disagreements.
(29:41):
We both understand where we stand. Neither one of us
is budgeting, so are you in or out? Or it
could be from the other side. Okay, I've told you
what I think. I've told you how I feel. Are
we gonna do that or not?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
It sounds like it came to a head like that,
or I can't do this anymore. I'm not happy. Let's
just end it now. Let's just cut ties now.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
So okay, if that's how you feel, we'll just wrap
it up right now, We'll call it. Yeah, Laurence Frank,
I just want to emphasize, reemphasize for five and sixteen.
I completely own that I'm not putting that on Chris
Paul at all. This is not a situation where I'm
using Chris as a scapegoat for the job that I
have done. This is Laurence Frank, Chris's legacy where the stands.
(30:34):
The situation just didn't work out at this time. And again,
they can trade him, and they probably will try. Their's
talk that the Knicks might be interested. And last year
he was a valuable contributor in San Antonio. But there's
(30:58):
gonna be a sense of frustration.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Rod. It's an older team. He's always been the guy,
the quasi general on the floor, the guy that's helping everybody, right,
he has been. Yeah, and even as he.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Got older and the players were younger, and he might
not have been as effective, he was still that guy
because he knows as much basketball as any coach in
the NBA.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
I mean, he really does. He is a savant when
it comes to the rules and how the game operates.
He's a student of the game and he always has been.
As a point guard, He's operated everything. So we give
him that. But that coupled with the fact he's not
a starter. That coupled with the fact it's an older team.
(31:45):
That coupled with the fact that guys are getting hurt
and they're in no way, no way living up to expectations.
I mean, Adam was on guys they signed not performed.
It's like everybody hit the wall at once. Yeah. Yeah,
and I think you know, even Adam, you know, as
(32:06):
you mentioned said, you know, they they felt, you know,
Brook Lopez had a good year last year, you know,
felt that he was gonna be okay, uh Kawhi having
a full healthy off season, and it just has not
has not worked out. But again, I just hmhm for
(32:29):
for that to happen to a guy like that, for
Chris Paul, it's just uh, because that's what that's what
people are gonna talk about, fred this is what people
gonna you know, unless he comes back and they and
they find a way to trade him and he finishes
out the season somewhere else, or he decides I can't
go out like this. I'm gonna play one more year.
You don't want this to be the way you go out,
(32:53):
trust me, you do not. I know Chris does not
want this to be the way he goes out, because
this is this is not it. This is not it.
And the era and guys get you know, the do
the final tour, the road tour to the retirement tour,
and this is the way he goes out. Uh uh.
(33:13):
Something's going on and we're gonna get to the bottom
of it.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Yeah, there's more to come on this, without question, and
we're gonna be all over it just an hour for
so when we come back, we're gonna wrap it up.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Come on, Freddy, let's wrap this up on one hour
spread today on a hump day, Rodney Pete fred Rogan, Yeah, yeah, ready,
all right.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
A couple of things here real quick. First, should have
mentioned it earlier. Condolences to the family of Eldon Campbell
Lakers Center passed away. I think it was fifty seven. Yeah,
and that is heartbreaking that sad. Sad's sad fifty seven
years old. And back to the Clippers for a second.
(34:03):
I was sitting here thinking, and now there are reports
about what was said and what the final straw was.
We'll do that tomorrow because we don't have all that
confirmed yet. I was just thinking about the Clippers on
the break. Do you know something twice for them? This
is twice now, they missed their window. Lob City had
(34:25):
a chance to win a title. They imploded. Chris Paul's
on that team, by the way they imploded. They couldn't
win it. Then they go again, Paul, George Kawhi, great gamble,
made the trade. They lose SGA. That's okay. At the time,
it made sense. They gave up an.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
Awful lot, they got an awful lot. Both guys get hurt.
They don't win it again. They don't win it again.
They missed the window.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
The window on the Clippers, despite their best efforts, has
slam shut twice with nothing to show for it. And
you know now what's going to happen, truly, and yes
they have James Harden and they're gonna turn the whole
thing down.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
They gotta start again. Yeah, they have to. They have to.
And and here's what you wonder though, because this is
it's you know, and we, like I said, we're more
and more reports are coming out about the Chris Paul situation.
You just wonder how this is going to affect the
team going forward. I mean, they're only what are only
(35:33):
twenty two games in this season right now, and so
how is this going to affect the rest of the
team going forward. He's such a you know, a big personality,
big force, not only with the league but with certainly
on the team. And how are the other guys going
to respond, you know, especially if it's if it comes
(35:54):
out and it's and it's an ugly situation. Now, if
it's amicable and you know, Chris and Lawrence Frank, you know,
speak and they say the same thing that this was
a mutual situation and a mutual decision, then it goes
It'll be fine. But if it's not and there's animosity there,
does that carry over to the team for the rest
(36:16):
of the year. But I think you're right, this is
this is kind of this is tear down time. Yeah,
they missed, they went for it twice. Give them credit.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
That Lob City team had a great shot, but one
of the reasons that imploded back then was Chris Paul
now you get here and the Paul George Kawhi experiment
because both.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Guys got hurt didn't work. So then you're figuring, all right,
we got one final hurrah here. All right, we'll go
a little older. We've got veterans, guys that can play.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Kawhi is going to try to remain healthy, James Harden
is good, Zubots is still there.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
We've got enough guys. Let's make a run and the
whole thing goes to hell. And now you're five and sixteen.
It doesn't matter. I think they're done this year. I
think they're finished. Oh yeah. And if that's the case,
where do you go from here? I don't know. I
(37:10):
don't know. Yeah, you can't five and sixteen not And
it's not even a good five and sixteen. Oh they
were in there. It's ugly five and sixteen. Yeah, though,
I don't know where they go from here?
Speaker 1 (37:21):
All right, Ronnie, thanks for the hour. Kevin, back the
same to you and Rodney. We're back tomorrow, Yes, sir,
Roggin And Rodney News
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