Hour 2: Giannis & Rich Eisen

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Episode: Hour 2: Giannis & Rich Eisen
Date: December 9, 2025
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Don La Greca, Peter Rosenberg (off), with guest Rich Eisen

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Episode Overview

This hour of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast dives deep into key NBA trade rumors—primarily the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo and speculation around his potential move to the New York Knicks versus other franchises, especially the Oklahoma City Thunder. The hosts analyze the ripple effects for the Knicks, the possible bidding war, and Giannis’s true motivations, using parallels with NFL and MLB dynamics. Later, Rich Eisen joins the show to contribute stories about New York and LA sports culture, baseball economics, and NFL parity, all delivered with the crew’s classic mix of banter and incisive analysis.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Giannis Trade Rumors and Knicks' Window of Opportunity

• December 15th: Marks the start of the NBA's "trade season" when all contracts become tradable.
• Knicks' Position: The consensus has been that the Knicks are Giannis’s top (and maybe only) preferred destination.
• Change in Stance: Recent reporting (from Shams Charania) suggests the Bucks might open talks with other teams, potentially ending Knicks’ exclusivity (02:51).
  • Quote (Don Rosenberg at 02:51):
    “If the Bucks are open to discussing Antetokounmpo with teams, the Knicks will no longer have the exclusive negotiating window as his preferred destination...”
• Comparison to Kawhi Leonard and Juan Soto: Sometimes teams risk acquiring a star for a short period, hoping to either win immediately or convince the player to stay, even if they’re not the long-term favorite.

2. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Potential to Disrupt

• OKC’s Asset Haul: Noted as a team with an unprecedented stockpile of draft picks and young talent, making them an ideal trade partner for Milwaukee.
  • Quote (Don Rosenberg at 05:41):
    “The Oklahoma City Thunder. And if that happens... that’s the death knell... for the other 29 teams.”
• League-Shifting Scenario: Adding Giannis to an already dominant OKC team could trigger a new dynasty era and close off the Knicks’ championship window.

3. What Does Giannis Really Want? Knicks, Rings, or Brand?

• Emphasis on New York: The hosts believe Giannis’s preference is rooted in both legacy and brand, not just ring-chasing.
  • Quote (Don Rosenberg at 09:05):
    “He’s Greek, big Greek contingent here in this city. As we know when he comes here, he has a huge following... I think it’s more about where he wants to go...”
• Contrast to Durant: Discussion about KD’s move to Golden State—despite titles, his reputation suffered. Winning in New York carries more lasting legacy.
  • Quote (Alan Hahn at 11:33):
    “If he comes to the Knicks, different story... He becomes Mark Messier.”
• Risk of OKC Temptation: If Giannis lands in OKC and wins, he may end up staying because of success, blunting the Knicks’ chance. This creates urgency, but the hosts advise patience.

4. Fan Calls: Should the Knicks Go All In?

• Dilemma of Gutting the Roster: A trade for Giannis would likely compromise the Knicks’ current strengths (like their wings, Anunoby and Bridges).
  • Quote (Don Rosenberg at 19:48):
    “That’s what bothers me is losing those wings in a deal like this... If I’m the Bucks and I’m like, well, all right, I gotta take Towns’s contract because it’s a big contract, there’s a 30-point guy off the table. I also gotta take one of your wings…”
• Caller Dave’s Take (44:42): Giannis is a superstar; you do whatever it takes to get him. Cites Earl Monroe as an example from Knicks history.
  • Quote (Caller Dave at 47:11):
    “Take anything you offer. Brunson, take the whole team. Take Leon Rose. Take. Take anybody you want. Take Dolan, take the Garden. Take anybody. Want. Give me a superstar... Jalen Brunson is not a superstar.”
• Hosts Push Back: Both Don and Alan argue Brunson is a superstar and stress not making a panic move that leaves the Knicks hollow.

5. Rich Eisen Joins: MLB Economics & Iconic NY/LA Moments

• Yankees/Dodgers Spending Arms Race: Rich discusses the financial gulf between the Yankees and free-spending teams (like the Dodgers), predicting future labor battles over a potential salary cap (27:54).
• LA vs. NY Sports Culture: Stories about experiencing sports fandom in LA; World Series moments that kids on the east coast miss due to timing.
• NFL Parity and Playoff Races: Eisen evaluates top NFL contenders, parity in the NFC, and likens the uncertain landscape to the NBA's changing of the guard.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On OKC’s threat:
  Don Rosenberg (05:41):
  “The Oklahoma City Thunder. And if that happens... that’s the death knell... for the other 29 teams.”

• On Giannis’s true motivation:
  Don Rosenberg (09:05):
  “He’s Greek, big Greek contingent here... I think it’s more about where he wants to go... I make you championship caliber.”

• On legacy in NY vs. OKC:
  Alan Hahn (11:33):
  “If he comes to the Knicks, different story. He helps them win a title... He becomes Mark Messier.”

• On risk of gutting the Knicks:
  Don Rosenberg (19:48):
  “That’s what bothers me is losing those wings in a deal like this...”

• Caller Dave’s Hot Take:
  Caller Dave (47:11):
  “Take anything you offer. Brunson, take the whole team. Take Leon Rose. Take. Take anybody you want... Give me a superstar.”

• Rich Eisen’s NY roots and LA stories:
  Rich Eisen (24:14):
  “Born in Brooklyn, raised in Staten Island. P.S. 54 is 72, Susan Wagner High School. Both parents New York City public school educators.”

• MLB economic divide and future labor strife:
  Alan Hahn (27:54):
  “I think the Yankees are now going to be on the side of the small market team. As laughable as this sounds, Rich, their mom and pop… the Dodgers willing to lose money... other three sports thriving with a cap…”

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Key Timestamps for Segment Navigation

• Giannis Trade Rumors Begin: 00:29
• Knicks' exclusive window analysis: 02:51–04:18
• OKC Thunder as trade disruptor: 05:15–06:38
• Discussion on star motivations/legacy: 08:08–12:32
• Knicks Fan Calls (Giannis urgency): 17:36–20:58, returns at 44:42
• Rich Eisen Joins, NY/LA, MLB economics: 22:07–34:09
• NFL parity & playoff races: 35:00–41:43
• Second batch of fan calls (Knicks/legacy): 44:42–48:13

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Overall Tone & Takeaway

The episode is lively, theoretical, and deeply rooted in New York sports perspectives—but with a sharp eye on league-wide implications. Don and Alan thread together cynical realism and fan passion, mixing skepticism about high-profile trades with nostalgia for legendary athletes. Regulars and new listeners alike receive an insightful look at how a single NBA superstar’s move can cascade across franchises, reputations, and legacies. Rich Eisen’s segment provides a refreshing panorama of cross-country fandom, economic tension in baseball, and the swirling uncertainties of the NFL, all with authenticity and wit.

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For Knicks fans: The debate boils down to patience, prudence, and legacy—a caution not to lose the soul of the team chasing a superstar, even one as tantalizing as Giannis.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.

[Don Rosenberg]

403 in the big city with Don McGregor.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm Alan Hahn.

[Don Rosenberg]

Peter off today. He'll be back with us tomorrow. 800-919-3776. Of course, it's going to be part of the conversation. We're getting the call stacked up and ready to go. We'll get to the conversations with you soon.

But Don Shamshirania, our ESPN NBA Insider, had put out some, you know, just some notes about NBA rumors. Now, December 15th is a key date because that's when all contracts in the NBA are tradable. So it's the unofficial start of the NBA trade season. We say it every year, February 5th is the trade deadline. So it's between that those two dates is when you'll get activity. And a lot of times at the trade deadline, you get a lot of activity early because teams are itchy, teams don't like the way they look. Some teams just realize we're not any good. And then of course, there's injuries. And then February 5th is when now it really gets crazy because that's the desperation time. But when it comes to the Giannis thing, it does feel like that's like the big name, obviously, although John Morant is a name also that people think could be on the move. Memphis might just get tired of dealing with him. And as I've said, if you're going to do a deal for a player of Giannis's magnitude and salary, you probably need another massive salary to help you do it, to make everybody satisfied. I don't know if you can do a three or four team deal that includes moving jaw with Giannis and all that stuff. Getting Memphis involved, I don't know. But I'm telling you, it's a very difficult thing to do. One for one. But remember when this all came out and I said, right now the Knicks are the only team. But that doesn't have to stay like that forever because it benefits the Knicks to be the only team. They can keep looking at the Bucks saying, look, he doesn't want to go anywhere else. He's going to tell everybody else, I'm not signing an extension with you. And so he's a rental there and they're not going to pay as much. So take our deal or take nothing. And the only way that that could change is if Giannis and his side, if the Bucs go to Giannis and say, listen, you got to open it up. We got to put some pressure on the Knicks. You got to create. If you're not seriously interested in another team, you got to create the illusion that you would take a deal somewhere else. So Shams writes that one source with direct knowledge of the Bucks dynamics, with antenna Kupo said, quote, the writing is on the wall, which is what I've been telling you. Where there's smoke, there's fire. Something's going to happen. He's not happy. He's out with an injury. The Bucks are not playing well. They're not a championship caliber team. And he wants a playoff team, maybe right now. Right?

[Rich Eisen]

Yeah.

[Don Rosenberg]

So the next line from Shams is this one. If the Bucks are open to discussing Antonio Coppo with teams, the Knicks will no longer have the exclusive negotiating window as his preferred destination, sources told espn.

So that sounds to me like the Bucks are getting to a point now where they're like, we've got to just be open to trading him to other teams whether he likes it or not, because he does have one more year before he can opt out. So he doesn't quite control it. He can just tell whoever acquires him. Like Kawhi Leonard. Kawhi Leonard went to Toronto. Toronto did not know if they were going to sign him. They. They were going to bring him in for a year and hope it's like the Juan Soto thing with the Yankees. I'm going to bring him in.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Rosenberg]

And if we win and things go well, maybe he'll want to stay. Now, it famously worked in Toronto. They won a championship that year, but Kawhi left, But they won a championship. So, you know, the Yankees got to the World Series. Juan Soto left, but they got to the World Series. So is. Is it. Is there a team out there that might say, I've got a lot of assets, I think we could make a run if we add him. And I'm willing to take a risk that he'll leave as a free agent after that year, but it's worth it for us. And if there's a team out there that thinks that way, then the. Then the Knicks are going to have competition for him, but that's still going.

[Alan Hahn]

To affect the package that goes back to Milwaukee. Right. If I know he's only guaranteed to be here for the rest of this season.

[Don Rosenberg]

Mm.

[Alan Hahn]

Do I. Is that gonna affect how much I'm gonna be willing to give up as opposed to the Knicks, who know he's gonna stay here? He wants to be here. So I'm willing to give up a little bit more. There has to be a team like the Yankees were. That said, I think this is the guy that's gonna get us over the top. And if we win a championship, like Toronto did with Kawhi and he leaves, no big deal. We won our championship. Is there a team that could feel that way when you've got Oklahoma City sitting there? Are you telling me that Giannis is going to guarantee you anything when there's Oklahoma City that still has just that one single, solitary loss in the right of the standings as we go deeper into December? Can you honestly say that's the case?

[Don Rosenberg]

What if I told you that there is a team?

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don Rosenberg]

And when I tell you the team.

You might throw up.

Because the team that has the most assets to give when it comes to draft picks, draft capital, young talent, all the things that you would want in return for a star of that caliber.

And could say, even if he leaves after a year, we still got a really good roster. We're fine. But we can get a second title.

The Oklahoma City Thunder.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Rosenberg]

And if that happens, that's it. That was, well, time.

That's it. That's the death knell. That is like, you might as well. For Whom the Bell Tolls. It tolls for the other 29 teams, because if and who's just. The Thunder could certainly do this. They have the ability to do it, and they could go on and win a championship, which is what Giannis wants. Win a championship. And he might say, all right, thanks for another ring. Now I'm going to go over, play where I want to play, you know, after a year, that could happen. But by the way, they could win two titles by then, make it three in a row, because, like I said, he can't opt out until next summer. Not this one coming. So I'm telling you that if I'm the Bucks, I am. I am hoping. I'm trying like hell to engage the Thunder, because at some point, they've got to get off that pile of draft picks. At some point, they've got to do something with them. But that would be scary for the league.

[Alan Hahn]

That would be devastating.

[Don Rosenberg]

Blow the league up.

[Alan Hahn]

It's almost like, you know, when Durant went to Golden State, Right. He's. He wins a couple of more titles, three in a row, then he leaves, and now he's going to go search for a title someplace else, and Oklahoma City just goes back to winning again.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yes, the KD in Golden State. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Although there may not be the dip in OKC that we saw after Durant left at Golden State, it might just continue to move forward. I don't know if I give up assets when I'm. The odds on favor to win the championship without him.

[Don Rosenberg]

Well, but what.

[Alan Hahn]

But assurances are assurances, right? And that certainly puts them in a different.

[Don Rosenberg]

You're here to win championships. You want the best roster possible. And if you. It just so happens where I have enough assets to get a guy that doesn't want to be there anymore, and the team that's trying to trade him is willing to take the assets from me, and I can get it for two. I get him for this year. So you get him for half a season and then another full season. You're telling me that you wouldn't want to do that and I could. I could give myself two titles, if not three. At. At most three. At worst, two. Right. And this is all you're trying to do. I. That's the scary thing for me, and that's the scary thing for the whole league. The whole league has to worry about that happening, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, they have to worry about it because, like a dynasty. But the Knicks have to worry about it because now there is a legitimate competition to trade for him. And you never know. He could end up at okc, win a couple of titles and say, you know, I dig it here, man. I don't want to be known as the guy that's chasing rings like Durant. I'm going to stay here and see this through. And then they never get him. The other question is, and I guess this is what the Knicks are going to be wondering, he'll also be over.

[Don Rosenberg]

33 years old by then, too. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Durant, you know, obviously got looked upon as a guy that was chasing rings. Does he want that on him? All right, but the other thing, because you're not really going to be accused of chasing rings going to the Knicks. Right? Even though the Knicks are. Have become a destination, there's no guarantees. They haven't won since 1973. But the question for Giannis is, do you. Do you want out of Milwaukee more so than wanting to be a Nick? Like, what is it just getting out of Milwaukee, or is it really the end game? I want to be a Knick.

[Don Rosenberg]

It sounds.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the case, then just be patient. You'll be a Nick. Don't mess around and go someplace else.

[Don Rosenberg]

It sounds like New York, the Garden. That whole. The whole idea of him and his brand, you know, kind of doing what he saw Carmelo do, seeing what's happening for Jalen Brunson. I mean, Josh Hart's doing underwear commercials, national television. Think about that. Josh Hart.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Rosenberg]

Okay, so is it that he's seeing it as a great place for me to move my career and because it's. Look, you know, he's Greek, big Greek contingent here in this city. As we know when he comes here, he has a huge following. And so for him it would be very comfortable to live here. He loves it here. He's here in the off season. Same thing with Joel Embiid. Joel Embiid a couple years ago was the same thing. He wanted to be in New York. He lives in New York. People don't know this. Joel Embiid lives in. Lives uptown with his. With his girlfriend. Or is it his wife now? Either way. So it's something to just. I think it's more about he wants to come here and play the end of his career here and he's done enough in Milwaukee. He feels like, I've done enough here. I don't owe you anything anymore. Now I want to do things for me, right? And I don't think it's chasing championships. I think it's more about where he wants to go and he believes. See, people also mistaken this one. Star players aren't going somewhere and saying, oh, I want to try to win a champion. Because that team's championship caliber. Star players think I make you championship caliber.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Rosenberg]

At least NBA players think that way. I remember saying this once on get up, like behind the scenes talking to a former NBA player. And that's when he corrected me. He's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, no, no, I think I'll make you a title contender because I'm that good. Oh, I see. It changes the whole math. So that's what Giannis is thinking. And at least that's what I believe he's. What he's thinking. It is about playing for the Knicks first versus chasing championship.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. Because we've seen how it played out for Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant does not get credit for those championships in Golden State. Even though he won MVPs there in the finals. He does not get credit. He looks like he's a ring sniffer that went to a ready made championship, won a couple of rings, and I think it hurt his reputation more than helped it. That would be the same for Giannis. This is an Oklahoma City team that won the championship last year and now this year, what are they? 24, 25 and 1. Something ridiculous on their way to winning another championship without having to add Giannis. So if Giannis joins the team and they win another title, it'll be, oh, Giannis got two rings, but look what he did. He. So he would be doing it just for the satisfaction. Winning a championship, it's not going to help his reputation. It's not going to put him in. Oh, when you start talking about multi ring winners among stars, he'll be thrown into the Durant category. Now, if he comes to the Knicks, different story.

[Don Rosenberg]

Oh, he helps them win a title.

[Alan Hahn]

He becomes Mark Messi.

[Rich Eisen]

Absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

And it's a completely different.

[Don Rosenberg]

But him and puns legends.

[Alan Hahn]

Is that his motivation or he's just, hey, I always want to help my brand, man. Well, I can win a championship.

[Don Rosenberg]

One thing to keep in mind, if he ends up with Oklahoma City, it's because the Bucks did that. But Bucks wanted the better deal, right? They, they were like, you can't say Giannis forced his way to okc. Kevin Durant chose to go to Golden State.

[Alan Hahn]

It's.

[Don Rosenberg]

Remember, they got that because it was that the new TV deal, it opened up a ton of cab space and he, he signed there, he went there after being knocked out by the warriors and people saw that as weak, whereas Giannis wouldn't. This wouldn't be Giannis demanding to be traded there. This would be OKC saying, we want to get one of the best players in the league and make us. Make us the evil Empire. And the Bucks saying, they've got a lot of stuff to offer that the Knicks can't offer. We're taking this deal.

[Alan Hahn]

But it would still be the impatience of Giannis that wanting the deal to happen now instead of just waiting until the off season.

[Don Rosenberg]

That's fair.

[Alan Hahn]

So you could still. It won't be on the level of Durant, but it'll still be. He's at Oklahoma City because he didn't want to wait for the Knicks and he wanted to force the deal because he didn't want to sit there and be on a bad team for one more year. So it still could be spun as a negative that he, he didn't force his way to Oklahoma City, but he still forced his way out of Milwaukee at a time where that was the only place he could end up going.

[Don Rosenberg]

Now, does this put urgency on the Knicks at all? When you see that line that I read to you about how there would no longer be an exclusive window for the Knicks, right now it is, right now it's exclusive window for the Knicks. The Bucks are trying to open that window by getting other teams to jump in. But you have a lot of teams that are like, no, we know he wants to go there again. It's the worst kept secret in the league for the last year. The worst kept secret in the league is this. So most teams have not really prepared for this. Maybe Miami has that arrogance of, well, we can talk him into it. I'll throw some rings on the table, all that stuff. But most teams know like he this, that's where he wants to go. He doesn't really want to be here. So I don't want to rent him if I can't win a championship. But Oklahoma City is the one caveat that I feel like is the team that could say, yeah, well, you know, we can guarantee ourselves at least one more ring. And if you can do that, what the hell, let's do it. We got a ton of picks. Who cares? So I'm asking you if the Knicks should feel and I'm asking the fans to 800-9193776 because I've gotten mixed reaction from this Don when I talk to fans, some say, I don't want to blow up another roster. I like this team. Let's just do tweaks and all that stuff. Don't do it. And there are others that are like, you've got to end this thing. You've got to win a title. It's almost 54 years. You got to do something. And if that guy gets you over the top, you do whatever it takes to get him.

[Alan Hahn]

Because I think everybody believes that the Knicks have a chance to get out of the Eastern Conference, but zero chance to beat okc. So is that good enough to finally to go to a final for the first time since 1999, or do you want to put yourself in a position where you're actually standing for it and beat them?

[Don Rosenberg]

Well, do you believe that this roster, you know, all right, so you don't think this roster as currently constructed when healthy because, you know, they just lost Deuce McBride now he's. He's listed as out tonight. You know, when they're fully healthy with Anunoby and Bridges now is an obi's back. They. So you're saying. I still don't see them being good enough to beat the Thunder.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't. I don't see it. But then did you see the Pacers going seven with them last year?

[Don Rosenberg]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

So I. You never, I guess you never know. It's tough to win back to back and you know, maybe there's an injury. You can't. You're not going to say no. But the odds are going to be that OKC is going to be. It looks like this is like a forever team.

[Don Rosenberg]

It does.

[Alan Hahn]

And that it's going to break the record for wins in a C and just be on their way to a championship and you're just going to be a mosquito on a windshield. But you never know. But with Giannis, now you're talking.

[Don Rosenberg]

And you got to think too with Boston, although Boston's playing really well lately, but they still are compromised. The whole idea of Tatum coming back, guys, it's an Achilles. There's no way they force him back that fast.

LeBron is aging quickly. Curry and the Golden State warriors do not look good. So you're talking about a changing of the guard era happening right now where the kind of doors open, the windows open. And that's why this is not easy. If you're Leon Rose, if you're James Dolan, this is not easy because you have a team that's 14 and four since November 2 and 13 and one at home all season. They have the number three offense in the NBA. Their defense is climbing into the top 10. In fact, the last seven games they're top five defense. Like they're, they're starting to figure out the injuries have happened. They got to get men maneuver through them. But like, is it too soon to say I don't know if this team can do it, or do you really need to see more with Mike Brown at the helm before you make this decision? This is not easy. I don't think this is a slam dunk decision. No.

[Alan Hahn]

Luckily you don't have to make it now. Right.

[Don Rosenberg]

It sounds like, it sounds like the Bucks want that to happen. They want to ratchet it up.

[Alan Hahn]

I just, I, I still, I still want to lean towards you want being patient.

[Don Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

You're a good team. This is not like the old days where you're trying to become relevant. You are relevant now. And this could all just be fugazi, right? This all could just be a work. 5 minutes ago it was. He only wants to go to the Knicks. We know that in order for them to cash out on this deal, Milwaukee has to come up with some narrative that there are other people involved in this.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

So there's still this feeling of a lot of this could just be all made up. You know, Giannis destination is New York. Going to Oklahoma City could disrupt that even for him. He might get him to a self a situation where I really want to go to Knicks, but I'm going to stay at okc I'm winning too much. It's nice here. I still believe it's a risk, but I still believe. Just wait it out. Don't buy into any of this stuff. Take care of business in the off season.

[Don Rosenberg]

All right, let's hear from the people on this. We got a lot of calls. 800 now. 193776. Let's begin with Mark in Harlem. Go ahead, Mark. How do you about it?

[Caller Dave]

How you doing, guys?

[Don Rosenberg]

What's up, Mark?

[Caller Dave]

All right, listen, I have a question for you. I want you to answer this as a fan. Okay, Good. Do you really believe the Nick should take Giannis after he makes a lot of money in the last three or four year playoff time he's been hurt?

[Don Rosenberg]

It's a great question. It's hard to answer because when he's healthy and I can tell you this, seven years in a row, he's top five in MVP voting.

He's one of the best players in the league, man. Right.

[Caller Dave]

I love him.

[Don Rosenberg]

So you just want to make sure you get him healthy. Right now. He's not. And that. That's a red flag for me. Already got. Got a calf issue and he always.

[Caller Dave]

Been hurt playoff lately.

[Don Rosenberg]

It's fair, Mark.

[Alan Hahn]

It's.

[Don Rosenberg]

Mark. It's absolutely fair. See Don. And that's. It's fair. Is making a dramatic move like this. These are. They're never guaranteed moves, right? They never are. You hope they work and this is one where it's true. But what am I giving up? Because that's the other part. I can't gut important pieces on my team either because then there's nothing left. And now what are you doing? Are you just going to become the Bucs roster? What good is that?

[Alan Hahn]

That's not helping.

[Don Rosenberg]

Nick. In Woodbridge. You're up next, Nick.

[Caller Nick]

Hey, guys. Thanks for taking the call.

[Don Rosenberg]

You got it.

[Caller Nick]

I think for me it comes down to do you believe that the Knicks can win a title with Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns at the helm, given what we know is an opportunity for both of those guys Defensively, offensively, they're special. They're elite. And Cats not even shooting the ball well yet. And you see how well this offense is clicking. But if you move for Giannis, you're getting one of the best two way players in the league. So it will help you defensively. But I can't imagine you keep Anobi and Bridges in that trade. One of them is going to have to go.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's the part that bothers me, too. Yeah. No, that's what bothers me is losing those wings in a deal like this. I will answer your question with this. Jalen Brunson's a winner. He's proven it at every level he's played. He's a winner. I'm not worried about him. Like when people say, do you think he can be a leader on a championship team? My answer is an affirmative yes. No question. Why? I've seen it, so I don't worry about that part of it. But I do worry about what he said there, Don. You know, if I'm the Bucks and I'm like, well, all right, I got to take Towns's contract because it's a big contract, well, there's a 30 point guy off the table. I also got to take one of your wings. And Adonovi is an elite defender who makes you better, and they missed him when he was gone. So, like, that's the stuff that does give me cause for pause.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. There's no guarantees. It trades a trade. The Bucks are going to want something back in return. And you don't want to cut off your nose, despite your face. Giannis is a singular talent for sure, but what goes back the other way can make this look a lot different.

[Don Rosenberg]

What's. What you're left with makes things a lot different.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rich Eisen]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don Rosenberg]

All right, so there's no. No more Timmy Trumpets and Edwin Diaz at Citi Field. No. Maybe we could have something like this instead for the next. Whoever it is. I don't know if Devin Williams even has a walk up. He's had a walkout. It's a boo song. People just boo. That's what happened at Yankee Stadium. But we're not gonna boo, though. Our guest, though, hanging out with us here in studio. Rich Eisen, who joins us.

[Rich Eisen]

Yes, thank you.

[Don Rosenberg]

You can hear him on 10:50am here.

[Rich Eisen]

I appreciate it. And yeah, Devin Williams is a four letter word. So I live out in Los Angeles and I tell this to K all the time. He's the voice of my household between the hours of 4 and 7pm out there on the left coast, being able to pop on a Yankee game in the late afternoon dinner time. It's awesome. And until we realized Devin Williams made the Yankees change their facial hair code for a guy who has two pitches. And then we found out about all of that, you know.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yeah. And now they can't go back. Now everybody can have facial hair. It's okay now.

[Rich Eisen]

By the way, I heard that they, they went back. Didn't, didn't howl send that. Didn't he send out something this week saying that we're going back now that Devin's gone, we're going back.

[Don Rosenberg]

Please tell me that's true.

[Rich Eisen]

I don't know. I thought I saw it. I don't know what's real and what's not on the.

[Don Rosenberg]

I don't get on that. I want that to be real so bad.

[Rich Eisen]

That's not true.

[Don Rosenberg]

Might have gotten sports pickled.

[Rich Eisen]

But that's ok. That's ok.

[Don Rosenberg]

I'll take it.

[Alan Hahn]

They can't. They just can't because they never. Because I always said, Rich, that if you were going to do it, get out in front of it.

[Rich Eisen]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Because you don't want there to be somebody like literally is the face of the change. Because what if it ends up being somebody like Devin Williams?

[Don Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

You wouldn't do it for Brian Wilson who was really good and won a ring, but you're going to do it for Devin Williams, who the, the, the only thing that people remembered before you signed him was giving up the Pete Alonso home run. That, and if you decide to go back to it forever, it becomes the Devin Williams rule. That doesn't seem right.

[Rich Eisen]

Maybe we should have let Jacoby Ellsbury come in with a beer. Maybe that would have helped.

[Don Rosenberg]

There's a list of. I'll tell you, there's a list of names of players still getting checks from the Yankees. And yet it's how Steinmer's fault they're not going over 300 million. But you know what, Donnie? Rich said something that I feel like you and I have talked about from an east coast bias standpoint.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don Rosenberg]

Because Rich, an East coast guy.

[Rich Eisen]

Yes.

[Don Rosenberg]

Who went West Coast.

[Rich Eisen]

Born in Brooklyn, raised in Staten Island. P.S. 54 is 72, Susan Wagner High School. Both parents New York City public school educators.

[Don Rosenberg]

That's it.

[Rich Eisen]

Sheepshead Bay High School. My dad taught in Port Richmond High School.

[Don Rosenberg]

Also shouting them all out.

[Rich Eisen]

Oh, yeah, man. A former Staten island advance staff writer.

[Alan Hahn]

That's me.

[Don Rosenberg]

You and Pete Davidson. Is that right?

[Rich Eisen]

Well, I haven't bought a ferry.

But I haven't done that.

[Don Rosenberg]

But this is the thing, because we've all, in our travels, had to be in LA on a Sunday and 9am there's football. Man, is it glorious? And so I don't know that world where it's 4 o', clock, you're watching Yankee baseball and it's not an afternoon game.

[Rich Eisen]

My kids.

[Don Rosenberg]

And you're done at seven.

[Rich Eisen]

I felt for this year, man, I was rooting for the Blue Jays for various reasons because Mattingly was in the dugout too. But this World Series was arguably the best World Series maybe since the 011. Obviously, I wasn't pleased with the result.

[Don Rosenberg]

No, but it was epic.

[Rich Eisen]

Unbelievable. Just one crazy scenario after another after another after another.

I felt for kids out here on the east coast, they didn't see some of the most wild action. The ball wedging into the bottom of the outfield padding and the. And the, you know, the, the. Obviously the warning track or the moment where Pa has runs over Kike trucks.

[Don Rosenberg]

His teammate just to make a catch.

[Rich Eisen]

After IKF gets called out at home. Home. I mean, at one point during this World Series, the entire Major League Baseball season was in a replay machine over that.

[Don Rosenberg]

That's true.

[Rich Eisen]

You know, I had Will Smith on my show a couple weeks ago. He said it was the longest few minutes of his life because he's like. He couldn't swear on the hair of anybody that his toe was down.

[Don Rosenberg]

Imagine being the replay officials.

[Rich Eisen]

Right.

[Don Rosenberg]

Knowing whatever we do right now, I.

[Rich Eisen]

Know it's kind of crazy history, but. So my kids are able to see that because it's 8 o', clock, not 11 o', clock, you know, and no.

[Don Rosenberg]

One got to see Monsters, Inc. Last night.

[Rich Eisen]

You, man.

[Alan Hahn]

No one.

[Don Rosenberg]

So.

[Rich Eisen]

But that. But good for you to mention it. There's something good company. But. But, you know, just what you just said too, though, that Hal doesn't want to spend the money. And him saying essentially one point, I think this, this is true. He did say that the Yankees don't make as much money as you think they make.

[Don Rosenberg]

I've seen the list.

[Rich Eisen]

Okay.

[Don Rosenberg]

He's. I think he's 22nd on the list of owners when it comes to annual net profit.

[Rich Eisen]

Right. For the Yankees.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Rich Eisen]

You know, he's in business with Jerry Jones. You know what I Mean, like, come on, man. So the bottom line is I live in a town where the Major League Baseball franchise is run by somebody and people who basically do not care how much money they are spending at the end of the day. Okay? Now, it does help to have generationally brilliant players say, I'll take a retirement plan where I don't see all of my millions until I'm 50. But the doc, I mean, if you're not gonna go and spend money to the point where it's damn the torpedoes. And I don't care that I'm giving the Pirates and the Royals a check for them to pocket, I want a championship. You're not going to win. It's just that simple because of what the Dodgers are doing right now.

[Alan Hahn]

And I think that's why there's a very good chance there'll be a work stoppage of some sort and a fight for a salary cap. Because I think the Yankees are now going to be on the side of the small market team. Because as laughable as this sounds, Rich crazy, their mom and pop because their money based on baseball, they're not sitting on $16 billion of hedge fund money. If you believe the rumors that Cohen has lost $200 million since owning the Mets. Tells you this is a Tonka truck that he plays with and he puts on the shelf during the wintertime where it's the business of the Steinbrenners to own the Yankees. So even though they print money, you know, having a restaurant on Broadway is different than having a restaurant in Nebraska, you know, the overhead is going to be a lot. Nobody is going to feel bad for them. Rich. But when you see the Dodgers willing to lose money, Cohen winning, willing to lose money, where you see the other three sports thriving with a cap and seeing players make 60, 70 million dollars in a cap era, how can the players fight and say that a cap is wrong?

[Rich Eisen]

Right. I don't know what, what's coming down the pike on that front. You're, I think, crystal balling it in a way that I think is accurate. I don't know how it is going to play out. But maybe then if you do have to have a budget, let's get somebody who makes contact with the baseball. You know what I mean? That's a great way to put it. Let's get people who don't strike out like it's going out of style. And it's either a. I mean, listen, I know my buddy from back in the day on it on ESPN when I was there the first time around. I can't believe I'm saying those words, but Buck Martinez, I used to do a lot of baseball shows with Buck and I know Aaron Boone pushed back on what Buck said about the Yankees, but he was spot on.

[Don Rosenberg]

There's not a Yankee fan that said he was wrong.

[Rich Eisen]

Spot on.

[Don Rosenberg]

Right.

[Rich Eisen]

If it's a, you know, home run, walk, strikeout, like how many times if the Yankees don't hit home runs, it was a problem. And then you see the Blue Jays, but all they did was put the bat on the ball and it was a refreshing thing to see. And what do they also, they almost took out. And by the way, they also didn't fold.

I shouldn't say this because I do love the Yankees, but screw it, they didn't fold after Freddie Freeman gutted them on a walk off World Series home run in Dodger Stadium.

[Don Rosenberg]

Good point.

[Rich Eisen]

They actually won the next two games in Los Angeles. I was there for one of them with my Yankee loving 14 year old son walking out of that stadium, listening to it dead quiet, thinking the Dodgers were going to in fact get beaten. And then obviously that didn't happen either because they got a terrific manager and a great roster. And of course they're deep roster. I mean there was one, there was one moment in the playoffs I did point this out to my son where it was Ohtani on.

Second and Betts on first and Freddie Freeman at the plate and Freeman doubles in the gap and they had a shot from behind home plate watching Ohtani come home and watching Bets go from first to third and watching Freeman to go from home plate to second base. And I pointed to my son, I'm like, look it up. Is that a billion dollars on the billion dollars of ducks on a pond right now? Like is that what's happening?

[Don Rosenberg]

The most expensive on base, but they're.

[Rich Eisen]

Working at Ohtani is just again.

Him in Los Angeles. And it's a Laker town in many different ways. Um, but it's now a Dodger town too. As much as Laker town was gonna.

[Don Rosenberg]

Ask with, with LeBron getting older, because it was always said that, that you know, it was a Laker town. The Lakers most passionate thing. The Raiders used to be the real football team. There was Raiders, usc, ucla, then maybe the Rams, right? Like it kind of goes in that order. But the Lakers were always the team, right. The Dodgers do have a strong following. In fact, I believe the first team right that ever played in LA was the Dodgers. So has it now with these two championships because there was this sense of, you know, they spent a lot of money. They don't win. Then they finally get the. The. The. The. The COVID one. But this. These last two have been.

[Rich Eisen]

And they deserve it. They're incredible. They are absolutely incredible. And it's a funny story. So it was 2023, Halloween. Okay, I'm going trick or treating with my kids because I'm father of the year and I'm dressed as a banana, I swear.

[Don Rosenberg]

Oh, that's father. Okay, that's father of the year.

[Rich Eisen]

I mean, dressed as a banana, walking through.

[Don Rosenberg]

You're in.

[Rich Eisen]

I had a roadie with me.

Because again, you know, you gotta get through it. There's limits. And so I'm walking. And my son, my. Was 12 at the time. He is dressed as a hurt Aaron Rodgers.

[Don Rosenberg]

Oh, no.

[Rich Eisen]

Okay, so he's wearing a Jets. Yes, he's wearing a Jets 8 jersey. Right? Or whatever. He was wearing the number and a wrap around his.

[Don Rosenberg]

The Achilles.

[Rich Eisen]

Right? Around his Achilles. Okay. Now also, he's a Patriot fan because my wife's from New England and I could not. And when he was born, when my children were born, say, now you gotta root for the Jets.

[Don Rosenberg]

You wouldn't do that to them.

[Rich Eisen]

I'm a Michigan guy, too, so Tom Brady was. Was winning championships. My wife loves the Patriots. Child services would have removed him from the house if I'm like, no, you gotta root for the Jets. But anyway, so he's wearing this ironic getup, and there's a guy as we're going through the trick or treating, and he basically starts trolling my son. This is a grown man for being a Jet fan and being a New York fan. And I'm like, all right, now, okay, who do you root for, sir? And he goes, the Dodgers. And at the time I was able to go, dodgers, give me a break. And he goes, who do you root for? And I'm like, the Yankees. And he says, the Yankees haven't won anything since 1970. And I'm like, dude, 1977, 78, you know, and I kept going, 96, 98, 99, 2000, 2009. I just went through it. And he didn't have a leg to stand on as I went back at him as a banana.

[Don Rosenberg]

Okay? That was the part.

[Rich Eisen]

It doesn't matter how I'm dressed. If you're going to come at the Yankees in New York in front of my son, of course, you know, I mean, it's on. But now I'm not going to that man's.

[Don Rosenberg]

No, no, you know what I mean?

[Rich Eisen]

Like, I don't have a leg to stand. And ever, ever since then and obviously Ohtani going there, I keep thinking to myself, before Ohtani had signed with the Yankees, what a, what a. Honestly, what a massive, massive, massive seismic thing that would be for this town. Consider see him doing this in what he does in this town.

[Don Rosenberg]

With Judge.

[Rich Eisen]

Judge. With Judge.

[Don Rosenberg]

That's the see.

[Rich Eisen]

And Stanton when he's healthy.

[Don Rosenberg]

Well, and running, we don't want to see running. We don't, we don't see running or that.

[Rich Eisen]

A crisp walk. I'll take a crisp walk. A brisk. You know.

[Don Rosenberg]

You know, I want to ask you something football that Don and I. Sure. I asked Don at the top of the show about this because somebody reached out to me after last night's guy. I see the highlights of Chargers Eagles.

[Rich Eisen]

Yeah.

[Don Rosenberg]

And I never thought of this and maybe you have brought this up before. So if you have, forgive me. Sure. But as we know, the Tush push is about pushing a teammate. Right. Using leverage and pushing a teammate. But last night a player tried to use his on defense. Tried to use his teammate as leverage to block a kick.

[Rich Eisen]

Yes.

[Don Rosenberg]

Was called for a personal foul, right?

[Rich Eisen]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don Rosenberg]

What's different?

[Rich Eisen]

That's a player safety issue. Because a guy who's got his head down as an offensive lineman to have a now 300 some odd pound man.

[Don Rosenberg]

Push him on the ground, use his own teammate. Well, you're jumping.

[Rich Eisen]

You're talking about trying to block a kick. The leverage you're talking about. No, he had his hand on a charger.

[Don Rosenberg]

That wasn't his own teammate pushing off. No, because that's what we. That's what it looked like to me.

[Rich Eisen]

I don't, I don't.

[Don Rosenberg]

Because I guess you're not allowed to use a teammate to jump higher enough to block.

[Rich Eisen]

You're not allowed to. You're not allowed to use the offensive lineman. Oh, I understand that safety issue. Yeah.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yeah. No, that's what it was.

[Rich Eisen]

I'm. Maybe I think you're right.

[Alan Hahn]

You're absolutely right.

[Rich Eisen]

I was watching it on the plane. You know, it might have been a difficult because I was always thinking why.

[Don Rosenberg]

Couldn'T you just jump off someone's back there?

[Rich Eisen]

No. You know, interesting that you. That's the play that stands out from last night.

[Don Rosenberg]

Oh, no, no.

[Rich Eisen]

There's a lot more that's about to say. Last night was drunk.

[Don Rosenberg]

First of all, two, two turnovers and one.

[Rich Eisen]

One play session is you imagine you have Jalen Hurts in fantasy. And how about this one? How about this, by the way? I don't so I'm just. These are the things I think is that I'm wondering if the league is looking at the moment where. How did Jalen Hurts have possession of the ball.

To fumble it after an interception and a fumble on the same play.

[Don Rosenberg]

Right.

[Rich Eisen]

He had it for like two seconds before they ruled him that he had. He was down that based on seeing the way he grabbed it. I don't think he had it long enough. If it was. If he was, let's say, a receiver. I'm sorry, was it two steps exactly, or you need a third act? Like, that's why, you know, they likely lost his touchdown against the Steelers.

[Don Rosenberg]

Right.

[Rich Eisen]

I'm wondering if the league. They do have people that go back and look at this stuff and do a stat correction that Jalen Hurts might get two points back because take away the turnover. Yeah.

[Don Rosenberg]

One less turnover.

[Rich Eisen]

One less turnover.

[Don Rosenberg]

If you were him, you're sort of thing. You're begging the league, but, you know.

[Rich Eisen]

And so many people are lighting Jalen Hurts up today. He put the ball in A.J. brown's hands on the first throw of the game for a touchdown. He dropped that. He put the ball in AJ Brown's hands towards the end of regulation. He dropped that. They went for a field goal. Got that instead of a touchdown. There might not have been overtime there. He put the ball in AJ Brown's hands over the middle at one point, went off his hands into the hands of the Chargers as well. Saquon ran it for 100 yards. AJ Brown did catch for a hundred yards. They did sack Herbert seven times. It's just like the Eagles and the Chiefs right now, the Ravens, I'll put them in that mix, too. They just can't put clean drives together. They can't put clean quarters together or games together.

[Don Rosenberg]

Isn't that the whole league right now? Like, is there one team that you feel like? I mean, the Patriots at 11 and 3. Look, they look as close as possible, but they're still young. No one's infallible.

[Rich Eisen]

I'm putting the Rams there.

[Don Rosenberg]

Oh, still. Okay.

[Rich Eisen]

I know they lost in Carolina.

[Don Rosenberg]

Carolina loss.

[Rich Eisen]

I know. But going west to east early window. The Seahawks are terrific at that.

[Alan Hahn]

And Carolina might win the division.

[Rich Eisen]

That is entirely true, too. And they can run the ball as well. They're good at home. I keep saying this every year. You know, the. The America's Game documentary that NFL Films puts together for NFL Network, where they chronicle the season of every super bowl champion and we put it on NFL Network every September. There's always a part of that documentary, no matter which team has won, no matter what their record is, even the undefeated, you know, Patriots who lost a game, as we all know, even any of those Patriots teams, there's always adversity. There's always a moment where they're like, this is where things changed or this is where things didn't go well for us. The Rams have potentially the MVP of the league and Matthew Stafford, Drake May is in that mix too right now. But Puka Nakua and Devonte Adams are I think the best receiving tandem in the NFL. And they have a run game and a coach who can dial it up and a front seven that can get after you. And their kicking game, that was a problem in Philadelphia. Why they lost has been fixed. So I think the Rams are the best team in football and we'll see what the Patriots do coming off their by their next two opponents are the Bills and they could wrap the division up and then they take on the Ravens whose back is going to be against the wall. We'll see what happens here. And then obviously they're going to go through the crucible of the playoffs for the first time together as a team with a guy that's never done it before. That said, the Patriots fielding a coach that's getting his second shot at being a head coach with a young quarterback in his first full year as being a starter in his second year in the league. Where have you heard that story before? Certainly if they take on the Rams in the super bowl, that sure sounds familiar. These are, these are things where you never know. Denver offensively has been tough to watch. Defensively, they're as good as anybody else. You could say the same thing about the Texans. And then the packers are pretty damn good. The Bears have been good. The Niners lurk. I mean they've got a, they've got a last place schedule the rest of the way. They play the Bears in, in week 17 on Monday night. That's going to be a big one. Certainly if the Bears, who have some really difficult games between now and then, take on the Lions in the final week of the season and that may be for the right to go to the playoffs or not like the Lions and Bears might be the final game of the season. There's so many great matchups over the next few years.

[Don Rosenberg]

You're saying a lot of nfc, that's what I'm noticing as.

[Rich Eisen]

And a lot of pressure on you when you agree.

[Don Rosenberg]

I completely agree. That's what I'm saying. And yet I'm looking at Buffalo and, and wondering is like, when is it going to be the year? Because it every year. And this felt like it could have been, especially with Mahomes now feeling like out of the way. And Joe Burrow not healthy for most of the season. Right. As always.

[Rich Eisen]

Well, they are nine and four. And what they're doing is running the ball very well. And they do have a quarterback that can show up for work one day and say, you know what? I'm going to count for six touchdowns today. What about you?

[Don Rosenberg]

Yeah. And, you know, and he's got to break through in the playoffs. They keep telling me you have to go.

[Rich Eisen]

Oh, I mean, I've got people that are here that I guess want to.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yeah, they want to see you.

[Rich Eisen]

But I'm an, I'm an, I'm a man of the people, of course. But listen, you know, you know where I, you know, live. Well, you're on this station, right.

[Don Rosenberg]

So, you know, middays here. It's on 10:50am, of course, as well.

[Rich Eisen]

In my hometown, man.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Rich Eisen]

So great.

[Alan Hahn]

Very cool.

[Rich Eisen]

I do love it. I don't take it for granted. I really don't.

[Don Rosenberg]

And one day maybe you'll be on the air when the jets actually make the playoffs.

[Rich Eisen]

When will that happen?

[Don Rosenberg]

I probably never.

[Rich Eisen]

I've been on the air on NFL Network back in the day in the, in the Rex Ryan, Herman Edwards, man. And you know, it's been a while.

[Don Rosenberg]

That's been my line to Bart Scott, my old partner.

[Rich Eisen]

Can't wait.

[Don Rosenberg]

Can't wait. We're still waiting. You did not. We did not take that literally.

[Rich Eisen]

We're still waiting.

[Don Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Rich Eisen]

That's a different sort of spirit to that kind of hurt, you know what I mean?

[Don Rosenberg]

Rich Eisen, everyone, again on 10:50am midday guys here on ESPN New York. Thanks so much, Rich.

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[Don Rosenberg]

Phew.

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rich Eisen]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you just subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don Rosenberg]

All right, 800 now. 193776. Get back into the conversation with the people, Donnie. Right? Yeah. So we were talking some Nicks and Yanis stuff. The latest is from shamshirani on ESPN.com it's different. Rumors are like, one of them is, is that the window of exclusivity for the Knicks when it comes to dealing with the Bucks. For Giannis, who's made it clear he wants to go to New York and play for the Knicks, that window will close soon if they can get other teams to get involved. And so I was asking the question, and so did Don of like, what is the urgency here if you're the Knicks? Are you worried about it? Does it make you feel like, oh, we better get on something, or are you like, you know what? No, no. We're not blowing up our team for a player that is a great player, but, you know, like, what does it do to the roster? So Dave in the car, though, feels the urgency, though. Go ahead, Dave.

[Caller Dave]

Oh, Earl Monroe demanded a trade way back in the day. Donnie doesn't remember this. Okay. And he wanted to. He didn't demand to go to the Knicks, but he demanded the trade and he was injured. Okay? So when he got to the Knicks, he's what's called a superstar. So when you have chance to get a superstar, you go get a superstar. So you trade for Giannis.

[Caller Nick]

Not today.

[Caller Dave]

You trade from yesterday, the day before, the day before, the day before. He give Cat and you give Bridges or og, but I'd rather keep og. And you put Giannis on the team instead of going to the finals and losing six games to okc. That's what you do right now. You don't wait around until he goes to okc, wins the championship there, and then hopefully you get them because you're not winning this Year. No matter what you say, it's okc.

[Caller Nick]

It's not going to happen.

[Caller Dave]

So that's what you do have with Earl Monroe. Exactly the same thing yet bone spurs. I don't know how old you are, but I'm 63. I saw the whole thing.

[Don Rosenberg]

But what did they give up for Earl though?

[Caller Dave]

Yeah, they gave up a bag of balls.

[Alan Hahn]

They gave up.

[Don Rosenberg]

They gave up two guys off the bench. That ain't happening. Right.

[Caller Dave]

But he went to a good team. And Janice and you also know.

[Don Rosenberg]

Whoa, whoa, Dave. Because I wasn't. I was alive, but I wasn't really alive for this. But I know what happened because I wrote a book about it. Earl left. I know Earl Monroe well, so do I. He left. The Bullets left him. He walked away.

[Caller Dave]

He sat on the bench.

[Don Rosenberg]

Because he said no. He wanted to be traded. He left. He went to Philly and they finally had to. They were forced to do something. And that's what Giannis refuses to do.

[Caller Dave]

If you want to be made a public. He wants to come to the. He did not know.

[Don Rosenberg]

He did not make it public. He did not. These are all source based reporting. He has not ever said anything publicly. In fact he denies.

[Caller Dave]

Has got to get off his you know what and do something about this today.

[Don Rosenberg]

You want it done now? Okay.

[Caller Dave]

I wanted to rate this minute. I won't sit him two to four weeks. I'll sit him eight weeks. As long as I'm one of the top eight teams that makes the playoffs, I don't care. Okay, I'll sit him eight weeks to make sure he's fully healthy so he doesn't do that precursor and get, and get the Achilles. No, four weeks.

[Don Rosenberg]

Now. Is there last thing for you, Dave? Is there a price too high? Because if you're the Bucks, you want to get everything you can. That's your superstars.

[Caller Dave]

Take. Take anything you offer. Brunson, take the whole team. Take Leon Rose. Take. Take anybody you want. Take Dolan, take the Garden. Take anybody. Want. Give me a superstar. Because we only had five in our, in our history. Monroe, Frazier, Reed, Ewing, Bernard King. And maybe if you want to count Carmelo Anthony who played with nobody, that's it. We have not had a superstar. And Jalen Brunson is not a superstar. Not a superstar.

[Don Rosenberg]

Not. Not. Well, I disagree with that. I think he is by definition a superstar. You consider the fact that he's annually an all star. He's an all NBA player, his top five scorer in the NBA, maybe top eight.

I would. He's one of the highest selling jerseys in the sport raises his ceiling in the playoffs. I'm sorry he's not a superstar, don, but he averages 30 a game in the playoffs in over 80 something playoff games since he's joined the Knicks. 30 points a game, but he's not a superstar.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, we're up against it, but there were so many holes in that conversation, it was really, really difficult to stomach.

[Don Rosenberg]

All right, so no, I got it. Because you can have an opinion and that's fine. So what do you guys think? Because again, I need to get feedback. I want feedback. Dave just said, doesn't matter. Trade anything. It takes. Get Giannis. Get him. Does everybody agree with this? Is this what Nick fans are thinking? Get him now before other teams have a chance to get them and now you lose them. Is that how it really is right now in New York?

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Don Hahn]

Hear my more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

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[Don Rosenberg]

Yeah.

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[Alan Hahn]

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