Hour 3: Giannis' Future

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast Summary
Episode: Hour 3: Giannis' Future
Release Date: July 10, 2025

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Introduction to the Episode

The third hour of the "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" podcast dives deep into the uncertain future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Hosted by Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg, this episode provides a comprehensive analysis of Giannis' current standing with the Bucks, potential trade speculations, and the broader implications for the NBA.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo's Future with Milwaukee Bucks

Overview

The primary focus of this episode revolves around Giannis Antetokounmpo's possible departure from the Milwaukee Bucks. The discussion highlights various factors contributing to the speculation, including the Bucks' recent playoff performances, team dynamics, and Giannis' own statements.

Key Points Discussed:

1. Playoff Performance and Team Concerns (01:25-03:05):

   • Don Hahn raises concerns about the Bucks' repeated playoff failures, mounting injuries, and Giannis getting older.
   • The recent injury to Damian Lillard and the signing of Miles Turner are cited as questionable moves that have left many doubting the Bucks' championship potential.
   • Quote: "They just cut him by making a trade that a lot of people are ... they're not a team that everybody thinks can win a championship." – Don Hahn [02:00]

2. Giannis' Public Statements and Speculation (03:05-06:05):

   • The hosts discuss Giannis' off-the-cuff remarks about New York taxes being bad, interpreting it as a subtle hint towards potential relocation.
   • Peter Rosenberg mentions, "This means Giannis is open to leaving but isn't going to disrespect the Bucks in case he doesn't." [05:57]
   • Don Hahn emphasizes Giannis' affinity for Milwaukee but acknowledges the possibility of a future move.

3. Potential Destination: New York Knicks (06:05-09:23):

   • The conversation shifts to the allure of the New York Knicks as a destination for Giannis, given the mutual admiration between Giannis and the Knicks fan base.
   • Peter Rosenberg notes, "Knicks love him, and they would do anything to get a guy like him because that's an MVP candidate in his prime." [06:20]
   • Concerns are raised about the Knicks' current team structure and whether they can accommodate a superstar like Giannis without significant roster overhauls.

4. Historical Precedents and Market Dynamics (09:24-12:18):

   • The hosts draw parallels with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's move from Milwaukee to LA, suggesting that while such moves are unprecedented, they’re not impossible.
   • Don Hahn states, "Giannis is hanging over this league like a cloud that everybody's waiting to see where it's going." [11:15]
   • The discussion includes how NBA teams react to potential superstar trades, often restructuring their plans based on speculative moves.

5. Impact on NBA Strategies and Team Planning (12:18-16:57):

   • The conversation delves into how Giannis' uncertainty affects other teams’ strategies, leading them to hoard cap space and draft picks in anticipation of a possible trade.
   • Peter Rosenberg mentions Brian Windhorst's perspective: "Giannis is giving other teams a tiny bit of hope." [12:24]
   • The hosts compare Giannis' situation to LeBron James' free agency moves, highlighting the delicate balance teams maintain when dealing with superstar contracts.

Notable Quotes:

• "He has been a final, a top five in voting for MVP seven straight seasons." – Don Hahn [11:46]
• "Giannis provided no clarity on his future with those remarks. And no clarity is what's been driving the speculation around Giannis." – Don Hahn [15:30]
• "Unlike other sports, basketball ... one guy can have that kind of impact, just can't." – Peter Rosenberg [15:56]

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Impact of Superstar Players on Team Dynamics

The hosts explore the broader implications of retaining or trading superstar players like Giannis. They discuss how a single player's presence can significantly alter a team's competitive edge, fan engagement, and overall strategy.

• Don Hahn compares the transformative effect of Giannis to that of an NFL quarterback, emphasizing the unique influence such players wield in basketball.

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Analysis of NFL Championship Game (22:00-27:14)

Shifting gears, the conversation briefly touches upon a classic NFL NFC Championship game from the early '90s. The hosts reminisce about the game's conditions, team performances, and the evolution of stadium infrastructure over the years.

• Don Hahn laments the outdated facilities like Candlestick Park, highlighting how modern stadiums have improved both player safety and fan experience.

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Discussion on Baseball Stadiums and Safety (27:14-38:25)

The hosts delve into the intricacies of baseball stadium designs, particularly focusing on the regulation of warning tracks and their impact on player safety.

1. Warning Track Regulations:

   • Listener Dave brings up concerns about inconsistent warning track lengths across different stadiums, citing potential hazards for outfielders.
   • Don Hahn and Peter Rosenberg express surprise, discussing historical stadium designs and the lack of uniformity in current structures.

2. Historical Stadium Comparisons:

   • The hosts recall past stadium issues, such as the Metrodome's roof problems and the unique challenges posed by multi-purpose stadiums like the Vet.

3. All-Star Game Tie Controversy:

   • A heated debate ensues over the handling of ties in All-Star baseball games, with personal anecdotes shared about past games and their outcomes.
   • Don Hahn criticizes the necessity of avoiding ties, suggesting alternative resolutions to maintain the game's integrity.

Notable Quotes:

• "It's a different animal. Playing for the Knicks is always going to be different than playing for the Nets." – Peter Rosenberg [10:08]
• "How do you allow [a mud-soaked field] in a championship game? It's embarrassing." – Don Hahn [26:13]

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Brief Segments and Listener Interactions

Throughout the episode, Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg engage with listener calls, addressing questions ranging from team strategies to stadium safety. These interactions add a dynamic and interactive layer to the podcast, reflecting real-time sports fan concerns and interests.

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Conclusion

The "Giannis' Future" episode of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast offers an insightful exploration into one of the NBA's most intriguing narratives. Through expert analysis, historical comparisons, and engaging discussions, the hosts provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing Giannis Antetokounmpo's potential move and its ripple effects across the basketball landscape.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "They have all these NBA players, especially superstars, have their own management team..." – Don Hahn [03:23]
• "Great minds think alike. Wendy's saying exactly the same thing." – Don Hahn [13:30]
• "In Charlotte, I don't know if they are a more than a. Like, they're not better than the Bucks." – Don Hahn [16:21]

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This detailed summary encapsulates the critical discussions and insights from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for both regular listeners and newcomers interested in the evolving story of Giannis Antetokounmpo's career trajectory.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Game time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys, it's jolly time. It's tolly time. Mets lost already today in game one of their doubleheaded with the Orioles 3 1. They're just underway. Game two. If you want to hear it, it's on 880 as we speak in the Yankees close out their series with the Mariners. They're bringing out the brooms at 7:05 Tullamore due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the Tullamore Dew, honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. Since we were just coming off some basketball talk, some interesting stuff from Giannis.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, do we have. Can we play the audio? Are we allowed to do we have. This is so everybody, you want to set it up? The talk about Giannis after the season has been not from his own mouth, but from a lot of suggestions of people around him and also some of our, our NBA experts who feel like he's reaching a point of no return when it comes to the Milwaukee Bucks. They have been failing each year in the playoffs, injuries mounting, he's getting older. And keep in mind that Dame Lillard who popped his Achilles now out for an entire year and they just cut him by making a trade that a lot of people are. I'm sorry, not making a trade by making a signing of Miles Turner that a lot of people are like, what are you do. Why now? Why are you doing this? They're not. They are not a team that everybody thinks can win a championship. Right? So this would be the time for Giannis to say, it's time for me to go but he has never said anything publicly. There's been a lot of indications that he loves New York, and, boy, the Knicks love him, and they would do anything to get a guy like him because that's an MVP candidate in his prime. You do whatever it takes to get a guy like that. So all that stuff has been hovering around the off season, waiting for something to happen. But for the first time, other than a time, when he spoke while he was in Greece and he said something off the cuff about, oh, somebody asked him about the NBA Finals, and he's like, oh, it's. It's great, and I'd love to get back there again soon with the Bucks. And people thought that meant, okay, I'm staying, but not necessarily. So now we finally get him talking on the record, definitively naming names, including the Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, this is a streaming show, I show Speed, where Giannis said, this la To Tax is bad. New York. Tax is bad.

[Don Hahn]

A lot of people tried to convince me, try to convince me to go and play there and stuff.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you staying in Milwaukee?

[Don Hahn]

Probably, Probably. We'll see. Probably. I love Milwaukee.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you're saying there's a chance.

[Don Hahn]

So he said, probably, probably. Probably, we'll see. And then he added smartly, I love Milwaukee. Right. A lot of people were trying to convince me to go there. Now, who are these? Yeah, who are these? A lot of people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Other players, right. But any Knicks.

[Don Hahn]

His own people. Okay, this is. And I can tell you this. I. It's. He has, you know, all these NBA players, especially superstars, have their own management team. They have groups, they have people they work with, they have companies they work with. Right. They have different types of partners and partnerships and everything else. And he does have, I guess, a bunch of people that he works with that were trying to sell him on the idea of, boy, you right now in your prime in New York would be off the charts. Like, you could be. You could be as big as LeBron. And he was listening, as far as I know. But the bottom line was he would have to be the one to say, you have to, though, say, I want to go there. And it's not unprecedented. You know, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, at the time when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks, he was known as Lu Alcindor. And he did change his name to Kareem Abdul Jabbar. And he won a championship in Milwaukee with the big O, just like Giannis won a championship in Milwaukee. And then he just let it be known, I don't really love being here in Milwaukee. And so he said to the Bucks, I want to move on. Please trade me to one of two places. I want to go home to New York or I want to go to la. And he ended up going to la. And the whole story about why he ended up in New York is one of these face palm, like, typical. Like, this is what happens to the Knicks thing that I wrote in my book. But I'm telling you, Giannis doing that would not be unprecedented. It has happened before, but he won't do it. So when you hear him say, probably, probably, probably, we'll see, and then adds, I love Milwaukee, can you translate for me? What is he really saying, Don McGregor?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That he's open to leaving but isn't going to disrespect the Bucks in case he doesn't.

[Don Hahn]

Right. Is that what it sounded like to you? 20 years experience in this business, your ears are sharp as well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It sounds like he's open to leave, that I would not bet that he is staying with Milwaukee, but it might not be right away. And he wants to make sure that while he is a buck that he's not. That it's known he's planning his exit strategy. But it does sound like there's a lot of confidence there, that that's where he's going to spend his entire career. That's where I got from. What did you get?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, no, no, I'm pulling the room, Jake. Now, you heard Giannis and his response. What did you hear? Translate what you heard from Giannis when he said probably when he was asked about. All right, so you're staying with the Bucks. Probably. Probably, probably. We'll see. I love Milwaukee. He's gone. He's gone. He gone? Yeah. Whether he put it out already or let the Bucs organization. This was one of those where he read the room, he saw what they did in the off season. It wasn't much to move him. I mean, Miles Turner was the biggest acquisition. He's out of there now. When he actually drops the news that he wants to move on from Milwaukee, that's another story. But when I saw the clip, the first thing I thought is, oh, you thought, this guy's got. He's out. He just doesn't want to say it. Okay, exactly. Anthony, what did you hear? Well, I'm known for being negative.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's true.

[Don Hahn]

Not you. Yeah, I heard what you guys heard, that he may not be married to Milwaukee long term. But the thing that stuck out to me was a lot of people were trying to convince me to go to New York doesn't sound like the New York or the Knicks were top of mind for him. So if he goes and we know the hurdles that it would take to get him here, I'm not sure if Giannis leaves, it would be to the New York Knicks. That would be my concern. Would it be Brooklyn? Another one? See, it's funny, but it's funny you say that, but I'm wondering, when do we get to that point where these superstars all go, like, yeah, no, I've seen that. I see how that ends, right? Like, I don't know if I want to do, but it's still. New York. Is New York. I always thought Miami was the place that he would want to go to. He said, a lot of people were convincing me of New York. Didn't say a lot of people were trying to convince me to go to Miami. Is New York, New York?

[Peter Rosenberg]

How is. How is Brooklyn? I know technically it's in the city. It's a. It's one of the five boroughs.

[Don Hahn]

But it's not like playing. But they've all said it's not like playing at the Garden. They've all said, right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not like playing at the Garden.

[Don Hahn]

And even though it's Brooklyn, James Harden said it. He said, it feels like you're in another city. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It gets. It's like Long island in New Jersey.

[Don Hahn]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, your.

[Don Hahn]

James Harden was the best to talk.

[Peter Rosenberg]

About the Devils, the Islanders, the Nets have always been in the market. Yeah, but it's not playing in that building.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not playing in. It's not playing on the island of Manhattan. It's not playing for one of the original franchises in the sport. That's the difference. So, yes, he's going to New York, but I don't know if you're really going to New York. And again, like, Brooklyn would be great.

[Don Hahn]

If it wasn't in New York City. When it comes to the Nets franchise, like, the whole vibe, everything's cool, everything they have is great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I will just.

[Don Hahn]

But you're. You're just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I will say, people don't feel like I'm disrespecting Brooklyn if they. If for some reason there was some kind of problem with land, it just made sense for Jim Dolan to do it. If he pulled a thing like they did a while with the Lakers and the Clippers and they expanded in the NBA, gave New York another team, or the Nets moved into the Garden, like, Dolan wanted to take the rent, share the building, then they shared the building that the Knicks And Nets shared the building the way the old Staples center was shared by the Clippers and the Lakers. Yeah, they. The Nets, still. It still wouldn't be the same.

[Don Hahn]

No, listen, you're in New York, you're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Playing at the Garden, but you're not that team.

[Don Hahn]

Don, I have covered. I have called on tv, Lakers, and then the next two nights later, Clippers. It's like you're. It's like you're in two different buildings. It's unreal. It's. It was the same arena. This is when they were at Staples.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Or it was crypto when I was. The last time I was there, which was, I guess, last season. I can't tell you how. It just feels like a different building. Right. And it's not like there's nobody there. The problem is the Clipper game, it's a ton of Nick fans. The Laker game, it's half Nick fans. But the vibe is just so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm. I'm giving that example because I'm not like, when I say, is Brooklyn really New York? I'm not disrespecting Brooklyn. I'm just saying being the other team in town when you're that team right now, the Mets, they've established themselves, they've won, they had a fan base. It was in a different league, different set of circumstances. Same thing with the jets, different set of circumstances. But the Nets, Devils, Islanders, their own geography, it's just. It's a different animal. Playing for the Knicks is always going to be different than playing for the Nets.

[Don Hahn]

It just. That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's just the way that it's always going to be.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but. But again, with the Giannis, part of this whole thing, that's hovering over the league. It's hovering over the league. And just like I understand LeBron, he's 40. He's going to be 41. You don't want to move heaven and earth for a guy that age because, you know, it's only one year. Giannis is 31 and he's seven years, Don. Seven straight seasons. He has been a final. A top five in voting for MVP.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Big deal.

[Don Hahn]

Seven years. So think about it that way. You're getting a guy that is very prominent when it comes to one of the best players in the league and still in his prime. So you wouldn't. You move heaven and earth to get that guy? Yes. Even if it's like. If it cost you a year because you have to reset your roster. No. Cause I got that guy now. And I got Jalen Brunson like you do that because, you know, I could build this thing. So Giannis is hanging over this league like a cloud that everybody's waiting to see where's it going.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Brian Windhorst was on first take saying Giannis is giving other teams a tiny bit of hope.

[Don Hahn]

We'll see is the basis of why a bunch of teams are considering holding their assets to try to make a trade for Giannis sometime in the foreseeable future. We'll see is enough. In the NBA, the value of a superstar player is so high and the impact that one franchise changing player can make is so great that a player simply saying we'll see whether it's on a stream or it's behind the scenes at a party or to a. To another player on a court. We'll see has gotten teams to tear up future plans and to plan years in advance and to hoard cap space and picks. I've seen seen it happen. So while on one hand it's not Giannis saying he wants to do anything but be in Milwaukee, it does explain why teams are keeping a very close eye on the situation. And I would say that Giannis provided no clarity on his future with those remarks. And no clarity is what's been driving the speculation around Giannis. Great minds think alike. Wendy's saying exactly the same thing. I think. I believe that's the same thing I've been saying. Right. And you know, he's really. He's very plugged in, so it just makes this really interesting. And what he's referencing, he's right. And we know we just did the Thursday rewrite in LeBron James and the Decision. LeBron did the same thing in 28, 2008. He was already giving out the feelers of a free agency coming in 2010 to a point where the Knicks dumped salary two years before they got rid of Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph. And they became a bad team because they didn't want any cap space because they wanted the ability to sign LeBron. And that. That's. There was a time LeBron came in to the Garden and they were asking him, what do you think about this team carving out cap space a year and a half before you come a free agent because they want to make a play for you. And he said it's an exciting time for their fan base because it gives them hope. Think about that. So he's putting out that we'll see. When it comes to staying in Cleveland, he was given off the same vibe. Now Giannis can. Can walk away from his deal, I think it's in 27. So two more seasons. So it's still a little bit of time. And maybe you might see a team or two say, we're going to have some flexibility just in case this dude goes on the open market. Makes it real interesting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Does make it.

[Don Hahn]

And he did not close the door at all without those statements.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, you mentioned resetting your roster to make it work. So would the Knicks have to do that?

[Don Hahn]

Well, again, if you look at some of their deals and the way they're structured, especially Cat, it's, you know, do you give an extension to Cat or do you just say, oh, you still got two years, like, let's play this out and see how it goes. Do you. What do you do with Bridges? You know, he's. Right now he's. He's eligible for an extension right now. Right now, since July 6, they could have given him an extension. That hasn't happened yet. Now for him, he could say, I'd rather wait till next summer. I could get more in the open market than I can if I sign the extension. So who's to say he's also thinking the same thing? But for the Knicks, it gives them flexibility as well. So there's a lot of little things at play when you look at what they're doing contract wise with their roster so that they aren't locked in to, you know, everybody's four years out whenever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because Wendy said it best. Unlike other sports, basketball, one guy can have that kind of an impact, just can't.

[Don Hahn]

It's unreal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, as great as Connor McDavid is, if I dropped him in Anaheim, doesn't automatically mean they're going to win. You know how I know that? Because they haven't won in Edmonton yet. They've come close. But baseball, Same thing.

[Don Hahn]

But there are certain places if you drop Connor McDavid, they go from being a good team to a good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I think in the NBA, you drop a great player anywhere.

[Don Hahn]

Not anywhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're going to.

[Don Hahn]

They're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're going to become a good team. Maybe not a championship team. They're going to become a good team. Yeah, like great players don't miss the playoffs. In the NBA if you put Giannis.

[Don Hahn]

In Charlotte, I don't know if they are a more than a. Like, they're not better than the Bucks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but nobody cares.

[Don Hahn]

They go from a lottery team to a team that might be in the play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's sold out every night and now they're in. Now they're playoff team and with the right moves here or there, makes it a destination. Because right now that's not a destination. And changes the face of the franchise.

[Don Hahn]

It could, right? It could.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now you're going the lowest rung, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You want to throw Washington bad too, right? You take a team, you know, like a team that's probably an eight seed playing team.

[Don Hahn]

That's why I said you put them in Miami and they're like, Jimmy Butler went to Miami. Suddenly they were, you know, you're playing in a final. Yeah, it's the closest thing to a quarterback in the NFL. Yes, it's the closest thing. I think the quarterback in the NFL is the only other thing that you could say.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's why when these players become available, everybody starts to flip out.

[Don Hahn]

Right. Speaking of quarterback, we're watching this game from 91. It's 49ers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Cowboys.

[Don Hahn]

Cowboys. Steve Young's a quarterback, good friend of the show. Watch this hip Don. Watch this right here, Don. Watch this. Watch the helmet. Tears the helmet right off his head. That's crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There'd be a national tragedy.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, they have to stop the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We always do this. It's almost a summer ritual between me and Peter. Like, Michael would be off and we'd get caught up in some NFL network game from 30 years ago.

[Don Hahn]

Well, it's just because it was Steve Young and he's friend of the show. And the fact that as he's tackled, his helmet was ripped off, he lands and then somebody's, he's already on the ground and he gets landed on top of it. There's no flags. It's just, get up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It just blows me away. I remember this game. I was working at Sportsphone for this game. And it was before Anthony Pusick, our.

[Don Hahn]

Producer, was alive, even born.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I don't look at it and see, you see, that's old Tommy Football, who's the coach. That's right. And he's working at the NFL Network now. Steve Mariucci.

[Don Hahn]

That's right. That's Mariucci. And he looks like he's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, that's Jim Burr.

[Don Hahn]

Wait, that's Jim Burr, but he looks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like Mariucci on the side.

[Don Hahn]

And then they showed us that look like Mariucc. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But then they showed another angle, like.

[Don Hahn]

No, that's Jim Burr.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because Jim Burt left the Giants and went to the 49ers and he was hurt for this game.

[Don Hahn]

I, I Right, so you, you were feeling it too. Because the other few, I'm like, that must be very.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I've been talking about this. I pitched it to the NHL Network. I'm pitching it now to ESPN. You remember the old Mystery Science 3000.

[Don Hahn]

Mystery Science Theater 3000, one of my favorite shows.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can totally do this in sports.

[Don Hahn]

I, I have been on this for years. Don't. Are you serious?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because we're just doing it now. That's a segment where it's like, oh, that's Steve Mariochi.

[Don Hahn]

No, no, let's Jim burn you just what you do is you have classic games and then you have three idiots just commenting the whole time about it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just looking at that coach's jacket. Like if you took something from like the early 70s.

[Don Hahn]

Wait, that's a starter jacket. You know you can get for that now. There's so many things you could discuss in this game. Oh, I'd love to do that. That'd be fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nobody want the Mets up. Mets are up two nothing. Nimmo had a single. Indoor single. Soto RBI ground out. Alonzo sacrificed double their from the first game. A bit of an update on what's happening with the Mets is there are on 8 80. So it's interesting with Giannis's stuff and how you feel about it. 1-800-919-3776 want to get into the Yankees as well. Bringing out the brooms against Seattle and then they take on the Cubs and the Cubs are a first place team. So Yankees trying to turn it around. Seattle's a playoff team. Got a chance to sweep them. See what they do against the Cubs. The kid pitched very well last night. We'll see if that turns out to be a healer for their rotation. It's pretty banged up. Bats are out again. We'll see where that goes. This is an ad by BetterHelp. Workplace stress is now one of the top causes of declining mental health, with 61% of the global workforce experiencing higher than normal levels of stress. To battle stress, most of us can't wave goodbye to work. But we can start small with a focus on wellness. With over 30,000 therapist. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. And it works with an App store rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on over 1.7 million client reviews. It's convenient too. You can join a session with a therapist at the click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life plus switch therapists at any time. As largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of of expertise. Unwind from work with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10 off their first month at betterhelp.com timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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.

[Peter Rosenberg]

ESPN SportsCenter is coming to New Jersey for their 50 States in 50 Days tour on Saturday, July 12, when the Somerset Patriots take the field at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, New Jersey at 7pm we'll have ESPN merch for the first 1,000 fans in attendance and a chance to meet SportsCenter host Ryan Smith. Check out ESPN.com 50 States, 50 Days for details on when and where SportsCenter is hitting every state this summer to celebrate fans and sports forever. All right, so this game, yes, the.

[Don Hahn]

This is the 91 second half NFC championship game. The things that are standing out to me that again compared to modern day because this is on NFL Network right now, folks. So that's why this is becoming a thing. And I'm obsessed with it because it doesn't look like an old game, but it, it's 34 years ago. It's a, it's an old game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. This game is, I think it was, it's January 92.

[Don Hahn]

Look at the sideline alone and the mud and snow, whatever that is going on. You, you could tell it rained recently. It's Candlestick Park. So there's still a baseball field somewhere underneath there. Right. It's a, it's a mess.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This play, this is the mud game.

[Don Hahn]

It's awful. But it's also midday. It's the NFC Championship game. This game is supposed to get today. It's kicking off at what, 8?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because you remember because it's always what like 3:30 and 6:30 now.

[Don Hahn]

Right. But the first game is generally going to be in the East.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. So the first game back when we were growing up, like during this, this is the second game. So the afc, whatever, the AFC Championship game, Bills and whoever.

[Don Hahn]

I forget it was, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was game was in Buffalo. That's, that's a 12:30 kickoff. And then at 4:00 clock was the second game. Imagine the 4:25. It was 4: O'.

[Don Hahn]

Clock.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So 12:30.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Which means if you lived in California, you're watching the first championship game at 9:30 in the morning. So this is San Francisco Candlestick park, one o' clock kickoff.

[Don Hahn]

This is January 12, 1992, because it's the 91 season 91 season.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. So it's one o' clock in San Francisco. So right now it's. They're starting the second half. It's like 2:30 in the afternoon.

[Don Hahn]

Oh no, this is, no, this has got to be the 92 championship game because the 91 was, was Peter's team. Redskins. Yeah. This is, this is the, this is a 92. This is, this is 93.

[Peter Rosenberg]

January. 93.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So still. And it means it's 32 years old. Yeah, it's over 32 years old. And that's the thing about sports now. When we were growing up, name the sport, like hockey, you went in the Boston Garden, the neutral zone was smaller because they couldn't fit regulation ice. Where they built it, Chicago Stadium, the players are literally walking upstairs to get to the ice.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Crazy stuff.

[Don Hahn]

Boston too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then you had like baseball where half the stadium shared with football. So you're playing football, there's an infield or baseball, you're playing where there's like seams or there might be like the end zone about. That's all gone now. Like and for better.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because Candlestick was ridiculous. It was awful. It was a baseball stadium.

[Don Hahn]

There's bleachers that are, there's stands that people are sitting in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But look at the field. Just looks awful.

[Don Hahn]

It's just torn up grass. It's mud. It's so bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it's pretty recent phenomenon because I remember, I guess it was 05. I'd have to think about exactly what the date was because I was doing the jets and they were honoring the sack exchange. So they asked me as the pre and post game guy to go down and host the event on the field. It was Jets, Broncos, so I got to go on the field. But that was during that time where they tried grass that met life and they had to spray paint it green. I remember walking on the field like, I. How are they playing football on this? It's absolute garbage. At the Vet back in the day, like there were seams and there were drains and that's not that long ago, Alan. And that doesn't exist anymore. Like nobody is playing under obviously in Tampa and Sacramento because they had to play in minor league stadiums. But even then the grass is gorgeous. The stadiums are beautiful.

[Don Hahn]

Like, look, Irvin, Irvin just, just, just basically did a slant. No. All I know is that when he pivoted in his route, he just took up pieces and pieces of turf with him as he's turning. Like it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But the grass is two different colors. It just looks awesome.

[Don Hahn]

Now, again, I'm a Jets fan who'll never forgive the mud bowl. Right. How could you, as a. As a league, a legitimate professional sports league, have a championship game on a field that was saturated in mud and allow the coach, the home coach to say, take the tarp off the field, knowing that there was a torrential rainstorm coming because he wanted the field to be soaked? Like, how do you allow that in a championship game? It's embarrassing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's one thing. If it's raining during the game and it gets soaked the night before, he.

[Don Hahn]

Said no, he told the grounds group, do not put a. Put a tarp down. That's a. That's the famous story.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you know the story?

[Don Hahn]

Hey, Rosella, what are you doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Cubs.

[Don Hahn]

All right. The Cubs. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They sign Ron say. Ron say was a great third baseman for the Dodgers.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So at the end of his career, he signs with the Cubs, and he doesn't have much range anymore. He's an older player.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And there's no DH in the National League.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they want him to play third. So what they did is that they.

[Don Hahn]

Grew the grass, they mowed it higher.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that the ball would slow down. Can you imagine, like, that happening today?

[Don Hahn]

Is there now. Now, that used to be a thing. I thought if you had ground ball pitchers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You would. You would mow your grass higher in the infield. Is there a regulation height of grass in Major League Baseball? Now? Does every stadium have to have the same height? Because the one thing about baseball that is different than all other sports is the dimensions of the building. Now, the Bates Paths are the same, but I'm talking about Right outfield walls and everything. There. There is a different geometry to every stadium. That makes it unique.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That makes it unique. You don't want to like that monster. And as long as it's fair. But you hear allegations. Remember the old Metrodome?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they had the whole. That they would turn it on when the twins were up and shut it off. It just.

[Don Hahn]

It's. It's. But that's what I loved about the NHL. When you had Chicago Stadium. And it was. It was. The corners were wider, and then it. I mean, the band box. That was the old Boston Garden, which is why they built a team that was just a bunch of big dudes, because there was no space on the ice and you couldn't play fast. And then you go up to Edmonton and they had a fast track because they had such great ice. They could play super fast and you were. Your tongue was hanging out, trying to keep up with that Oilers team. Like there was something special about each. Each place kind of had its own personality. I don't know if you have that anymore in sports. And you kind of. You know, it does take away a little bit from how you build your teams and uniqueness of every team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Schlitler.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pitches for the Yankees last night, five and a third through 100 miles per hour. The Yankees win the game. They now won three in a row. And Aaron Boone last night talked about.

[C]

His debut, thought he was under control. I mean, you see the live fastball. I thought he did a really good job with his secondary stuff, mixing that in, throwing it when he needed to first to be able to strike it, whether it was the cutter, curveball, slider. Felt like they got a little good look at some of the breaking balls the second time through. But, I mean, you see his stuff really plays, and I thought it's just as calm, and his poise and focus was excellent.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Lauren, go ahead.

[Don Hahn]

I was going to say what I like is, and again that Flores told us this yesterday, that he. He did develop the cutter. And it's a hard cutter. And so you have the fast one, the cutter. And that third pitch is always the most important. That's going to be the breaking ball for him. It's a curve. And you heard Boonie say the second time around, major league, Major league hitters are going to see it again. That's why that's that thing now for young pitchers. You got to now be able to turn that third pitch into something that is. They can't pick up on it. They don't know when it's coming. And it still is a weapon.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Schlitler on his debut.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, obviously, you know, it's been my.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Goal my whole life.

[Don Hahn]

So it's really good to go out there and put the team in a position to win and kind of live out that dream.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Jazz continues to play well naturally at second base. He's hitting and he's talking about how he's seen the ball.

[C]

I mean, I feel like I'm just.

[Don Hahn]

Waiting on my pitch, you know, like, if it's the first pitch, if it's the second pitch, the third pitch, it could be the fourth pitch. 3 0. It's my pitch. I'm a fire on it and put my best swing on it and put the barrel on the ball. You know, that's how I feel right now, seeing the ball really well, seeing it out of hand, just taking my.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pitch and going with it so it's interesting for the Yankees because they're getting hot at the right time. They picked up a game on the Blue Jays because the Blue Jays lost yesterday afternoon. So the Yankees are two and a half games back. The Blue Jays, I'm just looking quickly, they're off today because then they take on the A's. So while the Yankees are playing the Cubs, the Blue Jays are playing the A's. So there's a chance you're not going to gain much ground. And if you were to lose or slip up at all, then you could find yourself being even further back by the time you get to the All Star breaks, you focus on yourself.

[Don Hahn]

Don't worry about everybody else. I, that's what I'm doing right now. I, I, as a fan, I don't think this is the time to watch the scoreboard. It's, this is where I'll echo you. It's too early. I'm not doing, I need to see. Like I told you, I didn't like the way it looked with the Yankees in June. I didn't like it like what I'm seeing. They might have had a couple of games here and there. The offense might have been fun, whatever it is. And you kept saying it's early, it's too early. But it's not about early. It's not about. It's more about. I don't like how that looks. And they got to get that right. So I can't really pay attention to anything else until that starts to look right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

1-800-91-9-3776. Let's go to Dave in the car. You're on ESPN, New York. What's up, Dave?

[C]

Hey, what's up, guys? Thanks for taking my call.

[Don Hahn]

Always.

[C]

I saw two things in with Denver the other day, the Denver Nuggets, where the coach mentioned he really has to watch, you know, or the GM mentioned something about watching how the team has to spend because of aprons, because we wouldn't want to have to surrender. And he threw out Jokic's number.

[Don Hahn]

Yep.

[C]

Now, you see, Jokic is not signing. He's not going to sign anything. Now, am I missing something or is this the hottest story in sports right now? Every team, whether, whether overtly or covertly, should be on the phone with Denver saying, what do you want? To me, that's more pivotal than any other player being traded. LeBron Giannis, that's the deal that has to be made right now to get this guy to sign right now. And what do you want? Or am I seeing it the wrong way, I prize him over LeBron and Giannis at this juncture where the NBA is right now. Well, what are your thoughts on that?

[Don Hahn]

I'll say that now again. I remember that statement that I think it was Josh Kroenke made. He also said. He said that as an example, and he said, it's something I don't. I never want to do. Then they came out and they made it clear we have no intention of trading him. Now, the reason why he doesn't sign is the same reason why I brought up why you might not see Mikhail Bridges sign. Jokic can get $80 million more if he waits till next offseason. That's just the math, right? His extension still gets him 200, but he could get almost 300 if he waits till next summer. So it just. If you're his agent, the math makes sense and the Nuggets can give it to him. They have his bird rights, so it's not as if you'd lose them. It's just for him to sign an extension now leaves $80 million on the table. So the math tells you, just wait till next summer and sign then.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And of course, he's going to be bigger than LeBron. He's from his age. And, yeah, he's bigger than Giannis, too, because he's. He's younger than you. How old is joker?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

John's 31.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I. I think he's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's got the same age, almost 30, right.

[Don Hahn]

Like, he's got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's a little younger and probably a better player.

[Don Hahn]

Right? He's 30, so it's only a year. He just turned 30. Just turned 30, just turned 30, so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that's obviously something. That's. That's debatable. Let's go to Dan on Long Island. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Dan?

[C]

What's up, fellows? How are you doing today?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good, man.

[C]

I got one quick point, and I also have a question, I guess directly for Alan, but you guys were just talking about baseball stadiums, and I was listening to the John Boy Podcast a couple, like, a week ago, and Trevor Plouffe was going off about the fact that baseball stadiums warning tracks are not regulated, which is, like, insanely dangerous for outfielders who are running to the ball.

[Don Hahn]

So what's the.

[C]

What is that?

[Don Hahn]

What are they saying? The difference? Is it, like, distance from the wall can be random?

[C]

Basically, I think his point.

[Don Hahn]

We lose.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Him sound like we lost.

[Don Hahn]

That's too bad. I would have loved to have heard this. No, that. That I thought was a regular. I thought it was a regulation because as an outfielder, that's the most. That. That.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, I'm sure they go over that in the ground rules, but, like, if you're used to a certain length, like, let's say, you know how many steps.

[Don Hahn]

You are away, the minute you feel the dirt, you know, I got two more steps.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they had that stupid hill over at. Remember Minute Maid?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Back in the day. Oh, God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was like, what are you doing there?

[Don Hahn]

That was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's dangerous. But you're talking about something that's dangerous. That I. I never heard that. That sounds ridiculous. Congratulations. David Peterson been named to the National League All Star team. How about that?

[Don Hahn]

So the Mets have four now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Diaz, Lindor, Alonzo, now Peterson.

[Don Hahn]

No. Soto.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Robbie Ray's not going.

[Don Hahn]

He's injured. Yeah. Or did he just. Not going. I just know some guys don't go because, you know, I can't throw anyway, so why am I going? That kind of thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, that. No, Just the way it worked out. He's scheduled to pitch Sunday.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So I guess he'll still go.

[Don Hahn]

That's cool.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because he's. But he can't pitch, so. Because you don't want to go into the All Star Game shorthanded because you might lose or maybe have a tie, which I never understood that the. I thought the tie was cool because it was something different. You don't see that every day. Like, Major League Baseball was so embarrassed by it that they had to attach.

[Don Hahn]

No. You know, this is why. No, come on. This is what we do in our business. We're bad at this. What? Because I remember this. This might have been years ago. There was a tie in the All Star Game. If I'm not mistake. There was. Yeah. And it was like the worst thing that ever happened. And we were all. This is embarrassed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't. I never thought that. That's what I'm saying. I looked at everybody's whole thing about.

[Don Hahn]

How I thought it was stupid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It is.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't care.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I thought it was cool.

[Don Hahn]

What do you mean?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Somebody's gotta win.

[Don Hahn]

And that's why it was. Well, now we have to make it mean something. Like, come on, it's an All Star Game. It was stupid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was like, everybody's so embarrassed. Remember Bud Selich? Like, what do we do? We can't keep playing. We run out of pitches and just end it as a tie. It's an exhibition game. And I could say I saw the only tie in the All Star Game, like, who's gonna get upset about that? You know, the day that I didn't think it was serious. Do you remember? Was it Torrey Hunter for the Twins stole a home run from Barry Bonds in the All Star Game. Remember that? Center field. I climbed the wall, stole a home. Barry Bonds ran out to the field, like, picked them up and carried him in celebration, like, that's the All Star Game to me. And Bud Selich sitting there wringing his hands through his hair. Oh, we can't have a tie. My God.

[Don Hahn]

How do they settle it if it ends after nine innings in a tie? Home run derby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You call it home run derby. Or just say, hey, listen, we have a tie. Goodbye.

[Don Hahn]

Well, wouldn't it be fun?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's go to your local news.

[Don Hahn]

Is that, like, what do we do? I don't know for sure, but does that happen? Because if you really want it to be interesting, you'd have fans rooting for a tie. Yeah. Come on, let's tie this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I remember.

[Don Hahn]

Take the lead. Cause I want that home run.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was on this air. I was on ESPN radio at the time.

[Don Hahn]

They do use the home run.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was like you. Where everybody was outraged, and I'm like, I thought it was cool. Cause I didn't. That's not what I expected to see.

[Don Hahn]

They do use a home run Derby. I just. I don't think. Have we ever seen it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you know what? Now I'm rooting for a tie.

[Don Hahn]

I want to tie so bad now. Why wouldn't you not? Yeah. The manager selects three players from me from their respective teams. They get three swings respectively. Actually, this is something to root for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Don Hahn]

Love this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because, you know, I can't. I can't have my National League lose or have a tie.

[Don Hahn]

I can't have a tie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How ridiculous is that?

[Don Hahn]

How do we even go home? It's embarrassing. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, Stilly Dan for you.

[Don Hahn]

So, Peggy, come back to see. See again. Jake has been on. He has been on, like, a little bit of, like, an old school groove kind of vibe lately. Something. You must have heard something over the weekend, and it just stuck with you. Something. You know what it was? What was it? You had to have heard something that made you. Just because you've been on this now. This is at least three, four days now you've been doing this. Yeah. I love it. Listen. So I'm usually tuned into the 90s, but something about this 70s on seven and like, just like, rewind and classic. I know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm all in now. Now I can ask him the question because he's a big, serious guy and I'm a big, serious guy. It's how I consume my music.

[Don Hahn]

Me too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So if you had a chance to DJ a channel on SiriusXM, what channel would you DJ? Well, they got him thinking, oh, that's hard.

[Don Hahn]

You know the answer, it honestly might be shade 45.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, I thought Rock.

[Don Hahn]

Rock the Bell, Rock the Bells. I could do Shade. You. You could easily do shady 45. Like, yeah, you could easily do that. But if you. Like, you could. Because I think you could do Rock the Bells. You know, I. And you'd be. And people would appreciate you for your age doing that. Okay, I could see that because you're an old soul. And I tell everybody that I feel like. Especially if it's. If it's a song that I feel like I could, like, listen in the movie or feel like it's a soundtrack to my life. It's all me. That's it. Yeah, that's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's all I need. What channel would you dj?

[Don Hahn]

Well, doing the Beatles channel was fun, but I mean, for me, it's definitely the 80s on 8. I would have to do that channel. I could. I could. I would. I mean, the, The. The. The VJs that they have from MTV.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That'S all they have.

[Don Hahn]

So good. Like, they're so good. And the stories they tell are out. Outrageously good. Like, it's all great, but, like, if Alan Hunter ever is, like, I'm done. I would just slide right in and just say, hey, look, my name's Alan. It's a H. It works. I'll just. I'll fit right in. I'll take his spot. But obviously the, The. The. The whole VJ thing's great, but that's a channel that every time there's a song, I'm like, oh, I got a story. Like, I have something I wouldn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's so hard because I have such an eclectic taste in music. Same the channels that I have programmed from serious.

[Don Hahn]

What do you got?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Are Ozzy's Boneyard.

[Don Hahn]

Okay. All right. See, that's my. That's my. Seriously.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sinatra 70s on 7 got that 80s on it.

[Don Hahn]

Got that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Then I have classic vinyl.

[Don Hahn]

Good one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Classic Rewind.

[Don Hahn]

Classic rewind's awesome.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And one of my favorite is the bridge.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, the bridge is really Good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I just threw in Yacht Rock.

[Don Hahn]

Yacht Rock.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You have to do it because I used to keep that for the. What. Whatever channel that was. Was it 79 was always like. There was the Billy Joel channel. And I'm like, you know what? I'm just gonna go to a channel.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So Yacht Rock. I have Lithium.

[Don Hahn]

Lithium's really good. That's 90s.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, 90s alternative.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but like the Bridge is similar to yacht rock, but it's it. But. And classic rewind, all that kind of together. It's. It's. Again, it's all different. So yeah, it's your Ozzy's Boneyard. I would probably. Sinatra.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That would probably be where I would DJ as his boneyard. Would you now the bridge doesn't have DJs. And the 80s on 8 has just the MTV guys right now.

[Don Hahn]

70S is great because 70s has a lot of 70s radio sounding DJs. And some of them actually were like. They have the boys, the jokes. Like they. They have those great radio DJ sounding guys.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's. It's pretty cool for the music. 1-800-919-3776. Got a couple of calls on hold. More open. We got ENN coming up at the top of the hour, but Dan from Long island is back. We lost him for a second. Go ahead, man. You were talking about the warning tracks.

[C]

Got bad service. Sorry about that. Also, just by the way, the station needs more steel again. Of course not. But no, I was saying. So Trevor Plouffe did a. Did a walkthrough of the Sacramento facility for the A's. And he said that the warning track was like shorter than ever. And then learned after the fact that there was a new. I don't know off the top of my head, but there was numerous other stadiums that had different distance distances for their warning track.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that makes no sense. Now, if you want to tell me.

[Don Hahn]

Can't be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sacramento kind of went through the cracks because they weren't expecting to have a team. But still it's a minor league facility. Why wouldn't it be?

[C]

Like, even at a minor league stadium, you're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it's stupid now. I don't know what. But you can. Somebody can get hurt.

[C]

Oh yeah, of course. Then that was his whole. That was his whole argument. But real quick, I also have a question for, I guess Alan specifically. Now I'm going to preface it by saying that I don't know the contract situations, but you guys were talking a lot about Janice before.

[Don Hahn]

Yep.

[C]

So do you. Well, not. Do you Think. But is there a world where if the Lakers are able to. To move off of LeBron James, do they try their best to partner up Giannis and Luca and you know, maybe the Knicks don't even get either. I don't know.

[Don Hahn]

Well, understand that whatever the Lakers do to move LeBron, if it's a trade, you're taking back money.

[C]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

You know what I mean? So there, there's. You'd have to get something that's expiring so that they can then get out. But I still don't think that puts them under the cap enough to sign Giannis as a free agent, his player option. And I actually was wrong. It's two seasons, then the player option, which is. So, yeah, I was right. The summer of 27, if he opts out summer of 27, he's a free agent. So it's two years. So you'd have to set yourself up for that. And maybe, just maybe, what you're saying there, that's what the Lakers are trying to do, which is why all their deals, if you've noticed, are all short term. And it's something that LeBron doesn't love. So maybe that's what they're thinking. You never know. Well, the whole league should be doing this. I know that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know the spurs are the one thing you cannot afford to have happen is a player become available and you.

[Don Hahn]

Don'T have space and you. And you're not in the, in the game. You got to be in the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But multiple teams are all going to make space. He can't go to multiple.

[Don Hahn]

I'm telling you, that was the same thing as LeBron.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course, all those teams had to make the space. Let's go to Isaiah in Rochester. You're on espn. New York. What's up, man?

[C]

Hey, don't I know the game. The next game has already started. But how are we killing Davey? Like The Mets scored 1 1. I don't understand. Like they're playing the Baltimore Orioles. He said we need to score more runs. How is he wrong on that?

[Don Hahn]

They need to score more runs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But Allen made the point there are going to be days where you're just not scoring.

[Don Hahn]

Charlie Morton is old, but he still every now and then can bring. That's a good pitch.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So whatever the, whatever the situation is, we're gonna let you go because there's a lot of feedback is whether the score is 1, nothing or 10, 9, you're protecting a one run lead in the eighth inning. So yeah, they should have scored more runs. Should add a 10 nothing lead, not worry about it. By the way, Orioles put up a three spot in the bottom of the second, so now it's 32 Baltimore. If they get swept in this double head, forget about it. I'm gonna lose it.

[Don Hahn]

I got it up now, so I'm gonna watch it here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it just. You're in that moment. Yes. The easy answer is gotta score more runs. Of course, anytime you lose, gotta score more. If you scored more, you would have won. But I want to be able to protect the one run lead because if this team's going to win a championship, you're going to have to protect one run leads, you know, post seventh inning to be able to win. And they didn't.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.