Loading summary
Transcript130 lines
- [00:00]
Jessica Hawke
This message is brought to you by Apple Card For a limited time, get a new Apple card and get $150 bonus daily cash when you spend $150 or more at Nike in your first 30 days using your new Apple Card with Apple Pay. Visit Apple Co nikepromo for important offer details. Subject to credit approval. Offer valid only for new Apple Card accounts open by June 15, 2025. To qualify, you must spend $150 or more on Nike purchases within the US offer may not be available elsewhere. Additional terms and LIM when pro defensive end Cam Jordan isn't running after quarterbacks, he's running his own businesses. He sat down with Microsoft's Jessica Hawke to learn how AI can help as a football player. We're really focused on the X's and Nos.
- [00:45]
Marcus Thompson
It's fun because it's a strategy game as well, and I think that transitions.
- [00:49]
Jessica Hawke
Well into the business world.
- [00:50]
Marcus Thompson
There's so much data underlying every single thing that you're doing in your business and having a way to unify all that data. This is like electricity. This is a major platform shift and I think we're all learning together.
- [01:01]
Jessica Hawke
Ready to raise your AI game? Find your winning edge at Microsoft.com challengers Did you hear? It's easier than ever to level up your card collecting game with PSA grading now on ebay Listings easy and seamless. Here's how it works. Find a raw card over $250, add grading and make your purchase. That's it. Plus, for a limited time, shipping from PSA to you is free. Ready to build the most epic collection? Learn more@ebay.com PSA.
- [01:43]
Esperahini
Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily for June 10, 2025. I'm Esperahini. Coming up, we've got Marcus Thompson here to talk about the NBA Finals, plus two interesting teams for the offseason. Good morning, Marcus. Good morning everybody. How you doing in Oklahoma, my guy?
- [02:05]
Marcus Thompson
We, we don't want to begin there. Let's just say I'm ready to go back to California.
- [02:12]
Esperahini
Ready to go back to California.
- [02:14]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah. The tornado warning, tornadoes and heat waves is just a lot. It's like one minute it's storming, the next minute it's like Atlanta.
- [02:23]
Esperahini
Yeah, it is. It's. It's muggy. You know, it's. It's wet out there. I don't know. That's the best way to describe it.
- [02:30]
Marcus Thompson
It was 91 degrees yesterday. That's insane.
- [02:36]
Esperahini
That. You know what the one thing that I will say about Oklahoma, and I know you Know this, too. The scooters fire. Love the fact that we can scooter around everywhere.
- [02:44]
Marcus Thompson
Love.
- [02:45]
Esperahini
Yes.
- [02:45]
Marcus Thompson
Best part about it and plenty of accessible.
- [02:49]
Esperahini
Yeah. So many scooters, actually. Surprising the amount of scooters we got in Oklahoma. But anyways, look, you've been there for. For Game 1 and Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Obviously, now it's. It's tied up after OKC had a dominant win in Game 2. Do you, like. Do you look at this series any differently after the first two games?
- [03:10]
Marcus Thompson
I do, actually. It actually. Okay, it is where I kind of thought it would be, but I do feel like Indiana is. Is going to be more competitive than I thought. Like, admittedly, I was like, ah, they beat the Knicks. Shut up. Yeah, you know, like, okay, okay, you beat Milwaukee. Toodaloo. You know, you beat an inexperienced, you know, Cleveland team that maybe we had questions about. Anyway, so, like, they were good and they're entertaining. I just was curious about how their style meshed against Oklahoma City, and it actually held up pretty well, especially. It's one of those torn things where it's like they didn't play well, and it feels like they could play better, but part of that is because who they were playing. So they didn't play well. Well, but for a stretch in the game, they were able to dominate well enough to steal the game. So I do feel better about them going home. I do feel better about what they do and the best of them kind of being good enough to beat Oklahoma City, I don't think it'll give them the series, but I was thinking we were closer to a sweep, a gentleman sweep. Like, I was thinking Thunder and five. Now I might. Now I'm ready. I'm ready to concede Indiana to six games. I'm ready. I'm ready for it.
- [04:36]
Esperahini
Hey, six games is good. I mean, six games. Taking this.
- [04:39]
Jessica Hawke
Yeah. Yeah.
- [04:40]
Esperahini
You put up a competitive fight. Look, to your point about the Pacers, they find a way to keep themselves involved in games regardless. And I think part of that is sort of the quality that their leaders, Tyrese and Pascal have in terms of always feeling like they're in games just from being around the guys, being around the locker room. What have you, I guess, noticed about this Pacers team that maybe some people wouldn't. Wouldn't know off the rip, watching them.
- [05:04]
Marcus Thompson
On tv, that number one, Miles, Miles Turner, is, like, very central to their success and.
- [05:13]
Esperahini
Right.
- [05:13]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah, like, nobody talks about Miles, but, like, his presence in the locker room, I mean, obviously, like, he's one of the Their matchup problems, right? Like. And we saw that, like, in Game one, they're trying to figure out how do we deal with the fact that their center is going to step out and hit threes. Like, let's go small, but. So he creates those kind of issues for them. But, yeah, I. I didn't. You know, I hadn't been around the Pacer, so just. You forget, this dude's been around a league a long time, right? He's seen some things.
- [05:45]
Esperahini
He's done some things, survived a lot of trade rumors.
- [05:48]
Marcus Thompson
A lot of trade rumors. And he's just got a presence about him in that. In that locker room. Like, that. That. To me, when. When you really. When you talk about the Pacers, you talk about Haliburton, of course, and Seattle, but Miles Turner is like, he. He's. He's a part of that fabric. I think that's one of the things that I didn't recognize from watching an outside in.
- [06:13]
Esperahini
Yeah.
- [06:14]
Marcus Thompson
The other thing that jumps out, which you'll love, is Andrew Nevhardt is an absolute dog. Just.
- [06:19]
Esperahini
Yep.
- [06:19]
Marcus Thompson
I mean, just a dog.
- [06:21]
Esperahini
I mean, I love him.
- [06:22]
Marcus Thompson
I.
- [06:23]
Esperahini
You don't have to tell me. I. I completely agree.
- [06:25]
Marcus Thompson
Look. Yeah.
- [06:25]
Esperahini
I mean, from just watching him. From watching him grow up, and I know you. You wrote a piece about, you know, Shay and Nemhard, and that sort of, like, friendly rivalry, if you want to call it like, that, has been something that's really enjoyable from my perspective, to watch because of the candidate connection. But just because Drew is also. He's really. He's had that, like, underdog mentality for a very, very long time. And now going up against a team like OKC and a guy like SGA who won mvp, it just kind of adds to that dog mentality that you had. What did you. What did, you know, notice about Drew when you were out there?
- [07:07]
Marcus Thompson
You know, this is going to sound funny, and sorry if you might take offense to this, but he is everything Dylan Brooks thinks he is. Right? But it's not. I was like, oh, I get it. This is the thing, all right? They do the whole, like, he's the. Like, he. He's got the tough guy Persona, even though it's not so overt. Right. It's not like, you know, I'm gonna be in you, but he's not like, I'm gonna tell everybody I'm in you, or I'm gonna talk all this trash. Like. Like, he's got that element. It's very. It's very calm. It's more much More like understated. But everybody understands it's there. Like, everybody knows, right? And his offensive game is far more polished. He just, he can make a three. He can play like he can get a tough two, which you know he can. Guys, his size is a little bit harder to do if they're banging up against them. If they're, you know, if there's traffic, like, he. Go, go in there and get it. The part, to me that really stands out about him is like, when you're around him, you can kind of feel that confidence. Like he, he's got a swagger, like he's better than what he is and very. In a very Dylan Brooks mode. But his game doesn't get out of bounds. You know what I'm saying? Some of those guys who's got that, like, yeah, wait till you see me. They end up doing too much on the court. And Drew doesn't play like that. He almost plays like he understands his role, but his swagger is like, bigger than his role. And it's. It's actually a really, like, neat balance to watch. And I'm very curious, like, how he pulls it off because there is no question he thinks he's nicer than most people, right? There's no question about it.
- [08:56]
Esperahini
I honestly think a lot of that is like his journey because he was a guy who, especially younger, was on a lot of good, like, prep teams and rep teams out here. And then when he got older, it was like, all right, cool. You're not. You're like a second round pick type prospect. He goes to college, he's a multi year guy, has to play in Gonzaga, plays in Florida. Like, that kind of molded him to be able to play in a role versus, you know, kind of stepping up and being that guy when he needs to. So he's been able to play both roles throughout his career and now he can do it for Indiana where he's like, all right, I can get to the basket, can get a shot for you, but I can also be the guy who's locking up Shay, if you want to. On the other side of the ball. You know, there's a.
- [09:38]
Marcus Thompson
There's a, like a. I don't know when you win a championship and they. After seeing a lot of players go through it, like, it's really hard to have that level of focus and intensity and execution you need. If you're just like foaming at the mouth and like, just crazy emotional, like, you gotta have some poise and composure about you. Like, it's a thinking man's game. Like, you gotta be able to think out there and read. And so he's got that disposition. Like, Alex Caruso is like, as big of a dog as any of them. Right. Like, he is energy, he is hype, but he's one of the smartest players on the floor. Like, he is constantly thinking, right.
- [10:17]
Esperahini
He's really glad you brought up Caruso because so a lot of people have brought up the comparison between OKC and Golden State and, like, early Golden State, like, 2015 run. And I know you wrote about Caruso and kind of how. How much he sparks them defensively, I guess, on both ends, really, with his energy. He's a vet who came into this team this season, and it kind of reminds me of Andre Aguadala for the Warriors.
- [10:44]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah.
- [10:45]
Esperahini
And what he brought for the Warriors. Do you. Do you see that? Does that kind of. Is that parallel there for you when you watch this Thunder team and what they possibly can be moving forward to?
- [10:54]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah, no question. Especially because he sticks the open three, right. Like game two, he's knocking down the shots. Like, that was as vintage. I'm gonna do all the little stuff. I'm do all the dirty work. I'm gonna run some point for you. Regard the hardest guy. I'm gonna be the voice on the sideline. I'm gonna make the hustle play. And if you leave me open, especially in clunch crunch time, I'm gonna hurt you. Right? I'm hit those shots. I mean, that's how he want to find those. If he beat. It's the. It's the perfect correlation, oddly enough. Like, they got there through, like, almost opposite trajectories. Right. Iguodala was the. The star. Remember, he's the next Allen Iverson. Right? He's the.
- [11:33]
Esperahini
Yeah, Philly. Iggy was crazy.
- [11:37]
Marcus Thompson
Ascended into that status as like a. Like a glue guy. And yeah, you know, Caruso is like the undrafted underdog on two way who worked his way into a super, super valuable, like, role player glue guy. So it's interesting how these two kind of, you know, you know, diametrically opposed journalies ended up in the same place. But that's number one. That's what you absolutely need to win a championship. You just have to have those guys. Like, it doesn't. It doesn't happen without it. And the Thunder and like the warriors before them, like, their young talent, like, you just don't. This stuff doesn't happen by osmosis. Right. And you don't win right away. Like, you have to learn this Stuff and if, if it ain't from having vets on your team, who can be in your ear, who can show you the way, who can be the example that you just got to learn from taking L after L. And that's how Boston did it, right? They, they learned the lessons by taking the L's and then eventually it worked out like there's a way you can do it. But Oklahoma City, they might be able to like speed this timeline up by getting somebody like a Caruso who can just help like show the guys the way who have all the tools and just need a little bit of know how you could see that kind of that being, that, that impacting because this was as few as minutes as a pro since like he was on a two way, like he just didn't play that much this year. And it looked like he was done right? It looked like he was over. And then playoffs come and all of a sudden he's great and now he's in the finals and he's like at 28 minutes, but he's showing them like, hey, you can, you can impact this game in many ways, but mostly it's also the mindset. So you gotta, gotta get your head right. You can't be thinking about yourself. You gotta be thinking about the larger group and doing whatever it takes. And you just don't like team. Young teams. You don't see that very often. So we saw it 2015 with the warriors and we're seeing it now with the thunder.
- [13:38]
Esperahini
Yeah, 20, 25, 10 years later. It's funny how that works. It's also like the, the whole parody thing. Like the Thunder can throw a wrench in it moving forward. And I, I think, you know, in a lot of ways people look at it as they have the potential to sort of build up that next quote, unquote dynasty. Now obviously they got to take care of business here heading to Indiana. They got to win. And that's, that's a big part of, of everything, you know, closing out the deal basically. Gotta win, gotta get the championship. Okay, cool. When we come back, we will talk about two interesting off season teams between Marcus and I.
- [14:17]
Jessica Hawke
This message is brought to you by Apple Card. For a limited time, get a new Apple card and get $150 bonus daily cash when you spend $ dollars or more at Nike in your first 30 days using your new Apple card with Apple Pay. Visit Apple Co nikepromo for important offer details. Subject to credit approval. Offer valid only for new Apple card Accounts open by June 15, 2025 to qualify, you must spend $150 or more on Nike purchases within the US offer may not be available elsewhere. Additional terms and limitations apply when pro defensive end Cam Jordan isn't running after quarterbacks. He's running his own businesses. He sat down with Microsoft's Jessica Hawk to learn how AI can help. As a football player. We're really focused on the X's and Nos.
- [15:05]
Marcus Thompson
It's fun because it's a strategy game as well, and I think that transitions.
- [15:08]
Jessica Hawke
Well into the business world.
- [15:09]
Marcus Thompson
There's so much data underlying every single thing that you're doing in your business and having a way to unify all that data. This is like electricity. This is a major platform shift and I think we're all learning together.
- [15:20]
Jessica Hawke
Ready to raise your AI game? Find your winning edge at Microsoft.com challengers. They've done it again. Ebay and PSA are leveling up your collecting game with one click grading now on ebay listings. All you gotta do is find a raw card over $250 ad grading and make your purchase seamless and so easy. Plus, for a limited time, shipping from PSA to you is free. Free? Yeah, we said free. Stacking slabs has never been easier. Go to eBay.com PSA for all the details and build that epic collection today.
- [16:11]
Esperahini
All right. Okay, Marcus, you know, very, very quickly, before this pod, I asked you to do a little bit of homework, all right? Think about two offseason very quickly that you might be interested in two interesting off season teams that you're, you're kind of, that are piquing your interest, looking into the summer. Is there two that pique your interest?
- [16:36]
Marcus Thompson
Wait a second. Am I just coming up with I have two.
- [16:40]
Esperahini
I have two as well. Do you want me to throw you? Do you want me to start first?
- [16:44]
Marcus Thompson
No, I'm just curious. You making it sound like, you know, like it's all on me. So that's what I'm like. Wait a second.
- [16:49]
Esperahini
No, I, I have, I have some, I have some too. Which, look, you're the guest, so I'm allowing you to go first.
- [16:55]
Marcus Thompson
All right, let's go. Like, let's alternate. Let's go. Okay, I do one, you do one. Right. All right. I'm going with Phoenix because I like dumpster fires, right? And they're in such like a wildly precarious situation. Like, how do they get out of this? You know what I'm saying? How do they pull this off? When you're in a situation where perhaps your best trade asset is like 36 years old.
- [17:37]
Esperahini
So you think Kevin Durant's a better trade asset than ever if you just.
- [17:40]
Marcus Thompson
Decide we're not trading Devin Booker. Right. Or do they just do that? You know, do they. Do they say everybody's on the table? Like, that's why it's so interesting. I'm presuming they're like, dude, we can't trade Devin Booker. Like, we can't do that. Then that means, yeah, it's kd. Or can they somehow work some magic and find a way to get off red? Like, to me that it's such a dire situation that this feels like like David Blaine in a box, like, of water on top of sharks.
- [18:18]
Esperahini
How is he gonna get out of there?
- [18:21]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah, like, if this doesn't work, my man is done. Like, he's cooked. So, yeah, that's. And, you know, like, even with, like, David Blaine, you expect there's. There's something happening that we don't see that's gonna make this all work out. Yeah, I guess the better. The better analogy for them would be Wile E. Coyote. Like, this is going to fail. Right? This is going to get bad before it gets better.
- [18:46]
Esperahini
He's gonna fall off a cliff trying to chase the road running.
- [18:49]
Marcus Thompson
They're gonna have a plan and it's not gonna work because it just doesn't work. And if somehow they pull it off, that would be. That would be spectacular. But I'm very interested to see how this shakes out in Phoenix.
- [19:00]
Esperahini
Yeah, I mean, look, I think the first player everybody thinks of is Kevin Durant and where he'll get traded and you know what makes sense? Obviously, I know Golden State is somewhere that, that people will think of often when it's. You're just going to shut it down right there. Not going to happen. Okay. I just. Just want to make, you know, throw it out there. Look, it makes sense. I'm just saying, I think from a talent perspective, it obviously makes a lot of sense, but I don't know what the deal would be to get Kevin to Golden State, you know, Jimmy Butler. How about Jonathan Gaminga sign a trade? No.
- [19:38]
Marcus Thompson
Anyway, I don't know. That's too much money. That's. Those.
- [19:40]
Esperahini
Yeah, I know.
- [19:41]
Marcus Thompson
That's second apron stuff there. Four guys making 50 million or three guys. That's a tough one.
- [19:46]
Esperahini
Okay, I'll. I'll throw out another team. I don't think this team is in a dire situation, but they're in a precarious position just because of what happened over the last month with them. And that's the Boston Celtics obviously losing in the second round. The Jayson Tatum injury was such a blow to them. They're going to have this sort of gap year situation, and they're wildly expensive, so it's like, do they end up trading Derrick White to get. It's sort of the. The sun situation in the sense that, like, Derek White probably has the most value, but do you want to trade Derrick White or keep him for. Right, for whatever you have moving forward? Do you consider trading Jalen Brown? Do you. Or. Or do you just do the old guys and. And let Al Horford go and trade Porzingis and trade Drew and, you know, just try to get a little bit younger? So that's my thing. It's. The Celtics are obviously a really good team. They're going to be. I think they'll be pretty good next season, even without Tatum, if they try to keep most of this group together. But how good and, you know, how. How active will be, will they be this summer to try and shake things up, you know?
- [20:52]
Marcus Thompson
And, like, if they get out of this with one championship, won't that feel like, not enough?
- [20:58]
Esperahini
Yes.
- [20:58]
Marcus Thompson
So there's a little bit. Oh, my God. More pressure. Like, really, you had all this and you got one. Like, so that's.
- [21:04]
Esperahini
All those. All those tries, all those attempts at getting to this spot and just one championship. That's true. That is true.
- [21:11]
Marcus Thompson
That feels like it. Yeah.
- [21:12]
Esperahini
That's my interesting thing.
- [21:14]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah. Perspective. I'm going with the Houston Rockets because, like, we just saw them. Like, we. We saw. They have a formula that works for regular season, Right. They're gonna. They can get wins, but what's clear is they're not ready to compete at, like, that level yet. You know, I'm saying, like, so. And then you, you know, obviously you're looking at the teams that have to deal with, you know, Oklahoma City's not going anywhere. And if you look at that as the bar, it's like, yo, they. They need some things. Like, how. How do they manage this wealth of young talent and the opportunity they have? Like. Like, who do they. Who can they get? And how do they upgrade? Because they're. They're. They are right there if they do this right. But if they don't do it right, they will no longer be right there. And we've seen, yeah, Memphis in this spot. We've seen Sacramento in the spot where it's like, okay, here they come. Here they come. They're going to be good. And if you don' make the moves, then it's like, all right, that was. That was a nice little run where you were top. Top three, four minutes.
- [22:27]
Esperahini
Would you rather they stay patient or make that big move this summer?
- [22:32]
Marcus Thompson
I don't. I don't know how you can stay patient in this current cba, because all patient means is you're essentially waiting for people to have to get paid, and you got to make a decision. Yeah, that's right. That is, like, you got two or three years, and then everybody's gonna want money. So can they sit with Jalen making 30 million and getting eight points in the playoff? Like, that's. That's the part that's tough. If you knew, like, yeah, we could. We could keep this going. We could re. We can even, like, spend all the money we need. If this was like, a Oklahoma City situation, where it's like, yeah, we just want to keep everybody, and no matter what it costs, like, you can do that and stretch this thing out for five or six years, but Oklahoma City can't even do that because you got the second apron. You know what I'm saying? So they might end up against it. So there's the way this works. Now, you probably got two to three years in your window anyway, if you're any good. I mean, what.
- [23:33]
Esperahini
You go, right, you gotta maximize on this.
- [23:35]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah. You're not paying Shanghai. You're gonna have to pay these guys or make some decisions about who you're not paying. So it feels like they need to go ahead and, like, being patient is part of it. They can win 50 games, and they might make a second round this time. Right. But Oklahoma City's there. I really wanted to say Denver because, like, Jokic, I don't know if he's the type of knocking on a GM's door, but he should be knocking on the GM's door. Right. But if you start looking at, hey, Houston is a. Is a move or two. I mean, Denver's a move or two away from being right back. Oklahoma City's there. You know, obviously, you always got the Lakers in the mix and the warriors and who knows what Dallas could be with, you know, if they ever get fully healthy. If you're in Houston, you got to be looking like, man, we got to strike now while the iron's hot. Otherwise, we're gonna get it. So they're interested, to me, because they also could be patient, win 50 games, and just see how it works in the playoffs, which we. No. Probably wouldn't be more than the second round, you know, situation. Do you.
- [24:43]
Esperahini
So. So this is okay because I agree, Houston is In a really interesting spot because they have tons of assets, they have those sons picks. They have obviously like tradable salary, etc. Etc. How all in do you go for a guy like Giannis? Antonokounmpo. Everything is everything on the table. Amen. Even a Thompson is on the table for Houston.
- [25:02]
Marcus Thompson
Well, you got to have something for Giannis to play with. Otherwise you're just changing, right? How you lose.
- [25:08]
Esperahini
Yeah.
- [25:08]
Marcus Thompson
You're just changing, right? Yeah. Still be a second round loss just like. So I do think there are some pieces that you need to, to keep and if, if Amin is on the table for one of them, I don't know. I just feel like a 30 year old Giannis. I'm taking that all day. I'm taking it.
- [25:27]
Esperahini
I agree.
- [25:28]
Marcus Thompson
That puts you in a championship window and you got to win a championship. Like, I mean is good. We don't know if he's a champion yet. Like, and that's, that's a tough spot and with their resources you can, you can go get other good players right there. Like Giannis is transcendent. We know that. So yeah, they're, they're in an interesting spot they can do there because they can be really good. Or they could be Memphis like, or.
- [25:58]
Esperahini
Sacramento like you could have one good season and it could crash. And yeah, I think they're, they're super interesting because they have so many options and they can stay patient if they want to and you know, lots of.
- [26:09]
Marcus Thompson
Options isn't always good.
- [26:12]
Esperahini
It could be confusing. You're right, exactly.
- [26:15]
Marcus Thompson
Not always good. Sometimes you need some clear stuff like I need this and then you know what to go get. Yeah, they could use like three things and then they're all right in those areas where it's like, I will be fine. Because you, they could easily say, you know what, Jalen will be better now. Some playoff experience is going to be better. He's got some playoff experience like Jabari is going to be better now. You could say that. That's what Sacramento did. Well, Keegan's going to be better now. They did it next year. It's going to be even better. It could be. It also could not be.
- [26:45]
Esperahini
Yeah, no, you're right. Okay, I'll give you my final team. It's funny, we went two west and two east and this one feels kind of obvious in the sense that it's the New York Knicks. They got to go out and find a coach. I think that's obviously that is such an important move because you talk about options, by the way. New York will clearly have a lot of options, hopefully, if they want to. When it comes to finding a head coach.
- [27:09]
Marcus Thompson
I don't know.
- [27:10]
Esperahini
Yeah.
- [27:11]
Marcus Thompson
I don't know those in the mix.
- [27:13]
Esperahini
Would you not want to coach in New York?
- [27:16]
Marcus Thompson
Would you want to coach for Dolan.
- [27:19]
Esperahini
True? Yeah, that's fair. Yeah, I don't know if I would. Especially the way. Especially the way the tip situation went.
- [27:27]
Marcus Thompson
Like, yeah, the west final, east finals. And he's like, yeah, Deuces. How you keep a coach when they get the second round and then fire when they get to the east final.
- [27:37]
Esperahini
Right. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I think it's wild. You know, the thing with New York, though, is like, okay, this. This is such an important coaching hire because. And you've been a part of it with. With the Warriors. It's like the difference between a Mark Jackson and Steve Kerr and. And what that can do for a team. We saw it with the Cavs this year and getting Kenny Atkinson and what that did for their team. Like, a coaching change can do a lot for you. If it's the right guy. Yeah. But you gotta find the right guy. And if you don't, it could. You could crash and burn. You know what I mean?
- [28:13]
Marcus Thompson
So would the right guy do that situation?
- [28:16]
Esperahini
Exactly. Who is the right guy? Also.
- [28:18]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah. Who's the right guy? But, yeah, would the right guy go. Situation.
- [28:24]
Esperahini
There's also, like, the trade situations with them. It's like, do they. Do they entertain the idea of trading Carl Anthony Towns or, you know, Mikhail Bridges or Josh Hart or anybody, you know, outside of Jalen Brunson? Yeah.
- [28:40]
Marcus Thompson
Like, it's there. Like Cleveland.
- [28:42]
Esperahini
Yep.
- [28:42]
Marcus Thompson
Boston's got the problem. Like, Cleveland is beatable. You know, they. They could have. You know, the Pacers are beatable. Right. Like, the Knicks were in the dog fight with them. You got to feel like, man, we want adjustment away from being. Being in the. In the finals. So that. That adds a little intrigue to it. Right. Like, you make this Right. Movie right there. That's. That's. That's unique in New York's history.
- [29:06]
Esperahini
I kind of want to throw something at you just. Just off. Just see. See what you think. So you have to pick one team.
- [29:13]
Marcus Thompson
You went from, like, short prep to, like, no prep.
- [29:16]
Esperahini
All right, I know. No prep.
- [29:17]
Marcus Thompson
Yeah.
- [29:18]
Esperahini
This is no prep. If you had to pick one team in the east to make a leap next season because there is an opening, what would that team be?
- [29:27]
Marcus Thompson
One team to make a leap. Like, we talking outside the playoffs. Inside the playoffs.
- [29:36]
Jessica Hawke
Yeah, sure.
- [29:37]
Esperahini
Yeah. Or from inside the playoffs to contention. Whatever you feel. Yeah.
- [29:44]
Marcus Thompson
I'm very tempted to say Miami because of how they finished the season. Wow. Wow. Tempted. And they got rid of they over the Jimmy Butler thing. That distraction is gone. You saw what happened after they traded them. They like kind of turned up. But I'm going with the Pistons.
- [30:06]
Esperahini
I like it.
- [30:08]
Marcus Thompson
I think the Pistons make one or two moves and become even more of a problem. Like, I don't think they contend for a championship, but I don't think they're a first round and out team.
- [30:18]
Esperahini
I.
- [30:18]
Marcus Thompson
You. I'll tell you who I want to say. I'll tell you where my heart's at. I want to say Chicago. I want to say Chicago. I want to say this is it for Chicago. But I fallen for the banana in the tailpipe too many times. I just don't. I really hope they just. I really want a better life for Kobe White. I'm a big Kobe White guy. Like, I really need Kobe White.
- [30:40]
Esperahini
Me too, man.
- [30:41]
Marcus Thompson
Go somewhere, man. Get up out of there. Like, go, go, go. Be happy.
- [30:46]
Esperahini
Yeah, man. They're. The Bulls are just.
- [30:50]
Marcus Thompson
Can we just get. Can we just get. See how much better life is when the Knicks are lit, you know what I'm saying? Like, like if Chicago was good, we need the Bulls back.
- [31:01]
Esperahini
We had that. We had that like three month window in. What was it, 2022, where it was Caruso and Lonzo and Levine and DeRozan and they were just awesome for like two months. That was. It was electric. If we could somehow find a way to get that back, that would be great. That would be awesome.
- [31:19]
Marcus Thompson
I need the Bulls back in the mix, man. Just, just for my own sentimental childhood. Wg.
- [31:25]
Esperahini
Of course.
- [31:25]
Marcus Thompson
Romanticism. Like, let's get the Bulls back in the mix. Let's go.
- [31:29]
Esperahini
All right, the Bulls, let's please. If you're listening to this Bulls fans, let us know what you think. Marcus Thompson from the Athletic. As always, go and read Marcus. He does excellent work. One of the best in the biz. As always, Marcus, appreciate you for hopping on, talking and indulging me when it comes to the off season.
- [31:47]
Marcus Thompson
I appreciate preparation. That's you a lot for me. Yes, appreciate the.
- [31:52]
Esperahini
I feel like that that makes for good podcasting. Lack of preparation. Yes, exactly. Spontaneity. Oh, thank you very much everybody for listening to the Athletic NBA Daily. Go ahead and subscribe. If you're on YouTube, give a us a five star rating on all of those podcast networks and we appreciate you guys. Have a good one.
- [32:10]
Marcus Thompson
Bye.
- [32:29]
Jessica Hawke
Foreign. Heads up. Trading card collectors, it's easier than ever to get your cards graded with grading by PSA now on eBay listings. All you got to do is find the card you want, add grading, and make your purchase. Yeah, just like that. Plus, for a limited time, shipping from PSA to you is free. It's the easy way to build an epic collection. Learn more@ebay.com PSA as we head into the playoffs, it's safe to assume there will be a few calls made by the refs that will be hard to accept. But you know what isn't hard to accept? Discover. Believe it or not, Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. You heard that right, 99%. So make a good call for your wallet and get discovered. Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. Learn more at discover.com credit card hey.
- [33:26]
Esperahini
It'S Paige from Giggly Squad. Let's talk about an elite green flag being a cat dad. Temptations, America's number one cat treat brand, is making 2025 the year of the Cat Dad. And honestly, about time. Whether he's coordinating snack time with the Meow schedule or just vibing with his tabby, Temptation treats make cat dads even more irresistible to their cats and to us. For more information about Temptations Brand Cat Dads, or to learn more about the brand, visit temptationtreats. Com. And don't forget to share your own hashtag CatDad sightings on social we'll be scrolling.