Will the Grizzlies trade Ja Morant? + Thunder stay undefeated

Summary

---

The Athletic NBA Daily — November 3, 2025

Episode Title: Will the Grizzlies trade Ja Morant? + Thunder stay undefeated
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Zena Keita, Esfandiar Baraheni (S)
Episode Overview:
This fast-paced episode dives deep into NBA hot topics: Ja Morant’s suspension and trade speculation after a rocky week in Memphis, the red-hot undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder, the unraveling New Orleans Pelicans, the end of the Bulls’ and Spurs’ streaks, Victor Wembanyama’s learning curve, Josh Hart’s injury, and the shape of the Hawks without Trae Young.

---

Main Theme

The episode explores the fallout from Ja Morant’s suspension and potential trade from the Grizzlies, the early NBA season’s surprises—particularly the Thunder’s unbeaten run—and diagnostic breakdowns of ailing teams and rising players. The hosts deliver insider perspectives, stats, and candid analysis in their signature lively tone.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ja Morant Suspended: Is a Trade Next?

Starts 02:10

• Suspension Fallout:

  • Morant is suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, missing Sunday’s game in Toronto.
  • The Grizzlies had no offensive spark without him.
  • His body language and play in the game prior to suspension were, as Dave put it, "lackadaisical" (03:33).

• Performance and System Fit:

  • S: “He looked absolutely lackadaisical...I felt as if, you know, when we heard about his statement, when he said when asked about his performance in the game that the coaching staff basically told him that he shouldn’t have played, that he shouldn’t have been out there.” (03:48)
  • Ja’s minutes are down, his 3P% is at a career-low (15%), and he has more airballs than makes, leading S to call it "a problem. That is a problem." (05:24)
  • Grizzlies pushing Jaren Jackson Jr. to the forefront—shifting team identity away from Ja.
  • S: “This is now Jaren Jackson Jr’s team…slowly but surely making this team built around Jaren Jackson Jr.” (07:07)

• Coaching Disputes and Locker Room Dynamics:

  • Head coach Thomas Isalo is known for publicly calling out players; apparently, a film session confrontation with Ja led to fallout. (08:07)
  • S: “When Ja Morant is off the floor, the assist rate for the Memphis grizzlies goes up 15%. When Ja Morant is off the floor, their offense is eight points better.” (09:05)

• Trade Talk & Morant’s Value:

  • Trade speculation is increasing.
  • D: “If you get moved, other teams are looking at that, too.” (09:39)
  • D pitches a Ja-for-Quickley/Agbaji trade to the Raptors, raising questions about Ja’s current value and market (“Would the Grizzlies even remotely be interested in taking on Emmanuel Quickley’s contract?” — B, 11:27).

• Viability and Suitors:

  • S: “What is Ja Morant's value right now in the marketplace? Like, what team, what player, what franchise is looking at what Ja Morant has done over the last couple years and says, you know what? That’s worth the risk?” (12:29)
  • Brooklyn Nets named as a fit due to their need for a star, followed by a fun, hypothetical speculation on Portland (13:25).

---

2. Thunder: The Last Undefeated Team

Starts 13:47

• Thunder Analysis:

  • Thunder move to 7-0 after blowing out the Pelicans.
  • Dave: “I looked at the schedule for the Thunder. I’m not sure when the Thunder are going to lose.”

• Thunder Identity:

  • The team is highlighted for depth, defense, and smashing expectations.

---

3. Pelicans: A Franchise in Trouble

Starts 15:06

• Falling Apart:

  • Pelicans drop to 0-6 this season, suffering repeated 30-point blowouts.
  • Dave: “Willie Green seat is not hot. That thing melted. That is gone.” (14:02)

• Instability and Missed Potential:

  • Zena reviews injuries and instability since 2021: Zion’s injuries, Jonas Valanciunas as an unlikely go-to player, Trey Murphy’s hurdles.
  • S: “This is a gap in communication between a front office who built a team and completely mortgaged its immediate future…and a coach who is trying to teach a very, very young and inexperienced team with Zion at the helm of it how to learn how to win.” (17:22)
  • Consensus: Roster is not as advertised; Green is likely to be scapegoated.

---

4. Spurs & Bulls: Streaks End

Starts 23:30

Victor Wembanyama’s Rough Night

• Defensive Masterclass Against Wemby:
  • Suns hold Victor to 9 points—his first sub-10 scoring night in 30+ minutes.
  • Dave: “They were clearly committed to just hit him as much as you can, make him feel like it’s a football game and bother him. And it did.” (24:24)
  • Zena: “It wasn’t just being physical. It was the positioning…” (24:46)
  • Analysts agree physical, active, smaller defenders give Wemby trouble. Next step for Wemby is live-read passing under pressure (26:38).
  • Injury update: Dylan Harper leaves spurs game on crutches after a strong season start. (27:19)

Bulls

• Defense Regresses to Mean:
  • S: “They were like a top three or four defense in the league. And I'm going to tell you right now, that was so fake.” (28:06)
  • Hot three-point defense was unsustainable; Knicks exposed them by shooting 47% from deep.
  • Josh Hart’s injury updates: nerve issue in his fingers could require surgery, potentially sidelining him for three months.
  • Zena highlights that, despite this, players are eager to be part of the new system under Mike Brown: “I just feel like all of these guys are just like, I want to be a part of this.” (30:10)

---

5. Hawks Without Trae Young: New Look, New Energy

Starts 31:38

• On-Tra-Off-Tra:
  • Trey Young out 4 weeks with a sprained knee.
  • Dave: “In these two games without Tre… I have seen some clarity for the Hawks...” (32:28)
  • Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson thriving in new roles, especially on defense with Nikhil Alexander-Walker; S sees potential in staggering Trae / Jalen unit styles.
  • Zena points out Dyson Daniels’ surge: “18 points scored in the last two games. Incredibly efficient from the floor. 60% higher. In the three before that, he hadn't been higher than 33% from the floor.” (34:00)
  • Hosts agree: When Trae finds his form, the Hawks’ outlook will brighten.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Ja Morant’s Value:

  • “What is Ja Morant's value right now in the marketplace?...That's worth the risk?”
    — Esfandiar Baraheni (12:29)

• On Jaren Jackson Jr. being the focus:

  • “...they are slowly but surely making this team built around Jaren Jackson Jr. And how does that feel if you're John Moran?”
    — Esfandiar Baraheni (07:23)

• On the Pelicans’ Situation:

  • “Willie Green seat is not hot. That thing melted. That is gone.”
    — Dave DuFour (14:02)

• On Wemby Being Human:

  • “It’s nice to see that this guy, he's just not there. Right? Yeah, he's human. You know, it's a bad game…”
    — Dave DuFour (26:38)

• On Bulls’ Defense:

  • “That was so fake… Jedi three point defense.”
    — Esfandiar Baraheni (28:06)

---

Timestamps for Main Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------|------------| | Show Begins (skip ads) | 02:10 | | Ja Morant Suspension & Trade Talk | 02:10-13:47| | OKC Thunder Undefeated | 13:47-15:06| | Pelicans in Crisis | 15:06-18:33| | Spurs & Wemby Battle Suns | 23:30-27:28| | Bulls’ Regression | 28:06-30:04| | Knicks News & Josh Hart Injury | 28:48-31:28| | Hawks without Trae Young | 31:38-35:50| | Thunder Predictions/Wrap-up | 35:50-end |

---

Episode Flow and Tone

The hosts keep things conversational, brisk, and occasionally irreverent—never shying from saying when something is “fake” (Bulls defense), “melted” (Willie Green’s seat), or “a problem” (Ja’s stats). They lean into insider stats, personal observation from games, and speculate widely (trade hypotheticals, coaching changes, etc.), making for an engaging, accessible discussion for NBA fans and newcomers alike.

---

Summary prepared for those who missed the episode or need a comprehensive recap of the hottest NBA stories discussed on Nov 3, 2025.

Transcript

[A]

Morning Zoe. Got donuts.

[B]

Jeff Bridges why are you still living above our garage?

[A]

Well I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you teach me.

[B]

So Dana oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at T Mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[A]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T Mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network. Nice.

[C]

You heard them.

[A]

T Mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition. So what are we having for launch?

[B]

Dude, my work here is done. 24 monthly bill credit is on experience beyond for well qualified customers + tax and 35 device connection charge credit send and balance due.

[A]

If you pay off earlier Cancel Finance Agreement.

[B]

IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs 1099.99 and new line minimum 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Oaklove Speed Test Intelligence Data 182025 Visit T mobile.com the problem with group insurance is that healthcare isn't a group decision, it's personal. Group insurance means businesses get one carrier and just a few plan options for the whole company. But that doesn't fit everyone's needs. Now a new coverage option called an Ichra or Ichra allows employees to buy any plan from any carrier instead of a one size fits all approach. Plan on something personal plan on an Ichra.

[A]

Learn more at ambetterhealth.comichra. why choose a sleep number? Smart bed Can I make my site softer?

[B]

Can I make my site firmer? Can we sleep cooler?

[A]

Sleep number does that cools up to.

[B]

Eight times faster and lets you choose your ideal comfort on either side your sleep number setting.

[A]

Enjoy personalized comfort for better sleep night after night.

[B]

And now max out your savings. The more you buy, the more you save on beds, bases and more. Plus get free home delivery on any smart bed with base limited time. Check it out at a sleep number store near you [e-mail] today.

[A]

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily presented by Ebay. I'm Dave Dufour here with Zena Keda and S. Baraheny. Coming up, fall back, set your clocks. Wow, what a disaster of a week we have ahead of us. The Thunder is 7. 0. They're the only undefeated team left in the NBA. We're going to Talk about that. And Ja Morant suspension. Is he going to get traded? We're going to speculate. Good morning, everybody. Good morning, Dave.

[B]

Yeah, I guess it's good. I guess it's good.

[A]

You're. Listen, we, we fell back this weekend for some reason. We're still doing this. Yeah, I'm not quite sure why. In 2025, we're still doing it. There are headlights on tractors now. I don't know if you guys know this. They do exist. So, you know, we don't have to actually pull play with our, our entire bodies for a week to deal with the clock. But anyway, guys, big weekend. We had NBA Cup Friday night on Halloween. We had whatever the heck is going on with John Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. I, I think I want to start there because this is the biggest story in the NBA right now. John Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies for conduct detrimental to the team. He. He missed Sunday's game. Which s. You, you know, got a chance to see him up close the, the Grizzlies up there in Toronto. He wasn't there for that game and his absence was felt because the Grizzlies just don't really have anything on the ball offensively without him out there. But I want to go back to the, to the game that he essentially was suspended for. Right. He looked absolutely lackadaisical in that game the other night. And, and I felt as if, you know, when we heard about, you know, his statement when he said when asked about his performance in the game that the coaching staff basically told him that he shouldn't have played, that he shouldn't have been out there. And frankly, when you go and watch, they were right. Yeah. You know, Xena, look, your job as the point guard, like you have to have more energy than everybody else. You got to play hard, especially when you're giving it up on the other end the way Ja does.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Like, it's not like this guy is a two way monster or anything. Frankly, he didn't look like he wanted to be out there.

[D]

Yeah, the body language was concerning. I felt like there's got to be something deeper to it because we know Jaw is this explosive player. He loves to have the ball in his hands, to be leading his team. And I do think that there's another layer to it. And you know, reading the reports about what was said that we all saw the video, but also just what's been discussed behind the scenes, like, I do feel like there's an autonomy play here. And where John Morant is a very improvisational player. Like, he likes to have that freedom to play free and just being able to go out and open space and get to the rack at will. And that offense worked. Remember before Isola was there under Jenkins, they had that under Taylor Jenkins. And then you look at the numbers that John Moran is putting up this year, he. His minutes are a bit lower, about two minutes lower. His three point percentage has been split in half. He's 15%. He's averaging the lowest amount that he's had since his sophomore season.

[B]

More air balls than makes, by the way.

[A]

Wow.

[D]

Yeah, that's a problem. That is a problem. And so I can imagine that he's looking at Isola, he's looking at the system that is very more structured than he typically is used to. And he's like, this doesn't fit me. And so it's really right now a battle between this high freedom player and. And a high structured system. And Isallo has a job to protect and John Morant has a job that he wants to do. So it's just going to be. It's going to be interesting how this comes to heads.

[B]

Yeah, look, so I got a chance to ask Thomas Isalo about John Morant and what went into their decision. And he basically said like, organizationally he didn't meet the standards for what we expect. And you could tell on Friday night, even on the court, he didn't meet the standards of basically any NBA team in terms of the effort that he was putting out there on both sides of the floor. To the number that jumps out to me when it comes to jaw is rim frequency. Every single year, he has got to the rim less and less. And if you're not that explosive athlete, that guy who's barreling to the basket, the freak athlete, honestly, that we've seen jaw be, you're not effective on the floor. And like you said with those shooting numbers, if you're not spacing the floor either, you're not that good of an offensive player. And if I can push back on.

[A]

The rim numbers just a little bit, part of that is because there's been an emphasis on he needs to shoot more threes. He needs to shoot more off the dribble threes especially.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So some of that is a. Is a stylistic choice, but you're right, when the shots don't fall, man, that that number has to go through the roof. Like that is actually John Moran's calling card. Because no coach, no coach in their right mind, if you can get to the basket every time is going to say, hey, you know what? Pull up. No, no, no, no. Go to the basket every single time. Like that is.

[B]

And you know what? Like, the. The other thing I'll just say on that is I think some of him looking and feeling disinterested on the floor has to do with. Over the last couple of years, the. The Grizzlies have made it known that this is now Jaren Jackson Jr's team.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Like, we are leaning towards building around him. We're grabbing wings, we're grabbing other creators. We got Cedric Howard, who we really believe in. I do think they are slowly but surely making this team built around Jaren Jackson Jr. And how does that feel if you're John Moran?

[D]

Can I add two more into this.

[A]

On the easel thing? I just. Real quick, I want to talk about this because I. An interview has popped up that I. That I saw like on YouTube from. From Isolo, from months ago, sometime in the early spring, where he talked about actually confronting players in front of their teammates in the locker room and calling them out when they're. When they're kind of acting wrong or. Or in a way that's detrimental to the team. And apparently that's what happened. And John was not happy about it. Yeah. Yeah. And when he. When he was asked about it, you know, he was very upset about it. It was pretty clear. And it feels like this relationship is getting a little south, but. Sorry, back to your stats.

[C]

Sorry.

[D]

No, no, no, my bad. I'm sorry. I thought you were finishing up on that thought. But you're right. The story is it happened in a film session, felt called out. And that's why I'm. I'm feeling as if this, this structured environment in which there is a system and a regiment that you have to abide by may be conflicting with the way that John Morant likes to play and also how he likes to lead this team. But there are two things that he's all. Is probably also looking at. And I'm so happy you brought up The Jaren Jackson Jr. Aspect of the top three producing lineups for Memphis Grizzlies right now. Jaren Jackson's only in one of them of the top five in their, you know, most productive. I'm sure they want more of that. When John Morant is off the floor, the assist rate for the Memphis grizzlies goes up 15%. That's not a casual number.

[B]

Staggering.

[A]

Wow.

[D]

That's staggering. When John Morant is off the floor, their offense is eight points Better. So Isola, who focuses on offense, probably is looking at that, and he's also probably looking at Jaren Jackson Jr. Who can space the floor, who can finish at the rim, who can do a lot of the things that works in an offense, and being like, we need to find a way to make this more focus, more of a focal point. And if Jaw's kind of in the middle of that, that I can see where he's coming from. But I. I always am going to take a little bit of, like, I understand the frustration that Ja has. He just can't let that translate onto the floor in his product. Because if you get moved, other teams are looking at that, too.

[A]

Yeah. And. And by the way, this is one of the things that I. I think people were worried about when they lost Desmond Bane, that his leadership voice in the locker room was really important. You know, Jaren Jackson's not the most outspoken guy in the locker room, but apparently Desmond Bain was sort of the adult in the room all the time. And so now it's up to the coaches. Right? Like, that's their job. And it seems like Isolo is following his blueprint. We'll see if that works in the NBA, buddy. I'm just not sure where you guys. I. I know you guys are like, me. First thing I think, oh, who's going to trade for ja? December 15 is right around the corner, unfortunately. Like, we're hearing Christmas music in the mall already, guys. Xena, you got a fake trade.

[D]

See, I'm actually not that way. I'm always like, figure it out. Figure it out, guys. Work it out. But I did think about this, and I wanted to ask you about a potential trade that I put through.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

In my mind, I immediately went and thought about pace. Right. John Morant likes a faster pace and who's in the top 10 or so. Guess what? The Toronto Raptors are in that mix. I was thinking, could John Morant be an upgrade for Emmanuel Quickley?

[B]

Well, yes, and then he absolutely would be. Absolutely would be.

[C]

Right?

[B]

Yes, I'll answer that.

[D]

You throw in an agbaje, like maybe that right there. That combination alone, I mean, Quickley's getting paid some significant dollars, by the way.

[B]

Yeah, the contract is tough.

[D]

The contract is big. So I'm just saying it could equal out if you, you know, switch that out. So what are your thoughts of having the pace of John Morant being the force with RJ and Scotty alongside them?

[B]

Initial thought is that this team would love to have another guy who can create off the bounce the other thoughts that I have is like, would the Grizzlies even remotely be interested in taking on Emmanuel Quickley's contract? That seems unlikely given the amount of years on it.

[D]

But at the same time, Scotty Pippen is hurt.

[B]

Scott Pippen, J.R. is hurt. You're right.

[D]

They need a guard.

[A]

Oh, oh.

[B]

I saw it tonight against the Raptors. They need a guard. They did not have any. God bless Cam Spencer. They did not have anybody else who.

[D]

Need a shooting guard. They need a point.

[A]

Spencer, starting point guard. Memphis Grizzlies.

[D]

They need a point.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

By the way, swallowed Cam Spencer.

[A]

That popped up a couple places. This would have been the first time if. If he had played on Sunday. John Morant would have been the first time since 2023 that he played seven games in a row. Availability is also a skill, and I think that that is going to affect his trade market.

[B]

Let me. Let me get back to you about. Let me get back to you on the Raptor stuff, because I think, look, there's. There's a possibility that that makes sense. But at the same time, like, this is something I'll throw back to you guys. What is John Morant's value right now in the marketplace? Like, what team, what player, what franchise is looking at what John Morant has done over the last couple years and says, you know what? That's worth the risk.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Thoughts? I'm looking at Portland. You got Scoot on the bench. You've got two older players and Drew Holiday and Dame Lillard, which he has to come back from injury.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Right now having. I mean, imagine a shade and sharp John Morant duo.

[B]

It's fun. Yeah, it's definitely fun.

[A]

I just don't. I don't see that making that move.

[D]

Absolutely not. This is for fun, guys. This is for fun.

[A]

I do think we're gonna. I don't know. We're gonna find out a lot about John Morant and how the league feels about him over the course of the next few weeks once the rumors start hitting, you know, Brooklyn Nets. That is where it's tracking to me also. I have to think, like, what is.

[B]

I just think they like stars. They need someone to be a star in Brooklyn and to fill seats. And John Moran is that it tracks.

[A]

Yeah, for sure. Guys. The Thunder moved to 7 and oh on Sunday, destroying the. The New Orleans Pelicans, who. They lost their third game by 30 points this season. They are.06. The Pelicans. Willie Green seat is not hot. That thing melted. That is gone. It was someone Took that seat and they chopped it up and they used it for kindling and they threw it in the fireplace and they threw gasoline on it. Oh, my. The entire book of matches. 0 and 6. Three of those losses by at least 30 points. And yes, they lose to. They're losing to good teams and they are not a good team. But Willie, you know, this is a front office that already wanted to move on from Willie Green. This start to the season was extremely important to them after the summer that they had and that they've started 0 and 6. Now, look, losing to the Thunder, I don't know, man. You. You're going to lose to the Thunder. I mean, I looked at the schedule for the Thunder. I'm not sure when the Thunder are going to lose. You know, much less the New Orleans Pelicans having any hope of coming in and winning. But Xena, like, you have to win a basketball game at some point. They. They have nothing to lose for. They need to win.

[D]

This is Willie Green's fifth season. And you know, as much as we've heard these rumors that Willie Green was up for potential termination, I do feel like there's someone in that Pels organization that had just the benefit of the doubt for Willie Green. And I, I have to give it to him too. I think this is the first season that I'm like, okay, bro, you got to figure some stuff out because let's just be real. When he started in 2021, Zion Williamson didn't play. This was what your whole offense was supposed to be about, right? Then the next year you've got, I think your best player was like Jonas Valentunas. That was like your top win share generator. Cool. The next year he kind of drops down in his production. Who steps up? Trey Murphy the next year after that? What happens to Trey Murphy? He's hurt from the summer from a knee injury. He doesn't start playing until December 1st. And mind you, Zion also didn't play more than 30 games that season. Right.

[B]

And Brandon Ingram was also in and.

[A]

Out of the lineup.

[B]

Consolation.

[D]

No, literally, you could go down the list from Dejounte Murray up and to like three starters for the Pelicans that did not play more than 31 games that season. Yeah, he has not had the benefit of consistency, I would say, until this season. And that is why I feel like this is the year that, yeah, the Pelicans are gonna be like, okay, we've been patient, we've understood, we've been empathetic. A lot of these things were not in your Control. Health. Absolutely not in your control. Us moving folks, us making these bizarre trades, you know, like, that's out of your control. But you gotta start winning with the materials that we put on the court for you. And I do think that now there's some questions around Billy.

[B]

Okay, I'm gonna jump in on that. I'm gonna jump in on that. What are the materials on the court right now?

[A]

It's a bad roster. Well, I'm not saying this is right, S. I'm just saying what it is.

[D]

To this point, though. I don't think that. Yes. I don't think that the materials are correct to be winning on anything. But is that his. They think the roster they put together is enough to win. Right. So now they're going to be like, do something. Like poking this roster and being like, do something.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Look, to me, I agree with you that Willie Green has not gotten the fair shake of having a consistent, good roster. We cannot call this Pelicans team a good roster.

[D]

We can.

[B]

And I like. I mean, I mean, overall, I think this is a gap in communication between a front office who built a team and completely mortgaged its immediate Future with that 2026 pick trade that is still a laughable, like, ridiculous trade when you look back at it. And it might look worse depending on where that pick falls. A gap between the front office who believes this team can be better than it is, and a coach who is trying to teach a very, very young and inexperienced team with Zion at the helm of it how to learn how to win. And those two things are not the same. They're just not the same. And by the way, it's resulting in 30 point losses because the. The players aren't responding to the type of coaching everybody has put on this expectation that they need to win, which is ridiculous. And now you're stuck in a situation where everybody's pointing fingers. The front office is saying, well, it's the coach. The coach is saying, well, what am I supposed to do? Players aren't good. I. I don't know.

[A]

I mean, the coach gets fired in this situation, the front office isn't going to fire itself. They just got there. The players don't get fired. Yeah, gonna be a. We're on Willie Green. Watch this.

[B]

And by the way, the Pelicans have some fun players like Jeremiah Fears looks cool, Derek Queen looks cool. But it's just tough. Very tough.

[A]

Yep. Guys, stick around after the break. We're going to talk through some injury news and how the Bulls and Spurs are no longer undefeated Foreign.

[C]

Listen, in today's day and age, I think it is essential to find a good therapist and to just go to therapy in general. You know, if you, if you pull a muscle or you hurt your body, you're of course going to go to the doctor. But if you're stressed out, struggling at work, struggling with relationships, shouldn't you go see a therapist as well? Listen, I know that it can be tough to find the right therapist, or maybe you're on a wait list or it's too expensive. But listen, this is where Rula comes in. Rula makes therapy simple, affordable and fast. They work with most major insurance plans. The average session copay is about $15. $15. That's basically just the cost of lunch. But instead of a sandwich, you're getting in a better headspace. Every therapist with RUA is literally licensed, vetted and picked for their expertise. So you know that you're talking to someone legit, not just whoever happens to be available. Getting started couldn't be easier. You answer just a few questions about what matters to you, and Rula connects you with an in network provider who actually fits your needs. You pick the time and you could be talking to a therapist as soon as the next day. No weeks of waiting, no endless back and forth. And again, I found it super important for me to find a good therapist and someone that can help me get through the difficult times of life. Thousands of guys have already used Rula to finally get the care they needed. Don't put it off. Go to rula.com AthleticMBA to get started. That's R U L A.com Athletic MBA take the first step. Get connected and take control of your mental health. As a small business owner, you don't have the luxury of clocking out early. Your business is on your mind 24 7. So when you're hiring, you need a partner that works just as hard as you do. That hiring partner is LinkedIn Jobs. When you clock out, LinkedIn clocks in. LinkedIn makes it easy to post your job for free, share it with your network and get qualified candidates that can manage all in one place. I've been in a position where I need to hire many times and I never had the luxury of having LinkedIn jobs help me. As a user of LinkedIn jobs now I find it incredibly easy to find the most qualified candidates. Here's how LinkedIn Jobs works. Number one, post your job. LinkedIn's new feature can help you write job descriptions and then quickly get your job in front of the right people. With deep candidate Insights. You can post your job for free or you can pay to promote promoted jobs. Get three times more qualified applicants. Number two, get qualified candidates. And at the end of the day, the most important thing to your small business is the quality of candidates. And with LinkedIn you can feel confident that you're getting the best. Based on LinkedIn data, 72% of small businesses using LinkedIn say that LinkedIn helps them find high quality candidates. And finally, share it with your network. You can let your network know that you're hiring. You can even add the hashtag hiringframe to your personal profile and get two times more qualified candidates. Find out why more than two and a half million small businesses use LinkedIn for hiring today. Find your next great hire on LinkedIn. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com Athletic MBA that's LinkedIn.com Athletic MBA to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

[B]

Morning Zoe.

[A]

Got donuts.

[B]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[A]

Well, I dig the mattress. I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you teach me. So Dana.

[B]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at t mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[A]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[D]

Nice Jeffrey, you heard them.

[A]

T mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition. So what are we having for launch?

[B]

Dude, my work here is done with 24 month credit is on experience beyond.

[A]

For well qualified customers plus tax and.

[B]

35 device connection charge credit same and balance due if you pay off earlier.

[A]

Cancel Finance agreement.

[B]

IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs 1099.99 A new line minimum 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Oakland Speed Test Intelligence data 1H 2025 is it t mobile.com.

[A]

Well, we're down to one undefeated team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. But the Bulls and Spurs were undefeated going into Sunday. And there was a lot of hope around here at least because you know, former Bulls fan I was, you know I'd like to see him do pretty well but the spurs, you know Victor women Yama is must watch. I mean I, I essentially have seen every single minute of this guy's career because at any moment he may do something you've never seen before. And guess what? He did something that we have never seen before in the NBA. He only scored nine points in spite of playing for 34 minutes. It's the first time in his career that he played at least 30 minutes and did not score double digits as the Suns beat the Spurs. 13118 guys. I was impressed with the way that the Suns played defense against Wemby. They were in his grill. They were into his body early and often. It reminds me of the way that Oklahoma City has guarded him in the past and it bothered him. He took two shots Xena in the first quarter. One of those was a putback attempt with three guys in his chest. I mean it was. They were clearly committed to just hit him as much as you can, make him feel like it's a football game and bother him. And it did. There's a good. That's a little bit of a recipe.

[D]

Oh yeah, I was going to say the game tape is being passed around right now of just how you level up the physicality. But also it wasn't just being physical. It was the positioning. Right. Like I remember in college we had to front the post. What are the worst, worst things you have to do? It is constant footwork, constant head turns. My neck hurts thinking about it. Trying to match hands with someone like the of Wemby. Like you just saw the. The Phoenix Suns just doing such a great job of being able to continuously move around Wemby, never allowing him to get his foot, his feet settled in any space. Even when he did catch the ball, it was immediate, like collapse. So yeah, there are a lot of coaches that are like, oop, chop up the film. Let's run this back. This is exactly regardless of size. You didn't even need Ogadara's OGU Dara size. You didn't need Ryan Dunn size. You didn't need man man size. You just needed people that were active and committed to the task of making him feel like he was never alone.

[B]

I think the coolest part about trying to guard Wemby is that smaller players with a lower center of gravity who he can't dribble around because he dribbles so high compared to some of these other guys, makes it so that there actually is an advantage to guarding him with smaller players. And that's why coming into this year it was how is he going to deal with mismatches in the post and how is he going to be able to just impose himself physically? And I think so far he's been awesome, like MVP level player you know, but you're going to have something like.

[A]

60% of his shots in the paint.

[B]

Yep. Yeah, the shot diet has completely changed for Victor Wenyama. It's just that there are going to be nights where a team is going to have smaller guards and smaller wings who can actually pressure you. The Suns did a pretty good job of that tonight. So he has to learn. He has to figure out how to. One a double is coming. I got to make a play. I got to make a read. I got to get the defense and rotation.

[A]

So that's. The passing is the next part of his game that needs to. That needs to level up. You know, it's. He's probably got to be a triple double guy. Ish. You know, or at least threaten that because of how much he's going to touch the basketball, how much defensive attention he's going to draw. And so once he gets better and, and look, nobody can see the floor like this guy because no one has their eyes as high up as his son. He. He should be pretty good at this and he already has shown some skill at it, but, you know, it's nice to see that this guy, he's just not there. Right? Yeah, he's human. You know, it's a bad game and we need to note Dylan Harper left this game with. With a calf injury. And then spurs reporter Mike Finger, he. He's reporting that Dylan Harper left the arena on crutches. So that's something to watch as we're looking forward. Dylan Harper's had a great start to the year and has actually been kind of a key to. To what they've done so far with de' Aaron Fox out. And so, you know, their, their inability to get this game close in the second half, I think partially was because they didn't have him coming off the bench and adding firepower. Also losing on Sunday. The Bulls, they. They beat the Knicks on Friday in the game. I thought that they were going to lose because the cup games just mean more to the Bulls and then they. They blow it on on Sunday. It was bound to end at some point. S. But you just don't expect them to lose games when a triple double, you know.

[B]

Yeah, look, I think, I think what has been really intriguing about the Bulls so far is that they were like a top three or four defense in the league. And I'm going to tell you right now, that was so fake.

[A]

So incredibly, three point defense.

[B]

It was Jedi three point defense. Exactly, Dave. The opponents were shooting like 29% at one point in the season. On Chicago, the Bulls conceded 47% tonight against the Knicks.

[A]

The Knicks had and 40 on Friday to the Knicks.

[B]

Exactly. So like the three point shooting variance is coming back. It's coming back down to earth. The Knicks are playing some better basketball. Although we'll see what happens with the Josh Hart situation, which we'll get into.

[A]

Just about to say.

[B]

Yeah, generally three point shooting defense is the big reason. Their, their defense was kind of fake fugazi, if you will. Yeah, that's.

[A]

And we're gonna have to dig into the Knicks more. You know, obviously it's new coaching staff, they're kind of doing new stuff, so they're going to have some growing pains here at the start. Mikhail Bridges is a guy that, I mean night and day difference between last year and this year under Mike Brown's coaching and offense, I think he looks 10 times better. And you mentioned Josh Hart. This is something we're going to have to watch. Josh Hart. It was reported by our own James Edwards and Fred Katz that Josh Hart is dealing with sort of nerve issue in his fingers. It's clearly affecting his game. Although he had a really nice game on Sunday. Of course, as soon as we want to say, hey, he's hurt, he goes out, he puts up 14 points, you know, he hits a three, his minutes are down from last year. He's not starting, he's coming off the bench. If he were to have surgery for this injury, the report says he would miss like three months. I wonder if he's playing through the injury because, hey, you never know. You can lose your, your role in the NBA no matter who you are. And Josh, Josh Hart already going to this deeper bench role. You know, I start to worry Xena, you know, is this a guy who's playing hurt because he doesn't want to lose that spot?

[D]

I mean, I can see how you could think that. I think that that's a valid.

[A]

I mean, he's a gamer too, don't get me wrong.

[D]

Like he wants to play. That's where I think it lands. Yeah, I think that's where it lands. I feel like he's out there with his boys and there it does seem like there's a new leaf being turned in New York and there's this excitement around what their offense looks like and how everyone can contribute to it. I mean, you saw not even only Josh Hart coming off the bench, but Landry Shamit going off the bench as well, being able to contribute. And I just feel like all of these guys are just like, I want to be A part of this. Now, Josh Hart, we know that in the Thibodeau days he was. Even if he wasn't hurt, we don't even know what injuries he could have been dealing with really under that. But he was still playing ridiculous minutes and at the end of these games, still crashing the glass as if he had never came off the bench. So this is going to be very much his personality. Regardless, I would hope that he doesn't continue to play through this. I mean, we're hearing from that report with James Edwards like he's losing feeling in his hand during everyday things.

[B]

Like that's scary.

[D]

That's scary. Like that's when you're talking about the fact that Josh Hart is a father. He's got other things to do outside of the basketball court. Like you definitely want to be mindful of that. And I would hope that this team, with this new resurgence in their offense and the way they're playing connected under Mike Brown, he could go get that and, and be able to come back maybe by.

[A]

I would think so. I mean, he's got to think about the dexterity that's involved in picking up Mike and Ikes. You know, like those things are fast.

[D]

That's difficult.

[B]

Trying breast milk because that's what he.

[A]

He did, right? And a little bit more injury news. The Atlanta Hawks are going to be without Trey Young for four weeks or so before he is reexamined with that sprained knee. They are now one and one in two games without him. They won their cup game on Friday. They dropped a game to the, to the Cavs on Sunday. Guys, listen, I don't want to be extreme here, but in these two games without Trey. Trey Young out there, I have seen some clarity for the Hawks and I have seen a couple guys, Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson taking on different roles. Dyson Daniels being more on the ball, he just looks like he knows what he's supposed to do in a way where he did not to start the year. And I look, Dyson Daniels has played well next to Trey Young, but s this is a different team without Trey Young. Nikhil Alexander Walker is a two way guy. He was awesome on Friday. I don't know, man. This team has a little bit of a different. It walks differently without Trey Young.

[B]

They obviously are better defensively without Trey Young. And so that starting lineup looks a lot better when it's Nikhil Alexander Walker and Dyson Daniels at the point of attack and you have Jalen Johnson and Christophs Rosingis like that. That sounds Like a really good defensive team out the gate. How they survive offensively, I think they still need Trey's creation and just pick and roll craft to be able to get these guys going. The key question I have moving forward with the Hawks is how do you play your best basketball for both of your star creators? Because maybe it means staggering those guys more often. Where there is a Jalen Johnson version of this team and a Trae Young version of this team, and they play separately, like a lot of teams do this. They have to. I mean, the Pistons last year, they tried to do it with Kate Cunningham and Jaden Ivy. There's like yin and yang type of thing, you know, kind of clashes together with the play styles. But I think they need to do that once Trey gets healthy. And in the meantime, find your identity with Jalen Johnson as your offensive hub. I think he has the potential to do that. He can get to the rim, he can create his own shots. He's good at making plays, he runs in transition. This dude is a guy who can be an all star. So it just, I think it's finding two different versions of yourself which in the end will make them more versatile.

[D]

I'm happy you brought up Jay. Jaylon Johnson. I think there was a little bit of. We don't know exactly what to expect out of Jalen Johnson this year just because he went out so early last year, but we knew he was going to be good. The person that we all expected to take a step forward was Dyson Daniels. And that's the player that, in the last two games, I've been like, whoa, okay, 18 points scored in the last two games. Incredibly efficient from the floor. 60% higher. In the three before that, he hadn't been higher than 33% from the floor. Yeah, he was struggling, and I think there was a little bit of indecision of where do I fit, what do I do? Am I a playmaker? Am I supposed to be getting into the. Into the teeth of defense and then passing out, which you saw him do a lot more of on Sunday and Friday night. He just felt like he was more in control. Now, I don't think. I mean, we know the hawks are like 17 points better because, you know, Trae Young is on the floor, their assist rate is better, et cetera. But they've got to find some synergy to be able to get, especially the likes of Jalen Johnson, but also Dyson Daniels to become back into that two way. So not only do you have Nikhil Alexander Walker playing two way, you've got Dyson Daniels playing two way and you've got all these materials around you actually playing within their roles. I just like what this is. This is doing for confidence, at least.

[A]

For the way like just back into something that's a little bit more got more continuity. Not a bad thing.

[B]

Yeah guys, Trey was shooting 19% from three to start this year. Like his. I think some of that inefficient slow start is also kind of painting this image for us of why Trey was struggling to start the year and why the Hawks were struggling. You know, if Trey is the version of Trey that we expect him to be, I think that the outlook looks very differently for the yeah, things start.

[A]

To fall into place if Trey Young is actually your best player like he's supposed to be. Y yeah. All right. We got a big week coming up, guys. I mean I look Thunder losing to the, to the Clippers on Tuesday. I'm just going to call it right now. It's. It's going to happen.

[B]

I I'm going to say it's not going to happen.

[A]

It's not going to happen.

[D]

West coast road trip. Yeah, I get it.

[A]

It's going to happen. LA guys. Undefeated NBA Daily. Undefeated everybody. Thanks for list. Leave us your your comment. Let us know when are the Thunder going to lose this week? Let us know on YouTube in in the comment section. Yeah, give us a five star review. Wherever you listen to podcasts Forina Kada and Espar Henny I'm Dave Defor and this has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.

[B]

Morning Zoe. Got donuts Jeff Bridges why are you still living above our garage?

[A]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you. Teach me Saldana.

[B]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at t mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[C]

Wow.

[A]

Impressive. Let me try. T mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[D]

Nice. Jeffrey, you heard them.

[A]

T mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us. We with eligible traded in any condition. So what are we having for launch?

[B]

Dude, my work here is done. The 24 month credit is on experience beyond for well qualified customers + tax and 35 device connection charge credit send and balance due if you pay off.

[A]

Earlier Cancel Finance agreement.

[B]

IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs 1099.99 and new line minimum 100 plus a month plan with auto pay post taxes and fees required. Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Oaklove speed test intelligence data 182025 visit t mobile.com we all.

[D]

Love our pets, but we love to travel too and sadly they can't always come along for the ride. Don't stress. Trusted House Sitters connects you with verified sitters who will stay in your home and care for your pets all in exchange for a place to stay on their travels. So while you're off exploring, your pets get to stay safe and happy at home, right where they belong. Find a loving in Home Pet sitter [e-mail] Change isn't coming.

[A]

It's already here. Commerce is going digital and tax complexity is multiplying.

[B]

Tax rules evolve, rates shift, data floods in.

[A]

Vertex connects it all. A global tax compliance platform powered by tax ready data and intelligent systems.

[B]

Smarter Tech Continuous tax compliance built in confidence.

[A]

Learn [e-mail].