Prime Cuts - Buss Family SELLS Lakers, KD’s Preferred Destination Caitlin Clark Exceeding Expectation, Ja Morant A “Cautionary Tale”

Summary

Podcast Summary:

Title: Colin Cowherd Podcast Prime Cuts - Buss Family SELLS Lakers, KD’s Preferred Destination Caitlin Clark Exceeding Expectation, Ja Morant A “Cautionary Tale”
Release Date: June 21, 2025
Host/Authors: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Guests: Nick Wright and Colin Cowherd
Duration: Approximately 51 minutes

---

1. Buss Family Sells the Lakers: A $10 Billion Valuation

Overview:
Nick Wright initiates the discussion by addressing the recent sale of the Los Angeles Lakers by the Buss family for an impressive $10 billion valuation. He emphasizes that sports franchises have historically been undervalued and highlights the Lakers' significant market presence in Los Angeles.

Key Points:

• Undervalued Franchises:
  Nick Wright argues that sports teams are consistently undervalued. For instance, he believes the Dallas Cowboys could fetch up to $13 billion if alternative economic conditions, such as a prosperous oil market in Saudi Arabia, were present.
  “I’ve believed for a long time, Nick, all these sports franchises are undervalued.” [05:05]

• Comparison to Other Teams:
  Wright compares the Lakers to the Boston Celtics, noting that while the Celtics were sold for $6 billion, the Lakers’ arena ownership and larger market in Los Angeles justify their higher valuation.
  “The Lakers own their arena. So that's an important so like you just if the arena's worth 2 billion given where it is in the real estate and whatever.” [07:23]

• Brand Power:
  The conversation touches on the Lakers being one of the most recognizable brands globally, often surpassing other franchises in media ratings and fan engagement.
  “The Lakers are the biggest brand ambassador.” [07:43]

Notable Quotes:

• “The Lakers have never been in the finals without one of the biggest stars in the league.” – Colin Cowherd [07:58]
• “I think they're a step ahead of the Yankees. They don't have all the pennants, they don't have all the titles.” – Nick Wright [09:18]

---

2. Kevin Durant’s Preferred Destination: Speculations on the San Antonio Spurs

Overview:
The discussion shifts to Kevin Durant (KD) and the rumors surrounding his potential move to the San Antonio Spurs. Both hosts analyze the fit, implications for the Spurs, and how it aligns with KD's career trajectory.

Key Points:

• Potential Fit with the Spurs:
  Nick Wright examines the synergy between KD and the Spurs, considering the presence of young talents like De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama. He suggests that KD’s addition would elevate the Spurs’ offensive capabilities.
  “Kevin Durant would work with de'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio.” [41:43]

• Career Stage:
  The conversation delves into whether the Spurs would serve as a fitting environment for KD to conclude his illustrious career, offering both competition and a fun basketball atmosphere.
  “What a fun way for Wemby to start his career. And what a fun way for KD to end his career.” – Nick Wright [43:23]

• Organizational Strategy:
  They discuss the Spurs' strategic approach, highlighting their intelligent drafting and lack of egos, which could complement KD’s playing style and desire for a harmonious team dynamic.
  “They draft smart players. They don’t draft a lot of ego. They don’t draft a lot of dummies.” – Nick Wright [46:18]

Notable Quotes:

• “Kevin Durant is like salt; he works with everything.” – Nick Wright [38:51]
• “He just kind of floats and finds his level, and I think he'll fit anywhere.” – Nick Wright [41:43]

---

3. Caitlin Clark Exceeding Expectations in the WNBA

Overview:
Caitlin Clark's performance in the WNBA takes center stage, with both hosts lauding her exceptional skills and impact on the league. They discuss how Clark has surpassed initial expectations and become a cornerstone player.

Key Points:

• Performance and Impact:
  Nick Wright praises Clark for her outstanding statistics and leadership on the court, comparing her to legends like Michael Jordan and LeBron James in terms of influence.
  “She's the best shooter, the best guard, the most influential.” [21:58]

• League Growth:
  The hosts highlight how Clark’s presence has elevated the WNBA’s popularity and viewership, contributing to the league’s financial growth and overall quality of play.
  “The WNBA is now just starting to make real money.” – Nick Wright [16:42]

• Perception and Challenges:
  Despite her success, Clark faces criticism and challenges, particularly from social media. However, Wright and Cowherd view this as part of her growth and a testament to her resilience.
  “This is the best case scenario for the league.” – Colin Cowherd [23:04]

Notable Quotes:

• “Caitlin Clark is already one of the four best players in the league.” – Colin Cowherd [20:20]
• “She's drastically changed the tempo with her assists and shooting.” – Nick Wright [21:48]

---

4. Ja Morant: A Cautionary Tale in the NBA

Overview:
Ja Morant's career trajectory is analyzed as a cautionary tale of how early success can be derailed by issues such as maturity and physical sustainability. The hosts explore Morant's challenges and the implications for his future and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Key Points:

• Early Potential vs. Current Performance:
  Colin Cowherd contrasts Morant’s explosive start with his recent decline in performance and increased injuries, raising concerns about his longevity and effectiveness.
  “He’s not an effective shooter, and he’s hurt more.” [32:11]

• Organizational Decisions:
  The Grizzlies’ decision to trade Morant is viewed as a strategic move to rebuild, acknowledging that the team cannot compete at its current state.
  “Memphis is going to start over. We’re going to start, and it’s the right move.” – Colin Cowherd [32:11]

• Player Development and Fit:
  Discussion centers on the importance of player maturity and skill development, suggesting that without these, even talented players like Morant can falter.
  “He wasn’t ready for the stage. It was a lot to ask, and he wasn’t ready for it.” – Colin Cowherd [23:54]

Notable Quotes:

• “Ja Morant is wildly entertaining, but he's not an effective shooter.” – Colin Cowherd [32:11]
• “Memphis can’t compete. It’s the right move by Memphis.” – Colin Cowherd [35:43]

---

Conclusion

In this episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," Nick Wright and Colin Cowherd delve deep into significant sports topics, from the monumental sale of the Lakers to Kevin Durant's potential move to the Spurs. They celebrate the remarkable rise of Caitlin Clark in the WNBA while cautiously examining Ja Morant's challenges in the NBA. The conversation is enriched with insightful analysis, strategic evaluations, and memorable quotes that provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the current sports landscape.

Highlighted Quotes:

• “Sports franchises are consistently undervalued.” – Nick Wright [05:05]
• “Kevin Durant is like salt; he works with everything.” – Nick Wright [38:51]
• “This is the best case scenario for the league.” – Colin Cowherd [23:04]
• “Memphis is going to start over. We’re going to start, and it’s the right move.” – Colin Cowherd [32:11]

---

Note: This summary excludes advertisement segments and non-content sections to focus on the core discussions and insights provided by Nick Wright and Colin Cowherd.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Nick Wright]

Just like how true champs master both offense and defense, the BMW IX masters both ultimate performance and unbeatable space. Love mine. The greatest legends in sports never compromise in any aspect of their game. So why would you settle for anything less from your suv? What I love about my BMW IX is that it redefines the electric vehicle experience seamlessly integrates powerful performance, its bold, daring design, a refined interior, details, cutting edge technology. Basically pushes the boundaries of innovation. Thousands of details went into creating the ultimate electric SUV compromise. Not one of them Summer is here and you can now get almost anything.

[Unknown]

You need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats.

[Nick Wright]

Now what do we mean by almost?

[Unknown]

Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A nice tan? Sorry, A box fan? Happily, yes. A day of sunshine? No. A box of fine wines? Yes. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details.

The last thing anyone wants is to leave behind confusion, stress or worse, family conflict. That's why estate planning isn't just for the wealthy. It's for families like mine and probably like yours. With Trust and Will. I created my estate plan in minutes. From naming guardians for my kids to putting our house in a trust to avoid probate. Fast, affordable and way easier than I thought. Every plan is designed by estate planning attorneys and customized for your state. Plans start at just 199and include essentials like healthcare directives and power of attorney. With Trust and Will's bank level security and built in privacy protections, your personal information and your wishes stay safe. Whether you're newly married, raising kids, your caring for aging parents, or just want peace of mind. Trust and will makes it easy to protect what matters Most. Go to trustandwill.com, use code RADIO at checkout and save 20% on your personalized plan because there's no better time to protect the people you love. Trust and Will is an online estate planning service. See website for details.

You don't want vacation to end, but with Amex Platinum you're already planning the next one because because you earn five times membership rewards points on prepaid hotels and more booked through amextravel.com so every trip to the beach and the city and the country and back home again leads to another destination. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Learn [e-mail] withamx.

[Nick Wright]

The volume the NBA playoffs are Heating up. But if you want to catch the action in person, and I know you do, and I do, go to Game time. They make getting tickets faster and easier even for hard to get playoff tickets. Prices on the Game Time app actually go down the closer it gets the tip off. So last minute deals killer. All in prices, views from your seat, lowest prices guaranteed. Game Time is great. It takes the guesswork out of buying professional basketball playoff tickets and you don't want to go there guessing they have zone deals. You can save even more when you choose a section. Let Game Time choose the seats and with Game Time ticket coverage, your price is covered with the most flexible customer service policy in the entire ticketing industry. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account. The code is Colin. For 20 bucks off your first purchase terms apply. Again, create the account. The redeem code C O L I N 20 bucks off. Download the Gametime app today. Last minute tickets, lowest prices guaranteed. All right, we get Nick Wright for an hour and it's a news breaking day. The Lakers just sold for a $10 billion evaluation, which I've believed for a long time, Nick, all these sports franchises are undervalued. Whenever they say the cowboys are worth $7 billion. My take is if somebody in Saudi Arabia had a good month with oil, they'd buy them for 13 billion. Because you don't know if Google is going to be around in 20 years or Microsoft. You know the Dallas Cowboys are going to be around in 20 years. In fact, I remember reading a story years and years ago they went back to like 1980 and they took the 30 leading companies on the Dow Jones and 25 years later only one was still like a really. It was like Chevron or something. And so my point is the Mark Walters group is the Dodger owner. It's a really good group and it does make me think, okay, the mom and pop Lakers are over because that's been the big knock in LA is that I mean people forget little old family Gilbert could buy the Bus family four times. They've been one of the poorest NBA ownership groups.

[Colin Cowherd]

Correct. And one of the poorest from a net worth perspective. And I would argue that they haven't. They have been one of the more poorly run organizations in the league. And I know that's weird because they have the second most championships and they just got Luke and LeBron went there. But I think that they have squandered a lot of opportunities. I think that since Dr. Bus passed, they have There are very few things you can say the Lakers do top notch in the league. And while they have been, you know, willing to spend, I think they've, you know, last decade they've spent like the seventh most money. They should be they the seventh most for Los Angeles Lakers is not maximizing the market and the brand. I understand it's not baseball. So there is a cap like and in the new NBA with the aprons, just spending recklessly can really hamstring you. But this is a massive net positive for the Los Angeles Lakers, for their fans. In my opinion, you should not have. They're in a weird spot where, similar to the Cowboys where ownership's primary source of income is the team. And that's one of the reasons I think the Cowboys don't necessarily spend the way they should. And that's how I have felt about the Lakers. So listen, I don't know much about Mark Walters. I know that he bought 26% of the team from I think and shoots or whomever with the guarantee. Part of that was if the buses sell, I get the first opportunity and now he's in. Now I, I agree with you. Historically sports franchises have been undervalued. I wonder if we are now getting to where. 10 billion. $10 billion. Kind of like that's a lot. Think about money.

[Nick Wright]

So the Celtics sold for 6 billion. The GDP of Boston. The gross domestic product is 600 million annually. It's a trillion in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles economy would be the 20th biggest economy in the world, meaning it would be bigger than about 185 countries. So. And so and they own the, the.

[Colin Cowherd]

Lakers own their arena. So that's an important so like you just if the arena's worth 2 billion given where it is in the real estate and whatever. So now it's not 6 versus 10, it's 6 versus 8. And you take the fact that LA is a bigger market and you know, as much as this will pain our buddy Bill Simmons, the Lakers are the biggest brand ambassador.

[Nick Wright]

Listen, like Celtics were in the finals two years ago. It didn't get a good rating. It didn't get a number. I mean when the Lakers are in the final, regardless of who the star is, it generally gets a much bigger rating.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, yes, it's also true. The Lakers have never been in the finals without one of the biggest stars in the league. Well, that's like, oh, that Lakers time they made the finals with that scrappy, underachieving team. No, it's LeBron or Kobe or Shaq or Magic or Kareem or Will. But still your point stands. Yeah, no, they are the. The. This is a fun one because you did your mount.

[Nick Wright]

What was it?

[Colin Cowherd]

Mount.

[Nick Wright]

Mount.

[Colin Cowherd]

Just more. Because they're just more than everyone else. If we were to do. God, this is. This is corny. And make funnable content. It also I'm sure will crush on Tick Tock or something. If we were to do the Mount Rushmore franchises in American sports. Four to me there are three no brainers and then people would argue about the four fourth. But the three no brainers are the New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Lakers. Those to me. Do you think I'm missing anything there? I. I think those are the three brands that are truly every corner of the world there. You know, somebody's walking around wearing a T shirt even if they've never heard of the team.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah. I think I will say this. I think the LA Dodgers because of the Walters group. Perfect spring, summer, fall weather. Ohtani now is, you know, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Dodger games are now an event. There are fans from the Pacific Rim. Every home game road attendance for the Dodgers is number one in the league. They played the Yankees, I think it was last year. It felt like 25% of the crowd was Dodger fans. They travel incredibly well. I think the Dodgers over the last eight since they've been purchased from the Mark Walters group, I think they have become. And I'm. And I mean this, I think they're a step ahead of the Yankees. They don't have all the pennants, they don't have all the titles. But this ownership group is much more. It's got deeper pockets, it's more aggressive. I mean the way they are pushing contracts down the road, they are a revolutionary franchise.

[Colin Cowherd]

But they're not a bigger brand than the New York.

[Nick Wright]

I think they're getting close. I think Ohtani changes it. I really.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, if the idea is like Ohtani brings in and in a hole similar to I understand one I think he.

[Nick Wright]

Brings in the Pacific. What?

[Colin Cowherd]

Like what? Yeah, like what Yao Ming did for the Houston Rockets where all of a sudden it's like you have this whole new market. But if so the. Because I really the Maybe eventually the Dodgers get there. If it's Yankees, Cowboys, Lakers is the three the teams across sports competing for that fourth spot. Dodgers definitely are in the contention. The Celtics are the Warriors. No, probably not. Because that's good. The warriors are like the Chiefs in that it's the supernova of the moment in Mahomes or Steph Curry. But they don't have a history to where they're this big brand. So do you think. You think the Dodgers now have surpassed the Cubs.

[Nick Wright]

Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

As the second biggest brains in baseball?

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Nick Wright]

Because again, remember, Chicago wanted the Olympics. Why couldn't they get them? Because they were not considered a global city. They were considered, maybe are like, Chicago has won best North American city seven years in a row from Conde Nas architecture. It's an unbelievable city, but it's not viewed as an International City. D.C. san Francisco, Louisiana. New York, Boston, similarly is not necessarily seen. It's seen as kind of provincial, parochial. So I think they've surpassed. And the Cubs, the Ricketts family, which, by the way, they live about five minutes from where I'm sitting right now. They are. It seats 36,000. Their revenues just don't. They're not close. They're just not close anymore. So. And I think the Cubs are historic and they matter domestically, but I don't think they pull a big number that might be right.

[Unknown]

I.

[Colin Cowherd]

And it also might be a lot of the benefit of the Cubs went away. Or benefits, the wrong word. But brand recognition, for lack of a better term of the Cubs, had to do with. If you're a millennial, when you were growing up with, like, basic cable, for some reason you got the Cubs games because of wgn, so you could like, watch your team and the Cubs. And so they, they had that. And now people can watch whatever teams they want. I just saw the who. Who do you. Sorry for this slight detour, but after the Cowboys, what do you think the biggest brand in football is? Like, I. I hesitate that in the moment, it's obviously the Chiefs, but you wonder, like, if Mahomes retired.

[Nick Wright]

Like, it's an interesting story.

[Colin Cowherd]

Everyone, if you. Nobody cares if you bought the Chiefs today.

[Nick Wright]

Well, you would have to consider Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes part of the buy. So this idea. Well, the brand. What is the brand right now? Jerry Jones is 80. They're dysfunctional. Their roster's bad. There's value to it. But Kansas City's got the best quarterback in the league for the next 10 years. So, I mean, when LeBron James went from the Miami Heat back to Dan Gilbert and Cleveland, I talked to somebody.

[Colin Cowherd]

In the equity space.

[Nick Wright]

He said that was a $400 million day for Dan Gilbert. The Cavs without LeBron, even with Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell. LeBron changed the. It was a paradigm shift economically for Cleveland, literally. Ken Griffey saved baseball in Seattle. LeBron James changed the economy Taylor, Swift, Stewart, I'll give you an example, made $2.1 billion, sold 10 million tickets. That is double the next biggest tour ever. So it's only big because of one reason, the artist. So if you count, I mean, let's be honest. If you bought a soccer franchise 10 years ago and Ronaldo had an eight year contract, it would make it worth half a billion dollars more. So I think the Chiefs with Mahomes, that adds to me, that adds half a. Somewhere between 500 billion and a billion dollars. They go from 6 billion to 7 because of Mahomes.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, so that's the other piece of this. The other piece of this is if the. If the most valuable team in the NBA is now worth $10 billion, what is the most valuable team in the NFL worth? Is it 15 billion? Like, honestly, like what is. If this is the new. Because you can't tell like as much as. As big of a brand as Lakers are. And I understand the NBA's new TV deal. I get all that. There is nothing. That is the machine that is the NFL. So if the lake. If we now have Lakers 10 billion, Celtic 6 billion, you know, as the metrics, then the. If. Forget the Cowboys. I'm trying to think of a good, you know, a good if The San Francisco 49ers.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Were for sale. Are they a $10 billion franchise?

[Nick Wright]

Caitlin Clark, obviously a huge story and the controversy around it. And I was thinking about. I was pretty hard in the WNBA when Caitlin Clark came in. And I, and I thought, guys, you can't open up with a New York Liberty in the Connecticut Sun. You want to groove her into some wins because remember, she went from the Final Four into camp into playing the wnba. They probably knew she would be good. They didn't think she'd quite be this good. But it's getting to be a little bit like MJ is that. And they've done a better job this year. They had an easier schedule. They've put the games on television. So the WNBA took a lot of heat. A lot of heat. And Val Ackerman, the commissioner's like, okay, we got ourselves a complete Taylor Swift and tennis shoes. Rock star. And they've done a much better job this year. The officiating's not great, but the league's now just starting to make real money now. Now, Right. Like, so it's the officials. Maybe the last part, you know, it's.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, yeah, I wonder with it. And I don't know, I'm not educated enough on this about what the hierarchy of officiating is but obviously the best basketball officials in the world are in the NBA. Want to officiate in the NBA. The. Let's just. I shouldn't say the world just. Let's just do the U.S. i assume the second best like men's college basketball. Well, yeah, I, I would imagine the third best might be women's college basketball because up until recently that was a far bigger industry than the wnb. Like so has the in. Again, I am just speculating here but is the WNBA simply not.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Picking from the. You know the. Are the people who are the best officials are like well it's way better jobs in officiating than I can get. They flew so I assume that's going to be.

[Nick Wright]

They flew commercial airlines a year go.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I, yeah, I moved out of.

[Nick Wright]

That in like the 80s. So it's like it's, it's just a different ball game. But, but I was thinking about this. Most of the time the media gets it right when it predicts an all time star. In fact, I would argue and I think people listening to this would push back that we undersold Tiger. Nobody thought Tiger was going to have the lowest scoring average ever. Was going to have the tied for the most career wins ever. Has the greatest earnings ever. Nobody, not even Nike would have guessed that.

[Colin Cowherd]

No. And within five years have the scoring record at all four majors. I mean the Tiger slam, you know the Tiger Slam.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, you're right. Tiger was Tiger, LeBron, Serena LeBron. I would argue all the all time greats that turned into all time greats also actually kind of exceeded expectations.

[Nick Wright]

Most of the time. I think Bryce Harper at 16 was considered arguably the best baseball prospect ever. He's turned out eight time All Star, two time National League MVP, 340 home runs plus. That is a. If you would have said that when he was 16 on sports illustrate he's going to be an eight time all star. Two time MVP. Be like yeah, for the best prospect ever. That, that, that, that's, that's in that elite class.

[Colin Cowherd]

Sure.

[Nick Wright]

But I think Caitlin Clark, LeBron and MJ, I think they're better. And I, I thought Caitlin was going to be good. But Gino Orema, UConn's coach came out and said and this guy knows basketball. He's in the, he's the best recruiter in the history of the sport. He's like this idea she's going to walk into the WNBA and crush.

[Colin Cowherd]

I know but that was. So here's the thing. All the Yukon Folks had like the you former. The legendary Yukon players who were then in media and then Gino. They all kind of in my opinion had a bias of man this was supposed to be what everyone was saying about Paige Beckers a year ago but Paige had blown out her knee and she missed time and that and all of that. And so they, I think that they and they also underestimated what a badass Clark was going to be. And I think they also looked at it and said well she's great and going to be great but she's not better than Brianna Stewart or Diana Tarazzi. And they you know if they had a transition she will do. And the answer is she's at. She is already one of the four best players in the league.

[Nick Wright]

Oh yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

She is already an absolute and I say this in the kindest words an asshole on the court like the way you kind of need. You don't need to be but it's something people historically like in their athletes like a trash Larry Bird, Michael Jordan a trash talker, you know, hard ass. And she is already impacting winning. I think she has the best per game plus minus in the league of everyone that's not on the New York Liberty Liberty or just crossing 10 years.

[Nick Wright]

Ago except they lost. So the quality of WNBA play in the last 10 years has improved more than any league anywhere. The players are sure the nutrition's better, the strength is better. You go YouTube and WNBA game 10 years ago they did not pass like this. Candace Parker ten years ago led the league in assists at five and a half a game a game. Not only is Caitlin Clark the best shooter, the best guard, the most influential, she's also dealing nine assists per game. So what she's done is she's really changed the tempo. She's doubling these all time assist numbers or close to it and giving you threes and shooting nine feet beyond the arc. So I mean as much as I liked her and I thought she would be really good I remember saying on the air she's going to be really good top 10 player really fast.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

I didn't think she'd be this.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I listen she. I agree with you that I do think she is and in contributing to winning.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Exceeding expectations. I also think that and maybe eventually we'll get there but there so much in my and I don't know what you said on the air about this today because I missed it but so much of the social media pearl clutching of basically we need to protect Caitlin Clark. I just think it's so I think it's patronizing and I also think it fails to recognize this is in my opinion the best case scenario for the league. The fact that she is has this swagger that there and Brew made this point and I thought it was a really good one. The fact that yesterday's altercations primarily happened with Caitlin against other white players was actually a really nice thing because it removed any of the bullshit like oh do the are the black players don't like. No. You know who doesn't like Caitlyn?

[Nick Wright]

Everybody.

[Colin Cowherd]

Most of her opponents. You know who historically is not that popular in sports? The young awesome, swaggery trash talking player. That player usually has allies on their team and their Larry Bird.

[Nick Wright]

That's it got choked by Dr. J.

[Colin Cowherd]

Everybody hated Larry and so and so that's awesome. Here's another thing that's awesome. This is only going to make Caitlyn better and tougher and stronger. That's great. The fact that it is hard and that like because the idea because some of Caitlyn's like like there is a real lunatic fringe on the Internet about this conversation and and I hate doing in life. I don't actually really think both sides are a problem very often in the Caitlyn Clark thing.

[Nick Wright]

It is both sides.

[Colin Cowherd]

It is people on both ends of the spectrum are out of their minds and the biggest Caitlyn fans are like the league. This is the league's cash cow and if they they if they're not suspending these other players she could get hurt. Like give me a break. It was a light shove. She fell down. She's going to be fine. The fever are going to be in big games for a long time. It is she is sustainably drawing eyeballs and I do think it is Notewile people pointed out correctly. Oh man. When she was out the ratings dropped. The the other piece of this is the ratings dropped but we're still higher than pre Caitlin Clark WNBA which means while yes some people are just showing up for her. Some people showed up for her and we're like oh I like basketball and this is a pretty good product. I'll stick around even if she's not there. At least some people did. It's the best thing imaginable for the league. It's the best thing imaginable for her and it is for us. You know here in hockey ended last night. Basketball probably ends tomorrow in the NBA. It'll be nice to have like a captivating sports story for the summer other than baseball.

[Nick Wright]

So I'm excited about it NBA Finals are here. This is your last chance to bet on the NBA until next season. DraftKings Sportsbook an official betting partner of the NBA. A finals to remember pulling out all the stops. One team's going to be crowned champ. Who do you got winning it? Put your hoops expertise to the test. DraftKings has been the go to spot for NBA player props. That doesn't stop now. Try placing a bet in your personal MVP to drop 30 or 40. If you're ready to place your first bet, download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Takes 90 seconds. Lock in your bets. Finish the seasonal winner. Here's something special for first timers new DraftKings customers. All you have to do is bet 5 bucks. 5 bucks. You get 300 bucks in bonus bets if your bet wins. Don't miss it. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. The code is Colin c o l I n the code is Colin. Five bucks can get you 300. If your $5 bet wins only on DraftKings the crown is yours.

[Unknown]

Gambling problem call 1-800- gambler in New York, call 8778-HOPENWYR. Text Hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. New customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkng co.

Audio gaming isn't just a hobby, it's a mission. And when you drop in, your squad is counting on you. No pressure, right? That's where Lenovo comes in. Be future ready with AI. The Legion series has everything from high performance laptops to top of the line towers. Whether you're buying, pre built or configuring your own with Intel Core Ultra processors unlock better streaming gaming performance. Offload AI tasks like background removal, audio optimization and auto framing to the NPU so you can team and game smoothly plus accelerate on device generative AI tasks from creating images to audio. With three built in AI accelerators that help keep your data private and accessible. Expect lightning fast responsiveness on a stunning 16 inch PureSight display. Stay cool under pressure with cold front thermal tech and with all day battery life, the game only stops when you say so. Intel Core Ultra Processors for the next era of gaming, shop [e-mail] Oikos presents.

[Nick Wright]

15 Seconds of Strength. Here we go. Steve's got a trunk full of groceries and no one to help him.

[Unknown]

Oh, that's tough.

[Nick Wright]

Jim looks like a five trip load at least. He grabs the first bag, the second Bob.

[Unknown]

It looks like he's trying to do it all.

[Colin Cowherd]

One trip.

[Nick Wright]

He shimmies the door open, steps over the dog. Oh, and he stumbles.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, right into the kitchen without missing a beat. Jim.

[Unknown]

Now that's a man who eats his.

Protein packed Oikos with 50, 18 grams.

[Nick Wright]

Of complete protein in each cup.

[Unknown]

Oikos Triple Zero can help build strength for every day.

[Nick Wright]

Oikos stronger makes everything better. Hey everybody. You've heard me talk about Green River Whiskey, the official whiskey of the Colin Cowherd podcast. And if you know anything about me, I love a good metaphor. So the team at Green river challenged me to come up with a perfect metaphor to describe their incredible bourbon and rye whiskeys. And with the playoffs upon us, the answer is clear. Green River Whiskey is like a big playoff win by your favorite team, always sure to raise your spirits. So pair the thrills of this playoff season with Green River Whiskey. And with four core products in their starting lineup, there's something to suit any taste. To find Green river near you, head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com here's the green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. A product of Green River Distilling Company, Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com, please drink responsibly.

[Unknown]

Home emergencies wait for no one. And you shouldn't either. Whether it's plumbing, electric, heating or cooling, HomeServe has you covered. Get a plan from HomeServe for peace of mind starting at 5 bucks a month. That's [e-mail] Find out how to save on [e-mail] HomeServe a subscription for peace of mind.

[Nick Wright]

Not available everywhere.

[Unknown]

Most plans range between 399 to 11.99amonth. Your first year terms apply on covered repairs.

[Nick Wright]

Okay, so I feel vindicated. So I have. This has been one of my strongest NBA takes forever, which is if you're under six' four in this league and have the ball in your hands a lot. If you cannot shoot John Wall, you know, Westbrook, Derrick Rose, Ja Morant, you're going to have to drive to the basket against bigger players and you're going to get hurt more often. If you're Steve Nash or Steph Curry and can shoot, it can prolong your career. You can do you know, you don't have to drive. You get A lot of no contact looks. And my take on John Morant was yes, I always said I thought he was a poor man's. Derrick rose, he's about 15 pounds less than Derrick Rose. And you, I understand the NBA media, he's a highlight player. Forget the maturity for a second, which is I, I'm never too hard on guys about maturity. I'm much tougher on football players because they're 23 and 24 years old. You bring 22 year old, you bring 18, 19 year old guys into the NBA, okay, they're going to screw up like first couple years, just, just build in. A really bad decision. Now with Jaw, it was worse than that. But for me it wasn't the, the maturity stuff because he's a kid, it was okay. He's wildly, he's wildly entertaining, he's an incredible highlight player, but he's not an effective shooter. And by the way, the last several years it's gotten worse and he's hurt more. So he has aged very quickly. So I've never been a fan of hyper, athletic guards that aren't particularly good shooters. Now Westbrook was so athletic that he could be a poor shooter and you know, he's bouncing around the league now. But there's just not a lot of Westbrooks historically and Westbrook mostly is healthy. He's a sturdy, he has a running back. Ja's not. I mean, what's ja? 180, you know, 178. So he's spindly. So I just, it's not that I wasn't a fan. He was a spectacular talent. But I think everybody in the league thought Zion and Jaw were going to take it over and it's going to be a, it's going to be Banchero and SGA and these players. I mean, it's just interesting how much maturity and hard work matters. You know, J Dub, sga, Holmgren, I mean it's just like really focused, driven, aspirational players and I think it was just too much too soon for him and he got banged up and I think Memphis by the trade is telling you we're going to start over. We're going to start and it's the right move. They can't compete. We knew it this year. It's the right move by Memphis. I actually like what Memphis did. It's just they won't be very good for a couple years.

[Unknown]

Yeah, you know it. We were talking about power earlier and the one example of a guy who succeeded despite a lack of power is steph yeah. And Steph is both a great shooter and someone who has been consistently available to his team. He's been healthy.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

And the tricky thing with like jaw's going to be 26 years old at the start of next season and he's just straight up, up. Not as good as he was three years ago. Like, not as good. He's just not. Not as good as at basketball.

[Nick Wright]

No.

[Unknown]

And like this is the age. 26, 27 is typically the age when players peak. Like Tatum, best season of his career. Right. At this age. This is the age when everyone seems to kind of figure it out. It's where. It's kind of where like the, the meeting point of the mental part of the game and the physical part of the game. And from this point forward, it's kind of like a trade off. You get a little smarter, a little more skilled, but you get a little less athletic. This is the peak. Right. And instead like, like his scoring volume has, like in 2022, takes his team to within two wins of the conference finals. He's going head to head with Steph talking shit to him, having such a great breakout playoff run. And ever since then, his scoring volume has dropped. Every season since that year, his efficiency has gone down. He just posted his two lowest games played totals of his career in the last two seasons. He's played fewer games in the last two years than he did three years ago combined. Like, it's a, it's been a downward trajectory. And so if you're Memphis and you're looking at it, you just got four unprotected first round picks from Orlando. There still is some young, exciting talent on the roster. Some guys like Gigi Jackson, that are interesting. Zach Edie, that's interesting. They have guys in house that they can continue to develop and be fun, but they can bring in a massive trove of draft picks by trading Morant and Bane and Juice doing a full pivot. Not to mention Jaren Jackson, who I think carries a great deal of value somewhere around the league. And so I look at it as like a. Basically it's a turning point for John Morant. You either got to commit to him or you've got to get off the ship. And the trade is a clear sign that they're going to get off the ship. Not to mention like they, they might look to trade kcp. I wouldn't be surprised if KCP gets moved to a contender at some point in the next season. I think it's just Memphis looking at their situation and going like, we're sick of being in this business.

[Nick Wright]

It's so. Jaw is such a cautionary tale. When you look at big stars that explode and then fall off and don't eventually rise to the level, it's always kind of a maturity thing. It's almost always that like you just couldn't handle a spotlight. Like Zion couldn't handle his weight. Wasn't a terribly focused player. Zion, I thought was a tremendously, just massive torque. There's just nothing like him. I thought Ja was spectacular, but I think it's one of the reasons I like Nil is kids are going to stay in college and they're going to be surrounded by non basketball players and they're going to be coached hard and they'll go to class and it's a big broad life beyond just basketball and a G league. So I think, and I've talked about this multiple times, I think Nil is really going to help the NBA and college basketball and you're going to get more guys. The Auburn player who J. Mac loves, Auburn's got a guard that's explosive. He's coming back to Auburn. He could play in the NBA. It'll make him a better NBA player and a great college player. So. And some of these European guys now are coming over to college basketball. So I think the coaching in college basketball has always been excellent. Sometimes almost too dogmatic. Right. Like it's just so coach oriented. But I look at Ja and I think the story of Ja is a little too much too soon and just wasn't quite ready for the stage. I mean there was a moment in time where you thought for about a year, maybe two, you're like, oh, he's going to be the face of the league. I mean that was about three years ago and then it all just unraveled and I don't think we need a face of the league. I thought he for a while looked like it. He just wasn't ready for it. It's. It's a lot to ask and he wasn't ready for it.

[Unknown]

Yeah, you know what happens in this league, it's success is so short lived because people are coming for you. You know, like Giannis looks like he climbs the mountaintop in 2021, looks like he's going to launch this new. Nope, here comes Jokic and he's, he's the problem. It's like Ja looks like he's about to climb the Mountaintop in 2022. Shay and Ant have both lapped him him since they've kind of reached their Their collective ceilings. And like, I think, you know, I do believe in John Morant. I do. He has a supreme athletic trait in the ability to get downhill. He actually is an underrated shot maker close to the rim in terms of like his floater and like little short stuff. I do think there's somebody that should probably consider taking a bet on him or a chance on him as I look around. You know, we're going to talk about KD here in a second and Katie is. We're going to talk about it in more detail here in a second. But the Athletic is reporting that Katie is preferring the spurs, which we'll get to in a minute. But like Houston, if Houston can't get kd, like, would they consider a guy like John Morant? Is there a team out there that has the. That's in a tough position that can afford to take that kind of risk? Maybe a Sacramento, a team that's been kind of stuck in mediocrity. Like, is there a team out there that is willing to take a risk on a guy like him? Because I do think the upside is there, Colin. Like I. I've seen a lot of stuff over the last couple days ranking him at various points in the league and I do think when he's healthy, he's still like right around the 14th or 15th best player in the NBA because no one can keep him in front. He is an extremely talented player. That's the frustrating part is that it hasn't come together. But I do think that there's some somebody out there that's going to take a chance on him. But ultimately, whether or not it works out is going to be whether or not Jaw actually makes the changes that he needs to. Like, you got to improve. Like you, you have to develop as a jump shooter to take it easier on your legs. If he develops as a jump shooter, it will make his downhill drives more dynamic and less frequent, which will help him stay healthier and available to his team. There is a real upside there. He just hasn't been able to capitalize on it. But Colin, what are your thoughts on the report that Kevin Durant prefers the Spurs? I was not a huge fan of this fit. We were talking last week about how Wemby being very thin, KD being very thin, even dear and Fox is. He's a super fast guard, but he's not a power player. Not a lot of power on that roster. Colin, what are your thoughts on KD potentially going to the Spurs?

[Nick Wright]

Well, I mean, to me, Wembanyama and Stefan Castle are the. Are the team. Like, there's nothing against de' Aaron and Vassal, but I think those two guys are all stars, one of them, all NBA. And I think they're just getting better fast. I think I'm always cautious to say Kevin Durant doesn't fit anywhere. I think he fits everywhere. Like my wife always says, salt works with everything. My son was a chef, my stepson, it's like, yeah, bacon grease and butter work with everything. That, that's Kevin Durant. Like, you can just find a spot for a guy who's the best jump shooter at any given juncture in the league. So. And I also think Kevin. It just kind of figures it out, you know, I don't always like his decision making on teams, but even in Brooklyn, he was the one thing I liked about it. He was the one thing. I mean, in, in Arizona, in Phoenix, it was Bradley Beal that drove us nuts. Kevin Durant was giving me 26 and 27. I'm not disappointed with him. I've been disappointed with his team selection, but I just kind of feel like he's water. He just kind of floats and finds his level, and I think he'll fit anywhere. And I also think you've got really smart between Chris Paul and de' Aaron Fox. You know, you have good guiders on that team, like really smart guys. And you can be a really flawed team if you're intelligent. We've talked about the Miami Heat, like, one of the smartest teams in league history. It's like, Allen, LeBron, Wade, Bosch, Battier, Haslam. It's like she's high functioning. They didn't have a center. Chalmers drove everybody crazy. Wade and LeBron kind of had duplicate games. And you're like, yeah, they got to four straight finals. Like, they just figured shit out, right? And I kind of feel like if you put Wemby and it's Fox and it's, you'd have to move off. I think Harrison Barnes we talked about before, I think it was the. But I mean, I just think KD would work. I think it would just work. I think it. I think Houston needs him more. But I mean, I think he looks at Houston and thinks, all right, like, like Sengoon. Yeah. I mean, Thompson, is he a great offensive player yet? He's more of a athlete, defensive player. I don't know. I think Katie's smart and looks at it and just thinks, man, I could have bad shooting nights and we could score 128 in San Antonio. Like, I think that's how he looks at it, maybe I'm wrong.

[Unknown]

You know, I want to be clear. Just because I say it's not my favorite fit doesn't mean it can't work. Like, I'm a big believer in don't overthink things. Like, don't overthink Kevin Durant next to Victor Wembanyama and Darren Fox. Like, they're going to score a lot of points. They're going to be able to. To get a certain number of stops. There's. I. There is. We were just talking about with Desmond Bain. There's a reason why Desmond Baines shooting is so incredibly valuable in the Orlando context on a team that. That not only doesn't have a guy who can make jump shots, but doesn't have a guy who can make jump shots off the move. So it's uniquely super valuable to that team. Kd, anchored by the physicality of Houston. I like the kind of like, force multiplier effect he could have there. That said, even in the context of San Antonio, he's obviously a massive upgrade. He's obviously going to make them way better. There's. There's even like some interesting stuff you could look at in the big picture. KD is like probably the best shooting workout guy in the league to. To pair Victor Wembanyama with. He's legendary for the quality of his shooting workouts, him going game speed, him working on shots that are specifically available in NBA games off of certain actions. KD is like a legend in his workouts off the floor. Wemby's going to be doing all those workouts with him. You know he is. And it would lead to a certain development in ter in terms of Wemby's big picture health. But it looks to me more like less of a in immediate contender juggernaut and more of like kind of a fun place for KD to end his career.

[Nick Wright]

That's right.

[Unknown]

Go hand in hand in Wembley.

[Nick Wright]

That's what I think. I think Katie looks at it and thinks this would be fun, is that it wouldn't be. I wouldn't have to drop 28 points, would come easy. And I think Katie looks at it and thinks, okay, de' Aaron Fox, you know, Wemby, the structure of the organization, they draft smart players. They don't draft a lot of ego. They don't draft a lot of dummies. I think KD looks at himself and thinks, okay, Houston's got this. There's a lot of stuff in Houston that I'm not sure it's ever going to be great in the playoffs. It's a lot of hyper athleticism and length and running and that's fun. But I don't think at this point he wants to be a mentor, right? Like, I think he wants to go, I think I'll have some fun and play with really smart players, highly functional players and all put the pressure on me to figure out where I fit. You know, like, they don't need him. I think Houston needs him. I think the Knicks could really use him. So I think, you know, I think for KD it is. I think it's perfect. That would be fun. It would be fun for him and I think it would be fun for us.

[Unknown]

It falls in line with the same ideology that led him to Golden State. You know, like, to your point, KD could win a title in Houston, but it would be a chore and offense would come very difficult. He'd be facing crazy looks. Now the flip side of that is he wouldn't have to be the same statistical monster in Houston that he would be in other situations because Houston's defense is so good that he would just need to basically lift them over the top on the offensive end of the floor. But there is something to be said about basketball is more fun when the ball is moving around and you're playing with more offensive skill. And when you like, like kd, if there's one weakness at this point in his career, he doesn't pressure the rim a ton. Well, dear. And Fox sure as hell does. So like he's going to get to play off of those advantages and play off the ball like there is a. KD has told us to our faces exactly who he is for years. He loves basketball and he wants to play a fun brand of basketball.

[Nick Wright]

That's right.

[Unknown]

And so even if we look on it, at it on paper and go, oh, Houston, big physical team, they could anchor him with defense. Ime Udoka is not the best offensive coach in the world. That team doesn't have a lot of offensive talent. It would be, it would be a lot like Oklahoma City in 2016. And I'm thinking he looks at that and goes, I'd rather play fun, free flowing basketball with some more talented offensive players. And so with that being the case, I mean, San Antonio is going to be a really interesting team if they pulled something like this off. All of a sudden a guy like Jeremy Sohan becomes super important because he'd have to be such a defensive anchor for them in terms of size and strength. Stefan Castle, obviously, defensively, as a guard would have to do a lot of that work. Again, I'm not sure that I would view that spurs team as exceptionally dangerous, but what a fun way for Wemby to start his career. And what a fun way for Katie to end his career.

[Nick Wright]

Well, I think also Katie looks at LeBron and thinks LeBron's always figured it out is LeBron doesn't want to do a lot of the dirty work. Like if he went to Houston, Katie'd have to do some of the dirty work. He'd be like, like, he'd be like Steph in Golden State where it's like, oh, Steph plays poorly. That's the narrative when they lose. It's not Jimmy Butler and Steph in Houston. Very quickly he would be. Because Jalen Green's a hot and cold shooter. And very quickly, if Houston loses, it's like, well, Katie, you know, he had an off shooting night.

[Unknown]

We traded for him. He was supposed to save us from this.

[Nick Wright]

That's right. And it's just not the case in San Antonio. He'll be part of. And I do think as players get older, they're looking for fit. And you know, it's, it's. And I'm okay with that. I think as I've aged, I've always liked fit. It's just fun to be part of a group a mix of young and old. But you don't want to be a mentor. Like, I just don't think Katie, at this point, I think fun is a really interesting word because Kyrie is fun to play with. That's why he went there. And Golden State no longer because of relationships. Wasn't. He wasn't having a good time. He was winning. And so yeah, I'm okay with it. He's had an all time career. He's a different cat. But I've, you know, I've come to terms with not everybody's the same. I really do think though, what you're seeing right now in the NBA I really like. And I know we don't have a super team, but it's becoming like the NFL. It's a very GM driven league. Like the smart GMs are going to win. A lot of them are in the west and they have been for 30 years. That's why the west is overwhelmingly top to bottom, always deeper than the East. You just have more good owners and more good GMs. And the other thing is, I think we've really seen this. There's a lot of maturity in the league right now, like Indiana and Oklahoma City I mean, these are grinding outfits. I mean, I think Indiana plays pretty good defense. I mean, again, juxtaposition with OKC juxtaposed to that, well, it doesn't look the same, but there was a in the second quarter in this game, I was like, God, Indy has given them problems. So I just, I think the league right now, it went through a cycle where it felt kind of you had old stars and two young guys. Like, you know, and you had these Jaws and these Zions. It's like they're just not ready. I just feel like we've got this group of Halliburton and SGA and Jalen Williams and it's just like really good Tatum, really good young players, totally dedicated to the league and fewer and fewer old guys are relevant. And I think it's. I don't. It may not get ratings, but I really like OKC in Indiana. Like I really respect top to bottom both organizations. The volume.

[Unknown]

Summer is here and you.

[Nick Wright]

Can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now what do we mean by almost?

[Unknown]

Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A nice tan. Sorry, A box fan? Happily, yes. A day of sunshine? No. A box of fine wines? Yes, Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details.

[Nick Wright]

BMW didn't just design an electric suv. Every detail of the BMW IX was crafted with passion and precision. With a BMW ix, you'll experience unmatched power, utility, spaciousness, versatility. My favorite feature cloud based navigation, monitors charge levels, locates nearby charging stations so I can drive electric with the ultimate ease. BMW lets performance do the talking and the scouting report is in. Experience the all electric BMW IX and witness dedication in every detail.

[Unknown]

Is your team still running on yesterday's tech? Time for an upgrade. The ThinkPad X1 carbon is ultralight, ultra powerful and powered by Intel Core Ultra processor so you can work, create and boost productivity all on one device. If you need security, well, Lenovo's ThinkShield helps protect your business from modern threats. Need smarter performance built in AI features keep things running fast and efficiently. And if you're looking for perks, Lenovo Pro gives you exclusive business benefits, extra savings and access to essential tools. Stop hitting snooze on new tech when the tech search for business [e-mail].

The.

Following heartwarming yet informative scene is brought to you by Trust and will.

[Nick Wright]

Son, your grandpa and I used to work on this car together. And when I'm gone, I want you to have it. Wow.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks, dad.

[Unknown]

Doesn't count. What you need is a will. Luckily, trust and Will makes it easy. Designed by attorneys, but customized by you, you can easily create a state specific, legally valid document that actually counts.

[Nick Wright]

Counts.

[Unknown]

Now let's let the engine do the talking. Am I right? Start your [e-mail] use offer code, count for 20 off and make it count. Trust and Will is an online estate planning service. For details, see trustandwill.com this is an iHeart podcast.